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Cuban Black Bean Soup

2010-12-14T19:46:00.000-08:00

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 onions, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons dry mustard
3 cans (16 oz each) black beans
1 teaspoon honey
3 cups vegetable or defatted lower-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons dry sherry
1/2 teaspoon liquid hot pepper sauce
salt and black pepper to taste
1 cup chopped tomato
1 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Directions

In a large, heavy saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the mustard and cook for 1 minute.
Add the beans, honey, and 3 cups of broth (or water) to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered until the vegetables are very tender and the liquid is somewhat reduced, about 20 minutes.
Puree the soup base in a food processor or blender, in batches if necessary, until smooth. Return the puree to the cooking pot, and simmer over medium heat until heated through, about 5 minutes. The soup should be quite thick but not so thick that it mounds on a spoon. Add more liquid to thin if necessary. (This recipe can be made 3 days ahead and refrigerated or frozen. Reheat before serving.
Stir in the optional sherry and season with the hot pepper sauce, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve the tomato, onion, yogurt and cilantro at the table as garnishes (don't forget the salt, pepper and hot sauce as well!).

Notes

Vegetarian dish if done without chicken broth, vegan without the yogurt

Italian sausage soup

2010-12-03T18:07:00.000-08:00

Makes 8 1-cup servings

Ingredients

1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, ground
2/3 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
6 cups beef broth
1 can (15 ounces) navy beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 box (10 ounces) frozen spinach, thawed and drained and squeezed dry
Mozzarella cheese to garnish

Instructions

Cook ground sausage over medium heat in a soup pot until the meat is browned and crumbly.
Add rice, beef broth, beans, tomatoes and pepper. Bring to a simmer.
Cover and cook 12 to 15 minutes or until rice is tender.
Stir in chopped spinach and let simmer for a few minutes.
Sprinkle with cheese to garnish and serve

Greek Chicken, Artichokes, and Brown Rice, from AMA's Family Health Cookbook

2010-12-01T11:01:00.000-08:00

Serving Size: 4 servings

Serve with: Greek salad of greens, tomatoes, red onion and feta cheese

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil, preferably extra virgin
3/4 pound skinless boneless chicken breast meat, cut in thin strips
1 teaspoon dried oregano, plus 1/2 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus additional to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus additional to taste
1 medium red onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 1/2 cups defatted lower-sodium chicken broth
2 1/2 cups raw quick-cooking brown rice [or, one can cook the brown rice separately and use less chicken broth]
1 jar (6 oz) marinated artichoke hearts, reserving liquid
1/2 cup chopped parsley, preferably flat leaf
4 thin lemon slices for garnish

Instructions

Heat the oil in a very large, preferably nonstick skillet with a lid or in a Dutch oven. Sprinkle the chicken with 1 teaspoon of the oregano and the salt and pepper. Sauté the chicken, along with the onion, over medium-high heat until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the broth and rice and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, according to the package directions, 5 to 10 minutes, or until the rice is tender and has absorbed the liquid.
Drain the artichoke hearts, reserving 2 tablespoons of the marinade. Stir the artichokes and the reserved marinade into the chicken and rice, add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of oregano, and cook over medium heat until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Take and season with additional salt and pepper if necessary.
Sprinkle with the parsley and garnish with the lemon slices before serving.

Comments

Go heavy on the artichokes for flavor

Classic Moroccan Chicken and Vegetable Couscous, from AMA's Family Health Cookbook

2010-10-15T17:00:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 3/4 lbs boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut in rough 2-inch cubes
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus additional to taste, plus 1 1/2 teaspoons
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon curry powder
6 cups defatted lower-sodium chicken broth
2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
1 pound slender carrots, peeled and cut in 2-inch lengths
3/4 pound white turnips, peeled and cut in 2-inch chunks
1 can (19 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or 2 cups cooked chickpeas
1 slender zucchini, cut in 1-inch slices
1 red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups pitted prunes
1 cup golden raisins
3 cups raw couscous
1/3 cup commercial harissa or 1 cup Moroccan Hot Pepper Sauce

Directions

Heat the oil in a very large, preferably nonstick skillet with a lid or in a Dutch oven. Season the chicken with the 3/4 teaspoon of salt and the cayenne and cook over medium heat until lightly browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove to a plate, leaving the drippings in the pan.
Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until it begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin and curry powder and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the broth, cinnamon sticks, carrots and turnips. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, covered, for 10 minutes to partially cook the vegetables.
Add the chickpeas, zucchini, red pepper, prunes, and raisins. Return the chicken to the stew and simmer uncovered over medium heat until the vegetables are tender and the chicken no longer looks pink in the center, about 20 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if necessary. (The recipe can be made several hours ahead to this point and refrigerated. Reheat gently before serving.)
For the couscous, bring 4 1/2 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and stir in the uncooked couscous. Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand until the couscous is tender and the liquid is absorved, 5 to 6 minutes.
Spoon out 1/2 cup of the stew liquid and blend it with the harissa.
Mound the cooked couscous in the center of a large, rimmed platter or on individual rimmed plates or shallow soup bowls. Spoon the chicken and vegetables around the outside of the couscous and ladle the broth over them. Pass additional hot sauce at the table.

Victoria's Enchiladas

2009-10-18T21:56:00.000-07:00

Ingredients (best from authentic Mexican stores)

Beans
Tortillas
New Mexico Chiles
Tortillas
Onions
Garlic
Cheddar Cheese
Crisco

Directions

Soak the beans overnight, then cook with onions and salt and simmer for four hours
Take off tops of the chilies and take all seeds out (your hands will get hot -- don't touch your face!)
Wash chilies once (to get more seeds out, dirt off) and let soak in water until soft, around half an hour
Pour some Crisco in pan and turn on the heat to medium. Dip the tortillas in on each size for around 10 seconds (brown around the edges = too dry). Let the remaining oil drip back into the pan before layering the tortillas on paper towels to drain.
Prepare a lot of garlic cloves. Put 5 cloves and some chilies into a blender and liquefy. Use a strainer to get the remaining skins and seeds out (ideally, with the funky strainer that Victoria had).
Put strained chili juice into pan and heat it -- add salt and flour (for thickening) to taste.
Dip tortillas in juice in pan and layer them on a cookie sheet.
Put chopped onions and graded cheese on tortillas, repeat 3x (3-layer enchiladas), pour chili juice on top if too dry.
Put enchiladas in oven for approximately 10 minutes, or until ready.
Serve the beans on the side.

Ahi Poke

2009-08-03T19:35:00.000-07:00

I used this recipe: http://thecookmobile.com/yellowfin-ahi-tuna-poke/

Chicken Vindaloo, from AMA's Family Health Cookbook

2009-07-03T10:54:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1 tablespoon cumin seed
1 tablespoon coriander seed
1 tablespoon chili powder
6 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
6 large garlic cloves, minced
1 canned chipotle chili in adobo sauce, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper to taste
1 and 1/2 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound red potatoes, cut into 3/4 inch chunks
1 large onion, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
1 and 1/2 cups defatted lower-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup canned tomato sauce
5 cups cooked basmati or brown rice

Directions

Toss the cumin and coriander seeds and the chili powder in a small skillet set over medium heat until they darken a shade, 1 to 2 minutes. Immediately scrape the mixture from the skillet and let it cool. Then grind it in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.
In a blender, puree the spices with the vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, chipotle pepper, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and cayenne [note: at this point, this mixture will smell/taste like spicy ass-fire-sauce]. Place the chicken in a shallow dish. Pour the puree over the chicken, coating it completely. Cover and refrigerate, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 6 hours.
Remove the chicken from the marinade, scraping any excess marinade back into the dish. Reserve the marinade. In a Dutch oven, heat the oil and cook the chicken, potatoes, onion, and bell pepper over medium heat, stirring often, just until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the broth, tomato sauce, and any reserved marinade.
Cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are very tender, 40 to 45 minutes. Serve the vindaloo spooned over the rice. Naan also helps.

Tips from Sherry Page

2007-11-14T14:08:00.001-08:00

Cutting onions: Slice in half and then place flat side of each half on cutting board so onions don't slip
Cooking garlic: take out the bitter inside green stem
Cheese: take out of the fridge before serving for more flavor
Organic berries: don't wash them; you'll dilute the flavor, and especially not before refrigerating because they will mold
Brush mushrooms instead of washing them to preserve the flavor
Need to take stem out of shitaki mushrooms
European-style butter has more fat, flavor, and is able to withstand higher temperatures
Toasting almonds: put in microwave until they pop
Get garlic smell off hands: rub against stainless steel under lukewarm water

Tunisian Couscous Pilaf with Chickpeas, Almonds, and Dates

2007-05-25T18:54:00.001-07:00

From Family Health Cookbook, 1997 (Pocket Books)

Spicy and sweet Middle-Eastern-style dish, goes well with other spicy foods and yogurt.

Makes 4 main dish servings, or twice the side dish servings

Ingredients

2 tbs olive oil, preferably extra virgin
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
.5 tsp ground cinnamon
.5 tsp ground coriander seed
.5 tsp cayenne pepper
3 cups defatted lower-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
4 tbs fresh lemon juice
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas
1 cup chopped pitted dates (yum!)
1 box (10 oz) or 1.33 cups raw couscous
.5 tsp salt
.25 cup sliced natural almonds
1 cup thinly sliced scallions

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large nonstick saucepan wtih a lid or in a Dutch oven.
Add the onion and cook over medium heat, strring frequently until lightly browned, about 8 minutes
Add the garlic, along with the cumin, paprika, cinnamon, coriander, and cayenne and cook, stirring, for one minute
Add 2.5 of the 3 cups of broth, lemon juice, lemon peel, chick-peas and dates.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes.
Add the couscous and salt, stir once with a fork and remove the pan from the heat. Set it aside, covered, for five minutes until the couscous absorbs the liquid and softens.
Meanwhile, toast the almonds in a small skillet set over medium heat, stirring often, until lightly brown and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes (I found this takes longer)
Fluff the couscous with a fork and season with additional salt if necessary and pepper to taste.
Stir in the remaining .5 cup of broth and heat through over low heat
Turn the couscous onto plates and spinkle with the almonds and scallions before serving.

Crab and Linguine with vodka sauce

2007-01-01T18:58:00.000-08:00

An expensive but quick to make and VERY tasty, rich and filling meal... from the December 27th, 2006 Food Section of the San Jose Mercury News

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup sliced red onion
2 medium garlic cloves, crushed
1/4 cup vodka
2 cups tomato sauce
1/2 lb crab meat
2 tablespoons heavy (whipping) cream
4 oz fresh linguine
Salt and Pepper

Directions

Place a pot of 4 to 5 quarts of water on to boil
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat
Saute onion and garlic until onion is transparent, about 3 minutes
Raise the heat to high. Remove skillet from heat (for safety) and add vodka. Return to heat and cook until vodka is reduced by half, about 30 seconds
Turn heat down to medium. Add pasta sauce and crab. Cook gently without boiling for 2 minutes.
Stir in the cream and add salt and pepper to taste.
In pot, place linguine in boiling water for 2 minutes.
Drain and add sauce.
Serve with garlic bread, romaine salad and red wine

Pear Dessert

2006-12-30T00:24:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Pears
2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
Flat, wafer cookies
1/2 cup Orange Juice
Butter
Teaspoon of Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon of Vanilla
Shake of Nutmeg (optional)

Directions:

Peel pears and slice of top stem and bottom (so it sits flat in the pan)
Butter the pan
Get OJ and cinnamon and nutmeg and brown sugar
Sprinkle the brown sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon on the pears (just enough to lighly dust the top)
Dot the top of the pear with butter
Crush cookies (rolling pin + ziplock bag = good) and sprinkle them on top of pears
Spoon the OJ on top of the pears
Bake for an hour at 350 degrees
Every 20 minutes, baste the pears (scoop out the juices at the bottom of the pan and douse the pears with them)

Cioppino (from Mom's JB cookbook)

2006-12-30T00:21:00.000-08:00

makes 6 servings...tasty, but expensive

Ingredients:

1/2 lb clams (can also substitute mussels or oysters)
1 cup dry white or red wine
1/2 cup olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1/4 lb dried mushrooms, soaked in water and drained
4 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
4 tablespoons Italian tomato paste
2 cups red wine, such as Pinot Noir or Zinfandel
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
1 sea bass or striped bass, about 3 lbs, cut into serving pieces or 3 lbs thick fish fillets, cut into serving pieces (or hallibut, or cod... 2 lbs is also fine)
1 lb crab meat
1 lb raw shrimp, shelled
3 tablespoons chopped parsley

Directions:

Steam the clams in the 1 cup white or red wine until they open -- discard any that do not open.
Strain the broth through two thicknesses of cheese-cloth and reserve (this step to make broth finer... optional).
Heat the olive oil in a deep 8-qt pot and cook the onion, garlic, pepper, and mushrooms for three minutes.
Add the tomatoes and cook four minutes.
Add the strained clam broth, tomato paste, and two cups red wine.
Season with salt and pepper and simmer for about 20 minutes. Taste and correct seasoning.
Add the basil and the fish, and just cook the fish through about three to five minutes.
Finally, add the steamed clams, crab meat, and shrimp. Heat just until shrimp are cooked. Do not overcook.
Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Tips:

You COULD get clams fresh, but it's much simpler to get them frozen or canned because then you don't need to steam them yourself, which is a lot of work.
The red wine is crucial... don't get the cheap stuff!!!
Make sure the broth does NOT boil when it's supposed to be "simmering"... check on it once in a while
Make sure to wash off frozen shrimp

Mom's Cream/Mushroom Chicken and Rice

2006-11-02T08:57:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

white rice
Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup
chicken breasts (bone in)
paprika

Instructions:

Rinse the chicken, set aside.
Spray some cooking oil on the bottom of a glass pan (13 x 9 inches). OR rub some vegetable oil on the bottom (just a little).
open 1 can of cream of mushroom soup and mix with quantity of three cans of water. Mix with a fork.
Add quantity of one can of rice (you are effectively using the can as a measuring cup). Stir the rice into the mushroom/water mix.
Place chicken on top. Add salt & pepper (paprika is highly recommended!). Cover with aluminum foil which will keep chicken moist.
Bake the whole thing for 1 and 1/2 hour or less at 350 degrees.
Uncover the chicken the last 1/2 hour to have the chicken skin bake nicely.

Remember to wash your hands after handling raw chicken!

Mom's Grapefruit-Avocado Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

2006-11-02T08:46:00.000-08:00

There is nothing like a homemade dressing, and few people take the
time. Here's the recipe:

Dressing Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup vinegar
1 teaspoon DRY mustard (found in the spices isle)
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tBs. grated onion
1 cup vegetable oil (not olive)
1 1/2 tBs. poppy seeds (found in the spices isle)

Salad Ingredients:

4 heads bibb lettuce, torn (any kind will do, Bibb lettuce is
especially tender)
2 avocados, peeled & cut into medium size pieces
2 grapefruit, sectioned and cut into medium size pieces
1 pint fresh strawberries, halved

Dressing:
Combine sugar, vinegar, mustard, salt, and onion in blender
or food processor (or shake very hard in a container). Add oil and mix
well. Just before serving, add poppy seeds.

Salad:
Combine all ingredients in large bowl, and pour dressing over.

Mom says:
Obviously, if you don't want 4 heads of lettuce, either cut
down amount of dressing, or save some for another day. It stores well.

ALSO, the most important ingredients for the salad are the lettuce and
grapefruit. I usually never add the avocado because lots of people
don't like it. Strawberries I feel are optional also, depending on
availability. I actually don't like them in this salad. Enjoy!

Aunt Lisa's English Toffee

2006-11-02T08:39:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1 pound butter (4 sticks)
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
24 oz. chocolate chips
1 cup sliced almonds
Chopped almonds (approx. 3 cups)

Equipment:

Candy thermometer
Heavy saucepan
11 x 13 cookie sheet

Directions:

Grease cookie sheet with butter.

Combine butter and sugar in large heavy saucepan. Stir over medium heat until ingredients are combined. Stirring constantly, cook until mixture reaches the hard crack stage, (300 degrees on a candy thermometer). Don't be tempted to speed the process by turning up the heat; the result will not be as favorable.

When the mixture reaches 300° remove from heat, stir in one cup sliced almonds and two teaspoons vanilla, pour mixture onto a well greased cookie sheet. With a spatula spread toffee to evenly distribute. While the toffee is still hot sprinkle with chocolate chips, the heat of the toffee will melt the chocolate. Spread melted chocolate chips evenly over toffee and sprinkle with chopped almonds.

Once chocolate has set, run knife along edge of pan. Cover toffee with plastic wrap and flip pan, releasing toffee onto another surface (the bottom of another cookie sheet works well).

Melt remaining chocolate chips, it is recommended to melt the chocolate in the microwave, it is important not to over heat the chocolate. It is not necessary to melt the chocolate completely; the heat of the chocolate will melt any remaining bits. Pour melted chocolate onto the flip side of the toffee. Spread evenly and sprinkle with chopped almonds.

When cooled, break into bite sized pieces and store in covered container.

Enjoy!

Helpful Tips:

Never attempt to make toffee when in is raining, moisture in the air in not conducive to candy making.
To determine if the toffee mixture is at the hardball stage, drizzle a bit of the hot toffee mixture into a cup of ice water. The toffee will quickly harden. If the mixture is too soft/chewy it has not reached the correct temperature. Continue cooking!
If the chocolate is over heated when cooled it will become chalky and will not adhere to the toffee.
Toffee stores very will in the freezer.