Saturday, July 26, 2008

Calling for Lentils

Please share your favorite lentil recipe. . .if you use lentils, that is. They're nutritious, cheap, and relatively quick-cooking (compared to other dried legumes and grains). I want to use them more.

To get the ball rolling, here's a recipe for Mujadrah, a Middle Eastern lentil and rice side dish. We tried it, and it's good.

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Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

I was quite impressed with how these turned out--very chocolate, but still soft and moist.

2 1/4 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 c butter or margarine, softened
3/4 c sugar
3/4 c brown sugar
1 t vanilla
2 eggs
2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c chopped nuts (opt)

Preheat oven to 375. Stir together flour, cocoa, soda, and salt. Cream butter and sugars and vanilla. Add eggs; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating until well-blended. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by rounded teaspoons on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool slightly on pan before moving to a wire rack.

*from Best-Loved Cookies, Publications International, Ltd.

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Butter Pecan Cookies

If you're a big fan of shortbread, pecan sandies, or the like, this is a good and simple recipe.

3/4 cup pecans
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup sugar, plus more for coating
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup flour

Preheat oven to 350. Toast pecans on a baking sheet until fragrant, about 6 minutes. Let cool completely; finely chop.

Cream butter and sugar until light, about 1 minute. Beat in vanilla, salt, and flour, just until dough comes together. Fold in pecans.

Divide dough into 12 pieces; squeeze to shape into balls. Roll in extra sugar. Place 3 inches apart on baking sheet. Gently flatten with bottom of a glass. Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through. Sprinkle with more sugar. Cool on a wire rack.

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Monday, July 07, 2008

Tomato Platter

4 ripe tomatoes
2 cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced
1 small red onion, finely sliced
1 head Belgian endive (optional--I didn't use this, couldn't find it)
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro or basil, chopped
1 ripe avocado
1/2 cup black olives
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons raw wine vinegar (I used red wine vinegar)
1 large lemon
cracked pepper
1 cup feta cheese, cut into small pieces

Remove the outer leaves of endive, cut off end and separate into leaves. Make a fan of endive leaves at one end of a large, flat platter. Slice tomatoes very thinly and arrange around the outside edge of the platter. Strew cucumbers in the center of the tomato ring. Arrange sliced onions over the tomatoes. Strew olives over salad. Dribble the olive oil over all, dribble on vinegar, then squeeze on lemon juice and sprinkle with pepper. Sprinkle on cilantro or basil. Leave the platter at room temperature at least one hour. Just before serving, peel and slice the avocado, brush with a little oil and vinegar in the platter to keep from browning and arrange on the platter. Scatter the feta cheese over the tomatoes and serve.

from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon

**I immediately put the salad into a cooler the second time I made it (instead of letting it sit out for an hour); I did not like the salad as much. For some reason, I think that step is important in getting the taste right.

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Bean and Cheese Burritos

6 7- or 8-inch flour tortillas
1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 16-oz can refried beans
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
Shredded lettuce
Salsa

1. Stack tortillas and wrap tightly in foil. Heat in over (350 degrees) for 10 minutes to soften.
2. Saute onion in oil until tender. Add beans and cook till heated through. Spoon 1/4 cup of bean mixture into each tortilla; then divide cheese among tortillas. Roll up and place on a baking sheet. Bake in oven (350 degrees) for 10 minutes. Serve with lettuce and salsa.
3 main dish servings

from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book 1996

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