Party Time Beans

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c Ketchup
1 md Onion; chopped
1 md Green pepper; chopped
1 md Red pepper; chopped
1/2 c Water
1/2 c Packed brown sugar
2 Bay leaves
2 ts Cider vinegar; to 3 tsp.
1 ts Ground mustard
1/8 ts Pepper
1 cn Kidney beans; 16-oz.
1 cn Great northern beans; 15-1/2 -oz.
1 cn Lima beans; 15-oz.
1 cn Black beans; 15-oz.
1 cn Black-eyed peas; 15-1/2 oz.

In a slow cooker, combine the first 10 ingredients; mix well. Drain and rinse the beans and peas. Add the beans and peas to the crockpot and mix well. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 7 hours or until onion and peppers are tender. Remove bay leaves. Yield: 14 to 16 servings. Nutritional Analysis: one 1/2-cup serving (prepared with no-salt- added-ketchup) equals 211 calories, 138mg sodium, 0 cholesterol, 32gm carbohydrate, 11gm protein, 5gm fat. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 meat. Formatted by Lynn Thomas dcqp82a@prodigy.com. Source: Taste of Home February/March 1998. Lynn's notes: Made this on 2-2-98; a very easy recipe to do and it tasted wonderful. I cooked it for 6-1/2 hours and that was plenty of time! Recipe by: Taste of Home

Chiles Rellenos Tostadas

I'm trying to come up with low-fat, healthy versions of some of my favorite foods. I love, love, love, LOVE chiles rellenos, but my metabolism doesn't like fried food anymore.

So, here's what I've come up with. It's kind of a combination of Chile Rellenos and Tostadas.

you need:
4 anaheim or poblano peppers
4 chunks of chihuahua, jack, or even swiss cheese (small enough to fit inside peppers)
2 cups refried beans
4 corn tortillas
2 cups enchilada sauce
lettuce, sour cream, or other favorite Mexican toppngs

1. Char, bag, and then peel peppers (I do it on the grill, but you can also do it in the broiler or even on a gas stovetop. You just place peppers near an open flame until they blister all over, then let them steam inside a plastic bag for 15 minutes. Then, you gently peel the skin off and rinse carefully.) Note, this is how you do any hot peppers for Mexican cooking.

2. Carefully, slit one side of the pepper. Gently remove the seeds and membranes, or leave them in for more heat.

3. Place chunk of cheese inside pepper. Use toothpick to close pepper.

4. Spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray, then cook tortillas, flipping to cook both sides, until crispy.

5. Assemble "rellenos." Place tortillas on a plate, then top with beans, pepper, and then enchilada sauce.

6. Place under broiler for 5 minutes, or until sauce is bubbly.

7. Top with sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, green peppers, or whatever else you like.

This is actually pretty good for a healthier version of a favorite dish. You get the crunchiness from the tortilla, the heat from the pepper, and the creamy smooth melted cheese, minus the fried part.

Jemput Jumput (Indonesian Banana Fritters)

(From Allrecipes.com)

Prep Time: 10 MinutesCook Time: 15 Minutes
Ready In: 25 MinutesYields: 18 servings

INGREDIENTS:
5/8 cup all-purpose flour
1 pinch salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 ripe bananas
3 tablespoons white sugar
oil for frying

DIRECTIONS:
1.Heat oil in a deep fryer or heavy bottomed pan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2.Sift the flour, salt, and baking powder into a medium bowl.

3.In a separate bowl, mash together the bananas and sugar. Gradually mix flour mixture into mashed bananas, stirring until well combined.

4.Drop batter by spoonfuls into hot oil, and cook, turning once, until browned, 2 to 8 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

3 recipes from the weekend

Potato Casserole

you need:

1 bag frozen hashbrowns
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup chopped onion
salt
pepper

Mix all ingredients together, bake @ 350 for 45 minutes.


No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake

12 strawberries
12 oz softened cream cheese
2/3 cup sour cream
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tsp vanilla
6 individual or 1 graham cracker crust

Coarsely chop 6 strawberries, place in food processor. Add remaining ingredients and process until smooth. Fill pie tins. Garnish with remaining strawberries.



Special Bananna Nut Bread

2/4 cup butter, softened
1 pack cream cheese, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banannas (about 4 medium)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups chopped pecans, divided

Orange glaze:
1 cup confectioners sugar
3 tablespoons OJ
1 teaspoon grated orange peel

In large mixing bowl, cream together butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add bananas and vanilla; mix well. Combine four, baking powder, baking soda annd salt. Add to creamed mixture. Fold in 1 cup pecans. Transfer to two greased 8" X 4" X 2" loaf pans. Sprinkle with remaining pecans. Bake at 350 for 1 to 1 1/4 hours or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. In a small bowl, whisk the glaze ingredients; drizzle over loaves. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: 2 loaves.

Chilies Rellenos


I have been craving chiles rellenos from my favorite Mexican restauraunt, Cozumel, really bad today. So I decided to try to make them. I tried another recipe before, but the batter was a little off. I found this recipe online and learned that the secret is the whipped egg batter. The rellenos turned out perfectly! My mouth is on fire, and I'm a happy girl. I just wish I had the ingredients on hand for a good margarita!

You need:
4 poblano peppers
1 cup shredded chihuahua or jack cheese, shredded (plus a little extra for sprinkling)
1 cup flour
4 eggs
cooking oil
red sauce

1. First you blister the peppers. You can do this by placing them under the broiler or on a grill. Allow the skin of the pepper to char and blister, then rotate to get all the sides. When pepper is fully blistered, place them into a gallon-sized ziploc baggie and let sit for 15 minutes. This steams the skin and makes it easy to peel it off. After you peel the skin off, rinse well under running cold water.

2. Heat the oil in a skillet.

3. While oil is heating, separate eggs. Beat the egg whites until stiff, then fold in 2 egg yolks.

4. Make a slit in each pepper. You can leave the seeds in for heat, or you can wipe them out. I personally like the heat but hate crunching down on hard seeds. It's a personal judgement call. Fill peppers with shredded cheese.

5. Dredge peppers in flour, then dip in egg batter.

6. Test oil by dropping a little batter into the pan. If it turns golden brown and floats quickly, it's hot enough.

7. Place pepper in oil until golden brown. Splash oil up on the sides of the pepper to cook them a little, then flip using a skillet and the stem of the pepper. Flip away from you so you don't splash hot oil on yourself.

8. When cooked on both sides, place rellenos on a plate covered in paper towels to drain. Then place on another plate, top with red sauce and a little sprinkle of cheese, and broil until sauce and cheese are bubbly. Serve immediately.

Pumpkin Bars

INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 eggs
2 cups canned pumpkin
2 teaspoons baking soda

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9 x 13 pans.
2. Mix all ingredients until well blended.
3. Bake for 25 minutes. Cool and frost bars with Cream Cheese Frosting.

The Best Oatmeal Raisin Cookies EVAR

(Notice there's one missing in the photo! I couldn't wait!)

You need:

3/4 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar (I used demerara, but you can use white)

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp salt

2 3/4 cups rolled oats

1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 375*F

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars. Beat in the eggs, then add vanilla. In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, spices, and salt, then add dry mixture gradually into the butter mixture. Stir in oats and raisins gradually -- mixture will be THICK!

Drop by teaspoonfulls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. Cool about 5 minutes, then move cookies to wire rack to finish cooling.

Chinese Takeout-style Fried Rice



You need:

• 2 cups leftover white rice*
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 small onion, chopped up
• 2 cups of thawed frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, peas, green beans)
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 4 tbsp oil

Heat wok over high flame** until it is smoking. Add 2 tbsp oil, swirl to coat wok surface. Add eggs. Eggs will poof up quickly -- stir to make sure the uncooked egg goes down and gets cooked, too. Remove eggs and set aside.

Add rest of oil. Dump diced onions into the oil, and let cook until barely transparent, stirring often. When onions start to turn transparent, add rice, and stir, breaking up chunks of rice as you go. Cook for about 2 minutes, until rice starts to turn golden-brown, then add veggies. Continue to stir until veggies are tender and rice is fluffy. Chop eggs up slightly, and return them to the wok. Add white pepper and soy sauce. Continue cooking and stirring for another minute or two to allow flavors to meld. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

* It is important to use leftover rice. Freshly-cooked rice is too moist and the result will be tasty but not fluffy like fried rice. If you are really jonesing for some fried rice and have to use freshly-cooked rice, use a 1:1 ratio of water to rice.

** I use a gas stove. I have heard that it is difficult to get a wok hot enough on an electric stove, but I don't have any personal experience with this. I know you can buy electric woks, and I am assuming that they get hot enough to make fried rice. You can also use a large skillet on any kind of stove.

*** If you want pork fried rice, ask your local Chinese restaurant if you can buy some Char Sieu -- Chinese barbecued pork. If you can keep from eating it all in the car on the way home, it's great in fried rice!

Mango Salsa



Favored condiment of cavemen everywhere.

2 ripe mangoes*
1 smallish fresh pineapple* , cut up (or 1 can pineapple tidbits, in a pinch)
1 handfull of cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
dash salt
sprinkle of dried chipotle pepper

1. Split, score, and dice mangoes. (If you use mangoes often, I recommend using a mango splitter.)
2. Core, peel, and cut pineapple into chunks.
3. Toss in bowl with lime juice and cilantro.
4. Add remaining 3 ingredients to taste. (Use only enough chipotle to give salsa a slight bite, not to overpower the fruit.)
5. Refrigerate at least three hours, preferrably overnight.

*It really is worth the trouble to use fresh fruit instead of canned or frozen. It's not that difficult to work with if you use the right technique.

Egg Flower Soup
(also known as Egg Drop Soup)


This is called Egg Flower Soup because of the way the egg "blossoms" when you slowly pour it into the boiling water. It's a truly beautiful soup. The name given to it by American-Chinese restaurants "egg drop soup" is kind of a misnomer because the egg isn't dropped into the soup, but rather poured, slowly and carefully to create the "flowers."

You need:
6 cups of chicken broth*
1 tablespoon wine (rice wine, if you've got it, but any white wine works well.)
1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 teaspoons cold water
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/8 teaspoon salt (unless the broth already contains salt)
1/8 teaspoon white pepper

In a soup pot, bring the broth and wine to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. (Note: At this point, I sometimes add a handfull of julienned carrots, green onions, or even snow peas and cook for 30 - 40 seconds.)

Add the cornstarch disolved in water and cook until the soup thickens a bit. Turn off the heat.

Slowly pour in the egg and stir lightly with a chopstick in a circular motion to make the egg turn into long threads. Stir in the sesame oil, salt, and white pepper.

Serve as-is or with fried noodles.

* Note -- Chicken broth is a cinch to make. Why buy the stuff at the store with all the salt and preservatives made in a factory somewhere when you can make your own and have some control of the contents? Any time I serve chicken with bones in it, I save the bones, skin, and any leftovers to make broth. I keep a gallon-sized bag in the freezer, to which I add scraps until the bag is full. Once it's full, I just add enough water to fill the pot, bring it to a boil, and then simmer until the water has reduced by 1/4. I then store it in a jar in the fridge for up to 3 days, and use it to make soup. I can make broth while I'm using my kitchen to make dinner so it's really not inconvenient, and it tastes so much better!

Lunchbox Fun: PB & J Rollups

a fun twist on the PB & J

You need:

1 10" flour tortilla per lunchbox

peanut butter (any kind)

jelly (any kind)

1. Lay the tortilla out on a cutting board.

2. Slather it up good with peanut butter, all the way to the edge, leaving about 1/4" rim around the outside.

3. Smear jelly on top of the peanut butter.

4. Roll the tortilla up like a telescope.

5. Put roll in freezer for about 10 minutes, then slice into 1" pieces.*

6. Refrigerate overnight, then stick 'em in your lunchbox in the morning.

*Tip: support the sides of the roll as you "saw" the pieces with a serrated knife, careful not to allow the knife to flatten the roll as you cut. This keeps all the good, gooey stuff inside and keeps it from smooshing out the end.

This recipe is easy for kids to make, but younger folks might need help cutting.

Pesto Tomato Pizza



You need:
Pizza crust
Pesto sauce
2 tomatoes, sliced
2 cups of your favorite pizza cheese (I like the Mozzarella, Asiago, and Provolone blend.)

Pizza Crust (Thanks, Jamie!)

1 packet active dry yeast
1/4 tsp sugar
3/4 cup warm water
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt


Dissolve yeast and sugar in water; allow to rest for 8 minutes. In a seperate bowl, combine flour and salt. Pour yeast mixture over flour mixture and mix well. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead for 2 minutes. Coat hands with olive oil and pat dough into a ball. Working from the edges to the center, press dough into a 12" circle. Place dough on a lightly greased pizza pan or baking stone and stretch dough to edges, leaving dough a little thicker around the edges.

Bake 8 minutes or until slightly golden and puffy. Meanwhile, make pesto:

1 cup firmly packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic

Place everything into blender or food processor. Cover and blend on medium speed for about 3 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape sides, until smooth.

Spread pesto on crust.

Top with tomato slices and your favorite shredded pizza cheese. Bake for an additional 12 minutes, or until cheese is melted and pizza top is golden and bubbly.

Beach Cake a la Jeanette
(kind of like blonde brownies, with a creamy topping baked right in.)



2 cups pecans, chopped
1 box yellow cake mix
1 stick butter
1 box confectioner's sugar
3 eggs
8 oz cream cheese

Mix together pecans, cake mix, melted butter, & 1 egg. Press into a 9X 13" cake pan. Mix together sugar, 2 eggs, and cream cheese. Pour over 1st mixture. Bake @ 350" for 40-60 minutes or until golden brown.

Portobello Lasagna


5 portobello mushroom caps, sliced thinly
1/2 onion, sliced up
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper (to taste)
2 cans diced Italian-seasoned tomatoes
1/2 cup red wine
2 cups shredded Mozarella cheese
6 no-boil lasagna sheets

In a large skillet, saute onions in oil for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic, and saute for about 3 more minutes. Transfer to bowl; keep warm. In same skillet, add tomatoes and wine, and simmer for 2 minutes.

In lasagna pan, layer 1/3 of the tomatoes, noodles, then cheese, mushrooms, tomatoes, noodles, cheese, shrooms. Top with tomatoes and parmesan cheese, and wrap tightly in foil. Bake at 450* for 35 minutes, then remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes before slicing.

Sesame-Crusted Tuna With Asian-style Coleslaw


1 16-oz package coleslaw mix
1 cup Asian-style salad dressing
1/2 cup sesame seeds
Four 6-oz tuna steaks, about 1 1/4" thick
1/4 cup veg oil

Toss salad with dressing, divide among 4 plates and set aside.

Place the sesame seeds on a plate and season with salt and pepper. Gently press the tuna in the sesame seeds to coat each side. In a heavy skillet, heat the oil over med-high heat. Add the tuna to the hot pan and sear for 3 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Slice the tuna and serve over the slaw.

Coconut-Crusted Shrimp With Curried Peanut Sauce
(Everyday With Rachel Ray -- June/July 07)



1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 small white onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 13.5-oz can unsweetened coconut m ilk
juice of 1 lime
salt
12 jumbo shrimp (3/4 pound) peeled and deveined
pepper
2 cups shredded coconut, preferrably unsweetened
3 yeads bok choy, thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
1/2 pint (about 1 cup) cherry tomatoes

1. In a small saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until tender but not browned, about 6 min. Stir in the curry powder. Add the wine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Whisk in 2 tablespoons peanut butter until smooth. Add the coconut milk and simmer, stirring, until thickened, about 15 min. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice. Season to taste with salt. Keep the sauce warm over low heat.

2. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons peanut butter with 3 tablespoons warm water until smooth. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and brush with the thinned peanut butter. * Spread the coconut on a baking sheet, add the shrimp and press gently to coat; refrigerate.

3. In a medium skillet, warm 1 tablespoon oil over high heat. Add the bok choy and tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the bok choy and tomatoes are wilted, 2-3 min. Keep warm

4. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add the shrimp and fry until the bottoms are golden, 2-3 minutes. Using tongs, gently turn each shrimp over; drizzle remaining 1 tablespoon of oil around the edge of the skillet. Lower the heat and fry until the other sides are golden, about 1 more minute. Spoon the reserved sauce into the cnter of 4 serving plates. Divide the bok choy mixture among the plates, and top each serving with 3 shrimp.

* Idea -- use 1/4 cup shredded coconut and 2 cups katafi (shredded phyllo dough) to coat the shrimp.

** The only coconut I had was frozen and very damp. It didn't stick well to the shrimp. I think you need fluffier coconut. It was still crazy good.

Skinny Ice Cream Sandwiches

Actually, I kind of hesitated putting "skinny" in the title, because I know how people are. they read "skinny" or "diet" or "fat free" or "low calorie" and automatically don't want to try the dish. That's not the case with this recipe, though -- these ice cream sandwiches are so good, I fooled the kids into thinking they were really ice cream sandwiches. I had to eat two of them because I was so amazed that they tasted *just* like ice cream sandwiches! Shhh... don't tell anyone they're diet.

1 box chocolate graham crackers
1 tub Cool Whip Free (or light, but free works.)

Line a baking sheet with wax paper, then "tile" the surface with chocolate graham cracker sheets (don't break them apart.) Slather the Cool Whip on each cracker thickly, about an inch thick. Top with another cracker, then freeze for at least an hour. Enjoy, knowing that you're not breaking your diet.

Major plus -- if you use the cinnamon graham crackers, instead, it almost tastes like the fried ice cream you get at Mexican restaurants.

A Word About Garlic:


Okay, right now, I want you to get up, walk to your refrigerator, open the door, take that jar of minced garlic out and throw it away. Now get in your car, drive to the farmer's market, and buy some fresh garlic to cook with -- preferrably locally-grown hardnecks with a slightly purple, striped papery skin, because that's the best garlic you're ever going to find.

If you can't find that, buy whatever the farmer's market carries. Elephant garlic is bigger and has a more mellow flavor, and is heavenly when roasted.

If you don't live near a farmer's market, you can buy fresh garlic at your local supermarket. Beware, though, a lot of the garlic you'll find at your big megachain stores is grown overseas and shipped here, and the varieties that are produced for shipping are more durable and less flavorful. Still, it's better than the stuff in the jar.

Now that you have garlic to cook with, how do you use it? I mean, it's all papery and stuff, and it looks difficult to peel, right? Well, it's easier to use than it looks. You simply peel off as many layers as will come off easily, then break the big piece of garlic apart. Inside, you'll see smaller segments. These are the cloves of the garlic, so when a recipe calls for a "clove of garlic," it means one of those, not the whole thing. Pull a clove from the garlic, smack it with the side of a heavy knife, and squeeze -- the clove will pop right out. Or you can smack it with the knife then put the cloves (skins and all) into a bowl of water. Swish, to get the skins off the cloves, then pick them out of the water and put them into your recipe. (This keeps your hands from getting sticky, too.)

A lot of people are intimidated by garlic because it's so flavorful. It's like painting the wall red when you're decorating. It's bold, and it's daring, and it's something you can overdo. But it's so much better to learn how to cook with garlic than it is to avoid using it because you're afraid of its pungent flavor. To cook without garlic is like taking a trip to Paris and then staying in the hotel and watching TV. What's the point? Use the garlic. Use fresh garlic. Use a lot of it. Don't even bother with the stuff in the jar. After you've used fresh garlic, you won't want the stuff in the jar, anyway.

How To Fry A Fish




Four 6-8 oz fish fillets (red snapper, tilapia, pollock... it's all good.)
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup flour
1/3 cup grated parmigiano reggiano cheese
juice and grated peel of 1 lemon

In skillet, heat a little olive oil until hot, over medium-high heat.

Mix cornmeal, flour, cheese, and lemon peel on a plate. Season fish with salt and pepper, then dredge in cornmeal mixture, pressing to coat fish evenly. Fry in the skillet, turning once, until golden-brown (about 7 minutes total.)

Top with drizzle of lemon juice and serve hot.

Pizza Carbonara a la Rachel Ray

cornmeal (handfull)
1 pound pizza dough, at room temperature
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for drizzling
1/4 lb pancetta, chopped (you can use bacon)
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated pecorino romano cheese
2 large egg yolks, beaten
1 clove garlic, grated
pepper
1 1/2 to 2 cups shredded provolone cheese
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 450*. Sprinkle cornmeal on pizza pan or baking sheet. Place pizza dough on the pan and stretch into a large round or rectangle. Drizzle dough with oil and partially bake until puffed and slightly golden -- about 8 min.

In small skillet, heat a drizzle of oil over medium heat. Add pancetta and cook stirring often, until crisp (about 5 min.) Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Add ricotta, pecorino romano, egg yolks, and garlic to the pancetta; season with pepper and stir to combine.

Spread mixture over teh partially baked pizza dough, leaving a 1/2 inch border all around. Bake until the crust and topping are golden and cooked through, about 12 minutes. Scatter the parsley on top and cut into wedges.

Whole Wheat Pancakes, Bex Style

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt (you can omit this, it just makes the pancakes a little fluffier)

1 egg (beaten)

1 cup milk

1 tablespoon applesauce

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix dry ingredients well. Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Pour onto hot, nonstick griddle (medium) and flip when edges are not shiny and top is covered with bubbles.

You can add fruit to the pancakes as well. I like to top mine with bananna slices and serve as-is, without syrup. The banannas make a sort of topping for the pancake so it's like syrup. For the kids, I sometimes sprinkle bananna or blueberry pancakes with a little powdered sugar.

The kids don't even know it's healthy. These pancakes are a huge hit when we have sleepovers!

FLAN

1 recipe caramel (see following recipe)

6 large eggs

6 large egg yolks

1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups milk

2 cups half-and-half

1 vanilla bean

1. Prepare caramel and coat a 9 inch round cake pan.

2. Preheat oven to 325*

3. In a large mixing bowl, gently whisk together the eggs, yolks, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla extract. (Avoid incorporating air as happens when you whisk more briskly.)

4. Pour the milk and half-and-half into a medium saucepan. Split vanilla bean lengthwise and, using the tip of a pairing knife, scrape the black seeds into the milk. Add the bean also and bring the milk to a boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

5. Gradually, pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Pass the milk and egg mixture through a strainer into the caramel-coated cake pan. Place the cake pan inside a large roasting pan and carefully pour hot tap water into the larger pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the flan pan.

6. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, until the center just feels firm when pressed with a finger. Set aside to cool in the pan of water, then remove from water bath, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

7. To serve, run a knife along the inside edge of the pan and gently press the center of the bottom to loosen. Cover pan with aplatter, invert, and lift the pan off the flan. Cut the flan in wedges and serve topped with cold caramel.

CARAMEL

2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups water

1. Have ready a 9-inch round cake pan. Combine the sugar and 1/2 cup of the water in a medium saucepan. Cook over moderate heat, swirling the pan occasionally, until the color is darm brown and the mixture has a distinctive fragrance of caramel, about 15 minutes. Use a pastry brush dipped in cold water to wash down any sugar granules from the pot's sides. Pour enough of the hot caramel into a 9-inch round cake pan to coat the bottom and sides. Swirl to coat evenly.

2. Slowly and carefully add the remaining 3/4 cup water to the caramel in the saucepan. Bring to a aboul and cook over moderate heat u ntil the caramel dissolves, about 5 minutes. Occasionally stir and brush down the sides with the pastry brush dipped in cold water to prevent crystallization. Set this caramel sauce aside to cool and then chill until serving time.

COCONUT RICE

INGREDIENTS
1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
1 1/4 cups water
1 teaspoon sugar
1 pinch salt
1 1/2 cups uncooked jasmine rice

DIRECTIONS
In a saucepan, combine coconut milk, water, sugar, and salt. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in rice. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 18 to 20 minutes, until rice is tender.

Peanut Butter Noodles (sort of like Pad Thai)

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger root
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons peanut butter
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons hot chile paste (optional)
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces Udon noodles
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped peanuts

DIRECTIONS
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until tender according to package directions. Drain.

Meanwhile, combine chicken broth, ginger, soy sauce, peanut butter, honey, chili paste, and garlic in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until peanut butter melts and is heated through. Add noodles, and toss to coat. Garnish with green onions and peanuts

Mango Salsa

(not just for cavemen)

2 Mangoes
1 can of pineapple tidbits or 2 cups diced pineapple
1 small red onion, chopped (green onion is good, too)
1 handfull cilantro, chopped
2-3 jalapeno peppers, chopped (remove seeds and membranes for less heat or use red bell pepper for a really mild salsa)
2 Tbsp lime juice

Mix everything together; let marinate for at least an hour before serving. (It's even better the next day.)

Indian/Asian Fusion Chops

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon garlic paste
1 tablespoon ginger paste
4 (1-inch-thick) pork chops
1 tablespoon garam masala

DIRECTIONS
1. In a bowl, stir together soy sauce, lime juice, garlic, and ginger.
2. Place pork chops in a glass dish. Pour soy sauce mixture over chops. Cover, and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours, turning occasionally.
3. Preheat an outdoor grill for direct heat and lightly oil grate.
4. Place chops on the grill. As they cook, sprinkle with garam masala. Cook about 10 minutes on each side.

Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

(good for dipping or to pour over noodles and veggies.)

INGREDIENTS
1 cup water
1 cup rice vinegar
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons fresh ginger root, minced
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
2 teaspoons hot chile pepper, minced
2 teaspoons ketchup
2 teaspoons cornstarch

DIRECTIONS
Pour water and vinegar into a saucepan, and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in sugar, ginger, garlic, chile pepper, and ketchup; simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in cornstarch. Remove saucepan from stove to cool. Then transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until needed.

Chilies Rellenos

INGREDIENTS:
12 Poblano (hot) or Anaheim (less hot) chile peppers, charred and peeled
1 pound Queso Blanco cheese, cut into strips
1 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon canola oil
1/2 cup all-purpose flour for coating

DIRECTIONS:
1. Remove seeds and membranes from peppers (or leave 'em in if you're a masochist.) Stuff each pepper with a strip of cheese.

2.In a small bowl combine milk, flour, egg, baking powder, baking soda, salt and canola oil; mix well to make a batter.

3.Pour enough oil in heavy frying pan to reach 1 inch in depth and heat over medium-high heat. Roll each pepper in flour and dip in the batter. Fry until lightly browned on both sides.

Easy Polenta With Tomato Sauce

Italian comfort food! It's sort of like cheesy, sweet grits with tomato sauce on top. You can serve it with or without the tomato sauce. You can also mix in herbs and mushrooms with the cheese. Another option is to refrigerate the mush overnight in a loaf pan, then slice and pan-fry the polenta to serve cake-style. It's a really versatile, easy dish to just throw together anytime.

INGREDIENTS
2 cups milk
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup Parmesan cheese
2 cups spaghetti sauce, or your favorite recipe

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch square baking dish.

2. In a large pot, combine the milk and chicken stock. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When it is at a rolling boil, gradually whisk in the cornmeal, making sure there are no lumps.

3. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring constantly until thick, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese.

4. Pour the polenta into the prepared baking dish, and spread spaghetti sauce over the top.

5. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until sauce is bubbling.

Spaghetti and Stuffed Peppers at Casa de Chaos:

Stuffed Peppers

INGREDIENTS
1 pound ground beef (or turkey)
1/2 cup uncooked long grain white rice
1 cup water
6 green bell peppers (I use all colors.)
2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Place the rice and water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and cook 20 minutes. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the beef until evenly browned.

3. Remove and discard the tops, seeds, and membranes of the bell peppers. Arrange peppers in a baking dish with the hollowed sides facing upward. (Slice the bottoms of the peppers if necessary so that they will stand upright.)

4. In a bowl, mix the browned beef, cooked rice, 1 can tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Spoon an equal amount of the mixture into each hollowed pepper. Mix the remaining tomato sauce and Italian seasoning in a bowl, and pour over the stuffed peppers.

5. Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, basting with sauce every 15 minutes, until the peppers are tender.

Garden Ratatouille

1 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into 1" cubes

2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4" thick slices

2 tsp kosher salt

1 large onion, chopped

2 bell peppers, seeded and cut into strips

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp. oregano

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp basil

3 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup black olives, pitted

Place eggplant and zucchini in colander and sprinkle with kosher salt. Let drain for 30 minutes. Rinse and dry veggies and set aside. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion, peppers, and garlic until tender, stirring often. Add the eggplant, zucchini, basil, and oregano. Cover and cook, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, cover, and cook for about 5 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft. Add the salt and season with pepper to taste. Garnish with olives. This dish can be made ahead and served warm or cold. Good with parmesan cheese on top.

Zucchini Souffle

2 cups zucchini, grated

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

3 eggs, beaten

1/3 cup milk

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup minced onion

1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 pkg. corn muffin mix

parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix all ingredients together and sprinkle top with parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered for 50 minutes.

This is my attempt at copying a friend's recipe for brisket. She brought it as an example of Jewish food at my school's International Dinner, and it was sooooooo good! Everyone in my family has been bugging me to get the recipe from her, but she's one of those cooks who just sort of "throws things together" so this is the closest I could get. It's pretty close!

Marilyn's Brisket





You need:

1 brisket ~3lbs.
2 onions, sliced into rings
2 T minced garlic (more or less, to taste)
2 T paprika
salt and pepper
1 cup sweet, red wine (Marilyn uses Manischewitz, but I used Wild Vines and it tasted pretty much the same.)
1 can beer

Here's how you make it --

Place the brisket in a roasting pan that has space enough to cover the meat with stuff. (I put it in a large crockpot -- you know, the bathtub-sized one Dad got me for Christmas a couple years ago? It's perfect for this.) Sprinkle it with the garlic, paprika, salt and pepper. Cover it with onions. Pour the wine over top, then pour the beer over top everything. Roast overnight. (She didn't say what temperature to roast it, but I imagine it's kind of low if you're roasting it all night long. I "roasted" mine in the crockpot overnight on the low setting.)

"Cheater" Mole

INGREDIENTS
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried cilantro
1/8 tablespoon dried minced garlic
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chile peppers

DIRECTIONS
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, and cook the onion until tender. Mix in cocoa powder, cumin, cilantro, and garlic. Stir in the tomato soup and green chile peppers. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Transfer to a gravy boat or pour directly over food to serve.

Frito Pie

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp oil

1 onion, diced

1 Tbsp minced garlic (2-3 cloves, if you use fresh, depending on your taste)

1 lb ground beef

1 green bell pepper, diced

8 mushrooms, cubed

1 can of black beans

1 large can of diced tomatoes

1 Tbsp cumin

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 bag Fritos

Toppings:

Shredded cheese

Sour cream

green onions (cut up)

black olives

fresh tomato (diced)

shredded lettuce

(you get the idea... whatever your favorite Taco toppings.)

1. In a really large skillet, saute the onions and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until the onions start to become transparent.

2. Add ground beef. Cook until browned.

3. Add peppers, tomatoes, beans, mushrooms, cumin, and chili powder. Bring to boil; simmer for about 10 minutes (or until green peppers are cooked.)

4. To serve: place a handfull of Fritos in the bottom of each bowl. Ladle chili over top of chips, and top with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!