Browsing Category COOK FOR A CROWD
Anita’s Super Easy and Delicious Stuffed Cabbage Casserole
This is an amazing and the easiest shortcut version of the classic cabbage rolls with layers of same traditional flavors in each bite.
Ingredients:
1 large head of cabbage, sliced 1/2-to-1-inch strips
1 pound of lean ground meat
4 tomatoes, small diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup of Basmati Rice
3-3 1/2 cups of vegetable or chicken broth
2 Tablespoon of tomato paste
1/3 cup of fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon of salt
1/3 teaspoon of black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
1/3 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
2 teaspoon dried mint
2 Tablespoon of olive oil
Preparation
- Use a large pot, at medium-high heat sate ground meat in olive oil for 5 minutes or until meat is cooked. Add garlic and tomatoes. Cook for another 10 minutes.
- Seasoned with salt, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add uncooked rice and stir to combine. Add tomato paste and chicken broth. Let it simmer for about 15 minutes uncovered. Lower the heat, cover the pan and cook for about 20 minutes or till rice with meat is tender and rice is completely cooked. Set aside.
- Meanwhile in another pot sate sliced cabbage in olive oil and seasoned with dried mint. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes until cabbage is tender. Set aside.
- Use a baking dish and grease with butter. Spread a layer of the cooked cabbage. Spread the meat-rice mixture over the cabbage.
- Cover the top with another layer of cabbage. Enjoy!
Versus the traditional individually wrapped ones: recipe of it on my site.
Anita’s Delicious Toasted Almond Rice with Golden Raisins and Tender Pulled Beef
Authentic Lebanese Rice and meat dish perfumed with original warm spices. Perfect for any celebration!
Ingredients for Pulled Beef or Lamb with Rice
4 lb. chuck roast (boneless), cut in thick pieces
3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin, ground
1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
2 bay leaves
8 cups of water, for meat
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 cardamon pods
2 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup blanched toasted almond halves
1/2 cup green raisins
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/2 teaspoon seven spice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
2 1/2 cups basmati rice
Preparation for the Pulled Beef or Lamb
- Clean your meat under cold water. Pat dry with towel paper. Transfer meat to a large pot when they can lay flat. Cover pot with 8 cups of water.
- Cook over medium-high heat. Remove the scum out when it starts boiling. Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon, cumin, cardamon pods, minced garlic, red wine vinegar, and bay leaves.
- Cover pot and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 3 to 4 hours until meat is completely tender.
- Remove meat from broth. Put broth aside. Use two forks to shred meat. Set aside.
Preparation for the Rice
- Heat the butter and olive oil on low and add slivered almonds till golden brown. Remove and set aside. Add 2 1/2 cups of rice to the same pot and toast for 2 minutes.
- Add 4 1/2 cups of leftover meat broth. and raise heat to high. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg and seven spice. Stir.
- Once it starts to boil, lower the heat. Cover the pot. Simmer for 25-30 minutes.
- Transfer the cooked pulled meat to a center of a platter.
- Fluff the rice while warm and place it around the pulled meat.
- Sprinkle toasted almonds, dried cranberries, and raisins around meat over rice.
- Enjoy!
Anita’s Most Delicious Garlic Cilantro Shrimps with Brown Rice
Ingredients
3 Tablespoons Butter
1 Tablespoon extra Virgin Olive Oil
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, sliced
1 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1 pound medium shrimps, peeled and deveined.
2 lemon juiced
1 bunch green onions, sliced
1 small jalapeno, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
- Use a large skillet. Heat the olive oil and butter on medium-high heat till starting to turn golden brown and add garlic.
- Sate garlic for 2 to 3 minutes. Add green onions. Seasoned with crushed red pepper, smoked paprika, garlic salt and black pepper.
- Add sliced onions and cleaned shrimps. Cooked for 3 to 5 minutes till onions are tender and shrimps turned pink. Add fresh lemon juice, diced jalapeno, and chopped cilantro leaves.
- Cook for another 4- 5 minutes until sauce is slightly reduced and all flavors are well combined. Serve next to a warm nutty brown rice. Enjoy!
Anita’s Most delicious Tomato-Sage Spaghetti and Meatballs Muffin Bites
Ingredients for the Tomato-Sage Sauce
1 medium size onion, finely chopped
12-15 fresh sage leaves
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 Tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup of tomato sauce
5 fresh tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup of parmesan cheese, grated(set aside)
1-16 ounces package spaghetti pasta
Meatball (please see my site for this delicious recipe)
Preparation for sauce:
- Heat the butter and olive oil over low heat in a large pan. Add the sage leaves to infuse the butter and oil. Sate for about 3 minutes.
Remove sage leaves from butter and set aside over a plate with paper towel. Add garlic and onions to the butter and oil. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes. - Add fried chopped sage leaves over onions and garlic.
Incorporate fresh diced tomatoes. Add tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Let it simmer at medium heat for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile cook pasta in Kosher salted water following package instructions. Rinse pasta and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 375 grades Fahrenheit. Grease 12 muffin cups with cooking butter spray.
- Toss tomato-sage sauce into the cooled spaghetti.
- Divide spaghetti between the 12 greased muffin cups.
- Top each nest with grated parmesan cheese.
- Bake until cheese has melted and pasta is slightly crispy around edges for about 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven. Assemble a party tall toothpick with cooked meatball and fried sage leaf in the center of the spaghetti nest. Ready to serve. Enjoy!
Anita’s best Homemade Beef Stew
Ingredients
1 1/2 chuck pot roast meat, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
4 yellow potatoes, cut into 2-inch pieces
4 carrots, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 diced Roma tomatoes
1 large onion, diced
2 cups of peas, frozen
2 bay leaves
4 cups of unsalted beef broth
2 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup of red wine
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground thyme
1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
Preparation
- Preheat olive oil at medium-low heat in a heavy pan.
- Incorporate pieces of beef well coated with flour into the olive oil and browned beef on all sides.
- Add potatoes, garlic and onions, stir. Cook for about 5 minutes.
- Stir in carrots and tomatoes. Seasoned with salt, pepper, ground thyme, fresh chopped rosemary, and bay leaves.
- Bring to a boil, and at low heat simmer with lid on for about 45 minutes. Incorporate wine and let it reduced.
- Stir in frozen peas and cook through for another 15 minutes. Add cilantro leaves. Remove bay leaves and serve. Enjoy!
Anita is- there-a-recipe-for-the-inside-of-the-zucchini? yes, Shakshuka with Zucchini
My Mom used to do not waste any part of a vegetable and offer us this special and nutritious dish for breakfast or as a side dish for lunch or even dinner. Enjoy!
Ingredients
6 zucchini pulp(inside), chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 onion, diced
4 tomatoes, diced
2 Tablespoon tomato paste (dissolve in half a cup with water and dried mint)
1 teaspoon mint, dried
1 teaspoon cumin, ground
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 eggs
3 Tablespoon of olive oil
2 Tablespoon of parmesan cheese, grated
1 Tablespoon chopped parsley, for garnish
Preparation
- Over medium heat, heat the oil in a medium saucepan. Add garlic and cook for 10 seconds.
- Incorporate onions and cook until softened.
3. Add tomatoes and scoop out the inside of zucchinis, stir all ingredients. Add salt, pepper, and cumin.
4. Add water with tomato paste and 1 teaspoon of dried mint dissolved. Simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes until pulp of zucchinis have softened and all ingredients combined into a reach fully cooked sauce. Transfer to an oven proof greased dish.
5. Sprinkle sauce with grated Parmesan Cheese and crack eggs over the top. Add a pinch of black pepper over egg-yolks.
6. Transfer the pan to a preheated 375 grades Fahrenheit oven and bake for about 10-12 minutes or until eggs are cooked through and can be left slightly runny if that is your choice.
7. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve with Pita bread. Enjoy!
Anita’s Delicious Arrabiata Angel Hair Pasta
Ingredients
1 large onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes or 6 Roma tomatoes
2 Tablespoons fresh basil, chopped + 1 tbsp. extra for garnish
1 Tablespoon fresh oregano, minced
2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup red wine
2 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon butter
3 Tablespoon tomato paste
1 (4 ounces) tomato sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon fresh orange juice
1 package angel hair pasta, cooked following box instructions
1/4 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
Preparation
- Heat olive oil and butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring for 1 minute, until soft. Add minced garlic.
- Add diced tomatoes, fresh basil, fresh oregano. Season with salt, crushed red pepper flakes and black pepper. Incorporate tomato paste, tomato sauce, orange juice and wine.
- Simmer and cook for about 20 minutes or until sauce slightly thickened, add 2 tablespoon of the grated cheese over sauce.
- Pour cooked angel hair pasta over the sauce and mix all ingredients until well incorporated.
5. Sprinkle with extra fresh basil and the rest of the grated Pecorino Romano cheese and serve. Enjoy!
Anita’s Lebanese Couscous with Chicken and Caramelized Pearl Onions
A traditional spiced, and warm to the heart Lebanese dish called “Mograbieh” frequently requested at family and friends get-togethers. My mother passed this recipe down to me. She also offered comments on different ways to prepare it. As she always says to me “you always spin recipes around” So here is my version..
Ingredients
2 Pounds of chicken breast
1 large onion, sliced
1 large carrot, large diced
6 cups of water
1 Pound of Pearl Lebanese Couscous(Mograbieh)
1 Pound Pearl Onions, peeled
2-3 Bay Leaves
1 (8 ounces) can chickpeas, cooked
1 Tablespoon Caraway seeds, ground
1 Tablespoon Seven-spice mix
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon, ground
1 teaspoon Cumin, ground
2 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/2 teaspoon Bergamot, ground
1 teaspoon Sea Salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
- Brown chicken breast pieces into two Tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large pan on both sides. Add sliced onions and carrot. Add 6 cups of water. Incorporate bay leaves, cinnamon, bergamot, seven spices, caraway seeds ground and cumin.
Skim foam from the water surface, and simmer bouillon at low heat covered for about 35 to 40 minutes or until chicken is tender. - Meanwhile, caramelized the pearl onions into two Tablespoon of Olive Oil at low heat for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside pearl onions. Use same large deep pan for later in Step-5.
- Remove and transfer chicken to a cutting board to shred or cut in pieces. Strain bouillon from carrot and bay leaves, while onion is O.K. to leave in the pot. Set aside cooked chicken.
- Incorporate pearl couscous into the boiling chicken bouillon. Simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Remove couscous from the pot, strain and fry them in pearl onions oil’s pan previously used. Seasoned with salt and pepper. Add gradually 3 to 4 cups of chicken bouillon(broth) over couscous and keep stirring occasionally for about 25 to 30 minutes until couscous is thoroughly cooked al dente, like a pasta noodle consistency and broth has been reduced and absorbed by couscous. If you need to add more broth, keep adding liquid until your couscous reached your choice of tenderness.
- Meanwhile, keep simmering bouillon at low heat until reduce and thickened. Add chickpeas and caramelized pearl onions to the remaining bouillon(broth).
- Remove some chickpeas and caramelized onions from the broth, and pour over couscous.
- Place Mograbieh (couscous) into a serving plate. Arrange cooked chicken, and caramelized onions over couscous. Could be served next to the remaining broth sauce. Enjoy!
Note: Mograbieh(Lebanese couscous) freezes very well for several weeks maintaining flavors. Keep chicken pieces and onions in different containers as well in the freezer.
Anita’s Spinach Ravioli in Vodka Sauce
Ingredients
1 package 48 ounces spinach Ravioli (frozen or homemade)
2 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon butter
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, diced
2-16 ounces cans natural Organic Tomato Sauce
1 Tablespoon sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon oregano, dried
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 Roma tomatoes, small diced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/3 cup parmesan cheese, for garnish
Preparation
- Prepare ravioli according to package instructions. Rinse and set aside.
- In a large pan on medium heat add extra virgin olive oil and butter. Cook onions and garlic until tender for about 2 minutes.
- Add chopped tomatoes. Cook for about 5 more minutes.
- Incorporate carefully vodka and when start simmering lower heat and let it reduce until liquor is evaporated for about 5 to 6 minutes.
- Add organic tomato sauce, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, dried oregano, fresh rosemary, crushed red pepper and sugar. Cook sauce for about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Whisk in heavy cream. Stir and cook until sauce thickened.
7. Incorporate cooked Spinach Ravioli into the sauce and serve with a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil on top. try it!
Anita’s Most Tender Roasted Pork Shoulder
Tender Pork shoulder soaked in a citrusy marinade, a combination of oranges and lime. Cooked covered in an unglazed natural Clay Pot, that produces more steam and elevates the concentration of flavors.
Ingredients
4 pounds pork shoulder (Bone-in)
10 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cups fresh orange juice
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
1/2 cup springs fresh oregano leaves
1 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon cumin, ground
1 Tablespoon garlic, ground
1 Tablespoon Annato (achiote)spice
1 teaspoon cloves, ground
1 teaspoon parsley, dried
1 Tablespoon salt
1 Teaspoon black ground pepper
Preparation
- Using a mortar or using a food processor, smash garlic, cilantro, and mint leaves with a 1/3 teaspoon salt until it becomes a paste.
- In a plastic bag combine olive oil, orange juice, lime juice oregano, ground cloves, cumin, dried parsley, annatto, salt and pepper and mix it up. Add pork in.
- Place marinated pork over a dish into the refrigerator overnight.
- Meanwhile, soak your clay pot in cold water if it was used before for 20 to 30 minutes, otherwise it has to be soaked overnight if it wasn’t never used . (The use of a regular roasting pan can be used pre-heating your oven before as usual).
- Place pork with juices from the marinate into the clay pot. Insert into a cold oven in the middle rack .Set your oven to 385 grades Fahrenheit.
- Roast for 4 to 5 hours. Insert thermometer in the center and check for 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Pork should be fork tender.
- Remove heavy, clay pot from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes.
- The magic of cooking in a natural clay pot, is that meat becomes extremely tender, caramelized top with an exceptional juicy meat. Serve next to fried plantains(Maduros)see recipe below, black beans(see recipe on my site under Venezuelan Pabellon criollo), and white rice. Enjoy!
Fried Plantains (Maduros)
- Heat 1/2 cup of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Peel 2 ripe plantains in an angle, 3/4 inches thick.
- Brown plantains for about 2 minutes in both sides until golden brown.
- Remove and place over paper towel to drain oil excess.
- Serve warm, cold or at room temperature.
