Baked Moussaka ala ~DKBB~

Baked Moussaka ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe by Callie Nash in March 2018 edition of Cooking Light magazine)

1 pound lean ground beef

2 cups peeled, cubed eggplant (1 large eggplant)

1 red pepper, chopped

½ onion, chopped

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme

1 Tbsp. minced garlic

1 can white beans, rinsed, drained, and slightly mashed

1 to 2 roma tomatoes, chopped

1 8oz. can tomato sauce

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. fresh cracked pepper

¾ cup plain Greek yogurt (1 small container)

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

• Preheat oven to 400° F.
• Brown ground beef in skillet over medium heat; drain; add in eggplant, bell pepper, onion, thyme, and garlic; cook 6 to 8 minutes.
• Add mashed beans, tomato, tomato sauce, salt, and pepper; heat thoroughly; spoon all into 9x13 glass baking dish.
• Combine yogurt and eggs in bowl, mixing well; pour this over the moussaka; bake 12 to 14 minutes, or until topping is bubbly and yogurt is set.
• Optional: sprinkle with fresh flat-leaf parsley and roasted pine nuts before serving.

Roasted Pork with Apples and Potatoes ala ~DKBB~

Roasted Pork with Apples and Potatoes ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe in the March 2018 edition of Cooking Light magazine)

Photo from Cooking Light

1 1 lb. pork tenderloin, trimmed

3 Tbsp. olive oil

1½ Tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped

1½ Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped

1¼ tsp. kosher salt, divided

1 tsp. cracked black pepper

4 to 6 potatoes, cut into 2” wedges (any kind - your choice - could also use sweet potatoes)

2 large Braeburn apples, peeled and sliced

12 to 16 oz. fresh green beans, trimmed

¼ cup chicken stock

¼ cup unsalted butter

2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

• Preheat oven to 500° F; place heavy rimmed baking sheet (jelly roll pan) in oven and leave in while oven preheats.
• Combine oil, thyme, rosemary, 1 tsp. salt, and pepper; rub ⅓ of this on pork.
• Remove hot pan from oven, place pork on it, and return to oven; immediately lower the oven temperature to 450° F and bake pork for 5 minutes.
• Toss potato wedges and apple slices with remaining oil/seasonings mixture, coating all well.
• Remove pan from oven; add coated potatoes and apples to pan with pork and return to oven; continue baking until a thermometer inserted in pork registers at least 140° F (15 minutes).
• When pork reaches correct temperature, remove it from the pan, place on plate, and let it cool a bit, then slice it into ¾” to 1” slices.
• Leaving potatoes/apples on pan, add the green beans and continue baking for another 10 to 12 minutes (you want the potatoes done and the beans just a tich past crisp).
• Remove pan from oven and place potatoes/apples/beans in a bowl.
• To now-empty hot pan, add ¼ tsp. salt, stock, butter, and vinegar; scrape all leavings on bottom of pan loose and stir until butter is melted.
• Add veggies and sliced pork back to pan and put back in oven for another 5 to 8 minutes.
• Serve pork, veggies, and stock together.

Root Vegetable and Chicken Curry ala ~DKBB~

Root Vegetable and Chicken Curry ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe from www.theroastedroot.net)

2 skinless chicken breasts

2 Tbsp. coconut oil (or oil of choice)

1 yellow onion, chopped

1½ Tbsp. grated ginger (or 1 big squeeze of Squeezable Ginger)

1 to 2 turnips, diced to ½” cubes

1 to 2 rutabagas, diced to ½” cubes (peel as needed)

1 parsnip, peeled, diced to ½” cubes

1tsp. cumin seeds

1 to 3 Tbsp. curry (any kind…your choice)

1 can coconut milk

• Cook the chicken breasts as you desire (broil, grill, fry in a small amount of oil), then remove from heat and allow to cool before cutting into 1” cubes. Set aside.
• In a large skillet (or wok), sauté onion and cumin seeds in the oil over medium heat until the onion is softened and beginning to turn translucent (about 3 minutes).
• Add the root vegetables and sauté 5 to 8 minutes before adding ¼ cup of the coconut milk; continue cooking 2 minutes, allowing the coconut milk to evaporate, then add in another ¼ cup and continue cooking about 5 minutes.
• Add an additional ¼ cup coconut milk – by now the root vegetables should be softening a bit; once the vegetables are cooked through (but not completely mushy), add all the remaining coconut milk and the curry, stirring to incorporate.
• Allow all to come to a gentle boil and cook a few more minutes before adding in the chicken; cook all on low for about 5 minutes to heat through.
• Serve over rice (brown, white…your choice).

Miso Soup with Chicken, Noodles, Shiitake Mushrooms ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe from carlsbadcravings.com)

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1” pieces

2 Tbsp. olive oil (divided)

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

6 oz. fresh shiitake mushrooms (stems removed and caps sliced into ¼” pieces) OR,

   2 4 oz. cans shiitake mushrooms, drained

2 to 3 medium carrots, sliced

1 cup diced peppers (I usually use several of the small red/orange/yellow ones)

1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger or squeeze bottle ginger

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups miso broth

4 cups chicken broth

1 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce

1 Tbsp. rice vinegar

1 Tbsp. Japanese rice wine or pale dry sherry

Sriracha sauce to taste (1 Tbsp. or more)

3 oz. thin rice noodle (broken or cut into smallish pieces)

1 to 2 head bok choy, cut into bite size pieces (about 3 cups)

• Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in Dutch oven/soup pot over medium-high heat; add chicken and brown (approximately 2 to 3 minutes); remove to a plate.
• Add remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil to the now-empty pot and heat over medium-high heat; add onions, carrots, peppers and sauté until tender; add mushrooms, ginger, and garlic and continue sautéing for 1 minute.
• Add the cooked chicken back into the pot, followed by the broths, soy sauce, rice vinegar, rice wine (or sherry), and sriracha; bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and gently simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Add rice noodles to pot and simmer 2 to 5 minutes, then turn off heat and add bok choy and cover pot just noodles are al dente and bok choy is wilted (5 to 10 minutes).

Makes 8 to 10 servings.