Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry - Meeru Dhalwala

Well, hello!  It's been a while since I've posted.  Nice to be back.  Nothing wrong in my world--just needed a blog break, I guess.

Noticed this recipe in yesterday's Wall Street Journal.  I had all the ingredients on hand minus the scallions (green onions out here in Arizona) which would have finished the dish off nicely but can't say I missed them. This is such a treat!  Spicy, sweet, great texture.  The recipe notes to bake the dish for 20 minutes--I left mine in for 35 minutes plus another 5 minutes with the chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans).  Perfect.  Everyone had seconds--give it a try!

Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry

Total Time: 35 minutes Serves: 4-6

¼ cup butter

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 tablespoon ground cumin

10 cloves

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

¼ cup light brown sugar

2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes

½ cup tomato purée

½ cup Greek-style yogurt (optional)

3 cups cooked chickpeas

Cooked basmati rice, for serving

¼ cup thinly sliced scallions

1. Move oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Set a medium pot over medium-low heat. Add butter and cook until melted and foam subsides, about 2 minutes. Stir in turmeric, cumin, cloves, salt, cayenne and sugar and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Stir in tomato purée and squash until well combined. Transfer pot's contents to a large casserole dish and bake on middle rack of oven until squash is browned and easily pierced with a sharp knife, about 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, season yogurt, if using, with salt.

4. Remove casserole from oven. Stir in chickpeas until well combined. Return to oven and roast, uncovered, until chickpeas are heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Serve over basmati rice. Garnish with scallions and a dollop of yogurt, if using.

SPICY BEANS & CORNBREAD

Had two leftover ham hocks in the freezer and lots of pinto beans.  I found this recipe on Pioneer Woman Cooks and boy, was it good.  I used one ham hock with plenty of meat still attached.  And I know how many of you like to tweak recipes and this one can be tweaked away and it won't hurt a thing.  Mark Bittman supplied the sweet cornbread recipe, amen to that.

Also, I soaked the beans for 20 hours and changed the water several times.  This made the beans well-mannered beans if you know what I mean.

Ingredients - Pioneer Woman Cooks

• 4 cups Dry Pinto Beans
• 1 whole Ham Hock
• 1 whole Onion, Diced
• 2 whole Red Bell Peppers, Diced
• 4 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 whole Jalapenos, Sliced
• 2 teaspoons Salt, More To Taste
• 2 teaspoons Chili Powder (optional)
• 2 teaspoons Black Pepper, More To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Rinse beans under cold water, sorting out any rocks/particles.

Place beans in a stock pot with the ham hock and cover with water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover the pot and simmer for 2 hours, checking occasionally to make sure the water level is fine. Add more water as needed.

Toss in diced onion, red bell pepper, garlic and jalapeno. Cover and continue cooking for another hour or two, remembering to check the water level.

Add salt, chili powder (if desired) and pepper, then cover and cook for another 20 to 30 minutes, or until beans are lovely and tender. Serve with cornbread as a meal..

CORNBREAD - Mark Bittman

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter, olive oil, lard or bacon drippings (I used butter)
• 1 1/2 cups medium-grind cornmeal
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups milk, more if needed

Method

• 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put fat in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or in an 8-inch square baking pan. Place pan in oven.
• 2. Meanwhile, combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix eggs into milk, then stir this mixture into dry ingredients, combining with a few swift strokes. If mixture seems dry, add another tablespoon or two of milk.
• 3. When fat and oven are hot, remove skillet or pan from oven, pour batter into it and smooth out top. Return pan to oven. Bake about 30 minutes, until top is lightly browned and sides have pulled away from pan; a toothpick inserted into center will come out clean. Serve hot or warm.
•  

SPICY PULLED PORK - Pioneer Woman Cooks PARMESAN-ROASTED BROCCOLI - Barefoot Contessa

Another yummy shredded pork dish.  Not too saucy but I think that's because I should have doubled the ingredients since I practically doubled the amount of pork used.  But, it was delicious and not too spicy.

Spicy Pulled Pork - Pioneer Woman Cooks

Ingredients

• 4 pounds (up To 7 Pounds) Pork Shoulder (I used a 12 pound Pork Shoulder, had tons of leftovers)
• 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
• 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
• 1 Tablespoon (to 2 Tablespoons) Salt
• Pepper To Taste
• 3 cloves (to 4 Cloves) Garlic
• 1 Tablespoon (to 2 Tablespoons) Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons (to 3 Tablespoons) White Wine Vinegar
• 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
• 1 whole Onion
• Lime Wedges

Preparation Instructions

Rinse and pat dry the pork shoulder.

Add dried oregano, cumin, chili powder, salt, black pepper, garlic, olive oil, white wine vinegar and brown sugar into a food processor or blender. 

Cut one onion into quarters and put it in the food processor with the spices. Blend mixture until totally combined and then pour it over the pork shoulder.

Rub it into every nook and cranny of the meat, tucking it under folds an in crevices.

Place the pork into a roasting pan or Dutch oven and add a couple of cups of water. Cover tightly and roast pork at 300º for several hours, turning once every hour.

When it is fork tender, crank up the heat, remove the lid, and roast it, skin side up for another 15 to 20 minutes to get the skin crispy. When it’s done, let it rest for 15 minutes before shredding.

Shred the pork shoulder (two forks work well). When it’s all shredded be sure to pour the juices all over the meat.

The broccoli wasn't quite the hit I had hoped for.  It was waaaay too lemony.  Next time I would skip the lemons altogether.  Garlic, parmesan cheese, pine nuts, and basil were enough of a pick me up to the broccoli and the lemon was just too tart.  If I make it again without the lemon, I'll let you know.

PARMESAN-ROASTED BROCCOLI - Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients 4 to 5 pounds broccoli  4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced  olive oil 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper  2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (too much lemon zest for my family) 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (too much lemon juice for my family) 3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted  1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese  2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves (about 12 leaves)   Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.   Cut the broccoli florets from the thick stalks, leaving an inch or two of stalk attached to the florets, discarding the rest of the stalks.  Cut the larger pieces through the base of the head with a small knife, pulling the florets apart. You should have about 8 cups of florets.  Place the broccoli florets on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Toss the garlic on the broccoli and drizzle with  5 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper.  Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.Remove the broccoli from the oven and  immediately toss with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, pine nuts, Parmesan, and basil. Serve hot.

QUINOA AND KALE SALAD

This yummy recipe comes from my friend, Shiree, who just raved about it.  It is delightful and the flavors are unexpected and refreshing.

And, did you know that you can buy already chopped and bagged Kale just as you can Romaine lettuce? Well, you can at Trader Joe's.  Love that place.

Play around with the ingredient ratio to suit you--I don't think you can go wrong.

QUINOA AND KALE SALAD

Ingredients:
2 cups cabbage, diced
1 cup chopped kale (leafy part)
2 tablespoons green onion, diced
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/3 cup dried cherries, chopped
1/3 cup mint, chopped
1 cup cooked Quinoa
Goat cheese, crumbled on top
Avocado, diced

Dressing:

4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Tahini
2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
Squeeze of fresh lemon
A bit of sea salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Note: I did not use all the dressing.  Dress the salad to taste and you'll be fine.

                       Quinoa and Kale salad with Trader Joe's Chicken Lime Burgers (excellent).

VEGGIE BERRY SMOOTHIE

When my friend, Corinne, told me that she drank this concoction every morning I was intrigued.  Then she told me it took her about a week to get used to it.  Hmmm.  I'm not one to mix vegetables and fruit in a drink (see those flecks of green in the drink? spinach) and needing a week to adapt sounded not too tempting.

But downing all those veggies early in the day without the extra sodium found in typical vegetable drinks won me over.  Of course, it is full of anti-oxidants, etc. Oddly enough, I got used to it on day three and by day five I found it enjoyable.  But remember, Jamba Juice it ain't.

So, ready to toss the following ingredients into your blender?

handful of spinach
handful of baby carrots
one celery rib, snapped a few times
one tomato
one cup of frozen blueberries
a bit of water or splash of fruit juice (I added 1/4 cup of cranberry pomegranate juice plus water)
I also sprinkled a bit of Stevia for a little sweetness
Blend and drink up!

CHICKPEA SALAD - Pure Style Home

Just found this recipe on Pure Style Home and immediately put it together.  Love it!

1 can chickpeas/garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1 diced tomato

1/4 cup diced red onions

1/4 cup chopped fresh pasley

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 squeeze of quartered lemon

2 garlic cloves, minced 

1/2 teaspoon paprika

salt and pepper to taste 

garlic salt to taste

2 tablespoons capers

sprinkling of parmesan cheese

Make a few hours in advance to let all those yummy flavors meld.  Pure Style Home recommends it with warm pita bread and feta cheese.  I ate it directly out of the bowl without anything else (not even bread, can you imagine?) 

BRINED TURKEY BREAST, SWEET POTATOES, SAUSAGE with RED GRAPES

Wouldn't it be great if there were six to eight weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas?  I think so.  To have a few more days to savor Thanksgiving seems a bit more civilized to me instead of rushing straight into "Black Friday".

This cute turkey was made by my darling niece when she was in 2nd grade. She is now in 7th grade (it kills me). The neck of the turkey is attached to a little bucket into which we place notes describing what each of us are thankful for. This little guy is always the centerpiece and brings a little tear to my eye when he takes the stage. Life is passing way too quickly!


Our Thanksgiving dinner was just right this year.  Every year I complain about cooking the bird.  I've roasted, deep-fried, barbecued, smoked, and had it cooked in a pit.  But at the end of the day I still have to deal with the whole blasted carcass of the bird.  So this year I wised up and bought two turkey breasts and treated it to the most delicious process--brining.  Hallelujah.  It was perfect and no leftover bones and such to deal with.  Here are a few new recipes I tried for today's dinner--all were a success.

Hope your Thanksgiving was lovely!

Brining Recipe (courtesy of Good Housekeeping)

• 1/4 cup(s) sugar
• 1/4 cup(s) kosher salt
• 3 tablespoon(s) coriander seeds
• 2 tablespoon(s) cracked black pepper
• 2 tablespoon(s) ground ginger
• 4 clove(s) garlic, crushed with side of chef's knife
• 1  (about 4 1/2 pounds) whole boneless turkey breast, skin removed and breast cut lengthwise in half
• 2 tablespoon(s) brown sugar
• 2 tablespoon(s) Dijon mustard

Directions

1. Prepare brine: In 2-quart saucepan, heat 1 cup water with sugar, salt, coriander seeds, pepper, and ginger to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 2 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and add 3 cups ice water.
2. Place turkey breast in large self-sealing plastic bag with brine and garlic. Seal bag, pressing out excess air. Place bag in bowl or in small roasting pan and refrigerate breast 24 to 48 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove breast from bag; discard brine and garlic. Rinse bird and pat dry. Place breast on rack in small roasting pan (14 by 10 1/2 inches). Insert meat thermometer into thickest part of breast. Roast 1 hour and 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in cup, mix brown sugar and mustard. Brush mustard glaze over turkey breast. Roast 20 minutes longer or until temperature on meat thermometer reaches 165 degrees F (temperature will rise 5 degrees upon standing). Transfer breast to cutting board and let stand 10 minutes to set juices for easier slicing. Serve hot, or cover and refrigerate to serve cold. 

Note: You may have to buy a bone-in breast weighing about 6 to 7 pounds. Ask the butcher to bone it for you (or do it yourself).

Sweet Potatoes/Yams (this one I made up)

6-8 sweet potatoes or yams (I used Red Garnets, could be Yams, could be Sweet Potatoes, there is a whole debate about the difference)
1 cup brown sugar
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 stick unsalted butter cut into chunks

Peel and slice the yams and place in a buttered dish.  Combine the sugar, cinnamon, and pecans and sprinkle on top.  Add the butter chunks.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 90 minutes.  If after one hour it is getting too dark, cover with foil or you could add a few marshmallows on top for the last 30 minutes.

This recipe comes from my friend, Debbie, who served this at her election night party--divine!

SAUSAGE WITH RED GRAPES

8 sausage links (I bought the chicken apple sausage from Costco)
6 cups red grapes
balsamic vinegar to taste (I used about 1/4 cup)

Grill the sausages until dark.  Place the grapes in a heavy pot and place the grilled sausages on top.  Cook at 350 degrees for one hour.  Remove the sausages from the pot and set aside.  Pour balsamic vinegar over the grapes and heat on the stove mashing the grapes as you stir.  After about 15 minutes add the sausages back to the pot and serve.

Phyllis' Pecan Pie with my homemade crust!  Yea, I made pie crust again and it turned out even better than last time.  Click here for Phyllis' recipe.

Pie Crust

1 cup ice cold water
2 1/2 cups flour
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Teaspoon salt
2 sticks of chilled unsalted butter, diced

Mix flour, sugar, and salt in a chilled bowl (unless your kitchen is already cool, which means you must not live in Arizona)

Add the diced butter to the flour mix and cut in with a pastry blender until the butter is the size of peas

Drizzle about a 1/2 cup of the ice cold water to the mixture and quickly gather it together using a spatula. If you need more water (glue) add a tablespoon at a time. Once it is coming together, divide the dough and wrap it in plastic and place in the fridge for two hours. (If you are not making a double-crust pie you can freeze it for future use.)

Remove the dough and roll (roll, don't stretch) it out onto a floured board. When you have the size you want, fold it in half and place in pie dish. Unfold and gently press into place. If you can, put it back in the fridge for two hours, the gluten will relax and the crust will be more flavorful and flakey.