Barley as an alternative to orzo or pasta adds fiber and flavor to the traditional Greek salad.
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/greek-chicken-barley-salad-10000001949707/
Broccoli Slaw with Oranges and Crunchy Noodles
Dry ramen noodles are crumbled and toasted before adding to this napa cabbage slaw with fruit. As the ramen are mixed and allowed to marinate into the slaw, they rehydrate into soft noodles. I use canned mandarin oranges or the refrigerated oranges in a glass jar.
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/broccoli-slaw-with-oranges-50400000107429/
Napa Cabbage and Snow Pea Slaw
A delicious fresh Asian style salad from Cooking Light.com
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/napa-cabbage-snow-pea-slaw-10000000630177/
And here is a simpler version! Nina’s Napa Cabbage and Snow Pea Slaw
Nina’s Napa Cabbage Snow Pea Slaw
Here is another variation to this salad I made this week. So fresh! Serve it immediately and use it within 2 days to insure crispness!
1 medium head Napa cabbage, sliced thin horizontally
2 bunches green onion, sliced thin horizontally
1 quart snow peas, string removed, sliced in strips lenghwise, 4 or 5 strips per pod
2 red bell peppers, sliced thin horizontally and cut in half crosswise
1 small bunch cilantro, chopped
Dressing:
2-4 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
6 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Whisk together dressing ingredients. In a very large bowl combine vegetables. Toss in dressing just before serving. Delish!
Curry Dip
A recipe from Strongbow’s Turkey Inn, where I worked in the buffet and catering kitchen during my college years at Valparaiso University. This veggie dip has a beautiful brilliant yellow color! Thank you Chuggie!
2 cups mayonnaise (I prefer Hellman’s)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon tumeric
1 Tablespoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
4 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice or lemosa from the bar
Whisk together and serve with fresh veggies! You can substitute light mayonnaise and Greek style yogurt for the mayo and sour cream. I prefer a 50:50 ratio. I also like the Madras style curry powder.
Quick Roasted Red Peppers
Raw red bell peppers tossed with olive oil and sprinkled with salt
After 30 minutes or so in the hot oven, the juices and peppers begin to carmelize in the baking pan.
You can add fresh basil strips after the peppers are roasted
Roasted Peppers served here with Spicy Cilantro Cole Slaw and Grilled Hamburgers.
- Wash 4-8 red bell peppers. Remove the stem, cut in half and seed.
- Cut in half again and place cut side down on a shallow baking pan about 17 x 13 inches in size.
- Sprinkle peppers with olive oil and rub to cover peppers with oil.
- Sprinkle with flaked sea salt or kosher salt.
- Add several stems of fresh rosemary if you like
- Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, or until tender and the juices are slightly carmelizing in the pan. Remove from oven.
- If you haven’t added the Rosemary, you can add several basil leaves, cut julienne style and toss over the peppers in the baking pan. Let sit 5 minutes.
- Use a metal spatula to remove the peppers to the serving plate and serve warm.
- You can reheat the peppers, but handle them gently.
Candied Sweet Potatoes
This recipe comes from my mom, Sonia Sanders. I added the vanilla, cayenne pepper, lemon juice and lemon rind alla Paul Prudhomme.
Ingredients nd Directions
4 pounds sweet potatoes (about 7)
1. Wash potatoes well. Prick each several times with a fork. Bake in a 400 degree oven just until tender. Or cook in a pressure cooker with 1 cup water for 10 minutes. Potatoes are done when easily pricked with a fork or knife. Let set until they are cool enough to handle.
2. In a medium saucepan combine:
2 cups water
1 pound brown sugar
3. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Then add:
2 teaspoons vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 stick butter
3-4 shakes of cayenne pepper, optional
Juice and peeled rind of 1 lemon, not grated rind
2 teaspoons vanilla
4. Heat mixture until butter is melted.
- Peel your cooled baked sweet potatoes. Then cut into halves lengthwise.
- Place in an orderly fashion in a 9 x 13 inch glass or ceramic baking/serving dish. It should be a baking dish nice enough for serving. Like clear glass Pyrex.
- Pour sauce over.
- Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until sauce is simmering. Throughout cooking time, baste potatoes with the sauce. Flavors meld when cooled and reheated the following day or so.
- Serve piping hot directly from your baking dish!
- You can also add pecans at this time if desired.
I prepare this dish a day before serving so flavor so meld. Refrigerate in the baking dish overnight.
Brown Sugar Butter Sauce Simmering
Sweet Potatoes Baking
Thanksgiving Dinner!
Voila!
Thanksgiving Menu 2011
Our family prepares many of the same traditional foods every Thanksgiving. We may adapt the recipes a bit or try a completely new recipe, but the basics are always there. Here was our menu this year. I try to please everyone, so there are alot of options to choose from. You will find many of these recipes here at NinaintheKitchen. Others I have included the website where you can find it. If you don’t find a recipe you’d like, let me know. Comment on this post.
Cheeseball with Ritz Crackers
Curry Dip with Fresh Veggies
Tuscan-Style Turkey alla Porchetta ( marthastewart.com)
Turkey Gravy 101
Corn Bread-Sourdough Stuffing (marthastewart.com) made with Martha’s corn bread recipe
Mashed Potatoes
Green Beans
Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Russian Style Cabbage
Russian Homemade Sausage
Candied Sweet Potatoes
Crescent Rolls (Pillsbury)
Apple-Cranberry Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream
Butternut Squash Pie with Whipping Cream
Gravy 101
Gravy making has many potential pitfalls! Especially at Thanksgiving when you are cooking up a feast. This recipe is fullproof and easy to follow. You can also adapt it for beef and chicken. The red wine is the surprise! I used a Nouveau Beaujolais because it is first available just before Thanksgiving every year and I always cook with the wine we are drinking. Go to the link below at MarthaStewart.com
http://www.marthastewart.com/274699/how-to-make-gravy/@center/276949/everything-thanksgiving
Apple-Cranberry Pie
A fabulous Thanksgiving pie from CooksIllustrated.com. It has a similiar sweet sour flavor to a sour cherry pie! I doubled the recipe to make 2 pies. To further accentuate the delicious fruit flavor, I roll my pie dough very thin. I also use fresh cranberries!
Makes one 9-inch pie
Use sweet, crisp apples, such as Golden Delicious, Jonagold, Fuji, or Braeburn. The two fillings can be made ahead, cooled, and stored separately in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Ingredients
- 2cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1/4cup orange juice
- 1cup granulated sugar (7 ounces) plus 1 tablespoon for top of pie
- 1/2teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2teaspoon table salt
- 1/4cup water
- 1tablespoon cornstarch
- 3 1/2pounds sweet apples (6 to 7 medium), peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (see note above)
- 1 recipe pie dough (see related recipe)
- 1 egg white , beaten lightly
Instructions
- 1. Bring cranberries, juice, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally and pressing berries against side of pot, until berries have completely broken down and juices have thickened to jamlike consistency (wooden spoon scraped across bottom should leave clear trail that doesn’t fill in), 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in water, and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
- 2. Meanwhile, mix 1/2 cup sugar, remaining 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cornstarch in large microwave-safe bowl; add apples and toss to combine. Microwave on high power, stirring with rubber spatula every 3 minutes, until apples are just starting to turn translucent around edges and liquid is thick and glossy, 10 to 14 minutes. Cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
- 3. While fillings cool, adjust oven rack to lowest position, place rimmed baking sheet on oven rack, and heat oven to 425 degrees. Remove 1 disk of dough from refrigerator and roll out on generously floured (up to 1/4 cup) work surface to 12-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Roll dough loosely around rolling pin and unroll into pie plate, leaving at least 1-inch overhang. Ease dough into plate by gently lifting edge of dough with one hand while pressing into plate bottom with other hand. Leave dough that overhangs plate in place; refrigerate until dough is firm, about 30 minutes.
- 4. Transfer cooled cranberry mixture to dough-lined pie plate and spread into even layer. Place apple mixture on top of cranberries, mounding slightly in center; push down any sharp apple edges.
- 5. Roll second disk of dough on generously floured work surface (up to 1/4 cup) to 12-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Roll dough loosely around rolling pin and unroll over pie, leaving at least 1-inch overhang on each side.
- 6. Using kitchen shears, cut evenly through both layers of overhanging dough, leaving 1/2-inch overhang. Fold dough under itself so that edge of fold is flush with outer rim of pie plate. Flute edges using thumb and forefinger or press with tines of fork to seal. Brush top and edges of pie with egg white and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon sugar. Using sharp paring knife, cut four 1 1/2-inch slits in top of dough in cross pattern.
- 7. Place pie on preheated baking sheet and bake until top is light golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees, rotate baking sheet, and continue to bake until crust is deep golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes longer. Transfer pie to wire rack to cool at least 2 hours. Cut into wedges and serve.
Spiced Red Wine-Cranberry Sauce
A spicey rich cranberry sauce from CookingLight.com which we loved this Thanksgiving!
- YIELD: 10 servings (serving size: 1/4 cup)
- COURSE: Sauces/Condiments
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup cabernet sauvignon or other dry red wine
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 (12-ounce) package fresh cranberries
Preparation
1. Combine all ingredients except cranberries in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 3 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Add cranberries; simmer 12 minutes or until cranberries pop and mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature. Cover and chill (mixture will thicken as it chills).
nina in the kitchen 