Persian Meatballs

As I was looking for something to cook yesterday, I also came across this recipe for Persian meatballs. They only took about 45 minutes to make, start to finish, and they are SO GOOD! The recipe is from the Kevin is cooking blog http://keviniscooking.com/persian-meatballs-with-dried-cherries-and-pistachios

INGREDIENTS 

1 lb ground turkey

2 Tbsp pistachios, chopped

1/4 cup dried cherries, chopped

1/2 tsp celery seed

1/2 tsp coriander

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp fennel seed

1/2 tsp kosher salt

(1/4 cup chopped cilantro, which I left out)

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1 egg

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 diced shallot

2 Tbsp flour

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a skinny let over medium heat, toast the celery seed, coriander, cumin, and fennel seeds until aromatic, just a minute or two tops. Don't burn them, you just want to release their essential oils. Grind in a spice grinder, or use a mortar and pestle.

2. In a large bowl, add the turkey, toasted and ground spices, pistachios, dried cherries, breadcrumbs, and egg. Mix together by hand until incorporated completely. Add more breadcrumbs if the mixture is too wet. Use a 1 1\2 inch scoop and roll into small balls. 

3. In a large skillet, brown the meatballs on all sides. Stir frequently and let them cook till pretty much done. Remove from pan and keep warm.

4. Add olive oil to same skillet and sauté the chopped shallot over medium heat until translucent. Add the flour and cook for a minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add the chicken stock a little at a time, stirring to incorporate completely. Continue stirring and cooking for a few minutes, until the gravy has thickened. Add the cooked meatballs back into the pan and stir to coat the meatballs all over. Cover with lied and cook on low heat until meatballs are thoroughly cooked and warmed through. Serve with rice.

Komaj (Persian Date Bread with Turmeric & Cumin)

I made Komaj, a Persian date bread, this evening as my local action in support of immigrants and refugees from all over. I am so grateful for the flavors and textures and colors I get to cook and eat because of people who have immigrated to the United States from all over the world and made their homeland cuisine part of our shared country and cuisine. I chose a Persian food tonight because of the recent executive order targeting people from some Muslim-majority countries, and banning them from entry to the United States. I am opposed any Muslim ban or registry.

INGREDIENTS

1 pkg active dry yeast

1/8 cup warm water

3 3/4 cups all purpose flour (or bread flour)

2 tsp ground cumin seeds

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Dash of salt

1 egg

1 cup warm almond milk

1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil

Filling:

12-15 pitted, dry dates (slightly soft), cut into chunks

2 Tbsp Earth Balance soy free buttery spread

1 tsp ground cardamom

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Set aside for 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, cumin, sugar, turmeric, and salt. Add egg. Mix together warm milk and olive oil. Add that. Mix together, then knead dough until have a smooth, pliable dough. Shape into a ball and put in well oiled bowl. Cover and let rise 1 hour or so. Punch down. Reform into ball and return to bowl. Cover and let rise another hour. In the meantime prepare the filling by putting those ingredients in food processor and pulsing until date pieces are small and all is well mixed.

Divide the dough into 8 equal portions. Working with one portion at a time, roll into rectangle. Place about 1 tsp of filling in center of one half of the rectangle. Fold the dough over. Use a cookie cutter to cut the dough. Make sure sides are well sealed. Repeat with other 7 portions. Use scraps to form two more portions. 

Preheat oven to 400 F degrees. Place stuffed cut-out dough on lightly greased cookie sheet. Let sit 15 minutes. At this point they can be brushed with a little milk or an egg wash. Bake 8-10 minutes. Let cool on a rack. Can be dusted with a little confectioners sugar.

Serve warm. Makes10-15 buns.

Trisha Yearwood's Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin

Another recipe I found through Pinterest, and it's for pork loin rather than pork tenderloin. I made the gravy in the recipe, and served it with mashed red potatoes and mixed vegetables. Very good.

INGREDIENTS

2.5-3 pound pork tenderloin

Salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/8 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 cups chicken broth

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp coconut aminos (instead of soy sauce the recipe calls for)

2 Tbsp cornstarch

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Trim visible fat from loin. Lightly sprinkle with salt. Mix together all the dry seasonings/spices, then sprinkle on all surfaces of loin, rubbing in.

Heat oil in skillet. Brown the loin on all surfaces. Transfer meat to slow cooker.

Mix together chicken broth, lemon juice, and coconut aminos in bowl. Pour over meat in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours (or high 4-5 hours). Remove meat from slow cooker and keep warm.

Pour liquid from slow cooker into large measuring cup. Skim fat from top. Add water, if needed, to make 2 cups. Set aside 1/4 cup. Mix cornstarch with the 1/4 cup liquid. Mix in with rest of liquid and pour into saucepan. Bring nearly to boil, stirring constantly, until gravy is thickened.

Meat may be sliced or shredded before serving. Serve gravy on meat (and mashed potatoes or bread if serving those, too).

Tabbouleh Salad

This recipe is from the Jo Cooks blog http://www.jocooks.com/salads/tabbouleh-salad/ (as is the oven baked chicken shawarma recipe). 

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup uncooked bulgur wheat

1 cup water

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

3 cups chopped tomatoes

1/2 English cucumber, chopped (about 1 cup)

1/4 cup green onions, chopped (about 7)

1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped

Salt & pepper to taste

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add bulgur, cover, and reduce heat. Simmer about 5 minutes, until water is absorbed. Let cool.

In a large bowl, mix together bulgur and other ingredients.

Oven Roasted Chicken Shawarma

This is another recipe I got through Pinterest. Or actually several recipes - the chicken shawarma, tabboula salad, and sauce, all served with a wrap or pita bread to make sandwiches. Hummus is also good on the wraps. The original recipe is from Jo Cooks blog http://www.jocooks.com/healthy-eating/oven-roasted-chicken-shawarma/

INGREDIENTS

Chicken breasts - original recipe calls for 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (I think that means 6 half breasts, but I'm not sure - I used 2 large whole breasts, separated into 4 half breasts)

2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp turmeric

2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp salt

Juice from 2 lemons (1/4 cup)

1/2 cup olive oil

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 large onion, sliced

Fresh parsley for garnish

4 cloves garlic, minced

Garlic Sauce

1 cup olive oil

1/3 cup lemon juice

6 cloves garlic, peeled

1 egg white

1 tsp salt

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, cumin, black pepper, paprika, turmeric, red pepper flakes, cinnamon, and garlic. Place marinade and chicken breast halves in freezer bag. Make sure chicken is well coated with marinade. Let marinate in refrigerator at least one hour, turning the bag periodically. The longer the chicken marinates, the more flavor.

Preheat oven to 425 F degrees. Add sliced onion to bag and mix so onion is well coated with marinade. Dump contents of bag into 9x13 casserole/baking dish. Spread evenly. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until chicken is browned and crisp on the edges. To make the chicken crisper on top, finish by turning on the broiler and broiling about 3 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

Garlic Sauce: Place all ingredients in blender and blend 1-2 minutes. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Thai Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

This chicken satay can be baked in the oven or grilled, either on the grill or using a grill pan on the stove. This is another recipe I found through Pinterest. http://carlsbadcravings.com/thai-chicken-satay-with-peanut-sauce-recipe/. I made some modifications to fit my dietary restrictions and dislike of cilantro.

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds chicken breasts, cut into 1/2"-1" strips 

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

30-35 wooden skewers

Marinade

1/4 cup coconut aminos

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 Tbsp chili paste (I may leave out)

1 1/2 Tbsp lime juice

1 1/2 Tbsp fish sauce

1 tsp dried basil leaves

1/2 tsp dried ground ginger

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp dried ground turmeric 

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Cut the chicken into strips by cutting in half horizontally then slicing into 1/2" to 1" strips.

Whisk together the marinade ingredients. Remove 1/4 cup and then put the rest into a storage container in the refrigerator for later. Return the 1/4 cup to bowl and whisk in 2 Tbsp olive oil. Place this and chicken strips into freezer bag and mix well. Marinate in refrigerator up to 6 hours.

When ready to cook, soak wooden skewers in water at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick spray. Skewer each of the chicken strips and place on prepared baking sheets. Discard freezer bag with marinade. Place baking sheets into oven and bake 8-10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked (165 degrees).

Place reserved sauce in small sauce pan and bring to boil. Simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add peanut butter, stirring until peanut butter is fully incorporated into sauce.

Serve chicken skewers with sauce for dipping. May be served as an appetizer or with rice and vegetables as a meal.

Macaroni and Cheese

Jean loves macaroni and cheese, so I decided to make some from scratch for tonight's dinner instead of the usual box of Kraft Mac n Cheese. I used a New York Times recipe, http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015825-creamy-macaroni-and-cheese, and didn't try to make it into something I can eat.

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp butter

1 cup cottage cheese (not lowfat)

2 cups whole milk

1 tsp dry mustard

Pinch of cayenne

Pinch of nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1/2 pound elbow macaroni, uncooked

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS 

Set oven rack for top 1/3 of oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease casserole dish with 1 Tbsp butter. In blender, blend together/purée cottage cheese, milk, mustard, cayenne, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Mix together with uncooked macaroni and all but 1/4 cup of the cheese in a large bowl. Transfer to prepared casserole dish. Cover tightly with lid or aluminum foil. Bake 30 minutes. Uncover, stir gently, and add remaining cheese and 1 Tbsp butter (distributed in dabs) to top. Continue baking, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Cheese should be melted and browned. Let rest at least 15 minutes before serving.

Maple Balsamic and Herb Chicken

 

This is another recipe I found on Pinterest, this one from the eatyourselfskinny.com blog. Changes I would make to accommodate my food sensitivities would be minimal, leaving out the cayenne pepper. I copy and pasted her recipe here. I served the chicken breasts with red skinned mashed potatoes and green beans. The chicken breasts I used were so large that I cut them in half.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ tsp. fresh thyme
• ⅛ tsp. cayenne
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 Tbsp olive oil

Instructions

1. In small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, garlic, thyme, cayenne and salt and pepper. Pour sauce into a large plastic baggy and add chicken breasts. (I like to pound out the chicken breasts to ensure they each have the same thickness so they cook evenly) Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes or even overnight.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until oil shimmers, about 3 to 4 minutes. Using tongs, remove chicken breasts from baggy (leaving the marinade inside) and arrange in the pan. Allow chicken to cook for about 7 to 8 minutes, without moving, so a nice golden-brown crust forms. Flip chicken over and cook the other side for another 7 to 8 minutes. You'll know the chicken is done when the juices run clear and the inside temp has reached 160 to 165 degrees.
3. Remove chicken and place on a cutting board to rest then pour the remaining marinade into the heated skillet. Scrape up any brown bits and allow marinade to bubble up and cook, stirring occasionally.
4. Add chicken back into the skillet, coating well. Serve and enjoy!

Nutritional Information

Serving Size: 1 chicken breast • Calories: 247 • Fat: 10 g • Saturated Fat: 1.9 g • Carbs: 9.8 g • Fiber: 0 g • Protein: 26.9 g • Sugars: 9 g • WW Points+: 6 • Smart Points: 6

Cornbread

This cornbread recipe is basically the Betty Crocker recipe modified to remove dairy. I served it with red beans and rice.

INGREDIENTS 

1/4 cup Earth Balance no soy buttery spread

1 cup almond milk

1 large egg

1 1/4 cups yellow corn meal

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray bottom of 8" square baking pan with cooking spray (olive oil). Melt the buttery spread. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and melted buttery spread. Add cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir together just enough to moisten dry ingredients - it will be lumpy. Pour batter into prepared pan, using rubber spatula to scrape all batter out of bowl and to smooth batter in pan. Bake 20-25 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Red Beans and Rice

It's New Year's Day, and as part of my efforts to be proactive I'm making red beans and rice today. Silly, I know. But I'll take whatever good luck we can find this year.

Most of the recipes I looked at used dried red beans, soaked over night, and cooked the rice separately. I used canned red kidney beans, and cooked the rice in with everything else. Those recipes also pretty universally included bell pepper, but I left that out. 

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 cup diced onion

1/2 cup diced celery (2 stalks)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups chicken stock

2 cups water

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 Tbsp Sarachi hot sauce

2 tsp Cajun seasoning

8 oz diced ham

2 cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Salt and pepper

1 cup uncooked brown rice

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

In a Dutch oven, sauté onions, garlic, and celery in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add all the other ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for a couple of hours.