Sour Chick Peas (Khatte Chhole)

This is a really popular Indian dish at our house. Last night one of the boys said, "It's like magic!" It makes the house smell wonderful and it's perfect for those chilly winter evenings.

Sour Chick Peas (Khatte Chhole)

10-11 oz onions, peeled and very finely chopped. Divided

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon peeled, very finely grated fresh ginger

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

Put 2 Tablespoons of the chopped onions, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, ginger and lemon juice into a teacup. Mix well and set aside.

4 Tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cans diced tomatoes

Put oil in a heavy, wide casserole-type pan and set over medium high heat. When hot, put in the remaining chopped onions. Stir and fry for 8-10 minutes or until the onion bits develop reddish-brown spots. Add the tomatoes. Continue to stir and fry for another 5-6 minutes, mashing the tomato pieces with the back of your spoon.

1 Tablespoon ground coriander

1 Tablespoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

2 (14.5 oz) cans Chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved

2 teaspoons garam masala

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

fresh cilantro (optional)

Put in the coriander, cumin and turmeric. Stir and cook for about 30 seconds. Now put in drained chickpeas, 14 fl oz of liquid (use the liquid from the can and add water to make 14 fl oz), and remaining 2 teaspoons of salt, garam masala and cayenne.

Stir to mix and bring to a simmer. Cover, turn heat to low and cook very gently for 20 minutes. Stir a few times during this period. Stir in a few handfuls of fresh cilantro if you choose to use it. Add the onion/ginger mixture from the teacup. Serve hot or lukewarm. Serve over rice or quinoa or a combination of both.

Snicker Apple Salad

A fun "salad" perfect for these hot summer days. I like this because it can count as a salad or dessert.:)

Ingredients:
5 large granny smith apples, cut in bite size pieces
1 3 oz. vanilla instant pudding mix
1 cup milk
1 8 oz. cool whip
4-5 regular size snicker bars, cut up.

Mix milk and pudding mix. Add cool whip. Fold in apples & snickers and chill.

Meat Loaf


My mother in law gave me this recipe when I got married and I really like it.  It is really basic and doesn't have a sauce on top, so if you like a saucy meatloaf this might not be for you!!

1 1/2 pounds of ground beef
1/2 cup bread crumbs (you could also use 3/4 c. cracker crumbs or 1/3 cup oatmeal)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 small onion diced
1 egg
1 can tomato sauce, 8 oz

Combine all ingredients and put into a loaf pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

You can also turn this into a Hamburger cheese roll by:

Pat meat mixture out on waxed paper, make into rectangle as wide as a loaf pan.  Sprinkle with one cup of grated cheese.  Roll up and seal edges!!

Million-Dollar Caramel Cookies

 

 Million-Dollar Caramel Cookies

(Makes 4 dozen)

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar, plus 1 TBSP
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 1⁄2 cups flour, plus 1⁄4 cup
• 3⁄4 cup cocoa
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 Heath candy bars
• 1 bag Rolo chewy caramels

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a medium bowl, beat butter and sugars until fluffy, then add eggs and vanilla and beat well.

2. In a separate bowl, mix 2 1⁄2 cups flour, cocoa, and baking soda. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture a little bit at a time and blend well. If the dough feels too sticky, sprinkle in a little extra flour. Cover and chill dough in fridge for about 30 minutes.

3. Chop Heath bars into small pieces. Place in a small bowl and toss with 1 Tbs sugar.

4. Once dough has chilled, wrap a piece around each caramel, forming a 1-inch ball and covering the candy completely. Dip top of the dough ball into the candy topping and place on parchment-lined baking sheet.

5. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes. Cookies will look quite soft, but do not over bake. Cool in pan slightly, then move to a rack or the counter to finish cooling. Store in a covered container.