Chorizo Turkey Thighs

My family has always preferred dark meat turkey. You can have the breast, we'll take the drumsticks and thighs!

>> See it done!


Ingredients

• 1/2 lb Chorizo Sausage.
• 3 C Cornbread Stuffing mix (1 1/2 boxes).
• 3 - 5 lbs Turkey Thighs.
• 1 C chicken broth.
• 1 rib celery, chopped.
• 1 bu cilantro, chopped.
• 1 t chili powder.
• 1 clove garlic, minced.
• 1/4 t ginger.
• 1/4 t pepper.
• 1/4 t salt.
• 2 - 3 T olive oil.
• 1 small onion (1/2 C), chopped.
• 4 - 7 oz can chopped green chilis.

Preparation

1. Set oven to 325 F.
2. Heat up a large skillet, and add olive oil to cover the bottom.
3. Mix chorizo and onion in the skillet. Cook until the chorizo is slightly brown, and the onion is transparent.
4. Add celery and garlic, cook until celery is tender.
5. Add chopped chilis, stuffing mix and chicken broth.
6. Cook briefly, until most of the broth is absorbed by the stuffing mix.
7. Add the cilantro, toss briefly.
8. Spoon the stuffing mixture into a 9" baking dish.
9. Put turkey thighs on top of the stuffing mixture, with the skin side up.
10. Rub the skin with olive oil.
11. Mix chili powder, ginger, pepper, salt.
12. Rub the spice mixture into the thigh skin.
13. Roast in the heated oven 2 hours - or until a poultry thermometer reads 175 F.
14. Add more broth, until the stuffing is appropriately moist.
15. Toss briefly, and serve immediately.

See it Done!

Turkey thighs, 1/2 lb of chorizo sausage, chili powder / ginger / pepper / salt.

3 C stuffing mix, 1 C broth, 1/2 C chopped onion, 1 rib celery - chopped, 1 garlic clove - minced, 4 - 7 oz chopped chilis, 1/4 C cilantro.

Mix chorizo and onion in a heated large skillet, and cook until the onions are transparent.

Add chopped celery, and minced garlic.

Cook until celery is soft.

Add chilies, stuffing mix, and chicken broth. Cook briefly, until most of the broth is absorbed by the stuffing mix.

Add cilantro, and mix. Spoon the stuffing into a 9" baking dish.

Put thighs on to top of stuffing, skin side up. Rub olive oil into the skin.

Combine the chili powder / ginger / pepper / salt.

Rub the spice mixture into the skin.

Roast at 325 F for 2 hours - or until a poultry thermometer reads 175 F.

Wait.

Almost ready.

Add broth, until the stuffing is appropriately moist. Toss the stuffing briefly, and serve.

Bourbon Chicken

You can serve this as "bourbon barbeque chicken", with the sauce absorbed by the chicken. It is so fragrant, as it cooks.

Since I cooked it overnight, the first time, it made an excellent breakfast sandwich.

Grated ginger is a key ingredient. Avoid grating your fingers, when grating the ginger.


Ingredients

• 2 or 3 lbs chicken
• 1/4 C cornstarch
• 1/4 C sliced green onions (to taste)
• Bourbon Sauce

Bourbon Sauce

• 1/3 cup apple juice
• 1/4 cup bourbon
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• salt & pepper, if needed
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup water

Preparation

1. Mix all sauce ingredients in a bowl.
2. Place chicken in slow cooker, pour sauce over chicken. Cover and cook on Low 6-7 hours / overnight.
3. Remove cooked chicken from pot, leaving the sauce.
4. Combine 1/4 C water with cornstarch. Turn cooker up to High. Pour cornstarch mixture into the sauce. Cover and allow sauce to thicken, stirring occasionally (5 - 10 minutes).
5. While the sauce is cooking, shred chicken using two forks. With chicken properly cooked, it will almost shred itself.
6. Stir shredded chicken back into the sauce and add green onions.
7. Turn cooker to Warm, cover, get the rest of the meal ready (if you can wait). Sample as necessary - and pour yourself a finger of bourbon. Cook until the sauce is absorbed by the chicken, to serve as barbeque - or serve over rice, as is.

Inspired by SpendWithPennies: Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken - and simplified by me. This was my first recipe using freshly grated ginger - and the grating was worth it.

Apple / Kale / Raisin Salad

This is a salad - but i will also eat it as a dessert.

Ingredients

• 1 apple, cored and chopped
• 1 bunch kale, chopped
• 1 C raisins
• 1 to 2 T honey (adjust as you like it)
• 2 T lime juice
• 1 T olive oil
• 1/8 t pepper
• 1/8 t salt
• 1/4 C plain yogurt

Preparation

1. Core and chop the apple. Halve the cored apple vertically, then chop each half 4 x 4 - 32 pieces.
2. Wash the kale - then chop into thin ribbons, and cross cut into pieces sized similar to the apple chunks.
3. Mix honey, lime juice, olive oil, pepper, and salt. Pour over kale, and toss carefully.
4. Add the chopped apple and the raisins, and mix well.
5. Chill for an hour or so.
6. Toss again.
7. Serve.

Skillet Cooked Apples

This is a perfect way to use up apples, getting slightly ripe in my refrigerator. It's healthy (if you use margarine or oil) - but tastes decadent.

I like an old fashioned cast iron skillet, from time to time - but a non stick pan made the picture taking easier.

>> See it done!


Ingredients

• 1/4 C butter (margarine / cooking oil).
• 3 lbs (8 or 9) apples, cored and chopped.
• 1 C ripe grapes, or 1/2 C raisins.
• 1/4 C brown sugar.
• 1/4 t cinnamon.
• 1/8 t ginger.
• 1/8 t nutmeg.
• 1/4 C bourbon / rum (opt).

Preparation

1. Core then chop the apples.
2. Heat up a large skillet on high heat, add butter (margarine) to melt. Or use cooking oil for low cholesterol.
3. Reduce heat to medium, and add apples and grapes or raisins.
4. Stir fruit so each piece is lightly coated in melted butter (margarine).
5. Sprinkle fruit with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, stir to mix thoroughly.
6. Sprinkle with sugar, stir again.
7. Saute fruit mixture, stirring frequently, until apple pieces are soft. Cover, reduce to low heat, simmer 10 - 15 minutes. The pan will have a good amount (1/4 C or so) of juice in the bottom.
8. Drizzle with bourbon or rum, if interested.
9. Spoon cooked mixture into serving bowls, decorate lightly with ice cream - or Yogurt Sauce (opt).

See it Done!

Apples (cored), spices, raisins, sugar.

Chop the apples.

Melt butter in the skillet.

Add the apples.

Add raisins. Add spices, then sugar, stirring each time. The aroma fills the house.

Cook on medium, stirring occasionally, until apples are soft. Cover, simmer on low 10 - 15 minutes. Drizzle with bourbon / rum if desired.

Serve hot, from the skillet.

Cold Ramen Noodles

Most people cook Ramen Noodles. In hot weather, cold noodles are very satisfying - and can be “cooked” without heat.

This is great, for a planned emergency . When using all dried ingredients, this can be made any time when needed.

>> See it done!


Ingredients

• 1/2 t Curry Powder.
• 1/8 t Ground Garlic.
• 1/2 t Ground Ginger.
• 1 T Dried Chopped Onion - or 1/4 C Fresh Onion, minced.
• 1/2 t Paprika.
• 1 C Water.
• 1 Package Of Ramen Noodles (Shrimp, for me).
• 1/4 C Cottage Cheese.
• 1 splash of Mae Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce.
• Sprinkle of chopped chives.

Preparation

1. Combine spices, in a large cereal bowl.
2. Mix in onion (chopped or fresh).
3. Open Ramen Noodles package. Separate the noodles, flavour, oil, and vegs packets (Note that packets included will vary)..
4. Mix flavour and vegs packets (as included) into the spices bowl.
5. Crumble noodles into the bowl, mix with spices etc.
6. Add water, mix with contents.
7. Refrigerate noodles mixture, to marinate 2 - 4 hours.
8. Remove from refrigerator, when marinated.
9. Mix in cottage cheese, oil packet (as included), chili sauce.
10. Serve promptly.

See it Done!

Add flavour packet, onion, spices to a large cereal bowl.

Crush Ramen noodles. I use a plastic bag.

Add ramen noodles and water, to the bowl. Mix.

Cover, and marinate.

Mix in chili sauce and cottage cheese, once the noodles have expanded.

Garnish with chopped chives.

Jambalaya (Dollar Store)

Everything here can come from a Dollar Store - and it cooks in a microwave. It's perfect for a quick potluck contribution.

Try the Supreme Version, with additional / fresh ingredients, for a special dish.

This is perfect. to "celebrate" the first day of winter.

>> See it done!

>> Supreme Version


Ingredients

• Jambalaya Mix, 8 oz
• Chicken, 2 x 8 oz sandwiches
• Chili powder, 1 t
• Curry powder, 1 t
• Garlic, 1 clove, minced
• Ginger powder, 1 t
• Mushroom pieces, 10 oz can / jar
• Onions, chopped and dried, 2 T
• Red pepper strips, 10 oz jar / diced pimento peppers, 4 oz jar
• Rotel tomatoes / green chilies, 10 oz can
• Water, 3 C
• Salsa, 4 oz

Preparation

1. Remove chicken patties from sandwiches, chop chicken into 1/4" cubes.
2. Mix Jambalaya mix, chopped chicken, chopped onion, spices.
3. Add water.
4. Microwave mix etc 10 minutes, on high.
5. Add 1/2 to 3/4 each of the veggies.
6. Microwave 30 - 40 minutes, on high - 10 minutes at a time, stirring each 10 minutes.
7. When all liquid is absorbed by the rice, the jambalaya is done. Cover, and let it sit 10 - 15 minutes to thicken.
8. Add remainder of veggies, and salsa. Mix well.
9. Let it cool slightly, and serve.
10. Have lots of cold beer, soft beverages, and / or water ready.

Supreme Version

• Substitute 8 oz fresh ground turkey - for chicken sandwiches.
• Add 6 - 8 oz canned shellfish (clams, oysters, scallops).
• Substitute 1 medium fresh onion, diced - for dried onions.
• Added / substituted ingredients may overfill the typical microwave casserole dish. Cook in a dutch oven on stovetop, instead of in microwave - it is much easier to stir ingredients when cooking in a stovetop pot.
• Saute the meat - then the garlic, onions, mushrooms, and tomatoes - in that order - before adding rice and spices.

See it Done!

Jambalaya Mix, spices, water, vegs, chicken.

Add spices, and water.

Add vegs, and chicken.

Cook until no water is visible.

Stir once more. Mix everything lovingly.

Cover, and leave alone for 15 minutes.

Stir once more - and serve. Some sourdough bread - and a nice red wine (or apple / mango juice) - are perfect accompaniments.

More New Spices

I ran out of dried mint a month ago, and I've been waiting to get another bag. I finally got the opportunity to visit my favorite Middle Eastern grocery, this week.


A huge bag of dried mint, for $3.00 ($20.00 worth, at a supermarket). Plus caraway, cardamom, and ginger root.

I'll buy spices in plastic bags, especially at these prices - but I hate storing spices in the bags, when I have this collection of empty spice jars. The jars are way more convenient to open, when I cook.

This is at least $50.00 at supermarket prices (except you can't get black caraway, anywhere). At Afghan Market in Concord, this was just over $10.00.

Unlike my last spice purchase, I know everything here. The black caraway is an essential in my chili and similar dishes - Cuban Style Black Beans, for instance. And the mint will go into a lot of dishes - including the Sesame Mint Rice.

A most satisfying afternoon shopping.

New Spices

After some urging by friends, I tossed some of my older spices. This week, I ordered some new ones, to replace a few that I ran out of recently - and to try some different ones.

Sent by Mark & Reese at Season With Spice, using USPS Express Mail. 3 days after placing the order, I was taking the picture.

Now, to find some new recipes. I am familiar with coriander and mustard. And I have a few curry recipes. Garam Masala I am just learning - and the other two will be completely new.

So, Google is your friend, we'll see what happens.

Potato Leek Soup - Microwave Version

Potato Leek Soup is wonderful during cold weather, served hot, or during hot weather, served chilled. A bit of San Francisco sourdough bread is a perfect accompaniment.

• 3 T olive oil
  
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
  
• 1/2 bunch cilantro leaves, minced (opt)
  
• 1/2 t dillweed
  
• 1/2 t marjoram
  
• 1/2 t rosemary
  
• 1 bunch green onion, diced
  
• 1 med yellow onion, diced
  
• 2 leeks, well cleaned and diced
  
• 3 lb potatoes (9 - 12 medium potatoes), well washed, scrubbed, and diced 1/2" cubes
  
• 4 C chicken or vegetable broth (4 boullion cubes + 4 C boiling water)
  
• 1 can evaporated milk
  
• 2/3 C oatmeal
  
• ground pepper, nutmeg, diced green onions for garnish
  

1. Put olive oil in microwaveable bowl, add cilantro and garlic, crumble dried spices into bowl. Cook 30 seconds at 100.
   
2. Add half of the green onion to bowl, cook 1 minute at 100. Reserve other half for garnish.
   
3. Add yellow onion, cook 2 minutes at 100.
   
4. Add leeks, cook 5 minutes at 100.
   
5. Microwave 4C water and bouillon cubes for 8 - 10 minutes at 100.
   
6. Pour broth into 7Qt stew pot, put on stove, put burner on High and heat for a couple minutes.
   
7. Add oatmeal, and vegetables and spices mixture, to stew pot, stir well.
   
8. Add potatoes and milk to pot, stir well.
   
9. Add enough water to pot, to bring level to a couple inches below top of pot.
   
10. Bring up heat to simmer, turn down to slow simmer.
    
11. Cook 30 - 45 minutes, until vegetables are tender and soup thickens. Make sure potatoes are very soft. Longer is better.
    
12. Garnish with ground pepper, nutmeg, and reserved chopped green onions.
    
13. Serve immediately, if you're hungry. Best flavour may be obtained from refrigerating overnight, but take precautions, if you do this.
    

Clean The Leeks Well
Leeks are a root vegetable like green onions. Unlike the green onion, they gather a lot of dirt inside the root. You must clean them very thoroughly. Nothing kills good soup more than gritty taste (however well cooked). Google for "leeks laxative", if you don't understand the consequences.

• Trim the root (hairy end), and trim the top, keeping an inch or so of the green leafy leek. Save the remainder for other soups, or cooking in general.
  
• Slice the leek lengthwise, in half.
  
• Hold the half in your hand so it doesn't separate, agitate in a large pan of water for a good 30 seconds to wash all dirt out of the root. Don't be in a hurry here, clean well. Repeat for each half.
  
• Drain the pan. Wash all dirt out of the pan, refill with water, and repeat cleaning until the pan drains totally clean.
  
• Let the leek halves drain well, slice as thin as you can vertically, then chop horizontally.
  

If Prepared The Previous Night
With most soups and stews, and this recipe is no exception, the flavour is intensified from sitting overnight, in a well sealed refrigerator container, after cooking. But be prepared. The oatmeal in this recipe will continue to soak up fluids, even when refrigerated.

So if you prepare potato leek soup, and plan to serve it the next day, have a couple extra bouillon cubes ready. Make a couple cups extra broth, before warming the soup for serving. If the soup has turned into stew, or aspic even, warm it slowly and add 1/2 cup of broth, or even more, until it becomes a soup again. The flavour will be perfect, and the consistency will make the extra effort worthwhile.

The Leftover Portion Of The Leek
Do not throw out the green leafy portion of the leek - it's all good. It makes an perfect substitute for onion in any recipe. Properly diced, it works quite well in Couscous Salad, or Tabouilli, for instance.

Potato Leek Soup

Potato Leek Soup is wonderful during cold weather, served hot, or during hot weather, served chilled. A bit of San Francisco sourdough bread is a perfect accompaniment. A simpler version of this recipe, that takes a lot less work, is Potato Soup.

• 3 T olive oil
  
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
  
• 1/2 bunch cilantro leaves, minced (opt)
  
• 1/2 t dillweed
  
• 1/2 t marjoram
  
• 1/2 t rosemary
  
• 1 bunch green onion, diced
  
• 1 med yellow onion, diced
  
• 2 leeks, well cleaned and diced
  
• 3 lb potatoes (9 - 12 medium potatoes), well washed, scrubbed, and diced 1/2" cubes
  
• 4 C chicken or vegetable broth (4 boullion cubes + 4 C boiling water)
  
• 4 C milk (1 can evaporated milk + 3 C water)
  
• 2/3 C oatmeal
  
• ground pepper, nutmeg, diced green onions for garnish
  

1. Heat dutch oven (large dutch oven is best) to medium temperature, add olive oil, add cilantro and garlic, crumble dried spices into pan. Saute a few seconds, stir briskly.
   
2. Add half of the green onion, saute 30 seconds or so, stir briskly. Reserve other half for garnish.
   
3. Add yellow onion, saute a couple minutes.
   
4. Add leeks, cook 5 min or so, stir frequently.
   
5. Add oatmeal, stir a couple minutes to brown it.
   
6. Add potatoes, stir a few minutes to brown them.
   
7. Add broth and milk, stir, bring up heat to simmer, turn down to slow simmer.
   
8. Cook 30 - 45 minutes, until vegetables are tender and soup thickens. Make sure potatoes are very soft. Longer is better.
   
9. Garnish with ground pepper, nutmeg, and reserved chopped green onions.
   
10. Serve immediately, if you're hungry. Best flavour may be obtained from refrigerating overnight, but take precautions, if you do this.
    

Clean The Leeks Well Leeks are a root vegetable like green onions. Unlike the green onion, they gather a lot of dirt inside the root. You must clean them very thoroughly. Nothing kills good soup more than gritty taste (however well cooked). Google for "leeks laxative", if you don't understand the consequences.

• Trim the root (hairy end), and trim the top, keeping an inch or so of the green leafy leek. Save the remainder for other soups, or cooking in general.
  
• Slice the leek lengthwise, in half.
  
• Hold the half in your hand so it doesn't separate, agitate in a large pan of water for a good 30 seconds to wash all dirt out of the root. Don't be in a hurry here, clean well. Repeat for each half.
  
• Drain the pan. Wash all dirt out of the pan, refill with water, and repeat cleaning until the pan drains totally clean.
  
• Let the leek halves drain well, slice as thin as you can vertically, then chop horizontally.
  

If Prepared The Previous Night With most soups and stews, and this recipe is no exception, the flavour is intensified from sitting overnight, in a well sealed refrigerator container, after cooking. But be prepared. The oatmeal in this recipe will continue to soak up fluids, even when refrigerated. So if you prepare potato leek soup, and plan to serve it the next day, have a couple extra bouillon cubes ready. Make a couple cups extra broth, before warming the soup for serving. If the soup has turned into stew, or aspic even, warm it slowly and add 1/2 cup of broth, or even more, until it becomes a soup again. The flavour will be perfect, and the consistency will make the extra effort worthwhile. The Leftover Portion Of The Leek Do not throw out the green leafy portion of the leek - it's all good. It makes an perfect substitute for onion in any recipe. Properly diced, it works quite well in Couscous Salad, or Tabouilli, for instance.

The Making Of 200 Stuffed Mushrooms

Day 0 - Involvement
All I wanted to do is prove that men can cook too, so I volunteered to work on preparations for the party.

"What can I bring?" I asked. Sue looked at her list.

"How about stuffed mushrooms?".

Well, I've made stuffed mushrooms a few times, and never been too impressed. But they are easy enough to make - just snap the stems off, chop up the stems, add a few veggies and spices, stuff the mixture into the empty (stems removed) caps, and bake. An easy project.

"Sounds good to me. How many shall I bring? A couple dozen or so?".

"Well, we're planning on 50 people. Better make it a few more. Say 200."

Whoops.

Well, I'm not one to back down, so I thought why not? And the fun began.

Day 1 - Purchase and Preparation
So how do you get 200 mushrooms? That's a lot of mushrooms. Thanks to Lois, also in the party planning committee, I found my way to Lunardi's Grocery in Walnut Creek.

Inside I went, to the vegetable department, and found a grocery clerk. And 10 minutes later, I left the store with a 10 pound case of fresh mushrooms.

Did I say this already? That's a lot of mushrooms.

First, came the task of cleaning. Well, the largest container that I have, that was suited for this task, was a salad spinner. Which held a couple pounds at a time. And I quickly developed a routine, born of necessity.

• Half fill the empty salad spinner with dirty (and boy were they) mushrooms.
  
• Fill with water, agitate til water turns brown.
  
• Drain mushrooms from salad spinner.
  
• Replace slightly clean mushrooms in salad spinner, and repeat process.
  
• As each quantity of mushrooms became so clean that the water drained off them was clear, agitate the drainer well to ensure that all of the water drained off them, then dump the clean mushrooms into a Tupperware container.
  
• Repeat the above process, with another 2 pounds or so.
  

Once I had filled 3 large Tupperware containers with nice clean, dry mushrooms, I sealed the containers, put them in the refrigerator, and called it a day.


BEFORE

• Empty mushroom caps.
  
• Mushroom stems.
  
• Bread crumbs.
  
• Leftover mushrooms (my patience ran thin after 200).
  
• Chopped veggies.
  

Day 2 - Cooking
The second day started with my realisation that my old recipe - One Dozen Easy Stuffed Mushrooms - was nowhere to be found. The reason why I started this blog, in the first place, was that I had grown tired of my recipe box - which was an index card holder stuffed full of documents that were not all on index cards. Looking it up on the web is so much easier, and more fun.

So back to the web I went, and, from a Gohoo of:

recipe stuffed mushrooms garlic onion cheese

I rounded up half a dozen or so interesting recipes. From the recipes, I observed:

• Proper proportions.
  
• Additional ingredients.
  
• Cooking techniques.
  

The issue of cooking techniques, in particular, was quite enlightening. I learned to (DOHH) cook the spices / stems / veggies mixture BEFORE adding it to the bread / cheese, and stuffing the mushrooms. So that's why the ones I made always fell apart, and why the veggies were always so hard when the mushrooms were eaten.

The idea of letting the mushrooms cook until the pan was full of water was, likewise, a new idea to me. Previously, I had thought that shrunken, watery mushrooms meant that they had been cooked for too long, and at too high a heat. So my previous attempts would end up with semi-cooked, yet leathery, mushrooms.

The whole Internet experience was well worth the time. Obviously, you already know that, cause you're here. Unless you're here for the laughs, in which case welcome to Chuck's Kitchen. And, if you're ever in the Martinez area, and feel the need for spiritual refreshment, you could do a lot worse than dropping by Martinez UMC, which is where this story started.


AFTER

• 3 pans of cooked and drained stuffed mushrooms (some taste testing was done, you will count MAYBE 150 I dunno).
  
• Leftover caps.
  
• Leftover stems.
  

I didn't buy enough bread, and ran out of crumbs, after stuffing 175 or so, so I had a few mushrooms left over. The leftovers were cooked the following week, when I wrote my second recipe using normal quantities.

Cucumber / Yogurt Dressing / Dip

Cucumber / yogurt is completely healthy - and the garlic makes it even more so. Give me a bowl of this - and a bag of chips - and that's my evening.

(Photos in progress)

Ingredients [I double the quantity, to make the effort worthwhile.]

• 1 1/2 t [1 T] minced garlic
• 3T [3/8 C] olive oil
• 2T [1/4 C] vinegar
• 2C [1 Pint] yogurt, plain fat-free
• 1T [2 T] dried mint
• 1 [2] cucumber, chopped

Preparation

1. Combine garlic, olive oil, vinegar in large bowl, mix well.
2. Add yogurt, mix well.
3. Clean the mint well, and crumble it. Try and remove all stems and sticks, if any are found. Add it to the yogurt mixture, and mix.
4. Add cucumber, mix again.
5. Chill in refrigerator, for an hour or so (if you can wait)

Variations

• Slice the cucumber - serve as salad (this is the original Greek recipe).
• Chop the cucumber coarsely, makes a good salad dressing.
• Chop the cucumber finely, makes a good dip for pita bread, or taco chips.

California Taboulli

Tabouli (Taboulli) is completely healthy, all ingredients are beneficial to your body in some way or another.

Ingredients

• 1 C Bulgar wheat / Couscous
• 1 C boiling water
• 1 bu green onion
• 1 cucumber
• 1 bu parsley
• 2 - 3 tomatoes, nice and firm
• Mint - carefully chosen
• 1/2 C olive oil
• 1/2 C lemon juice
• 1/4 t pepper
• 1/4 t salt

Preparation
Hand chop all ingredients, the flavour and texture will make it worth the inconvenience.

1. Pour Bulgar wheat / Couscous into air tight refrigerator container.
2. Pour boiling water onto the wheat, swish around so all wheat gets nice and well mixed with water. Cover and let sit for 1/2 hour or so, until wheat is well cooked, and dry.
3. Wash and thoroughly dry parsley, onions, tomatoes, mint.
4. Separate parsley flowers from stalks, chop flowers well.
5. Chop onions well.
6. Chop tomatoes as small as you can get without being mushy.
7. Chop mint (sorted, and cleaned) as small as you can get.
8. Peel, then chop cucumber as small as you can get.
9. Fluff cooked wheat up, scrape off bottom of dish, combine vegetables with wheat, mix well.
10. Combine lemon juice, oil, salt, pepper in shaker, shake well, pour over salad mixture, mix well.
11. Cover air tight, and refrigerate.
12. Keep it cool, and eat it fast. Fortunately, eating it fast is not hard - or unhealthy.

Buying, Extracting, and Sorting Mint

Mint is the key ingredient in the tabouilli, so get the best possible.
Grade the mint in the store before buying:

• A Grade: If you get to the herb counter and smell the mint before you see it, you have A Grade. Buy 1 bunch.
• A- Grade: If the air smells of it as you pick it up, it's A-. Buy 2 bunches.
• B Grade: If you pick it up, and your fingers stink from it, it's B. Buy 2 of the best bunches.
• B- Grade: If you wave it around, and it smells sort of good, it's B-. Buy the 2 absolutely best bunches on the shelf. Then go to another store, and look for some better too. Buy at least 1 more bunch at another store.
• C Grade: Anything less is C Grade. If this is the second (or third store) buy 2 or 3 bunches of C Grade, and prepare to sort leaves. If this is the first store, buy the 1 absolutely best bunch, then go elsewhere for another 2 bunches.
• If you cannot get better than C grade, and it looks like you may have to buy 4 or 5 bunches and sort them, maybe it's not a good week for Tabouilli. Unless your audience is set on having Tabouilli, maybe you should consider another offering, like Cabbage / Mushroom / Shrimp / Tofu Salad. Don't serve substandard Tabouilli.

Bag the mint immediately, before putting it in the shopping cart. I carry a couple 1 gallon zip loc storage bags when I go shopping, and squeeze all the air out of the bag, before sealing it. Obviously you have to prepared to tell the cashier what it is. If there is a product tag on the mint, try to bag so the tag is visible without opening.

When you get home, separate and sort the leaves. Break the leaves off, cleanly, from the stalks. The best leaves are 2 - 3" long, and crisp. Not limp, not thick and heavy. Thin and crisp. You will want the best leaves, and you will want enough to fill a 2 quart mixing bowl to the top, without being packed down - just tossed in while sorting.

If you bought 3 or 4 bunches, sort into 2 bowls, put the not so good leaves into a second bowl. If you don't get enough top quality leaves to fill the first bowl, add not so good leaves, but try to fill 1 1/2 - 2 bowls, total, with those.

Wash the leaves, gently, in cold running water. Drain well, then spin dry in a salad spinner. Repeatedly spin, until no water comes out. The dryer the better.

Potato Salad

Ingredients

• 7 - 8 medium potatoes
• 3 eggs, hardboiled and chopped
• 1 small onion / 1 bu green onion, minced
• 2 stalks celery, minced
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 T pickle relish or Olive water
• 1 T garlic pickle water
• 1 T mustard
• 1/2 t mustard powder
• 1/2 t cajun hot sauce
• 1 t dill weed

Preparation

1. Chop potatoes - 1/4" cubes.
2. Cook in microwave oven on high 3 minutes, stir well, repeatedly cook 3 minutes then stir, until potatoes start to crumble when being stirred. Then microwave one more 3 minute period. Should be really soft yet still have shape.
3. Cool potatoes in refrigerator until potatoes are cool.
4. Mix potatoes, eggs, onion, celery.
5. Mix sauce, pour over potato mix, mix well.
6. Refrigerate again - overnite (best flavour) if you can wait.

Kahlua Cake

Kahlua, and everything else, is not healthy - but it has chocolate. Enough said.

Allow 2 days to make this, the results are worth it.


Ingredients

• 1 Cake, German Chocolate or Dark Chocolate
• 1 C Kahlua
• 1 - 2 7 oz Cans whipped cream
• 6 - 8 Heath bars

Preparation
I highly recommend using genuine Kahlua - accept no substitute.

1. Cook cake until dry (add 1/3 extra cooking time over instructions).
2. Let cake cool overnite in pan. (That's one day).
3. Poke holes in cake thoroughly, pour Kahlua over cake.
4. Let Kahlua seep into cake well (Overnite is best - and that's the second day).
5. Cool Heath bars overnite in refrigerator (they crumble better).
6. Crumble / crush Heath bars into crumbs.
7. Crumble cake with fingers (the fun part), and layer in glass bowl (3 - 4 layers), each layer in proper order.
   
   • Cake.
   • Whipped cream.
   • Heath bar crumbs.
8. Lick fingers when done (the best part of preparation).
9. Serve quickly (if you can wait).

California Hummous

Or is it hummus? homos? Who cares??!!




Ingredients

• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 cans garbanzo beans
• 2/3 C water
• 1 fresh lime, well squeezed
• 3 T Tahini
• 1/4 t oregano
• 1/4 t parsley flakes
• 1/2 t black pepper
• 1/2 t cumin
• Trace of olive oil
• Pinch of parsley flakes, crushed

Preparation

1. Peel and dump garlic whole, into food processor.
2. Process on high until garlic is well minced, and pieces stick all over inside of bowl. Scrape pieces off sides.
3. Drain, then wash garbanzo beans, then drain again.
4. Puree garbanzo beans and garlic, mixing water while pureeing.
5. Add lime juice and tahini, blend again.
6. Add oregano, parsley, pepper, cumin; blend thoroughly.
7. Dump puree into large serving bowl.
8. Drizzle olive oil over top, crush and sprinkle parsley flakes on top.
9. Serve with chips or pita bread, or as sauce over baked potatoes.