Little Bites of Heaven..

My latest love...Potstickers..aka Chinese Dumplings...aka Shumai...pan fried on the bottom and steamed to perfection...

my recipe is sort of the best of a few different recipes..these are so easy you'll never want to order them again when you eat out..

Filling:
1/2 pound ground beef (1 cup)
3/4 cup shredded cabbage
1 green onion, diced
2-4 shrimp, ground (can be omitted)
2 teaspoons minced ginger
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon hot chili oil, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons vegetable oil for frying, or as needed
1/3 cup chopped water chestnut (make life easy- get the canned)
30 gyoza wrappers, or as needed

In a large bowl, mix the cabbage, beef, green onions, shrimp, water chestnuts, ginger, 1 beaten egg, soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil and chili oil.

On each wrapper add up to 1/2 teaspoon of filling, use water on the edges and fold over and seal.

Heat a wok or nonstick skillet until very hot. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, tilting the wok to coat the sides. If using a nonstick skillet, add 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil. Place dumplings in a single layer in the wok and fry 2 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown. Turn over and fry another minute.

Add 1/4 cup water. Cover and cook 6 4-6 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. Repeat with the remaining dumplings.

---

Dipping Sauce:

1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
1-2 tablespoon water
Few drops sesame oil
1 teaspoon Chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon green onions
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Dash red pepper flakes
--
Mix ingredients together. Don't make too much of this..a little goes a long way.

Tour de France

If you want to see what we made for our Tour de France cook-off, go to Sameera's blog.

I would only change one thing - for the chocolate mousse I really wanted a recipe that didn't ask for anything alcoholic, so I actually used this recipe instead from Cook's Illustrated:

Dark Chocolate Mousse

When developing this recipe, we used our winning supermarket brand of dark chocolate, Ghirardelli bittersweet, which contains about 60 percent cacao. If you choose to make the mousse a day in advance, leave it out at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with very lightly sweetened whipped cream and chocolate shavings. A hand-held mixer can do the job of a standing mixer in this recipe, though mixing times may vary slightly.

INGREDIENTS
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate , chopped fine
2 tablespoons cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-processed)
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
6 tablespoons water
2 large eggs , separated
1 tablespoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon table salt
1 cup heavy cream , plus 2 additional tablespoons (chilled)


1. Melt chocolate, cocoa powder, espresso powder, water, and brandy in medium heatproof bowl set over saucepan filled with 1 inch of barely simmering water, stirring frequently until smooth. Remove from heat.

2. Whisk egg yolks, 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, and salt in medium bowl until mixture lightens in color and thickens slightly, about 30 seconds. Pour melted chocolate into egg mixture and whisk until combined. Let cool until just warmer than room temperature, 3 to 5 minutes.

3. In clean bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat egg whites at medium-low speed until frothy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, increase mixer speed to medium-high, and beat until soft peaks form when whisk is lifted, about 1 minute. Detach whisk and bowl from mixer and whisk last few strokes by hand, making sure to scrape any unbeaten whites from bottom of bowl. Using whisk, stir about one-quarter of beaten egg whites into chocolate mixture to lighten it; gently fold in remaining egg whites with rubber spatula until a few white streaks remain.

4. In now-empty bowl, whip heavy cream at medium speed until it begins to thicken, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form when whisk is lifted, about 15 seconds more. Using rubber spatula, fold whipped cream into mousse until no white streaks remain. Spoon into 6 to 8 individual serving dishes or goblets. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set and firm, at least 2 hours. (The mousse may be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)

The Best Appliances

Hi Guys,

Can you tell me what some of the best kitchen tools out there are? For example, best hand blender, food processor, etc?

Recently I bought Mario Batali's prepping bowls from Crate and Barrel and I absolutely adore them. They look and feel rustic and traditional, and still they're durable and dishawasher safe and will not stain.

crateandbarrel.com

Sameera

Dum ki Murgh (Chicken)

This was the easiest chicken I have ever made in my life. I didn't use this exact recipe because I was counting on having internet the night I was going to make it but our wireless connection wasn't working - so I pulled out a dum ki murgh recipe from my Hyderabadi cookbook and just blended the ingredients in there and dumped it over the chicken. There wasn't enough strong flavor even for my husband (though I still liked it), so I think next time I'm going to follow this recipe (mine had too many bland ingredients, like sour cream, cashews, poppy seeds, etc. but maybe that works for the stove+oven method). But honestly this was so easy and the chicken came out SOOOO tender it was unbelievable. You have to try it!

Hyderbadi dum ki chicken (from Sameera's mom)

2 chickens cut into pieces
2 Tbsp almonds toasted and ground
1 c yogurt
handful of cilantro/ dhania/ kothmeer
2 Tbsp fried onion
3/4 tsp garam masala
1 1/4 tsp mirchi
1/4 tsp haldi
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp lemon juice
4 Tbsp oil

---
preheat oven to 350.
blend all ingredients, except chicken, in a blender until liquified.
pour over chicken and bake at 350 until chicken is cooked through.

note: I used a meat thermometer to check the chicken temp after 20 min and then every 10 min to see when the internal temp reached 160. total cooking time for me was about 40 min but it will depend on the size of your chicken pieces and your oven.

Fried Rice

I can't count how many times I've made fried rice at home - I guess I always have leftover white rice and I hate to waste, so this is the tastiest way to create something new out of it. You can throw just about anything into fried rice and it'll probably still taste good! But here's a basic recipe -

Chicken and Shrimp Fried Rice (from theCookMobile.com)
Makes 6 Servings

Ingredients:
6 cups cooked rice (at least 1-day old rice is best)
1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 chicken breast, sliced to slivers 1/4 inch thick
1 cup frozen peas and carrots, thawed
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 eggs
2 tbsps soy sauce
vegetable oil
salt and pepper

To make:
1. Peel shrimps. Devein by running through back horizontally, creating a “butterfly” shape when cooked.
2. Slice chicken breast.
3. Heat up oil in a heavy, wide skillet or wok.
4. Add lightly beaten eggs and scramble, making sure eggs remain moist. Remove eggs from skillet and set aside.
5. Saute chicken until cooked. Make sure not to dry them out. Remove from skillet and set aside.
6. Add oil to skillet as needed. Saute shrimp until pink. Remove from skillet and set aside.
7. Again add oil to skillet as necessary. Saute onions until translucent.
8. Add peas and carrots. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes.
9. Add cooked rice and stir constantly so rice does not stick to bottom of skillet, around 4 to 6 minutes.
10. Add cooked chicken and shrimp. Stir constantly.
11. Mix in soy sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
12. Add scrambled eggs and mix in.
13. Remove from skillet. Garnish with chopped green onions if desired.

Curried Shrimp

I was looking for something quick last week and all I had at home in terms of meat was frozen shrimp. So I opened up Mark Bittman's "How to Cook Everything" and found the shrimp section. That's what I love about his books - they're organized by the main ingredient, so if you have something and you want to know what to do with it (which is usually the case for me), you can look to him for ideas. This book also has an intro to every section to give you an overview on how it's used, prepared or bought - which is really useful! I even had to look in there for how to cut a pineapple and not get spiky or tough parts. Pathetic, aren't I? :)

Curried Shrimp (from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything)
4 to 6 servings
Time: 45 minutes

(You can make the sauce ahead of time if you want, and just add the shrimp and lemon juice at the last minute.)

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp peanut or vegetable oil
2 large onions, minced
1 Tbsp curry powder
1/4 tsp cayenne, or to taste
2 Tbsp minced cilantro leaves
1 lb. small waxy red or white potatoes, peeled and halved (I just used whatever I had at home and cut into bite size pieces)
2 cups cored and chopped canned or fresh tomatoes, with their liquid
Salt to taste
1 to 1 1/2 lbs. shrimp, in the 20 to 30 per lb. range, peeled, rinsed, dried, and cut into halves or thirds (I also de-vein)
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (I used bottled)

To make:
1. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet for 2 minutes. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until golden, about 10 minutes.
2. Add the curry powder, cayenne, and half the cilantro and stir. Add the potatoes, tomatoes, and salt, stir, cover, and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes (mine only took 20).
3. Add the shrimp and lemon juice, and cook, uncovered, until the shrimp turn pink, 3 to 5 minutes (I cooked mine a little longer - about 10 min). Add the remaining cilantro and serve with white rice.

This was great - I'm definitely making again.

Hola Mexico! Mac and 'Burger Casserole

I helped out Safia recently with a Mexican food-themed dinner. Everything was pretty easy and simple and had common ingredients which made it even better for feeding a party of people. We also made some spritzy pina colada :) But here's one of the the dishes Safia makes often and is always a hit. Go light on the cheese topping, that mac and cheese can be more than enough!

FOUR LAYER HAMBURGER AND MACARONI CASSEROLE
Makes 6 servings

2 (12-ounce) packages STOUFFER'S® Macaroni and Cheese, defrosted* - divided use
8 ounces lean ground beef
2 tablespoons ORTEGA® Taco Seasoning Mix
2 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 cup diced tomato
1/3 cup crushed potato or tortilla chips
1/2 cup (2-ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400ºF (205°C).

Combine beef and seasoning mix in large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes or until beef is no longer pink.

Combine one package of macaroni and cheese and sour cream in medium bowl; spread over bottom of 8-inch-square baking dish. Top with beef mixture. Spread remaining package macaroni and cheese over beef mixture; top with tomato, potato chips and cheese.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly around edges.

The Bomb Diggety Stir Fry!

Salaam all,

Here is an amazing recipe for stir fry that Samina and I adore and can't get enough of..

It's from Cook's Illustrated (my favorite cookbook is the best 30-minute meals by Cook Illustrated).

Do not be discouraged by the length, this recipe is easy and fool proof and you will love the results. It's better than any Chinese take out.

*Note: use any vegetables of your liking.
---
stir fried chicken and vegetables w/ spicy Thai basil sauce..

1 pound boneless skinless chicken cut into thin strips
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 recipe sauce
1 8 oz package mushrooms, sliced
4 oz (or 1 1/2 cups) sliced or julienned carrots
1 bell pepper, cored and sliced
3 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced/grated fresh ginger
---
while chicken cooks, prepare sauce. Mince garlic and ginger while
vegetables cook.
---
1. toss chicken with soy sauce. stir fry in 2 teaspoons oil until
lightly browned, about 3 minutes. transfer to a clean bowl.
2. add another teaspoon of oil to the pan and return to high heat.
add mushrooms and cook until lightly browned, then stir in carrots and
peppers, cook until tender.
3. clear the center of the pan by pushing the vegetables to the side.
add remaining oil, and garlic and ginger, crushing the mixture into
the pan with the back of a wooden spoon. cook until fragrant, about 30
seconds.
4. stir in cooked chicken, whisk sauce to recombine, add to pan and
bring to simmer, cook until sauce thickens, 1 -2 minutes.


Sauce- makes enough for one stir fry-spicy basil Thai sauce
1 cup basil leaves coarsely chopped ( i believe they mean Thai basil
but i used regular)
3/4 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoon fish sauce (closest substitute for this is soy sauce...)
1 tablespoon Asian chili sauce
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch

--
mix together...then use in recipe

What to do with leftover chicken broth...

Doston,

Here's a question that everyone is asking (not "is Suri Cruise really Tom's baby?" puhhleeasse)

What do you do with leftover chicken broth?

The answer:
Freeze it.
Ideally in ice cube trays so it's easy to add the desired amount to future recipes.

That's today's tips...

Stay tuned for more..

Curried Rice

My lovely friend Fatima made this yummy yummy rice yesterday..being a desi I never really believed in curry powder but now I'm gonna go out and get some...

2 tablespoons Reduced-calorie margarine
1/2 cup Finely chopped onion
2 cloves Garlic; minced
1 1/2 cup Uncooked white basmati rice
1 teaspoon Curry powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
21 ounces Low-salt chicken broth
1/2 cup Water
1/4 cup Chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon Grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon Fresh lemon juice

Directions:
Melt margarine in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; saute 5 minutes. Add rice and curry powder; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add salt, broth, and water, and bring to a boil.

Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, and stir in the remaining ingredients. Let stand, covered, 10 minutes; fluff with a fork

French Onion Soup

This is the recipe for the soup Sameera made for our French cook-a-thon. It was amazingly simple, and tasted really good with the bread and cheese topping. Mmmmmm. I didn't have any oven safe bowls, so we broiled the bread with cheese separately and then placed it on the soup before serving.

French Onion Soup

Serves 4


2 Tbs. butter OR margarine
4 med. white onions - sliced
3 cups beef or chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water
½ Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 dash dried thyme
½ loaf Sourdough or French bread
1/2 cup sliced provolone, mozzarella cheese, munster or Monterey jack
---

1. Melt butter in saucepan over low heat
2. Add onions and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally
3. Add beef broth, water, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and thyme to pot
4. Increase heat and bring to boil, then reduce heat
5. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes
6. Divide into 4 oven safe bowls
7. Cut the bread slices into the size of the bowl and toast
8. Top the soup bowl with bread, then cheese
9. Broil until cheese is melted, in the oven or toaster oven

Eggplant (Or any veggie) Pakoras

Najiba mentioned making these the other day, and it sounded delicious. Eggplant is also my husband's favorite veggie, so he was the perfect guinea pig. I used the large variety of eggplant, but picked the smallest one I could find. The seeds are the best part of the eggplant, and I feel like seed-to-flesh ratio is too low in the really big eggplants.

I sliced the eggplant relatively thin, but the slightly thicker slices actually turned out tasting better, because the eggplant was juicier inside after frying. I think about 1/2 inch thick works. I cut in to half-moons at Najiba's recommendation, because big round slices aren't really bite-sized.

This recipe is actually based on instructions from the back of the bag of besan (gram flour) from the Indian store. I added a bit more besan than recommended, just to make it thick enough to coat the eggplant and stay on. I didn't have ajwan seeds, so I substituted cumin seeds, because wikipedia said they were similarly flavored. I think using seeds as opposed to powder is key though.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups besan (gram flour)
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ajwan seeds
2 tsp salt
1 cup water
1/2 tsp tumeric powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder

To make:

1. Mix the flour and a little water in a bowl to make a stiff dough, then add more water and whip the mixture to make a thick batter. Let sit for 30 minutes.
2. Heat oil for frying on medium heat in a skillet deep enough to let pakoras float. The oil should be nearly smoking when ready.
3. Add all other ingredients to batter and mix again to keep batter thick.
4. Cut eggplant into 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick half moon slices.
5. Dip each slice of eggplant into the batter and coat both sides.
6. Drop into the hot oil, frying a few slices at a time, few enough that the slices don't stick together while swimming in the oil.
7. Turn frequently and remove when golden brown on both sides.
8. Drain well and place on plate lined with paper towels to soak up excess oil.
9. Eat immediately!

Lamb Stew with Butternut Squash

This is a recipe sushisameroni sent to me once and i just love it!

With shorter days and colder nights, this richly flavorful lamb stew with butternut squash is a great way to fill up and stay warm.

Ingredients:
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper1 pound lean lamb shoulder, on the bone, trimmed of fat, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 Tbsp olive oil1 medium onion, chopped
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp Sweet Hungarian paprika
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 pounds of butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 14-oz can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 large tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 medium garlic clove, minced
Salt (to taste)
1/6 cup fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons Sweet Hungarian paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons dried mint

Directions:
1 Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper on the meat. In a large pan heat a thin layer of olive oil. Add the meat and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until all the juices evaporate, about 7 minutes. Add the onion and cook stirring, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

2 Add the tomato paste, 1 Tbsp of paprika and 1/8 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring until the mixture begins to carmelize. Add 1 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to a low simmer, and simmer until the meat is tender, about 45 minutes. (If you have a pressure cooker, you can pressure cook the meat mixture for about 15 minutes instead.)

3 Add the squash, garbanzo beans, tomato, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and enough water to just cover the ingredients. Cover and cook until the squash is tender, about 30 minutes.

4 Stir in the lemon juice and remove from the heat. Season with salt. Transfer the stew to a shallow serving dish.

5 Rub the 2 teaspoons of paprika, 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and dried mint through a fine sieve. In a small saucepan, heat the remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil on medium heat, until a speck of spice dropped into the oil sizzles. Add the sieved spices and stir for just an instant. Swirl the seasoned oil into the stew, stir once and serve hot with warm, crusty bread.

Serves 6. (Recipe adapted from one in Food and Wine magazine.)

My comments:
This is a great winter stew! And not to worry, if you dont have all the ingredients you can improvise with your own spices. The key is that you make the lamb nice and tender, and the butternut squash is an amazing compliment to the texture.

Salad the French Way

Sameera and I are having a French-food cook-a-thon today. On the menu is Salad Nicoise, French Onion Soup, Steak Frites, and Chocolate Mousse. I'm posting the recipe for the Salad, I'll post the others once we've tried them :) If anyone has suggestions for other French classics to try at a later date, please leave a comment!

SALAD NICOISE (from Recipe Source)

Serving Size : 8

Ingredients:

8 oz Beans -- green, topped & tailed
16 Potatoes -- new, small, peeled
4 Eggs -- hard boiled, sliced
1 can Tuna -- 7 1/2 oz drained
3 Tomatoes -- cut in wedges
1/2 ts Mustard -- dijon
1 Garlic clove- finely chopped
2 tb Vinegar -- red wine
1/2 cup Olive oil
1 tb Parsley- finely chopped
1 tb Chives -- fresh chopped
8 Anchovy fillets (opt)
16 Olives -- black

To make:

In pot of boiling water,add green beans and boil
till tender crisp, about 2-3 minutes. Refresh with
cold cold water and dry.
In large pot of salted water, bring potatoes to a
boil. Cook till tender, about 8 minutes.
Combine green beans, potatoes, tuna, tomatoes in
large bowl. In small bowl, whisk together mustard,
garlic and vinegar. Add oil slowly, then parsley and
chives. Season with pepper and pour over ingredients.
Top with eggs, anchovy fillets and olives.
If green beans aren't available, you can use green
and or red pepper. 

CTM - Chicken Tikka Masala - Who doesn't love it??

I made this at home for some friends the other day, and we had yummy leftovers for days. Of course I made it with 3 lbs of chicken instead of 2, so that may explain the leftovers. :) I also had to equally increase the proportions on all the other ingredients as well, which I'm sure was not the way it was meant to be, but I still liked it alot! And it wasn't hard to do at all. Having a good instant read thermometer is very useful for recipes like this (or any meat recipes), because my dinky little thermometer needle takes what feels like an eternity to get to where it's going, and in the meantime my chicken is returning to room temperature...

~Sam

Chicken Tikka Masala (from Cook's Illustrated)
This dish is best when prepared with whole-milk yogurt, but low-fat yogurt can be substituted. For a spicier dish, do not remove the ribs and seeds from the chile. If you prefer, substitute 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper for the garam masala. The sauce can be made ahead, refrigerated for up to 4 days in an airtight container, and gently reheated before adding the hot chicken. Serve with basmati rice. Serves 4 to 6

Chicken Tikka:
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon table salt
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts , trimmed of fat
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (see note above)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

Masala Sauce:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion , diced fine (about 1 1/4 cups)
2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 fresh serrano chile , ribs and seeds removed, flesh minced (see note above)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon garam masala (see note above)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1. FOR THE CHICKEN: Combine cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with spice mixture, pressing gently so mixture adheres. Place chicken on plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. In large bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, garlic, and ginger; set aside.

2. FOR THE SAUCE: Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, chile, tomato paste, and garam masala; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cream and return to simmer. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.

3. While sauce simmers, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat broiler. Using tongs, dip chicken into yogurt mixture (chicken should be coated with thick layer of yogurt) and arrange on wire rack set in foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Discard excess yogurt mixture. Broil chicken until thickest parts register 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer and exterior is lightly charred in spots, 10 to 18 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.

4. Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks and stir into warm sauce (do not simmer chicken in sauce). Stir in cilantro, adjust seasoning with salt, and serve.

Fool Proof Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Who doesn't love LOVE love chocolate chip cookies...I can't stop eating them...until I discovered this recipe...it's absolutely delicious and just as good as the original chocolate chip cookie..and the oatmeal makes me think *maybe* they're good for me. My husband and I are addicted to these cookies and can't keep our butter supply stocked high enough to make as many of these as we'd like. Just a tip: follow the recipe exactly...it'll pay off. The only thing I did differently was bake an extra two minutes but that depends on your oven.

happy baking.

sameera
--
Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies (from allrecipes.com)
Yield about 3.5 dozen

INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Mix in the quick oats, walnuts, and chocolate chips. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

The First One - Mango and Ginger Shrimp Skewers

Just because this is my first recipe posting, doesn't mean this is my favorite recipe. I just thought I would get things started. I found this recipe on the NPR website, and it sounds just like something my husband loves to eat at a restaurant we frequent. I'm going to try it on my new George Foreman grill (any other Foreman-owners?) this weekend... Let me know if you try it!

Shrimp on Skewers with Ginger & Mango Glaze

ingredients:
1 large ripe, mango, peeled and seed removed
3 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
¼ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup orange juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Several sprigs fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon Tabasco hot sauce
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, about 25- 30 to a pound
Wooden skewers soaked in hot water

to make:
1. place mango, ginger, sugar, orange juice, soy sauce, cilantro and hot sauce into a blender and puree till smooth
2. put shrimp into a bowl, pour marinade over them and allow to marinate, refrigerated, for 1 hour
3. thread shrimp onto skewers, season with salt and pepper
4. using a grill pan, or outdoor grill, grill shrimp over high heat, turning to cook both sides, until the glaze turns a burnished mahogany color
5. serve shrimp immediately

Recipe © 2007 Michael Lomonaco

Update: I tried the grilled shrimp in the foreman, and though it was easy, I'm not so impressed with the output. The shrimp didn't caramelize like I expected them too, even though the mango should have provided enough sugar. Maybe adding some honey would help? It still tasted good, and I put together a nice garden salad to go with it, but this one may be better for gas or charcoal grills.

Welcome to Cook's Central!

Peace! A friend of mine gave me an idea about trying to pool from the collective knowledge of all my cooking-expert friends - a Blog. It was so modern, yet strangely practical, and I thought it just might work, maybe better than the famous recipe email chain. Then I hemmed and hawwed for a few weeks or maybe months, not sure if it would really be my thing. But with the new year I figured, what the heck. Let's see how it goes :)

I originally wanted to name it The Cook's Book - what I thought would be a clever twist on the old standard - but apparantly I was 3 years too late and not quite as clever as I imagined myself to be. The real Cook's Book is now defunct, but apparantly Blogger is not into recycling names. In their defense, the Cook's Book will forever offer 4 interesting recipes to the world.

And now back to Cook's Central. I spend a lot of time (shhh) perusing the unlimited sources of recipes and cooking advice on the web, which translates into hundreds of eco-unfriendly sheets of printed recipes hiding all over my kitchen. But the web is a case of quantity rather than quality when it comes to selection. So when I'm feeling anti-internet, I invest in my growing and more traditional cookbook collection, which has it's own advantages. But the fact is, I often find myself sitting at my desk at work at 4:30 in the afternoon (as is the case now), fruitlessly trying to imagine what's in the pages of my cookbooks at home. Without them, I can't really plan for today's dinner, and without a plan, I'm pretty much useless. I could try to find something online, but with no inspiring words from a cookbook author, I have no idea where to start.

My friends are often my best source for what new recipe to try, so having a blog where they can contribute their favorite recipes and provide advice or commentary sounded like a fantastic idea. This way we would all have a place to look for recipes tried and tasted by people we trust, as well as a place to ask questions when we're stumped. I know a lot of recipes don't fit within my dietary restrictions (pork, wine, etc.) so I'd love to see how other people get around unwelcome ingredients!

The more the merrier! Let's make some food. :)