Cucumber Noodles with Peanut Sauce

Tonight's dinner was on the money.   Mike made it!

Cucumber Noodles with Peanut Sauce

Ingredients:

For the Peanut Sauce:

2/3 cup creamy natural peanut butter
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons gluten-free Tamari (or soy sauce)
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons agave (or honey)
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
Dash of red pepper flakes, to taste
1/3 cup warm water

For the Cucumber Noodles:
2 large seedless cucumbers
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
1/3 cup chopped peanuts, for garnish

directions:

1. First, make the peanut sauce. In a large bowl, combine peanut butter, rice vinegar, Tamari, sesame oil, agave, and lime juice. Whisk until smooth. Stir in garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Whisk in the warm water until sauce is smooth.

2. Next, make the cucumber noodles with the spiralizer.

3. Place cucumber noodles on a plate or in a bowl. Drizzle with peanut sauce and toss gently. Top with cilantro and peanuts.

Mujaddara Burghul

This is another recipe from a Syrian friend of mine was n Amsterdam.  We've known each other for years and he made this dish for me when I was in Amsterdam 10 years ago.  I've made this before.  This is a different recipe.  I posted it on my blog about a year ago.

    2 cup green lentils
    1 cup bulgur
    2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
    8 oz diced tomato
    4 oz pine nuts
    1 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons olive oil
    1 onion, finely diced (1 cup)
    2 cloves of garlic diced
    2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
    1 teaspoon lemon zest
    1 tablespoon lemon juice
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Place lentils and 2 cups broth in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes, then reduce to a simmer and cook until lentils are tender and most liquid is dissolved, about 30 minutes. Drain any remaining liquid. While lentils are cooking, place bulgur and remaining 2 cups chicken broth in another small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until most liquid is dissolved and bulgur is tender, about 13 to15 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Add the bulgur to the lentils.

Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions, pine nuts, and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes.  Add the onion mixture to bulgur-lentil mixture. Stir in the diced tomato, chives, lemon zest, lemon juice, tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper and toss to incorporate.

Thai Red Curry Chicken with Basil

i've been thinking about making this for a while. this dish would have been not spicy enough so i added in chili oil even with the serrano pepper.  future recipes i will add 2 serrano peppers.

• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 ¹⁄₂ tbsp. red curry paste
• 13 ¹⁄₂ ounces coconut milk, shaken well
• 1 ¹⁄₂ lbs chicken breasts, raw, sliced into bite size pieces
• 1 serrano pepper, sliced
• 1 onion sliced
• 2 tbsp. garlic, chopped
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 2 tsp. fish sauce
• 2 red bell pepper, sliced thin
• 10 - 15 large basil leaves
• salt and pepper
• 1 tsp red chili oil 
• basil for garish

Directions:

1.    Heat the oil in the frying pan over medium heat. saute onions, serrano pepper, and garlic.  5 min.

2.    Add the curry paste and simmer for 2 minutes, so that it is dissolved, fragrant and foaming.

3.    Stir in the can of the coconut milk. Cook over medium heat for 5 - 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4.    Add the sliced chicken. Simmer for 4 minutes.

5.    Stir in the sugar, fish sauce, basil, and bell pepper. Simmer until the chicken is cooked, about 10 minutes

6.    plate and add more basil leaves.

No Knead Bread with Sesame Seeds

The day before easter I made bead to bring over Mom and Dad's house.  This is not a baguette bread.  It's a recipe that my friends friend made.  I adjusted the recipe.

Ingredients

   2 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
   1 cup whole wheat flour
   1 teaspoon instant yeast
   2 teaspoons salt
   1 ¾ cups of warm water
   1 tbsp honey
   Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed

Preparation

    In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 ¾ cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

    Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.

    Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

    At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. 

the dimensions are 9in. x 9in. x 5in if anyone is interested..

Cool on a rack.

http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/11376-no-knead-bread

Neapolitan Spaghetti Pie

   this recipe was inspired by my cousin Rebecca to make for Easter.  i remember when Mom would make
   this regularly.  i have fond memories <3  it will be a delight and pleasure for me to bring this dish tomorrow.

    1lb spaghetti, cooked and drained
    1 teaspoon olive oil
    1/4 - 1/2 lb. uncooked bacon slab, diced
    1-1/2 cups chopped onion
    1 tablespoon minced garlic
    6 large eggs
    1 cup Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
    1/2 cup light cream
    3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
    1/2 cup provolone cheese
    6 oz. Genoa salami, diced
    2 tablespoons chopped basil
    2 tablespoons chopped parsley
    1 teaspoon salt
    1 teaspoon teaspoon freshly ground pepper
    sprinkle of red pepper

Directions

Cook spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but firm. Drain and refresh with cold
water.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until browned. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Transfer mixture to a small bowl and let cool slightly.    

Whisk together eggs, ricotta cheese, salami, basil, parsley, provolone, Parmesan, cream, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Stir in the onion mixture. Add spaghetti and mix all ingredients together.

Add a thin layer of olive oil at bake at 375F for about 45 min.

Cook until bottom is golden.

Cornish Hens with Lemon, Herbs, and Roasted Root Vegetables with Apple Juice

mike has this at Indian Road cafe the other night.  i thought i would give this a try.

Ingredients

• 2 Cornish hens (about 1 3/4 pounds each), room temperature, rinsed well and patted dry
• 1 bunch fresh thyme (about 1/2 ounce), plus more for garnish
• 2 lemons, halved, plus wedges for serving
• 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place hens in a roasting pan, breast sides up. Place 2 thyme sprigs and 1 lemon half in cavity of each hen. Loosen skin from breast, and place remaining thyme and the parsley underneath. Squeeze remaining lemon halves over hens. Rub butter all over hens. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Roast hens, rotating pan halfway through, until skin turns golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 180 degrees, 45 to 50 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut hens in half lengthwise. Garnish with thyme sprigs, and serve with lemon wedges.

To make the root vegetables:

Ingredients

• 3 cups apple juice
• 1 cup white wine
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 1/4 pounds turnips
• 1 1/4 pounds parsnips
• 1 1/4 pounds carrots
• 1 1/4 pounds sweet potatoes (yams)
• 3 Andouille sausages, cut into cubes

Directions

Boil apple juice and wine in heavy large saucepan until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 30 minutes. Whisk in butter.
saute the andouille sausages in olive oil.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Peel and cut vegetables into 1/2-inch pieces. Divide between 2 large roasting pans. Pour apple juice mixture over vegetables. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast until vegetables and sausages until they are tender and golden, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes.

http://www.marthastewart.com/340178/cornish-hens-with-lemon-and-herbs

Chicken Florentine

something quick and simple for dinner.

4 large chicken breasts, boneless and skinless

8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 shallot, sliced

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp garlic powder

12 oz fresh spinach

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup half & half  

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Directions

Wash and dry the chicken breasts, and season with salt and pepper. Place half the olive oil in a medium skillet and cook the chicken about 4 minutes on each side over medium heat. Remove to plate, cover with foil, and keep warm.

Place the rest of the olive oil in the same skillet and heat over medium heat. Sautee the mushrooms and shallots until well cooked and the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated. Sprinkle with the garlic powder.

Add the spinach to the skillet and heat through until wilted. Stir in the soup, cream, and nutmeg, and blend well. Return the chicken breasts to the skillet and cover. Cook over low heat until chicken is done and flavors blend, about 8 minutes longer. 

http://www.justapinch.com/recipes/main-course/chicken/easy-chicken-florentine.html