recipe swap :)

Made this last night but enough for two rather than just one.

http://resourcefulcook.com/recipes/view/s5yz1-aubergine-pepper-bake

Really tasty.

I made this last night and it was AMAZING.  And ridiculously easy to make.  Thought I would share it with everyone else.  I <3 Jamie Oliver.


newcomer link: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/jamie-oliver/crispy-and-sticky-chicken-thighs-with-squashed-new-potatoes-and-tomatoes-recipe/index.html [nonactive]

Hey thanks for sharing the recipe with all of us and the link is much useful and helpful to all... I think by this kind of the posting many of the person's got really tasty one recipes and have fun and different taste with their families and friends..... Keep sharing more one's with us......

Samoas (aka Caramel De-Lites):
http://www.grouprecipes.com/24625/girl-scout-samoa-cookies.html
http://bakingbites.com/2008/01/homemade-girl-scout-cookies-samoas/

Thin Mints:
http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/thin-mint-cookies/Detail.aspx

 

This is an awesome soup that has been a HUGE hit with everyone I've given it to! What you see is the base recipie, sometimes I'll add a few other things to the pot like courgettes and carrots or a different type of meat depending. I can't get broth here either so I just buy the gel bullion's to make it! SOOOO GOOD!! Enjoy!

Rustic Italian Tortellini Soup: 6 servings (2 quarts)

Ingredients:

3 Italian turkey sausage links (4 ounces each), casings removed (I used the "hot" sausage version)
1 medium onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 package (9 ounces) refrigerated cheese tortellini
1 package (6 ounces) fresh baby spinach, coarsely chopped
2-1/4 teaspoons minced fresh basil or 3/4 teaspoon dried basil (or, you can substitute thyme and oregano)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Dash crushed red pepper flakes (optional if not using hot turkey sausage)
Shredded Parmesan cheese, optional

DIRECTIONS:
Crumble sausage into a Dutch oven; add onion. Cook and stir over medium heat until meat is no longer pink.

Add garlic; cook and stir 2 minutes longer.

Add the broth and tomatoes. Bring to a boil.

Stir in tortellini; return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5-8 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally.

Add the spinach, basil, pepper and pepper flakes; cook 2-3 minutes longer or until spinach is wilted. Serve with cheese if desired.

Hi All,
This recipe is from a chef called Rick Bayless who has a show in the states on PBS Mexico - One plate at a time. This is my all time favourite all purpose go to starter for almost everything I cook. Enjoy
***I have found that any good olive oil is better than the fruity one mentioned and you can add some red pepper flakes for heat during the baking phase.


Garlic Mojo
Mojo de Ajo (pronounced Mow hoe)
 

Makes about 3 cups mojo de ajo


There's always a container of mojo in my refrigerator.  I use it to season chicken, steaks, fish, vegetables, just about anything.  In fact, in Season 7 of  "Mexico-One Plate at a Time"  Rick will be using it for several recipes including as a seasoning for popcorn.  I've given you several recipes to get you started, (Woodland Mushroom Torta and the Grilled Salmon), but once you start using it yourself, the sky is the limit.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ingredients
4 large heads garlic
    OR 10 ounces (about 1 3/4 cups) peeled garlic cloves
2 cups fruity olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup fresh lime juice


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Directions
Heat the oven to 325˚. 

Break the heads of garlic apart, then mash each clove (a fist against the side of a knife is what I do) to release the clove from its papery skin; if using already-peeled garlic, scoop the cloves into a heavy recloseable plastic bag and use a rolling pin to mash them slightly. 

Stir together the garlic, oil and salt in an 8x8-inch pan (make sure all the garlic is submerged), slide it into the oven and bake until the garlic is soft and lightly brown, about 45 to 55 minutes.  Add the lime juice and return to the oven for 20 minutes for the garlic to absorb the lime and turn golden brown.

Using an old-fashioned potato masher or large fork, mash the garlic into a coarse puree.  Pour the mixture into a wide-mouth storage container and refrigerate it until you’re ready to enjoy some deliciousness.  This mojo will keep for up to three months in the refrigerator as long as there's enough oil to keep the garlic covered.

Hello Everyone,

Made this over the weekend and was asked to share the recipe.  If you've ever had a Mozzarepa in the states at a street festival, you know how addicting these things are!  I use local ingredients that you can find at most large supermarkets so I'm not using "arepa flour".

Sweet Cornmeal Cakes with Mozzarella Cheese.

Ingredients
•   1 cup of finely ground yellow corn meal or polenta.
•   1/4 cup plain flour
•   1/4 tsp salt
•   1/3 cup sugar
•   1 cup sweet corn kernels finely chopped.  (You can use a blender with frozen kernels or one of those slaptop chopper gadgets, which I prefer)
•   shredded Mozzarella
•   1 cup milk   
•   5 tablespoons butter
•   1/2 cup water (approximately)

Instructions:
•   Grind sweet corn kernels in a food processor or mini chopper
•   Bring milk and water to boil in a small saucepan. Add the butter.
•   While the milk is heating up, mix the cornmeal/polenta, flour, salt, sugar, and sweetcorn kernels in a large bowl.
•   Gradually add in the milk/water/butter mixture as you mix or whisk it until there are no lumps from the flour and corneal/polenta.  Add a bit more milk if needed.  You want the consistency to be that of a thick pancake batter.  CAUTION! The bowl will get hot! 
•   You may add a handful of shredded mozzarella into the mix if you'd like.  I don't like how it makes it stick to the pan, so I don't.
•   Heat a lightly buttered pan to a medium setting and spoon the mixture in, creating 4" "pancakes".  Cook to a golden brown on each side.
•  Place shredded or sliced mozarella on one of the pancakes, place the other pancake on top to make a sandwich and press down gently.  turn pan to low and flip several times while the cheese melts.

Makes: approximately 10 4" Mozzarepas, or 20 pancakes.

Enjoy!  You can also make the cornmeal cakes ahead of time and freeze them.  Here is the one I made.

Oh wow, that looks so delicious! *drool*

That mojo de ajo sounds great, too. I love roasted garlic!

You can use dried black beans or canned ones, if you use canned, you can make it overnight in a crock pot, or one whole day of cooking from the morning. If you Do overnight, use a crockpot on low. If you use dried beans it makes this a three -day chili. So, adjust for canned beans if you need to, but I will give the recipe for dried beans.

Depending on how big your crock pot or dutch oven is, about 2 cups of dried black beans, washed.

Put beans in the pot, fill 3/4 of the way with water, add about 2 tsp salt and chopped fresh cilantro( you can use frozen  or dried if you can't find fresh).
Cook overnight, or soak of you don't have a crockpot, and if soaked and not cooked, then boil them for 2 hours the next day.
The next day after beans are fully cooked: Add 1 large can of stewed tomatoes, either whole or chopped. When I use whole ones I simply squish them in my hand until the disintergrate into mush. Add a can of tomato sauce, unflavored, and a tube or small can of tomato paste.
Add
about 1 tablespoon Cumin
About 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper,
About 1 tsp Chili pepper powdered (mild)
Optional: tabasco or other hot sauce to taste and/or green chilie (mild from a can)of green bell pepper...depends on your taste preferences.

 Then cook crumbled lean ground beef, or ground buffalo meat or ground chicken or turkey. You can also use chopped steak or shopped chicken. Cook the meat in a skillet with a chopped onion and olive oil and add 3-8 cloves of crushed then chopped fresh garlic and salt to taste. Add to your chili when all the meat is cooked and the oinions and garlic are translucent.
Cook overnight if using a crock pot, or cook on medium high all day and eat that night. Chili will be done the next day and be ready for lunch. I usually start this on a Friday night and it is ready for Sunday Lunch. If using the canned beans, it is ready overnight. The important part is to let the chili evaporate and thicken. The onions and garlic and cilantro or other pepper etc you add should not be distinguishable if the Chili is cooked right. If you want vegan or vegetarian, just omit the meat. You can also add cashews or chickpeas if making it a veggie chili.
I eat it with grated cheddar cheese or sour cream dollip.

Ok I've never posted in here despite being a pastry chef/bread baker for our restaurant so I figured I'd share a really great, VERY easy bread recipe that doesn't take all day to bake.  You can find fresh yeast usually at Sainsbury's at their bakery counter on demand and get it in 800g blocks for around £1.49; keep wrapped in cling film in the fridge and it will last for a long time.

Ingredients

250g bread flour
1/2 tsp salt
6g fresh yeast/3g dried yeast (DO NOT use fast acting!)
180g slightly warmer than warm water (does this make sense?)
80g good-quality black Greek olives (pitted, unless you want to do the work)
1 tsp dried herbes de Provence

• In a large glass bowl, weigh out the flour and salt, mix with your hands just till incorporated.
• In a second smaller bowl, WEIGH out the water (this gives a much more accurate measurement) and add the yeast to dissolve.
• Add the yeast to the flour and mix with your hands until it's completely incorporated.  Leave it in the bowl and cover with cling film.  Let rest for 10 minutes.
• Uncover and add the olives and herbes de Provence, then take one side of the dough, stretch up and on top of the ball.  Turning the bowl with the other clean hand, repeat this about 8-10 times.
• Repeat the last two steps two more times for a total resting time of 30 minutes and a total of 3 fold-and-turns.
• At the end of this you will have kneaded your dough enough and let it rest for it to develop flavour.  You won't need to add any flour because you've done the kneading in the bowl, keeping the bread nice and light
• Lightly flour your work surface.  Turn the dough out onto the surface and flatten into a rectangle about 10cm by 50cm.  Fold as if it's a letter, right third over the middle and the left third over the first edge.
• Pinch the edges together where the they meet.  Try to cover the olives with dough to prevent them from burning in the oven.
• Set the dough on a baking sheet covered with greaseproof paper, lightly flour the top and cover with a tea towel, setting somewhere a bit warm.  Let it rise for 30-40 minutes or until about double in size.
• About 20 minutes into the rise time, turn your oven to 240C and place and empty pan in the bottom of the oven.  Get a cup of water ready.
• Once risen, put the bread in the oven and immediately pour the water into the hot baking pan and close the door quickly to trap the steam.  Turn the temperature down to 200C.
• Bake for 30 mins and check the loaf for colour, turn it over and tap the bottom a few times.  It should sound hollow, if not, bake for about 10 mins longer.

   

Yes there are loads of steps, but once you get it down it will be very easy to do with no thinking.  You can add whichever flavourings you fancy such as toasted cumin and fennel seeds, roasted garlic and thyme or anything else!

YUM!! (Drooling over these recipes and pics!) Gotta go to the kitchen now! LOL!

I love this site:
Healthy, easy and THOSE PICTURES

http://goodeatinggoodlife.tumblr.com/ [nofollow]

Jonesing for some Ranch??

I personally am not a huge fan of ranch dressing... I much prefer bleu cheese or something similar, but I'll happily use ranch if nothing better is available.  I have, however, noticed that the UK Yankee community pines for their ranch dressing quite a lot.  So, when I came across this pin (pinterest) just moments ago, I immediately thought of my UK brethren (because there's just something so wrong with "sistern") and had to share.  I have no idea how many of you have already found recipes or other suitable substitutes, but for those to whom this is a help, here is a recipe for home-made ranch dressing (baring in mind I have not tried it).  Everything on the list of ingredients are things that should be readily available in UK stores. 

Website (with pictures):
http://www.thecraftyblogstalker.com/2012/03/best-homemade-ranch-recipe.html

Recipe:
This ranch is AMAZING and has quickly became our new favorite.  We used LITE buttermilk, LITE sour cream and LITE mayo and it was STILL really good.  It didn't taste at all like the lite version in the stores.  So much yummy ranch flavor!

Ingredients:
Black Pepper ¼ C
Parsley Flakes 1 1/2 C
Garlic Salt ½ C
Kosher Salt 2 Tbsp
Granulated Garlic ¼ C
Granulated Onion 3/4 C
Dill Weed 2 Tbsp

Procedure:
1. Combine all ingredients, store in an airtight container. Makes about 3 ½ cups of dry mix
2. To Make Dressing, whisk together 2 Tbsp of mix with 2 Cups each of mayonnaise and buttermilk 1 ½ Cups sour cream, & 1 tsp Lemon Juice. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Makes 1 ¾ Quarts

Start by putting all the dry ingredients into a gallon size zip bag

I started with the bowl but found the zip bag made it much easier to mix all of the dry ingredients together.  Next time I will just put all the ingredients into a large mason jar and then just shake it.

Put all of the wet ingredients in a bowl with  2 Tbsp of dry mix (This recipe makes a huge batch of dry mix so it will last a long time! BONUS!)

Whip with a whisk till well combined.

The recipe says to let it sit in the fridge for 2 hours but it is already nice and thick.  We tried to put it into a half gallon milk jug with a funnel but it was taking FOREVER because it was so thick.  So just carefully poor into jug (or whatever you are going to store it in.

I use a similar recipe which leaves out the dill.
I actually think it tastes better than packaged Ranch!

This is a breakfast dish, but it's absolutely amazing if you love french toast and have a sweet tooth like mine!

French Toast Casserole with Praline

It's even more amazing if you have some left over the next day and heat each slice up by frying it in a pan like you would regular french toast. It gives it that extra crisp... mmm.

Yummyy! I'm making this.

Just wondered if anyone would like me to post the recipe for a traditional British Sunday lunch - roast, Yorkshire pudding, crispy roast potatoes and all the trimmings?