Asparagus Scones

This is a savory scone. It is really yummy.

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups fresh asparagus (cut into 1/4 in pieces)

2 cups flour

1 Tb sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp dried dill

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 cup cold butter

3/4 cup plus 2 Tb non-fat plain yogurt. divided

1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese

Method

• In a saucepan, bring 1/2 in of water to a boil, add the asparagus, cover and boil for 3 min. Drain immediately and place the asparagus in ice water. Drain and pat dry.
• Combine flour, sugar, bp, salt, bs, pepper, dill and cayenne. Cut in butter until mix resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 3/4 cup yogurt just until moistened. Stir in cheese and asparagus.
• Turn onto floured surface and knead. Transfer the dough to a sprayed baking sheet, pat into a 9-in circle. Cut into 8 wedges but don't separate.
• Brush with remaining yogurt and bake at 425 for 18-20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Sausage and Asparagus Saute over Polenta

This is a recipe for 1, so if you are feeding more, multiply as needed.

Ingredients

1/2 Tb extra-virgin olive oil
1 precooked sausage, fully cooked and sliced on the diagonal
1 small onion, sliced
1/2 bunch of asparagus. trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 tsp herbes de provence
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
2 Tb crunbled goat cheese
1 Tb whipped cream

Method

• Heat oil in a skillet, brown the sausage, and transfer to a plate. Cook onion until softened, then add asparagus, herbes de provence and 1/3 cup of water. Cover and steam until asparagus is tender. Add sausage, lemon juice, pepper and toss. Remove from heat.
• In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup salted water to a boil, slowly add the cornmeal. Reduce heat and cook stirring frequently until thickened. Add cheese, cream and some fresh pepper. Serve sausage and asparagus over polenta.

Ratatouille (in the crockpot)

Lots of chopping in here but very nice flavour. This will make quite a bit, so make it for a party or even freeze the leftovers for ready lunches or side dishes.

Ingredients

2 large onions, sliced

1 large eggplant (preferrably japanese), diced

1 large zucchini (preferrably crooked neck), diced

6 large garlic cloves, minced or sliced thinly

2 large peppers, diced (I used orange peppers)

2 large tomatoes cut into large wedges

1 (6 oz) can tomato paste

1 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp sugar

2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 Tb dried parsley, chopped

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/ 4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Method

• layer half in the vegetables in the crockpot (onions, eggplants, zucchini, garlic, pepper, tomatoes).
• layer half seasonings on top (basil, oregano, sugar, parsley, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes).
• Dot with half the tomato paste and drizzle half the olive oil.
• Repeat the layers with the rest of the ingredients.
• Cover or cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, or store in the fridge overnight and cook the next day.

Pasta Puttanesca

I am notorious for hating tomato sauces, this, though, is a totally different story. I think that the good amount of olives helped in making me willing to try it.

Ingredients

1/2 lb whole-wheat spaghetti

1 can diced tomatoes, italian style (with basil and oregano)

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

4 galic cloves, minced

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (use more if you like heat)

1/2 tsp italian seasoning

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp anchovy paste

1/4 cup pitted green olives, minced

1 Tb capers, drained

3 green onions, chopped

3 ounces red wine (I used pinot noir)

parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top

Method

• Set the olive oil in a skillet and saute the onions, garlic and pepper flakes.
• Add tomatoes and their juices, sugar, wine, parsley, olives, capers, anchovy paste and italian seasonings.
• Bring to a boil and simmer for 25-30 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally.
• Boil spaghetti until done and drain.
• Add pasta to sauce and toss.
• Serve on plates and sprinkly with parmesan.

Pumpkin Bread (in the bread maker)

I love recipes where I dump ingredients in the bread maker and then magic happens and I end up with a tasty bread that I can slice for breakfasts I look forward to :).

Ingredients
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp vodka (optional)
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup bread flour
2 tsps baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves
1/4 chopped walnuts

Method

• Dump all the ingredients in your bread maker's pan using the order suggested by the manufacturer; for mine it is in the order listed in the ingredients above.
• Put the pan in the bread machine and let it run the full Quick Bread cycle.
• Cool it in pan for 10 minutes, turn on a cooling rack and let it cool completely. Slice and enjoy or for me freeze and use as desired.

Easy Meat Shawarma

Shawarma is a dish from back home. It is often sold in special restaurants where they layer the meat on huge skewers (to give you an idea, each skewer has at least 10 lbs of meat). The skewers then rotate in front of a vertical electric grill and the meat is shaven thin, here is a pic. The result is crispy and intensely flavored meat that is often put in sandwiches, YUMMY. This recipe is adapted from the book Lebanease Cuisine.

Ingredients

1 lb sirloin meat, partially frozen

1/4 cup red wine

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp cardamon powder

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp allspice

Method

• Slice meat as thin as you can, put in a ziploc bag. Add the rest of the ingredients, close the bag and move the stuff inside it to mix everything.
• Refrigerate the bag for 24 hours or at least overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350F. Spread the drained meat on a cookie sheet in one layer (do not add the liquid, otherwise the meat won't be crispy).
• Bake for 20 minutes.
  

Dad's Banana Cake

My dad was a wonderful cook but not much of a baker. Yet, he often made me this cake, sometimes for my birthday :). If you are looking for a fluffy rich cake, then this one is not for you. The actual layers are more like banana bread, in the sense that they are dense. However, the cake screams BANANAAAA!

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

3 large eggs

1 cup mashed bananas (2 medium)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 non-fat plain yogurt

2 large bananas, sliced

1 small frozen container of whipped cream (feel free to whip cream instead, if you want to)

Method

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Sift flour with baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Beat butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat after each addition.
• In a separate bowl, mix mashed bananas, vanilla and yogurt. Mix well.
• Add flour mix to the butter mix in 3 parts, alternating with the banana mix.
• Divide batter in 2 prepared pans, bake for 25 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.
• Cool completely on a wire rack.
• Put first layer on a cake stand, add a layer of whipped cream on top, and layer banana slices. Top with second cake layer, frost the top and sides of the cake.
• Enjoy, and oh don't forget to turn your oven off.

Baked Crab Rangoon

Wonderful, easy and healthy appetizer.

Ingredients

1 can (6 oz) white crabmeat, drained and flaked

4 oz low fat cream cheese

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

1/4 cup light mayonnaise

8 wonton wrappers

Method

• Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix first 4 ingredients in a bowl.
• Spray muffin cups with cooking spray. Lay a wrapper in each, fill with the crabmeat mixture.
• Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.

Sesame Peanut Noodles

This recipe is based on Ted Allen's recipe. I made it last night for the book club. You can prepare the sauce ingredients the day before, boil the noodles, add the sauce, cucumber, cilantro and pepper and you are ready to go.

Ingredients
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted
1/4 cup peanut butter, I used natural
2 Tb toasted sesame oil
1/3 cup roasted peanuts (unsalted)
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tb red wine vinegar
1 Tb sherry wine
1 garlic clove
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 seedless cucumber, peeled
12 oz soba noodles (or buckwheat noodles)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 scallions, sliced

Method
Prepare the sauce:
In a food processor, combine peanut butter, sesame oil, peeanuts, soy sauce, vinegar, sherry, garlic and red pepper flakes. Process until they are pureed. Stir in half the sesame seeds.

Prepare the toppings:
Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds. Slice each half into 1/4 inch slices.

Prepare the nooles:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the noodles and let it boil for 4 to 5 minutes, test the noodles for doneness. Drain the noodles well and add them to a bowl. Stir in the sauce, cilantro and pepper. Turn out onto a platter, arrange cucumbers, sprinkle the scallions and reserved toasted sesame seeds. Serve warm or at room temperature

Upside-Down Shepherd's Pie

This is such a comfort recipe. It is filling, yet very healthy. The initial recipe did not use turkey nor wine, but I think the substitutions I made the final product much more interesting.

Ingredients
2 1/2 lb red potatoes, cut into chunks
2 Tb 1% milk
2 Tb butter
1 tsp salt, divided
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 lb ground turkey
1 small onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tb all-purpose flour
1 cup frozen sweet peas (petite), defrosted
2 Tb red wine
6 Tb beef broth
1/4 cup ketchup
1 Tb Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup shredded cheese (I used smoked Gouda)

Method

• In a large pot of cold salted water, add potatoes, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Drain off water, place potatoes back into pot to evaporate some of the excess water. Add milk, butter, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Mash until desired consistancy. Scoop into a 2 1/2 quart casserole, spread to an even thickness and create an edge up the sides of the casserole.
• In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, crumble the turkey and add the onions. Cook, stirring to break the lumps, for 6 minutes, or until the meat is cooked and onions are softened. Add garlic, cook for 1 minute. Sprinkle with flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously (this is important to cook the flour).
• Add the wine to deglaze the skillet and stir. Add the sweet peas, broth, ketchup, Wor, and remaining salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes, stirring every minute or so.
• Preheat the broiler. Transfer the meat mixture to the casserole and spread it evenly over the potatoes. Scatter the cheese on top of the meat mixture. Place under the broiler for a couple of minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and melted.