Extra Schmaltz!

This is a great dish to bring bright colors and fresh (non-mayonnaisey) flavors to a potluck. I used "maftoul" (giant couscous), but you could any grain that suits your fancy and stays toothsome when cooked: barley, wheat berries, bulghur, brown rice, wild rice, etc... 1.5 c. maftoul couscous 3 c. chicken broth 1 red bell pepper, diced 1 yellow bell pepper, diced 3 green onions, sliced 1/3 c. red onion, diced 1 can chickpeas, drained 1/4 c. olive oil 1 lemon 1 small bundle fresh mint, sliced thin 1 Tbsp paprika 2 tsp. black pepper 1 pinch allspice 1 Tbsp. salt or to taste 2 tsp. Aleppo pepper flakes (optional) Bring the chicken broth to a boil and add the couscous (or other grain). Reduce to a simmer and cook until tender (it is OK if there is extra liquid). Drain the grain and rinse under cold water. Cut the vegetables into uniform pieces and add to a serving bowl with the chickpeas and drained grain. Add olive oil and lemon juice and mint. Toss and se...

These are truly a labor of love, but the payoff is delicious (also, they freeze well). You could make these with any meat (ie shredded chicken) or even just potatoes or cheese. This uses hot water pastry crust, which rolls out like a dream and holds up well to chunky fillings. The dough I used for these is slightly different than my previous version , so I will post the full recipe. The yellow pepper paste (ají amarillo) I used adds a very nice medium spicy flavor to the filling. I found it at Sun Foods, and it is probably available at most Latino markets. Makes 50 6" empanadas Beef Filling 2-3 lb beef chuck roast 4 medium red potatoes 1/2 c. frozen peas 6 green onions 1c + 2 c. beef bullion 2 packets unflavored gelatine 1/4 c. chopped parsley 1/4 c. aji yellow pepper paste (optional) OR 2 Tbsp. tomato paste + 3 Tbsp. hot water + 1/2 tsp. cayenne 2 Tbsp. white vinegar 2 Tbsp. salt 1 Tbsp. sugar 2 tsp. black pepper Optional additions: Hard boiled egg sl...

Ingredients: 1 head cauliflower (2 lb), cut into florets 2 Tb olive oil 1/4 tsp whole cumin seed salt red pepper flakes 1 cup plain yogurt (I use Greek yogurt) 1 Tb lemon juice Method: 1) Heat oven to 425 F. On a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle florets with oil and sprinkle with cumin seed, salt, and red pepper flakes. 2) Roast, stirring once, until golden brown and tender, about 25 min. Let cool. 3) In food processor, purée cauliflower with yogurt and lemon juice. Season with salt. 4) Transfer to serving bowl. Garnish with red pepper flakes. Serve as dip with radicchio or endive (separated), carrot sticks, crackers, etc. * This dip only gets better as the flavors meld. Store in refrigerator for about five days. * Nutrition Information: This recipe serves 4. Per serv. 142 cals; 8 g fat (2 g sat fat); 5 mg chol; 13 g carb; 135 mg sodium; 6 g protein; 4 g fiber

I take great delight in convincing people they like foods they thought they hated. Spam is one of them. I re-examined this ingredient after a trip to the Spam Museum in Albert Lea, which led me to stumble across this recipe. It is also known as spam musubi, and it is native to Hawaii, where the US military bases introduced the locals to the 'wonders' of canned luncheon meat. Since each musubi is made with a cross-section of the whole Spam loaf, they make for a very filling appetizer. You can either season the rice as for sushi or leave it plain. These are a real crowd-pleaser and I've had a number of requests to bring these to parties. 1 can Spam 2 Tbsp. oil 1/3 c. terriyaki sauce 2 sheets nori, cut into 1.5" strips 1-2 qt cooked sushi rice (season with rice vinegar, salt, and sugar if desired) Remove the Spam from the tin--this may take some vigorous shaking. Slice into 1/4" pieces. Brush the pieces with terriyaki sauce. Fry lightly in a small amount o...