Some tasty recipes for your delectation! To be included on this page, a dish has to have been something that either I or a friend has made, and at the very least been something I've tried and enjoyed. If you have any notes or suggestions regarding these recipes, let me know and I'll add them!
Chestnut Mash courtesy of Greg Carter
1 pack (1.5kg) desiree potatoes (or other nice variety) 1 carton (284ml) cream 2 heaped tbsp wholegrain dijon mustard 4 generous tbsp clear honey 200g roast chestnuts, chopped 1 small pack (25g) basil leaves 1 tsp ground green peppercorns (optional) salt and black pepper Boil potatoes. Drain potatoes. Mash potatoes. Add the cream and beat the potatoes, which makes them fluffy. Then mix in everything except the basil. Then fold in the basil.Back to top
Chicken Morocco courtesy The Creative Chicken Cookbook
Preparation time: 10 minutes Total cooking time: 1 hour Serves 4 4 (1.7kg) chicken maryland pieces 2 tablespoons oil 2 small onions 2 cloves garlic 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 2 cups chicken stock 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander 1/3 cup lemon juice 12 green olives, pitted, chopped 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind Preheat oven to moderate 180°C. Trim chicken of excess fat and sinew. Place chicken in single layer in a shallow ovenproof dish. 1. Chop onions finely. Crush garlic. 2. Heat oil in medium pan; add onion, garlic and ginger. Cook over medium heat for 2 minutes or until onion is tender. Add cinnamon, cumin and turmeric; cook 1 minute. Add stock; stir until combined. Remove from heat. 3. Pour mixture over chicken. Cover dish with a lid or aluminium foil. Bake 1 hour or until chicken is tender, turning occasionally. Remove from oven; transfer [chicken] to serving plates. Scoop any fat from surface of sauce. 4. Stir in parsley, coriander and lemon juice. Spoon sauce over chicken. Sprinkle wit olives and lemon rind. Serve with couscous or rice. COOK'S FILE Storage time: This dish can be cooked a day ahead. Store, covered, in refrigerator. Reheat in moderate oven for 30 minutes.Note: "chicken maryland" is the whole leg of the chicken, including drumstick and thigh.
Chicken & Pasta Bake courtesy of www.thatsmyhome.com
1 cup chopped onion 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms 1 cup chopped zucchini 1/2 cup chopped celery 3 cloves crushed garlic 3 tablespoons butter 1 cup whole tomatoes, drained, chopped 1 teaspoon basil, crushed 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper 8 ounces uncooked macaroni shells 3 cups chopped cooked chicken 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese Saute first 5 ingredients in butter until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in tomatoes, basil, salt, and crushed red pepper; set aside. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Combine pasta, vegetable mixture, and chicken in a large bowl; spoon mixture into an 11x7x1-1/2-inch baking dish. Combine whipping cream and cheeses in a medium saucepan; cook over low heat until cheese melts, stirring frequently. Pour sauce over pasta mixture. Bake, covered, at 350ºF for 40 to 45 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Makes 6-8 servings.Some notes:
Cranberry Relish courtesy of Becki Carter
12 oz (340g) fresh cranberries 2 tart apples 1 orange, including peel sugar to taste Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process. You can take out the pith of the orange or leave it in, but if you leave it in you will need about twice as much sugar to counteract it. The final taste is pretty much the same either way, I think.Back to top
Deviled Eggs courtesy of Casey Divine
1. Hard boil eggs (bring to a boil, boil for 10 minutes, then cool with cold water). 2. Remove shells (carefully), slice each egg exactly in half (trying to hit middle of yoke) 3. Remove yokes and mash to a (moist) powder. 4. Add garlic and herb dressing (or mayo, or other creamy dressing) until desired moisture is reached (also add mustard, salt and pepper to taste). Roughly this will be 1 to 1 (i.e. as much added moisture as powdered egg yoke). 5. Mix yoke mixture up well. 6. Add yoke mixture to each egg white half "yoke hole" (to simplify this, put mixture in a resealable bag, cut off a corner, and squeeze out into egg whites). 7. Add a shake of paprika over each egg.Back to top
Feta Foldovers courtesy of
www.allrecipes.com
"Golden puffed pastries are filled with a feta cheese mixture. These can be made ahead, and popped into the oven after your guests arrive." Original recipe yield: 12 servings PREP TIME 20 Min COOK TIME 20 Min READY IN 40 Min INGREDIENTS * 8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled * 3 tablespoons finely chopped green onions * 1 egg, beaten * 1 (17.5 ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed * 1 egg yolk, beaten with 1 teaspoon water DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). 2. In a small bowl, blend feta cheese, green onions, and egg. Cut pastry into 12 (3 inch) squares. Place a mounded tablespoon of feta mixture in the center of each square. Moisten edges with water, and fold pastry over filling to form a triangle. Press edges together firmly with a fork to seal. Lightly brush pastries with the egg yolk mixture. 3. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.Back to top
Hot Artichoke Dip courtesy of
www.allrecipes.com
"This is a wonderful appetizer or dip that is not truly hot, but it is easy, cheesy and great! Serve with crackers, toast or vegetables." Original recipe yield: 32 servings PREP TIME 10 Min COOK TIME 25 Min READY IN 35 Min INGREDIENTS * 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese * 2/3 cup mayonnaise * 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream * 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped * 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion * 1 tablespoon chopped pimento peppers DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium baking dish. 2. Blend together the cheese, mayonnaise and whipping cream. Stir in the artichokes, green onions and pimentos. Mix well, and transfer to the prepared baking dish. 3. Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until lightly browned.Note from Casey: "I used two green chili peppers and about 8 green/spring onions per batch."
Shiitake Mushroom Gravy courtesy of
www.epicurious.com
"White wine, Dijon, miso, good vegetable stock - the flavors in this are incredibly good and fly in the face of anyone who thinks that something vegetarian and low-fat cannot be intensely delicious. Instead of the fat- intense roux technique that is typical of gravy making, the thickeners are buzzed in the food processor with some of the liquid. Countless entrees and entree plates would be sparked by this sauce - basic baked tempeh or tofu, for instance, with a grain side dish and some steamed broccoli." INGREDIENTS 1 teaspoon of butter or Better (see tips, below) 1 teaspoon olive oil Cooking spray 1/4 medium onion, finely chopped 2 cups sliced mushroom caps (about 1/3 pound) 3 1/4 cups vegetable stock (see tips, below) 3/4 cup dry white wine 2 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon golden miso (sweet white miso) 1 tablespoon dark miso (traditional red miso) 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast (see tips, below) 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste PREPARATION 1. Melt the butter and olive oil together in a large skillet, well sprayed with cooking spray, over medium heat for about 1 minute. Add the onion and sauté, stirring often, for about 4 minutes, or until the onion begins to soften. Raise the heat slightly and add the mushroom caps. Continue cooking, stirring often, for 5 to 6 minutes more. 2. Pour the vegetable stock into a medium saucepan or Dutch oven, preferably nonstick, and warm over medium-low heat. 3. Pour the wine into a food processor and add the garlic, flour, golden miso, dark miso, nutritional yeast, and mustard. Buzz together to form a paste. 4. Whisk the paste into the warmed, but not hot, vegetable stock. Gently bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Take a ladleful of this liquid and swirl it into the sautéed mushroom mixture, stirring well to scrape up any little flavorful bits from the bottom of the skillet. Add the mushrooms, onions, and liquid to the pot with the stock, scraping the sauté pan clean. 5. Reduce the heat to very low and let the sauce simmer very gently, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes. Correct the seasonings with salt (you'll need little, if any, since miso is salty) and a lot of pepper. Serve hot, ladled over whatever good thing you are serving. Crescent Dragonwagon shares her tips with Epicurious: * To make "Better," Dragonwagon combines in a food processor: 1 pound salted butter at room temperature, 2 1/2 cups macadamia nut, almond, or avocado oil, and 1 3/4 teaspoons fine sea salt, or more to taste. She puts the mixture into 3 or 4 ramekins, refrigerating one and freezing the rest. It's just as delicious as butter, but more healthful, easier to spread, and better for sautéing because its smoking point is higher than that of plain butter. * If you don't have time to make your own vegetable stock, Dragonwagon recommends the dark vegetable stock by Kitchen Basics. Packaged or homemade, these stocks are certainly healthier than meat stocks, but as Dragonwagon notes in Passionate Vegetarian, a high-quality vegetable stock does not sacrifice flavor: "It is good stock that underpins the glossy, piquant, sweet, or hot sauces that transform tofu, tempeh, and seitan from plain basics to genuinely satisfying dishes that speak cogently of abundance, not deprivation or blandness for the sake of health." * Miso is a soft, highly concentrated, soy-based seasoning paste, and a standard item in Japanese kitchens. Generally, darker misos have a stronger, heartier, and saltier flavor than the more delicate and sweeter white misos. Miso is available in Asian markets and natural food stores. * Toasted sesame oil, also known as Asian sesame oil, is a dark brown condiment that's not interchangeable with regular sesame oil. It's available in Asian markets and many grocery stores. * Nutritional yeast is a savory molasses-fed yeast that's rich in B-complex vitamins and protein. It is widely available in bulk at natural food stores. Makes about 4 cups.Back to top
Sweet Potato Wedges courtesy of me
1. Wash some big fat sweet potatoes (I found that 1-2 potatoes per person is enough to satisfy) and slice them into wedgey shapes (along the length).. 2. Put them on a baking tray and drizzle them with generous amounts of olive oil, then season to taste with salt and pepper (I like lots). 3. Coursely chop a clove or two of garlic and chuck it on the potatoes. 4. Mix it all about, making sure the potatoes are evenly coated in oil and seasoning. 5. Stick it in the oven on medium- to high-temperature for 40-60 mins. Consider cranking the heat up for the last 10 mins or so to make 'em go crispy on the outside. 6. Make yourself a tasty homemade aioli to dip them in by taking some mayonnaise, adding a clove of finely chopped (or mashed) garlic, and then gradually stirring in high quality extra virgin olive oil until the taste and texture feels "right".Back to top
Fudge courtesy of Becki Carter
1 lb (450 g) icing sugar 1/2 cup (120 ml) unsweetened cocoa 1/4 cup minus 1 tsp (55 ml) milk 1 tbsp extract of vanilla 1 stick (113g) butter Mix everything except the butter in a large bowl. Lay the butter, cut into strips, on top. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Pour into an 8 inch2 dish and chill for at least 1 hour.Back to top
Malteser Biscuit courtesy of Jonathan Ribee (a guy I know on the hifi forum Pink Fish)
(Taken from the Weight Watcher's Alternative Cookbook!) Ingredients 6oz luxury continental cooking chocolate 2 tbsp syrup 4oz butter 6oz maltesers, whole 9 oz digestive biscuits, crushed 1 egg beaten Method In a non-stick saucepan, gently melt the butter, cooking chocolate and syrup until smooth. Stir in the egg, and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and mix in the maltesers and biscuits. Mix well. Pour into a swiss roll tin lined with greaseproof paper and spread out evenly. Put into the fridge to cool and set. When set cut into squares. Eat and enjoy! Government Health Warning: Seriously Addictive Can lead to obesity if eaten in large quantities. No more than four should be eaten in any 24 hour period. (Believe me, it makes you feel really sick!)Back to top
Swiss Cheese Fondue courtesy of BBC Food
Serves 4 Preparation time less than 30 mins Cooking time 10 to 30 mins A classic Swiss recipe. Use flavoured breads like foccacia, olive breads or breadsticks and, for a different flavoured fondue, use other cheeses or a mix of mozzarella, dolcelatte and parmesan. Ingredients 1 clove garlic, halved 290ml/½ pint white wine 1 tsp lemon juice 225g/8oz emmental cheese grated 225g/8oz gruyère cheese grated 1 tsp cornflour 1 tbsp kirsch (optional) cubed bread pieces, for dipping Method 1. Rub the inside of the fondue pot with the halves of garlic. 2. Add the wine and lemon juice to the pot and heat until boiling. Lower the heat and gradually stir in the cheeses until melted, stirring all the time. 3. If using kirsch, blend with the cornflour, otherwise use water. Add to the cheese mixture and cook gently until the mixture is smooth - don't let it boil or it will burn. 4. Using the fondue prongs, dip the bread cubes into the cheese and serve.Back to top
Stuffed Butternut Squash courtesy of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, of the Guardian Weekend magazine
This lovely dish is based on a recipe by my [the author's] friend Sarah Raven. It's highly adaptable, but the principle is simple - the squash is baked whole, then the flesh is scooped out and mixed with a few tasty ingredients before being returned to its shell for a final baking. It's ripe for experimentation, and children will enjoy inventing variations. I've included two suggestions at the end. Serves four. 1 large butternut squash (about 1.5kg) or 2 small ones 1 garlic clove, finely chopped Around 50g butter A little olive oil 75g walnut halves, lightly toasted and very coarsely chopped 200g blue cheese (e.g. Dorset Blue Vinney), crumbled into lumps 2 tsp chopped thyme leaves Salt and black pepper 1 scant sbsp runny honey Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/gas mark 5. Clean the outside of the squash, then cuti it in half lengthways, and scoop out the seeds and soft fibres. Place in an ovenproof dish, put some garlic and a nut of butter in each cavity, brush with oil, season well and bake for an hour, until the flesh feels very tender to the tip of a knife. Scoop the flesh and buttery, garlicky juices into a bowl, leaving a 1cm- thick layer of flesh attached to the skin, so it holds its shape. Roughly mash the flesh. Keep back a few bits of walnut and chees, and fold the rest into the mash, along with the thyme and more seasoning. Spoon back into the squash halves, scatter on the reserved cheese and nuts. Drizzle the merest trickle of honey on top, and bake for 15 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling. Or try this... Chop four rashers of smoked, streaky bacon into ribbons and fry until crisp. Stir into the mash with 50g grated gruyère and lots of black pepper. Top with grated gruyère before returning to the oven. Or... Add a teaspoon each of finely chopped basil, thyme and oregano to your mash, stir in a tablespoon or two of crème fraîche and season very well before returning to the oven.Back to top