Pumpkin, Chorizo & Black Bean Soup

We had this soup last night and it had great flavor.  I served this with Blue Cornbread, which the whole family goes crazy over, even the baby.  Since this is a pumpkin soup, the original blogger suggested serving it with Pepitas, or hulled pumpkin seeds.  My husband and I LOVED the pepitas as a garnish- they stayed crunchy and wonderful and were not weird at all, as I feared they might be.  I used a local (Portuguese, of course) chorizo for this recipe, but I don't know much about chorizo and I either picked a not-so-good one, or I just don't like chorizo.  So I'd totally make this again, but just use regular smoked sausage or kielbasa.  I really liked the smoky flavor the chorizo imparted to this soup.  My problem with it was that it got incredibly tough and chewy.  Maybe I simmered too long after adding it; I'm not sure. 

Pumpkin, Chorizo & Black Bean Soup

adapted from Closet Cooking

1/2 pound chorizo sausage, smoked sausage, cut into coins (omit for vegetarian)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1 pinch cinnamon (optional)
3 cups chicken broth or veggie broth
2 cups pumpkin puree or 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 chipotle chilis in adobo, chopped, OR 1/4-1/2 tsp. dried chipotle chili powder

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1-2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (I didn't have, but would have been wonderful)

1.  Cook the chorizo or smoked sausage in a large sauce pan (sprayed with cooking spray) over medium-high heat, about 7-10 minutes and set aside on paper towels to drain.

2.  In the same pot, add the oil and onion, and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes.  Add the garlic, cumin and cinnamon and saute until fragrant, about a minute.  Add the broth, pumpkin puree, black beans, diced tomatoes and chipotles or powder, paprika, and oregano, and bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.  (Can simmer longer- the longer this is simmered, the thicker it gets.)

3.  Puree 1/3 of the soup (I just used a stick blender), add the chorizo and simmer for another 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, mix in the lime juice and cilantro and serve with your favourite garnishes such as avocado, sour cream, cheese, etc.

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Afghan Spinach & Yogurt Dip - Sabse Borani

I made this dip for Book Club when we read A Thousand Splendid Suns.  I also made this Afghan fudge for that night.  It was fun trying both recipes.  This dip is pretty healthy- and I actually accidentally bought watercress instead of spinach, and it was still really good!  I tasted the watercress raw and didn't like it at all, but it's cooked down a bit for this dip and it was perfect.  

The yogurt is nice and thick because you drain it.  I used regular, full-fat, plain yogurt for this recipe, not Greek.  I made it again a few nights later though, and did use Greek, un-drained, and it was perfect as well.  So use whatever is handy.  The onions and garlic combine with everything to really create wonderful flavors in this dip- we had it with toasted naan bread and crackers.  

Afghan Spinach & Yogurt Dip- Sabse Borani

adapted from Lit Lovers

1 cup yogurt, measured after draining- directions in recipe

4 cup fresh spinach or watercress leaves (chopped)
1 medium white onion (thinly sliced)
2 cloves garlic (crushed or minced)
2 tablespoons olive oil

salt, to taste

hot pepper flakes, to taste (I omitted)

1.  Yogurt: First, drain about 2 cups of yogurt for 60 minutes to overnight by placing in a cheese cloth and tying to a long wooded spoon set over a bowl to catch the draining water. (Some people place in a coffee filter or paper towel set over a colander over a bowl- this is easier and the method I usually use.)

2.  Spinach: Rinse and chop the spinach. Place it still damp in a sauce pan, cover, and cook till just wilted.  Cool.  Drain and squeeze out excess water. In a large skillet, cook onion in oil until soft, add garlic for one minute, then add spinach. Cook for 2 more minutes.

3.  Assemble: When cool, combine the spinach with yogurt. Add salt and hot pepper flakes to taste. Turn into a bowl and serve with hot naan (a round flatbread) or toasted pita chips. You can also serve chilled.

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Coconut Almond Macaroons

These coconut macaroons (not to be confused with French macarons) are SO quick and easy to make, and delicious as well!  The almond flavor really sends them over the top.  I tried to melt chocolate to drizzle on these things, but it just got all clumpy and weird, so I ended up kind of schlepping it on all messy-like.  I preferred the plain ones without chocolate, though.  The recipe called for a weird amount of coconut, but I just used a whole package.  The recipe also doesn't specify which coconut to use- sweetened or unsweetened.  I had to use sweetened, because it was all I had on hand at the time.  So, these turned out super sweet.  They were still good, but I'd like to try unsweetened next time, or half and half.  

Coconut Almond Macaroons

adapted from Allrecipes

1 package (14 oz) flaked coconut (I used sweetened, but want to try with unsweetened)
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

pinch salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).

2.  In large mixing bowl, combine coconut, sweetened condensed milk, salt, and extracts; mix well.  Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto aluminum foil-lined and generously greased baking sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Immediately remove from baking sheets. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

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Curried Honey Mustard Chicken

This is an old Allrecipes recipe that I used to make often, about 8-9 years ago, and then kind of forgot about.  I was browsing my old AR reviews and came across this one and made it shortly after.  I reduced the butter and used chicken tenders instead of breasts.  This is quick and easy (although it does need to marinate) and you probably already have all the ingredients on hand!  We had brown rice & peas with this.

Curried Honey Mustard Chicken

adapted from Allrecipes

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup Dijon-style prepared mustard
4 teaspoons curry powder
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (or 6-8 chicken tenders)

1.  In a medium bowl combine the melted butter, honey, mustard, curry powder and cayenne powder. Mix well. Place chicken in a 9x9 inch (or equivalent) baking dish and pour honey/mustard mixture over chicken. Cover and place in refrigerator. Marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

2.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).  Remove dish from refrigerator and bake, covered, in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove cover and bake about 10 minutes more, or until done and juices run clear (baking time will depend a little on how thick your chicken is).

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Chocolate Nutella Cookies

These are easy, soft and chewy cookies with a slight Nutella flavor.  Actually, the Nutella flavor wasn't pronounced as I'd like, so I took some cookies and sandwiched them together with pure Nutella.  I saved these gut-busters for my kids; I didn't partake of the sandwiched ones, but the kids said they were delicious. 

I actually don't love Nutella like most people do; I think it's ok, but I hardly ever eat it.  However, we keep it on hand in large quantities in this house because my kids loooove it.  They used to eat a Nutella sandwich almost every day until I started packing their lunches bento-style this year.  To support their Nutella habit, we sent back 3 huge (1 Kilo!) jars of it when we visited Germany this summer.  Germany is serious about their Nutella.  It's no joke.  And, this huge container cost less than 4 Euros at Aldi's!! 

Chocolate Nutella Cookies

adapted from Our Best Bites

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (omit if using salted butter)
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/3 cup Nutella
1/3 cup milk

1.  Preheat oven to 325°.  In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Set the mixture aside. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes or until smooth. Add the vanilla and beat for another 30 seconds or so. Add the Nutella and beat until smooth.

2.  With the mixer running, add half of the flour mixture and mix until combined. Add the milk, mixing until combined completely, then add the remaining flour mixture and mix completely. Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 15 minutes (and as long as 2-3 days).

3.  When you’re ready to bake the cookies, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll tablespoons of dough into balls and place them on the lined cookie sheet, allowing about 2″ between the dough balls.

4.  Bake for 8-12 minutes or until the cookies are crackly on top and soft, but starting to set. Remove from the oven and allow them to stand for about 5 minutes and then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

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Rogan Josh- Kashmiri Red Curry (and Salad Shirazi)

We loved this dish.  I think my two-year old was the biggest fan; he doesn't usually eat very much at all, but he could not get enough of this.  I don't know how I came across this recipe, but I'm so glad I did.  I found it on An Edible Mosaic, and I loved browsing that blog.  I urge you to go spend some time looking!  :)  I also want to check out her cookbook.

This dish contains beef, which I thought was different than the usual Indian-inspired curries, but I went with it and it is so good!  We don't eat much red meat, but I'm really wanting to make this again soon.  Plus, it's a great, hearty dish for winter.  I love the mix of spices in this.  I got my cardamom pods (and other things) from Penzey's.  I love that company and their spices.  

Rogan Josh- Kashmiri Red Curry

adapted from An Edible Mosaic

2 TB canola oil
1 1/2 to 2 lb beef, trimmed of fat and cubed (I like to use sirloin for this)
1-2 large onions, chopped
4-5 large cloves garlic, minced
1 TB fresh grated ginger
8 pods cardamom, crushed and outer pods removed
2 bay leaves
5 whole cloves
4 tsp paprika (I use sweet paprika)
1 tsp each coriander and cumin
1/2 tsp each cinnamon and black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
1 cup plain yogurt, plus more for serving if desired
1 beef bouillon cube or 1 tsp. beef broth base
Salt and pepper
Fresh chopped cilantro or parsley (for garnish)
Salad Shirazi (for serving- recipe below)
Prepared basmati rice (for serving)

1.  In a 5-quart pot with a lid, heat the oil over medium to medium-high heat. When the oil starts to ripple, sear the beef on all sides (about 5 minutes). Stir in the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook until the onion starts to soften (about 3-5 minutes). Stir in the cardamom, bay leaves, cloves, paprika, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, black pepper, and cayenne and fry for about 30 seconds, until the spices are fragrant. Add the beef bouillon or base.

2.  Use a wooden spoon to push the beef and onions to one side of the pot. Add 2 TB of yogurt to the empty area, stirring continuously until it blends in; continue until all the yogurt is added. Add just enough water to cover everything (about 1 cup), bring the mixture up to a boil, then put a lid on it, turn it down to a simmer, and let it cook for about an hour (stirring occasionally) until it’s thickened and the beef is tender. Remove cloves (if you can find them!) and bay leaves before serving. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

3.  Serve garnished with a dollop of plain yogurt and a sprinkle of cilantro or parsley, alongside Salad Shirazi and prepared basmati rice.

Salad Shirazi

adapted from An Edible Mosaic 

diced cucumber

tomato

onion

parsley

oil 

lemon juice

salt/pepper

1.  Use as much of the ingredients as needed to make enough salad.  For my husband and I, I used half of an English cuke, 2 small Roma tomatoes, about 1/4 of a white onion, and then drizzled everything else to taste.  This is really good with Rogan Josh!

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Afghan Fudge- Sheer Payra

For book club recently, we read  A Thousand Splendid Suns.  I've read it before, a few years ago, but chose to re-read it so that I looked like I knew what was going on.  Long before I started re-reading it, I looked online for some recipes from Afghanistan I could make to bring.  I bookmarked this one right away, and another one for yogurt dip that I'll share later.  I don't think this is in the book, but it looked so good I had to make it.  :)

This fudge looked delicious with cardamom and pistachios.  I made it according to the directions (except subbing all pistachios for walnuts and pistachios).  The fudge became a little bit gritty, like some sugar was undissolved, but I cooked this for a long time so I'm not sure why.  I used Lyle's Golden Syrup instead of corn syrup; I wonder if that had something to do with it.  The flavor was good enough to get over that though; this proved to be pretty popular.  Just cut small pieces, because this is very sweet!

Afghan Fudge- Sheer Payra

adapted from Lit Lovers

2 cups sugar

2/3 cup milk
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tablespoons light corn syrup (or Lyle's Golden Syrup)
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom (I used 3/4 tsp.)
1/2 cup shelled pistachios (finely chopped) (can do half pistachios and half walnuts)

1.  In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, combine milk, sugar, corn syrup or Golden Syrup, and salt. Stir occasionally, making sure sugar dissolves. Heat to 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer.

2.  Remove from heat and add butter. Cool to 120 degrees F without stirring. Add cardamom and beat vigorously for about 5-10 minutes, till fudge is thick and no longer glossy.  (I used a wooden spoon.)

3.  Stir in nuts and spread into a buttered 9 x 5 x 3 loaf pan. Let rest until firm and cut into 1" squares.

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New England Clam Chowder

Happy Veteran's Day!  This was a delicious Clam Chowder.  I got the recipe from a cooking friend, and took some of her suggestions while making it.  I made this because my son had been begging for clam chowder for months.  He ate it on both the East and West Coasts during our Summer 2012 trip.  I made this Maine-style clam chowder last year, but it wasn't thick at all.  I wanted to try another recipe (and I guess it took me a while!)  We didn't even eat any clam chowder this last summer in the States; we spent almost the whole time in the Southwest.  It was too hot to eat any kind of soup there!  

New England Clam Chowder

adapted from Allrecipes

4 slices bacon, diced

1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 (8 oz.) bottle clam juice + reserved clam juice from cans
4 cups peeled and cubed potatoes
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
ground black pepper to taste
3 cups light cream OR half-and-half
3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour
3-4 (10 oz.) cans minced clams, juice reserved

1.  Place diced bacon in large stock pot over medium-high heat. Cook until almost crisp; add onions, and cook 5 minutes. Stir in clam juice (from bottle and cans of clams) and potatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender.

2.  In a small saucepan, melt butter.  Add flour and whisk for a few minutes.  Carefully whisk in one cup of light cream or half-and-half, whisking constantly until thickened.   Into the pot with potatoes, add the rest (2 cups) of the half-and-half or light cream.  Add as much of the roux mixture needed to thicken the chowder to your liking.  Stir clams into the soup. Cook on low for about 5 minutes, or until heated through. Do not allow to boil.

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Greek Chicken Gyros

These were so good.  They were a little time-consuming, since I made the flat bread, tzatziki, chicken, and prepped the veggies, but it was worth it.  You can prepare the tzatziki the day before to save on time, and marinate the chicken a few hours before.  If you live in an area where you can buy good flat bread, you can also choose to do that.

Greek Chicken Gyros
adapted from Cooking Classy
Yield: About 6 servings

Chicken Soulvaki:
1.5-2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken tenders or breasts
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/3 cup chopped red onion
2 cloves garlic
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp coriander
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For serving:
6 - 8 Greek Pita Flatbread, homemade or store-bought (recipe follows)
Tzatziki sauce, homemade or store-bought (recipe follows)
Garnishes and Toppings: Diced tomatoes, diced cucumbers, chopped Romaine lettuce, diced red onions, feta cheese, and Kalamata olives

1.  In a mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Greek yogurt, red wine vinegar, chopped red onion, garlic, oregano, thyme, coriander and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Place chicken in a gallon ziploc bag (or covered bowl), pour marinade over chicken, seal bag while pressing out excess air and transfer to refrigerator to marinate 2 - 4 hours. Remove chicken from the fridge during the last 30 minutes of marinating to rest at room temperature before grilling (leave in marinade).

2.  Brush grill grates lightly with oil and preheat grill over moderately high heat. Once hot, add chicken and grill until cooked through (internal temperature should register 165 degrees on an instant read thermometer), rotating once halfway through cooking. Remove from grill, transfer to plate, then cover with foil and allow to rest 10 minutes. Dice into strips.

To assemble gyros:  Layer chicken in a row along center of flat bread, top with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, Kalamata olives, red onion, feta, and tzatziki sauce. Wrap and serve.

Tzatziki Sauce:
1 medium cucumber, seeded* (or use an English cuke; no need to seed)
1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill (or 1 tsp dried)
Freshly ground black pepper

1.  In a food processor, shred the cucumber.  Squeeze handfuls of shredded cucumber into a bowl to get rid of excess water.  Discard liquid.

2.  Add in Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, mint, and dill and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Stir in cucumber.  Store in refrigerator in an airtight container up to 3 days.
*To seed the cucumber, slice in half lengthwise, then use a spoon to scoop the seeds out.

Greek Flat bread:
2 tsp active dry yeast
2 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
2/3 cup warm water, 110 degrees
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp milk, heated to 110 degrees
1 1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for bowl
1 1/4 tsp salt
3 cups bread flour (can add up to 1/4 cup more flour as needed)

1.  In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, whisk together yeast, sugar and warm water until yeast has dissolved then let rest 5 minutes. Add in warm milk, olive oil, salt and 1 1/2 cups bread flour and fit mixer with whisk attachment and blend mixture until well combined. Switch attachment to hook attachment, add in remaining 1 1/2 cups flour and knead mixture on low speed until blended, then increase to medium-low and allow to knead about 5 minutes longer until smooth an elastic (dough should not stick to sides of the bowl, so add more flour if necessary). Transfer dough to bowl lightly coated with oil, cover with a damp towel and allow to rest in a warm place until double in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

2.  Press dough down and divide dough into 6 - 8 equal portions. Working with one piece at a time, roll dough out into a round (I made 6 large 8-inch pitas) on a lightly floured surface. Heat a large non-stick skillet slightly over medium heat. I used a bit of cooking spray for this, and my electric skillet.  Once hot, add flat bread and cook until bubbles begin to appear on surface and bottom is golden brown, then flip and cook opposite side until golden brown. Transfer to a large plate, cover with foil leaving a small opening for excess moisture to escape. Repeat process with remaining flat bread. Store in an airtight container (best served day prepared. I'd rewarm mine wrapped in damp paper towels in the microwave).

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Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Greek-Inspired Pasta

That title is a mouthful!  This pasta was quite simple and very enjoyable.  I really enjoyed all the flavors together.  I used mini bow ties for this recipe.  The leftovers were also good- just add another sprinkle of feta.

Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Greek-Inspired Pasta

adapted from Closet Cooking

1 pound pasta
1/2 cup greek style roasted red pepper pesto, recipe follows
1/4 cup kalamata olives (pitted and coarsely chopped)
1 handful parsley (chopped)
1/2 cup feta (crumbled)

1.  Cook the pasta as directed on the package.  Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta water.  Toss the pasta with the pesto, pasta water (may not need all of it), olives and parsley.  Serve garnished with crumbled feta.

Greek Style Roasted Red Pepper Pesto

(makes 1/2 cup)

2 large roasted red peppers (or equivalent amount; jarred)
1 tablespoons fresh oregano (optional)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
2 tablespoons pine nuts (toasted)
2 tablespoons feta (crumbled)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

1. Place everything into a food processor and puree. 

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Pumpkin Kiss Cookies

These cookies were very popular with most of my kids and some people we shared them with.  They taste just like pumpkin pie, and since I don't love pumpkin pie, I didn't love these, but did enjoy eating a few of them.  These contain mascarpone cheese.  You'll only use about half of the tub- make this delicious pasta with the rest.  :)  (Instead of prosciutto one could use bacon or even deli ham.)

Pumpkin Kiss Cookies

adapted from Buttercream Blondie

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temp
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, vanilla extract, or seeds from 1 vanilla bean
1 Tablespoon Bourbon (or extra teaspoon vanilla extract)
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
2 & 3/4 cup white flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 bag Hershey's Pumpkin Kisses

1.  Cream butter and sugars till light and fluffy.  Add egg, extract or vanilla bean seeds, and bourbon.  Mix in mascarpone.

2.  Sift dry ingredients together & mix into butter mixture until combined; don't overmix.  Scoop cookies using a half ounce cookie scoop.  Chill cookies for at least 30 minutes before baking.

3.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8-12 minutes, rotating halfway through. While they're baking, unwrap the Kisses.  As soon as you remove cookies from oven, place them on a cooling rack and press a pumpkin kiss into the center of each one.

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Afghan Kofta Kebabs, Noni (Naan Bread), and Yogurt Garlic Sauce

This meal was totally awesome!!  I've made a handful of Middle-Eastern dishes before, but have never made any any Afghan food before.  A few years ago, I read the book A Thousand Splendid Suns, and am about to read it again for a book club.  When I read the book before, I loved anytime food was talked about.  It all sounded so delicious to me, especially the Kofta (meatballs or other shapes made with ground meat).  I looked online for recipes back then, but nothing looked promising.  Recently, though, I came across an Allrecipes version with many rave reviews.  I made it almost right away, serving it with fresh veggies, yogurt-garlic sauce, and noni (naan) bread.  

When making the bread, I baked half of it on a hot pizza stone and my husband grilled the rest.  The whole fam preferred the grilled version; they were much softer and able to be wrapped around the Kofta easily.  I know it's November, but we grill all year around these parts.  ;)  You can make these inside; bake the Kofta and cook the Noni on a griddle or frying pan.  Also, don't be scared of all the spices.  They are wonderful together.

Afghan Kofta Kebabs

adapted from Allrecipes

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
1 pound ground lamb or beef
3 tablespoons grated onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
15-20 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes

Fresh cucumbers & tomatoes, for serving

Afghan Noni Flatbread, recipe follows

Yogurt-Garlic Sauce, recipe follows

1.  Mash the garlic into a paste with the salt using a mortar and pestle or the flat side of a chef's knife on your cutting board. Mix the garlic into the lamb or beef along with the onion, parsley, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, cayenne pepper, ginger, and pepper in a mixing bowl until well blended. Form the mixture into 28 (or so- I made a lot less) balls. Form each ball around the tip of a skewer, flattening into a 2 inch oval; repeat with the remaining skewers. I fit 3 on each skewer.  Place the kebabs onto a baking sheet, cover, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or up to 12 hours.

2.  Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, and lightly oil grate.Cook the skewers on the preheated grill, turning occasionally, until the lamb or beef has cooked to your desired degree of doneness, about 6 minutes for medium.  We grilled longer; make sure no pink remains inside.

Afghan Noni (Naan) Bread

adapted from About

1 package active dry yeast

2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 cup warm water
2-3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup ghee (clarified butter) or vegetable shortening
3 tablespoons plain yogurt
melted butter for brushing

1.  In a large bowl (or bowl of a stand mixer), .  To yeast, add sugar and warm water.  Let yeast sit for 5-10 minutes or until "bloomed".

2.  To yeast mixture, add 2 cups of flour and salt.  Add yogurt and ghee and knead until a dough forms.  Add yogurt and ghee (or vegetable shortening)and begin to knead for 5-10 minutes until a dough forms. Add more flour if necessary.

3.  Place dough in bowl coated with oil and turn dough around to evenly coat. Cover bowl with towel and allow to rise in a warm area for about 1 hour or until the dough has doubled.

4.  Preheat oven to 400. (Or pre-heat and oil and outdoor grill to grill these, which I prefer.)  Divide dough into 10-12 pieces and roll out on floured surface into circles. Place rolled out dough on greased cookie sheet or baking stone and brush with melted butter.  Cook in oven for 8 minutes or until lightly browned and puffed up.  Serve noni immediately with Kofta and yogurt sauce.

Yogurt Garlic Sauce

adapted from About

16 oz. plain cold yogurt (I used full-fat Greek)

2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
salt to taste

1.  In a small mixing bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Mix well. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

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