Roasted Red Peppers (or any other vegetable)

Ingredients

Olive Oil
Red Peppers (or whatever vegetable you are roasting)

Directions

1. Heat grill on High.

2. Wash and dry peppers. Coat them with olive oil. Place peppers on hot grill for 3 minutes. Flip them over for another 3 minutes. Repeat until all sides are charred and black.





3. Remove peppers from grill and place in a brown paper bag. Close the top of the bag and let the peppers sit for 5 minutes. Let the peppers cool and remove the black char from the outside.



Total time: 15 minutes

Beet Hummus

Ingredients

1/2 pound beets, scrubbed clean
2 Tbsp tahini sesame seed paste
5 Tbsp lemon juice
1 small clove garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp lemon zest (zest from approx. 2 lemons)
Generous pinch of sea salt or Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste

*To cook the beets, cut off any tops, scrub the roots clean, put them in a covered dish with about 1/4-inch of water in a 375°F oven, and cook until easily penetrated with a knife or fork. Alternatively, cover with water in a saucepan and simmer until tender, about 1/2 hour. Peel once they have cooled.



Directions

Place all ingredients in a food processor (or blender) and pulse until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings and ingredients as desired.

Chill and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.

Eat with pita chips, vegetables, or on a crostini with goat cheese and shaved mint.

Total time: 40 minutes
Servings: 2 cups
Recipe by Elise - Simply Recipes.

Rhubarb-Gingersnap Icebox Pie

Ingredients

Crust

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 cup ground gingersnap cookies (20-30 cookies, depending on brand, ground in a food processor)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Rhubarb Compote

1 cup fruity red wine, such as Shiraz
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 pound fresh rhubarb, cut lengthwise into 1/3" slices, then crosswise into 1 1/2"-long pieces (about 3 cups), or frozen rhubarb, thawed

Assembly

1 quart good-quality vanilla ice cream
1/4 cup chilled heavy cream
1/4 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
1 tablespoon sugar

Directions

Crust

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Coat a 9" glass or metal pie pan with nonstick spray. Process cookie crumbs, sugar, salt, and nutmeg in a food processor until well incorporated. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl and drizzle butter over; stir to blend. Pour into prepared dish. Use bottom and sides of a measuring cup to pack crumbs onto bottom and up sides of dsh. Bake until crust is deep golden brown, about 12 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack and set aside.







Compote

2. Bring wine, sugar, and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a wide pot, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring often, until syrup measures 1 cup, 10-12 minutes. Add rhubarb, increase heat to high, and cook, without stirring and swirling pan occasionally, until compote thickens and syrup is slightly reduced, 4-5 minutes. Slide onto a plate, keeping rhubarb intact. Freeze for 10 minutes to chill quickly.

What a great bottle of Shiraz. I stumbled upon this Gemtree Vineyards Bloodstone Shiraz at Whole Foods. It was on sale from $18.99 to $12.99. I quickly googled it and had to try it after reading it's description as having "plums and raspberry conserve on the bouquet." Sounded perfect for this recipe and it was! It was also a nice, drinkable shiraz. Winner!









Assembly

3. Chill bowl and paddle attachment of a stand mixer in freezer. Soften ice cream in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. Spoon ice cream into the chilled bowl and beat with paddle attachment on low speed until smooth. Set 1/3 cup compote aside, add remaining compote to ice cream and mix until evenly incorporated. Spoon the ice cream into cooled crust; smooth top. Freeze until firm, about 2 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep frozen. Cover and chill remaining compote.

4. Whip cream, crème fraîche, and sugar in a small bowl just until peaks form. Spoon into center of pie; spread evenly, leaving a 1" plain border. Spoon remaining compote onto center of cream. Freeze until firm, about 1 hour and up to 8 hours. Let pie stand at room temperature for 10-20 minutes before serving.




Total Time: At least 4 hours with freezing time
Servings: 8-10
Recipe by Bon Appetit

Corn Fritters

Ingredients

1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup water
2 cups of corn kernels, (about 3 ears)
4 large scallions, finely sliced (about half a cup)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Grapeseed, canola, or peanut oil (a high smoke point oil) for frying

Directions

1. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, ground coriander, and ground cumin in a medium bowl. Add egg, lemon juice and water. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until smooth. Add the corn, onions, and cilantro. Stir until just combined.



2 Heat a large frying pan on medium high heat. Add enough oil to generously coat the bottom of the pan. When oil is hot (shimmering not smoking), spoon about 2 heaping tablespoons worth of fritter batter into the pan to form one fritter, patting it down with the back of the spoon as soon as it is in the pan. Work in batches. Leave about 1/2 inch between the fritters in the pan. Let cook about 2-3 minutes on each side, flipping the fritters when they are nicely browned on one side. When browned on the other side, remove the fritters to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess fat.

Add oil as needed to keep the bottom of the pan well coated. Note that the fritters will likely splatter a bit as you are cooking. Use a screen splatter guard. I didn't and got a nice big oil splatter burn on my neck. Ouch.

Notes: I did not successfully make the sweet chili sauce included in Elise's recipe. It came out so thick that the wooden spoon stuck straight up and couldn't be removed. In the future, I would probably serve with a yogurt or sour cream option, but it was delicious enough to stand on it's own as well!

Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 5
Recipe by Elise - Simply Recipes.

Shrimp Salad with Tarragon and Chives

Ingredients

2 lb. large shrimp (31-40 count)
3/4 cup finely chopped celery with leaves
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup thinly cliced fresh chives
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh tarragon
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
kosher salt
ground black pepper

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring, until bright pink and cooked through - about 2 minutes. Drain and rinse immediately under cold water to prevent over cooking.

2. In a large bowl, stir the celery, mayo, chives, tarragon, lemon juice, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Stir in the shrimp and season to taste with more lemon juice, salt and pepper (if needed).

Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 6
Recipe adapted from: Food + Wine's Shrimp salad rolls with tarragon and chives

Quick and Easy Tilapia

Ingredients

2 lbs Tilapia fillets
2-3 heirloom tomatoes
4 cloves minced garlic
oil or cooking spray
salt

Directions

1. Heat non-stick skillet on medium-high heat until nice and hot. Spray with non-stick cooking spray - I use this to keep the calories low, but you could use olive oil instead.

2. Add garlic to the pan and saute for a few seconds. Start adding the tilapia without overcrowding. Sprinkle salt over entire pan. Turn fish over after 2-3 minutes. There should be a nice brown crispness. Remove fish from the pan after 2 more minutes.

3. After all of the fish has been cooked, add chopped heirloom tomatoes, stirring frequently to ensure even cooking. Once they are nice and soft, pour everything from the pan on top of the fish.





Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 6

Notes: I make this as a super fast, healthy and cheap lunch. One piece of tilapia (roughly 1/4 lb) + a 1/4 of a tomato keeps this lunch under $5, even from whole foods.

Quick and Easy Peanut Sauce

Ingredients

4 Tbsp Peanut butter
4 Tbsp Teriyaki Sauce
2 Tbsp Thai Chili Sauce
2 tsp honey

1. Combine ingredients. Mix well.

Total time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1/2 cup

Notes: This is a super easy sauce that I use for the base in my pad thai pizzas. I also use it as a dipping sauce for summer rolls and for chicken satay.

Pad Thai Pizza

Ingredients

Naan (365 brand pre-baked)
2 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded
1 cup mozzarella cheese

Peanut Sauce:
4 Tbsp Peanut butter
4 Tbsp Teriyaki Sauce
2 Tbsp Thai Chili Sauce
2 tsp honey

Toppings:
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/3 cup mung bean sprouts
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped salted peanuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425.

2. Combine peanut butter, teriyaki sauce, chili sauce and honey. Mix 1/2 of the sauce with rotisserie chicken.

3. Spread the other half of the peanut sauce on naan. Distribute chicken and cover with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 10 minutes.

4. Top with carrot, bean sprouts, cilantro, scallions and peanuts.

Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6

Pan-Roasted Salmon with Corn and Bacon

Ingredients

4 salmon fillets, 5-6 ounces each
Salt, to taste
1 cup dry white wine or vermouth
2 cups fish stock or clam juice
1 tablespoon good-quality unsalted butter
1/4 cup chopped bacon
1/4 cup chopped leeks
Olive oil
1 cup fresh corn kernels
1/4 cup heavy cream
8 leaves fresh tarragon
Pepper, to taste
1 lemon

Directions

1. About 1 hour before serving, season fish on both sides with salt.

2. Place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add wine or vermouth. Boil until reduced by three-fourths. Add fish stock or clam juice and reduce again by half. Set aside.

3. In another sauté pan over a medium heat, melt butter and add bacon and leeks; sweat for about 10 minutes, until soft (do not brown). Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

4. Heat a frying pan on medium-high. Add about 3 tablespoons olive oil. Place fish in pan, skin-side up. Cook for about 3 minutes; you are looking for a beautiful golden crust. Flip fish and finish cooking on the other side, about 2 minutes more.

5. To make the sauce, bring wine-stock mixture back to a boil; add bacon-leek mixture and corn. Reduce heat to a simmer. Add cream and tarragon. Check seasoning; adjust with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon to brighten it up a little. Serve sauce with fish on top; squeeze a little lemon and drizzle a little extra-virgin olive oil over all just before serving.

Total Time: ?
Servings: 4
Recipe by The Kitchen Cafe - Boulder, CO.

Notes:
Todd raved about this dish. I like to note that for myself!

You can substitute other vegetables instead of corn with whatever is in season. The Kitchen suggested turnips, radishes, or green beans. They also suggested cooking all vegetables ahead of time before adding to the wine stock mixture.

Endive Salad with Apple and Gorgonzola

Ingredients

4 heads Belgian endive
2 organic Fuji apples, or your favorite apple
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
6 ounces (3/4 cup) crumbed gorgonzola cheese, or you favorite blue cheese (please do not buy already-crumbed stuff)

Directions

1. Cut each endive head in half lengthwise and remove core. Separate leaves and wash gently in cold water. Slice apple very thinly, either with a mandolin or by hand. Place apple slices and endive in a bowl and toss lightly with vinegar, olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Divide among serving plates and garnish with cheese.

Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 6
Recipe by The Kitchen Cafe - Boulder, CO.

Grilled Peach and Gorgonzola Bruschetta

Ingredients

6 ripe, organic peaches, halved, stones removed
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
6 slices sourdough or other rustic bread
1 clove garlic
Handful of chopped fresh parsley
Handful of chopped fresh mint
Red wine vinegar
8 ounces Gorgonzola cheese

Directions

1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. In a large bowl, toss peach halves with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place peaches, flesh side down, on grill for about 2–3 minutes (you are looking to get a good char). Turn and cook the other side, another 2–3 minutes. Remove peaches from grill and set aside in a bowl to catch any juices.

2. Grill bread slices, toasting each side. Don’t worry if some parts burn a bit; the flavor gives a great contrast to the overall dish. When grilled, rub slices with garlic. Place 2 peach halves on each bread slice.

3. Combine reserved peach juices with chopped parsley, mint, and a little red wine vinegar. Crumble Gorgonzola cheese over peaches and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and peach-juice mixture.

Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 6
Recipe by The Kitchen Cafe - Boulder, CO.

Pea and Pecorino Bruschetta

Ingredients

1 pound snow peas or sugar snap peas
1 clove garlic, crushed
4 ounces pecorino cheese, finely grated
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup good-quality olive oil
1/2 cup mint leaves
Juice of at least 1 lemon
6-8 slices good-quality rustic bread

Directions

1. Remove any tough ends and stringy bits from peas, then chop peas into 1/2-inch strips. Bring a pot of salty water to boil. Add peas to boiling water for about 1 minute, just until peas turn a consistent bright green. Drain and immediately cool in ice water or under running cold water (this stops the cooking and keeps the peas bright green).

2. In the bottom of a salad bowl, combine crushed garlic, half of the pecorino, and a small pinch of salt and pepper. Carefully add more cheese to taste (pecorino can be salty). Stir in olive oil to make a dressing. Add chopped mint and cooled peas; toss to coat evenly. Taste for seasoning and adjust with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 6-8
Recipe by The Kitchen Cafe - Boulder, CO.

Carrot Soufflé

Ingredients

2 lbs carrots, peeled, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
Salt for salting cooking water
1 cup whole milk
1 cup Saltine cracker crumbs
3/4 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/3 cup minced onion
1 Tbsp room temperature unsalted butter
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 large eggs

Directions

1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 2-quart baking dish and set aside.

2 Place carrots in a saucepan and cover with an inch of water. Add about 1 teaspoon of salt to the water. Bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the carrots are tender. Strain the carrots and purée in a food processor or with an immersion blender.

3 Place carrot purée in a large bowl. Slowly add in the milk, a little at a time, whisking after each addition so that the mixture stays smooth, not lumpy. Mix in the saltine cracker crumbs, the grated cheese, onion, butter, Kosher salt, cayenne, and black pepper.

4 In a separate bowl, whip up the eggs until frothy. Then whisk them into the carrot purée mixture.

5 Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until puffed up a bit and lightly golden.

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 8
Recipe by Elise - Simply Recipes.

Blueberry Peach Fruit Salad with Thyme

Ingredients

4 peaches
4 nectarines
1 cup of blueberries
2 teaspoons of fresh, chopped thyme
1 teaspoon of grated ginger
1/4 cup of lemon juice
1 teaspoon of lemon zest

Directions

1 Chop up the peaches and nectarines and place them in a bowl with the blueberries. Pour over the cooled simple syrup or agave syrup. Add the thyme, lemon juice, lemon zest, and ginger.

2 Stir and cover with plastic wrap, place in the fridge and allow to macerate for one hour. Serve.

Total Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Servings: 4-8
Recipe by Elise - Simply Recipes.

Notes: The original recipe called for 1/4 cup of sugar + 1/2 cup of water to make a simple syrup OR 1 TBSP of agave nectar to sweeten the salad.

Asian Coleslaw

Ingredients

1 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
6 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon toasted (dark) sesame oil
4 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
4 cups thinly sliced cabbage (Napa, green, purple, or a combination)
1/2 cup grated carrots
1/4 cup toasted, salted, shelled, peeled peanuts

Optional

Chopped fresh cilantro
Thinly sliced green onions or chives

Directions

1 Prepare dressing. Place peanut butter in a medium bowl. Add the vegetable oil and the toasted sesame oil and whisk until nicely smooth. Whisk in the seasoned rice vinegar and do a taste test. Depending on how you like your dressing, how salty your peanut butter is, how seasoned your rice vinegar is, you may want to add a little more vinegar, a little more sugar, or a little salt. (Makes about 3/4 cup of dressing.)

2 Toast the peanuts. Although the roasted peanuts from the store may already be cooked, you'll get even better flavor with just a little toasting. Heat a small skillet on medium high heat and add the nuts to the pan. Do not ignore or the nuts can easily burn. Stir a little with a wooden spoon until the peanuts begin to get browned in spots and you can smell the toasting aromas. Remove peanuts from pan to a dish.

3 In a large bowl, toss the sliced cabbage, grated carrots, and peanuts together, and any other optional ingredients you care to add (like a little chopped cilantro or green onions). Right before serving, mix in the dressing.

Total Time: ?
Servings: 4
Recipe by Elise - Simply Recipes.

Notes: Great alternative to mayo-based coleslaw.

Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler

Ingredients

Fruit mixture

4 1/2 cups rhubarb stalks cut into 1-inch pieces (Trim outside stringy layer of large rhubarb stalks; make sure to trim away any and discard of the leaves which are poisonous; trim ends.)
1 1/2 cups strawberries, stemmed and sliced
1/2 cup white sugar
2 Tablespoons of quick cooking tapioca
1 teaspoon of grated orange peel

Cobbler crust

2 Tbsp white sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

1 In a bowl, mix the rhubarb and the strawberries with the sugar, tapioca, and orange zest. Let sit to macerate for 30 minutes to an hour.

2 In a medium bowl, combine 2 Tablespoons of sugar, the flour, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter in with a fork or pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the milk and egg until just moistened.

3 Pour fruit into a 2-quart casserole dish. Drop the batter on the fruit. Bake in a 350°F oven for 35 minutes until cobbler crust is golden brown.

Serve with whipped cream (optional).

Total Time: 75 minutes
Servings: 6
Recipe by Elise - Simply Recipes.

Hummus

Ingredients

4 garlic cloves, minced and then mashed
2 15-oz cans of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
2/3 cup of tahini (roasted, not raw)
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of salt
Pine nuts (toasted) and parsley (chopped) for garnish

Directions

1 In a food processor, combine the mashed garlic, garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, 1/2 cup water, and olive oil. Process until smooth. Add salt, starting at a half a teaspoon, to taste.

2 Spoon into serving dish and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and chopped parsley.

Serve with crackers, raw dip vegetables such as carrots or celery, or with pita bread. You can cut the pita bread into thin triangles, brush with olive oil and toast for 10 minutes in a 400°F oven to make pita chips with which to serve the hummus.

Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4-8 (3 cups)
Recipe by Elise - Simply Recipes.

Baba Ghanouj

Ingredients

2 globe eggplants (about 2 lbs)
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2-3 Tbsp roasted tahini (sesame paste)
1-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Juice of one lemon - about 2 1/2 tablespoons
Salt and cayenne pepper to taste
1 Tbsp chopped parsley

Directions

1 Preheat grill or broiler. Poke the eggplants in a few places with a fork, then rub the eggplants with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Grill or broil over high heat, turning as each side blackens. Put the charred eggplants in a paper bag, close the bag and let the eggplants steam in their skins for 15-20 minutes.

2 Scoop the eggplant flesh into a large bowl and mash well with a fork. Combine the eggplant, remaining olive oil (about 2 Tbsp), tahini, garlic, cumin, 2 Tbsp of the lemon juice, the salt, and a pinch of cayenne. Mash well. You want the mixture to be somewhat smooth but still retaining some of the eggplant's texture.

3 Allow the baba ghanouj to sit for an hour at room temperature, then season to taste with additional lemon juice, salt, and cayenne. If you want, swirl a little olive oil on the top. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley. Serve with pita bread, crackers, toast, sliced baguette or celery.

Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 8-10
Recipe by Elise - Simply Recipes.

Butternut Squash with Browned Butter and Thyme

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, flesh diced into 1/2-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
3 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon of dried)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1 Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Add the butter, whisking frequently. Continue to cook the butter. Once melted it will foam up a bit, then subside. Honey-colored browned milk solids will begin to form. The butter should have a wonderful nutty aroma. Remove from heat. Add the thyme, whisking continuously. If using fresh thyme, the mixture will foam up a bit.

(Note that it doesn't take much time to go from browned butter to burnt butter. You will want to remove the pan from the heat element and place it on a cool surface to help stop the cooking of the butter. If the butter burns, I recommend dumping it and starting over, something I've had to do on occasion when not paying close attention.)

2 Add the cubed butternut squash pieces to the pan and return the pan to the burner, heating to medium high. Use a wooden or metal spoon to stir the squash pieces so they are all well coated with the butter thyme mixture. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Spread the squash pieces out in an even layer and let cook, without stirring, so that they brown a bit on one side (several minutes). Stir and spread the pieces out again and let cook without stirring so more sides get browned.

3 Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and let cook until the squash is tender, 10 to 20 minutes, depending on how big you cut the pieces.

Add more salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle with a bit more chopped fresh thyme before serving.

Total Time: ?
Servings: 4
Recipe by Elise - Simply Recipes.

Beet Greens

Ingredients

1 pound beet greens
1 strip of thick cut bacon, chopped (or a tablespoon of bacon fat)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 large garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup of water
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/6 cup of cider vinegar

Directions

1 Wash the greens in a sink filled with cold water. Drain greens and wash a second time. Drain greens and cut away any heavy stems. Cut leaves into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

2 In a large skillet or 3-qt saucepan, cook bacon until lightly browned on medium heat (or heat 1 Tbsp of bacon fat). Add onions, cook over medium heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions soften and start to brown. Stir in garlic. Add water to the hot pan, stirring to loosen any particles from bottom of pan. Stir in sugar and red pepper. Bring mixture to a boil.

3 Add the beet greens, gently toss in the onion mixture so the greens are well coated. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 5-15 minutes until the greens are tender. Stir in vinegar. (For kale or collard greens continue cooking additional 20 to 25 minutes or until desired tenderness.)

Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Recipe by Elise - Simply Recipes.

Notes: I used to just throw away the greens when I bought beets. Now, I almost always make this recipe whenever I purchase beets.

Chicken Curry Salad

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 lb skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes
Salt
1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
2 heaping Tbsp yellow curry powder
1 cup raisins
1 apple (tart or sweet, your preference), peeled, cored, and diced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (just lightly packed)
2 green onions, sliced
1 Tbsp mayonnaise optional

Directions

1 Heat olive oil on medium/medium-high heat in a thick-bottomed sauté pan. Add chicken pieces and cook, stirring frequently until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle some salt on the chicken pieces while cooking. Check doneness by removing the thickest piece and cutting it in half. If it is still pink in the middle, keep cooking. Try not to overcook the chicken or it will be dry. Remove chicken pieces with a slotted spoon, set aside in a bowl.

2 Add yellow onion and cook. After a few minutes, when the onions are beginning to get translucent, add 2 heaping tablespoons of yellow curry powder. Cook a few minutes more, stirring frequently. If the curry sticks to the bottom or the mixture gets dry, add a bit more olive oil to the pan. As you stir, scrape up the stuck curry bits. Add raisins, and cook, stirring another minute. (If adding optional mayonnaise, remove curry from heat and mix in mayo.) Add raisin and onion mixture to chicken and mix well, coating the chicken pieces with the curry infused olive oil. Refrigerate until cool. At this point you can make the salad a day a head of time.

3 When you are ready to serve the salad, mix in the apple, green onions, and cilantro.

Total Time: ?
Servings: 4
Recipe by Elise - Simply Recipes.

Sonoma Chicken Salad

Ingredients

Dressing
1 cup mayonnaise
4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
5 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Salad
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3/4 cup pecan pieces, toasted
2 cups red seedless grapes
3 stalks celery, thinly sliced

Directions

In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, honey, poppy seeds, salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to dress the salad. This can be prepared up to 2 days ahead.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Place the chicken breasts in one layer in a baking dish with 1/2 cup water. Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes until completely cooked through. Remove cooked chicken breasts from pan, cool at room temperature for 10 minutes, then cover and refrigerate.

When the chicken is cold, dice into bite-size chunks and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in pecans, grapes, celery and dressing.

Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 6
Recipe by The Whole Foods Market Cookbook.

African Chicken Peanut Stew

Ingredients

2-3 pounds chicken legs, thighs and/or wings
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 large yellow or white onion, sliced
A 3-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
6-8 garlic cloves, chopped roughly
2-3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 15-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
1 quart chicken stock
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup roasted peanuts
1 Tbsp ground coriander
1 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
Salt and black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro

Directions

1 Heat the vegetable oil in a large soup pot set over medium-high heat. Salt the chicken pieces well, pat them dry and brown them in the oil. Don't crowd the pot, so do this in batches. Set the chicken pieces aside as they brown.

2 Sauté the onions in the oil for 3-4 minutes, stirring often and scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté another 1-2 minutes, then add the sweet potatoes and stir well to combine.

3 Add the chicken, chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, peanut butter, peanuts, coriander and cayenne and stir well to combine. Bring to a simmer and taste for salt, adding more if needed. Cover the pot and simmer gently for 90 minutes (check after an hour), or until the chicken meat easily falls off the bone and the sweet potatoes are tender.

4 Remove the chicken pieces and set them in a bowl to cool, until cool enough to touch. Remove and discard the skin if you want, or chop it and put it back into the pot. Shred the meat off the bones and put the meat back in the pot.

5 Adjust the seasonings for salt and cayenne, then add as much black pepper as you think you can stand—the stew should be peppery. Stir in the cilantro and serve by itself, or with simple steamed rice.

Total Time: 2 hours
Servings: 6-8
Recipe by Elise - Simply Recipes.

Classic Carrot Salad

Ingredients

3-4 cups freshly grated carrots
1/2-1 cup raisins
1 large apple, cored and chopped
1/4 to 1/3 cup mayonnaise

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl.

Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4
Recipe by Elise - Simply Recipes.

Notes: Probably not a salad I would crave, but its quick, easy, healthy, uses staple ingredients and the kids ate it.

Three Bean Salad Recipe

Ingredients

1 15-oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-oz can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-oz can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
2 celery stalks, chopped fine
1/2 red onion, chopped fine
1 cup fresh, finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 Tbsp fresh finely chopped rosemary

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1 In a large bowl, mix the beans, celery, onion, parsley and rosemary.

2 In a separate small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Add the dressing to the beans. Toss to coat.

3 Chill beans in the refrigerator for several hours, to allow the beans to soak up the flavor of the dressing.

Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4-8
Recipe by Elise - Simply Recipes.

Quick and Easy White Bean Salad

Ingredients

1 14.5-ounce can white beans, drained but not rinsed
2 Tbsp chopped red onion
A squeeze of lemon juice
2 teaspoons wine vinegar (red or white)
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dry herbs de provence (crumbled)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

1 After you chop up the onion, squeeze a little lemon juice over it and let it sit while prepping the other ingredients. According to my mother, this will take the edge off the onion.

2 Combine all ingredients into a serving dish. You can serve right away if you want, but if you chill for a few hours, the flavors will come together better.

Lasts a couple of days in the refrigerator.

Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 6
Recipe by Elise - Simply Recipes.

Cold Pea Salad

Ingredients

16-ounces frozen petite peas (do not thaw)
6 ounces smokehouse almonds, rinsed to take off the excess salt, chopped by hand
1/2 cup chopped green onions
8 ounces chopped water chestnuts
2/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp yellow curry powder
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

1 Combine the frozen peas, green onions, almonds, and water chestnuts. Mix together the mayonnaise and curry powder in a separate bowl.

2 Gently fold the mayonnaise mixture into peas. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

3 Keep almonds separate until ready to serve.

Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 6
Recipe by Elise - Simply Recipes.

Notes:
Frozen peas give the salad a nice, cold crunch.
Can substitute smoked almonds or tamari almonds for smokehouse.

Lamb Köfte with Yogurt Sauce and Muhammara

Ingredients

Yogurt Sauce

1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)*
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Köfte

2 pounds ground lamb
1/2 cup minced fresh mint
1/4 cup coarsely grated onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
12 5- to 7-inch-diameter soft round Middle Eastern flatbreads (preferably with no pocket)
2 tablespoons (or more) olive oil, divided
2 large onions, halved through core, cut crosswise into 1/4- to 1/3-inch slices

Muhammara

1/2 cup finely chopped drained roasted red peppers from jar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons (or more) pomegranate molasses**
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

Directions

yogurt sauce

Stir all ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Cover and chill.

köfte

Line large rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap. Gently mix lamb and next 8 ingredients in large bowl. Using moistened hands and scant 2 tablespoonfuls for each, roll meat mixture into 1 1/2-inch meatballs. Arrange on sheet.
Preheat oven to 300°F. Place large sheet of foil on work surface. Heat large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add flatbreads to skillet 1 at a time; cook until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Enclose in foil; place in oven to keep warm.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions; sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Sauté until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer onions to 1 side of large rimmed baking sheet; place in oven to keep warm.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to same skillet; heat over medium-high heat. Sauté half of meatballs until just cooked through, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer to baking sheet in oven. Repeat with remaining meatballs, adding oil to skillet if dry. Reserve skillet.

Muhammara

Add roasted peppers to reserved skillet; stir 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup water and 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses. Bring to simmer, scraping up browned bits. Cook until reduced to 2/3 cup, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Mix in parsley. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and more pomegranate molasses, if desired. Transfer to small bowl.
Arrange onions and meatballs on platter. Serve with warm breads, yogurt sauce, and muhammara.

Total Time: ?
Servings: 6
Recipe by Jeanne Thiel Kelley - Bon Apetit.

Notes:
Muhammara is a nice touch and adds a nice sweet (yet subtle) element, but not necessary if you don't have pomegranate molasses.

Granola - Raisin, Coconut, Cashew

Ingredients

3 cups rolled oats
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup cashews
3/4 cup shredded sweet coconut
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins

Directions

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, and brown sugar.

In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, oil, and salt. Combine both mixtures and pour onto 2 sheet pans. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to achieve an even color.

Remove from oven and transfer into a large bowl. Add raisins and mix until evenly distributed.

Total Time: 1 hr 25 min
Servings: 6
Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown - Food Network.

Notes:
Try unsweetened banana chips
Experiment with different nuts

What's the point?

With my love affair of food in full swing, I've decided to start collecting my favorite recipes in one place - here. I have a goal to rid my cabinets of the countless magazines, binders and books that I am constantly trying to organize. Here it goes...