Confessions

So, I feel like I have a lot of confessions to make. First of all, I haven't been posting well because I haven't really been eating too much. Unless y'all want detailed instruction on the preparation of raw veg, lemme know.

If I were to eat though... Here's what I'd want:
Gingersnaps with Orange-Ginger Creme Filling

Nutella Macarons

Cranberry-Cherry Tart with Ginger and Orange

So, yeah, back to my confessions... I have a renewed interest in ramen noodles. I know. disgusting. but I like to drink the broth. I think I like the MSG.

Also, I would eat Doritos smeared with cream cheese. Sounds great.

Oh, and lastly, I made a hashbrown casserole for a party in 20 minutes the other day. Usually it takes an hour to bake, but no, 20 minutes from start to finish. Maybe if you are nice, I'll let you in on my secrets.

Meal Plan Monday - 11/3/08

We have a lot of carry over from last week. Claron worked late and I was working on Eliza's costume. Also, we ate a lot of leftovers from the fridge. Hopefully, we'll stay on target more this week.



Mon. – Creamy Chicken Casserole with Biscuits and Garlic & Shallot Green Beans


Tues. – Obama's Chili, Cornbread and Apple Cake (recipe below)

Weds. – Eat Out


Thurs. – Honey Glazed Chicken, Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Roasted Acorn Squash


Fri. – Leftovers


Sat. – Chicken & Sweet Potato Curry with Basmati Rice and Naan


Sun. – Homemade Pasta with Italian Sausage and Tomato Basil Sauce (with basil from my garden)

Apple Cake
6 apples
1 tablespoon cinnamon
5 tablespoons sugar
2 3/4 cups flour, sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a tube pan. Peel, core and chop apples into chunks. Toss with cinnamon and sugar and set aside.
Stir together flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. In another bowl, whisk together oil, orange juice, sugar and vanilla. Mix wet ingredients into the dry ones, then add eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the bowl to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.
Pour half of batter into prepared pan. Spread half of apples over it. Pour the remaining batter over the apples and arrange the remaining apples on top. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, or until a tester comes out clean.

Red Lentil Burgers

This weekend we went to a Halloween party. Our friend is from Lebanon and was cooking middle eastern. Claron is a huge fan of middle eastern food and he suggested I make red lentil burgers. I first saw these burgers made by a friend's Turkish mother. I found this recipe online and have tweeked it until they tasted right.

Red lentils can be hard to find. Here in Santa Barbara, I buy them at the Isla Vista Co-op. They cook more quickly than normal lentils and I think their flavor is more mild.



Kirmizi Mercimek Koftesi (Red Lentil Burgers)
1 cup red lentils
1.5 cups hot water
1 chicken bouillon cube
1/4 cup fresh, chopped parsley or 1.5 T dried parsley
3 cloves garlic, smushed into a paste
1 large onion, finely minced
1 T cumin
1 t crushed red pepper
1 egg
olive oil, for frying

Boil the lentils with the bouillon and water. When the lentils are cooked, all the water should be absorbed. If the lentils are watery, let them sit to absorb the rest of the moisture. If the lentils don't seem done, add a little more water. When the lentils are cooked and relatively cooled, add the parsley, garlic, onion, spices and egg. Shape the lentils into patties and fry in skillet with olive oil. Garnish the lentil 'kofte' like you would a burger. We like eating these on middle eastern flat bread from Trader Joe's with tzaziki or hummus and tomatoes, red onions and cucumbers.

Meal Plan Monday - Week of 10/27/08

Mon. – Enchiladas Carnitas with Green Chili Sour Cream Sauce, Fresh Corn and Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

Tues. – Sweet Tangy Plum Spiced Chicken and Steamed Broccoli

Weds. – Chicken & Sweet Potato Curry with Basmati Rice and Garlic & Shallot Green Beans

Thurs. – Buffalo Burgers, Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Roasted Acorn Squash

Fri. – HALLOWEEN!!! Grilled Cheese with Spinach and Turkey and Cream of Tomato Soup

Sat. – Party at Johanna & Jasmine’s

Sun. – FFY

Favorite Cookbooks/ Web Sites AND Asian Noodle Salad

Right now my favorite cookbook is the America's Test Kitchen The Best International Recipe. My favorite recipes are the Indian. I love the Best Recipe series as they really go in depth as to the reasoning behind the recipes. I also love how they give suggestions on what supplies/hardware are best.

I love to just read this book. I learn so much. It is very instructional. My sis-in-law, Lilly, has the original Best Recipe book. That one is also great. I've asked for a bunch of the other's on my Amazon wish list. We'll see.



My next favorite cookbook I've had for some time. I bought it on a whim at Ollie's. I think I only paid $5 or something. I never figured it would be one of my favorites, but the Ultimate Cake Mix Cookbook by Betty Crocker is perfect when you are trying to throw together a quick dessert. I've made almost all of the recipes. My favorites are: Bananas Foster Cake, Mandarin Orange Cake, Lemonade Party Cake and Peanut Butter Silk Cake.

As for web sites, by far my favorite is the Pioneer Woman. She is so witty. Her recipes are always amazing and she takes you step by step. I have created a variation on her Favorite Salad Ever. All women who try it love it. Here you go:
Asian Noodle Salad
SALAD INGREDIENTS:
1 packages linguine noodles, cooked, rinsed, and cooled
1/2 to 1 head sliced Napa cabbage
1/2 to 1 bag baby spinach
1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
2 mangoes, diced
1 small bag bean sprouts
2 sliced scallions
2 peeled, sliced cucumbers
LOTS of chopped basil—up to one bunch
1 can whole cashews, lightly toasted in skillet
DRESSING:
Juice of 1 lime
8 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons sesame oil
6 tablespoons soy sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped
2 cloves chopped garlic
1 hot pepper or jalapeño, chopped
More chopped basil—LOTS
Mix together salad ingredients. Whisk together dressing ingredients and pour over salad. Mix with tongs or hands and serve on platter.

Sometimes I leave out the noodles. Sometimes, I add grilled steak. I love, love, love this salad. I also serve this salad when I make yellow curry.

Here are the rest of my fav's:
All Recipes
Baking Bites
Coconut & Lime
Food Gawker
Laylita's Recipes
Manjula's Kitchen
Salt & Chocolate
The Kitchn

Recipes for you

Everyone's always asking me for recipes. I figured I'd just start another blog. We'll see. Leave me a comment for any requests.
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A