Halfway Homemade

I love homemade soup, but I don't always have the time to get all of the ingredients and go through all of that chopping, cooking, and pureeing - sometimes I just need a quick, nutritious lunch. Recently I opened up a container of Pacific Cashew Ginger Carrot Soup, and added some ingredients that I saw in a NYT recipe for Moroccan Carrot Soup. While it wasn't exactly homemade, it didn't have that flat taste that I usually find in store-bought soups, especially with the brightness of the lemon juice.

What I added was:

Juice from 1/2 lemon

shake of Cumin

shake of Allspice

dollop of plain Greek yogurt

some chopped basil

Mm mm, good.

Vanilla Rice

Rice pudding. That most comfortable of comfort desserts - it speaks to us of grandmother's kitchen, wholesome ingredients, and the smell of cinnamon and nutmeg.

Last night I had the opportunity to check out San Francisco's one and only rice pudding shop, Loving Cup. They make made-to-order frozen yogurt (you choose the base and they mix in the ingredients with a fancy drill-like machine), smoothies, and they have about 5 flavors of rice putting to choose from. Yesterday's flavors were Cinnamon Raisin, Lemon Vanilla, Peanut Butter, Chocolate, and Coconut. Just like in an ice cream parlor, they will let you taste them all on tiny tasting spoons.

We decided to go with the classic - Cinnamon Raisin. Oh, was it good. The small size, which we split, was huge and heavy, but we had no problem polishing it off. I know that some people don't like the taste of rice pudding, but I think it's great - it tastes like love feels: warm, filling, and happy.

My dream is to visit Rice to Riches in NYC - that place is the mecca for all people who love rice pudding, with their exotic flavors like Green Tea, French Toast and Passionfruit. But until I get there, it's so nice to know that I can find that taste of home in my very own city.

Tomato Basil Soup

Is it to late to post another soup recipe? I think since I can see snow out my window I am going to say no. I know a few of you may have this recipe already. I thought I would still post it any way because it really is a great tasting simple soup. I love that it uses simple and inexpensive ingredients, is easy to prepare and is loved by all in my family. Lately, have tried a few different variations to change the soup up just a bit. I have included those variations at the end of the recipe. I highly recommend this soup with the french bread I posted a few days earlier.

2 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes

1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth

1 1/2 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. sugar

1 c. whipping cream or half & half (I have tried substituting milk and it is just not the same)

1 Tbsp. butter (this helps to cut the acidic taste of the tomatoes)

In a large saucepan, bring the tomatoes and chicken broth to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for about 10 min. Add sugar and basil. Reduce heat to low and stir in cream and butter.

Variation #1- Just before serving add 1 9oz. package of cooked cheese tortellini.

Variation #2- Stir a spoonful of pesto to your individual bowl just before eating. The great thing about this one is only the people who want the pesto can add it to thier bowl. I tried this the other night and it was really good.

Variation #3- You could get really crazy and combine variation #1 and #2.

Mexican Chowder and A Passionate Product Endorsement

I don't know if this sort of thing is allowed, Neisha, feel free to delete it.

Some of you have heard me bear testimony of my favorite vegetable broth. My friend told me about broth from the Asian market and how it would change my life, and it has. I don't use any other stock any more.

The ingredients are: kale, cabbage, carrot, radish, turnip, broccoli, and salt--no msg, hydrolyzed soy protein, or anything like that. It has fantastic flavor and no hint of chemical taste.

Unfortunately, the market I got it from no longer sells it, neither do the two other Asia markets I checked. It has been a difficult search since I don't know how to Google in Chinese and Asian market proprietors don't speak much English. Anyway, I finally found it online here. I am going to order a bunch tomorrow (Thursday). If anyone is totally pumped by my endorsement and wants a bottle let me know. (It's $4.50 for 35 oz concentrate, you use 1 tsp to 1 cup water).

P.S. I make no money off the sale of this product.

And since, apparently, it is still soup weather:

Mexican (Chicken) Chowder

1 can cream of chicken soup (I usually use the powdered milk make-a-mix version)
2 C. broth (made from by beloved vegetable broth) or chicken broth
1 C. water
1 40z. can diced green chiles
2 T fresh cilantro
2 T taco seasoning
2 C. corn
2 C. chopped chicken (or 2 cans white beans)

1 C. sour cream

In large pan combine all ingredients except sour cream (unless you are using beans, add those after you have simmered). Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in 1 cup hot mixture with the sour cream; return to sauce pan and heat through.

(I also added a cup or so of cooked brown rice to bulk it up a bit when I made it with beans)

Serve with tortilla chips and shredded cheese.

(Half) Whole Wheat Challah Bread

Look at these slices of bread. Aren't they beautiful? This is possibly the most beautifully risen, softest and most delicious sandwich loaf I have ever baked, will ever bake, ever. I almost don't want to bake this again for fear that I will surely mess it up.



The recipe is here: Millie's Whole Wheat Challah Bread from kingarthurflour.com.



I used Trader Joe's white whole wheat flour in place of whole wheat pastry flour and ended up using almost 10 ounces of it. It might be that white whole wheat flour absorbs less water or just that I was a little heavy handed with water.

I baked mine in a loaf pan for 20 minutes and then 10 more minutes under foil tent just like the braided version in the recipe.

The bread would be great as french toasts or sandwiches, if I could stop myself from munching the whole loaf...

Raisin Black Sesame Bars

Hopefully within a few months, I will be on my way to a brand new apartment with slightly more spacious kitchen. Until then, I'm on a mission to use all the dry ingredients I currently have in the cupboard and to not buy any new ones. Starting with a jar of Tahini (from making hummus in 2007....), a bag of raisins and a lot of black sesame seeds.



After hours of browsing, I found Benne Seed Raisin Bars on Epicurious.com According to the site, benne == sesame. I modified the recipe a little by reducing butter to 3/4 cup, sugar to 1/2 cup and using a mixture of all purpose flour and whole wheat flour. The bars came out just sweet enough but not too sweet. They were crunchy with a nice contrasting texture from sprinkled sesame seeds. These could be energy bars in disguise with all the protein and fiber from sesame and raisins.



Ingredients

• 1 1/2 sticks butter at room temperature


• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar


• 1 egg


• 3/4 cup Tahini (ground sesame) or use unsweetened peanut butter


• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract


• 1 cup all purpose flour


• 1 cup whole wheat flour


• 1 cup raisins


• 1/2 cup black sesame seeds

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 11x7 inch baking dish. I used 2.2 qt Pyrex dish.


2. With an electric mixer or by hand, beat butter and sugar together until combined. Add an egg. Whisk until well blended. Add Tahini, salt and vanilla extract. Continue beating until smooth.


3. Add all purpose flour and whole wheat flour. Stir until combined. Fold in raisins.


4. Pour the mixture into greased pan. Sprinkle generously with black sesame seeds. Bake for 25 minutes. Let cool in the pan. Cut into bars and store in cookie jar (not airtight - the cookies will lose its crunch in airtight container.)

PS. I'm still alive. Apparently 3-year-old Tahini is not poisonous.

French Bread

I know I am probably stating the obvious, but I love cooking blogs. I love that at my fingertips I have countless recipes with mouthwatering pictures, tempting descriptions and helpful reviews. Since discovering all of these cooking blogs, I think the thing that I am most pleased about is my increased level of confidence in the kitchen. I am no longer intimidated to try new recipes, cook a turkey, bake bread, cook from scratch or invite people over for dinner (cooking food for other people used to give me major anxiety). I have now realized how easy and cheap baking bread can be. I have a few no fail recipes that I rely on so I am no longer paying over $2.50 for a package of dinner rolls or french bread. This bread usually makes an appearance when ever I make soup. So even if you don't bake bread a lot, try this recipe and I know you will love it.

1 Tbsp. yeast
2 c. warm water
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
4 1/2 c. to 5 c. flour

In a large bowl, combine yeast, warm water and sugar. Stir to combine. Add the salt and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Knead for about 6-8 minutes. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about one hour.

Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Shape into 12 in. long loaves.

Place seam side down on a baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. With a sharp knife, make four shallow slashes across the top of each loaf. Brush entire loaf with egg wash (1 egg and 1 Tbsp. water mix together in bowl). Bake at 450 for 15-20 min. (I have never had to bake mine longer that 15 min.)

Happy Accident

We had our April Iron Cupcake event last night, and the ingredient was Chocolate. Yum, who does not want to eat 10-20 chocolate cupcakes, right? The RSVP list filled up almost immediately after it was posted, and there were 200 people on the waiting list!

I wanted to bake for this one (even though I am not eligible to win, since I am one of the organizers), and I had this great idea to make a Black Forest Cake cupcake. I followed Martha Stewart's recipe for Brownie Cupcakes, and to my dismay, they turned out nothing like the picture! Instead of being dark brown, they turned out kind of mocha colored, and not all that chocolatey. And really tasting of salt. I tested one with a smidge of tart cherry jam on it (my idea was to fill them with tart cherry jam, top with another brownie piece, and then top the whole thing with whipped cream frosting and a cherry), and the jam totally overpowered the taste of the cake. ARGH.

I made some cream cheese frosting instead, and again, when I frosted one test cupcake, the chocolate flavor was totally lost. Curses! So I decided to make the frosting chocolate as well, adding in cocoa powder until it tasted sufficiently like chocolate. And in fact, I liked it a lot.

I frosted one test cupcake, and topped it with some dark chocolate curls I had bought a few weeks ago at Sugar & Spice. And what do you know, it was pretty good! The salt crystals in the brownies now added an interesting dimension to the taste, so I christened them "Salted Milk Chocolate" cupcakes and off I went. I kind of wanted to call them "Black Forest Cake Fail", but I didn't think anyone would get it.

They did very well against the other entries - surprising, since I had been ready to throw them away. By count, I got either 3rd or 4th place out of 15 - not bad, especially given that these were some of the best cupcakes that I have had in the 8 months that I have been doing Iron Cupcake.

I have no idea if I can duplicate them again, but I think that even if the brownie recipe turns out right, they would be delicious. Here is my recipe for the frosting:

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 t. vanilla
• 1 16 oz. box powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/2 C. or so cocoa powder, sifted into powdered sugar

In a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.

Add the vanilla and stir until incorporated.

Add the powdered sugar/cocoa mixture 1/2 C. at a time. Turn mixer to high for 30 seconds following each addition. Scrape down the sides as necessary.

Add more cocoa if necessary.

Frost cooled cupakes, topping with chocolate curls or mini chocolate chips.

Lemony rice & peas recipe

The Hummus Recipes kitchen invites you to learn how to make Lemony rice & peas. Enjoy cooking easy, delicious, and tasty middle eastern rice dishes.

Easy
Serves 10

Ingredients

300 g brown basmati rice
75 ml olive oil
200 g frozen pea
410 g can lentil , rinsed and drained
410 g chickpea , rinsed and drained
juice 2 lemon
2 bunches spring onion , finely sliced
large bunch coriander , chopped

Method

1. Cook the rice in a large pan of boiling water for about 15 mins, drain and drizzle with a little of the olive oil, then leave to cool.
2. Boil a kettle and pour the water over the peas in a small bowl. Leave them to defrost, then drain. In a large bowl, mix the rice with the peas, lentils, chickpeas, remaining olive oil, lemon juice and the spring onions. Season to taste. The rice salad can now be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days. Remove from the fridge about 30 mins before serving, then stir through the coriander.

Make and take
Take the salad in a large bowl, keeping coriander separate. Toss through before serving.

Per serving:
229 kcalories, protein 7g, carbohydrate 32g, fat 9g, saturated fat 1g, fibre 4g, sugar 2g, salt 1g,

Middle Eastern Chickpea & Rice Stew Recipe - Shish Taouk with White Rice - Kushari Recipe

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Halloumi stuffed peppers recipe

The Hummus Recipes Kitchen/Home of Middle Eastern Food presents Halloumi stuffed peppers recipe. Enjoy delicious and easy to prepare middle eastern dishes.

Easy
Prep 10 mins
Cook 35 - 40 mins

Ingredients

4 large red pepper
290 g jar antipasti marinated mushroom
50 g couscous
100 ml hot vegetable stock
250 g halloumi cheese , cut into cubes
2 tsp chopped fresh parsley
mixed salad leaves and garlic bread, to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6/fan oven 180C. Cut the peppers in half through the stalks and scoop out the seeds. Put the peppers in one layer on a baking sheet. Drain the mushrooms, reserving the oil from the jar – drizzle one tablespoon of the oil over the peppers, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the peppers are just tender.
2. Tip the couscous into a bowl and pour in the hot stock. Leave for 5 minutes to soak, then fluff up with a fork and stir in the mushrooms, halloumi and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and spoon into the pepper halves. Return to the oven for 15 minutes, until the cheese is golden. Serve the peppers warm with a mixed salad and garlic bread.

Per serving:
334 kcalories, protein 16g, carbohydrate 19g, fat 22g, saturated fat 10g, fibre 4g, sugar 0g, salt 2g,

Lamb Stuffed Vine Leaves (waraq Enab) - Stuffed Baby Zucchini with Tomato Sauce - Malfouf - How to make Malfouf

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Curried Coconut Chicken and Rice Recipe

The Rice Recipes Kitchen presents the Curried Coconut Chicken and Rice Recipe. Enjoy cooking yummy rice dishes.

Yield: Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients

1 cup Mahatma® or Carolina® White or Basmati Rice
1 can (14 oz) coconut milk, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided (optional)
2 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
1 cup onions, chopped
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 pound chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cut into 1 inch pieces

Preparation

Using 1 cup coconut milk and 1 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon salt (if desired) prepare rice according to package directions. While cooking, stir rice after 10 minutes.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion and sauté 3 minutes. Add basil and stir-fry 2 minutes. Remove from pan and keep warm.

Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and stir-fry 30 seconds. Add curry powder, remaining salt (if desired) and red pepper; stir-fry 10 seconds. Add chicken and stir-fry 3 minutes. Stir in remaining coconut milk and reduce heat to medium. Cook 2 minutes or until chicken is done. Stir in basil mixture and toss well. Serve over rice.

NOTE: If you would like to prepare this dish using our Jasmine rice, decrease water to 1/2 cup and decrease cook time to 15 minutes. You will still need to stir the rice after cooking about 10 minutes.

Mahatma® and Carolina® Rice, MARCH 2010

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Bake - Chicken and Rice Casserole - Mexican Rice with Chicken Recipe

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Mediterranean Layered Rice Salad Recipe

The Rice Recipes Kitchen presents Mediterranean Layered Rice Salad Recipe. Enjoy cooking delicious Mediterranean rice dishes.

Yield: Makes About 8 Servings

Ingredients

1 cup Mahatma® or Carolina® Whole Grain Brown Rice, uncooked
2 tablespoons Canola oil
2 cups mushrooms, chopped
1/4 cup fresh chives, snipped
1 1/2 cups low-fat Italian Balsamic dressing, divided
2 green onions, chopped
2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 cups broccoli florets, blanched and drained
2 red peppers, chopped
1 cup mild reduced fat Provolone (or Cheddar cheese), shredded
1 package (12 oz.) frozen green peas, thawed

Preparation

Prepare rice as directed. Let stand for 5 minutes to cool.

In non-stick skillet, heat oil and add mushrooms. Sauté stirring frequently until mushrooms are browned and all liquid has evaporated.

Combine rice with mushrooms and chives. Gently mix 1/2 cup dressing with rice-mushroom mixture. Place one-half of rice mixture in bottom of large glass serving bowl. Layer broccoli, red peppers, and green onions. Drizzle 1/2 cup dressing over vegetables. Top with remaining rice mixture.

Layer peas, tomatoes, and drizzle with remaining 1/2 cup dressing. Top with cheese.

Helpful Hint:
This salad can be prepared early in the day or the day before and refrigerated until ready to use.
Mahatma® and Carolina® Rice, MARCH 2010

Herb Crusted Lamb Chops with Mediterranean Rice - Spanish rice & prawn one-pot - Garlic mushrooms with wild rice salad

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More Fun with Fondant

Yesterday we attended the relaunch of a live radio broadcast of our Burning Man Camp, Camp Want It! It will be a weekly event on Sunday afternoons, and then the set will be played on a continuous loop throughout the week. You can check it out here.

http://www.live365.com/stations/campwantit

I wanted to make some commemorative cupcakes for the day, so I got out my gum paste and metal cookie cutters and had so much fun cutting out the letters and sticking them on the cupcakes. I made chocolate cupcakes with a simple buttercream frosting that I colored red with gel food coloring. This time, instead of piping the frosting, I just spread it on, which created a nice, flat surface and great background for the letters. I also liked the way the letters looked on a full sized cupcake rather than a mini.

This opens up so many decorating possibilities, especially if I figure out how to color the gum paste - all sorts of cute cut-outs could be placed on colored backgrounds. Let the fun begin!

Southern Comfort

One of my husband's favorite breakfasts is biscuits & sausage gravy. Today I decided to make it, after I found what looked like a proper Southern recipe on the internet. It's something that has very few ingredients, but you have to make it just right to get the correct consistency and thickness.

The recipe is perfect and if you follow it step-by-step (thank goodness for the pictures), it turns out exactly the way you want. The only change I would make is that instead of using regular flavor sausage (I used Jimmy Dean's "All-Natural"), I would use Hot to give it that extra kick.

I made 6 slices of bacon before starting the sausage gravy, and that yielded just the right amount of fat to mix in with the flour when making the roux.

Mmmm mmmm, what a nice way to start the day.

Berry Good

My friend Mark gave me this delicious recipe for an easy dessert, a gingered fruit compote.

Make a simple syrup using 1 C. water and 1 C. sugar. Heat until the sugar dissolves.

Add about an 8" chunk of fresh ginger, cut on the diagonal to expose as much flesh as possible.

Simmer this in the simple syrup for about 20 minutes. Remove the ginger.

Add whatever fruit you like (I used a pint of blueberries) and heat until incorporated.

Serve over Greek yogurt.

Yum!

Summer Refresher

It's no secret that I love lemons, and one of my favorite summer drinks is Strawberry Lemonade. It has just the right amount of sweet, and just the right amount of tart - I could drink it by the gallon.

Earlier this week, I attended a viewing party for the show Glee - an instant classic episode which featured songs by Madonna. Tasked with bringing something fun and festive for dessert, I came up with a recipe for Strawberry Lemonade cupcakes.

Lemon Cupcakes

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 2 C. sugar
• 4 eggs
• 3 C. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 C. milk
• 2 T. lemon zest
• 2 T. lemon juice
• Few drops yellow food color gel, if desired

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Line 2 24-cup mini cupcake pans with liners.

In a large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy, about 4 min.

Add the eggs, one at a time until the mixture becomes creamy.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt together. Whisk to combine.

Alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk until completely incorporated.

Add the lemon zest and juice. Mix batter for an additional minute. Add food color gel and mix just until blended.

Divide the batter among the cupcake liners and bake for 17-23 minutes.

Cool before frosting.

Strawberry Lemon Frosting

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1 pkg (16 oz) powdered sugar, sifted
• 2-3 T. strawberry jelly, heated in a pan until melted, and cooled.
• 1 T. lemon zest
• 2 T. lemon juice
• Few drops pink food color gel
• Fresh strawberries, for garnish

Cream the butter, cream cheese and sugar until fluffy.

Add the powdered sugar about 1/2 C. at a time, turning to high speed for a few seconds after each addition. Scrape down the bowl as needed.

Add the strawberry jelly lemon zest and lemon juice. Beat until combined.

Add the pink food color gel until the desired color is reached.

Frost cooled cupcakes, adding a small piece of chopped strawberry for garnish.

Red Pepper Hummus with Toasted Pita Triangles Recipe

The hummus recipes blog invites you to try Red Pepper Hummus with Toasted Pita Triangles, enjoy preparing easy and delicious hummus recipes.

Time: 8 min Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

4 whole-wheat pita pockets, cut into triangles
Cooking spray
Garlic salt
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained
1 cup sauteed red peppers
1/4 cup tahini (sesame paste)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 to 4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Place pita triangles on a large baking sheet and spray the surface with cooking spray. Season the tops with garlic salt. Bake 6 to 8 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.
3. Meanwhile, rinse and drain 1 can of the chickpeas. Place drained chickpeas in a blender and add red peppers, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and cumin. Process until smooth. Season, to taste, with salt and black pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with parsley.
4. Serve hummus with toasted pita triangles arranged alongside.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Recipe - Roasted Garlic Hummus - Hummus Pita Sandwich Recipe

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Spanish Rice

This is a great alternative to the boxed stuff.  I found it on allrecipes.  I took some of the reviewers suggestions and doubled it since we really like Spanish rice, and some people make a whole meal out of it when they don't like the other stuff we're having. If you have a smaller family or don't want a lot of leftovers, I'd half this recipe, but I will add that I think this is actually better the second day.

3 Tbsp. canola oil
2 c. long grain rice
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped (I only had red pepper, which worked fine)
1 clove garlic, minced
4 c. chicken or vegetable broth
1 (14 oz can) diced tomatoes with green chilis
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. salt
1  tsp. dried parsley

Heat oil in deep skillet over medium heat.  Saute onion, garlic and pepper for a couple of minutes.  Add rice and brown well.  Stir in broth and tomatoes.  Add chili powder, cumin salt and parsley.  Cover and simmer until rice is cooked and liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes.

I want to try making it in my rice cooker, and I think some fresh cilantro stirred in before serving would be wonderful.

THE Soft Ginger Cookies of my Dreams

I LOVE soft ginger cookies, but the "snap" variety...not so much.  I have been looking for the perfect soft ginger cookie recipe for almost ten years.  I would even call it a quest.  I have tried more recipes than I can count.  They have never been "just right"- you know, soft enough, gingery enough, thick enough, etc.,.  Then I stumbled upon this little number. They are just what I have been looking for all these years.  Dunk them in some cold milk and you're in heaven. 

Plus, this recipe makes about five dozen cookies!  We were able to share with neighbors and have a couple dozen left.  That is until Holly somehow got the container off the table and ate ALL of them.  Who knew a Basset Hound could do that?  I guess they really are THAT good.

From The Sisters' Cafe

2 c. sugar

1 1/2 c. shortening

2 eggs

1/2 c. molasses

4 c. flour (I used half whole wheat and half white flour)

2 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. cloves

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 pkg. white chocolate chips (optional-I opted against them)

Mix first four ingredients well, then add the remaining ingredients.  Roll into balls and roll in sugar.  Crystal or raw sugar is the prettiest.  Bake at 350 degrees for 11 to 13 minutes.  I think they stay softer if you stay closer to 11 minutes.

The shortening is a drawback for me, but I think it may be the key to these cookies.  I'm going to try them with butter, but I fear the butter flavor might interfere with their greatness.  I think if you want to try butter, it would be best to chill the dough for awhile so they don't spread out too much.

Saffron-roast tomatoes with labneh recipe

Enjoy cooking Arabic/Middle Eastern recipes. A dish inspired by the tastes of Morocco, the sharpness of the labneh (drained yogurt) compliments the sweet tomatoes.

Serves 8 as a starter or side dish
Vegetarian

Ingredients

500g Greek yogurt
2 garlic cloves , crushed to a paste
good pinch saffron
½ juiced lemon
extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp toasted flaked almonds

ROAST TOMATOES

24 plum tomatoes
extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp harissa
good pinch saffron
1 tbsp caster sugar

Method

1. Make the labneh the day before you want to serve the dish. Line a sieve with a piece of cheesecloth (or a new J Cloth), put the yogurt into it and set over a bowl in the fridge. The yogurt will drain over the next 24 hours, leaving you with a firmer 'cheese-like' substance. Help it along by giving it a squeeze every few hours.
2. Heat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Halve the tomatoes and arrange in a single layer in a large shallow roasting tin (or 2 small ones). Mix 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, the harissa and saffron together and pour over the top. Turn the tomatoes with your hands to make sure they are well coated. Sprinkle with sugar and season. Roast for about 45 minutes cut-side up, or until they are caramelised and slightly shrunken. Leave to cool a little.
3. Take the drained yogurt out of the cheesecloth and mix it with the garlic and a pinch of salt.
4. Carefully move the tomatoes (they are quite fragile and easily fall apart) to a serving platter, dotting nuggets of labneh among them as you go. Pour some of the cooking juices from the roasting tin over.
5. Scatter on the almonds then heat the saffron with the lemon juice. Add 5 tbsp extra-virgin oil and mix. Spoon over the dish and serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe from olive magazine, January 2007.

Moroccan Vegetable Recipe - Moroccan spiced pie recipe - Middle Eastern Eggplant Salad Recipe

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Rice with Fish Recipe

The Rcie Recipes kitchen invites you to try delicious and healthy dish of Rice With fish. Enjoy cooking the best rice recipes.

Prep. Time: 15 Minutes
Cook time : 70 minutes
Serves : 4-6

Ingredients

3 Cups Country Basmati Rice
¼ Teaspoon Saffron ,crushed
¼ Cup Rose water
3 Medium Zobidi fish
2 Medium Onion ,chopped
½ Cup Raisins
1 Tablespoon Ground loamy (dried lime)
1 Teaspoon Mixed spices
1 Teaspoon Turmeric
½ Teaspoon Ground cardamom
½ Teaspoon Salt
4 Cups Fish stock, hot
Flour/oil

Preparation

1.Wash the rice; soak it in warm water for 20 – 25 minutes. Drain.
2. Dissolve saffron in rose water. Keep aside.
3. Clean fish, sprinkle with spices, turmeric, loomy, cardamom and salt.
4. Coat fish with flour, fry in oil until golden. Keep aside.
5. In large casserole fry onion with 4 tablespoons oil, until golden brown, add raisins and loamy, cook until soft. Keep aside half the amount of this mixture for garnishing.
6. Sprinkle one cup of rice over the onion mixture, in the casserole, arrange fish over rice, and add the remaining rice. Gradually pour fish stock over rice, heat to boiling, and then simmer on low heat for 30 – 40 minutes.
7. Sprinkle saffron mixture, over rice, cover and let stand off the heat for 5 – 10 minutes.
8. Serve in plate, place fish on top, garnish with onion and raisins.

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Awesome Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sometimes, simple drop cookies are the most satisfying and comforting. These cookies were baked and packaged as a birthday present all in under one hour. They have intense chocolate flavor (I used bitter sweet chocolate chips plus cocoa powder) with both chewy and crunchy texture.



I started with King Arthur Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies. I had only 2 ounces of shortening so I figured I would compensate the fat by adding 2 ounces of cocoa powder to the mix and reducing a little bit of flour.



I have been making little tiny cookies so much lately that I love love love these giant cookies. I got 28 cookies from the whole batch. It was awesome. You eat one cookie and you're done (or not.)


Giant cookie

Caramel Candy

This was my third attempt at making caramel candy. The first attempt turned out too soft that I had to keep the candies in the refrigerator at all time. The second attempt, with the help of a stuck candy thermometer, I got a giant black rock which I promptly trashed before anybody could turn it into a weapon.



This one, I dare say, was a success!!! Although the candies went soft at room temperature in Thailand and they still had to be kept in the refrigerator. But at almost 40 degrees Celsius (about 100 degrees Fahrenheit) even my Chapstick had to be kept in the cold box.




I followed the first recipe from this page which is super easy with only a few simple ingredients. My candy thermometer was still stuck but I kept the time and continuously testing the texture under cold water.

My brother said that these candies tasted very similar to Jacques Torres' (at about a dollar a piece!) but mines didn't melt in the mouth as much as the professional candies. Mines were also more difficult to chew because they were huge. I said I almost broke my hands cutting those pieces so shut up.

Not in my kitchen...

...in Thailand.

I don't have picture this time because I stayed home most of the trip and didn't take many pictures. But I have words.

My mother and I went to a meditation retreat for three days at a Buddhist temple in Lampang, the province where my mother lives. I was taught some beautiful things. The first day, we were taught the underlying reasons for meditation and what we are looking to achieve through meditating.

We were taught that objects and names as we know it are not real. Meditation is a way to recognize this fact and eventually become detached to them. You might argue that things are real because we can see, feel, taste, smell them. As an example, our hands. They are there. We can see them and feel them. But if we look deeper, our hands are made of skin and bones and blood, etc. And what are those things made of?

We were taught to look at things by their properties: earth, water, wind and fire. Earth as in the lightness or heaviness (not the physical soil because that's also not real.) Water for togetherness. Wind for looseness or tightness. And fire for hotness and coldness.

We were given 3 exercises to do during the whole conscious time that we were there. A walking meditation, sitting meditation and all other daily activities. These are to be done slowly with our minds being present focusing on every single action at all time. If, at any point, we were distracted, we were to recognize the distraction and the emotion that comes with it. Then get rid of it.

There were lots of distractions at the beginning. But it got easier as the time passed. By the end of the third day during my last sitting meditation, I sensed a calm and overwhelming bliss that I had never felt before. It was mind blowing. I never believed that my mind would be quiet enough to achieve any kind of meditative state. Of course, I shouldn't be attached to that feeling either. But as a beginner, that is something.

Here's the link to the temple's website: http://www.wattamaoh.com/

Pea-Brained

Spring is here, and with it comes the arrival of English peas. I shelled about a pound and a half of them yesterday - long work, for such a little yield - but oh were they tender and delicious.

They popped up beautifully when immersed in boiling water.

And with a kiss of butter and a sprinkle of salt and pepper, made a lovely addition to a Sunday supper of roasted chicken, roasted potatoes, and just-picked red-leaf lettuce.

Slow Food

I photographed my first two meals since being ill, the taste of which I will never forget.

The first was scrambled eggs on toast. 6 days without any protein had left me feeling weak and lethargic. What a jump-start to the system in such a simple form.

My first dinner was Capellini Pomodoro from Mozarella di Bufala. It is their most simple pasta dish, but contains so many elements that previously would not have agreed with me: tomatoes, olive oil, onions, basil. And in the salad: lettuce, hearts of palm, olives, cucumber and tomatoes (no dressing). The flavor was practically jumping off of the plate! I savored every morsel.

What this experience has done for me has reminded me to slow down. The last meal I ate before getting sick was a burger, and I have visions of myself shoving it down my throat, barely tasting it, while trying to do two other things at the same time (when you get to revisit that burger again and again and AGAIN, it truly makes for an unforgettable meal).

I also learned that the more I took away, the better I could taste the food. For instance, normally when making scrambled eggs on toast, I butter the toast, spice up the eggs. Without those things, more of the pure flavors came through.

Now I am being more respectful of my food, eating more slowly, taking smaller bites, and remembering to taste and savor each one.

Kunafa Recipe - Kunafa Bil-Jibn Recipe

An easy recipe to prepare best kunafa desserts. Kunafa originated in the Palestinian city of Nablus then spread to Arab and middle eastern countries. Kunafa is a traditional Middle Eastern desert made from white melted cheese and shreded wheat. It is delicious and light!

Ingredients
1 package of shredded fillo dough
1/2 pound of butter melted
2 lbs ricotta cheese
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup minced pistachio
3 cups sugar
1 tsp lemon juice

Preparation

1. First step is to defrost the Fillo dough. Do this by shredding the fillo in a bowl continuously till completelly defrosted.
2. Once this occurs, you start adding the butter while continuously shredding the dough. When this process is complete and the dough is shredded thoroughly, seperate the dough into two equal portions.
3. In a well buttered pan, spread out the dough thoroughly, but do not compress. Once the dough is spread evenly, start preparing the ricotta cheese. Lay the cheese patties onto the prepared dough in the pan. Once the layer of ricotta cheese is completely covering the dough, lay the second half of the dough unto the cheese so that it is evenly distrubuted.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, then place the pan in the middle for approxiametly 45 minutes. What you need to look for, is that the dough browns. Once achieved, you will need a larger pan in which you will flip the Knefeh so the the bottom is on top and vice versa. Bake again till the browning occurs on the adjacent side. Once browned on both sides, the Knafe is finished.
5. The last step is to top the Knefeh with the sweet syrup, pine nuts, and pistachio.

Sfouf Recipe - Qatayef Asafiri - Lebanese Baklava Recipe

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Sfouf Recipe - Lebanese Sfouf Recipe

Sfouf is a Lebanese almond-semolina cake, a traditional Middle Eastern recipe on the Worldwide Gourmet. This is an easy and delicious sfouf desserts recipe.

Ingredients

2 cups semolina or 320 g
1¼ cups plain flour or 175 g
½ tablespoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon aniseed, ground
1 cup sugar or 200 g
1 cup butter or 200 g, melted
1 tin NESTLÉ® Sweetened Condensed Milk or 397 g
½ cup water or 125 ml
½ cup pine seeds or 75 g

Preparation

1. Combine semolina, flour, turmeric, baking powder and ground anis. Add sugar, butter, NESTLÉ® Sweetened Condensed Milk and water then mix well to form a smooth paste.
2. Pour mixture into 32cm x 24cm baking dish, sprinkle pine seeds on top.
3. Bake in a 190°C preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until golden.
4. Allow to cool properly then cut into squares and serve.

Lebanese Baklava Recipe - Qatayef Asafiri - Umm Ali Recipe

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Lamb cutlets with fattoush recipe

The Hummus blog invites you to try delicious Lamb cutlets with fattoush recipe... easy Lebanese dish.

Ingredients (serves 4)

8 French-trimmed lamb cutlets
1 1/2 tbs olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tbs lemon juice
2 small pita bread, roughly torn
1 punnet cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 Lebanese cucumber, cubed
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Make a marinade by mixing together 2 teaspoons of the olive oil, the cumin, garlic and half the lemon juice in a small bowl. Brush over cutlets and set aside.
3. Place pita bread on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 5 minutes or until crisp. Break into pieces.
4. Heat a chargrill over high heat, add the lamb cutlets and cook, in batches if necessary, for 2 minutes on each side, until browned but still pink in the middle. Set aside.
5. Place the tomato, cucumber, parsley and pita bread in a large bowl, dress with remaining olive oil and lemon juice. Toss to combine.
6. Divide the salad between 4 bowls and top each with 2 cutlets.

Source
delicious. - October 2004, Page 147
Recipe by Chrissy Freer

Lamb, tabouli and hommus wrap recipe - Lamb Pitas with Minted Pea Hummus Recipe - Fattoush Recipe

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Lamb, tabouli and hommus wrap recipe

Enjoy middle eastern cooking recipes and learn how to make Lamb, tabouli and hommus wrap.

Makes 4

Ingredients

1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh oregano leaves
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 (100g each) lamb leg steaks
3/4 cup hommus dip
2 cups (300g) tabouli
4 Lebanese bread rounds

Method

1. Combine lemon juice, oregano, garlic, oil and lamb in a glass or ceramic dish. Turn to coat. Cover. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, if time permits.

2. Preheat a barbecue plate or chargrill over medium-high heat. Cook lamb for 3 to 4 minutes each side for medium or until cooked to your liking. Transfer to a plate. Cover with foil. Set aside for 5 minutes. Thinly slice.

3. Spread hommus over bread. Top each with tabouli and lamb. Roll up firmly to enclose filling. Serve.

Source
Super Food Ideas - August 2008, Page 43
Recipe by Emma Braz

Lamb Pitas with Minted Pea Hummus Recipe - Roasted Garlic Hummus - Hummus Pita

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BRAT for a Week

So what's the worst possible thing to happen to a food blogger? Besides food poisoning, the stomach flu. Which is actually not technically a "flu" but a combination of viruses called gastroenteritis, and is a big hot steaming mess of misery and suffering.

I know all of this because I was hit hard with it last Friday. Hard as in brought me to my knees for about 8 hours in the bathroom, followed by 3 days of not moving from bed (including fever), and another 4 days of general aches and misery. Don't worry, this is a food blog - no details will be shared.

For my food intake, it has meant that I am reduced to drinking a lot, especially electrolyte-rich drinks (thank you Dragonfruit Vitamin Water) and eating a diet suitable for toddlers and the elderly. The sort of modern old-wives guideline for easily digestible foods is called BRAT:

Bananas

Rice

Applesauce

Toast

It's been interesting watching my system repair itself, and let me tell you, I am ever-so-grateful for any new food that it will allow me to handle. The first day of banana was like a revelation - I had never tasted a more banana-y banana in my life. I am completely sick of toast, so have moved on to whole grain Cream of Wheat and plain pasta in chicken broth. What is completely absent at the moment is dairy, fat, meat, and vegetables - basically, my regular diet! I miss real food terribly, but I am in no hurry to push myself beyond what I can handle. My system will "grow up" when it is good and ready, and for now, baby steps are fine.

Herb Crusted Lamb Chops with Mediterranean Rice Recipe

The rice recipe blog invites you to try a delicious dish of Herb Crusted Lamb Chops with Mediterranean Rice.

Yield: Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon shallot, minced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 cup Mahatma® or Carolina® Basmati or Jasmine Rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
8 lamb chops
salt and pepper
4 tablespoons parsley, minced
1 tablespoon sage, minced
1 tablespoon rosemary, minced
1 tablespoon thyme, minced
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup black olives, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons mint, chopped

Preparation

Heat oven to 450°F. In a medium pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Sauté shallots and garlic for 30 seconds. Add Basmati or Jasmine rice and stir for 1 minute. Pour in wine and cook, stirring frequently, until wine is absorbed. Add 2 cups of water, cover pan, and reduce heat to low. If preparing using Basmati Rice, simmer 20 minutes (or 15 minutes for Jasmine Rice ), or until all water is absorbed. Rub lamb chops with salt and pepper and remaining olive oil. Combine parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. Press both sides of seasoned lamb chops with the herb mixture. Place chops on a foil-lined sheet pan and roast in the oven for 8 minutes, or until cooked to desired temperature. When rice is cooked, stir in bell pepper, olives, cheese, and mint. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Arrange serving of rice on plate and top with two chops each.

Mahatma® and Carolina® Rice, MARCH 2010

Lamb stir-fry with coconut rice - Middle Eastern Rice & lamb salad - Tandoori lamb with rice salad

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A Grown-Up Lunch: Brie Paninis

I am always on the lookout for a delicious lunch that I can make in the same amount of time as it takes to grill up my boys' cheese sandwich. Mel's Kitchen Cafe posted this Smoked Turkey, Brie, and Apple Panini and I had to run out and get me some brie. It was divine, and so much more exciting than cheddar on wheat. You can click on the link for more specific instructions, but basically it is sliced apples, sliced brie, caramelized red onions, and turkey lunch meat on a grilled sandwich.

Personally, I'm not a turkey breast person and I left the turkey off my second panini and still loved it, so when I saw this version on Paninihappy.com with pecans instead of turkey I knew it was even more up my alley.

My hybrid version is like this:

French bread
Caramelized Onions
Sliced Brie
Sliced apples
Pecans
French bread

Alas, today I had brie and french bread, but no apples. But, never fear, inspired by this pizza, I made this panini, and I think I might even like it more than the apple version.

French bread
Sliced Brie (Costco has it far better priced than anywhere in Heber)
Fig preserves (The Store in Midway sells it under the Barefoot Contessa Brand)
French bread

Next time maybe I'll add the onions and pecans.


And that is my rather long explanation for a pretty simple lunch.

Lamb Pitas with Minted Pea Hummus Recipe - How to Make Lamb Pitas with Minted Pea Hummus

Enjoy delicious hummus recipes and learn how to make Lamb Pitas with Minted Pea Hummus.
Nothing says spring like these pita pockets loaded with delicate lamb and colorful Minted Pea Hummus. Green peas contribute bold color and are especially high in vitamin K, which helps protect against osteoporosis. Add fresh fruit as a side dish, and you've got a wonderfully healthy meal. Use leftover hummus as a refreshing and vibrant veggie dip. It also goes well with Greek-Style Pita Chips.

Prep Time: 17 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 stuffed pitas)

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground lamb
1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
8 (1-ounce) miniature whole wheat pitas (such as Toufayan Mini Pitettes)
1/2 cup Minted Pea Hummus
Red onion slices (optional)
Alfalfa sprouts (optional)
Cucumber slices (optional)

Preparation

1. Prepare grill.
2. Combine first 4 ingredients. Divide mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty.
3. Place patties on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 6 minutes on each side or until a thermometer registers 165°. Remove from grill; let stand 5 minutes. Cut each patty in half. Split each pita in half horizontally, cutting to, but not through, opposite side. Spread 1 tablespoon Minted Pea Hummus on bottom half of each pita, and top with half of 1 patty. Add onion, sprouts, and cucumber, if desired.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 391 (38% from fat)
Fat: 17g (sat 6.9g,mono 6.7g,poly 1.1g)
Protein: 27.4g
Carbohydrate: 33.9g
Fiber: 4g
Cholesterol: 77mg
Iron: 3.7mg
Sodium: 354mg
Calcium: 84mg

Herbed Lima Bean Hummus Recipe - Ginger-Garlic Hummus - Hummus with Yogurt

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