"Thai" pot roast with "Turkish" rice

Okay, this is a strange mix born of the need to empty the spice cupboard.

For the pot roast:
3 Tbsp coriander seeds
10 kaffir lime leaves
1 Tbsp galangal root, ground
1.5 tsp onion powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp sugar
2 Tbsp garlic salt

sprinkle a 4-6 pound chuck roast with garlic salt.  Grind the lime leaves and coriander using a coffee grinder.  mix with other spices, and rub onto roast.  Allow to rest while you heat a dutch oven over medium low heat.  Add 2 Tbsp oil to the hot dutch oven, and lightly brown the roast.  Add about 3 cups of water, bring to a simmer and cover,  cooking for about 90 minutes.  Remove roast from dutch oven, slice, and add corn starch slurry to achieve desired thickness of gravy.  This recipe was inspired by the flavors of tom kha gai, one of our favorite Thai soups.


For the rice:
1 medium onion, diced
3 carrots, cut into matchsticks
2 Tbsp butter
4 cups rice
6 cups water
2 Tbsp dried safflower petals
1 tsp salt

In a large saucepan, saute the onion in the butter until it is translucent.  Add the rice, and cook for about 5 minutes.  Add the carrots, water, salt and safflower, and bring to a boil.  cover and reduce heat, cooking for 20 minutes, or until water is absorbed.  Traditionally, this dish is served with garlicky yogurt.

Peanut butter chocolate chip cookies

We hadn't ever made cookies with whole wheat flour before.  I recommend  it highly.  Better for you, and somehow, it kept the cookies chewy longer.

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup brown sugar
1.5 cups peanut butter
2 eggs
2 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
8oz chocolate chunks

mix sugar with wet ingredients, add flour and mix to a consistancy similar to clay.  Allow to rest (we waited 3 hrs) before baking at 350 for 12 minutes.

mushroom marinade

Concentrated Orange Juice
Whole grain mustard
minced onion
cider viegar
sherry vinegar
parsley
honey
salt
tangerine
zest of tangerine