I was planning a dinner of pita, hummus, and veggie sandwiches. Before I knew it we were all famished and it was 7pm. I hadn't even started cooking. So much for the fresh-baked pita plan. I came up with this recipe as a quick flatbread alternative. It only took me 15 mins and was actually a bigger hit than my fluffy (wait till it rises) pita bread!
1 1/2 c. white flour
1/2 c. warm water
1/2 tsp. salt
Mix ingredients in a bowl, dough should be a little on the sticky side. Add flour until you can knead the dough and it doesn't continuously stick to your hands. Knead for 5 mins, then divide the dough into 6 equal parts. On a well floured surface, roll out each dough ball into a 6" flat circle. Dust off the excess flour. Lightly oil a frying pan and heat on med-high. Roast each circle of dough in the frying pan for 60-90 seconds on each side. Flip when dough becomes bubbly and puffy, remove from heat when flatbread is starting to brown. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt (optional).
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Amma's Lemon Rice
1 c. cooked basmati rice
1 T. lemon juice (fresh squeezed)
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 T. channa dal
1 green chili (diced)
pinch mustard seeds
pinch asafoetida
pinch turmeric powder
5-10 curry leaves
salt to taste
In skillet heat oil over med-high heat. Add mustard seeds. When they splutter (pop) add channa dal and roast until dal turns red. Stir in green chili and curry leaves and immediately turn stove off. Add in turmeric powder and asafoetida. Combine with cooked rice and stir in lemon juice. Additional sesame oil can be added for flavor. Salt to taste.
Lemon rice is one of my favorite dishes made by my mother-in-law. The fresh flavor is amazing. Often served as a light main dish, pairs well with crunchy potato chips or papad.
Rating: Not rated yet
1 T. lemon juice (fresh squeezed)
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 T. channa dal1 green chili (diced)
pinch mustard seeds
pinch asafoetida
pinch turmeric powder
5-10 curry leaves
salt to taste
In skillet heat oil over med-high heat. Add mustard seeds. When they splutter (pop) add channa dal and roast until dal turns red. Stir in green chili and curry leaves and immediately turn stove off. Add in turmeric powder and asafoetida. Combine with cooked rice and stir in lemon juice. Additional sesame oil can be added for flavor. Salt to taste.
Lemon rice is one of my favorite dishes made by my mother-in-law. The fresh flavor is amazing. Often served as a light main dish, pairs well with crunchy potato chips or papad.
Rating: Not rated yet
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Jane's Olive Dip
2 packages cream cheese (8 oz each)
1 can black olives
1 1/2 c. green olives plus 1 Tb. olive juice
1 Tb. minced garlic
Whip the cream cheese with a mixer. Add in finely chopped black and green olives and the olive juice. Mix in minced garlic and serve chilled with crackers.
My step-mom always has delicious food in the house, ready to serve on a moment's notice. I stopped over for an impromptu visit, and she whipped up this appetizer in five minutes. We tried it with wheat crackers, triscuits, and tortilla chips. Triscuits were my fave. Yum.
1 can black olives
1 1/2 c. green olives plus 1 Tb. olive juice
1 Tb. minced garlic
Whip the cream cheese with a mixer. Add in finely chopped black and green olives and the olive juice. Mix in minced garlic and serve chilled with crackers.
My step-mom always has delicious food in the house, ready to serve on a moment's notice. I stopped over for an impromptu visit, and she whipped up this appetizer in five minutes. We tried it with wheat crackers, triscuits, and tortilla chips. Triscuits were my fave. Yum.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Rustic French Baguette
I have always equated good homemade bread with impossibility. My mom had a bread machine when I was a kid, and maybe I just got the impression that you have to be a goddess in the kitchen to make a good loaf of bread by hand. Since I recently had success with sushi (what, you can make that at home???), I decided to break the bread barrier! I baked a French baguette. And I liked it. And my husband and I ate it all in one sitting. Mmmm. It didn't turn out exactly as I had hoped, but the texture was soft and fluffy, and the flavors were surprisingly complex for a simple bread recipe. I'm already thinking about sourdough next!
The recipe I used is a fusion of two recipes I found that looked relatively simple. Here it is:
1 tsp yeast
1 c. warm water
1 tsp salt
2 c. white flour
1/2 c. wheat flour
1 egg, beaten
Dissolve yeast in warm water. Set in warm, draft free place (I put it in the sun on the countertop) and allow to dissolve for 10 mins. You should notice a few bubbles on the surface of the water. In a large bowl, mix the yeast water and the salt. Slowly stir in the wheat flour, then 1 c. of the white flour. Turn dough onto well floured surface and begin to knead, adding flour until the dough is slightly sticky but doesn't cling to your hands (I ended up using 1 c. flour). When the dough is the right consistency, knead an additional 8-10 mins. Oil a glass or ceramic bowl and place the dough ball in the center. Make sure the dough is also coated with oil so it doesn't stick to the bowl. Cover with cloth and allow dough to rise in a warm, draft-free place approximately 1 hour, or until dough doubles in size (I waited 1.5 or 2 hours). Punch down dough and divide in two equal parts. Form each lump of dough into a long baguette shape, and place on a baking sheet (preferably a baking stone).
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Cover baguette dough with cloth and allow to rise another 20 mins on the baking sheet. Brush with beaten egg (this will give a brown, crunchy crust).
Baguettes need moisture to bake in the oven, so I recommend taking a metal 13x9 pan (glass may break) and filling with 1" water. Now place the water pan in the bottom rack of the oven, and put the baking sheet with baguettes on the middle rack. Bake for 20-25mins until the crust is golden brown.
My baguettes were golden and crispy when I removed them from the oven, but an hour later they had softened considerably. Now the crust is soft and golden but still tasty. One recipe suggested removing the baking dish with water after 15 mins. Maybe I'll try that next time, or I'll just bake the bread a little longer. I was hoping to make bruschetta with the baguettes, but discovered that these are better for sandwiches, soups, or just to be eaten warm with butter and honey. Mmmmmm.
The recipe I used is a fusion of two recipes I found that looked relatively simple. Here it is:
1 tsp yeast
1 c. warm water
1 tsp salt
2 c. white flour
1/2 c. wheat flour
1 egg, beaten
Dissolve yeast in warm water. Set in warm, draft free place (I put it in the sun on the countertop) and allow to dissolve for 10 mins. You should notice a few bubbles on the surface of the water. In a large bowl, mix the yeast water and the salt. Slowly stir in the wheat flour, then 1 c. of the white flour. Turn dough onto well floured surface and begin to knead, adding flour until the dough is slightly sticky but doesn't cling to your hands (I ended up using 1 c. flour). When the dough is the right consistency, knead an additional 8-10 mins. Oil a glass or ceramic bowl and place the dough ball in the center. Make sure the dough is also coated with oil so it doesn't stick to the bowl. Cover with cloth and allow dough to rise in a warm, draft-free place approximately 1 hour, or until dough doubles in size (I waited 1.5 or 2 hours). Punch down dough and divide in two equal parts. Form each lump of dough into a long baguette shape, and place on a baking sheet (preferably a baking stone).
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Cover baguette dough with cloth and allow to rise another 20 mins on the baking sheet. Brush with beaten egg (this will give a brown, crunchy crust).
Baguettes need moisture to bake in the oven, so I recommend taking a metal 13x9 pan (glass may break) and filling with 1" water. Now place the water pan in the bottom rack of the oven, and put the baking sheet with baguettes on the middle rack. Bake for 20-25mins until the crust is golden brown.
My baguettes were golden and crispy when I removed them from the oven, but an hour later they had softened considerably. Now the crust is soft and golden but still tasty. One recipe suggested removing the baking dish with water after 15 mins. Maybe I'll try that next time, or I'll just bake the bread a little longer. I was hoping to make bruschetta with the baguettes, but discovered that these are better for sandwiches, soups, or just to be eaten warm with butter and honey. Mmmmmm.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Joni's Tomato Vegetable Casserole
1 medium potato, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces
1 yam, peeled, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2" pieces
2 carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2" pieces
5 Tb. olive oil
1 red onion, sliced into thin rings
1 large zucchini, cut into 1/4" pieces
salt and pepper
2 large ripe tomatoes, cut into 1/4" thick slices
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tb. dried Italian-style bread crumbs
Fresh basil for garnish
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Toss potato, yam, bell pepper, carrots and 2 Tb. olive oil into 13x9 baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss until coated. Spread vegetables evenly in the pan.
Arrange onion slices evenly over the vegetables. Arrange zucchini over the onion and drizzle with 2 Tb. oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then arrange tomato slices on top.
In a small bowl, mix the Parmesan and bread crumbs. Sprinkle over the vegetable mix in the baking dish. Drizzle with another Tb. of olive oil.
Bake uncovered until the vegetables are tender and the topping is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil springs.
My aunt Joni shared this recipe with me. I haven't tried the recipe yet, but I love roasted vegetables, so this should be a big hit!
1 yam, peeled, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2" pieces
2 carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2" pieces
5 Tb. olive oil
1 red onion, sliced into thin rings
1 large zucchini, cut into 1/4" pieces
salt and pepper
2 large ripe tomatoes, cut into 1/4" thick slices
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tb. dried Italian-style bread crumbs
Fresh basil for garnish
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Toss potato, yam, bell pepper, carrots and 2 Tb. olive oil into 13x9 baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss until coated. Spread vegetables evenly in the pan.
Arrange onion slices evenly over the vegetables. Arrange zucchini over the onion and drizzle with 2 Tb. oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then arrange tomato slices on top.
In a small bowl, mix the Parmesan and bread crumbs. Sprinkle over the vegetable mix in the baking dish. Drizzle with another Tb. of olive oil.
Bake uncovered until the vegetables are tender and the topping is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil springs.
My aunt Joni shared this recipe with me. I haven't tried the recipe yet, but I love roasted vegetables, so this should be a big hit!
Swedish Cardamom Cookies
2 sticks (1/2 lb) butter
1 c. sugar
1 Tb. karo syrup (I substituted 1 Tb. agave nectar)
1 egg yolk
2 tsp. cardamom (fresh or powdered)
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Mix in syrup and egg yolk. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, cardamom, baking powder and salt. Combine with wet ingredients. Roll into 1 inch balls, place on cookie sheet and flatten with fork. Bake for 10-12 mins. Makes 4 doz cookies.
Using fresh cardamom gives these cookies a little punch. I peeled the cardamom pods open and crushed the seeds instead of using the powdered cardamom spice. These cookies are quite rich, so the smaller the better. Enjoy with a hot cup of tea.
1 c. sugar
1 Tb. karo syrup (I substituted 1 Tb. agave nectar)
1 egg yolk
2 tsp. cardamom (fresh or powdered)
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Mix in syrup and egg yolk. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, cardamom, baking powder and salt. Combine with wet ingredients. Roll into 1 inch balls, place on cookie sheet and flatten with fork. Bake for 10-12 mins. Makes 4 doz cookies.
Using fresh cardamom gives these cookies a little punch. I peeled the cardamom pods open and crushed the seeds instead of using the powdered cardamom spice. These cookies are quite rich, so the smaller the better. Enjoy with a hot cup of tea.
Carrot Cake
4 eggs
1 1/4 c. vegetable oil
1 3/4 c. sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 c. flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tb. ground cinnamon
3 c. grated carrots
1 c. chopped pecans
Cream Cheese Frosting (optional)
1/2 c. butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
3 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Preheat over to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 9x13 inch pan.
In a bowl beat eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients and then stir in carrots and pecans. Pour into pan. Bake for 40-50 mins, until knife inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.
Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Beat until mixture is smooth. Frost cake once it is cooled.
This carrot cake is rich and moist. I like the carrot cake lightly frosted, but my husband raves about the cake without frosting. Either way, its addicting!
1 1/4 c. vegetable oil
1 3/4 c. sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 c. flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tb. ground cinnamon
3 c. grated carrots
1 c. chopped pecans
Cream Cheese Frosting (optional)
1/2 c. butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
3 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Preheat over to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 9x13 inch pan.
In a bowl beat eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients and then stir in carrots and pecans. Pour into pan. Bake for 40-50 mins, until knife inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.
Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Beat until mixture is smooth. Frost cake once it is cooled.
This carrot cake is rich and moist. I like the carrot cake lightly frosted, but my husband raves about the cake without frosting. Either way, its addicting!
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