Baba Ghanoush (or Moutabel)

We lived in the Middle East for three years towards the beginning of our marriage, and we absolutely fell in love with the food there.  I already liked hummus, but I had never heard of what the locals called Moutabel. It is essentially the same thing as hummus, but made of roasted eggplant instead of chickpeas.  The rest of the recipe is nearly identical.  In India they call this Baba Ghanoush, which is what most people probably know it by.  

Because it's made with roasted eggplant, it has a smokey depth that is very different from hummus.  The tahini flavor of hummus is muted a lot in the Baba Ghanoush, and instead it's creamier and richer.  I love love love this, which is why I was so happy to get some eggplants in my CSA delivery this week. I immediately knew what to make!

You can eat Baba Ghanoush the same way you eat hummus, namely with pita, crackers,
veggies, or with grilled meat or veggies.  Tonight we ate it with Arabic-seasoned beef kabobs, grilled mini sweet peppers, grilled grape tomatoes, and grilled onions.  Oh, and some homemade pita, recipe courtesy of this website.

As a note, tahini is also known as tahina or sesame paste.  Every grocery store seems to put it in a different location.  Sometimes it's with the peanut butter and other nut butters, sometimes it's with the foreign food, sometimes it's in the "health food" section.  Ask someone at customer service to look it up for you before you search the whole store.  It will save you time!

Baba Ghanoush

Ingredients:
2 large purple eggplants (not the Japenese variety)
1/4 cup tahini (sesame paste)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tsp)
1 1/2 tsp salt
Olive oil for garnish
Sumac for garnish (optional)

First you need to roast the eggplant.  Cut away the green leafy bits around the stem of the eggplants, but leave the stem itself on, as it makes a handy place to hold.  Spray the skin of the eggplants with cooking spray, and then place them under the broiler (on a baking sheet) or on a grill.  If you have adjustable heat settings, keep it on high.  Turn them every 5-10 minutes, and cook until the skins are black and cracking, about 20-25 minutes.  Then set them aside for at least 20 minutes to cool, or until they're cool enough to handle with your bare hands.

Once the eggplant is cool, peel away the skin.  It should come off fairly easily if you've cooked it enough.  Then slice the eggplant all the way around from top to bottom, like you're cutting open an avocado.  Using a spoon, scrape out all the seeds, leaving only the firm pulpy part of the eggplant.  Remove the stem end, and toss whatever you have left (the pulpy part of the eggplant) into a food processor or blender. 

Puree the eggplant until fairly smooth.  Add in the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and salt and process until well combined.  If it's way too thick to mix you can add a little water.  JUST A LITTLE!  When finished blending, pour the Baba Ghanoush into a serving bowl, swirl a little olive oil on top, sprinkle a bit of sumac over it, and serve!

Will keep for about a week in the refrigerator.  Can be served warm, room temperature, or cool, but I prefer slightly warm. 

Makes about 3 cups.

Radishes Braised in Cream with Garlic and Thyme

Radishes are the last of the new vegetables we're trying in January.  My husband and I have both eaten radishes lots of times, and love them crunchy and raw on salads.  My kids also tried them raw and liked them quite a bit.

But none of us had ever had them cooked.  This recipe looked delicious, and didn't fail to satisfy.  We served it with Fauxtisserie chicken and root vegetables, and it was a great addition to the mix.  Also, they're pink, which might make for a good addition to your Valentine's Day meal!

Radishes Braised in Cream with Garlic and Thyme
Recipe by Cook's Illustrated

Ingredients:
1 T butter
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
20 medium or 16 large radishes, preferably with their greens still attached to insure freshness
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 Tbs heavy cream
1 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves
Salt and pepper, to taste

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  When the butter sizzles, add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.  Add radishes and cook 1 minute.  Add broth, cream, and thyme.  Cover and cook, stirring once or twice, until radishes are tender, about 10 minutes.  Remove cover and cook until liquid thickens, about 1 minute longer.  Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Serves 4 as a side dish.

Home Fries

Home Fries, or sometimes they're called hash browns, are ridiculously easy to make and are so homey and delicious.  They are good for breakfast or dinner, with pancakes or pork chops.  They're really just potatoes that are pre-cooked, then seasoned and browned.  Easy-peasy, and sure to please everyone!

Home Fries

Ingredients:
3 large baking potatoes (Russets are the best!)
1 Tbs butter
1 Tbs vegetable oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Wash potatoes and stab a few times with the tines of a fork.  Place in a microwave oven and cook on high for 12-15 minutes, or until potatoes feel tender when you squeeze them (use a hotpad!).  Alternatively, you could use leftover baked potatoes.  Remove potatoes from microwave and carefully slice the skins off using a paring knife.  Discard skins, then cut potatoes into 1/2" cubes.

Combine butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add potatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.  Stir potatoes carefully with spatula to coat all sides in butter/oil mixture.  Let brown, stirring every 3-4 minutes, until potatoes are slightly crisp and browned on all sides, about 15 minutes total.  Serve immediately.

Makes 4 side-dish servings.

Glazed Carrots

My mom discovered this recipe a few years back and now it makes it onto her table fairly frequently.  It's great for holidays, because it does that great trick of making a vegetable taste like a dessert.  Even my cousin, who hates vegetables, has seconds with this one.


Glazed Carrots

Ingredients:
2 lbs carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/8"-thick "pennies"
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp cornstarch
1 Tbs water
4 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup butter

Boil the carrots in a saucepan of slightly salted water until just tender, about 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F. Combine brown sugar, cornstarch, water, lemon juice, and butter in a small saucepan and cook until translucent and thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

When carrots are tender, drain and place in an 8x8" or casserole dish. Pour glaze over carrots and bake at 350F for about 15 minutes. Serve warm.
Makes about 6 servings.

Cucumber and Vinegar Salad

My mother-in-law serves this salad with a lot of Asian dishes. It's tangy and juicy and cool and refreshing, perfect for a hot summer day.  It's a nice compliment to meats, anything spicy, or just on its own. 

Cucumber and Vinegar Salad
Recipe by Ruth Beal

Ingredients:
2 cucumbers, sliced paper thin (I recommend using a Mandolin or similar device)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 T water
2 tsp salt
1 T sugar
A dash of pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.  Stir well.  Refrigerate until ready to eat.

Makes 6 side dish servings.

Black Bean and Corn Salad

Unfortunately I didn't have a red pepper to put in.  It's better with it.

I had this at a church activity several years ago and immediately asked for the recipe.  It can be scooped up with tortilla chips or served on lettuce leaves as a salad.  It's light and fresh and delicious!

Black Bean and Corn Salad

Ingredients:
2 cups corn, fresh or frozen, cooked and cooled
1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 ripe avocado
1 orange
1 lime
1/4 cup oil
1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce (like Tabasco)
1/2 tsp salt

In a medium bowl combine corn, black beans, bell pepper, red onion, and cilantro.  Set aside.
Using a zester, grate peel from orange and lime; place in a small bowl.  Squeeze juice from orange and lime and add to bowl.  Add oil, hot pepper sauce and salt; stir to combine.  Add to black bean mixture and toss to coat.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Before serving, peel and dice avocado.  Add to salad mixture and stir gently to combine. 
Serves 8.

Noodle Dessert (a.k.a. Frog-Eye Salad)

One of the first things I had when I was meeting my husband's family (before he was my husband) was what they called Noodle Dessert.  As soon as I tasted it I knew that I had to get into this family.  It was heaven.  It's still one of my favorite things to eat, and when I make it I have to use great restraint to save any for anyone else.  YUM!  I've since found out that it's pretty much the same thing as Frog-Eye Salad, though I think Noodle Dessert is a much more pleasant name!

Noodle Dessert

Ingredients:
1 20-oz can pineapple chunks (reserve liquid)
1 8-oz can crushed pineapple (reserve liquid)
2 small cans or 1 large can Mandarin oranges (reserve liquid)
2/3 cup sugar
2 T flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp lemon juice
8 oz cool whip, or 1 pint of whipping cream, whipped
8 oz acine de pepe pasta
1 tsp salt
1 tsp oil

Drain all the fruit, reserving the liquid.  You'll need a total of 1 3/4 cups liquid.  Measure the pineapple juices first, then add the orange juices until you get 1 3/4 cups. 
Pour 1 3/4 cups juices into a medium saucepan.  Stir in sugar, flour, 1/4 salt, and eggs.  Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until thick.  Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Place a piece of plastic wrap right on the surface of the pudding and refrigerate until cool, about 2 hours.
Heat 2 quarts water and 1 tsp salt in a medium saucepan until boiling.  Cook acini de pepe for 8 minutes (ignore directions on box), then drain and rinse in cold water.  Immediately add 1 tsp oil, and toss until well-coated.  Set aside to cool.
When all ingredients are cool, pour pudding into a large serving bowl.  Stir in fruit and cool whip (or whipping cream), and stir well until combined.  Add the acini de pepe and stir well.  Refrigerate for several hours or overnight before serving.
Serves 8-10 as a side dish or dessert.

Thai Pork Lettuce Wraps

It's no secret that I love Thai food.  This recipe is similar to the lettuce wraps that you can order at PF Chang's, but is a Thai version instead of Chinese.  They're slightly different, but still delicious.  It makes enough to serve six adults as an appetizer, or a family of six as a main course if four of them are under the age of 7.  My kids love these!  They're a little spicy, a little sweet, and little tangy, all wrapped up in a crispy lettuce leaf.  Delicious!

A note on the chili peppers--they're potent!  Take extreme caution when cutting them, and don't touch your face until after you've scrubbed your hands with soap and water.

Thai Pork Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:
1 T minced garlic
2 Thai chilies, seeded and finely chopped (it doesn't matter if they're red or green)
1 Tbs ground coriander*
1 Tbs grated fresh ginger root, or 1 tsp ground dried ginger
3 Tbs canola or vegetable oil
1 Tbs hot water
1 lb lean ground pork
Zest of 1 lime, and 1 T of lime juice
2 Tbs fish sauce
1 tsp soft light brown sugar
2 Tbs coarsely chopped fresh cilantro*
Crisp iceberg lettuce leaves, to serve

In a food processor or blender place the garlic, chilies, coriander, ginger, oil, and water.  Process until smooth.  Transfer to a wok or large non-stick skillet.  Heat and stir the mixture over medium heat for 4 minutes.  Increase heat to medium-high and add the ground pork.  Stir-fry for 3 minutes, or until most of the pink is gone.  Add lime zest and juice, fish sauce, brown sugar, and cilantro. Continue to cook until the pork is cooked through and is mostly dry.
Serve in lettuce cups.  Garnish with cilantro leaves if desired.
Serves 6 as an appetizer.

*Did you know that cilantro and coriander are the same plant?  Cilantro is the leaves and stems and coriander is the seeds and roots.  In many countries, they're all just called coriander.

Freezer Jam

I love jam.  I could eat it on anything.  There is nothing better in this world than warm homemade bread slathered with butter and jam.  We go through jam pretty quickly around here, so I'm constantly making freezer jam.  The benefit to freezer jam versus traditional jam is that you don't have to cook it and seal it.  It's very simple and quick.  I use whatever fruit is in season that I can buy cheaply, or in winter I buy bags of frozen berries and use those.  You can put the jam into jars, as is tradition, or you can use Tupperware-type containers (which stack nicely in the freezer).  I used to use the small 1/2 cup jars, but now I've moved to the large 2 cup jars, since we can finish off a 1/2 cup jar in one sitting. 

Once you get the basic recipe down, you can play around with it a bit.  For instance, use lime or orange juice instead of lemon.  Add cinnamon or ginger.  Combine different fruits.  Have fun, try new things, enjoy yourself.  It's jam--what could go wrong? Here are two different recipes, one using pectin, one using modified food starch.  Pectin is traditional and will produce a slightly looser jam.  The starch jam will produce a more jelly-like texture, though not as set.

Always Perfect Freezer Jam (using pectin)

Ingredients:
4 cups fruit, such as berries, peaches, plums, etc.  Skin/pits should be removed and large fruit should be cut into 1/2" chunks.
4 cups sugar
1 T lemon juice
1 package fruit pectin, such as Sure Jell
3/4 cup water

In a large bowl, crush the fruit with a potato masher.  It shouldn't be perfect, a few lumps are desirable.  Add lemon juice and sugar and stir to combine.  Let sit so the sugar can begin to dissolve.  Meanwhile, combine pectin and water in a small saucepan.  Cook over high heat until it begins to boil.  Boil for one minute, then stir immediately into fruit mixture.  Stir for five minutes, or until sugar dissolves completely and jam begins to thicken.  Ladle into containers, top with lids, and let sit out for a couple of hours.  Freeze for up to one year, or refrigerate for up to 3 months.

Less Sugar Freezer Jam (using Modified Food Starch)

Ingredients:
4 cups fruit, such as berries, peaches, plums, etc.  Skin/pits should be removed and large fruit should be cut into 1/2" chunks.
2 cups sugar
1 T lemon juice
1/2 cup modified food starch, such as Instant Clear Gel or Ultra Gel

In a large bowl, crush the fruit with a potato masher.  It shouldn't be perfect, a few lumps are desirable.  Add lemon juice and sugar and stir to combine. Slowly stir in the starch, then continue to stir for five whole minutes, until jam begins to thicken and sugar dissolves.  Ladle into containers, top with lids, and freeze or refrigerate until needed.  Can be frozen for up to one year, or refrigerated for up to 3 months.

Pigs in a Blanket

Possibly the easiest food ever.  The hardest part is remembering to get the puff pastry out 40 minutes ahead of time!  Good as dinner or appetizer.  Yum!

Pigs in a Blanket

Ingredients:
1 package hotdogs
1 sheet frozen puff pastry

Directions:
Remove puff pastry from freezer and let sit at room temperature until soft, about 30-40 minutes.  Preheat oven to 425-degrees.
Cut hotdogs into thirds.  Lay out puff pastry, and cut into rectangles roughly the same length as the hotdogs, and about 5 inches long.  Roll each hotdog in a pastry rectangle, sealing the edges with a little water.  Place seam-side down on a baking sheet.  Bake at 425F for 15-20 minutes, or until the pastry is puffy and lightly browned.  Serve with ketchup, mustard, or other favorite dipping sauce.  Makes 24.

We checked out this book from the library:

(Image from Amazon.com)
These lovely Dutch authors have several similarly-food-themed books, all of which we've loved.  Inspired by their creations, the kids wanted to make some mushroom men.  Here's what we came up with:

And the red pepper car:

Everyone together:

And what do you do with all these mushroom men when you've finished with them?  You fry them up and eat them, of course!
(Don't worry, those were food-coloring markers we used)

Here they are, feeling a little less put together:

Amazingly, the kids were eager to eat them.  J never got one as far as inside his mouth, though.  E dug right in and gave them an enthusiastic two thumbs up, which shocked me to no end!  Babycakes was hesitant at first, but ate a few in the end and seemed to enjoy them.  Mushroom men--YUM!

Fruit Salad

I love this fruit salad.  I think the lime and mint really bring out the flavor of the fruit, and make it extra  delicious!  You can of course use any fruit you have on hand.

Fruit Salad

Ingredients:
8-10 cups cut fruit, such as watermelon, canteloupe, pineapple, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, mango, peaches, nectarines, etc.
1/4 cup sugar
1 lime
2 tsp fresh mint leaves, chopped

At least 30 minutes before you're going to be serving, zest the entire lime using a zester or a fine grater.  Stir the lime zest into the sugar until well mixed; set aside.  Just before serving, combine all fruit in a large bowl.  Add lime sugar and mint leaves and toss until evenly coated.  Serve immediately.
Serves 10 as a side dish.

Guacamole

The best guacamole I ever had was when we were on our honeymoon in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. This is a close second in my opinion. Sometimes I add chopped tomatoes to it, though it's not pictured that way this time. Enjoy!

Guacamole

Ingredients:
2 perfectly ripe avocados
1 T minced garlic
1 T freshly-squeezed lime juice
1/8-1/4 tsp Kosher salt
A dash of Tabasco sauce or cayenne pepper
1 medium tomato, diced (optional)

Put all ingredients in a bowl. Mash with a fork until desired consistency (if you like it really smooth you can put it in a food processor). Serve with chips or on any Mexican food.

Poppy Seed Dressing

This is practically the only dressing I use. I love love love it. It's good on ANYTHING! Once you try it, you won't be able to give it up. Recipe originally from The All New Good Housekeeping Cookbook.

Poppy Seed Dressing

Ingredients:
1 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1 T grated or very finely chopped onion
1 T poppy seeds
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp salt

In a food processor or blender, combine all ingredients. Process until smooth and thick. Transfer to a bowl or jar; cover and refrigerate. Makes about 2 cups. Keeps refrigerated for 1-2 months.

Celebration Salad

I don't really have a name for this salad, but it's the one I make whenever we're having people over to celebrate anything. So I decided to call it Celebration Salad! Of course, being a salad, you can add to or subtract ingredients at will and it will probably still be delicious. That's the great thing about salads. The key to making this fantastic is the dressing--once you taste it you won't be able to live without it!

Celebration Salad

Ingredients:
6 cups mixed greens
1 medium cucumber, quartered, and then cut cross-wise into 1/4"-thick triangles
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
6 large strawberries, quartered
1/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (if using frozen, don't thaw first--they'll be easier to toss into the salad frozen)
1 avocado, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces
2 T feta cheese, crumbled
1-2 T craisins
2 T sugared sliced almonds (I buy the "Almond Accents" brand, Butter Toffee flavor)
Poppy Seed dressing

Combine all in a large bowl. Serve with dressing on the side. Serves 8-10 as a side salad or 4 as a main dish.

Oven Roasted Potatoes

The best kind of potato is one with a crisp, buttery skin and a soft, creamy interior.  These are those potatoes.  If you'd like, chop up some fresh parsley or rosemary to sprinkle on top during the last 10 minutes of baking.

Oven Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients:
3-4 lbs small yellow or white potatoes (enough to fill, in a single layer, a 9x13" pan)
2 Tbs butter

Preheat the oven to 425F.  Place the potatoes in a single layer in an ungreased 9"x13" pan.  Cut the butter into small 1/8"-1/4" cubes, enough so that there is one for every potato.  Place one little cube of butter on top of each potato.  Bake in preheated oven at 425 for 30 minutes.  Turn each potato over and bake an additional 20-30 minutes, or until skins are crispy and brown.  Serves 6 as a side dish.

Raita (Cucumber and Yogurt Salad)

This dish goes great with any Indian food.  It tones down the heat of curry dishes and adds a nice contrast to spiced meats.  Note that you'll need to prepare the cucumbers a few hours ahead of time so they have time to drain.

Raita (Cucumber and Yogurt Salad)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup diced, seeded tomato (about 1 medium tomato)
1 medium cucumber
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp minced seeded jalapeno pepper, OR 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt

Peel the cucumber, then grate it.  Put the grated cucumber in a sieve and press out as much water as possible.  Then let the cucumber sit in the sieve, over a bowl or sink for at least one hour.  Before using, squeeze out as much remaining water as possible.
In a small bowl combine the cucumber and all other ingredients.  Stir well.
Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Fruit Dip

The only thing easier than making this fruit dip is eating it!  It's good on any fruit you can think of.  I've tried strawberries, apples, grapes, watermelon, cantaloupe, honey dew, pineapple, raspberries, blueberries, cherries...Pretty much good on anything.  Or also good on your finger.  Yum!

 

Fruit Dip

Ingredients:

1 package strawberry-flavored cream cheese

1 jar marshmallow fluff

1 T orange juice OR 1 tsp lemon juice OR 1 tsp lime juice

Put all ingredients into a medium bowl and beat with a mixer until fluffy and well-combined.  

Makes about 2 cups.

Sweet Potato Fries

This is my default side dish.  It's yummy, healthy, and the kids will eat it since they're "fries."  It can easily be adjusted by using more sweet potatoes.

Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients:
2 medium sweet potatoes
Cooking spray
Salt

Preheat oven to 425F.  Peel the sweet potatoes, then julienne into 1/8"-thick fries.  Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.  Spread the fries in a single layer on the sheet, then spray with more cooking spray.  Lightly salt the fries.

Bake for 10 minutes at 425F.  Turn fries over, then bake an additional 5-10 minutes.  Serves 4.

Spicy Roasted Potatoes

These are quick and delicious, and go well with practically anything!

Spicy Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients:
4 medium potatoes, washed
3 T canola oil
1 T Season-All

Preheat the oven to 425F.  Quarter the potatoes and then slice into 1/4"-thick chunks.  Toss into a ziplock bag and add the oil and season-all. Spread into a single layer on a baking sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes at 425F.  Turn potatoes over and bake for an additional 5-7 minutes, or until crispy and lightly browned.

Serves 4-5.