Sesame Florentines

sesame florentines

adapted from https://www.splendidtable.org/recipes/sesame-florentines

(original recipe by Francois Payard)

makes about 24

Beware!  I advise you to make these only when you have several other people around to eat them. It is very difficult to stop just at just a few unless you know you have to share. They are a kind of cookie, but very distinctive—and simple to make. Click on the link above to see a photo.

3-1/2 T. unsalted butter

1 T. honey

1/4 c. granulated sugar

1/2 cup sliced almonds, coarsely chopped

1 T. sesame seeds

Preheat the oven to 375. Heavily spray mini muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray.

Melt the butter and honey in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar, almonds, and sesame seeds.

Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the mixture into each mini muffin cup. (No need to worry if the batter isn't flat in the cup—it will even out when baking.)  Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the florentines turn light golden brown. (Original recipe said 15 minutes, but mine were a bit charred after that long, so I've shortened the time.)

Remove from the oven and let cool slightly—about 5 minutes (florentines are still warm, but firmed up a bit).  Loosen the florentines with the tip of a sharp knife.  (If you've let them cool too long and have difficulty getting them loose, you can put the pan back in the oven for about a minute.) Place a sheet of waxed paper on your work surface, turn the pan over and tap out the florentines. Transfer to a cooling rack and let them cool completely.  You can store them in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks, placing waxed or parchment paper between the layers to prevent sticking.  But really, there's no way these will last two weeks without being eaten!!

Cheesy Nibbles

These are great to put out with appetizers before dinner, or to bring to a friend's for an afternoon or evening snack.  Nothing healthy about them, but they are VERY SIMPLE to make, and everyone loves them. 

Cheesy Nibbles

adapted from http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/2011/01/cheesy-nibbles.html (look here for an enticing photo of the end product)

makes about 30-36

14 T. butter (1 stick plus 6 T.), melted

1-1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups grated cheese (I've used a package of mixed cheddar and monterey jack)

pinch or two of cayenne

pinch or two of salt

Preheat oven to 375.

Put all the ingredients into one bowl and mix with a fork until it comes together to form a soft dough.

Using your hands, break off small lumps and roll into 1-inch balls.

Place balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving room for them to spread out, and flatten them slightly. (I put a small piece of parchment paper over the ball and then press down with the flat bottom of a glass.) I use two cookie sheets.

Bake for 13-15 mins until just turning golden around the edges.

Chickpea Curry in a slow cooker

I love the idea of a crockpot/slow cooker, but don't have many recipes that use it.  It's great for beef stew, but I haven't made that in years. I've never been happy with any of the chicken recipes I've tried.  But this chickpea curry is a keeper.  I'm always on the lookout to expand my repertoire of vegetarian recipes (I tend to cook the same few when we have vegetarian friends to dinner), so the combination of a vegetarian main dish and the slow cooker led me to try this out.  I'd call this a "homey" recipe--doesn't make the cut for an elegant dinner party, but just fine for a simple meal with good friends.

SLOW COOKER CHICKPEA CURRY WITH SWEET POTATOES & RED PEPPERS

makes 8-10 servings

adapted from http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/slow_cooker_chickpea_curry_with_sweet_potatoes_and_red_peppers/

1 T. olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 pound dried chickpeas, rinsed

2 T. curry powder

1 sweet potato, peeled and diced (about 1/2" dice)
1 large or 2 small red or yellow peppers (about 1/2 lb)

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes

1 15.5-ounce can coconut milk (lite is fine)

1/2 cup water

3 cloves garlic, minced (from jar is fine)

1 jalapeno, serrano, or fresno chili pepper

1 t. salt (or less)

6 cups spinach, roughly chopped, to serve

1/2 cup cooked brown rice, per person, to serve

curry condiments, e.g., chopped cashews, raisins or currants, chutney (I like hot lime relish)

Using a 6-quart or larger slow cooker, put the olive oil in the bottom. Add diced onion and stir to coat. Pour dried, rinsed chickpeas on top, then sprinkle the curry powder evenly over the beans.

Follow with the sweet potato, bell pepper, tomatoes, coconut milk, water, garlic, chili pepper, and salt.  Do not stir; leaving the chickpeas on the bottom helps everything cook evenly.

Cook on low for 8-9 hours. Total cook time will depend on your slow cooker and your chickpeas. The curry can be served any time after the chickpeas are soft and tender. It's fine if the curry cooks a little longer. The recipe is very forgiving—the curry will get thicker and creamier the longer it cooks. [The original recipe said to cook for 6-8 hours, but I left for 9-1/2 hours—just how it worked out in my day--and was happy with the results.]

Stir the curry well. Taste and add additional salt if needed. In a bowl, put 1/2 cup cooked brown rice and a handful of chopped fresh spinach.  Spoon the curry over the top and add further curry condiments as desired.

Alternate shorter cook time: To reduce cooking time, soak the chickpeas overnight, skip the extra water, and cook on high for 4-6 hours.  (I haven't tried this alternative. I liked the simplicity of using the beans right out of the bag, and it was convenient to assemble right after breakfast and have it finish up just at dinner time.)