Arabian Wraps

I don't really know what to call this, so I made up that name.  The meat and veggies is definitely like the stuff we had in the Middle East, and it is in a pita so the name fits.  But if you think of a better name, please use it!

Arabian Wraps

Ingredients:
1 flank steak
1 T garam masala spice (can buy at Indian or Middle Eastern markets)
1 T garlic, minced
1/4 tsp chili powder
2 bell peppers, cut into 1" chunks
2 medium onions, cut in half and then quartered (so eighths?)
Pita bread or pita wraps (I prefer whole wheat)
Hummus
Plain yogurt or sour cream

Mix together the garam masala, garlic, and chili powder in a small bowl, then rub onto both sides of meat.  Thread cut up peppers and onions onto skewers.  Heat a grill over medium-high heat.  Grill meat and skewers for 6 minutes, rotating half-way.  Remove skewers.  Continue to cook meat over medium-low heat for an additional 6 minutes, rotating half-way.  Let meat sit for 5 minutes, then slice cross-grain and at an angle to create very thin slices.
On a pita or pita wrap, spread a thin layer of hummus.  Add some meat, grilled peppers and onions, and a dollop of sour cream or yogurt.  Wrap and eat!
Serves 6.

Hummus

So good.  So easy.  I think this recipe was originally from Barefoot Contessa.  I've been using it for years, and had many a Middle-Easterner raving about it.  You can find Tahina (or Sesame Paste) in the same aisle as the peanut butter.

 

Hummus

Ingredients:

2 cups (one can) chickpeas

1 ¼ teaspoons salt

4 small cloves garlic, minced

½ cup tahina (sesame seed butter)

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons liquid from the chickpeas (or water)

8 dashes pepper sauce (Tabasco) or 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Olive oil, for garnish

Paprika, for garnish

Instructions:

Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender.  Puree until smooth.  Taste for seasoning and add salt, liquid, or lemon juice as needed. 

Pour mixture into a serving dish.  Garnish with a swirl of olive oil and a sprinkling of paprika.  Makes about 2 cups.

Tacos

Tacos are a big deal in my family.  Growing up, taco night was always something to look forward to.  It was also the one time my dad did the cooking.  The taco tradition comes from my dad's side of the family, and even today if we are all getting together to visit, we'll have a taco party to celebrate.  It's great to have everyone in the kitchen, chopping tomatoes, shredding lettuce, frying shells, grating cheese.  This is how we do it.

Tacos

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning mix (I use McCormick's)
1 package small corn tortillas (however many you want to eat--this recipe makes enough for about 15 tacos)
1-2 cups vegetable or canola oil
2 tomatoes, diced
2 cups chopped lettuce
1/4 lb mild cheddar cheese, grated
Salsa, sour cream, guacamole, and other toppings as desired

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef.  Drain the fat, then mix in taco seasoning according to package directions.  Keep covered on low heat while you prepare the taco shells.
In a small frying pan pour enough oil so that it is about 1/4-1/2" deep.  Heat the oil over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes, or until you hear it beginning to pop.  Carefully put one tortilla in the oil.  Using two forks, turn it over quickly, then fold it in half.  Let it sit cooking in the oil until desired hardness (I like mine chewy, which takes about 15 seconds, but if you like them hard leave it there for 30 seconds or more).  Flip it to the other side and let it cook the same amount of time.  Remove the folded shell from the pan and let drain, upside-down, on a plate that is covered with paper towels.  Repeat for the remaining tortillas.
To assemble taco, take one shell and add a small layer of meat inside.  Add layers of cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, and whatever other toppings you'd like.  Enjoy!

Serves 4-6.

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.

Sloppy Joes

Every time I talk or even think about sloppy joes I think of Adam Sandler singing the Lunchlady Land song.  But don't let that stop you from making these!  This is an America's Test Kitchen recipe, so you know it's good.  And it's super fast--20 minutes from start to finish, and that includes chopping the onion.  Yum!

Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:
1 T oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 lb ground beef
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp brown sugar
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup ketchup
1 dash Tabasco sauce
6 sandwich buns

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and stir-fry until softened and lightly browned, about 2 minutes.  Add the garlic and chili powder and cook about 30 seconds.  Turn heat to medium and add the ground beef, salt, and pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat has browned, about 3 minutes.  Add the tomatoes, ketchup, and Tabasco sauce, stirring well to combine.  Let simmer for about 4 minutes, until thickened slightly.  Put 1/2 cup of the meat sauce onto each bun.  Serve hot.
Serves 6.

Farfalle with Carbonara and Peas

This is a Jamie Oliver recipe.  It's definitely my favorite pasta dish, and is pretty simple to make--honestly cooking the bacon is the hardest part.  I've re-written the recipe a bit, since he tends to use measurements like "a handful" or "a bit".  I especially love the mint, which is fantastic in this!

Farfalle with Carbonara and Peas

Ingredients:
1 lb farfalle (bowtie) pasta
1 egg
1/2 cup cream
Dash of salt and pepper
12 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
2 cups peas, fresh OR frozen and thawed
1 T fresh mint leaves, chopped, OR 1/2 tsp dried mint leaves
2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese (please don't insult me by using that stuff that comes in a green can--that is NOT Parmesan cheese)

In a large pot, bring 6 cups of water to a boil.  Add pasta and cook 12 minutes, or according to the directions on the package.  In a small bowl, whisk the egg with the cream and salt and pepper; set aside.  During the last 2 minutes of cooking the pasta, add in the peas.  Drain the pasta and peas and then pour back into the hot pan.  Stir in the mint and the bacon, then add the cream sauce and stir while the pasta is still hot--this will cook the egg enough to be safe, but not enough to curdle it.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and stir in.  Serve immediately.

Serves 4-6.

Meringue Cake with Berries and Cream

Today is my mother-in-law's birthday!  Happy Birthday!  She requested a meringue cake, so I made the one she always makes for me.   The great thing about this cake is that it's so light, you don't feel like you've eaten a ton afterwards.  Yum!  I took a picture with someone else's camera, so I'll have to see if I can get it.

Meringue Cake with Berries and Cream

Ingredients:
6 egg whites
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
4-6 cups berries, sliced as needed
2 T sugar

For the meringue:
In a small bowl, combine 1 tsp vanilla, sugar, and cream of tartar.  In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy.  With the mixer on high, add the sugar mixture, a tablespoon at a time, until fully incorporated.  Continue to beat until egg whites are shiny and form stiff peaks.

Preheat oven to 200F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Trace two 8- or 9-inch circles on one sheet and one matching circle on the second sheet (so you will have three circles total).  Divide the meringue into thirds, and spread each third over one of the circles, smoothing out the top as much as possible.  Bake at 200F for at least 2 hours, or up to 4.  When done, they should sound hollow when tapped lightly in the center of the circle (they won't ever get overdone, so don't worry about checking them often).  Turn off the heat and let cool in the oven for 1 hour, then remove to an airtight container, being sure to place waxed or parchment paper between each round.  As long as they are in an airtight container, they can keep for a long time, so you can make the meringue several days ahead if you'd like.

Just prior to serving, beat the whipping cream in a large bowl with 1 tsp vanilla and powdered sugar until it looks like whipped cream, about 5 minutes on high.  Slice the berries if needed and toss with 2 T sugar. 

Place one meringue round on a large serving platter or plate.  Top with 1/3 of the whipped cream, then a layer of berries.  Top with another meringue round, more cream and more berries.  Finish with the final meringue round, and the remaining cream and berries.  Serve immediately.
Serves 8.

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.