Patricia's cafe cookbook

Patricia’s Café www.snippetzonline.com

ACORN SQUASH 1 ea Acorn Squash 4 Tbs Butter ½ c Brown Sugar ½ c Chopped Walnuts ½ tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice 1.

Cut the squash in half and cut off just enough of the ends so that they will sit like a bowl.

2.

Remove the seeds and place in a baking pan.

3.

Add half of the remaining ingredients to each of the halves of acorn squash.

4.

Bake for about 30 minutes at 325°F until golden brown.

5.

Serve hot.

I was never a big fan of most squashes but making it this way it is hard to pass up. If you get in a crunch for time you can always cook the squash in the microwave but you won’t get the caramelization that adds to the flavor.

Try adding some marshmallows to the mixture to make the squash a little more decadent. For a lighter more healthy version that is lactose free you can use olive oil in place of the butter. Pecans can be used in place of the walnuts if you prefer and maple syrup can be used in place of the brown sugar.

ALMOND CAKE 5 ea ½ c 2 ea 1 c

Eggs Sugar Orange Finely ground almonds

1.

Grate orange rinds of the oranges.

2.

Separate yolks from whites and cream yolks with sugar and orange rind.

3.

Whip egg whites until stiff peaks form and fold into the batter.

4.

Pour into a greased 9”x9” pan.

5.

Bake for 35 minutes in a preheated oven (350ºF) 6.

Let cool.

Syrup 2 ea Juice of oranges 1/3 c Sugar 5 ea Whole cloves ¼ tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice 1 Tbs Rum 7.

8.

9.

Add syrup ingredients, except for run, in a small saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and add rum.

Let cool and pour over cake.

For all of you that can’t have wheat flour because of the gluten, this is completely gluten free. …

And it’s good. Traditionally almonds are used in Spain but you could use any type of nuts such as walnuts or hazel nuts. If you were to use hazel nuts try making a syrup with coffee in place of the orange juice.

ASIAN STYLE PORK RIBS 1 ea Rack of Pork Ribs 1 qt Water 2 Tbs Liquid Smoke 2 tsp Kosher Salt 1 tsp Garlic Powder 1 tsp Onion Powder 1 tsp Ground Ginger 2 tsp Chinese 5 Spice 2 Tbs Brown Sugar 1.

Preheat oven to 350ยบF. 2.

Place ribs, water and liquid smoke in a baking pan.

3.

Mix dry spices together and rub onto the top of ribs.

4.

Cover with foil and bake for 2 hours.

5.

Remove foil and bake an additional 20 minutes.

These ribs can be served as an appetizer or as part of a meal. You can serve them with different sauces for dipping such as a chili sauce, plum sauce or a sweet and sour sauce. You can also put out a small dish of the Chinese 5 spice to sprinkle over the top.

To turn these into bar-b-q ribs leave out the ginger and 5 spice and add some black pepper. In place of the last 20 minutes in the oven throw some bar-b-q sauce on top and then throw them on to the bar-b-q.

If the ribs seem to still be a little tough, try baking them a little longer making sure there is enough water in the pan. The quality of the ribs controls the toughness. The better the quality, the more tender the ribs.

BABA GANOUSH (Eggplant dip)

2 ea Eggplants 1/3 c Fresh lemon juice ¼ c Tahini 6 ea Garlic cloves ½ tsp Kosher salt 1.

Bake eggplant at 400°F for about 40 minutes until soft and let cool 2.

Skin eggplant and place in a food processor with rest of ingredients and puree until creamy.

Baba Ganoush is a popular mezzeh (small appetizers) in the Arab states and is served with flat bread cut. It goes well with hummus and skordalia (a Greek potato garlic dip) as a nice trio of dips with pita bread warmed and cut into wedges. I will often garnish with some olive oil and some diced tomatoes. A little feta cheese works well too as a garnish. Baba Ganoush also works well as a spread on sandwiches with some roasted red peppers, onions, sprouts and feta cheese.

As always I like garlic and lemon so feel free to cut back and both or add more if you like more.

I always use fresh lemons and juice them myself because it does make a difference in the flavor.

I also always use fresh garlic for the same reason.

As I have said in the past eggplant is always a tricky one. When picking out an eggplant, there is a trick. If you look at the end (I call it the belly button, on the opposite end of the stem), look for it to have a line as opposed to a dot. This will be sweet not bitter. The eggplant can be cut in half and grilled out on the bar-b-q for a nice grilled flavor.

BAR-B-Q CHICKEN SALAD

4 oz 1 ea ½ ea 1 ea

Crispy Onions ½ ea Onion ½ c Flour 1 Tbs Garlic Powder 1 Tbs Onion Powder 2 tsp Salt 1 tsp Pepper 2 c Vegetable Oil

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Lettuce Carrot Tomato Grilled Chicken Breast

Mix flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.

Slice onion paper-thin and coat well with the flour mixture.

Heat oil in a small saucepan.

Remove the onions from the flour mixture and deep fry in the hot oil.

Remove when they become slightly golden and place on a paper towel to drain any extra oil.

Dressing 2 Tbs White Vinegar ¼ c BBQ Sauce 1 tsp Yellow Mustard ¼ tsp Salt 6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

Mix dressing and refrigerate until needed.

Place lettuce in a bowl.

Peel carrot. With the peeler, peel strips of carrot and add to the lettuce.

Chop the tomato into a large dice and sprinkle over the lettuce.

Top with crispy onions.

Shred Chicken and place over onions.

Ladle dressing over the top and enjoy.

The roasted chicken I did last week would work for this salad. If you wanted to add cheese, blue or cheddar would work best. I would use the blue. To make this less fattening don’t use the crispy onions use sliced red onions. If you want to make this more fattening but really yummy use crispy fried chicken.

BEEF STEW ¼ c Olive Oil 1 lb Beef Stew Meat 1 ea Medium Onion 4 ea Large Carrots 1 hd Celery 4 ea Medium Potatoes 1¼ qt Beef stock 1½ c Red Wine 1 (6 oz) can Tomato Paste 1 Tbs Garlic Powder 1 Tbs Onion Powder 3 ea Bay Leaves To taste Kosher Salt ½ c Flour 1.

Dice stew meat, onion, carrots and celery into large chunks.

2.

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot and add meat.

3.

Add onion, carrots and celery when meat is browned.

4.

Add stock, wine and tomato paste when vegetables are caramelized.

5.

Add the garlic, onion, and bay leaves let simmer for about 2 hours, until the meat is tender.

6.

Dice the potatoes and add to the stew. Simmer until done.

7.

Place about 1 c of the liquid into a bowl and whisk in the flour.

8.

Add back into the stew mixing well.

9.

Bring to a boil while stirring until thickened.

10. Salt to taste.

My mom always served her stew with fried bread. She would take frozen bread dough and portion it into 1” balls and let it rise. She would then flatten and stretch it and fry it in hot oil. It was so good. Sometimes she would add a little fennel to the dough.

If you wanted to make this vegetarian, add more vegetables such as portabella mushrooms, egg plant, or pumpkin in place of the meat and replace the beef stock with a veggie stock. You could also use other types of meat such as chicken with chicken stock or seafood with a seafood stock. Feel free to try other types of veggies too.

If you are short on time follow the first 4 steps and then add to a crock-pot with rest of the ingredients and cook all day.

BISCUITS 2 c Flour 2 tsp Baking Powder ½ tsp Baking Soda ½ tsp Salt 1 Tbs Sugar 5 Tbs Butter ¾ c Buttermilk 1.

Heat oven to 400ºF. 2.

Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar together.

3.

Cut butter into dry ingredients.

4.

Add buttermilk and mix only until mixed.

5.

Roll to ½ inch thick on a floured board and cut with a cutter.

6.

Bake in oven for about 14 minutes.

Adding ½ c dried fruit and/or 2 Tbs spices/herbs can vary the biscuits like scones. 1/3 c of cheese can also be added. Ingredients should be added before buttermilk.

The trick to making light flaky biscuits is to not over mix the dough. Only mix until the ingredients are all incorporated. The more you mix the more the gluten forms and the tougher the biscuit will become. The butter can also make the difference in the flakiness of the biscuit. The butter must be cold. Cutting the butter into the dry ingredients should be done with a pastry knife or 2 butter knives and it should look grainy like sand.

BLUE CHEESE AND ARTICHOKE DIP 8 oz 3 oz ½ tsp ½ tsp ¼ tsp ½ tsp ½ oz 8 oz

Cream Cheese Blue Cheese Garlic Powder Onion Powder Tabasco Kosher Salt Roasted Garlic Artichoke Harts (cooked)

1.

Let the cream cheese and blue cheese come to room temperature.

2.

Whip with garlic powder, onion powder, Tabasco and kosher salt.

3.

Coarsely chop roasted garlic and artichoke harts and whip into mixture.

4.

Heat before serving.

If you can find frozen artichoke harts they are easiest and most flavorful. Fresh artichokes are very flavorful but will need to be boiled for about an hour. Canned will do but are light in flavor. It’s not recommended to eat an artichoke when tasting wine because they can make anything eaten after a bite taste sweet.

I roasted my garlic in the oven at 450ºF with olive oil for 50 minutes. The left over garlic can be used for just about anything you use fresh garlic for and the oil is great for salads. Elephant garlic will be sweeter and lighter in flavor.

This dip can be served with vegetables, chips, or bread. Try using it as a spread on a sandwich with grilled eggplant, onions, lettuce and tomato. To make this lighter in calories, use low fat cream cheese.

BREAD PUDDING WITH RUM SAUCE 1 loaf Raisin Bread 2½ c Sugar 1 lb Softened Butter 5 ea Eggs 1½ c Milk 3 Tbs Vanilla 1 tsp Ground Nutmeg 1½ tsp Ground Cinnamon ½ c Pecans ½ c Water ¼ c Heavy Whipping Cream ½ c Dark Rum 1.

Cube bread into 1” pieces and place in a baking dish.

2.

Cream sugar and butter together then whip in 3 eggs, milk and vanilla.

3.

Add in nutmeg and cinnamon.

4.

Pour egg mixture over bread and add pecans, mix well.

5.

Place foil over the top and bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes.

6.

While pudding is baking, make the rum sauce by beating the remaining 2 eggs until frothy and set aside.

7.

Cream remaining sugar and butter together and place in a double boiler and simmer.

8.

Whip in water and continue cooking and stirring with a whip until silky smooth and sugar has dissolved.

9.

Add about ¼ c of the butter mixture into the frothy eggs then slowly whip in that mixture back into the butter mixture.

10. Remove from heat and add the heavy whipping cream and rum.

11. Serve pudding warm with the rum sauce and fresh whipped cream over the top.

Over the centuries, old, stale bread has been used to make sweets. My Mom and I made this for after dinner Christmas Eve. It was a hit so I had to share it. I found a sweet egg bread (brioche) with raisins for my bread and I used 1½ c of whole milk and 1 c of skim. The other thing I did was use ½ regular dark rum and ½ vanilla rum. We also served it with some fresh whipped cream with a little vanilla. It was some of the best bread pudding we had ever had. It was a major comfort food.

CHAI OATMEAL 2 bags Rooibos Chai Tea by Yogi Tea 8 oz Water ½ c Old Fashioned Oats ¼ c Milk to taste Honey 1.

Bring water to a boil and steep tea bags for about 15 minutes.

2.

Place oatmeal in a bowl with brewed tea.

3.

Follow cooking directions on the label of the oatmeal.

4.

Top with milk and honey.

I looked at several recipes for chai tea and found they all had basically the same ingredients cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves. Some of them added ginger, black pepper and vanilla. I decided to look at several different store bought chai teas to see which would have the best flavors with the oatmeal. I found that I liked the Rooibos Chai by Yogi Tea. The Original Oregon Chai was too sweet and some of the others didn’t have strong enough flavors. The tea can be made ahead of time in larger batches and kept in the refrigerator until it’s needed if you wanted to save some time in the morning. If you have a favorite chai recipe then go ahead and use it.

Just make it stronger. Sugar will work in place of the honey but won’t be as healthy. I always use the Old Fashioned oats because the texture is a more defined. Try adding some nuts and/or some fruit.

This recipe is for my friend Deahna. Winter is coming so I thought what better way to start the morning when it’s cold. The spices in chai tea have a warming for effect on the system and oatmeal is a great way to lower your cholesterol.

CHEESE FONDUE Cheese Sauce 2 c Milk 1 c Dry White Wine ½ lb Gouda Cheese ½ lb Râclette Cheese ½ tsp Garlic Powder ½ tsp Onion Powder to taste Salt as needed Roux Roux 1 c Flour 1 c Clarified Butter (also called Ghee) 1.

Shred cheese.

2.

Place the milk and wine in a saucepan and heat while stirring.

3.

When hot whisk in enough roux to thicken, about 3 heaping tbs.

4.

Whisk in the remaining ingredients and continue cooking until all of the cheese is melted while whisking.

Fondue is a Swiss dish and was very popular in the 60’s and 70’s and has resurfaced in the last several years. So if you run across your mom’s old fondue pot, drag it out and use it. You could also pick one up at Good Will or another second hand store for pretty cheep. Of course they will probably be a nice bright orange or avocado green. You can also find one at a kitchen store for a pretty reasonable price. If you don’t have one and you don’t want to go hunting for one you can always use a heavy bowl made of pottery raised with a candle under it or a small crockpot.

The traditional way to eat fondue is with boiled potatoes and bread. I like to add some steamed veggies. Feel free to use chunks of cooked chicken too. You can use other cheeses but the Gouda and Râclette are more traditional. Another combination could be cheddar cheese and Monterey jack cheese and add some green chilies while omitting the wine. You would need to cut back on the roux if you left out the wine.

CHEESY ROAST BEEF SANDWICH 1 ea 6� Round Roll 2 Tbs Olive Oil 2 oz Sliced Onions 4 oz Thinly Sliced Roast Beef 3 oz American cheese to taste Ground Black Pepper 1.

Heat olive oil in a skillet and add onions.

2.

Sautee until soft.

3.

Add the roast beef mixing with onions until hot.

4.

Stir in the cheese and pepper.

5.

Cover and remove from heat.

6.

Let sit until cheese is melted.

7.

Mix and place on roll.

The better the quality of roast beef the better the sandwich. I like to start with very pink roast beef because it will stay moist. But, if it isn’t tender to start with after cooking it, it will be like leather. Adding sliced tomato will give it a fresher flavor and texture. If you like a bit if spice, add some roasted jalapenos or Anaheim green chilies. A little sour cream will give it a richer flavor.

CHICKEN CORDON BLEU 4 ea Chicken Breasts 2 oz Ham 4 sl Swiss Cheese 2 ea Eggs 1 Tbs Milk ½ c Flour to taste Salt & Pepper ½ c Breadcrumbs 4 Tbs Butter 1.

Pound chicken breast to ¼” thick.

2.

Place a ¼ of the ham in the center of each chicken breast with a slice of cheese.

3.

Roll chicken breast to incase the ham and cheese.

4.

Mix eggs and milk in a shallow bowl.

5.

Place flour in a separate bowl.

6.

Place breadcrumbs with salt and pepper in another bowl.

7.

Dip each breast into the flour then egg mix and then into the breadcrumbs.

8.

Place into a heated skillet with butter and cook until golden brown on both sides and cheese is melted.

Chicken Cordon Bleu is one of those things we have each probably experienced at some type of banquet it the 80’s and thought it was pretty cool. …Or at least I did because I grew up here when the only restaurants in town were Village Inn, Dairy Queen and the Mug on the Hill so I hadn’t really eaten too many complex things that had fancy names. But over all the flavors are really good together and you can change things up a little with a different type of cheese or meat for that matter. Bacon and cheddar are one combination or cream cheese and spinach might be another. Here I have it sliced and in a sandwich with some great bread along with some Dijon mustard and lettuce, tomato and onion.

CHICKEN SALTIMBOCCA 4 ea Chicken Breasts 4 ea Thinly Sliced Prosciutto Pieces 4 ea Sage Leaves 3 Tbs Olive Oil 3 Tbs White Wine ½ c Chicken Stock 3 Tbs Butter to taste Kosher Salt 1.

Pin the prosciutto and sage to the chicken with a large wooden toothpick.

2.

Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet and sauté the chicken with the prosciutto side down until prosciutto is crispy.

3.

Flip and sauté until golden.

4.

Remove chicken from the pan and add the wine to the pan.

5.

Bring to a boil and add the stock.

6.

Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer.

7.

Simmer until the liquid has reduced by ¾ ‘s then whisk in the butter.

8.

Return the chicken with accumulated juices and simmer until chicken is done.

This dish is meant to be made with veal but I like chicken better. If you were to use veal you would use veal stock in place of the chicken stock. The full name of this dish is Saltimbocca alla romana which when translated is “jump into the mouth”. This dish comes from the Latium region of Italy. In this region, the people prefer simple dishes with lots of flavor. This dish hits those criteria.

CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA Chicken Tikka 1½ lb Chicken Breast ¾ c Plain Yogurt 1 Tbs Fresh Ground Ginger 2 ea Garlic Cloves 1 tsp Chili Powder 1 Tbs Ground Coriander 1 ea Lemon 2 Tbs Ghee to taste Salt 1.

Juice Lemon.

2.

Dice Chicken and marinate overnight in remaining ingredients.

Masala Sauce 4 Tbs Ghee 2 ea Onion 2 ea Garlic Cloves 1 Tbs Fresh Ground Ginger 1 tsp Chili Powder 2 tsp Ground Coriander 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon 6 ea Crushed Cardamom Pods ¼ tsp Ground Clove 2 Tbs Tomato Paste 4 Tbs Water 1 c Heavy Cream ½ tsp Sugar To taste Salt 1.

Thread chicken on skewers and grill.

2.

Dice onion, chop garlic and sauté in hot ghee until caramelized.

3.

Add coriander, cinnamon, cardamom and clove and continue cooking for about 2 minutes.

4.

Add remaining ingredients and simmer for about 15 minutes.

5.

Add chicken and serve with rice.

Indian food is full of flavor and varies from region to region with influences of many different cultures. These include Moguls, Portuguese, Persians, and British. You can also find a big influence in Fiji. The basic ingredients include rice, ghee (clarified butter), warm spices, and milk & yogurt.

I get most of my spices at Vitamin Cottage in bulk because they are cheaper then the little jars.

Spices should be fresh to get the full flavor of each one. They shouldn’t be more then a year old and less then 6 months is even better. So all those spices you got in the fancy little jars for a wedding present you can get rid of them.

CHOCOLATE CALIENTE (Hot Chocolate)

1 oz Bittersweet Chocolate (70% cocoa or more) 1 c Milk 2 tsp Sugar 1 ea clove 1 pinch Nutmeg 1 ea Egg White Orange Zests 1.

Crush chocolate into small pieces.

2.

Place milk, sugar, chocolate, clove and nutmeg in a small pot and bring to a boil while stirring.

3.

Cook until chocolate is melted and remove from heat.

4.

Whip egg white until stiff and remove clove from chocolate mixture.

5.

Add some of the chocolate mixture into the egg white to temper the egg and then add back into chocolate while whipping with a whip.

6.

Garnish with orange zests and serve hot.

Hot chocolate originated in Mexico and spread through out the Mayan and Aztec cultures.

When the Spanish came to these countries they went crazy for the drink and exposed it to the rest of the world. Of course hot chocolate here and everywhere else is quite different.

This hot chocolate is the way the Chileans have their hot chocolate at 11:00 am every day. In fact, it is called Chocolate con leche para las once, which translates to hot chocolate with milk for 11:00. They like it sweet and thick. In Mexico their hot chocolate has cinnamon, which you can find Mexican chocolate in the stores so you can just heat it in a little milk. In Spain they will add cornstarch to make it so thick that it is more like a sauce then a drink.

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT RAVIOLIS Pasta 1 c 2 ea 1 tsp 1 tsp

Flour Eggs Salt Water

1.

Place flour on a smooth surface creating a well in the center.

2.

Place eggs, salt and water in well.

3.

With a fork, whip eggs while incorporating the flour into the mixture.

4.

When the mixture becomes too clumpy use hands until dough becomes smooth.

5.

Roll dough with a pasta roller into sheets set on #5.

Filling 1¼ c Ricotta Cheese ½ c Nutella 1 ea Eggs 1 Tbs Confectioners’ Sugar 6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Mix all ingredients until well blended.

Place dollops of filling on pasta sheets in rows of 3 across.

Moisten another sheet of pasta with a small amount of water and cover sheet with filling.

Press sheets together around filling creating small squares.

Cut into squares and boil.

Sauce 2 c 2 Tbs 2 Tbs 4 ea

Heavy Whipping Cream Cocoa Sugar Egg Yolks

11. Place cream, cocoa and sugar in a sauce pan and bring to a boil stirring so sauce won’t stick.

12. Temper egg yolks by spooning a small amount of hot mixture.

13. Turn temperature down on mixture and add eggs slowly while stirring. Do not let mixture boil.

14. Let sauce cook until it coats the back of a spoon.

15. Spoon over raviolis and enjoy!

I use semolina, which is milled durum endosperm. This gives a better texture that won’t get as soggy. The pasta roller I found has an attachment that makes raviolis. I don’t have one but it looks like it will make things easier.

This recipe will make a few raviolis so if you don’t want to use all of them they can be frozen. Let them dry a little before putting them in the freezer so they don’t stick. Try using almond paste and some cocoa or mini chocolate chips in place of the Nutella. Or you could try using orange zests in place of the Nutella.

CHRISTMAS WINDOW COOKIES ¾ c Sugar 1 c Butter 1 ea egg 1 tsp Vanilla 2½ c Flour ½ tsp Salt Hard candies (life savors or jolly ranchers work well) 1.

Heat oven to 325ºF. 2.

Cream sugar and butter together.

3.

Beat in the egg and vanilla.

4.

Mix the flour and salt together and add into the mixture.

5.

Refrigerate overnight.

6.

Roll to ¼ inch thick on a floured board and cut with a cutter.

7.

Place on a cookie sheet with foil.

8.

Cut centers out with a knife or smaller cutter.

9.

Crush candies and place in the center of each cookie.

10. Bake in oven for about 10 minutes.

11. Let completely cool be removing from foil.

This was a favorite cookie I used to make with my sisters and mom every year for Christmas.

You can use any sugar or butter cookie recipe for these. I have even cheated by using Nestle’s Sugar cookie Shapes.

COBB SALAD 1 head Romaine Lettuce 1 ea Avocado 2 ea Tomato ¼ c Green Onions ½ c Sliced Black Olives ½ lb Bacon 2 ea Boneless Chicken Breasts 4 ea Hard Boiled Egg ½ c Bleu Cheese Crumbles Dressing 4 Tbs Red Wine Vinegar ½ c Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2 Tbs Dijon Mustard 1 ea Garlic Cloves to taste Salt and Pepper 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Mix dressing ingredients together and chill.

Grill Chicken then cool and dice.

Cut cleaned and chilled lettuce into 1” pieces and place in a bowl.

Chop bacon into ½” pieces and cook until crispy.

Dice avocado, tomato and egg into ½” pieces.

Chop green onions into ¼” pieces.

Place everything in a bowl with dressing and toss thoroughly.

The Cobb salad was developed in the 1920’s at the Brown Derby in Hollywood, CA. Sense then there have been other ingredients add or subtracted. The bleu cheese is sometimes replaced with cheddar but will never be right in my opinion. I do love bleu cheese but if you don’t try going light on some Gorgonzola cheese. This is a milder type of bleu-veined cheese.

The flavors and textures are all perfectly balanced. If you just can’t do the bleu cheese then try another strong cheese like feta or grated Parmesan.

It would seem that this wouldn’t be the healthiest of salads because yes it is high in fat but the fat in this is the really good kind. The dressing made with olive oil and the olives and avocado are all polyunsaturated fats that help control cholesterol.

COCONUT CHAPATIS 4 c Flour 1 tsp Salt 1 can Coconut Milk as needed Ghee 1.

Place flour and salt in a bowl and stir in coconut milk.

2.

Divide dough into 9 equal balls and thinly roll out each one on a floured board.

3.

Brush each with ghee and fry.

While on safari in Tanzania, dinner at many of the lodges, bush homes and camps that we visited we were served pumpkin soup to start with. While we were camping in the Serengeti NP we had the opportunity to eat a traditional East African meal of curried plantains, curried chicken (which were probably really guinea-fowl), and some pork (probably wart hogs) in a sauce.

Most of the dinner meals had rice or Ugali, which is a corn mush, for the starch. I wish I had taken more notes on all of the food but I was more into the animals. For breakfast each morning we were served a typical English breakfast buffet of bacon/sausage, grilled tomato, scrambled eggs and not so typical on an English breakfast buffet but typical in Africa, fruit galore.

Because we spent most of the day in the bush we had box lunches with chicken, a hard-boiled egg, chips, and something for dissert like a candy bar/chocolate.

The one thing that was consistent with all of our meals no matter where we were was the Chapatis (Indian flat bread), which I could never get enough of. I’ve attempted other recipes but adding the coconut milk gave them a tenderness and a little bit of sweetness without giving them a strong coconut flavor. Chapatis are used to sop up sauces and to pick up bits of food in place of a fork.

COFFEE MOUSSE

2 pkts Unflavored Gelatin ¼ c Cold Water 2 c Hot Strong Coffee ⅓ c Sugar pinch Salt 1 c Heavy Whipping Cream 1 tsp Vanilla

1.

Mix gelatin and cold water together then add hot coffee.

2.

Add sugar and salt and cool until slightly firm.

3.

Whip cream and vanilla until stiff 4.

Whip gelatin mixture until soft.

5.

Fold in whip cream, pour into molds and chill.

When I made this for the first time I let the coffee mixture get too firm so it was lumpy in the whip cream which gave it some texture. The 2nd time I made this I didn’t let the coffee set hardly at all and didn’t whip the whipping cream until stiff so it was more like a cappuccino jello thing. When I made the coffee for this I made it very, very strong the day before so it was chilled. Because of that, I added the gelatin to the coffee and then heated it in the microwave just enough to dissolve the gelatin and sugar. I left out the cold water.

To garnish this you could top it with a little shaved chocolate and/or some cinnamon, some chopped nuts, or some fresh berries. You could also add in your favorite flavored coffee syrup or liquor to the coffee before chilling it. I chilled these in little soufflé cups but you could use any type of mold and turn it out on to a nice plate. I also have some little individual molds that I got handed down from one of my great grandmothers that would have worked well too. You could also just make it in a bowl and serve from that too if you wanted to be very casual.

CORN AND AVOCADO RELISH 4 ea Diced Avocados ½ c Diced Red Onions 1 c Corn 2 ea Diced Tomato ½ c Diced Green Chilies ¼ c Chopped Cilantro 1 tsp Ground Cumin 1 tsp Oregano 1 tsp Garlic Powder 2 tsp Onion Powder ½ tsp Tabasco 1½ tsp Kosher salt ½ c Olive Oil 1.

2.

Place all of the ingredients, except avocados, in a bowl and mix well.

Add in the avocados and mix without smashing the avocado.

Avocados are on the cheep side in the stores right now so you have to enjoy them as much as you can. This relish is great with corn chips but you can try it on a cheeseburger with bacon, or anything you might put salsa on. I cheated and used frozen corn but you can try roasting your corn on the grill when you roast your green chilies to add a nice roasted flavor.

Make sure when you are picking out avocados that you get ones that are darker in color that slightly give when pressed with your finger. They are too ripe when they have indentations or when pressed they make an indentation. You also don’t want an avocado that is too green and hard unless you don’t plan to use them for a few days. It generally takes 3 to 5 days for one to ripen at room temp. Avocados are a fruit so they should never be refrigerated before they are cut into. If you do get an avocado before it is ripe, any refrigeration will prevent the ripening process to the point that it will never ripen.

If you try to stay away from them because they are high in fat, remember that it is the good fat, the monounsaturated fat, in them that is so good for the body. It is the fat that will condition our hair and skin. It is also the fat that is good for our heart.

CRAB STUFFED AVOCADO 1 ea Avocado 3 oz Crab Meat 2 Tbs Real Mayonnaise 1 Tbs Finely Diced Celery 1 Tbs Finely Diced Onion ¼ tsp Garlic Powder ¼ tsp Onion Powder pinch White Pepper 1.

Combine all ingredients except avocado and mix well.

2.

Split avocado and remove seed and skin.

3.

Divide crab salad between avocado halves and serve.

As I have said before, avocados are very good for you. They are full of vitamin A and rich in B complex vitamins. They are very high in protein and though they are high in fat it is the fat that is good for you. The avocado was first discovered in Mexico over 7,000 years ago and wasn’t commercially grown in California until the late 1800’s and in Florida until the turn of the century. The avocado is technically a fruit but often treated as a vegetable. Because it is a fruit it should never be place in the fridge.

The crab in the salad can be replaced with boiled shrimp, lobster or baked/smoked fish. Chicken could also be used. If you want to make this more of a meal try placing the avocado on a bed of lettuce and adding some tomato and egg wedges. The salad could also be used on crackers or on a sandwich with some fresh sliced tomatoes and lettuce. On the piers in San Francisco you can get yummy little sandwiches with a crab or lobster salad on a sour dough roll, always with real mayonnaise. That is always a stop I have to make while there.

CRANBERRY ORANGE RELISH

1 bag 1 ea 1 ea 1 c 1c

Fresh Cranberries Oranges Lime Sugar Walnuts

1.

Cut the orange and half of the lime with peels into pieces and remove seeds.

2.

Place all ingredients and the juice of the other half of the lime in to a food processor and coarsely chop.

3.

Refrigerate overnight.

Every year for the holidays, whenever we would have turkey, my mom would serve that canned cranberry sauce. It never looked like it would taste good so I wouldn’t touch it. Cranberry relish is so easy to make and it tastes as good as it looks. If you can’t find fresh cranberries frozen will do but don’t use canned.

This can be served with not only turkey but also pork and chicken. Adding a little chopped mint will give it a nice refreshing flavor for the summer. It can also be canned in nice jars and be given as a gift for the holidays.

CUCUMBER SALAD

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1 ea English Cucumber 1 ea Small Carrot Âź c Rice Vinegar 2 Tbs Ground Ginger to taste Salt

Cut cucumber in half lengthwise and thinly slice.

Shred carrot.

Place all of the ingredients in a bowl and let set for 2 hours in the refrigerator.

This is a great salad to eat with some grilled fish like salmon. It’s light and refreshing. I like to use the English cucumbers because they are less bitter and have less seeds but you can use regular cucumbers of you want. This is a popular Japanese salad served with sushi. Japanese food should be as appealing to the eye as the palate. It is also very simplistic. From the dishes to the food there are many shapes and colors. The flavors are come from the foods and not many spices.

DOGGIE CHRISTMAS COOKIES 2 c 1 c ½ c 4 ea ½ c ¼ c

Flour Cornmeal Bacon (chopped & cooked w/fat) Eggs Water Vegetable Oil

1.

Preheat oven to 350ºF. 2.

Scramble 3 of the eggs.

3.

Mix all of the remaining ingredients together well.

4.

Roll out to about ½ “ thick and cut with small cookie cutters.

5.

Place on cookie sheet and bake for about 20 min.

6.

Let cool and place in a container. Keep refrigerated.

Well Thanksgiving is over so it is officially the Christmas/Holiday season. Every year everyone is baking but often forget our fur friends. I don’t. I like to make these for my friends who have fur kids. They are healthy and are made with lots of love. I use organic ingredients. Rice flour can be used in place of wheat flour. Other meats can be used in place of the eggs and bacon. You can also try replacing the eggs with cheese. I like to use small cookie cutters because the cookies cook more evenly and I don’t like to over feed my fur kids. Their health is very important to me. After all the cookies are treats.

FATTOUSH SALAD (LEBANESE MIXED SALAD) 2 ea Pita bread 1 ea Cucumber 2 ea Tomato 1 ea Small red onion 1 ea Romaine lettuce head 1 c Fresh parsley ½ c Fresh mint ¼ c Fresh lemon juice ¼ c Olive oil 3 ea Crushed garlic cloves ½ tsp Kosher salt 1.

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Toast pita bread in oven at 400°F until golden and crisp.

Chop lettuce into small bite size pieces and place in a bowl.

Dice cucumber, tomato, and red onion and add to lettuce.

Finely chop parsley and mint and add to lettuce.

Make the dressing by adding the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and salt.

When ready to serve break the toasted pita and toss with the dressing and lettuce mixture.

This is one of my favorite salads to eat in the summer because it is light and fresh tasting. I would often go to a Lebanese restaurant in Denver and just order this and some hummus, sit out on their patio and be very happy.

This salad is often eaten without the lettuce in Lebanon because it is very expensive. Also in Lebanon sumac is often used but is hard to find here. If you find sumac you can add ½ tsp to the dressing. The sumac will add more of an acidic flavor.

If you want to make this more of a meal add chopped grilled chicken or fish.

FISH TACOS 1 lb Fresh Fish 24 ea White Corn Tortillas ½ head Green Cabbage ½ c Sour Cream ¼ c Salsa 2 ea Limes 1 bunch Cilantro 1.

Grill fish.

2.

Shred cabbage.

3.

Mix sour cream and salsa together.

4.

Cut each lime into 6 wedges.

5.

Chop cilantro.

6.

Build tacos by stacking 2 tortillas and placing fish down the center. Add cabbage and top with sour cream/ salsa mixture and cilantro.

7.

Squeeze lime over the top.

The best fish to use is halibut because it is light but firm. You can use fresh tuna or any other light white fish. The fish can also be battered and deep fried which is how I first experienced a fish taco in Hawaii. They were yummy.

I have also had fish tacos with flour tortillas and cheese but I like the flavor of the corn and the cheese can over power the light taste of the fish.

FLAKY PIE CRUST 2 c Flour ½ tsp Salt 5 Tbs Chilled Butter/Shortening 4-6 Tbs Ice Cold Water 1.

Mix flour, and salt together.

2.

Cut butter into dry ingredients until pea size pieces form.

3.

Add water and mix only until mixed.

4.

Roll to 1/8 inch thick on a floured board.

T’is the season to eat, drink and be marry!

Pie will usually fit into that equation at some point. Usually a pumpkin pie from the store will come after Christmas dinner. But, knowing how to make a good flaky crust can come in handy if you need to take something to a holiday party. Here I’ve made little quiches by making mini tartlet shells. They can be baked of first and filled with a chocolate mousse with a little of your favorite aperitif such as some Chambord or a little Grand Mariner and garnish each with a raspberry or crystallized orange rind. The possibilities are endless.

There are some tricks to making a great flaky crust. The butter/shortening must be very cold.

Why? Because the butter/shortening works as the leavening in this case. It will form a barrier between layers of dough so the steam raises the butter creating the flakiness. It is hard to explain but think of taking a bunch of sheets of paper and having something in-between each one that lifts and separates each one. It is important to know this to understand why the butter/ shortening needs to be cold. Adding ice water will keep the butter/shortening from melting. I will place the dough in the refrigerator after mixing just to make sure it stays cold.

Another trick is to not over mix the dough and not rework it. The more you mix the dough the more the proteins will form which is needed for a good bread but not a light, tender, flaky crust.

Only mix the water in until the dough forms a ball. The type of flour can make a difference too.

I used 1½ c all purpose flour and ½ c cake flour. If you can find a good pastry flour, that will work the best.

The last trick is to get enough water in the dough. Here in Colorado it can be dryer on some days then others. I go by how dry and flaky my skin is. You want just enough water to make everything stick together but not stick to your hands or the bowl.

FRIED CUSTARD

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1 c Milk 1 c Heavy Whipping Cream ½ c Powdered Sugar 2 ea Eggs 1 ea Egg Yolk 1 tsp Vanilla ¼ c Cornstarch 1/3 c Flour 1”x2” piece Lemon Rind

Place milk, cream and lemon rind in a pot and bring to a boil.

Remove from heat and let set for 30 minutes.

Beat eggs, yolk, sugar, flour, cornstarch, and vanilla until smooth.

Return milk mixture to a simmer and whisk in egg mixture.

Bring to a boil while stirring and reduce to a simmer until mixture thickens.

Pour into a shallow pan and smooth.

Let cool completely for 2-3 hours in the refrigerator.

Remove from pan and cut into shapes.

Coat in flour, egg then in cake crumbs then fry in oil.

These little fried custards are a light and yummy but they can be hard to cut into shapes so I just scooped dollops with a spoon and dropped them into the flour then flattened them with my hands. I then dropped them into the egg and then the cake crumbs. I used a Sara Lee pound cake and ran it through my food processor and let the crumbs dry. I also used orange rind in place of the lemon. I then served it with lemon wedges to squeeze over the top.

You could change the flavor by adding coconut to the cake crumbs or using chocolate cake in place of the pound cake. You could also add chocolate or some type of liquor to the custard in place of the vanilla. Be careful with the amount you add because it can make the custard runny.

FRITTATA (Italian Open Faced Omelet) 2 Tbs Olive Oil ½ c Julian Onions ½ c Sliced Ham ½ c Chopped Asparagus 1 sm jar Marinated Artichoke Hearts ½ c Chopped Sun Dried Tomatoes 6 ea Large Eggs, beaten 1 c Shredded Fontina Cheese to taste Salt & white pepper 1.

Heat oil in a 9” nonstick or castiron skillet.

2.

Add onions, ham, asparagus, artichoke hearts and tomatoes and sprinkle with salt & pepper.

3.

Cook over medium to high heat until soft.

4.

Add eggs and mix well with other ingredients until eggs begin to get stiff.

5.

Mix in cheese.

6.

Reduce heat and cook until the bottom is set, the top will still be runny.

7.

Cover skillet with a lid and quickly invert frittata and just as quickly slide it back into the pan.

8.

Cook until set. Frittata should have a little give when pressed in the center and the sides should be firm.

9.

Turn frittata out onto a platter and let it rest at least 15 minutes before serving.

The frittata can be served chilled, at room temperature or heated and can be served as an appetizer or as a light meal with a salad. I garnished this one with a red sauce, Parmesan cheese, and some green onions. Any one of the ingredients can be replaced with any other like ingredient.

Try adding some fresh basil, roasted red peppers and prosciutto. You can also leave out any of the listed ingredients.

FRUIT OMELET 3 ea Large Eggs ¼ tsp Vanilla ½ tsp Sugar 1 c Diced fruit ½ c Vanilla Yogurt 3 Tbs Vegetable Oil 1.

Whip eggs with vanilla and sugar.

2.

Heat a well-seasoned 8” skillet with oil.

3.

Pour eggs into hot skillet and stir with a rubber spatula, lifting so raw egg can seep under to cook.

4.

Flip so top can cook.

5.

Add fruit and yogurt.

6.

Fold and slide out of skillet onto a plate.

Easter is next month and I thought this would make a nice brunch idea. You can garnish this by topping it off with some of the yogurt and some nuts or granola. I like to do my bacon by placing it on a sheet pan and sprinkling it with cracked black pepper and brown sugar. Then bake in a hot oven. Watch carefully. Also, try using sweet potatoes for hash browns and sprinkle with a little cinnamon. Of course butter can be used in place of the oil to give the omelet a buttery flavor.

Some other ideas for the omelet try adding some rum to the eggs and filling it with some sautéed diced apple and pecans with some cinnamon and brown sugar. In this one I used berries and Kiwi.

If you don’t have a seasoned skillet you can use a coated one or season one your self. To do this, place a skillet on very low heat with vegetable oil for about an hour. Make sure you watch the skillet so it doesn’t get too hot and catch fire. You will also need to roll the oil around the skillet making sure to coat the sides. Once you have a well-seasoned skillet it should never be washed. If something sticks add some oil and salt and heat on low. Then scrub with a wad of paper towels thick enough not to burn you hands.

GERMAN FRIED POTATOES 4 ea Medium Potatoes ¼ c Plain Bread Crumbs ½ tsp Garlic Powder ½ tsp Onion Powder 1 tsp Kosher Salt ¼ c Vegetable Oil

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Peel, dice and boil potatoes.

Strain potatoes.

Mix crumbs, garlic and onion powders and salt.

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet and add the potatoes and crumb mixture.

Sauté until golden brown.

This is one of those things my German Mother-in-law makes that I love. Among many other yummy things she makes. However, I did add the garlic and onion powder to spice them up a little bit. Oh, and she uses butter in place of the oil. Of course the butter in Germany is much better then the butter here in the US. This is because it has less moisture and more fat. Yum!!!

Frying bacon and then adding the ingredients would also be tasty but I thought I would go for a little healthy as apposed to down right bad for you.

Potatoes are a great source of energy and have lots of other good stuff in them. Many people think carbs are bad but the brain only works on carbs. However, if the carbs don’t get used up in the body they will turn into fat. This means if your not doing a lot of thinking then you need to get out and exercise.

GLUTEN FREE ONION RINGS

1 c Garbanzo Flour 1½ tsp Salt ½ tsp Onion Powder ½ tsp Garlic Powder ¾ c Water 1 ea Onion 3-4 c Peanut oil 1.

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Mix all ingredients except onion and oil and let set for about 30 minutes.

Heat oil in a deep heavy bottomed pot.

Cut onion into rings and dip into batter.

Fry until golden brown.

This batter is used an Indian dish called Pakora except different spices are used. These are chilies and fresh cilantro in place of the onion and garlic powder. Along with the onions that are fried potatoes and spinach leaves are also used and you serve with chutney and yogurt sauces. I found the Garbanzo flour at the Vitamin Cottage with the other flours.

I use peanut oil for frying because it has a high smoke point, which is when the oil will start to smoke. Peanut oil has a smoke point of about 450°F where olive oil’s about 350°F. However, some people have allergies to peanuts so you need to stay away from it in that case. Sunflower oil has about the same as peanut oil and Canola oil’s is about 400°F. Ok so why am I talking about smoke points??? It’s because the hotter the oil the less oil absorption. With less oil absorption the more we can eat.

GOOEY CINNAMON ROLLS Dough 6 c Bread Flour 3 c Water (60°F) ¼ c Yeast 1 Tbs Sugar 1½ tsp Salt 2 tsp butter Topping ¼ lb Butter 1 lb Brown Sugar 1 Tbs Cinnamon 2 tsp Vanilla ½ c Almonds 1.

Thoroughly mix 1 c flour, yeast, sugar, salt, water and 2 tsp butter in a mixing bowl with a wire whip.

2.

Let set until slurry starts to raise 2x it size (about 45 min.). If water is warmer then 60°F, it will rise faster and can kill off the yeast.

3.

Mix in remaining flour with a dough hook of a mixer.

4.

Refrigerate dough overnight (for better flavor development 2 or 3 days but do not let go beyond 4 days because yeast will start to die off).

5.

Next day Melt butter and mix with brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla.

6.

Roll dough into a rectangle about ½“ thick.

7.

Spread ¾ of the sugar mixture over dough.

8.

Roll dough into a log.

9.

Cut into 12 equal pieces.

10. Grease an 11 x 15 rectangle cake pan.

11. Spread remaining sugar mixture with almonds in bottom of pan.

12. Place dough pieces on ends in pan.

13. Let proof for 1 hour.

14. Preheat oven to 450°F and bake for 20 min.

15. When done, place a baking sheet over the top, flip and remove cake pan. *These are very gooey and when they are just pulled out of the oven they are very hot so please be very careful.

When making dough each ingredient is used for a specific reason. Bread flour is a high in gluten, which will form when mixing. The more you mix the more gluten formation. That’s good up to a point because the bread can start to get tough. The butter can be replaced with other fats/oil. The butter will make the bread tender. For some types of bread you can leave it out. The salt keeps the yeast under control. The sugar feeds the yeast. The yeast of course makes the bread rise. When at higher altitudes you want to use more which seems backwards. When you think about it there is less pressure to fight the yeast from rising. If it rises too much like a cake it will fall. This would also apply to anything that has a leavening agent. And the water hydrates everything.

GRAVY Giblet Broth all Giblets 2 ea Bay Leaves ½ ea Onion 2 ea Carrots 2 ea Celery Ribs 3 qt Water Roux 1 c Flour 1 c Clarified Butter Gravy all Turkey Drippings as needed Giblet Broth as needed Roux to taste Salt 1.

Place the giblets and water in a saucepan and simmer for at least 2 hours. Add water if needed.

2.

In a skillet, combine the flour and butter with a whisk over medium heat until smooth and light brown.

3.

Strain broth and remove the fat then place back into the saucepan.

4.

Add the drippings to the broth and bring to a boil.

5.

Add enough roux to thicken with the whisk and continue to boil. Be careful not to let it boil.

6.

Add salt to taste.

According to Fine Cooking you want to figure about 1/3 cup of gravy per person. With that being said you want to figure you will need all of your turkey drippings and enough broth from your giblets to make enough gravy. If you don’t have enough broth you can add canned turkey broth. This can be salty so be careful.

You can change the flavor of your gravy by adding different seasonings. Such as thyme or rosemary.

You can also make this a beef, pork, or chicken gravy by replacing the turkey drippings with the meat of choice drippings. For the broth try making it without the giblets.

Roux is the key to making a sauce. It can also make it richer in flavor. The darker the roux, the richer the flavor. To do this you need to cook it longer but you need to continue stirring it. You don’t want it to burn. A light roux is typically used in white sauces and darker roux is typically used in darker sauces. To make clarified butter heat some butter until it separates then skim the foam from the top and discard the milk residue left on the bottom. If you have extra roux, it can be kept at room temperature until need for another wonderful sauce or soup you make.

GRILLED PORK TENDERLOIN

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Pork Tenderloins Olive Oil Garlic Powder Onion Powder Kosher Salt Italian Seasoning

Preheat grill.

Place tenderloin in a dish and coat well with enough olive oil.

Liberally sprinkle each of the remaining ingredients over the tenderloin.

Grill turning often until done, internal temperature should be about 160째F.

Pork tenderloins usually come 2 per package. Hopefully you will have leftovers. They are great in salads or on sandwiches over the next few days. Pork is the other white meat meaning that it is lower in fat and is better for you compared to beef.

In the old days commercial pork was raised on slop, which were scraps from the kitchen so trichinosis was often found in pork products if the meat was not cooked well enough. However, new regulations have put a stop to this and in doing so have pretty much put an end to trichinosis in pork. Cooking meat to 160째F will still have some pink, which will make the pork juicy.

If the pork is contaminated, cooking it to 137째F will kill any trichinosis. Trichinosis is caused by little parasitic worms that get into the muscles including the diaphragm and can be fatal if not treated.

GRILLED TEQUILA LIME CHICKEN SALAD Chicken Marinade 3 ea Boneless, skinless chicken Breasts ½ c Roses Lime juice ¼ c Tequila ¼ c Red onion ½ c Olive oil 3 ea Crushed garlic cloves ½ tsp Kosher salt Salad 12 oz Pasta 2 ea Tomatoes ¼ c Diced Red onion 3 ea Whole Green Chilies (I like Anaheim chilies but Jalapeno will do for a spicier punch) 2 Tbs Fresh Chopped Cilantro ¼ c Olive oil 2 Tbs Roses Lime juice 2 Tbs White Vinegar Kosher salt to taste 1.

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Dice onion into a small dice and add to remaining Marinade ingredients.

Let chicken set in marinade for about 1 to 2 hours refrigerated.

Grill chicken on BBQ grill until done and discard marinade.

Grill chilies on grill watching closely charring the skin only.

Place chilies in a plastic bag and set a side.

Boil the pasta according to directions on package, drain, cool, and add olive oil.

Dice chicken.

Dice tomatoes and onion.

Chop cilantro.

Remove chilies from the bag and scrape the skin off, remove stem and seeds then dice.

Toss salad ingredient together.

The tequila can be omitted if you don’t have any around but you can always make margaritas with the leftovers and serve with the salad on a nice hot summer evening.

I garnished this salad with slices of avocado and a sprig of cilantro but you can try adding some pine nuts too.

If you want to make this salad vegetarian, try marinating sliced squash and dicing it. Pumpkin, butternut or chayote would be best.

GRILLED VEGETABLE SALAD

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2 ea Eggplant 2 ea Zucchini 4 ea Roma Tomato 1 ea Red Onion 1 pt Mini Sweet Peppers ½ tsp Garlic Powder ¼ tsp Onion Powder ¾ tsp Kosher Salt ½ c Olive Oil 3 Tbs Balsamic Vinegar

Cut eggplant and zucchini into ½” planks longwise.

Quarter tomatoes.

Cut onions into ½” slices.

Grill until golden brown and slightly charred.

Grill the sweet peppers whole until the whole skin is completely charred.

Place sweet peppers into a plastic bag and creating a seal so the peppers can steam. Let set.

Dice the eggplant, zucchini and onion into large cubes and place in a bowl.

Under running cold water, remove the skin from the peppers.

Split peppers and remove the seeds.

Cut peppers into ½” strips and add to the bowl with remaining ingredients.

Mix well and refrigerate.

Grilling season is starting but as we Coloradoans know the snow is unpredictable. So, planning to grill a head of time can be a bit tricky. The vegetables can all be roasted in the oven with a little of the olive oil except for the peppers. But, not to worry, they can be done with a pair of tongs and a gas burner.

Which is the way I did my peppers. If you aren’t able to do the peppers there are always canned roasted red peppers.

I found my mini sweet peppers at the Vitamin Cottage and the plastic shopping bag worked well for steaming. If you don’t have access to the mini sweet peppers, 1 red/orange and 1 yellow normal size will do. A gallon size zip-lock bag works well but can be a bit more $$$. Other vegetables, as always, can be used with or in place of the ones I suggested such as baby artichokes and/or asparagus.

This salad works well with a plate of cheese and crackers for an appetizer, but can also be used with sliced ham and/or hard salami and provolone cheese on a sandwich.

HAWAIIAN FRUIT SALAD 4 oz Chopped Lettuce ½ c Diced Mango ½ c Diced Pineapple ½ c Sliced Banana ½ c Quartered Strawberries 2 ea Lime Wedges 1 Tbs Coarsely Chopped and Toasted Macadamia Nuts 1 Tbs Toasted Coconut 2 ozs Dressing Dressing 1 c Oil ½ c White Vinegar 2 Tbs Sugar ¼ tsp Salt 1.

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Mix dressing and refrigerate until needed.

Place lettuce in a bowl.

Arrange fruit over lettuce.

Sprinkle with coconut and macadamia nuts.

Ladle dressing over the top and serve with lime wedges.

It’s mango season right now so they are juicy, ripe and cheep. Papaya will also work on this salad as a replacement of one of the other fruits or as an addition. If you want to add a little meat try some grilled chicken.

I found a small bag of macadamia nuts at the Vitamin Cottage and the price was reasonable.

Almonds will do as a substitute. I used a fresh coconut and toasted it myself because there is no sugar added but it was hard to get into.

HOLLANDAISE SAUCE

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4 ea Egg Yolks ¼ c Warm Clarified Butter ¼ tsp Salt 1 Tbs Fresh Lemon Juice ¼ tsp Tabasco

Place egg yolks in a small bowl and slowly whip in the butter with a wire whip.

Whip in the remaining ingredients, Serve right away.

Hollandaise sauce is a very delicate sauce but is worth the extra trouble to make from scratch.

The powdered mixes don’t come close. To make clarified butter melt down a stick on low until only the fat is left. The clearer your butter is the better your sauce will come out. It is important to whip you sauce with a wire whip because the sauce can break with too much friction. It can also break if you add in the butter too fast or reheat the sauce later on. A trick used by many chefs if the sauce does break is to add in just enough cream to bring it back together.

Hollandaise sauce can be used for many different things. You can also take it a step further and turn it into béarnaise sauce by adding in some tarragon and red wine vinegar. I love to eat good French fries with béarnaise sauce. Both sauces can be used on eggs, beef, chicken, seafood and veggies. Next weeks recipe I will be using the sauce with another favorite of mine.

HONEY GINGER CARROTS 1 lb Carrots 4 Tbs Butter ½ tsp Powdered Ginger 4 Tbs Honey ¼ c Sliced Almonds to taste Kosher Salt.

1.

Peel and cut carrots into ½ moons.

2.

Steam carrots keeping them firm.

3.

Drain and add remaining ingredients.

I love carrots and will eat them any way I can get them. You can replace the butter with olive oil to make them healthier but this recipe is so good for you with just being carrots and adding the ginger and honey and almonds so a little indulgence is a good thing.

Carrots are one of my very favorite veggies. They are also very healthy. They are full of vitamins and fiber. Beta-carotene is an antioxidant and it is also converted into vitamin A, which is good for the eyes. The fiber in carrots work like little brushes that help keep the system clean.

Adding fat to the carrots helps with the digestion and gets the most out of them.

The ginger in the carrots is one of those things that are great for the body too. There have been studies proving that ginger can help with an upset tummy including from the results of motion sickness, migraines, arthritis and blood clots. Though honey is a dreaded carb there are studies that show it helps with bacterial infections so I wouldn’t over look it. And yes the almonds are a good thing too. It is said that eating a hand full a day will help with arthritis.

HUMMUS

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2 cans Garbanzo beans (15½ oz) ½ c Liquid from Garbanzo beans ½ c Fresh lemon juice 1/3 c Tahini 10 ea Garlic cloves ½ tsp Kosher salt

Drain garbanzo beans but save the liquid.

Place beans in a food processor with rest of ingredients until creamy.

I like my Hummus very garlicky and lemony. You can always tone it down by cutting back on the garlic. If you want to add a little spice to it you can add some Cayenne pepper or Tabasco.

You can garnish it with fresh chopped parsley, which will give it a fresh taste. I always use kosher salt because it will dissolve faster but regular salt can be used in the same amount.

I like to snack on hummus with a drizzle of olive oil and thin sliced tomatoes on warm pita bread cut into wedges.

Try it on a veggie sandwich with sliced cucumber, carrots, spicy sprouts and sliced tomato.

I’ve tried this recipe with Navy beans in place of the garbanzo beans, which gave it an Italian twist. Black beans with limejuice and fresh chopped cilantro sounds interesting.

This is a staple at my house because it is easy and healthy. There is no added fat but the garbanzo beans and tahini do have some fat. It is a healthy fat that the body needs so don’t get stressed over it.

JAMBALAYA 1 ea ½ c 4 ea ¼ c 2 ea 1 ea ½ c 2 c 1 ea ½ c 1 ea ½ lb

Onion (diced) Diced Pepper Green Onions (diced) Diced Celery Garlic Cloves (chopped) Bay Leaf Olive Oil Tomato Sauce Chicken Breast Diced Ham Andouille Sausage Rice

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Make rice according to directions on the package.

Sauté the first 6 ingredients in the oil until caramelized.

Add in the chicken and sausage and sauté until done.

Add in the tomato sauce and ham and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Mix with cooked rice and place in a preheated oven (350°f).

Bake for about 5 minutes.

When In New Orleans most People think of Cajun with lots of spicy rich foods. But, the history of the food is an interesting one. Jambalaya comes from Paella, which comes from Spain. Of course there weren’t the exact ingredients to make everything the same so much improvisation came into play. Because Louisiana is on the Golf coast and at the end of the Mississippi river, seafood is bountiful with large amounts of shrimp, crawfish and other crustaceans along with fresh water and salt-water fish. Chef Folse (one of my favorite chefs of the area) calls the waters/land around New Orleans “the swamp floor pantry”, which I think explains it all.

And like paella, the ingredients are, as far as the meat, are interchangeable. What I mean by that is you could replace any of them with seafood or other types of sausage, pork, etc… One of the common meats used in Jambalaya is tasso, which is a smoked pork or beef of poor quality that is heavily seasoned and spicy. When it is smoked, it becomes very hard almost like a jerky. I had a hard time finding it so I substituted a good quality ham.

JICAMA AND ORANGE SALAD

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1 ea Large Jicama 1 ea Orange 1 ea Lime 2 Tbs Small Diced Red Onion ½ tsp Chili Powder Ÿ tsp Sugar to taste Salt & White Pepper

Peel jicama and cut into matchstick size pieces.

Peel orange and cut into small pieces.

Squeeze limejuice over jicama and orange.

Add the onion, sugar and salt & pepper and mix well.

Jicama is a tuberous vegetable that has a crisp sweet flavor. It goes well with fruit so feel free to add to this salad. It originated from Mexico and was taken to the Philippines by the Spaniards around the 17th century and then spread to other parts of the pacific and Asia. Only recently it has become popular her in the US. Jicama is very low in calories even though it is a starchy vegetable.

LAMB IN MINTY YOGHURT SAUCE 2 Tbs Olive Oil 1¼ lb Lamb 2 c Water to taste Salt & Pepper 1 c Cooked Chickpeas Yoghurt Sauce 1 Tbs Olive Oil ¼ ea Onion 1 ea Garlic Clove 1 c Water 2 Tbs Cornstarch 3 c Low-Fat Yoghurt ½ c Fresh Chopped Mint 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

Sauté lamb in olive oil until brown.

Add the salt, pepper and water and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to a simmer and continue cooking covered for about 2 hours, until tender.

Meanwhile make the sauce by mincing the onion and sauté in the olive oil.

Mince the garlic and add to the onions continue cooking until onions are caramelized.

Mix the water and cornstarch together and whisk into the onion.

Whisk in the yoghurt and mint and gently bring to a boil while stirring until thick.

Add the lamb with the remaining liquid and gently return to a boil.

Remove from heat and serve.

I just finished my first cooking class, Lebanese, and this was such a hit I decided to share it with you. The Lebanese don’t eat a lot of meat but when they do it is usually lamb and is only for special occasions. This dish is light for summer and can be done in the crock-pot all day, adding the sauce right before serving. I served it over a vermicelli basmati rice but any rice will do.

LEMON CURD

6 ea 1Âź c 1 c 6 ea

Lemons Sugar Butter Eggs

1.

Grade and juice lemons.

2.

Place the grated peel and juice in a double boiler with the sugar and the butter.

3.

Beat the eggs and slowly add to lemon mixture when the sugar and butter are melted.

4.

Whisk until combined thoroughly then continue stirring with a wooden spoon until the mixture coats the back.

5.

Do not let the mixture boil because it will cause the eggs to curdle.

6.

Strain through a fine strainer to remove the peel.

7.

Continue cooking in double boiler to a creamy consistency.

8.

Cool and refrigerate.

Lemon curd was traditionally served with scones at afternoon tea. It can be used as a filling in a cake or to fill pastry shells. Try folding it in to some whipped cream for a light frosting. You can also keep some around in the fridge for your morning toast or afternoon tea.

There are many recipes for lemon curd. Some recipes will use just the yolks, which make it very thick and creamy. If you want to use just the yolks, use 12 yolks. Using the whole egg creates a lighter texture that will hold its shape better.

LEMONATA

2 ea Lemons Ÿ c Sugar 1½ c Soda Water 1.

2.

3.

Juice the lemons, removing the seeds.

Add the sugar and mix until it dissolves.

Add to the soda water, top with ice and serve.

Lemonata is Italian lemonade with a little carbonation. I like to use San Pellegrino sparkling water but you can use any type available. It is not as sweet as most lemonades so if you need to add more sugar then go for it. I like to garnish it with a little sprig of mint and a slice of lemon.

In Mexico limes are used in place of the lemons but it is still called lemonata. You would want to use 3 limes to the 2 lemons. Try adding some crushed strawberries, a little grated ginger or some fresh orange juice to make it a little different.

MASALA CHAI (Spiced Tea)

½ c Milk ½ c Water 1 tsp Black Tea 1 ea Crushed Cardamom Pod 2 ea Black Pepper Corns ½ inch Chopped Fresh Ginger 1 inch Broken Cinnamon Stick ¼ tsp Star Anise 2 ea Cloves to taste Honey

1.

Place all spices and tea in a tea strainer.

2.

Heat the water and milk then let the spices steep for about 10 or 15 minutes depending on how strong you like it.

3.

Remove spices and add honey.

4.

Pour into a cup and enjoy.

Here in the US when we hear chai we think it is a spiced tea but in India chai is just sweetened tea with milk. Masala Chai is the spiced tea we are somewhat familiar with. I enjoy a cup almost every morning instead of coffee. It is a good way to get the body started because of the warming spices used. It is hard to find set recipe for Masala chai because it is all based on personal taste. However, there are 4 constants in every cup of Masala Chai. They are: Tea, Sweetener, Milk and Spices. The tea is usually a dark, strong black tea but can be a gunpowder tea or a rooibos, or a yerba mate. As for sweetener any will do but honey is most often used and always in heavy amounts. Milk is usually whole milk for it’s richness but I will use low fat because I don’t need all of the fat. Soy or rice milk will do as well. As for the spices, the ones I used are most popular but you will find nutmeg, vanilla, licorice, cocoa and almond in some versions.

Oregon Chai has a strong vanilla flavor with the listed spices weaker in flavor. Just remember, when making your Masala Chai it is really a personal taste so if you don’t like one or more of the spices either go lighter or leave it out. And if you do like one of the spices go heavy on it.

MASHED SWEET POTATOES

1.

2.

3.

4.

2 lbs Sweet Potatoes 1/3 c Milk 4 Tbs Butter ½ c Onion ½ tsp Cinnamon ¼ c Onion Powder ¼ tsp Kosher Salt

Peel, dice and boil potatoes.

Dice onion and sauté with 1 Tbs butter.

Strain potatoes and mash.

Add remaining ingredients with sautéed onions and whip.

Sweet potatoes are very healthy. They are high in beta-carotene, potassium, vitamin E, and fiber. They also have very little fat and a low glycemic index. Because of this they can help reduce heart disease, stroke, cancer, and the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

If you want to make these healthier try leaving out the butter and use olive oil in its place. If you want to try something a little different and a little less healthy try leaving out the cinnamon and add some blue cheese crumbles and bacon bits.

MISO SOUP 5 c Water 1 piece Kombu 2 c Bonito Flakes ¼ c Miso Paste 1.

Cut kombu into 1” pieces and place in a pot with water.

2.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until kombu is soft.

3.

Add bonito flakes pushing them into the water with a spoon.

4.

After 3 minutes strain through a strainer with cheesecloth.

5.

Return liquid to low heat and add the miso.

6.

Simmer until miso dissolves.

7.

Strain through a strainer removing larger chunks.

Garnish with small cubes of silken tofu and some chopped green onions for a basic miso soup.

You can add seaweed, vegetables or chunks of meat/seafood to make the soup hardier. I found the miso paste at Whole Foods and the bonito flakes and kombu at the Vitamin Cottage.

Miso soup is an accompaniment to most Japanese meals and found in almost any sushi restaurant. Miso is a fermented product made from rice, barley, or soybeans. It comes in white, golden and red. The white is milder with a sweeter flavor and the red’s flavor is more intense with a sour flavor. White miso is fermented for the least amount of time.

MUFFALETTA (A New Orleans style hero sandwich) Olive Salad 1¼ c Green olives with pimientos (chopped) 1¼ c Pitted Kalamata olives (chopped) ½ c Cocktail onions (chopped) 4 Tbs Capers 1 c Celery heart with leaves (chopped) ½ tsp Fresh ground black pepper 2 Tbs Fresh garlic (chopped) 1 Tbs Fresh oregano (chopped) ¼ c Fresh parsley ¼ c Olive oil 4 Tbs Red wine Vinegar Sandwich (will feed 1-4 people) 1 ea 10” Round focaccia or Italian bread 4.5 oz Genoa salami 4.5 oz Ham 4.5 oz Provolone cheese 1 c Olive salad 1.

2.

3.

Mix salad ingredients together and refrigerate overnight.

Pile on salami, ham, cheese and olive salad.

Cut into fourths and enjoy.

You can find a Muffaletta all over New Orleans or for that matter Louisiana. It was supposedly made at the Central Grocery on Decatur Street first. When I was visiting New Orleans, I waited in a line that rapped around the building for about an hour just to get one. …And it was worth the wait.

I used regular ham in this recipe but traditionally you should use mortadella ham. Capicolla will also work. I couldn’t find either here in Monument. The Muffaletta should always be served at room temperature. Never toasted. This is really good after it has sat a little while because the juices soak into the bread. Because of this, the Muffaletta is great for parties.

If you wanted to make this sandwich vegetarian, try grilling eggplant, mushrooms, zucchini, and/or yellow squash. The olive salad is what makes the sandwich. I found several recipes for it. Some had chopped carrots, chopped cauliflower, red onions and/or anchovies.

MUSSELS

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3.

4.

5.

6.

2 Tbs Olive Oil 2 ea Tomatoes ½ ea Onion 6 ea Garlic Cloves ½ c Dry White Wine 2 Tbs Butter 1 lb Mussels 2 ea Lemons to taste Salt ¼ c Julienne Fresh Basil

Dice the tomatoes and onion.

Slice the garlic.

Heat the olive oil and a sauté the tomatoes, onion and garlic until caramelized.

Add in the wine and bring to a boil.

Add in the mussels and cook until they open. Be careful not to over cook them.

Add the remaining ingredients and serve.

This is a great quick and easy appetizer but can be used as a main dish served with some pasta.

If you over cook the mussels they can become very chewy so it is very important that you only cook them just until they open. When buying mussels, make sure they are all closed or when touched they close right away. Mussels are a living creature when fresh but if they get old they start to die.

Most mussels are cultured/farmed and will be safe to eat but wild ones can be dangerous at certain times of the year. There are times of the year when red tide occurs which is a plankton type of organism that will be in abundance and visible as a red mass. It is typically when the ocean is warmer. Other shellfish would also be infected and should never be eaten.

NOT MOM’S MAC & CHEESE W/ HAM Cavitopi pasta 1 lb Shredded Fontina cheese ½ lb Shredded Swiss cheese ½ lb Blue cheese crumbles 2 oz Diced ham ½ lb Yellow onion ½ ea Garlic powder 2 tsp Onion powder 2 tsp Kosher Salt 2 tsp Tabasco ¼ tsp Heavy whipping cream 1½ c 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Boil pasta and strain.

Add rest of ingredients and mix well.

Place in a casserole dish.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 30 minutes covered.

Remove cover and bake another 10 minutes.

This is very decadent. If you want to make it lower in fat you can replace the heavy whipping cream with skim or low fat milk. You can also replace the Swiss and Fontina cheeses with a low fat cheese. The blue cheese gives a lot of flavor without a lot of fat so keep it.

For those of you who don’t like Blue cheese, it is only there to add a little flavor. It is not a strong blue cheese flavor. So try it before you omit it. If you just can’t do it try some cheddar cheese or another strong flavored cheese.

For those of you that are vegetarians try replacing the ham with roasted egg plant, artichokes, and roasted red peppers.

Be creative. If you want to replace the ham try some taco meat and use cheddar cheese in place of the blue or the Swiss cheese.

OATMEAL GINGER COOKIES ½ c Sugar 1 c Brown Sugar 2 stks Butter 2 ea Eggs 1 c Molasses 2 tsp Vanilla 2 tsp Cinnamon 2 Tbs Ginger 2 tsp Salt 4 c Flour 2 tsp Baking Soda 4 c Oatmeal 4 oz Sugared Ginger 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cream sugars and butter together.

Add eggs, molasses, and vanilla mix well.

Add in flour, cinnamon, ginger, salt and baking soda and mix well.

Add oatmeal and chopped sugared ginger and mix well.

Bake in preheated oven for 6 to 8 minutes.

I was in a small town in Alaska called Seward where I went into a little bakery and had the best ginger cookies so I had to try to make them. Here they are. I added the oatmeal to them but they are close.

I like to bake cookies in a hot oven because they come out soft and chewy. If you like a crispy cookie you can bake them at 350°F for about 10 to 14 minutes.

I used the full flavored molasses because I wanted the cookies to be rich in flavor. Sugared ginger can be found in the Oriental section of Safeway. And feel free to add extra sugared ginger for extra flavor.

OLD FASHIONED COLE SLAW

1.

2.

½ head Shredded Green Cabbage ½ c Shredded Carrots ½ c Mayonnaise 4 tsp Dill Pickle Juice 1 Tbs Sugar ¼ tsp Kosher Salt

Combine ingredients and mix well.

Chill.

This is a salad from the Dutch. I use pickle juice because it has lots of flavor especially if you use a pickle with a strong garlic flavor. If you wanted to change it up a bit you could add some broccoli and/or onion.

Cabbage is one of those veggies that are very good for you. It is high in B & C vitamins. It is very low in calories and works well as a blood purifier. It is good for skin problems, ulcers, asthma, diabetes and your kidneys. Mayonnaise has been associated with reducing the chances of cancer in women. Carrots of course are high in beta-carotene, which is great for the eyes and works as an antioxidant.

OLD FASHIONED DEVILED EGGS

1.

2.

3.

8 ea ¼ c ¼ c ¼ c 1/8 c

Hard Boiled Eggs Mayonnaise Yellow Prepared Mustard Fine Diced Dill Pickle Fine Diced Celery

Peel eggs and cut in half.

Remove the yolks from each half and place in a bowl with remaining ingredients.

Mix until smooth and fill each egg white half with the mixture.

Summer time is here and it is time for cookouts and picnics. Deviled eggs are always a popular item on the list of accompaniments. I am a big fan of the flavor of the mustard with a good garlicky dill pickle so the flavor is strong. Feel free to cut back on mustard or pickle. I always use real mayonnaise but using a salad dressing that is sweet will cut the tartness. Using a spicy mustard will add some zing to the eggs. I like to garnish them with a sprig of fresh dill but the top of the celery works well to with a little chopped dill.

If you add a little more mayo and chop egg whites you can use the mixture for an egg salad sandwich. Place on some good whole wheat bread and add some sprouts and sliced tomatoes.

Yum, one of my favorites!

Eggs are one of those perfect foods. They are full of protein and other great nutrients. …But be careful because the yolks also have fat and cholesterol, which are not so healthy. For hardboiled eggs place in a saucepan with enough water to cover eggs and boil for about 40 minutes.

PARMESAN INCRUSTED SHRIMP

½ c Bread Crumbs ¼ c Grated Parmesan Cheese ½ tsp Garlic Powder ½ tsp Onion Powder 1 tsp Kosher Salt ¼ c Flour 2 ea Eggs Peeled Shrimp Olive Oil 1.

Mix crumbs, cheese, garlic & onion powders and salt in a small dish.

2.

Place the egg in another dish and whip.

3.

Place the flour in another dish.

4.

Dip each shrimp in the flour then the egg and then the crumb mixture, coating completely in each.

5.

Place enough oil in a heavy bottomed skillet and heat.

6.

Fry each shrimp until golden.

You could serve these shrimp as an appetizer with a little marinara sauce or a nice light cream sauce such as a roasted red pepper cream sauce. You could also serve these as a main dish with some pasta and marinara sauce or on a bed of sauce with some garlic mashed potatoes and sautéed zucchini on the side. If you wanted to you could even serve them on a nice salad with a vinaigrette dressing.

You could do this same thing but replace the Parmesan cheese and garlic & onion powder with coconut and/or some sesame seeds and some ginger powder to change it up a bit. This would be great on a salad with carrots, cabbage, cucumbers, fried won ton strips and a cilantro vinaigrette.

This recipe will do quite a few shrimps but if you don’t use all of the breading and flour you should get rid of it or cover it and keep it in the refrigerator. Storing it at room temperature is dangerous because of the contamination from the shrimp.

PASTA

1 c 2 ea 1 tsp 1 tsp

Flour (semolina) Eggs Salt Water

1.

Place flour on a smooth surface creating a well in the center.

2.

Place eggs, salt and water in well.

3.

With a fork, whip eggs while incorporating the flour into the mixture.

4.

When the mixture becomes too clumpy use hands until dough becomes smooth.

5.

Roll dough with a pasta roller into sheets set on #1.

6.

Fold in half and run through again. Repeat several times. This helps in kneading the dough. Decrease the thickness of the roller to #3. Depending on what you want to do with the pasta, you can continue decreasing the thickness.

7.

Cut the dough into the desired shape.

8.

The pasta can be dried and used later or boiled and used right away.

I use semolina, which is milled durum endosperm. This gives a better texture that won’t get as soggy.

If you don’t have a pasta roller you can use a rolling pin but you will need to knead the dough longer and the dough will want to shrink back. There are also electric machines that will make many different shapes where you just put the ingredients in the well and turn it on. I have a machine but I like my roller better. The roller I found has an attachment that makes raviolis. Next week I will be getting more into that with Chocolate Hazelnut raviolis.

Herbs and spices can be added to flavor the pasta. I folded in fresh basil and made fettuccini with the attachment I got with my roller. I placed the fresh basil leaves on the sheet of pasta, folded it in half then ran it through the roller. I then continued to fold and roll it until the sheets were smooth.

PÂTE À CHOUX

¾ c Water 1 stick Unsalted Butter 1 c Bread Flour ½ tsp Salt 2 ea Eggs 4 ea Egg Whites

1.

Preheated oven to 300ºF. 2.

Place water, butter and salt in a heavy sauce pan and bring to a boil.

3.

Whip in all of the flour in at once and stir.

4.

Remove from heat and continue whipping.

5.

Let cool.

6.

Add eggs and egg whites while whipping until the mixture is smooth.

7.

Grease a baking sheet.

8.

To make cream puffs make small dollops about 1” apart. To make éclairs pipe out with a pastry bag long strips about 1” apart.

9.

Place the pan on the bottom rack and increase the temperature to 450ºF for 10 minutes.

10. Reduce the temperature back down to 300ºF for an additional 10 minutes.

The cream puffs can also be used with a savory filling such as a salmon mousse or chicken salad, which will make a great appetizer. They can also be filled with whipped cream and topped with chocolate ganache (chocolate and whipping cream). Try adding a little of your favorite liquor to the whipped cream. Ice cream will also make a great filling. Then top it off with some chocolate sauce. For éclairs fill them with pastry cream.

PAVLOVA

3 ea Egg Whites ½ c Caster Sugar 1 tsp White Vinegar 1 tsp Corn Starch 2 tsp Vanilla Extract pinch Salt 1.

Heat oven to 400ºF. 2.

Whip egg whites, adding sugar a little at a time, until stiff peaks form.

3.

Fold in remaining ingredients.

4.

Place dollops of the mixture on a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

5.

Turn oven off and place cookie sheet in the oven for 40 minutes.

6.

Top with fresh fruit and whipped cream.

Pav, as the Kiwis down under say, is a traditional New Zealand desert that was made back in the mid ‘20s for the ballerina Anna Pavlova. It has a light and dreamy texture that should have a crispy shell and a marshmellowy center. This recipe comes from my brother-in-laws mother via his sister, who are all from New Zealand. I thought this would make a nice desert for Valentine’s day.

Some of the recipes I found used lemon juice but I found that it didn’t come out as fluffy. Caster sugar is a fine granulated sugar. If you have a hard time finding it regular granulated sugar will do. Typical fruits used down under are kiwi fruit, strawberries, passion fruit and mangos.

For a variation try folding in some cocoa powder at step 3.

PEANUT BRITTLE

4 c Sugar 4 Tbs Butter 1 Tbs Vanilla ½ tsp Baking Soda 1 ea 24 oz Can of Cocktail Peanuts 1.

Place a large piece of foil on the counter.

2.

Place sugar, butter, and vanilla in a large heavy saucepan.

3.

Heat on medium until sugar is all melted. Stir with a wooden spoon continuously so the sugar doesn’t burn.

4.

Turn the heat off and quickly stir in the baking soda and peanuts.

5.

Immediately pour the whole mixture onto the foil and spread so that it is about ½” to ¼” thick.

6.

Let completely cool before removing from foil.

7.

Break into medium sized pieces.

Note: The melted sugar becomes very hot so be extremely careful.

This is one of my dad’s favorite things so I try to make him a batch every year for Christmas. It is another one of those things that my mom taught my sisters and I to make when we were kids.

Of course I’ve changed the recipe slightly as the years went by to make it yummier. It is very easy and inexpensive and makes a great gift. You can make it with any kind of nut instead of the peanuts if you have a favorite. To make this less fattening or non-dairy you can leave out the butter but it won’t be as rich.

POLENTA

1 c Corn Meal (course) 3 c Water 1 tsp Salt ½ tsp Onion Powder ½ tsp Garlic Powder 1 dash Tabasco ½ c Parmesan Cheese 1.

Bring water to a boil with and slowly add the corn meal.

2.

Reduce heat to a low simmer and continue stirring.

3.

When the mixture becomes thick, add in rest of the ingredients and mix well.

4.

Remove from heat and pour into an 8” x 8” oiled pan.

5.

Let cool.

After the polenta has cooled it can be left in the refrigerator for future use. Cut it into squares and grill it with a little oil for a side or cut it into thinner pieces and fry it in oil until it is golden brown. It can then be used like a crostini. Top it off with some meat and cheese or some grilled vegetables.

At one time polenta was a staple for northern Italy. It was used in the place of pasta or rice. Try it with a simple red sauce and chicken or dress it up with crispy bacon and rosemary as a side for a steak. You can replace the Parmesan cheese with any other type of cheese such as a blue or Gorgonzola cheese. For those of you that can’t do dairy just leave out the cheese. Chicken stock can be used in place of the water and spices. If you want to add other ingredients add them in at the time of the cheese. It is a great alternative for those of you that can’t do wheat because of the gluten.

POMEGRANATE & WALNUT SALAD

1 hd ½ c ½ c ½ c ½ c 2 ozs

Chopped Lettuce Pomegranate Walnuts Sliced Red Onion Blue Cheese Crumbles Dressing

Dressing 1 c Oil ½ c White Vinegar 2 Tbs Sugar ¼ tsp Salt 1.

Mix dressing and refrigerate until needed.

2.

Place lettuce in a bowl.

3.

Arrange ingredients over lettuce.

4.

Ladle dressing over the top.

Pomegranates are in season and they are not only beautiful but also tasty. They are one of my favorite things to eat and I can’t wait until they come into season. I always eat them plain but they are great in salads. Pomegranates are very high in antioxidants so they are very good for you.

A pomegranate can be intimidating but they are really easy to get into. And yes you can eat the whole little seed. But be careful because the juice will stain. Just cut the fruit in half and carefully remove the seeds. If you enjoy this salad but it is out of season try adding dried cranberries or other dried fruit or in the summer try a mixture of fresh berries. Figs are a great addition when they are in season, which is in the summer for about a week.

POTATO GNOCCHI

2¼ lb Potatoes 1¾ c Flour 1 ea Egg 1 tsp Salt 1.

Peel, dice and steam the potatoes.

2.

Mash the potatoes while sill hot and add the remaining ingredients.

3.

Knead until soft and elastic.

4.

Roll the dough unto 1” ropes.

5.

Cut into ½” pieces and roll with a fork.

6.

Drop into a pot of boiling salt water removing when they begin to float to the top with a slotted spoon.

Gnocchi originated in Italy and were originally only flour and water. Potatoes were not added until the mid 1800’s. The best way to cook the potatoes is to steam them. This will help to preserve the flavor. I have a ricer to mash the potatoes, which works great because it leaves the potatoes smooth. By keeping the potatoes hot while mixing will help in the gluten formation that helps keep the gnocchi from falling apart. It is important that there is a balance of flour because if there isn’t enough the gnocchi will fall apart and if there is too much they will be heavy.

Gnocchi are like pasta in that they will go with most sauces but are a little dumpling. Here I’ve sautéed them with olive oil, onion, tomatoes, roasted garlic and fresh basil topped off with some Parmesan cheese. Gnocchi will often have other flavors such as pumpkin, spinach, or ricotta cheese.

PRICKLY PEAR SAUCE

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4.

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6.

30 ea Prickly Pears 2 ea Lemons 1½ c Sugar 1 Tbs Vanilla ½ gal Water

Peel prickly pears and place in a large pot with the water, sugar, vanilla and halved lemBring to a boil then turn down to a simmer.

Simmer for about 2 hours.

Puree with a hand blinder.

Strain seeds and discard.

Refrigerate to cool.

Prickly pears are in season but are hard to find unless you happen to live in a place like Arizona.

Prickly pears are the fruit from the prickly pear cactus. They are a dark pink almost a purple color when ripe. If you wanted to make more of a jelly you could use some that are still a little green along with ripe ones. This adds more pectin. You might want to add some additional pectin as well. In Spanish they are referred to as Tunas and in Italy they are called fichi d’india.

Peeling the tunas can be a bit painful if you don’t have some type of glove because of all the tiny spines. I use my gardening gloves that have leather. You could also use paper towels but you can still get some of the prickles. Use tongs to remove then off of the cactus.

PUMPKIN PANCAKES

5 ea Eggs ½ c Sugar 2 tsp Salt ½ c Vegetable Oil 2 c Buttermilk 2 c Pureed Pumpkin 2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice 2½ c Cake Flour 4½ tsp Baking Powder 2½ tsp Baking Soda 1.

Separate yolks from whites and cream yolks with sugar and salt.

2.

Slowly add oil into yolk mixture while mixer is going.

3.

Add buttermilk, pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice and mix well.

4.

Add flour, baking powder, and baking soda and mix well.

5.

Whip egg whites until stiff peaks form and fold into the batter.

6.

Spoon onto hot griddle that has been lightly buttered.

7.

Flip when edges become dry and bubbles start to appear in the center and pop.

It’s fall and pumpkins are already at the store so I thought this would be a great way to start the season. Serve with real maple syrup and butter. If you want to add some nuts, sprinkle walnuts or pecans onto each pancake before flipping. I used canned pumpkin because it was easier but you can always cook down a pumpkin and puree it. The batter will last several days in the refrigerator and is even better after it sets a day. Separating the eggs make the batter much more fluffy but you can cream the whole eggs with the sugar and salt and skip step 5 if time is an issue.

PUMPKIN SOUP ½ stick Butter 2 ea Carrots 4 ea Celery Ribs 1 ea Onion 4 ea Bay leaves 1 Tbs Garlic powder 1 Tbs Onion powder ½ gal Chicken Stock 2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice 3 drops Tabasco 1 can (29 oz) Puréed Pumpkin 1 qt Heavy whipping cream to thicken Roux 1.

Dice carrots, celery and onion into ¼” pieces.

2.

Heat the butter in a heavy bottomed stockpot and add the diced vegetables.

3.

Sauté until golden brown, stirring so as not to burn.

4.

Add chicken stock, onion and garlic powders, and bay leaves.

5.

Let simmer for 1 hour.

6.

Add pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, Tabasco and heavy whipping cream and bring to a boil.

7.

Thicken with roux.

Garnish with chopped green onions, toasted pumpkin seeds, fried garlic and/or a dollop of sour cream.

This is a great soup to serve on Thanksgiving for a starter. If you wanted to make this soup healthier you could use low fat milk in place of the cream and olive oil in place of the butter in both the sautéing and the roux. Roux is part flour and part melted butter made into a paste.

Of course that’s no fun. To make this soup vegetarian you would use vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock. You can replace the canned pumpkin with fresh pumpkin that has been cooked down and pureed but in this day and age it is hard to get a good baking pumpkin. You can also change the soup by replacing the spices and replacing the pumpkin with other types of squash or roasted red peppers.

ROASTED CHICKEN BREASTS Chicken Breasts with skin and bone Olive Oil Garlic Powder Onion Powder Kosher Salt Italian Seasoning 1.

Preheat oven to 450ºF. 2.

Place chicken (bone down/ skin up) in a baking pan and coat well with enough olive oil.

3.

Liberally sprinkle each of the remaining ingredients over the chicken.

4.

Bake for 1 hour.

I did this recipe a little different because it’s hard to use to many. So don’t be afraid of using too much. Also, you can do as many chicken breasts as you want. If you start overlapping the breasts you might have to leave them in just a little longer. After the hour check the center by cutting into it and making sure there is no pink inside.

When I bake in my oven I have two baking stones that I put on the top shelf and the bottom shelf so I get a more even bake. At the very high temperature, the chicken will come out extremely moist with a whole lot of flavor. You can use other spices such as tarragon with a half a lemon squeezed over each breast or some cumin and oregano with some lime.

You can serve the chicken with mashed potatoes, gravy (made from the drippings) and then some vegetables on Sunday night dinner and then use the leftovers to make a tasty soup. Just remove the meat (set a side) from the skin and bones and place in a stockpot with some sautéed carrots, celery, onions, spices and water. Simmer until you get all of the flavor out of the skin and bones (about an hour), add the meat back in after chopping or shredding and add some pasta. Yum! I like to have several roasted chicken breasts on hand so I can make a meal any time including eggs in the morning or a salad at lunch.

SALAD NICOISE Dressing ½ c Olive Oil ¼ c Red Wine Vinegar 2 Tbs Dijon Mustard 1 ea Lemon (juiced) 2 Tbs Chopped Fresh Basil 1 ea Chopped Garlic Clove ¼ c Capers to taste Salt & Pepper 1.

Mix together well and refrigerate until needed.

Salad 1 12 oz can Chunk Light Tuna 3 ea Baby Red Potatoes 3 ea Roma Tomatoes ½ lb Green Beans (trimmed) ½ ea Red Onion 3 ea Hard Boiled Eggs ½ c Kalamata Olives 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Boil or steam the potatoes and green beans.

Cool completely.

Drain tuna and place in the middle of a platter.

Cut each potato and tomato into 8 wedges and place around tuna on the platter.

Julienne red onions and place on platter.

Cut each egg into 4 wedges and place on platter.

Place green beans and olives on platter.

Pour dressing over whole salad.

This is a great summer salad. Salad Niḉoise (knee-SWAHZ) is a traditional dish from Nice, France. It is usually served with each ingredient arranged around the tuna on a bed of lettuce but is sometimes cut into smaller pieces and mixed together. Grilled fresh fish or smoked fish can be used in place of the canned tuna. Grilled chicken would also work. If you are in the mood for some greens add some spinach or some baby greens.

SALSA

6 ea Tomatoes 1 ea Red Onion 3 ea Green Chilies 1 Tbs Garlic Powder 1 Tbs Onion Powder ¼ tsp Tabasco to taste Kosher Salt 2 Tbs Fresh Chopped Cilantro

1.

Roast and dice the green chilies.

2.

Place 4 of the tomatoes and ½ of the onion in the blinder or food processor and puree.

3.

Dice the remaining tomatoes and onion.

4.

Pour into a saucepan with the diced tomato and onion, the garlic and onion powder and the diced green chilies.

5.

Bring to a boil then turn the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes stirring often.

6.

Remove from heat and add the Tabasco, salt and cilantro.

7.

Chill and serve.

There are very few salsas out on the market that don’t have starches to thicken or vinegar to increase the acidity for a really long shelf life so I like to make my own. I can also control the heat and freshness. If you like a hotter salsa add jalapeños or habaneros in place of the green chilies, habanero chilies being one of the hottest. You can also increase the amount of Tabasco.

I like to roast my own chilies because there is more flavor and the texture is better but you can always use canned. Canned will tend to have an acidic flavor.

Canned tomatoes will work also but you don’t have to cook it as long. Cooked tomatoes are a great source of lycopene, which is an antioxidant. Cooking the tomatoes helps in the absorption of the lycopene into the body. You can also get more from a tomato that has been vine-ripened as apposed to a tomato that was picked and then ripened. Lycopene is what makes a tomato red and is part of the carotenoid family. There have been studies that have shown that lycopene will help with lowering the bad cholesterol and help reduce heart disease, reducing the chances of certain types of cancer and could possibly help in the management of HIV and macular degenerative disease. I like to use salsa on a lot of different things because it adds a lot of flavor and without adding a lot of calories. Eggs especially.

SEARED TUNA 1 ea Tuna Steak 1 Tbs Black Sesame Seeds 1 Tbs White Sesame Seeds 2 Tbs Vegetable Oil 1.

Mix sesame seeds together and dip tuna to cover evenly.

2.

Preheat a heavy skillet on the stove until it is very hot.

3.

Add the oil and heat until it is slightly smoking (not burning).

4.

Place tuna into skillet searing the first side until golden then flipping to do the other side. Tuna should be red to pink in the middle.

This tuna can be served as an appetizer like I have shown here with shredded cabbage, wasabi, pickled ginger and soy sauce. It can also be served on a salad with greens, cabbage, mandarin oranges, and some green onions. And of course it can be used as a main dish with some rice and stir fried vegetables.

When searing a piece of fish it should be of good quality because fish should never be over cooked. Many stores receive their fish orders on Wednesdays and Saturdays. You should always ask. It is even better if it is sushi grade. Often the fish at the counter will be fresh frozen that they have thawed them selves. Places like Whole Foods will more often have fresh tuna but it can be several days old. Make sure that the tuna is a deep red with no browning. It should also not have any fishy flavor or smell or no sliminess to the surface. Any type of fish can be seared as long as it is fresh and of good quality.

SKORDALIA (Garlic Potato Dip)

1.

2.

3.

3 ea Potatoes 1 ea Fresh lemon juice â…“ c Olive Oil 4 ea Garlic cloves to taste Kosher salt

Peel, boil and mash potatoes.

Place in a food processor with rest of ingredients and puree until creamy.

Serve cold with warm pita bread.

This dip is a traditional Greek dish that is often served along side baba ganoush and hummus with pita bread. It is one of my favorites. Of course it has two of my favorite ingredients, garlic and potatoes. What’s not to like? Some of the recipes I have seen for skordalia have bread in them but I prefer it without. I have also seen it with just bread. I found some pita chips and used them in place of the pita bread.

SMOKED SALMON MOUSSE

1.

1 lb 8 oz 2 oz ½ tsp ½ tsp 1 ea ¼ tsp

Lox Cream Cheese Onion Garlic Powder Onion Powder Juice of lemon Tabasco

Place ingredients in a food processor and puree until creamy.

Smoked or grilled salmon (or trout) can also be used in place of the lox but salt will need to be added too. This is great with crackers or if you are planning a special tea party it will make great finger sandwiches. Just get the cheep wonder bread type bread and spread a thin layer on it. Top it with a second piece, trim the crust and cut into little sandwiches.

To make this lower in fat, you can use fat free cottage cheese and a tablespoon of red wine vinegar in place of the cream cheese.

SOUTHWESTERN SPAGHETTI SQUASH SALAD Dressing 2 ea Lime juice from fresh limes ¼ c Olive oil 1 tsp Cumin 3 drops Tabasco ¼ tsp Onion powder ¼ tsp Garlic powder 1 Tbs Chopped fresh oregano ½ tsp Kosher salt Salad 1 ea Spaghetti squash 2 ea Diced tomatoes ¼ c Diced red onion ½ c Diced green chilies (I like Anaheim chilies but Jalapeno will do for a spicier punch) 2 Tbs Fresh Chopped Cilantro 1 head Romaine Lettuce 1.

Bake spaghetti squash whole for 1 hour at 325°F and let cool.

2.

While squash is baking mix dressing ingredients together and refrigerate.

3.

Cut in half lengthwise.

4.

With a fork, remove seeds and trash and then remove the meat of the squash and place in a bowl.

5.

Toss salad ingredient together with the squash.

6.

Add dressing.

I love spaghetti squash and when I tell this to people they always ask me what to do with it.

Some people tell me that they mix it with spaghetti sauce, which is a great way to serve spaghetti to those of you who can’t have gluten. I will also sauté with butter, diced green chilies and onions, and cumin.

I garnished this salad with slices of avocado and a sprig of cilantro and served it with grilled salmon. Try serving with grilled seafood, grilled chicken or grilled pork.

This is a great summer salad except for having to bake the squash in the oven so try cutting it in half and grilling it out on the grill until tender.

SOUTHWESTERN VEGGIE DIP

1.

1 lb 2 Tbs 2 Tbs ½ tsp ½ tsp ½ tsp 1 tsp ¼ tsp 1 tsp pinch

Fat Free Cottage Cheese Roasted Green Chilies Red Wine Vinegar Ground Cumin Oregano Garlic Powder Onion Powder Tabasco Kosher salt White Pepper

Place ingredients in a food processor and puree until creamy.

I am not a cottage cheese person much less fat free but the vinegar gives this dip a cream cheesy flavor. You can change the flavor profile by using different spices in place of the cumin, oregano, and green chilies. The vinegar can also be changed. Try balsamic vinegar in place of the red wine vinegar with fresh basil and oregano. …Or better yet add a little blue cheese with that.

If you want a good fruit dip try fresh mint, white vinegar, some type of berry and a little sugar, leaving out the chilies cumin, oregano, and garlic.

This dip can be served with veggies, chips or as a dressing by increasing the amount of vinegar.

Cottage cheese is high in protein and has no fat as long as you use the fat free so there is no guilt.

SPANAKOPITA (Spinach Pie) ½ c Olive oil 1 lb Cleaned Fresh Spinach 1 c Crumbled Feta Cheese ½ ea Onion 5 ea Garlic Cloves 1 ea Large Egg 1 tsp Dill to taste White pepper 6 sheets Filo Dough (thawed)

1.

Dice onion and chop garlic then sauté in about 3 Tbs of the olive oil.

2.

Chop spinach into large pieces and add to onions and garlic.

3.

Sauté until onions are golden and spinach is just wilted.

4.

Let cool in a bowl then add remaining ingredients except for the filo dough and mix well.

5.

Carefully unroll the sheets of filo dough making sure that they don’t dry out with a damp towel covering them and place one sheet at a time layering them with a thin layer of the remaining olive oil leaving flaps out to fold over the top in a small oiled casserole dish.

6.

Place the spinach mixture in the filo dough and cover with the flaps of dough to incase the mixture.

7.

Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F for about 20 minutes until golden on top.

Most often you will see spanakopita as an appetizer as little triangle wrapped with filo dough but here I have done it as a pie which takes less time to make and works well as a vegetarian meal or a side vegetable with meat such as grilled salmon. This is a traditional Greek dish that is served at all times of the day, ether served hot or cold.

STEAK OSCAR

2 ea Beef Tenderloin Steaks

10 ea Asparagus Spears

4 oz Crab Meat

½ c Hollandaise Sauce (see Patricia’s recipe for Hollandaise Sauce in this book) 1.

2.

3.

Grill the steaks to the desired doneness.

Break off the bottom of the asparagus spears and steam until tender.

Place the spears, crab and the hollandaise sauce over the top of the steak and enjoy.

I would serve this with French fries because I love them with the hollandaise sauce. My steak will also be on the rare side because it will have more flavor but I know most people like it a little more cooked so if you can don’t cook it more then medium.

Oscar is the combination of the asparagus, crab and hollandaise sauce. You can make it over some nice grilled salmon, chicken or even a large portabella mushroom.

TEA SANDWICHES

Watercress 6 sl White Bread ½ c Chopped Watercress (fresh) ½ stick Unsalted Butter (room temperature) ¼ tsp Kosher Salt ¼ tsp Garlic Powder ¼ tsp Onion Powder

1.

Mix all ingredients except bread well.

2.

Spread mixture on 3 slices and top with remaining bread.

3.

Cut off crust and cut into 4 pieces.

Tomato 6 sl White Bread ½ stick Unsalted Butter (room temperature) 12 ea Tomato Slices (1/8” thick) to taste Kosher Salt 1.

Spread butter on each slice of bread.

2.

Place 4 tomato slices on 3 slices of the bread.

3.

Top with remaining bread.

4.

Cut off crust and cut into 4 pieces.

Note: Cucumber or radishes can replace the tomato.

Salmon 1 lb Smoked Salmon 8 oz Cream Cheese 2 oz Onion ½ tsp Garlic Powder ½ tsp Onion Powder 1 ea Juice of lemon ¼ tsp Tabasco 1.

2.

3.

Place ingredients in a food processor and puree until creamy.

Spread mixture on 3 slices and top with remaining bread.

Cut off crust and cut into 4 pieces.

Note: Any type of fish can replace the salmon and if you leave out the lemon juice you can use turkey or chicken.

Summer is here and tea parties are a fun way to spend time in the sun playing dress-up with a few friends.

Many people confuse high tea and afternoon tea. High tea is more like a dinner the farmers might have out in the fields and afternoon tea is what the Queen would have. Afternoon tea is served around 3:00-4:00 in the afternoon and is very formal. White gloves and beautiful garden hats are always a must. Scones and sweets are also often served at afternoon tea. I like little tartlets, shortbread cookies and little cakes.

TENDERLOIN IN PUFF PASTRY

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

1 ea 8 oz Tenderloin ½ oz Blue Cheese Crumbles 1 ea 5”x5” Puff Pastry Sheet 1 ea Egg 1 Tbs Water

Pre heat oven to 400°F. Sear the tenderloin on a grill (inside or out).

Place the blue cheese crumbles on top then wrap with the pastry sheet.

Mix the egg and water and apply lightly to the pastry.

Bake in the oven until golden, about 20 minutes.

When searing the tenderloin you should cook it to rare or medium rare so the steak will come out medium rare to medium after baking it in the oven. Everything can be done earlier in the day or the night before and then finished off right before service. I prefer mine on the rare side so I just sear it quickly and finish it in the oven.

Of course the blue cheese can be replaced with other cheese, grilled mushrooms, crabmeat, asparagus, green chilies or a combination of things. You can also leave it plain. You can then top it off with a nice sauce such as a demi-glase, which is a rich brown sauce, some hollandaise or béarnaise sauce or a rich cream sauce. Any will do quite nicely. If you want to add a little more flavor you can add some type of seasoning such as a blackening seasoning to the steak before searing. That would be great with a green chili cream sauce and the blue cheese. Yum!!!

THAI CHICKEN & LEMONGRASS SOUP 1 ea Onion ½ lb Chicken Breast 2 Tbs Oil 2 c Water 1 stick Lemon Grass 4 ea Cilantro Roots 5 Tbs Fresh Limejuice 1 inch Fresh Ginger 1 can Coconut Milk to taste Chili Paste 2 oz Mushrooms to taste Fish Sauce to taste Crushed Red Peppers 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Julienne the onions and chicken then sauté in oil until onions are caramelized.

Add the water and bring to a boil.

Smash the lemon grass and chop. Add to soup.

Peel and chop the ginger. Add to soup.

Add the coconut milk, chili paste, limejuice, salt and mushrooms.

Add the crushed red peppers and serve.

Garnish with fresh cilantro.

For those of you that have never had Thai food it tends to be on the very spicy hot side. I am a wimp though so I leave out most of the chilies. In this recipe I’ve used some very traditional ingredients but if you have trouble finding them they can be replaced with others. The lemon grass can be replaced with additional limejuice, the cilantro roots can be replaced with cilantro leaves, fish sauce can be replaced with chicken base. This will change the flavor slightly but will work.

THAI COCONUT LIME PORK

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

2 c Rice 3 Tbs Oil 1 lb Diced Pork 1 ea Onion 13.5 fl oz Coconut Milk 2 Tbs Chopped Fresh Ginger 1 Tbs Chopped Fresh Mint 1 ea Juice of Lime to taste Kosher Salt.

Cook rice according to directions.

Julian onions.

Heat oil in a large wok then sauté pork until golden brown.

Add onions and sauté.

Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients.

Serve the mixture over the rice.

Pork is popular in Thailand and every part of the pig is used. It is also used with a wide variety of ingredients. Thai Food is normally spicy HOT but can be toned down for wimps like me. It is also very fresh tasting because you don’t cook it long. It is very balanced in all of the different flavors. Some of the key ingredients consist of Thai chilies, coconut milk, sticky rice, fresh cilantro, fresh basil, mint, ginger, curry, lemon grass, and limes.

This dish has no heat to it but can be made with crushed red chilies to spice it up some. Lemon grass can be used in place of or along with the limejuice. It is easy to substitute the meat to make it vegetarian by adding diced eggplant and/or tofu. Rice is eaten with just about everything. This dish would normally be served with a cucumber salad would be followed by fresh fruit for dessert. Chopsticks are not used, except with Chinese type noodles, in Thailand but the fingers and spoon & fork are. When using the fingers the food is rolled into little balls with the rice.

THAI CURRY CHICKEN SALAD

1.

2.

4 ea Cooked Chicken Breasts ¼ c Mayonnaise 2 Tbs Diced Red Onion ¼ c Diced Celery 3 Tbs Coconut 1 tsp Oriental Curry Powder ¼ c Julienne Fresh Basil to taste Salt & Pepper

Cut chicken into ½ inch chunks.

Mix ingredients together and refrigerate.

You can serve this over some fresh chopped cabbage or lettuce and garnish it with some carrots, steamed and chilled broccoli, chopped green onions and fresh lime wedges for a refreshing salad. You can also make a sandwich out of it. For a plain chicken salad you can leave out the coconut, curry powder and basil. Or, if you want a more Indian style curry chicken use Indian curry, cashews in place of the coconut and leave out the basil.

If you want some spice, try adding some red chili flakes. Thai food is typically very spicy. It is also very flavorful. Coconut milk, chilies, lemon grass, cilantro, and basil, are what create the flavors. Thai food is always fresh with very little cooking.

THAI CURRY CHICKEN 2 c Rice 2 ea Chicken Breasts 3 Tbs Oil 3 ea Carrots 2 c Broccoli 1 ea Onion 3 ribs Celery 1 ea Eggplant 2 Tbs Chicken Base 13.5 fl oz Coconut Milk 2 Tsp Oriental Curry Powder 3 Tbs Cornstarch 2 c Cold Water ¼ c Julian Fresh Basil 1.

Cook rice according to directions.

2.

Cut chicken into ½ inch chunks.

3.

Cut carrots lengthwise down the center and then into thin ½ moons. Cut broccoli into small florets. Julian onions. Cut Celery into thin ½ moons. Dice Eggplant into ½ inch chunks.

4.

Heat oil in a large wok then sauté chicken.

5.

Add rest of veggies and sauté.

6.

Mix cold water, cornstarch and curry powder.

7.

Mix the coconut milk and chicken base together.

8.

When the veggies are tender, add the coconut milk mixture and the cornstarch mixture.

9.

Continue cooking until the sauce thickens and becomes slightly glossy.

10. Remove from heat and add the fresh basil.

11. Serve the mixture over the rice.

This is mildly spicy. If you want it spicier double the amount of curry powder. If you want it really spicy, triple it and watch out. You can add crushed red peppers too for something different For those of you that are vegetarians, replace the chicken with tofu and vegetable base. Or try it with potatoes in place of the chicken. You can always replace any of the veggies with other veggies. Go for it!

The coconut milk is the fattening part so you could leave it out but it will change the flavor.

Eggplant is always a tricky one. When picking out an eggplant, there is a trick. If you look at the end (I call it the belly button, on the opposite end of the stem), look for it to have a line as opposed to a dot. This will be sweet not bitter.

TORTILLA ESPAŇOLA (Potato & Onion Cake)

½ c Olive oil 3 ea Medium onions 4 ea Medium russet potatoes 6 ea Large eggs, beaten to taste Salt & white pepper 1.

Peel, quarter and slice onions and potatoes 1/4 “ thick.

2.

Heat oil in a 9” nonstick or cast-iron skillet.

3.

Add onions and sprinkle with salt & pepper.

4.

Cook over medium heat until soft.

5.

Strain onions in a strainer over a bowl and return oil to pan.

6.

Cook potatoes over medium heat until golden and a little crunchy.

7.

Strain and return oil to the skillet.

8.

Mix onions, potatoes and eggs in a bowl.

9.

Reheat oil in skillet and pour 1/3 of the mixture in.

10. Cook over medium heat until the bottom is set, the top will still be runny.

11. Cover skillet with a lid and quickly invert tortilla and just as quickly slide it back into the pan.

12. Cook until set. Tortilla should have a little give when pressed in the center and the sides should be firm.

13. Turn tortilla out onto a platter and let it rest at least 15 minutes before serving. The Tortilla can be chilled before serving but should be brought back to room temperature.

14. Repeat 2 additional times.

This is a popular tapas which is a Spanish appetizer served in a bar with a cocktail. It should be served with allioli, which is basically a garlicky mayonnaise.

This is a great appetizer when doing a party because you can make it up a day or two a head of time and refrigerate, then let set at room temperature before serving. The leftovers work well for breakfast the next morning.

TROPICAL GRANOLA 8 c Old Fashioned Thick Rolled Oats 0.75 lb Tropical Fruit Medley (from Vitamin Cottage) ½ c Crystallized Ginger 1 c Raw Coconut 1 c Raw Macadamia Nuts ¼ c Flax Seeds 1 c Raw Sunflower Seeds ½ c Corn Oil ½ c Honey 1 Tbs Vanilla 1.

Pre heat oven to 300ºF. 2.

Dice fruit into ¼” pieces and add to oats in a large mixing bowl.

3.

Dice ginger into 1/8” pieces before measuring and add to oat mixture along with nuts and seeds.

4.

Add oil and vanilla and mix well.

5.

Drizzle honey in parts while mixing.

6.

Place on 2 sheet pans lined with foil and place in oven for 10 minutes.

7.

Remove from oven and stir.

8.

Place back in oven for 6 minutes then remove and stir again.

9.

Repeat until golden brown. About 30 minutes.

I found all of the ingredients at Vitamin Cottage. If you don’t like one of the fruits in the tropical fruit medley then you can get each of the ingredients by them selves so you can leave one out or replace it with something else. You can also replace or delete any of the seeds or nuts.

You can cut back on the honey by adding ¼ c brown sugar with ¼ c honey to give it a maple flavor.

Granola is a great way to get lots of fiber, protein and energy for the day. As I have said before oatmeal is good for lowering cholesterol.

TUNA MELT 1 can Tuna 2 Tbs Mayonnaise 1 Tbs Fresh Lemon Juice 1 Tbs Chopped Red Onion 1 Tbs Chopped Celery 1 Tbs Chopped Fresh Tarragon 1 pinch White Pepper 2 slices Sourdough Bread 3 slices Swiss Cheese 4 slices Tomato Butter 1.

Drain tuna and add the first seven ingredients, mixing will.

2.

Build sandwich from the bottom piece of bread up with tuna, tomato and then Swiss cheese.

3.

Butter each side and grill until golden and cheese is melted.

The tarragon gives the tuna a slightly different but enjoyable flavor of licorice. As always you can leave it out or replace it with other fresh herbs. The amounts can also be increased or decreased. Adding avocado, sprouts and/or lettuce be used with or replace the tomato. And of course, there are so many types of cheese that will work with this sandwich if Swiss is not your cup of tea.

If you can get a hold of some fresh tuna, grilled will work in place of the canned. Fresh grilled salmon is always a tasty alternative and you can replace the mayonnaise with olive oil for a healthier version. Although I have heard that eating mayonnaise will reduce the chances of getting cancer. Of course I don’t remember whom or where I had heard it from so don’t quote me on that one. I love mayonnaise so I am always looking for an excuse to eat it on something.

ZWIEBELKUCHEN (German Onion Cake) Dough ½ oz Yeast 1 c Milk (lukewarm) 2½ c Cake Flour pinch Sugar ½ tsp Salt 3 Tbs Butter Topping 1½ ea Extra Large Yellow Onions 5 oz Raw Bacon 1 c Sour Cream 2 ea Eggs ½ tsp Salt pinch Nutmeg pinch Pepper 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

Heat oven to 425ºF. Mix 2 Tbs flour, yeast, and sugar together then mix in milk.

Set aside in a warm place.

Cut butter into remaining flour and salt. Set aside.

Dice bacon and Julian the onions.

Add milk mixture into the flour mixture and mix until it forms a ball.

Cover and set aside in a warm place.

Sautee bacon and onions until the onions start to caramelize. Let cool.

Mix remaining topping ingredients in a separate bowl and add the onions and bacon.

Place dough into the bottom of a greased spring form pan and top with onion mixture.

Bake in oven for about 30 minutes.

When we visit family in Germany life stops at around 4:00 pm so we can eat cake or pastries. I will watch my watch to make sure I don’t miss out. In the fall there are about 2 weeks that you can get new wine and the Zwiebelkuchen is often served with it. …So at 4:00 pm we stopped and had some Zwiebelkuchen and new wine in one of the small towns. It was one of the most memorable meals I had in Germany and I will often crave it. It isn’t easy to find new wine here so I serve it with a nice Riesling.

I created a warm place to let the dough steps rest by placing a container with about 2 cups of water in the microwave and heating it for about 3 minutes. I then place the dough in the microwave with the container of hot water the door shut.

Be Creative, Have Fun and Enjoy!