I have a great group of lady friends, all working professionals, who like to get together and kick back every month or so.  We meet at each other’s homes and pick a theme for the occasion.  Everyone makes a dish, brings a bottle of wine or whatever goes with their course and we have a great time.  Today is my day to host this group of dynamic women who enjoy great food…wine and fun.

I hate to let the cat out of the bag as to what I’m serving, but I’m sharing a couple of the recipes with you today!  Feel free to use these for your own holiday entertaining and ENJOY!

Roasted Apricots with Mascarpone Cheese and Blackberries

Caprese Mushrooms

Tuscan Salmon in Puff Pastry

Roasted Apricots with Mascarpone Cheese and Blackberries

I use dried apricots for this recipe when they are not in season.  I like to put a bit of marsala wine into the roasting pan, place the apricot halves with a dollop of mascarpone cheese, topped with a blackberry into the pan and roast at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes.  You want the cheese to a bit browned and bubbly for the best flavor.  These are easy and so yummy!

Caprese Mushrooms

2 dozen crimini mushrooms, stems removed

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup vegetable broth

1 ball mozzarella, shredded

1 bunch fresh basil

1 carton grape tomatoes

Clean the mushrooms and saute in olive oil for five minutes.  Add the broth and cover to steam for about five minutes.  Remove from the pan and stuff with mozzarella, top with julienned basil and chopped grape tomatoes.  Bake at 350 until browned and bubbly.  So delicious and very few carbs!  Great for holiday entertaining.

Tuscan Salmon in Puff Pastry

1 side of fresh, wild salmon

1 bag fresh, organic baby spinach

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup pine nuts

sea salt and pepper to taste.

egg wash

1 package puff pastry, thawed

Take one piece of puff pastry, thawed, and roll out to fit the side of salmon.  You may have to use both pieces, depending on the size of the salmon.  Saute the spinach in olive oil until just wilted.  Add the minced garlic.  Place the spinach in the middle of the pastry, top with pine nuts and season with sea salt and pepper.  Place the salmon on top and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.  Bring the sides of the pastry together and crimp to seal.  Brush with egg wash and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25 minutes.  Slice to serve and garnish with flat leaf parsley.

Melissa | Finally Friday!, food & entertaining | 12 12th, 2014 | 6 Comments »

This is a Finally Friday! post that I am revisiting from last year.  I can assure you we will be having Turkey Gumbo in New Orleans.  YUM!  I hope you enjoy…this is the perfect recipe for leftover turkey!

Thanksgiving always means gumbo!  Not on the day, but with the leftover turkey.  This has been a tradition in my family for so many years I won’t tell you!  Friday is cold turkey sandwiches on sourdough bread with all the trimmings then I take the meat off of the bones, place the bones in my dutch oven, cover with water, bring to a boil and simmer overnight.  I add any leftover gravy as well.  This is so delicious!  In Louisiana you’d be served a delicious potato salad with this, but we opt for a crisp green salad with crusty french bread.

Here’s the recipe!  Note:  this dish is spicy and perfect when accompanied with ice cold beer.

Turkey Gumbo

Start with a roux, 2 cups of vegetable oil and 2 cups of all-purpose, unbleached flour.  Mix this in a heavy iron skillet or dutch oven and stir over medium heat until the roux is the color of rich, dark peanut butter.

Add the Cajun “Trinity”:  1 large yellow onion, finely diced; 1 bunch of celery, finely diced; 2 sweet green peppers, finely diced; 1 bunch scallions with the green ends, diced; 1 cup chopped flat leaf parsley; 5 cloves of garlic, minced.  Add this mixture to the finished roux and cook over medium heat until the veggies are wilted, the onion transparent.

Remove the bones from the dutch oven and add the “Trinity” mixture as well as 4-5 cups of meat from the turkey.  Add a couple of tablespoons of hot pepper sauce, a couple of tablespoons of cajun seasoning blend, a dash of cayenne and salt, if desired.  Allow the mixture to simmer for an hour or so.  After the first half hour I also add 2 cups of sliced andouille sausage that has been sliced thin and lightly sauteed in a pan until just browning.  You can also add sliced okra at this point if you want.

Make a pot of sticky white rice and serve the gumbo over a large scoop of rice.  Easy, delicious and such a great way to deal with leftover turkey!  I can already taste the deliciousness!

Melissa | Finally Friday!, food & entertaining | 11 28th, 2014 | No Comments »

I have been having more fun exploring all of the delicious combinations of olive oils and vinegars available at Golden Isles Olive Oil.  Mr. T and I have embarked on an 80/20 version of the Paleo diet.  We’re feeling better, losing weight just in time to go to New Orleans for Thanksgiving and the food I’m preparing is delicous, thanks to the right seasonings and condiments.  I sometimes wait until the last minute to decide what I’m making for dinner, which was the case on this particular day.  We are still including a bit of dairy, not daily, but we haven’t cut it out entirely.  So you’ll see some dairy in the cauliflower recipe I’m featuring along with this fabulous Chicken Provence I dreamed up.  This was so delicious, seconds were requested and offered since we followed all of the rules!

Chicken Provence

Cauliflower Gratin with Fresh Baby Kale

Merlot

Chicken Provence

Marinade:

1/4 cup Wild Mushroom and Sage Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons Lavender Balsamic Vinegar

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon Sangre de Cristo Spice Company, Herbes de Provence

1/4 tesaspsoon SDCS dry mustard

sea salt & pepper to taste

1/2 dry white wine

Mix all ingredients together.  Place two large, boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a large ziploc bag.  Pour the marinade over the chicken and refrigerate for 2 – 4 hours, turning every half hour or so.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.  In a cast iron skillet, or other oven proof skillet, heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil over medium high heat.  Add the chicken breasts and sear for four minutes on each side.  Pour the marinade over the chicken and place in the preheated oven for one half hour.  Remove and thinly slice the chicken for serving.

Cauliflower Gratin with Fresh Baby Kale

1/2 head of cauliflower, separated into flowerets (this should make about four cups of cauliflower)

4 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup heavy cream

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup shredded gruyere cheese

Place the cauliflower in a pan and add the butter and heavy cream.  Cover and lightly simmer for about fifteen minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender enough to mash.  Season with salt and pepper and add the shredded cheese, stir to combine.  Heat through and serve with chopped baby kale.  I got my kale at Uncle Don’s….always fresh and so delicious!

Melissa | Finally Friday!, food & entertaining | 11 21st, 2014 | 2 Comments »

I’m hungry for the savory goodness of exotic flavors I only find in Middle Eastern cooking.  I’m sharing a wonderful recipe from my cookbook, “Spice Up Your Life” with you today.  The aromas that will waft through your kitchen will send you into foodie heaven!  I make a pot of aromatic Jasmine rice to accompany the chicken and a piece of flat bread or two.  I like a nice Sauvignon Blanc with this, but you can choose your favorite.  This is also good served with a cucumber raita…cool and crisp to compliment the layering of flavors in the chicken.  I hope you’ll try this and enjoy

Chicken with Golden Raisins, Apricots and Almonds

I use Marcona almonds in this recipe because they come from Spain and fit into a Mediterranean or Middle Eastern recipe to perfection.  If you can’t find them locally they can be ordered on-line from www.nutsonline.com at a very reasonable price.  Be careful, these almonds are habit forming!

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. SdCSC Mediterranean Seasoning

½ tsp. SdCSC turmeric

¼ tsp. SdCSC allspice

1 tsp. SdCSC parsley, or 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 cup chicken broth

½ cup golden raisins

½ cup dried apricots, chopped

½ cup chopped Marcona Almonds ( you can use sliced almonds if you can’t find Marcona’s)

2 tsp. honey

SdCSC Pink Himalayan salt and white pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a skillet or dutch oven, add the chicken breasts and brown well on both sides.  Add the seasonings and chicken broth, bring to a boil and reduce to simmer for 30 minutes.  Add the fruit, nuts and honey, season with salt and pepper to taste.

Melissa | Finally Friday!, food & entertaining | 11 14th, 2014 | No Comments »

I’m sharing a menu of pure comfort food today!  I think you’ll enjoy this as much as my family did.  The salad dressing is made with delicious flavored balsamic vinegar and olive oil from Golden Isles Olive Oil in Redfern Village.  If you’re not in the area you can mail order here:  www.GoldenIslesOliveOil.com.  This is the perfect fall meal for a family, especially on a Sunday evening.  It’s easy to put together and so delicious.  The recipe for Potato Boats comes from the old “Fit For Life” book by Harvey and Marilyn Diamond.  I cannot tell you how many times I have prepared these.  My daughter could eat two or three and still want more.  They’re healthy too, which is always a dividend!

Cajun Barbecue Meatloaf

Potato Boats

Arugula Salad with Honey Crisp Apples, Walnuts, Blue Cheese and Apple/Walnut Vinaigrette

Cajun Barbecue Meatloaf

1 package meatloaf mix (you can substitute a pound and a half of ground turkey if you wish)

2 tablespoons dried onion

1 tablespoon good quality Cajun seasoning

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 cup ketchup

1 egg

3/4 cup organic rolled oats

1/4 cup Jack Daniels Original No. 7 Barbecue Sauce

Preheat the oven to 425.  Mix the meat with all ingredients up to the barbecue sauce.  Place in a greased loaf pan.  Spread the barbecue sauce over the top.  Bake at 425 for 20 minutes.  Reduce the heat to 350 and continue baking for 30 minutes.  Slice and serve.  This makes a delicious sandwich.  I always slice the meatloaf in 1/2 inch thick slices.  I brown them in a saute pan that I first spray with olive oil spray.  Serve on a roll or whole grain bread…delicious!

Potato Boats

4 servings

2 large Idaho potatoes

3/4 cup cubed butternut squash (I buy this already cubed at our local Harris Teeter and save the leftovers for soup)

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/4 teaspoon cumin

sea salt and pepper to taste

Ground Sweet Paprika

2 teaspoons butter, melted

Bake the potatoes in a 425 degree oven for about an hour.  Remove and allow to cool slightly.  Steam the butternut squash for about 15 minutes.  Scoop the meat out of the potatoes and add the drained, steamed squash.  Mash with 1/4 cup of butter, cumin and salt and pepper.  Spoon the mixture back into the potato shells.  Spoon the remaining 2 teaspoons of butter over the top of each potato boat and sprinkle with paprika.  Place under a preheated broiler for about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Arugula Salad with Honey Crisp Apples, Walnuts, Blue Cheese and Apple/Walnut Vinaigrette

1 pound organic arugula

1 honey crisp apple, cored and thinly sliced

1/2 cup toasted walnut pieces

1/2 cup crumbled buttermilk bleu cheese

Dressing:

1/4 cup walnut olive oil

2 tablespoons red apple balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon local honey

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon pink salt

cracked black pepper

Toss the salad ingredients in a wooden bowl.  In a small glass bowl whisk the dressing ingredients together.  Drizzle over the salad and serve.

Melissa | Finally Friday!, food & entertaining | 11 7th, 2014 | No Comments »

It’s chili weather and I’ve got my first pot brewing….literally!  I begin with a basic recipe that my family has used for years, but I cannot leave it alone.  The original had pinto beans on the side or in the mix.  Since I’m always interested in healthy eating and lots of fiber I’ve played with the recipe over the years until it became what it is today.  And….knowing me….it will change again as the years go by.  This is a delicious recipe that I hope you’ll try and enjoy!  Ice some good beer, make a pan of cornbread and enjoy!

My Best Chili!

1 1/3  pound meatloaf mix  (I buy this at our local Harris Teeter, but I think most markets carry a meatloaf mix or will make one.)

1 pound ground beef

2 bay leaves

6 tablespoons good quality chili powder

Sea salt, to taste

5 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dry marjoram or oregano leaves

1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon raw, organic sugar

3 tablespoons ground paprika

3 tablespoons flour

3 – 5 tablespoons cold water

6 tablespoons stone ground corn meal

1 can diced tomatoes with peppers (I use the original “Rotel” brand)

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can white hominy, drained and rinsed

shredded cheese, your choice

1 sweet onion, finely chopped for garnish

Brown the meats until lightly browned.  Pour four cups water over the meat, cover and simmer for two hours.  Add the next eight ingredients….bay leaves – paprika.  Stir well, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Mix the flour with the cold water and stir in the corn meal.  Use enough liquid to prevent lumps.  Add to the chili and mix well.  Simmer for 10 more minutes.  Serve in large bowls with shredded cheese of choice and chopped fresh onion.

Note:  I usually serve this with homemade buttermilk cornbread.  Let me know, in the comments, if you would like the recipe and I’ll see that you get it!

Melissa | Finally Friday!, food & entertaining | 10 24th, 2014 | 3 Comments »

I’m writing about something a bit different on this Friday post!  BUT…there will be a delicious recipe to follow!  I try to feed my family healthy meals.  As season’s change, I always feel the need to do a sort of “cleansing” and get our systems going more smoothly.  You have probably heard about the health benefits of Tumeric, but have you ever seen it in its root form?  This powerful little root is packed with anti-inflammatories that do a body good.  And Ginger root, which you probably are very familiar with is another little health dynamo.  This aromatic root is known to heal everything from indigestion to joint inflammation.  I decided to brew up a concoction and found the Tumeric and Ginger root at my local market here on the island.   Following the guidance of my dear friend, Holly, I cut the little Tumeric roots in half, about a dozen of them, and placed them in a pot along with three chunks of ginger root.  I added four cups of purified water and brought the mixture to a boil for about 10 minutes.  I then covered the pot, took it off of the burner and allowed it to steep until I had what I would call a concentrate.  While the mixture was still warm I added a couple of tablespoons of local honey and stirred to dissolve that.

From there I let the mixture cool and poured it into a container to keep in the refrigerator.  Each day I have been drinking a glass with two tablespoons of this elixir, good ginger ale, such as “Ginger Brew” and a nice wedge of fresh lime.  I add a couple of ice cubes, just because, and sip on this delicious concoction that seems to be serving well as a digestive aid.  I feel fantastic….not drug down like I sometimes do as seasons change…..and I can’t attribute this to anything other than this drink!  I think I’ve become addicted!

Now….for today’s recipe!  This is a chicken stir fry I dreamed up the other night.  I found that I didn’t have the pineapple juice that was called for in the marinade so I remembered the ginger tumeric mixture I had stored and added a quarter cup of it to the marinade instead.  Both Mr. T and Sky said it was one of the best Asian inspired meals I have made!  I always love their compliments.  I hope you’ll try this and enjoy it as much as we did!

Sweet and Spicy Chicken

For the marinade:

1/4 cup good vegetable oil, I like to use cold pressed

1/4 cup ginger/turmeric concentrate

2 tablespoons soy or teriyaki sauce

1/4 cup chopped, fresh cilantro leaves

1 tablespoon brown sugar

4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

For the stir fry:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into large chunks

1 bag of mini bell peppers, halved and seeded

1 large sweet onion, peeled and cut into large chunks

2 teaspoons cornstarch or arrowroot to add to the leftover marinade

2 tablespoons red pepper jelly

1/2 cup sliced, toasted almonds or whole peanuts

2 cups of cooked, long grain, brown rice

Place all of the cut ingredients into a large ziplock bag.  Pour the prepared marinade into the bag, seal and gently turn the bag to coat all pieces.  Refrigerate for 2-3 hours.  When ready to prepare, heat 2 tablespoons of good vegetable or peanut oil in a large skillet or wok.  Add the chicken pieces and cook until browned on all sides.  Add the peppers and onions to the pan and continue cooking until the mixture is just tender.  To the marinade add 2 teaspoons cornstarch or arrowroot and mix well.  Pour this sauce mixture over the cooked chicken and let it simmer until thickened.  Add the red pepper jelly and stir until the jelly dissolves.  This adds to little bit of spice to the dish that makes it really delicious!  Serve the stir fry over cooked brown rice and top with sliced almonds or peanuts if desired.  You can garnish with a bit of cilantro and serve.  Easy and delicious!  Slante!

Melissa | Finally Friday!, food & entertaining | 10 10th, 2014 | 4 Comments »

There are times when simple is just better.  One of Mr. T’s favorite meals is my choice today.  It’s the perfect little dinner for two, paired with a good Cabernet and soft jazz.  Light the candles, use your best china and silver if you wish….or keep it simple all the way like I chose too.  It’s always good to share a dinner with the one you love!  There isn’t much of a recipe to today’s meal, I’m truly keeping it easy.  Lamb chops are the entree, except instead of the traditional mint jelly, I spooned a bit of rhubarb jam over the top.  The results were delicious!

Pan Seared Lamb Chops with Rhubarb Jam

Cottage Fries

Wilted Baby Spinach

Pan Seared Lamb Chops with Rhubarb Jam

4 small lamb chops

2 teaspoons good olive oil

sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat for 3-4 minutes.  Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the lamb chops.  Pan sear the chops for 4 minutes on each side, 5 minutes if you want them to be well done.  Spoon rhubarb jam over the top and place on a bed of wilted baby spinach.

To make the spinach, simply heat a a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil in a saute pan and heat over medium heat for a couple of minutes.  Pile the spinach into the pan, this really reduces as it cooks so I use a whole box of organic spinach, stems removed.  Gently toss the spinach for about three minutes, it will be barely wilted.  Spoon onto the serving plates and place cottage fries on the side.

Cottage Fries

I rarely indulge in things like this, but Mr. T loves them with lamb chops and I like making him happy.  For two people you only need one potato.

1 large Yukon Gold potato, sliced thin with a mandolin or sharp knife

2 tablespoons good olive oil

sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste.

Heat the oil over medium high heat for three minutes.  Add the potato slices and cook until golden then turn and repeat.  Remove from the pan and place on paper toweling to absorb excess oil.

Melissa | Finally Friday!, food & entertaining | 10 3rd, 2014 | 1 Comment »

It looks like we’re going to have a rainy weekend.  Nothing fits that weather better than French comfort food.  I’m making my favorite “Honey Hen”, Provence tomatoes and a crisp mixed salad with parmesan crisps for dinner.   It’s Mr. T’s favorite so I’ll be making points with this one!  The smell of the house when the hen is roasting is nothing short of heavenly.  It’s easy to prepare and always a pleaser.  Serve this with a good Cabernet Sauvignon….the perfect pairing!  Fall is slowly coming onto the island, I’m busy putting menus together and will have lots of delicious ideas for you over the coming weeks!  Have a wonderful weekend!

Honey Hen

Serves 4 – 6

This is the ultimate comfort food in my book.  I always make a pot of homemade soup using what ever is left over.  Just take the hen, bones and all, place in a Dutch Oven, cover with water and simmer for eight hours.  Remove any bones and add leftover chicken meat with chopped fresh vegetables of your choice, some wild rice, simmer for two more hours and Voila!  Another delicious meal to enjoy.  Note:  the honey mixture will give the hen a “laquered” appearance which may look dark, do not be disturbed by this…the meat under the skin is succulent and moist!

1 chicken (this can be kept whole or have your butcher cut it into eight pieces)

French Grey Salt and freshly ground peppercorns to taste

1/2 cup honey

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon herbes de Provence

4 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced

1 head garlic, cut in half

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  Melt the honey in a saucepan and whisk in the mustard and herbs.  Pour over the chicken in a baking dish and roll the bird to coat it well. Scatter the shallots and garlic around the hen.  Bake until the meat is cooked through, well browned and dripping in the sauce.  If you are leaving the chicken whole this is about an hour.  If you are cooking separate pieces it will usually take 40-45 minutes.

Sauce:  After the chicken is cooked remove it from the baking dish along with the garlic halves.  Place the dish on the stove top with the burner on medium heat.  Add 1 cup dry white wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape any drippings and meat from the pan.  Reduce the heat and add two tablespoons of unsalted butter to the pan.  Simmer for about five minutes.  If you would like a slightly thicker sauce you may add a “slurry” of 1 teaspoon cornstarch to 1/4 cup water, blended well and stirred into the pan.

Serve the sauce in a gravy boat to be spooned over each serving of chicken.

Provence Roasted Tomatoes

3 large beefsteak or heirloom tomatoes

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs

2 tablespoons minced shallots

1 teaspoon dried tarragon

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley

3 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Grease a shallow baking dish with olive oil.  Core the tomatoes and cut them in half, crosswise.  Squeeze the juice and seeds out gently, over a small plate and reserve for the soup stock you will make with the leftover chicken.  Clean out the cavities of each tomato half with your fingers and place the halves in the baking dish.  Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.  Stir the bread crumbs with the remaining ingredients and stuff each tomato half generously.  Drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Bake for twenty-five minutes, until the tomatoes are browned lightly.

Salad of Mixed Greens with Parmesan Crisps

1 head red butter lettuce

1 bunch watercress

1 head raddichio

1 small head baby Kale

Wash the greens well and place in a salad spinner to remove excess moisture.  Tear the greens into pieces and wrap in paper towel or a soft kitchen towel and refrigerate until ready to toss.

For a light dressing, mix 1/4 cup good olive oil, 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar, a pinch of dry mustard, sea salt and pepper to taste.

Parmesan Crisps

I recommend making these earlier in the day for the best results!

These are a delightful substitute for the traditional croutons you normally see in salads….no carbs and gluten free too!

2 cups shredded parmesan cheese

coarsely ground black pepper

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Take a small handful of cheese and place on the parchment, repeating until all of the cheese has been used.  Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and back at 325 degrees until lightly browned.  Remove from the baking sheet and place on paper toweling to cool and crisp up.

On chilled salad plates, place a generous serving of greens that you have tossed in the dressing.  Garnish with the  Parmesan crisps and serve.  I like to serve this salad in the traditional French style, after the main course.

Melissa | Finally Friday!, food & entertaining | 09 19th, 2014 | 1 Comment »

As promised on Facebook earlier in the week….I’m sharing a “meatless Monday” meal I made this week.  I’m aiming for at least three evening meals a week that are light, healthy and meat free.  I don’t use the term vegetarian in this household…heavens no!  That would instantly turn the noses of the family on end!  I, myself, could easily eat a meatless diet, but I prefer to refer to myself as a flexible eater.  If I crave a steak, I’ll eat about three ounces of said meat and be sated for days.  I once had a friend who believed in eating small amounts of delicious things.  That is my goal!  This particular meal is Middle Eastern in origin.  It is easy to make and so delicious.  I serve it with a crisp salad topped with my favorite homemade lemon and garlic vinaigrette.  AND….I actually baked homemade pita bread to go with the meal.  I always get in the mood to bake when its raining and cooler, which it as the day I prepared this.  The main course if “Mjadra”.  Many ethnic cuisines have similar dishes.  This one is lentil based, served over a bed of jasmine rice.  I like what the aromatic quality of the rice adds to the overall laying of flavors you experience when you take that first bite.  This can also be a side dish to any grilled fish or chicken dish and it goes well with lamb.  I hope you’ll try it and enjoy!

Mjadra

2 cups brown lentils, rinsed and simmered until just tender

2 large yellow onions, peeled and diced

2 tablespoons good olive oil

1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

1/2 teaspoon Sangre de Cristo Mediterranean Spice mix

Pink salt and ground black pepper to taste

3 cups cooked jasmine rice (1 1/2 cups uncooked with water plus an inch to cook)

Rinse the lentils and place in a large saucepan with enough water to cover plus two inches.  Bring to a boil on medium high heat then reduce heat to low and simmer for about one half hour, or until just tender.  Saute the diced onion in olive oil over medium low heat, stirring frequently, until the onion is almost caramelized.  Add the onion and oil to the cooked lentils and stir well.  Bring to a slow simmer again and add the seasonings.

Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette

1/4 cup good olive oil

juice of 2 fresh lemons

1 large clove garlic, peeled and finely minced

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

sea salt and pepper to taste

Whisk the ingredients together and serve over fresh, crisp salad greens.  I always include cucumber, grape tomatoes and diced red onion in this salad along with fresh arugula, baby spinach and butter lettuce.

Pita Bread

3 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon raw sugar

1 packet dry, active yeast

1 1/4 – 1 1/2 warm water

2 tablespoons good olive oil

Sprinkle the yeast over 2 tablespoons warm water and allow to sit for about five minutes, it should be slightly bubbly.  Place the flour, salt and sugar in the bowl of your mixer with the paddle attachment in place.  Add the yeast mixture and mix for a minute or so.  Add the olive oil and water, mixing until the dough forms a slightly firm ball.  Once it reaches this stage run the mixer for about 10 minutes to “knead”.  You can also hand knead the dough on a floured surface for ten minutes.  Place the dough in a mixing bowl that you have sprayed with oil.  Cover with a damp kitchen towel and place in a warm, dry spot to rise for 90 minutes.  I always put dough into the microwave to let it rise.  It stays dry and is kept warm, without running the microwave.

When the dough has risen, punch it down and turn it out onto a floured surface.  I have a piece of flour sacking from my Grandmother that I use.  It has seen untold amounts of beignet dough, biscuits and all manor of baked items over the years.  Break the dough into eight pieces and form a ball out of each.  Cover the dough balls with a kitchen towel and allow to rise for 20 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  I put my pizza stone into the oven as it preheats, or you can use a baking sheet.  When the dough balls have risen a bit, shape them into half inch thick circles.  Place them on the baking surface and bake for 5-7 minutes…longer if you want them more crisp and golden.  These are wonderful warm out of the oven with a bit of unsalted butter.  Pita is so easy to make and so much better than the store bought variety!

Melissa | Finally Friday!, food & entertaining | 09 12th, 2014 | No Comments »