melba toast and sun-dried tomato snack

This is a healthy delicious snack that is great for when you have guests over

Ingredients:

Melba sesame toast

fat free cream cheese

California sun-dried tomatoes (found in the produce section)

Prep:

place the toast in singles on a plate

smear the cream cheese over the toast

remove the tomatoes from the oil and place on top

enjoy!

Beef and Broccoli

Ingredients:

Beef steak piece

salt

pepper

ground ginger

ground garlic

broccoli

Olive Oil

soy sauce

chilli sauce

Flour

Sweet sauce

Prep: 

slice the beef steak piece into thin strips

Cover the strips with salt and pepper

add a tsp of garlic and ginger each

rub into the strips and set aside for it to soak up the spices

In a pan, saute the broccoli in olive oil with a dash of soy sauce and set aside

In a small wok add a tbsp. of olive oil

saute the strips for 5 minutes on high heat

turn to medium low heat

add a tsp. each of the sauces

Add a 2 more tbsps of soy sauce

add a dash of flour to thicken the sauce

Continue cooking at low heat covered for 10 more minutes
Add the broccoli to the meat and mix

Serve over a bed of steamed white rice (or brown if you're feeling healthy)

 enjoy!

Pineapple Cake

Note: this recipe isn't entirely mine, I made a few tweaks to recipes I found online

Cake Ingredients:

2 eggs

2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup White Sugar (or splenda)

Vanilla Extract

2 tsp. Baking Soda

20 oz can crushed pineapple

note: these measurements serve about 8-10 people (depending on how you cut the slices)

Prep:

Pre-heat the oven to 350

Take a medium-large bowl and add the flour

Add 3/4 cup sugar or splenda (some recipes call for more, there is no need for that)

Add the baking soda

Mix all these dry ingredients together

Make a crater in the middle and add the eggs, vanilla extract and pineapples

 

 Now mix until all ingredients are uniform

Butter the sides of your baking pan (i used a round glass pan with high edges and it has worked really well for me)

Now dust lightly with flour

Add the cake mixture prepared above

Place in the middle rack of the oven

Turn the timer to 40 mins (but be sure to check at 30mins - each oven varies and it may be done by this time)

Use a toothpick in the center to check if done (pierce tooth pick into the cake as far as you can, it should pull out clean if its done, if its wet it needs more time in the oven)

  

This one turned out a little darker than it should, make sure to keep an eye on the oven and cake, my second one turned out much better ;) 

Icing Ingredients:

1 stick butter (1/2 cup)

1 pack cream cheese (8 oz) (go for the light for less calories)

3/4 cup confectioners sugar (yes you do need this type to make the icing a good consistency)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Prep: 

keep the butter and cream cheese out for a few hours so they are sufficiently soft, if you arent able to do this, just stick it in the microwave for 20 seconds

mix all the ingredients together in a bowl until its uniform

depending on the weather, you may want to refrigerate the icing for a little while

note: the icing adds unnecessary calories and the cake tastes fine without it, however if you are hoping to impresses, the icing is very delicious ;)

When the cake is done, give it at least an hour+ to cool down before icing

Afghan Rice (Kabuli) and Meatballs (Kofta)

When I was growing up in Southern California, my parents had a lot of friends who hailed from the exotic land of Afghanistan. Many a weekend we had dinner parties we invited each other to. I was always excited when we were invited over to theirs, because the food was so delicious. Afghan food is similar to Indian yet has a distinct flavor. Now living in the North East and failing to make any Afghan friends here, I had a sudden craving and decided to make a dish myself. It was a lengthy process (nearly two hours) with many steps. Try to follow the instructions exactly.

I will start with the rice first

Ingredients:

4 cups of Basmati Rice (can be found in any Indian store and now regular stores are carrying it as well)

White Sugar (can substitute splenda)

4 julienne carrots (video posted below of this process)

1/2 cup of black raisins

vegetable oil (don't use olive oil, it has a distinct flavor/scent that will take over the taste of the dish)

Water

Saffron

3 stalks Cinnamon, 6 Cardamom, 1tsp cumin (grind these in grinder or by hand)

black pepper

a video on how to julienne carrots

Prep:

wash the rice 3 times and drain (leave aside)

 

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees

In a saucepan, heat up 3 tablespoons of oil over medium heat

Add the carrots

Add 1 tsp sugar

Cook while stirring for a few minutes

Add the raisins

Cook for 10 more minutes

Take off heat and Set aside

In another saucepan, heat 1/2 cup of oil and 1 tbsp. sugar

Cook until sugar dissolves

Remove pan from heat and cool

Add 1 cup of water

Return pan to heat to boiling, cook for 2-3 minutes

Take off heat and set aside

Heat water in a large pot til boiling

Add the washed rice and boil for 6 minutes

Strain the rice

Obtain a heavy oven safe pot

Add the rice

Add the carrots and raisins mixture

Mix

Add the syrup mixture

Mix

Add a pinch of saffron and the ground spices

Mix

Cover the pot and put on high heat on the stove for 5 minutes

Then place pot into oven and cook for an additional 20 minutes

The rice should be removed at 20 minutes and placed on a wooden slab until oven cools

Once oven is cool place rice back in to stay warm while you work on the kofta

Now for the Kofta

Ingredients:

2 lbs. of ground beef

let it strain while you ready the other ingredients

2 medium onions thinly sliced

2 Cloves of garlic thinly sliced

3 Cloves of garlic cut into 2 pieces

2 medium onion chopped roughly into 2 inch cubes

Salt

Ground Black pepper

Olive oil

1.5 cans tomato paste

Water

Prep:

blend the onion and garlic pieces (not the slices) with the black pepper in a food processor finely

Add 2 tsp of salt and the above onion and garlic mixture in the ground beef

Mix

In a large non-stick flat pan with high sides, heat about 3/4 cup of oil - heat up at medium high heat

Add the onions - cook until reddish brown (dont burn)

Add the sliced garlic half-way through

While the onions are cooking, mix the tomato paste, 3 cups of water and 2 tsp. of salt together

Add to the onions when they are ready

Cook for five minutes

Take about half a handful of ground beef mixture and toss and roll it in your palms until you get a perfect sphere

Add to the pan

Continue until all the beef is used up

Cover and cook for another 30 minutes

To complete this meal, make a simple salad:

take piece of iceberg letter and slice 2mm thick slices

then cut the other way 2mm until you have chopped pieces

do the same with cucumbers and tomatoes

Mix together

Don't add any dressing or anything on top

here is what your finished product should look like:

enjoy!

Pound Cake w/Raisins

Note: I do not like my cakes too sweet, so I barely put any in this recipe, if this is not enough for you, by all means adjust it to your liking

Ingredients:

2 cups Cake flour

1 tsp. baking Soda

3 eggs

1 tsp Vanilla extract

1 stick butter

1/4 cup sugar

Prep:

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl thoroughly using a fork

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees

Butter and lightly flour a cake pan in preparation

Check the picture below to see what kind of pan i used

Pour the mixture into the pan

Sprinkle Raisins on top

Place pan in the bottom third of oven

Bake for just over 30 minutes

Check the cake to see if cooked through by sticking any utensil or toothpick down into the middle, if it comes up clean, its cooked through, if there is gunk on it, its not.

enjoy!

Chilli Beef Stir Fry

Ingredients for marinating:

1/2 lb. lean beef sliced into thin pieces

1/2 tsp. ginger paste

1/2 tsp. garlic paste

2 tbsp. yogurt (preferably greek)

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. oil

Ingredients:

Assorted sliced vegetables (bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, broccoli etc.)

peanut sauce

chilli sauce

soy sauce

Prep:

Marinate the beef in the other ingredients (except for the veggies) for an hour or so

Saute in 1 tbsp. olive oil in a wok style dish

when halfway through - add the chilli sauce to taste

keep sauteing to desired "done-ness"

Saute veggies in a separate wok with a splash of olive oil

when slightly tender add the soy sauce to taste

add some peanut sauce, don't over-do this, it can get too sweet

When the veggies are sauteed to perfection, add the beef

Serve with plain white rice

enjoy!

My beef in mid-stir fry with chilli sauce

 

My assortment of veggies (you can buy pre-cut at whole foods)

 The final product :)

Chicken with Fish Sauce (inspired by An)

Ingredients:

1lb. chicken cut into bite sized pieces

1 tsp. turmeric

2 tbsp. sriracha sauce

1 medium sized shallot sliced thin

1/2 tsp. Ginger paste

1/2 tsp. garlic paste

1.5 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. brown sugar

2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. fish sauce

1/4 cup chopped green onions

Prep:

marinate the chicken in everything but the green onions for 1 - 1.5 hours

using a deep frying pan, fill with enough oil to cover entire base

heat oil 

add sugar and wait until it is all melted away

add the chicken wait till browned then turn over

add the green onions to a little space in the pan

remove chicken to serving platter

add the fried green onions

enjoy (serve with steamed white rice)!

Carrot and Ginger Soup

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. carrots (washed, peeled and diced)

1/2 onion medium (diced)

1 tbsp. minced ginger

1 sprig thyme

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

1.5 cups water

1 tbsp. butter

*note: these ingredients are enough for two

Prep:

get a medium sized saucepan and add the butter - heat till melted

add all ingredients except water

cook for two minutes (stir every now and then)

add water, cover and bring to boil

simmer uncovered till carrots are tender

remove from heat and remove thyme

blend soup till smooth and creamy

enjoy!

Spinach and Broccoli Dip - Inspired by my best friend Kim

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped frozen spinach

1 cup chopped frozen broccoli

3 oz cream cheese

2 oz sour cream

2 oz mayonnaise (best foods/hellmans is the best)

Salt (to taste)

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

3 handfuls shredded mozzarella

1 cup shreddeed parmesan

Prep:

Boil the spinach and broccoli in 1 cup of water until tender - drain and place in oven safe bowl

soften the cream cheese for 25 seconds in the microwave - add to spinach

add all the other ingredients

place in oven for 20 minutes - uncovered

cook till edges are brown and bubbly

enjoy!

Chicken Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers

Ingredients:

1 lb. jalapeno peppers

1lb. ground chicken

olive oil

salt (can use lawrys seasoning salt - as i did)

6 oz. cream cheese (or half pack of Philadelphia cream cheese)

1 Cup Parmesan Cheese

Prep:

wash the peppers

slice down lengthwise

de-seed the peppers

cook the ground chicken in olive oil and salt in a medium sauce pan

cook til brown and cooked through

no water should remain

Soften the cream cheese for 25 seconds in the microwave

Shred 1 cup of parmesan cheese

Mix the cream cheese, cooked chicken and parmesan cheese in a bowl

stuff the peppers with the mixture ;)

place in a glass baking dish

preheat oven to 400 degrees

put in oven for 30-40 minutes (uncovered)

the peppers will lose water and shrivel down in size

i like to cook the peppers until the have browned edges

enjoy!