Friday, January 28, 2005

Pork kabobs

Pork Kabobs

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup onion -- chopped
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon parsley -- chopped
1 clove garlic -- minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 pounds pork -- cubed

Combine, marinate, and refridgerate for several hours, turning occassionally.

Drain pork. Thread on skewers, leaving a small space inbetween cubes. Grill for 8 to 10 minutes, turning frequently.

Serve with pita bread, tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions.

Thursday, January 27, 2005

Tzatziki

8 ounces plain yogurt
1/2 cup cucumber -- chopped
1 tablespoon onion -- chopped
1 tablespoon parsley -- chopped
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon garlic salt

Combine, chill until ready to serve.


NOTES : Do not use fat free plain yogurt.

Wednesday, January 26, 2005

Smothered Buttermilk Chicken

1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs -- (4 or 5 thighs)
3 medium carrots -- sliced
1/3 cup onion -- chopped
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 bay leaf
1 package roasted chicken gravy mix
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons flour
1 cup frozen peas

In a 4 to 6 quart crock pot, combine chicken, carrots, onion, water, butter, salt, pepper and bay leaf; mix well.

Cover; cook on low setting for 6 to 8 hours. High setting for 3 to 4 hours.

ABout 20 minutes before serving, stir gravy mix into crock pot. Remove and discard bay leaf.

In a measuring cup, blend buttermilk and flour until smooth. Stir flour mixture and peas into chicken; mix well.

Cover, increase heat to high; cover and cook an additonal 25-20 minutes or until peas are cooked.

Serve with rice or biscuits.

Tuesday, January 25, 2005

Punjabi Style Masala Shrimp

Recipe courtesy Geetika Khanna

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
2 dried red chiles -- such as arbol (2 to 3)
2 medium onions -- sliced
3 tablespoons ground coriander
2 tablespoons minced peeled -- fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 medium plum tomatoes -- diced
1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp -- peeled and deveined
1 cup whole-milk yogurt -- divided
Cilantro leaves -- for garnish
Chopped fresh green chiles -- for garnish

Heat the oil in a large straight-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds and red chiles and cook, stirring, until the fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the coriander, ginger, garlic, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until dark and fragrant, about 3 minutes more. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until somewhat soft, about 3 minutes. (You can make the sauce up to this point a day ahead.)

When ready to serve, heat the sauce over high heat. As soon as it starts to bubble on the edges, add the shrimp and cook, stirring, until the shrimp turns opaque. Lower the heat, gradually stir in the yogurt, and gently heat it through. (Don't bring it to a boil or the yogurt may separate.) Season with salt and pepper, transfer to a serving platter, and sprinkle with the cilantro and green chiles. Serve.

Sunday, January 23, 2005

Strawberry Bread


3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 eggs -- beaten
1 cup strawberry puree -- about 2 cups sliced berries
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups fresh strawberries -- chopped
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350. Spray two 9" loaf pans with cooking spray.

In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients.

In a seperate bowl, combine the wet ingredients.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones and stir gently to combine.

Stir in nuts and strawberry pieces.

Bake in two 9" loaf pans for 1 hour, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool in pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely for best flavor.

Saturday, January 22, 2005

Vegetable Enchiladas

Vegetable Enchiladas

Recipe By :Marge Poore

Basic Cooked Tomatillo Sauce (see notes)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium white onion -- chopped
2 medium zucchini -- coarsely shredded
1 cup corn kernels
1 red bell pepper -- finely chopped
3 Tablespoons sour cream -- or Mexican crema
2 Tablespoons cilantro -- chopped
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt -- or to taste
freshly ground pepper -- to taste
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
8 corn tortillas -- 6 or 7 inch
1 cup manchego cheese -- shredded (I use monterey jack)
2 green onions -- thinly sliced crosswise

Prepare the sauce. Cover and keep warm. Preheat oven to 375. Heat the olive oil in a skillet and cook the onion until it starts to brown. Add the zucchini, corn, and red peppers. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are crisp tender- about 5 minutes. Stir in sour cream, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

In a medium skillet, heat 2 TBS vegetable oil until it shimmers. Using tongs, dip tortillas one at a time into the hot oil to soften. Drain on paper towels and stack on a plate. Cover to keep them soft and warm.

To assemble the enchiladas, put 1 tortilla on a plate and sppon aout 1/4 cup of the vegetable mixture on the lower third of the tortilla. Roll up into a cylinder and place seam side down in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Repeat until all tortillas are filled, rolled, and placed side by side in the dish. Pour the cooked tomatillo sauce over the enchiladas. Sprinkle with cheese and onions. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until hetaed through. Serve immediately.

NOTES : Cooked Tomatillo Sauce:

1 pound tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed, and quartered.
1/2 medium white onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 to 2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro
1/2 tsp dried oregano (Mexican variety preferred)
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp sugar
1/2 cup canned fat free reduced sodium chicken broth
salt to taste

Combine everything except broth and salt in a blender. Blend to a smooth puree. Pour into a saucepan with the chicken broth and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the sauce thickens a bit and is completely cooked. About 15 minutes. Adjust seasoning. The sauce is ready to use or can be refrigerated for 5 days, or frozen for 3 months.

Friday, January 21, 2005

Mocha Truffle Cookies


shared by missindi on CLBB


1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups flour, all-purpose
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips

Melt butter and 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Add instant coffee and blend well. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.

Add sugars, eggs, and vanilla to coffee mixture. Add dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoon on greased cookie sheets.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Do not overbake.

Yield: 3 dozen

Thursday, January 20, 2005

Banana Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

from Cooking Light

Cooking spray
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
1 cup bananas -- mashed
1/2 cup buttermilk
Frosting:
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup cream cheese with pineapple -- ¥
3 Tablespoons milk, 1% lowfat
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar
Remaining ingredients:
2 tablespoons pecans, dry-roasted -- finely chopped
2 tablespoons coconut, toasted

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. To prepare cake, coat 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray; line bottoms with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray.

3. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Place granulated sugar, oil, 1-1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract, egg whites, and egg in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add mashed banana; beat well. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

4. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on wire racks; remove from pans. Peel off wax paper; cool completely on wire racks.

5. To prepare frosting, place cream cheese and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy. Add powdered sugar; beat at low speed until smooth.

6. Place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread with 1/2 cup icing, and top with other cake layer. Spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle pecans and coconut over top of cake. Store cake loosely covered in refrigerator. Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 slice).