Lentil Tikka Masala

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 tablespoon Garam Masala
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 quart tomatoes
1 can full-fat coconut milk
1 cup red lentils, rinsed and picked over
2 cups spinach, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon fine grain salt
Fresh chopped cilantro for garnish

Directions:

1. Saute onion until translucent
2. Add garlic, ginger, and spices, and saute for another minute
3. Add tomatoes, and coconut milk, and simmer while covered 5 minutes
4. Remove from heat, and puree, then return to heat
5. Add lentils, cover, and simmer 20 minutes, until lentils are tender
6. Add spinach, cook until wilted, then serve, with chopped cilantro to garnish

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Buttermilk Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 160 grams (1 1/3 cup) Flour
• 37 grams (3 tbsp) white sugar
• 6 gram (1 tsp) baking soda
• 4 gram (1 tsp) baking powder
• 6 gram (1 tsp) kosher salt
• 2 eggs
• 275 grams (1 1/4 cups) buttermilk
• 29 grams (2 tbsp) butter

Directions:

1. Whisk together dry ingredients
2. Melt butter, whisk together with eggs and buttermilk
3. Pour liquid over dry ingredients, stir to combine, then cook in frying pan or griddle

Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces unsalted butter
• 5 5/8 ounces brown sugar
• 9 ounces molasses
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice / cloves
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 14 3/4 ounces  All-Purpose Flour

Directions:

 

1. In a saucepan set over low heat, or in the microwave, melt butter, then stir in the brown sugar, molasses, salt, and spices.
2. Transfer the mixture to a medium-sized mixing bowl, let it cool to lukewarm, and beat in the egg.
3. Whisk the baking powder and soda into the flour, and then stir these dry ingredients into the molasses mixture.
4. Divide the dough in half, and wrap well. Refrigerate for 1 hour or longer.
5. Preheat your oven to 350°F. 
6. Once the dough has chilled, take one piece of dough out of the refrigerator, and flour a clean work surface, and the dough. Roll it out as thin or thick as you like; for slightly less crisp cookies, roll it out more thickly.
7. Use flour under and on top of the dough to keep it from sticking to the table or rolling pin. 
8. Cut out shapes with a cookie cutter, cutting them as close to one another as possible to minimize waste.
9. Transfer the cookies to ungreased cookie sheets (or, if you’ve rolled right onto the parchment, remove the dough scraps between the cookies). Bake the cookies just until they’re slightly brown around the edges 8 to 12 minutes, or until they feel firm. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for several minutes, or until they’re set. Transfer them to a rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough.

 

 

Cranberry Orange Almond Biscotti

One of my favorite cookies to make for Christmas. Crunchy, but not tooth-breaking. Almost entirely lifted from Deb at Smittenkitchen.com and her Almond Biscotti Recipe, because she totally nailed it.

Ingredients:

• 3 ¼ cups (390 grams) all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon (12 grams) baking powder
• 1/3 teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups (297 grams) granulated sugar
• 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks, or 141 grams) unsalted butter, melted
• 3 large eggs + 1 egg white to brush top as glaze
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon orange liqueur
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 1 cup (86 grams) toasted, coarsely chopped or sliced almonds
• ½ cup (57 grams) roughly chopped Craisins
• Demerara sugar to sprinkle on top if desired

Directions:

1. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into medium bowl. Mix sugar, melted butter, 3 eggs, vanilla extract, orange liquer and zest in large bowl. Add flour mixture to egg mixture and stir with wooden spoon until well blended. Mix in almonds and cranberries.
2. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into medium bowl. Mix sugar, melted butter, 3 eggs, vanilla extract, orange liquer and zest in large bowl. Add flour mixture to egg mixture and stir with wooden spoon until well blended. Mix in almonds.
3. Divide dough in half. Using floured hands, shape each dough half into 13 1/2-inch-long, 2 1/2-inch-wide log. Transfer both logs to prepared baking sheet, spacing apart. Whisk egg white in small bowl until foamy; brush over top and sides of each dough log then sprinkle with demerara sugar if desired.
4. Bake logs until golden brown (logs will spread), about 30 minutes. Cool logs completely on sheet on rack, about 25 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.
5. Transfer logs to work surface; discard parchment paper. Using serrated knife, cut logs on diagonal into 1/2-inch-wide slices. Arrange slices, cut side down, on same baking sheet. Bake 12 minutes. Turn biscotti over; bake until just beginning to color, about 8 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool.

My Ideal Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 lbs tomatoes, peeled and seeded
• 1 1/2 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 3 cloves garlic wrapped in foil
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 carrots peeled and chopped
• 2 onions chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 3/4 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsp sherry
• salt and pepper to taste
• juliened basil for garnish/finishing

Directions:

1. preheat oven to 450°F and line rimmed baking sheet with foil and wrap garlic cloves in foil.
2. Spread Tomatoes in single layer on foil, sprinkle with brown sugar, and bake until tomatoes begin to color, about 30 minutes. Allow  tomatoes to cool slightly, and remove from baking sheet to  a bowl, and remove roasted garlic from peel.
3. In a heavy bottomed pot, melt butter and olive oil, bringing up to heat. Add onions and carrots, saute until soft, about 10 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, and garlic to pot, stir and mix together.
5. Add Chicken stock, and let simmer 20 minutes. Remove from heat, and use stick blender to puree smooth.
6. Stir in heavy cream and sherry, and add salt and pepper to taste. Add a pinch of smoked paprika if desired. Serve with basil garnish.

 

Gluten Free Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• ¾ c. butter, softened
• 1 c. brown sugar (7 ½ oz)
• 1 c. white sugar (7 oz)
• 3 eggs
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1 1/3 c. white rice flour (5 oz)
• ¾ c. tapioca starch (4 oz)
• 1 t. xanthan gum
• ¾ c. cocoa powder, dark (2 ¼ oz)
• 1 ½ t. baking soda
• ½ t. salt
• 1 1/3 c. milk
• ¼ c. coffee, already prepared

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a bowl with an electric mixer) and cream on medium high until light and fluffy. About 3-4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and cream until well combined. Add vanilla.
3. Combine white rice flour, tapioca starch, xanthan gum, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl and toss to combine.
4. Alternatively add in dry mixture and milk/coffee, starting and ending with the dry mixture.
5. Fill cupcake cavities with liners and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Fill each cup to ¾ full.

Bake for 22-26 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

Pickled Green Beans (aka Dilly Beans)

Ingredients

• 2 pounds green beans, trimmed to fit your jars
• 2 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar (5%)
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons pickling or fine sea salt
• 4 teaspoons dill seed
• 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon red chili flake
• 4 cloves garlic

Instructions

1. Prepare a boiling water bath canner and 4 pint jars. Place 4 lids in a small pot of water and bring to a bare simmer.
2. Wash and trim your beans so that they fit in your jar and leave about an inch of headspace. If you have particularly long beans, your best bet is to cut them in half, although by doing so, you do lose the visual appeal of having all the beans standing at attending.
3. Combine vinegar, water, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
4. Divide the dill seed, peppercorns, red chili flake, and garlic cloves evenly between the four jars.
5. Pack the beans into the jars over the spices.
6. Pour the boiling brine over the beans, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
7. Gently tap the jars on the counter to loosen any trapped air bubbles. For stubborn air pockets, use a chopstick to wiggle them free.
8. Wipe rims, apply lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes.
9. When time is up, remove jars from canner and place them on a folded kitchen towel to cool.
10. Once jars are cool enough to handle, remove rings and test seals.
11. Sealed jars can be stored on the pantry shelf for up to one year. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and eaten promptly.