Mushroom,Butternut Squash, and Bok Choy Dressing

I really like a mushroom-y dressing to go with my Thanksgiving meal. This recipe has evolved over the years and my family really likes it.

3 oz of dried mushrooms (shitake, porcini, etc.), scrubbed if necessary
3 C boiling water
1 lb ground pork sausage with sage
4 stalks of celery, chopped
2 onions, chopped
2 fresh leaves of sage, chopped
1 can sliced water chestnuts
2 bok choy, chopped with white part and green part separated
1 lb butternut squash, 1" dice
1 lb dried bread cubes
2 eggs, beaten
2 chicken bouillon cubes
salt and pepper
2 t butter

Turn on oven to 350 degree.

Submerge mushrooms in boiling water and set aside. Saute ground pork, celery, onion, fresh sage, and the white part of the bok choy until pork is cooked through.  Season with salt and pepper. Add butternut squash and green part of bok choy  and saute for about 5 minutes. Put mixture in a very large bowl. Drain the mushrooms reserving the liquid. Add mushrooms to the mixture. Slice the water chestnuts in half and add to the mixture. Combine with dried bread cubes. Stir in beaten eggs. Season generously with salt and pepper again. Add bouillon cubes to the mushroom liquid and heat if necessary to dissolve. Add liquid to moisten the mixture.

Butter a lasagna pan. Put mixture in the pan. Dot the top with small blobs of butter. Bake for 50 minutes or until top is nice and golden.

Note: If you are crunched for time or oven space, I've had good results covering the dressing and baking at 375 for 30 minutes. Uncover and cook for 10 more minutes to toast the top.

Asian Cabbage and Tofu Stew

This is one of my favorite soups that I make over and over. It is a fusion recipe that is Asian-inspired and made with many healthy components. I found it in an Eating Well magazine, but the recipe can be found online here and I've also copied it below.

• 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons grated or minced fresh ginger
• 4 cups thinly sliced napa cabbage (I've also substituted bok choy for this)
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup snipped dulse or arame seaweed
• 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
• 2 12- to 14-ounce packages firm tofu, silken or regular, drained if necessary, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1/4 cup white miso (see Tip)
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 4 scallions, chopped
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and ginger; cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add cabbage; cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to wilt, 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Pour in broth, add seaweed and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. Add corn, return to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Add tofu and cook until hot, about 3 minutes. Stir in miso and cook 1 minute more.
3. Drizzle eggs onto the surface of the stew and let simmer, undisturbed, until the eggs are just set, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and add scallions and vinegar; gently stir to combine.

Kofta for a Crowd - Award Winning Recipe from Curry Clash 2015

This is Khamisa Abdulla's winning recipe in the amateur category for the Asian Community & Cultural Center's Curry Clash 2015. This makes a large amount to serve to a big crowd.

5 lb ground beef
6 eggs
2 green peppers, chopped and pureed
1 bunch cilantro, chopped including stems
2 T pureed garlic paste
1 sm can tomato paste
2 T freshly ground cardamom pods, most of the husks removed
1 c oil
3 T beef bouillon granules
2 T salt
1 T ground pepper
1 Knorr Beef cube
6 c cooked rice, cooled
4 c mashed potato flakes
1 T baking powder
2 -3 T curry powder

Turn oven on to 400 degrees. Add all of the  above to a large bowl. Mix well with your hands. Put a small amount of oil in a dish and oil your fingers. Take about 3 T of beef mixture into your hand and form it into a log shape about 3" long. Place the logs on a rimmed baking sheet. Once the baking sheet is full, put it in the oven for about 15-20 minutes until the tops have lightly browned. Repeat until all of the beef mixture is cooked. Put cooked kofta in a deep baking dish.

Sauce:
2 sm cans of tomato paste
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 c water
1 T ground cardamom
1 T cumin
2 T salt
Simmer sauce over medium heat while you cook the kofta. Sauce should be thick enough to just coat the kofta. You may have to thin with additional water.

Once all the kofta is cooked and put into several deep pans. Evenly distribute the sauce over the meat, tossing to coat.  Seal pans with foil and put into the oven to steam for 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy!

              

Khamisa's Nuba Mountain Vegetable Salad

In Sudan in the Nuba Mountains there is a leafy green that it similar to spinach that is usually used in this dish. In the U.S., spinach makes a nice substitute. Khamisa tells me that this salad is eaten very often at home and for holidays. It is very addictive. I can't stop dipping my spoon into this stuff.

4 boxes of frozen spinach
1 lg bag of frozen mixed vegetables with lima beans
1 small bag of frozen corn
1 small bag of frozen peas
1 cup toasted sesame seeds
1/2  c peanut butter
salt

Cook frozen spinach in a pot with very little oil. In another pot, cook the veggies in very little water. Toast sesame seeds in a pan until light brown. Process in a food processor into a paste. Mix the vegetables and spinach together and combine with the sesame paste and peanut butter. Add salt and pepper to taste. You can serve with honey if you like.

Kale, Potato, and Sausage Soup

I return to this soup over and over. Its called Zuppa Toscana or if made with chorizo, Caldo Verde. In an effort to eat healthier, I've started to substitute turkey sausage for the spicy Italian or chorizo. It is still delicious. I've also substituted fat free half and half for the equivalent amount of regular half and half or whipping cream.
 
1 bunch kale, chopped
1 onion, diced
4 cloves, garlic minced
1 pkg turkey sausage, spicy Italian, or chorizo, sliced
4 potatoes, cubed
1 c fat free half and half
1 liter of chicken stock
1 t smoked paprika
1/8 t cayenne pepper
salt and pepper

Saute onion, garlic and kale over medium heat until kale is wilted. Add stock, potatoes, and  sausage and simmer for 10-20 minutes, or until potatoes are done. Add half and half and seasoning and simmer for 10 more minutes.

Serve with crusty bread.

Creamy Curried Turnip and Radish Soup

I have been a member of a CSA for a number of years and I have to admit that I'm always a little uncertain how to use the number of turnips and radishes that you receive. I like to eat them raw but I don't really need to have too many before I am completely satisfied for the season. I love using the greens in green gumbo. With this recipe, I think I have found a favorite way to use them up. I'm making a big batch now and freezing it in individual portions to take to work.

3 T butter
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 c turmips, peeled and quartered
1 c radishes, quartered
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into similarly sized pieces as the turnips
3 white potatoes, scrubbed and not peeled unless skin is thick
8 c chicken or veggie stock
1 bay leaf
1/2 c fat free half and half
3 T Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2  T curry powder
1 T brown sugar
1 t smoked paprika
1/8 t cayenne pepper
1 t salt
1 t pepper 

Melt butter in Dutch oven and cook onions, garlic, turnips, and radishes over medium heat. Add potatoes, stock, and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Turn down to simmer until vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaf. Using an immersion blender process the veg into a creamy consistency. Add half and half, curry powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, salt and pepper and cook for 5-10 minutes more over low heat.

Serve with crusty bread.

Whole Wheat, Oatmeal, and Banana Pancakes

This is our family's favorite pancake recipe. My husband makes pancakes nearly every weekend. We don't have to feel too guilty eating these pancakes. They are delicious with or without syrup. He often double the recipe and makes extra for the freezer. The kids can pop them in the toaster during the week.
 
1 c whole rolled oats
1 c whole wheat flour
3/4 c all purpose flour
1/4 c brown sugar
2 T dry milk powder
1 t ground flaxseed
 2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt

1 egg
2 c milk
2 T vegetable oil
1 t vanilla extract
1 t cinnamon
2 ripe bananas, smashed

Put the rolled oats in a food processor and blend into a coarse flour. Whisk all dry ingredients together and set aside.

Whisk together the egg, milk, and vanilla extract. Then mix in bananas.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry, stirring until just combined. Let batter stand for five minutes.

Cook on a lightly oil griddle over medium-high heat. Using a 1/4 c scoop put batter on griddle and cook until edges are dry and the batter has many bubbles. Flip and cook until brown on the other side. Repeat using all the batter.

New Thanksgiving sides that I want to try

I'm going to collect a few recipes here to serve on Thanksgiving. I haven't tried them yet. I'll return to post comments after I try them.

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/lemon-and-parsley-skillet-roasted-fingerling-potatoes?mbid=social_facebook

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/crunchy-winter-vegetable-salad?mbid=social_facebook

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/winter-squash-agrodolce