Spinach and Chickpea Curry

 

 

When I came across this recipe I immediately thought I had to try it.  I had been thinking about attempting to cook an Indian dish at home for awhile and this one seemed so simple and quick I felt comfortable giving it a try – if it didn’t turn out well I would not have invested much time and energy into it.  I hate wasting time and energy! 

Not only is this dish super fast to whip up, it’s healthy.  The chickpeas are high in fiber and a great source of protien.  And thanks to Popeye we all know the health benefits of spinach by now! 

This dish goes so well with lamb.  I like to buy the small loin lamb chops and broil them in the oven for about 10 minutes.  I serve this curry along side the lamb – it’s spectacular.  I have also spooned this mixture over a piece of Tilapia and it was very tasty.  This spinach and chickpea curry would also be fantastic as a vegetarian meal all on it’s own served over basmati rice. 

This is what you will need to serve as a side dish for 4-6 people…

 

1 cup coarsely chopped onion

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon red curry powder

1/8 teaspoon garam masala

1 19-oz can chick peas, drained and rinsed

1 14-oz can diced tomatoes with juice

4-5 cups spinach leaves

chicken stock (optional)

In a food processor, combine onion and ginger,  pulse until minced.

Heat oil in a large skillet.  Add onion mixture, curry powder and garam masala to the pan and saute 3 minutes.  Add chickpeas and tomatoes to the pan, crushing some of the tomatoes with the back of your spoon.  Simmer for 2-3 minutes.  Stir in spinach and simmer until wilted.

If you would like the mixture to be more liquidy, feel free to add some chicken stock (or vegetable stock).  I prefer mine on the thicker side.

 

That’s it, really.  So fast.  So simple.  So delicious.

Cranberry Pistachio Cookies

 

The past few weeks have been a blur.  Once Thanksgiving is over it’s as if someone pushes the fast forward button of life.  Between work, cooking, holiday shopping and trying to see most of your friends for the holidays, the days and nights get taken up quickly. 

In the midst of all the mayhem I did manage to try out a new holiday cookie this year.  An easy one!  I followed the recipe exact, however, I thought the recipe was not as explicit as it could have been.  The first time I made these I was not all that impressed with the presentation.  The recipe calls for cranberries and pistachios, however, it doesn’t explain that you should actually CHOP those ingredients.  So, the first time I did not chop and my cookies were boring – there was no rhyme or reason to how many little red or green flecks were in each cookie.  Some cookies only had one cranberry and one pistachio.  Not good.  So, the next time I chopped both and it was perfect.  The other thing I changed was the shape of the cookie.  The original recipe instructs to square off the log of dough, which I did.  Only problem was it was difficult to maintain the square shape while cutting the individual cookies and during the cooking process.  Who needs this frustration?  So on my second batch I just rounded off the log and was much happier. 

Not only are these cookies festive and cute, they are so very yummy.  They have a shortbread cookie flavor and slightly crumbly texture.  Everyone loves them.  And I love that they are cut into smaller rounds – doesn’t make you feel guilty about eating six of these in one sitting!

The chilled dough can remain in the fridge for up to 3 days, or of course you can store it in the freezer.  Baked cookies stored in an air-tight container last up to one week! 

Here is what you will need for approximately 36 cookies…

 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 sticks  unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh orange zest

1/2 cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped

1/3 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped 

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cup decorative sugar (preferably coarse)

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Stir together flour, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl.

Beat together butter, granulated sugar, and zest in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 batches, mixing until dough just comes together in clumps, then mix in pistachios and cranberries. Gather and press dough together, then divide into 2 equal pieces. Using a sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper as an aid, form each piece of dough into a log about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until very firm, at least 2 hours.

Brush egg over all 4 long sides of bars (but not ends). Sprinkle decorative sugar on a separate sheet of parchment or wax paper and press bars into sugar, coating well.

Cut each bar crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. (If dough gets too soft to slice, freeze bars briefly until firm.) Arrange cookies about 1/2 inch apart on lined baking sheets.

Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through baking, until edges are pale golden, 15 to 18 minutes total. Transfer cookies from parchment to racks using a slotted spatula and cool completely.

Go grab yourself 6 cookies and enjoy! 

 

Recipe from Gourmet’s Favorite Cookies. 

Pumpkin Spice Bread

 

Another loaf!  If you have read some of my past posts on here, you already know that I love making loaves.  I always make this one in the fall and winter.  I am aware that there are so many various recipes for pumpkin bread out there, it is difficult to pick which is the best.  I grew up eating my mom’s pumpkin bread, she bakes it in coffee cans and the final product is quite dense and much darker in color than the one I make.  Both are great, it’s really a personal choice.  I think I might like this pumpkin bread slightly better than the one I grew up eating.  I find this version lighter and more ‘cake’ like.  This pumpkin bread is outstanding served warm right out of the oven.  It is still wonderful if eaten at room temperature.

Here is what you will need…

 

1 and 2/3 cups flour (I usually use 1 cup white flour and 2/3 cup whole wheat flour)

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4  teaspoon salt

1 and 1/3 cups sugar

1/3 cup canola oil

1 cup plus 1 and 1/2 tablespoons canned unsweeted pumpkin

1 large egg

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a loaf pan (roughly 8×4). 

Mix first six ingredients together in a bowl with a whisk until well combined.

Combine sugar, oil and pumpkin in the bowl of electric mixer.  Beat at medium speed until smooth.  Add egg, beating until well blended.  Gradually add dry ingredients, beating at a low speed until blended.  Transfer batter to loaf pan.

Bake for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until loaf is golden and a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes then remove from pan. 

 

I just love that pumpkiny color!  I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

 

 

This recipe is adapted from Cottage Living.

Pasta With Lentils

The Italian name for this deliciousness is Pasta e Lenticchie.  The way I see it, this dish should really be called Lentils with Pasta.  It is mostly lentils with some pasta thrown in, not the other way around.  It is an Italian dish that I grew up eating, my mom cooked this for us all the time.  It is traditionally from the Campania region of Italy, specifically the Naples area, which is where my family is from.   

I can’t quite decide if this is more of a stew or a soup.  I think it is a mixture of both.  A stoup!  It is quite hearty and as most of you  might already know, lentils are super healthy.  They are loaded with folate, fiber and potassium and are an excellent source of protein.

I put my own slight spin on this recipe, it is not the exact same one my mother makes.  However, it’s very close.  I saute my vegetables first in some olive oil (she doesn’t) and I thought to add the bay leaves and thyme.  Basically, you make a big pot of the lentils and you store it in the fridge.  When you want to eat it, you boil up some pasta and then add the lentils to the pasta.  If you add all the pasta into the lentils and store it that way, the pasta tends to get mushy.  About the pasta – you can use any small shape you like.  Normally, this is made with spaghetti broken into 1 inch pieces, or the little elbows that I used in the photo above.  Both are fantastic.  I usually get the whole wheat or multi grain pasta.

Once the pot of lentils is made, this is a very quick and easy meal that you can enjoy all week long for lunch, dinner or a comforting snack on a cold day.

Here is what you will need…

 

2 cups lentils (picked through and rinsed)

3 cups water

3 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)

2 medium carrots, diced

3 stalks celery, diced

1 large onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon pepperoncino

2 bay leaves

1 tsp thyme

4 whole peeled tomatoes, chopped with their juice

chopped parsley

short/small pasta (shape of your choice)

parmigiano reggiano or pecorino romano cheese

 

Coat the bottom of a dutch oven with olive oil and saute onions, carrots and celery for about 5 minutes or until they begin to soften.  Add garlic and pepperoncino and saute for one minute.  Add lentils and stir one minute.  Add water, stock, tomatoes, bay leaves and thyme and stir to combine.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer , cover and cook for approximately 70-90 minutes or until the lentils are tender.  Lentils are done!

For reheating/serving:  boil water and cook the pasta until just about done (one minute shy of the directed cooking time).  Drain pasta, reserving some of the pasta water.  This is important!  The lentils thicken up and you most likely will have to add some pasta water to the mixture to loosen it up a bit.  Add some lentils to the pasta, as much as you like and depending on how many people you are serving.  Stir and cook together for one minute.  Turn off heat and add a handful of fresh parsley.  I love alot of parsley in this, it really give a nice, fresh flavor.  Top with a spoonful of cheese and enjoy!