Big Flavors

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Sat, 22 Dec 2007 07:01:13 GMT

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Happy Holidays!

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 05:20:33 GMT

It's official...Dino and I have been turned into full-fledged coffee snobs. But it's not our fault! He did some work for a friend, and as payment, he gave us THIS:

Behold, the Technivorm KB-741 Clubline. It's amazing. I didn't want to think that such an expensive coffee maker would reeeeally make a difference in how our coffee tastes, but woah...I was SO wrong.
Read about it here and you'll get a peek into what this beauty can do. I would have never bought a coffee maker that costs this much (do you know how many video games I could get for that money?!), but I will honestly say that it makes the best cup of coffee I've ever had. HANDS DOWN. And it's a bonus because it was free. And I'm not the one who did any work to get it. So I just lucked out all around. Merry Christmas to me! ;)

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 05:07:20 GMT

This recipe comes from one of my middle school teachers from Fort Wayne, Indiana. This stuff is a hit EVERY year, and it makes a great gift. I can't remember the name of the teacher that gave it to me, and it drives me nuts every time I make it.

Uncle Tom's Cabin Moon Gulch Hot Cocoa Mix

20 ounce box evaporated milk
30 ounce box Nestle Quik
13 ounce jar chocolate malt mix
2 pounds powdered sugar
22 ounce jar Coffee Mate
1 heaping tablespoon cinnamon
4-6 heaping tablespoons cocoa powder

Mix all ingredients in large clean garbage bag. Watch out for the dust storm!

Fill mug 1/3 of the way with mix and to the top with boiling water.

Enjoy!

Notes:
Do not substitute Coffee Mate for other brand. Do not cut in half.

MacGourmet Rating: 5 Stars

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 05:03:03 GMT

I'm not sure where I got this recipe, but I hadn't made it for a while and was craving it. It's such a comforting soup, and the cool sour cream is really nice mixed in with the hot curried soup. Dino doesn't usually like soup, but he LOVES this one. It comes together pretty quickly, too. My only word of caution is to make sure you get pureéd pumpkin only, and not pumpkin pie mix. My father-in-law got the canned pumpkin for it last year, and we didn't realize until it was too late (and too sweet!) that he had gotten the pie mix. Consider yourself warned!

Curried Pumpkin Soup

6 servings

2 tablespoons butter
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
¼ cup onion, chopped
2 tablespoons all purpose white flour
1 tablespoon curry powder
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups canned pumpkin
1 tablespoon honey
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon black pepper
12 ounce can evaporated milk
sour cream
chives, chopped

Melt butter in a large saucepan; add mushrooms and onion, and cook until tender, stirring often.

Stir in flour and curry powder; gradually add chicken broth, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened.

Stir in pumpkin and next 4 ingredients; reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in milk, and cook, stirring constantly, until thoroughly heated. Garnish, if desired.

MacGourmet Rating: 5 Stars

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 04:58:44 GMT

This meal was really easy and tasty! The only complaint I have is that it didn't reheat so well (and the recipe makes a LOT).

Spaghetti Alla Ceci
30-Minute Meals - Rachael Ray

1 lb. spaghetti
Salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 can, (14-ounce) chick peas, drained
½ teaspoon dry thyme, eyeball it
Pepper
½ cup dry white wine or chicken broth
1 can, (14-ounce) crushed tomatoes
Handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Grated Parmiginao-Reggiano, to pass at table

Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Boil water for pasta, salt it, and cook spaghetti to al dente.

While spaghetti cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan, crushed red pepper flakes and garlic. Place chick peas in food processor and pulse grind them to a fine chop. Add chick peas to garlic and season them with thyme, salt and pepper then saute them for 3 to 4 minutes. Add wine or broth and cook down 30 seconds or so then stir in tomatoes and adjust seasoning. Drain pasta and toss with sauce. Top with parsley and grated cheese.

MacGourmet Rating: 4 Stars

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 04:55:11 GMT

The first time that Dino made French toast for me, I was amazed! I hadn't ever had such flavorful French toast at home, and it still impresses me every time he makes it! We got a loaf of challah this week and he made another awesome batch of French toast - and the challah makes it extra special. I asked him to write up a recipe for me to share, so here it is!

French Toast
Dino Covelli

4 Eggs
½ cup Milk
1 Tspn Cinnamon
1 Tspn Sugar
1 Tspn Vanilla or Almond Extract
4-6 slices of bread

Mix all ingredients except bread until well blended. Dip bread in and let soak for 20-30 seconds per side. Place on heated griddle and cook until golden. Flip and cook the opposite side until golden.

Top with butter, maple syrup & powdered sugar.

MacGourmet Rating: 5 Stars

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 05:43:58 GMT

We decided to pick up some new cheese from the grocery store a few nights ago. I threw on some salami nuggets, grapes, and pumpernickel bread and it made for a great snack while dinner was cooking! I can't believe how many awesome cheeses are in the regular grocery store now - and we've already eyed some up for the next time we want to splurge.

Top Left: Applewood Smoked Gouda Top Right: Winey Goat
Lower Left: White Stilton with Apricot

Dinner was a really tasty beef dish. I couldn't find cremini mushrooms so I used a mix of portabella, shiitake and button mushrooms instead. I could only find red pearl onions, so I subbed those too. The flavor is very good, and it was great served over egg noodles. It's definitely a comforting meal.

Beef Braised with Red Wine and Mushrooms
Cooking Light October 2007

½ cup dried porcini mushrooms (about 1/2 ounce)
1 cup boiling water
1 ¼ lbs. lean beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
¾ teaspoon salt, divided
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup pearl onions (about 16)
6 cups chopped cremini mushrooms (about 1 pound)
1 ½ cups (1/4-inch) slices carrot (about 2 large)
1 ½ cups fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
½ cup dry red wine
4 thyme sprigs
3 cloves, garlic crushed
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Add a teaspoon or two of ground dried porcini mushrooms along with the broth and red wine to give the dish an extra layer of mushroom flavor. Meaty, earthy-tasting mushrooms such as porcini or black trumpet are ideal. Serve over egg noodles or rice.

Combine porcini mushrooms and 1 cup boiling water in a small bowl; let stand 30 minutes. Drain mushrooms through a sieve into a bowl, reserving liquid. Chop mushrooms; set aside.

Sprinkle beef with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add half of beef to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until lightly browned on all sides. Remove beef from pan with a slotted spoon; place in a bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining beef.

Add onions to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Add cremini mushrooms and carrot; sauté 3 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Add beef, porcini mushrooms, porcini liquid, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, broth, and next 4 ingredients (through bay leaves); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until beef is tender. Uncover and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Combine 1 tablespoon water and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add cornstarch mixture to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until liquid thickens. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves.

Wine note: Mushrooms and merlot are a natural match. An affordable California version like Buena Vista Carneros Merlot 2004 ($20) provides classic merlot flavors of plum and black cherry fruit along with a touch of earth and smoky oak that marries beautifully with mushrooms. The wine's rich flavor and firm tannins make it a perfect choice for flavorful beef, as well. --Jeffery Lindenmuth

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups)

Nutritional notes:
CALORIES 307 (30% from fat); FAT 10.3g (sat 3.8g,mono 4.3g,poly 0.6g); PROTEIN 33.5g; CHOLESTEROL 88mg; CALCIUM 47mg; SODIUM 716mg; FIBER 3.5g; IRON 4.8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 19.9g

MacGourmet Rating: 4 Stars

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 05:33:01 GMT

I saw this idea in a magazine and just had to try it out to give as gifts to a few people at work. I made the Five-Chile and the Coffee ones, and they were a huge hit! I didn't try them out (yet), but I found bottles at the container store, printed out some labele, and wrote a recipe on a tag on each bottle. It's a great gift to give, and it's super easy to make.

Infused Vodka
Every Day with Rachael Ray December 2007

STEP 1
Place 1 liter of vodka and your infusion ingredients in a large bottle and seal shut; let rest in a cool, dark place for 2 to 5 days, depending on your desired strength.

COFFEE
1/2 cup crushed (not ground) coffee beans; shake every 2 days during infusion.

APPLE VANILLA
2 whole, split vanilla beans + 1 apple, peeled and sliced.

FIVE-CHILE
5 dried chiles, chopped

ORANGE GINGER
1 orange, sliced + 1/2 cup sliced fresh ginger

STEP 2
Strain and pour into gift bottles.

STEP 3
Print recipe gift tags, (rachaelraymag.com).

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 05:47:36 GMT

I made this for dinner last night and ate it again tonight. It's really easy and very tasty. Since we had rice the night before, I threw on some couscous that I added raisins and peas to. It paired really nicely - the sweetness of the raisins was a great compliment to the stew. The yogurt really brings this dish to the next level. Yum!

Moroccan Chickpea Stew
Cooking Light November 2007

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup diced yellow onion (about 1 medium)
1 cup diced carrot (about 1 large)
2 cloves, garlic minced
1 jalapeño pepper, minced
1 ½ cups cubed peeled Yukon gold potato, about 1 large
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 can (28-ounce) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1 can (14-ounce) organic vegetable broth (such as Swanson Certified Organic)
3 cups hot cooked brown rice
½ cup plain low-fat yogurt

Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve over whole wheat couscous instead of brown rice, if you prefer. For milder heat, seed the jalapeño.

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, garlic, and jalapeño to pan; sauté 6 minutes or until tender. Stir in potato and next 7 ingredients (through broth). Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until potato is tender. Serve over rice. Top with yogurt.

Wine note: With spicy ethnic cuisine, seek out the German grape gewürztraminer, which yields wines with floral and lychee aromas, as well as natural sweetness that makes a perfect foil to the jalapeño and cumin in the stew. Chateau St. Jean Gewürztraminer 2006 ($15), from Sonoma, California, offers classic honeysuckle and melon aromas, with a spice-friendly sweetness and snappy acidity that adds texture to the dish. -Jeffery Lindenmuth

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups stew, 1/2 cup rice, and about 1 tablespoon yogurt)

Nutritional notes:
CALORIES 251 (14% from fat); FAT 3.8g (sat 0.6g,mono 1.9g,poly 1g); PROTEIN 7.3g; CHOLESTEROL 1mg; CALCIUM 97mg; SODIUM 401mg; FIBER 6.8g; IRON 2.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 47.5g

MacGourmet Rating: 4 Stars

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 05:40:53 GMT

And now for a peek into my tiny kitchen! I've been trying to maximize space in there since we bought our home over 2 years ago, and we made a big step this week! I had these magnetic spice canisters that I had on the side of the refrigerator for the last few months. I wanted to put up a big piece of metal to hold them all up on the wall, but I ended up finding these great knife holders at the Henckel's warehouse sale. Then I was able to stock up on more spice canisters to fill up the racks and take care of most of the clutter in my cabinet (more room for new kitchen goodies - WOOHOO!!). Dino always hated trying to find my spices when he was making something in the kitchen (my method of "just knowing" where in the cabinet they were doesn't really work for him) so we went super nuts and put them in alphabetical order. We wrote on them with dry erase markers so we can always change them up later.

This saves us a lot of space, which is GREAT in a tiny kitchen.

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 05:34:53 GMT

I know this doesn't look fabulous since the beef is cold in the picture (hardened butter looks icky) but it made for a wonderful lunch on Wednesday:

Top: Khoreshe Karafs (Celery Sauce), Yogurt Sauce (plain yogurt with mint, honey, salt & pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice)
Bottom: Basmati Rice

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 05:31:51 GMT

My cousin gave me a wonderful collectiton of recipes in a book as a wedding gift, and I finally decided to try one out. The directions were a little confusing - it said to add apples after it already said to cook them with the cabbage - but it was pretty easy. I used a wild mushroom pilaf mix with it. I thought it was OK but something about it didn't wow me. I usually love cabbage, but I think it might have been the cabbage that bugged me in this. Dino really liked it a lot, so maybe it was just me.

Pork Chops Pilaf
Carey Burchfield

3 tablespoons oil
4 pork chops
2 medium apples
1 small head of cabbage
2 ¼ cups water
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 6 ounce package rice pilaf mix

Heat oil in skillet; cook chops until well browned. Remove chops. Dice apples and cabbage, cook until tender crisp, stirring occasionally. Add water, salt, pepper, pork chops and apple. Over high heat, heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 20 minutes. Stir rice into liquid in skillet; over high, heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 20 minutes until rice is tender.

MacGourmet Rating: 3 Stars

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 05:24:46 GMT

I finally made another recipe from this fabulous cookbook that my friend Megan got for me. The first recipe I made from it was AMAZING (Persian Meatloaf), and I just didn't know what to make next until a few days ago. I always giggle when I go through the recipes in this book because they'll have a name like "Vegetable Sauce" and the first ingredient will be ground lamb. So this one was called "Celery Sauce" but it was much more than that. I'd like to make this again but cut down the amount of sauce and increase the amount of meat. The flavors worked SO well together, and we loved it, but we ended up throwing out leftover celery after we finished off the meat. Another winner though!

Khoreshe Karafs (Celery Sauce)
In a Persian Kitchen: Favorite Recipes from the Near East

4 tablespoons butter
1 pound stew beef or round beef, cut in 1" cubes
1 large onion, finely chopped
½ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups water
4 tablespoons butter
4 cups celery, diced
1 cup parsley, chopped
3 tablespoons lemon juice

Melt butter in a 2-quart pot. Add meat, onions, and seasoning and sauté until the meat is browned. Add water to the meat, cover, and let cook for about 30 minutes or until the meat is tender. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a skillet, add celery and parsley, and sauté it for 10 minutes. Add the sautéed vegetables and lemon juice to the meat and let simmer for another 15 minutes. Serve with chelo. Makes 4-5 servings.

MacGourmet Rating: 4 Stars

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 05:15:11 GMT

We made these cookies a few nights ago and we're still enjoying them. They were easy to make and definitely taste like the holidays. The only "issue" that we had was that Dino was rolling them a lot larger than I was, so it didn't even make half of the number of cookies that it was supposed to. It's always fun to try to navigate the tiny kitchen with a helper though, so it was worth it.

Molasses Crinkles
Betty Crocker's Cooky Book

3/4 cup soft shortening
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
Granulated sugar

Mix shortening, sugar, egg and molasses thoroughly. Measure flour by dipping method or by sifting. Blend all dry ingredients; stir in. Chill.

Heat oven to 375°. Roll dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Dip tops in sugar. Place balls, sugared side up, 3-inches apart on greased baking sheet. Sprinkle each with 2-3 drops of water. Bake 10-12 minutes, or just until set but not hard. Makes 4 dozen cookies.

MacGourmet Rating: 4 Stars

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 05:10:17 GMT

Dino is great at making breakfast food. He sought out a new waffle recipe to try out and it was fabulous! He threw chocolate chips on them while they were still warm, dusted them with powdered sugar and drizzled them with maple syrup. These were by far the best waffles we've had at home. The batter made 4 waffles for us, and we froze 2 of them for later. Actually, they were so good that we forgot to take a photo the first time (when they also had bananas on top) so the photo is from last weekend when we ate the 2 frozen ones!

Classic Waffles
allrecipes.com - Megan

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 eggs
1 ½ cups warm milk
⅓ cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Ready In: 25 Minutes
Servings: 5

"Simple waffles made with flour, egg, butter and sugar."

1. In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking powder and sugar; set aside. Preheat waffle iron to desired temperature.
2. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in the milk, butter and vanilla. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture; beat until blended.
3. Ladle the batter into a preheated waffle iron. Cook the waffles until golden and crisp. Serve immediately.

MacGourmet Rating: 5 Stars

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 05:04:58 GMT

So this is the second time that I've made these scones. They're SO good, but it's really messy to work with. This time, I thought I'd try scooping them onto a cookie sheet with an ice cream scoop instead of cutting them into triangles. I drizzled some honey on top to sweeten them up a little, too. They were really good, but I'm still convinced that there has to be a better way to actually work with this dough. Hmm...

Blackberry Scones
Blogger - everybodylikessandwiches

½ cup milk
1 egg
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1⁄ 2 teaspoon salt
¼ cup cold butter, cubed
3 tablespoons white sugar
2 large handfuls of frozen blackberries

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Whisk the milk and the egg together until frothy and then set aside. In a large bowl, blend the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter and blend the mixture with your hands until you have no lumps larger than a pea. Add the sugar and the blackberries and toss about until the blackberries are coated with the flour mixture. Add the egg mixture slowly until the dough comes together. Leave any remaining egg mixture to brush on as glaze.

2. Turn dough out onto a clean counter and knead it no more than 12 times. Pat dough into a round approximately 1/2 an inch thick, and cut into 8 wedges. Place on an ungreased baking sheet or a Silpat. Using a pastry brush, glaze wedges with remaining egg mixture. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden. Cool on a wire rack.

MacGourmet Rating: 5 Stars

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 05:00:28 GMT

We had our second round of Thanksgiving celebrations a few weekends back. We brought some of my standard dishes as well as a new one the my mom has made for years but I never cared for until recently.

My grandma gave me her deviled egg tupperware when we were in Indiana. I told her I'd put it to GREAT use. I make them just how she does, and they're always a big hit! I've posted them here before, but here's a shot of the tupperware:

Dino put toogether a board with the cheeses that we picked up at the store (Jarlsberg, Winey Goat & Brie). The Winey Goat was awesome! It was a more firm goat cheese bathed in red wine. Talk about combining two of my favorite things! Here's a shot of his set up:

I know a lot of people talk smack about green bean casserole, but it's just not Thanksgiving to me without it:

I made the same apple pie that I made last year, except I used store bought crust this time around. It worked out well except that it tore REALLY BAD on top when i flipped the crust to cover it. That just means it's a "rustic" pie, right?

So now, the squash casserole recipe. I usually don't like things with stuffing mix in them. I try really hard but I'm just not a fan of stuffing. But when we were in Indiana for the first round of Thanksgiving fun this year, I promised my mom I'd try it again. It was really good! It had been quite a few years since I had tried it, and my tastes have changed since then...so why not?

Squash Casserole
Mom

1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups butternut squash
½ cup butter
2 Tablespoons butter
1 can Cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 8 ounce package herb seasoned stuffing, (typically sold in 16 ounce packages)

Cook squash until soft; mash with fork

Sauté onion in 2T butter until soft. Add squash, soup and sour cream.

Melt 1/2c butter and add to stuffing; mix well. Add to mixture, reserving 1/3 of stuffing; top with remaining stuffing.

Pour into 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

MacGourmet Rating: 5 Stars

And a shot of Dino's first plate of Thanksgiving dinner (for the second time in 2 weeks):

Happy Holidays!

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 04:42:35 GMT

These lettuce wraps are different because they have pork and tofu inside. I'm used to either meat or tofu in lettuce wraps, not both. We thought they were pretty good. Dino loved them.

Asian Lettuce Wraps
allrecipes.com - sandii

4 cups water
2 cups uncooked white rice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 lb. ground pork
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
½ teaspoon minced garlic
1 (14 ounce) package firm tofu, drained and cubed
2 carrots, shredded
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
¼ teaspoon hot chile paste
1 head iceberg lettuce leaves, separated

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 32 Minutes
Ready In: 47 Minutes
Servings: 4

"Flavorful stir-fried pork, tofu, and green onion are rolled into a lettuce wrap with steamed rice. Serve family style at the table, and let everyone wrap their own."

1. In a saucepan combine the water and rice. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes, until water is absorbed. Set aside and keep warm.
2. Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Cook the pork, green onions, and garlic for 5 to 7 minutes, or until lightly brown. Add the tofu, carrot, Hoisin, and soy sauce, stirring frequently until heated through. Remove from heat, and stir in the sesame oil and chile paste.
3. To serve: spoon a small amount of rice into each lettuce leaf, top with the stir-fry mixture, and drizzle with additional soy sauce or hoisin, if desired. Wrap the lettuce leaf to enclose the filling.

MacGourmet Rating: 4 Stars

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 05:42:22 GMT

We were out of town for a week, so tonight was my first night back in my kitchen. I was a little frazzled because I had a million things to catch up on, so I didn't realize until just now that I totally forgot to drizzle this salad with truffle oil. I think it would have helped (how could it not have?), but otherwise this salad was just OK. There was entirely too much lemon juice soaked into the mushrooms. I had 2 large lemons, so I only juiced 1 1/2 of them, but it was kind of overpowering. It was an OK dinner for something light and easy to make, but I won't make it again. There are just too many other recipes to try out!

Portobello Salad with Crispy Prosciutto
Every Day with Rachael Ray October 2007

Four Servings

¼ lb. thinly sliced prosciutto
4 small portobello mushroom caps, stemmed and thinly sliced
6 ribs celery from the heart with leafy greens, thinly sliced on an angle
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
Juice of 2 lemons
Salt and pepper
2 cups baby arugula
½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
Truffle oil, for drizzling (optional)

1. Preheat the broiler. Arrange the prosciutto in a single layer on a foil-covered baking sheet and broil until crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside.
2. Toss the mushrooms, celery and onion with the EVOO and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Arrange on a platter and top with the arugula and parsley. Drizzle with truffle oil, if using. Break up the crispy prosciutto and scatter over the salad.

MacGourmet Rating: 3 Stars

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 05:34:40 GMT

I used the leftovers from the dinner party as sides for another meal the next day. I picked another one from Binnur and it was really good. The only negative thing was that I doubled it and there was a LOT of liquid when it was done cooking. The only beef at the store was a little tough, too. The flavors were awesome, and it kind of tasted like a stew. I've never had a bad recipe from Binnur's blog! Another tasty Turkish dish!

Beef with Mushrooms (Etli Mantar)
Binnur's Turkish Cookbook

7.14 oz. beef, cut in cubes
7.14 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, sliced
2 cloves, garlic sliced
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Cook the beef in a medium sized pot with 1 cup water on medium-low heat. Add the butter, olive oil, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomato paste, mushrooms and another cup water. Put the lid on and cook for another half hour on medium-low heat.

Serve with any kind of rice.

Note: Make sure not to wash the mushrooms as they will retain water and lose texture. Instead, wipe off with a damp paper towel.

MacGourmet Rating: 4 Stars

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 05:25:43 GMT

We had some friends over for dinner last week and I decided to make a Persian/Middle Eastern dinner. I made two repeat recipes and two new appetizers. Everything turned out fabulous, and we all left the table happy.

Eggplant Caviar
Allrecipes.com Bertha Mann

1 large eggplant
⅓ cup chopped onion
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

"Smooth broiled eggplant accented with chopped onion, olive oil, and dill. You can adjust the seasonings to your liking. Serve in a pita or as a dip for bread."

PREP TIME 5 Min
COOK TIME 20 Min
READY IN 25 Min

Original recipe yield: 2 cups

1. Preheat oven to broiler setting.
2. Wash eggplant thoroughly, then pierce skin with a fork in several places. Place on a baking sheet and broil in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until soft. Turn eggplant over and broil for an additional 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and slice in half.
3. Scoop out eggplant pulp with a spoon and place in a medium bowl. Mix in onion, olive oil, dill, salt, and pepper. Serve hot or cold.

MacGourmet Rating: 4 Stars

This dip was fantastic! Andy over at the CLBB suggested sprinkling some feta on top, and that really made for a nice presentation. I didn't use fresh breadcrumbs and I can't imagine that it made much of a difference because this disappeared from the table so quickly!

Muhammara
Gourmet December 1993

7-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained
⅔ cup fine fresh bread crumbs
⅓ cup walnuts, toasted lightly and chopped fine
2 to 4 garlic cloves, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses*
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
toasted pita triangles as an accompaniment

In a food processor blend together the peppers, the bread crumbs, the walnuts, the garlic, the lemon juice, the pomegranate molasses, the cumin, the red pepper flakes, and salt to taste until the mixture is smooth and with the motor running add the oil gradually. Transfer the muhammara to a bowl and serve it at room temperature with the pita triangles.

Makes about 1 3/4 cups.

MacGourmet Rating: 5 Stars

I was going to try making the rice in my rice cooker this time, but I didn't want to risk messing it up when we were having dinner guests, so I made it as directed. It turned out fantastic - once again! And as a bonus, I used soy butter so that Dino could enjoy seconds (and thirds!) of this dish without having any lactose issues.

Persian Sour Cherry Saffron Rice
Jaden's Steamy Kitchen

1 jar 24-oz of sour cherries in light syrup (or 1 can sour pie cherry, light
syrup), drained and syrup reserved
½ teaspoon saffron, soaked in 2 tablespoons hot water
3 cups basmati rice
½ cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar

Drain your cherry syrup directly into a small saucepan. You’ll boil this syrup down later.

1. Soak the rice: Wash and soak the basmati rice in water for 2 hours. This step is not totally necessary, but it does produce a more tender rice.

2. Make the rice: Drain the rice. Fill a large pot with water and boil. Add the rice and boil on medium heat for 8 minutes exactly. Drain the rice and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking. Drain.

In the same pot over high heat, add half of the butter. When hot:
Add half of the drained rice
Pour half of the saffron+soaking water over the rice
Stir a bit
Add half of the drained cherries
Add remaining rice
Pour rest of saffron+ soaking water
Add remaining butter
Stir just this layer a bit
Add the remaining drained cherries

*Traditionally, this is done in a pyramid shape. I’m not coordinated enough to handle that request. The wider the pan you have, the more crusty rice crust you get.

Wrap your lid with a thin kitchen towel and cover the pot. This helps the steam stay in the pot, which is important because you aren’t adding any additional liquid to the pot. Cook on high for 10 minutes (to create a nice crunchy crust). Turn heat down to super-low for 20 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes.

3. Make the syrup: While rice is cooking, cook syrup + 1 cup sugar over medium heat for 30 minutes until it reduces down to a sweet, sticky syrup. Set aside.

4. Serve: When the rice is done, drizzle 1/2 cup of the syrup over the rice. See the nice crust of rice at the bottom of the pan? Its well known that household bribery, deception and wars have erupted over who gets to eat that part!

MacGourmet Rating: 5 Stars

I made this chicken kebab recipe again, and this time I did it in the broiler. it turned out awesome! I forgot to take a new picture, but here's one from the last time I made this winner:

Chicken Shish Kebab (tavuk Sis Kebap)
Binnur's Turkish Cookbook

350 gr chicken breast, boneless, cut in medium sized cubes
2 large tomatoes, cut in halves
2 cubanelle pepper
Marinade:
½ cup plain yogurt
½ teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon red pepper, powder
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 clove, garlic smashed with salt
1 teaspoon pomegranate paste
2 tablespoons olive oil

Marinate the chicken overnight in the fridge in a container with a lid. Bring the chicken to room temperature one hour before grilling. Divide up the chicken cubes and place on four skewers.

Preheat the barbecue or oven (grill). Place the skewers on the rack along with the peppers, tomato halves (inside up). Keep the marinade aside. Grill the chicken for about 7-8 minutes. Make sure to turn the skewers so that all sides are cooked equally. Every time you turn the chicken, brush with marinade.

Serve the Chicken Kebab on Turkish Rice Pilaf, lemon wedges, roasted tomatoes and Cubanelle peppers (remove the skin).

Makes 2 servings.

MacGourmet Rating; 5 Stars

I also made a yogurt salad on the side (I always have to have that and pita with any Persian/Middle Eastern dinner) and this time I used fresh dill since I had some from the Eggplant Caviar. It's plain yogurt, dill, salt & pepper, a drizzle of honey, seedless cucumber, and a squirt of lemon juice. YUM!

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 05:02:47 GMT

I had to make cookies for a bake sale for work last week and I needed something easy. I decided to make a batch of chocolate and vanilla so that I could send some to work with Dino too. Everyone loved them, and they couldn't be easier to make.

Butterfinger Cookies
101 Things to do With a Cake Mix - Stephanie Ashcraft

1 yellow or chocolate cake mix
2 eggs
⅓ cup vegetable oil
1 large Butterfinger candy bar

Preheat oven to 350*.
Mix together cake mix, eggs, and oil until powder is completely dissolved into dough. (Mixture will be thick.) Chop Butterfinger into tiny pieces, then mix into dough. Drop dough in small balls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overbake. Remove from pan and cool.

MacGourmet Rating: 4 Stars

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 01:50:53 GMT

I made this ice cream as a surprise for Dino after band practice. It's completely lactose free, and it's reeeeally good. The banana flavor is wonderful, and the honey makes it nice and sweet. Mixing everything up in the blender is a snap (i only did it in one batch - not two, as recommended) and you have some awesome soy ice cream in no time! I just went in the freezer to get a bowl tonight and it was already almost gone! This is definitely a great recipe to get your fruit and ice cream fix!

Banana-Honey Tofu Ice Cream
Vegetarian Times August 2000

½ lb. firm tofu, drained
1 cup plain soy milk
¼ cup honey
3 ripe bananas
1 ½ tablespoons vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

1. In blender, puree all ingredients in 2 equal batches until very smooth.
2. Pour mixture into ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions. Serve right away or transfer to airtight container and freeze up to 3 days.

Nutritional notes:
Per 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 115, Protein: 3g, Total fat: 2g, Carbs: 22g, Cholesterol: mg, Sodium: 29mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugars: g

MacGourmet Rating: 5 Stars

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 01:46:01 GMT

This was a really easy tofu recipe. It had a lot of flavor, but I think it would have been even better if i had grilled it. I broiled it on a sheet pan next to a frozen chunk of the green garlic bread from last week. It worked out really well, and I was glad that I had stuck some in the freezer for a quick side dish.

Marinated Teriyaki Tofu
Whole Foods Marketplace

Serves 4

1 lb tofu
2 oz low sodium tamari
2 tsp sesame oil
1 TB honey
1 TB rice wine vinegar
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp minced garlic

Combine marinade ingredients. Marinate 1/2-inch thick slices of tofu at least one hour or overnight. Grill or broil 3–5 minutes on each side until golden brown. Use for sandwiches or wraps or serve with rice or pasta.

MacGourmet Rating: 4 Stars

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 01:40:57 GMT

I made my version of my grandpa's beef stew last week, but this time I tried it in the crockpot. It was still really good, but I prefer it as directed below on the stove top. It makes a lot, and it's perfect comfort food for cold weather. When I visit home for Thanksgiving, I'm going to ask him what he does differently - I think he adds corn and cabbage. Yum!

Beef Stew
Adapted from Grandpa

3 potatoes, diced
2 green bell pepper, diced
5 carrots, sliced
2 medium onions, diced
3 stalks celery, sliced
2 pounds beef stew meat, cubed
1 cup barley
2 tablespoons olive oil
32 ounce jar tomato juice
32 ounce box low sodium beef broth
¼ cup ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcerstershire sauce
½ teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons brown sugar
½ teaspoon black pepper
10 dashes hot sauce
1 tablespoon dried parsley

Brown Meat in Olive oil. Add rest of ingredients except for potatoes and barley. Simmer, covered for 2 hours. Add potatoes and barley and simmer, covered for another hour.

MacGourmet Rating: 5 Stars