So far we have done well and tried 2 new recipes. Both were chosen by my kids from the Jan issue of Bon Appetit magazine.

The first was chosen by the Little Gourmand and we all enjoyed it. DH was skeptical since he didn't think it sounded good, but the house rule is "You have to try one bite". He did and was pleasantly surprised, and we all enjoyed it. This one will be made again exactly as written:

Pork Meatball Banh Mi
The French-Vietnamese hybrid sandwiches called banh mi are great for lunch or a casual dinner.
makes 4 sandwiches
Recipe by Jeanne Thiel Kelley

Photograph by Craig Cutler

January 2010
Ingredients
Hot Chili Mayo
2/3 cup mayonnaise
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon hot chili sauce (such as sriracha)*
Meatballs
1 pound ground pork
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 green onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fish sauce (such as nam pla or nuoc nam)
1 tablespoon hot chili sauce (such as sriracha)
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
Sandwiches
2 cups coarsely grated carrots
2 cups coarsely grated peeled daikon (Japanese white radish)**
1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil
4 10-inch-long individual baguettes or four 10-inch-long pieces French-bread baguette (cut from 2 baguettes)
Thinly sliced jalapeño chiles
16 large fresh cilantro sprigs
*Available in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets and at Asian markets.
**Available at some supermarkets and at Asian markets.
Preparation
hot chili mayo
Stir all ingredients in small bowl. Season with salt. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
meatballs
Line rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap. Gently mix all ingredients in large bowl. Using moistened hands and scant tablespoonful for each, roll meat mixture into 1-inch meatballs. Arrange on baking sheet. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
sandwiches
Toss first 5 ingredients in medium bowl. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour, tossing occasionally.
Preheat oven to 300°F. Heat sesame oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of meatballs. Sauté until brown and cooked through, turning meatballs often and lowering heat if browning too quickly, about 15 minutes. Transfer meatballs to another rimmed baking sheet. Place in oven. Repeat with remaining meatballs.
Cut each baguette or baguette piece horizontally in half. Pull out enough bread from each bread half to leave 1/2-inch-thick shell. Spread hot chili mayo over each bread shell. Arrange jalapeños, then cilantro, in bottom halves. Fill each with 1/4 of meatballs. Drain pickled vegetables; place atop meatballs. Press on baguette tops.
***********************************************************

This is the second new recipe of the month and it was dinner last night. Let me tell you - this sauce added over the chicken is HOT. The Little Gourmand ate a few bites without the sauce and said it was plenty spicy for him. DH said the chicken was great, but also mentioned that the sauce should be used with caution, The picky one said it is the best chicken he ever had, but only had chicken and sauce over rice and passed on all the garnishes. I was the only one who had it exactly as written (no one else in the house likes cilantro) and I must admit, it is a taste explosion. I will make this chicken again, but probably pass on the mint, cilantro, radishes and serve it wok fried (instead of deep fried) using the left over marinade as a sauce added at the end and put it over rice as a stir fry. The flavors were good, but it was a lot of deep frying mess for the result.

Sriracha-Soy Fried Chicken in Lettuce Leaves
The chicken used in this dish from chef Stuart Brioza needs to marinate for at least four hours, so plan ahead.
6 appetizer servings
Recipe by Stuart Brioza

Photograph by Kenji Toma

January 2010
Ingredients
Sauce
2 tablespoons sriracha sauce*
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Chicken
1/2 cup minced green onions
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sriracha sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 pound skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes
Garnishes
12 large crisp romaine leaves
6 red radishes, trimmed, thinly sliced
1/2 cup (loosely packed) fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup (loosely packed) fresh cilantro leaves
1 cup potato starch**
Peanut oil or rice bran oil (for frying)
*Available in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets and at Asian markets.
**Available in the kosher aisle and the baking aisle of many supermarkets.
Preparation
sauce
Whisk all ingredients in small bowl.
chicken
Whisk first 6 ingredients in medium bowl. Add chicken; toss to coat. Cover and chill at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.
garnishes
Arrange lettuce leaves, radishes, and herbs in separate piles on large platter, leaving room for chicken and sauce. Place potato starch in another medium bowl. Working in batches, add chicken pieces to potato starch and toss to coat. Shake off excess potato starch and transfer to baking sheet. Pour enough oil into heavy large deep saucepan to reach depth of 2 inches. Attach deep-fry thermometer to side of pan. Heat oil to 350°F. Working in 2 batches, fry chicken until cooked through, stirring often to separate chicken pieces, about 4 minutes. Transfer chicken to paper towels to drain.
Place chicken and sauce on platter with garnishes. Serve, allowing guests to fill lettuce leaves with chicken, radishes, herbs, and sauce.

Tuesday was Pat T's chicken marinated in Italian dressing with lemon and honey. I added carrots and snow peas, and it was a real nice simple recipe.

Wednesday I made CindyMac's shrimp etouffee which Ann T posted in WFD 298, and we absolutely loved it. My only note was that the sauce came out a bit thick; I'll lower the flour/butter next time. It's a 30 minute meal, so it'll definitely become a staple.

Thursday was a Sauerbraten that I had seen on "Diners, Drive-ins and Drives" which stood out because it used buttermilk in the marinade. It was enjoyable but not the right sour tast to my liking. I think I'll just leave Sauerbraten to my mom while she's still here as I've never liked any better than hers. I served it with Cook's Illustrated's red cabbage which was a rare disappointment. It was too heavy with aromatics and sugar and too light with sour. Even with adjustment at the end I couldn't get it to where I liked it. My wife wouldn't eat it - said it tasted like potpourri, LOL.

Friday was Chase's fried fish. Loved it.

Sauerbraten
Recipe courtesy Brett and Rose Hoffmann, owner at Haus Murphy's in Glendale, AZ
Intermediate Serves: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients
Sauerbraten marinade:
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup water
3 bay leaves
4 cloves
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 onion, quartered
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds beef shoulder
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine

Directions
Sauce

Equal parts flour and butter, (1/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter) for roux
2 tablespoons gravy flavoring (recommended: Kitchen Bouquet)
Pinch salt
Pinch white pepper
Brown sugar, to taste, until sweet and sour
2 tablespoons raisins

Serving suggestions: red cabbage, and spaetzle or dumplings

For the marinade:

Place the vinegar, water, bay leaves, cloves, celery, carrots, quartered onion, salt and pepper in large plastic container. Add meat and buttermilk and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days.

Take meat out of marinade, and pat the meat dry with a towel. Reserve marinating liquid.

In large saute pan add 1/2 chopped onion to 1/2 cup oil, and brown meat on all sides. Cook's note: Ketchup may be used to help this process.

After browning, deglaze pan with red wine and add marinade and beef shoulder. Cook until tender, about 1 hour.

Remove the meat from the pan, let rest for 10 to 15 minutes then slice.

Strain marinade and set aside.

Add the butter to the pan over low heat and when melted add the flour. Whisk until it comes together and bubbles. Slowly add the strained marinade stirring constantly until sauce has thickened. Add 2 tablespoons gravy flavoring for color, and pinch of salt and white pepper.

Now add brown sugar, to taste, until it is sweet, and sour. Stir in the raisins.

Pour sauce over sliced sauerbraten, and serve with red cabbage and spaetzle or dumplings, if desired. Guten Appetite!

***My notes - I used a 4+ pound bottom round, marinated 5 days, cooked in the oven at 325 for about 3 hours. Added some traditional spices to the marinade. The buttermilk (I assume) scums up so definitely start this stove-top so you can skim that.

Inspired by the book and movie, I made Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon yesterday and while everyone loved it, I didn't as I am not a big fan of stew.

Here's a link

And the next time you make Boeuf Bourgignon, I will gladly have your share, I love it! LOL!

Alexa

FOAS, glad you enjoyed the chicken. While it's not exactly a gourmet dish, it's quick to put together and quick to put on the table for a weeknight dinner.

You all inspire me. Now I just need to get my carp together and try some new recipes!

Is there any good substitute for the potato starch?

Beverly

Alexa

Awesome Clam Chowder

6-7 pieces bacon, cut into small pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
2 (5 ounce) cans baby clams, with juice reserved
1 bottle clam juice
5 potatoes, peeled and cubed into 2" chunks
2 (10 1/2 ounce) cans cream of celery soup
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon dried dill weed (if you don't have dill weed,
use thyme)
1 teaspoon pepper
Salt to taste

Add bacon to dutch oven and cook on medium heat until crispy. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add clam juice from both cans of clams plus bottle of clam juice. Add potatoes, bring to a simmer, and cover until potatoes are fork tender (about 15-20 minutes). Stir occasionally so potatoes won't stick. Add clams, soup, cream, milk, dill weed and stir together. Add butter and let melt into the chowder, then add pepper. Simmer for about 30-45 minutes or until thickened. Stir occasionally and add salt to taste.

The only thing I did different was, I added some fresh garlic to this soup. This is really a delicious chowder and very easy to make.

Thanks Gardengrl !!

Had a really good meal last night, with two recipes that were new to me... First was a slow-roasted chipotle pork shoulder from the 150 Best American Recipes cookbook -- SO GOOD, and SO easy. Here it is:

Slow-Roasted Chipotle Pork Shoulder

1 tablespoon (maybe a smidge less) kosher salt

2 tablespoon chipotle powder

1 (3 1/2-pound) pork shoulder roast

Instructions:
In a small bowl, mix kosher salt and chipotle powder. Rub it into the pork, being sure to cover the entire surface of the meat with the mixture.

Preheat oven to 275. Cook covered, in a round or oval dutch oven, for 3.5 to 4 hours, basting occasionally with the juices and fat. Pork should be tender enough to fall apart with a little pressure from the back of a fork.

I served this shredded up in something else I had never made myself before -- flour tortillas, also a revelation, and so much better than store-bought. Topped each taco with some tomatillo salsa and a squirt of lime, and it made for possibly the best tacos I've ever put in my mouth!

Made this new to me recipe on Sunday. I had it saved online, but don't remember who posted it or how long ago...

The flavor was very good, would use more lemon next time. You could prep the first step ahead of time. Will definitely make again.

Fine Cooking

ROASTED CHICKEN THIGHS, YUKON GOLD POTATOES & LEMONS WITH CILANTRO

3 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger, divided
1 Tbsp lemon zest, divided
2 cloves minced garlic, divided
1½ tsp ground coriander
1½ tsp ground cumin
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
8 chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat and skin
2 med Yukon gold potatoes, each cut into 8 wedges
1 lemon, ends trimmed and cut into quarters

Preheat the oven to 425°
In a small bowl combine the butter, 2 tsp of the ginger, 2 tsp of the lemon zest, half the garlic, coriander, cumin, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. Set aside.

In another small bowl combine cilantro and the remaining ginger, lemon zest and garlic to make the gremolata garnish. Set aside.

Spray a rimmed 11X17 baking sheet with cooking spray or line with aluminum foil.
Spread 1/8 of the butter mixture under the skin of each thigh. Place skin side up at one end of the baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt. Toss the potato wedges and lemon wedges with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper . Spread in a single layer in the remaining space in the pan with the thighs.

Roast for 20 minutes. Baste the thighs with the pan juices and flip the potatoes and lemon wedges. Continue to roast, turning the potato wedges every 10 minutes, about 30 minutes more. Thighs and potatoes should be crisp and a deep golden color.

With a slotted spoon, place the potato wedges and lemon wedges in a bowl and stir in half of the cilantro gremolata. Baste the thighs with pan juices and place on serving platter. Sprinkle with the remaining germolata. Serve hot.

Nancy

My notes..

Make or use spaghetti sauce..Mike had made a pot of sauce and meatballs so I used homemade sauce..

I don’t think a can of crushed tomatoes would have good flavor…

I oiled my pan with olive oil...

Really stuff the meat, which I browned with finely chopped onions into each noodle…it makes them stand at attention..:)

I used a layer of ricotta/mozza mixture ..like you would make for lasagna or baked ziti..

Spread it over the meat…then the layer of mozzarella..

Be sure to make extra sauce to serve with it..

Good for a gathering or Super Bowl maybe..

Judi

The only new recipe I've tried so far this year is Ellie Krieger's Whole Wheat Pancakes. The recipe included a nutty topping but I didn't have the seeds so I skipped it and just used maple syrup. They were good, I'll definitely make them again but I might sub berries for the apples.

Whole-Wheat Pancakes with Nutty Topping
Ellie Krieger,
4 servings, serving size: 3 pancakes and 1/4 cup topping

For the Topping:
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup hulled (green) pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1 tablespoon sesame seeds (preferably unhulled)
1/4 cup toasted wheat germ
1/4 cup real maple syrup, plus more for serving
Pinch salt

For the Pancakes:
1 medium apple, such as Golden Delicious, cored and diced (about 2 cups)
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup 1 percent lowfat buttermilk
3/4 cup lowfat milk
2 teaspoons honey
Nonstick cooking spray

Make the topping: In a large skillet, toast the almonds and pumpkin seeds over medium-high heat, stirring, for about 1 minute. Add the sunflower seeds and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Add the sesame seeds to the pan. Cover and cook, shaking the pan, until the seeds are toasted, about 30 seconds more. Transfer the toasted nuts and seeds to a medium sized bowl. Add the wheat germ. Stir in the syrup and a pinch of salt and set aside.

Make the pancakes: Put the apple in a microwave-proof bowl, tightly cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high until softened, about 2 minutes. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, 1/2 cup of the milk and honey. Slowly whisk the egg mixture into the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. If the batter seems too thick, add as much of the remaining 1/4 cup milk as necessary.

Spray a large non-stick griddle with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Spoon about 1/4 cup batter per pancake into the pan and top each pancake with a heaping tablespoon of the cooked apple. Flip when the pancake tops are covered with bubbles and the edges look cooked, about 2 minutes. Cook until the pancakes are golden brown and cooked through, an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Serve immediately or transfer the cooked pancakes to an ovenproof dish and keep warm in a preheated 250 degree F oven while making the rest. To serve, arrange 3 pancakes per plate and sprinkle each serving with 1/4 cup of the topping. Serve with additional maple syrup.

Per Serving:
Calories 510; Total Fat 19 g; (Sat Fat 3 g, Mono Fat 4.5 g, Poly Fat 6 g) ; Protein 21 g; Carb 68 g; Fiber 7 g; Cholesterol 110 mg; Sodium 680 mg

Excellent source of: Protein, Fiber, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Selenium, Zinc.

Good source of: Niacin, Folate, Copper, Iodine, Potassium

Annie

Chicken and Bacon Shish Kabobs

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup soy sauce
* 1/2 cup cider vinegar
* 4 tablespoons honey
* 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 10 large mushrooms, cut in half (next time get small ones and leave whole)
* 2 green onions, minced
* 3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into chunks
* 1/2 pound sliced thick cut bacon, cut in half
* 1 (8 ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained
* Green, red and/or yellow peppers, in 1 inch slices
* Medium onion, in chunks
* skewers

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix the soy sauce, cider vinegar, honey, vegetable oil and green onions. Place the mushrooms and chicken into the mixture, and stir to coat. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 1 hour.
2. Preheat grill for high heat.
3. Wrap the chicken chunks with bacon, and thread onto skewers so that the bacon is secured. Alternate with mushrooms, pineapple, peppers and onions.
4. Lightly oil the grill grate. Arrange skewers on the prepared grill. Cook 15 to 20 minutes, brushing occasionally with remaining soy sauce mixture, until bacon is crisp and chicken juices run clear. (I broiled five minutes per side)

Pork Loin with Fig and Port Sauce

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Sauce:

* 2 1/2 cups port
* 1 1/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
* 8 dried black Mission figs, coarsely chopped
* 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
* 2 cinnamon sticks
* 1 tablespoon honey
* 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pork:

* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
* 1 tablespoon salt, plus additional for seasoning
* 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, plus additional for seasoning
* 1 cup canned low-salt chicken broth
* 1 (4 to 4 1/2-pound) boneless pork loin

For the sauce: In a heavy medium saucepan, combine the first 6 ingredients. Boil over medium-high heat until reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Discard the herb sprigs and cinnamon sticks (some of the rosemary leaves will remain in the port mixture). Transfer the port mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Blend in the butter. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper. (The sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before using.)

For the pork: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Stir the oil, rosemary, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper in a small bowl to blend. Place the pork loin in a heavy roasting pan. Spread the oil mixture over the pork to coat completely. Roast until an instant read meat thermometer inserted into the center of the pork registers 145 degrees F, turning the pork every 15 minutes to ensure even browning, about 45 minutes total.

Transfer the pork to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm. Let the pork rest 15 minutes. Meanwhile, stir the chicken broth into the roasting pan. Place the pan over medium heat, and scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any browned bits. Bring the pan juices to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Using a large sharp knife, cut the pork crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the pork slices on plates. Spoon the jus over. Drizzle the warm fig sauce around and serve immediately.

I made this last week. It is a very healthy and tasty muffin!! Next time I will reduce the molasses as these were just a tad too sweet for jam. But!!!! I think we have a winner. Very much like my grandma's. :-)

Moist Molasses Bran Muffins
Contributed by Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods
Ingredients

* 1 cup Wheat Bran
* 1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
* 1/2 cup Raisins (Unsulfured) -I left out
* 1 tsp. Baking Powder
* 1 tsp. Baking Soda
* 1 cup Milk
* 1/2 cup Molasses (or Honey)
* 3/4 cup Applesauce
* 1/4 cup chopped Nuts - I left out
* 2 Tbsp. Oil
* 2 Eggs, beaten

Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine wheat bran, flour, baking soda and baking powder. Stir in nuts and raisins. In a separate bowl, blend applesauce, milk, molasses, oil and egg. Add to dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Spoon into greased muffin tin (or paper muffin cups) and bake for 15-20 minutes. Makes 12 marvelous muffins.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Serving Size: 1 Muffin

Calories 180, Calories from Fat 50, Total Fat 6g, Saturated Fat 1g, Cholesterol 35mg, Sodium 180mg, Total Carbohydrates 32g, Dietary Fiber 4g, Sugars 14g, Protein 5g.

This week I made up a recipe in my head for stuffed peppers. I used poblano peppers and the filling was cooked chopped chicken, cilantro, black beans, corn, caramelized onions a dab of greek yogurt and one egg. Baked until the pepper was soft and served with a sauce made from greek yogurt, salsa, and cajun seasoning. This is the first greek yogurt I've ever tasted and all I can say is wow! That stuff is good.

I also made Socca, a type of flat bread made with chickpea flour, water and olive oil. The recipe I used made thin ones like crepes. They were ok, but I'm going to try the thicker version next.

Finally, tonight we had soup and I made some little Indian flat breads that have whole wheat flour, chickpea flour and onions (the recipe also called for cilantro and hot peppers but I wasn't in the mood for those flavors tonight). A BIG winner. That's going to be a regular I think. Super easy and very good. Oh, and healthy, lol.

Tonight I made Ann T's stacked enchiladas, they were so good, those will be a regular in my meal rotation, and Elery loved them!

Stacked Enchiladas -Ann T
==================
Source: Southwest Cookbook
Here is the recipe Helene for the Stacked Enchiladas. I see no reason why you couldn't layer these over lapping in a lasagna pan and then slice to serve. You will have to double the ingredients for the sauce as well as the fillings.

Vegetable oil for frying
12 corn tortillas (6 inches)
1 1/2 cups (12 fl ounces) green Chili Sauce (recipe on page 195)
2 cups (8 ounces) grated Monterey Jack or Cheddar Cheese
3/4 cups finely chopped onion

Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour vegetable oil into a medium , heavy skilled to depth of 1/2 inch. Heat the oil over medium high heat to 375°F, or until a strip of tortilla browns in 60 seconds. Soften the tortillas, one at a time, for about 5 seconds per side in the hot oil and drain on paper towels.

Heat the green chili sauce in a shallow pan and dip each softened tortilla into the sauce. Place 1 coated tortilla on an oven proof plate and top with 1 tablespoons green cili sauce, 2 tablespoons grated cheese and 1 tablespoon chopped onion; repeat twice so that 1 serving contains 3 layered tortillas. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 4 tortilla stacks. Bake the stacks for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese melts.

NOTE: Add cooked chicken and or pinto or black beans between layers.

Green Chili Sauce
1 Jalapeno chili seeded and diced
1 garlic clove crushed
1/4 cup chopped green onions
4 tomatillos, husked and diced (or use canned)
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 new Mexico green or Anaheim chilies, roasted, peeled, cored, seeded and diced.
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon heavy cream
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

In a medium saucepan, place the jalapeno , garlic, green onions, tomatillos and chicken stock. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat' reduce heat and simmer until theliquid is reduced to about 1 cup about 15 to 20 minutes.
Pour the chicken stock misture into a blender or food processor.

Add the Anaheim chilies, cilantrol and lime juice; puree until smooth. Add salt and pepper. Add the cream and mix again. Serve warm. Keep 1 to 2 days refrigerated.

Servings: 4

Annie

Chicken Gyros

4 cloves garlic, smashed
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 heaping tbsp. plain yogurt
1 tbsp. dried oregano
Salt and pepper
1 1/4 lbs. chicken pieces (I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts)

Mix all the marinade ingredients and marinade chicken a few hours in the fridge. Cook chicken either in a skillet or under a broiler. I got out my electric skillet and cooked them at 325° about 10 mins. I used b/s chicken pieces so they were pretty small and cooked quickly. Serve with pitas and tzatziki sauce.

Tracey's tzatziki sauce

1 c plain yogurt, preferably greek
1 T lemon juice
1 t dill
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 of a grated cucumber, peeled
1/2 t salt

Combine all ingredients.

I also made a recipe that has been in my "to try" file since 2005! LOL The recipe makes a lot of muffins and they are wonderful! I took a dozen to work on Monday and the girls in my office loved them. One of them told me it was the best muffin she had ever had!

I don't know what ever happened to Debbie_814, but if you are lurking, Debbie, thanks for a great recipe!

Empire State Muffins
Posted by Debbie814

2 cups shredded, unpeeled apples
1-1/3 c sugar
1 c chopped cranberries
1 c chopped carrots
1 c chopped walnuts or pecans
2-1/2 c AP flour
1 T baking powder
2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 c vegetable oil

In large mixing bowl, combine apples and sugar. Gently fold in cranberries, carrots and nuts. Combine dry ingredients, add to mixing bowl. Mix well to moisten dry ingredients. Combine eggs and oil, stir into apple mixture. Fill greased muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake at 375F for 20-25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before removing from tins.

Makes 2 dozen
Linda

Apple Oat Bran Muffins (originally titled multigrain muffins)
Source: Food Network.com

1 cup whole-wheat flour (i used white wheat)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup oat bran
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
2 large eggs
1 large egg white
1 1/4 cups buttermilk (I substituted 2/3 cup skim milk mixed with enough plain yogurt to equal 1 1/4 cup)
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup chopped dried fruit medley (I used 1.5 cups finely chopped apples instead)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (I omitted the nuts)
1 t cinnamon (my addition)
1/8 t cardamom (my addition)
1t pure maple extract (my addition)

Directions
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degree F. Line 12 (1/2-cup) muffin cups with paper liners. [my batter made 15 muffins instead)

Whisk flours, oat bran, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt in a medium bowl.

Lightly beat the eggs and egg white in a medium bowl. Stir in the buttermilk, brown sugar, maple extract and oil. Stir the liquid mixture into the flour mixture until just evenly moist; the batter will be very thick. Fold in the dried fruit. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Top with the walnuts (since I omitted walnuts I topped with rolled oats). Bake until firm when pressed gently, about 25 minutes. Turn the muffins out of the cups and cool on a rack; serve warm or room temperature.

Delicious!!

I just peeled and roasted the potatoes instead of grilling and it worked perfectly.

I'll find the recipe and/or thread and post it here too.

Deanna

Potatoes Smashed

Pioneer Woman

Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cook Time: 25 Minutes Difficulty: Easy Servings: 6
Ingredients
•12 whole New Potatoes (or Other Small Round Potatoes)
•3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
•Kosher Salt To Taste
•Black Pepper To Taste
•Rosemary (or Other Herbs Of Choice) To Taste

Preparation Instructions
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add in as many potatoes as you wish to make and cook them until they are fork-tender.

On a sheet pan, generously drizzle olive oil. Place tender potatoes on the cookie sheet leaving plenty of room between each potato.

With a potato masher, gently press down each potato until it slightly mashes, rotate the potato masher 90 degrees and mash again. Brush the tops of each crushed potato generously with more olive oil.

Sprinkle potatoes with kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper and fresh chopped rosemary (or chives or thyme or whatever herb you have available.)

Bake in a 450 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Indian Mango Dal

From EatingWell: January/February 2010

More than 60 different types of dal (or dhal) are made across India. The basic dish contains lentils or other legumes flavored with aromatics and spices. Here, yellow lentils (toor dal) and mango are cooked in a more traditionally Southern India style—more souplike. Both ripe and underripe mango will work: less-ripe mango imparts a tart flavor and holds its shape, while riper mango breaks down more during cooking and gives the dish a sweeter taste. Serve over basmati rice or with roasted chicken.

6 servings, about 1 cup each : Active Time: 30 minutes : Total Time: 40 minutes

•1 cup yellow lentils
•4 cups water
•1 teaspoon salt, divided
•1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
•1 tablespoon canola oil
•1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
•1 medium onion, chopped
•4 cloves garlic, minced
•1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
•1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
•1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
•2 mangoes, peeled and diced
•1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1.Place lentils in a colander and rinse until the water runs clear. Combine lentils, 4 cups water, 1/2 teaspoon salt and turmeric in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
2.Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and cook until fragrant and starting to brown, about 30 seconds. Add onion; cook, stirring, until soft and beginning to brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, coriander, cayenne and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more.
3.Stir the garlic mixture and mangoes into the lentils. Return to a simmer; cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are falling apart, 10 to 15 minutes more. Stir in cilantro.

Per serving : 186 Calories; 3 g Fat; 2 g Mono; 9 g Protein; 9 g Fiber; 398 mg Sodium; 511 mg Potassium

1 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 fruit, 1 lean meat, 1/2 fat

Annie

Waffles of Insane Greatness
Recipe courtesy Aretha Frankensteins

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk or buttermilk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Butter and syrup, for serving

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; mix well. Add the milk, vegetable oil, egg, sugar and vanilla and mix well. Let the batter sit for 30 minutes.

Preheat a waffle iron. Do not use non-stick spray on the waffle iron; the oil in the batter will allow the waffle to release easily. Follow the directions on your waffle iron to cook the waffles. Serve immediately with butter and syrup.

This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.

I made this with buttermilk. One batch makes two grids of 4 waffles.

Brown-Sugar Spice Cake with Cream and Caramelized Apples
from Gourmet, March 2006

For caramelized apples
8 Gala apples (3 1/2 pounds)
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

For cake
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup dark amber or Grade B maple syrup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

For cream
1 1/4 cups chilled heavy cream
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons sugar

Special equipment: an 8-inch square nonstick cake pan (2 inches deep)

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
Lightly butter and flour cake pan, knocking out excess flour.

Make caramelized apples:
Peel and core apples, then cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges.
Spread softened butter in an even layer over bottom of a 12-inch heavy skillet and sprinkle with brown sugar.
Add apple wedges and cook over moderate heat, without stirring, until sugar is melted and apples start to give off

Cook, stirring occasionally, until apples are just tender and juices become syrupy, about 30 minutes more.
Pour syrup from skillet into a small heatproof bowl, then sauté apples, stirring occasionally, until caramelized and very tender, about 30 minutes more.
Return syrup to apples and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.

Make cake while apples cook:
Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices in a bowl.
Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy.
Beat in egg until combined. Add maple syrup, sour cream, and vanilla and beat until combined well. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture, then mix until just incorporated.
Spread batter in cake pan and bake until cake is golden brown and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.
Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes.

Make cream just before serving:
Beat cream with sour cream and sugar using cleaned beaters at high speed until it just holds soft peaks.

To serve:
Run a thin knife around edge of pan, then invert cake onto a plate and cut into squares.
Serve warm or at room temperature, topped with warm apple mixture and cream

Cooks' notes:
·Caramelized apples can be made 1 day ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered.
Reheat over low heat. ·Cake can be made 1 day ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then kept, loosely covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature.

I skipped the whole grilling thing. Peeled 2 football sized sweet potatoes, cubed, roasted with olive oil.
The parsley and green onion (green part only) I just added fresh. Very good!
Deanna

Grilled Sweet Potato and scallion salad from the FoodNetwork Bobby Flay
Posted by lpinkmountain (My Page) on Mon, Jan 11, 10

4 large sweet potatoes, do not peel (I peel)
4 scallion, used both parts, green and white
1/2 cup canola oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup cider vinegar (I use less, and sometimes use lemon or lime juice. Depends on what else I'm serving and what I have on hand and what I'm in the mood for.)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons honey
1/2 cup olive oil (I use less)
1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped (sometimes I use cilantro)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place potatoes in a large saucepan, cover by an inch with cold water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until just cooked through but not soft, about 40 minutes depending on the size. When cool enough to handle, slice crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Must be fork tender!
Preheat grill to high. Brush potatoes on both sides with canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until lightly golden brown on both sides and just cooked through, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Remove to a bowl. Brush green onions with the remaining canola oil and grill until slightly charred and softened, about 4 minutes. Remove and thinly slice. Add to the potatoes.
Whisk together the vinegars, mustard and honey in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until emulsified and taste for seasoning. Pour the dressing over the potatoes, add the parsley and gently toss to combine. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Basque Chicken and Rice - serves 4-6
2 TB olive oil
8 pieces of chicken (I used thighs, no skin, bone in)
3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
opt. small jar of strips of pimento
opt. 1/2 cup halved olives
2 cups rice (I used the yellow rice package)
4 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper
opt. pinch of saffron
opt. pinch of smoked paprika
Heat a large saucepan or Le Creuset French oven on the stove top, add oil, saute chicken pieces until browned, remove to a platter. Add garlic, onion, bell pepper and saute until onion is transparent.
Deglaze pan with about 1/4 cup water. Return chicken to the pot and add rest. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to a simmer. Cook 25 minutes or until rice is tender.

Alexa

Crusty Chicken with Mushrooms and White Wine

- serves 4 -
Ingredients

4 chicken thighs, skin on
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup onion, diced
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped garlic
3 cups white mushrooms, washed and diced
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon chives, chopped
Procedure

1. Set the chicken thighs skin-side down on a cutting board. Cut a 1/2 inch thick slash on either side of the thigh bone. Season the thighs on both sides with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.

2. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down on non-stick skillet. Only then turn the heat to high. When the chicken starts to sizzle, turn heat to medium and move the thighs around to make sure they aren't sticking to the skillet. Cover the skillet and cook for 16 to 18 minutes. Check the chicken occasionally to keep it from sticking. If the skin is browning too much after 10 minutes, then turn the heat to low. When done, transfer the thighs to a warm oven.

3. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the chicken fat in the skillet. Turn the heat to high and then add the onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Sauté, stirring often, for about 3 minutes. Sprinkle in the remaining salt and pepper. Then pour in the wine. Continue to cook for one minute over high heat until the sauce reduces.

4. Spoon some of the sauce onto a plate and top with one of the chicken thighs. Sprinkle on some chives and serve.

Follow-up on the Bierocks recipe I posted earlier in the thread. After having them for dinner one evening, I stashed the leftovers--lots--in the refrigerator, meaning to take them down to the basement freezer. They didn't make it--we ate the last two for lunch today. For some reason, these were a lot better the next day, and the day after... They reheated great in the microwave and weren't dry at all...not like I thought they were at first. Anyway, I undersold them in my initial review; the recipe will be a definite repeat here.

Another nice thing about them is that they would be great lunchbox fare, a self-contained sandwich.

Didn't have fresh cranberries so I soaked some dried, sweetened cranberries in water overnight and cut the sugar to 1 cup. Also reduced the am't of oil to 1/4 c. & added water to the 1/3 c. mark.

They are fantastic--taste better cold than just out of the oven, too.

Great recipe.

And, I made this notation on my printed copy: Oh. My. God. Good.

And, I'm making several copies of the recipe because I don't ever, ever want to lose it. Thinking I will put a copy in the safety deposit box even. That's how good the recipe is.

DH & DS both loved them. Loved them.

The crust was so crisp & the waffles were light. They are PERFECT. (I used buttermilk.)

First, I think my pita's were way too thick and dry. And it definitely needed more salt, even though this chicken was very moist and flavorful,

The funny thing was when making the tzatziki sauce, I didn't think I'd ever had it on any of the gyros I'd had before and after assembling it all, I'm sure of it. The ones at the mall were more savory in flavor and a lot more juicy.

Will keep trying till I get a recipe that works for those flavors. But if anyone has any suggestions, I would love to hear them.

Beth