We had stuffed cabbage over the weekend, and I made sure to set aside any hard to wrap leaves (excessively curly, or very torn). I ended up with about 2 cups, once I chopped them small. I remembered a soup I had several years ago, that included bulgur, and decided to recreate it. It is a nicely hearty soup, perfect for a cold day. This … [Read more…]
Thanksgiving menu : Roasted Turkey (with a Lemon Garlic Marinade)
I love Thanksgiving. I love being with friends and family. I love the sentiment of being thankful. And, I really, really love Thanksgiving dinner. I have heard lots of people say that they don’t really care for turkey. That it’s bland or blah, or whatever. I do really like turkey. When it is brined and then properly seasoned, it is really … [Read more…]
Ropa Vieja in the Slow Cooker
This is a lovely dish of shredded beef, with a delicious sauce. It is really easy to put together, since you prepare everything, set it in the slow cooker, and go about your day. Ropa Vieja is a Cuban dish. It translates to “old clothes” , because it looks like shredded old fabric. It tastes a heck of a lot better than old clothes, though. … [Read more…]
Slow Cooker Kofta (or converting a kofta recipe to a crockpot recipe)
This past weekend, my brother was visiting. We wanted to go out, yet have a home cooked meal and not resort to just getting takeout on the way home. I had already planned on making Kofta with Tomato Sauce (Mediterranean Meatballs with Tomato Sauce), so I thought that I would put my dusty, neglected slow cooker to good use. I made the kofta … [Read more…]
(End of ) Summer Mint Macaroni Salad
If you have a little backyard garden going this summer, this macaroni salad could be a good way to use some of your home-grown produce. We have a ton of mint that I wanted to make use of, as well as pepper and tomatoes growing outside. This salad makes use of fresh mint and lemon juice, extra virgin olive, apple cider vinegar, horseradish sauce, … [Read more…]
Italian Flat Beans with Fresh Tomatoes
We went to the local farmer’s market, a favorite activity for the kids, because they love the fresh peaches and the grape tomatoes. I spied some broad bean pods and thought they were fava beans for a second, but on closer inspection, found them to be Italian flat beans. If you haven’t tried them yet, you should. They have a delicate sweetness … [Read more…]
Lentil Soup with Vermicelli Noodles
1 T extra virgin olive oil 1-2 teaspoons cumin 1 teaspoon madras curry powder (optional) 1 cup lentils 4-5 cups stock or water ½ onion chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped ½ cup angel hair noodles lemon wedges (optional) Heat oil in small pot. Add garlic and onions, and saute for 2 minutes. Add spices and saute another minute. Add lentils and stock. … [Read more…]
Chicken Mushroom Alfredo
This is a simple weeknight dish to put together. Instead of first cooking, then removing the chicken, I left the chicken in as I added all the ingredients, making this a one-pot meal. I lightened the standard Alfredo sauce up a bit by using only 1 tablespoon of butter, and using 1 – 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Plus, I really do like … [Read more…]
Lemony Dandelion Greens
It is common in the Levant region to forage for wild greens like Chicory, Dandelion, Watercress, and Purslane. So, when I saw that I had a couple of pretty lush dandelions outside, I thought to myself….”hmmm, I should pick those and cook them”. Then, cooler heads prevailed (my husband’s cooler head, to be exact) and reminded me that we don’t know … [Read more…]
Bolognese Sauce
This is my version of a Bolognese Sauce. My husband is not a fan of super tangy marinara sauce, so this is a better pasta sauce for him. The addition of carrots sweetens and mellows out the flavor of the tomato sauce. Bolognese sauce usually includes celery with the carrots, but I don’t like celery, so I substitute parsley. Regarding the … [Read more…]