Hummus our take on the dip

We found a bunch of hummus recipes out there and kind of took a little of this and that to create our own.
I must say the first time we made it we must have had a bad batch of tahini because it was just nasty so it has been a while since we tried again but after our meal at the Greek fest we decided to give it another try. This time we used Krinos brand tahini and this one was much better.

3 cans garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon tahini
3-4 cloves garlic
juice on 1/2 lemon (we added a little more)
1/2 teaspoon cumin (may add more to taste-we did)
3-5 tablespoons cold water
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt to taste
3-4 tablespoons yogurt
1 roasted pepper from jar.
we also added a little chipolata chili powder
paprika, fresh basil or Italian parsley to garnish also can use cilantro or mint. what ever you prefer.

Combine chickpeas with all ingredients except water and olive oil.
We used a food processor.
Mix till mixture becomes somewhat smooth. Add water as necessary to help with the blending, at end add olive oil and blend just to incorporate.
Serve with pita chips, pita bread or even corn chips

Orange Roughy with Sauteed Asparagus

Orange Roughy with Sautéed Asparagus (from TV noon day meal.)

2 T butter melted
1/4 t extra-virgin olive oil
2 pieces orange roughy
1 bunch fresh asparagus
1 clove fresh garlic
1/2 fresh lime squeezed
1/4 cup white wine
salt and pepper to taste

White Sauce

1/4 T butter melted
1/2 t dill
1/4 fresh lime juice squeezed
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 pint heavy whipping cream
1/2 lump crab meat optional (we used can)
In large skillet melt butter with olive oil over medium heat. Place asparagus and roughy in together along with the garlic. Cook for 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Turn asparagus 3-4 times. Turn fish only once. Total cook time 5 min. You want the roughy to just begin to flake and asparagus to remain crunchy not soggy.
Sauce
Over medium high heat melt butter in a small sauce pan. Add remaining ingredients. Cook until sauce coats the back of a wooden spoon, About 5 minutes. (we also threw in a few shrimp)

(We had more white sauce and saved it to use the next morning over some fried eggs.yumm)

We liked this of course it has some of our favorite foods, We could have used a little more heat may add some red pepper flakes next time. we had a good Chardonnay wine to go with it. We had a little sauce left over and used in in a dish the next morning.

Pork Chop and Feta Skillet from Sisters Cafe

God this was so good we are going to have to fix this one again soon. We had the Cilantro and Lime rice with this. My wife said this was the best squash she has ever eaten. And on top of every thing it was so simple to do. Erin from Sisters Cafe we send you a big kiss. Please check out their site we have a link here on the right.
We did make a few changes as we have some rosemary and basil growing in the yard.
1 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary(we used fresh)
1 teaspoon dried basil (we used fresh sweet basil)
1 teaspoon minced garlic(we used more because we like garlic)
1 pinch black pepper(we may have used a little more)
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 pork chops (we had 2 really large ones)
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (we added a little zest) about one lemon in dish large enough to dip chops in.
2 oz crumbled feta cheese with basil and sun dried tomatoes (we only had plain)
1-2 yellow squash or one zucchini. We used 2 cups of summer squash we had put up last summer to make room for new.
We also had 1/4 head of cauliflower we added this wasn't part of original recipe but what the heck we like cauliflower and know it kinda absorbs the flavors (and we were right.)
In small bowl stir rosemary,basil,garlic,and pepper.
Heat oil in large skillet. Dip chops in lemon juice sprinkle with herb mixture.
Place chops in hot skillet, drizzle some lemon juice over them, sear both sides. About 7 minutes each side.
(Now we fix our chops a little different here in that we simmer them in a little water and covered for about 1 1/2 hours turning every 30 minutes and adding water if needed. the chops are so tender they fall off the bone)
Add sliced squash to edges of pan and pour remaining lemon juice and herbs if any, simmer when squash(we also added cauliflower here)is near done add feta cheese and cook till melted. About 5 minutes. I know you are gonna love this one.

Cilantro Lime Rice from Closet Cooking

We have been trying some of the good looking recipes from some of the sites wife and I visit. This one caught our eye as we don't know what we did before we discovered cilantro
This is from Closet Cooking.... link to the right and boy has he kicked up his recipes.We are wondering it he is not a chef in disguise.

1 tablesboon oil

1/2 onion chooped
1 clove garlic chopped

1 cup rice

2 cups water

cilantro chopped about 1/4 cup
1 lime juice and some zest

heat oil and add onion and saute until tender or clear

add garlic simer about 1 minute

add rice and toast in oil for a few minutes (this was a new way for us to cook rice but we have seen it done this way on cooking shows)

Add water bring to boil reduce and simmer covered for 20 minutes,

Remove from heat and add cilantro and lime jiuice and zest.

Now this was a little bit sticky not the light and fluffy rice we are used to.but it was good.

Whipped Cream

This is a picture of a gardenia from our bush. The bush is by our back door and smells so good when you walk out the door. We had a few cooler days where we could open the window beside it and have the smell come in as the wind blew. This close up made me think of whipped cream.

Shrimp and asparagus in white sauce

We both love shrimp and asparagus is in the stores now. This calls for a shrimp and asparagus dish.
I would like to thank Deborah's blog Taste and Tell (April 26 2007) for this one and we will be making it again as it was fairly easy. We may try adding some onion and red pepper flakes next time. A nice salad and a crusty bread to get that last bit of sauce. Yum Yum

Shrimp Pasta in White Sauce

1/2 cup butter
c cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 onion, diced
1 lb shrimp
1/4 cup flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 c cream or evaporated milk
1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese
dash of nutmeg
1/4 garlic powder (we used fresh garlic)
3/4 cup steamed asparagus
12 oz pasta noodles
Cook noodles in sauce pan till al dent a
Steam asparagus
Melt 1/4 cup of butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Slowly cook onions,(we added garlic here) and then add mushrooms and cook till tender. Add shrimp and cook till shrimp have changed color.
In another sauce pan melt 1/4 cup of butter add flour and stir till combined for about 2 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, cream and pepper to taste. Add garlic powder here if using the powder along with nutmeg to taste. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Simmer for 5-10 minutes until it thickens. Stir in mushroom shrimp and asparagus into sauce. Serve over pasta.

Jackson Greek Fest was delicious

The Martins have been bad this weekend. First off the Greek Festival was going on this weekend. We have been every year that it has been held and a wonderful way to try new food. If you have never gone try to make a point to go next year. I don't know but the food this year was just so tasty. We did come home with a few cookies. We hate that we did not have our camera with us.
Just to make your mouth water here is what we had.
Me.
Roasted Lamb,
Dolmathes (grape leaves stuffed with ground beef, rice and herbs, topped with lemon sauce)
Spanikopita (spinach and feta puff wrapped in filo)
Moussaka (sliced eggplant topped with a meat and tomato mixture. Covered with a white sauce and baked and garnished with cheese
Greek salad
Spouse
Souvlakia (pork shish-ke-bob grilled)
Tiropita (cheese feta wrapped in buttered filo)
Pastichio (pasta and meat with tomato sauce seasoned with onion,garlic,cloves, and cheese topped with white sauce.
Greek salad.
We bought a sample box of cookies with two each of Baklava, Paxmemadia (buttery almond cookie topped with apricot glaze and a cherry.... wifes favorite.)Kourabiethes (butter cookie topped with powdered sugar... reminds me of a wedding cookie.)
We wish lamb was more available as we are liking the taste of that meat more and more.
Next year we will take pictures.

Lemon Pie

I have no idea who came up with this one. It is a recipe I have been fixing as long as I can remember. May be one of the first things I ever did. This is posted for Cindy, I know you can do this one it is so easy.

1 graham cracker pie crust

1 can eagle brand condensed milk

1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

whip cream or cool whip

Combine in mixing bowl milk and lemon juice and mix till combined.

Pour in crust and chill for about 30 to one hour to set.

Top with whip cream or cool whip and serve.

Aunt Carolyn's Chicken from Deanna's Corner

Can't tell you how much we enjoyed this one we do wish we had a little more juice with it but it was very very yummy! It almost drove us crazy cooking the smell had our mouth watering. Thank you Deanna. Pleas chech her site out she has some yummy stuff there is a link on the side its Deann's Corner so pull up a chair and a bowl of ice cream.

½ cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper( we did add a little more)
1 chicken cut up (we used 5-6 chicken thighs cut in bite size)
½ cup butter or margarine melted and divided
¼ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup honey (we have some very good local honey we use)
¼ cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1-1/2 teaspoon curry powder
We used a large plastic bag, combine flour,salt and cayenne pepper
Add chicken and shake to coat.
Pour 4 tablespoons butter into 13 x 9 baking dish
Place chicken in pan turning once to coat
Bake uncovered at 350 for 30 minutes
Combine brown sugar, honey, lemon juice, soy sauce, curry powder, and remaining butter. Pour over chicken
Bake 45 minutes more or until chicken is tender, basting several times with pan drippings.
We served this over rice.

Wet Burrito

Wet Burrito Casserole by Sue at Recipe zarr that we added some stuff too. This made a lot so if you have a crowd to feed or just want to freeze some I'm sure it would freeze well. A side dish of Spanish rice and our salsa with chips (that recipe is on a older post) and you have as good as any Mexican restaurant dinner.

1 ½ cups sour cream
1can cream of mushroom soup
1 lb ground beef (I'm sure any thing like ground turkey would even be good)
1 onion (by the way we always cook with a yellow onion like my mom did)
1 bell pepper any color red and yellow
1 pkg taco seasonings
3 cloves garlic
½ cup mushrooms finely chopped
(OK I can hear ya now... mushrooms trust me if you like mushrooms you will like it and if not you will never know they are there. Or if you really hate them leave out but it does add a little texture. Plus they are good for you and if you don't tell, no one will know just say its a secret ingredient.)
1 can refried beans
1 10 count flour tortillas
4 cups cheddar cheese ( we use also extra Colby jack or the Mex mix) We like cheese
1 can sliced green chillies
we also added a little a few dashes of Tabasco Chipotle sauce Yee ha that is some good stuff we are on our second bottle we use it on every thing.)
sliced jalapeños
garnish with cilantro or guacamole

Mix sour cream and soup together
Pour half of this is in bottom of large greased(use pam) baking dish.
Brown meat with onion and bell pepper and garlic drain any fat
Stir in taco seasonings, mushrooms refried beans,green chillies( taste and if you want it with more heat add dash of Tabasco sauce and or red pepper flakes.)
Spoon mixture onto tortillas, rolling and placing seam side down.
Top with remaining soup mixture sprinkle with cheese and add sliced jalapeños on top.
Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 min or until cheese is melted and dish is heated.
garnish with cilantro and if want guacamole.

Orange Sherbert

My wife's grandmother used to make a strawberry sherbet using evaporated milk and sugar and placed in ice cube trays. Well I have been unsuccessful in finding this and her mother doesn't have it or has ever made it. So please help out there if any body has ever made this. Her grand mother lived threw the depression and it may be a local thing done in south Louisiana. I don't know.

I did find this for Orange Sherbet Ice Cream and it was pretty good tasted kinda like a dream pop.
1 can eagle brand sweetened condensed milk
3 10 oz orange soda pop
Pour into ice cream freezer stir and freeze.

Chicken with Black Beans and Rice

This looks terrible but it really taste good. Black beans are new for cooking with us so maybe that is it we are used to the red kidney beans. Any way we were surprised at how flavorful this dish was and we do like flavorful.Thanks from Recipezaar.

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes (we added a bit more)
1 large onion (we always cook with a yellow)
4-5 cloves garlic chopped
4 boneless skinless chicken breast cut into strips (we used about 5 chicken thighs as they do seem to have more flavor and are not as dry as a breast plus we can get them cheep at Sam's.)
2 teaspoons oregano, separated
2 teaspoons ground cumin, separated
2 cans black beans, undrained
1 can corn drained
1 4 oz jar sliced pimientos
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 cups chicken broth
1 ½ cups rice.

1.In a large pan heat olive oil and add red pepper flakes
2.Add onion and garlic and cook until tender or clear.
3.Increase heat and add chicken stirring until cooked.
4.Lower heat to med. And add 1 tsp of oregano, 1tsp of cumin and simmer for 1 minute.
5.Add black beans, corn, pimentos, remaining spices and balsamic vinegar.
6.Blend and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes re seasoning if needed.
7.Heat broth to a boil and add rice. Lower to simmer and cook for 20 minutes till rice is fluffy.
8.Serve beans over rice.

Baked Cabbage Wedge

Baked Cabbage Wedges

1 large head of cabbage cored and cut into 8 wedges
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
¼ cup dry white wine
1/8 teaspoon black pepper (or you can use more)
½ tablespoon unsalted margarine
2 tablespoons fine dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (or you can use more)

1.Preheat oven to 400
2.Place cabbage in shallow 2 quart flameproof casserole dish. Add chicken broth, wine, and pepper bring to a simmer uncovered over moderate heat.
3.Cover and transfer to oven and bake for 35 to 40 min. or until cabbage is fork tender.
4.In skillet melt margarine add bread crumbs cook stirring about 2 minutes until breadcrumbs are lightly browned. Remove from heat and set aside.
5.As soon as cabbage is done remove from oven and sprinkle with breadcrumbs and cheese over the top.
6.Increase oven temp to broil and place casserole in broiler 5 to 6 inches from heart. Broil 1 to 2 min until golden brown.

This is a good way to cook cabbage and it is very tasty and cabbage is a good buy now. This is what we did with the half of the cabbage we had after we used the other half for cold slaw in the last dish.
We served this with Chicken and Black beans over rice. That recipe will be on next post.

Good ol' fried catfish

Sorry been so long but we have been making some of our previous post and I will be posting some of the newer ones we have done. Not to mention the computer had a hiccup and we lost some of our pictures.
This is nothing new here but I know a lot of people out of our area may not know how good fried catfish can be. Now it has to be pond raised I do not like the ones caught from the lake and rivers they just have to much of a muddy taste. But there is nothing better than pond raised fried catfish.
We had some coleslaw and a good old buttermilk biscuits
We used a coating called fish fry and it has just the right amount of zing.

Computer has been down

Disaster has hit, my computer has crashed and I was able to get some stuff back up. Good news I did an almost complete back up about a month ago when the computer started acting up. Bad news is we lost all our email and new photos that were not backed up. We are looking to have to wipe everything out and start over and that is such a pain but we must have got a bug even though nothing shows up on anti virus programs but it is just to slow and freezing up on me.
I also have been working out of town and wife was gone for a week so I have not really cooked anything, Not as much fun when she isn't here to come bug me when I'm in the kitchen. Did I say bug I meant help. She cleans as I do tend to make a mess. So today I will put up a picture of one of our cats who come supervise every thing we do in the kitchen. This is Frosty.
If the dish I plan to make turns out to be a winner I will post it.