Chocolate Biscuit Cake

This is the recipe for Prince William's grooms cake. It was SOO good. It's more like a cookie than a cake. I got digestives brand tea biscuits at world market and they worked great. I melted the chocolate, sugar and egg over a double broiler for a little bit just until the sugar melted and I thought the egg was cooked enough. It doesn't say in the recipe to cook the egg, but I was feeding this to kids and didn't want to worry about the raw eggs sitting out for any period of time. I think next time I will make this in a square pan and cut it into smaller brownie like chunks.

Chocolate Biscuit Cake
Recipe courtesy of Darren McGrady
Oprah.com | April 28, 2011

Servings: Makes one 6-inch round cake (8 portions)
Ingredients
1/2 tsp. butter , for greasing
8 ounces Rich tea biscuits
4 ounces unsalted butter , softened
4 ounces granulated sugar
4 ounces dark chocolate , for the cake
1 egg
8 ounces dark chocolate , for coating
1 ounce chocolate , for decorating
Directions
To make cake: Lightly grease a 6" x 2 1/2" cake ring and place on a tray on a sheet of parchment paper.

Break each of the biscuits into almond-size pieces by hand and set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl until the mixture starts to lighten.

Melt the 4 ounces of dark chocolate and add to the butter mixture while constantly stirring.

Beat the egg into the mixture.

Fold in the biscuit pieces until they are all coated with the chocolate mixture.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake ring. Try to fill all of the gaps on the bottom of the ring because this will be the top when it is unmolded.

Chill the cake in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

To coat and decorate: Remove the cake from the refrigerator and let it stand while you melt the 8 ounces of dark chocolate.

Slide the ring off the cake and turn it upside down onto a cake wire.

Pour the melted chocolate over the cake and smooth the top and sides using a palette knife.

Allow the chocolate to set at room temperature.

Carefully run a knife around the bottom of the cake where the chocolate has stuck to the cake wire and lift it onto a tea plate.

Melt the remaining 1 ounce of chocolate and use to decorate the top of the cake.

Pho' and Fried Spring Rolls

My great friend Becky taught me how to make pho' awhile ago. I've made it several times since she taught me. Each time has been a little bit different. Some better than others. This past time I made it I really liked how it turned out, so I thought I better write it down! Thank you Becky!!

Pho
1 whole chicken, thawed
Beef soup bones (preferably with some meat on them)
3 T chicken bouillon base (if you don’t have base then you need enough bouillon to make 2 quarts of broth)
Large piece of dicon radish cut in half lengthwise
2 large onions peeled and cut in half
2 big pieces of ginger (6 inch pieces) cut in half lengthwise
3 bags of pho hoa (Chinese special spice, it’s a tea bag that has all the spices in it. You can also buy the spices whole in a bag, toast them and put them in cheese cloth to put in the soup pot.)
Package of rice sticks (pho noodles, you can get them in many sizes, I like the smallest size thickness)
2 cubes of chicken (pho ga) soup seasoning (like bouillon cubes)
2 cubes of beef soup seasoning (like bouillon cubes)
1 quarter size piece of rock sugar
Thai basil
Cilantro
Mint (optional)
Hoisin sauce
Siracha (chili sauce)
Lime wedges
Bean sprouts

Put the chicken and beef in a very large pot (I use my canning pot). Cover them with water, bring to a boil, boil 5 minutes then remove chicken and beef from the pot and wash out the pot. This removes the impurities from the meat and bones.
Put the chicken and beef back in the pot. Fill the pot with water. Leave about 4 inches at the top of the pot. Bring the water up to a boil.
While you’re waiting for the water to boil char the 2 onions, dicon and ginger under a broiler.
Once the water is almost to a boil add the charred vegetables, the bags of special spice, the cubes of beef and chicken seasoning and the chicken bouillon base. Bring the soup up to a boil and then turn it down a little so it’s still bubbling, but not at a full boil. Let the soup cook as long as you can, 6-8 hours or more. Leave it uncovered so it can cook down and condense the flavor.
Put the rock sugar in the last 20 minutes of cooking.
Once the soup is done cooking pull the chicken and beef out. Shred the chicken and any beef there might be. Strain out all the veggies and seasoning bags and discard.
Cook the rice sticks in boiling water for 5-7 minutes depending on thickness of the noodle. Strain the noodles and immediately rinse under cold water until they’re completely cool. Set aside.
When you’re ready to serve heat the broth back to boiling.
Put the rice noodles in the bottom of your individual serving bowls. Put chicken/beef on top and pour the hot broth over.
Garnish to taste with basil, cilantro, mint, lime, bean sprouts, hoisin and siracha.

Fried Spring Rolls
1 lb ground pork
2 c diced napa cabbage
½ c grated carrots
¼ c diced green onion
3 cloves garlic minced
2 t grated ginger
I small bunch bean thread noodles, soaked in warm water for 15 minutes until soft, then chopped
6 wood ear mushrooms, rehydrated and diced
2 t fish sauce
¼ t ground pepper
1 egg
1 package of 25 spring roll wrappers
Nuoc cham sauce (recipe follows)

Mix all the ingredients except the wrappers and nuoc cham sauce in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Roll the mixture into the wrappers and fry until golden. Serve with lettuce leaves, thai basil, cilantro, mint and nuoc cham sauce. You wrap the spring roll in a lettuce leaf, top it with the herbs and dip it into the nuoc cham sauce.


Nuco Cham Sauce
¼ c sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
1/3 c fish sauce
¼ c water
2 t chili garlic sauce
2 cloves garlic minced
Mix all ingredients and chill until ready to serve.

Okonomiyaki

My friend Ai taught me how to make okonomiyaki awhile ago. It was SO good! It's like a meat & vegetable pancake. There are 2 different styles of okonomiyaki in Japan. Ai is from Osaka, where they're famous of okonomiyaki, so this is an Osaka style recipe. You can buy okonomiyaki flour that has the nagaimo and other spices in it, but she showed us the scratch recipe.


Ai’s Osaka style Okonomiyaki

(Per person)
1 c cake flour (cake flour is lighter like Japanese all purpose flour)
2/3 c water
¼ c grated nagaimo (It’s a Japanese yam that is a raw egg consistency when grated)
1 egg
Whatever toppings you want:
Bacon, cabbage, green onion, cheese, thin sliced pork, yakisoba noodles, tenkatsu, shrimp, squid etc.
Okonomiyaki sauce
Japanese mayonnaise
Mix the first 4 ingredients together. Portion out a cup of the mixture into medium size bowls, one for each person eating. Add an egg to each persons bowl and mix it in thoroughly. Each person mixes their own bowl after that and can mix in, bacon, thin sliced pork, diced cabbage, green onion, cheese, shrimp, squid tenkatsu, (little fried tempura balls) or whatever else you want.
Once each person has mixed their bowl together you pour their bowl out into a hot oiled pan like you would a big pancake. You want a pan with a lid. Cover and cook until brown and crispy. If you want yakisoba noodles then put them on top of the pancake before you flip it so they will cook on the second side. Once both sides are browned and cooked through put it on a plate and serve it with okonmiyaki sauce and mayonnaise.

Bountiful Baskets

Kimchi

I just found this website dedicated to Korean Food. It's awesome!! I made this Kimchi this afternoon. SOO good. I've also made the bulgogi on the website. Very good also!

http://www.maangchi.com/recipe/easy-kimchi

Major Grey Chutney

I wanted to make the Mar-a-Lago Turkey burger that Oprah raved about but couldn't find Major Grey Chutney at any stores so I decided to make it! Definitely easier if you can find it somewhere but it was fun to make and the burgers were awesome!

Major Grey Chutney For The Mar-a-Lago Burger

Time 40 minutes Serves 12
Ingredients
4 cups prepared mango, about 5-6 medium
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup yellow onion, chopped coarsely
3/4 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup lime, seeded, chopped
1/2 cup gingerroot grated
1/2 cup peeled, seeded and chopped orange
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup peeled, seeded and chopped lemon
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tbsp. mustard seed
1 tsp dried red pepper flakes
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground allspice
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro
How to make it
Peel, pit and coarsely chop mangos. Measure 4 cups.
Fill boiling water canner with water. Place 6 clean half pint mason jars in canner over high heat.
Combine mangos, sugar, vinegar, onions, raisins, lime, gingerroot, orange, molasses, lemon, garlic, mustard seed, red pepper flakes, cinnamon, cloves and all spice in a large stainless steel or enamel saucepan, Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil gently, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.
Place snap lids in boiling water; boil 5 minutes to soften sealing compound.
Add cilantro during the last 10 minutes of fruit-vegetable mixtures cooking time!
Ladle chutney into a hot jar to within 1/2" of top rim (head space). Remove air bubbles by sliding a rubber spatula between glass and food; readjust head space to 1/2". Wipe jar rim removing any stickiness. Center Snap Lid on jar; apply screw band just until fingertip tight. Place jar in canner. Repeat for remaining chutney!
Cover Canner; return to boil, process 10 minutes at altitudes up to 1,000 ft. Remove jars. Cool 24 hours, Check jar seals. Sealed lids curve downwards.
Store in a dark cool place!

Mar-a-Lago Pear Chutney
Recipe courtesy of Jeff O'Neill
Oprah.com | June 03, 2008 Comments (10) | Print


Recipe courtesy of Jeff O'Neill
This pear chutney topping is the key to giving the Mar-a-Lago Turkey Burger that extra zing.

Servings: Serves 6
Ingredients
1 Anjour pear , peeled and diced
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 1/2 cups Major Grey's Chutney
1/4 cup dried currants or raisins
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°.

Toss the diced pears with the cinnamon and salt. Bake on a parchment-lined cookie sheet for 10 minutes.

Cool and mix with the chutney and currants or raisins.

Mar-a-Lago Turkey Burger
Recipe courtesy of Jeff O'Neill
Oprah.com | June 03, 2008 Comments (58) | Print


Recipe courtesy of Jeff O'Neill
Oprah found a new favorite food when she tried this turkey burger at Mar-a-Lago, Donald Trump's private club in Palm Beach. "I believe [it] may be the best turkey burger in the entire world," she says. The Mar-a-Lago Turkey Burger will be permanently available at the Trump Bar and Grille in Trump Tower in New York City, open to the public for lunch and dinner. It will also be served during lunch in Chicago at Sixteen, the Trump International Hotel restaurant.

Servings: Serves 8
Ingredients
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
3 Granny Smith apples , peeled and diced
1/8 cup canola oil
4 pounds ground turkey breast
2 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. black pepper
2 tsp. Tabasco® chipotle pepper sauce
1 lemon , juiced and grated zest
1/2 bunch parsley , finely chopped
1/4 cup Major Grey's Chutney , pureed
Directions
Sauté the scallions, celery and apples in the canola oil until tender. Let cool.

Place the ground turkey in a large mixing bowl. Add sautéed items and the remaining ingredients. Shape into eight 8-ounce burgers. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Season the turkey burgers with salt and pepper. Place on a preheated, lightly oiled grill. Grill each side for 7 minutes until meat is thoroughly cooked. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Serve with a side of Mar-a-Lago Pear Chutney and your favorite toasted bread, pita or hamburger roll.

Make your own craisins!

A little time consuming, but delish!

Homemade Craisins


Ingredients
1 bag cranberries
1 Cup sugar
2 Cup water
Directions
Cut cranberries in half.

Add sugar to water in a small pan and heat until sugar dissolves.

Add cut cranberries to syrup and soak for 20-30 minutes.

Drain berries and add to dehydrator.

Dehydrate until they are dry.

Beef Vindaloo and Tandori Chicken

Both great recipes! I think the tandori chicken had a little too much spice (the taste of the spices, not heat, so I will scale the spices back a little next time). I love that you don't have to marinate the chicken overnight!

Goan Beef Curry with Vinegar: Beef Vindaloo
Recipe courtesy Aarti Sequeira

Prep Time: 20 min Inactive Prep Time: -- Cook Time: 30 min
Level:
Easy
Serves:
4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
2 pounds boneless beef top sirloin steak, trimmed of all excess fat, cut into 1-inch cubes
Wet Masala (spice blend):

1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 (1-inch) pieces cinnamon bark
6 cloves
4 peppercorns
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne, more if you're feeling feisty!
6 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1-inch thumb fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium red onion, very thinly sliced
1 serrano pepper, sliced in half
Kosher salt
Serving suggestion: Cooked rice and chapatis (whole wheat griddle bread)
Directions
In a small skillet, over medium-high heat, toast the cumin seeds, cinnamon bark, cloves, and peppercorns until fragrant, about a minute or so. Pour into a spice grinder, and process until powdered.

In a small food processor or blender, combine the toasted spice mix and rest of the wet masala ingredients. Process until smooth. Place a large, preferably nonstick pot over high heat, and add oil. When the oil is shimmering, add the onions and serrano pepper. Stirring frequently, saute onions until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Cook's Note: Don't let them burn! Turn the heat down to medium-high if they're starting to burn.

Add the ground wet masala, taking care because it will sizzle wildly, and steam up your glasses if you wear them. Stir quite vigorously, and turn down heat if it's bubbling too furiously. Don't wash the food processor cup yet. Keep stirring, with short pauses, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the masala comes together as one mass, about 2 minutes. Also, you may see little droplets of oil on the perimeter of the masala. That's a good sign!

Quickly add the meat, and stir, coating the meat in the masala. Stir and cook about 5 minutes until the meat browns.

Remember that dirty food processor vessel? Fill it with 1 cup of hot water (from the tap is fine), swirl it around so it picks up any leftover masala, and pour that into the pot. Add 1 teaspoon salt, stir and bring the curry to a boil, then turn it down to a simmer. Cover and cook 30 minutes. Then cook with the lid ajar for another 15 minutes, to thicken the gravy slightly.

Check the meat at the end of the cooking time; it should be tender, and not chewy at all. Adjust salt if you like, and serve over rice over with chapatis (whole wheat griddle bread).


Tandori Chicken
from America's Test Kitchen
Equipment:

(2) Mixing Bowls
(1) Saute Pan
Chef Knife
Cookie Sheet or Sheet Pan
Aluminum Foil to line pan
Cooling rack or grated roasting rack

Ingredients:

1 Whole Chicken (Cut in 10 pieces/Breast Cut in Half)
6 Garlic Cloves - minced
2 Tbsp Ginger - minced
2 tsp Cumin
2 tsp Chili Powder
2 Tbsp Garam Masala
2 Limes
1 Cup Yogurt
2 Tbsp Veg Oil
2 tsp Salt

Procedure:

1. Saute Pan, medium heat
2. Add veg oil - when shimmering
3. Add garlic and ginger - stir constantly to prevent burning - sweat 1 min
4. Add seasoning (cumin, chili powder, garam marsala) and bloom in pan for 1 min with garlic and ginger (stirring constantly)
5. Remove from heat - let cool in pan

1. Once cool, divide mixture between two mixing bowls.
2. To Bowl (A) add 2 Tbsp Lime Juice and 1 Cup Yogurt
3. Mix ingredients in Bowl (A)
4. In Bowl (B) add 2 T lime juice with mixture and 2 tsp salt. So both bowls get half of the mixture and 2 T lime juice. The only difference is one gets the Yogurt and the other the salt.

1. Cut Chicken into 8 pieces, then cut breast in half giving you 10. (Save wing tip and carcass for chicken stock)
2. Skin Chicken pieces except the wings (too much trouble)
3. Score one side of all pieces 1/8" deep with a sharp knife (this allows the rub to get deep in the meet AND gives you a beautiful char on the exposed areas - char equals flavor)

1. Place meat in Bowl (B) with the Salt and Rub.
2. Rub mix deep into the scored meat, coat completely
3. Marinate for 30 mins

1. Preheat oven to 325 F
2. After 30 min marinade, pour contents of Bowl (A) into Bowl (B) with the meat.
3. Work Mix into and around meat
4. Give your rack a little spray with non-stick

1. Put dark meat scored side down on rack over tray and place in oven
2. Set timer for 22 mins
3. After 10 min have elapsed, remove rack, place breasts scored side down and back into the oven.
4. Your breasts need to come to 125 F and Thighs 135 F. You may have to pull one while the other cooks. Ideally they should temp out together.

1. Once timer goes off, and your pieces have arrived at proper temp, remove, set broiler to high, flip chicken and back in oven.
2. Anywhere from 8 - 14 mins under broiler depending on broiler, oven rack height, and desired char
3. We go six inches down from broiler element and watch those things like a hawk. Great to do when the kids are occupied or asleep.

Dark meat needs to be 175 F and Breast at 160 F. Tent and rest at least 10 mins for carry-over cookery.

Muffins anyone?

I guess I had a craving for muffins last night because I made pear, banana & chocolate!! The pear were very moist, you can't taste the pear, just the cinnamon. The banana is a great recipe from my mom. The chocolate ones are really good from a new blog I just found called Your cup of cake. They aren't dense like normal muffins. They're more like a cupcake texture.


Pear Muffins
from my friend Jen's friend (I will get more info)
2 (15oz) cans sliced pears, drained and mashed. (You can also use fresh pears that you've steamed)
2/3 Cup sugar
4 Tablespoons oil (I actually used unsweetened applesauce and it worked great!)
2 Eggs
2 1/4 Cup flour (all purpose, whole wheat or I use bread flour so the puff up a bit more than normal)
2 Teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 Teaspoon baking soda
1 Teaspoon baking powder
1/4 Teaspoon salt

Mix everything together and bake at 350 for about 15 minutes (for muffins) and around 1 hour for "bread". It makes 48 mini muffins or 1 9x9 pan of quick bread.

KAUKI INN BANANNA BREAD

2 c. sugar
1 c butter
1 c nuts
6 bananas(2 cups)
4 eggs well beaten
2 1/2 c flour
1 t salt
2 t soda
Cream butter, sugar and then eggs. Add mashed bananas. Add dry ingredients and do
not over mix.
Bake 350 for 45 min.


Costco-esque Chocolate Muffins

http://www.yourcupofcake.com/2011/03/chocolate-costco-muffins.html
Ingredients:
3 eggs
½ cup milk
½ cup oil
¼ cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 devil’s food cake mix
1 (3.9 oz) package instant chocolate pudding
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¾ cup sour cream
1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line muffins tins with liners.
2. In a large bowl, lightly beat eggs.
3. Add oil, milk, water, vanilla, and beat again.
4. Stir in sour cream, and then add cake mix, pudding mix and cinnamon. Do not over mix.
5. Stir in chocolate chips and fill muffin liners 3/4 full.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean OR the tops spring back.
7. Remove immediately from muffins tins and let cool for 10 minutes, then store in n airtight container. If the container steams because they are not fully cooled, don’t freak out, that just means they will not dry out.

Salade Nicoise

This salad from Melissa d'Arabian on the Food Network was filling and flavorful. I served it with fish instead of putting the tuna in the salad.

Salade Nicoise
Recipe courtesy Melissa d'Arabian

Prep Time: 20 min Inactive Prep Time: 10 min Cook Time: --
Level:
Easy
Serves:
4 servings
Ingredients
1 head romaine lettuce, cut into bite-size pieces
4 eggs, hard-boiled
2 (5-ounce) cans good quality light tuna in oil, drained
2 green onions, chopped
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
1/2 pound green beans, blanched
2 large red potatoes, cubed and boiled
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Lemon-Olive Vinaigrette, recipe follows
Directions
On a large platter, place the romaine lettuce and top decoratively with the rest of the ingredients. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Drizzle with Lemon-Olive Vinaigrette and serve.

Lemon-Olive Vinaigrette:
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 teaspoon vinegar (recommended: white wine vinegar)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 cup briny olives from salad bar, chopped (recommended: nicoise)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, lemon juice, and vinegar. Drizzle in the olive oil and whisk to create an emulsion. Add the thyme, olives, and salt and pepper, to taste. Let sit at least 10 minutes to marry the flavors.

Tikka Masala and Aloo Gobi

I love Aarti on the Food Network. I love when she makes Indian food and these recipes did not disappoint. This is the best and easiest Tikka Masala I've tried!!

Chicken in Creamy Tomato Curry: Chicken Tikka Masala
Recipe courtesy Aarti Sequeira

Prep Time: 20 min Inactive Prep Time: 30 min Cook Time: 35 min
Level:
Easy
Serves:
4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
Marinade:

1 cup plain yogurt, whisked until smooth
3 tablespoons Ginger-Garlic Paste, recipe follows (or 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger and 3 cloves garlic put through a garlic press or finely minced)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, poked with a fork, and cut into large bite-sized chunks
Sauce:

2 teaspoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup Ginger-Garlic Paste, recipe follows (or 6 cloves garlic and 2-inch thumb ginger minced)
2 serrano peppers, minced (seeds removed if you don't want it spicy)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon garam masala
2 teaspoons paprika
8 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 to 2 cups water
Oil, for grilling
1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves (optional)
1/2 cup heavy cream
Minced fresh cilantro, for garnish
Cooked rice, naan, or crusty piece of bread, for serving
Directions
For the marinade: In a large bowl, mix together the marinade ingredients. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Marinate at least 30 minutes, or in the refrigerator up to overnight.

For the sauce: When you're ready to make the curry, place a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil and butter. When the butter has melted, add the Ginger-Garlic Paste and serrano peppers. Saute until lightly browned around the edges. Add the tomato paste and cook until the tomato has darkened in color, about 3 minutes. Add the garam masala and the paprika and saute for about 1 minute to draw out their flavors.

Add the tomatoes, salt, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and cook until thickened, about 20 minutes. You may need more water depending on how much liquid the tomatoes give off.

Meanwhile, fire up your grill. When it is nice and hot, lightly brush it with oil. Place the chicken on the grill, shaking off some of the excess marinade. Cook until it's charred, about 2 minutes on each side. (Don't worry that the chicken will still be a little uncooked, it finishes cooking in the sauce).

Pour the sauce into a blender or food processor, or use an immersion blender, and process until smooth. Pour back into the skillet and bring back up to a boil. Add the chicken and fenugreek leaves, if using. Take the heat down to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the cream and stir through. Garnish with minced fresh cilantro, and serve over rice, with naan, or a crusty piece of bread!

Ginger-Garlic Paste:
1/2 cup cloves garlic, whole
1/2 cup fresh ginger, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1/4 cup canola oil
Throw the garlic, ginger, and canola oil in a mini-food processor and let it go until it forms a semi-smooth paste. There will still be tiny little pieces in there, but overall, it should resemble a paste.

Save what you don't use in a small glass jar. It should last in the fridge for 2 to 3 weeks. It's a delicious addition to marinades, pasta sauces, stir fry sauces, slow-cooker recipes, gravy etc. We always had a jar of this stuff in our fridge growing up.




Cauliflower and Potatoes: "Aloo Gobi"
Recipe courtesy Aarti Sequeira

Prep Time: 20 min Inactive Prep Time: -- Cook Time: 25 min
Level:
Easy
Serves:
4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
2 tablespoons Ginger-Garlic Paste, recipe follows, or 2 teaspoons grated ginger
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 cup water, divided
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 large serrano pepper, split down the middle leaving halves attached
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 small head cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 russet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (similar size to cauliflower)
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons freshly minced cilantro leaves, to garnish
Directions
Mix the Ginger-Garlic Paste, coriander, turmeric, and 1/2 cup water in a small bowl. This is a simple wet masala (spice mix). Set aside.

In a large pot, warm the oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the serrano pepper, wait 30 seconds, and then add the cumin seeds and wait until they're done spluttering.

Add the wet masala (careful, it will also splutter). Cook until the paste thickens, deepens in color slightly, and oil oozes out of the perimeter of the masala, about 2 minutes.

Add the cauliflower and potatoes, stirring to coat the vegetables with the masala. Season with salt and add 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook over medium heat 10 to 15 minutes. Then, remove the lid, stir, and cook until the cauliflower and potatoes are cooked through, about 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Ginger-Garlic Paste:
1/2 cup cloves garlic, whole
1/2 cup fresh ginger, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1/4 cup canola oil
Throw the garlic, ginger, and canola oil in a mini-food processor and let it go until it forms a semi-smooth paste. There will still be tiny little pieces in there, but overall, it should resemble a paste.

Save what you don't use in a small glass jar. It should last in the fridge for 2 to 3 weeks. It's a delicious addition to marinades, pasta sauces, stir fry sauces, slow-cooker recipes, gravy etc. We always had a jar of this stuff in our fridge growing up.

Outrageous Brownies

The brownies are amazing!!

Outrageous Brownies
Ina Garten

1 pound unsalted butter
1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, divided
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
6 extra-large eggs
3 tablespoons instant coffee powder (I don't use)
2 tablespoons real vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided (1 cup for batter and 1/4 cup in the chips and nuts)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups diced walnut pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13 by 18 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan.
Melt together the butter, 1 pound chocolate chips, and unsweetened chocolate on top of a double boiler. Cool slightly. Stir together the eggs, instant coffee, vanilla and sugar. Stir in the warm chocolate mixture and cool to room temperature.

Stir together 1 cup of the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and 12 ounces of chocolate chips with 1/4 cup flour to coat. Then add to the chocolate batter. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until tester just comes out clean. Halfway through the baking, rap the pan against the oven shelf to allow air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Do not over-bake! Cool thoroughly, refrigerate well and cut into squares.

Ai's Katdu-don and Miso Soup

My friend Ai taught me how to make pork katsu-don and miso soup a couple of weeks ago. It was SOOOO good!!

Ai’s Pork Katsu-don

Boneless Pork chops
Flour
Panko breadcrumbs
1 egg + ½ T vegetable oil per egg (you will need however many eggs you need to cover however many chops you’re making)
Salt & pepper
Oil, for frying
1. Lightly tenderize both sides of the chops then squish them back into form on a cutting board and set aside.

2. Wisk the amount of eggs and oil you need in a medium bowl (the oil helps the panko stay on the chops).

3. Line a cookie sheet with the panko crumbs and set aside.

4. Salt and pepper the pork.

5. Sprinkle flour on both sides of the chops.

6. Take each chop and put it in the egg mixture and then place them on top of the panko crumbs on the cookie sheet. Once the cookie sheet is filled or you’ve finished putting the egg on each chop sprinkle the chops with panko and press down so both sides are covered in panko.

7. Put the chops aside until you’re ready to fry, then fry until golden.


Sauce (per person):
¼ small onion, sliced thin
50 mls water (just shy of a ¼ c)
1 T soy sauce
1 T mirin
1 ½ t sugar
1 t dashi (like a fish bouillon)
1 egg (per person)
1. Saute the onion in about a T of vegetable oil until softened.

2. Add the water and dashi, let simmer for about 5 minutes.

3. Add soy, mirin and sugar, taste (should be strong taste since you will add egg that will make it less strong), let simmer.

4. Right before you’re going to serve it lightly beat as many eggs as you have people eating and put the eggs into the sauce ½ at a time. When you put the second half of the eggs in put the lid on and cook just for a minute until the eggs are just done.

ASSEMBLY: You can either put the fried chops into the sauce and then put it over rice if you like the pork soft. If you like the pork crispy then put rice on the plate, then sauce over the rice and the pork on top.

Ai’s Miso Soup
Any vegetables you want, cut thin (dikon, pumpkin, carrot, etc)
(Per person)
1 c water
1-2 T miso (red, white or Koji (Ai’s favorite, it has rice in it)
½ t dashi (it's a fish bouillon base you can get at Japanese markets)
Silken tofu (cut into small cubes)
Green onion (sliced small)
1. Put the water and dashi in a pot at medium heat.

2. Once the water is hot add the vegetables and simmer until soft.

3. Put the amount of miso you need in a large ladle. Put a little of the dashi broth in the ladle with the miso and stir a small amount of the miso into the broth in the ladle. When the miso is mixed into the broth pour that part into the rest of the broth and vegetables and continue the same process until all the miso is in the pot.

4. Add the tofu and green onions (you can also wait to serve until you add the green onions).

IMPORTANT: Don’t boil the miso!! Just heat until hot.

Ai's Sukiyaki

My friend Ai taught me how to make Sukiyaki a couple of weeks ago. We had so much fun and it was delicious!! Sukiyaki is a Japanese dish that you cook in a hot pot on the stove and then transfer it to the table and put it on a hot plate to keep it hot. Everyone eats out of the communal pot. Each person has a plate of rice to eat their sukiyaki with.

Ai’s Sukiyaki

Prep Work (use as much vegetables as you want)
4 lg carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch by 3 inch long pieces
4 c dicon, peeled and cut into 1 inch by 3 inch long pieces
3 lg yellow onions, cut into strips
Boil the vegetables until just starting to soften, then drain.

8 lg shitake mushrooms, sliced
3 Japanese green onions, sliced on the diagonal in 2-3 inch slices
Enoki mushrooms (straw mushrooms), washed
1 medium head of Napa Cabbage, cut into chunks
Shinjuku (chrysanthemum leaves, herb that looks like parsley), wash, cut hard stems off and roughly chop
Shiratake Noodles, rinse and cut them
Broiled Tofu, rinse and cut the block into 4 strips by 3 strip chunks

SAUCE
1 c Mirin (Japanese sweet cooking seasoning)
1 c Soy Sauce
¾ c sugar (If using Japanese sugar then use 1 c)
Mix until sugar is dissolved

ASSEMBLING
Put 1 T oil in the bottom of the pot. Cook about half the meat. Take out some of the excess oil with a paper towel. Add half the sauce to the meat. Add all the other ingredients into the pot by placing each of them in their own little section of the pot. Don’t put the siratake noodles next to the meat, it will make the meat tough. Put the lid on and steam until all the veggies are softened. Serve with rice.

Chex Mix Arare

I made this Chex Mix Arare a couple of weeks ago. It was a really fun twist on regular chex mix. I loved it. Some people that tried it loved it & others just thought it was ok. Arare can be an acquired taste. You can get furikake at any Japanese market. It a mixture of seaweed, sesame seeds & all other kinds of flavorings that you sprinkle over rice.

Chex Mix Arare
Adapted from Erin’s (Food For Thought) recipe

Makes about 14 cups of snack mix

Recipe Notes: You can use whatever cereals or snacks that you love in your Chex Mix. Just make sure you use a total of 13 cups! I used a combination of cashews and peanuts, but again, use a total of 1 cup of whatever nuts you love.

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 cup granulated sugar
7 cups Crispix rice cereal
3 cups Honeycomb cereal
3 cups Bugles
1/2 cup salted roasted cashew pieces
1/2 cup salted roasted peanuts
1/4 cup nori komi furikake

1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Place the oil, butter, corn syrup, soy sauce, and sugar in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat until the butter melts and sugar dissolves.

3. Pour the Crispix, Honeycomb, Bugles, and nuts into a large baking pan. Drizzle ¼ of the syrup over the cereal mix and mix well. Sprinkle ¼ of the furikake over the mix. Continue adding syrup and furikake and mixing until all ingredients have been added and the cereal mix is evenly coated.

4. Bake for 1 hour, stirring the chex mix every 15 minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool, about 15 minutes. Store in an airtight container.

Baked Spinach & Halibut from Jessica Seinfeld

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUst4LrGl_s&feature=player_embedded

I've been wanting to try this baked halibut from Jessica Seinfeld for a long time & I finally made it this week. It was really really good! It was super easy too. I think next time I will use more spinach because mine got a little dry and crispy. Also, I had to cook it for double the time she says to get it cooked through. I will definitely be making this again!

Thai Honey Peanut Chicken

This Thai Honey Peanut Chicken from Tasty Kitchen is really good and really easy. I added some veggies. I think next time I will cook the chicken as is and have the steamed veggies on the side.

Thai Honey Peanut Chicken
http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen-blog/2010/11/a-tasty-recipe-thai-honey-peanut-chicken/

Ingredients
1 pound Chicken, In Chunks
¼ cups Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Honey
1 Tablespoon Lime Juice
1 teaspoon Minced Garlic (approximately 1 Large Clove)
1 Tablespoon Natural Peanut Butter (heaping Tablespoon Even Better)
½ teaspoons Curry Powder
1 teaspoon Sriracha (optional)
Preparation Instructions
Mix ingredients and marinate chicken for 2-3 hours.
Cook chicken in the sauce over medium-high heat for 7-8 minutes or until chicken is done. Reduce heat to medium-low and add precooked veggies if desired. Serve topped with sesame seeds.
To thicken sauce if needed: reduce heat to medium-low and add a cornstarch slurry (1 teaspoon cornstarch in 1 tablespoon water).
Substitutions: replace chicken with tofu; replace peanut butter with tahini or another nut butter; if using regular peanut butter (i.e. Skippy) instead of natural peanut butter, reduce honey by 1 tablespoon.

Buttermilk Syrup

This Buttermilk Syrup from allrecipes.com is really good. It's super sweet so a little goes a long way. It's really good on ice cream too. You really need to let it cook until it's a nice golden/amber color before adding the vanilla.

Buttermilk Syrup


INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a saucepan, stir together the sugar, buttermilk, butter, corn syrup, and baking soda. Bring to a boil, and cook for 7 minutes. Remove from the heat, and stir in the vanilla.

Mongolian Beef

This Mongolian beef from Home Based Mom's blog is so so so good! & super easy. I added some carrots and broccoli when I made it.

Mongolian Beef
http://www.yourhomebasedmom.com/mongolian-beef/

1 lb top round steak or flank steak, cut thinly on the cross grain

1/4 C cornstarch

3 tsp vegetable oil

1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger or minced ginger

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1/2 C water

1/2 C soy sauce (I used low sodium)

1/2 C brown sugar

2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

3 green onions, sliced into 2-3″ pieces

oil for frying

Dry off meat with a paper towel and slice into 1/4″ thick slices against the grain. Add to a bowl with the cornstarch and coat thoroughly.

Add 1 1/2 tsp oil to a wok or large frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger, stir until fragrant. Add soy sauce, water, rice vinegar and brown sugar. Cook for about 2 minutes and remove from pan.

Add remaining 1 1/2 tsp oil to pan over high heat. Add the meat and cook until brown on all sides and slightly crispy. Pour sauce back into pan over meat. Add green onions, stir and remove from heat. Serve with rice. EnJOY!

Awesome Granola!

My sister-in-law Holley has gotten me addicted to this granola recipe from Alton Brown. It's the best granola I've ever had! She doesn't add the cashews or raisins and I don't either. Instead of maple syrup sometimes I use half agave nectar and half honey & it's really good that way too.

Granola
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown

Prep Time: 10 min Inactive Prep Time: -- Cook Time: 1 hr 15 min
Level:
Easy
Serves:
6 servings
Ingredients
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup cashews
3/4 cup shredded sweet coconut
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins
Directions
Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, and brown sugar.

In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, oil, and salt. Combine both mixtures and pour onto 2 sheet pans. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to achieve an even color.

Remove from oven and transfer into a large bowl. Add raisins and mix until evenly distributed.

Gingerbread Muffins

These gingerbread muffins are SOO good! My kids keep asking me to make more & more.

Gingerbread Mini-muffins
Adapted from the Bed and Breakfast Cookbook by Pamela Lanier
Of course you could make these as normal sized muffins or even a whole loaf, but that’s just not as fun!
Ingredients:
1 cup of dark brown sugar
2 1/2 cups of flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 egg
1/2 cup of molasses
1 cup buttermilk*
1/2 cup of melted butter
* If you don’t have buttermilk (I almost never do), just add 1 tbsp. of white vinegar to a cup of regular milk and let sit out for about 10 minutes.
The Process:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Spray/butter muffin tins.
2. Combine sugar, flour, soda, salt and spices in a bowl.
3. In a separate bowl mix the egg, molasses, milk, and butter.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just blended.
5. Add to muffin tins (about 3/4 full, these muffins don’t rise too much, so you don’t have to worry about them overflowing) and bake for 15 minutes. If making normal sized muffins, it’ll be more like 20 minutes. Muffins are done when a toothpick comes out clean.

http://backtothecuttingboard.com/dessert/gingerbread-mini-muffins/

Parker House Rolls

The first time I made these rolls from Alex Guarnaschelli they were really dry. The second time I made them they were heaven! It's also a really good dough for cinnamon rolls. The second time I made them I put the dough on a very lightly floured surface after it was done rising and I didn't put any flour on the top of the dough. The dough didn't stick at all. It was perfect.

Parker House Rolls
Recipe courtesy Alex Guarnaschelli for Food Network Magazine


Serves:
24 rolls

Ingredients
1 1/4-ounce packet active dry yeast
1/2 cup sugar
7 1/2 to 8 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus softened butter for brushing
2 cups whole milk, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
Directions
Bloom the yeast.

Measure out 1/2 cup warm water and check the temperature: It should be between 110 degrees F and 120 degrees F (comfortable bathwater temperature). Sprinkle the yeast into a large bowl, add the warm water and whisk in the sugar. Let sit 1 minute (it should bubble and froth slightly), then gently stir in 1 cup flour. Set aside near the stove while you prepare the dough.

Make the dough.

Mix the melted butter and milk in a mixer with the hook attachment on low speed. Add the eggs and mix until blended. Scrape in the yeast mixture and mix until incorporated. Add 6 1/2 cups flour and 1 tablespoon salt; mix until the dough forms a ball, 2 to 3 minutes, adding up to 1/2 cup more flour if the dough is too wet and sticky.

Let it rise.

Brush a large bowl with softened butter. Transfer the dough to the bowl, cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place, 2 hours to 2 hours, 30 minutes. The dough should double in volume.

Shape the dough.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dust a clean flat surface with flour and turn the dough out onto it. Flour your hands; gently press the dough into a 16-by-8-inch rectangle, about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick (don't use a rolling pin).

Cut the dough.

With the short side in front of you, cut the dough in half lengthwise with a floured knife. Then slice crosswise into 12 strips.

Shape the dough.

One at a time, fold each strip of dough unevenly in half so the top part slightly overlaps the bottom half, then tuck the overhang underneath. Place the rolls seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet in 3 tightly packed rows. (If making in advance, wrap the baking sheet tightly in plastic wrap and freeze up to 3 weeks.)

Bake the rolls.

Bake until the rolls are bursting at the seams and golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. (If frozen, bake 25 minutes at 325 degrees F, then 10 minutes at 375 degrees F.) Remove from the oven and brush with softened butter. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.

Foolproof Rib Roast

This is a super easy and delicious roast recipe from allrecipes.com
Foolproof Rib Roast

INGREDIENTS:
1 (5 pound) standing beef rib roast
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
DIRECTIONS:
1. Allow roast to stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Combine the salt, pepper and garlic powder in a small cup. Place the roast on a rack in a roasting pan so that the fatty side is up and the rib side is on the bottom. Rub the seasoning onto the roast.
3. Roast for 1 hour in the preheated oven. Turn the oven off and leave the roast inside. Do not open the door. Leave it in there for 3 hours. 30 to 40 minutes before serving, turn the oven back on at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) to reheat the roast. The internal temperature should be at least 145 degrees F (62 degrees C). Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before carving into servings.

Panetone

This Christmas was the first time I tried Panetone bread. I was so so good as French toast!

Green Chile Egg Casserole

I love green chile, so anytime I come across a recipe with that in it I'm pumped! This was good. It's SUPER cheesy.

Green Chile Egg Casserole

2 – 4 oz. can diced green chiles
1 lb. shredded jack cheese
1 lb. shredded cheddar cheese
4 eggs, separated
1 can evaporated milk
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. flour
Tomatoes for topping
Salsa for topping
*This dish must be prepared the night before baking.

Beat egg whites until stiff white peaks form, set aside. In a large separate bowl, beat yolks with a fork. Add one can of evaporated milk, salt, pepper, flour and green chiles. Mix well. Gently fold in egg whites.

Sprinkle mixed cheeses evenly in a 8 ½ x 11 casserole dish. Pour egg mixture evenly over cheeses and spread with a spatula. Cover and place in the refrigerator overnight.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake for 55 minutes.

Allow to rest for about 10 minutes before serving. Serve topped with sliced tomatoes and salsa on the side.

Serves 12.



http://www.make-it-do.com/cook-it-bake-it/muy-bueno-green-chile-egg-casserole/

Shamrock Cookies

These are my friend Diane's shamrock cookies. They're very festive looking and very delish!

Shamrock Cookies

1-1/2 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
5 cups flour

Preheat oven to 350. Cream shortening, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Add remaining ingredients. Refrigerate 15 minutes. Work with 1/3 to 1/2 of dough at a time -- pinch off small (1/2-3/4 inch) pieces of dough, roll into balls. Four balls per cookie. Roll each ball in green decorator sugar, then place 3 balls touching each other in a triangular pattern on an ungreased cookie sheet. Pinch the 4th ball to make more of a stem, and push it inbetween two of the balls forming the triangle. Bake 10-12 minutes or until set.

Homemade microwave popcorn

How did I not know you could do this??? Put 1/4 c popcorn kernels in a paper lunch bag. Fold the top over twice. Put it in the microwave on its side for 2 mins! So easy! I like to melt a couple of t of butter & put the butter & salt on it after it's cooked.

Sata Andagi (Okinawan Doughnuts)

I learned to make these in home ec and haven't made them since. I don't know why I haven't made them since! They're easy & yummy!

Sata Andagi (Okinawan Doughnuts)

allrecipes.com

Ingredients
oil ( for deep frying)
4 eggs
3/4 cup milk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions
In a deep fryer or deep skillet, heat oil to 350 F or until hot.
In a large bowl, beat eggs, milk, and vanilla. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
Add to egg mixture; stir until dry ingredients are moistened and dough is smooth.
Drop teaspoonfuls of dough into the hot oil; fry until golden brown and doughnuts rise to the surface.
Drain on paper towel lined plates and serve hot, but they are also good cooled down, you can buy them either way there on Okinawa!'

Spinach Artichoke Dip

I made this dip for a Relief Society Activity last week. I just took all the things I like in Spinach & Artichoke dip recipes I've had and mixed them all together. It turned out really good.

Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Kerstin Bates
6 medium portabello mushrooms, diced
1 stick of green onion, diced
3 sliced precooked bacon, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T butter
1 28 oz can artichokes, diced
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed & drained
½ c mayo
16 oz cream cheese, softened
½ c parmesan cheese, grated
5 basil leaves, diced
½ t dried dill

Cook the mushrooms, green onion, bacon and garlic in the butter in a skillet until softened. Add the spinach and cook over a medium heat until all the moisture is cooked out of the mixture. In a large bowl mix the spinach mixture, mayo, artichokes, cream cheese, parmesan, basil and dill until thoroughly mixed. Put in a 9 x 13 pan and bake at 350 for 30 mins. You can also top it with a thin layer of parmesan for a nice crust.

Warm Picnic Burritos ("Burritos De Machaca") Recipe courtesy Marcela Valladolid Prep Time: 15 min Inactive Prep Time: -- Cook Time: 2 hr 30 min Level

This burrito filling from Marcela on the Food Network is SO good. It made a lot so I put some in the freezer & had 2 meals. I will definitely be making this again.

Warm Picnic Burritos ("Burritos De Machaca")
Recipe courtesy Marcela Valladolid

Prep Time: 15 min Inactive Prep Time: -- Cook Time: 2 hr 30 min
Level:
Easy
Serves:
12 burritos
Ingredients
Marinade:

2 tablespoons Maggi sauce* or 1 tablespoon soy sauce, plus 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons water
4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 serrano chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
1 (2 to 3-pound) skirt steak, trimmed and cut into 3 pieces
3 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
1 1/2 cups diced onion
1 cup diced red bell pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 serrano chiles, stemmed, seeded, and minced
1 cup beef broth
1 can diced tomatoes with juice
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 (6-inch) flour tortillas
Lime wedges, for serving
*Maggi sauce is a popular seasoning in Mexico that can be found in Latin markets
Directions
Combine the Maggi sauce, water, lime juice, garlic, chile, salt, and pepper, to taste, in a medium-size bowl. Slowly add the 1/2 cup of olive oil, whisking constantly.

Add the beef to the marinade, making sure each piece is coated with the mixture. Transfer the meat and the marinade to a quart-size freezer bag. Seal and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or preferably overnight. Allow the meat to come to room temperature before cooking, about 30 minutes. Remove the meat from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Discard the marinade.

In a large heavy pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Sear the meat on all sides, a few pieces at a time, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the browned meat to a platter and set aside.

Add the onions, peppers, garlic, and chiles to the hot pan. Saute for 5 minutes, then add the beef broth, tomatoes, oregano, salt and pepper, to taste. Mix well, then return the meat to the pan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer slowly until the meat is very tender, about 2 hours. Transfer the meat to a cutting board and allow to rest until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Continue to cook the onion mixture until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes.

Using your fingers or 2 forks, shred the meat into 2-inch-long pieces. Return the shredded meat to the pot, stir to combine, and cook until meat is very hot, about 3 minutes.

Warm the tortillas over a burner or in a dry skillet over medium heat for 20 seconds. Put about 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture in the center of each tortilla, and roll into a thin burrito. Arrange them on a serving platter and garnish with lime wedges.

Super Simple Crock Pot Beef Stew

I made this last week. It was really good and super super easy.

Simple Beef Stew

1 package beef stew meat
4 small potatoes, cubed
1 c baby carrots
1 package brown gravy mix
1 package onion soup mix
1 c water

Put all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low for 8 hours.

Chunky Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookie

I really like Top Chef:Just Desserts. The judges said over and over that this cookie Erika made was really good so I had to try it. It's a seriously good cookie!!

CHUNKY CHOCOLATE CHIP WALNUT COOKIE
-Erika Davis


Top Chef: Just Desserts, Season 1, Episode 3, Elimination Challenge

INGREDIENTS

¾ c sugar
¾ c brown sugar
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
½ lb butter
2 ½ c AP flour
2 eggs
½ tsp vanilla
¼ tsp salt
1 ½ c chocolate chips
1 c walnuts
DIRECTIONS

1. Cream the butter, sugars, eggs together then add the vanilla, salt and baking soda. Scrape the sides and add the baking powder and flour. Mix till incorporated and add the walnuts and chocolate chips just till mixed.

2. Scoop and bake at 345

Pancakes/Waffles

This recipe from Allrecipes.com is my go to recipe for pancakes & waffles. Delish!

Fluffy Pancakes


INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2 tablespoons butter, melted
cooking spray
DIRECTIONS:
1. Combine milk with vinegar in a medium bowl and set aside for 5 minutes to "sour".
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk egg and butter into "soured" milk. Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and whisk until lumps are gone.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and coat with cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto the skillet, and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip with a spatula, and cook until browned on the other side.

Spinach Twist

I got this recipe from Sister's Cafe. It was a little complex, but really good. It's really rich, so be prepared for that.

Spinach Twist
submitted by Erin ~ sisterscafe.blogspot.com
printable recipe
8 Rhodes Texas rolls, thawed and risen (or 12 regular dinner rolls)
1 8-oz pkg cream cheese
3 c chopped fresh spinach
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp rosemary
1 egg
1/4 c parmesan cheese
2 c chopped ham
1 c sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 c chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 egg, beaten
parmesan cheese, if desired

Press rolls together and roll out to a 10x13 inch rectangle. Mix cream cheese, spinach, basil, rosemary, egg, parmesan cheese and ham in bowl. Spread mixture over dough. Saute mushrooms, onion, garlic, butter, salt and pepper. Spread over cream cheese mixture. Starting with the longest side, roll dough up tightly and place seam side down. Tuck ends under. With a long, serrated knife, cut roll lengthwise in half. Carefully, roll each half so the cut side is facing out. Twist halves together 3 times and then pinch ends together and tuck under. This will form a long twist. Place on baking sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Brush with egg and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
Cover with sprayed plastic wrap and let rise until double. Remove wrap and bake at 350 degrees 45 minutes. Do not underbake. Cove with foil the last 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before slicing.
This is what it looks like before being baked:

Caramel Apple Cake

This is a really yummy cake from the Food Network Magazine. It's quite a process, but really good.

Caramel Apple Cake
Recipe courtesy Food Network Magazine

Prep Time:1 hr 0 minInactive Prep Time:--Cook Time:1 hr 30 min
Level:
Intermediate
Serves:
8-10 servings

Ingredients
For the Caramel and Apples:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
3 cups sugar
5 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 cup heavy cream
4 large Golden Delicious apples (1 3/4 to 2 pounds)
For the Batter:

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
Directions
Butter a 9-by-3-inch round cake pan. Make the caramel: Cook the sugar and corn syrup in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is dark amber, 7 to 10 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium. Carefully add the cream and 4 tablespoons butter (it will splatter) and cook, stirring, until combined, about 3 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the heat and let sit 1 minute. Pour 1 1/2 cups caramel into a glass measuring cup and set aside. Pour the remaining caramel into the prepared pan and set aside until set, about 30 minutes.

Cut 3 apples into quarters and cut out the cores with a paring knife. Arrange the pieces skin-side down in the pan (overlapping them slightly) to form a ring about 1/2 inch from the edge. Save any pieces that do not fit for later.

Halve the remaining whole apple crosswise. Scoop out the seeds with a melon baller or measuring spoon, leaving the stem on the top half. Chop the bottom and any of the leftover quartered apples into pieces; set aside.

Arrange the apple top, stem-side down, in the center of the pan. If the quartered apples shift, just push them back into place.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Make the batter: Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the sour cream, orange juice and vanilla.

Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Crack the eggs into a small bowl. Slip them into the mixer bowl, one at a time, and beat until the mixture is pale and creamy, about 5 more minutes. Scrape down the bowl and beater with a rubber spatula.

With the mixer on low speed, add half of the sour cream mixture, then half of the flour mixture. Repeat. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula; finish combining the batter by hand.

Spread the batter over the apples in the pan. Top with the chopped apple. Bake on the middle oven rack until the cake is brown on top and springs back when pressed, 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes (don't worry if the top is dark). Cool in the pan on a rack.

Bring 1 inch of water to a simmer in a skillet wide enough to hold the cake pan. Carefully run a sharp knife around the inside of the pan several times, then rest the pan in the water to soften the caramel, about 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the water and dry.

Invert a plate on top of the cake, then flip over the cake and plate. Using pot holders or a towel, wriggle the pan off. Soften the reserved 1 1/2 cups caramel in the microwave, about 2 minutes. Drizzle the cake with some of the caramel. Slice and serve with the rest

Cauliflower Gratin

This is a really good recipe I tried a couple of weeks ago from Ina Garten. It's a nice change up from the normal potatoes gratin.

Cauliflower Gratin
2004, Barefoot in Paris, All Rights Reserved

Prep Time:20 minInactive Prep Time:--Cook Time:30 min
Level:
Easy
Serves:
4 to 6 servings

Ingredients
1 (3-pound) head cauliflower, cut into large florets
Kosher salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups hot milk
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3/4 cup freshly grated Gruyere, divided
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cook the cauliflower florets in a large pot of boiling salted water for 5 to 6 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain.

Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture and stir until it comes to a boil. Boil, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, or until thickened. Off the heat, add 1 teaspoon of salt, the pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup of the Gruyere, and the Parmesan.

Pour 1/3 of the sauce on the bottom of an 8 by 11 by 2-inch baking dish. Place the drained cauliflower on top and then spread the rest of the sauce evenly on top. Combine the bread crumbs with the remaining 1/4 cup of Gruyere and sprinkle on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over the gratin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is browned. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Aloha Chicken

My sister-in-law's family is famous for this recipe. It's so easy & SO good. It's called Aloha Chicken because you use Aloha Brand Soy Sauce.

Aloha Chicken
-Schoen Family

1 c Aloha Soy Sauce
1 c sugar
1 t garlic, minced
1 t ginger, minced
3 lbs chicken thighs

Put the first 4 ingredients in a large pot. Bring them to a boil until the sugar dissolves. Add the chicken and cook at a medium high heat for 45 minutes.

I like to cook everything in the crockpot on low for about 8 hours.

Super Quick No Rise Pizza

This pizza is great when you don't have time to wait for the dough to rise. It was really good! It's from allrecipes.com

Pizza Dough I

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45
degrees C)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Combine flour, salt, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Mix in oil and warm water. Spread out on a large pizza pan. Top as desired.
2. Bake at 375 degrees C (190 degrees C) for 20 to 25 minutes.

Pasta Bolognese

This is a time consuming recipe, but it's also delish. It's really hearty and thick. This made a huge amount, so I just put 2/3 in the freezer for another time.

Pasta Bolognese
Recipe courtesy Anne Burrell

Prep Time:45 minInactive Prep Time:--Cook Time:4 hr 30 min
Level:
Intermediate
Serves:
6 to 8 servings

Ingredients
1 large onion or 2 small, cut into 1-inch dice
2 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 ribs celery, cut into 1-inch dice
4 cloves garlic
Extra-virgin olive oil, for the pan
Kosher salt
3 pounds ground chuck, brisket or round or combination
2 cups tomato paste
3 cups hearty red wine (I used beef broth instead)
Water
3 bay leaves
1 bunch thyme, tied in a bundle
1 pound spaghetti
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
High quality extra-virgin olive oil, for finishing
Directions
In a food processor, puree onion, carrots, celery, and garlic into a coarse paste. In a large pan over medium heat, coat pan with oil. Add the pureed veggies and season generously with salt. Bring the pan to a medium-high heat and cook until all the water has evaporated and they become nice and brown, stirring frequently, about 15 to 20 minutes. Be patient, this is where the big flavors develop.

Add the ground beef and season again generously with salt. BROWN THE BEEF! Brown food tastes good. Don't rush this step. Cook another 15 to 20 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and cook until brown about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the red wine. Cook until the wine has reduced by half, another 4 to 5 minutes.

Add water to the pan until the water is about 1 inch above the meat. Toss in the bay leaves and the bundle of thyme and stir to combine everything. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally. As the water evaporates you will gradually need to add more, about 2 to 3 cups at a time. Don't be shy about adding water during the cooking process, you can always cook it out. This is a game of reduce and add more water. This is where big rich flavors develop. If you try to add all the water in the beginning you will have boiled meat sauce rather than a rich, thick meaty sauce. Stir and TASTE frequently. Season with salt, if needed (you probably will). Simmer for 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

During the last 30 minutes of cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat to cook the spaghetti. Pasta water should ALWAYS be well salted. Salty as the ocean! TASTE IT! If your pasta water is under seasoned it doesn't matter how good your sauce is, your complete dish will always taste under seasoned. When the water is at a rolling boil add the spaghetti and cook for 1 minute less than it calls for on the package. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.

While the pasta is cooking remove 1/2 of the ragu from the pot and reserve.

Drain the pasta and add to the pot with the remaining ragu. Stir or toss the pasta to coat with the sauce. Add some of the reserved sauce, if needed, to make it about an even ratio between pasta and sauce. Add the reserved pasta cooking water and cook the pasta and sauce together over a medium heat until the water has reduced. Turn off the heat and give a big sprinkle of Parmigiano and a generous drizzle of the high quality finishing olive oil. Toss or stir vigorously. Divide the pasta and sauce into serving bowls or 1 big pasta bowl. Top with remaining grated Parmigiano. Serve immediately.