Lentil Curry

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• This curry is soooo good and very easy. The recipe below is the one I followed, but I did make a few adjustments. Instead of red lentils, I used "lentils" (the average grocery store variety) because I didn't have a choice. I probably added at least a tablespoon more of grated fresh ginger because I love it. I don't have any turmeric (apparently you can use ground mustard or saffron as a substitute, but I didn't), but otherwise I followed the recipe pretty exactly. My curry paste is Thai Kitchen Red Curry paste, and you can vary the hotness of this dish by adding more curry or using a spicier kind. 
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• Next time I make this I plan to decrease the amount of lentils because the sauce was so yummy and I want it to be runnier to pour over the rice (jasmine or basmati). By the time I added the lentils, it was like a chili consistency. We ate it as a main dish and to my great surprise, both Zach and Zoe loved it! In fact, I had made plain lentils for Zoe but she preferred the curry. 

Fearless Foodies challenge...post your favorite recipe using Lentils! 

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eating mom's curried lentils and pretending to use a spoon

• 2 cups red lentils
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons curry paste
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon ginger root, grated
• 1 (14.25 ounce) can tomato puree

Directions

1. Wash the lentils in cold water until the water runs clear (this is very important or the lentils will get "scummy"), put the lentils in a pot with water to cover and simmer covered until lentils tender (add more water if necessary).
2. While the lentils are cooking: In a large skillet or saucepan, caramelize the onions in vegetable oil.
3. While the onions are cooking, combine the curry paste, curry powder, turmeric, cumin, chili powder, salt, sugar, garlic, and ginger in a mixing bowl. Mix well. When the onions are cooked, add the curry mixture to the onions and cook over a high heat stirring constantly for 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Stir in the tomato puree and reduce heat, allow the curry base to simmer until the lentils are ready.
5. When the lentils are tender drain them briefly (they should have absorbed most of the water but you don't want the curry to be too sloppy). Mix the curry base into the lentils and serve immediately.

Miracle Meals

As we prepare for our move we are cleaning out the cupboards and I swear that each meal is a miracle after it comes together. Here are two meals I have made in the past week that at first seemed impossible and at the end were pretty tasty! Note that amounts are estimates and I have already packed my dry spices.

Spaghetti Sauce

2 280z cans of tomatoes (I had diced Italian and crushed)

1 small jar of capers (seriously, I had capers in my fridge?)

1/2 a small jar of sun dried tomatoes

1/2 small jar of minced garlic

1/2 small jar of roasted red peppers

1 tbsp olive oil (from my Mr. Mister because I am out of olive oil - I tell you, we are getting creative)

Squeeze basil

Squeeze parsley (these last two were a great way to save $$ on herbs - they were also both at least 1/2 full)

Combine in large saucepan because you have already packed the stock pots (really? what was I thinking?). Combine with Bettie's beef and serve over combination of random pasta left in the pantry.

Asian Slaw Salad

This is one of my favorite dishes but because of Addie's soy intolerance I haven't even ventured to make this... until today because it is hotter than hades and I am having my mommy vacation day. So, no soy sauce, no hoisin sauce, oh, and no rice wine vinegar because we ran out. I eyeballed the whole recipe, so just keep tasting it. :)

Broccoli slaw (okay, I bought this today but was going to use it as a garnish on a lettuce salad)

Apple cider vinegar

White wine vinegar

Sake (good stuff, too good to be cooking with, but hey, it's got to be used)

Fish sauce

Sesame oil

Brown sugar

Peanut butter

Tamarind sauce (bought to recreate our cooking class recipe - only did that once)

Toasted sesame seeds

Ramen noodles

Fresh grated ginger (so glad I keep this in the freezer!)

I am so excited to restock a new pantry in a few weeks!!!! Maybe this time I will be more conscientious of what I have already.

African Sweet Potato-Peanut Stew

I made this stew after seeing it posted on a friend's FB page and it was so good I was scrapping the bowl to get the final bites. I made it again when Christina came to visit as it is dairy and soy free... she really liked it and Brett did too (at least I think he did:). However, the chickpeas in the stew are closely related to soybeans so Christina will probably substitute another bean the next time she makes this.

Ingredients

U.S.

Metric

Conversion chart

• 3 clove(s) garlic
• 2 cup(s) (loosely packed) fresh cilantro leaves and stems
• 1 can(s) (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup(s) creamy or chunky peanut butter
• 2 teaspoon(s) ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) ground red pepper (cayenne)
• Salt
• 1 cup(s) water
• 3 pound(s) sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks (I did not peel because the skins are so nutritious--quicker and still tastes great!)
• 1 can(s) (15 to 19 ounces) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 package(s) (16 ounces) frozen whole or cut green beans

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Directions

1. In blender or food processor with knife blade attached, blend garlic, cilantro, tomatoes with their juice, peanut butter, cumin, cinnamon, ground red pepper, and 3/4 teaspoon salt until pureed.
2. Into 4 1/2- to 6-quart slow-cooker bowl, pour peanut-butter mixture; stir in water. Add sweet potatoes and garbanzo beans; stir to combine. Cover slow cooker with lid and cook as manufacturer directs on low setting 8 to 10 hours or on high setting 4 to 5 hours or until potatoes are very tender.
3. About 10 minutes before sweet potato mixture is done, cook green beans as label directs. Gently stir green beans into stew.

http://www.delish.com/recipefinder/sweet-potato-peanut-stew-612

Honey Spelt Bread

Spelt is a delicious wheat that I learned to love while living overseas. I have trouble finding much made with spelt in the US, so when I came across spelt flour I bought a bag...then completely forgot about until we moved! I found this recipe from Fo.od & Wi.ne magazine. I was suspicious at first, because the recipe didn't allow for time to proof the yeast. However I followed this exactly and it turned out really well - moist and substantial. And it was easy to make! The top of my loaf did start to burn, so I recommend covering it with foil about halfway through the baking time to prevent this.

4 1/2 c. spelt flour

2 tsp fine sea salt

2 tsp. active dry yeast

1 1/3 c. cool water

2 Tbsp honey

In a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, salt and yeast. Turn the machine to medium low, add the water and honey gradually and mix until the flour is moistened, about 2 minutes, scraping down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Increase the speed to medium and knead until a stiff dough forms, about 2 minutes longer.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and shape into a ball. Set the dough in am oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours (**mine took longer to rise, but rise it eventually did!).

Preheat the oven to 450° and spray a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with vegetable cooking spray. Invert the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and gently punch it down. Fold the dough into a loaf, tucking in the sides and pinching the seams. Transfer the dough to the loaf pan, seam side down. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Remove the plastic wrap and lightly dust the dough with flour. Bake for about 35 minutes, until the loaf is risen, golden on top and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf reads 180°. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then tip it out onto a rack to cool completely before serving.

Aloha Granola

Ever since I began baking for STC in OB, I've been playing around with different granola recipes. I created this one for my little sister who spent a summer interning in Hawaii and fell in love with the place and the food there. This recipe makes a TON, but you could easily halve or quarter this for a more reasonable amount.

2 lbs 10 oz. old-fashioned oats

3 cups coconut

2 cups macadamia nuts, chopped to desired size

2 cups dried pineapple, chopped to desired size

1 1/2 cup honey

1 cup canola oil

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp vanilla

1 Tbsp ground ginger

1 Tbsp cinnamon

In a large bowl combine oats, nuts and coconut. Mix thoroughly. Add in honey and oil and stir to combine. Be sure that all oats are coated with liquid. Add vanilla, ginger and cinnamon and stir until entire bowl is coated with spices. Put into a 350 degree oven for about an hour (this might vary depending on your oven) in a cake pan or sheet pan depending on how much you are making. Stir every ten minutes or so to prevent burning. With about 20 minutes remaining, add brown sugar and stir to combine. Bake until evenly browned and delicious. Upon removing pan from the oven, mix in dried pineapple and allow granola to cool completely before storing in ziploc bags or airtight containers.

Pasta e Fagioli Soup

My diet is amongst the many things that having little AGN in our lives has changed. Her little tummy does not like dairy or soy - which means that I have had to cut both of those out of my diet. Dairy was easy, but soy has been surprisingly difficult. Luckily, there are plenty of other mama's out there dealing with this and one of them started a blog called MSPI Mama. Last night I made this soup and Brett loves it! It makes a TON of soup which is great as we have been able to freeze three meals worth in addition to having it for lunch and dinner.

INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 16 oz. pkg. sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
½ large (or 1 medium) onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 carrots, thinly sliced
4 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt
28 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can white cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
64 oz. beef broth
28 oz. can tomato sauce
2 tsp. dried parsley (or 1 tbsp. fresh parsley)
1/2 tsp. dried basil (or 1 tsp. fresh basil)
4 oz. small dry pasta

DIRECTIONS
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large stockpot over medium high heat, and brown the sausage, crumbling it as it cooks. Once brown, remove sausage from pot with a slotted spoon.

In the same pot, add the onion, garlic, carrot, celery and salt, and saute over medium heat until vegetables are soft, about 8 minutes. Add sausage back to the pot and the can of diced tomatoes (do not drain), stir briefly, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in the beans, and add the beef broth and tomato sauce. Add in all of the seasonings, stir well, turn the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. Once it boils, turn down to low heat, cover, and simmer for at least 30 minutes.

Add the dry pasta and continue to simmer on low for another 30 minutes.

If you do choose to freeze it, thaw it completely before cooking otherwise the pasta will get mushy.

Creamy Tomato Blue Cheese Soup

There is a wonderful bookstore in Memphis called Davis Kidd that I love to visit. They have a great children's section, author signings, and a really comprehensive selection of books. There's a little cafe attached called Bronte Bistro. They have a yummy everyday menu, and their gimmick is to use recipes from cookbooks they sell as their daily specials. There are a few other locations if anyone else is lucky enough to be near one!

Anyway, they have the most delicious tomato blue cheese soup and I had been trying in vain to recreate it at home. I probably tried 3 or 4 iterations using a hodgepodge of online recipes, going back for tastings, and always coming up with something that wasn't creamy enough, or tasted to blue cheesy, or was too chunky. Recently I stumbled upon an old friend's blog and discovered that she was attempting to do the exact same thing and was also having only modest success! But smart cookie that she is, she and her husband ASKED the restaurant for their recipe! Genius. As it turns out, I was on the right track, but I was missing ONE key ingredient. Want to guess what it was? (Answer at the bottom!)

2 T butter
1 yellow onion
1 T minced garlic
1 c flour
1.5 quarts water
2 (32oz) cans diced tomatoes
1/2 lb bleu cheese

2 T salt
1 t white pepper
1 c heavy cream

Melt butter, dice onions and saute until translucent along with garlic. Add flour to make roux. (Careful not to burn) Whisk water into roux until smooth. Add diced tomatoes, bleu cheese, salt and pepper. Bring to boil and turn off heat. Add cream. Puree with hand blender or food processor. Serves 10-12.

Note: This is a fun use for the immersion blenders that everyone got for Christmas this year! (Thank you, Robin, for mine!)

(Answer: I was missing the flour! I never thought to make a roux first, and none of the other recipes I found online did this!)