Carne Adovada

3 pounds pork loin, cut into 2 to 3-inch cubes

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons cumin

5 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and cut in half

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 yellow onions, chopped

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups tomato sauce

Put all ingredients in a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Cook covered for 3 to 4 hours. The pork should break apart easily when done. Remove pork from the braising liquid and reduce liquid until thick. 

Serve with over yellow rice or with flour tortillas.

Serves 4. 

Easy Spinach Quiche

1 frozen pie crust, 9" deep dish, thawed

1 cup half and half

1 cup milk

4 large eggs

1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Beat together half and half, milk and eggs. Add spinach, salt, pepper and oregano. Stir well then pour into crust. Bake until filling is slightly puffed and top is golden, about 50 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving warm.

Serves 3 to 4.

Thai Green Curry

2 medium shallots, minced

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon cumin

1 inch-long piece of galangal, thinly sliced

4 kaffir lime leaves

1 stalk lemongrass, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 14 oz can coconut milk 
3 teaspoons Thai green curry paste (or more depending on level of spiciness desired)

1 zucchini, sliced

1 yellow squash, sliced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 lb large shrimp

2 tbsp cilantro, chopped

In a medium saucepan, saute shallots and garlic in vegetable oil for 2 minutes.  Add next 8 ingredients and bring to a boil.  Let simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, saute zucchini and yellow squash in vegetable oil in a non-stick pan.  Add shrimp and strain sauce into pan.  Simmer until shrimp are cooked, about 3 minutes.

Serve over rice and topped with chopped cilantro.

Serves 2.

Noodles, Peas and Cheese

1 1/2 cups dried macaroni
1 1/2 tbsp. butter
1 1/2 tbsp. flour
2 tsp. dried mustard
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. white pepper
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
3 hot dogs, cut into 1/4 inch rounds
1 cup peas
1 tbsp. butter, melted
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Boil macaroni following package directions. Drain.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a large saucepan. Add flour and spices and saute until flour is cooked. Add the milk and stir vigorously. Bring to a boil, still stirring. Remove from heat and add cheese, stirring until cheese it melted. Add the macaroni, peas and hot dogs. Pour into a casserole dish. Mix melted butter and breadcrumbs and spread mixture evenly over the top of the macaroni and cheese. Bake for 30 minutes. Broil the casserole a little at the end to brown the breadcrumb mixture.

Serves 4.

Chili

1 lb. ground beef
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 onion, chopped,
1 can kidney beans
1 28 oz can chunky crushed tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. coriander
1 tbsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper

Brown ground beef with chili powder and onion in a large Dutch oven. Drain excess fat. Add garlic and saute one minute. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes.

Makes 4 servings.

Carrot Souffle

Original recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse.

1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 pounds carrots, chopped
4 large eggs
1 1/3 cups packed light brown sugar
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup milk
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of salt

Topping:
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13-inch (117, 2/3rd=78 or 9 by 9) casserole with the oil and set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the carrots, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes; drain. Combine the carrots with the remaining ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Depending on the size of your processor, you may need to so this in batches.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared casserole.

Combine the brown sugar, pecans, flour, and butter in a medium bowl. Stir to blend. Scatter the mixture over the top of the casserole and bake until the topping is lightly browned, 55 minutes to 1 hour.

Chicken and Curried Dumplings

2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
1 hot green chili, minced
2 chicken thighs
2 boneless split chicken breasts
1 bay leaf
2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken stock
1 (13.5 ounce) can lite coconut milk
1 (11 ounce) can of whole corn with juice
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Sprigs of fresh purple basil for garnish

Dumplings:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp. curry powder
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup milk

Heat the olive oil in a large pot and saute garlic, onion and chili. Add chicken, bay leaf and chicken stock and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer the chicken until it is tender and the thigh juices run clear, about 40 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and, when it is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and separate the meat from the bones. Return the chicken meat to the pot along with the corn. Add salt and pepper. Keep warm over low heat.

Prepare the dumplings: In a medium bowl, mix the flour, curry powder, baking powder and salt together. In a small saucepan over low heat, bring the butter and milk to a simmer. Add the butter and milk mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring with a fork until the mixture just comes together. Drop batter by spoonfuls into stew. Cover and simmer until the dumplings are cooked through, about 15 minutes.

To serve, ladle chicken, gravy, and dumplings into warm bowls. Garnish with purple basil.

Serves 4.