Ginger Snaps

Pasta e Fagioli

2007-10-27T22:32:00.000-04:00

Claire's Corner Copia was one of my favorite restaurants in New Haven. I've made this several times from the Claire's cookbook and love it almost as much as the version from the restaurant.

3 quarts water
1 lb great northern beans, picked over
1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
6 cloves garlic, chopped
4 or 5 basil leaves, chopped, or 1 tsp dried basil
2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
1/3 cup olive oil (I often use less)
1 28-oz can whole tomatoes in juice, crushed with your hands (I usually just use canned crushed tomatoes)
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 lb cooked little pasta (ditalini, tubetini, etc.)

Put the water, beans, parsely, garlic, basil, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes and bay leaf in a large covered pot. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and cook uncovered for 1 hour, stirring every 10 minutes or so. Add the olive oil and tomatoes. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, for another 1 1/2 hours, until the beans are soft and the broth is thick. Add the salt and pepper. Stir in the pasta and continue cooking for 1 minute. Taste for seasoning.

Hot Dates (with Almonds & Bacon)

2007-04-14T19:52:00.000-04:00

Brent and I had these at a party, and then came across them again in a restaurant in Harvard Square. We haven't tried making them ourselves yet, but I found this recipe online. Great party food!

Blanched whole almonds (Marcona almonds are extra-delicious)
Pitted dates
Lean thin-sliced bacon -- cut in thirds

Directions:
Put an almond in each date. Wrap a piece of bacon around each stuffed date and secure with a toothpick. Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Place dates on foil and bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 12-15 minutes or until bacon is crisp. Remove to rack or paper towel; drain. Serve warm.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

2007-01-18T13:49:00.000-05:00

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt (optional)
3 cups oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Beat together butter and sugars until creamy.
3. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
4. Add combined flour, baking soda, and salt; mix well.
5. Stir in oats and raisins; mix well.
6. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
7. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet; remove to wire rack.

Instead of chocolate chips, you can use raisins or cranberries. Ootional, 1 tsp. cinnamon

Sweet and Piquant Pork Stir-Fry

2007-01-18T13:40:00.000-05:00

2/3 cup orange juice
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tbs. orange marmalade
1 tbs. canola oil
1 tbs. honey
1 tbs. cornstarch
1 pound boneless pork loin, sliced in thin strips
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 green bell pepper, cut in thin strips
1 19 oz. can diced pineapple, drained

1. Combine the orange juice, vinegar, marmalade, honey and cornstarch in a small bowl and stir until the cornstarch is dissolved. Set Aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add the pork, sprinkle with the salt, and cook, stirring, 1 to 2 minutes or until the pork no longer appears pink. Add the ginger and the pepper strips and cook until 2 minutes or until peppers are crisp-tender.
3. Add the sauce and cook, stirring 3 minutes or until sauce is thickened and coats the pork and vegetables. Stir in the pineapple, cook 30 seconds, and serve.

Oven-Grilled Steak

2006-12-10T17:09:00.000-05:00

1 1/2 to 2 pounds strip or rib eye steaks, about an inch thick
salt and pepper

1. Heat oven to its maximum, 500 degrees or more, for at least 20 minutes. About 10 minutes before serving, place a cast-iron or other heavy skillet large enough to hold steaks over high heat on stovetop. Wait 2 or 3 minutes, until pan begins to smoke.

2. Add steaks and cook about a minute; there will be a lot of smoke. Immediately transfer pan to oven. Roast steaks 3 to 4 minutes, or until nicely browned on bottom, then turn and cook on other side for another 3 or 4 minutes. Steaks will be medium-rare. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve.

Fish: Shrimp Scampi

2006-06-15T11:49:00.000-04:00

Makes 4 servings

4 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/4 pounds medium shrimp
6-8 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 lemon slices

1. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Saute the shrimp until just pink, 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. With a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to a platter; keep hot.

2. In the skillet, combine the broth, wine, lemon juisce, 1/4 cup of the parsley, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Boil uncovered until the sauce is reduced by half; spoon over the shrimp. Serve, garnished with the lemon slices and sprinkled with the remaining tablespoon of parsley.

Irish Cream Chocolate Chip Cake

2006-03-17T16:53:00.000-05:00

The mother of one of my students made this cake for Saint Patrick's Day and brought it into the office. She said she uses Carol Anne's (Sp?) Irish Cream rather than Bailey's because it is sweeter and doesn't have the after taste that Bailey's has.

Cake

1 box white cake mix
1 sm box vanilla pudding
1 c mini choc chips
1 c Irish Cream - Carol Anne's
1/2 C Vegetable Oil
4 eggs

Mix all ingredients together on high speed. Pour into
a bundt pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake 45-55 minutes.

Glaze

3 c Powdered sugar
1 c Irish Cream

Whisk Together

Cool cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Invert cake onto
a cooling rack that's set over a jelly roll pan.
Pierce the cake several times and pour the glaze over
the cake.

Keep pouring, Re-using glaze in the jelly roll pan
until it's almost finished.

Let the cake 'Firm Up' a few hours or overnight.

If you like Irish Cream, you will definitely like this cake.

Meat: Moroccan-Spiced Pork Chops with Apricot Couscous

2006-03-01T19:53:00.000-05:00

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 pound lean pork loin, four 4 oz boneless chops, 3/4-inch-thick each
2 tsp olive oil
10 oz uncooked couscous
2 cup fat-free chicken broth
8 1/2 oz canned water-pack apricot halves, unpeeled, chopped (or 8
fresh apricot halves)
1 Tbsp cilantro, fresh, chopped

Instructions
In a resealable plastic bag, combine cinnamon, cumin and coriander.
Add pork to bag, seal and shake until well-coated; allow to marinate
20 minutes. (Note: You may use a medium glass bowl instead, if desired.)
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; cook pork, turning
once, until cooked through and an internal temperature of 160ºF is
reached, about 8 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare couscous according to package directions using
broth instead of water. Fold apricots and cilantro into cooked
couscous and mix to combine. Serve pork over couscous. Yields 1 pork
chop and about 1 1/4 cups of couscous per serving.

Meat: Pork Chops with Sweet Curried Onion

2006-02-24T11:05:00.000-05:00

1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon apricot jam (I use Polaner all-fruit with no added sugar)
1 large red onion
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
four 1/2-inch-thick pork chops (about 1 pound total -- I use boneless loin chops and brine them for a few hours beforehand to help ensure that they retain moisture)

In a small bowl stir together water and jam. Halve onion and thinly slice. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet heat 1 tablespoon oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and cook onion with curry powder, stirring, until softened. Stir onions into jam mixture and season with salt and pepper.

Pat pork chops dry and season with salt and pepper. In skillet heat remaining oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté chops until golden brown and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes on each side (if you use boneless loin chops -- be careful, as they cook very quickly and get very dry if overcooked!). Add curried onion to pan and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Serve chops with salad.

Roasted Potatoes with Garlic, Lemon and Oregano

2006-02-15T09:34:00.000-05:00

This recipe is from Epicurious.com, originally taken from Aglaia Kremezi's book 'The Food of the Greek Islands'

3 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes (I have made this with Red Potatoes unpeeled)
1/2 cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup beef stock or chicken stock
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2-3 tablespoon chopped fresh lemon juice

Preheat over to 400 degrees

Please the potatoes in a single layer in a 13X9 inch baking dish and pour the oil over them. Add the garlic, dried oregano, salt and pepper to taste and toss well to coat with oil.

Bake the potatoes for 15 minutes. Add the stock, toss and bake for 10 minutes more. Add the lemon juice, toss and bake for 10 to 15 minutes more, or until the potatoes are cooked through. If you like, preheat the broiler and broil the potatoes for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.

Sprinkle with the fresh oregano and serve.

Variation: Dissolve 1 tablespoon tomato paste in the stock and reduce the amount of lemon juice to taste. Substitute Aleppo pepper or crushed red pepper flakes for the black pepper.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Corn Pudding

2006-01-20T07:49:00.000-05:00

I got this recipe from my mother-in-law. It is from Yankee Magazine.

Corn Pudding
Total time: 1 hour 10 minute, active time: 20 minutes or less

2 15-oz cans corn kernels drained
2 15-oz cans cream-style corn
2 cups (16 oz) sour cream
3 eggs, large or X-large, separated
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 8 1/2 oz package corn muffin mix (Jiffy works nicely)
Nonstick cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine corn kernels, cream-style corn, sour cream, egg yolks, butter and corn muffin mix.
Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Beat egg whites to a soft peak and fold into the batter. Pour into baking dish, then bake 45 to 50 minutes until set (lightly browned, yet springy in the center)

**The original recipe is actually for Roasted Pepper Corn Pudding, for that add 2 roasted red peppers, finely diced and 2 tsp hot pepper sauce.

Garlic Bread with a Twist

2006-01-17T21:27:00.000-05:00

I was searching for a different way to prepare garlic bread and found this recipe on foodnetwork.com. I made it with the pasta pie for Christmas Eve dinner (2005) and it was yummo!!

Wolfgang's Garlic Bread

10 to 15 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 cup basil leaves, roughly chopped
1 small sprig rosemary, leaves stripped and roughly chopped
2 medium sage leaves, roughly chopped
Pinch chili flakes
Salt
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 loaf bread
Grated Parmesan, optional
Mozzarella cheese, optional

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

In a blender, combine the garlic, basil, rosemary, sage, chili flakes, and a pinch of salt and puree. With the blender running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil.
Slice the bread into 1/2-inch thick slices and place on a cookie sheet. Brush with the garlic pesto. Sprinkle with Parmesan and mozzarella, if desired.
Bake on the upper rack until golden brown and bubbly, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Main Course: Pasta Pie + Vegetarian Alternative

2006-01-16T11:22:00.000-05:00

Yield: 8 servings

Crust:
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 cup bread crumbs
1 small onion, chopped
3 large eggs
1/2 cup Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Filling:
5 cups cooked tubetti pasta (Ditalini pasta seems to work best, but any small tube or shell pasta will work)
1/2 pound shredded mozzarella
1/2 pound shredded provolone
3/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnish
2 cups Homemade Tomato Basil Sauce *see other post

Crust:
Mix crust ingredients gently to combine. Do not over mix. Put mixture into a lightly greased 10-inch pie plate. Shape meat to form a 1-inch thick crust.

Filling:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix filling ingredients and scoop into meat crust (the filling will pile well over two to three inches high).
Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Let pie cool for 15 minutes before cutting into 8 pie slices.
Top each slice with Homemade Tomato Basil Sauce and sprinkle with a little Parmesan.

Vegetarian Alternative

Over Christmas 2005, we took the remaining filling mixture and baked it in the oven at 350 degrees - no particular time limit, just until hot and bubbly.

Sauce: Homemade Tomato Basil Sauce

2006-01-16T11:19:00.000-05:00

Tomato Basil Sauce

1/3 cup olive oil
4 cloves minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
56 ounces canned tomatoes
24 ounces tomato paste
56 ounces water
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon black ground pepper
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup fresh whole basil leaves (I tend to use more than the required amount)
1 (2-ounce) chunk Romano cheese

In large pot, cook garlic and red pepper flakes in oil on low heat for 3 to 5 minutes only. Add tomatoes, paste, water, all seasonings, and fresh basil. Bring to a boil and then reduce to low heat. Add the chunk of Romano cheese. Cook for 2 1/2 to 3 hours stirring often.

Dessert:Delicious Raspberry Oatmeal Bars

2006-01-16T11:10:00.000-05:00

Delicious Raspberry Oatmeal Bars

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup seedless raspberry jam (I tend to use more than 3/4 a cup, can also use any flavor jam you like - apricot is particularly yummo, I have also used solo filling and they have turned out great)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease one 8 inch square pan and line with greased foil. Combine brown sugar, flour, baking soda, salt and rolled oats. Rub in the butter using your hands or a pastry blender (works fine in kitchen aid mixer) to form a crumbly mixture. Press 2 cups of the mixture into bottom of prepared pan. Spread the jam to within 1/4 inch of the edge. Sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture over the top and lightly press into the jam. Bake 35-40 minutes in preheated over, or until lightly brown. Allow to cool before cutting into bars.

Dessert: Blueberry Lemon Crumbles

2006-01-16T09:56:00.000-05:00

I got this recipe from Gourmet. Yummo!

Blueberry Lemon Crumbles
Makes 24 cookies
Active time: 45 minutes Start to Finish: 1 1/2 hour

1 cup sliced almonds with skins
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 sticks (3.4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup dried blueberries (I have made without and they have been fine, I used a blueberry jam with whole blueberries in it)
1/2 cup blueberry preserves

*Use a non-stick mini-muffin pan with 24 cups or 2 with 12 cups*
-Put over rack in middle position and preheat over to 375 degrees
-Toast almonds in 1 layer in a shallow baking pan, stirring once, until golden - about 3 to 5 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a rack. Leave oven on.

-Pulse flour, sugars, 1 tsp. zest, cinnamon and salt in a food processor (I have also made these in a kitchenaid mixer) until combined, then add butter and pulse until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add yolks and vanilla and process until mixture begins to come together in clumps.
-Transfer 1 1/3 cups packed dough to a bowl and stir in almonds (some almonds will break) for almond crumble topping. Gather remaining dough into a ball.
-Generously butter bottoms, sides and top of muffin pan (or you can use mini muffin cups). Press 1 tbsp. dough into bottom and up side of each muffin cup. Chill until dough is firm, about 15 minutes.
-Stir remaining lemon zest, lemon juice (2 tsp) and dried blueberries into preserves in a small bowl. Spoon a rounded 1/2 tsp preserves mixture onto dough in each muffin cup. Crumble 1 rounded tsp. almond topping evenly into each cup.
-Bake until topping is deep golden brown and filling is bubbling, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely in muffin pan on rack. Loosen edges of crumbles carefully with a small spatula or sharp knife, then carefully remove from pan.

*Crumbles keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week.

Cranberry-Pear Compote

2006-01-16T09:47:00.000-05:00

I got this recipe from my mother-in-law Liz Hubbell, originally from Yankee Magazine

Cranberry-Pear Compote (a great alternative to traditional cranberry sauce)

Total time: 30 minutes
Yields: 12 servings

2 cups sugar, divided
2/3 cup white wine
12 Seckel Pears, peeled, halved and cored (my mother-in-law has used regular pears, about 6-8 depending on the size, Seckel pears are quite a bit smaller than others. I did find them in North Carolina over Christmas, much to my surprise)
Juice and zest of 1 lemon, divided
2 - 12 oz bags fresh cranberries
Kosher salt to taste

Combine 1 cup sugar and wine in a large saucepan, then bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add pears and lemon juice. Cover and return to a boil. Simmer 2 minutes. Add cranberries and the remaining sugar, then stir. Boil 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and allow to cool. Garnish with lemon zest.

*This is a great recipe to make the night before and refrigerate.

Salad Dressing/Dips:Blue Cheese Dressing

2006-01-16T09:39:00.000-05:00

Blue Cheese Dressing

Yields: 2 1/4 cup

1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup crumbled Maytag or other blue cheese (about 3 oz) - I love blue cheese and throw in more than the recipe calls for, but it's up to you.
1/2 cup half and half
2 tbsp. sour cream
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayo, 1/4 cup blue cheese, half and half, sour cream, lemon juice, Worcestershire and salt, until smooth. Gently stir in the remaining 1/4 cup blue cheese and season with pepper to taste. Use now or store in refrigerator for up to 3 days. (I found that the taste improves after an hour or so in the refrigerator.)

Noodle Kugel

2006-01-16T09:29:00.000-05:00

I got this recipe from my sister-in-law Sarah Stein.

Noodle Kugel

1 (3 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup apricot nectar
1 (8 oz) package medium egg noodles, cooked, rinsed and drained
6 tablespoons butter, melted
Raisins, optional
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup crushed corn flakes crumbs
6 tablespoons butter, cut in small pieces

In mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar, eggs, milk and nectar. Beat thoroughly. Add noodles, 6 tbsp butter and raisins. Mix through. Grease 2 quart casserole dish and pour noodle mixture in. Combine cinnamon and sugar. Sprinkle top of casserole with corn flake crumbs and cinnamon/sugar mixture. Dot with butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Freezes well and is also good doubled.

Pretty Pink--Pasta/Beetroot/Parsley Salad

2006-01-15T17:05:00.000-05:00

This recipe was contributed by Andy's cousins, Rodney and Janet.

Ingredients:
3 cups dried pasta (wings, curls, or tubes)
3 - 5 medium sized raw beetroot
handfuls of fresh parsley

Boil your pasta in lightly salted water until tender, drain, cool. A drop of olive oil in the pan stops the pasta clogging. Wrench leaf and tap root off beets, wash, cook in pressure
cooker until tender. When cool enough, skin and dice. Wash and chop parsley coarsely

When pasta cool enough, stir in the diced beets which give it a
a pretty pink colour. Stir in the chopped parsley just before serving.

Tastes as good as it looks, packed full of calories to keep you warm in the allotment garden where the beetroot and parsley grow! Once you have tasted REAL beetroot you will never go back to the sour pickled or flavourless shrink-wrapped abominations.

Meat: Roasted Chicken with Garlic

2006-01-14T21:12:00.000-05:00

This is a garlic lover's delight... you will be positively toxic after eating this so don't make it on a school night! The leftovers make the best chicken salad ever.

1 roasting chicken (4 lbs)
4-6 heads of garlic
1-2 TB butter
1/4 cup chopped fresh tarragon
salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 300 degrees

Clean the chicken and season with salt & pepper
Peel garlic and separate cloves but leave whole
Stuff the cavity of the chicken with as many cloves as possible
Dot the outside of the chicken with butter; smear a little butter on the garlic sticking out of the cavity

Place in a deep roasting pan and cover with tin foil. Sprinkle any leftover cloves of garlic in the roasting pan.
Roast for 3 1/2 - 4 1/2 hours, basting occasionally, until garlic is very soft

Raise temperature to 400 and uncover chicken. Sprinkle with chopped tarragon. Roast for additional 30 minutes or so until well browned.

We serve with roasted potatoes, which we just put in the same pan as the chicken for the last hour of cooking.

Sauce: Vodka-Tomato Cream Sauce with Crab (for pasta)

2006-01-14T21:09:00.000-05:00

This is absolutely decadent and so delicious. We got this recipe from John's friend John Howland and made this with fresh crab in Maine.

2 onions finely chopped
5 cloves of garlic, chopped
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
½ cup vodka
¾ cup whipping cream or half and half
salt and pepper to taste
½ to 1 pound fresh lump crabmeat, picked over
freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Saute onions in olive oil until soft. Add garlic, salt and pepper, and red pepper flakes, and sauté briefly before adding tomatoes. Mix together while adding vodka. Reduce heat and cook until liquid is reduced.

Add whipping cream. Let mixture warm through. Add crab just before finished to heat through.

Add pasta to mixture and fold in. Top with freshly grated cheese

Vegetarian: Super Slaw

2006-01-14T21:04:00.000-05:00

I made this for Mom's birthday and it was a huge hit... original recipe is from Epicurious.

6 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons sesame oil
5 tablespoons creamy peanut butter or almond butter
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic

5 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
2 large red or yellow bell peppers, cut into matchstick-size strips
2 medium carrots, peeled, cut into matchstick-size strips
8 large green onions, sliced thinly on the diagonal
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Whisk first 7 ingredients in small bowl to blend. (Dressing can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before continuing.)

Combine remaining ingredients in large bowl. Add 1/2 of the dressing and toss to coat. Let sit for a bit before adding remaining dressing gradually -- as the veggies wilt, you may find you need less dressing. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Vegetarian: Red Lentil & Sweet Potato Dal

2006-01-14T20:57:00.000-05:00

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 medium finely diced sweet potato
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup red lentils
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Red pepper flakes*
1 cup canned chopped tomatoes
Salt
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1. In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, heat oil, and sauté onion until softened. Add sweet potato, and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add minced ginger and garlic; stir, and reduce heat to low.

2. Add lentils, coriander, cumin, pepper flakes, turmeric and ground ginger to pan. Stir until lentils are well coated with oil. Add tomatoes and 3 cups water. Raise heat to bring to a boil, then reduce heat until mixture is at a fast simmer. Cook uncovered until lentils and potatoes are soft, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. If mixture becomes too thick, gradually add more water.

3. Season to taste with salt, and continue to simmer until mixture has thickened, about 10 minutes. Whisk dal to amalgamate lentils and sweet potatoes. If dal is too soupy, increase heat and cook for a little longer.

4. To serve, place dal in a serving bowl and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

* original recipe calls for minced fresh chili

Vegetarian: Green Jasmine Rice

2006-01-14T20:54:00.000-05:00

1 3/4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup jasmine or basmati rice

1 cup (packed) coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup unsweetened light coconut milk
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 large garlic clove, minced

Bring 1 3/4 cups water and salt to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Stir in rice; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until water is absorbed and rice is tender, about 18 minutes.

Meanwhile, puree cilantro, coconut milk, ginger, lime juice, and garlic in blender. Mix puree into rice.

I like to make this with added lime juice or even lime zest but that might be too limey for some.

Meat: Dad's Chicken and Rice

2006-01-14T20:49:00.000-05:00

(As given to Vanessa)

1 chicken, cut up
1 medium to large onion, chopped medium to fine
several cloves of garlic, to taste, minced
1 1/2 cups of rice
Sufficient wine & chicken broth to cook the rice
2 Tbsp olive oil
10 oz pkg frozen peas.
1 - 2 tsp dried oregano
1 - 2 tsps ground turmeric
1/2 - 1 tsp paprika
(optional) a pinch of saffron threads instead of the turmeric
Salt & pepper to taste (commercial canned chicken broth isusually salted sufficiently)

There several ways to approach this. in a skillet add a separate amount of oil to cook the chicken, brown lightly, then add enough water/white wine, reduce the heat to simmer, and cover until cooked through. You can do this first and use the leftover liquid to cook the rice. Or you can just steam the chicken. You can use boneless breasts or whatever.

Add the oil to a saucepan with a cover. On medium heat, cook the onion until transparent and it starts to brown. Add the garlic for the last minute. The garlic will brown much quicker than the onion so wait to add it.

Add the rice, stirring until all the grains are coated and most have turned a milky color. Some may start to brown lightly.

Add the liquids & seasonings. Bring to a boil, cover, turn to low for the necessary time. Turn off heat and let stand.

You can cook the peas separately and add them at the end or put them in to cook with the rice.

Likewise you can partially cook the chicken and let it finish cooking on top of the rice.

When it is all done I like to add chopped fresh parsley when I toss everything together.

Here are some of the other things you can serve with it, generally tossing at the end of cooking or serving separately:

chopped green/white parts of a few scallions
diced fresh tomatoes
cooked black beans or chick peas (sub for green peas)
diced uncooked green, red, orange sweet peppers
diced hot peppers
hot sauce
lime wedges
olives
diced avocado

I would sometimes get a 4 oz chorizo sausage (spanish, red from lots of paprika), dice it, and saute it in the oil with the onions. It then adds color as it cooks with the rice. You don't need to add the paprika in that case.

The only thing that absolutely RUINS it is A-1 Steak Sauce :)

Meat: Georgian Chicken Satsivi

2006-01-14T20:45:00.000-05:00

This is my recreation of a dish that John and I ate in a fabulous Georgian restaurant in Istanbul. It's really delicious, if a bit of work.

2-3 lbs skinless boneless chicken breast
flour for dredging
salt and freshly ground pepper
olive oil

5 large onions, finely chopped
6-8 cups chicken broth
2/3 lb walnuts
3 cloves garlic, cut into pieces
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground clove
1 teaspoon saffron
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
3 tablespoon fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon ground fenugreek
red pepper flakes to taste

Use a mallet to pound chicken breasts to uniform thickness (1/4 to ½ inches thick). Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper and lightly dredge in flour.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add chicken and brown on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove chicken to a plate and cover with foil. Once cool, cut into pieces (don’t worry if interior is still a bit undercooked as it will cook through later.)

In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium low heat. Add onions and cook until they begin to soften, stirring frequently to avoid burning. Gradually add approximately 1-2 cups chicken broth to the onions until they form a stew and get very soft and brown, stirring frequently (approximately 20-30 minutes).

While the onions are cooking, pulse walnuts, garlic, and vinegar in a food processor until nuts are finely chopped and the mixture is well blended & sticky. Remove to a large saucepan and add 4 cups chicken broth, cinnamon, cloves, saffron, coriander, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer over a low flame.

When the onions are well stewed, add the walnut mixture to them and simmer for another 15 minutes. If mixture is still too thick, add more chicken broth until it resembles a thick soup.

Crush the fresh cilantro in a mortar together with some salt, squeeze the juice out of it and add it together with fenugreek to the walnut mixture. If desired, add red hot pepper flakes to taste. Add chicken pieces and simmer for another 5 minutes or until heated through.

Vegetarian: Black Bean & Mango Salad

2006-01-14T20:41:00.000-05:00

2-3 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can sweet corn kernels, rinsed and drained
1-2 large mangos, diced
1 can pineapple rings, cut into a thin dice (I use rings because chunks are too big)
1 small red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic (I use 1 clove garlic for each can of beans)
juice of 2-3 limes (at least one per can of beans)
½ to 1 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Mix it all together. Always a huge hit at parties & barbecues!

Vegetarian: Lizzy's Magic Chickpea Salad

2006-01-14T13:05:00.000-05:00

Or... "How I Got My Husband To Eat Vegetables"
Beer pairing: Blue Moon with a twist of lemon

Recipe is vague but proportions are VERY flexible - goal is to have pretty balanced mixture of everything, with veggies cut chickpea-size, generous parsely and balsamic/lemon juice/salt and pepper to your tastes.

1 16-oz can of chickpeas
1-2 seeded cucumbers, diced to chickpea-size
3 plum tomatoes, diced and drained
1-2 cups chopped carrots
a few tablespoons walnuts, chopped
crumbled feta to taste
chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (I like a lot of this, just make sure you wash it before chopping as it's usually dirty!)
balsamic vinegar
olive oil (I sometimes leave this out but a little bit helps everything stick)
lemon juice

Let veggies (especially cucumbers and tomatoes) drain , adding a pinch of salt first, as flavors mesh better w/ less water.
Mix together chickpeas and veggies.
Add balsamic vinegar, a bit of lemon juice and a touch of olive oil to taste.
Stir in feta, walnuts and chopped parsley.
Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!
I like it best after it has chilled a bit.

It's simple, delicious and oh-so-healthy!
Brent and I usually make a double batch for leftovers... and eat it 3 meals a day until it's gone.

Vegetarian: Chickpea & Peanut Stew

2006-01-13T17:14:00.000-05:00

1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 cloves garlic, minced
Red pepper flakes, to taste
2 cups vegetable broth
5-6 tablespoons peanut butter or almond butter
1 (16 ounces) can diced or crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 zucchini, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
salt & pepper to taste

In large saucepan, heat oil over medium high heat. Cook onion till almost soft.

Add garlic and other veggies and cook for a couple of minutes.

Add all remaining ingredients, using only as much broth as needed to make it a stew-like consistency. Bring to a boil and then let simmer about 10 minutes until sauce thickens.

Vegetarian: Turkish Pilaf

2006-01-13T17:09:00.000-05:00

3 tablespoons olive oil (or butter, or margarine)
1 cup rice
1.5 cups finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoons salt
1 bay leaf, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins, currants, or chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup sliced toasted almonds
2 cups vegetable stock

Preheat the oven to 375F.

Heat the oil in a large dutch oven. Add the onion and cook, stirring until soft. Stir in the rice and cook over low heat until all the grains glisten. Add the salt, bay leaf, cinnamon, raisins and almonds.

Meanwhile, in a separate pot, heat the broth to a boil.

Once broth comes to a boil, add to dutch oven and mix with other ingredients. Cover and bake for 45 minutes.

Rebecca's Delicious Butternut Squash Soup

2006-01-13T14:45:00.000-05:00

Prep time: 30 minutes (a lot, but worth it)
Cook time (roughly 2 hours)
Serves (a whole lot, great for freezing)

Ingredients vary with what's available and how I feel, but roughly:
1 large butternut squash
2 large onions
1 head garlic
5 carrots
4 sweet potatoes
2 parsnips (turnips work well, too)
12oz vegetable broth (homemade is best, but who has time?)
1 bunch cilantro
fresh rosemary, thyme, oregano (whatever they have, but not sage and I don't use basil)
any spices that sound good. I use:
chili powder
cumin and cumin seeds
coriander, coriander seeds
paprika
mustard powder, mustard seeds
fennel seeds
A huge pot
about 4 extra cups water
Lots of salt and lots of pepper

First, get Hugh to cut the squash into quarters, so you don't cut off a finger. Microwave the squash on hi till it's soft and burns you as you scoop it out, into a bowl. While the squash is cooking; dice the onion, carrot and mince the garlic. Saute till browned in as large a pot as you can find, using olive oil. Chop the sweet potato and turnips, add to the pot and brown. Add the squash and the spices (but I keep adding spices to taste as I cook). When vegetables look juicy and golden, add vegetable stock and water. Bring to a boil, then simmer mostly covered for about 30 minutes (this softens the vegetables). Then uncover and cook down, skimming the gunk out and tasting for spice adjustment every so often. Make sure nothing sticks to the bottom (or let it stick a little, then scrape; that's a trick my dad taught me).
Once the soup has boiled down and is mostly mush, blend with an immersion blender. If you have no such instrument, blend the soup in a regular old blender, in batches (more time consuming, but works as well). I like to top the soup with caramelized mushrooms (white will do fine) and onions, and serve hot with crusty bread on the side (and a crusty boyfriend, who is tired of waiting for dinner).

Sorry I am not as specific as you'd want; I just cook that way:-). If you need any other directions, just call and I'll help you as much as possible.
Coming next: Rebecca's Famous (in her head) Chili

Sauce: Pesto

2006-01-13T10:11:00.000-05:00

Start to finish: 15 min

3 large garlic cloves
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano, coarsely grated (2/3 cup)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups loosely packed fresh basil
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

With food processor running, drop in garlic and finely chop. Stop motor and add nuts, cheese, salt, pepper, and basil, then process until finely chopped. With motor running, add oil, blending until incorporated.

• Pesto keeps, its surface covered with plastic wrap, chilled, 1 week.

Meat: Vanessa's Turkey and Zucchini Meat Loaf

2006-01-13T09:54:00.000-05:00

The peach and mustard glaze gives this dish a sweet-tart flavor.

1 1/4 pounds ground turkey
1 cup coarsely grated zucchini (about one medium zucchini)
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup dry seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 large egg
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup peach preserves
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine first 9 ingredients in large bowl and mix well. Shape mixture on rimmed baking sheet into 8 x 4 x 2-inch loaf. Bake meat loaf 45 minutes. Remove from oven. Stir preserves and mustard in small bowl to blend. Spread glaze over top of meat loaf. Return to oven; bake until thermometer inserted into center registers 165°F, about 20 minutes longer.

Suggested modifications:
- used about 3-4 cloves minced fresh garlic instead of garlic powder
- used more onions than the recipe called for -- 1+ cups chopped
- used unseasoned bread crumbs & added dried oregano, thyme, and basil
- used Polaner apricot preserves instead of peach.
- raised heat to 450 for last 15 minutes or so b/c I wanted the glaze to caramelize. The turkey ended up overcooked (over 180 degrees) but tasted fine.

Soup: Curried Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

2006-01-13T09:49:00.000-05:00

1/4 cup butter
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 (14.5-ounce) cans vegetable stock
1 tart green apple, cored and chopped
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 tablespoon tawny port
1/8 tablespoon ground black pepper

Heat butter in a heavy stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and curry powder and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Add vegetable broth, squash and apple to stockpot; cover and cook until squash is soft, about 20 minutes.Then remove soup from heat. Cool, stirring continuously until soup can be transferred to blender of food processor. Puree soup (more easily done in 2 to 3 batches); return pureed soup to stockpot. Reheat, stirring in port and black pepper. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with pine nuts.

Meat: Vanessa's Curried Chicken Salad

2006-01-12T19:28:00.000-05:00

Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 35 min

1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 lb skinless boneless chicken breast
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup plain yogurt
5 teaspoons curry powder
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 medium red onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 firm-ripe mango (3/4 lb), peeled, pitted, and chopped
1 cup red seedless grapes (5 oz), halved
1/2 cup salted roasted cashews, coarsely chopped

Bring 4 cups water to a simmer with chicken broth in a 2- to 3-quart saucepan. Add chicken and simmer, uncovered, 6 minutes. Remove pan from heat and cover, then let stand until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and cool 10 minutes. Chop into 1/2-inch pieces.

While chicken is cooling, whisk together mayonnaise, yogurt, curry, lime juice, honey, ginger, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add chicken, onion, mango, grapes, and cashews and stir gently to combine.

You can vary this recipe. Use almonds instead of cashews. Leave out the mango if you don't like it.

Vegetable: Honeyed Curried Carrots

2006-01-12T19:20:00.000-05:00

Serves 4 to 6
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
1 pound carrots, peeled, trimmed, and cut into 1/4 inch rounds (or about 1 inch lengthwise)
2 tablespoons curry power
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon honey
salt and freshly ground pepper
Finely chopped coriander or parsley for garnish

1. Heat the butter or oil in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and curry powder and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the orange juice and honey. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 3 minutes.

2. Reduce the heat to low and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes until the liquid in the pan is almost evaporated and the carrots are crisp-tender. (Cooking time will vary depending upon how small you cut up the carrots.) Season with salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with chipped parsley or coriander.

Meat: Roast Chicken with Lemons

2006-01-12T18:24:00.000-05:00

From Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan Knopf, 1995

If this were a still life its title could be "Chicken with Two Lemons." That is all that there is in it. No fat to cook with, no basting to do, no stuffing to prepare, no condiments except for salt and pepper. After you put the chicken in the oven you turn it just once. The bird, its two lemons, and the oven do all the rest. Again and again, through the years, I met people who come up to me to say, "I have made your chicken with two lemons and it is the most amazingly simple recipe, the juiciest, best-tasting chicken I have ever had." And you know, it is perfectly true.

Ingredients

A 3- to 4-pound chicken
Salt
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
2 rather small lemons

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Wash the chicken thoroughly in cold water, both inside and out. Remove all the bits of fat hanging loose. Let the bird sit for about 10 minutes on a slightly tilted plate to let all the water drain out of it. Pat it thoroughly dry all over with cloth or paper towels.

3. Sprinkle a generous amount of salt and black pepper on the chicken, rubbing it with your fingers over all its body and into its cavity.

4. Wash the lemons in cold water and dry them with a towel. Soften each lemon by placing it on a counter and rolling it back and forth as you put firm downward pressure on it with the palm of your hand. Puncture the lemons in at least 20 places each, using a sturdy round toothpick, a trussing needle, a sharp-pointed fork, or similar implement.

5. Place both lemons in the birds cavity. Close up the opening with toothpicks or with trussing needle and string. Close it well, but dont make an absolutely airtight job of it because the chicken may burst. Run kitchen string from one leg to the other, tying it at both knuckle ends. Leave the legs in their natural position without pulling them tight. If the skin is unbroken, the chicken will puff up as it cooks, and the string serves only to keep the thighs from spreading apart and splitting the skin.

6. Put the chicken into a roasting pan, breast facing down. Do not add cooking fat of any kind. This bird is self-basting, so you need not fear it will stick to the pan. Place it in the upper third of the preheated oven. After 30 minutes, turn the chicken over to have the breast face up. When turning it, try not to puncture the skin. If kept intact, the chicken will swell like a balloon, which makes for an arresting presentation at the table later. Do not worry too much about it, however, because even if it fails to swell, the flavor will not be affected.

7. Cook for another 30 to 35 minutes, then turn the oven thermostat up to 400 degrees, and cook for an additional 20 minutes. Calculate between 20 and 25 minutes total cooking time for each pound. There is no need to turn the chicken again.

8. Whether your bird has puffed up or not, bring it to the table whole and leave the lemons inside until it is carved and opened. The juices that run out are perfectly delicious. Be sure to spoon them over the chicken slices. The lemons will have shriveled up, but they still contain some juice; do not squeeze them, they may squirt.

Ahead-of-time note: If you want to eat it while it is warm, plan to have it the moment it comes out of the oven. If there are leftovers, they will be very tasty cold, kept moist with some of the cooking juices and eaten not straight out of the refrigerator, but at room temperature.

Fish: Salmon with Mustard Maple Sauce

2006-01-12T17:26:00.000-05:00

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

4 (6- to 7-oz) pieces center-cut salmon fillet (1 1/4 inches thick), skinned
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1/4 cup chopped scallion greens

Pat salmon dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté salmon in 2 batches, starting with skinned sides up and turning over once, until just cooked through, 6 to 9 minutes per batch. Transfer to a platter and keep warm, covered.

Remove skillet from heat and cool 1 minute. Whisk in remaining ingredients and salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce over salmon.

Makes 4 servings.

Soups: Fast & Easy Black Bean Soup

2006-01-12T17:15:00.000-05:00

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 or 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 1-pound cans black beans, drained and rinsed
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (from can), chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 can chicken broth, or 2 cups water

Optional toppings: thinly sliced green onions, soy yogurt, reduced-fat sour cream, or low-fat plain yogurt

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Saute the onions over moderate heat until translucent, 3 or 4 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until the onion is lightly golden, another 3 or 4 minutes.

2. Add the remaining ingredients, except the toppings, along with the broth, and bring to a simmer.

3. Mash beans with a potato-masher, just enough to thicken the liquid base of the soup. Cover and simmer gently but steadily for 10 minutes.

4. Serve hot topped with one or two of the optional toppings.

Note: also works well with combo of canned black beans & canned chick peas.

Meat: Sicilian Sweet & Sour Chicken

2006-01-12T17:07:00.000-05:00

4 split boneless skinless chicken breasts (ideally brined in salt water for several hours or overnight)
3-4 Tbsp Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Flour
1 cup white wine
¼ cup raisins
1 large onion, diced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp dried oregano
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp sugar
3-4 Tbsp capers
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes, partially drained
1 can chicken broth
Handful of chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Place raisins in a small dish. Add wine and set aside.

Place chicken between 2 sheets plastic wrap and pound to ¼ to ½ inch thickness. Season chicken with salt and freshly ground pepper; dredge in flour & shake off excess. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add chicken and cook until browned on both sides, about 10 minutes total. Remove chicken to a plate. Note: interior of chicken may not be thoroughly cooked through yet but you will add it back in at the end & this helps ensure that it doesn’t overcook. Let chicken stand for 5-10 minutes before cutting in half to ensure that juices redistribute.

Add onion and garlic to pan. Sauté for 2-5 minutes until translucent; then add oregano, sugar and vinegar. Stir that in, then add tomatoes, capers, raisins, wine, and chicken broth. Stir together, scraping browned bits from bottom of pan, bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. Season to taste. Cut chicken breasts in half, return chicken to pan and heat through. Serve over rice. Garnish with parsley if desired

Desserts: Merce's Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

2006-01-12T16:22:00.000-05:00

Ingredients:
Sugar (1 2/3 cup)
Butter (2/3 cup)
Oreo cookies (3 cups mashed oreo crumbs)
Philly cream cheese (two 8 oz packages)
3 eggs
1 pint sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup of mini-chips (and enough to cover the top of the whole cheesecake)

Preheat oven to 350.

1. First make crust using 3.0 cups oreo crumbs or mashed cookies with 2/3 cupmelted butter and 2/3 cup sugar. Layer the crust along the bottom of a spring-form (aka cheesecake) pan -- it has 2 parts, a bottom part and a surrounding part. You obviously want it to be all assembled when you put the crust in. Pack the crust down w/ your hands until it makes a firm, even layer.

2. Then mix 1 cup sugar and 2 packages of 8oz Philly cream cheese. Add 3 eggsand whip until smooth (MUCH easier w/ electric mixer). Fold in 1 pint of sour cream slowly while mixing. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 cup of mini-chips.

3. Bake at 350 for a least a 1/2 hour or until you see some golden color on top. A toothpick dipped in should come out w/ cheesecake consistency stuff on it; not liquid. Don't be alarmed if it's taking WAY longer than 1/2 an hour; ovens are all different. When it's almost done, turn the oven off but don't take the cake out yet. The whole idea of preventing cracking is gradually making the transition from hot to cool. I often then leave the oven door open for another hour or so, then leave it sitting out for a couple of hours, andonly then put it in the fridge overnight. Sometimes, it still gets a big crack in the middle and that's okay, just cover the whole top of the cake w/ mini chips and all imperfections will be obscured. The cake only gets better w/time (best preparedat least 24hrs early) so save leftovers!

Appetizer: Liz A's Stuffed Brie

2006-01-12T16:05:00.000-05:00

1 Wedge Brie Cheese
1/3 - 1/2 Brick Cream Cheese
Pure Maple Syrup
Walnuts, chopped
Raisins, Chopped, *see Note

1. Slice the wedge of brie in half horizontally.
2. Mix maple syrup, cream cheese, walnuts & raisins together. Measurements are entirely a matter of personal taste.
3. Spread cream cheese - syrup mixture on lower half of brie and cover with the top wedge.
4. Serve at room temperature.

Notes: Currants work nicely too.
Serving Ideas: Absolutely delicious on crackers with a razor-thin slice of granny smith apple.

Pasta: Liz A's Spicy Peanut Noodles

2006-01-12T14:40:00.000-05:00

10 Ounces Chunky Peanut Butter
4 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
2/3 Cup Water
6 Tablespoons Sugar
2 Tablespoons Sesame Oil
3 Tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar
12 Cloves Garlic, minced
2/3 Cup Chopped Cilantro
2 Tablespoons & 2 Teaspoons Hot Chili Oil, *see Note
1 Pound Pasta, *see Note
Scallions, chopped
Dry Roasted Peanuts, chopped

1. Beat first 9 ingredients (peanut butter through chili oil) together with an electric mixter (don't use food processor as it may distort the texture and color of this sauce).
2. Store (covered) in fridge for awhile so that the flavors have a chance to marry.
3. Cook pasta according to directions. Bring the sauce to room temperature, warm it in the microwave, or take it right from the fridge (depending on whether you want to serve it hot, cold, or at room temperature), and toss with cooked pasta.
4. Garnish with chopped scallions and chopped peanuts.

Notes:I often use less chili oil. Two tablespoons + 2 teaspoons really makes it quite hot -- and I have a decent amount of tolerance for spicy food! I recommend starting with 1 tablespoon, then testing it for heat before adding more. We usually use linguini, soba noodles or Asian rice noodles.

Serving Ideas: The sauce recipe comes from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook. They suggest serving it with meat, fish or steamed vegetables. The first time we made it we tossed it with pasta and it instantly become a part of our repertoire. We love the recipe because of its versatility. You can easily adjust the heat level by toying with the amount of chili oil; it works equally well as an entree or side dish; it's appealing year-round and it's delicious hot, cold, or at room temperature.

Sauce: Peanut Sauce

2006-01-12T14:39:00.000-05:00

Bruce’s Peanut Sauce (more or less). Who is Bruce? I found this on my hard drive.

4 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon of sugar
2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar
juice of 1/3 lime (or to taste)
1 teaspoon of chili powder (or to taste)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger (or to taste--powdered ginger is ok too)

optional ingredients/substitutes:
sesame seeds
mint
cilantro
coconut milk

Directions:
stir, more or less in order given. Add water a little at a time & stir to thin to desired consistency.

Soup: Vanessa's Lentil Soup with Caramelized Cumin Onions

2006-01-12T14:13:00.000-05:00

The original recipe calls for split peas but we prefer lentils. Make sure that you puree the soup before you add the onions. It is not possible to use too many onions in this soup!

1 c. dried lentils (red or brown) or split peas (yellow or green).
1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled
1 bay leaf (sometimes we use 2)
2 c. water
2 c. chicken broth
2 c. chopped onions (we use more)
1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seed (we use more)
3 tablespoons olive oil

(We also add a diced potato and some sliced carrots for extra body. We usually double or triple the recipe. Red lentils seem to work best b/c they fall apart when cooking.)

In a large heavy saucepan simmer lentils, basil, and bay leaf in water and broth, covered partially, until tender - about 35 minutes. Discard bay leaf.

While lentils are cooking, in a heavy skillet sauté onion and cumin seed in oil over moderately high heat, stirring until golden brown.

In a blender, puree soup in batches until just smooth (we have also used a hand mixer) and transfer back to pot. Stir in onion mixture and salt and pepper to taste.

Makes about 4 cups

Appetizer: Liz A's Apricot Thrones with Cheese and Pecans

2006-01-12T14:08:00.000-05:00

15 Pecan Halves
2 Ounces Cream Cheese, softened
2 Ounces Blue Cheese, Crumbled, *see Note
15 Dried Apricots, *see Note

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Place pecans on a cookie sheet and toast in the oven until golden brown (10-15 minutes). Transfer to a plate and set aside to cool.
3. Combine cheeses in a small bowl and mix thoroughly. Divide cheese mixture into 3 pieces, then divide each third into five pieces.
4. Place one piece of the cheese mixture on each apricot and top with a toasted pecan half. Transfer the apricots to a serving plate and serve, or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 8 hours. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Servings: 15
Notes: I like to use gorgonzola.
Be sure your dried apricots are moist and not desiccated.
Serving Ideas: The recipe also recommends substituting soft brie for the blue cheese, but I have never tried it.

Dessert: Liz A's Blueberry Buckle

2006-01-12T14:05:00.000-05:00

3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup soft shortening
2 cups well-drained blueberries
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
2 cups sifted flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Topping
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup butter

Preheat over to 350. Mix well sugar, shortening, and egg
Stir in milk
Added sifted flower, baking powder and salt to wet mixture
Fold in the two cups of blueberries
Pour batter into greased and floured 9 inch square metal, ceramic, or glass pan

Topping:

Mix flour, sugar, and cinnamon for topping
Soften butter in microwave
Mix butter with flour, sugar, and cinnamon mixture. Use pastry blender until mixture resembles large coarse crumbs. Sprinkle on buckle.

Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

Dessert: Mary Jo's Molasses Ginger Snaps

2006-01-12T13:58:00.000-05:00

3/4 cup margarine or shortening (I use butter)
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. ginger

Mix together at one time all the ingredients. Form into balls. Roll in sugar. Place wide apart on slightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 8 to 10 minutes. Makes 3 to 4 dozen.

For a chewy cookie, bake for the minimum time; for a crisp cookie, bake for the maximum time.