Brazilian Lemonade

FORMULA:     

2 limes

 3 c. cold water

½ c. sugar

3 Tbl. sweetened condensed milk

PROCESS:

Wash limes and warm in the microwave for 10 seconds to get juices flowing.  Cut off a small slice from each end, then chunk into eight pieces.  Place in blender, squeezing slightly to release juice.  Add water, sugar, and milk.  Cover and pulse for a few seconds to mix and roughly chop limes.  Strain and serve over ice.  Makes about four cups. 

Parker House Rolls

I found these at The Pioneer Woman blog.  So easy and tasty.


FORMULA:


4 cups Whole Milk
2 sticks 1 Cup Butter
1 cup Sugar
4-½ teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
8 cups All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder
1 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda
1 Tablespoon (heaping) Salt
1 cup (additional) All-purpose Flour
2 sticks Melted Butter (additional)

PROCESS:

Combine 4 cups milk, 2 sticks butter, and sugar in a large pot. Bring to a simmer, and when the mixture is hot (but not boiling) turn off heat and allow to cool to warmer than lukewarm, about 30 to 45 minutes.

Sprinkle in the yeast and 8 cups of flour. Stir to combine, then cover and allow to rise for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, add baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 1 additional cup of flour. Stir to combine. Divide dough in half, then turn out onto floured surface. Knead dough for 8 to 10 minutes, then form into a ball and cover with a towel and allow to rise in a warm place. for 30 to 45 minutes. (Repeat with other half of dough, or store it for a later use.)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt 2 sticks of butter in a saucepan.

Roll out dough 1/2 inch thick. Cut circles with a 2 1/2 inch cutter. Dunk each circle in melted butter, then immediately fold in half and place on a cookie sheet, flat side down. Press lightly to encourage sealing. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Cover with a towel and allow rolls to rise 30 to 45 minutes.

Bake for 15 minutes. Remove and serve immediately!

Easy Slow-Cooker Pork Tacos

I'm always look for a good slow-cooker recipe that doesn't call for a can of "Cream of ..."  I adapted this from a Serious Eats recipe.

FORMULA:

3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1/3 cup cider vinegar
Kosher salt
1 pound pork butt
1 carrot
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 medium onion, quartered
3 tablespoons bottled or homemade barbecue sauce
1 chipotle pepper from a can of chipotles in adobo sauce, minced, plus extra sauce

 
PROCESS:
 
Mix together brown sugar, ground coriander, vinegar and 1 ½ tablespoons salt in bowl large enough to fit pork. Add pork, toss to combine, and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.

Add half of carrot, garlic, and onion to bottom of slow cooker. Add pork and 2 tablespoons juice from marinade. Pour ½ cup water over pork. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for about 8 hours. Pork should be very tender and shred easily. Transfer to bowl, leaving vegetables behind. Shred with two forks. Add ½ teaspoon salt, three tablespoons broth, and barbecue sauce. Stir in minced chipotle and adobo sauce to taste. Season to taste with salt.

Baked Falafel

I found this recipe on Chow Vegan.  It was a great week-night meal and Oliver liked it too.

FORMULA:

1 15 ounce can garbanzo beans

1 small onion, finely chopped

2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

Salt and pepper to taste


PROCESS:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Drain and rinse the garbanzo beans. Put in a medium sized bowl and smash with a fork. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Form into small balls, about 1 1/2″ in diameter and slightly flatten. Place onto an oiled baking pan.

Bake for 15 minutes on each side, until nicely browned (since it’s baked, only the part actually touching the pan will be browned and crispy).

Serve with mini pita pockets, hummus, tahini sauce, tomatoes, lettuce and/or cucumber.

Cashew Chicken

This is a good, quick weeknight meal...and a bonus is that it is pretty healthy.

.

FORMULA:

.

4 chicken breast halves, diced

3 tbsp soy sauce, divided

1 tbsp cooking sherry

1 tbsp corn starch

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp white vinegar

¼ cup oil

1 tsp red pepper flakes

3 green onions, sliced diagonally

2 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tsp of jarred minced garlic)

¼-½ cup cashews, unsalted

toasted sesame seeds

hot cooked rice (we used brown)

.

PROCESS:

.

In a medium bowl, combine 1 tablespoon soy sauce with the cooking sherry. Cut chicken into bite-sized cubes, about 1/2 inch, and place chicken pieces in soy sauce/sherry mixture. Let it sit while you prepare the other ingredients.

.

In a small bowl, whisk remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, corn starch, sugar, and vinegar until well combined. Set aside. Slice the green onions, and measure out the red pepper flakes and minced garlic.

.

Heat oil in a wok over high heat. (Make sure it is very very hot. I didn't have mine hot enough and my chicken didn't turn out brown and crispy on the outside like it should have. Hot hot hot!) Add red pepper flakes and stir for 10 seconds. Add chicken all at once - it will sizzle and spatter quite a bit in the hot oil - stir quickly to brown all sides of chicken. Cook for 2 minutes until chicken is browned on all sides. Remove chicken from wok. Add sliced green onions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are slightly cooked (about 1 minute). Return chicken to wok. Slowly pour in reserved corn starch sauce, stir to coat. Continue cooking on high, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and sauce thickens. Remove from heat, stir in cashews. Serve over hot cooked rice with toasted sesame seeds on top.

Panzanella Salad

I love this salad and I'm not a salad person. I got this one from Baked Bree.

.

SALAD FORMULA:

.

1/2 loaf of crusty day old bread

2 cups of tomatoes

1/2 cup fresh basil

1 container fresh mozzarella

salt

pepper

Parmesan cheese

.

DRESSING FORMULA:
.

1 clove chopped garlic

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

.

PROCESS:

.

Start with the dressing. In the bottom of a bowl, add the garlic, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper. Whisk and slowly stream the olive oil in. Whisk until the mixture comes together.
.

Chop your tomatoes and mozzarella cheese into bite size pieces. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. (You could make this ahead of time by making your dressing, chopping your vegetables, and getting you bread ready and just tossing before you are ready to serve it.)

.

Toss the tomatoes and cheese in the dressing.
.

Slice your bread and brush (or spray) with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill or toast your bread until it is toasty and crunchy. Cube the bread and add to the tomatoes and dressing.

Toss with the basil and Parmesan cheese. I saved some cheese and basil for garnish.

.

Put in a serving dish and enjoy a delicious hearty salad.

Tomato Basil Soup

Oliver and I had this the other night and it was so good (and surprisingly quick), especially with the fresh basil from our garden.

FORMULA:

1 stick of unsalted butter
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
28 ounces canned whole plum tomatoes or crushed tomatoes
2 1/2 cups of chicken stock
1 1/2 cup of cream or half and half
2 teaspoons sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Fresh torn basil
freshly grated asiago cheese on top (optional)

PROCESS:

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring, until onions have softened, about 15 minutes.

2. Add tomatoes, chicken stock, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook until tomatoes, onions, and garlic are soft, 10 to 20 minutes. Then add cream or half and half.

3. Using an immersion blender, blend soup for a couple of minutes until it is smooth. If soup seems too thick, stir in some extra stock to thin. Serve immediately and top with torn basil and asiago cheese.