Grandma's Kitchen Table

Eating With Ellie: West African-Style Peanut Stew with Chicken

      The 110th recipe I made with the Eating with Ellie group is West African-Style Peanut Stew With Chicken, and can be found in Ellie Krieger's book Whole in One, on page 127.  

       Ingredients: chicken, salt, pepper, peanut oil, onion, cloves, ginger, coriander, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, chicken broth, tomatoes, sweet potato, greens, red bell pepper, peanut butter, and peanuts.

       It’s still soup season here and I’m taking advantage of it while I still can, although to be absolutely truthful, I do eat soup most of the year, soup-season or not.  We had made a version of African Peanut Stew before in the Ellie CEIMB group many years ago, but this is a new version of the recipe with the addition of the chicken and the reworking of a few of the ingredients.  I liked the chicken in the soup, I’ll probably make only this version from now on actually as I usually have rotisserie chicken left over and this is a great use for it.  Definitely a keeper of a recipe, it was all delicious as you can probably tell by the ingredient list.

      Eating with Ellie participants: Margaret at Tea and Scones, and Gaye at Laws of the Kitchen.  You can check the Eating with Ellie category in their blogs to see the recipes they have made and are making. (If you would like to join us, just leave a link at one of our blogs.)

      Note:  In our posts, we do not publish the recipes from Ellie Krieger's books as those belong to her, we like to honor that and encourage you to buy her books to get the recipes.  

 

Wednesday with Donna Hay: Spiced Turmeric, Sweet Potato, and Carrot Soup

       My 175th recipe with the Wednesday with Donna Hay group is Spiced Turmeric, Sweet Potato, and Carrot Soup. The recipe can be found in One Pan Perfect by Donna Hay, on page 158.

        Ingredients: olive oil, onions, turmeric, cumin, ginger, sweet potatoes, carrots, coconut milk, chicken stock, cilantro (I used parsley), salt, pepper, and diced red chili pepper. 

        One would think that this far into spring in Indiana that my soup making days would be dwindling but for some reason this year, we have a day or two of nice weather followed by a string of cold rainy wet weather days…perfect for soup.  This is such a nicely flavored soup with very few ingredients, it’s easy to make when you haven’t been to the store for a bit but still have most of this on the counter or in the pantry.  It goes together quickly and then simmers for a half hour while the vegetables soften, just perfect for lunch. Definitely on repeat status.

        Participants:  Gaye at Laws of the Kitchen and Margaret at Tea and Scones.  You can check the Wednesday with Donna Hay category in their blogs to see the recipes they have made and are making.  

        NOTE: In our posts, we do not publish the recipes from Donna Hay's books as those belong to her, we like to honor that and encourage you to buy her books to get the recipes.  You can also do a search by the recipe name to find some of these recipes on her site.  

 

 

Cook the Book Fridays: Everyday Dorie - Double-Stuffed Deviled Eggs with Crab

       The tenth recipe I made for the Cook the Book Fridays group using the Everyday Dorie cookbook by Dorie Greenspan is Double-Stuffed Deviled Eggs with Crab, it can be found on page 26.

       Ingredients:  eggs, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, crabmeat, apple, scallion, fresh lemon juice, and fresh chives.   

       Deviled eggs have never gone out of style here. They were popular at every family gathering when I was growing up and they are still popular at family gatherings now. My father-in-law particularly loved deviled eggs so I would always make a few extra to leave with him. I can’t think how many deviled eggs I have made over the years, but I have never made any quite like these so it was fun to get a new take on them.

       While most deviled eggs are just the whites filled back in with the yolk/mayonnaise/mustard mixture, these have a bonus filling sitting underneath the yellow yolk mixture…an additional filling of crab, apple, scallion, mayonnaise, and lemon juice. When you bite into one of these, you are totally surprised at the additional ingredients and flavor…in a good way.  These were delightful, delicious, and definitely worthy of repeating.

        To see what others in the group made this week, click here, for the Cook the Book Fridays link. We don't publish recipes from the book here in deference to the author, but sometimes the author has been generous and  you can find them online.

Cook the Book Fridays: Everyday Dorie - Sweet and Smoky Roasted Carrots

      The ninth recipe I made for the Cook the Book Fridays group using the Everyday Dorie cookbook by Dorie Greenspan is Sweet and Smoky Roasted Carrots, it can be found on page 214.

       Ingredients:  cider vinegar, smoked paprika, salt, cumin, cayenne pepper, olive oil, honey, carrots, and Greek yogurt.   

       If you are looking for a new way to make carrots, and we are always looking for that as we love carrots, this is a very nice recipe to have on hand.  While it takes awhile to cook the carrots, they can be roasting away while you are making other things in the oven. The sauce only takes a couple minutes to assemble and make (and you can do it ahead of time), so it all comes together on the dinner plate fast and easy. The level of smokiness isn’t all that prevalent, just a little bit, and the other flavors of cayenne and cumin are a little muted as well with the honey thrown in the mix. All are a very nice accompaniment to those roasted carrots. Definitely a repeat-worthy recipe.

        To see what others in the group made this week, click here, for the Cook the Book Fridays link. We don't publish recipes from the book here in deference to the author, but sometimes the author has been generous and  you can find them online.

Cook the Book Fridays: Everyday Dorie - Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

       The eighth recipe I made for the Cook the Book Fridays group using the Everyday Dorie cookbook by Dorie Greenspan is Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, it can be found on page 58.

       Ingredients:  olive oil, maple syrup, soy sauce, salt, pepper, cinnamon, cayenne, butternut squash, onion, carrots, garlic, chicken broth, ginger, star anise, and cider vinegar and cream for drizzling.   

       It’s been cool and rainy here and those kind of days just call for soup at lunch. When I was looking for a recipe, this one caught my eye as it calls for things I always have on hand each week so I knew no special trip to the grocery was needed and I would be able to cobble it all together in time for lunch.  This was a very nice soup, very filling, full of flavor and not your typical butternut squash soup as it had the addition of cayenne, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and star anise, all which create a warm delicious depth. Definitely on repeat status. 

        To see what others in the group made this week, click here, for the Cook the Book Fridays link. We don't publish recipes from the book here in deference to the author, but sometimes the author has been generous and  you can find them online.

Cook the Book Fridays: Everyday Dorie - Western Frittata

       The seventh recipe I made for the Cook the Book Fridays group using the Everyday Dorie cookbook by Dorie Greenspan is Western Frittata, it can be found on page 27.

       Ingredients:  olive oil, onion, red bell pepper, jalapeño pepper, chili powder, salt, pepper, eggs, hot sauce, tomatoes, shredded cheddar cheese, and fresh thyme.   

     
        We seem to eat more egg-based dishes in Lent than any other time of the year, using them for main meals, sometimes accompanied by a salad and sometimes not, and a frittata is so filling with all it’s eggs and veggies that you really don’t need to make a salad to go with it most of the time.  This one has a bit of a kick to it, very welcome as eggs and veggies can be rather bland at times. It didn’t say how much hot sauce to add so I circled the bowl twice with the squirt bottle to give it a very nice and spicy amount, delicious. This will be a repeat, it’s fast and easy and delicious and best of all, there are lots of leftovers to have for breakfast or lunches the rest of the week. 

        To see what others in the group made this week, click here, for the Cook the Book Fridays link. We don't publish recipes from the book here in deference to the author, but sometimes the author has been generous and  you can find them online.

Cook the Book Fridays: Everyday Dorie - Mediterranean Shepherd's Pie

       The sixth recipe I made for the Cook the Book Fridays group using the Everyday Dorie cookbook by Dorie Greenspan is Mediterranean Shepherd's Pie, it can be found on page 161.

       Ingredients:  Yukon Gold potatoes, butter, milk, salt, pepper, olive oil, ground beef, ground sausage, onion, garlic, broth, cumin, sumac, za’atar, harissa paste or powder, crushed tomatoes, butternut squash, kale, and unsalted butter.   

       We love Shepherd’s Pie more than Pot Pie, something about those whipped potatoes on the top and that meaty vegetable filling underneath is always satisfying, especially on these last cold days of winter.

 
   This recipe is easy and doesn’t take a lot of time to assemble, I cooked the potatoes while assembling the filling and it all came together in about 25 minutes, another 45 minutes for the stint in the oven.  

       The seasonings make it more Mediterranean in flavor than the basic ingredients, all very nice flavorings. I wasn’t sure the butternut squash was going to be such a hit in there, as we usually use carrots, but surprisingly, it tasted great.  Leftovers warmed nicely and had even more depth of flavor. This will get a repeat again next winter, it can all be prepared ahead, ready to cook in the oven when needed. 

        To see what others in the group made this week, click here, for the Cook the Book Fridays link. We don't publish recipes from the book here in deference to the author, but sometimes the author has been generous and  you can find them online.

FFWD: Around My French Table - Creamy Cauliflower Soup Sans Cream

      The 41st recipe I made this week for French Fridays with Dorie from Dorie Greenspan's Around My French Table cookbook, is Creamy Cauliflower Soup Sans Cream, found on page 68.  

      Ingredients: olive oil, butter, onion, garlic, celery, thyme, salt, pepper, cauliflower, chicken broth, and sour cream, walnuts, and parmesan cheese to serve.

      Soup making has been on the rise here with these cold and rainy spring days, nothing makes me happier for lunch on a cold and rainy day than a bowl of warm soup. I’ve been thumbing through my cookbooks looking for soup recipes and coming up with some really delicious ones, this one no exception, it is delicious.  All the ingredients are easily ones that I have on hand each week anyway, so putting this together mid-morning for lunch was fast and easy. The little toppings were fun and also added a welcome bit of flavor, which is always nice as cauliflower is not much of a thing without flavorings.  Absolutely delicious and repeat worthy. 

       Recipes owned by their authors are not published here in honor of their work. However, many recipe authors have been very generous, their recipes can be found online with a quick search. 

 

Wednesday with Donna Hay: Spiced Almond Roasted Chicken

        My 174th recipe with the Wednesday with Donna Hay group is Spiced Almond Roasted Chicken. This was a recipe given in a class taught by Donna Hay online but you can find a similar recipe online as well. 

        Ingredients: olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, honey, cumin, cinnamon, salt, pepper, chicken chickpeas, almonds, currants, oregano, and feta cheese. 

        Gaye found this recipe for us all to try and after seeing the ingredients, I knew I would want to make it. We are a divided household when it comes to chicken, as I prefer white meat and Mark prefers dark meat, which actually works quite nicely when one is roasting a chicken. I ended up splitting the recipe so that we made half white and half dark meat chicken, and also Mark does not eat chickpeas, so I left those off his side of the sheet pan when it all went into the oven to bake.

   
        It all came together on the one sheet pan as the recipe indicated in the same amount of time. Everything cooked nicely and cleanup was quick and easy with the foil on the sheet pan. We both liked it, the sauce on the chicken, chickpeas, and almonds was very nice and flavorful, especially the lemon. I served a couple tiny potatoes and some roasted carrots with it that I was making for another group, and we liked it all and would make it again.  I made the whole recipe as I have plans for the leftover chicken so that worked out nicely.  It was very time-friendly as well, less than 30 minutes start to finish. Gaye made it this week, so you can check her post and see how she liked it all.  (Nancy also made it this week but she doesn’t post.)

        Participants:  Gaye at Laws of the Kitchen and Margaret at Tea and Scones.  You can check the Wednesday with Donna Hay category in their blogs to see the recipes they have made and are making.  

        NOTE: In our posts, we do not publish the recipes from Donna Hay's books as those belong to her, we like to honor that and encourage you to buy her books to get the recipes.  You can also do a search by the recipe name to find some of these recipes on her site.  

 

Tuesdays with Dorie: Dorie's Cookies - Almond Crackle Cookies

        The Dorie's Cookies group recipes for April are Almond Crackle Cookies (page 176) and Espresso Chocolate Sables (page 338).  This week I chose to make the Almond Crackle Cookies. 
        Ingredients:  sugar, egg, and sliced almonds. 

        First of all, this photo is not the greatest, it doesn't look anything at all like the cookie pictured in the book...and I tried twice with the same result, so I just piled them up on a plate and called it a day.  After looking at a couple of posts that others did on this cookie, I decided that the three of us were at least in unison in the looks of our cookies, so not sure what's up with that. We all followed the recipe. I will say these cookies are delicious no matter their looks and are very addictive with their crunchy almond flavor. 

        The ingredients listed are correct, there are only three ingredients in this cookie. It all goes together in a few minutes, they bake for 10 minutes, and cool for 10 minutes.  They are hard to describe…kind of meringue-like, not really cookie-like, but what else would you call them? What they definitely are is delicious, with the almond flavor being prevalent and a nice crunchy crackly feel as you bite into them and eat them.  Definitely a repeat, a little bit addictive.

        The Tuesdays with Dorie group is baking from Dorie Greenspan's book, Dorie's Cookies.  The posts are the first and third Tuesdays of the month and can be linked at the main Tuesdays with Dorie website here.  You can also find the information on joining in and/or see the posts from those in the group baking along at this location.  I don’t publish copyrighted recipes, so if you’d like to bake along, buy the book, it’s well worth it.