Friday, October 31, 2014

White Chocolate Chip Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

I found this recipe on Pinterest a while back and finally got the chance to make them today.  They are as good as I thought they'd be.  I especially love the tartness of the cranberries against the sweetness of the rest of the cookies.


White Chocolate Chip Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
adapted from two twenty one

Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 cup unbleached flour
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1-1/2 cups quick oats
  • 3/4 cups dried cranberries
  • 1-1/4 cups white chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup coconut
  • 1/4 cup pecans, chopped
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350°
  2. In mixing bowl, cream butter with sugars; mix in egg and vanilla.
  3. Mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together and stir in.
  4. Fold in oats, cranberries, white chocolate chips, coconut, and pecans.
  5. Roll into 1" balls and place on cookie sheet.  Flatten slightly with the bottom of a glass or measuring cup dipped in sugar.
  6. Bake 12-14 minutes or until cookies are set and starting to brown.  Cool on a wire rack.

I mixed these up by hand, but the original recipe called for using an electric mixer. Either way works.  Just be sure your butter is really soft if you're mixing by hand.  When it's time to add the cranberries and white chocolate chips, etc., you'll want to mix those in by hand.

I added the coconut and pecans to the recipe, because they just sounded good with all the other ingredients.  I also flattened the cookies slightly before baking them because I just rolled the first pan I baked, and they didn't really spread out.  Even flattened, they don't spread out much, but that's OK - they're good!  I'll definitely make these again.

Sunday, October 5, 2014

Shish Tawook Chicken with Rice

It's time again for Secret Recipe Club reveal!  My secret blog assignment this month was Sawsan's blog Chef in Disguise.  Sawsan lives in the Middle East, and her blog focuses on easy and authentic middle eastern, Levantine and Arabic recipes, as well as sharing exactly what it's like to be a woman in the Middle East.  This is one blog I am going to have to read thoroughly and visit often!

I love the description of middle eastern cuisine - "middle eastern cuisine is rich in healthy recipes that focus on fruits, vegetables, spices and making the best out of seasonal and fresh ingredients."  Sounds perfect to me!  Sawsan calls herself a 'food explorer' so her blog also contains recipes from around the world, many of them from her participation in SRC as well as a couple other recipe groups, but I really wanted to try one of her authentic middle eastern recipes.


Here are some that caught my eye:
In the end, I chose this recipe which Sawsan claims "is better than the shish tawook you get at the best middle eastern restaurant."  Never having it anywhere, I am going to have to take her word for it.  She must be right, because this chicken is amazing!!  Amazing.


We liked it so much I had to make it twice!  My husband says that this recipe needs to go into the regular rotation.  Not that I have an actual rotation, but there are certain recipes that I tend to make on a fairly regular basis.  And this will definitely be one of those.

Shish Tawook Chicken
from Chef in Disguise

Ingredients:
  • 1 lb. skin-less boneless chicken cut into cubes or strips (I used thighs)
  • 1 T dried oregano
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 T tomato paste
  • 2 T ketchup
  • 1 T mustard
  • 1 T soy sauce
  • 2 T olive oil
  • 2 T plain yogurt
  • salt
  • pepper
Directions:
  1. Mix the marinade and add chicken, making sure to coat all the pieces. Marinate at least a half hour, preferably longer.  Note: mix this up in the morning, let it marinate all day, and it's ready to cook for dinner.  It can also be marinated overnight.
  2. When you're ready to cook, heat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through.  (You know it’s done by trying to divide a piece with a spoon..if you do it easily…it’s ready)
  3. Alternately, you can skewer the chicken and grill in the oven or on a grill.

Right before you're ready to cook the chicken, start the rice.  I used only half the onion, pepper, and tomato that the original recipe called for - because that's what I had.  You can use more if you like.

Mexican Rice

Ingredients:
  • olive oil
  • 1/2 medium onion finely diced
  •  1/2 green pepper chopped
  • 1 large Roma tomato, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon all spice
  • 1 cup basmati rice
  • 2 cups water
Directions:
  1. Saute chopped onion in olive oil. When onion starts to soften, add the pepper and saute for an additional 4-5 minutes.
  2. Add the tomato and spices; cook and stir for 5 minutes.
  3. Add rice and water. Bring to a boil; lower the heat, cover, and cook till the rice soaks up all the liquid, 15-20 minutes.
  4. Remove from heat and let sit while you cook the chicken.  Fluff before serving.


This rice is amazingly good all by itself.  It might even be good enough to eat cold. With your fingers.  Just saying.  Even better is when you pile some of this chicken on top and plop some Middle Eastern garlic sauce “Toum” on top.  Yes, I had to make some of that, too.  So good!

We had a few leftovers the second time I made this, so I heated the rice and chicken together, and then we had it wrapped up in tortillas.  Pita probably would have been more appropriate, but I didn't have any. The tortillas were pretty good, though!



Thursday, October 2, 2014

Easy Peach Frozen Yogurt

I saw this recipe on Pinterest, and it looked super simple and good, so I just had to try it.  Frozen yogurt made from a just a few ingredients in a food processor.  Why not?

So I tried it, but the original recipe was more peach than yogurt.  While it was good, it wasn't exactly what I was expecting - so I tried again.  I think the result is pretty good.


Easy Peach Frozen Yogurt
adapted from Just a Taste

Ingredients:
  • 1 16-oz. bag frozen peaches (or 4 cups fresh peaches, frozen)
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 3 T honey
  • 1-1/2 cups plain yogurt
  • 1 T fresh lemon juice
Directions:
  1. Put all ingredients into food processor and process until creamy, about 5 minutes.
  2. Serve immediately or transfer to airtight container and store in the freezer.


I also stirred mine every hour or so once I transferred it to the freezer, though I don't know how necessary that was.  In the end, it freezes pretty solid so you'll want to let it sit out for a few minutes before you serve it up.  If you want smooth, creamy frozen yogurt like you'd get at the Frozen Yogurt place, serve it up and let it sit a bit longer, and then stir it to get the creamy consistency you want.  (or start eating it - slowly - and enjoy it both ways)


You get a nice cool treat without a lot of sugar, only healthy ingredients you don't have to feel guilty about.  What could be better?

I'm thinking strawberries would make some good frozen yogurt, too.  What fruit would you use?