This week was one of branching out into less-familiar cuisine styles. Two Mexi-Cali, one Eastern Europe (which was a flop), and this Near-East recipe.
Mats:
Salad:
1 head lettuce
2c cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced
3 green onions, diced
1/3c parsley
3 Tb mint
1 1/2c pita chips
1/2c feta cheese
Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl.
Dressing
2 Tb +2 tsp olive oil
2 Tb lemon juice
1 Tb pomegranate molasses (this is hard to find. I took a bottle of not-from-concentrate juice and boiled it with 1/2c white sugar for about an hour and a half. Seemed to work just fine.)
2 tsp sumac (also really hard to find. Don't know of a good substitute yet)
1 clove garlic, diced
Combine in a small bowl and whisk very, very thoroughly.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss.
Note that the pita chips tend to soak up all the dressing, so if you're making this with leftovers in mind, keep the pita chips separate and add them to the salad just as you're about to serve it.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Friday, September 14, 2012
Baked Stuffed Apples
This one came out soooo tasty - but it did fall apart while baking. I've some ideas for the next batch I make, including foil wrapping, not hollowing them out so much, using less water, and using a different variety of apple.
Mats
1/2c wild rice
1/4c red quinoa
1c vegetable stock
2Tb olive oil
1c shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps chopped to 1/2 inch pieces
1/4c red onion, finely diced
1Tb fresh sage or 1/2tsp ground dried sage
1/2c cream cheese
1/4c dried cranberries (sometimes marketed as "crasins")
4 Red Delicious (or other baking apple. My next batch will use Granny Smiths)
1/2c grated sharp white Cheddar cheese
Preheat the oven to 350F
In a small saucepan, heat 1c vegetable stock with 1c water to boiling. Add wild rice and quinoa, cover, turn heat to minimum and cook for 25 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed. (Check the package directions on the wild rice, if it'll take longer than 25 minutes to cook, add the quinoa in the last 20 minutes of the rice's cooking time)
In a medium pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook over medium-low for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the cooked rice and quinoa to the onion/mushroom pan and cook for 5 minutes, stirring thoroughly.
Remove the pan from heat and stir in the cream cheese and cranberries
Mix very thoroughly.
Slice the apples in half through the stem.
Use a spoon to hollow out the apple halves, leaving 1/4 to 1/2 inch of apple flesh on all sides and bottom. Make sure to remove all the nasty core bits and seeds.
Spoon the rice mixture into the hollowed apples, mounding it slightly on top
Place the filled apple halves in a Pyrex dish and pour 1/2c water in the bottom of the dish *NOT* directly on the apples. (This is to heat the dish evenly. I've blown up two Pyrex dishes in my history of cooking and trust me, it is an annoying, long clean up).
Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil.
Bake at 350 for 45 min.
Remove the aluminum foil and sprinkle the apple halves with the grated Cheddar cheese. Return to the oven uncovered for 15 minutes.
Mats
1/2c wild rice
1/4c red quinoa
1c vegetable stock
2Tb olive oil
1c shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps chopped to 1/2 inch pieces
1/4c red onion, finely diced
1Tb fresh sage or 1/2tsp ground dried sage
1/2c cream cheese
1/4c dried cranberries (sometimes marketed as "crasins")
4 Red Delicious (or other baking apple. My next batch will use Granny Smiths)
1/2c grated sharp white Cheddar cheese
Preheat the oven to 350F
In a small saucepan, heat 1c vegetable stock with 1c water to boiling. Add wild rice and quinoa, cover, turn heat to minimum and cook for 25 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed. (Check the package directions on the wild rice, if it'll take longer than 25 minutes to cook, add the quinoa in the last 20 minutes of the rice's cooking time)
In a medium pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook over medium-low for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the cooked rice and quinoa to the onion/mushroom pan and cook for 5 minutes, stirring thoroughly.
Remove the pan from heat and stir in the cream cheese and cranberries
Mix very thoroughly.
Slice the apples in half through the stem.
Use a spoon to hollow out the apple halves, leaving 1/4 to 1/2 inch of apple flesh on all sides and bottom. Make sure to remove all the nasty core bits and seeds.
Spoon the rice mixture into the hollowed apples, mounding it slightly on top
Place the filled apple halves in a Pyrex dish and pour 1/2c water in the bottom of the dish *NOT* directly on the apples. (This is to heat the dish evenly. I've blown up two Pyrex dishes in my history of cooking and trust me, it is an annoying, long clean up).
Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil.
Bake at 350 for 45 min.
Remove the aluminum foil and sprinkle the apple halves with the grated Cheddar cheese. Return to the oven uncovered for 15 minutes.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Fig and Pear Pannini
Has a definite Near-East taste to it.
Makes 4 sandwiches
Mats:
2 pears, semi-hard
1 loaf of crusty bread - I went with something called a Hoboken roll this time, it's doughier and chewier than a ciabatta or foccoia loaf.
1/2 c toasted almond slivers
1/2 c goat cheese
4 Tb fig preserves, or 1/2c chopped figs
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Preheat the over to 400 F.
Cut the pears in half and remove core. Pour 1/2 c water into a shallow baking dish and place the pears in the dish cut-side up. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 25min.
While the pears are baking, slice the bread into 4 sections, then slice in half lengthwise so you can fill it like a sandwich.
Spread the goat cheese on half the bread slices and top with toasted almonds.
Spread the fig preserves on the other half of the bread slices, and sprinkle the cinnamon on top
When the pears are done baking, run them under cool water and remove the skins.
Thinly slice the pears and place on the fig-covered slices of bread.
Pair the fig-slices with the cheese-slices to make sandwiches.
Cook in a pannini maker (or in a weighted skillet) for 5 minues.
Makes 4 sandwiches
Mats:
2 pears, semi-hard
1 loaf of crusty bread - I went with something called a Hoboken roll this time, it's doughier and chewier than a ciabatta or foccoia loaf.
1/2 c toasted almond slivers
1/2 c goat cheese
4 Tb fig preserves, or 1/2c chopped figs
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Preheat the over to 400 F.
Cut the pears in half and remove core. Pour 1/2 c water into a shallow baking dish and place the pears in the dish cut-side up. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 25min.
While the pears are baking, slice the bread into 4 sections, then slice in half lengthwise so you can fill it like a sandwich.
Spread the goat cheese on half the bread slices and top with toasted almonds.
Spread the fig preserves on the other half of the bread slices, and sprinkle the cinnamon on top
When the pears are done baking, run them under cool water and remove the skins.
Thinly slice the pears and place on the fig-covered slices of bread.
Pair the fig-slices with the cheese-slices to make sandwiches.
Cook in a pannini maker (or in a weighted skillet) for 5 minues.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Banana Not-Ice cream
It's not ice cream, but it certainly looks like it. Creamy and filling like a dessert should be.
Mats:
2 bananas
Optional: anything you like in ice cream. Peanut butter, vanilla extract, chocolate chips, fresh mint... you name it, you can put it in this.
Peel the bananas. Cut into 1/2 inch coins.
Place on waxed paper and freeze for 6 hours.
Put the frozen banana coins into a food processor with any flavoring extras. Process on the highest setting for 2 minutes or until smooth and creamy.
Mats:
2 bananas
Optional: anything you like in ice cream. Peanut butter, vanilla extract, chocolate chips, fresh mint... you name it, you can put it in this.
Peel the bananas. Cut into 1/2 inch coins.
Place on waxed paper and freeze for 6 hours.
Put the frozen banana coins into a food processor with any flavoring extras. Process on the highest setting for 2 minutes or until smooth and creamy.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Orzo with Fennel and Tomato Ragout
Mats:
1/4c sun-dried tomato
3 Tb tomato paste
16oz orzo
1 fennel bulb
2c carrots, chopped into rounds
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
28oz fire roasted tomato
2 cans cannellini beans
Cook orzo according to package directions and set aside
In a measuring cup, combine 1c hot water and tomato paste. Stir, and set aside
Cut the feathery fronds off the fennel and set aside. Chop the bulb into 8 equal chunks.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook the carrots and fennel bulb for 5 minutes WITHOUT stirring.
Turn over all the fennel and carrot bits, then cook for another 5 minutes, NOT stirring
Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
Add the diced onion, canned tomatoes, beans and the tomato-paste/water mixture. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 30 minutes.
In the meantime, chop the fennel fronds and sun-dried tomatoes into 1-inch sections.
After the sauce has cooked for 30 minutes, add the chopped fennel fronds, chopped sun-dried tomatoes and cooked orzo. Stir well until it's all combined.
Cover and cook for 5 more minutes, then serve.
1/4c sun-dried tomato
3 Tb tomato paste
16oz orzo
1 fennel bulb
2c carrots, chopped into rounds
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
28oz fire roasted tomato
2 cans cannellini beans
Cook orzo according to package directions and set aside
In a measuring cup, combine 1c hot water and tomato paste. Stir, and set aside
Cut the feathery fronds off the fennel and set aside. Chop the bulb into 8 equal chunks.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook the carrots and fennel bulb for 5 minutes WITHOUT stirring.
Turn over all the fennel and carrot bits, then cook for another 5 minutes, NOT stirring
Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
Add the diced onion, canned tomatoes, beans and the tomato-paste/water mixture. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 30 minutes.
In the meantime, chop the fennel fronds and sun-dried tomatoes into 1-inch sections.
After the sauce has cooked for 30 minutes, add the chopped fennel fronds, chopped sun-dried tomatoes and cooked orzo. Stir well until it's all combined.
Cover and cook for 5 more minutes, then serve.
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Spinach and Avocado Pannini
Breaking out the pannini maker again - or a medium skillet. You can weight the sammmiches down with a smaller saucepan and some cans to squish it down.
Mats
1 loaf ciabatta bread, or other crusty bread. You can use normal sandwich bread, but it'll be a bit floppy
1 avocado
1 tsp lemon juice
1c spinach
8 sun-dried tomatoes
1 Tb diced red onion
1/2 tsp oil
thyme
Split the bread lengthwise so you can make a sandwich out of it.
Open the avocado, scrape out the flesh into a bowl and mash with 1 tsp lemon juice.
On one half of the bread, spread 1/4 the avocado mix.
Brush the other half with 1/2 tsp oil and sprinkle 1/4 tsp thyme on it
Top the oil half with spinach, diced red onion and sun-dried tomatoes.
Close the sandwich and cut into serving-sizes. My ciabatta loaf yielded 4 lunch-sized sandwiches.
Toast in your pannini maker/double saucepan stack.
Mats
1 loaf ciabatta bread, or other crusty bread. You can use normal sandwich bread, but it'll be a bit floppy
1 avocado
1 tsp lemon juice
1c spinach
8 sun-dried tomatoes
1 Tb diced red onion
1/2 tsp oil
thyme
Split the bread lengthwise so you can make a sandwich out of it.
Open the avocado, scrape out the flesh into a bowl and mash with 1 tsp lemon juice.
On one half of the bread, spread 1/4 the avocado mix.
Brush the other half with 1/2 tsp oil and sprinkle 1/4 tsp thyme on it
Top the oil half with spinach, diced red onion and sun-dried tomatoes.
Close the sandwich and cut into serving-sizes. My ciabatta loaf yielded 4 lunch-sized sandwiches.
Toast in your pannini maker/double saucepan stack.
Monday, August 13, 2012
Paella Primavera
Four new dinners this week, four new winners. It's about time my luck with new recipes changes...
Mats:
2 1/2 tsp olive oil
1 red bell pepper
6 green onions
3c vegetable broth
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tsp tumeric
1c short grain rice
3c broccoli
1c peas (frozen)
1c cherry tomatoes
1c artichoke hearts
2 Tb lemon juice (or 1 lemon, cut into wedges)
In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
Cut the green onions and bell pepper into 1/2 inch chunks and saute for 5 minutes.
Add 3c vegetable broth, 3 cloves of finely minced garlic, 1 tsp tumeric, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp ground black pepper. Bring to a boil.
Add 1c short grain rice, stir, reduce heat to medium low and cover. Cook for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, chop the broccoli into bite-sized pieces, about 1 inch. Halve the cherry tomatoes and artichoke hearts.
When the 15 minutes are up, add the broccoli, peas, cherry tomatoes and artichoke hearts to the paella. Stir a bit, making sure to scrape the bottom of the saucepan so the rice doesn't stick.
Cover again and cook for 10 minutes.
Remove from heat, add lemon juice and stir.
Serve!
Mats:
2 1/2 tsp olive oil
1 red bell pepper
6 green onions
3c vegetable broth
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tsp tumeric
1c short grain rice
3c broccoli
1c peas (frozen)
1c cherry tomatoes
1c artichoke hearts
2 Tb lemon juice (or 1 lemon, cut into wedges)
In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
Cut the green onions and bell pepper into 1/2 inch chunks and saute for 5 minutes.
Add 3c vegetable broth, 3 cloves of finely minced garlic, 1 tsp tumeric, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp ground black pepper. Bring to a boil.
Add 1c short grain rice, stir, reduce heat to medium low and cover. Cook for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, chop the broccoli into bite-sized pieces, about 1 inch. Halve the cherry tomatoes and artichoke hearts.
When the 15 minutes are up, add the broccoli, peas, cherry tomatoes and artichoke hearts to the paella. Stir a bit, making sure to scrape the bottom of the saucepan so the rice doesn't stick.
Cover again and cook for 10 minutes.
Remove from heat, add lemon juice and stir.
Serve!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)