Good morning, amazing GUSerinos!!!!! I may still be at the Y when you read this diary because I'm a hard body Ford Agency Model with a rock hard ass and ripped abs. Uh, uh, where am I? Still sleeping? Ok, here's who we are:
Artichoke Basil Lentils
Ingredients: (Serves 4-6)
+ 1 Pack of Frozen Artichoke Hearts or a jar of Artichoke Hearts (about 9oz)
+ About 4 Cups of water
+ 1 Cup of Brown or Green Lentils
+ A Few Handfuls of Matchstick Cut Carrots
+ 4 Kale Leaves (torn in to bit sized pieces)
+ 1 Tbsp. of White Wine Vinegar
+ 1 Tbsp. of Dried Basil (can use fresh)
+ 1 Bay Leaf (helps break down the starch of the lentils for easier digestion)
+ Garlic, Onion Powder, and Black Pepper to taste
+ To Serve: 1 Spaghetti Squash
Directions:
Bring 4 Cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Add Lentils, Artichokes, Carrots, all spices and herbs, and vinegar. Simmer for 20 minutes then add the kale.
Cook for another 10 minutes or until the lentils are soft and ready to go.
That’s it! I like to serve my lentils over some spaghetti squash but you can use any other grain like rice, quinoa, or millet. Enjoy!
Charred Sweet Corn Fritters with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
Ingredients
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 ear sweet corn, husk removed and washed
Vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup stone-ground cornmeal
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup, plus 2 tablespoons, whole milk
3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack (cheddar would work great, too!)
Directions
In a small skillet over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Watching it carefully and stirring on occasion, continue cooking the butter as it transforms from yellow and foamy to golden brown with brown speckles throughout. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the brown butter in a ramekin. Cool the butter to room temperature. (This is a particularly important step because if you add warm butter to the cold milk, the butter will seize. If this happens, warm the milk and butter mixture until the butter remelts.)
Rest the corn on the grate of your gas stove and turn the heat to medium. Char the corn on all sides, rotating it every 30 seconds or so. Cut the kernels off the cob and set them aside.
Heat 4-inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot to 325 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking soda, Old Bay and salt. In a measuring cup or small bowl, measure out the milk and the cooled melted butter; whisk until thoroughly combined. Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. The mixture will be thick. Fold in the charred corn kernels and cheese.
Using a 2-ounce ice cream scooper, drop scoops of batter into the hot oil. Cook the fritters for 3-4 minutes, flipping them at the 2 minute-mark, until they're golden brown on both sides. Transfer them to a bed of paper towels to drain. Serve with honey or buttermilk dressing.
Yield: 16 fritters
Gas-Grilled Greek Style Lamb Pita Sandwiches with Tzatziki Sauce
SERVES 4
Since the yogurt and cucumbers in the Tzatziki Sauce need to drain for 30 minutes, start making the sauce before the patties. Although we prefer the richness of plain whole milk yogurt, low-fat yogurt can be substituted. Greek yogurt can also be substituted, but use 1/2 cup and skip the step of draining. While we didn’t like the flavor of dried mint, dried dill may be used in place of fresh, but reduce the amount to 1/2 teaspoon. For the patties, the test kitchen prefers the flavor of fresh oregano, but 1 teaspoon of dried can be substituted. If using pocketless pitas (see illustrations below for folding instructions), do not cut top quarters off pocketless pitas; instead, use a portion of a fifth pita to create pita pieces in step 5. The patties can be prepared through step 5 and refrigerated for up to a day or frozen before cooking as directed in step 6 (frozen patties should be thawed in refrigerator prior to cooking). This recipe can be doubled.
INGREDIENTS
For Tzatziki Sauce
1cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1/2 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced fine (about 1/2 cup)
3/8teaspoon table salt
1tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1/2 teaspoon)
1tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint leaves or dill
Vegetable oil for cooking grate
For Lamb Patties
4 (8-inch) pita breads (see note above)
1/2 small onion, chopped coarse (about 1/3 cup)
4teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2teaspoon table salt
1/4teaspoon ground black pepper
1tablespoon minced fresh oregano leaves
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
1pound ground lamb
Accompaniments
1 large tomato, sliced thin
2cups shredded iceberg lettuce
2ounces crumbled feta cheese (about 1/2 cup)
INSTRUCTIONS
1. For the Tzatziki Sauce: Line fine-mesh strainer set over deep container or bowl with 3 paper coffee filters or triple layer of paper towels. Spoon yogurt into lined strainer, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, combine cucumber, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and lemon juice in colander set over bowl and let stand 30 minutes.
3. Discard drained liquid from yogurt. Combine thickened yogurt, drained cucumber, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, garlic, and mint in clean bowl.
4. For the Patties: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until very hot, about 15 minutes. Scrape grate clean with grill brush; dip wad of paper towels in vegetable oil and holding wad with tongs, wipe cooking grate. Leave primary burner on high and reduce other burner(s) to medium-high.
5. Cut top quarter off each pita bread. Tear one quarter into 1-inch pieces, and discard remaining three top quarters. (You should have about 1/4 cup pita pieces.) Process onion, lemon juice, salt, pepper, oregano, garlic, and pita bread pieces in food processor until smooth paste forms, scraping down sides of workbowl as necessary, about 30 seconds. Transfer onion mixture to large bowl; add lamb and gently mix with hands until thoroughly combined. Divide mixture into 4 equal pieces and roll into logs. Gently flatten logs into rectangular patties, about 1/2 inch thick, 2 1/2 inches wide, and 7 inches long.
6. Place patties on hotter side of grill. Cook, with lid down, turning once using spatula, until well browned and crust forms on each side, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer patties to plate. While patties rest, place pita in single layer on hotter side of grill. Cook, turning once, until each pita is thoroughly warmed and faint grill marks appear, 30 to 40 seconds. Remove pita from grill and wrap tightly with aluminum foil.
7. Using soupspoon, spread 1/4 cup Tzatziki Sauce inside each pita. Put 1 patty in each pita and top with tomato slices, 1/2 cup shredded lettuce, and 2 tablespoons feta. Serve immediately.
I'm pretty sure my beloved anodnhajo had another buddy -- maybe in flumpty the genius sweet smelling adorable GUSsack's diary. And I also need to THANK OUR OWN ANODNHAJO for always updating me. Amazing biker -- who is trying to surpass my 7.5 mile per day stationary bike record.