Discovering Myself

Went on a white water rafting trip and the guides had made this for us. This is my interpretation.

• 1 16oz Can Black Beans, drained
• 1/2 16oz can Chick Peas, drained
• 5-10 Kalamata, Green, or Greak Olives, to taste
• Salt, to taste, the olives have a lot of sodium usually
• 1-2 tbsp of Tahini, to taste
• 1 clove Garlic

There are two ways of doing thing one.

1. Food Processor: this will produce a less smooth hummus.
   1. Process the garlic in the food processor until minced.
   2. Add the beans, process until a paste.
   3. Add tahini, process until blended
   4. Add Olives, process until blended
   5. Add chick peas and blend until thickened.
2. Blender: makes for a very smooth hummus
   1. Place all ingredients, except Chick Peas into blender, blend until smooth.
   2. If the hummus is still soupy, add chick peas and blend until thickened.

• 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 large Onion, minced
• 3 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 1 lb Ground Turkey
• 3 cups Water
• 1 (28 ounce) can Ground Tomatoes
• 1 small Green Pepper, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon Celery Seeds
• 1/8 teaspoon Cayenne
• 1-1/2 teaspoons Cumin
• 1 small Bay Leaf
• 2 tablespoons Chili Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Basil
• 1-1/2 teaspoons Salt
• 1 (15 ounce) can Red Kidney Beans

Procedure:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot, add onion and garlic, saute until golden brown.
2. Add the turkey and brown.
3. Add the remaining ingredients, except the beans.
4. Stir to mix and bring to boil.
5. Reduce heat and simmer, covered until sauce is as thick as desired.
6. This could be an hour or so.
7. Add the beans and heat through.

Yogurt is a great base for dips because it is so versatile, like a blank canvas. You can add it to avocados for an ultra-creamy guacamole, use it tone down hot salsas and use it on its own, as I have done here, to showcase other flavors.

Like many yogurt dips, this one is incredibly easy to make. It has only a few ingredients and requires little more than a stir to bring it together, yet it as at least as satisfying as those “ranch-style” dips that often turn up at parties. It goes well with potato chips, pita chips, crackers and veggies. I’m not a huge fan of raw garlic in dips, so I chose to use garlic powder here. The very small amount imparts the dip with some depth, but using the powder also streamlines the “cooking” process for this recipe - and it’s always nice to save a couple of minutes when you’re preparing for a party. By all means go ahead and use the minced raw garlic for a stronger flavor.

• 1 cup plain yogurt*
• 2 tbsp chives, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
• scant ½ tsp salt, to taste
• ¼ tsp garlic powder (or ½ minced garlic clove), to taste

Serves 6

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter/margerine
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 head of cauliflower, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 medium baking potato, peeled and chopped
• 6 cups chicken stock/vegetable stock
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1. In a large, heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes, or until the onion softens.
2. Add the cauliflower, potato, stock, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer.
3. Lower the heat to medium-low. Cover the soup and simmer it for 30 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender.
4. In a blender, puree the soup in batches, filling the blender one-third full each time. Reheat the soup over low heat. Add the nutmeg and taste for seasoning. Add more salt and pepper, if you like. Ladle into bowls.

2 pounds dry black beans
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 pound bacon
1/2 pound ham, diced
4 onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups chopped celery
2 cups uncooked brown rice
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
4 teaspoons ground cumin
12 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup white wine
1 cup sherry

1. Wash dry black beans, cover with water, and allow to soak overnight. Rinse, drain, and set aside.
2. In a kettle, add oil and cook bacon, diced ham, chopped onions, minced garlic cloves, and chopped celery. Cook until the vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes.
3. Add the beans, brown rice, cayenne pepper, italian seasoning, cumin, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
4. Cool, then process in a blender or food processor, pureeing until smooth. Return to the kettle and heat through stirring in white wine and sherry.

Makes 12 servings.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 stalks of celery, finely chopped
1 carrot, shredded
4 tomatoes, chopped or 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves, crumbled
3 cups of vegetable or chicken stock

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat the oil in a large pot and saute the onion, celery, and carrots until vegetables are tender.
2. Add the tomatoes and basil. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are softened.
3. Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and carefully blend until smooth. (Caution! Hot liquids create steam which will blow the top off the blender! Be sure to securely hold blender lid down!)
4. Return pureed mixture to cooking pot and combine with the stock. Simmer, uncovered, until soup is reduced to the desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 4 servings.