Dal and a GIVEAWAY!

The good people at Red Pack contacted me and asked if I would like to do a giveaway and a review.  Now, if you follow my blog, you know that I can my own tomatoes.  That is not to say that I have never had the occassion to buy my tomatoes.  Matter of fact I have bought jarred sauce too.  Shocking I know but hey I like a quick meal once in a while too.   Quite honestly I have bought Red Pack before and have previously been very happy with the product, affordable and good tasting.  I was quite pleased to do a review and of course happy to pass the good fortune on to you. 

I tasted the tomatoes before dumping them into the pot.  They had a tomato-ey taste.  They were far better than "fresh" supermarket tomatoes that you get in the produce section in the winter.  I received a can of whole tomatoes and crushed tomatoes.  The whole tomatoes were much firmer than my canned tomatoes.  You could actually chop them up and make some salsa.  I think Red Pack has a very fine product.  Certainly it is something I have purchased before and will continue to purchase.

Dal

Adapted from this recipe at Food Network

1/4 cup ghee or clarified butter
1 1/2 cups diced onions
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 jalapeno peppers, cored, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon cumin seeds, toasted and crushed
2 cups orange lentils
2 tablespoons finely minced ginger
2 tablespoons Garam Masala
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
1 bay leaf
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar
8 cups water

In a large pot, heat the ghee and stir-fry the onions just until transluscent. Add the garlic, jalapeno, cumin, lentils, ginger, curry powder, salt, pepper, sugar and bay leaf. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes, until the herbs and spices become very aromatic. Add the tomatoes and vinegar. Add the water, bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer and cook until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning with cumin, salt, pepper and sugar.

Rules for Giveaway:

1. You can only enter once.
2.  You can enter twice if you blog about my giveaway on your blog or if you mention the giveaway on Facebook or Twitter.
3.  Giveaway drawing will take place on Saturday 2/26/11 after 12 in the afternoon.  My daughters will draw the name.  The winner will be announced Saturday evening.

Full Disclosure:  Red Pack provided me with a tomato kit for review and will provide one of my readers with a kit as well.  I have paid nothing for these products.

Dutch Oven Bread and a giveaway

Dutch oven bread sounds really intriguing doesn't it? To make it in a Dutch oven is a pretty neat idea. Jim Lahey is the one who really popularized this bread and it sent off many interpretations. I love how ideas roll like that down the slope, picking up momentum as they roll. A brainstorming continuum. Love it. Imagine what we could do if we all put our creative minds together for the greater good of all.

I know, I know, it's about bread but like my gardening I can't help but draw larger conclusions or think about it as analogy. Its just how my mind works. Like when I pick out weeds in my garden to make it beautiful. How I can pick out "weedy" thoughts in my mind to make it more beautiful as well.

Dutch Oven Bread
I was inspired by this post here.

1/3 cup olive oil
1 cup cool water
1 tablespoon kosher salt
3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon yeast

Measure one cup of flour out in a bowl sitr in salt and yeast, mix. Add in the wet ingredients and stir rapidly. Add the remainder of the flour and stir until its completely mixed. I used my hands mixing it right in the bowl. Place finished dough in a oiled bowl and cover. Let rise for 15 to 24 hours.

Remove from bowl and shape it into a bal, pulling the sides downa nd to the bottom and pinch it in place. Put the seam side down on a sheet or peel with corn meal dusted on it. Let rise for about two hours.

Preheat oven to 475F with your dutch oven inside. Once the temperature has been reached remove your pot from the oven and carefully slide in your bread. Cover the dutch oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove lid and bake 20 to 30 minutes more. When it is a golden brown, remove from the oven. Take out of dutch oven at once and place on a rack to cool.

And now the giveaway...

I am happy to tell you the good news about my giveaway. The good people at CSN Stores offered this beautiful mini processor to one of my readers.

Here's is how it works.

You must reside in Canada or US, sorry guys.

Enter one comment below (duplicate entries will be deleted) telling me what your favorite bread is. Including a link or recipe is great but not necessary.

If you post about this giveaway on your blog, use the words:

Pull up one of your counterstools and head over to Lori's Lipsmacking Goodness to enter into a great giveaway!

Next, enter again, stating you have posted about the giveaway. If you post this on your blog you get to enter the contest twice.

Deadline for contest is Wednesday March 16th at midnight.

If the mini chopper is not your thing, I think we can get you something similar, within the price range.

Full Disclosure: CSN stores are providing this giveaway prize. I purchased nothing and will receive no money or prizes personally.

Soba Noodle with chopped veggies

Hello people! I am so happy. Why because the sun has been making a debut appearance around these parts and I am so happy to see it.

To celebrate the heat of the sun shining on us here in New York, I have made a salad of sorts.
Soba Noodles with chopped vegetables
This recipe is especially good when you have left over noodles around. It comes together quite quickly. This recipe serves two but you an easily beef it up a little to serve more.

6 ounces shredded cooked chicken
1 cup cucumber, sliced thin
1/2 cup radishes, julienned
1/2 cup scallions, sliced
1/4 cup mint
1/4 cup cilantro
4 cups baby spinach
Dressing:
1/2 teaspoon red chili paste (or more depending on you desire for heat)
4 tablespoons tahini paste
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
¼ cup canola oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce
¼ cup peanut butter, creamy
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons Hoison sauce
¼ teaspoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon ginger, grated

If you are cooking your chicken for this dish, poaching works the best. In a frying pan place about 2 cups of water. You want the water to just cover the chicken. Bring the water to a boil and add in your chicken. Cover adn let cook until the chicken reaches 165F. You can test for doneness by pressing on the chicken with a fork. If it feels solid, its done. If there is a little give to the chicken, cook a bit more.

While the chicken is cooking cook your pasta.

To make the dressing, whisk the tahini with the soy sauce, and vinegar. Make sure the mixture is smooth. Add in the peanut butter. Then the remainder of ingredients.

Place spinach over bottom of plate or bowl, lay down about a cup of soba noodles, place about a tablespoon of dressing on the noodles. Place remainder of veggies, mint and cilantro over top and put a bit mroe dressing on.

More exciting news!
Stay tuned for a giveaway here on Lori's Lipsmacking Goodness,
I will give you a hint it includes...

Pots and pans
Knifes and tools
baking items and
even counter stools.

(Pretty clever, aren't I?) I just crack myself up.

NEWS AND A GIVEAWAY

365 days after starting my blog, I am so excited to offer a gift for one of my readers. Thank you to all of you who read my blog, especially for the ones who leave comments. Your comments make me smile!

Okay, so much to say today. First, the giveaway. I figured since I am going light (in more ways than one), I ought to give away something light. I bought two of these today, one for me, one for you. I have to say that I have been a big fan of Cooking Light since the late 90's. There are always great recipes inside. Not to mention they have some workout ideas as well. This giveaway does come with a price... ok, all you have to do is tell me about your favorite, savory, light recipe in the comment section. It could be a link, a reference or a description.

And in other news, after 7 hours of cardio and 2 hours of strength, I am happy to report that I got rid of 7 pounds, wah hooooooooo! Thank you for all your support in regards to my weight as well. It will be a long journey but this was ONE BIG step!

UPDATE: Yup, I forgot the date for the announcement of the winner. You have until Saturday at midnight to leave one comment. I will announce the winner Sunday.