Berry Season

I get way too excited when fruit is on sale. That's how I ended up with 4 containers of blackberries ($1.69 each!), sitting in my fridge and mocking me as I barely made a dent in them each morning by putting them on my cereal.

The original reason I bought them was to use on cupcakes for the Iron Cupcake Challenge - Herbs (Lemon Thyme Cake with Vanilla Lemon Zest Buttercream and topped with a blackberry). Those came out very well, and looked so pretty, too - in fact, my favorite cupcakes have been my berry-topped ones. This is good to remember for next month's challenge which is, you guessed it, Berries.

After 3 days and with 2 full containers left, I knew I needed to make something quickly or they would start to go bad. I looked around on the internet and found this recipe on Confections of a Foodie Bride, and it could not have been more perfect.

I didn't have any buttermilk, so I tried a buttermilk substitute method that has been on my list to try. You take 1/2 C. of regular milk (I used 1%) and add 1/2 T. of white vinegar. Let that sit for 5 minutes, and you have buttermilk! It worked great - no more running out to the store for buttermilk at the last minute, or throwing out old curdled buttermilk 2 weeks later. Hooray!

Just like Foodie Bride, I was skeptical of such a simple recipe - I think I expected it to be ok at best, but it was so good and moist, with a nice subtle lemon flavor and a nice strong fruit taste. Having a slice warm out of the oven was heavenly. You sprinkle sugar on the top before baking, and when you invert it to cool, the "top" becomes the bottom and you get this nice surprise crunch with every bite.

The best part was, it was very easy (just like the recipe says, but has a nice uniform appearance so that it is pretty enough to serve to guests.

I am definitely keeping this one in my "tried and true" file, and can't wait to try it with other berries this season. Great for brunch, tea, or a light dessert. Easy enough to make on a whim on any given night or when people drop by.

Five spice meatballs with plum sauce & Asian greens recipe

The Rice Recipes kitchen invites you to try Five spice meatballs with plum sauce & Asian greens recipe. Try meatballs Chinese style - in sweet plum sauce with rice and healthy steamed greens.

Preparation Time 10 - 15 minutes
Cooking Time 20 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)

Olive oil spray
1 brown onion, finely chopped
2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
1 tsp Chinese five spice
600g lean beef mince
80ml (1/3 cup) SPC Plum Sauce
2 tbs mirin (rice wine)
1 tbs salt-reduced soy sauce
Steamed rice, to serve
Steamed Asian greens, to serve

Method

1. Heat a small non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Spray with olive oil spray to lightly grease. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until the onion is soft. Add the ginger and Chinese five spice, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.

2. Combine the onion mixture and mince in a large bowl. Season with pepper. Roll 1 tablespoonful of the mixture into a ball. Transfer to a large plate. Repeat with remaining mince mixture.

3. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Spray with olive oil spray to lightly grease. Add the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, for 8-10 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Combine the plum sauce, rice wine and soy sauce in a jug. Add to the pan and toss until the meatballs are coated and the sauce is heated through.
4. Spoon the steamed rice among serving plates. Top with the meatballs and drizzle over the sauce. Serve with steamed Asian greens.

Source
Good Taste - September 2007, Page 48
Recipe by Chrissy Freer

Green Bean Almond Rice Recipe - Hainanese chicken rice with warm green onion sauce - Vegetable Biryani Recipe

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Fresh Apricot Cupcakes

This is one of the rare moments in my experimental baking that a seemingly good idea actually turns out great. It started from a pile small California apricots I saw at the supermarket. They looked so pretty I couldn't help but bought about 2 pounds of them. At home, I bit into one and almost spit it out. They were so tart I decided it's humanly impossible to eat them without sugar. So I decided to make cupcakes.



I wanted to preserve the tartness somewhat and decided to use only three-quarter amount of sugar I usually put in a batch of cupcakes. For the frosting, I decided on cream cheese which always works well with tart/fruity cupcakes.



I pretty much followed this Lemon Blueberry Cake recipe except I:

1. used 3 cups of all purpose flour


2. added only 1 1/2 cups of sugar


3. omitted lemon juice and peel


4. substituted chopped s small apricots for 2 1/2 cups of blueberries


5. baked in lined muffin pan for 22 minutes at 350 degrees

For the frosting I beat a stick of butter with a package of cream cheese, 1/2 cup of confectioner sugar and 1/2 cup of apricot preserve.



I really love the resulting cupcakes. As usual, since this has been my favorite fruity cupcake recipe, the cakes are soft, tender and exploded with fruit. You can tell they are made from apricots, not only because they are orange, but they are tart and full of flavor.

Whole Wheat Cardamom Cranberry Olive Oil Yogurt Loaf

This seemed like a very good idea in my head. Why not? Cardamom goes very well with oranges. Cranberries are great with any citrus. And I made very successful whole wheat olive oil yogurt loaf before.



The execution was simple. I followed Dorie Greenspan's recipe, replaced whole wheat flour for the all purpose, and added a cup of dried cranberries and a teaspoon of ground cardamom.



The result wasn't as brilliant as the idea... Although it was nice to burp cardamom, the spice doesn't compliment the aroma of extra virgin olive oil. I'll use light tasting olive oil the next try.

Roasted Eggplant Spread Recipe

The hummus Recipes Kitchen invites you to try delicious Roasted Eggplant Spread Recipe. Enjoy Middle Eastern food and learn how to make Roasted Eggplant Spread dish.

Ingredients

2 medium eggplants, peeled
1 red bell pepper, seeded
1 red onion, peeled
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons tahini
3 tablespoons chopped parsley, plus extra for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut the eggplant, bell pepper, and onion into 1-inch cubes. Toss them in a large bowl with the garlic, olive oil, cayenne and salt and pepper. Spread them on a baking sheet. Roast for 45 minutes, until the vegetables are lightly browned and soft, tossing once during cooking. Cool slightly.

Place the vegetables in a food processor fitted with a steel blade, add the lemon juice and tahini, and pulse 3 or 4 times to blend. Taste for salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and add the chopped parsley. Garnish with extra parsley.

FoodNetwork

Middle Eastern Eggplant Salad Recipe - Saffron-roast tomatoes with labneh recipe - Herbed Lima Bean Hummus Recipe

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Good for you blueberry muffins

For the last few months the only thing Sam will eat for breakfast are muffins. As if that request was not specific enough, he will only eat the "tops" of the muffins. So, every morning I have plenty of "stumps" leftover. Until lately, Sam's muffin of choice has been these. After three solid months of making these almost daily, the other 3 kids don't want anything to do with the applesauce muffins. I realized that I probably should find another recipe to please everyone. I found this recipe on Annie's Eats. These muffins looked like a good and healthy option. The list of ingredients is packed with good for you things with minimal oil and sugar. I did make a couple of minor adjustments. The first time I made these I followed the recipe exactly and the batter was pretty runny. The next time I made them I added an other 1/4 c. flour, more blueberries and switched the brown sugar for white sugar. As a result, the muffins baked up a little taller and so the had more of a "top". Here is the recipe with my changes.

I will post a picture the next time I make them (which should be tomorrow).

1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1 1/4 c. quick oats
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 4/ tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 c. unsweetend applesauce
1/2 c. buttermilk (I just used 1/2 c. milk with 1 tsp. vinegar)
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 -1 1/2 c. blueberries

In a large mixing bowl combine flour, oats, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. In another bowl combine applesauce, buttermilk, egg and oil. Stir wet and dry ingredients together just until dry ingredients are incorporated. Gently fold in blueberries. Divide batter evenly between 12 muffin cups. Bake for 16-18 minutes at 375 degrees.

Middle Eastern-style lamb shanks with saffron rice recipe

The Hummus Recipes kitchen invites you to try Middle Eastern-style lamb shanks with saffron rice recipe. Enjoy the best middle eastern cooking recipes and learn how to make tasty Middle Eastern-style lamb shanks with saffron rice.

Preparation Time 20 minutes
Cooking Time 115 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)

1 tbs olive oil
4 lamb shanks, French trimmed
1 brown onion, halved, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbs ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp turmeric
750ml (3 cups) chicken stock
1 x 800g can diced tomatoes
Fresh coriander leaves, to serve
Greek-style yoghurt, to serve

Saffron rice
55g (1/3 cup) pine nuts
750ml (3 cups) water
1/2 tsp saffron threads
400g (2 cups) basmati rice
95g (1/2 cup) flame raisins

Method

1. Heat the oil in a stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the lamb shanks and cook, turning, for 5 minutes or until brown. Transfer to a plate. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until soft. Add the cumin, ground coriander, cinnamon and turmeric and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or until aromatic.
2. Return the lamb shanks to the pan with the stock and tomato. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Uncover and cook, stirring, for 30 minutes or until the lamb is tender. Transfer the lamb shanks to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Increase heat to high and bring the stock mixture to the boil. Boil, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
3. Meanwhile, to make the saffron rice, cook the pine nuts in a large frying pan over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until toasted. Transfer to a heatproof bowl. Add the water to the pan and bring to the boil over high heat. Add saffron and reduce heat to low. Add the rice and cook, covered, for 12 minutes or until almost all the liquid is absorbed. Set aside, covered, for 10 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed. Use a fork to separate the grains. Stir in the pine nuts and raisins.
4. Divide the saffron rice among serving plates. Top with lamb shanks and drizzle with sauce. Sprinkle with fresh coriander and serve with yoghurt.

Note: To French trim the lamb shanks, cut the meat and fat away from the end of the shank so the bone is exposed.

Source
Good Taste - August 2006, Page 72
Recipe by Michelle Southan

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Spanish seafood rice recipe

The Rcie Recipes kitchen Offers Spanish seafood rice recipe. Enjoy rice cooking recipes and learn how to make Spanish seafood rice dish. This quick version of paella is superhealthy, plus it's all cooked in one pan so there's minimal washing-up

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion , finely chopped
1 red and 1 yellow pepper , deseeded and sliced
2 garlic cloves , sliced
250g paella rice
850ml hot vegetable stock
pinch saffron
400g seafood mix (we used a bag of frozen mixed seafood, defrosted before use)
juice ½ small lemon
small handful flat-leaf parsley , roughly chopped

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and soften the onion for 6-7 mins. Add the pepper and garlic, cook for 2 mins more, then stir in the paella rice and cook for 1 min, stirring to coat.

2. Pour in the stock, add the saffron and bring to the boil. Cook, uncovered, at a gentle bubble, for 20 mins, stirring occasionally until the rice is tender.

3. Stir in the seafood and lemon juice and cook for 2 mins or until piping hot and completely cooked through. Serve in warm bowls scattered with the parsley.

NUTRITION PER SERVING

369 kcalories, protein 23g, carbohydrate 58g, fat 7 g, saturated fat 1g, fibre 7g, sugar 6g, salt 1.05 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, April 2010.

Spanish rice & prawn one-pot - Spanish Chicken and Rice Recipe - Rice with Fish Recipe

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Brown rice stir-fry with coriander omelette recipe

The Rice Recipes Kitchen invites you to try Brown rice stir-fry with coriander omelette recipe. Enjoy delicious and healthy rice recipes and learn how to make Brown rice stir-fry with coriander omelette. This dish is full of flavour and crunch - guaranteed to perk up that pack of brown rice at the back of the cupboard

Ingredients

200g brown basmati rice
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
thumb-size piece ginger , grated
3 garlic cloves , finely chopped
1 bunch spring onions , finely sliced lengthways
150g pack shiitake mushrooms , sliced
2 carrots , finely sliced into sticks
1 red pepper , finely sliced
3 eggs , beaten with a splash of skimmed milk
small handful chopped coriander , plus extra to serve
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 tbsp chilli jam
1 tbsp sesame seeds , toasted

Method

1. Cook the rice following pack instructions. Heat 2 tsp oil in a large frying pan or wok. Add the ginger and garlic and fry for 1 min. Tip in the veg and stir-fry over high heat for 3-4 mins.

2. Meanwhile, mix the eggs with the coriander and seasoning. Heat a small non-stick frying pan with the remaining oil. Add the egg, stir once, then allow to cook over a gentle heat until almost set. Flip (using a plate if necessary) and cook on the other side until cooked through. Tip onto a board and cut into strips.

3. Add the drained cooked rice, soy sauce, sesame oil and chilli jam to the veg, mixing to heat through. Divide into bowls and top with the omelette strips, a few coriander leaves and sesame seeds.

Nutrition Per serving

351 kcalories, protein 13g, carbohydrate 50g, fat 13 g, saturated fat 2g, fibre 4g, sugar 13g, salt 0.73 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, May 2010.

Sesame brown rice - Stir-fried rice with chilli tuna recipe - Sweet & Sour Chicken with Brown Rice

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Bacon Wrapped Turkey Kabobs

When these babies are grilled correctly, they are amazing. They trick is to get them cooked through without burning them. Steve can do it, but I can’t. I served them undercooked to my parents, and completely charred to a few guests last summer. I think the trick is to keep the heat low, and make sure the bacon gets crispy. 

Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbls lemon juice
1 Tbls brown sugar
2 (3 pound) boneless turkey breast halves
1 (16 oz) pakage of bacon

You might also need:
Fresh Pineapple Chunks, Cherry Tomatoes, Sweet Onions, yellow squash, zucchini or any other type of veggies that you want on your kabobs. (Sometimes I save a little marinade for any veggies that might benefit from some extra flavor)

Directions:
Cut turkey into 1" cubes. In a large bag, combine first 7 ingredients and mix well. Add turkey to marinade and let sit for about an hour, or more. Even overnight if you want to.

When its time to put together your kabobs, cut bacon slices in half and wrap each piece of turkey with a 1/2 strip of bacon. Then assemble your kabobs with desired fruits and veggies.

Grill kabobs until the bacon is all nice and crispy and enjoy. Makes about 10 kabobs with 4 pieces of turkey on each kabob. This will vary depending on how many veggies you put on the kabobs.

I get turkey breast halves at Smith’s. Sometimes they have them in the butchers case or sometimes by the chicken in a Jenni-O package.
If you don’t have turkey, I’m sure chicken would also be tasty.

If you didn’t want to use chicken or turkey – how good would shrimp be? Or, how good would bacon wrapped anything be? But seriously,
I have a recipe for bacon wrapped water chestnuts that we make at Christmas time, and I think they might work as a substitute for those of you who are not to hip on poultry.

Coconut Mochi Cake

On my trip to Japan, I couldn't get enough of those mochi which came in all sizes and forms. They could be round with red beans inside or outside. They could come floating in syrup or on shaved ice. They could be cubes or even in animal forms. I was so fascinated by them that I bought a bag of Mochiko (sweet rice flour) which mere mortals use to make mochi. (Super humans pound their own rice in giant mortars.)

Six months went by, with the mission to clean up my pantry, I finally did something with the flour.



I made chewy-sticky and creamy coconut mochi cake, which reminded me very much of one of Thai dessert we only got in the winter fair. The cakes tasted almost the same except that the Thai version was wrapped in pandan leaves and grilled over hot charcoal.



Adapted from Epicurious.com Sweet Rice-Flour and Coconut Cake
Ingredients

• 1 can of 14 oz. coconut milk


• 3 eggs


• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract


• 1/2 cup Agave nectar


• 1 1/2 cups Mochiko


• 1 teaspoon baking powder


• 1/4 teaspoon salt


• 1/2 cup coconut flakes

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.


2. Whisk coconut milk, eggs, vanilla extract and agave nectar together.


3. In a separate bowl, combine mochiko, baking powder, salt and coconut.


4. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet. Mix well.


5. Pour into an 8 inch square baking dish and bake for about 40 minutes or until the surface is brown. Let cool completely in the pan before cutting.

All Together Now

Real estate is expensive. In San Francisco, it is ridiculously expensive. During this recession, I have seen so many small businesses close because they can no longer afford to pay their rent. But in such an economy, where to go with your wonderful food idea, such as 7 different kinds of ramen, or bacon-wrapped hot dogs? Some resourceful vendors have gone the food cart route, either selling off of an actual cart or getting some kind of mobile vehicle that could double as a makeshift kitchen.

But the food cart business is not for everyone, and there are permits required with that as well. Enter a new idea: the multi-tenant indoor market. 331 Cortland in Bernal Heights is such a place.

Inside is an eclectic mix of 6 vendors. The first thing that you see is a knife-sharpening operation. It is sort of an odd choice, maybe something you would expect to see in medieval times (Ye Olde Ironsmith). Next is Della Terra Organics fruit stand, with the most impossibly beautiful fruits and vegetables and a good sense of humor.

The midddle of the space houses my two favorite vendors, El Poreno empanadas, and Ichi Lucky Cat Japanese Deli. I could easily spend an afternoon running back and forth between these two, sampling different things each time. Toro nigiri, wild mushroom empanada, Shiso Pesto Pasta, beef empanada...and on and on.

The last two vendors are Wholesale Bakery and Paulie's, which sells pickled goods and pre-made salads and sandwiches. More to discover next time! I am having a bad case of neighborhood envy - how easy would it be to make dinner every night with so much variety right at your disposal, and within walking distance? Here's to hoping that more communities follow suit.

Have Pizza, Will Travel

Five years ago, the most you could expect to get at a farmers market in terms of prepared food was tacos off of a taco truck, or tamales. Well, things have really changed, and now you can get just about anything, from crepes to pupusas. Last week at Alemany Farmers Market, we came upon this vendor selling wood-burning oven pizzas, right there in the parking lot! They had built their own oven with a take-apart frame that could be transported on a trailer. We were allowed to look inside and see the pizza-making in action.

The pizza itself was wonderful - warm and crisp with a tangy sauce and delicious toppings. This one was egg, proscuitto, and mushroom. At at $11 (enough for 3 people), it was very reasonable. Warm foods taste especially good on typical San Francisco mornings, which can be overcast and chilly before the fog burns off in the afternoon. The food was so good, I almost forgot that we had come to buy produce!

There are a lot of pizza places in San Francisco, and a handful that serve a decent pie. But pizza-on-wheels is a novel idea, and they have the right strategy by doing parties and events (imagine having your own pizza oven roll up along with someone to do all of the work!) This is definitely the first pizza I have seen at a Farmers Market, and by using the ingredients all around them, such as the "market pie" special that was featured, including California walnuts and fresh greens, they are doing a great job of participating in the local community.

Cherimoya, Self Destroy-a

On Saturday, I went to the Alemany Farmers Market, where I have not been in about a year. It's a wonderful market, the oldest in San Francisco (started in the 1930s), and has evolved a lot since I have lived here. While they used to not have any organic stalls, now it's about half and half. And the prepared food, my goodness...but that's another post.

I was tickled to see Cherimoyas for sale - a fruit from South America that I don't see often. They're expensive (about $3.50 each), so they are something to be purchased when you want to indulge in an exotic treat. They are well worth it though, not only for the great taste, but for their beauty in your fruit basket. The skin reminds me of dragon scales.

The hardest part is waiting for it to ripen - it takes about 3-4 days after purchase. You can tell when it is ripe because the flesh will give a little when you touch it, and you can smell a faint vanilla scent when you hold it up to your nose. Once they are ready, you can just slice it in halves or quarters and scoop out the flesh, discarding the seeds.

The taste is both unusual and familar - it reminds me of so many different fruits at once: banana, melon, pear, lychee, maybe a hint of berry. If they ripen even further, the flesh can have a custard-like consistency - this is how I have had them before, but this time I was too anxious to cut into it to wait another day, and possibly risk it going bad. I hardly suffered though - it was so delicious! I can't wait to get another one.

Banana Coffee Cake

This has to be the best banana cake ever. I never thought the words banana and light would fit in the same sentence. But this is it. This banana cake is light and tender. It's super moist (especially the next day) and just sweet enough.

Here's the original recipe: Banana Coffee Cake with Chocolate Chip Streusel in which the amount of sugar I wasn't super excited about.



So I changed a few things. I reduced the sugar in the cake to 1/2 cup. Omitted the chocolate chips. And made simple topping out of ground cinnamon, raw sugar, flour and butter.



Ingredients

• 1 stick butter at room temperature


• 1/2 cup sugar


• 1 egg


• 3 very ripe bananas


• 3 tablespoons pain yogurt


• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour


• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder


• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda


• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For topping

• 1/4 cup raw sugar


• 1/4 cup all purpose flour


• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon


• 2 tablespoons chilled butter

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 inch square baking pan.


2. With an electric mixer, beat a stick of butter with 1/2 cup of sugar until fluffy. Add an egg. Beat until well combined. Add bananas and yogurt.


3. In a clean bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir into the wet mixture. Pour into the prepared pan.


4. To make the topping, cut butter into the other ingredients. Rub with fingertips. Sprinkle over the batter. Bake for 45 minutes.

Vegetable Biryani Recipe - How to Make Vegetable Biryani

The Hummus Recipes Kitchen offers a Middle Eastern recipe for Vegetable Biryani (Indian Cuisine). Enjoy Indian cooking and learn how to make Vegetable Biryani Recipe.

Preparation time : 35 minutes
Cooking time : 35 minutes

Ingredients

For the rice:
2½ cups water or 625 ml
2 cubes MAGGI® Seasoning for White Rice
2 cups basmati rice or 400 g

For the vegetables:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
2 medium onions or 250 g, sliced
1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 large carrot or 200 g, cut into medium cubes
½ cup frozen green peas or 80 g, thawed
1 cup frozen green beans or 160 g, thawed and cut
¾ cup water or 185 ml
1 medium green bell pepper or 150 g, cut into medium cubes
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 medium tomatoes or 300 g, diced
3 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
2 tablespoons coriander leaves, chopped

Preparation

1. In a medium saucepan, place water, MAGGI® Seasoning for White Rice cubes and rice. Stir occasionally to boil then cover and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes or until rice is almost cooked. Remove from pot and spread the cooked rice in a large platter and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in another medium saucepan. Add caraway seeds and stir for seconds until caraway starts spluttering then add onion and stir until golden in color.
3. Add garlic and ginger and stir for seconds then add carrot, green peas and green beans; stir for 3 minutes then add water. Cover and simmer until vegetables are almost cooked and water is evaporated.
4. Add bell pepper, red chili powder, turmeric and tomato and stir occasionally for 10 minutes. Add mint and coriander and fold with the vegetable mix.
5. Combine the cooked rice and the vegetable mix gently and place the mixture in a clean pot. Cover with aluminum foil and with a tight fitting lid and place in a very low heat for 30 minutes then serve.

Cooking tips : Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of rose water over the rice and the vegetable mix at the last cooking step.
Serving tips : Serve with low fat yogurt salad (Raita).

Nutritional Information

Fats : 6.30 g
Protein : 9.80 g
Carbohydrate : 84.00 g
Energy : 428.00 Kcal

Lemony rice & peas recipe - Middle Eastern Chickpea & Rice Stew Recipe - Kushari Recipe

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Halawet El-Riz Recipe

The Hummus Recipes Kitchen offers an Arabic desserts recipe for Halawet El-Riz. Enjoy Arabic desserts and learn how to make Halawet El-Riz dish.

Ingredients (Serves 18)

400 g akawi cheese, Czech
1¼ cups egyptian rice or 250 g
3 cups water
1 cup sugar or 200 g
½ cup rose water

For the cream:
1 tin NESTLÉ® Sweetened Condensed Milk or 397 g
3 cups water
¾ cup corn flour or 100 g
2 tablespoons rose water

Preparation

1. Slice the cheese and soak it in water at room temperature for 3 hours to remove the salt. Change the water every 10-15 minutes.
2. Boil the rice with the 3 cups of water until it is completely cooked. Add the sugar and rose water and blend using electrical blender.
3. Put the cheese in a bowl and melt it on double boil (bain-marie). Boil the rice mixture again and add the melted cheese to it while on fire, mixing constantly until well combined.
4. To prepare the cream, mix all the cream ingredients and bring to boil on low heat, and then simmer for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Keep aside to cool down.
5. Put the cheese mixture in individual cups or a large plate. Serve cold with the cream on top.

Umm Ali Recipe - Lebanese Baklava Recipe - Lebanese Sfouf Recipe

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Vegetarian rice pilaf recipe

The Rice Recipes Kitchen invites you to try a delicious Vegetarian rice pilaf recipe. Enjoy rice cooking and learn how to make tasty Vegetarian rice pilaf.

Ingredients (serves 4)

40g butter, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 brown onion, finely chopped
1 cup long-grain rice, well rinsed
2 cups vegetable stock
600g butternut pumpkin, peeled, chopped into 1cm cubes
6 small yellow squash, cut into thick slices
1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas

Method

1. Heat butter and oil in a deep frying pan over medium-high heat until sizzling. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes or until tender. Add rice and stir to coat in butter mixture.

2. Add stock to pan and bring to the boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes. Add pumpkin, squash and peas and cook for 10 minutes or until rice is tender and stock has been absorbed. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Notes & tips

* 175g fresh peas in the pod will yield 1/2 cup podded peas.
* To freeze: Spoon cooled pilaf into singleserve containers. Freeze for up to 8 weeks.
* To reheat: Thaw in the fridge. Microwave, covered, on MEDIUM (50%) for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring every minute, or until hot.

Source
Super Food Ideas - June 2005, Page 82
Recipe by Dixie Elliott

Vegetarian Brown Rice Sushi Rolls - Vegetarian Korma Recipe - Green Bean Almond Rice Recipe

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Special fried rice recipe

Ingredients (serves 4)

1 1/2 cups long-grain rice, rinsed
3 teaspoons Chang's sesame oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon peanut oil
150g Chinese barbecued pork, chopped
100g small peeled, cooked prawns
1 cup frozen baby peas, thawed
3 eschallots, trimmed, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons soy sauce

Method

1. Cook rice in a large saucepan of boiling water, following packet directions, until just tender. Drain and rinse under cold water. Spread over a tray. Refrigerate, uncovered, for 2 hours or until dry.

2. Heat a large wok over medium heat until hot. Add 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Swirl to coat base and sides. Pour egg into wok. Swirl to run over base and a little up the side. Cook for 1 minute or until almost set. Slide omelette onto a board. Roll up. Thinly slice.

3. Increase heat to high. Add remaining sesame oil and peanut oil to wok. Swirl to coat. Add pork and prawns. Stir-fry for 2 minutes or until heated through. Add rice and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add peas, eschallots and soy sauce. Stir-fry for 2 minutes or until heated through. Spoon rice onto plates. Top with omelette and serve.

Source
Super Food Ideas - February 2007, Page 66
Recipe by Kerrie Butler

Salmon & omelette fried rice recipe - Chicken fried rice recipe - Vegetable Fried Rice

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Coconut rice pudding with lime fuyu recipe

The Rice recipes kitchen invites you to try Coconut rice pudding with lime fuyu recipe. This recipe is vegan friendly.

Preparation Time 2 minutes
Cooking Time 12 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)

1/2 cup jasmine rice
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup coconut cream
2 tbs sugar
2 firm fuyu (persimmon)
2 tbs lime juice

Method

1. Place the rice, water and cream in a pan and boil over a moderate heat. Reduce the heat to moderately low and stir for 10-12 mins or until rice is cooked and the pudding is thick. Stir in the sugar.

2. Scoop the fuyu from the skin, slice and remove seeds, toss in lime juice. Serve with rice pudding.

Source
Fresh Living - 9 May 2005, Page 42
Recipe by Michelle Noerianto

Creamed rice with cherries and meringue crumble recipe - Warm chicken salad with coconut rice recipe - Thai coconut rice with salmon

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Chicken Salad

We had this at a Relief Society dinner a couple years back, and I've been asked for the recipe multiple times. So, I suppose that makes it a keeper. I will add a picture next time I make it.

2 cups cooked chicken, chunked or shredded
2 cups chopped celery
1 1/2 cups grapes, halved
1/2 cup cashews
1/3 cup Light Mayo*
3/4 cup Light Miracle Whip*
1/2 tsp. Onera
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. salt
pepper to taste (optional)

*I switch the amount of mayo and miracle whip because I prefer mayo.

Also, Onera is a locally made seasoning that you can purchase at Days behind the produce section and in front of their seafood case. It is quite tasty, and in the summer we love to saute our zucchini with it.

Pork Rinds are the new Bread Crumbs

My research into no-carb meatballs yielded a surprising result - the one ingredient that kept popping up as a substitute for bread crumbs was pork rinds.

Pork rinds? I thought. How weird - bread is made up of flour, pork rinds of puffed pork skin - how can this possibly work? Would they add some weird pork-y flavor and tons of fat? It seemed like some kind of weird parallel-universe idea: instead of vegetarians trying to find meat substitutes, I would now be some uber-carnivore trying to substitute a non-animal product with an animal one. Then I read this article which convinced me that I at least had to give it a go before dismissing it.

Off I went to the corner store (because where else do you find pork rinds but at the corner store?), and once I had my bag of pork rinds in hand, set about smashing them in a plastic bag with a rolling pin.

I sort-of followed a recipe I found online but changed a bunch of stuff including some of the directions which made no sense. The ingredients are simple and you just throw it all in a bowl and mix it up - hands are best for this task.

The result was a nicely flavored, traditional tasting meatball. You could definitely taste the meat without any graininess or "filler" taste, which I really liked. I preferred them to the frozen ones that we sometimes buy out of convenience, which always taste spongy to me. The meatballs were not greasy at all and were just as good the next day. The fact that the recipe calls for dried spices makes it all that more convenient, and the fennel is key. I really like Mezetta Napa Valley Bistro Homestyle Marinara Sauce when I don't have time to make homemade. This one is definitely a keeper!

Low-Carb Meatballs

• 1 1/2 lb. of ground meat - any combination (I used 1 lb ground chuck + 1/2 lb. pork sausage)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 C. crushed pork rinds - traditional flavor
• 2 T. tomato sauce or marinara sauce (no sugar)
• 1 T. dried onion flakes
• 1 t. garlic powder
• 1 t. dried oregano
• 1/2 t. dried basil
• 1/2 t. fennel
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/4 t. pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin.

Put all of the ingredients in a bowl and combine until well mixed.

Form balls using a 1/3 C. scoop and/or your hands - they should be loosely shaped but in a ball form - don't pack them.

Place in the muffin tins.

Bake for 40 - 45 minutes.

Cool on paper towels.

Heat with your favorite no-sugar marinara sauce.

Taste of Spring

Not a great photo, but I was hungry and low on patience. So, my husband and I are on a get-healthy program, which includes eating meals with low to no carbohydrates, saturated fats, or sugars (well, this is his strict diet - I still make exception for Whoopie Pies).

Which means I have to learn to cook without all of the good stuff.

This recipe was very easy to put together - chicken is sauteed in olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, basil, and parsley. Then add asparagus and mushrooms. I also threw in a little white wine Worcestershire sauce.

The egg on top adds flavor and richness - and I have to confess, I did cook it in butter, because eggs cooked in olive oil are pretty gross. And butter is delightful.

Next experiment: breadless meatballs.

Making Whoopie

I was feeling nostalgic on Mother's Day, so I decided that instead of making my usual cupcakes, I would make Whoopie Pies.

For those who have not had these homey treats, they consist of two cookie-shaped cakes filled with creamy white vanilla frosting. Apparently they have Amish origins, and worked their way up the east coast. I remember eating them on summer trips to Maine - you can find them in just about every corner store. They're soft, sweet, simple and delicious - sort of like a cupcake's less sophisticated country cousin.

As far as the name, according to a couple of history accounts that I have read online, Amish women would pack them in their husbands' or kids' lunches, and when they were opened, the receiver would shout "Whoopie!"

Most of the recipes today call for marshmallow fluff as a key ingredient in the filling. Not having that on hand, I decided to do a peanut butter filled Whoopie Pie instead. I had some leftover buttermilk that I wanted to use up, so I used the Gourmet recipe for the cakes, and the Martha Stewart recipe for the filling.

They were a lot of fun to make and even more fun to share. The cool thing about them is that they are very easy to transport, either layered in a container, or individually wrapped in plastic wrap. To a baking adventure that's easy, delicious, and a link to memories of east coast summers, I say "whoopie!"

Alfredo sauce with a little less guilt

This is what I make when I need/want an alfredo sauce. I hate the bottled stuff and I also cringe at all the cream that 'real' alredo sauce recipes call for, so this is what I came up with. I guess it might not taste like the real deal, but my family really likes it.


3 Tbl butter
1/4 c flour
3 c milk
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
about 1/2 tsp pepper
2-3 tsp chicken bouillon
3/4 - 1 c parmesan cheese

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat along with garlic. Let garlic cook a couple of minutes, then whisk in flour and cook another minute. Add half of the milk and whisk until smooth and thick. Add the rest of the milk, pepper, bouillon and whisk frequently until it thickens up (about 10-15 min - be patient). Add parmesan cheese and stir until melted and smooth.

*So, I apologize for the vague measurements - I don't really measure things out (except the first 3 ingredients), I just add everything to taste. This is what I like, but you may not be as big a fan of bouillon as me, so you could just add some salt and other seasoning you feel would work. Also, you can adjust the thickness to your liking by adding more/less milk.

Middle Eastern Pastries Recipe

The hummus Recipes kitchen invites you to try Middle Eastern pastries recipe. Enjoy Middle Eastern cooking recipes and learn how to make tasty middle eastern pastries.

Ingredients (serves 4)
1 tbs olive oil
1/2 medium red onion, halved, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
300g lamb mince
2 tsp Middle Eastern spice mix
1 tbs fresh lemon juice
1 medium ripe tomato, finely chopped
80g (1/2 cup) frozen peas
35g reduced-fat feta, crumbled
1/4 cup finely shredded fresh mint
2 sheets (25 x 25cm) frozen ready-rolled shortcrust pastry
1 egg, lightly whisked
1 tbs sesame seeds

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Heat oil in a medium non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until soft.
2. Increase heat to high. Add the garlic and lamb and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up lumps, for 2 minutes or until lamb changes colour. Add the spice mix and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic. Remove from heat. Add the lemon juice, tomato, peas, feta and mint and stir to combine.
3. Cut the pastry sheets into quarters. Divide the lamb mixture among the centres of the pastry squares. Brush the edges of the pastry with egg and fold over to form triangles and enclose the filling. Press the edges together to seal.
4. Place the triangles on the prepared tray. Lightly brush with egg and sprinkle over sesame seeds. Bake in oven for 20 minutes or until golden. Serve with the roasted beetroot & silver beet.

Source
Good Taste - July 2006, Page 55
Recipe by Kim Meredith

Turkish Vegetarian Pizza Recipe - Moroccan spiced pie recipe - Turkish bread crostini recipe

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Teriyaki beef skewers with snow pea salad recipe

The Rice Recipes Kitchen invites you to try Teriyaki beef skewers with snow pea salad recipe. Enjoy the best rice cooking recipes and learn how to make Teriyaki beef skewers with snow pea salad. This recipe consists of rump steak, teriyaki sauce, snow peas, Lebanese cucumber, mixed baby salad leaves, jasmine rice.

Ingredients (serves 4)

650g rump steak, thinly sliced
1/3 cup (80ml) teriyaki sauce
250g snow peas, halved lengthways
1 Lebanese cucumber, thinly sliced
50g mixed baby salad leaves (mesclun)
2 cups (400g) jasmine rice, cooked to packet instructions

Dressing
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbs rice vinegar
1 tbs mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine, see note)
1 tbs light soy sauce
1-2 tsp wasabi paste, to taste
1 tsp caster sugar

Method

1. Thread beef on 8 metal or soaked bamboo skewers, folding each slice in half as you go. Place in a shallow dish and pour over teriyaki sauce. Marinate for 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook peas in lightly salted boiling water for 1 minute until just tender. Drain and refresh in cold water. Place in a bowl with cucumber and leaves. Whisk dressing ingredients together, then toss with salad.
3. Heat a chargrill pan on medium-high. Remove skewers from marinade and cook for 2 minutes each side until charred and cooked through. Serve with salad and rice.

Notes
Mirin is available from Asian shops and selected supermarkets.

Source
delicious. - November 2008, Page 206
Recipe by Louise Pickford

Prawn and chorizo skewers with spinach rice pilaf recipe - Beef stir-fry with rice noodles recipe - Teriyaki lamb with sesame rice recipe

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Wild rice, cranberry and walnut salad recipe

The Rice Recipe Kitchen invites you to try Wild rice, cranberry and walnut salad recipe. Enjoy cooking delicious rice recipes and learn how to make Wild rice, cranberry and walnut salad. This recipe consists of basmati and wild rice blend, dried cranberries, celery, walnuts, olive oil, and red wine vinegar.

Ingredients (serves 4)

1 cup basmati and wild rice blend (we used Tilda brand - see tip)
1 cup dried cranberries
2 sticks celery, thinly sliced
1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Method

1. Cook rice in a large saucepan of boiling water, following packet directions, until tender. Drain. Set aside to cool (see note).

2. Combine rice, cranberries, celery and walnuts in a bowl.

3. Place oil and vinegar in a screw-top jar. Season with salt and pepper. Secure lid. Shake to combine. Drizzle over salad. Toss to combine. Serve.

Notes
Wild rice is actually the seed of an aquatic grass, native to North America. High in protein and carbohydrates and low in fat, it has a distinctive nutty taste and dark brown colour, and is often added to rice mixes for visual appeal and flavour.

To cook rice in the microwave, place rice in a microwave-safe bowl with 2 cups of hot water. Microwave on high (100%) for 11 to 14 minutes or until liquid has mostly evaporated. Stir rice with a fork to separate grains.

Source
Super Food Ideas - December 2007, Page 72
Recipe by Dixie Elliott

Garlic mushrooms with wild rice salad - Grilled salmon teriyaki with cucumber salad - Picnic rice salad recipe

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Beef stir-fry with rice noodles recipe

The Rice Recipes Kitchen invites you to try Beef stir-fry with rice noodles recipe. Enjoy the best rice cooking recipes and learn how to make Beef stir-fry with rice noodles. This recipe consists of rump steak, five-spice powder, rice noodles, peanut oil, peanut oil, lemongrass stem, garlic, leek, cloves, carrot, tamari sauce, shaohsing rice wine, homemade beef stock.

Ingredients (serves 3)

300g rump steak, cut into thin strips
1 tsp five-spice powder
2 tsp cornflour
150g rice noodles
2 tbs peanut oil
1 lemongrass stem (white part only), thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbs grated ginger
6 shallots (spring onions), sliced on the diagonal
1 leek, cut into thin strips
1 carrot, cut into thin strips
2 tbs tamari sauce*
3 tbs shaohsing rice wine*
1/4 cup (60ml) homemade beef stock or water

Method

1. Place steak, spice and cornflour in a bowl and toss well. Soak noodles in a bowl of boiling water for 2 minutes, drain well, then set aside. Place a wok over high heat and add half the peanut oil. When it's smoking, add steak and stir-fry quickly for 1 minute. Remove.

2. Add remaining oil, then stir-fry the lemongrass, garlic, ginger, shallots, leek and carrot for 1 minute. Add tamari, rice wine, stock, noodles and beef. Keep tossing together over high heat for a further 1-2 minutes or until cooked through and well combined.

Notes
Tamari sauce is a wheat-free soy sauce available in the health food aisle of the supermarket. Shaosing rice wine is from Asian supermarkets. Substitute with dry sherry.

Source
delicious. - August 2003, Page 97
Recipe by Valli Little

Lamb stir-fry with coconut rice recipe - Stir-fried rice with chilli tuna recipe - Egg fried rice with prawns & peas

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