CAMBODIAN VEGETABLE CURRY

Adapted from the Elephant Walk recipe
Makes 6-8 servings

For Paste:
2 stalks Lemongrass – outer part removed – use white inner part (could not find, so used 1 T. lemongrass paste from Price Chopper)
1 large jalepeno, roughly chopped, including seeds
2 shallots, roughly chopped
1 inch of ginger, peeled and grated (I use a zester)
10 garlic cloves
zest from 2 limes
½ teaspoon turmeric
¾ cup water

Blend all ingredients in a food processor except water – I pulse a few times. Gradually add the water until blended. (It won’t be completely smooth. I assume a blender would work also, and maybe it would be smoother, but it doesn’t matter for the final sauce.)

For Sauce:
¼ cup vegetable oil
all of paste
2 cans coconut milk (I used one light and one regular)
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp salt

Heat oil in large pot or wok. Add the paste and cook about a minute over medium heat. Add the coconut milk, sugar and salt and bring to a boil while stirring regularly. I boil for maybe 5 minutes to thicken the sauce a little. Set aside.

Vegetables:
1 large onion, chopped
10 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 half butternut squash, peeled and chopped (I par-boiled the chunks, but you could slice it thinly and not par-boil)
1 can diced tomatoes, thoroughly drained
6 ounces baby spinach

Start rice boiling.

In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and stir fry the onions and mushrooms for a few minutes (depends how soft you like them). If using raw squash, add at this time also.
Add all the curry sauce and tomatoes. (Add the cooked squash at this time.) Bring to a boil. Turn off heat and stir in the spinach. Serve over jasmine rice.
To make less spicy, don’t include jalepeno seeds.

Ideas for different vegetables:
Eggplant, thinly sliced
Baby bok choy, washed and sliced sideways
Green tomatoes, sliced
Green beans, trimmed at both ends
Zucchini, sliced
Green papaya, julienned
(This is also good with chicken or shrimp)

PENNE A LA GRAPPA

Serves 4
(Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated)
3 Tablespoons butter
1 small onion, minced
1 bay leaf
Pinch red pepper flakes
Salt
3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
6 or 7 ounces oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained, rinsed, patted dry, and chopped coarse
¼ cup plus 2 Tablespoons grappa or dry white wine
2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons crushed tomatoes (from one 28-ounce can, you won’t need whole can)
1 pound pasta (ziti, penne, or fusilli)
½ cup heavy cream
ground black pepper
¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, bay leaf, pepper flakes, and ¼ teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is very soft and beginning to turn light gold, 8 to 12 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, add garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste and sun-dried tomatoes and cook, stirring constantly, until slightly darkened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add ¼ cup grappa/wine and cook, stirring frequently, until liquid has evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add 2 cups crushed tomatoes and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened (spoon should leave trail when dragged through sauce), 25 to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook until al dente. Reserve ½ cup cooking water; drain pasta and transfer back to cooking pot.
Remove bay leaf from sauce and discard. Stir cream, remaining 2 tablespoons crushed tomatoes, and remaining 2 tablespoons grappa/wine into sauce; season to taste with salt and pepper. Add sauce to cooked pasta, adjusting consistency with up to ½ cup pasta cooking water. Stir in basil and serve immediately.
Thaw frozen sauce over low heat on stovetop. Boil pasta until al dente, drain and reserve ½ cup cooking water. Add sauce to cooked pasta, adjusting consistency with up to ½ cup pasta cooking water. Serve immediately.

Sloppy BBQ Joes

Quick and Easy!


1lb lean ground beef
1 small onion, chopped (about 1/3 cup)
1 cup barbecue sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's Honey Barbecue Sauce)
1 can (15oz) spicy chili beans, undrained (Shaw's brand)
12 sandwich buns, split
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1.In skillet, cook beef and onion over medium high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally,until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain.

2. Stir in barbecue sauce and chili beans. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; simmer uncovered 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.

3. Spoon mixture into bottom of buns, sprinkle with cheese.

Buffalo Turkey Calzones

1 lb pizza dough (homemade or not)
2 heaping cups of shredded turkey (or chicken)
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 heaping cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles
1/3 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce
2 tablespoons ranch dressing

Cut pizza dough into four pieces and roll into circles. Mix everything else together until well incorporated. Place about 3/4 a cup of filling onto dough circles. Pull dough over filling forming a half moon shape. Pinch edges to keep filling from leaking out.

To freeze: Pop into the freezer on a cookies sheet. When frozen, put into labeled bags. To bake, put frozen calzones on a foil lined baking sheet, pop into a preheated 400' oven, and bake about 35-40 minutes.

Serve with carrot and celery sticks with blue cheese or ranch dressing or a green salad.

Pineapple Sesame Chicken

This recipe is based on my friend Jeff's delicious meal, with many changes by me.

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds, divided
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1 teaspoon red curry powder
2 large skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into chunks
vegetable oil
4 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
1 can pineapple chucks in their own juice
1 bag frozen veggies (broccoli, snow peas, red peppers, carrots, etc.)
1 tablespoon sesame oil

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine flour, sesame seeds, black pepper, five-spice powder, and red curry powder. Place a few pieces of chicken at a time into the bag, and shake to coat. Remove to a platter.
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Place chicken into skillet, and brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken, and set aside. Drain pineapple (reserve juice).Pour pineapple juice in sauce pan on medium heat. Add 1/2 cup water, teriyaki sauce, sesame oil and remaining flour coating from plastic bag. Bring to a boil, stir with a whisk and reduce (about 15 minutes). Combine chicken, frozen vegetables, pineapple chucks and sauce (toss to mix) into a 9 x 13 pan and cook in oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Serve with rice and Chinese noodles.

Toasted Sesame Chicken and Vegetable Stir-Fry

This is a favorite in our house. It's super quick, easy and healthy!

Ingredients
Assorted veggies
1 lb. chicken breast, cut into small pieces
1/2 bottle Kikkoman Toasted Sesame Quick & Easy Marinade
1 tbsp. sesame oil (you can substitute another oil, but sesame oil gives the chicken extra flavor)
1 1/2 cup rice (any type)

Directions

1. Marinate chicken pieces in marinade (enough to coat them) at least 1/2 hour, but I usually marinate overnight.
2. Saute marinated chicken in sesame oil until cooked through, which should only take a few minutes. Remove chicken and cover to keep warm.
3. Heat another tablespoon of oil (any kind) in skillet, add a few tablespoons of water with the vegetables cover and steam to desired tenderness.
4. Add chicken back to the vegetables and coat with remaining sauce (provided). Remove from heat.
5. Place mixture over rice and enjoy!

Notes: I marinated the chicken in the sauce before freezing them. Also, the Kikkoman Toasted Sesame Marinade is pretty hard to find. I checked Hannaford, Price Chopper and SuperWalmart, but didn't have any luck until I checked at Shaw's. Also, this sauce is extremely versatile and tastes fantastic on salmon, steak and in turkey burgers!

Cheese Enchiladas with Mole Sauce

Serves 8

2 Tablespoons oil
2 medium onions, chopped – about 2 cups
2 cloves of garlic, minced
¼ cup chili powder
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
¾ teasp cinnamon
1 15oz can diced tomatoes (pureed would work too for a smoother sauce)
2 cups water
3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
3 Tablespoons peanut butter

16 oz Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded
16 8-inch tortillas

To make sauce, sauté onions in oil until soft and golden – about 12 mins over medium heat. Add garlic, chili powders, sugar and cinnamon and cook for about a minute. Add tomatoes, water, cocoa, and peanut butter. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

You will need two 9x13 pans. Preheat oven to 350’. Pour about a cup of mole into the bottom of each 9x13 pan. Take a tortilla and place 2 ½ Tablespoons of cheese along the center of the tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in pan. Reserve about 2/3 cup of cheese. Repeat with remaining tortillas, placing 8 enchiladas in each pan. Cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle 1/3 cup of cheese across each set of enchiladas.

Bake 20 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and cheese melts.

Indian Vegetable Curry

This is my own recipe, inspired by wonderful restaurant dishes I've had.

1 medium onion, chopped
12 oz slice mushrooms
1 cup cauliflower (frozen is okay but fresh is better)
1 bag fresh spinach
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
1 15 oz can garbanzo beans
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup cashew pieces
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 - 2 tablespoons Patak's Mild Curry Paste (from Shaw's)

In a large saute pan, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onions and mushrooms and cook until onions begin to caramelize. Add cauliflower, spinach, cinnamon, beans and tomatoes and cook until spinach begins to wilt, about 5 minutes. Add raisins, cashews and curry paste (1 tbsp is mild, 2 is medium, etc.). Cook, stirring often, on medium low heat for about 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro. Serve with rice.