Chicken and Dumplings

chicken

4 chicken breasts

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 stock of celery

1/4 cup large slices of onion

cover with water, about 6 cups, in a large pot & bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 40 minutes

remove cooked chicken & cut into quarters, set aside & keep warm while cooking hungarian dumplings*.

gravy

1 tablespoon of butter

3 tablespoons of flour

2 cups of milk or add to remaining chicken broth

in a sauce pan melt butter on medium heat, add flour & cook until bubbly @ 1 minute. Add milk or chicken broth. Add salt & pepper, to taste. Serve chicken 'n' dumplings covered with gravy.

*link to Hungarian Recipe

http://whatscookinginloriskitchen.blogspot.com/2009/12/hungarian-dumplings.html

Almost Perfect Pumpkin Cheesecake

photos from Lori's Kitchen

One of Gary's favorite desserts is cheesecake. Christmas Eve a lady in our church gifted me a 10 inch spring form pan and I was so excited to receive it!

I take 2 extra steps in making this cheesecake by making homemade Graham Crackers & secondly, fresh pumpkin puree. Whatever can be made homemade, to avoid a processed food, is better! This is all delicious & very rewarding to make such a treat for my family!

It's best to make this a 2 day process because it's very time consuming. Or try making it all in one day.

Begin by mixing the graham cracker dough, it has to be refrigerated for several hours before baking.

Pumpkin Puree

Preheating oven to 350 degrees/375 degrees for high altitude.

Split pumpkin in half and seed it.

Remove stringy fibers by scraping the insides with a metal spoon.

Place the two halves cut side down in a roasting pan, along with 1 cup of water.

Bake pumpkin until melting tender. about 90 minutes.

Scoop the flesh out of each pumpkin half.

Puree in a food processor fitted with a metal chopping blade.

Graham Crackers

yields 24 crackers

1 cup white flour (substitute by sifting the whole wheat flour)

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

5 tablespoons sugar or (honey, add 1/8 tsp baking soda)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking soda(decrease 1/8 tsp for high altitude)

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

3 tablespoons butter, cold & sliced into small pieces

1/4 cup vegetable shortening(I use butter)

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon molasses

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. 1

   Combine flours, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon in a large bowl.

2. 2

   Work in the butter and shortening with your fingers until the mixture has the consistency of coarse crumbs.

3. 3

   In a separate bowl, mix the honey, molasses, water and vanilla.

4. 4

   Sprinkle this mixture over the dry ingredients and toss with a fork until well blended.

5. 5

   Form the dough into a ball.

6. 6

   Cover and chill for several hours.

7. 7

   Cut the dough in half and let it sit for 15 minutes at room temperature.

8. 8

   Sprinkle a piece of wax paper with whole wheat flour.

9. 9

   Roll out one of the dough pieces flat to about 7 x 15 inches.

10. 10

    If the dough cracks or breaks, just pinch the edges back together.

11. 11

    Poke a fork into the dough at 1/2-1" intervals.

12. 12

    Then cut into 2 1/2" squares.

13. 13

    Use a spatula to move the squares to a large, ungreased baking sheet.

14. 14

    You can place them close together.

15. 15

    Repeat with the other half of the dough.

16. 16

    Bake in the center of the oven for 15 minutes at 350 deg F or until lightly browned on the edges.

17. 17

    Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

18. 18

    Will keep up to a month (Remember there are no preservatives).

Ingredients

• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2 3/4 cups sugar
• Salt
• 2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
• 6 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 cups sweetened whipped cream
• 1/3 cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Directions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Brush a 10-inch springform pan with some of the butter. Stir the remaining butter with the crumbs, 1/4 cup of the sugar and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pan, packing it tightly and evenly. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on a rack, then wrap the outside of the springform pan with foil and place in a roasting pan.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese with a mixer until smooth. Add the remaining 2 1/2 cups sugar and beat until just light, scraping down the sides of the bowl and beaters as needed. Beat in the sour cream, then add the pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, 1 teaspoon salt and the spices and beat until just combined. Pour into the cooled crust.

Gently place the roasting pan in the oven (don't pull the rack out) and pour the boiling water into the roasting pan until it comes about halfway up the side of the springform pan. Bake until the outside of the cheesecake sets but the center is still loose, about 1 hour 45 minutes. Turn off the oven and open the door briefly to let out some heat. Leave the cheesecake in the oven for 1 more hour, then carefully remove from the roasting pan and cool on a rack. Run a knife around the edges, cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.

Bring the cheesecake to room temperature 30 minutes before serving. Unlock and remove the springform ring. To finish, place a dollop of the whipped cream on each slice and sprinkle with the toasted pecans.

Lamb's Leg with Rosemary & Garlic

Today is New Year's Day & my birthday. I've been waiting for over a month to make my 1st lamb's leg for this special occasion. Even though the butcher told me I needed to make my request 1 week in advance, I lucked out on the 29th. He had one perfect lamb's leg for me ;) We paid roughly $27.50. Considering that it'll serve 8-10 people, that is very economical for a holiday meal! It weighed a little over 3 kilos @7 pounds with the bone and only took 2 days to thaw it out in the refrigerator. This morning I warmed the oven to 425 degrees & prepared the rub. After talking with a couple of people about how to cook a lamb's leg & reading several recipes, I combined a couple & this is what I came up with. This dish is definitely one of my very favorites, it is delicious! It was served with sweet mashed potatoes, wild rice & green salad. Fantastic!

ingredients

1 leg of lamb, bone in(6-7 1/2 pounds)

1/4 cup lemon or lime juice

14 cloves of garlic(cut 6 cloves in 1/2 diagonally to insert)

6 fresh sprigs of fresh rosemary(cut 3 sprigs into 12 pieces to insert w/garlic halves)

1 tablespoon sea salt

2 teaspoons coarse black pepper

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

sauce

1 cup fresh herbs(combination of rosemary, chives and parsley)

2 cups diced onions

2 cups chicken stock

1 cup red wine

directions

preheat oven to 400 degrees(425 high altitude)

Using your hands, rub the lamb all over with the lemon juice. Combine 8 cloves of garlic& 3 sprigs of rosemary by chopping in a food processor. Add pepper & pat the garlic and rosemary mixture evenly all over the surface of the meat. Make 12 incisions in the lamb with a small knife and insert the garlic and rosemary. Season the meat with the salt and pepper and place the lamb in a roasting pan. Drizzle with the olive oil. Place the lamb in the oven and roast for 30 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue to cook for about 1 hour longer for medium-rare, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the roast registers about 145 degrees F to 150 degrees F (be careful that the thermometer does not touch the bone.) I took my leg out at 160 degrees & it was just perfect! Remove lamb from pan and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.

Position the roasting pan over your stove burners. Add mixed herbs and onions to pan, and stir to combine with pan drippings. Add chicken stock and wine to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to release any fond. Reduce over high heat until sauce consistency. Strain before serving, if desired. Slice lamb and serve with sauce drizzled over the top.

Need further encouragement, check out this video example & you'll see that you can't go wrong in trying:

http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-make-roast-leg-of-lamb

Chicken Shawarma Recipe Sandwich

Description

Shawarma (Arabic: شاورما‎), also spelled Chawarma, Schawarma, Shawirma, Shwarma, Shuarma,Shawerma, Shoarma, Schwarma, Shoermeh, Siaorma, or Shaorma, is a Middle Eastern Arabic-style sandwich-like wrap usually composed of shaved lamb, goat, chicken, turkey, beef, or a halal mixture of meats. Shawarma is a popular dish and fast-food staple across the Middle East and North Africa; it has also become popular worldwide.

The classic chicken shawarma combination is pita bread , garlic sauce , tomato, pickles , and the shaved meat itself. Typical additional toppings include tahini, pickled beets and onions. In outward appearance, it vaguely resembles the gyros of Greece or the Turkish döner kebab in the sense that all use pita-wrapped meat, but the sauces are distinctly different.

Serves: 4-5
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes

2 boneless (skinless) chicken breasts, cut into thins strips
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup Mediterranean (Greek) yogurt
1 tbs minced garlic
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp 7 spices
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp dried parsley
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp cinnamon
3 tbs olive oil
Pita, kabees, pickles and garlic for sandwich.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, cover and let marinate for 2 hours in the refrigerator. Preheat pan and add 3 tbs olive oil, add chicken and let cook for 10 minutes until chicken browns, cook for an additional 2 minutes if necessary to brown. To make sandwich, use pita bread, spread garlic sauce on pita, add chicken, kabees and pickles (you can add tomatoes and lettuce if desired). Roll sandwich and press in the grill press to make sandwich crispy for 3 minutes. Enjoy with fries or salad.

Garlic Sauce

Description

Toum, garlic sauce, garlic dip is a Lebanese side dish prepared using canola oil, garlic, lemon juice, and egg white. It is served with chicken and meat as a dipping sauce or mayonnaise.

Recipe

4 cloves garlic minced with
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup canola oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 egg white

In a food processor add garlic minced with salt, begin processor and slowly add oil and lemon juice alternating them until gone, scape down sides intermittently. Add one to two egg whites while the processor is blending until you reach mayonnaise consistency. Serve with chicken or meat and cover and refrigerate remainder. Lasts about a week refrigerated.

Pita (also called and less commonly known as pitta or pide (Turkish), pitka (Bulgarian) and pronounced "pitta" in Greek is an often round, brown, wheat flatbread made with yeast.

Similar to other double-layered flat or pocket breads, pita is traditional in many Middle Eastern andMediterranean cuisines. It is prevalent from North Africa through the Levant and the Arabian Peninsula, possibly coinciding with either the spread of the Hellenistic world or that of the Arab expansions under the banner of Islam.

In Greek cuisine, pita may refer to thicker breads made with yeast, for example souvlaki pita. It may also refer to foods using many layers of dough of thickness less than 1mm, usually with many different ingredients in between, forming savoury pies such as tyropita and spanakopita or sweet pies such as baklava.

The Indian flatbread form of roti is sometimes referred to as "Indian pita".

In a small bowl mix yeast, sugar and 1/2 cup warm water and let sit for 10-15 minutes. In a large bowl mix 3 cups flour with salt and make a well or whole in the middle. Slowly stir in yeast mix and 1 cup warm water until well combined. IN a large bowl add 1 tbs olive oil and spread all over to keep dough from sticking, place dough in oiled bowl, cover with a blanket, and let sit for 3 hours in a warm place. After 3 hours and dough has risen, add flour on to table surface and knead dough for 10 minutes, add flour to surface to keep it from sticking. Form dough into small balls and let sit in a plate for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Roll our balls to 1/8 inch thick and place on flat cookie sheet or pan, cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until lightly brown and dough puffs up. If the dough does not puff up all the time, that is ok, you'll still have a pita pocket.

These recipes are from a great little Mediterranean site http://www.dedemed.com/

Cranberry Sauce

3 cups of fresh cranberries

3/4 cups water

1/4 - 1/2 cup sugar

Place berries into a large sauce pan & cover with water. Bring to a simmer. Cranberries will begin to pop. Next add sugar. Continue to cook at a simmer for 10 minutes. Add orange zest or juice and chopped nuts for flavor. Make the day before & keep refrigerated.

Turkey with Cornbread Dressing

prepping the turkey for the big day!

My 7.2 kilo(approx...14.5 pounds) turkey still has ice inside 5 days after taking it out to defrost but it was ready to be cooked for sure!

The night before I remove the neck & giblets, place them in a large sauce pan, fill with water, a stock of celery, large slices of onion, a sprig of fresh parsley, 1/2 to 1 tsp sea salt & lots of pepper. Bring to a boil & simmer for about an hour for some good broth for the stuffing & gravy. Store cooled broth in the refrigerator.

After washing the turkey by submerging in fresh water, pulling any feathers off, pat dry inside & out with paper towels, the turkey gets placed in a large bowl or the roasting pan w/plastic wrap & placed back in the refrigerator for the next morning.

corn bread dressing:

If the recipe is doubled. There is enough to fill a 9x13 pan for dinner & a cookie sheet full for dressing.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups cornmeal
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) +25 degrees for high altitude. In a small bowl, combine cornmeal and milk; let stand for 5 minutes. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Mix in the cornmeal mixture, eggs and oil until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean.

cube the cornbread in the cookie sheet & bake an additional hour at 325 degrees, stirring until toasted or keep in a warm oven until crunchy. don't burn it! makes 12 Cups of bread cubes.

In the morning pre heat oven to 350 degrees

Old-Fashioned Bread Stuffing

1 cup finely chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 butter

1 teaspoon sage

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

8 cups dry cornbread cubes

1 cup turkey broth

In a saucepan cook celery and onion in butter till tender but not brown; remove from heat and stir in sage, salt, and pepper. Place the dry cornbread cubes in a large mixing bowl. Add the onion mixture. Drizzle with enough broth to moisten, tossing lightly. Use to stuff one 10-pound turkey. Makes 8-10 servings.

Baking turkey:

pre heat oven to 325 degrees, 350 for high altitude.

Stuff turkey w/cornbread dressing. I use a couple of toothpicks to keep the bottom together, then smooth olive oil over the bird, insert a meat thermometer & loosely cover with tin foil.

6-8 lbs 325 3 1/2-4 hours

8-12 lbs 325 4-4 1/2 hours

12-16 lbs 325 4 1/2-5 hours

16-20 lbs 325 5 1/2-6 1/2 hours

20-24 lbs 325 6 1/2-7 1/2 hours

According to this time chart my birds are typically done an hour before. Bake bird till it reaches 185 degrees.

Gravy

drippings from poultry

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups turkey broth

Brown drippings in a large sauce pan. Blend cool broth & flour together smoothing any lumps. Add to browned drippings & bring to a boil. Simmer 1-2 minutes. Season to taste