Got Any Favorite Special or "Ethnic" Recipes?

[HeatherC]

Just responded to the other thread about feeding a lot of people. With the holidays coming, was wondering if anyone has some different ideas beyond pulled pork, baked ziti, etc.? They are still great though.

I was thinking more along the lines of some special "ethnic" or family recipes you love? If they feed a bunch and are budget, that is even better. I need some new inspiration!
Any ideas are welcome!

 

[Gr8t Fan]

Here's a recipe for the dish that I'm asked to bring to all gatherings. This serves about 8-10 people, so you can adjust according to your needs:

Arroz con Gandules

Ingredients
2 cups parboiled rice (must be parboiled – Uncle Ben’s brand can usually be found everywhere)
2 cups water
3 envelopes of Sazon Goya (the stuff that makes everything orange)
1 can of gandules (entire can including liquid)
2.5 tbsp. sofrito (in the frozen food section – we buy Goya brand but there are many others)
1 lb. smoked sausage (or pork or ham, depending on what you want to use) chopped into bite size pieces
Olive oil for browning meat
Salt (if necessary)


1. Put uncooked rice into a bowl and cover with water. (It will absorb most, if not all of the water);
2. Brown sausage or whatever meat you’re using in olive oil (use a little more than you need because it helps to keep the rice kernels separate during cooking);
3. Add 2 cups water, sazon Goya, sofrito, gandules (including liquid) to meat and bring to a boil (taste and add additional salt if necessary ); and
4. Add rice, bring to a boil again and lower flame to low/med, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

 

[cjlvsccm]

Just responded to the other thread about feeding a lot of people. With the holidays coming, was wondering if anyone has some different ideas beyond pulled pork, baked ziti, etc.? They are still great though.

I was thinking more along the lines of some special "ethnic" or family recipes you love? If they feed a bunch and are budget, that is even better. I need some new inspiration!
Any ideas are welcome!

It doesn't have to be Mardi Gras to enjoy this one:
Colleen's Slow Cooker Jambalaya

Ingredients
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 inch cubes
1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chicken broth
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried parsley
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 pound frozen cooked shrimp without tails

Directions
1. In a slow cooker, mix the chicken, sausage, tomatoes with juice, onion, green bell pepper, celery, and broth. Season with oregano, parsley, Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, and thyme.
2. Cover, and cook 7 to 8 hours on Low, or 3 to 4 hours on High. Stir in the shrimp during the last 30 minutes of cook time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Serve over cooked rice (I use whole grain brown rice, and no one notices a difference from white rice when it's stirred together). It's easily customized to your own tastes. I made some adjustments based on other recipes and several comments. Add the leafy tops of 2-3 celery ribs for cooking (but remove those before serving). I think I increase the thyme a little bit. And I make my own custom Cajun Seasoning based on another AllRecipes entry. If you can't get andouille sausage, plain smoked sausage will do in a pinch (and if the budget demands! ). And sometimes we go without shrimp (same reason ).

This is very flavorful, without being too spicy. But keep the hot sauce on the table for those who might like a little extra kick. We enjoy this in rotation with chicken stew and veggie soup throughout the cool months.

 

[mjantz]

For Christmas Eve we do a pizza fondue & a chocolate fondue for dessert. The pizza recipe is on the 365 Days of Crockpotting website. The chocolate one is a SF one I found online & I wasn't terribly happy with it so I'm still looking.

 

[MichelleinMaine]

I was just going to suggest a jambalaya, but see I was beaten to the punch. ( like the idea of slow cook-ering it, going to try that!)

FYI we get chicken andouille at Trader Joes. It's not nearly as greasy as regular. I slice it and then quarter each slice to stretch it out through the whole pot.

 

[ENSOCK]

We do pasta jamabalya. It feeds a crowd. You can google it for the recipe. I like the website cooking louisiana . com for good Louisiana recipes.

 

[buzz5985]

Here is a recipe from Cooking Light for a Guinness Stew - enjoy it for St. Patrick's Day dinner. This is a GREAT recipe!!!! I used Guinness Ale instead of the Stout.

http://http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/beef-guinness-stew-10000001963989/

Janis

 

[buzz5985]

I was just going to suggest a jambalaya, but see I was beaten to the punch. ( like the idea of slow cook-ering it, going to try that!)

FYI we get chicken andouille at Trader Joes. It's not nearly as greasy as regular. I slice it and then quarter each slice to stretch it out through the whole pot.

That's great to know!!! I will have to check that out at Trader Joe's. I make a jambalaya with our leftover turkey at Thanksgiving. Not as good as the real thing - but a great way to get rid of that turkey!!!

http://http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/turkey-jambalaya-10000000237722/

Janis

 

[HeatherC]

Thanks for the ideas! These sound great. Will be trying the Jambalaya and Guiness Stew soon.

Will also have to check out the Pasta Jambalay.

Thanks!

 

[goodfood4ursoul]

Just responded to the other thread about feeding a lot of people. With the holidays coming, was wondering if anyone has some different ideas beyond pulled pork, baked ziti, etc.? They are still great though.

I was thinking more along the lines of some special "ethnic" or family recipes you love? If they feed a bunch and are budget, that is even better. I need some new inspiration!
Any ideas are welcome!

Disclaimer: the following is not your typical ethnic meal... just happens to be the holiday meal of my family's ethnicity

Around the holidays for a special celebratory dinner with a lot of family,
I like to go back to my roots and make a slightly Americanized Norwegian meal-
Roast pork loin is the traditional Norwegian Christmas meat for many but I don't have all day to spend in the kitchen so my recipe is quick and pretty simple.

We start a special holiday meal with some good cheese (any really good cheese will do, but we like Norwegian Ridder and Gjetost when we can get it) with grapes, apple slices and crackers.
We also add pickled herring but you may not want to "go there" ...

For dinner the star is the cranberry glazed pork loin roast (really easy and off the hook delicious-
I start looking for pork loins on sale in early Fall and freeze one- one loin can feed 20 people as long as you have plenty of sides to complement),
with mashed potatoes served with the cranberry gravy, cabbage, lefse (pronounced lef-seh)
(Norwegian potato flat bread -which you may have tasted in the Norwegian pavilion at Epcot-that can be ordered from Norsland lefse http://www.norslandlefse.com/ because it would be hard and time consuming for a newbie to make)
and a dish of sweet, cinnamon-y, pickled beets (they just taste like Christmas ), crunchy bread and butter pickles, and maybe a three bean salad or other raw vegetables.

Quick Savory Cranberry Glazed Pork Loin Roast:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/quick-... roast&e8=Quick Search&event10=1&e7=Home Page

Norwegian Christmas cabbage:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/norweg...n recipes&e8=Quick Search&event10=1&e7=Recipe

We usually finish with dessert later in the living room-
coffee and Christmas cookies, and pretty much the same creamy white rice pudding with red sauce (riskrem) dessert served at Akershus.
http://www.daughtersofnorway.org/recipes/ris-krm.html

 

[disney_me]

We like to do chili in the crockpot. I make a chili fixing bar with corn chips, cheese, sour cream, green onions and Goya yellow rice. Just grab a bowl and help yourself. Cornbread muffins also go good with this meal!

 

[SamSam]

This is an African (Americanized) dish that we actually first experienced in Disney World at the Food and Wine Festival. The Chef was from South Africa and demonstrated this dish. I have 4 grandkids from Ethiopia that really enjoyed this dish, DH and I love it too.

Chakalaka with Mieliebrood
(Veg. Stew with Cornbread)

Chakalaka
¼ cup olive oil
½ cup thinly sliced carrots
½ cup shredded white cabbage
¼ cup thinly sliced onion
¼ cup diced tomatoes
1 tsp. diced jalapeno pepper
¼ cup cauliflower florets
2 cups prepared vegetarian baked beans (Bush’s makes a good one)
½ tsp. ground cumin
¼ tsp ground coriander
Salt and pepper to taste
1. In a med. sized pot, heat the oil over med. heat. Add the carrots, cabbage, onions, tomatoes, jalapeno pepper, and cauliflower. Cook until vegetables start to wilt, about 10 minutes.
2. Add the beans and season with the cumin, coriander and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer the vegetables 15 minutes.
3. Serve at room temp. with fresh cornbread.

Cornbread
1 cup white cornmeal
1 cup cake flour
½ cup sugar
3 tsps. Baking powder
1 pinch salt
3 eggs
1 cup milk
3 TBLS. Cooking oil
½ cup cream style sweet corn

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Sift together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Beat eggs, milk and oil together until well combined and add to dry ingredients.
3. Stir in sweet corn.
4. Pour into a lightly greased baking pan. Bake 1 hour or until firm in the center.

 

[Southernmiss]

http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Cajun-Shrimp-And-Andouille-Alfredo-Sauce-Over-Pasta-Recipezaar

I love the above recipe--I use crawfish instead of shrimp and made it for our Christmas Eve party last year. I also made it a few years ago as a gift meal for DHs brother and sister and their families.

My brother brings red beans and rice to our Christmas Eve party.

Both of these stay hot in a crockpot or electric roaster pan.

 

[buckirj1]

I'm on a bean kick lately:

White beans and kale (with rosemary, raisins and pine nuts), alongside slowcooker tuscan-style beef and crusty Italian bread.

Another cultural take on beans and greens would be Hillbilly style: pinto or black eyed peas with mustard greens, ham and sweet potatoes. Cornbread, of course. Blackberries for dessert.

Southern style: Brunswick Stew with Cornmeal Dumplings. Peaches for dessert.

Cajun red beans and rice. Bread Pudding for dessert.

Caribbean black beans and rice. Pineapple for dessert, or mixed in with the rest.

 

[HeatherC]

These sound awesome! Can't wait to try.

Thanks!

 

[CBoysMomLovesDisney]

Anyone have some good german receipes. We are hosting an Octoberfest Party in a few weeks. I know we are making Brats, would like somthing to go with it.

 

[java]

Anyone have some good german receipes. We are hosting an Octoberfest Party in a few weeks. I know we are making Brats, would like somthing to go with it.

I made this a couple weeks ago and it was YUMMY! I used regular breadcrumbs not Panko since that's what I had on hand. The lemon is key as is the nutmeg! If you don't want to make the schnitzel- the spaetzle would be a good go with the brats. It's time consuming though.

http://chadchandler.com/wiener-schnitzel-with-spaetzle/

 

[CBoysMomLovesDisney]

I made this a couple weeks ago and it was YUMMY! I used regular breadcrumbs not Panko since that's what I had on hand. The lemon is key as is the nutmeg! If you don't want to make the schnitzel- the spaetzle would be a good go with the brats. It's time consuming though.

http://chadchandler.com/wiener-schnitzel-with-spaetzle/

Thanks, I think we will try the schnitzel. Doesn't look to hard.