tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11678290953558066602024-03-13T21:14:14.451-07:00Beyond the Box: Recipe FavoritesKathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661514003319154725noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167829095355806660.post-29061735015204942422020-03-20T09:42:00.000-07:002020-03-20T09:42:56.618-07:00Meal PrepWhat are you doing while sheltering at home? Did you go out and stock up on food?<div><br></div><div>Spend a few hours cooking your meats and packaging them up and either individual size dinners for two or family dinner size packages. Then you have cooked meat that you can add to salads, tacos, pasta or rice dishes, et cetera, without all the cleanup during the week nights.<div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gW4hN8LNWWA/XnTu3r_9vLI/AAAAAAAAeFM/2SsQTJiGgIw8EfgIvfdO3jL_alGghWj9QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/1584721629206318-0.png" width="400"></a></div></div><div>I began with a 3-pound package of ground beef, which I split into two halves. I plan to cook one skillet full of Italian-flavored beef and a second skillet full of taco-seasoned meat. Then I split each skillet of cooked meat into two, creating four future family meal kits. </div><div><br></div><div>I took an an onion, halved it and diced it, and began sauteing half an onion in the skillet. Then I added to minced cloves of garlic and the approximately one and a half pounds of ground beef.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SF7g6hESjck/XnTu22myO1I/AAAAAAAAeFI/xId5leGookMjr7PqzWdfEiBu3Ggh9sHXACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/1584721626691825-1.png" width="400"></a></div></div><div>I season the meat with Italian herbs and stirred in a half a can of tomato paste. I also decided to add in a half a package of mushrooms that was already opened in the fridge.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XV-bgyvFrm8/XnTu2VsjuZI/AAAAAAAAeFE/O7kn6-mbE8Qo6FB3IzfzK9G2qy1buUpRgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/1584721623660007-2.png" width="400"></a></div></div><div>I cooked the meat until it was completely browned, going an additional 5 minutes to make sure it was really cooked well. Then I put the Italian-seasoned beef in a bowl to cool.</div><div><br></div><div>Without washing the skillet, I started the next batch which would be seasoned with my own blend of taco seasoning. I started off in the same way with the minced garlic and chopped onions. I added the beef and taco seasonings and cooked it through.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div>I decided to stir in the rest of the tomato sauce just to bind the meat together a little bit. Then I let that meat cool in the skillet while I started to package and heat seal the Italian seasoned meat. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div>Looks good, doesn't it? The meat is all cooked and I could use it for tacos right now, making burritos, topping a taco salad, making enchiladas or quesadillas, whatever. </div><div><br></div><div>I prepared four large heat sealing plastic food storage bags, marking them with the type of meat and seasoning and then proceeded to fill them up. I measured them on my home scale and tried to get the packages approximately even. Then I filled the packages and weighed them again, marking the weight and the date on the package. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div></div><div>I ended up with four packages of cooked meat ranging from 12 to 14 oz, perfect for a family dinner for four, or dinner for two with two leftover meals for lunches. </div><div><br></div><div>In this meal prep, I only used one skillet, one knife, one wooden spoon, one bowl, and a cutting board. I washed everything, seasoned my cast iron skillet and cleaned up the stove. </div><div><br></div><div>I added the packets to the freezer where they will be stored until I want to use them. Meanwhile, with the heat sealer out on the counter, I also heat-sealed some previously cooked (a few days ago) chicken breast and cooked hamburger patties for future dinners or lunches.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div>I put the smaller packages into convenient Ziploc bags that I can pull out and grab chicken or cooked pork or cooked hamburger, etc.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lu791QJiBeY/XnTuwOlHAGI/AAAAAAAAeEk/LZIj_jJZag0H6CXmf2joHwZQsmmUGQFVQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/1584721598813578-10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lu791QJiBeY/XnTuwOlHAGI/AAAAAAAAeEk/LZIj_jJZag0H6CXmf2joHwZQsmmUGQFVQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/1584721598813578-10.png" width="400"></a></div></div><div>It's pretty comforting to know that I can come home from work and put together a pasta dish or something and just a few minutes with minimum clean up afterward. I can also send the smaller servings with my husband for lunch which he can heat in the microwave and create a nice hot meal. </div><div><br></div><div>I also use this method to prepare lunches in our food prep containers with meat veggies and a healthy carb for microwaving at work. Whenever I cook quinoa or rice I usually double the amount I need and package up the leftovers small servings for quick lunches or dinners for my husband and myself. I also discovered if I meal prep a few lunches and put them in the fridge for quick heating, my son tends to eat them up, whereas if I just put the leftovers in a big bowl in the fridge, he would never actually utilized them and assemble his own plate!</div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br></div>Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661514003319154725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167829095355806660.post-44634747656281600822015-05-07T21:33:00.000-07:002015-05-16T14:50:56.684-07:00805 Cowboy Campfire Beans<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lee's 805 Cowboy Campfire Beans</td></tr>
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<span style="color: red;">805 Cowboy Campfire Beans</span><br>
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1 pound lean ground beef<br>
1 pound linguicia sausage<br>
one onion, chopped coarsley<br>
1/2 each bell peppers, red and green, chopped coarsely<br>
one jalapeno pepper, seed removed, chopped fine<br>
3-4 cloves garlic, minced<br>
canned diced tomatoes with green chilies (15 oz)<br>
2 Tbs olive oil<br>
tomato paste (4 oz)<br>
SunVista black beans (29 oz can)<br>
SunVista pinto beans (56 oz can)<br>
SunVista kidney beans (29 oz can)<br>
805 beer - one bottle <br>
Lee's Campfire Steak Fixings (a kicked up Santa Maria-style seasoning blend + a few different chili powders and some local coffee beans, ground up)<br>
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Take the casings off of the linguicia and break into chunks. Brown in sautee pan along with the ground beef. Season with Lee's Cowboy Campfire Fixings blend. Cook until no pink remains, then drain off any grease. <br>
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In a separate sautee pan, cook the onion and peppers until soft. Add jalapeno and garlic and cook for another couple of minutes. Stir in tomatoes. Turn the vegetable mixture into the ground meat mixture in a crock pot and add some beer. Cook for 2 hours on high, then add in beans and turn setting down to low and cook for a few more hours until serving time. <br>
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Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661514003319154725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167829095355806660.post-35147564900146285662015-04-29T19:26:00.003-07:002015-04-29T19:26:25.331-07:00My Man Can Cook! Mustard Chicken on Pasta<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: red;">Lee Cooks, Too!</span></div>
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<i>I know, I am a lucky gal! I married a guy who had been single for so long he had to learn how to cook. What a blessing! So that's my tip, ladies...find a man who has been living by himself. They do eat, so they do learn to cook. Usually, they enjoy cooking and creating something delicious to eat, and they like to share and show it off a little bit. At least I know my guy can follow a recipe.</i></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hFqN3XQcCsw/VTz7FWL1LsI/AAAAAAAAC-8/xbRX9iv1Qrc/s1600/0412151919a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hFqN3XQcCsw/VTz7FWL1LsI/AAAAAAAAC-8/xbRX9iv1Qrc/s1600/0412151919a.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a>I like to cook, and I usually do most of the meal planning and grocery shopping and cooking. But when my schedule isn't conducive for that, I ask my husband for help, and he gladly pitches in. So one night last week, I was working later than he was and I was feeling really exhausted. I texted him the recipe I was going to make when I got home, hoping that he would get home a half hour or so before me and get it started. The recipe was for pan-fried chicken breasts with a creamy mustard sauce over pasta, something I knew would make his mouth water just reading about it. The plan came together! I can't tell you exactly how my husband made it, because I was still at work when he was cooking. When I walked in the door, he was putting the finishing touches on the sauce. All I can tell you is that it was really good, and we will make it again. He plated everything, poured me a glass of wine, and told me it was my turn to do the dishes. That's love for you! </div>
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Here is the recipe I texted him from Eating Well: </div>
<h2>
Creamy Mustard Chicken</h2>
<a href="http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/creamy_mustard_chicken.html">http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/creamy_mustard_chicken.html</a><br />
<em>From EatingWell:
September/October 2013</em>
In this healthy, creamy mustard chicken recipe, thin-sliced
chicken breasts (sometimes labeled chicken cutlets) cook quickly and are
delicious smothered in a velvety, light mustard sauce and garnished
with fresh chopped sage. If you can’t find chicken cutlets, cut
boneless, skinless chicken breast into 4-ounce pieces and place between
pieces of plastic wrap. Pound with a meat mallet, rolling pin or heavy
skillet until flattened to about 1/2 inch thick.<br />
<strong>
4 servings </strong>
|
<strong>Active Time:</strong> 35 minutes |
<strong>Total Time:</strong> 35 minutes <br />
<h3>
Ingredients</h3>
<ul>
<li>1/2 package whole-wheat angel hair pasta (7-8 ounces)</li>
<li>4 thin-sliced chicken breasts or cutlets (about 1 pound)</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon garlic powder</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon salt, divided</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided</li>
<li>1/4 cup all-purpose flour</li>
<li>3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided</li>
<li>1 large shallot, finely chopped</li>
<li>1/2 cup dry white wine</li>
<li>1/2 cup water</li>
<li>1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream</li>
<li>2 tablespoons Dijon mustard</li>
<li>2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage, plus more for garnish</li>
</ul>
<h3>
Preparation</h3>
<ol>
<li>Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions. Drain.</li>
<li>Meanwhile, sprinkle chicken with garlic powder and 1/4 teaspoon each
salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow bowl and coat both sides of
the chicken, shaking off any excess. Reserve 2 teaspoons flour; discard
the rest.</li>
<li>Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Cook the chicken, turning once, until golden brown and cooked through, 3
to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a clean plate.</li>
<li>Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the
pan. Add shallot and cook, stirring, until beginning to brown, 30
seconds to 1 minute. Add wine and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1
minute. Combine water with the reserved 2 teaspoons flour. Add to the
pan and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the
heat; stir in sour cream, mustard, 2 tablespoons sage and the remaining
1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Return the chicken to the pan and
turn to coat with the sauce.</li>
<li>Top the pasta with half the sauce, the chicken and then the remaining sauce. Garnish with more sage, if desired.</li>
</ol>
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Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661514003319154725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167829095355806660.post-27588132080342381792015-04-26T08:39:00.003-07:002015-05-07T21:14:36.559-07:00Chicken Noodle Soup from a leftover roasted chicken<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking at this, I wish I had added some sliced mushrooms to it. Sigh! Next time!!!</td></tr>
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About once a week now, I stop by the grocery store deli on my way home from work and pick up some chicken. Sometimes it is wings, sometimes chicken tenders, but most often its a whole roasted chicken. I like the whole chicken, because then I have leftovers! A whole roasted chicken is such a deal for me because it costs about $6-8, depending on where you buy it, and I get a dinner and a pot of soup or a pasta dish later. I can use whatever veggies and pastas I happen to have on hand to make the magic all happen. <br />
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I never throw away the carcass without making some bone broth with it first! Basically, you eat the chicken for dinner one night, then put the leftovers in the refrigerator. The next day you pluck off all the good leftover chicken meat and put it aside in a container, then put the carcass into a stock pot and fill it with water and cook it for a few hours. I like to add a few stalks of celery and carrots, along with some onion, and a couple of cloves of garlic and a bay leaf, and season it with salt, pepper and garlic. Usually, I save the ends of the onion that I have trimmed off to use in my chicken stock. That's because after you make the stock, you strain out all the vegetables and bones and skin from the chicken carcass and discard that. Then you make your soup using fresh vegetables that you are not going to cook to death. You can also add a few sprigs of fresh parsley and thyme if you have it on hand.<br />
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For a little deeper flavor in my chicken noodle soup, I have been carmelizing an onion or two in my crock pot while the broth simmers on the stove. I start with two teaspoons of butter and an equal amount of olive oil in the crock with the sliced onions. Turn it on high and let them cook for two hours, stirring every now and then. The onion cooks and browns and develops beautiful flavor. This could be just the start of a French Onion Soup, but today its going to have other vegetables and some chicken meat in it.<br />
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When the broth has simmered on the stove for a good long while and sucked out all the goodness from the leftover chicken bones and skin and bits of meat, its time to strain it. I put my strainer right over the crock pot and ladled the broth through it into the crock bowl. Then I discarded the veggies and carcass remains that were left in the stock pot. Now I have a rich broth with carmelized onions and am ready to build my Chicken Noodle Soup.<br />
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I add to sliced celery and carrots to the broth and let that cook for about 15 minutes on low. The idea here is not to cook these veggies to the point of mush. Next, I season the broth a little more, adding salt, pepper, ginger*, thyme, rosemary, basil and a dash or two of soy sauce*. I still wasn't happy, so I added a teaspoon of my onion soup mixture that has turmeric in it. I could leave out the soy and ginger, but I think I like a more Asian tint to the broth these days. Sliced mushrooms would have been genius here, too, but I didn't think of them at the time. Anyway, I put the Asian-y stuff in parenthesis in the recipe, so you can decide which way you want to go with it).<br />
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Next, I chop up some kale or spinach and a good bunch of parsley (or cilantro) and put that in, give it a good stir, then add spaghetti (or ramen) noodles. After about 10 minutes, I stir in the leftover cooked chicken from the night before, check my seasonings, and soup's ready to serve!<br />
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<span style="color: red;">Leftover Roasted Chicken Noodle Soup</span><br />
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One chicken carcass, skin, bones and all!<br />
Stock pot full of water<br />
Salt, pepper, garlic<br />
Half an onion<br />
2-3 celery stalks<br />
1-2 carrots<br />
2-3 garlic cloves<br />
bay leaf <br />
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Bring to a simmer and let it cook for 1-2 hours. Strain and save the broth for soup.<br />
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2 tsp. butter and olive oil<br />
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Meanwhile, in a crock pot, carmelize a sliced onion with some butter and olive oil on high for 1-2 hours.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My own onion soup mix</td></tr>
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8 cups chicken broth<br />
carmelized onions <br />
1 tsp each dried thyme, basil, rosemary<br />
Salt, pepper, garlic, *(ginger)<br />
1 tsp.<span style="color: red;"> onion soup mix</span><br />
*(2 Tbs soy sauce) <br />
3-4 sliced carrots<br />
3-4 stalks sliced celery<br />
1 cup sliced mushrooms<br />
1/2 cup chopped parsley *(or cilantro) <br />
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2 cups chopped spinach or kale <br />
6 oz. spaghetti or ramen noodles<br />
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped into bite-sized pieces<br />
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Start with the broth and carmelized onions, add the seasonings and taste. At this point I added my onion soup mixture and some soy sauce. The add in the carrots, celery, mushrooms and let them cook for about 15 minutes. Add the pasta and spinach and cook for another 10-15 minutes, then stir in the chicken (its already cooked!) and serve.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0vL3Ci9PwYw/VUwJMFlwqMI/AAAAAAAADBM/ZYQ8ffSM_Y8/s1600/0507151751.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0vL3Ci9PwYw/VUwJMFlwqMI/AAAAAAAADBM/ZYQ8ffSM_Y8/s640/0507151751.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chicken noodle soup that I made tonight with vermecelli noodles and some leftover sauteed squash. More traditional in taste and appearance, no soy sauce. I used one tablespoon of my Onion Soup Mix in the broth.</td></tr>
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<span style="color: red;">Onion Soup Mix</span><br />
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2/3 C dried minced onion<br />
3 tsp. parsley flakes<br />
2 tsp. onion powder<br />
2 tsp. turmeric<br />
1 tsp. celery seed<br />
1 tsp. sea salt<br />
1 tsp. sugar<br />
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper<br />
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Use 4 Tbs. in a recipe in place of 1 packet of store-bought onion soup mix. Makes enough to fill a pint mason jar.<br />
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<br />Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661514003319154725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167829095355806660.post-80307138830948854752015-04-08T07:03:00.001-07:002015-04-26T08:56:00.444-07:00Chicken Pho<div dir="ltr">
I made my own Chicken Pho, which is a Vietnamese soup with noodles and spices and bean sprouts and bok choy....mmmmmh! It is cropping up on all the menus lately at Panera and Chinese food places and all kinds of other eateries. The hearty broth flavored with aromatic spices tingles the senses in the most delightful way.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pBYM3umD8yU/VTz7cFh7p7I/AAAAAAAAC_U/4RBPz-cn_rg/s1600/0407150758.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pBYM3umD8yU/VTz7cFh7p7I/AAAAAAAAC_U/4RBPz-cn_rg/s1600/0407150758.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a>This week SLO Veg Delivery sent tat soi, which is a cousin of bok choy, along with organic carrots and celery, so right there I had the makings of a good soup. I had picked up a roasted chicken from the deli the other night and I had about half of it left over, perfect soup stock makings. I pulled off most of the meat, putting it aside, and put just the carcass into a pot of water, along with the ends and tops of my celery and carrot sticks. Then I added the seasonings: cloves, a cinnamon stick, Chinese five spice powder, salt, pepper and garlic powder. I added a generous dash of fish sauce and soy sauce and let the pot simmer for a couple of hours on the stove top. This can also be done in a crock pot, cooking on high for 4-5 hours to bring out the most flavor. </div>
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The broth is then strained and the bones and simmering spices and vegetables are disgarded. Now you have a wonderful, flavorful soup base to mix with the chicken pieces, chopped fresh carrots, celery, bok choy, and noodles for the pho. Restaurants serve cilantro, jalapeno pepper, and mung bean sprouts on the side, to be added to the pho at the table, but I just added them all into the pot and ladeled it into serving bowls. </div>
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http://mobile.eatingwell.com/recipes/slow_cooker_chicken_pho.html</div>
Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661514003319154725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167829095355806660.post-19855594803487242282015-04-06T21:19:00.001-07:002015-04-06T21:19:25.183-07:00Mustard Sauce on Swordfish<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FAsi9GeGhBU/VSNRkYmyksI/AAAAAAAAC9A/nL3ms-vN1Og/s1600/0406151240b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FAsi9GeGhBU/VSNRkYmyksI/AAAAAAAAC9A/nL3ms-vN1Og/s1600/0406151240b.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Today's early Spring bounty from SLO Veg: cauliflower, tangerines, kale, grapefruit, carrots, artichokes, curly parsley, strawberries, lettuce mix, beets, tat soi and swordfish.</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b> Mustard Sauce on Swordfish</b></span></div>
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We got a beautiful box of fruits and vegetables today, along with two thick, fresh swordfish steaks, courtesy of SLO Veg and SLO Fresh Catch. I knew we could put together a delicious, fresh and flavorful dinner in minutes with items like the salad mix, grapefruit, carrots, and fish.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cFS2zchxnxk/VSNRek5wbuI/AAAAAAAAC84/Tg3MgWzRag4/s1600/0406151945.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cFS2zchxnxk/VSNRek5wbuI/AAAAAAAAC84/Tg3MgWzRag4/s1600/0406151945.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a>My husband got home first, so I texted him and asked if he could start the mustard sauce for the fish. It needed to reduce for 20 or so minutes, so if he got it started, I could steam the veggies and fry the fish when I got home. He also put together a yummy green salad with the lettuce blend we got in the box, some segments of grapefruit and feta cheese. I had already mixed up a blueberry vinegar and basil dressing to serve on the salad, so our dinner salad came together nicely. I still had a bunch of broccoli from last week, so I steamed it with the organic carrots we received today, along with some sliced onion and finished it with a squeeze of lemon juice. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qBVrkQCLmcI/VSNVptY_bzI/AAAAAAAAC9M/66-HSTzbbXk/s1600/Screenshot_2015-04-06-20-56-50.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qBVrkQCLmcI/VSNVptY_bzI/AAAAAAAAC9M/66-HSTzbbXk/s1600/Screenshot_2015-04-06-20-56-50.png" height="640" width="360" /></a>The swordfish was simply seasoned with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and sauteed in butter. When it was cooked through, I put it on the plate with the steamed veggies and spooned some mustard sauce over the fish. </div>
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Lee followed the recipe from SLO Fresh Catch for Mustard Sauce for Fish. He used some homemade chicken broth that I had previously frozen, and chopped up a green onion. Mustard and butter brought the sauce together and really made the fish delicious! It really can't get much simplier than this. </div>
Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661514003319154725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167829095355806660.post-83862361811173522052015-02-26T20:59:00.000-08:002015-02-26T21:10:24.613-08:00Argentina! with Chimichurri Sauce and Potato Salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Chimichurri. Chimichurri, chimichurri...I just like to say that word. Okay, so I took a little trip down to Latin America recently. I wanted to make a batch of chimichurri sauce, which I learned is as common as ketchup in Argentina. I also know when I posted a blog entry about chimichurri in the past, my Argentinean friend Marie liked it! It was nice to know someone had heard of it before, that it was a thing, because I was really just trying to figure out a way to use up extra cilantro and parsley. In my quick research, I learned a bit about the cuisine and culture of Argentina as I surfed through the food blogs. While browsing for chimichurri recipes, I found an Argentinean potato salad, and many versions of a skirt steak or flat iron steak doused in chimichurri.<br>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0DNNxRrDcVw/VO_36bhFIxI/AAAAAAAAC74/PAlVvLf6WUw/s1600/0226152016-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0DNNxRrDcVw/VO_36bhFIxI/AAAAAAAAC74/PAlVvLf6WUw/s1600/0226152016-1.jpg" height="274" width="320"></a>Chimichurri is made up of cilantro and parsley, with a bite of garlic, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Argentineans use it on steak, and practically everything else, I guess. I wanted to use it as a sauce for fish, but according to one food blogger, fish is not a common dish in Argentina. The people are mostly farmers and therefore live off the land, not the sea. Who knew? Of course, that makes their fisheries plentiful and enticing to foreign fisherman, who are now taking advantage of the abundant fish.<br>
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Our local fish this week was Bank Rockfish, and as I reviewed the recipes on the SLO Fresh Catch blog, I didn't see any recipes that immediately sparked my attention. I didn't feel like having a gremolata, or a lemon fish, or a salsa-topped fish. One thing I did note: fish is best with the simplest preparation: fried, poached or baked. I think I will just use a bit of breading and fry it in a pan, then top it with the rich, green chimichurri sauce. That should be a nice break from the usual tartar sauce, even though my husband makes a great one. It's kind of his thing, so I always try to let him do the tartar honors. <br>
<a href="http://www.slofreshcatch.com/category/blog/recipes/">http://www.slofreshcatch.com/category/blog/recipes/ </a><br>
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Then, I had these potatoes that I had prepped the other day for making French fries, but then I didn't have enough canola oil to fry them, so they were chilling in a bowl of water in the frig. Why not make a potato salad instead? Even though the potatoes are already cut into a fry shape, I think they will work; I just chopped them into shorter pieces. Argentine Potato Salad with little pimento stuffed green olives, no less! It has green olives, dill, and green peas, so it coordinates with the green chimichurri sauce. <br>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s7wP85ySiMI/VO_wXMVhGGI/AAAAAAAAC7U/A-Q-okXq6UI/s1600/0226152017a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s7wP85ySiMI/VO_wXMVhGGI/AAAAAAAAC7U/A-Q-okXq6UI/s1600/0226152017a.jpg" height="180" width="320"></a><a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/argentinean-potato-salad/">http://allrecipes.com/recipe/argentinean-potato-salad/</a><br>
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Then, because I needed another vegetable, I decided to bake a head of cauliflower with the spicy yogurt sauce that I found on Pinterest. Its such a dramatic-looking way to fix and serve cauliflower, perfect for impressing dinner guests. I had a beautiful head of cauliflower from our SLO Veg box this week just waiting to be presented in this way.<br>
ht<a href="http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/healthy-recipes/cauliflower-recipe-youve-never-seen/spicy-whole-roasted-cauliflower-recipe">tp://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/healthy-recipes/cauliflower-recipe-youve-never-seen/spicy-whole-roasted-cauliflower-recipe </a><br>
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I know this dinner is going to be very WHITE in color...white fish, white potatoes, white cauliflower. That's a little weird, but hopefully it will still look appetizing. The green notes will brighten it up, I think.<br>
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<b><span style="color: red;">Chimichurri Sauce</span></b><br>
<div class="entry-details" id="recipe-ingredients">
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>Ingredients</i></span></h3>
<ul>
<li>1 cup firmly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, trimmed of thick stems</li>
<li>1 cup cilantro, trimmed of thick stems </li>
<li>3 garlic cloves</li>
<li>1 Tbsp fresh oregano leaves (can sub 1 teaspoon dried oregano)</li>
<li>1/2 cup olive oil</li>
<li>2 Tbsp red wine vinegar</li>
<li>1 teaspoon sea salt</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes</li>
</ul>
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<div class="entry-details" id="recipe-method">
<h3>
<i><span style="font-weight: normal;">Method</span></i></h3>
<b>1</b> Finely chop the parsley, fresh oregano, and garlic (or process in a food processor several pulses). Place in a small bowl.<br>
<b>2</b> Blend in the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Adjust seasonings.<br>
Serve immediately or refrigerate. If chilled, return to room temperature before serving. Can keep for a day or two.</div>
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<br>Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661514003319154725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167829095355806660.post-39445823357629720402015-02-25T12:02:00.002-08:002015-02-25T12:50:25.197-08:00Creamy Chinese Celery Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So you know we get this box of fresh, locally grown, seasonal fruits and vegetables delivered right to our doorstep every other week by a service called SLO Veg. We have been getting the bulk of our produce from them for the past two years now, and I swear its the best thing we have ever done for our diets.<br />
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While my daughters think its too much trouble to wash and prepare all that produce with their busy schedules, I find it therapeutic. My girls like fresh veggies from Trader Joe’s that are washed and cut and ready to eat (they're young!), whereas I like the process of chopping and sautéing and putting together a recipe from scratch. It gets me out of a food rut. I do like to pre-prep whenever I can, so on my days off I might chop some veggies or marinate some meat so that I can put a dinner together quickly the next work day. Vegetables are usually pretty quick to prepare, though, so as long as I have a plan, life is good. <br />
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One thing I really like about the SLO Veg service is the way they tell you a few days in advance what to expect in your next delivery, then they offer a bunch of recipe ideas using the items that will be in the box. Genius, right? What a great marketing angle. I am sure Rachael was behind that idea; probably Dan is more of the brawn in this operation, but I could be wrong. Whoever thought that one up, well, that's irrelevant...I am just so glad they did. Saves me so much time! Otherwise I try to save recipes I come across on Pinterest because I have read the blog about "This Weeks Harvest Box" and know what I am going to need to cook.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0MxLhgNsCf0/VO4fo-k-vuI/AAAAAAAAC6g/7ryvahqFDmc/s1600/0225151116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0MxLhgNsCf0/VO4fo-k-vuI/AAAAAAAAC6g/7ryvahqFDmc/s1600/0225151116.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a>I browse recipes constantly. It was weird when my sister-in-law asked during our last visit, "So, what are you reading these days?" and all I could think of was cookbooks, books about nutrition, and recipe blogs. Sigh! Thank goodness for Pioneer Woman. At least on her site I can read "Confessions" or something about life on the ranch and so forth.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q6jalLv1ejg/VO4eShtVvDI/AAAAAAAAC6Q/b7Rj7GxilIQ/s1600/0225151110b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q6jalLv1ejg/VO4eShtVvDI/AAAAAAAAC6Q/b7Rj7GxilIQ/s1600/0225151110b.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a>Today I am doing what I love best: watching cooking shows (Anne Burrell is on right now, making a fava bean soup and a Swiss chard crostini. *Note: save idea for later!), cooking some soup on the stove, taking pictures of what I am cooking, and blogging about it. Great day in my book! I already made some quick ramen soup with celery and carrots and cilantro to eat while I do all the above multi-tasking. This morning I have already sliced up some top sirloin marinating in orange juice that will become carne asada tacos tonight after my husband gets home. I have some leftover rice to serve with the tacos, and I might doctor up some canned pinto beans as well. But I am hankering for hearty vegetable-type soup, and soup I will make.<br />
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We got a big bunch of fresh green celery in Monday's box, so now, this week from SLO Veg, some delicious Creamy Chinese Celery soup! . My husband and son aren't real big on celery, so if I make it into a bunch of soup and freeze it, I can take it to work and have a nice hot, delicious homemade treat for myself without traumatizing them by actually forcing them to eat celery themselves. They can have canned tomato soup and
be happy about it. (They would be!) The great part is that this recipe
calls for a potato, of which I have
two or three leftover from my box that was delivered two weeks ago. <br />
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My soup starts out with a whole bunch of chopped celery, a white onion, some sliced leeks and three really cute little white potatoes. I am making more that what the recipe from SLO Veg calls for, because I want to eat some and freeze some. I sliced the leeks first and got them soaking in a bowl of water, because leeks tend to collect a lot of sand inside the layers, so you want to soak them and let the sediment fall to the bottom of the bowl. Then you scoop the leeks out and proceed with the cooking.<br />
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I put all the veggies into a stock pot with a chunk of butter and began to sauté them. Oops! I forgot to peel the potatoes, so I quickly did that and gave them a chop and tossed them into the pot, too. Now I've got it all in the pot and its set to simmer for an hour.<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K9fEzkElTTo/VO4bTsLno1I/AAAAAAAAC58/6YT4zmKOgxg/s1600/0225151048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K9fEzkElTTo/VO4bTsLno1I/AAAAAAAAC58/6YT4zmKOgxg/s1600/0225151048.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a>I had to open a really nice bottle of Pinot Blanc we recently got from a SLO area winery, Claiborne-Churchill. It was either that or run down to the market for a cheap bottle of white wine. I was a little stingy with the wine in the soup, because I want more for me to enjoy later when I eat my delicious bowl of soup. Wait, that was Chinese Celery Soup, right? I think it needs a splash of fish sauce, too, and some cilantro, maybe a dash of celery seed to bump up the flavor. I have some fish sauce in my pantry somewheres...<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_f5mI_-KgL4/VO40BecaGiI/AAAAAAAAC6w/CoQscrS6j5U/s1600/0225151234.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_f5mI_-KgL4/VO40BecaGiI/AAAAAAAAC6w/CoQscrS6j5U/s1600/0225151234.jpg" height="112" width="200" /></a>Okay, its been an hour or more. I can let the soup cool a bit before I attempt to puree it in the blender. Too bad I wore out my immersion blender, because that is perfect for blending soups. I guess I need a new one...hint hint! Anyway, the recipe says to puree the soup and then strain it. I skipped the straining step, because I need all the fiber I can get. I served it with some Chinese fried noodles instead of croutons, too. Dang I'm good. Keeping it real! (as PW would say!) <br />
<br />
What is Rachel doing on her show? Its playing and I am not even paying attention, but it looks like she might be making some kind of soup, as well. I need to back it up and see what she is doing. (Salmon and dill chowder!) Then I need to search for Anne's crostini recipe. Ahhhh! Such a busy day at home. <br />
<br />
<br />
<b><i><span style="color: #ff3300;">Creamy Chinese Celery Soup (Celery/Shallots/Leeks) </span></i></b>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<pre>Servings: 6 Prep Time: 30 Minutes Total Time: 1 1/2 Hrs
Ingredients:
For soup
1 medium leek (white and pale green parts only),
chopped
1 medium russet (baking) potato
1/2 cup chopped shallot
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 bunches Chinese celery (1 1/2 lb total),
top leaves discarded and stalks cut into
2-inch pieces
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 cups chicken stock or low-sodium chicken
broth (32 fl oz)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For croutons
6 (1/4-inch-thick) diagonal baguette slices
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt to taste
Garnish: fresh Chinese parsley leaves or
flat-leaf parsley leaves </pre>
<pre> </pre>
Preparation:
Make soup:
Wash leek well in a bowl of cold water, then lift out and drain well.
Peel and chop potato. Cook shallot in butter and oil in a 3-quart heavy
saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes.
Add leek and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add celery
and potato and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add wine and boil 1 minute.
Add broth and simmer, covered, until celery is very tender, about 1
hour.
Purée soup in batches in a blender until very smooth (use caution when
blending hot liquids), then pour through a large medium-mesh sieve into a
bowl, pressing hard on solids. Discard solids. Transfer soup to cleaned
saucepan, then stir in cream, salt, and pepper and heat over low heat
until hot. Thin with water if desired.
Make croutons while soup simmers:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Brush baguette slices with oil and season generously with kosher salt
and pepper. Arrange in 1 layer on a baking sheet, then bake in middle of
oven until golden brown and crisp, 12 to 15 minutes.
Serve soup topped with croutons.
Cooks' notes: • Soup can be made 1 day ahead and cooled, uncovered, then
chilled, covered.
<br />
<br />
<i>*Note: I added about 1/4 cup of fish sauce, 1/2 tsp celery seed, 1 tsp dried cilantro, and I sautéed the veggies in butter instead of olive oil. I didn't strain the soup prior to adding the cream, either. Just pureed it in the blender then added the cream. </i>Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661514003319154725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167829095355806660.post-26387107837302148502015-02-15T10:24:00.002-08:002015-02-17T08:20:51.800-08:00Part One: Ukrainian-influenced salads and appetizers<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.ggpht.com/-RoWTYxofxxo/VNvw0A5_NeI/AAAAAAAAC10/WAMgSHqDPI4/s640/0211151612.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-RoWTYxofxxo/VNvw0A5_NeI/AAAAAAAAC10/WAMgSHqDPI4/s640/0211151612.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SLO Veg came through with just the right ingredients for my Ukrainian salads.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
"The Best of Ukrainian Cuisine" is a cookbook collection of Ukrainian recipes by Bohdan Zahny. The book was given to me by a cousin from Philadelphia who also likes to cook, after she attended a Ukrainian festival in Philly and spied it. She knew I would love it!<br />
<br />
Our grandmother was a Ukrainian immigrant who came to Philadelphia on a ship to live with relatives. She married an older Ukrainian man and together they had 10 children, 8 of who survived. Neither one of them spoke and they relied on their children to translate whenever necessary. As you can imagine, it was hard to navigate through the system in the New Country and obtain services such as medical, financial, educational, employment, etc., so they stayed pretty close to their neighborhood, surrounded by other Ukrainians. My grandmother was deeply religious and raised her children in the Ukrainian Byzantine Rite Catholic church. She kept up the customs she had grown up with in the Old Country, and recreated the traditional dishes for Christmas and Easter and other religious holidays throughout the year. My mother met my father, who was an officer in the Navy, stationed in Philadelphia, and she was 20 years old when they married and began their travels across the United States. By the time I was born, they had settled on the West Coast, far from any Ukrainian communities. When I was growing up, most kids had no idea what a "Ukrainian" even was! About all we siblings knew was that Mom had an intricate method for decorating Easter eggs, she made an Easter paska, or bread, and decorated it and had it blessed by our Catholic priest. She made cabbage rolls, called "Holopschi", for family dinners and church potlucks, making it her signature dish to bring to any event.<br />
<br />
When my mother turned 85, we had a family dinner for her where we all tried to create Ukrainian dishes. It was a fun and creative way to learn something about our heritage and honor my mother, and I have tried to keep the annual family Ukrainian potluck going through the years. The standard has become holopschi made by my brother CC, borscht made by my sister Mac, and some new dish made by me. Last year I made perogies, or varenky as the Ukrainians call it. They are little dumplings filled with potatoes and cheese and any number of other things, depending on the season, I guess. They are filled and then boiled until the dough is cooked through, then finished with a quick saute in butter and onions. Most modern diets don't approve of butter-laden fried foods, so some of my female guests didn't even want to try this dish. The men seemed to love it, though. This year, with time constraints of my work scheduling, I need something less labor-intensive anyway, so I am making some salads and an appetizer. I already made the fish balls and put them into the freezer. <br />
<br />
The night before the potluck, I will put together a cabbage-cucumber-apple-tomato salad with a sour cream-vinegar-sugar dressing. I don't recall my mother ever making this particular salad, but she loved to make a sweet and creamy dressing for coleslaw. She also used a lot of tomato wedges and cucumbers in her green salads, so I guess this would be right up her alley. I am also planning to make a carrot and apple salad, using the same dressing. Mom would have put raisins in it as well, so I will too. </div>
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<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2Flh3.ggpht.com%2F-RoWTYxofxxo%2FVNvw0A5_NeI%2FAAAAAAAAC10%2FWAMgSHqDPI4%2Fs640%2F0211151612.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://lh3.ggpht.com/-RoWTYxofxxo/VNvw0A5_NeI/AAAAAAAAC10/WAMgSHqDPI4/s640/0211151612.jpg" -->Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661514003319154725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167829095355806660.post-66683092119184269452015-02-15T10:23:00.002-08:002015-02-17T08:29:35.267-08:00Part Two: Cauliflower Salad with Tomato, Cucumber and Apple<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kKfmjpPB7wc/VODZ9_fpa2I/AAAAAAAAC3w/H75MIseyEPk/s1600/0215150821a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kKfmjpPB7wc/VODZ9_fpa2I/AAAAAAAAC3w/H75MIseyEPk/s1600/0215150821a.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SLO Veg cauliflower and tomatoes combined with apples and cucumber for a new salad version</td></tr>
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One would think it might be dangerous to experiment on a new salad with your family, but then, hey, they are family. So they will be guinea pigs...they can deal with it. Well, maybe I will do a test-drive...<br />
<br />
We are having our annual family potluck featuring Ukrainian dishes in honor of our mother, who was an American-born Ukrainian. She was much displaced, moving around the country with my Naval officer father in the first third of their marriage, far and away from her family and the Ukrainian community in Philadelphia. They settled in a West Coast town and lived out their days in an area that was unfamiliar with Orthodox customs my mom revered. She did, however, try to recreate some of her ethnic traditions and teach her children about their significance as she remember them. Easter was a major holiday for the Ukrainian Catholics, and much preparation went into the food for the holiday feast.<br />
<br />
While my brothers and sisters are making some dishes often made by
mother when we were growing up, such as stuffed cabbage rolls, scalloped
potatoes and ham, and borscht. I, however, am selecting some dishes
from my new cookbook, "The Best of Ukrainian Cuisine", by Bohdan Zahny,
to perhaps broaden our depth of food experience in the Ukrainian
culture. For this potluck, I have made appetizers: Cod Fish Balls, Tuna
dip with rye crackers, and Cauliflower Salad with Tomato, Cucumber and
Apple. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kkmWqBlMDfM/VODhbk20q8I/AAAAAAAAC4A/UbgzwJnLKP0/s1600/0215150945d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kkmWqBlMDfM/VODhbk20q8I/AAAAAAAAC4A/UbgzwJnLKP0/s1600/0215150945d.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wouldn't have thought to combine apples and tomatoes, but in this salad, it works</td></tr>
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<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JkN3obLWgs0/VODZ6atmLeI/AAAAAAAAC3o/eOEBUuB_0nU/s1600/0215150826.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JkN3obLWgs0/VODZ6atmLeI/AAAAAAAAC3o/eOEBUuB_0nU/s1600/0215150826.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First, I chopped up two apples</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M97NlTVq8QY/VODZ3e7lyHI/AAAAAAAAC3g/gmosyzkuPpc/s1600/0215150828b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M97NlTVq8QY/VODZ3e7lyHI/AAAAAAAAC3g/gmosyzkuPpc/s1600/0215150828b.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then I sliced cucumbers into quarter slices</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The cookbook doesn't have any photos, and when the recipe says to finely chop the vegetables, I was not sure how fine of a chop it meant. So I just chose to slice and dice the apples into slivers, the cucumbers into quarter slices, and the tomatoes into a small dice. I put the apple slices into the mixing bowl first and squeeze a little lemon juice on it and let it sit while I chopped the cucumbers and tomatoes. Then the cooked cauliflower was broken up into small florets and added to the other vegetables. Next, I mixed up the sweetened sour cream and vinegar dressing. I used white vinegar, because that is what I would use in a coleslaw dressing. But again, I am not sure what specific type of vinegar is typically used in the Ukraine. The only seasoning is salt and pepper.<br />
<br />
I didn't weigh the fruit: I just used one head of cauliflower, two medium sized apples, two medium sized tomatoes, and one English cucumber. I didn't peel the apple or cucumber.<br />
<br />
The resulting salad was fresh and crunchy, and the dressing was really mild, giving it a clean and healthy feel. I think my daughters will like this salad. We will see what they think at potluck time!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8Nat6S7yn5U/VODZz-isUfI/AAAAAAAAC3Y/G3bnOcu6bWc/s1600/0215150837b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8Nat6S7yn5U/VODZz-isUfI/AAAAAAAAC3Y/G3bnOcu6bWc/s1600/0215150837b.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vegetables prior to adding the dressing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8ERYBKguGYU/VODZtMBaQ9I/AAAAAAAAC3Q/PVMhdc4g9Ww/s1600/0215150842a-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8ERYBKguGYU/VODZtMBaQ9I/AAAAAAAAC3Q/PVMhdc4g9Ww/s1600/0215150842a-1.jpg" height="390" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and after the dressing is added</td></tr>
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<br />Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661514003319154725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167829095355806660.post-11736134566908502112015-02-11T20:33:00.004-08:002015-02-11T20:35:49.030-08:00My Big Fat Greek Scalloped Potato Gratin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_7EOP8dGiOs/VNwjaWvZcOI/AAAAAAAAC3A/j8IfsP3c2pI/s1600/0211151851.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_7EOP8dGiOs/VNwjaWvZcOI/AAAAAAAAC3A/j8IfsP3c2pI/s1600/0211151851.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #ff3300;"><span style="color: black;">I started with this recipe, but I didn't have any thyme, so I also
omitted the nutmeg and seasoned it with salt, pepper, basil, oregano,
mint and garlic. I was making a Greek meatloaf, so I kept the seasonings
similar in the potato gratin as well. The one thing is, my scalloped
potato dish take more like two hours to cook. I thought if I gave it 90
minutes I would be good, so I put the meat loaf into the oven next to it
after the potatoes had cooked for 30 minutes. Then, an hour later, I am
taking out the meatloaf, which was done, and tested the potatoes, which
still needed more time. We will see if two hours of cooking time does
the trick. I had this problem the last time I made scalloped potatoes,
too. I think I should probably parboil the potatoes next time or slice
them paper-thin. Sheesh! </span></span><br />
<br />
<i><span style="color: #ff3300;"><span style="color: black;">Recipe from the SLO Veg website:</span></span></i><b><i><span style="color: #ff3300;"> </span></i></b><br />
<br />
<b><i><span style="color: #ff3300;">Scalloped Potato Gratin ( Russet Potatoes/Garlic/Thyme)) </span></i></b>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<pre>Servings: 4-6 Level: Easy
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 sprig fresh thyme
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Butter
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and
cut into 1/8-inch thick slices
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for broiling</pre>
<pre> </pre>
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
In a saucepan, heat up the cream with a sprig of thyme, chopped garlic
and nutmeg.
While cream is heating up, butter a casserole dish. Place a layer of
potato in an overlapping pattern and season with salt and pepper. Remove
cream from heat, then pour a little over the potatoes. Top with some
grated Parmesan. Make 2 more layers. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes.
Sprinkle some more Parmesan and broil until cheese browns, about 5
minutes.<br />
<br />
<i>My version:</i><br />
Same recipe as above, only substitute the thyme and nutmeg for 1/2 tsp. each dried basil, oregano, and mint. It would probably have been even better with some feta cheese in there, but I used it all up in my Greek meat loaf.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661514003319154725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167829095355806660.post-22195477935941089772015-02-11T19:27:00.000-08:002015-02-11T20:32:07.221-08:00Greek meat loaf with turkey<div dir="ltr">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YiLxmLYpWek/VNwQGLTNORI/AAAAAAAAC2o/PP0RCpUhULk/s1600/0211151828.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YiLxmLYpWek/VNwQGLTNORI/AAAAAAAAC2o/PP0RCpUhULk/s1600/0211151828.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greek seasoned meat loaf topped with barbecue sauce and sliced tomatoes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I decided to make a turkey meat loaf with a bit of a Greek twist: I flavored it with feta cheese and chopped spinach, and seasoned it with lemon juice, mint, oregano and basil, plus salt, pepper and garlic. I didn't measure anything, I just added about a teaspoon of each herb and about two teaspoons of a garlic-salt-pepper blend I have to three pounds of ground turkey. Then I added about a half cup of feta cheese and about one cup of chopped spinach. I had a recipe for turkey burgers that called for all of that, so I figured it would work in a meat loaf, too. I added 1/2 cup of bread crumbs and a raw egg to bind it together. I baked it at 350 degrees for one hour, then topped it with some bottled barbecue sauce and let it cook for another 10 minutes. In hind sight, I should have put some sliced tomatoes on top. Maybe I will after its cooked. Yeah, good idea.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O0HEB2JtjJk/VNwjVcLj3LI/AAAAAAAAC24/1nBrr_aGTWQ/s1600/0211151851-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O0HEB2JtjJk/VNwjVcLj3LI/AAAAAAAAC24/1nBrr_aGTWQ/s1600/0211151851-1.jpg" height="252" width="320" /></a><span style="color: red;">Greek Turkey Meatloaf</span><br />
<br />
3 lbs. ground turkey<br />
2 tsp. garlic-salt-pepper blend<br />
1 tsp. each basil, oregano, mint<br />
1 tbls. lemon juice <br />
1 egg<br />
1 cup chopped fresh spinach <br />
1/2 cup feta cheese<br />
1/2 cup bread crumbs<br />
bottled barbecue sauce<br />
sliced fresh tomatoes<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RYCr2RzzKrE/VNvw9bYiy3I/AAAAAAAAC2I/8EJ_cnK3EXM/s1600/0211151538b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RYCr2RzzKrE/VNvw9bYiy3I/AAAAAAAAC2I/8EJ_cnK3EXM/s1600/0211151538b.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
Mix together the turkey with the seasonings, lemon juice, and egg. Stir in spinach, feta cheese and bread crumbs. Spoon into an 8x8 casserole dish and smooth out the top. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 1 hour. Top with barbecue sauce and bake for 10 more minutes. Top with fresh sliced tomatoes, cut into nine squares and serve.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-6LcovoGZQFs/VNvw6kptiMI/AAAAAAAAC18/Aox-I-oGzS4/s640/0211151548.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meatloaf mix all ready for the oven</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-6LcovoGZQFs/VNvw6kptiMI/AAAAAAAAC18/Aox-I-oGzS4/s1600/0211151548.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a> </div>
Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661514003319154725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167829095355806660.post-45769705215018685732015-02-11T17:49:00.000-08:002015-02-11T19:36:18.686-08:00Baked Cod Fish Balls<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zo6XNwlnBks/VNuWg6549vI/AAAAAAAAC1I/oXMiBAJABUM/s1600/0211150901a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zo6XNwlnBks/VNuWg6549vI/AAAAAAAAC1I/oXMiBAJABUM/s1600/0211150901a.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One pound of Black Cod</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
One of the things I really enjoy about our service from SLO Veg, where we get a tote box full of fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables delivered to our door on a bi-weekly schedule, is the fish component. SLO Veg has partnered with SLO Fresh Catch to offer its customers fresh, locally caught ocean fish from the fisheries off Morro Bay.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UQeyjUD2f1E/VNwA4X9_82I/AAAAAAAAC2Y/fE3RWz9eak8/s1600/0211151011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UQeyjUD2f1E/VNwA4X9_82I/AAAAAAAAC2Y/fE3RWz9eak8/s1600/0211151011.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fish balls on a platter</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8Dc_QKO3akc/VNuXrZFpo7I/AAAAAAAAC1o/ejdsd66S808/s1600/0211150954a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8Dc_QKO3akc/VNuXrZFpo7I/AAAAAAAAC1o/ejdsd66S808/s1600/0211150954a.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Recipe from "The Best of Ukrainian Cuisine</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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This week's fish was Black Cod. We get a lot of cod fish: Black cod, Rock cod, Ling cod. Its a good white fish with thick fillets and we get one pound with our delivery. The problem is, there are still some pin bones in the fish that you have to watch out for when you eat it. I prefer the swordfish or tuna or Thresher shark steaks we get on occasion, because they don't have those small bones, and they are thick and dense and meaty, kind of like a beef steak.<br />
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But I keep trying the cod. Today I found a recipe in my Ukrainian Cuisine cookbook that solves the pin bone problem by grinding up the raw fish and making little fish balls out of it. I had just picked up a food processor and wanted to try it out, so this was perfect. The recipe is called, "Fish Balls from Cod and Farmer Cheese", and includes the title spelled out in Ukrainian, if you are adept at reading Ukrainian. I am not. I only know who to write "Xpuctoc Bockpec", which sounds like Khrystos Voskres, which translates in English to "Christ is Risen", because my mother would write that in colored icing on her Easter paska. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RoWTYxofxxo/VNvw0A5_NeI/AAAAAAAAC14/6IDFa0B0aJc/s1600/0211151612.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RoWTYxofxxo/VNvw0A5_NeI/AAAAAAAAC14/6IDFa0B0aJc/s1600/0211151612.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a>I am hosting a family potluck this coming weekend for my family where we all make some kind of Ukrainian dish in honor of my late mother, who was an American Ukrainian born to immigrant parents. She had a few recipes from the "Old Country", like stuffed cabbage rolls (called Holopschi), that she liked to recreate for our family. So my brother is making the holopschi, my sister is making borscht, and I am going to make a few side salads and appetizers from my cookbook. SLO Veg really came through this week for my salads with some
cauliflower, tomatoes, radishes, carrots and green onion. I have two
salad recipes that will utilized all of those vegetables (more on that
later). One is a carrot salad with apples, and the other is a cauliflower salad with apples, tomatoes and cucumbers. Both call for a sour cream, vinegar and sugar dressing something like one would use on coleslaw. (There are no radishes in this photo...I need to fix that before I blog about the salads). But back to the fish balls.<br />
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I deviated from the recipe a bit. I soaked some wheat bread in milk (I don't<br />
usually have any white bread around here, unless its sourdough), chopped up <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yI71vpaRDIs/VNuWkLVR6CI/AAAAAAAAC1Q/aL7VurMG4uA/s1600/0211150911.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yI71vpaRDIs/VNuWkLVR6CI/AAAAAAAAC1Q/aL7VurMG4uA/s1600/0211150911.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pureed fish and soaked bread</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cheddar Jack cheese gets mixed in with the fish</td></tr>
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the fish in the food processor, then proceeded to chop just half an onion to go it it. The recipe called for soaking one-half pound of bread in water (I used 3 slices), and I had to look at the bread wrapper to see how much a whole loaf weighs: 1.2 lbs. It also called for farmer's cheese. I am not sure what kind of cheese that is. I had thought it was more like cottage or ricotta cheese, but the recipe said to grate it, so I used my cheddar-jack cheese blend. The only seasoning called for in the recipe was salt, but I added dried dill weed, salt and pepper, some lemon juice and some granulated garlic. Then I scooped out the mixture with my ball scoop and rolled them in a blend of flour and cornmeal, because I didn't want to just use flour.<br />
I am a rebel.<br />
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<span style="color: red;">Fish Balls</span><br />
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1 lb. cod filets<br />
1/2 yellow onion <br />
3 slices bread, soaked in 1/2 cup milk<br />
1 tsp. salt<br />
1/2 tsp. black pepper<br />
1 tsp. dried dill weed<br />
1/2 tsp. granulated garlic <br />
1 tbs. lemon juice<br />
1 cup shredded cheddar-jack cheese<br />
1/2 cup flour<br />
1/2 cup cornmeal <br />
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Puree the fish in a food processor and put into a mixing bowl. Chop one-half a yellow onion in the food processor and mix in with the fish. Season the fish with salt, pepper, dill and lemon juice. Put the bread slices in a shallow dish and pour the milk over it, then break up the bread into small pieces. Stir into the fish mixture. Add the shredded cheese and mix well.<br />
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Scoop the fish into balls and roll in a mixture of flour and cornmeal. Place on a baking sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Serve with cocktail sauce. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cod fish balls baking in the oven. These are pretty big. I think I will try my smaller ball-maker next time I make these, which will be the next time we get cod in our tote.</td></tr>
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<br />Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661514003319154725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167829095355806660.post-18305162306195273062015-01-26T23:42:00.001-08:002015-01-26T23:43:01.401-08:00Breaded Pork Chops with apples and onions and taters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
What's for dinner? Well, the planning started with the potatoes, because I had a lot on hand and they needed to be eaten. Then I went to the freezer and asked it, "What goes with mashed potatoes?" My freezer said pork chops, which was perfect, because I also had some apples that were a little beyond crisp, but would work well in a skillet dish. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apples and onions in a blueberry vinegar reduction with breaded pork chops and mashed taters</td></tr>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eOl995K7S8c/VMc_CfmejSI/AAAAAAAACx4/08dAUFDuPLE/s1600/0126152331.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eOl995K7S8c/VMc_CfmejSI/AAAAAAAACx4/08dAUFDuPLE/s1600/0126152331.jpg" height="200" width="111" /></a>I had a recipe all bookmarked on Pinterest that paired breaded pork chops with onions, apples and spinach. I was fresh out of spinach, but I did have some curly kale to add to the dish. Perfect! The recipe also called for apple cider vinegar, spicy brown mustard and honey for the sauce, and I am all out of apple cider vinegar, too. However, a friend gifted us a bottle of some spicy blueberry vinegar from her recent travels to New York, so I figured that would be even better. No honey required because the vinegar is already sweet, another deviation from the recipe. Making it my own, I am!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IUbZ2eNXKA4/VMbyBES7fOI/AAAAAAAACxo/ipkw4Rrq4_M/s1600/0126151700a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IUbZ2eNXKA4/VMbyBES7fOI/AAAAAAAACxo/ipkw4Rrq4_M/s1600/0126151700a.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a>So I peeled and boiled eight potatoes until they were soft and easy to smash, then I let my husband mash them up with some butter and salt and a dab of cream cheese thrown in for a rich creaminess. Meanwhile, I took four pork loin chops and dipped them in egg, then dredged them in a seasoned breadcrumb mixture. I had made my own breadcrumbs using some leftover french bread that I chopped in the blender. The breadcrumb mixture was seasoned with a couple of teaspoons of an onion soup mix that I put together myself and had in the pantry, and I added some garlic, salt and pepper mix to it as well. The chops were then pan fried in canola oil until the crumb coating was browned and crispy. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4f-N6VDGZjQ/VMbx-Ly7HEI/AAAAAAAACxg/NN7aJ8Ds2sE/s1600/0126151700b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4f-N6VDGZjQ/VMbx-Ly7HEI/AAAAAAAACxg/NN7aJ8Ds2sE/s1600/0126151700b.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a>I removed the steaks to a serving dish, then proceeded to saute some onion slices in the same skillet I had fried the chops in, adding more canola oil to it. When the onions had wilted slightly, I added two peeled and sliced apples and sauteed them for about two minutes. Next, I mixed together 1/2 cup of the blueberry vinegar with two tablespoons of deli mustard and stirred that into the onion and apple skillet. Then I added two cups of chopped kale leaves. At this point, I added about a half cup of water gave it all a stir, and put the lid on the pan until the kale had wilted. I think this could all work by putting the mashed potatoes in a pasta bowl, topping it with the onion and apple saute, then the pork chops right on top. But I let everyone plate their own food, so it looked more like the picture at top, with everything separated.<br />
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<span style="color: red;">Pork Chops with apples, onions and kale</span><br />
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4 pork loin chops<br />
2 eggs, scrambled<br />
1 cup bread crumbs, with added seasonings, such as onion soup mix, garlic, salt and pepper<br />
canola oil <br />
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1/2 a large yellow onion, sliced<br />
2 small apples, peeled and sliced<br />
2 cups curly kale, chopped<br />
<br />
1/2 cup Blueberry vinegar<br />
2 Tbs Deli mustard<br />
1/2 cup water<br />
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Dip the pork chops in the egg, then into the breadcrumb mixture, coating both sides well. Fry on both sides in a skillet with some canola oil, until the outside crumbs are browned and crispy. Place chops on a platter. Using the same skillet with more oil added, saute the onions until soft. Add the apple slices and cook for 2 minutes. Add the sauce ingredients and stir well. Add the kale and water, put the lid on the skillet and cook until the kale is wilted. Serve with mashed potatoes. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xTaXCKkNVHU/VMaIf-bXEoI/AAAAAAAACvk/j3hMBgc-BeM/s1600/0126150919.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xTaXCKkNVHU/VMaIf-bXEoI/AAAAAAAACvk/j3hMBgc-BeM/s1600/0126150919.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet Potato Alfredo sauce on Farfalline ribbon pasta - lotsa vitamin power here!</td></tr>
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Sweet potatoes are such a wonderful food! I love them baked in their skins, mashed, diced and roasted, or pureed into soups. Now I can add sauces to that list. I was laying in bed this morning on my day off, nursing a sore throat and browsing my Pinterest recipes because we are getting our SLO Veg delivery today and I need to be prepared. : ) <a href="http://www.care2.com/greenliving/9-reasons-to-love-sweet-potatoes.html">http://www.care2.com/greenliving/9-reasons-to-love-sweet-potatoes.html</a></div>
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I still have some things to cook from the last delivery, because I am just not having a lot of time to cook with my new work schedule. If it doesn't get cooked Monday through Wednesday, its probably just not gonna get cooked, or prepped, or anything. So I have six or so assorted-sized sweet potatoes in my pantry, about five pounds of russet potatoes, a head of cauliflower and some curly-leafed kale. I finally used the last of my Dino kale in a soup last week, but I still have some soup leftover in the frig because I made a big pot-full. I have taken some to work to eat every day, too!</div>
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Anyhoooo, I saw a recipe for sweet potato alfredo and got all excited! I told my husband I just had to make it right now, for breakfast, and that I would put an egg on top if that made him happy. He agreed (What else could he do? Cook? hahahahahahahaha). So I made it; it was fabulous; and here it is:</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Because we ate this at 9 a.m., I topped it with a fried egg. Breakfast of Champions!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8jBmyHMJsaU/VMaIcgt-H5I/AAAAAAAACvc/jE9gfmXx39I/s1600/0126150919a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8jBmyHMJsaU/VMaIcgt-H5I/AAAAAAAACvc/jE9gfmXx39I/s1600/0126150919a.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty, huh? Ribbon Farfalline</td></tr>
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One cool think is I used my Torino brand ribbon farfalline pasta that I had picked up before the holidays, thinking I would use it for a special Christmas pasta dish. Instead I made lasagna and didn't use these here pasta noodles, which are naturally colored with spinach, beetroot, paprika and curcuma. (I had to look that up, too.) Curcuma: Its a type of plant that turmeric powder comes from. <a href="http://www.livestrong.com/article/135427-the-benefits-curcuma/">http://www.livestrong.com/article/135427-the-benefits-curcuma/</a></div>
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That's great, because sweet potatoes are good for you, turmeric and beets are good for you, and when its all mixed together in this pasta dish, its a win-win! This sauce is going to be a go-to thing in the future, I am thinking! </div>
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Here is how I made it:</div>
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<span style="color: red;">Sweet Potato Alfredo</span></div>
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2-3 small or 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed</div>
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1 lb. pasta (I used Torino Farfalline today)</div>
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water and salt for pasta</div>
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1/2 cup butter</div>
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1/4 cup flour </div>
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1 cup milk </div>
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1-1/2 cups water</div>
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1 cup Parmesan cheese </div>
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1/4 cayenne pepper</div>
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salt and pepper to taste</div>
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1) Bring a pasta pot of water to a boil. Cook 1 lb. pasta of your choice until <i>al dente. </i></div>
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2) Peel and dice enough sweet potatoes to make 1-1/2 cups. Boil in water until soft and mashable. Drain water and mash potatoes. (You should have about 1 cup, mashed).</div>
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3) Melt and brown a cube of butter (1/2 cup) until browned in a large saute pan. Whisk in 1/2 cup of flour until it is smooth. Add one cup of milk and stir while it thickens, about 5 minutes. Stir in the mashed sweet potatoes, Parmesan cheese, 1 to 1-1/2 cups water, salt and pepper, and 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper.<br />
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4) Gently stir in the farfalline pasta, being careful not to break them up too much. Serve in pasta bowls with a little more Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top, or an fried egg, like we had this morning! </div>
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<i>Bon apetit!</i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I got a little wild and added kale and garbanzo beans to this Garam Masala Chicken Stew recipe.</td></tr>
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Have you ever bought a bottle of spice for a certain recipe, then the bottle sits there forever in your pantry waiting for you to think of a way to use it again? I have a bottle of cardamon that I use about once a year in a recipe for a Ukrainian honey cake. I make it on my Mom's birthday, because she was full-blooded Ukrainian and its a nice way to remember her. Every now and then I come across another recipe that calls for cardamon, and I think, "I must try that", mainly to use some more cardamon. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oKe0Id6sx3k/VMBpWx7tGSI/AAAAAAAACtw/XZYwmhJF7wY/s1600/0121151906.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oKe0Id6sx3k/VMBpWx7tGSI/AAAAAAAACtw/XZYwmhJF7wY/s1600/0121151906.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a>Well, my garam masala spice blend has been hanging around for quite some time, also. Its a mixture of spices from India that includes cloves, cinnamon, cardamon, nutmeg, black and white peppercorns, bay leaves and caraway, and the blends will vary by region. I just know it works really well with chicken. I bought mine atNew Frontiers store, where they sell spices in bulk. I got enough to fill my spice jar for about $1.50.</div>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garam_masala">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garam_masala</a></div>
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When I spied this recipe on the Better Homes and Gardens recipe site, I knew I needed to make it for three reasons: 1) use up some garam masala; 2) I have frozen chicken breasts, and 3) we got some nice big red potatoes in our last box from SLO Veg. I almost had forgotten how good this spice blend is! I should use it more often, like when I am sautéing chicken breasts for a chicken salad or something. It's a nice change from the usual salt-pepper-garlic go-to blend I use every day.<u><u> </u></u></div>
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<a href="http://www.bhg.com/recipe/fragrant-garam-masala-chicken-stew-with-peas-and-potatoes/">http://www.bhg.com/recipe/fragrant-garam-masala-chicken-stew-with-peas-and-potatoes/</a></div>
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I varied this slightly by using chicken breasts that I cubed and put into the crock pot with just a bit of olive oil. I also added a bag of pearl onions that had been in the freezer for a good six months. I let them cook in there on high for about an hour while I got ready for my day. Then I added the other ingredients and left to run errands. When I returned to the house about 3 hours later, the potatoes were nearly ready. We ate this stew for lunch, which was perfect because my husband had stayed home from work with a cold and this was perfect! The only thing is, I forgot to stir in the yogurt, but that's okay, because there are leftovers. I will try it with yogurt added today!</div>
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<span style="color: red;">Garam Masala Chicken Stew with Peas and Potatoes</span></div>
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2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized cubes</div>
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1-2 tsps garam masala spice blend</div>
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1 Tbs olive oil</div>
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2 cloves garlic, minced</div>
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1-2 tsp grated fresh ginger</div>
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1/2 tsp salt</div>
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1/2 tsp black pepper</div>
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5-6 large red potatoes, halved and sliced</div>
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10 oz. pkg frozen pearl onions </div>
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10 oz. pkg frozen green peas<br />
1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans<br />
4 ribs kale, sliced into ribbons </div>
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15 oz. tomato sauce</div>
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3 cups chicken broth</div>
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1/2 cup plain yogurt</div>
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I swirled the olive oil in the bottom of my crock pot, then added the chicken and sprinkled on the garam masala. Next I added the garlic and ginger, salt and pepper. I gave it all a stir and let it cook for an hour on high heat until the chicken turned white. Then I added the potatoes, pearl onions, kale, garbanzo beans, tomato sauce and chicken broth and let it cook for 3 hours until the potatoes were tender. Ladle into serving bowls and top with a dollop of yogurt.</div>
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Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661514003319154725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167829095355806660.post-13386373841869947982015-01-21T07:17:00.001-08:002015-01-26T11:10:09.661-08:00Chinese Orange Chicken Lettuce Wraps<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PvV9Bt0b9ek/VL_C70xD0EI/AAAAAAAACtE/DqkTuWO44Wo/s1600/0113151353b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PvV9Bt0b9ek/VL_C70xD0EI/AAAAAAAACtE/DqkTuWO44Wo/s1600/0113151353b.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a>I was out riding my bicycle around town and came across this mini-park
with a Chinese motif. It was built to commemorate the Chinese heritage
in San Luis Obispo. In the late 1800s, there used to be quite a large Chinese population
that was brought in to help built the railroad over the Cuesta Grade.
The park is a beautiful tribute to their cultural contributions.</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jJSGypajWt4/VL_DBe7uLeI/AAAAAAAACtM/QMq2FS1sLz0/s1600/0113151352.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jJSGypajWt4/VL_DBe7uLeI/AAAAAAAACtM/QMq2FS1sLz0/s1600/0113151352.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lion at entrance of Chinese Mini-Park in SLO</td></tr>
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All that exercise made me crave some Asian food, for sure! But I have been in a bit of a rebellious mood lately--I've also been craving
iceberg lettuce! I know, I know! It doesn't have any nutritional value,
the greener stuff has all the vitamins, its what our Mom's used to feed
us, etc, etc, but I just want some...for the crunch. You see, I am
trying to cut down on breads, and that translates into no crunch. I made
a wedge salad last night with a thinned-down ranch dressing and some
bacon crumbles and hard-boiled egg wedges, and it was wonderful! My
husband refused to eat the iceberg--I had to make his salad with the
spring mix he loves so much. <i>C'est la vie!</i><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NHIjV8MZNSc/VMGjI5y_DvI/AAAAAAAACuo/_gqqJslVdqw/s1600/1421976324898.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NHIjV8MZNSc/VMGjI5y_DvI/AAAAAAAACuo/_gqqJslVdqw/s1600/1421976324898.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0fRQy67gIVg/VMBzVEsLGcI/AAAAAAAACuM/wXefnW3sk-I/s1600/0121151949.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0fRQy67gIVg/VMBzVEsLGcI/AAAAAAAACuM/wXefnW3sk-I/s1600/0121151949.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a>I was looking a recipes for orange chicken, because my friend just brought us a grocery bag full of oranges freshly plucked from his friends' tree. I might have to juice a bunch of them, but what I really want is some orange chicken! So I was perusing the orange chicken recipes, and found a few "skinny" ones, without breading. Pretty simple, just saute some chunked chicken breast and make a sauce with soy and orange juice (and garlic and ginger, of course!) Top it with sesame seeds and diced green onions and serve over rice. (Cue: vinyl record zipppppp) Wait! How about orange chicken wraps? with iceberg lettuce? or some of that ground turkey that I have some in the freezer? Oh what a good idea! </div>
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Because I am on a new schedule and working weekends with my late nights being Friday and Saturday, I just finished doing a little calendar menu planning that goes something like this: </div>
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Sunday - Lee cooks something in the crock pot so he can do his chores at home all day and still feed me when I get home</div>
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Monday - Fish, because our SLO Veg box gets delivered and its fresh</div>
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Tuesday - Pasta of some kind, so many possibilities</div>
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Wednesday - Potluck, whatever needs to be cooked up</div>
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Thursday - Salad night (turkey wraps, perhaps?)</div>
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Friday - Pizza pick up has become our Friday night thing</div>
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Saturday - Deli chicken pick up unless there is a better offer, like </div>
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someone else cooks</div>
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I like having a loose plan for menu ideas. It keeps me more organized and helps with using up the vegetables before they go bad, because I know just what night I can fit them into the meal plan. Also, we usually take our leftovers for lunch, but when we don't have any leftovers, we know what else we can whip up. Lee takes a big salad every day, using a salad bowl I picked up that has a top section with dividers that can be frozen to keep everything nice and chilled. He loads it up with tomatoes and garbanzos and peppers and olives, making a nice sort of Mediterranean salad that draws attention from all of his coworkers. Mechanics aren't usually that gourmet. His lunch also includes tuna salad. I prefer to have my tuna salad without all the lettuce part, maybe in a tortilla wrap or with crackers or veggie scoopers, like celery or peppers. I also like diced celery in mine, and he doesn't. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nkgRGu8OjDw/VMG-c9lHtMI/AAAAAAAACu8/OcNIKZPpZqQ/s1600/0122151921a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nkgRGu8OjDw/VMG-c9lHtMI/AAAAAAAACu8/OcNIKZPpZqQ/s1600/0122151921a.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rice, lettuce, orange chicken in sauce, and crunchy Chow Mein noodles</td></tr>
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Anyway, what the heck was I talking about? Chinese flavors. Orange chicken. Here is my version in a lettuce wrap:</div>
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<span style="color: red;">Orange Chicken Lettuce Wraps </span></div>
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2 chicken breasts, cubed into bite-sized pieces</div>
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salt and pepper</div>
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2 Tbs olive oil</div>
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1 tsp sesame oil</div>
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one head iceberg lettuce, cut into 4 wedges</div>
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<i>Sauce:</i></div>
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3 cloves minced garlic</div>
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1 tsp grated ginger</div>
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1/3 cup soy sauce</div>
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1/4 cup rice wine vinegar</div>
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1/2 cup orange juice</div>
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3 Tbs cornstarch</div>
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1/4 cup honey</div>
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1/2 tsp white pepper</div>
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zest of one orange</div>
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pinch of crushed red pepper flakes</div>
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2 cups cooked rice or quinoa</div>
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Top with toasted sesame seeds, diced green onion and more orange zest, or those crunchy Chinese noodles</div>
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<i>Directions:</i></div>
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Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a glass mixing cup. Set aside.</div>
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Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Saute the chicken in olive oil and sesame oil until cooked through and lightly browned, 7-8 minutes. Pour the sauce over the chicken and bring it to a slight boil on medium heat. Cook until slightly thickened. Removed from heat and serve with a scoop of rice or quinoa in a lettuce wrapper.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xwZOyjSliTc/VMB3vilWcoI/AAAAAAAACuY/byY7T2lcrUQ/s1600/0113151354.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xwZOyjSliTc/VMB3vilWcoI/AAAAAAAACuY/byY7T2lcrUQ/s1600/0113151354.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cheung Park from the inside</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661514003319154725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167829095355806660.post-33885053250298192842015-01-13T19:16:00.001-08:002015-01-13T19:56:22.217-08:00Fish Night with Two Fishes<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.ggpht.com/-LEbBA5RwT-8/VLXSy5zuAnI/AAAAAAAACsg/DGzapn49tsI/s640/0113151820.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-LEbBA5RwT-8/VLXSy5zuAnI/AAAAAAAACsg/DGzapn49tsI/s640/0113151820.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorry, it was so wonderful I had it mostly eaten before I thought to take a photo! That's the<br />
Blue Fin tuna on the top left, with the flour-coated sand sole below it. They are sitting on top<br />
of my husband's tartar sauce. </td></tr>
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Fish night became the tale of two fishes: Blue Fin tuna and sand sole. The tuna arrived yesterday, and I was having such a busy day, I let Lee unload the box and I didn't even get a chance to look at it. Today, I gave it another look.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aHU2KK3vOOw/VLXgQklKJiI/AAAAAAAACs0/YwPZ9xf4wes/s1600/0113151917.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aHU2KK3vOOw/VLXgQklKJiI/AAAAAAAACs0/YwPZ9xf4wes/s1600/0113151917.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a>Oh my! Sushi-grade Blue Fin tuna! I had tried making sushi once, with dismal results, so I would be pan frying this stuff, very lightly pan frying it. Its a fish best served rare. I had the perfect marinade for it, too, a locally-made Pear, Ginger and Wasabi Balsamic vinegar from Chaparral Gardens. We had picked that up at a craft show hosted by the Tibor Canyon Olive Ranch in Edna Valley last November. Chaparral does tastings by appointment only, but I have seen their product in local grocery stores, as well. We stopped by the Chaparral booth and tried several vinegars, then ultimately picked the wasabi one. I let Lee choose because I knew he loves wasabi, and it had been sitting on the pantry shelf since then, waiting for the perfect food to marry. Well, the Blue Fin was it! I poured a small amount of the vinegar over the fish that I had portioned into four pieces from two steaks. We get one pound of fish with our SLO Veg delivery, which they offer in partnership with SLO Fresh Catch, and it comes packaged in 1/2 pound portions. A half pound of tuna is really a lot for one portion, although the guys may beg to differ with me on that statement. But really, its a dense fish that eats like a steak, and they were four of us tonight. So, four small portions. Then I was afraid it might not be enough, so I grabbed a package of white fish, sand sole, that I had frozen from a previous delivery, and plopped it into a bowl of cold water to defrost. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vnOSHPYj7p4/UP33TQntQ5I/AAAAAAAAAIM/qDHEBZtVuMo/s1600/775277_10151342144881668_921199597_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vnOSHPYj7p4/UP33TQntQ5I/AAAAAAAAAIM/qDHEBZtVuMo/s1600/775277_10151342144881668_921199597_o.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a>I had rice in the steamer, purple and orange carrots sliced into little coins in a saucepan of water, ready to cook. I decided to top that with the rest of the broccoli, as well. It could all steam together. Later, I decided that wasn't so great because the broccoli took on a bit of purple coloring from the water it was cooking in. Plus, the juices seeped into the rice on my plate, and it wasn't visually appetizing. Next time I will probably cook them in separate vessels.<br />
<br />
The sand sole needed a flour coating, so I put a scoop of flour into a bowl, added a dash each of granulated garlic, onion powder, paprika and dill, plus some sea salt and black pepper. By this time the sharks were circling, so I put them to work. I had two saute pans heating with olive oil and butter, and I asked one of the guys to "watch" the tuna sear. He did a great job, flipping it after about two minutes, and removing it before it was well done. I quickly coated the sand sole and began pan frying it, adding more butter as it evaporated. I needed to cook the white fish longer than the tuna, because it was only partially defrosted and I wanted a nice crust on it. I cooked it on each side for about 6 minutes. I gave my husband the task of making the tartar sauce, since it IS his specialty, and slicing the bread, which needed to be done, but really a caveman could have done it, but probably without such precise precision. <br />
<br />
We plated up two fishes, rice, carrots and broccoli, french bread slices and tartar sauce. Everyone got a slice of lemon to squeeze on the fish and vegies. It made a pretty good meal. </div>
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<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2Flh3.ggpht.com%2F-LEbBA5RwT-8%2FVLXSy5zuAnI%2FAAAAAAAACsg%2FDGzapn49tsI%2Fs640%2F0113151820.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://lh3.ggpht.com/-LEbBA5RwT-8/VLXSy5zuAnI/AAAAAAAACsg/DGzapn49tsI/s640/0113151820.jpg" -->Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661514003319154725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167829095355806660.post-6879635867928706072015-01-07T21:02:00.000-08:002015-01-13T09:35:18.355-08:00Lemon Chicken Pesto Pasta<div dir="ltr">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nEO6uGZ1_RI/VLVKcoyLahI/AAAAAAAACsU/c_lC7To44YI/s1600/0113150839.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nEO6uGZ1_RI/VLVKcoyLahI/AAAAAAAACsU/c_lC7To44YI/s1600/0113150839.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5aga5UcCGJ8/VLVJ4N4jIuI/AAAAAAAACsE/4QTw_uFumjM/s1600/0113150836.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5aga5UcCGJ8/VLVJ4N4jIuI/AAAAAAAACsE/4QTw_uFumjM/s1600/0113150836.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a>It all started with the kale. I hadn't yet used it from last week's SLO Veg box...why? I don't know! I didn't have time to wash it? or cut it up? I was too rushed for time? I don't know, but the Dinosaur kale was just laying there, being pushed around the green onions and shredded carrots and cherry tomatoes, languishing in the frig until some creative idea came along. Originally, I was thinking kale salad with apples and raisins mixed in. Or braised kale with onions and bacon bits. Then, as I was browsing through my magazines, pulling out recipes before I tossed them into the recycling bin, I found it--Presto Pesto made with kale. No actual cooking of the kale was involved! Which eventually translated into Lemon Chicken pesto made from kale. Which made a marvelous dinner--so marvelous I had to recreate it last night for my daughter and son-in-law when we went to visit the new baby and brought dinner along with us. Bribery with food isn't necessarily necessary, but it helps us to be able to hang out longer and hold on to that cute little guy.<br />
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The magazine recipe called for spaghetti squash, which I had previously had on hand, but then used last week with a spaghetti meat sauce on top. I did, however, find time to blend up the pesto last week, which then sat in the frig in a jelly jar for another couple of days. It can take it, since the olive oil and grated Parmesan cheese was added and bound it all together. My one batch made enough pesto for two pasta dishes. Simple ingredients: kale, sea salt, garlic cloves, nuts, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese. Also, I used walnuts instead of almonds, because my almonds had been stashed in the back of my pantry and seemed to be a little...stale. My walnuts were in the freezer, where the almonds could have also been if I had been a little more proactive. Sigh!<br />
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I decided to add chicken for a protein component, so I cubed up two chicken breasts, sauteed them in olive oil and then added a cup of water to braise and tenderize the chicken for another 20 minutes. At that point, the water had evaporated to about 1/2 a cup, so I mixed in the pesto, then poured it all over some freshly cook and drained penne pasta noodles. A little more Parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top, plus some piping hot buttered French bread, and the feast was on! <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a9Eq_4SEiWI/VLVKEJ0rV8I/AAAAAAAACsM/iC7DvCsA3Rw/s1600/0113150836a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a9Eq_4SEiWI/VLVKEJ0rV8I/AAAAAAAACsM/iC7DvCsA3Rw/s1600/0113150836a.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a>We got more kale in this week's vegetable box--curly kale. Also some nice parsley. I think I will whip up some pesto and freeze it in cubes for later quick work-night pasta meals. Taylor could even use it in his Top Ramen and elevate those noodles to a new level. Hah! I am trying to teach him that he can make better food at home for pennies on the dollar rather than picking up fast food, and with the same levels of sodium. (That's a sick joke!) I think I like the kale pesto better than a basil pesto, because its not so spicy hot! You can use all sorts of dark greens for pesto: arugula, spinach, basil, kale. (oh, yeah, just did that!) Giada makes a green pea pesto, also, which seems like a good idea.<br />
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The recipe pictured here just calls for the Parmesan to be sprinkled on top, but I like to blend it into my pesto because I like the cheesy, salty, pasty properties it brings to pesto.<br />
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Here is what I did:<br />
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KALE PESTO<br />
<br />
2 cups chopped kale (about 6 leaves)<br />
2 cloves garlic<br />
1/2 tsp sea salt<br />
1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts, pine nuts)<br />
1-2 Tbs lemon juice<br />
5-6 fresh basil leaves <br />
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese<br />
1/4 cup olive oil<br />
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Put everything into a blender except for the cheese and olive oil. Blend until everything is chopped and resembles a paste. Add in the Parmesan cheese, then drizzle the olive oil in through the top of the blender lid until the desired consistency is reached. Use immediately, or spoon into ice cubes trays and freezer for later use. <br />
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LEMON CHICKEN PRESTO PASTA<br />
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2 chicken breasts, cubed into bite-sized pieces<br />
olive oil<br />
garlic, salt, pepper blend<br />
lemon juice <br />
water<br />
pesto<br />
16 oz pasta noodles, any type<br />
salt <br />
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Bring a pasta pot of water to a boil. Add about a teaspoon of salt to the boiling water and then add the pasta. Cook until al dente. Drain, reserving about a coffee cup full of pasta water. Put drained pasta back into the pasta pot.<br />
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Coat a saute pan with two twirls of olive oil. Saute the chicken until cooked through. Season with garlic salt pepper blend and a couple of teaspoons of lemon juice. Add a cup of pasta water and let the chicken simmer for about 20 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup of pesto. Pour this mixture over the pasta in the pasta pot and stir until all the pasta is coated. Dish up in pasta bowls and sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese.<br />
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BUTTERED FRENCH BREAD<br />
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1 loaf French bread, cut in half length-wise<br />
Butter<br />
minced fresh garlic or a garlic powder or garlic salt<br />
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Cut the bread in half, spread with softened butter. Sprinkle with garlic or seasonings. My daughter had a TJs grinder with sea salt, garlic, pepper and parsely that smelled great. Some minced parsley is nice, too.<br />
If you are playing is safe, heat in a 350 degree oven until the butter is soaked in. If you are being adventurous, toast under the broiler for a few minutes until the bread is lightly browned. Don't have a glass of wine and get to talking like I did last night, or the bread will be burned to a crisp and smell up the house and set off the smoke alarm and wake the baby. But this does cut down on carbs. Just sayin'! <br />
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<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2Flh3.ggpht.com%2F-BmAIe6QSDNc%2FVK3ynnjndMI%2FAAAAAAAACrw%2F-KUDF2s1XNQ%2Fs640%2F0107151855a-1.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://lh3.ggpht.com/-BmAIe6QSDNc/VK3ynnjndMI/AAAAAAAACrw/-KUDF2s1XNQ/s640/0107151855a-1.jpg" -->Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661514003319154725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167829095355806660.post-43705482221152605662014-12-16T20:31:00.004-08:002014-12-16T20:31:36.122-08:00Thresher Shark with Yellow Rice and Swiss Chard<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W3RDVqTTqXQ/VJD5QudiwVI/AAAAAAAACrY/hFx_4vPKjQI/s1600/1216141836.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W3RDVqTTqXQ/VJD5QudiwVI/AAAAAAAACrY/hFx_4vPKjQI/s1600/1216141836.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swiss chard and yellow rice compliment the broiled Thresher shark</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thresher shark steaks</td></tr>
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Thresher shark is my favorite fish to get in our SLO Veg box so far! Its dense. like steak, and has no little bones to pick through, so it is the perfect fish for me. It takes well to a marinade, and tonight I used the one featured on the SLO Fresh Catch blog.<a href="http://www.slofreshcatch.com/marinaded-and-broiled-thresher-shark/"> http://www.slofreshcatch.com/marinaded-and-broiled-thresher-shark/</a> It was a simple soy sauce, vinegar, olive oil and lemon juice marinade with some black pepper and minced garlic and fresh parsley, which I liberally sprinkled on top of each piece of fish. I let is soak in the marinade for about 45 minutes before putting the fish into the broiler for 7 or 8 minutes. I was going to flip it over, but the fish was done, so there was no need.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sauteed Swiss chard</td></tr>
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Prior to broiling the fish, I had started a batch of rice in the rice cooker. I added a tablespoon of my homemade onion soup mix, which contains turmeric and that added a nice yellow color to the rice. I also prepped some of the Rainbow Swiss chard that we got in our recent SLO Veg box, by trimming off the stems, slicing it into ribbons and soaking it in water before spinning it dry in the vegetable spinner. I chopped half a red onion and minced 3-4 garlic cloves and sauteed them in a butter and olive oil mixture. Then I added the cleaned Swiss chard, which filled up my large saute pan completely. I drizzled more olive oil on top and put the lid on to let it steam for a few minutes, then stirred it around and added a dash of Balsamic vinegar and some coarse salt.</div>
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<span style="color: red;"><b>Marinated Broiled Shark Steaks</b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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1-1/2 pounds Thresher shark</div>
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2 tbs. soy sauce</div>
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2 tbs. Balsamic, rice or wine vinegar</div>
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2 tbs. lemon juice</div>
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2 tbs. olive oil</div>
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2 tbs. chopped parsley</div>
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3 cloves garlic, minced</div>
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freshly ground black pepper</div>
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Cut the shark steaks into 4 ounce pieces. Place them in a glass dish. Generously sprinkle on minced garlic, pepper and parsley on top of fish. Combine soy sauce, vinegar, lemon juice and olive oil and pour over fish. Marinate for half an hour, turning at least once. </div>
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Remove fish to a foil lined pan and broil for 4 minutes on each side about 4-5 inches from heat. Brush with reserved marinade before turning. Fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork. </div>
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<span style="color: red;"><b>Yellow Rice</b></span></div>
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1-1/2 cups rice</div>
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3 cups water</div>
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1 tbs onion soup mix <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/346636502544200361/">https://www.pinterest.com/pin/346636502544200361/</a></div>
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Put rice, water and soup mix in rice steamer. Cook for 25 minutes until done.</div>
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<strong><em><span style="color: #ff3300;">Sauteed Swiss Chard with Onions (Swiss Chard) </span></em></strong>
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<i>Recipe from SLO Veg</i><br />
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<pre>Yield: Makes 8 (side dish) servings,
Active time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients:
3 pound green Swiss chard (about 2 large bunches)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium onions, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped</pre>
<pre> </pre>
Preparation:
Cut stems and center ribs from chard, discarding any tough portions,
then cut stems and ribs crosswise into 2-inch pieces. Stack chard leaves
and roll up lengthwise into cylinders. Cut cylinders crosswise to make
1-inch-wide strips.
Heat oil and butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat until foam
subsides, then cook onions and garlic with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4
teaspoon pepper, covered, stirring occasionally, until onions begin to
soften, about 8 minutes. Add chard stems and ribs, 1/2 teaspoon salt,
and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until
stems are just tender, about 10 minutes. Add chard leaves in batches,
stirring until wilted before adding next batch, and cook, covered,
stirring occasionally, until tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer with a
slotted spoon to a serving bowl.
Cooks' notes:
Chard can be washed, dried, and cut 2 days ahead and chilled in sealed
bags lined with dampened paper towels.
· Chard can be cooked 4 hours ahead and reheated over low heat on stove
or in a microwave oven.
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Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661514003319154725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167829095355806660.post-71938526599943532014-12-10T03:38:00.001-08:002014-12-11T20:46:46.655-08:00Back to Basics: Basil Lemon Chicken<div dir="ltr">
Chicken, lemon juice, and basil leaves. Plus some seasoning blend. That's it...easy peasy. </div>
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I was thinking we have been getting a little sloppy with our healthy eating lately, adding too much starch and cheese, so I am paring it down. Tonight I prepared the food very simply: roasted vegetables, baked yams, oven baked chicken. Nothing fancy, but super flavorful and satisfying. </div>
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I cut the chicken breasts into three long strips and seasoned them all over with a pepper-garlic-salt blend. Then I seared them in a skillet and finished them in the oven for about 30 more minutes. I drizzled on some lemon juice and garnished the chicken with a few lemon slices for effect, then tossed in several basil leaves to add aroma. </div>
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Meanwhile, I coated the yams in olive oil, seasoned it with the blend and let them bake for 45 minutes. During the last 20 minutes, I added a pan full of broccoli that had been drizziled with olive oil, seasoned with the blend with a little Italian seasonings added in for more flavor. When it was done, I sprinkled on some Parmesan cheese just before serving. Of course, I put some butter on the yam...it makes it so yummy! I believe in real butter, real sour cream, etc., not the non-fat stuff. You don't have to use a ton of it, and its real and healthier. </div>
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The yams, broccoli and basil all came from our SLO Veg box, just not all recently. I had so much broccoli at one point that I froze a bag of it. So that was defrosted tonight and roasted. The basil is a "living" plant that is on my kitchen window sill in a mug of water. I could plant it outside, but right now it look really pretty in the window and it is thriving, so no hurry. </div>
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Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661514003319154725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167829095355806660.post-25893806378596520212014-12-02T16:39:00.001-08:002014-12-05T07:56:33.484-08:00T's bread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So my son comes up to me and says, "Hey, if you're not doing anything tomorrow, can you help me bake some bread?"</div>
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Um, huh? This is a kid who can barely tear himself away from his video games to go to school to learn how to make them. Now he wants to feed the world? I don't get it. But, hey! I'm game. Absolutely. Maybe he can even get a job as a baker somewheres or something. One can always hope!</div>
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So he had texted me this link for French bread. Great, I said, I will pick up some bread flour and yeast and we will make bread. It's a no-knead recipe, too, so all the better. </div>
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<a href="https://lh5.ggpht.com/-FOcDBQE6Aro/VH5LqdgpSCI/AAAAAAAAChc/6Rbu8foHbuo/s640/1202141524.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-FOcDBQE6Aro/VH5LqdgpSCI/AAAAAAAAChc/6Rbu8foHbuo/s640/1202141524.jpg" height="358" width="640"></a></div>
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<a href="http://steamykitchen.com/75-baking-the-perfect-loaf-of-french-bread.html">http://steamykitchen.com/75-baking-the-perfect-loaf-of-french-bread.html</a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pO9LV4UZAiQ/VH5K5jB_CnI/AAAAAAAAChA/RQx1EnmYQGY/s1600/1202141522.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pO9LV4UZAiQ/VH5K5jB_CnI/AAAAAAAAChA/RQx1EnmYQGY/s1600/1202141522.jpg" height="112" width="200"></a></div>
So we put the flour in the mixer, add salt and yeast, and measured the temperature of the water we heated in the microwave for a minute--perfect 105 degrees. I sat back and supervised while Taylor did all the work. He started the mixer and got the dough going, then stopped it to change to the dough hooks. At that point, the mixer began squealing. It wasn't going to work...either the gears were worn out or the mixer was too old or whatever. I told Taylor to knead it by hand on the floured cutting board. So that was a good workout and a good lesson in bread making, too. He kneaded the bread for about 5 minutes, then put it into an oiled mixing bowl for the first rising phase. We left it on top of the stove where it was warm for an hour and a half. The bread rose nicely, meaning we didn't kill the yeast. That is one success all in itself. Taylor learned how to punch it down, form the loaves and let it rise again for 30 minutes. I put a little softened butter on the loaves, then he made his slices on top and transferred the loaves to a baking sheet. Then he put a little water into the small iron skillet we had preheated in the oven to make some steam, shut the door and set the timer for 25 minutes.<br>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9zyaz__WB04/VH5LaGUXQ5I/AAAAAAAAChY/A-P2o3v_AJs/s1600/1202141509c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9zyaz__WB04/VH5LaGUXQ5I/AAAAAAAAChY/A-P2o3v_AJs/s1600/1202141509c.jpg" height="640" width="355"></a> When it dinged, Taylor checked the bread with a digital thermometer. It read 190 degrees--perfecto! The bread was a very light golden brown. I personally would have let it go for another 5 minutes, but he wanted to pull it out. After cooling for 5 minutes, we couldn't resist slicing off the end and tasting it. Oh my! We grabbed the butter and cut everyone a slice to try. Yep, it was good...great, actually! What an accomplishment!<br>
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The bread was a huge success.<br>
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<a href="http://tastykitchen.com/blog/2011/10/scalloped-hasselback-potatoes/">http://tastykitchen.com/blog/2011/10/scalloped-hasselback-potatoes/ </a><br />
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I thought I had found the perfect way to bake potatoes when I discovered that you get a nice,crispy skin when you DON'T wrap them in foil. Just simply coat the potato in butter or olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and bake until done. Delicious! But this recipe, the Hasselback way, all sliced and slipped in with cheese and butter? It's gotta be divine!!!<br />
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I was already planning to back some fish using a new Mandarin-flavored olive oil we picked up from a local grower over the weekend, so I have my black cod marinating in it right now. I was thinking of making rice to go along with it, but now its going to be potatoes--big, cheesy, buttery potatoes. And cocktail sauce for the fish. Can't wait!<br />
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So I gathered up the ingredients: five large baking potatoes, Parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese, butter, olive oil, salt and pepper. I only had shredded Parmesan cheese on hand, not the block-style Parmesan-Reggiano, but I will make it work. See that picture? Now let's get baking! <br />
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Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661514003319154725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167829095355806660.post-81767184915744148702014-11-30T09:03:00.001-08:002014-12-02T13:48:08.559-08:00Zippy Spaghetti Sauce w Sweet Italian Peppers<div dir="ltr">
I have blogged several times about making spaghetti sauce. I like it kind of chunky with bits of diced tomatoes an onion and mushrooms and maybe some squash or spinach thrown in for good measure. Today I had some sweet Italian peppers that I wanted to use, so I diced them up along with the onion and sautéed both in a pan with a dab of olive oil until the vegetables are soft. Then I scooped the pepper and onions into the blender added a can of Hunts spaghetti sauce and gave it a whirl. That incorporated the spiciness of the sweet Italian red peppers right into the sauce. I added another can of diced tomatoes, juice and all, plus a can of tomato paste, a pat of butter, and a scoop of sour cream to give the sauce some richness.</div>
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Next, I browned some Italian sausage in the pan, and then added water and let it sauté until the sausage was cooked all the way through. I slice the sausage into little circles and added it to the spaghetti sauce. I wiped out the pan, added a little bit more olive oil, and browned up the mushrooms, which were quartered, and added them to the sauce as well. Now I had a chunky, spicy sauce for our spaghetti tonight. </div>
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I would use this same basic sauce for my lasagne, only I would use ground beef for the meat component. I like to use cottage cheese mixed with parmesan cheese, basil and an egg instead of ricotta cheese, and add a layer of spinach on top of the mozzarella layers. If there is any spaghetti sauce leftover, we are having lasagne tomorrow!</div>
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<span style="color: red;">Zippy Spaghetti Sauce</span></div>
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One sweet Italian red pepper, diced</div>
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One small yellow onion, diced</div>
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Olive oil</div>
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One package Italian sausage, mild or spicy</div>
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One package Baby Bella mushrooms, quartered</div>
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One can Hunts spaghetti sauce, 28 oz</div>
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One can diced tomatoes, undrained, 15 oz</div>
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One can tomato paste, 8 oz</div>
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One teaspoon butter </div>
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One tablespoon sour cream </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Np09sZvwCGk/VH4zK0FyjGI/AAAAAAAACgg/7V1Mgevy0mc/s1600/1201141749.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Np09sZvwCGk/VH4zK0FyjGI/AAAAAAAACgg/7V1Mgevy0mc/s1600/1201141749.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a>Sauté red pepper and onion in olive oil in a skillet until soft. Put in blender and purée with the can of spaghetti sauce. Pour mixture into a large saucepan. Add the diced tomatoes and can of tomato paste and stir. Bring to a simmer, add a pat of butter and simmer on low.</div>
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Meanwhile, sauté sausage in skillet until it is browned on two sides, then add some water to the pan. Simmer with the lid on for about 10 minutes. Drain off water and slice sausage into 1/4 inch thick slices. Add to simmering spaghetti sauce. In the same skillet, sauté mushrooms in a little olive oil for 2-3 minutes, add to spaghetti sauce mixture. If you want the sauce to be a little creamy, add a tablespoon of sour cream and stir in. Serve over pasta or use for lasagne. </div>
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<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2Flh4.ggpht.com%2F-XcvjYIWLiVg%2FVHtN8BcEMmI%2FAAAAAAAACgM%2FIOlnywa-TXE%2Fs640%2F1129141626.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://lh4.ggpht.com/-XcvjYIWLiVg/VHtN8BcEMmI/AAAAAAAACgM/IOlnywa-TXE/s640/1129141626.jpg" -->Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661514003319154725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1167829095355806660.post-55836007310866740372014-11-21T17:43:00.001-08:002014-11-21T18:24:45.752-08:00Blue, Sugar Baby pumpkins...soon to be pies<p dir="ltr">Its pumpkin pie season! Ev'rybody gotta have that pumpkin pie. Its on every list for the Thanksgiving feast. Its on all the Starbucks frappuccino menus. Its on Martha Stewart, the Today Show, Rachel Ray, and Shape magazine. Breweries make their own pumpkin ale. Everybody has their own twist. </p><p dir="ltr">My husband's best friend has an annual gig helping out at a local pumpkin patch down in Santa Barbara. When he and his lovely wife came up to visit us a couple of weeks ago, they brought us some pumpkins: a Sugar Baby, a Blue, several Jack-Be-Littles and some gourds. It was for my Fall table display, they said. I could put little tea lights in the Jack-Be-Littles...maybe. But I am not entertaining this year. Its for dessert, I thought! </p><p dir="ltr">Our roommmate had his eye on the Sugar Baby. He would be making a pie this year for his girlfriend's family. Okay, so I will use the Blue. Never had a blue pumpkin before. I wonder if it will taste any different?</p><p dir="ltr">Well, probably. When I cut them in half today to roast them in the oven, the Sugar Baby looked just like a pumpkin inside: a nice orange color with a 2 inch thick pulp and a bunch of seeds. I scooped them out and separated them from the gooey strings. Those seeds could be salted and roasted and eaten as a nice snack. Then I cut open the Blue. The cavity was very small, as the pulp filled up the space, leaving only about a baseball sided inside hole, and a dense bit of stringy stuff where the seeds were attached. Hmmmm...it looked more like a regular squash, a butternut-type, inside. </p><p dir="ltr">I baked them both together in the oven for one hour, until I could stick a fork in them. Then I took out the pans and let the pumpkins cool on top of the stove for another hour before touching them. I got a large serving spoon and scooped out all of the pulp into two separate bowls. The Sugar Baby was dense and stringy and a little dry in texture, while the Blue was moist, more squishy and not stringy at all. I was tempted to just mix the two together, but I think I will get the roommate's input first. But I am thinking the moistness of the Blue might balance out the dryness of the Sugar Baby very nicely and give them both better texture. From there, we can make two different pies and see who's comes out best! </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-tVF7lblTIrU/VG_qVGnsa3I/AAAAAAAACf0/liVuQHqNA-c/s1600/1121141048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-tVF7lblTIrU/VG_qVGnsa3I/AAAAAAAACf0/liVuQHqNA-c/s640/1121141048.jpg"> </a> </div>Kathleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03661514003319154725noreply@blogger.com0