I used to spend hours with my mom in the kitchen to prepare a different version of this simplified and healthy pancake.  Now i've come to change the ingredients and find that the kids enjoy helping and the preperation as much as cooking the pancakes with me.  I have them help with the peeling and grating, using their hands for mixing, and rolling the mini balls into the flourd surface.  Once again, get the kids in the kitchen have them help with the measurements and spices and the entire cooking process.  They will love the experience, and the memory will last them a lifetime.

chicken, carrots, and potato pancakes

2 1b ground chicken breast
1 tsp Cumin
1 1b potatoes
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1 1b carrots
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 red onion
1 tbs Salt &1 tbs Pepper
1 egg
1 tbs Olive oil
 ½ cup Flour
2 tbs Bread crumbs
Canola oil

Makes about 20 pancakes


Place the potatoes and carrots into a large pan and fill with room temperature water and bring to a boil with 1 tbs of salt. Once the carrots are cooked through and you can insert a fork into them remove them from the pan, and continue boiling the potatoes, insert a fork into the potatoes to check for doneness, remove and set them aside to cool along with the carrots. Best to use smaller potatoes than larger ones, this will expedite the cooking process.


Once the potatoes and carrots are cool go ahead and peel the skin off, in a large mixing bowl grate the potatoes and carrots and set aside. Cut the onion into large pieces and place in a small food processor or grinder add 1 tbs of olive oil and grind until nice and smooth. Add the ground chicken breast to the grated potatoes and carrots, pour the onion over the chicken mixture, add the spices and salt and pepper, beat the egg gently and pour over the mixture and mix well with your hand. Add bread crumbs and mix some more. Cover and refrigerate for an hour or overnight.


Coat the bottom of the frying pan with ¼ inch of good canola oil, and heat the pan.
Meanwhile, put some flour over a wooden board or a clean work surface and using a large table spoon, scoop out the mixture and place on the floured surface rolling the mixture into a small ball over the flour and lightly coating the entire surface. With your fingers gently flatten the small ball into a small pancake about a ½ inch thick and place into the hot pan to cook. No need to overcook the pancakes, just a few minutes on each side, depending on the size of the pan and the thickness of the pancakes, they should have a nice golden color on both sides.

Serve them with nice hot bread, a platter of cut tomatoes and basil leaves, or some fresh crunchy romaine lettuce, and some firm and crispy pickles, with mayo and or musterd.

sara motamedi
copyright 2009

So here's an amazingly simple recipe for the best moist brownies ever...
Once again, get the kids involved, have them help with the mixing,
the melting of the chocolate and butter, and the anticipation
and excitement of waiting for the final result :)



super moist brownies

1 ¼ cup cake flour
½ tsp salt
¾ tsp baking powder
8 ounces unsweetened chocolate chopped
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, or 12 tbs cut into 1 inch pieces
2 ¼ cup sugar
4 eggs
1 tbs good vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325°, cut about 18 inch length foil fit into 13 x 9” baking dish, cut 14 inch parchment paper and insert over the foil inside the baking dish. Spray the paper with nonstick cooking or baking spray.

Combine flour salt and baking powder in a poll; set aside.
Add hot water to a saucepan and heat over medium heat, once the water starts to simmer, and chocolate few ounces at a time with a few pieces of butter to a glass bowl placed over the hot water. Melt all the chocolate and butter in the heat proof bowl over the saucepan stirring constantly, until smooth. When chocolate is completely smooth, remove bowl from saucepan and gradually whisk in sugar. Add the eggs one at a time then add vanilla, add the flower mixture in three steps folding with a rubber spatula or whisking gently until batter is completely smooth.

Pour batter into the baking dish using the rubber spatula, smooth the surface and place in the oven. Bake until toothpick inserted into center of brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs, 30-35 minutes. Cool on wire rack for about two hours. Cut brownies into 2-3 inch squares and serve with confection sugar and a sprig of mint on top, or some vanilla ice cream, or just enjoy it all on it’s own.

sara motamedi

copyright 2009

Persimmons & Pomegranate salad

3 fuyu persimmons
3 Persian cucumbers
2 small tomatoes
1 cup pomegranate
½ cup blue cheese or feta cheese finely crumbled
1 tsp dry mint/ fresh mint finely chopped or cilantro
¾ tbs kosher salt
½ tbs fresh ground pepper
2 tbs lime juice
1 ½ tbs extra virgin olive oil

Chop the persimmons, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Add olive oil, lime juice, mint, salt and pepper and mix. Add the cheese, and the pomegranate and gently toss.

Feel free to add grilled chicken, shrimp, or salmon fillet and enjoy.
This is a serving for 4.

sara motamedi

copyright 2009

  Bread pudding

2 tbs Grand Marnier

8 cups of cubed brioche, egg bread, day or two old croissants

1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream

5 eggs

¾ cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

¼ tsp salt

½ cup dried currants

Combine the dried currants with the Grand Marnier and heat for about 30 seconds then set aside. Butter the baking dish, and the sides. Whisk together the milk, cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Pour the soaked currants and Grand Marnier over the bread, add the milk mixture to the bread and currants, making sure all the bread is soaked with the mixture. Let set for an hour or overnight in the refrigerator covered.

Heat the oven to 350, place the baking dish in the oven, and cook for 45-55 minutes, depending on the oven. For best results, start checking the bread pudding around the 45 min time, to make sure it’s not overcooked! Once the top is golden brown, the bread pudding is done and ready to be served!


Serve with a sprig of mint, some vanilla bean ice cream, or just a dollop of whip cream.


Feel free to substitute the currants with dried cherries, or blueberries…

sara motamedi

copyright 2009

oatmeal chicken tenders

• 1 pound chicken tenders 
• 1 cup ground oatmeal
• 3/4 teaspoon paprika
• half a teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon to turmeric
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• pinch of fresh ground pepper 
• olive oil spray 
• half a cup of heavy cream/buttermilk/milk

Pound each piece of chicken tender into a quarter inch thin, soak chicken tenders in heavy cream for two hours or overnight, make sure chicken tenders are all the same size to cook evenly.

Add the paprika, cumin, turmeric, salt and pepper to the ground oatmeal. Mix the ingredients and add to a deep plate. Take each chicken tender letting the excess cream drip off, place into the oatmeal and cover both sides equally, repeat the process with the remaining chicken tenders.

 Place a deep frying pan on high with a quarter inch of canola oil in the pan, once the oil is nice and hot add the chicken tenders one by one and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes depending on the size of the chicken tender flip the chicken and cook for another minute, do not overcook. Place the chicken tenders on paper towel to remove the extra oil.

Plate the chicken tenders, serve with a side of blanched broccoli (or their favorite veggie), and drizzle the plate with some honey. Your kids will eat everything off of their plate, and ask for more.

enjoy

sara motamedi
copyright 2009

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breakfast for the weekends

My motto in the kitchen is always including the kids, they will love to get involved with the cooking process, and get to spend quality time with mom @ her best, or even better if it's not @ your best, you get to experament with them and make something tasty, what an inspiration for your young ones :)

fluffy pumpkin pancakes

3/4 cup whole weat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 tbs sugar
1 1/2 tbs baking powder
pinch of salt
2 eggs/3 egg whites
1 cup milk
1/4 vegetable oil
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup cream
3/4 pumpkin puree

In a large mixing bowl add, milk, cream, eggs, whisk or use a hand held mixer, then add  flour and all the dry ingrediants and mix till jsut combined.  Do not over mix, add the yogurt, pumpkin, oil, and once you have all the ingrediants blendid, let stand for 5 minutes while you get the pan, or the skillet hot and ready for the pancakes.  Get the oven set to 200, to add and keep the cooked pancakes warm and ready to serve.
As the pancake batter is sitting the baking powder is developing and that process with the starch in the yogurt will make the pancake super flaky and delicious.

Using a ladle, drop 1/3 to 1/2 cup batter onto heated surface, and cook on medium low heat till there are bubbles on top of the pancake, then flip, and cook for about another 3o seconds.  Place each pancake in the oven to keep warm, then serve with real maple syrup, or confectioners' sugar and enjoy.

sara motamedi

copyright 2009

last minute dinner

Tri color gnocchi,
with roasted shrimp, &
white Parmesan cream sauce

1 pound gnocchi / tri color optional (potato, tomato, spinach)
2 cloves of garlic, crushed & minced
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt & pepper to taste
15-20 raw cleaned shrimp
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lemon juice or 2 tablespoons

Pre heat the oven to 450, place the raw shrimp on a baking sheet, add a pinch of salt & pepper, garlic and olive oil & lemon juice, and place the dish into the hot oven for 7 to 10 minutes depending on the size of the shrimp (do not overcook).
Meanwhile, add the gnocchi to a small pot of boiling water, once the water is bubbling and the pasta is floating on top then the gnocchi is cooked (do not overcook).
Remove the shrimp from the oven, drain the pasta, pour the pasta back into the pot and add the cooked shrimp. Turn the heat on to low, add the cream and cheese, warm the ingredients for 3 to 5 minutes. Taste to make any adjustments with salt or cheese, plate the pasta and enjoy!!! BTW, these measurements are for only two servings.
You may substitute cream with milk and some flour to crate a roué base for the sauce...
Let me know how it turns out, my boys loved it :)
Sara

sara motamedi

copyright 2009

butternut squash soup

one large onion
4 cloves of garlic
1 cup carrots
1 cup celery
2 tbs canola oil
1 1/2pounds butternut squash
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups of water
1 tbs salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp sage fresh chopped chives for garnish

　

Chop onions, celery and carrots into small even pieces.

Sauté chopped onions in 2 tablespoons of canola oil for 2 to 3 minutes, add celery & carrots and sauté for another 3 to 4 minutes, add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Season with salt and pepper, cumin and sage. Add butternut squash and sauté for 2 minutes then add the chicken stock and water, cover and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the soup has thickened and the squash is tender to the fork (soft).

Take a hand-held blender and blend the soup, once puréed taste, and adjust the salt to taste, serve add some ground pepper and fresh chopped chives.

6 servings

ENJOY

sara motamedi

copyright 2009