Quinoa Curry Salad with Mango & Cranberries

1 1/2 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup quinoa
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
dried cranberries (I added these, you can probably add anything, but these go great w/ the mango & curry flavor)
1 mango - peeled, seeded and diced (this is so hard to do..if you can find frozen mango & defrost it, it is so much easier. I love to use fresh ingredients if I can, but getting mango fresh is a process)
3 green onions, chopped (chives work good too)

Bring chicken stock, quinoa & spices to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender, 15 minutes. Once done, allow quinoa to cool to room temperature. Add the mango, cranberries and green onions/chives. Serve either at room temperature or cold. Great for leftovers too!

Clam Chowder, New England Style

1 lb. of diced russet potatoes, leave the skin on (about 1 big one should do it)
1/c c. onion, diced
4-6 strips of bacon (save the grease)
2 T. bacon grease
1 T. flour (approximately)
2 c. whole milk
1 c. heavy cream (not half & half)
2 - 10 oz cans of clams OR the equivalent in fresh clams (the best are when you dig them up yourself, maybe in the Hood Canal - that is what inspired me to start this recipe)
1 bottle of clam juice (you may use the liquid from the canned clams, but the bottled clam juice may be more flavorful)
parsley, about 1 handful dried, more if fresh
salt & pepper, to taste

In a large pot, cook bacon. It should be pretty crisp. Remove & place on paper towels. In the same pot saute the diced onions. Add the diced potatoes & saute until the potatoes are coated with the grease. Add flour and saute until potatoes & onions are coated.
Add clam juice and bring to a boil while stirring. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer with the lid on. Cook with the lid on for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Stir.
Combine the milk and heavy cream. Add mixture, bacon (chopped into bits) & clams. Stir & heat through until hot, NOT boiling. While heating, add salt & pepper to taste. Add parsley.
Serve hot. If you want to make it pretty, set aside some bacon &/or parsley & garnish with bacon &/or parsley.

Syracuse Salt Potatoes

about 3 lbs of Small Potatoes, white or red

2-3 mounds of regular table salt (overflowing in you hand), basically a whole lotta salt

place in water enough to cover pototoes

bring to a boil

cook for 15-20 minutes until fork tender

drain

eat w/ lots o' butter



If you go to a clam bake in Syracuse, NY you will find lots of clams, salt potatoes swimming in melted butter, but a good size pat of butter works just a good.



These are also great to eat cold w/o the butter plain or in a salad.



Here is some history I found too:



The salt potato got its start in the late 1800s, when salt was distilled by boiling water from marshes around Syracuse, NY. Workers, many of them Irish, would put potatoes in boiling vats and the have them for lunch. (By Kim Serverson, The New York Times)

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a pan w/ oil.

2 boneless chicken breasts filleted/butterflied and pounded
a few slices of ham
a few slices of swiss cheese
paprika
mustard
Parmesan cheese, grated
bread crumbs, unseasoned
flour
toothpicks
3 eggs
2 T. cream
Mornay Sauce (see recipe below)

Mix eggs & cream into an egg wash; set aside.

Combine Parm & bread crumbs; set aside.

Season pounded chicken w/ paprika & mustard. Place 1 slice of swiss cheese & one slice of ham on chicken & roll up into an oval shape. Dust w/ flour. Dip in egg wash. Roll in Parm/bread crumb comb.

Bake covered at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 10 minutes.

Once plated, ladle Mornay Sauce over the top of chicken.

Mornay Sauce
1 T. butter
1 T. flour
1 c. milk
1/2 t. salt
2 T. swiss cheese, grated
1 t. onion powder
pepper to taste

In a small heavy saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour. Add milk & cook stirring constantly until boiling. Reduce heat and add cheese, salt & pepper. Cook stirring constantly about 5 minutes until smooth.

Banana Bread w/ Chocolate

3 or 4 mashed bananas
1 c. sugar + some extra
1 egg
4 T melted butter
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 flour
6 oz chocolate chips/chunks (i used the semi-sweet mini chips or the dark chocolate chunks - both are yummy!)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Mix all ingredients except the chocolate chips/chunks & the "extra" sugar.
Fold in the chocolate chips/chunks.
Pour mixture into a greased &/or floured &/or parchment papered (however you keep the bottom from not sticking) loaf pan.
Sprinkle "extra" sugar on the top. Do as little or as much as you want. This will make a nice crust on top as is bakes.
Bake for approximately 1 hour.
Cool on a wire rack.
Eat & enjoy!
WARNING: This will be your most requested recipe ;)

Moroccan Pumpkin and Lentils Stew

Found in Optimum Wellness...states it is a hearty North African stew

2T. olive oil
1 large onion, diced (1 1/2 c.)
1 japepeno pepper, seeded & sliced
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, or 4 fresh tomatoes chopped
1 c. green lentils, rinsed
1 T. paprika
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
1 t. ground cumin
1 2-lb. pumpkin, peeled, seeded & cubed (about 1-1 1/2 c. cubed) or any type of squash
note: this is a pain to do, but if your store sells butternut squash or something similar already cubed & you don't mind spending the extra money that will work too
1/2 c tomato puree (i just used the small 6oz. can of paste - works just fine)
1/4 c chopped cliantro, for garnish

1. Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion & jalapeno, & saute 10 minutes, or until onin is translucnet & golden. Add tomatoes, lentils, & spices & cook 2 to 3 minutes more. Stir in pumpkin, tomato puree, & 2 1/2 c. water. Seaton w/ salt & pepper.

2. Reduce heat to medium-low, & cook 40 minutes, or until pumpkin & lentils are tender, stirring occasionally & adding more water if needed. Season w/ salt & pepper. Garnish with cilantro & serve hot.

ENJOY!!

if you care...
PER SERVING: 161 CAL; 9 G PROT; 4 G TOTAL FAT (.5 SAT.FAT); 25 G CARB; 0 MG CHOL; 287 MG SOD; 9 G FIBER; 7 G SUGAR

Chili Mole Concoction 2009

I combined two chili recipes & came up with this. I am not a pro, so it takes me forever to chop; therefore, I recommend setting aside a good 4 hours total for this one. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoonsvegetable oil
• 4 pounds ground meat (I used 2 pounds of beef & 2 pounds of pork/sausage)
  
• 4 cups chopped yellow onions
• 1 (of each) green, yellow & red pepper, chopped
  
• 1 1/2 or so cups of yellow squash or zucchini, cubed
  
• 1 cob of corn, shucked & kernels removed
  
• 3 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 1/4 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
  
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes(optional)
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 4 (12-ounce) bottles dark beer (don't go too dark, it can make it bitter)
  
• 2 (28-ounce) cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes (drained)
• 6 ozs tomato paste
• 1 1/2- 2 tablespoons salt
• 2-3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1-ounce (1 square) unsweetened chocolate - may want to use a semi-sweet
• 6 cups cooked red kidney beans (see Note) or 4 (15-ounce) cans, drained and rinsed( you can mix the beans here (black bean, chickpeas, pinto, etc.)
  
• 1 cup grated Cheddar (white extra-sharp is the best), for garnish
• 1 cup finely chopped green onions, for garnish
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
  

Directions

Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over high heat. Add the beef and brown well, about 10 minutes. Add the onions, peppers, squash/zucchini, corn, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, cinnamon, crushed red pepper flakes, and bay leaf and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables soften, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the beer and cook until the foam subsides, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, brown sugar, and chocolate to the pot. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 1 hour, stirring occasionally to prevent the chili from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Skim off as much fat as possible. Add the beans, return to a simmer, cover, and cook until thickened, about 1 1/2 hours longer. If not thickening, leave cover off & turn up the heat for about the last 30-45 minutes, checking often so it doesn't burn on the bottom. Serve with the cheese, green onions, and cilantro alongside as garnish.

Chef's Note: To make 6 cups cooked red kidney beans: Soak 1 pound dried beans for 6 hours or overnight. Drain the beans and place them in a large saucepan. Add water to cover by 2 inches and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until just tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.