Searching4Zen

Welcome to Searching4Zen, a recipe sharing and blog discussing adventures in Food & Wine, Travel and Cycling. We hope you will register with us and share your comments.

  • Three Cheese Bread with Kalamata Olives

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    Olives and cheese are a great pair for snacking, and they work just as well together in this bread. It’s great on its own in a breadbasket, and it makes a wonderful sandwich bread. I like to use this bread for croutons, whether on salads or just for snacking, or for crostini. Since the cheese […]

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  • Orange Peel Beef

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    Ingredients 2 pieces of orange peel thinly sliced Marinade 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon cornstarch ¾ pound flank steak, thinly sliced Sauce 1/3 cup orange juice 2 tablespoons rice wine or dry sherry 1 tablespoons soy sauce 2 teaspoons sugar 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch ½ teaspoons chili-garlic sauce To Finish 2 tablespoons plus oil […]

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  • One Work-Bowl Salad

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    Ingredients 1 shallot, peeled ½ cup parsley 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar ½ cup oil 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 4-5 mushrooms 2 medium tomatoes 1 bunch romaine Instructions Drop the shallot through the feed tube with the machine running. Add the parsley and pulse to mince. Add the oil, vinegar and Dijon. Remove the metal […]

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  • Olives Tart

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    Ingredients 1 recipe pizza dough, raised and rested 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons butter 1 Spanish onion, thinly sliced 3 tablespoons chopped mixed herbs such as rosemary, oregano, thyme 2 tablespoons olive oil ½ cup black olive tapenade 2/3 cup assorted black and green olives chopped 2/3 cup goat cheese, crumbled 6 to 8 anchovy […]

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  • Pizzadilla (Quesadilla Pizza)

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    This is what happens when a pizza and a quesadilla meet down in the van by the river for a little late night action: Cheesy, greasy, crisp-edged glory. Why this recipe works: Constructing a quesadilla in a cast iron skillet that just barely fits it helps create an extra-crisp bottom crust. Cheese spread out to […]

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  • Olive-Mint Pesto Meat Sauce

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    Ingredients 2 tablespoons mint leaves 2 tablespoons capers drained 2 large garlic cloves ½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest ¼ cup olive oil 1 cup pitted mixed olives such as Calamata and Cerignola 1 cup bread crumbs 1/3 cup whole milk 1 egg 1 scallion thinly sliced 1 ½ pounds ground beef or turkey 1 […]

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  • Oatmeal Cake or Cupcakes

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    Ingredients 1 ¼ cup water 1 cup quick cooking oats ½ cup butter 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 eggs 1 ½ cup flour 1 teaspoons baking soda ½ teaspoon salt ¾ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon nutmeg Topping ¼ cup butter ½ cup brown sugar 3 tablespoons cream 1/3 cup […]

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  • Oat Wheat Bread

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    Ingredients 4 to 5 cups bread flour 2 teaspoons salt 2 packages dry yeast 1 cup water ½ cup honey ¼ cup butter 1 cup cottage cheese 2 eggs 1 cup whole wheat flour ½ cup oats 1 cup chopped walnuts Instructions Generously grease 2 9 by 5 loaf pans and set aside. In a […]

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  • My Kind of Chocolate Birthday Cake

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    “All my favorite things are about chocolate.” says Elizabeth. Thin layers of flourless chocolate cake and an intensely chocolaty mousse are paired with crunchy hazelnuts and hints of orange in this truly decadent dessert. Try it with a scoop of coffee-chocolate chip ice cream alongside. For best results, use a premium bittersweet chocolate with a […]

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  • Moroccan Chickpea Soup

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    Ingredients 1 large onion 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Pinch of cayenne pepper 1 small eggplant, cut into ¼ inch dice Salt and pepper 2 carrots, peeled and ¼ inch rounds 2 to 3 cups chickens broth or vegetable broth 1 cup tomato puree 1 can chickpeas, drained […]

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