Vegetarian Seattle Dogs in Haiti!

Because why not?? These are awesome! Go Seattle for being known for this type of hot dog.

Caramelized Onions, Cream Cheese, Field Roast Grain Meat Frankfurters and that's it!

Mardigan's Recommendation:  WAIT for a piece of the bun! Steady, steady, wait for it, give the eyes and drop! There it is at your paws!

Twisty Poutine

This was inspired by my friend Beth who is admirably running a marathon and going to reward herself with the Canadian Dish - Poutine afterwards. If you don't know what poutine is l(I was unfortunately clueless) here is the wikipedia link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poutine.  CAUTION: ONCE YOU LOOK YOU WILL BE STARVING!

I didn't have the ingredients to make a traditional poutine so I made a twisted version and it was delicious! And my husband is very grateful for Beth planting that idea in my head.

Ingredients:  Potatoes, Small Deep Fryer, Frying Oil, Old Bay Seasoning/Crab Seasoning, Gouda Cheese, Scallions, White Onions, 2 Cloves of Garlic, 1 Cup of Water, 4 Spoonfuls of All-Purpose Flour, 1 Spoonful of Butter, Salt, Thyme, Rosemary, 1/2 cup Milk

-First slice all of the potatoes as thinly as you can so that when they are fried they get nice and crispy.

-Slice 2 scallions, dice 1/4 of a white onion, and cube 2 ounces of gouda cheese. Set to the side.

-Place in large bowl with salt and soak in water.

-Get the fryer heating up.

-While that is heating, start the gravy.  Start with the butter, then add the flour to it and whisk it in.  Grate the two cloves of garlic into the water, add a few shakes of rosemary and thyme. Add about a spoonful of salt to the water mixture. Whisk in the milk to the flour/butter. Then slowly whisk in the water mixture and keep it on low heat. It should gradually thicken.

-The fryer should be ready.  Do a test with one fry to see if it sizzles. If so, add a handful in. Fry until golden/crispy - about 2-3 minutes, depending on your fryer.

-When finished take the fries out and sprinkly with old bay seasoning on a paper towel to get rid of any access grease.

-Keep an eye on the gravy - keep checking it and whisking or it will suddenly be too thick!

-Now is a good time to fry your two eggs. *If you don't know how to fry an egg, please contact me :)

-To assemble: a heaping pile of french fries, covered in gravy, then add the cubed cheese so it begins to melt.  Add the white onions, a few scallions and then top with the egg.  I added a little bit more gravy and scallions on top as a garnish. What a delicious treat!

Mardigan's Recommendation:  Oh boy Oh boy Oh boy! Those things they call 'fries' are wayyyy worth the wait! Remain calm!

Fried Philly CheeseShroom (or steak) Rolls

This is a great use for those WonTon/Spring Roll wrappers that can always be found by the Tofu and produce area.  We will definitely be using them more often, we love them!

 Ingredients: Mushrooms (or steak), Onions, 1 Clove of Minced Garlic, Salt, Pepper, 3 Spoonfuls of Soy Sauce, Penzey's Chicago Steak Seasoning (or any steak seasoning you enjoy),Wonton/Spring Roll Wrappers, Mozzarella or White Cheddar Cheese

 -Saute chopped mushrooms/meat and onions in spoonful of olive oil.
-Add one clove of minced garlic.
-Salt and Pepper to taste.
-Prepare the wrappers by laying them out. Have a small bowl of water out to seal the edges after you fold.
-Place enough of the meat/onions and a narrow slice of cheese in the center of the wrapper.
-Fold diagonally like an envelope. Then fold the sides and wrap upwards.  I like to use a little bit of water as a 'glue' to ensure that it won't open.

-Coat a large skillet with cooking oil.  Heat until it is cracking.  It should be hot enough that the oil sizzles.

-Place the rolls fold-side down.

-Cook each side for one minute, until golden brown. 

-Remove and let cool.

-Serve with marinara or au jus (easy to make)! Delicious!

 Jonathan's Recommendation:  You can put anything in these things! Lets do a grilled cheese inside of these! *I don't know about THAT idea, but you should expect other wonton/spring roll recipes.

Mardigan's Recommendation:  Steady! Steaddddy! The cheese is goopy and delicious! Stare down at your paws and something will magically appear! 

Tumanco's

Bea Salsa:  Cannellini Beans, Mango, Peas, Red Wine Vinegar, Minced Garlic, Salt, Pepper, Lime Juice, Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

-Rinse the cannellini beans if you are using canned.  Chop up the mango and thaw frozen peas.

-One clove of garlic minced or grated over the top.

-Combine all ingredients. Stir well. Add one or two spoonfuls of red wine vinegar.

-The salsa just gets better and better the longer it sits and marinates!

Tuna:  Marinated in salt, pepper, and Penzey’s Chicago-Style Steak Seasoning

-If you like your tuna extremely rare/sushi-grade, cook for 30 seconds only on high, in oil of your choice.  Do not put the tuna in the pan until the pan is very very hot!

Healthy Queso-Like Dressing:  Non-Fat Greek Yogurt (about 1 cup), with ¼ cup of Whipping Cream, 2 Limes Squeezed, 1 Dash of Cayenne Pepper, Salt

-I whisked all of these ingredients together for an entire minute, the whipping cream is better after it is all integrated with the lime juice and greek yogurt. Delicious!

Mardigan's Recommendation:  Surprises WILL fall out of the taco roll-up things! Stay calm!

Open BEGGsalad Sandwich

This egg salad is a healthy twist on the traditional sandwich.  Add some homemade pickles to this sandwich and you will immediately love egg salad.

The secret weapon to a great egg salad is a little sugar!  Next I will make 1/4 size little sandwiches for a party - 1 pickle on each and 1 spoonful of the egg salad will be a hit!

Ingredients: Hardboiled Eggs (6 eggs), Greek Yogurt, Dash of Salt, Dash of Pepper, 2 Spoonfuls of Sugar, Italian Seasoning

-Chop the eggs. I used an awesome 3-in-1 egg slicer that I bought with a close friend shopping for our consumables at 1am. It is definitely a must have in the kitchen! Just google it and you will want one.
-Add the rest of the ingredients.  Add enough greek yogurt so it is a consistency that you prefer.
-To arrange the sandwich, take a half of  piece of bread or cut up the bread.  Add a layer of lettuce or spinach.  Add homemade pickles and then top with the egg salad.  Garnish with a little bit of paprika!
Delicious!

*For these homemade pickles I used Cucumbers (obviously) in Vinegar, Hot water, and Penzey's Pickling Spice! I added a little extra Coriander and Dill for flavor and let sit for at least 24 hours!

Mardigan's Recommendation: YUCKKK! The pickles are too tart! Go for the messy stuff! The humans won't care because they will be glad you are cleaning it up for them when it falls!

Consumables Fried Rice

Ever have one of those nights where you have NOTHING! That is where your consumables shipment will come in handy. If you don't know what 'consumables' means/are not in the foreign service, then replace the word "Consumable" with "Pantry." I am all about trying not to use a lot of canned products and using fresh, straight out of the garden, but sometimes you just a) do not have a lot of time and b) need to use your consumables!

Ingredients: Gardein Beefless Tips, Cooked Rice of your choice, 1 onion *if you are in Haiti, you will probably need 3 because everything is so small!, Minced Garlic, 1 can of corn, 1 can of Chickpeas, 1 can of Peas, 1 can of mushrooms, Soy Sauce, Dried Ginger, Salt, Pepper, Crushed Red Pepper, 2 Eggs

-Cook the Gardien Beefless Tips in a separate pan. These are better when you allow them to get crispy on the outside.

-In your large wok, saute the onion and garlic in a spoonful of olive oil.

-Add two dashes of crushed red pepper.

-After about 5 minutes, add the rice and all canned ingredients. Add 6-10 spoonfuls of soy sauce and 5 dashes of dried ginger.

-Saute all of these ingredients for ten minutes. Don't forget to stir it up!

-Add the beefless tips and create a hole in the middle of the rice. (Kind of like when you are eating Mashed Potatoes and you create a hole for the gravy). In the hole, add the two eggs. Let them cook there for about 1 minute and then stir them up to scramble.

-Add a dash of salt and pepper.

-Boom! You are finished! That recipe wasn't difficult at all! Anyone can do it.

Mardigan's Recommendation: Rice is hard to chew for a small hunter like me, but it is well worth the wait if she drops a cluster! Power in numbers my fellow furrballs! 

Spicy Lambi Lettuce Wraps

Lambi = Conch. Conch is often over-cooked which gifts it a rather 'chewy' texture. This recipe has an amazing spicy flavor with the perfect small bite-size pieces and grilled quickly, mmm! This will definitely turn anyone into a conch lover!  Chicken would work in place of the conch for anyone who would prefer le poulet!

Ingredients:  Conch (or chicken), Paprika, Crushed Red Pepper, Hot Sauce, Balsamic Vinegar, Salt, Pepper, Cayenne Pepper, Seasoned Salt, Miniature Sweet Peppers, Tomato, Lettuce


As you can see in the image with the cutting board (yes that is a cutting board with Mardigan on it...love!) I purchased the Lambi that had not yet been cleaned. This was very time consuming.  I recommend purchasing the Lambi that has already been cleaned.

-Cut the conch or chicken into no bigger than penny-size pieces.
-Add 3 dashes of paprika, hot sauce and cayenne pepper.

-Add pinch of salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. Mix well.
-Let marinate for approximately 20 minutes.
-Add 3-4 spoonfuls of balsamic vinegar.
-Making sure your grill is very hot, add the conch including any extra juice.  If you are using a grill with slits, put foil down first. The conch should steam and/or sizzle when you add it to the grill.
-Flipping after about two minutes, the conch should be cooked and ready to go within five minutes because the pieces are so small!

-After the conch are finished and cooked through, add the vegetables to the grill. You can brush the vegetables with some olive oil and sprinkle sea salt. The juices from the conch mixture should still be on the grill or on the foil to add to flavor.
-Let the vegetables grill for approximately 8 - 10 minutes.

Ready to enjoy! These are pretty messy so make sure you have napkins nearby!

Mardigan's Recommendation: I have no idea what this stuff is, but be patient! Keep your eye on the ball! She always drops some on the floor when she moves from cutting board to the grill. That is your moment to strike! 

BitChili

Ingredients:  2 Onions, 2 Green Peppers, 4 Cloves of Fresh Garlic, 4 tablespoons of Butter, Hot Sauce, Chili Powder, Salt, Pepper, 3 Bay Leaves, 1 Chili Pepper, 2 cans of Black Beans, 2 cans of Canellini Beans, 2 cans of Corn,  1 small can of Tomato Paste, 3 dashes of Ketchup, 2 cubes of Vegetable Bouillion, Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, 3 Cups of Water, 3 Dashes of Cayenne Pepper

Secret Ingredients:  1/3 bottle of Red Wine, Textured Vegetable Protein, 5 dashes of Ground Allspice, Dash of Cloves, Fiero Mexican Sauce

Fun Toppings: Chopped Onion, SHREDDED CHEESE, Scallions, Spoonful of Greek Yogurt

-To start place the butter in the bottom of your pot with the minced garlic.  Add the onions and let them sweat out their flavors. Add dash of salt, pepper, chili powder, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper flakes and 1 vegetable bouillion. Let this cook until the onions seem translucent (about 7 minutes).

-Add the 1/4 cup of red wine, 2 bay leaves, and whole chili pepper.  Let reduce and scrape the bottom of the pan to get those flavors that are stuck on the bottom.
-After about 5 minutes, turn the burner down to a medium/slow simmer.  Add all canned products. Using one of the empty cans, add about 3-4 cans of water. Add second vegetable bouillion.
-Add the Ground Allspice, dash of cloves, hot sauce, and Fiero Mexican Sauce.  Salt and Pepper. *Don't forget to taste while you are cooking!
-Let cook and develop flavors for approximately 20 minutes on a low simmer with lid.
-Add any remaining ingredients and the textured vegetable protein. Cook for at least another 10 minutes.
-Serve with fun toppings or add some pasta!

*The longer you allow the soup to cook and marinate in it's own flavors, the better it will be! But 30 minutes will be plenty if you can't wait to try this!

Jonathan's Recommendation:  Great over pasta for lunch.  Of course, adding cheese makes it better.
Mardigan's Recommendation: Not worth it! Not worth it! Too. hot...need. water.

Calzone de Berryhill

A special thanks to my husband for the request to have calzones for dinner...for helping to make them and making it fun!...and for taking all of the pictures!

The perfect size for an Italian Lover! Great paired with a cold beer! Even the guards here in Haiti now love Italian :)

Ingredients for dough (in order of how to add): *enough for 5-6 individual calzones 1 1/2 cup room temperature water, about 1 spoonful of honey, 2 spoonfuls of salt, 2 spoonfuls of olive oil, 3 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons of dry active yeast

Stuff with your favorite things on pizza! 

Our stuffing ingredients: pizza sauce, onions, vegetarian ham *LightLife Brand, fresh mozzarella cheese, oregano, basil, garlic salt

-To make the dough place all the ingredients (in order of the listing) into large mixing bowl.  Use your hands to combine the dough. Let sit and rise for 20 minutes. Knead the dough by punching and using your fingers. Let sit for another 20 minutes. Then it should be ready to go. If you are lucky like us, you could surpass these steps and just hit the dough option on your bread maker and it will beep when it is ready!  Use flour to roll out very thin (similar to the process for pizza). The pieces should be about 1/5-2 feet long and 6-8 inches wide. *See picture to the right.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Now add your favorite "toppings". First add tomato sauce. Then add your toppings however you would like making sure that the cheese is the last one that you place because it will end up in the very middle after you roll it up!

To roll - fold bottom piece up halfway and top piece down halfway. Fold sides in and smooth so that there aren't holes or ways for sauce to seep out the sides.

Use cornmeal on your pizza stone or baking sheet so that the Calzones do not stick after the baking process. 

Bake for about 35-45 minutes until the top it golden brown. For best results brush olive oil or egg wash on the top of the calzones after the first 20 minutes of baking.

Jonathan's Recommendation: Enjoy with an ice cold Prestige.

Mardigan's Recommendation: Crumbs galore!! Oh boy!

Long John Berryhill's

Ingredients: For Batter: Tempura Batter Mix, Corn Meal OR Flour, Eggs, Water

Shrimp, Tilapia *or any other white fish, Salt, Pepper, Cayenne Pepper, Limes, Deep Fryer, Vegetable/Canola Oil

 

-Marinate shrimp *leave tails on for easier eating and fish in fresh squeezed lime juice, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper.

-Either follow directions on Tempura Batter Mix, or combine 2 cups of flour, 2 eggs, and approximately 2 cups of water *add water slowly to check consistency

- When ready to fry, preheat deep fryer for approximately 15-20 minutes. To check if it is ready for frying take a tiny drop of batter and drop it into the fryer. If it bubbles and fizzes then it is ready for frying! Depending on the size of your fryer only do about 4-5 pieces at a time. *If you add too many pieces at one time, the temperature of the fryer will decrease and adapt the cooking levels.

-Recruit your husband or a family member if it is your first time frying and you are a little scared! *This was Me...Jonathan was in charge of removing the fried pieces and I told him the amount of cooking time.

-To cook Shrimp it takes approximately 2-3 minutes with a half-way through turn. Fish took 4 minutes to cook. *This depends on the size of the cuts. We chose to cut into chicken finger size.

-After removing pieces from the oil, place on a paper towel covered plate. Don't forget to do a final season with salt and pepper during the cooling process.

-Delicious served with mashed potato's and corn! Next we will try making our own homemade hushpuppies!

Jonathan's Recommendation: Great with a cold beer.

Mardigan's Recommendation: There are always extra pieces of the fried batter that fall off! Remain calm!