Sweet Yam Bake

Ingredients

• 3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled
• Salt
• 2 cups dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup cinnamon
• 1 stick butter

Instructions

1. Boil the sweet potatoes in salted water until they can be easily pierced
2. Drain the water
3. Slice potatoes
4. Place sliced potato layer in a baking pan
5. Coat with brown sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon mixture
6. Place pats of butter on the layer
7. Add another layer and follow the same procedure until complete
8. Cover
9. Bake in preheated oven (350 F) for 30-45 minutes
10. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes

Serve hot and enjoy!

Ramadan’s Seafood Gumbo featuring New Africa Chicken Sausage

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 lg. green pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 2 – 12 oz. pkgs. Tayyib brand large halal chicken sausage links
• 3 lbs. Crescent halal boneless, skinless chicken breasts and thighs
• 12 oz. package crawfish tails
• 3 – 6 oz. cans chopped clams
• 3 - 6 oz. cans white crab meat
• 1 lb. crab legs (optional)
• 2 lbs. large (40-60 count) cooked shrimp
• 2 – 1 lb. packages frozen chopped okra
• 2 – 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 1 tbsp. sea salt
• 2 tbsp. red pepper flakes
• 2 tbsp. Cajun seasoning
• 1 tbsp. gumbo file powder
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 2 cups long grain rice
• 6 quarts of water (more if needed)
• Non-stick cooking spray

Preparation

1. In a 16 quart stock pot, boil chicken breasts and thighs along with celery, onions, and green pepper in 3 quarts of water until chicken is no longer pink inside. Save broth. Remove chicken and cut into one-inch chunks, set aside.
2. Spray large skillet with non-stick cooking spray. In ¼ cup olive oil, brown chicken sausage. Remove and cut into bite-sized pieces. In same skillet saute garlic. Add remaining ¼ cup olive oil. Slowly add flour to skillet. As mixture begins to brown, slowly add 3 cups of water while stirring constantly to create gumbo roux. Add remaining spices to skillet. Bring to a boil, turn off. 
3. Add rice to stock pot; bring to a boil 20 minutes. Add roux spice mixture to stock pot. While stirring constantly, add chicken, tomatoes, okra, crab meat, clams, crayfish tails, and shrimp. Add enough water to cover all ingredients. Simmer 20 minutes stirring constantly to ensure rice doesn’t burn on bottom of pot. 
4. Remove bay leaves (if you can see them) and serve.

Saffron Rice & Gandules

  

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups uncooked rice

15 oz gandules, cooked and thoroughly drained 

1 tbsp butter or ghee

Small piece dried salted cod

3 cardamon pods

Saffron to taste

3 cups water

Preparation

Break off a small piece of very dry salt cod and place in a spice grinder or blender. Blend into a very fine powder, then add to rice cooker along with pepper, butter, saffron, water, uncooked rice and cardamon pods.  Cook until done.  Fluff, and add cooked gandules.  Garnish with parsley. Serve and enjoy!

Submitted by WDM II

Moroccan Spiced Spaghetti Meat Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 large bell peppers
• 3 to 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 large onion
• 5 large tomatoes, diced
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 1/2 lb ground lamb
• 1/2 lb ground wagyu beef
• 8 oz tomato paste

Preparation

Sauté fresh garlic, onion and bell pepper until tender.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Add 2-4 tablespoons of Ras El Hanout.  Brown ground meat then place in a sauce pan with diced tomatoes.  Add bell pepper mixture and tomato paste.  Cook on low heat until all veggies are done.

Serve over rice, enjoy.

Chow Mien with Chives, Mushroom & Scrambled Eggs

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Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh or rehydrated shitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup chives
• 2 cloves garlic
• Sea salt
• Fresh ground black pepper
• 1 pound dried spaghetti (cooked in salted water)
• 2 eggs

Preparation

Add olive oil to a very hot pan, then add mushrooms. Stir fry for 2 minutes, then add garlic, a pinch of salt and pepper. Break eggs into a separate bowl and mix slightly. Pour eggs into frying pan and continue to stir fry for up to 4 minutes, stirring regularly. Add cooked, well drained spaghetti to the mushroom mixture and stir fry until slightly dense and chewy, stirring regularly.  Add chives at the end then remove from heat. 

Serve and Enjoy!

Pasta à la Provence

Total time: 35 minutes • Active time: 25 minutes
Serves 4

When creating this Italian oil-free dish, I tried to stay as close as possible to the original classic. I was extremely pleased with my results. Smell, taste, volume, and texture all turned out perfect.

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp tamari (or shoyu)
• 1/2 cup [120 ml] hot water
• 2 red onions, finely diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 3 cups [200 g] white button mushrooms, quartered
• 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 8 Kalamata olives, pitted and quartered
• 1 can (14 oz [400 g]) diced tomatoes (undrained)
• 3 Tbsp Herbes de Provence
• 1 Tbsp ground sage
• 1 tsp ground marjoram
• 1 pkg (8 oz [240 g]) whole-wheat fusilli (or any other whole-grain pasta)
• 1/2 cup [120 ml] hot water
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 1/2 Tbsp basil leaves, chopped

Method:

1. Put a large non-stick skillet with the tamari and hot water on high heat.
2. Once it starts bubbling, add the onions and bell pepper. Stir-cook for about 5 minutes, until they start to become tender.
3. Then add the mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, and olives. Stir-cook for 2 minutes.
4. Then stir in the canned tomatoes, and reduce the heat to medium.
5. Combine the Herbes de Provence, sage, and marjoram in a small mixing bowl with a fork.
6. Add the herbs to the skillet and mix well. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is ready.
7. Put a large pot of lightly salted water on high heat and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions or until al dente. Drain well.
8. Add 1/2 cup [120 ml] hot water, lemon juice, and garlic to the sauce, and stir to combine.
9. Then add the pasta and stir-cook for 2 minutes, combining all the ingredients thoroughly.
10. Transfer to a serving bowl, and evenly sprinkle the basil over the top.

Submitted by Terry Botel
© Vegan Up 2015

Mujadara

Ingredients:

• 3 medium onions
• 1 1/2 cups of white rice
• 1 1/2 cups of lentils
• 2 tbs olive oil 
• salt & pepper
• cumin 

Preparation

1. Cook rice
2. Wash lentils, cover in water and boil until tender. Keep adding water to keep lentils covered during cooking. While lentils are cooking, saute one and a half coarsely chopped onions in olive oil until golden and translucent. Add the cooked onions and rice to the lentils and add enough water to bring up to two cups total. Add salt, pepper and cumin to taste, and bring back to a boil.  Stir, reduce to low heat and cover. 
3. Cut remaining onions into half moon shapes and saute until almost caramelized. When the rice has finished cooking, adjust the seasoning and top with the remaining onions as a garnish. Serve with yogurt. 

This is an inexpensive, healthy, and fabulously delicious halal dish that can be served as an entree or side dish.

Submitted by Imad-ad-Dean Ahmad