Kofta (sans Kebab)

Modified from themediterraneandish.com
I just used the spices from the recipe and added to ground turkey. Typically, you have a feeling how something is going to taste based on the spices, but I had no idea how it would taste, and it turned out pretty good! Eric appreciated that it was different than typical.

Ingredients:

-1 medium yellow onion, diced

-garlic, diced

-ground turkey- used 2 lbs total - 1 lb of 99% and 1 lb of 93% lean

-salt and pepper

-1.5 tsp ground allspice (used 2 tsp)

-1/2 tsp cayenne (used ~3/4 tsp)

-1/2 tsp ground green cardamom (used ~3/4 tsp)

-1/2 tsp ground sumac (used ~3/4 tsp)

-1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (used 3/4 tsp)

-1/2 tsp paprika (used 3/4 tsp)

Directions:

1. Cooked garlic and onions in pan 

2. Add ground meat + spices

Served with Mediterranean roasted veggies + Mediterranean rice

Sprinkle of roasted pine nuts, grape tomatoes (cold), and avocado as toppings.

Mediterranean chicken sandwiches

Eric likes chicken sandwich from Papouli's, so wanted to give it a try on the stainless steel pan.

Loosely used receipt from little spice jar.

Ingredients:

-Chicken breasts (I used 3 large chicken breasts and split in half for 6 servings, but next time would try the thinly sliced chicken breasts (5 to a package, buy 2 and freeze the rest for later).

-1/2 tsp salt

-1/2 tsp black pepper

-1/2 tsp fresh chopped rosemary

-1/2 tsp dried oregano

-1 tsp fresh thyme

-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

-1 Tbsp minced garlic

-3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (1 lemon + zest)

-3 Tbsp olive oil

-1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

Directions:

1. Marinate chicken for 30 min - 2 hrs in everything from above

2. Grill (I used stove)

Notes:

-Would try the thinly sliced chicken breasts as above because uneven weights

-Served on brioche buns (Eric like HEB brand better), but he said he would prefer to use sourdough bread next time

-On the sandwich, also used red onions, butter lettuce, avocado, jalapenos and tomatoes from the garden.  Eric also made an asparagus dip from the ends of the asparagus that served as a sort of sauce - very yummy!

-Served with "double B potatoes" - boiled baby potatoes, then smashed them in the pyrex dish, seasoned with rosemary, garlic, and spices, then baked in oven.  On reheat, I put them in the ceramic pan to heat up (takes a while, so do this first)

-Also served with asparagus

Black Beans in Instant Pot

Used recipe from loveandlemons.com

Roughly 1 cup or half bag of beans to 3 cups of water. So if full bag or 2 cups, then 6 cups of water

Half a bag was too much too cook for 5 lunches, so would try 1/4 next time.

Still playing around with the times of cooking. Did 22 min cook time and a little firm, so would try 25 min next time.

If using in chili, would try soaking prior 8-24 hours beforehand.

*UPDATE* Black beans caused too much gas.  So recs online say to soak overnight and rinse thoroughly.

Ingredients:

-8 oz black beans (half the bag) ~ 1 cup --> yielded about 465 grams of black beans

-3 cups of water

-spices of your choice: minced onion, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, serrano, salt, black pepper; could try real onion, real garlic, lime juice, bay leaf.  Skip the oregano because Eric sensitive to it.

Directions:

1. Sort through beans and pick out rocks

2. Rinse beans

3. Add 3 cups of water to 1 cup of beans

4. Add spices

5. Cook 25 min + 20 min natural release

6. Drain again

Brazilian Cheese Bread

Got recipe from Simply Recipes.

Was really good and easy! Need to add to the party rotation.

There was more than enough batter for my mini muffin tin. So would just messy pour everything in instead of one at a time and pretty.

Dumped the olive oil into the blender, then used the dirty cup to grease pan.

Probably baked for 18 min.

Used the Gruyere cheese from prior recipe.

Ingredients:

-1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing pan

-2/3 cup milk

-1 1/2 cups (170 g) tapioca flour

-1/2 cup (66 g) packed grated or crumbled cheese, your preference

-1 tsp salt or more to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.  Grease olive oil onto pan.

2. Blend all ingredients into blender and pulse until smooth

3. Pour batter into muffin tin. Leave 1/8 inch from the top.

4. Bake for 15-20 min until puffy and nicely browned.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Modified from Skinnytaste.

It was good.

--I didn't measure out the Cajun seasoning, but I know it was more than the 2-4 tsp recommended.  I would say to do even more.  There was a light to moderate coat on the chicken when I sprinkled, but I would do a heavy coat when looking at it.  

--I also added extra cayenne to the chicken - would do even more.

--I made it dairy free, so didn't use the milk

Next time:

--I would flavor the pasta - boil in chicken broth + Cajun seasoning.

--Keep the pasta separate from the chicken/veggies when serving because you get most of the pasta in the beginning meals and less in the later meals.

--Eric said he was willing to try the mushrooms, but didn't add

Ingredients:

-half a bag of linguine

-chicken (typical 2 lbs tenders cut into cubes)

-garlic powder, Cajun seasoning, paprika

-olive oil

-Veggies: 

---bell pepper trio thinly sliced

---red onion, thinly sliced

---jalapenos (weren't hot enough, so use some serranos next time

---mushrooms???

-garlic, minced used a whole bulb

-2 Roma tomatoes, diced

-1 cup low sodium chicken broth

-1/3 cup skim milk (didn't use)

-1 Tbsp flour (didn't use)

-3 Tbsp light cream cheese (didn't use)

-fresh cracked pepper

-scallions

Directions:

1. (Didn't do) Make slurry by combining milk, flour, cream cheese - set aside

2. Marinate chicken generously with Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, cayenne, pepper

3. Boil pasta with chicken broth + Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, cayenne, pepper

3. Cook chicken, set aside

4. Cook veggies - seasoned with Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, cayenne, pepper

5. Reduce heat - add broth and tomatoes (+ slurry)

6. Top with scallions, avocado, crispy jalapeno, cracked pepper

Chicken Adobo*

Recipe from NYT that looked good, but I can't get fresh bay leaves or coconut vinegar.  So maybe if I happen to be at an Asian store or Whole Foods, then I'll wait to make.  I thought this recipe was going to use Adobo peppers, but no.

Ingredients:
-2 Tbsp coconut oil
-15 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

-2 tsp whole black peppercorns, plus 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

-4 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken drumsticks and thighs

-1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

-1/2 cup coconut vinegar

-1/2 cup soy sauce

-8 fresh bay leaves

-Cooked rice, for serving

Directions:

1. In a large pot, heat the coconut oil over medium-high until shimmering.  Add the garlic, whole peppercorns, freshly ground pepper and red-pepper flakes, drop the temperature to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is toasted and softened and mixture is fragrant, about 5 min.

2. Add the chicken, skin-side down, and cook over medium-high, undisturbed, until fat starts to render, about 5 min

3. Stir in the coconut milk, coconut vinegar, soy sauce, bay leaves, and 1 cup water, and let the mixture come to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the chicken feels loosened and just about falling off the bone, stirring halfway through, about 1 hour.

4. Increase the temperature to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened to a velvety gravy, about 15 min.  Serve chicken and sauce over rice.

Brown Butter Mashed Turnip/Rutabaga with Roasted Garlic

Recipe taken from girlheartfood.com

So I thought it was good, but Eric thought it was too watery.  Maybe try with potatoes (maybe the wateriness will eliminate need for milk?)

Ingredients:

-1 head garlic

-salt

-ground pepper

-olive oil

-3 lbs turnip or rutabaga (used 1.5 lbs roughly)

-1/2 cup unsalted butter (used 1/4 cup for half the turnips, although could have used less I think)

-chopped fresh thyme leaves

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and roast garlic with salt, pepper, olive oil in aluminum foil for 40 min

2. Boil turnip in salted water, covered (I did not cover?), for 35-40 min.  1-2 inches of water above turnip. Reduce heat while boiling.

3. Melt butter in light colored saucepan over medium-low heat.  Gently swirl saucepan every so often as it bubbles.  Ok to foam and will change color with brown bits.  This will take 10 min (was more like 15 min and I turned heat up more and more

4. Mash turnip with salt, black pepper, thyme, brown butter, garlic.