Donut Army

I love this dish so much that I can barely stand it. Delicious the night it was made, and fantastic as leftovers throughout the week. Mayocoba beans are easily replaced -- try pintos, if you can't find mayocobas. Mayocoba Beans with Green Chiles Baptism of Fire 3-4 green chiles, roasted and chopped 1 onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1 T lard or olive oil 1/2 tsp oregano 1 tsp cumin pepper 1 c mayocoba beans, dry 3 c water 1 tsp salt Cook the green chiles, onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, and black pepper in the fat until the onions begin to caramelize. Add the water and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and let the beans sit, uncovered, for an hour. You may drain the water to remove some of the slightly indigestible sugars that cause gassiness. If you decide to drain them, add enough water back into the pot to cover the beans with about 2" of water above the beans for cooking.  Bring the beans back to a boil and cook, until tender. This will take...

Have you ever made something, only to then go "Ooooooh, THAT'S how they do it!?" This is one of those recipes. This is how you get a texture where the grains of rice are separate, and each one flavored. Highly, highly recommended! Arroz Verde Diane Kennedy's From My Mexican Kitchen 1 1/2 c long-grain rice 1/4 - 1/3 c vegetabl oil 1 T white onion, finely chopped 3 1/2 c stock 1 small carrot, peeled and thinly sliced 2 T peas 1 c pureed herbs (I used all cilantro) Pour hot water over the rice and let soak 5 minutes. Strain. Rinse in cold water and strain again. Be sure to shake strainer well to remove excess water. Do not do this step in advance as it will make the rice damp. Heat oil in the pan. Stir in rice and cook 5 minutes, until grains are evenly coated. Add onion, garlic, and herb puree. Continue frying until they sound brittle, about 10 minutes. Tip pan to one side and remove excess oil. Add stock and optional ingredients along with salt to ta...

This is a delicious, but slightly heavy oatmeal bread. The molasses is quite prominent. For me, it took forever to get this bread to rise. During the second rise, my attempt needed a full day, an overnight in the fridge, and the entire next day . Weird. Grandma's Oatmeal Bread 50+ Friends Club Cookbook 2  packages yeast 1/2 c warm water 1 1/4 c boiling water 1 c quick cooking oats 1/3 c oats, for topping 1/2 c molasses 1/3 c shortening 1 T salt 6 c flour 2 eggs, beaten 1 egg white, beaten with 1 T water In a small bowl, soften the yeast in 1/2 c warm water. Let proof. In the bowl of a mixer, combine boiling water, 1 c oats, molasses, shortening and salt. Cool to lukewarm. Then, stir in 2 c flour and beat well. Add yeast and eggs and beat well. Stir in enough flour to make a soft dough, then beat 8 minutes. Shape dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Let rise 90 minutes. Punch down. Divide in half and let rest 10 minutes. Shape loave...

This was very tasty. Maybe a tad dry - I might add another small can of diced tomatoes to this recipe. But otherwise, really tasty and easy to put together! Eggplant Marinara Pasta Casserole Cooking Light   6 c eggplant, cubed (about 1 lb) 1 tsp salt, divided 2 c onions, chopped 1 T olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 c wine 1 T basil, chopped 1 tsp oregano 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes 1 28-oz can diced tomatoes, undrained (again, I would increase) 16 oz penne pasta, uncooked 1 c fontina cheese, shredded (4 oz) 1 3" piece baguette 1/2 c Parmesan cheese, grated (2 oz) Cube eggplant. Place in a colander and sprinkle generously with salt. Let set 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 450. Arrange eggplant in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with Pam. Bake 30 minutes, stirring after 15. Remove from baking sheet to cool. Add oil to a Dutch oven. Cook onion and garlic for about 6 minutes, to soften. Add wine and cook until liquid evaporates, scraping the bottom of...

I put this together on a cold, winter morning and have been snacking on it -- after meals, for breakfast, between meals, before bed -- ever since. Highly, highly recommended. By the way, I did not have enough molasses in the house for this recipe and researched substitutes. Maple syrup would have been adequate. I wound up using barley malt, which I did have on hand. Gingersnap Cake Penzey's spice catalog Cake: 2 1/4 c flour 3/4 c brown sugar 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 2 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp ginger, ground 1/2 tsp nutmeg or mace 1/4 tsp cloves 3/4 c molasses 1/2 c canola oil 3/4 c cool water 2 eggs Topping: 1/2 c butter 1 c brown sugar 1/3 c warm water Preheat oven to 325. Grease and flour a 12-c fluted tube pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, powder, soda, salt and spices. Blend in the molasses, oil, water and eggs and beat well. Pour into pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until the cake doesn't jiggle whe...

No pictures, but delicious nonetheless! Yellow Split-Pea Soup Vegetarian Planet 2 T butter 1 1/2 c onion, chopped 1 c carrot, minced 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 lb dried yellow split peas 6 1/2 c water 2 tsp tarragon (fresh), or 1 tsp dried 1 tsp thyme (fresh), or 1/2 tsp dried 1/2 c white wine 1 tsp salt pepper In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add the onions and carrot and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes or until the onions soften and brown a bit on the edges. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes more. Add split peas, water, tarragon, and thyme. Let the soup simmer over low heat, covered, for 50 minutes, stirring 3 or 4 times to prevent sticking and burning. Add wine and continue to cook the soup, uncovered, for another 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve.

These were delicious, but I recommend increasing the amount of sauce that you make and use -- at least doubling it. Keep this in mind if you replicate! Enchiladas in Pumpkin Seed-Chile Sauce Vegetarian Planet Sauce: 1 green bell pepper 1 jalapeno pepper 2 tsp canola oil 1 medium onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 8 tomatillos, husked and chopped 1/2 tsp coriander 1/2 c pumpkin seeds, unsalted, toasted 6-8 minutes in a 350 oven 1/2 c water salt and pepper Filling: 1 T canola oil 2 medium onions, sliced thin 3 cloves garlic, minc 1 small green cabbage, sliced 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp coriander 1/4 c cilantro, chopped 1/2 c ricotta cheese 1/2 tsp salt pepper 8 tortillas Grill both the bell pepper and the jalapeno pepper over an open flame. Blacken, cool, and then peel off the skin. To make the filling, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute them for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, cabb...

I like to impulse buy unusual items from grocery stores -- foods I've never heard of and ingredients I don't know how to use. Recently, I found a package of Goji berries -- some kind of dried red berry, about the size of a cranberry, but drier looking. I've since learned that the goji berry is one of many new health-food crazes, being touted as a way to stave of cancer and "boost your immune system." (For more on why you may not even want to boost your immune system, read this .) Despite this trendy claims, I found many references to the Goji berry being a traditional part of eastern diets. And, I had picked it up in a Mediterranean market, where it is often used like a cranberry -- as a source of both tartness and sweetness. I tried this rice dish, which I found to be quite lovely. Highly recommended! Goji Berry and Green Pea Pilau 1 T olive oil 1 stick cinnamon 1 tsp cumin seed 1 onion, thinly sliced 1 carrot, grated 1 c basmati rice 1 3/4 c wat...

This is one of my favorite foods to eat -- a great potato mixture combined with a warm dosa. Before today, I had never tried making the filling before (and I have yet to try making a dosa). I thought this was good, but not exactly what I was looking for. I will keep looking for my perfect aloo masala! Aloo Masala for Dosa Manjula's Kitchen 2 potatoes 1 T oil pinch asafetida (opt) 1/2 tsp cumin seeds 1/2 tsp mustard seeds 1/2 tsp turmeric 1 jalapeno, chopped 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp lemon juice 1 T cilantro, chopped Boil the potatoes until they are soft. Let cool and then peel and chop. Heat oil in a large skillet. When hot, add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and asafetida. Once the seeds begin to pop, add turmeric, potatoes, jalapeno, and salt. Stir-fry for a few minutes. Add lemon juice and cilantro. The potatoes should be slightly moist and not very dry.

As you probably noticed, I've been on quite a run with making Indian food in my own kitchen. Here is my first attempt at the mashed eggplant dish known as Baingan Bharta - just delicious! Sorry that there is no "after" picture - I can't even imagine a way to take an attractive picture of a mashed eggplant. Baingan Bharta Manjula's Kitchen 1 large eggplant 2 medium tomatoes 1/2 c red bell pepper, chopped 1 jalapeno 1/4" piece ginger 3 T oil pinch asafetida, opt 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp coriander 1/2 tsp turmeric 1/2 tsp chili powder 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp garam masala 2 T cilantro, chopped   Roast the while eggplant in a 400 degree oven for 45 minutes, rotating every 15 minutes.  Remove from oven, let cool, and then peel and chop. Blend the tomatoes, ginger and jalapeno in a food processor. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Stir fry the bell pepper for about one minute. Remove the bell pepper and set aside.  In the same pan, re-heat oil and add c...