CrockPot Falafel

Thanks to Pinterest and the A Year of Slow Cooking blog for this one, because I hate deep frying, but I love falafel! 

Smash yo' chick peas/garbanzo beans.

Blend yo' falafel flavors.

Nestle in crockpot. Mine is small, so I had to stack.

Ta Daaaaa!

As you can see, I made some Tzatziki sauce (cucumber/yogurt/dill sauce). I am not, however, going to include that recipe because it just wasn't a worthy one...

I typically hate grocery store pitas, so I picked up some gyro pitas from Parthenon while I was eating post-bar time in downtown Madison.

CROCK POT FALAFEL

- 1 15oz can garbanzo beans (chick peas)

- 1/2 onion, chopped

-1 T dried parsley (I used fresh because i had it on hand)

- 2 cloves minced garlic

- 1 egg

- 1 tsp kosher salt

- 1/4 tsp black pepper

- 2 tsp ground cumin

- 1 tsp ground coriander

- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

- juice from 1 lemon

- 1/2 to 3/4 cup bread crumbs

- 2 T olive oil (for the bottom of your crock)

Directions

Drain garbanzo beans. Dump them into a mixing bowl and smash them with a fork. Set aside.

Get out your blender or food processor. Blend together all of the spices, the onion, the garlic, the egg, and the lemon juice.

Pour on top of your smashed garbanzo beans. Use your fork to mix together, and add the breadcrumbs slowly until the mixture is wet and sticky but can be formed into balls nicely. I needed 3/4 of a cup of breadcrumbs.

Pour 2 T of olive oil into the bottom of your crockpot stoneware insert.

Form squished golf-ball sized patties of falafel. Dip each side into the olive oil and then nestle into your crockpot. It's okay if they overlap or are on top of each other.

Cook on high for 3-5 hours. Ours cooked on high for 3.5 hours--you'll know they're done when they turn golden brown.

Chicken Marbella

I knew this recipe was a winner when Jamie said, "It's truly a pleasure eating this and being your husband." He then went on to make questionable moans throughout the meal. Enough said.

Overnight marination station. 

Final product -- so many flavas!!!

Chicken Marbella
Adapted from The Silver Palate Cookbook by Sheila Lukins and Julie Rosso

Ingredients

1.5 to 2.5 lbs chicken (I used 2 skinless chicken breasts w/ ribs attached, but original recipe includes skins)
8 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons dried oregano
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
¼ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
½ cup pitted prunes
¼ cup pitted Spanish green olives (I used garlic stuffed because I am a garlic fanatic)
¼ cup capers with a bit of juice
3 bay leaves
¼ cup light brown sugar
½ cup white wine
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley or cilantro, finely chopped

Directions

1) In a large bowl combine garlic, oregano, salt and pepper to taste, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers with caper juice, and bay leaves. Add the chicken and coat completely with the marinade. If your chicken has skin, rub it in beneath the skin. Cover and marinate overnight in fridge.

2) Preheat oven to 350°F.

3) Arrange chicken in a single layer in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and spoon marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour white wine around them.

4) Bake for 40 minutes, basting frequently with the pan juices (if you remember. I didn't, but it was still super moist). Chicken is done when pieces, pricked with a fork at their thickest point, yield clear yellow juice (not pink).

5) With a slotted spoon, transfer chicken, prunes, olives, and capers to a serving platter. Add some of the pan juices and sprinkle generously with parsley. Serve remaining sauce in a gravy boat.  

(Alternatively, you can brown the skin and de-fat the gravy before serving. Here’s how: When the chicken is done, transfer chicken, prunes, olives and capers to a serving platter, then pour the gravy into a medium bowl and let the fat settle at the top. In the meantime, place the chicken back in baking dishes and broil for a few minutes to brown the skin. While chicken is browning, de-fat the gravy. Transfer chicken pieces back to serving platter and pour some of the gravy over top. Serve remaining sauce in a gravy boat.)

San Valentino Home Lovin'

For Valentine's Day this year, Jamie and I were going to go to a fancy tapas restaurant in Madison, and although the 5 course menu sounded amazing, we decided to save the $200 and do Valentine's Day dinner at home. Plus, crab legs are always on sale on V-Day! Only eight bucks per pound at Copp's! 

So instead we had a romantic dinner at home with way too much food, documented below. 

I also made creme brulee for the first time! It was much easier than I thought it might be.

Salad w/ avocado, bleu cheese, real bacon bits, croutons, tomato, carrot, and sunflower seeds.

Broiled asparagus w/ olive oil and lemon (and an unhealthy amount of salt). 

Filet mignon (grilled to medium-rare perfection by Jamie) and horseradish mashed potatoes.

Did you know you can do crab legs in the microwave?!?! Wrap in damp paper towel and zap for 1-3mins depending on your amount! I found them much less waterlogged than attempts in a stove top kettle.  

Coconut creme brulee. 

Horseradish Mashed Potatoes 

(serves 6)

2 lbs russet potatoes

3/4 c sour cream

3/4 c whole milk

1/4 cup butter

4 tsp prepared horseradish

Peel potatoes, cut into chunks. Boil 15 mins or until tender. Mash with all ingredients plus salt and pepper. 

Coconut Creme Brulee (adapted from The Dusty Baker)

(serves 4) 

4 large egg yolks

2 large eggs

1/2 C white sugar plus more for dusting

1 C full fat coconut milk

1/4 tsp almond extract

Preheat oven to 300° F.  Boil a pot/kettle of water. 

Whisk eggs, egg yolk, sugar and almond extract until creamy and smooth.  Add coconut milk and blend until smooth.

Pour into 4 ramekins.

Place in a glass or ceramic baking dish. Pour the hot water around the ramekins until it comes halfway up the ramekins.

Bake for about 40 minutes, until just slightly jiggly in the middle.

Cool until ready to serve or chill until cold.  When ready, sprinkle with about 2 tsp white sugar and torch until crispy and brown. If you don't have a torch you can put them under the broiler... just watch closely!