This is a vegetarian filler that I made for a jewelry party hosted by a friend. She had sparkling cider and a chocolate fountain and at the last minute I offered to bring this over so there would be a savory option with all the sweet. It's filling and is great by itself on a wrap, or as a spread with bread.
Cheese Eggplant Spread
Ingredients
* 1/4 head of cabbage, chopped
* 1 green pepper, chopped
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 2 large eggplants, peeled and cubed
* 1 cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped
* 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
* 1 cup grated mild cheddar cheese
Directions
1. Saute the cabbage and green peppers in olive oil.
2. Add the eggplant, salt, and hazelnuts. Cover and simmer gently until soft.
3. Cool for a minute or two and crush slightly while mixing in the grated cheese.
It was surprisingly easy to throw together and has a pretty mild flavor while the hazelnuts offer an interesting texture.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Spicy Peanut Noodles with Chicken
I've been doing better trying recipes again, I'm going to try to keep up the once a week format on the blog. With a family dinner on Sunday and my 2 year old sleeping at least half of the nights I should be able to stretch out a bit. I made the Thai noodle dish on Saturday, Friday was a barbecued turkey bake, and Sunday was Strawberry crumble bars. Not a huge fan of the turkey bake but the other two were delicious. I'm featuring the Thai because I found a homemade chili garlic sauce to go with it and it was more involved so I have more to say.
Spicy Peanut Noodles with Chicken
Ingredients
* 1/4 cup chunky peanut butter
* 2 medium cloves of garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
* 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
* 5 tablespoons soy sauce
* 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
* 1 tablespoon chile garlic sauce
* 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, lightly packed
* 1 tablespoon peanut oil
* 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into tenders
* 1 tablespoon table salt
* 1/2 pound dried Asian noodle
* 2 carrots, julienned
* handful snow peas or sugar snaps, trimmed
* 1 small red bell pepper, julienned
Directions
1. Bring 6 quarts water to boil in stockpot over high heat.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in saute pan or wok. Stir-fry chicken breasts until lightly browned, 4 to 8 minutes. Transfer to cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. Using 2 forks, shred chicken into bite-size pieces and set aside.
3. Mix peanut butter, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, hot sauce, and sugar until smooth.
4. Steam vegetables.
5. Using same water, prepare noodles following package directions.
6. Mix vegetables and chicken with sauce in saute pan until heated through. Reduce sauce a bit if necessary. Add noodles and toss thoroughly to combine.
The chili garlic sauce can be found here http://vietworldkitchen.typepad.com/blog/2007/10/homemade-chili-.html I used Lili's cooked sauce because with the simmering I expected a more mild flavor. The dish was spicy, but not overwhelming. And I'm not a huge chili fan. In fact I tend to be pretty leery of heat. Which is good since my family is even milder than me. I used a combination of poblano and jalapenos. It was what was fresh at our local farmstand.
Now, I don't have a steamer so I balance a corner of our large colander over the pot and covered it with saran wrap. It worked and I'm excited to venture more into steaming. I also realized I didn't have any fresh ginger or asian noodles so I substituted powdered ginger and whole wheat spaghetti. My problem is that I buy most of the ingredients and then add the recipe to my mental queue, forgetting that I waited on some ingredients planning on buying them at the farmstand or just being indecisive.
The reason I did all this Saturday is because my husband requested an unscheduled day, and so I knew this would keep me busy and at home. Otherwise I sit around until I can't stand it and then need to go somewhere or get grouchy in general. As it was, my good friend called offering raspberries so I ran this dish up and we did lunch and let the kids play. So that evening I came home and made freezer jam. I'm thrilled to have two kinds of jam to choose from first and I'm looking forward to trying Raspberry White Chocolate Muffins with the fresh berries. I should probably go make those. Hope you're all trying new things and enjoying the summer bounty as well.
Spicy Peanut Noodles with Chicken
Ingredients
* 1/4 cup chunky peanut butter
* 2 medium cloves of garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
* 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
* 5 tablespoons soy sauce
* 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
* 1 tablespoon chile garlic sauce
* 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, lightly packed
* 1 tablespoon peanut oil
* 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into tenders
* 1 tablespoon table salt
* 1/2 pound dried Asian noodle
* 2 carrots, julienned
* handful snow peas or sugar snaps, trimmed
* 1 small red bell pepper, julienned
Directions
1. Bring 6 quarts water to boil in stockpot over high heat.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in saute pan or wok. Stir-fry chicken breasts until lightly browned, 4 to 8 minutes. Transfer to cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. Using 2 forks, shred chicken into bite-size pieces and set aside.
3. Mix peanut butter, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, hot sauce, and sugar until smooth.
4. Steam vegetables.
5. Using same water, prepare noodles following package directions.
6. Mix vegetables and chicken with sauce in saute pan until heated through. Reduce sauce a bit if necessary. Add noodles and toss thoroughly to combine.
The chili garlic sauce can be found here http://vietworldkitchen.typepad.com/blog/2007/10/homemade-chili-.html I used Lili's cooked sauce because with the simmering I expected a more mild flavor. The dish was spicy, but not overwhelming. And I'm not a huge chili fan. In fact I tend to be pretty leery of heat. Which is good since my family is even milder than me. I used a combination of poblano and jalapenos. It was what was fresh at our local farmstand.
Now, I don't have a steamer so I balance a corner of our large colander over the pot and covered it with saran wrap. It worked and I'm excited to venture more into steaming. I also realized I didn't have any fresh ginger or asian noodles so I substituted powdered ginger and whole wheat spaghetti. My problem is that I buy most of the ingredients and then add the recipe to my mental queue, forgetting that I waited on some ingredients planning on buying them at the farmstand or just being indecisive.
The reason I did all this Saturday is because my husband requested an unscheduled day, and so I knew this would keep me busy and at home. Otherwise I sit around until I can't stand it and then need to go somewhere or get grouchy in general. As it was, my good friend called offering raspberries so I ran this dish up and we did lunch and let the kids play. So that evening I came home and made freezer jam. I'm thrilled to have two kinds of jam to choose from first and I'm looking forward to trying Raspberry White Chocolate Muffins with the fresh berries. I should probably go make those. Hope you're all trying new things and enjoying the summer bounty as well.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Art
This restaurant is found in the Four Seasons, Seattle. The ambience is contemporary, with handblown glass, and a clear, color changing bar that provides half of the light for the dining area. The cheese selection is varied, and tasty. Most impressive is the quality of the fruits and vegetables. Since it is in a hotel, we tried the fruit basket and I would love to have their produce supplier. Each fruit was sweet, and perfectly ripe.
As for dinner, I had their signature salmon dish, it's brushed with Indian spices, served with lobster and lobster sauce, and accompanied by pureed potatoes and spinach. My husband tried the lamb, which consisted of both a lamp chop and a shank, the shank was shaved and formed into a meatball, while the shank was served au jus over a bed of rainbow Kale. Lightly sauteed baby carrots and roasted fingerling potatoes rounded it out.
Since we were dancing later that evening I was uncharacteristically watching what I ate. They had a tasting menu, very tempting, which I skipped for the salmon, no appetizer and no dessert. Both meals were fantastic. I never would have considered combining lobster and salmon. The spices were flavorful and gave the top of the fish a nice textured crunch. The au jus with the lamb was reduced, deep and full-bodied. I've never seen a meatball made from shaved meat, but since I'm leery of ground meat, not that you can tell from my menus, it was ingenious. Instead of an after dinner mint they served silver dollar size cornbread and cranberry cookies. Surprisingly tasty and like a stone ground shortbread. I will be recommending those to all of my gluten-free friends.
I addition to our dine-in dinner, we indulged in late night desserts. The New York cheesecake with citrus sauce tops my list, although we did go chocolate free. The Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee was creamy and came with the first biscotti I like, chocolate hazelnut. Breakfast wasn't a homerun, but the homemade vanilla bean marshmallows are worth mentioning. So I have.
As for dinner, I had their signature salmon dish, it's brushed with Indian spices, served with lobster and lobster sauce, and accompanied by pureed potatoes and spinach. My husband tried the lamb, which consisted of both a lamp chop and a shank, the shank was shaved and formed into a meatball, while the shank was served au jus over a bed of rainbow Kale. Lightly sauteed baby carrots and roasted fingerling potatoes rounded it out.
Since we were dancing later that evening I was uncharacteristically watching what I ate. They had a tasting menu, very tempting, which I skipped for the salmon, no appetizer and no dessert. Both meals were fantastic. I never would have considered combining lobster and salmon. The spices were flavorful and gave the top of the fish a nice textured crunch. The au jus with the lamb was reduced, deep and full-bodied. I've never seen a meatball made from shaved meat, but since I'm leery of ground meat, not that you can tell from my menus, it was ingenious. Instead of an after dinner mint they served silver dollar size cornbread and cranberry cookies. Surprisingly tasty and like a stone ground shortbread. I will be recommending those to all of my gluten-free friends.
I addition to our dine-in dinner, we indulged in late night desserts. The New York cheesecake with citrus sauce tops my list, although we did go chocolate free. The Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee was creamy and came with the first biscotti I like, chocolate hazelnut. Breakfast wasn't a homerun, but the homemade vanilla bean marshmallows are worth mentioning. So I have.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Sausage Casserole
Ingredients
2 envelopes lipton chicken noodle soup mix, cooked in 4 1/2 cups water
1 pound sausage, browned and drained
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup rice, uncooked
1 cup celery
1 medium onion, chopped
12 packages almonds, sliced
1 4 ounce can mushrooms
Directions
1.Add all the ingredients with the above in a casserole dish.
2.Bake in covered dish about 1 1/2 hours at 352 degrees.
3.Six servings.
4.(Divide in half for two)
Serves 6
Review: This has to be the most interesting casserole I've ever made. I have never poured a pot of soup into a casserole dish before. This was categorized as a breakfast dish, but I disagree. It is really a very tasty sausage pilaf. I'm not sure how I'd assemble it into a meal, that's not really my strong suit. If I had to give it a stab, I would most definitely include it in a brunch buffet, perhaps as an accompaniment to an omelet. I could also see it working very well as a side to a vegetarian main course, Eggplant cutlets or grilled portabello mushroom.
We enjoyed it as a main dish although it was actually a second dinner. I somehow magically turned the oven off while it was baking, so when I went to take it out I realized that it hadn't cooked. Waiting an hour and a half for dinner wasn't going to work so we ate cereal, invited friends over, who couldn't make it, and then sat down again at 7 to eat the casserole. Jacob was happy to get to stay up, although Mav wasn't very happy that I wanted him to eat again.
2 envelopes lipton chicken noodle soup mix, cooked in 4 1/2 cups water
1 pound sausage, browned and drained
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup rice, uncooked
1 cup celery
1 medium onion, chopped
12 packages almonds, sliced
1 4 ounce can mushrooms
Directions
1.Add all the ingredients with the above in a casserole dish.
2.Bake in covered dish about 1 1/2 hours at 352 degrees.
3.Six servings.
4.(Divide in half for two)
Serves 6
Review: This has to be the most interesting casserole I've ever made. I have never poured a pot of soup into a casserole dish before. This was categorized as a breakfast dish, but I disagree. It is really a very tasty sausage pilaf. I'm not sure how I'd assemble it into a meal, that's not really my strong suit. If I had to give it a stab, I would most definitely include it in a brunch buffet, perhaps as an accompaniment to an omelet. I could also see it working very well as a side to a vegetarian main course, Eggplant cutlets or grilled portabello mushroom.
We enjoyed it as a main dish although it was actually a second dinner. I somehow magically turned the oven off while it was baking, so when I went to take it out I realized that it hadn't cooked. Waiting an hour and a half for dinner wasn't going to work so we ate cereal, invited friends over, who couldn't make it, and then sat down again at 7 to eat the casserole. Jacob was happy to get to stay up, although Mav wasn't very happy that I wanted him to eat again.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Cream Cheese Potato Bake
Source: Pleasant View 11th Ward Cookbook
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves 12 people
Ingredients
12 potatoes, mashed
1 package cream cheese
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Directions
1.Mix all ingredients well until smooth and creamy.
2.Spread in baking dish.
3.Dot with butter and sprinkle with paprika.
4.Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Review:
Well first off, sorry for not posting last week. I was really excited about this recipe because it's an old favorite under a new name. My aunt brought this several years ago to a Thanksgiving and these have been my favorite mashed potatoes ever since. They're rich enough to eat without gravy. I was even composing the post in my head, and then next thing I knew it was the weekend. Then of course I couldn't post because I couldn't figure out whether to do two posts a day to make up for it, or spread them out. I still haven't decided, but I'm biting the bullet and posting anyway.
So again, these are my favorite mashed potatoes. I made them on an extremely hot day and had my in-laws over for dinner so they wouldn't suffer the heat as well. I served them with gravy mixed with canned beef chunks. My timing was off, so after my husband showed off his manly strength mashing the potatoes by hand for me, there wasn't time to bake them and we ate them freshly mashed. They were wonderful.
The nice thing about these potatoes is the baking. After tasting them freshly mashed I recommend making a double batch, eating some right away and then saving the rest(fridge or freezer) to dot with butter and bake later. Having mashed potatoes that easily reheat takes some of the last minute stress off the traditional holiday meals. After Friday night's potatoes and gravy I baked the leftovers to use with Saturday's Broccoli Meat Roll. I'm an Idaho girl and I was thrilled to have mashed potatoes all weekend long!
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves 12 people
Ingredients
12 potatoes, mashed
1 package cream cheese
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Directions
1.Mix all ingredients well until smooth and creamy.
2.Spread in baking dish.
3.Dot with butter and sprinkle with paprika.
4.Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Review:
Well first off, sorry for not posting last week. I was really excited about this recipe because it's an old favorite under a new name. My aunt brought this several years ago to a Thanksgiving and these have been my favorite mashed potatoes ever since. They're rich enough to eat without gravy. I was even composing the post in my head, and then next thing I knew it was the weekend. Then of course I couldn't post because I couldn't figure out whether to do two posts a day to make up for it, or spread them out. I still haven't decided, but I'm biting the bullet and posting anyway.
So again, these are my favorite mashed potatoes. I made them on an extremely hot day and had my in-laws over for dinner so they wouldn't suffer the heat as well. I served them with gravy mixed with canned beef chunks. My timing was off, so after my husband showed off his manly strength mashing the potatoes by hand for me, there wasn't time to bake them and we ate them freshly mashed. They were wonderful.
The nice thing about these potatoes is the baking. After tasting them freshly mashed I recommend making a double batch, eating some right away and then saving the rest(fridge or freezer) to dot with butter and bake later. Having mashed potatoes that easily reheat takes some of the last minute stress off the traditional holiday meals. After Friday night's potatoes and gravy I baked the leftovers to use with Saturday's Broccoli Meat Roll. I'm an Idaho girl and I was thrilled to have mashed potatoes all weekend long!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Beef 'N' Egg Pockets
Beef ‘N’ Egg Pockets
Source: Ground Beef Cookbook
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves 9 people
Ingredients
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2/3 cup shortening
* 2/3 cup milk
* 1/2 pound ground beef
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
* 1 hard-cooked egg, finely chopped
* Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; cut in shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
2. Gradually add milk, tossing with a fork until a ball forms.
3. Cover and refrigerate.
4. Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
5. Add the tomato, egg, salt and pepper; mix well.
6. Roll out pastry into an 18 inch by 9 inch rectangle; cut into 3 inch squares.
7. Place a rounded tablespoonful of the filling in the center of each square.
8. Fold in half, forming triangles; crimp edges to seal.
9. Place on greased baking sheets.
10. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
This was an interesting week. Usually I try out a few different recipes and pick the best story, the best taste, the most interesting to post. I don't remember everything that happened this weekend, I have a calendar to look back on if I need to, but the end result was that I tried one new recipe on Sunday.
I started the crust a week ago and let the flour, baking powder, and salt sit for a week while I got shortening and a rolling pin. And then I had to wait for a 'free' day to make it. I'll digress, I'm not talking about free time, I mean a day that my husband and I have negotiated where I'm allowed to cook whatever I want. After we'd been married a year and a half he sat me down and told me he couldn't take it anymore. In his words, "I've tried more new foods with you in a year and a half of marriage than I did in two years in the Philippines." So we negotiated. Monday through Thursday we have a set rotation of meals. We started with 4, he's okayed meals as we try them, and the list has grown. Some that he's approved for the rotation I refuse to put in, usually because they're too labor intensive for me to make any given weeknight. Who knows some future post may include our rotation.
Anyways, a week after combining the dry ingredients I added the shortening and milk. I followed the directions and didn't use my hands (pastry dough stays flakier and lighter the less it's handled, or so I've always heard. I haven't looked up the chemistry there.) I rolled it out and filled it, but the dough was so delicate it was hard to keep it from falling apart. Amazingly enough although there were lots of holes, top bottom whatever, the pockets came off the baking sheets whole and the crusts were as light as the dough suggested they'd be. The one crust I made up from scratch and handled more was significantly easier to work with and wasn't noticeably different.
The filling is boring. More salt would have enhanced the flavor. Mav requested garlic in the next batch, the recipe notes mention fresh mushroom and green pepper which I'd enjoy. I also think that cheese would be a welcome addition. These appetizers are meat pies, or "pasties" as my Australian friends refer to them. There's some frustration in dealing with the crust, but I'm not a natural baker and rolling out dough is top on my list of things that I want to learn to do better in the kitchen. These snacks would be a classy dish for any party. I only got 12, although I eyeballed the 3 inch squares and overstuffed them. I'm also deciding what kind of a dip, if any, would be a good accent.
Let me know how you enjoy these recipes if you decide to try them out, and how you alter them.
Source: Ground Beef Cookbook
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves 9 people
Ingredients
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2/3 cup shortening
* 2/3 cup milk
* 1/2 pound ground beef
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
* 1 hard-cooked egg, finely chopped
* Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; cut in shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
2. Gradually add milk, tossing with a fork until a ball forms.
3. Cover and refrigerate.
4. Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
5. Add the tomato, egg, salt and pepper; mix well.
6. Roll out pastry into an 18 inch by 9 inch rectangle; cut into 3 inch squares.
7. Place a rounded tablespoonful of the filling in the center of each square.
8. Fold in half, forming triangles; crimp edges to seal.
9. Place on greased baking sheets.
10. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
This was an interesting week. Usually I try out a few different recipes and pick the best story, the best taste, the most interesting to post. I don't remember everything that happened this weekend, I have a calendar to look back on if I need to, but the end result was that I tried one new recipe on Sunday.
I started the crust a week ago and let the flour, baking powder, and salt sit for a week while I got shortening and a rolling pin. And then I had to wait for a 'free' day to make it. I'll digress, I'm not talking about free time, I mean a day that my husband and I have negotiated where I'm allowed to cook whatever I want. After we'd been married a year and a half he sat me down and told me he couldn't take it anymore. In his words, "I've tried more new foods with you in a year and a half of marriage than I did in two years in the Philippines." So we negotiated. Monday through Thursday we have a set rotation of meals. We started with 4, he's okayed meals as we try them, and the list has grown. Some that he's approved for the rotation I refuse to put in, usually because they're too labor intensive for me to make any given weeknight. Who knows some future post may include our rotation.
Anyways, a week after combining the dry ingredients I added the shortening and milk. I followed the directions and didn't use my hands (pastry dough stays flakier and lighter the less it's handled, or so I've always heard. I haven't looked up the chemistry there.) I rolled it out and filled it, but the dough was so delicate it was hard to keep it from falling apart. Amazingly enough although there were lots of holes, top bottom whatever, the pockets came off the baking sheets whole and the crusts were as light as the dough suggested they'd be. The one crust I made up from scratch and handled more was significantly easier to work with and wasn't noticeably different.
The filling is boring. More salt would have enhanced the flavor. Mav requested garlic in the next batch, the recipe notes mention fresh mushroom and green pepper which I'd enjoy. I also think that cheese would be a welcome addition. These appetizers are meat pies, or "pasties" as my Australian friends refer to them. There's some frustration in dealing with the crust, but I'm not a natural baker and rolling out dough is top on my list of things that I want to learn to do better in the kitchen. These snacks would be a classy dish for any party. I only got 12, although I eyeballed the 3 inch squares and overstuffed them. I'm also deciding what kind of a dip, if any, would be a good accent.
Let me know how you enjoy these recipes if you decide to try them out, and how you alter them.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
XXX Rootbeer
On Saturday my husband informed me that my mother-in-law was babysitting on the condition that he take me to XXX Root Beer Drive-in. I'm a fan of root beer especially "microbrews" or house brews. I'm looking forward to trying this one again. It's served in a frosted mug, but most impressive was the ambience. The drive-in caters to the classic car crowd, they often host shows, and it is filled with car, 50's and personal memorabilia. The staff is friendly, albeit with attitude, and the burgers were amazingly filling.
Walking up the side on my way to the door I smelled onion rings. We must have passed a vent, but they started a craving. I wondered if it was a ploy, like the Norwegian Bakery in Disneyland. Only there it's more blatant, the odor of freshly baked cinnamon rolls wafts from a special vent above the door.
The next object to catch my eye was a sign guaranteeing the food is bad for you. A gentleman who was seated next to us asked for diet root beer. The waiter shouted to the kitchen, "this guy wants diet!" Raucous laughter followed and the waiter left. He came back a few minutes later and asked if they wanted to try again.
The waiter was personable. He gave me an excellent recommendation and I left stuffed, trussed, and ready to roast. I can't wait to go back and try the shakes, root beer floats and a different burger, although next time I think I'll split it.
Walking up the side on my way to the door I smelled onion rings. We must have passed a vent, but they started a craving. I wondered if it was a ploy, like the Norwegian Bakery in Disneyland. Only there it's more blatant, the odor of freshly baked cinnamon rolls wafts from a special vent above the door.
The next object to catch my eye was a sign guaranteeing the food is bad for you. A gentleman who was seated next to us asked for diet root beer. The waiter shouted to the kitchen, "this guy wants diet!" Raucous laughter followed and the waiter left. He came back a few minutes later and asked if they wanted to try again.
The waiter was personable. He gave me an excellent recommendation and I left stuffed, trussed, and ready to roast. I can't wait to go back and try the shakes, root beer floats and a different burger, although next time I think I'll split it.
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