Peanut Soup

 from Jubilee by Toni Tipton-Martin

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp butter

1/2 C minced onion

1 tsp minced garlic

1 T flour

1 C peanut butter (ideally natural, not sweetened)

1 qt. chicken stock

1 C heavy whipping cream

Salt and pepper

Hot pepper sauce (optional)

Crushed roasted peanuts, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. In a med saucepan heat the butter over med heat until it is sizzling. Add onion and garlic and saute about 3 minutes until translucent but not browned. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and use a whisk to stir it together, about 30 seconds. Whisk in the peanut butter until softened and smooth.

2. Gradually whisk in the chicken stock and bring it to a very gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cook it very gently for 20 min to thicken and marry the flavors, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. 

3. Stir in the cream and let it gently heat up to your desired service temperature. Do not overheat. Season to taste with salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce. Serve w/peanuts if desired. 

Peanut Butter Cream Pie

This recipe came to me from our friend KK who posted it on my Facebook wall. The story behind the recipe is actually quite sad... this is the favorite pie of a food blogger's young husband who passed unexpectedly about a year ago. As a tribute to her husband the blogger asked others to make this pie for him on a certain day. I missed the day, but pulled out the recipe to use some cream cheese we had that needed using before our big trip to Thailand. Peanut butter pie is not the Robber's favorite, but I personally always enjoy it and was excited for this one. The chocolate/peanuts part at the bottom of the pie is wonderful and the flavor of the filling was perfect, in my opinion-- very peanut buttery and not too sweet.

Notes: The crust definitely needs a different cookie/butter ratio, or some melted chocolate in it to act as a binder. Much too crumbly. Also I omitted the cup of powdered sugar simply because I didn't have any and I was glad as the pie was plenty sweet without it. I whipped some additional cream to go on top, but it doesn't really need it as it would just dilute the wonderful peanut butter flavor of the filling. I didn't have a 9" springform pan and most of my problems with the pie came from this fact. It's amazing how much of cooking is just having the right equipment.

From In Jennie's Kitchen:

http://www.injennieskitchen.com/2011/08/for-mikey.html

Ingredients:

8 oz. chocolate cookies

4 T. butter, melted

4 oz. chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 C. chopped peanuts

8 oz. cream cheese

1 C. creamy-style peanut butter

1 C. confectioner's sugar (can be omitted)

1 – 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 C. heavy cream

Directions:

1. Add the cookies to the bowl of a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs.  Combine melted butter and cookie crumbs in a small bowl, and stir with a fork to mix well.  Press mixture into the bottom and 1-inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. 

2. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave.  Pour over bottom of cookie crust and spread to the edges using an off-set spatula.  Sprinkle chopped peanuts over the melted chocolate. Place pan in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.

3. Pour the heavy cream into a bowl and beat using a stand mixer or hand mixer until stiff peaks form.  Transfer to a small bowl and store in refrigerator until ready to use.  

4. Place the cream cheese and peanut butter in a deep bowl.  Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in the confectioner's sugar.  Add the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract and lemon juice. Increase speed to medium and beat until all the ingredients are combined and filling is smooth.

5. Stir in 1/3 of the whipped cream into the filling mixture (helps lighten the batter, making it easier to fold in the remaining whipped cream).  Fold in the remaining whipped cream.  Pour the filling into the prepared springform pan.  Drizzle additional melted chocolate on top (optional) and refrigerate for three hours or overnight before serving.

Nutty Salad

From The Best Ever Indian Cookbook by Baljekar et. al.

I started making this salad and looked into the bowl dejectedly. "This will never make enough!" I thought to myself. "I think I will double it." "Heck," I thought, "I will triple it!"

A few minutes later when I had a huge entire pot full of salad, I realized that after marrying the Robber my life will never be the same. I have already forgotten how to cook for myself.

It is now one week later and I still have a half-pot of salad left.

Ingredients for the salad:

5 ounce can red kidney beans, drained
1 medium onion, cut into 12 rings
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1 medium yellow squash, sliced
2/3 C pasta shells, cooked
1/2 C cashew nuts
1/4 C peanuts
fresh cilantro and lime wedges, to garnish

Ingredients for the dressing:

4 ounces low-fat ricotta cheese
2 T. plain low-fat yogurt
1 fresh green chile, chopped
1 T. chopped fresh cilantro
salt and pepper
1/2 tsp. crushed dried red chiles
1 T. lemon juice

Directions:

1. Drain the kidney beans. Arrange them with the onion rings, kidney beans, zucchini slices, and pasta in a salad dish and sprinkle the cashew nuts and peanuts over the top.

2. In a separate bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, yogurt, green chile, fresh cilantro, and salt. Beat well using a for until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined. You may find it easier to add the cilantro leaves a few at a time and mix in to let their flavor permeate the mixture and ensure the resulting dressing is smooth in texture.

3. Sprinkle the crushed peppercorns, red chiles, and lemon juice over the dressing. Garnish the salad with fresh cilantro and lime wedges and serve with the dressing.

Serves 4.

Nutritional notes from the book, per portion:

Energy 199 cal
Fat 11.6 g
Saturated Fat 2.63 g
Carbohydrates 15.2 g
Fiber 2.9 g

End-Of-The-Year Faux-Thai Chicken Noodle Soup

Four days to the end of the year and counting! Wahoo! In between me and those four days are two big finals, and then I leave to go on my DC/NC trip the day right after. So I needed an easy fast way to dispose of all my left over perishable foods in an easy-to-eat way this week that would be gone when I'm gone. This soup was the answer. This concoction is roughly based of the famous chicken noodle soup pioneered by G., the mother of my friend KT.

Ingredients:

Pot full of water
Salt
Four boneless chicken breasts, thawed
1/2 package whole wheat egg noodles
1 1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts
2/3 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup lime juice (or juice from one lime)
1 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp. chicken bullion

Directions:

1) Put the chicken breasts in a deep pot and cover with water. Lightly salt. Bring to a boil and leave at boil until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Remove chicken from water and cut into bite sized pieces.

2) Increase volume of water to 2/3rds of total volume of pot. Add noodles.

3) While noodles are cooking, combine peanuts, coconut, lime juice, and whipping cream in a blender. Blend on high chop/puree until a rough solution is formed. Peanuts and coconut do not need to be thoroughly blended, but smaller bits of peanut and coconut should be emulsified in the lime juice and cream.

4) Chop the cilantro and parsley. When noodles are not quite all the way done cooking, turn the temperature down to simmer and add in the cilantro and parsley. Allow to simmer for five minutes.

5) Add in the bullion and the peanut/coconut mixture. Stir thoroughly. Put the cooled cut chicken back into the pot and stir. Adjust the water level accordingly. Salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for ten more minutes and serve hot.

Excellent! I am quite proud of my little left-over soup. It was genuinely tasty, filling, and the perfect balance of cream and peanut and cilantro and lime and flavor. A left over home run.

Also, can I say how proud I am that these are the ingredients I had left over? Fresh cilantro? Fresh whipping cream? A lime? Booyah. Big leaps from my college years, when being down to the wire meant a box of saltines.

Satyamma's Famous Cauliflower Curry

This recipe comes from The New Moosewood by Mollie Katzen and was easily one of the more satisfying moments of my night-- although I think the samosas could have been just as satisfying with a little more time and skill. I would serve this again, even though it requires a lot of ingredients and chopping. We ate it without rice, but I think like all curries it would be better over some rice or noodles.

On The Side:

Begin cooking some rice at around the same time you start preparing the curry. 2 cups brown rice in 3 cups water will be the right amount.

Ingredients:

2 medium-small (3-inch diameter) potatoes, cut into small chunks
[1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1 Tbs. mustard seeds
3 medium cloves garlic, peeled
1 1/2 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
1/2 C. lightly toasted peanuts
1 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. ground cloves or allspice
2 Tbs. toasted cumin seeds
1 to 2 Tbs. toasted sesame seeds
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1/2 C. water (more, as needed)]
1 to 2 Tbs. peanut oil
1 1/2 C. chopped onion
1 tsp. salt
1 large cauliflower, cut in 1-inch pieces
1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
optional: 1 cup cooked chick peas
3 to 4 Tbs. lemon juice

Directions:

1) Boil the potatoes until just tender. Drain and set aside.

2) Place the next 11 ingredients in a blender and puree until fairly homogeneous. Add extra water, as needed, to form a soft, workable paste.

3) Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven, and add onion and salt. Saute for 5 minutes over medium heat, then add cauliflower and carrot and mix well. Cover and cook about 10 minutes, then add the paste. Mix well. Cook, covered, over low heat until the cauliflower is tender, stirring every few minutes. Add more water, if necessary, to prevent sticking.

4) Add the cooked potatoes, chick peas, and lemon juice, and cook a few more minutes. Taste to adjust salt, and serve hot, with rice and condiments.

ON THE SIDE:

Your choice of condiments:

Raita
Lemon slices
Orange slices
Toasted nuts
Toasted coconut
Raisins
Sliced cucumbers
Sliced tomatoes
Thin strips of bell pepper

Time: 30 to 40 minutes to prepare.

Yield: about 6 servings. (This served eight easily. I think it could do ten if needed.)


I omitted the cumin seeds and substituted 2 Tbs. cumin powder, omitted the sesame seeds, and omitted the carrot. I did use one can of cooked chick peas and some sweetened coconut, but I don't think it harmed anything. This made a massive amount of delicious curry. With all the potential flavors in it, however, I found it too bland for my liking and added a significant amount of salt and pepper at the end. I would keep the chick peas, cut down on the lemon juice and add in some non-blended toasted peanuts to the final dish and serve it over the brown rice, instead of as a free standing entree.