New blog address!

Hi LLOR fans,

Since Erin and I  moved back to the US of A this summer, our blog has moved as well.  Check out www.lunchingladiesstatesiderecipes.blogspot.com to continue following our zany cooking and baking adventures.  And guess what?  You'll find all of your favorite posts from LLOR on LLSR.  Talk about convenience!! 

Enjoy our new, but still the same, blog.

Teresa Back in Texas

Summertime Hiatus

Hey LLOR followers,
Erin and I are proud to announce that both of us will be moving back to the states this summer! Most of you may know this already, but we wanted to formally post it so that you don't think we've abandoned you.

As for new recipes, we will be on hiatus this summer until we're settled in to our new homes. In the meantime, please feel free to send us any new stuff you've tried or any new tips you've picked up. And don't forget to refer back to some of your oldies but goodies recipes that you like. Postings may still appear during the next couple of months, but less frequent.

Happy Summer !
Teresa

Layered Chicken Parm

Chicken parmesan has always been a favorite of mine, but I confess to liking neither the pain of traditional frying preparation, nor the additional calories that come from fried chicken patties. So, this recipe is a toast to a healthier chicken parm creation.

What you'll need:

1-2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

small container ricotta cheese

fresh basil

tomato sauce, bottled or fresh (recipe below)

balsamic vinegar

extra virgin olive oil

Italian seasoning, to include oregano, marjoram, parsley flakes

salt and pepper

mozzarella cheese

pasta of your choosing

To start:

Marinate the chicken breasts in a mixture of balsamic vinegar and olive oil. I use 1 tbls. vinegar with 2 tbls. of olive oil, adjusting the amount depending on the amount of chicken used, making sure to cover all the breasts with the marinade. Bake the chicken breasts in a 350 F oven for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken's juices run clear. Pull chicken out of stove and let cool down.

Slice the chicken breasts lengthwise in half, essentially slicing them in half so that they are the same length as the original, but are skinnier. In an oven safe dish, place the first chicken breast half. Scoop a dollop of ricotta cheese and place it against the chicken, then add a few leaves of fresh basil. Place the next chicken breast against the basil and cheese, and add another dollop of ricotta cheese with a few leaves of basil. Continue to layer the chicken, ricotta and basil in this fashion until you have used all the chicken breasts.

When you have finished layering the chicken and cheese, smother the concoction with your tomato sauce. Now add a layer of mozzarella, pop into your still warm 350 F oven, and bake until the mozzarella begins to melt, about 20 minutes. In the meantime, boil water and prepare the pasta of your choosing. When the chicken emerges, the ricotta will be soft, the sauce will be bubbling, and your mouth will be watering. Plate the pasta and then serve the chicken over the pasta, using the excess sauce to soak the pasta. You may want to add additional parmesan cheese to the top, but it's perfect just as it is.

Tomato Sauce In a Jiffy

7-8 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped and diced

3 cloves of garlic

4 tsp. Italian seasoning

2 tblsp. butter

1.5 tblsp. extra virgin olive oil

dash salt

dash pepper

fresh basil

3 tsp. sugar

dash balsamic vinegar

When tomatoes are ripe, this sauce is a great use for them. In a sauce pan, melt the butter and then add the olive oil. When heated, crush the garlic cloves and add to the pan. The heat should be medium to low, as you don't want the garlic to brown, but to infuse the oil with its flavor. When the smell of the garlic starts to waft through the kitchen, add your fresh diced tomatoes to the pan and stir. Add the Italian seasoning, the fresh basil, and salt and pepper. Let the tomatoes cook down, and the spices simmer. Add a dash of balsamic vinegar, the sugar, and turn the heat down to low. I let this mixture cook from up to 2 hours before the meal, but I've also made this in a bout half an hour, and it still tastes great. It's an easy alternative to bottled sauce, and tastes really fresh.

Cheers!

Sloppy Joes, Slop, Sloppy Joes....

Ahh, Adam Sandler...you know you love that song.

If you were born in the 70's, you ate sloppy joes for dinner. My mom made these every week and somehow I never got used to the taste. I think it was the green bell peppers which is not one of my favorites. Anyways, this recipe comes from my wonderful Hungry Girl cookbook and I've modified it a bit. The hubby loves these and I think you will too.

You can also use this mixture to combine with some rice and make stuffed peppers, especially if you are trying to cut the bread out of your diet. I've done it both ways, but think it goes best with a nice sesame seed Mrs. Baird's hamburger bun.

Sloppy Joe's
1lb ground beef
1/2 cup white, yellow, or red onions, diced
1/2 cup of red or yellow bell pepper, diced
1 and 1/4 TBsp of Splenda (This is Hungry Girl's lower cal add in. If you want, use sugar instead)
1TBsp of steak seasoning (I use Head's County which I get from Texas. It's my favorite!!!)
Dash of salt
1TBsp Worcestershire sauce
1TBsp red wine vinegar (I would strongly encourage the use of this type of vinegar only because I think it gives this recipe its 'zing'.)
14 oz tomato sauce
2TBsp tomato paste
Hamburger buns

Heat large pan to medium heat. Break up ground beef and begin to cook. Mix steak seasoning, salt, and Splenda in a small bowl and add to beef. Stir and continue cooking for 2 minutes. Add peppers and onion and stir in with beef mixture. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes or until beef is completely browned. Add Worcestershire sauce, red wine vinegar, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Stir and continue cooking for about 5 minutes. Serve on hamburger type buns.

Easy, huh? So next time your family sings for sloppy joes, give this recipe a try.

Candy Bar Martini

If you were at Festivus de Teresa this year, then you had one of these at the Hayes' house. Blake and I discovered this yum drink at Houlihan's in New Jersey about 6 or 7 years ago. The name there was the Milky Way Martini, but due to that whole branding thing, I've changed the name.

For my overseas folk, if you can't get the liquors at your local liquor store or commissary, check the duty free store. Or, there's always that person headed back from Europe and can probably score you a bottle of what you are missing.

Oh, by the way, these pack a punch (KA-POW) and the effects can creep up on you. Just ask Festivus attendees .

Candy Bar Martini
2 shots of Irish Cream (Bailey's, preferably)
2 shots of white Creme de Cacao (or another milky chocolate liquor)
1 shot of vodka (Absolut is my fave)
2-4 shots of whole milk or 2% milk
Chocolate syrup
Optional: Milky way or 3 Musketeers candy mini candy bars

Combine and mix all liquors and milk. Drizzle some chocolate syrup into the bottom of a martini or margarita type glass. Pour liquor/milk mixture into the glass. Put the candy bar on the rim of the glass by making a small cut into the mini piece. This serves 2 regular martinis or 1 large :).

Shrimp and Vermicelli

I love using baby shrimp in dishes because they are so dang easy and you don't have to remember the night before to defrost anything. How many times have you decided to have brinner (you know you've done it!) instead of painstakingly running water over chicken or ground beef? This is a dish for you :).

You know from previous posts that I'm a big fan of veggies in dishes and the end of the week veggie drawer cleanout. Keep reading...this one is a good one.

Everything is local with the exception of my handy, dandy spices. If you don't have red pepper flake, substitute something spicy such as hot sauce or cayenne or leave it out if you don't like spicy. Also, a piece of ginger can be chopped up into small pieces and added to the dish instead of the powdered variety that I use.

Shrimp Vermicelli

1 tsp olive oil (or other cooking oil)
Dash of red pepper flake
Dash of ground ginger
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup diced red or yellow bell pepper
1/4-1/3 cup of diced carrot
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup diced white, yellow or red onion
1 package rice vermicelli (If you haven't used this before, it's so easy!!! You'll find it in the Asian section of your grocery store.)
3 vegetable bouillon cubes +6 cups of water or 6 cups of vegetable broth (I'd stick with the vegetable broth for this dish as you don't want the dish masked with chicken or beef flavor)
Soy sauce
1/4-1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed
2 cups of baby shrimp, thawed by running cool water over
Asian sauce such as sweet chili and ginger sauce (This is optional and I think it gives the end result a little kick.)

Heat large fry pan or wok on medium. Heat 1 tsp of olive oil and add red pepper flake and ginger. Cook for 30 seconds. Add carrot, bell pepper, and salt to spices and cook for about 5 minutes or until crisp tender. Add in onion and garlic and continue cooking until all veggies are tender. While veggies are cooking, warm veggie broth or water +bouillon cubes in microwave. Add vermicelli and allow noodles to soak, separating noodles from each other as they soak longer. Soak for a total of 5 minutes.

Once veggies are done cooking, add noodles to veggies in pan. Turn up the heat just a little. Add some of the broth to the pan to keep noodles and veggie mixture from drying out (about 1/2 to 1 cup). Add a couple of tablespoons of soy sauce. Add a little extra chili flake here if desired. After a few minutes, add peas and until warmed through. Turn off heat. Add shrimp, stir in with noodles and cover. Let sit for about 5 minutes to heat shrimp. Top individual servings with a little Asian sauce. Voila!

I had this leftover today and ate it for lunch. It's one of those dishes that you can eat for lunch the next day and it may have even gotten better!

Mom...Meatloaf...now!

In yet another attempt at meatloaf, I decided to take the plunge yet again. Could I do it? Could I make a meatloaf that would taste good and my hubby would eat? Could I make a meatloaf that would be good as leftovers tomorrow?

The answer...yes. Seems that if I follow a recipe for this, it does turn out. Alton Brown has always been a fave of mine on the Food Network. I think I like his science kind of geekyness that he portrays on his "Good Eats" show. Others find it annoying, I find it fascinating. This recipe comes from www.foodtv.com courtesy of Mr. Brown.

Hmmm, I suspect that if you have a fully stocked spice cabinet and also random sauces in your fridge, you can find everything you need. If you don't have Worcestershire sauce, try using soy sauce. While it won't give you that meaty kick, it will give a tang to the sauce topping that you know and love.

Meatloaf
3/4 cup garlic croutons (you can also use bread crumbs here, but I happen to need to use up some stale homemade croutons I had!)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 onion roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic peeled
1/4 red or yellow bell pepper
1 lb ground beef
1 egg

For the glaze:
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 tsp ground cumin
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
Dash of hot sauce
1/2 TBsp honey

Heat the oven to 325 degrees.
Combine croutons, pepper, cayenne pepper, thyme and chili powder in food processor. Pulse until a crumb consistency and put into large bowl. Combine onion, garlic, and bell pepper in the processor and pulse until chopped, not pureed. Add veggie mixture to large bowl with ground beef and mix all together with crumbs/spices. After combined, add the egg and mix well, making sure not to squeeze meat.

Shape into a loaf shape. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet and move loaf onto parchment lined pan. Put into oven.

While meatloaf is cooking, combine glaze ingredients and brush over meatloaf after it has been in the oven for 10 minutes. Allow to cook for about 30 more minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 155 degrees when placed in the center of the meatloaf.

Pretty easy, huh? This meatloaf tastes great with some mashed potatoes and gravy. Don't give up on meatloaf, readers! This recipe will do you good.

Crunchy Little Croutons

At the end of the week, I inevitably have bread left. Today, it happened to be rolls that hubby and I just couldn't eat up fast enough. One thing I can't get locally is croutons. Raise your hand out there if you DON'T like croutons. Yep, that's what I thought :). Why, what's a Caesar salad without the croutons?

You can add different spices to these, depending on what you like and have. This recipe is for a good ol' standard garlic parm crouton. A classic crouton in my house.

Crunchy Little Croutons

Stale bread (whenever have you seen me use this in a recipe? The staler, the better. It will cut down on baking time

Olive oil (or melted butter)

Garlic salt or powder (be sure to add salt if you are only using powder)

Parmesan cheese (Kraft will work, but use the fresh if you have it.)

Preheat oven to about 325 degrees. Cut the bread into cubes, leaving the crusts on. I prefer larger croutons, but cut to the size you like. Place the bread cubes in a bowl and drizzle in olive oil, lighting coating cubes. Stir with your hand or a spoon. Mix in garlic salt and Parmesan and continue to stir until bread is coated. Place on a jelly roll pan/cookie sheet in a single layer. Bake in oven for 10 minutes and check croutons. They are done when they are toasty brown. Watch the last few minutes so that they don't burn (this has happened to me!!!). Once out of the oven, cool completely. Store in sealed container for up to 1 month.

Next time you're looking for a little crunch in your salad or just need a little something before dinner, break these bad boys out. You'll never buy the packaged kind again.

Hot Toddy

You've tried the DayQuil, the tea with honey, Vicks slathered on your chest and none of it's working to get rid of that cold. Well, I suggest an alternative treatment for you that will warm up your tired, achy bones and put a little spring back in your step.

What you'll need:

6 oz. of boiling water

slice of lemon

2 tsp. brown sugar

healthy shot (or two) of rum (preferably spiced)

Set a tea pot on to boil and when the whistle blows, pour water in a mug, dissolving the brown sugar in the hot water. Stir the sugar water, and add the slice of lemon (I used a lemon from my bergamot lemon tree in the back yard and it was perfect for this occasion). Then, add the rum. Let cool, sip, and enjoy.

You may even invite your perfectly healthy husband to sit and have one with you. It's a great way to warm up on a chilly night. Cheers.

Scratch Brownies

When it comes to baking or cooking for an event, I'll take baking any day. Maybe it's because I have a major sweet tooth, but I prefer it since in my earlier young adult days, stuff from the oven always came out better than from the stove top. Ask my hubby. I was making my Mint Brownies(check them out in my earlier post) and didn't have a brownie mix. What's a girl to do? Find a good brownie recipe.

This one comes from http://www.allrecipes.com/ and I believe it's the best from scratch batch that I've tried in the past year. The two things that you may not be able to find locally (or of good quality) is unsweetened cocoa powder and vanilla extract. Sub in what you can, and pray to the baking gods for the best! By the way, these are not for those of you on a diet out there as you will see from the first couple of ingredients.

Most Awesome Brownies
1/2 cup of butter (that's 1 stick :) )
1 cup of sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8X8 pan. In a large saucepan, melt the butter slowly. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Beat in cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder (I used a hand mixer for this, but you can mix by hand). Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake in preheated pan for 25 to 30 minutes. Check with a toothpick for doneness and be sure not to over bake. Remove from oven and cool.

If you are ever out of box mix, give these brownies a shot.

Chicken Soup

I said I wouldn't do it, and I did it. I'm posting about chicken again. I wish it weren't so. But the sad truth of things is this: when it's cold, gray and rainy, a little chicken soup goes a long way. And while everyone can open a little can of Campbell's, I think there's something to be said for going the extra mile to put on a pot of your own home-made chicken loveliness.

Suggestion: if ever you see a whole chicken on sale, grab one and stick it in the freezer. You never know when you might need it. Today I opened the freezer and was so grateful to see my little chicken stash, as the rain pelted the windows and the heater was struggling to keep the house warm.

What you'll need:

1 whole chicken, on the bone with skin

rosemary

or

thyme

or

sage

or all of the above

salt

pepper

water

pasta noodles

Remove frozen chicken from freezer and place chicken in a stock pot. Cover the chicken with water, and set on stove to boil. Add whatever herbs you have on hand; if fresh, a sprig of rosemary, thyme, or sage. If dried, add a pinch of one or a combination of all three (based on your preference). Salt and pepper the water, cover with lid, and bring to a boil. You may add carrots, celery and onion, if you like, but even without veggies, the broth is still tasty and rich. When the broth boils, turn down the heat to simmer. Let cook for 2-3 hours, or until the chicken meat begins to fall off the bones. When the meat separates from the bone, remove the entire chicken, and let cool. Remove the skin and bones, and set aside. At the same time, in a separate stock pot, ladle in chicken broth and bring to a boil. When broth boils, add a package of your favorite small noodles (mini farfalle, mini penne, tiny chicarinna, etc), and cook the pasta thoroughly. When the pasta is ready, do not drain. Add the deboned chicken to the broth/pasta, and incorporate evenly. The broth will become thickened by the pasta.

Spoon into bowls, season with salt and pepper, and pair with good crusty bread or some crunch crackers. This simple, hearty soup will take the cold edge off any winter day. And frankly, nothing makes a home smell homier than one with chicken soup cooking on the stove.

Awesome Lettuce Wraps

You know 'em. You love 'em. If you are an Asian food lover like me, you have eaten at P.F. Chang's in the states and ordered their lettuce wraps. Well, I found a healthier version in my Hungry Girl cookbook (check out http://www.hungry-girl.com/ for ideas on how to trim some calories on your favorite dishes), but changed it up a bit due to what I found at my local grocery store. These turned out pretty good, if I do say so myself.

I think the key to this dish is having an Asian section at your grocery store. Even in Tunis, we have one with the basic sauces, noodles, etc.. The recipe is for how I made it, which is different from Hungry Girl's. This is definitely something your family will love. This makes enough for 2 people for a dinner.

Lettuce Wraps
1 and 1/2 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped into chunks
1/2 cup of carrots, cubed
1 cup of bean sprouts, drained (Yep, I found this at Carrefour)
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce (If you can get the low sodium type. I think mine came from the commissary or from my original stash from the states.)
1TBsp brown sugar (I'm a baker, so I always have this on hand. If you can't get it, I would suggest using honey or regular sugar)
1TBsp of sweet chili sauce (The original recipe calls for garlic chili sauce, but I couldn't find it.)
1 clove garlic, minced (If you use the sweet chili sauce)
Sprinkle of ginger powder (Or 1 tsp grated fresh)
Shake of chili flake (Use if you like a little extra kick)
1/2 cup of green onions, sliced into small pieces
Several medium washed lettuce leafs
Extra sweet chili and peanut satay sauce (These are extra, but I was going through my fridge and needed to get rid of these misc. sauces. Hubby and I both thought the wraps tasted better with a little bit on top of each wrap.)
***The original recipe calls for 1 cup of water chestnuts, cubed. I was unable to find these ANYWHERE and I subbed in the carrots to give a little crunch. Please, please, please use them if you have them. ***

In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, sweet chili sauce, garlic, ginger and chili flake in a small bowl. Mix well to make your sauce. I ended up making double BECAUSE my Asian recipes never have enough sauce. In a wok or large fry pan, combine cooked chicken, bean sprouts, carrots, and soy sauce mix (and water chestnuts if you are using 'em). Heat through for about 4-6 minutes. Throw in green onions another minute. Serve hot in the lettuce leaves and top with peanut satay sauce or extra chili sauce. Makes about 6-10 leaf servings.

Hope you enjoy this one as much as hubby and I did!

Toll House Pie

For those times when you want a taste of chocolate chip cookies, but don't want to slave away in the kitchen, awaiting each batch, this pie is for you. It's super simple and is always a pleaser. I've essentially swiped the recipe from the TollHouse site, so please forgive copyright infringement.

What you'll need:

2 large eggs

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup soft butter

1 cup chocolate chips (or chocolate bar broken into chunks if no chips available)

1 cup nuts

1 frozen pie crust (if you have access; if not, try our pie crust recipe posted earlier)

Line a pie plate with the crust, crimping the edges. In a mixer, beat the eggs until they are foamy. Then, add the granulated sugar, followed by the brown sugar, and blend well. Add the soft butter until the mixture is smoothly emulsified. Fold in the chocolate chips and nuts, and once incorporated, spoon mixture into the pie shell. Bake at 325 F for 55-60 minutes, or until pie is set. Cool on wire rack; eat warm.

Bon dessert!

Baked, But Not Fried Taters

French fries are a necessary evil. Back in the states, there is debate among which fast food chain has the best. Here in Tunisia, I rely on Ma Maison for fries, a la Ma Cuisine. For those of you who are non-Francophiles, I make them in my kitchen. You can get 'pommes frites' in restaurants locally, but most of the time they are by no means of the Mickey D's or Wendy's variety.

This one's easy, and a combination of a couple of recipes and a technique that I saw on the Food Network. Dust off your spices, people. If you can get potatoes, you can make this recipe. And the best part, they aren't fried.

Baked Fries
3 Medium Potatoes (This will make about 1 cookie sheet of fries. If you can find potatoes that are longer, you can make long 'steak' type fries.)
1-2 TBsp of olive oil
1/2 tsp of garlic powder
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp paprika
Salt to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Peel and cut potatoes. I'd suggest cutting them in longer, thicker pieces to accommodate the heat and baking time (more like a steak fry). After cutting, throw cut pieces into a bowl and rinse/soak 2X with cold water. Pat fries dry. The rinsing/soaking gets rid of the starch'on the fries and drying the fries allows the olive oil to stick better. Though I have read this is a technique to get better fried results, I believe it helped with this batch of baked ones.

Mix olive olive with all the spices. Drizzle onto fries in a bowl and toss, being sure to coat all the fries. Lay in single layer onto cookie sheets and sprinkle on a little salt.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, turning fries 1/2 through baking time. Fries are done when they have a deep golden color.

If you are like me and are looking for a healthier way to make fries, try this out. Your family won't know the difference except for the golden arches packaging.

Who you calling shrimp salad?

Eat too many chocolates for Valentine's? Yep, me too. This recipe will get you back on track with eating right.

Many times, I'm left with bits of vegetables at the end of the week prior to grocery shopping. Not enough to make anything substantial, but just enough to enjoy. My Spicy Shrimp Salad puts all those good veggies to work. The best thing about this salad is that it's low in Weight Watchers points, but high on flavor.

Only 2 things in the recipe I bought at the commissary or had shipped to me. However, you may have canned black beans at your local supermarket. The salsa is important as well, as we'll use this to make a dressing. If you absolutely cannot get salsa, try some canned tomatoes, canned chilies or something else that is low in calories.

Spicy Shrimp Salad - makes1 good sized serving
Lettuce, chopped/shredded
1/4 cup cucumber, diced
1/4 cup red or yellow bell pepper, diced
1/4-1/3 cup tomatoes, diced (the tiny grape sized ones are in season here right now and are especially good for this recipe)
1/4 cup of canned or frozen corn, rinsed (I prefer the canned variety on the local market since it tastes fresher)
1/4 cup black beans, rinsed (Fiber, fiber, fiber)
1/2 cup medium frozen shrimp, thawed and diced
1/4 avocado, peeled and diced
1 piece of turkey bacon, crumbled (Yeah, yeah...I had some leftover from the weekend. Who can resist avocado and bacon?)
1 TBsp of sour cream and 2 TBsp of salsa, mixed

Combine everything. The sour cream and salsa serve as the salad dressing. If you want, use low fat or fat free sour cream for even more dressing. The salad is 7 Weight Watchers points.

Hope you enjoy this one because I certainly have :)!

Yummy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Gotta love when the scale tells you that you need to 'scale' back your portions and eat a little better. One step that I usually take to start eating healthier is to eat soup. It makes a GREAT lunch with a side salad or all in itself. A recipe that has worked for me over and over again is out of Hungry Girl's recipe book (check out her website at www.hungry-girl.com ) for her Chicken Tortilla Soup. Oh, and by the way, I can't buy canned soup here, so this is a real winner!

I was able to get most of the ingredients here, with the exception of the Mexican seasoning. However, staying true to my Texan roots, I keep a steady supply of taco seasoning on hand and use it anytime the recipe calls for any sort of TexMex, chili, fajita or other miscellaneous mixed seasoning. Thanks Mom, for the use of your Sam's Club card!

Oh, and one other thing...if you are on Weight Watchers, this soup is only 2 points per cup and it turns out to be a hearty 2 points at that! I'll show some optional throw-ins should you choose to beef it up a little. This recipe makes about 4 - 1 cup servings.

Chicken Tortilla Soup
1 - 4 ounce breast of chicken, poached and shredded
1/2 cup of diced onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 TBsp of fajita or other Mexican seasoning (trust me, taco seasoning works great if that's what you have in stock!)
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp chili powder
3 cups of fat free chicken broth (you can substitute in water with bouillon cubes like I did or use vegetable broth)
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup of canned corn (you can also defrost frozen corn)
1 TBsp lime juice (I used lemon...it worked great)
1 TBsp of jalapeno pepper, chopped finely (I ended up throwing in some chili flakes because I forgot to buy this item at the store. You can also leave it out if you are scared of a little heat.)

On medium/high heat, saute onion, garlic, seasoning, and spices in a soup pot for about 3 minutes until onions are soft. Add the broth and and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the corn and canned tomatoes. Continue cooking for 5 minutes. Finally, add chicken, jalapeno, and lime juice and simmer for about another 5-10 minutes.
Optional add ins: 2 crushed tortilla chips (what is tortilla soup without the chips?), 2TBsp of Shredded cheddar cheese, 1 TBsp sour cream or creme fresh, chopped green onions, 1/4 cup black beans (this adds great fiber and is very filling), more corn

Promise, promise, promise, you will love this one. Soup's on!!

Hummus, My Nemesis No More!

Hummus is awesome. I used to buy the stuff out of the refrigerated section at Wegman's (ahh, Wegman's) in Fairfax, VA. Despite the fact that I am in the Med region now, hummus is not something normally made in Tunisian cuisine, though you can find it at Cafe Beiruth, my local Lebanese joint in Berges du Lac.

The chickpea (or pois chiche) has haunted me since my arrival in Tunis. I tried on several occasions to make hummus from both canned and fresh chickpeas and could not for the life of me get it right!!! I even asked for guidance of my friend Chantal on what I was doing wrong. Then one day, about 2 or 3 months ago, I got it right. Now, I make no claims that my hummus is the best or even close to Chantal's, but I'm confident that this recipe is good to serve to friends and my husband, who, bless his heart, has been with me through the trials of hummus batches over the past 18 months.

Three things that I learned about making hummus:
1. The tahini paste makes the difference. I was buying the wrong stuff when I got here. Make sure that yours is not sweetened with a lot of sugar, often labeled as "Nature" here in Tunis. I finally found the stuff that works, thanks to Stefanie!!
2. Food processor, food processor, food processor. It will save you loads of time, and get the hummus to the right consistency.
3. Taking the skins off the chickpeas. What?? Yep, I never knew this either. Though a little bit of a time intensive process, I found that I can take the skins off while waiting for something else to boil/cook/bake. The chickpeas blend into a smoother consistency when you take this step.

Yes, this one is all local ingredients. Nothing from the commissary, nothing from mail order or the states. Let's get started.

Hummus
2 cans of chickpeas
1 lemon, juiced
2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped into fourths
salt
2 TBsp tahini paste (again, make sure that it doesn't contain much sugar.)
Water
Olive Oil
A couple of 'dollops' of sour cream, unsweetened yogurt, or creme fresh (Ah ha! This is a trick that Chantal told me about. It will smooth out the hummus a bit and give it a little bit of a kick.)

Rinse chickpeas. Take skins off by rolling or pinching them between your thumb and pointer finger. Discard skins.

Place chickpeas into food processor along with 1 TBsp of lemon juice, tahini paste, sprinkle of salt, 1 garlic clove, and a little water (about 2-4TBsp). Pulse repeatedly. Scrape sides of food processor and pulse a couple of more times. Add sour cream and pulse some more. If you like your hummus a little more garlicky, go ahead and add the second clove. Stream in some olive oil, and run food processor for about 10-20 seconds. The hummus should start to have a dip like consistency. Add more lemon juice, water, sour cream, or olive oil to taste and when the consistency is a little thicker than sour cream. Serve with pita bread, pita chips, or cut up veggies (carrots, celery, red/yellow pepper strips).

It's easy, right? For me, it was all about learning from my mistakes and asking a few friends. Happy hummus making!

Curry Chicken Dippin' Strips and Fried Rice

OK, so Erin and I have been on a chicken kick lately. Like she said, it's easy and you usually can't go wrong with it. I would say that hubby and I have chicken at least 3 times a week, which tells you a lot!

These dishes came from http://www.foodtv.com/ and I made a couple of changes. It's actually 2 recipes (BONUS), and will accommodate protein, starch, and veggies into the meal. Gotta love that.

Oh, and what would a LLOR recipe be without a RANDOM KITCHEN APPLIANCE ALERT!

Chicken Curry Dipping Strips
1 pack of chicken breasts, sliced into strips (usually 3-4 chicken breasts)
1 small container of plain yogurt (I use Activia Nature. It's the closest to non-fat unsweetened.)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 -2 tsp of yellow curry (I have no curry in my spices, believe it or not. To make do, I pulled a small bag of yellow spice that my maid keeps here when she cooks and decided that it kind of smelled like curry. Winner!)
1/2 tsp dried ginger (If you have the real stuff, use it!)

Mix yogurt and spices together and place the cut up chicken in the mix. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1.5 to 2 hours. To cook, lay chicken strips on grill pan, OR use your George Foreman grill like I did. Cook strips through until no longer pink inside and grill marks appear.

I had a jar of peanut satay sauce in my cabinet from Carrefour that I used as a dipping sauce (can you believe it??). Try other sauces from your fridge...get creative!

Fried Rice
2-3 cups of rice, cooked (white or brown, depending on your preference)
4 medium mushrooms, sliced thin (use more or less, depending on what you have)
olive oil
1 egg, slightly beat
4 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup of carrot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
Pinch of red chili flake
1/2 tsp dried ginger (use the fresh if you have it!)
2 TBsp soy sauce
1/2 cup of frozen peas, defrosted, at room temperature

Put a little olive oil in a large fry pan or wok and cook egg with a dash of salt. Remove and cut up egg into square pieces. Wipe out pan and heat up 1 TBsp of olive oil. Cook carrots and green onions in oil for about 1 and 1/2 minutes. Add mushrooms, garlic, chili powder, ginger, and stir fry for another minute. Add soy sauce, 1TBsp of olive oil, and rice and stir fry for another 2-3 minutes. Finally, add egg and peas and cook until peas are heated through.
For the fried rice, if you have sesame oil or peanut oil, you can use that. I just find that I always have olive oil on hand....especially in Tunisia where it's so inexpensive :).

Enjoy this meal. It was a real winner the other night!!

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

I know, enough with the chicken already. But, really, chicken is about as much a staple in my kitchen is as flour. It's cheap, easy to work with, and keeps a hungry family happy. This recipe is one of my go-to entrees and doesn't take too long to get on the table. It also delivers a whole lot of American appeal, as it smells like something I'd eat in my Aunt Virginia's kitchen. She might serve it with a plate of bread and Oleo, some jello salad, and finish things off with her amazing chocolate chip cookies....but I digress.

What you'll need:

1-2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 cups of chicken stock (made from bullion, or from a can--if you're really lucky)

3 carrots, peeled and diced

a few stalks of celery (if you can find them), roughly chopped

2 potatoes, peeled and diced

1 package of pre-made pie crust (I use Pillsbury when the commissary stocks it)

1-2 tblsp. corn starch

fresh or frozen peas, optional

What to do:

In a small pot, place the diced potatoes and cover with water. Cover pot with lid, turn heat to high and wait for the water to boil. At the same time, in a stock pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil and add whole chicken breasts, carrots and celery. Turn heat to low, and let simmer, poaching the chicken until fully cooked. After about 10 minutes, check the chicken, and if no longer pink, remove from the broth and set aside. Check the potatoes from time to time and poke with a knife until soft. Once potatoes are finished, drain the water and add potatoes to the broth. In a small bowl, add about 1/2 cup of broth to 2 tblsp. of corn starch, whisking with a fork until smooth. Turn up the broth with the carrots, potatoes and celery and add the corn starch mixture. Stir the corn starch into the broth, making sure to incorporate it completely into the broth without lumps. When fully incorporated, turn down to medium to low heat. As the broth starts to thicken, chop the chicken into bite size pieces and add to the broth. Add peas, frozen or fresh at this time and let the broth simmer for about 5 minutes.

While the broth is thickening, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Take a pie plate or a 9 x 13 dish and 1) pour chicken broth mixture directly into the pan or 2) line the plate/dish with a pie crust, and then pour the chicken broth mixture over the crust. For those who really like the pie angle of the Pot Pie recipe, this is a good choice. Once the chicken broth is in the plate/dish, take a(nother) pie crust and stretch it across the top of the dish. Crimp the edges and then cut in a few slits on the top to allow hot air to escape. (And if you have some extra pie crust, maybe use some cute cookie cutters to cut out shapes in pie crust and affix to the top of the crust.)

Place the pot pie in the hot oven and let cook for about 30 minutes, or until the crust starts to brown. Once browned, pull from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Serve immediately. This makes a great weeknight winter meal and is great for lunch left-overs. My children won't eat veggies on their own, but those veggies seem to become invisible once hidden inside pie crust. I find myself making this recipe whenever I feel homesick. It's great comfort food.

Herbed Barley!!

Ahh, I see you decided to try it! Barley is a great alternative to rice and if you are a fan of brown rice, you'll like it as well. I pulled the idea for the spices from http://www.foodtv.com/ since I had never cooked barley before and really had no clue on what to put it in.


You can use fresh herbs instead of dried, but I was limited in my choices. This recipe makes enough for 3 -4 people. As I mentioned before, I purchased the barley locally from Carrefour (ahh, just like Super Walmart, but you can't find any Dallas Cowboys gear).

Herbed Barley
3/4 cup barley
2 and 1/4 cups water
Thyme
Parsley
Salt
1 Bay leaf
2 tsp olive oil


Rinse barley thoroughly in a strainer to remove any extraneous grit. I found the step necessary with the barley purchased locally. Put barley and water in a pot. Add bay leaf, some parsley, thyme, and salt to the water and set to boil. Upon boiling, reduce heat and simmer barley for 30 minutes or until tender. If water remains after barley is done, strain water. Add 2 tsp of olive oil. Serve with Chicken and Mushroom dish.

Try this LLOR fans. I think you'll enjoy this dish, even by itself. For more nutritional information on barley, go to www.nutritiondata.com/facts/cereal-grains-and-pasta/5680/2

Not just another boring Chicken dish

Chicken, chicken, chicken. I'm ALWAYS looking for a new way to make it. While in my kitchen this evening, I decided I'd get all crazy and try a new recipe for dinner. The original came from http://www.allrecipes.com/ , but I doctored it up a bit. My gamble paid off...the dish turned out FANTASTIC and was better than I expected.

This recipe is a take on Chicken Marsala. Instead of using rice or pasta to go with the chicken and mushrooms, I substituted barley. WHAT? Barley? Who makes that? Yes, I found barley locally and it rocked. I'll post the recipe for the barley next...for those of you who are brave enough to try it.

The recipe is a mix of local items and things that you probably already have in your cabinet (spices!). For the cheese that tops the chicken, I used some Italian blend from the commissary, but feel free to substitute any white Italian cheese that melts(mozzarella, Parmesan, etc).

Not Boring Chicken and Mushrooms
1 pack of chicken breasts ( 3-4)
1 regular sized carton of mushrooms, sliced (use whatever type you can get your hands on)
2 TBsp of butter
1 egg, beaten
breadcrumbs, enough to coat the chicken, about 1/2-1 cup
Italian blend or other Italian cheese, shredded
Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse chicken breasts and pat dry. To the beaten egg add salt, pepper, and a shake of garlic powder. If not using seasoned breadcrumbs, add the salt, pepper, and garlic powder to the those too. In a deep fry pan (one that can go from stove to oven), melt the butter. While the butter melts, dip the chicken breasts into the egg mixture and then the bread crumbs. Brown both sides of the chicken in the pan. Lift chicken up and put mushrooms underneath each piece. Pour 3/4 - 1 cup of water in the bottom of the pan. Top each chicken breast with a sprinkle of cheese. Put pan into oven and bake for 30-40 minutes until chicken is no longer pink on the inside. Serve chicken, mushrooms, and broth over barley, rice, or pasta.
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If you don't have a pan that goes from stove to oven, you can transfer the chicken over to a 9X13 dish to bake in. I figured, it's one less pan to wash!!

Check out the following post on how to cook the barley.

Texas Redneck Dip

For those of you who know me, you know that I love TexMex food and will find any chance I can to make it. If I had my choice, hubby and I would eat tacos, chili, and fajitas throughout the week. However, that's a killer on the system and the waistline after a while :). Texas Redneck Dip fits right in with my TexMex theme...your non-Texan guests will thank you too.

My Aunt Margaret, who lives in Dallas, introduced me to this hot dip that she serves when I come to visit. It is truly out of this world and I can't imagine not sharing it with the LLOR fans. My hubby LOVES it. The original name is Indian Bread Dip and some of you may know it as that. However, a friend of mine, Deb, renamed this dish as Texas Redneck Dip after I brought it to a party and her hubby scraped the bread bowl clean with Fritos. What gets more Texan and redneck than Fritos and cheesy goodness? Anyways, that's a little history behind this you-won't-want-to-step-away-from-it-at-a-party dip.

Most everything you can find on the local market or substitutions that are close enough. One thing that you MUST have is Worcheshire sauce. I found it at our commissary, though, if you find it on the local market besides the U.S., please let me know!!

Texas Redneck Dip
8 oz cream cheese (I use 1 of the larger rectangle containers of Presidente Fraidoux fromage nature. This is the closest thing to cream cheese in Tunisia)
8 oz sour cream (Onetina or creme fraiche)
16 oz shredded cheddar (Ahh, I missed my cheddar cheese for so long and now everything I make has it in it. Seriously.)
7 oz canned green chillies, diced (You might be able to substitute a fresh milder pepper. I'd recommend cooking it a little first before putting it into the recipe).
1 bunch of chopped green onions (They are in season in the Winter in Tunisia. If you can't get green, go with another color of onion.)
1 TBsp Worcheshire
1 package of sliced ham, chopped (Any ham will do. I end up buying this from the commissary since we can only get jambon de dinde here. Do not use this in this dish. It won't taste the same.)

Optional: 1 round or oblong shaped loaf of bread, whole
Fritos, crackers, sliced baguette, or something to eat the dip with. TUC plain crackers work well too!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix everything together. One option is to put into mix into a pie plate or casserole dish to bake. The other option is to cut the center of the loaf of bread out and shape like a bowl. Be sure to leave enough of the bread so that the dip does not melt through the sides or bottom. Bake uncovered for 1 hour - 1 hour, 15 minutes. If the top starts to brown too quickly, tent foil over the top of the dish. Serve warm with Fritos, crackers, or bread pieces.

Enjoy! I'll bet you this one will be a hit at your next party. Actually, I'll guarantee it.

Stefanie's Buffalo Chicken Dip

My friend Stefanie, who is currently in Tunisia with Erin and me, makes a dip that will knock your socks off. It's usually what I request her to make when we have a bring-a-dish event (i.e. bunco or quiz night). This Buffalo Chicken Dip is easy to make and if you like spicy chicken wings, this one is for you. It combines the best of the wing and the blue cheese/ranch dressing all in one dish.


The recipe has a couple of items that you will need to buy either online or from the commissary (at least we have to in Tunisia!!). However, you may be able to get everything locally if you are in a larger city.


Stefanie's Buffalo Chicken Dip

-2 or 3 smaller chicken breasts, cooked (Stefanie mentions that it's best to cook these by poaching them in water, so that the chicken stays moist)
-1 package of cream cheese (in Tunisia, you can use the tub of Presidente fromage fondue or fromage tartiner)
-1/3 to 1/2 cup of Louisiana hot sauce or Frank's Hot Sauce (any hot sauce would most likely work here as well)
-1 cup of shredded melty cheese (cheddar works the best, but as we all know, it's not always available. whatever you do, don't use the Tunisian shredded stuff as it DOES NOT melt)
-1/2 cup of ranch or blue cheese dressing (you can also use a dry ranch packet with 1/2 cup of mayo if you don't have the bottled dressing)
Optional: crumbled blue cheese for the top

Shred the poached chicken with two forks. Mix chicken with all of the ingredients and put into a shallow dish. Put the optional blue cheese on top if you are using. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve with crackers (TUC brand or any other to your liking) or if you have them, carrot and celery sticks.
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Stefanie wanted me to let the LLOR readers know that she doesn't necessarily measure the ingredients, but makes sure that the dip isn't too dry or too creamy from not enough or too much cheese. Also, she made the dish for an event on Saturday night and our table consensus thought it was better with the pack of dry ranch dip mix. But again, use what you have!!

Pork Chops and Applesauce...

Every time I say this out loud I think of Peter Brady on the Brady Bunch. Regardless, you may find that you'd like to cook up some loveliness in the form of pork chops and apples, and I have the easiest recipe for you. This is courtesy of my cousin in Charleston, and it is as easy as pie.

What you'll need:

4 large apples, peeled and sliced

1-2 pounds of pork chops

3 tablespoons of brown sugar

1 tsp. of cinnamon

1/2 tsp of salt

Directions:

In a crock pot, layer the pork chops on the bottom and cover with the sliced apples. Then, in a small bowl combine the spices, and once combined, spoon spice concoction over the apples. Cover the pot, turn on high, and let cook for 3-4 hours. The juice from the apples is all that you need to cook the chops. So let it do its thing and voila! Good stuff.

This is the easiest recipe in the world. Once the pork is cooked, scoop the apples from the top and put in a separate bowl. I added a generous dollop or two to the cooked apples, and then plated the chops with some of the apples as well. I paired the chops with some mashed potatoes, some gravy (I cheated with a bought package from the commissary-Go McCormick's!), some carrots, and a nice green salad. Everyone loved the pork and apples and I didn't have to do much except take all the credit. If you're lucky enough to have a box of gingerbread cake, this would be an excellent choice for dessert. Or perhaps you have a home-made recipe for gingerbread, which we'd love you to post.

Peppermint Chocolate Brownies

The title of this recipe should have caught your attention. Bunco comes one time a month for us Lunching Ladies and I usually try to make something new instead of using one of my usual recipes. Not that those are bad, but when I saw this recipe in an older issue of Real Simple, I had to go for it.

Wowsers! Am I glad I did because these are wanna-slap-your-mama good (no offense to the moms out there!!). Of course, when you try a new recipe out, my recommendation is to ALWAYS try a piece. You'll notice the lovely bottom left hand corner of the pan where I did....proof!

As I mentioned, this was a recipe I pulled out of a girlfriend's weekend article from Real Simple. OK, I'm totally breaking my rules with finding all local ingredients on this one, but I could have made without using my cheats. I'll let you decide! The best part about these brownies is that they taste like Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies. No lie, people. I thought that I just come back from the grocery store in the U.S. where a group of Brownies had unloaded a box on me.

Peppermint Chocolate Brownies

1 box of brownie mix (Yeah I know, I'm definitely cheating. Use your best brownie recipe to sub in. My from scratch brownies have thus far only been successful when they are a la Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker.)

6 TBsp of butter, softened

3-5 TBsp of milk

3 cups of powdered sugar

1/2 tsp of peppermint extract

Green food coloring, a couple of drops

3 squares of unsweetened dark chocolate (You can use ANY chocolate that melts. I would recommend either Baker's or another dark chocolate bar)

Make the brownies as directed on the box. While they cool, combine the butter, powdered sugar, peppermint extract, milk, and a couple of drops of green food coloring with a mixer until you have a frosting consistency. When the brownies are completely cool, spread the frosting mixture evenly and refrigerate for 30 min-1 hour. Melt chocolate squares as directed and drizzle on cold brownies. Put back in the fridge until chocolate is set. Cut into squares and serve.

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I used a larger pan to bake the brownies, so this batch yielded about 48 brownies. That's fab when you need a lot of something and don't have time make cookies, especially in my house where I have a European sized oven with one rack. I like 'em cold, but I also prefer my Thin Mints kept in the freezer.

Crunchy Little Cornbread

Football playoff season brings out more options in football festivity foods. Along with chili (See our Chili recipe), cornbread is one of those things that just goes. Prior to being in Tunisia, I'd pick up a Jiffy pack at Wegman's, mix it up, and throw it in the oven. Sorry, no Jiffy at Carrefour or Monoprix!

The recipe uses all local ingredients. REALLY! And I'd be hard pressed if you told me you can't find them. It's a recipe that I pulled out of, you guessed it, Faithful Red (aka, Betty Crocker Cookbook). And folks, I'm not making money off of the endorsement!! This cornbread is SUPER EASY. Almost as easy as Jiffy, but I think it tastes a heck of a lot better. Also, I've baked mine in the oven. For those of you who are true cast iron skillet fans, I'm sure you could adapt the recipe. But, I make no guarantees to how it turns out.

Crunchy Little Cornbread

1 cup of milk (I used skim, but fuller fat ones would work too)
1 egg
1/4 cup of butter, melted
1 and 1/4 cup of cornmeal (I used fine grain 'semoule')
1 cup of flour
1 TBsp of baking powder
1/2 cup of sugar (ouch. I know. if you prefer yours a little less sweet, try decreasing this amount)
1/2 tsp salt

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine the milk, egg, and melted butter. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until moist. Do not over mix as it will be a little lumpy. Pour into a greased 9X9 pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until top is golden brown.

Really, could this be any easier? I have some sitting in my kitchen that's getting wrapped up for tomorrow. If you are a cornbread purist, try it by itself. Don't like it with chili? It makes a great snack with a little butter and honey.

Now get back to watching football.

So you liked the chicken salad?

It's football season and what football season isn't complete without chicken wings? Well, I do have a recipe for those, but as promised, I'd like to share my very own Buffalo Chicken Salad recipe. P.S. I'll post the wing recipe before the Superbowl!

This is a variation on the Happy New Year Chicken Salad that was posted last week. Like that salad, this one can be made so that you stick to your New Year's resolution. However, the recipe here is for the full-on version. Proceed with caution.

You can find all of the ingredients locally with the exception of the wing sauce. I'm lucky enough to bring it from the states in my suitcase and have family send it to me (thanks bro!). If you don't have wing sauce, you can make an easy hot BBQ sauce that works just as well. Mix 1/3 cup BBQ sauce with any ol' hot sauce...add amount to taste.

Buffalo Chicken Salad

1 package chicken breasts
1 head of lettuce, torn into pieces
Carrots
Celery
Ranch dressing or Blue Cheese dressing
1 package of blue cheese, crumbled

Cook chicken breasts in pan. While chicken is cooking, arrange lettuce in individual bowls. Top lettuce with celery sticks and carrots. I like to use the peeler and peel strips of carrot into the individual bowls. Once chicken is cooked, use knife and fork to cut chicken into bit sized pieces. Put pieces in a separate bowl with lid and pour about 1/3 -1/2 cup wing sauce onto the chicken. Put the lid on the bowl and shake to cover chicken with sauce. Divide chicken into bowls. Finally, add dressing and a little crumbled blue cheese.

Seriously, this has got to be one of the easiest meal salads I've ever made. If your family likes chicken wings, make this and see what they think.

Oh, and Go Cowboys!

Not Your Everyday Pizza, Part 2

So last night's pizza was a hit, but as a result, there isn't a left-over piece to be found. But you're still hankering for just another taste of that delish dish--what's a girl to do? Luckily, here's a solution. And a great dish for dinner.

Last night, I cooked an entire batch of sausage, and because I didn't need all of it, there was still about a cup and half left in the fridge. I also had a large amount of the chevre left (I use Rondele garlic and herb flavor), which is a rarity for me, as I usually finish off every package I open. So I decided to use the left overs and see what I could come up with. Since I had pizza last night, I figured pasta might be the way to go tonight. So, here it is:

In a large pot, boil enough water to heat a half box of pasta. Add a 1/2 pound of penne pasta, salting the water and cooking for about 15 minutes. When pasta has finished cooking, drain off the water, and then return the pasta to the warm pot. Microwave the sausage for about a minute, then toss that into the pasta. In addition, you may want to add some cooked peas for a little color. Then, toss in the rest of yesterday's soft cheese and mix gently all the ingredients in the pot. The cheese will melt nicely against the warm pasta and the hot pot. Continue to gently stir the mixture until all the cheese is melted/incorporated. You may want to add some salt and pepper for additional flavor. Serve hot and enjoy this very quick and easy dinner.

Not Your Everyday Pizza

In Tunis, there's a lack of delivery options for dinner. While I would love there to be a Papa Mohammed's on my speed-dial, it just isn't so. There are other pizza options here, namely the very thin crust Margherita, with red sauce and cheese (and sometimes tuna sprinkled on as a helpful condiment). But for times when you want a pizza, you have to invest some time and make your own. There are many mixes for pizza dough on the shelves of the markets here, and you can also make your own from scratch. I have discovered the lazy girl's way of getting a pretty tasty pie on the table. The key is all in the pastry dough.

In Tunisia, you can find phyllo and pastry dough very easily in the refrigerator section of the supermarkets. I buy mine sometimes from the freezer section of the commissary and just keep it in my freezer at home.

Here's what you'll need:

One sheet of pastry dough, thawed

One large onion, sliced

One red bell pepper, sliced

One container of sausage

Soft cheese (chevre works well)

Cook the sausage over medium heat until fully browned. (I use the Bob Evan's mild sausage from the commissary and keep it in the freezer for emergency pork purposes such as these). Drain the fat and set aside. In a saute pan, melt a tblsp of butter, and cook the onions and peppers until they are softened a bit. I actually like to carmelize the onions, which takes a little longer, but produces really sweet tasting onions. Once the onions and peppers are cooked, remove from heat and set aside. Follow the directions for heating the pastry (some brands vary).

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. On a cookie sheet, unroll the pastry dough, and liberally spread the onions and peppers over top. Then, spoon on the sausage. Next, using a spoon, put dollops of the soft cheese on top of the pizza, trying to gauge where the pastry will be divided into square slices once cut. You want to be sure that each bite gets a little bite of the cheese. After you've assembled the pizza, cook for 20 minutes at 400. When the pastry begins to brown and puff, your pie should be finished and ready for consumption after cooling for about five minutes.

I made this pizza last night and think it's pretty amazing. It's a far distant cousin from the pepperoni slices I grew up eating from Marzella's in downtown Collegeville, PA, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

Our friend Nana made a similar pizza using onions and apple slices, and it rocked. You can substitute any of the ingredients to include your favorites. Black olives, sun-dried tomatoes, bacon...Enjoy.

Festive Shrimp Dip

Every time I serve this dip, people really seem to dig it and dig in. I usually forget about it until I'm in a pinch and need something that looks Christmassy or has good presentation. For the most part, you can find most of the ingredients abroad, tho' you may need to substitute American cream cheese with fromage blanc. Either way, the little ways you tweak it don't seem to alter the taste all that much.

What you'll need:

Serving platter

1 package of cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup mayo

1/4 c. sour cream

1 bag frozen shrimp (preferably without the tails on), thawed

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

2-3 scallions (or leeks), diced

***1 bottle of cocktail sauce

***If you're lucky enough to have access to a commissary which stocks cocktail sauce, you're a happy chef. If not, you can make your own by combining horseradish and ketchup. Here in Tunisia there is no horseradish that we've found, which throws a wrench in the plan. I wouldn't prepare this dip without the cocktail sauce, so if you find that you can't get it, then you may have to save this recipe for another time.

Essentially this recipe requires you to create a pyramid-like layering effect. So if you have a wide platter (I use a triangular serving dish), you'll want to be able to spread this out on top of it. Don't use a small dish, unless you want to create a Leaning Tower of Pisa-like layering effect. Recipe for disaster, to be sure.

To start: With a hand mixer, mix together the sour cream, mayo, and cream cheese until smooth. With a spatula, spread the mixture around the base of the plate in a thin layer. Next, spread the cocktail sauce over the creamy mixture, leaving a small edge of the creamy white mixture visible. Then, spread the chopped and thawed shrimp in a layer atop the cocktail sauce, making sure to leave a thin edge of cocktail sauce visible. Green peppers make up the next layer, and again, you want to make sure to leave visible a small edge around the layer of shrimp. Add a layer of Mozzarella cheese, leaving the edge of green peppers visible at the edge. Next, add a layer of red peppers, continuing to leave the edge of Mozz. cheese visible. Next comes the layer of scallions, leaving an edge of red peppers visible. And finally comes the layer of halved cherry tomatoes, leaving visible the edge of scallions.

The point of creating a visible edge for each layer is to gradually decrease the size of each layer. Seeing the different layers provides for a nice presentation. It sounds like a lot of work, but really, just the chopping of the veggies is what takes the most time. The rest is a breeze.

I serve this with Tortilla chips (if I can find them), crackers, or chunks of bread. It's a really good starter. I know this because T's hubby Blake, a man who likes good food, told me so on Christmas. :) Enjoy.

Curried Pumpkin Carrot Soup

When it starts to get cold outside, I tend to put the soup on. While Chicken Noodle remains a favorite, sometimes it's nice to shake things up a bit. I've discovered a fun and easy soup that is quick to make, tastes great and is really healthy. Put your seat belts on--it's about to get a little wild in the kitchen.

You will need:

1-2 cups fresh pumpkin, diced into small pieces

two cups chicken broth

3 carrots, diced

1 onion, shallot, leek (whatever you can get your hands on)

1/4 tsp. curry

1 tblsp. butter

To start: Heat butter in a pan over low to med. heat. When melted, add diced onion, and saute until transparent. Add pumpkin and carrot pieces and give a toss in the onion-butter mixture, then add the chicken broth. Add the curry. Turn up heat to high until it comes to a boil, and then turn heat to simmer, cover with a lid, and wait until the pumpkin/carrots become soft. This is the longest part of the process, usually taking about 15 minutes. Once the veggies are softened, remove from heat, and set aside.

The next step requires a Cuisinart, blender or hand held food processor. I plug in my hand held food processor and blend the soup directly in the pot. After the veggies are processed, the consistency of the soup will become creamy. At this point you may want to taste the flavor and add salt and pepper, if you choose. Depending on how much spice you like, you may also want to adjust the amount of curry. Once the soup is of a creamy consistency, you can serve it into bowls, OR you can return it to the stove top and stir in cream, milk, or creme fraiche. Milk products aren't necessary, but if you want a super creamy soup, this will make it so.

This soup is hearty enough to be a meal in itself. Just pair it with a crusty bread and you're set.

Happy New Year Chicken Salad

The holidays and over and you jumped on the scale January 4. Ey, ey, ey! Did all of the cookies, drinks and oh-so-good casseroles really catch up to me like that? New Year's Resolution time.



The big joke is that most people who commit to losing weight at this time of the year won't follow through with it. Good for those who do!! I have a salad that I make regularly that is low in calories and if you've decided to follow Weight Watchers like I have, it's low in points. If you are like me and like to have a lighter meal later in the day, this is a great recipe for you.



All ingredients can be found locally with the exception of the ranch dressing (commissary) and for those of us in the Muslim world, bacon (commissary). If you are lucky enough to be able to find these locally, I commend you! Also, the serving size is for 2...adjust as needed for your family.

By the way, there is another variation of this recipe that I can't wait to share with you next month. It's our Chicken Wing Salad and one of hubby's favorites! OK, maybe I'll post it sooner than that!

Happy New Year Chicken Salad

Lettuce or other greens, torn or chopped into bite sized pieces
1/2 red or yellow bell pepper, diced
1/2 small red onion or 1/4 large onion, diced
1 large tomato, diced or 1 cup bite-sized tomatoes, cut in 1/2s (the mini tomatoes are probably my favorite discovery here in Tunisia for the winter season)
1/4 cup black beans, rinsed (fiber, fiber, fiber)
2 slices of cooked bacon (don't think I'm crazy...I had some left over from Sunday's B-fast)
1 hard boiled egg, diced
Sprinkle of cheddar cheese
2 chicken breasts, pan cooked and diced
Optional toppings: diced carrots, chopped celery, 1/4 diced avocado (just a little goes a long way), other low-calorie veggies
Ranch dressing (or any other creamy dressing)

**I know what you are thinking, Ranch dressing is loaded with calories and fat! A trick that I like is to take 1TBsp of dressing and water it down a bit. I'm only able to get the full calorie stuff here and it works for me! I'd like to dedicate this 'trick' to my years of eating in restaurants and having friends who were waiters in college.****

Add lettuce and layer other veggies in 2 bowls. Split up remaining ingredients into bowls. Pour dressing on top and toss salad. You are ready to eat.

For this recipe, most of the time is spent in the preparation before putting it together. One time saving trick I love is to chop a little more of the veggies or cook extra chicken and stick the stuff into baggies to use later in the week for this salad. This works well especially with the chicken breasts.

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Happy New Year LLOR readers!
Keep an eye out for more 2010 recipes!