Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar butter.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with toasted Walnuts and Brown Sugar Butter




3 Large Sweet Potatoes
4 tablespoons of butter
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts




In a large (3-5 qt.) pan bring about 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt to flavor the water. Peel and chop the potatoes into bite size pieces about 1/2 an inch each. Parboil the potatoes for about 10 minutes then drain. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Melt two tablespoons of butter in a 9x9 baking pan and make sure the entire bottom is covered. Add the sweet potatoes to the 9x9 baking pan and toss them around in the butter. Sprinkle on the 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts. Place in the center of the oven uncovered for 25 minutes. Then remove and add the other two tablespoons evenly spreading them out in small pieces. Now sprinkle the brown sugar over the top of the potatoes and place back in the oven for another 30-35 minutes. The edges of the potatoes should look lightly browned and the walnuts should be golden. Remove from the oven and toss with a spatula making sure to be delicate. Let cool for 2-5 minutes and serve.

Corn Soup

Corn Soup with Chipotle Peppers and Sun-dried Tomatoes

2 cans cream of corn
1 can whole sweet corn
4 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
1 chipotle pepper
1/2 white onion
2 cloves of garlic
olive oil
salt and pepper 


In a blender add one can of cream of corn, 3/4 of the can of whole sweet corn, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and the chipotle pepper. Blend until smooth. In a large 3-5 quart pot add olive oil and diced onions  along with the rest of the whole corn. Cook on medium high heat until onions are brown. Chop one of the tomatoes into small bits. Add the other can of cream of corn to the skillet with the diced tomato. Add the blended mixture to the pot and stir. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook on medium heat until the soup boils. Take off heat and serve.

California Chicken

California Chicken

4 bone-in skin on chicken thighs

2 tablespoons olive oil

8-16 oz. water

basil

paprika

salt

alvacado

1 plumb

1/4 habanero pepper

1 clove garlic

1 teaspoon orange preserves

hand full cilantro

1 Whole chive

1/4 teaspoon white wine vinegar

salt

In a large skillet with a lid add the skin side down chicken thighs. Add the 8-16 oz. water and then sprinkle the paprika, basil, and salt over the chicken covering one side. Turn on medium heat and cover with the lid. Once the water in the pan is almost gone add the olive oil slowly and increase the heat to high. brown both sides of the chicken and remove from heat.

For the salsa take the plumb and pit it. Take the hand full of cilantro and finely chop it, and do the same with the chive. In a slap chopper add the plumb cilantro and chive and chop until it is all finely chopped. add to a small bowl. Add in the 1 teaspoon of orange preserves, pinch of salt, and the 14 teaspoon white wine vinegar and stir. Take the habanero pepper and make sure there is no white membrane or seeds on the inside. take the slap chopper and turn it into a paste. Add into the bowl and stir. Let this sit for about 20 minute before serving.

Take the cooled chicken and add about 4 slices of alvacado to the top then top with a spoon full of the plumb salsa. Eat, Enjoy, INDULGE!

Stuffed Poblano Pepper

Serving Size: 1

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees

1 large Poblano Pepper

1/2 cup orzo

1/2 red habanero pepper

2 baby mushrooms

1 small red potato

1 clove garlic

few sprigs cilantro

salt and pepper to taste

In a small pot add 1.5 quarts of water and a teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil. Add the orzo and let cook fro about 8 minutes. Drain and put aside. Take the potato and chop it into 1/4 inch cubes and add to a small mixing bowl. Take the garlic cloves and chop it until it is finely chopped. Place the garlic in a small piece of foil with olive oil into the oven at 400 degrees for about 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, take the cilantro, habanero pepper, and mushrooms and chop them into small pieces. When garlic is done place on a cutting board and add a sprinkle of salt, with a fork mash pieces until a paste is formed and add to the mixing bowl with all the other ingredients. Drizzle with a little olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste. Take the bell pepper and carve the stem out of the top using a small knife. take a spoon and scrap out all the white membrane on the inside. Add the orzo to the vegetables in the mixing bowl and combine. Spoon the mixture into the poblano pepper. Place the top back on the poblano pepper and place in the oven for 30 minutes at 400 degrees. Eat, Enjoy, and INDULGE!

Spinach Salad with Asian Style Dressing

Spinach Salad with Asian Style Dressing

1 package fresh spinach

1 carrot

5 slices of wheat french bread

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon basil

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 lemon

2 tablespoons of hoisin sauce

1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a small bowel mix the hoisin sauce, teriyaki sauce, ground ginger and the juice of one lemon. Set this aside. Peel the carrot and julianne and add to a large salad bowl along with the package of spinach. Place this in the refrigerator. Take the french bread and cut it into cubes. In a skillet douse with olive oil and salt and pepper to taste along with basil and garlic powder. cook on high for about 5 minutes tossing frequently. Lightly drizzle the croutons with red wine vinegar and place in an oven preheated to 350 degrees. Cook until golden brown. once the croutons are done and cooled combine them with the salad and dressing and lightly toss everything together. Eat, Enjoy, INDULGE.

Red Wine Linguini

1/2 cup dry red wine

4 vine ripened tomatoes

1/2 white onion

4 cloves garlic

4 fresh leaves of basil

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 sprig of Tarragon

pinch of salt

black pepper to taste

1 bag linguini pasta

In a food processor or blender place the one cup of red wine, the tomatoes quartered, half the onion, the peeled cloves of garlic, basil, red pepper flakes, tarragon, salt, and black pepper. Blend until there are no more large chunks. Place the sauce into a sauce pan and cook on low temperature for about 15 minutes or until boiling. Meanwhile in a large 5 quart pot put 3 quarts of water and add a pinch of salt. Place on medium-high heat until it reaches a strong boil. Add the pasta and cook until done. Drain the water from the pasta and then add the sauce to the pasta and stir. Serve. Eat, Enjoy, and INDULGE.

Spelt Challah

Now days it is rare that Jewish Families bake their own challah. But this recipe is fairly simple to do and does not take a lot of work. Eat, Enjoy, INDULGE

1 Package of Yeast

1/4 cup of sugar

1 1/4 cup of water

1/3 cup of vegetable oil

3 large eggs

2 teaspoons salt

5- 5 1/2 Cups of Spelt Flour

In a microwave safe cup heat the water for about a minute until it is to hot to hold your finger in. Add the yeast and stir. Let this sit for about a minute or two. Meanwhile in a large mixing bowl add the sugar, oil, Salt, and eggs to the bowl. Whisk all these ingredients together. Now pour in the yeast mixture and slowly stir in the flour one cup at a time. You are looking for the dough not to stick to your fingers, so adjust the recipe by adding flour or water to get this consistency. Next on a clean counter top sprinkle a little flour and place the dough on to the counter knead the dough until the dough is soft and smooth and comes back up when you press your finger into it. Clean the large mixing bowl and dry, then place a teaspoon of oil in the bowl and swirl around. Now place the dough in the bowl and cover with a cloth. Let rise for about 30 minutes. After thirty minutes sprinkle more flour on the counter and press the dough once more. place back in the bowl and let rise for an hour. The dough should double in size.

Now you are ready to start forming the Challah but first there is a blessing that is said over the challah to recognize that this is the divine dough that sustains life.

Say, Baruch Ata A-Do-Nay Elo-haynu Melech HaOlam Asher Kidishanu B'Mitzvotav V'Tziyvanu L'Hafrish Challah. (Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, King of the Universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to separate Challah).

Now tear about one ounce off and place to the side and say harai zeh challah (this is challah). Then Wrap the piece in foil and burn it in the oven until it is of no use.

Now separate the dough into three even lumps and roll the lumps out into a rope like shape about the thickness of a thumb. Braid each of the three ropes together.

Using an egg white and a pastry brush, brush the top of the challah.

Bake for 30-40 minutes at 375 degrees.

Chocolate Cupcakes

Here is one of my favorite Cupcake recipes. These tasty little treats pack a little bit of a bite. With the expresso in the frosting as well as in the cake it makes for a great little bite to pick you up during the day, and lets face it we all have a little sweet tooth. So bake some of these treats and you get your pick-me-up as well as your desired chocolate intake for the day. All the ingredients in these cupcakes can be bought as KOSHER at your local grocery store. Eat, Enjoy, and INDULGE.

Preheat Oven to 350 Degrees

Chocolate CupCakes

2 Cups Sugar

1 3/4 Cups Flour

3/4 Cups dark chocolate Cocoa Powder

1 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder

1 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon Salt

2 Eggs

1 cup Milk

1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil

2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

1 Cup freshly Brewed Coffee

In a large mixing bowel add in the dry ingredients (Sugar, Flower, Cocoa Powder, Baking Soda, Baking Powder, and Salt). Mix until combined with a fork or a whisk. Next add in the wet ingredients (Eggs, Milk, Vegetable Oil, Vanilla Extract, and Coffee). Mix on low speed until all ingredients are combined and there are no more lumps (Batter will be Thin). Next spray a muffin pan with non-stick spray and fill each about 3/4 of the way to the top. Place into the oven and cook for about 18-21 minutes. Yields about 2 dozen.

Frosting

1/2 cup Butter at room temp.

16 oz. (2 cups) Confectioners Sugar

3 tb. Milk

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1/2 vanilla bean pod finely chopped

1 tb. Expresso powder

In a large bowl mix the butter, milk, and vanilla Extract together. Slowly add the Confectioners Sugar a little at a time until all mixed together. fold in the expresso and the vanilla beans. Place in a refrigerator for about an hour before spreading.