Best. Hummus. Ever.

This post is short and sweet... I have tried a few hummus recipes in my day, and this one's the best I've found yet. Thanks for sharing it, Patrice!

http://www.inspiredtaste.net/15938/easy-and-smooth-hummus-recipe/

Curried Vegetable and Chickpea Stew

A sweet friend here in Korea (thanks, AmyLyn!) passed this yummy recipe along to help us get through the long, cold winter... And it's been long and cold! We've had it twice now, and both times it's been a winner. I strayed from the original recipe on a few points, and I hope it's not too confusing. You get to choose your own adventure on this one: stovetop or crockpot, so try to follow along as I take you on a bit of a wild ride :)

As a side note, I suggest pairing this stew with either a crusty bread or... garlic na'an! It definitely has an Indian flair, so the garlic na'an was perfect IMO.

Photo courtesy of thekitchn.com

Curried Vegetable and Chickpea Stew
Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine

1 tsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
**optional: 1 lb. ground pork sausage**
2 all-purpose potatoes, diced (I used 4 Yukon)
1 T salt
1 T curry powder
1 T brown sugar
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated (abt 1 T)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
2 C chicken or vegetable broth
2 (16-oz) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
1 (28-oz) can diced tomatoes with their juices
1/4 tsp black pepper
10 oz. baby spinach
1 C coconut milk

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat (or heavy pot if you're going to make this entirely on the stovetop). Saute the onion with one teaspoon of salt until translucent, about 5 minutes. (I actually omitted the oil and salt; instead, I cooked a pound of ground pork sausage and then cooked the onion with it). Add the potatoes and another teaspoon of salt, and saute until just translucent around the edges.

Stir in the curry, brown sugar, ginger, garlic and cayenne, and cook until fragrant--about 30 seconds. (This will smell heavenly :) Pour in 1/4 cup of broth and scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze.

From this point you can follow directions for either the stovetop or crockpot:

Stovetop: Add the rest of the broth, chickpeas, bell peppers, cauliflower, tomatoes and juice, black pepper, and the final teaspoon of salt. Stir to combine. The liquid should come about halfway up the side of the pot. Set on medium-low temp and simmer for 30 minutes, or until cauliflower and potatoes are significantly softer. Stir in the spinach and coconut milk. Cover with lid and cook for one minute to allow spinach to wilt. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.

Crockpot: Pour the onion/potato combination into the bowl of your crockpot. Add the rest of the broth, chickpeas, bell peppers, cauliflower, tomatoes and juice, black pepper, and the final teaspoon of salt. Stir to combine. The liquid should come about halfway up the sides of the crockpot--add more broth if necessary. Cover and cook for 4 hours on high. Stir in the spinach and coconut milk. Cover with lid and cook for one minute to allow spinach to wilt. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.

**Serve on its own (as a stew with bread as mentioned above), or over couscous, Israeli couscous, or orzo pasta. Enjoy!

Coconut Shrimp Curry

Okay sis... i think this has all your favorite ingredients... cilantro, shrimp, ginger, coconut milk. I think I found a winner. Let me know if you guys like it!! Adapted from melskitchencafe.com

1 1/2 lbs large or extra large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Shrimp marinade:
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 T fresh lemon juice

Combine in a plastic bag and then add shrimp. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.

For sauce:
1 T canola oil
1 med red or yellow onion
3/4 C small bits of cauliflower
3/4 C diced red pepper
1 tsp pepper
1 T minced fresh giner
1 T kosher salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can coconut milk
1 C fresh cilantro

In a medium sized pot, heat oil over medium heat until hot. Add onion and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the pepper, ginger, salt, garlic, coriander, turmeric, and curry powder. Continue cooking over medium heat , stirring often, until the mixture is very fragrant and teh onion is soft adn translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add diced toms, cauliflower, and red pepper, stir til combined scraping browned bits from teh bottom, for about a minute. Increase the heat to med-high and simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring often. Add the coconut milk, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil and add shrimp plus the marinade. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook intil the shrimp are curled, lightly pink and cooked through, about 2-4 minutes. Stir in cilantro. Serve over hot rice... this is sure to become a family favorite!!

Root Veggie Saute

See if this makes to it the Thanksgiving feast!

2 T olive oil
3 lbs butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2 in cubes
2 C beets, (4 C if you LOVE them, like me) cut any way you like :)
1/2 C diced yellow onion
2 tsp minced garlic
4 1/2 C chopped fresh kale
1 tsp grated lemon zest
2 T fresh lemon juice
1/2 t kosher salt
1/2 t black pepper
2 T craisins
4 T chopped pecans/walnuts
4 T crumbled goat cheese (I LOVE goat cheese)

In a large skillet, heat oil over med-high heat. Add squash, beets, onion, garlic, and cook until squash is lightly browned and slightly tender, about 7 minutes. Add kale, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and cook until kale is wilted and squash is tender, 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat. Add craisins and nuts, toss to combine, and sprinkle with heavenly goat cheese. YUM!

Israeli Couscous with Chickpeas, Brussels Sprouts, & Asparagus

So this has been an easy, go to meal for us lately... and it's meatless, which we try to do a few times a week!

3 C Brussels sprouts
2 T olive oil
2T balsamic vinegar
1 medium bunch asparagus
1 15 oz can chick peas, rinsed and drained
2 C uncooked Israeli couscous
2.5 tbsp lemon juice
2 T minced garlic
1/2 C grated parmesam cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425. Cut brussels sprouts in half, toss with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Cook for 20-22 min, tossing at the half way point.
Meanwhile, cook couscous according to package directions and chop up asparagus and stem.
Once brussel sprouts, couscous, and asparagus are done, combine them all in a large bowl along with chickpeas, lemon juice, garlic, parm cheese and salt and pepper. Stir everything together and eat up!

Cheese Fondue

The first course--this is personally my favorite part. I am more a salty than sweet kind of person... Take that however you want to :o)





Cheese Fondue
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese (or more Swiss if too difficult to find)
2 Tbsp flour
1 clove garlic, cut in half
1 1/2 cups dry white wine (or chicken broth)
1 Tbsp lemon juice

Coat cheeses with flour by tossing together in a large bowl. Rub garlic on the bottom and sides of the fondue pot; discard garlic. Pour wine (or broth) into fondue pot and heat just until bubbles rise to the surface. Stir in lemon juice. Gradually add floured cheese, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly over low heat, until cheeses are melted. You may add more cheese or wine, as needed, to reach the desired consistency.

Dippers (any or all of these):
Broccoli, blanched
Cauliflower, blanched
Asparagus, blanched
Cherry Tomatoes
Mushrooms, blanched
Granny Smith apples, sliced
French bread, cubed
Pumpernickel bread, cubed
Rye bread, cubed

Karen's Mock-Olive-Garden Salad

I crave this salad on an almost-continual basis, but as the closest Olive Garden is about 20 miles away, we don't get there very often. Last night, I decided to try and re-create it on my own with ingredients I had on hand, and I think it worked pretty darn well!

Let me know what you think...

Karen's Mock-Olive-Garden Salad

Romaine lettuce

Spinach

(A mix with red cabbage in it would add extra color)

1 seeded cucumber, chopped

Whole grape tomatoes

Sliced red onion

Sliced pepperoncini (banana peppers in jar)

Assorted croutons (white, pumpernickel, etc.)

Ken's Lite Caesar Dressing

Shredded Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top

Black Bean Enchiladas

This dish is kind of like lasagna, except Mexican! Lots of layering... And it can be vegetarian if you wish--just omit the chicken.

Black Bean Enchiladas

2 C. chopped chicken

2 T. chopped cilantro

2 cans black beans, drained

1 can green chilies, undrained

1 can enchilada sauce, red or green

8 corn tortillas

1 1/2 C. shredded cheese

16 oz. sour cream

Heat oven to 375; spray 11x7 pan. In medium bowl, mix chicken, cilantro, beans and chilies. Spread 2 T. enchilada sauce in bottom of 11x7. Place 4 tortillas, overlapping. Spoon 1/2 chicken mixture and spread over tortillas. Sprinkle 1/2 cup cheese over mixture, then spread 1/2 the can of enchilada sauce, and 1 cup sour cream. REPEAT. Cover with foil and bake for 30-35 minutes. Sprinkle top with rest of cheese; bake uncovered for 5 more minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Spicy Thai Noodles

This one is great either on its own or as a side dish. It would go well with my Teriyaki Chicken or Jennie Call's Sweet & Sour Chicken. Yuh-hum!

Spicy Thai Noodles

1 lb. spaghetti or fettuccine noodles, uncooked

1 bunch baby spinach (or regular spinach cut in half)

1 bunch green onion, chopped in 1-inch pieces

1 lb. cooked chicken or tofu (optional for main dish)

*chopped cilantro, optional

Cook noodles according to package directions. Combine sauce ingredients (see below). Pour sauce over cooked noodles; add spinach, onion and chicken. Mix well, top with cilantro (if desired) and serve immediately. 

Sauce:  

1/2 C sugar

3/4 C soy sauce

1 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper

2 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

1/8 tsp. allspice

1/4 C rice vinegar

1/2 C olive oil

3 Tbsp peanut oil

1/2 C crushed peanuts

Vegetable Lo Mein

This recipe is from a great book called "How to Cook without a Book" by Pam Anderson. It might sound counter-intuitive, but the whole point of the book is to teach you how to use variations on the same basic ingredients to come up with all kinds of different dishes. It's a wonderful resource--check and see if your library has it!

So... in keeping true to the book, you can change this recipe up--I've only ever used vegetables, but you can add chicken, beef, shrimp, pork or tofu (you'd cook it first before adding the veggies). I like to have Lo Mein as a side dish to complement whatever meat I'm using. You can try it with my Teriyaki Chicken or Jennie Call's Sweet & Sour Chicken...

Vegetable Lo Mein

2-3 cups vegetables, cut into bite-size pieces (I use any combination of broccoli, carrots, snow peas, mushrooms, bell peppers, etc)

1 onion, sliced into strips

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 tsp. fresh ginger, minced

1-2 Tbsp soy sauce

2-4 Tbsp vegetable oil

8 oz. spaghetti/linguini/fettuccine noodles, cooked

1 batch of Lo Mein sauce (see below)

**toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Heat a large skillet on high, then turn down to medium and add 1-2 Tbsp oil and onion. Cook for a minute until onion is a little soft and slightly browned. Then add your vegetables, one variety at a time, and cook till crisp-tender before adding the next group. When veggies are all in, add garlic and ginger and cook for 1 more minute. Then remove from heat and put veggies in a bowl.

Next, put the now-empty skillet back on the heat and add the rest of the oil. When the oil is shimmery, add noodles and stir-fry for a minute till coated and hot. Put the veggies back in, pour Lo Mein sauce over everything, mix well till coated, top with toasted sesame seeds if you want, and serve immediately!

Lo Mein Flavoring Sauce

1/4 C chicken broth

1/4 C soy sauce

2 tsp. rice vinegar

2 tsp. toasted sesame oil

1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 tsp. sugar

Honey Carrots

I am always looking for ways to spice up my veggies. Here are a couple of great, easy ideas from my sis...

Honey Carrots

6 carrots

2 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp butter

 

Cook carrots 15 minutes. Drain well. Add butter and honey. Mix well and serve immediately.

Party Broccoli

Party Broccoli

1 1/2 lbs. broccoli

2 Tbsp onion, chopped

2 Tbsp butter

1 1/2 C sour cream

2 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. vinegar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. poppy seeds

Cook broccoli till tender. Drain well and set aside. Microwave onion and butter for 2 minutes, then stir into broccoli with remaining ingredients. Heat through, but do not boil. Serve immediately.

Tuscan Bean Soup

This recipe is great for a quick, healthy meal... It comes from an old vegetarian cookbook I can't find anymore, but I copied the recipe before I lost it :o) Smart thinking!!!

Tuscan Bean Soup

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

2 medium carrots, sliced

2 1/2 C vegetable (or chicken) broth

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp. dried rosemary

1 C small pasta shells (any small pasta works well)

1 8-oz. can tomato sauce

1 15-oz. can canellini (or any white) beans

1 tsp. dried sage or basil

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, celery and carrot; saute about 3 minutes. Add broth and 2 1/2 C water; cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic, rosemary, and pasta. Cook uncovered for 5-8 minutes or until pasta is tender but firm to the bite (al dente). Stir in tomato sauce, beans and sage; heat through. Serve hot--pasta will soak up broth after a little while. 

**This recipe is wonderful with a little fresh parmesan on top and crusty bread on the side!

Greek Salad

This one is from a friend from our BYU days. She and her sister-in-law were both in our married student ward, and they have a fantastic recipe blog, Edwards Edibles. Check it out for more good recipes, but this one caught my eye--and it's SO good.

The Ultimate Greek  Salad

Dressing:

6 Tbsp olive oil (or less)

1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp dried oregano

Salad:

1 head lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces

3 large plum tomatoes, sliced thin

1 English cucumber, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 medium red onion, cut into thin rings

1 small green or red pepper, cut into thin rings

3/4 C kalamata olives

3/4 C crumbled Feta cheese

Whisk dressing ingredients together till blended; season to taste. Layer in order (or just combine) all salad ingredients in large bowl; pour dressing over and either toss or leave it for everyone to do individually.

Cafe Rio Rice

As stated before, this is great in a flour tortilla with the pulled pork. The best way I've had it, however, is at the bottom of a toasted tortilla with a little cheese, then topped with black beans, lettuce, guacamole, pico de gallo, cilantro sprigs, shredded chicken and crunchy tortilla strips. Then comes the magic: Creamy Tomatillo dressing. But that's another post... (see below :o)

Cafe Rio Rice

3 cups water

1 can green chilies

1/2 bunch cilantro, stems removed

1/2 onion

4 tsp. chicken base or bouillon

4 tsp. garlic, minced

3/4 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. butter

2 cups rice

Bring water to boil. While waiting, blend cilantro, green chilies and onion together in food processor till pureed. Once water is boiling, add all ingredients, including puree--then cover and simmer 30 minutes.

Pesto

Yum is all I have to say...

Quick, Easy & Delicious Pesto

3 packed cups fresh basil leaves (stems removed)

2 large fresh garlic cloves

1/2 cup pinenuts

3/4 cup packed fresh parsley

3/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 melted butter

salt to taste

Combine everything in a blender or food processor on low, then medium speed. Thoroughly work everything into a smooth paste. Toss with hot, drained pasta or spoon onto hot gnocchi. Also fantastic as a side to dip bread in...

*** I use this pesto recipe to make my Pesto Chicken Pasta.

Asian Noodle Salad

OK, if I am breaking the silence that has plagued this blog for the 

last 6 months, you KNOW it's for a good reason...

For Father's Day, my mom made this incredible salad that was even better the next day. It was seriously one of the best salads I've ever had, and you know how many salads I love :o) Granted, my dad and Jeremy weren't as into it as my mom and I were, but that was fine--more for us!!!

If you don't have all of the salad ingredients, just put in what you can. The more varied, the better though... For a great play-by-play and gorgeous pictures of this salad, click here. 

Asian Noodle Salad (from Jamie Oliver)

Salad ingredients: 

1 package linguine noodles, cooked, rinsed and cooled (abt. 8 oz)

1/2 to 1 head each: sliced Napa cabbage, purple cabbage, and baby spinach

1 each sliced thin: red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, and orange bell pepper

1 small bag (mung) bean sprouts

3 sliced green onions/scallions

3 peeled, sliced cucumbers

1 whole bunch cilantro, chopped (I can't get enough of this stuff--it makes the recipe, IMO)

1 can whole cashews

Dressing ingredients:

Juice of 1 lime

8 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. sesame oil

6 Tbsp. soy sauce

1/3 cup brown sugar

3 Tbsp. fresh ginger, chopped

2 cloves fresh garlic, chopped

2 hot peppers or jalapenos, chopped (opt.)

More chopped cilantro :o)

Mix together salad ingredients (my mom layered the ingredients, with the noodles on the bottom--so pretty!). Whisk together dressing ingredients and pour over salad. Mix with tongs (or clean hands :o) and serve on large platter. 

Enjoy!!!

Grilled vegetables

OK, so Lisa H. asked me to post some good ideas for veggies on the grill. Perfect timing, because recently I went to Target's outdoor section, and they had all their grill stuff on clearance. So I bought a little metal basket-type thing with holes in it for grilling veggies... right up my alley! You don't HAVE to have this little contraption in order to grill veggies, but it's made it a lot easier for me. You can also form a low-lying rectangular box with edges out of foil and put it right on the grill. It's just a little more precarious.
Here's what I did: I just cut up all different-colored peppers, fresh mushrooms, yellow squash, pre-boiled red potatoes, and an onion (red or yellow), tossed them with some olive oil, kosher salt, and fresh-ground pepper, threw them in my little basket and put the basket on the grill next to my chicken. It's that easy! Just turn the veggies a couple times and cook them till they look right to you. You can also toss in some minced garlic and/or parmesan cheese, if that's more of what you're in the mood for. Just experiment and have fun!

Summer Veggie Bake

Here's another idea for using those wonderful, colorful summertime vegetables.... This dish is great with grilled or broiled fish. I'm trying out a new Parmesan Salmon recipe next week and will post it if it's good!

Summer Veggie Bake
2-3 large tomatoes, sliced
2-3 green bell peppers, sliced into rings
1-2 large yellow squash, sliced
1 red onion
3-4 T butter, cut into small pieces
salt & pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese
Mozzarella cheese

Spray the inside of an 8x8 or 9x13 glass pan (depending on how much you want to make). Layer it kind of like lasagna--one layer of each vegetable, then sprinkle on a little salt, pepper, butter, and parmesan cheese. Repeat as many times as you need until the dish is full. Then sprinkle some mozzarella cheese on top, cover it with foil and bake at 375 for about 40 minutes. For the last 10 minutes or so, take off the foil and allow the cheese to brown.
***Feel free to use other large vegetables--whatever you have that will go well together. The point is to keep it colorful and make it taste good. Good luck!

Carrot Soup

I love this recipe—it’s light, so it makes a perfect summer or fall meal! Serve with crusty bread on the side, and you can clean your bowl with it...

Carrot Soup
½ cup butter
2 large onions, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ inches fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp ground coriander
3 lbs carrots, chopped
2 pints vegetable stock (chicken broth works too)
1 large bunch cilantro, chopped

Melt butter in large pot. In butter, sauté chopped onions and garlic. When onions are tender, add ginger and coriander. Add the chopped carrots and vegetable stock to the sautéed veggies and cook until carrots are tender. Put mixture in blender and puree; return to pot. Stir in chopped cilantro just before serving.
**Optional garnish: small dollop of sour cream on top.