Roasted Chicken with a Mustard Crust

2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoons herbs de Provence
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 chicken (3 1/2 – 4 pounds)

Whisk all of the ingredients (except chicken) together in a small bowl until emulsified into a fragrant, wet marinade.
Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, cut along each side of the backbone to remove it. The best way to do this if you don’t have kitchen shears is to sit the chicken on it’s bottom and slice all the way down each side of the back bone in a straight line. Once you’ve removed the backbone, open the chicken up like a book and place it on the cutting board, cavity side down. Press firmly in the center of the breast to crack the breastbone and encourage a flatter shape. Using a sharp paring knife, cut halfway through both sides of the joints connecting the drumstick to the thigh and cut through the joints of the shoulder under the wing as well.
Place the chicken skin side down in a large baking dish and evenly spoon on half of the mustard marinade. Flip the chicken over and spread the remaining mustard mixture evenly over the skin side of the chicken. Wrap the dish in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Remove the chicken from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes prior to cooking and preheat the oven to 450° F. Place a skillet large enough to accommodate the chicken over high heat. When hot, place the chicken in the pan skin side up and spoon on any leftover marinade in the baking dish. Cook the chicken on the stovetop for 5 minutes before placing the entire skillet in the oven. Roast for 30-35 minutes, or until the chicken is well-browned with a crispy skin.
Remove the skillet from the oven and allow the chicken to rest in the pan for at least 5 minutes. Place the chicken on a clean cutting board and allow it to rest for another 5 minutes. Cut the chicken into 8 pieces using a sharp knife or kitchen shears and serve alongside mashed potatoes or a mixed green salad.
Serves 4

Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken Tikka:
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons table salt
4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat (about 3-4 lbs)
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

Masala Sauce:
2 - 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, diced fine
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
4 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves (optional)


For the chicken, combine cumin, garlic powder, cayenne, and salt in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with spice mixture, pressing gently so mixture adheres. Place chicken in a baking dish, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes.

In large bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, garlic, and ginger. After the seasoned chicken has 'marinated' for 30-60 minutes in the fridge, pour the yogurt mixture over the chicken and toss to fully coat both sides. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6-8 hours or overnight.

For the sauce, heat oil in medium sized saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, tomato paste, and garam masala; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. At this point, allow the sauce to cool. Transfer the sauce into a storage container, cover and then refrigerate overnight.

The next day, remove the chilled sauce from the fridge and heat up in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in cream and return to simmer. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.

While sauce simmers, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat broiler. Remove the chicken from the fridge and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Place the yogurt coated chicken on the parchment lined baking sheet. Broil chicken until thickest parts register 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer and exterior is lightly charred in spots, 10 to 18 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.

Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks and stir into warm sauce (do not simmer chicken in sauce). Adjust seasoning with salt if needed. Before serving, stir in cilantro into the sauce or garnish with cilantro if using.

Sweet Potato Veggie Burger

I'm hoping this is close to the Veggie Burger at Eden Alley. Craving it right now...

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons best-quality curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 tablespoons potato starch
1 pound firm tofu
1/2 cup brown rice, cooked
2 tablespoons minced chives
3 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 low-fat whole-wheat buns
Olive-oil cooking spray

Place a steamer basket in a medium saucepan filled with 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil, and add sweet-potato cubes. Steam until fork tender, 6 to 7 minutes. Set aside. Place a large skillet over medium heat. Spray skillet with cooking spray. Add onion, garlic, curry powder, and cumin; cover. Cook, lifting cover to stir occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. If the onion begins to dry out or burn, add 2 tablespoons water. Stir in tomato paste, and cook another 2 minutes.

Transfer mixture to the bowl of a food processor. Add the sweet-potato cubes and the potato starch. Pulse until onions are finely ground, about 1 minute.

Rinse and drain the tofu. Lay a clean kitchen towel or a double thickness of cheesecloth on a clean work surface. Place tofu in the center, wrap, and wring out any excess liquid; the tofu should have the texture of ground meat. Place the tofu, sweet-potato mixture, brown rice, chives, cilantro, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Using a rubber spatula, fold the ingredients together. Using your hands, shape the mixture into four 3 1/2-inch-round patties.

Return skillet to medium heat. Coat with cooking spray. Place patties in pan, and cook until golden on bottom, 5 to 6 minutes. Flip patties over, and cook until golden on other side, another 5 to 6 minutes. Serve warm on whole-wheat buns.

New York Cheesecake

For Ryan...

For the crust:
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, plus 1 additional tbsp., melted for greasing the pan
4 oz. (approx. 8 whole) graham crackers, broken into rough pieces and processed into fine, even crumbs*
1 tbsp. sugar

(*Note – if you have a kitchen scale, definitely weigh the graham crackers. )

For the cheesecake:
2 1/2 lb. (5 8-oz. pkgs.) cream cheese, cut into rough 1-inch chunks, at room temperature
1/8 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup sour cream
2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large egg yolks plus 6 large eggs, at room temperature

Directions:
To make the crust, adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees F. Brush the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with 1/2 tablespoon of the melted butter. In a medium bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs, 5 tablespoons melted butter, and sugar. Toss with a fork until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Transfer the crumbs to the springform pan and use the bottom of a ramekin to firmly press the crumbs evenly into the pan bottom. Bake until fragrant and beginning to brown around the edges, about 13 minutes. Cool on a wire rack while preparing the filling.

Increase the oven temperature to 500 degrees F. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese at medium-low speed to break up and soften it slightly, about 1 minute. Scrape the beater and the bottom and sides of the bowl well with a rubber spatula; add the salt and about half of the sugar and beat at medium-low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape the bowl; beat in the remaining sugar until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape the bowl; add the sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla. Beat at low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape the bowl; add the egg yolks and beat at medium-low speed until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Scrape the bowl; add the remaining eggs 2 at a time, beating until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute, scraping the bowl between additions.

Brush the sides of the springform pan with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon melted butter. Set the pan on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any spills in case the pan leaks. Pour the filling into the cooled crust and bake 10 minutes; without opening the oven door, reduce the oven temperature to 200 degrees and continue to bake until the cheesecake reads about 150 degrees on an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center, about 1 1/2 hours. Transfer the cake to a wire rack and cool until barely warm, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Run a paring knife between the cake and the springform pan sides. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 3 hours.

To unmold the cheesecake, removed the sides of the pan. Slide a thin metal spatula between the crust and the bottom of the pan to loosen, then slide the cake onto a serving plate. Let the cheesecake stand at room temperature about 30 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve. (Use a long, thin, sharp knife that has been run under hot water and then dried for slicing. Wipe the blade clean and rewarm between slices.)

Peanut Butter Pie

For the chocolate cookie crust:

30 chocolate wafer cookies (about 6 ounces)
1 tablespoon sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the peanut butter filling with chocolate bottom:

½ cup (3 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
½ teaspoon light corn syrup
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
¾ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 ½ cups heavy cream

For the easy hot fudge sauce:

6 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped
6 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream
¼ cup light corn syrup

Make the chocolate cookie crust:

In a food processor, grind the cookies to a very fine powder. You should have about 1 ½ cups. Put the crumbs in a bowl and stir in the sugar.

Pour the butter over the crumb mixture and mix until well combined. The mixture will feel wet. Turn the crumb mixture out into a 9-inch pie plate and press it into the bottom and up the sides. You can use the back of a large spoon to even out the crust. Put the crust in the refrigerator while you make the filling.

Make the peanut butter filling with chocolate bottom:

Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave oven or in a double broiler. Add the corn syrup and stir to combine. Use a spatula to spread the chocolate in a thin layer on the bottom of the chilled pie crust. Put the crust back in the refrigerator while you make the peanut butter filling.

Put the cream cheese, peanut butter, vanilla, and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until well combined and completely smooth. Set aside.

In a clean bowl, use the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment to whip the cream until soft peaks form. Remove the bowl from the mixer and, with a rubber spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture until the mixture is uniform in color.

Pour the mixture into the prepared crust and freeze for at least 4 hours. Once the pie is frozen, you can cover it with aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 days.

Make the easy hot fudge sauce:

Place both chocolates in a medium heatproof bowl and set aside.

In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer over medium heat. Add the corn syrup and stir to combine. Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolates. Let the mixture sit for 2 minutes. Starting in the center of the bowl and working your way out to the edges, whisk the chocolate mixture in a circle until completely smooth. The hot fudge sauce, cooled to room temperature and covered tightly, will keep for 3 days in the refrigerator. Rewarm the sauce in a microwave oven on medium heat for 30 seconds, stir, and repeat until the sauce is warm; or reheat it in a small saucepan over low heat.

Place a frozen piece of pie on a large serving plate and spoon 3 heaping tablespoons of the warm sauce directly over the top of the pie.

Crispy Salmon with Risotto and Slow Roasted Tomatoes

I can't wait to try this recipe from "More Than Burnt Toast"
morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com

Crispy Salmon with Risotto and Slow Roasted Tomatoes

ROASTED TOMATOES

9 plum tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced

RISOTTO

4-1/2 cups fat free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
2-1/4 cups (1/2 inch thick) sliced leek
1-1/2 cups uncooked Arborio rice
1/3 cup dry white wine
6 cups torn arugula or spinach
½ cup half-and-half
¼ cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

SALMON

2 teaspoons olive oil
6 (5-ounce) red sockeye salmon fillets, skinned
½ teaspoon. sea salt
½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

To prepare tomatoes, coat a foil-lined baking sheet with cooking spray. Place tomatoes, cut sides up, on baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 T. oil, sprinkle with ½ tsp. salt, ½ tsp. thyme, ½ tsp. pepper, and garlic. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1-1/2 hours or until very soft and slightly shriveled, turning occasionally.

To prepare risotto, bring broth to a simmer in medium saucepan (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat. Heat 1 T. oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add leek, saute 3 minutes or until tender. Add rice; cook 1-1/2 minutes, stir constantly. Stir in wine; cook 30 seconds or until liquid is nearly absorbed. Stir in 1 cup broth; cook 3 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring frequently.

Add remaining broth, ½ cup at a time, stirring frequently until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 25 minutes). Stir in arugula, half–and-half, cheese, ¼ tsp. salt, and ¼ tsp. pepper.

To prepare salmon, heat 2 tsp. oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle salmon with ½ tsp. salt, ½ tsp. thyme, and ¼ tsp., pepper. Place fillets, skin side up, in pan, cook 5 minutes. Turn fillets over, and cook an additional 2 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Arrange 3 tomatoe halves, cut sides up, in a spoke-like pattern in centre of each of 6 plates. Mound 2/3 cup risotto in centre of each plate (leaving about 1-1/2 inch edge of tomatoes uncovered). Arrange fillets on risotto. Garnish with sprig of thyme, if desired.

Serves 6

Barb's Pumpkin Cake

2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 cups pumpkin puree


Combine sugar, vegetable oil, and eggs in a large mixing bowl; mix well. Sift dry ingredients into a separate bowl; stir into oil mixture, beating well. Stir in pumpkin puree. Pour batter into greased and floured 13X9 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35- 40 minutes.
Frost with whipped cream cheese icing and sprinkle with chopped walnuts