ta name="google-site-verification" content="LnUtT_d1nKFEi6qCVRa2VtURKXcUowdpcm2UMwFTZUk" /> hummus recipes: December 2009

Thursday, December 31, 2009

Quick & Easy Basic Fried Rice Recipe - How to Make Basic Fried Rice


Learn how to make quick & easy Chinese Basic Fried Rice. This recipe of basic fried rice consists of eggs, onion, cooked rice, peas, carrots, and say sauce. Cook it the Chinese way!

Ingredients
3 med. eggs
1 med. Onion diced
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
4 cups Cooked rice
4 oz. mixed peas and carrots
Soy Sauce to taste

Preparation
1. Lightly beat the eggs with a pinch of the salt.
2. Heat oil in a preheated wok or skillet, and lightly scramble the eggs.
3. Add the rice and stir. Add the remaining salt, onions, and peas. Blend well and serve.

Note: Get creative by adding diced pork or chicken and turning this side dish into a complete entree

Egg fried rice with prawns & peas - Speedy prawn fried rice - Stir-fried rice with chilli tuna

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Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Chicken and Rice Casserole - Chicken and Rice Casserole Recipe


Quick and easy recipe for Chicken and Rice Casserole - Leran how to make the best Chicken and Rice Casserole main dish. This recipe consists of boneless chicken cooked rice, Cream of celery soup, Cream of chicken soup, Broccoli and cheese soup, Velveeta cheese, shredded cheese, and broccoli.

Ingredients - makes 4 Servings
4 Boneless chicken breasts
4 cups Cooked rice
1 can (12 oz) Cream of celery soup
1 can (12 oz) Cream of chicken soup
1 can (12 oz) Broccoli and cheese soup
1 cup Velveeta cheese cubed
2 cups Shredded cheese
2 cups Broccoli

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Boil chicken breasts with your seasoning preferences and allow to cool.
3. Cube chicken breasts and set aside
4. Mix together cream of celery, cream of chicken, and broccoli and cheese soups
5. Layer cooked rice at the bottom of casserole pan
6. Mix the chicken and broccoli into the soup
7. Sprinkle the cubed cheese onto the rice
8. Spoon soup,chicken, and broccoli mixture on top of the rice layer
9. Sprinkle top with shredded cheese
10 Bake at 350 until cheese is melted and browned

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Bake - Mexican Rice with Chicken Recipe - Tomato & chicken rice - Chicken and vegetable rice paper rolls

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Cheesy Chicken and Rice Bake - Cheesy Chicken and Rice Bake Recipe


Enjoy American rice cooking. Quick and easy recipe for Cheesy Chicken and Rice Bake. Learn how to make best Cheesy Chicken and Rice Bake dish. This recipe consists of Cream of Chicken Soup, rice, onion, black pepper, chicken, and Shredded Cheddar Cheese. Kids Love this dish!!

Servings: 4 - 6 Servings

Ingredients
1 can ( 10 3/4 oz Cream of Chicken Soup Regular or 98% fat free
1 1/3 cups Water
3/4 cups Rice Uncooked Regular long-grain white
1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder
1/4 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
1 1/2 pounds Skinless Boneless Chicken Breast Halves about 4 - 6
1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese 4 oz

Preparation
1. Mix soup, water, rice, onion powder and black pepper in 2qt. shallow baking dish. Top with chicken. Sprinkle chicken with additional pepper.
2. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 375 F for 45 min. or until chicken is no longer pink and rice is done.
3. Uncover, sprinkle cheese over chicken, the cheese melts from the heat of the chicken.
4. For a nice addition stir in 2 cups of fresh or canned, or frozen vegetables into soup mixture before topping with chicken.

Spanish Chicken and Rice - Mexican Chicken and Rice - Tandoori chicken with coconut and coriander rice

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Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Chinese Mushroom Rice - How to make Chinese Mushroom Rice


Enjoy Chinese cooking and learn how to make easy Chinese mushroom rice. This recipe for Chinese mushroom rice consists of dried Chinese mushrooms, dried Chinese shrimp, vegetable stock, onion, garlic, rice, Chinese sausage, chives, and lime.

Ingredients (serves 4)
25g dried Chinese mushrooms
25g dried Chinese shrimp
200ml vegetable stock
25g butter
1 tbs peanut oil
1 medium onion, finely sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
300g jasmine rice
225g Swiss brown mushrooms, sliced
2 tbs light soy sauce
1 (about 100g) Chinese sausage (Lop Chong)*, thinly sliced
1 bunch chives, chopped
Lime, thinly sliced, to serve

Method
1. Place dried mushrooms and shrimp in a heat-proof bowl and cover with 300ml boiling water. Set aside for 15 minutes to soak. Drain and reserve liquid.
2. Slice mushrooms and set aside. Add the stock to the reserved liquid (you will have around 500ml).
3. Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan over a low heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes until it starts to soften. Add the garlic and rice and cook for a further minute. Add the mushrooms, shrimp and Swiss brown mushrooms. Ladle in half the liquid, increase heat to high and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and add the remaining liquid, soy sauce and Chinese sausage. Bring to the boil over high heat then reduce heat to low, cover and cook for a further 5 minutes. Stir in half the chives.
4. Serve garnished with remaining chives and lime.

Notes & tips
* Lop Chong is available from Chinese butchers and Chinese supermarkets. Use 100g of shredded ham as an alternative.

Source
delicious. - November 2001, Page 71
Recipe by Valli Little

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Sunday, December 27, 2009

Bacon Bread

I bought My Bread: The Revolutionary No-Work, No-Knead Method by Jim Lahey, the god of no-knead bread. It wasn't for me. It was going to a friend. But since it was in my hands I had to read through it first. The book was beautiful. The author's story of how he came to the no-knead method was fascinating and funny at times. There was one master recipe which was explained in detail both with words and pictures. Although all other recipes seem like variations of the master recipe, they were very intriguing and inventive. I almost kept the book for myself.



Before giving the book away, I tried one recipe: Pancetta Bread. Well, you already know from the post title that I didn't make pancetta bread. I made bacon bread.

This was the first time I used bread flour - the higher protein flour (and therefore higher gluten) than all purpose.



This recipe does not kid around with bacon. It calls for 300 grams of it. That's almost 3/4 pounds of bacon. I love it.


I baked half as rolls on baking sheet and the other half in a dutch oven.


The bread came out super delicious. Thin and crisp crust. Chewy, soft and airy texture even the ones I baked on baking sheet. And bacon - so much of it! It would be delicious as grilled cheese but it was all gone before I could do anything - even taking a good shot of the loaf.

The best thing about this is that it's super easy to make. You basically just mix everything together, leave it for a day. Shape and bake.

Oh, one more thing I love about the book is that there was one picture of a bunch of dutch ovens - all of them far from shiny and perfect. They were dirty with burnt mark. Some of them even looked chipped. Yay! I wasn't the only one with ghetto dutch ovens after all!

Chocolate Cookies

No snow this weekend. Just rain and rain and rain - which I guess a good thing. It washed away all the gray/yellow/green snow from last weekend. It was too much of a mess to leave the house for ingredients but I needed to bake something to bring to a party. So I searched high and low for cookies made with ingredients I already had.


I made my own snow.


And I found this: Dark chocolate cookies from Gourmet.

I did not like 3/4 measurement in the recipe so I changed the ingredient portion a bit.

Ingredients
  • 1 cup all purpose flour

  • 1 cup cocoa powder

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 2 sticks butter

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 3 large eggs

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

  • Confectioner sugar for dusting


Didn't sift cocoa powder so got clumps of it in the cookies...


The cookies were delicious. Crisp on the outside, soft and cakey on the inside with nice chocolate flavor. Next time I might have to flatten them before baking so that they don't come out looking like rocks.


Snowy rock cookies.

Chicken Shawarma - Chicken Shawarma Recipe


Learn how to make middle eastern chicken shawarma sandwich. Easy and delicious recipe for Chicken shawarma. This recipe consists of lime juice, olive oil, allspice, coriander, garlic, fresh chopped summer savory, onion, chicken, and the dressing.

To make the traditional Middle Eastern shawarma sandwich, marinated pieces of meat are pressed, stacked on a vertical rotisserie and cooked slowly. The juicy cooked meat is then shaved off and made into a sandwich with yogurt, tomatoes and lettuce. Yield is 6 servings.

Ingredients
Chicken
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon allspice toasted and ground
1 tablespoon coriander seed toasted and ground
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon fresh chopped summer savory
1 onion, grated
2 pounds chicken thighs, skin removed, bones removed and pounded to even thickness
Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Yogurt Dressing
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup yogurt
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Assembly

6 thick pitas
1 large tomato, thinly sliced
6 leaves Boston lettuce

Preparation
Chicken
1. Combine the lime juice, olive oil, spices, garlic, summer savory and grated onion in a medium bowl.
2. Add the chicken thighs and toss to coat.
3. Cover with plastic and marinate in the refrigerator for four hours.
4. Preheat the barbecue on medium.
5. Remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off any excess.
6. Skewer the thighs on a long metal skewer, stacking them flat on top of each other.
7. Season the chicken thighs and put them on the grill.
8. Cover and cook the chicken, turning the skewer every few minutes for even cooking, 25 to 30 minutes or until charred on the outside and chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.

Yogurt Dressing
1. In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, yogurt, parsley and some salt and pepper.
2. Refrigerate, covered in plastic until ready to use.

Assembly
1. Slice chicken off the skewer in thin shavings and serve it wrapped in pita bread along with the tomato slices, lettuce and Yogurt Dressing.

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Lamb Shawarma - Lamb Shawarma Recipe


Learn how to make the best lamb shawarma. Easy, delicious, and tasty recipe for lamb shawarma. Enjoy middle eastern cooking and prepare the best middle eastern shawarma dish.

This recipe consists of lamb fillet, fat, vinegar, olive oil, nutmeg, cardamon, cinnamon, cumin, cloves, allspice, black pepper, mistika ans salt.

Shawarma is like the ultimate on the go meal. Thinly sliced meat, wrapped in a pita with veggies and sauce is a delicious quick meal. If you have never had shawarma, you have been missing out!

Ingredients - Serves 4 persons
2lb (1 kg) lamb fillet
100 g fat
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon all spice
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon mistika
1 teaspoon salt

Preparation
  1. Cut the lamb fillet into thin strips (1/2 cm).
  2. Cut the fat into thin strips too.
  3. Mix the seasoning together with the vinegar and the olive oil.
  4. Combine the lamb and fat strips in a bowl with the seasoning mixture and let marinate overnight.
  5. Heat a large skillet very well. Add the lamb and fat strips and cook over high heat until the fat melts and the lamb strips turn brown.
  6. Serve with Tahinah sauce and salad.
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Hamming It Up



When we entertain for Christmas Eve, my husband always makes a wonderful prime rib. I love it, I do. But what I really get excited about is our Christmas ham.

It's nothing fancy - just a spiral-cut ham from Costco. I think that we paid around $25 for a pretty big ham. It comes fully cooked and you just warm it up for 2 hours and then turn the oven way up and add a glaze, and cook at high heat for the last 10 minutes or so. It could not be easier! We throw away the package of glaze stuff that comes with it (a powder - ick) and make our own. This is simply honey and orange marmalade, and it gets all caramelized and crackly in the oven. So divine.

I love it the day that we make it, and even more the next day in sandwiches or right out of the plastic storage bag! And I never waste that deliciously meaty ham bone, which every year becomes Senate Navy Bean Soup. Mmm, mmm. Now why, oh why, do I not buy a ham more often?


Saturday, December 26, 2009

Brie and Cherry Pastry Cups

 

Brie Cups

I made these for company on Christmas Eve. They were a hit, but It was just my mom and my sister, so they probably wouldn’t tell me if they tasted awful. My mom did take the recipe and all of my leftover ingredients to make them for her company, so I think she liked them.

I thought they were quite tasty, and took minimal effort – perfect for busy holiday times. This recipe is from my friend Betty at this site.

INGREDIENTS:

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (from 17.3-ounce package), thawed

1/3 to 1/2 cup red cherry preserves (see substitution note)

4 ounces Brie cheese, cut into 1/2x1/2-inch pieces (36 pieces)

1/4 cup chopped pecans

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives (I didn’t add these)

 

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 375°. Spray 36 miniature muffin cups with cooking spray. Cut pastry into 36 (1 1/2-inch) squares. Slightly press each square into muffin cup; press center with finger.

Bake 10 minutes. They will be all puffed up, so press the center with handle of a wooden spoon (I used the handle of my whisk – it was the perfect shape). Bake 6 to 8 minutes longer or until golden brown. Immediately press again in center. Fill each with about 1/2 teaspoon preserves. Top with cheese piece, pecans and chives.

Bake 3 to 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve warm.

Substitution

If you like spicy foods, try substituting red or green jalapeño jelly for the cherry preserves. It's a delicious touch of sweet and spice!

(I used green jalapeño jelly – not too spicy, just a little bit of heat like an after burn. We liked these more than the cherry ones.)

Also, since there was extra jalapeño jelly I poured some on top of a brick of cream cheese and we spread this on crackers – good stuff!

Do-Ahead

Go ahead and assemble the cups and bake up to 4 hours in advance, omitting the final bake time for melting the cheese. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake. Right before serving, heat at 375° just until warm and cheese is melted.

Green Risotto with Fava Beans Recipe


Learn how to make Green Risotto with Fava Beans. Here an easy and delicious recipe for Green Risotto with Fava Beans. This recipe consists of fava beans, chicken broth, butter, onion, and grated Reggiano Parmesan cheese.

I can't stress enough how much better this is if it is stirred constantly. If one arm gets tired, switch arms. Taste the rice for doneness before serving. Nothing worse than a plate of crunchy risotto. Try it, and you will find it is well worth it!

Preparation Time: 30 Minutes
Cooking Time: 30 Minutes
Ready In: 1 Hr

Ingredients
1/2 pound fresh, unshelled fava beans
4 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup Arborio rice
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup grated Reggiano Parmesan cheese
salt to taste

Preparation
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, shell the favas and discard the pods. Boil the favas for 4 minutes, strain and then immediately plunge into ice water. Let cool for 2 minutes then pierce the favas and squeeze them out of their skins. Separate 3/4 of the favas and puree in a food processor.

2. In a separate large saucepan bring the broth to a simmer, and keep it hot. Meanwhile, in another large saucepan over medium heat, melt 1.5 tablespoons of the butter and add the onions. Reduce the heat to low and cook for about 5 minutes; do not brown the onions. Add the rice and cook, while stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the wine, increase the heat to medium, and stir constantly. When the wine has been absorbed, add a little of the hot stock. Once the stock is absorbed, add a little more; repeat this process, stirring constantly, until the rice is cooked through.

3. To the cooked rice add the pureed favas, the remaining 1.5 tablespoons of butter, the rest of the favas and the cheese. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the butter and cheese melt and the puree is incorporated evenly. Season with salt.

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Fresh Asparagus Risotto Recipe - How to Make Fresh Asparagus Risotto


Learn how to make delicious Fresh Asparagus Risotto. This is an easy recipe for Fresh Asparagus Risotto. This classic risotto uses arborio rice, fresh asparagus, white wine, cream and Parmesan cheese for a creamy side dish just right for spring.

Preparation Time - 5 Minutes
Cooking Time - 40 Minutes
Ready In - 45 Minutes

Ingredients
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
3 cups water
2 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided
1 pound fresh asparagus spears, diagonally sliced into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup uncooked RiceSelect® Arborio Rice
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation
1. Heat water and broth in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat until it comes to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and keep warm. Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in large saucepan over medium heat; add asparagus and cook until tender crisp. Remove asparagus; set aside. In same saucepan, cook onion in remaining 1 tablespoon butter until soft. Add rice and stir 2 to 3 minutes. Add wine; stir until absorbed. Increase heat to medium-high; stir in 1 cup water-broth mixture.

2. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, until liquid is absorbed. Continue stirring and adding remaining water-broth mixture 1 cup at a time, allowing each cup to be absorbed before adding another. Cook until rice is tender and mixture has a creamy consistency, approximately 25 to 30 minutes. Stir in asparagus, cream, cheese, salt and pepper. Stir until mixture is creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately.

Oven-baked red pepper risotto - courgette rice with feta & olives recipe

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Armenian Rice Pilaf Recipe - How to make Armenian Rice Pilaf


Enjoy an easy and tasty recipe for Armenian Rice Pilaf. Learn how to make the best Armenian Rice Pilaf. This recipe consists of butter, uncooked fine egg noodles, long grain white rice, chicken broth, and chicken bouillon.

This is a staple of Armenian homes and is always a favorite with everyone. Very easy to prepare and delicious with any meal, especially poultry. You can serve this rice with breaded, baked chicken quarters.

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups uncooked fine egg noodles
3 cups uncooked long grain white rice
5 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
4 cubes chicken bouillon

Preparation
1. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the egg noodles and stir until they begin to brown, being careful not to burn the butter. Stir in the rice. Continue stirring until rice is coated with butter.

2. Pour in the chicken broth and add the bouillon cubes. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and cover tightly. Cook without uncovering pot until all the liquid has been absorbed, about 20 minutes.

Rice pilaf

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Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Spinach Artichoke Salad

Heather requested this recipe so I don't have a picture. I don't know why I have not made this salad in such a long time. As I was typing the directions my mouth was watering just thinking about how good this salad is. This salad really does taste better if you make it the day before, so if you can plan ahead your taste buds will thank you.


1 small pkg. cheese filled tortellini
1/4 -1/2 lb. fresh baby spinach
1 (15 oz.) can baby artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped
1 roasted red pepper, drained and chopped
1/2 small red onion
1 clove garlic, cracked from skin
1 lemon, zested
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaved, chopped or 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
Black pepper
Handful of sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, coarsely chopped

Boil tortellini according to package direction. Remember to salt the water. Cool tortellini on cookie sheet in a single layer. Coarsely chop baby spinach. Combine with artichoke pieces, roasted red pepper and red onion. Chop garlic, then add salt to it and mash it into a paste with the flat of your knife. Transfer garlic paste to a small bowl and add lemon zest, lemon juice and vinegar to it. Whisk in oil, thyme and pepper. Add pasta and sun-dried tomatoes to the salad. Dress salad and gently toss.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Vegetarian Korma Recipe - How to Make Vegetarian Korma


Easy recipe for Indian Vegetarian Korma. Learn how to make ahealthy Vegetarian Korma dish. This is an easy and exotic Indian dish. It's rich, creamy, mildly spiced, and extremely flavorful. Serve with naan and rice. This recipe consists of onion, ginger, garlic, potatoes, carrots, jalapeno pepper, cashews, tomato sauce, curry powder, green peas, bell pepper and cilantro.

Preparation Time: 25 Min
Cooking Time: 30 Min
Ready In: 55 Min

Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, diced
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 potatoes, cubed
4 carrots, cubed
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and sliced
3 tablespoons ground unsalted cashews
1 (4 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
1 cup frozen green peas
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1 bunch fresh cilantro for garnish

Preparation
1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and cook until tender. Mix in ginger and garlic, and continue cooking 1 minute. Mix potatoes, carrots, jalapeno, cashews, and tomato sauce. Season with salt and curry powder. Cook and stir 10 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
2. Stir peas, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and cream into the skillet. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Garnish with cilantro to serve.

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Saturday, December 19, 2009

Spanish Chicken and Rice Recipe - How to make Spanish Chicken and Rice


Simple & delicious recipe for Spanish Chicken and Rice - Learn how to make best Spanish Chicken and Rice. Tomatoes, garlic, onion, peas and olives give this easy chicken dish its Spanish flair. If you prefer not to cook with wine, just substitute 1 cup of chicken broth.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2 1/2-inch pieces
Kosher salt and pepper
1 medium onion, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc)
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, including liquid
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
1/4 cup pimiento-stuffed Spanish olives, chopped (optional)

Preparation
1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook until golden brown, 2 minutes per side.
3. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the wine, tomatoes and their liquid, rice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
4. Stir the peas into the rice and chicken and cook, covered, until heated through, about 2 minutes.
5. Spoon the chicken and rice onto individual plates and sprinkle with the parsley. Serve with the olives, if desired.

Upgrade: Turn this dish into a party-friendly paella by adding 1/4 teaspoon saffron with the rice. Five minutes before the rice is done, stir in 3/4 pound peeled and deveined shrimp.

Source: myrecipes

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Middle Eastern Eggplant Salad Recipe - How to Make Middle Eastern Eggplant Salad


Enjoy easy recipe for Middle Eastern salad. Learn how to make tasty middle Eastern eggplant salad (vegetarian dish). This salad can be served alongside roasted or grilled meats or as a dip with crackers or flat bread. This recipe consists of red bell peppers, tomato, tomato paste, ground red pepper, garlic cloves, olive oil, and eggplant.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)

Ingredients
2 medium red bell peppers
1 medium tomato, peeled and seeded
3 tablespoons no-salt-added tomato paste
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
Dash of ground red pepper
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 pound eggplant, cut into (1-inch) cubes
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation
  1. Preheat broiler.
  2. Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 12 minutes or until blackened. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 10 minutes. Peel and chop.
  3. Place tomato in a blender; process until smooth. Combine tomato puree, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons water, 1/4 teaspoon salt, ground red pepper, and garlic in a blender; process until smooth.
  4. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add eggplant; cook 30 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in bell pepper and tomato mixture. Cook 5 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper.
Source: myrecipes

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Thursday, December 17, 2009

Choco Bake

Heather Turner sent me a message and asked me if I would give her the recipe for this cake. I figured I would post it here just in case it sounds good to anyone else. This cake is similar to a Texas sheet cake but better because it has a layer of marshmallow cream in between the cake and the frosting. The frosting is thinner than a Texas sheet cake frosting. If you prefer the thicker frosting I am sure you could substitute your favorite chocolate frosting.


1 stick of butter
1/2 c. oil
3 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1 C. water
Boil together. Pour boiling mixture over the following ingredients:

Combine:
2 C. flour
2 C. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/2 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix all ingredients together. Pour batter into a greased and floured jelly roll pan. Bake at 375 for 25 min. Let cool for 5 min. Spread 1 small jar of marshmallow cream over the top. (To help the marshmallow cream spread easier, put it in the microwave for about 1 min. to help soften.) Let the marshmallow cream set up on the cake.

Frosting
1/2 C. butter
2 Tbsp. cocoa
6 Tbsp. milk
2 1/2 - 3 C. powdered sugar

Beat until smooth in a saucepan over medium heat. Frost cake

Christmas Cookies



This is my new favorite cookie. Yet another gem from Martha Stewart, called "Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies", they have all of the flavors of the season mixed into a wonderfully chewy/crunchy cookie. (Thank you to my friend Joanna for sending me the recipe). The recipe is not difficult, but it does involve a few steps which require time in between, so it's something best made the night before you need them - plus, they get better after one day in an airtight container.

The dough gets patted into a round and refrigerated for a few hours, and then rolled into balls and refrigerated again, before rolling the balls in sugar and baking. Again, easy enough method, just allow for ample time.


They are soooo good and look great, with a lovely cracking at the top. I was out of baking chocolate, so I just used semi-sweet chocolate chips, which worked fine. Perfect for gifting.

I had a bunch of walnuts, so I also made the Walnut Cream Cheese Cookies from my Martha Stewart Cookies book.


These are also very pretty and the recipe makes a ton, which is convenient because you can keep the logs of dough in the freezer for weeks. Then if someone pops by for coffee - you can have home baked cookies in minutes!

I had bought these inexpensive brown bags at the Container Store, which are great both for their size and the fact that they are coated on the inside to keep food from soiling the bag. What I did was stamp the bags with my red mitten rubber stamp, and wrap 3 of each cookie in parchment paper, and seal it up for gifts. You can't imagine how nice it feels to give someone homemade cookies in a festive bag, just because.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Shrimp Rice Salad Recipe - How to Make Shrimp Rice Salad


Simple & delicious recipe for Shrimp Rice Salad- Learn how to make best shrimp rice salad. A veggie and shrimp treat, on the table in 25 minutes. This shrimp rice salad recipe consists of long-grain rice, shrimp, poblano chile, fresh cilantro, fresh lemon juice, pepper, olive oil, and lemon wedges. Enjoy a healthy shrimp rice salad dish. If making this a day ahead, wait until serving to toss in the cilantro.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

Ingredients
10 cup hot water
1 (3 1/2-ounce) bag boil-in-bag long-grain rice
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
3/4 cup finely chopped poblano chile (about 1 medium)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
4 lemon wedges

Preparation
  1. Bring water to a boil in a large Dutch oven. Add bag of rice; cook 5 minutes. Add shrimp; return to a boil. Cook 5 minutes or until shrimp are done. Drain bag of rice and shrimp; rinse with cold water. Drain.
  2. Combine poblano and next 5 ingredients (through red pepper) in a large bowl. Open bag of rice. Add rice and shrimp to poblano mixture; toss gently to combine. Drizzle with oil, and toss gently to coat.
  3. Serve with lemon wedges.
Mint Rice Salad - Tuna rice salad recipe - Rice salad with turkey, celery and grapes

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Mint Rice Salad Recipe - How to Make Mint Rice Salad


Simple & delicious recipe for Mint Rice Salad- Learn how to make best mint rice salad. A veggie treat, on the table in 20 minutes. This mint salad recipe consists of long grain rice, asparagus, red pepper, olive oil, lemon juice, mozzarella, and mint leaves. Enjoy a healthy vegetarian mint rice salad dish.

Cook time 25 mins
Vegetarian

Ingredients
250g long grain rice
250g bunch asparagus , cut in bite-size pieces
1 red pepper , seeded and chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
garted zest and juice 1 lemon
2 x 125g packs mini mozzarella , halved (or 2 x 125g balls mozzarella, chopped)
1 large bunch mint leaves, shredded

Method
1. Drop the rice into a pan of boiling salted water and cook for 10 minutes. Toss in the asparagus and cook for a further 3-4 minutes until the rice is completely cooked and the asparagus is only slightly crunchy. Drain into a sieve and hold under the cold tap until cool.
2. When the rice is cold, stir in the red pepper, oil, lemon zest and juice, mozzarella and mint leaves. Season well.

Give it a twist: Use feta or halloumi instead of mozzarella and stir through a handful of pitted black olives. Try green beans instead of asparagus.

Nutrition Per serving
506 kcalories, protein 22g, carbohydrate 58g, fat 23 g, saturated fat 10g, fibre 1g, salt 0.98 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, July 2004.

Tuna rice salad recipe - Rice salad with turkey, celery and grapes - Easy Rice Salad Recipe

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Cherry Cheesecake Cookies

I saw these in My Kitchen Cafe and I knew I had to make them. Rocky and Brayden LOVE cheesecake, so I knew they would like these. I am the only one who likes cherry, so I used strawberry pie filling instead. I had wanted to use raspberry, but they were all out. I was a little worried at first. I thought the strawberry filling was a little nasty. But, once it was cooked, it tasted fine. These cookies are SOOOO good!! The recipe makes alot, and they are rich, so I am making Rocky take some to work with him tomorrow. No pictures again. My camera is broken. I wanted one for Christmas, but it looks like it will have to wait. Anyway, for a picture, head over to My Kitchen Cafe( I was going to put in a link, but I forgot how. Help anyone??)


Cherry Cheesecake Cookies

3 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened
2 1/2 sticks butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 cans (20 oz) cherry pie filling

Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. In another bowl with and electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter and sugar until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Reduce speed to low and add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Refrigerate dough until firm, at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat liners. Place graham cracker crumbs in a shallow dish.

Roll the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls, then roll the balls in graham cracker crumbs. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Using a tablespoon measure, make an indentation in the center of each ball. Place 3 cherries(I put 2 strawberries) in the dimple. Bake until golden brown around the edges, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes on the sheet and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

It really helps if the dough is really cold. I kept the bowl in the fridge between batches.

Monday, December 14, 2009

Chickpea Bread

Remember chickpea flour? When I experimented with gluten-free baking a got a few pounds of it. I didn't have much success with it. It made all my baked goods taste like hummus - and not in a good way. So now that I gave up trying to replicate wheat with non-wheat, I need to figure out what to do with all this chickpea flour.

Then I saw this: Chickpea bread at The Fresh Loaf. Genius!

I don't keep my mother starter anymore so I couldn't follow the recipe. Instead, I made this:



Beautiful, right? And tasted good too! At first it was a little weird. Again, the flour made the loaf smell like hummus but this time in a good way. It's nutty and a little sweet. The texture was dense but soft and crunchy on the outside. Perfect savory bread. It's even good toasted with honey.

I figured chickpea flour would absorb a lot of liquid so I used almost 70% liquid. The dough was very wet but easier to manage after the first rise.



Ingredients
  • 200 grams all-purpose flour plus more for kneading

  • 100 grams chickpea flour

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast

  • 1 teaspoon sea salt

  • 200 grams warm water

  • 20 grams honey

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil




Directions
  1. In a large bowl, mix all purpose flour, chickpea flour, yeast and salt together. Add warm water and honey. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon or wet hands for a few minutes until every thing is wet and well combined. The dough will be very wet. Let rise for about half an hour. It will be a little easier to manage.

  2. On a floured surface, fold the dough into itself a few times to coat. Knead (keep folding) for 4 to 5 minutes. It will still be slack but easier to shape. Don't add too much flour. Use wet hands if the dough is too sticky. After kneading, let it sit for a couple of minutes while you clean the bowl.

  3. Oil a clean bowl with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Ball up the dough by stretching its surface and gather extra skin at the bottom. Place into the oiled bowl, seam side down. Roll around to coat. Let rise for about an hour or until it doubles in size.

  4. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 450 degrees with a dutch oven and its cover inside for at least 30 minutes.

  5. When the dough is ready, carefully take out the hot dutch oven, sprinkle flour on its floor. Flour the dough surface, slash and carefully place in the dutch oven, seam side down. Cover and bake for 30 minutes.

  6. Uncover and bake for 5 to 10 more minutes or until the inside temperature is at least 180 degrees. Let cool on a cooling rack for at least an hour before cutting.

Orange Yogurt Cupcakes with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

These cupcakes got whipped up really fast with what I already have in the apartment plus 2 navel oranges. I love the smell of citrus baked goods in the oven. The came out pretty good although not very exciting. White chocolate cream cheese frosting saved the day again. It's becoming my favorite frosting. It goes on smooth. It tastes creamy with a little tang from cream cheese and buttery subtle chocolate flavor.



Ingredients
  • 2 3/4 cups flour

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 2 sticks of butter at room temperature

  • 2 cups sugar

  • 4 eggs

  • Zest from 2 large oranges

  • 1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice

  • 1/2 cup yogurt


Directions
  1. Adjust oven racks to upper third and lower third. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two muffin pans with cupcake liners.

  2. Mix flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder together.

  3. With an electric mixer, beat butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Beat well between each addition. Scrape the bowl occasionally. Add the zest.

  4. In three batches, stir (use lowest mixer setting) in flour mixture alternately with the juice and yogurt. When there's no streak left. Stop the mixer. Drop by a heaping tablespoon into the prepared pan.

  5. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes. Let cool for a minute in the pan, then transfer to cooling racks. Let cool completely before frosting.




White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 1 stick of butter and room temperature

  • 1 package of cream cheese

  • 1/2 cup confectioner sugar

  • 1 cup chopped good quality white chocolate - melted (I used microwave oven) and let cool for a few minutes

With an electric mixer and its wire attachment, beat butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Add cream cheese. Beat until well mixed. Add melted chocolate. Continue beating until you get fluffy and smooth frosting.

Chocolate Souffle

YES! YES! YES! The (silent) scream of triumph. I did it! I did it!. Puffy souffle with staying power!


This time I did everything properly. I followed the recipe exactly. Buttered and sugared the souffle dishes. All the eggs were at room temperatures. The oven was exactly 350 degrees.


One more shot of victory.

I was a little disappointed with how the souffle tasted piping hot from the oven. I thought it tasted like sweet omelette. But once it cooled a little, it became the best chocolate cake ever - with crunchy sugar by the edges, light and melt-in-your-mouth texture and intense chocolate flavor.


After a few minutes, it sank in the middle.



But still looked pretty and tasted even better.

Moroccan Vegetable Recipe - How to Make Moroccan Vegetable Dish


Easy Moroccan vegetable dish recipe - Learn hot to make the best Moroccan vegetable dish. Even meat-eaters will love this flavor-packed vegetable dish, a wholesome veggie meal. Enjoy vegetarian food recipes at hummus-recipes.blogspot.com.

Ready in 35 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 onion, halved and sliced
2 tbsp sunflower oil
2 sachets Moroccan style seasoning mix
1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed
50g dried apricots, halved
1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced
2 courgettes, thickly sliced
200g frozen broad beans
Chopped coriander, to serve
Rice, to serve

Preparation
  1. Cook the onion in the oil in a large saucepan until soft. Stir in the Moroccan Reason to Season. Add the butternut squash and 400ml water. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
  2. Add the apricots, cover and simmer for another 5 minutes. Add the red pepper, courgettes and broad beans, bring back to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes more.
  3. Sprinkle with coriander and serve with rice.
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Sunday, December 13, 2009

Vegetable Fried Rice - How to Make Vegetable Fried Rice


Easy Vegetable Fried Rice Recipe. Learn how to make best vegetable fried Rice.This recipe consists of rice, chopped onion, garlic, eggs, celery, mushrooms, green bell pepper, bamboo shoots, carrots, snow peas, and green onions. Enjoy Vegetarian food cooking.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice
3 cups water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
5 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup soy sauce, divided
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
4 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 (8 ounce) can bamboo shoots, drained
2 carrots, shredded
3/4 cup snow peas
3 green onions, sliced

Preparation
  1. Place rice and water in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes, or until rice is tender. Transfer to a medium container, and place in the refrigerator 1 hour, or until chilled.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and cook until tender.
  3. In a medium bowl, blend eggs and 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Stir into the medium skillet, and cook until no longer runny. Remove onion, garlic, and eggs from heat, and set aside. Chop any large egg chunks into small pieces.
  4. Heat the remaining oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Stir in the celery, mushrooms, and green pepper. Cook until tender but firm. Stir in rice, bamboo shoots, carrots, and snow peas. Season with remaining soy sauce. Cook and stir 5 minutes, or until rice is heated through. Mix in the onion, garlic, and eggs.
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Tapioca Pudding


This is how much I love tapioca pudding: when I was a little girl, my mom told me that the tapioca balls were fish eggs. I didn't miss a beat and gobbled it up anyway.

Commercial puddings are always kind of gelatinous and gross to me. Homemade pudding is wonderful, especially when warm. I remembered that I had an unopened bag of Bob's Red Mill tapioca balls in the cupboard, so I made homemade tapioca pudding one afternoon as a treat. The method is similar to making a custard for ice cream - beaten egg yolks and sugar incorporated into warmed cream and thickened. Additionally, you whip egg whites and fold those in for an extra light texture.

I like to sprinkle mine with nutmeg - it gives it a flavor reminiscent of rice pudding.

I had a major kitchen disaster right after finishing the pudding - I knocked over the bag and tapioca balls went everywhere. This kind of thing is a cook's nightmare - nearly impossible to clean up (note, the vacuum has the opposite of the desired result), and you end up finding them in odd places for months afterwards.

By the way, pearl tapioca is a starch derived from the cassava root. I know that I could care less if it is fish eggs or not, but probably that's just me.

Lion House Gingerbread

Gingerbread is one of my favorite holiday desserts. I'm not talking about the cookies, but the actual gingerbread itself. It is dense and full of flavor. I love it so much we served it at our wedding, because, yes, we were crazy enough to get married in December. So to celebrate our anniversary here is the recipe.

Lion House Gingerbread

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 eggs-well beaten
1 cups molasses
1/2 t. salt
2 1/2 cups sifted flour
1 1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. ginger
1/2 t. powdered cloves
1 cups hot water

Cream butter and sugar well, about 3-4 minutes in an electric mixer. Add eggs and molasses. Beat well. Sift dry ingredients together in a separate and add to creamed mixture. Add hot water and beat until smooth. Pour into a greased and floured 9x13 pan. Bake 30-35 minutes minutes at 350. You can serve it with fresh whipped cream, sliced bananas, powdered sugar, or just plain.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Indian Baked Rice - Recipe for Indian Baked Rice


Enjoy Indian Cooking - Easy recipe for Indian Baked Rice. Learn how to make best Indian Baked Rice. This recipe consists of basmati rice, onion, garlic fresh jalapeno chile, masala, ginger, and chicken broth.

yield: Makes 8 servings
active time: 35 min
total time: 1 1/4 hr

Ingredients
basmati rice (19 oz)
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1 large onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 small fresh jalapeno chile, seeded and thinly sliced crosswise
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups chicken broth, heated

Preparation
  1. Wash rice in 6 or 7 changes of cold water in a large bowl until water is almost clear. Drain in a large sieve 10 minutes.
  2. Preheat oven to 325°F.
  3. Heat oil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy ovenproof pot over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook almonds, stirring frequently, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, then add onion to pot and cook over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, until pale golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, jalapeño, garam masala, ginger, and salt and cook, stirring frequently, 1 minute. Add rice and cook over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, 6 minutes. Add broth and simmer briskly, uncovered, until top of rice appears dry, about 8 minutes.
  4. Cover pot and bake rice in middle of oven until tender and liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand, covered, 15 minutes. Serve sprinkled with almonds.
Cooks' note: •Long-grain white rice can be used instead of basmati rice, but the flavor will not be as nutty.

From www.epicurious.com

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Friday, December 11, 2009

Tamarind Drink Recipe - How to Make Tamarind Drink


Easy Tamarind Drink Recipe. Enjoy Middle Eastern beverages and learn how to make Tamarind Drink.

Tamarind drink (tamer hindi شراب التمر الهندي): So refreshing and sweet. Unique and authentic.

Tamarind fruit is a seed pod, brown or black in color and few inches long. It can be found in most indian and middle eastern grocery stores. It is used in Indian chutney, curries as well as in Britain’s famous Worcestershire sauce.

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
1 ½ pounds black tamer hindi
1 pound brown tamer hindi
12 cups water
10 cups sugar
juice of 2 lemons

Preparation
  1. Soak black and brown tamer hindi in 12 cups of water for 10 hours. Stir and crush with hands. Strain with a cheesecloth.
  2. Add sugar and bring to boil, skimming foam as it appears on the surface. Add the lemon juice and let simmer on medium heat for about 30 minutes until syrupy. Pour into clean bottles. Wait until cold to seal the bottles.
  3. Too serve, use 1 tablespoon of syrup per glass of ice water. Store open bottles in the fridge.
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Herbed Lima Bean Hummus Recipe - Best Recipe for Herbed Lima Bean Hummus


Herbed Lima Bean Hummus - Enjoy cooking best hummus recipes. When it comes to good food, everyone is invited to give it a try.

This dip was inspired by a recipe for bissara, a garlicky purée from Egypt made from dried broad beans, in Claudia Roden's Mediterranean Cookery.

Makes about 4 cups
active time: 25 min
total time: 1 hr

Ingredients
2 (10-oz) packages frozen baby lima beans
1 large onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, smashed with side of a large knife
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups water
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
3 to 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Preparation
  1. Simmer beans, onion, garlic, salt, and water in a 3-quart saucepan, covered, until beans are tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in cilantro and parsley and let stand, uncovered, 5 minutes.
  2. Drain bean mixture in a sieve and transfer to a food processor. Add cumin, cayenne, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 4 tablespoons oil, dill, and mint and purée until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper and add lemon juice to taste.
  3. Mound dip in a serving bowl and drizzle with remaining tablespoon oil.
Cooks' note: • Dip keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days.

Epicurious

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Ginger-Garlic Hummus Recipe - Easy Ginger-Garlic Hummus


Find delicious ginger recipes, like ginger-garlic hummus. Easy Middle eastern recipe for Ginger-Garlic Hummus. Serve with cucumber rounds, red bell pepper strips, and sticks of jicama.

Ingredients
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 1-inch-long piece peeled fresh ginger
2 cups garbanzo beans (chickpeas; from two 15-ounce cans), drained, 3 tablespoons liquid reserved
1/4 cup cashew butter
3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce*
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground star anise
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 green onion, chopped
2 whole star anise (optional)

Preparation
Using on/off turns, mince garlic and ginger in processor. Add beans, reserved bean liquid, cashew butter, rice vinegar, soy sauce, chili-garlic sauce, and ground star anise. Process mixture to coarse puree. Add cilantro and green onion; process to combine. Transfer to bowl; garnish with whole star anise, if desired.

*Available in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets and at Asian markets.

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Lebanese Recipes: Stuffed Chicken - Recipe for Stuffed Chicken


Easy Lebanese recipe for stuffed chicken. The chicken is stuffed with rice, pine nuts, pistachio nuts, blanched almonds, and minced meat. Enjoy middle eastern cooking and smile when your guests shower you with compliments.

Ingredients
1 kg (32 oz) chicken, cleaned
¼ cup pine nuts, fried
¼ cup blanched almonds, fried
¼ cup blanched pistachio nuts, fried
200 g (7 oz) minced meat
¼ cup shortening or butter butter
¼ tspn of: ground allspice, ground cinnamon and ground cardamom
1 tbls salt
¾ cup long grain rice, washed
1 bay leaf

Preparation
1. Put the minced meat with shortening in the cooking pot, add ¼ tspn of salt and ½ the quantity of the spices. Stir mixture for 5 minutes, add 1 cup of water.
2. Add rice to the meat and stir once. Leave it over moderate heat for 15 minutes. Rub chicken with remaining spices inside and out.
3. Filling: Mix cooked rice with pine nuts, almonds and pistachio nuts. Stuff chicken with the mixture and stitch opening.
4. Put chicken on its back in a pot, add the bay leaf and cover with water. Leave over moderate heat, bring to a boil and add a dash of salt. Cover the pot and simmer for 40 minutes (remove scum as it appears).
Rub chicken with butter, put in an oven tray on high heat for 15 minutes, till brown and cooked.
5. Serve the chicken with bread and garnished with parsley.

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Thursday, December 10, 2009

'Tis the Season, of Mincemeat

Main Entry: mince·meat
Pronunciation: \ˈmin(t)s-ˌmēt\
Function: noun
Date: 1630

1 : minced meat
2 : a finely chopped mixture (as of raisins, apples, and spices) sometimes with meat that is often used as pie filling
3 : a state of destruction or annihilation —used in the phrase make mincemeat of



Mincemeat is one of those things, like fruitcake, that people either love or dread around the holiday season. Me, I love it. I also like fruitcake, and I feel that it has gotten an unwarranted bad rap.


Mincemeat does refer to the fruit meats that make up its composition, but it was originally made with beef suet, so the "meat" part is not as much of a misnomer as people think. Hey, back then, you used the fats that you had - these were not the days of EVOO and imported butter.


I wanted to make something with UK origins for our Book Club last week, since the chosen book was The Welsh Girl by Peter Ho Davies. This month's Delicious magazine featured Mincemeat Pie Cupcakes on the cover, a recipe from The Primrose Bakery in London. I happened to have some sugar wreaths in my stash, so Mincemeat cupcakes it was! For the brandy buttercream frosting, I used a tablespoon of our precious Christmas cognac - it was divine. The cakes were good but needed to be darker and more mincemeaty - I was picturing more of a Christmas pudding, and what I got was similar to a sweet muffin. Nice enough, and as my friend Nicki said, reminiscent of rum raisin ice cream, but I will revisit it and make it even better.




A few days later, I wanted to use up the rest of the mincemeat, so I made mincemeat shortbread (mincemeat + shortbread = two of my favorite Chrismas things!). Although crumbly, this one is a keeper - I will tweak the recipe somewhat and publish it when I do.


There are a lot of recipes out there for how to make your own mincemeat (some of which suggest to buy suet from your butcher), and I have debated making it myself, but honestly, I don't think it's worth the time, cost, and effort. For about $5.99 I can buy a jar of imported mincemeat from Britain, made with vegetable suet, that tastes great and is ready to go.