Monday Fun Night Recipes

Chocolate Mint Cookies

2010-02-18T17:18:00.001-06:00

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
36 chocolate mint wafer candies (Andes mint candies)

DIRECTIONS
In a large pan over low heat, cook butter, sugar and water until butter is melted. Add chocolate chips and stir until partially melted. Remove from heat and continue to stir until chocolate is completely melted. Pour into a large bowl and let stand 10 minutes to cool off slightly.
At high speed, beat in eggs, one at a time into chocolate mixture. Reduce speed to low and add dry ingredients, beating until blended. Chill dough about 1 hour (if you chill for more, make sure to take the chill off before baking, or the dough will fall apart on you while rolling).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Roll dough into balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake 8-10 minutes. While cookies are baking unwrap mints. When cookies are brought out of the oven, put 1 mint on top of each cookie. Let the mint sit for up to 5 minutes until melted, then spread the mint on top of the cookie. Eat and enjoy!

I baked for 8 minutes and they were perfect.

Lassi (thandai) - Indian drink

2010-02-18T17:15:00.001-06:00

Blend the following in a blender:
1 part mango pulp (or frozen fruit)
1 part yogurt
1 part ice
splenda or sugar to taste
splash of rose water
1 tsp cardimum powder

Pakoras (Indian veggie tempura)

2010-02-18T17:05:00.002-06:00

Ingredients:
1 c chickpea flour
1/4 c rice flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp red chili powder (can increase to 1/2 for more heat)
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp corriander powder
salt to taste
1/2 onion, minced
1/2 frozen pack of spinach, thawed
warm water
oil for deep frying

Directions:

Mix the chickpea flour, rice flour, baking powder, and spices together. Add enough warm water to make a thick batter. Taste the batter and add some salt (about 1/2 tsp). Take the spinach, roll it up in a towel, and squeeze to get out all of the liquid. Stir this and the onion into the batter. Set the batter aside for at least 1/2 hour.

Heat oil to 375-F (or as hot as you can get it). Drop the batter by small spoonfuls into the oil and fry until golden brown (5 - 10 minutes).

Drain the pakoras in a paper towel before serving.
Serving suggestion: serve with tamarind sauce

Eggplant Curry

2010-02-18T17:04:00.000-06:00

Eggplant Curry, Mom style
(basic curry recipe can also be used for tindoora [qundroo], green beans, or other veggies).

Ingredients:
2 medium eggplants (or 1 very large eggplant)
3 small onions
1 cup fresh cilantro
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
1” piece of ginger root
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tbsp rasam or sambar powder
Water for cooking

Directions:
Chop Eggplant and soak in cold water.

Meanwhile, finely dice 1.5 onions. Heat Oil in skillet and add onions. Cook in a large pot over medium heat until onions are translucent.

Meanwhile, toss the remaining onion into a food processor. Add ½ to 3/4 cup of cilantro, cumin, coriander, and ginger. Pulse to a paste (add a little water if needed).

When the cooking onions are translucent, drain and add the eggplant. Cover and cook on med/low for at least 10 minutes (until eggplant is cooked through).

Uncover the eggplant and stir (the volume should be reduced significantly; you may need to add water in the middle if the pan is getting too dry). Stir in the onion paste from the food processor. Add rasam powder. Cover and cook for another 5-10 minutes until the spices incorporate.

Salt to taste and garnish with remaining cilantro before serving.

Various Indian Spice Powders.... (from Shar's mom)

2010-02-18T17:01:00.001-06:00

SAMBAR POWDER
Sambar is a thick lentil stew; also spelled “sambhar”. This is the powder that’s used in it. Yummy & Spicy, great w/ rice, dosa, or idli. This powder can also be used to make various curries (eggplant curry is a great place to sub garam masala w/ sambar powder.

Ingredients:
• 1 cup coriander seeds
• ½ cup channa dal (gram dal)
• ¼ cup urad dal (Optional – my mom only sometimes uses it)
• 1/3 cup cumin seeds
• 2 tbsp black peppercorns
• 1 Tbsp red chili powder or ¼ cup dried red chilies – can adjust to taste
• 1 – 3 tsp pinches of asafetida (called “hing” in Hindi)

Directions:
Dry roast all ingredients except asafetida until the seeds toast up (start to turn color); about 5-6 minutes. Stir to avoid burning. Pour into a grinder, add asafetida, and grind to a fine powder. Store in an airtight jar with a tight lid.

Use as necessary (typically: 2.5 – 3 tablespoons per 6 cups of sambar). Makes 3 cups of powder.

RASAM POWDER
Rasam is a thinner soup; does not have lentils in it, but is similar to sambar. This is an awesome sinus mover ;-)

Ingredients
• ½ c coriander seeds
• 1 cup toor dal
• 1 Tbsp fenugreek seeds
• 1.5 Tbsp peppercorns
• 1.5 Tbsp cumin seeds
• 4 dried chili peppers (optional/ adjust to desired head – this is pretty hot)

Directions:
Dry roast all ingredients for 5-6 minutes on medium heat. Grind to powder. Store in an airtight container.

Use 2 tbsp per one quart of water

GARAM MASALA
There are two versions in her book; my mom uses a mix of the two

Ingredients
• 6 coriander seeds
• 2-3 large cardamom pods (black cardamom, not the little green ones)
• 10 small cardamom pods (green)
• 2 tsp whole black pepper
• 3 tsp cumin seeds
• 3-4” cinnamon
• 14 cloves

Directions:
This can be both dry roasted & ground, or ground down just as shown.
My mom always dry roasts, but doesn’t roast it if she’s planning on using it “raw” as a garnish (like for the Parsi curry recipe from before). People also think that roasting makes everything less potent….

SESAME POWDER
Great with green beans.

Ingredients
• 1 cup sesame seeds
• 30 dry red chilies
• 2 tbsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds (optional)
• 7-8 garlic cloves
• 1.5 tsp salt

Directions:
Dry roast cumin, red chilies and optional coriander on medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Stir fry sesame seeds separately for 5 minutes. Let cool thoroughly before grinding. Grind chilies, cumin (and optional coriander – my mom leaves this out) and salt coarsely. Add sesame seeds and garlic and grind for 10 seconds to mix in. Store in an airtight container.

Use in pulihora (pilaf), rice, and curries.
Example of green bean curry: Steam the green beans (or thaw frozen beans). Meanwhile, add oil in a skillet, add break up a red chili and toss that in as the oil heats. Add urad dal. When urad dal starts to brown, add mustard seeds, turmeric powder, salt to taste. Toss in green beans and brown the beans slightly. Sprinkle the sesame powder on top.
My mom sometimes sprinkles this on top of eggplant curry

Cookie Dough Truffles

2010-02-18T15:06:00.000-06:00

From http://Foodnetwork.com (but modified slightly by Shar/ notes in italics)

Ingredients
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I used more like 3tsp)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (I used Fat Free)
• 1/2 cup semisweet mini chocolate morsels (I used regular size & chopped them up in a food processor)
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans (I toasted these up in a dry skillet for a while)
• 1 1/2 pounds chocolate bark candy coating, melted (I used Bakers brand, mixed w/ Nestle milk chocolate chips)

Directions
In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and milk. Gradually beat in flour. Add chocolate morsels and pecans, mixing well. Shape into 1-inch balls (I used a cookie scoop). Place on waxed paper; chill 2 hours (I wrapped the cookie sheets with plastic and threw them in the freezer overnight).
*Cook's Note: Since the dough is sticky, roll your fingers into flour. This will make it easier to roll.
Melt chocolate bark candy coating in a double boiler. Using 2 forks, dip cookie balls into candy coating to cover. Place on waxed paper and chill to set. Store in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Chocolate Cheesecake

2010-02-18T14:52:00.002-06:00

FROM NIGELLA LAWSON (Food Network) w/ Shar’s notes in Red

Chocolate Cheesecake

Cheesecake base:
1 1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs (around 6 – 8 full sheets of crackers/ we used gluten free chocolate chip cookies instead)
1/2 stick butter
1 tablespoon cocoa

Cheesecake filling:
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped small (Used 3oz Nestle Tollhouse chocolate chips un-chopped and 3 oz chopped up bittersweet chocolate)
2 1/2 cups cream cheese (½ reduced fat & ½ regular cream cheese)
3/4 cup superfine sugar (put regular sugar in the food processor and grind to make “superfine”/ otherwise it’ll be grainy)
1 tablespoon custard powder (substitute: 1 tsp cornstarch & 1 tsp sugar)
3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks (in addition to the eggs)
2/3 cup sour cream (I used fat free)
1/2 teaspoon cocoa, dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water

Sauce:
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon dark corn syrup

Special equipment: 9-inch springform pan

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

To make the base, process the graham crackers (cookies) to make rough crumbs and then add the butter and cocoa. Process again until it makes damp, clumping crumbs and then tip them into the pan. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan to make an even base and put into the freezer while you make the filling.

Put a kettle on to boil.

Melt the chocolate either in a microwave or double boiler, and set aside to cool slightly.

Beat the cream cheese to soften it, then add the sugar and custard power, beating again to combine. Beat in the whole eggs and then the yolks, and the sour cream. Finally add the cocoa dissolved in hot water and melted chocolate and mix to a smooth batter.
Take the springform tin out of the freezer and line the outside of the tin with a good layer of cling wrap, and then another layer of strong foil over that. This will protect it from the water bath.

Sit the springform tin in a roasting pan and pour in the cheesecake filling. Fill the roasting pan with enough just boiled water to come about half way up the cake tin and bake in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The top of the cheesecake should be set, but the underneath should still have a wobble to it.

Peel away the foil and cling film wrapping and sit the cheesecake in its tin on a rack to cool. Put in the refrigerator once it is no longer hot, and leave to set, covered with plastic, overnight. Let it lose its chill before unspringing the cheesecake to serve.

To make the chocolate sauce: very gently melt the chopped chocolate, cream and syrup. When the chocolate has nearly melted, take off the heat and whisk it to a smooth sauce. Let it cool a little, and pour it over the chocolate cheesecake on its serving plate. Chocolate sauce came out runny the first time I made this. Now, I either use it as a ganache on the side or use about 1/2 the cream if I want to top the cake.

Wild Rice w/ Dried Fruit & Nuts

2010-02-18T14:43:00.003-06:00

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 cup uncooked wild rice
2 cups chicken broth, warm (amount of liquid varies depending on brand of rice, also can use vegetable stock for vegetarian meals)
1/4 cup dried cranberries (craisins)
1/4 cup slivered almonds

Directions:
Heat olive oil and butter in a pan until butter is melted.
Add wild rice and stir; cook until rice starts to brown and smell nutty.
Put in 2 cups of liquid, stir, then cover and cook until rice is done (approx 20 mins).
When rice is cooked, stir in almonds and cranberries, and fluff with a fork.

Papa Puskala's Potroast

2010-02-18T08:58:00.004-06:00

Ingredients:

Pork Shoulder (we used approx 9lb)
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Salt (kosher if you have it)
Mix of Herbs (we used salt, pepper, rosemary, paprika, and garlic, but any mix will work: oregano, marjoram, Herbs du Provence, etc)
Vegetables (we used carrots, celery, potatoes, squash, zucchini)

Directions
Dissolve sugar and salt in 4 qt of water (It will super saturate). Papa Puskala used a cooler and very cold water (Just use enough to cover the pork). Tip: Use a smallish cooler to avoid having to use gallons of water. Brine it for 4 hours max.

If available, smoke it for 4 hours on a grill using very low heat.

Preheat oven to a low setting (200-F or so).

Rub the pork shoulder with garlic and herbs (we used paprika, garlic, salt, and pepper for the rub, then tossed in a couple sprigs of fresh rosemary and thyme). Put the roast in a roasting pan and insert the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat (be careful not to get too close to the bone). Cover the roast with aluminum foil. Set the timer to beep around 120-F.

When the beeper goes off, remove the roast from the oven and add in vegetables (cut into large hearty chunks/ leave potatoes whole if they're smaller). If the roast looks a little dry, feel free to add in beef stock or water. Cover the roast and vegetables again and put it in the oven. Set the timer to beep at 160-F.

When the beeper goes off, check vegetables for doneness. If the vegetables are not done, take out the pork and finish off the veggies. Otherwise, let the pork rest at least 20 minutes before cutting.

As a frame of reference, our pork took almost 8 hours to cook; "Low and Slow" is the best way to cook this type of meat to get it tender.

Mashed Potato Casserole

2009-10-08T19:04:00.002-05:00

6-8 medium potatoes quartered & boiled
8 oz. cream cheese
Milk
Chopped onion or garlic if desired.

Mash boiled potatoes with cream cheese and milk. Mash until smooth. Spread into buttered 13x9 pan. Bake covered at around 350 for 30 minutes (if baking right away) and for about 75 minutes (if casserole is cold - can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator; freezes well too - thaw before baking). Uncover with about 10 minutes baking time to go. Enjoy!

This is exactly how my mom typed the recipe to me via email and it has some good tips:

8 oz. of cream cheese (softened), some milk (you have to judge), 1/2 stick of butter (in about 5 chunks), and finely chopped onion, if you wish. Salt and pepper. Shouldn't be too liquid-y, but you don't want it firm/dry, either. If the drained potatoes are nice and hot when you are mashing them, the cream cheese and butter will melt in. Spread in 13x9 buttered pan; dot with butter. Bake lightly covered until steamy; bake uncovered for a while to brown a bit. Either 325 or 350, just so it's heated through well. You can always add a bit of milk as it's baking, if needed.

- Kathryn's Mom

Cilantro Salmon

2009-10-08T18:54:00.002-05:00

Cilantro (1/2 finely chopped, 1/2 cup un-chopped)
Salmon (6-8 oz. fillets)
4 Tbsp. Butter (softened)
Olive Oil
Lemon (if desired)

Mix chopped cilantro and softened butter; set aside. Place foil on baking sheet; drizzle with oil. Sprinkle un-chopped cilantro evenly over baking sheet. Place salmon fillets on top of oil and cilantro. Spread each fillet with cilantro butter. Bake at 375 degress for 15-20 minutes (desired doneness). Serve with lemon slices if desired. Enjoy!

Paula Deen's Veggie Lasagna

2009-09-29T15:14:00.001-05:00

this is the yummy veggie lasagna that Stacey made

Ingredients:

2 cup thinly sliced zucchini
2 cup thinly sliced yellow squash
1 cup thinly sliced carrot
1 cup thinly sliced fresh mushrooms
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1/4 cup sliced fresh basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup small curd cottage cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
8 oven-ready in.no cook in. lasagna noodles
12 slices provolone cheese, thinly sliced
2 cup shredded mozzarella

Directions

Combine zucchini, squash, carrot, mushrooms, onion and peppers with water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Drain well, and return to pot.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, basil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, cottage cheese, and eggs. Stir together. Spread 1/3 of the sauce evenly over bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish. Place 4 uncooked lasagna noodles on top of sauce. Do not overlap noodles. Spread 1/2 of cream cheese mixture over noodles. Cover cheese mixture with 1/2 the vegetable mixture, more sauce, and top evenly with 6 slices provolone cheese and 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers with 4 noodles, rest of the cream cheese mixture, vegetables, sauce, and remaining cheeses. Place in oven for 35 minutes or until lasagna is hot and bubbling

Let lasagna stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Servings: 8 servings
Prep Time: 25 min
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 min
Difficulty: Easy

Show: Paula's Home Cooking/Sept/Oct 2006 Cooking with Paula Deen

Brian's avocado feta salsa

2009-09-29T15:11:00.000-05:00

Prep: 20 min.

Make this salsa shortly before serving for best results. Avoid refrigerating it--the texture of the tomatoes will soften.

Yield

Makes 8 appetizer servings

Ingredients

* 4 plum tomatoes, chopped
* 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 (4-ounce) package crumbled feta cheese
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
* 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 avocados, chopped
* Assorted tortilla chips

Preparation

Stir together first 9 ingredients. Gently stir in avocado just before serving. Serve with assorted tortilla chips.

Grilled Carne Asada Tacos

2009-09-29T09:06:00.003-05:00

Tacos Carne Asada

Adapted from Tyler Florence

- serves 4 (2 tacos per person) -

Ingredients

2 pounds flank or skirt steak, trimmed of excess fat

For the marinade
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno, minced
1 large handful fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 limes, juiced
1 orange, juiced
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil

For serving
16 (7-inch) corn tortillas
Shredded romaine or iceberg lettuce
Chopped white onion
Shredded Jack cheese
1/2 cup Pico de Gallo
2 limes, cut in wedges

Procedure

1. In a mortar and pestle or bowl, mash together the garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, salt, and pepper to make a paste. Put the paste in a glass jar or plastic container. Add the lime juice, orange juice, vinegar, and oil. Shake it up really well to combine. Place the steak in a large ziploc bag. Pour the marinade over the steak and seal the bag, removing as much air as possible. Place steaks in the refrigerator and to marinate for 2-8 hours.

2. Remove the steak from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature while you prepare the grill. Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread coals out evenly.

3. Grill steaks immediately over high heat, until browned on both sides and cooked until desired doneness, about 3-5 minutes per side for medium. Remove steaks to a cutting board and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Slice steaks against the grain into 1/4 inch strips.

4. Warm tortillas on the grill until pliable. Assemble tacos by stacking 2 warm tortillas and adding the beef, lettuce, onion, cheese, pico de gallo, and garnish with lime wedges.

Lesson Learned:

Do what the recipe says and don't precut the meat. I did it partially for the time saved cooking and the inconvenience of cutting outdoors, but you spend too much time dealing with each individual piece.

As for how to cook them, you can go by these numbers or you can get an instant read thermometer and check the temp yourself and grill them to Rare, Med-Rare, Medium, Med-Well, or Well (my preference is medium). Follow this link: Meat Internal Temp.

Original Recipe Site: http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2009/01/grilling-tacos-carne-asada-recipe.html

Grilled Fish Tacos

2009-09-29T09:01:00.002-05:00

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

Marinade
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons lime zest
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay™
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, or to taste
1 pound tilapia fillets, cut into chunks
Dressing
1 (8 ounce) container light sour cream
1/2 cup adobo sauce from chipotle peppers
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons lime zest
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay™
salt and pepper to taste
Toppings
1 (10 ounce) package tortillas
3 ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 small head cabbage, cored and shredded
2 limes, cut in wedges

DIRECTIONS

To make the marinade, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, lime zest, honey, garlic, cumin, chili powder, seafood seasoning, black pepper, and hot sauce in a bowl until blended. Place the tilapia in a shallow dish, and pour the marinade over the fish. Cover, and refrigerate 6 to 8 hours.
To make the dressing, combine the sour cream and adobo sauce in a bowl. Stir in the lime juice, lime zest, cumin, chili powder, seafood seasoning. Add salt, and pepper in desired amounts. Cover, and refrigerate until needed.
Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil grate. Set grate 4 inches from the heat.
Remove fish from marinade, drain off any excess and discard marinade. Grill fish pieces until easily flaked with a fork, turning once, about 9 minutes.
Assemble tacos by placing fish pieces in the center of tortillas with desired amounts of tomatoes, cilantro, and cabbage; drizzle with dressing. To serve, roll up tortillas around fillings, and garnish with lime wedges.

FOOTNOTES

Lesson I learned. If you have a grilling basket you're better off putting the fish in that. It saves the time of flipping them and the trouble of them potentially crumbling if you didn't oil the grill well enough.
The marinated fish in this recipe can also be cooked in the oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake fish in preheated oven until it easily flakes with a fork, 9 to 11 minutes. Assemble tacos according to directions. Mahi-mahi can be substituted for the tilapia.

Original recipe link:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Grilled-Fish-Tacos-with-Chipotle-Lime-Dressing/Detail.aspx

Speedy Lasagne (that's what my mom calls it!)

2009-09-28T08:10:00.002-05:00

1 lb. ground chuck
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. sugar
3 1/2 cups (2 15-oz. cans) Italian sauce
8 oz. cooked lasagne noodles (8-10 noodles)
1 cup cottage cheese
1 1/2 cups shedded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Chopped onion (optional)

Brown chuck in skillet; drain off fat. Add Italian seasoning, sugar, and sauce (may also add garlic salt to taste). Spread about 1/2 cut of the sauce on botton of 13x9x2 baking dish. Top with half the lasagne noodles. Combine cheeses. Top noodles with half the cheese mixture, then half the sauce. Repeat layers ending with sauce. Sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes, until bubbly. Remove from oven and let stand at room temperature for about 15 minutes before cutting and serving. Makes 6-8 servings.

** This recipe is really easy to double and it also freezes well. My suggestion: make two. Eat one now; freeze the other one for later. Next time you need a quick (but good) dinner, thaw frozen lasagne in refridgerator; once thawed, follow baking instructions above.

Chocolate Bread Pudding

2009-06-09T15:39:00.002-05:00

- from "cooking with all things Trader Joe's"

1/2 loaf (8 slices) whole wheat honey bread
1 1/2 cups brownie troffle baiking mix
2 1/2 cups whole milk

- cut crusts off bread slices
- cut bread into 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch pieces
- toss bread in an 8 x 8 lightly greased baking pan
- combine milk & brownie mix, stirring until mix is dissolved
- pour over bread pieces
- lightly press down on bread pieces until they are soaked through
- preheat oven to 350, let bread continue to soak while oven heats up
- cover pan tightly with foil
- bake for 30 minutes
- remove pan from oven & let it cool for 15 minutes
- cut & serve

Seafood Paella

2009-06-09T15:25:00.002-05:00

- from "cooking with all things Trader Joe's"

1 (9 oz) box spanish rice
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Chipotle Pepper Chicken sausage, cut into 1/2 inch slices
2 1/2 cups water
1 tsp Spanish Saffron
1 cup frozen shelled edamame/green garbanzos
1/2 pound frozen small/medium scallops (thawed)
1/2 pound frozen medium cooked tail off shrimp
1/2 cup white wine (chardonnay)

- heat olive oil on high in deep saucepan
- saute sausage for about 1 minute
- add water, spanish rice, saffron, frozen edamame
- stir until seasonings combined
- bring to a simmer, then cover & reduce heat to low
- after 8 - 10 minutes (after water is mostly absorbed), add scallops (& uncooked shrimp)
- add wine
- simmer for 5 minutes
- if using cooked shrimp, add at the end & cook until shrimp warm

Stuffed Peppers

2009-06-09T15:16:00.002-05:00

- from "cooking with all things trader joe's"

2 - 3 large bell peppers (any color) - halfed lengthwise w/seeds & pith removed
1 bag frozen mushroom risotto
1/2 cup dry toasted pine nuts
2/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

- preheat oven to 350
- make risotto according to package, mixing in the pine nuts
- stuff peppers with the mixture & top with cheese
- bake for 30 -35 minutes

Roasted Garlic Bulbs

2009-06-09T15:08:00.002-05:00

preheat oven to 400

using whole garlic bulbs, chop the tops off the bulbs
put on a square of aluminum foil & drizzle with olive oil
wrap the foil around the bulb & put in oven (on rack)
cook for 30 - 40 minutes

Apricot Baked Brie

2009-06-09T14:51:00.003-05:00

from the "Cooking with all things Trader Joe's" cookbook

1 wedge Brie (about 0.6 ounces)
2 Tbsp Apricot Preserves
1 handful raw sliced almonds
1 Tbsp triple sec (optional)

- preheat oven to 400
- put brie in small baking dish
- top with apricot preserve, almonds, & triple sec
- cover tightly with foil & bake for 12 - 14 minutes (until cheese is melting)

serve with crackers

2009-06-09T08:47:00.001-05:00

Chocolate Truffle Loaf with Raspberry Sauce
-contributed by Molly Franken

2 C heavy cream, divided
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 pkg. (8 oz each) Baker’s semi-sweet chocolate
½ + 1/3 C light or dark corn syrup
½ C margarine
¼ C confectioners sugar
1 t vanilla
10 oz frozen raspberries, thawed

Loaf:
Line 8 ½ x 4 2/1 x 2 ½ loaf pan with plastic wrap. Mix ½ C cream with egg yolks. In 3-quart saucepan, stir chocolate, syrup and margarine over med. Heat until melted.

Add egg mixture. Stir constantly, cook 3 min., cool to room temperature.

Beat remaining 1 ½ C of cream, sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Fold into chocolate until no streaks remain.

Pour into pan. Refrigerate overnight or until chilled in freezer 3 hours. Keep cold (freeze).

Sauce:
In blender puree 1 pkg (10 oz) frozen raspberries, thawed and drained. Stir in 1/3 C corn syrup.

To serve:
Spoon raspberry sauce on plate. Top with slice of chocolate truffle.

2009-06-09T08:40:00.004-05:00

Honey baked bananas
(also known as, the easiest dessert ever!)
-contributed by Molly Franken

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
bananas
melted butter
brown sugar
cinnamon
honey

Preparation:
Grease bottom of shallow baking dish with butter. Peel bananas, halve lengthwise and place in a baking dish. Drizzle a generous amount of butter over bananas followed by a little honey, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

Bake at 325° for about ten minutes or until the butter begins to bubble. Bananas should be very soft. Serve with ice cream or chocolate.

"Molten" Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes

2009-06-08T13:06:00.001-05:00

From: FoodNetwork.com: "Molten" Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes
Recipe courtesy Michael Chiarello

Cooking notes: Be certain to add the chocolate chunks while the cakes are still quite hot from the oven otherwise the crust will form and you will damage the appearance. The mayonnaise is here to add moisture to the cake. You could omit it with out adjusting the recipe but it is has an amazing effect. Entertaining Notes: You could serve this as a plated dessert by removing them from the paper and adding Warm Bananas.

Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 45 min
Level: Intermediate
Serves: 12 (Mine ended up making more like 16, and the batter was really liquidy)

Directions
Vegetable spray, for greasing liners
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, preferably Scharffen Berger (I used a mix of bittersweet Ghirardhelli & semi-sweet chocolate chips)
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/2 cup mayonnaise (I used Miracle Whip because that’s what was at home)
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon gray salt (I used Kosher)

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Line the cupcake pan with paper liners and spray the liners with vegetable spray.

Shave 5 ounces of chocolate and put it into a bowl. Cut the remaining 3 ounces of chocolate into roughly 1/2-inch pieces, set aside.

Combine the butter and cream in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. When the cream mixture comes to a simmer, pour it over the shaved chocolate and stir gently to melt the chocolate.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, mayonnaise, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt just until the sugar has dissolved. Pour the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and gently mix just until combined. (Mixing too much will prevent the eggs from rising in the oven.) Scoop about 1/4 cup of the batter into each mold, it should come about 3/4 of the way up the sides. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Do not over bake. Immediately while hot, add a chunk of the remaining chocolate in the center of each, by gently pushing it through the top of the cupcake in the center. Cool the pan on a rack for 10 minutes and then unmold them. Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm.

Printed from FoodNetwork.com
© 2009 Scripps Networks, LLC. All Rights Reserved

Sicilian Style Eggplant Risotto

2009-06-08T13:01:00.002-05:00

Sicilian Style Eggplant Risotto
(From Shar - original posted w/ my notes on changes)

Prep Work on Eggplant
• 2 large eggplants
• Salt

Slice the eggplants lengthwise and sprinkle liberally on both sides of the slices with salt. Let them sit for at least an hour to draw out the bitter juices. Rinse them, and pat them dry with paper towels.

While the eggplant sits, make the Sauce:

Sauce:
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 ½ tbsp minced parsley
• 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
• 16 oz whole canned San Marzano tomatoes, coarsely chopped (or use crushed tomatoes)
• Salt and Pepper to taste

While the eggplant sits, make the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the onion until soft, then add the parsley, 2 tbsp fresh basil, tomatoes, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over low heat for 25 minutes.

[Shar’s note: I skipped this whole step and used bottled spaghetti sauce instead of canned. I didn’t have to add any salt, but I did add onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, onion powder, parmesan, pepper, basil, and parsley to the simmering sauce]

Risotto:
• From the original recipe:
¼ c extra virgin olive oil [I used less than this and it was fine]
2 tbsp minced onion
2 cups Arborio rice
4-6 cups chicken [option: vegetable] stock, warm
¼ c grated caciocavello or aged provolone cheese
• Extras that I added:
1 tbsp garlic
1 grated carrot or minced bell pepper
Bullion cube
Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425oF

Heat the stock in a saucepan. Once the stock heats, turn down the heat to a low to allow the stock stay warm. [Note: Add a bullion cube to the stock if available to increase the flavor. Also, use vegetable stock instead of chicken for a vegetarian dish].

For the risotto, heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a heavy sauté pan and sauté the minced onion for 2 minutes or until onion is slightly translucent.
[Note: If using carrot or bell pepper, add that to the pan around 1 min after the onions are added. If using garlic, add it around 1 minute before the rice is added].
Add the rice to the pan and sauté for a couple minutes until the rice starts to turn brown and smell nutty. Add the stock, ½ cup at a time, stirring frequently. Allow each addition of stock to be fully absorbed before adding the next one. When the rice is al dente (still has a little bit of a bite), remove it from the heat, stir in the provolone cheese [and optional parmesan], and season to taste with salt and pepper.

While the rice cooks, cook the eggplant….

Eggplant:
• Eggplant (Dried w/ paper towels from above)
• Flour for dredging [also can substitute cornstarch or rice flour if trying to stay gluten free; purpose of flour is to add color and crunch, and to help dry the eggplant further]
• Olive Oil for frying (Note: Grape seed oil has a higher smoke factor and can be used here)

Dredge the eggplant slices in flour, shaking off excess. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, and add ¼ cup of olive oil. Fry the eggplant slices in batches, until they are golden brown on both sides. Add more oil to the pan as needed. Drain the cooked eggplant on paper towels.

Putting it all together:
• Gather the cooked eggplant, risotto, and sauce
• ¾ - 1 cup caciocavallo or aged provolone cheese
• Parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, chiffonade

Brush a large, shallow baking dish with oil (or spray w/ pam), and lay 1/3 of the eggplant slices over the bottom. Spread half of the risotto over the eggplant, then add half the sauce, half the cheeses, and some of the chiffonade (you can also just tear 4-5 leaves by hand if you don’t want to cut it). Add on top of that another layer of eggplant, remaining sauce and remaining basil. Top with rest of eggplant slices and cheeses.
[Shar’s notes: I used a huge lasagna pan, so I only had two full layers. My layers were: first eggplant, then risotto, then sauce, then basil, then cheeses, then eggplant again, etc]

[Note: If you want to make this ahead, cover the pan with aluminum foil and store up to two days at this point]

Bake for 15 – 30 minutes until heated through and top is browned.

[If stored in the fridge, let it warm for 30 minutes before putting it in the over to help heat it more gently]

Turkey Meatloaf

2009-06-08T12:18:00.000-05:00

this is a variation of a Rachel Ray recipe.

1 pound ground turkey (93% fat free)
1 medium onion chopped (a 12 ounce bag of frozen chopped onions works perfectly!)
1 large egg with a splash of milk
1 cup plain bread crumbs
2 tablespoons grill seasoning
1 cup smoky barbeque sauce
1/2 cup salsa (1/4 cup regular salsa with 1/4 cup chipotle salsa)
extra virgin olive oil/vegetable oil
-- can also add 1 chopped green pepper & 2 chopped celery stalks

preheat oven to 400 degrees

1) put ground turkey into a big bowl
2) add the chopped/food processed veggies to the meat in the bowl
3) add bread crumbs & grill seasoning to the meat bowl
4) beat the egg with a splash of milk & then add to the meat bowl
5) in a separate bowl, mix the salsa & the bbq sauce
6) pour 1/2 of the salsa/bbq sauce mixture into the meat bowl
7) brush the bottom/sides of a 9 by 13 baking pan with the veggie/olive oil to prevent sticking
8) using your hands, mix the meatloaf together in the big bowl
9) spread the meatloaf mixture into the baking pan
10) top the entire meatloaf with the remaining salsa/bbq sauce mixture

bake for 45 - 50 minutes. cut into pieces when done & serve.

"Better than Sex" Chocolate Cake

2009-06-08T08:15:00.000-05:00

Ingredients:

1 box Devil's Food Cake Mix (with Splenda if you want lower calorie)
10 oz. Diet Coke
1 egg white, OR 1/4 cup egg substitute (or egg beaters)
6 oz. FatFree Caramel ice cream topping
7 oz FatFree sweetened condensed milk
1cup Heath Bar bits
1 container Lite Cool Whip (again, can use “free”)

Directions:
Preheat oven to temperature stated on cake mix box. Grease a 9” x 13” baking dish.

In a large bowl, combine cake mix, egg substitute and diet soda.

Bake as directed on box. (Diet soda cake takes less time to bake than regular cake, so check after 20 minutes for doneness).

During the last few minutes of baking, place caramel and condensed milk in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring until smooth.

Take cake out of oven, and poke holes all over the top. Pour caramel mixture over warm cake, filling in the holes.

When the cake is completely cooled:
Sprinkle 3/4c of the Heath bits over the cake, top with the Cool Whip. Add the rest of the heath bits on top for presentation.

Keep cool in fridge until ready to serve.

Jak's Sesame Chicken

2009-06-08T08:06:00.001-05:00

Recipe from my friend Jak:

Prep the Chicken:
* 2 lbs chicken breasts
* flour

Cut chicken breasts into narrow strips, about 1/2 inch wide, 2 inches long or so. Lightly coat the chicken with flour by shaking together in a paper bag.

Now for the batter:
* 1 egg
* 2 tablespoon flour
* 2 tablespoon cornstarch
* 2 tablespoon water
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 teaspoon sesame oil
* 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon finely ground white pepper

Mix all of the above in a large bowl to make the batter for the chicken. Throw in the chicken and mix until it is coated well. Stick in the Refrigerator for at least a half an hour or so.
[You can store this up to two days at this point... there's really no other way to make this ahead of time, unfortunately]

Mkae a Slurry:
* 1/2 cup water
* 1/4 cup cornstarch

Mix these together well to form a cornstarch slurry. Set aside.

The delicious sauce:
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 1 cup chicken broth
* 3/4 cup vinegar
* 2 teaspoons soy sauce
* 2 teaspoons hot chili oil
* 1 teaspoon sesame oil
* 3 cloves garlic, very finely chopped

Heat all of the above to boiling in your favorite sauce pan, then stir in the cornstarch slurry from above, and bring back to boiling, cooking until it is thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and keep warm.

Back to the chicken:
* Vegetable Oil

Heat about 2 inches of oil in a wok to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Fry about 10 pieces of the battered chicken at a time for about 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted metal spoon and drain on a wire rack (place the rack in a baking pan to catch the oil). Repeat until all of the chicken has been fried.

Increase the temperature of the oil to 375 degrees fahrenheit. Fry the chicken again, about 1/3 of the batch at a time, for about 1 minute--they should be golden brown. Remove, drain, repeat until done.

The big finish:
* Sesame Seeds

Heat the sauce back to boiling. Place the chicken on a platter, pour the sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle liberally with sesame seeds. Serve over rice.
Serves 4.

Healthy Apple Pie

2009-06-06T09:14:00.002-05:00

- contributed by Anita Kewalramani

* 1/4 cup apple juice
* 1/2 cup brown sugar (splenda)
* 4 tablespoons light butter (stick or tub) at room temperature
* 4 Gala or Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
* 2 tablespoons cornstarch
* 2 refrigerated ready-made piecrusts
* 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Combine apple juice, sugar, and butter in a bowl.
Add apples and cornstarch.
Place one piecrust in a 9" pie pan and fill with mixture.
Place the second piecrust on top of the filling.
Use a knife to cut small slits in the top crust.
Bake 55 minutes or until golden brown.
Sprinkle top with cinnamon.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

2009-06-06T09:14:00.001-05:00

- contributed by Anita Kewalramani

3 lbs. boneless pork shoulder roast, well-trimmed
1 pkg. McCormick® Slow Cookers BBQ Pulled Pork Seasoning
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup cider vinegar

PLACE pork in slow cooker.

MIX Seasoning, ketchup, brown sugar, and vinegar until blended. Pour over pork. Cover.

COOK 8 hours on LOW or 4 hours on HIGH. Remove pork from slow cooker.

SHRED pork, using 2 forks. Return pork to slow cooker; mix and heat with sauce before serving.

Baked Mac & Cheese

2009-06-06T09:13:00.001-05:00

- contributed by Anita Kewalramani

1 box deluxe mac & cheese (brand of your choice)
1 cup milk
1/3 cup sour cream (I use fat free)
½ cup shredded cheese
breadcrumbs (optional)

1. Make mac & cheese according to box directions
2. Add milk & sour cream to the pot
3. Place in baking pan
4. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top
5. Can sprinkle some breadcrumbs on for extra crunch
6. Bake in oven at 350 – 400 degrees until cheese on top is slightly browned

Hungarian Goulash

2009-06-06T09:12:00.000-05:00

- contributed by Pete Hawkins

6 medium onions
3 cloves garlic
2.5 lbs stew beef
1/4 cup vegetable oil
5 tbs paprika
1 tsp dried marjoram
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tbs red wine vinegar
8-10 tbs water, plus more as needed
salt, freshly ground pepper, chili powder to taste

1. Peel and chop onions and garlic.
2. Cut the meat into 1.5 inch long strips
3. Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent and almost brown
4. Saute 3 tbs of paprika together with the onion, garlic, marjoram, and thyme. Then add the vinegar and water.
5. Add the meat, It's best not to stir it right away, so it can get a little color.
6.Add a bit of salt, pepper, and chili powder, stir, and turn down the heat to low. Put the lid on the pot and simmer. Keep the stew at a simmer, rather than a boil, for at least 1.5 hours.
7. Stir in the remaining 2 tbs paprika and let it cook with the meat for a short while. At this point, if necessary, barely cover the meat with water. After about 15 minutes of simmering, it should be done.

Texas Style Caviarilike Dip

2009-06-06T09:11:00.002-05:00

- contributed by Brian Robinson

I do not have exact amounts – but the ingredients are:

Canned black beans

Canned corn

Chopped tomatoes

Lemon juice

Chopped onion

Cilantro

Chopped red pepper

Salt

Pepper

Avocado

Pumpkin Spice Bars

2009-06-06T09:11:00.001-05:00

- contributed by Stacey Hoebel

4 large eggs

2 c. sugar

1 c. vegetable oil

1 can (15 oz) pumpkin- not pumpkin pie mix!

2 c. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1 c. raisins, if desired

Cream cheese frosting (I just used store-bought)

1/2 c. chopped walnuts

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease bottom and sides of jelly roll pan, 15.5 x 10.5 x 1 inch, with shortening. A 9x13 inch pan also works.

2. Beat eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin in large bowl until smooth. Stir in flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ginger and gloves. Stir in raisins. Spread in pan.

3. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until light brown. Cool completely, about 2 hours. Frost with cream cheese frosting. Sprinkle with walnuts. Store covered in refrigerator.

Emeril's Vegetarian Chili

2009-06-06T09:10:00.000-05:00

- contributed by Stacey Hoebel

* 2 tablespoons canola oil
* 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
* 1 cup chopped red bell peppers
* 2 tablespoons minced garlic
* 2 to 3 serrano peppers, stemmed, seeded, and minced, depending upon taste
* 1 medium zucchini, stem ends trimmed and cut into small dice
* 2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 3 ears)
* 1 1/2 pounds portobello mushrooms (about 5 large), stemmed, wiped clean and cubed
* 2 tablespoons chili powder
* 1 tablespooon ground cumin
* 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
* 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
* 4 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
* 3 cups cooked black, pinto, or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
* 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
* 1 cup vegetable stock, or water
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, garlic, and serrano peppers, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the zucchini, corn, and mushrooms, and cook, stirring, until soft and the vegetables give off their liquid and start to brown around the edges, about 6 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, salt and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and stir well. Add the beans, tomato sauce, and vegetable stock, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Adjust the seasoning, to taste. Serve over macaroni or rice.

Meatball Style Burgers

2009-06-06T09:09:00.000-05:00

- contributed by Frank & Shayna Massi

1-1.5 lbs chuck ground beef

Garlic (1-4 cloves depending on how much you like garlic) - minced

Weber best burger seasoning - use as much or little as you want. I use this in the mix and to coat the patties.

Worcestershire Sauce - 0-3 teaspoons

Salt

Pepper
1/2 cup - Breadcrumbs

1 - Egg

Mix all ingredients together and form burgers into patties (1/4-1/3 lb each). Sprinkle more Weber burger seasoning on both sides of the patties.

Grill 3-5 minutes on high or until done to desired wellness.

Options

- Eggs and breadcrumbs are optional, but if you use one of them, you have to use the other to balance the mix out. If it is too dry, add more egg. Too wet, add more breadcrumbs. These are what makes it "meatball-style."

- All other ingredients are optional and can be eyeballed or removed. I really just make it up as I go. Be creative and enjoy.

Tamarind Sauce

2009-06-06T09:08:00.002-05:00

- contributed by Shar Puskala

½ cup Tamarind pulp or Dried tamarind powder

½ cup Soft fresh dates

¼ cup Soft jaggery or Brown Sugar

1 teaspoon Red chili powder

1 teaspoon Cumin powder

1 teaspoon Coriander powder

1 teaspoon Salt

Blend all the chutney ingredients in a blender at medium high speed until smooth. Taste for sweetness and sourness according to your taste (add sugar or tamarind). The chutney should be more on the sweeter side than sour. Remove in a dipping dish. Keep refrigerated.

Stays refrigerated for two weeks.

Samosas

2009-06-06T09:08:00.001-05:00

- contributed by Shar Puskala

For the Pastry

1 1/2 cups all purpose Flour
1/4th cup oil
1/8th cup water

Salt 1 teaspoon

Red Chili powder 1/4 th teaspoon

(Or use wanton/ egg roll wrappers, which is what I do)

For the filling

4 medium Potatoes, boiled and mashed coarsely
1/2 cup green Peas, cooked
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1/4 tsp Pepper
Salt to taste or 1 teaspoon
1/4 tsp Red chili powder
1 tsp Dry Mango Powder or Amchur
1/2 tsp Cumin powder

3 Tablespoons Oil

1/2 Cumin seeds

A pinch of Asafoetida

1 finely chopped Green Chili

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Oil for frying

First make the filling. Heat oil and season it with cumin seeds, Asafoetida or "Hing" and finely chopped green chilies. Then add the mashed potatoes and the peas. You may want to add more or less spices to taste (I tend to go a little heavier on the cumin, chili powder, and lemon, but it’s up to you).

Now put in all the masalas like the garam maslala, pepper, red chili powder, dry mango powder and cumin powder. Mix well and let it cook for 5-6 minutes covered. Add the lemon juice and mix well. Then remove and keep aside. Let it cool.

Now make the pastry. Mix the flour, water, oil, salt and red chili powder to make a stiff dough. Keep aside.

To put the Samosa together

Cut the pastry dough into 4 equal parts. Take a piece of one of the 4 parts the pastry dough. Roll it out into a round about 6 to 8 inches in diameter.

Cut it in two parts (like semi-circle). Moisten the straight edge with a finger dipped in water. then take one semi circle and fold it in a shape of cone .

Stuff about a tablespoon of the potatoes-peas mixture in that cone and seal the top edge with a drop of water on your finger and press the edges together. Make all the Samosas this way. Keep both the samosa and dough covered with a towel.

OR, follow the instructions on the egg roll wrapper

Heat oil and deep fry the Samosas. Fry 4 to 5 at a time for about 2 to 3 minutes turning once after 1 minute or Fry the samosa to a rich golden brown.

Makes 8 samosas.

Chicken Curry

2009-06-06T09:05:00.000-05:00

- contributed by Shar Puskala

Ingredients (I pretty much eyeball the spices so… hopefully this is close)

* 1 Tbsp olive oil
* 2 tsp chili powder
* 1 green hot chili peppers
* 1 tsp ground cumin
* 2 tsp ground turmeric
* 1 Tbsp minced garlic
* 1 cup onion(s) – 2 medium onion or around ¾ of a large onion
* 15 oz canned diced tomatoes or 6 regular sized tomatoes
* 1 tbsp Garam masala, + a couple pinches for garnish
* 1 1/2 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast
* 1 1/2 cup water (adjust)
* 1/2 Tbsp Sugar or SPLENDA Sweetener (or whatever)
* Salt
* 1/4 cup fat-free half and half

Instructions

Heat oil in a deep skillet or heavy-bottomed stew pot. Add turmeric, chili powder, and green chili pepper (you can cut it and toss it in, or take out the seeds and ribs for a milder flavor. SUBS: leave it out entirely, use crushed red pepper flakes – whatever’s on hand – this will just flavor up the oil). Cook for around one minute to let the flavors infuse the oil and let the turmeric cook.

Add garlic and cook for until garlic starts to turn light brown (use a moderate heat to ensure the garlic doesn't burn). Add onions and cook until they start to brown and caramelize/ stir frequently.

Stir in the tomatoes and cumin. Cook tomatoes until they start to break down - around 5-10 minutes.

Add in chicken breast, diced into approx 1/2 in cubes. Stir to combine. Cook chicken breast until all the liquid that's drawn out of the chicken is dried up.

Stir in the garam masala. Then, add water to the skillet until the chicken is barely covered. Turn the heat on low. Cover and simmer the chicken until the chicken is completely tender (30 – 45 minutes or longer). Stir the chicken every 10 to 15 minutes. The longer it stews, the more the chicken/ tomatoes break down and the flavors combine.

Uncover the skillet. Stir in the sugar/ substitute. Salt to taste.

Keep at a low heat - Stir in the half and half. Cook until the half-and-half heats through - around 5 to 10 minutes more.

Top each serving with an extra sprinkle of garam masala just before serving.

NOTES/ VARIATIONS:

Serve with Rice, naan, or pita

Traditional way - with potato sticks on top

Substitutes for the half and half:

1) Light Coconut Milk

2) Coconut Milk

3) Light Whipping Cream

4) Milk (whole)

**You can leave out the milk entirely too – it tastes fine. If you don’t have any at home, don’t bother.

**I use a ¼ cup of cream, but a creamier stew will require more (I like a dark orangey look to the curry).

Traditional Parci variation: Leave out the milk/ cream and garam masala during cooking. Add chopped dried apricots to the pot around 5 minutes before removing from heat. Add a couple pinches of garam masala as garnish right before serving.

On spices: Above noted are my assumptions on what I use. Feel free to adjust the spices to taste.

Cumin = Smokey flavor

Red Chilies & Green Chili = heat

Turmeric = color (yellow)

Garam Masala = Spice blend that includes a combination of cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, coriander, cumin, bay leaves, curry leaves, nutmeg (mace), chilies, turmeric, pepper, ginger, etc, depending on brand (add a little, then if you like it, add more). I use what my mom makes or Indian food stores, but even Dominick’s or Jewels carries it (McCormick’s brand).

Splenda = to round out the heat and add a little bit of twist

Cream = to round out the heat/ texture

Bhindi/Okra

2009-06-05T11:55:00.000-05:00

- contributed by Shar Puskala

Ingredients:

•Couple handfuls of fresh okra, cut into pieces OR 1 cup of frozen okra

•1 small onion, finely chopped

•salt to taste

To Prepare:

In a medium frying pan, add oil to coat the botom.

Add the onions until golden

Add okra; don’t let the pan overcrowd.

Add salt to taste

Stir frequently

You can cover, but watch it carefully. You want the okra to be crsipy, not soggy. So don’t leave it covered for too long

The dish is done when okra is crispy and salted well

Serve with rice

Channa Masala

2009-06-05T11:54:00.000-05:00

- contributed by Shar Puskala

Ingredients:
•2 can garbanzo beans
•1-2 roma tomatoes (or ½ 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes)
•1 teaspoon grated garlic
•1 teaspoon grated ginger (around ½ fresh inch)
•1 green chili
•1 medium yellow onion
•2-3 coriander leaves
•1/2 teaspoon turmeric
•1/2 teaspoon garam masala

To Prepare:
- Cut onion into a fine chop and set aside
- Cut the green chili and set it aside
- Puree the tomatoes. If you do not have a processor, cut the tomatoes in half and microwave them to make them soft. Then chop them.
- Heat oil in a saucepan and fry the onions until they are translucent. Add the chili and stir well. Add the turmeric to add some color, and stir. Add a little bit of salt. Add the tomatoes and stir well.
- Drain the garbanzo beans, but keep some of the can liquid.
- Add the beans to the saucepan along with the garam masala, grated ginger and garlic.
- Stir all and add more salt to taste. You can add some chili powder if you would like.
- Add the coriander leaves.
- Cover and let sit for 5-8 minutes stirring every few minutes. You want the sauce to thicken. If the sauce isn’t getting thicker, you can mash some of the beans to help thicken the sauce or add 1tsp of corn starch.

Taco Bake

2009-06-05T11:52:00.000-05:00

- contributed by Katheryn Premo/Louis Mingione

(I always double it and put it in a 13 x 9 pan, but the recipe as is, is great for 1-2 people. I quadrupled it for Monday Funday.)

* 1 lb. lean ground beef
* 1 small onion chopped (I often skip this)
* 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
* 1 envelope (1.25 oz.) taco seasoning mix
* 1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
* 2 cups crushed tortilla chips
* 1 cup sour cream
* 1 cup cottage cheese
* 2 cups shredded chedder or Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large skillet brown ground beef; drain fat. Add onion, garlic powder, taco seasoning, and tomato sauce. Mix and set aside. In medium-sized bowl, combine sour cream and cottage cheese; set aside. Place half the crushed chips in bottom of 2 1/2 quart casserole dish that has been coated with non-stick spray (I never do the non-stick spray and it's still easy to get out of the pan). Add enough meat mixture to cover the chips, then cover the meat mixture with half the sour cream mixture. Sprinkle with half the shredded cheese. Repeat layers. Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes until cheese is melted and casserole is heated through. Makes 4 servings.

Enjoy!!!

Super Simple Spaghetti & Meatballs

2009-06-05T11:47:00.000-05:00

- contributed by Thea McSweeney

1 Jug of Tomato juice (like Cambellls)

1-2 small cans of tomato paste

2 tomato paste cans of water

1 tsp each of sugar, salt, garlic salt

Meatballs

1lb ground beef mixed with 1 egg, 1/8 cup milk, 1 tsp sugar/salt/garlic salt

1/8 cup of Cream of Wheat/Rice (add more if needed)

Make meatballs and put in sauce

Peanut Butter Creams

2009-06-05T11:46:00.001-05:00

- contributed by Griffin Strole

1 egg

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 t salt

1/2 t vanilla

1/3 c creamy peanut butter

1 T soft butter

3/4 c chopped salted peanuts

Beat egg slightly in small mixer bowl.

Beat in 1 cup powdered sugar, along with salt, vanilla, peanut butter, then remaining sugar. If necessary, add more powdered sugar to make firm enough to shape into 1" balls. Roll in peanuts, refrigerate at least 40 minutes before serving. makes ~ 3 dozen.

Hot Fudge Cake

2009-06-05T11:44:00.000-05:00

- contributed by Griffin Strole

Heat the oven to 350°F

Mix in medium bowl:

1 c flour

3/4 c sugar

2 T cocoa

2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

Stir in until smooth:

1/2 c. milk

2 T vegetable oil

1 t. vanilla

Spread in UNgreased 9" square baking pan.

Combine 1 cup brown sugar and 4 T cocoa, and sprinkle over batter in pan.

Pour 1 and 3/4 cup hot water over all, DO NOT STIR.

Bake @ 350°F for 35-40 min. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

Turkey Sausage Risotto

2009-06-05T11:36:00.000-05:00

a yummy dinner cooked by Griffin Strole

Saute:

1-1.5 lb sausage

1-2 cups mushrooms

2 cloves chopped garlic

Add 3-4 c Risotto (or any short-grain rice)

Slowly add 4 c chicken broth and 4 c water as rice absorbs it

As the rice is cooking, blanch 3/4-1 lb asparagus, add after finished adding water,

then add:

1/2 cup white wine

Add 1 can artichoke hearts

salt, pepper, thyme, and rosemary to taste

Shred 1-2 cups Asiago cheese and top immediately before serving.