Saturday, September 29, 2012

Grilled Butterflied Spicy Lamb

These are a perfect main dish to make any time  It is spicy and juicy and who doesn't love grilled lamb? Anyone? I thought so...

Enjoy!



Grilled Butterflied Spicy Lamb Fillets                  serves 4

2 lamb necks
1/4 c oil
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tbl chili power
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic salt
2 tbl honey

1. Make a paste from the oil, honey and spices. Cut your lamb necks into two pieces and then slice lengthwise almost all the way through (like a hot dog). Coat meat on both sides with spicy paste. Cover and let marinate 2 hours to overnight. 

2. Heat up your grill to medium heat. Oil the rack and grill lamb 22-27 mins, turning halfway through. Get a nice char on these bad boys spicy rub, it tastes delicious.

3. Serve hot and enjoy with a big side of veggies like grilled asparagus or grilled eggplant. 

Calories Calculated using Sparkrecipes Calculator: 170.3 calories per serving



Thursday, September 20, 2012

Apricot Bars

If your tree is brimming with apricots this summer and you need a place to put them. This is an excellent place to start: Apricot bars.

I have always loved raspberry bars and strawberry bars growing up, but they were always made with jam. They never tasted fresh to me. I vowed to never dip into the jelly unless it was for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

This recipe is very simple and you can make a batch in just under an hour.

They go fast! 


Apricot Bars                                                     Makes 16 bars

Crust:

6 tbl whole wheat flour
6 tbl all purpose flour
1/3 cup light brown sugar (not packed)
3 tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into bits and chilled
1 tbsp fat free Greek yogurt

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. In a food processor or by hand, combine the flours, brown sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, baking powder and salt and process until combined. Add the butter and yogurt to the flour mixture and pulse/work with your hands until butter is the size of peas and mixture sticks together. 

2. Spray a medium jelly roll pan with release spray (pam) then, turn out your dough, pressing into an even layer.

Bake until evenly browned about 20-22 minutes.  Cool the crust on a metal rack for at least 15 - 20 minutes. 

Prepare the Filling while crust bakes:

6 apricots, depitted, cut into 6ths
1/2 c sugar
juice of one lemon
1 egg

1. Add all the ingredients to a small pot and cook on medium-low for 20 minutes or until apricots break down and begin to thicken. 

2. Whisk egg quickly for 15 seconds, add 1 tbl of hot apricot compote and blend. Add egg mixture to rest of the hot apricots, mix until fully combined. 

Crisp Topping

1 tbl butter
1/4 c oats
1/4 c all purpose flour
1 tbl brown sugar 

1. In a separate bowl, combine all ingredients together in food processor or by hand until crumbly and butter is well blended.

Assembly

1. Spread the hot apricot compote over the warm crust and sprinkle with crisp.

2. Bake at 350F for 15 minutes or until golden and bubbly. 

3. Cut into bars and serve hot with ice cream or cold for any time :)



Calories calculated using Sparkrecipes Calculator: 109 Calories per serving

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Light Tiramisu

Having a group of ladies coming over today, I opted for something light but sophisticated to serve.

For a delicious dessert that is perfect for an adult get together-this is it.



Light Tiramisu                                               Makes 6 servings

1/2 c espresso, room temp
2 tbl rum
1 tbl brandy
2 eggs, room temp
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c mascarpone cheese
8 oz Cool Whip Topping
12-3 inch lady-finger cookies
1 oz bitter-sweet chocolate
unsweetened cocoa (for dusting)
12-3 in lady-finger cookies (Optional)


1. Mix together espresso, rum and brandy, set aside.

2. Separate the eggs. In an electric mixer, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft curls form. Beat in 4 tbl of sugar, until egg whites form stiff peaks. Scrape the whites into a small bowl. Wash the mixer and beaters.

3. Beat the egg yolks with 3 tbl of sugar until they stiff and light colored. On low, mix in the mascarpone until mixture is lump free. Mix in Cool Whip, then the egg whites until fully incorporated.

4. In your individual serving dishes, scoop a heaping soup spoonful of the mascarpone cream into the bottom of each dish (using only half of the total mixture).

5. Take your lady fingers, two at a time, and submerge them into the espresso mixture for 5 seconds or until soaked. Squeeze them slightly until they stop dripping and lay over the cream.

6. Shave the bitter-sweet chocolate over the cookies until they are moderately covered. Spoon the remaining cream over the cookies in each serving dish.

7. Top with remaining lady finger cookies, or simply finish each dish with a light dusting of cocoa powder.



Calories calculated using SparkRecipes Calculator: 290 calories per serving.






















Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Mom's Fried Chicken

I know. I know. There are probably a million recipes for "Mom's Fried Chicken" out there in that vast sea of the internet, but this is the chicken I grew up with. This is the recipe of warm hearts and tummies.

And in my opinion; is the best, non greasy, perfectly moist, EASIEST fried chicken out there.



Mom's Fried Chicken

2 lbs of FROZEN, boneless chicken pieces, 4-6in long
1 c all purpose flour
2 tsp salt
3 tsp pepper
1 tbl garlic powder
2 tbl onion powder
2 tsp "Pappy's Spice" (Optional, if used reduce salt to 1 tsp)

1. Mix all the dry ingredients in a resealable ziplock bag, mush it around a bit to combine all the spices. Add half the frozen chicken tenders and coat well with flour mixture. Let set for 5 mins.

2. In a wide, deep frying pan, heat up 1/2 in of vegetable oil on medium heat.

3. Add chicken tenders to the hot oil, leaving a bit of room in between each piece (for turning).

  If you are using chicken BONE IN: Fry 15-10, 15 minutes one side, then flip and cook another 10.
  If you are using chicken BONELESS: Fry 10-15, 10 minutes one side, then flip and cook another 15.



Fry until golden brown of course.

4. Turn down the heat to low and cook chicken an additional 10 minutes to insure they are fully cooked all the way through. You could check each tender with a meat thermometer, but that is impractical for such small pieces. Repeat the process until all chicken is cooked.

5. Drain on paper towels. Serve alongside a fresh spinach salad with pears and Parmesan cheese dressing.


Calories calculated using SparkRecipes Calculator: 189.9 calories per serving, calories do not include oil absorbed during frying.