Coconut Chickpea Soup with Grilled Cheese!

For the soup:

1 T. olive oil

1 small onion, diced

3 medium tomatoes, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 T. red wine vinegar

1 T.  sugar

1 t. curry powder

1 t. cumin

1/2 t. cayenne

1 t. salt

1 t. pepper

2 sprigs thyme

15 oz. chickpeas

15 oz. coconut milk

1 1/2 c. water

fresh basil leaves

 

For the sandwich:

2 slices bread

2 oz. brie

1 t. butter

 

Saute onion and tomatoes in olive oil until soft.  Add garlic and cook for a minute more.  Add vinegar, sugar, spices, and thyme.  Add chickpeas, coconut milk, and water and simmer for 10 minutes.  Puree soup with an immersion blender and garnish with basil.

 

Meanwhile, layer the brie in between slices of bread and spread butter on the outside.  Grill in a panini press until golden brown.

 

Pumpkin Poke Cake!

For the cake:
1 box yellow cake mix
15 oz. pumpkin puree
2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
14 oz. sweetened condensed milk

For the topping:
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
3 T. sugar
1 c. heath candy pieces

For the caramel sauce:
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. heavy cream

Mix together dry cake mix with pumpkin and spices.  Bake in a greased cake pan at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.  Let cool completely.  Poke holes in the cake with a fork.  Pour sweetened condensed milk over the cake and let it chill in the refrigerator for one hour.  Beat the heavy cream with sugar on high until thick.  Spread whipped cream over the cake and top with heath bits.  Meanwhile, make the caramel by heating sugar in a small saucepan until bubbly and amber colored.  Add the cream and remove from the heat.  Pour caramel into a bowl and let cool.  Drizzle over the top of the cake before serving.

Chicken Korma!

For the marinade:
1 garlic clove, minced
2 T. curry powder
1 T. ginger
1 T. cumin
1 lemon, juiced
1 1/2 c. yogurt
2 lbs. chicken breast, cut into cubes

For the sauce:
1 T. olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno, minced
 2 T. curry powder
1 T. cumin
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
28 oz. can whole tomatoes
1 c. chicken broth
3/4 c. cashews
1/4 c. heavy cream

Serve with:
2 c. rice simmered in 4 c. chicken broth

Mix together marinade ingredients and pour over the chicken.  Refrigerate while you make the sauce.  In a large pot, sauté the onion until soft.  Add the garlic and jalapeno and sauté one minute more.  Add the spices and cook for another minute.  Stir in the tomatoes and broth and cook while breaking the tomatoes up with a spoon.  Bring to a simmer and add the cashews.  Simmer for 15 minutes before transferring the mixture to a blender and pureeing.  Drain the chicken of the marinade and sauté in the now empty pot until golden brown.  Pour the finished sauce into the pan and add the cream.  Bring to a simmer and cook until the chicken is very tender, 20 minutes more.  Serve over cooked rice.

Tres Leches Cake!

For the cake:
1 c. flour
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
5 eggs
1 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla
1/3 c. milk
1 can evaporated milk
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 c. heavy cream
fresh berries

For the icing:
1 pt. heavy cream
 3 T. sugar

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.  Separate eggs.  Beat egg yolks with 3/4 c. sugar on high until yolks are pale yellow.  Stir in milk and vanilla.  Pour egg mixture over the flour mixture and stir gently until combined.  Beat egg whites on high until soft peaks form.  Pour in remaining 1/4 c. sugar and beat until stiff.  Fold egg whites into the batter gently until combined.  Pour into a greased 9 x 13 inch cake pan and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until cake is set.  Turn cake onto a plate and let cool.  Combine condensed milk, evaporated milk, and cream in a small container.  When cake is cool, pierce the surface with a fork several times.  Drizzle all but 1 cup of the milk mixture over the cake, especially around the edges.  Allow the cake to absorb the milk for 30 minutes.  Whip 1 pt. heavy cream with 3 T. sugar until thick.  Spread whipped cream over the cake and top with fresh berries.

Raspberry Cheesecakes!

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 c. sugar
pinch of salt
1 t. vanilla
1 egg
12 ginger snaps or vanilla wafers
1/4 c. raspberry jam, warm
12 whole raspberries

In a food processor, puree the cream cheese, sugar, salt, vanilla, and eggs until smooth.  Grease a muffin tin and place a cookie in the bottom of each well or cupcake liner.  Spoon cream cheese mixture over the top of each cookie.  Spoon a few drops of warm jam onto each cheesecake and swirl with a knife.  Top each cheesecake with a fresh raspberry and bake at 325 degrees for 22 minutes.  Cool in the refrigerator for 4 hours before serving.

Mozzarella Eggplant with Meat Sauce!

1 large eggplant, sliced
1 T. olive oil
4 oz. mozzarella, sliced
2 c. "Tyler Zogby's Meat Sauce"
fresh basil

Bake eggplant on a greased sheetpan for 25 minutes at 400 degrees.  Drizzle oilve oil on top.  Flip halfway through so they cook evenly and do not stick to pan.  Top with mozzarella and bake for an additional 10 minutes.  Top each slice with meat sauce and basil.

Kale and Squash Farro!

1 c. farro
2 c. chicken broth
1 t. curry
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. cumin
1 t. nutmeg
1 1/2 c. squash, diced
1 T. olive oil
3 c. kale, stems removed and diced
3/4 c. pomegranate seeds

For the dressing:
1 lime, juiced
2 T. chicken broth
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
1 T. olive oil
1 T. cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced

Boil farro with broth and spices in a small saucepan.  Simmer for 10 minutes and fluff with a fork.  Meanwhile, roast squash with olive oil and more spice in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes.  Let farro and squash cool before tossing with pomegranate seeds and kale.  Whisk together dressing ingredients and toss with salad before serving.