Roasted Garlic Peppercorn Sauce

Next time I make this, I'll either use cream or whole milk, skim milk didn't quite cut it. I also added grated mizithra cheese. I served it over lobster ravioli from Trader Joe's, with chicken breaded in matzoh meal, parsley, pepper, and paprika, and roasted green beans and onions.

I got the recipe for the sauce from allrecipes.com

• 1 whole head garlic
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ground mixed peppercorns
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Slice off the top third of the head of garlic so the tips of the cloves are exposed. Place in a small baking dish, and add just enough water to cover the bottom of the dish. Drizzle the olive oil over the top of the garlic, then cover with a lid or foil. Bake for 45 minutes.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Mix together the flour and milk so there are no lumps, and pour into the pan with the butter. Bring to a boil, and cook, stirring constantly until thickened, about 5 minutes. Squeeze the garlic cloves from their skin, and mash. Stir garlic into the sauce, and season with salt, peppercorns, and nutmeg.

Curry lime fish

This one I totally made up so I don't really have measurements but it was really good! We had pollock, but it would work with any fish.

Fish fillets 

Curry powder

Lime juice

Jarred minced roasted garlic

Red pepper flakes (I thought this made it wayyy too spicy but Eric loved it)

Dried parsley

Paprika (I don't know if this did anything, I was just feeling creative) 

Pepper 

Mix equal parts curry powder and lime juice, and just a scoop of everything else. Mix well and spread over fish. Broil fish until done. With the pollock I think the package said 10 minutes.

While the fish cooked, I cooked onions, zucchini and yellow summer squash until tender, then poured in a can of diced tomatoes , a few shakes of dried pepper, and lots of ground pepper. An adaption from a dish we've had at Eric's parents' :)

I also served it with Near East Whole Grain Blends Roasted Pecan and Garlic flavor, which had chunks of pecans in it! I also put a little bit of curry powder in it to accent the fish.

Baked macaroni and cheese

We've made this twice now, once following the recipe, and once with some cooked Italian turkey sausage.

1 box macaroni (we have used ziti and spirals)

3 tbsp butter

1 small onion, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tbsp flour

1 tsp dry mustard

3 cups milk

5 cups shredded cheese, any kind you like

pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Boil pasta according to package until the lower time (if it says 8-10, just do 8) Drain and pour into casserole dish.

While pasta is cooking, melt butter in a pan and cook onions and garlic until soft. (This is also when I did the sausage) Stir in the flour, pepper, and mustard until well mixed. Pour in the milk and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly until milk has thickened, about 10 minutes. Take milk off the heat, stir in 4 cups of the cheese until melted. Pour over the pasta, stirring to make sure all the pasta is covered. Top with remaining cup of cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes, until the cheese bubbles.

Black bean nachos

Tortilla chips
1 can black beans
1 can black olives, sliced
1-2 tomatoes, chopped
1 avocado, chopped
3 green onions, sliced thin
1 can corn (we used a couple of handfuls of frozen)
cheese
refried beans

Heat oven to 450. Drain the beans. Spread chips out on a pan, then layer on beans, olives and corn. Bake for 10 minutes, add cheese, and bake 5 minutes more. Top with green onions, tomatoes, and avocados. Serve with refried beans and enjoy!

Pork Weiner Schnitzel and Barley Risotto

Pork Wiener Schnitzel

1 lb pork cutlets, pounded to 1/4 inch thick, seasoned with salt and pepper.

Spread 1/2 cup flour on a plate

Beat 2 large eggs and 1 tbsp milk in a shallow bowl

Spread 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs on another plate (we used panko breadcrumbs because we had them)

Dredge the pork in the flour, shaking off excess. Dip into egg, coat with the crumbs, pressing slightly to help them adhere. Heat in a large skilled over medium high heat.

Cook 1 1/2 minutes on each side, or until nicely browned. Remove to paper towels to drain, then keep warm.

Serve with lemon juice and pepper

Barley Risotto

• 1 cup barley
• 1/2 cup small diced onion
• 2-3 cloves minced fresh garlic
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
Heat oil in a pan. Add barley and toast lightly - about 3 minutes. Add the onions and garlic, stir and cook until soft. Add 1/3 of the broth, stir until almost absorbed, and repeat. Add pepper to taste Remove from heat, add chopped parsley and cheese and season to taste.














These were both really good (although anything coated in crumbs and fried is good) but if you're not a big barley fan, this is a good recipe for you. The texture is different than what barley usually is in soups and stews, so its a good way to sneak a little barley in!

Ethiopian Curry Vegetable Stew

I recently stumbled upon some Ethiopian recipes and they all sound so good! They're just what I like, full of vegetables and flavor. This one was very good, and made a lot of leftovers.

1 head cabbage, sliced into wedges about an inch thick

2 large onions, sliced

5 carrots, cut into bite sized pieces

3 large potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces

1 small head cauliflower, cut into pieces

1 can chickpeas

3 tbsp curry powder

2 cups water

We also threw in some frozen broccoli

saute the onions in oil or butter until translucent. Add curry powder and stir. Add water, carrots, cabbage, and potatoes, cover, and cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cauliflower and cook 15 more minutes. Add the chickpeas and broccoli and stir. 

We ate it over rice. Mmm!

Pasta Risotto

This recipe was called Orzo Risotto, using the pasta that looks like rice. We didn't have that but we had acini di pepe, little balls

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp butter

1/2 lb pasta

1 small onion, diced

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup dry white wine

4 cups chicken stock

2 tbsp chopped parsley

1/2 cup grated parmesan

Heat oil and butter in a saucepan. Add pasta and toast for 3 minutes. Add onions and garlic, cook until soft, stirring frequently. Add wine, stir and deglaze for 1 minute. When the wine has nearly evaporated, add 2 cups of stock, and stir until absorbed. Add remaining stock and ground pepper, and cook until absorbed. Remove from heat, add chopped parsley and cheese and season to taste. 

I added frozen broccoli and peas when the stock was almost absorbed the last time. Chopped mushrooms would have been very good too! It was really yummy, it was creamy and the acini di pepe gave it a unique texture.

I served it with grilled chicken, mashed sweet potatoes, and steamed brussels sprouts, and it was a hit! The leftovers didn't last long, so I might double it next time.

Fish, tomato, olive, caper sauce

I realize when I posted the recipe below that I made that fish sauce a couple of months ago and never took a picture or posted it at all. It was so yummy, I have to share it!

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

2 cans diced tomatoes

2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 cup water

3/4 lb fish fillets, I think we used mahi mahi

16 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped

1 tbsp capers, rinsed (I used extra because I love capers!)

Some minced fresh parsley if you have it, or 2 tsp dried 

Saute garlic and red pepper flakes for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, oregano, and water. Simmer, stirring, for 15 minutes. Add fish, cover, and simmer for 10 more minutes, or until fish is done. I always worry about undercooking meat, so I simmered it longer. Mash the fish up so it has no large pieces. Add remaining ingredients. 

Serve with pasta, or on anything you would put spaghetti sauce. It was so yummy! I apparently didn't take a picture of any of the things we used it for the first time around, but I froze half of it and put some on the spinach cheese ravioli, pictured below.

Cheese and Spinach Ravioli

1 package wonton wrappers

1 lb ricotta cheese

1 egg

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1 box frozen spinach, thawed and liquid squeezed out

Ground pepper

(I also grated some ricotta salata cheese, just to try something new)

Mix cheese, egg, bread crumbs, spinach, and pepper to taste. To make each ravioli, lay one wonton wrapper on a plate, put a spoonful of filling in the center of the wrapper. Dip your finger in a cup of water and get all 4 edges of the wrapper wet. Put a second wrapper over the top, and fold and pinch the edges shut. If they come open when you boil them, all the yumminess floats out!

Boil them for 5 minutes, top with your favorite sauce, we used the fish sauce I made a couple of months ago and froze half of. Yum!

Homemade Eggrolls!

I am pretty proud of myself for this one, it was much easier and faster than I expected it to be! As usual, I adapted the recipe that was on the package. They were sooo good! They tasted fresh, and less greasy than the ones you get at a restaurant. 

As a side dish, I made Annie Chun's Chow Mein Noodles with Garlic Black Bean Sauce. I sauteed some mushrooms and onions in it. We're hooked on Annie Chun's!

1 package egg roll wrappers

1 bag broccoli slaw mix (shredded broccoli, carrots, and red cabbage)

1 handful bean sprouts

2 chicken breasts

1 tsp flour

2-3 tps cooking wine

oil (we use olive)

Cut chicken into small pieces. Mix together the flour and wine to make a liquidy paste. Mix it up with the chicken, and brown it in a pan. Meanwhile, set a large pot of water to boil. Put broccoli slaw into the boiling water, make sure it gets all covered in water, and let sit for 30 seconds. Pour into a strainer with small holes and transfer to a large bowl. Spoon the chicken over the veggies, add the bean sprouts, and mix well. 

Lay out the egg roll wrappers, one at a time, so that it looks like a diamond. Put a mound of filling in the middle, closer to the bottom than the top. Fold the bottom corner up, tuck the two sides in, and continue rolling until it gets to the top. Use a finger dipped in water to seal the corner. Let it sit seam side down until you're ready to cook them.

Heat oil in a large skillet, and put a few egg rolls at a time (I did 4), seam side down, into the pan. Let it cook for 2 minutes, or until golden brown. Flip and repeat. Have a paper towel lined dish ready to set the finished ones in.

Turkey Nachos

1 bag corn chips

1 lb lean ground turkey

1 pkg taco seasoning

1 tomato

1 avocado

low fat sour cream

1 bag taco cheese, or other cheese

Brown turkey, and add taco seasoning according to the package. Spread the chips out on a baking sheet, and top with the turkey. Sprinkle cheese over the top, and bake at 350 until the cheese melts (about 5-10 minutes)

While it bakes, cut up the tomato and avocado. When the cheese is melted, take it out, and top with the tomato, avocado, and sour cream.

YUM!

Gouda stuffed gnocchi

We were making gnocchi and snacking on gouda, when we came up with a brilliant idea! So if you just want to make gnocchi, the recipe is the same, just don't add gouda.

2 1/2 lbs potatoes
1 tbsp salt
1 1/2 cups flour, plus extra for rolling
1 egg

Clean and cook the potatoes. Any way works. Let them cool, remove the peel, and mash into a bowl add the salt, flour, and egg and mix until it becomes a dough.

For plain gnocchi:
Roll the dough out into long thin logs, about 1 inch thick. Use a knife to cut them into pieces. Add a quarter of the dumplings to boiling water. When they float, they're done. Skim them out with a slotted spoon or skimmer and put them in a bowl lined with paper towels. Serve with marinara sauce.

For gouda stuffed gnocchi:
Roll the dough out flat, about 1/4 inch thick. Use a small drinking glass to cut rounds out. Put a small cube of gouda into the center, and bring up the edges, pinching them shut. Boil them until they float, and transfer to a paper towel lined bowl. Serve with marinara sauce.

Okie Dokie, Artichokie!

We made artichokes the other day. It was a little bit of a hassle because you have to trim the pokey things off (its actually a thistle!) and wash them and cut off the tops and stems. We put them in a pot with a little bit of water and boiled it for 35 minutes. They turned out really good, we dipped them in cranberry balsamic vinaigrette!

Brussels Sprouts!

We went to Longs (love them!) to get pumpkins and donuts, and they were selling huge stalks of Brussels sprouts for $3!!! So we bought one, it was so cool!



I steamed them for 20 minutes, and while they were cooking, I put some sunflower seeds in a dry pan and toasted them until they were brown. When the brussels sprouts were done, I put some Brummel and Brown spread over them, and the sunflower seeds. YUM!!!

I also made beef that had been marinating in barbecue sauce, macaroni and cheese with beans, and baked potatoes. It was a good dinner!

Italian Chicken on Couscous with Beans

This is really just something I threw together without a recipe but it turned out really good.



Marinate some chicken breasts for at least a couple of hours in Italian dressing (low fat works fine) Then arrange in a dish and put sliced onions on top of each piece, and bake. While thats baking, start a pot of couscous. I put a spoonful of chicken boullion stuff in it, for fun. When its done, stir in some beans. I did kidney. Serve the chicken on top of the couscous and spoon some of the liquid over it.

Yum!

Tabbouleh

I have fond memories of eating this at my grandparents house growing up, its one of my favorites, and its sooo healthy!



1/2 cup bulgur
10 scallions, chopped
1 small bunch fresh parsley
10 fresh mint sprigs
3 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

Put the bulgur in a bowl and cover with water (the more the better). Let stand for 30 minutes. Drain it and squeeze to remove excess water, then place in a bowl. Finely chop the scallions and herbs in a food processor, or with a knife, then add to the bulgur. Add the rest of the ingredients, stir well, cover, and chill 2 hours before serving.

Eric and I couldn't wait with our first batch and ate it right away...and the bottom of the bowl was the best. I highly recommend storing it in a wider container rather than a taller one, because all of the lemony goodness falls to the bottom...which may be why they sell it in those short rectangle boxes...

Polenta with tomato sauce

This takes a tiny bit of a while but its sooo good!

Polenta
I made half a batch of polenta from the Bob's Red Mill bag, as directed on the bag. I find that it only takes about 20 minutes instead of the 30 it says, maybe thats because I'm making less?

Pour it from the pan into a bowl and let it sit for a while to set. Invert it onto a plate.



Meanwhile, in a pan, either heat up store bought spaghetti sauce, or start with a can of diced tomatoes and add Italian seasoning, chopped onion, garlic, parsley, a little bit of flour and lots of black pepper and simmer until it gets saucy.

Pour the sauce over the polenta and cut it into slices to serve. You could do this as the main dish with a big salad, or as a side dish with some meat.

Mexican Stuffed Squash

This recipe is a mix of a couple of recipes from the Moosewood cookbook, with a little bit of my own modifications (it was mostly using some things that we already had, such as squash from my mom's garden and parsley from Eric's mom's garden. It has a very fresh taste.

1 cup cooked rice
2 onions
2 large garlic cloves
1 jalapeno (more if you like it hot), seeds removed
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp ground cumin
1 medium tomato
1 can corn
1 can black beans
1 small bunch parsley (it called for cilantro but we forgot to get it, but we had a lot of parsley from Eric's mom, and it actually tasted really good in it)
salt and pepper to taste
2 medium sized yellow summer squash.

Chop the onions, garlic, and jalapeno. Warm the oil in a pan and then add the onions, garlic, jalapeno, cumin, and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook for 7 minutes. Chop and add the tomato, and stir in the corn, and cook for 5 more minutes.

Add the black beans and cilantro (and/or parsley), and stir in the rice. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.


Preheat the oven to 375

Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Fill each of the halves with the mixture, put on a baking sheet, cover with foil, and bake for 30 minutes.



Yeah, I get points for plating ;-)

Tomatoes and Mozzarella

This is probably my favorite appetizer, I could eat it at any time of the day. And its so easy!!!

Cut up some tomatoes into bite sized pieces, or you can slice them and serve them as rounds. Cut up some mozzarella balls (the fresh kind that come in liquid, NOT the Kraft brick) Then tear up some basil leaves, and pour some olive oil and balsamic vinegar over it. Its not really a measuring kind of recipe, because you can make it as big or small as you want, and according to your tastes.

Sweets and Beets

An improvement on the below recipe. This time, I cubed sweet potatoes and beets (skins left on both, thats where the nutrients are!) and baked them. Same temperature, same amount of time. I sprinkled them with pepper and a little bit of salt and they were soooo good! Luckily, Eric's mom has plenty of beets in her garden because we'll be making this a lot! Do sweet potatoes grow in Michigan?