Groundnut Stew

This spicy and delicious chicken stew is a wonderful way to warm your belly during the cold winter months. For you vegetarians, omit the chicken and add the vegis that please you most, I recommend potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes & celery. I have enjoyed many variations over the years, mostly of Sierra Leonean origin, but at home this has become my interpretation, hope you enjoy it!

Groundnut Stew

1 whole chicken (cut into 8-12 pieces & skin removed)
4 tomatoes (2 sliced thinly & 2 set aside to process)
2 bell peppers (1 sliced thinly & 1 set aside to process)
4 onions (2 sliced thinly & 2 set aside to process)
2-4 habanero peppers (depending on your spice desires! I use 4)
6 carrots cut into 1" chunks
6 potatoes cut into bite sized chunks
1 small can tomato paste
1 1/2 c smooth natural peanut butter
1/2 c peanut, canola or olive oil
1/4 c dried thyme
1/4 c soy sauce
2 t salt (more to taste upon completion)
2 t white pepper
2 t garlic powder
1 T season salt
2 c water (more to reach desired consistency as needed)

Marinate chicken 24hrs in advance if possible in the 1/4 c soy sauce, 1 t garlic powder, 1 t white pepper & 1 T season salt. Fry chicken on med-high in the 1/2 c oil until very brown, drain and set aside. Cover bottom of a large stew pot with oil remaining from the fried chicken and set to med-high, once oil is heated add sliced onions and sliced bell peppers and allow to brown, add sliced tomatoes, and remaining seasoning. In a blender or food processor, process, remaining onions, bell peppers, tomatoes and 2 habanero peppers, add to pot, cover and allow to simmer on med. Process peanut butter, tomato paste and water and add to pot along with carrots, potatoes and the 2 remaining whole habanero peppers, cover and simmer on low-med for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chicken and more salt, thyme and water as desired. Simmer for another 15 minutes.

Serve over rice accompanied with homemade ginger beer or whatever pleases you!

Quote of the day

Food to a large extent is what holds a society together and eating is closely linked to deep spiritual experiences.

- Peter Farb & George Armelagos
- Consuming Passions: The Anthropology of Eating

Spanish Rice

A friend asked me this week for a Spanish rice recipe and this is any easy one I make quite often. As with many of my recipes it has been changed to meet my taste needs. I believe a true Spanish rice probably has no cumin, but since I am a cumin worshiper, its in mine, but feel free to omit it if that pleases you.

Spanish Rice

2 C long grain white rice
1/4 C olive or canola oil
1 yellow onion roughly chopped
1 bell pepper diced
3-5 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tomatoes diced
2 t salt (more to taste if desired)
1 T cumin powder
1 t crushed red pepper
2 3/4 C chicken broth
3/4 cup of frozen mixed vegis

Fresh cilantro for garnish

In a large skillet heat oil until it sizzles, add onions and garlic allowing them to brown, add rice and allow to brown slightly. Add remaining ingredients except for chicken broth and give them a good stir. Add chicken broth and allow to boil. Once boiling, reduce to lowest setting, cover and keep covered for 30 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro and serve with tacos, enchiladas, mole or whatever pleases you!

Spinach Mushroom & Feta Frittata

For those of you who don't know, A frittata is yummy an Italian-style flat omelet baked in a skillet. It's perfect for brunch, special occasions or even dinner. It's a great option similar to quiche for those who want to spend less time cooking and reduce on the calories added from a crust. I use a cast Iron skillet, but any baking dish will do!

Spinach Mushroom & Feta Frittata

8 eggs
1/2 C whole milk
3 C fresh spinach
2 C sliced mushrooms
1/2 red onion finely chopped
1 red bell pepper finely chopped
1 c crumbled feta cheese
1 T dried basil
1/2 t dried thyme
1/2 t dried oregano
1/2 t dried cayenne pepper
1 T salt
1 T olive oil


Put olive oil in a cast iron skillet and into oven while the oven preaheats at 475 F. Once preheated, take pan from the oven and add onions, bell pepper, spinach & mushrooms, return to oven for 10 minutes. In a bowl mix remaining ingredients. Remove pan from oven and pour mixture over cooked vegetables, return to oven for 15 minutes or until slightly brown on top.

Serve with rosemary potatoes, french toast and orange juice or whatever pleases you!

Happy Holidays - See you next year!

Quote of the day

Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four essential food groups - alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and fat.

- Alex Levine

Irish Cream Liqueur

This week we saw temperatures so frigid that the only place in the world colder was Siberia, so I must say, now is really the time for something to warm the belly! My only wish would be that I was close enough to make it for my loved ones this holiday season. So lets make a double batch and toast to those too far away to wrap our arms around this year!

Irish Cream Liqueur

1 3/4 c Irish Whiskey
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 c heavy cream
4 eggs
2 T chocolate syrup
2 T instant coffee
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 t almond extract

Combine all ingredients in blender until well blended and store in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Stir before serving.

Serve in coffee, alone or with whatever pleases you!

Quote of the day

Dessert is probably the most important stage of the meal, since it will be the last thing your guests remember before they pass out all over the table.

- William Powell

Cranberry Bliss Cookies

Are you ready for a little bit of heaven? Oh these cookies make me crazy, I can't even keep them in the house for more than a day before they magically disappear, it must be those elves!

Cranberry Bliss Cookies

3/4 c butter at room temp
1 c brown sugar
1/2 c white sugar
1 egg at room temp
1 t vanilla
1/2 t almond
1 c flour
1 T orange zest
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
2 1/2 c oats
1 c white chocolate chunks
1 c dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 F, mix butter & sugar until light and fluffy, add egg, vanilla & almond, mix for 1 minute. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients except, white chocolate, cranberries and orange zest. Combine two mixtures only until incorporated, do not over-mix. Fold in remaining ingredients. Spoon onto cookie sheets and bake for 5-8 minutes. Great recipe to double batch and freeze some for later.

Serve with coffee, livelier African coffee's like Ethiopia Sidamo are particularly good with these cookies, or of course, whatever pleases you!

Quote of the day

My favorite time of day is to get up and eat leftovers from dinner, especially spicy food.

- David Byrne

Spicy 6 pepper Chili

It's -30 and your freezing inside and out, it might just be time for a big batch of spicy chili, it's what we had tonight and it's yet another winter favorite. There are a million variations, this one my favorite, but not one for those who can't take heat, so alter to your desired spice level!

Spicy 6 pepper Chili

1 lb kidney beans (soaked overnight & cooked until soft)
2 lbs ground beef (venison is also a great substitution)
2 lbs spicy Italian sausage sliced
2 yellow onions coarsely chopped
1 red onion coarsely chopped
1 bulb garlic finely chopped
6 jalapeno peppers finely chopped
2 bell peppers coarsely chopped
2 sweet red peppers coarsely chopped
1 bunch celery coarsely chopped
1 can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce finely chopped
2 large cans of stewed tomatoes coarsely chopped
1 can tomato paste
2 T ground cayenne pepper
1 T ground black pepper
5 T cumin powder
4 bay leaves
3 T dark brown sugar
6 c water
1/4 c cornmeal
3 T salt
2 T olive oil

In a large stock pot, heat olive oil on high for one minute, add onions, garlic, bay leaves, meat, sugar & salt, allow to brown well, add all peppers, allow to brown, add sugar, cumin & celery, allow to brown, add remaining ingredients except corn meal and simmer for 30 minutes covered. Add cornmeal & stir, taste and add more salt as desired, cover, turn heat off and allow to sit at least 30 minutes. This is a big batch and you'll have plenty to freeze.

Top with finely chopped onions, sour cream & cheese, serve with cornbread or whatever pleases you!

Reader Recipe (Arie's Lavender Whipped Shortbread)

Amidst the screaming and chaos of dozens of children most likely penetrated by the full moon, lie a plate of fragrant lavender butter pillows that closed me off from the rest of the world, if only for a moment. A poet I am not, but a food connoisseur, possibly and this week my brief encounter with the most beautiful tasting shortbread cookies I may have possibly ever tasted is owed to my fried Arie, who has been kind enough to share!

Arie's Lavender Whipped Shortbread

The fragrance from these is amazing, but the flavour is very subtle.

1 cup unsalted butter (at room temp)
2 cups unbleached white flour
3/4 cup icing sugar
1 tbsp organic lavender blossoms

Cream butter & sugar together, add flour & blend. Once the flour is mixed in, turn your mixer on high & whip the shortbread for 10 minutes. Add the lavender & mix just until it is dispersed in the dough.

Drop by the teaspoon onto cookie sheets; bake at 325 for 8-12 minutes until just set.

Happy Holidays from our family to yours



Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Hearty Red Lentil & Vegetable Soup

Its soup season and lentils are usually part of the daily diet at my house. I eat this soup almost everyday for lunch during the winter months and I haven't gotten sick of it yet. Yummy, healthy and easy to make many different variations, I often just use the lasts of whatever vegis I have in the fridge. This is a big pot full, you'll have plenty to freeze!

Hearty Red Lentil & Vegetable Soup

2 onions (roughly chopped)
1 red sweet pepper (roughly chopped)
1 green bell pepper (roughly chopped)
2 jalapeno peppers (finely chopped)
1 bulb garlic ( finely chopped)
5 tomatoes (roughly chopped) or 1 16 0z can
1 bunch celery (roughly chopped)
6 carrots (roughly chopped)
4 cups fresh spinach (roughly chopped) Frozen can be substituted
4 cups red lentils
12 -16 cups water (chicken stock can be substituted in whole or in part)
3 T olive oil
1 T sugar
4 bay leaves
3 T dried thyme
4 T dried basil
1 T dried oregano
Salt to taste

In a large stockpot, heat olive oil on high, add onions, garlic, carrots, sugar & bay leaves allow to brown, resisting the urge to stir constantly (the browning adds the majority of the flavour). Once well browned, add peppers and celery, allow to brown, add tomatoes, and remaining spices, bring to a boil and add remaining ingredients. Cover and let simmer 30-45 minutes and salt to taste. When you keep vegis covered while they cook, they retain more of their vitamins!

Serve with fresh warm bread & Munster cheese or whatever pleases you!

Reader Recipe (Arie's Potato Cheese Biscuits)

"I am a biscuit aficionado - I love & am in constant pursuit of the yummiest one. I threw these together today using leftovers from my fridge & they are so yummy I had to share :)"

- Arie

Arie's Potato Cheese Biscuits

2 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup cold butter
1 cup mashed potato
1/2 c cheese sauce (any firm cheese is fine, I used Gouda)
1/2 c (or so) buttermilk

Mix dry ingredients together, cut in butter & mashed potato. Add cheese sauce & enough buttermilk to create a soft dough. Do not overmix!!!!
Roll out to 1 inch thick, cut with a biscuit cutter & bake (on stoneware if you have it) @ 450 for 12-14 minutes.

Thanks Arie, I'll try these this weekend, they sound fantastic!