An excellent Madhur Jaffrey recipe adapted by Smitten Kitchen. http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2010/02/chana-masala/ I agree with Deb Perelman’s recommendation to add only ¼ tsp cayenne. We also doubled the lemon juice in lieu of amchoor (mango) powder. We used fresh tomatoes (two medium vine-ripened), as she had suggested, and one jalapeño pepper as the hot chili pepper. This… Continue reading Smitten Kitchen/Madhur Jaffrey chick pea curry (channa masala)
Cast iron roast chicken with small potatoes
This is a recipe from the new Smitten Kitchen cookbook. Although I own the cookbook, I found the recipe online here: http://www.pink-parsley.com/2013/10/flat-roasted-chicken-with-tiny-potatoes.html?m=1. We removed the spine from this chicken and tried to cook it flattened, but our 12" cast iron skillet was a bit small for a 3 ½ lb chicken. (Oct. 2015)
Oven-roasted Brussel sprouts
Preheat oven to 400. Lightly grease a cookie sheet with olive oil, then place about 25 Brussel sprouts, halved and cut side down, on the sheet. Lightly spray sprouts with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Roast for 10 mins, then turn over (increase temp to 425 if first side is not… Continue reading Oven-roasted Brussel sprouts
Oven-roasted broccoli
Preheat oven to 400. Lightly grease a cookie sheet with olive oil, then place broccoli (cut into 2"x 1" pieces) in a single layer. Spray the broccoli with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Roast for 10 mins, then turn over pieces and roast for another 10-15 mins (if the first side… Continue reading Oven-roasted broccoli
Uncle Tun’s grilled soy-marinated salmon
I learned this recipe from Waimar and her father. Marinate four salmon fillets (about 24 oz) in approximately ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce, 1/3 cup mirin, 2 tsp honey, and 1 tsp black pepper for about 30 mins. (Oct. 2015) Note: I did not measure the marinade ingredients, so these measurements are approximate. Grill… Continue reading Uncle Tun’s grilled soy-marinated salmon
Turkish stuffed bell peppers and tomatoes (dolma)
We followed this recipe here: http://ozlemsturkishtable.com/2013/06/stuffed-peppers-and-tomatoes-with-ground-meat-delicious-gluten-free/. We used: fresh spearmint instead of dried mint and 1 ½ tsp of salt for the stuffing; 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth instead of water for the sauce; and added 1 additional tomato (to make a fifth stuffed tomato). Due to the large size of our bell peppers, our… Continue reading Turkish stuffed bell peppers and tomatoes (dolma)
Winter fruit salad
Pear and apple slices in a star anise, vanilla, and lemon-infused syrup. We omitted the pomegranate arils. Recipe from Smitten Kitchen here: http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2008/11/winter-fruit-salad/. We couldn’t find dried apricots, so we used prunes instead. (Oct. 2015)
Waimar’s whole cranberry sauce
We made this following Ocean Spray’s recipe: http://www.oceanspray.com/Recipes/Corporate/Sauces,-Sides-Salads/Homemade-Whole-Berry-Cranberry-Sauce.aspx. Bring 1 cup each sugar and water to a boil, then add 12 oz of cranberries (washed and drained). Once the mixture boils, reduce to a simmer and let cook for 10 minutes. We added the zest of an orange and 1-2 inch of fresh ginger… Continue reading Waimar’s whole cranberry sauce
Spicy caramel popcorn
Caramel corn with a dash of cayenne. Recipe from Smitten Kitchen: http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2009/12/spicy-caramel-popcorn/. My modifications: Rather than pop ½ cup kernels on the stovetop, I used two regular sized bags of Newman’s Natural microwave popcorn. I reduced salt to 1 ½ tsp (the recipe calls for 1 to 1 ½ Tbsp) and used ½ tsp cayenne.… Continue reading Spicy caramel popcorn
Simple roasted acorn squash
Preheat oven to 375 (see Note below). To prepare the squash, microwave for 2 minutes (to soften the rind), cut it in half vertically, and remove seeds. Place each squash half cut-side down on a cutting board, and then cut into ¼ inch slices. Place on a olive-oil sprayed cookie sheet (we used two). Drizzle… Continue reading Simple roasted acorn squash
Cooking Adventures 