Lentil Soup Madras Style

Last week I felt adventurous and decided to try changing my lentil soup 

to taste more like Madras Lentils

It work pretty well...

Amelie had 2 bowls full!

And that, my dear, means success!

Ingredients

2 slices of bacon

1  small to medium onion 

4 cloves of garlic

1 large shallot

2 bouillon cubes

6 cups water (or a little more)

2 cups lentils

3 ham shanks pieces (I take some of the skin/fat off)

1 Tbs cumin

1small can tomato past.

Fresh Herbs from garden. Sage/oregano/thyme

10 baby carrots sliced or 5 carrots

Pepper/salt to taste

Optional

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes for a little added heat.
Chopped up Cilantro or Parsley for garnish

The How

* Cut up bacon and cook it in a heavy soup pot

* If too much fat drain a little but not all, keep some to saute the cut up onions, shallots & garlic cloves.

* Add remaining ingredients after the onions are translucent.

   Omit meat if you are using it as a side for Indian Chicken meal

* Simmer for 1 hour, covered.

* Check on it occasionally stirring and making sure there is enough water, add more if needed.

Eat on a bed of Basmati rice, or not. 

We love it with Nan bread toasted.

Yogourt

4 cups of Milk
1 generous Tb active yogurt (greek or plain)

Pour milk in a pan and heat until scalded. allow to cool for 30 mn (110 degrees)
Add active Yogurt & mix.
Pour into jars & cool slowly, in thermos, crock pot or hot water.
This will take 4 to 6 hours.
To complete the process, cool in the fridge over-night.

Or use a yogurt mashine.

Creme Fraiche

A french type of sour cream that does not separate when heated.

Very expensive here in the US 

One might wonder why? It's so easy to make...

1 cup of heavy cream

1 tbs of buttermilk or yogurt.

Mix and let sit on counter for 12 to 24 hours. Stir or not.

Refrigerate for 2 weeks. As it ages it will get tangier.

Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies

2 sticks unsalted Butter

1 cup brown Sugar

1/2 cup white Sugar.

2 Eggs

1 tsp Vanilla

1 1/2 cup Flour

1 tsp Baking Soda

1/4 tsp Cinamon

1/2 tsp Salt

3 cups Oatmeal

1 cup Raisins

Cook 8 to 10 mn @350 

Robin's Peanut Butter Cookie

I'm usually not a big fan of Peanut Butter cookies or Peanut Butter anything...

But these are so good! 

I especially love the dough! 

When cooked to perfection, like a little underdone, they are heavenly!

Cream Together:
1/2 cup of Butter Flavored Crisco

1/2 cup of unsalted softened Butter

2/3 cup Peanut Butter

1 cup Sugar

1 cup of Brown Sugar

Add: 

2 Eggs mixed with 1 or 2 tsp Vanilla

Add together dry ingredients:

3 cups of Flour ( I have substituted one cup of flour for Almond flour)

2 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Salt

Before baking add: 

Butterscotch Chips

Chocolate Chips

Heath english Toffee Bits

Right out the oven while cookies are still hot 

Hershey Kisses

Form Balls on Un-greased Cookie sheet. 

Press down slightly

Cook 10-12mn 

Smoothies

This past weekend, I got one of these, the blue one. I love it. 

Smoothies are so easy to make with this cute handy tool!

I made this recipe for Amelie, it was so good!

11/2 cup of ice
6 big strawberries
Juices of 2 cara oranges
6 white grapes
1Tbs of sugar (next time I will put honey)

I like this one too

1 apple
5 strawberries
1 orange
4 blackberries
10 spinach leaves (approximate)
8 ice cubes
1 scoop of peach fiber powder

The possibilities are endless! 

Slow cooked Chicken

Ingredients
* Olive oil
* Chicken breast, thighs and drumsticks. Enough for 5.
* 3 Garlic cloves pressed
* 1 shallot cut up
* 1 can of tomato paste + 2 cans of water
* Fresh cracked pepper to taste
* 2 tsp herb de Provence or Italien herbs
* A bundle of fresh herbs from my garden  (thyme, rosemary, oregano)
* Salt to taste
* 2 bouillon cubes

Instructions
Brown chicken in oil on stove in heavy oven proof skillet
Sautee garlic and shallot in oil
Add remaining ingredients with a little water about 2 tomato paste cans worth.
Put lid on and transfer to oven at 250 for 4 to 5 hours

Eat over rice or mashed potatoes. Good with Caramelized onions and peppers

Brocoli Bacon Salad

Ingredients

3 heads of broccoli, trimmed and divided into bite-size pieces
1 small red onion, small dice
4-6 slices bacon, fried and crumbled
1/2 cup cashews, roughly chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup mayonnaise (I prefer to use 1/2 cup mayo and 1/2 cup non-fat plain yogurt)
2 tbsps sugar
4 tbsps vinegar

Directions

Combine the broccoli, onion, bacon, cashews, and cranberries in a large mixing bowl. Mix the mayonnaise (and yogurt, if using), sugar, and vinegar together and pour over the vegetables. Toss together and refrigerate for a day for best flavor.

Great Substitute for the Mayo/vinegar dressing:

Half a bottle of Poppy Seed Salad dressing 

Caramelized Onions & Red Bell Peppers

Ingrediants
* 2 Tbs of olive oil
* 1/2 Onion cut up
* 1 Red Pepper cut up
* 1 Yellow Pepper cut up
* 1 tbs Italian herb blend (or fresh herbs)
* 2 tomatoes pealed and cut up

Directions
Heat oil in a pan
Let cook onions and peppers until tender
Add Herbs, tomatoes pealed and cut up
Let simmer 3 to 4 minutes
Salt and Pepper to taste


Variations - I add any of these if I have them
* 1/4 cabbage chopped up
* Cut up mushrooms
* Yellow Zucchini


This side is great with Sausage or Pan fried fish with mashed potatoes, quinoa or rice.

Caramel PoP Corn

Beware :
So Yummy and  Very addictive.
Recipe by Karo

Ingredients

• Cooking Spray
• 4 quarts popped popcorn
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup Karo Light or Dark Corn Syrup
• 1/2 cup butter (or margarine)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

• Directions

  1. Spray large shallow roasting pan with cooking spray. Add popcorn and place in preheated 250 degrees F oven while preparing caramel.
  2. Or Pop kernels in Popcorn Machine then transfer to roasting pan.
  3. Mix brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and salt in a heavy 2-quart saucepan. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium heat.
  4. Boil 5 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat. Stir in baking soda and vanilla; mix well.
  5. Pour syrup over warm popcorn, stirring to coat evenly.
  6. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and spread on foil that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
  7. Cool; break apart. Store in tightly covered container.

Simple Shallot Vinaigrette

Mix together

1Tbs salt

1tsp black pepper

1Tbs Italian herbs - if you don't have fresh herbs

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

3/4 cup of vinegar (tarragon, white wine, appple cider)

1 1/2 to 2 cups of Olive Oil
1 cup of vegetable oil or better yet Avocado oil

Mix with a Stick Mixer or put it in a Blender. Or with a fork.

Add fresh bundle of Parsley or Cilantro chopped or put it in blender at the end so it's not pulverized! :)

Add one big chopped Shallots -do not blend in mixer.


You want your acid and oil to be about 1 to 3 ratio -1cup of acid to 3 cups of oil... And you can use any type of vinegar and oil combination. This is one that we like a lot.

This dressing makes me eat Salad almost every day! I LOVE IT!

Easy Pan Fried Tilapia Fish

Ingredients and KnowHow

* 5 fillets of Talipia patted dry with paper towel
* Flour coat fish (may add a little Coriander)
* 2 or 3 Tbs of Butter in frying pan
Can subtitute for coconut oil and or olive oil.
* Cook fish for 6-8 mn on each side on medium heat
* Lemon juice squeezed generously on fish  
* Salt and Pepper to taste


Great with quinoa or mashed potatoes and veggies on the side.