Curried Lentils

I love sunset magazine! Every time I have tried a recipe in their magazine I have absolutely loved it. Especially the Indian spice inspired ones. This dish is very simple and a fast dish to make. It will be gobbled down so you may not have leftovers to look forward too. Try it you wont be disappointed!

Ingredients

3tbsp olive oil, divided 

1/2tsp curry powder

1/2tsp ground cumin

1 medium onion, chopped 

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 large carrot, shredded 

1c frozen peas

2c cooked lentils

1/2tsp kosher salt

8oz paneer or extra-firm tofu, cut into cubes

Method
Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add spices and toast until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add onion and garlic and cook until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Add carrot, peas, lentils, salt, and remaining 2 tbsp. oil, stirring to combine. Stir in paneer and cook 2 minutes.

*Find paneer--a fresh cheese that's pressed until firm--at well-stocked grocery stores or Indian markets or costco

Pasta with creamy Califlower sauce

So I was looking for recipes to get rid of the left over ham from Easter. I found this recipe in the Martha Stewart Mag. I changed the recipe to fit my family.  I normally do not like cauliflower but since its a creamy sauce I couldn't even tell. It turned out amazing!

Ingredients
2tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 head cauliflower, cored and chopped
6  garlic cloves chopped
1/2 diced onion
Garlic salt & P
4tbsp all-purpose flour
3chalf and half
1c water
1/4tsp ground nutmeg (I did just under that, between 1/8-1/4)
2c  Pecorino cheese or fresh Parmesan grated 
1/2 pound bow tie Pasta
1c sliced smoked ham, chopped
5c broccoli, trimmed and cut into florets
Mozzarella and Provolone cheese to top

Method
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add cauliflower, garlic, shallots, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook until softened but not brown, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Sprinkle with flour; stir to coat well. Gradually stir in milk; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; gently simmer until cauliflower is very soft, about 15 minutes.  Let cool for 5 minutes.  Transfer all to a blender, and puree with nutmeg and half the pecorino until smooth, about 2 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400° Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Cook pasta until slightly tender but not fully cooked, about 5 minutes. Drain well; return to pot.  Add ham, broccoli, and cauliflower sauce; toss to combine.  Transfer to an ovenproof 3 1/2 quart baking dish, and bake until bubbling in center, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses,  warm until melted on top, 1-2 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Avocado Pasta

I love avocado. So much I always cut it up and put it on my pasta. So what could be better then it as the sauce... Oh man this was so light and fresh. Great dish for the summer.

Ingredients
2-3 medium ripe avocados, pitted
½ lime
2 garlic cloves
¼ jalapeno
¼c packed basil
1 hand full fresh cilantro
1 hand full fresh flat leaf parsley
2c spinach
2tsp kosher salt
4tbsp extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup freshly grated parmesan
1 pound spaghetti

Method
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.  Add the pasta and cook until tender but still al dente 9 -11 minutes.  Drain and reserve 1 cup of the cooking water.  Put 1/2c of spinach in the bottom of a serving bowl and  place the spaghetti on top and toss for a few minutes to wilt the spinach.
While the pasta is cooking make the avocado sauce.  Using a spoon, scoop out the flesh from the avocado and place in a food processor.  Zest the lime and add along with the basil, cilantro, parsley lime juice, garlic, jalapeno, basil, spinach, salt and pepper.  Blend until smooth. Add more salt to taste.
Pour the sauce over the pasta and toss everything together adding a little cooking water to loosen the sauce as needed.  Top with the grated parmesan and basil and serve.

Cheesecake au' Chevre

I love cheesecake, I have loved it ever since I can remember. My first memory of it was with my grandparents. We would go to a buffet. I always wanted the cheesecake for dessert. Now my most favorite food is chevre. Put the two of them together and you have complete bliss. I normally do not like baked cheesecake because I love creamy cheesecake. This is the best of both worlds sooo creamy.

*Cheesecake tips. Bake with a 9x13 pan of water below cheesecake. The cheesecake is overcooked if there are cracks in it. Cheesecake is very coy and deceptive; when it's done, it never LOOKS done. A properly cooked cheesecake will still have a wobbly 2 or 3 inch circle in the center. Removing the cheesecake at this point, then chilling it overnight, will help you achieve the perfect silky texture you're looking for

Ingredients
1c gingersnap crumbs
1c graham cracker crumbs
1/4c toasted almonds
1/2c melted butter
1/4c sugar
Pinch salt

2 8oz packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 14oz log goat cheese
12oz creme fraiche or sour cream
4 eggs
1c sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract

Special equipment: 9-inch springform pan

Method

Preheat the oven to 350° Place a 9x13 pan filled with water under the cheesecake to keep it moist.

To make the crust:
In a food processor combine the cookies, graham crumbs, and almonds together, add sugar and salt and pulse to combine. Take this mixture into a bowl and mix with a fork until evenly combined. In a springform pan. Press the crumb mixture onto the bottom and about halfway up the sides of the pan.

To make the filling:
Beat the cream and goat cheese in the bowl of an electric stand mixer with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add the creme fraiche and beat to combine. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each egg is added, until thoroughly combined. Beat in the sugar and vanilla until just combined.
Pour the filling into the prepared crust. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes on a middle rack. Rotate the baking sheet halfway through the cooking process. 
Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool completely before serving, as it continues to set as it cools. It is best to refrigerate overnight before serving.

LuckCakes

So St. Patrick's day can really be fun for your kids. This year the leprechauns went beyond green milk, We prepared well for the arrival of the leprechauns. So well they broke in stole our pennies and left us these cupcakes. ; )  in the center a plastic gold coin. Hooray! I ate some of their yummy teats and figured out how they made these delectable treats! What fun I must admit these tricky fellows are quite the bakers... They also left their footprints all over everything!

Ingredients
1c butter
2 1/3c sugar
5 egg whites, room temp
2tsp vanilla
3c  flour
4tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 1/2 c milk, warmed for 30 sec in microwave to bring to room temp
green GEL food coloring, if you use liquid use a lot.

Method
Preheat the oven to 350° Grease or line cupcake pans.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Cream the sugar and butter, then add the egg whites, and add them a little at a time. Add the vanilla and mix until fully incorporated. Then, alternating between wet and dry, add the milk and flour mixture in two parts. Pour some batter into prepared pan, add gold coins, add more batter and bake for 15 min until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Frost cupcakes with a green colored buttercream frosting.

Watch the magic unfold the next morning when your kids find these magical treats!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

What a warm fuzzy delicious meal. I love Mexican food. What a nice change to make this warm and hearty soup. Its amazing! Especially with avocados.

Ingredients
1 chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 cups chicken broth
1 (14.5 ounce) can Mexican diced tomatoes
3tbsp fresh cilantro
1/2tsp chili powder
1tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breast
2tbsp cornstarch

Toppings
Shredded Mexican cheese blend
5 fresh corn tortillas (5 1/2-inch diameter), cut in 1/4-inch-wide strips and fried till crisp
Avocado
Freshly squeezed lime juice
Sour cream

Method 
In a large saucepan, combine the first seven ingredients; bring to a boil. Add chicken. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 4-6 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Combine cornstarch and 1/4c of water until smooth; gradually stir into soup. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Top servings with desired toppings. 

Lebanese Falafel

I love Falafel.
Falafel can be served as an appetizer with hummus and tahini or tzatiki, or as a main course. Stuff pita with falafel, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, tahini, salt and pepper. As a meat alternative, falafel can be formed into patties and served like a burger. 

Ingredients
2 cans Chickpeas
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
1tbsp olive oil
3tbsp fresh parsly
3tbsp fresh cilantro
1tsp corriander
1tsp cumin
2tbsp flour
1tsp baking powder
Salt

Method
Drain chickpeas, In a food processor, combine chickpeas, garlic, onion, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper (to taste) add flour. Mix ingredients together until combined to a thick paste.

Form the mixture into small balls, about the size of a ping pong ball. Slightly flatten.

Fry in 2 inches of oil at 350 degrees until golden brown (5-7 minutes).

Serve hot.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Treasure Cookies

Dangerously yummy! Um yea so All  I have to say is make sure You Got Milk!

Ingredients
1 3/4c flour
3/4tsp baking soda
1/4tsp salt
1/2c softened butter
1/2c brown sugar
1/2c sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1c peanut butter

Filling
1/2c peanut butter
2tbsp cocoa powder
3tbsp sugar
2tbsp chopped choc. chips

Topping
1/4c sugar
1/2tsp cinnamon

Method
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Sift together flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars until light. Beat in egg, followed by the vanilla and peanut butter. Gradually add in dry ingredients and beat on low speed until just combined.

Prepare topping and filling. In small bowl, mix, granulated sugar and cinnamon; set aside.
In another small bowl, stir peanut butter, cocoa powder, sugars and chopped chocolate until smooth. Shape mixture into small (1/2 inch) balls and place each on a sheet of parchment paper. Set aside.


Roll a ball of peanut butter dough and flatten each piece of dough and place a peanut butter ball into it. Shape each cookie dough piece around the filling, making sure to cover the ball completely. Repeat with remaining dough and balls.

Roll each ball in peanut-sugar mixture and place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving about 2-inches between balls. Use a fork to flatten cookies.
Bake for 9 – 11 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
Cool for 1-2 minutes on the baking sheet, then remove cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Austrian/Hungarian Goulash

My mother used to make Goulash, It was nothing like this in fact I didn't like it at all. When I found this recipe the name of it alone turned me off, but I read tde ingredients and the picture did not resemble the mess my mother made of this amazing dish. So I did it and it was one of the best things I ever ate.

Ingredients
5 slices bacon, chopped
3 pounds boneless chuck, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion chopped fine
2 red bell peppers, chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
3tbsp paprika (Hungarian sweet or Smoked)
1 1/2tsp caraway seeds
1/3c all-purpose flour
1/4c red-wine vinegar
1/4c tomato paste
5c beef broth
1 to 5c water or beer (use less to make a stew, more to make a soup)
G.Salt & Pepper

Method
In an 8-quart heavy kettle, or dutch oven cook bacon over moderate heat, stirring, until crisp and transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl. In fat remaining in kettle brown chuck in small batches over high heat, transferring it as browned with slotted spoon to bowl.
Reduce heat to moderate and add oil. Add onions,bell peppers and garlic and cook, stirring, until golden. Stir in paprika, caraway seeds, and flour and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Whisk in vinegar and tomato paste and cook, (Mixture will be very thick.) Stir in broth, water, salt, bacon, and chuck and bring to a boil, stirring. Simmer soup, covered, stirring occasionally, 60 to 75 minutes or until meat is so tender.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Prakas... Stuffed Cabbage

When I was in Middle School my best friend was Bethany. Her mother made this most amazing Jewish Dish. She called it Prakas. Its a stuffed cabbage. its so yummy. There are a lot of variations on this dish from many countries. I checked a lot of them and came up with my own variation of them.

Ingredients
3 lbs lean ground beef
3 large onions
1tbsp garlic powder
2tsp salt
2tsp pepper
2 large heads of cabbage
1 can of tomato paste
1can tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes
2tbsp sugar
1tsp paprika

Method
Steam cabbage until just tender, you don't want it too soft or it tears apart too easily. Use the large dark green leaves from both heads. Turn leaves over and carefully slice the thick vein parallel to the leaf. In a large dutch oven or heavy pot, brown the meat, add chopped onion, garlic salt and pepper. Take about 1/4 cup and roll it into an oval. Place in the middle of the leaf and fold over sides of leaf. Bring up the bottom of the leaf and roll up very tightly. If you have sliced off the vein, you will not need string or tooth- picks to hold it together. When you have a tightly packed layers,  add tomatoes, sauce and the tomato paste. Repeat until cabbage leaves are used up. Add a cup of hot water. Sprinkle with sugar and paprika and salt, cover pan and simmer on low heat for 1 1/2 hours or until everything is cooked and tender. Remove the cabbage, taste the sauce and adjust with either sugar or salt. You could serve with mashed potatoes.