Overnight Pot Roast

I like to use my crockpot, but I am gone for too many hours during the day. My solution is to use the crockpot while I sleep. I put the ingredients in as I am getting ready for bed, and when I wake up, it’s all done. The crockpot cools down while I am getting ready, and then I can pack my lunch and put the rest in the refrigerator. This recipe is one of my overnight favorites, because it’s so easy!

3 lb. bottom round roast
1 package onion soup mix (such as Lipton Recipe Secrets)
1/2 c. water

Place the roast in the crockpot, and add soup mix and water. Cook on low for 8 hours.

Indian Spiced Rice

This was an interesting new side dish which I made to accompany the Chicken Saagwala. It was good, but next time I might substitute chopped carrot for the celery, since I prefer carrots and they would add some more color.

2 c. cooked brown rice
1 c. chopped onion
1 1/2 c. chopped celery
1/2 c. orange juice
2 T chopped mint leaves
1 t curry powder
1 c. cooked green peas

Saute onion and celery in non-stick pan coated with cooking spray for about 3 to 5 minutes on low heat. Add orange juice and continue cooking until liquid is almost evaporated. Stir in mint leaves and curry powder, and blend to combine flavors. Stir in the rice and peas and heat through.

-Recipe adapted from Cooks.com; Photo courtesy of Dave Goldberg

Chicken Saagwala

This recipe has a lot of steps and an intimidating list of ingredients, but chicken saagwala is one of my favorite Indian dishes so I was excited to give it a try. I bought most of the spices at Whole Foods in the bulk spice section for a total of $0.61. With a glass of wine, and good friends to keep me company in the kitchen, it was fun to cook a dish which was well outside my comfort zone.

I was really pleased with the end result, and will definitely make this again. The whole peppercorns were slightly pungent though, so I may substitute freshly ground black pepper next time.

2.5 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken pieces
1 10 oz. bag fresh spinach
3 T oil
5 peppercorns
4 cloves
1 t cardamom
2 large onions, sliced thinly
2 T minced garlic
1 T ginger powder
1 t cumin
1 T garam masala
2 medium tomatoes chopped fine, or 14 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained

Wash the spinach well and chop. Put into a pot with 1/2 c. water and boil until cooked. Grind the spinach into a paste in a food processor and set aside.

Heat 2 T oil in a pan on a medium flame and fry the chicken pieces till well browned. Remove and set aside.

Heat 1 T oil, then add the whole peppercorn and cloves. As the spices turn slightly darker, add the cardamom, onion, ginger and garlic and fry until the onions are pale golden in color. Add the cumin and garam masala and fry for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Add the chicken to this masala, mix well and add half a cup of water. Cook until the chicken is almost done. Add the spinach and mix well, and continue to cook until most of the water evaporates.

-Recipe adapted from About.com; Photo courtesy of Dave Goldberg

Warm and Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa

My favorite breakfast is oatmeal cooked on the stove, but with a very busy week ahead, I wanted to try a healthy recipe that I could prepare in advance. This turned out wonderfully, and is another way to use quinoa. The original recipe suggested fresh blackberries and toasted pecans, but I used mixed berries from the freezer and almonds which I had on hand.

1 c. skim milk
1 c. water
1 c. quinoa (Rinse quinoa as directed on package.)
2 c. mixed berries
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/3 c. sliced almonds
Combine milk, water and quinoa in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Turn off heat; let stand covered 5 minutes. Stir in berries, cinnamon, and almonds.

Rumballs

Hi-Ho, Kermit the Frog here. Kerry’s friend Diane made these rumballs for one of the early cookie swaps. It’s another no-bake recipe which was a hit. Hope that you are having a great holiday weekend!

1 c. ground Nilla wafer cookies
1 c. finely chopped pecans
1 c. sifted powdered sugar
1 1/2 T corn syrup
1/4 c. rum
Mix the first three ingredients. Mix the corn syrup and rum, and add to the cookie mixture. Roll into balls and let sit for 30 minutes. Roll in additional powdered sugar if desired.

Chinese Noodle Cookies

These cookies are a no-bake holiday classic. My house is decorated, and I am fully in the Christmas spirit.

12 oz. chocolate chips
12 oz.butterscotch chips
10 oz. Chinese noodles
12 oz. cashews or peanuts

Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips in glass bowl in microwave. Add Chinese noodles and cashews. Mix well, and drop by spoonfuls on waxed paper. Let cool until hardened. Makes 30.

Almond Cookies

My Dad made these cookies for last year’s cookie swap. While they weren’t a prize winner, they do taste like an authentic Italian almond cookie, which is pretty good for an Irish guy.

1 lb. almond paste
1 c. sugar
3 egg whites
1 t vanilla

Mix paste and sugar in a food processor in 2 batches. Mix in egg and vanilla by hand. Shape into 1″ balls and roll in chopped almonds or pine nuts.* Flatten cookies slightly. Bake at 350F for 18-20 minutes. Makes 32 cookies.
*A little water on your hands helps if dough is sticky.

Grandma Debbie’s Polka Dot Macaroons

This recipe came from my friend Diana courtesy of her Grandma Debbie, and was a cookie swap prize winner.

Base
1 1/2 c. flour
3/4 c. brown sugar
3/8 t baking soda
3/8 t salt
1/2 c. margarine
1 1/2 t vanilla
3 egg yolks

Mix ingredients together with an electric mixer until blended into a fine crumble, but not a paste. Press into a 13″ x 9″ greased Pyrex dish. Bake at 350F for 12-15 minutes, until set and just turning brown.

Topping
3 egg whites
1 1/2 T sugar
1 can Eagle Brand condensed milk
3 c. flaked coconut (not shredded, about 10 oz.)
3/4 c. chocolate chips

Beat egg whites until soft mounds form. Beat in sugar until stiff peaks form. Stir in condensed milk. Fold in chocolate chips and coconut. Spread evenly over base. Bake at 325F for 25-30 minutes. The cookies must not be under baked, but not too brown. Loosen the sides with a knife when the dish is removed from the oven. Cut into squares when completely cooled.

Mushroom Cholent

Cholent is a stew simmered for a long time and served by Jewish families for Shabbat. I love to cook new things and learn new words at the same time. This recipe happens to be vegan, but cholent may also contain meat and/or eggs.

There was no extra liquid when this was done and I would not call it a stew. However, it was tasty enough after I added salt and pepper to taste. While I am frequently satisfied with vegetarian meals, the texture and flavor seemed a bit lacking in this dish, and my test tasters agreed.

1 c. dried navy beans
1 T olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 parsnips, peeled and diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 T ginger, minced
4 1/2 c. cups vegetable stock
2 potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
4 large portabella mushrooms, or several baby bella mushrooms
1 c. barley

Soak the beans overnight. In the morning drain off the water. Rinse the barley under cold water. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions through the parsnips and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened. Add the garlic and ginger and stir for 1 minute. Add the vegetable stock and take it off the heat.

Put half the onion and stock mixture into the crock pot. Add half the beans. Spread the potatoes on top to make an even layer. Put the mushrooms on top so that it covers the potatoes, cutting the mushrooms to fit if needed. Spread the barley on top of the mushrooms and the rest of the beans on top of the barley. Add the rest of the onion/stock mix on top.

Cover and cook on low for 10 to 12 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours or until the beans are tender.

-Adapted from “125 Best Vegetarian Slow Cooker Recipes”

Thumbprint Kiss Cookies

This is a recipe from the early years of the Cookie Swap. The baker was really creative with the frosting, decorating half of each cookie red, and the other half green, with the Hershey’s Kiss in the Center.

1 c. (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/3 c. sugar
2 egg yolks
1/4 c. milk
2 t vanilla extract
2 c. flour
2/3 c. Hershey’s Cocoa
1/2 t salt
1 can (16 oz.) frosting
Red and Green food coloring
Hershey’s Kisses

Beat butter, sugar, egg yolks, milk, and vanilla until fluffy. Combine flour, cocoa, and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until well blended. Refrigerate dough for about 2 hours. Heat oven to 350F. Lightly grease cookie sheet. Shape dough into 1″ balls. Roll in granulated sugar and place on cookie sheet. Press thumb in center of each cookie. Bake 10-12 minutes. Color frosting and drop onto each cookie. Press a kiss on each.