SimplyJoanna

Tahini Sauce

2019-03-31T13:26:00.002-07:00

Ingredients

1 cup tahini
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (can add more as desired)
¼ tsp – ½ tsp of sea salt (according to taste)
¾ cup of warm water

Instructions
1. Place all ingredients except the water in a food processor or small blender. Add ¼ cup water and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides as needed and add more water, ¼ cup at a time to get desired consistency. The amount of water may depend on the consistency of your tahini. I tend to end up using ¾ cup water to get the consistency I prefer

2. Taste and adjust as desired adding more lemon juice or salt as desired.

Recipe from Healthy Gluten Free Family at www.healthygffamily.com

Mini Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

2019-01-05T11:54:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
Peanut Butter Base

1 cup Natural Peanut Butter

½ cup gluten-free graham cracker crumbs (we chopped gluten-free graham crackers in a food processor)

¼ cup pure maple syrup

2 tablespoon coconut oil, melted

Chocolate Topping

1 cup semi-sweet chips (I used Enjoy Life Foods )

¼ cup almond milk or milk of choice

Sea Salt or chopped walnuts for sprinkling, optional but recommended

Instructions
Place parchment baking cups in 24 mini muffin tins and set aside.
Peanut Butter Base

In a sauce pan over low heat, mix peanut butter and coconut oil until well combined/ peanut butter softens. Add graham cracker crumbs and maple syrup. Stir until well combined.
Remove mixture from heat and divide evenly among muffin cups.

Chocolate topping

In a small saucepan, over low heat, add chocolate chips and almond milk. Stir until the chocolate has melted and mixture well combined.
Spoon melted chocolate mixture evenly over the peanut butter mixture.

Top with chopped walnuts or sea salt, if using
Place in refrigerator to set for at least 2 hours before serving.
Store in refrigerator or freezer.

Serve 24 mini cups

Recipe from Healthy Gluten Free Family at www.healthygffamily.com

Banana Blueberry Baked Oatmeal Cups

2018-01-07T12:04:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon ground flaxseed plus 3 tablespoons water
2 cups old fashioned oats (gluten free if necessary)
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 large ripe banana, mashed (1/2 cup mashed)
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
1 cup Almondmilk Unsweetened Vanilla
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (or 2 tablespoons brown sugar or coconut sugar)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the ground flaxseed and water. Let sit while you prepare the other ingredients.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the mashed banana, flaxseed mixture, melted coconut oil, almond milk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Gently stir in the blueberries. Pour the mixture into the prepared muffin pan, filling each cup evenly. Bake for 23-25 minutes or until the cups are a golden brown. Remove from the oven and let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and serve warm.

Note-if you don’t need the recipe to be vegan you can use one egg instead of the flaxseed and water mixture. The oatmeal cups will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days in an airtight container or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Reheat in the microwave.

yield: 12 OATMEAL CUPS

prep time: 10 MINUTES

cook time: 25 MINUTES

total time: 35 MINUTES

Stir Fried Asparagus with Sesame Seeds

2018-01-07T10:52:00.003-08:00

Homemade Chai

2018-01-07T10:51:00.002-08:00

INGREDIENTS
2-inch piece fresh ginger, cut into thin rounds
2 cinnamon sticks
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
10 whole cloves
6 cardamom pods
6 cups cold water
6 bags of black tea (preferably Darjeeling)
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

PREPARATION
Combine first 5 ingredients in medium saucepan. Using mallet or back of large spoon, lightly crush or bruise spices. Add 6 cups water; bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover pan, and simmer gently 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Add tea bags and steep 5 minutes. Discard tea bags. Add milk and sugar. Bring tea just to simmer over high heat, whisking until sugar dissolves. Strain chai into teapot and serve hot.

YIELD Serves 6

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/homemade-chai-201226

BON APPÉTIT DECEMBER 2002

Vegan Shepherd's Pie

2018-01-07T10:41:00.002-08:00

Ingredients

FILLING

1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups uncooked brown or green lentils, rinsed and drained
4 cups vegetable stock (DIY or store-bought)
2 tsp fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
1 10-ounce bag frozen mixed veggies: peas, carrots, green beans, and corn

MASHED POTATOES

3 pounds yukon gold potatoes, thoroughly washed
3-4 Tbsp vegan butter
Salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Slice any large potatoes in half, place in a large pot and fill with water until they’re just covered. Bring to a low boil on medium high heat, then generously salt, cover and cook for 20-30 minutes or until they slide off a knife very easily.
Once cooked, drain, add back to the pot to evaporate any remaining water, then transfer to a mixing bowl. Use a masher, pastry cutter or large fork to mash until smooth. Add add desired amount of vegan butter (2-4 Tbsp), and season with salt and pepper to taste. Loosely cover and set aside.
While potatoes are cooking, preheat oven to 425 degrees F (218 C) and lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish (or comparable sized dish, such as 9x13 pan. An 8x8 won’t fit it all but close!).
In a large saucepan over medium heat, sauté onions and garlic in 1 Tbsp olive oil until lightly browned and caramelized - about 5 minutes.
Add a pinch each salt and pepper. Then add lentils, stock, and thyme and stir. Bring to a low boil. Then reduce heat to simmer. Continue cooking until lentils are tender (35-40 minutes).
In the last 10 minutes of cooking, add the frozen veggies, stir, and cover to meld the flavors together.
OPTIONAL: To thicken the mixture, add 2-3 Tbsp mashed potatoes and stir. Alternatively, scoop out 1/2 of the mixture and whisk in 2 Tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder and whisk. Return to the pan and whisk to thicken.
Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Then transfer to your prepared oven-safe baking dish and carefully top with mashed potatoes. Smooth down with a spoon or fork and season with another crack of pepper and a little sea salt.
Place on a baking sheet to catch overflow and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the mashers are lightly browned on top.
Let cool briefly before serving. The longer it sits, the more it will thicken. Let cool completely before covering, and then store in the fridge for up to a few days. Reheats well in the microwave.

https://minimalistbaker.com/1-hour-vegan-shepherds-pie/

Edamame Dip

2012-01-08T12:44:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

12 to 16 ounces shelled edamame, fresh or frozen

1/2 cup, packed, roughly chopped fresh cilantro, including stems

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1 avocado, peeled, pitted, roughly chopped

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup lime or lemon juice

1-2 teaspoons salt

5 shakes of Tabasco (less or more to taste)

3 drops of dark sesame oil (more to taste)

Steps:

Bring 2 quarts of well salted water (2 Tbsp salt) to a boil. Add the shelled edamame. Return to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, or until cooked through and tender. Drain with cold water.

Place drained cooked edamame in a food processor. Pulse several times. Add the chopped cilantro. Pulse again. Add the remaining ingredients, and pulse until well puréed. Add more water if you want a smoother consistency. Adjust seasonings (salt, Tabasco, lime, sesame oil). Serve with pita, chips, crostini, Makes about 2 cups.

www.simplyrecipes.com

Sautéed Kale with Tahini Sauce

2011-11-20T13:35:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS

1 pound kale, well rinsed

2 T olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt

4 Tbsp tahini (use tahini made with toasted sesame seeds, not raw)

2 Tbsp lemon juice

3-4 Tbsp water

1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil

1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds for garnish

STEPS

1. Using a sharp paring knife, cut out the rib of each kale leaf. Discard or compost. Slice the leaves roughly 1/2-inch thick.

2. Heat olive oil on medium high heat in a large sauté pan. When hot, add the chopped onion. Cook for a couple of minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a minute more.

3. Add the kale to the sauté pan. Even if you have a pretty large pan, the kale will be practically falling out of it. Put in as much as you can and use tongs to turn over and mix with the oil and onions. After a couple minutes the kale should wilt a bit so you can add the rest of the raw kale. Cook, turning the kale leaves over occasionally until the kales leaves have wilted and are tender. Sprinkle a little salt over the kale leaves while cooking.

4. While the kale is cooking, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, water, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and dark sesame oil. Add more salt and sesame oil to taste.

5. Once the kale is done, toss in the sauce, reserving a little to drizzle on top.

Serve, topped with a little sauce and toasted sesame seeds. Serves 4.

www.simplyrecipes.com

Mom's Cheesecake

2010-12-27T13:08:00.001-08:00

Ingredients

4 eggs

1 c sugar

Juice of one lemon

1 lb cottage cheese

1 lb cream cheese

1 pt sour cream

2 T flour

2 T cornstarch

1 t vanilla

1/4 lb melted butter

16 graham crackers

Steps

Crush 16 graham crackers and mix with 3 T butter. Reserve 1/2 c of mixture for top of cake.

Press crumbs into bottom of spring form pan. Mix eggs and sugar. Mash cheeses well. Add cheese and sugar, egg, then all. Electric mixer until fairly smooth. Add melted butter last. Batter is loose. Crumb over top. Bake 60 minutes. Turn off oven. Leave cake in oven for 2 hours.

From the kitchen of Susan McGowan

Sweet-Potato and Parsnip Purée

2010-11-07T23:46:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 parsnips, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and parsnips and boil gently until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain well and transfer to a food processor.
Add butter and purée until smooth. Add milk, brown sugar, and salt and blend well. Season with pepper. Serves 4.

Gourmet | January 2001

Green Chile Enchiladas

2010-11-07T21:24:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds tomatillos
3 cloves garlic, still in their peels
2 jalapenos
Salt
3-4 large Anaheim chiles
12 corn tortillas
Canola or grapeseed oil
1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, grated
Sour cream
Cilantro

You can substitute prepared canned tomatillo salsa verde for the tomatillo sauce (you'll need two cups), and canned whole Anaheim green chiles for the chiles (remove the seeds and stems if still in the chiles).

Preparation
Prepare the tomatillo sauce. Remove the husks from the tomatillos. Rinse off the tomatillos. Cut them in half and place them cut-side down on a roasting pan lined with aluminum foil. Place the garlic and jalapeños on the pan with the tomatillos. Broil on the top rack on the oven for 5-7 minutes until the tomatillos are lightly charred. Remove from the oven and let cool to touch. Remove garlic from the garlic skins, discard the skins. Cut open the jalapeños and remove and discard the seeds and the stems. Place tomatillos, cooked garlic, the jalapeños, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a blender, pulse until well puréed. Set aside. (You can make several days in advance and store in the refrigerator.)

Prepare the Anaheim chiles. If you have a stove-top gas burner, you can roast the chiles directly over the flame of the burner (see How to roast chile peppers over a gas flame), otherwise use a broiler and broil the chiles in a roasting pan, turning them until they are blackened all over. Place the blackened chiles in a small brown paper bag. Close the bag and let sit for at least 5 minutes. Then remove the chiles from the bag and peel off and discard the blackened skin. Slice open the chiles and remove and discard the seed pod, any seeds (they're hot!) and the stems. Slice the chiles into strips.

Cook the tortillas. Heat a couple tablespoons of canola or grapeseed oil in a frying pan (cast iron works well) on medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add a corn tortilla to the pan. The tortilla should sizzle as it hits the pan. Turn it over and let it cook until little pockets of air start to bubble up in the tortilla. Then use a metal spatula to remove the tortilla from the pan, shaking off any excess oil, to a plate lined with paper towels. Continue to the tortillas this way, adding more oil as needed, separating the tortillas that are cooling with paper towels.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread a little of the tomatillo sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 casserole pan. One by one, place a little grated cheese and a strip or two of green chiles in the center of the tortillas, roll them up, and place them in the casserole. Once you have filled the casserole with the rolled tortillas, spread the remaining tomatillo sauce over them, and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Bake for 15 minutes at 350°F, until cheese is melted
Serve with sour cream (thinned with some water) drizzled over, and some chopped fresh cilantro. Also good with it is thinly sliced iceberg lettuce that has been sprinkled with cider or white vinegar and salt. Makes for excellent leftovers, will keep in the refrigerator for days. Serves 4-6.

www.simplyrecipes.com

Curried Split Pea Soup

2010-06-23T19:40:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
16 oz dried split peas
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 medium white onion, diced small
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups water
1 carrot to grate in at the end (optional)

Spice Blend
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 teaspoons salt
generous pinch cinnamon

Preparation
Saute the onions in the olive oil at medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger and spices. Saute 2 more minutes.

Add the water and stir well. Add the splitpeas. Cover and bring to a boil.

Bring heat back down to medium, let soup simmer for about an hour, until peas are tender. Grate in the carrot and serve. You can garnish with fresh cilantro if you have it on hand.

Isa/Postpunkkitchen.com

Naval Academy Apple Cannonballs

2010-04-19T09:03:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
Six (6) apples, cored and peeled
One-half (1/2) pound of granular sugar
Cinnamon sugar (Ground Cinnamon and granular sugar mixed, to taste)
One quarter (1/4) pound of butter (recall the Academy only served us butter)
Pie Dough - Six (6) Ounces, or of sufficient quantity

Preparation
Roll out a one (1) ounce piece of pie dough into a circle approximately six (6) inches in diameter. Place a cored, peeled apple in the center of the pie dough. Fill the center of the apple with cinnamon-sugar mix. Fold the pie dough around the apple and place the conglomeration onto a greased (non-stick) cookie sheet pan. Bake the apples at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately twenty-five (25) minutes or until the apples are soft. Be careful you don't burn the pie crust.

Hard Sauce: Place the granular sugar and butter into a mixing bowl and beat them until they are thoroughly mixed. Add either Vanilla or Rum flavoring to the sugar-butter mix and stir it in.

When the apples are baked, place a good, healthy dollop of Hard Sauce on top of the apple-in-crust.

Easy Hard Sauce: While it's quite possible to make Hard Sauce with granulated sugar as specified, it's a lot quicker and easier to use confectioners (powdered) sugar.

Hard sauce is simply flavored thick texture cake frosting. Confirm with the ladies that 'from scratch' icing is made a lot easier with confectioners than granulated sugar. It makes smoother stuff regardless of beating and takes a lot less beating effort to dissolve in the butter.

Certificate of authenticity: The recipe has been served aboard USS John Marshall (SSBN-611) on the 38th submerged day of the last patrol before overhaul inside the Arctic Circle at 105 feet and five knots.

Perfect Popcorn

2010-02-12T01:19:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
3 Tbsp canola, peanut or grapeseed oil (high smoke point oil)
1/3 cup of high quality popcorn kernels
1 3-quart covered saucepan
2 Tbsp or more (to taste) of butter
Salt to taste

Preparation
1. Heat the oil in a 3-quart saucepan on medium high heat.

2. Put 3 or 4 popcorn kernels into the oil and cover the pan.

3. When the kernels pop, add the rest of the 1/3 cup of popcorn kernels in an even layer. Cover, remove from heat and count 30 seconds. (Count out loud; it's fun to do with kids.) This method first heats the oil to the right temperature, then waiting 30 seconds brings all of the other kernels to a near-popping temperature so that when they are put back on the heat, they all pop at about the same time.

4. Return the pan to the heat. The popcorn should begin popping soon, and all at once. Once the popping starts in earnest, gently shake the pan by moving it back and forth over the burner. Try to keep the lid slightly ajar to let the steam from the popcorn release (the popcorn will be drier and crisper). Once the popping slows to several seconds between pops, remove the pan from the heat, remove the lid, and dump the popcorn immediately into a wide bowl.

With this technique, nearly all of the kernels pop (I counted 4 unpopped kernels in my last batch), and nothing burns.

5. If you are adding butter, you can easily melt it by placing the butter in the now empty, but hot pan.

6. Salt to taste.

Makes 2 quarts, a nice amount for two people, or for one hungry one.

Additional tips:
If you add salt to the oil in the pan before popping, when the popcorn pops, the salt will be well distributed throughout the popcorn.

Fun toppings for the popcorn - Spanish smoked paprika, nutritional yeast, cayenne powder, chili pepper, curry powder, cumin, grated Parmesan cheese.

Baked Penne with Meatballs

2009-12-15T18:50:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced
6 oz of button or cremini mushrooms, sliced thinly
3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 15 oz can of tomato sauce
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
1 tsp white sugar
1 pinch of red pepper flakes
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Steps
Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and mushrooms and saute until tender; add the garlic and cook for 60 seconds, stirring frequently. Add the remaining ingredients. Simmer for at least 2 hours.

Meatballs:
1 lb lean ground beef (I used 93/7)
7 button mushrooms, diced finely
1/4 sweet yellow onion, diced finely
1/4 Italian style breadcrumbs
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 egg
1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1/2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp fennel seed, crushed
Sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper
1 tsp olive oil (for cooking)

Combine all ingredients (except for olive oil) together gently. Form into small meatballs and set aside. Once the meatballs are prepared. Heat a skillet over medium heat with 1 tsp olive oil. Cook the meatballs until golden brown on all sides. Remove from skillet and place in the mushroom sauce.

Penne pasta, prepared per instructions
1 cup of mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 tbsp fresh basil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook the pasta per instructions and drain. Pour the pasta into the sauce with the meatballs. Add the cheese - reserving a bit for the top and basil, then mix VERY gently. Top with remaining cheese and bake for 30 minutes.

www.fortheloveofcooking.com

Big Fat Pumpkin Cookies

2009-12-14T17:15:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
1/2 cup canola oil or corn oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree

Cream Cheese Frosting:
4 ounces room temperature cream cheese, regular or low fat
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners' (powdered or icing) sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Steps:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and place oven rack in the center of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, and salt.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the eggs and sugar until light and smooth (about 2 minutes). Beat in the oil, vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree. Add the flour mixture and beat just until incorporated. Using 1/4 cup of batter (can use a small ice cream scoop or measuring cup) place small mounds of batter onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart.

Bake for about 15 - 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cookie comes out clean. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting: Beat the cream cheese and butter until soft and creamy. Beat in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla until the frosting is soft and creamy.

Makes about 18 cookies.

C. Copeland and www.joyofbaking.com

Peppermint Bark Chocolate Cookies

2009-12-14T17:05:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
1 cup of butter
3/4 cup of brown sugar
3/4 cup of white granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour
3/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
Pinch of salt
cup of peppermint bark, broken into little chip size pieces

Steps
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Cream the butter and sugars together for about two minutes at medium speed or until well incorporated and light in color.

3. Add the egg and the vanilla extract until well incorporated, about a minute. Be sure to scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl halfway through.

4. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. Add to the butter mixture slowly, and beating at medium speed, stopping once all of it is incorporated (do not overmix).

5. Fold in the peppermint bark chips.

6. Take small spoonfuls of the dough and roll into one inch sized balls and place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for -12 minutes. Let cool on the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes approximately 3 dozen cookies.

www.simplyrecipes.com

Maple Cookies

2009-12-03T18:30:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) of unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup of dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon of maple syrup (Grade B)
2 cups of all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
3/4 cup of chopped walnuts

Steps
1. Cream the butter and sugar together at medium speed for three minutes or until light and fluffy.

2. Add the vanilla extract and egg and mix until well incorporated. Add the maple syrup and mix until well incorporated.

3. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until just incorporated. Fold in the walnuts. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for thirty minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 350F. Drop spoonfuls of the cookie, about 1 inch balls, onto cookies sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for a minute or two before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 3 dozen.

www.simplyrecipes.com

Chicken and Dumplings

2009-11-30T12:07:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
Chicken and Vegetables:
1 large roasting chicken (5 to 6 lbs), cut into 2 legs, 2 thighs, and 2 breast pieces, each with skin removed; back, neck, and wings hacked with a cleaver into 1 to 2 inch pieces to make stock
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, cut into large chunks
2 bay leaves
Salt
3 celery stalks, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
6 boiling onions (smaller than regular onions, larger than pearl onions), peeled and halved
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, or chicken fat from the cooked chicken
6 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 Tbsp dry sherry or vermouth (optional)
1 Tbsp of heavy cream (optional)
3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
Ground black or white pepper

Dumplings:
2 cups cake flour (can sub all-purpose flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 Tbsp butter, melted
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup minced fresh herb leaves such as parsley, chives, and tarragon (optional)

Steps
1. Make the stock.
Heat olive oil in a deep (at least 4-inch high) large skillet or 6-qt Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add hacked up chicken pieces - the back, neck, and wings - and onion chunks (not the boiling onions). Sauté until onions soften and chicken pieces lose their raw color, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and continue to cook for about 20 minutes. (While chicken stock pieces are cooking, bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a kettle.) Increase heat to to medium-high, add the 6 cups of hot water to the chicken pieces.

2. Poach the chicken in the stock.
Add skinless chicken parts (legs, thighs, breasts), 2 bay leaves, and 3/4 teaspoon of salt to the stock and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat; continue to simmer, partially covered, until broth is flavorful and chicken parts are just cooked through, about 20 minutes. Remove chicken parts from the pan and set aside. When they are cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones in 2-inch chunks or strips. Place a strainer over a large bowl and pour the broth through it, straining out the solids from the broth. Discard the solids. Skim and reserve the chicken fat from broth (a fat separator works great for this task) and set aside 5 cups of broth, reserving extra for another use.

3. Make the dumpling batter.
While chicken is cooking, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add (optional) chopped fresh herbs. Add melted butter and milk to the dry ingredients. Gently mix with a spoon until mixture just comes together. (Note: do not overmix! or your dumplings will turn out too dense.) Set aside.

4. Make the stew base, assemble the stew.
Heat reserved chicken fat (or butter) in the pan you had used to make the stock over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour and thyme; cook, whisking constantly, until flour turns golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisking constantly, gradually add sherry or vermouth, then slowly add the reserved 5 cups of chicken stock; simmer until mixture thickens slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the vegetables, simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in chicken and optional cream; return to a strong simmer. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

5. Add the dumplings.
Drop dumpling batter into the simmering stew by heaping teaspoonfuls, over the surface of the stew. Cover and simmer until dumplings are cooked through, about 15 minutes. Once you have covered the pan, do not uncover while the dumplings are cooking! In order for them to be light and fluffy, they must steam, not boil. Uncovering the pan releases the steam. If after 15 minutes they are still not cooked through (use a toothpick or skewer to test) cover pan again, and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes.

Gently stir in peas and parsley. Ladle portions of meat, sauce, vegetables, and dumplings into soup plates and serve immediately.

Serves 6 to 8.

www.simplyrecipes.com

Spicy Turkey Soup with Yogurt, Chickpeas and Mint

2009-11-27T17:15:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raw basmati rice (rinsed if package directs you to rinse)
4 cups turkey stock (or chicken stock)
2-3 cups cooked leftover turkey meat, dark or light, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup full-fat plain yogurt
1 large egg yolk
2 Tbsp flour
1 15-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
2 teaspoons sweet paprika (can also use smoked paprika for a smokey added touch)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
3 Tbsp finely chopped mint
Lemon wedges, for serving

Steps
This recipe I adapted to use with leftover Thanksgiving turkey and freshly made turkey stock. You can also make this starting with raw turkey, with 2 pounds of bone-in, skin-on turkey thighs or legs (thighs are easier to work with). Place the turkey parts in a pot with half an onion, a chopped carrot, and a sprig of parsley. Cover with cold water by an inch. Bring to a simmer and cook until the turkey is cooked through, about 45 minutes to an hour. Remove turkey to a plate and let cool. Pour pot contents through a strainer into a bowl to capture the stock. Once the turkey meat has cooled, remove and discard the skins and bones. Cut the meat into 1-inch pieces. Now you should have enough stock and turkey meat for this recipe.
Method

1. Bring water, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and rice to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat to a low simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes.

2. In a medium saucepan, add the turkey stock and bring to a simmer, remove from heat. (If you are like us, and make your own homemade turkey stock and store it in glass jars, you can remove the lid from the jar and heat the stock in the microwave. You are just trying to warm up the stock in this step.)

3. Whisk together the yogurt, egg yolk, and flour in a large pot. Slowly add the heated stock, whisking after each small addition to incorporate. Heat to a simmer. Add the chickpeas, cooked turkey, and cooked rice. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Melt the butter on medium heat in a small skillet. Stir in the garlic, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Cook for a couple minutes, until fragrant, then remove from heat.

Serve soup with a small amount of paprika butter sauce swirled on the surface. Sprinkle with chopped mint. Serve with lemon wedges. Squeeze lemon juice from the wedges onto the soup before eating.

Serves 4-6.

www.simplyrecipes.com
Recipe adapted from a Joyce Goldstein recipe for Turkish Yogurt Soup with Chicken, Chickpeas, and Mint.

May Kaidee Pad Thai

2009-03-25T17:43:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
1 tablespoon peanut oil
carrot, onion, tomato
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 egg
pre-soaked glass noodles
1/2 tablespoon light soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar

Toppings:
bean sprouts
chopped spring onion
roasted peanuts
chili flakes
lime juice

Steps
Fry and small handful of shredded carrot and onion and chopped tomatos in oil. Add one large spoonful of cooked tofu, garlic and raw egg. When the egg is cooked on the underside, break it up and add a portion of noodles.

Mix well together to combine the flavors and season with soy sauces and sugar. Add toppings and serve. Serves 1.

Joanna McGowan
May Kaidee Cooking School - Bangkok, Thailand

Tom Yam Soup

2009-03-25T17:27:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
2 kaffir lime leaves
galangal
fresh lemongrass
shredded carrot
onion
tomato
tofu
dark soy sauce
light soy sauce
mixed veggies (cabbage, etc)
sugar
spring onion
coriander leaf
lime juice
Tom Yam chili paste
coconut milk

Steps
In the wok, boil a soup bowl of water per serving. Add two crushed kaffir lime leaves, two bruised slices of galangal and two inches of bruised lemongrass for flavoring. Add one tablespoon of shredded carrot and onion and chopped tomato, then add one tablespoon of prepared tofu and one handful of mixed vegetables. When boiling, add one dessert spoonful each of dark and light soy sauces and one teaspoonful of sugar. Turn off the heat when the vegetables are tender and before the water is all gone. To finish, add one tablespoon of mixed, chopped spring onion and coriander leaves, one teaspoon of lime juice, one teaspoon of Tom Yam chili paste and one dessert spoon of coconut milk.

Variation
For Tom Kah soup, reduce the water and add more coconut milk.

Joanna McGowan, July 2008
May Kaidee Cooking Class - Bangkok, Thailand

Thai Peanut Sauce

2009-03-25T10:10:00.000-07:00

Use as a dip for Thai fresh rolls or as a base for another Thai dish.

Ingredients
1 plum tomato, chopped
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 teaspoon red chili paste
4-6 tablespoons coconut milk
1 tablespoon roasted ground peanuts
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon lemon
2 teaspoon soy sauce

Steps
Fry one chopped tomato in a tablespoon of hot oil until it begins to breakdown. Turn down the heat a little, add red chili paste and fry until paste is fragrant. Add coconut milk and ground peanuts. Watch the consistency and add a little more coconut milk or water, if necessary. The sauce should be rich and glossy. Serves 1.

Joanna McGowan, July 2008
May Kaidee Cooking School - Bangkok, Thailand

Turkey Stuffing

2009-03-23T08:46:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
1 loaf of day old French bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 10-12 cups)
1 cup walnuts
2 cups each, chopped onion and celery
6 Tbsp butter
1 green apple, peeled, cored, chopped
3/4 cup of currants or raisins
Several (5 to 10) chopped green olives (martini olives, the ones with the pimento)
Stock from the turkey giblets (1 cup to 2 cups) (can substitute chicken stock)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning or ground sage (to taste)
Salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)

Steps
1. If you haven't already made the stock, take the turkey giblets - heart and gizzard - and neck if you want, and put them in a small saucepan, cover with water and add a little salt. Bring to a simmer; simmer for about an hour, uncovered. Strain the stock into a container for use with the stuffing. Alternatively, you can use chicken stock or just plain water with this recipe.

2. Toast the walnuts by heating them in a frying pan on medium high heat for a few minutes, stirring until they are slightly browned (not burned) OR put them in the microwave on high until you can smell the aroma of them toasting, about a minute or two. Let them cool while you are toasting the bread, then roughly chop them.

3. Heat a large sauté pan on medium heat. Melt 3 Tbsp butter in the pan, add the bread cubes, and stir to coat the bread pieces with the melted butter. Then let them toast; only turn them when they have become a little browned on a side. Note, if you aren't working with somewhat dried-out day-old bread, lay the cubes of bread in a baking pan and put them in a hot oven for 10 minutes to dry them out first, before toasting them in butter on the stove top. The bread should be a little dry to begin with, or you'll end up with mushy stuffing.

4. In a large Dutch oven, sauté chopped onions and celery on medium high heat with the remaining 3 Tbsp butter until cooked through, about 5-10 minutes. Add the bread. Add cooked chopped walnuts. Add chopped green apple, currants, raisins, olives, parsley. Add one cup of the stock from cooking the turkey giblets or chicken stock (enough to keep the stuffing moist while you are cooking it). Add sage, poultry seasoning, salt & pepper.

5. Cover. Turn heat to low. Cook for an hour or until the apples are cooked through. Check every ten minutes or so and add water or stock as needed while cooking to keep the stuffing moist and keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Serves 8-10.

www.simplyrecipes.com

Swiss Chard

2009-03-23T07:35:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
1 lb swiss chard (1 bunch)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp heavy cream
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
Salt and Pepper

Steps
Preheat the oven to 400F.

Wash chard leaved in several changes of cold water.

Pull the stems out of each leaf and cut stems into 1/2 inch chunks. Dry the leaves on paper towels or spin in a salad spinner.

Put the stems in a 2 inch deep baking dish that is large enough to accommodate all the chard leaves later (I use an 8 by 8 pyrex). Drizzle with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and mix well. Roast in the middle of the oven until the stems are tender and golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Pile the leaves on top of the stems. Drizzle with remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil. Toss with tongs and return to the oven. Roast until the greens wilt, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the cream, taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Sprinkle with Parmesan and return to the oven until cream is bubbly and Parmesan is melted. Serves 2.

Beyond Salmon