Chickpea Snack

http://ca.shine.yahoo.com/video/reluctantlyhealthy-26835339/swap-potato-chips-and-croutons-with-these-30317595.html

Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes.

Basic Egg Noodle Pasta Dough

BASIC EGG NOODLE PASTA DOUGH

3 large eggs
2 tablespoons water
2 3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour

Break eggs into a glass measuring cup. Add water. Carefully check to see that the total liquid amount is 3⁄4 cup. If less than 3⁄4 cup, add additional water 1 teaspoon at a time until that amount is reached.

Place flour in bowl. Attach bowl and flat beater. Turn to Speed 2 and gradually add eggs and water. Mix for 30 seconds. Stop mixer and exchange dough hook for flat beater. Turn to Speed 2 and knead for 2 minutes. Remove mixture from bowl and hand knead for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Cover with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 15 minutes before extruding through Pasta Maker.

TIP:
Pasta dough or fresh noodles can be stored in plastic bags in refrigerator up to three days or in freezer up to one month. Cooked noodles can be stored in plastic bags in refrigerator up to three days. Toss noodles with 1 tablespoon oil before placing in bags.

Makes about 1 pound dough

TO COOK PASTA

Add 1 tablespoon salt and 1 tablespoon oil to 6 quarts boiling water. Gradually add pasta and continue boiling until pasta is tender. (Pasta floats on top of water as it cooks, so stir occasionally to keep it cooking evenly.) Drain pasta in colander.

For spaghetti, flat noodles, and macaroni, cook entire recipe as directed. For lasagna noodles, cook half of recipe at a time.

Source: KitchenAid Pasta Maker manual

Click here to view:http://www.recipelink.com/cgi/msgbrd/msg_script.pl?getmsg=1&board=31&thread=43199

Basic Egg Noodle Recipe:

Ingredients: 
4 large eggs 
1 tablespoon water 
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour 
Directions: 
Place ingredients in bowl, attach flat beater, turn to speed 2 and mix 30 seconds. 
Remove the flat beater and attach the dough hook. Turn to speed 2 and knead for two minutes. 
Hand-knead dough for 30 seconds to one minute. Cover dough with a dry towel and let rest 15 minutes before extruding it through pasta maker.

Preparing Pasta Dough using the Kitchen Aid

1. Learning to make homemade pasta may take some experimentation to get the pasta dough
to the best consistency. It may take several batches of dough to feel comfortable.
2. It is best to start with the Basic Egg Noodle recipe in the Use and Care Guide because this
dough is fairly easy to adjust and use.
Note: There have been some misprints in the Use and Care Guide with this recipe. It may say
to use ½ cup of water--this is too much. The actual amount of water needed to get the right
consistency is usually between 2 and 5 Tbsp. It is best to start with about 2 Tbsp. water and add
more, one Tbsp. at a time, if needed.
3. When making pasta dough, the flat beater should be used to mix the eggs, flour, salt, and
water for about 30 seconds on Speed 2. The flat beater will break up and incorporate the
ingredients better than the dough hook.
4. If the water amount is correct, the dough should stick together when pressed between
fingers. If it is too dry and crumbly, add more water, 1 Tbsp. at a time.
5. Next, the dough hook should be put on the mixer to knead the dough for two minutes.
6. The dough should stick together, but not be "sticky" to the touch. If more water is needed to
get the dough to stick together it should be added very slowly to the dough. "Spritzing" the
water onto the dough ball is one way to incorporate the water without adding too much.
7. After kneading with the mixer, pasta dough must be kneaded by hand for an additional 1 - 2
minutes. It can be kneaded on a counter with just a slight dusting of flour.
8. The dough should be allowed to "rest" for 10 - 15 minutes before rolling with the Pasta
Roller. It should be placed under an upside-down mixer bowl, wrapped in plastic, or placed
in a plastic bag during the rest period to keep it from drying out.

Quinoa Pilaft and Breakfast Quinoa

QUINOA TWO WAYS

INGREDIENTS-

For Warm Breakfast Quinoa:
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 tablespoon cinnamon
Handful almonds, chopped
Handful dried fruit (raisins, apricots, cherries, etc.)
1 tablespoon agave nectar or honey

For Veggie Quinoa Pilaf:
2 cups cooked quinoa
2 medium-sized zucchini, shredded
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 large shallot, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
Olive oil
1 (15oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
Salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS-

For Warm Breakfast Quinoa:
- Combine the cooked quinoa with the cinnamon. Stir in the nuts and fruit. Drizzle with agave nectar or honey. Serve warm!

For Veggie Quinoa Pilaf:
- Heat a large saucepan covered with olive oil over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic. Saute until soft and fragrant.
- Add diced peppers and shredded zucchini. Saute until softened, approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Add cooked quinoa and stir to combine. Add black beans. Saute for a few minutes, until warmed through.
- Stir in cheese and continue cooking until thoroughly combined. Toss in toasted pine nuts. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

---

This delicious recipe brought to you by A Dash of Sass
http://www.adashofsass.com/2011/01/01/quinoa-two-ways/

Aioli (Provençal Garlic Mayonnaise)

From New York Times.

By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN

Aioli is the quintessential Provençal condiment, a very pungent garlic mayonnaise that in its home country contains more garlic than the version below – which is already pretty garlicky. It’s easy enough to make, and wonderful with all sorts of vegetables, like greens, steamed artichokes and asparagus. All it requires of the eater is a taste for raw garlic.

On Fridays there is a meatless tradition in Provence called aioli monstre, or huge aioli: a feast of boiled vegetables and salt cod accompanied by copious amounts of aioli. In the fall, the end of the harvest might be celebrated with such a feast, and at one of my favorite Provençal restaurants, Le Paradou, near Arles, that’s what you go there to eat on Fridays. Aioli is also traditional on Christmas Eve, in the ritual meal known as the gros souper.  In Catalonia, garlic mayonnaise, which is traditionally made without the egg but in modern times has evolved into something more like this version, is traditionally eaten as an accompaniment to grilled spring onions and snails at a feast called the cargolada. It’s also an indispensable accompaniment to paella.

But aioli requires no feast. This week I had some left over from a dinner party, so I stirred it into a mixture of steamed cod and fava beans, with delicious results. I spread it on sandwiches, and I used it for a wonderful chickpea and green bean salad.

Aioli (Provençal Garlic Mayonnaise)

I find that it is easy and just as quick to make aioli in a mortar and pestle or in a bowl with a whisk as it is to use a food processor. I prefer the tight mayonnaise I get this way. No matter which tool you use, always mash the garlic in a mortar and pestle first so that you have a paste and not little bits of garlic suspended in mayonnaise.

2 to 4 large garlic cloves (more to taste; authentic aioli has more like 4 to 6), peeled, cut in half, and green shoot removed

Salt to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon)

2 free-range organic egg yolks, or 1 egg and 1 egg white (the yolks are traditional, but the whole egg and white works fine)

1/2 cup grapeseed oil

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1. Whether or not you are using a mortar and pestle for the mayonnaise, begin by mashing the garlic and salt together in a mortar and pestle. Mash to a smooth paste.

2. Using the mortar and pestle (for egg yolks only; this is the traditional method, and will result in a very silky, creamy aioli if you do it correctly):

Add the egg yolks to the mortar and beat with the pestle until smooth. Measure the grapeseed oil into a measuring cup with a spout, and drip by drip, work the oil into the egg yolks, gently but constantly stirring in one direction with the pestle. As the mayonnaise begins to emulsify, you can start adding the oil in a steady stream, but the stream must be a thin one, and you must stir constantly but not too fast. Once you have a good emulsion, you can scrape the mixture into a bowl and continue with a whisk if it’s easier for you. It helps to rest the bowl on a damp towel shaped into a ring. Use up the grapeseed oil first, since it makes a better emulsion than olive oil, then continue with the olive oil. I find that once the egg yolks and oil are emulsified, it’s easiest to drizzle in a tablespoonful of oil while beating, stop drizzling and really beat hard to work it in, then continue with another tablespoonful. When all of the oil has been added and the mayonnaise is thick, taste and adjust salt. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Using a food processor:

Place the egg yolks or egg and egg white in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Turn it on, and begin drizzling in the grapeseed oil, then the olive oil, in a thin stream. Some food processors have little holes in the plungers meant for controlling the flow of oil into the mayonnaise. When all of the oil has been added, stop the processor and scrape in the garlic paste. Process for a few seconds, until the paste is well blended into the mixture. Taste and adjust salt. Refrigerate until ready to use. The mayonnaise will be thinner than the mortar and pestle version.

Rouille

This variation is served with bouillabaisse and other fish soups. I like it with just about anything that aioli is good with.

To the above recipe add:

2 generous pinches saffron

1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne, or 1 dried hot red pepper, seeded

1/2 teaspoon tomato paste (optional)

When you have mashed the garlic, add the saffron and the cayenne or hot pepper and mash together. Proceed with making the mayonnaise as directed.

Yield: 1 1/2 cups.

Advance preparation: This will keep for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator, but the garlic becomes more pungent, so use the smaller amount. You can make the mayonnaise ahead, mashing the garlic to stir in shortly before serving.

Nutritional information per tablespoon: 85 calories; 9 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 15 milligrams cholesterol; 9 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams dietary fiber; 49 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 0 grams protein.

  Martha Rose Shulman is the author of “The Very Best of Recipes for Health.”

Spaghetti Alla Trapanese

Free recipe from Jamie's Italy by Jamie Oliver - spaghetti alla trapanese

spaghetti trapani style

serves 4
Ok, tigers - this could be your next favourite pasta! It's the Trapanese way of making a kind of pesto sauce, and it's so great with spaghetti. It's best made with ripe cherry tomatoes, but I ran out, so I've used normal ones in the picture. The sauce can be made in the time it takes to boil the water for your pasta and cook it. I prefer to make the pesto in a pestle and mortar, but I've used a food processor with good results too.

455g/1lb dried spaghetti
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
150g/5 1/2oz almonds, skins on or off
1 clove of garlic
4 large handfuls of fresh basil, leaves picked
150g/5 1/2oz freshly grated pecorino or Parmesan cheese
extra virgin olive oil
600g/1lb 6oz tomatoes, halved

Cook your spaghetti in salted boiling water according to the packet instructions. Warm the almonds a little in a dry pan, then smash them up in a pestle and mortar or whiz them in a food processor until you have a coarse powder consistency. Put them into a bowl. Bash the garlic and basil separately in the mortar and mix with the almonds, adding the pecorino or Parmesan, a good glug of olive oil and some salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes and really scrunch them with your hands into the almond mixture until they have completely broken up. Loosen with a little extra olive oil and toss with your hot drained pasta. Check the seasoning, divide on to 4 plates, and spoon any sauce that remains in the pan over the top.


Another version:

¾ pound cherry tomatoes, very ripe and sweet
12 leaves fresh basil
⅓ cup whole almonds, lightly toasted
1 garlic clove, crushed and peeled
¼ teaspoon peperoncino
½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for cooking the pasta
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound spaghetti
½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated

Rinse the cherry tomatoes and pat them dry. Rinse the basil leaves and pat dry.

Drop the tomatoes into the blender jar or food processor bowl followed by the garlic clove, the almonds, basil leaves, peperoncino and 1/2 tsp salt. Blend for a minute or more to a fine purée; scrape down the bowl and blend again if any large bits or pieces have survived.

With the machine still running, pour in the olive oil in a steady stream, emulsifying the purée into a thick pesto. Taste and adjust seasoning. (If you're going to dress the pasta within a couple of hours, leave the pesto at room temperature. Refrigerate for longer storage, up to 2 days, but let it return to room temperature before cooking the pasta.)

To cook the spaghetti, heat 6 quarts of water, with 1 tablespoon salt to the boil in the large pot. Scrape all the pesto into a big warm bowl.

Cook the spaghetti al dente, lift it from the cooking pot, drain briefly, and drop onto the pesto. Toss quickly to coat the spaghetti, sprinkle the cheese all over, and toss again. Serve immediately in warm bowls.

Blueberry Chocolate Walnut Breakfast Bars

Will try this recipe for our camping trip.

Yield:  about 15 bars, depending on how you cut them

Ingredients:

1 cup white whole wheat flour (or all-purpose)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

1 cup dried blueberries (I bought mine at Trader Joe’s because my regular store doesn’t carry them.  You can substitute dried cranberries, but I really like the blueberries for this.)

1 cup chocolate chips (milk or dark, whatever you like)

2 cups oats (rolled oats or quick-cooking)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350°.  Grease a 9″ x 13″ baking dish.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda until well-combined.

With a stand mixer or hand mixer in a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar.  Add the egg and vanilla, then mix to combine. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low speed just until incorporated.  Stir the walnuts, blueberries, chocolate chips, and oats in by hand, which takes a little muscle.

Press the dough into your prepared baking dish, pushing it down into an even layer.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Set the dish on a wire rack to cool completely.  Cut into bars (I’ve cut them into longer, granola bar-shaped pieces with good results, but wanted squarer pieces this time).  Store in an airtight container for up to a week, or freeze in a sealed container.

"The Best" Brownies

I like this recipe because it uses vegetable oil and cocoa powder; especially good for those times when I don't feel like melting butter or chocolate! 

Source: Hershey's Cocoa Cookbook, 1979.

1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted butter (I sometimes use coconut oil)
3/4 cup sugar (originally 1 cup, but I like to use less sugar)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup unsifted all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa (i like using dark cocoa)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

1. Heat oven to 350F. Grease 9-inch square pan. (I used an 8-inch square pan).
2. In a large bowl, combine oil, sugar, and vanilla. Add eggs. Beat well with a spoon. If you love a crispy top, just beat the batter as much as possible after adding the eggs and before adding any other ingredients. 
3. Combine flour, cocoa, baling powder, and salt; gradually add to egg mixture until well blended.  Stir in nuts. Spread in pan.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until brownie begins to pull away from edges of pan. Cool in pan. Cut into squares.

Makes 16 brownies.

From  Five Meals Every Man Should Master

Pork & Beans

Part I: The Pork

Even the best home chef can't be pan-frying fillet of sole for 12: too much last-minute hassle, no way to nail the timing. That's where the one-pot meal comes in, the richly satisfying braise that actually gets better if you cook it three days in advance, so the flavors have time to develop. A braise takes minimal last-minute effort and can easily be scaled for a huge group or to leave a week's worth of the best leftovers you've ever had.

"And the thing I especially love about pork and beans," Keller tells me, "is all the ways you can repurpose it into other meals." He shows me exactly what he means, whipping up the single best plate of huevos rancheros I've ever eaten (and eat them I do, hunched over his kitchen's counter) and a killer bean soup that takes all of about 10 minutes to make (see  below - mensjournal.com/leftovers for those recipes). But the pièce de résistance is the pork-and-beans proper, a classic Keller dish in which the simplest comfort food becomes a minor culinary miracle.

The Complete Recipe: Braised Pork Shoulder With Slow-Cooker Beans

Braising the Pork:

Ingredients• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4- to 5-lb bone-in pork shoulder
• 4 tbsp canola oil
• 2 chopped carrots
• 1 chopped Spanish onion
• 1 chopped leek, white part only
• 8 cups veal or chicken stock
• 1 rosemary sprig
• 4 thyme sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 diced garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp black peppercorns

Step 1
Sprinkle salt and ground pepper on the pork very generously on all sides (don't be shy; you can't really overdo it here).

Step 2
Place a large cast-iron pot on the stove on high heat, and add the canola oil.

Step 3
When the oil is shimmering, lower the pork shoulder into the pot gently. Sear on all sides until golden brown, rotating the pork by hand, setting it up on its edge when necessary – then remove the meat and set aside.

Step 4
Pour out excess oil, then add chopped carrots, onion, and leek. Stir to coat with remaining oil in the bottom of the pot.

Step 5
Lay the shoulder on top of the vegetables (fatty side up). Add the veal or chicken stock so that it comes only halfway up the side of the pork, then add rosemary sprig, thyme sprigs, bay leaf, garlic, and peppercorns to the liquid. Bring to a simmer.

Step 6
Cover the pot, leaving lid slightly ajar, and place in a 250 oven. Braise the pork for 3.5 hours, or until the meat is tender enough to pull apart with two forks.

Step 7
Remove the pork from the pot and let cool to room temperature. Strain braising liquid through a fine-mesh strainer, return the pork and liquid to the pot, and refrigerate overnight.

Step 8
Once ready to finish the dish, debone the pork and then cut the meat into 2-inch-square chunks.

Part II: The Beans

The dilemma: Dried beans take forever to get tender, and you invariably overcook some, turning them mushy before others lose their hardness. Keller's solution: Rancho Gordo-brand beans, which are guaranteed fresh from ranchogordo.com, and a Crock-Pot or other slow cooker to help achieve even cooking.

Ingredients
• 1 pound Rancho Gordo-brand borlotti or cannellini beans
• 6 cups veal (or chicken) stock
• 6 cups water
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• Kosher salt
• 1/2 leek
• 1/2 carrot
• 1/2 white onion
• 1 oz bacon

Step 1
Wash and rinse beans – do not soak – then heat the stock and water in a pot and add to slow cooker.

Step 2
Tie together thyme and bay leaf and put in liquid with 1 tsp salt, leek, carrot, onion, beans, and bacon. Slow-cook on high until tender, about 4 hours. Cool and store in their liquid.

Part III: The Finish

Ingredients
• 3/4 cup large-diced leeks, white parts only
• 1 cup large-diced carrots
• Canola oil, as needed
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp red-wine vinegar

Step 1
Scrape fat off surface of pork-braising liquid. Discard.

Step 2
Warm the meat and stock over low heat. Remove the pork. Pour the braising liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into another pot.

Step 3
Return pork shoulder to its liquid. Simmer until needed.

Step 4
In a large skillet, sauté leeks and carrots in oil until tender.

Step 5
Strain the beans and put half in the skillet. Add one cup of the pork-braising liquid, the butter, and the red-wine vinegar to bind the sauce. Simmer 20 minutes, until the liquid thickens.

Step 6
Set pieces of warmed pork in the beans and serve.

Serves 2

Ingredients for the salsa:
(This will make more salsa than you need but you can keep it to eat with tortilla chips)
8 vine-ripened tomatoes
1 Jalapeno pepper, seeds removed then fine diced
1/3 cup red onion, finely diced
½ of 1 lime zest
Juice of ½ a lime
¼ cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

For the beans:
8 oz cooked beans
¼ cup water
1 cup braising liquid from pork shoulder
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
4 corn tortillas

For the pork:
12 oz of cooled pork shoulder, shredded
1 Tablespoon butter
Shredded Monterey Jack cheese
4 whole eggs, poached
White wine vinegar, as needed

Step 1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Core the tomatoes and blanch in the water for several seconds. Plunge the tomatoes in an ice bath. When cool, peel and seed, then small dice. (See mensjournal.com/lambsides for more on big-pot blanching).

Step 2
In a bowl, add the tomatoes, Jalapeno and red onion together. Add the lemon zest and squeeze half a lime onto the mixture. Toss in the cilantro leaves, add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Step 3
In a small pot, add the cooked beans, water and braising liquid. Let simmer until almost ready to put the dish together. Add the vinegars and butter to finish. Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside

Step 4
In a sauté pan, add the pork shoulder and butter. Gently sauté, stirring the mixture until ready to plate. Find a warm spot on your stove and reheat the corn tortillas until softened. Set aside.

Step 5
In a medium sized pot, add water until at least 4-inches deep and bring to a light simmer. Add enough vinegar until you can detect a light vinegar taste. Carefully break each egg into separate small bowls. With a wooden spoon, stir water in circular motion twice or until a vortex forms in the middle. Slip eggs, one-by-one, into the vortex, careful not to break the yolks. After 1 1/2 minutes, or until whites are opaque, remove the eggs and set aside.

Step 6
To plate, add the beans on one side of the plate; add the shredded pork on the other, layer with salsa and top with poached eggs. Lightly sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Add shredded cheese to taste carefully roll tortillas and place alongside. Serve.
-

Leftover #2: Bean Soup

-
Ingredients:
4 cups cooked beans, heated
Chicken stock, as needed to get the right soup consistency (or replace with vegetable stock or water to make a vegetarian soup), heated
½ cup Extra virgin olive oil
Champagne vinegar
Kosher Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Step 1
Take leftover pain de campagne, crust removed and roughly torn into 1 inch cubes and toasted in the oven for 10 minutes.

Step 2
Place the beans and 1 cup chicken stock in a blender and puree until smooth. Add more stock or water to reach desired consistency. With the blender still running, add the extra virgin olive oil in a steady stream.

Step 3
To finish, add 1 teaspoon champagne vinegar, 1 teaspoon of salt and a few grindings of pepper; taste, and continue adding vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste.

Ladle the bean soup into bowls. Serve the toasted croutons on the side.

Asian Glass Noodle Chicken Soup

Here's a recipe from Goddess of Scrumptiousness that I would like to try:

This particular Asian Glass Noodle Chicken Soup is actually a staple in my home even in monsoon season. It is very simple to make and with few ingredients, it is definitely one of those soups that you would want to cook repetitively even on sunny and lazy days.

Just saute finely chopped onions, garlic and ginger in canola oil until this trifecta of aromatics are fragrant. Then saute the chunks of chicken breast fillets. Add hot chicken broth infused with a pinch of saffron threads (pinch of powdered saffron) and let simmer for about 30 minutes so that the soup develops a homemade and savoury flavour, season with salt and pepper. Add the (cold water) soaked glass noodles (rice vermicelli noodles) and cook for 3 minutes.Turn off heat, flake the chicken, serve the noodles in a bowl and top with chicken, crispy fried garlic shingles and thinly sliced spring onions.

Slow Cooker Korean Short Ribs

I bought a pack of grass-fed short ribs yesterday from the farmer's market. I want to use the slow cooker, so I will try this recipe as soon as the meat's thawed.

• 6 pounds of bone-in English-style grass-fed short ribs
• Kosher Salt
• Freshly Ground Pepper
• 1 medium pear or Asian pear, peeled, cored, and chopped coarsely
• 1/2 cup soy sauce or coconut aminos
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
• 3 scallions, roughly chopped
• 1 hunk of ginger, about the size of your thumb, cut into two pieces
• 2 teaspoons of Red Boat fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar or coconut vinegar
• 1 cup organic chicken broth
• Small handful of roughly chopped fresh cilantro

• Preheat your broiler with the rack 6 inches from the heating element. Season the ribs liberally with salt and pepper and lay the ribs, bone-side up on a foil-lined baking sheet. 
• Broil the ribs for 5 minutes and then flip them over and broil for another 5 minutes. Stack the ribs in a single layer in the slow cooker. I lay them on their side to cram them all in the pot. 
• Toss the pear, coconut aminos, garlic, scallions, ginger, fish sauce, and vinegar in a blender and puree until smooth. 
• Pour the sauce evenly over the ribs and add the chicken broth to the pot. Cover with the lid, set the slow cooker on low, and let the ribs stew for 9-11 hours. 
• When it’s time to serve the ribs, remove the meat from the slow cooker and place them on a serving platter.  Let the braising liquid settle for 5 minutes and then ladle off the fat if you wish. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, and pour a cup of sauce over the ribs. Sprinkle on the chopped cilantro and serve the remaining sauce on the side.

Here's another option (except that I don't have a microwave) and another. For a spicy version, try this.

French Yogurt Cake

Think of this as a healthier pound cake with a bit more going on (thanks to yogurt and lemon zest).

Ingredients

• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
• 3/4 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• special equipment

  8 1/2 x 4 1/4-inch loaf pan

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350°. Coat pan with vegetable oil spray. Dust with flour; tap out excess.
• Whisk 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and kosher salt in a medium bowl.
• Using your fingers, rub sugar with lemon zest in a large bowl until sugar is moist. Add yogurt, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract; whisk to blend. Fold in dry ingredients just to blend.
• Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth top. Bake until top of cake is golden brown and a tester inserted into center comes out clean, 50–55 minutes.
• Let cake cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Invert onto rack; let cool completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2012/05/french-yogurt-cake#ixzz1xy6RzOWj

Toasted Adobo with Kaffir Lime and Quail Egg

½ k pork, cut in squares (pork ribs or pork butt)

1 head garlic, chopped

1 tsp ginger

½ white onion, diced

½ c soy sauce

1 c vinegar

2 c water

5 pc quail eggs

1 tsp paprika

2 pc lime leaves (kaffir lime)

4 tbsp cooking oil or olive oil

5 tbsp fresh mashed potato

Salt and pepper to taste

3 tbsp water

In a big sauce pan or wok, heat 2 tbsp of oil then sauté the chopped garlic and onions. Add the pork to the pan. Add 2 c of water, ¼ c of soy sauce, vinegar, pepper, paprika and the lime leaves. Bring to a boil.

Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until meat is tender.

Thicken the sauce by adding mashed potato. Add salt and pepper, if desired. Bring to a boil then simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Remove the pork from the sauce pan.

On another pan, heat cooking oil and brown the pork and quail eggs for a few minutes. Arrange in the plate and serve hot with pickled vegetables and garlic rice.

Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken

This is good and easy to make.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons peanut or light olive oil
1.5kg chicken, cut into bite sized pieces (including the bone)
3 stalks lemongrass (white part only) finely chopped
2 red chillies, finely chopped
3 teaspoons finely chopped ginger
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons palm or brown sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
½ cup chicken stock

Alternate version using thigh or breast fillet:
2 tablespoons light olive oil
500g chicken breast fillets, sliced
2 stalks lemongrass, finely chopped
1 red chilli, chopped
2 teaspoons chopped ginger
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon palm or brown sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce

METHOD

Heat oil in a large wok or frying pan. Cook chicken in batches. Remove and set aside. Pour all but 1 tablespoon of the oil from the pan.

Add lemongrass, chillies, ginger and garlic to the wok. Fry for 1-2 minutes (be careful not to burn) Add the palm sugar and cook until it caramelises.

Return the chicken to the pan and toss in the caramel. Add the fish sauce and chicken stock to the pan and toss. Cook covered for about 7 minutes. Remove lid and cook another 10-15 minutes or until cook through and sauce has reduced. Serve immediately with rice.

For alternate version using thight or breast fillet:
Heat oil in a wok or frying pan. Add chicken, in batches, and cook until browned. Remove and set aside.

Add lemongrass, chilli, ginger and garlic to the pan. Cook for 1 minute. Add sugar and allow to melt. Return chicken to the pan and toss to coat with the sugar. Add fish sauce and simmer for a minute until reduced.

Serve immediately with rice.

Cold Rice Noodles with Grilled Chicken and Peanut Sauce

From New York Times

As Summer Nears, Cold Noodles to Chill With

By DAVID TANIS

MAYBE cold pasta makes you think of some mediocre quasi-Italian grab-and-go deli choice in a plastic clamshell. Or perhaps that classic American picnic oddity, the macaroni salad.

Don’t go there.

To me, it conjures up images of delicious Southeast Asian street food and warm ocean breezes. There, cool rice noodles are topped with crisp vegetables, sweet herbs, pungent sauces and usually a little savory element, like sizzled fragrant beef or nuggets of fried spring rolls. A bowl of these saladlike noodles is always appealing, and they’re excellent for hot weather wherever you may find yourself, even if you don’t happen to be on a tropical holiday.

During these early East Coast hints of summer, I have been developing my own version for an easy and satisfying lunch or supper. It veers mostly in the Vietnamese direction, but with a slight nod to Indonesia, so I serve it with two sauces.

One is a traditional dipping sauce made with fish sauce, lime juice and hot chiles. The other is a creamy peanut dressing spiked with ginger and sesame oil. Both are a snap to put together and can be made well ahead. Even the rice noodles can be cooked, cooled and left at room temperature. And if you also prepare the cucumber, carrot and herb garnishes ahead of time, grilling the chicken is the only last-minute task .

For the chicken, I prefer skinless, boneless thighs left in large pieces, then bathed in an assertive sweet and garlicky lemon-grass marinade (though you can skewer smaller cubes if you wish); 15 to 20 minutes will infuse it with flavor. Thigh meat stays juicy and succulent, is nearly impossible to overcook and browns beautifully whether grilled over coals, on the stove top or under the broiler.

While the chicken is cooking, put the rice noodles in individual bowls and add the vegetable toppings, basil, mint and cilantro. Roughly chop the chicken and add it, giving each salad a dab of both sauces and a sprinkling of crushed peanuts. Pass small bowls of the sauces at the table, too.

For a dish that’s not especially labor intensive, it ranks high on the flavor scale and tastes fresh, clean and bright: the kind of home-cooked fast food we can all appreciate.

TOTAL TIME

About 45 minutes.

FOR THE DIPPING SAUCE

• 3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 garlic clove, finely grated
• 6 to 8 small Thai chiles, thinly sliced, or 1 or 2 serrano chiles

FOR THE PEANUT DRESSING

• 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 6 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 one-inch chunk ginger, peeled and sliced
• 4 tablespoons natural unsalted peanut butter
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• Pinch of cayenne

FOR THE CHICKEN AND RICE NOODLES

• 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 11/4 pounds
• 4 large garlic cloves, halved
• 1 one-inch chunk ginger, peeled and sliced
• 1 four-inch length lemon grass, tender center only, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 8 ounces dried rice vermicelli or other rice noodles
• 2 small cucumbers, cut in 1/4-inch half moons
• 1 medium carrot, cut in thin julienne
• 3/4 cup fresh mung bean sprouts or other sprouts
• Small handful basil sprigs
• Small handful mint sprigs
• Small handful cilantro sprigs
• 4 tablespoons slivered scallions
• 1/4 cup crushed or chopped roasted peanuts
• Lime wedges

PREPARATION

1.

Make the dipping sauce: Combine ingredients in a small serving bowl, making sure to dissolve the sugar. Leave to ripen for 15 minutes. Refrigerate any extra and use within a few days.

2.

Make the peanut dressing: In a blender or small food processor, purée all ingredients to a smooth sauce, about the thickness of heavy cream. Pour into a serving bowl.

3.

Put the chicken thighs in a low-sided bowl. To make the marinade, purée the garlic, ginger, lemon grass, fish sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar and cayenne in a blender or small food processor. Pour the marinade over the chicken and toss to coat. Let marinate at least 15 minutes.

4.

Bring a large pot of water to the boil, then turn off the heat. Add the rice vermicelli and soak for 7 to 8 minutes. (Package directions may vary; check for doneness by tasting.) Drain when noodles are al dente, and cool under running water. Fluff and leave in strainer to drain well.

5.

Grill the chicken over coals on a stove-top grill pan, or under the broiler until nicely browned, about 3 to 4 minutes a side. Let cool slightly, then chop roughly into 3/4-inch pieces.

6.

In a small bowl, dress the cucumbers, carrots and mung bean sprouts with 1 tablespoon dipping sauce. Divide the cooked noodles among 4 bowls. Top each bowl equally with the cucumber mixture and chopped chicken. Spoon 2 teaspoons dipping sauce and 2 tablespoons peanut dressing over each portion. Add the basil, mint and cilantro sprigs, torn or roughly chopped (leave whole if leaves are small). Sprinkle with the scallions and crushed peanuts. Serve with lime wedges, and pass small bowls of the two sauces.

YIELD

4 servings.

Pimento-cheese sandwich

 .

Makes 2 sandwiches

Ingredients:
4 oz. extra-sharp Vermont white or yellow cheddar, finely grated (112 cups)
half a jar of pimento (3 oz.), drained, finely chopped (14 cup)
 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
12 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
 salt to taste
4 slices of good whole-wheat bread, crusts discarded (optional)
 4 thin slices Vidalia or other sweet onion
1 cup watercress sprigs, tough stems discarded.

To prepare: Mash cheese, pimento, mayonnaise, and hot pepper sauce in a small bowl with a fork until well combined. Season with salt to taste. Cover and chill 1 hour for flavors to blend. Spread pimento cheese evenly on bread. Top with onions and watercress sprigs. Cut each sandwich into triangles and serve.

Nutritional info: 556 cals (per sandwich); total fat 35 grams; saturated fat 12 grams; cholesterol 65 mg.; sodium 307 mg.; protein 22 grams.

Here's another version.

1 pound sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese

2 medium kosher dill pickles (the original version of the recipe called for Claussen's pickles, but I've found that most brands suffice)

2 or 3 cloves of garlic (three cloves yields a powerful garlic punch; adjust the amount to suit your taste)

1 4-ounce jar of pimentos (or pimientos, as they are also called), drained

Cut all ingredients except the pimentos into large chunks. (The pimentos are already chopped.) Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse just long enough to roughly chop. You don't want to puree the ingredients, just make them pliable for the next step.

Put in large bowl and mix with about 3 good tablespoons of mayonnaise. (I use Duke's, a Southern brand based in Richmond, Va., that many pimento-cheese aficionados prefer.)

Refrigerate, but set out for 20 to 30 minutes before use.

Crusted Pumpkin Wedges with Sour Cream

Another Ottolenghi recipe to try.

Ingredients

1 1/2  pounds pumpkin or squash

1/2  cup grated Parmesan

3  tablespoons dried white breadcrumbs

6  tablespoons finely chopped parsley

2 1/2  teaspoons finely chopped thyme

  Grated zest of 2 large lemons

2  cloves garlic

  Salt and white pepper

1/4  cup olive oil

1/2  cup sour cream

1  tablespoon chopped dill

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cut the pumpkin into 3/8-inch-thick slices and lay them flat, cut-side down, on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper.
2. Mix together in a small bowl the Parmesan, breadcrumbs, parsley, thyme, half the lemon zest, the garlic, a tiny amount of salt (remember, the Parmesan is salty) and some pepper.
3. Brush the pumpkin generously with olive oil and sprinkle with the crust mix, making sure the slices are covered with a nice, thick coating. Gently pat the mix down a little.
4. Place the pan in the oven and roast for about 30 minutes, or until the pumpkin is tender: stick a little knife in one wedge to make sure it has softened and is cooked through. If the topping starts to darken too much during cooking, cover loosely with foil.
5. Mix the sour cream with the dill and some salt and pepper. Serve the wedges warm, sprinkled with the remaining lemon zest, with the sour cream on the side.