Sunday, April 19, 2009

Fat Free Falafel + Cucumber Yogurt Dressing

Ingredients:
2 15oz cans of garbanzo beans
1 tablespoon of minced garlic
1 tspn cumin
1 tspn curry powder (recipe called for tumeric - I was out)
1 tspn salt
1 tspn black pepper
1 tbsn dried minced onion
1 tbsn dried diced parsley
2 tbsn lemon juice
1/2 tspn cayenne pepper
1/3 cup flour

0. Preheat oven to 400F
1. Drain garbanzo beans well.
2. Combine ALL ingredients except flour in a food processor or a bowl until mashed.
3. Add flour and process/stir until batter is uniform. (batter can be saved in the fridge for about a week, but there's not a whole lot, so why?)
4. Roll batter into balls (maybe about the size of a half dollar?) and place slightly flattened onto a baking pan lined with silpat.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes. They will be golden brown.

Serve in a pita with fresh veggies and Cucumber Yogurt Dressing.

Cucumber Yogurt Dressing:

1/2 c fat free plain yogurt
1/4 c diced and seeded cucumber
1/8 c onion
1 tspn lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Chill until ready to serve falafel.

This was very yummy. I skipped the onion in the dressing though.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Yeast Rolls/Kolaches

This is a hack from a Paula Dean recipe. I've of course, improved it. I also used my Kitchen Aid mixer, but a bowl would be just fine.

Ingredients:
3 c all purpose flour (recipe called for 2 to 2-1/2c - Not enough.), divided
4T sugar (recipe called for 2. NOT ENOUGH!)
1tspn salt
1 envelope Yeast
1/2c milk (I used whole organic w/DHA)
1/4c water
1/2 c butter or margarine (recipe called for 2T, I say that's not enough!)

Directions

0. Start about 2-3 cups of water in a pot or tea kettle on the stove to boil.

1. Mix 3/4 cup flour, sugar, salt, and undissolved yeast.

2. Heat milk, water and butter to 120° - 130°F.

(I did this in the microwave in three separate containers, didn't take the temperature just checked if they were hot and added them in one at a time, mixing in between.)

3. Gradually add to dry ingredients and beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer.

4. Add 1/4 cup flour. Beat at high speed of electric mixer 2 minutes.

5. Stir in enough additional flour to make a soft dough.
(I think I stirred in about 2 more cups about a half a cup at a time.)

6. On floured surface knead 2 to 3 minutes.

The dough will be warm. I added at least another 1/4-1/2 cup of flour here.

7. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces.
For ROLLS: Shape into balls. Place in greased 8-inch round pan or ungreased silpat. Cover.
(With what? I don't know. Other recipes have said plastic wrap. I'll go with that.)

For Kolaches: Flatten each piece and wrap around sausage. (I used Ekrich's Cheese Sausages) Lay evenly apart on a flat pan covered in silpat. (I used 2 pans, and I probably should have covered. Forgot.)

8. Pour a 1-inch depth of boiling water into large pan on bottom rack of cold oven.
(I used a glass casserole dish.)

9. Set rolls on rack above water. Close oven door; let rise 30 minutes. Uncover rolls; remove pan of water.

10. Turn oven to 375°F. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until done. Remove from pan. Serve warm.

These were GOOOD.