Recipes

Last Sunday night was so much fun. I really enjoyed setting the table with beautiful platters and serving dishes from our wedding...it gave it quite a festive atmosphere. From now on Brian and I decided to incorporate an appetizer into the dinner. It will, we hope, be a perfect segway into the evening if people can walk in, get something to drink and snack and talk while dinner is being finished.

This French Techniques cooking class is proving to stoke the flames of my love for food. I'm picking up wonderful recipes from Marci Arthur and am going to try them out on all you guinea pigs. I eagerly await this Sunday night.

But in the meantime, here are a few requested recipes from weeks past. Enjoy!
(I use T to indicate tablespoon and t to indicate teaspoon, please email with any other questions)

lemony hummus with cumin
from Fine Cooking

1/3 cup plus 1 T. extra-virgin olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, thinly slices
2 t ground cumin
2, 15 1/2 oz. cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 T tahini
2.5 T. fresh lemon juice, more to taste
1 T soy sauce
kosher salt

In a small saucepan, combine 1/3 cup of the oil with the garlic and cumin. Set over medium-low heat and cook until the garlic softens, about 3 minutes from when you can hear the garlic bubbling quickly. Do not let the garlic brown. Take the pan off the heat and let cook completely.
Put the chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, soy sauce, and 1/2 t salt in a food processor. Use a fork to fish the softened garlic out of the oil and transfer to the processor (save the oil). Turn the machine on, let it run for about 20 seconds, and then start slowly pouring the garlic-cumin oil through the machine's feed tube. Be sure to scrape the pan with a rubber spatula to get all of the cumin and oil. Pour 1/4 c cool water down the tube. Stop the machine, scrape the sides of the bowl, and continue processing until the hummus is creamy and almost smooth. Season to taste with salt and lemon juice, if you like.
For best results, let the hummus sit at room temperature for an hour or two before serving so the flavors can meld. Or better yet, make it a day ahead, refrigerate it, return to room temperature, and adjust the seasonings before serving. To serve, spread the hummus in a shallow dish and drizzle with the remaining 1 T of oil and a sprinkle of parsley if you have it. It will keep for about a week in the refrigerator.



Apple Cake
by my grandmother nena and passed on by my aunt terry

1 t cinnamon
3 c flour
1 t baking soda
1 t salt

2 c sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 c vegetable oil
1 t vanilla
3 c apples, sliced
Mix dry ingredients together, then add the eggs, oil, and vanilla.Mix until well combined, doesn't need to be perfectly smooth.
Add the apples and stir just until well dispersed.
Pour into a 9x13 pan and bake for 30-45 minutes at 350 degrees. Note: every oven is different and i've had this take anywhere from 25 to 50 minutes before.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar, and serve hot, warm, or cold....but i recommend warm with vanilla ice cream. :)