Favorite Snack

as of late I've been addicted to this little treat (I first discovered it in Thailand last summer)...I know it does not look all that appetizing due to my poor photog skills, but trust me.
I like it because it's not too sweet, creamy and cold. It's like ice cream only not so bad for you.

Banana Smoothie/Shake:
1-2 large ripe banana
1-2 tsp sugar or honey
1/2-1 c milk/ plain yogurt
ice
Optional: add in some cinnamon and nutmeg for a great little umph

In a blender, put sugar, milk, banana (sliced up) and fill with handful of ice cubes
Blend until smooth...dee-lish!

Strawberry Tart

This recipe is from a French website:
http://www.odelices.com/recette.php?num=28

I have translated it for you, the measurements are kind of funny, it turns out fine if you measure very approximately like I do. It is delicious.

* 400 g Strawberries (14 oz)

Crust
* 1.6 cups flour
* 100 g butter
* 1 egg
* 0.4 cups sugar
* 1 pinch salt

Cream
* 1.4 cups milk
* 4 egg yolks
* 0.4 cups sugar
* 1/4 cup cornstarch
* 1 tsp. vanilla extrait

Préparation

1. For crust: mix flour, salt and butter using pastry knife or your hands. Mix sugar and eggs separately. Mix the two mixture together.
2. Heat oven to 350 deg. F. Lay dough into pie pan (makes two nine-inch crusts). Cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Mix cornstarch in a little cold mild. Boil the rest of the milk. Mix the egg yolks and sugar separately. Incorporate the cornstarch slowly, keep beating to prevent lumps. Boil for about 3 minutes (my wife thinks it needs more to prevent salmonella).
4. Pour cream mixture onto crusts. Cut strawberries in half and place on top of cream and let them cool and stiffen.

Gyros & Tzatziki Sauce with Naan

This recipe can be as complicated or as simple as you want it to be. I generally make a ton of meat and veggies the first night and have 1/2 with grilled ciabatta bread, sliced tomato and brie or laughing cow cheese

Day #1: Kebabs with grilled bread


Marinade:
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 c olive oil (I usually use little less)
5 tsp dried parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried oregano
dash marjarom (optional)
1/2 onion finely chopped, I mean finely
pinch of salt
black pepper to your liking
1 lb meat cut into 1" pieces (usually use 1/2 steak, 1/2 chicken)

Mix together red wine vinegar, olive oil, parsley, garlic, rosemary, oregano, marjarom, onion, salt and pepper. MIX WELL. Place meat on skewers (soaked in water), lay them in a single layer in a 9x13 pan. Pour marinade over meat and refrigerate one hour or overnight


Make vegetable skewers using:

2 green peppers-chopped into 1" pieces
2 onions-cut into 1/8s
cherry tomatoes
1 zuchini (optional)-cut into 1" slices
1 yellow squash (optional)-cut into 1" slices
Dash with some dill, parsley, oregano, paprika, marjarom, salt and pepper mixed with oil if you like

Alternate vegetables on skewers (soaked in water)...

Grill skewers over hot grill (400 degrees) until meat is cooked, turn them occasionally (keep vegetables away from direct heat)

Recommend adding some ciabatta bread to grill and heat for 5-10 min, serve with fresh sliced tomatoes and brie or laughing cow cheese



For the next day--make this the night before:
Tzatziki Sauce:
2 c plain yogurt (drain in cheese cloth over a bowl in refrigerator for 2 hours along with sour cream if you want it)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium cucumber--peeled, seeded and finely chopped, drained well
pinch of salt
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp red wine vinegar or lemon juice
1/2 c sour cream (optional)
1 1/2 tsp dill (optional)
feta crumbled (optional)

Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate. Lasts up to 1.5 weeks
* I usually half this because it makes ALOT

The day of meal (day #2): Gyros, you can use store bought greek flat bread or make homemade naan.



Naan:
2 c all purpose flour
3/4 c water (warm-110 degrees, warm tap water is fine)
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 1/2 Tbsp plain yogurt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp yeast
pinch baking powder

1. Mix yeast, sugar and water in large bowl. Allow to sit for a few min
2. In separate bowl mix together olive oil, yogurt, salt, and baking powder; add to yeast mixture
3. Mix together well, begin stirring in flour
4. Mix/knead dough until soft, slightly sticky (may want to coat your hands in oil)
5. Allow to rise in oil coated bowl until double in size 1-2 hours
6. Place baking stone into oven and heat to 500 degrees.
7. Punch down dough and divide into 6 balls
8. Roll each out on a well greased surface area until it's about 1/4" thick
9. Bake each on stone (or several at a time if you can fit them) for 3-4 min or until beginning to brown, puff up

Serve with left-over meat and veggies (cold or reheated), tzatziki sauce and feta

Thanksgiving FEAST!

We were driving back from the beach and working on the menu for October, in the midst of the conversation we some how got off track and began discussing our holiday plans and how excited we were to see family and est good food. Then we decided to focus on the menu again and determined we couldn't wait until Thanksgiving for dressing and turkey. Our Sunday Feast was born.

Turkey:
I bought a Butterball turkey from the freezer section, it was like 3-4lbs



Bambudder's Amazing Dressing:
(this recipe makes 1 really big pan...like 9x13, but I 1/3'd it and it wasn't enough =(

3 pans of cornbread (I make mine the day before and crumble it to dry out--recommend using Martha White cotton pickin' southern recipe--it's near the cheap muffin mixes)
1-2 c chopped celery
1-2 c chopped onion
8 cans chicken broth
9 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped up
1 cube of chicken bouillon for every can of chicken broth you use
1 loaf of plain bad-for-you-but-oh-so-good white bread, again, I set it out and cut it up to dry out the day before
2 tsp Sage

Day before:
1. Bake cornbread, cut up/crumble and lay out in thin layer to dry out; on another surface/cookie sheet lay out white bread (cut/torn up)

2. Cook celery, onions, 4 bouillon cubes in 4 cans chicken broth until vegetables are tender--place all together in the fridge

3. Boil eggs, cut them up and place them in ziplock bag when they're cooled off, refigerate

Day of Feast:
1. In LARGE bowl mix together the cornbread, eggs, broth mixture with onions and celery. Add white bread and chicken broth until it is moist but sticks together...if you like your dressing dry add more bread, if you like moister add more broth...add salt and pepper to taste.

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Stir in 2 tsp sage into dressing mixture, stir well and add more to your desired taste. Put mixture in large well greased 9x13 pan (my g'm always melts a few Tablespoons of butter in the pan before she puts in the dressing which gives it that southern fried edge YUM!)

3. Bake 30-35 min or until it's brown and bubbly!

Eat it all of save leftovers for Thanksgiving sandwiches!!



Green Bean Casserole:
2-3 cans green beans, drained
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c milk
1 small can mushrooms, drained
1 can French fried onions

(this makes about enough for 4 people)

1. Mix green beans, cream of mushroom soup, milk and mushrooms together (OPTIONAL: you can add 1/2 the can of fried onions now or save the calories), pour into a greased 8x8 pan or round cake pan; cover with desired amount of fried onions. Bake 350 degrees until heated through...about 30 min



And Mashed Potatoes
2 large russet baking potatoes, rinsed, cut up
sour cream
butter
salt, pepper, rosemary
milk
cheese

1. In large saucepan, fill with potatoes and water to cover potatoes (plus some). Bring to boil and boil until potatoes are tender.

2. Remove, drain and place potatoes in large mixing bowl. Mash them up with electric beater. Add in 1/4 c milk, 1 Tbsp butter, 1 Tbsp sour cream. Mix well. Add more milk/sour cream to thin as needed.

3. Add salt, pepper, rosemary, cheese or other add-ins as you like

Add Cranberry sauce (heat it in small sauce pan over stove)
Add rolls if you like

There you have your Thanksgiving FEAST! Eat up!

Leftovers can be used for Thanksgiving sandwiches:

whole wheat/sourdough bread--really any kind works
cranberry sauce
fresh spinach chopped up
brie sliced
dressing
turkey
OPTIONAL: add sliced granny smith apples, chopped walnuts, gravy whatever floats your boat--I keep mine to the minimum listed

Layer on bread to make a sandwich...it's quite yummy.

Stolen Apple Cake

stole this one from the Smitten Kitten, adjusted it to my own liking and give to you to go and try RIGHT NOW!! It's perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner or dessert. It has fruit in it...so it's healthy...

7 apples, ( use can also use any others that bake well--fuji, cameo, honeycrisp, golden delicious, pink lady, empire, granny smith or macintosh) I used Macintosh--they were kind of difficult to track down despite it being apple season

1 tablespoon cinnamon
5 tablespoons sugar

3 cups flour, sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ c plain yogurt (vanilla is good too)

1/2 c applesauce
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a tube pan. Peel, core and chop apples into chunks. Toss with cinnamon and sugar and set aside.

Stir together flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, orange juice, sugar and vanilla. Mix wet ingredients into the dry ones, then add eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the bowl to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.

Pour half of batter into prepared pan. Spread half of apples over it. Pour the remaining batter over the apples and arrange the remaining apples on top. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours (mine took more like 2-2.5 hrs), or until a tester comes out clean--this is the best indicator.

Empanadas

Aye Aye aye!

We (meaning Douglas mainly on this one) made Empanadas a few weeks ago, they are yummy, relatively easy and good leftovers for lunch/dinner the next day! I don't know what's up with the underlying--computer is jacked. Sorry...

Filling:

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cooked and shredded

1/4+ c chicken stock (or water)

½ red onion sliced

½ green pepper sliced

2 cloves garlic

3 Tbsp olive oil

Oregano to taste (about 1-2 tsp)

Cumin to taste (usually 2-3 Tbsp)

Chili powder to taste (2-3 tsp?)

Cornstarch

Crusts:

4 c all purpose flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 egg yolk

1 whole egg

½ c milk

½ c butter softened (optional to increase it to 1 c)

In large skillet, heat oil on med-hi heat, sautee onion, pepper and garlic…when onions soft add chicken and cook more. Add seasonings to taste; stir in chicken stock and allow to simmer for 5-10 min. Add cornstarch to thicken to desired thickness (I prefer it pretty moist not runny or dry)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In large bowl mix in dry crust ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt). Mix in butter with pastry knife until well blended. Add in eggs and milk. Divide dough into 6 pieces and roll out each into circles.

Divide chicken mixture among crusts and fold crusts in half over stuffing, pinching edges and sealing them shut.

Bake for 15-25 min or until desired browness.

Serve with salsa, cheese, rice, sour cream, tostidos or pico.

Pico de Gallo:

medium tomatoes, chopped

½ onion, chopped finely

1/8-1/4 c fresh cilantro chopped

1 lime, juiced

Salt to taste

Mix all together to taste…marinate.