Rainbow Blueberry Salmon

What do crushed pineapple, brown sugar, anaheim chilies, green onion, red grapefruit, limes,  blueberries and chili powder have in common?  They make an amazing salmon entree - so good,  in fact,  that it won an Oregon blueberry  recipe contest some years ago.    I  once served it  as part of a red, white and blue-themed menu for the 4th of July.    It's an incredibly unusual  & good-for-you entree.

1 cup  fresh blueberries
2   salmon filets, 6-8 oz. each
½ fresh ruby red grapefruit  ( I've also  used both  refrigerated sections, and canned section successfully, and find the canned much less expensive  but just as good in the finished product)
½ cup crushed pineapple  -packed in juice, not syrup
Fresh ground black pepper
½ teaspoon chili powder
1 small Anaheim chile  - these are not hot.   They're pointed, curved, lime green , available
        everywhere and they're important  to the  flavor
2 fresh limes
2 tablespoons butter
¾ cup brown sugar  - I use  Brown Sugar Twin or brown Splenda

Generously butter a glass baking dish and spread pineapple in the dish. Sprinkle liberally with fresh ground black pepper. Slice the chile into very thin rings and arrange over the pineapple. Squeeze the juice of two limes over the chile slices, then  slice the limes & place over  the chile, then lay the salmon fillets over the sliced chile  & lime. Peel and trim the grapefruit, and cut it into bite-size chunks and arrange those over the salmon.   Top with  blueberries, sprinkle with brown sugar, and season generously with chili powder. Bake at 425°  till top is bubbly and salmon is opaque.  Serve with all the fruit.. because the pineapple will be tinted slightly blue-ish purple - it's as colorful  a dish as it is flavorful.

Buttered Radishes with Sea Salt

Maybe radishes deserve a little more respect than just hanging out on a relish tray, even dolled up as roses.

Today's garden surveillance revealed radishes just about ready to pick. Understand, I grow them for my husband.  Ordinarily I would not be especially interested in this radish harvest, or any other,  since I don't  like radishes. Not white icicle, not red, not daikon.    Just don't like the peppery taste. Don't try to convert me, this is a lifelong decision.     Raw, at least.

But this summer I'm  enjoying them in a new --and entirely unexpected way I discovered over the winter....... cooked!

It's true that at first I just thought of cooked radishes as a different   way to serve them....to my husband.
He thought they were great.   But I wasn't the least bit tempted to try them even when he mused that they don't  really taste like radishes at all,  and I might  like them.      Nuh-uh.  No thanks,   Not tempted  a bit;  that's how much I dislike radishes. 

Yet, as I was cleaning up after dinner, to my own surprise  I tried a small piece  and  thought it was quite......interesting.....and   tasty.       And not  a bit radish-y.     So I ate all  the pieces that were left.  And enjoyed them.  Imagine that.

You'd be able to identify them of course, if I served them to you. They look like radishes!   But what about blindfolded? I'd say  there'd be no  chance  of guessing what you were eating.  I have no particular  veg to compare the taste to so I'll let you  decide  if their flavor is  totally unique, or whether they remind you of   another garden taste.     I think I'll  serve them to guests sometime as a  good conversation-piece side dish.    "Cooked radishes?  Really?!"

Ready to give it a shot? 

Quarter  or halve red radishes, depending on their size, and saute  5 minutes in a little butter - let them begin to brown a bit.......sprinkle with coarse salt   or   sea salt,  and munch  happily away!  

Really.

Fast Fabulous Korean Steak with Kimchi Fried Rice

                                                                                                                                     
A  great  diversion from ordinary grilled steak, these  popular  Korean street vendor beef strips
will earn rave reviews.  With the  rice, it has become one of our favorite meals,  exceptionally flavorful on all levels  ~~~  and slightly addictive. 

The  thin strips  cook  so  quickly on the grill that you can  feed a crowd  in a flash.  It's best cooked on charcoal  but  any really hot grill will work fine,  & as long as you don't have Korean guests, no one will be any wiser about the missing charcoal flavor.  This recipe  will serve   4-6  people, who will  be  snacking on any  leftover strips  long after dinner's over.  Make a big batch, they're terrific  later in  sandwiches  or on salads.   It does need 90 minutes of marinating time in total.

Cut about  2  lbs flank steak in 1/4 inch  across-the-grain slices.....cut on a slant so they are wider than the piece of beef is high... combine in a large  shallow bowl with  1/4 c sugar. This is not a time to use splenda or  other substitute, as the granular sugar  creates the char/ caramelization.   Toss and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. You could also use  flatiron steak.

Mix 3 green onions, cut in 2" slices & shredded,  2 TB minced fresh garlic,  1/4 c light soy sauce, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 3 TB sesame seeds, 1/8 c peanut ( or canola) oil......peanut is more authentic.     Turn the pieces to coat evenly and let marinate 30-60 minutes.   Do not marinate for long periods ( like all afternoon or overnight).

Grill strips about 5  inches from the heat source. Be sure the grill is very hot.  Take care to not let the steak strips slip off into the coals.  Pile on heaping platters, sprinkle with more toasted sesame seeds, and wait for the ooh's and ahh's of delight!  Best cooked  til  almost charred,  so the sugar caramelizes.


And the perfect accompaniment?  I  found  this rice recipe in  Food Network Magazine in a  feature about......Korean steak..  I like  my steak recipe much more ...but ooh, their  fried rice....excellent!!       Kimchi is a delicious   pickled Korean cabbage salad, found in jars in the refrigerator/produce section of many grocery stores, such as Meijer and Kroger.  I can't always   find   nori  locally, although Kroger has been consistently stocked recently... but  for that reason,  consider it an optional ingredient.  Get the steak ready to cook,  but  get a good head  start on  the fried rice first ----  it  should be nearly ready before you put on the steak. 

Cut 6-8 slices thick bacon in 1/2 inch pieces,   Toast 3 TB  sesame seeds.   Cut nori sheets in  thin 1/2" strips.  Heat an iron skillet to medium high, then add bacon, stir fry til almost done, 6-8 min.  Drain the kimchi, but keep the liquid.  Raise heat to high,  stir fry the kimchi til browned, about 8 minutes, then  add  4  1/2 - 5 c. cold cooked white rice ( chilled),    the reserved kimchi liquid,  all the oil, and half the nori.  Continue to cook, turning and flattening with a spatula til it forms a golden crust, about 8 minutes.   Sprinkle with a few sesame seeds and the remaining nori.

If you need another veg for this meal, throw some  mild frying peppers ( such as Anaheim or Poblano ) on the grill with  wedges of onion, and grill  them along with the meat.

Blueberry Spinach Salad

I'm on a blueberry kick this summer and we're enjoying this salad often.   It's  a bit sweet  with a tangy kick from the combination of berries,  pears and blue cheese.  Walnuts add  a delicious  crunch.

Make a vinaigrette dressing of 1/2 c extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 c. raspberry  or balsamic vinegar,  1 TB dijon mustard, 1 tsp honey,  s & p to taste.. Just whisk til well blended.

Salad:   1 ripe Anjou pear, peeled &  cubed, 16 oz baby spinach, no stems,   2 oz ( 1/2 c ) blue, feta,  or gorgonzola cheese crumbled,   4 oz chopped walnuts, 1 pint fresh blueberries.

For the salad, assemble the ingredients except for the berries and cheese 
Toss and add half the dressing,  toss to coat.
 Add blueberries and cheese, and drizzle the rest of the dressing over, toss again. 

Enjoy with anytihing!  It's  especially good  with  grilled  lamb or fish,   or add cold grilled chicken strips or salmon  for a cool  entree salad.

Pan-Seared Ponzu Scallops ~ and delicious sides

One of  the  shrimp-flipping , volcano-lighting  hibachi chefs at our favorite Japanese steakhouse/sushi bar tipped me off to the fabulous sauce he was squirting liberally on  all the dishes  they  prepare   on the sizzling hot  tables --- the rice, the veggies, the seafood &  steak --- revealing that  it  is  mostly soy sauce with lime juice and butter...

Aha!  Ponzu, more or less!  And  it's on your grocer's sauce shelf - yay!  I made my own for the restaurant because it's more economical  ---  you can make your own ponzu with fish sauce, mirin,  lemon and a few other ingredients.   But  for two of us,  I'm happy with  Kikkoman's brand Ponzu.     It's  made with lemon or lime,  and I often add a dash of (key) lime juice for an extra hit at the very end.    This is a  wonderfully fast and simple way to enjoy plump, sweet scallops.     The suggested  side dishes  make a  savory, and fresh tastng  combination  of low fat, low calorie, low carb foods..


Ponzu Scallops:  Rinse first,  then   pat dry about 12-16 good- size sea scallops,  and let them sit on a paper towel briefly to be sure they're  very dry.  Next ( this is optional but I like to be   sure there's a crisp sear) - dust  the tops and bottoms VERY lightly with cornstarch.  Very  lightly!   Heat  about 3 TB olive oil in a heavy skillet, and when the oil is shimmering, add the scallops, placing carefully so there is no opportunity to touch each other while cooking.  Cook at medium-high heat about 3 minutes per side - depending on size - and then remove from the pan.   Add about  8 TB  ponzu  ( I guesstimate about 1/2 TB per scallop) to the pan and deglaze.....scrape the bottom to loosen the crispy bits.  Let the ponzu bubble and reduce  to slightly thicken, about 2-3 minutes.  Add about   2-3 TB minced  fresh ginger  to the sauce, stir well.  Put the scallops back in the pan and stir  carefully to coat with sauce.  Add 3 TB chopped chives, & serve immediately to 2 or 3  scallop lovers.


We like  this served with  spaghetti squash ( cut in half, scoop out seeds, cover ends with Saran wrap, nuke for 10-20 minutes depending on size, scoop out the 'spaghetti' strands with a fork, toss with butter & lime  and/or a squirt of ponzu!) . and a slightly sweet-crisp  cucumber salad that tastes a lot like  bread and butter pickles  the older it gets. 

Cuke Salad:    In a large bowl, slice 3 large cucumbers  thinly,  unpeeled, Add one medium onion, thinly  sliced, and one green pepper, thinly sliced.  Add 1 TB celery seed, 1 TB salt, 1/2 TB pepper,  1 c Splenda or sugar dissolved in 3/4 c. cider vinegar.  Stir together, cover with plastic, and refrigerate at least 6 hours.

Will keep well for  2 weeks.

20-Minute Greek Gyro Dip with Pita Chips

 A  Mediterreanean version of the ubiquitous layered Mexican dip, this goes together quickly and is

uniquely delicious.   Use ground  beef if you must; but  lamb is authentic and does not have a "lamb-y" taste, no matter what  you've always heard.  ( what  is a lamb-y  taste anyway ?)

This is a  recipe  from  Food Network magazine and  their photo as well.  I find it curious, however, that they direct us to  assemble  the dip on a shallow dish,  but they photographed  it in a very deep dish, which would make dipping  totally impossible.   So take the photo with a grain of (sea) salt and enjoy this dip in a  low, shallow saucer or dish.   It's   wonderful.


1 14-ounce package pita bread
Olive oil cooking spray  or butter flavored Pam
4 teaspoons Greek seasoning,  (total)
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1 pound ground lamb or ground beef
1 teaspoon garlic salt
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1 16-ounce container prepared hummus , any flavor
1 1/2 cups tzatziki (gyro sauce) - purchased, or use  recipe below
1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
2 medium roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 diced red onion
1/2 cup kalamata olives, chopped
1 4-ounce container crumbled feta cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 1 or 2 baking sheets with foil. Cut the pita rounds into eighths. Split each piece in two and place on the prepared baking sheet(s), with the inside of the bread facing up. Spray with the olive oil cooking spray and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of the Greek seasoning. Bake 7 to 10 minutes, or until golden.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, brown the ground lamb with the garlic salt and the remaining 2 teaspoons Greek seasoning. Drain and set aside. In a shallow 1 1/2-quart dish, spread the hummus on the bottom. Top with a layer of ground lamb, then the tzatziki. Layer with the lettuce, tomatoes, onion, olives and feta. Serve the dip at room temperature with pita chips.

 1 1/2 cups Tzatziki:      12 oz plain  yogurt, 1 1/2 c peeled, seeded,  diced cucumbers, 5 TB chopped red onion, 3 TB  chopped fresh mint leaves - don't skip them!, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 3/4 tsp minced garlic.   To seed the cukes, slice lengthwise in quarters and just cut a V shape slice to remove  the seedy centers.    Combine everything  and chill.

To make the dish lower sodium,  buy a low sodium hummus or make your own.  Use  a low sodium pita, reduce  or skip  the olives & salt, garlic powder instead of garlic salt, and use  crumbled goat cheese in place of the feta. 

Shrimp and Chorizo Stew

Sausage and seafood in a   one-pot  dinner  in less than 30 minutes, delicious!  Potatoes are pretty much nonexistent  at our house,  so I replace them  with extra kale and shrimp, and the calorie and carb   count drop dramatically.    Be sure to buy Spanish chorizo, not Mexican ~  they are very different in both taste and texture. And don't use bulk  chorizo.

Heat  1/4 c  EV  olive oil  in a Dutch oven- size -pan over medium heat. Add 1 large  diced Spanish onion, 4 cloves  peeled & smashed garlic, & cook til golden, about 15 minutes.  Add 4 oz  sliced Spanish chorizo, casings removed.  2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp kosher salt.  Cook til the oil turns deep red, about 2 minutes.  Add  1 c.  roughly chopped canned whole plum tomatoes, ( reserve the juice) 2 bay leaves, 1/4 tsp each thyme and oregano.  Cook 1 minute.

Add 1 lb russet potatoes, peeled, in 1" chunks, 2 c. water, the reserved tomato juice and 1 tsp kosher salt. Bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover & simmer til potatoes are almost tender, about 15 minutes.  Add  1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves roughly chopped.  Cook about 10 minutes, til both the potatoes and kale are tender. Stir in 1 lb medium  raw shrimp, peeled and deveined..Simmer just til they curl and turn pink, about 4 minutes,  Discard the bay leaves before serving.   Great with crusty bread for mopping up the broth.

'Flat Fudge' Wondrous Dark Chocolate Cookies

The 'fudge factor' of these cookies is very  high - there's a thin layer of  moist chewy fudge  hiding inside that  thin, glossy, crackled  top layer.  And what, exactly, is  the wonder?  So many things ~  no flour, no gluten,  hardly a bit of  fat, one bowl, one step ~ and  so fast that they're  ready to go in the oven by the time it finishes  preheating. There's no  point  waiting to see if your chocolate-deprivation crisis passes.  Get moving  quickly when the urge strikes, so there's no turning back.

  An easy way to toast the nuts is to put them in the oven on a baking sheet as   you preheat the oven..... at ten minutes, they're toasted.   Remove them from the pan to cool before  adding them, and if you are going to use that pan for  your cookies, let it cool completely. 
Preheat the oven to 300.   In a medium bowl,
 mix 1 3/4 c. powdered sugar, ( purchase faux powdered sugar if you'd rather skip sugar completely),  1/2 c. Dutch process cocoa powder, ( I use Hersheys Special Dark Chocolate Cocoa, which  is what's usually  on  hand.  Use better-than-ordinary cocoa)  2 tsp cornstarch, 1/4 tsp salt.   Gradually mix in 2 egg whites and 1 egg, then 1 c  toasted chopped pecans or walnuts.  Egg Beaters- ype  liquid egg whites work too, especially if you make multiple batches of these cookies -- no  extra yolks  to deal with. Remember,  recipes are  written based on LARGE eggs, to standardize the amount. Using other sizes may change results, particularly  in baking.

Stir until it's well mixed and no  white sugar is visible.    If it's too loose ( egg white volumes will vary) add a tiny bit more sugar  and cocoa, but don't exceed  3 or 4 TB.   Expect that the  'dough' will be  way more fluid than  normal - more the consistency of thin  frosting..    Using about  one big TB each,   just plop them down - about 15 all together -    on parchment paper,  and sort of round them off as they come off the spoon.  Se sure to use  a parchment-lined  baking sheet. They're  very moist and fudgy, and after they cool  you'll not be able to  peel them off a pan!     Bake 16-19 minutes, until the cookies are shiny and crackled.

  If they are not fudgy/chewy,  you've overbaked.  When done,  remove pan from the oven and just slide the whole sheet of parchment off the hot pan and onto a counter.  Cool completely --- they will firm  up a bit as they cool.   Don't even try to peel the cookies from the paper  until  cool !  Then pull the paper away from the cookies, instead of the reverse.

  Sadly, although  it's almost fat free,  this is  an almost  pure-carb cookie,  16 carbs   each,  unless you use the powdered-sugar substitute, which is available everywhere these days.  Make them on  a day when your chocolate craving  overrides your conscience.

Farmhouse Oatmeal Raisin Pancakes

Light-as-air?  No, they are  thick and heavy and  lovely, like a warm cloak of  comfort for your belly.  And because they're made with old fashoned oats, not heaps of white flour, they're  healthier, as well as  incredibly  delicious. Simple to convert to low-sodium too *   This is a plan-ahead  item  since the oats need to  languish overnight in the buttermilk.   Freeze any leftovers  with plastic wrap or parchment  between them, to nuke and  enjoy  again  as breakfast or warmed & topped  with a sprinkle of granulated sugar for a yummy snack. A scoop of peach ice cream  often appeared on pancakes on our family birthday mornings when the kids were here.


The night before:  mix 2 c old fashioned oats with 2 c. buttermilk in a large bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.  When ready to cook, beat in 2 large eggs and 1/4 c. melted, cooled  butter.  Stir in 3/4 c raisins.  In another bowl mix 1/2 c flour, 2 TB sugar or substitute, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp  baking soda, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp salt.     Add to the wet mixture and  stir briskly, just until moistened.  If practical, let this sit for 20 minutes before cooking.

Heat a lightly greased pan over medium heat. Don't get it too hot, because  these take longer to cook due to the dense ingredients Make a test cake with 1/4 c batter, and if  the batter seems too thick  add some more buttermilk, a TB at a time, until the consistency seems right.... not to exceed adding 3 or 4 TB --  this is supposed  to be a very thick batter, it will not 'pour'.   Cook pancakes until bubbles appear, turn  to brown. You'll probably turn a few times to make sure the interior gets cooked.   They are quite dense and take a little longer than ordinary thickness  pancakes. The centers should still be moist when cooked,  through. If they start to burn before they're ready, your pan is too hot.

Serve with  the syrup of your choice ~  cinnamon syrup is perfect for  these.    Makes about 18 small pancakes or 9  large.

*  For those watching sodium, make 'buttermilk' with the lowest  sodium milk you have, or any no-sodium coffee creamer. Put it in a cup and add 1 TB vinegar for each cup of 'milk'.  Don't stir, let sit for 5  minutes and presto: 'buttermilk'.    Use no-sodium baking powder & soda and use  unsalted butter. Use the salt or not, it goes a long way.

Blueberry Cobbler French Toast

 Say  'good morning' with this  easy, warm  casserole of bubbly blueberries crowning thick,  puffy golden french toast,  and have a little more than you might otherwise, since  it might be , depending on which ingredients you choose,   pretty  healthy  too.   It's best  when soaked overnight but in a pinch you can get by with  a 2-hour head start in the morning.

Use  an 8-oz loaf of French or whole grain french-type bread, sliced diagonally into 10-14  3/4" thick slices  placed on a rimmed baking sheet.  In a medium bowl, whisk  together 4 eggs (use Egg Beaters if you choose), 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1/2 c milk, 1 tsp vanilla.  Slowly spoon/pour  over the bread slices, turn to coat them completely.  Cover with plastic wrap and  refrigerate overnight or let sit at room temp for a couple hours.

Preheat oven to 450.  Butter (or spray) a 9x13  baking pan and dump in 2 1/2c   fresh or still-frozen blueberries into it.  Sprinkle with 1/2 c. sugar or splenda, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp cornstarch.  Stir to coat the berries. Fit the bread slices in the dish,  wet side up.  Wedge/squish tightly,  (even so,  you may not always get them all in).   Brush the tops with 2 tsp melted butter, and bake in the center of the oven for 20-25 minutes..the time may vary depending on the thickness and density of the bread..When the berries are bubbling around the edge, remove  from the oven, let it sit for 5 minutes  before serving.   Just lift the slices onto plates and spoon the berries over.  Sprinkle with 10x sugar if you like.

If  it's a birthday breakfast, top with a little vanilla ice cream for a decadently  melting  start to the day, and leftovers served chilled  can be presented as a delicious blueberry bread pudding.

Amazing Rhubarb Custard Cake

  

This is one of those  desserts that  produce  "OMG's"  of surprised  pleasure at the first amazing bite.

I admit to green-eyed envy of those with prolific rhubarb patches that produce all summer long. Mine is  struggling along.  A friend gave me a big bag of 'barb the other night, along with a cake recipe that is incredibly smooth and rich and wonderful....not to mention simple.

   The sugar  and  cream soak thorough the cake and  along with the rhubarb, end up on the bottom, forming a  firm, silky vanilla custard  that's infused throughout.   Since   I'm not a 'warm' dessert person (exception: hot fudge  sundaes, of course) I thought it was  good when  it was  still a little warm..... but once chilled,  it's  exceptional.

Heat oven to 350, grease and flour a 9x13 pan.  Make a yellow cake mix as  directed,  using a  'pudding added' mix if available.  Pour batter into the pan.  Top with 4 c chopped rhubarb. ( use still-frozen if   fresh is out of season).   Over that, evenly  sprinkle 1 c. sugar, and then over that, evenly  pour 2 c. heavy ( whipping ) cream, unwhipped.    Bake for 50-60 minutes before cooling and then refrigerating   til nice and cold.   It's  sliceable and memorable.    Thanks, Dianna,  for sharing your 'barb and your recipe.

Bubbling Jack & Clams on Pumpernickel

So, what's always on hand when you feel the craving for a cheesy, seafood-y  garlic-butter-y appetizer?  At our house, that would be a can of clams, some jack cheese, and some  pumpernickel bread.  Cutting the ingredients in thirds yields a nice serving  for 3 or 4.

Now and then, like today, I use co-jack  and there've been times it was shredded Swiss. And while  there's almost always a partial loaf of cocktail rye or pumpernickel in the freezer, a nice medium-thick slice of  soft, chewy, fresh pumpernickel can't be beat.  Five minutes to mix it up and maybe five or less  under the broiler  equal  almost-instant gratification.    Depending on the size of the bread base, this  may be finger food or fork food, and it's also  pretty broiled and served in individual ramekins with a knife and fork.

Combine 16 oz.  Monterey Jack cheese, shredded, 3 (6-1/2oz) cans chopped clams, drained, 2 Tbsp finely chopped parsley,  3 TB softened butter, 2 Tbsp chopped chives, 2 garlic cloves, minced, 1/4  tsp ground red pepper, 1/4  tsp  freshly ground black pepper

Spread on  8 slices pumpernickel bread for knife & fork eating or  about 30 slices cocktail  bread.    Broil until golden brown and bubbly. Garnish with parsley sprigs and lemon wedges. Enjoy  immediately.

Superb Pork and Onion Kabobs

An unusual combination of honey, curry, soy, and  chili sauce combine to make a memorable dish.  Make them  in the broiler, skewer-less, if you choose,  as I often do in the winter - after all, you're going to  pull them off anyway.   A skewer  just keeps everything neat and controllable on a grill. Either way, these are unusually  tasty, & fast.  Just  remember to start them  marinating in the morning or night before.

In a bowl, combine 1/2 c soy sauce, 1/4 c. honey ( sugar free works great), 1/4 c. chili sauce....slight pause here while  I mention that  I can tell your age if you're thinking I mean salsa, or hot sauce.  No, chili sauce was the predecessor to these items and is nothing like either one. It's more like a hopped-up ketchup.  You'll find it in the same  grocery  sauce section, in a bottle that probably  looks just like a seafood cocktail sauce bottle .  Back to the ingredients:  add   2 TB veg oil, 2 tsp. curry powder, 2 TB  finely chopped onion.   Mix well,   remove half of it and save  in the fridge for basting.

Add 2 lbs boneless  pork , cut in 1" cubes.  Cover and marinate 3 hours or overnight, refrigerated. This is a good use of that  pork loin  roast you bought on sale, cut up  and  froze  in  smaller hunks.  Otherwise, you can cut up  very thick  boneless pork chops.

When ready to cook, drain & discard that marinade  and thread the  pork on skewers , alternating  with 3 or 4 medium onions cut in  4-6 wedges each .   Grill over medium heat about 5 minutes.  Turn, baste often, and grill about 15 minutes more, until juices run clear.  Don't overcook.  I use sweet onions, or when using regular white onions, I  nuke the wedges for about 2 minutes before grilling them, so they are more tender and not so bite-y.

Turtle Pretzels and Minty Witch Cookies

Minty Witches   and   Turtle Pretzel Nuggets    

'Turtle anything'  is  a magnet for me, and these nuggets are delicious,  however......someone at RR magazine is  totally clueless when it comes to time management.    I'm not  at all sure these are worth the effort,  so  I'm likely to go back to plopping a caramel on a small pretzel ring or twist, nuking briefly, then dipping in chocolate and nuts.  Even easier,  put a Rolo on a small pretzel ring, nuke briefly to melt a bit, press a pecan half on top.    The taste is pretty  much the same and it frees up an hour or so for waxing the driveway or whatever you consider  more fun than  tediously rolling out caramels.

Being a good direction-taker, I started out following directions to roll the caramels flat with a rolling pin.  I used Kraft caramels, maybe Brachs would have been softer... or maybe I should have had  Wheaties for breakfast,  because  this  task was not as easy  as it sounded.   I soon started nuking a dozen or so at a time, for about 15 seconds, to soften them slightly, which resulted in being able to squish them flat with my fingers, no rolling involved.  (If you over-nuke they'll begin to lose their shape  and be too gooey to work with)  This made the process speed up acceptably, but still took a while.  I've left the  RR original directions intact here, in case  you happen to feel like punishing yourself or  keeping  kids busy for hours.  I also found that dropping them in the nuts resulted in too heavy  a nut coating, so I just sprinkled the nuts over the hot chocolate.

One 14-ounce bag (4 dozen) soft caramels   One 10-ounce bag pretzel nuggets,  12 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped , 2 cups natural almonds, toasted and finely chopped       Directions:  Unwrap the caramels, then, using a rolling pin, roll out each one into a 1/8-inch-thick oval. Wrap a caramel around each pretzel nugget, pinching the ends to seal. In a double boiler over simmering water, melt half the chocolate, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Add the remaining chocolate, remove the top of the double boiler from the saucepan and stir until smooth.

Place the almonds in a shallow bowl. Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Using a fork, dip a caramel-covered pretzel in the chocolate to coat, tapping off any excess chocolate. Transfer the pretzel to the almonds and toss to coat; place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pretzels. Let stand until set, about 3 hours. ( I refrigerated them to harden  the coating faster).
Yummy for sure,   but never again......    

Minty Witches
are a favorite I've been making at Christmas  for  about  forty years.   I am not  crazy about sandwich cookies,  hard cookies, or mint  for that matter, but these are an exception to all three.  Somewhat like Girl Scout Thin Mints  on speed, they're very chocolate-y  and the chocolate-covered  mint patty filling  makes them easy to assemble.  I buy the long thin boxes of the candies somewhere cheap like Dollar Tree.  They also carry small bags of  the same type mints ( like mini York's) in small bags.    There are generally about 20 per box, check the label for quantity.  Thiis time I happened to find orange-flavored mints covered in chocolate.

Combine 1/2 c  solid shortening, 1/2 c. sugar, and 1 egg, and beat til creamy. Blend in 6 oz mint-flavored chocolate chips, melted, and 1/4 c. white corn syrup.  Sift together  1 3/4 c  flour, 2 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp salt.  Stir into chocolate, mix well, and refrigerate  several hours or overnight. Just add about 1/4 tsp peppermint extract if you use plain chocolate chips.

Preheat oven to 350.  Roll into tiny  uniform-size balls, about the size of a maraschino cherry or a malted milk ball. It's important not to let them get too big, or the filling will get lost inside. We want them to  spread to be only the same size as the mints.    Roll them in granulated sugar,  and bake for 10-15 minutes.  Let stand on cookie sheets  a minute  before removing,  but do not let them cool....they harden quickly  Remove half of them to a rack,  turning upside down. Immediately  top with a peppermint and then the other cookie, right side up.  As the  mint begins to soften, gently push to squish the filling to the cookie size.  Cool.   The original recipe says it makes 48 but I never  get  more than 36.   They are  witchy-good!

Chopped Greek Salad

Greece still being  on my bucket list, I have no idea how authentic any Greek salad really is, actually.  Is it  like  pizza.....mostly an American version of some vaguely similar dish?    Whatever  the answer,  as for salads ,  there's nothing like a tangy Greek salad.     If you're in the market for a superb  traditional recipe, check  my   January '08  blog entry.   But lettuce  doesn't always hold over or travel well,  so I  often rely on this crisp, crunchy  alternative.  With nothing  delicate  to wilt,  and no  sour cream, yogurt  or mayonnaise to be concerned about,  there are  no  worries about  refrigeration  issues when taking this  version  anywhere. It was great tonight  served with  rack of lamb roasted with a little dijon and breadcrumb coating, and I love munching on it for a tasty low-fat, low-cal, low-carb lunch or snack.    

  Keep the veggies chopped in a uniform size, about nickel size, in order to get a taste of several veggies  in each bite. This will easily serve 8 hungry people, it  makes a substantial  bowlful.   I double it when taking to a party and it disappears  in a flash. 

Chop everything  &  toss together in a large bowl:

1 1/2 c. fresh broccoli ( no stems) , 1 1/2 c. fresh cauliflower ( no stems) , 1 medium cucumber with the  peel on,  1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved,  1/2 pepper  of each color: green, red, yellow;    1 large can  whole ripe pitted  olives, drained and cut in half; ( you can use Greek or Kalamata if you choose) ,  3 sliced green onions, green and white  parts,   8 oz Greek vinaigrette salad dressing, Kraft or any brand;   and 1 c. feta cheese.  Don't skimp on the feta !     It's ready to eat  or will keep  for several days,  keep  refrigerated.    After a day or two the dressing may congeal a  bit; just set it on the  counter  briefly, stir, and it will become clear again.

Watermelon-Raspberry Spinach Salad

I'm not sure why I  seldom make this pretty,  refreshing salad  in the colder months, except that the 'winter' watermelon that's available  (from where,  Patagonia ? ) just isn't very sweet.   Mid- March isn't  exactly summer here, but I bought  a container of cut-up melon today  anyway  so we could enjoy this  salad with the first outdoor-grilled pork chops of the year.

At home  we enjoy this as a side, but   I  made this into  a  popular entree salad at the  club's restaurant  by adding strips of cooked chicken breast. The pink shades were perfect  for several pin-themed  charity lunches supporting breast cancer research.   The salad is very low fat/low calorie and low carb too, if you use a fat free and/or low sugar dressing.   The  original recipe used   a homemade poppyseed dressing but I like it much better  with a  raspberry dressing. It adds to the visual appeal as well.   I'm partial to Ken's Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette  low-sugar version   or Panera's,  but there are several others too.

As for the recipe,  just  use baby spinach or  tear larger leaves in half.  Add cut up ripe watermelon, fresh red raspberries, halved green grapes, slivered  almonds, and whatever you decide to use for the dressing.

Pecan Pie Bagels

Where is it written that pecan pie is just for dessert?  After all, in colonial America, pie was specifically prepared as breakfast food, especially fruit pies.   But it's  tricky to juggle a slice of pecan pie in one hand and  a cup of coffee in the other, so why not make it easier, and a tad more breakfast-y by downsizing and loading it all  in  a bagel instead of pie crust?  

I made a big batch today for a spring gardening seminar, using mini bagels.  This was    more time consuming than usual, only because scooping  out a smaller space is best done a little more carefully.

They are wonderful still warm, but  just as good at room temperature, so  can be prepared ahead of time,  just cool first  and then carefully cover so they don't harden up while waiting or enroute to wherever they're headed.

This recipe makes 6 large bagel halves. Obviously,  adjust for larger quantities.

Preheat the oven to 375.    Split 3 cinnamon-raisin bagels in half and place on a foil covered baking sheet...don't skip the foil, unless you use wax paper or a Silpat.  You'll regret it when  stray brown sugar and syrup bake & burn onto your pans.  Using a small serrated grapefruit spoon or knife, or  your fingers,  carefully scoop out the insides of the bagel.  Leave  the outside  & bottom intact  and not paper-thin.  Tear or chop the crumbs in tiny pieces and set aside.    Beat 3 eggs, and then beat in 1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar, 1 cup light ( white)  corn syrup, 1/8 tsp salt, 1 tsp vanilla, and 1 TB butter or margarine, melted.

Fold in the reserved crumbs and 3/4 c. chopped pecans. If you're making mini bagels, chop them   finely to accomodate the smaller space.  Carefully spoon the filling into the bagel shells.  Top with pecan halves, if you wish.  Bake for 25 minutes or until firm in the center, and golden brown.

S'Mores ! Brownie Bars

We have only  real  s'mores once a year, as a satisfyingly gooey finale to a lobster bake on a  deserted Maine island.  While there's nothing to compare to making them over a  roaring beach  fire,   this is  an equally delicious way to enjoy  them  indoors with  less mess and more chew..

Many years ago my friend Becki brought the   recipe back from a family reunion.  By the time she shared it with me a week later, she confessed  she'd made it several times, and and I'd be embarassed to tell you how many times I made it that week, too.  The graham crackers bake right into the chocolate crust, and another layer of hardened chocolate rests under the marshmallows for a satisying bite of gooey goodness..


Heat oven to 325 F . Grease and flour a 9x13 pan. In a large bowl combine 1 devils food cake mix, 1/3 c . graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 c firmly packed brown sugar, 1/4 c softened- not melted -  margarine, 1/2 c water, 2 eggs.  no need to use a mixer.  Spread into the  pan and bake for 30-40 minutes, until a toothpick in center comes out cleanly.

Remove from the oven, turn oven to Broil, and immediately cover  the cake layer  with 2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips and 2 c miniature marshmallows. Broil about 8" from broiler until marshmallows are puffed and starting to turn golden. Remove from the oven and sprinkle a  few graham crumbs over them.  Cool completely. Once it's fairly cool you can hasten the progress and harden up the chocolate for easier cutting by popping the pan in the freezer or fridge.  Store  in the refrigerator until you cut and serve.   Chilling completely until that layer of chocolate is firm will make a world of difference when you cut them....it will be a sticky task unless it's hard, but when solid it will  slice easily. 

The bars don't need to be refrigerated,  I think they taste best cold.  Cut in small squares to serve.

...mmmmmm...I  believe I'll have s'more of those, please!

Roast Pork Egg Foo Yung

Crisp-fried egg patties, crammed  with soft onions and crunchy sprouts....mmmm.  I know there are more authentic and complex recipes, but I've happily thrown this one together for years and find it  not only acceptably passable  but delicious, and ready in 15 minutes.

 I can indulge myself  by  smotherimg  the patties  in gravy, substituting   an envelope of  dry  gravy mix   instead of making the gravy from scratch  with fat and flour.  Gravy.....at an   unbelievable  4 carbs per 1/4 cup..and almost no fat.....I now use no-sodium gravy mixes.  If you're not concerned with   carbs, serve  the patties with  steamed or  fried rice  or  lo mein noodles and /or a salad for a satisfying  quick supper. 

Feel free to change the meat to chicken, shrimp, or just  about anything,  but stick with pork or chicken  gravy.   If you can score some leftover Chinese-style roast pork  to use, all the better.

Prepare the gravy:  use a packet of  chicken or pork gravy mix and make  as directed,  using 3/4 c. broth or water, and adding  2 TB  soy sauce   as it thickens.  Have  the gravy  prepared and rice hot   before you fry the eggs.

In a big bowl beat 5 eggs well while 1/3 c. vegetable oil is heating in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  To the eggs, add 1/2 c. (cooled) diced  ham, roast pork, chicken or whatever,  1/2 c chopped onion ( not diced finely, just chopped up)  1/4 c. chopped green onion tops, 1/2 c. sliced or chopped water chestnuts , drained,   1 cup canned   bean sprouts, drained, 1/4 tsp salt.    When I use  ham I  like it a  bit crispy,  so I frizzle it briefly in a little hot oil and drain& cool briefly  before adding to the egg mixture.

Using a  1/4 c. measure, drop portions of the egg mix  into the hot oil and fry until golden and crispy on both sides, turning once. If your oil is hot enough it  will sputter and sizzle when poured in the pan.  Cook a minute or  two  on each side., just be sure the centers are firm.      Drain briefly  on paper towels.  Serve hot, with the gravy and extra soy sauce.   This will make about a dozen  4" patties and serve about 3-4  people. I usually make them twice that size.   If you  have a few  patties  left,   freeze or refrigerate.    Nuke them a few seconds to warm, then repurpose  as  a breakfast sandwich.

Apple Cider Pecan Pancakes with Cider Syrup

Crisp  blue autumn mornings inspire me to  make somethng special for breakfast,  forgetting about carbs  for a few  minutes  now and then.  Whether I  make the pancakes from scratch  or am in a hurry and/or  lazy and use whatever pancake mix I have on hand; the cider and other add-ins make them  delicious.   If you must,  top with  maple  syrup,   but  since you have the cider there  take a moment to make this tasty alternative.

Make almost   any pancake batter  as directed, with the amount  of oil and egg  directed on the box or following your usual recipe.  For the liquid, instead of milk or water use either regular cider or sparkling cider.   Look for sparkling cider  packaged like  a bottle of wine.   It  produces lighter,  pouf-ier  pancakes.    Stir   in chopped  apples, skin on, and chopped walnuts or pecans, and 1/4 tsp apple pie spice per cup of  dry  pancake mix. or flour.    Cook  as directed.

 Cider Syrup:
In  a small saucepan, combine  1/4 c.  sugar, 2 tsp  cornstarch and  2/3 c. regular apple cider until smooth; then add one cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Discard cinnamon stick. Stir  a dash of nutmeg into syrup along with a TB of butter.  Serve pancakes with warm syrup and additional butter if desired.   Makes 2/3 cup syrup that's also delicious on French toast.

Crispy Maple Green Salad

Funny that this is my favorite salad,  since I'm not a big  fan of maple. Yet, this just-right not- too-sweet  maple-y dressing is  undoubtedly   the perfect  topping for the salty curls of fresh Romano cheese, sweet caramelized onion, and smoky bacon.      

 Mix dressing ingredients together in a jar or briefly in a blender just long enough to emulsify well:   1/4 c. rice wine vinegar; 1/2 c canola oil, 1/2 c. maple syrup ( preferably 'real' maple, although I successfully use sugar  free maple flavored pancake syrup often ), 1/2 tsp dry mustard,  1 shallot, minced, s & p to taste.

Fry  8 oz.  bacon til crisp,  drain and break into thirds. Caramelize 2 medium vidalia  or other sweet onions, thinly sliced, in the bacon fat ...... cook over medium heat, stirring now and then, til slightly browned, probably about 10 minutes.   Drain on a paper towel.  You can do this ahead of time.

In a serving bowl or  on  individual plates,  mix  1 small head butter ( Boston)  lettuce & 1/2 bag baby spinach.  Top with bacon strips,  3/4 c pecan halves, 4 oz freshly shaved Romano or Parmesan cheese strips ( shaved off with  a vegetable peeler) and the caramelized onions. Pour dressing over all and top with a few pecans.
 I can  happily make a meal of this salad by itself.

Don't be tempted to use precooked packaged bacon for this -  the onions need to caramelize  in bacon fat.   And I will not even  entertain the horrendous thought that you might try to use powdered Parmesan cheese from a green can on this wonderful  salad.....right?

Polish Hunter's Stew

Bigos, or Hunter's Stew, is considered the most traditional of all Polish dishes. Often mentioned  in poetry and novels, this stew was served at royal banquets and hunts and still is the king of all dishes. Traditionally made with  several kinds of  wild game, this is a contemporary  'tamer' version that only  requires entering the nearest supermarket to capture the main  ingredients.

 Bigos is a thick, flavorful dish that's  is  perfect for fall and winter meals.  Serve with black bread to mop up the  sauce, and/or  braised cabbage or boiled  potatoes on the side to be authentic.    This  recipe makes  8-10 servings, and because  there are no potatoes or other starchy veggies to up the  carb ante, those who care will appreciate that a  very generous serving has  only 11 grams of carbohydrate.

I recommend making it a day or two before serving, because it  reheats so well and flavors intensify each time .  If  you're determined to enjoy it the same day, start it at least  3 hours prior to serving, so you can let it cool and reheat it at least once before serving.

Buy a pound of Polish sausage ( kielbasa) and slice it 1/2" thick,  Brown the slices, about one third at a time in a heavy skillet over high heat. As they are cooked,  transfer them to a 5 qt.  ovenproof casserole or  non-aluminum pot.  After the sausage is done, add 3 TB veg oil to the pan, and heat it.  Brown 1 1/2  lbs each of pork* and beef*, cubed in 1"  chunks, in batches, adding to the baking dish.   Don't crowd them, we dont want the meat to steam, we want it to brown. When all the meat is   browned and removed, add 2 1/2 c sliced onion to the skillet and cook 3-5 minutes, stirring several times, until soft.  Add to the casserole, along with 12 oz. fresh, halved mushrooms, a 1 lb. bag sauerkraut which has been rinsed and drained, 1 c. dry red wine, 8 oz. tomato sauce,  14 oz canned stewed or whole tomatoes, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp caraway seeds, 1/4 tsp pepper.

* use whatever beef and  pork you have on hand; cut up thick pork chops or a pork roast, use  beef stew meat, beef roasts or swiss or round steak...

Cover and bake 2 to 2 1/2 hours at 375 or until meat is tender,  stirring three or four times, and enjoy your 'not-so-wild game'.

Simple, Crunchy Calamari with Nutty Angel Hair Pasta - and it's baked!

I'm a calamari fiend. Love it, love it.  Granted, it's difficult to find it prepared decently - usually breaded and terribly over- fried in little rings so crunchy there's  little sign of the tender calamari inside...but now and then I'll stumble across calamari done right, such as the  incredible huge,  battered, light-as-air rings at the long-defunct  Chestnut Street Grille at  Water Tower Place in Chicago, and the  tender  strips, not rings,  at Jay's Seafood in Dayton, Ohio. 

Monterey, California is the calamari fishing  capital of the world.  I've not been lucky enough to make it to the annual Memorial Day weekend's  'Great Monterey Squid Festival'  where men, women and children  pour  into the grassy, sun-dappled Monterey County Fairgrounds at 10 a.m. each day to breakfast, lunch, dine and snack on two tons of squid prepared  in infinite variations. But I have sampled plenty in  the Monterey area, where  there are fried calamari stands in every park,  pier and street corner. I  still revel in the memory of an enormous calamari steak at a  floating  restaurant on Monterey Bay.

 Direct  from  the pages of RR magazine, this is version is  very simple and quite  divine.    It's a family recipe from an editor at the magazine,  traditionally served on Christmas Eve.   Cleaned, frozen calamari is extremely inexpensive and readily available. And, I love that despite being baked, not fried, it is just as crunchy. 

 Ingredients: 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil,  3/4 cup sliced almonds with skins;  4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced;  1 tablespoon anchovy paste;  1 1/2 pounds small, cleaned squid—bodies cut into 1/3-inch rings, tentacles halved, patted dry;  Salt and pepper;  2 1/4 cups seasoned bread crumbs;  1/2 pound angel hair pasta;  1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley;  lemon wedges, for serving

 

Preheat the oven to 500°. Line 2 large baking sheets with foil and grease each with 1 tablespoon olive oil. In a large, deep skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the almonds and cook, stirring, until toasted, about 3 minutes; transfer to a plate. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the garlic to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the anchovy paste and cook for 1 minute.

In a medium bowl, toss the squid with  4 tablespoons olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Pour the breadcrumbs into a large bowl. Working with a handful at a time, coat the squid in the breadcrumbs, opening up the rings to cover well. Spread the squid in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets and sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil on top. Bake until golden and crunchy, 12 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Have your pasta water  boiling when you put the calamari in the oven.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until al dente, about 2 minutes; drain, reserving 2 cups of the pasta water.

Stir the reserved pasta water into the anchovy mixture and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, turning with tongs, to heat through. Add the almonds and parsley, toss well and transfer to a large bowl. Surround the pasta with the squid and  lemon wedges for squeezing.

Be nice and share.

3 Green-Tomato Treats

When  my tomato plants approach  jungle extremes, I question the sanity of planting so many. Then I remember the delicious things I can do with green tomatoes all summer long rather than waiting until fall frost warnings to enjoy the last green stragglers. Green-tomato cake,  no-proccessing raspberry green-tomato jam, and of course, fried green tomatoes are all  tasty and worth putting in an extra plant or two specifically to use before they ripen. All three recipes are super-fast to prepare.

Green Tomato Cake
is so  dense, moist and rich that you will want to cool and taste before deciding whether to frost it....seriously.  The jury is divided on whether or not frosting is just plain overkill. I like that the tomato bits stay green and don't disappear into the cake when baked.

Preheat oven to 350. Mix 2 1/4 c. sugar, 1 c. vegetable oil, 3 eggs, and 2 tsp. vanilla. In another bowl combine 3 c. flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp. baking powder and 1 tsp. cinnamon. Combine both mixtures - the batter will be very thick - and then stir in 2 1/2 c. diced green tomatoes, 1 c. chopped  pecans or walnuts, and 1 c. raisins. This is a very stiff batter. Place in a greased or sprayed 9x13 pan and bake for 60 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool and frost with a cinnamon cream cheese frosting......or not!

Simple Raspberry Green-Tomato Jellyjam for non-'canners'
Jelly, by definition, is clear and has no fruit pulp or texture like jam does .   This incredibly tasty concoction is somewhere between the two and is so easy that a visiting 11-year old made a batch this week in just a few minutes. The original recipe directed grinding the tomatoes,  I use the cutting blade in a food processor.

Put 5 c. ground green tomatoes (to get 5c. you will probably need more tomatoes than you expect) in a large pot with 2 TB. lemon juice. Boil for one minute. If using a standard 5 qt.dutch oven pot, keep an eye on it later to avoid boil over, it will be VERY  full. Add three small boxes of raspberry jello and 5 c. sugar and boil for 5 minutes. If you are into canning, put in jars & process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. I'm not, so I  just pour it  into  old pickle jars or plastic freezer containers.  Refrigerate until set, then freeze any you won't be using in a  month or so...this is what the original recipe said but  on a few occasions when I made giant batches,   I've just kept  some in my refrigerator for  several months...in the end it will just get a bit watery...time to throw it out.     Whether you 'can' it, refrigerate it, or freeze it, this makes about 5 pints of beautiful   raspberry-red  jellyjam!

Fried Green Tomatoes
There are  as many ways to make this classic southern dish as there are cooks. Some dip the slices in beaten egg either before breading, or both before and after, dipping and breading twice. I sometimes dip them once in buttermilk or sour milk. Some cooks use only flour, some use only cornmeal, some new-agers use Panko or even regular dry breadcrumbs. I am not fond of the panko/breadcrumb versions but do like all the others. If you like the basic  version here, you can experiment to find your own favorite method.


Mix equal parts white flour and yellow cornmeal. Add salt and pepper and maybe a little garlic powder to taste. Slice green tomatoes and dip them immediately in the flour mixture, coating well. ( they'll be moist right when they're cut, so the coating should stick)  Place in a skillet in a small amount of hot oil, and cook until browned and crisp on both sides, just a few minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve with salt and a dip made of 2 parts mayonnaise and 1 part grainy mustard. Oh my. Little slices of heaven! Good side dish,   or appetizer,   or to serve with breakfast.......and  absolutely wonderful  with the sauce on a hamburger, or inside  grilled-cheese  or BLT sandwiches.

Huevos Rancheros

Mexican Ranch Eggs - there are dozens of versions of this dish, but this is the one we like for breakfast any time I have a handful of ground beef on hand. As often as not, we skip the tortilla base.  This recipe serves 6 people but is easy to make just a portion or two.

If using tortillas as a base, heat oven to 400 and lightly spray a baking sheet. Lay 6 flour tortillas on the sheet and bake 8-10 minutes. Or, just heat your skillet and put them in  briefly, one at a time, to warm a bit, then cover the stack of them with foil to stay warm.

Cook beef in a skillet over medium heat, adding 3 Tb taco seasoning and  some salt and pepper as it browns. Add 2 bell peppers, red and green, cut in strips, and stir fry til crisp-tender, about 3-4 minutes. I sometimes add half an onion, sliced. Drain on paper toweling, cover to keep warm.

Either poach or cook eggs 'over easy', one or two per person. Assemble the stack: on a tortilla:  place the beef & peppers,then an egg. Sprinkle with a TB or two of shredded cheddar cheese, and spoon on a bit of taco sauce or salsa.     ole' !

Artichoke-Cheese Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

We really liked this fast, easy and flavorful dish that we found in Men's Health Magazine - and it only uses 5 ingredients. Buy a 2- lb tenderloin...... note to novices, this is not a regular pork loin or loin 'roast'...it's the skinny piece sold pre-packaged at your market, usually 2 lbs or smaller. You can ask the butcher to butterfly it, but tenderloins being small, it's easy to do it yourself. Just slice it lengthwise, cutting not quite all the way through, so you can open it flat, like a book.....or a butterfly!

Stir together 1 c. ricotta cheese, 1/2 tsp dried basil, 2 c. chopped fresh baby spinach leaves, and a 5 oz. jar of artichokes, drained and diced. I use oil-packed, but water-packed would work too.

Spread this mixture on the inside of the loin, close it and tie with  cotton string in at least 5 places. Brush the loin lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 25-35 minutes. It's ready when the thermometer reaches about 150-155 (it will continue to cook up to 160 after you remove it from the oven).

We eat a lot of fresh asparagus and it's a perfect accompaniement for the pork.  A 400 degree oven is  perfect....just toss a bunch of fresh asparagus, woody ends broken off, with salt, pepper, and a little olive oil and place on a flat cookie sheet until lightly brown, about 10 minutes depending on it's size...don't let it get limp ro shrivel-y.    Wonderful  tossed with a bit of with sea salt!

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Growing your own veggies -- and the inevitable late-summer abundance -- provides the perfect excuse to prepare all sorts of things that can only be labeled 'good for you' if you are trying to slide a few veggies into kids....the rest of us can try to feel virtuous about not wasting the garden bounty in dishes such as this dense, chocolate-y moist cake that's almost brownie-chewy......and stays moist for days.

Stir together the dry ingredients: 3 c. flour, 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. soda, 1 tsp. salt, 3 c. sugar. In a large bowl stir together the wet ingredients: 3 oz. unsweetened, melted chocolate, 4 eggs, 1 1/2 c. veg oil, 3 c. shredded zucchini, unpeeled. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and add 1 c. chopped nuts. Spread into a lightly sprayed 9x13 pan, and bake in a preheated 350 oven for 65-75 minutes. Cool and frost with your favorite chocolate icing. It's also great with a  cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

Full Disclosure:  After I took a piece to a neighbor  she called to say she has abandoned Mississippi Mud cake as her all-time favorite   in favor of this one. She asked for the recipe and when I gave it to her she asked for the frosting recipe too. I had to say I wasn't sure which can I'd used --- Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker.

Now go eat your veggies!

Buttery Whitefish Baked In a Bag

Here's a buttery, lemony baked white fish recipe that only takes a few minutes and tastes great. Use any white fish you have - haddock, orange roughy, whatever. If you have some small brown paper lunch bags on hand, perfect--if not, cut up a large brown paper grocery bag.

Preheat the oven to 350. For each person, use 2 fillets, of about equal size/thickness. Cut the bag so it's one flat piece, lay it on a baking sheet with an edge, and brush the bag with just enough vegetable oil to coat. If you've thawed the fish, drain it first on paper toweling so its not waterlogged and wet. Lay one fillet on the paper, and sprinkle with 1/2 to 1 tsp lemon juice, depending on fillet size. Sprinkle generously with garlic powder and paprika. Top with 2-4 thin slices of cold butter. If limiting fat, you can use Smart Beat or a similar butter-substitute product and smear it on. Lay the next fillet crosswise over it and repeat the steps.

Slice a lemon into 6-8 slices, and cover the fish pile, pinning the lemon slices with toothpicks. Pull the edges of the bag closed, folding them under to make a loose package- it does not need to be airtight. Place package on baking sheet in the oven for 30-40 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the fish.

We had this tonight with blueberry cole slaw, and thought it had lots of buttery. lemony flavor.

Uglies- Delightfully Gooey Chocolate / Cream Cheese Treats!

Every  amazing day on the ocean aboard  the Schooner Heritage, just about mid afternoon, around comes someone from the galley with a fabulous sweet treat, baked from scratch, still warm from the galley woodstove.  Some days it's blondies, or cashew cookies, or 7-layer bars.... it changes from week to week and year to year, but  it's tradition to  have Uglies once. 
Despite vowing at lunchtime that we are so stuffed we will never be able to eat again, our willpower is weak when faced with such treats. These Uglies may look like your average black-bottom cupcakes but they are in fact gooey-er and richer and cream-cheesier.  This recipe makes about 18 muffin-sized treats. There should be about equal amounts of both batters in your cupcake papers.   You can skip the papers of course but they are a tad gooey to  eat without them.     Maybe it's because they are not being enjoyed on the ocean in the sunshine off  the Maine coast as we sail,  but they seem only 85% as good when I make them at home. You owe it to yourself to sail on the Heritage anyway, and then you too will get to enjoy them alfresco!   http://www.schoonerheritage.com/  

Combine 1 1/2 c flour, 1 c sugar, 1/4 c cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking soda. Then add 1 c water, 1/3 c veg oil, 1 TB vinegar and 1 TB vanilla. In a separate bowl mix 8 oz room-temperature cream cheese ( not the tub variety) with 1/ c sugar, 2 eggs, and 12 oz semi-sweet  chocolate chips. Preheat the oven to 350 and grease your cupcake pans or use cupcake papers. Fill about halfway with the chocolate batter, then top with the cream cheese mixture. If you happen to have a little more cream cheese mixture left, just pop it into a cupcake paper by itself.  Bake about 30-35 minutes. Centers may slump and may not seem quite done.   If you make mini's   or use mini chips  in either size, reduce the amount  of chips to 1/2 cup.  There will be plenty.     For a  mocha spin on uglies,  just replace the water with strong coffee.       

 

 

Terrace Portabellas

A tasty appetizer, or a nice ' little warm thing' to serve  for lunch with a salad. Use what you have on hand- feta instead of blue cheese; some cooked spinach; let your imagination and your refrigerator leftovers be your guide.

For 3 or 4 average-size portabella mushroom caps: gently cook the caps in a skillet in butter for just a few m inutes to soften the ( backs ) tops slightly, after scooping most of the gills out and removing the stems. Soften 8 oz cream cheese, add 3-4 TB blue cheese crumbles, and a TB or two of cheddar cheese. Spoon into the caps, and gently press to cover the surface. If you think of it ahead of time, marinate some cherry tomatoes, halved, in some salad dressing: Italian, caesar, whatever. Today I used a bottled red-wine vinaigrette. Drain the tomatoes, place on top of the cheese mixture, and bake in a preheated 450 oven for about 10 minutes, and check to see if it's starting to bubble. I usually get impatient about this time and start the broiler- if you do that, keep an eye on them. When they start to brown just a bit and the centers look hot, add some chopped avocado , and a pinch of shredded cheddar cheese for color, and broil again for 1-2 minutes.

Steak & Asparagus Stir-Fry

This is possibly the richest, most flavorful stir fry ever, with the least labor involved.  About 20 years ago Bon Appetit Magazine's "Too Busy To Cook?"  recipe collection featured  this treat.

Stir- frys are by definition quick to make -----IF you aren't chopping ingredients forever.  Nice to be able to skip that.This goes together in a flash. Have your rice cooked before you begin. If you are low-carbing, just skip the rice. I love the glossy, flavorful  brown sauce.

In a small dish combine 1/2 c water, 3 TB soy sauce, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 3 TB cornstarch, blend well with a small whisk or fork.   Cut 1 lb of fairly thin ( regular thickness) steak .Top round works great- in 2" slices. Easiest to do if it is partly frozen when you slice it. In a large skillet or wok, heat 2 TB vegetable oil til hot. Then, add the steak, stir once or twice, then add in 1 lb asparagus spears cut on the diagonal in 2" pieces. (cut or break off the woody ends of the stems first), 1 drained can of sliced water chestnuts, and 1/2 c. sliced green onions. Stir for about  4-6 minutes, just until steak loses its' pinkness.   Then add the sauce and stir for 3-4 minutes more, until thickened and shiny.  Serve immediately over rice. YUM! It should serve 4 people, but........ maybe not!! It's addictive.

Ruby-Red Grapefruit Chicken

Long ago, former President Gerald R. Ford (or more likely, Betty) submitted this easy cranberry chicken recipe to a magazine as one of his favorite dishes. It's pretty and tasty and easy, especially if you cheat a bit and use canned grapefruit sections as I usually do. Stash the rest of the can of cranberries in a baggie in the freezer til the next time you make this dish.

Peel and section 2 ruby-red grapefruit, squeezing all the juice from the membranes into a small saucepan. ( or, use a can of grapefruit sections and about 1/2 c. juice). Add 1/2 c whole-berry cranberry sauce (not jellied), 2-3 heaping TB honey, 1/4 tsp ground cloves, 1/4 tsp salt and mix well. Bring to a boil and stir in grapefruit sections.Remove from heat. Adjust the honey if necessary- but it shouldnt be overly sweet. Sugar-free honey saves calories!

Brown a fying chicken in 3 TB butter, then place in shallow baking dish. Top with grapefruit-cranberry sauce. Bake in a preheated 350 oven for about 45 minutes, basting often.