*****tandoori and dahl

Today:
Chicken tandoori and some sort of dal and rice? Maybe a veggie curry w. coconut if we want to get fusioney

Tandoori for 1 lb of chicken:
paprika, cayenne, turmeric, coriander, pepper and salt, cumin?, ginger (to add? cinnamon, saffron)
sprinkle of salt rub stuff and Debbie's stuff, curry powder

Dal Recipe:
ABout 1 cup of lentils
mustard seeds
hot pepper
onion?
about 2 tomatoes worth of tomato
ginger
coriander
garlic
turmeric
cumin

1. Cook lentils.
2. Meanwhile, heat up some oil or butter (or ghee) add onion, and chilies and cook, add garlic and mustard seeds and remaining spiced and heat for 15 seconds to incorporate flavors
3. Add the tomatoes and some water and........
4. Cook down for 5 miniutes or so then add lentils
Could add some milk to make it creamy...

Sprouty sprouts

Here are why sprouts are awesome:
Chock full of vitamins (vitamin D, vitamin C), antioxidants, protein, and isoflavones.

Super duper cheap- that is-if you make them yourself, which is incredibly easy

HERE'S HOW!

Take a large glass jar: a cleaned out pasta jar or some such- don't worry bout the lid, won't need it.
Cheesecloth, or some sort of screen, or even a clean bit of nylon stockings!
Rubber band, or old ponytail holder to secure the screen to the top of the jar
Something to sprout: lentils, quinoa, various dried beans including (but not limited to) mung, chickpea, (NOT kidney beans or black beans)

1. First soak them for required period (overnight for lentils)
2. Drain, rinse and drain again, turn jar on its side, shake beans to spread out evenly
3. Rinse and drain each day, at least once, more if you live in a hot humid climate (like 3 times a day)
4. Keep in a dark place until they start to sprout, in about 4-5 days (depending)

Alternately you can simply keep them (especially adzuki and lentil) in a colander, soak for 8 hours in warm water, then rinse twice (or more) a day till sprouted. Cover with tin foil maybe?

*******LISTS

Chapters to work on:
LUSH HOUR
recipes including booze


Start making lists of you BEST or most unique recipes that you really need to push to include:
Pelau
Enchiladas-baja fajitas
Quinoa stuff...cous cous...moroccan stuff
Thai soup
lentils..quinoa chicken?

****Lentils and quinoa and chicken oh my!

Lentils:

onions
carrots
celery
garlic

2x as much stock as lentils

Braise for 45 minutes covered on low (check on after 30)


Cook quinoa (also with a 2 times as much water or stock as quinoa) covered for 12-15 minutes on low.

Meanwhile, cut up some chicken and season with salt, pepper or any other tasty seasonings you enjoy (add my own here)
Mince some garlic (depending on how much you LOVE garlic; I use a ton)

Heat up 2 tsp - 1 TB of olive oil on medium high and add the chicken pieces once it gets hot. Cook for 2 minutes on that side before flipping the pieces and cooking 2 more minutes on that side, add the garlic and cook until chicken becomes brown and glazey and delicious (about 6 minutes total) flipping periodically to check. Remove the chicken from the pan, add a splash of oil, spices/herbs and stir the quinoa into the oil and garlic, keeping the heat on and stirring till everything is heated and mixed. Serve the chicken pieces over the lentils and quinoa! Squeeze some lemon over all this and it's AMAZING!

***********Blank space******************

***************Ostara feast!

Night one of Ostara feasting!
Traditional foods= seeds, pantry cleaning things (cured meats, ham and root veggies), eggs,
mead or fruit juices
Spring veggies, fruits of the season
cheese

mushrooms, chicken

celery, carrots, old potatoes, onion

Chicken noodley type soup or gumbo or....

see Duck and Wild Mushroom Gumbo
Plans, currently 3ish. Start making food around 4 eat a yummy feast with my potato (chicken soup or gumbo with salad maybe potatoes)

Drink my tasty wine and do some ritual planting, meditation/yoga and good luck work


Chickeney soup:
saute chicken, then onions, garlic, carrots, celery in butter, add mushrooms then broth

Pub Grub

Traditionally, English Pubs were primarily focused on strictly getting hammered, with a noted absence of the "pub grub" we Americans are so titillated by, but this has been changing in recent years. Since the 1950's and 60's when some pubs began serving meat pies or chicken and chips, later expanding to include fish and chips, steak and kidney pie, pasties, bangers and mash and so forth. Since the 90's, gastropubs have been on the rise, focusing on more gourmet options while often tweaking classic pub food.


My faves:
Pasties, Shepherd's Pie, and bubble and squeak.

**Websites

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/22/science/22creature.html?_r=1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twilight_Sleep

****Senegalese soup to keep working on...

Version 1:
1 lg onion (try leeks?)
3 cloves garlic
2 TB canola* oil
2 TB curry powder
1 TB curry paste (ginger, coriander, turmeric)
3 cups chicken stock
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 small (about 2 cups?) cubed butternut or acorn squash
1 cup leftover chicken or turkey
1 TB sriracha
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 c- 1/2 cup low fat* coconut milk
1 lemon to squeeze over
sour cream-cilantro garnish if desired


1.Saute onion, garlic, cayenne till softened
2. Stir curry powder/paste 1 min(extra seasonings: ginger turmeric plus green curry paste)
3. Add stock/tomatoes, bring to a boil simmer 15 minutes.
4. Add cooked chicken/sambal 10 minutes
5. Whisk in peanut butter slowly, then the coconut milk
6. Turn to low, add cilantro and lemon juice, taste for anything else it needs

Version 2: IIRC, this was not as final and impressive as I'dve liked. Still needs work....

Final version senegalese soup! Or at least tonight's version

1 lg red onion (try leeks?)
3 cloves garlic
1-2 TB canola* oil
2 TB curry powder
1 TB curry paste (ginger, coriander, turmeric)
3 cups chicken stock (one and a half cans)
1 plus 1/2 can 14 oz petite diced tomatoes (or 1 can and 1 whole, diced tomato)
1 small (about 2 cups?) cubed butternut or acorn squash*
also carrots or spinach?*
1 breast chicken, cut into bite sized cubes or 1 cup leftover (cooked) chicken or turkey
1 TB sriracha or other good hot sauce
1 TB soy sauce
1/2 cup peanut butter (or even less)
1 c- 1/2 cup low fat* coconut milk (sub milk if desired)
1 lemon to squeeze over
*sour cream-cilantro garnish if desired


1.Saute onion, garlic, till softened, push to sides, add chicken cubes and cook, stirring for a few minutes. Add squash and carrots, stir.
2. * actually do this after onion/garlic-Stir curry powder/paste 1 min(extra seasonings: ginger turmeric plus green curry paste).
3. Add stock/tomatoes, bring to a boil simmer 15 minutes.
4. Add cooked chicken (if using), soy sauce, and sambal 10 minutes.
5. Whisk in peanut butter slowly, then the coconut milk.
6. Turn to low, add cilantro and lemon juice, taste for anything else it needs. (Spinach last if using?)


Notes:

In yellow curries: coriander, ginger, turmeric.
soy sauce. Sour cream, lemon zest to dollop. Squeeze lemon atop if desired.

***Fajitas and tacos TDB.....

New things to make:
Italian Rice Balls
Tasty veggie soups (ala ristatante)
Onion soup


Fajitas:
marinate chicken now!

slice up that pepper and some onions, saute in pan- let onion caramelize!
saute chicken pieces as well

Marinade:
oil, beer, chili powder, oregano, cumin, garlic, lemon, splash soy or fish sauce or just salt

How to make my piriformis go away!

Here's what I did today:
slept on couch for last few days
did my stretches a few times: downdog, cat-cow, pigeon king, bridge, table, plank, piriformis stretch on BOTH sides!
took some advil midday
spent the day not doing too much lifting/bending, light walking and stretching, a few yoga move and core strengthening things
either standing properly, sitting upright and with legs level or on couch in my handicapped position
took a nice warm shower and stretched afterwards
then tried on clothes and Carolyn came over and it was pretty much better after that point!

**Tom Kha type soup

My favorite Tom Kha!

3 stages

1. Flavoring the broth
2. Poaching the chicken
3. Adding the last items

1. Several jalapenoes, 1 inch knob of ginger- sliced into coins, 3-4 cloves garlic, 1 can low sodium chicken broth plus 1/2 the can water, 1 can coconut milk (use lowfat if you are so inclined)
Combine all the above (but only use half the coconut milk, save the rest for later) and bring to a boil in a soup pot of some sort.

2. 1 breast of chicken, sliced into tenders, 1 pkg mushrooms or any other veg of choice such as: bell peppers, etc.
Add to the boiling stuff and bring the heat down to med. low, let simmer for 15 minutes and remove the chicken. Bring back to a boil for 4 minutes to intensify the flavors then strain the soup, reserving the solids. Shred the chicken and dice the jalapenoes, garlic and ginger (this is optional, most people just chuck out these goodies but I like to put them back in the soup, cause YUM). Return the goods to the soup and heat it back up.

3. 2 tsp soy sauce, 2 tsp fish sauce, 1/2 - a whole lime, several handfuls of spinach, several green onions, sliced
 Mix the lime juice, and the soy and fish sauces together. Stir into the soup along with the spinach and green onions, and let everything sit and get to know each other for a few more minutes before serving.

**Burlesque StuffBlank !

Mushroom Spinach Enchiladas with a Guajillo Cream Sauce

Spinach-mushroom enchiladas with guajillo cream (or something similar) sauce!

Sauce:
2-3 guajillo chiles, soaked in boiling water for 15-20 minutes
1/4 c pepper soaking liquid (or more depending on chile size-consistency should be like tomato juice)
3 TB tomato puree* (more to taste, I like mine more on the chile side, some like it more tomatoey)
1-3 cloves garlic
sliver of onion
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground oregano (or 1 TB fresh)
2 TB lime, lemon juice or 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp canola or grapeseed oil
1/2 the container? heavy cream

Blend in blender and bring to a boil in a small saucepan, then simmer lightly with some heavy cream or coconut milk (around 1-2 cups) for 3 minutes or so

*Tomato Puree: you can use fresh tomatoes or canned and blend them in a blender, tomato paste mixed with sauce, or buy fancy Passata

Filling:
1-2 TB butter
1 small red onion or 2 med. shallot
1/2 pkg. baby bella mushrooms
several cups of spinach
2-3 cloves garlic
2 TB wine
3 TB tomato puree
(3 TB cream sauce)

8 corn tortillas
1/2 - 1 cup of cotija or some tasty goat cheese (or monterey jack, or even no cheese at all, use coconut milk and veganize it!)

1. Heat butter in a wok, or some sort of pan into which everything will easily fit. Add the onions or shallot when butter starts to bubble. Stir on medium heat for 1-2 minutes, add mushrooms and cook for 4-6 minutes, till mushrooms soften, add garlic in middle and let it heat up for 20-30 seconds then add the wine and simmer for 1 more minute, add tomatoes, 2-3 TB of sauce and spinach. Heat through, about 3 more minutes.

2 Dip tortillas in sauce, then sear in hot oil in a cast iron skillet on med. high heat for around 30 seconds, fill with tasty filling, roll and dollop some sauce and cheese on and eat immediately. Or, for company, you can do this and then place into casserole pan and heat up in a 400 oven for 5-10 minutes. Or just go the casserole route if you like it, what do I care? I do it sometimes too when I'm feeling really lazy!


**Most casserole versions so well known to we of the Western World are actually heavily Americanized (like much of what we consider to be "ethnic" cuisine: see sushi, spaghetti n' meatballs, and most Chinese food in this country). Shockingly, the very word enchilada does not mean "casserole" but a past participle of the word "enchilar" or "to add chile to" and the enchilada originated as humble street vendor food that lacked any filling whatsoever and was a mere corn tortilla dipped and fried in chile wash.

Though, to be fair, apparently the actual definition involves corn tortilla stuffed with meat and covered in a chile sauce and I certainly don't consider the meat to be a hard and fast rule! We eat meat on it's own so often in this country, why waste an opportunity to enjoy vegetarian food when it's more tasty than the meaty alternative!

***Maafe!!

several spoonfuls of cooking oil, to sauté meat and onions
1 lb chicken or pork, cubed
1 m onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 - all of a 14 oz can petite diced tomatoes
salt and black pepper (to taste)
2 cloves garlic, minced
one hot chile pepper, or ground red pepper to taste (optional)
several chopped vegetables: cabbage; carrot; eggplant; summer squash: potato; squash; sweet potato; turnip or rutabaga

1/2 - 1 cup peanut butter
1 cup stock (divided in half)

Heat oil in a large cooking pot or dutch oven. Sauté the meat and (or meat then onions) onions over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for a few minutes.
Add all remaining ingredients except the peanut butter and half of the stock. Simmer until all ingredients are tender (25-30 minutes). Add stock to lubricate if necessary.
Reduce heat. Add the peanut butter. Stir vigorously. Add any remaining stock.
Serve over cous cous or rice.

Veggies:1st: eggplant, onions, bell pepper, 2nd w. stock: carrots?, potatoes

My recipe:
2 TB oil
1 m eggplant
1 sm onion
1 sm bell pepper
1 lg jalapeno
2 m potato
2 TB tomato paste
1 c stock
1 cup (ish) diced tomatoes
1/2 c peanut butter
Spices:




1. Heat oil, brown meats (or eggplants) till golden brown, remove.
2. Saute onions and other veggies till softened, add garlic, ginger?, and meats back then add tomato paste and mix. Stir till tom paste falls apart and then add diced tomatoes and stock (or water) and potatoes, cook till veggies are softened and tomatoes start to reduce down, about 10 min, add peanut butter, 10 more min.

DAily vulgar Post

Don't forget to go to a potluck on WED at Wendy's!!!

Yep. Today has been pretty crap-tastic. Had the worst walk to the daycare EVER. My bum hip has been acting up again so I had a very lengthy, cold, dismal and music-less trudge. The iPod, of course froze up and when that happens, all you can do is wait until it DIES so it reboots itself. Supposedly you can push a mere button and do this, but, like a child throwing a tantrum and holding his breath till he passes out, mine stolidly refuses to comply with my impatient, manual, button pushing.

And then the stupid goddamned bus-lady didn't think it would be a good idea to listen when I requested a stop that she was going to ignore due to the bus being full. The 2nd bus actually pulled in front of us as we approached, and took in the people at my stop and we were forced to wait, behind them, at the stop sign. At any point she could have opened the fucking door for me, but that would have been ridiculous. Instead we went, not one, but THREE fucking past where I had been pulling the stop signifier before she deigned to allow me my egress. About 4 blocks in the opposite direction of an already long and fucking painful walk. Thanks, you asshole.

Gumbo and maybe also Jambalaya

1/2 lb chicken

3 TB oil and 3 TB flour
1 m red onion
1 bell pepper
2 ribs celery
3 cups chicken stock

1/2 large andouille sausage

creole seasoning: garlic, onion, thyme, oregano, black/white pepper, paprika, cayenne, ?
bay leaf
thyme
s and p
worcestershire


1. Make a blonde or lighter roux if you are a first timer. Heat the oil and whisk in flour, stir constantly over low medium heat for 10--15 minutes or till you can wait no longer and are worried it might burn. Go longer and hotter for a darker, more Cajun style roux. Cook at least till it looks like peanut butter or a cafe latte. Darker roux will be a darker brown, more like a lighter, reddish coffee color.
2. Immediately add onions, bell pepper and celery to hot roux and saute till softened.
Begin adding stock by the 1/2 cup. Add chicken, sausage (brown 1st) and seasonings. Simmer 45 minutes to an hour. Serve over rice.


Recipe 2, based off of Emeril's crappy duck and mushroom!

2 small chicken breast
equal parts (about 1/4 each- a little more oil than flour) oil or butter and flour
1 pkg. mushrooms
1/2 lg red onion
2 ribs celery
1 moderately sized bell pepper
4 garlic cloves
1/2 bottle irish red beer
1 can stock
seasoning: garlic, onion, thyme, oregano, black/white pepper, paprika, cayenne, ?
bay leaf, thyme, s and p, dash worcestershire

1. Sear the chicken in a hot pan you will be cooking in...
2. add the oil and deglaze, add the flour and make your roux
3. 10-15 minutes
4. add onion, celery, bell pepper and mushrooms, cook till softened about 5 minutes
5. add beer, stir, add stout, spices and chicken pieces, bring to a boil
6. simmer for 45 minutes
cook some rice to go with it in the meantime.

***Chile braised chicken!

Chile Braised Chicken for tonight

One large, boned breast chicken (equal to 1 lb)

2 guajillo (or ancho) chiles, 1 chipotle in adobo (and some leftover sauce from the other day)

soaked then blended with 1/4 c. of chile soaking water

1/4 an onion, sliced, 2 cloves garlic- cumin, oregano

Brown chicken, then add chile mixture, about 1-2 c. water (to cover).

Bring to a boil then simmer on low, covered for 15 min.

**Tilapia with a Lemon infused Pan Sauce

Rewrite this recipe- test for proportions:
 (the sauce was crappy, here's what it needs: Butter, lemon, pepercorns, garlic, chix broth and wine and something else?)

Sauteed Tilapia with lemon-peppercorn pan sauce

3/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth (maybe 1/2 instead)?
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons drained brine-packed green peppercorns, lightly crushed
1 teaspoon butter
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 (6-ounce) tilapia or sole fillets
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons butter
Lemon wedges (optional)

1. Combine 1st 3 ingr.
2. Melt 1 teaspoon of butter with oil in a large nonstick skillet over low heat. While butter melts, sprinkle fish fillets with salt and black pepper. Place the flour in a shallow dish. Dredge fillets in flour; shake off excess flour.

3. Increase heat to medium-high; heat 2 minutes or until butter turns golden brown. Add fillets to pan; sauté 3 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Remove fillets from pan. Add broth mixture to pan, scraping to loosen browned bits. Bring to a boil; cook until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 3 minutes). Remove from heat. Stir in two teaspoons of butter with a whisk. Serve sauce over fillets. Garnish with lemon wedges, if desired.


Serve over bed of spinach and with some cous cous/peppers and maybe something else?