Raita

Raita is an Indian yogurt salad which is eaten with curries in order to provide an accompanying, cooling flavor (even though it itself can carry some heat!). It comes in many forms, and much like good old fashioned lettuce-based salad, you can kind of do what you want with it. Generally, it includes plain yogurt and spices, as simple as just black pepper. I really loved this version of this, because I included some fresh cucumber for some cool flavor and texture.

Raita

Ingredients (makes enough for a meal for 4 people):
1 cup plain yogurt
4 slices cucumber, chopped
1/4 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp chili powder
Pinch salt
Black pepper

Other possible ingredients: Garlic paste, mint, onions, tomato, other Indian spices

Directions: Combine in a mixing bowl, serve chilled and use within a day or so of mixing.

Cheese Plate

Tonight I threw my husband ANOTHER 30th birthday party, this time for our local friends. The crowd was small and I wanted to make sure the food I had was special and spoke for itself. I served the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip for a sweet treat, and I decided to go with a a cheese plate for a more savory/salty option.

This plate had a somewhat limited selection of cheeses, but it turned out nice and they were all a hit! Next time I will take the time to go to a store with a more diverse selection, but due to some time-limiting unexpected events this week, I had to make do with the local grocery store. This is more of an article about how to prepare and serve a cheese plate. Oh, man, I like cheese.

Cheese Plate – How to Make it Happen

1) Select your cheeses. Go for a mixture of colors, shapes, and textures of cheese. Some yellow cheeses, a few white cheeses, perhaps a colorful and flavorful pepperjack or other visibly spiced cheese, and a soft cheese. Decide on how many you want to provide and make a shopping list. Alternatively, go to the store and choose your cheese carefully. Remember to get a variety of flavors at the very least, not a dozen different kinds of cheddar!

2) Prepare your serving device. You can use a cutting board (a clean one, preferably wooden for a good look), a nice platter, or even a stoneware serving or baking piece. Make sure it is cleaned off thoroughly, then chill it.

3) Label your cheeses. People like to know what they are trying. I used simple notecards with the names of the cheese written out.

4) Set the cheese out at the last minute. You don’t want it to get too warm or soft.

5) Provide crackers, cheese, and fruit to serve with the cheeses.

6) Don’t forget to decorate! A cheese plate speaks for itself, but a splash of color provided by grapes or some fresh greenery will make the plate sing.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip

This is a delicious, sweet dip which is good for an evening party or family event. It is on the sweet side for sure, which provides a nice balance to other dips which are common at finger-food type events. I will tell you this was a HUGE hit at my party! It makes a lot, but won’t last long!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip

Ingredients:
1 package (8oz) cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened/melted
1.5 cups brown sugar
1 bag (12oz) mini chocolate chips
Graham Crackers/Wafers

Directions:
In your mixer, cream the cream sugar and butter. Add the sugar and the chocolate chips. Serve cold with graham crackers or wafers of your choice.

Oven Fried Lemon Garlic Chicken

Don’t let the long title scare you, this recipe is easy and delicious. We were in the mood for something crispy but not strictly fried. My husband even ate the leftovers cold the next day and was already asking for it again! Enjoy.

Oven Fried Lemon Garlic Chicken

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
2 cloves garlic or 1 tbsp garlic powder
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tbsp parsley, dried or fresh
3 chicken breasts or 5 chicken thighs, boneless
Cooking Spray

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the garlic and lemon. Allow to sit for a few minutes, stirring, and remove from heat once it is completely melted. Place on a hotpad on the counter (no need to dirty another dish here).

Mix the bread crumbs and spices in another bowl. Dredge the chicken in the butter followed by the panko mixture. Place on a greased cooking sheet. Bake 20-25 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 degrees.

Ben and Jerry’s Raspberry Ice Cream

This was the first ice cream we ever made in our KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker attachment, and we wanted to experience the magic again. It was absolutely amazing. The wonderful thing about making your own ice cream is choosing your own ingredients. This time, we were fortunate enough to have organic raspberries from Door to Door Organics, which were super rich in flavor. I also picked up the lemon from there, and the heavy cream and whole milk both came from Calder Brother’s Dairy, which is a dairy farm about 30 minutes from my house. Even the eggs (yes, eggs) were local and cage-free. So, here’s my hippie-style raspberry ice cream!

Oh, as a note, we added shavings of dark chocolate this time, which compliment the raspberry flavor, but are totally optional.

Raspberry Ice Cream

Ingredients (makes generous half gallon):
3 pints raspberries
Juice from 1 lemon
2.25 cups sugar, divided in half
3 eggs or egg substitute
3 cups heavy cream
1.5 cups whole milk

Directions:
Freeze your ice cream maker 24 hours in advance according to the instructions of your machine.

In a large bowl with a lid, place your cleaned raspberries. Add the juice from the lemon and 1.125 cups sugar. Stir gently to mix and place in the fridge. Stir this mixture every 30 minutes for 2 hours.

Fresh Raspberries

Raspberries becoming syrup!

In your mixing bowl, whisk eggs until light and fluffy. Add the remaining sugar, then add the heavy cream and milk a little at a time until completely mixed. Then pour the juices off the raspberries into the mixture. Puree the remaining raspberries using a potato masher or another similar device. Add the raspberry bits to the mixture. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Freeze the ice cream according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Chicken Tikka Masala

This was my second attempt at homemade Indian food. If you remember last time, the dish came out super bland, and I had to go back and re-spice to make it edible. Well, it looks like this time I used a bit too much of a heavy-hand… the final dish ended up about a medium plus! OOPS! Now, we tend to like things at a medium, so it was still edible, we just need to supplement the meal with milk.

I did not love the textures in this dish, it felt to creamy and with no real feel to it besides the chicken. I’d substitute the tomato puree with diced tomatoes instead.

Enjoy!

Chicken Tikka Masala

Ingredients:
1 cup plain yogurt
3 chicken thighs, bone and skin removed
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp chili pwoder
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tbsp corriander
1 tbsp cumin
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp cayenne
8oz can tomato puree
1 medium onion, cut julienne
4 cloves garlic
2 tbsp fresh ginger
1 cup cream
2 tsp mustard seed
More spices (chili powder, garam masala, corrainder, cardamom, tumeric, cayenne, salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin)
Fresh Cilantro (omitted)
EVOO
Cooked rice or nan

Directions:
Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces. You really want to use thighs here, the meat is more tender and absorbs the flavor better. Every Indian person will tell you that. Marinate the chicken in the yogurt and the spices listed and the lemon juice. Leave for at least 2 hours, though overnight is best.

In a deep saute pan, heat about 3 tbsp oil until hot. Add the mustard seed and some crushed black peppercorns. Heat 3-5 minutes or until the seeds start to pop, much like popcorn. Add the onions, garlic, and ginger, then heat until the onions are carmalized and brown.

Add the tomato puree (if you’re using the diced tomatoes, let them saute for about 5 minutes for canned, 10 for fresh). Then add the marinated chicken and all of the yogurt. Additionally, add more spices at this time. Use your discretion as to how much, but the rule of thumb is:

For more flavor overall, use cumin, garam masala, corriander, cumin, salt, garlic
For more spice, use cayenne, chili powder, black pepper

Heat for 20-30 minutes on med-low until the chicken is cooked through. Use a meat thermometer if you’re not sure. Add the cream and allow to cook for 10 more minutes. Check the spices again and adjust as necessary.

Serve over rice or with nan. Top with fresh cilantro.

Strawberry Lemonade

This is my favorite summer drink, of the adult variety. It is light and refreshing and takes advantage of amazing summer fruits. Enjoy, responsibly.

Adult Strawberry Lemonade

Ingredients:
2ish shots Vodka, preferably ice cold
1/2 cup Lemon-lime soda
2 strawberries, sliced
1 wedge lemon
Ice

Directions
Slice the strawberry and place into a glass (yes, I used a dixie cup, but it was a party afterall). Squeeze the lemon and add the vodka to the cup. Using a spoon, mash the strawberry a few times up against the side of the glass. Then add the soda and ice, serve with the lemon wedge on top or floating in the cup if you prefer.