A Smorgasbord of Appetizers on a Stormy Night

by Krista | Mar 31, 2010 | Compatriot Wednesday

It was a wickedly stormy night as we braved hail, torrential rains and high winds to make it to CEC this week. It was well worth the effort though, as we each presented our contributions to Appetizer Night.

We started with my Sweet Hot Grape Jalapeno Meatballs (gluten-free, of course!). They were tasty little morsels, savory meatballs glazed with spicy sweet sauce.

Cameron’s awesome kids joined us for the evening, and made Mortadella Sandwiches with Cream Cheese. They did a GREAT job! 🙂

Deb shared one of her favorite cheese, a wonderfully creamy one from a farm near her parent’s house in California.

She also made her famous Dilled Deviled Eggs. They have a splendid kick from Dijon mustard, and the dill takes it right over the top.

Don shared a bottle of red and these tender and smoky grilled ribs.

Cameron smoked these delicious steak bits, and covered them with his homemade Teriyaki Sauce.

Darren brought a wondrous assortment of seafood: scallops, shrimp and fish…

…and made a wonderful broth to cook them in fondue style.

Selwyn made two kinds of Mexican White Wings, chicken breasts and Serrano chilies wrapped in bacon. The first batch were doused in spicy picante sauce…

…the second received a dusting of caramelized brown sugar. Yum!!

Mike made deliciously plump sweet and sour meatballs.

Jonathan rounded off our meatfest with delicious Citrus Bruschetta grilled with blue cheese. Mmmm.

Deborah’s Dilled Deviled Eggs

Ingredients:

12 large eggs
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
6 tsp Dijon mustard
1 cup mayonnaise and 1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp dill weed

Directions:

1. Before cooking eggs, use a tack to pierce a hole in the broad end of the egg. This centers the yolk. 
2. Boil eggs for two minutes, cover and remove from heat for 11 minutes, then place in ice water. 
3. Peel eggs. Drain, slice in half lengthwise. Remove yolks. 
4. In separate bowl mash yolks with fork and combine with pepper, mustard, dill, mayonnaise and sugar. 
5. Fill egg cavities with yolk mixture and serve.

Krista’s Sweet Hot Grape Jalapeno Meatballs (Gluten-free)

Ingredients:

1.5 pounds hamburger
1/2 cup oats, blended into flour
Salt and pepper
1 onion, grated
Parsley, chopped
2 eggs
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 small jar grape jelly
1 small jar hot pepper jelly
1/4 cup water or broth

Directions:

1. Mix everything but jellies and broth. Roll into 1-inch balls and place side by side on baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes until no longer pink in center. 
2. In a saucepan combine jellies and water. Heat, stirring constantly, until hot. 
3. Pour sauce over meatballs and stir gently until coated. 
4. Sprinkle with leftover parsley and serve.

Selwyn’s Mexican White Wings

Ingredients:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
2-3 Serrano peppers, washed, seeded and cut into thin strips.
1 pound bacon, cut in half
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 bottle picante sauce

Directions:

1. Hold piece of chicken with strip of pepper, wrap in half a slice of bacon and stab with a toothpick.
2. Bake on a cookie rack on a baking sheet at 350 for 20 min. Sprinkle with brown sugar and broil on hi for 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Toss in a picante sauce and serve.

Jonathan’s Citrus Bruschetta

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp butter
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 large oranges, chopped
2 grapefruits, chopped
Kosher salt and red pepper to taste
4-6 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
1 loaf Italian or French bread, sliced

Directions:

1. In saucepan melt butter, add shallots and sautee until translucent.
2. Add oranges, grapefruits and kosher salt and red pepper to taste. Simmer 2-3 minutes. 
3. Spoon mixture onto bread slices, top with crumbled bleu cheese, and broil for about five minutes.

Birthday Beef and Espresso Orange Panna Cotta with Chipotle Cocoa Whipped Cream

by Krista | Mar 17, 2010 | Compatriot Wednesday

We welcomed a bevy of newcomers to CEC this week, and they are delightful! We got along like a house on fire and jabbered on about travel and food and crazy experiences as if we were old friends. I love that. 🙂

It is Don’s birthday this week and we celebrated in style with Cameron and Darren’s amazing smoked prime rib and flank steak. Cameron rubbed in all manner of spices then packed the prime rib in a paste of rock salt and brown rice flour (we try to be gluten-free as much as possible), wrapped it in cheesecloth and smoked it at low heat for HOURS until it was infused with flavor and tender as can be.

Flank steak sliced and fork tender.

Selwyn made brightly colored Stuffed Sweet Peppers filled with a decadent mixture of cream cheese, garlic cheddar and bacon. 

Don marinated plump spears of asparagus in lemon, olive oil and spices, the grilled them to toasty goodness.

Two of our newbies, Terese and Beka, brought bottles of wine and the other two made stuffed mushrooms. One was gluten-free, filled with cream cheese, Parmesan and garlic, the other was baked and filled with a mixture of finely chopped mushrooms, onions, Parmesan, Vermouth and other deliciousness.

Lara brought chewy, warm Kalamata olive bread.

We closed our birthday meal with not one, but TWO desserts!

I made Espresso Orange Panna Cotta with Chipotle Cocoa Whipped Cream, served in tiny little espresso cups I found in Portugal years ago.

And Kat made a scrumptious Tiramisu Toffee Cake. 

Cameron’s Smoked Prime Rib 

Ingredients:


4.5 pound prime rib

For Rub:

garlic flakes
celery seed
onion powder
salt
pepper
Worcestershire sauce

For Crust:

Rock salt
brown rice flour
water
cheesecloth

Directions:

1. Combine all of the spices and rub liberally over prime rib. 
2. Mix rock salt with rice flour and water to form a paste. Coat prime rib and wrap tightly with cheesecloth. 
3. Smoke at 225-250 degrees for 5.5 hours. 
4. Remove cheesecloth and brush off extra rock salt/flour mixture.
5. Finish off in oven at 300 degrees for one hour to crisp up the outside.
6. Let rest at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Baked Stuffed Mushrooms
(From Cooks)

Ingredients:

1 stick butter
1 small onion, minced
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup sweet Vermouth
1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 cup plain bread crumbs
1 lb. mushrooms (remove stems and finely chop)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon oregano

Directions:

• Melt butter in skillet. Cook onion until translucent. Add chopped stems.
• Stir in bread crumbs, seasonings, and cheese. Brown lightly.
• Add sweet Vermouth last. Toss lightly to combine well.
• Stuff mushroom caps with mixture.
• Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.

Gluten-Free Mouth-Watering Stuffed Mushrooms
(From All Recipes)

Ingredients:

12 whole fresh mushrooms
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Carefully break off stems. Chop stems extremely fine, discarding tough end of stems.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and chopped mushroom stems to the skillet. Fry until any moisture has disappeared, taking care not to burn garlic. Set aside to cool.
3. When garlic and mushroom mixture is no longer hot, stir in cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, black pepper, onion powder and cayenne pepper. Mixture should be very thick. Using a little spoon, fill each mushroom cap with a generous amount of stuffing. Arrange the mushroom caps on prepared cookie sheet.
4. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the mushrooms are piping hot and liquid starts to form under caps.

Selwyn’s Stuffed Sweet Peppers

Ingredients:

16 oz of cream cheese, softened
8 oz of shredded garlic cheddar cheese
8 oz of chopped cooked bacon
Paprika or cayenne pepper
15-20 sweet mini-peppers, washed, halved and seeded

Directions:

1. Combine cream cheese and cheese and blend until smooth. 
2. Stir in bacon and mix in until incorporated but still in bits. 
3. Spoon into halves of sweet peppers and dust with either paprika or cayanne pepper.
4. Note: If using plain cheddar, add garlic powder or minced garlic to mixture.

Krista’s Espresso Orange Panna Cotta with Chipotle Cocoa Whipped Cream
(Adapted from Tyler Florence)

Ingredients:

Cocoa Whipped Cream:
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon cocoa powder (I used cocoa powder with ground chipotle peppers)
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

Espresso Panna Cotta:
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon espresso beans, roughly ground
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 orange, peel only
1 teaspoon powdered gelatin

Directions:

1. First add the cocoa powder to the heavy cream for the cocoa whipped cream. Stir well to combine then cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Begin preparing the espresso panna cotta by placing the heavy cream, ground espresso beans, sugar and orange peel in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring to a simmer, then turn off the heat and steep for 6 to 8 minutes.
3. Add the powdered gelatin and using a whisk stir over low heat to warm the mixture and dissolve the gelatin. Do not let it simmer. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve (this not only removes the peel and espresso beans, but also any undissolved gelatin) then pour into individual espresso cups. Cover with plastic and refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.
4. Once you put these in the refrigerator you can finish preparing the cocoa whipped cream (alternatively, you can do it just before you serve the panna cotta). Whip the cocoa cream until it begins to thicken and then add the confectioners’ sugar. Whip until soft peaks form and serve a spoonful over each of the panna cotta servings.

Kat’s Tiramisu Toffee Cake
(Adapted from All Recipes)

Ingredients

1 (10.75 ounce) package frozen prepared pound cake, thawed and cut into 9 slices
3/4 cup strong brewed coffee
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup chocolate syrup
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 (1.4 ounce) bars chocolate covered English toffee, chopped

Directions
Arrange cake slices on bottom of a rectangular 11×7 inch baking dish, cutting cake slices if necessary to fit the bottom of the dish. Drizzle coffee over cake.
Beat sugar, chocolate syrup, and cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add whipping cream; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Spread over cake. Sprinkle with chocolate-covered toffee candy.
Spread frosting over cake. Sprinkle with toffee candy. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, but no longer than 24 hours to set dessert and blend flavors.

Date Night and Moving

by Krista | Mar 3, 2010 | Compatriot Wednesday

Merciful heavens, am I ever tired. 🙂 Between physical therapy, moving and working two jobs, I am tuckered out! Thank goodness I’m not alone in this crazy life of mine or I’d be an absolute wreck. 🙂 Tonight Mums, my pal Deborah and I started moving, getting as many lighter things transferred before the menfolk arrive to haul the big stuff. Phew. It feels so good to get this process started. 🙂

Now I’m resting on the couch, icing my back, letting a glass of Riesling relax my aching self while I nibble on warm banana bread slathered with butter. 🙂 It’s so lovely to be sitting down! 🙂

Monday night I signed my lease papers and arrived at CEC with a shiny new key and a merry heart. 🙂

It was so great to see everyone, and we had a laugh at our crazy menu – the result of half the group thinking it was Soup Night and the other thinking it was Date Night. 🙂 Everything was cockeyed and any hope of proper courses was thrown to the wind. We didn’t mind a bit though, because we got to start with dessert first! 🙂

Selwyn made Chocolate Pecan Date Balls rolled in toasted coconut and we scarfed them down while the rest of the food was prepared.

Next up was my appetizer, Bacon-Wrapped Medjool Dates Stuffed with Blue Cheese. They were great, but next time I don’t care if the recipe calls for only half a slice of bacon per date, I’m going for a WHOLE! 🙂

Darren made crunchy, chewy Gluten-Free Parmesan Bread Sticks to go with the soups that weren’t quite ready, so we ate them with our wine instead and that worked out just dandy.

Mike brewed up creamy Tomato Soup with Colby Cheese – just perfect for dipping the breadsticks in.

Kat made a delicate Wonton Soup topped with sprouts and fresh basil.

Then we dug into Deb’s sprightly Moroccan Carrot Salad with Oranges and Medjool Dates.

We rounded out our feast with Toby’s piping hot Gluten-Free Cornbread Muffins.

Toby’s Cornbread Muffins
(From Recipe Zaar)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Spray muffin tin with nonstick spray or line with paper muffin cups.
3. Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
4. Stir well.
5. Combine beaten egg, milk and melted butter (if using normal butter add less salt).
6. Stir into the dry mixture and combine just until blended.
7. Chopped jalapenos (from a tin) can also be added, as can chopped red pepper and/or tinned corn kernels.
8. Scoop batter into prepared muffin pans.
9. Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top of muffins before baking if desired.
10. Bake for 20-25 minutes .

Krista’s Bacon Wrapped Medjool Dates Stuffed with Blue Cheese
(From All Recipes)

Ingredients:

1 pound sliced bacon, cut in half
1 pound pitted dates
4 ounces blue cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Slice dates in half, and open them up. Pinch off pieces of blue cheese, and place them into the center of the dates. Close the halves of the dates, and wrap a half-slice of bacon around the outside. Secure each one with a toothpick. 
3. Arrange in a baking dish or on a baking sheet with sides to catch any grease.
4. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the bacon is crisp. Turn dates over after the first 20 minutes for even cooking.

Deborah’s Moroccan Carrot Salad with Oranges and Medjool Dates
(From Food and Wine)

Ingredients:

4 navel oranges, 1 orange zested and juiced
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
1 pound carrots, cut into 3-inch matchsticks
1/2 pound Medjool dates, pitted and thinly sliced lengthwise

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk the orange and lemon juice with the zests, sugar, cinnamon, cumin and cayenne. Gradually whisk in the olive oil and season the dressing with salt.
2. In a large bowl, toss the carrots with all but 2 tablespoons of the dressing and let stand at room temperature for 40 minutes.
3. Using a very sharp knife, peel the remaining 3 oranges, carefully removing all of the bitter white pith. Cut in between the membranes, releasing the orange sections into the bowl with the remaining dressing. Add the dates and toss. 
4. Arrange the carrot salad on a platter, spoon the oranges and dates around it and serve.

Selwyn’s Chocolate Pecan Date Balls

Ingredients:

2 cups pecans
1 cup Medjool dates, pitted
6 Tbsp Special Dark Cocoa Powder
1/2 cup to 1 cup toasted coconut

Directions:

1. Put pecans in a food processor and chop until fine and almost powdery.
2. Add Medjool Dates and cocoa.
3. Process until it is well blended in and sticking/clumping.
4. Form into roughly tsp size balls and then coat in coconut. 

Darren’s Gluten Free Bread Sticks with Parmesan

Make the Boule Recipe for dough, then flatten the bread, bake, top with parmesan and bake until cheese is toasted.

Wintry Gluten-Free Fondue

by Krista | Feb 24, 2010 | Compatriot Wednesday

There are few things more warming and comforting to me on a cold winter’s eve than to gather around fondue pots with dear friends, dipping lovely bits of bread, meat and fruit into bubbling cauldrons of cheese, oil and dark chocolate.

My wish came true when CEC chose fondue as our menu theme for this week. YAY! We arrived toting hunks of cheese, slabs of chocolate and bags of fruit. Don fortified us with his oh-so-fabulous margaritas. I do so love that bit of salt mingling with the lime and vodka. Yum!

Selwyn stirred his marvelous concoction of Emmental, Gruyère and other goodies, Darren baked cheese-topped gluten-free bread for dipping, and Toby chopped a mound of dark chocolate. Cameron thinly sliced beef, Deb chunked strawberries, sliced bananas and cubed pound cake, and I carefully measured out Amaretto and heavy whipping cream. We stirred and tested and ladled and then, oh bliss, it was time to eat!

Then it was time for dessert! I took Toby’s mound of luscious dark chocolate and stirred it into heavy whipping cream and Amaretto for a divinely decadent chocolate fondue. Not everyone liked nuts, so we kept those on the side for folks to add at their leisure. I loved the added crunch. 🙂

Feeling sated and content, we adjourned to the living room to swap crazy stories inspire each other onto greater heights of creativity, no matter what our individual passion or bent. It was marvelous. 🙂

Selwyn’s Cheese Fondue

Ingredients:

8 oz Gruyere, grated
8 oz Emmentaler, grated
8 oz of Cheddar, grated (white – no color additives)
1 tablespoon potato starch
2 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp butter
1 cup white wine

Directions:

• Add potato starch to cheeses and set aside.
• Rub fondue pot with garlic, set aside.
• Rub cooking pot with garlic and leave in bottom of pot. Add lemon juice, butter and white wine and bring to a boil.
• Add handfuls of the cheese mixture to the boiling wine and stirring constantly until all the cheese is added.
• Continue to stir until smooth, then transfer to fondue pot and start dipping!

 Krista’s Chocolate Fondue
(From Rachael Ray)

Ingredients

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, reserve 1/4 cup to thin if fondue begins to thicken
4 bittersweet chocolate bars, chopped, 3 1/2 ounces each
2 tablespoons Frangelico or Amaretto liqueur, optional
1/4 cup finely chopped hazelnuts or almonds, optional

Directions:

1. Heat 1/2 cup cream in a heavy non-reactive saucepot over moderate heat until cream comes to a low boil. Remove the pan from the heat and add chocolate.
2. Let the chocolate stand in hot cream 3 to 5 minutes to soften, then whisk chocolate together with the cream.
3. Stir in liqueur and/or chopped nuts and transfer the fondue to a fondue pot or set the mixing bowl on a rack above a small lit candle.
4. If fondue becomes too thick, stir in reserved cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, to desired consistency.

Darren’s Gluten-Free Crusty Boule
(From Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day)

Ingredients:

2 cups Brown Rice Flour
1 1/2 cups Sorghum Flour
3 cups Tapioca Flour [3](also called tapioca starch)
2 tablespoons yeast (can be reduced but you will have to increase the rise time)
1 tablespoon kosher salt (increase or decrease to taste)
2 tablespoons Xanthan Gum
2 2/3 cups lukewarm water
4 large eggs, whisked together
1/3 cup neutral-flavored oil or olive oil
2 tablespoons honey or sugar

Directions:

1. Mixing and storing the dough: Whisk together the flours, yeast, salt and xanthan gum in a 5-quart lidded Round Food Storage Container.
2. Combine the oil, honey and water, set aside.
3. Dump the eggs into the dry ingredients and then stir while you pour in about 1/3 of the oil and water. Unlike our wheat doughs we do not add all of the liquid at once and stir. If you do that it will result in a lumpy dough.
4. Continue to stir while you pour in another 1/3 of the liquid.
5. The dough will start to come together in a thick dough. Add the final 1/3 of liquid andstir until the dough is nice and smooth. Cover with the lid, but do not snap it shut.
6. Allow it to rest on the counter for about 2 hours. Place the dough in the refrigerator and store for up to 7 days.
7. On baking day take the bucket from the refrigerator. The dough will be quite fluffy still and you want to try not to handle the dough too much. Just like our other doughs the trick is to keep as much of the air bubbles in tact as possible.
8. Use wet hands to remove 1-pound (grapefruit-size) piece of dough from the bucket.
9. The dough will be quite scraggly when you take it out, just place it on a piece of parchment paper.
10. Use wet hands to smooth out the surface of the dough. This may take dipping your hands in the water a few times to get a nice shape.
11. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rest on the counter for about 90 minutes. If your kitchen is very warm you may only need about 75 minutes.
12. 30 minutes before baking time preheat the oven with a 5 1/2 quart Dutch Oven in it to 500 degrees. Be sure it is fitted with a metal Replacement Knob, the original plastic knobs can only be heated to about 400 degrees.
13. The dough will not have grown much while resting, but it will seem a little bit puffier. Use a serrated knife to cut slashes in the dough.
14. Remove the pot from the oven and take off the lid.
15. Lift the bread on the parchment and VERY CAREFULLY lower the parchment and bread into the pot, replace the lid onto the pot. Return to the oven and bake for 20 minutes. After the 20 minutes remove the lid, turn the heat down to 450 and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
16. Once the bread is done baking remove it from the pot using a spatula.
17. Allow the bread to cool completely before eating or the center may seem gummy.

African Feasting

by Krista | Feb 17, 2010 | Compatriot Wednesday

I was introduced to Ethiopian food by my Aunt Rosalie and Uncle Dave, who lived in Ethiopia for ten years. I instantly fell in love with the spongy injera bread topped with all sorts of savory stews. I’ve eaten it in Canada, California and even Germany, and have never, ever been disappointed.

I love the family feel of Ethiopian dining. Everyone hunkered around a communal tray, tearing off pieces of injera with their fingers and using it to spoon up savory mouthfuls of stew. I like the closeness, the importance of interacting, sharing and communicating. So cozy and amiable. 🙂

When my CEC friends decided to do African food one night, I happily volunteered to make my top three favorite Ethiopian stews: kale, lentil and split pea, while the others contributed flat breads and other delectable side dishes. 

We started off with a glass of honey wine:

Then Kat made a lusciously bright and cheery tabouli with yellow cherry tomatoes and kalamata olives…

…and a lovely African peanut soup, so smooth and rich and warming.

I confess the stews took me HOURS of chopping until I blistered my chopping hand. 🙂 I don’t have a food processor, but if you use one it wouldn’t take too long at all. 🙂 All that chopping was worth it though as we dipped our flatbread into each stew, added cooling tzaziki on top, and savored the unique seasonings and textures. Delish! And yep, I know tzaziki is Greek, but it sounded so yummy that we fudged the rules a bit and let it in. Twas a worthy entrant, to be sure. 🙂

1. Heat olive oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Cook onion, bell pepper, and garlic until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with their juice, vegetable broth, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
2. Add rice to soup and stir. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 25 minutes, or until rice is tender.
3. When rice is cooked, whisk in peanut butter and return to a simmer, and serve. Garnish with chopped roasted peanuts, if desired.

1. Cover cracked wheat with cold water; let stand for 30 minutes.
2. Drain; press out as much water as possible between two bowls or two plates.
3. Place wheat, parsley, tomatoes, green onions and mint in glass or plastic bowl.
4. Mix remaining ingredients; pour over wheat mixture.
5. Toss. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
6. Garnish with ripe olives if desired
7. Note from book: For a softer texture, cover cracked wheat with boiling water, let stand one hour.
8. Kat’s note written in the margins: Tasty! Maybe add more onion or some garlic. liked the addition of kalamata olives.

1. Cook lentils in boiling water about 35 – 40 minutes, until soft and tender.
2. Meanwhile, cook shallots in a dry pan until soft and light brown, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Add garlic and continue stirring. Add 1/4 cup water, Berbere, and olive oil.
3. Drain and mash lentils and add to shallot mixture then stir in onion salt. Simmer 30 minutes to 1 hour. You may need to add more water to keep a consistency similar to oatmeal. Serve hot or at room temp.

1. Place 3 cups of the water and the peas in large saucepan. Heat over high heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium; cook until almost tender, about 30 minutes.
2. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat; cook onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger and turmeric; cook 1 minute.
3. Add remaining 2 tablespoons water; cover. Cook on low heat 3 minutes.
4. Add mixture to cooked peas; stir in salt. Simmer until peas are very soft, about 30 minutes. Taste; adjust seasonings.

Krista’s Gomen (Stewed Collard Greens)
(From African Chop)

Ingredients:

1 large bunch collard greens, about 1½ pounds (I used kale)
¼ cup niter kebbeh, ghee or olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 fresh hot peppers, seeded and minced (or to taste)
1 cup broth
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon cardamom

Directions:

1. Tear stems from collard greens, and wash greens well. Bring a large pot of water to boiling. Add greens to water and boil briskly for 15 minutes. Drain, squeezing water from greens. When cool enough to handle, slice them thinly.
2. In a large skillet or stir fry pan, melt the niter kebbeh (or oil). Add onion, garlic, ginger and hot peppers and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
3. Add collard greens, broth, salt, pepper and cardamom. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, or until most of water has evaporated from pan.

A Little Italian with a Dash of Oysters

by Krista | Feb 10, 2010 | Compatriot Wednesday

After missing two weeks of CEC 🙁 I was so happy to be well enough to go this week! YAY! 🙂 Twas so splendid to see all my foodie pals, and hear their familiar banter and teasing.

The theme was Italian, but was adhered to rather loosely. 🙂 I started things off with antipasti of roasted yellow bell peppers, dilled green beans, Kalamata olives, and artichoke hearts.

Darren cubed a selection of fabulous cheeses including one aged with whiskey. Yum!! Selwyn made wonderfully chewy and buttery garlic bread sprinkled with roasted garlic, parsley and parmesan cheese. It disappeared in short order, especially when Deb set out a pan of piping hot pizza dip layered all manner of cheesy, tomatoey ooey, gooey goodness.

The Main Course folks were running late, so the rest of us sipped wine, looked through Darren’s cookbook collection, and visited contentedly. We also plotted ideas for the next few weeks and I’m so excited and can’t wait to share them with you. 🙂

Kat and Cameron arrived and Kat hustled to the stove to make a divinely creamy Alfredo sauce to go with the bits and bobs being assembled in the smoker.

Cameron disappeared into the woods for a bit, returning with just the right branches to impart the best smoke flavor.

Darren wrapped prosciutto around scallops while Cameron shucked oysters, and Kat chopped bell peppers and onions while Toby chopped Italian parsley and Mike stirred Kat’s Alfredo sauce.

Kristin and Noah arrived with beaming smiles and bottles of Italian wine and Selwyn served us Chicken Parmesan bites – yummy little nibbles with a crispy, cracker coating topped with tomato sauce and provolone.

Then the back door opened and Cameron entered bearing platters. The Main Feast was ready! Smoked salmon drizzled with Alfredo sauce, tender scallops with salty prosciutto, oysters on the half shell, smoky and briny, and shiny smoked vegetables providing a sweet balance.

It’s good to be back. 🙂

Deborah’s Hot Pizza Dip 
(From Pampered Chef)

Ingredients:

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 8-ounce can pizza sauce
2 Tbsp green pepper, chopped
2 Tbsp green onion, sliced

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
• Combine cream cheese and Italian seasoning and spread into an 8″ glass pan. 
• In a small bowl combine mozzarella and parmesan. Sprinkle 1/2 on top of the cream cheese. Spread pizza sauce over the cheese mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Top with bell pepper and green onion.
• Bake for 15-18 minutes. 
• Serve with French bread or fresh vegetable dippers

Selwyn’s Chicken Parmesan Bites

Ingredients:

4 Chicken Breasts
Pasta Sauce, Sliced Provolone
2 eggs
1 cup breading of your choice (in this case I used about a cup of crushed gluten free crackers)
1 tsp of granulated garlic
1 tsp of Italian seasoning
1/4 cup of freshly grated Parmesan

Directions:

• Cut the chicken into half dollar size pieces.
• Dip in egg then breading.
• Place on baking sheet and cook at 350 for 10 minutes on one side. Turn pieces over, cook another 10 minutes.
• Top with a tsp of pasta sauce and a quarter of a slice of provolone and broil until you get a nice golden brown color on top.