Light and tempting turkey meatballs with fresh herbs, ginger and lime. Okay, I confess. I admit it. When it comes to this recipe? I was totally inspired by Jamie Oliver and his Jamie's Food Revolution . I loved the flash mob stir-fry dance at Marshall University in episode four ( view here at WabiSabi, one of the participants ). The energy, spirit and creativity of the students, the killer combo of cooking and dance, with a generous dash of self expression and celebration got this creaky gluten-free goddess off the couch and movin', Baby. Not to mention, craving a pan-tossed noodle stir-fry. No doubt about it, I've been more attuned to Asian inspired flavors since moving to Santa Monica. Understandable. It's hard not to respond to the fresh, Pacific-infused tastes and heady scents of Asian fusion out here. So when we decided to play around with meatball recipes this weekend, yours truly started conjuring fusion-style tweaks for the humble Mediterranean meatball recipe I know and love. First- I wanted to use organic free-range turkey (come Spring, I favor lighter meatballs and meatloaf , don't you?). And I knew I wanted to use fresh chopped herbs- mint, cilantro and parsley. Perfect with a splash of lime. Some spring onion. A little ginger and chile. Boom. This Asian fusion meatball was born. A quick note on my noodle choice- I've discovered Ancient Harvest Gluten-Free Quinoa Pasta - - and I love the texture and flavor. This is the least starchy gluten-free noodle I've found. And the best part is (perhaps due to the higher protein content of quinoa flour?) it stands up to pan tossing for brilliant stir-fries. Shake up your recipe routine with Asian style noodles and ginger-lime turkey meatballs. Gluten-Free Turkey Meatballs Recipe with Lime, Mint and Ginger on a bed of Asian Style Noodles, Baby Spinach and Fresh Herbs I whipped up an easy Asian stir-fry sauce without soy. But you could easily substitute my molasses and balsamic blend with gluten-free wheat-free tamari sauce . These turkey meatballs are also egg-free. Ingredients: 2 pounds free range organic ground turkey- we use Heidi's Hens® Certified Organic Turkey 1 1/2 cups gluten-free bread crumbs 1 large spring onion or scallion (or 2 small), diced fine 1 medium large carrot, processed or diced very fine 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley 2 tablespoons fresh chopped mint leaves 2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro leaves Juice from 1 fresh medium lime 1 tablespoon molasses or wheat-free tamari sauce 1 tablespoon raw agave nectar or real maple syrup Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste (use less salt if you use tamari sauce) Instructions: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with a reusable Exopat or Silpat . Or double up baking sheets and line the upper pan with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, break apart and blend the ground organic free-range turkey with the gluten-free bread crumbs, using a sturdy metal spoon . Add in the diced spring onion, processed carrot, minced garlic, grated ginger, and fresh herbs. Mix just until blended. Add in the fresh lime juice, molasses (or wheat-free tamari), agave. Mix lightly. Season with salt and pepper as you go- but don't add too much salt- especially if you use tamari sauce, which is already salty. Form 28 meatballs using the palms of your hands to roll and round spoonfuls of the mixture. They should be roughly the size of a golf ball. Place the turkey meatballs on the lined baking sheet as you roll them. Wash your hands in hot soapy water- you know this, right? Bake the meatballs in the center of a pre-heated oven for about 20 to 30 minutes until no longer pink inside. Place the baking sheet on a cooling rack and brush them with a little olive oil. Serve immediately with Asian style noodles, recipe follows. Recipe Source: glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com Gluten-free meatballs with Asian style noodles. Quick and Easy Asian Style Noodle Recipe As mentioned, I don't use soy, but a wheat-free tamari sauce would be delicious in this quick stir-fry sauce. Sub the molasses with the gluten-free tamari sauce . Or just add in some gluten-free tamari, to taste. Note: I don't add extra sauce on the meatballs when I serve them like this- but if you prefer your meatballs saucy, make extra stir-fry sauce. Ingredients: 1 package gluten-free noodles or spaghetti Vegetable oil, as needed 2-3 spring onions or scallions, sliced (white and light green sections) 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 fresh diced chile, or hot pepper flakes, to taste 1-2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger- or to taste 3-4 carrots sliced into matchsticks 3 tablespoons molasses or gluten-free Tamari 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar Sea salt, to taste 1 12-oz. bag of baby spinach leaves 2 tablespoons each of fresh chopped parsley, mint and cilantro Instructions: Bring a pasta pot of water to a rapid boil. Add a dab of vegetable oil. Add the noodles and stir. Cook the quinoa noodles until they are al dente- firm to the bite- not mushy! 4 to 6 minutes. Don't overcook. I mean it. Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of coconut oil in a large wok style pan or skillet over medium-high heat and add in the spring onions, garlic, chile, ginger, and carrots. Stir-fry until the carrots are tender-crisp. They should be done roughly in 4-5 minutes. Add in the molasses and balsamic vinegar (or if using tamari sauce, use that in place of molasses) and stir to coat. Taste test to see if the carrots need a little salt. Drain the al dente noodles and quickly add them into the wok/skillet mixture, tossing lightly to coat the strands. Add or adjust seasonings to taste. Add in the baby spinach and toss again- just to heat through to barely wilting- not even a minute. Add in half the chopped fresh herbs and toss a bit. Plate the noodles immediately. Add the turkey meatballs. Sprinkle with the remaining fresh herbs. The noodle recipe serves 4, with leftover meatballs. Note: Freeze leftover meatballs for an easy weeknight supper. Recipe Source: glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com All images & content are copyright protected, all rights reserved. Please do not use our images or content without prior permission. Thank you. More gluten-free meatball recipes from food bloggers: I Am Gluten-Free's secret ingredient Gluten-Free "Meatballs" Gluten-Free Day's lamb based Gluten-Free Meatballs Greek Meatballs with feta at Kalyn's Kitchen Gluten-Free Spaghetti and Marvelous Meatballs at Healthy Eats Sensitive Pantry's Tiny Turkey Meatballs

kakliza teruja ngan resepi Jeni [resepi.net] .... sori Jeni... kakliza copy n paste dari Jeni jer... Rosemary Grilled Chicken Fillet Inspired by Jamie Oliver/Jeni ~ Resepi.net Bahan-bahan 4 ketul boneless chicken 10 gm rosemary kering 1 tsp serbuk lada hitam 4 ulas bawang putih 2 tbsp minyak zaitun Garam secukup rasa Lemon Cara Membuatnya 1. Tumbuk rosemary bersama bawang putih. 2. Keringkan ayam dengan paper towel. Lumurkan ayam dengan minyak zaitun, rosemary yang telah ditumbuk dengan bawang putih, serbuk lada hitam dan garam secukup rasa. 3. Masak atas frying pan atas api yang sederhana supaya bahagian dalam ayam masak sekata tanpa menghangitkan luar ayam. 4. Sedap dimakan dengan salad, mayonis dan perah lemon ke atas ayam yang telah dimasak tadi. The leftovers can be used to make sandwiches the next day

Before I stepped into the world of blogging, I have never cooked anything with herbs. I don't even use local Asian ones, not even Chinese parsley's or spring onions commonly available in the wet markets here. I am totally clueless when it comes to herbs and spices. It was only recently that I started adding some dried mixed herbs to ready-made pasta sauce, and have since ventured into cooking with fresh herbs. I have chosen to use rosemary as my first fresh herb in cooking and baking...just so that I can make a Rosemary & Garlic Focaccia bread ;) When I first placed a sprig of fresh rosemary under my nose, I didn't really like the smell of it at all! It was only when the loaf of bread was baking in the oven, the distinct aroma from the rosemary filled my entired kitchen...this herb has since won my heart. I made another loaf of rosemary focaccia last week. Once again, I was attracted to a recipe by the beautiful photo of the bread baked in a rustic looking skillet. Since I don't have a proper skillet to bake this bread, and even if I have one, it won't fit into my small oven, I halved the recipe and used a 20cm round pan to do the job...hoping I could duplicate the effect effortlessly ;) Although this Italian bread was baked beautifully to a golden hue, taste wise I much prefer the first one I tried...maybe that one has got garlic in it, making it a winner compared to this one. Nevertheless, the crusty bread tasted really good on it's own when served warm and freshly baked. It should go really well alongside a bowl of clear soup or salad. If they were left over night, toast them a little just before serving to crisp it up. By the way, this recipe calls for proofing the dough not just twice, by three times, making it a light an airy bread. The first dish I cooked with rosemary was roast chicken. I experimented with chicken thighs as my family would not be able to finish a whole chicken. This time I made roasted chicken wings instead. The wings were rubbed all over with some salt, pepper, chopped rosemary, some dried mixed herbs and lemon rind, and left to marinate over night. Half an hour before I was ready to roast the wings, I took them out from the fridge and rub with some cold butter all over, before baking at 200 degC for about 45 mins ~1hr. I must say I prefer roasted chicken thighs than wings, as they are more meaty and juicy...although both types of chicken parts roasted in this manner yield nice, crispy & yummy skin. With the leftover rosemary sprigs, I made this very simple and yet very very delicious oven-roasted Rosemary Potatoes. These were baked by adapting a recipe by Jamie Oliver. If you love potatoes, I strongly recommend that you give this a try...I am certain you will be rewarded with a tray of potatoes that are slightly crispy on the outside and yet fluffy on the inside. Rosemary & Olive Oil Focaccia (make one small loaf) Ingredients 250g bread flour 3.5g instant yeast 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary, plus extra for sprinkling 1/2 tablespoon sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling 137.5 ml water 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling Method: Combine flour, yeast rosemary and salt in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the water and oil. Mix with hand to form a soft dough. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 ~ 10 mins until the dough is smooth and elastic. Shape in to a ball and place in an oiled mixing bowl, cover with cling wrap and leave to rise for 1 hour or until double in bulk. Knock back the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll out to form a round. Press the dough into a 20cm (8") round pan. Cover with cling wrap and leave to rise for 1 hour. Using your fingers, press indentations over the dough. Cover with cling wrap and leave to rise for a final 30 mins until well risen. Sprinkle dough with a little sea salt, drizzle with a little oil and scatter over some rosemary. Bake in a preheated over at 200 degC for about 25 mins until risen and golden. Cool on a wire rack and serve warm. Recipe source: adapted from Fresh Baked by Louise Pickford

I guess that when it comes to cooking and baking we all have our favorites - I certainly do, and the list includes Nigella, Jamie Oliver, Donna Hay and, of course, Martha: her baking recipes are always a hit and these cookies are no exception, delicious and dead easy to make. I got two logs of dough from this recipe and thought of keeping one in the freezer for another day, but after trying one of the cookies I knew I should bake as many as possible. :) Lady Grey tea cookies from one of my favorite cookbooks 2 cups (280g) all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons finely ground Lady Grey tea leaves (from about 4 bags)* ¼ teaspoon table salt 1 cup (226g/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened ½ cup (70g) confectioners' sugar, sifted finely grated zest of 1 large orange 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Whisk flour, tea, and salt in a small bowl; set aside. Put butter, sugar, orange zest and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture until just combined – at this point I tasted the dough and thought it wasn’t sweet enough, so I added 1 ½ tablespoons icing sugar. Divide the dough into two equal parts. Place each on a piece of parchment paper; shape dough into logs. Fold parchment over dough; using a ruler, roll and press into a 3.5 cm (1.4in) log – like Martha does here . Wrap in parchment. Chill in freezer until very firm. Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F; line two large baking sheets with baking paper. Unwrap one log at a time (keep the other in the freezer). Cut into 6mm (¼in) thick rounds; space 2.5cm (1in) apart onto prepared sheets. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden brown around the edges, about 15 minutes. Cool completely on the sheets over a wire rack. * I used this grinder to grind the tea leaves Makes about 50 cookies

Salam semua...harap semua sihat2 la yeaa...kalau sakit sikit2 tu adat laaa...cuaca sekarang pun x menentu kan...Okay la ni entry menu yang dah licin pun, xdan nak letak entry sbb balik kampung...Akak masak masa balik lunch hari Jumaat baru2 nih. Kebetulan ada 2 orang anak sedara sunti (anak my bro) yang datang tdo kat rumah ni...biasalah budak2 tu, kalau ada Najwa n Najiha balik, diaorg mesti merengek kat parents diaorg nak mai tdo rumah akak ni...pastu bkn tdo sangat laa...berjaga malam bertenet, berborak sampai kul 2 3 pagi haaa...gasaklaaahh musim cuti nih... Pendek kata, rumah akak ni kalau semua anak2 balik...mmg pencuri takut nak dekat kot, terang benderang jek sampai kul 2 3 pagi...hahahaaa... Okay la, meh layan je resepi nih, kot ada yang teringin nak buat, dah ramai pun yg buat dulu...anak2 akak dan anak2 sedara suka sangat2...bertambah2 makan dengan pasta tuh....Cuma akak skip part buat meatballs tu sebab ada adik akak bagi meatballs buatan Bumiputra yang digunakan untuk buat mee bakso....hehee...Anak2 kureng sikit mee bakso ni, kalau masak western camni...ha laku laa....Resepi angkut dari dapur Ijan, Finland sana, katanya resepi asal dari rancangan masakan Jamie Oliver tu...thanks ya Ijan, izinkan akak C n P kat sini lak eh...Tengoklah, bekas tu comot2 kesan sos n cheese mendidih dlm oven, sbb nak amik gambar pun cepat2 jek lepas keluar oven, nak siap pegi ofis lak pastu...hehee MEATBALLS IN TOMATO SAUCE Sumber: Ijan, Finland Untuk meatballs (*akak skip part ni sbb ada meatballs buatan bumiputra dah..lenkali try wat meatballs ni...hehe) 500 gm daging lembu kisar – kite guna daging kamben yg dikisar 1/2 teaspoon serbuk jintan manis 1/2 teaspoon serbuk ketumbar 1/2 teaspoon serbuk cili 2 genggam breadcrumbs 1 telur -kite tak letak 1 tablespoon daun oregano kering/fresh 1 tablespoon daun rosemarry dicincang – kite tak letak garam 1 teaspoon serbuk blackpepper Untuk tomato sos 1 tin tomato cincang 1 biji bawang besar di cincang 1 bawang putih dicincang 1 teaspoon daun oregano kering garam Untuk dibakar mozarella cheese grated parmesan makan dengan vegeroni spirals...sedaaappp Sediakan meatballs: Campur semua bahan dalam bekas besar. Gaul sebati. Bentuk2 kan meatballs sebesar bola sepak tenis sehingga habis. Dalam kuali, panaskan sedikit minyak (kite guna dlm 5 camca besar) dan goreng semua meatballs sekaligus. Goreng lebih kurang 5 minit on all sides. Sediakan sos tomato: Panaskan sedikit minyak dlm kuali/periuk. Goreng bawang besar dan bawang putih hingga layu. Masukkan tomato, oregano dan garam. Gaul sebati dan biarkan mendidih. Tutup api. Pindahkan sos tomato ke dalam bekas yang sesuai untuk di masukkan dalam oven. Susun meatballs di dalam sos tomato tersebut dan taburkan mozarella dan grated parmesan cheese di atasnya. Bakar pada suhu 220′C selama lebih kurang 15 minit atau sehingga bahagian atas nya bewarna kekuningan. Siap

2 teaspoons sea salt 1 teaspoon black peppercorns 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme 3 fresh sage leaves 1 garlic , peeled 1 lemon, rind of , grated 1 In a small chopper combine the ingredients and chop.

1 lb fresh asparagus 1 (12 ounce) package phyllo pastry sheets , defrosted 1/4 lb butter , melted 1 lb potato 1/4 lb white cheddar cheese , grated 1/4 lb lancashire cheese , grated 1 pinch grated nutmeg (a little less than 1/8 tsp) 1/2 pint heavy cream or 1/2 pint double cream 3 eggs , beaten lightly salt pepper 1 Preheat oven to 375F (190C). Also, set a large pot of salted water to boil. 2 Trim asparagus spears to fit into a rectangular tart pan (with removable bottom). Toss trimmed asparagus into boiling salted water for about 2 minutes to blanch. 3 Boil potatoes for 12 minutes in salted water. Drain. 4 While potatoes are boiling, layer phyllo into tart pan, leaving about 1" of dough overhanging the edge of the pan. Butter each sheet as it goes into the pan. 5 Mash potatoes with Cheddar and Lancashire cheeses. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add nutmeg and cream. Add eggs and mix well. Pour into tart pan. Lay asparagus spears on top, alternating directions of tips. Brush top lightly with any remaining melted butter. Crimp overhanging phyllo up along edge of tart pan. Put pan on the lowest shelf of the oven for 15-20 minutes. Remove pan from oven and allow it to set for at least 15 minutes. 6 Serve with a light salad of fresh spring greens.

250 g fresh fava beans 3 sprigs fresh coriander 6 mint leaves 1 pinch coarse salt 1 pinch fresh ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 small chili pepper , sliced (red) 2 teaspoons lemon zest (from 1 lemon) 1 teaspoon flour 8 mint leaves , chopped fine 1 cup yogurt 1/2 lemon, juice of coarse salt fresh ground black pepper 1 Combine beans, herbs, salt, pepper, cayenne, cumin, chili and lemon zest in food processor. Pulse until moderately smooth. Stir in flour (do not run processor!). 2 Heat 3" of vegetable oil in a pot to 375°F Using 2 tablespoons, make oval dumplings (quenelles) from the mixture, and drop into hot oil. Deep fry until dark golden brown. Drain briefly on kitchen paper and sprinkle lightly with salt. 3 Stir together mint, yogurt, lemon juice, salt and pepper. 4 Serve felafel with yogurt sauce and a lightly-dressed salad.

2 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 lb pancetta 2 lbs heirloom tomatoes, cored 5 fresh bay leaves or 2 dried bay leaves 2 tablespoons fresh oregano 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary 1 lb sausage 1 tablespoon olive oil 5 -6 garlic cloves 1 Preheat a roasting pan in a 350F (180C) oven. Add olive oil and pancetta; return to oven until pancetta is crispy. Push to one side and add herbs. 2 Put tomatoes into roasting pan, core hole down. Return to oven until tomato skins blister, about 5 minutes. Pinch off tomato skins. Toss carefully to keep tomatoes from falling apart. 3 Drizzle sausage with olive oil and rub in well. Place sausages into pan, pushing down amongst the tomatoes. Toss in garlic cloves. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Return pan to oven for 1 hour, turning sausages once or twice. 4 Serve with crusty Italian bread, polenta or rice. Drizzle with a little high-quality balsamic vinegar.

4 pork chops, about 1 1/2-inch thick salt black pepper 8 large fresh sage leaves 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 lemon, juice of 1 Score the fat at the edge of the chops at 1/2" intervals. Sprinkle both sides of each chop with salt and pepper. Stick a large sage leaf to the meat over the "eye" of the chop; press in firmly. 2 Pour olive oil into a hot non-stick skillet. Add chops, sage side down. Apply the remaining sage leaves to the now upper side of the chops. 3 Place skillet in a preheated 425F (220C) oven for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown, turning once half way through. Remove to a plate. 4 Pour fat out of pan. Deglaze with lemon juice and drizzle over chops.

1 liter chicken stock (or vegetable as appropriate) 1 tablespoon olive oil 3 shallots , finely chopped (or 2 medium onions) 1 head celery , finely chopped (discard any tough outer sticks) sea salt and black pepper 2 garlic cloves , finely chopped 400 g risotto rice 100 ml dry white vermouth or 100 ml dry white wine 70 g butter 100 g freshly grated parmesan cheese 1 Stage 1. 2 Heat the stock. 3 Then in a separate pan heat the olive oil add the shallot or onion celery and a pinch of salt and sweat the vegetables for about 3 minutes. 4 Add the garlic and after another 2 minutes when the vegetables have softened add the rice. 5 Turn up the heat now. 6 At this crucial point you can`t leave the pan and anyway this is the best bit. 7 While slowly stirring continuously you are beginning to fry the rice. 8 You don`t want any colour at any point (so remember you`re in control and if the temperature seems too high turn it down a bit). 9 You must keep the rice moving. 10 After 2 or 3 minutes it will begin to look translucent as it absorbs all the flavours of your base (it may crackle at this point that`s fine). 11 Add the vermouth or wine keeping on stirring as it hits the pan it will smelt fantastic! 12 It will sizzle around the rice evapourating any harsh alcohol flavours and leaving the rice with a tasty essence. 13 I must admit I`m a sucker for dry vermouth. When it cooks into the rice it seems to give it a really full but subtle flavour and leaves a wicked sweetness that works perfectly with the rice. White wine is lovely probably more delicate and fresh. 14 Try both see what you think. 15 Stage 2. 16 Once the vermouth or wine seems to have cooked into the rice add your first ladle of hot stock and a pinch of salt (add small amounts of salt to taste white you are adding the stock). 17 Turn down the heat to a highish simmer (the reason we don`t want to boil the hell out of it is because if we do the outside of the rice wilt be cooked and fluffy and the inside will be raw). 18 Keep adding ladlefuls of stock stirring and allowing each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next. 19 This will take about 15 minutes. 20 Taste the rice is it cooked? 21 Carry on adding stock until the rice is soft but with a slight bite. 22 Check seasoning. 23 Stage 3. 24 Remove from the heat and add the butter and the Parmesan saving a little of the latter to go on top if you like. 25 Stir gently. 26 Eat it as soon as possible while it retains its moist texture. 27 Serve it on its own or with a crisp green salad and a hunk of crusty bread. 28 If you follow this recipe I promise you`ll be making some of the best risottos out. The real secret of a good risotto I`m afraid is that you have to stand over it and give it your loving and undivided attention for about 17 minutes but it`s worth it. The recipe is in stages; I am going to give you five of my favourite risottos all variants of this basic recipe. 29 To find a dry white wine, a good rule of thumb is the greater the alcohol %, the drier the wine.

500 g plain flour 100 g lard 150 g butter salt 2 large eggs 1 Preheat the oven to 190° Celsius. 2 Rub together the flour and the fat. 3 Add the eggs and bring together carefully. 4 Chill in the refrigator for 1 hour. 5 Once your pastry has chilled roll it out to fit an 11-inch/28-centimeter tin with a removable bottom and bake it blind for 10 minutes. 6 Lower the oven temperatur to 180° Celsius. 7 Mix all the filling ingredients together then pour the filling into the pastry case. 8 Sprinkle over the goat's cheese, lay over the pancetta slices and then finish off with a drizzle of thyme oil. 9 Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

This recipe features: Classic Thai flavors, with a smooth, velvety soup Amp of the intensity of the herbs with a quick sauté of lemongrass, cilantro stems, garlic and ginger Customize soup by adding shrimp or mushroom (canned Asian straw mushrooms work really well)

Southeast Asian cuisine features what I call the 5S’s – salty, sweet, sour, spicy, savory. This classic combination is what makes Thai Chicken Coconut Soup so irresistible – the initial kick of the spicy chile pepper and lime, followed by salty/savory that’s tempered with a touch of sugar. The creamy coconut milk lingers to soothe the spiciness and allows all the distinct flavors to play nicely with each other.







This recipe is from Chef Lorraine Pascale, a #1 bestselling author in the U.K.  Her book, Everyday Easy features elegant, fuss-free cooking for weeknight dinners. Lorraine Pascale is the undisputed queen of the kitchen, queen of the simple and the simply delicious.Jamie Oliver

Recipes include: Thai Beef Salad with Roasted Peanuts and Chili Dressing Shrimp Caeser Salad Lozza’s Lamb Biryani Goat Cheese, Toasted Hazelnut Honey Quesadillas with Arugula Salad Crouching Tiger, Hidden Zebra Cake

and many, many more. Each recipe is easy, breezy and complete with a gorgeous color photograph. The Thai Chicken Coconut Soup Recipe is by Lorraine Pascale, photo is also from the cookbook, by Myles New. Yum

#fullpost{display:inline;} Crisp iceberg, cool shrimp,and creamy avocado, all tossed with a tangy dressing is what you want on a hot and sultry day. Though what also makes this dish such a treat is that it has a sense of place—Houston to be exact. I first encountered this recipe for shrimp and avocado salad a few months ago when I was in Waco speaking on a panel about Texas food at Baylor University. The talk was presented by the Texas Collection, which as the name implies, is a large set of Texas books found in The Carroll Library at Baylor. The collection, which is lead by director John Wilson and librarian Amie Oliver, has books about all aspects of Texan life—from history to food. And it’s the latter that made me very happy, as in the collection are almost 4,000 cookbooks focused on Texan cuisine. I had no idea that many were even in existence! The opportunity to spend two days going through just a few of those books was like being in cookbook heaven. While there are some New York-city published Texas cookbooks in the collection, the vast majority are locally published community cookbooks—books that were produced by Texas churches, schools, civic clubs, and other organizations. These cookbooks are a treasure, as the recipes not only reveal what a community cooked at a certain point in time, but they can also give you a sense of the community’s values and will often have names of the community members listed, as well. Many of the books in the collection were donated by a woman named Beth White. She’s a Houston-based former medical librarian who in her spare time decided to collect Texas cookbooks. Her contribution is huge and I had the honor of meeting her as she spoke on the panel with me. Also speaking on the panel was Marvin Bendele, the director of Foodways Texas, Addie Broyles, the Austin-American Statesman Food writer, and Mary Margaret Pack, an Austin-based chef and food historian. The library wanted to serve food at a reception following our talk, and we were all asked to contribute our favorite recipes. I offered my grandma’s chocolate pie , and the others submitted recipes for cornbread, deviled eggs, coffee cake, and a shrimp and avocado salad. All of the contributions were excellent, but it was the shrimp salad—a recipe that had been provided by Mary Margaret—that really made me smile. After not eating much that day (speaking in front of people makes me so nervous that I lose my appetite), the salad—which was comprised of shrimp, avocado, and iceberg lettuce mixed together with a tangy remoulade dressing—was just what I needed. The clean, refreshing salad was satisfying and rejuvenating, though you certainly didn’t need to be famished to love this dish! As we were leaving, I asked Mary Margaret for the recipe and she pointed me to a stack of recipe cards that the library had thoughtfully made for the event. On the card, Mary Margaret talked about how she grew up in Houston and this dish had been one of her favorites served at the Sakowitz department store restaurant, The Sky Terrace. While the salad itself had been tasty, when I learned of the recipe’s provenance I loved it even more. The shrimp salad she shared, much like the community cookbooks I had been reading, was rooted in a place. The shrimp are emblematic of the Texas Gulf Coast, while both the remoulade and the avocado in the salad reveal Houston’s history of being a crossroads of cultures and influences, in this case Louisiana and Mexico. When I returned home and went to make the salad, I misread the recipe and where the initial steps call for a remoulade sauce, I didn’t see that the Sakowitz-specific remoulade recipe—which calls for hard-boiled eggs and spinach—was listed separately. Therefore, I simply used a remoulade sauce I’ve enjoyed over the years, which is an adaption of a couple of recipes found in the Junior League of Lafayette's cookbook, Talk About Good. That recipe does not call for spinach and eggs, so the salad I ended up making wasn’t exactly the Sakowitz version. But no matter, it’s still fresh and ideal for summer. While I’m still processing all that I learned as I spent time going through the collection of cookbooks at Baylor, one thing I do know is that I look forward to returning soon. In the meantime, I’ll be enjoying bowls of this shrimp and avocado salad. Shrimp and avocado salad with remoulade dressing Ingredients for the remoulade dressing: 3/4 cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons Creole or grainy mustard 2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1/2 teaspoon prepared horseradish 1/4 teaspoon red pepper sauce, such as Tabasco 2 cloves garlic, finely minced 2 green onions, green part only, finely chopped 1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley Salt Ingredients for the salad: 1 pound small shrimp (51-60 count), peeled and deveined 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1 head ice berg lettuce, cored and chopped 2 celery ribs, finely diced 2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and diced Lemon wedges, for serving Instructions: To make the remoulade dressing, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, red pepper sauce, garlic, green onion, and parsley. Taste and add salt if needed. To make the shrimp for the salad, bring a 3-quart saucepan filled with water to a boil. Add the the shrimp and the salt. Cook the shrimp until pink, about 2 minutes, then drain and rinse with cold water. To assemble the salad, in a large mixing bowl, toss the cooked shrimp with the lettuce, celery, and avocado. You can either serve the salad dressed by adding the remoulade to the mixing bowl and tossing, or you can evenly divide the salad onto 4 plates or into 4 bowls, and serve with the dressing on the side. I also like to serve the salad with lemon wedges for an added bit of brightness. Yield: 4 servings Author: Adapted by Lisa Fain from recipes from Mary Margaret Pack and Talk About Good by the Junior League of Lafayette HOMESICKTEXAN.COM PRINT RECIPE

I have to start this text by confessing that it took me months (a quick look at Amazon shows me that I purchased the book in January, so almost a year) to make these cookies, all because I was a coward: I was afraid that all that rosemary in the dough would make the cookies taste weird. I am thirty- five six years old and rosemary scares the bejeesus out of me: I always think that the food will end up tasting like soap. :S I love cooking with herbs and will gladly add thyme, oregano, basil, marjoram, parsley, even cilantro to recipes without too much thought about it, for they make everything so much more delicious, but when it comes to rosemary I just can’t do it, and every time I watch Jamie Oliver adding tons of rosemary to his recipes I feel sort of desperate, my brain screams “it’s too much, too much!”. :) I decided it was time to stop this nonsense and bought a small vase of rosemary to gradually start using the herb in my cooking, and these cookies were my first attempt at getting to know the rosemary better: they turned out delicious, the herb flavor perfectly complimented by the orange. I feel a lot braver now. ;) Orange rosemary shortbread slightly adapted from the beautiful and delicious National Trust Simply Baking ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar 2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary leaves finely grated zest of 2 oranges 1 cup (225g/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 340g all purpose flour - I used 290g all purpose flour + 50g millet flour pinch of salt Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Line two large baking sheets with baking paper. Put the sugar and rosemary in a food processor and whiz until the rosemary is very finely chopped. Transfer sugar to the bowl of an electric mixer, add the orange zest and rub them together with your fingertips until sugar is fragrant. Add the butter and vanilla and beat with the mixer until pale and creamy. On low speed, beat in flour and salt. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Roll out dough between two sheets of baking paper until 3mm thick. Use a 4cm (1½in) cookie cutter to cut out cookies – if the dough gets too soft, place it in the freezer for 5 minutes. Place cookies onto prepared sheets 2,5cm (1in) apart and prick them with a fork. Bake until lightly golden on the edges, 10-12 minutes. Cool completely on the sheets over a wire rack. Remove carefully from the paper. Makes about 60