Red Lentil Soup ("Mercemek")

This is an awesome Turkish recipe that my neighbor gave to me!  It's awesome!  And hopefully our new little one will love it when we bring him home!

Ingredients:
2 cups red lentils
1 chopped onion
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 cups vegetable broth (or chicken)
2 cups water
1 cubed potato
1 chopped carrot
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper

Directions:
1.  In large pot, saute red lentils and onion in olive oil.
2.  Add broth, water, and rest of ingredients to pot.  Bring to a boil, turn heat down, and simmer for about 45 minutes or until lentils are soft.
3.  Puree soup with hand blender or stand blender.
4.  Pour into serving bowls and add a splash of lemon juice to each bowl.

Mona's Awesome Chicken Stuff :)

Another great recipe!

Depending on how much your making you need at least 2-3 cans of cream of mushroom soup (or cream soup).  Prehaeat oven to 325.  Sprinkle salt and garlic on thawed chicken breasts.  Heat frying pan, add oil and place 4 to 6 chicken breasts (I used boneless) in pan.  Brown the chicken til you no longer have raw meat on the outside of the chicken. 
Remove chicken from pan and and add 1 cup of onion, fry for a few minutes, then add 1 cup of white wine (you do not have to do this, but I think it gives it a richer flavor, so if you don't have the wine you can skip this).  Stir in pan and let this simmer for about 7 mins.  You're also trying to pick up all the flavor of the chicken that has been left in the pan.  Next add your cream soup along w/about 1-2 Cups chicken broth (or water, but better flavor w/broth) depending on how many cans of soup your using and how thick you would like your gravy.  Mix soup in w/mixture and allow to simmer.  Place chicken in baking pan and pour mixture over chicken.  Bake at least 30 minutes, covered.  Serve over pasta, rice or potatoes. 

Karen's Potato Salad

This was the yummiest potato salad I've ever had!

Here are the ingredients:

1 cup Hellmann's mayonnaise
2 T white vinegar
1 1/2 tsp salt (good Kosher or sea salt is best!)
1 tsp sugar
pepper to taste and generous amount of parsley
onion, finely chopped
celery, chopped to preference
potatoes - reds or whites chopped to prefer size

I usually make enough that I need a double batch of the dressing!

Mint-Filled Brownie Cupcakes

Ingredients:

8 oz semisweet mini chocolate chips
1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
3/4 tsp salt
3 large eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
12 small Peppermint Patties

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners.  Place chocolate and butter in medium bowl and microwave for 30 seconds.  Stir.  Repeat with 20 second intervals in the microwave, stirring after each, until fully melted.  Whisk together.

2.  Whisk in sugar and salt until mixture is smooth; whisk in eggs to combine.  Gently whisk in flour and cocoa just until smooth (do not overmix).

3.  Spoon 1 Tbsp of batter into each lined cup.  Place 1 peppermint patty into each dollop of batter, gently pressing into batter.  Top with 2 more Tbsp of batter, covering patty completely.  Smooth batter if needed.  Bake, rotating tin halfway through baking time until a cake tester inserted half-way into centers comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, about 35 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before removing cupcakes.

Niter Kebbeh

Ethiopians keep this butter mixture on hand to use when cooking.  You make a big batch and keep in the fridge and use as needed.  It will keep for 3 months in the fridge.
It smells amazing!

Niter Kebbeh

Ingredients:
1 pound butter, unsalted
2 cloves garlic, chopped
one small piece ginger, peeled and chopped
1 very small onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp ground tumeric
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground fenugreek
1/2-inch piece cinnamon stick
1 whole clove

1.  In heavy saucepan, heat the butter over moderate heat.  Stir and turn so that it melts evenly.  Do not allow the melted butter to brown or bubble, lower heat if necessary.

2.  As soon as all of it is melted, increase heat and quickly bring to bubbly boil.  A mass of small bubble will form on the top.  Stir in the garlic, ginger, and onion.  Cook for a minute or two, then add the dry ingredients: tumeric, cardamom, nutmeg, fenugreek, cinnamon stick, and clove.  Reduce heat to a very low simmer.

3.  Simmer on a very low heat for 30 minutes to an hour.  Do not stir.  The milk solids should sink to the bottom of the pan and a clear butter liquid should float on top.

4.  Carefully strain the liquid through a cheesecloth.  Repeat as necessary to obtain a liquid that is clear and free of spices and milk solids.  Pour the Niter Kebbeh into a clean jar with an airtight cover.  Keep in the fridge and use as needed.  I will turn solid when chilled, and will keep for 3 months.

**Fenugreek is the most essential spice in this...of course we didn't have any on hand...have to order it online.

Chicken Dorowat (Ethiopian Chicken Stew)

This was SO amazingly good!  It had a fabulous flavor to it!  I didn't add nearly as much paprika or cayenne as it called for, and it was not hot at all.  So, the kids loved it!  It was super easy to make too!

Ingredients:
8 oz tomato sauce
1/8 cup paprika (recipe called for 1/4 cup!)
1/4 cup red wine
1 Tbsp fresh ginger paste (can buy in a tube, already smashed up in deli section!)
1 tsp cayenne pepper (recipe called for 2 tsp)
1/4 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground clove
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground all spice
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp ground tumeric
1 tsp salt
3 pounds chicken breasts or thighs, diced up (I used thighs)
1/4 cup red wine

1.  Make the red pepper sauce first, combine tomato sauce, paprika, 1/4 cup red wine, fresh ginger, cayenne pepper, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, and all spice.  Set aside.

2.  In a large skillet (or wok), cook onion and garlic in hot oil until onion is tender but not brown.  Stir in red pepper sauce, tumeric, and salt.  Add chicken pieces to skillet.  Stir together and reduce heat; cover.  Simmer on low for about 30 minutes.

3.  Stir in 1/4 cup dry red wine.  Cook uncovered about 15 minutes.  Stir frequently, skim off fat.  Serve with injera.

Injera - Ethiopian Flatbread

So, this week I am getting up the courage to try it...the staple food item from Ethiopia.
I say getting up the nerve because once our son comes home, this will probably be a regular food in our household, and I want to make sure I get it right!  I want it to not just be food for him.  I want it to bring the comfort and safety that only our native comfort foods can sometimes bring.  I want it to be a piece of his history and his future.  So....here goes!
I got this recipe from here....from a woman from Guinea in west Africa.

Injera is like a spongy, sourdough crepe, that they use in Ethiopia in place of silverware.  They eat this with just about every meal, and break off pieces of it to scoop up their saucy stews with.  It's actually really tasty!  I thought it would be hard to make, but it was actually really easy!


INJERA RECIPE
Makes: 8 -10 Injera of 24cm

Ingredients:

2 cups Self rising flour

½  cup whole wheat flour

½ cup cornmeal

1 tsp active dry yeast

2 and ½ cup of water

Directions:

Note: The first step is done 2 or 3 days prior to the cooking day.

1-      In a large bowl, mix all the flours with the active dry yeast and 2 cups of water. Mix really well to form a batter. Set it for 2 days for the fermentation to take place. If you like the bread less sour 24h will be just enough.

2-      After fermenting the batter, some liquid will rise on top mix all really well.

3-      In a blender add the fermented batter and with few drops of water and whip well. The batter should be quite thin once you are done. Let it sit for another 20 min.

4-      Heat a non-stick pan or skillet until very hot do not add oil and pour ½ cup of batter in a circular motion in the pan.

5-      Bake it for 30 seconds, then reduce the heat and place the lid, bake for another 45 seconds.  When ready bubbles should appear all over the bread.

6-      Remove and place in clean cloth to let cool down for 2 minutes.

7-      When ready serve with stew (Doro Watt or any watt).