Arlene's Apple Bread

This is Arlene Trettin's recipe.  She used to give this bread out as door prizes at the annual Christmas party for my mom's young mother's group, and apparently it was quite the incentive to win the games!  She died this week at the age of 92, and her funeral was today.  My house smells like apples and spices, and I'm enjoying thinking of her as it bakes.  She was a kind and lovely person, and an amazing cook.  You'll see other recipes from her on this blog, I'm sure.

I only use half the poppy seeds, but other than that I follow this exactly.

Arlene’s Apple Bread

4 C. peeled, finely diced apples       

2 eggs

½ C. oil

1 tsp. vanilla

1½ C. sugar

2 C. flour

2 tsp. baking soda

¾ tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. cloves

½ C. chopped walnuts or pecans

½ C. raisins              

¼ C poppy seeds

Bake in two loafpans for 1 hour at 350. I put it into small pans, so just test with a toothpick to check doneness.

Eggplant Bhurtha

This is my favorite way to eat eggplant.  I did the whole Indian dinner tonight, with pork kebabs that were marinated in curry paste and buttermilk (didn't have any plain yogurt on hand) and then roasted under the broiler, and basmati rice and naan bread.  Sooooo tasty.  Once again, I can't say this recipe is an original of mine, although I did improve the directions over what I found on the internet recipe, and adapted it for those of us who don't keep whole spices and a spice grinder on hand!

Indian Eggplant - Bhurtha

1 eggplant

2 T. vegetable oil

1 medium onion, sliced

½ tsp. ground cumin

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp. chopped fresh ginger

1 14-oz. can tomatoes

1 tsp. curry powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

ground black pepper to taste

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (opt.)

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Coat the outside of the eggplant with oil, and roast in 375° oven for 30 – 40 min.  Cut in half to help it cool, and then remove the skin and chop the flesh into cubes. While eggplant cools, heat the oil in the skillet and add onions, cumin, garlic, and ginger.  Once onions are soft, add the tomatoes and seasonings.  Add the eggplant, and then simmer for ~10 minutes to allow to reduce.   Garnish with cilantro, and serve with rice and naan bread.

Pizza Sauce

I have always wondered why jarred pizza sauce from the grocery store tastes so nasty compared to what comes on pizza from restaurants.  So a couple of years ago, I decided to make my own, and I haven't looked back.  The only change I've made recently is to cut out the onions due to Audrey's intolerance of them, and replace the garlic with garlic powder.  At that point, you can make it cold and omit the olive oil too, but I like to simmer the sauce together while I get the rest of the pizza ready to go.

This recipe makes enough for 1 large pizza.  I often triple or quadruple it so I've got 1-cup servings ready in the freezer for pizza night.  But a serious disclaimer on this is that this is more of an ingredient list than a recipe, because I measure all the herbs out in my hand instead of a measuring spoon (lazy!).  So if it seems way off, just add what you like instead!

Pizza Sauce

2 cloves garlic

1 T. onion, minced

¼ tsp. red pepper

2 tsp. olive oil

1 8 oz. can tomato sauce

1 T parsley flakes

1 tsp. basil

½ tsp. oregano

Dash of ground thyme

Salt and pepper

Saute first four ingredients until onions are soft.  Reduce heat and add tomato sauce and herbs.

Chicken Curry Risotto

I'm not a food photographer.  It was beautiful and delicious. You'll just have to believe me!

Another dish that can be made start-to-finish in <30 min, if you have precooked chicken on hand in the freezer.  A few tips: you can reheat the chicken by simmering it in the liquid that's boiling.  Medium-grain rice works fine for this - no need for the more expensive Arborrio rice.  Also, the dish has enough flavor that you can use mostly water instead of chicken broth, or use all water and add a couple of bouillon cubes when you add the spices.  The dish also needs salt and pepper, but I have no clue on the amounts.  I may have overestimated how much broccoli I threw in and underestimated the raisins (They're so sweet and good - I don't think you can add too many!).

Chicken Curry Risotto

6 C. chicken broth (or half water)

½ tsp. cumin

1 tsp. curry powder

2 C. medium-grain rice (Arborrio)

1 T. olive oil and/or butter

2 stalks celery, diced

½ C. raisins

2 C. broccoli, cooked (steamed in microwave for 5 min.)

2 chicken breasts, cooked & chopped

In a saucepan, boil the broth/water, and add cumin and curry powder.  In a frying pan, sauté the celery in the fat, and then add rice.  Once the rice has toasted, add the broth a few ladles at a time, waiting for the liquid to be completely absorbed before adding more.  About halfway through adding the liquid, add the raisins to the rice.  When all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked, add the broccoli and chicken.

Strawberry Shortcake

For my littlest Valentines, we made a special dessert.  Emily had a great time with an idea we found in Family Fun magazine, where you put a marble in between the cupcake liner and the muffin tin so the cupcakes come out heart-shaped.

The following is a recipe from my grandmother, and actually I think her mother adapted it from a pineapple upside-down cake, obviously by omitting the pineapple part.  It's been a staple through my childhood, and it's so incredibly easy to make.  I like it best soaked in milk (or cream!) with berries on top.

Shortcake

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract

Beat eggs well.  Add sugar and water and beat.  Sift in flour and baking powder.  Add vanilla and beat.  Bake at 350 in a 8x8 pan for 30-35 minutes, or 12 cupcakes for 20-25 min.

Chili Chicken Lunch

I adapted one of Travis's favorite fallback lunch recipes into something that the girls liked a little better.  I'll post the Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe sometime, but the girls find soup hard to eat, for some reason.  This was SO simple to make, ready in ~20 min, and everyone loved it.  The four of us ate every bite.  There are so many uses for pre-cooked chicken that I always have some in my freezer.  Whenever it goes on sale, I buy bone-in breasts, 6 chickens worth, and roast them in the oven for an hour at 375°, then pick the meat off the bones and pop it in the freezer.

If usually use Dei Fratelli Mexican Tomatoes in my tortilla soup, because the spice is sufficient for the whole dish that way, but this needed the extra chili powder and cumin, I thought.

Chili Chicken Lunch

½ lb. elbow macaroni

1 can diced tomatoes with green chilis

1 can cream of cheddar cheese soup (or a little less)

½ can of black beans

½ C. corn

1 chicken breast, cooked and diced

2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

Boil pasta per package directions.  Add all ingredients in a soup pot and simmer while the pasta cooks.  Combine and serve.

Balsamic Chicken Marinade

This is my fallback chicken marinade.  We're having it grilled tonight because it's balmy 56° out -woohoo!

Balsamic Chicken Marinade

1 medium clove of garlic

3 T. balsamic vinegar

3 T. olive oil

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken

Place all ingredients in a ziplock bag for about 30 minutes, then bake at 350° for 25 min or grill until fully-cooked.