Ground lamb curry
Brown meat (with a little water so it doesn't stick) in a large pot (about 1-1.5 pounds)
Note: I cooked it from frozen since I am rarely in the frame of mind to actually plan a meal, and it works very well. Just put a cover on the pot and break up the meat into as finely ground pieces as you like as it thaws and cooks. Cook the meat until not pink, and then pour off the excess fat, leaving some for flavour.
Add:
Chopped onion or two
A few garlic cloves diced or squeezed through a garlic press
The following spices to taste: ground cumin, coriander, garam masala (just a little), cinnamon (just a little), turmeric (all of these spices can be found at many Indian-style food stores. I like Onkar Foods and Spices in Kitchener)
Stir it around and let the onions soften, making sure it has enough liquid to prevent sticking
Add around 4 cups of either diced or pureed tomatoes
Stir and simmer for around 40 min.
If you want it saucier, add some hot water.
Taste, and adjust seasoning.
Serve!
Chicken with tomato sauce and bacon
Cook about 4 strips of bacon and leave the fat in the pan
Brown chicken pieces in the bacon fat (dry the chicken pieces before you put then in the pan!)
Add a chopped onion and cook til almost soft
Add the bacon back to the pan
Add 2 cups chopped tomato, 2 tbsp of tarragon, 1/4 cup red wine, 1 cup of chicken stock, salt to taste
Simmer for 30-40 min, covered (until chicken is done)
Let it sit off the heat for 30 min.
Serve over rice.
(I liked it better the next day when the flavours had had a chance to marry)
Date Cookies
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Filling
1/2 pound cooking dates (You can buy these in blocks at the supermarket. Just cut them in half - that's about 1/2 pound)
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice
Cook filling on stove top in a saucepan until mushy, on low. Boil it briefly, then simmer. Don't leave it unattended long, and stir often or the sugar will burn.
Cookie Dough
1 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 cup oatmeal
1 1/2 cup flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
pinch of salt
Mix wet ingredients, then add dry and fold in until just combined. Dough should be somewhat sticky, not too dry. Flour a surface well and roll out the dough. I roll it out in about 3 sections as I don't have a large surface. Take a round cookie cutter (I use an upside down drinking glass) around 3 inches across and cut out round shapes in the dough. Place them on a cookie sheet.
Once the filling has cooled enough not to burn your fingers, spoon about 1/2 - 1 tbsp in the centre of each round cookie. Fold over each cookie into a half circle. You don't need to make the dough meet - the date filling will be showing.
Bake in 350 degree oven for 12 minutes or until browned.
Maple squares
Base:
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 cups graham wafers, crushed (you can use either the plain or the honey - both are delish)
1/2 cup coconut or walnuts (optional)
1 tsp vanilla
Combine butter, egg and brown sugar together in a saucepan. Melt on low heat. Remove from heat. Add graham wafers and vanilla (plus optional coconut or walnuts). Spread in 8x8 inch pan.
Icing:
1/4 cup butter
1/8 cup rum (or milk)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup icing sugar
Melt butter, add brown sugar. Stir. Boil on low heat 2 minutes only. Stir constantly. Stir in rum (or milk). Bring to boil (the rum will come to a roaring boil immediately - you can take it off the heat as soon as you add the rum). Cool to lukewarm and add icing sugar.
Spread the icing over the base. Cool, cut into squares, and EAT. And probably share, cause these ain't low calorie.
Hot and sour soup
4 c chicken stock
3 tbl soy sauce
1/4 c cooked shredded chicken or pork
1/2 c mushrooms diced
1/2 tbl garlic chili sauce (shriracha)
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 c white vinegar
1/3 c canned bamboo shoots juliened (I never put these in)
3 oz block tofu diced 1/4 in
2 tbl cornstarch in 2 tbl water (I've skipped this step too - I don't care if it's thick)
1 egg beaten
2 green onion stalks diced
1/2 tsp sesame oil
Simmer broth
Add soy sauce, meat mushrooms and chili paste
Simmer 5 min
Add wh pepper, vinegar, bamboo and tofu
Simmer 5 min
Combine cornstarch and water, add and stir well
Simmer 5 min until thickened
Beat egg, pour in slowly through a fork in a fine stream. Stir.
Wait 30 seconds
Add onion and sesame oil, stir.
Remove from heat.
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Mary Pat's Fall Feast
Chateaubriand with Cognac Brandy Sauce (from Aces – this is from the Best of Bridge series of cookbooks written by a group of girlfriends from Calgary, Alberta back in the 70s and 80s)
2 beef tenderloins, 2.5 lbs each (2 x 1.25 kg)
5 garlic cloves, slivered
2.5 tbsp olive oil
Cognac mustard sauce:
3 tbsp butter
8 shallots, sliced
4 cups of beef stock
4 tbsp cognac or brandy (I used brandy, ‘cause that’s what I had)
4 tbsp dijon mustard
1 cup of butter cut into 8 pieces
6 tbsp chopped fresh parsely
Salt & fresly ground pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 450. Cut ¾ inch deep slits in meet. Insert garlic slivers into slits. In large skillet, heat oil and borwn meat on all sides. Place meat on a rack in a roasting pan. Set skillet aside. Roast meat to desired doneness, about 40 minutes for medium-rare. I cooked it for 45 minutes, and let it rest on the counter for about 10 more. (It’s always good to let meat rest before cutting into it – you lose the juices if you cut into it when it is so hot.) The ends were medium, the center was medium to medium-rare.
While the meat is in the oven, make the sauce: Melt 3 tbsp butter in reserved skillet. Add shallots and saute until softened. Stir in stock, scraping up brown bits. Bring to boil and cook until reduced by half. Add cognac and boil one minute. Reduce heat to low. Whisk in mustard, then butter, one piece at a time. Cook just util butter is melted. Stir in parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
Carve meat in ½ inch slides. Spoon sauce over and serve immediately.
Serves 12.
Horseradish Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Onions (from Bon Appetit, November 1997)
¼ cup plus 6 tbsps butter
2.5 pounds white onions, thinly sliced (I used yellow, ‘cause that’s what I had)
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3.5 pounds russet poatoes, peeled and cut up for boiling
6-8 tbsps whole milk
¼ cup prepared white horseradish
Melt ¼ cup butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions. Saute unitl deep golden brown, about 30 minutes. Add vinegar and thym. Reduce heat to low. Saute 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until very tender (about 20 minutes). Drain. Return to same pot. Mash until smooth. Add 6 tbsp milk, horseradish and 6 tbsp butter. Stir to blend. Add additional 2 tbsp if necessary (I didn’t). Season with salt and pepper. Transfer potatoes to serving dish. Spoon onion mixture atop potatoes. (Can be prepare 8 hours ahead. Cover with foil and refrigerate. Rewarm in 350 degree over for about 30 minutes. I did this.)
Serves 6. I doubled this recipe.
John’s Jerk Chicken with Rice and Beans and a Spicy Ginger Sauce (loosely based on a recipe from Easy Chicken Dishes, which John’s parents got as a free gift from a gas station back in the early 90s – he modified this recipe after many visits to a now closed jerk chicken restaurant in Toronto back in 1998)
1 chicken, cut in pieces (must leave skin on – sorry – this sucks without it)
1 jar of Mr. Jerk
Beans/rice:
½ cup dried beans
1/5 cups boiling salted water
½ cup coconut milk
1 cup rice
1 small onion, chopped
1 tbsp butter
¼ tsp dried thyme
½ tsp salt
Pinch pepper
Sauce:
Olive oil
1 big finger of ginger root, peeled and minced
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Curry powder
Thyme
Hot sauce
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
Chicken: Slather the chicken in jerk sauce. You can let it sit for as long as you have time for to marinate it, or you can just cook it right away. It’s good either way. Preheat oven or bbq to 400. Cook for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Flip the chicken half way through or so. It should be cooked through, but crunchy on the outside.
Beans/rice: In saucepan, boil dried beans for about an hour in the water. Drain liquid into measuring cup, add coconut milk, and add enough water to make 2 cups. Return liquid to beans in saucepan. Add rice, onion, butter, thyme, salt and pepper. Simmer, covered, until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender (about 30 minutes).
Sauce: Saute ginger, onion and garlic in olive oil until onion is soft. Add curry powder and thyme. Cook for a few minutes longer. Add broth. Simmer and add hot sauce to taste.
Serves 4.
Sesame Broccoli (from Enjoy! – another Best of Bridge series cookbook)
2 pounds fresh broccoli
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp vinegar
2 tbsp soya sauce
8 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Drop broccoli in boiling water for 2-5 minutes. Drain and let stand. Heat all other ingredients in a small sauce pan and pour over broccoli.
Serves 8. I increased this recipe by ½. In hindsight, I should have doubled it.
Quinoa Corn Salad with Cilantro, Chives and Lemon-lime Dressing (from Rebar – a cookbook from a restaurant in Victoria, B.C.)
1 cup quinoa
1.5 cups water
½ tsp salt
2.5 cups corn, fresh or frozen
1 small red onion
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
½ red pepper, finely diced
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
¼ cup chopped cilantro
3 scallions (I didn’t have any of these, so I didn’t include them)
2 tbsp minced chives (I didn’t have any of these, so I used green onion)
1 tsp salt
1.2 tsp Tobasco sauce (or to taste)
Cook quinoa (I’m not going to explain. Google it.). Saute corn until just tender. Cool to room temperature. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Season with additional salt, pepper or hot sauce to taste. I tripled this recipe, but should have kept it as it was. I will be eating this salad for breakfast, lunch and supper for the next three days.
Serves 6.
Cajun Bread Pudding with Rum Jack Daniels Sauce and Soft Cream (from Aces)
Pudding:
1/3 cup butter, melted
16 cups french bread cubes, day old, lightely packed (seems like a lot, but this is the perfect amount)
3 eggs
1.5 cups sugar
2 tbsp vanilla
2 tsp nutmet
1.5 tsp cinamon
3 cups milk
¾ cups golden raisins
¾ cups dried cherries (I added this)
1 cup chopped toasted pecans
1 cup sliced toasted almonds (I added this too)
Rum sauce:
1 cup butter
1.5 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten until frothy
½ cup dark rum (I used Jack Daniels whisky – I like it better)
Soft cream:
2 cups whipping cream
1/3 cup icing sugar
1 tbsp vanilla
1 tbsp brandy (I used 2)
2 tbsp frangelico (I used kahlua)
¼ cup sour cream
Pudding: Smear melted butter around bottom and sides of 9x13 inch pan. Put bread cubes in pan. There will be a mountain of them. Spread them out evenly. In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until thickened (3-4 minutes). Add vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, milk and reserved butter. Beat at low speed to combine . The recipe says to add the nuts and fruit to the liquid and then pour over the bread, but I recommend spreading the fruit and nuts on the bread, and then poking the nuts and fruit into the middle, and then drizzling the liquid over the bread in the pan. Drizzle liquid evenly over bread. Allow bread to absorb all liquid (3-4 minutes). Press bread down often to soak all of the cubes. Preheat oven to 350. Bake until crusty and golden brown (45-60 minutes). I baked it for 55 minutes. Cool to lukewarm and cut into squares. Once it cooled, I covered it in foil and put it in the fridge. I reheated it at 350 for about 20 minutes before serving with the foil on and then cut it into slices.
Sauce: Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Cook over low heat (or double boiler) for 20 minutes whisking often. In a bowl, whisk 2 tbsp of hot butter-sugar mixture into beaten eggs, then whisk in 2 tbsp more. I also did this a few more times, to make sure it was hot before adding this to the pot. Now, whisk egg misture into butter/sugar mixture in pot. I drizzled the egg mixture in slowly as I whisked. Whisk constantly over low heat for 4-5 five minutes. Remove from heat. Let cool for a few minutes and then whisk in the booze. Yum! I made this ahead of time and kept it in the fridge. I reheated it in a saucepan while the pudding was reheating in the oven.
Soft cream: Chill beaters and bowl and whipping cream in the freezer for a few minutes until very cold. Beat ingredients on medium-high until soft peaks form (4-6 minutes). Do not overbeat. Cover tightly and refrigerate until served.
To serve: on individual plates, place spoonful of warm rum sauce, a square of pudding and a large dolop of soft cream.
Serves 12-14.
Chocolate Caramel Pecan Cheesecake (from Aces)
2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs (I could only find vanilla wafer cookies, so I crushed those into 2 cups of crumbs)
1/3 cup butter, melted
14 oz (400 grams) pkg of kraft caramels (I used Werther’s)
6 oz. (170 ml) can evaporated milk
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
2 – 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
½ cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted (I used a big chunk of Calibaut semi-sweet chocolate from Vincenzo’s)
Preheat oven to 350. Combine crumbs and butter. Press into bottom of a 9 inch springform pan and bake for 10 minutes. In a heavy saucepan, melt caramels with milk over low heat, stirring often until smooth. (This feels like it takes forever on low heat. As soon as I turned up the heat a little, it went much more quickly.) Pour over crust and top with chopped pecans. Combine cheese, sugar and vanilla and beat on medium speed until well-blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in melted chocolate and pour over pecans. Bake for 40 minutes. Cool and loosen cake from rim of pan. Chill. After the cake cooled, I covered it in foil and put it in the fridge. I made this ahead of time. On Saturday, I took it out of the pan, put it on a plate and covered it in saran wrap. It was served at room temperature with a mountain of raspberries and that liquored-up soft cream from the bread pudding recipe.
Serves 10-12.
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Pumpkin Spice Bread
2 1/2 c of roasted pumpkin (split a pumpkin in half, take out the seeds and goo, and put it face down on a sheet at 350 degrees for about 40 min or until the inside is mushy - you can mash the pumpkin if there are some chunks)
1 c sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
4 tbsp of ground flax seed and 12 tbsp of water (or 4 eggs - I used the flax seed and water substitute cause I didn't have any eggs)
3 c light spelt flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Mix wet thoroughly, then mix dry, and then mix them together - don't over mix or it'll get too stiff. Grease a loaf pan and pour the mixture in.
350 degrees for 1 hour
2 1/2 c of roasted pumpkin (split a pumpkin in half, take out the seeds and goo, and put it face down on a sheet at 350 degrees for about 40 min or until the inside is mushy - you can mash the pumpkin if there are some chunks)
1 c sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
4 tbsp of ground flax seed and 12 tbsp of water (or 4 eggs - I used the flax seed and water substitute cause I didn't have any eggs)
3 c light spelt flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Mix wet thoroughly, then mix dry, and then mix them together - don't over mix or it'll get too stiff. Grease a loaf pan and pour the mixture in.
350 degrees for 1 hour
