Yummy Recipes

Red Peppers & Goat Cheese
A delicious, healthy appetizer or snack

This is a favorite little Sunday treat, and is super easy. 

Cut a bell pepper into fat slices as to create a natural scoop.

Dab a bit of goat cheese (You can buy it cheap at Costco) and grill for about 7 minutes.

This can all be done in the oven on broil if you don’t have a grill.

Once cooked either eat plain or heat some pesto to spill over the top. YUM!

This is best served warm, so make sure you plan accordingly if serving for an appetizer.

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Red Curry

CURRY SAUCE INGREDIENTS

• ½ tbsp oil  
• 4 garlic cloves
• 3-4 tbsp Red Curry Paste (depending on your spice level)
• 2 cans coconut milk
• ¾  cup peanuts 
• 4 palm sugar discs (This may be a little too much so try 2 discs and then add the remaining two after tasting)
• 1 ½ tsp fish sauce
• 2 Big limes (I prefer fresh lime, but I always seem to forget it so I have lime juice as a backup)
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp white sugar

*Best place to buy cheap ingredients is the Southeast Asian Market on 900 South and about 200 South. These are my favorites...

Coconut milk I like

Curry Paste I like

Fish Sauce I l

VEGGIES & MEATS

(Really you can add anything veggie or meat that sounds good, below is what I usually add)

• 3 Golden Yukon potatoes
• 1 large yellow onion
• 1-2 bell pepper
• 2 cups mini carrots 
• Handful of frozen peas
• 2 chicken breasts (cook prior to recipe, simple saute and season with salt & pepper)

*Chop onions, potatoes, peppers and chicken in to bit size pieces prior to creating the Curry

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat 
2. Add garlic and saute
3. Add curry paste to pan and heat for 1 minute
4. Next add coconut milk, peanuts, palm sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, salt and white sugar to pan and bring to boil.
5. Continue to boil for 5 minutes or until sauce begins to thicken and peanuts begin to turn soft (this is a good time to taste the sauce to see if the spice is right)
6. Begin to add your veggies in this order
7. Potatoes-Cook for 3 minutes then add next
8. Carrots-Cook for 4 minutes then add next
9. Precooked chicken- Cook for 4 minutes then add next
10. Onions- Cook for 3 minutes then add next
11. Peppers and peas- cook until veggies are tender but not soggy

Cream Cheese Wontons

INGREDIENTS

• Cold Cream Cheese
• Wonton Skins
• Peanut oil, or veggie oil
• My favorite dipping sauce Mae Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce (super cheap at the Asian market) 

DIRECTIONS

• Heat a wok with enough peanut or veggie oil that could cover a wonton over medium heat
• Meanwhile, cut cream cheese into even cubes
• Spread 12 wonton skins over a cookie sheet and add a cube of cream cheese to the center
• Using a sauce mop or fingers, moisten all wonton skins on tray with water
• Pull all wonton corners to the center and pinch closed, sealing all edges
• Immerse wontons in heated oil 
• Wontons will float to the top when completed or remove when lightly golden brown
• Place completed wontons on plate with a paper towel to absorb excess oil
• Enjoy with Mae Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce

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Our Morning Smoothie

Serves 3

• Cup of frozen mixed berries
• 2 cups frozen spinach (I also add frozen veggies from last year's garden)
• 1/2 cup frozen kale
• Half a frozen banana, or pear, or a spoonful of orange concentrate to make it sweet
• 1/4 avocado (makes it creamy)
• 1 tsbp of raw coconut oil 
• A scoop of a vanilla or chocolate Whey protein powder
• 2 cups cold water

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CINNA KNOTS

Makes 3 dozen, about 5 dozen if made smaller (which I love them as little bites)

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 2/3 cup oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 cups warm water
• 8-9 cups flour
• 2 heaping tbsp yeast

Sugar Mixture

• 3 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 1/2 tbsp cinnamon

Directions

• Mix the following ingredients in an awesome mixer like a Kitchen Aid using the paddle attachment
• 3 eggs
• 2/3 cup oil
• 2 tbsp salt
• 1 cup sugar 

• Once mixed, add 4 cups of warm/hot water (110 degrees)
• Next add 4 cups flour while continuing to mix with paddle attachment
• After mixed well, add 2 heaping tbsp yeast
• Then add remaining 4 cups flour and mix well
• The final dough should be sticky but not runny, add more flour if necessary to create sticky dough
• Let dough rise in bowl for 30 minutes and punch down

• Let dough rise again for 30 minutes and punch down
• Place dough in clean bowl with a tbsp of oil at the bottom and let rise for 50 minutes
• Remove dough ball from bowl and knead for five minutes, generously adding flour if needed to create smooth dough ball

• Cut dough into smaller, more workable sections and then make dough pieces into balls a little larger than a golf ball.
• Stretch and roll pieces into long, rope like strips

• Dip strips in a bowl of melted butter then roll strips into sugar mixture making sure it is generously covered
• Tie the long dough into several knots making a circle
• Let the knots rise for 5-10 minutes on cookie sheet
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325
• Bake Cinna Knots for 15-20 minutes
• Once cooked, place knots on parchment paper and scrape the leftover sugar mixture on top of the rolls

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Chicken Tikka Masala (4-6 people) 

(Note the pictures have larger portions as I was tripling the recipe. Also this recipe is fairly simple even though there are quite a few steps.)

The Chicken

• 1 tsp tumeric
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp salt
• 4 chicken breast

• 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (If I'm feeling healthy I go low-fat)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 medium garlic cloves minced (when cooking for a lot I always buy the pre-minced garlic)
• 1 tbsp grated ginger 

Chicken Prep

1. Combine tumeric, coriander, cumin, cayenne, salt in small bowl
2. Rub both sides of chicken with spice mix
3. Cover chicken with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes
4. Whisk together yogurt, oil, garlic, and ginger cover and put in fridge

Masala Sauce

• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large onion
• 4 medium garlic cloves minced
• 3 tsp fresh ginger
• 1 fresh serrano chile minced
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• 28 oz diced tomatoes 
• 3 tsp sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup heavy cream

Sauce Prep

1. Heat oil in large pot (best if you have a dutch oven) over medium heat until simmering. Add onion and stir frequently until light golden (6 to 8 minutes)
2. Add garlic, ginger, chile, tomato pastes, and garam masala. Continue stirring until fragrant (3 minutes)
   Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt; bring to boil
3. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Stir in cream and cilantro and return to simmer

Cooking Chicken

1. While sauce simmers, adjust oven rack to about six inches from heating element and heat broiler (I tried the grill for the first time and it worked great)
2. Use tongs to dip chicken into yogurt mixture and place on broiling pan. 
3. Broil chicken until thickest part reads 160 degrees (about 15-20 minutes)
4. Don't forget to flip chicken halfway through
5. Cut chicken in to cubes and stir into sauce
6. Stir in cilantro

Indian Rice Serves 4-6 people

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup basmati rice or long-grain rice
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 3 tbsp salted butter
• 1 medium onion
• 1 cup peas

Rice Prep

1. Rinse rice: Put rice in a bowl and add enough water to cover the top by about two inches. using hands gently swish the grains to release the starch. Carefully pour off water, leaving rice in bowl. Repeat about 5 times or until the water is basically clear. 
2. Bring 2 1/2 cups water to a boil along with salt and pepper, cover
3. Meanwhile, heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until melted
4. Add onion and saute until softened but not browned (3-4 minutes)
5. Add rice and stir to coat grains with butter
6. Cook until edges of rice grains begin to turn translucent (3 minutes)
7. Stir hot seasoned water into rice and return to boil
8. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until all liquid is absorbed (20 minutes)
9. Remove from heat and remove lid and place a kitchen towel folded in half over teh saucepan and replace lid
10. Let stand for 10 minutes
11. Add a cup of heated green peas to rice