Shakshuka

 

Every Sunday we get together with a couple of friends and have dinner.  We try all sorts of things, and some of our favorites have been crepe nights, pasta night, and holiday dinners.  Shakshuka was suggested at one point, but we never got around to it, so I decided to make it myself, particularly since we had an abundance of garden tomatoes.  I loved how easy it was for a weeknight dinner, and it was also very tasty!  I looked at several different recipes and basically combined several of them to come up with something I liked. So here's what I did:

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 6 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped

In a large sauté pan, sauté onion and bell pepper until onion is translucent. Add garlic and spices and cook for about one minute more. Add the tomatoes and cook until tomatoes break down. Create 6 divots in the tomato mixture and crack an egg into each divot. Cover the pan and cook until the eggs are done, about 5-8 minutes. Garnish with cilantro, mint, and feta.

Avocado Chicken Salad

 

For the last few years I have made this avocado chicken salad when the weather gets really hot, and I don't want to heat the house up with cooking. And it's delicious! I got the recipe from here, but of course I've made some (minor) changes. Bon appétit! 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cilantro
• 1/2 cup fresh chives
• 1/4 fresh dill
• 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 ripe avocados
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup plain, whole-milk yogurt
• 3 cups shredded chicken (cooked, obviously)

Zest the lemon and then juice it. Combine the herbs, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and one of the avocados in a food processor. Process until finely chopped. Add mayonnaise and yogurt and process until smooth. Dice the remaining avocado. Combine the chicken, diced avocado, and herb mixture in a bowl and mix until the chicken is evenly coated. Serve on bread, crackers, or lettuce.

Portobello Burger with Caramelized Onions

 

I realize that this picture does not look at all appetizing, but I assure you, these portobello burgers are amazing! Last year I was in a bit of a cooking funk, so we got a subscription to one of those meal kits where they send you the recipe and ingredients, and I have made portobello mushroom burgers several times since then. Here's what you need:

Ingredients:

• 2 portobello mushrooms
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 onion
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• cheese of your choosing (goat cheese, swiss, cheddar, whatever floats your boat)
• 2 slices of tomato
• 2 hamburger buns, toasted (pretzel buns are pretty tasty)

Melt the butter in a skillet and slice the onion. Sauté the onion in the butter on medium heat until caramelized, about 20-30 minutes. While the onions are sautéing, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Trim the stems off the mushrooms and rub them with the olive oil. Sprinkle the mushrooms with the garlic powder and place on a baking sheet. Roast the mushrooms for 10-12 minutes. (If you'd like your cheese melted, you can place the cheese on the mushrooms during the last 1-2 minutes of baking). Once the onions are caramelized, add the balsamic vinegar and cook for another minute until the vinegar thickens. Drain the excess liquid off the mushrooms then assemble them on the hamburger buns with the onions and tomato.