recipes

Salsa Verde

2009-11-07T18:10:00.000-08:00

From Tamales 101: A beginner's guide

Fat Free Masa

2009-11-07T18:09:00.001-08:00

From Tamales 101: A beginner's guide

Red Chile Sauce

2009-11-07T18:02:00.000-08:00

3 oz dried ancho chiles
2 cups low-salt chicken broth or water
2 large whole garlic cloves plus 1 chopped garlic clove
1 tsp dried oregano
1 Tbs vegetable oil
1 1/2 Tbs. dark brown sugar
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

Heat large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chiles. Toast until puffed and smoking slightly, turning occasionally, about 1 1/2 minutes Transfer to large bowl. Add enough very hot water to cover chiles, weigh down with plate and soak until soft, about 30 minutes.

Drain chiles, reserving one cup soaking liquid. Stem and seed chiles; place in blender. Add one cup broth, 2 whole garlic cloves, oregano, and one cup soaking liquid. Blend until sauce is smooth, adding more broth by 1/2 cupfuls if too thick.

Heat oil in large deep saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped garlic. Saute until brown, about 3 minutes. Add chile puree. Partially cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 8 minutes, whisking occasionally. Transfer sauce to bowl; whisking in sugar and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.

Basic Masa Dough

2009-11-07T17:52:00.000-08:00

6 3/4 cups masa (corn tortilla mix)
2 Tbs salt
6 3/4 cups low salt chicken broth, warmed (or veggie broth if you want a veggie tamale)
1 1/2 lbs. lard (I know, disturbing, but use crisco, and keep in mind that this is to make 36 tamales - so over all, it's not really that much)
3 Tbs. red chile sauce

Whisk masa and salt is large bowl. Gradually add 6 cups broth, stirring until smooth dough forms. Beat lard in large bowl of heavy-duty mixer fitted with whisk attachment (or with electric mixer in extra-large bowl) until very fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl often. Add masa in egg-size lumps, beating until dough is blended and fluffy. Beat in up to 3/4 cup more broth by 1/4 cupfuls if dough is firm. Divide dough between 2 bowls (about 6 cups each). Mix 3 Tbs. chile sauce into one of the bowls. If you are using the salsa verde mix it into the other bowl - or leave it plain (or divide it into two and mix the salsa verde into one of those halves).

California Roll Salad - a'la Katie

2009-11-07T17:27:00.001-08:00

This is a salad I got from Katie. Katie, please let me know if I got it right.

avocado
k-krab
cucumber
white rice
sea weed
soy sauce

Cut up the avocado, k-krab, and cucumber. Mix it with white rice. Drizzle some soy sauce on top (or other Asian seasoning of your choice) and top with shredded sea weed.

いただきます！

Kluski Noodle Kugle

2009-11-07T17:22:00.001-08:00

Another Jane Recipe -- get your pinches, smidges, and bits out! :)

(Rachel you can find this recipe if your wedding recipe book)

12 oz kluski noodles (boiled and drained)
1 stick butter or margarine
1 package defrosted chopped broccoli (or fresh)
3 eggs
1 cup coffee rich
1 package onion soup

Put noodles in casserole dish and melt one stick of butter over. Add broccoli and mix.

In a bowl mix 3 beaten eggs, 1 cup coffee rich, and package of onion mix.

Pour mixture over noodles and broccoli.

Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees F

Fruit Salad

2009-10-25T09:28:00.001-07:00

Your favorite fruits
Especially grapes (those are the eyes)

Cut up your fruit and put it in a bowl.

Chicken with cous cous

2009-10-25T09:25:00.000-07:00

Roasted chicken from the grocery
Cous cous

Make the cous cous according to the package
Put the roasted chicken on top

Crudite

2009-10-25T09:24:00.000-07:00

Your favorite cut up veggies
Your favorite dressing

Dip the veggies in the dressing and enjoy!

Fettuccine Alfredo

2009-10-25T09:14:00.000-07:00

Fettuccine
Alfredo sauce

Make the fettuccine according to the package
Make the Alfredo sauce
Mix the two

Hamburgers

2009-10-25T09:10:00.000-07:00

hamburger meat
seasonings of your choice
your favorite sliced cheese
lettuce
tomato
pickle
hamburger bun

Mix the hamburger meat with the seasoning.
Grill the hamburgers on the grill
Grill the buns on the grill
Assemble the hamburgers to your liking

Tomato Soup

2009-10-25T09:09:00.000-07:00

Go to the store and buy your favorite brand of tomato soup. Seriously, I've tried making it from scratch and it doesn't taste any better (and takes WAY too much time!)

Grilled cheese

2009-10-25T09:06:00.000-07:00

Slices of your favorite cheese
Slices of your favorite bread
Butter or other non-stick spray

Butter one side of each piece of bread
Make a cheese sandwich with the buttered side out
Put the sandwich in a pan and heat until outside is toasty and cheese is melted

Yum!

Make Your Own Pizza

2009-10-18T15:09:00.001-07:00

Pre-made pizza crust
Pizza sauce
Mozzarella cheese
2-3 toppings of your choosing

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

2) Arrange your pizza the way you like it - I would suggest sauce, cheese then toppings - but I don't judge. You want to do toppings, sauce, cheese, be my guest. :)

3) Bake pizza in oven for 10 - 15 minutes

Bon Appetit!

Falafel Sandwich

2009-10-18T15:02:00.000-07:00

Falafel Mix
Pita Bread
Potatoes - for baked french fries (optional and not part of the 5 step guarantee)
Chumus
Eggplant - optional
Tomato Cucumber salad

1) Follow the directions on the Falafel Mix to make the falafel balls.

2) Cut the eggplant into slices and grill

3) Put everything on the table

4) Assemble the sandwiches to your desire

Baked Sweet Potato

2009-10-11T18:25:00.000-07:00

Sweet Potatoes
Butter if desired

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
Stab the sweet potatoes with a fork
Wrap the sweet potatoes in foil
Baked the sweet potatoes for 45 minute to an hour
Put butter on table to add to potatoes if desired

BBQ Chicken

2009-10-11T18:23:00.000-07:00

Chicken Breasts
BBQ sauce of your choice

Slather the chicken with BBQ sauce
Place chicken in a baking pan
Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes
Check to see if chicken is cooked through - if not, cook for 10 minutes more
Check again and continue to cook until cooked through - but not dried out

Chili

2009-10-11T18:16:00.000-07:00

Makes 8 servings

1.5 lbs. ground beef
1 cup each chopped red and green bell peppers
1 cup chopped red onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
3.5 cups low-sodium, low-fat beef broth
1.5 cups salsa
1 can (14.5 oz) tomatoes, undrained, cut up
1.5 Tbs chili powder
1.5 tsp each ground cumin and dried oregano
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 oz) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup chopped, fresh cilantro
pinch of cinnamon
2 Tbs lime juice
1 Tbs honey

Spray a large saucepan or soup pot with non-stick spray. Add beef. Cook and stir over high heat until beef is frowned all over. Add peppers, onions, and garlic. Reduce heat to medium. Cook and stir for 4 to 5 minutes, until vegetables begin to soften.

Add broth, salsa, tomatoes and their juice, chili powder, cumin, oregano, coriander, and black pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally.

Ad beans and simmer for 15 more minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in cilantro, lime juice, Cinnamon, and honey. Serve hot.

Recipe from Crazy Plates

Veggie Lasagna

2009-10-11T18:06:00.001-07:00

Makes 8 servings

3 cups sliced portobello mushrooms
2 medium zucchini, unpeeled, sliced
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 large yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
1 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp balsamic or red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp each dried rosemary and dried oregano
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1/3 cup chopped, fresh parsley
1/ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg white
12 lasagna noodles, uncooked
3 cups spaghetti sauce
1-1/2 cups shredded, part-skim mozzarella or swiss cheese (6oz)

Spray a large roasting pan with non-stick spray. Add mushrooms, zucchini, bell peppers, onion, olive oil, vinegar, garlic, rosemary, and oregano. Mix well, until vegetables are coated with seasonings. Roast, uncovered, at 400 degrees F for 25 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking time.

While vegetables are roasting, prepare cheese filling and cook pasta. In a medium bowl, combine ricotta and cottage cheeses, 1/4 cup parsley, Parmesan cheese, and egg white. Mix well. Refrigerate until ready to use. Prepare lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain well. Rinse with cold water and drain again.

To assemble lasagna, spray 9 x 13 inch baking dish with non-stick spray. Spread 1/4 spaghetti sauce over bottom of pan. Arrange 4 lasagna noodles, 3 lengthwise and one crosswise, over sauce. Spread 1/2 cheese filling over noodles, followed by 1/3 roasted vegetables. Sprinkle vegetables with 1/3 mozzarella Repeat layering 4 noodles, 1/2 cheese filling, 1/3 roasted vegetables, and 1/3 mozzarella. Layer final 4 noodles over mozzarella, followed by remaining spaghetti sauce. Top sauce with remaining roasted vegetables.

Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove lasagna from oven, sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and parsley, and return to oven, uncovered, for 5 more minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Miso Soup

2009-10-11T17:57:00.000-07:00

While for a while I was trying to convince myself that instant Miso Soup was all I needed, there is nothing that compares to true Miso Soup and it's so easy to make it's hard to find a reason NOT to make it.

Serves 4

3 cups dashi - I use chicken or veggie broth instead. It's easier to find and tastes just as good.
1/2 cup white miso - please make sure it's white. The red miso has a much stronger taste and isn't as good.
1/2 block soft (silken) tofu, about 7 oz, cut into 1/2-inch cubes. For those of you who have the "magic chopper" - what a great time to use it
2 green onions, including tender green tops, minced
Pinch of dried wakame, reconstituted - I strongly suggest getting it. It's the seaweed for the soup and since it's dried, it will last forever!

In a small saucepan, bring the dashi to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium so that the dashi is at a gentle simmer. To prevent the miso from forming salty lumps in your soup, put 1 Tbs of the miso into a large spoon and, holding the spoon in one hand and a pair of chopsticks in the other, dip the edge of the spoon into the hot broth, scooping up a little of it onto the spoon. Holding the spoon above the broth, stir together the miso and dashi with the chopsticks to dissolve the miso, and then add it to the pan. Repeat with the remaining 3 Tbs miso.

When all of the miso has been mixed in, add the tofu cubes and heat through; about 1 mnute. Then add the wakame and cook for 30 seconds longer. Remember, once the miso is in the pan, the soup must never boil.

Recipe from "Let's Cook Japanese Food!" by Amy Kaneko

Tomato and cheese salad

2009-09-13T19:19:00.001-07:00

We made this salad up after we were at the farmer's market and couldn't resist buying all the new and fun types of tomatoes we saw... they were purple, red, brown, and orange.

lots of different types of tomatoes
your choice of cheese
oil
balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper

1. Cut up the tomatoes and cheese
2. Toss them with the oil and vinegar
3. Season with salt and pepper to taste

Apple Cider Butter

2009-09-13T19:14:00.000-07:00

2 Tbs minced shallots
1 Tbs unsalted butter
One 12 -oz bottle hard apple cider (1.75 cups)
2 Tbs heavy cream
3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into large dice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, sweat the shallots in the 1 tablespoon butter for 2 - 3 minutes. Add the hard cider, bring to a boil, and reduce by two thirds, 7 - 8 minutes. Add the heavy cream, bring to a boil, and reduce by half, about 4 minutes. Add the pieces of cold butter bit by bit, whisking constantly over medium high heat. The butter will emulsify, creating a thick, creamy sauce. Once all the butter has been incorporated, remove the pan from the heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. The best ways to keep this beurre blanc warm is to either place the container in a saucepan of hot (not simmering) water for half an hour or so, or pour it directly into a small Thermos and screw the cover on. The thermos method will keep the beurre blanc warm for an hour or more.

Whole Grilled Trout with Apple Cider Butter

2009-09-13T19:10:00.000-07:00

4 whole trout
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 lemon, quartered and thinly sliced
1/2 onion, quartered and thinly sliced
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbs kosher salt
1 Tbs freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
Apple Cider Butter
4 lemon wedges

1. Fire up the grill
2. Stuff the cavity of each trout with a sprig of thyme, and a quarter of the lemon and onion slices. On a plate, combine the flour with the salt and pepper. Dredge both sides of the trout in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess. Brush the grill and fish with oil. Grill over direct heat, with the grill covered until cooked throughout, flipping halfway through, about 12 minutes total.

Grilled Asparagus & Onions with Balsamic Vinegar & Blue Cheese

2009-09-13T07:05:00.001-07:00

Serves 12 as a side dish

2.5 lbs. asparagus (about 2 large bunches) trimmed
8 Tbs. EVOO (look at me using hip cooking language)
1 tsp. kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large sweet onion cut into 1/2-inch disks and threaded onto metal skewers
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
3 oz blue cheese crumbled (3/4 cup)... I never put the cheese in my dish, it's delish without
1/3 cup thinly sliced dried Black Mission figs (preferably small ones)
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

Heat a gas grill to medium or prepare a medium charcoal fire.

Put the asparagus on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with 2 Tbs. of the oil, and season with 1/2 tsp. of the salt and a few generous grinds of black pepper. Turn to coat. Grill the asparagus (covered on a gas grill) until they have nice grill marks, about 4 minutes. Turn about continue cooking until tender and browned, about 4 more minutes; transfer to a large platter. Reduce the heat on the gas grill to medium low or let the charcoal burn down a bit.

On a rimmed baking sheet, coat the onions with 2 Tbs. of the oil, the remaining 1/2 tsp. salt, and several grinds of pepper. Grill, covered, until tender and browned, 8 to 10 minutes per side. Return the onions to the baking sheet.

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, the vinegar, and thyme. Toss the asparagus with about half the vinaigrette and then arrange neatly on the platter. Scatter onions over the asparagus and drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette. Sprinkle with the blue cheese, figs, and pine nuts, and serve; this can sit for up to 1 hour at room temperature.

Saag Paneer

2009-09-13T06:38:00.000-07:00

(I don’t actually eat the paneer – so this is just Saag)

Serves four to five.

1 ¾ pounds fresh spinach, trimmed, washed, and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons dried fenugreek leaves (dried methi) or 2-3 handfuls of fresh fenugreek leaves (fresh methi), optional
1 fresh hot green chili, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon cornmeal
3 tablespoons peanut or canola oil
¼ cup finely chopped onion
1 ½ x 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated to a pulp
1 cup finely chopped tomatoes
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
1 ½ to 2 teaspoons ground roasted cumin seeds (I just use ground cumin)
¼ teaspoon cayenne
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Bring 1 cup of water to boil in a large pan.

Put in the washed spinach, dried or fresh fenugreek leaves, if using, and green chile.

Cover the pan and cook gently for 25 minutes.

Now mash the spinach with a wooden masher or potato masher until you have a coarse puree. (You can blend the spinach in a blender)

Blend in the cornmeal and cook gently for another 5 minutes stirring now and then

In a separate frying pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat.

When hot, add the onion and stir and fry until it begins to brown.

Add the ginger and stir once or twice, then add the tomatoes and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until the texture thickens and the color of the tomatoes intensifies.

Stir the tomato mixture into the spinach mixture, then add the salt, roasted cumin, cayenne, and cinnamon and stir to mix.

Cook gently for 5 minutes.

Serve hot

Fish Tacos

2009-09-05T15:14:00.000-07:00

This is an Ethan original and it's pretty delicious. It's our go-to recipe when we are having people over and want something easy, light and tasty!

What are the special things you add to this dish?

White fish
Mexican rub
Tortillas
Shredded lettuce
Tomato (chopped)
Salsa
Guacamole (either packaged or mash avocado with salsa)
Shredded cheese
Sour cream (or plain yogurt)

1. Rub the fish with the spice rub
2. Grill the fish until it flakes apart
3. Put the fish, tomatoes, shredded lettuce, salsa, guacamole, shredded cheese, and sour cream each in separate bowls
4. Using the tortillas make and devour your delicious fish tacos

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Honey Soy Glaze

2009-09-05T15:09:00.000-07:00

For the honey soy glaze:

1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup vegetable or peanut oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1. Whisk together the glaze ingredients.

For the chicken:

4 chicken breasts
Honey Soy Glaze

In a baking dish, marinate the chicken breasts in the glaze for 30 minutes. Drain off the excess marinade. Grill or broil the breasts on both sides until cooked through, about 10 minutes total on the grill, about 16 minutes total in a preheated broiler. Be careful not to burn the chicken because the honey in the marinade can char easily. Move the chicken to a cooler part of the grill, if necessary. Cut into a breast to make sure no pink remains.

Recipe from: Seattle Kitchen, by Tom Douglas

Chilled Miso Spinach

2009-09-05T15:04:00.000-07:00

Makes 4 servings

1 pound spinach, washed well and stemmed

For the Miso Vinaigrette

2 Tbs rice wine vinegar
1 Tbs light miso paste
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1/4 cup peanut oil
1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 Tbs sesame seeds, toasted
2 Tbs black sesame seeds (these look delicious, but I left them out. Let me know if you used them and what you thought)

1. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the spinach and cook until it is wilted, about 1 minute. Drain the spinach and immediately plunge it into a container of ice water. Squeeze as much liquid as possible from the spinach and chop it finely. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, miso and soy sauce. Whisk in the oils. Toss half of the vinaigrette on the spinach and let sit for half an hour to marinate.

2. Squeeze the vinaigrette from the spinach. Put a piece of plastic wrap on a work surface and spread with sesame seeds. Form a log of spinach and place it in the center of the bed of seeds. Roll up the spinach in the wrap, twisting the ends and tying them in knots. You should have a log about 1 inch in diameter. Chill the log in the freezer for half an hour.

ON THE PLATE
Unwrap the log and slice it into eight 1 inch thick slices. Drizzle each slice with some of the remaining vinaigrette and serve. Another, simpler way to serve this dish is to dress the cooked and chopped spinach with as much vinaigrette as desired and serve it in small mounds, sprinkled with the sesame seeds, either warm or chilled.

Poblano Chile and Corn Chowder

2009-09-05T14:53:00.000-07:00

4 large ears sweet corn, shucked
3 quarts chicken or vegetable stock
1 Tbs butter
1 Tbs olive oil
3 cups chopped onion
1 cup sliced celery
2 cups heavy cream
2 poblano chiles (roasted)
1 Tbs minced fresh thyme leaves
t tsp Worcestershire sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Using a sharp knife, cut the corn kernels from the cobs. Set the cobs aside. Place the corn kernels in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and reserve in the refrigerator (there should be about 4 cups of corn). Pour the chicken broth into a large saucepan and set over high heat. Add the corn cobs and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to low and simmer, covered, for about 1 hour. Using tongs, remove the cobs and discard. Strain the broth into a mixing bowl and set aside.

Place the butter and oil in a large saucepan and set over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add the onions and celery and saute for 2 to 3 minutes until the onions are translucent. Add the reserved corn broth and the reserved corn kernels and bring to a boil. Then turn down the heat to low and simmer, covered, for about 1 hour.

Remove the pan from the heat and let the soup cool a little. Transfer in batches to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Return the pureed soup to a clean saucepan and add the cream, poblanos, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes or until the soup is heated through and nicely thickened. Season with salt and pepper and serve in warm soup bowls or tureens.

Chef's Note (not me, the original chef): The soup base - the corn broth - can be made a day ahead of time: just let it cool, and store in the refrigerator. Feel free to add the peelings from the onions, celery, and thyme to the corn stock before bringing to a oil, then strain them out before pureeing. We also sometimes add the seeds from the poblano chiles, which will give the stock a kick.
This recipe does not call for straining the soup after blending, but you certainly can for a creamier consistency.

Recipe from: Neiman Marcus Cookbook; Kevin Garvin with John Harrisson

Stir Fry

2009-08-30T19:55:00.000-07:00

One of the best things about this dish is that you can add almost anything you want! Be creative! :)

Baby corn
Water Chestnuts
Snow Peas
Bell Pepper
Broccoli
Onions
Fried Tofu
Oil
Soy Sauce

Chop up all the ingredients
Add oil to a wok or pan
Add the food to the pan in order of cooking length (longest to shortest)
--for this list:
first: broccoli
second: snow peas
third: bell peppers and onions
fourth: water chestnuts and baby corn
fifth: fried tofu
Add some soy sauce to the mixture and continue stirring
Remove from heat and enjoy

--this dish is delicious on its own or served with rice.

Roasted Green Chiles

2009-08-30T19:46:00.001-07:00

You can buy roasted green chiles if you are lucky enough to have a grocery store that roasts them for you near by. But, for the rest of us, here's an easy way to do it.

Buy the number of green chiles you want (use the chart below to determine the spiciness of each chile)

Grill (or broil) the peppers until they are charred on the outside.
Put the peppers in a paper bag until they are cool enough to handle
Rub the outside of the peppers until the skin comes off
Delish!

Click on the image above for a clearer picture!

Fried Tofu

2009-08-30T19:40:00.000-07:00

Good for lots of things - but especially the oriental salad and my mom's stir fry.

(This is one of my mom's recipes, so the amounts are more along the lines of a pinch and a smidge, but experiment and see what works best for you):

Tofu
Flour
Paprika
Garlic Salt
1 gallon zip lock bag
Oil

Squeeze all the water out of the tofu (be careful not to break it), then cut the tofu into cubes.
Put the flour, paprika, garlic salt (and any other seasonings you want) into a 1 gallon zip lock baggie.
Shake it to make sure everything is mixed.
Add the tofu to the baggie and shake until everything is coated. It's fun - sing while you are shaking! :)
Heat the oil in a large pan -- make sure the oil is at least as high as the tofu to make the frying easier.
Once the oil is hot (you can tell it's hot by putting a wooden chopstick into the oil and seeing if the oil around the chopstick bubbles immediately) add the tofu.
--A little note - the hotter the oil is when you put the tofu in - the less oil will be absorbed into the tofu--
Fry the tofu until it is browned on all sides.
Drain the tofu on paper towels to get rid of some of the excess oil.

Pretzel Knots

2009-08-16T09:27:00.000-07:00

**Disclaimer - I told you this would take a long time. But - for those of you who have to be at home due to naps, or are spending time on the computer planning weddings - there's no reason not to let the dough rise in the fridge at the same time.**

Dough

1/2 cup warm water (105 - 115 degrees F)
1.25 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 Tbs (packed) golden brown sugar
3/4 tsp sugar
1.5 tsp. vegetable oil
2 cups bread flour
1.5 tsp salt
Non-stick spray

Poaching Liquid

8 cups water
1/4 cup amber beer
1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
3 Tbs. vegetable oil
Pretzel or Coarse Sea Salt

* You can halve the poaching liquid recipe if you'd like - I always end up with way too much. Or better yet - double the dough and get twice the pretzels - they're DELICIOUS!

Dough
Place 1/2 cup warm water in medium bowl.
Stir in yeast; let stand until dissolved, about 5 minutes.
Add buttermilk, both sugars, and vegetable oil; mix well.

Mix flour and salt in processor.
With motor running, add yeast mixture and process 2 minutes.
Spray large bowl with nonstick spray.
Scrape dough into bowl (dough will be very sticky).
Spray sheet of plastic wrap with nonstick spray; cover bowl with plastic, sprayed side down.
Refrigerate dough until slightly puffed and light, about 1 hour.

Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper, then spray parchment with nonstick spray.
Transfer dough to lightly floured surface.
Spray hands with nonstick spray. (I never do this)
Divide dough into 8 equal portions.
Working with 1 portion at a time, roll into 8 to 9 inch long rope.
Tie in knot, leaving 1/2 inch of 1 end sticking up through center.
Tuck the other end under.
Transfer pretzels to prepared baking sheets, knob side up.
Cover pretzels with plastic wrap sprayed with nonstick spray.
Refrigerate until puffed and light, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Poaching liquid

Meanwhile, place 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 450 degrees F.
Bring 8 cups water, beer, baking soda, and brown sugar to simmer in large wide pot (liquid should reach depth of AT LEAST 1.5 inches)

Spray 2 baking sheets with nonstick spray.
Cut parchment paper between pretzels so each rests on its own square.
Using paper to lift pretzels from baking sheet and working with 2 pretzels at a time, carefully invert each pretzel into liquid in pot, allowing to slide off paper.
Poach ten seconds.
Using skimmer or slotted spoon, turn pretzels over; poach 10 seconds longer.
**If your pot is like mine - the pretzels are immersed in the water - I just poach for 20 seconds and call it good.**
Lift from poaching liquid, allowing pretzel to drain well.
Transfer to prepared sheets.
Brush with vegetable oil and sprinkle with pretzel salt.

Bake pretzels 8 minutes.
Rotate baking sheets; bake until pretzels are deep brown, about 7 minutes longer.
Transfer pretzels to rack; let cool.

I know this seems like a lot of work - but these pretzels really are DELICIOUS!!!! And I think they're better the first day. :)

Enjoy!

Asparagus Fries

2009-08-11T11:33:00.000-07:00

1 bunch asparagus
olive oil
kosher salt

Turn on the grill to medium.
Rub the asparagus with oil and sprinkle with kosher salt.
Put the asparagus on the grill and turn until slightly (very slightly) charred
Eat with your fingers (or if you're a pansy, use a fork)

Eggplant Parmesan

2009-07-26T12:16:00.000-07:00

Another mom special! It's delicious!!

Eggplant
Breadcrumbs
Parmesan Cheese
Garlic
Salt
Pepper
Mozzarella Cheese

Peel the eggplant and slice it so that you get circles.
Fry the eggplant in olive oil (or grill it)
Mix the Parmesan cheese with the breadcrumbs and season with minced garlic, salt and pepper
Put a small amount of spaghetti sauce on the bottom of a glass pan
Top with one layer of fried eggplant
Top with a layer of breadcrumbs
Repeat until you have no more eggplant or breadcrumbs
Top with Mozzarella Cheese

Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Enjoy!

Grilled Eggplant

2009-07-26T12:12:00.000-07:00

1 large globe eggplant (about 1 lb.), trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil; more as needed
Kosher salt

Prepare a medium-high charcoal or gas grill fire. Brush both sides of the eggplant slices with olive oil and season with salt. Grill (covered on a gas grill; uncovered on a charcoal grill) until golden-brown grill marks form, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the eggplant and grill until tender and well marked on the second sides, 3 to 4 minutes more. The interior should be grayish and soft rather than white and hard.

Recipe from Fine Cooking

Agua Frescas

2009-07-19T08:24:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, we got this recipe from Southern Living who got it from Maria Corbalan, owner of Taco Xpress in Austin, Texas.

4 cups Watermelon, cantaloupe or honey dew melon (Watermelon is our favorite)
1/4 cup sugar (I use a little less, the fruit is pretty sweet as it is)
2 cups cold water

Process 4 cups cubed fruit and 1/4 cup sugar in a blender until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
Pour mixture through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a pitcher, discarding the solids. (This part was pretty cool to do - in the blender everything looks liquefied, but you see all the pulp that is left when you strain it - and it makes for very clear liquid)
Stir in 2 cups cold water.
Cover and chill until ready to serve
Serve over ice

Chumus

2009-07-19T08:18:00.001-07:00

I told you, go buy Sabra brand chumus -- but here is a funny story about chumus.

I went to the Boulder Creek Festival (a very big festival here) and saw that they were giving out free samples of Sabra chumus. I went up to get one (they were personal size) and told the gentleman that I really liked this brand of chumus. He smiled at me and on the spot gave me 20 more of these free samples.

"Score!" I thought - and then the friend I was with made me give some to him. (Side note: Jason then kept this chumus for waaaaay too long and brought them back to my house when he and his family came to dinner the other night).

The next day I went back to the festival (I'm a bit of a festival junkie!) with another friend and told her that if we told the people giving out the chumus that we really liked Sabra brand, they'd give us a few extras. So - of course - we went up to a woman and she gave us a sample and I said, "You know, I really like Sabra brand chumus." This woman, however didn't give us 20 more free samples.

No, instead of 20 free samples, she said "If you want, go to the truck where we have all the free samples, tell John (I don't know if that is actually his name - so if Sabra is reading this and upset about it - don't go yelling at all the Johns who work for you) that you like the chumus and would like a case. He'll give it to you.

I wasn't sure I believed this - and I had no idea how big a case was - but I figured I would try it. So, before we left, Ellen and I went to the truck and before we could say anything, John said "You want a case" and we said, "Yes."

We left the fair with 120 personal size containers of chumus to split between the two of us. YUM!!!!

Baked Wild Salmon with Herb Butter

2009-07-07T21:20:00.001-07:00

Serves 4

Prepare:
1/2 cup Herb Butter (recipe follows)

Pull any pin bones from:
1 - 1.5 pounds wild salmon fillet, cut into 4 - 6 oz pieces
Refrigerate until ready to cook

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and remove the Herb Butter from the refrigerator to soften.

Season the salmon with:
Salt
Fresh ground black pepper

Oil a baking dish or a rimmed baking sheet and place the pieces of Salmon in it, skin side down. Brush or drizzle with oil. Bake until the flesh is just set and still pink in the center, 7 - 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets. Spoon some of the soft Herb Butter over each piece of fish and pass the rest in a small bowl.

Herb Butter (makes about 3/4 cup)

Stir together in a small bowl, mixing well:

8 Tbs. (1 stick) butter softened
1/2 cup chopped herbs (I use random dried herbs and it is delicious)
1 garlic clove, finely chopped (go ahead an mince it - you know you want to)
Squeeze of lemon juice
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper
A pinch of cayenne

Taste and adjust the salt and lemon as needed
If you need to melt the mixture - put it in the microwave for about 15 seconds

Recipe from The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters

Tortilla Soup

2009-07-07T21:06:00.000-07:00

This recipe was requested by my younger sister from my mom - but I'm pretty sure my mom got it from an official recipe. How do I know? Because, there are measurements. :)

1 med onion coarsely chopped
one 4 oz can of chopped green chiles
2 crushed garlic cloves (for me, mincing and crushing is the same thing - and mincers are AWESOME)
2 Tbs olive or canola oil
1 large can peeled and chopped tomatoes (I think it's 28 oz - or just use 1 cup of whatever size can you buy)
1 10oz can beef stock
1 10oz can chicken stock
1.5 cups water
1 tsp ground cumin
t tsp chile pepper
1/2 tsp salt
dash pepper
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
corn tortillas
avocado
grated monterrey jack cheese

Saute the onion, green chiles, and garlic in the oil.
In a large soup pot, combine all the ingredients from the tomatoes to the Worcestershire sauce.
Add the sauteed vegetables to the soup pot and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat, cover and simmer for one hour.
Cut the corn tortillas into 1/2" strips.
Fry strips in oil until crisp.
Drain on paper towel
Slice the avocado

Put the fried tortilla strips, avocado slices and cheese in a bowl. Ladle soup over and enjoy!

If you want this dish to be veggie friendly, just use veggie broth instead of the two meat broths
Other things you can add to this dish to make it delicious include:

-carrots
-corn
-chicken
-celery

Be careful with how much of each spice you put in this soup. It can get very spicy very quickly.

Nasu no Agebitashi (Sweet and Sour Eggplant)

2009-07-07T20:58:00.000-07:00

Canola or other neutral oil for deep-frying
8 Japanese or Chinese eggplants, about 2 lbs. total weight, trimmed and cut crosswise into 2-inch-thick pieces (I use regular eggplant)
1 tsp minced garlic
2 Tbs peeled and minced fresh ginger
1/4 cup mirin (go ahead and buy this - the dish is so delicious you'll want to make it again and again)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tsp chili bean paste
1 - 2 Tbs sugar
3 Tbs minced green onion, including tender green tops

Pour the canola oil to a depth of 2 inches into a wok or deep, wide saucepan and heat to 350 degrees F on a deep-frying thermometer or until bubbles immediately form around a wooden chopstick held upright in the pan. Working in batches, add the eggplant pieces, being careful not to crowd the pan. Fry, turning as needed, until soft and lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Using chopsticks or tongs, remove to a wire rack or paper towels to drain.

To make the sauce, in a small saucepan, stir together the garlic, ginger, mirin, soy sauce, vinegar, chili bean paste, and sugar and place over low heat. (If you want it less sweet, use less sugar. I usually use just 1 Tbs. of sugar). Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar disolves, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Pour the sauce into a serving bowl, add the eggplant, and mix lightly to coat all the eggplant with the sauce. Top with the green onions. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 4 as an appetizer or side dish.

Recipe from: Let's Cook Japanese Food! by: Amy Kaneko

Egg salad

2009-07-03T15:43:00.000-07:00

Peeled hard boiled eggs (this is a fun way to shell an egg)
Mayo
Carrots
Scallions
Salt & Pepper to taste

Mash the hard boiled eggs in bowl (you can use an egg chopper if you have one otherwise, a fork will wok just fine)
Add the mayo a little at a time until you get the consistency / taste you want
Grate some carrots and put them in the egg salad (if you love carrots add more, otherwise, just add enough for a ice splash of orange color)
Chop the scallions and add them to the egg salad
Add salt and pepper to taste (I don't add any salt and pepper - instead, I put it on the table and let my guests choose their amount)

Grilled Cheese

2009-07-03T15:37:00.000-07:00

slices of your favorite bread (I like whole wheat)
slices of your favorite cheese (I like American Cheese)
butter (or non-stick cooking spray)

Heat a pan or griddle on the stove.
Melt some butter in the pan or use non-stick cooking spray.
Butter one side of each piece of bread you are using
Put one (or two) pieces of cheese on the UN-buttered side of half of the pieces of bread
Put the UN-buttered of the other half of the pieces of bread on the cheese
(You should have an uncooked grilled cheese sandwich at this point)

Put no more than 2 sandwiches in the pan at a time
Wait 3-5 minutes or until the bread has begun to brown
Flip the sandwich and brown the other side
I like to push down on the sandwich to make sure the cheese is melty

Grilled Steak

2009-06-27T18:58:00.000-07:00

My favorite "recipe" is to call the husband over and make him do it... but if that's not an option - here's what he does:

Steak
Steak rub

Buy your preferred cut of steak at the grocery store. They likely have rub in the meat department. Ask if they will put some on the steak - and give you extra to take home (it's always nice to have it around).
Heat the grill to medium
Put the steak on the grill for 8 minutes on each side.
Cut into the steak to make sure it is done to your liking.

Mandarin Orange Salad

2009-06-27T18:54:00.001-07:00

Romaine lettuce (or spinach)
1 cup sliced or slivered almonds
1/2 cup sugar (separated)
1 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup vinegar
6 scallions thinly sliced
1 tsp salt
t Tbs parsley
dash brown pepper
dash red pepper
22 oz can mandarin oranges, chilled & drained

Wash lettuce and tear into bowl
Combine almonds and 1/4 cup of sugar in saucepan
Stir over medium heat until sugar browns & coats almonds.
Cool and break into piece.
Set aside

Combine remaining ingredients EXCEPT greens and oranges in bottle (or bowl) and mix well.

Just before serving toss everything (greens, oranges and dressing) together. **This recipe makes a lot of dressing. I suggest tossing the greens and oranges with half the dressing first and only if you think you need more adding the rest.**

Taco Salad

2009-06-27T18:47:00.000-07:00

1 can refried black beans
1 avocado
2 tomatoes
hamburger meat
shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream (or you can use plain yogurt)
shredded lettuce (or baby spinach)
2 ears of corn (you can used canned corn, but with the summer, why not grill corn instead?)
taco bowls (if you can find them - tortilla chips if you can't)
salsa

Spray a heated pan with non-stick spray. Add the hamburger meat with seasonings of your choice (salt, pepper, garlic salt, steak rub) and cook through, stirring constantly so the meat stays crumbled. Put in a bowl.
Chop the tomatoes and put them in a bowl
Chop the avocado and put it in a bowl
Put the sour cream, cheddar cheese, heated refried black beans, corn, shredded lettuce, and salsa in their own bowls

Place the taco shells on plates.
Put all the taco salad fixings on the table and let everyone make their own taco-masterpiece.

Oriental Greenbean Salad (with tofu)

2009-06-27T18:33:00.000-07:00

1.5 lbs. green beans (trimmed)
3 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. oriental sesame oil
1 tsp. sugar
6 garlic cloves (minced)

extra firm tofu
flour
paprika
garlic salt
canola oil

To make the tofu (This is one of my mom's recipes, so the amounts are more along the lines of a pinch and a smidge, but experiment and see what works best for you):

Squeeze all the water out of the tofu (be careful not to break it), then cut the tofu into cubes.
Put the flour, paprika, garlic salt (and any other seasonings you want) into a 1 gallon zip lock baggie.
Shake it to make sure everything is mixed.
Add the tofu to the baggie and shake until everything is coated. It's fun - sing while you are shaking! :)
Heat the oil in a large pan -- make sure the oil is at least as high as the tofu to make the frying easier.
Once the oil is hot (you can tell it's hot by putting a wooden chopstick into the oil and seeing if the oil around the chopstick bubbles immediately) add the tofu.
Fry the tofu until it is browned on all sides.
Drain the tofu on paper towels to get rid of some of the excess oil.

To make the salad:

Cook the green beans until just tender.
While the beans are cooking, combine soy sauce, oil, and sugar in a small bowl.
Drain the beans and set aside.
Spray a wok or skillet with non-stick cooking spray; place over medium heat.
Add garlic; cook stirring constantly about 20-30 seconds (until soft)
Add green beans; cook stirring and turning constantly until well coated (about 2 minutes)
Add soy sauce mixture
Add tofu cubes and toss in mixture until most of the liquid is absorbed (1-2 minutes)

VIP salad with seared tuna

2009-06-27T18:27:00.000-07:00

This delicious salad is very filling. It's great for a hot day and I recommend eating it outside!

2 garlic cloves
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. celery seeds
1/2 tsp. paprika
3/4 tsp. dry mustard
5 Tbs. salad oil
1 crisp medium head iceberg lettuce
1/2 crisp small romaine lettuce
1/2 cup sliced, toasted, blanched almonds
1 cup tiny raw cauliflowerettes
1/2 diced, peeled avocado (why not do the whole thing - you can never have too much avocado)
1 peeled tomato, cut into small wedges
high grade tuna steak

Mash garlic in salt.
Blend in lemon juice and next 5 ingredients.
Add oil.
Pour into jar and shake well.
Chill.

Tear greens into salad bowl.
Add almonds, cauliflower, avocado and tomato.
Pour dressing over the salad and toss.

Sear tuna in a pan or on the grill. If you like raw tuna, you can cook the fish so that both sides are cooked, but the inside is still raw. If you prefer your tuna well cooked, then just make sure it flakes when you remove a piece with a fork.
Slice tuna into long thin strips

Place the salad on plates and put 2 - 3 pieces of tuna on top.

Dessert Salad

2009-06-27T18:21:00.001-07:00

There's probably a more descriptive name for this salad, but doesn't "dessert salad" sound tempting?

Strawberries
Bag of baby spinach
Candied nuts (I prefer pecans, but walnuts work just as well)
Raspberry dressing (find your favorite at your local grocery store)

Soak the strawberries in salt water (I know, it sounds weird, but it's my mother-in-laws secret and it really does make the strawberries taste sweeter!)
Rinse the strawberries
Cut the strawberries into quarters (or smaller - you choose)
Put the strawberries, baby spinach and candied nuts into a bowl
Toss

I like to put the dressing on the salad in the serving bowl.... If you do this, the left over salad will be saturated with the dressing when you eat it the next day (or later in the week). Personally, I think that's delicious. If you ask Ethan, he thinks it tastes soggy and won't touch it. (Which is yet another reason I saturate it. If he won't eat it, I'm guaranteed the left overs. Yum!)

If you are more like Ethan - than just leave the salad as is and put the dressing on the table for people to put on themselves.

Hamburgers

2009-06-21T21:08:00.001-07:00

Hamburger meat
Meat seasoning (you can get this at most meat counters in grocery stores)
Hamburger buns
All the hamburger toppings you want

Mix the hamburger meat with the meat seasoning.
Form the hamburgers into patties.
Place the patties on a heated grill.
Cook the patties approximately 5 minutes per side. (Slightly more if you want your hamburgers more well done).

Squash Casserole

2009-06-21T21:02:00.000-07:00

This is my mom's recipe - so bear with me. Her recipes rarely include amounts - so over the years I have tried to write down how much of everything to use in this delicious casserole, but often I just can't be more exact than a pinch of this...

5-6 yellow and green squash
one block of cream cheese (or Neuftachel cheese if you'd like)
1 small can of green chiles (you choose the spiciness)
Parmesan cheese
french fried onions

Cut and steam the squash.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
One the squash is steamed add it to a casserole dish with the cream cheese. Mix everything until the cheese is melted.
Add the green chiles (the more you add the spicier it will be - I often start with half a can and move my way up)
Add some Parmesan cheese. I like my casseroles very cheesy - so I do 2 - 3 big shakes.
Bake the casserole for 10 minutes.
Top with the French Fried Onions (these are delicious - so be generous with your topping).
Return the casserole to the oven for another 5 - 10 minutes.

Cucumber - Tomato Salad

2009-06-21T20:59:00.000-07:00

This delicious take on an Israeli salad always makes my day! :)

2 tomatoes
1 cucumber
1 - 1.5 cups plain yogurt
salt

Chop the tomatoes and cumbers. Mix them in a bowl with the plain yogurt. Add salt to taste.

Baked French Fries

2009-06-21T20:51:00.000-07:00

This recipe can be made with regular or sweet potatoes depending on your mood

Potatoes (assume each person can eat about 1 potatoes worth of french fries)
Paprika (only for the plain potatoes - not sweet potatoes)
Salt
Olive oil

Pre- heat oven to 425 degrees.
Cut the potatoes into french fry strips. I LOVE my chopper and use that for almost all my cutting.
Put the strips into a zip lock bag. Add some oil, salt and paprika (if using). Shake the bag until the potatoes are all coated. If it helps - sing a song while you are shaking... "shake, shake, shake. shake, shake, shake. shake your baggie. shake your baggie."
One the potatoes are coated put them in one layer on a baking sheet.
Bake the potatoes for 10-15 minutes. Check to see if they are done (that's the beauty of cooking - you get to taste along the way). If they need some more time, put them in for another 10 minutes.
Serve with your favorite french fry condiment.

Corn on the Cob

2009-06-21T20:44:00.000-07:00

This is an easy one.

Buy as many ears of corn as you would like. I prefer buying one ear of corn per person at the dinner (especially because corn the next day for lunch is always delicious).

Olive oil
Kosher salt
Ears of corn

Put the ears of corn in a baking dish.
Drizzle with olive oil and turn to coat.
Sprinkle with kosher salt.

Put the corn on a heated grill. It takes about 15 minutes total - turning the corn twice to make sure every side gets grilled.

Cod Up in the Moment -- fish sticks with tartar sauce

2009-06-21T20:34:00.000-07:00

Tartar Sauce <-- just buy your favorite at the grocery store

2/3 cup unseasoned, dry bread crumbs
3 Tbs grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbs chopped, fresh parsley
3/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp each salt and black pepper
3 egg whites
1.5 pounds cod fillets, at least 1/2 inch thick
6 lemon wedges (optional)

In a shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, thyme, paprika, salt, and pepper. Lightly beat egg whites in another shallow bowl. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray and set aside.

Rinse fish and pat dry with paper towels. Cut fish into thick strips. Working one at a time, dip pieces in egg whites, then in crumb mixture, coating both sides with crumbs. Place on baking sheet. Allow some space between pieces.

Bake at 450 degrees for 8 - 10 minutes, depending on thickness of fish. Fish is ready when it flakes easily with a for. Serve with tarter sauce and lemon wedges, if desired.

Makes 6 servings.

*recipe from Crazy Plates; Janet and Greta Podleski