Vanilla Super-Seed Granola With Coconut Chips

Vanilla Super-Seed Granola 

With Coconut Chips

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups unsweetened large-flake coconut

2 cups gluten-free rolled oats

3/4 cup raw pepitas

1/2 cup hemp hearts

1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds or more pepitas

2 tablespoons coconut sugar or granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil, melted

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

2 tablespoon Sunflower Seed Butter

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 vanilla beans, Halved and seeds scraped OR 

    1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean powder.

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 300*.

In a large bowl combine flaked coconut, oats, pepitas, hemp hearts, sunflower seeds, hemp hearts, sugar, cinnamon and Salt.

In a small pan melt the coconut oil.  Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla bean pod seeds. if using.

Pour the wet mixture over the dry mixture.  Stir until the mixture is fully coated.

Spoon the granola mixture onto prepared baking sheet along with the reserved vanilla bean pods.  Spread the granola to an even layer.  

Bake 15 minutes.  Remove the baking sheet from the oven and stir.  Bake for 8 to 13 minutes more until the granola is just starting to turn a bit golden along the edges.  The granola will be soft when it comes from the oven but it will harden as it cools.  Let cool completely on the baking sheet then transfer it to glass jars for storing.  You may store the vanilla bean pods in the jars with the granola, Keeps in refrigerator 3 to 4 weeks or 2 months in the freezer.   

Roast Chicken With Spring Vegetables

Ingredients
3 1/2 pounds skin-on, bone-in chicken quarters
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 lemon, halved
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound fingerling or other small potatoes
2 bunches radishes
1 bunch scallions
1 bunch baby carrots
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

Directions

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. 

Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper, then place skin-side up on a rimmed baking sheet. Squeeze 1/2 lemon over the chicken and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Roast 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the potatoes and radishes in half and cut the scallions into thirds. Toss the potatoes, radishes, carrots and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a bowl; season with salt and pepper. 

Remove the chicken from the oven and scatter the vegetables around it. Continue to roast until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is golden and cooked through, about 20 more minutes. Squeeze the remaining 1/2 lemon over the chicken and vegetables. Top with the dill and season with salt.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

This easy crust recipe is gluten-free and vegan.
Ingredients:

1 Large head of organic Cauliflower
3/4 cup of ground almonds
1 1/2 Tbsp dried oregano
Himalayan salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chia seeds
3/4 cup water

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 400F.

Wash your cauliflower or soak it in a cleaning solution to get rid of dirt, bacteria, and pesticides.

Measure out your seeds and rinse them using a fine-mesh strainer.

Soak your chia seeds in water and place the mixture in your fridge 20 minutes before use.

Rinse the cauliflower and pat it dry.

Chop the cauliflower into medium-sized chunks and pulse in a blender until it is a fine rice-like texture.

Measure 3 cups of the cauliflower and pour into a large bowl.

Add the seasoning and almonds and stir until combined.

Make a hole in the center of the mixture and add the soaked chia.

Use your hands to mix the dough and shape it into a ball. Note that the dough will be more sticky and less firm than traditional dough.

Place the dough on a well-oiled baking pan and press it down until the entire pan is covered, leaving a ridge around the rim.

Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Cover the crust with tomato sauce and pizza toppings. Bake for 5-10 minutes, let it cool, and enjoy.

Pancetta Wrapped Pork Roast

Pancetta Wrapped Pork Roast

Ingredients:
8 large garlic cloves
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (3 1/2 to 4-pound) tied boneless pork loin roast
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces thinly sliced pancetta
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups dry white wine

Directions

Blend the garlic, rosemary, thyme, and oil in a small food processor, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally, until the garlic is minced.

Sprinkle the pork roast generously with salt and pepper. Arrange the pancetta slices on a work surface, overlapping slightly and forming a rectangle. Spread half of the garlic mixture over 1 side of the pork and between the 2 loins that meet in the center of the tied pork roast. Place the pork, garlic mixture side down, in the center of the pancetta rectangle. Spread the remaining garlic mixture over the remaining pork. Wrap the pancetta slices around the pork. Place the pork in a roasting pan. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Pour 1/2 cup of broth and 1/2 cup of wine into the roasting pan. Add more broth and wine to the pan juices every 20 minutes. Roast the pork until a meat thermometer inserted into the center registers 145 degrees F for medium-rare, about 1 hour. Transfer the pork to a cutting board. Tent with aluminum foil and let stand for 10 minutes. Pour the pan drippings into a glass measuring cup and spoon off any fat that rises to the top.

Using a large sharp carving knife, cut the pork into 1/4-inch-thick slices and serve with the pan juices.

Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

Strawberry Pie

Manner's Big Boy Strawberry Pie

Ingredients:
Crust:

3/4 cup flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup butter

Pie Filling:

3 quarts washed fresh strawberries
6 oz strawberry jello
2 cups sugar
6 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups water

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease pie pan with butter.

Mix together flour, sugar, softened butter, and graham cracker crumbs.  Press pie crust into the greased pie dish.  Bake 10 minutes.

In a large pot, mix water, cornstarch and sugar together over medium heat until mixture reaches boiling point.   Allow pot to continue over a low heat

While the sugar mixture is reaching the boiling point, wash de-stem and cut the strawberries in halves.

Remove sugar mixture from heat and add strawberry jello, stirring to dissolve jello.

Allow to cool.  (Adding the strawberries to the mixture when it is too hot cooks the strawberries and the pie becomes watery and berries are not crisp.)  The recipe says cool 10 minutes in the refrigerator.

Mix the sliced strawberries into the thickening and pour into the crust.

Let set in the refrigerator for about an hour.  Top off with whipped cream.

  

Ma'moul Cookie Mold And Recipe

Ma'moul Cookie Mold

$ 14.00      
You've been asking, and here it is! This wooden mold is used to shape ma'moul, beautiful Lebanese butter or semolina cookies traditionally filled with walnuts, pistachios, or dates.  Shape is for a 2-inch round domed ma'moul with ridges and/or circles. Design varies.  Available at Maureen Abood.com.

Ingredients:
For the dough:
1 cup clarified unsalted butter, softened to cool room temp
½ teaspoon vanilla
1½ teaspoons orange blossom water, divided
6 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
2 cups plus a few tablespoons all-purpose, unbleached four, sifted
1 tablespoon milk
2 cups walnuts
1 cup confectioner's sugar, for finishing

Instructions:
Using a hand-held or stand mixer, beat the butter until it is light, fluffy, and holding peaks like whipped cream, about 6 minutes. Enjoy the beauty. Add the vanilla, ½ teaspoon of the orange blossom water, and 3 tablespoons of the sugar and beat for another couple of minutes.

Sift in the flour and gently incorporate it into the butter with a wooden spoon. Add the milk, and then add more flour by the tablespoon until, as Sitto says, “the dough is ready to shape.” That means you should be able to make a ball that will flatten in your floured palm without melting into your hand or without cracking. Get your hands into the dough and knead it for a minute or two. Chill the dough for 30 minutes.

Make the filling by processing the nuts until they are nearly-finely ground. Don’t take them too far or they will become paste. The nuts can also be finely chopped by hand. In a small bowl, combine the nuts with 3 tablespoons of sugar and 1 teaspoon orange blossom water, using your fingers to evenly distribute everything.

Line two heavy baking sheets with parchment or Silpats. Pre-heat the oven to 325⁰F.

To form the ma’moul, pinch off about a tablespoon, walnut-sized piece of the chilled dough (larger or smaller depending on the size of your mold. A few tries will tell you how much to use). Flour the palm of your hand to prevent the dough from sticking, and flatten the dough in your palm to make a small (about 2-inch) round. Place about a teaspoon of the walnut filling in the center of the dough, then fold it over like a crescent and seal the edges. Stretch the dough a little to get the dough over the nuts to seal.

Flour the ma’moul mold generously so that all grooves are coated. Gently nestle the stuffed dough, seam-side up (facing you), into the mold cavity. Using a light touch, press the dough into the mold—it doesn’t take much for the dough to assume the form of the mold. Flatten the exposed dough and wipe away any access with your fingers, making sure that the edge of the molded shape is clear of dough, for a defined cookie edge. You will get a feel for how much dough your mold takes, and how much filling you need, as you make a few of the cookies.

Turn the mold over and slam it against the work surface until the cookie falls out. If you need to keep slamming to work out any stress in your life, have at it.

Repeat this process with the remaining dough and cookies, moving the cookies to the sheet pans. If the dome of your cookies doesn't seem tall enough, plump them up by nudging the dough around the base of each cookie in a bit.

Bake one pan of cookies at a time, until they are still mostly white but golden on the bottom. Check them by lifting one with a flat metal spatula after 15 minutes, and then again every minute or so for about 20 minutes, depending on the size of your cookies.

Sift confectioner’s sugar over the cookies lightly while they are still warm, and then again when they are room temperature. Store them in an airtight container, where they will stay nice for at least one week.

Lazarus Broccoli Soup

Lazarus Broccoli Soup 

Another great recipe from the Lazarus Department Store Restaurant known for great food.

Ingredients:

2 10 oz. packages frozen chopped broccoli, thawed, drained
1/4 c. minced onion
2 c. chicken broth
2 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 pinch of mace
2 c. half and half
1/3 c. unsalted butter softened
1 lemon (juiced and rind grated)
1/4 c. minced chives
1 small clove of garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:
Combine first 3 ingredients in saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour into blender container. Puree until smooth. 

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large saucepan. Stir in flour, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper and mace. Blend in half and half gradually. Stir in broccoli mixture. Cook until heated through, stirring occasionally. Ladle into soup bowls. 

Combine remaining 1/3 cup butter, lemon juice and rind, chives, garlic and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in bowl; mix well. Spoon onto soup and serve.Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

5* Lasagna

5* Lasagna

Ingredients

9 uncooked lasagna noodles

1(15-oz.) can pizza sauce

1(14 1/2-oz.) can diced tomatoes seasoned with green pepper and onion, undrained

1(15-oz.) container ricotta cheese

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

8oz. (2 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese

2(3 1/2-oz.) pkg. pepperoni slices 

1(4.5-oz.) jar sliced mushrooms, drained

1(2 1/4-oz.) can sliced ripe olives, drained

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper 

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
Cook lasagna noodles to desired doneness as directed on package. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat oven to 350°F.  Spray 12x8-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In medium saucepan, combine pizza sauce and tomatoes; cook until thoroughly heated.

In medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese and Italian seasoning; mix well.  Spread 1/4 cup sauce mixture in bottom of sprayed baking dish.  Arrange 3 cooked noodles over sauce in baking dish.  Spoon and spread half of ricotta mixture over noodles; top with 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, 1 cup sauce,  1/3 each of the pepperoni slices, mushrooms, olives and bell pepper. Repeat layers once. Top with remaining 3 noodles, sauce, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni slices, mushrooms, olives and bell pepper. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 350°F. for 30 to 35 minutes or until lasagna is bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Smoked Salmon Asparagus Risotto

SMOKED SALMON ASPARAGUS RISOTTO

 

Serves: Serves 3-4

INGREDIENTS
2-3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
1-1/2 cup (300g | 10.6oz) Arborio rice
3 cups (720ml) chicken broth
3 cups (720ml) water
½ cup (120ml) dry white wine or vermouth
½ cup (50g | 1.75oz) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
150g (5.3oz) smoked salmon, chopped (plus more to garnish)
250g (8.8oz) asparagus, cut into 1-1/2" pieces

Directions;

In a medium saucepan heat the chicken broth and water over a medium heat.  Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet or sauté pan over medium heat; add the shallots and cook until softened, about 1 minute.  Add the rice and stir to coat with oil and toast lightly, about two minutes. 

When the rice has taken on a pale, golden color, add about 1/2 cup of broth to the rice and stir constantly until the broth is absorbed.  Continue adding broth, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously until the liquid is absorbed between each addition.  Repeat until the rice is soft and creamy, which will take about 45 minutes.  

Once the rice is cooked to your liking, stir in  asparagus, add vermouth or white wine and cook until the asparagus is cooked to your liking.  Stir in parmesan cheese and smoked salmon; season with salt and pepper to taste and serve without delay.  Garnish with more smoked salmon, asparagus tips and grated parmesan cheese, if desired.

Dark Chocolate-Dipped Shortbread Cookie

Dark Chocolate-Dipped Shortbread Cookie

Recipe by: Megan Olson

Made with just nine ingredients, these grain-free cookies are loaded with healthy fat and dipped in dark chocolate for extra decadence!

Ingredients
5 oz. dark chocolate baking chips
½ t melted coconut oil
¼ cup coconut sugar
½ cup melted coconut oil
1 t vanilla extract
2 cups almond flour
¼ cup tapioca flour
¼ t baking soda
Sea salt for topping

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, whisk together melted coconut oil and vanilla extract. Set aside. 

In a larger bowl, sift together almond flour, tapioca flour, baking soda and coconut sugar until ingredients are evenly combined. 

In the dry ingredients bowl, form a well and pour in the wet ingredients. Slowly stir to combine and form into a ball. Dough will be sticky. 

Place in refrigerator for 20 minutes to harden.
Remove from refrigerator and drop 2 tablespoons of batter onto the baking sheet. Flatten batter to form into a cookie. Repeat until all the batter is gone. 

Bake for 15 minutes or until edges are slightly browned. 

Remove from oven and keep cookies on baking sheet to cool. 

While cookies are cooling, place dark chocolate baking chips and coconut oil in a small bowl fitted over a pot of boiling water. Once water is boiling, stir chocolate chips until completely melted. Turn off stove. 

Dip cookies halfway in the chocolate, return to baking sheet and sprinkle with sea salt. Place cookies in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to harden before enjoying.

Cherry Cobbler

Cherry Cobbler

The folks at America's Test Kitchen have a cobbler recipe that focuses on making fluffy biscuits. If you want to go all out, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to the fruit and biscuit topping!

Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients:
Filling:
6 cups jarred sour cherries in light syrup, drained with 2 cups syrup reserved
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch ground nutmeg
Pinch salt
Topping:
1 1/2 cups (7 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons (2 1/4 ounces) granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

Directions:

We prefer the crunchy texture of turbinado sugar sprinkled on the biscuits before baking, but regular granulated sugar can be substituted. For best results, serve within 15 minutes and transfer leftovers to an airtight container.

1. For The Filling: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk cherry syrup, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, allspice, nutmeg, and salt together in bowl until well combined. Transfer mixture to 12‐inch cast‐iron skillet and bring to simmer over medium‐high heat. Cook, whisking frequently, until thickened slightly, 5 to 7 minutes. Off heat, stir in cherries.

2. For The Topping: Whisk flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in medium bowl. Stir in buttermilk and melted butter until just combined. Using spoon, scoop out and drop 1‐inch pieces of dough onto filling, spaced about 1/2 inch apart. Sprinkle biscuits with turbinado sugar.

3. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until biscuits are golden brown and filling is thick and glossy, 30 to 35 minutes, rotating skillet halfway through baking. Serve.

Starbucks Lemon Loaf

Starbucks Lemon Loaf

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup(s) flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons butter; softened.

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon 

1/3 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup oil (recommend coconut oil)

Lemon icing

1 cup powdered sugar; plus 1 tablespoon.

2 tablespoon whole milk, I used 2%.

1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

Directions: Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl.

Use a mixer to blend together the eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla, lemon extract and lemon juice in a medium bowl.

Pour wet ingredient into the dry ingredients and blend until smooth.

Add oil and mix well.

Pour batter into a well greased 9x5-inch loaf pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until a toothpick stuck into center of the cake comes out clean.

Make the lemon icing by combining all the icing ingredients in a small bowl with an electric mixer on low speed.

When the loaf is cool, remove it from pan and frost the top with the icing.

Let the icing set up before slicing.

Bacon Potato Bites

Ingredients:

4 Medium Russet Potatoes
20 slices of Bacon
1-2 Tbsps. Butter
½ Tsp. Onion Powder
¼ Tsp. Garlic Powder
½ Tsp. Dried Oregano
½ Tsp. Dried Marjoram
¼ Tsp. Ground Sage
¼ Tsp. Chili Powder
¼ Tsp. Spanish Paprika
¼ Tsp. Ground Black Pepper
⅛ Tsp. Mustard Seed
*Salt (optional/by preference)
*Bowl of ice cold water with a dash of salt for soaking potatoes
*Olive oil for greasing baking sheet

Directions:

Properly clean potatoes and slice into rounds, thickness according to your preference. Ideally, ¼ inch or ⅓ inch thickness. As you slice, immediately drop each piece onto the bowl of water to prevent from browning. Discard the small pieces from the ends of potatoes.

After slicing all potatoes, drain and pat dry. Brush each side of potato with softened butter

Combine onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, marjoram, sage, chili powder, Spanish paprika, black pepper and mustard seed.

Season potatoes.

Separate or slice bacon into ½ inch thick.
Grease baking sheet with olive oil or softened butter. 

Initial bacon slice to wrap potato from both sides.Next slice, start with forming a cross and wrap potato until covered. 

Sprinkle remaining herbs mixture on top of bacon-wrapped potatoes. Make sure the bacon-wrapped potatoes are in a single layer on the baking sheet.

Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender and bacon are crisp.

Allow bacon-wrapped potatoes to cool for about 2 to 3 minutes and transfer to a serving plate. Enjoy, finger-food style!

Caramelized Brown Butter Cake

Caramelized Brown Butter Cake

2 hours to prepare serves 8-10

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

PREPARATION

1. In a heavy skillet, on low heat, melt butter until it begins to foam. Stir for about 5 minutes, until it turns golden brown and smells nutty. Transfer to a large heatproof bowl and allow to cool in the fridge until solid, for about 30 minutes. Once solid, remove from fridge and set aside to bring back to room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 350° F and place oven rack in lower middle section of oven. Butter a nonstick 9x5-inch loaf pan and dust with powdered sugar.
3. Beat browned butter until it becomes creamy, then add sugar and vanilla. Continue beating for 3-5 minutes until well combined and creamed. Beat in eggs, one at a time, making sure each is thoroughly combined before adding the next. 
4. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder, then slowly beat flour mixture into creamed butter mixture until well combined. 
5. Transfer batter to loaf pan and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, loosely cover with foil, then continue baking for 20-25 minutes. Allow cake to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then transfer, upside down, to a serving platter.

Chicken Marsala With Prosciutto And Mushrooms

Chicken Marsala With 

Proscuitto And Mushrooms

Serves 4.
Ingredients:
4 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts 
All-purpose flour, for dredging
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 oz. prosciutto, thinly sliced into strips
8 oz. crimini mushrooms, stemmed and halved 
1/2 cup dry Marsala wine
1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
2 T. unsalted butter
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley

Directions:
1. Trim chicken and pound between two sheets of plastic wrap to 1/4 inch thickness. Put some flour in a shallow bowl and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly.

2. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. When the oil is nice and hot, dredge both sides of the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess. Slip the cutlets into the pan and cook for 2 minutes on each side until golden, turning once – do this in batches if the pieces don't fit comfortably in the pan. Remove the chicken to a large platter in a single layer and keep warm.

3. Lower the heat under the skillet to medium and add the prosciutto to the drippings in the pan, sauté for 1 minute to render out some of the fat. Now, add the mushrooms and sauté until they are nicely browned and their moisture has evaporated, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper.

4. Pour the Marsala in the pan and boil down for a few seconds to cook out the alcohol. Add the chicken stock and simmer for a minute to reduce the sauce slightly. Return the chicken to the pan and simmer, covered, for 5 to 6 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. 

5. Remove chicken to serving plates and bring sauce to a simmer. Cook down the sauce, if necessary and then remove from heat; stir in the butter until melted and season with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over chicken and and garnish with chopped parsley.

Lebanese Cole Slaw, Malfouf Salad

Lebanese Cole Slaw, Malfouf Salad

Serves: 8-10
Ingredients:
For the salad:
1 head white cabbage, thinly sliced
2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
1 English cucumber, quartered lengthwise and sliced
1 small head or 1 small bag shredded purple cabbage
4-5 colorful radishes, sliced thin
1 small red onion, sliced in thin half-moons
Handful flat leaf parsley leaves, minced
Handful fresh spearmint leaves, minced
Vinaigrette:
2 small cloves garlic, minced
1-2 teaspoons Kosher salt
Juice of 2 lemons
⅓ cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 teaspoons za’atar
2 teaspoons sumac
2 teaspoons dried mint, or Mint Salt

Pinch cayenne pepper

Directions:

Combine all of the salad vegetables except the herbs in a beautiful salad bowl. 

In a small bowl, whisk the garlic, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and lemon juice. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking continually. Add the za’atar, sumac, dried mint, and cayenne and stir to combine. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding more salt and any other spices to taste. 

Finish the salad with the parsley and mint, giving it another stir.

Warm Lobster Salad With Truffle Vinagrette

Total Time: 1 hr 2 min
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 42 min
Yield:4 servings



Ingredients
Creamed Potatoes:
4 cups peeled and diced white potatoes (about 2 pounds)
Salt
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 head Roasted Garlic, pulp removed
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
Lobster Salad:
2 whole lobsters, (about 2 pounds each) cooked, meat removed and diced, and shells reserved
Salt
1 1/2 sticks of butter
4 cups creamed potatoes, hot
4 ounces shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
4 cups fresh baby arugula, washed and patted dry
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions
Creamed Potatoes:
Combine the potatoes and 1 teaspoon of salt in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cover the potatoes with water and cook until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Drain. Return, the potatoes to the pan and over low heat, stir them with a fork or wire whisk for about 2 minutes to dehydrate them. Add the cream and garlic pulp. Stir to incorporate well. Mix in the white pepper.
Lobster Salad:
Season the lobster meat with salt, to taste, and set aside. Using a sharp knife, chop 1 lobster shell.
In a saucepan, over medium heat, combine the butter and chopped lobster shells. Melt the butter and simmer over low for about 10 minutes. Remove and strain.

In a saute pan, over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of the lobster butter. When the butter is hot, add the diced lobster and saute for 2 minutes.

To assemble, form 1 cup of the potatoes into a circle, in the center of each plate. Spoon 1/4 of the lobster of each circle of potatoes. Spoon 1/4 of the butter, or to taste, around each circle of potatoes. Arrange 1/4 of the cheese on top of each plate of lobster. Mound the arugula on top of the cheese. Garnish with parsley.

Recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagasse

Pair with Chardonnay

Winter Pesto Spaghetti Squash

Winter Pesto Spaghetti Squash

Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 (3 1/2- to 4-lb) spaghetti squash 
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 cups baby spinach leaves
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup walnuts
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan 
1/3 to 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:
1. Pierce squash all over with a sharp small knife. Cook in a microwave oven at high power (100 percent) 8 minutes, then turn over and microwave until squash gives when pressed gently, 8 to 10 minutes more. Cool squash 5 minutes.

2. For pesto, with food processor running drop in the garlic cloves and process until minced. Stop machine and add the spinach, basil, pine nuts and Parmesan cheese. Pulse to finely chop. Turn on machine on and add olive oil; process to puree to a thick paste.

3. While squash is still hot, cut off stem from squash and discard, then carefully halve squash lengthwise (it will emit steam) and discard seeds. Working over a bowl, scrape out squash flesh with a fork, loosening and separating strands. Add pesto; toss and serve.

BLT Salad

BLT Salad

Ingredients
1-2 cucumbers
1 chopped tomatoes
3 slices of Oscar Mayer bacon
1-2 tbsp. of Hellman’s mayonnaise
⅛ tsp. McCormick garlic powder
Morton’s sea salt
McCormick black pepper
Chopped Lettuce

Directions:
Spiral cut your cucumbers.
Add in your tomato, spices and mayo and stir.
Add crumbled bacon and lettuce of choice.  May be omitted.

Garlicky Lentil Soup With Swiss Chard And Lemon

Garlicky Lentil Soup with 

Swiss Chard And Lemon

You’re going to be tempted to eat up the garlicky chard and onion sauté before it goes into the soup. And that’s just fine because it tastes so delicious like that. But if it’s soup you’re after, just taste and then stir the fragrant mix into the lentils. This soup tastes best when it’s not piping hot, but has cooled down a bit and flavors can really shine through. 
*A classic rushta also contains cooked pasta noodles like linguine, which can easily be added to the recipe below.
Ingredients:
1⁄2 cup brown or green whole lentils
1⁄2 teaspoon salt, plus 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups finely diced yellow onion
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3⁄4 teaspoon coriander
4 large garlic cloves, minced
4 cups Swiss chard, cleaned, trimmed, and chopped into 1” pieces 
3⁄4 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 1⁄2 teaspoons flour
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions:
In a soup pot over high heat, bring lentils, 4 cups water, and 1⁄2 teaspoon of salt to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, just until lentils are tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and season with 1⁄4 teaspoon of salt, the coriander, and pepper. Sauté until very soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and sauté just until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the Swiss chard and cilantro and sauté until bright green and tender. Sprinkle with flour and stir to combine, still over the heat.

Add the Swiss chard mixture to the lentils, stir in the lemon juice, and heat through for just a few minutes.

Serve warm, but not piping hot, for best flavor. Garnish with chopped cilantro. 

St. Patricks Day Dinner

Corned Beef With A Brown Sugar Glaze 

Serves 6 to 8.
4 lbs. corned beef brisket Seasoning packet from corned beef 1 gallon water or as needed

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed 
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup brown mustard

1. Rinse off the brisket under running water, and then trim off excess fat. Place the meat and enough water to cover it in a stock pot; add the seasonings from the package and bring to a boil. Lower the heat so the water simmers gently.
2. Cook until very tender but not falling apart, about 3 hours. About every half hour, skim the fat from the water's surface with a large spoon and discard. Add more water as needed to keep the brisket submerged.
3. Test the cooked meat for tenderness by piercing the meat with a meat fork. It should meet only slight resistance. Remove the meat and transfer to a parchment- lined baking sheet.
4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a sauce pot, combine the sugar and water and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. When the mixture has turned syrupy, after about 5 minutes, stir in the mustard. Continue simmering another
2 to 3 minutes. Paint a thin coating of glaze over the entire brisket. Put in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, reglazing every 10 minutes. Remove the brisket when the glaze is shiny, and let it rest for 15 minutes. Use a sharp slicing knife to carve thin slices and serve.

Colcannon
Serves 6
4 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled
12 T. unsalted butter, divided use
1/2 cup or more half and half
2 lbs. green cabbage, sliced in shreds

1 cup chopped onion
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup chopped green onions

1. Quarter potatoes and place in a large pot of cold water. Bring to a boil, add 1 T. salt and then simmer until potatoes are tender. Put through a ricer and stir in 3 T. butter and enough hot half and half to make creamy potatoes.
2. Meanwhile, sauté the cabbage and onion in 3 T. butter until tender. Stir into hot potatoes. Stir in green onions and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot, pressing an indentation in the center and adding a large dollop of butter. 

Beer Battered Shrimp

Beer Battered Shrimp  

James Beard Foundation

Fried shrimp might seem a thing of the past if you are trying to eat healthy. These are still a special treat, but are pan-fried, not deep fried, and super crispy because they are made with beer. The alcohol in the beer evaporates quickly as the shrimp cooks leaving them extra crispy. I know it might seem silly to make your own ketchup, and yes, on many busy days homemade ketchup will be too much work. But this zippy sauce is made from wholesome ingredients—no fillers, stabilizers, or corn syrup—and will last up to four weeks in the refrigerator. Make a batch and put it in mason jar for some amped-up flavor.

Reprinted with permission from Lighten Up, Y’all, by Virginia Willis, copyright © 2015, published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Photographs copyright © 2015 by Angie Mosier. For more information, visit virginiawillis.com.

Ingredients

Spicy Ketchup:
1 tablespoon pure olive oil
1 sweet onion, grated
1 garlic clove, mashed to a paste with salt (see note, below)
One 14.5 ounce no-salt-added canned tomatoes with juice, puréed
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon smoked hot paprika
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Shrimp:
1/2 cup panko (Japanese) bread crumbs
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2/3 cup rice flour or cornstarch
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 ounces light beer
6 tablespoons canola oil
1 pound large (21/25 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 lemon, thinly sliced
Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

To make the ketchup, heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the grated onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Add the tomatoes, sherry vinegar, honey, smoked paprika, and tomato paste, and then season with salt. Cook until thickened, 45 to 60 minutes.

To prepare the shrimp, combine the panko and cilantro in a shallow baking dish and stir to combine. Combine the rice flour, unbleached all-purpose flour, and baking soda in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add the beer, stirring with a whisk until a smooth batter.

Line a plate with paper towels. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 tablespoons of the canola oil to pan; swirl to coat. Working one at a time and using the tail as a handle, dip the shrimp in the batter and shake off the excess. Dredge the shrimp in the panko mixture, making sure to coat both sides. Place the shrimp in a single layer in the pan, and cook until golden brown, about 2 1⁄2 minutes on each side. Remove the shrimp from pan; drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining oil, shrimp, batter, and panko mixture. At the end of cooking, sear the lemon slices in the hot oil until slightly charred. Serve the shrimp and lemon slices hot with the spicy ketchup.

Note: to prepare garlic paste, place the broad side of an unpeeled clove of garlic on a clean work surface. Give it a whack with the side of a chef’s knife. Remove the outside papery skin, and using the knife, trim the tough basal plane at the top of the clove. Halve the clove lengthwise and remove the green shoot, if present, as it is bitter. Coarsely chop the garlic, then sprinkle it with coarse salt. (The salt acts as an abrasive and helps chop the garlic.) Then, using the flat side of the chef’s knife like a palette knife, press firmly on the garlic, crushing a little at a time. Repeat until the garlic is a smooth paste.

Yield

4 servings