Asian Salad Dressing

What you need:

• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sesame seed oil
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 Tablespoon sugar

What you do:
Whisk together all ingredients.  Makes about 2/3 cup dressing.

Chickpea Curry

What you need:

• 2 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 red onion, roughly chopped
• 1 can of garbanzo beans, drained
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 small potato, peeled and diced
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 small can of tomato sauce

What you do:
 
Heat the oil in a deep skillet over medium heat.  Saute onions until browned.  While the onions are cooking, measure out the spices into a small bowl and set aside.  Add in garlic, ginger, spices, tomatoes, beans and potatoes.  Stir for 1 minute.  Pour sauce into mixture and when it comes to a bubble, turn it down to low and let simmer until potatoes are soft and sauce has reduced by half.  Serve over basmati rice.

Potatoes Au Gratin

What you need:

• 3-4 yellow potatoes, thinly sliced
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1 1/2 cup milk, or half and half if you want it creamier
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

What you do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter a casserole dish.  I used an 8 inch round deep dish but you could use a 9x9 square as well.
Melt butter over medium to med-high heat.  Whisk in flour and let bubble for about 1 minute.  Pour in milk or cream slowly, a little at a time, whisking to avoid lumps until all is added.  Continue to heat until bubbly.  Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup of cheese.
Place a layer of potato slices on the bottom, sprinkle with salt and pepper and pour 1/3 of the sauce over.  Repeat 2 more times.  Bake for about 25 minutes (or until potatoes are almost tender).  If top is browning then place foil over the top.  Remove foil and sprinkle remaining cheese on top and bake another 10 minutes.