Best Ever Hummus with Avocado, Serrano peppers, & fresh parsley

Recipe Title: Best Ever Hummus with Avocado, Serrano peppers, & fresh parsley

By: Miriam Borys

Ingredients:

1 can chick peas (well rinsed under 

cold water & drained) 540ml

1/4 cup Olive oil 

3 tbsp. Tahini 

2-3 garlic cloves

1 juice of one lemon OR ¼ cup lemon concentrate

1 tbsp. white balsamic vinegar

2 medium sized ripe avocado - cut in half, pitted and flesh scooped out

1-2 serrano pepper

cracked salt & pepper to taste

1. Drain chick peas well. Rinse with cold water in a wire mesh sieve and drain well.
2. Wash & de seed the peppers and add into processor.
3. Add remaining ingredients into the food processor.
4. Processes until large pieces are gone. Scrape the sides of the processor bowl down.
5. Continue to process until the hummus is at the desired consistency. You will find the avocado make the hummus very smooth. This stage is up to you and your personal taste. If too thick add a tablespoon of water or  broth (vegetable or chicken) at a time until the hummus is at the right consistency.
6. Store in the fridge in a covered container until serving.
7. Great with a vegetable tray or with crackers and cheese.

Chef Miriam Little Borys, B.Ed., MA.
'Cooking Uncovered'
http://www.youtube.com/user/mlborys?feature=mhee
blog: www.cookinguncovered.blogspot.com
Website: www.miriamborys.com

Easy (and spicy) Meat Sauce for Pasta

Recipe Title: Easy (and spicy) Meat Sauce for Pasta

By: Miriam Borys

Servings: 8

Ingredients:

2 tblsp. olive oil

6 hot italian sausages

½ bottle of red wine

2  X 28oz. cans diced tomatoes 

OR

1  640ml jar herb pasta sauce  & 1 can of diced tomatoes

Use what you have in your pantry at home. A jar of store bought pasta sauce adds alot of flavor, so if you don’t have diced tomatoes, use the pasta sauce. 

Heat frying pan over med heat prior to starting. Add oil. If your pan is hot before putting the sausage in, the sausages will not stick to the pan. For a complete and useful cooking lesson on how to heat a stainless steel pan properly before adding protein please go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB-SCA1reqE.

Remove sausage meat from casing by squeezing the middle of each sausage. ( a hint for easy removal...leave the sausages at room temperature for 30 minutes and the sausage meat will easily squeeze out of the casing.

Add sausage meat to hot pan and immediately start to stir and chop to break up the sausage meat into smaller pieces. Cook the meat until lightly browned and evenly cooked.

Add ½ a bottle of red wine (don’t use your expensive wine for this recipe, table wine works well) to deglaze

 the pan. 

Bring up to the boil while stirring the caramelized bits off the bottom of the pan.

Add tomatoes and cook until the sauce comes up to the boil.

Pour hot sauce into a deeper sauce pot. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes.

Puree with an immersion blender to get a smooth consistency. Cook pasta as directed and use this delicious sauce over your pasta choice. If the sauce is too thick, add more red wine while simmering.

immersion blender

Chef Miriam Borys, B.Ed., MA.
'Cooking Uncovered'
http://www.youtube.com/user/mlborys?feature=mhee
blog: www.cookinguncovered.blogspot.com
Website: www.miriamborys.com

How to Cook Spaghetti Squash

How to Cook Spaghetti Squash (click here to go to my YouTube video)

1. wash the outside skin of the squash before cutting into it with cold water
2. cut in half, right through the core with a sharp knife
3. with a large spoon scrap out the seeds and the pulp
4. pour olive oil (3 tbsp) into the hollow of each half
5. with a pastry brush spread the oil over the entire flesh of the squash
6. season with salt & pepper
7. cook in a very hot oven (375-400 degrees) for approximately 60 minutes until flesh is tender.
8. Allow to cool slightly and then using a fork sprape out the spaghetti squash into a serving bowl.
9. Add a tablespoon of butter and a drop of olive oil and toss to melt the butter.
10. If needed, add salt and pepper before tossing.
    
    
    
    
    
    
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Hummus with mint, serrano peppers & zucchini

Recipe Title: Hummus with mint, serrano peppers & zucchini

By: Miriam Borys

Ingredients:

540 ml can chick peas – well rinsed
⅓ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoon vegetable stock ( or water can be used to thin the hummus down)

3 tablespoon tahini
¼ cup cilantro with stems
¼ cup zucchini 

2 tablespoon serranno pepper (fresh) if you like more heat in the hummus, feel free to add more pepper
4-6 mint leaves (fresh)
Cracked pepper & salt to taste 

1. Drain chick peas well. Rinse under cold water in a wire mesh sieve and drain well.
2. Add all ingredients into the food processor. To help in the processing cut up pepper and zucchini into large chunks first.
3. Process until large pieces are gone. Scrape the sides of the processor bowl down.
4. Continue to process  until the hummus is at the desired consistency. This stage is up to you and your personal taste so add more liquid if you don’t want the hummus too thick.
5. Store in the fridge until needed. Goes very well with crackers or a vegetable tray.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Roasted Butternut Squash and Ginger Soup

Recipe Title: Roasted Butternut Squash and Ginger Soup - thick soup with no cream

By: Miriam Borys

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash (approximately 900g - 1kg in weight)
4 tablespoon fresh ginger chunks (peel garlic)
3 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion
1 cup celery
1 tablespoon garlic
1 Litre (4 cups) vegetable soup stock
Salt & pepper to taste

Peel squash and remove the seeds and membrane.
Cut into large chunks and place into a baking dish with oil.

Peel fresh ginger. Cut into large chunks also and place in the 

same roasting dish with the squash.
Roast until tender for approx. 40 minutes at 400 degrees F. (200 C).

While squash is roasting, dice onion, celery & garlic and sauté on medium heat until transparent. Once squash is tender add squash and ginger to the 

sautéed vegetables. Continue to cook to mix all vegetables together.

Deglaze the pan with one cup of vegetable stock or white wine.

Once the residue is removed from the bottom of the pan add the remaining stock and salt & pepper. 

Bring soup up to the boil and reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Puree with an immersion blender to remove all the lumps and to make this a creamy thick soup (without the cream).

Allow to cook on low heat until ready to serve. 

If desired add a dollop of sour cream to each bowl to add to the texture and flavor of this amazing soup.

Enjoy!

Chef Miriam Borys, B.Ed., MA.
'Cooking Uncovered'
http://www.youtube.com/user/mlborys?feature=mhee

blog: www.cookinguncovered.blogspot.com
Website: www.miriamborys.com