Tajine Chicken with Carrots

4 chicken breasts ( or legs and thighs, or a whole chicken cut up)
2 onions, chopped
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 pinch saffron threads
1 cinnamon sticks
1 garlic cloves, chopped
black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 lbs carrots, peeled & thickly sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon honey
squeeze lemon juice

Cut the chicken breasts in half.
Place half the onions, chicken, garlic, ginger, pepper,salt, saffron and olive oil in the bottom of the tagine and mix thoroughly. Add 1/2 a cup of water and set onlow heat on the stove or 250 F in the oven.
Bring to a boil and slow simmer for 30 minutes.
Nicely arrange the remaining onion, carrots, 3tbsp each of the parsley and cilantro, and then the honey.
Stir and continue simmering uncovered for 60 minutes more until the liquid is reduced to a thick sauce.

Spiced Beef Tajine with Pumpkins and Green Peppers

1 lb stewing beef, cubed
2 tablespoons oil
2 onions, sliced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 inch piece fresh gingerroot, grated
2 teaspoons turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 cup beef stock, made from a cube
salt
8 ounces pumpkin, peeled and cubed
1 pimiento, green chopped

Heat the oil in a pot ( if you have tajine use it) fry the meat, onions, garlic and ginger, cook till onions are golden.
Add the turmeric, chili powder, stir and add the stock. cover with a lid.
Simmer till meat is tender. Add the pumpkin and pimento, cook for 10 minutes adjust seasoning to taste.
Serve with couscous

Winning Chili Recipe

Step 1

2 lbs - beef chuck tender cut into 3/8" cubes

1 tsp - cooking oil

1 tbsp - dark chili powder

2 tsp - granulated garlic

In a three quart heavy saucepan, add the above ingredients while browning the meat.

Step 2

1 - 8 oz can of tomato sauce

1 - 14-1/2 oz can of beef broth

1 tsp - chicken bouillon granules

1 tsp - jalapeno powder

1 tbsp - onion powder

2 tsp - garlic powder

1/2 tsp - red pepper

1 tsp - white pepper

16 oz - spring water

1 tbsp - dark chili powder

2 - serrano peppers

1/2 tsp - salt

Combine seasonings and add to beef mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1-1/2 hours. Float 2 serrano peppers.

Step 3

1 tbsp - paprika

1 pkg - Sazon seasoning (msg)

1 tsp - onion powder

1 tsp - garlic powder

1/2 tsp - white pepper

5 tbsp - medium and dark chili powders

Combine seasonings and add to beef mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. You may add water or beef broth for consistency. Remove serrano peppers when they become soft.

Step 4

2 tsp - cumin

1/8 tsp - salt

Add above ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes.

Chili Recipe from the only 2 time

Terlingua International Chili Championship Winner

Cindy Reed – Houston, TX

Spicy Root Beer & Bourbon Baby Back Ribs

Glaze: 
2 (12-ounce) cans root beer 
2 tablespoons hot pepper jelly 
1 bay leaf 
2 tablespoons steak sauce (recommended: Emeril's Steak Sauce) 
1 teaspoon Caribbean Pick-A-Peppa sauce 
6 whole cloves 
1 stick cinnamon 
1 orange, zested and juiced 
1 lemon, zested and juiced 
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped 
2 teaspoons bitters (recommended: Angostura) 
1 cup bourbon 
1 cup sugar 


Ribs: 
4 to 5 pounds baby back ribs (2 full slabs, each cut in 1/2) 
2 tablespoons kosher salt 
1 tablespoon paprika 
3/4 teaspoon granulated garlic powder 
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated onion powder 
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
1/2 cup chicken stock 


Directions 
To make the glaze, place all of the ingredients for the glaze in a 6-quart pot or larger, and cook over medium-high heat. Bring the contents of the pot to a boil, stirring often to dissolve the sugar. Once the mixture has come to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and allow the mixture to reduce to a glaze consistency, about 25 to 30 minutes longer. Remove the glaze from the stove and strain though a fine mesh strainer. Reserve and keep warm, until ready to use.


Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. 


 Place the ribs on a sheet pan or baking sheet. In a small mixing bowl, combine the kosher salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Stir well to incorporate, and use 1 tablespoon of the spice rub to cover each of the ribs. Rub the mixture into the meat and allow it to sit undisturbed for at least 20 minutes. 


Pour the chicken stock into the sheet pan, and cover the pan with aluminum foil, making a tight seal. Place the sheet pan in the oven and bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the ribs are very tender. 


Remove the ribs from the oven, discard the foil and the fat and oil from the sheet pan, and allow the ribs to cool for 15 to 20 minutes. Adjust the oven to the broil setting and position the oven rack to the lowest rung. Brush the ribs with a generous coating of the glaze, about 3 tablespoons of the glaze per set of ribs. Place the sheet pan back in the oven, and broil until the ribs are browned and caramelized, about 5 minutes. Remove the ribs from the oven and lay on a cutting board meaty side down. Use a sharp knife to cut the ribs apart. Serve the ribs with some of the leftover glaze on the side, if desired. 


Source: foodnetwork.com (Emeril Lagasse)

Chicken Mangalorean

2 cloves garlic
1 (1 1/2-inch) piece ginger root
2 1/2 teaspoons oil, divided
2 onions, finely diced
2 tomatoes chopped
1 (4-inch) cinnamon stick broken in 1/2
6 cardamom pods
10 whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs cut in 2-inch pieces
1/2 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
4 to 5 dried red chiles
15 to 20 curry leaves

Combine the garlic and ginger with about one1 tablespoon water in a small food processor and process to a paste. Set aside.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions, tomatoes, garlic and ginger paste, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, cumin, coriander, turmeric and salt. Cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the chicken and stir. Cook 15 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally. Cover and cook 5 minutes. Add the coconut milk and water. Cover and cook 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a skillet over high heat until very hot. Add the mustards seeds (be careful – they'll pop out the skillet), chiles and curry leaves. The oil should be hot enough so the curry leaves crackle and turn black right away. The chiles should also turn black. Cook no more than 3 minutes. Pour this mixture into the chicken. Simmer 5 minutes longer and serve.


* Restaurant Recipe
This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. Food Network Kitchens have not tested this recipe in the proportions indicated and therefore cannot make representation as to the results.

Source: foodnetwork.com

I was looking for a recipe similar to a dish that was a favorite of our while in Singapore. We had it (Mongolian Chicken) everytime we ate at Forture Seafood on Bukit Timah. My parents ate there at least once a week the eight years they lived there and when they left the chef gave them a list of ingredients but no instructions on how it went together. This looks somewhat similar. I'll have to give it a try.

Blueberry Cream Cheese Mini Pies

INGREDIENTS 


Streusel
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1/4 cup cold butter or margarine Blueberry Filling
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup water
4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Cream Cheese Filling
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar 1 egg
Crust
1 can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury® Grands!® Flaky Layers refrigerated biscuits

DIRECTIONS
1 Heat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, mix flour, 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon peel. Cut in butter, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Set aside.

2 In 2-quart saucepan, mix 3/4 cup sugar and the cornstarch. Gradually stir in water. Cook and stir over medium heat about 10 minutes or until thickened. Add 1 1/2 cups of the blueberries. Reduce heat to low. Cover; cook about 10 minutes or until mixture returns to a boil. Stir in 1 teaspoon lemon peel and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Add remaining blueberries; stir gently. Set aside.

3 In small bowl, beat cream cheese filling ingredients until smooth; set aside.

4 Separate dough into 8 biscuits. Split each biscuit in half to make 16 rounds. With floured fingers, flatten each to form 4-inch round. Press 1 biscuit round into each of 16 ungreased regular-size muffin cups. Spoon 1 tablespoon cream cheese filling and 2 tablespoons blueberry filling into each biscuit-lined cup. Sprinkle each with about 1 tablespoon streusel (cups will be full).

5 Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. Remove from muffin cups to cooling rack. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Source: Pillsbury.com

Rosemary Focaccia:

6 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

3 envelopes (3/4 ounce) active dry yeast

2 teaspoons sugar

2 cups warm water (about 110 degrees F.)

5 1/2 cups bread flour (or more as needed)

3 teaspoons fine salt

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Lightly oil a large bowl with 1 teaspoon of the oil and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the yeast, sugar, water, and 2 tablespoons of the oil, stir and let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the flour and the fine salt, and mix on low speed until the dough comes together and forms a ball, 2 to 3 minutes. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 8 minutes. If the dough is still sticky, continue mixing and gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup flour.

Form into a ball and place in the prepared bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel, and let rest in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Turn the dough out onto the baking sheet, pressing evenly across the bottom of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm, draft-free place until it rises until nearly doubled, 30 minutes to 1 hour. With your fingertips, make dimples in the dough at 3-inch intervals. Drizzle with the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil and sprinkle with the rosemary and kosher salt. Bake on the lower oven rack until just golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and using a spatula, lift from the baking sheet and cool on a wire rack before cutting into squares or other desired shapes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Yield: 1 (9 by 13-inch) bread