Party Mini-Quiches

I made these mini-quiches recently for a garden party. These are really a quick version of quiches since they do not have a pastry crust. Instead they are made with a baking mix that gives them more of a muffin consistency. However, these are still light and not too dry. If you want to make them even more egg-like in consistency, try using more egg and less baking mix. This recipe is also wonderful for all different vegetable and meat variations. Since I didn't have bacon when I made these, I made them vegetarian, but they would have been even better with a little crispy bacon. The great thing about making them in mini-muffin pans is that they are great for tea parties or other occasions when you do not want to worry about utensils.

Makes approximately 24-36 depending on muffin size and number of add-ins
Ingredients:

• 5 eggs
• 2/3 cup baking mix
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 Tbsp half and half (may use light cream or whole milk)
• 1 Tbsp prepared yellow mustard
• 1/2- 3/4 tsp dried oregano (crushed in palm)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 2 cups shredded cheese (I used a pizza blend)
• 1 medium pickled sweet red pepper, finely chopped
• 4-6 slices bacon, cooked and chopped (optional)
• 2-3 small mushrooms, cleaned and finely chopped

Directions:

• Beat eggs in large bowl.
• Stir in remaining ingredients.
• Grease mini-muffin tin- if it is not non stick, then you should use the baking spray with flour.
• Fill muffin tins using small cookie scoop and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 10 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool in the pan. 

Italian-style Quinoa Cakes

I have been falling in love with quinoa lately. It is such a power-house of nutrition and yet is so versatile. It also cooks quite fast. So when some friends and I were meeting at a beautiful historic home nearby for a garden party, I had planned to make arancini (rice balls), but I had not realized until it was too late that these are actually from leftover risotto. So from lack of pre-planning, I was forced to make some last minute changes and found these quinoa patties from wholeliving.com. I decided to go with an Italian theme and play off the parmesan cheese. All in all, I was really pleased how well they turned out. It took a little practice to find the right consistency but don't worry too much about it since the parmesan actually helps makes a nice crust as it cooks. I almost thought the patties were a little easier to cook when they were a little more moist. As always, feel free to leave out any seasonings or ingredients and add in some you really like, instead. I really loved the way the patties took on a roasted tomato and basil flavor and the parmesan added a nice subtle flavor.

Makes approximately 24 cakes
Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 2 Tbsp chopped dried onion (may use 1 finely chopped onion)
• 1/2- 1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning blend
• 4 large eggs, beaten
• 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning, crushed in palm of hand
• 1/3 cup fresh chives, chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped grape/cherry tomatoes
• 6-8 large basil leaves, chopped
• 1/3 cup fresh parmesan cheese, shredded
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 cup whole grain bread crumbs, more if needed
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

• Cook quinoa as directed- bring broth to a boil and add in the quinoa, onion and lemon pepper seasoning. Stir well and cover. Allow to cook approximately 15 minutes, or until all the quinoa seeds are opened and soft. Stir and allow to cool somewhat.
• In a large mixing bowl, add the remaining ingredients and stir together.
• Mix in the partially cooled quinoa.
• If it is too wet, add in more bread crumbs gradually. If it is too dry, add in water, tablespoon at a time. Allow to stand for a few minutes.
• Form mixture into patties 1 inch thick and shallow fry over medium heat about 3-5 minutes each side (until medium golden brown). (I found it was easiest to make a ball and then place in the hot frying pan and flatten gently with the back of a spoon, then use the spoon to firm the patty's edges.) 

Cilantro, Lime and Lentil Salad

I got this recipe from my daughter's diabetes specialist's office last summer where they usually have some recipes that people can take that feature healthier diet choices. This recipe caught my eye because I have really come to enjoy the flavors of cilantro and lime and am also trying to incorporate more beans into my family's diet. The recipe originally called for 1 pound of lentils, but it ended up being such a huge amount that I decided to adjust it down to 1/2 pound. Even this amount makes a large salad. I also increased most of the other ingredients in the recipe and added some olive oil. However, my husband and I enjoyed eating this like a dip with chips or crackers, as well as as a salad. I have posted this recipe with the changes I made and am not sure who made the original recipe. The nice thing about this recipe is that you can add a number of different vegetables

Ingredients:

1/2 pound lentils, sorted and rinsed

1/4 - 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped (I used approximately 1/2 cup)

1/2 cup minced red onion

juice of 1-2 limes (adjust to taste)

2-3 medium or large tomatoes, diced (may substitute canned diced tomatoes)

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

3-4 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 - 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 - 1 1/2 tsp salt, or adjusted to taste (I used Adobo seasoned salt)

1 Tbsp cumin (may start with less and adjust to taste)

1/2 cup chopped cucumber

1/4 cup chopped bell peppers

hot pepper sauce (green or red) to taste

Directions:

     Simmer lentils in 6 cups of water until soft, about 25-30 minutes. Drain any excess liquid. Cool. Add the remaining ingredients together in a bowl and toss. Add in the cooled lentils and stir well. 

Pin It

Also shared on Simple Lives Thursday # 87

Guacamole

Avacados are one of those foods that many people either like or dislike. I never really cared for them, and never even ate them until I was much older. That may explain why I have not been very fond of them in their unadulterated form. However, I have lately developed a taste for them in guacamole- if there are enough other ingredients and flavors present. This recipe is my version of guacamole as my husband and I have enjoyed it lately. Since avacados are so healthy for us- believed to be helpful in lowering cholesterol, full of the healthy fats our bodies need to function properly, great for heart health, may prevent cancers, high in fiber, as well as  high in lutein, which helps our eyes function properly- it makes sense to try to eat more of this fruit any way we can.

Ingredients:

2 large ripe avacados, pulp mashed

3-4 Tbsp lime juice (or lemon)

1/4 -1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

3/4 cup chopped tomatoes (I used grape tomatoes)

1/2 cup chopped cilantro (may use dried cilantro, but is not as potent or flavorful)

1 1/2 tsp cumin powder

3/4 tsp salt (I used Adobo seasoned salt)

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 - 1 tsp green pepper sauce
1 medium red or sweet white onion, diced
1-2 cloves garlic, grated or put through a garlic press
(The above ingredients are only approximate amounts. You will need to taste and adjust them as desired.)


Mix all the above ingredients together and allow flavors to blend in the refrigerator for at least a few hours. Serve with corn chips or use with Mexican dishes.







Pin It

Freezer Pickles

This is the season for an abundance of cucumbers in my garden. We have been eating these with tomatoes so many meals, and I was looking for an easy pickle recipe that could use a lot of them at once without getting out the canner and heating up the kitchen. Unfortunately, the extreme heat during July adversely affected my pickle cucumbers, causing the plants to die out before I was able to get more than a few off the plant. I had tried a couple long cucumber varieties, but was disappointed to find that they would grow much larger around on one end, having a larger seed section. Anyways, since I have so many of these larger cucumbers, I decided to try using them in the pickle recipe.

My sister-in-law shared this recipe with me, and I did not see how they would have flavor and be crunchy. However, they turned out very well- crunchy with a nice slightly tangy/sweet flavor, resembling the bread and butter pickles. The onions look like they would still be raw but they have a crunch with the flavor of the pickle juice- nothing like a raw onion. In addition, I did not add in the green peppers but added some mustard seed to the mixture. After storing these in the refrigerator and stirring them everyday for 4 days, you can put them into freezer containers, or I have just kept some in the fridge and they are still great indefinitely. I also used a crinkle cutter blade and even removed some of the seeds on some of the larger cucumbers and simply cut them into some chunks.


Ingredients:


7 cups sliced cucumbers
1 cup onions, sliced (may use sweet or cooking onions)
1 cup green peppers, sliced (optional)
        
      Place the following ingredients in a large 4-5 quart bowl with a lid: 
1 cup white vinegar
2 cups sugar
1/2 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp celery seed
1 Tbsp mustard seed (may use less, optional)
       Combine ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil about a minute or until the sugar has completely dissolved, stirring well. Cool it down somewhat. (The recipe says cool completely, but I poured it over while still warm.) Pour syrup over the cucumber mixture and stir around. (The cucumbers will be higher than the liquid.)  Put in the refrigerator.
     Once a day, remove from the refrigerator and stir cucumbers, bringing the cucumber slices on top to the bottom. You will note that the cucumbers will add to the liquid and eventually the liquid will cover the cucumber mixture. On the fourth or fifth day, you may put them in freezer containers and then freeze. When ready to eat them, remove from the freezer and allow to thaw before serving.


The challenge with this recipe will be having enough pickles left at the end of the 4 or 5 days to actually freeze- if you can resist nibbling along the way!




Pin It

Mango Salsa

To me, there is nothing like fresh salsa. I love all the bright flavors of fresh onion and cilantro that you cannot get with jarred salsa. When I have a large amounts of tomatoes, I will sometimes use them up in some fresh salsa. It is not really hard to make, other than the time to chop everything. Sometimes when I get the desire for some and do not have any fresh tomatoes, I will BRIEFLY consider buying some at the grocery store. However, the price is simply outrageous! So I walk away until I either find some tomatoes on sale that look ripe enough or until they are in season. As I write, I am eyeballing some lovely tomatoes growing on my numerous plants and salivating over the first fruits of my tomato crop this year.

I must admit that in the past I had never been one who loved mixing sweet and savory flavors together- although I am beginning to try more such foods and really enjoy them. One of these was a pineapple salsa. I was amazed at the great flavor that pineapple and tomatoes gave each other. Then my husband came home from work and told me he just had the best salsa EVER! and I must try making it. It turns out that a coworker's wife made it and was gracious enough to share her recipe for Mango Salsa.

I have modified it according to what ingredients I had on hand. Instead of the typical larger mangoes found in many grocery stores, I used a couple small bright yellow mangoes I found at the local Indian grocery. I realized later that they are not as sweet as the larger greenish/yellowish/rosy pink ones. So this affected the final flavor in my salsa. Next time, I will make it with the sweeter mangoes. I also did not soak my red onion in water/vinegar solution, as I thought I would like the onion flavor to come through more. I also may have used more chopped cilantro- just eyeballed some of the amounts and kept tasting it. Since I did not have a jalapeño, I used a couple shakes from a bottle of green pepper tabasco sauce, which gave a hint of heat.  I also added a large clove of garlic, put through a garlic press, which gave a little more zing.

Jin's Mango Salsa Recipe (makes 4-6 servings)

1 ripe large mango diced ( or 2 medium size)

5 tomatoes diced (remove seeds to prevent making soupy salsa)- more needed if using smaller plum tomatoes

1 medium sized red onion chopped

(*soak in water vinegar solution for 10 min to remove pungency)

1/2 cup of cilantro chopped

1/2 tsp. salt & 1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 jalapeño finely chopped

1 lime, juiced

Mix, and enjoy

• As an aside, I just found out recently that there are many different varieties of mangoes, although not so many are available in U.S. grocery stores. However, they are all rich in Vitamin A, B-6, E, C, potassium and copper, as well as antioxidants that help prevent numerous types of cancer, including colon and breast. It is also rich in prebiotic fiber, which is beneficial to our colon health.
• It is wonderful put in smoothies, blended with milk, and added to fruit or vegetable salads.
• Feel free to check out the following link http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/mango-fruit.html for more helpful information on mangoes and how to use them.

Pin It

Hummus (Chickpea/Garbanzo Bean Dip)

Although almost every food blog or website has a recipe for hummus, I decided to add one of my versions to the mix.  This is a Middle Eastern food that is popular all around the world for good reason. It is extremely nutritious, and also full of flavor with so many different ways to vary it. It can be as simple or as complex as you wish. Another added plus is that it is so easy to make. If you have a food processor or  blender, you can whip this up in very little time. Traditionally, it is served with pita, but it is great with vegetables, crackers (I love them with triscuits), on sandwiches, chips, and the list could go on.

Ingredients:

2  15 oz. cans of garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
2-4 Tbsp tahini (optional- this is a butter made of sesame seeds that adds to the creaminess of the dip)
2-3 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp. powdered cumin
1/4 tsp powdered mustard
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 - 1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp celery salt
1/4 tsp marjoram
3-4 palmfuls of chopped fresh parsley leaves
3-4 culantro leaves, finely chopped or 4 palmfuls of chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 1/2 tsp seasoned salt (I like Goya Adobo with cumin or pepper)
2 raw garlic cloves, put through a garlic press or minced very finely
1/3- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
3-4 Tbsp olive oil (more or less)

Blend everything together, adjusting the oil and yogurt as desired until a creamy consistency is obtained. May need to adjust salt depending on your taste. Mix the dip well. Refrigerate for at least 6-8 hours for the spices to blend well.

 This makes approximately 4 cups- if cutting the recipe in half, you do not need to use exactly half of the spices in the recipe- it is quite forgiving and could probably stand to have a little more than half of the spices that are listed in small amounts.

* Another option is to use roasted garlic instead of fresh- put the garlic cloves in a foil packet with a little butter or olive oil in the oven at 400 degrees F for about 20 minutes, or in a frying pan over medium heat on the stovetop until softened and golden brown. Then put through the blender with the other ingredients.

It is also popular to make this with roasted red peppers (various types), as well as sundried tomatoes, a little feta cheese-- let your imagination go wild.

Bacalaitos (Codfish Fritters)

This is a favorite Puerto Rican/Dominican food that I was introduced to a couple years ago. They are sold on the street by vendors (street food) and there are many variations. The Puerto Rican ones traditionally are made from flour, seasonings/herbs and garlic and the Dominican ones contain cornmeal, sugar and fewer herbs and vegetables. I have tried them different ways and most recently decided to make a version of my own. This recipe has 1/2 cornmeal and 1/2 flour, as well as onions, garlic, and I added some of my homemade sofrito. Usually salted codfish is soaked or boiled  and then shredded. However, if you cannot find this type, you can use other that is cooked. These are deep-fried and definitely not very figure-friendly -- my poor husband's diet is being tested since these are his favorite!

Ingredients:

1/4 pound salted codfish
3/4 cup flour (or use roughly 1/2 amount corn meal and 1/2 amount flour)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp (generous amount) seasoned salt (I use Adobo seasoned salt)
3/4 cup reserved fish broth from cooking the fish
1 garlic clove (more or less), finely minced
2 culantro leaves, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
1- 1 1/2 packet sazón seasoning (I used culantro and achiote flavor)
few dashes of pepper
2-3 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (or may use 1 Tbsp dried parsley)
2 large spoonfuls of sofrito (blend of onion, garlic, green pepper, cilantro, parsley, cumin, oregano and more)
sugar (optional)- I find that the onions give it a slightly sweet flavor

Cut the fish into chunks and boil the fish in water for 15 minutes. Then remove and flake it- deboning it if you did not use boneless fish. Reserve 3/4 cup of the cooking water. As it cools, begin mixing the dry ingredients together, followed by the remaining ingredients, except the fish and broth. Pour the broth slowly into the center and mix well to make a thick batter. Add in the bacalao and mix gently. Allow to set for about 5 minutes so the cornmeal can absorb a little moisture.  Bring a large amount of oil to approximately 350 degrees and then add large spoonfuls of batter into the oil. (I used a tall sided, narrow pot for cooking so I would not have to use so much oil and the fritters would be covered in the oil and float as they cooked. Therefore, I could only cook 2-3 at a time.) After dropping the batter into the oil, they may stick to the bottom, but allow them to cook there for about 1 1/2 minutes. Then take a spoon and carefully scrape across the bottom to dislodge them. By that time, they will float and probably are ready to turn over. They are finished when they are dark golden brown, but not too dark. Place on paper towels to drain. Allow to cool before eating as they will be VERY hot!        Makes 10 fritters.

They are like a chewy, mild fish flavored fritter. These may be served with a meal as part of the main course or as an appetizer.



Shared with:
Make Ahead Meals For Busy Moms- Melt in Your Mouth Monday

Iraqi Meat-filled Rice Fritters- Kubbah

These were originally introduced to our family by an Iraqi friend, who recently immigrated here with her family. She explained to me how she made them, and then I worked up a recipe through trial and error. I am not sure how to write the name in Arabic- she called them something like (spelled phonetically) "Kooba Tih-mon". However, I was only able to find similar foods called Potato (Batata) Kibbi or Chap. So I just call them Meat-Filled Rice Fritters.

This is not the easiest recipe to try initially, but certainly worth the effort. Once you make it once, you learn the technique and can make them quicker. These are very nice to have on a picnic, or as an appetizer or part of a meal. These can be made with rice, other grains like bulgur wheat or couscous or potatoes and can be filled with meat or I have seen it filled with eggplant, as well. This recipe, however, is only with ground meat stuffed in rice. My friend believes that curry is necessary to use with ground beef since it helps take away some type of bad flavor. I am not sure if this is more because they were used to eating lamb, previously. The curry used is not a hot type. Also, she does not use too many other seasoning. I have taken a little liberty and added garlic- a must for me in any meat dish. I also added more parsley than she uses, as well as added some cilantro/coriander leaves. One might also try some ground red pepper, if desired. Many people in the Middle East have a spice blend that they use with meats. You might try some of the Arabic Seven Spice blend that goes by various names but includes spices like black pepper, cinnamon and allspice, nutmeg, sometimes ginger and paprika, as well as other combinations of spices.

This recipe is very approximate- I started with about 1/2 pound of ground beef and about 2 1/2 cups cooked medium grain rice. After I finished making the fritter- the rice mixture was gone and I still had a lot of meat left. I have tried to compensate for this in writing the recipe.

A note about the meat mixture- it needs to be smooth and like a paste. I added the parsley and cilantro before browning the meat. However, it lost some of its flavor- it would be better to add it to the meat after sauteing the meat.

This is the rice mixture. It also needs to be pretty-well mashed. It will become more pastey as you work it with your hands to make the fritters.

These are the fritters, ready to fry.

This is what not to do- there are too many in the pan, and it made it difficult to turn them, as well as keep them from sticking together.

And again, the finished product. They smelled (and tasted) so good!

Makes approximately 24.
Ingredients:

• Medium grain rice, cooked with salt- approximately 4 cups
• bread crumbs or torn bread pieces
• water
• 1/2 pound ground beef or lamb (or any other ground meat)
• 1 large onion, chopped very small
• 3 garlic cloves, minced fine
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
• 1/8 -1/4 tsp black pepper
• few dashes of ground red pepper (optional)
• 1/4 tsp allspice (optional)
• 4 Tbsp minced fresh parsley leaves
• 3 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro/coriander leaves (optional)
• water
• oil for frying and preparing fritters

Directions:

• To prepare rice, mash with fork or other instrument/hands, adding water a little at a time until it starts holding together. Gradually add in about 1/4 cup bread crumbs alternating with a little water until the mixture is pretty smooth and yet still holding some shape.
• To prepare the meat, use hands to mash together the meat with seasoning, onion and garlic, except the parsley and cilantro. Add a little water to aid in the softening of the mixture. Then brown meat in a medium skillet, making sure the meat is broken up into very fine pieces. When finished, drain off the fat. Mix in the parsley and cilantro.
• To start preparing the fritters, have a small bowl of oil nearby to keep applying to your hands between making each fritter, otherwise the rice will stick to your hands too much to work with. You may also need to occasionally rinse off your hands to removed the sticky rice residue. (Plastic or rubber gloves might be useful!) Take a ball of rice about the size of a lime and begin mashing it out into a flat patty in the palm of one hand. Form a slight cup with your fingers, folding up the edges of the patty slightly and fill with approximately 1 Tbsp meat mixture. Press the meat together into the center and begin folding the rice up and around the meat so the edges come together. As this is being done, apply slight pressure with both hands around it if needed to squeeze the rice together. If needed, use a little more rice to fill in the gaps.
• Place formed fritters onto an oiled plate/platter. After all are made, then heat oil in frying pan until hot. Add fritters so they have some space around them. Fry until golden brown, turning as necessary. Place on paper towels to drain.

*Note: if using potato instead of rice, you would first boil some potatoes/drain them, mash them and season them as desired with salt and a little pepper, mix with some wet torn bread or bread crumbs or beaten egg. If necessary to make the potato more firm in order to form it around the meat, you may need to add a little cornstarch.

Recipe variation: The Iraqi family we know also frequently eats these served as part of a soup- the fritters are boiled in a tomato based broth with a meat bone- lamb or chicken or beef- and some small pieces of meat, chopped potatoes and other vegetables, as well as chickpeas, which are common in many different Iraqi dishes. This is served with some rice or flat bread as part of a meal.

In addition, the fritters can be baked instead of fried, although they should be sprayed with a little oil before baking and be turned part way through the baking (or put on a wire rack on the baking sheet and then the air can circulate for all-around crispiness and you won't need to turn them- just bake until golden brown!).