Always a fun treat to find on a cookie tray. These sweet, addictive bites are a breeze to make.
Such a simple recipe. No candy thermometer needed. I used to use oiled wax paper, but oiled parchment works better. The heat of the candy on the wax paper melts it in places. Difficult to peel off.
Sesame Brittle
saucepan, parchment, and baking sheet Continue reading
I have included a little Turkish Cafe in my newest novel Underway (available in June) and I wanted to try out a few pastry recipes to use in the book. This was one of the simpler (and not deep fried) that I decided to give a try.
This is not the definitive recipe – if you Google Tahini Rolls you’ll find dozens of variations. Everyone’s grandma must make her own version. This one seemed the easiest to replicate.
These are much different than I expected. Light, crisp, flaky and not too sweet, they go great with coffee. I really liked them. This recipe makes about 2 dozen: Continue reading
I’ll post the full recipe once I’ve completed this. I like to make sure it works first, LOL.
A friend is coming over for coffee this morning and I wanted to prepare a little treat. Luckily my friends are used to me experimenting on them. What I realized this morning, I really miss playing with recipes.
But at the moment, there is not a lot of time for that. I did have fun this morning doing this one and playing in the kitchen really is stress relief for me.
Stay tuned for the finished product. Until then…
I was doing some recipe searching for a project I’ll post about later and sesame seeds were heavily featured. That put me in mind of Sesame Brittle. I thought it might be nice to have it to crumble over ice cream on the Sundae Bar on Christmas Eve.
Such a simple recipe. No candy thermometer needed. I always use oiled wax paper, but I’m wondering if oiled parchment would work better. The heat of candy on the wax paper melts it in places. Difficult to peel off.
Sesame Brittle
saucepan, wax paper (or parchment) and baking sheet Continue reading
As promised, I jumped back into blogging this week. And there was actual cooking and baking in my kitchen. I have been wanting to try a cold fermentation bread dough for a while and this was the week. I want to make it a couple more times before I share, but so far it is about the best bread I’ve ever made. For once high altitude did not diminish my enthusiasm or my bread.
But for the rest of the week, it was all about chicken.
First up, Golden Curried Chicken Pilaf and Dill Dip (pictured at top) – a complete dinner menu and recipes can be found here.
JeffreyW made Chicken in Tomatillo Sauce, click here, which I think sounds delicious. I love tomatillos. If you have room in your garden this year, they are very easy to grow. A great addition to salsas and sauces.
In anticipation of grilling weather, there is Tangy Yogurt Chicken, recipe here. The marinade makes for tender chicken and a terrific coating with some zing.
Spring is finally here, so why not a nice Chicken Primavera, with a bonus Carrot Cake, full dinner menu and recipes here.
What’s on your plate this weekend? Cooking anything fun this first full weekend of baseball? Hit the comments and share.
Tonight’s featured recipe is from my kids’ menu. Great flavor and a breeze to put together. I tossed in some grated Parmesan for additional flavor when I made it this week.
Sesame Chicken Tenders
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baking sheet, greased or lined with parchment or foil
2 bowls and 1 plate
Mix mustard, honey & limejuice in bowl, set aside for dipping sauce*.
On plate mix salt, pepper, breadcrumbs & sesame seeds. In second bowl, add egg and water. Dip chicken in egg wash then dredge in breadcrumbs, coating completely. Place on baking sheet, sprinkle with more sesame seeds if desired. Bake at 425° for 10 minutes, turn, and bake an additional 5 to 10 minutes, until crispy on all sides. Serve with mustard dipping sauce, waffle fries and a fresh vegetable tray for a quick and easy dinner.
*Note: I made a second dipping sauce using Buttermilk Dressing and my favorite Red Hot Sauce. I liked it and will use it again.
That’s it for this week. Next week I’ll be mixing it up with some recipes I’ve had bookmarked to try for a while. Have a great weekend! – TaMara
I like green beans cooked this way: Parboil the cleaned beans for about 4 or 5 minutes then dump them in an ice bath to quickly stop them cooking. I drain them and put them aside until right before dinner is due then saute them in oil with garlic and ginger. I use olive oil with a wee drop of sesame oil for the flavor, and add a dollop of oyster sauce right at the end before plating. The sesame seeds are a garnish, optional.
For the lo mein dish the chicken marinated in soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and a spoonful of chili garlic paste with some cornstarch. I make a brown sauce that is pretty much the same as the marinade plus a slug of chicken stock. To prepare the dish, heat some oil in a wok, add chopped onions and frozen peas, garlic and ginger, and add the chicken with its marinade. Leave it alone in the hot wok for a minute or two without tossing and it’ll brown nicely. Add the cooked and drained noodles and stir to combine, add the brown sauce and stir and toss as it thickens.
I have been so busy, I’ve barely been in my kitchen to eat, much less cook, and I’m holding onto several items to post, which hopefully I’ll get to eventually. But until then, once again Joshua D comes to the rescue with another recipe. Thanks Joshua!!!
This is an oldddd dust-off recipe from the long-forgotten files! It’s inspired by a restaurant in Spokane, Washington called Niko’s that serves great Greek food. If you’re one of those unfortunates for whom cilantro tastes like soap, just use Italian parsley. The effect won’t be the same, but I understand the why. This can also be spiced up with a chile if desired.
Cilantro-Lime Hummus
- 1 can garbanzo beans, drained
- Juice of 2 limes
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 bunch cilantro
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Break up beans in the food processor. Add in lime juice, sesame seeds, garlic, and cilantro. Blend until well-ground. Pour in olive oil slowly through the feeding tube until it’s the consistency you want. A wonderfully different take on a Mediterranean classic!
Joshua De Mers
This is one of my favorite menus. The salmon is based on a dish from a restaurant and my whole table raved about and the garden fresh soup can be served hot or cold. Substitute any garden fresh fruit for dessert.
Grilled Salmon w/Orange Glaze:
Combine marmalade, oil, ginger, garlic & vinegar. Brush glaze on each side of salmon, grill 5 minutes each side. Garnish with sesame seeds.
Tomato & Red Bell Pepper Soup:
grilling basket & saucepan
Toss tomatoes, onions & bell pepper with oil, season with salt & pepper. Place vegetables in grilling basket, cut side down and grill for 6 to 8 minutes. Add vegetables, garlic, chicken broth, vinegar, sugar to blender and puree. Pour into saucepan, bring to a low boil, stirring constantly, add cream & basil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Garnish with bacon when served.
Shopping List
Also: toasted sesame oil (or olive oil), ground ginger, crushed garlic, apple cider vinegar
