Salsa

This recipe is designed to use fresh, very ripe tomatoes.
For Chipotle Puree, put a can of Chipotles in Adobo Sauce in the blender and puree into a paste. It can be kept in a jar in the refrigerator indefinitely.

8 fl oz Tomato Sauce
8 oz Tomatoes, diced
2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
2 tsp Chipotle Puree
1 oz Red Onion, finely minced
2 Tbsp Cilantro, finely minced
1 Tbsp Serrano Pepper, finely minced
1 clove Garlic, finely minced
1/4 tsp Cumin Powder
1/2 tsp Salt

Serve chilled with tortilla chips

Fresh Tomato Pasta

Fresh Tomato Pasta

2 lbs Tomatoes, finely diced
4 oz Yellow Onion, minced
3 cloves Garlic, minced
1 oz Basil, cut chiffonade*
1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Sugar
8oz Angel Hair Pasta
Mozzarella, shredded for topping

Mix everything but pasta and mozzarella into a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate at room temperature for 4 hours. Boil pasta according to package instructions. When draining, rinse with cool water to lower the temperature for serving. Stir a little pit of Olive Oil into the pasta to prevent it from sticking together.

Portion out pasta into a bowl, sop with tomato mixture, then mozzarella.
Serves 4-6


*the chiffonade cut is great for Basil and any other leaf-herbs with medium to large size leaves. Simply stack leaves in a small pile, roll it up like a cigar, and slice it in 1/8 inch sections. You'll get lovely ribbons of Basil that easily mix into the other ingredients, and when in contact with vinegar or oil, this cut helps reduce discoloration from the leaves oxidizing. 

Tortellini Salad with Vegetables

3oz Olive Oil
1 oz Fresh Basil, finely chopped
Juice from 1 large Lemon
1 Shallot, minced
1 Garlic Clove, minced
1 lb Asparagus, woody ends removed, cut in 1-inch pieces
20 oz Cheese Tortellini (Buitoni brand, mixed cheese is a good selection)
10 oz Grape Tomatoes, quartered
12 oz jar Marinated Quartered Artichoke Hearts, cut each piece in half lengthwise
1 Red Bell Pepper, cut into thin 2 inch strips
1/4 cup Pine Nuts
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated

Mix Garlic, Oil, and Lemon Juice in a blender, or with an immersion blender. Pour it over the chopped basil in a very large serving bowl. Doing this quickly after chopping the basil with help keep it from turning brown. Add Shallot, Grape Tomatoes, Artichoke Hearts, Bell Pepper, and Parmesan.
Heat a small pan on medium heat and toast the Pine Nuts until lightly brown, about 5 minutes. Add Pine Nuts to the bowl and stir.

In a large pot, bring 1 gallon of water and 1 Tbsp of salt to a boil. Cook Asparagus in the boiling water for 2 minutes for thin Asparagus and 3 minutes for the thicker, more standard sized Asparagus.
Keep the water in the pot, but remove the Asparagus and rinse in a colander with cold water. Add Asparagus to the big bowl of vegetables.
Cook the Tortellini in the remaining boiling water for 8 minutes. You may need to turn the heat down halfway through, since the starch from the pasta will form bubbles that can boil over.
Pour out the pasta into a colander and rinse in cold water. Add to the bowl with everything else and stir thoroughly. This can be eaten immediately or chilled before serving. Serves 4 to 6.

Lentil Tacos

Lentil Tacos

1 T olive oil

1 ½ c minced onions

2 cloves garlic

1 c minced red bell pepper

1 c dried lentils

1 c stock

1 ½ c chopped tomatoes (canned ok)

1 c tomato juice

1 T soy sauce

¼ t red pepper flakes

2 T chili powder

1 T molasses

½ t ground cumin

1 bay leaf

Serve on taco shells or corn tortillas with shredded cheddar cheese, lettuce

In large non-stick frying pan over low heat, cook onions, peppers, and garlic in oil until onions are wilted ( about 10 min).  Add 1 c tomatoes, lentils, tomato juice, stock, parsley, chili powder, molasses, soy sauce, cumin, red pepper flakes, and bay leaf.  Cook covered over low heat for 1 hour, stirring frequently.  Uncover and continue to cook stirring frequently until mix is thick.  Discard bay leaf.  Fill taco shells with lentil mixture and top with lettuce and cheese

Quinoa Salad with Cotija, Tomatoes, Corn & Olives

Quinoa Salad with Cotija, Tomatoes, Corn & Olives

Salad
1 (12-ounce) box quinoa (1 ¾ cups)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (4 oz)
1 red bell pepper (roasted if possible), seeded and diced
1 cup black olives, sliced (3.8 oz can)
1 cup garbanzo beans, drained
1 cup fresh or frozen cooked corn kernels
1/4 cup chopped chives or scallions
4 ounces cotija cheese, crumbled

Vinaigrette
1 clove garlic, finely minced
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1. Prepare the quinoa: Using a fine-meshed sieve, rinse the quinoa under running water (to rinse off any trace of bitter residue). Transfer to a rice steamer and add 3 cups water and a pinch of salt. Steam until the water is absorbed and the grains are tender but not mushy, about 12-15 minutes. Once the quinoa has finished cooking, fluff with a fork and spread out onto a baking sheet to cool down quickly.

2. Prepare the Mediterranean Vinaigrette: In a medium bowl, combine the garlic, mustard, vinegar, oregano and salt and pepper. Gradually whisk in the olive oil in a slow stream. Adjust the seasoning and reserve.

3. In a large bowl, toss together the cooked quinoa, tomato, pepper, olives, garbanzo beans, corn and chives. Add the vinaigrette to taste and season again with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with the cotija cheese.

Corn and Pepper Quiche

Corn and Pepper Quiche

Ingredients
1 Crust (recipe below)
3 ½ oz frozen corn (¾ cup)
3 ½ oz leek, white part only, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
3 large eggs
1 cup half-and-half
6 oz roasted red bell pepper, chopped (see note)
4 oz roasted poblano pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 lb cheddar cheese
½ tsp Mexene chili powder

Directions

Make the crust and chill at least an hour.

Slice very thin slices of cheese to layer on the crust. This will create a barrier to prevent the crust from getting soggy when serving. Shred the remaining cheese
Sauté the corn kernels and chopped leek in the butter until tender. Set aside.
In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and half-and-half. Add the sautéed corn and leeks, the red and poblano pepper, shredded cheese, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Press the chilled Crust dough into a pie pan or tart pan to form a uniform ¼-inch crust. Bake, covered with foil and pie weights, for 15 minutes, or until firm and light golden brown. Remove Crust and Raise oven temp to 450 F.

Remove from the oven and remove weights and foil. Sprinkle with half the cheddar. Pour in the filling. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar.  Bake 15 minutes at 450 F. Reduce heat to 350, bake 20 to 30 min until the egg sets.

Makes 8 servings.

Crust Recipe:
Grind a 3 ½ oz bag of Fritos corn chips into a meal to make ¾ cup. Pulse meal, ¾ cup (3 ½ oz) all purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder and ½ teaspoon salt. Pulse in 5 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces, until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add 1 egg and pulse until the dough forms a ball. Press flat and chill wrapped in plastic at least 1 hour.

Note: To roast a red pepper, hold over flame or under broiler long enough to char it all over. Transfer to a brown paper bag; seal and let it rest 10 minutes, or until it’s cool enough to handle. Peel and seed.

Baked Falafel

Baked Falafel

Makes eight 1/3 cup sized Falafels

1 15oz can Chick Peas (drained)

8oz Yellow Onion, chopped (half of a very large one)

1/2 cup fresh Parsley

2 cloves Garlic, minced fine

2 eggs

2 tsp ground Cumin

1 tsp ground Coriander

1 tsp Salt

1/8 tsp Black Pepper

1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1 tsp Lemon Juice (vinegar may be substituted)

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 cup dry Bread Crumbs

Preheat oven to 400F with rack in the middle position.

In a food processor, puree Chickpeas until they are broken apart and in small bits.

Add Onion, Bread Crumbs and Parsley and process more, until the ingredients are evenly distributed.

In a separate container beat eggs with all remaining ingredients, then pour into processor.

Puree until the whole mixture is moist and evenly distributed.

Apply Cooking spray to 8 spaces in a muffin tin made for large muffins.

Evenly spoon the mixture into the 8 muffin spaces.

Bake 30 minutes, switching the oven to broil during the last 10 minutes to help the tops brown a little more.

These look best served upside down. Serve alone or on a salad.

Vegetable Lasagna

Time consuming, but absolutely worth it. Even meat eaters will find this delicious.

Vegetable Lasagna

Make in a 9x13in casserole dish

1/4 cup   Olive Oil

6 oz         Onions, small dice (half of a large yellow onion will give you this amount)

6 cloves of Garlic, chopped

1              Red Bell Pepper, small dice

8 oz         Mushrooms, sliced

1 small    Zucchini, medium dice

1 small    Yellow squash, medium dice

8oz          Tomatoes, diced (roma tomatoes do well)

1/2 tsp    Salt

1/2 tsp    Black Pepper

                Cheese mixture:

1 lb          Ricotta

2              Eggs

8oz          Parmesan, grated

3.8oz can Black Olives, sliced

1/2 tsp    Red Pepper flakes

1/2 tsp    Salt

1/2 tsp    Black Pepper

12 oz       Mozzarella, shredded

1 box       Fresh Basil Leaves, chopped fine (small plastic box from the produce section)

1 TBSP Parsley

32oz    Tomato Sauce for Pasta (Classico brand is fine)

12 No-Boil Lasagna noodles. 3 sheets should be able to cover the casserole dish. DeLallo brand is a good one

Whisk together all cheese mixture ingredients in a bowl and set aside to await assembly of the lasagna.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wide pot at medium-high heat.

Sauté The onions and garlic for 2 minutes. Add bell peppers, and sauté 2 minutes.

Add mushrooms and sauté until their juices have evaporated. Add zucchini and yellow squash and sauté 2 minutes or until they are tender. Add diced tomato and stir only until the tomatoes are hot. Add salt and pepper and remove from heat.

To assemble the lasagna:

Coat the bottom of the dish with a thin layer of sauce- just enough to keep the pasta moist.

Build a layer:

                Place 3 sheets of pasta in the dish, forming the first pasta layer.

                Spread 1/3 of the Cheese Mixture over the pasta.

                Spread 1/3 of the Vegetable Mixture over the Cheese Mixture

                Spread 1/4 of the Mozzarella over the Vegetable Mixture and sprinkle with basil                    and parsley

                Top the layer with 1/4 of the remaining tomato sauce

Make 3 layers in total, then cover with the last 3 noodles, the last 1/4 of the mozzarella and 1/4 of the tomato sauce.

Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake 90 minutes at 350F.

Remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes to brown the top.

Remove from oven and let rest 15 minutes before slicing.

Green Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

2 oz White Wine Vinegar
6 oz Olive Oil
1 tsp Salt
1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
2 cloves Garlic
2 Green Onions
juice from half of a small lemon

Blend all ingredients with an immersion blender.
A regular blender can be used, but first finely mince the Garlic, and finely chop the Green Onion.

Cooking with wine

Most people who know will tell you to only cook with wine that is good enough to drink.
That's great in theory, but most of us dont want to dump $20+ of wine in a cookpot.
I like to use wine that I would describe as "just good enough". I also buy little single-serving bottles so I can use only what the recipe calls for without having half or more of a bottle left.

I've had good results from these wines that can be found in mini 4-packs at the grocery store:

Reds:
Gallo Merlot
Gallo Pinot Noir

Whites:
Gallo Pinot Grigio
Ste Genevieve Chardonnay

Risotto with Mushrooms and Truffle Oil

Risotto with Mushrooms and Truffle Oil

2 cups Arborio Rice

4 cups Broth, Hot

       (recommend Edward & Sons “Not Chik'n” Bouillon)

2 cups Water, Hot

8 oz Onion, finely chopped

1 tsp Black Pepper

½ oz Dried Mushrooms, broken into very small pieces.

       (recommend Frieda's Dried Pasta Blend Mushrooms)

1 cup Dry White Wine

4 Tbsp Butter, unsalted

2 oz Parmesan Cheese, grated (appx 1 cup)

½ Tbsp Black Truffle Oil

Melt butter in dutch oven on medium low heat. Sweat onions, then add rice and dry mushrooms.

Do not let the rice brown. Add wine and stir until it is completely absorbed by the rice.

The following procedure should take 20 to 25 minutes:

Add ½ cup of hot broth to the rice. Stir until completely absorbed. Repeat until all broth is used.

Start adding hot water in ½ cup portions the same way as with the broth.

After 20 minutes, taste a small bit of the rice to check consistency.

If it is too tough continue cooking, adding extra water as needed.

When rice is tender take off heat and stir in Parmesan, truffle oil, and white pepper. Serve immediately.

Vegetarian Bouillon

I've tried several kinds of vegetarian bouillon over the years and the one I like the most is
Edward & Sons Not-Chik'n bouillon. It's a very good substitute for chicken broth, its vegetarian and also gluten free.

Mom's Christmas Fudge

12oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
7oz Marshmallow Cream
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
2/3 Cup Evaporated Milk
1/4 Cup Butter (unsalted)
1/4 tsp Salt
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts*

In a medium sized saucepan, combine marshmallow cream, sugar, evaporated milk, butter, and salt.
While constantly stirring, bring to a full boil on medium heat. Cook 5 minutes while boiling, continuing the constant stirring.
Add Chocolate Chips and stir until smooth. Stir in Vanilla and Nuts.
Pour onto foil lined 8x8in square pan.
Chill in refrigerator until firm. (about 2 hours)

Makes 2 1/4 lbs

Quinoa Black Bean Salad

(it is pronounced KEEN-wah)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa

4 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, rinsed (1 15oz can will work)
1 1/2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups cooked corn
3/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper (1 pepper is fine)
2 pickled jalapeño chilies, seeded and minced (wear rubber gloves)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

For dressing
5 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin, or to taste
1/3 cup olive oil

Rinse quinoa in a strainer before cooking. In a medium sized pot with a lid, bring quinoa and broth to a boil. Reduce heat to a little below medium (4 on my stove). Simmer covered for 25 minutes. When finished, fluff and remove from heat.

In a serving bowl, mix the dressing. Stir in all remaining ingredients, adding quinoa last.

Glamorgan Sausages

This dish has always been vegetarian. Hailing from the country of Wales, it features cheese as the main protein ingredient as is often done in their traditional cuisine.

Ingredients:
5oz Fresh bread crumbs (remove crust and run bread through a food processor)
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
5oz Cheddar cheese, shredded
4oz Green Onions or Leeks, chopped
1 Tbsp chopped Parsley
1/2 tsp Thyme
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
3 Eggs
1/2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
2-3 Tbsp Milk
2 Tbsp Butter
Flour for the counter

Beat 2 eggs with Salt, Pepper, and Mustard. Mix into fresh Breadcrumbs.
Mix in Parsley, Thyme, then add Leeks/Onions and Cheese.
On a floured surface, divide mix into 8 pieces and form 1-inch-thick patties or roll into a link-sausage shape.
If you have time, chill the sausage pieces at this point for easier handling.
Beat the remaining egg, and put Panko crumbs on a plate. Dip each sausage in egg and dredge through the crumbs.
Preheat a griddle on medium heat (5 on my stove).
Melt the butter and fry sausages 5 minutes on each side, or till browned.

Cheese Cookies

A delicious savory and spicy snack.

Cheese Cookies

2 sticks unsalted butter

2 cups all purpose flour

2 cups Rice Krispies

½ tsp cayenne pepper

½ tsp salt

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp paprika

8oz finely grated cheddar cheese

4oz finely grated Monterey jack cheese

½ cup chopped pecans

Let butter soften a little before starting. In an electric mixer, whip together butter and flour. Thoroughly mix in salt and spices. Add Rice Krispies, increasing mixer speed so they break apart some. Add pecans, then cheese.

Using a rolling pin, flatten the dough on a floured surface. Fold dough in half and roll flat again. Repeat this 4 times. Using a small portion of dough each time (a small handful), roll it on the floured surface down to a thickness of ¼ inch. Cut out cookies using a 2 inch round cookie cutter. If you don’t have a cutter, roll dough into a small ball and press flat until it is ¼ inch thick.

Place cookies on dry parchment paper or foil on a cookie sheet with at least ½ inch of space between them and bake at 350F for 20 minutes. Allow to cool on a rack.

Makes 4 dozen.

Tortilla Española

Makes 4 servings

A very traditional dish from Spain. It is so tasty, my dislike of eggs doesn’t really apply.

Don’t worry about all the oil, a lot of it will be drained after cooking. You can filter it with a paper towel and save for future use. (the filtered oil works fine for onion paste from the Tikka Masala recipe)

12oz Russet Potatoes, skinned, sliced extremely thin (1/8in or thinner)

8oz Onion, minced

4 Large Eggs

1 tsp Black Pepper

1 tsp Salt

1/8 tsp Cumin

1 cup Olive Oil

This is most easily done with 2 nonstick skillets: a medium-large one for frying the onions and potatoes, and a small one ( 8in) for cooking the actual tortilla.

Beat Eggs, Pepper, Salt, & Cumin in a large mixing bowl (a 2 quart bowl will work fine)

Set stove heat on medium.

Pour a little Oil in the large skillet, evenly arrange Onion, and sliced Potato.

Pour additional Oil in the pan until most of the Potato layer is submerged.

Fry for about 20 to 25 min, stirring occasionally. Take off the heat when some of the potatoes begin to brown.

Remove Potatoes and Onions, and place on paper towels to soak up excess oil.

Preheat small skillet on medium heat with a small amount of oil.

Stir Potatoes and Onions into egg mixture a little bit at a time so that every piece of potato is covered.

When skillet is hot, pour in the Egg mix with Potato and Onion and spread evenly in the pan, pressing down the top so it is flat.

Cook 5 minutes, occasionally wiggling the skillet handle back and forth to ensure the tortilla isn’t sticking.

Now, the flipping:

Place a plate upside down on the skillet. (the plate must be larger than the skillet)

Lift skillet and plate, holding one hand against the plate. Flip the tortilla over onto the plate. Return the skillet to the stove, and carefully push the tortilla off the plate into the skillet to cook the other side. Cook another 5 minutes.

If you like egg a little rare, serve now. If not, flip again and cook another 3 minutes.

After removing from skillet, let cool about 5 minutes, cut into 4 slices and serve.

Tortilla Soup

1 TBSP Olive Oil
16oz Onion
1 Jalapeno (minced)
1 Chipotle pepper (canned, diced)
1 tsp Adobo sauce, from the can of Chipotles
2 Tomatillos (husked, seeded, diced)
1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
1 Medium Zucchini (diced, about 1cup)
1 TBSP fresh Cilantro
1 TBSP Coriander
1 TBSP Cumin
1 tsp Oregano
8 cups Vegetable Broth
1/3 cup Lime juice
3 cups fresh or frozen Corn
8 Corn Tortillas
1 Avocado, cubed small
Grated Monterey Jack Cheese as topping

In a soup pot heat oil on medium and saute Onions, Jalapenos, Chipotle. Tomatillos, Bell Pepper & Zucchini until softened. Add Coriander, Cumin, and Oregano. Cook another 3 minutes.
Stir in Stock, Lime Juice, and Adobo sauce. Simmer on medium low about 10 minutes.
Cut Tortillas into this strips and lightly toast in a toaster on a piece of foil.
Add Corn and Cilantro to the soup and serve topped with Tortilla strips, Avocado Cubes, and Grated Cheese.

A note on Chipotles in Adobo sauce- I like to puree the whole can and keep it in a spare jar in the refrigerator. Use 1 tsp of puree when a recipe calls for 1 Chipotle. This makes measuring much easier.

Hummus

A nutritious and tasty dip or filling for pitas.

main ingredients:
1 can chickpeas
1/2 cup tahini (sesame seed butter)
3 TBSP lemon juice
1 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic

topping:
3 tsp olive oil
1/8 tsp paprika
1 tsp minced fresh parsley

Blend main ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
Place in a serving bowl, pour olive oil over the top and sprinkle paprika and parsley on top.

Tabbouleh

1 cup bulgur (cracked wheat)
3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 cucumbers, peeled and chopped
3 green onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup fresh mint leaves
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup lemon juice
2/3 cup olive oil

Place bulgur in bowl with 2 cups boiling water. Soak for 30 minutes, then drain and press excess water out of the moist bulgur.
In a large bowl, combine the all ingredients and refrigerate for 4 hours before serving. Toss before serving.

Spanish Quinoa

Basically Spanish Rice using Quinoa, which offers higher fiber and protein.

1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup green pepper
1 clove garlic
1 Tbsp oil
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
3/4 cup quinoa (rinsed)
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp pepper
dash of tabasco

Saute onion, green pepper and garlic in the oil on medium heat until tender.
Stir in tomatoes (and the juice), quinoa, rice, sugar, chili powder, pepper,
tabasco, and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil then cover an simmer on low-medium
heat for about 25 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed.

Garlic Herb Bread

Garlic Herb Bread

1 cup warm milk
1/3 cup warm water
3 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp honey
3 3/4 cups bread flour (or 20 oz)
1 envelope of instant yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
2 tsp salt
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp dried basil
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp cayenne pepper

Sprinkle yeast into the warm water and stir until yeast is moistened. Let sit a couple of minutes until some tiny bubbles are visible. Mix this yeast/water with all other ingredients except flour. When the liquid mix is fully blended, add flour. Knead for 10 minutes (Use speed 2 on an electric mixer)

Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, and cover in plastic wrap. Let it rise to double its size. 1 to 1 ½ hours.

This recipe can make one loaf in a pan measuring 9in x 5 1/4in x 2 3/4in
or two loaves in pans measuring 8 1/2in x 4 ½ in x 2 ½ in

Punch down dough. Cut in half if using 2 pans. Roll up dough into a loaf shape. Pinch the seam closed.
Lightly oil pan(s) and place dough into it seam side down. Cover with wet paper towel and let dough rise again to double size. About 1 to ½ hours. After rise is complete, sprinkle water on paper towel to easily release it.

Preheat oven to 350F. Bake 1 large loaf for 45 minutes or 2 smaller loaves for 30 minutes.

Cool on a rack before slicing.

Beer Bread with Honey Butter

12 fl oz Dark Beer (Shiner Bock or Negra Modelo do well)

16 oz Whole Wheat Flour (Graham Flour if you can find it)

2 1/2 tsp. Dry Active Yeast 

            (a small package of yeast is 2 1/4 tsp which is ok if that's all you have)

1/4 C. Warm Water ( not hot )

1 tsp. Salt

1/4 C. Honey

1/4 C. Vegetable Oil

9 oz Bread Flour

Gently mix beer and wheat flour. Cover and let sit 30 min for beer to go flat and for wheat to soften. Mix yeast and warm water together in a small container and wait till it produces some bubbles. Mix honey, salt, oil, water/yeast mix, and beer/wheat all together in a bread mixer with dough hook until smooth. Add bread flour and continue mixing on speed 2. When a dough ball forms, mix 10 more minutes.

Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic until it doubles in size. About 60 min. Punch down and shape into 2 loaves. Place into 2 greased bread pans measuring 8 ½ x 4 ½ in or slightly larger. Lightly spray tops with cooking spray and place a wet paper towel over each. After another rise of about 45 min, preheat the oven to 350F. Remove paper towels from loaves. Sprinkle water on the paper towels first to prevent sticking to dough. Score each loaf with a long single slice down the middle at least ¼ inch deep. Spraying your knife with cooking spray will help keep dough from sticking to it.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until internal temp of bread reaches 185F. Immediately remove from pans and cool on a rack at least 2 hours. Bread may be served hot as long as the whole loaf is eaten. Steam escaping from hot bread will result in it drying out later.

Honey Butter

1 stick unsalted butter (softened to room temp)

1/4 cup honey

1 Tbsp milk

Mix everything in a food processor or immersion blender. Form mixed butter into a tube shape by rolling in plastic wrap. Twist ends tightly and secure with twisty ties. Chill in refrigerator for later use.

Vegetarian Biscuit Gravy

VEGETARIAN BISCUITS & GRAVY
Make your favorite biscuits. I recommend using Pioneer Baking Mix.
When you put the biscuits in the oven, begin the gravy recipe.

Serves 4

7oz (half package) Vegetarian Patty Sausage (pork style)
2 cups Milk
4 Tbsp Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
2 dashes of Liquid Smoke
4 Tbsp Butter

Melt butter in a saucepan on medium heat.
Fry sausage, breaking it up into tiny bits with a spatula.
Cook until its lightly browned.
Stir in flour and cook about 5 minutes, occasionally stirring.
Add milk, salt, cayenne, and liquid smoke.
Stir until gravy thickens to desired thickness.
Serve immediately on the biscuits.

Herb Shrimp with Pepe Pasta

Serves 4

2 oz Onion
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Garlic, minced
8oz Tomato, diced
4 fl oz White Wine or Vermouth
32 Shrimp, fresh, peeled and deveined
24 fl oz Vegetable Stock
8 oz Acini di Pepe pasta, dry
2 Tbsp Lime Juice
1/2 oz Butter
1 Tbsp Green Onion (green part only), chopped fine
1/2 tsp Tarragon, chopped fine
1/2 tsp Parsley, chopped

In a dutch oven, heat oil on medium. Saute Onion for 5 minutes, then Garlic for 1 min. Add Tomato and Wine. Reduce "au sec". Only a trace of liquid should remain.
Add shrimp and cook at least 4 min. Shrimp should curl before completing.
In another pot, bring Stock to a boil. Add Pasta and simmer 15 minutes.
Drain the Pasta, pour back into the pot (off heat). Stir in Herbs and Butter.
Combine Pasta mixture with Tomato/Shrimp mixture. Serve immediately.

Dill Sauce

This is great on salmon. Also works well on roasted vegetables.

1 Cup Half & Half
1 TBSP Dill, finely minced
1 TBSP Shallot, minced
1 tsp Garlic, minced
¼ tsp Salt
1 ½ TBSP Dijon Mustard
1 tsp oil

Heat oil in small skillet or pot at medium-hi.
Sweat Shallot and Garlic.
Reduce heat to Medium.
Add all remaining ingredients and cook until thickened.
Hold for service covered on lowest heat.

Vegetable Soup

Here's an easy soup with a lot of flavor.
It goes very well with a grilled cheese sandwich.

10oz Yellow Onion, finely chopped
5oz Carrot, sliced into 1/4 inch disks then quartered
5oz Zucchini, sliced into 1/4 inch disks then quartered
1 tsp Minced Garlic
14.5oz can Diced Tomato
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes (omit if you don't like it spicy)
1 tsp Dry Parsley
1 tsp Dry Basil
4 cups Vegetable Broth
1 cup Frozen Peas
2 tbsp Olive Oil

Heat Oil is a soup pot at medium heat.
Add Garlic, Onion, Carrots, and Salt.
Cook covered 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add Tomatoes, Zucchini, Broth, Pepper, Basil, and Parsley.
Raise heat and bring to boil then reduce heat back to medium.
Simmer uncovered about 20 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in the Peas.

Serve!

Tuna Noodle Casserole (Stove top version)

I think this is much easier than the baked type.

2 TBSP Butter, unsalted
10 oz Mushrooms, sliced
8 oz Onion, minced
1/2 tsp Salt
8 oz Egg Noodles
2 cups Vegetable Broth
1 cup Heavy Cream
1 cup Frozen Peas
2 Tbsp Fresh Parsley, minced
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
3 5oz cans of Albacore Tuna, or 2 7oz foil pouches
Lemon wedges for serving

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Saute Mushrooms, Onions and Salt appx 15 minutes, or until the mushrooms are browned. Remove mixture from bowl.
Add Cream, Broth and Noodles to the pot. Bring to a simmer and cook covered at medium-low heat for about 10 minutes.
Mix Mushroom mixture, peas and tuna to the pot until tuna is warm and peas are thawed. add pepper and serve with lemon wedges.

Yields 4 servings of appx 13oz

Mushroom Leek Soup with Wild Rice

Mushroom Leek Soup with Wild Rice

6 oz (1 cup) raw wild rice
3 cups vegetable stock
2 T oil
8 oz (2 cups) of leeks rinsed and chopped (2 large leeks or 3 small. Use white/light green parts only. Not the dark green part)
4 oz (1 cup) of carrots peeled and chopped
4 oz (1 cup) diced celery
1/2 t dried rosemary
1/2 t dried thyme
2 bay leaves
2 t salt
4 dried shiitake mushrooms crumbled into small pieces (no stems)
4 oz fresh wild mushrooms rinsed and chopped (no stems)
4 cups water
3 T soy sauce
1/4 cup dry sherry or white vermouth
black pepper to taste

In a large pot with a lid, bring rice and 3 cups of stock to boil.
Reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a soup pot and saute leeks for 5 minutes.
Add carrots, Celery, Rosemary, Thyme, Bay Leaves, Salt, Fresh Mushrooms, and Shiitake Mushrooms and saute for another 5 minutes.
Stir in water, soy sauce, and sherry/vermouth.
Simmer 10 minutes. Remove bay leaves. When rice is finished
cooking, combine soup and rice. Stir and add pepper. Serves 4 to 6

Know the smoke points of oil

The "smoke point" is the temperature that any particular cooking oil will smoke.
The goal in preheating oil in a pan is to reach the temperature where you see light wisps of smoke dancing around on the oil. Any hotter than that and you'll burn the oil.

Cooking oils/fats are selected not only for their flavor but for the ability to reach the right temperature for the type of cooking.

Here are some highlights:
(approximate temperature in Fahrenheit)

350 Butter
470 Canola Oil
485 Clarified Butter/Indian Ghee
460 Olive Oil (not virgin)
510 Refined Safflower Oil

I usually use only Butter, Canola, or Olive Oil. Those three easily cover the standard needs of the home kitchen. On my electric stove at home, I usually use butter on a heat no higher than 6, Olive Oil no more than 7 to 8, and Canola Oil for highest temperature cooking. Of course at lower temperatures choose whichever complements the flavor of the food best.

Mushroom Stroganoff

Mushroom Stroganoff

4 portabella mushrooms
8oz onion, minced
1 tsp tomato paste (substitute with ketchup if necessary)
8 oz egg noodles
3 Tbsp butter, unsalted
2 Tbsp oil
appx 187ml dry red wine (use one whole single serving bottle)
1/2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp flour
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup broth
1/2 tsp thyme
2 tsp salt
dash of liquid smoke
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Bring 4 quart of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook al dente (about 5 minutes, but the package usually has instructions on boiling time)
Drain noodles and place back in pot off the heat. Stir in 2 Tbsp of the butter and cover.

Slice mushrooms
Heat 1 Tbsp of oil on medium-hi in a large skillet or dutch oven pot.
Saute mushrooms and thyme for about 5 minutes until lightly brown.
Remove mushrooms from pan.
Melt the remaining 1 Tbsp of butter in skillet and saute onions, brown sugar, tomato paste, and salt until the onion is starting to brown. Add flour, cooking about a minute, then stir in wine and broth. Simmer a few minutes to thicken.
Slowly spoon in the sour cream and stir till smooth. Return the mushrooms to the pan. and allow the sauce to re-heat them.
Serve over the noodles.

Granola

This is a delicious and hearty breakfast that I like better
than store bought cereal. If you like different flavors you
can use flavored instant oatmeal mix instead of plain.

4 oz Brown Sugar
2 fl oz Water
3 fl oz Canola Oil
9 oz Rolled Oats
2 oz Wheat Germ
2 ½ oz Shredded Coconut (unsweetened)
1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/3 oz Whole Wheat Flour
1 1/3 oz Unbleached All Purpose Flour
1 1/3 oz Corn Meal
2 oz Chopped Pecans

In a microwave safe measuring cup, heat water, brown sugar and salt for about 1 minute on hi power. Add Oil and stir thoroughly.

Stir all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Add liquid mixture and combine until there are no dry spots in the mix.

Spread mix in a thin layer on a sheet pan.

Bake at 200F for 90 minutes. During baking, toss with a spatula every 30 minutes to prevent oversized chunks from forming.

Cool and store at room temperature in an airtight container.

Cold Shrimp Pasta Salad

Cold Shrimp Pasta Salad
1 lb raw shrimp and 1 bag of shrimp/crab boil
***OR***
¾ lb precooked shrimp (shelled) and 1/8 tsp filé powder
(the shrimp can be medium to large size, but they should be big enough
not to get stuck inside the shell pasta)

12 oz small shell macaroni (uncooked)
½ cup green onions, chopped (green parts only)
½ cup celery, chopped
½ cup pimento stuffed green olives (pre-sliced)
¼ cup green olive juice
½ cup dill pickles, chopped
¼ cup dill pickle juice
1 cup mayonnaise
1/8 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
------------------------------------------
If using raw shrimp, peel devein, and place in boiling water with the shrimp/crab boil bag already in it. Boil for 3 min, remove and drain.

Boil pasta al dente, then drain and rinse in colander with cold water.
Combine all ingredients and let chill overnight.

Crawfish Etoufee

Serves 4

1 batch Brown Roux(10 oz)*
8 oz Onion, chopped
4 oz Celery, chopped
4 oz Green Bell Pepper, chopped
1/2 Tbsp minced Garlic
16 fl oz Clam Juice**
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
2 oz Butter
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
1 Bay leaf
1 Tbsp Hot Sauce
12oz Crawfish Tails*** (frozen- don't thaw them)
2 Green Onions, chopped

Melt butter in a dutch oven on medium-low.
Saute Garlic, Onion, Bell Pepper, and Celery for about 10 minutes or until they soften.
Gradually spoon in the Brown Roux into the pot and stir until vegetables are evenly coated. Slowly add the clam juice, stirring as you go.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and add lemon juice, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, bay leaf, and thyme. Simmer about 15 minutes more to thicken it.
Add Crawfish and Hot Sauce. Simmer another 10 minutes.
Add green onions and serve over rice or quinoa.



*Make with 8oz cake flour and 4 fl oz canola oil. Click here for instructions.

**Clam Juice can be found in bottles at the store near canned tuna.

***Crawfish tails frozen in a 1 inch thick block will work fine. Its helpful to cut it into a few pieces before putting it in the pot. Make sure to get "tail only", not whole crawfish in the shell.

Vegetarian Sloppy Joe

Here's another use for the "TVP taco meat".
I wouldn't call this "real cooking" but its quick, easy and tasty.

Serves 1

1 hamburger bun
1/2 cup prepared TVP taco meat
1 Tbsp Barbecue sauce

Mix TVP and sauce. Microwave it for about 1 minute.
Spread mixture on the bun and serve.

Chile con Queso

Serves 2

8 oz Velveeta, cut in 1/2in cubes
1/4 cup Milk
2 Tbsp Salsa
2 Tbsp TVP Taco Meat
1 Green Onion, Minced

Put all ingredients in a large, unheated skillet. Place skillet on the stove and set heat for medium. Stir occasionally. When all the cheese is melted, it's ready. Serve with chips.

German Apple Pancake

This has become a new favorite of ours.

German Apple Pancake
serves 2

1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 Tbsp Sugar
1/4 tsp Salt
1 large Egg
1/3 cup Half and Half
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Granny Smith Apples (Large), peeled and sliced 1/4" thick
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar (packed tight)
1/8 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Lemon Juice
Powdered Sugar for garnish

Preheat oven to 500
Stir together Flour, Sugar, and Salt. In a mixing bowl, beat the egg and stir in Half & Half and Vanilla. Add dry mixture to the liquid.
Melt butter on medium-hi heat in a 8 inch, oven safe skillet.
Stir in Brown Sugar and Cinnamon. Add Apples, and cook about 10 minutes until the apples are soft and starting to brown.
Take off heat and stir in the Lemon Juice.
Pour Apples into the batter waiting in the mixing bowl. Stir them so the Apples are completely covered in the batter. Pour Apples and batter back into the skillet. Press down apples if they are sticking up. Push them in the pan for an even distribution. Put pan into the oven. Right away- reduce oven heat to 425. Bake about 18 minutes. Turn pancake over onto a plate and serve with powdered sugar.

Smoky Mac & Cheese

Smoky Mac & Cheese

This is my best attempt at imitating a dish at Jasper’s Restaurant in Plano,TX.
They add ham. I leave it out.

8 oz Bowtie Pasta
4 oz Smoked Gouda Cheese, grated
2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 oz Shallot (1 large), cut in small slices a ¼ inch wide and approximately ½ inch long.
2 tsp Garlic, minced
2 tsp Parsley, finely chopped
2 cups Vegetable Broth
3 oz Milk
½ tsp Salt

Preheat 1 tbsp of Olive Oil in a 10-in or larger skillet at med-hi (about 70% heat). If the oil smokes, it’s too hot.
Toast the Bowtie Pasta in the pan for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add Vegetable Broth and raise heat till it’s boiling.
Reduce heat to simmer (about 20% heat). Cover and cook 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. When finished there should be a thin sheet of Broth remaining under the Pasta.

While Pasta is cooking, preheat 1 tbsp of Olive Oil in a small saucepan to med-hi (about 70% heat).
Add Garlic and Shallot. Sauté 2 minutes (or less). The Shallot should be softened but not completely limp.
Reduce heat to med-lo (20% heat). Add Milk, Cheese, and Salt. Stir frequently until Cheese has completely melted into a smooth sauce. Slightly higher heat may be used if the Cheese isn’t melting fast enough.
After the Pasta is finished cooking remove from heat, but leave it in the pan.
Stir the Parsley into the melted Cheese, then stir the Cheese into the Pasta.
Serve immediately.

Serves 4 as a side dish/appetizer
Serves 2 to 3 as a main dish.

TVP Taco Meat

TVP Taco Meat
yields about 22oz or 5 cups

2 cups dry TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 can Rotel (chopped tomatoes and chilies)
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp liquid smoke
1 TBSP chili powder
2 TBSP soy sauce
2 TBSP olive oil
1 cup dry red wine
1 TBSP vegetable broth powder
½ tsp salt

Preheat oil and liquid smoke in a Dutch oven on medium heat.
Fry the garlic and bell pepper for about 2 minutes, only until garlic lightly browned but aromatic.
Drain the Rotel, reserving the juice.
Combine Rotel juice, wine, salt, broth powder, soy sauce, and chili powder. Add water to the liquid mix until it measures 2 cups.
Pour liquid mix and Rotel into the pot, still containing the garlic and bell pepper.
Raise heat to high until liquid is boiling.
Add dry TVP, reduce heat to medium and stir constantly for about 5 minutes or until it reaches a consistency similar to cooked ground beef.

Serve on tacos, taco salad, nachos, etc…

Pico Tuna Salad

Basically, a combination of Pico de Gallo and Tuna Salad.
This is now the standard tuna salad at our house.
-------------------------------------
15oz Albacore Tuna (drained, rinsed and chopped)
7 Tbsp Mayonnaise
1 Tbsp Dill Pickle Relish
1/4 Cup Tomato finely chopped
1/4 Cup Onion finely chopped
2 Tbsp Jalapeño finely chopped
1/4 Cup Cilantro finely chopped
-------------------------------------
Mix it all up and chill.
Serve on sandwiches or wraps with Swiss cheese and spinach or lettuce.

Brown Roux

This is a staple of Cajun cooking.
Soon, we'll have a Crawfish Etoufee recipe. You'll first need to have some roux ready. Roux is a cooked combination of flour and fat (either butter or oil). Its used as a sauce base, flavoring, and a thickener. A traditional light roux has equal parts flour to oil, but a brown roux will use less fat/more flour due to the effects of longer cooking.

8oz Cake Flour
4fl oz Canola Oil

Preheat oil in a non-stick skillet a little hotter than medium. I set my electric stove on 6 for this. Pour flour in and CONSTANTLY stir with a silicone/rubber spatula. Cook for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 5 and cook 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 4 and cook 10 minutes. By this time the roux needs to be at least darker than peanut butter. If it isn't that dark, keep cooking and stirring until it is. The most important part of this is: NEVER STOP STIRRING. If any bit of it burns, it will ruin the whole batch of roux. Let cool and freeze for later.

Why cake flour? Because it has the lowest protein and highest starch, which are the properties needed for roux. All purpose flour will still work, but dont use bread flour.

Broccoli Quiche

BROCCOLI QUICHE
Serves 4

1 previously made pie dough
- I use Pillbury pie dough, found near canned biscuit dough at the grocery store
6 green onions, finely chopped (green and white parts)
1/2 lb broccoli florets, chopped small (less that 3/4 in square)
1/2 lb baby swiss cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 eggs
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp salt
pepper to taste (try 1 minced jalapeno if you are inclined)

Preheat oven to 450
press pie dough into pie pan, prick with a fork and bake for five minutes.
In a skillet, saute onions, garlic, and broccoli in the butter on medium heat (about 5 minutes).
After removing the crust from its 5 minute baking, evenly layer the cheese cubes along the bottom of the crust.
Pour out the sauteed vegetables over the cheese.
Beat eggs, milk, salt and pepper in a blender.
Pour egg mixture evenly over the veggies and cheese until the pan is full.

Bake for 15 minutes at 450, then reduce heat to 350, and bake another 30 minutes.
Check for doneness by sticking a toothpick or knife into the quiche. It should come out clean.

Black Bean Enchiladas

Makes 18 enchiladas.

Filling Ingredients:
½ Large Yellow Onion (appx 4oz)
1 TBSP Minced Garlic
1 TBSP Ground Cumin
2 TBSP Oil
15oz can Black Beans
15oz can Refried Black Beans

Remaining Ingredients:
18 Corn Tortillas
Pepper Jack Cheese, 14 prepackaged slices
(2 6oz packs will yield enough)
Cooking Spray
2 10oz cans Red Enchilada Sauce
1 bunch Green Onions (appx 3oz)
Cheddar Cheese, 4oz shredded small
Chili Powder (Mexene is preferred)

Preheat oil in skillet on Medium heat (5 out of 10).
Sauté Onions, Garlic and Cumin about 5 minutes until Onions are soft.
Pour in Beans and juice from the can of regular Black Beans (not the refried).
Stir until Beans and Onions are evenly mixed.
Wait for the mix to boil then add Refried Beans, stirring until smooth.
Raise heat to Medium High (8 out of 10).
Stir constantly for 5 to 8 minutes until mix is very thick.
Remove from heat. When mix cools enough, refrigerate to further stiffen for easier assembly of the enchiladas.

For assembly, microwave the tortillas to soften so they won’t break when rolled up.
Microwave 2 at a time for about 30 seconds or more. The only limit to this cooking time is that the tortillas should not be too hot to touch.

Apply cooking spray to a 9x13 inch baking pan.

Break or cut a piece of cheese into 4 equally sized strips. Place three cheese strips in a row on a tortilla starting at one edge and ending at the middle. Put 2 Tablespoons of the bean filling along the middle cheese strip. Roll tortilla tightly around the filling so that the cheese strips surround the filling, creating an enchilada.

Place the enchilada seam side down into the pan. As you repeat the process of rolling the enchiladas, form a row of 11 enchiladas along one edge. In the remaining space, add a row of 3 enchiladas in each corner, and fill the last space with one enchilada, folded into a square shape instead of rolled. Smaller openings may be filled in with tightly rolled tortillas without bean filling or cheese inside. Press the enchiladas down gently so they spread out and fill any space that may be between them. Spaces between enchiladas may allow sauce to leak away from the surface into the bottom.

Pour enchilada sauce evenly over the top of the enchiladas.
Add Green Onions (both the green and white parts finely chopped) evenly over the top.
Add the shredded Cheddar Cheese evenly over the top.
Shake Chili Powder generously over the surface.

Bake 20 minutes at 375 degrees.

Tikka Masala Sauce

Serve this on cooked paneer, Quorn, or a meaty fish

Oil 1 Tbsp
Ginger Garlic Paste 1/4 Cup
Onion Paste 1/2 Cup (recipe follows sauce recipe)
Tomato Sauce 15 oz

Coriander 1 Tablespoon
Cumin 1 teaspoon
Methi (dried fenugreek leaves) 1/2 teaspoon
Paprika 1 teaspoon
Garam Masala 1 teaspoon
Cayenne Pepper 1/4 teaspoon
Salt 1 teaspoon
Half & Half 1/2 Cup
Cilantro (chopped) 1/2 Cup

Heat oil on medium heat.
Fry Ginger Garlic Paste 1 to 2 min until cooked.
Add Onion Paste and stir thoroughly.
Add Tomato Sauce and stir thoroughly.
Stir in all spices, but not the cilantro.
Reduce heat to med-lo and simmer covered for 20 minutes.
Uncover, lower heat to 2 and wait a few minutes for the temperature to lower.
Stir in cream a little dribble at a time so it wont separate.
Add cilantro.

Meat or paneer should be cooked separately by grilling or sauteing.
Add it to the sauce and simmer 10 minutes before serving.



************************
Onion Paste Recipe
Oil (enough to submerge onion in a small skillet)
1/2 lb onion cut into thin slices
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup plain yogurt

Deep fry onion slices and garlic on med-hi heat until golden.
The smaller pieces should be a bit shriveled before you finish.
Remove and place on paper towels.
Puree onions and garlic in a food processor until smooth.
Add yogurt and blend until smooth.

Please note the picture to see how dark to cook the onions, and how
finely to puree the paste.

You can filter and reuse the oil by pouring through a paper towel in a colander,
but it will add onion flavor to whatever you cook with it.

You can easily freeze the paste for later use if you arent making the tikka sauce right away.

Rosemary Roasted New Potatoes

Rosemary Roasted New Potatoes

2lb new potatoes (Get smaller potatoes for maximum skin)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 Tbsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 Tbsp garlic (minced)
1/2 Tbsp Fresh Rosemary (minced)
1/4 tsp dried thyme

A foot-long piece of fresh rosemary will yield close to the amount needed. Make sure to discard the stem.

Dice potatoes and put in a 9x13in glass pan.
Mix all other ingredients in a separate bowl and pour over potatoes.
Mix thoroughly.

Bake at 425F for 45 minutes. Stir 2 or 3 times during baking.

Oils: EVOO or OO?

There's a lot of talk these days about Extra Virgin Olive oil. Some people actually say "evoo". I think that's kind of silly. It is the premium version of olive oils, which is also reflected in the price. It is good stuff, and does taste different from regular olive oil, but here's something you must know:

It "loses its virginity" under heat.

It's unique flavors are lost, and it ends up tasting like regular olive oil.
Save the extra virgin for fresh salads and other unheated uses. Use regular olive oil for cooking, otherwise you are cooking away all the extra money you spent.

Caesar Salad Dressing

Here's a delicious, super easy recipe that beats
the pants off the store bought stuff.
You'll find Anchovy Paste in the Italian section
of the grocery store. It comes in a metal tube
in a thin cardboard box, like toothpaste.

1 garlic clove, minced
½ cup fat-free mayonnaise
3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Mix everything and serve. Refrigerate unused portion.

Grow your own rosemary

Rosemary is a very forgiving plant. Even the least experienced gardener can keep one without killing it. Be brave- pick up one at the garden center and put it outside (leave it in the pot). It can handle mild winters outside quite easily. Even in the hottest summer days, you'll just need to water it every day or two. In winter leave it in full sun, but in the summer only expose it to a half-day's sun so it wont get too dried out.

Buy spices at an Indian, Pakistani, or Halal market

I do a lot of Indian cooking, which requires special spices than can be hard to find.
Instead of dropping the big bucks at Whole Foods, check out a market that caters to people who use those spices almost everyday. You can get spices and beans in bigger bags than regular grocery stores and they are cheaper too. They also carry spices that are easy to find like cinnamon and cardamom, still cheaper. In case you are wondering, every service employee at the markets I've been to speaks English.

Cranberry Cake with Vanilla Sauce Topping

Here's a delicious festive cake I had during the holidays growing up.

Cranberry Cake with Vanilla Sauce Topping
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
Sift together the above ingredients

Add
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp melted unsalted butter
8oz or 2 cups fresh whole cranberries

Pour into a greased and floured 9x9 pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 min.

Topping

1 cup skim milk 1 cup whipping cream
or
2 cups whole milk

1 cup sugar
1 cup unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla
3 Tbsp flour

In a double boiler melt butter. Add flour and sugar. Gradually add milk. Cook until thick. It is going to take awhile to thicken. Add vanilla. Pour hot topping over warm cake. The cake may be topped with a sugar cube soaked in lemon extract and then lit.

How big is an onion?

I'm a bit obsessive compulsive about this, which has earned me much teasing at home.

I've noticed a huge range of size in the onions at the grocery store. They seem to range anywhere from the size of a tennis ball to the size of a softball. When a
recipe called for "one onion" I would have a hard time figuring out just how much that was supposed to be.

After a bit of experimenting, I've decided that "one onion" is 8oz of onion.

After I came up with that and put it into practice I was able to stop obsessing about it and get back to cooking.

Smoked Salmon Mousse

Great addition to a brunch menu or for entertaining!

Smoked Salmon Mousse

4oz smoked salmon (Flat type works best. Remove plastic sheets from between slices)
8oz cream cheese
2 Tablespoons heavy cream (half & half may be substituted)
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 teaspoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Place salmon, cream, dill, lemon juice, salt, and cayenne into a food processor.
Blend until smooth. Gradually add cream cheese and blend to desired consistency.
Serve with crackers (Rosemary flavor Triscuits are my favorite)

Why use a kitchen scale?

A kitchen scale is one of the easiest ways to be consistent with your ingredient measurements. It can help you avoid several types of preparation hassles:

Flour is supposed to be sifted before measuring in cups.
Brown sugar should be packed tightly in measuring spoons.
Did you chop your bell peppers the right size for your measuring cup?
Is your onion too big or small?

All of these issues can be completely avoided by using a scale. All ingredients will weigh the same regardless of sifting, packing or chopping.

The scale will really save you if you need to multiply the size of a recipe to serve a very large group. Lets say your recipe calls for one bell pepper, but you need to make three times the size of the original recipe. The volume of three large bell peppers is noticeably different from that of three small bell peppers. If you know the ingredient weight for the recipe then multiplying by three would absolutely solve your problem. You could buy three peppers that are all an average size, but that method will have you more concerned with the pepper's size rather than quality.

Unfortunately, not all recipes list ingredients by weight. My recommendation is to weigh ingredients after you measure them and write it on your recipe card or paper. If you like how it turned out, then use that measurement the next time you cook the recipe. If not, adjust.

Quorn

I've experimented quite a lot with this stuff. Quorn is a brand of meat substitute products. They make several types, but I almost always use what they call "naked chik'n cutlets". It is made from egg whites and a special strain of mushrooms.
It may seem pricy, but you can use half of what a recipe calls for that uses chicken since it doesn't shrink when cooked. Most health food stores carry it and some regular grocery stores have it now too. Pick up some and put it in the freezer for upcoming recipes.

Quorn Cacciatore with Acini di Pepe

I improvised this last night using Quorn Naked Chik'n Cutlets.
I know it isnt a true Cacciatore, but its the closest dish to
what I made for the sake of naming it.

click here to learn about Quorn

Serves 4-6

28oz can Crushed Tomatoes (Imported Italian)*
15oz can Diced Tomatoes
1 red bell pepper, chopped
8oz yellow onion, chopped
1 box Quorn Naked Chik'n Cutlets
4oz sliced mushrooms (about 1/4in thick, and no wider than 1 inch across)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 TBSP basil (dried)
2 TBSP oregano (dried)
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
8oz Acini di Pepe pasta**
24oz water
1 TBSP butter (unsalted)
Olive Oil

You'll need a medium sized pot with lid for the pasta, large pot with lid for the sacue, and 10 or 12 inch skillet for sauteing.

Bring the water to a boil in the medium pot. Pour in the pasta. Stir and cover. Reduce heat to medium-low (3 on my electric stove) and cook for 15 minutes. Stir a couple of times during cooking so the pasta doesn't stick to itself. After removing from heat, drain any remaining water and stir butter into the pasta. Cover and hold for service.

Pour both cans of tomatoes, and all dry seasonings into the large pot. Stir, cover, and set the heat on medium.

Heat 1 TBSP oil in skillet between medium and medium-hi. (7 on my stove)

The following procedure gives the veggies a nice tasty browning which wont happen
if they only simmer in the sauce. They are sauteed separately to help promote the browning, which doesn't work well if the skillet is crowded.

Saute Onions and garlic until the onions start to brown. (about 5 min)
Stir onions and garlic into the sauce. Remember to keep the sauce covered so it wont splatter.
Saute bell peppers until starting to brown. Add to sauce.
Saute mushrooms until starting to brown. Add to sauce.
Add 1 tsp of oil to skillet.
Saute Quorn until golden brown on all sides. Add to sauce.

Remove sauce from heat and serve over the pasta, or stir pasta into the sauce before serving.


*Italian tomatoes are more acidic which gives them a very bright flavor. This is the key ingredient to a delicious sauce that is noticeably better than store bought sauce. I keep a can of this in the pantry at all times. I use Cento brand. Find it in the Italian section of your grocery store.

** Acini de Pepe is one of the tiniest pastas. It's small size gives maximum surface area to release its dusty starch coating into a wonderful texture that is not too different from risotto. Never pre-rinse it. Find it in the Italian section of your grocery store.

Substitute for bacon in a recipe

A lot of flavor comes from bacon. That's why its used as a source of cooking fat in many recipes. Its true much flavor comes from the animal fat, but it also comes from how it is cured, i.e. smoking.
My favorite clam chowder recipe says to chop up a slice of bacon and fry it to render the fat for frying up onions. I didn't want to miss out on the flavor so I came up with an alternative that is functional and yields tasty results.

If your recipe calls for a slice of bacon, instead use a Tablespoon of olive oil and a teaspoon of liquid smoke (hickory, not mesquite) for each replaced bacon slice. Don't worry that the liquid smoke smells to strong at first. It settles in cooking and works quite well.

Cheese Grits

Serves 1 to 2

1 Cup water
¼ Cup dry grits (instant style)
½ TBSP unsalted “sweet” butter
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1 oz sharp cheddar cheese (a piece sized appx ½”x 1”x 2”)
1 oz monterey jack cheese (a piece sized appx ½”x 1”x 2”)
½ oz parmesan cheese (a piece sized appx ¼” x 1” x 1”)

Chop all cheese into small pieces (about ¼ inch)
In small pot (about 5 or 6 inches wide) bring water, butter, salt and spices to a boil on high heat.
Reduce heat to medium, and slowly stir in grits. Cover, reduce to medium-low (the heat you would simmer rice at) and cook 5 minutes. Stir a couple of times during the 5 minutes to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Add chopped cheese. Stir until cheese is fully melted. Serve hot.

Day One

The term pescetarian is not widely known, even by those who practice it. Usually a pescetarian will say "I'm a vegetarian, but I'll eat fish", a phrase most people can understand although not entirely correct as a true vegetarian may be quick to explain.

I'll eat just about anything, but my wife is a pescetarian and I do most of the cooking at home. Over the past few years I have been developing a repertoire of recipes that is tasty to me as an omnivore and my wife's liking of vegetarian and fish dishes.

I'm writing this blog mostly for people like me- an omnivore who must cook for others and leave out the meat. The most important thing is that it should still taste good to the meat eater.

To summarize- the recipes I'll share will not include meat or byproducts of land or air animals, but they will feature all manner of fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, dairy, eggs, fish, shellfish, and plenty of spices. There will be some actual vegetarian recipes, and even a few vegan recipes. I also will feature some meat-substitute products as well.

Preheat those ovens and lets get started!