Thai Green Curry

I finally finally finally got my hands on some GREEN Thai curry paste (thanks papa!!!). I love making Thai curry because I change it up every time depending on what I have on hand.
I'm just going to re-post my recipe because it kind of changed...
Ingredients:
- 1 can coconut milk or coconut cream
- 1 T soy sauce
- 2 T green chili paste (use less if you are a spice wuss)
- 1 T fish sauce
- 2 inch chunk of ginger, grated
- 1 lb pork in chunks (or 6 skinless chicken thighs)
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 red bell peppers in big chunks (at the end)
- 2 zucchinis in big chunks
- 1 cup pumpkin (I swear when I have it, I put it in everything)
- 1 to 2 chopped tomatoes
salt to taste
Garnish:
lime wedges
chopped cilantro
fresh ground pepper
red pepper flakes
Directions:
1. Mix the coconut cream, chili paste, fish sauce, soy sauce and ginger in the bottom of your crock pot.
2. Add the meat and coat it with your mixture.
3. Put all your chopped veggies (except the bell pepper) on top without mixing them into the sauce.. they will nicely steam without desintegrating and cook on low for 6 hours. Add the bell pepper 1 hour before serving
4. Serve over rice with chopped cilantro, fresh g and a squeeze of lemon or lime.

I mixed chicken thighs and pork chunks. This last picture is pork chunks.
Always a hit!

* remove the soy and fish sauce (high in sodium), and this is fight food

Leek Pumpkin Soup

I meant for this soup to be more orange, but I guess that's what I get for putting leeks in there. It still tasted delicious, though... although I put less than half of my pumpkin in there, so it was not very pumpkin-y. I used the last of it... and I might be ready to pick a new one. I love this vegetable!
I've made this with zucchini in place of pumpkin, too!
Ingredients:
3 cups raw pumpkin (or however much you have)
2 leeks, washed and chopped
5 medium potatoes, peeled
1 cup beer (there I go pouring beer into my food again.. what's wrong with me?)
2 smashed garlic cloves
1 cube vegetable broth (or chicken)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp walnut oil (I just felt like experimenting, but just use EVOO)
salt to taste
red pepper flakes
some water
Directions:
1. Sautee your leek in the oil (in a large pot or pressure cooker)
2. Add potatoes, pepper, chili powder and stir around.
3. Add the pumpkin, beer and vegetable cube and then add some water so there are still vegetables sticking out.
4. If you are using a pressure cooker, close it and count 10 minutes from when it starts to make noises. If not, simmer until potatoes are tender (30 minutes or more?) If using a crock pot, don't add much water.
5. Mix with an immersible blender, stir in heavy cream, and salt to taste.
6. Serve with some shredded cheese fresh ground pepper, and red pepper flakes on top.

BevMo's Wine Cake

Here is a simple but yummy recipe from the Cargo Vault! This time it's compliments of my Mom, Beverly-aka BevMo. It's a delicious yellow cake with an adult beverage twist!


BevMo's Infamous Wine Cake

Fine fixins:
1 box yellow cake mix
1 large box of vanilla pudding mix
4 large eggs
3/4 cup cooking sherry wine (usually found near the vinegar at the store)
3/4 cup cooking oil
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Small details:
Preheat oven to 350
Grease a 10in bunt pan with butter/margarine and sprinkle with all purpose flower so its "Non stick."

Directions:

Add cake mix, pudding mix, and nutmeg in large mixing bowl, followed by the rest of the wet ingredients. Mix on low to medium until the batter is creamy-not lumpy!
Pour cake batter into greased bunt pan and place in oven for 45-50 minutes (aka my oven 60!) Set the timer and stick a fork or toothpick in it at 45 mins to see if it's cooked all the way through.


When it's a yummy golden brown color and fully cooked, remove from oven and let it cool for 40-60 minutes, depending on how much time u have! (The longer the better)

Once cooled, give the edges a little swirl with a knife to make sure its not stuck to the pan, then flip the bunt cake over on to your serving dish, sprinkle with powdered sugar and ENJOY!!!
Note: If the cake is not cool enough you run the risk of it not popping out of the bunt pan smoothly- AND the powdered sugar will melt.

Fresh Pumpkin Pie

My MIL gave me one of the pumpkins from her garden, and although I know the french are not into cinammon and spice, I wanted to try pumpkin pie on them again... I tried it a few years ago (without a blender) and nobody liked it except for me. Well, this round went very differently!
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups cooked fresh pumpkin
2 eggs
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup brown sugar (I used cassonnade)
1 1/4 tsp ground cinammon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger
1 uncooked pie crust
Directions:
To cook fresh pumpkin, chop in large pieces (or roast it whole) and put in an oven safe dish with 2 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp water, cover with foil, and cook for 20 minutes at 400°F or until tender. Drain water and blend.
1. Heat uncooked pie crust for 10 minutes in the oven at 350°F, but attack it with a fork first.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whip the eggs, spices, and cream.
3. Pour the pumpkin purée into the mixing and whip.
4. Pour the mixture into the crust and bake for 10 minutes at 425°F, then reduce to 350°F for 30-40 minutes or until you knife comes out clean when you poke it.

Yum.. and I'm STILL not sick of using pumpkin in like every recipe... pumpkin soup should be coming soon, and all this out of the SAME pumpkin!!

Best Paella Ever

I've always loved paella.. but this is the best one I've ever had in my entire life! And no, it's not just because my dad made it! It was really fun sharing the cooking experience with him while he was in town. He was very impressed with me, and I was very impressed with his ability to make ANYTHING spontaneously delicious.. I'm talking strange combinations that I will soon share.
This dish served 5 with 2 getting seconds
Ingredients:
2 cups basmati rice
3 lbs live fresh mussels or clams
3 chopped merguez sausages (sub pepperoni)
500g frozen seafood mix
1 chopped onion
3 chopped cloves garlic
1 can chopped tomatoes
2 chopped bell peppers
2 tbsp EVOO
1 cup white wine
2-3 cups chicken broth
1 Tbsp turmeric
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper
for garnish:
lime slices (not lemon, but lime says the brother)
fresh chopped parsley
fresh chopped chives
Directions:
1. Saute the onions, garlic, small pieces of sausage, pepper flakes, chili powder and turmeric in olive oil until golden and then put the frozen seafood in it.

2. Put in the uncooked rice, stir around for 5 minutes, and pour in the tomatoes, bell peppers, wine and herbs.
3. When liquid is absorbed, pour in 2 cups of the broth.
4. After the rice is 50-60% cooked, add fresh mussels or clams, cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until most of the shellfish open and add any broth if the rice doesn't seem cooked enough.
5. Stir well and serve with parsley, lime slices, and chives on top.
I think I just drooled reminiscing

** UPDATE**

I have just been told that this is ABSOLUTELY NOT the way to make a real Paella. Apparently, it is sacrilege to use Basmati Rice and wine, and the spice combination is more "special."
Once I get the REAL recipe, I will try and compare.

The ROOTS Roast

Love the Roots! So when my dad was in town, he inspired me to use beets in different ways. This week my MIL came over for dinner and I had no idea what to do. They are the hardest since they come over most, they've had the rotation of most of my recipes, and I hate making guests eat the same thing over and over again. I looked in the freezer and found a nice pork roast (here they come bundled up in string) so I just went with the flow. I used almost all roots for this dish and everyone was impressed with the unusual flavor! I just threw in a bunch of stuff I had on hand and needed to use up.
This served 4 plus 1 leftover. It depends on how much you feel like putting in actually.
Ingredients:
1 roast (I used pork, but use whatever)
roots: 1 beet
1 turnip
10 very small potatoes or 5 large ones
1 carrot
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
non roots: 1 cup fresh pumpkin
1 cup beer (take a few swigs and sacrifice the rest)
1 cube chicken bouillon (or beef if you're using beef roast)
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp thyme
salt/pepper
Directions:

1. Peel and chop into chunks all the vegetables.
2. Place your roast in the crock pot, and all the veggies around it... keep your beets on the bottom.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and pour the beer in.
4. Wipe your tear off, you can always just grab another beer.
5. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or however long your crockpot takes to cook things.
Serve.. well, just serve.. it is a one pot meal!

Everyone loved it. It's sweet, red, earthy, but not too much, and the beer just makes excellent broth!
My FIL went in for seconds.. SECONDS!! He never does that! Especially at dinner.

Spaghetti sauce Remix!

I thought it looked neat over black Penne!
I also switched out dried herbs for fresh...
Fresh thyme, basil, parsley, bay leaves.
Delicious

Easy Turkey Taco Salad

A couple weeks ago I made this delicious Turkey Taco Salad. It was a big hit in our house, and I am sure it would be yours too! :) This recipe makes enough for 4.









Ingredients
2 pound ground turkey
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 can chili beans
1 bottle of your favorite Italian Dressing
2 heads of romaine lettuce
1 small package Doritos (I used Nacho Cheese)
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped tomatoes (I used Grape Tomatoes and cut them in ½)
4 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 cup prepared salsa
1 box of Spanish Rice (I love Rice-a-Roni)

Directions
1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground turkey. Stir in the taco seasoning and chili beans. **I didn’t add the water as the taco seasoning directed me to…you can do whatever you please. :)

2. Cut the lettuce into bite size salad and the grape tomatoes in half. Crush the bag of chips, open the bag, and toss the broken chips into a large bowl with the lettuce and tomatoes. When the meat mixture is done, combine it with the lettuce, tomatoes, and chips and mix well. **It’s a good idea to let the meat cool a bit before you put it in the salad, so it doesn’t make the lettuce wilt. I put my meat in the fridge for about 20 minutes.

3. I added the Spanish rice to the bottom of the bowl, then the salad, and then Italian Dressing to your liking and top it off with cheese, salsa and sour cream. AND DEN, AND DEN, AND DEN!! (line from Dude, Where’s my Car!?)

Dessert

Ok, we rarely have desert, but I was seriously craving a Root Beer Float! I also bought Orange Crush, for a half and half creamsicle flavor. Don’t forget the vanilla ice cream!! It was simply refreshing and OH SO YUMMY!!

Broken Spaghetti Risotto

Since i am now a stay at home mom, i watch shows like Ellen and the Rachael Ray Show =). Anyhoo, i saw this one on the Rachael Ray show and thought it looked fun and yummie... Fummie!

Ingredients

1 package dried mixed wild mushrooms or porcini mushrooms
1 quart chicken stock
2 cups water
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus a drizzle
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 large cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound spaghetti, broken into small pieces
1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup hazelnuts
2 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, a few handfuls
4 cups arugula
1/2 lemon, juiced



Directions

Place mushrooms, stock and water in a sauce pot and heat, keep warm on low.

Heat a medium saute pan or risotto pan with 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan, over medium to medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic to pan, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and saute until tender 4 to 5 minutes. Add pasta and toast until deeply golden in color and very nutty in fragrance, 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in wine and let it cook away, 1 minute. Ladle in stock every few minutes, stirring for a good minute with each addition of stock to develop starches. Evaporate almost all of the liquid before each addition of stock. Pasta will cook up quicker then rice. Start tasting after about 8 to 9 minutes of cooking time once you begin to add stock. When you are down to the last cup of your liquids, remove mushrooms, chop and add to pasta.

While the pasta cooks, toast hazelnuts in a skillet until fragrant. Peel nuts by rubbing the skins off in a clean kitchen towel.

When pasta is cooked to al dente, stir butter into the pan then stir in the cheese.

Dress arugula with lemon juice, a drizzle olive oil, and salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve risotto in shallow bowls topped with greens and nuts.

Terre et Mer (Surf n Turf)

When my sister in law once told me she was making a dish called Terre et Mer, I immediately translated Surf n Turf which equals Steak and Crab or Lobster or Shrimp or Steak and some kind of Seafood. Well, in France.. pairing steak with seafood is unheard of! Who knew?
Here, surf n turf is always Leeks paired with some kind of seafood. It works out, too because Leeks do come from the ground, and surprisingly pair very very well with seafood. This is my version or Terre et Mer. The first time I ate anything of the sort, it was Leeks and Scallops and it wasn't in a quiche, but mine is!
Ingredients:
1 pie crust in dough form
2 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 leek, chopped and washed
1 handful frozen mussels (or whatever you have on hand that would count as "surf")
2 tbsp EVOO
1 tsp thyme
1 drizzle white wine for deglazing (I know you have an open bottle lying around)
salt/pepper
1 good handful shredded swiss cheese
Directions:
1. Heat your oil in a large pan and sautée your leeks with thyme until they are tender, stirring so they don't stick to the pan. This part is about 10 minutes.
2. While the leeks are cooking, lay your pie crust in a tin and poke it all over with a fork, then stick it in the oven at 400°F for 5-7 minutes, and take it out.
3. Add the frozen mussels to the leeks and let them heat through. Deglaze with the white wine and add salt/pepper to taste.
4. In a large bowl, wisk together the eggs and cream and shredded cheese.
5. In your pie crust, lay your leek and mussel mixture, and pour your eggs and cream mixture over it until evenly covered.
6. Pop back in the oven for 35 minutes or until golden. Let cool 10 minutes.

Serve with a fresh salad
I loved this! My favorite quiche recipe so far!