Tag: cinnamon

Chicken Curry with Roasted Onion and Garlic

This is a very different way of making a curry- usually, the onion, ginger, garlic and tomato and cooked to death to achieve a deep, deep flavor. I like to cook simple food that doesn’t take me forever to cook… but I want to get the cooked to death flavor- so I roasted the onions and garlic…. it created an amazing, amazing flavors…

1 large yellow onion, cut in half with skin on
3 garlic cloves, intact
2 inch piece of ginger
1 14 ounce can of fire roasted tomatoes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Wrap the garlic and ginger in a piece of aluminum foil. Place the onion and the aluminum packet on a lined cookie sheet and roast in the oven for 40 minutes. Take out and let cool and transfer to a blender. Add the canned tomatoes and blend till a smooth sauce is formed. Keep aside.

2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
2 tablespoons butter or ghee
2 pounds chicken thighs, skinless and boneless and cut into 2 inch pieces
Sprinkle with salt
2 teaspoons black cumin or regular cumin
1 cinnamon stick- 3 inches
3 cloves

Sprinkle the chicken pieces with salt. In the meantime, heat a heavy saucepan with the oil and butter/ghee. Brown the chicken pieces on both sides on a medium high heat. Take out of pan and keep aside. Add the cumin, cinnamon and cloves. Saute for 30 seconds on medium heat. Add the onion and tomato sauce and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the chicken pieces, a cup of water and bring to a boil. Simmer on low heat covered with a lid for 30 minutes. Take the lid off and adjust seasoning as desired. Serve with rice or roti.

Orange Pumpkin Trifle

This is a delicious dessert to make for the holidays!

Orange Curd (Recipe from Food and Wine)

3 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
½ cup sugar
¼ cup fresh orange juice
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons

In a small heavy saucepan, whisk together the eggs and egg yolks. Whisk in the sugar, then whisk in the citrus juices and zests. Add the butter and whisk constantly over moderately low heat until the mixture thickens, about 8 minutes; do not let it boil. Immediately strain the curd into a bowl. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd and cut 6 small steam vents in the plastic. Refrigerate the curd overnight.

Pumpkin Bread

1¼ cup white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine salt
½ teaspoon powdered cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup turbinado sugar
2 large eggs
½ cup extra light olive oil
1 cup canned pumpkin puree

Sift the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt into a medium bowl, set aside. Lightly brush a 9X5X3 inches loaf pan with butter. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the oil and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add one egg at a time mixing in between. Add 1 cup pumpkin puree and mix for about 5 minutes. Remove the bowl from the mixer. With a rubber spatula, mix in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Fold the batter to the prepared pan. Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Cool the bread in the pan for 5 minutes before taking it out. Cool completely before serving.
Slice the bread into ½ inch slices.

1 cup whipping cream
1 cup mascarpone cheese
3 tablespoons powdered sugar

Whip the cream, mascarpone cheese and sugar with an electric beater till the stiff peaks are formed while being careful not to over whip.

Segments of 3 large navel oranges plus a few more for garnish
½ cup fresh orange juice

Assemble the trifle by starting with lining the bottom of the bowl with one part of the cake slices (divide the cake slices into three parts). Drizzle the layer with some orange juice. Divide the orange curd into three parts and spread one part onto the cake. Divide the orange segments into three piles and add the first pile onto the curd. Repeat twice more and top with the whipped cream. Garnish with a few orange slices. Chill in the fridge, preferably overnight.

The Best Roast Chicken with Milk and Sage Gravy!

So, I love, love Jamie Oliver and everything he does. I make a lot of his recipes. I was looking for a roast chicken recipe as I was getting tired of making it the same way… and I came across this recipe. The chicken is browned in fat and cooked in milk- what, I thought??? After reading the reviews, I was convinced- everyone said, it was the best chicken ever… but the it didn’t look so pretty- well, the gravy didn’t. Since the the chicken is roasted in milk and lemon zest- the separates in the cooking process- so the sauce is broken….so, I came up with a way to fix it. After the chicken was done cooking, I blended the broken sauce to emulsify it and voila.. I had an amazingly yummy, creamy gravy!! Definitely try this recipe- so, so good!!! Oh, and save the fat after browning the chicken and cook your potatoes in it- so yummy!

One 3 lb whole roasting chicken, cleaned and dry
Salt
Pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
Zest of one large lemon, cut the remaining lemon in quarters and set aside
1 cinnamon stick
4 to 6 garlic cloves, skin on
Fresh sage leaves, 6 to 7
2 cups whole milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper, including the cavity.

Melt the oil and butter in a medium Dutch oven pan (big enough for the chicken to fit snug) over medium high heat. Brown the chicken well on all sides, for about 10 minutes. Take the chicken out, drain the fat to a small bowl. In the meantime, add the milk, lemon zest, cinnamon stick, garlic and sage leaves to the same pan. Add the lemon quarters to the chicken cavity and transfer the chicken back into the pan with breast side down. Roast with lid in the oven for 1 hour. Take the lid off after an hour and baste the chicken with the milk gravy. Roast for another 15 minutes and take out. Take the chicken out and cover with aluminum foil. Take the sage leaves and cinnamon stick out of the gravy and transfer to a blender. Blend well and return to the pan, bring to a boil, taste for seasonings. In the meantime, pull the meat from the bones of the chicken and serve warm with the milk gravy.

Roast some potatoes using the spare fat from the chicken.

Serve green beans and roast potatoes with the delicious chicken.

Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins

I know it is not pumpkin season but these healthy muffins are still really, really good- I make them for my daughter for breakfast. They are great to have in the fridge or freezer all the time. I just take them out, cut them in half, and toast them with butter- really delicious and really good for you! A glass of milk and some berries on the side- it is a perfect breakfast!

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup old fashioned oats
2 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ cup full fat yogurt
½ cup full fat milk
¾ cup pumpkin puree
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup coconut oil
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup walnuts, chopped
½ cup dark chocolate, chopped

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Line 15 to 16 standard size muffin cups with paper liners.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and sugar. In a glass bowl, melt the coconut oil and add the yogurt, milk, pumpkin puree, egg and vanilla extract. Whisk well and add to the dry ingredients. Add the walnuts and chocolate. Mix well and divide batter between the muffin cups. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or till the toothpick comes out clean.

Middle Eastern Style Meatballs with Yogurt Sauce

This is a great take on your regular, run of the mill, meatballs- not that any thing is wrong with that… but sometimes it is nice to change it up a bit…. they are really good to entertain with… I served mine with delicious couscous…

1 pound ground pork (any ground meat can be used)
2 shallots, chopped
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
½ cup fresh mint, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
½ cup panko breadcrumbs soaked in ½ cup milk (let sit for at least 10 mins)

Mix all the ingredients and set aside for at least an hour.

Tomato Sauce

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon sumac
Zest of one orange (keep juice aside)
3 cups tomato sauce, homemade or canned crushed tomatoes
Salt

Heat a heavy saucepan with the oil. Add the tomato paste, fennel seeds, ground cumin, cinnamon and orange zest. Saute on medium heat for a minute and add the tomato sauce and the saved orange juice. Bring to a boil and simmer on low heat with lid on for at least 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes or so. Take lid off and increase heat and form meatballs and drop gently into the pan. Lower the heat to a simmer with the lid on and cook for 30 minutes. Check for seasonings and add salt. Serve on top of couscous topped with yogurt sauce.

Yogurt Sauce

1 cup yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground roasted cumin seeds
½ teaspoon dried mint, crumbled
½ cup grated cucumber, water squeezed
½ cup grated carrot, water squeezed.
1 to 2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sumac

Mix all the ingredients and check for seasonings. Serve with meatballs.

Middle Eastern Style Carrot and Raisin Salad

Another yummy salad to complement my feast but this can go with any kind of meal. You can use the pre grated carrots from the store to make it easier but I used the multi colored carrots that made the salad extra special!!

5 to 6 large carrots, peeled and grated
½ cup golden raisins
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
Juice on one large lemon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 to 2 teaspoons salt
3 green onions, chopped
½ cup fresh mint, chopped

Transfer all the ingredient to a serving bowl. Mix well and let the salad sit for a couple of hours before serving.

Greek Style Eggplant with Pine Nuts and Feta

This is a yummy dish for meatless Monday. It has delicious roasted eggplant flavored with mint, cinnamon, tomatoes and feta. It is a great side dish or a dip with warm pita bread!

1 pound eggplant, I used small ones, sliced ½ inch thick
Drizzle of olive oil
Salt

Place the sliced eggplant on a cookie sheet, drizzle with oil and sprinkle some salt. Broil under medium heat turning the slices once till both sides are golden brown- about 10 minutes. Take out of oven and keep aside.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried mint
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
½ cup pine nuts
½ cup chopped tomatoes, canned or fresh
Salt
½ cup dried currants
½ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
¼ cup dill, chopped
½ cup feta, crumbled

Add the olive oil to a heavy saucepan and add the mint and cinnamon. Cook for 15 seconds on medium high heat and add the onion, garlic and pine nuts. Saute on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and currants. Saute for another 5 to 6 minutes. Add the eggplant and salt to taste. Mix well and cook for 5 minutes. Turn the heat off and add the parsley and dill. Once the dish is completely cooled off, add the feta and mix well. Serve room temperature.

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