Erika's Apples with Caramel Sauce

Ingredients

• 4 tart green apples
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). 
2. Fill the bottom of the pan with enough water to cover, mix in about a Tbsp. of cornstarch, a tsp. and a half of vanilla, and a small handful of chopped nuts. (Almonds, walnuts, or pecans.)
3.  Core apples all the way through (I used Jonathan apples) and peel a thin ring of skin off around the middle of each apple so they can "breathe".  
4. Stuff apples with the brown sugar and butter premixed, and place apples in water mixture.
5. Place in a shallow baking dish and sprinkle with cinnamon.  
6. Sprinkle apples and water with nutmeg and a generous (but not overpowering) amount of cinnamon.
7. Bake at 350 for 20 min. covered with foil and then for another 10 min. uncovered. 
8. Finally, serve in bowl with the caramel/nut sauce around base of each apple 

Vanilla ice cream in the center drizzled with caramel ice cream topping is another incredible addition to them.

Also, I just used whatever apples I had and used pumpkin pie spice in place of the nutmeg and cinnamon (basically the same thing anyway).

Adapted, by Erika, from http://allrecipes.com/recipe/baked-apples/

Green Beans, Greek-ish

Diced onion
Fresh fennel, diced (optional)
Olive oil
Diced tomatoes, canned or fresh
Dill, fresh or dried, to taste
Oregano, fresh or dried, to taste
Cut green beans, fresh or frozen
Salt and pepper, to taste

Saute onions (and fennel) in oil until soft and golden brown. Add diced tomatoes and saute a few minutes, then add everything else, stir and saute/simmer.

Depending upon how dry/watery the tomatoes are, you may wish to add a little water to pan.

Simmer until beans are tender and serve.

Lentil Soup with Lemon and Garlic

3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 celery sticks, chopped
1-2 carrots, sliced
4 garlic cloves, chopped (or use crushed garlic paste)
1 potato, peeled and diced
1 cup lentils, rinsed
4 cups vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
2 lemons
1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper (or more)
ground black pepper

1. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the celery, carrots, potato, and half the garlic. Cook for a few minutes until beginning to soften.

2. Add the lentils and stock to the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

3. Add the bay leaves, remaining garlic, and half the lemons (or just the juice) to the pan and cook the soup for another 10 minutes until the lentils and vegetables are tender. Remove the bay leaves. Squeeze the juice from the remaining lemons, then stir into the soup.

4. Pour the soup into a food processor, or use an immersion blender until smooth. stir in the cayenne pepper and season to taste.

Chicken Saag (Meredith)

1 cup fresh spinach (nope I used frozen)
1 piece fresh ginger root, grated (from jar)
2 crushed garlic cloves (used more than called for)
1 fresh green chili, roughly chopped (used the can from big lots)
1 cup water
1 tbsp oil
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp black peppercorns
1 onion, finely chopped
4 tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped (used canned)
2 tsp curry powder (used more)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder (used more)
3 tbsp plain low fat yogurt (used greek)
8 chicken thighs, skinned (used breasts instead)

1. Cook wet spinach leaves, without extra water, in a tightly covered pan for 5 minutes. Put the cooked spinach, ginger, garlic, and chili with a 1/4 cup of the water into a food processor and blend into a course puree. (I also threw in a pickled jalapeno. Probably not necessary...) Set aside.

2. Heat the oil in a large, heavy pan, add the bay leaves and black peppercorns and fry for 2 minutes. Stir the onion and fry for a further 6-8 minutes or until the onion has browned.

3. Add the tomatoes and simmer for about 5 minutes.

4. Stir in the curry powder, salt, and chili powder. Cook for 2 minutes over medium heat, stirring once or twice. Stir in the spinach puree and the remaining measured water, then simmer for 5 minutes. Add the yogurt, 1 tbsp at a time and simmer for 5 minutes more.

5. Add the chicken thighs and stir to coat them in the sauce. Cover and cook for 25-30 minutes until the chicken is tender.

Red Sangria

1 three liter box of Shiraz (open box, cut corner of bag, drain into large container)
Add Juice of 3 oranges, 2 lemons, 1 lime and discard
Slice or quarter 2 more oranges, another lemon and a lime
Add quartered fruit to the wine
Add 1/3 cup of Chambord and 1/3 cup Grand Marnier or Triple Sec
Chill overnight and just before serving add a 2 liter bottle of chilled Ginger Ale
Serve

"Pressure Cooker Carnitas

Prep Time: 25 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour
Servings: 12

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons canola oil
3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
2 fresh poblano peppers, roughly chopped, or more to taste
3 jalapeno peppers, roughly chopped, or more to taste

1 serrano pepper, roughly chopped, or more to taste
1 large onion, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons ground coriander
3 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 cups beef broth (I used vegetable broth)

Directions:
1. Place the oil into a pressure cooker over medium-high heat. Brown the pork cubes on all sides in the hot oil, and stir in the poblano, jalapeno, and serrano peppers, onion, garlic, coriander, cumin, and beef broth. Lock the lid onto the pressure cooker, bring the cooker up to pressure, and reduce heat to keep the pressure steady.
2. Cook under medium steady pressure for 1 hour, remove the cooker from the heat, place in the sink, and run cold water over the lid of the cooker until the pressure has been released. Carefully remove the lid, and serve.

I did this in the oven at 350 for about 4 hours and it was great.

Grandma's Caramel Icing

Grandma's caramel frosting recipe (Thanks, Sarah!)

1 stick oleo butter
1/4 c milk
1 c light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2-3 cups powdered sugar

In a saucepan, stir melted oleo, milk, and brown sugar. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth.