secret recipe club – Page 8

SRC: Minty Asian Slaw

July 9, 2012April 6, 2017 Sarah

It’s a Secret Recipe Club kinda Monday! The best kind, in my opinion. 🙂 If you’ve missed past SRC posts, the premise is this: you’re assigned a different member’s blog every month. You visit their blog, choose any recipe you want, then make it and share it on your blog. Everyone else posts about their secret blog the same day. It’s fabulously fun to try out new blogs. If you have a blog, definitely check it out and consider joining! I highly recommend it.

This month my assigned blog was Sustainable Cooking for One, which is the product of Stephanie’s passion for local, sustainable eating. Stephanie has a ton of original and adapted recipes on her site, and has even published a cookbook! How cool.

I was looking for a side dish to make for our 4th of July BBQ, so when I saw Stephanie’s twist on cole slaw, I was so excited. This isn’t just your average cole slaw… it’s Minty Asian Slaw!

Minty Asian Slaw is a refreshing twist on a classic summertime dish. Unlike most cole slaw recipes, Stephanie’s encourages the use of lots of fresh veggies and fruit [not just cabbage!], vinegar, and oil… instead of globby mayo and limp cabbage. What a great idea, me thinks! For the most part, I stuck with the recipe but I did make a few changes. The original recipe called for cabbage, carrots, and cucumber along with the minty vinegar and oil dressing. Since Ben isn’t a huge cucumber fan, I decided to take a cue from Stephanie’s other slaw recipe and use an apple for crunch instead! I also added more mint than the recipe called for… what a great decision! Both of them. 🙂 And let me just say for the record that a bite of minty apple, no matter how weird it may sound, is pretty amazing.

This crisp Minty Asian Slaw is fresh, exotic, and perfect for summer, and that abundance of mint growing in your garden [or is that just me?], so I hope you enjoy as much as we did!

Minty Asian Slaw

Servings: 10-12
Time: 60 minutes
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adapted from Susatainable Cooking for One mostly here and but also here

Ingredients:

1 medium cabbage, sliced thin
1 tablespoon salt
1 carrot, grated
1 apple, cut into matchsticks [I used Granny Smith]
2 stalks celery, finely diced
~2-3 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped [I didn’t measure]
lemon juice
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
up to 1/2 tablespoon sugar, if desired

Directions:

Place cabbage in a large collandar and pour salt over. Use your hands to massage salt into cabbage, then let sit for about 45 minutes [Mark Bittman suggests 1-2 hours but I didn’t have that kind of time, so I helped the process by massaging it]. Then rinse and drain cabbage thoroughly–about six times–to remove the salt. Dry cabbage with kitchen towels or a salad spinner.

Meanwhile, combine carrot, apple, celery, and mint in a large bowl. Toss with lemon juice–about 1 tablespoon. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar and oil. Add cabbage and dressing mixture alternately so everything combines well. Taste and add sugar as desired.

Serve immediately.

Be sure to check out other great SRC recipes posted today!

Breads, Recipes

SRC: Parmesan Garlic Rolls

June 4, 2012November 22, 2016 Sarah

It’s Secret Recipe Club time again! If you’ve missed past SRC posts, the premise is this: you’re assigned a different member’s blog every month. You visit their blog, choose any recipe you want, then make it and share it on your blog. Everyone else posts about their secret blog the same day. It’s fabulously fun to try out new blogs. If you have a blog, definitely check it out and consider joining! I highly recommend it.

This month I was assigned to Amanda’s Cookin’, a blog written by the founder of the Secret Recipe Club herself! Though she has many delicious looking sweets and enticing main dishes on her blog, I was immediately drawn to these babies:

Yes, you read that right.

Parmesan Garlic Rolls.

Oh my goodness. Skipping the sweets for something cheesy was a VERY good idea. Excuse me for shouting, it was necessary in this case.

Think savory cinnamon roll, except without the cinnamon-brown sugar filling. These soft, doughy rolls are stuffed full of herb garlic butter, Parmesan cheese, and Mozzarella cheese, then topped with tons of parsley and more cheese. Each bite is cheesy and gooey, more delicious than the first.

These rolls would be a perfect companion for a simple soup and salad night, or are great enjoyed appetizer-style on their own. I actually made two batches of dough [using 3 tablespoons of sugar instead of just 1 tablespoon in the second batch], so one could be used for maple-iced cinnamon rolls [filling and icing found here]. Then I took both pans of rolls–savory and sweet–to our church small group for snack one night. See below… they were both a big hit! I mean, why wouldn’t they be?

Sweet rolls + savory rolls = amazing deliciousness!

Please excuse my messy kitchen. I know everyone will excuse yours if you take the time to make this tasty, cheesy treat or another recipe whipped up by other SRC folks. Check ’em out below my recipe!

Oh, one last thing–don’t be scared of the two hours these take to prepare. Most of the time is spent letting the dough rise, so you’ll still have plenty of time to watch old seasons of 24 on Netflix [or whatever else is taking up allllllllll your time these days! Is watching marathons of 24 just what we do?]. 🙂 But really, you need to try these. No excuses–the cheese is calling!

Parmesan Garlic Rolls

Servings: 12
Time: 2 hours
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from Amanda’s Cookin’
Ingredients:

for the dough

1 1/3 cup milk (105 to 115F degrees)
2 1/4 teaspoon [or 1 package] instant dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
3 to 3 1/2 cups flour or whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

for the garlic butter

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons grated Mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

for the topping

3 tablespoons grated Mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried parsley

Directions:

Begin by making the dough. Heat the milk in the microwave for 30-45 seconds to warm. Then pour into the bowl of an electric mixer and add yeast and sugar. Stir together, then add 1 cup flour, olive oil, and salt. Beat until smooth, then stir in enough flour until soft dough forms. Be sure to continually scrape the sides of the bowl to incorporate everything. Remove dough from bowl, then spray the inside of the bowl with cooking spray and place dough back in bowl. Cover and let rise until double, about 45-50 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the garlic butter. Beat butter in mixer until creamy, then add garlic, cheeses, and herbs. Beat until combined, then cover and set aside.

Next, coat a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.

After dough has risen, punch down and knead several times on a floured countertop. Press dough into a thin rectangle sized 10 by 14 inches, then spread with garlic butter, using all but 2 tablespoons. Roll up dough into a tight cylinder beginning with the long edge nearest you. Wrap dough in parchment or aluminum foil, then place in the freezer to chill for 15 minutes.

Remove from freezer, then slice into 12 rounds. Place in prepared pans.

Melt remaining garlic butter by microwaving for 15 seconds, then brush over top of dough. Top with Mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, and parsley. Cover and rise for 20 minutes, preheating the oven to 400 degrees at this time. Finally, bake for 17-20 minutes or until tops are golden brown and cheese is melted.

Enjoy your day by checking out other great SRC recipes!

Also linked up on Successful Saturdays.

Main Dishes, Recipes, Salads

SRC: Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

May 7, 2012June 5, 2015 Sarah

For the month of May, I was assigned to Katherine Martinelli, a food writer/blogger currently living in Be’er Sheva, Israel. I was really excited to be assigned her blog, since she made my Pumpkin Granola back for SRC November. I love the international flair of her blog–especially all the fun fresh produce and nuts available at her local market. So many of Katherine’s recipes sound amazing…. I could hardly decide what to make! I mean, Mango Chicken with Coconut Rice? Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies? Homemade Graham Crackers? Yes please times three! I had grand plans to make Homemade Graham Crackers… however, life got in the way. Last week was finals week, and I graduated from my dual master’s program (MA- African Studies, Master of Library Science) on Friday!

Such a happy day and a great weekend with family! But sadly the craziness of the past few weeks derailed my grand plans. So once again I browsed through the recipes on Katherine’s site and found the most delicious, gorgeous dressing that I have ever laid eyes on… Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette!

I mean, is that not beautiful? Here’s a close up in case you’re not certain.

And not only is this dressing pleasing to the eye with its specks of cilantro, Dijon mustard seeds, and creamy-light goodness… it also tastes fantastic… ~~by the spoonful or~~ on a salad, duh. The sharp flavor of the garlic is mellowed and sweetened by the citrusy tang of the fresh lime juice. It’s the perfect pairing for classic salad components like baby spinach, shaved carrots, chopped tomatoes, and crisp bell peppers. I think it would also be great tossed with pasta or as a marinade for grilled chicken.

So even if you didn’t find this dressing because you were pressed for time like I was, this homemade Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette dressing is a great addition to any salad and to your homemade dressing repertoire. Enjoy!

Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

Servings: 1 cup
Time: 5 minutes
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from Katherine Martinelli

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 large cloves garlic [or 3 smaller cloves], minced
1/4 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
1 teaspoons sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoons whole grain dijon mustard
1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro, packed

Directions:

Place all items in food processor or blender. Pulse until garlic and cilantro are fully crushed, and everything is well combined. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Be sure to check out other posts from today’s reveal of the SRC. Have a great day!

Appetizers, Recipes

SRC: Smoky Fried Chickpeas

April 9, 2012May 6, 2015 Sarah

It’s Secret Recipe Club time! If you’ve missed my other SRC posts, the premise is this: you’re assigned a different member’s blog every month. You visit their blog, choose any recipe you want, then make it and share it on your blog. Then, everyone posts about their assigned blog on the same day. It’s so fun to try out new blogs. If you have a blog, definitely check it out and consider joining! I highly recommend it.

This month I was assigned Susie’s blog, Eat Little, Eat Big. Susie lives in Maui [jealous!! Can you even imagine?] and has tons of fresh, tasty, and creative recipes on her blog. I have several new things on my to-make list including Three Cheese Mini Macs, Avocado Dressing, and Pear & Prosciutto Appetizers. As tasty and intriguing as those treats sound, I decided to try out her Smoky Fried Chickpeas. Guess I was in a savory mood when recipe selecting, huh?

I had previously made roasted chickpeas, but never fried… and boy were they tasty! [edited to add: I must have had “roasted chickpeas” on my mind as I worked on the photos… see above! Whoops!] These chickpeas just required five simple ingredients: chickpeas [duh], olive oil, smoked paprika, chipotle chile powder, and lime zest. Oh, and salt. Six. I lied. Nevertheless, not a whole lot of ingredients, but a whole lot of flavor!

This simple appetizer is such a treat, with the smoky/spicy contrasts drawn from smoked paprika and spicy chipotle chile powder that is livened up with a hint of lime-salt goodness. Since we almost always have some chickpeas in the pantry, this may just be my new go-to snack. Sweet! Or, should I say… savory? 🙂

Smoky Roasted Chickpeas [from Eat Little, Eat Big]
click to print

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 can [15 ounce] chickpeas [garbanzo beans]
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1 1/2 teaspoons lime zest [about 1 lime]
salt

Directions:

In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Meanwhile, rinse, drain, and pat dry chickpeas. Add to skillet and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until brown, stirring occasionally.

In a small bowl, combine paprika, chipotle chile powder, and lime zest.

Remove chickpeas from pan and drain on paper towels. Then place in a bowl and toss with spice mixture. Salt to taste. Serving with paper napkins for greasy fingers suggested. 🙂

Time: 15 minutes.

Yield: 3 servings.

Note: I halved the original recipe, so you can easily multiply this but just check out the original for adjustments to cooking time/method.

Check out other great Secret Recipe Club posts here:

Main Dishes, Pasta, Recipes

Turkey, Spinach, and Kale Stuffed Shells

March 25, 2012May 6, 2015 Sarah

So, once upon a time almost three years ago, I made spinach-filled manicotti. Ben loved it, I hated it. It tasted like spinach cottage cheese to me. That’s because my mom’s lasagna [which I oddly enough, haven’t ever blogged about even though it’s amazing] uses cottage cheese instead of ricotta, and I thought that substitution would work in other dishes. Turns out I was wrong. Blech! Ever since that day, I’ve been wary of spinach in baked pasta dishes. I know it’s not the spinach’s fault, and I love it in other things, but in pasta now? No thanks.

When I heard through the Secret Recipe Club that Jey at The Jey of Cooking was raising money for the American Heart Association in honor of her mom’s heart transplant by asking bloggers to make a heart-healthy dish, I realized this was the perfect opportunity to get back into the spinach pasta game.

And get back into it, I did.

See that? I call it Turkey, Spinach, and Kale Stuffed Shells. From the outside, it looks like your typical cheesy, saucy stuffed shells. Delicious, right? Needs no explanation, you assume. Wrong! On the inside, you’ll find a creamy sauce made with lots of greens like spinach and kale, a bit of hearty meat, your typical Italian seasonings, and enough to ricotta and parmesan cheese to enjoy but not be weighted down by. Extra creaminess comes from fat free Greek yogurt. Perfecto!

So why is this recipe heart healthy? Well, for one, it uses ground turkey instead of ground beef [lower in fat and calories]–and the amount of meat is reduced to be more of a “condiment” or flavoring than the focus. The focus of these shells is the greens. Kale is one of the healthiest greens around, thanks to its vitamins and minerals, as well as its ability to lower cholesterol when eaten cooked. Pretty neat. Spinach isn’t bad for you either, and this recipe does not taste bad… unlike my previous attempt… so I’m in, and hope you’ll be too! I know you’ll love this cheesy, veggie filled, hearty take on traditional stuffed shells. Please head over to Jey’s blog to read more about what she’s doing to honor her mom and check out the recipe roundup on March 30th!

Turkey, Spinach, and Kale Stuffed Shells
click to print

Ingredients:

12 ounce package jumbo pasta shells [approximately 36 shells]
1/2 pound ground turkey
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups fresh kale, packed tightly
2 cups fresh spinach, packed tightly
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup fat free Greek yogurt
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
dash ground nutmeg
1 25 ounce jar marinara sauce [I used Muir Glen Cabernet Marinara]
1/2 cup shredded cheese [I used a pizza blend cheese (mozzarella, parmesan, provolone, romano) because I had it, but mozzarella or any Italian blend would work fine.]
freshly ground lemon pepper

Directions:

Begin by boiling a large pot of salted water for the shells. Once boiling, add shells and cook to al dente. Then drain, rinse with cold water, and spread out on a baking sheet to cool. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Then, brown ground turkey in a skillet. Add garlic to pan to saute when turkey is almost done cooking. Drain any excess fat and set aside.

In a food processor, combine kale, spinach, ricotta, and greek yogurt and process until greens are chopped very finely. You may have to do this in two batches, or add more greens as you go depending on the size of your food processor.

Remove greens mixture to a mixing bowl, then add cooked turkey, parmesan cheese, black pepper, basil, oregano, and red pepper. Stir together until incorporated.

Spoon a small amount of marinara sauce [~ 1/2 cup] on bottom of a large baking dish*. Then fill each shell with about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of kale/turkey mixture and place in baking dish. Repeat until all shells are filled, then cover with remaining marinara sauce. You want the shells to be covered, but not drowning in sauce. Top with shredded cheese and lemon pepper. Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until cheese is brown and bubbly.

Time: 45 minutes [15 minutes active]
Yield: 8 servings.
Notes: *Regarding the baking dishes: I used a 9×13 pan and two individual size serving dishes, but you could use two square baking dishes [eat one and freeze/give away the other] or just use a larger dish [11×15]. Or just halve the recipe to begin with!