mamasfastfood

NEW STUFF

2009-09-14T22:04:00.000-07:00

Look for the easy Moroccan roast chicken recipe!

COOKBOOKS

2009-04-09T18:14:00.000-07:00

Here is a list of books that I use frequently - new cookbooks proliferate like rabbits and I find that I like some of the old ones better!

Chez Panisse Fruit, Alice Waters, HarperCollins, 2002 - Alphabetical, interesting choices, easy and very very good.

Chez Panisse Vegetables
Alice Waters, HarperCollins, 1996. This is really great when you buy something you've never cooked before. Her information is really solid.

Home Baking by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid, Artisan, NY 2003. If you like to bake this has wonderful breads and sweet things too. And the pictures are stunning!

In Nonna's Kitchen by Carol Field, HarperCollins, 1997 Grandmother recipes, hearty traditional stuff, but not complicated.

Italy in Small Bites by Carol Field, William Morrow, 1993. Good breads, bruschetta, focaccia. In general, don't be afraid to add more flour than she calls for - sometimes the recipes sound forbidding but if you like to make bread you will like this book.

MENUS

I enjoy the task of building a menu as much as doing the cooking and I nearly always want to reconfigure it once the meal is complete - here is a list of meals that taste good to me ----

Dear Friends/Important Winter Dinner inspired by Julia Child --
Demitasse Watercress Soup
Classic Boeuf Bourguignon (I bought a rump roast and cut it up myself) - served with a scalloped potatoes cooked in broth not cream.
Butter lettuce salad with slices of ripe pears, toasted pecans and a walnut oil dressing
Savarins imbibed with lemon liqueur syrup served with whipped creme and a few slivers of candied orange peel

BREAD

2009-04-04T13:19:00.000-07:00

PIZZA
This is a nice light dough that makes two thin crust pizzas - about 12 inches in diameter. It is sticky at first but easy to use.

1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
2 cups all-purpose flour (plus more for kneading)
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons melted butter

In a large bowl sprinkle the yeast over the water to dissolve then stir in one cup of flour followed by the salt and butter. Stir in another cup of flour, making a sticky mound. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead, adding more flour until it doesn't stick to your fingers - about 5 minutes. Place the ball of dough in a clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let it rise about 2 1/2 hours until doubled.

Place a baking stone in the middle of your oven if you have one and pre-heat oven to 475 degrees.

Turn the risen dough onto the floured surface, cut into two pieces, flatten them into rounds, cover with a kitchen towel and let them rest for about 15 minutes. You can cook the pizzas one at a time by sliding them onto the hot stone using a pizza paddle or place them on a cookie sheet.

Next I cut a piece of parchment paper about 14 inches square and roll the dough out on the paper using a rolling pin or smooth drinking glass. Cover and let the dough rise another 15 minutes.

For each pizza - brush the entire surface with a little olive oil - then add toppings, a few tablespoons of tomato sauce spread very thinly, sliced veggies, bits of sausage and olive grated cheese etc., or smoked salmon, capers and sour creme - use anything you like but slice everything thinly because the pizza cooks in about 10 minutes.

NOTE - you can freeze the cooked pizzas wrapped in foil, stacked on top of each other with the parchment paper in between. I take one from the freezer - let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes and heat in my toaster oven for a really easy dinner!

SIMPLE WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

This is easy and makes two small round loaves about 6 inches in diameter. It keeps nicely and slices easily.

7/8 cup of warm water
1 package of dry yeast
1/8 cup of oil
1/4 cup of honey
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour plus more for kneading

Put the water in a mixing bowl and sprinkle the yeast over it - let it sit a few minutes then stir in the oil, honey and salt. (Put the oil in your measuring cup first and add the honey on top - the oil will keep the honey from sticking to the sides when you pour it out.)

Add the flour and mix with a spoon. Add more if it seems really sticky then turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead it for about 5 minutes adding more flour if it sticks. (I scrape up bits that stick as I go and incorporate them back into the dough)
When the dough is easy to handle and not sticking to your fingers, clean out the mixing bowl, wipe it with oil and place the dough in it, rolling to coat with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for about 2 hours or until it is double in size.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured board again and knead for a few minutes. Divide in half, shaping into two rounds. Cover the loaves loosely with a kitchen towel and let them rise again until double (another hour or so).

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with a layer of parchment paper and place the loaves apart from each other. Bake about 30 minutes. They will turn a nice shade of brown and will be done when they sound hollow if you hit them with a wooden spoon. Remove from oven and cool on a rack.

No-Knead Bread

This recipe from Mark Bittman of the New York Times really works and it's really good - but you must have a heavy 6 - 8 quart covered pot that can be heated to 450 degrees. I use an old enameled Dansk casserole or a big Lodge cast iron pot but I ruined the round handle on the top of a Le Creuset pot so I know that doesn't work! This bread slices easily and keeps for a week.

3 cups bread flour
1 packet of instant yeast
2 teaspoons salt
Olive oil

Combine the flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups of water and stir together. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough sit for 4 hours at room temperature.

Lightly oil a plastic cutting board and turn the dough out onto it, folding it over on itself once or twice with a plastic spatula. Cover loosely with the plastic wrap again and let it sit another 30 minutes.

At the same time, place the covered casserole in oven and heat at 450 degrees.

When the dough is ready, remove casserole from oven carefully and take off the lid - watch out for the hot air escaping! Scrape the dough into the pot, replace the lid and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake another 15 minutes. The dough will have a pretty golden brown color and you can pop it out of the pan with a couple of wooden spoons. It does not stick to the pot! Cool on a rack before slicing.

MARY'S BANANA BREAD - IT'S DIFFERENT!

My neighbor brought me a flat loaf of bread that looked like foccaccia bread but surprise, it was banana bread - she used Trader Joes Banana Bread Mix and added a couple of handfuls of mixed dried fruits like diced apricots, blueberries, cranberries and raisins. She spread the mixture in a 9 x 11 baking pan - so it didn't rise up like the usual loaf but could then be cut into squares like brownies... here's my version -

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 melted butter or canola oil
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup of mashed ripe bananas (it takes 2 or 3)
1/3 buttermilk (or use regular milk with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice)
1 cup (plus or minus) chopped dried fruits

Mix flour, soda and salt together. Add the butter or oil, then the eggs and finally the bananas and mix. Then alternately add the flour and milk and blend after each addition, stir in the fruits and pour into a buttered 8 inch square pan or a 9 x 11 pan and bake at 350 for about 25 minutes. Check with a cake tester or toothpick to be sure it's done. Cut into squares and serve with coffee - very nice to serve at breakfast meetings!

APPETIZERS

2008-12-10T19:00:00.003-08:00

CAPONATA - Eggplant appetizer

1 small eggplant (1lb)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1/4 cup wine vinegar mixed with 2 teaspoons sugar
3 tomatoes peeled and chopped fine
1 tablespoon tomato paste
6 large olives chopped
1 tablespoon capers
2 tablespoons pine nuts

Peel eggplant and cut into small cubes, sprinkle generously with salt and set in a colander to drain for 30 minutes.

In a large skillet, heat half the olive oil and over medium heat saute the celery for 10 minutes, stir in the onions and cook another 5 minutes until they are soft and lightly colored. Remove to a bowl. Pat the eggplant cubes dry in paper towels. Heat the remaining oil and add the eggplant and saute over high heat for about 8 minutes until they are lightly colored.

Return the onions and celery to the skillet and add the rest of the ingredients except for the pine nuts. Let the mixture simmer for about 15 minutes, season with salt and pepper and add the pine nuts. Let it cool and refrigerate. This tastes great with thin slices of french bread that you have dried in the oven for about 10 minutes. Makes about 2 cups

HUMMUS

2 cans garbanzo beans (also called Chick Peas) drained and rinsed with water (shake off excess water in a strainer)
3 or 4 Tablespoons of tahini (sesame seed paste which comes in jars - keep in the frig and stir up before measuring) This keeps a long time.
2 lemons - squeeze the juice directly into the blender jar and get the seeds out with a fork
2 smashed and chopped cloves of garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Salt to taste - half teaspoon or more

Place all ingredients in a blender or use food processor and blend until smooth - taste and add more seasonings if needed or more olive oil if it is too thick.
Serve with pita or bagel chips - leftovers keep nicely in the frig.

MANGO SALSA

2 or 3 ripe mangoes (they should feel soft to touch like a ripe peach - too soft they're mushy and very firm they aren't flavorful)
1/2 white onion chopped fine
2 or 3 cloves of garlic chopped fine
1 small Serrano green chili pepper - slice lengthwise, discard the seeds and mince. Put about 1/2 teaspoon of the minced pepper into the mixture - you can always add more later but you can't cool it down if it starts off too hot.
1 bunch of cilantro chopped fine (strip off most of the stems)
2 or 3 limes (sometimes limes have almost no juice so have some extra ones on hand)
salt

Peel and dice the mangoes, mix with other ingredients, salt to taste and squeeze limes over the mixture and refrigerate. Keep in sealed container because garlic odor will stink up the frig. Serve with chips.

CROSTINI A LA LOULIE

24 Slices of a baguette sliced 1/2 inch
12 halves of marinated artichokes drained
2 medium Roma tomatoes chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh basil chopped
8 Chopped black olives
Pam olive oil spray
Garlic powder
2 Tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 325 - place bread slices on cookie sheet,, sprinkle with garlic powder or minced fresh garlic, spray with Pam Olive Oil and bake about 10 minutes until lightly browned and crisp. Cool on a wire rack.

In a bowl combine artichokes, tomatoes, basil, olives and olive oil. Mix well and spread about 1 Tablespoon on each slice, sprinkle lightly with salt and serve.

PESTO CHEESECAKE

Crust
1 Tablespoon butter (soft)
1/4 fine dry bread crumbs (if you make the crumbs from some dried bread with herbs - so much the better!
2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan

Filling
2 8 ounce packages cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 large eggs
1/2 cup pesto sauce (you can find it in frozen foods)
1/3 cup pine nuts

Garnish
Fresh basil leaves and crackers

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray Pam or smear butter on the bottom of a 9 inch pie pan or use a springform pan. Mix the bread crumbs with 2 Tablespoons of Parmesan and coat the pan with the mixture.

Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, ricotta, 1/2 cup Parmesan, salt and cayenne until it's well blended. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Transfer half of the mixture to another bowl. Mix the pesto into the remaining half mixture and pour the pesto/cheese mixture into the pan, smoothing the top. Spoon the remaining cheese mixture over the top and smooth the top and sprinkle with the pine nuts.

Bake the cheesecake until the center no long jiggles when the pan is shaken which will take about 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

If you used a springform pan, run a knife around sides to loosen, release pan sides from the cake and transfer to a platter. If you've used a pie plate you can serve directly from it. Garnish with basil either chopped or sprigs and surround with crackers. This is a substantial appetizer that serves about 15 people - it looks pretty and tastes great! It is adapted from the "Simply Classic" Junior League cookbook of Seattle, published 1993.

SOUP

2008-12-10T19:00:00.001-08:00

FRESH TOMATO SOUP

Note - make this now while you can still get vine ripe tomatoes!

3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 red onions chopped
2 carrots unpeeled and chopped fine
1 Tablespoon of minced garlic
4 pounds skinned tomatoes chopped roughly
1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar
1 Tablespoon of tomato paste
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
3 cups chicken stock
1 Tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons ground pepper

Note - to skin tomatoes - boil water in a small saucepan and lower tomatoes into water for about 5 seconds and remove - the skins will slide off easily.

Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat and saute the onions and carrots for about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute then add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. (Make sure the carrots are soft)
At this point it's easier to let the soup cool but you can proceed cautiously if the mixture is hot - the easiest way to blend the soup is by using a hand held blender directly into the cooking pot - or you can transfer the mixture into a conventional blender and blend in batches being careful to keep the lid on the blender or you will be covered in goop as it explodes! Serve with croutons or chopped basil leaves. The vine ripe tomatoes are the secret ingredient here! Makes about 6 servings.

MINESTRONE

The word minestrone means big soup and this is best made ahead and re-heated - the flavor gets better. Ingredients can vary - I always include white beans and although I start with dry beans - you can substitute 2 cans of white beans (drain and rinse them well) and that will save time.

1/2 cup dry white beans - I use Great Northern beans (or 1 - 2 cans)
5 ounces of pancetta chopped - optional
1 cup minced onions
2 big cloves of garlic, smashed and minced
1/2 cup minced celery
1/2 cup minced carrots
1 big Tablespoon chopped parsley
2 medium potatoes peeled and chopped
1 medium zucchini - diced
1/4 pound diced mushrooms
1 15 oz canned diced tomatoes, drained
1 49 1/2 oz can chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh ground pepper to taste.

Starting with dry beans - Boil 4 cups of water in a heavy saucepan. Add the beans, boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let them soak for 1 hour. Then, drain them, add 4 cups of fresh water and the beans and simmer them uncovered for 1 to 1/1/2 hours until they are tender. (Add more boiling water if needed) Drain them when finished.

In a big pot, add 2 - 3 Tablespoons of olive oil and saute on medium heat the pancetta, onions, garlic, celery, carrots and chopped parsley. Stir and cook for about 5 - 10 minutes until the veggies are taking on color. Then stir in the tomatoes and basil and cook another 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, beans, zucchini and mushrooms - stir mixture and add remaining ingredients, bring to a simmer, and cook about 2 hours until it has a nice thick consistency. Check for seasoning and eat the next day at least for optimum flavor! Add more chicken stock or water if needed.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Olive oil
1 large butternut squash - cut in half lengthwise with the seeds and fibers scraped out with a spoon
salt/pepper
6 cloves of garlic - no need to peel them
4 sprigs of thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
3 Tablespoons butter
1 large onion chopped
3 shallots, chopped
4 cups canned chicken broth

Preheat oven to 375 and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Pour about a teaspoon of olive oil into the cavity of each half of the squash and rub the cut side with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and turn the cut side down on the sheet, tucking in the sprigs of thyme and 3 cloves of garlic each. Roast for about one hour, the squash should be quite soft and easy to pierce with a fork. Remove from the oven and let cool - you can do this early in the day if you wish. Save the garlic, discard the thyme, scrape the flesh away from the outer skin and chop it roughly.

In a heavy saucepan or stew pot, melt the butter and saute the chopped onion and shallots for about 5 minutes until they start to get brown, add the squash and garlic. (Hold a garlic clove at one end in your fingers and pinch and the inside will pop out.) Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/8 teaspoon of pepper and saute another 5 minutes until the squash starts sticking to the pan - add the chicken stock gradually and bring to a simmer and cook 15 minutes. Puree the soup in a blender in small batches and return to the pot where it can wait for serving time. (Be careful to put only small amounts of hot liquids in a blender because the top can pop up and cover you with soup!)

CROUTONS ARE NICE

Homemade croutons are the best - dice some old french bread, heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in small skillet and saute until brown - be careful not to burn - sprinkle with kosher salt and set aside until serving time - trying not to eat them all yourself.

Serve the soup with the croutons and you can also add some chopped chives or the green part of a scallion to add more color.

This recipe is from the new "Organic Marin" cookbook which has great pictures.

ARUGULA SOUP

1 1/4 pounds of Yukon Gold potatoes
6 cups of water
12 ounces (about 5 cups of arugula leaves, large stems removed) chopped
4 big cloves of garlic,thinly sliced
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 slices of stale country style bread

Peel the potatoes, chop roughly and cook in the 5 cups of boiling salted water for about 10 minutes. Add arugula and garlic and cook another 5 or 10 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Add the red pepper flakes, salt and bread and let it stand off heat until the bread is soft. Puree in batches in a blender or food processor.
This mixture will be quite thick and you may need to thin with a little more water.

This produces a fabulous thick green soup that people will think is spinach. The arugula loses it's bitterness and the potatoes and bread give it substance. You can drizzle a little olive oil over the top to serve. Makes at least 6 servings.

This is adapted from Carol Field's "In Nonna's Kitchen" cookbook which has excellent old fashioned Italian granny's recipes.

POTATO AND PARSLEY SOUP

This is low cal, easy and cheap!

8 cups water
1 pound of potatoes (about 3 medium) peeled and chopped into 1 chunks
1 medium onion chopped smaller than the potatoes
5 whole cloves of garlic - peeled
1 large bunch of parsley, washed, remove stems and chop
Salt and pepper to taste (important to taste)

Combine the water, potatoes,onion and garlic with 1 teaspoon salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce the heat and simmer 45 minutes or until the potatoes and onions are cooked through. Remove from the heat and add the parsley.
Puree the mixture using a hand blender or food processor - if you use a conventional blender be very cautious with the hot mixture - fill the blender only 1/3 full and cover the lid with a kitchen towel and keep your hand firmly on the top - the hot stuff can erupt and cover you with soup.
The cooked potatoes will quickly get too smooth if you let the machine run too long - this soup tastes best when you have nice little bumps of potato for texture rather than completely blended.

This is from Martha Rose Shulman's "Mediterranean Light" published by Bantam 1989 - the calorie count per serving is 132 in her version but I eliminated the milk that she calls for so the calories are even less in this recipe!

KALE AND CHICKPEA SOUP

This is unusual, very pretty, quick, easy and good!

2 Tablespoons olive oil
4 oz chopped pancetta
1 onion chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
3 cups chicken stock
2 cups cubed yam or sweet potato (one medium)
1 sweet red pepper chopped
1 can chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
3 cups chopped kale (you can use spinach instead)

In a large saucepan, heat the oil, saute the chopped pancetta, onion and garlic for about 5 minutes, add the salt pepper and sage and stir together for another minute.

Add the stock, 3 cups of water, sweet potato or yam and red pepper, bring to a simmer, add the chickpeas, keep at a simer, covered for about 15 minutes until the potatos are tender

Add the kale and simmer another 5 to 10 minutes. This can be served right away but keeps well in the frig.

This is adapted from "Make it Tonight" by Elizabeth Laird, published by Canadian Living 2007 thanks to my friend S who has good taste in cookbooks!

SALAD

2008-12-10T18:59:00.008-08:00

SUPER QUINOA SALAD

1 cup of quinoa cooked and cooled as directed on package
2 cups broccoli and/or asparagus, chopped, blanched and cooled
1 small cucumber chopped
1 cup feta cheese crumbled
1 whole avocado chopped
1 cup of peas or chopped snap peas
Handful of alfalfa sprouts
sprinkling of tasted seeds (sesame, sunflower, pumpkin for example)
Handful of cilantro chopped
Handful of mint chopped
Juice of 2 lemons
3-4 Tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper

Combine ingredients, and toss with the lemon juice, oil and salt and pepper. This is quick and easy. Quinoa is high in protein so this is a very satisfying salad and you don't need to have all the ingredients on hand - and you can make your own variations. This is from Mary's daughter-in-law Kathleen! Serves 4 approximately.

BLACK BARLEY TEX MEX SALAD

8 Oz black barley
2 small tomatoes - chopped
1 half red onion chopped small
1 ear of sweet corn - niblets cut off
1 green pepper chopped
1/2 cup chopped jicama
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
5 Tablespoons white vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste and red pepper flakes if you like heat.

Fill a saucepan with about 6 cups of water, bring to a boil and add the barley - let it stay at a rolling boil for about 1 hour - checking to see that the water does not boil away and tasting barley until it is cooked - it will be chewy and if there is water left you can drain it off - set aside.

Combine oil, vinegar and spices and taste - add the red pepper if you like hot stuff - the barley is bland so you may want to spice it up - add the chopped veggies and then the barley - serve at room temperature on a bed of lettuce. Very substantial stuff! This recipe makes about 8 servings.

HOUSE BOTTLED DRESSING

Don't buy bottled dressings - make your own! This is from the great Hali'maile General Store Cookbook

3/4 cup olive oil
3/4 cup canola oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon tarragon
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine all the ingredients in a screw top jar and shake. Keep in the frig and use on greens with a soft texture like baby spinach, red leaf and butter lettuce.

SUSAN MARY'S EXCELLENT CHINESE CHICKEN SALAD DRESSING

Combine in a screw top jar and keep in your frig!

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
1/4 cup salad oil
3 Tablespoons rice vinegar

You can double or triple the recipe - don't forget to buy some dried rice stick noodles and break off a handful and fry them quickly in hot oil - they swell up and get crispy very quickly - remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and use to garnish your chinese chicken salad!

WINTER SALAD - SIDE OR MAIN COURSE

Soft textured greens like butter red leaf lettuce or baby spinach
1 small can of mandarin orange slices drained
1/2 small white onion sliced very thin
1 avocado sliced (an avocado is ripe when it gives a little under your thumb - if it feels hard it won't taste good)
Optional extra - a handful of pomegranate seeds tastes good and looks pretty. To remove seeds from pomegranate EB recommends slicing the fruit in two, hold over a bowl cut side down and whack the half with a wooden spoon and the seeds will come shooting out.

Toss with the House Bottled Dressing shown above.

NOTE - to make this into a main course salad, add a cup of cooked bay shrimp

SOPHISTICATED SALAD - thanks to Kate and Tom

Use endive and romaine - you'll need about 3 pieces of endive for each serving so one head of endive is probably enough. Wash and spin a handful of romaine for each person.

KATE'S DRESSING

In a jar combine 1/4 teaspoon of Kosher salt (it tastes better that's why you use it), 1/2 teaspoon of Coleman's dry mustard, a few grindings of pepper, 4 Tablespoons of Champagne vinegar and 1/2 cup of good olive oil. Shake to combine and use as needed and keep the unused portion in the frig.

Separate 3 or 4 leaves of endive and place in a salad bowl and toss with a little of the dressing - set aside while you work on dinner.

Before serving, add a handful of romaine lettuce torn into pieces and toss with the endive and maybe a little more dressing. Arrange the pieces of endive to the side of each salad plate and fill the plate with the romaine. You look soooo sophisticated now!

MOROCCAN CARROT SALAD

1 Pound (about 5) carrots peeled and grated in a Cuisinart, or sliced very thinly on the diagonal
3/4 minced fresh parsley
big pinch of sea salt
1 Tablespoon of orange flower water (or use orange juice)
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
juice of 2 lemons
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Combine the carrots, parsley and salt. Stir together the orange flower water, honey, lemon juice and cumin and add this mixture to the carrots just before serving.

Note - this is pretty and subtle - you can serve it as a side veggie or place on a bed of leaf lettuce as a stand alone salad. It has about 40 calories per serving and the recipe comes from Martha Rose Shulman's book, "Mediterranean Light" 1989

ASPARAGUS AND BULGUR OR SPELT WITH PRESERVED LEMON DRESSING

For the dressing:
1 preserved lemon - they are packed in salt and you can buy them in gourmet shops
7 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

For the asparagus and bulgur or spelt
1 pound of asparagus cut into 2 inch lengths
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 red onion chopped
1 cup of bulgur - or use spelt (you will need to cook the spelt longer)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

To make the dressing, cut the preserved lemon in half. Chop one half and put it into a blender. With a spoon, scoop out the pulp from the remaining half and add the pulp to the blender. Discard the rind. Add the remaining dressing ingredients, blend until smooth and set aside.
To make the asparagus - steam for about 4 minutes (they should be bright green and fairly crunchy) spread out on a plate to cool - set aside.
Using a large pot or saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and saute the onion for a minute, add the bulgur or spelt and cook another minute or two until toasted. Add two cups of water with the salt and bring to a boil. Cover pan, reduce heat and cook until the water has evaporated, about 15 minutes. If you are using spelt, it will take at least twice as long - I leave the pot uncovered and the mixture bubbling and I add more water as needed. Taste to be sure it is cooked enough - spelt gives a more chewy texture than bulgur. Let cool.

To serve, arrange the cooled bulgur or spelt in a large serving bowl, toss the asparagus with the dressing and arrange over the top and sprinkle with the toasted pine nuts. Add the dressing just before you serve because it will cause the asparagus to lose the bright green color. Makes about 6 servings.

CHEESE

2008-12-10T18:59:00.007-08:00

CHEESE SPREAD OR DIP

This makes about 2 cups - you can cut the quantities in half.

8 ounces cottage cheese
1 stick of unsalted butter at room temperature
1 Tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika
Ground pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
1 teaspoon dry mustard (ok to substitute 2 teaspoons Dijon)
1 teaspoon drained chopped capers
1 Tablespoon finely chopped onions
1/2 cup sour creme (add 1/4 cup more if you want a dip)
3 Tablespoon chopped chives or the green ends of scallions

Place the cottage cheese and softened butter in a medium bowl and mix together with a wooden spoon or mixer (you can also toss everything into a Cuisinart)
Add the remaining ingredients and mix well, adding the extra sour creme if you want a dip. Refrigerate and decorate with the chives. Serve with crackers

BREAKFAST

2008-12-10T18:59:00.005-08:00

ORANGE MUFFINS

This recipe is adapted from Marion Cunningham's wonderful "The Breakfast Book" It makes a dozen moist and pretty muffins

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line the muffin tins with paper cups.

2 large oranges
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Using a vegetable peeler, remove the orange zest. Trim off the white pith and membrane of the oranges and discard. Chop the orange zest and the oranges into small bits, discarding any seeds. Set aside in a small bowl.
Combine the flour with the baking powder, soda and salt and mix well to blend.
Put the eggs in a large bowl and whisk to blend, then add the sugar and melted butter, and stir to combine. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and when well blended, stir in the chopped nuts.
Divide the mixture between the 12 muffin cups and bake about 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of a muffin

MAUI COFFEE CAKE - A QUICK BREAKFAST BREAD

4 teaspoons of melted butter - let it cool while you get out the other ingredients
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat over to 375 degrees and spray a pie pan with Spam

Combine the flour with the 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. Sift this mixture 3 times! I pass it through a strainer from one small bowl to another.
In a medium bowl, beat the egg with a fork, add the milk and melted butter. Add the flour mixture and stir just enough to combine it. It will be fairly dense, Pour into pie pan, smoothing the top and sprinkle the sugar cinnamon mixture over the top. It will seem like you have abit too much sugar but it's just right.

Bake 12 to 15 minutes until the top is browned and slightly cracked. Serve warm. It can serve one large son, or 4 - 6 people! This is from the Honolulu Junior League Cookbook "Another taste of Aloha".

CHOCOLATE CHIP SCONES

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 lb unsalted butter at room temperature
1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons sugar
3 large eggs
1/3 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips.

Mix flour and baking powder and then beat in the butter until creamy. Add sugar and beat until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and add flour mixture mixing only until blended.Add the yogurt and sprinkle chocolate chips over batter and fold in.

Scoop 1/3 cup fulls of dough onto cookie sheet, cover the mounds loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate about 45 minutes. At this point you can place each scone into an individual sandwich size plastic bag and freeze for up to 6 weeks.

To bake, heat oven to 350, bake 15 minutes, reduce heat to 325 and bake another 13 minutes until golden brown. Eat immediately.

Note that you can make 1 dozen from this recipe or make them a little smaller and get about 16 out of the recipe.

THREE FRUIT MARMALADE FROM SUE

If you like marmalade you'll never go back to store bought!

1 grapefruit
1 orange
1 lemon
sugar

On the first day, cut the fruit in half and remove seeds. Cut away and discard the ends. Slice the fruit as thinly as possible and place in a china or enamel bowl and add just enough cold water to cover. Leave overnight at room temperature, covered.

Put the mixture in an enamel or aluminum pan and boil for 30 minutes. Now you can let it sit covered for another day at room temperature.

Now measure the fruit/water mixture and add an equal amount of sugar and cook over a very low heat, stirring frequently to prevent burning. After an hour it should be getting thick when you put a little of it on a cold saucer. If it's still runny, cook a little longer. Pour boiling water into 3 or 4 small glass jars to sterilize them and spoon the mixture into the jars. When cool, store in the frig just to be safe.
This makes about 1 pint.

RED PEPPER FRITTATA

Note - this is great for brunch and serves 6 - 8 It is really easy with a food processor

5 oz mozzarella cheese cut into 1 inch cubes
1 slice firm white bread torn into pieces
3/4 parsley leaves
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves or 2 teaspoons dried basil
2 red peppers, cored, seeded and sliced thinly
1 medium onion sliced thinly
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon sugar
4 leaves of romaine lettuce or equivalent amount of spinach
10 eggs
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Drops of Tabasco
3/4 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

Chop the mozzarella finely, set aside. Finely chop the bread, parsley and basil and set aside.

In a 10 inch ovenproof skillet melt the butter over medium heat and add peppers, onion, vinegar and sugar. Cook 5 minutes, stirring until the vegetables are tender.

Thinly slice the romaine or spinach and add to the red pepper mixture and cook 1 or 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine eggs, Worcestershire sauce,, Tobasco, salt and pepper to taste with a whisk. Add the herb mixture and one half of the reserved cheese and mix. Stir in the vegetable mixture.

Brush the skillet with the oil and set over high heat. When oil is hot, reduce the heat to medium low, add the egg mixture and cook for a minute without stirring. Remove from the heat and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.

Bake in the center of the preheated oven for 15 - 20 minutes (depending on size of the pan) or until the eggs are set and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Note - I have poured the mixture into an oiled earthen ware casserole which I can't heat on the stove top. I sprinkle the top with the reserved cheese mixture as directed and bake it and it comes out fine too.

CRANBERRY MUFFINS

Just in time for Christmas - these are very moist!

12 Ounces of whole cranberries, fresh or frozen
1/4 cup sugar mixed in 1 cup of water

2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 butter at room temperature
1 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons grated orange or lemon rind
1 egg beaten

Mix the sugar and water together, bring to boil and add cranberries - cook about ten minutes at a simmer. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Preheat over to 350 degrees.

Mix the flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, soda and salt together. Cut in the butter with a fork until mixture is crumbly. In a separate bowl mix the orange juice, rind and egg. Add to the dry ingredients and fold in the cranberry mixture.

Spoon into greased muffin tins and bake about 20 minutes - check the center of a muffin with cake tester or tooth pick to be sure they're cooked through. Makes about 2 dozen muffins - slightly tart and very moist and pretty.

PASTA

2008-12-10T18:59:00.003-08:00

BAKED POLENTA WITH SAUSAGE SAUCE

This is easy and takes about an hour if you use a package of already prepared polenta from the market. It serves 6 to 8 and re-heats nicely.

FOR THE SAUCE
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms soaked in 1 cup of warm water for 20 minutes. Find them in cellophane packages either in the vegetables or ethnic food sections.
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1 pound of mild italian sausage chopped roughly
1/2 cup of red wine
3 cups of chicken broth
3 Tablespoons tomato paste (scoop out the remaining paste from its little can and freeze)
1 cup grated Parmigiano Cheese

Drain the mushrooms, saving the soaking water. Rinse the mushrooms, and chop roughly. Strain the soaking water through two layers of paper towels over a bowl.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add onion and cook until lightly brown, about 5 minutes, raise the heat,add the chopped sausage and saute another 5 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and cook for another 2 minutes, add the wine and cook another 2 minutes to reduce the wine.
Add the mushroom soaking water, chicken broth and the tomato paste and stir to combine the paste. Season with salt and pepper, bring to a simmer and let it cook uncovered for about 30 minutes. The sauce will get thicker as it cooks.

Meanwhile, cut the polenta into 1/2 inch slices and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Spray a shallow baking dish with Pam or butter the dish and cut the polenta into slices that fit your dish. Cover the bottom of the pan with a layer of polenta and cover with a layer of the sauce. Sprinkle with grated cheese and add another layer of polenta, sauce and cheese. Dot the top of the dish with a few pieces of butter. Bake in the middle of the oven for 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese has gotten a little brown. Let it sit for a few minutes before serving with a salad.

Note that you will have about 2 cups extra sauce and you can use that on some pasta another day.
This is adapted from Biba Caggiano's "Italy al Dente" cookbook - her recipes are always easy and good.

MACARONI AND CHEESE - WITH VARIATIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees - spray or butter a 9 x 13 inch baking dish

2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons flour
3 cups of milk
1 1/2 cups grated cheese - you can use Cheddar or Gruyere
Pinch of nutmeg
1 pound box of a short pasta like penne with ridges, fusilli or elbows (the idea is to use a pasta shape that will catch and hold the sauce)
1/4 fresh breadcrumbs that you've chopped or whirled up in the food processor yourself.

In a saucepan, heat the butter and add the flour and whisk the mixture for a couple of minutes to cook the gluten in the flour, Whisk in the milk, bring to a gentle simmer and cook about 15 minutes - remove from the heat, add the grated cheese, salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.
Meanwhile boil the pasta according to the package instructions, drain and combine with the sauce. Transfer to the baking dish and top with the bread crumbs and bake about 20 minutes until browned and bubbly.

EASY VARIATIONS *****

ADD ACORN OR BUTTERNUT SQUASH - start by cutting a 1 1/2 pound squash in half lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, sprinkle with salt and pepper and place the cut side up in a steamer and steam until tender, about 15 minutes. Let it cool, peel and cut into bite size chunks. Toss the chunks with the pasta and sauce mixture and bake as directed.

OR ADD HAM - buy a ham slice - (I like Niman brand but you can find a cheaper variety at Safeway in the meat case.) Cut it into bite size chunks and add to the pasta and sauce mixture and bake.

This recipe is from the NY Times - it makes enough for 6 or more people

YET ANOTHER MAC AND CHEESE FROM THE NY TIMES

2 cups diced onion
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
4 cups of milk (use low or no fat)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
24 ounces grated sharp Cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon hot-pepper sauce like Tabasco
One pound box of noodles like cavatelli or those listed in recipes above
4 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

In a deep saucepan, cook onion in butter until soft but not browned. Stir in the flour and cook a few minutes stirring then add the milk and stir with a whisk and cook over medium heat until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in the mustard and most of the Cheddar, salt, pepper, nutmeg and hot sauce.

Meanwhile boil the pasta according to the box instructions - cook till al dente. Drain and add to the cheese mixture. Spoon into two 9 x 13 inch baking dishes and top with the remaining cheeses and bread crumbs too if you like.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Makes about 12 servings.

FISH

2008-12-10T18:59:00.001-08:00

QUICK SHRIMP STIR FRY

5 or 6 good size raw shrimp per serving
a handful of fresh spinach or mustard greens per serving - chopped
1 smallish white onion per serving - sliced thinly
1 clove of garlic per serving - minced
Soy sauce - to taste
1/2 teaspoon Chinese chili garlic sauce per serving or to taste

Saute the onion slowly in 2 tablespoons of canola oil so that it gets soft and starts to caramelize, adding the garlic after a few minutes, then raise the heat to medium and toss in the greens, cooking until they are limp, then raise the heat and add the shrimp and cook until it is pink on both sides and looks plump - if you cook it too long it dries out and is very disappointing! Your eye will gauge how long you cook.

Sprinkle with a tablespoon or two of soy sauce and add the hot garlic sauce at the last minute then serve over a bed of rice.

This serves how ever many you wish!

CHICKEN

2008-12-10T18:58:00.004-08:00

Moroccan Roast Chicken a la Caroline

This is easy to do if you're going to be home for a couple of hours but you haven't got time to be actively working in the kitchen.

Whole chicken - about 3 1/2 to 4 lbs - free range is best I think
One preserved Moroccan lemon - find them in glass jars in the grocery store
Handful of fresh herbs like parsley, thyme, and taragon or substitute about a teaspoon of dried herbs
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap the chicken and remove any packet found in the body cavity. (Sometimes there will be a wrapper with the chicken liver etc in it, although it's rare to find nowadays) If you see any globs of fat around the cavity, pull loose with your fingers and discard. Rinse the chicken under cool water and pat dry. Place it in a deep oven proof casserole. Put the preserved lemon and herbs in the cavitity and pour a tablespoon of olive oil into your hands and rub the back of the chicken, then add more oil and rub over the legs and breast. Place the bird on its back and roast uncovered, in the oven for 1 hour, then remove and baste the chicken with the juices that have accumulated. You can use a spoon for this or a bulb baster is easier. Return to oven and cook another 15 minutes and baste again. The bird should be getting brown and it may take another 15 - 20 minutes before it has a really pretty brown color, and the skin on the top puffs up. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with salt, place on a platter and carve!

Moroccan lemons are preserved in salt and the chicken takes on a lemon-y salty taste which is subtle and nice.

CHICKEN CASHEW CURRY

4 inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced thinly
1 serrano chili pepper, remove seeds and mince
1/2 cup chicken stock
3-4 tablespoons canola oil
2 large onions - chopped small
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
3 Tablespoons curry powder
1 cup low-fat yogurt
2 pounds of boneless chicken thighs - remove skin and cut into bite sized pieces
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup raw unsalted cashews

Put the ginger, chili and stock in a blender and puree until smooth.

In a large casserole saute the onions in 3 tablespoons of oil over low heat until they are soft and golden. Ad the garlic and curry, stir and cook about 2 more minutes then add the ginger, chili mixture along with the yogurt and season with sea salt and pepper. Set aside.

Heat the remaining oil in a large saute pan and over high heat, brown the chicken pieces, adding them to the onion curry mixture. Bring the chicken curry mixture to a simmer and cook about 20 minutes. Heat the oven to 350 and toast the cashews for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. The curry can wait at this point until you are ready to serve. Note that you can add more chicken stock to the mixture if need be.

Just before serving, bring the mixture back to the simmer, add the garam masala, lemon juice, cilantro and cashews. Serve over Basmati Rice accompanied by chutney. You can also offer sambals like shredded coconut, currents, and chopped cucumber to be sprinkled on each serving. The curry has a little heat to it but if you like a spicier taste, you could add another chili. This will make about 8 servings. It tastes good with a citrus and arugula salad (with a little honey in the dressing) to start.

CRISPY QUICKIE CHICKEN

2 boneless chicken breasts - OR buy bone-in breasts which are cheaper. To remove the bone, place a sharp knife against the bone and pull away the chicken. Cut the chicken pieces into strips like fast food chicken fingers. The chicken will cook faster when it's cut into pieces like this.

1 cup Japanese Panko breadcrumbs (find this in the Asian food section)
1/2 teaspoon tarragon
1/2 teaspoon thyme
salt and pepper to taste

Mix the Panko and herbs in a shallow bowl. Beat one egg in another bowl. On medium high, heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 of canola oil (the butter gives flavor and the oil keeps the butter from burning)

Dip the chicken pieces into the egg, then roll in the crumbs and brown on each side which will take about 5 to 10 minutes. One or two servings

CHICKEN STIR FRY WITH LOTS OF VARIATIONS

Note that you can make this with chicken and/or prawns or even substitute cubes of firm tofu. Amounts given will yield 2 servings and because the ingredients are in small pieces, you can have this on the table very fast if you don't do the 30 minute marinade so start the rice cooking first.

1 boneless chicken breast or use two thighs cut into thin slices
2 Tablespoons or more of Veri Veri Teriyaki Sauce
4 - 8 cooked, peeled prawns
1 ear of corn, kernels cut off(optional)
1 handful of snap peas or snow peas
1/2 red pepper cut into narrow strips
4 brown mushrooms sliced
2 scallions trimmed and cut into 1 inch lengths
1 egg beaten
1/2 teaspoon of chili garlic sauce (comes in bottles in the Asian food section)
soy sauce to taste

This photo shows a tofu version. Combine the chicken or tofu with the teriyaki sauce and let it marinate for 30 minutes if you have the time. Remove chicken from marinade and save the liquid.

Heat a wok or deep saute pan until very hot, add 2 tablespoon of vegetable oil and add the chicken and veggies, and stir fry for about 5 minutes until chicken is cooked and veggies start to wilt, add the cooked prawns and stir in the egg. Pour in the reserved teri yaki marinade and the chili garlic sauce which will give it a little bite. Add a little soy sauce if you like - serve it over rice.

COUNTRY CAPTAIN CHICKEN

Note this is a very old recipe with many variations - it's easy to make, attractive to serve and if you don't like curry don't worry because the flavor is not at all curry like!

One 3 lb chicken cut up or use thighs and breasts
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons oil
1 small finely chopped onion
1 small green pepper chopped
1 rib of celery chopped (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon thyme
16 ounce can of diced tomatoes with liquid
3 Tablespoons dried currents
Toasted almonds

Mix flour and salt and pepper in a bowl and coat the chicken pieces. (You can also put the flour mixture in a small paper bag and shake the chicken pieces in it a few at a time)
Combine butter and oil in a large skillet and brown chicken on all sides. Remove the chicken and add the vegetables, garlic, curry and thyme. Stir together for a few minutes and add the tomatoes and their liquid, return the chicken to the skillet and place it skin side up on the mixture. Cover and simmer slowly for about 30 minutes. Sprinkle the currents over the mixture and cook another 5 minutes. Serve over rice or couscous, sprinkled with sliced almonds. Serves 4 - 6

POSOLE BY NANCY

Note - this is a kind of chili like soup or stew from New Mexico. Nancy took a basic recipe and changed it...

4 large chicken thighs
1 12 oz.package of Aidells Cajun Andouille sausage (or use chorizo)
1 1 lb. package of dried hominy corn (buy in Mexican market)
1 large onion chopped
2 large garlic cloves chopped
1 red and 1 green pepper chopped
1 small hot pepper minced - remove the seeds
1 15 oz.can of chopped tomatoes including juice
1 can of black beans rinsed and drained
3 cans chicken broth
1 Tablespoon chili powder
2 Tablespoon oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste

Garnishes - chopped cilantro, shredded jack cheese, sour cream

Boil the dried hominy in about 4 cups of water for about 45 minutes to an hour (check the package for instructions) Check to see that it is chewy and not over cooked. When done, drain and set aside. Note that canned hominy is available in most markets but the dried hominy tastes better so it's worth looking for it.

Meanwhile, remove the skin and chop the chicken into cubes. Brown pieces in olive oil and transfer to a large stew pot. Chop the sausages into cubes, brown and add to pot.
Brown the onions, peppers and garlic and add to pot.

Stir in the chili powder and other seasonings, add the tomatoes and chicken broth along with the drained hominy and let the mixture simmer for about 1 1/2 hours. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Remember you can always make it hotter but you can't get peppers out! This is great reheated and freezes well.

Nancy served this in bowls and guests added the garnishes. The meal was complete with cornbread and a citrus tasting salad. Makes about 8-10 servings.

BEEF

2008-12-10T18:58:00.003-08:00

SPICY ROAST BEEF - cheap and easy

I found this recipe in the Sunday NY Times not too long ago - it's fast, easy and makes great leftovers for sandwiches. This is a guy's kind of thing - with ingredients that a guy might not have - but it's worth it to buy them because you'll want to make this again.

Spicy coating

2 teaspoons black pepper
1 1/2 Tablespoons Kosher salt
1 Tablespoon sweet Spanish paprika
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
Red pepper flakes to taste

Start with a sirloin tip or tri-tip beef roast around 3 pounds. Preheat the oven to 350 and spray Pam on a shallow baking pan that will hold the roast. Combine the dry ingredients. Use paper towels to remove excess moisture on the meat and then pat the dry mixture all over the roast, pressing down with your fingers so it will stick. Place the roast in the oven and cook for about 45 minutes to one hour which will be medium rare. Remove from the oven and place a little tent out of foil over it and let it sit for about 15 minutes - then slice thinly and serve, spooning a little of the juices over the meat. This will easily serve 6 or 8 and it tastes good with roasted vegetables or a salad or pineapple fried rice. The spice coating is a little salty so don't over salt your sides.
I made sandwiches spreading mayo on french bread and adding thin slices of the beef, topped with arugula leaves and a little tomato chutney. Sliced onions would be good too.

FAMILY FLANK STEAK - Flank steak is that thin, very lean cut that you see folded or rolled in the meat case. It's easy to cook but different from a traditional piece of meat like a sirloin. Leftovers are good in sandwiches and salads.

BASIC FLANK - Make sure that the steak will be about 1 1/2" from the flame and preheat the broiler to High. Or use your barbeque.

Place the flank steak on a cutting board and with a sharp knife - cut a criss cross grid pattern (about 1" apart) into the surface making the cuts about 1/8 inch deep. Do this to both sides. Place the steak on broiling pan first sprayed with Pam (or use a cheap aluminum disposable pan if you want to minimize clean up) and rub the cut surface with your fingers (on both sides) first with about 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard and then rub a tablespoon or more of soy sauce into the surface.

Note... The steak will curl upwards naturally so make sure that you have placed it on the pan with the curved side down so it won't roll up and hit the heating element.
Broil about 5 minutes on one side, take it out and turn it over and broil about 5 minutes on the back side. Turn off the heat and move pan to a lower rack in the oven to let the juices settle for about 5 minutes. Place it on a cutting board and choose a long bladed sharp knife. Anchoring the steak with a fork, place the knife blade flat against the surface and slice across the grain as thinly as possible like smoked salmon. Place the slices on a platter and pour the juices over the slices. You can pop into the microwave to reheat briefly if the steak is underdone or too cool.

FANCIER FLANK

Marinade -
1 big clove of garlic - chopped
1 medium onion chopped small
1 Tablespoon of fresh minced ginger (or use 1 teaspoon of ginger powder)
2/3 cup soy sauce
2/3 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil - look in the Asian food section
1/8 cup canola or peanut oil

Put all the ingredients in a blender and emulsify. Pour the marinade into a zip lock bag, add the steak and let it sit in the frig overnight, turning occasionally.
Before cooking - remove from marinade, and pat dry - follow grilling instructions above.

PORK

2008-12-10T18:58:00.001-08:00

BAKED HAM WITH APRICOTS

A baked ham is incredibly easy to do for a large group - it stays warm for a long time and tastes just as good at room temperature too. I buy Costco's Martha Stewart brand ham that has a bone in which makes a great soup later. Figure 12 - 16 pounds will make 20 -25 servings at least.

1 pre-cooked ham with bone in 12 - 16 pounds
about 20 whole cloves to stud the surface
1/4 cup of prepared Dijon-style mustard
1 cup brown sugar
1 pound dried apricots
1 cup Madeira wine

Preheat the oven to 350.
Place the ham in a sturdy shallow roasting pan.
With a sharp knife make a diamond pattern across the layer of fat on the ham and stick a clove of garlic into the X's you've made. Pat the surface with the mustard, and sprinkle the brown sugar over all and pat it into place with your hands.
Pour the apples juice into the pan - the ham can sit prepared to go for several hours until you are 2 1/2 to 3 hours from serving.
Bake ham for 1 1/2 hours, basting it with the apple juice from time to time.
At the same time, combine the apricots and Madeira in a small saucepan, bring to a boil and cover. Remove from heat and set aside.
When the ham has baked 1 1/2 hours, add the apricots and their liquid to the roasting pan and cook another 30 minutes, basting a couple of times.
At the end of cooking, remove ham to a platter where you can arrange slices with the apricots scattered around. You can skim off the fat from the pan and pour into a sauce boat and serve the ham with mustard and chutney.

This recipe is from the famous Silver Palate Cookbook, Thomas Allen and Son 1982. This is a good old standby for entertaining menus.

PORK MEDALLIONS - FAST AND ELEGANT

One good sized pork tenderloin - sliced into 1/2 inch slices
1 cup flour
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
3/4 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup sugar

Lay out everything ahead of time like a stir fry and this is something you can produce quickly and easily.
Slice the pork and dry slices on layers of paper towel and keep in frig.
Combine flour salt and pepper in a shallow bowl.
Combine the wine, vinegar and sugar.
In a skillet big enough to hold all the slices in one layer, heat the butter and oil, next dredge the pork slices in the flour mixture and saute them for about 4 or 5 minutes per side. Remove slices to a plate and saute the garlic and sage for a minute or two, stir the wine mixture to re-combine and add to the skillet, cooking over medium heat until the sauce is reduced by half, then return the pork to the skillet and cook another 5 minutes. Remove the meat to a warm platter and reduce the sauce further by cooking it over a high heat - then serve with a spoonful of the sauce coating each slice. Three or four slices will make one serving so this should serve 4 people. Tastes very good with butternut squash gratin.

This is adapted from "Modern Italian Cooking" by Biba Caggiano 1987. This is truly a wonderful book!

LAMB

2008-12-10T18:57:00.002-08:00

MOROCCAN LAMB STEW

3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons butter
3 1/2 lbs lamb from the leg cut into cubes about 1 1/2"
4 cups chopped onion
6 cloves of minced garlic
2 Tablespoons flour
28 oz can of plum tomatoes drained and chopped
1 cup of chicken broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 Tablespoon chopped coriander
One 3-inch stick of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamon
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup dried currants

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Heat the oil and butter in a big saute pan, brown the lamb on all sides on medium heat. Place the lamb into an oven proof casserole with a cover.

Saute the onion and garlic in the same pan for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir it in, add the tomatoes and the chicken broth. Bring to a boil and scrape up all the bits sticking to the bottom of the pan, next add the rest of the ingredients. Next pour the contents of the pan over the lamb chunks. Stir to mix, cover the casserole and bake for 2 hours. Serve with couscous. 6 servings.

This is a little spicy and reheats nicely so you can make it ahead.

VEGETABLES

2008-12-10T18:57:00.001-08:00

GYPSY PEPPERS STUFFED WITH CHEESE

4 or 5 gypsy peppers - these are small and sweet - you could substitute small red peppers or pimientos
olive oil
kosher salt
ground pepper
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup goat cheese
1 egg
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped tarragon
1 tablespoon chopped scallions
1 tablespoon dried currents
1 tablespoon chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 400 - rub the peppers with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper and place on a baking sheet lined in foil. Roast for about 20 minutes until the skin is blistered. Remove and let cool. Carefully peel the peppers, leaving the stems in place - slit open to scoop out the seeds. (My peppers opened up in more than one place but it was ok) Sprinkle peppers with salt and pepper.

Decrease oven temperature to 375. Combine all the rest of the ingredients and carefully spoon the filling into each pepper and put back on the baking sheet. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes until the filling is browned on top. Remove and garnish with a bit of parsley. You can put aside and reheat a little before serving and any extra filling can be spread on a slice of bread and baked.

Serve as a first course alone - or add a salad to the plate for an easy small meal.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS FOR MATHEW

This recipe could change negative thoughts about Brussels Sprouts! - try to buy smallish ones with no discoloration - estimate 4 -6 per serving. Strip away loose outer leaves and trim the stems - wash and chop roughly.

In a sauce pan, saute in a mixture of butter and olive oil - about 1/4 cup chopped onion and one big garlic clove minced, add the chopped sprouts and stir them around in the butter mixture. They will get a nice bright green color - now season with salt and pepper and pour in enough chicken broth to barely cover and let them simmer for about 5 minutes until cooked through - cooking time seems to depend on age of the sprouts.

Note - you can make this a little more complex by starting out with a little diced bacon or pancetta, add a couple of tablespoons of pine nuts and then proceed with the garlic and sprouts. Check for salty taste before adding any additional salt.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH GRATIN

3 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch cubes (you can buy it already peeled which is easy but more expensive than buying the whole squash which is abit hard to cut up)
2 cloves garlic minced
2 Tablespoons melted butter
1 Tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 fresh ground pepper
1/2 cup half and half

FOR THE TOPPING

1 1/2 Tablespoons of butter or olive oil
1 cup of fresh bread crumbs (whirl up cubes of stale bread in the blender)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan or other hard cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and butter a 9 x 13 inch shallow baking dish. In a large mixing bowl, combine the squash with everything but the half and half. Spoon the mixture into the dish and pour the half and half over the top. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the topping by sauting the bread crumbs in butter or oil over medium heat until they get brown (about 5 minutes) - remove from heat. When cool, combine with the grated cheese.

When the 30 minutes are up - check the squash chunks with a fork or cake tester - you should be able to pierce them with only a little resistance. Return to oven for another 5 minutes if they still feel hard. When the squash is starting to feel soft, remove the aluminum foil, sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top and return to over for about 15 minutes with no foil cover.

Note - This is from the new "Organic Marin" cookbook (Greens Restaurant in San Francisco) and could be a main course serving for 4 or side dish for 6

COLLARD GREENS AND YAMS

Serve this with sauteed chunks of sausage and french bread. Very tasty, pretty and (seriously good for you) About 4 servings

1 pound collard greens
1 pound yams or sweet potatoes
3 cloves of garlic minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Lots of ground pepper

Peel the yams and cut into 3/4 inch chunks, put in a saucepan with about 2 inches of water, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes until the chunks can be pieced with a fork. Drain and set aside.

Strip the stems away from the greens and discard. Wash the leaves and chop roughly into 1 inch pieces - you will have a big pile.

Heat the oil in a wok or large saute pan, add the garlic, saute for a minute then add the greens and the salt, stirring to get them coated with the oil. They will get wilted and take on a wonderful bright shade of green. Lower the heat and cover, cook for a few more minutes, add the cooked jam cubes and toss together. Serve with sausage or a grilled hamburger.

This recipe is adapted from "HomeBaking" a wonderful cookbook by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid. They suggested this as a pastry filling but it's good all by itself.

SWISS CHARD CASSEROLE

This is from Simone Beck - one of Julia Child's co-authors. This is a substantial dish that could serve as a vegetarian main course for 6 people.

3 pounds Swiss Chard
6 Tablespoons butter
2 big cloves of garlic minced
1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup cream
3 Tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
Freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese

Choose a large flat baking dish - butter well. Cut off the leafy part of the chard, wash and drain. Slice the stems into strips about 1" long and 1/4" wide - cut off any stringy bits.

Boil a large pot of salted water and cook the leafy greens for 4 minutes - remove them with a slotted spoon, refresh in cold water and drain - set aside. Now add the chard stems to the boiling water and cook about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Put the greens in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out the extra moisture. Chop roughly. In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter, add garlic and cook for 1 minute - add the chopped greens and cook for about 2 minutes to evaporate the rest of the moisture. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt, pepper and the cream.

In a small saucepan melt 2 tablespoons butter, stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk all at once, bring to a simmer, stirring until smooth and thickened. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper and nutmeg. Combine the sauce and the chard stems.

Spread half the stems in the bottom of the buttered dish, add the greens evenly over the top and cover with the remaining stems. Sprinkle with cheese and dot with the remaining butter. This can now wait 2 hours before baking if you like.

Preheat oven to 400 and bake for 15 - 20 minutes until the cheese is beginning to brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.

SPINACH ITALIAN STYLE

Choose very fresh spinach, remove stems and wash carefully to remove grit, spin dry and set aside. Buy nearly twice the amount you would use if you were making it into salad because it loses so much volume in cooking.

Olive oil
Handful of pine nuts
Handful of currants
Salt and Pepper
Balsamic vinegar

In a small skillet, toast the pine nuts carefully - shaking the pan and making sure they don't burn. Set aside.

Film the bottom of a large saute pan with the olive oil on medium high heat - add the spinach and stir until it wilts. Add the pine nuts and currants, season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat - splash a tablespoon or two of the Balsamic and remove to a serving dish. This can be served hot or at room temperature and tastes and looks quite nice with the polenta with mushroom/sausage sauce recipe.

I adapted this from a recipe in Alice Water's "Vegetable" cookbook which is a wonderful resource to have in your kitchen.

DESSERTS

2008-12-10T18:37:00.003-08:00

Micro wave 5 minute Chocolate Cake

This frankly isn't the best you've ever eaten but if you need a chocolate fix for emotional reasons - give it a try. You can quickly destroy the evidence that you ever made it which means of course there are no calories!

4 Tablespoons flour
4 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 Tablespoons milk
3 Tablespoons canola oil
3 Tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
Small splash vanilla extract
1 large coffee cup (microwavable) - Mine holds 12 oz max

Add the dry ingredients to mug and mix well (important). Add the egg and mix again.
Add the milk and oil and mix. Add the chocolate chips, vanilla extract and mix again. Put your mug in the microwave (I put a glass plate under to catch any drips) and cook for 3 minutes at high. Let it cool for a couple of minutes, run a knife around the mug and turn out onto serving plate - cut in half to serve two or eat the whole thing and feel really sorry for yourself. Ice cream would be nice too. Wash the mug and the spoon and wipe that chocolate off your mouth and nobody knows what you did....

BAKED PEARS

Adapted from Alice Waters' "Chez Panisse Fruit"

4 - 6 Firm pears - one for each serving - Dark Skinned Bosc pears are best but other firm pears also work.
1 1/2 cups of Marsala wine or cream sherry (you can reduce amount to 1 cup with fewer pears)
1/2 cup of sugar
Plain Yogurt or creme fraiche

If the pears don't stand up straight, slice a little off their bottoms. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Place pears in a casserole or baking dish so they fit together closely. Pour the wine over them and sprinkle with sugar and bake for 45 minutes or an hour, basting them with the liquid a couple of times. They are cooked when a toothpick pierces them easily.
Serve warm (you can warm again in the microwave), placing each on a shallow bowl, spoon a little of the cooking juices around and add a spoonful of creme fraiche or unflavored yogurt sweetened with a little honey or fig jam ( I like the Straus Family Cremery Organic European Style Yogurt)

EASY CHOCOLATE CAKE

3/4 stick butter
1 1/2 cup flour
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup of water
1 teaspoon each of cider vinegar and vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, spray a 8 inch cake pan with Pam (you can also make cupcakes - use cupcake liners)

Melt the butter in a small bowl (about 30 seconds in the microwave will get it soft and then it will continue to melt while you do the rest)
In a medium bowl, mix the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Add the melted butter, water, vinegar and vanilla and mix until blended.

Scrape the batter into the pan and bake for 30 - 35 minutes (test with a toothpick which should come out clean) Cupcakes will cook faster. Let the cake cool in the pan then turn out onto a cake platter. To serve, place about 2 tablespoons of confectionery sugar into a little strainer and sprinkle the top of the cake. It's good with vanilla ice cream and raspberries too.

REALLY GOOD BREAD PUDDING

12 dried apricots (about 1 cup roughly chopped
3 prunes roughly chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries
Dried fruit note - you can make of mix of whatever you like - dried apples are good too but lots of prunes make it too heavy. Buy the fruit in bulk which is cheaper than the stuff in packages.
1 cup of strong tea - I use one tea bag of Mango Ceylon (anything fruity - not mint)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 cups of bread cubes (cut like salad croutons - good way to use up stale french bread)
2/3 cup milk - I use non fat
1 cup granulated sugar
4 Tablespoons (one half stick) butter melted and set aside
Grated zest of one orange - optional
3 eggs lightly beaten
3 Tablespoons of rum or kirsch -optional
1/4 sliced almonds

Use a shallow baking dish about 9 inches wide.

Spray dish with Pam. Make the tea in a saucepan - discard the bag and add the dried fruit and cinnamon, cover and simmer until fruit has absorbed most of the liquid which takes about 20 minutes. Set aside.

Put the bread cubes in a large mixing bowl, pour the milk over and add sugar, butter and the fruit mixture and mix in the eggs and optional orange zest and rum.

Turn the mixture into the baking dish and bake for 15 minutes, then sprinkle the almonds on the top and bake another 15 minutes. It's done with it has firmed up and the almonds are browned so it could take a little extra time depending on how deep the dish is. Serve warm (you can re-heat at serving time) and whipped cream or vanilla ice cream is great on the side. AND it's good for breakfast too!

This is adapted from "New Menus from Simca's Cuisine" by Simone Beck - old but good book!

PERSIMMON PUDDING

This is a wonderful winter/holiday dessert because it's dense and filling and the spices smell good. It serves 8 - and tastes good with whipped cream.

Use a 9-10" fairly shallow baking dish or individual dishes like a restaurant. Spray the pan with Pam and preheat oven to 350 degrees

3 eggs
1 Cup sugar
1 stick of sweet butter, melted
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
a pinch of ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Cups half and half
2 cups Persimmons mashed up and strained. You need about 3 big persimmons that are soggy and over ripe to the touch. See the note at the end. Straining them keeps out the outer skin.

Combine the flour,soda,baking powder, sugar, spices and salt and stir them together in a small bowl.

Mix the eggs and sugar in a medium size bowl with an electric mixer and add the melted butter. Next add the flour mixture and slowly pour in the half and half.

Last, mix in the persimmon puree, pour into the pan or pans and bake about 40 minutes. Individual small dishes will cook faster so check after 20 minutes. The pudding will puff up as it bakes and it's done when a toothpick stuck into the middle comes out clean. The pudding will sink when it cools. Serve warm - you can re-heat in a microwave or 325 degree oven.

Note this is from Emily Luchetti's cookbook, ,"Stars Desserts" - she says that you can ripen persimmons by freezing them overnight and letting them thaw.

SUSAN'S REALLY GOOD COOKIES

1 cup oatmel - quick or regular
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsweetened apple sauce (make your own from 3 apples)
1 stick butter
3/4 cup white sugar
3.4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
12 oz. package of semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used a 10 oz bag of bigger choc chips from the San Francisco chocolate company named Guittard)
1 cup slice almonds
1 1/2 cup of craisins

Before you start - peel and chop roughly 3 apples, add about 1/2 cup of water and bring to a simmer in a saucepan - cook stirring occasionally until the apples are soft. Remove from heat and mash with a potato masher. If the applesauce looks watery use a slotted spoon to put the applesauce in a bowl.

Preheat oven to 375 and line cookie sheets with parchment paper to make the clean up easy.

Beat the eggs, then add all the remaining ingredients, adding the chocolate chips, almonds and craisins last. Put heaping tablespoons (use a small ice cream scoop) of the mixture placing them 2 inches apart because they spread.

Bake about 10 - 12 minutes until brown. Cool on a wire rack.

These are wonderfully moist and chewy and they keep well if you can keep from eating them all at once!

LIMONCELLO- Lemon liqueur to drink IN SMALL QUANTITY! OR sprinkle over fresh fruit for dessert....

5 ripe lemons (I like Meyer lemons - organic are best)
2 1/8 cups vodka - I used my bar vodka that I bought once for punch!
2 1/2cups sugar
2 cups water

Wash lemons and meticulously cut the yellow zest away from the inner white pith. Put these strips of lemon zest (they don't have to have a uniform size) in a quart glass jar, pour the vodka over the top, cover and let stand in the sun for 8 days. Next...

Make a sugar syrup by combining the sugar and water in a heavy saucepan, stirring to dissolve the sugar and bring to a little boil. Simmer 10 minutes and set aside to cool. Pour the lemon/vodka liquid through a layer of cheesecloth or a clean paper coffee filter. Pour this filtered liquid back into the jar and stir in the cooled sugar syrup. Mix well, cover and let it sit two weeks before drinking. Keeps indefinitely and makes nice gifts if you can find attractive narrow containers (like for olive oil) with a cork stopper (I found some at Cost Plus) This is from "In Nonna's Kitchen" by Carol Field