Brenna's Vegetarian Chili Supreme (meat optional)

This recipe can be easily modified to add most any ingredient you wish. If you like meat chili, it is easy to add meat. I made this with leftover turkey meat at Thanksgiving and it was extremely flavorful. Also consider using toppings for your chili like sour cream, green onions, more cilantro, and bacon bits.

Ingredients:
3 TB oil
1 large 24oz can diced tomatoes
1 onion chopped
1 large red bell pepper chopped
3 green chilies seeded and chopped fine (serrano peppers work well)
8 cloves garlic pressed
1 1/2 TB cumin seeds
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 TB coriander powder
2 1/2 TB chili powder
2 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock
1 1/2 TB dried oregano
1/2 TB thyme
1 TB basil
1 TB brown sugar
3 cups canned beans (black, kidney and pinto work well) - drained and rinsed
3 cups frozen veggies (veggie medley works well or gumbo or corn or peas)
2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 bunch chopped fresh cilantro
1 TB lime juice

Instructions:
Heat oil in a large pot on medium high. Add onions and cook for about 3 minutes until translucent. Add the red bell pepper and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the garlic then push the ingredients to the wall to create a well. Add an extra TB of oil to the center. Then add cumin seeds to the center and cook until they start to brown (about 30 seconds). Mix together all ingredients. Add coriander powder, cayenne pepper, and chili powder. Cook for another minute or two. Add 2 cups of vegetable stock (water if you don't have stock) making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook until thickened. Add oregano, thyme, basil, brown sugar, and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer again and put the lid on. Simmer for at least 25 minutes. Stir occasionally, making sure to scrape to the bottom of the center of the pan. Add a cup of water if it gets too solid and starts sticking to the bottom. Add beans and frozen veggies. Mix and cook for 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and add cilantro and lime.

Jothi's Instant Microwave Walnut Fudge - (or Pecan)

 Walnut Fudge Recipe from a good friend in Columbus, Ohio.

This recipe is pretty easy to make and tastes amazing in your mouth.  It is a perfect desert for a dinner party or for around the holidays.  I highly recommend giving it a try.  If you end up with something hard you probably microwaved it too long so just be careful with the amount of time you run the microwave.  If you really want this to come out right, don't skimp on the butter :)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups walnuts
2/3 cup butter
1/8 cup brown sugar (reduced from original recipe)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract (not imitation)
(Optional 1 TBS instant coffee powder)
(Optional 2 ounces of chocolate chips)

Directions:
1. Dry Roast Walnuts to get the essential oils to release on medium heat for a couple of minutes
2. Melt butter in microwave and mix in milk and sugar (add optional ingredients at this time)
3. Microwave for 10 minutes (stopping to stir ever 3 minutes) -
Important Note: This cook time depends greatly on the strength of the microwave. You may only need to do this for 5 minutes. When you are stirring look for a rich glossy. and stiffening fudge. When it cools it will harden more. To learn more about how water affects the dessert check out this website http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candy. The less water that is in your dessert, the harder it will get.
4. Add Vanilla and Nuts at the end and mix
5. Let set into fudge blocks and cut to enjoy

Allie's Amazing Brisket Recipe

From my friend, Allie, who makes some Amazing Brisket!

From Thoughts For Buffet: Brisket of Beef a la Bercy:

2 t salt

3 T brown sugar

1 cup chili sauce

1.5 cups vinegar

2 t seasoning salt (i've never used this)

5 lb brisket of beef

1 cup chopped celery leaves

2 sliced onions

Mix salt, brown sugar, chili sauce, vinegar, and seasoning salt together. Pour over meat and let stand overnight. Allow one hour per pound for roasting. Place meat in the roaster. Pour marinade over the meat to moisten. Cover with celery leaves and onions. Roast in a 325 oven, basting often with marinade for 5 hours, or until tender. Cover, if meat becomes too brown. May be prepared in advance. When ready to serve, slice and reheat in strained pan drippings from which fat has been removed. Serves 8.

A couple of things I do differently than the recipe: I add 1/3 cup asian style hot chili sauce (I didn't know what chili sauce was the first time I made it, so I used this instead and it was good, so I still use it - it makes it spicier.) I make extra marinade so that the meat is more covered. I'm lazy so I barely baste (maybe once an hour or less), but I cover it sooner so that it doesn't get too brown. And, I use a bit less sugar than recommended (because Barry is trying avoid sugar in his diet).

Sridevi's Red Beet Rice

My cousin's red beet rice is a crowd pleaser and is a nice colorful addition to any plate of food.

Start with 2 small onions chopped and saute at Med high in oil.
Cut 1 large beet roughly chopped after peeling (be careful because the red sticks to everything)
Fry for a couple of minutes.
Add 1 - 2 Bay Leaves (whole is fine), 1-2 Curry Leaves (whole is fine), 1 tablespoon crushed garlic / ginger paste, 1 teaspoon curry powder, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper and fry for about a minute.
Add 2 green chilli peppers chopped, Frozen Peas (1/4 cup), 1 big dash of salt and pepper (1-2tsp), Frozen Corn (1/4 cup), 1-2 tomatoes  and heat for a minute or two to get the thaw out. Make sure to mix in the salt.  Now add 2 1/2 cups of jasmine rice (mix in the ingredients for a minute or two again).  Add 4 1/2 cups of water and cook on medium low with the lid on for 15-20 minutes or add to a rice cooker.   Add 1 handful of cilantro chopped at the end for color.

Uncle's Palak Paneer

Palak Paneer (Sag Paneer, Spinach Paneer)

This recipe is quoted and the people referenced are not my family.  However, this is a great Palak Paneer recipe.  Enjoy! 

I learned the organized approach to cooking North Indian dishes from Deviji, a kind Punjabi lady, our neighbor in Pittsburgh, when we were living there. She taught me how to cook my favorites, she insisted that I come and see how she prepares in her kitchen so that I won’t forget. She used to say if you see, you won’t forget, particularly cooking. I think that is true. My entire north Indian cooking is her recipes including the paneer post below. Hope you try them and enjoy as much as we do. Here is one…The famous palak paneer

Recipe:

One big bunch of spinach (fresh green ones)
Paneer ~10 to 15 cubes
One medium sized ripe tomato
Green chillies 5, half onion~ chopped finely into small pieces
Half tsp of garlic-ginger-cilantro paste
One tsp of dhania-jeera (coriander-cumin) powder
Quarter cup cashews
Half tsp of salt

Preparation:

Spinach and Green Chillies - Wash the spinach, cut or tear them into big pieces. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a wide skillet. First add green chillies to hot oil, then spinach. Saute until the leaves are wilted. Turn off the heat. Wait few minutes to cool. Add them to a blender and also a pinch of salt - blend to smooth paste. Adding green chillies to spinach puree is very important step; it gives punch to bland spinach.

Tomato- Boil tomato in hot water till the skin break down, remove the skin, mash the tomato to a pulp.

Cashews- Roast cashews lightly, make fine powder of them.

Paneer- Lightly saute paneer cubes in one teaspoon of ghee till they are golden brown. (This is optional, you can add paneer cubes just as they are.)

Now with the curry:

Add one teaspoon of ghee or oil to a wide skillet. When it is hot, fry the onions till translucent. Add ginger-garlic-cilantro paste and dhania-jeera powder, mix them and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.

Now add pureed spinach, tomato and cashew powder along with a pinch of turmeric and salt to taste. Mix thoroughly and add water if needed. Do not dilute the curry too much. It should not spread like flooding river when served on a plate.

Cook it covered on low flame for about 5 to 10 minutes. Just before turning off the heat, add the paneer cubes. Mix them with the spinach (palak). Let simmer for 2 or 3 minutes and then turn off the heat.

Serve the curry hot with chapatis (rotis) or with rice. Also for novelty, you can make a Palak Panner Naanini (Split naan into two layers, apply generous potions of palak paneer in-between. Grill or Oven-broil for few minutes and serve with yogurt raita.) Anyway you prefer, palak paneer is truly a guilt free, satisfying, well balanced delicious dish.

Chiles Rellenos De Queso

Chiles Rellenos De Queso-> serves 12
Ingredients:
12 poblono chillies
4 tsp white vinegar
1/2 small onion
2 T oil
1 1/2 tsp ground pepper
6 C grated Jack or Cheddar Cheese
oil for deep frying
kosher salt to taste
4 large ripe tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
4 bay leaves
6 eggs, separated
1 C flour

Prepare the chilies: Roast and peel the chiles. Make a slit in each one careful not to break it much and remove the seeds and membranes. Soak chilies in water (enough to cover) with 1 T salt and vinegar for 20 minutes. Rinse, drain, and set aside.

Make Sauce (this is the best part): In a blender, combine tomatoes, onion, and garlic; puree and strain. Heat 1T oil in a skillet; add tomato puree and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; add 1 tsp salt, bay leaves, pepper, and cook, covered, 10 minutes, thinning with water if needed to maintain a saucy consistency.

Stuffing: Fill each chili with 1/2 C grated cheese and set aside.

Make Batter: Beat egg whites to stiff peaks, and then add egg yolks one at a time. Spread flour on a plate, coat each stuffed chili in it lightly then dip chilies into beaten eggs to coat completely.

Fry (this will pull the chili together in case it is coming apart): Heat 1/2inch oil in a skillet. When hot, add chilies one or two at a time and fry on each side until lightly browned. Drain on paper towels, then add to tomato sauce and simmer 5 minutes. Serve.

Kiran - from a Mexican Cooking Class :)

Mayuri's Russian Tea Cakes

My cousin Mayuri made this recipe for us one Christmas and it was excellent.  I highly recommend trying it for the next time you are looking for a nice dessert that can be in small portions.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped walnuts (I put them in the grinder until they are partly ground)
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a medium bowl, cream butter and vanilla until smooth. Combine the 6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar and flour; stir into the butter mixture until just blended. Mix in the chopped walnuts. Roll dough into 1 inch balls, and place them 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. When cool, roll in remaining confectioners' sugar. I also like to roll mine in the sugar a second time.

Mayuri - Kiran's Cousin :)