December 25, 2011

Sunday
Grilled Jalapeno Cheeseburgers
(http://www.alanskitchen.com/SANDWICH/Burgers/01-25/13-Burger_Sandwich_Recipe.htm )
Ingredients:
1 - pound lean ground beef
2 - teaspoon fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1-1/2 - teaspoons chili powder
1/4 - cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
4 - thin tomato slices
4 - hamburger buns, split, toasted
Pickles
Chips

Directions:
Prepare a medium fire in your grill. In medium bowl, add ground beef, jalapeno pepper and chili powder. Lightly mix but thoroughly. Shape beef mixture into four 1/2-inch thick patties. Lay patties on grid over hot coals. Grill uncovered for 14 to 16 minutes or until centers are no longer pink, turning once. Check with a meat thermometer for an internal temperature of 160°F. About 1 minute before burgers are done, sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon cheese. Place 1 slice tomato on bottom half of each bun and top with burger. Close sandwiches and serve with chips and a pickle

Monday
French onion soup
(http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/french-onion-soup-10000001011280/ )
Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 cups thinly vertically sliced Walla Walla or other sweet onion
4 cups thinly vertically sliced red onion
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup dry white wine
8 cups less-sodium beef broth 1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
8 (1-ounce) slices French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
8 (1-ounce) slices reduced-fat, reduced-sodium Swiss cheese (such as Alpine Lace)
Green apples, sliced

Preparation
Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions to pan; sauté for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in sugar, pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to medium; cook 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Increase heat to medium-high, and sauté for 5 minutes or until onion is golden brown. Stir in wine, and cook for 1 minute. Add broth and thyme; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours. Preheat broiler. Place bread in a single layer on a baking sheet; broil 2 minutes or until toasted, turning after 1 minute. Place 8 ovenproof bowls on a jelly-roll pan. Ladle 1 cup soup into each bowl. Divide bread evenly among bowls; top each serving with 1 cheese slice. Broil 3 minutes or until cheese begins to brown. Serve with sliced green apples.

Tuesday
Molasses-Pepper Pork Loin
(http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/molasses-pepper-pork-loin-10000001875788/print/ )
Ingredients
1 (4 lb.) boneless pork loin roast, trimmed and tied
1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
Salt
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/3 cup dark molasses (not blackstrap)

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Rub roast all over with pepper; season with salt. Warm oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Place roast in pan and cook, turning every 2 to 3 minutes, until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Remove pan from heat, pour molasses over roast and turn roast to coat in molasses. Place skillet in oven and cook until center of roast registers 140°F on an instantread thermometer, 40 to 50 minutes, basting with pan juices once or twice during roasting. Transfer roast to a cutting board (preferably one with a lip to capture any juices), tent with foil and let rest for 15 minutes. Set aside pan with juices. Remove twine and slice roast. Add accumulated juices on cutting board to pan juices and serve with roast.

Collard greens
( http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Sauteed-Collard-Greens-108108#ixzz1h5er4XmH )
Ingredients
3 pound collard greens, leaves halved lengthwise and stems and center ribs discarded
( use frozen collards or other greens for quicker recipe)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tsp sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation
Stack several collard leaf halves and roll up tightly into a cigar shape. Cut crosswise into very thin slices (no wider than 1/8 inch). Roll and slice remaining leaves in same manner. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté collards, tossing with tongs, just until bright green, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper and sugar.

Herb rice
(http://montgomery.ces.ncsu.edu/files/library/62/Simple%20Herb%20Rice.pdf )
Ingredients
¼ cup chopped onion
2 tablespoon butter or margarine
3 Chicken bouillon cubes
2 cups of boiling water
2 cups instant rice
2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
½ teaspoon rubbed sage
¼ teaspoon celery salt

Preparation
In a skillet, sauté onion in butter until tender. Dissolve bouillon in boiling water; add to the skillet. Stir in rice, parsley, sage and celery salt if desired. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5-8 minutes or until rice is tender. I will probably just use an instant rice mix here like Near East or Zatarains.

Wednesday
A Tasty Frittata Recipe
(http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/a-tasty-frittata-recipe.html )
Cilantro Chile Sauce
2 large cloves garlic
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 small bunch cilantro
1 green (serrano) chile, seeds removed
2 pinches ground cumin
a couple big pinches of salt
Frittata
6 large organic eggs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
3 small potatoes, very very thinly sliced
1/2 cup yellow zucchini or cauliflower,1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted
couple pinches of salt

Directions
Preheat your oven to 450F degrees. Make the cilantro chile sauce by pureeing the garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, cilantro, chile, cumin, and salt until very smooth. Taste and add more salt if needed. Set aside. In a medium bowl whisk the eggs with a small pinch of salt. Set aside. In a (small) 8 1/2-inch ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat add the olive oil, onion, and another pinch of salt. Sauté, stirring constantly, until the onion starts to brown, 5 - 7 minutes. Add the potatoes and zucchini (or cauliflower), cover, and cook for another 3 minutes or so. Slide everything out of the skillet onto a plate and set aside. Turn down the heat a bit. Using the same skillet, add the eggs and cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes or until the eggs are just set and there isn't a lot of liquid running around the pan. To facilitate this, run a spatula underneath the sides of the frittata and tilt the pan so the uncooked eggs run to the underside and cook. Drizzle the eggs with a few tablespoons of the cilantro chile sauce, now sprinkle the potato onion mixture over the top. Place the skillet in the oven and bake for about 9 minutes, or until well set and puffy. Add a crumble of goat cheese and the pumpkin seeds across the top of the frittata in the final 2 minutes of baking. Remove from oven (be careful the handle is hot!), cut into wedges and serve

Roasted beet salad
( http://www.oprah.com/food/Roasted-Beet-Salad#ixzz1h5lVHa6O )
Ingredients
1 pound beets (3 to 4 medium), scrubbed
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Pinch of sugar
1 small bunch arugula , tough stems removed, well washed and spun dry
1 bunch watercress , tough stems removed, well washed and spun dry
1 small head Boston lettuce , well washed, spun dry and torn into bite-sized pieces
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 450°. Line a large piece of aluminum foil with parchment paper. Place beets in center of parchment. Drizzle with one tablespoon oil, and season with salt and pepper. Fold aluminum foil up to enclose beets. Place on a small baking sheet and roast until tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 1 hour. Remove from oven and let sit until no longer hot to the touch. Rub off skins and discard. Cut beets into wedges. In a medium bowl whisk together remaining 3 tablespoons oil, the vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt, and pepper. Add the roasted beets, arugula, watercress, and Boston lettuce and toss to combine

Thursday
Tabbouleh
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/tabbouleh-recipe/index.html
Ingredients
1 cup bulghur wheat
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/4 cup good olive oil
3 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts (1 bunch)
1 cup chopped fresh mint leaves (1 bunch)
1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (1 bunch)
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and medium-diced
2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Place the bulghur in a large bowl, pour in the boiling water, and add the lemon juice, olive oil, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Stir, then allow to stand at room temperature for about 1 hour.
Add the scallions, mint, parsley, cucumber, tomatoes, 2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper; mix well. Season, to taste, and serve or cover and refrigerate. The flavor will improve if the tabbouleh sits for a few hours. Serve with Pita bread, olives and hummus

Friday
Peanut Noodles with Shredded Chicken & Vegetables
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/peanut_noodles_with_shredded_chicken_vegetables.html
Ingredients
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup smooth natural peanut butter
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons chile-garlic sauce, or to taste (see Ingredient note)
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
8 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti
1 12-ounce bag fresh vegetable medley, such as carrots, broccoli, snow peas

Preparation
1. Put a large pot of water on to boil for cooking pasta.
2. Meanwhile, place chicken in a skillet or saucepan and add enough water to cover; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer gently until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, shred into bite-size strips.
3. Whisk peanut butter, soy sauce, garlic, chile-garlic sauce and ginger in a large bowl.
4. Cook pasta in the boiling water until not quite tender, about 1 minute less than specified in the package directions. Add vegetables and cook until the pasta and vegetables are just tender, 1 minute more. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Rinse the pasta and vegetables with cool water to refresh. Stir the reserved cooking liquid into the peanut sauce; add the pasta, vegetables and chicken; toss well to coat. Serve warm or chilled.

Saturday
Khichdi and kaddhi
(http://food.sulekha.com/traditional-gujarati-khichdi-and-kadhhi-id3971-14804-recipe.htm )

For Khichdi
3 cups moong dal
2 cup basmati or plain rice
3 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
7-8 whole black pepper-corns
1 cup onions - finely chopped
1 cup potatoes - finely diced
1 cup fresh/frozen green tuvar (lilva)(optional, but you can get it in Indian stores)
3 tsp turmeric powder
2 green chillies - chopped
2 tbsp cumin seeds (jeera)
salt - to taste (about 1 1/2-2 tbsp)
lemon juice - to taste (about 2 tbsp)

For Kadddhi
3 cups sour buttermilk
1 1/2 cup besan (chickpea flour)
2 tbsp ghee
salt and lemon juice - to taste
jaggery or sugar - to taste (start with less if you like it sour!)
2 green chillies - chopped
1 tbsp cumin seeds (jeera)
2 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi)
a pinch of asafoetida (hing)
chopped corander for garnish
5-6 curry leaves (limdo)

Method - Khichdi
Take the rice and moong dal and wash them under running water for a couple of times. Then take a pressure cooker, add add 3 tbsp ghee and add the cumin seeds, black pepper-corns, onions, and green chillies. Saute for 2 mins, then add the diced potatoes and the rice and moong dal mixture. Add in the turmeric powder and saute again so everything is mixed well. Now add the required amount of water(I generally use the ratio of 1 cup rice to 1-1/2 cup water), cover with the lid and cok it for 4-5 whistles. Alternately, you can cook the khichdi separate in a rice cooker, and saute the remaining ingredients (use boiled potatoes in this case) in a frying pan, and add the cooked khichdi to the vegetables later.

Method - Kadhhi
Take a large vessel and por the buttermilk in it. Now slowly keep adding the besan a little at a time, constantly stirring or beating the mixture (use an egg-beater) so no lumps are formed. This is very important, and you should make sure there are no lumps at all or the kadhhi will not taste nice. Taste a little to make sure you do not get a pronounced taste of besan, it should mainly be buttermilk with a hint of besan in it. Now take a kadhai, put 2 tbsp ghee in it, add the cumin and fenugreek seeds, asafoetida, the green chillies and the curry leaves. When they start spluttering, slowly add the buttermilk mixture and stir. Add about 3 cups of water. Keep the flame on medium to medium-high. Now add the jaggery or sugar, salt and the lemon juice. Cover partially and let it boil. Once it gets a bit thick, but not too tick, check for taste and see that it does not taste like a spoonful of besan. If so, add a little more water. Garnish with chopped coriander.