Grilled Peaches With Dukkah and Blueberries

                                                                Francesco Tonelli for The New York Times

I have not tried this recipe, but I want to try and make it some time, so I thought I would post it.

Grilled Peaches With Dukkah and Blueberries

4 peaches

Olive oil, for brushing

1 tablespoon dukkah (see note)

Whipped cream, for serving

Blueberries, for serving.

Prepare the grill. Halve and pit the peaches, then brush them with oil. Grill the peaches, cut side down, for 5 minutes, without turning. To serve, transfer 2 peach halves to each of 4 plates. Sprinkle with some of the dukkah, then spoon over some whipped cream and top with blueberries.

Yield: 4 servings.

Note: Dukkah, an Egyptian nut-and-spice blend, can be purchased from kalustyans.comor made using the recipe below.

Dukkah

1/3 cup pistachios, lightly toasted

1/3 cup almonds, lightly toasted

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon caraway seeds

1 teaspoon crushed Urfa pepper, or substitute Aleppo pepper

3 tablespoons sesame seeds, lightly toasted

2 teaspoons fine sea salt

1 teaspoon nigella seeds

1 teaspoon dried mint

1 teaspoon dried lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram.

Roughly chop the pistachios and almonds. Grind the coriander, cumin and caraway seeds in an electric coffee grinder or spice mill. Combine all ingredients and mix well. Sprinkle on fruit, grilled fish or zucchini. Keep in a tightly covered jar.

Yield: About 1 cup.

Yum Yum Balls

These are the quickest, easiest, yummy dessert bites ever. The recipe is thanks to my Cadbury's Dessert Recipe book that a friend gave me after she visited me in Dunedin, NZ and toured the Cadbury's factory there.

I recently made these for my friend Carroll's surprise graduation party (YAY CARROLL!!). They took less than 30 min to make, they chilled while I was at work, then I carted them off to be enjoyed J

So, although there are only four ingredients, looking for these may be more effort than actually making this dessert. These are staples in NZ supermarkets, however some may be harder to find in US grocery stores. Anyway, here goes:

2 c crushed Maria biscuits cookies

(You can find these in the Spanish food section of the grocery store. I dump them in a plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin)

1 c unsweetened coconut flakes, plus extra

(I have never seen this at a regular grocery store. If you do, let me know! I buy this at the George St Co-Op in New Brunswick)

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 tin sweetened condensed milk

Method: Put first three ingredients in a bowl and mix. Add the condensed milk and stir until all combined. If the mixture is too wet add a little more cocoa powder (like a tsp or so). Roll spoonfuls into balls and coat with extra coconut flakes. I put the extra coconut flakes in a bowl, and dump the balls in there and roll them around till coated. Chill until ready to be served. Done. That's it. Seriously. Easy.

Variations: Actually, my Grandma used to make these, and she would add 1 tsp brandy essence and call them brandy balls. So, I guess you could add any flavor you like and experiment with taste! Bon Appetit!

Reengineering Recipes Smart: adjustments without sacrificing flavor

I found this article on a website I sometimes check out... Whats Cookin: Food with Taste. Since we're all into healthier options, I thought it might be cool to share. It's written by Rona Lewis (see below for more info on her). Feel free to comment and add your own healthy cooking tips, too!

~Annette

When I tell people that I create healthy recipes, their minds immediately think of dishes like raw tofu sautéed with peat moss and sprinkled with twigs.

As good as that sounds (KIDDING!), healthy cooking is simply about thinking smarter. I like to eat good food as much as the next person, so it made sense for me to create recipes that saved on fat, calories, carbs and sugar so I COULD eat well, but not feel “cheated” in terms of taste and variety.

Changing recipes to make them healthier isn’t hard at all. Basic changes can go a long way to lighten a dish, even if you’re not a pro. Instead of deep-frying anything, just use a tablespoon or two of oil in a pan. On a high heat, sauté it! (Translation-there IS no deep-frying in healthy cooking.) You’ll save a ton of calories. Once you’re used to it, the dishes taste great. You’ll actually experience the taste of the ingredients. 

One of my favorite kitchen tools is the Misto-a reusable spray can that I fill with olive oil to coat pans. I also use one for grapeseed oil, balsamic vinegar, etc. They’re very handy! 

Then I substitute low sodium chicken or vegetable broth for extra oil to keep the foods moist without adding fat and calories and keep the ingredients from sticking to the pan. A dish doesn’t have to be loaded with oil to taste good. Try using non-fat or low fat plain Greek yogurt instead of full fat sour cream. You’ll save about 10-12 grams of fat and won’t notice a change in flavor. 

Stevia works well as a sugar substitute in cooking and baking and is all natural. If you like salt in your food, use sea salt or one of the more natural versions. Salt is salt-the sodium levels don’t change whether it’s from the Black Sea or Siberia, but many of them have added minerals. Table salt has been over-processed. Don’t bother. I never use salt to cook; occasionally I’ll add a touch at the very end, right before plating, if needed. Most people salt their food, anyway. Why give them more sodium than they need? Then they’ll feel bloated the next day and blame you. Who needs the stress?

Use fresh herbs as much as possible when cooking. Your dishes will taste fresher because of them. When using eggs in recipes, substitute an extra egg white or two instead of using yolks. 

I bet you can think of even more tips if you pay attention. These are easy, straightforward changes that everyone can make to keep their calories under control without feeling deprived of anything. Have other tips?  Share them here! I’d love to know. This is my version of Chicken Pot Pie. It’s MUCH healthier than a full fat/full carb version, which can have 30 grams of fat and over 600 calories per serving. My recipe gives you all the taste, including a crust, with less than half the fat and calories. I bet you and your family won’t be able to tell the difference.

Rona’s Reengineered Chicken Pot Pie
Serves 6

Nutritional breakdown per serving:
Calories: 350 /Protein: 26gr / Sodium 311mg / Fat: 12gr           
Carbohydrates: 38gr / Sat Fat: 4gr / Fiber: 4gr / Sugar: 9gr           

This version is high in vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin K.  It also has a lot of riboflavin, Vitamin B6 and is very high in Protein, but low on the Glycemic Index!

Ingredients:
1 raw, organic, whole wheat pie crust (I don’t bake, these are quicker)

Filling:
Butter spray
1 leek, sliced and rinsed
1 large carrot or a handful of small, peeled
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced (can use regular if desired)
1 Tbs all purpose flour
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsps fresh dill, minced
½ red pepper, diced
½ cup Portobello mushrooms, diced
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 cups cubed chicken breast, cooked and seasoned
1 cup of peas, fresh or frozen and thawed
1 cup non-fat half and half
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Ground pepper, to taste

Prep directions:
Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice pie dough into ½” strips using a pizza wheel.  Set aside.

Spray medium saucepan well with butter spray. Heat over med-high flame. Add the leek, carrot and potato.  Cook, stiring until the leek is softened. About 5 minutes. Add the flour and stir for 1minute. Stir in the broth. Bring it to a boil and reduce the heat to low.   Simmer until the mixture is slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the chicken, peas, half and half, parsley and dill.  Simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 more minutes. Season with lots of pepper. Spoon the filling into a deep 2 or 3 quart baking dish. Place the dough on top of the filling in a latticework pattern. Bake until crust is golden brown, about 25-30 minutes.  Serve immediately. 


Rona Lewis is an LA-based fitness and lifestyle coach, cookbook author and motivational speaker. The first in her cookbook series, Does This Cookbook Make Me Look Fat? Healthy Recipes Even HE Will Eat!, is available at www.ronalewis.com. Her second book, Does This Cookbook Make Me Look Fat? Vol. 2 Healthy Recipes For Entertaining, will be out this Spring.

Quick and Easy Pizza

 I guess I'm just an appliance-girl - who knew?!  This weeks challenge is for your food processor! You ladies are all going to think we only eat bread around here, but some of my best recipes are baked goods.  Oh well, that's what I love about this - we all have different strengths and I've gotten so many delicious ideas for meat and soups already from you.

We Picciottoli's love our pizza and as any Jersey Girl knows, you can't get good pizza everywhere and we're lucky to have it here in the Garden State.  BUT...I hate to pay for it!  So when I found out you could make pizza (dough) in a food processor, I was right on board, ticket in hand!  You don't have to have a food processor, but it sure makes it fast and fool-proof! 

I've shared this recipe with some of you already, but here it is for the rest.  I've made changes to thins document over time, so as to keep track of what I find works or what topping combinations we like.  We always serve this with a salad for the vegetable since it won't hold up to a ton of toppings.  I know it's long, but the recipe is quite simple, and again FREEZABLE (I <3 freezer-cooking!!).  I hope everything here is clear - if not let me know!


One recipe makes 1 large, 2 medium or 4 small (personal sized) pizzas.

Preheat oven to 500 F for at least 15 minutes.  Very lightly oil a cookie sheet and then, if you want, sprinkle with corn meal.  Stretch dough out over pan, let it rest 5 minutes and then complete stretching.  Dough should be quite thin, but with no holes.  Spread toppings on dough- scant amount of sauce (1/2 cup) and 1 - 1 1/2 C cheese.  You should still see dough/sauce peeking through (the thinner the toppings the crispier the crust).  Bake 8-12 minutes or until cheese is lightly golden, crust edges lightly brown and bottom does not stick/is no longer "doughy".

:The last time I made this I did a few things differently and it turned out UH-MAZE-ING. (1) I used bread flour which I think made a big difference in the texture, (2) I made the dough in the morning and let it sit int he fridge all day (a cold ferment!), (3) I stretched the dough as much as it wanted to over the pan, let it rest 10 minutes, then stretched it the rest of the way and (4) I cranked the oven up as high as it would go, not just to 500 (obviously it cooked much faster - 4-9 minutes not 8-12). None of these things is hard to do, just take a big of planning maybe, and it still tastes great even without these tips, but try it and let me know what you think!

:if dough has been refrigerated unwrap cling wrap and place on lightly floured board, cover lightly with a floured cloth or cling wrap and allow to come to room temperature before forming.

:if frozen, loosen cling wrap (but keep covered so it doesn't dry out and form a 'skin').  Allow to thaw in refrigerator, in an oiled bowl , then bring to room temperature before forming.  (Best to transfer from freezer to fridge 24 hours before baking).

:i use just regular baking sheets/jelly roll pans that have been lightly oiled and (when i feel like it) sprinkled with corn meal.  It works best to use a pan that is not too large so the dough just covers the entire surface of the pan.  If I had a baking stone I'd use that though and it's ok to use a bugger pan, it just might not cover the whole pan - so don't worry about stretching it too far.

:You can freeze this dough in a blob covered twice with plastic wrap or flattened out on a baking sheet.  Once it's frozen, it should pop off the sheet and then you cover it twice with plastic wrap and put it back in the freezer.  This is way better because you only have to defrost for an hour or so (not 24) and you don't even have to get flour on your hands for a quick dinner!!

Dough Recipe
scant 1 T active quick rise yeast (such as red star) or 1 packet
pinch sugar
3/4 C very warm water
1 3/4 C All Purpose Flour
1/2 t salt
optional: may mix in 1 T olive oil

with food processor
:In a small bowl, mix sugar, water and yeast, then cover loosely with cling wrap or cloth and leave 5 - 10 minutes away from drafts or cold. 

:Place flour and salt in a food processor and pulse a few times to mix.

:Check yeast; if it is ready it will be frothy.  If no bubbles appear, it is expired.  Discard and use different yeast.

:Add liquid mixture (and olive oil if using) to dry mixture and pulse until blended, adding a bit more flour as you go until mixture just forms a ball and follows the blade around the bowl (do not process until bowl is "clean"- it will kill the yeast).

: To remove from food processor bowl, flour hands well, form dough into ball and shape into crust on pan.

OR

by hand

:In a small bowl or glass measuring cup dissolve the yeast and sugar in warm water, stir and set aside for 10 minutes. Mixture should begin to bubble and foam at the end of the time (indicating that the yeast is activated & alive.)

:In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt, set aside.

:Add the liquid yeast mixture (and olive oil if using) to the dry ingredients and stir until well combined.

:Flour a work surface and knead dough for a couple of minutes until smooth and elastic.



VARIATIONS:

• bbq pizza: 1/4 C bbq sauce mixed with 1/4 C tomatoe sauce.  Spinkle 1 - 1 1/4 C mozzarella on, then sprinkle 1/2 - 1 C shredded chicken mixed with bbq sauce.  SOOOOOO good - michael's favorite.
• mexican pizza: 1/2 can of refried beans, mixed with 1/4 water, 1/4 t cayenne pepper, 1/4 t paprika, 1/2 t cumin. Spread on dough, then cover with 1 C cheddar or mixed cheese, chopped tomatoe, sliced olives, 1/2 C frozen corn, 1/2 C chopped fresh cilantro, 1/4 c thenly sliced red onion - basically taco toppings.  Just made this last weekend and we really liked it.
• garlic pizza: really thinly slice several cloves of garlic and lay over sauce before adding cheese. 
• white pizza: mix 3/4 C ricotta with 1 egg, 1/2 t salt, 1/4 t pepper, 1/2 t italian seasoning (or parsley, oregano, rosemary, thyme, basil).  thinly slice two garlic cloves. sprinkle 1 T olive oil on dough, sprinkle with garlic, put blobs of ricotta mixture evenly spaced across dough, then sprinkle with 1 - 1/2 C mozzarella.  Top with small pieces of broccoli if desired.
• whole wheat pizza: replace 1/3 - 1/2 of the flour with whole wheat (white whole wheat is best) and top as usual.

Whole-Wheat Waffles

So everyone I know says they registered for a waffle iron for their wedding and it sits unused in a closet.  Now, I'm a waffle girl so that ain't gonna happen.  But most waffle recipes I've seen are (1) none too healthy and (2) far too involved for everyday.

Well this recipe (adapted from MoneySavingMom.com - a great site!)solves that, so pull out your waffle irons ladies! It uses all whole wheat flour, replaces some oil with applesauce and does not involves whipping egg whites until stiff but not dry...blah, blah, blah. I've always used Hodgson Mills stoneground 100% whole wheat; it has a slightly course texture which is awful in bread but really great and nutty tasting in pancakes and waffles.

Plus...here's the kicker...it's very easy to double, triple or quadruple, and then freeze the cooled waffles in ziploc bags to reheat in the microwave or toaster oven. GREAT for taking care of the hubs if he gets up early or if you're already at work or nursing, great for Sunday mornings when you can't cook breakfast because no one seems to be able to find their clothes, great for days you have early appointments...and healthy-ish too!

I've included the ingredient amounts at the very end for doubling, tripling and quadrupling the recipe. As I write this post my tripled batch is cooling on racks :)


(Makes 6-8 waffles.)

1 3/4 C whole wheat flour
2 T sugar
1 T baking powder
2 eggs
1 3/4 C milk (or half milk, half water, if you're running low)
1/2 C oil or melted butter (or half oil, half applesauce or other fruit or veggie puree - great way to use up baby food that your kiddo is turning his nose up at!)
1 t vanilla

Whisk dry ingredients together well in a large bowl. Lightly beat together the wet ingredients in separate bowl then stir into dry mix just until moistened. Use a lightly oiled or well seasoned waffle iron to cook according to manufacturers directions.


Double
3 1/2 C whole wheat flour
4 T sugar
2 T baking powder
4 eggs
3 1/2 C milk (or half milk, half water)
1 C oil or melted butter (or half oil, half applesauce)
2 t vanilla

Triple
5 1/4 C whole wheat flour
6 T sugar
3 T baking powder
6 eggs
5 1/4 C milk (or half milk, half water)
1 1/2 C oil or melted butter (or half oil, half applesauce)
3 t vanilla

Quadruple
7 C whole wheat flour
8 T sugar
4 T baking powder
8 eggs
7 C milk (or half milk, half water)
2 C oil or melted butter (or half oil, half applesauce)
4 t vanilla

Betty Crocker 30-Minute Mini Meat Loaves

I'm sure this will make sense, but my appreciation of a recipe is mostly determined by how much Dave enjoys it. I also like things that are healthy and filling, but the fact that I can make my hubby happy is a bigger deal sometimes. So what happens on most days is that I eat a super healthy breakfast and lunch and that I'm willing to compromise on dinner. I've been trying to find recipes that are both healthy and that he likes, but that's not always easy because variety is also very important to me. Long story short, here's a dinner recipe that Dave loves and that I like too. Not super healthy, but pretty good. I'm sure you can change it by making any of your favorite/healthy meatloaf recipe instead of the mix that this recipe suggests.

Our favorite sides are mashed potatoes and cooked baby carrots, but last night we had it with whole wheat spaghetti and green-beans (which I got from the Asian food-center for a third of the price of beans at the grocery store. Thanks Annette for the ride! :) ).

Makes 6 servings, 2 mini-meatloaves each

1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar (optional)

1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1/2 lb ground pork
1/2 cup Original Bisquick® mix
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 small onion, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
1 egg

(Note: you can replace this with your favorite/gluten-free meat loaf recipe)


1. Heat oven to 450°F. If you're using brown sugar, in small bowl, stir ketchup and brown sugar until mixed; reserve 1/4 cup for topping. In large bowl, stir remaining ingredients and remaining ketchup mixture until well mixed.
2. Spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. Place meat mixture in pan; pat into 12x4-inch rectangle. Cut lengthwise down center and then crosswise into sixths to form 12 loaves. Separate loaves, using spatula, so no edges are touching. Brush loaves with reserved 1/4 cup ketchup mixture.
3. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until loaves are no longer pink in center and meat thermometer inserted in center of loaves reads 160°F.

Cabbage Waldorf Salad

Arite you guys, cabbage is 19 cents/lb at stop and shop this week - yes, I read the circular as soon as it comes out, but aren't you happy? Cabbage is actually really good for you, and it makes one of those salads that Dave actually enjoys. He does eat veggies, most of the time only under supervision, but this is a salad he actually eats by his own will - when he can remember that it's in the fridge.

Ingredients

* 1/2 medium head Cabbage, shredded
* 1 cup halved seedless red grapes
* 1 cup miniature marshmallows (optional)
* 3/4 cup shredded carrots
* 1/2 (20 ounce) can pineapple tidbits, drained
* 1/2 large apple, cored and diced
* 1/2 cup raisins
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
* 3/4 cup mayonnaise

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Add mayonnaise; toss to coat.

Vegan Banana Oatmeal Cookies

This recipe is from http://www.food.com/, but a friend of mine made it one day, and I highly recommend it!! The banana made the cookies stick together really well, and they were really moist and chewy days after baking. My friend substituted butter for 1/3c oil, which makes it not vegan, but still REALLY good!

Ingredients:


1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup oil, plus

1 teaspoon oil 

1 banana, mashed

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups flour 

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 cups oats

3 tablespoons water

Directions:

1. Mix the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.

2. In a separate bowl mix together the brown sugar, sugar, oil, and water.

3. Add the banana and vanilla.

4. Stir in the flour mixture. mix well.

5. Stir in the oats.

6. If the mixture seems too thin, let it sit for a minute so the oats can absorb some of the excess liquid.

7. Preheat oven to 350°F.

8. Drop cookies by the tablespoon onto a greased cookie sheet.

9. Cook for 13 minutes until done (they should be a bit browned on the bottom).

Super Salsa

I made this salsa to add to Monica's chili recipe... and as a result I'm 100% sure that 1) I'm never going to buy salsa again, and 2) whenever I make chili in the future, I will be adding this salsa to it. Both the salsa and the chili came out amazing! I'm definitely going to put up some of this salsa so it's on hand and ready to go.

Some notes about this salsa: it's got some heat and some tang to it... but isn't that what makes a salsa great?! Depending on what you're in the mood for, though, you can simply add more or less of whatever ingredient... just remember that with fresh chile peppers, the flavors do intensify a bit, especially in a cooked salsa like this one. (Salsa cruda, also called pico de gallo or salsa fresca, is a different animal in that you don't cook the salsa... I made a cooked salsa for Monica's chili recipe because I wanted the added sweetness and added depth of flavor to mellow out the heat from the chile peppers.)

I will definitely be experimenting with this recipe by trying other types of green chiles, and by adding corn, beans or other veggies...

Makes 3-4 cups of salsa

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs Roma tomatoes, blanched and chopped (You can use canned diced tomatoes)
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 jalapeños, seeded and diced
• 2 sweet bell peppers (I used 1 orange and 1 red), seeded and diced
• 2 green chilies (I used Anaheim chilies), seeded and diced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup roughly chopped parsley or cilantro (I used parsley since Mr. D is not a cilantro fan)
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons chili powder
• juice of 2+ limes
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. If you are using fresh tomatoes, blanching them removes the skin, which I prefer when cooking them, otherwise the skins come off and there are loose bits of tomato skin everywhere. (To blanch: boil a pot of water, remove any stems and cut a shallow "x" onto the bottom of the tomatoes, prepare a bowl with ice water, place tomatoes into the boiling water until the skin starts to split, remove and place the tomatoes in the bowl of ice water for a few seconds, and then, finally, the tomato skin should slide right off.) Then chop up the tomatoes.
2. Heat a large pan, add the tomatoes and about 1/2 cup of water. Cook tomatoes on med-high to soften, stirring occasionally. Use a masher or large spoon to break up the tomatoes a little bit so it looks like a very chunky sauce... this is the base for your salsa. Remove the tomatoes to a bowl.
3. Wipe out the pan and heat the oil, add onions and saute 2 minutes (turning down the heat to med-low), add all the peppers and saute 4 minutes, and then add garlic and saute 2 minutes. Cooking time may vary, but the goal is to soften these ingredients and bring out the flavors without cooking them through or letting them brown.
4. Add the tomatoes back into the pan with the pepper/onion mixture. Stir together and cook 2 more minutes.
5. Add the parsley, chili powder and lime juice, stir and cook for another minute or two. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Remove from the heat and cool.

Annette's Thai Coconut-Curry: A Dinner Swap Recipe

This recipe is adapted from an Epicurious.com recipe and was also inspired by a similar dish I've had at Monica's and several Thai restaurants. It's hard to decide what I love most about this recipe- the sweet flavors from the coconut milk and veggies, which soothes the heat from the ginger and curry; the tangy lime and basil combination; or the strips of meat that, because they are cooked in the coconut milk, are so tender they simply melt in your mouth. If I had to chose one word to describe this dish it would be "bright".

It's extremely easy to make and only takes one large pan; chop everything up ahead of time and just drop the prepped ingredients into the pan at each step. In the version I made for the Dinner Swap, I added bok choy and shredded carrots because Mr. D and I like our meals loaded with veggies, but you can leave out or add whatever veggies you want to create your own version of this dish. And don't be afraid of the heat- neither Mr. D nor I like our food very spicy so even though it has curry in it, this dish is not hot at all. But if you do like it hotter, feel free to add more curry!

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk (whisked to blend)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons green curry powder
• 1 tablespoon ginger, peeled and minced
• 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/3-inch-wide strips
• 1 large green bell pepper, cut into 1/3-inch-wide strips
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 pound boneless chicken or pork, cut into 1/2 inch strips
• 1 tablespoon (packed) brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce* (also called: nam pla) 
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
• 1 1/2 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Optional additions:

• 1/2 cup shredded carrot
• 4 heads of bok choy, chopped, or whole leaves broken off
• Any other vegetables desired

Directions:

1. Bring 1/4 cup coconut milk and curry to boil in large skillet over medium-high heat, whisking constantly. 
2. Add garlic, ginger, bell pepper and onion; sauté 5 minutes. 
3. Stir in meat, remaining coconut milk, sugar and fish sauce*. Cook until meat is just about cooked through, stirring often, about 5 minutes. 
4. Add shredded carrot and bok choy, simmer for 1 minute. 
5. Stir in basil and lime juice, simmer 1 minute. 
6. Season with salt and pepper if desired.
7. Serve over rice or noodles... or enjoy by itself. 

*Fish sauce can be purchased at your local supermarket or any Asian food store. Or, soy sauce can be used as a substitute.

Corn Casserole

                                                                                                             photo courtesy of my camera

This is the best corn casserole I have ever had and is really easy to make! It is from Monica via "cooks.com"

Ingredients:

1. 1 16 oz. can whole corn, drained
2. 1 16 oz can cream style corn
3. 2 eggs beaten
4. 1 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt 
5. 1 stick butter (I used 2 tablespoons less than a stick and it came out fine)
6. salt and pepper to taste
7. 1 box Jiffy Corn Mix

Directions:

1. Butter a 2 quart casserole dish
2. Beat the two eggs in the dish
3. Combine first 6 ingredients (besides eggs) and mix well in the casserole dish
4. Gradually add the Jiffy corn mix and stir until all is combined
5. Bake at 1 hour at 350 degrees

*the reason I mix everything in the buttered casserole dish is because it is fast and easy to make that way

Jessica's BBQ Turkey Meatloaf: A Dinner Swap Recipe

                                                                                                     Image from kraftrecipes.com

Jessica's great adaptation of the classic meatloaf was inspired by Kraft's Easy Pleasing Meatloaf recipe. But this meatloaf is not the same as what your mom used to make! Instead of beef, she went with a healthier choice: lean turkey... and she upped the amount of BBQ sauce from the original recipe for some really flavorful results! Turkey can be very flavorless but with this recipe, there is a ton of flavor from the herbs and spices in the Stuffing Mix and from a spicy choice of BBQ sauce. Jessica also recommends punching it up a notch by throwing your favorite hot sauce into the mix. Delicious combo of comfort food and BBQ!

Ingredients:

• 2 lb. lean ground turkey
• 1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken
• 1 cup water
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup BBQ sauce, divided 

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix ground meat, stuffing mix, water, eggs and 3/4 cup of the BBQ sauce together in a bowl until just blended. 
3. Shape into a loaf and place in a 13x9-inch baking pan.
4. Coat the top of the meatloaf with reserved 1/4 BBQ sauce.
5. Bake 1 hour or until done.

Dom's Delicious Dinner

The idea for this meal comes from my husband Dom, and is influenced by his German heritage. It is very versatile, easy to make, generates few dishes in the making, healthy, looks pretty (due to all the colors) and is yummy! We just usually throw all the ingredients in the pan, season and test-taste till it's good, so here is a fairly loose guideline for the recipe:

Ingredients:
1 onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 -1 tbsp butter (or oil for a healthier option, but we like the flavor the butter gives)
boneless chicken breast, cut into small pieces (I think I use 0.2-0.3 lb)
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced (you can also use half red and half yellow for a more colorful dish)
2 zucchinis (sliced)
1-2 tbsp soy sauce
dried basil
salt and pepper
up to 1/2 c fat-free sour cream

your favorite type of pasta, boiled

Method:

1. Melt the butter in a large pan, add onions and garlic and season with salt and pepper . On medium heat, saute until onions are translucent.
   
2. Add chicken and saute until white all over. Add the mushrooms and soy sauce and stir. Add the remaining vegetables to the pan, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle some dried basil (I have a shaker, so I have never measured this... oops). Cover with a lid, and let vegetables and chicken cook, around 15 minutes (this is when you can set your pasta to boil). I have found that the juices from the vegetables plus the steaming effect of covering the pan are enough to cook the chicken and vegetables. However, if you find it's running dry, add a little water, but only a little :-)
   
3. When the chicken and vegetables are cooked (there should be small amount of liquid in the pan), add the sour cream and stir through (I usually add it in tablespoons until the desired creaminess). Add more salt and pepper to desired taste.
4. Serve over your favorite type of pasta (I usually do penne or fusilli, but you could use anything) and enjoy!

I love this dish as it takes less than an hour from start to finish (including prep time). You can also throw just about anything in there, for instance, I have used shredded chicken (leftover from cooking a whole chicken) instead of chicken breast and it was great. Due to the abundance of vegetables, you don't need a whole lot of meat. I have also made a vegetarian option using cannellini beans. Also, for vegetables, you can add broccoli and peas or asparagus instead of zucchini - your pick! :-)

Francis' BBQ Shepherd's Pie: A Dinner-Swap Recipe

This yummy version of Shepherd's Pie is from Francis... the classic taste of Shepherd's Pie just got kicked up a notch, people! She incorporated Sweet Baby Ray's Sweet and Spicy BBQ Sauce into the ground meat and the sweet and spicy taste of BBQ really came through. The addition of sour cream to the mashed potato topping gave it extra creaminess and it complimented the kick from the BBQ flavors very nicely. Here's the added bonus: you don't need to feel bad about serving what is a typically a very heavy dish; Francis used ground turkey, turning this delicious meal into what can now be a healthy option for your family.

Ingredients:

• 0.65 pounds of lean ground turkey
• 4 ½ cups of potatoes (peeled and diced)
• 2 cups of corn
• 1 cup white onion (diced)
• ½ cup of BBQ sauce (I like Sweet Baby Ray’s Sweet and Spicy)
• 7 Tbsp sour cream
• 3 splashes of milk
• 1/3 Tbsp chili powder
• 1/3 Tbsp cumin
• 1/3 Tbsp ground coriander
• 1/3 Tbsp garlic powder
• 1 Tsp olive oil
• sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place the diced Potatoes in a large pot with water and boil.
3. Add a tsp of olive oil to a pan at medium heat and add the ground turkey. Season the turkey meat with chili powder, cumin, ground coriander, and garlic powder. Cook until brown and there is no liquid left.
4. In a small pot or saucepan, cook the corn if frozen. You can cook it in boiling water, steam it, or microwave it- you choose! If it's not frozen, there's no need to cook it.
5. In a large pot, at medium high heat, add about a tsp of olive oil and add the white onion. Cook for a couple of minutes then add the cooked ground turkey mixture (from step 3). Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. When the turkey meat is completely cooked, turn off the heat and add the BBQ sauce.
7. When the potatoes are thoroughly cooked and ready to mash, remove the pot from the heat and drain the potatoes. Return the potatoes to the pot you used to cook them and add the sour cream, chives and milk. Add salt and pepper to taste, then mash it up!
8. In a 9x12 baking pan, spread a layer of mashed potatoes, ground meat and then corn. Repeat once more and top with a last layer of mashed potatoes. (Remember to reserve enough for each layer so you don't run out.)
9. Once everything is in the baking pan, sprinkle the top with chili powder or paprika. Place pan in the oven for 30 min.
10. Enjoy!

Elisabeth's Kenyan Cabbage Stew: A Dinner-Swap Recipe

My sister Elisabeth made this tender, melt-in-your-mouth stew for a pot-luck dinner swap. The veggies were tender, the broth was rich with flavor, and the cilantro gave this stew just the right amount of kick... not bitter at all! It was surprisingly sweet, actually, from the natural sugar in all the veggies. I'm already dreaming about the way it tastes; cannot wait to make this myself so I can taste it again... YUM!

Ingredients: 

• 1/4-1/2 cup oil 
• 1 medium red onion (chopped)
• 3 plum tomatoes (chopped) 
• 1 cabbage (shredded) 
• 1 carrot (shredded)
• 3 cups water 
• 1/2 green pepper (diced)
• fresh cilantro (chopped)
• salt
• pepper

Directions:

1. Heat the oil (vegetable or olive) in a large pot.
2.  Add the onion and reduce heat to medium.
3. Once the onion becomes slightly browned, add the tomato.  Continue cooking (stirring occasionally) until the tomato is well broken down and is cooked into the oil.  
4. Add the shredded cabbage and carrot, stirring to coat with the stew broth. 
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  
6. Add water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to med-low, simmering for about 15 minutes.
7. Add green pepper and cilantro.  Cover and let simmer for 5 - 10 minutes until the cabbage is tender.
8. Add more salt or pepper to taste.

Baked Potato Soup

Today I decided to post the baked potato soup recipe I made for my sister's cyber baby shower! It's very filling and delicious and I think I'm going to make it again for some of our dinners next week! I got the recipe from allrecipes, but I changed it so I wouldn't have to worry about buying bacon and having it go bad (this recipe calls for only 3 strips of bacon). If you eat bacon on a regular basis, you should make it with real bacon. I find that it didn't affect the taste too much to just cook the onion in oil and add bacon bits at the end.

INGREDIENTS (4 servings)

2 large potatoes
1 tbsp oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons corn starch
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half cream
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
Shredded Cheddar cheese
Bacon bits

1. Bake the potatoes in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for an hour. Let them cool, then peel and cube (about 1 inch pieces). I bake the potatoes ahead of time. When I peel them, I try to only remove the peel, but leave the part close to the skin that gets browned as they are baking. It gives it a nicer flavor.
2. Saute onion and garlic in oil over medium heat until tender. Stir in salt, basil and pepper. Mix well. Gradually add chicken broth, mix and bring to a boil, then boil for 2 minutes.
3. Add the corn starch according to package instructions.
4. Add the potatoes, half-and-half and hot sauce. Stir and heat through but don't boil. Garnish with shredded cheddar cheese and bacon bits.

Homemade Granola

                                                                                    photo courtesy of my camera
This is the best granola I have ever made! In the past, I have had problems making granola where, no matter I what I did, it would not clump, and it would burn. The flour in this recipe enables the granola to clump. Also the stirring helps the granola not to burn. If the granola ever starts to look really dark like it might be burning, remove it from the oven; the oats should never burn.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 3 tbs. flour (any kind: white flour, wheat flour, bread flour, oat flour, etc)
• 1 1/2 tbs. sugar
• 1tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 cup walnuts (or any nut)
• 3/4 cup raisins (or any dried fruit)
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds (optional)

Directions:

•  Mix all dry ingredients (except nuts, seeds, and dried fruit)
• Add oil, sugar, honey
• Mix thoroughly so the oats absorb the liquid and become shiny (if necessary add a little more oil or honey)
• Spread granola on a shallow baking pan
• Bake for 20 minutes at 300 degrees. (After the first 10 minutes, stir granola so edges don't burn)
• Add fruit and nuts (and seeds) and stir granola again
• Bake for another 10 minutes
• Cool on the baking sheet to retain clumpiness
• Enjoy with milk, yogurt, blueberries, or whatever you want! 

*Other options: my friend from Holland suggests using grape seed oil (instead of canola), adding a little salt, with dried cranberries, sliced almonds, and sunflower seeds

CHILI

Hi everyone,

Today I will be sharing the best chili recipe that I've ever made!

INGREDIENTS (4-6 servings)

* 1 lb ground beef
* 1/4 onion, chopped
* 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
* 1 1/4 cups tomato sauce (I use a can)
* 1/2 jar salsa
* 2 tablespoons chili seasoning
* 1 (15 ounce) can light red kidney beans 1 can

* shredded cheddar cheese
* sour cream
* (brown) rice

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the ground beef and the onion and saute for 10 minutes, or until meat is browned and onion is tender. Drain grease, if desired.
2. Add the ground black pepper, garlic salt, tomato sauce, salsa, chili seasoning mix and kidney beans. Mix well, reduce heat to low and simmer for at least an hour.
3. Serve with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and brown rice.

Cream Scones

This week, Mr. D and I invited my sister over, along with friends and family, to share tea, coffee and baked goodies with them as my sister talked about what the Lord has lead her to do in Kenya (she has been a missionary there for 3+ years). I made scones and wanted to share the recipe because they came out AMAZING ( tender, crumbly, not too sweet and not overly rich) and because this would be a great recipe as a base for any type of scone. You could add chocolate, dried fruit, or nuts for a sweet scone, or herbs, minced veggies or spices for something a little more savory. Some whole grains would also be a great addition. I didn't have any extra bits on hand to add, so I left the recipe as-is with no alterations and served it with raspberry jam. Yum! 

I found this recipe in my mom's go-to bread cookbook, A World of Breads (Dolores Casella, 1966). I used the same ingredients as Casella, but I used the baking techniques my mom taught me for incorporating everything together. It always makes my pastry light and crumbly, which is what I wanted to achieve with this scone. Success!


Cream Scones 
*makes 12 scones

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick; and I use unsalted butter for all my baking)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cream or evaporated milk

Directions:

1. Sift the flour and lightly stir in the baking powder, salt and sugar. 
2. Cut in the butter with a pastry knife or two knives, until the butter is half the size of peas. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
3. Beat cold cream and eggs together and pour into a well in the chilled butter-flour mixture, reserving about 2 tablespoons of the liquid. Use a fork and lightly mix together, evenly incorporating all of the liquid throughout the dough. It should form a soft dough. The key is to work the dough the LEAST amount possible.
4. Flour hands and gently press dough together, kneading about 10 times. Use a little extra flour if the dough is too mushy and not holding together in a smooth ball. 
5. Sprinkle a cutting board lightly with flour to keep dough from sticking. Divide the dough in half and on the floured cutting board, form each half into 2 circles, flattening them to about 1 inch in thickness. Cut each circle into 6 equal parts (12 total triangles). 
6. Place triangles about 2 inches apart on a buttered cookie sheet (I use parchment paper instead of buttering the cookie sheet) and brush the tops of the scones with the reserved milk and egg mixture. 
7. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly golden. (My oven is electric and a little bit hotter than most, so I reduced the temperature to 440 degrees and they were done in 12 minutes.) You can test the center of a scone with a toothpick to see if they are baked through (if the toothpick comes out clean, they're done!)
8. Serve warm or at room temperature with butter, clotted cream and/or fruit jam.
   

                                                                                    photo courtesy of natehendersonphoto

Cream of Carrot Soup

*serves 6 cups

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 1/2 lbs. fresh carrots, sliced 
• 1/4 cup heavy cream, half & half, or whole milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• parsley to garnish
• *Need a big pot and a blender 

Directions

1. Heat water and butter over medium low heat.
2. Add onion, ginger, and curry, and cook, partially covered, until tender (5-10 min.)
3. Stir in chicken broth, O.J., and carrots. Bring to boil and reduce heat and simmer until carrots are tender (15-20 min.)
4. Blend all the ingredients in a blender.
5. Return it to pot and stir in heavy cream, salt, and pepper. Heat through, but do not boil.
6. Garnish with parsley.
7. Invite friends over, break bread, and enjoy!

recipe inspired by The Joy of Cooking