Archives for September 2014

Tagine Tikka Masala

September 25, 2014 by Ginger Leave a Comment

Chicken Tikka Masala

I’m still obsessing over the lovely tagine my husband gave me for our anniversary. Converting recipes over to cook has infused new life (and flavors) into our meal rotations. This dish worked very well for a meal that could cook slowly on a back burner while I worked on other endeavors. My inspiration for this recipe comes from Rachael Ray’s latest magazine, so please consider this a tagine makeover of her simple and inspired recipe. (The original dish is a 30 minute meal, but I made mine in the early afternoon to bubble happily away on the stovetop until we were ready to eat later.)

Ingredients:

pat of butter
1 Tablespoon of garlic infused olive oil (but extra virgin olive oil will work too)
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 inches of fresh ginger, peeled and shredded on a microplane grader (chopping finely works too)
1 small shallot finely chopped
1 sweet potato, peeled & cubed
1 – 2 lbs of boneless chicken thighs, cubed (depending on how many people you are feeding!)
1 – 2 cans of fire roasted tomatoes (depending on how many people you are feeding!)
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 10 oz bag of frozen peas, thawed

optional: jalapenos, finely chopped
optional: shelled edamame, cooked (I used a 12 oz bag)
optional: rice (this recipe has potatoes in it, but if you want rice too – go for it!)
optional garnish: slivered almonds, cilantro

In your tagine (or pot), heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat; add cloves, ginger, jalapenos, and shallot and stir until shallots are translucent (about 5 mins). Add garam masala & paprika stirring quickly to incorporate the spices throughout the oil mixture. Add the cubed chicken and mix well; then add tomatoes and cream. Once the dish begins to bubble, cover and turn down to medium low. About 30 mins before you intend on eating add the cubed potatoes, then add the peas about 10 mins prior to serving. Although not pictured, I love edamame, so my bowl included about 1/4 cup of precooked edamame.

Serve over rice, or with a slice of naan, and garnish as pictured. Enjoy!

Fried-Apple Pie

September 17, 2014 by Dan 1 Comment

Fried-Apple Pie

Fall is in the air and apples are proving gravity does exist and falling in great abundance so catch a few and make a delicious apple pie!

Ingredients:

6 medium to large, tart baking Apples
Butter
3 Eggs
1/2 cup Sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons Molasses
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
handful Raisins
1 to 2 tablespoons Raw Sugar
Pie crusts for a 9 inch pie

Instructions:

Peel and slice the apples. Fry the apple slices in a skillet with a pat or two of butter. I fried them about 2 apples worth at a time. You will need 4 cups of fried apples per pie. When done, set aside and let the apples cool until they are warm, not hot.

While the apples cool, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and begin to assemble the rest of the filling.

Beat two eggs. Add the sugar and molasses and stir until well combined. Add the cinnamon and nutmeg stirring to incorporate. Now add the raisins and stir. Add the fried apples. Toss to coat with the egg and sugar mixture.

Using a 9 inch pie pan place one pie crust in the bottom of the pan. Add your apple mixture. Add a top crust (if solid, slit to allow steam to escape.) Beat your remaining egg and brush the crust with the egg. Sprinkle with raw sugar.

Place the pie on the middle rack in the oven and bake 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

Now you can say you DO follow your Mom’s advice and eat an apple a day, okay there’s some sugar involved, and a wee bit of spice, but still – it’s fruit!

Taco Casserole

September 10, 2014 by Dan Leave a Comment

Taco Casserole

Today we offer you a dish that can be thrown together with little fuss and can easily feed unexpected guests that drop by around meal time. Enjoy!

2 lbs ground Bison (ground beef or ground turkey will work just fine)
1 bag Tortilla Chips (family size, not the individual bags)
1 8oz can Tomato Sauce
1 16oz can Refried Beans
Taco Seasoning (use your own or our recipe here)
Grated Cheddar Cheese
Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1 or 2 fresh Tomatoes, diced

Brown your ground meat. Once it is browned, drain off the fat. Add your favorite taco seasoning (no water) and the 8 oz. can of tomato sauce. Stir and bring to a simmer. Let cook a few minutes and then remove from heat.

Pre-heat your oven to 350 F.

Take a 9×13 baking dish and spread the 16 oz. can of refried beans evenly in the bottom. Take two large handfuls of tortilla chips, break them up and incorporate into the meat in your skillet. Take this mixture and spread evening over the top of the refried beans. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until heated through. Remove from the oven and top with tortilla chips. Liberally sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over the top of the tortilla chips. Place under your broiler for a few minutes until the tortilla chips begin to toast and the cheese melts. Remove from the over. Top with diced tomato and freshly chopped cilantro. (You could also add avocado, sour cream or your other favorite taco toppings.)

Serve hot. Enjoy.

Fig and Nectarine Tart

September 3, 2014 by Dan Leave a Comment

Fig and Nectarine Tart

This week we have a simple dessert that takes advantage of late summer’s bounty – nectarines and figs. It’s a simple tart that is not only delightful to look at but super yummy too!

1 large Nectarine
2 or 3 ripe Figs
6 ounces Chevre (if you want sweeter, use cream cheese) at room temperature
Pie Dough (homemade or from the grocery store)
1 Egg
Honey

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Peel and slice the nectarine into thin slices (for 4 tarts you will need about 20 slices). Cut the figs into wedges (for 4 tarts you will need about 20 wedges).

Beat the egg until well blended.

Roll your pie dough into 6 inch circles. Onto a parchment covered baking sheet lay the circles of dough. Spread 1.5 ounces of chevre onto each circle, leaving about 1 inch of clean dough around the edges. Lay out your nectarine slices and fig wedges on the cheese. Now, carefully fold the clean edge up and over the fruit and cheese (see photo above). Use a pastry brush and brush all of the exposed pie dough with the egg.

Place your baking sheet in the oven and back for 30-40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool until they are warm. Drizzle with honey and serve immediately.