Restaurant-Style Home-made Hummus

Recipe from Cooks Illustrated.

www.cooksillustrated.com

The original recipe from Cooks Illustrated does not have the sprinkle of paprika on top but I saw a recipe somewhere else which had it. It looks prettier in my opinion. I also added another small clove of garlic, just my personal taste.

1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons lemon juice
6 tablespoons Tahini (Joyva or Krinos)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus extra for drizzling
1 small garlic, minced
14 oz canned chick-peas, rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro or parsley
Pinch cayenne pepper

Combine water and lemon juice in small bowl. Whisk together tahini and 2 tablespoon oil in a small second bowl. Set aside 2 tablespoons chick-peas for garnish.

Process remaining chick-peas, garlic, salt, cumin and cayenne in food processor until almost fully ground, about 15 seconds. Scrape down bowl with rubber spatula. With machine running, add lemon juice mixture in steady stream. Scrape down bowl and continue to process for 1 minute with machine running, add tahini mixture in steady stream; continue to process until hummus is smooth and creamy about 15 minutes scraping down bowl as needed.

Transfer hummus to serving bowl, sprinkle reserved chick-peas and cilantro over surface; cover with plastic wrap and let stand until flavors meld at least 30 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

Hummus can be refrigerated up to 5 days; refrigerate garnish separately. When ready to serve, stir in approximately 1 tablespoon warm water if mixture is too thick.

Makes 2 cups

Cristina's Tres Leches Cake

Cake:

5 eggs, separated
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder or 3/4 teaspoon for high altitude
1/3 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mixture of Milks:

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
2 cups heavy whipping cream

Garnishes:

1 cup heavy cream, whipped with 1 tablespoon powdered sugar until stiff
Canned fruit like peaches and/or mandarin oranges
Fresh fruit like assorted berries
Sweetened flaked coconut

Cake:

Butter and flour a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Set aside.

Beat the egg yolks for a couple of minutes using an electric mixer on low speed. Add 3/4 cup sugar and beat until sugar dissolves. Stir in the vanilla.

Using clean beaters, beat the egg whites in another bowl adding the 1/4 cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

To the egg yolk mixture, add the flour in two parts alternating with the milk and beating on low speed just until combined. Do not overbeat.

Using a rubber spatula, stir in the egg whites in two parts folding into the batter carefully. Do not stir. The batter should be fluffy and airy.

Pour this mixture in the prepared baking pan. Spread evenly.

Bake in a preheated 350 F for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and immediately poke the entire surface of the cake with a fork.

While the cake is baking you have mixed the milks well in a big bowl. Pour the milk into the whole cake using a ladle. Make sure that all the cake gets the milk mixture.

Let the cake cool down on the counter. Cover with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, beat 1 cup whipping cream with 1 tablespoon powdered sugar until firm.

Frost the entire surface of the cake using an offset spatula. Garnish as desired.

Makes 12 servings

Becky's Breakfast Syrup

Recipe courtesy of Becky Pullham

In a saucepan mix:

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup light corn syrup

Heat up until all the ingredients are combine and heated through. Serve hot over French toast casserole.

This syrup tends to separate but it will go back to normal when stirred with a spoon.

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

3 cups cooked shredded chicken

5 cups fresh broccoli florets

1/4  cup water

1 big can (26 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1 cup mayonnaise (I used reduced-fat, made with olive oil)

1/4-1/2 teaspoon curry powder (optional)

2 teaspoons lemon juice (optional)

Ground black pepper

2 cups sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded, divided

1/2 of a (6 oz) box chicken stuffing, dry

3 tablespoons butter, melted

Spray a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Place the broccoli florets in a big microwave-safe glass pan; add 1/4 cup water and cover with a clean towel. Microwave for 5 minutes stirring at 2 1/2 minutes. Drain the water.

Place the broccoli in the baking pan in an even layer; add the chicken. 

In a medium bowl, combine the cream of chicken, mayonnaise, lemon juice, black pepper, curry powder and 1 cup cheese.

Pour the creamy mixture on top of the chicken and stir to combine all the ingredients. Smooth the surface. Sprinkle with 1 cup cheese.

In a bow, mix the stuffing with the butter covering all the bread cubes well. Sprinkle over the cheese.

Bake in a preheated 350 F for 35-40 minutes. If the topping browns too quick, cover with aluminum foil. 

Serve over rice.

Makes 8 servings. 

Hungarian Goulash in Slow-Cooker

Taste of Home
www.tasteofhome.com

3 medium onions, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 medium green peppers, chopped
3 lb beef stew meat cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon plus 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon plus 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups reduced sodium beef broth
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 garlic clove, minced
Dash sugar
1 cup (8 oz)reduced-fat sour cream

12 cups uncooked whole wheat egg noodles

In a 5-qt slow-cooker, place the onions, green peppers and carrots.

Sprinkle the meat with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. In a large skillet, brown the meat in batches. Transfer to slow-cooker. Add the broth to the skillet stirring to loosen the browned bits from the pan.

Combine the flour, paprika, tomato paste, caraway seeds, garlic, sugar and remaining salt and pepper; stir into the skillet. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Pour over meat. Cover and cook on LOW for 7-9 hours or until meat is tender.

Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain noodles.

Stir in sour cream into the slow-cooker and mix to combine well.

Makes 12 servings

                                                                                                        Marcia Doyle
                                                                                                        Pompano, Florida

Soy Sesame and Ginger Tilapia.

1 tilapia fillet, thawed of frozen

1 piece of aluminum foil or parchment paper

1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
1 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
Ground black pepper

Garnishes:

Sliced green onions
Toasted Sesame seeds

Place the tilapia in the center of the parchment paper or aluminum foil. Spread the grated ginger evenly and drizzle the soy sauce and sesame oil on top. Grind some black pepper to taste on top of the fish fillet.

Make a packet folding the the paper like a rectangle and folding the long sides up.

Bake in a preheated 415 F oven and bake for 13-15 minutes.

Open the packet and serve with white or brown rice, some steamed vegetables of your choice adding the garnishes on top of the fish.

Makes 1 serving

Apple Blondies

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
6 tablespoons butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/3 cup pecans, chopped

Butter and flour a 9 x 9-inch square baking pan.

Cream the butter with the sugar, vanilla and eggs until creamy and fluffy.

In another bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking powder. Add these ingredients to the butter mixture. and Combine on low speed. Add the pecans and apples and mix with a wooden spoon. Pour the mixture into the baking pan spreading evenly.

Bake in a preheated 350 F and bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Place the baking pan in a wire rack to cool for several minutes.

Makes 6-8 servings

Festive Smokies

Recipe courtesy of Michele Dickerson.

Smokies are always a must at our New Year's Eve table.

1 bag (1 lb) lil'smokies (beef or sausage flavor)

Glaze:

1 bottle (12 oz) chili sauce
1 cup grape jelly
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Heat up the sauce ingredients in the microwave and stir with a wire whisk until combined. Pour some of the sauce in the bottom of a small slow-cooker or dipper. Place the small sausages on top and cover with the remaining glaze. Heat it up on low for a couple of hours or until heated through.

Cinnamon Bread French Toast Casserole with Praline Topping

I made this recipe up due to my love for cinnamon bread and pecans. I usually make it in a disposable aluminum foil baking pan so it goes directly from the refrigerator to the oven and no risk of cracking the glass baking pan.

18-20 slices cinnamon bread

Custard:

1 1/4 cups whole milk or half-and-half
8 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

Praline Topping:

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 tablespoon light corn syrup or maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Butter a 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Place the bread slices in two rows overlapping the slices to make them fit.

Mix the custard ingredients and pour over the bread trying to soak the bread completely.

Mix the topping ingredients and pour on top of the bread trying to spread and cover the top evenly.

Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.

Bake uncovered in a preheated 350 F for 30-32 minutes. Be careful not too burn the top if you let it go longer.

Serve with maple syrup.

Makes 8 servings