Random Picks: The Love for Cooking and Baking!

I love to cook! It's that simple. Having someone to cook for makes it even more enjoyable. I like to plan my meals out a week in advance- plan my menu on the weekends and go grocery shopping. When Monday comes, after a long day at work, I have all the ingredients already in the kitchen and can get dinner on the table in a short time.

Lately, I have been thinking about how I got so interested in cooking. I know I was young. I had a grandma that was an excellent baker and when she came to visit we would have a "baking day". During the holiday's, my mom would bake up a batch of sugar cookies for us to decorate and put a plate together for our friends and neighbors. At about the age of 10, one of my chores was to make dinner once a week. I remember often making my family tostadas. When a kid learns to cook you have to start somewhere, and that is where I began.

Growing up, my mom always cooked a solid, healthy meal and we would all sit down and eat together. The simply variety of food she prepared got me interested in how to cook. Soon I began getting cookbooks and looking at food magazines. By the time I moved out of the house I had boxes and boxes of cookbooks, almost too much kitchenware, and a huge passion for cooking.

I'm not much of a sweet eater, but baking is one of my most favorite things. I find it satisfying to mix a whole lot of ingredients in my KitchenAid mixer and watch it all blend together into a sweet-smelling, gooey mix. I remember as a little girl, the best thing when my mom baked was she let us lick the spatulas, mixer paddle, and swip the bowl of batter with our fingers after she was done.

Today, I have even a bigger love for food. With many years of experience behind me, I find myself so excited to get in the kitchen and cook. I am happiest when I am in the kitchen!

Bon Appetit!

Mint-Cilantro Chutney

This recipe makes a generous amount of the fresh herb chutney
Serve the Tandoori-Spiced Grilled Shrimp with basmati rice or naan (Indian flatbread) heated on the grill.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 serrano chile, seeded and chopped
1 garlic clove

Directions:

To prepare chutney, combine mint and remaining ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth. Serve with skewers.

Grilled Tandoori Chicken

• 5-6 (3.5 to 4 pound) skinless, boneless chicken thigh or breast


• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil


• 1/2 cup chopped white onion


• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic


• 2 tablespoons chopped ginger


• 1 teaspoon finely chopped serrano or jalapeno pepper, stem and seeds removed


• 1 tablespoon paprika


• 11/2 teaspoons salt


• 1 teaspoon ground cumin


• 1 teaspoon turmeric


• 1 teaspoon ground coriander


• 1 teaspoon garam masala


• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne


• 1/2 cup plain yogurt


• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1. With a fork, prick holes in the chicken pieces. Place the chicken in a plastic bag.


2. In a blender, combine the oil, onion, garlic, ginger, pepper, and process on high speed to a paste. Add the paprika, salt, cumin, turmeric, coriander, garam masala, and cayenne, and process until well blended. Add the yogurt and lemon juice, and process to a smooth sauce, scraping down the sides to combine all the ingredients. Pour the marinade over the chicken. Turn to coat evenly, rubbing the marinade into the chicken. Close it tightly, refrigerate for at least 4 hours, and up to 24 hours, turning occasionally.


3. Preheat a grill.


4. Remove the chicken from the marinade. Place on the grill and cook for 8 to 10 minutes on the first side. Turn, baste as needed, and cook on the second side for 8 to 10 minutes. Turn and continue cooking, as necessary until the chicken is cooked through, but still tender, about 25 to 30 minutes.

http://www.grouprecipes.com/116168/grilled-tandoori-chicken.html

Parmesan Baked Orange Roughy

• 2 (4 ounce) fillets orange roughy


• 1/4 lemon juice


• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese


• 1 Tbsp. butter, softened


• 2 Tbsp. prepared Dijon mustard mayonnaise blend


• 1 large clove garlic, minced


• pinch of paprika


• pinch of salt (optional)

1. Preheat the oven's broiler and set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source.


2. Place the orange roughy filets on the broiler pan and squeeze the lemon over the top of the fish. Broil the filets in the preheated oven for about 6 to 8 minutes.


3. Combine parmesan, butter, dijon & mayo mixture, garlic, and (salt) in a small bowl. Remove the fish from the oven and spread the cheese mixture on top of the filets. Sprinkle with paprika.


4. Broil until the topping is lightly browned and the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 3-5 minutes.

Parmesan Baked Orange Roughy @ Group Recipes

Recipe: Mocha-Chocolate Shortbread

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 teaspoons instant coffee granules

2/3 cup butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate morsels, divided

vanilla or coffee ice cream (optional)

Combine first 3 ingredients in a medium bowl; add butter and vanilla, and beat at low speed with an electric mixer until blended.

Stir in 1 cup chocolate morsels.

Press dough into an ungreased 9-inch square pan; prick dough with a fork.

Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Sprinkle remaining 1 cup morsels over top, and spread to cover.

Cut shortbread into 25 (about 1 3/4 inch) squares; cut each square into 2 triangles.

Let cool 30 minutes in pan before removing.

Serve with ice cream, if desired

Southern Living, July 2004

Veggies with Yogurt Dill Dip

Ingredients:
1/2 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp fresh Dill
1 shallot

Directions:
Cut/slice fresh vegetables (red bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, baby carrots and celery).
Scoop yogurt into bowl.
Finely chop shallots.
Add shallots, dill and mustard.
Mix ingredients together until blended.
Dip veggies!

Nutritional Information
80 calories 15 grams of protein
0 grams of fat
0 grams of carbohydrates [fat-free yogurt]

Perfect Oatmeal

A perfect way to start the day! And who would have thought that a bowl of oatmeal could provide over half of the daily value for those hard-to-find omega-3 fatty acids as well as 109% of the daily value for manganese. Enjoy!

Serves 2

Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups water
• dash salt
• 1 cup regular rolled oats
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries or blueberries
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 TBS flaxseeds
• 1 TBS blackstrap molasses
• 1 cup milk or dairy-free milk alternative

Directions:

1. Combine the water and salt in a small saucepan and turn the heat to high.
2. When the water boils, turn the heat to low, add oatmeal, and cook, stirring, until the water is just absorbed, about 5 minutes.
3. Add cinnamon, cranberries, walnuts, and flaxseeds. Stir, cover the pan, and turn off heat.
4. Let set for 5 minutes.
5. Serve with milk and molasses.