Cauliflower Concoction

There are so many wonderful things you can do with cauliflower. I usually sautee it with some olive oil and spices and call it a day. I thought why not twist it up a bit! This is such a good side dish for any occasion, and the possibilities are endless!

Ingredients:

8 cups of spinach

2 shallots, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

6 tablespoons olive oil

1 package bacon, chopped

1 head cauliflower, cut into whole pieces

Salt & Pepper

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon cayenne

1 small package of sage (optional)

Heat large skillet with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the garlic and shallots, stir until tender. Add the spinach, batches at a time. You will see that all that spinach is not that much at all when cooked! Place spinach to the side and cover so it stays hot.

In another large skillet, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the bacon, and cook for about 15 minutes until brown and crispy. Place the bacon on a dish to cool.

The same pan as where the bacon was, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the cauliflower pieces, and fry on high until golden brown for about 10 minutes. Add in all the spices.

Use a platter, and layer starting with spinach at the bottom. Then top with cauliflower, and finally garnish with as much bacon as your heart desires:)

(optional)Fry up the sage with a tablespoon of olive oil, garnish with this as well.

This goes great with any meat or fish!

Eggplant Dip "Baba Ghanoush"

Baba Ghanoush is another Middle Eastern dip, similar to Hummus, that is so healthy and delicious. If you are an eggplant lover, this is your soul mate:) I usually don't make it that often since I always prefer Hummus, but I tend to forget how much I love it! Basically, it is the same technique of making Hummus, but you use eggplant instead of chickpeas.

Ingredients:

2 large eggplants

1 cup tahini (sesame paste)

4 lemons, juiced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt to taste

Pita bread/Veggies/Garlic Toast

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

Cut 1 inch slits into the eggplants, and place on baking sheet. Bake in oven for 20 minutes until tender. Cool for about 10 minutes before peeling.

In food processor, mix the tahini, lemon, garlic and olive oil. Pulse a couple times to incorporate. Peel the eggplant skin, and scoop the insides into processor. Pulse a couple times until creamy and smooth. Taste, and add salt to your taste.

Serve with toasted pita bread and veggies.

SAHTEIN!

Gouda Mac N' Cheese with all the Fix-ins

My stomach is growling just thinking about this...it is so creamy, delicious, and just straight up comfort food. I decided to leave out the fix-ins and put them on the side so my guests could choose what they wanted to add. I also experimented with Gouda (love) cheese, and it was excellent! The best part might have been the crunchy topping. Nothing can top that crunchy and soft combination.

Ingredients:

1 pound pasta (cavatappi is what I use)

1 1/2 stick of unsalted butter

3/4 cup flour

1 quart of whole milk

4 cups shredded gouda cheese (optional- have extra for topping)

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese (optional- have extra for topping)

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 cup panko bread crumbs

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 tablespoon black pepper

Salt to taste & for pasta water

2 tomatos

1 large head of broccoli

1 package of bacon

Pre-heat oven to 375, butter/oil/spray a 13x9 casserole dish.

Boil water in large pot. Add about 2 tablespoons of salt. Add in pasta and cook for about 7 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Heat milk on medium-low in a saucepan, just until it is hot. While that is heating, add the stick of butter in a large pot. When melted, incorporate the flour. Add in a little at a time, and make sure to whisk. Keep whisking until all the flour is cooked in with butter. Gradually whisk in the hot milk. Let cook for 5-10 minutes on simmer , then whisk again until thick enough. Take off the heat, and add in the spices. Then add the cheeses. Mix well until cheeses have melted. Taste at this point, and add salt if needed. Pour into a 13x9 casserole dish.

In a separate small bowl, add the panko, parmesan cheese and any remaining cheddar or gouda you might have (1 cup total of remaining cheeses). Spread on top of macaroni. Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter, and pour on top of panko spread.

Bake for 30 minutes until bubbly, and then broil for another 5 minutes until golden brown.

YUM...IT'S WORTH IT:)

Monkey Bread=Gone in 60 Seconds

This has got to be the most delicious monkey bread ever, and it is a shame how easy it is. There is a time and place for making dough from scratch, and with this bread, you don't have to! I got this recipe from my dear friend and cooking club member Hollie, who has had this recipe for years passed down from her mom Dorene. It is the recipe that keeps on giving, so please try it and let me know what you think!

Ingredients:

Package of Rhodes frozen rolls (only use 18 rolls)

1/2 package of butterscotch pudding

1 cup of whole pecans or walnuts

1 cup brown sugar

1 stick of butter

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Spray a bunt pan well. Add the nuts at the bottom. Layer the frozen rolls in the pan. Sprinkle the pudding mix over the rolls, with a teaspoon of cinnamon. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar and remaining cinnamon. Melt and stir until combined well. Pour over the rolls. Cover with towel and let sit overnight. Next day, the dough will rise. Pre-heat oven at 350 degrees and cook for 30 minutes.

ENJOY!

Chicken Salad with a Sumac Twist

This is not your ordinary chicken salad...it has extreme flavor that will excite your taste buds! The secret ingredient is Sumac spice, and used in traditional arabic recipes that comes from sumac plant. It is finely crushed from berries harvested from a bush that can be found in the wild all across the Mediterranean. This spice is tart and acidic, and can easily take the place of lemon. It looks like paprika, a deep red powder, and can be purchased in select stores. I use Ziyad products, including spices such as sumac and other ingredients that I incorporate in all my middle eastern dishes. You can order sumac online:

http://ziyad.elsstore.com/view/product/?id=34070&cid=332

If you are LEMON freak like me, then this salad is perfect for you!

Ingredients:

Any Salad stuff you like, I use:

Romaine lettuce

1 tomato

1 British cucumber

1 yellow green pepper

1 avocado (ripe)

2 tablespoons of sumac

1 teaspoon on cayenne pepper

1/2 cup of feta

1 pound of chicken (2 pieces of chicken breasts)

2 lemons, juiced

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt & Pepper to taste

Chop all the veggies and place in a bowl.

Season 1 tablespoon of sumac on each breast, rub well with fingers. Dash some cayenne on as well. Make sure to get both sides of chicken. Grill indoors or outside grill. Cut in stripes.

Add lemon, olive oil, salt & pepper in veggies. toss well. Add chicken on top, and sprinkle in feta last.

Majadara "Lentils"

Majadara is such a hearty, wonderul dish, especially for those vegetarians out there.  I make this once every couple weeks since it makes a huge portion that lasts for about a week in the refrigerator.  It is also one of the cheapest dinners you can make that is so healthy and good for you. You can eat this with yogurt, pickles, or my personal favorite, salad!

Ingredients:

                                2-3 tablespoons olive oil

4 cups lentils or one bag of lentils, washed

9 cups water

3 onions, chopped

1 cup burgal (cracked wheat), soaked in water

2 tablespoons cumin

2 tablespoons salt

Heat the oil in a large pot, add onions. This has to be the most important part of this dish because you want to cook the onions until they are dark brown, ALMOST burned. See the first picture above. Stir occasionally on medium high-high heat, this will take about 20 minutes. When they are turning brown, heat water in a separate pot. I use my tea kettle, and that works great. When that has come to a boil, and the onions are almost burned, add the boiling water to the onions. Add the lentils and stir. Have this come to a boil, and then turn on medium heat. Cook until the water has almost absorbed the lentils. Lastly, add the burgal last and change to low heat. Keep stirring or the burgal will stick to the bottom and burn. Add the spices. Serve hot or cold with yogurt, onions, and pickles. A salad is delicious on top as well.

Falafel "Fried Bean Cakes"

Falafel has got to be one of the best creations, and I'm so happy to say that they are super easy to make. I am still on a mission to find the best falafel out there, but I think this recipe is so delicious that I might not have to anymore!

Ingredients:

4 cups of dried chickpeas (soaked in water overnight)

2 large onions, chopped

1 whole head garlic

2 bunches of parsley

1 jalapeno pepper

2 tablespoons cumin powder

1 teaspoon of salt and pepper

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

2-3 cups of olive oil or vegetable oil for frying

Combine the beans, onions, garlic, parsley and hot pepper in a food processor. This is a lot, so you can put it in batches. Grind until well incorporated. Add the salt,  pepper, cumin and baking powder. At this point, you can freeze the batter you don't want to use without the baking soda added. When ready to fry, add the baking soda.

Heat a large deep skillet with oil on medium high. Use a tablespoon to form balls and fry until golden brown and then flip to the other side until golden brown.

Searve with tomato slices, pickles and tahini sauce in a pita pocket. The tahini sauce can be made very quick. Mix 2 tablespoons of tahini with a whole lemon and 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste. ENJOY!

Rice Krispie Cake

This cake took some serious thought...and it all started with my co-worker Julie's obsession with rice krispies. So I thought why not just make a three layer cake out of her favorite treat for her birthday and this is what I came up with: Chocolate, Strawberry and Peanut Butter layers, with some surprises in between:)