Perfect Rice in the Oven

 

This rice recipe goes with Curry Chicken courtesy of Kwame Onwuachi from Food Network. I have yet to make the curry chicken, but in future plans. The rice, however, I have made and it is delicious. Made with Jasmine Rice, but would like to try other types of rice.

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup Jasmine rice
• 1 1/2 cup water
• pinch of salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350-degrees.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the rice. Stir to coat and toast. About 2 minutes. 

Add the water and pinch of salt. Bring to a boil. Cover with lid.

Put in oven for about 18 minutes.

Fluff with a fork.

Printed

Pork & Rice Noodle Soup

 

Think savory pork, crunchy vegetables, filling noodles and a tangy broth. Completely customizable; feel free to swap out the pork for chicken or beef. The rice noodles will expand as the soup sits or refrigerated so add more stock or water to thin it out to the consistency you desire. I added  a little Sweet Red Chili sauce to spice up.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 ounces mushrooms, stems removed, thinly sliced
• 3 medium carrots, chopped (I added an extra carrot, did not use red bell pepper)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• sweet red chili sauce, to taste
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 pound ground pork
• 8 cups chicken broth (I did not use quite as much)
• 6 ounces flat rice noodles
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.

Add the mushrooms, carrots, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Stir occasionally until vegetables are softened. About 4 minutes.

Add the garlic, ginger and scallions, stirring until softened. About 2 minutes.

Add the pork, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook breaking up the pork, stirring occasionally until pork is no longer pink.

Pour in the broth ( I used less than called for). Bring to a boil and add the soy sauce, vinegar and sweet chili sauce. Adjust salt and pepper.

I think the soup at this point is best to cool and sit in the refrigerator overnite so the flavors meld.

Cook the rice noodles according to package directions. 

Reheat the soup to simmer for 10 minutes until hot.

Place noodles in the bottom of soup bowls and ladle the soup on top.

Garnish with sesame seeds, more chopped scallions and sweet chili sauce to taste.

Christmas Salad

 

This makes a beautiful holiday centerpiece; as the citrus dressing goes in a bowl and the salad is arranged around the dressing to look like a wreath. I used 2 containers of butter lettuce and amount served 8 friends.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pecan halves
• 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons honey
• greens of choice to feed 8
• 2 navel oranges, peeled, pith removed and in sections
• 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup olive oil 
•  feta or chevre, crumbled, amount to taste

Directions:

Toss the pecans with the pumpkin pie spice, 1/4 teaspoon salt and few grinds black pepper. 

Add mixture to a nonstick skillet and heat over medium heat, tossing frequently, until spices begin to brown and become fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Drizzle 1 tablespoon honey, cook, stirring constantly, until honey begins to caramelize and the pecans are well coated. About 1-2 minutes.

Transfer to plate, making sure pecans are in an even layer and not stacked on top of each other. Let cool.

Place a small bowl that will hold 1 cup, in the center of a large platter. Arrange the greens of choice around the center bowl. 

Whisk the vinegar, Dijon, remaining honey (I used a little more, to taste), 1/4 teaspoon salt and few grinds pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until emulsified. Pour into the small, center bowl.

Cut the orange sections in half.  Whisk the vinegar, Dijon, remaining honey (I used a little more, to taste), 1/4 teaspoon salt and few grinds pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until emulsified. Pour into the small, center bowl.

Whisk the vinegar, Dijon, remaining honey (I used a little more, to taste), 1/4 teaspoon salt and few grinds pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until emulsified. Pour into the small, center bowl.

Scatter the pecans, orange pieces and feta evenly on top of the greens.

Cream Cheese Puff Pastry Appetizers

 

My daughter-in-law, Valerie, made this for the Christmas appetizer. Delicious! Flakey and soft outer layer with a tasty cream cheese center; how can you possiblily go wrong! Thank you kitchenfunwithmy2sons

Ingredients:

• 1 sheet puff pastry thawed per direction
• 7.5 ounces whipped cream cheese (Valerie used 8 ounce block cream cheese, softened and whipped to soft)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 large egg plus 1 tablespoon water (combined)
• thinly sliced chives for garnish (Valerie blended with cream cheese)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375-degrees and line a sheet tray with parchment paper, set aside.

Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured  surface to 12x10 rectangle.

Spread whipped cream cheese, leaving 1-inch bare along long edges.

Sprinkle the parmesan evenly on top of spread cream cheese.

Tightly roll the long edge toward the opposite edge.

Original recipe does not cut pieces all the way through as Valerie cut them into individual pieces, 1/2-inch pieces.

Place pieces on parchment paper. Brush piece with egg mixture. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.

Makes 24

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Roasted Tomato Salsa

 

Natasha Kravchuk is amazing and all the recipes I have tried, I have loved. This is no exception! Use within 5 days or freeze for 3 months.

Ingredients:

• 10 medium tomatoes, halved
• 2 largish Jalapeno peppers, halved
• 1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1-2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 tablespoons sea salt

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375-degrees and arrange tomatoes on a parchment-lined sheet pan; cut side up.

Bake 25 minutes. Remove from oven.

Arrange the onion, garlic and jalapeno on a second parchment-lined sheet pan and bake about 25 minutes. Watch the garlic. Remove from oven.

Turn broiler on and place each pan individually under the broiler for 3-5 minutes; or until starts to char.

Let vegetables cool down a bit and place in food processor along with cilantro and salt. Whirl until desired consistency, Allow to cool and then refrigerate.

Printed

Summer Squash and Pistachios

 

Love this recipe! Snatched off the Jovial Pasta site from Giulia. Must use yellow summer squash.

Ingredients:

• 3 medium sized yellow summer squash
• 3 tablespoons EVO
• salt to taste
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped pistachios, roasted and salted
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions:

Slice the squashes into 1/4 inch thick rounds.

Heat 2 tablespoons EVO on medium-high heat in a large skillet, once hot toss in the squashes and a few pinches salt.

Cover with a lid and let cook for about 10 minutes, stirring them every few minutes. They will turn a golden brown.

Top with pistachios, parsley and remaining 1 tablespoon EVO. Mix to combine.

Blueberry Almond Drop Scones

 

The scones maybe made ahead of time, portioning the dough on sheet pans and popping them into the refrigerator until baking them the next morning. Or dough maybe frozen after portioning, then baked later. Bake frozen scones without thawing, adding a few minutes to the baking time. Thank you Dan Langan of Food Network for recipe and picture... Makes 12 scones.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup almond flour, toasted & cooled (to toast, place in a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Using a spatula to stir continuously until it begins to smell nutty and light golden, 3-4 minutes)
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 lemon or orange, zested
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, frozen
• 1 heaping cup frozen blueberries
• 1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted and cooled
• 1 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
• 1 large egg, cold
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 egg, for finishing
• 2 tablespoons sugar, for finishing

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375-degrees and line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, almond flour, baking powder, salt and citrus zest until well combined.

Use the large holes of a box grater to grate the frozen butter into the flour. Use a rubber spatula to toss butter evenly into the flour, breaking up any large bits. Add the berries and slivered almonds and toss into the flour.

Whisk together the cream, egg and vanilla into a small bowl, then pour into the flour-butter mixture. Stir and flatten the dough over itself until evenly moistened; som dry spots may remain-that's ok. The dough will have the consistency of sticky coookie dough.

Use a measuring cup to portion out 6 mounded 1/4-cup portions of the dough onto each prepared sheet pan. Flatten the mound ever so slightly.

For finishing: Whisk the egg withh 1 tablespoon water and bursh onto the scones with a pastry brush. Sprinkle the scones with the finishing sugar.

Bake until deep golden and slightly springy when touched, 28-30 minutes. 

Let cool on the sheet pans until warm.