Thai Basil Pesto

Our Thai basil plant is pretty big, even though it's the small leaves plant, not the good big leaves plant. Although, a rogue Thai basil plant with the good leaves has been growing in the raised planter box on the porch, which is crazy.  I harvested from both.
Anyways, I took this recipe from combination of 3 different websites, although there are even more with variants with added soy sauce, honey, rice wine vinegar.

Main thing is that Eric really liked it! Said one of his fave in a long time.

Ingredients:

-4 cups Thai basil - did about 4 cups (not packed), but could have used more

-1/4 cup Parmesan cheese - roughly estimated about a half of a wedge?

-1/2 cup roasted peanuts - did an extra 1/8 cup probably

-2 tsp brown sugar 

-1/2 TBSP salt - didn't need because the Parmesan was salty

-4 cloves garlic

-1 inch ginger

-4 "chilis" - I used Serranos from the garden that were a bit mild

-2 TBSP sesame oil

-1 TBSP lime juice (used 1 lime)

-1 TBSP oyster sauce

-1 tsp fish sauce - used less because of Eric

-1/3 cup olive oil - could have used less

Served with:

-Chicken (marinated in garlic powder, soy sauce, sesame oil, oyster sauce, splash of fish sauce, lime or rice wine vinegar) 

--Cooked chicken with shallot, garlic, serranos, pequins, chili de arbols

-Veggies: 1 yellow onion, 2 zucchini, 1 green BP, 1 red BP

-Pasta

Directions:

1. Chop veggies - set aside

2. Chop pesto ingredients: garlic, ginger, chilis

3. Roast peanuts: 325 degrees: 8-10 min

4. Pick Thai basil

5. Make pesto in Cuisinart and set aside: Parmesan cheese --> peanuts + brown sugar --> wet ingredients --> olive oil 

6. Cook chicken on stove + veggies in oven

Suya Chicken

Recipe adapted from African Bites

It was good. I think it could be spicier. Next time cook with garlic and serranos in pan before adding chicken like I normally do.

Ate with the Jollof Rice

Ingredients:

-1 TBSP garlic powder

-1 TBSP onion powder

-1 TBSP smoked paprika

-1 TBSP white pepper (added a little less because Eric doesn't like a lot)

-1/2-1 TBSP cayenne

-4 TBSP (64 g) of peanut butter (accidentally did like 80 g or so)

-1 TBSP bouillon (I used 1 cube)

-3 pounds skinless chicken thighs (I used breast)

-1 tsp salt

-oil

Directions:

1. Mix spices together

2. Add peanut butter to chicken and spices to marinate

2. Cook in pan

Jollof Rice

Recipe taken from Chef John with Allrecipes.

Made this yesterday from Eric's suggestion with inspiration from our time in Windsor after we saw the castle and got some street food while it was raining so we ate it in the car.

I served with suya chicken recipe and oven-roasted broccoli.

Ingredients:

TOMATO SAUCE

-1 large ripe tomato, cored and quartered (used 2 romas)

-1 large red bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped

-1 whole habanero

-1 whole Fresno chili or jalapeno (did jalapeño)

-4 cloves garlic (used whole bulb)

-1 tablespoon minced ginger

-2 cups of water (do a little less since using less rice)

RICE

-olive oil

-1 red onion, diced

-extra hot peppers, i.e. pequins, serranos

-1 tsp salt

-1/4 cup tomato paste (I used majority of tube, but recommend using less esp using less rice)

-2 1/4 cups of basmati rice (I used 2 cups of rice cooker cup)

-1 bay leaf

-1 TBSP chicken bouillon paste (used 1 cube)

SPICES:

-2 TBSP smoked paprika (recommend less maybe 1 TBSP)

-1 tsp curry powder

-1 tsp cumin

-1 tsp dried thyme

-1/2 freshly ground back pepper

-1/4 tsp turmeric

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine tomato, red bell pepper, habanero pepper, jalapeno pepper, garlic, ginger, water in a blender. Blend on high until smooth and set aside.

2. Combine spices - smoked paprika, curry, cumin, thyme, pepper, turmeric and set aside

3. Heat oil in pan on medium heat.  Add onion (+extra peppers - added 6 pequins) and salt and sauté until soften, about 4-5 min.

4. Clear space in middle of pan, add tomato paste, and sauté 2-3 min. 

5. Add spices and continue to cook 1-2 min

6. Turn off heat and stir in rice.  

7. Add bay leaf + chicken bouillon

8. Turn heat to high and stir in tomato sauce. Bring to a vigorous simmer. Cover with tight fitting lid, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 2 min.  Do not remove lid or stir rice

9. Turn off heat and set timer for 12 minutes.  Allow rice to sit and do not remove lid.

10. Fluff rice with fork and garnish with chopped cilantro

Baked Greek Meatballs and Potatoes with Garlic and Lemon

Taken from the MediterraneanDish.com with modifications.

I liked it more than Eric.

Eric said needed less balsamic and fresh tomatoes. Balsamic wasn't in the recipe, but I had just cooked the extra veggies in it. Maybe bc it was a special aged Balsamic that was sweeter.

I also forgot the grated onion in the meatballs, but I thought they tasted good. Eric thought they were dry. Could do less potato if adding in a 2nd onion.

Ingredients:

-1 slice of sandwich bread, day-old or toasted (I used the sourdough we already had)

-1.5 pounds lean ground beef (I used 1 full 99% turkey + 1/2 93% turkey)

-1 yellow onion, grated (I MISSED THIS INGREDIENT)

-2 garlic cloves, minced

-1 large egg

-1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley and/or mint (DIDN'T USE)

-1 tsp dried oregano

-1 TBSP ground coriander

-1 tsp ground cumin

-1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

-salt

-pepper

-4 Yukon gold potatoes, cut into small chunks or cubes

-1 red onion,  halved and thinly sliced

-1 batch Ladolemono Sauce

-VEGGIES: 2 bell peppers and 2 zucchini + fresh tomatoes on top

Ladolemono Sauce Ingredients

-1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, juice of 2 large lemons

-1 tsp dried oregano

-1 large garlic clove minced

-3/4 tsp kosher salt

-3/4 tsp black pepper

-3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil ---> drizzle olive oil while whisking

Directions:

1. Soak bread in water for a few minutes until bread tender and fully soaked/falls apart.  Use hands to wring out excess water, then crumble into a medium mixing bowl

2. MEATBALLS: oregano, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, beef, bread, onion, garlic, egg, parsley

3. Put potato and onion in 9 x 13 baking dish and season with salt and pepper.  

4. Add meatballs and Ladolemono sauce

5. Bake 375 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes with foil covering. Then cooked uncovered another 10 minutes. I removed the meatballs after this and let cook another 15 minutes because potatoes still hard

6. Bake veggies at same time - I used salt, pepper, garlic, and balsamic, but too much of the latter

Lahmacun (Turkish Pizza)

We had this meat pizza at one of the Mediterranean restaurants at the resort in Cancun that we all really liked.  It was a set appetizer that we didn't order, so I had to google search it.

This recipe was modified from the Mediterranean Dish.

--I used ground turkey (93 + 99%) instead of ground beef/lamb. 

--I used pita as base with the pizza stone.

--I also pre-cooked the meat and put on top instead of cooking it with the pizza since I was using already cooked pita.

--Could try using pre-made frozen pizza dough from store.

--I quadrupled the recipe (7 oz meat per 1/2 lb pizza dough)

--Served with Mediterranean veggies on the side: 1 green BP, 1 zucchini, grape tomatoes, 1 red onion + red onion slices to put on the pizza (fewer veggies since I'm using 2 red bell peppers and 4 shallots in the meat concoction). Although Eric said he would have liked his veggies on the pizza.

Ingredients (for 32 oz ground meat):

-2 red bell peppers

-4 shallots

-1 head of garlic

-2 oz fresh parsley (I didn't use this much, but would try to do more next time - i.e. whole bunch of the organic parsley

-1 thing of 99% and 1 thing of 93% ground turkey

Spices:

-4 tsp smoked paprika

-4 tsp ground allspice

-2 tsp ground cumin

-2 tsp Aleppo-style pepper (I used regular paprika instead)

-2 tsp ground cinnamon

-2 tsp cayenne pepper

-2 tsp salt

-more garlic powder

-16 Tbsp tomato paste (I used more like 8)

-8 Tbsp olive oil (did less and estimated)

Directions:

1. Cuisinart bell peppers, shallots, garlic, parsley (did 2 batches with smaller bear chopper)

2. Mix with meat, tomato paste, olive oil

3. Heat pizza stone up: 15 min at 450 F

4. Cook meat on stove

5. Cook Mediterranean veggies in oven (see other recipe)

6. Separate the meat into servings

7. Mix A LITTLE hot water with tomato paste for sauce

8. Make pita pizza: tomato sauce --> meat --> sliced onions

9. Cook in oven for about 7-10 min

Notes:

-Eric liked it, but wanted veggies on pizza

Thai Green Curry

Recipe taken from recipetineats.com

--I wasn't sure because I messed with the amounts and order of things if it was going to turn out ok, and it turned out great! Eric really liked it. 

--He wanted it less saucy/liquidy, too, so I halved the liquid. I used half of the full fat can + half cup of chicken broth and am wondering if I should have just gotten the lite can since making less liquidy.

--I also used more ginger and garlic than recommended as usual and that worked out. Didn't have the lemongrass paste though.

--I cooked chicken in the pan first, then created a hole in middle to cook or "dry out" the curry paste, but maybe try the curry paste in pan first, then add the chicken so as not to overcook the chicken. Also, original recipe has me adding the liquids to pan before chicken, but I like a nice sear on the chicken.

--Apparently, I made this one before and didn't see from Dec 2023 (I deleted) I marinated the coconut milk and broth with lemongrass prior to adding to drain out the lemongrass, but since I didn't have lemongrass this time, didn't do. Also, as I mentioned, don't cook the chicken after the broth because it's too "boiled." Also, I cooked with eggplant last time and just not a good veggie for us (too chewy)

Ingredients:

-1 jar of green curry paste

-garlic (1 head)

-ginger (1 inch piece)

-1 tbsp lemongrass paste (didn't have)

-1 cup low sodium chicken broth (used 1/2 cup)

-1 can full fat coconut milk (Thai Kitchen Organic) (used 1/2 can)

-1 tsp fish sauce (used 1/2 tsp)

-1 tsp sugar (used 1/2 tsp)

-6 kaffir lime leaves (didn't have)

-thai basil leaves

-lime as garnish

VEGGIES used: 2 bell peppers, 1 yellow onion (2 small in this case), 1 zucchini, and 1 bag of snap peas + 8 or so small serranos from the garden

Directions:

1. Marinated chicken with salt/pepper/garlic + 1 tsp or so of the green curry paste jar

2. Prep and bake veggies in oven - added salt/pepper/thai spice, and some of the chopped garlic/ginger

3. Heat oil in pan - curry paste + ginger + garlic + lemongrass + serranos - cook ~2 min until "dries out"

4. Add chicken 

5. Add broth and coconut milk (half if you want less saucy)

6. Add fish sauce and sugar (try adding/mixing to broth beforehand?)

7. Add kaffir lime leaves and bring to simmer

8. Add snap peas or snow pea leaves

9. Add everything to bowl and add thai basil leaves - garnish with lime wedge

Basque Cheesecake

Recipe from Aaron and hummingbirdhigh.com

So back in 2022, I had asked what Nat's favorite dessert was, and Aaron said cheesecake.  Looked like a complicated recipe, so I just bought from HEB, which wasn't that great. He texted me a recipe, and I never tried making - until this past Saturday for Nat's b-day. I searched a recipe to fit a 9 inch springform pan.  I'm not sure if Nat ever tried it, oh well.

Ingredients:

-4 cream cheese 8 oz boxes - ROOM TEMP (put in a ziploc bag in hot water for 15 min)

-1.5 cups granulated sugar (298 g)

-5 large eggs - ROOM TEMP (put in the hot water)

-1.5 cups heavy cream (340 g) - ROOM TEMP (forgot this room temp)

-1/4 cup all purpose flour (33 g)

-1 tsp kosher salt (note there are salt differences in weight)

-1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Use cooking spray or butter the 9-inch springform pan and line with 2 parchment papers making sure it sticks up 2 inches above the sides of the pan. I also used butter on the parchment paper on the inside, too (per the Allrecipes guy)

2. Beat cream cheese on medium until soft and creamy, 1-2 minutes. 

3. Add sugar and beat on low until light and fluffy, 1 minute.

4. Add vanilla

5. Add eggs ONE at a time - I used just a spatula to mix

6. Slowly pour cream down side of bowl and beat until combined, about 1 minute

7. Put flour and salt in sieve and add gradually, beat until combined on low for 30 seconds (used spatula)

8. Pour batter into pan and whack on counter to get bubbles out

9. Bake for 55 minutes until edges are set but center still wobbles

10. Cool at room temp for 2 hrs before putting in fridge

NOTES:

-I overcooked it because comments were saying how it never set, so I got scared and went too long, but 55 minutes or just when you see it turn brown on top would be good I think.

-I didn't beat the cream cheese before adding sugar - whoops

-I probably beat the mixture too long bc pouring cream too slowly - whoops. Maybe use spatula here

-I also beat too long pouring in flour/salt too long

-can be kept at room temp for 1 day, but stored in fridge up to 3 days