Title: SPICED LENTILS WITH APPLE CRISPS AND CURRIED
Categories: Appetizers
Yield: 4 servings

-JUDI M. PHELPS
1 tb Canola oil
1 lg Yellow onion; peeled and
-finely diced
1 ts Garam masala; (Spice mixture
-sold at Indian food stores
-or other specialty shops)
1 md Bay leaf
2 Granny Smith apples; peeled,
-cored, and finely diced
1 c Dried green lentils
2 c Chicken stock
Apple Crisps; (recipe
-follows)
Curried Yogurt; (recipe
-follows)

———————–APPLE CRISPS———————–
1 tb Confectioner’s sugar
Juice of 2 lemons
2 Granny Smith apples; peeled
-and cored

———————-CURRIED YOGURT———————-
1 tb Curry powder or garam masala
1 Banana; peeled and finely
-diced
2 c Plain yogurt

In a large, heavy saucepan, heat the oil over
medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute until soft,
about 4 minutes. Add the garam masala, bay leaf, and
apples, and cook, stirring continuously, for 2 more
minutes. Add the lentils and stock and bring the
mixture to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer
and cook for about 25 minutes or until the lentils are
tender, being careful not to overcook them. Remove
the pan from the heat, remove the bay leaf, and adjust
seasoning to taste.

Serve the lentils hot in one large serving bowl.
Serve the yogurt and apple crisps separately and
invite diners to combine all three components to their
personal taste. Makes 4 appetizer or 2 main course
servings.

APPLE CRISPS: Preheat the oven to its lowest setting.
In a small bowl, dissolve the sugar in the lemon
juice. Thinly slice the apples horizontally into
rounds approximately 1/16-inch thick. Lay the apple
slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper
and brush lightly with the sugared lemon juice. Place
the baking sheet in the oven and allow the apples to
dry, about 3 to 4 hours or overnight. Remove the
baking sheet from the oven and gently peel the apple
slices from the paper. (Some discoloration of the
apple slices will occur.) Store in an airtight
container until ready to use. They will last for 2
days in the refrigerator.

CURRIED YOGURT: Heat a small nonstick skillet over
medium heat. Add the curry powder and toast until you
can smell its intense aroma, about 30 seconds. Remove
pan from heat. Combine the curry powder with the
banana and yogurt in a serving bowl, stirring well.
Refrigerate until ready to use. Makes 2 cups.

Source: Grains, Rice, and Beans by Kevin Graham.

Shared and MM by Judi M. Phelps.
jphelps@shell.portal.com, juphelps@delphi.com, or
jphelps@best.com

—–

Popularity: 3% [?]

Title: Gingerbread Dough For Structures
Categories: Polkadot, Epona, Cookies
Yield: 1 Servings

2/3 c Shortening
1/2 c Sugar
1/2 c Blackstrap molasses
1 Egg
3 c Flour
1 ts Baking soda
1 ts Baking powder
1 ts Cinnamon
1 ts Ginger
1 ts Cloves
1/2 ts Nutmeg

Cream shortening and sugar. Add molasses and egg; beat thoroughly.
Sift together remaining ingredients and add to liquid mixture. Mix
well. If dough does not come together, add water as necessary.
(Dough tends to be stiff.) Roll to 1/2″ thick and cut pattern for
desired structure. Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes. Be very careful
when removing from baking sheets to cooling rack. Let cool
thoroughly, then assemble using Royal icing (2 egg whites, 1/2 tsp.
cream of tartar, 1/2 to 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 lb. confectioners sugar.
Beat until stiff.)

A couple of things: Roll out the dough right on the cookie sheets,
cut your pieces, and peel away the extra dough. A lot easier than
trying to transfer the pieces from rolling board to sheets. Leave
some space between pieces; this dough tends to spread a bit. It also
has a tendency to crack a little when you take it off the baking
sheet if you use a small spatula to move it. I went out and invested
in one with a 5"x3″ blade. The cookie isn’t too sweet, but nice and
spicy.

I spent the whole day with my mom, helping her make cookies for
Christmas gifts. Somewhere around 600 cookies later, I’m finally
home…. Anyway, she gave me permission to divulge her gingerbread
recipe, so here it is.

* The Polka Dot Palace BBS 1-201-822-3627. Posted by EPONA

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Popularity: 4% [?]

Title: CHILLED GROUPER SALAD
Categories: Salads, Fish, Main dish, Low-cal, Kooknet
Yield: 4 servings

1/3 c Light Cottage Cheese
1/3 c Light Mayonnaise
3 tb Skim Milk
2 ts Horseradish
1 ts Lemon Juice
1/8 ts Lemon Pepper
1 c Water
1/2 c Chablis
1/2 ts Hot Sauce
1 md Onion, sliced
4 Strips Lemon Rind
1 lb Grouper Fillet
1/2 c Carrot, shredded
1/2 c Tomato, chopped
6 c Romaine, shredded

Process first 6 ingredients in the container of an
electric blender or food processor until smooth, set
aside. Combine water and next 4 ingredients in a large
skillet; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and
simmer 5 minutes. Add fillet; cover and simmer 20
minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a
fork.

Gently remove fillet, and discard liquid. Cover and
chill fillet 1 hour. Flake fillet with a fork; arrange
fillet, carrot, and tomato on a lettuce-lined serving
platter. Serve with Horseradish dressing. Alternate
fish: Jumbo cod, sea bass.

Source: Safeway Nutritional Awareness Programme

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Popularity: 5% [?]

Title: Siopow (Steamed Dumplings)
Categories: Appetizers, Pork, Chinese
Yield: 30 servings

1 Wrapper recipe
1 c Water
1 tb Oil
1/4 ts Salt
1 c Chopped shrimp
1/4 c Ground pork
1 c Minced water chestnuts
1/4 c Minced scallions
1/4 c Minced onions
1 Egg
1 ts Pepper
1 ts Salt

Boil wrapper. Remove from heat and pour in 1 1/2 cup
flour and beat until it forms a ball. Divide into 1
1/4 inch balls and roll each until paper thin. Spoon
1 tbls. mixture into each wrapper, fold and seal.
Arrange in steamer and steam 30 minutes.

Again some expanation… these can be made with
much thicker wrappers (the ones the street vendors
sell are more like 1/2 to 1 inch thick) and the
filling can be just about anything. I have done these
with leftover meat and a few vegetables … such as
mushrooms, celery etc.

Courtesy of Ted Taylor. Reposted by Fred Peters.

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Popularity: 4% [?]

Title: Nutty Apricot Bars
Categories: Desserts, Fruits
Yield: 48 servings

12 oz Apricots – dried
3/4 c Sugar
3/4 c Butter / margarine -softened
1 c Sugar
2 c Flour- all purpose
1/2 t Baking soda
1/4 t Salt
3 oz Coconut – flaked
1/2 c Pecans or walnuts – chopped

Cover apricots with water, and bring to a boil; reduce heat, and
simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes or until tender. Drain reserving 1/4
cup liquid. Coarsely chop apricots, and set aside. Combine reserved
apricot liquid and 3/4 cup sugar in a saucepan; simmer 5 minutes.
Stir in chopped apricots.
Cream butter; gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating at medium speed of
an electric mixer until light and fluffy. combine flour, baking soda,
and salt; add floured mixture to creamed mixture, mixing well
(mixture will be crumbly). Stir in coconut and pecans. Pat about
three-fourths of coconut mixture into and ungreased 13x9x2 inch pan.
Bake at 350F for 10 minutes. Spread apricot mixture evenly over
crust, spreading to within 1/4 inch from edge of pan.
Sprinkle with remaining coconut mixture. Bake an additional 30
minutes. Let cool in pan; chill. Cut into bars. Store in
refrigerator. Yield: about 4 dozen. From the Southern Living Cookbook

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Popularity: 14% [?]