Grilled Chicken Skewers with Toum (Shish Taouk)

YIELD

4 servings

INGREDIENTS

1. Toum:
   • 6 garlic cloves
   • 2 large egg whites (see note)
   • 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
   • 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2. Chicken and assembly:
   • 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
   • 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
   • 1 Tbsp. ground coriander
   • 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil, plus more for grill
   • 1 1/4 lb. skinless, boneless chicken thighs
   • 4 pitas, warmed
3. Special Equipment
   • 5 (8"–12"-long) metal skewers

PREPARATION

1. Toum:
   1. Pulse garlic, egg whites, and lemon juice in a food processor until smooth. With motor running, very gradually stream in half of the oil (this will help the emulsion stay together). Scrape down sides of processor and continue to process, gradually adding remaining oil, until mixture thickens and becomes light and airy (it should cling to a spoon). Season with salt.
   2. Do Ahead: Toum can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.
2. Chicken and assembly:
   1. Mix lemon juice, tomato paste, coriander, 1/4 cup toum, and 3 Tbsp. oil in a large bowl to combine. Transfer marinade to a large resealable plastic bag. Save remaining toum for serving.
   2. Working one at a time, slice chicken thighs in half lengthwise and season generously with salt. Add to bag with marinade, seal bag, and massage marinade into chicken. Chill at least 3 hours and up to 12 hours.
   3. Let chicken sit at room temperature 1 hour before grilling.
   4. Prepare a grill for medium heat; oil grate. Thread chicken onto skewers, folding pieces back and forth accordion-style so they pile onto themselves (it should be about 3 strips per skewer). Grill, turning occasionally, until browned and beginning to char in spots, 10–12 minutes.
   5. Serve chicken on top of pitas, with pickles and reserved toum alongside

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/grilled-chicken-skewers-with-toum-shish-taouk

THAI STYLE GRILLED CHICKEN

http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/07/the-food-lab-thai-style-grilled-chicken.html

Green Beans Gremolata

Ingredients
1 pound French green beans, trimmed
2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
3 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
2 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper


Directions
Watch how to make this recipe.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the green beans and blanch them for 2 to 3 minutes, until tender but still crisp. Drain the beans in a colander and immediately put them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and preserve their bright green color.
For the gremolata, toss the garlic, lemon zest, parsley, parmesan, and pine nuts in a small bowl and set aside.
When ready to serve, heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Drain the beans and pat them dry. Add the beans to the pan and saute, turning frequently, for 2 minutes, until coated with olive oil and heated through. Off the heat, add the gremolata and toss well. Sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and serve hot.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/green-beans-gremolata-recipe.html

Ina Garten Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes

Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes
Total Time:
1 hr 15 min
Prep:
20 min
Cook:
55 min
Yield:6 to 8 servings
Level:Easy
Ingredients
3 pounds large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut in 3/4-inch chunks
5 large garlic cloves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
7 to 8 ounces garlic-and-herb goat cheese, at room temperature, such as Montrachet
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup half-and-half or milk
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
ADD CHECKED ITEMS TO GROCERY LIST
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the potatoes, garlic and 1 tablespoon salt in a large pot with enough water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until very tender.
Drain the potatoes and garlic and process them together through a food mill fitted with the coarsest blade set on top of a bowl. While the potatoes are still hot, stir in the goat cheese, butter, sour cream, half-and-half, 4 teaspoons salt and 2 teaspoons pepper until smooth.
Pour the mixture into a 9-by-12-by-2-inch oval baking dish, smoothing the top. Sprinkle the parmesan on top and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until lightly browned. Serve hot.
Find these recipes and more in Ina's new book, Make It Ahead: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook ($35, Clarkson Potter).
Photograph by Johnny Miller
Make it ahead: Assemble the dish, including the parmesan, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Bake before serving.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/goat-cheese-mashed-potatoes.html?oc=linkback

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/goat-cheese-mashed-potatoes.html

Tiger Vegetable Salad

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large bunch cilantro, with the thick stems removed, cut into 3-inch lengths (about 5 cups, loosely packed)
• 1 green bell pepper or 1 cucumber, stemmed, seeded and slivered
• 1 fresh chili pepper, stemmed, seeded and slivered
• 2 scallions, slivered
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• ¼ teaspoon salt
•  Sesame oil
•  white vinegar, to taste

•  

  Nutritional Information

PREPARATION

http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013037-tiger-vegetable-salad

COCONUT CURRY WITH CASHEWS

http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014468-coconut-chicken-curry-with-cashews?utm_source=Facebook_WCA_Paid&utm_medium=CPC&utm_content=Recipe&utm_campaign=General_Retargeting

ONE POT PASTA

http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2015/08/27/one_pan_9_minute_pasta_recipe_from_martha_stewart_living_the_backstory_and.html

http://food52.com/recipes/30147-martha-stewart-s-one-pan-pasta

PORCHETTA

http://honestlyyum.com/7841/porchetta/

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies

(Makes about two dozen)

1 EGG, BEATEN

½ CUP BUTTER

softened

½ CUP BROWN SUGAR

1/3 CUP HONEY

1 TBSP. VANILLA EXTRACT

Combine in large bowl.

1 CUP WHITE FLOUR

1 CUP WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR

½ TSP BAKING SODA

¼ TSP SALT

¼ TSP CINNAMON

¼ TSP NUTMEG

Combine in a separate, small bowl and blend into liquid mixture

1 CUP FINELY SHREDDED ZUCCHINI

12 OZ CHOCOLATE CHIPS

Stir these into other ingredients, mix well. Drop by spoonful onto greased baking sheet, and flatten with the back of a spoon. Bake at 350°, 10 to 15 minutes.

http://www.animalvegetablemiracle.com/recipes-summer-zucchini-chocolate-chip-cookies.htm

Vietnamese Marinated Flank Steak With Cucumber and Radish Salad

Vietnamese Marinated Flank Steak With Cucumber and Radish Salad

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Time 25 minutes, plus at least 30 minutes' marinating

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon packed lime zest
• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice (from about 3 limes)
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 2 garlic cloves, grated or minced
• 1 large jalapeño, seeds and veins removed if desired, minced
• 1 flank steak, about 1 1/2 pounds
• 1 small seedless English cucumber, thinly sliced
• 1 large bunch of radishes, thinly sliced
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon vegetable, peanut or olive oil (optional)
• Cooked rice noodles or rice, for serving (optional)
• Sesame seeds or crushed roasted peanuts, for serving (optional)
• Fresh mint leaves or cilantro, for serving (optional)

Method

1. In a small bowl, combine the fish sauce, lime zest, lime juice, brown sugar, garlic and jalapeño. Pour 1/2 of the mixture over the flank steak and let marinate at room temperature for at least 30 minutes (or refrigerate for up to 24 hours). Let meat come to room temperature before cooking if necessary.
2. Combine the cucumber, radishes and scallions. Pour in just enough of the marinade sauce to coat.
3. Light the grill or heat the broiler to high. Pat steak dry with paper towels.
4. If grilling, cook until done to taste, about 3 minutes per side for rare. If broiling, heat a 10-inch skillet over high heat for 5 minutes. Add oil to pan and sear the meat for 2 minutes. Flip meat and immediately transfer pan directly to top shelf of oven and broil for 2 to 3 minutes for rare, or longer for more well-done meat. Transfer steak to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes covered in foil.
5. Thinly slice steak and serve over cooked rice noodles or rice if desired, and top with the cucumber salad. Garnish with sesame seeds and plenty of herbs if using and serve with remaining marinade as a sauce.

http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/07/09/vietnamese-marinated-flank-steak/

Rhubarb Prosecco Sparkler

Rhubarb Prosecco Sparkler

Yield: enough syrup for 5-6 servings

Ingredients

For the rhubarb syrup: 

• 1½ cups sugar
• 1½ cups water
• ½-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and diced
• 1 tbsp. black peppercorns
• Zest of ½ a lime, cut into strips
• ½ a vanilla bean (split lengthwise)
• 2 cups diced rhubarb, cut into ¼-inch cubes
• ¾ tsp. spiced rum

To prepare: 

• 1 oz. spiced rhubarb syrup (above)
• Crushed ice
• 5 oz. prosecco per serving
• Thinly sliced rhubarb, for garnish

To make the syrup, combine the sugar and water in a  medium saucepan over medium heat. Let cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved completely into the water. Add in the ginger, peppercorns, lime zest, and vanilla bean. Let simmer over medium to medium-high heat about 8-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool. Place the rhubarb in a medium bowl. Strain the syrup through a fine mesh sieve over the rhubarb. Add in a few pieces of the ginger and the vanilla bean pod. Discard the remaining solids. Let stand, swirling the bowl occasionally to coat the fruit, about 10 minutes. Stir in the rum, cover and chill for at least 4 hours or up to 1 week.

To serve, fill a glass with crushed ice. Add in 2 tablespoons of the rhubarb syrup and top with the Prosecco. Swirl gently to mix. Garnish with the fresh rhubarb and serve.

http://www.annies-eats.com/2015/05/08/rhubarb-prosecco-sparkler/

Kale Macaroni and Cheese

Serves 4 to 6 as a main, 8 as a side dish

• 1 bunch lacinato kale
• 1 pound penne pasta
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1tablespoon olive oil, plus some to grease
• 2tablespoons flour
• 2cups whole milk
• 15 to 20 ounces shredded cheese (I use a mix of mild and sharp aged cheddar and Asiago)
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (I like a mix of whole wheat and panko)
• 1/2cup grated or ground Pecorino Romano cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350º F.
2. In a large pot, bring 6 cups water to a boil, then blanch the kale in the boiling water for 30 seconds. Leaving the boiled water in the pot, use a slotted spoon to scoop the kale out of the water and into a strainer, and allow the excess water to drain. Let cool, then chop, removing and discarding the stems.
3. Bring the water in the pot back to a boil, add the penne, and cook according to the package until just under al dente, then drain and set aside. The pasta is going to be baked, so you want it to be just under cooked at this stage.
4. In a large saucepan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat until the butter starts to foam. While whisking, add in the flour and continue whisking for another 2 minutes. Add the milk slowly while whisking continuously to make sure there are no lumps. Once you have a smooth texture, turn off the heat and add the cheese. Mix well until the cheese is melted, then add the kale, making sure it doesn't stay in clumps.
5. Add the pasta to saucepan and combine with the cheese sauce. If your saucepan is not large enough, add the pasta and the cheesy kale mixture back into the drained pasta pot and mix well.
6. Grease an 11- or 12-inch cast iron pan or other oven-proof baking dish with some oil. Transfer the pasta/cheesy kale mixture into it, then sprinkle the breadcrumbs and Pecorino Romano over the top.
7. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until bubbling and golden brown on top. If after 40 minutes this has not happened, raise heat to 400º F and check again after 5 minutes. Let stand for a few minutes before serving.

http://food52.com/recipes/26060-kale-macaroni-and-cheese-in-homage-to-woodberry-kitchen

SHAKSHUKA

Shakshuka [Eggs Poached in Spicy Tomato Sauce]
Adapted from Saveur
Serves 4 to 6
1/4 cup olive oil
5 Anaheim chiles or 3 jalape&#241os, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped (I was nervous and only used 2 Anaheims; I would go for 3 or 4 next time for a more moderate but still gentle kick)
1 small yellow onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed then sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained
Kosher salt, to taste
6 eggs
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
Warm pitas, for serving
Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add chiles and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and paprika, and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is soft, about 2 more minutes.
Put tomatoes and their liquid into a medium bowl and crush with your hands. Add crushed tomatoes and their liquid to skillet along with 1/2 cup water, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Season sauce with salt.
Crack eggs over sauce so that eggs are evenly distributed across sauce’s surface. Cover skillet and cook until yolks are just set, about 5 minutes. Using a spoon, baste the whites of the eggs with tomato mixture, being careful not to disturb the yolk. Sprinkle shakshuka with feta and parsley and serve with pitas, for dipping.

http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2010/04/shakshuka/

Avocado Pesto Stuffed Tomatoes

Ingredients

• 30 cherry tomatoes (about 1-1/4 pints)
• 1/2 medium avocado, pitted, peeled, and cut up
• 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons homemade or purchased basil pesto
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• Snipped fresh basil (optional)

Directions

1. Cut a thin slice from the top of each tomato. (If desired, cut a thin slice from bottoms of tomatoes so they stand upright.) With a small spoon or small lemon baller carefully hollow out the tomatoes. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Invert tomatoes on the towels. Let stand 30 minutes to drain.
2. Meanwhile, for filling, in a food processor bowl combine avocado, cream cheese, pesto, and lemon juice. Cover; process until smooth. Spoon filling into a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round or open star tip.
3. Place tomatoes, open sides up, on a serving platter. Pipe filling into the tomato cups. Serve immediately or cover loosely and refrigerate up to 4 hours before serving. Sprinkle with snipped basil before serving. Makes 30 appetizers.

http://www.midwestliving.com/recipe/appetizers-snacks/avocado-pesto-stuffed-tomatoes

Homemade Orange Creamsicle Ice Cream

Homemade Orange Creamsicle Ice Cream

Ingredients

• 1 ³/₄ cup – coconut milk, full fat
• 2 medium – Orange
• 4 tbsp – Sweetener
• 1 tsp – Vanilla extract

Directions

1. Peel and section oranges.  Lay flat on a tray and freeze until hardened.
2. In a blender, add coconut milk and half of the frozen orange sections.
3. Blend until smooth.  Add the remaining oranges and continue blending.
4. Add the sweetener of your choice (honey, powdered sugar, maple syrup) and vanilla extract.
5. Blend.
6. Pour into a freezer safe container and freeze until solid.
7. When ready to serve, let it sit out for a few minutes to make it easier to scoop. Enjoy

http://www.superhealthykids.com/homemade-orange-creamsicle-ice-cream/

SPRING PEA SOUP

There's still a little chill in the air when the first peas are ready for picking. This soup is perfect in the spring when young lettuces are around.

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 leeks, thinly sliced and well washed
• 6 cups tender green lettuce leaves, well washed and dried
• 1/3 cup fresh mint leaves
• 2 cups shelled fresh green peas (see Tidbit)
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse (kosher) salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until tender.

Add the lettuce and mint and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lettuce is very tender.

Stir in the peas, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 5 minutes, or until the peas are tender and the flavors have blended.

Working in 2 batches, transfer the soup to a blender and puree until smooth. Add the cream and lemon juice and blend. Serve hot.

Tidbit: To get 2 cups of shelled peas, you'll need to start with about 2 pounds of peas in the pod, so feel free to use frozen peas here (we'll never tell).

http://www.splendidtable.org/recipes/spring-pea-soup

Shrimp Gumbo with Andouille Sausage

http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/12913-shrimp-gumbo-with-andouille-sausage

COOKING INFOGRAPHICS

http://imgur.com/a/G1XZ2

Scrumptious Melt-In-Your-Mouth Low Fat Yogurt Pancakes

Yoghurt Pancakes

Ingredients.

• 1/2 c. all-purpose flour (slightly more if you like thicker pancakes)
• 1 1/2 T sugar
• 1 t salt
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1/2 t baking powder
• 2 large eggs
• 1 c yogurt (vanilla or plain)
• 1 t vanilla (leave out if using vanilla yogurt)
• 1 c fresh or frozen fruit (optional)

Steps.

1. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt, baking soda). Make a hole in the middle of the dry ingredients.

2. Add wet ingredients into the hole and whisk together wet ingredients, until just barely mixed together, leaving it lumpy.

3. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until mixed. Leave it lumpy.

4. Let mixture sit for at least 5 minutes, more if you can. It will almost double in size and bubbles will form from the baking soda reacting with the yogurt (see photo below).

5. Pre-warm a pan on medium-low heat.

6. If you want to add fresh or frozen fruit, let the mixture rise first (step #4), then place the fruit on top of the mixture and carefully fold in the fruit with a spatula. Let it rise a bit longer.

7. Coat the pan with a thin layer of butter.

8. Use a 1/3 c measuring cup to pour pancakes onto pan.

9. Wait to turn pancakes until they are golden in color on the pan side, and on the upper side they form bubbles (see photo below).

10. Turn over the pancakes once the bubbles begin to become solidified. The second side will take less than half the cooking time as the first.

11. Serve with a bit of warmed syrup, jam, compote, or something else that strikes your fancy!

Makes 8 medium-sized pancakes.

http://1greengeneration.elementsintime.com/?p=377

Instant" Pancake Mix

Ingredients

• 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda (check expiration date first)
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar

 

• "INSTANT" PANCAKES:
• 2 eggs, separated
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 4 tablespoons melted butter
• 2 cups "Instant" Pancake Mix, recipe above
• 1 stick butter, for greasing the pan
• 2 cups fresh fruit such as blueberries, if desired

Directions

Combine all of the ingredients in a lidded container. Shake to mix.
Use the mix within 3 months.
"INSTANT" PANCAKES: Heat an electric griddle or frying pan to 350 degrees F. Heat oven to 200 degrees F.
Whisk together the egg whites and the buttermilk in a small bowl. In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the melted butter.
Combine the buttermilk mixture with the egg yolk mixture in a large mixing bowl and whisk together until thoroughly combined. Pour the liquid ingredients on top of the pancake mix. Using a whisk, mix the batter just enough to bring it together. Don't try to work all the lumps out.
Check to see that the griddle is hot by placing a few drops of water onto to the griddle. The griddle is ready if the water dances across the surface.
Lightly butter the griddle. Wipe off thoroughly with a paper towel. (No butter should be visible.)
Gently ladle the pancake batter onto the griddle and sprinkle on fruit if desired. When bubbles begin to set around the edges of the pancake and the griddle-side of the cake is golden, gently flip the pancakes. Continue to cook 2 to 3 minutes or until the pancake is set.
Serve immediately or remove to a towel-lined baking sheet and cover with a towel. Hold in a warm place for 20 to 30 minutes.
Yield: 12 pancakes

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/instant-pancake-mix-recipe.html