Picadillo

As this is the only recipe that worked out, it's the only one I'm going to post until I tweak the ingredient measurements a bit better to actually give you something you can work with. At the very least, make some french fries and serve it up with the Picadillo! Yum. I plan on re-trying the Natilla and Yellow Rice over the Christmas holiday, so within a few weeks I should have links to them.


1 onion chopped
1 large tomato cut up
2 bay leafs
½ green pepper – sliced lengthwise
¼ cup olive oil ½ to 1 can of tomato sauce
1 lb ground beef/ground turkey
black pepper
salt
fresh garlic minced
garlic powder
2 tablespoon of vinegar or wine vinegar
½ teaspoon of oregano

In a pot add onions, bay leafs, green peppers, minced garlic, oregano and olive oil, let cook for a few minutes. Pour in tomato sauce, vinegar and let it boil. Season the meat with salt, black pepper, garlic powder. Put in the pot and stir on medium low heat, then lower to low heat and cover and stir occasionally.

You can add green or black olives, 5 minutes before meal is done, or also fry some potatoes for french fries, let drain on paper towel then again about 5 minutes before meal is done, add the fries. Or, serve it with Yellow Rice.

Apple Chutney

Do yourself a favor. Take advantage of the late-Fall and stock up on some apples. Make this dish and then either horde it for yourself or give to friends and family in cute jars for Christmas presents. You'll increase your popularity and cool factor by 10 fold.


4 Granny Smith Apples
3 c. sugar (start with 2.5 cups, but if you want it sweeter after you taste it, increase the amount to 3 cups)
1/2 c. Golden raisins
1/3 c. white vinegar
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. Hot Chili Powder


Peel, core, and finely chop the apples. Place in pot and add sugar, raisins, vinegar, salt and chili powder over medium heat. Stir frequently until it turns a dark caramel color and glazes, about 20-25 min. If you feel you need more liquid for the apples, add a bit more vinegar, but be aware the entire pot will reduce until it becomes a thick, dark, sweet-sour-spicy chutney.

Cucumber Raita

1/2 cucumber, peeled and grated
1/2 canister of yogurt
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. pepper


Mix the yogurt in its own container with a fork to make it creamy. Place cucumber in a serving bowl, add the yogurt, salt, sugar, and pepper, and stir.

Is delicious with spicy curries or any Pulau. For a bit of a kick, you can also add some chili powder, or a pinch of paprika for color.

Vegetable Pulau

As G-ma said while cooking this dish, "One onion a day keeps everyone away." Not so sure I agree as I'm kind of obsessed with onions, but here they do you good. I promise.

1 head of green cabbage, sliced
1 onion, sliced thinly
1 potato, peeled and cut into big chunks
1.5 cups Basmati rice, washed and soaked and drained 3 times
3 cups water
1 cup of green beans (frozen is fine), cut into chunks
1 cup peas
1 tsp. salt
2-3 tsp. Chili powder
3/4 tsp. Turmeric (Haldi powder)
2 tblsp. Ginger-Garlic (equal parts fresh garlic and ginger mashed together)
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
1 packet of chicken bouillon
1 tsp. Garam Masala
salt to tasate


Turn the oven on to 350 degrees. In your biggest, oven-safe stew pot or Le Creuset, brown the onions in some vegetable oil, then add the Ginger-Garlic, Salt, Turmeric, Chili Powder, Garam Masala and the tomatoes and let it get "Melty." Add the rice, water (it is a 1:2 rice -water ratio), chicken bouillon, and the rest of the veggies. Bring to a boil and stir occasionally (but don't let the potatoes break), add salt to your liking. Place, covered, in the oven for 15 minutes. Bring the Pulau out of the oven, carefully stir once from the edges of the vessel in to the center, place the lid back on the vessel and put back in the oven. Turn off oven, but leave the vessel in for 10 more minutes, or until the liquid has cooked off and the rice has become soft. Bring Pulau out of oven, and serve hot with a yogurt or chutney.