FATTOUSH SALAD (Mediterranean -or- Middle Eastern)

FATTOUSH SALAD (Mediterranean -or- Middle Eastern)

This is a light and delicious salad. It can be served as a side salad with a meal, or as a meal itself. When I eat it as a meal itself, I usually add a piece of grilled and sliced chicken breast.

Ingredients:

Romain Lettuce - chopped in bite size pieces (for ease I buy the bag of "Spring Mix" for lettuce variety)
Tomato - diced in bite size pieces, I prefer it without seeds
Red Onion - thinly sliced
Carrot - shredded
Radish - thinly sliced
Cucumber - chopped into bite size pieces (seedless works best, skin on or off is your choice)
Pita Chips - small pieces, either home made or store bought
Red Wine Vinegar
Lemon Juice
Olive Oil
Sumac (when I eat as a meal with Chicken, I use approx. 1 Tbs)
Sea Salt & Pepper

As you chop all the vegetables, keep them separate. This salad is made in an "assembly mode" adding and mixing one ingredient at a time, tossing as you add each ingredient. Using a large mixing bowl and a pair of tongs, mix as follows:

Add Lettuce, then drizzle with Olive oil and toss. Add Sea Salt (to taste) and toss. Add Tomato and toss. Add Sumac and toss. Add Red Onion and Radish and toss. Drizzle with Red Wine Vinegar and toss. Sprinkle with a very little bit of pepper and toss. Add Shredded Carrot and toss. Add Lemon Juice and toss. Add Cucumber and toss. Garnish with Pita chips (after tasting and tweaking the "dressing tastes").

*** Recipe Notes ***
(1) Sumac is a Mediterranean Spice, burnt red in color. If you cannot find it at your local grocery store (either in the spice/baking aisle, or the International Foods aisle) then you'll need to find a Mediterranean or Arabic grocer. I paid $8 for a jar/bottle the size of a McCormick jar.
(2) Keep in mind as you're mixing and drizzling the liquids that you are adding 3 liquids total, to avoid making it "salad soup" don't over drizzle. You can always add more after the salad is complete!
(3) Lemon Juice - I use fresh lemon when ever possible, but have cheated once or twice with the bottled stuff. When using fresh lemon, I squeeze it right from the lemon half into the salad.
(4) If you are going to make the pita chips, use olive oil to brush, and bake in oven until golden brown, at about 400 degrees. I recommend brushing the full pita slice (both sides) with oil, then chopping into your bite size pieces before you bake. If you're going to buy the pita chips (which is what I usually do), its best to buy plain/unflavored.
(5) As you're mixing the salad, it should be equal parts of the liquids, keep in mind that the Vinegar and Lemon Juice are both acidic, so in combination the dressing will be 1 part oil and 2 parts acid.
(6) If you like Green Pepper, you can also add that...or any other vegetable you enjoy in your salad.

POLENTA w/SPAGHETTI MEAT SAUCE

EVERYTHING in this recipe reheats quite well to make for good leftovers. I also like this dish because it allows for options. I use Polenta because it is healthier. 1 cup of cooked Polenta equals 170 calories (when you omit the butter), versus 1 1/2 cups cooked spaghetti equals 332 calories. For some, Polenta might be to "outside of the box". But for me, it works just fine!!

POLENTA w/SPAGHETTI MEAT SAUCE

Preparation Time: 30 minutes (give or take)

Cooking Time: 30-45 minutes (give or take)

Difficulty (1-5): Level 2

Let me preface this recipe by saying that I am all about the spectacular tastes of homemade food....but sometimes, time and patience is just not on my side! A little shortcut here and there never hurt anyone!

Spaghetti Sauce

1 lb. Ground Beef (use whatever fat/meat content you like best, I use 80/20)

1 Tbs Montreal Steak Seasoning

1/2 cup White Onion, diced

3 cloves Garlic, chopped (more or less depending on tastes, I actually use 6 cloves)

2 Tbs Olive Oil

1 jar (gasp!) Ragu Mushroom and Green Pepper Spaghetti Sauce

In medium sauce pan, pour olive oil into pan. Over medium-high heat, saute diced onions and garlic until translucent. Add ground beef and steak seasoning, browning until beef is completely cooked. Add jar of Ragu. Bring sauce to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for at least 30 minutes.

Polenta:

Polenta is just a fancy word for Italian Corn Grits. I use Bob's Red Mill, usually found in the baking aisle. I also choose Polenta versus Spaghetti or pasta because it is less calories, and to me more filling.

1 Pkg - Bob's Red Mill Corn Grits, following "Basic Italian Polenta" directions.

***RECIPE NOTES:

(1) After browning the ground beef, if there is a tremendous amount of grease, drain/spoon some out before adding the jar of Ragu.

(2) As you can see from the picture, I prefer my ground beef in small pieces. My mother, however, usually leaves larger chunks in her sauce. How you cook it down is a matter of personal preference.

(3) If you don't have a food chopper go buy one! It saves so much time, and makes dicing in small pieces much easier!!

(4) Any variety of jar pasta sauce will work. I like the Ragu Mushroom & Green Pepper because of the additional flavor of the green peppers. You can use whichever, I've certainly used several varieties of Ragu, Prego or Barilla.

(5) Every 1/3 cup of uncooked grits equals approximately one serving once cooked. The above recipe for the sauce will make about 4 servings...or at least in my family it does. I recommend adjusting the Polenta receipe accordingly.

(6) I make the above sauce, eat 2 servings and freeze 2 servings. When I make my polenta, I use 2/3 cup grits and 2 cups water. This is adjusting the Bob's Red Mill package directions by 3.

CILANTRO JALAPENO CORN FRITTERS

CILANTRO JALAPENO CORN FRITTERS

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Difficulty (1-5): Level 2

1 pkg Jiffy Corn Mix

1/4 cup Flour

1 Tbs Sugar

1/4 tsp Black Pepper

1/8 tsp Salt

3/4 cup Whole Kernel Corn, drained

1/3 cup Milk

1 Egg

3 Tbs chopped Cilantro

1/2 Jalapeño, cleaned (no seeds or veins) and finely diced.

Frying Oil

Heat Frying Oil over Med/Med-Hi heat, making sure there is 3" - 4" of oil.

Mix all of the ingredients (except frying oil). Batter will be thick, similar to a hush puppy. CAREFULLY drop about 2 Tbs of batter into the oil. Fry about 2 minutes then turn over. Fry fritter until all sides are golden brown. Let drain on paper towel. Serve warm.

***Recipe Notes:

(1) When cleaning your jalapeno, be sure to remove all the "white veins" and seeds from the pepper. I like spicy/hot food, and using a 1/2 of jalapeno was just enough heat to taste it, but not enough to overwhelm the overall taste of the fritters. You can add more, less, or omit if desired.

(2) When you are getting ready to fry, have 2 tablespoons ready. Use one to scoop the batter from the bowl, and one to push the batter off the scooping spoon and into the oil. Fry one fritter as a test. After you remove it and let it cool a minute or two, cut it open. If the batter is still raw, your oil is too hot. Turn the temp down, remove the pot/pan for about 2 minutes to cool down some, and then try again. I have an electric stove, and my dial is set at 6 on a 1-10 scale.

(3) These are great reheated! Place on a cookie sheet in the oven at 350 for about 7-10 minutes.