TWD: Coconut Butter Thins

Inspiration:
Kelly of The Barefoot Kitchen Witch chose this week's recipe and will be posting it on her blog.

These aren't pretty, but they are delicious.

I loved these cookies! They have a shortbread texture with just a hint of coconut and lime. When I make these again (and I will), I will double the lime zest.

These remind me of the World Peace Cookies, which has been my favorite TWD recipe so far. I might try the method used this week with the World Peace Cookies next time; it was much easier than slicing the rolls of frozen dough.

Do any long-time members think I have missed a recipe I'd love that is similar to the World Peace Cookies and these? (I have only been with the group since January.)


Tim's Rating: 9.5/10 ("I don't taste coconut or lime. Oh I taste a little lime. These taste like butter. These are really good.")
Liz's Rating: 9.5/10

Mango and Sticky Rice (Khao Neeo Mamuang)

Inspiration:
The Amazing Race's pit stop in Thailand
and
allrecipes.com


Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups uncooked short-grain white rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon tapioca starch
• 3 mangos, peeled and sliced
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Instructions:

1. Combine the rice and water in a saucepan; bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.
2. While the rice cooks, mix together 1 1/2 cups coconut milk, 1 cup sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil; remove from heat and set aside. Stir the cooked rice into the coconut milk mixture; cover. Allow to cool for 1 hour.
3. Make a sauce by mixing together 1/2 cup coconut milk, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the tapioca starch in a saucepan; bring to a boil.
4. Place the sticky rice on a serving dish. Arrange the mangos on top of the rice. Pour the sauce over the mangos and rice. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Notes: This is a dish I have enjoyed at many restaurants but never made at home. Now that I know I can make it, I think I need to have a a Thai dinner party! I used arborio rice, but next time I will try sushi or sticky rice. I substituted cornstarch for the tapioca starch, and it worked fine.


Liz's Rating: 9.5/10
Tim's Rating: 10/10


Next week on The Amazing Race: Thailand (again!)

Tim Raves: Hennepin Beer from the Ommegang Brewery

Tim is obsessed with this beer. He was very very excited to see it at a new local restaurant, and last weekend I found it at our local liquor store just in time for March Madness.

He told me that "this is so good, you should put it on the blog!"


We're off to Vegas for the weekend! I hope everyone is enjoying March Madness and the spring weather.

TWD: Blueberry Crumb Cake

Inspiration:
Sihan of Befuddlement chose this week's recipe!


I thought it was tasty and not too much of a production. It is definitely a step up from the Betty Crocker Blueberry Streusel Muffins I have so enjoyed over the years. :)


Tim's Rating: 8/10
Liz's Rating: 8/10


Next week on TWD: Coconut Butter Thins

Puffed Rice Crunch

Inspiration:
The Amazing Race's pit stop in India
and
Food & Wine


Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 cups unsweetened puffed rice

Instructions:

1. Set a 12-by-18-inch sheet of parchment on a large baking sheet and oil the paper. Have a kitchen towel ready.
2. In a medium saucepan, cook the brown sugar with the lemon juice over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar melts, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, until richly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Working quickly, stir in the puffed rice until coated, then immediately scrape the mixture onto 1 end of the baking sheet.
3. Fold the paper over the rice, cover with the kitchen towel and roll into a tight 3-inch log. Unwrap and let cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes. Using a serrated knife, gently slice the log crosswise 1/2 inch thick and serve.

Recipe Notes: In India, the chicki wallah (sweets vendor) knows to set up shop near a school: Children find this crunch irresistible.

Click here for a photo of a chicki wallah!


Notes: I had a slight (actually big) problem trying to roll it into a log. I used a silpat instead of parchment paper, which could have been my problem. Taking photos of these wasn't easy either. I'll post a bad photo below this. I am glad I tried this-- many of the recipes I found were more Indian-American recipes, and I wanted to find something that people in India actually eat.
Tim's Rating: 7.5/10
Liz's Rating: 7/10


Next week on The Amazing Race: Thailand!

Pesto alla Anna

Inspiration:
A Lidia Bastianich recipe, adapted and printed in GQ


Ingredients:

• handful of almonds, lightly toasted
• bunch of fresh basil
• 1 large clove garlic
• pinch of crushed red-pepper flakes
• extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 handfuls of cherry tomatoes
• salt and black pepper
• 1 pound spaghetti
• Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated (for the non-vegans)

Instructions:

1. Boil water for the pasta, and cook when ready.
2. Place the almonds, a handful of the basil, the garlic, and red-pepper flakes in a food processor. Process while drizzling in about a half cup of olive oil, until pureed but still chunky.
   
3. Add the cherry tomatoes. Process until incorporated. The sauce should look like bolognese--thick and hearty, a yellowish orange. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Just before pasta is done, scoop out about a cup of cooking water. Drain pasta.
5. Place sauce in a large serving bowl. Add some of the water (start with just a little) and stir until the sauce is smooth.
6. Add pasta to the bowl and toss until coated. Let cool a bit, then toss with lots of Parmigiano-Reggiano (if desired).
7. Taste. Season. Serve. Devour.

Recipe Notes: A bright, bracing alternative to traditional pesto genovese. And as easy a recipe as you'll find, provided you own a food processor.

My Notes: Super easy and flavorful. A nice bright bunch of flavors as spring arrives but the winter produce still fills the grocery store.

Liz's Rating: 8.5/10
Tim's Rating: 9/10

Bourbon Beef Noodle Bowl

Inspiration:
Cuisine at Home


Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup bourbon
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 T minced garlic
• 1/2 t kosher salt
• 1/2 t black pepper
• 1/2 boneless beef sirloin steak, sliced into thin bite-sized strips
• 2 T olive oil, divided
• 1 1/2 cups sliced onion
• 14 oz low-sodium beef broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup cubed sweet potato (about 4 oz.)
• 1 cup dry egg noodles
• 2 cups loosely packed spinach
• 1/4 cup sliced scallions

Instructions:

1. Combine bourbon, maple syrup, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Add beef, mixing to coat. Cover and marinate beef 15 minutes or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. Drain beef through a sieve over a bowl, reserving marinade.
2. Heat 1 T oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add beef and sauté until browned, about 3 minutes, remove from pan; set aside.
3. Add remaining 1 T oil and sauté onion for 5 minutes. Stir in reserved marinade, broth, and water. Add sweet potato and bring to a boil. Add noodles; cook until sweet potatoes are tender and noodles are done, about 8 minutes.
   
4. Stir in beef and spinach. Cook until spinach is wilted. Garnish each serving with scallions.

Nutritional Information for 1/2 recipe: 622 calories; 23 g total fat (5 g saturated); 77 mg cholesterol; 7 g carb; 1070 mg sodium; 6 g fiber; 29 g protein.


Recipe Notes: Bourbon Beef Noodle Bowl is hard to categorize. It's not Asian, it's not European, and it's not traditional American. It slips into its own box: plain good eatin'. This soup provides a whole meal in one bowl...The beef soup is curiously addictive, with flavors that intrigue your taste buds with every bite. With the first spoonful, the flavors of maple syrup and sweet potatoes seem to predominate, but their sweetness is quickly offset by the savory beef, garlic, and spinach.


My Notes: This recipe FAILED. We couldn't even finish it. The bourbon flavor was so strong, it was incredible (incredibly bad). Cuisine at Home needs a better test kitchen.

I am still posting it for a few reasons:

1. One thing I don't like about blogging is that it may seem as if I never have a problem with recipes (yeah right). Recipes fail. It happens to everyone, and that is ok.
   
2. I think this recipe would be good with just a few modifications: (1) marinate the beef for only 15 minutes (2) discard the marinade instead of adding it with the broth (3) double the amount of beef broth (since the marinade isn't added).
   

I liked all of the flavors together.. it's unfortunate that the bourbon overpowered all of the other ingredients.