Ricotta Cheese

For those not taking the edx Science of Cooking class, one of the labs has been making homemade ricotta cheese, which was pretty easy and yummy.  I'm going to add some spices and take some to our Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow.

Happy Thanksgiving!

When prepared with salt, this recipe makes a delicious homemade ricotta cheese. When prepared without salt, it is instead a traditional Catalan cheese called mató, that is usually eaten with honey. You can choose which of these cheeses you want to make by adapting the recipe below.

Materials:

1 stove or hot plate

1 pot

1 strainer

1 whisk

1 thermometer

measuring spoons

cheese cloth

1 large bowl (for water bath)

1 medium bowl (for straining)

Ingredients:

1 liter whole milk

2 Tbsp white vinegar (30 ml)

½ tsp salt (2.5 ml) or honey

Crackers 

Procedure:

1. Prepare a big bowl with ice+water to put the pot in later.
2. Arrange the cheese cloth into four single layers, place it over a strainer, and put the strainer over a bowl as shown in the picture below.

3. Heat the milk while stirring (with salt if you chose to make ricotta, without salt if you chose to make mató). When the milk reaches 198˚F/92˚C, remove the pot from the stove or hot plate, quickly mix in vinegar (no more than a few seconds), and then, let sit and do NOT stir. **This step is critical. If you continue mixing the milk+vinegar mixture, you will prevent the coagulation from happening and will end up with no cheese.**
4. Place the pot in the bowl of ice+water to cool down.
5. When the temperature reaches 97˚F/36˚C, pour the contents of the pot onto the strainer covered with cheesecloth. This allows the whey to pass through, while the curds remain in the strainer. You may occasionally have to stir the curds gently to help the whey drain.
6. Fold the edges of the cheesecloth over the curds, and put everything (strainer+bowl) in the fridge to chill for 20 min or longer.
7. Eat with crackers. Add honey for the traditional version of Catalan mató.

A modest proposal

For a Halloween-themed dessert:

Ingredients:
1 20 oz. bag of assorted Mars candy bars
1 10 oz. bag of M&Ms

Unwrap all the candy bars. Dump them unceremoniously into a heavily buttered 8-inch cake pan. Create the top crust by dumping all the M&Ms on top. Bake at 110 F for 30 minutes. Allow the dessert to rest at room temperature until solid. Serve with a garnish of Karo syrup (optional).

Apple Cinnamon Pork Chops

4 boneless pork chops
2 tbls vegetable oil
1 jar (12 ounces) homestyle pork gravy
1/2 cup raisins
1 tbl honey
1 1/2 tbls cinnamon
dash allspice
1 tart cooking apple, thinly sliced
hot cooked rice

In a large skillet, cook pork chops in oil until browned on both sides; season with salt and pepper. Stir in gravy, raisins, honey, cinnamon and allspice. Cover and simmer 15 minutes or until pork chops are tender. Add apple; cook 5 minutes or until apple slices are tender. Serve with hot rice.

Quinoa Burger

2 rounded cups cooked quinoa (see note below for cooking instructions)

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or other variety, if you prefer)

1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese

1 medium carrot, finely grated (OR 1 cup shredded zucchini, squeezed)

3 eggs

3 tablespoons all purpose flour

2 green onions, including white parts

1 /2 teaspoon Splenda or sugar

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Olive oil for frying

.

To cook quinoa:

1 cup uncooked quinoa

2 cups water

1/2 teaspoon salt

In a medium saucepan bring the 2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil over high heat. Add quinoa and reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 18-20 minutes, or until all water is absorbed and the seeds are tender. Allow to cool for a few minutes.

.

In a large bowl combine the cooked quinoa, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, carrot, eggs, flour, green onions, Splenda, pepper, cumin, salt, and garlic powder.

Heat a frying pan and a couple teaspoons olive oil over medium-low heat. Mixture will be slightly sticky, so using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, drop mixture into pan and lightly flatten to 1/2 inch thick. Fry until golden-brown, about 4 minutes on each side. Makes approx. 10 burgers.

Serve with Tzatziki, or fry sauce, and top with avocado and tomato.

Beef Fajitas

1 Tbl. chili powder
1/2 tsp ground oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp salt
pepper to taste

12 oz. beff sirloin, cut into strips of 1/2 in wide and 2 inches long
1 red onion, cut into strips
1 green pepper, cut into strips ( I like to use two peppers)
1/4 cup shredded sharp cheese
2 med tomatoes diced
2 cups shredded lettuce
1/2 cup salsa
( I like avocado with mine)

Directions:

In a small bowl, stir together the chili powder, oregano, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper.   Dredge the sirloin pieces in the seasoning, coating completely.

In a non stick frying pan, cook the sirloin strips over medium heat until slightly pink, about 8 minutes.  Add the onion and pepper strips and sauté until the vegetables are tender, about 5 min.

Shrimp Biryani

I got this recipe from an arabic food blog.  It is sooo good. What's in the parenthesis is from me. When I made it, I didn't cook the rice as long because it doesn't take long to cook the kind I bought.  After layering the shrimp and rice, you just want to cook it until it's done.  

Cuisine: Arabic

Category: Arabian Gulf

Serves: 8 persons

Difficulty: Medium

Cost: Medium

Preparation time :     20 minutes

Cooking time :     1 hour, 30 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups basmati rice or 400 g

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 medium onion or 250 g, finely sliced (if you want crunchy fried onions, wring out the onions in a towel before frying)

2 medium onion or 250 g, finely chopped

500 g shrimp, peeled, raw, de-shelled & de-veined

2 tablespoons tomato paste

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 cup fresh dill or 50 g, finely chopped

3 tablespoons curry powder

2 cinnamon sticks

5 whole cardamom pods

3 cubes MAGGI® Chicken Bouillon or 30 g (the bouillon cubes here are bigger so be generous)

½ cup water or 125 ml, hot

2 cups cilantro leaves or 100 g, roughly chopped

6 cups water or 1½ liters

2 tablespoons ghee (or oil)

1 tablespoon saffron, powder (didn't use this as I haven't found it yet and it's very expensive)

pinch of salt

pinch of ground pepper

Preparation

Wash and Soak rice in cold water and set aside for 30 min.

In a large pot, heat vegetable oil, fry sliced onions till golden brown, remove and set aside.

In the same pot on medium high heat fry chopped onions till golden, add shrimp and sauté till pink (about 4-5 minutes), add tomato paste, Garlic, Dill, Spices, Cinnamon sticks, Cardamom pods, MAGGI® Chicken Bouillon , and Water and bring to a simmer. Add chopped fresh coriander leaves and remove from pot and set aside.

In the same pot, bring to boil 1.5 liters of water, place rice and cook until rice is ¾ cooked (andante).

Drain rice in a colander and discard excess water.

Melt Ghee on the bottom of the same pot; add a layer of strained rice, followed by a layer of shrimp and onion mixture and a sprinkle of Saffron powder. Follow this step until all the rice and shrimp sauce is used.

Steam rice and shrimp on med-low heat until rice is fully cooked (about 20 minute).

Gently fluff cooked rice ensuring even distribution of rice and shrimp.

Serve on a large plate, and garnished with fried sliced onions.

Orange Julius

1 small can orange juice

1 cup milk

1/2 to 1 tsp vanilla

A little sugar to sweeten

About 10 ice cubes.

Blend until smooth.  (my blenders always left a few lg. chuncks of ice)

Adjust ingredients to your taste.

Banana Drink

I made this today and my kids loved it.  I told them that Mom used to make it for us when I was little.  It brought back memories of home. Anyone have the Orange Julius recipe?

1 banana
1 cup milk
1 tbs honey
1 tbs peanut butter
3-4 ice cubes

put all ingredients into a blender and blend.  

Slow Cooker Bean and Cornbread Casserole

I got this recipe from The Vegetable Collaboration.  I think the website is run by one of Deb's roommates.  Steve and I really like this.  I haven't made the cornbread yet as I tried this recipe to use up some almost inedible corn muffins Big E and I made (they were way to dense and dry).  It was just right.  So I'm sure making it with the cornbread would be delicious. 

Ingredients:

• 1 large green or red bell pepper
• 1 large sweet or white onion
• 3 cloves garlic (or more, if you’re a garlic fiend!)
• 1 can (16oz) red kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1 can (16oz) pinto beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1 can (16oz) black beans (drained and rinsed)
• 8-10 oz tomato sauce
• 16 oz diced tomatoes with chilies
• 1/2 can cream corn
• 2 t chili powder (I used a “NM” blend, but any kind will work)
• 1 t pepper
• 2 t salt
• 1 t hot sauce
• 1/2 cup yellow corn meal
• 1/2 cup AP flour
• 1 1/4 t baking powder
• 1 t salt
• 1 T sugar
• 3/4 cups non-dairy milk
• 1 egg replacer mix of choice
• 1 1/2 T vegetable oil
• 1/2 can cream corn

Directions:

1. Chop onions and bell peppers, and mince garlic cloves.
2. Spray inside of slow-cooker with non-stick spray.
3. Sautee onions, peppers and garlic in water in a pan until tender, then add to the slow-cooker.
4. Add beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, 1/2 can of corn, spices and hot sauce.
5. Cover, and cook on high for about 1 hour.
6. In a separate bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt and sugar, then stir in  the milk, egg replacement, oil and the rest of the corn.
7. Ladle over the bean mixture in the slow-cooker, making it nice and smooth.
8. Cover again, and cook for about another 1.5 hours, but sometimes my cornbread takes a little longer to cook all the way through. (ETA: This could take up to an additional 30 minutes, but you can slice into the cornbread to see if it’s cooked)

Makes 5-6 servings 

Notes about this recipe:

1. I am afraid of making things too spicy so I only added a fraction of the hot sauce called for. It turned out mild and could have used a teensy bit more kick but was still yummy.
2. Also, it says to use your choice of egg replacer to the amount of one egg; one real egg works just fine too.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

This is one I got from Mom's recipe folder when I left for college.  Nate and I love it and have it regularly.  Super easy and delicious.

8 tortillas
1/2 c chopped onion
1 C cheese
1/4 tsp pepper
2 T butter
8 oz sour cream
1 can diced green chili pepper
4 cloves minced garlic
1 t ground coriander ( I substitute cumin)
2 c cooked chopped chicken ( I use 2 cans of chicken)
3 T flour
2 c chicken broth

Warm tortillas. For sauce cook onion, garlic, coriander and pepper in butter until onion is tender. Stir flour into sour cream and add to onion mixture. Stir in broth and chili peppers all at once. Cook until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in cheese.

For filling: stir 1/2 cup of sauce into chicken (I wind up using about 1 cup of the sauce). Place about 1/4 cup filling atop each tortilla and roll up. Arrange rolls seam side down, in lightly greased 9x13 pan. Top with remaining sauce.

Bake at 350 for 35 min.  Sprinkle with cheese after removing from oven.

Serve with delicious guacamole, salsa, sour cream, etc.

Corned Beef and Cabbage

This slow-cooker corned beef recipe is awesome!  I only cook it on St. Patty's day (is corned beef even available at other times of the year?), but this year we enjoyed it so much I bought another one and we made it again the next week.

From Southern Living Slow-Cooker cookbook

4 ish lb cured corned beef brisket with spice packet
1 large onion, sliced
8 large carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 bay leaves
3 garlic cloves, sliced
14oz beef broth
2 T brown sugar
1 1/2 T mustard
1t carawayseeds
1 small cabbage, cut into 8 wedges

(I omit the bay leaves and caraway seeds because I never have them, and substitue chicken broth for the same reason.  It still turns out really delicious.)

Place onion and carrot in a 6 quart slow-cooker; place brisket on top of veggies. Sprinkle bay leaves and garlic over brisket.
Combine spice packet, beef broth, sugar, mustard and caraway seeds; pour over brisket.
Cover and cook on HIGH 1 hr. Reduce heat to LOW, and cook 8 hrs. Add cabbage, and cook on LOW 1 1/2 hours or until cabbage is tender. Remove and discard bay leaves and onion (I never do this.  We just eat the onions with the rest of it.)
Cut brisket across grain into slices; serve with cabbage and carrots.  Makes 6-8 servings.

(I also never adjust the temp. because I'm usually putting it on and leaving for the morning.  It does just fine on LOW the whole time)  Total cook time: about 10 hrs

Panini

We have a new found love of Panini's. You can put what ever your heart desires on them. This is one that we like:

Tomato
Avocado
Lunch meat
Pesto
Dijon Mustard
Bread: sourdough, french, garlic herb...you get the idea.

Butter one side of the bread. On the other side spread pesto and mustard. Place butter side down griddle [we can invert our waffle iron and make it a panini iron]. Layer with tomato, avocado and lunch meat. Top with second bread slice, butter side up. Smush the sandwich as it toasts. Flip and repeat.

Brown Sugar-Glazed Carrots

This on comes from the Better Homes and Garden Cookbook

1 pound, peeled baby carrots or medium carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into 2 inch pieces
1 TBLS butter or margarine
1 TBLS packed brown sugar
Dash of salt
Dash of black pepper

In a medium saucepan cook carrots, covered, in a small amount of boiling water for 8-10 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and remove carrots from pan.
In the same saucepan combine butter, brown sugar, and salt. Cook and stir over medium heat until combined. Add carrots. Cook and stir about 2 minutes or until glazed. Season to taste with pepper.

I want to try Herbed Glazed Carrots:

Prepare as above, excpet substitute 1 TBLS honey for the brown sugar and add 1 TBLs snipped fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme, crushed, to the butter mixture.

Parmesan Potato Wedge

This is in the Better Homes and Garden Cookbook

6 medium potatoes
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 clove garlic minced
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Line a 15 x 10 x 1 inch baking pan with tin foil; set aside. Cut eash potato lengthwise into eight wedges. In a large bowl stir together butter, garlic, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Add potato wedges and stir to thoroughly coat. Place wedges on the prepared baking pan. Bake uncovered in a 425 oven for about 30 min or until tender.

Parmesan Herb Chicken

2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
2 TBLS dried oregano
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
12 bone in chicken breast halves
1 cup melted butter or margarine

In a shallow dish, combine the first six ingredients. Dip chicken in butter, then coat with Parmesan mixture. place in two greased 15-in x 10-in x 1-in baking pans. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until the juices run clear.
Yield: 12 servings

IHOP Pancakes

1 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 beaten egg
1 1/4 cup buttermilk
2 TBLS melted butter
1/4 cup sugar

Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix egg with the buttermilk and add to the four mixture, stirring only until smooth. Add melted butter and sugar. Fry on greased griddle.

I got the recipe here

I make my own buttermilk, I just google an easy recipe. 1 TBLS lemon juice for just under one cup milk.

Onion Grilled Cheese

Ingredients

- 3 Tablespoons butter, plus more for buttering bread
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
-2 medium onions, sliced  1/4 inch thick
-1 tsp Kosher salt *I used 1/2 tsp regular salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp sugar
-1 tsp fresh thyme leaves *I used 1/2 tsp from a jar
- 3 Tablespoons beef stock
- 4 slices sourdough bread *I used Garlic Herb and it was great
- 1/2 cup grated apple smoked gruyere cheese *I'm cheap and used Mozzarella

Instructions

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and olive oil together. Add in the onions and stir so they are all coated in the fat. Cook undisturbed for 5 minutes.

Stir and add in salt, pepper, sugar, and thyme. Stir and cover the pan and let cook. Stir and cook until onions are soft and deep golden in color. Add in beef stock and remove from heat.

On preheated griddle, place a slice of buttered bread, butter side down, top it with a little cheese, then some onions and a little cheese on top of that. Top it all with the second slice of bread. Cook like a grilled cheese.

http://tastykitchen.com/blog/2013/01/french-onion-soup-grilled-cheese-sandwiches/

Peanut Butter Honey Snack Balls

Ingredients

1 cup peanut butter (an all natural PB is recommended — the only ingredient necessary is crushed peanuts)
1 cup honey
3 cups rolled oats (oatmeal)
1 cup of nuts or dried fruit (or whatever your heart desires)
Crushed nuts, granola cereal, or unsweetened coconut

Directions

Mix the first four ingredients together thoroughly. Form them into balls (makes about 10-12 depending on size) then roll them in the crushed nuts, granola cereal, or unsweetened coconut. Serve or refrigerate.

I did about 3/4 a cup cranberries for the fruit and 1/4 cup chopped pecans! I would also consider cutting back on the honey because it was well, pretty honey-y!

http://www.fitsugar.com/Peanut-Butter-Honey-Ball-Recipe-13331197

Best Ever Pizza Dough

I went to a cooking group the other day and we learned how to do hearth style baking and we made the best ever pizza dough.  It's like the kind you get at Pizza Hut.  I have a google doc that was shared with us that I can share with you on how to do hearth style.  That really gave the crust a nice crispy outside with the soft inside.  Following the recipe with the 3 days to make it gives the dough a really nice flavor.  Below is the Poolish recipe (sponge) and the recipe for the dough.

Master Formula: Pizza Dough 1
From Crust and Crumb

(Two days before you want to eat pizza.)
Make poolish starter.

Poolish-style preferment
(Sponge)

4 c (18 oz) bread flour or whole wheat bead flour
4 c cool water (65-70°)
¼ tsp instant yeast

Combine all ingredients in LARGE mixing bowl, big enough to hold double volume.

Beat or whisk for 1 minute, until well mixed and smooth. Small lumps ok.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and leave at room temp for 3-5 hrs, or until bubbly
and foamy

Refrigerate sponge, well covered, over night.

Makes 3 lb 2 oz of poolish. To use the same day, must be made at least 5 hours in advance.

Better to make it the day before. Clean and active for up to three days if
refrigerated. [Make on Day 1. Use on Day 2, 3, 4.]

Sponge can be frozen just before or just after refrigerating it on the first
night. To use frozen sponge, transfer to the fridge from the freezer 24-36 hrs
before intended use.

Take sponge out of the fridge one hour before using it.



(One day before.) Dough

3 ½ c (16 oz) unbleached bread flour (up to 1 c. whole wheat flour OK)
2 tsp salt
¼ tsp instant yeast
2 T (1.5 oz) honey
½ c (4 oz) olive oil
¾ c + 1 T [6 ½ oz) cool water
1 ¼ c (10 oz) poolish

Combine all ingredients in a mixer with paddle (not a hook). Mix on low for 1
minute. Mix on medium for 12 minutes until smooth and creamy.

Cover with plastic wrap and rise at room temp for 3 hours, till bubbly. Refrigerate
overnight, covered.

(On pizza eating day.)

Preheat oven to 550° (or the highest your oven can go) and prepare oven for hearth
baking. (See separate entry for hearth baking.)

On a heavily floured surface, cut dough into 3-8 pieces. Toss pieces, one at a time,
with flour and round into gentle balls. Place them on a pan, and spray with cooking
spray and cover with plastic wrap. Rise at least 30 mins. (Can be held for two days,
tightly covered, in the fridge.)

Shape dough into circles on a piece of parchment paper sprayed with cooking spray.
The dough is very wet. Use cool water on your hands to keep it from sticking. When
it starts to spring back, let it rest for a few minutes before stretching more.

Cut the parchment paper around the pizza leaving a tab big enough to grab. Put toppings on the pizza. Use a peel or flat baking sheet to transfer the pizza to the preheated baking stone.