Ethiopian Night at the Red Sea

Thanks to Susan Reid for organizing our book club adventure at the Red Sea to discuss "Cutting for Stone" by Abraham Verghese. Susan also provided a list of what she ordered for us that night.

The plates ordered at the Red Sea included:
Green salad

tibs

sawaze tibs

zil zil tibs
vegetarian combo

This will be a great resource for those of us who will venture back to the Red Sea for dinner!

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Chicken Lettuce Wraps Recipe (shared by Susan)
Super easy, quick, and, I think, fairly healthy.

The key to this dish is finding the packet of sauce! I first discovered it in Anacortes, Washington. Not so easy in San Diego. After a lengthy search, I stumbled upon it at Cost Plus World Market, of all places! Many grocery stores have several varieties of Panda Brand sauces but not for lettuce wraps.

Lee Kum Kee
Panda Brand
Sauce for Lettuce Wraps

Recipe is on the back of the packet.
I usually use ground turkey. Easier to find. After that, it's carrots, green onions, water chestnuts and peanuts. I use heaping portions of all. Brown the meat in a little oil (don't really need the full amount, add the vegies, simmer and you are done!

Enjoy!

Asian Chicken Noodle Salad

Asian Chicken Noodle Salad (shared by Stacey)

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

½ cup sliced almonds

8 tbsp. sesame seeds

7 tbsp. rice vinegar

4 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

½ cup canola oil (I didn’t use all of the oil)

1 16-oz. bag coleslaw mix (I used a broccoli slaw mix so that it had less cabbage)

2 packages Ramen noodles, broken up (throw seasoning away)

2 cooked chicken breasts chopped or shredded

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a skillet over medium low to medium heat, toast almonds and sesame seeds until light brown.

2. In a small bowl, combine vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Whisk in oil.

3. In a large bowl, combine coleslaw mix, chicken, and Ramen noodles. Add contents of small bowl and mix well. Toss in the almonds and seeds just before serving.

Enjoy!

Pear and Brie Fancy Flatbread

Trader Joe's Pear And Brie Fancy Flatbread Recipe (shared by Courtney)

INGREDIENTS:

TJ’s Lavash Bread (Regular or Whole Wheat)

1 TJ’s Pear, thinly sliced

8 ounces (or so) TJ’s Brie, cubed or torn into small pieces

2-3 slices TJ’s Prosciutto, sliced thin

2-3 tablespoon TJ’s Organic Brown Sugar

1 cup TJ’s Wild Arugula

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the Oven to 375°.

Layer the lavash with the pear slices, pieces of Brie, prosciutto and sugar, in that order. Bake for 5-6 minutes until the Lavash is golden brown and the sugar has caramelized.

Top with Baby Arugula and serve.

Serves: 4 to 6 as an appetizer

Cooking Time: 5-10 minutes

Pumpkin Buttermilk Pudding

Pumpkin Buttermilk Pudding

(shared by Zoe)

A soft pudding almost like a bread pudding.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Butter a shallow 3-quart baking dish.

Whisk in a large bowl:

4 eggs

1 ½ cups canned pumpkin puree

2 ½ cups buttermilk

¼ cup unsalted butter, melted

Whisk thoroughly in a separate bowl:

1 ½ cups sugar

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon salt

Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and whisk until well blended. Pour the batter into the prepared dish. Bake until the top is a deep golden brown and springs back lightly when pressed, about 50 minutes.

Serve the pudding warm or cold with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

* might also be nice with golden raisins added to the mixture!

Hot Apple Pie Dip

Hot Apple Pie Dip (shared by Stacey)

What you Need

· 1 tub (8 oz.) 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese

· 2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar

· ½ Tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice

· 1 Apple, chopped, divided

· ¼ cup 2% Shredded Cheddar Cheese

· 1 Tbsp. finely chopped Pecan Pieces

· Wheat Thins sprinkled with Cinnamon/Sugar

To Make

· Heat Oven to 375 degrees

· Mix cream cheese, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice in a medium bowl until well blended. Stir in half the apples.

· Spread the mixture into a pie plate or small casserole dish. Top with remaining apples, cheddar cheese, and pecan pieces.

· Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until heated through. Serve with Wheat Thins.

Chocolate Pumpkin Pudding

Chocolate Pumpkin Pudding

(shared by Courtney)

1 - 15 oz can pumpkin puree

1 - package instant chocolate pudding mix

1/4 cup of milk

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 cups prepared whipped cream

In a medium bowl beat together pumpkin, pudding, milk and cinnamon until blended. Gently fold in the whipped cream. Chill until serving.

*Tip from Courtney: I tripled the recipe for book club