Hey Grandpa, What's For Supper?

[Backyard Buddies]

Thanks Zookeeper9000! I've printed for a future chocolate attack.

debiraymond - Sounds better than what we had last night - fast food burritos and tacos. As you probably well know, in this area there's so much GOOD Mexican food to be had that the fast food stuff is a far cry from the real stuff. But, we were cramming down food quickly between the various dropping off of kids at activities. I still would have liked a nice leisurely dinner with hubby!

 

[Aneesa's Muse]

Multiple doses of Imitrex, OTC and walks on the beach and through the woods ...and I am on day 3, I believe.

But thank you all for the well wishes ..at least, it has been on the left all day.

DH brought pizza home last night ..blah! I whipped up some ground beef for him to have tacos or burritos or something, and a good friend of mine is taking me out for a birthday treat (DH doesn't acknowledge such things).

Fortunately, the migraine is tame now ..just not gone.


happyhen.. I'm glad you are not too worse for wear

Backyard Buddies... I love all kinds of "Middle Eastern" food, so if you'd like to share recipes that would be awesome! The only truly Persian recipe I have here is for a pomegranate sauce for lamb ..which I think is pretty standard fare ..not sure.

 

[Backyard Buddies]

Aneesa's Muse :

Backyard Buddies... I love all kinds of "Middle Eastern" food, so if you'd like to share recipes that would be awesome! The only truly Persian recipe I have here is for a pomegranate sauce for lamb ..which I think is pretty standard fare ..not sure.

I'm glad to hear that the migraine is at least tame now. I hope it's completely gone, soon!

I'd love your pomegranate sauce for lamb recipe. Lamb is one of my favorites, which is part of the reason that I love Middle Eastern food. I'm pretty sure I have a lamb and lentil stew recipe (it has cinnamon in it) as well as several chicken dishes. One of my favorite recipes is Zereshk Polo with chicken. It isn't hard to make, but it does need some specialty items. The key ingredient is barberries, a tart berry that I purchase dehydrated at a Middle Eastern market that you rehydrate in butter.

Have you ever made Persian style rice? It's made a little bit differently - rinsed, soaked in salt water, par-boiled, drained, then put back into a pot that has some oil in the bottom. The rice is then steamed with a kitchen towel between the pot and the lid to absorbed the additional steam. The rice at the bottom of the pot forms a golden crust called the Tahdeeg, which is one of my favorite parts. Of course, saffron is a nice addition anytime you make Persian rice.

I'll try to start posting some of them in the coming days.​

 

[thechickenchick]

Happy Birthday Aneesa's Muse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am sorry DH does not acknowledge you on your special day. I wish I could bake you a cake!! If I could what kind is your favorite?

Spagetti and meatballs and homemade french bread with fresh herbs tonight.

 

[happyhen]

BB - I'm looking forward to trying some of your Persian recipes. Thanks for the offer, since it's one of the cuisines they skipped over in culinary school. It's too bad the kids kept you runnin' last night and you missed a quiet dinner with your DH. I used to feel the same. Now that we're nearly "empty nesters", quiet dinners together are so routine we celebrate when they all come home.

Aneesa - Happy Birthday!

The weather's so wet, windy and cold here we had cream of broccoli soup and fresh baked Vienna bread.

 

[77horses]

Vegetarian(and DELICIOUS) chicken patties, with mashed potatoes and peas on the side.(although I hate mash potatoes and peas, but mom is the one who cooked it.)

Yummy and healthy non-meat supper!

 

[maplesky7]

my mama came over this morning and put a ham roast and a roast beef and veggies with my home made onion broth and cream of mushroom soup in my crock pot.

gotta say...never did 2 at once but...WHATEVER smells tastey.


me,
g

 

[Backyard Buddies]

Alrighty! Here's the first in my Persian Cooking Series!

Zareshk Polo & Chicken
1. Prepare Rice according to directions
2. Prepare Chicken according to directions
3. Prepare Zareshk according to directions

Persian Rice
(Adjust the number of servings to feed your family. This is how the recipe was given to me)

4 cups Basmati Rice
6 T. Salt
Oil or butter

Rinse rice 5 - 6 times with warm water. Place rice in a pot, and cover completely with water. Add the salt and stir to blend. Soak for 3 - 4 hours (maximum of 10 hours).

Boil until rice is cooked but still crunchy, about 10 minutes. Strain into a colander, rinse well, and clean pot.

Place a small amount of oil or butter in pan. Add rice. (alternatively, you may put a whole pita pocket on the bottom before adding rice, if you wish). With the end of a wooden spoon, make numerous holes in the rice all the way down to the bottom of the pan to allow an escape for the steam.

Place a kitchen towel over the pan and close lid over the towel. Bring the edges of the towel up and secure to the handle of the lid (I use rubber bands).

Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes. Turn heat to low and continue cooking for an additional 20 minutes.

Remove lid and place a plate over the pan. Invert the rice onto the plate. The golden crust should come off be on the top of your pile of rice. If it doesn't, loosen with a spatula.


Chicken
(Recipe for 1 lb. of chicken, adjust to fit your family)

4 T Oil
1 Lg. Onion - chopped
4 Garlic Cloves - minced
1 lb. Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast - cut into bite sized pieces
1 t. Salt
Pepper to taste
Juice of half a Lemon

In a saucepan, heat oil. Add onion and saute until golden brown. Add garlic and heat through. Add chicken and saute until cooked through. Add salt and pepper. Squeeze lemon over chicken and remove from heat.


Zereshk
(again, this is matched to the 1 lb. of chicken. Adjust to fit your family)

3/4 cup dried Zereshk (barberries - look like dried cranberries)
1/4 cup Butter
1/2 cup Water
2 t. Ground Saffron
2 t. Sugar

Rinse Zereshk in water to clean, removing and discarding any stems. Zereshk can harbor sand and dirt, so a good rinse is necessary.

In a small saucepan, melt butter on low heat. Add Zereshk and saute for 7 - 8 minutes. (this seems longer than I did, but that's how it is written. Watch for burning and adjust your timing)

Boil water and add saffron. Dissolve well.

Add saffron/water to currents. Add sugar and mix well. Stirring every two minutes, cook until the barberries soften. Remove from heat.


To Assemble

1. Spoon Rice onto a large serving platter.
2. Arrange Chicken - You can put it over the middle or arrange around the edges if you prefer.
3. Pour Zereshk over the rice.

 

[Backyard Buddies]

If you don't have a Mediterranean or Middle Eastern foods market near you, it appears you can order the barberries online.

http://sadaf.com/store/product110.html

 

[Aneesa's Muse]

Thank you for the recipe, Backyard Buddies! I will get on the Pomegranate one shortly ..head still funky

Zamouri Spices is a good site for stuff, too ...and the spices come fresh, which is even hard to come by in markets, sometimes

I did a search for Zareshk or barberries, though ..and they don't have them ..or they call them something different, possibly.


I don't know what we're having tonight.. maybe Karahi Chicken? I tried yardwork as a headache remedy today ..and while fresh air and being supervised by my tortoise girly is great for some relief ...I am feeling it creep back up, now that I'm back indoors.... so simple and fast dinner it is!