There's a Kitty in my Dry Goods Cabinet

Bridal Shower

Iced Wedding Cookies for a very special bridal shower

Spiced Chicken Kebab

OMG I just made the most amazing dish! It was sooo good that I immediately rushed to the computer to post the recipe before I forgot what I put in it. Two days ago my cousin Elaine gave me a chicken sausage from her favorite Indian place and I immediately thought that I could replicate it. And then just yesterday in my Saveur magazine, my favorite food mag by the way, there was a spread about Istanbul and Turkish Food. There was a recipe for Urfa Kebab, Spiced Lamb Kebab, that was similar to what my cousin fed me. I used the recipe as a base and added some other flavors that I thought would go well and man, was it DELICIOUS! Rarely do I love the food I make. I am my own worst critic and I usually I'm never satisfied the way things turn out because it can always be better. But WOW this was good. It's perfect. I added some coriander, chili flakes, fresh mint and fresh cilantro to the mix because it really isn't a party without some herbs and spices. I stuffed the meat mixture into some sweet peppers but the recipe is so versatile you can use it to make patties and kebabs for the bbq grill, meatballs with a yogurt sauce, stuffed into a pita to make a gyro, or eaten alongside saffron scented basmati rice with golden raisins.

Your meat mixture should be studded with fresh cilantro and mint like this:
And I stuffed it into these sweet peppers (so sweet that I was eating them raw):

Turkish Indian inspired Kebabs
2lbs ground chicken, or turkey, or lamb
half of an onion, diced and sauteed in some olive oil
2 T paprika
2 T salt
2-3 t cumin
2 t dried oregano
1 t coriander
1 t ground black pepper
1/2 t dried chili flakes
1/2 t fennel seeds, or dill seeds
1 big handful cilantro, chiffonade
1 big handful mint, chiffonade

1. Mix everything together. I stuffed the meat into sweet peppers and steamed them but you can do whatever you like. They are especially delicious formed into patties and sauteed in a pan or over a bbq grill.

Update: Cumin is a very strong flavor that not many people like. I happen to love cumin but if you don't than perhaps you should add less or omit the cumin altogether.

Miss Meow

I have a new mouth to feed at the kitchen table. She likes medium rare steak, chicken, fish of all kinds, and the occasional catnip stuffed furry mouse.

Baklava fun on a rainy day

Yesterday was a rainy dreary day. I was bored at home so I decided to play Iron Chef, home edition. I didn't want to go out so I was only allowed to use the ingredients I had on hand which really isn't hard since my fridge and cupboards are filled with, well, everything possible. I have a habit of hoarding food with the intent to make something but sometimes I never get around to it. So in my freezer I had a pack of frozen phyllo dough that had been there for a couple of months. I wanted to make spanakopita but didn't have the savory ingredients to make it. Baklava it is then. I love baklava but not every baklava is created equal. I've had many bad ones in my time. I like my baklava light and crispy not dense and soggy, not too cinnamony, and not cloyingly sweet which is hard because a big component of it is honey syrup. This was my first time making it and I think it came out good. I overdid it a little with the nuts so I scaled down the recipe here to show the right proportions. I had a bite the day it was made and thought it was just okay but the next day it was really delicious.


Baklava

Filling:
1 lb Phyllo dough, thawed out in the refrigerator for 5 hours
7 oz almonds, chopped or diced
11 oz walnuts, chopped or diced
2 t cinnamon
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c water
1 t orange blossom water (omit if you don't have, no worries!)
1 t vanilla extract
12 oz melted clarified butter

Syrup:
2/3 c honey
2/3 c sugar
2/3 c water
1/2 t orange blossom water
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 T lemon juice
1 inch strip of orange peel

1. Mix the nuts, sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl. Set aside. Mix water, orange blossom water, and vanilla extract. Set aside.
2. Lay out phyllo dough and cover with a damp kitchen towel.
3. Brush a 9 x 13 inch pan with clarified butter. Lay one piece of phyllo on the bottom and brush with butter. Trim phyllo if necassary. Layer another sheet of phyllo on top and brush with butter. Repeat until you have 10 layers of phyllo dough. Sprinkle a third of the nut mixture on top and spread evenly. Sprinkle the water mixture over the nuts. I use a brush and flick it on.
4. Layer a piece of phyllo on top of the nuts. Brush with butter. Repeat until you have 6 layers and then top with half of the remaining nut mixture. Sprinkle the water mixture over the nuts. Do another 6 layers of phyllo with butter, then the rest of the nuts and water. For the last layer use 8 sheets of phyllo dough with butter in between and butter the top generously. Do not press the layers of phyllo or nut down because you want the baklava to be light and airy and not too condensed.
5. Put into a 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes. Remove and cut into desired squares or diamonds. Place back into oven for another 30 minutes.
6. Allow the baklava to cool for 1 1/2 hrs. At the 1 1/2 hr mark make the syrup by adding all the ingredients in a large pot and boil on medium for 10 minutes. Watch the syrup because it can boil over. Cool the syrup for 30 minutes. Recut the pan following the cuts made before. Slowly pout the syrup in between the cuts and on the sides. Drizzle a little on top. Allow to rest uncovered overnight. The syrup gets absorbed by the layers and softens the dough and allows the flavors to meld together.