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Fast & Easy Dinner: Spicy Thai Curried Lentils

partysugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:50:09 -0800

If you don't cook with lentils on a regular basis, you should start experimenting with them. The small legumes cook quickly, are filling, and can be served with everything from chorizo to arugula. Not to mention they're supposed to help you lose weight!

This recipe combines lentils with sweet potatoes, red pepper, and cauliflower. The exotically flavored dish is seasoned with coconut milk and red curry paste. It's a hearty and healthy vegetarian meal, so get the recipe now and read more.

Spicy Thai Curried Lentils
From Woman's Day

Ingredients

1 cup brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
1 can (14 oz) vegetable broth
1 cup canned lite coconut milk (not cream of coconut), stirred well before measuring
11⁄2 Tbsp red curry paste or 2 tsp red curry powder
3 cups fresh cauliflower florets
1 large sweet potato, peeled, cut in 3⁄4-in. chunks
1 red pepper, coarsely chopped
1⁄4 cup basil, finely shredded
1⁄4 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped

Directions

Mix lentils, broth, coconut milk and curry in a large saucepan. Simmer, covered, 15 to 20 minutes until lentils are almost tender.
Place cauliflower, sweet potato and red pepper on lentils. Return to a simmer, cover and cook 10 to 12 minutes until vegetables and lentils are tender.
Sprinkle servings with the basil and cilantro.

Serves 4.

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Monday's Leftovers: Thai Beef With Coconut Rice

YumSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:15:44 -0800

Last night I made an Eastern European-inspired ground sirloin stew with egg noodles, and tonight I'm going to use the leftover beef to make something on the opposite end of the spectrum! I'm craving takeout, but - inspired by my recent successes - I'm going to continue my pattern of preparing Asian foods at home.

Spice up the sirloin with the help of minced garlic, lime, and Asian fish sauce, and wake up your senses with freshly-torn basil and julienned chiles. Complement the fiery protein with a soothing side of milky coconut rice. The result, which is healthier and cheaper than takeout, after the break.

Sunday Dinner: Drunken Noodles

YumSugar — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 06:30:52 -0700

For this week's Sunday night chicken dinner, I can't wait to apply the mainstream meat to a home-cooked Southeast Asian meal.

I love preparing ethnic foods at home, and this spicy noodle stir-fry, with its complex flavors, comes together in mere minutes, thanks to quick-cooking (and inexpensive) ground chicken.

Craving Thai takeout, sans the grease? For the recipe, read more.

Mac Attack! Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

YumSugar — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 09:00:35 -0700

From classic stovetop shells to leek-and-cheddar penne, I've never met a mac and cheese I don't like. But the recipe I'd been craving most of all was one that, up until recently, only lived in my imagination: buffalo chicken macaroni and cheese.

My fantasy finally became reality one weekend when I put together all the elements I'd dreamed about. Al dente elbows of pasta, coated in creamy, sharp cheese sauce, topped with hot pepper sauce and crispy chicken.

It only occurred to me after sinking my teeth into the first bite that I could improve upon it even more by dotting the top with blue cheese crumbles and diced celery squares. That's why I can't wait to make it again! The epitome of indulgence, after the break.

Fast & Easy Dinner: Bean and Bacon Soup

YumSugar — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:15:09 -0700

On chilly weeknights, I gravitate toward one-pot soups and stews. To make them a complete meal, I toss in beans, as they not only add a creamy quality to the meal but are also a great source of protein and fiber.

However, as wholesome as beans are, they don't have much flavor on their own. That's why this recipe calls for the brilliant addition of bacon to provide meaty flavor and body to the broth. For a soul-warming soup that's also filling enough to be a stand-alone dinner, keep on reading.

Fast & Easy Dinner: Spicy Fettuccine With Clams

partysugar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:15:17 -0700

Linguine and clams is one of my all-time favorite meals. I've made countless variations, sometimes with cream, other times with a ton of herbs or bacon. However, I've never made pasta with clams and chorizo! This mouthwatering recipe is simple, but luxurious. It's the perfect meal to start the weekend. The quick sauce is made with sautéed garlic, chorizo, white wine, and diced tomatoes. A generous sprinkling of parsley finishes it off. Be sure to serve with a loaf of crusty bread for mopping up the flavorful sauce. To learn how it's done, read more.

Spicy Fettuccine With Clams
From Everyday With Rachael Ray

Ingredients

3/4 pound fettuccine or linguine pasta
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Three 5-inch links precooked chorizo (9 ounces total), sliced 1/4 inch thick
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1-1/2 cups dry white wine
3 dozen small clams, such as littleneck, rinsed
1-1/2 cups diced tomatoes with their juice
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until al dente; drain.
Meanwhile, in a large, heavy pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until golden, 2 to 3 minutes.
Increase the heat to high, add the wine and clams, cover and boil. Stir occasionally and, as the clams open, transfer them to a large bowl.
Add the tomatoes to the pan and boil for 5 minutes.
Lower the heat to low, add the pasta to the sauce and stir to combine. Divide among 4 shallow bowls, add the clams and sprinkle the parsley on top.

Serves 4.

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Soup's On: Spicy Tomato and Blue Cheese Soup

partysugar — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 10:15:13 -0700

When I think of a deliciously comforting tomato soup recipe, the ingredients beer, blue cheese, and sriracha definitely do not come to mind. However, these out-of-the-ordinary elements are exactly why I knew I had to make this soup. Created by Iron Chef Michael Symon for Pilsner Urquell, the combination actually works - wonderfully well.

This soup is not your grandmother's tomato soup: While the rich flavor of tomatoes is most prominent, it has undertones of fizzy tanginess and pungent creaminess. The spicy sriracha adds a compelling and addictive heat to the velvety liquid. I so enjoyed this recipe that I have plans to make it again very soon. Don't be afraid of the odd ingredients. This soup is excellent! To look at the recipe, read more.

Spicy Tomato and Blue Cheese Soup
From Michael Symon

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves sliced garlic
1 medium red onion, small dice
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon picked oregano
1 28-ounce can San Marzano tomatoes
1 bottle light beer (recommended: Pilsner Urquell)
¾ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sriracha sauce
½ cup buttermilk blue cheese

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a four-quart pot over medium heat.
When the oil is hot, add the onions and a three-fingered pinch of salt and sweat for two minutes. Add the garlic and continue to sweat for two more minutes.
Add the tomatoes and beer and bring to simmer.
Add the cream, sriracha sauce, and oregano and simmer for 45 minutes.
Pour the soup into a blender and add the blue cheese and blend until smooth, or add the blue cheese and with a hand blender, blend until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh strainer or chinois into a clean pot. Taste adjust the seasoning if necessary and reheat to serve.

Serves 4-6.

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Killer App: Spicy Onion and Tomato Dip

YumSugar — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 08:00:22 -0700

This weekend, I'll be spending Labor Day at a friend's barbecue bash. She's already got the barbecue and its essential accoutrements entirely covered, so I've been racking my brain to come up with an appropriate contribution. I had no idea what that was going to be - until I had a lightbulb moment for the perfect pièce de résistance.Since I won't be spending the holiday with family, I figure I'll bring a bit of my family to the festivities. As a child, I hardly liked spicy food, but from the first time I watched my mother whip together this slightly cooling, slightly fiery cream dip, I was hooked. It's one part Southern, one part retro, and 10 parts addictive, whether served with Ruffles, saltines, or celery sticks. See the two-second recipe when you keep reading.

What Do You Know About Horseradish?

partysugar — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 05:50:13 -0700

You may know that horseradish - a spicy white condiment - is commonly stirred into bloody Marys, but do you know when it's harvested? Or what makes it hot?

In honor of National Horseradish Month, I've put together a quiz that will teach you everything about horseradish.

Ready? Set. Go!

Take the quiz

Would You Rather Eat Spicy or Mild Salsa?

partysugar — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 01:30:24 -0700