Falala-Falafels

Falalala-falafels... that's what you'd be singing too if you've found a super easy way to make falafels.

So how did I happen upon this genius idea of mine? This was brought about by necessity.... the necessity to get rid of 2 - 8oz containers of hummus, without having to chip-dip myself until I no longer have the interest to chip-dip any longer. In short, I needed something different to do with hummus other than eat it with chips.

My internet search was not much of help. It only lead me to site after site of how to make my own hummus. I then typed in the words "ground chick peas" on the search field, and that's when I happened upon Falafels.

Falafels are a middle eastern dish of mashed chick peas with spices such as cumin, garlic, onion, etc. I figured I can whip up a short cut version of Falafels using hummus because essentially they are made from the same thing and the same spices have already been put in there for you. The best thing about using hummus to make falafels is that the chick peas are already pre mashed, so you won't need to soak them overnight and mash them up yourself. Essentially using hummus to make falafels is already half of the falafel making process done for you! Adding a few other ingredients... most likely something that you already have in your pantry, is taking the hummus all the way to falafel-hood! All the way to Falafel-dom! All the way to Falafel-ness! (I can't decide which tagline I like the best)

So next time you go to an appetizer party, do not hesitate to bring home that container of left over hummus with you as long as you trust that no one at the party had double dipped into the hummus.

Here's what you will need...

2 tsp baking powder
1 cup flour
4 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
2 8oz containers of hummus - I used one that was roasted pepper flavored and the other one was garlic flavored. 
oil for frying

Put the hummus, flour, chopped cilantro or parsley, and baking powder together in a bowl and mix until it forms a dough. Ball it up, leave it in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let sit in the fridge for about 4 hours. (I left mine overnight).

After refrigerating for a couple of hours, it is ready to be formed into balls. Scoop about a tablespoon of the mixture onto your palms and roll them in a spherical shape.

Then heat up some oil for deep frying. Fry your chick-pea balls until golden brown. You will end up making a little over a dozen falafels. Drain on paper towels.

Serve in pita with some lettuce and sliced tomatoes and top it with tzatziki sauce for a really great all vegetarian falafel sandwich.

My 9 year old boy loved it so much he ate a lot and thought it was made with chicken. Try it with your own kids and just maybe you can have them eat some chick-pea... I think we can make that count as a vegetable right?

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Ok, so here's the recipe also for the

Tzatziki Sauce
1 8 oz container plain yogurt - i recommend you use plain Greek yogurt
1 small English cucumber - because English cucumber does not have seeds
salt and pepper to taste
2 cloves minced garlic or 1 tsp garlic paste
1/2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
1/4 tsp lemon juice
a dash of paprika (optional)

Chop the cucumber finely and mix with all the other ingredients. OR put all of the ingredients in a  food processor or blender. Put in small bowl and refrigerate for about an hour. The longer it sits in the fridge the more the flavors come out.

Serve with your falafels.

Taco Cornbread Casserole

We just had a small get together at our home where one of things we served our guests are nachos. Since taco meat is a popular choice item on the nacho bar, I made sure that I made a lot of them. I might have just made a little bit too much so we had a lot of meat leftovers.

Now what to do with the taco meat? This question prompted a search on the web for some left over magic ideas… which resulted to the Taco Cornbread Casserole being born from out of our kitchen for the first time!

You will need:

1 package store bought corn bread mix

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

½ cup milk

1 cup cooked taco seasoned meat

½ can Cream Corn (approx. ¾ of a cup)

• Preheat oven to 400F.
• Mix cornbread mixture according to package directions. Add the milk and corn. Pour half of the mixture on a prepared (greased) baking dish or pan. Layer on the hamburger meat and ½ cup grated cheddar cheese. Pour the remaining half of the cornbread mixture on top and add the remaining grated cheese on top.
• Bake in the oven. Do a stick test to see if it is done. Baking will take to about 30 minutes. 

Easy Cheesy Garlic Bread

So it is pasta night at our home and it is no question that I would also have to make some cheesy garlic bread on the side, because this is a sure winner with my kids.

You will need:

Bread rolls, sliced in half

1 stick of softened butter

1 tsp garlic powder

½ cup Italian cheese blend

1 tsp dried parley flakes (optional)

Mix together and spread over bread. Toast in the oven at 225F just until bread is slightly toasted and cheese is melted.

Might also be a good pairing for that Braciole I made awhile back.

Wine Infused Pasta

We got a lot of wine during the holidays. I like wine but I try not to drink it a lot. I do try to find other uses for it and one that I came across to on the internet is using wine to cook your pasta noodles. So I used a whole bottle of red wine mixed in with some water, oil and salt to cook some noodles and Voila! Wine infused pasta!

The noodles have a hint of that wine taste and all you need is to top or toss it with any sauce you like!

Pair it off with some easy home made cheesy garlic bread.

Easy as Quiche

I wanted to make just one quiche this weekend, but since a package of pre-made pie dough always comes in twos, I had to make 2 quiches!

Quiche is a beaked open faced pastry with a filling thickened with eggs. No, it is not an omelet, because in an omelet you fold in the egg over the filling. I think it is more closely related to a frittata, which is closely related to the omelet, because in a frittata you mix in the filling with the eggs rather than folding it, but in a quiche you seem to have a mixture similar to a frittata but baked over a dough or crust.

Does that make sense? It does not really have to, because all that really matters is the savory taste and how easy it is to make. So shall we skip all this and get to the recipe already?

So there’s two quiches in this picture, one a Roasted Red Pepper with Feta Cheese and Garlic Quiche, and a Cheesy Eggplant Quiche.

Roasted Pepper Quiche

You will need:

A small jar of roasted pimientos, drained

A small container of crumbled feta cheese (about a cup)

1 Tbsp Garlic powder

some chopped basil (optional)

3 eggs

salt and pepper

1 Premade pie crust/dough

What to Do

• Preheat oven to 350
• Prepare your pie plate by unrolling and laying it onto the plate. You do not need to grease the plate.
• Beat 3 eggs, add some some salt and pepper. Add the garlic powder. Set aside. 
• Chop your pimientos and basil. Put this on the pie dough together with the feta cheese. Pour over the egg mixture and bake in the oven for about an hour. 
• You will know your quiche is ready by doing a “stick test”. If the stick comes out clean after you poke the quiche in the middle, the egg mixture is set and done.

Cheesy Eggplant Quiche

You will need:

1 large eggplant, peeled and chopped

Chopped parsley (optional)

¼ cup onion flakes

¼ cup olive oil

‘½ cup grated Mozarella cheese

¼ cup parmesan cheese

3 eggs

salt and pepper

1 Premade pie crust/dough

What to Do

• Preheat oven to 350F
• Prepare your pie plate by unrolling and laying it onto the plate. You do not need to grease the plate.
• Seasoned the chopped eggplant with salt. Let it stand for 20 minutes and then rinse and squeeze the excess liquid, set aside. This will take out some of the bitter taste in the eggplant.
• Then, in a skillet heat up the olive oil and sauté the rinsed and drained eggplant. Add the onion flakes, parsley, salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Beat 3 eggs and mix in the cheeses. Set aside.
• Put the sautéed eggplant on the pie dough. Pour over the egg mixture and bake in the oven for about an hour. 
• You will know your quiche is ready by doing a “stick test”. If the stick comes out clean after you poke the quiche in the middle, the egg mixture is set and done.

Easy right?

Enjoy!!!

Here are other easy quiche recipes you can make at home!

Turkey, Sundried Tomatoes and Mushroom Quiche

Turkey, Spinach and Cheese Quiche

Hubby’s Honey-Lemon-Ginger Antidote to Sickness

Whether the weather is cold or hot or both in the same day, your body can take a beating. Usually the first sign that you’re about to get sick is a runny nose, a headache due to an inflamed sinus, or a tickle in the throat.

My ever loving husband, concocted what I think is an anti-sicky warm cocktail of honey lemon and ginger to counteract the effects of whatever “bug” I caught. 

Honey and lemon are already a popular alternative to easing the discomfort of having a cold, it does not cure the cold (because there is no cure) but it will help ease the discomfort. Staying hydrated while on the cold is as important as getting a lot of rest, as a hot drink, it loosens the phlegm and clears the sinuses. Honey leaves a coating that is soothing and the vitamin C in the lemon will help shorten the duration of your cold. The ginger acts as a booster for your immune system, it is also said to have antihistamine properties and the “spice” in it mixed in with the honey will not only soothe that croaky throat of yours, but also help in decongestion as you breathe in the steam from your warm drink.

With all this natural healing properties of honey, lemon and ginger mixed together, I find this brew as a great alternative to medicines, and something I feel safe and comfortable with giving to my own children instead of medicines. Now, if you already are sick (and I hope not yet), this will help ease that I-just-got-hit-by-a-bus feeling.

Here’s how to make it…

You will need:

1 cup Honey

2 Fresh lemons

1 thumb Ginger

Slice the lemons into really thin wedges and add crushed ginger. Put these in a jar and add the honey.  To make the antidote all you need is a cup of hot water and a spoonful of the mixture. Drink it and feel the soothing effect of the ginger, lemon and honey. Store it in the fridge, it should last you about 2 weeks, but if you drink it twice a day, you’d probably need to make more (or your husband would have to make you more).

So there… Enjoy!... Be well!