Ok I've been forgetting to put recipes on here! I'm going to forget everything I've made, dangit! Oh well. Here are two new ones. They aren't related at all, except for that they are both freakin delicious.
FRUIT AND HONEY BAKED PANCAKES
Shamelessly stolen from this blog.
1 egg and 1 egg white
1/4 cup warm milk
1/4 cup flour
2 tsp honey and more for topping
1 Tbsp. coconut oil
dash of almond extract
sliced fruits for topping (I used strawberries and blueberries. Bananas would be AWESOME!)
1) Preheat oven to 400*. Whisk egg white until peaked (electric mixer is the ONLY WAY to go).
2) Mix all of the other ingredients (besides coconut oil) in a separate bowl, and then fold in egg white.
3) Heat the pan (med-high) and add coconut oil (or any substitute oil or butter). Add pancake batter and fry til edges start looking hard (NOT til they are brown).
4) Evenly spread fruits on top and put in the oven for 7-10 minutes.
5) Drizzle with honey and eat it.
AHI TUNA
Inspiration by this blog and my previous attempts (and failures) at cooking ahi tuna (aka yellowfin!).
3 parts soy sauce
3 parts oil
1 part lime juice
minced garlic and either fresh or dried ginger
pepper
sesame seeds, toasted
ahi tuna (duh)
1) Be careful with the ahi! Defrost in the refrigerator, not at room temp. If you can, defrost in the marinade. Otherwise, marinade for at least half an hour. (Marinade is everything except sesame seeds!)
2) The steak should still be cold when you sear it! Heat up a pan to med-high heat, and sear the tuna about 1 to 1.5 minutes on each side. It will still be very red in the middle.
3) Pour any remaining marinade on the steak and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Since you are basically eating it raw, as long as you kept it cold you can use the marinade you had the fish in as sauce.
HUMMUS
1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 - 1.5 cups cooked garbanzo beans
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup water (only if you aren't using canned beans)
salt and pepper
1) Mix the olive oil and sesame seeds together and grind into a paste (this is homemade tahini!).
2) Add garbanzo beans and lemon juice; combine well in food processor.
3) Add water to make it into your desired consistency, if necessary, and salt and pepper to taste.
Wednesday, 16 May 2012
Friday, 16 March 2012
Loaded Potato Soup, Black Bean Burgers, and Moroccan Stew
First of all, I swear I'm not turning vegetarian. Even though it seems like it. Maybe I am a little sensitive to poor baby animals getting farmed industrially and I'm making an effort, but I can't give up a few things--namely bacon and chicken. But I'm buying cage-free and local eggs and chicken, which I tried to do after I read the Omnivore's Dilemma but then I got lazy. My conscience has been battered in one of my classes though, so I'm taking another stab at it. I baked a free-range chicken yesterday! It turned out pretty dang good. I also discovered these recipes, which use little or no meat. And still are delicious (shocking, I know).
LOADED POTATO SOUP
Inspired by this recipe.
2 cups baked potato, roughly chopped**
chopped onion
2 tsp paprika
other spices to taste (I used Mrs. Dash Garlic&Herb and just a dash of cayenne)
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
2-3 Tbsp. flour
1/4 cup sour cream
2-4 bacon slices, fried and chopped
1-2 tsp salt
1. Sautee onions and spices with oil until onions are soft and translucent.
2. Add broth.
3.Beat flour in with milk (make sure they are veryyy well-combined!!) and add to soup. Let cook for a couple of minutes, then take it off the heat and add sour cream.
4. Sprinkle with salt to taste.
5. Pour the soup mixture over the chopped potatoes, and top with bacon (and whatever else you like: cheese, onions, brocolli, etc).
**To bake the potatoes quickly, stab them a few times with a fork and bake in the microwave for 4-5 minutes or until soft. Peel and chop.
BLACK BEAN BURGERS
Adapted from this recipe. I can't wait to experiment with this more. I'm thinking of adding whole grain rice and cooked corn.
1/2 a large onion
1/2 a bell pepper (not vital, but adds taste--green tasted fine, and I hate green peppers :D)
1-2 cloves garlic
2 cups beans (use canned, or cook them from dry)
salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, Mrs. Dash--tons of spices!!
1 egg
1/4 cup+ breadcrumbs and/or flour
jalapeno to taste
19 May update: I experimented with adding a bunch of other stuff and it tasted even better! Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, soy sauce, tomato sauce, quinoa, corn...The options are LITERALLY endless. Just be careful with the ratio of liquids to dry stuff so the burgers don't get to an unusuable consistency.
1. Chop the first three indgredients finely (food processor does the trick!).
2. Add the beans and blend into a paste. Add the spices (you will need to spice the SHIT out of these things, trust me--that's the only way they taste good). Perfect the taste now!
3. Add the egg and mash it all together.
4. Add enough flour and/or breadcrumbs so that the mixture makes decent patties that don't fall apart. 5. Fry in hot oil over medium heat until golden brown.
6. Top with Big Mac sauce and whatever else you like; I used cabbage, tomatoes, pickles, and cheese. I served (read: ate) it open-face on a corn tortilla.
Big Mac sauce
This was also included with the recipe, and I loveee it.
4 parts ketchup
2 parta mayo
1 part deli mustard
1 part vinegar
1 part lemon juice
Mix and become obsessed. Trust me.
MOROCCAN CHICK PEA STEW
Another gem found on GoJee, my recent obsession. Here's the original.
1 onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped thinly
2 cups cabbage, chopped finely
1 red pepper, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cups pinto beans
spices--1 tsp each of: fresh ginger, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne pepper
2 cups veggie or chicken broth
craisins
1. Cook first four ingredients in oil over medium-low heat. Don't burn them, but the sweet potatoes need tiiiime so keep an eye on them.
2. Add the rest of the indgredients except for the broth and craisins. Cook for five more minutes.
3. Add broth and bring to a boil; cook for 20 more minutes.
4. Serve over rice or couscous; top with craisins.
Anyways, there you go. My dance on the edge of vegetarianism.
LOADED POTATO SOUP
Inspired by this recipe.
2 cups baked potato, roughly chopped**
chopped onion
2 tsp paprika
other spices to taste (I used Mrs. Dash Garlic&Herb and just a dash of cayenne)
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
2-3 Tbsp. flour
1/4 cup sour cream
2-4 bacon slices, fried and chopped
1-2 tsp salt
1. Sautee onions and spices with oil until onions are soft and translucent.
2. Add broth.
3.Beat flour in with milk (make sure they are veryyy well-combined!!) and add to soup. Let cook for a couple of minutes, then take it off the heat and add sour cream.
4. Sprinkle with salt to taste.
5. Pour the soup mixture over the chopped potatoes, and top with bacon (and whatever else you like: cheese, onions, brocolli, etc).
**To bake the potatoes quickly, stab them a few times with a fork and bake in the microwave for 4-5 minutes or until soft. Peel and chop.
BLACK BEAN BURGERS
Adapted from this recipe. I can't wait to experiment with this more. I'm thinking of adding whole grain rice and cooked corn.
1/2 a large onion
1/2 a bell pepper (not vital, but adds taste--green tasted fine, and I hate green peppers :D)
1-2 cloves garlic
2 cups beans (use canned, or cook them from dry)
salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, Mrs. Dash--tons of spices!!
1 egg
1/4 cup+ breadcrumbs and/or flour
jalapeno to taste
19 May update: I experimented with adding a bunch of other stuff and it tasted even better! Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, soy sauce, tomato sauce, quinoa, corn...The options are LITERALLY endless. Just be careful with the ratio of liquids to dry stuff so the burgers don't get to an unusuable consistency.
1. Chop the first three indgredients finely (food processor does the trick!).
2. Add the beans and blend into a paste. Add the spices (you will need to spice the SHIT out of these things, trust me--that's the only way they taste good). Perfect the taste now!
3. Add the egg and mash it all together.
4. Add enough flour and/or breadcrumbs so that the mixture makes decent patties that don't fall apart. 5. Fry in hot oil over medium heat until golden brown.
6. Top with Big Mac sauce and whatever else you like; I used cabbage, tomatoes, pickles, and cheese. I served (read: ate) it open-face on a corn tortilla.
Big Mac sauce
This was also included with the recipe, and I loveee it.
4 parts ketchup
2 parta mayo
1 part deli mustard
1 part vinegar
1 part lemon juice
Mix and become obsessed. Trust me.
MOROCCAN CHICK PEA STEW
Another gem found on GoJee, my recent obsession. Here's the original.
1 onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped thinly
2 cups cabbage, chopped finely
1 red pepper, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cups pinto beans
spices--1 tsp each of: fresh ginger, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne pepper
2 cups veggie or chicken broth
craisins
1. Cook first four ingredients in oil over medium-low heat. Don't burn them, but the sweet potatoes need tiiiime so keep an eye on them.
2. Add the rest of the indgredients except for the broth and craisins. Cook for five more minutes.
3. Add broth and bring to a boil; cook for 20 more minutes.
4. Serve over rice or couscous; top with craisins.
Anyways, there you go. My dance on the edge of vegetarianism.
Tuesday, 24 January 2012
Mexican soup, cheeseburgers, and Dutch mashed potatoes
MEXICAN BEAN SOUP
Super easy and super delicious.
1 T. olive oil
1 onion
3-4 cloves garlic
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder (or more to taste!)
tomatoes: a can or 4-5 fresh
1.5 cups vegetable broth
1-2 cans of beans; black or brown is fine
1 handful chopped cilantro
salt, pepper, feta cheese, and chives to taste
1. Chop onions and mince garlic. Saute onions (and chopped tomatoes if you are using the fresh ones) with the oil until they turn clear; add the garlic and spices. Saute for 2-3 more minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes (if you're using canned) and vegetable broth; bring to a slow boil.
3. Add the beans and cilantro and boil for a few more minutes.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste; serve with feta and chives sprinkled on top.
Adapted from this recipe.
CHEESEBURGERS
Mom's recipe; a hit with the boys in Holland.
2 lbs ground beef
A handful of bread crumbs
Half an onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste
sliced yellow cheese (cheddar or American is best)
butter for the pan
8 buns
1. Mix the beef, bread, onions, garlic, and spices together. Form eight patties from the meat. Make sure you put a dip in the patties with your thumb so they don't swell up too much when cooked.
2. Melt 2-3 Tbsp. butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Cook the burgers for 5-6 minutes on each side. When they are almost done, put a slice of cheese on the patty and cover the pan to melt the cheese.
3. Butter the buns and toast them in a pan for 2-3 minutes for an extra delicious meal.
HUTSPOT WITH MEATBALLS
Stampot is a common Dutch dish: mashed potatoes with added ingredients as a main dish with meat on the side. This is a modified stampot based on this recipe with homemade meatballs inspired by this recipe. Both turned out delicious! I also made a gravy from the meatball drippings and vegetable bouillon to add, and we served it with a side of mustard. This is a pretty large recipe that served 6.
BAKED MEATBALLS
2 lbs ground beef
1 1/4 cup "biscuit" crumbs--similar consistency to melba toast
2 eggs, lightly beaten
10 oz can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup grated fresh parmesan
3 tsp salt
1 Tbsp pepper
2 tsp chili powder
2 Tbsp "Italian green herbs"--oregano, basil, dried parsely, marjoram, etc.
1. Mix everything together and form golf-ball sized balls.
2. Grease a cookie sheet with butter and spread the meatballs evenly on the sheet.
3. Cook at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes.
HUTSPOT
4 lbs peeled potatoes, cut into similar-sized pieces
1 head cabbage, cored and sliced thinly
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
2 1/2 cups rucola
1-2 Tbsp. mustard
salt to taste
1. Rinse the potatoes and add enough water to cover them and 2 tsp salt. Your pot should also be big enough to hold the cabbage. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Then, add the cabbage and cook for ten more minutes. Once the potatoes are soft, drain.
2. Add butter and milk to the potatoes and cabbage, and mash everything together. Add the mustard, salt, and any other spices--might I suggest curry powder and pepper. Once you get the taste right, add the rucola. Set the potatoes aside and serve with the meatballs!
Super easy and super delicious.
1 T. olive oil
1 onion
3-4 cloves garlic
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder (or more to taste!)
tomatoes: a can or 4-5 fresh
1.5 cups vegetable broth
1-2 cans of beans; black or brown is fine
1 handful chopped cilantro
salt, pepper, feta cheese, and chives to taste
1. Chop onions and mince garlic. Saute onions (and chopped tomatoes if you are using the fresh ones) with the oil until they turn clear; add the garlic and spices. Saute for 2-3 more minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes (if you're using canned) and vegetable broth; bring to a slow boil.
3. Add the beans and cilantro and boil for a few more minutes.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste; serve with feta and chives sprinkled on top.
Adapted from this recipe.
CHEESEBURGERS
Mom's recipe; a hit with the boys in Holland.
2 lbs ground beef
A handful of bread crumbs
Half an onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste
sliced yellow cheese (cheddar or American is best)
butter for the pan
8 buns
1. Mix the beef, bread, onions, garlic, and spices together. Form eight patties from the meat. Make sure you put a dip in the patties with your thumb so they don't swell up too much when cooked.
2. Melt 2-3 Tbsp. butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Cook the burgers for 5-6 minutes on each side. When they are almost done, put a slice of cheese on the patty and cover the pan to melt the cheese.
3. Butter the buns and toast them in a pan for 2-3 minutes for an extra delicious meal.
HUTSPOT WITH MEATBALLS
Stampot is a common Dutch dish: mashed potatoes with added ingredients as a main dish with meat on the side. This is a modified stampot based on this recipe with homemade meatballs inspired by this recipe. Both turned out delicious! I also made a gravy from the meatball drippings and vegetable bouillon to add, and we served it with a side of mustard. This is a pretty large recipe that served 6.
BAKED MEATBALLS
2 lbs ground beef
1 1/4 cup "biscuit" crumbs--similar consistency to melba toast
2 eggs, lightly beaten
10 oz can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup grated fresh parmesan
3 tsp salt
1 Tbsp pepper
2 tsp chili powder
2 Tbsp "Italian green herbs"--oregano, basil, dried parsely, marjoram, etc.
1. Mix everything together and form golf-ball sized balls.
2. Grease a cookie sheet with butter and spread the meatballs evenly on the sheet.
3. Cook at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes.
HUTSPOT
4 lbs peeled potatoes, cut into similar-sized pieces
1 head cabbage, cored and sliced thinly
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
2 1/2 cups rucola
1-2 Tbsp. mustard
salt to taste
1. Rinse the potatoes and add enough water to cover them and 2 tsp salt. Your pot should also be big enough to hold the cabbage. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Then, add the cabbage and cook for ten more minutes. Once the potatoes are soft, drain.
2. Add butter and milk to the potatoes and cabbage, and mash everything together. Add the mustard, salt, and any other spices--might I suggest curry powder and pepper. Once you get the taste right, add the rucola. Set the potatoes aside and serve with the meatballs!
Monday, 14 November 2011
Fall Salad and Easy Sesame Chicken!
Okay. First, I FINALLY made Sheperd's Pie (http://verslareesa.blogspot.com/2011/08/shepherds-pie-and-guacamole.html) and here's a picture of it. I used ground beef, sauteed the veggies to cook them, and lots and lots and lots of mustard! Yummy.
Secondly, I have tried two new DELICIOUS recipes. The first: a roasted veggie salad. Healthy, delicious, and an easy way to use up all those cool-weather veggies.
AUTUMN ROASTED VEGGIE SALAD
Potatoes
Red Peppers
Squash
Rosemary
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Garlic
Spring Greens
Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
1) Slice the first three veggies thinly (1/4"). Use however much you want; I used a total of about 3/4 cup for my single salad.
2) Coat in olive oil, sprinkle with rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper and arrange evenly on a baking sheet.
3) Cook for 15-20 minutes, continually checking on them and flipping/stirring them. When they start to carmelize (peppers&squash)/brown(potatoes), they are done.
4) Arrange spring greens, and layer the roasted veggies on top.
5) Finish with honey mustard vinaigrette.
Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
I used homemade mustard, which is the simplest homemade condiment on earth. In a food processor, pulverize mustard seeds (I buy mine at the Whole Foods) and add water (spicy) or vinegar (mild) until it is a desirable consistency. Then, use it to make this awesome vinaigrette!
1 part mustard
2 parts honey
3 parts cider vinegar
9 parts olive oil
Mix well, and readjust to taste. I ended up adding more mustard and vinegar.
Aaaand the second recipe! An easy, healthy alternative to sesame chicken from your local Asian restaurant. I didn't use sesame seeds the first time, but when make it again I'm for sure adding them!
SESAME CHICKEN
1-2 chicken breasts
butter
cayenne pepper
flour
Sauce, inspired by this recipe.
1/2 cup water
1 cup chicken boullion
2 Tbsp vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp oil
1 tsp spicy stuff--cayenne pepper or something
1) Slice the chicken breast into pieces. Put it in a plastic bag with enough flour to coat it all and some cayenne pepper.
2) Fry on medium heat until the chicken is browned.
3) Mix the rest of the ingredients together on low heat to make a sauce. Test taste; you may need a little more sugar. You can add some corn starch or flour to make it thicker, or just let it simmer for a bit until it thickens.
4) When the chicken is done, pour the sauce over it and let it cook 2-3 minutes more. Add steamed brocolli for some extra deliciousness!
Best served with basmati rice.
Secondly, I have tried two new DELICIOUS recipes. The first: a roasted veggie salad. Healthy, delicious, and an easy way to use up all those cool-weather veggies.
AUTUMN ROASTED VEGGIE SALAD
Potatoes
Red Peppers
Squash
Rosemary
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Garlic
Spring Greens
Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
1) Slice the first three veggies thinly (1/4"). Use however much you want; I used a total of about 3/4 cup for my single salad.
2) Coat in olive oil, sprinkle with rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper and arrange evenly on a baking sheet.
3) Cook for 15-20 minutes, continually checking on them and flipping/stirring them. When they start to carmelize (peppers&squash)/brown(potatoes), they are done.
4) Arrange spring greens, and layer the roasted veggies on top.
5) Finish with honey mustard vinaigrette.
Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
I used homemade mustard, which is the simplest homemade condiment on earth. In a food processor, pulverize mustard seeds (I buy mine at the Whole Foods) and add water (spicy) or vinegar (mild) until it is a desirable consistency. Then, use it to make this awesome vinaigrette!
1 part mustard
2 parts honey
3 parts cider vinegar
9 parts olive oil
Mix well, and readjust to taste. I ended up adding more mustard and vinegar.
Aaaand the second recipe! An easy, healthy alternative to sesame chicken from your local Asian restaurant. I didn't use sesame seeds the first time, but when make it again I'm for sure adding them!
SESAME CHICKEN
1-2 chicken breasts
butter
cayenne pepper
flour
Sauce, inspired by this recipe.
1/2 cup water
1 cup chicken boullion
2 Tbsp vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp oil
1 tsp spicy stuff--cayenne pepper or something
1) Slice the chicken breast into pieces. Put it in a plastic bag with enough flour to coat it all and some cayenne pepper.
2) Fry on medium heat until the chicken is browned.
3) Mix the rest of the ingredients together on low heat to make a sauce. Test taste; you may need a little more sugar. You can add some corn starch or flour to make it thicker, or just let it simmer for a bit until it thickens.
4) When the chicken is done, pour the sauce over it and let it cook 2-3 minutes more. Add steamed brocolli for some extra deliciousness!
Best served with basmati rice.
Sunday, 16 October 2011
Applesauce Chocolate Chip Cookies and Strawberry Bruschetta
Applesauce Chocolate Chip Cookies
I didn't have any butter! But I wanted cookies. My roommate had margarine but I'm all anti-processed shizzle, so I did a little Googling and decided to substitute applesauce! The result was a DELICIOUS but cakey cookie that tastes a lot lighter than regular chocolate chip cookies. Plus they are healthier! AND my roommate took pictures of them! Awesome. My first picture of my own food on my blog!
A note on the applesauce: My roommate made mine from fresh apples, which were boiled until soft and then pureed. I would recommend if you use sweetened applesauce to cut down on the sugar in the recipe somewhat.
Modified from allrecipes.com.
I didn't have any butter! But I wanted cookies. My roommate had margarine but I'm all anti-processed shizzle, so I did a little Googling and decided to substitute applesauce! The result was a DELICIOUS but cakey cookie that tastes a lot lighter than regular chocolate chip cookies. Plus they are healthier! AND my roommate took pictures of them! Awesome. My first picture of my own food on my blog!
A note on the applesauce: My roommate made mine from fresh apples, which were boiled until soft and then pureed. I would recommend if you use sweetened applesauce to cut down on the sugar in the recipe somewhat.
Modified from allrecipes.com.
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon almond or vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1) Preheat oven--325 F.
2) Mix together all dry ingredients (excluding chocolate chips).
3) Mix together all wet ingredients, using an electric beater if you have one.
4) Stir the two together. At this point, I needed to add a little more flour to make them a more "normal" cookie consistency, I think the texture was off because of the applesauce. After it seems a good consistency, add the chocolate chips.
5) Drop cookie dough with a tablespoon onto a greased cookie sheet.
6) Bake 15-17 minutes or until golden brown.
Strawberry Basil Bruschetta
There is some dispute on how to make this! I will give both versions, because they are both the same basic concept and both are delicious.
1 baguette
sliced strawberries
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
ricotta cheese
for the sweeter version:
1 T. brown sugar
a dash of vanilla
basil
-Slice baguette thinly and bake until toasted.
-While its toasting, prepare a balsamic reduction. Cook balsamic vinegar over low heat (add the vanilla and sugar if you wish) until it thickens (about 7 minutes.).
-Spread ricotta cheese onto slices of baguette.
-Spread sliced strawberries onto the baguette slices. Alternatively, you can add the strawberries to the balsamic reduction when it is almost finished.
-If you are using basil, layer on top of the strawberries.
-Drizzle with balsamic reduction.
Yummy, yummy, yummy. Both versions of this are delicious! Try to eat it right immediately or it will get mushy.
Recipe is a collaboration of my mama and I!
1) Preheat oven--325 F.
2) Mix together all dry ingredients (excluding chocolate chips).
3) Mix together all wet ingredients, using an electric beater if you have one.
4) Stir the two together. At this point, I needed to add a little more flour to make them a more "normal" cookie consistency, I think the texture was off because of the applesauce. After it seems a good consistency, add the chocolate chips.
5) Drop cookie dough with a tablespoon onto a greased cookie sheet.
6) Bake 15-17 minutes or until golden brown.
Strawberry Basil Bruschetta
There is some dispute on how to make this! I will give both versions, because they are both the same basic concept and both are delicious.
1 baguette
sliced strawberries
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
ricotta cheese
for the sweeter version:
1 T. brown sugar
a dash of vanilla
basil
-Slice baguette thinly and bake until toasted.
-While its toasting, prepare a balsamic reduction. Cook balsamic vinegar over low heat (add the vanilla and sugar if you wish) until it thickens (about 7 minutes.).
-Spread ricotta cheese onto slices of baguette.
-Spread sliced strawberries onto the baguette slices. Alternatively, you can add the strawberries to the balsamic reduction when it is almost finished.
-If you are using basil, layer on top of the strawberries.
-Drizzle with balsamic reduction.
Yummy, yummy, yummy. Both versions of this are delicious! Try to eat it right immediately or it will get mushy.
Recipe is a collaboration of my mama and I!
Saturday, 8 October 2011
Turkish Recipes, BBQ Tenderloin, and Strawberry Cream Cheese Pancakes
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| Burası İstanbul. |
I discovered nearly every culture has some version of rice pudding, but Turkey's is definitely my favorite. SO YUMMY and easy!
Sutlaç
1/2 cup white rice
2 cups water
1 lt (4 cups) milk
3/4-1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup corn starch
First, cook the rice with 2 cups of water until most of the water is soaked up.
Add the next 3 ingredients (not the corn starch!), and cook over low heat for around 30 minutes (STIRRING A LOT).
Mix the corn starch with a bit of water and add to the mixture.
Cook for at least 5 more minutes, or until it reaches the consistency you want.
NOW is the Turkish part. Put the pudding into a small pan (or if you have those oven-safe single serving dishes that would be perfect!) and broil for a few minutes until the top turns brown. YUMMY! Serve hot or chilled!
Nohutlu Pilav
This is super common in Turkey, you can get it almost anywhere. It's suuuuper good, and healthier than regular rice if only for the protein added by garbanzo beans. It's probably a bit high in sodium due to being cooked in chicken broth but WHO CARES. Enjoy.
1 cup rice, soaked for 30 min in warm water (I use baldo rice that I brought home from Turkey but regular white rice works fine)
1 medium chopped onion
1/2 cup cooked or canned garbanzo beans
2-3 Tbsp. butter
2 cups boullion (chicken, preferably)
pepper!
Saute butter and onions together until the onions are soft.
Add rice and garbanzo beans and saute for another couple of minutes.
Add boullion and pepper, bring to a boil.
Put cover on and cook over low heat until all the boullion is soaked up (don't stir during the cooking process!)
Take off heat and cover with paper towel or kitchen towel. Place lid on top again. Leave sit for 10 minutes.
Take off cover and fluff with fork; serve.
You can add stuff besides garbanzo beans! Cooked chicken is common, but veggies like tomatoes or cooked carrots would be yummy too.
Recipes are courtesy of almostturkish.blogspot.com, my Turkish friend's mom, and modifications by me!
BBQ Pork Tenderloin
Pork Tenderloin
~1 cup BBQ Sauce (My recipe is here: http://verslareesa.blogspot.com/2011_06_01_archive.html)
3 small red potatoes
Mixed veggies
Marinate the tenderloin overnight in about half of the BBQ sauce.
The next day, poke some holes in the potatoes and cook in microwave for 1-2 minutes (they shouldn't be fully cooked but at least partially!)
Cut up potatoes, place in glass baking pan with tenderloin and mixed veggies (I used a frozen Mediterranean mix from the grocery store--probably about a cup of them.)
Pour about 1/4 cup of remaning BBQ sauce over the tenderloin and some olive oil on the veggies/potatoes.
Cover with tin foil and cook for at least an hour at 350. It should be almost completely white in the middle (a tiny bit of pinkness is doable.)
This was a collaborative recipe between my mama and I. Mostly my mom.
Strawberry Cream Cheese-Filled Pancakes
I came up with this idea of filling the pancakes because cream cheese and jam wouldn't cook well. They heat up nicely in the middle of the pancake and seem like a surprise when you eat it. You could try other fillings--peanut butter and choc. chips, cheese, or blueberry sauce.
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 1/4 cups buttermilk (5 tsp. vinegar and the rest milk to equal 1 1/4 cup)
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tsp almond extract
Filling:
Strawberry jam
Cream Cheese
Mix dry ingredients for pancakes together.
Make a dip in the dry ingredients and add the wet ones.
Mix well with fork.
Heat canola oil or butter in a pan over medium-low heat.
Pour some batter into pan, and immediately put a dollop of cream cheese and one of jam on top. Pour more pancake batter on top to cover.
Cook both sides until brown.
Pancake recipe courtesy of allrecipes.com, modified (of course) by me. When do I ever make something like the recipe says... :S
1 tsp almond extract
Filling:
Strawberry jam
Cream Cheese
Mix dry ingredients for pancakes together.
Make a dip in the dry ingredients and add the wet ones.
Mix well with fork.
Heat canola oil or butter in a pan over medium-low heat.
Pour some batter into pan, and immediately put a dollop of cream cheese and one of jam on top. Pour more pancake batter on top to cover.
Cook both sides until brown.
Pancake recipe courtesy of allrecipes.com, modified (of course) by me. When do I ever make something like the recipe says... :S
Wednesday, 28 September 2011
Oh. My. God. Tofu.
I always thought tofu was too hippie-ish for me and that it would taste awful. Then, a friend made it for dinner in Holland and I fell in love with the sauce she made. That's the thing about tofu--it is basically just a nice filler with a lot of protein that will suck up the tastes of whatever else you cook with it. Tonight, I made some sort of stir fry with tofu and broccoli I had that was about to go bad.
This was the sauce, courtesy of www.gourmet.com (with some changes due to priciness...I refuse to buy an $8 bottle of sesame oil for one recipe!)
Spicy Garlic Sauce
2 cloves of garlic
fresh hot peppers to taste
green onions (I used about 3 Tbsp but it really doesn't matter; it just makes it look prettier)
toasted sesame seeds (I got a tiny bit in bulk from the co-op and then fried them in a dry pan over medium heat for about five minutes...this is NOT something you should skip! They add so much flavor!)
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp canola oil
a dash of sugar
Start with finely chopping the garlic and peppers together, and then add everything else. I know this is extremely high in sodium and I would love to figure out a way to cut that, but it's TOTALLY WORTH IT for a treat once in awhile.
To complete this meal, I pan-fried tofu and blanched broccoli, and put it all over a half cup of brown rice. I am officially obsessed.
This was the sauce, courtesy of www.gourmet.com (with some changes due to priciness...I refuse to buy an $8 bottle of sesame oil for one recipe!)
Spicy Garlic Sauce
2 cloves of garlic
fresh hot peppers to taste
green onions (I used about 3 Tbsp but it really doesn't matter; it just makes it look prettier)
toasted sesame seeds (I got a tiny bit in bulk from the co-op and then fried them in a dry pan over medium heat for about five minutes...this is NOT something you should skip! They add so much flavor!)
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp canola oil
a dash of sugar
Start with finely chopping the garlic and peppers together, and then add everything else. I know this is extremely high in sodium and I would love to figure out a way to cut that, but it's TOTALLY WORTH IT for a treat once in awhile.
To complete this meal, I pan-fried tofu and blanched broccoli, and put it all over a half cup of brown rice. I am officially obsessed.
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