Renee's preserved lemons

Lemons (as many as will fit in your sterilized jar)
coarse salt
water to cover

Slice ends off of lemons, and cut lemons into quarters, and squeeze out as much juice as you can. Pack salt into the crevices of the cut lemons, and drop into sterilized jar. Leave overnight, during which lemons will exude more juice.

The next day, cover lemons with water, seal and leave to ripen one month before use. In Florida I have to store these in the refrigerator. They are great with meat, chicken, fish and also in a tomato-pepper salad.

Renee's Chicken

4 chicken leg quarters, separated into legs and thighs or boneless breasts
6 cloves garlic
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
a pinch saffron (If you can, if not, it is still good)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp powdered ginger
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 c. olive oil

2 large yellow onions, grated and drained in a colander
1/4 c. packed chopped cilantro (I like more than that!! even)
1/4 c. packed chopped parsley
1/2-3/4 c. olives*
1 preserved lemon, peel only, sliced finely
juice of 1/2-1 lemon

*You may use any brine-cured olive green or black. Don’t use those flavorless canned American olives. Be sure you like the taste of your olive all by itself.

The day before, pound the garlic in the mortar and pestle with the other spices (I use a food processor too). Moisten mixture with the oil. Pull the skin off the chicken and rub with garlic paste. Refrigerate overnight.

The next day, place chickens in a large, heavy pot, preferably enameled cast iron. Add grated onions, herbs and about 2 c. water. Bring to boil, cover and lower heat. Simmer 40 minutes.

When chicken is tender and falling off the bone, add olives and lemon peel. Continue cooking 10-15 minutes. When ready to serve, pull chicken and as many olives as you can out of the sauce and arrange on serving platter. Boil sauce vigorously until reduced and thickened. Taste and season with lemon juice and additional sauce if necessary. Pour sauce over chicken and serve.

Basic white bread , rapid cycle

1/2 cup tap water
1 cup fresh milk
4 cups bread flour
1-1/2 tsp. salt
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1-1/2 tsp. dry yeast (Regular Cycle) or...
2 tsp. dry yeast (for Bread Rapid Cycle)

Sopa creme de Cheddar e Alho Poro'

Ingredientes:

• 1 colher de sopa de manteiga
• 1 xicara de de cenoura, salsao e cebola picados em cubinhos bem miudos(mirepoix)
• 2 xicaras de alho poro picado fino
• 1 1/2 colheres de sopa de farinha de trigo
• 1.5 litro de caldo de galinha (pra fazer, dissolva 2 cubinhos de caldo de galinha em 2 litros de agua fervente)
• 1 sachet (amarradinho em algumas camadas de gaze com barbante) com 1 folha de louro, 1/4 de colher de cha de tomilho fresco ou seco, e pimenta do reino preta(o grao) - coloque tudo na gaze, amarre e macere um pouco com um martelo de carne
• 1 copo (120ml) de vinho branco seco ou cerveja choca
• 120ml de creme de leite fresco
• 500g de queijo cheddar ralado
• sal a gosto
• pimenta cayena a gosto
• salsinha picada bem miuda para guarnicao
• croutons para guarnicao

1. Em uma panela funda, frite o mirepoix ( cebola, cenoura e salsao) e o alho poro na manteiga ate que amolecam mas nao escurecam os legumes.
2. Coloque a farinha de trigo e mexa ate que a farinha comece a ficar amarelo clara ( nao deixe escurecer marrom).
   
3. Coloque o caldo de galinha e o sachet e deixe ferver.
   
4. Coloque o vinho e o queijo, cozinhe em fogo baixo por 1 hora.
5. Coe, adicione sal e pimenta cayena a gosto.
   
6. Coloque o creme de leite, deixe QUASE ferver.
7. Sirva em tigelas aquecidas, guarneca com croutons no meio e salpique salsinha.
8. Se gostar, salpique tambem cubinhos fritos de bacon por cima. Fica otimo!
9. Esta receita faz 2 litros de sopa

Maionese Meia-Lua

5 batatas pequenas e redondas
2 macas verdes
1 cebola branca pequena
maionese
gotas de limao
pimenta branca
azeite extra virgem
tomilho fresco picado bem miudo


Misture a maionese, azeite, tomilho, pimenta e limao. Ponha na geladeira. Descasque as batatas, corte ao meio, e fatie as batatas para formar meia-luas (meias-luas?) com aprox. 1/2 cm de espessura. Cozinhe al-dente (cuidado pra nao cozinhar demais!), escorra e reserve na geladeira.
Corte as macas ao meio, retire as sementes (deixe a casca), e corte meia-luas . Faca a mesma coisa com a cebola, cortando no sentido do diametro ( no sentido do bulbo).

Misture tudo gentilmente e sirva bem gelado.

Stir Fry

Corte tudo em tiras compridas com 1cm de largura:

bife, frango ou camarao
cenourinha baby
pimentao de varias cores
cebola roxa
brocoli
ervilha torta (use inteira e prefira as mais miudas)
couve ou escarola
salsao
gengibre ralado
gergelim tostado (preto)
1 colher de sobremesa de maisena
sal e pimenta do reino a gosto

• coloque alho picado ( eu gosto mais esmagado) em uma frigideira funda com azeite e BEM QUENTE e mexendo sempre ( espere esquentar novamente sempre que retirar algum item)
  
• doure a cebola, separe ( espere esquentar novamente )
  
• doure a carne, separe ( espere esquentar novamente )
  
• coloque a cenoura, ponha 1 colher de agua, tampe por 30 segundos ou ate a agua secar
  
• coloque o resto dos legumes, ponha mais azeite, refogue 15 segundos
• coloque as verduras, refogue 15 segundos
• coloque a cebola e carne reservada
• coloque molho teriyaki misturado com o gengibre e 1 colher de maisena, tampe 10 segundos ( nao deixe secar)
  

sirva sobre arroz branco ou integral, salpique o gergelim por cima.

BASIC WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

SMALL LOAF:
2/3 c Water
1 tb Margarine
1/3 ts Salt
2/3 ts Brown sugar
1 c Whole wheat flour
1 c Bread flour
1 ts Yeast

MEDIUM LOAF:
1 c Water
1 1/2 tb Margarine
1/2 ts Salt
1 ts Brown sugar
1 1/2 c Whole wheat flour
1 1/2 c Bread flour
1 1/2 ts Yeast

LARGE LOAF:
1 1/3 c Water
2 tb Margarine
2/3 ts Salt
1 1/3 ts Brown sugar
2 c Whole wheat flour
2 c Bread flour
2 ts Yeast

Put ingredients in your bread machine as suggested by manufacturer. Bake on
the basic white cycle. This is a really good, basic whole wheat.

Homemade Chicken Rice Soup "Canja"

1 boneless skinless chicken breast
1/2 white onion, diced
baby carrots, sliced
2 boxes of premade chicken broth ( or 2 chicken bouillon cubes per liter of water, make 2 liters )
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup diced celery
a few drops of lemon or lime juice
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
white rice ( not parboiled, just regular long grain or jasmine rice)


Add the water (2 liters) to a pot, olive oil, bouillon cubes ( or replace both for 2 liters of premade broth) and diced onions and bring them to a boil.
Add the chicken breast and let it cook for about 20 minutes.
Remove the chicken and shred it with a fork and bring it back to the pot.
Add the diced carrots and the rice and cook for another 5 to 8 minutes.
Add the celery, cilantro, check for salt, and serve.
Add some drops of lime juice to your serving.

Honey, Flaxseed and Whey bread

INGREDIENTS

* 1 1/8 cups water
* 1 1/2 tablespoons flaxseed oil
* 3 tablespoons honey
* 1/2 tablespoon liquid lecithin
* 3 cups whole wheat flour
* 1/2 cup flax seed
* 2 tablespoons bread flour
* 3 tablespoons whey powder
* 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
* 2 teaspoons active dry yeast

* add to recipe box Add to Recipe Box
My folders:
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* add a personal note Add a Personal Note

DIRECTIONS

1. Put all the ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order suggested by the manufacturer.
2. Select Wheat Cycle, and Start.

Broccoli Casserole

2 bags frozen Broccoli florets, thawed under warm water and drained (or about 1 pound fresh steamed broccoli - tastes a lot better this way)
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons grated onion
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 bag of Onion Croutons (a salad topping)
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese

1. Melt butter in a sauce pan. Add onion and sautee' for 2 minutes (do not brown). Add flour and whisk until melted. Whisk constantly for about three minutes.
2. Gradually add warm or room temperature chicken broth (NOT hot) and half-and-half to container, stirring constantly.
3. Cook uncovered for 5-6 minutes at HIGH or until sauce is thickened. If lumps are formed use a hand mixer. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg.
   
4. Add the steamed broccoli to a casserole. Pour sauce over it, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese on top and bake at 375F for 1o minutes until top is browned. Remove from oven. Sprinkle onion croutons and serve.
   

Try it with other vegetables such as steamed carrots, cauliflower, asparagus...also try adding diced ham to the sauce.

Chilli Con Carne

2 pounds lean ground beef
3 large peppers ( green, orange, red), diced
2 large onions, diced
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 large cans red kidney beans
1 large can white beans
1 pack chili mix ( I use Old El Paso but any will do)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon celery salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
2 beef boullion cubes
2 large cans tomato sauce (plain, no flavors)
1 small can salsa ( I like Tostitos salsa)
1 cup fresh chopped cilantro


Garnish:
Sour cream
green onions, finely sliced
grated cheddar cheese

How to:

Sautee' the onions in olive oil until light brown, add garlic, sautee until golden, add beef.
Fry the beef until browned stirring frequently, making sure no lumps of beef or moisture are left. Beef should be browned evenly. Add peppers and dry spices, stir for 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce, salsa, chili mix, and 1/2 of the cilantro. Bring it to a boil, turn the heat to low and simmer for 1/12 hours, stirring from time to time. Add beans and the other 1/2 of the cilantro. Simmer for 5 minutes and serve in small bowls with a dollop of sour cream, grated cheddar cheese and sprinkle green onions on top.

Chilli can be frozen for 3 months.