Recipes

[Zhills]

@PA Mom-mom   This soup sounds delicious!

Easy Cuban-Style Beef Picadillo

Ingredients

1 TBS olive oil

1 cup chopped sweet onion

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

2 dried bay leaves

2 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 pounds 95% lean ground beef

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

cayenne pepper, to taste

1/4 cup tomato paste

14 1/2 oz. can diced tomatoes with garlic and onions

1/4 cup sliced pimento stuffed green olives

1- 2 Tbsp brine from olives

1 - 2 splashes of red wine vinegar

fresh chopped cilantro for garnish, if desired

Instructions

In large skillet, heat olive oil over med-high heat. When it begins to shimmer, add onion, red bell pepper and both bay leaves. Stir and cook until the peppers and onion begin to soften (about 6 minutes). Add in the garlic and stir. Cook for another minute or so, until the garlic becomes fragrant.

Add the lean ground beef to the pan and break up with a spoon or spatula. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brown ground beef stirring and breaking up occasionally. There should be no need to drain once browned, since you are using lean ground beef.

Once beef is browned, add in the cumin, cayenne pepper and tomato paste, Stir to coat meat. Cook for about 1 minute. Add in the canned tomatoes, olive, and brine. Stir.

Turn heat down to simmer and allow the mixture to cook for about 8 minutes to blend flavors.

Sprinkle in the red wine vinegar and stir. Remove bay leaves and test for additional salt and pepper and adjust to your liking.    Yield: 8 servings

Serve with Yellow Rice and Black Beans for a wonderful Cuban dinner!

Next ingredients:  Eggplant

[PA Mom-mom]

@Zhills It is delicious and sooo easy. I'm going to try your recipe next weekend! It sounds yummy and easy as well!

[Zhills]

@PA Mom-mom  I fix the Piccadillo, use the VIGO yellow rice in a cellophane package, used canned "seasoned, ready to eat" black beans and use the frozen Plantinos or fried plaintain!  If you can get it, serve with Cuban bread!  A delicacy in our area with influence of the early Tampa, FL settlers!

Next ingredient:  Eggplant

[vabreeze]

Turkish Stuffed Eggplants aka Splitting Bellies

Ingredients:

4 medium sized eggplant

olive oil as needed

1 yellow onion, diced

1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cayenne

1/2 tsp dried rosemary

1/4 cup freshly chopped Italian parsley (I didn’t add, but you should)

2 TBS tomato paste

1 lb ground lamb or beef
1 1/2 cups diced sweet and/or hot peppers

1 oz (about 1 cup unpacked) finely, freshly grated Pecorino cheese, or whatever you’re into

Fresh chopped parsley, chopped

1 cup chicken broth

Directions:

Smear a little EVOO in the bottom of baking dish.  Roast eggplant at 400° F. until just barely soft.

Remove from the oven, season the inside shell of eggplant with your choice of spices/blends, i.e. salt or Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Salute, etc.  Now stuff with the meat mixture. 

For decoration purposes, add a strip of red, yellow and green bell peppers to each stuffed eggplant.

Sprinkle a little EVOO over the stuffed eggplants and return to the oven.  Continue baking until very tender.

Serve with tzatziki sauce over the stuffed eggplants and rice.

Next ingredient-- Dried seaweed   Any fruit-infused balsamic vinegar

[house_cat]

---

@Zhills wrote:

Easy Yellow Rice 

(based on a Food Network Recipe)

Prep time: 5 minutes  Cook time: 15 to 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 to 2 tablespoons butter 
• 2 cups long grain basmati rice
• 4 cups water
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• chopped chives or green onions for garnish

Cooking Directions

1. In a medium saucepan combine butter, turmeric and cumin. Saute on medium heat until butter is melted and lightly foaming, while stirring it with the spices. Add rice and stir until the rice is completely coated with the spice mixture.
2. Add water and salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until water is completely absorbed about 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Serve warm with chives or scallions.

Chicken and Yellow Rice is a staple in the Tampa Bay area.  Use chicken broth instead of water.  Quick brown your chicken and finish cooking with the rice or cook in broth before adding rice.  

I made this last night. The flavors were very good, but the basmati rice that I use often, simply broke up and the whole thing turned to mush.  I didn't overcook it.  Can anyone imagine what I did wrong?  Do the spices have that effect on the rice?  I'm really perplexed.

Next ingredient-- Dried seaweed   Any fruit-infused balsamic vinegar

---

[Zhills]

@house_cat  I use Uncle Ben's rice when I make this so I have never had that happen.  The spices should not cause the rice to break down.  Wish I could help.

Next ingredient-- Dried seaweed   Any fruit-infused balsamic vinegar

[aroc3435]

RASPBERRY VINAIGRETTE from Martha Stewart's website.

1/4 cup raspberries

2 TBSP Balsamic vinegar

2 TBSP fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp sugar

dash of salt and finely ground black pepper

6 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

Puree raspberries (I pulse in my VitaMix.) Blend vinegar, lemon juice, vinegar and sugar on low speed then slowly drizzle in olive oil while blending.

Yield is about 2/3 of a cup and can easily be doubled.

Refrigerate in a jar.  To use take out ahead of time and shake to emulsify.

Very nice on fresh green salad.

NEXT INGREDIENT:  POTATO

[walker]

Parmesan Baked POTATO Halves

6 small POTATOES, scrubbed and cut in half

1/4 cup butter

grated Parmesan cheese

other seasonings (personal choice)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Melt butter and pour into a 9 x 13" pan spreading evenly across bottom of pan.  Generously sprinkle Parmesan cheese and lightly sprinkle other seasonings over butter, if desired.  Place POTATO halves face down on the butter and seasonings.  Place in preheated oven and bake 40-45 minutes.  Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan.  Serve on plate with side of sour cream or ranch dressing for dipping.

Note .. Original recipe found on Pinterest.  Can also coat potatoes in Italian dressing instead of Parmesan cheese.

NEXT INGREDIENT .... CREAM CHEESE

[aroc3435]

Tiny Tim Cranberry Tarts

Published in The Washington Post on February 2, 2005 from cookbook author Jane Mengenhauser.   Tested by Bonnie S. Benwick

"These two bite tarts offer cream cheese pastry, the sweet crunch of topping and a surprise of tartness inside.  Never be tempted to put more than three cranberries in each one cup; one berry too much can cause a tiny fruit eruption during baking.  For some reason, this recipe does not work well in regular size muffin tins or as a large tart.   . . ."

Tested size:  24 tarts

INGREDIENTS

For the Crust:

8 TBSP unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 oz regular or low fat cream cheese (I use regular.)

1 cup flour

For the Filling:

1 egg

3/4 cup sugar

2 TBSP unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

(I also add 1/2 tsp almond extract.)

1/2 cup (2 0z) chopped walnuts

72 (3 0z) fresh or frozen cranberries

DIRECTIONS

For the crust:  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Have ready a non stick mini muffin pan that will hold 24 tarts.  

In a bowl using a food processor or your fingertips combine the 8 TBSP butter cream cheese and flour until a ball of dough forms.  The dough should be fairly moist and come together easily.  

Cut it into 24 pieces and place each piece into one of the cups.  Using your fingertips, press dough on the bottom and all the way up the sides of each cup.

For the filling:  In a bowl using the electric mixer on medium speed, combine the egg, butter, sugar, vanilla (and the almond extract) and mix well.  Stir in the walnuts.

Place 3 cranberries in each cup and spread some of the nut mixture over over the cranberries, filling each cup so the cranberries are covered.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until well browned.  Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool slightly.  Run the tip of a knife around the edge of each to loosen, then slip the tarts out of the pan.

NEXT INGREDIENT:  CRACKERS, CHIPS, OR BREAD CRUMBS

[leighagemini]

Jalapeno Popper Dip

3 packages cream cheese

1 can diced jalapenos (do not drain)

shredded cheese

panko bread crumbs

blend cream cheese. stir in diced jalapenos. bake 350 for 25 minutes.  *topping* mix  shredded cheese and panko bread crumbs, top dip and bake another 5-10 minutes. let stand about 10 minutes before serving

*new ingredient*  peanut butter