I made this dish for dinner last Thursday on a damp, rainy day. It was perfect; warm and comforting with a great blend of spices. I ground my own cardamom from pods that I had and the smell and taste from them was amazing! I am going to have to use cardamom more often. This recipe comes from Barbara Lynch's new book, Stir. I have made a couple of recipes from this book so far and everyone has been a winner.

1 tbs ground cumin
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 tbs canola oil, plus more as needed
2 lbs. boneless leg of lamb, trimmed, cut into 1-2 inch chunks
salt & pepper
2 medium carrots, diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1 cup dry red wine
4 cups beef broth
15 prunes
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 cup barley

In a small bowl, combine the cumin, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, and red pepper flakes.
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the oil and let it heat up. Add the meat and let it brown very deeply on one side before turning it to brown all sides; this browning step, crucial for great flavor, can take as long as 10 to 15 minutes. Be sure there is space between the pieces or the lamb will steam instead of brown; sear the lamb in batches if necessary.
Transfer the lamb to a platter as it browns, and season it well with a few pinches of salt and a few grinds of pepper.Add a little more oil to the pot, if needed, then add the carrots, onion ,celery, and garlic. Season with a good pinch of salt and cook, stirring up the browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Reduce the heat if necessary and cook until the vegetables are lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the spice mixture and red wine, stir and cook over medium heat until the wine has reduced by about half. Add the beef broth and return the lamb to the pot, nestling it into the liquid. Cover the pot with the lid slightly askew and cook over medium-low heat for 1 hour. Add the prunes and raisins, cover, and cook for another 30 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes, barley, and 3 cups water to the pot, cover and cook until the potatoes, lamb, and barley are tender, another 45 minutes to an hour, adding up to 1 more cup water if needed. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve in bowls.

I'm starting a feature of tips that can help your cooking. It might be a time saving technique or a unique way to use an ingredient.

Today's tip involves the leftover rinds from hard cheese such as Parmesan and Pecorino Romano. When I get down to the end, I stash the piece in a ziploc in the freezer. I use the pieces of rind to flavor soups and stews. It adds a nice depth of flavor and a salty note. Give it a try!

Thanks to Paula from The Cookbook Junkie for posting about this recipe on Friday. I jumped on the chance to make this as a snack while we watched football yesterday. These were great! I substituted ground turkey for the ground chicken and used a small scoop to form the meatballs. I ended up with 24 meatballs. These could be formed and frozen ahead of time and then just cooked for a little longer. I added some extra hot sauce directly to the meatballs for more flavor. Feel free to use bottled blue cheese dressing; that's what I did. This is a great easy recipe for appetizers for the holidays.

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book Copyright 2008

1 pound ground white meat chicken or ground turkey
1/2 small onion, grated
2 cloves garlic, grated
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup hot sauce (such as Frank’s)
3 scallions, green and white parts thinly sliced
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
A couple of handfuls celery sticks
A couple of handfuls carrot sticks

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken with the onion, garlic and parsley, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Flatten out the meat in the bowl and score it into four portions using the side of your hand. Shape each portion into four balls – you should have sixteen meatballs in total. I used my scoop and got more.

Arrange the meatballs on a nonstick sheet pan and drizzle them with EVOO. Place in the oven and bake until the meatballs are cooked through and golden brown, about 10-12 minutes.

While the meatballs are baking, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the hot sauce and whisk to combine. Toss the baked meatballs in the hot sauce to coat.

Mix together the buttermilk, sour cream, blue cheese and most of the chopped scallions.

Transfer the meatballs to a serving platter and spike each one with a toothpick or serving fork. Place the bleu cheese dressing in a small serving bowl and garnish with the remaining scallions. Serve the meatballs with the bleu cheese dressing, celery and carrot sticks alongside.

I bought some cranberries a couple of weeks ago with the intention of making cranberry muffins but never got around to it. I saw this recipe yesterday by The Barefoot Contessa for blueberry crumbcake so I decided to change it up by using cranberries. I was concerned that the cranberries would be too tart so I upped the sugar a little and added some frozen blueberries. All was well on a blustery afternoon; the smell of cake makes everything better!

Blueberry-Cranberry Crumbcake

Adapted from Blueberry Crumbcake by Ina Garten

For the streusel:

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

For the cake:

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (3/4 stick)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2/3 cup frozen or fresh blueberries
• 2/3 cup fresh cranberries, rinsed
• Confectioners' sugar for sprinkling

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9-inch round baking pan.

For the streusel:

Combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Stir in the melted butter and then the flour. Mix well and set aside.

For the cake:

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, lemon zest, and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Fold in the blueberries and nd cranberries and stir with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out with a knife. With your fingers,

crumble the topping evenly over the batter. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely and serve sprinkled with confectioners' sugar.

I love to cook and I love to read. As a result, I buy a lot of cookbooks. My collection is out of control. It is hard to keep track of them and even worse trying to remember where I saw that great recipe that I read last week, especially if I am looking at multiple cookbooks at a time (which I do most of the time).

I just purchased a database program, Bento for my Mac, so I can try and get this under control. I am inputting my cookbooks and recipes from my cookbooks plus recipes from other sources. So far, I like it but I am far from done. I am up to 123 cookbooks so far but I still have many more to go. I really like the fact that I can link recipes in the cookbooks to the actual books. I will keep you posted as I go.

As I was working on my project today, I came across my favorite recipe for lentils so I thought I would share it with you. 

Herb-Roasted Vegetables and Lentils

Adapted from One Dish Meals-The Culinary Institute of America

• 1 cup diced carrot
• 1 cup butternut or acorn squash
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1/2 cup diced tomato
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp minced fresh basil
• 1/2 tsp minced fresh oregano
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• salt
• pepper
• 2 cups cooked French green lentils
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• Juice from 1/2 a lemon or 2 tbs red wine vinegar

Preheat oven to 375º. Toss together the carrot, squash, onion, garlic, basil, oregano, salt & pepper and 2 tbsp olive oil on a baking sheet. Place in the oven and roast, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and browned, about 30 minutes.
Remove the vegetables from the oven and add to a saute pan over medium heat. Add the lentils and a small amount of chicken broth to keep the mixture moist but not soupy.
Saute, stirring frequently, until the lentils and vegetables are very hot and flavorful, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and lemon juice or vinegar.

I had a pork shoulder sitting in the fridge that I really wanted to make. They take a LONG time to cook on the Big Green Egg but don't require much work; season it simply, and just keep the temperature fairly low (around 300º). I pulled it off the Egg after 4 1/2 hours and let it rest for 30 minutes. It was tender and juicy without a lot of effort.

But what to have with it? I usually like a homemade coleslaw made with a little mayo but quite a bit of apple cider vinegar. The vinegar helps cut the richness of the pork but I didn't have any cabbage. I went with some tropical flavors and came up with a Mango Salsa made from farmer's market tomatoes, avocado, mango and lime juice. I still needed one more side dish so I raided my fridge and used up some leftovers. I had 2 ears of corn and some leftover green beans. I combined them in a bowl, added some tomatoes and boiled a few potatoes and added them to the party. I made a simple vinaigrette with red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, honey, basil and olive oil and tossed it all together. It was great; an excellent use of leftover vegetables. You could easily vary the ingredients based on what you have in hand and the vinaigrette could be used on freshly steamed or boiled vegetables.

• 1 mango, peeled and diced
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1 avocado, peeled and diced
• 3 scallions, sliced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp ancho chili powder
• 2 limes, zested and juiced
• 2 tbs cilantro, minced

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Refrigerate for 30 minutes and serve.

• 1 lb. Green Beans, cooked
• 4 new potatoes, peeled and cubed, boiled
• 1 cup of corn, frozen and thawed or fresh and cooked
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tbs dijon mustard
• 1 tbs honey
• 3 tbs olive oil
• 2 tbs fresh basil, cut into ribbons

After making Turkey and Pinto Bean Corn Bread Pie a couple of weeks ago, I saw the cookbook, Almost Meatless: Recipes That Are Better for Your Health and the Planet in my local bookstore. Everything looked so good, I snapped it up and set about figuring out which recipe to make first. This carbonara sounded delicious and was quick and easy to make. I also liked the idea of adding asparagus and I had everything on hand. This is a great go to recipe to have in your repertoire as it can be made with frozen peas and pantry staples. I used 1% milk as that was what I had. The most important step is to transfer the pasta to a bowl, add the eggs and quickly stir in the eggs so they don't become scrambled eggs.

INGREDIENTS
3 slices bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 pound English peas, shelled (about 1 cup), or 1/2 cup frozen peas
1 pound spaghetti
4 ounces asparagus, sliced diagonally 1/8 inch thick (1 cup)
10 fresh basil leaves, sliced thin
5 eggs, whisked, at room temperature
2 tablespoons whole milk
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish (2 ounces)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS
Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and add the bacon, cooking for about 5 minutes, until crispy. Transfer the cooked bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel and set aside. Return the pan with the rendered fat to the stovetop for future use.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Drop the peas into the water and cook them for 5 minutes. Transfer them to a strainer with a slotted spoon or a spider basket. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 10 minutes, or until al dente.

While the pasta cooks, heat the bacon fat in the sauté pan over medium heat. Add the peas and asparagus, and sauté for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the basil, and set aside.

Whisk together the eggs and milk. Have the egg mixture, vegetables, and bacon ready to toss with very hot pasta.

Quickly drain the pasta and transfer immediately to a large serving bowl. Pour the eggs and cheese on top of the pasta, and toss vigorously to coat the strands and gently cook the eggs, forming a creamy sauce. Add the vegetables, and bacon, and continue tossing to incorporate them. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4-6

Portion the spaghetti on plates and ladle any sauce left in the bowl over each serving. Grate additional cheese on top if you like.

On Friday, I was reading Dorie Greenspan's excellent blog where she wrote about a blueberry breakfast cake. That got me thinking about her recipe for Blueberry Crumb Cake from her book, Baking: From My Home to Yours. Soft and flaky, with fresh blueberries bursting in each bite. I can't stop thinking about it. I made it yesterday morning with the idea of having it for dessert last night but by mid afternoon I couldn't resist any longer! My family came home to a beautiful crumb cake sitting on the counter, missing a big piece! I, of course claimed that I needed to sample it in the name of quality control! 

Blueberry Crumb Cake
Adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

INGREDIENTS:

For the crumbs:
5 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (I omitted this)

For the cake:
1 pint (2 cups) blueberries (preferably fresh, or frozen, not thawed)
2 cups plus 2 tsp all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
2/3 cup sugar
grated zest of 1/2 lemon or 1/4 orange
3/4 stick (6 tbsp) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 and place the rack at the middle position in the oven. Butter an 8-inch square pan and put it on a baking sheet.
To make the crumbs: Put all the ingredients except the nuts in a food processor and pulse just until the mixture forms clumps and curds and holds together when pressed. Scrape the topping into a bowl, stir in the nuts and press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface. Refrigerate until needed. (Covered well the crumb mix can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)

To make the cake: Using your fingertips, toss the blueberries and 2 tsp of the flour together in a small bowl just to coat the berries; set aside. Whisk together the remaining 2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Working in the bowl of a stand mixer or in another large bowl, rub the sugar and zest together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and aromatic. Add the butter and, with the paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat the sugar with the butter at medium speed until light, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one by one, beating for about 1 minute after each addition, then beat in the vanilla extract. Don’t be concerned if the batter looks curdled — it will soon smooth out. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture and the buttermilk alternately, the flour in 3 parts and the buttermilk in 2 (begin and end with the dry ingredients.) You will have a thick, creamy batter. With a rubber spatula, gently stir in the berries.

Scrape the batter into the buttered pan and smooth the top gently with the spatula. Pull the crumb mix from the fridge and, with your fingertips, break it into pieces. There’s no need to try to get even pieces — these are crumbs, they’re supposed to be lumpy and bumpy and every shape and size. Scatter the crumbs over the batter, pressing them down ever so slightly.

Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until the crumbs are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack and cool just until it is warm or until it reaches room temperature.

I love breakfast. My day has to start with a great breakfast; not a good breakfast but a great one. God forbid I don't have breakfast. And it has to be substantial. Eggs are my favorite, fried, scrambled or poached. But on the weekend, I love to make pancakes. I get up early while everyone else is sleeping and start making the batter and preheating the griddle. I enjoy the quiet. In the past few years, I have had two helpers; one wants to mix and one wants to flip. I am not allowed to make pancakes until they assume their positions which is great unless I am famished and can't wait until they get up.

Today, I felt like making pancakes. No one was up and it was peaceful. I have been on a quest to find the perfect pancake recipe. Something that reminds me of the pancakes I had as a kid, sweet (not too sweet), fluffy and tangy (from the buttermilk) but I can't find them. So I keep trying tweaks on pancake recipes. This recipe comes from Alton Brown and it is very good. Light & fluffy. He calls them "Instant Pancakes" because he premixes the dry ingredients in a large tub and then when you are ready to make pancakes you just have to add the wet ingredients (buttermilk, eggs and melted butter). It does make it easier in the morning. My daughter had a sleepover last Friday night, so I mixed up a batch of the dry ingredients so I was ready to go in the morning. I still have a good amount left so I whipped up pancakes again this morning. So good!

*I did not use a whole stick of butter to grease the pan!

Recipe by Alton Brown