bombay joes

I love this Indian inspired recipe from Food Network and the family will occasionally eat it too. I usually serve it with pitas or naan instead of on buns.

Ingredients

Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 serrano chile, seeded and finely minced (save the other half for the turkey)
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup water

Turkey:

• 3 to 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Small handful shelled pistachios, about 1/4 cup
• Small handful golden raisins, about 1/4 cup
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 large white onion, finely diced
• 1 red bell pepper, seeds and membrane removed, finely diced
• 1/2 serrano chile, seeds intact (don't chop it up unless you like things spicy!)
• Kosher salt
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• 1/4 cup half-and-half
• Small handful chopped fresh cilantro (soft stems included)
• 4 to 6 gluten free hamburger buns

Directions

Begin by making the sauce: Warm the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, until it shimmers. Add the ginger, garlic and serrano pepper. Saute until the ginger and garlic brown a little. Add the garam masala and paprika and saute for 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until thickened, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile for the turkey, in large skillet, warm 2 tablespoons of oil. When shimmering, add the pistachios and raisins. Cook until the raisins swell up and the pistachios toast slightly. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Return the pan to medium heat, add 1 to 2 more tablespoons of oil, and warm until shimmering. Add the cumin seeds and allow them to sizzle for about 10 seconds, or until some of the sizzling subsides. Stir in the onions and bell pepper; saute until softened and starting to brown. Add the serrano pepper. Saute for another couple of minutes, seasoning with a little salt. Stir in the turkey, breaking up the big lumps. Cook until opaque, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, your sauce should be ready. Pour the sauce into the skillet with the turkey. Stir and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the mixture has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes.

Once the turkey is cooked and the sauce has thickened a little, remove the serrano pepper (unless you want to eat it whole, like my Dad does!). Add the honey, half-and-half, pistachios and raisins. Stir through and taste for seasoning. Before serving, garnish with fresh cilantro.

Toast the buns, fill with the turkey mixture and serve. Eat (with your hands!) and enjoy!

chile relleno soup

Another of my favorite work lunches from houseofyumm.com. I so love poblanos! I usually use veggie broth to make this recipe vegetarian and of course I'm always too lazy to make the topping...

Chile Relleno Soup. A creamy poblano soup topped with an open faced chile relleno.

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Ingredients

• 5 poblano chiles
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 onion chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic minced
• 1/4 cup of cilantro chopped
• 1/2 cup of flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon salt

Chile Relleno Topping

• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 cup cooking oil
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup shredded jack cheese

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Instructions

1. Clean and dry the poblano chiles. Places them on a cookie sheet covered in foil. Place under the broiler for 5 minutes. Turn the chiles over and broil for another 5 minutes. Chiles should be roasted with black skin. Remove from the oven and place the chiles in a sealable plastic bag. Set aside
2. In a large saucepan heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for about 2 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cilantro. Cook for about 3 minutes.
3. Add the 1/2 cup of flour to the saucepan and stir to coat the veggies. Cook for about 2 minutes. Then add the chicken broth, cream, milk, salt and pepper. Bring to a low simmer.
4. Once the chiles have cooled to the touch, remove from the plastic bag. Cut off the top, remove the seeds, and then remove the skin. (I found it easiest to use a paring knife to remove the skin)
5. Set one of the chiles aside for the chile relleno topping. Chop up the other 4 chiles and add to the soup. Allow the soup to continue simmering approximately 15-20 minutes.
6. While the soup simmers make the chile relleno topping. Slice the remaining chile in half (should already have the seeds and skin removed). This will give you two large pieces of chile.
7. Set up two small bowls. Using the two eggs separate so that whites are in one bowl and yolks are in the second bowl. Beat the egg whites for about a minute and add the 2 tablespoons of flour. In the other bowl beat the egg yolks. Set up a small frying pan and heat the cooking oil over medium heat. Dip one of the chile slices into the egg yolk, then into the egg white/flour mixture. Add to the cooking oil and fry on each side about 1-2 minutes until golden. Repeat with the other chile slice.
8. Just before serving the soup, add 1/2 cup of shredded Jack cheese and stir until completely melted. Serve the soup into bowls, top with the chile relleno and extra shredded jack cheese. You can place the bowls under the broiler if desired to melt the cheese on top, however, this step is not required.

grape, avocado, and arugula salad

I make variations of this salad from gimmesomeoven.com fairly regularly for lunch. Often it's just arugula, grapes, goat cheese and candied cashews with a quick homemade balsamic vinaigrette, but I like to keep the full recipe on hand for when I'm feeling ambitious enough to consider the original ingredients.

GRAPE, AVOCADO AND ARUGULA SALAD

This grape, avocado and arugula salad is fresh and light, and it makes for the perfect meal or side salad.

TOTAL TIME: 10 MINS

 

PREP TIME: 10 MINS

INGREDIENTS:

SALAD INGREDIENTS:

• 6 cups fresh arugula, loosely packed
• 2 cups halved seedless grapes, red or green or a mix
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
• 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts or pecans
• half a small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
• balsamic vinaigrette (ingredients below)

WHITE BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE INGREDIENTS:

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 Tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (or traditional balsamic vinegar)
• 2 Tablespoons honey or agave nectar, to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

TO MAKE THE SALAD:

Add salad ingredients to a bowl, and drizzle with vinaigrette. Toss to combine. Serve immediately.

TO MAKE THE VINAIGRETTE:

Whisk all ingredients together for 30 seconds until combined.

chipotle shredded beef

This recipe from Taste of Home might be my favorite recipe ever. I make it for lunch al desko regularly and eat it on tortillas with a bit of shredded cheddar-- so dang good in the middle of winter when I am craving comfort food. .

INGREDIENTS

• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce plus 2 teaspoons sauce
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 boneless beef chuck roast (2-1/2 pounds)

DIRECTIONS

In a large skillet coated with cooking spray, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir 2-3 minutes or until tender. Stir in tomatoes, vinegar, peppers with sauce, garlic, brown sugar, bay leaves and spices. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 4-6 minutes or until thickened.

Place roast in a 5-qt. slow cooker; add tomato mixture. Cook, covered, on low 8-10 hours or until meat is tender.

Discard bay leaves. Remove roast; cool slightly. Skim fat from cooking juices. Shred beef with two forks. Return beef and cooking juices to slow cooker; heat through. 

chocolate ice cream

The best chocolate ice cream I've ever had; thanks Alton Brown. I used Penzey's cocoa powder, which might just be the most amazing substance on earth.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 ounces unsweetened cocoa powder, approximately 1/2 cup
• 3 cups half-and-half
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 8 large egg yolks
• 9 ounces sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

Place the cocoa powder along with 1 cup of the half-and-half into a medium saucepan over medium heat and whisk to combine. Add the remaining half-and-half and the heavy cream. Bring the mixture just to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and remove from the heat.

In a medium mixing bowl whisk the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the sugar and whisk to combine. Temper the cream mixture into the eggs and sugar by gradually adding small amounts, until about 1/3 of the cream mixture has been added. Pour in the remainder and return the entire mixture to the saucepan and place over low heat. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon and reaches 170 to 175 degrees F. Pour the mixture into a container and allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Stir in the vanilla extract. Place the mixture into the refrigerator and once it is cool enough not to form condensation on the lid, cover and store for 4 to 8 hours or until the temperature reaches 40 degrees F or below.

Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer's directions. This should take approximately 25 to 35 minutes. Serve as is for soft serve or freeze for another 3 to 4 hours to allow the ice cream to harden.

vanilla ice cream

Our favorite vanilla ice cream recipe (from Alton Brown).

Ingredients

• 3 cups half-and-half
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 8 large egg yolks
• 9 ounces vanilla sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

Place the half-and-half and the heavy cream into a medium saucepan, over medium heat. Bring the mixture just to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and remove from the heat.

In a medium mixing bowl whisk the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the sugar and whisk to combine. Temper the cream mixture into the eggs and sugar by gradually adding small amounts, until about a third of the cream mixture has been added. Pour in the remainder and return the entire mixture to the saucepan and place over low heat. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon and reaches 170 to 175 degrees F. Pour the mixture into a container and allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Stir in the vanilla extract. Place the mixture into the refrigerator and once it is cool enough not to form condensation on the lid, cover and store for 4 to 8 hours or until the temperature reaches 40 degrees F or below.

Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer's directions. This should take approximately 25 to 35 minutes. Serve as is for soft serve or freeze for another 3 to 4 hours to allow the ice cream to harden.

strawberry rhubarb coffee cake

The kids love when my rhubarb plant goes crazy and I'm forced to bake them all kinds of desserts, breads, and breakfasts to try to keep up with the monster plant. This is one of their favorites!

INGREDIENTS

• FILLING:
• 3 cups sliced fresh or frozen rhubarb (1-inch pieces)
• 1 quart fresh strawberries, mashed
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• CAKE:
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, cut into pieces
• 1-1/2 cups buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• TOPPING:
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar

DIRECTIONS

In a large saucepan, combine rhubarb, strawberries and lemon juice. Cover and cook over medium heat about 5 minutes. Combine sugar and cornstarch; stir into saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Beat buttermilk, eggs and vanilla; stir into crumb mixture.

Spread half of the batter evenly into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Carefully spread filling on top. Drop remaining batter by tablespoonfuls over filling.

For topping, melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat; stir in flour and sugar until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over batter. Lay foil on lower oven rack to catch any juice spillovers.

Place coffee cake on middle rack; bake 40-45 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Cut in squares. Yield: 16-20 servings.

honey mustard brussells sprout slaw

I love this salad from Cookie and Kate as lunch with grilled chicken and we used it as a Thanksgiving side as well. I usually buy a bag of cruciferous crunch from TJ's instead of shredding my own sprouts.

Honey Mustard Brussels Sprout Slaw

• Author: Cookie and Kate
 
• Prep Time: 20 mins
 
• Total Time: 20 mins
 
• Yield: 4
 
• Category: Salad

★★★★★

5 from 20 reviews

This delicious slaw recipe features crisp, shredded Brussels sprouts tossed with tangy honey mustard dressing, toasted almonds and dried cherries (or cranberries). This is a great gluten-free salad or side dish, perfect for potlucks or holiday meals.

INGREDIENTS

Coleslaw

• 1 pound Brussels sprouts
• ⅓ cup slivered almonds, toasted (hickory smoked almonds would be great if you can find them)
• ⅓ cup tart dried cherries or cranberries, chopped
• ⅓ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Honey mustard dressing

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Shred the sprouts: First, cut off the tough ends of the sprouts and any browning outer leaves. Then shred them in a food processor using the slicing blade, pressing the sprouts against the blade with the provided plastic pusher. If you don’t have a food processor, slice them as thinly as possible using a sharp chef’s knife, then give them a few extra chops for good measure.
2. If you are using raw almonds, toast them over medium heat for three to four minutes, stirring frequently, until they are fragrant and turning golden on the edges.
3. Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, honey, mustard and garlic until emulsified. In a medium serving bowl, toss the shredded sprouts with the almonds, chopped dried fruit, Parmesan and dressing. Serve.