by Krista | Jul 14, 2010 | Compatriot Wednesday
There are few things that make me happier in this world than sitting around a campfire at night with dear friends, fingers sticky from flaming marshmallows and melting chocolate, as we talk and laugh and tell crazy stories. So I was a very happy girl at my cooking group Monday night when we did just that after our scrumptious Thai feast.
My friend Jenny spent several years in Laos and is a wiz at making authentic Thai food. I loved watching her whacking away at massive green papayas, turning them into slender shreds before pounding them up with green beans and hot peppers. She even let us novices have a try at walloping the papaya and I confess it was quite a marvelous stress reliever.
As she shredded away the rest of us busied ourselves with our dishes, and downed glasses of the oddest looking drink I’ve had to date: Basil Seed. They advised me to drink with my eyes closed, but I was a brave little soldier and peered curiously at what looked to be fleas bobbing about in my glass. They are basil seeds enclosed in a gelatin bubble (think tiny tapioca) floating in a juice-ish concoction that tastes much like cream soda. I liked it!
We picked clean my platter of fresh spring rolls, stuffed with lime shredded chicken, basil, mint, cilantro and vermicelli. We dipped them in spicy peanut sauce so yummy I could’ve happily slurped it like soup.
The first time I had green papaya salad I was startled because I was expecting something sweet and cooling instead of spicy. This time I was prepared! Jenny told us she would only put half a pepper in the first batch of green papaya salad for our North American palates. Since we were all snuffling and tearing after just one bite, I can only imagine how spicy HER bowl was. Wowsers! It was good though, especially with handfuls of sticky rice to wrap each bite in.
Darren and Jon made two different versions of Pad Thai. Darren’s was dark and rich with tamarind sauce and shrimp.
While Jon’s was light and sprightly with lime and chicken. Both were delicious.
Kat made creamy and spiced Thai Iced Tea and brought wonderfully sweet and tender sesame rolls…
…and fresh, juicy lychee for dessert.
We rode out a fierce rain in the hot tub (is there a better way to wait out a heavy rain??), then clustered round the fire pit with coat hangers, marshmallows, graham crackers and 70% dark chocolate.
It was a beautiful night.
This is my contribution to Wanderfood Wednesday hosted by Wanderlust and Lipstick. Stop by and see other delectable foods from around the world.
Krista’s Thai Peanut Sauce
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups creamy natural peanut butter
1 can coconut milk
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp fish sauce
3 Tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tsp hot sauce
3 gloves garlic, minced
Directions:
- Blend all ingredients in food processor until smooth. Taste. Add more hoisin sauce if not sweet enough.
Krista’s Fresh Spring Rolls
8 round spring roll sheets
1 cup cooked, shredded chicken
Juice of one lime
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
1/2 cups fresh Thai basil leaves
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 bundles vermicelli noodles, cooked, drained and cooled
Directions:
- Pour lime juice over chicken and stir to coat.
- Soak one spring roll sheet in warm water 5-10 seconds. Place on clean counter top.
- Down center of sheet place shredded chicken. Top with vermicelli noodles, mint, basil, and cilantro.
- Grasp edge of sheet closest to you and fold over mixture, tucking edges under. Fold each end piece over, then continue rolling until spring roll looks like a burrito.
Darren’s Pad Thai
(From Alton Brown)
Ingredients
1-ounce tamarind paste
3/4 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons palm sugar
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
4 ounces rice stick noodles
6 ounces Marinated Tofu, recipe follows
1 to 2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 cup chopped scallions, divided
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 whole eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons salted cabbage
1 tablespoon dried shrimp
3 ounces bean sprouts, divided
1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts, chopped, divided
Freshly ground dried red chile peppers, to taste
1 lime, cut into wedges
Directions:
- Place the tamarind paste in the boiling water and set aside while preparing the other ingredients.
- Combine the fish sauce, palm sugar, and rice wine vinegar in a small bowl and set aside.
- Place the rice stick noodles in a mixing bowl and cover with hot water. Set aside while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Once the other ingredients are measured out into separate bowls, drain the water from the noodles and set them aside. Cut the tofu into 1/2-inch wide strips, similar to French fries.
- Press the tamarind paste through a fine mesh strainer and add to the sauce. Stir to combine.
- Place a wok over high heat. Once hot, add 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil. Heat until it shimmers, then add the tofu. Cook the tofu until golden brown, moving constantly, for no longer than 1 minute. Remove the tofu from the pan to a small bowl and set aside.
- If necessary, add some more peanut oil to the pan and heat until shimmering.
- Add 2/3 of the scallions and then the garlic, cook for 10 to 15 seconds. Add the eggs to the pan; once the eggs begin to set up, about 15 to 20 seconds, stir to scramble. Add the remaining ingredients in the following order and toss after each addition: noodles, sauce, cabbage, shrimp, and 2/3 of the bean sprouts and peanuts. Toss everything until heated through, but no longer than 1 to 2 minutes total.
- Transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with the remaining scallions, bean sprouts, and peanuts. Serve immediately with the ground chile peppers and lime wedges.
Darren’s Marinated Tofu:
Ingredients:
6 ounces extra-firm tofu, not silken
1 1/2 cups soy sauce
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
Directions:
- Wrap the tofu firmly in a tea towel. Place the wrapped tofu into an 8-inch cake pan. Top with another cake pan and weigh down with a 5-pound weight. (Bags of dried beans or grains work well.) Place in refrigerator and press for 12 to 15 hours.
- Place pressed tofu in a 2-cup container. Combine soy sauce and five-spice powder and pour over tofu. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, turning once. Remove the tofu from the marinade and use immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 2 to 3 days.
Jenny’s Papaya Salad
(From Thai Food Cast)
Utensils:
Mortar
Pestle
Ingredients:
1 clove of garlic
2 chilies – or as much as you like.
¼ cup roasted peanuts
½ cup tomatos
½ cup green beans
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons palm sugar
2 tablespoons of fish sauce
2 cups of shredded green papaya
Directions:
- Shred green papaya
- Slice tomatoes
- Chop green beans
- Slice Lime
- Put garlic and chili peppers into mortar, smash it into small pieces
- Add peanuts, smash it into small pieces
- Add palm sugar, pound it until it mixes well together
- Add lime, fish sauce, pound it until it mixes well
- Add green papaya and green bean and pound until it mixes well
- Garnish with roasted peanuts
Jenny’s Thai Sticky Rice
(From Visit Chiang-Mai Online)
Kat’s Thai Iced Tea
Ingredients:
30 bags of black tea
seeds from 5 black cardamom pods, freshly ground
1 T. star anise, freshly ground
2 large coffee filters
1 T. tamarind concentrate (could probably substitute 1 t. tamarind paste)
1 large saucepan full of water
Ice cubes
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 12 oz. can evaporated milk
Directions:
- Tear open the tea bags, and empty the contents into two large coffee filters, along with the star anise and the cardamom.
- Tie the coffee filters closed with food safe twine. (I just used the string from one of the tea bags I had previously emptied.) Basically you’re making two really big tea bags.
- Bring the large saucepan of water to a boil, then reduce heat to medium high and steep tea bags for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, leaving the tea bags in, and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Fill a tall glass 2/3rds full of ice cubes.
- Pour the tea into the glass through a strainer. It should be a dark orange colour.
- Float over the top of a spoon, about 1 T. of evaporated milk, and 1 ½ T of sweetened condensed milk.
- Serve with an iced tea spoon so guests can mix in milk themselves.
by Krista | Jun 30, 2010 | Compatriot Wednesday
It was so good to be back with my cooking group this week. To see their dear faces, hear their crazy stories, and join in with everyone jolly and bustling in the kitchen whipping up delectable Mediterranean fare.
With glasses of red wine at hand, we churned out one dish after another. Darren made creamy regular hummus and roasted red pepper hummus, now known collectively as “The Best Hummus In The Whole World.” NOTE: This must be said with great exuberance and enthusiasm, preferably with arms flung wide.
Selwyn made a sprightly tapenade that went beautifully with the hummus.
I made white bean crostini: white beans pureed with garlic, onion, rosemary and olive oil topped with sea salt and spread on blue cheese jalapeno bread rubbed with garlic.
Jenny made one of the best Greek salads I’ve ever had! Filled with all the usual red onion, cucumber, tomato and feta, she worked her magic and added dill and who knows what all to make it special.
Toby made his own witches brew couscous adding a little of this and a little of that until he had a savory, spiced dish that was a perfect foil for the main entree.
Jon had slow-cooked a leg of lamb in all manner of deliciousness for 12 hours. The result was a heavenly scented, cut-with-your-finger-tender meat that we piled on Deb’s gluten-free pitas and topped with Jon’s cool tzatziki.
We ended things with Don’s amazing and killer Lemon Drop Martinis, perfectly sour with a sugared rim. Twas a grand evening. 🙂
Jenny’s Cucumber and Feta Salad
(Adapted from David Lebovitz’s blog and Joanne Weir’s From Tapas to Meze)
Ingredients
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced into pea-sized pieces
coarse salt
8 ounces feta cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
2-3 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon water
freshly ground black pepper
1 small red onion, peeled and finely-diced
1 tablespoon (each) chopped fresh mint, parsley and fresh dill
Directions:
- Put cucumber in bowl, mix with bit of salt, and let drain 30 minutes to an hour, shaking the colander from time to time.
- Crumble the feta into a bowl and smoosh with olive oil, lemon juice, water, and a bit of black pepper.
- Fold in cucumbers, onions, and herbs. Taste for seasonings and serve.
Krista’s White Bean Crostini
Ingredients:
1 bag white beans, cooked or 2 cans
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 onion, grated
1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
salt and pepper
olive oil
One baguette, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, halved
Directions:
- Add beans and cooking liquid to pan with garlic, onion, and rosemary. Bring to boil and simmer for ten minutes.
- Drain and cool.
- Place in food processor and add 1/4 or more olive oil, plus salt and pepper to taste. Whir until smooth.
- Toast baguette slices and rub with garlic. Top with bean spread and sprinkle with sea salt.
Jon’s Leg of Lamb
Place Boneless Leg of Lamb into crock pot.
Add in a handful of fresh mint leaves, a heaping teaspoon of Oregano, a couple pinches of sea salt, and fresh ground pepper.
Pour approximately 1 cup of Balsamic Vinegar into pot.
Chop 1 onion and add to pot.
Fill with water to just cover meat.
Directions:
Let it marinade overnight, then cook whilst at work the next day.
Jon’s Tzaziki
1 cup greek yogurt
1 cup sour cream
4 tbs olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dill
pinch of salt and pepper
2 cucumbers, peeled and finely diced
1 tbs white balsamic vinegar
Directions:
- Combine yogurt and sour cream in one dish, and all the other ingredients in another. Stir each, combine, and chill for two hours.
by Krista | Jun 23, 2010 | Compatriot Wednesday
I’m writing to you whilst grinning my head off at GLORIOUS sunshine streaming through my windows. Birds are twittering madly and warm breezes are wafting hither and thither. This has been the coldest, wettest June in my memory, but this evening is making up for it with unbelievable beauty.
Wednesdays I usually feature the marvelous fare whipped up by the Culinary Experimentation Club I’m a part of. Alas, poor health has kept me away the last two events, so I have nothing to share with you.
Instead I have pictures of the things I’ve been using to get myself better or, at the very least, make feeling ghastly a bit more beautiful.
Water with lemons and limes.
Lovely organic grapes.
Cup after cup of tea: Moroccan Pomegranate Red, Good Earth Original, Sweet Orange, Spearmint, Sleepytime.
This evening when the sun came out, I took a little stroll to the creek, closing my eyes and feeling the wind against my skin, the sun on my shoulders, delighting in the blackberry bushes festooned with blossoms.
My friend Alessio from Recipe Taster heard I was sick and encouraged me to partake of spoonfuls of honey and bowls of quark (fresh cheese) mixed with berries and flax seed. He said that in Germany, where he lives, the doctors prescribe quark along with traditional medication. So after my doctor visit this morning, I stopped by the market and picked up a tub of quark and a carton of perfectly ripe strawberries. Reaching home I mixed the quark with agave syrup, topped it with berries and sprinkled everything with flax seeds. Delicious! Tucked up in bed I basked in sunshine and felt spoiled rotten as I ate spoonful after creamy spoonful of Alessio’s concoction. I just KNOW it will help me feel better!
This is my contribution to Wanderfood Wednesday hosted by Beth at Wanderlust and Lipstick. Pay her a visit to learn about foods from all over the world.
Alessio’s Get Better Soon Quark
Ingredients:
1/2 cup quark
1 tsp agave syrup
handful of strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 Tbsp flax seeds
Directions:
- Mix quark and agave syrup.
- Top with strawberries and flax seeds.
by Krista | Jun 16, 2010 | Compatriot Wednesday
Sunday morning dawned brilliantly sunny in British Columbia at my Aunt and Uncle’s lakehouse. I awoke from a deep sleep and wandered groggily into the kitchen to hearty greetings from my kinfolk and the heavenly scent of my Aunt’s Cranberry Orange Scones. My Uncle poured me a steaming mug of coffee and we all visited while my Aunt dusted the scones with powdered sugar, whipped up honey butter and mixed fruit salad. Then with arms laden we trooped out to the sunshiny deck for breakfast. Delicious! 🙂
After such a lovely repast, Mums, my Aunt and I headed out into the warm summer air for a stroll through the hills. The sun hid behind the clouds but left its warmth behind. What a gorgeous day! The air smelled of wild Alberta roses and new leaves and tree sap, the wind sighed through the waving grasses and fields of wild flowers, and rustled the silvery leaves of the poplar trees.
Poplars and birches are my favorite trees in the whole wide world. They remind me of Canada and Russia and a childhood spent climbing them and imagining grand adventures running away from bad guys and rescuing those in distress. Isn’t this grove of poplars even more magical with those sunny Brown-eyed Susans blooming at their roots?
I love Canada. 🙂 Where is your homeland, dear ones? What bit of nature always makes you think of home?
This is my contribution to Wanderfood Wednesday hosted by the lovely Wanderlust and Lipstick. Pay them a visit to see all sorts of splendid travelicious foods.
Auntie Janet’s Cranberry Orange Scones
(From The Best of Bridge)
Ingredients:
3/4 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt
1 egg
2 3/4 cups flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup coarsely chopped cranberries (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup sugar
rind of 1 orange
1 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/4 cup icing sugar
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Beat buttermilk and egg in small bowl and set aside.
- In large bowl, measure flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Cut in butter until mixture resembles small peas.
- Mix in cranberries, sugar and orange rind.
- Add buttermilk mixture and stir until soft dough forms. Using your hands, form dough into a large ball and place on floured surface. Pat out to 1″ thickness. Cut in 4″ rounds.
- Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake scones for 15 – 20 minutes.
- While still warm, brush with butter and sprinkle with icing sugar.
- Makes 8 large scones.
by Krista | Jun 9, 2010 | Compatriot Wednesday
I love my quirky Cooking Group, CEC. I love how on a night devoted to Scottish dishes folks can show up with cheesecake and Sangria and somehow it totally works. 🙂
Don started off the festivities with refreshing Sangria chock full of apples and peaches.
I made the appetizer this week: Scottish Cheesy Angels. I confess I chose them almost entirely because of the name. They were tasty little morsels, plump smoked oysters topped with extra sharp cheddar, wrapped in prosciutto and grilled until the meat was crispy and the cheese melty.
Then we dug into the main course. Oooeee! All sorts of lovely things!
Jenny made a succulent Potato Cheese Pie with Bacon. A pie plate is line with bacon strips that are left overhanging. Then it is filled with a marvy potato, Gruyere, onion mixture and wrapped up nicely with the bacon. An hour later a potato pie with a bacon crust emerges all gooey and bubbly and wonderful.
Darren made delectable Baked Salmon with Tarragon and Bacon topped with decadently rich creme fraiche.
Mike made two beautiful mince pies – that’s “hamburger” to us North Americans – savory and delicious studded with potatoes and onions.
Toby made splendid little Sharp Cheddar Shortbreads that were so buttery and cheesy we cleaned them up in no time. Though we did have to keep warning people who grabbed them thinking they were shortbread cookies.
We ended our lavish meal with glasses of Scottish whiskey and two fabulous desserts.
Gary made Vanilla Cheesecake with fresh strawberries. I liked that he cut down on the sweetener so the creaminess of the cheese and sour cream really came through.
Kat and Ed finished things off in true Scottish style with the best Cranachan I’ve ever tasted! Almost like an oatmeal pudding, this dish is made with toasted oats, honey, heavy cream, and whiskey. Traditionally served with raspberries, they chose blueberries and it was an inspired choice.
We could hardly move after that unbelievable feast, but nary a one of us complained. 🙂
This is my contribution to Wanderfood Wednesday hosted by the lovely Wanderlust and Lipstick.
Krista’s Cheesy Angels (Oysters)
(Adapted from Scotland for Visitors)
Ingredients:
3oz Scottish Cheddar Cheese
18 Smoked Oysters
9 Rashers of streaky bacon (I used prosciutto to make it less fatty)
Directions:
- Divide the cheese into 18 equal portions.
- (If using bacon, trim the rind and the fat from the OUTSIDE of the bacon.) Cut each rasher of bacon/prosciutto in half.
- Place each oyster on top of a pile of cheese, then wrap this pile tightly with the bacon/prosciutto and secure it with a cocktail stick.
- Place this under a pre-heated grill, turning once, until the bacon is crispy.
Jenny’s Potato Cheese and Bacon Pie
(From Scottish Recipes)
Ingredients:
1kg of Rooster potatoes which have been peeled, thinly sliced and washed
15g of melted butter
200g of thinly sliced streaky bacon
100g of grated gruyere cheese
Salt and pepper for seasoning (optional ingredient)
Directions:
- Pre heat the oven to 425°F/220°C/Gas mark 7.
- Butter a 9 inch ovenproof non stick baking dish.
- Arrange the bacon slices into the bottom and the sides of the greased pan. Make sure some of the strips of bacon overhang the edge of the dish slightly.
- Dry the washed, peeled and sliced Rooster potatoes and dry with kitchen towel.
- Take about one third of the tatties and place these slices over the bacon. Then sprinkle about a third of the grated gruyere cheese. Repeat this step so that two more layers of tattie and cheese are in the dish.
Darren’s Baked Salmon With Tarragon and Bacon
(From Recipezaar)
Ingredients:
4 salmon fillets
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 slices bacon, diced
3 ounces butter
1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Directions:
- Pre-heat oven to 400°F.
- Butter (or spray with non-stick spray) one side of a large sheet of aluminum foil (double the size needed to hold the salmon fillets in one layer); place in a baking dish (butter side up) large enough to hold the salmon (again, in one layer).
- Fry the finely chopped onion in butter in a frypan until soft and golden but not brown.
- Add the bacon and tarragon and cook for another two minutes.
- Stir in the lemon juice and remove from heat.
- Place the salmon fillets on the foil in the baking dish.
- Cover each fillet with some of the onion/bacon mixture and drizzle any pan juices over as well.
- Fold the foil over the fish and seal to make a parcel.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
- May be served with a dollops of thick cream or creme fraiche.
Toby’s Scottish Sharp-Cheddar Shortbread
(From Epicurious)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper
8 ounces extra-sharp white Cheddar cheese, finely shredded
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (Toby used gluten-free)
Directions:
- Using electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat together butter, salt, black pepper, and cayenne at low speed just until blended. Add Cheddar and flour and mix at low speed just until smooth (do not overmix). Shape dough into disk, wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper, and chill 30 minutes.
- Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- On lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4- to 1/8-inch-thick round. Using 1 1/2- to 2-inch round cutter, cut out rounds and arrange 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets. Reroll scraps if desired (rerolled scraps will be tougher).
- Bake shortbread until lightly golden and beginning to brown on edges, about 13 to 15 minutes. Cool on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
Kat’s Cranachan with Blueberries
(From Veg-World)
Ingredients:
2/3 cup (2 oz, 50 g) medium oatmeal
1½ cups (12 fl oz, 360 ml) heavy (double) cream
2 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. whisky
2½ cups (10 oz, 300 g) fresh raspberries
Directions:
- Start by placing the oatmeal in a dry pan or skillet. Toast it on a medium heat, turning often until it’s a golden brown. This should take 10 to 20 minutes. Leave it to cool.
- Whisk the cream until it is just stiff.
- Stir in the honey, whiskey and oatmeal. Gently stir in the raspberries, setting a few aside for decoration.
- Chill for at least half an hour before serving.
Gary’s Cheesecake with Strawberries
Ingredients:
2-8 0z packages cream cheese, softened
8 oz sour cream
3 eggs
1 1/3 cup Splenda
2 Tbsp vanilla
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup Splenda
1/2 cup butter, melted
Strawberries for topping
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In small bowl mix graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup Splenda and melted butter. Press into 9″ springform pan.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- While crust is baking, mix remaining ingredients (except strawberries).
- When crust is done, remove from oven, pour in filling, and return to oven. Bake for 1 hour.
- Let cool 1.5 hours.
- Top with sliced strawberries tossed with Splenda.
by Krista | Jun 2, 2010 | Compatriot Wednesday
Luscious dollops of sunshine seeped through the dark rain clouds Monday night, delighting my heart as I drove to CEC for a delectable evening of dear friends and delicious food.
We had a jolly crowd this week, everyone relaxed and happy to be together, sipping French wine and Belgian beer from Jonathon as we discussed camping, work foibles, dreamed of travel destinations, and our favorite toys as kids. Lego seemed to be the dominant favorite, followed closely by Lincoln Logs and other hands on things that once gave free reign to our youthful flights of fancy.
With only appetizers to prepare, we were soon loading our plates and heading out to the deck where we ate under the glow of mason jars filled with tea lights.
Darren shared cheese finds procured at the Seattle Cheese Festival last month: smoky cheddar and soft cheeses flavored with garlic and herbs.
I made Bosnian Cevapi (beef and pork sausages) with a Hot Pepper Jelly Sauce.
Selwyn stirred a bubbling pot of Cranberry Chili Smokies.
Jon and Janelle brought even more lovely cheeses: chevre blue, sharp cheddar, drunken goat and a few others I can’t remember the names of, all paired with a chewy loaf of rosemary bread.
Don and Jen served beautifully herbed salmon.
Deb made savory and sweet Pineapple Chicken Tenders that, alas, I wasn’t able to photograph because they were snatched up before I had a chance.
Toby finished things off with crispy Zucchini and Feta patties. I just love that bright green color!
What is your favorite appetizer? 🙂
This is my contribution to Wanderfood Wednesday, kindly hosted by Wanderlust and Lipstick.
Toby’s Zucchini Patties with Feta
(From Epicurious)
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups coarsely grated zucchini (from about 3 medium)
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup (or more) all purpose flour
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1/2 cup (about) olive oil
1/2 cup (about) corn oil
Directions:
- Toss zucchini and 1/2 teaspoon salt in large bowl. Let stand 5 minutes.
- Transfer to sieve. Press out excess liquid; place zucchini in dry bowl.
- Mix in egg, yolk, 1/2 cup flour, cheese, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Mix in parsley, onions, and dill. If batter is very wet, add more flour by spoonfuls.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons corn oil in large skillet over medium heat.
- Working in batches, drop batter by rounded tablespoonfuls into skillet. Fry patties until golden, 5 minutes per side, adding more olive oil and corn oil as needed. Transfer to paper towels. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead.
- Place on baking sheet, cover, and chill.
- Rewarm uncovered in 350°F oven 12 minutes. Serve with plain Greek yogurt.
Deborah’s Pineapple Chicken Tenders
(From All Recipes)
Ingredients:
1 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup light soy sauce
2 pounds chicken breast tenderloins or strips
skewers
Directions:
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, mix pineapple juice, brown sugar, and soy sauce. Remove from heat just before the mixture comes to a boil.
- Place chicken tenders in a medium bowl. Cover with the pineapple marinade, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat grill for medium heat. Thread chicken lengthwise onto wooden skewers.
- Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill chicken tenders 5 minutes per side, or until juices run clear. They cook quickly, so watch them closely.
Selwyn’s Cranberry Chili Smokies
Ingredients:
1 bottle chili sauce
1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
2 packages smokies
Directions:
- Brown smokies in frying pan or oven.
- While smokies brown, combine chili sauce and cranberry sauce in saucepan.
- When smokies are browned, add to sauce and simmer 10-15 minutes until ready to serve.
Krista’s Bosnian Cevapi with Hot Pepper Jelly Sauce
Ingredients:
1 recipe Bosnian Cevapi
1 jar hot pepper jelly
2-3 Tbsp water
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
- Place cevapi side by side in baking dish.
- In saucepan combine hot pepper jelly and water over medium heat, stir until mixture begins to simmer. Add more water if necessary.
- Pour sauce over cevapi.
- Cover baking dish with foil, and bake for 15-20 minutes until heated through.
