Eggplant Caponata Sandwich

A group of my friends decided to try to use local produce one week and since I've never cooked with eggplant, I decided to use eggplant.  I really enjoyed the flavor of it and I'll definitely cook with it again!  Eggplant is definitely a substitute for meat!

The mozzarella definitely makes this this sandwich, so don't leave that out! 

I think next time I'll use another eggplant, as it was, it was a little heavy on the tomatoes.  I also heated mine up, I didn't like it cold.




Recipe adapted from theKitchn.

makes 5 cups of caponata, enough for about 10 sandwiches
INGREDIENTS: 
1/3 cup olive oil
1 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into small cubes, about 4 cups total
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
4 ounces white mushrooms, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup black olives, pitted and sliced
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Baguette or ciabatta bread, to serve
Fresh mozzarella, about 2 thick slices per sandwich, to serve
Fresh basil leaves, optional, to serve

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven or wide, deep sauté pan and add eggplant, bell pepper, onion, mushrooms, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes, until vegetables are soft.
Add the olives, tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, and oregano. Season again with salt and pepper. Lower heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 30 minutes. Stir a few times during cooking, and add a tablespoon or two of water (or olive brine) if the mixture is too thick and sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Allow caponata to cool. Spoon on bread, top with mozzarella and basil, and serve. Or, serve warm as a dip.

Steak Marinade and Kabobs

A couple of months ago I found a steak marinade recipe on  All Recipes  and really enjoyed it!  Thus, I decided to make some kabobs using the same recipe for July 4th.  Hubby didn't try the kabobs, but he liked the marinade when I used it on a piece of steak.  My family really enjoyed the kabobs, so that's always fun!  I loved how the veggies turned out.  Towards the end we covered the kabobs with foil on top and added some water to almost steam the veggies since the steak was finished cooking.

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Mix olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, and garlic in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Beef Stroganoff

Leave it to me to forget one of the key ingredients in a recipe. After I had finished my meal and put the other half in the freezer for a later time, I realized I forgot to add the sour cream. Overall, I'd give the recipe a B. It wasn't amazing but definitely enjoyable. I think it would be a great topping for a nice steak. I need to work on cooking my beef cubes in such a way they don't turn tough.

Recipe from Tasty Kitchen

INGREDIENTS
1-¼ pound Sirloin Steak
1 whole Onion, Chopped
8 ounces, weight Mushrooms
5 cloves Garlic
¼ cups Flour
½ teaspoons Salt
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon Onion Powder
1 teaspoon Pepper Or More Or Less To Taste
4 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 cup Beef Broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 cups Sour Cream
8 ounces, weight Egg Noodles, Cooked According To Package Instructions

DIRECTIONS

Chop onion, mushrooms, and garlic and set aside. Cut steak into bite size pieces a little larger than your desired size, as they will shrink.

Mix flour, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and pepper. Coat the beef in this mixture.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat, add onions and caramelize until brown. Then add mushrooms and garlic. Cook until mushrooms start to have a nice brown color. Remove this mixture to a medium sized bowl.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil over high heat add steak and flour mixture and cook until steak has a nice brown crust on all sides. Remove to the bowl with mushroom mixture.

Slowly poor into pan the 1/2 cup of beef stock scraping brown bits and forming a sauce over medium heat level. When smooth add the other 1/2 cup of stock, the worcestershire and then add in the meat mixture. Cook until everything is heated through.

Turn stove to low and add sour cream, mix thoroughly until heated and enjoy over noodles or rice!

Mushroom Spinach Pesto Pizza

When I first found out I was pregnant, and before I knew the pregnancy wasn't meant to be, I was on a spinach kick. I put it in everything. I wanted to give myself the most folate possible, originally prompting my interest in this pizza. You don't have to be pregnant to enjoy this pizza, however. I've since made it several more times and enjoyed it just as much! Plus, I think it's a great use for pesto.

This recipe was inspired by Clean Eating Magazine, June 2011 Issue, p21.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 pound mushrooms - I used baby bella
1.5-2 cups packed spinach
1/2 cup pesto
2/3 cup ricotta cheese
1 spring fresh oregano (optional)
4 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 precooked multigrain pizza crust - I tried Trader Joe's wheat pizza dough, and it definitely wasn't as yummy.

DIRECTIONS
1. Saute the mushrooms, spinach, salt, pepper with the olive oil (about 5 minutes)
2. Spread pizza crust with pesto
3. Top with sauted ingredients, top with spoonfuls of ricotta, sprinkle with oregano - I once left off the oregano, bad idea!
4. Bake 10-12 minutes
5. Enjoy!

Pork Roast With Thyme and Garlic

Yes, still working on recipes I made for Easter... Joe's not a fan of ham, so I wanted to make a pork roast too. It was the hit of dinner! I personally felt like I put too much garlic in it, but the family politely said it was fine.

Recipe from All Recipes

Ingredients
* 5 pounds pork roast, trimmed
* 5 cloves garlic, sliced
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
* 3 bay leaves - omitted
* 1/2 cup cider vinegar
* 1 teaspoon dried thyme

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. With a small knife, pierce top of roast. Force garlic slices into the cuts. Sprinkle the roast with salt and pepper. Place bay leaves in the bottom of the roasting pan, and set roast on top of bay leaves, fat side up. Mix vinegar and thyme in a small bowl, and pour over the top of the roast.
3. Bake in the preheated oven 3 hours, or until an internal temperature of 160 degrees F (70 degrees C) is reached. Using a baster or spoon, baste the drippings over the roast frequently while it is cooking. Let the roast rest for 10 minutes when done before slicing.

Cola-Pineapple Ham

Way back in April Joe and I hosted Easter Dinner for our parents. (Yes, I'm still that behind on blogging). I opted to make this ham. It was the first time making a ham. Overall, the ham was definitely yummy, but nothing in comparison to a Honey Baked Ham. Would I make it again? Sure. But honestly, there are so many recipes out there I'd try another recipe "just because."

Recipe from Steamy Kitchen
Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes per pound

INGREDIENTS
11-12 pound bone-in ham with natural juices
2 1/2 cups grape juice, divided
2 1/2 cups cola, divided
20-ounce can of sliced pineapple (you'll need both the juice and the pineapple)
2 cups brown sugar

DIRECTIONS
Let the ham stand at room temperature for 90 minutes.

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Set the rack at the lowest position. Rinse and pat dry the ham. Using a sharp knife, score the skin of the ham in a criss-cross pattern. Place ham in a roasting pan. Pour just 1 1/2 cups of the cola and 1 1/2 cups of grape juice into the pan and add additional water if necessary to bring the liquid level to 1/2 inch. Cover the pan tightly with tin foil. Roast in oven for 2 3/4 to 3 hours (about 15 minutes per pound) or until the internal temperature of the ham reaches 100 degrees F.

While the ham is cooking, prepare the glaze. Combine the remaining 1 cup grape juice, 1 cup cola, the juice from the pineapple (reserve the pineapple slices for later) and the brown sugar in a small sauce pot and simmer on low for 20 minutes, until it becomes thick and glossy. Let stand at room temperature until ready to use (as the glaze cools, it will thicken up, making it easier to brush on the ham).

Take the ham out of the oven when it reaches the first internal temperature of 100 degrees F. Turn the oven to 425 degrees F. Brush the ham with about 1/4 of the glaze all over. Use toothpicks to stud the ham with the sliced pineapple, if desired. Once the oven comes to temperature, return the ham, uncovered to oven. Bake for 15 minutes until the liquid is bubbly and the ham has turned to a nice, deep golden brown. The internal temperature of the ham should be 140 degrees F.

Remove ham to a cutting board and let rest for 15 minutes.

Return the remaining glaze to the stove on medium-low heat to warm the glaze up for serving. Carve and slice the ham, drizzle a bit of the cola glaze on each plate.

Bow-Tie Pasta

I'm so behind on posting recipes and have been really bad about taking pictures. I'm not such a big fan of life being so busy, but I'm surviving.

I really enjoyed the bow-tie pasta, and it froze really well. It was great having some pre-made lunches ready to grab in the morning.

Recipe from Tasty Kitchen

INGREDIENTS

* 1 pound Ground Chuck
* 5 cups Bow Tie Noodles
* 3 cups Spaghetti Sauce (or Pizza Sauce, Whatever You Prefer, I just use a whole jar)
* 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
* 1 teaspoon Salt
* ½ teaspoons Garlic Powder
* 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning (or More, Make It To Your Taste)
* ½ cups Mozzarella Cheese
* ½ cups Sour Cream

INSTRUCTIONS

Fry ground chuck in small pan. Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions.

After noodles are cooked, drain and drizzle with olive oil. Mix in your spaghetti sauce.

Add your fried hamburger, seasonings, cheese, and sour cream. Fold together and allow it all to combine and melt together, over low heat, for about 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Serve and enjoy!

Chicken Coconut Curry

I guess I like to think I enjoy spicier foods than my palate actually enjoys. I used the full amount of suggested curry and peppers, yeah it was definitely a little too hot for my liking. I did really enjoy the hint of coconut though.

Recipe from Proceed with Caution, who was inspired by Check It Out

* 2 1/2 pounds chicken (I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts)
* 1 can coconut milk (I used King Arthur's coconut powder)
* 2 cups chicken broth
* 2-3 teaspoons cayenne pepper (depending on how hot you like your food)
* 2 tablespoons curry powder (again depending on how much you like curry)
* 1 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 1 teaspoon coriander
* salt and pepper to taste
* 1-2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
* juice of 1 lime
* 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
* 2-4 carrots, peeled and sliced on the bias
* 1 tablespoon butter (optional)
* white or brown rice, for serving

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Wash and pat dry the chicken with a paper towel. Pour the chicken broth, coconut milk, and jalapenos in a baking dish then lay the chicken in the broth. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then sprinkle the rest of the spices and squeeze the lime all over the chicken and broth. Add the carrots.

Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven, carefully remove the foil and mix up the broth mixture so the coconut milk breaks up. Put the baking dish back in the oven uncovered for another 30-45 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked and very tender.

Once you remove the baking dish from the oven, carefully pour the sauce into a saucepan and add 1 tablespoon butter (optional - I made it without the butter and it was delicious!). Mix using a whisk, bring the sauce to a boil and whisk till smooth and reduced. Taste the sauce to make sure it is spicy enough for your liking. If not, add more cayenne pepper and curry powder. Serve chicken and carrots over rice and add the reduced sauce.

Tangy Brisket

If you haven't picked up yet, I have a husband who's pretty picky when it comes to food. He's getting better on trying new things, but I have to pick my recipes carefully if I expect him to at least give it a try. Since he loved the beef brisket I made over the winter, I figured I'd try a new recipe.

This one was definitely more sweet than the previous one, almost a little too sweet for me even. I may have added too much brown sugar, I can't remember. Either way, this particular brisket reminded me of shredded pork barbecue and was great on a roll. Joe didn't necessarily like the sweetness though. I made it just before Dad came to help move us out. He definitely had no problem finishing it off.

Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen who adapted it from Emeril. I halved the recipe, which is reflected here.

INGREDIENTS

1.5 large onions, sliced
1.5 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoons black pepper
3/4 teaspoons onion powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne (adjust to your heat preference)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cups beef stock (unsalted or low salt)
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup chili sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
4 to 5 pound brisket

DIRECTIONS

Prepare the sauce: Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and sauté onions in vegetable oil, stirring occasionally, until caramelized and most of liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes. Add minced garlic cloves and saute for 3 minutes more. Stir in spices and seasoning (paprika, salt, garlic and onion powders, black pepper, cayenne, oregano and thyme) and cook for 2 minutes. Set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together the beef stock, ketchup, chili sauce and brown sugar. Don’t worry if your brown sugar is lumpy (mine always is), the acidity of the ingredients will quickly break it down.

While my husband eats onion rings, he doesn't eat sauted onions (who knows). So, once I made the sauce, I used my Ninja (love that thing!) to puree everything. (Yes, I'm trying to hide the vegetables and it worked!)

If baking in oven: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place brisket in a baking dish or casserole, spread onion mixture over the top, then pour sauce mixture over the entire dish. Cover tightly with foil bake until very tender but not falling apart, about 3 to 4 hours.

If making in a slow cooker (which I did): Place brisket in a slow cooker and pour pureed mix over it. Cover with the lid and place in fridge over night. In the morning, cook on low for 8-10 hours. Smitten Kitchen has lots of other directions, which I omitted. At this point, I just let it cool slightly and then sliced and enjoyed.

Roast Chicken with Balsamic Bell Peppers

I've been getting Cooking Light for almost 6 months now and I finally got around to trying a recipe. I didn't like/have all of the ingredients (like fennel seeds), but the core of the recipe is the same. I monitored the chicken temperature more carefully than ever before, and OMG, I've been overcooking my chicken for years! What a difference properly cooked chicken makes! Overall, I liked the recipe, but it probably won't enter my cycle of regulars.

Recipe adapted from Jan/Feb 2010 issue of Cooking Light

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed (omitted)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
4 (6 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Cooking spray
1 thinly sliced red pepper
1 thinly sliced green pepper
1 thinly sliced red onion
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary (I didn't have fresh on hand)
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. Heat a ea a large skillet over medium0high heat. Combine 1/2 teaspoon salt, fennel seeds, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, garlic powder, and oregano. Brush chicken with 1 1/2 teaspoons oil; sprinkle spice rub over chicken. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to pan. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes or until bronwed. Turn chicken over; cook 1 minute. Arrange chicken in an 11x7 baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes or until done (more like 20 for me).

3. Heat remaining olive oil over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers, shallots (I used red onions here), and rosemary; saute 3 minutes. Stir in broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high. Stir in vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook 3 minutes (longer for me), stirring frequently. Serve bell pepper mixture over chicken.

Calzones!!

I don't know what Joe's high school put in their calzones, but he can't go 6 months without him saying how much he loved them. When he was talking about them two weeks ago, I decided it was finally time I tried making them myself.

My favorite type of pizza is supreme, so I knew I wanted lots of ingredients in mine. Joe, on the other hand, really only likes pepperoni, so that's what his had. That was the beauty of these, I could make the calzones with whatever combination of ingredients I wanted.

A couple of hours before you actually want to eat, start the pizza dough.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 green pepper
1/2 red pepper
1/2 red onion
1/2 lb ground Italian Sausage
About 30 pepperonis
Oregano
2 Cups Kraft Italian Cheese Blend
1 egg
1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

For my supreme filling, I browned 1/2 green pepper, 1/3 red pepper, 1/2 red onion, and 1/2 pound of ground Italian sausage.

Once the pizza dough has risen, divide the dough into four balls. Flour your surface. Roll or pat each ball into a rough circle. I haven't mastered the rolling pin yet, so I tried flattening by hand. Next time I'm going to try the rolling pin. Once rolled, sprinkle the dough with a tad of oregano.

To fill the calzone, place about a quarter cup of cheese, then line with pepperonis or supreme mix, add another 1/4 cup of cheese. Fold over and seal. I like to brush my calzones with a little egg--beat an egg and 1 tablespoon of water, you'll have extra wash.  Sprinkle with a tad bit more oregano.

Place calzones on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake 12-15 minutes until browned. Hubsters doesn't like his with pizza sauce, but I do.

This makes about 4 large calzones.

Pizza Dough

I wanted to give calzones a try (future post) and needed some pizza dough. I've seen many bloggers recommend Baking Illustrated, so off I went to pull out my copy. Overall, I thought it was pretty simple and tasty. I haven't tried making the dough for a regular pizza yet, but I think I'll still like it.

Recipe from Baking Illustrated pages 153-155.

We [Baking Illustrated] find the food processor is the best tool for making pizza dough. However, only a food processor with a capacity of at least 11 cups can handle this much dough. You can also knead this dough by hand or in a standing mixer (see the variations that follow). Unbleached all-purpose flour can be used in a pinch, but the resulting crust will be less crisp. If you want to make pizza dough in the morning and let it rise on the counter all day, decrease the yeast to 1/2 teaspoon and let the covered dough rise at cool room temperature (about 68 degrees) until doubled in size, about 8 hours. You can prolong the rising time even further by refrigerating the covered dough for up to 16 hours and then letting it rise on the counter until doubled in size, which will take 6 to 8 hours.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup warm water (about 110 degrees)
1 envelope (about 2 1/4 teaspoons) instant yeast
1 1/4 cups water, at room temperature
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups (22 ounces) bread flour, plus more for dusting work surface and hands
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Olive oil or nonstick cooking spray for oiling the bowl

DIRECTIONS:

1. Measure the warm water into a 2-cup liquid measuring cup. Sprinkle in the yeast and let stand until the yeast dissolves and swells, about 5 minutes. Add the room-temperature water and oil and stir to combine.

2. Process the flour and salt in a large food processor (I used a stand mixer, see directions below), pulsing to combine. Continue pulsing while pouring the liquid ingredients (holding back a few tablespoons) through the feed tube. If the dough does not readily form into a ball, add the remaining liquid and continue to pulse until a ball forms. Process until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 30 seconds longer.

3. The dough will be a bit tacky, so use a rubber spatula to turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead by h and for a few strokes to form a smooth, round ball. Put the dough into a deep oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Press the dough to deflate it.


Pizza Dough Kneaded by Hand
Follow the recipe for Pizza Dough through step 1. Omit step 2 and instead combine the salt and half the flour in a deep bowl. Add the liquid ingredients and use a wooden spoon to combine. Add the remaining flour, stirring until a cohesive mass forms. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic 7 to 8 minutes, using as little dusting flour as possible while kneading. Form the dough into a ball, put it in a deep oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and proceed with the recipe.

Pizza Dough Kneaded in a Standing Mixer
Follow the recipe for Pizza Dough through step 1. Omit step 2 and instead place the flour and salt in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle. Briefly combine the dry ingredients at low speed. Slowly add the liquid ingredients and continue to mix at low speed until a cohesive mass forms. Stop the mixer and replace the paddle with the dough hook. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Form the dough into a ball, put it in a deep oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and proceed with the recipe.

Beef with Broccoli

I've always enjoyed beef and broccoli from Chinese takeout places, but I haven't ordered it for years. That being said, I decided to give it a try. The sauce wasn't quite the same, but in a good way. I think Chinese takeout uses a little more soy sauce, so this is probably better for me. Another plus, Joe liked it!

Reciped copied from Pioneer Woman who got from the Steamy Kitchen Cookbook.

Jaden’s Chinese Beef Broccoli

INGREDIENTS

1 lb (500 g) top sirloin or flank steak, thinly sliced into 1/8-in (3-mm)-thick strips
11/2 lbs (750 g) broccoli, cut into bite-size florets
1 tablespoon high-heat cooking oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic

BEEF MARINADE
1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon cooking oil
Freshly ground black pepper to season the beef

STIR-FRY SAUCE
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)
2 teaspoons Chinese black vinegar (or balsamic vinegar)

1 In a bowl, combine the ingredients for the Beef Marinade. Add the beef and let marinate for 10 minutes at room temperature.

2 In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the stir-fry Sauce.

3 In a wok or large sauté pan, add 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water and bring to a boil. Add the broccoli and cover to steam for 3 minutes. The broccoli should be bright green, crisp tender and you should be able to pierce the stem with a fork. Drain.

4 Discard the water in the pan and dry the pan well. Set the pan over high heat and when hot, add the high-heat cooking oil and swirl to coat. Add the garlic and fry for 15 to 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the steak strips, keeping them in one layer and fry 30 seconds. Flip the strips and fry the other side.

5 Pour in the stir-fry Sauce and stir to combine. Simmer until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 30 seconds. Add the cooked broccoli back into the pan and toss to coat well.

SERVES 4 AS PART OF MULTICOURSE MEAL. I served mine with rice.

Tikka Masala

I've only had Tikka Masala once or twice and really enjoyed it, so I decided to give making it a try. I followed the recipe from Joelen's Culinary Adventures. Yet again, she did not disappoint. I enjoyed it much more the second day after the seasonings had more time to sink it. I tried it with both egg noodles and rice. I enjoyed the rice more. I have some in the freezer right now, and after writing this post, I think I'm going to have to start defrosting it for dinner tomorrow.

Recipe from Joelen's Culinary Adventures

INGREDIENTS

Chicken Tikka:
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons table salt
4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat (about 3-4 lbs)
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 medium garlic cloves , minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

Masala Sauce:
2 - 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion , diced fine
2 medium garlic cloves , minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
4 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

DIRECTIONS

For the chicken, combine cumin, garlic powder, cayenne, and salt in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with spice mixture, pressing gently so mixture adheres. Place chicken in a baking dish, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes.

In large bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, garlic, and ginger. After the seasoned chicken has 'marinated' for 30-60 minutes in the fridge, pour the yogurt mixture over the chicken and toss to fully coat both sides. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6-8 hours or overnight.

For the sauce, heat oil in medium sized saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, tomato paste, and garam masala; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. At this point, allow the sauce to cool. Transfer the sauce into a storage container, cover and then refrigerate overnight (I refrigerated for 8 hours).

The next day, remove the chilled sauce from the fridge and heat up in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in cream and return to simmer. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.

While sauce simmers, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat broiler. Remove the chicken from the fridge and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Place the yogurt coated chicken on the parchment lined baking sheet. Broil chicken until thickest parts register 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer and exterior is lightly charred in spots, 10 to 18 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.

Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks and stir into warm sauce (do not simmer chicken in sauce). Adjust seasoning with salt if needed. Before serving, stir in cilantro into the sauce or garnish with cilantro if using (I used dried cilantro).

Beef Brisket

OMG, I need to mark Monday down on the calendar. It's the first time EVER Joe liked a new recipe more than I did. This was my first time making brisket. Overall, I enjoyed it. I think I would have liked it a little more tender--perhaps cooking for only 8 hours instead of 10? Either way, it was a hit and easy to make. I rubbed the spices on the night before and then just stuck it in the crock pot in the morning. It's so nice coming home to the smell of dinner cooking.

Recipe adapted from allrecipes.

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring

3 pounds beef brisket, trimmed of fat
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 cups barbeque sauce (We used Famous Dave's)

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine thyme, paprika, pepper, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, and cumin in a small bowl; set aside. Rub brisket all over with liquid smoke, then rub with spice mixture. (I did this the night before)

2. Pour Worcestershire and barbeque sauces into a slow cooker; place beef on top. Cover, and cook on LOW 8 to 10 hours, until fork tender.

Honey Mustard Kielbasa & Potatoes

The Baltimore Nesties started a recipe blog and when I saw this this recipe posted I knew I had to try it. I love absolutely all of the ingredients, but never had honey mustard with my kielbasa. The recipe calls for cubed potatoes, but in an effort to save time, I used canned sliced new potatoes. I loved this dish! Joe didn't like the potatoes so much, but loved the kielbasa, so I think I'll double the meat (or 1/2 the potatoes) the next time I make it.

Nestie Gracie2762 adapted it from Kraft Foods

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup dry white wine (I used cooking sherry)
1/4 cup Honey Mustard (I used Ken's Steakhouse)
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 lb. kielbasa, cut into thin slices
4 medium potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (I used 3 cans of sliced new potatoes)
1 large onion, sliced (I probably only used about 1/2)

DIRECTIONS:
PREHEAT oven to 400°F. Mix wine, mustard and brown sugar until well blended.
MIX kielbasa, potatoes and onion in roasting pan. Drizzle with wine mixture; toss to coat.
BAKE 50 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, if desired. I usually put the broiler on for a few minutes at the end to get the kielbasa crisp. It tastes even better leftover!

Pumpkin Sausage Baked Ziti

After going to the store today and not finding more pumpkin, I knew I had to use the half of a can I had left from this weekend's baking. I just couldn't justify tossing it. I love to bake, but I'm a little tied of pumpkin desserts. I found this recipe on Nestle's site and knew it was a go. Since I only had 1/2 a can of pumpkin, I halved everything else, plus Joe won't eat it anyway. I'd love to make this again. Perhaps for my family when I'm home next month. I'm afraid they'll not like the spinach, but it's really subtle. Recipe adapted from Nestle.

Ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 4 cups (12 oz.) dry regular or whole-wheat ziti
• 1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 can (12 fl. oz.) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Fat Free Milk
• 4 links (12 oz.) fully-cooked Italian-seasoned chicken sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices I used 1 pound ground Italian sausage
  
• 1 pkg. (6 oz.) or about 4 cups pre-washed baby spinach I used one package of frozen chopped spinach, heated
  
• 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded part-skim or 2% milk reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup (1.5 oz.) shredded Parmesan cheese - Didn't have any on hand, so didn't use

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 425º F. Spray 4-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

PREPARE pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water and set aside for later use. Drain pasta; return to cooking pot.

MEANWHILE, COMBINE pumpkin, flour, garlic powder, salt, nutmeg and cayenne pepper in medium skillet over medium heat. Slowly add evaporated milk, stirring until smooth. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken slightly. Pour over pasta in pot. Add sausage and reserved pasta cooking water; stir well.

SPREAD half of the pasta mixture into prepared baking dish. Top with spinach. Cover with remaining pasta mixture. Lightly spray piece of foil with nonstick cooking spray. Cover ziti with foil, greased-side-down.

BAKE for 20 minutes or until heated through. Combine mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses in small bowl. Remove foil; sprinkle with cheese mixture. Bake, uncovered, for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Tomato and Cheese Sandwich

One of my most favorite parts of the summer months is fresh vine ripened tomatoes. Today I made tomato sandwiches for lunch and at the last minute I grabbed my camera phone and thought I'd share with you. They're nothing fancy, but oh so delicious. Thanks Mom!

I use my toaster oven, but we've also used the real oven.

Toast desired slices and type of bread on both sides using cookie sheet. I usually have the oven at 350. Place desired brand of cheddar cheese on bread, top with sliced tomatoes. Heat until cheese is melted. Top with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

General Tso-Tso

I found the recipe on sparkpeople.com. I know it's the diet version, but the sauce didn't taste like General Tso at all. As Joe says, "it was so, so." I have vastly improved on my fried rice abilities though =). Overall, I'd give the dish a B, but not for imitating General Tso's. I probably won't be making this again.

Ingredients

1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp red pepper flakes
4 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium scallions, chopped
4 Tbsp soy sauce, low sodium
3 Tbsp splenda (or sugar)
3 Tbsp corn starch
1 lbs boneless skinless chicken, cut ino bite size cubes
1.5 C chicken broth, low sodium
2 Tbsp vinegar

Directions

In a medium bowl, whisk together broth, cornstarch, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar and ginger; set aside.

Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add scallions, garlic and pepper and cook 2 minutes. Add chicken and cook until browned all over, about 5 minutes.

Add reserved sauce and simmer until sauce thickens and chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes.

Serve chicken and sauce over rice.

Pasta Toss

Here's a pasta toss I made modifying kraft's recipe. I used regular diced tomatoes the first time and I felt it needed more spice, so I added Italian style tomatoes and ground Italian sausage, such a difference and oh so yummy! The spinach scared Joe off from trying it, but I truly believe he'd like it, even if he just picked around the spinach. Oh well, perhaps next time.

What you need:
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained

2 cups multi-grain penne pasta, uncooked

1 cup water

1 pkg. (9 oz.) baby spinach leaves (7 cups)
I pound of ground Italian Sausage

1 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Italian* Three Cheese Blend

What I did:

BRING tomatoes, pasta and water to boil in large saucepan; stir. Cover; simmer on medium-low heat 10 min. or just until pasta is tender. In the meantime, brown the sausage in a separate pan.

ADD 1/2 of spinach; simmer, covered, 2 min. or until wilted. Stir. Repeat with remaining spinach. Stir in browned Italian sausage.

SERVE topped with cheese.

Very easy to make and much cheaper than an Italian restaurant =)