Laura Bush's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Those of you that know me know I am not soon-to-be-former President Bush's biggest fan. However, I have to give his wife, the First Lady, some credit. Not only has she stayed married to W for as long as she has despite his bumbling nature, her oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are fabulous. I've made them for the holidays the last few years and they are quite the hit. A nice combo of the sweetness of the chocolate combines with oatmeal, cinnamon and dried cherries. Just a note, the recipe makes LOTS of cookies, so I recommend a few things:
-either cut back on the recipe to make a smaller batch
-make them all and freeze some (they freeze quite well, I've done this before)
-bring them to holiday gatherings and watch them disappear.

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1-1/2 cups light-brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 3 cups quick cook oats (not old-fashioned)
• 2 cups chopped walnuts
• 1-1/2 packages (8 ounces each) chocolate chunks (3 cups)(I think semi-sweet or bittersweet chips are the best in this recipe, the darker chocolate is delicious with the cherries)
  
• 2 cups coarsely chopped dried sour cherries (you can also use dried cranberries if cherries aren't available or are too expensive)
  

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degree F. Line 2 large baking pans with parchment paper.(yes, you do want to use the parchment paper)

2. With an electric mixer, cream together the butter and both sugars. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then beat in vanilla. Add flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and oats; slowly beat until blended.
3. Stir in walnuts, chocolate and cherries. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets.
4. Bake at 350 degree F for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown. Cool on pan on wire rack for 1 minute. Transfer cookies directly to racks to cool completely.

Chicken Marsala

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon Essence, recipe follows
• 2 (6 to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in halves and pounded thin
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 3 cups sliced mushrooms (cremini, oyster, shiitake)
• 3/4 cup Marsala
• 1 cup chicken stock
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Chopped chives, for garnish

Directions

In a shallow bowl or plate combine the flour and Essence and stir to combine thoroughly. (You may want to change the ratio of flour to Essence for a little more kick. The way it is now, there isn't much "bam" in Emeril's essence). Quickly dredge the chicken breast halves in the seasoned flour mixture, shaking to remove any excess flour.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and cook the chicken breasts until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Add 1 tablespoon of the remaining butter to the pan and add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are golden brown around the edges and have given off their liquid. Add the Marsala wine and bring to a boil, scraping to remove any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. When the wine has reduced by half, add the chicken stock and cook for 3 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened slightly. Lower the heat to medium and return the chicken breasts to the pan and continue to cook until they are cooked through and the sauce has thickened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, add salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with chopped chives and serve immediately.

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
Yield: about 2/3 cup
Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

Sean's Falafel and Cucumber Sauce

Ok, confession, I have no clue who Sean is, however, he makes a damn fine falafel and cucumber sauce. A few weeks ago I had a serious hankering for falafel and hummus so I hopped online and came across this recipe. There are a zillion recipes out there for falafel, but I picked this because a) it got lots of good ratings on AllRecipes.com, b) it seemed really easy, c) it used canned chickpeas instead of doing it the "real" way and spending two days making falafel with chickpeas from scratch, and d) I liked the sound of cucumber sauce too. So, without further ado, here's Sean's falafel:

• 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 dash pepper
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup dry bread crumbs
• oil for frying (we used olive oil)

• 1 (6 ounce) container plain yogurt
• 1/2 cucumber - peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1. In a large bowl mash chickpeas until thick and pasty; don't use a blender, as the consistency will be too thin. In a blender, process onion, parsley and garlic until smooth. Stir into mashed chickpeas.
2. In a small bowl combine egg, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, cayenne, lemon juice and baking powder. Stir into chickpea mixture along with olive oil. Slowly add bread crumbs until mixture is not sticky but will hold together; add more or less bread crumbs, as needed. Form 8 balls and then flatten into patties.
3. Heat 1 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry patties in hot oil until brown on both sides.
4. In a small bowl combine yogurt, cucumber, dill, salt, pepper and mayonnaise. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
5. Serve on pita or lavash bread with lettuce, tomatoes and hummus for an excellent lunch or dinner.
   

Other notes:

• We added some minced garlic to the cucumber sauce even though the recipe didn't call for it. I think it was a worthwhile addition.
• If you want even more of that sort of crunchy texture that falafel at places like Jerusalem Garden has, you might try adding some bulgur wheat to the mixture. Now, I haven't tried this yet and the texture of the recipe as is is quite good, but it might be worth experimenting with.

Voodoo Chili

This recipe came about when an announcer at a pub trivia night mispronounced the Jimi Hendrix song "Voodoo Chile." We decided it was hilarious and immediately set out to come up with a recipe that incorporated an element we thought sufficiently Voudun.

The main recipe comes from a cookbook a friend bought me called "The Feast of Santa Fe" by Huntley Dent; the secret ingredient is mine...

2 to 3 pounds beef round or chuck steak
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 medium-large onions (1 lb, about), chopped
1/4 c flour
2-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 of a 6 oz can tomato paste
3 c crushed tomatoes, or the equivalent in whole canned tomatoes, roughly chopped
5 c beef broth, or the equivalent of beef broth and water, mixed to desired proportions
6 Tbsp powdered red chilies
2 tsp whole or ground cumin
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp salt (we rarely add this, as the broth is salty enough)
3 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 bell pepper, chopped
4 c red kidney beans, home-cooked or canned
**1/2 c of Rum (we use Pyrat because of its unique taste, you can take or leave that as you will)

Heat half the oil in a large eskillet and brown the beef thoroughly in 3 or 4 batches - larger quantities are likely to crowd the pan, which will cause them to steam instead of saute. As each batch is finished, transfer it to a 4- to 6-quart pot or Dutch oven.

When all the meat is browned, make sure there are at least 2 Tbsp of fat left in the skillet, and add the onions. Cover the pan to sweat them over low heat for about 5 minutes. Remove the lid, raise the heat to medium, and stir the onions until they are uniformly light brown but not at all charred. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and continue to stir for a minute to incorporate it and cook the mixture through. Transfer the onions to the pot with the beef.

Add all the remaining ingredients except the bell pepper and the beans to the pot and place over medium heat. Stir thoroughly, bring to a simmer, and cook gently, covered, for 1 1/2 hours. The chili will need little attention as it cooks except for occasional stirring to keep it from sticking to the pot. Add up to 1 cup of water to the mixture if it seems too thick.

At the end of the simmering time, degrease the surface of the chili if necessary and add the chopped bell pepper. Simmer another 15 minutes, then add the beans (including some of their liquid if the stew needs further thinning) and simmer barely 5 minutes longer. The chili can be served immediately or held.

This recipe makes more servings than I've had opportunity to count. Sasha and I usually eat 3-4 immediately, and then I enjoy it consistently for the next week (sometimes for lunch AND dinner). Enjoy!

Caramel Macchiato Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs 1/2 cup butter, melted 2 tablespoons white sugar 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 1 cup white sugar 3 eggs

1 (8 ounce) container sour cream 1/4 cup brewed espresso or strong coffee 2 teaspoons vanilla extract pressurized whipped cream caramel ice cream topping

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly coat a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2.	Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and 2 tablespoons of sugar until well combined. Press into the bottom of the prepared springform pan, and 1 inch up the sides. Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes, then remove to cool on a wire rack.
3.	Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
4.	Beat the softened cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy. Gradually add 1 cup of sugar, beating until blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in sour cream, espresso and vanilla. Pour batter into the baked and cooled crust.
5.	Bake cheesecake in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 5 minutes; then turn the oven off, partially open the door and allow the cheesecake to rest for 15 minutes more. Remove from the oven, and run a knife around the edges. Cool cheesecake on a wire rack to room temperature, then cover the springform pan with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 8 hours.
6.	To serve, cut the cheesecake into wedges and garnish each slice with whipped cream and caramel sauce.

Aloo Gobi

As prepared by Gurinder Chadha from Bend It Like Beckham

Ghee or unsalted butter
1 large onion, thinly sliced
Medium cauliflower, quartered, then sliced
2 large potatoes, quartered then sliced
1 TBL cumin seeds
1-3 green (serrano) chilies, sliced
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp salt
2-inch piece ginger, sliced
3-6 garlic cloves, diced
1 tsp sweet (regular) paprika
3 canned tomatoes, and juice
handful cilantro, chop stems and pick off leaves for garnish
1 1/2 tsp garam masala

Heat ghee, add cumin seeds, then onion and cilantro stems. Cook until translucent ("creamy golden").
Add chilies, turmeric, salt. Add paprika, then grate in tomatoes (use a cheese grater). Stir in.
Add ginger, garlic cook about 1 min.
Add potatoes, cook 5 minutes
Add cauliflower and 2 TBL water, cover and cook 10 minutes.
Add garam masala cook 10 more minutes until cauliflower is tender, but not mushy.
Add cilantro leaves. Cover, turn off heat and leave 10 minutes.

Serve with naan or basmati rice.

These beefs are tender

Last night Eve and I made Moroccan Braised Beef. It was delicious.

3 Tbsp olive oil
2/5 lbs chuck roast, cut into 3/4 in cubes
2 cups chopped onions
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp Garam Masala
1 Tbsp Paprika (hungarian)
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (but come on, knock that up another notch)
1 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup dry sherry (we didn't have this so we used more red wine)
2 cups beef broth
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes in juice
1.5 cups golden raisins (we only used 1/4 cup, I think we might go up to 1/2 next time)

Heat 2 Tbsp oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper. Add meat to pot; saute until no longer pink. Transfer meat to bowl, heat 1 Tbsp oil in same pot. Add onions, saute until brown (I waited until they were nearly caramelized). Add garlic and powdered ingredients, stir 1 minute. Add wine, boil until reduced to a glaze, stirring occasionally. Add broth, tomatoes with juice, and raisins; stir to blend. Add beef and ccumulated juices, bring to simmer. Reduce heat to med-low and cover for 30 minutes, then simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally for about 45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

We served this over Jasmine rice. It was great.

original recipe from epicurious, we changed a few things.

Lamb Vindaloo (kickass)

This was a great recipe that Sasha and I did last night. It shows up in the top Google searches for "lamb vindaloo" but I took it specifically from here. We did marinate it for 24 hours prior to cooking and though I'm not sure that's necessary, it turned out so well that I wouldn't mess with success when trying this again.

Ingredients

1. Lamb cubed 1" to 1½": 2 Pounds
Select lean sirloin

Marinate
1. Mustard oil: ¼ cup (this was fairly easy to find - I went to Sparrow Market in Kerrytown; Ann Arbor, MI)
Mustard oil is used for its pungency. You may substitute it with Canola oil
2. Red Wine Vinegar: ¼ cup
3. Tamarind pulp: 2 Tablespoons (this was a little harder to find, Sasha eventually found it at Jerusalem Market on Plymouth Rd, the same place we got our lamb)
4. Salt: 1 teaspoon
5. Minced Garlic: ¼ Cup This not a mistake. You need one whole garlic bulb containing about 10 cloves
6. Finely chopped fresh ginger: 1 Inch
7. Serrano (chopped): 2
Remove seeds and white membrane to reduce heat for your taste.
8. Curry Powder Standard Onset Punjabi: 1½ Tablespoon
Use one to 2 Tablespoons depending on your taste
9. Garam Masala Standard Frying Punjabi: ¾ Tablespoon
Use 2 to 3 teaspoons (for both of these we just used the Curry Powder and Garam Masala that I had in my spice cabinet)
10. Hot mustard powder: 1 teaspoon
11. Lal Mirch (Ground Hot Cayenne): 2 teaspoons
12. Degi Mirch (Paprika): 2 teaspoons

Cooking
1. Ghee: ¼ Cup (this is just clarified butter, you can make your own or buy it at the store - just about any "ethnic foods section" will have it; it comes in a little glass jar)
2. Finely chopped onion (Preferably ground): 2 Cups
3. Water: 6 Tablespoons
4. Brown sugar: ½ teaspoon (we didn't even use this)

Method

Marinate

1. Combine all the marinate ingredients in a stainless steel or glass bowl.
2. Stab each piece of lamb cube with a sharp pointed knife once or twice. This helps with marinate to penetrate deeper.
3. Add the lamb to marinate
4. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for 12 hours. It is important to cover to prevent the other foods from gathering odors from the marinate.

Cooking

1. Remove Lamb from the marinate. The surface of lamb should have almost no marinate. Save marinate mixture, set aside.
2. Heat Ghee in a heavy bottom pan. Add marinated lamb. Brown lamb on medium to high heat, about 8 minutes. Remove browned pieces and set aside
3. Add Onions. Fry till onions are almost brown. 5 minutes
3. Add saved marinate mixture. Be careful during this step. Keep your eyes away from the pan. Cooking this mixture will irritate your eyes. Turn the heat on low to medium, and walk away to avoid the initial fumes for first 2 minutes. After that stir and fry to make a nice paste.
4. Add lamb and water. Bring to a near boil when the bubbles start to rise to top. You do not want to cook lamb at high temperature to prevent it from getting tough. Turn down heat.
5. Cover. Simmer on low to medium heat till lamb is tender. About 20 minutes
6. Stir in sugar to cut the sourness.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Now, I know this isn't really authentic Indian food, but it's quite tasty, so who cares? The recipe calls for grilling the chicken but, since it's 16 degrees out, Jon and I just sauteed it in a little olive oil and it worked out just fine.

1 cup yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
4 teaspoons salt, or to taste
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
4 long skewers

1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
3 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup heavy cream (we used regular milk)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, ginger, and 4 teaspoons salt. Stir in chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Preheat a grill for high heat.
3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Thread chicken onto skewers, and discard marinade. Grill until juices run clear, about 5 minutes on each side.
4. Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for 1 minute. Season with 2 teaspoons cumin, paprika, and 3 teaspoons salt (This was really the only thing I'd change about the recipe, it's too much salt. I'd use 1 and a half tsp tops). Stir in tomato sauce and cream/milk. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add grilled chicken, and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, and garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve with rice of your choice (we used saffron rice which was quite good).
   

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined
1 teaspoon salt, plus additional as needed
1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons
1 medium onion, diced
1 (14 1/2 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 cup dry white wine
3 minced cloves of garlic
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Pasta of your choice

Toss the shrimp in a medium bowl with 1 tsp of salt and red pepper flakes. Heat the 3 tablespoons of oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and saute for about a minute, toss, and continue cooking until just cooked through, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a large plate; set aside.

Add the onion to the same skillet, adding 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil if necessary. Saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices, wine, garlic and oregano. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. Return the shrimp and any accumulated juices to the tomato mixture; toss to coat and cook for about a minute so the flavors meld together. Stir in the parsley and basil. Serve over the pasta of your choice!

Macaroni and Cheese

A lot of sins have occurred in the name of macaroni and cheese. However, my mom makes a pretty great from-scratch mac and cheese. It definitely takes longer than the Kraft stuff, but I think the end result is well worth it.

5 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour
Black pepper (to taste)
Cayenne pepper (to taste)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 cups of milk
1 onion
1 1/2 to 2 cups of grated cheddar cheese
Approx 1/2 box of penne
1 can drained tuna fish (optional)
approximately 1/2 to 3/4 cup of plain bread crumbs
3-4 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Start boiling pasta but take off heat and drain before it is completely cooked.

Over medium heat melt 3 Tbsp butter in a sauce pan and then add diced onion. Saute until soft but not overly brown. Add flour and allow to cook for a minute or two. Add pepper to taste. (We made this last night and accidentally put in more Cayenne than I'd intended, but it gave the dish a good bite without being too spicy). Mix in can of soup.

Turn heat up to high and add milk a little at a time to produce a liquid as opposed to more of a thick paste (You may need to add a dash more than 2 cups). Bring to a boil but do not allow top to skin over, keep stirring.

Lower heat and add shredded cheese a handful at a time. Allow cheese to incorporate before adding more.

Put pasta in a greased 9x9 baking dish. Sprinkle drained and dried tuna over noodles if desired. Pour sauce over pasta and make sure all noodles are under the sauce or they'll end up drying out.

In a very small saucepan, melt remaining 2 Tbsp of butter and add breadcrumbs to make a topping. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over pasta and sauce and then sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

**Unless you're cooking for a crowd, you'll likely have leftovers. If so, they should be heated VERY gently or the sauce separates a bit. The best way is to reheat in the oven after bringing leftovers to room temperature. In a pinch, the microwave at a low power will also work.