Showing posts with label Stoner Cooking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stoner Cooking. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Stoner Cooking 2-29-12


Are you ready for the 1,081-calorie bacon milkshake?
Jack in the Box just introduced its new bacon milkshake, which contains no bacon.
Jeannine Stein
February 8, 2012
http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-bacon-milkshake-jack-in-the-box-20120208,0,4234279.story

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new contestant in the who-can-top-this outrageous new fast food item: the bacon milkshake from Jack in the Box.

The bacon shake is made with no actual bacon, just real vanilla ice cream, bacon-flavored syrup, whipped topping and a maraschino cherry, according to the website. We were thinking this had to be the most trayf food known to mankind before we saw the ingredient list. We'll get to the nutritional info in a minute.

The item is proving to be somewhat polarizing, with some people loving the product (or the idea of it, at least) and others finding it downright nasty. On MyFoxDFW.com, one commenter posted, "Disgusting!!!" while another said, "Mmmmm, Bacon ... is there anything it can't do?" One person was intrigued: "I have no interest in a bacon flavored milk shake, yet I find myself oddly inclined to want to see what it tastes like..."

On the Gizmodo site, this was posted: "I can't be the only one grossed out by this," followed by, "You're not, but, you know, it's very ironic and hip to like bacon mixed with totally inappropriate flavors."

Bacon shakes are apparently not new, since we saw plenty of recipes on the Internet, ones that used real bacon. How anyone concocted this is beyond our imagination, even though we've heard the phrase "Everything's better with bacon" repeated ad infinitum.

Fast food companies seem to relish coming up with new ways to fascinate and gross us out at the same time: Witness KFC's Double Down (two two fried chicken fillets, surrounding two slices of cheese, two slices of bacon, sauce and no bun) and Domino's Pizza's Mac-N-Cheese Breadbowl pasta. The description on that reads: "a flavorful blend of melted cheeses mixed with penne pasta and baked to creamy perfection." It sits inside a big "bowl" of dough.

OK, let's get to the good stuff. A 16-ounce bacon shake weighs in at 773 calories, 28 grams of saturated fat, 2 grams of trans fat and 75 grams of sugar. Hankering for a 24-ounce size? That'll be 1,081 calories, 37 grams of saturated fat, 3 grams of trans fat and 108 grams of sugar. Mmmmm. We're saying that ironically.

Since we're too afraid to order one, we're relying on you dairy-and-bacon-lovers to do some recon for us and tell us what you think -- yea or nay?

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Retropedia: Fluffernutter
http://www.retroland.com/fluffernutter

It’s a snack so decadent that one might immediately assume that the King of Rock and Roll first concocted it. Two simple slices of bread, coated with equal and generous amounts of peanut butter and a delightful product called Marshmallow Fluff. To many kids of generations past, it was the perfect afterschool snack; to those with less-nutritionally-minded parents, it was occasionally a resident of the lunchbox. And, to anyone who ever had the privilege of crossing paths with a Fluffernutter, it was a sandwich that seemed as if it was created through divine intervention.

The Fluffernutter might never have come to be, had it not been for a man named Archibald Query, who sold his marshmallow cream spread door-to-door to his neighbors in Massachusetts during the turn of the century. It’s appeal led to the sale of the recipe to two businessmen, H. Allen Durkee and Fred Mower, who first marketed it in 1917 under the name “Toot Sweet Marshmallow Fluff.” The name was eventually shortened to Marshmallow Fluff, and the Durkee-Mower company remains in existence today, offering not only the original, but also raspberry and strawberry versions of Fluff.

And while the Fluffernutter (which is a registered trademark, by the way) is perhaps the most widely accepted way to use Marshmallow Fluff, it also works well as an ice cream topping, an ingredient for easy-to-make fudge, and its pairing with Kellogg’s Rice Krispies, to make those sticky squares of love known as the Rice Krispy Treat, is legendary in its own right. In the end, Fluff’s impact on the snack world seems no less important than that of a humble rock and roll singer from Tupelo, Mississipi, who may very well have consumed a few Fluffernutters in his day.

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Turkey Dinner Burgers
Mon Nov 2, 2009
http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/recipes/turkey-dinner-burgers-540262

Cook time: 12 mins
servings: 4

Nutrition Facts * Servings Per Recipe 4 servings * Calories453, * Total Fat (g)15, * Saturated Fat (g)3, * Monounsaturated Fat (g)5, * Polyunsaturated Fat (g)4, * Cholesterol (mg)58, * Sodium (mg)853, * Carbohydrate (g)48, * Total Sugar (g)12, * Fiber (g)2, * Protein (g)31, * Vitamin C (DV%)6, * Calcium (DV%)12, * Iron (DV%)20, * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound uncooked lean ground turkey or lean ground chicken
1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup jalapeno jelly, melted or barbecue sauce
Prepackaged shredded red cabbage, thinly sliced red onion, and/or desired toppings
4 potato rolls, kaiser rolls, or hamburger buns, split and toasted

directions

In a bowl combine egg, salt, and pepper. Add turkey and breadcrumbs; mix well. Shape the chicken mixture into four 3/4-inch-thick patties.

In a large nonstick skillet, cook patties over medium heat in hot oil for 10 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking time or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the burger registers 165°F. Brush patties on each side with jalapeno jelly or barbecue sauce. Cook 1 minute more on each side to glaze.

To assemble, place cabbage and red onion on bottom of rolls and top with meat. Makes 4 servings.

Broiler method: Place patties on the unheated rack of a broiler pan. Broil 4 to 5 inches from the heat for 10 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking time or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the burger registers 165 degree F. Brush patties on each side with jalapeno jelly or barbecue sauce. Cook 1 minute more on each side to glaze.

Electric Tabletop Grill Method: Lightly grease the rack of an electric table top grill. Preheat grill. Place patties on the grill rack. If using a covered grill, close lid. Grill patties until chicken is no longer pink (165 degree F). (For a covered grill allow 5 to 7 minutes. For an uncovered grill, allow 14 to 18 minutes, turning once halfway through grilling.) Brush patties with pepper jelly or barbecue sauce and cook 1 minute more on each side as above.)

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Coca-Cola Ham
http://www2.dollargeneral.com/Easy-Meals/Pages/recipe.aspx?Recipe=coca-cola ham

prep time: 10 min.
total time: 30 min.

1 Canned Ham
1 ½ cups Coca-Cola
½ cup of brown sugar
¾ cup of maraschino cherries directions
Slice the ham into three (recommended) sections.

Score the ham in a criss-cross fashion.

Pour the Coca-Cola over the slices of ham, then sprinkle with brown sugar.

Spread the cherries evenly over the slices of ham.

Put in the oven at 350* for 20 minutes.

Serve with a side of your favorite Pringles flavor & refreshing Minute Maid Lemonade.

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Grilled Chipotle Honey-Glazed Chicken Nachos with Monterey Jack Cheese Sauce, Avocado Relish and Charred Jalapenos
Bobby Flay
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/grilled-chipotle-honey-glazed-chicken-nachos-with-monterey-jack-cheese-sauce-avocado-relish-and-charred-jalapenos-recipe/index.html

Total Time: 9 hr 0 min.
Prep 30 min.
Inactive 8 hr 10 min.
Cook 20 min.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings .
Level: Intermediate

Ingredients

Chicken with Ancho and Lime Marinade:
8 boneless chicken thighs
1/2 cup lime juiceb
1/2 cup light olive oil
2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons black pepper

Chipotle Honey Sauce:
1 cup honey
1/4 cup canola oil
4 tablespoons ancho chile powder
2 to 3 tablespoons pureed canned chipotle chiles in adobo
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons Spanish paprika
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Blue corn tortilla chips, for serving
Monterey Jack Cheese Sauce, recipe follows
Avocado Relish, recipe follows
Charred Jalapenos, recipe follows

Directions

For the chicken and marinade: Place the chicken thighs in a bowl. Whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, ancho chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, garlic and black pepper in a small bowl and pour over the chicken. Cover the chicken and refrigerate overnight.

For the chipotle honey sauce: Whisk together the honey, canola oil, ancho chile powder, chipotles, mustard, ground coriander, ground cumin and Spanish paprika. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Sprinkle the chicken well with salt and pepper and place the chicken thighs on the grill at a 45-degree angle to establish good grill marks. Once the chicken easily releases from the grill, turn it over to continue cooking. Start brushing the thighs with the chipotle honey sauce every few minutes. Once the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, or its juices run clear, about 8 minutes. Remove the chicken from the grill. Let the chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Slice the chicken.

Layer the tortilla chips, top with sauce, chicken, relish and jalapenos.

Monterey Jack Cheese Sauce:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 to 2 1/2 cups whole milk, heated
16 ounces Monterey jack, grated
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in 2 cups of the warm milk, increase the heat, bring to a boil and continue whisking until the sauce thickens and the flour taste has been cooked out, about 5 minutes.

Remove the sauce from the heat and slowly whisk in the cheese a handful at a time. Continue whisking until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and nutmeg. Set aside.

Avocado Relish:
3 ripe Hass avocados, peeled, pitted and diced
1 serrano or jalapeno chile, finely diced (you can use more chiles if you want it spicier)
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
Juice of 2 limes
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 teaspoons honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

Combine the avocados, serrano, onions, lime juice, oil, honey and salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Fold in the cilantro until combined.

Charred Jalapenos:
8 jalapeno chiles
Canola oil, for brushing

Brush the jalapenos with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until charred all over, about 6 minutes.

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Hot Crab Dip
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/hot-crab-dip-recipe/index.html

Total Time: 25 min.
Prep 20 min.
Cook 5 min.
Yield: 8 servings
Level: Easy

Reduced fat cream cheese and sour cream are the healthy key to this creamy dip. A bit of crab boil spice, hot sauce, lemon and herbs keep it fresh tasting.

Ingredients
8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel), room temperature
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon crab boil spices, (recommended: Old Bay)
1 garlic clove, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
12 ounces fresh crab meat, picked over for bits of shell and patted dry
2 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 to 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Whole-wheat crackers for serving, optional

Stir together the cream cheese, sour cream, hot sauce, crab boil spice, and garlic in a medium saucepan until smooth; season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Heat the cream cheese mixture over medium-low heat until warm, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes. Fold in the crab, scallions, parsley and lemon juice and warm until heated through, about 1 minute more. Serve immediately.

Nutritional analysis per 1/4 cup serving (does not include crackers)

Calories 125; Total Fat 8g (Sat Fat 4g, Mono Fat 2g, Poly Fat 0.5g); Protein 11g; Carb 2g; Fiber 0g; Cholesterol 58mg; Sodium 349mg

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Tequila Guacamole
http://www.avocadosfrommexico.com/recipe-Tequila-Guacamole.html

4 fully ripened avocados from Mexico, halved, pitted and peeled
2 ounces white onion finely chopped
2 ounces pickled chiles jalapeños, finely chopped
2 ounces pickled carrots, finely chopped
2 ounces tequila of your choice
2 ounces vinegar from the pickled chiles jalapeños
1 tablespoon olive oil
Juice from 1/2 lime
Dried oregano to taste
Salt to taste Preparation:Mix the chile jalapeño, carrots, onion, limejuice, oregano, vinegar and tequila; marinate for two minutes.

Coarsley mash avocado with a fork. Add the rest of the ingredients and season with salt and olive oil.

Serve with chips or on tostadas.

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Cajun Turkey Pot Pie Recipe
http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/cajun_turkey_pot_pie

This turkey pot pie has a Cajun twist, starting with the trinity of onions, celery and green bell peppers, and spiced up a bit with Cajun seasoning. It's topped with a flaky, buttery crust, which is in my opinion, the best reason of all to make a pot pie.

Prep time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes

You can make the pot pie either in individual ramekins or in one large casserole dish.

Ingredients

Filling:
5 Tbsp peanut oil or unsalted butter
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow or white onion
1 large green pepper, chopped
1-2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups diced, cooked turkey meat
2 Tbsp Cajun seasoning*
Salt
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups turkey or chicken stock
1 cup dark beer (brown ale or Guinness)
1 cup diced tomatoes

Pie Crust:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, diced into 1/2-inch cubes (best to chill cubes in the freezer for at least 15 minutes before using)
3 to 4 Tbsp chilled ice water

Egg Wash:
1 egg yolk
1 Tbsp cream

*If you can't find Cajun seasoning in your local market, you can make your own with 3/4 teaspoon each of salt, pepper, dried oregano, dried thyme, and 1 1/2 teaspoons each of paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder.

Method

1 Make the pie crust dough. Pulse the flour and salt together in a food processor. Add the chilled butter cubes to the food processor and pulse 5 times. The dough should resemble a coarse cornmeal, with some pea-sized pieces of butter. Slowly add the chilled water (make sure there are no small ice cube bits), just a tablespoon at a time, pulsing once after each addition, until the dough just sticks together when you press some between your fingers. Empty the food processor, placing the dough mixture on a clean surface. Use the heel of your palm to shmoosh the dough mixture onto the table surface a few times. This action will help flatten and spread the butter between layers of flour, so that the resulting dough will be flaky. Once you've done this a few (5 or 6) times, use your hands to mold the dough into a disk. Sprinkle the disk with a little flour, wrap it in plastic wrap, and let it chill for an hour, or up to 2 days, before rolling out.

2 To make the filling, heat the oil over medium-high heat and sauté the onion, celery, green pepper and jalapeno, stirring often, until they are soft, about 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic, turkey meat, Cajun seasoning, and salt. Mix well and cook another 1 minute, stirring once or twice.

3 Bring the stock and beer to a boil in a small pot. Sprinkle the flour over the turkey and veggies and mix well. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring often and making sure no flour burns on the bottom of the pan. Slowly pour in the hot stock-beer mixture, stirring. It will seize up at first, then, as you pour in more stock and stir, will form a silky sauce for the turkey. Add the tomatoes and cook until the mixture thickens, about 3-5 minutes. Pour the filling into a 2-quart casserole or, if you wish, into individual ramekins.

4 Prepare the crust. Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface to a little less than a quarter-inch thick. If you are using a casserole, roll into a sheet a little larger than the dish. If you are using ramekins (use 10 ounce ramekins), cut the dough into 6 rounds that are slightly larger than the circumference of the ramekins. Lay the dough onto the filling. Fold the excess dough under itself and use the tines of a fork to press the dough against the edge of the ramekins. Cut a 1-inch vent into each individual pie, or several if you are making a casserole. Whisk together in a small bowl the egg yolk and cream for an egg wash. Use a pastry brush to paint the egg wash over the crust. This will help the crust brown nicely.

5 Bake at 400°F for 25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and the filling is bubbling. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Yield: Serves 6-8.

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Buffalo Chicken Cups
Kris Schoels
February 3, 2012
http://www.foxnews.com/recipe/buffalo-chicken-cups

Kris Schoels is the author of Young Married Chic a blog on baking, fashion, home decor and travel.

12 Oz of cooked chicken, diced
3 Oz of blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 Cup wing sauce (mild or hot, according to taste)
1/2 Cup cream cheese, softened
24 wonton wrappers (found in the refrigerated section of your store)

Step 1:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Step 2:
Place chicken and blue cheese in a bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl mix together the softened cream cheese and hot wing sauce. Pour the chicken and blue cheese into this bowl and mix well.

Step 3:
Place one wonton wrapper in each cupcake opening. Press down.

Step 4:
Fill each wrapper ¾ of the way with the chicken mixture, top with more crumbled blue cheese if you wish.

Step 5:
Bake for 10 minutes, or until the wrappers are golden brown.

Cook’s Note: This can also be made with phyllo dough cut into squares or tortillas if you can’t find wonton wrappers

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Candy Corn Fudge
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/candy-corn-fudge-50400000116328/

Candy corn finds a new home inside this melt-in-your-mouth fudge recipe. An optional drizzle of white and semisweet chocolate adds an easy decoration. Swirl and serve!

Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Chill: 2 Hours

Nutritional Information
Amount per serving
Calories: 112
Fat: 3g
Saturated fat: 1g
Protein: 1g
Carbohydrate: 17g
Fiber: 0.0g
Cholesterol: 2mg
Sodium: 51mg

1 7-oz. jar marshmallow cream
1 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups candy corn (about 12 oz.)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup salted peanuts
1 ounce semisweet chocolate, chopped, optional
1 ounce white chocolate, chopped, optional

1. Line an 8-inch square pan with foil; butter foil. Combine marshmallow cream, sugar, evaporated milk and butter in a large, heavy pan. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture reaches 235°F on a candy thermometer, 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and stir in candy corn, chocolate chips and peanuts, stirring until chocolate melts. Immediately transfer to foil-lined pan and smooth top until even. Chill until set, at least 2 hours.
3. In separate bowls over pans of simmering water, melt semisweet and white chocolate, if desired. Using forks, drizzle both chocolates over fudge. Cut fudge into squares.

All You , OCTOBER 2011

Monday, January 30, 2012

Stoner Cooking 1-30-12


The Darth Vader Burger

From BuzzFeed.com:

“Choose your side of The Force.” To promote the re-release of “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace” in 3D, the France- and Benelux-based fast food chain Quick is launching the Darth Vader Burger on a Sithy black bun. A less frightening looking (read: boring) Yoda Burger will also hit select locations through March 1.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mathieus/france-is-going-to-make-a-black-darth-vador-burger-8q4

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Stoner Cooking Special: Protein'd™ Cheese Sauce

From Unjury.com:

You Love Mac N Cheese. You also want to eat healthy. Eureka! Discover High Protein Mac N Cheese, with Delicious Protein'd™ Cheese Sauce from UNJURY® Protein.

Pour Protein'd™ Cheese Sauce on potatoes, chips, toast or English muffin, or cooked vegetables. Or use as dip for chips, fresh vegetables, or popcorn. You can even spoon it straight. It's that good!

For Adults:
The high quality protein in Protein'd™ keeps you from being hungry for hours. So it's great for weight loss. Higher protein is great for muscle maintenance.

For Children:
So many kids don't like meat. So they don't get enough protein to grow. Some kids would benefit from a little weight loss, and Protein'd™ Cheese Sauce can subtly add protein – which can help with weight loss...

http://www.unjury.com/store/protein/high-protein/mac-n-cheese/proteind-cheese-sauce

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Where to eat the heat
Thai, Korean, Chinese and Indian delicacies in L.A., Northridge, San Gabriel, Canoga Park and Inglewood.
January 12, 2012
http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-critics-choice-20120112,0,5663762.story

If you're a fiend for the spicy, then you may have attempted to down an entire bowl of the Special 2 ramen at Orochon in Little Tokyo, which earns you a photo on "the wall of bravery." Or you've sought the experience of Jitlada's southern Thai specialties, including Chef Tui's Dynamite Special Challenge, covered in a chile sludge that packs so much heat your ears start to ring. (Thais say southern food is the ultimate of phet, or spiciness.) Where to find more of the burn? Here, from recent Find columns, are several ways to satisfy the capsaicin cravings.

— Linda Burum, Miles Clements, Betty Hallock and C. Thi Nguyen

Jangchung-Dong Wong Jokbal

Alongside the jokbal — braised pork shank — at this Koreatown restaurant, a fiery, salty, shrimp-based dipping sauce gives every piece added zing. You eat slices with sauce or wrapped in the accompanying lettuce with a chunk of raw garlic clove and a jalapeño slice. An even spicier celebration of porkiness, mae-un jokbal bokkeum, listed on the English dinner menu as pan-fried spicy pork hock, involves a trencherman's portion of jokbal. The slices are tossed with thick glossy garlic chunks, jalapeño and red-tinged perilla leaves, whose slight bitterness accents the meat the way Angostura bitters enhance a Manhattan cocktail.

425 S. Western Ave., Suite E, Los Angeles, (213) 386-3535.

Red Chili Restaurant

Put nehari down on your 500-things-to-eat-before-you-die list. This stewed beef, the color of red earth with sauce powered by a staggering quantity of ground chile and seasonings, is as popular for breakfast in Pakistan as Cheerios are here. Its garnish of chopped fresh ginger adds a brilliant punch of fresh sweet heat. It is with this dish and the house specialty, the saucy tomato-based chicken karahi, that you realize this cooking is more about the sauces. They're luscious and beg to be soaked up with rice or spongy nan.

18108 Parthenia St. (in Parthenia Center), Northridge, (818) 775-0733.

Taste of Chong Qing

You'll get your tongue seared with the strange electricity of ma la. But you'll also experience the delicacy of subtle fish dishes and fresh vegetables. And you'll get the burn and the elegance all at once, an experience so paradoxical to the senses that you might stagger out of the restaurant a little food-drunk. One of the best dishes here is the Sichuan-style fish with peppers: fillets of white fish floating in aromatic broth and covered with a bright, gorgeously green layer of chopped ... something. The something turns out to be a sort of culinary joke: a mixture of almost indistinguishable cooling green scallions, perky pickled peppers and searingly hot green chiles. Tip: The hot stuff is the heaviest, and if you cautiously turn a piece of fish on its side and give it a gentle tap, most of the serious burn will fall off.

172 E. Valley Blvd., San Gabriel, (626) 288-1357.

Valley India Cafe

The menu favors the spice-laden specialties of the Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu regions of southeastern India: Coconut milk, fresh, pungent curry leaves and a healthy helping of chiles distinguish many curries. The crisp golden dosas here rival the best in Little India. The smaller, thicker set dosa are the size of a dinner plate with a soft, porous texture that makes a great sponge for sopping up voluptuous sauces, especially vegetable kurma, a creamy curry with green chile, cashew and coconut. Subdue the heat with the mild kothu parota, a street food of chopped, flaky griddle bread scrambled with egg and shredded chicken.

7257 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Canoga Park, (818) 340-7500, http://www.valleyindiacafe.com/

Front Page Jamaican Grille

In every dish here, such as jerk chicken, goat curry and oxtails, the amped-up seasoning embraces the meat but doesn't trounce the flavor. But if all that flavor isn't enough for you, ask for the house-made hot sauce, a gorgeously blistering concoction of habaneros and herbs, blended and cooked into fiery perfection. To finish, try one of the drinks. The simplicity of the sorrel drink will soothe your tongue after all that heat, and pineapple ginger beer will give you a pleasant kick of fresh ginger behind some pineapple fizz. But if you like being taken to the edge of the precipice of gustatory possibility, order some of the restaurant's mega-hot reggae wings, and then top them off with the unadulterated ginger beer. That combination will knock you to the ground and then punch you in the face again. In a good way.

1117 W. Manchester Blvd., No. C, Inglewood, (310) 216-9521, http://www.frontpagejamaicangrille.com/.

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Cup O' Pizza
http://cupopizza.blogspot.com/


Welcome Pizza Enthusiasts!

If you've been searching for that perfect cup of pizza recipe, well then, look no further. What began as a dream inspired by "The Jerk," is now a reality! Subscribe and stay up-to-date on all the tasty developments. Stay cheesy, Pizza Fiends!

Love, Steve & Dave.

Cup O' Pizza Walkthrough

OK Gang, it's time we got around to showing how it's done.

We've spent many hours in our laboratory perfecting the hottest, tastiest, cup of pizza.

This Cup O' Pizza recipe is the quick and easy version, using store-bought ingredients.

Here's what you'll need (makes 4 cups o' pizza):

4 oven friendly coffee mugs

1 tube of pre-made pizza crust (we've been using the 13.8 oz Pillsbury Classic)
1 jar of pizza sauce
1 package of deli-style pepperoni
1 bag of mozzarella or pizza cheese
Olive oil and basting brush
Oregano


STEP 1: Pop open the delicious tube ofctriple-bleached goo, to which we owe our robust physiques!

STEP 2: Cut the dough roll into 4 equal sections. 1 section for each cup. Then cut each section down even further intoc3 sections, which will become the basis for our patented Flavor Layer Technology (TM).

STEP 3: Get that cat outta here!!

STEP 4: Coat your cups (or dough slices) with olive oil

STEP 5: Begin building your first Flavor Layer by dropping a section of dough into the bottom of the cup. Very good!

STEP 6: Add a large spoonful of sauce, a slice of pepperoni, some cheese, and a sprinkle of oregano and you've got your first layer. (This tutorial is the kid version, so experimenting with other classic ingredients is certainly encouraged.)

STEP 7: Repeat process on remaining dough layers. 3 layers per cup.

Mmm, now you're ready to load 'em into the oven.

STEP 8: Depending on your oven, you may need to tweak the following settings. Keep a close eye on your mugs the first time out, so you can make temperature adjustments accordingly. Here's what has worked for us.

Set your oven timer for 30 minutes and your oven at 425 degrees. In order to minimize the possibility of the mugs cracking due to a sudden change in temperature, we put the Cups O' Pizza in the oven during the preheat process, so they gradually warm up.

STEP 9: Seriously dude, get that cat out of here.

STEP 10: After 30 minutes, take a look at your cups...

PIZZALERT!

Because you've created what amounts to 4 big chunks of energy efficient pizza insulation, please allow them to cool down for at least 10 minutes before handing them off to a child or really hungry child-like friend.

BON APETIT!

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Menudo
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/menudo-recipe/index.html

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients

3 to 4 pound tripe (be sure to include 1 piece of honeycomb)
6 garlic cloves, bruised but not peeled
1 tablespoon peppercorns
2 sprigs thyme
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 28ounce can white hominy
1 bunch cilantro, leaves chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
12 tomatillos, diced

Directions

Rinse tripe under cold running water and cut large pieces into 1inch squares.

Place the garlic, peppercorns, thyme, and bay leaves into a square of cheesecloth. Tie into a bundle. This is your bouquet garni.

Place the tripe in a large stock pot with 4 quarts of hot water, the bouquet garni, and salt. Bring to a boil and skim foam if necessary. Reduce the heat and cook at a simmer for 2 to 3 hours or until tripe is tender.

Add the canned hominy, liquid and all. Cook 15 minutes longer. About 10 minutes before serving, add the cilantro, green onions, and tomatillos. Remove the bouquet garni.

Garnishes may include mild red chile sauce, ground chile powder, oregano leaves, chopped onions, or lime wedges, or sliced radishes.

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Junk Food Makeover: Tater Tots
Bon Appétit
http://shine.yahoo.com/shine-food/junk-food-makeover-tater-tots-214900318.html

In our column, Junk Food Makeover, we challenge culinary nutritionist Tricia Williams to recreate iconic snacks with more wholesome, better-for-you recipes.

The Challenge

Tater tots: the ultimate kid food. We'll take 'em straight out of the freezer bag, heat them up, and pair them with anything from gooey grilled cheese to creamy tomato soup. Or, we'll just dip them in ketchup and call it a day. But Thanksgiving and holiday parties have wreaked havoc on our waistlines, so we called up nutritionist Tricia Williams to transform Napoleon Dynamite's favorite snack into a wholesome side dish.

"I wanted to focus on two different textures to get the tater tot right: crunchy exterior, soft interior," Tricia said. "Crunchy was definitely the bigger challenge. Lately, quinoa flakes have become a staple for crispy texture in our kitchen--we use them like a traditional kitchen would use panko. We add golden flax meal to give it extra nutrition. All these healthy ingredients make these tots an anti-inflammatory (read: less aches and pains) mock-fried food. To ensure this snack would go over well, we kid-tested them on a bunch of 6-year-olds. What a hit!" Let's see what happens when we Bon Appetit-test them.

The Result

Although Tricia didn't nail the exact tater tot shape (more of a cylindrical, golden fritter), our tasters were mostly satisfied with the healthier version of the (usually) greasy snack. The texture was great--as Tricia said, crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside. Sure, it was lacking the flavor hit from fat and salt, but we didn't miss it too much, thanks to a healthy dose of smoked paprika. All in all, while these little potato balls weren't quite the real thing, their bite-sized popability and yummy flavor made them work well as a substitute. With some ketchup and a pinch more salt, we'd be happy with these as a snack. (Or, let's face it, accompanying that kids' menu item that still holds a place in our hearts, chicken tenders, it could be dinner.)

Makes about 50

INGREDIENTS
1 cup quinoa flakes (you can find them at bobsredmill.com)
1/4 cup golden flax meal (you can find them at bobsredmill.com)
Nonstick cooking spray
1/3 cup finely chopped small onion (from 1/2 small onion)
4 sweet potatoes or russet potatoes, peeled
1 Tbsp. kosher or sea salt, plus more
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. cayenne
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
Freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine quinoa flakes and flax meal in a bowl; set aside. Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spray generously with nonstick spray. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 8 minutes. Transfer onion to a bowl; set aside. Wipe out and reserve skillet.

Using the small holes of a box grater, finely grate potatoes to make 4 cups. Transfer to a colander and sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. salt. Massage salt into potatoes and squeeze out the excess liquid. Transfer potatoes to a medium bowl; add egg and mix well. Add reserved onion, cayenne, paprika, and garlic powder; season lightly with salt and pepper. The mixture should resemble a potato pancake mix but be on the dry side. Using your hands, form potato mixture into 1" balls.

Roll potato balls in quinoa flake mixture. Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spray lightly with nonstick spray. Working in batches, cook balls, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer tots to a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until cooked through, about 10 minutes.

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Lamb tagine with layered onions
http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-food-of-morocco-20111208,0,854342.story

Total time: About 3 hours, plus cooling times

Servings: 6

Note: Adapted from "The Food of Morocco" by Paula Wolfert. She writes, "This is the Fes version of a famous layered onion tagine called qamamma. I love the way the onions are cooked down to a melting unctuous sauce then combined with tomatoes or raisins and/or honey. With my recipe you do most of the work 1 or 2 days in advance. Then on the day you serve it, you assemble and bake the dish, then switch the oven to broil, dribble over some olive oil, and cook until the onions turn crusty and lightly charred." Cubeb pepper is available online; additional white and/or black pepper can be substituted.

"The Foods of Morocco" by Paula Wolfert, Ecco Press, $45

La Kama spice mixture

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cubeb pepper (optional)

A good pinch of grated nutmeg

Mix the ground spices. Sift through a fine sieve and store in a closed jar in a cool, dark place. This makes a generous tablespoon of the spice mixture.

Saffron water

1/2 teaspoon crumbled saffron strands

1 cup hot water

In a warm (not hot) skillet, dry the saffron strands. Crush again, then soak in the hot water and store in a small jar in the refrigerator. This will keep for up to a week.

For longer storage (my favorite method), quadruple the recipe quantities above: pour the saffron water into a plastic ice cube tray and freeze into cubes. Once they are frozen, shake out the cubes and store in a freezer bag. Each cube will be equivalent to 2 tablespoons saffron water or a good pinch of dried saffron threads.

Tagine and assembly

3 pounds thick lamb shoulder arm chops, bone-in, cut into 9 or 10 pieces

Coarse salt

1 tablespoon La Kama Spice Mixture

2 tablespoons Saffron Water

1 tablespoon liquid honey, preferably a floral honey such as orange blossom, lavender or acacia

1 medium red onion, coarsely grated (1/2 cup)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

2 cups water

2 tablespoons clarified butter, divided

3 pounds onions, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick

Freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup golden raisins, soaked in warm water for 15 minutes and drained

2 tablespoons turbinado or other raw sugar

1 teaspoon ground Ceylon cinnamon

3 pita or Indian naan breads

1 tablespoon chopped parsley for garnish

1. One or 2 days before you plan to serve, trim the lamb of excess fat. Place the meat in a medium flameproof casserole and add 1 teaspoon salt, the spice mixture, saffron water, honey, grated onion and 1 tablespoon of the oil. Stir over low heat until the aroma of the spices is released, about 5 minutes: Do not brown the meat. Add the water, bring to a boil, and reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 2 1/2 hours, or until the meat is almost falling off the bone.

2. Separate the cooking juices and the meat. When the meat is cool enough to handle, pull out and discard the bones and trim off any fat or gristle. Cut the meat into 1-inch chunks and transfer to a storage bowl; you should have about 4 cups of meat. Degrease the cooking juices. Return the cooking juices to the casserole and boil down to a glaze. Add one-half teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon of the butter, the sliced onions and cinnamon stick; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and golden, about 45 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the onions to a storage dish. Discard the cinnamon stick. Boil down the liquid in the casserole to about three-fourths cup. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat, then add the liquid to the meat. Up to this point the recipe can be prepared up to 2 days in advance. Cool, cover and refrigerate the meat and onions.

3. About an hour before serving, set an oven rack on the middle shelf of the oven. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

4. Grease an ovenproof tagine or shallow baking serving dish with remaining butter. Spread the meat on the bottom and cover with the cooked onions and raisins. Scatter the sugar and ground cinnamon on top. Place in the oven and bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Switch the oven heat to broil, dribble over the remaining tablespoon of oil, and cook until crusty and lightly charred, about 5 minutes.

5. Reheat the bread in the oven for a few minutes. Split in half, then tear each half into 2 or 3 pieces. Spread about one third over a large serving platter. Spoon about half of the contents of the tagine on top. Repeat with another third of the bread and the remaining contents of the tagine. Top with the last pieces of the bread and a sprinkling of parsley and serve at once.

Each serving: 705 calories; 40 grams protein; 60 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams fiber; 34 grams fat; 14 grams saturated fat; 138 mg cholesterol; 27 grams sugar; 860 mg sodium.

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Two recipes from SimplyRecipes.com forwarded to me from Uncle Pers & Aunt Shlee:

Pinto Beans with Bacon and Jalapeños

Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil, grapeseed oil, or canola oil
2 to 3 whole jalapeño chile peppers
2 to 3 thick-cut slices of bacon
2 cups of chopped onion
2 medium clove of garlic, minced
4 cups of cooked pinto beans (2 15-ounce cans, rinsed and drained)
Salt
1/2 cup, loosely packed, chopped fresh cilantro

Method

1 Heat oil in a medium skillet on high heat. Put the jalapeños in the pan and stir to coat with the oil. Let cook, turning occasionally, on all sides, until all sides are nicely browned (about 10-15 minutes, depending on how hot your burner is). Remove from pan. Cut away and discard the stem, core, seeds, and veins. Coarsely chop the remaining jalapeño flesh.

2 While the jalapeños are cooking, cook the bacon slices on medium low heat in a large skillet, until crispy. Remove bacon from the pan to a paper towel-lined plate. Pour off (do not discard down the drain!) all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat.

3 Add the chopped onion to the pan with the bacon fat. Increase the heat to medium high and cook until translucent and lightly browned. Add the minced garlic and cook a minute more. While the onion is cooking, chop the cooked bacon.

4 Add the cooked beans, chopped bacon, and the chopped jalapeños to the pan and stir to mix. Sprinkle with salt.
Serve with chopped fresh cilantro, and steak and salsa.
Yield: Serves 4-6.


Asparagus Frittata Recipe

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound asparagus, tough ends snapped off, spears cut diagonally into 1-inch lengths
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese

Method

1 Heat olive oil into a 10-inch oven-proof frying pan over medium high heat. Add onions and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, about 3 minutes. Add asparagus, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, covered, until the asparagus are barely tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Pour in eggs and cook until almost set, but still runny on top, about 2 minutes. While cooking, pre-heat oven broiler.

2 Sprinkle cheese over eggs and put in oven to broil until cheese is melted and browned, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from oven with oven mitts and slide frittata onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges.

Yield: Serves 4.

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Chicken Scaloppine over Broccoli Rabe
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-scaloppine-over-broccoli-rabe-10000000686181

Calories: 318
Calories from fat: 21%
Fat: 7.4g
Saturated fat: 1.7g
Monounsaturated fat: 3.3g
Polyunsaturated fat: 1g
Protein: 44.3g
Carbohydrate: 14g
Fiber: 3.9g
Cholesterol: 101mg
Iron: 2.9mg
Sodium: 577mg
Calcium: 102mg

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast cutlets
1/2 cup dry white wine 1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon butter
1 pound broccoli rabe (rapini), cut into 3-inch pieces
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
4 lemon slices (optional)

Preparation

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Combine breadcrumbs and pepper in a shallow dish; dredge chicken in breadcrumb mixture. Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan; keep warm.

Add wine, broth, juice, and butter to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in broccoli rabe; cover and cook 3 minutes or until broccoli rabe is tender. Stir in parsley and capers. Serve chicken over broccoli rabe mixture.
Garnish with lemon slices, if desired.

Alison Lewis, Cooking Light
AUGUST 2004

Friday, January 6, 2012

Stoner Cooking 1-6-12



Retropedia: Girl Scout Cookies
http://www.retroland.com/girl-scout-cookies

What sort of ogre could look a smiling little girl in the eye and refuse her a cookie sale? Luckily for the Girl Scouts of America, it would appear that these monsters are few and far between. For nearly a century, we have anxiously awaited their annual arrival, and gobbled up these tasty treats to the tune of 200 million boxes sold each year.

Girl Scout cookies arrived on the scene all the way back in 1917, when the Mistletoe Troop of Muskogee, Oklahoma decided to utilize these baked treats for their fundraising efforts. The idea caught on, and by 1936, the Girl Scouts organization was recruiting commercial bakers to help them keep up with the demand. When WWII arrived, customers were limited to two boxes, available in either vanilla or chocolate, as a result of wartime rationing. But once the hostilities ended, the young entrepreneurs were back in full force, ensuring that American families could buy cookies by the armful, in a variety of flavors.

While many types of cookies are offered annually, many are sold under different names, depending on the geographic region and which commercial bakery produces them. Never the less, everyone seems to have a favorite type and people commonly stock up on numerous boxes during the short-lived opportunity for purchase each year. Maybe you prefer the chocolate goodness of the overwhelmingly popular “Thin Mints”, which take on a texture that can only be described as heavenly when chilled in the fridge. Or, maybe you are partial to the peanut buttery goodness of “Do-Si-Do’s” and “Tagalongs”. Perhaps you like the simplicity of the “Shortbreads” or “Trefoils”, depending on where you live. Finally, there is the mother of all Girl Scout Cookies, the caramel, chocolate, and coconut delicacies known as “Samoas”. Regardless of your preference, there is a smiling little Girl Scout, eager to persuade you to open your wallet and trade some greenbacks for a few boxes of sublime indulgence.

In the past, one had to deal with the cruel wait time, as you placed your order, then waited a few long weeks for them to be delivered. Utter torture, that was. In recent years, the order system has given way to swarms of little girls standing outside of grocery stores, and tempting you with all of your cookie favorites; boxes stacked high and offering promise of instant gratification. It would almost seem as if the cookie boxes reach inside your subconscious and pull you magnetically towards them. This feeling can’t be all that different from what a heroin addict feels.

But these aren’t drug pushers, they are sweet innocent little waifs, looking at you with their puppy dog eyes and softly speaking the words that will make anyone on a diet cringe: ”Excuse me, would you like to buy some Girl Scout cookies?”. Why, of course we would, little girl. But you already knew that, didn’t you? Resistance is futile.

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Ann Seranne's Rib Roast of Beef
http://shine.yahoo.com/shine-food/ann-serannes-genius-rib-roast-beef-174900523.html

Makes about 2 servings per rib

From "Ann Seranne's Recipe for a Perfect Roast: Put it in the Oven and Relax", The New York Times, July 28, 1966

One 2- to 4-rib roast of beef, weighing 4 1/2 to 12 pounds
Flour
Salt & freshly ground black pepper

1. Remove the roast from the refrigerator 2 1/2 to 4 hours before cooking.

2. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

3. Place the roast in an open, shallow roasting pan, fat side up. Sprinkle with a little flour, and rub the flour into the fat lightly. Season all over with salt and pepper.

4. Put the roast in the preheated oven and roast according to the roasting chart below, timing the minutes exactly. (This works out to be 15 minutes per rib, or approximately five minutes cooking time per pound of trimmed, ready-to-cook roast.) When cooking time is finished, turn off the oven. Do not open the door at any time.

5. Allow the roast to remain in the oven until oven is lukewarm, or about two hours. The roast will still have a crunchy brown outside and an internal heat suitable for serving as long as 4 hours after removing from the oven.

6. Note: Don't attempt this recipe if your oven isn't well-insulated (that is, if it's extremely hot to the touch when it's in use).

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Waffles of Insane Greatness
http://shine.yahoo.com/shine-food/waffles-insane-greatness-162600175.html

Adapted slightly from Aretha Frankenstein's restaurant in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Serves 4, or 2 very hungry waffle eaters

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk or buttermilk (or a combination)
1/3 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Butter and pure maple syrup, for serving

1. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; mix well. Add the milk, vegetable oil, egg, sugar and vanilla and mix well. Let the batter sit for 30 minutes.

2. Heat a waffle iron. Follow the directions on your waffle iron to cook the waffles. Serve immediately with butter and pure maple syrup or hold in a 200 degree oven, directly on the rack (don't stack them or they'll get soggy). These also reheat very well in the toaster.

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Chicken Cordon Bleu Pizza
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/chicken-cordon-bleu-pizza

Italian dinner ready in 35 minutes! Enjoy chicken pizza made using Original Bisquick® mix – a cheesy treat.

PREP TIME 10 Min
TOTAL TIME 35 Min
SERVINGS 8

1 1/2 cups Original Bisquick® mix
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup hot water
1/2 cup Alfredo pasta sauce (from 16-oz jar)
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1/2 cup chopped cooked ham
1 1/2 cups finely shredded Swiss cheese (6 oz)
3 medium green onions, sliced (3 tablespoons)

1 Heat oven to 425°F. Spray 12-inch pizza pan or cookie sheet with cooking spray.

2 In medium bowl, stir Bisquick mix, Parmesan cheese and hot water until soft dough forms. Press dough in pizza pan, using fingers dipped in Bisquick mix; pinch edge to form 1/2-inch rim. Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until light golden brown.

3 Spread pasta sauce over partially baked crust. Top with chicken, ham, Swiss cheese and green onions.

4 Bake 10 to 15 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted.

Cordon bleu is a French dish combining chicken or veal with ham or prosciutto and Swiss or Gruyère cheese. In this recipe, those flavors are simplified to produce a fantastic-tasting pizza.

Be sure to use hot water to make the pizza crust. It helps keep the crust from rising too high during baking and also keeps it chewy and crisp.

*


Vada Pav
ROB MIFSUD
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204879004577111220920814462.html

“It mingles potent flavors with comforting textures: squooshy bread, creamy mashed potato and a hint of crunch.”

It's best to approach street-side dining in Mumbai—or anywhere in India, for that matter—with caution. But caution, if you love Indian food, is torture. While working in Mumbai, and studying the city's culinary specialties, I learned that you don't typically go to restaurants for great food, you go to the sidewalks. My daily commute took me past hawkers selling the food I craved: pav bhaji, a vegetarian sloppy joe made with tomato and potato stew; pani puri, hollow fried balls stuffed with spicy potatoes or chickpeas; and the dish I crave to this day, vada pav.

The temptation to sample it was almost overwhelming, but for what felt like forever, I didn't dare.

"Wait at least 30 days before trying vada pav," one of my hosts, a native Mumbaikar, had warned. According to my gastric guardian, I had nothing to fear from the vada (pronounced "wahda")—a mixture of chunky mashed potatoes, curry leaves, cilantro, mustard seeds and other spices, dipped in a turmeric- and chili-powder-laced chickpea flour batter, then deep fried. Pav (pronounced, enjoyably, "pow"), the small, square, hamburger-bun-like roll in which the fritter is sandwiched wouldn't pose any problems either.

The rub, my host told me, was the rub: the combination of chutneys slathered on the bun. Just as its Western cousin, the hamburger, remains incomplete without a squirt of ketchup or a dollop of relish, a vada pav lies naked without red or green chutney, or both. Red chutney scorches the mouth with garlic and chili powder (and maybe a touch of tamarind), while the green stuff tingles the lips with green chilis, cilantro and mint. The problem is that most chutneys require water, and the water in Mumbai...well, it's the water in Mumbai.

For two long months I looked but never touched, but then one night, after yet another long day at the office, I couldn't ignore my craving any longer. I hopped into a car and instructed the driver to take me to his favorite vada pav stand. I wanted authenticity, and I got it. This stall was a table covered by a corrugated tin roof at the front of an alley. The kitchen was out of sight, hidden around the corner, and customers poured water from an urn into a single, communal metal cup. Caveat emptor. Every few minutes, a fresh batch of vada would emerge, and I would scrum with the other customers for my share. I finally exchanged 12 rupees (approximately 27 cents) for two vada pav smothered in green chutney worrisomely darkened from oxidation. Never had I been all in for so little.

The exact details are unclear, but people who care about such things credit Mumbai street vendor Ashok Vaidya with inventing vada pav in the early 1970s. It quickly became the city's staple snack, and, after one bite, I understood why. Green chutney is not subtle; anything less than lip-tingling represents a "Western" level of chili-induced heat. The nutty, vaguely familiar taste of mustard seed and the earthy smell of curry leaves waft from the fritter, but vada pav approaches perfection because it mingles potent flavors with so many comforting textures: squooshy bread, creamy and slightly lumpy mashed potato and a hint of crunch from the batter.

Vada pav are easy to make at home. Both chutneys can be prepared while boiling potatoes, and the result is so extraordinary that committed carnivores never seem to notice that they're eating vegan. Better yet, there's no waiting period required.

Serves: 4-8
Hands-On Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1½ hours

For the green chutney:
2¼ cups cilantro leaves, tightly packed
1/2 cup mint leaves, tightly packed
2 serrano chilis
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a food processor with ¼ cup water. Process until a thin sauce forms. Add more water if necessary to achieve a slightly watery consistency.

For the red chutney:
1 cup dried unsweetened coconut
10 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons red chili powder
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Process until a sticky powder forms with the consistency of wet sand. Add more oil if necessary.

For the batter:
1 cup gram (chickpea) flour
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
Pinch of salt

Whisk together ingredients in a large bowl. Continue to whisk while adding ¾ cup water until a thick, smooth batter forms. Let rest at least 15 minutes.

For the potato mixture:
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes (approximately 5)
1 quart plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1½ teaspoons black mustard seeds
6 curry leaves, torn
2 teaspoons puréed garlic (finely minced is acceptable)
1 teaspoon puréed ginger
1 serrano chili (or more to taste), seeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
8 seedless hamburger buns

1. Peel and halve the potatoes. Cook in boiling water until fork tender, approximately 20 minutes. Drain. Mash using a potato masher until smooth with a few lumps.

2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and curry leaves and cook until the seeds start to pop. Add garlic, ginger and chilis and cook briefly. Stir in potatoes and salt. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.

3. Divide potato mixture into eight equal portions and roll into balls. (Both chutneys, the batter and the potato balls can be stored overnight, covered tightly with plastic wrap, at this point. The green chutney will oxidize slightly.)

4. Heat 1 quart oil over medium-high heat in a wok or Dutch oven until it reaches 325 degrees.

5. Roll the potato balls in the batter and add to the hot oil one by one. Cook, turning occasionally, until they are golden brown, 3 minutes.

6. Spread red chutney on one half of a hamburger bun, and green chutney on the other half. Place hot potato vada between bun. Press down to flatten slightly.

*

Lamb Meatballs with Pomegranate Sauce
http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/recipes/lamb-meatballs-with-pomegranate-sauce-535864

1 egg or 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 lb. ground lamb
1 16-oz. bottle pomegranate juice
1 tsp. sugar
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1-1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp. snipped fresh chives
1 clove garlic, minced
Fresh mint leaves (optional)
Toasted pita bread wedges (optional)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. In large bowl combine egg, bread crumbs, mint, 2 or 3 cloves garlic, salt, and pepper. Add ground lamb; mix well. Shape into 32 meatballs; set aside.

For sauce, in medium saucepan bring pomegranate juice to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, 25 minutes or until reduced to about 1/2 cup. Add sugar; stir to dissolve.

Meanwhile, in large skillet brown half the meatballs at a time in hot olive oil, turning to brown evenly. Transfer to a 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees F. In medium bowl combine yogurt, 1 tablespoon of the chives, and 1 clove garlic. To serve, drizzle meatballs with pomegranate sauce; sprinkle with remaining chives and mint. Serve with seasoned yogurt and pita wedges. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Stoner Cooking 1-5-12

Mini "Mimosas"
http://www.kraftbrands.com/Jello/recipe.aspx?ID=129224

WHAT YOU NEED
1/4 cup boiling water
1 pkg. (3 oz.) JELL-O Orange Flavor Gelatin
1/3 cup cold club soda
2 fresh strawberries, each cut crosswise into 5 slices

PREP TIME 10 min
(plus refrigerating) MAKES 10 servings

MAKE IT

1 Add boiling water to gelatin mix in small bowl; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Stir in club soda.

2 Place strawberries in 10 (2-oz.) plastic cups sprayed with cooking spray; fill with gelatin. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.

3 Unmold before serving.

Substitute boiling orange juice for the boiling water.

Variation

Cut each strawberry into 5 wedges instead of slicing it. Prepare gelatin mixture as directed; pour into 2-oz. plastic cups sprayed with cooking spray. Refrigerate 10 min. Insert strawberry wedge into gelatin in each cup. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.

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Monster Pops recipe - Even picky eaters will enjoy this raw, green treat
Christy Pooschke
Saturday, December 17, 2011
http://www.naturalnews.com/034423_frozen_desserts_recipe.html

Unlike most store-bought popsicles which contain little to zero nutrition and an over-dose of toxic ingredients like corn syrup and artificial colors, this homemade version packs a nutritional punch! This recipe also provides a convenient and sneaky way to get even the pickiest eaters to enjoy spinach without plugging their noses! Imagine the satisfaction you'll get from transforming a typical junk food into one of the healthiest options in your freezer!

These homemade popsicles are made from 100% fresh fruits and vegetables, so they are a great option for a sweet but healthy snack or dessert! Spinach is one of the main ingredients, and it's a great source of fiber, potassium and iron. The spinach also makes these popsicles a fun, bright-green color! (If you prefer to make a different color, try adding some berries to create red or purple pops!) Fresh pineapple, bananas and freshly-squeezed orange juice complete the ingredients list of this recipe, and they cleverly disguise the taste of the spinach while adding even more potassium, vitamin C and calcium to these treats.

If your picky eaters don't like spinach, you shouldn't let them watch you make this recipe the first time. You may or may not choose to reveal the ingredients to them after they've enjoyed the flavor. It's also useful to name these pops something fun when serving them to children. The "Monster Pops" name used here plays up the fact that they are green. "Popeye Pops" is another great name, highlighting the spinach ingredient! Either way, your picky eaters will soon be bragging to their friends about how much they enjoy eating their spinach!


"Monster Pops" Recipe
1 cup fresh baby spinach, packed tightly
2 cups fresh pineapple
2 medium ripe bananas
1/2 cup freshly-squeezed orange juice (about 2 Valencia oranges)

Place the ingredients in a blender in the order listed above. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape the sides and "plunge" the ingredients into the blade as needed. (Note: The popsicles will taste much sweeter once they are frozen, so don't be discouraged if the flavor of the blended mixture doesn't appeal to you. Sweetness will also vary depending upon the ripeness of the fruit, so use the ripest pineapple and bananas available.) Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for at least 4 hours until solid. Depending on the molds used, you may need to run hot water on the outside of each pop for about 10 seconds to loosen from the mold before eating. This recipe makes 6 four-ounce pops. Enjoy!

About the author:

Christy Pooschke is the author of "Eating Additive-Free" - a natural cookbook and shopping guide! If you want to eat less processed food but aren't sure what to buy or what to eat instead, then this book is for you! Hard copy and e-book versions are available for purchase on her website at GroceryGeek.com. Christy also blogs regularly on her website to teach consumers how to reduce their reliance on processed food, and she offers personal consultations for folks who desire a more individualized approach, as well!

Check out her blog to learn how to shop for and prepare additive-free, natural foods. You'll love the FREE recipes, shopping tips and videos! Subscribe to "Grocery Geek" via email on the site's main page or follow "Grocery Geek" on Facebook!

Christy's passion for eating REAL food was sparked in 2007 when she eliminated her Fibromyalgia symptoms through diet and lifestyle changes. Until this time, she had been ingesting a Standard American Diet of boxed dinners, soda pop, candy and fast food; and she was very ill. Since regaining her health with an additive-free diet, Christy has been on a mission to educate others about the dangers lurking in their cabinets and to help them achieve maximum health by reducing their reliance on processed foods.

In her free time, Christy operates Completely Nourished, Inc., a non-profit organization she founded to educate folks about natural foods, natural health and natural living. Check out the resources, recipes and online community available at www.CompletelyNourished.org. It's free!

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Chorizo and Roasted Pepper Pizza
http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/chorizo-roasted-pepper-pizza-00100000067021/

Serves 3| Hands-On Time: 10m | Total Time: 25m

Ingredients
2 ounces Spanish chorizo (cured sausage), thinly sliced
1/2 cup sliced roasted red peppers
1 13- to 15-ounce frozen cheese pizza
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions
1. Scatter the chorizo and peppers over the still-frozen pizza and bake according to the package directions. Sprinkle with the parsley.

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Delicious Meals for $3 or Less!
Southern Living
http://shine.yahoo.com/shine-food/delicious-meals-3-less-150700263.html

Fresh Vegetable Lasagna: $3 per serving

Ingredients
4 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (about 1 1/2 lb.)
1 (8-oz.) package sliced fresh mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
Vegetable cooking spray
1 medium-size red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium-size yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow onion chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups fat-free ricotta cheese
1 large egg
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
5 cups Basic Marinara Sauce (use our recipe or premade sauce)
1 (8-oz.) package no-boil lasagna noodles

Basic Marinara Sauce
Sauté 3 cups chopped yellow onions in 3 Tbsp. hot olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until tender. Add 1 Tbsp. sugar, 3 minced garlic cloves, 5 tsp. freshly ground Italian seasoning, and 2 tsp. salt; sauté 1 minute. Stir in 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar; cook 30 seconds. Add 2 cups low-sodium fat-free vegetable broth and 3 (28-oz.) cans no-salt-added crushed tomatoes. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 55 minutes or until sauce thickens.

Preparation
Preheat oven to 450°. Bake zucchini, mushrooms, and garlic in a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray 12 to 14 minutes or until vegetable are crisp-tender, stirring halfway through. Repeat procedure with bell peppers and onion. Reduce oven temperature to 350°. Toss together vegetables and salt in a bowl.

Stir together ricotta, egg, 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, and 1/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese.

Spread 1 cup Basic Marinara Sauce in a 13- a 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with 3 noodles, 1 cup sauce, one-third ricotta mixture, and one-third vegetable mixture; repeat layers twice, beginning with 3 noodles. Top with remaining noodles and 1 cup sauce. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan.

Bake, covered, at 350° for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until cheese is melted and golden. Let stand 10 minutes.


Hearty Italian Soup: $2.50 per serving

Ingredients
1 (16-oz.) package mild Italian sausage
2 tsp. olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (48-oz.) container chicken broth
2 (15-oz.) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 (14.5-oz.) cans diced tomatoes
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1 (5-oz.) package baby spinach
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Freshly shaved Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Cook sausage in hot oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat 7 to 8 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove sauce from Dutch oven, reserving drippings in Dutch oven. Sauté onion in hot drippings 3 minutes or until tender. Add garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Cut sausage into 1/4-inch-thick slices, and return to Dutch oven.

Stir chicken broth and next 3 ingredients into sausage mixture; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 25 minutes.

Stir in spinach and next 2 ingredients; cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 6 minutes or until spinach is wilted. Top each serving with Parmesan cheese.


Kentucky Hot Browns: $3 per serving

Ingredients
4 thick white bread slices
3/4 lb. roasted turkey

Mornay Sauce
1 cup (4-oz.) shredded Parmesan cheese
3 plum tomatoes, sliced
8 bacon slices, cooked

Mornay Sauce
Melt 1/2 cup butter in a 3-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in 1/3 cup all-purpose flour; cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Gradually whisk in 3 1/2 cups milk. Bring to a boil, and cook, whisking constantly, 1 to 2 minutes or until thickened. Whisk in 1/2 cup (2-oz.) shredded Parmesan cheese, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper.

Preparation

Preheat broiler with oven rack 6 inches from heat. Place bread slices on a baking sheet and broil 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until toasted.

Arrange bread slices in 4 lightly greased broiler-safe individual baking dishes. Top bread with turkey slices. Pour hot Mornay Sauce over turkey. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Broil 6 inches from heat 3 to 4 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned; remove from oven. Top sandwiches with tomatoes and bacon. Serve immediately.


Chicken-and-Brisket Brunswick Stew: $2.75 per serving

Ingredients
2 large onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1 1/2 Tbsp. jarred beef soup base
2 lb. skinned and boned chicken breasts
1 (28-oz.) can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
1 (12-oz.) package frozen white shoepeg or whole kernel corn
1 (10-oz.) package frozen cream-style corn, thawed
1 (9-oz.) package frozen lima beans
1 (12-oz.) bottle chili sauce
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. yellow mustard
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. coarsely ground pepper
1 lb. chopped barbecued beef brisket (without sauce)
1 Tbsp. freshly lemon juice
Hot sauce (optional)

Preparation

Sauté onions and garlic in hot oil in a 7.5-qt. Dutch oven over medium-high heat 3 to 5 minutes or until tender.

Stir together beef soup base and 2 cups water, and add to Dutch oven. Stir in chicken and next 9 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 hours.

Uncover and shred chicken into large pieces using 2 forks. Stir in brisket and lemon juice. Cover and cook 10 minutes. Serve with hot sauce, if desired.


Stovetop Chicken Pie: $3 per serving

Ingredients
8 frozen buttermilk biscuits
1 small sweet onion, diced
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 (8-oz.) package sliced fresh mushrooms
4 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 (10 3/4-oz.) can reduced-fat cream of mushroom soup
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 (8-oz.) package 1/3-less at cream cheese, cubed
1/2 (0.7-oz.) envelope Italian dressing mix (about 2 tsp.)
1 cup frozen baby peas, thawed

Preparation
Bake biscuits according to package directions.

Meanwhile, sauté onion in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until golden. Add mushrooms, and sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in chicken and next 5 ingredients; cook, stirring frequently, 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and mixture is thoroughly heated. Stir in peas, and cook 2 minutes. Spoon chicken mixture over hot split biscuits.

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Thai Chicken Wings with Peanut Sauce
Better Homes and Gardens
http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/recipes/thai-chicken-wings-with-peanut-sauce-540253/

cook time: 2 hrs 30 mins
servings: 12

These sweet Thai drummies are great as an appetizer at home or made in bulk for a party. A slow cooker makes cooking the wings a little easier. A lively mix of flavors including ginger, garlic, and soy give a spice to sweet, smooth peanut butter. A touch of hot pepper will give these wings a little more zing.

24 chicken wing drummettes (about 2-1/4 pounds)
1/2 cup bottled salsa
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1/4 cup no-calorie, heat-stable, granular sugar substitute (Splenda)
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons water
2 cloves garlic, minced

directions

Place chicken in a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker. Combine salsa, the 2 tablespoons peanut butter, the lime juice, the 2 teaspoons soy sauce, and the ginger. Pour over chicken wings. Toss to coat.
Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours or on high-heat setting for 2-1/2 to 3 hours.
Meanwhile, for the peanut sauce, in a small saucepan use a whisk to combine sugar substitute, the 1/4 cup peanut butter, the 3 tablespoons soy sauce, the water, and garlic. Heat over medium-low heat until mixture is smooth, whisking occasionally; set aside (mixture will thicken as it cools).
Drain chicken, discard cooking liquid. Return chicken to slow cooker. Gently stir in peanut sauce. Keep warm on low-heat setting for up to 2 hours. Makes 12 servings (2 pieces per serving).

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Battered Fried Clams
http://www.food.com/recipe/battered-fried-clams-115269

These fried clams are nothing like the ones you find frozen in the supermarket, these are the real McCoy. I like to serve them with my KFC Coleslaw, chips, or onion rings and french fries and of course tartar sauce is an absolute must!

2-4 Servings

1/2 cup milk
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon butter, melted and cooled
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg white
1 pint shucked clam, rinsed and well drained
oil (for deep frying)
tartar sauce, for dipping

Directions:
1 In a medium sized bowl mix milk, egg yolk, butter, and salt. Sift the flour into the milk mixture stir until smooth. In a small chilled bowl beat the egg white with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. (For best results: refrigerate the bowl, mixer blade and egg white prior to mixing) Fold the beaten egg white into the milk mixture.

2 In a large saucepan or deep fat fryer heat oil to 375'. Poke each clam with fork. Dip clams into the batter. Fry a few at a time around 1-1/2 minutes or until golden brown, turning once. Remove with slotted spoon, drain on paper towels or on brown paper bags. Keep warm in a 300' oven while frying the remaining clams.

3 Serve with tartar sauce.

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Eggplant With Pasta
Adapted from Leslie Bruni
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/12/21/dining/20111221-holiday.html

Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Salt

1 pound penne or mezzani

4 1/2 cups Italian tomato sauce (use recipe at nytimes.com/dining or own sauce), heated

1/4 cup olive oil, or as needed

2 large eggs

1/2 cup flour

2 large firm eggplants, peeled and thinly sliced crosswise

3/4 cup grated Romano cheese, plus more for serving.

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Set aside a large heatproof colander placed over a plate or bowl. Set aside a shallow 9-inch-by-12-inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.

2. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well, return to the pot, and add 1 cup tomato sauce, mixing well. Set aside.

3. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. While the oil is heating, place the eggs, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon water in a wide, shallow bowl, and beat with a fork until blended. Place the flour in another wide, shallow bowl.

4. Dip each eggplant slice first in egg and then in flour, coating both sides. Working in batches, fry the slices until golden brown, about 2 minutes a side, then transfer to the colander for the oil to drain. Add oil as needed.

5. Cover the bottom of the baking dish with about 1 cup tomato sauce. Arrange slightly overlapping slices of eggplant on the sauce to cover it completely. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of the cheese, and dot with additional tomato sauce. Add half the prepared, sauced pasta, spreading it evenly, and cover with remaining eggplant slices. Sprinkle again with 3 tablespoons of the cheese and dot with tomato sauce.

6. Cover with remaining sauced pasta. Top with 3 tablespoons cheese and cover evenly with remaining tomato sauce, or up to 1 cup. Sprinkle with remaining 3 tablespoons cheese. Cover with foil, crimping it so it rests above the top layer without touching it. Bake until hot and bubbling, 30 to 50 minutes. Let it rest for a few minutes before cutting into squares for serving. Pass additional cheese separately.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

Italian Tomato Sauce
Adapted from Leslie Bruni

Time: 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours

3 cans (28 ounces each) Italian plum tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon oregano

1 tablespoon minced fresh basil, optional

Salt and black pepper

1 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage

1 pound (or larger) piece of pork loin, pork butt or pork shoulder

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, minced

1 to 4 cloves garlic, minced.

1. Place a food mill over a Dutch oven or other large deep pan, and pass the tomatoes through until only the seeds remain; or seed the tomatoes, purée in a food processor and pour in the pan. Add 2 cups water, oregano, and basil, if using, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.

2. Place sausage in a skillet and add water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook, covered, until surface is opaque, about 3 minutes. Drain well and pat dry with paper towels. Return sausage to skillet and place over medium-high heat. Prick sausages all over with a fork to release oil into the pan; cook until browned on all sides. Transfer to the pot of sauce.

3. Season the pork with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the pork and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and add onion and garlic. Cover and cook until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Transfer contents of skillet to the pot of sauce.

4. Simmer the sauce until the pork is tender, 2 to 3 hours. To serve, remove meats and place on a serving platter to pass separately, and use the sauce to dress pasta.

Yield: About 4 1/2 cups.

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Jewel Box Cookies
http://www.smuckers.com/Recipes/Details.aspx?recipeID=5421

PREP TIME: 20 min
COOK TIME: 12 min
YIELD: 6 dozen

Ingredients:

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 large egg yolk, beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup Smucker's® Cherry Preserves, or your favorite jam or preserves

Directions:

1 COMBINE flour and sugar in large bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until coarse crumbs form. Add beaten egg yolk and vanilla. Mix until dough holds together.

2 SHAPE into small balls using half teaspoonfuls. Place 1-inch apart on cookie sheet. Make small indentation in center of each cookie. Chill 20 minutes.

3 HEAT oven to 350°F. Fill each cookie with scant 1/4 teaspoon jam, jelly or preserves. Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until just golden around the edges.
TIP For added sparkle, unbaked cookies may be rolled in coarse bakery sugar crystals before being placed on cookie sheet to chill.

Stoner Cooking Special: Juan in a Million

http://www.juaninamillion.com/
Traditional Mexican food served up daily in Austin, Texas since 1980!

Mexican cuisine has its roots in native and Spanish traditions. Rich and rustic, flavors borne from this background create dishes worth celebrating.

For 30 years, Juan In A Million® has blended unique, authentic and creative food with great service and atmosphere. Enjoy our colorful food, warm service, and quality spirits.

•Daily Lunch Specials
•Private Room For Events
•Catering Services Available

¡Buen Provecho!

2300 Cesar Chavez Street
Austin, TX 78702

Restaurant Hours:
7 days a week
7AM - 3PM

Friday, December 2, 2011

Stoner Cooking 12-2-11


Falafel Drive-In

2301 Stevens Creek Boulevard
San Jose, CA 95128
(408) 294-7886
http://sanjose.schmap.com/restaurants/falafel_drive_in

This original Bay Area Middle Eastern joint looks like a beat-up drive-in, but it is one of San Jose's oldest foreign restaurants. In fact, it is a landmark. Since the 1960s, the falafels and gyros have been some of the best anywhere, and hardly anything on the menu is over $7. People from all over the world have visited this place, and many repeat customers have been coming for 15 to 20 years. It is highly recommended. Note: No credit cards accepted.

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5 Undefeated Eating Challenges
Paul Toscano
Wed, Nov 23, 2011
http://shine.yahoo.com/shine-food/5-undefeated-eating-challenges-171400230.html

For many people, the word eating challenge evokes the iconic scene in the movie "The Great Outdoors,"when John Candy tackles "The Old 96er" to the chagrin of his digestive tract. More recently, the Travel Channel's "Man vs. Food" show has popularized eating challenges, which have increasingly become a strategy for restaurants across the country to make a name for themselves, draw in new customers, and simply have fun.

For those testing their fortitude through eating challenges, clearing a plate of outrageously large or spicy meals will often win them a T-shirt, their photo on the wall, and dinner on the house. There are some challenges, however, that push the limits of consumption and no individual has yet to cross the proverbial finish line.

So, which eating challenges remain undefeated?


'That Burger' Challenge
Restaurant: That Bar
Location: Danville, California

A massive, undefeated burger challenge can be found at That Bar in Danville, California. Appropriately named "That Burger," the monstrous mass of meat and cheese measures approximately 1 foot in diameter, and includes two 100 percent Angus beef patties, one of which has a hole in the middle where a grilled cheese sandwich is placed. Each patty is topped with four different cheeses - cheddar, American, pepper jack and Swiss - as well as a woven bacon patty. Finally, the burger is topped with crispy shoestring fries and doused in barbeque sauce, with an appropriately sized bun. The challenge also includes one-quarter pound each of fries and onion rings on the side.

In more than 40 attempts, nobody has been able to finish the challenge in the allotted time of one hour. "We're going to need a professional eater to do this challenge," says Stephanie Emig, co-owner and co-founder of That Bar, which is located about 30 minutes outside of San Francisco. "We wanted to have a giant burger. It was a collaboration between the three owners and our chef, and it took a couple tries but eventually we got it to work."

Emig says the burger was created in order to have an interesting menu item. When someone does place an order for the That Burger, it's likely for a group to share. "It's a popular burger on weekend nights for big groups. And if someone does manage to get through this pile of meat and grease all by themselves: They will earn a T-shirt that reads "I ate That Burger at That Bar and it was That Good."


The Inferno Bowl
Restaurant: Nitally's ThaiMex Cuisine
Location: St. Petersburg, Florida

Generally, there are two things that make an eating challenge difficult: sheer size of the portion, or overwhelming heat or spice. The Inferno Bowl at Nitally's ThaiMex Cuisine has both.

The soup is served in a 48 ounce bowl and includes no less than 12 different peppers from around the world. Although the mix changes with the season, it always includes bhut jolokia (also known as the "ghost chili"). The chilies themselves comprise about 16 ounces of the soup. The restaurant uses both Thai and Mexican techniques to draw as much heat out of the peppers as possible.

Ally Valdez, who owns Nitally's with his wife, describes how the dish was created: "My wife is from Thailand and my family is from Mexico...we always argued about who ate the hottest food. So, we went out of our way to find the hottest peppers we could use and made a soup that hardly any family members could eat." They served the soup in traditional Chinese bowls meant for family-sized servings, but limited it to one person. "We found that the people who could eat the hot food couldn't eat that much, and the family members who could deal with the quantity couldn't handle the heat."

Valdez says that since the challenge began in 2009, 116 people have attempted to finish the Inferno Bowl. The closest challenger came within two spoonfuls before throwing in the towel. Others throw in more than that. The Inferno Soup is so spicy that the restaurant requires challengers to eat it outside, since about 40 percent of the challengers have vomited while trying to finish the soup within the 30 minutes allotted.

"You have to come from the depths of hell to finish this," says Valdez, who is currently offering a jackpot of $800 to the first person to conquer the Inferno Bowl.


The Full-o-Bull Challenge
Restaurant: Cowtown Diner
Location: Fort Worth, Texas

Not only does Cowtown Diner's Full-o-Bull Challenge boast that it serves the largest chicken fried steak in the world, it might very well be the largest eating challenge, to boot. That's not a surprising claim, given that things are always bigger in Texas. The Full-o-Bull "is Texas to the core," says Scott Jones, owner of Cowtown Diner.

The challenge includes a 64 ounce chicken fried steak, served on an extra-large pizza pan, measures 14 inches in diameter and weighs about 10 pounds with gravy. But wait, that's not all: You must also finish the Texas-sized sides, which include four pounds of mashed potatoes and 10 pieces of Texas toast.
There's one piece of good news: The time limit to the Full-o-Bull challenge is relatively leisurely. You have from when the restaurant opens at 7 a.m. to the time it closes at 2 a.m. to finish the meal.

In the nearly two years since the challenge was created, close to 175 challengers have tried and failed to finish the Full-o-Bull. Jones says the inspiration for the challenge was to have "bragging rights in a place that is known for its beef," and notes that when someone takes on the challenge, the staff sings songs and draws attention to the event.

If anyone ever wins the challenge, they'll get their $70 meal on the house and a shirt that reads "I came to Cowtown Diner hungry and left Full-o-Bull."

The J&J's Kitchen Sink Challenge
Restaurant: J&J's Pizza Shack
Location: Northern Indiana (five locations)

In what is perhaps the oldest undefeated eating challenge in the country, the Kitchen Sink challenge at J&J's Pizza Shack in Indiana has confounded eaters for 27 years. The pizza is the brainchild of John Bogdan, the now-retired founder of J&J's, who created the 16-inch round deep-dish pizza, It includes sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, green peppers, onions, green olives, black olives, ham, Canadian bacon, bacon bits, and mozzarella cheese; it weighs about 6 pounds and must be completed within one hour.

Kim S., the manager at the Lake Station restaurant, says the Kitchen Sink is an extremely popular dish for J&J's, because most orders are for groups and corporate events. In fact, The Kitchen Sink is the restaurant's best-selling specialty pizza.

The pizza, which is intended to feed four to six people, has an estimated two to three challengers per year, and at least 100 people have attempted the challenge in the history of J&J's. Surprisingly, the closest anyone has come in recent history to finishing the pizza was a 12-year-old girl, who ate 16 of the 20 pieces before she had to give in.

"When someone does try, the wait staff is all curious, because we really want to see someone do it," says Kim. And, what does someone win if they do finish off the pie? They don't have to pay the bill - the $27.55 pizza is free.

The Hail Mary Challenge
Restaurant: Stadium Grill
Location: Columbia, Missouri

Since opening in August 2009, Stadium Grill in Columbia, Missouri has been offering the "Hail Mary Challenge," which involves finishing the "Unnecessary Roughness," a massive burger measuring an impressive 8 inches high. Restaurant manager Joe Collins says more than 150 challengers have attempted to conquer the burger, including competitive eater Randy Santel. All have failed.

The Unnecessary Roughness includes five-plus pounds of meat, including griddled burgers, bacon, and pulled pork, three cheeses, onion rings, and fried eggs, all stacked between two buns. To complete the challenge, a contender not only must finish the burger but also polish off a full pound of French fries, all within 60 minutes. If someone can conquer The Hail Mary challenge, they will be rewarded with their meal on the house (a $50 value) and $50 in food and drink every month for a year. Best of all, you will become legend in your own time: The Stadium Grill will name the burger after the first victor.

Collins says the burger does a good job of bringing business to the restaurant. "We display it on the weekends for people to see, and we'll sometimes display it out in front of the door." Those that do order it are most likely to share it with friends. "That's not part of the challenge," says Collins, but he's happy to sell it anyway he can.

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Brazos Bottom Pecan Pie in Wooden Box
http://www.goodecompanystore.com/pecan-pie.html

$35.00

Cooked slow with just the right amount of sweetness and plenty of pecans. It makes Grandma proud. Nine inch pecan pie in Pine Gift Box. We'll include a gift card with a note from you when shipped. Pies will keep for 3 weeks stored at room temperature, or 3 months if kept refrigerated.

The Brazos Bottom Pecan Pie is rich in taste and tradition. You’ll soon understand why I often say, ”You might give some serious thought to thanking your lucky stars you’re in Texas!”"

- Levi Goode

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Peppermint-OREO Cookie Balls
http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/peppermint-oreo-cookie-balls-124156.aspx

total time 1 hr 30 min
prep 20 min
servings 48

6 candy canes, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup), divided
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 pkg. (16.6 oz.) OREO Cookies, finely crushed
2 pkg. (8 squares each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted

RESERVE 1 Tbsp. chopped candy. Mix remaining candy with cream cheese and cookie crumbs until well blended.

SHAPE into 48 (1-inch) balls. Freeze 10 min. Dip balls in melted chocolate; place in single layer in shallow waxed paper-lined pan. Sprinkle with reserved candy.

REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until firm.

Kraft Kitchens Tips

Size-Wise
These cookie balls have their own-built in portion control and can be enjoyed on occasion but remember to keep tabs on portions.

How to Melt Chocolate
Place unwrapped chocolate squares in microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 2-1/2 min. or until chocolate is completely melted, stirring every 30 sec.

How to Easily Dip Cookie Balls
To easily coat cookie balls with the melted chocolate, add balls, in batches, to bowl of melted chocolate. Use 2 forks to roll balls in chocolate until evenly coated. Remove balls with forks, letting excess chocolate drip back into bowl. Place balls in prepared pan; let stand until chocolate coating is firm.

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Devils on Hatchback
http://www.food52.com/recipes/3058_devils_on_hatchback

Serves 40

20 fresh Hatch green chile peppers, or New Mexico green chile peppers

8 ounces cream cheese

20 slices of thin, center cut bacon

1 tablespoon honey, or maybe more, its just for drizzling

black pepper

1. Roast the Hatch peppers. To do this, put the peppers on a baking sheet and broil them until they are black on the outside, turning occasionally. Then, remove them from the oven, and put them in a ziploc bag so that they can steam for ten minutes. Then take out the peppers and rub them gently so that all the charred skin comes off of the peppers. This can be done ahead of time and they also freeze beautifully.

2. Cut the peppers in half and cut the stem end off as well. Make one slit lengthwise through the pepper halves and open them up so that you can see inside. Remove some of the seeds and vein (leave in more if you like your devils spicier).

3. Put about a teaspoon of cream cheese in the center of each pepper half, wrap the pepper around it so that it closes, then place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Do not worry if your tender peppers tear and you can see the cheese come through a bit, the bacon will help contain everything.

4. Cut the twenty strips of bacon in half and wrap around each little devil and place back on the baking sheet. Be sure to place them seam side down so that the bacon doesn't curl and open up in the oven. Crack black pepper over the devils and put them in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Some of your cheese may ooze out of your devils, but not to worry, because they will still be delicious!

5. After 45 minutes, drizzle a generous amount of honey over the devils and bake for 5 more minutes. Take them out of the oven and pop them into your mouth.

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PUMPKIN PIE SPICE "ICE CREAM"
http://www.naturalnews.com/034237_Thanksgiving_desserts.html

HEALTH BENEFITS OF THIS RECIPE

Bananas
Bananas are loaded with potassium, which increases energy and protects against high blood pressure, atherosclerosis and stroke. Bananas also contain soluble fiber that helps maintain regular digestion.

Pumpkin Pie Spice
A typical commercial blend of pumpkin pie spice contains: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. All of these spices promote good health. Cinnamon helps regulate blood sugar, even in folks with type 2 diabetes. It also contains antioxidants, which contribute to cardiovascular health. Ginger has been shown to reduce inflammation and nausea, and it may also lower cholesterol. Nutmeg promotes sleep, and it actually kills cavity-causing bacteria in the mouth. Cloves can reduce heartburn, aid in digestion and ease toothache pain. Cloves also contain high levels of antioxidants to neutralize free radicals!

Walnuts
These wonderful nuts contain high concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids, which help improve blood flow and promote overall heart and bone health. Like many nuts, they also lower the risk of gallstones and help prevent weight gain.

PUMPKIN PIE SPICE "ICE CREAM" RECIPE
2 frozen bananas, chopped into 1-inch slices (peel and freeze at least one day in advance)
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice*
1/4-1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Place the chopped bananas into a food processor, and process on high speed until a crumbly consistency is achieved. Remove lid, scrape down the sides and sprinkle in the pumpkin pie spice. Process on high (scraping the sides, as needed) until the banana crumbles come together to form one large mass and the texture resembles ice cream. Transfer the mixture to bowls, sprinkle with nuts (optional) and enjoy! This recipe serves 1 to 2 guests.

*Pumpkin pie spice is a blend of spices that is available in most baking aisles. Be sure to read the ingredients list to verify that it contains no additives. Choose a brand that contains just "cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves."