November 5, 2011

Sunday
Smoked Salmon Finger Sandwiches
(http://cookeatshare.com/recipes/smoked-salmon-finger-sandwiches-474 )
12 slices of white bread (no crust)
Smoked salmon
3/4 cup of cream cheese (room temperature)
2 tbsp of capers
2 tbsp chopped dill
Chips

Directions
In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, capers, and dill. Spread on two bread slices. Place a thinly sliced piece of smoked salmon, on one piece of the bread, and combine the two pieces to form a sandwich. Cut the sandwiches in a cris-cross fashion. Serve with chips.

Monday
Cathy’s Sherried Tomato Soup
(http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/02/sherried_tomato_soup/ )
Ingredients
6 Tablespoons Melted Butter
1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
1 bottle (46 Oz.) Tomato Juice
2 cans (14 Oz. Cans) Diced Tomatoes
1 Tablespoon (up To 3 Tablespoons) Chicken Base
3 Tablespoons (up To 6 Tablespoons) Sugar
1 pinch Salt
Black Pepper To Taste
1 cup Cooking Sherry
1-1/2 cup Heavy Cream
Chopped Fresh Parsley
Chopped Fresh Basil

Preparation Instructions
Sauté diced onions in butter until translucent. Then add canned tomatoes, tomato juice, chicken base, sugar, pinch of salt, black pepper and stir. Bring to a near boil, then turn off heat. Add in sherry and cream and stir. Add in parsley and basil to taste. Adjust other seasonings and serve with yummy, crusty bread on a cold blustery, dreary, depressing, rainy, snowy day. Then close your eyes. And give thanks for soups like this.

Tuesday
Simple Breakfast Quiche Recipe
(http://cookeatshare.com/recipes/simple-breakfast-quiche-642)
8 slices bacon
4 ounces shredded Swiss cheese
2 tablespoons butter, melted
4 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
2 pie crusts, store bought frozen
Variations: 1/2 cups cooked and chopped broccoli, spinach or any other vegetable. You may also substitute bacon with ham, sausage or any other meat of your choice.

Directions
Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Cook pie crusts till light brown. Remove from oven. Combine eggs, butter, onion, salt, , cheese, crumbled bacon and milk; whisk together until smooth; pour into pie pan. Brush egg white on trim of crust. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, until set. Serve hot or cold.

Arugula salad
(http://cookeatshare.com/recipes/arugula-and-pear-salad-with-toasted-walnuts-396820 )
Ingredients
1 tablespoon minces shallots
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoon of white wine vinegar (you can substitute with a vinegar you have on hands. White wine vinegar works well with pear)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 cups baby arugula leaves
2 Bosc pears, thinly sliced (I added more than 2 pears because I like its taste)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted OR pecans
(candied pecans: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/sugar-coated-pecans/detail.aspx )

Directions
Combine minced shallots, oil, vinegar, salt, mustard, and pepper in a salad bowl. Stir well with a whisk. Add arugula and pears to the dressing. Toss well to coat. You can sprinkle half of walnuts in a salad bowl and sprinkle some on each serving. Enjoy your salad!

Wednesday
Quinoa Stir-Fry with Vegetables and Chicken
(http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Quinoa-Stir-Fry-with-Vegetables-and-Chicken-357090#ixzz1caob92cN )
Ingredients
3/4 cup quinoa, rinsed
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small carrot, thinly sliced
1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
2 teaspoons grated ginger
1 clove garlic, sliced
1 small red chile, chopped (optional)
2 cups snow peas, trimmed
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 egg, beaten
4 ounces grilled chicken breast, chopped
2 scallions, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro
1 tablespoon soy sauce

Preparation
Place quinoa in a small saucepan with 3/4 cup water and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook, undisturbed, until quinoa absorbs water, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork and leave uncovered. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook carrot, stirring occasionally, until it softens, about 1 minute. Add bell pepper, ginger, garlic and chile, if desired; cook, stirring frequently, about 2 minutes. Add peas, sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, 1 minute. Remove vegetables and return skillet to heat; add quinoa, along with egg. Cook, stirring constantly, until egg is evenly distributed, about 2 minutes. Add vegetables, chicken, scallions, cilantro and soy sauce; cook 1 minute more. Divide stir-fry among 4 bowls; serve warm.

Thursday
Double-Yummy Chili Stuffed Baked Potatoes
(http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/double-yummy-chili-stuffed-baked-potatoes-recipe/index.html )
Ingredients
Potatoes:
6 large russet potatoes (about 3 pounds), scrubbed
1 1/4 cups shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese (about 5 ounces)
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 scallions (white and green), minced
Freshly ground black pepper

Chili: I will be using canned chili
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 whole cloves
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 canned chipotle chile in adobo, coarsely chopped, with 1 tablespoon of their sauce
4 canned whole, peeled tomatoes, drained
1 pound ground beef chuck
One 15 1/2-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
One 12-ounce Mexican lager-style beer
1 scallion (white and green), minced
Sour cream for garnish

Directions
To make the potatoes: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Set the potatoes directly on the rack in the center of the oven and bake until easily pierced with a fork, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, make the chili: Preheat a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, then add the oil. Add the onion, garlic, and salt, and cook, stirring, until lightly browned and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the ancho chile, oregano, cumin, coriander, and cloves and cook, stirring, until dark and fragrant, about 45 seconds. Add the tomato paste and chipotle. Using your hands, crush the tomatoes while adding them to the saucepan and cook, stirring, until the chipotle and tomato mixture is dark red, about 2 minutes. Add the beef, break it up with a wooden spoon, and cook, stirring occasionally, until well-browned, about 3 minutes. Add the beans and beer and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick and fragrant, about 15 minutes.

Lay the potatoes on the side they naturally roll to, and carefully cut a shallow oval out of the tops to make 6 lids. Gently scrape most of the potato pulp out of the lids and transfer to a large bowl. Reserve the lids. Carefully scoop out the insides from only 4 of the potatoes into the large bowl, leaving the shells intact. Scoop out the pulp from the remaining 2 potatoes into a small bowl and reserve for another use. (See Cook's Note.) Add 1/2 cup of the cheese, butter, salt, and scallion to the large bowl of pulp and mash lightly with a fork. Season with pepper, to taste. Lightly season the insides of the shells and lids with salt and pepper. Refill them with the potato mixture, pressing it into the bottom and against the sides.

Set the filled potatoes on a baking sheet and fill each to the brim with some of the chili, mounding as much as you can on top (you'll need the rest for later). Mound the remaining 3/4 cup cheese over the potatoes. Place the potato lids skin-side down on the baking sheet. Bake until heated through and the cheese has melted and browned, about 12 minutes. Reheat the remaining chili. Transfer the stuffed potatoes to a serving platter and top each with a dollop of sour cream. Lean the potato lids against the sour cream and serve immediately, with the chili on the side for refills.
Cook’s Note: When we mashed up all of the potato's pulp and stuffed it back in the spuds there wasn't any room for the chili. Do you want that? We didn't think so. That's why we only mash up four of the insides and use the rest for hash browns or croquettes.

Friday
Fresh Corn and Zucchini Cakes
(http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/3007 )
Ingredients
2 large eggs
1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk or low-fat milk
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Kernels from 1 ear sweet corn (about 3/4 cup)
1 zucchini, grated (about 1 cup)
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped mint
Zest of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons expeller-pressed canola oil

Method
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, flour, baking powder, salt and pepper until smooth. Add corn, zucchini, onion, mint and zest and stir until combined. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, drop batter by scant 1/4-cup measures into skillet. Cook, turning once, until browned and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side; lower heat if pancakes begin to brown too deeply before middle is cooked through. Add more oil between batches if necessary. Serve the pancakes warm or room temperature.

Roasted tomatoes
(http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/roasted-tomatoes-recipe/index.html )
Ingredients
12 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise, cores and seeds removed
4 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Arrange the tomatoes on a sheet pan, cut sides up, in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle the garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper over the tomatoes. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until the tomatoes are concentrated and beginning to caramelize. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Saturday
Boatman’s curry
(http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/boatmanscurry_5072 )
Ingredients
For the spice paste
4-6 dried chilies, soaked in hot water for 15 minutes
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp paprika
3 tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground turmeric
150g/5oz/1¼cups freshly grated coconut
You will also need:
2½tbsp tamarind paste
3-4 fresh hot green chilies, split into halves
2.5cm/1in piece of fresh ginger, peeled and lightly crushed
4-5 shallots (75g/3oz), peeled and lightly crushed
1½ tsp salt
750g/1½lb fish steaks, about 1cm/½in thick
2 cups cooked white rice.

Preparation method
1. Put all the ingredients for the spice paste into the container of an electric blender. Add 100ml/3½fl oz/½cup water. Blend to make a smooth paste.
2. Put the spice paste into a medium-sized, heavy bottomed pan. Add 100ml/3½fl oz water. Stir. The paste should have a similar consistency to that of a puréed soup.
3. Heat the spice paste over medium-low heat. Bring to a gentle simmer. Add the tamarind paste, green chilies, ginger, shallots and salt. Stir and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Slip in the fish. Stir once and cover. Simmer gently for 10-15 minutes until the fish is just cooked. Serve over white rice.