Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins

It's Rhubarb Season and I could not be happier. Here's my first nod to this summer time delight!

Serves
12-18 Muffins

Ingredients
2 cups unbleached flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp.baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ cup butter, melted
¼ cup vegetable oil
¾ cup sugar
1 egg
6-8 oz plain or honey yogurt. (I used a honey flavored greek yogurt)
1 tbs vanilla extract
1 piece rhubarb, diced
1 cup chopped strawberries
4oz milk or water
brown sugar, to garnish the top of the muffin
sliced almonds, to garnish the top of the muffin


Preheat your oven to 350 and line your muffin tins with liners.
Combine the first 4 ingredients and set aside. Combine the butter, oil, sugar, egg, yogurt, and vanilla in a separate bowl. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ones. Once combined it may seem dry, if so add 4oz of either water or milk to the batter to thin it out. This may or may not be needed. Once everything is combined add your fruit and stir into batter. Drop into lined muffin tins about 3/4 of the way full. Sprinkle with brown sugar and sliced almonds and bake 14-16 minutes until they are golden brown.

Hot out of the oven!

Smells delicious!

Jerk Chicken Pasta with Vegetables

It's been awhile since I have cooked anything blog worthy. Tonight I was inspired by asparagus which is finally back in season! This fresh veggie pasta was a success!

Ingredients
Serves 2-4

2 handfuls of farfalle pasta
1 chicken breast
1/4 red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 orange bell pepper, chopped
12 sprigs asparagus, chopped
2 handfuls of fresh spinach
4 green onions, shaved
1/4 cup skim milk
1/3 can low sodium, fat free chicken broth
olive oil
hot ajvar
jerk seasoning
black pepper
onion powder
garlic paste
paprika
red pepper flakes
shaved grana, optional

Eastern European Eggplant-Red Pepper paste meets Caribbean Jerk Spice!

Start with your pasta and prep everything else while it boils. Chop one boneless, skinless chicken breast and cook on medium heat with a small amount of olive oil and a tablespoon of jerk seasoning. I used Busha Browne's Traditional Jerk Seasoning.When the chicken was cooked through I added the chicken broth, skim milk, and a heaping spoon of ajvar. I like to use the ZerGut Hot Ajvar. I let everything come to a boil and then added the veggies. Cover with a lid so the spinach and asparagus can steam for about 5 minutes. When the asparagus was tender I added the pasta and additional spices (black pepper, onion powder, garlic paste, red pepper flakes and paprika). Depending on how much flavor and heat you like you might want to add a little more jerk spice or ajvar. Drizzle with a small amount of olive oil, toss, and serve. I had a little grana in my fridge and shaved it over the dish right before it was served. This was a delicious experiments in flavors. I can't wait to swap the pasta for quinoa next time.

Cooking!

The finished dish with shaved grana!

If you don't have access to specialty food store where you live you can purchase the ajvar and jerk spice online at Amazon.com.


http://www.amazon.com/Zergut-Ajvar-Hot-EuropeanGarden-zergut-24oz/dp/B000LRG16E

http://www.amazon.com/Busha-Brownes-Authentic-Jerk-Seasoning/dp/B0079FMZ48/ref=sr_1_1?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1332128781&sr=1-1

Citrus Kale Salad

Always on a quest to use kale in everything. I made this sweet salad to compliment a savory soup.

Ingredients
Serves Two

2 cups finely chopped kale, no stems
1 segment of a red pepper, diced
1 half carrot cut into matchsticks
1/2 cups mandarin orange segment's (I used canned ones)
garlic powder
sea salt
black pepper
rice vinegar
olive oil
juice from 1/2 ruby red grapefruit

After making sure your kale is washed thoroughly shake of excess water and/or pat dry. Remove the tough stems leaving just the leafy green. Roll several leaves into a log and chiffonade until they are in thin strips. Place into a mixing bowl and sprinkle with sea salt. Using your hand wilt the kale until it is soft and fluffy. Once the kale is soft enough you can add your carrots and red pepper.

Sprinkle the mixture with olive oil and rice vinegar. I used probably about 1 tsp each, you do not need much. Then sprinkle with black pepper and garlic powder. Finish by squeezing 1/2 of a grapefruit's juice over everything. Mix to combine flavors. Add the mandarin orange segments last so they remain whole.

Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Won Ton Taco Bites

Won Tons seem to be the new rage in appetizer creations. The options are endless for what they can be filled with. I had small amounts of stuff left over from a taco night and made these to serve as a side to a southwest chowder. I really don't think these even warrant a firm recipe. Use this recipe as a guide to make your own version.

Ingredients
12 servings

12 won ton wrappers
taco meat
green onions, chopped
cooked black beans
frozen corn
green pepper, diced
salsa of your choosing
shredded cheese. I used monterray jack for this version
roma tomatoes, sliced
black pepper
non stick spray

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. While the oven is heating up you can spray your muffin tin and press one won ton wrapper into each cup.

Now you can layer your ingredients into the cups. I started with a layer of cheese, then added the meat, beans, and corn. I added a spoonful of salsa over each one and packed the ingredients down with the a spoon. Then I sprinkled each cup with the chopped green onions and green pepper. I added another layer of cheese and then topped each one with a slice of tomato and a sprinkle of fresh ground pepper.

Bake for 12 minutes or until the edges of the won tons are golden. Remove from oven and let sit about 10 minutes, serve warm.

Warm Chickpea and Spinach Salad

This is the most delicious thing I have made in ages. I could eat it everyday! Thanks to the many people who had various versions of this on the web. I made it my own, and I made it delicious!


Ingredients
Serves 4

1 can chickpeas, drained
3 roma tomatoes, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 bunch spinach, washed, stems chopped off
3 baby lemons, juiced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
sea salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
oregano, to taste
red pepper flakes, to taste
paprika, to taste
olive oil

Saute the onions and garlic in olive oil until the onions are soft. Add the chickpeas and tomatoes along with red pepper flakes, paprika, and oregano. Cook covered for about 18 minutes, stir on occasion. Then add one bunch of fresh spinach and cook for another 7 minutes. Finish with salt and pepper and the juice of fresh lemons.

Garnish with chilled and segmented roma tomatoes. 

Bacon & Veggie Chowder

Once again I am cleaning out the fridge and trying to make something delicious with not much. After look at all sorts of chowder recipes on the web I felt pretty confident I could wing my own. For a first attempt at chowder it was pretty delicious!

Ingredients
Serves4-6

2 cans low sodium chicken broth
1 can diced green chilies
1 red potato, skin on, diced
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
4 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 roma tomatoes, diced
2-3 green onion stalks, chopped
frozen corn, 1 handful
black beans, cooked, 1 handful
1/4 cup flour
1 cup skim milk
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar or jack cheese
black pepper, to taste (I used tons)
cumin, to taste
paprika. to taste
onion powder, to taste
garlic powder, to taste
sea salt, a pinch

Bring chicken stock and 1 cup water to boil. Add all veggies and spices to pot and simmer for 30 minutes until potatoes are tender. While the veggies are simmering you can cook your bacon until crispy. Remove bacon and cook chopped garlic in the bacon drippings. Add browned garlic and crumbled bacon to the soup. Lower heat and continue to cook covered.

In a separate bowl add 1 cup of skim milk and add 1/4 cup flour. Whisk until there are no lumps, or you can use an immersion blender which is much faster. Add mixture to soup and stir well. Now you can add your shredded cheese. Stir well and let cook for another 10 minutes to ensure everything is blended well.

Serve with tortilla strips and chopped cilantro.

Potato, Kale, and Sausage Soup

I am starting to think I should call my blog "Sausage and Kale" instead of "Rhubarb and Mint" seeing as these two ingredients make their way into my cooking on a pretty regular basis. Kale is pretty much boss in terms of awesome ingredients, especially as fall is starting to creep its way into Seattle. This is my first attempt at a Potato, Kale and Sausage Soup...Per usual I am just winging it, no recipe to follow per se, just throwing my favorite things into a pot.

Ingredients

3 tbs olive oil
1 lg shallot, diced
2 tbs mashed garlic
1 lb sweet Italian sausage, ground
14oz chicken broth
2 lg red potatoes, halved and sliced thin (skins on)
1 half bunch of kale, finely sliced
4 cups water
garlic powder, to taste
onion powder, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
paprika, to taste
red pepper flakes, to taste

Heat olive oil in a soup pot and add shallots and garlic. Stir until onions soften and start to brown. Once the onions are cooked add the sausage and brown on medium heat. After the sausage is thoroughly cooked you can add your chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil and add your potatoes, kale and spices. Let boil for about ten minutes and then turn onto low heat and let simmer until the potatoes are soft, about 45 minutes.

So much kale....

Steaming Hot and Delicious

Perfect start to the Fall season!

Garnish with fresh grated Parmesan cheese and crusty bread. I also put a little dollop of sour cream in one bowl, and it was divine.

Makers Mark Pecan Cheesecake

If there is one thing I know how to bake it is a cheesecake. I worked as a dessert chef at a restaurant that was known for its cheesecakes. I was trained well and now like to experiment with and modify the numerous cheesecakes options out there...They are endless and so are my ideas...I love to bake with bourbon and have used it in caramels, cookies and now it is time to put it in a cheesecake. I looked at a lot of recipes online and found one at www.andreasrecipes.com that I used for my inspiration.

Yields 1 9" Cheesecake

Ingredients for the crust
9 whole graham crackers
2 tbs white sugar
4 tbs pecans
4 tbs butter, melted

Ingredients for the ganache
2 tbs heavy cream
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Ingredients for the filling
12 oz cream cheese (1.5 packages) softened
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tbs Makers Mark (or your favorite bourbon)
1 tbs vanilla extract

Ingredients for the topping
2 eggs
4 tsp white sugar
4 tsp brown sugar
4 tsp corn syrup
1 tbs Makers Mark
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla
chopped pecans (about 1/2 cups but you can use more or less)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare your 9" spring form pan as follows: wrap the bottom and sides in tin foil to ensure no moisture gets into the pans seam while baking. Spray your pan with a vegetable oil spray. Line the bottom of the pan with a circle of parchment or waxed paper.

The Crust: Combine all dry ingredients into your food processor and process until everything is combined into a fine crumb. Place into a small mixing bowl and combine with your melted butter. Once the mixture is evenly combined dump into the bottom of your spring form pan. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the pan and about half way up the sides. Place into oven and bake for 7 minutes. Then remove and set aside.

The Ganache: Combine chocolate chips and heavy cream into a sauce pan and cook on low. Stir the entire time until the chocolate is melted and is smooth. Once the ganache is ready pour immediately onto the bottom of the crust, and spread carefully if needed.

The Filling: On medium speed combine your cream cheese and sugar for a few minutes. Stop and scrape the sides, and then beat some more. You want this to be as smooth as possible with no lumps. Next add your cream and eggs. Beat, scrape, beat, scrape. Finally add your bourbon and vanilla and beat again. If the mixture looks smooth with no lumps then it is ready. Pour the batter into the spring form covering both the crust and ganache.

The Topping: Sprinkle your pecans onto the top of the unbaked cheesecake. Combine all topping ingredients (eggs, brown sugar, white sugar, corn syrup, salt, vanilla, and bourbon) and pour over the pecans. Your cheesecake is now ready for the oven.

Before going into the oven

Place onto a baking sheet that will allow you to surround the spring form in a water bath. Place the sheet in the oven, then pour the water onto the baking sheet, so its not hard to move from the counter to the oven. Set your timer for 25 minutes and then check the water level. If more water is needed add it, if not leave it alone. The water helps to maintain moisture in the oven and in your cheesecake.

After checking the water set your time for 20 minutes. Once it goes off check it every 5 minutes thereafter until is is ready to come out of the oven. You will know its set when you move the pan and the cheesecake wobbles slightly and the edges seem browned. At this point you can take it out of the oven to cool. Let it cool for several hours until removing the spring form. You may need to use a sharp knife to loosen the top edge before removing the side of the pan.

Once the sides are removed place into your fridge to cool over night. The next day you will need to remove the bottom of the pan and the parchment paper before serving. I find the best way to do this is to heat the bottom of the spring form pan over an open flame briefly. I then place a cutting board or plate on the top of the cheesecake and then flip it over, exposing the bottom of the pan and the parchment. Remove both, and then place your serving plate onto the bottom of the cheesecake and flip over carefully. Trust me this is not for the fainthearted, but I have done it dozens of times and have yet to drop, crack, or break a cheesecake. They are firm and can handle a little movement once cooled.

This is now ready to slice and serve. A trick I use from my baking days is to place a large knife into a pitcher of hot water. Dip the knife into the bowl and wipe with each cut for a smooth and professional appearance with each piece you plate.

Ready to serve

Ready to serve

Challah Bread

Challah is a delicious and labor intensive braided Jewish Egg Bread...Lets place the emphasis on delicious and try not to think about all the labor that goes into it. I got my start with a recipe I found on www.myjewishlearning.com and have been tweaking it ever since. So if you want to delight your friends and family with some homemade bread and have some time on your hands, this is a project for you. You will not be disappointed.


Ingredients
Makes 4 loaves

2 Tbs dry yeast
2 1/4 cup lukewarm water
1/2 cup white sugar
4 eggs beaten (for the dough)
2 egg yolks beaten and set aside (for glazing)
1 Tbs salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey (for glazing)
About 9 1/4 cups flour

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Beat yeast into water and set aside for about 10 minutes until it bubbles.

Bubbling yeast

In the largest bowl you can find beat your eggs, then add your salt, sugar and oil and beat until combined. Once your yeast has bubbled add to the mixture and beat again. Now its time to add the flour which needs to be done slowly and gradually. You can start combining the flour with a wooden spoon until you have a dough that seems to be sticking together.

Now dump the mixture onto a floured surface and knead vigorously for 15 minutes (set your timer, and do not skimp on this part). You want the dough to be smooth and elastic. You can gradually add flour as needed if needed. Knead until dough is smooth and and elastic (press your finger into the dough, it should press down then rise back up on its own). Your arms will hurt, trust me its worth it. 

Smooth and elastic dough ball

Now that the dough is kneaded pour a little oil into the bowl (make sure to coat it) and place the dough ball into it. Flip the dough over so that each side is coated with oil. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and leave to rise for 2-3 hours. Depending on how warm your house is it could rise faster. You will know its done when it has doubled in size.

Dough that has doubled in size

Once the dough has doubled in size punch it down into the bowl. Remove from the bowl and knead again for about 5-10 minutes. Separate into four equal sections.

Take one of your 4 sections and split into three. Roll each section into a long rope about 12" to 18" long. Lay the three sections next to each other and pinch the tops of them together and fold over to secure. Braid the dough together. When you get to the end pinch the three together and fold under to secure the seam. Complete this process with each of the remaining three dough sections you have left.

Place two loaves each onto well oiled baking sheets and let rise for another hour. If its warm in my kitchen I will cheat sometimes and put the first set into the oven in 30 minutes. Play it by ear, you will know if the dough needs to rise still by looking at it.

Braided and doubled in size

Now you need to take the eggs yolks you beat earlier and combine them with 1/4 cup honey. Generously brush each loaf with the egg honey mixture using a pastry brush. Place into oven and bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown. You will know they are done when you tap the bottom of the loaf and it sounds hollow.

Golden Brown

Ready to be served!

As a side note I have burned a lot of this bread in the past since each oven is different. I recommend starting with one loaf in the oven and checking it every ten minutes to be sure its not browning too fast. It's better to burn one loaf then all four.

Once the loaves are cooled I suggest wrapping them in plastic wrap till serving. This is also a great bread for making french toast and bread pudding. But my favorite way to have it is with butter, dipped into my Matzo Ball Soup.

Muffin Tin Quiche's

In an attempt to persuade my boyfriend from eating out for breakfast at his friendly neighborhood coffee shop each morning I attempted and succeeded with Muffin Tin Quiches. I looked at several recipes on the web and pieced together my own version..They came out of the oven smelling and looking delicious...Only problem was I had no way to know how they tasted before serving. I DO NOT like eggs... I sucked it up and bit into one and to my surprise... I went for a second. I think I will be experimenting with different versions of this recipe in the coming future. Here is my first attempt!

Makes 24 muffin sized quiches

Base Ingredients
8 eggs
1 1/2 cups of heavy cream
wonton wrappers
garlic powder to taste
onion powder to taste
black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare your muffin tins by spraying them with a vegetable oil spray. Press one wonton wrapper into each section ( this will create a crispy shell to support your quiche).

wonton wrappers pressed into tins

For the first batch I sprinkled mozzarella cheese onto the bottom of each wonton. I sauteed three white mushrooms, 4oz pancetta, and a handful of shredded arugula and divided it up between 12 of the tins. Then I separated half of the egg mixture and poured it equally into one of each tins about 2/3 of the way up on each. Top off with fresh ground black pepper and shredded mozzarella on top of each.

For the second batch I went vegetarian. I sprinkled cheddar and monterrey jack cheese onto the bottom of each. Then I chopped up a handful of broccoli till it fell apart into small pieces and a handful of green onions and mixed it into the remaining egg batter. I poured equal amounts into each and then sprinkled with fresh ground pepper and the cheese blend.

Before going into the oven

This is as about as it easy as it gets. I baked each tin for about 20 minutes on 350. They were done when the tops of the wontons browned and they seemed to be pulling away from the sides of the tins.

"Cleaning out the Fridge" Pizzas

With all of the wonderful veggies in full bloom at the markets I found myself with too much produce that needed to be used today or pitched. Being thrifty as always I made two personal pizzas and managed to clean out my fridge at the same time....Is there such a thing as a bad pizza? The toppings and flavor combinations are endless.

Note: I literally cleaned out the fridge, so portions were not measured.


Kale, Italian Sausage, and Zucchini Pizza, Pizza #1 (Best pizza I have made to date!)
Serves 1-2 people

Before Baking

After Baking...So Delicious!

Ingredients
1/2 of a of Trader Joe's pizza dough ball
Trader Joe's pizza sauce
shredded kale
sweet Italian sausage, crumbled
1/2 diced zucchini
mozzarella
fresh grated Parmesan
fresh ground black pepper
olive oil
sea salt
red pepper flakes
garlic powder

After rolling 1/2 of the dough ball out into a personal size pizza I baked at 350 for about 7 minutes and then removed from oven. While the dough was par-baking I quickly sauteed the kale and zucchini on high heat with a little olive oil, sea salt, and garlic powder. Once the kale wilts and the zucchini browns slightly remove from heat.

Brush par-baked dough with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder. Spread on pizza sauce then add half the amount of mozzarella you want you use. Then top with sausage, kale, and zucchini. Top with remaining mozzarella and some fresh grated Parmesan.. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and fresh ground black pepper. Bake until crust and cheese begins to brown, about 10 minutes.



Colorful Pizza, Pizza #2
Serves 1-2

Before Baking

After Baking...So Delicious!

Ingredients
1/2 of a of Trader Joe's pizza dough ball
Trader Joe's pizza sauce
green pepper, diced
red pepper, diced
frozen corn
pineapple tidbits
green onion, chopped
mozzarella
red pepper flakes

After rolling 1/2 of the dough ball out into a personal size pizza I baked at 350 for about 7 minutes and then removed from oven. Once the dough is removed from the over, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder. Spread on pizza sauce then add half the amount of mozzarella you want you use. Add all of your veggies then top with remaining mozzarella. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and bake until crust and cheese begins to brown, about 10 minutes.

Greek Yogurt Fruit Salad

This is a quick and easily modifiable creamy summer fruit salad..Any excuse to eat Greek Yogurt!

Ingredients
Serves 2-4

1 nectarine, diced
1/2 mango, diced
1/2 green apple, diced
raspberries, handful
blueberries, handful
blackberries, handful
6 strawberries, halved
1 container Greek Goddess Honey Flavored Greek Yogurt
1/4 cup orange juice
juice from one lime wedge

Combine and chill. Serve with brunch, a side dish to a summer BBQ, or as dessert on a hot day!

Channa Masala & Curried Potatoes

I love Indian food and have been experimenting in my kitchen with my own take on some of my favorite dishes...While not always a success from the beginning I think I have finally mastered Channa Masala...Sure its not cooked by someone one's Indian grandmother, but this is my take, and its pretty delicious!

Channa Masala
Ingredients
Serves 4-6

1 large white onion, chopped
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 tomato segmented and set aside for final presentation
1 can garbanzo beans (chick peas)
1 lime
garlic paste
olive oil
cumin
turmeric
coriander
paprika
salt
garam masala
dried mango powder
grated fresh ginger
hot chili powder
bay leafs1/2 cup water


In a large pot, on medium heat,  brown your chopped onion with olive oil and garlic paste (I used 1 heaping tablespoon, use your own judgement with the garlic and all the spices in this dish). Once the onions are browned add all of the spices, except the bay leaves. I would start off with a small amount of each spice if you are not familiar with the flavors, about 1/4-1/2 tsp. You can always add more of a flavor you prefer, but you can't back peddle and take them out. Combine spices and onions, the onions should be a dark yellow to orange color at this point. Now add your two chopped tomatoes and stir.

Onions, tomatoes, and spices!

While your tomatoes and onions are cooking on medium heat you can prepare your garbanzo beans. I cheated and used canned ones because its much quicker. If you have time or a pressure cooker than use dried ones..They always taste better. Open the can and remove about 1/3 of the beans (do not drain) and either blend them with your immersion blender or mash them until they are soft (I find this helps make the dish a little more saucy). Add the mashed beans to the tomatoes and onions and stir, then add the rest of the can of beans. At this time you can also add a 1/2 cup of water. Stir everything well and let simmer for about 10 minutes.

Once the pot comes to a light boil turn down the heat and add 2 bay leafs. Cover your pot and cook on medium to low heat for 30-40 minutes. Stirring occasionally. It's at this point that its a good time to taste your Channa Masala and see if you need to add anymore spices. I tend to go heavy with the garlic, cumin, and mango powder (which adds a slight tang). If you like your curry hot add some more chili powder. At the very end of the cooking cycle I like to add the juice of 1 lime. This combination of spice, heat, and tang is very satisfying! Pour into a serving dish and garnish with a raw segmented tomato. Serve over Basmati rice.

The final product, with raw segmented tomatoes as a garnish!

Basmati Rice with Green Peas
Serves 4-6

1 cup Basmati rice
1 cup frozen sweet peas

The ratio for Basmati rice is one cup rice to two cups water..This will make plenty of rice to compliment your Channa Masala. Combine rice and water and bring to a boil. Once water has came to a boil cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes, stir as needed. Once the rice is cooked remove from heat and add one cup of thawed green peas. I generally just dump them on top of the rice and cover with a lid. The steam from the rice cooks the peas while you finish up the final touches on your dinner. Adding green peas to the rice adds a nice pop of color and adds texture and sweetness to the rice. It's one of my favorite combinations!

Basmati Rice and Green Peas

Curried Potatoes
Serves 4-6
Ingredients

3 peeled red potatoes, boiled and diced
1/2 onion, dices
mustard seeds
olive oil
cumin
turmeric
garlic

Peel three red potatoes and boil until soft enough to put a fork through. Do not boil them too long or they will get mushy. Drain water and set aside.

Place skillet on high heat and let the pan get hot adding a few Tbs of oil, enough to cover the pan. Add the mustard seeds and stir them constantly allowing them to toast. Now add your spices and stir into the olive oil and mustard seeds to create a spice paste, once it starts to bubble add your onions and turn down the heat. Cook the onions until they soften and then add your potatoes. Combine until all the potatoes are coated and then allow them to cook as you would hash browns. Flipping once our twice until they begin to crisp. Serve along side your Channa Masala and Basmati Rice.

Curried Potatoes

Timing is everything when cooking multiple dishes. I started both the rice and potatoes about half way through the last 30 minutes of the Channa Masala cook time, and they both took about 15-20 minutes to complete.
I served these dishes with Trader Joe's Samosa's and Garlic Naan, both which require about a 10 minute cook time in your oven...I plan to attempt homemade Samosa's next time around. However Trader Joe's will do in a pinch.

My attempt at an Indian Fest!

Fancy Zucchini Bread

I love to make zucchini bread to give to friends as gifts. It is a simple yet delicious bread that can be eaten for breakfast, as a snack, or jazzed up with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce for a dessert.

Ingredients
Makes 2 loaves

3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3 tsp cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup canola oil
2 1/4 cup white sugar
3 tsp vanilla
1 cup grated zucchini
1 cup crushed pineapple
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cups crushed hazelnuts

Preheat oven to 325.
Combine flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon into one bowl. In a separate bowl combine the eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla. zucchini, and pineapple. Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Once well combined add the chocolate chips and nuts.

Pour into two greased and floured 4 x 8 bread tins. Bake on on 325 for about 45 minutes. It may need to cook a little longer depending on your oven. Check the middle with a toothpick to be sure its is completely baked.

Once completed remove from oven and let cool for about 10-15 minutes. Once you can safely handle the pans and bread turn them out of pans and let cool on a baking rack.


And finally ENJOY!

Gandules Salad

This recipe is based on my favorite appetizer from La Isla,, a Puerto Rican  restaurant in Ballard. This simple yet robust salad can be used as a side dish or a garnish. La Isla serves it as a garnish to plantain cups. I recently took it to a party and served it with tortilla chips as you would a salsa. I think it would be great as a side dish for pork or as a chilled summer salad.

The base of this is Gandules also known as Pigeon Peas. Gandules are a high protein legume and also contain many amino acids. You can usually find them in the Latin Foods section of your grocery store.

Ingredients

1 15oz can gandules, drained and rinsed
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 white onion, diced
juice from one lime
sea salt, chopped garlic, and fresh black pepper, to taste
white vinegar
olive oil

Combine all of the vegetables and lime juice into a bowl. Add about 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/4 cup white vinegar, mix well. Once well combined add your spices. You may want to play around with the vinegar and olive oil ratio to get it to a point that you like. I prefer a little more vinegar for a more tart taste. Starting with 1/4 cup of each though is a great start.

Chill until ready to serve

http://www.laislaseattle.com/menu.aspx

Pizza ( Roasted Red Pepper Pork Sausage, Cherry Bomb Peppers & Argula)

Pizza...Yet another blank canvas for a foodie to go crazy with. Tonight I made a simple crust and topped it with a red sauce, Roasted Red Pepper Pork Sausage, Cherry Bomb Peppers, and Fresh Arugula. Arugula being in my opinion one of the most versatile and flavorful greens to use. It lends a nutty and earthy flavor and is one of my favorite pizza toppings. Always added after the Pizza has came out of the oven.

Follow the link below to my sisters Stephenie's blog for your some of the best homemade pizza dough around...Once you have your dough you can take it from there. I personally like to bake my crust off for about 7 minutes until it is a little firm and then remove it from the oven and top with my favorite things. I always brush the "crust" with olive oil and garlic paste to add a little flavor...Now its time for you to to create your own Pizza Masterpiece.

http://voilalefromage.blogspot.com/2011/05/basic-pizza-dough.html  
Pizza Dough Link..Check it!

Quick Mac & Cheese

In a pinch I made this quick Mac & Cheese as a last minute side dish for a BBQ this past weekend. I didn't really measure much but I have the rough estimates below. I mean could you really add too much cheese anyways?

Ingredients
Serve 2-4

1/2 box penne pasta
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup Mexican blend shredded cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheddar
1 Tbs butter
1/2 cups skim milk
garlic, black pepper, and paprika to taste
1/4 cup Italian style bread crumbs

Boil the pasta and strain. Pour hot pasta back into pan add add all ingredients except the bread crumbs. Stir until all the butter and cheese have melted. This took about 5 minutes on low heat. Once everything is combined pour into a baking pan. Top with bread crumbs and sprinkle with a little bit more cheese. Bake on 375 for about 10-15 minutes, until the top is crisp.

This was quick and easy and allowed me to use a lot of odds and ends I had in my fridge and freezer. Try it out, make it yours, and add whatever else you need to use up...

Twist & Sparkle

The folks at iSi have outdone themselves with their new product, the Twist & Sparkle. This is hands down the best thing to enter my kitchen to date. It allows you to carbonate your favorite juices, wines, water, etc. The possibilities have been endless in my kitchen thus far. So lets give a big shout out to iSi for keeping my kitchen creative...And to all my foodie friends you need to get one as soon as you can!

Here is a drink based on the Le Muse from Bastille in Ballard, WA. It's a less inexpensive and fun way to make my favorite drink on a budget:

Le Muse
2oz Vodka
2oz Creme de Cassis
1/2 fresh squeezed lime
2-4 oz sparkling rose wine
Topped with sparkling pink grapefruit juice ( no sugar added type)


http://www.twistnsparkle.com/

http://www.isinorthamerica.com/


Endless possibilities for summer time fun. Check out the links above to learn more about the Twist & Sparkle and all the other fun iSi products.

Strawberry Rhubarb Simple Syrup

Experimenting with fun flavors led me to making this simple syrup to use as a mixer for both non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks. Mix it with soda water or with Vodka and lime juice for a refreshing after work drink.

YUM!

Ready to be strained

Ingredients
Make 2 1/2 cups Syrup

1 carton strawberries, chopped
3 stalks rhubarb, chopped
2 cups water
2 cups white sugar

Bring sugar and water to a boil on medium heat, use a soup pan when doing this. Once water comes to a boil add fruit and lower heat. Cover and let simmer for about 20-25 minutes, or until the fruit begins to break down. Remove from heat and allow to slightly cool. When safe to handle strain the fruit from the syrup and chill until ready to use. This had a very strong strawberry taste. If you want something a little more tart you can cut back a little on the sugar, or just use more rhubarb and less berries.....Next on my list is to try this with Mango and Raspberries.

The possibilities for mixing this are endless. A lot of recipes I looked at called for 2 oz syrup to 8oz of liquid and it seemed to be a pretty good place to start.

So what to do with all this leftover fruit??? Do we really want to throw it all away? I pureed mine with a hand blender and stuck it in the freezer to spread on pancakes or to throw in a fruit smoothie. Almost sad to admit I liked the unexpected fruit puree more than the syrup.

Finished Syrup

2oz Syrup, 2 oz Vodka, 6oz Sparkling Grapefruit Juice & Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice

Vinegar Salad

This is a salad that lots of people in my family make. It has it roots in Eastern Europe and is a great cool treat on a hot summer day! If you have a Mandolin slicer this will be your best friend when making this salad.

Ingredients
Serves 4

1/2 cucumber, sliced very thin
3 Roma tomatoes, sliced very thin
1/3 red onion, sliced very thin
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
white sugar, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
chopped garlic, 1 tablespoon

Mix vinegar and water and add sugar to taste. Start with 1 tablespoon and taste to see if the taste works for you. You essentially want to use 1 part water to 1 part vinegar. However if the taste is too strong you can add a little more water and sugar to balance the taste. I personally like mine to have a string vinegar taste. I then add a dash of fresh ground pepper and about a tablespoon of chopped garlic.

Once the vinegar/ water meets your tastes add the veggies and chill. Serve as a side dish with you favorite summer meal!