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Mar 14

Milanesi

SILKEN RISOTTOS

Like the fruit desserts discussed two weeks ago (Feb. 29, 2024), risottos are another dish perfect for the in-between season that’s early spring. It’s welcomingly warming, when the air still has a chill, yet refreshingly light to satisfy our cravings for change from the heavily fortifying dishes of winter. For me, they’re especially seasonal, because I became a risotto fan on a beautiful, sunny but cold day in March.

I’d eaten risottos, and living in Italy, learned to make them but not being a big fan of rice, I was indifferent, until a certain train ride. I bumped into a friend in the Milan Train Station, and he convinced me to wait for the noon ‘Rapido’ rather than take the regular morning train to Florence. The trains arrived there at about the same time but he insisted the Rapido served a wonderful luncheon.

Having been in Italy long enough to know that, in a country full of ‘foodies’ and great restaurants, when a busy doctor alters his schedule to accommodate a specific meal, it was special. We made reservations in the Dining Car, rather than booking seats, because the high speed train condensed the travel time to just enough for a leisurely lunch.

I had misgivings when I learned the ‘star’ of this feast was a risotto, but was assured it was the best Risotto Milanese in all Italy. Any doubts disappeared when a steaming soup plate was set before me. The contents were creamy, with a lovely golden color and the most tantalizing aroma. Too hot to ‘dig in’ I took tiny spoonfulls from around the edge, in the Italian style of eating a risotto and with each was more converted into a fan. It remains one of my best food memories-ever!

There are two secrets to making risotto. The first, of course, is to use the proper grain of rice. To achieve the creamy texture round rice is best. Round grains can absorb enough liquid to swell three times their size, combining a creamy texture while remaining al dente.

The Po Valley in Italy is the largest rice growing region in Europe and the preferred risotto rice is Vialone nano, which is rarely exported. Gourmet stores may carry Carniola, if possible choose superfino, but the easiest found suitable rice, outside Italy, is Arborio. Chinese markets carry a round grain for their ‘sticky rice’ as well.

The second secret is the practice of adding liquid in increments, while stirring, over a period of time so the rice absorbs each addition before the next goes into the pot. This allows the rice to swell gradually and the flavors of the liquid to infuse the grains. It also allows the natural starch to be released and create the creamy texture.

Italian traditionalists differentiate between ‘classic’ risotto made as directed above and the popular risottos often found on menus, like seafood and primavera. The hallmark of classic risotto is its ‘silky creaminess’. It allows for added ingredients and flavorings but they aren’t permitted to disrupt the General Directions for Cooking Risotto General Directions for Cooking Risotto overall smooth texture. In other risottos, the rice is more of a foil or bedding for the ingredients, as in paella, and frequently the rice is cooked normally with all the liquid added at once.

Since the experience which taught me to love risottos was based, in large part, on the uniqueness of the texture, I’m going to focus on recipes for the ‘classic’ version in this post. I’ll start with the best recipe I’ve ever found for Risotto Milanese from the established expert on Italian cooking, Elizabeth David. She points out there are several versions. Below is the most popular, with a chicken base.

RECIPES**
General Directions for Cooking Risotto: Known as Risotto Bianco when made with water
Step 1-Bring water or stock to a boil, reduce heat and hold at simmer. Remember the liquid must be kept hot all through cooking.
Step 2-Melt butter and/or oil in a heavy pan and sauté onion (and garlic or other flavorings) until soft.
Step 3-Add rice and stir to coat with the fat. Sauté, stirring, for 1-2 min. over medium heat
Step 4-Ladel some of the hot stock into the rice and stir until absorbed. Any other liquids stated in the recipe are added with the broth unless otherwise directed
Step 5-. Repeat until all the stock is gone. Maintain risotto at a simmer but do not let it boil. Add stock in smaller amounts toward the end. Cooking time should be about 30 min. Grains should be slightly al dente and the mixture creamy, not runny. Serve HOT!

Step 6- If substituting a flavored liquid, wine, juice, a reduction, for an equal amount of the base liquid, add it at the end of the cooking or the flavor will be lost in boiling.


**Five of the recipes below are from the Hermes House book Perfect Risotto. They were adjusted to the U.S. system of measurements

Risotto Veronese*: Serves 4-From Italian Food by Elizabeth David

4 servings of Risotto Bianco –kept hot.
Salsa Veronese

2 Tbs. butter-melted
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion-chopped
1 clove garlic-chopped OR ¼ tsp.garlic powder
1 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley OR 1 tsp. dried
1 tsp. flour
½ lb. raw button mushrooms-diced
Sauté the onion, then add garlic, then add parsley in the butter and oil just until soft. Sprinkle flour over d stir to mix well. Add mushrooms. The juice from the mushrooms as they cook should provide enough moisture to make a sauce. If not add a bit of white wine. Spoon salsa, very hot, over risotto, and serve.
*NOTE: A Venetian version of this dish called Risotto Secole, substitutes thin slivers of meat, raw or leftover for the mushrooms

Risotto Milanese:

Serves 4-From Italian Food by Elizabeth David
5 cups simmering stock-chicken-Optionally include ½ cup white wine
Good sized pinch of Saffron threads
6 Tbs. butter
1 onion finely chopped
1 ½ cups Arborio or Carniola rice-See above
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
Ladle a little of the broth into a bowl and sprinkle the saffron threads over to infuse. Sauté the onion in 6 Tbs. of melted butter until soft-about 3 min. Stir in the rice and coat well, add the saffron and soaking liquid, and a bit of hot stock, stirring until it’s absorbed. Follow steps 4&5 above. When the rice is ready, stir in 2/3 cup of cheese and reserved butter until mixture is smooth. Serve in a warmed bowl garnished with the reserved cheese.

Shrimp Risotto:

Serves 4
12 large raw shrimp- shelled and cleaned-shells reserved
1 Bay leaf
2 tsp. dried parsley
1 Tsp. whole black peppercorns
2 cloves garlic-peeled
5 cups water
5 Tbs. butter
2 shallots finely chopped
1 ½ cups Arborio or Carniola rice
1Tbs.tomato paste softened in
½ cup white wine
Salt and pepper
Bring the water to a boil and cook the shrimp for 4 min. until pink. Remove and cool. Add the shrimp shells and the next 4 ingredients to the water and boil for 10 min. Strain. Slice the shrimp in ½ lengthwise and chop all but 4 halves. Sauté the shallots in 4 Tbs. butter until soft, stir in shrimp, add the rice and stir for 1-2 min. Stir in the tomato paste and wine. Begin adding the stock, following steps 4&5 until rice is cooked. Finish with the reserved butter, salt and pepper. Garnish with reserved shrimp.

Chicken and Ham Risotto:

Serves 4
2 Tbs. oil
8 oz. chicken breast in 1 inch cubes
1 onion- finely chopped
1 garlic clove-finely chopped
¼ tsp. saffron threads
2 oz. Parma Ham in thin strips-suitable substitute is prosciutto
2 ¼ cups Arborio or Carniola rice
½ cup white wine
7 ½ cups stock
2 Tbs. butter
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Sauté the chicken in the oil until it turns white. Reduce heat and stir in the garlic, saffron and ham, stir until onion is soft. Add the rice and stir 1-2 min. to coat. Add the wine, bring to a boil and stir until almost absorbed. Begin to add the stock and follow steps 4&5 until rice is cooked. Finish with butter and garnish with cheese.

Asparagus Risotto:

Serves 4
2 Tbs. oil
1 onion finely chopped
2 crushed garlic cloves
1 full cup Arborio or Carniola rice
1/3 cup white wine
6 ½ cups vegetable stock
8 oz. asparagus spears in 1 inch slices
4 Tbs. butter
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Sauté the onion and garlic in the oil until softened but not brown-about 10 min. Add the rice and stir for 1-2 min. until coated; add the wine, stir until absorbed and begin to add the stock following steps 4&5. After 10min. add the asparagus stalk pieces and 5 min. later add the tips. When the rice is cooked, finish with the butter and garnish with the cheese.

Pepper Risotto:

Serves 4
3 Red bell peppers, roasted, skinned and sliced
2 Tbs. oil
3 garlic cloves-sliced
(1 ½) 14 oz. cans diced tomatoes
2 Bay leaves
2 ¼ cups Arborio or Carniola rice
6 cups + vegetable stock
6 fresh Basil leaves-snipped
Salt and pepper
Sauté the garlic and tomatoes gently in the oil for 5 min. Add the Bay leaves and peppers and cook for 10 min. more. Add the rice and stir for 2 min. then begin to add the stock following steps 4&5.When the rice is ready, season to taste, remove from heat, cover and allow to stand for 10 min. Stir in the Basil and serve.

Risotto Timbale with Ham and Peas:

Serves 4
6 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. oil
1 onion finely diced
1/3 cup ham-finely diced
3 Tbs. parsley
2 garlic cloves-chopped
2 cups fresh or frozen peas
4 Tbs. water
1 ½ cups Arborio or Carniola rice
5 cups vegetable or meat stock
1cup grated Parmesan cheese
¾ cup Fontina cheese-sliced
Salt and pepper
Parsley to garnish
Sauté the onion in the oil and half the butter until soft, add ham and cook for 2 min. add the garlic and parsley and cook for 2 min. Add the peas, seasonings and water and cook covered for 8 min. for fresh peas,4 min. for frozen. Remove lid and continue cooking until liquid has evaporated. Reserve half the peas. Butter a round cake pan and line it with greased paper. Sprinkle with a little Parmesan. Stir the rice into the pea mixture in the pan and begin adding stock following steps 4&5. Preheat oven to 350 deg. and when rice is ready, stir in seasoning, most of the reserved butter and half the Parmesan. Spoon half the risotto into the prepared pan. Cover with a layer if Fontina, the reserved peas and ham, half the remaining Parmesan and top with the rest of the Fontina slices. Spoon the rest of the risotto over, dot with remaining butter, top with the rest of the Parmesan and bake for 15 min. Let stand for 10 min. To unmold, run a knife around the pan edge and invert onto a serving plate. Tap the bottom of the pan to let the risotto drop out, remove the paper and garnish with parsley. Serve in wedges.

Mar 7

HERE’S TO IRELAND

HERE’S TO IRELAND

This is a reprint of my 2022 article for this holiday describing my book Some Saint Patrick’s Day Recipes .I have one update to add, you’ll find it below under Corning Directions*.

Saint Patrick’s Day has changed over the past decades. Fewer people make it a point to wear green and dyed carnations aren’t sold on every corner. But local pubs still serve green beer and come dinner time most Americans make it a point to eat Irish. However, ‘eating Irish’ has changed a bit as well.

Corned beef, formerly a market staple, especially in winter, is now available for only a few weeks and the price is anything but the budget favorite Grandma loved.  Add to that the time it takes to cook and it’s obvious why the traditional Saint Patrick’s corned beef and cabbage dinner is no longer a given on that day, especially if it’s a weekday.

However there are new, delicious ways to enjoy Irish cuisine all year long. Soda Bread has become popular and is wonderful served with the Irish cheeses now in markets but, for me, the best Irish culinary import is Kerry Gold butter. It’s richer with more taste and proof of the old slogan: ”Butter makes everything better.” For anyone who’s ever tasted butter in Europe and noticed the difference, this brings back memories.

This book Some Saint Patrick’s Day Recipes covers everything from appetizers to coffee, even leftovers.  There are the traditional dinners, Corned Beef and Cabbage and Irish Stew, as well as a quick, fun 30 min. substitute and directions for ‘corning’ beef, and ham, which incidentally is an easy, fast process (see directions below). There are also plenty of recipes in which to use that delicious butter. Whatever your schedule or budget the book shows ways to ‘eat Irish’ not just on Saint Patrick’s Day but all year. A sampling of recipes is below and the book’s complete list of contents follows. Find the book on Kindle and on this site in the books section.

RECIPES

Parsley Pinwheels:
1 can Crescent Rolls
½ bunch of fresh parsley-stems removed and chopped
(1) 4oz package of cream cheese
Lemon Pepper
Garlic powder
Roll the roll dough out slightly to get rid of the perforations and make one rectangle. Spread with the cheese; sprinkle lightly with the lemon pepper and garlic, distribute the parsley evenly over the top. Roll up and cut into ½ -3/4 inch slices. Place on a baking sheet and cook according to package directions

Pea Soup with Mint: Serves 2 in bowls
Sauté a medium onion in 1Tbs. canola oil, then added 1lb. of frozen peas, 3 sprigs of fresh mint and 1qt. of chicken broth. After simmering these ingredients for 20 min. puree the soup. Usually no other seasoning is needed, but check for taste optionally adding salt and pepper. Serve hot or chilled. Garnish with sour cream and a sprig of fresh mint.

Classic Corned Beef and Cabbage: Serves 6 *See NOTE below for corning directions
4 lb. cut of corned beef
1 large or 2 small heads of cabbage- enough for a generous sized wedge per person
5-6 white potatoes-whole or halved- for number of servings -unpeeled
6 Peeled carrots, halved–optional
1 qt. or more of chicken broth—enough to cover the meat and potatoes in the pot
Reserve the seasonings from the corning wrapper. Trim all excess fat off the meat, rinse meat well and put it in a deep pot with the seasonings and enough broth to cover. Simmer until fork tender, about 1 1/2 hrs.
Add potatoes and carrots if using and cook another hour. Add cabbage about 45 min before serving.
Slice roast and serve hot with vegetables, pot liquid on the side. Store leftover meat in pot liquid.
ALTERNATIVELY: Put potatoes and carrots in a slow cooker. Top with beef, 3cups broth and seasonings. Cook on low 6 hr. Cut cabbage in 2 inch wedges, add to the cooker and cook on low 2 hr. more. Serve and store as above.


Corning Directions:

For Beef:

For 5-6 lbs. of beef –any cut—Allow to marinate 36 hrs. to 8 days- Adjust ingredient amounts according to the poundage of the cut being corned.
8 cups water
1 cup salt
3 Tbs. brown sugar
1 bay leaf
6 peppercorns
1 clove garlic-minced
¼ tsp. choice of any or all—whole allspice, paprika, ginger, mustard powder, nutmeg or mace.-I use all
Trim the meat of fat, wipe with a damp cloth and pierce all over with a fork. Place in a glazed ceramic, glass or enameled pan that fits comfortably and is deep enough to allow for full immersion in the brine. Put all the above spices and seasonings in 4 cups warm water and stir to dissolve the sugar and salt. Pour over the beef. Add enough water to cover the meat by 1 inch. Place a weighted plate on top and leave to marinate in a cool or cold place for at least 3 days, better 5-8. (Alternatively, place the meat and marinade in a plastic bag. Leave extra air space close, and put the bag in the bowl.
 With refrigerator space on the bottom shelf, it can be made all year.

Corning Ham:
1 ½ lb. lobe cut from a ham
Omit the water and salt from the above list of ingredients
Measure half quantities of the remaining spices and seasonings.
Mix those items and use them as a dry rub for the ham. Seal the ham in a plastic bag and refrigerate it for 5-7 days. Remove from plastic, leaving rub on, cover with broth and cook as for corned beef. The taste was close enough to corned beef to fool everyone who ate it, even sliced cold, and the price difference was well, the difference between beef and ham.


*Pork Butt or Boston Butt: I haven’t tested this as yet, but intend to before winter’s end. Unfortunately, all my pieces from this cut of meat are frozen. So here’s a chance for you to blaze a trail if you choose. The texture and grain of pork but are similar to that of beef brisket. The taste is sufficiently neutral to allow the corning to properly infuse it and I feel certain it would make an excellent substitute for corned beef.   Please check my post from Jan.19, 2023 to learn about pork or Boston Butt.

Corned Beef Hash: Serves 4-additional variations in the book
2 cups cooked corned beef—diced
2 cups boiled potatoes—leftover, or microwaved in jackets 2-3mins depending on size—diced
1 small onion—diced
½ cup milk or cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients. The mixture can be formed into patties and browned in a pan, or spooned into individual greased casseroles. For casseroles use a spoon to make an indention in the center and bake in a 350deg. oven 30 min. until brown. Break an egg into each indentation and bake for @10min more. Serving hint; pass ketchup on the side.

A Light Lite Dessert: 1 scoop Lime sherbet per serving
green Crème de Menthe liqueur
Put a scoop of sherbet in each dessert dish. Poke a hole in the center with the handle of a wooden spoon and pour the liqueur in just to fill and slightly overflow. Serve at once.

Irish Coffee: Serves 1
5-6 oz. fresh, hot black coffee
11/2 oz. Irish whiskey
1 tsp. sugar
Sweetened whipped cream
Warm an 8oz goblet with very hot water. A mug will do. Pour in whiskey, fill with coffee, add sugar and stir to dissolve. Top with a generous glob of whipped cream. Garnish with a dash of cinnamon.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction –
Traditional Brisket Cut
“Flat” and “Point”
“Corning” Defined
General Cooking
Optional Corned Cuts
Use of a Slow Cooker
Cost
Home Corning
Ham
Canned Corned Beef
Canapes
First Courses
Entrees
Leftovers
Salads
Breads
Desserts
Finale
Corning Directions
Beef
Ham

Feb 29

FRUIT DESSERTS ANTICIPATING SPRING

FRUIT DESSERTS ANTICIPATING SPRING

People who live in four-season climates gain an acute awareness of spring’s approach. From late February, when they first notice increasing daylight hours, they watch the temperature, while keeping an eye on trees for buds and the ground for green shoots. They start craving lighter foods, specifically to replace the spicy rich desserts of winter with fruit based ones.

This isn’t modern behavior and some of the best recipes to appease it are hundreds of years old. Because spring fruit crops are still months from harvest, the desserts were made with preserved, or later, canned fruit, and still can be, but fortunately for us, we now have frozen fruits and most spring berries, fresh, in markets all year as well as apples.. As with most antique recipes, they’re simple to make and unlike commercial fruit desserts, served warm, which is perfect, since it’s still cold outside.

So let’s take a walk in time and look at 9 old desserts which are really delicious and as current now as they ever were, deserving of revival. You and your family will love them—Promise!

RECIPES-The fruits cited below, including rhubarb, are interchangeable 12 oz. of berries =2 cups. Be cautious of using strawberries alone. The extra water they contain tends to make pastry runny.

Easy Peach Bread Pudding: Serves 8—Recipe by jowolf2 at allrecipes.com

2 cups fresh, frozen or canned peaches*

(1) 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

3 eggs-lightly beaten

1 ¼ cups hot water

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla

¼ cup butter- melted

4 cups French bread –torn into small pieces

Preheat an oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Chop the peaches and lightly mash them in a mixing bowl. Combine the sweetened condensed milk and the eggs; add them to the peaches and mix well. Stir in the hot water, melted butter, cinnamon, and vanilla. Stir the French bread into to the custard mixture until the bread is completely moistened. Turn the pudding into the prepared baking dish. Bake until a knife inserted in the center of the pudding comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.

*Frozen peaches may need a bit of extra sugar

Clafoutis-Master Recipe: Serves 6-8

1) Have ready a greased ovenproof container equal in capacity to a 9 inch round cake pan. For a larger quantity double the size of the pan or use 2 pans.

2) Preheat oven to 350 deg.

3) You will need 3 cups, or 1 ¼ -1 ½ lb. fresh, prepared fruit, pitted and/or cored, peeled and sliced if large or equal amount of canned, well drained.

4) NOTE-Store leftovers chilled—if you have any

Batter

1 ¼ cups milk (or ¾-1 cup milk and ¼-1/2 cups heavy cream or half-and-half)

3 eggs

1/3 cup sugar

1 Tbs. vanilla

1/8 tsp. salt

2/3 cup sifted flour

1/3 cup sugar

Powdered sugar to sprinkle as garnish

If using a blender, add first 6 ingredients in order listed and blend 1 min. at top speed. If using a mixer, beat the eggs first, then add the solids and finally the liquid. Beat until smooth.

Pour about ¼ of the batter into the pan and bake 3-5 min. until set. Arrange fruit on top of the baked batter, sprinkle with the extra 1/3 cup sugar, and pour the rest of the batter over all. Bake in the center of the oven for about an hour, until puffed and golden and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Garnish with sprinkled powdered sugar just before serving.

The Clafoutis will fall a bit as it cools and is best served warm.

Cherry Clafoutis: Serves 6-8

Fresh pitted cherries or canned, drained Bing cherries.

¼ cup kirsch or cognac

1/3 cup sugar

Marinate cherries in above ingredients for 1 hr. Replace equal amount of the milk with the marinating liquid, omit the second 1/3 cup sugar sprinkled over the fruit in the master recipe and proceed as directed.

Apple Crisp: Serves 4

2 cups apples-peeled, cored and cubed OR 12 oz. berries

¼ cup sugar

½ cup chopped walnuts
Sprinkle cinnamon-for apples

1 egg

½ cup of flour

½ cup sugar

3/4 cup butter- melted

Lightly grease a 9 inch pie plate. Fill with apples, top with ¼ cup sugar, cinnamon and nuts. Beat egg until foamy, beat in butter, flour and remaining sugar until batter is smooth. Pour over berries. Bake in a preheated 325 deg. oven until browned, about 45 min. This is best served warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

NOTE: Peeled apples brown but this can be stored, using berries, in the pie plate, covered, and the batter in a container in the refrigerator for about 3 days. Combine and bake. Probably can also be reheated in the microwave the day after baking.

Rhubarb Kutchen: Serves 6

¾ + 2 Tbs. flour 2-3 cups rhubarb in1 inch pieces

1 Tbs. sugar *Meringue*

¼ tsp. salt 2 egg whites

¼ cup butter 1/8 tsp. salt

2 Tbs. chopped nuts 6 Tbs. sugar

1 egg yolk beaten lightly ½ tsp. vanilla

1 egg yolk 2 drips cider vinegar

1 cup sugar

¼ cup flour

Stir together the first 3 dry ingredients in column I. Cut in butter. Stir in nuts and lightly beaten egg yolk until well mixed. Press into the bottom of an 8 x 12 inch pan. Beat other egg yolk well, stir in next 2 ingredients, add rhubarb, and pour mixture into the pan… Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven 45mins. Remove from oven, and reduce temperature to 325 degrees. Meanwhile, have made *Meringue* by beating room temperature egg whites until soft peaks form, add vinegar and beat to incorporate, likewise with vanilla. Gradually add sugar and beat until whites are stiff and glossy. Spread Meringue over fruit, return to oven and bake until delicately brown-about 10 min. Serve at room temperature.

Berry Cobbler: Serves 4-Recipe by USA WEEKEND columnist Pam Anderson 
4 tablespoons butter

¾ cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup milk

2 cups of sliced fresh peaches or nectarines, or whole blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries or a combination of fruits (or a 12-ounce package of frozen berries)

1 tablespoon sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 deg. with rack in the upper-middle position. Butter an 8-inch square or 9-inch round pan; place in the oven until butter is melted. Remove the pan from the oven and set aside. Whisk flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in milk until batter is smooth. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Scatter fruit over batter. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar.

Bake until the top is lightly browned and fruit bubbles, 50 to 60 min. Serve warm or room temperature

Mixed Berry Buckle: Serves 8-10- from-https://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/2008-blueberry-buckle

Crumb Topping:

1 cup flour

½ cup brown sugar, packed

6 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted

½ tsp table salt

½ tsp cinnamon

Berry Buckle:

½ cup whole milk

2 large eggs

4 Tbs unsalted butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup flour

½ cup white sugar, divided

1½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp lemon zest

½ tsp table salt

1 cup blueberries

1 cup raspberries, halved crosswise

1 cup strawberries, hulled & quartered

Preheat the oven to 350 deg. Line the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper then coat the pan with cooking spray.

Prepare the streusel by combining the flour, brown sugar, melted butter, salt, and cinnamon together in a small bowl and mix until well combined and crumbly. Place into the refrigerator for 10 minutes before using. 

Prepare the cake by whisking together the milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla in a small bowl until well combined. 

In a larger bowl, combine the flour, 1/4 cup of white sugar, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt until well combined. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir until just combined. The batter will be thick.

Mix the remaining 1/4 cup of white sugar to the bowl of berries and toss to combine. Immediately pour half of the berry mixture into the cake batter and gently stir to combine. 

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan then spoon the remaining berries evenly on top.

Sprinkle the top evenly with the crumb topping. Place into the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes, turning halfway during baking time, until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the cake pan for 2 hours.

To remove, run a sharp thin-bladed knife around the cake’s edges. Place a large plate over the cake and invert the cake onto the plate upside down. Next, put a serving plate on top (of the bottom of the cake) and flip so the cake is top-side up. If you’re baking the cake in a spring form pan, simply remove the sides before the cake has fully cooled.

Slice and serve plain, with whipped cream, or a scoop of ice cream. 

Blueberry Grunt: Serves 4 –From-https://www.food.com/recipe/best-blueberry-grunt

4 cups blueberries (frozen or fresh)

1 cup granulated sugar

1⁄2 cup water

1⁄2 tsp lemon juice

2 cups flour

1⁄4 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1⁄2  tsp. salt

2 Tbs. butter

1 cup milk

4 cups blueberries (frozen or fresh)

1 cup granulated sugar

1⁄2 cup water

1⁄2 tsp lemon juice

2 cups flour

1⁄4 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1⁄2  tsp. salt

2 Tbs. butter

1 cup milk

In a saucepan, combine the berries, sugar, water and lemon juice. Heat to boiling and reduce to a simmer. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Cut in the butter. Add the milk, all at once and mix only until moistened. Drop by spoonfuls into the simmering berries. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. DO NOT LIFT THE LID. Serve warm with Whipped Cream, Cream or Ice Cream

Apple Pan Dowdy: Serves 4- From- Taste of Home.com/recipes/

1 cup packed brown sugar

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1/2 tsp. salt, divided

1 cup water

1 tsp. lemon juice Taste of Home.com/recipes/

2 tsp. baking powder

5 Tbs. butter, divided

3/4 cup 2% milk

5 cups sliced peeled apples

1/2 tsp, plus 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 Tbs.  coarse sugar

Whipped cream, optional

In a saucepan, combine brown sugar, 1/4 cup flour and 1/4 tsp.  salt. Add water and lemon juice; cook and stir over medium heat until thick. Cover and set aside In a bowl, combine baking powder and remaining flour and salt. Cut in 3 Tbs. butter. Add the milk and mix just until moistened (a few lumps will remain); set aside. Arrange apples in a 1-1/2-quart baking dish; sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. Add nutmeg, vanilla and remaining butter to sauce; pour over apples. Drop dough by spoonfuls over sauce. Combine coarse sugar and remaining cinnamon; sprinkle over dough. Bake at 350° until top is brown and apples are tender, about 55 minutes. Serve warm, with whipped cream if desired.

People who live in four-season climates gain an acute awareness of spring’s approach. From late February, when they first notice increasing daylight hours, they watch the temperature, while keeping an eye on trees for buds and the ground for green shoots. They start craving lighter foods, specifically to replace the spicy rich desserts of winter with fruit based ones.

This isn’t modern behavior and some of the best recipes to appease it are hundreds of years old. Because spring fruit crops are still months from harvest, the desserts were made with preserved, or later, canned fruit, and still can be, but fortunately for us, we now have frozen fruits and most spring berries, fresh, in markets all year as well as apples.. As with most antique recipes, they’re simple to make and unlike commercial fruit desserts, served warm, which is perfect, since it’s still cold outside.

So let’s take a walk in time and look at 9 old desserts which are really delicious and as current now as they ever were, deserving of revival. You and your family will love them—Promise!

RECIPES-The fruits cited below, including rhubarb, are interchangeable 12 oz. of berries =2 cups. Be cautious of using strawberries alone. The extra water they contain tends to make pastry runny.

Easy Peach Bread Pudding: Serves 8—Recipe by jowolf2 at allrecipes.com

2 cups fresh, frozen or canned peaches*

(1) 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

3 eggs-lightly beaten

1 ¼ cups hot water

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla

¼ cup butter- melted

4 cups French bread –torn into small pieces

Preheat an oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Chop the peaches and lightly mash them in a mixing bowl. Combine the sweetened condensed milk and the eggs; add them to the peaches and mix well. Stir in the hot water, melted butter, cinnamon, and vanilla. Stir the French bread into to the custard mixture until the bread is completely moistened. Turn the pudding into the prepared baking dish. Bake until a knife inserted in the center of the pudding comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.

*Frozen peaches may need a bit of extra sugar

Clafoutis-Master Recipe: Serves 6-8

1) Have ready a greased ovenproof container equal in capacity to a 9 inch round cake pan. For a larger quantity double the size of the pan or use 2 pans.

2) Preheat oven to 350 deg.

3) You will need 3 cups, or 1 ¼ -1 ½ lb. fresh, prepared fruit, pitted and/or cored, peeled and sliced if large or equal amount of canned, well drained.

4) NOTE-Store leftovers chilled—if you have any

Batter

1 ¼ cups milk (or ¾-1 cup milk and ¼-1/2 cups heavy cream or half-and-half)

3 eggs

1/3 cup sugar

1 Tbs. vanilla

1/8 tsp. salt

2/3 cup sifted flour

1/3 cup sugar

Powdered sugar to sprinkle as garnish

If using a blender, add first 6 ingredients in order listed and blend 1 min. at top speed. If using a mixer, beat the eggs first, then add the solids and finally the liquid. Beat until smooth.

Pour about ¼ of the batter into the pan and bake 3-5 min. until set. Arrange fruit on top of the baked batter, sprinkle with the extra 1/3 cup sugar, and pour the rest of the batter over all. Bake in the center of the oven for about an hour, until puffed and golden and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Garnish with sprinkled powdered sugar just before serving.

The Clafoutis will fall a bit as it cools and is best served warm.

Cherry Clafoutis: Serves 6-8

Fresh pitted cherries or canned, drained Bing cherries.

¼ cup kirsch or cognac

1/3 cup sugar

Marinate cherries in above ingredients for 1 hr. Replace equal amount of the milk with the marinating liquid, omit the second 1/3 cup sugar sprinkled over the fruit in the master recipe and proceed as directed.

Apple Crisp: Serves 4

2 cups apples-peeled, cored and cubed OR 12 oz. berries

¼ cup sugar

½ cup chopped walnuts
Sprinkle cinnamon-for apples

1 egg

½ cup of flour

½ cup sugar

3/4 cup butter- melted

Lightly grease a 9 inch pie plate. Fill with apples, top with ¼ cup sugar, cinnamon and nuts. Beat egg until foamy, beat in butter, flour and remaining sugar until batter is smooth. Pour over berries. Bake in a preheated 325 deg. oven until browned, about 45 min. This is best served warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

NOTE: Peeled apples brown but this can be stored, using berries, in the pie plate, covered, and the batter in a container in the refrigerator for about 3 days. Combine and bake. Probably can also be reheated in the microwave the day after baking.

Rhubarb Kutchen: Serves 6

¾ + 2 Tbs. flour 2-3 cups rhubarb in1 inch pieces

1 Tbs. sugar *Meringue*

¼ tsp. salt 2 egg whites

¼ cup butter 1/8 tsp. salt

2 Tbs. chopped nuts 6 Tbs. sugar

1 egg yolk beaten lightly ½ tsp. vanilla

1 egg yolk 2 drips cider vinegar

1 cup sugar

¼ cup flour

Stir together the first 3 dry ingredients in column I. Cut in butter. Stir in nuts and lightly beaten egg yolk until well mixed. Press into the bottom of an 8 x 12 inch pan. Beat other egg yolk well, stir in next 2 ingredients, add rhubarb, and pour mixture into the pan… Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven 45mins. Remove from oven, and reduce temperature to 325 degrees. Meanwhile, have made *Meringue* by beating room temperature egg whites until soft peaks form, add vinegar and beat to incorporate, likewise with vanilla. Gradually add sugar and beat until whites are stiff and glossy. Spread Meringue over fruit, return to oven and bake until delicately brown-about 10 min. Serve at room temperature.

Berry Cobbler: Serves 4-Recipe by USA WEEKEND columnist Pam Anderson 
4 tablespoons butter

¾ cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup milk

2 cups of sliced fresh peaches or nectarines, or whole blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries or a combination of fruits (or a 12-ounce package of frozen berries)

1 tablespoon sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 deg. with rack in the upper-middle position. Butter an 8-inch square or 9-inch round pan; place in the oven until butter is melted. Remove the pan from the oven and set aside. Whisk flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in milk until batter is smooth. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Scatter fruit over batter. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar.

Bake until the top is lightly browned and fruit bubbles, 50 to 60 min. Serve warm or room temperature

Mixed Berry Buckle: Serves 8-10- from-https://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/2008-blueberry-buckle

Crumb Topping:

1 cup flour

½ cup brown sugar, packed

6 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted

½ tsp table salt

½ tsp cinnamon

Berry Buckle:

½ cup whole milk

2 large eggs

4 Tbs unsalted butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup flour

½ cup white sugar, divided

1½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp lemon zest

½ tsp table salt

1 cup blueberries

1 cup raspberries, halved crosswise

1 cup strawberries, hulled & quartered

Preheat the oven to 350 deg. Line the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper then coat the pan with cooking spray.

Prepare the streusel by combining the flour, brown sugar, melted butter, salt, and cinnamon together in a small bowl and mix until well combined and crumbly. Place into the refrigerator for 10 minutes before using. 

Prepare the cake by whisking together the milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla in a small bowl until well combined. 

In a larger bowl, combine the flour, 1/4 cup of white sugar, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt until well combined. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir until just combined. The batter will be thick.

Mix the remaining 1/4 cup of white sugar to the bowl of berries and toss to combine. Immediately pour half of the berry mixture into the cake batter and gently stir to combine. 

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan then spoon the remaining berries evenly on top.

Sprinkle the top evenly with the crumb topping. Place into the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes, turning halfway during baking time, until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the cake pan for 2 hours.

To remove, run a sharp thin-bladed knife around the cake’s edges. Place a large plate over the cake and invert the cake onto the plate upside down. Next, put a serving plate on top (of the bottom of the cake) and flip so the cake is top-side up. If you’re baking the cake in a spring form pan, simply remove the sides before the cake has fully cooled.

Slice and serve plain, with whipped cream, or a scoop of ice cream. 

Blueberry Grunt: Serves 4 –From-https://www.food.com/recipe/best-blueberry-grunt

4 cups blueberries (frozen or fresh)

1 cup granulated sugar

1⁄2 cup water

1⁄2 tsp lemon juice

2 cups flour

1⁄4 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1⁄2  tsp. salt

2 Tbs. butter

1 cup milk

4 cups blueberries (frozen or fresh)

1 cup granulated sugar

1⁄2 cup water

1⁄2 tsp lemon juice

2 cups flour

1⁄4 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1⁄2  tsp. salt

2 Tbs. butter

1 cup milk

In a saucepan, combine the berries, sugar, water and lemon juice. Heat to boiling and reduce to a simmer. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Cut in the butter. Add the milk, all at once and mix only until moistened. Drop by spoonfuls into the simmering berries. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. DO NOT LIFT THE LID. Serve warm with Whipped Cream, Cream or Ice Cream

Apple Pan Dowdy: Serves 4- From- Taste of Home.com/recipes/

1 cup packed brown sugar

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1/2 tsp. salt, divided

1 cup water

1 tsp. lemon juice Taste of Home.com/recipes/

2 tsp. baking powder

5 Tbs. butter, divided

3/4 cup 2% milk

5 cups sliced peeled apples

1/2 tsp, plus 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 Tbs.  coarse sugar

Whipped cream, optional

In a saucepan, combine brown sugar, 1/4 cup flour and 1/4 tsp.  salt. Add water and lemon juice; cook and stir over medium heat until thick. Cover and set aside In a bowl, combine baking powder and remaining flour and salt. Cut in 3 Tbs. butter. Add the milk and mix just until moistened (a few lumps will remain); set aside. Arrange apples in a 1-1/2-quart baking dish; sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. Add nutmeg, vanilla and remaining butter to sauce; pour over apples. Drop dough by spoonfuls over sauce. Combine coarse sugar and remaining cinnamon; sprinkle over dough. Bake at 350° until top is brown and apples are tender, about 55 minutes. Serve warm, with whipped cream if desired.

Dump Cake: Serves 10-12
(1) box cake mix –yellow white or flavor complimentary to fruit used
4 cups fresh or frozen fruit PLUS
1/2cupsugar
OR
(3) 21 oz. cans fruit pie filling½ cup melted butter
Preheat oven to 350 deg. Mix fruit and sugar in the bottom of a 9 x13 inch pan OR spread out pie filling. Cover fruit with the cake mix and drizzle butter evenly over top. Bake 30min.until top is golden. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped topping or ice cream.

Dump Cake: Serves 10-12
(1) box cake mix –yellow white or flavor complimentary to fruit used
4 cups fresh or frozen fruit PLUS
1/2cupsugar
OR
(3) 21 oz. cans fruit pie filling½ cup melted butter
Preheat oven to 350 deg. Mix fruit and sugar in the bottom of a 9 x13 inch pan OR spread out pie filling. Cover fruit with the cake mix and drizzle butter evenly over top. Bake 30min.until top is golden. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped topping or ice cream.

Feb 22

SIDE SALADS-BACK IN THE BUDGET

SIDE SALADS-BACK IN THE BUDGET

In the mid-later20th century, side salads were considered an automatic part of a dinner, even at home. Frequently, it was a wedge of iceberg, the work horse of lettuces, with a creamy dressing. Then came other ‘more sophisticated’ varieties, Romaine, red leaf, endive, escarole, and a deluge of vinaigrette dressings. Along the way, the side salad became an option.  Now, more often, tossed or layered, mixed with vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains, seeds and/or herbs, a salad is part of the entrée.

Ironically, as the side salad disappeared, concern to get children to eat more vegetables grew, even to the extent of tricking them by disguising or hiding vegetables in other foods, including desserts.  Restoring side salads might be a more effective solution. Side salads enhance the entrée by providing complimentary texture and flavor contrasts. They can also be fun additions to the meal, depending on ingredients, which appeals to children. However, the general concept of acceptable ingredients will need updating.

Side salads were traditionally based on, and often completely composed of greens. Back in the day, greens were nutritionally considered a ‘frill’, decorative and inexpensive, not a vitamin enriched food. Fully appreciated today, the cost of greens is at an all-time high and providing side salads for a family, on a regular basis is no longer a nominal expense. I wrote a post on alternatives to greens on   May 11, 2023.

The real solution though, is not to mimic traditional side salads, but to devise new ones, using foods which fulfill all the requirements of nutrition, flavor and appeal. The best candidates are fruits and vegetables, canned, fresh and frozen. I’ve written 2 posts on this subject in the past; both before the drastic rise in prices, inspired, mainly, by the above mentioned dietary concerns. The first on July 23, 2015, focused on vegetables and the second on Dec. 22, 2016 is about fruits.  Their information is still valid, so I’m quoting example recipes from both, and adding aa few new ones.. For the list of recipes, please check the posts and enjoy side salads again. Also remember that fruits and vegetables yield more servings as an ingredient in a mixed salad than as a single serving item and please note the number of servings on the recipes.

RECIPES
VEGETABLES

Carrot Slaw; Serves 4

4 medium-small carrots

1/3  cup raisins. dried cranberries or blueberries—optionally plumped in water

¼ cup chopped toasted walnuts- optional

¼ head of iceberg lettuce

Peel carrot skins and using a vegetable peeler, slice them one half the length at a time, into a “slaw”.

Toss with the dried fruit and set aside. If not using right away, keep chilled Cut the

lettuce into very thin slices and then cut them in half lengthwise, removing the tough core pieces. Arrange the lettuce equally on 4 plates. Toss the carrots with choice of dressing and divide among the plates. Garnish with nuts.
Choice of dressing: This salad goes well with several dressings. French. Peppercorn Ranch, Vadalia Onion, Cole Slaw, Caesar even one of the Raspberry vinaigrettes

Green Bean and Mushroom Salad: Serves 4

8oz. frozen cut green beans

4 oz. sliced raw button mushrooms or a 4oz. can mushrooms sliced or stems and pieces-drained

1 small onion halved and thinly sliced – optional

4 large Romaine leaves, optionally torn into bite-sized pieces

¼ cup balsamic vinaigrette dressing OR 3 Tbs. balsamic vinegar + 1 Tbs. oil

Cook the beans as per package directions until just crisp-tender; drain and toss with mushrooms, onions if using, and balsamic dressing Marinate chilled for at least 2 hours. Toss with the Romaine pieces and serve or optionally line each plate with a Romaine leaf cut in half and mound bean mix on top. Garnish with chopped chives, fresh or dried parsley, cilantro or dill.

Pickled Red Beet Salad; Serves 4

15 oz. can sliced beets- drained, juice reserved

1 small onion halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

2 Tbs. cider vinegar – or to taste

1 tsp. sugar- or to taste

4 large leaves of red leaf lettuce

Dressing of choice*

Pour beet juice into a saucepan. Add vinegar and sugar tasting and adjusting until desired sweet-sour flavor is reached. Add beets and onions, heat through and let cool. Place in a covered container and marinate at least 2 days. Tear lettuce into bite-sized pieces, divide among plates and mound drained** beets and onions on top. Drizzle or dollop dressing over, depending on choice.

*Suggested dressings; a Raspberry-nut vinaigrette drizzled over OR topped with dollops of

1/3 cup sour cream with 1Tbs. vinegar and 1 tsp. sugar –or quantities to taste-mixed in

** Shelled hard-boiled eggs can be pickled in the beet juice for up to 3 weeks. Delicious alone, sliced in sandwiches or chopped in salads.

Peas and Tomatoes with Basil: Serves 4
10 oz. fresh or frozen peas-cooked to crisp-tender
2 plum tomatoes- medium dice
2 Tbs. oil
2 Tbs. dried basil OR ¼ cup chopped fresh
Salt and eppr to taste
Garlic powder to taste-Optional

Toss everything together in a bowl. Allow to marinate, chilled, at least 1 hr.


Fruits

Church Salad: Serves 6
1 lb. Romaine cut in bite sized pieces,
(1) 8oz.can mandarin oranges,
1/2 small white onion thinly sliced
Orange Dressing

3/4 cup orange juice

1Tbs.poppy seeds

2 Tbs. oil

Sugar if needed

Slowly boil the juice and poppy seeds together until the juice reduces to about ½ cup; add oil and sugar if needed. Allow to cool and store covered, chilled at least 1 day. Shake well and toss with salad ingredients just before serving


Craisin-Pear Salad: Serves 4
1 large, ripe pear cored and diced,
3 cups salad greens,
¼ cup craisins

 Dressing:
2 Tbs. oil,
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar,
¼ tsp. Dijon mustard,
salt & pepper

Whisk dressing ingredients wel.  Toss all ingredients gently with dressing just before serving

Tomato -Watermelon Salad: Serves 4

1 slice of watermelon half about 1 inch thick–rind and seeds removed– cut in ¾ inch cubes

1 medium tomato – in large dice

5-6 green leaf lettuce leaves – torn in bite-sized pieces or other tender greens

3 Tbs. + Caesar dressing or other complimentary  vinaigrette.
Gently toss ingredients with dressing.

Grapes and Baby Greens with Maple Dressing: Serves 6
1 small yellow apple thinly sliced,
6 cups baby mixed greens,
1 cup seedless red grapes halved.
Dressing: Combine and whisk I oil
1 Tbs. maple syrup,
1 thinly sliced scallion,
1tsp. lemon juice, or more to taste if needed with juice
½ cup raspberry juice or similarly tart clear fruit juice-see above
2 Tbs. olive oil
Arrange greens, top with fruits and drizzle with dressing.

Craisin-Pear Salad:* Serves 4

1) 1 large, ripe pear cored and diced, 3 cups salad greens, ¼ cup craisins

2) Dressing: Whisk 2 Tbs. oil, 1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar, ¼ tsp. Dijon mustard, salt & pepper

3) Toss all ingredients gently with dressing just before serving

Pear-Spinach Salad with Pecans: Serves 8

1) 2 ripe pears thinly sliced, 13 oz. baby spinach (2 pkgs.), 1 small, white onion thinly sliced,–1/4 cup melted butter, ¾ cup light brown sugar( divided), ¾ tsp. cinnamon (divided), 1 ½ cups pecan halves.

2) Dressing: Whisk 1/3 cup oil, ½ cup white wine vinegar, ¼ tsp. cinnamon, ¼ cup sugar, salt &pepper

3) Mix and spread on a foil-lined sheet, butter, ½ cup sugar, ½ tsp. cinnamon and nuts. Bake at 350 deg. for 20 min.stirring. Cool and separate nuts with a fork. Gently toss salad ingredients in a bowl, add dressing and garnish with nuts.

NOTE: *Craisins are sweetened dried cranberries. To make your own, Prick 2 cups cranberries with a pin. Boil 1 cups sugar and ¼ cup water until sugar dissolves, stir in berries, then transfer to a foil-lined sheet and bake at 300 deg. for 45 min. Spread on waxed paper and when almost dry roll in granulated sugar if a sweeter berry is wanted. Can be used as decorations on desserts or sprinkled over ice

GRAPES

Grapes and Baby Greens with Maple Dressing: Serves 6

1) 1 small yellow apple thinly sliced, 6 cups baby mixed greens, 1 cup seedless red grapes halved.

2)Dressing: Combine 1 Tbs. maple syrup, 1 thinly sliced scallion, 1tsp. lemon juice, ½ cup raspberry juice, whisk in 2 Tbs. olive oil

3) Arrange greens, top with fruits and drizzle with dressing.

Grapes with Honey Lime Dressing: Serves 4

1) 1 cup halved seedless grapes, 2 cups baby spinach leaves, ½ head radicchio-leaves in bite-sized pieces,

2)Stir together 1 Tbs. honey,3 Tbs. lime juice, whisk in 3 Tbs. oil, salt & pepper

3) Toss salad ingredients gently together, add dressing just before serving and toss again

APPLES

Nutty Apple Salad: Serves 4

1) 2 tart green apples in ½ inch dice, 2 Tbs. toasted slivered almonds,3 or 4 Belgian endives (see step #3)*

2) Combine 1 Tbs. lemon juice, 4 tsp.oil,1 tsp. minced garlic, pinch salt

3) Wash the endive with a damp cloth, thinly slice crosswise and mix in a bowl with apples and nuts, toss with dressing. OR Serve this as individual salads. Chop the apples in finer dice and mix with almonds in a bit of dressing. Separate the endive leaves into 12 or 16 equal piles, depending on size. Divide piles among 4 plates and fill each with a bit of the fruit-nut mix, drizzle with remaining dressing.

NOTE* Belgian endive leaves can be held by the stem end and eaten by hand, rather like a slice of pizza.In this way they can be used as dippers, like chips, to hold small amounts of food.

Apple-Jicama Salad: Serves 6

1)1medium jicama, 3 red apples, 1 small onion thinly sliced, 3 cups romaine leaves in bite-sized pieces, ¼ cup chopped fresh mint.

2) Dressing: Stir together ½ cup orange juice, 1 Tbs. EACH lime juice, cider vinegar, brown sugar, 1 Tbs. oil, to dissolve sugar

3)Cut jicama and cored apple into matchsticks. Toss with lettuce, mint and dressing. Garnish with mint leaves if desired.

Tomatoes

Tomato- Spinach Salad: Serves 4

1) 3 cups baby spinach leaves, ½ small white onion thinly sliced, 12-14 grape tomatoes sliced crosswise in 3 pieces

2) Dressing: ¼ cup of a good bottled Vidalia Onion dressing or more to taste

3) Combine ingredients in a bowl and drizzle dressing over, then toss gently.

Salad Margherita; Serves 4

1)3 cups baby spinach, or torn green leaf lettuce, 3 plum tomatoes quartered lengthwise then halved into eight pieces each, ½ small onion diced, 1/3 cup fresh mozzarella, slivered, ¼ cup fresh basil leaves chopped

2) Dressing: A ¼ cup good bottled Caesar dressing- or to taste

3) Combine ingredients in a bowl and drizzle dressing over, then toss gently. Garnish with Basil leaves

side salad is generally expected with a dinner entrée. It offers a complimentary contrast in texture and taste as well as providing nutritionally balancing fiber. However, anyone who’s shopped for produce recently knows that the prices per pound now rival that of many meats. Add a large tomato to a head of lettuce and the “simple “salad costs than most cuts. I was amazed last week to see collards, formerly an inexpensive leafy green, priced above Romaine. Scallions in a featured sale, 3 bunches for $1.00, had only 4 per bunch when there used to be 6 to 8!

Unfortunately, the prices haven’t lowered much this summer, which means that they will probably rise even higher come fall.

So what is the family meal planner to do to keep side salads in the daily dinner menu without it costing nearly double? One solution is to study the produce section and try to find things that haven’t skyrocketed. Regular carrots, for example, cost about $0.88 lb. they’re tastier, more versatile than the dwarf variety and make a great slaw. Compare the prices on all greens that are salad friendly. They’re usually interchangeable. Try to find new uses for other items too. One small zucchini, for instance, sliced paper thin goes a long way as a salad ingredient.

Another solution is to cut down the amount of lettuces or bedding greens, by using frozen vegetables to form the base of the salad. They cost less and go much further. Cut green beans, and broccoli are good selections. Snow peas and edamame are good “fillers”. Canned beets or asparagus are useful salad bases too. Properly presented side salads built around these ingredients, with harmonious dressings, become clever creations, not economic measures.

I’m listing a few of my favorite suggestions for these kinds of salad solutions below, with dressing suggestions. Actually, writing this has given me an idea for next week’s posting. I’m going to work on some different salad dressing recipes to perk up side salads and give them a bit of zing.

Carrot Slaw; Serves 4

4 medium-small carrots

1/3 cup raisins. dried cranberries or blueberries—optionally plumped in water

¼ cup chopped toasted walnuts- optional

¼ head of iceberg lettuce

Choice of dressing*

Peel carrot skins and using a vegetable peeler, slice them one half the length at a time, into a “slaw”. Toss with the dried fruit and set aside. If not using right away, keep chilled Cut the

lettuce into very thin slices and then cut them in half lengthwise, removing the tough core pieces. Arrange the lettuce equally on 4 plates. Toss the carrots with choice of dressing and divide among the plates. Garnish with nuts.

*This salad goes well with several dressings. French. Peppercorn Ranch, Vadalia Onion, Cole Slaw, Caesar even one of the Raspberry vinaigrettes.

Green Bean and Mushroom Salad: Serves 4

8oz. frozen cut green beans

4 oz. sliced raw button mushrooms or a 4oz. can mushrooms sliced or stems and pieces-drained

1 small onion halved and thinly sliced – optional

4 large Romaine leaves, optionally torn into bite-sized pieces

¼ cup balsamic vinaigrette dressing OR 3 Tbs. balsamic vinegar + 1 Tbs. oil

Cook the beans as per package directions until just crisp-tender; drain and toss with mushrooms, onions if using, and balsamic dressing Marinate chilled for at least 2 hours. Toss with the Romaine pieces and serve or optionally line each plate with a Romaine leaf cut in half and mound bean mix on top. Garnish with chopped chives, fresh or dried parsley, cilantro or dill.

Pickled Red Beet Salad; Serves 4

15 oz. can sliced beets- drained, juice reserved

1 small onion halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

2 Tbs. cider vinegar – or to taste

1 tsp. sugar- or to taste

4 large leaves of red leaf lettuce

Dressing of choice*

Pour beet juice into a saucepan. Add vinegar and sugar tasting and adjusting until desired sweet-sour flavor is reached. Add beets and onions, heat through and let cool. Place in a covered container and marinate at least 2 days. Tear lettuce into bite-sized pieces, divide among plates and mound drained** beets and onions on top. Drizzle or dollop dressing over, depending on choice.

*Suggested dressings; a Raspberry-nut vinaigrette drizzled over OR topped with dollops of

1/3 cup sour cream with 1Tbs. vinegar and 1 tsp. sugar –or quantities to taste-mixed in

** Shelled hard-boiled eggs can be pickled in the beet juice for up to 3 weeks. Delicious alone, sliced in sandwiches or chopped in salads.

Tomato -Watermelon Salad: Serves 4

1 slice of watermelon half about 1 inch thick–rind and seeds removed– cut in ¾ inch cubes

1 medium tomato – in large dice

5-6 green leaf lettuce leaves – torn in bite-sized pieces

Orange dressing*

¼ cup Feta or blue cheese crumbles – optional

Make dressing a day ahead and chop vegetables just before assembling salad. Toss all ingredients together with the dressing and serve from a bowl or on plates garnished with the cheese if using.

*Orange Dressing

3/4 cup orange juice

1Tbs.poppy seeds

2 Tbs. oil

Sugar if needed

Slowly boil the juice and poppy seeds together until the juice reduces to about ½ cup; add oil and sugar if needed. Allow to cool and store covered, chilled at least 1 day. Shake well and toss with salad ingredients just before serving.

Feb 15

Fabulous Meatless Entrees

Meatless Entrees

About now, a few delicious meatless dinner recipes would be welcome and here are 8 outstanding ones. 

First a disclaimer: Several of these recipes may qualify as vegetarian, but that is not intentional. I am not vegetarian and leave those recipes to the experts in that cuisine.

Some of these dinners are among my all- time favorites, Pasta Puttanesca is one. So is Eggplant Parmesan, made the Italian way, without the breading and frying of the Italo-American version. In fact, to simplify the cooking and eliminate mess, I’ve adjusted it to an oven dish. The Spaghetti Squash Primavera can be made with pasta, but using the squash is so much healthier but I recommend making it all up at once. It lasts for several days in the refrigerator, but the squash alone tends to stick together without the oil in the dressing.

Pasta, in general, offers a blank canvas to create meatless meals by adapting a huge variety of sauces. To learn more go to Pasta for Lent  March 16, 2023.

One other thing about these dishes: with the exception of Frittata and Spaghetti Squash, they were created to be meatless.  The addition of meat would ruin their flavor, texture and spirit.

RECIPES: Those marked with * are from my book Dinners With Joy

*Frittata: Serves 4

4 large eggs

2 Tbs. oil

½ tsp baking soda

¼ cup milk or water, or milk + water to equal this amount

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp curry powder

¼ tsp paprika

Ground pepper to taste

2 cups vegetables – cut to ½ inch size or thin slice *

½ tsp garlic powder optional

Optional toppings- for example ¼ cup grated cheese or tomato sauce. 

*If not using leftovers, substitute an equal amount of cooked fresh or frozen vegetables. Broccoli and green beans can be parboiled. Others, such as a zucchini and onion combination, should be sliced thin and sautéed in 1 Tsp. additional oil first, then, proceed with the frittata directions.

In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs, with all other ingredients except the oil and the vegetables. Heat the oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium.  Pre-heat the broiler. Sauté the vegetables, or if cooked, turn them over in the oil to coat and warm. Reduce the burner heat to medium-low and pour in the eggs. Cook, gently pulling the eggs away from the sides of the pan, and tilting it to allow the uncooked portion to run into the spaces, until the eggs are fairly set, but still quiver in the center. Put the pan under the broiler, until the top begins to tan and all the eggs are cooked. Add the cheese, if using, before broiling and pass the sauce, warmed, at table. Be careful not to put the handle of the skillet in the oven, unless it is metal. Slide the frittata onto a plate to serve.

*Pasta Puttanesca: Serves 4

1 ½ lbs. very ripe tomatoes or (1) 26oz can diced tomatoes – drained juice reserved.

1 Tbs. olive oil

3 cloves crushed garlic

2/3 cup water juice – or if using canned tomatoes, reserve juice with water added to  

 measure 2/3 cup 

(1) 8oz can ripe olives – @ 12 halved lengthwise OR (1) 2.25 oz. can sliced black olives 

 drained

2 tsp dried parsley

2 tsp. dried basil

1 Tbs. capers

(1) 2oz can anchovy fillets – with or without capers

Red pepper flakes, or ground – optional

12 oz. Angel Hair Pasta 

In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the oil, sauté the garlic for 1 min., add the tomatoes, and water or juice, Allow to cook down a bit and some of the liquid to evaporate @ 10 min.. Add all the other ingredients, but the pasta. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the flavors meld, about 8 min. more. Add red pepper if desired and allow 1 min to meld

Cook pasta al dente, drain and add to skillet with the sauce, combine, then turn out into a serving bowl. Do not even think of cheese with this sauce.

*Cheese Fondue: Serves 4

2 lbs. grated Swiss cheese – or very thinly sliced and cut in small pieces – rind removed

6 Tbs. flour

1 garlic clove cut in half

4 cups dry white wine

6 Tbs. brandy

Dash salt

Ground nutmeg

Ground black pepper

Toss cheese and flour to coat well. Rub the inside of the pot with the garlic. Over low heat, cook the wine until bubbles rise to the surface. Add the cheese, a few spoonfuls at a time, stirring constantly. Continue stirring until the cheese is melted, the mixture is smooth and begins to bubble. Add the brandy, nutmeg and pepper. Reduce heat until there is just enough to keep the fondue hot, without burning the bottom. It sounds far more difficult than it is, and made at the table, everyone can watch. 

Serve with a variety of dippers – – Pieces of crusty bread,( just be sure the bread has the density to hold up to the sauce, otherwise it will be soggy, or break off and stay on the pot) or cubes of cooked meat –chicken,  ham, cooked hot dogs, or vegetables – cherry tomatoes, broccoli or cauliflower flowerets, baby carrots, pieces of bell pepper, scallions, celery even fruits – or fruits, apple, pear, fresh pineapple or banana slices and on and on and on.

*Stuffed Shells (Pastitsio) : Serves 4
16 Jumbo shells

(1) 10oz. box frozen chopped spinach –well drained

1 medium onion in small dice

3 cloves garlic crushed

2 cups Ricotta cheese

1 tsp. lemon pepper 

2 Roma tomatoes peeled and chopped

3 tsp. oil – divided

½ cup grated Parmesan – divided

½ tsp. ground nutmeg

(1) 14 oz. can tomato sauce

2 tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. dried basil

2 tsp dried oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

Drain spinach well by squeezing.  In a skillet, over medium heat, cook the onion in 2 tsp oil until tender, add the spinach, garlic and nutmeg and stir until well incorporated. Remove from heat, and mix with the ricotta cheese, lemon pepper and ½ the Parmesan. Taste to determine if salt and/or pepper is needed.  Cook the pasta until just al dente, drain and rinse in cold water, drain again. Stuff the shells with the spinach-cheese mixture, and place upright in a lightly greased casserole. Top with remaining Parmesan and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 10-12 min .until heated through and parmesan begins to brown.

Sauce: Combine the Tomato sauce, garlic powder, 1 tsp. oil, basil and oregano in a sauce pan. Bring to a simmer and add diced tomatoes. Cook until tomatoes are just tender @ 3 min. Taste for salt and pepper. Spoon sauce onto plates, top with shells and serve at once.

*Black Bean Soup: Serves 4

¼ cup oil

2 cups diced onions

(4) 14 oz. cans black beans- undrained or (1lb dried soaked in water to cover 12 hrs.)

(1) 20 oz. can diced tomatoes with chilies OR without chilies and

1 large chopped jarred jalapeno

6 cloves sliced garlic – or 4 Tbs. jarred –plus garlic powder to taste

2 tsp .ground cumin

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. chili powder

3 Tbs. tomato paste (optional)

½ tsp red pepper flakes

¼ cup red wine vinegar

Water. As needed

1 cup sour cream

Heat the oil in the pot, and over medium heat, sauté the onions until translucent. Add the

garlic, and cook for 1 min, then the spices for 1 min, then the beans then the tomato paste

(if using), stirring to incorporate, then the tomatoes and peppers and finally the vinegar.

Cover and cook over low for 30 min. If using dried, soaked beans, drain well add to the

pot with 4 quarts water last, cover and simmer for 2 hrs., until beans are tender. Add salt

and pepper to taste. Remove from heat. If you have an immersion blender, or even a hand

mixer, being careful not to be burned by spatters, you can begin to puree the soup in the

pot. If not, let it cool a bit and ladle it into a blender or processor. Puree about two thirds

of the soup, leaving enough beans and pieces of tomato and onion to give it definition and

a fuller texture. Add water to thin if desired, but this soup should be almost fork thick.

Return it to the pot and heat through. Adjust all seasonings including garlic. Serve with a

dollop of sour cream on top, or passed as an option.

Eggplant Parmesan: Serves 2 –From Italian Food by Elizabeth David
2 lb. large eggplants
½ lb. mozzarella cheese
2 oz. grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup tomato sauce.
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
flour
Peel and slice the eggplants thinly, lengthwise. Place the slices in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Allow to ‘weep’ for 1-2 hr., rinse and drain well. Dust lightly with flour, sauté gently in oil and drain on paper towels. Oil a soufflé dish or deep pan and layer the eggplant, mozzarella and sauce. Repeat layers, top with Parmesan and a sprinkle of oil. Cook in a 350 deg.oven 20-30 min. until cheese bubbles.


Dilled Lentil Salad: Serves 4
1 cup dried lentils
1 small carrot thinly sliced
1 lemon juiced
1 small onion-diced
1 small tomato-diced

3 scallions –sliced
1 clove garlic- minced
2 tsp. fresh dill + ½ tsp. dried dill weed  OR 1 ½ tsp. dried
1 tsp. salt – divided
¼ tsp. black pepper
¼ cup olive oil
Simmer lentils in water to cover and ½ tsp. salt for 20 min. add carrot and cook an additional 5-10 min. until lentils are soft. Drain any excess water. Sauté onion and garlic in 2 Tbs. oil until soft- about 5 min. Add to lentil mix. Whisk remaining salt, oil, pepper, lemon juice and dill, add dressing to lentils, store chilled. Toss well and serve garnished with sliced scallions and tomato.

Spaghetti Primavera (pasta or squash): serves 4
1 lb. Cappellini OR 1 spaghetti squash – cooked according to package directions (squash-oven or microwave and removed from shell)
1 ½ cups broccoli florets
½ large carrot-julienned
½ lb. asparagus-sliced on the diagonal
1 Tbs. seasoned rice vinegar
2 cloves garlic mashed
¼ cup lemon juice
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. lemon pepper
7 Tbs. olive oil

3 Tbs. minced fresh basil OR 1 Tbs. dried
Salt and pepper to taste
6 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 cup grated Parmesan1 red bell pepper-julienned
1 large tomato-diced
2 scallions-sliced
Blanch the carrot, asparagus and broccoli; run under cold water to stop cooking. Cook squash or linguini. Whisk next 8 ingredients to make dressing. Add blanched vegetables, mushrooms and bell pepper to spaghetti along with dressing and toss well. Serve slightly warm or room temperature, garnished with-in order-tomato, scallions, Parmesan and freshly ground black pepper.

Pasta with Mushrooms and Shallots in Pepper Sauce: Serves 4-Adapted from a United States Personal Chief Ass. recipe
1 lb. linguini
¼ cup olive oil

1 EACH  large red and yellow bell pepper-julienned
7 shallots thinly sliced
1 lb. sliced mushrooms
½ cup white wine
3 cups chicken broth-1/2 cup reserved
1 cup heavy cream
3 Tbs. cornstarch
Salt and pepper to taste
3 Tbs. minced fresh parsley
1 cup grated Parmesan
Dissolve cornstarch in ½ cup broth. Sauté vegetables in oil until slightly browned. Add 2 ½ cups broth, wine and cream and simmer 10 min. Cook pasta and have ready. Add cornstarch mix a little at a time to cream sauce I pan, stirring constantly until sauce is desired thickness-you may not need it all. Plate pasta, spoon sauce over and garnish with Parmesan then parsley. Serve hot.

Feb 8

9 Valentine's Day Dinner Plans Over 75 Recipes (1)

MAKE VALENTINE’S DAY HAPPY

As I wrote last year, with Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day so close to each other, yet such different events, people who enjoy both, find it hard to plan. They practically overlap. To make sure you find ways to celebrate, which suit your needs, I’m giving choices of different ideas with  recipes for Super Bowl party plans and others to honor Valentine’s Day. You’re sure to find one tailored to you. Last week’s posting was on Super Bowl. Here’s Valentine’s Day.

I’ve done several posts on different dinners for Valentine’s Day, citing recipes from casual to elegant.  Last year I combined them in a single post with backlinks for reference and reposting that ‘master post’ seems a good idea. Simply clicking the links to those posts offers a wide choice of individual menu options. There are ample choices there to plan exactly the dinner you want with 9 different types of events; the quick, the easy but upscale, Lenten suggestions, all chicken, family inclusive, cooking together, even fabulous, cozy desserts to enjoy after a restaurant dinner. There are over 75 recipes to choose from, most  for the standard 4 servings but easily divisible. 

May I suggest you start by reading the summaries of the posts for 2/9/12, 2/7/13, 2/11/14, 2/11/15, 2/10/16, 2/1/17*, 2/8/18, 2/7/19 written below. Hyperlinks are imbedded to give you quick access to the recipes in each post-simply click the date of the post.

Feb. 16, 2012: Special Dinner Recipes for 2 – Affordable, Last Minute and Easy

I was inspired to write this by neighbors who were debating if they should go out or not. They had wanted to have a nice dinner at home, but thought perhaps the expense of a restaurant was worth it to spare cooking stress. They asked suggestions for some special seeming dinners recipes for 2 that were not too labor intensive, especially at the last minute. My type of meal!

However, when I asked them what they considered “special”, they gave me the usual responses, conditioned by years of food shopping and restaurant menus: Fillet Mignon, prime rib, lobster, crab, all expensive and attention specific to cook. Not for a relaxed, romantic dinner. The following recipes all fit this type menu much better.

APPETIZERS
Salmon Spread
Sun Dried Tomato Pate
Cream Cheese with Tapenade:

ENTREES
Cornish Hens with Wild Rice and Grapes
Pork Chops Basil
Salmon in Lemon Caper Sauce

DESSERTS
Classic Burnt Almond Ice Cream Sunday
Mock Chocolate Steamed Pudding
Meringue Glace
Viennese Coffee

Feb.7, 2013: Some Valentine Ideas

Steak, especially fillet mignon, and lobster do persist in remaining the popular conceptions of romantic dinners. I like both but neither but neither would be my choice to prepare for an intimate dinner with someone special. Gauging the doneness of beef to an exact degree, is one of the most challenging tasks in cooking and preventing a lobster from over cooking is almost as hard. They require attention without distraction which doesn’t fit in with a cozy dinner for two.

I also like originality. It’s fun to give things a fresh perk particularly on Valentine’s Day. It makes the dinner, and the person you’re with seem more special. Moreover, each of these recipes, including those from 2012, makes an attractive dish that requires minimal presentation to appear truly elegant.  They can transcend cost, and prove my motto that; “Wonderful scents can be created, while saving cents, by using good sense”.

STARTERS

Bean Dip
Baked Brie
Puffy Pinwheels

ENTREES
Pork Tenderloin with Citrus Glaze
Pasta with Smoked Salmon in Vodka Sauce
Chicken Stuffed with Cream Cheese

DESSERTS
Fruit Turnovers – My Grandmother made these as a snack from left over pie dough not Puff Pastry.
Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Almond Frosting
Napoleons


Feb. 11, 2014: Chicken 9 Ways for Valentine’s Day  

Even on a regular night, I prep and clean up as much as possible before, so all I have to do is serve and stack the dishwasher later.  For special occasions I try to plan menus with dishes that can be made ahead and quickly readied to serve when people want.

Valentine’s Day is a time when company and conversation are very important. The menu should be “special” but not experimental. New twists on old favorites, well presented are best as are dishes that are easy to eat without need for carving, special utensils or extra napkins for messy fingers and the remains should be equally easy clear up.

This year I’m taking a different approach by suggesting one generally accepted dish, chicken roll-ups with 9 variations. There should be one recipe to please even the fussiest eater. They can be presented whole or sliced, on individual plates or one platter; vegetables on the side or surrounding them on the platter. The recipes are for 4 servings, but they are easily halved. There are so many of them, I’m putting them at the end of this post.

In choosing an Appetizer, be sure not to duplicate the ingredients in your choice of roll up. Don’t offer cheese or a pork product with those entrees that contain either. Shrimp would go with everything, but don’t serve them in a market “ring”. Make them special. Serve them with Lamaze sauce on a lettuce lined plate. A simple Lamaze sauce is 1 part ketchup to 3 parts mayonnaise with a pinch of nutmeg.
STARTERS
A Bean Dip
Golden Tiny Potatoes
Green vegetable
Salad
CHICKEN ROLL-UP ENTREES
FILLINGS:
A) Herb and Nuts
B) Tomato and Ham or Bacon
C) Cream Cheese and Chives
D) Cream Cheese Dijon
E) Sage and Cheese
F) Feta and Herbs + Sauce
G) Saltimbocca +Sauce
H) Roasted Pepper and Olive + Sauce
I) Sausage and Peppers
DESSERTS-Please check posts for 2/9/12, 2/7/13, 2/11/14. 2/11/15, 2/10/16, 2/1/17*, 2/8/18, 2/7/19 
Angel Nests
Chocolate Cherry Biscotti

Feb 11, 2015: VALENTINE’S DAY THE EASY WAY

Valentine’s Day is unique among holidays in that it’s intended to be celebrated by couples, not with friends or family. A dinner is traditional, but not with ‘set’ dishes as with other holidays, and changes as life progresses through different phases. For the dating young and those with young children, restaurants are the preferred option. The newly- weds and older couples seem to prefer to stay home. For them the most relaxed menu plan is to stay with a classic entrée, which are currently enjoying resurgence in popularity. Most of these recipes tolerate minor adjustments in flavor and cooking technique which individualize them to taste and customize the preparation to fit the occasion. Try to select dishes that can be prepared and at least partially cooked in advance. Make sure everything is pre-measured and ready to use.  Stay within your kitchen skills and keep it simple. Simplicity can be very elegant especially when it contributes to a relaxed, atmosphere by removing stress.

STARTERS

Whole Wheat Bread Cut-Outs
Tapenade and Cream Cheese are naturals together.
 Cream Cheese mixed with Horseradish on rounds of Lebanon Bologna
Ham; from smoked turkey to real Prosciutto Crudo wrapped around a kosher Dill Pickle spear or a Melon
Prosciutto con Melone

ENTREES
Apricot Glazed Pork Tenderloin
Chicken in Lemon-Wine Sauce
Sirloin Tip Casserole + Topping
Pepper Steak or Steak au Poivre

DESSERTS
Chocolate Truffles
White Chocolate Cheesecake Truffles
Chocolate Biscotti with Vin Santo 

Feb. 10, 2016: Great Valentine’s Day Ideas Whether It’s Dinner By 2 Or Dinner For 2

Special “at home” Valentine’s Day dinners are usually accomplished in one of two ways, The Dinner by 2 and The Dinner for 2.  The Dinner by 2 is when both people involved like to cook, and are comfortable in the kitchen. Even if their skills aren’t on a par and one is experienced, while the other is a novice, they will enjoy planning, prepping and cooking the dinner together as much as eating it

In The Dinner for 2 method:  one person does the planning and cooking. Ideally, the major portion is done in advance, leaving only finishing touches before dinner, which can provide a graceful change of pace and give the companion a chance to appreciate the cook’s skills and efforts. This method offers an opportunity to ‘glamorize’ the evening and more time for conversation. It’s a more traditional, formal 1) Heart Shaped Canapes
2) Cheese Heart

approach to the meal.

Method #1, Is a more bistro or a la carte approach, spontaneity is the key.

Method #2, resembles a catered dinner, in that most of the prepping and even some of the cooking and plating are done in advance.

This post was longer than usual, because it has 3 complete entrée menus for each method of preparation, including appetizer and dessert recipes. Having made them all, I can guarantee the recipes are both sharable and doable, with minimum effort.  Most are for the standard 4 servings but easily divisible.  
STARTERS for the Dinner for 2 Menus
Heart Shaped Canapes
Cheese Heart

ENTREES for Dinners for 2 with salads and sides
Game Hens with Wild Rice and White Grapes –Marinated asparagus spears Garnished
Pork Chops Basil

Salmon with Tomatoes and Greens
DESSERTS for Dinner for 2
Biscotti
1) Classic Almond Biscotti
2) Chocolate Biscotti

STARTERS for the Dinner by 2 Menus
Bruschetta: with basic salsa recipe and variation
1) Italian
2) Mexican
Artichokes

Entrees for the Dinner by 2
Kabobs + a simple green salad.  +A loaf of artisanal bread +A suggested side is a salad of green beans
Pasta with White Clam Sauce+ Salad and a Loaf of crusty bread
Chicken with Artichokes and Peppers +Taboule, or any grain, quinoa, rice, barley etc., even couscous
Suggested salad
DESSERT for Dinner by 2:
Chocolate Fondue

Feb.7.2017: 7 PERFECT DESSERTS FOR VALENTINE’S DAY

I’m taking a different approach with a suggestion is easy yet retains the personal touch in observing the holiday. Let someone else make the entrée, then have a wonderfully romantic dessert ready to serve at home with liqueur or wine or espresso. This allows people to spend time together, yet ends the evening on the proper note.

I’m listing 7 desserts below which fill the bill. Two are more spectacular, three need a few seconds of finishing touches and two are table ready, but all can be served quickly and with little effort. Don’t let the first two scare you, they really are simple to make and the recipes easy to divide.

Bananas Foster with Grapes: Serves 4
Cherries Jubilee
Cranberry Crisp
Cranberry Nut Torte
Chocolate-Burnt Almond Snowballs
Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
Biscotti*- 
Classic Almond Biscotti
Chocolate Biscotti

Feb 8, 2018: LENTEN DINNERS FOR VALENTINE’S DAY 2018

This year requires some special recipes because the holiday is also Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. For Christians this signals the beginning of a period of fasting. Some will shun meat on certain days Ash Wednesday being one, others will renounce, or cut back on things like candy and carbohydrates in the weeks until Easter.

So, dinner recipes for this year must be a bit different  For inspiration, I turned to spa and low-cal cookbooks and researched ‘fish’ dishes, because they seem the ones most suited to general acceptance for this occasion. I tried to select dishes which have a bit of glamour, without undo effort and require only ingredients readily available, in most areas, all year. To make shopping decisions easier, I’m printing a fish chart below to suggest substitutions.

So this post is for couples who think it’s fun to mark the actual day, rather than postpone until the weekend. Perhaps you’re a couple who can enjoy a leisurely dinner, perhaps you want to give your children a treat to brighten the week. Whatever your situation, I’ve tried to gather a collection of recipes that will offer something to everyone, including children despite it’s now being Lent…

The recipes follow the fish chart. All of them allow you to mix fish from the same category.
STARTERS
Cheese wedge and crackers

ENTREES
Sole Veronique
Salmon with Chive-Mustard Butter
Fusion Tilapia
Fish or Scallop Kabobs
Shrimp Kabobs+ Chinese Spicy Peanut Sauce.
Grilled (or Broiled) Halibut Steaks
Cod with Lemongrass +Sauce
Ocean Perch with Black Olives and Capers
DESSERTS
Check postings for  2/9/12, 2/7/13, 2/11/14, 2/11/15, 2/10/16, 2/1/17*, 2/8/18, 2/7/19 

Feb 7, 2019: 3 WEEKDAY VALENTINE’S DAY DINNERS/FAMILY

Again Valentine’s Day is a weekday, with weekend celebrations probably scheduled but it’s hard not to give the actual day a nod. In this post, I give directions for three complete dinners, from starters through desserts, which will suit not only those able to dine a deux on a week night but can also be served to a family to ‘celebrate ’ a fun holiday. It’s not a bad idea for a family to set aside a day to appreciate being a family. Why not Valentine’s Day?

Which brings me back to this post, these three dinners are designed to seem a bit upscale, befitting an occasion, but actually they’re not. They really don’t require more prep time, effort or expense than a normal weekday meal. The recipes are, actually, quite simple, especially with a couple of helping hands. In fact, many aspects of each can be made ahead and all have been modified to easily extend to include more servings by doubling or tripling the ingredient amounts.
STARTERS
Melon con Prociutto (A kosher dill pickle spear can be treated in the same way)
Bruschetta-7 ways
Cream Cheese with Tapenade
BONUS: Cream cheese-other ways to serve

ENTREES
Chicken Oscar
Pork Chops Basil
Mexican Snapper

SIDES
Salads 
Asparagus
Spinach Pie 

Potatoes:
For Pork
For Fish

DESSERTS -Also see Feb   2018
Bananas Foster with Grapes
Cherries Jubilee
Cranberry Crisp
Cranberry-Nut Torte
Chocolate-Burnt Almond Crunch balls
Biscotti-Classic Almond or Chocolate

Feb 1

7 Super Bowl Party Plans and Over 30 Recipes (2)

HOW TO ENJOY SUPER BOWL

Anyone who has ever planned a Super Bowl party knows it’s different than any other. It’s not a celebration but an anticipation of a celebration. The guests aren’t there to socialize but to watch the game and the hosts are expected to join in, not focus on hospitality. The party isn’t the event, the game is and the memory of the occasion will be the final score.

However don’t kid yourself it is still a party, one which needs special planning because there are particular menu requirements. If you miss the mark, your guests, and possibly your carpets and upholstery will remember. The food has to be flavorful and appetizing, but not ’serious’. It has to be easily consumed, but neither dry nor heavily sauced. Accidents are likely because people are distracted. Above all, it has to be stable enough to be made ahead and held for serving. Other party’s schedules depend on when the food is ready. This one’s timing depends on the timing of the game.

Despite these conditions, a lot of foods fit the bill. So many in fact that when I was framing this post and considering different menus, I reviewed ones I had written on SuperBowl parties in the past and realized there were some darned good ideas there which deserved to be seen again, not buried deeper under still more recipes.

I decided to do something different with this post. I’m writing brief summaries of 5 of my Super Bowl posts with a listing of the recipes in each. Look them over, choose one you like and select the month and year from the drop down menu tab in the right margin of any site page to access the full recipes.

Then stock up on paper napkins and enjoy!!!

Feb 9 2012: Things You Should Know When Planning a Super Bowl Party – Before and After Using Leftovers.

This post is about how to plan the menu and the advantage of having ideas for using leftovers in mind as you  choose the dishes to include in that plan.

One plan is to have, as with any party a main attraction, a focus food, and prepare the other foods to compliment it. Ham is ideal for the occasion and for those who host this event annually, taking advantage of the sales in December is a true economy.  But not only does the food have to compliment the ham, be easily consumed, stable with no runny sauces. It has to be familiar and seasonal, dishes perhaps associated with football games even though this party is indoors.

For example, if you go with the ham, baked beans spring to mind, and a green bean salad in vinaigrette. To round out the buffet, I chose sliced Deli cheese- Swiss or provolone-and a selection of artesian bread loaves. To add the “special” touch, I might put out a grill to make Panini, as an option. For starters, I would chose fresh salsa or guacamole and a salmon dip with taco chips. There would also be bowls of different flavored popcorn and pretzels, as well as a plate of bite-sized, maple flavored meringues for later. All this and more suggestions for appetizers(snacks) and dessert are in this post.

Recipes in this Post for Leftovers
Tortellini alla Panne

 Glamorous Ham Casserole

+4 More Recipes 

Jan.31,2013: An Easy Super Bowl Party to Plan and Host

This post points out that the wise host or hostess of a Super Bowl Party will take into account that special consideration must be given the menu of any event where the focus of attention will be other than pure socialization and where seating at a premium may result in mobile eating.  This becomes even more important if the party is to be indoors, which most Super Bowl Parties, by their nature, are.

Yet not all Super Bowl gatherings require a ham and loaves of bread. Some are small gatherings of a few friends where a casserole supper is more appropriate. Cold cuts are another option, especially when accompanied by a warm dish to lift supper out of the ‘Deli’ category and lend a ‘special’ note.

Spills, however, are still real possibilities and “wet” foods, ones requiring a lot of sauce, gravy or broth like stews and soups should be avoided. This is especially true of recipes based on an excess of ingredients that really stain like red wine. Above all avoid recipes that aren’t fork-friendly. Read more in this post.

Suggested Recipes

Boston Baked Beans

Two Sauce Lasagna

Feb.2, 2014:Super Bowl Recipes – Pulled Pork and Wings

 This post offers a third plan for Super Bowl parties and other casual gatherings that involve eating, and not regular seating.  I still want to serve a roast because they offer the most efficient and economical solution to the problem of serving a large group. Basically, it’s just one main dish, cooked in an oven, or one pot, with others singly or combined, on the side. Roasts are simpler to cook and carve, don’t require sauces or gravies, stay tasty even when done ahead and served at room temperature and can be served on bread as easily as a plate.

The trouble is that most roasts require constant carving while serving or, if done in a pot are far too liquid for buffets. Either way it’s awkward. I considered barbequing, but in winter, the weather is iffy. Finally, the light bulb lit and I remembered pulled pork. It can be cooked in a crock pot, kept warm and simply served with a ladle. The wings are traditional to this event and can be cooked and served from a crock pot as well.

Spinach Salad is a perfect light addition to the pork and wings and can fit on a roll with the pork. The wild rice and black eyed peas also goes with both meats and serves as a nice, contained bed for the pork in place of bread. Meringues are a light, easy finger food to end the meal on a low key. Learn more about this option in this post.

Recipes in This Post

Honey Spiced Wings
Jerk Pulled Pork
Spinach Salad
Wild Rice and Black Eyed Peas
Meringues

Jan. 27, 2015:Super Bowl Sunday

 It’s been kind of fun over the years watching this day grow into an annually celebrated event, evolving its own food traditions. Of course, from the beginning, anything served had to be casual, easily eaten, and sports spectator friendly. As time passed and the game became more of a social occasion covering several hours with elaborate half-time shows, the menu became more extensive.

However, the food still has to be casual, easily consumed and sustainable at room temperature but now the preference is for full flavor as well.  South Western cuisine has become a favorite, probably because that cuisine, generally, fits the requirements. It not only offers many pick-up dishes but also barbeque plays a large part in preparing them. Barbequing is excellent for preparing meats ahead and serving later at room temperature. It’s the spirit of tail-gating indoors.

However, the presence of upholstery and carpets do create a couple of problems, namely spilling and stains. Overly greasy finger foods and runny casseroles can leave permanent memories. Not that people are more carless on this day, but they are distracted. So I’ve stuck to roasts, rolls and drier sides, but this year I’m going to try something different. My guests are fewer so I’m going to focus on a casserole, in an attempt to see if I can cut down on cost and work. Hopefully, my choices which will still keep the spirit intact.

Below are some straightforward and basic dishes to consider which allow adding your own individual touches. Only the first should be served warm the others are fine at room temperature. Find all these recipes in this post.

Glamorous Ham Casserole

Classic Quiche Lorraine

Hamburger Onion Tart

Meat Pudding 

Pie with a Meat Crust: Filled with

  • Niblets corn drained+ jarred roasted red peppers+ tomato sauce
  • Fresh sliced mushrooms+ cream of mushroom soup + egg
  • Substitute cooked brown rice for the mushrooms in above
  • Cooked sauced spaghetti or other pasta + beaten egg +cheese
  • Equal amounts of pizza toppings For more fluidity omit the egg.
  • Garnish as pleased


Jan.25, 2018:Super Pizzas for the Super Bowl 

Obviously, the special circumstances surrounding a Super Bowl affect the party’s menu choices. This is a casual gathering of friends with a common interest in a sporting event, not in fine dining. People will be distracted and only graze until half-time. The favorites for this phase of the party are the traditional snacks, Doritos (of course) pretzels, potato chips, cheese straws and nuts.  I’ve found different flavored popcorn is popular too. I list some suggestions below.

Half-time circles dinner hour across time zones, from early bird in the west to continental in the east and by then your guests will have worked up an appetite, but they’re still distracted either by the show or the score. So some form of finger food is the best solution. I’ve written several posts (See the blog archives for: 2/9/12, 1/31/13, 2/2/14, 1/29/14) with menus and recipes for different levels of this party, roasts and artesian bread, ’neat’ casseroles etc.  All share an avoidance of fluid dishes and have the ability to be consumed from hand held plates.  This is an occasion where sudden moves are common, spills and dropped utensils frequent and the wise course is to stay away from foods that drip and stain and/or leave grease marks.

Pizza is a perfect solution. It’s moved to gourmet status, giving you a chance to show off your ingenuity, while offering the down-to-earth foods your guests want. A selection will earn you a place on the score card.  A nice touch is to include a platter of raw vegetables, by themselves, not with a dip.  Flavored popcorn is another good addition to the menu.
See All the Recipes in This Post.

Flavored Popcorn

Pizzas: 
Tomato, Feta and Spinach Galettes.

Artichoke Pizza
Smoked Salmon and Spinach Pizza
Asparagus Pizza
Pizza Margarita Plus
Mexican Beef Pizza
Tomato, Eggplant and Pepperoni Pizza

e Super Bowl and spectator parties will, like all events for the past 11 months, be different this year- few fans in the stands, few guests at the parties. In fact, some at home parties may be for residents only. But, as with other celebrations, we’ll try with some adjustments and changes, to create new, fond memories.

For me, fewer people means more casual and more casual means less work, easier prep, serving and clean –up for the cook. So, though I’ve written many Super Bowl posts over the years, for different types of parties, menus and recipes (see Jan. 31, 2013,     Feb.2, 2014—Wings    Jan. 29, 2015,    Jan. 25, 2018,   Jan. 16, 2020,) this will be a first, the small Super Bowl party for fewer than 8 participants.

However, be there 2 or 20, the food requirements are the same. Traditionally, Super Bowl food should be fun, filling, easily eaten, preferably from paper plates, without utensils. Hopefully, for a smaller group, it will involve minimum prep, easy serve and quick clean-up.   

The answer which sprang to mind was a sandwich or taco filling crock pot recipe. It could be prepped hours ahead, cooked in and served from the same pot, leaving only the one pot to clean. Best of all, the pot could be plugged in near the T.V. for access-because Super Bowl is the one T.V. event when no one wants to miss commercials.

Here are 9 recipes which fill the bill, chosen for their easy prep, lack of need for many condiments and accompaniments and ingredient versatility. (For more options see posting for Aug. 15, 2019.)In these days of rising food prices, I concentrated on dishes which could use meats interchangeably. Anyone who follows my blog knows that chicken, turkey and pork are substitutes for each other. In the recipes below pork also stands in for the beef.

Most slow cooker recipes are conversions from conventional stove top and oven ones. I’m including a conversion chart in case you want to experiment with some family favorites. There are a few helpful tips about crock pots to know first though.
1) You can keep food warm in a crock pot on low, but never use one to reheat food. Don’t turn it off for hours and turn it on again to warm food for serving.
2) Crock pots, like microwaves, retain moisture. A rule of thumb is to use about ½ the liquid of a conventional recipe. You can add more as the dish cooks.

So for Super Bowl this year, get some paper plates and napkins, a plastic mat for the crock pot, plan to put your feet up, sit back, relax and let the others serve themselves.

CONVERSION CHART

IF RECIPE SAYS                               COOK ON LOW                               COOK ON HIGH
15 to 30 minutes                                    4 to 6 hours                                          11/2 to 2 hours
35-45 minutes                                        6 – 10 hours                                         3 – 4 hours
50 minutes to 3 Hours                          8 to 18 hours                                       4 to 6 hours

RECIPES
Far East Steak Sandwich: Serves 6
1 lb. . Thin sliced sandwich steaks-pork scoloppine
2 garlic cloves minced
1 onion thinly sliced
! bell pepper julienned
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
¾ tsp. powdered ginger
3 Tbs. Soy sauce
4 0z can sliced mushrooms drained OR 1 cup fresh
Provolone cheese slices
Put all ingredients but cheese in cooker, cover and cook on low 6-8 hrs. Serve on sub rolls topped with cheese…

Meatballs for Sauce: Serves about 6
This is a recipe I used for the many years I was automatically assigned the meatball sandwich booth at the local elementary school Spring Fair. It makes up well in bulk and can be served in any sauce to fit the occasion. An added tip is that the frozen meatballs can be microwaved 1-2 min alone or with sauce until warm and served as a canapé or over pasta.
Recipe for meatball Sandwiches– Makes 18 meatballs
1 lb. ground meat-use sausage or a mix
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
½ hamburger bun in crumbs
½ small onion in fine dice
1 egg
Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups SAUCE home-made or commercial, any variety-tomato, Alfredo etc.
Combine all the ingredients except the sauce in a large bowl. Mix together well. Roll into balls about 1 ½ inch diameter. Place, well separated, on a foil covered cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 18 min. Cool on sheet.
Heat sauce over medium heat in a pan on stove top. Add meatballs and cook 15 minutes until flavors meld and meat is heated through. Serve hot on sliced buns with sauce.
TO FREEZE: Freeze meatballs in an air-tight plastic bag on a flat surface, so they don’t crowd together. Best re-heated in sauce thawed, but can be done frozen –increase cooking time to 20 minutes.

Beef (or Pork) Fajitas-Serves 12 From 365 slow Cooker Recipes by Publications International Ltd.
1 ½ lb. beef flank steak or pork loin-cut in 6 pieces
1 cup chopped onion
1 green bell pepper cut in ¼ inch pieces
1 Tbs. cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper chopped
2 minced garlic cloves or ½ tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. EACH chili pepper, cumin, coriander
½  tsp. salt
(1) 8 oz. can diced tomatoes
(12) 8 inch flour tortillas
Toppings-Sour cream, shredded Cheddar cheese, guacamole, salsa
Combine all ingredients save tortillas and toppings in a crock pot. Cook Low 8-10 hr. or High 4-5 hr. Remove and shred meat, return to pot and heat through. Serve on tortillas with toppings.

All in One Mexican Turkey Ole-Serves 4-6-From Fix-it and Forget-it Cookbook by Dawn J. Ranck and Phyllis Pellman Good
2 lb. ground turkey
1 large onion –chopped
4 oz. can green chilies- chopped
3oz. can jalapenos –chopped
15 oz. can tomato sauce
2 lb. Velveeta cheese
Tortillas for serving
Brown onion and meat, drain. Place all ingredients in slow cooker and cook Low 4 hr. or High 2 hr. Serve hot rolled in tortillas.

Cranberry-Barbequed Chicken: Serves 6-8*    8/15/19
6 cups cubed cooked chicken
15 oz. can whole berry cranberry sauce
1 cup barbeque sauce
1/2cup diced celery
½ cup diced onion
Salt and pepper
Put all ingredients in a slow cooker, cover and cook on high 2 hr. or low 5 hrs. Chicken will shred when stirred, or simply ladle out. Serve on rolls, optionally spread with mayonnaise. The addition of lettuce is also optional.
*Spreading rolls with mayonnaise is a serving suggestion 

Easy Mexican Chicken– Serves 6-8 Adapted from Cooking with 3 Ingredients by Ruthie Wornall
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
(1) 4 oz. can enchilada sauce
1 tsp. or to taste Taco Seasoning Mix

Place all ingredients in crock pot and cook on Low 6-10 hr. or High 3-4 hr. Stir well to shred chicken* Serve on tortillas
Toppings-Sour cream, shredded Cheddar cheese, guacamole, salsa
*May also be cooked in an oven at 350 deg. for 1 hr. increase sauce to 10 oz.

Oriental Chicken-Serves 6-8 –Adapted from Cooking With 3 Ingredients by Ruthie Wornall
6 boneless chicken breasts or thighs
1 cup orange juice
1 oz. envelope dry onion soup mix
2 Tbs. soy sauce
1-2 Tbs. sugar
Place chicken in the bottom of the crock pot and pour over the liquids, then sprinkle with the soup mix and sugar. Cook on Low 6-10 hr. or High 3-4 hr.* Remove meat and shred, return to pot and heat through. Serve hot on rolls.
*May also be baked in an oven at 350 deg. for 30 min. turned and baked 30 more.

Barbequed Pulled Pork: Serves 6-8- From Fix-it and Forget-it Cookbook by Dawn J. Ranck and Phyllis Pellman Good
2-3 lb. boneless pork roast cubed
2 onions –chopped
12 oz. bottle barbeque sauce
¼ cup honey
Rolls
Place meat and next 3 ingredients in slow cooker. Cook on Low 6-8 hr. Remove meat and shred, return meat to pot and heat through. Stir well and serve on rolls.
Topping suggestions: diced tomatoes, sliced onions, lettuce

Shredded Pork: Serves 4-6– From Fix-it and Forget-it Cookbook by Dawn J. Ranck and Phyllis Pellman Good
2-3 lb. pork butt roast
(1) envelope taco seasoning mix
½ -1 cup water

Place all ingredients in crock pot and cook on Low 24 hr. Remove meat and shred, return to pot and heat through. Serve on rolls.
Topping suggestions: diced tomatoes, sliced onions, lettuce

SUPER BOWL 22

What a year, Super Bowl on one day and Valentine’s Day the next. Usually I have a couple of weeks between postings for the two events and you all have a breather to prepare. Imagine what a long weekend it would be if Valentine’s were a national holiday, and, if Covid weren’t a consideration. But the first isn’t and the second is. Not knowing where, when or even if the disease will spike makes planning, much less advising in advance a guessing game. My thought is that people will probably follow their personal preferences for celebrating, as they have for much of 2021, but generally, maintaining a smaller scale than formerly.

However, I want to cover all the bases for my readers. So for those who want to have lots of company to watch the game, I want you to go to my post for Jan.16, 2020. This is a summary of 5 different super bowl party plans, indexed with links to each and provides a total of more than 28 recipes. Specifically, see Jan. 31, 2013,     Feb.2, 2014—Wings    Jan . 29, 2015,      Jan. 25, 2018,   Jan. 16, 2020,

For those who prefer smaller groups, I’m reprinting my post for Jan. 21, 2021.
“For me, fewer people means more casual and more casual means less work, easier prep, serving and clean –up for the cook. So, though I’ve written many Super Bowl posts over the years, this will be a first, the small Super Bowl party for fewer than 8 participants.

However, be there 2 or 20, the food requirements are the same. Traditionally, Super Bowl food should be fun, filling, easily eaten, preferably from paper plates, without utensils. Hopefully, for a smaller group, it will involve minimum prep, easy serve and quick clean-up.   The answer which sprang to mind was a sandwich or taco filling crock pot recipe. It could be prepped hours ahead, cooked in and served from the same pot, leaving only the one pot to clean. Best of all, the pot could be plugged in near the T.V. for access-because Super Bowl is the one T.V. event when no one wants to miss commercials.

Here are 9 recipes which fill the bill, chosen for their easy prep, lack of need for many condiments and accompaniments and ingredient versatility. (For more options see posting for Aug. 15, 2019.)In these days of rising food prices, I concentrated on dishes which could use meats interchangeably. Anyone who follows my blog knows that chicken, turkey and pork are substitutes for each other. In the recipes below pork also stands in for the beef.

Crock pots are better suited to this type of entertaining than Instant pots, because they are more forgiving of the timing of the game and the commercials. Most slow cooker recipes are conversions from conventional stove top and oven ones. I’m including a conversion chart in case you want to experiment with some family favorites. There are a few helpful tips about crock pots to know first though.
1) You can keep food warm in a crock pot on low, but never use one to reheat food. Don’t turn it off for hours and turn it on again to warm food for serving.
2) Crock pots, like microwaves, retain moisture. A rule of thumb is to use about ½ the liquid of a conventional recipe. You can add more as the dish cooks.

So for Super Bowl this year, get some paper plates and napkins, a plastic mat for the crock pot, plan to put your feet up, sit back, relax and let the others serve themselves.

CONVERSION CHART

IF RECIPE SAYS                               COOK ON LOW                               COOK ON HIGH
15 to 30 minutes                                    4 to 6 hours                                          11/2 to 2 hours
35-45 minutes                                        6 – 10 hours                                         3 – 4 hours
50 minutes to 3 Hours                          8 to 18 hours                                       4 to 6 hours


RECIPES
Far East Steak Sandwich: Serves 6
1 lb.  . Thin sliced sandwich steaks-pork scoloppine
2 garlic cloves minced
1 onion thinly sliced
! bell pepper julienned
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
¾ tsp. powdered ginger
3 Tbs. Soy sauce
4 0z can sliced mushrooms drained OR 1 cup fresh
Provolone cheese slices
Put all ingredients but cheese in cooker, cover and cook on low 6-8 hrs. Serve on sub rolls topped with cheese…

Meatballs for Sauce: Serves about 6
This is a recipe I used for the many years I was automatically assigned the meatball sandwich booth at the local elementary school Spring Fair. It makes up well in bulk and can be served in any sauce to fit the occasion. An added tip is that the frozen meatballs can be microwaved 1-2 min alone or with sauce until warm and served as a canapé or over pasta.
Recipe for meatball Sandwiches– Makes 18 meatballs
1 lb. ground meat-use sausage or a mix
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
½ hamburger bun in crumbs
½ small onion in fine dice
1 egg
Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups SAUCE home-made or commercial, any variety-tomato, Alfredo etc.
Combine all the ingredients except the sauce in a large bowl. Mix together well. Roll into balls about 1 ½ inch diameter. Place, well separated, on a foil covered cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 18 min. Cool on sheet.
Heat sauce over medium heat in a pan on stove top. Add meatballs and cook 15 minutes until flavors meld and meat is heated through. Serve hot on sliced buns with sauce.
TO FREEZE: Freeze meatballs in an air-tight plastic bag on a flat surface, so they don’t crowd together. Best re-heated in sauce thawed, but can be done frozen –increase cooking time to 20 minutes.

Beef (or Pork) Fajitas-Serves 12 From 365 slow Cooker Recipes by Publications International Ltd.
1 ½ lb. beef flank steak or pork loin-cut in 6 pieces
1 cup chopped onion
1 green bell pepper cut in ¼ inch pieces
1 Tbs. cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper chopped
2 minced garlic cloves or ½ tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. EACH chili pepper, cumin, coriander
½  tsp. salt
(1) 8 oz. can diced tomatoes
(12) 8 inch flour tortillas
Toppings-Sour cream, shredded Cheddar cheese, guacamole, salsa
Combine all ingredients save tortillas and toppings in a crock pot. Cook Low 8-10 hr. or High 4-5 hr. Remove and shred meat, return to pot and heat through. Serve on tortillas with toppings.

All in One Mexican Turkey Ole-Serves 4-6-From Fix-it and Forget-it Cookbook by Dawn J. Ranck and Phyllis Pellman Good
2 lb. ground turkey
1 large onion –chopped
4 oz. can green chilies- chopped
3oz. can jalapenos –chopped
15 oz. can tomato sauce
2 lb. Velveeta cheese
Tortillas for serving
Brown onion and meat, drain. Place all ingredients in slow cooker and cook Low 4 hr. or High 2 hr. Serve hot rolled in tortillas.

Cranberry-Barbequed Chicken: Serves 6-8*    8/15/19
6 cups cubed cooked chicken
15 oz. can whole berry cranberry sauce
1 cup barbeque sauce
1/2cup diced celery
½ cup diced onion
Salt and pepper
Put all ingredients in a slow cooker, cover and cook on high 2 hr. or low 5 hrs. Chicken will shred when stirred, or simply ladle out. Serve on rolls, optionally spread with mayonnaise. The addition of lettuce is also optional.
*Spreading rolls with mayonnaise is a serving suggestion 

Easy Mexican Chicken– Serves 6-8 Adapted from Cooking with 3 Ingredients by Ruthie Wornall
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
(1) 4 oz. can enchilada sauce
1 tsp. or to taste Taco Seasoning Mix

Place all ingredients in crock pot and cook on Low 6-10 hr. or High 3-4 hr. Stir well to shred chicken* Serve on tortillas
Toppings-Sour cream, shredded Cheddar cheese, guacamole, salsa
*May also be cooked in an oven at 350 deg. for 1 hr. increase sauce to 10 oz.

Oriental Chicken-Serves 6-8 –Adapted from Cooking With 3 Ingredients by Ruthie Wornall
6 boneless chicken breasts or thighs
1 cup orange juice
1 oz. envelope dry onion soup mix
2 Tbs. soy sauce
1-2 Tbs. sugar
Place chicken in the bottom of the crock pot and pour over the liquids, then sprinkle with the soup mix and sugar. Cook on Low 6-10 hr. or High 3-4 hr.* Remove meat and shred, return to pot and heat through. Serve hot on rolls.
*May also be baked in an oven at 350 deg. for 30 min. turned and baked 30 more.

Barbequed Pulled Pork: Serves 6-8- From Fix-it and Forget-it Cookbook by Dawn J. Ranck and Phyllis Pellman Good
2-3 lb. boneless pork roast cubed
2 onions –chopped
12 oz. bottle barbeque sauce
¼ cup honey
Rolls
Place meat and next 3 ingredients in slow cooker. Cook on Low 6-8 hr. Remove meat and shred, return meat to pot and heat through. Stir well and serve on rolls.
Topping suggestions: diced tomatoes, sliced onions, lettuce

Shredded Pork: Serves 4-6– From Fix-it and Forget-it Cookbook by Dawn J. Ranck and Phyllis Pellman Good
2-3 lb. pork butt roast
(1) envelope taco seasoning mix
½ -1 cup water

Place all ingredients in crock pot and cook on Low 24 hr. Remove meat and shred, return to pot and heat through. Serve on rolls.
Topping suggestions: diced tomatoes, sliced onions, lettuce

Jan 25

Economizing Etrees Part II Chicken and Fish

ECONOMIZING ENTRÉES – PART II CHICKEN & FISH

I want to take a moment to reiterate that this and the last post are about wallet-friendly meal solutions, not budget recipes. They offer examples of ways to turn a favorite meal into a week night regular.

Chicken is amazing! One of the first animals domesticated for food, its meat has always topped the list of those consumed globally. Prized for its mild flavor, digestive ability, compatibility with other foods and short cooking time, chicken is accepted by every ethnicity and dietary regime, inspiring literally hundreds of recipes in every cuisine. They range from elegant, fit for royal occasions, to casually simple ones, served at a child’s picnic. Best of all, chicken has remained an affordable, available meat through every economy.

Chicken is so popular, that since I’ve been writing this post, not many months have passed without a chicken recipe. To save repeating basic facts and directions about buying, prepping, cooking and carving or separating a bird into parts, with recipes, I wrote a book, The Poultry Place. I recommend it for dealing with any birds, tame or game turkey, duck, quail, etc. 

Moreover, since chicken partners with so many foods, and can be cooked in every known way, choosing a recipe for a specific task isn’t a matter of finding one but of narrowing the field. So for particular needs, I suggest you check,  Chicken In Spring Part I. Casual Elegance and Part II Entrees  April  13, and 20, 2023,  Chicken Roll-ups  Feb. 21, 2019 and  Boneless, Skinless Chicken  April 26, 2018. This post is concerned with showing how chicken recipes can be adapted to an economic form while preserving taste. This is for raw chicken, for leftovers go to the post on turkey, Nov. 23, 2023, which also applies to chicken.  

Before giving the recipes, I do have a bit of advice. Buy chicken split breasts and thighs and skin, bone flatten them to even thickness yourself. It’s easy, less costly and gives a better presentation than the commercial, especially the frozen products. They’re too thin and appear skimpy cubed in the finished dish. Also, think pasta for the thinner, or pan sauces and rice, if you’re creating a thicker one, like white or Bechamel sauce or gravy, to bed the dish.

Recipes marked with an asterisk * are from my book Dinners Wth Joy

RECIPES-Ingredient changes are in Italics and underlned

*Chicken in Lemon Wine Sauce: Serves 4

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts >>>>>> 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

¼ cup flour

2 Tbs. cooking oil – -canola

2 Tbs. butter

1 small onion diced>>>>>>>2 small onions , halved, in thin rings

2 cloves garlic sliced

1 lemon  – zested and juiced

1/3 cup white wine – – recommend dry vermouth

¾ cup water

1/2 envelope chicken bouillon granules

½ cup chopped fresh parsley – – or 2 Tbs. dried
2 tsp garlic powder

2 cups total of the following—mix and match–1 cup halved, sliced zucchini or yellow summer squash, and/or cut green beans and/or broccoli florets and/or okra
8 oz. sturdy shaped pasta like shells or penne

Pound chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap, to an even thickness, and dredge in flour. Place 1 Tbs. oil in a skillet over medium heat and begin to cook chicken, add 2 Tbs. butter, and brown chicken in both sides – @ 6 min. total. Remove chicken to a plate. Add 1Tbs. oil to pan and sauté onion until soft @ 2 min.; add sliced garlic and sauté 1 min, more. Add wine, and deglaze pan by scraping all the browned bits from the surface with a wooden spoon. Add water, bouillon powder, 1 Tbs. lemon juice, and return chicken to pan. Reduce heat and cook, uncovered, over medium- low about 8-10 min. until chicken is done and sauce thickens.

Meanwhile, make what the Italians call “Gremalata” by mixing the parsley, garlic powder and lemon zest in a small bowl.

Plate the chicken pieces individually with sauce. Top each with a small portion of gremalata, and pass the rest.

Direction changes
After pounding the chicken, cut in to 1 1/2 inch cubes. Follow the directions but add the vegetables with the chicken when returned to the pan and cook frequently checking liquid adding water to maintain level. Meanwhile cook pasta. Plate chicken over pasta and serve hot.

*Chicken Parmesan: Serves 4

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts>>>>>2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

¼ cup flour

2 Tbs. butter

2 Tbs. oil 

(1) 4 oz. can mushrooms-stems and pieces-drained

(2) 8 oz. cans tomato sauce

8 oz. Mozzarella cheese- in thin slices or coarsely grated

¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated>>>> +excess to pass at table
8 oz. Angel hair pasta or thin spaghetti

Pound chicken and dredge by shaking in a plastic bag with the flour, one piece at a time. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat, and brown the meat on both sides @ 6 min. total depending on thickness. Add oil as needed to prevent sticking. Remove meat to an ovenproof pan or dish that holds the meat close, but not overlapping. Sauté the mushrooms for 30 seconds in the pan juices, and turn off the heat. Pour in 1 can of the tomato sauce and deglaze the pan, pour it, with the mushrooms, over the meat. Repeat deglazing with second can of sauce. Cover, and seal the meat dish with foil. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40 min. Remove pan and turn on broiler. Carefully, mindful of the steam, remove the foil, and spread the mozzarella evenly over the meat. Sprinkle the parmesan on top and broil until bubbly and beginning to brown.
Direction changes: After pounding, cut meat into 1 ½ inch pieces, dredge in flour in batches id necessary. Late over pasta serve hot and pass extra cheese.

FISH: Fish, like meat has risen in price, with tuna leading the pack. Until 2000, canned tuna was the go-to budget meal. Tuna casserole appeared weekly on school menus. There were no grades, a can of tuna, costing under $1.00, was solid white meat. Flake existed in cheaper brands. Several reasons are cited for the price hike in tuna, but today a can of solid Albacore is double the price for 1/3 less contents (7 oz. down to 5 oz.). So if an older recipe calls for 2 cans (@$2.00) it now takes 3 (@$6.00). A good example of today’s food cost dilemma and as good a reason to adapt recipes to fit the current economy. However, tuna is still very popular which the availability of fresh tuna steaks for grilling has increased.

Canned salmon was always higher priced than tuna, and had to be cleared of skin and bones, which flaked the meat, limiting its serving options. Fresh salmon was expensive and mostly seasonal.  Aquafarming introduced individually bagged, frozen, skinless fillets, which have undermined canned in popularity and price. Fillets started at $1.00 per fillet, now costing about $2.00, equal a can of tuna, but having the advantage of comprising an entrée. Still the cost adds up when feeding a family and economizing is always welcome.

Many fish are now frozen In fillets and if you have favorite recipes, or dinner pairings for any of them, use the following recipes as examples of how to keep the taste and spirit of that meal, while economizing  it for, perhaps, a week night.

*Salad Nicoise: Serves 4

1 head Boston lettuce – sometimes called “Garden” or “Bib” – if not available buy Romaine NOT Iceberg

¾ lb. redskin or new potatoes

¾ lb. whole green beans

4 hardboiled eggs – peeled, halved lengthwise and chilled

1 large red or Bermuda onion in fairly thin slices

3 large or 4 medium tomatoes peeled and cut in medium slices and chilled

(1) 2oz can anchovy fillets drained oil reserved for dressing

(1) 5oz can colossal pitted ripe olives – drained

(2) 7 oz. cans solid white Albacore Tuna in water – drained

Kosher salt 

White wine

Dried tarragon

Fresh ground black pepper

DRESSING RECIPE BELOW

Cut the potatoes in quarters, or halves, depending on size. Boil them separately or together with the beans until the potatoes are done and the beans still crisp @ 10 min.

Drain well, run under cold water to stop the cooking and cool. Place the potatoes and beans in an oblong container, so they can spread to marinate, with ½ cup white wine and 2 tsp dried tarragon. Allow to marinate at least ½ hr. or all day. Separate the lettuce leaves, wash well and allow to air dry. Cover a large platter with the leaves. Pile the tuna, topped with the anchovies in the center, and attractively arrange the other ingredients, in separate sections, in a surrounding circle. Sprinkle with the salt and fresh pepper.

Dressing:-Wisk all ingredients together well

4 Tbs. minced shallots – onions will substitute

2 Tbs. dry mustard powder

5 Tbs. red wine vinegar

3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice 

2 ¼ cups olive oil plus the oil from the anchovies

2 tsp. dried tarragon

Taste and add some of the marinating white wine if it won’t dilute too much

Kosher salt

Fresh ground Pepper

Drizzle the dressing over the platter and serve the rest on the side.

Pasta Nicoise: Serves 4

1 can water packed tuna- drained
4 hard-boiled eggs-sliced
1 cup cut green beans-cooked to crisp tender
¼ cup sliced black olives
2 plum tomatoes –in large dice
12 oz. penne or rotini-cooked
1 ottle-8 oz. of Italian vinaigrette dressing-any flavor
Arrange first 6 ingredients decoratively over cooked, cooled pasts. Drizzle with dressing and serve.

*Poached Salmon with Lemon-Dill Sauce: Serves 4 an water packed tuna –
1 ½ lbs. of salmon fillets or steaks
1 Tbs. lemon juice
Bring water to cover and lemon juice to a boil and reduce to an even simmer. Slide fish in gently and cook about 8-10 min. per pound until the flesh turns pale pink and flakes easily. Remove from heat, run fish under cold water to stop cooking and remove skin, and spine bone, if still there in steaks. Serve warm or chill on a covered plate at least 1 hour.
Sauce 1:
½ large onion- diced
¼ cup oil
1/3 cup white wine
1cup sour cream
2 Tbs. capers
¼ tsp. lemon pepper or to taste
In a sauce pan, sauté diced onion in 1 Tbs. oil until soft, add balance of oil, capers, wine and ¼ tsp. lemon pepper, allow to simmer gently to warm. Check if more lemon pepper is needed, sauce should be very lemony but not bitter. Remove from heat, cool slightly, whisk in sour cream to blend while still warm. Serve warm over hot fish or cool to room temperature and serve over chilled fish. This is best made shortly before serving. Drizzle sauce over fish and pass remainder.
Sauce 2:
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
1 ½ tsp. dill weed or to taste
Blend all ingredients well and allow flavors to meld several hours in the refrigerator. Add more dill to taste if needed. Serve dolloped over chilled fish.

Salmon in Lemon-Dill Sauce: Serves 6
2 frozen salmon fillets from a package about 6 ½-7 oz. total
(1) 4 oz. can stems and pieces mushrooms
½ cup sliced onion
1 garlic clove-minced OR equal amount garlic powder
2 cups skim or 1% milk
1 ½ cups green peas
3 Tbs. flour
1 Tbs. grated lemon zest or lemon juice plus lemon pepper to taste if needed
¾ tsp. dried dill weed
1 box spaghetti or linguini
Salt and pepper to taste

Poach salmon in water, cool and slice thinly with the grain. Cook onion in 1 Tbs. water for 2 min. in microwave until crisp tender-reserve. Microwave peas in microwave as directed on package, drain and reserve. Combine flour, milk, lemon, garlic, seasonings and dill in a bowl and stir until smooth; heat over medium, stirring constantly until thickened. Meanwhile cook pasta. Add vegetables to sauce fold in fish and stir gently until warmed through. Serve over pasta hot.

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