A Journey's End

                                 Lemongrass Consommé

4 Pieces of lemongrass

3 Kaffir Lime Leaves

2 Yellow onions chopped roughly

2 Stalks of celery chopped roughly

2 Shallots minced

2" piece of Ginger rough chopped

3 cloves of Garlic crushed

2 small dried chiles

1 tsp of black pepper corns

2 quarts of faux chicken stock or veggie stock

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In a large stockpot over med heat put a sprinkle of salt, let heat for a 1 minute Put 2tble spoons of olive oil in pot, do not let it smoke. Put all remaining ingredients into the pot stirring constantly let everything get soft, about 10 minutes. Pour the stock over bring to a boil. Turn down to low, and let it simmer for 45 min. Strain the broth through a colander. Reserve broth Put sauted veggies, meat, or sip on it's own. You will find that it's a bowlfull of amazing!

 

                                        Easy Shiitake Mushroom Tortellini

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1 pack of pink labeled wonton wrappers   Tools: natural paintbrush

1 package of Shiitake Mushrooms

1 egg white

1 egg yolk

2 tble spoons of water

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Put egg whites in a bowl add water, and whisk. Put Shiitake mushrooms trimmed, in a food processor. Mix in the egg yolk. Be sure the package of wonton wrappers are thawed. Open the package and take one wrapper out at a time. Brush with egg white mixture, and place a small dollop of Shiitake Mushroom in the center. Fold the wrapper in 1/2 into a triangle. Fold point back, cross the 2 lower points over each other. Place on a baking sheet covered with wax paper. Place in the freezer for 30 min. Bring water that has a pinch of salt in it to a boil. Turn down slightly, and drop all your tortellini in. 5 min to cook, and away you go! Fresh tortellini, and everyone will love them!

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                                      Vegan White Bread

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3 Cups of all -purpose flour

1 Package of instant yeast

1 Teaspoon of salt

3/4 Cup of warm water

1/2 Cup of lager beer (flat or not)

1 Tablespoon of white vinegar

Vegetable oil spray

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Whisk the flour, yeast and salt together in a large bowl. Attach bread hook, add water, beer, and vinegar. Mix until the dough comes together, and looks shaggy. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and let sit are room temperature for 8 - 18 hours. Lay and 18'" - 12" piece of parchment paper in a 10" frypan. Grease parchment paper with oil. Turn the dough so it is coated with oil, pull sides together to make a ball, and place seam side down. Cover with the plastic wrap you covered the bowl with, and let rest for 2 hours. Take out of frypan and kneed 15 strokes on a floured bench. 30 minutes before baking, place a dutch oven with cover on in a 500 degree oven for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 425. Place bread on parchment paper in dutch oven Lightly flour bread, score with sharp knife. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes remove lid and bake for 30 more minutes. Remove from oven, take out of dutch oven, and ready to eat. Completely vegan! Be sure to use parchment paper and not wax paper. You can use this dough base for anything from pretzels, or stromboli. Keep the bread on the counter, and not in plastic. Preferably in a paper bag.  

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                                        Cream Puff Potatoes

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2 Medium Yukon Gold Potatoes

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup of mild

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons unsalted butter. cut into pieces

1/2 cup of flour 

2 large eggs

3 cups canola oil

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Place potatoes in large pot cover with cold water. A pinch of salt boil for 45 minutes or until a knife goes into the potato easily. Remove and cool for 30 minutes or until easily handled. Remove skin and process through a ricer. This will make the potatoes light, and fluffy. Add the rest of the ingredients, stir until incorporated. (you can also add grated cheese for extra flavor) Put oil in a heavy bottomed pot on med high heat. Test with a spoon full of potato to be sure the oil is hot enough.Be sure the oil will hot enough to fry the balls of potato, or the balls will become oily. Roll the potato into balls, and place in the oil. Lower the heat slightly to be sure the inside of the balls are cooked. Cook for aprox 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels, and serve hot! Deliciously crispy on the outside, and creamy on the inside!

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4 Grilled corn on the cob (cut off the cob after grilled)

1 Red Bell pepper minced

1 Red onion minced

1 Large tomato minced

1/2 Bunch of Cilantro chopped

2 Cloves of garlic minced

1/2 Cup of Rice Flour

1/4 - 1/2 of Almond Milk

1/2 teaspoon of Cumin

Salt and Pepper to taste

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Grill the corn on the grill until brownish. In a frypan sauté onion (minced), and garlic until the onion is soft. Place in a large bowl, and allow to cool. Chop, and mince other veggies, pour rice flour, and mix well. Start with 1/4 cup of Almond milk, add more if needed. The consistency should be the same as paste. Roll the mixture in 2" balls, put in frypan that is hot with two tablespoons of olive oil. Press the balls 1/2" flat. Cook 3 min on each side. Delicious! 

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Tzatziki 

1 Cucumber 

The juice of 1 lemon

1 bunch of Dill

3 cloves of roasted garlic

1/2 red onion minced 

Pinch of salt

1 cup Greek yogurt

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Peel, and mince cucumber, roughly chop Dill, mince garlic, mince red onion. Put all ingredients in a bowl mix well. Put in airtight container in frig. Use instead of mayo. The longer it's in the frig, it will get a bit stronger, yummy! Will last for a week.

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Lamb Meatballs

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1lb ground lamb

1/2 red onion 

1/4 tsp of cumin

1/2 bunch chopped cilantro

1 Extra large egg

1/2 cup of panko bread crumbs (you can make your own recipe follows)

Salt/pepper

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Combine all above ingredients just until mixed. (do not overwork the meat, will become tough) Roll into 8-10 meatballs, 1-2 tsps of olive oil in an oven safe frying pan, (be sure to have the oil hot before placing the meatballs in the frying pan), Sear on all sides, place in a 350 oven for 10-15 minutes, until full cooked. Do not over cook, be sure to remember, lamb is very lean. Remove from the oven, let rest for 5-10 minutes. 

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Roasted Garlic Naan Bread

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½ cup warm water

2 teaspoons instant yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

3 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup plain yogurt

1 egg

½ teaspoon salt

2½-3 cups all purpose flour

5 tablespoons butter, melted

2 teaspoons roasted minced garlic

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Combine warm water, yeast, and sugar in a large stand mixing bowl with a bread hook; let sit for five minutes or till bubbly. Add olive oil, yogurt, egg, salt, and 2 cups of flour. Stir till smooth. Add enough flour to make a soft dough, add roasted garlic right before kneading. Knead a few times on a floured counter until smooth. Place dough in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled. Preheat a skillet to medium heat. Cut dough into eight pieces. On a floured surface, roll out each piece into a 4" circle. Add a little oil or non-stick spray to the skillet. Cook each circle for 2-3 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown on the bottom. Flip over and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Brush the top (the bubbly side) of each naan with melted butter. I added garlic to my butter, but that is optional. You can use these as small hand held  hors d'oeuvres. Cut the meatballs in half, place a small slice of tomato, red onion on Naan bread, with a topping of Tzatziki. 

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Zucchini Meatballs

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3 Zucchinis shredded

3/4 Cup of Peko Romano Cheese (grated)

1/3 Cup of Bread Crumbs

1/4 Cup of Parsley

A pinch of Fennel Seed

1 egg white

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Combine all ingredients, form into balls place on parchment paper. Place in over at 350 for 15 minutes. Prepare your favorite sauce, take meatballs from oven and place in sauce. Cover and simmer for 20- 25 minutes. They will last in the frig for 10 days.  

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Smokey Spicey Hummus

1 Can of Chickpeas (liquid & Peas separated)

2 tbl spoons of virgin olive oil

1 tbl spoon of smoked paprika 

1/2 tsp spoon of Cayenne Pepper

2 Roasted Garlic Cloves

1/4 cup of toasted sesame seeds

2 tbl spoons of lemon juice

2 pinches of salt

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Combine all ingredients into food processor (except the chickpea liquid set aside) Pulse the ingredients until they are a paste like texture. If the mixture seems to be too dry add the chickpea liquid tablespoon at a time. When the mixture is the correct consistency, it's ready to eat! Use instead of may, or mustard, Or just dip all kinds of fresh veggies in it! 

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Vegan Sandwich

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Bake some of the Vegan bread recipe I mention above, and the hummus. In a frying pan sear off 1 whole zucchini, 1 fig, 1 slice of fresh red onion, 2 or 3 leaves of basil, and a few slices of fresh tomatoes. Spread the hummus on the bread, and pile the rest on! Amazing! You will never ask, "where's the meat?" again!

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Carne Adovda

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• 2 onions, chopped

• 1 table spoon of Olive Oil

• 6 cloves garlic, chopped

• 3 lbs of pork tenderloin

• 1 tablespoon flour or masa harisa

• 5 quartered tomatoes 

• 1 cup (8 ounces) ground dried New Mexican red chile powder

• 1 1/2 cups cooked Jasmine rice mixed with cilantro and sweet grilled corn

• blender or food processor 

• Dutch oven

• Turn the oven on 350

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OK, the reason I put the veggies first, so that you are prepped and ready to add ingredients. This is going to go quick! Put your stove on med heat, or on the grill. Put your olive oil in the dutch oven, Cut pork into cubes, place in dutch oven, brown on all sides. Be sure to salt and pepper all the pork. Do this in batches so that the pork isn't touching. Set all the pork aside. Add a little more olive oil, let heat while chopping the onions put in dutch oven with garlic, salt and pepper. About 3 minutes add the masa stir let cook off 3 min. While you're doing that, in a food processor put the dried chilies, blend until powder. Add to the pot with 4 cups of water, bring to a boil. Put in batches the mixture blend till smooth, put back into the pot.Add all the pork, stir and bring back to a boil. Put the lid on it, and place in the oven for an hour. Put 3 tablespoons of rice in bottom of bowl, ladle Carne Adovada over rice. A dolp of sour cream or Greek yogurt and some slices of Avocado. 

*if using a blender, use a towel on top to keep from burning yourself. 

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Easy Lemon/Rosemary Roasted Chicken

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Take a 4-6lb chicken pat dry with paper towels. Slice a lemon 1/4" thick, 1 stick of butter 1/4" thick. Taking a tablespoon, push backwards under the skin of the chicken, from tail, to breast tucking the butter and a slice of lemon on both breasts, and above the thighs. Take a stalk of Rosemary and tuck it under the skin on each breast, and in the center cavity. Use the balance of the lemon in the cavity. After placing the chicken in the roasting pan, lightly drizzle olive oil over the skin, pour 1/2 cup of dry white wine in the cavity, salt and pepper liberally to help crisp the skin. Tuck wings under the back of the chicken, oven 350, for 45 min covered in foil. The last 10-15 minutes remove foil to brown, and crisp the skin. 

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Carmel Apple Coffee Cake

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Batter 

1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons butter-flavored shortening

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

¾ cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ cup buttermilk

Topping 

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

1½ teaspoons cinnamon

1/3 cup of crushed heath chips

½ cup salted butter, softened and cut into pieces (do not melt), ( I use salted sweet cream butter)

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Instructions

 

​Preheat oven to 325 F. and move rack to the middle. Grease and flour a 8×8 glass baking dish. Set aside. In large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

1½ cups all-purpose flour,½ teaspoon baking powder,¼ teaspoon baking soda,¼ teaspoon salt

In another large bowl cream together shortening, oil, and sugar until combined using a hand mixer or stand mixer.4 tablespoons butter-flavored shortening,2 tablespoons vegetable oil,¾ cup granulated sugar Mix  eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla extract.2 eggs,1 egg yolk,1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Add the dry ingredients and buttermilk  into the wet ingredients using a rubber spatula just until combined. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. ¾ cup buttermilk

Pour batter into prepared pan and spread to an even layer. Set aside.

Make the topping 

To make the topping, in a large bowl whisk together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt until well combined. 1 cup all-purpose flour,1 cup light brown sugar, packed,1½ teaspoons cinnamon, add the Heath chips Cut in softened butter using a pastry cutter until mixture resembles large crumbs.

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Thyme Beer Batter Gruyere Bread

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8 oz Gruyere cheese shredded

3 cups all purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar

4 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp of salt

1/2 tsp pepper 

12oz of light beer 

3 tble spoons of thyme

4 tble spoons of butter 

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Oven at 375, rack in the center of the oven, a greased 9x5 loaf pan. Combine the shredded and cubed cheese, flour, sugar, baking powder, thyme, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Stir in beer, and mix well until well combined. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, spreading it to the corners. Dirzzle the melted butter evenly over the top of the batter. Bake until the loaf is deep golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 45 to 50 minutes. Cool the bread in the pan, for 5 minutes. Turn out onto a rack. Cool completely and slice as desired. You can sear on both sides with honey butter. Keep in airtight container, and in the frig for up to a week. 

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