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Feb 20

Hooray for Casseroles (1)

HOORAY FOR CASSEROLES

For many, ‘hardy winter recipes’, conjures visions of steaming, golden casseroles, for others casseroles are considered old-fashioned. The current preference is for quickly made, lighter meals and the sauté pan is the utensil of choice.

The main objection seems to be that casseroles take time to assemble and prepare but wait a minute. Let’s look at the flip side of that coin. They can be made and held, chilled, oven ready in their serving dish, way in advance of cooking. Some can even be frozen for long periods and cooked without thawing. When the time comes to cook, casseroles are simply baked, unattended-no basting no turning. They usually need only about 30-45 min.to cook and meanwhile people are free to do other things. Serving’s a cinch with no plating and they only need a simple side salad. Clean-up’s easy too-only the serving dish and plates. “What’s not to like?”

Nor do casseroles have to be starchy, dependent on rich sauces and fattening. They can be lighter, made of ingredients more geared to current tastes and still be comfort food. And they’ve always been great to serve at parties. Personally, with lower temperatures and my winter addiction to warming things, I welcome them in my menus.

So I’m dedicating this blog to casseroles. Some I’ve posted before, others are new, and they range from minimal effort to more involved. A few are elegant enough for entertaining, most are simply welcome, satisfying meals but all are delicious and worth trying. If cooking frozen, always increase time 5-8 min.

RECIPES

Hot Chicken (or Turkey) Salad: Serves 6—This recipe was given me by a caterer years ago. He said it was his most requested dish and I believe it. It’s a great family favorite and has starred at many buffets,* but never have I served it without being asked for the recipe. Great to freeze covered but add the croutons before cooking.

3 cups cubed cooked meat-chicken or turkey-leftovers are great

1 ½ cups thin sliced celery

1 small to medium onion diced

(1) 4oz. can stems and pieces mushrooms

¼ cup toasted almond slivers

2 Tbs. lemon juice

1 cup Hellman’s mayonnaise

Salt to taste

2 Tbs. sharp cheese

3 Tbs. butter- melted

½ cup toasted croutons –  I like rye bread

Mix first 8 ingredients and put in a greased casserole. Toss croutons with butter and top. Sprinkle with cheese and bake in a preheated 450 degree oven until brown–@ 30 min.

*Doubled or tripled, this is an excellent party dish, but it also freezes well, before the toppings are added. So, save time and make extra to have ahead. It’s a five star with my family!

Chicken Divan: Serves 4-This is a very old dish, but a delicious, easy one when using frozen broccoli. To make it even simpler, (1) 14 oz. can of cream of chicken, or mushroom soup can replace the white sauce. Simply dilute the soup with ½ cup of milk or broth. Can be made 1-2 days ahead, and kept chilled but do not freeze.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

(1) 14 oz. can chicken broth

(1) lb. bag frozen broccoli cuts-thawed and drained

4 Tbs. butter

4 Tbs. flour

½  cup whole milk or half and half-more if needed

½ cup grated mild cheddar cheese

½ cup grated Parmesan  cheese

Salt to taste if needed

Paprika to garnish

Poach chicken in broth. Cool and slice breasts in half lengthwise. Measure remaining broth and add enough milk to equal 2 cups. Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in flour to make a paste. Quickly add liquid and stir to break up lumps. Return pot to heat, stirring constantly to remove lumps, bring to a simmer and continue stirring until sauce thickens to desired consistency. Add cheddar cheese and ¼ cup Parmesan, stir until it melts. Add salt if needed.  Lightly grease a 2 qt. casserole. Place a layer of broccoli in the bottom, arrange the chicken over it and cover with half the sauce. Top with the rest of the broccoli, the rest of the sauce and sprinkle the rest of the Parmesan over it. Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika for color. Bake at 375 deg. for 40-50 min. until golden and bubbly. Serve at once.

Sherried Ham Casserole: Serves 4 This is a long, long time family favorite, because in one form it makes a party dish of leftover ham, but can also be a quick way to make a week day seem special. Smoked turkey may be substituted for the ham. Can be frozen, but the fresh tomatoes lend a special note that is lost in freezing.

2 cups cooked rice – suggest packaged pre-cooked product, Uncle Ben’s or Zataran’s

2 cups cooked ham in ½ inch dice. About ¾ lb. 3 thick slices from the Deli work fine.

2 eggs beaten

2 plum or small tomatoes in large dice

1/3 cup green bell pepper diced

¼ cup diced onion

1 ½ tsp. Dijon or Spicy Brown mustard

1 ½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce

½ cup cream sherry

½ cup light cream

½ cup bread crumbs

2 Tbs. melted butter

Paprika and parsley to garnish

The pre-cooked rice packets only take a couple of minutes in the microwave-if you are using leftover rice, or making your own, do not use the minute type. Combine all ingredients, except last three, in a lightly greased 2 qt. casserole. Stir to mix well. Combine butter and bread crumbs, sprinkle over top. Decorate with parsley and paprika. Bake 350 degrees for 45 min or until nicely browned and bubbly.

Hot Dog, Potato and 2 Bean Casserole: Serves 4– Do not freeze, and it’s so quickly assembled, there’s no point.

8 hot dogs cut in 6 pieces each—2 cups cubed ham is an option

(1) 15 oz. can kidney beans

(1) 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes – drained, juice reserved

(1) 10 oz. bag frozen cut green beans

1 large onion thinly sliced

1 Tbs. oil

Salt & pepper

4 large white potatoes

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook onions until softening and add hot dog pieces. Continue until onions are soft and hot dogs begin to puff at ends. Add kidney beans, tomato juice and green beans; cook 3 min. add tomatoes, stir to incorporate, taste for salt and pepper and remove from heat.  Put the mixture into a lightly greased 2 qt. casserole or 4 individual oven-proof dishes. Pierce the potatoes and microwave 1 – 1 ½ min. until still firm but no longer raw. When cool thinly slice and arrange over the top of the casserole(s).
Can be refrigerated for up to a day at this time. Bake in a 400 deg. oven until potatoes are golden-about 45-50 min.


Baked Beans and Knockwurst (Kielbasa or Hot Dogs): Serves 4-5-My grandmother used to make baked beans from scratch. The dish was a treat but time consuming. Now with all the verities of baked beans, it’s an easy option anytime. Traditionally the meat is hot dogs and I’ve used the 3 above but I think any type of sausage works. Do not freeze. *See NOTE for leftover suggestion.

(2) 25 oz. cans baked beans

4-5 thin slices of onion

2 Tbs. Pick 2-all optional- ketchup and/or molasses and/or maple syrup and/or mustard and/or horseradish

8-10 Sausage links-at least 2 per person depending on appetite

Empty the beans in a lightly oiled casserole dish and mix with optional seasonings. Separate the onion slices into rings and sprinkle over top. Bake at 350 deg. about 20-25min. Pierce the sausage casings with a fork, and arrange links around edges of dish, over lapping and double rowing if necessary. Bake for additional 30-40 min. until meat browns and onions are almost burnt.

*NOTE: For handy canapés: Mash leftover beans, mix to taste with the above seasoning choices and spread between slices of crust less, thin sliced bread. Cut into triangles or fingers and freeze in layers. To serve- oven toast on both sides.

Sirloin Tip Casserole: Serves 4- A ‘company’ casserole. Don’t try to freeze.* The advantage here is that it can be assembled hours in advance and cook while you entertain.

2 lbs. Sirloin Tips well -trimmed and cubed – cubes of round-top or bottom- may be used as well

8 oz. fresh sliced mushrooms OR (1) 4 oz. can whole buttons cut in half

2 medium onions in 8ths

2 Tbs. dried parsley

2 cloves garlic sliced

2 tsp. dried oregano

2 tsp. dried rosemary

2 tsp. dried thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

¾ cup tomato paste

1 cup Red wine – divided ¼ cup reserved

1 Tbs. cornstarch

3 Tbs. oil

1 tsp. Kitchen Bouquet if deemed necessary.

In a large skillet or saucepan, brown meat in 2 Tbs. oil, when nearly finished add more oil if needed and the onions, mushrooms, garlic and herbs. Cook 3 min. Add the tomato paste and the ¾ cup of wine. Cover and simmer about 25 min or until meat is tender. Add the cornstarch mixed with the ¼ cup wine and stir until gravy thickens. Add Kitchen Bouquet for color if needed. Pour mixture into a greased casserole, top with potatoes as made below. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Potatoes

1 box Instant mashed potatoes – 3 cups

Milk

Water

1 egg

1 envelope beef bouillon granules

2 Tbs. butter

½ cup grated Parmesan

Paprika

Make potatoes according to directions but use half milk and half water, when fluffy, add 2 Tbs. butter, 1 egg, and the bouillon.  Arrange the potatoes in a ring around the edge of the casserole. Sprinkle with the cheese Garnish with the Paprika. Bake for 20 min or until browned
*NOTE: This can be frozen if done so before the potatoes are added, and thawed to room temperature before adding them as well. Then proceed with the baking as directed.

Shepard’s Pie: Serves 4-It’s claimed the colonial settlers brought this dish with them. Long regarded as a way to use leftover roast lamb, its popularity with children has surely also contributed to its endurance. In my modernized form it’s an easy casserole to make-without leftovers. Can be frozen.

½ lb. ground beef

½ lb. ground lamb – or turkey if preferred

2 large onions in 8 pieces each

1 10 oz. box frozen peas thawed

¼ cup mint sauce – I make my own but Lea&Perrins and Hampshire House are good

2 envelopes beef bouillon

1 envelope chicken bouillon

2 cups water – divided

2 Tbs. cornstarch

Kitchen Bouquet – as needed @ 1 tsp.

Cooking spray

1 box instant mashed potatoes – enough for 2 cups

Milk – as per box directions

1 egg

1 Tbs. butter

Salt and pepper

¼ cup grated parmesan

Dried parsley and paprika to garnish

Potatoes
(1) pkg (4 servings) instant mashed made according to directions but using ½ milk and ½ water

Spray a skillet with cooking oil, and over medium heat cook the meat until no longer pink, with the onions until soft. Add 1 ½ cups water, bouillons and mint sauce. Dissolve cornstarch in ½ cup water, mix in and stir until gravy thickens. Remove from heat and add enough Kitchen Bouquet to turn the gravy deep brown. Stir in peas, and pour the mixture into an oiled ovenproof casserole. Make mashed move from heat and stir in egg. Spread the potatoes over the meat mixture, covering completely. Top with parmesan, paprika and parsley. Bake 350 degrees for 30 min.

Mexican Tortilla Casserole: Serves 4-This recipe is from The U.S. Personal Chef Ass. Members Cookbook. It freezes but should be thawed before cooking. It’s a great choice for a Super Bowl Party.

2 Tbs. butter

3 Tbs. flour

¾ cup chicken broth

½ cup milk

½ tsp. EACH salt, garlic powder, sugar, oregano, cumin

¼ tsp. EACH pepper and paprika

(1) 8 oz. can tomato sauce

(1) 4 oz. can chilies chopped

1 tsp. chili powder

1 dash red pepper

½ lb. lean ground beef

1 large onion chopped

1 cup sliced mushrooms

½ lb. grated Cheddar Cheese

8 corn tortillas-cut into 6 pieces each

Melt the butter in a sauce pan and make a roux by adding the flour and stirring into a paste. Add the broth and milk and bring mixture to a boil stirring constantly. Add salt, pepper and garlic powder. Cook 1 min. and add tomato sauce, chilies and all other seasonings. Cook 2 min. more and remove from heat. Brown meat, onion and mushrooms in a large skillet, drain; add sauce and mix well. Lightly grease an ovenproof dish and line the bottom with half the tortilla pieces. Pour in half the meat mix, top with half the cheese. Repeat layers, cool and cover with heavy duty foil. Freeze now, or bake at 375 deg. until hot throughout.

Double Punch Lasagna Roll-Ups: Serves 4 If you need to plan ahead for an oven-ready dinner, this casserole does freeze as well as keep wonderfully well for 2 or 3 days in the refrigerator, and makes a good party dish, but the stuffed noodles have to be served as separate entities. Don’t randomly cut into the dish.

1 lb. ground turkey (Frozen rolls ex. Jenny-O,) work well here. The finer ground seems to compact more easily for stuffing. Be sure to thaw before cooking.)

1 medium onion chopped

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

2 tsp. chopped garlic

2 tsp. dried oregano

2 tsp. dried basil

¾ cup ricotta cheese

1 Tbs. oil

4 Lasagna noodles broken in half

(2)  8oz. cans tomato sauce

7 oz. canned diced tomatoes = ½ a 14 oz. can- drained and juice reserved

2 ½ cups milk

5 T flour

5 Tbs. butter

4 oz. Monterey Jack cheese in small cubes

Salt to taste

Grated parmesan and paprika to garnish

Cook noodles in boiling water until very tender @ 10 min. Drain and keep in cool water so they don’t dry out. In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat and sauté onion until soft @ 3 min. Add mushrooms for 2 min. then add garlic for one minute, then turkey, separating it between the fingers as it goes into the pan, and 1 teaspoon each of the oregano and basil. Cook, stirring, to keep meat separated until it browns @ 5 min. If mixture begins to seem dry or stick to the pan, add a bit of the reserved tomato juice. Stir in ricotta and remove from heat.

Lightly coat a casserole about 9x9x3, with cooking spray. Spread tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and second teaspoons of oregano and basil, in the bottom. Lay out the noodles, and put an equal portion of the meat mixture on each. Roll the noodle around the stuffing, until the ends meet, and carefully lay each, seam side down in the prepared casserole.

In a saucepan, over high heat, melt the butter until it foams. Remove from the heat and stir in the flour to make a smooth paste. This is called a Roux. Add the milk and stirring constantly to incorporate the roux, return the pan to the stove over medium heat. Continue stirring until sauce thickens, never allowing it to boil (lift the pan for a moment if it starts to) @ 3 min.

When it has thickened, stir in the cheese until it melts, add the nutmeg and salt. White Sauce often does need salt cf. Sauces and Gravies Link. Pour this sauce over the noodles, dust with grated parmesan cheese and paprika to garnish. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake until sauce bubbles and slightly browns @ 40 min.

Feb 13

Bread Pudding Returns AS Dinner OR Dessert (1)

WELCOME BACK BREAD PUDDING-

In winter, people need filling, nourishing food for energy. Bread Pudding, a staple in colonial menus and favorite of the pioneers, is perfect for the task. One could even say, it’s Clafoutis’ heftier cousin, because it too is custard based. Nowadays, thanks to microwaves we’ve found a portion of chilled leftover pudding, reheated, makes a perfect sack on a cold day.

Actually Bread Pudding maintained a highly visible profile until the 1960s, when the bread and amount of butter in the traditional recipes raised red flags for the weight and cholesterol conscious. Now, I’d bet there are adults who haven’t heard of it, much less eaten it.

However, Bread Pudding hasn’t been totally forgotten, a quick web search reveals that. What’s more it’s moved with the times and out of the ‘purely dessert’ box. Labeled as Bread and Butter Pudding in older cookbooks, most modern recipes have also dropped the butter, or replaced it with oil, removing that obstacle to its inclusion in a healthy diet. Only one recipe below calls for butter, and that’s just ¼ cup= 4 Tbs. or ½ Tbs. = 1 ½ tsp. per serving. To further ‘lighten the load’ half-and-half or evaporated milk can be substituted for the cream in those recipes which call for it. One quick tip first; ’Firm bread’ as stipulated in these recipes refers to the texture and does not mean ‘dry’ as called for in stuffings.

The first two recipes below show the new forms of Bread Pudding as entrée casseroles suitable for any of the three meals. They offer excellent opportunities for experimentation and personalization. Substitute any vegetables with a similar texture for the stated ones, and change the herbs and/or seasonings to suit your choice and you can even shift cuisines.

I note after the second recipe that meat could be a welcome addition, but only offered a few examples. This would be an excellent way to use leftovers. Browned ground meat could also be added. Portions of Bread Puddings are great for brown bagging too. They can be eaten at room temperature or warmed in a few seconds in a microwave.

I haven’t ignored Bread Pudding desserts either, but tried to include a variety of good ones, as well as a basic easy recipe, and thrown in several sauces to top them off. There’s still a lot of winter left, so give this old favorite in new clothes a try. You’ll be glad you did!

RECIPES

Savory Bread Pudding: Serves 8 –From Bon Appetit on line recipes

1 Tbs. olive oil

3 large eggs

1½ cups milk

1 tsp. hot sauce

½ tsp. salt

4 cups diced stale bread

1 lb. spinach, well rinsed and wilted

1 cup corn kernels, preferably scraped from cob

1 cup chopped scallions

½ cup chopped red bell pepper

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly oil bottom and sides of high-sided 9×13 pan or soufflé dish.

Beat eggs until light and fluffy. Add milk, hot sauce and salt, and mix. Pour in ½ of milk mixture into pan, add ½ of bread cubes, and push down into milk mixture. Layer in ½ of spinach, then corn, scallions, bell pepper and 1 cup cheese. Repeat layering, reserving 1 cup cheese and some milk mixture. When complete, pour last of milk mixture over top, making sure it soaks all bread. Bake 1 hour. Top with remaining 1 cup cheese, and return to oven to brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and serve while hot.

Savory Squash and Leek Bread Pudding: Serves 8-From epicourious.com

4 Tbs. unsalted butter, plus more for pan

12 cups (1″ pieces) brioche (from about 2 loaves)

1 small butternut squash (about 1 ½ lb.), peeled, seeds removed, cut into ½ ” pieces

2 large leeks, white and pale green parts only, halved lengthwise, cut into ½ ” pieces

1 tsp. thyme leaves

2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more

4 large eggs

3 cups heavy cream

3 cups whole milk

1 tsp. sugar

1 ½ cups coarsely grated Emmenthal cheese, Comté, and/or aged Gouda, divided

Crème fraiche or sour cream and fennel fronds (for serving)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 13×9″ glass or ceramic baking dish; set aside. Spread out brioche on a large rimmed baking sheet and bake, tossing halfway through, until golden brown and crisp, 25–30 minutes. Let cool, then transfer to a large bowl. Heat remaining 4 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium. Cook squash, leeks, and thyme, stirring occasionally until squash is tender, 10–12 minutes. Mix in a pinch of cayenne; season with salt. Transfer to bowl with brioche. Whisk eggs, cream, milk, sugar, 2 tsp. salt, and a pinch of cayenne in a large bowl to combine. Add 1 cup cheese to bowl with brioche and toss to evenly distribute. Transfer to prepared baking dish and pour 5 cups egg mixture over; gently press bread into liquid to coat. Pour remaining egg mixture over and let sit 15 minutes. Scatter remaining ½ cup cheese over bread pudding and bake until puffed and custard is set in the center, 60–75 minutes. Let cool at least 10 min.

My Variation-Substitute tomatoes for the squash, and use shredded cheddar or Swiss cheese. Optionally, add ½ cup crumbled bacon or slivers or small cubes of ham

Basic Bread Pudding Dessert Recipe: Serves 8

1 lb. French bread (the firmer the better)

3 ¼ cups milk

3 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

¾ cup sugar

¼ tsp. cinnamon

¼ to ½ cup pecans

Optional: ¼ to ½ cup raisins

Heat the oven to 350 deg.

Butter a 2 ½ -quart baking dish.

Tear bread into medium pieces. Put the bread in a large bowl and add the granulated sugar and cinnamon. Mix milk, lightly beaten eggs, and vanilla. Add to bread mixture. Spoon half of the mixture into the baking dish. Sprinkle with the pecans and raisins, if used. Top with the rest of the mixture. Bake in a preheated 350deg.oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Tips and Variations: Use dried cranberries or blueberries, currents or other dried fruits instead of raisins, or make it with chocolate chips. Replace the pecans with chopped walnuts or slivered almonds. You can also experiment with other types of bread, cinnamon, honey wheat or other grains, but beware of whole grains which could alter the texture of the pudding

Pumpkin Bread Pudding: Serves 8- From Epicurious.com

1 cup heavy cream

¾ cup canned solid-pack pumpkin

½ cup whole milk

½ cup sugar

2 large eggs plus 1 yolk

¼ tsp. salt

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. ground ginger

1/8 tsp. ground allspice

Pinch of ground cloves

5 cups cubed (1-inch) day-old baguette or crusty bread

¾ stick unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

Whisk together cream, pumpkin, milk, sugar, eggs, yolk, salt, and spices in a bowl.

Toss bread cubes with butter in another bowl, then add pumpkin mixture and toss to coat. Transfer to an ungreased 8-inch square baking dish and bake until custard is set, 25 to 30 minutes.

Eggnog Bread Pudding: Serves 8 –From About .com

4 large eggs (slightly beaten)

½ cup brown sugar or granulated sugar

¼ tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 ½ cups milk (warm)

8 slices white bread (crusts removed if desired)

Dash nutmeg

Whisk together the eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla; add the warm milk. Cut bread in half diagonally, forming triangles. Arrange 2 layers of bread slices in a lightly buttered 8-inch square baking dish. Pour the custard mixture over the bread. Place the 8-inch baking dish in a larger baking dish containing about ½ to 1 inch of very hot water. Bake at 325° for 40 to 50 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm or cool with dessert sauce, syrup, or fruit.

Cinnamon Custard Bread Pudding Variation: Use cinnamon swirl bread and omit the nutmeg. Sprinkle the custard mixture with cinnamon sugar just before baking.

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.

Jam Bread Pudding: Serves 6-8

2 eggs-separated

½ cup sugar + 2 Tbs.

1 cup milk

1 cup light cream

1 cup 1 inch bread cubes

1cup marmalade or all fruit preserves or jam

½ cup toasted slivered almonds

Beat egg yolks, add ½ cup sugar, milk and cream, stir well and pour over bread in a lightly greased ovenproof dish. Bake at 350 deg. for 45 min. or until firm. Remove from oven and spread with marmalade or jam and sprinkle on the nuts.

Meanwhile make a meringue by beating the egg whites until slightly stiff then continue beating while gradually adding the 2 Tbs. reserved sugar until glossy peaks form. Spread the meringue over the jam and nuts on top of the pudding and return to the hot oven to bake for another 12-15 min. until top is slightly brown. Serve hot at once.

SAUCES: Remove the pudding from the oven and let it cool slightly before serving. Serve warm with the sauce. Cool and cover any leftover pudding and store it in the refrigerator.

Classic Hard Sauce

1/3 cup butter

1 ½ cups powdered sugar

1/8 tsp. salt

1 Tbs. rum, brandy or other liqueur

1 Tbs. vanilla or other flavoring of choice to taste

Cream butter and sugar add salt. Beat with cream and flavorings until fluffy. Pile lightly in a serving dish and chill until serving. Pass with pudding.

Bourbon Sauce:

1 cup sugar

6 Tbs. butter

½ cup buttermilk |

1 Tbs. bourbon (or more)

1 Tbs. white corn syrup

1 tsp. vanilla extract

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the 1 cup of granulated sugar with 6 tablespoons of butter, ½ cup of buttermilk, 1 tablespoon of bourbon, ½ teaspoon of baking soda, 1 tablespoon of white corn syrup, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Bring the sauce mixture to a boil. Continue boiling for 1 minute. If desired, strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve. Serve the sauce warm drizzled over the bread pudding.

Carmel Sauce

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup butter

2 Tbs. light corn syrup

1 Tbs. rum-optional

While the pudding is baking, combine the brown sugar, 1/2 cup butter, corn syrup, and rum in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes or until just slightly thickened. Let cool slightly.

Baked Apple Topping: Serves about 4

2 crisp apples, cored and diced in 1 inch pieces

2 Tbs. packed brown sugar

¼ cup apple juice

Pinch cinnamon

½ tsp. cornstarch

Sliver of butter-optional

Dissolve the cornstarch in the juice and stir with the apples. Place in a microwave proof dish large enough to hold them in one layer. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Microwave 3 min. stirring after each. Add butter after 2nd. Serve as a sauce warm or room temperature.

Feb 6

Cost of The Same Dinner 2015 2019 2021 (1)

WALLET FRIENDLY VALENTINE’S DAY ENTREES

Fixing a Valentine’s Day dinner is supposed to be special, as is true with any holiday or event, but don’t confuse ‘special’ with more expensive than a normal meal, especially  if the two main participants share a budget. There are always options which can bring the cost within your range, beginning with the choice of entrée. Crab stuffed Chicken Alaska is obviously more costly than Lemon, Garlic, Cheese Stuffed Chicken, but both are ‘occasion meals’ and equally delicious.

The options to reduce the cost of any recipe starts with the very basic ingredients. Both these recipes can be made with the always more expensive split chicken breasts but thighs are less, in fact often on sale for under $1.00 per lb. A further saving would be to buy either chicken parts frozen in bulk (Walmart). 

The cost of the lesser ingredients, counts too. Neither crab nor cream cheese have any lower cost options—despite Louis Kemp claims-but the mix-ins do. Be sure to evaluate them before committing to a recipe. For example, for the crab, white wine varies, but cream, jarred pimento and/or capers and fresh bell peppers are standard. The cheese recipe offers more choices. Sour cream, is a brand thing, canned lemon juice, garlic powder (which I prefer for this) and dried parsley are all less expensive than fresh. Options matter in every item.

Finally, remember that presentation is everything. The world’s most expensive entree, clumsily dumped on a plate, isn’t as enticing a weekday dinner, neatly placed, perhaps in a dollop of its own gravy, with a bit  of  garnish. Appearance counts far more than price to the appetite.

These recipes are all for two, but the ingredient amounts are easily multiplied. For economy, I have replaced fresh herbs and seasonings with dried or canned so taste test often. The lemon pepper s very salty; be sure to monitor that before adding salt.  Most of the other ingredients can be found in a Dollar Store to further cut back on price, and any liquor requirements can be purchased in mini bottles.however they are all elegant dishes, fit for an occasion.

RECIPES

Chicken

Lemony Cheese Stuffed Chicken with Parsley

2 chicken -split chicken breasts or thighs
1) 4oz pkg cream cheese

4 oz. sour cream

2 Tbs. dried parsley

2 ½  Tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. lemon pepper
2 Tbs.white wine

¼ cup milk

Salt to taste-if needed

Clean the chicken and brine it in salt with water to cover for 10 mins. Rinse well. Cream  the cheese,  sour cream, parsley and garlic powder together. Gently separate the chicken skin from the meat to create a pocket. Using a blunt utensil such as a butter knife, stuff each pocket with ¼ of the cheese mixture, lightly patting it down to spread it evenly. Place the chicken breasts, bone side down, in a roasting pan that fits them comfortably, and cook in a preheated 375 degree oven 45 min. or until nicely browned and sizzling.
When the chicken is almost done, in a sauce pan, over low heat, mix the rest of the cheese mixture and the milk to form a sauce. Plate the chicken, deglaze the roasting pan with the wine, and add to the sauce, adding more wine if the consistency is too thick. Serve at once, passing the sauce separately.

Chicken in Sherry Cream Sauce
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

1 Tbs. flour – plus ¼ cup for dredging

2 Tbs. butter+ more if needed

½  small onion – diced

4oz. fresh button mushrooms – very small or sliced

(1/2 ) 10 oz. can Condensed Chicken Broth

¼  cup Cream Sherry

¼  cup light cream or whole milk

Pound and dredge the chicken. Melt 2 Tbs. butter in the skillet over medium heat and brown the chicken on both sides. Remove the meat, add and sauté the onions and mushrooms in the pan drippings, un, adding a little more butter if needed, until onions are soft and mushrooms yield their juice.

Return meat to pan, add broth and sherry, reduce heat, cover and simmer until chicken is done, about 10 min. Meanwhile dissolve the 2 Tbs. flour in the cream. Remove chicken from pan, add the cream, or milk and stir until sauce thickens. Return chicken to pan and warm thorough about 1 min. Serve.

Pepper Chicken Pinwheels with Olives

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 8 boneless, skinless thighs or a mixture

2 bottled roasted red peppers 

(1/2 ) 4oz jar of mixed olive Tapenade OR next 5 Ingredients combined

8 pitted ripe olives chopped

6 pitted green olives chopped

2 cloves garlic chopped or 1 1/2 tsp bottled

½  small canned jalapeno chopped (optional)

Olive oil to moisten the above

1 tsp dried basil

2 Tbs. butter

1 Tbs. oil

1 envelope chicken bouillon granules

¾ cup white wine

2 Tbs. flour

Toothpicks

If using the Tapenade, then add the garlic, pepper and basil to it. If making it, chop the olives, garlic and pepper together and add the basil and olive oil.

Prepare chicken by pounding very thin. Butterfly the red peppers by slitting each on one side, and lay one over each breast or each thigh.  Spread an equal portion of the olive mixture down the center of the pepper, leaving a 1 inch margin all around. Roll the chicken, starting with the narrower short side and secure with toothpicks. Dredge the chicken by rolling it gently in the flour. Don’t press or the stuffing will leak out.

Heat 1 Tbs. of butter and 1 Tbs. oil in the skillet over medium heat. Brown the chicken, first seam side down, then the top, adding more butter if needed. Be careful not to let meat stick. Turn the top side up; add the last of the butter, the wine and the bouillon, stirring to combine. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer 10 min. until the chicken is cooked, and the sauce thickens. If the sauce seems too thin, continue to simmer for a few minutes with the lid off.

Pork

Pork Chops Basil

(4)  ½ inch thick center pork chops well-trimmed

¼  cup flour

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 Tbs. dried basil

¼  a small can frozen orange juice concentrate

Water to dilute juice
2 Tbs. scotch or dry  sherry

Sprinkle half the garlic powder and half the basil in the bottom of an oven proof dish or pan that will hold the chops closely but not overlapping. Dredge the chops in the flour, by shaking in a plastic bag, one at a time, making sure they’re well coated. Place in pan, and sprinkle the rest of the garlic and basil over them. Cover and seal the pan with foil. Bake, preferably at 250 degrees for 2 hours, but acceptable at 350 degrees for one hour. Remove from oven, turn on broiler, and lift foil. Dilute orange juice with the sherry and just enough water to come almost to the top level of the chops in the pan, and add to pan.Broil until chops brown and the sauce thickens. Serve hot.

Pork Chops Madrilène

(4) ½ inch slices of pork loin or center chops

2 Tbs. butter + more as needed

(1/2 ) 10 oz. can Madrilène

3 oz. Madera – mixed with the Madrilène and ¼ cup reserved

2 Tbs. cup sugar

2 Tbs. cup white vinegar

1 Tbs. cornstarch – dissolved in the ¼ cup reserved liquid

Starting with 2 Tbs. and adding more as needed, melt butter in skillet over medium heat, sauté the pork until brown on both sides @ 5-10 min. Remove chops. Reduce heat to low and dissolve sugar in vinegar in the same skillet. Add Madrilène mix, stir to incorporate. Return pork to pan and simmer covered 15 min or until fully cooked, then add cornstarch dissolved in the ¼ cup reserved liquid. Stir until sauce bubbles and thickens. Serve at once.

Mushroom Stuffed Pork Roast with Wine Sauce-Recipe also works with beef—see below

1 ½  lb. boneless pork tenderloin roast –leftovers freeze well

(1) 8 oz. bag frozen chopped spinach – thawed and well drained

4 oz. canned mushrooms sliced or stems and pieces – drained

Ground nutmeg

Salt and pepper

1 large onion in small dice

½  cup + beef broth

2 Tbs . oil

1 ½  cups red wine

Butterfly the roast by slicing it lengthwise down the center almost through. Open it like a book and make similar slices down the length of each side in the center. Cover the meat with plastic wrap and pound to an even thinness. Spread the spinach evenly over the surface, leaving a 1 inch margin on the long sides. Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg, and top with the mushrooms. Roll up the meat, starting with  a long  side  and tie with string every inch or so, securing the roll. Rub the outside lightly with salt and pepper, place in a roasting pan and cook in a preheated oven (350 deg. for pork) according to directions for cut.* When the roast reaches desired doneness, plate and let rest a few minutes . Serve in thin slices.

Meanwhile, sauté the onion in oil in a saucepan until soft. Add wine and allow  to cook down, adding in beef broth to maintain level of liquid-at about 1 cup total. When it reaches desired strength, add salt and pepper to taste. Can be made ahead and reheated. Serve warm with roast.

*Pork takes about 2 hours to reach 150 deg. at 350 deg.

*Beef tenderloin should be cooked at 500 deg. for 30 min. or until temperature reaches 145 deg. for medium rare.

*Beef round should be cooked as tenderloin if wanted rare, but as pork if desired well done. Remember, the longer beef cooks the tougher it gets, unless being stewed or steamed to tenderness.

SEAFOOD

Salmon in Lemon Caper Sauce

(2)  5 oz. salmon fillets – -preferably without skin

1 Tbs. butter 

2 cloves garlic chopped

½  large onion, one half diced the other sliced in 1/8 inch slices

 2 Tbs. oil 

3 Tbs. white wine

½ cup sour cream

1 Tbs. capers 

1/8  tsp. lemon pepper or to taste

Melt 1 Tbs. butter and pour over fish on a lightly greased foil covered baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for @ 8 min per inch of thickness of the fish, on an average 20 min. see chart.

Meanwhile, in a sauce pan, sauté diced onion in 1 Tbs. oil until soft, add balance of oil, capers, wine and lemon pepper, allow to simmer gently on warm while salmon cooks. Check if more lemon pepper is needed, sauce should be very lemony but not bitter. Just before plating fish, whisk in sour cream, blend and warm through. Serve sauce over fish.

Shrimp Kebobs
1 lb. extra  large (26-30 count) raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on

1 Tbs. olive oil

½  tsp. Tabasco

½  tsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary or equal amount dried

2 cloves minced garlic

½  tsp dried oregano

1/8  tsp allspice powder

2 lemons – one juiced one in quarters

Kosher salt to taste

Barbeque Sauce

Skewers

Mix all the ingredients but the salt and quartered lemon in a bowl large enough to hold the shrimp. Add the shrimp and marinate, covered at room temperature at least 1 hr. or several hours in the refrigerator. Thread shrimp head to tail on as many skewers as necessary – long metal ones require about 4. Preheat broiler or grill, and cook shrimp until pink and beginning to brown, basting frequently with the marinade. Sprinkle with salt. Serve with lemon quarters and for barbeque sauce for dipping.

Fusain Tilapia

2 large Tilapia fillets 

2 bunches scallions – also called green onions- trimmed of roots and course green stems

½  Tbs. garlic powder

½  Tbs. powdered ginger

1 ½  Tbs. butter – divided 

1 Tbs. oil

1 Tbs. Soy Sauce

¼  cup Cream Sherry

(1) 15 oz. can sweet potatoes

1 Tbs. brown sugar

Salt and pepper.

Drain the sweet potatoes. Using 1 Tbs. butter and the brown sugar, and if needed a bit of their own syrup, candy them, either in a skillet on the stove, or in a cooking oil sprayed pan in the oven, as per directions on the can. (I have done this in the microwave, by melting the butter, dissolving the sugar in it, coating the potatoes well, covering and cooking on high for @ 3 min .in one minute intervals.)          Cut white and light green parts of scallions on and angle in 1 ¼ inch pieces. Set aside.                            Melt 1 Tbs. butter and 1 Tbs. oil over medium heat, and gently sauté Tilapia, until it becomes white, adding more butter as needed. You may need to do this in batches. Remove to a plate. Add the remainder of the butter and oil then the garlic and ginger to the pan and stir quickly to avoid clumping. Add the Soy Sauce, Sherry and scallion pieces. Stir for 30 sec. Reduce the heat to medium low. Return the fish to the pan and simmer until heated through, about 2 min. Apportion the potatoes on the plates, in the center of each. Serve the fish decoratively leaning slightly against the potatoes. Spoon the scallions and sauce over the fish.

OTHER

Turkey with Walnuts (Tetrazzini)
2 turkey cutlets or chicken thighs-skinned, boned, cut in 1/2 inch cubes

½  green bell pepper

1 medium onion in 8ths

2 celery ribs

1 tsp Soy Sauce

(1/2 ) 10oz can chicken broth – divided 2 Tbs reserved (This is the Condensed style)

2 Tbs. butter

¼  cup cream sherry

1 Tbs. cornstarch

¼ cup walnut pieces – toasting optional

Salt and Pepper

Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Brown meat; add vegetables and sauté until soft. Add 2 Tbs.chicken broth and Soy Sauce, cover and simmer 8 min. Add sherry and cook 1 min more, add cornstarch dissolved in 2 Tbs. broth and cook 3 min., stirring constantly, until sauce thickens. Serve over orzo garnished with walnuts.

To toast walnuts– place on foil in 350 degree oven for 5 min.

Salad Nicoise

1 lb. fresh whole or cut green beans – frozen is fine

6 small new potatoes – halved if larger – keep size uniform-canned will do – 2

(1) 6 oz. cans solid white tuna in water – drained-or 2 tuna steaks, broiled or grilled*

(1/2) 5 ¾ oz. can pitted black olives

2 hard-boiled eggs – quartered

2 Roma or small tomatoes – quartered- OR 1 pt. cherry or grape tomatoes

Bibb lettuce or Romaine

Optional add-ons – (1/2) 15 oz. can of pickled beets and/or 4 anchovy fillets

Cook the beans, and potatoes if raw, until crisp tender. A special flavor is added if they are marinated in wine for a few hours.

Line a large platter with the lettuce leaves. Gently fork-separate the tuna chunks and mound them at 6 O’clock on the plate. Mound the potatoes at 12 and decoratively distribute the other ingredients separately in mounds evenly around the plate, except the anchovies. If using, they should be laid across the tuna. The mounds can be pie shaped wedges, pointing to the center, or the center can be filled with fresh herbs or chopped lettuce pieces. If using the beets, the black olives can be piled in the center. The point is to arrange the plate as decoratively as possible but have it appear as a miniature buffet, with each of the ingredients presented individually for ease of self-serving.

Serve with the dressing created for this salad, below.

*NOTE: Packets of frozen individually wrapped tuna steaks can now be found in supermarkets.

Nicoise Dressing:

2Tbs. minced shallots – or mild onions

1 Tbs. dry mustard – 4 of Dijon can be used

2 drops of hot sauce

2 ½ Tbs red wine vinegar

2Tbs fresh lemon juice  or 1 tsp. of concentrated will do

1 ¼  cups salad oil.

Mix the ingredients well and allow to meld for several hours. Drizzle a little over the Tuna, and serve the rest on the side

Jan 30

8 Valentine Dinners Casual to Elegant 75 _ Recipes

INDEX OF VALENTINE’S DAY DINNERS (Over 75 Recipes)

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 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. 

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
Chocolate Biscotti
Classic Almond Biscotti


STARTERS for Dinner by 2

Bruschetta: with basic salsa Biscotti 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.

DESSERTS

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

Jan 23

7 Super Bowl Party Plans and Over 30 Recipes

8 GREAT SUPER BOWL PARTES (OVER 50 RECIPES)

Below is my index to 7 Super Bowl parties, but the anxiety over food costs this year, needs  a wallet-friendly discussion.  I’ve found 3 options which are delicious, satisfying, unique and fun enough to overshadow the fact that they’re also economic.  I’m sticking to sequential order with this index, so scroll down . It’s the last entry.

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: A Bit More Elegant 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.

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.

Here are some straightforward and basic recipes to consider which allow adding your own individual touches. Find all in this post.

Glamorous Ham Casserole

Classic Quiche Lorraine

Hamburger Onion Tart

Meat Pudding 

Pie with a Meat Crust: Filled with:
1) Niblets corn drained+ jarred roasted red peppers+ tomato sauce

2) Fresh sliced mushrooms+ cream of mushroom soup + egg

3) Substitute cooked brown rice for the mushrooms in above

4) Cooked sauced spaghetti or other pasta + beaten egg +cheese

5) 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 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

Jan. 16, 2020: Smaller parties with more casual recipes
The 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, 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

Meatballs for Sauce

Beef (or Pork) Fajitas

All in One Mexican Turkey Ole

Cranberry-Barbequed Chicken: 

Easy Mexican Chicken

Oriental Chicken

Barbequed Pulled Pork

Shredded Pork

Jan. 23, 2025: Wallet-Friendly Parties
My first menu suggestion is the Crock Pot Barbequed Pork Butt recipe in last week’s post (Jan.16, 2025) https://www.eatingonadime.com/crock-pot-hot-dog-recipes/Pork Butt is often featured on sale in suermarkets now.  I found it in te Food Lion chain for as ittle as https://www.eatingonadime.com/crock-pot-hot-dog-recipes/https://www.eatingonadime.com/crock-pot-hot-dog-recipes/for Super Bowl  on hogie rolls , with extra  sauce, sautéed onions (stove top or microwaved), sliced tomatoes  and/or shredded lettuce.

Second choice is  Hot Dogs with a Topping Bar ( see post   Aug. 29, 2024) Hot dogs also have experienced a price hike, but there’s still a wide variety out there. The major exense here will be in the toppings offered. You can even specialize, beans and cheeses, for example, but make them worthy of remembering. Don’t skimp on toppings.

The easiest way to cook hot dogs for a crowd is to make a shalloe cut down the length of each and bake them on a foil covered baking sheet for 10-12 min.at 400 deg. Indoor grills, even George Foreman ones are good too.  For buffet or self-serve, a single buffet burner holding a soup pot or Dutch oven of water, can boil them and hold them at a simmer for seconds. Crock pots can also be used  with directions (https://www.eatingonadime.com/crock-pot-hot-dog-recipes/) The same is true of Instant pots (https://www.recipesthatcrock.com/instant-pot-hot-dogs-in-bulk/)
Third option is Sliders. This category has such a wide variety of fillings, covering such a wide price range, that I couldbarely cover it in a book, let alone a post, so I refer you to The Pioneer Woman (https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/meals-menus/g46672633/slider-recipes/)   There are also several other sites devoted to sliders on Google.

Jan 16

PORK-YOUR WALLET’S BEST FRIEND

PORK-YOUR WALLET’S BEST FRIEND

I’ve written four posts on the value of serving pork, ( 4/12/2014 ,   1/12/2017,  1/28/2021,   1/19/2023) but with the current level of anxiety over food cost, reviewing the subject might be in order. Globally, pork is second only to chicken as the most popular meat. Most cuisines include recipes from street food to elegant entrees featuring pork because it is nutritious, adaptable and is from a sustainable source.

Pork is equal beef in protein value with far less fat content and is a good substitute for veal, turkey and chicken in many recipes. Domestic pigs don’t graze, forage or hunt, and are content to live in an enclosed space and be fed by trough. Complete omnivores, they aren’t picky eaters and can thrive on garbage, which has earned them a reputation as being ‘unclean’ and their meat banned in some cultures. (I provide options in my recipes for those on restrictive diets.)

Pigs are sturdy animals which reproduce regularly and bear large litters. A mature hog yields hair for bristle brushes, a supple hide for wallets, gloves, belts etc. and several hundred pounds of meat; an excellent ROI for an animal which can live in a confined space and eat garbage.  Wild pigs, like boars, can forage and fend for themselves quite well. Swine are a totally sustainable species.

As with other meats, the pork loin is the prime cut, but unlike other meats, pork roasts, the arm, Boston butt and picnic or shoulder, are from the front end of the animal. The haunch and rear legs of hogs are reserved for smoking and labeled Ham. Even if you see a shank or rear butt portion unsmoked, it will be designated ‘Fresh Ham’ not pork. Cuts of ham are priced far higher than pork and are not included in this discussion.

Pork’s ability to combine with other flavors prompted its promotion, several decades ago as “The other white meat”. The target of the campaign was presenting it as a replacement for veal, which had always been expensive and was becoming considered inhumane. Pork was presented in all the cuts traditional to veal, cutlets, scaloppini, and tenderloins. At the same time, boneless skinless chicken parts and tenders, as well as turkey tenderloins and breast cutlets were introduced. Of course the extra labor raised their prices and suddenly pork was in competition with poultry. Though poultry can often substitute in recipes for smaller cuts of veal, it can’t handle the larger ones for legs, stuffed loins or crown roasts, they require pork. However, home cooks awoke to all the delicious veal recipes they could now make with pork at the very time Americans were discovering new cuisines. Today pork is just as valued for on its own merits, especially in its starring roles in ethnic dishes from various cuisines like Hispanic, Asian ones and our own Tex-Mex.

With meat so pricy now, pork is the most economic, non-poultry choice for the weekly menu. Unfortunately, the change in the control of our food supply (see post   Jan. 9, 2025) has spread from produce to meats, resulting in the demise of the Meat Packers’ Union thus limiting the variety of cuts of meat in supermarkets.

Among the disappearing pork cuts are boneless roasts, rolled roasts, steaks and cubes for stew or chili. Country ribs are not ribs but carved from the Boston butt. The ‘whole butt’ as it’s now called, has been appearing, every few months, on sale. It’s a terrific buy because butts run 7>8 lbs. and the sale is usually $0.99>$1.29 per lb. That’s a lot of meat for the price. 

The butt is often confused with the Picnic roast, which is the actual shoulder joint and as such contains a complex a bone mass, making it easier to carve as a whole, than to separate into different cuts. With the butt, the small wedge of shoulder blade is easily removed and the rest is solid meat easily cut into steaks, roasts and country ribs. (See Jimmy Kerstein https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D10lJYqjLB4 ) It’s such a terrific buy because it furnishes the basis for many independent meals. Its only drawback is that it’s highly marbleized, requiring longer cooking, but on the plus side, the butt is one of the juiciest, flavorful parts of pork.

My true favorite is pork tenderloin, the equal to the fillet mignon-in beef. It usually runs between $4.00 and $5.00 and serves that many, a great price per serving today. Tender and lean, it can be opened, stuffed and rolled, or sliced, to do anything a scaloppini or chops can do.

So give pork a try. It’s available, affordable, versatile and every bit as nutritious as the red meats, although lower in calories. The Picnic or Butt roasts are more economical than the loins and chops and can be easily divided into different cuts, cutlets, slices to be used as loin chops, cubes, and even small lobes for roasting.  Below are 2 recipes using pork in traditional veal dishes, 4 pork recipes and    6 recipes for pork butt, to get you started including home-made sausage

 
RECIPES
Substituting in Traditional Veal Dishes

Pork Scaloppini with Lemons and Capers: 4 Servings –Credit https://www.foodiecrush.com

4 thin boneless pork chops or slices of loin

8 fresh sage leaves or 2 tsp. dried sage

¼ cup all-purpose flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons butter, divided

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

½ cup white wine

¼ cup capers

1 cup chicken stock

2 lemons, juiced

1 lemon, sliced thinly

2 tablespoons Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped

Pound the pork  to ¼ inch thickness. Press 2 sage leaves or 1/4tsp.dried sage into one side of each of the pork pieces. Mix the flour, salt and ground black pepper in a large, shallow bowl or plate. Add the pork to the flour, one at a time, and flour each, gently turning on each side so the sage leaves stay. Gently tap off the excess flour. Heat a large skillet on medium high. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter with ½ tablespoon of the oil. Place 2 pieces of pork in the skillet and cook for 3-5 minutes on each side, or until golden. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add 1 more tablespoon of butter and the remaining oil. Cook the remaining pork and place with the other pieces. Wipe out any burned or really crispy bits out of the pan. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in the pan over medium high heat. Add the wine and capers and cook until reduced by half. Add the chicken stock, lemon juice and a few lemon slices and bring to a boil then add the remaining tablespoon of butter and stir, cooking for 2-3 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly. Add the pork back to the pan and warm in the sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Pork Marsala: Serves 4-Credit- https://www.seasonsandsuppers.ca/

2 lb.  Pork tenderloin, (about 2 small or one large tenderloins)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

2 Tablespoons butter

2 medium shallots, finely diced (can substitute red onion)

12 oz. cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced (or regular button mushrooms)

1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/2 cup dry Marsala wine, not sweet Marsala (look for Dry on the label)

1 cup chicken broth

3 Tablespoons heavy cream

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish 

Trim the tenderloins of any excess fat. Cut into medallions about 1 1/2-inches thick.  Press medallions down with the palm of your hand to flatten slightly and season with salt and pepper.

Heat 3 Tbsp. oil and 1 Tbsp. of the butter in a large skillet over heat between medium-high and high.  When the butter is melted and foaming, add the meat and sear until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Do in two batches, if necessary. Flip and cook the other side until the meat is well browned and slightly firm to the touch, about another 2 min. Transfer pork to a plate. Melt the remaining 2 Tbsp. butter in the pan. Add the shallots and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring for about 30 seconds, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the mushrooms and cook until all of the mushroom liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are golden, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with the flour and add the Marsala. Allow the Marsala to boil until almost completely evaporated.  Add the chicken broth and cook until the mixture is reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Stir in the cream and parsley. Return the pork and any accumulated juices to the pan, and cook, flipping the pork once, until it’s firm to the touch, 2 to 4 min. Taste for salt and pepper and serve. Serve garnished with additional parsley.


Pork Recipes

Pork Chops Basil: Serves 4- Boneless chicken thighs or turkey loin may be substituted for the pork.

(8) ½ inch thick center pork chops well-trimmed and pounded to an even thinness)

½ cup flour

1 Tbs. garlic powder

2 Tbs. dried basil

½ a small can frozen orange juice concentrate or 1 cup apricot nectar

Water to dilute orange juice to equal 1 cup

¼ cup cream sherry (for a bolder taste use 1 jigger whiskey, rye or scotch)

Sprinkle half the garlic powder and half the basil in the bottom of an oven proof dish or pan that will hold the chops closely but not overlapping. Dredge the chops in the flour, by shaking in a plastic bag, one at a time, making sure they’re well coated. Place in pan, and sprinkle the rest of the garlic and basil over them. Cover and seal the pan with foil. Bake, preferably at 250 degrees for 2 hours, but acceptable at 350 degrees for one hour. Remove from oven, turn on broiler, and carefully lift foil. Mix orange juice with the sherry and just enough water to come almost to the top level of the chops in the pan, and pour over the chops. Broil until chops brown and the sauce thickens.

Deviled Pork Chops: Serves 6
(6) ¾ inch thick pork chops or chicken thighs
1Tbs.EACH butter and oil
¼ cup water
Marinade
3 Tbs. chili sauce*
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp.mustard
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp paprika
1/2tsp salt
Combine marinade ingredients and spread on both sides of chops and allow to marinate overnight. Scrape off marinade and reserve. In a large skillet, heat oil and butter and brown chops on both sides. Return reserved marinade to the pan, add water, cover and cook until chops are tender, about 45 min. Uncover and cook until sauce thickens slightly, about 5min. Serve hot.
*Option -2 1/2 Tbs, ketchup, 1/2 Tbs. water and 1/8 tsp. chili powder

Pork in Pepper Sauce: Serves 4  This dish can be done two ways – on a grill – Method A – OR in a skillet – Method B. Either way the sauce is made first. Turkey loin or boneless chicken thighs can be substituted.

@ 11/2 to 2 lbs. pork loin or loin chops or chicken thighs–
A) in 4 thick slices, or chops, for the grill (bone-in chicken thighs with skin)

B)  8 thinner slices, chops or pound chicken for the skillet (skinless, boneless chicken thighs)

2 Tbs. minced garlic

1 tsp. dried basil

1 medium onion –chopped

(1) 7 tsp. minced bottled garlic

1 tsp oz. jar roasted red peppers*

1 tsp. oil

1/8 tsp. lemon pepper

¼ cup White wine

2 Tbs. butter – for Method B

To make sauce: Microwave onion in oil with lemon pepper 1 ½ min. Drain peppers, blend with onion, basil, and garlic to a puree. Add the wine.

Method A: Put the sauce in a small pan. Grill meat. Warm the sauce as pork is finishing, pour over the meat and serve.
Method B: Melt the 2 Tbs. butter in a skillet over medium heat and brown meat on both sides. Pour sauce over the meat, reduce heat and cover. Simmer gently for 8-10 min., until pork is done.

*Other varieties of roasted peppers or chilies can be added to taste as can hot sauce, but be aware if using Method B that the longer hot spices are cooked the hotter they become.

Mushroom Stuffed Pork Loin with Wine Sauce: Serves 6

3 lb. boneless pork loin roast (the best alternate is beef tenderloin or round roast-adjust cooking times)

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

8 oz. canned mushrooms sliced or stems and pieces – drained

Ground nutmeg

Salt and pepper

1 large onion in small dice

1 cup + beef broth

2 Tbs. oil

3 cups red wine

Butterfly the roast by slicing it lengthwise down the center almost through. Open it like a book and make similar slices down the length of each side in the center. Cover the meat with plastic wrap and pound to an even thinness. Spread the spinach evenly over the surface, leaving a 1 inch margin on 3 sides, but not on one edge of the first cut. Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg, and top with the mushrooms. Roll up the meat, starting with the side with no margin and tie with string every inch or so, securing the roll. Rub the outside lightly with salt and pepper, place in a roasting pan and cook in a preheated oven (350 deg. for pork) according to directions for cut.* When the roast reaches desired doneness, plate and let rest a few minutes. Serve in thin slices.

Meanwhile, sauté the onion in oil in a saucepan until soft. Add 3 cups wine and allow wine to cook down, adding in beef broth to maintain original level of liquid-about 1 cup total. When it reaches desired strength, add salt and pepper to taste. Can be made ahead and reheated. Serve warm with roast.

*Pork takes about 2 hours to reach 150 deg. at 350 deg.

*Beef tenderloin should be cooked at 500 deg. for 30 min. or until temperature reaches 145 deg. for medium rare.

*Beef round should be cooked as tenderloin if wanted rare, but as pork if desired well done. Remember, the longer beef cooks the tougher it gets, unless being stewed or steamed to tenderness.

Pork Butt the Economic Winner

My thanks to Robert and Carol Hildebrand’s 50-3 ingredient Recipes for most of the recipes below. Just remember with pork to follow the recommended cooking times and temperatures-usually for ovens 350deg 35-45 min per lb. adding 20 min. per lb. if cooking the meat frozen. The same is true when pot roasting-add roughly half of the total calculated cooking time per lb. 


Butt roasts do well in Dutch Ovens, uncovered to brown the last hour, following oven roasting directions. If you don’t have a Dutch oven or a covered roasting pan, line the pan with enough foil to bring the ends up to cover the roast.

Crock pots, or slow cookers are not recommended for frozen pork because the gradual heating process allows the meat to sit in the danger zone for bacteria growth too long. Instant pots heat faster so they do allow for frozen meats, but recommend having it cut in large pieces before freezing. They also generally recommend adding half the total cooking time if necessary. Because Instant Pots do heat so fat and can be tricky. Go to https://cookthestory.com/instant-pot-roast-pork/ before you start. The most important thing is that the meat registers 150 > 160 deg. on a meat thermometer when finished. Like poultry, pork is served well done.

Spicy Pork: Serves 6

3-4 lb. pork butt cut in 2>3 inch cubes (use chicken thighs and reduce cooking time to 2 hrs.)*

2 Tbs. EACH oil, chili powder, chili flakes, chopped cilantro, chopped parsley

½ Tbs. EACH seasoned salt and ground cumin

1Tbs. EACH minced garlic, dried oregano and black pepper

1 cup diced onion
1cup chicken broth
½ cup orange juice

In a large bowl mix all ingredients but broth. Toss to coat pork well and marinate, chilled, at least 4 hrs. Put the mixture in a Dutch oven or covered oven-proof pot; add broth, juice  and cook in a preheated 350 deg. oven for 3 ½ to 4 hrs. until meat is fork tender. Serve hot in bowls or over grain or pasta.

*This might be interesting with whole drumsticks

Cranberry Glazed Pork Roast: Serves 6-8

6 lb. pork butt roast

(1) 16 oz. can whole berry cranberry sauce

1/3 cup brown sugar

Mash the berry sauce and mix with the sugar to dissolve. When the roast is done, uncover and make deep slashes across the top. Fill with the cranberry mix and cook 30 min more, basting often.

Chinese Black Bean Pork Roast: Serves 4-6

4 lb. pork butt roast

(2) 10 oz. jars Chinese black bean sauce

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Cook pork as for Cranberry Glazed but only lightly slash the top of the roast. Pour over the bean sauce and cook 30 min. more basting occasionally.

NOTE: This recipe can also be used for pork steaks, Cook them covered for about 1 hr., depending on thickness. Uncover and pour over 1 jar of sauce then cook 30 min. longer.

My Family Pork ‘n Kraut Recipe: Serves 4*

Bone from the butt roast with 4 portions of pork meat in large pieces attached

(1) 2 b. can of sauerkraut

(1) 16 oz. can sauerkraut

1 pkg. instant mashed potatoes

Put the 2 lb. of kraut in the bottom of a Dutch oven or large pot. Lay the bone and meat over and top with the kraut from the smaller can. Add enough water to almost cover.  Put the lid on the pot, bring to a boil and simmer for about 3 hrs. until pork is falling apart. Make potatoes as director on box but don’t enrich taste. Serve the pork and kraut either over or alongside the potatoes.
*Fr more servings, trim the butt well and simply cut a large slice, including the bone.  Lay it on top of the 2lb. kraut and cover with another 2lb.of kraut. Double the amount of potatoes as well. Proceed as directed. Cooking time remains the same.

Crock Pot Barbecued Shredded Pork: Serves 6-8

2-3 lb. pork butt-thawed or raw-optionally cut into large cubes*

(1) 12 oz. bottle barbecue sauce

1 onion sliced –optional

Place half the onions and half the sauce in the bottom of the pot, add meat then the rest of the onion and sauce. Cook on low 24 hr. Remove meat, cut and shred with 2 forks. Return to pot to mix with juices.

* If cut into cubes reduce cooking time to 6-8 hrs. on low

Sausage: Yield 5 lbs. Adjust ingredient measurements to the quantity of meat. This is for the left over scraps after butchering-especially if you mess it up as badly as I did the first time.

5 lb. meat untrimmed

3 ½ Tbs. salt

1 Tbs. black pepper

1 2/2 Tbs. dried thyme or sage

Grind meat, mix thoroughly with other ingredients. Form into rolls or patties. Allow to rest in the fridge at least 12 hrs. before using. Can freeze.

Jan 2

HOW TO FEEL ‘LITE’-ER FAST

HOW TO FEEL ‘LITE’-ER FAST

No matter how carefully I watch what I eat over the winter holidays, I always feel like an inflated balloon after New Year. It may be power of suggestion, I don’t step on the scale to find out until I feel less bloated. So the first thing I do is plan a couple weeks of nutritious, energizing, satisfying but lighter to digest dinners.  Then I feel ready to tackle a real diet, if necessary.

Snacks are usually a no-no at times like these, but even Weight Watchers allows popcorn and when I first started this regimen, I was introduced to kale chips and have since become addicted, diet or no. I had long loved coconut chips.  They’re both really easy to make

Kale Chips: Trim the leafy part away from the heavy stems of 1lb. kale and cut cross wise into 2” slices. (Save stems for another use) Wash leaves well and spin dry or spread on towels. Toss in a bowl with 2 tsp. oil (or spray with oil) ¾ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper or garlic powder—both optional. Bake on a parchment lined pan in a preheated 325 deg. oven 15min. until crisp but not brown. Serve soon.

Coconut Chips: Many stores carry wedges of coconut meat. Otherwise be sure you know how to extract the meat before starting this recipe. Using a potato peeler, slice strips of meat and place them on parchment paper in a pan. Sprinkle lightly with salt and bake as for kale just until edges turn golden. Cool completely and store air-tight but be careful they’re delicate.

Creamed or sauced vegetables are also out and I avoid canned ones because of the sodium content and sugar content with fruits but frozen vegetables and fruits have the same nutritional value as fresh an appearance when cooked. For me, roasted vegetables are a real favorite. They’re easy to do, taste great and the flavor can be changed with the choice of seasoning or herb used. The cooking time and temperature varies with the choice of vegetable, but the process is the same. Simply toss or spray with a little oil, and the seasoning of choice and bake on a foil-covered baking sheet until done. Usually I like to drizzle a bit of Balsamic vinegar over them about half-way through, especially beets and pearl onions.

Roasted fruits are another great flavor enhancer. I’ve long loved peaches with poultry, but lately have become addicted to slices of citrus fruits with fish and salads. Like vegetables, the cooking time can vary with the texture of the fruit, but generally they are roasted at 400 deg. for about 15 min. just until their natural sugar begins to caramelize.

Study vegetables, beets, carrots, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, even fennel bulbs, braised or poached, can replace the starchier carbohydrates. Bedding  carbs, rice, pasta, mashed potatoes, can be replaced by greens (see salmon recipe below) and cauliflower confetti or ’rice’.

However, if you really crave a starch, consider a white potato.  A 5 oz. white potato has only 2/3rd the calories of a ¼ cup cooked rice or pasta. My favorite way to cook  it is to .pierce the skin and microwave about 4 min. until tender. While hot, cut it in half length wise, and lightly rub butter or margarine over the cut surfaces, then broil or bake until golden. The potato can even be done ahead and reheated in the microwave.

RECIPES

 Cauliflower Confetti: Serves 2-4
This can be done with frozen as well as fresh. Just be sure the cauliflower is firm enough to chop. If fresh, separate into florets. Blanch briefly until crisp-tender. Pulse to the size of small peas or optionally, rice. Season with lemon pepper or bouillon granules and set aside. Use as you would for rice, pasta or mashed potatoes, as a bedding or a side. If needed, reheat in microwave 30 sec. 

Spinach Tart: Serves2-4
(1) 10oz box, chopped spinach. Drain, put in a greased pie plate or shallow casserole. Mix with 1 raw egg and 1 packet chicken or beef flavored bouillon granules. Top with a sprinkle of nutmeg, and bake along with meat.

Mustard Chicken: Serves 4 This recipe can be partially cooked in the morning, or even the night before, chilled, and simply placed in the oven to finish. Just keep track of the total cooking time needed and add 10min to the higher temperature and 15 min to the lower. Check the liquid level occasionally to keep it constant. No need to baste. This dish does freeze, and can be cooked frozen, just add 15 min to ½ hr. to the cooking time, depending on the oven temperature, for thawing.

4 chicken quarters, breast with wings or thighs with legs.

4 Tbs. Dijon or Spicy Brown mustard

2 tsp. garlic powder

1 envelope chicken bouillon

2 cups water – estimate

Salt for brining

Rinse and clean chicken well. Place in enough water to cover and add 2 Tbs. salt to make brine and soak for at least 15min. Rinse well. Lift skin from meat with a rounded utensil like a butter knife, and fill each pocket with 1 Tbs. mustard. Place chicken pieces in an ovenproof pan, just large enough to hold them easily, and pour over enough water to fill 1 – 1½ inches in the pan. Sprinkle the envelope of bouillon on the water, and ½ tsp. of garlic powder on each of the pieces. Best baked in a 350 degree oven for 1 hr., but can be done at 375 degrees for 45min. Serve with pan juices on the side. Add water if necessary to maintain water level in pan.

Pepper Chicken Rolls: Serves 4

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 8 boneless, skinless thighs or a mixture

4 bottled roasted red peppers

(1) 4oz jar of mixed olive Tapenade OR next 5 Ingredients combined

12 pitted ripe olives chopped

12 pitted green olives chopped

3 cloves garlic chopped or 1 1/2 tsp. bottled

1 small canned jalapeno chopped (optional)

Olive oil to moisten the above

2 tsp. dried basil

2 Tbs. butter

2 Tbs. oil

1 envelope chicken bouillon granules

1 1/3 cups white wine

¼ cup flour—or less

Toothpicks

If using the Tapenade, then add the garlic, pepper and basil to it. If making it, chop the olives, garlic and pepper together and add the basil and olive oil.

Prepare chicken by pounding very thin. Butterfly the red peppers by slitting each on one side, and lay one over each breast or ½ over each thigh. Spread an equal portion of the olive mixture down the center of the pepper, leaving a 1 inch margin all around. Roll the chicken, starting with the narrower short side and secure with toothpicks. Sprinkle the flour over the chicken rubbing lightly to spread it. Don’t press or the stuffing will leak out.

Heat 1 Tbs. of butter and 1 Tbs. oil in the skillet over medium heat. Brown the chicken, first seam side down, then the top, adding more oil as needed. Be careful not to let it stick. Turn the top side up; add the last of the butter, the wine and the bouillon, stirring to combine. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer 10 min. until the chicken is cooked, and the sauce thickens. If the sauce seems too thin, continue to simmer for a few minutes with the lid off.

Suggested sides: Spaghetti Squash Jarden: Halve and seed a small -@ 4 lb. – spaghetti squash. Cover and refrigerate one half. Microwave the other in ½ inch of water, on high 9 min. Cool and drain. Slice 1 small zucchini, 1 small yellow squash and ½ a small onion add 1 Tbs. oil and ¼ tsp. lemon pepper and microwave 2 min. Add 2 chopped tomatoes and Microwave 1 min. Using a fork, remove the meat from the squash. It will come out in spaghetti-like strands. Combine everything together in a bowl, and microwave to heat through before serving. Check seasonings.

Italian Braciuolini: Serves 4— Usually done in a skillet, it can be difficult to turn these over in the pan without spilling the stuffing, so I’m offering an oven alternative.
8 slices beef braciuolini or sandwich steaks – @ 1 lb.
4 plum tomatoes – skinned, seeded, julienne
2 large ribs celery in thin diagonal slices
1 green bell pepper julienne
1 large onion thinly sliced lengthwise
2 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. lemon pepper
4 oz. fresh sliced mushrooms
1 can Madrilène—usually sold to be jellied—a form of consume
2 Tbs. butter – divided
½ cup white wine
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. mustard
Lay the slices of meat on a board, and divide the vegetables except mushrooms, equally between them, placing them in a pile parallel the long side of the braciole or steaks. Sprinkle the herbs and seasonings evenly over all. Fold the shorter sides over the filling, and roll the longer sides around it. Secure the seams with toothpicks. Preheat broiler. Melt 1 Tbs. butter in the ovenproof pan, carefully roll the topside of each braciuolini in the butter, and then rest it seam side down in the pan. This will be a close fit toward the end, so temporarily move one out to make room for another, if need be, but make sure all have a coating of butter. Broil until nicely brown, @ 3-5 min. Turn the oven to 350 degrees, add madrilène, cover and bake for 30 min. When meat is almost done, melt the other 1 Tbs. butter in the skillet, and brown mushrooms, deglaze pan with wine, stir in Worcestershire sauce and mustard until well incorporated. Remove pan from oven, plate braciuolini, stir skillet contents into pan drippings and mix well. Pour over meat. Optionally, garnished with a drizzle of oil and sprinkle of lemon peel

Thai Pork Kabobs: Serves 4

(8) 10 inch skewers-if wooden be sure to soak first

12 oz. trimmed pork cubes 1 ½ inched-2 inches

1/3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce

2 Tbs. EACH lime juice and water

½ tsp. hot chili oil*

2 cloves garlic-minced or ½ tsp. garlic powder

1Tbs. minced fresh ginger-can use ¼ tsp. ground

1 red Bell pepper in 1 inch chunks

1 onion in 1 inch chunks

2 cups hot cooked rice—preferably brown

Combine liquids and spices in a bowl-reserve ½ cup for dipping sauce. Cut pork lengthwise in half and crosswise into 4 inch slices, then into ½ inch strips. Marinate in liquid in bowl 2 hr. Alternately thread woven pork strips, onion and pepper on skewers, spray grill and cook, covered over medium coals or directly under broiler 6-8min.until pork is done. Serve on rice with dipping sauce.

*Alternatively microwave 1tsp.canola oil and 1 tsp. red pepper flakes 1 min.-let stand 5 min. to infuse

Serve with rice and a tossed salad of Romaine or green leaf lettuce and tomatoes or canned, drained mandarin oranges in a light vinaigrette dressing.

Pork Chops with Caramelized Onions: Serves 4

A very mild dish, so the best substitutes would be turkey or chicken thighs.

4 fairly thick loin or center pork chops about 2 lbs.

5 large onions sliced @ 3/8 of an inch thick

1 tsp. sugar

1 Tbs. minced garlic

@ 2 cups chicken broth = 1 can Condensed Broth

2 Tbs. butter

2 Tbs. oil

¼ cup Madera wine

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat and brown chops well. Remove from pan, add oil and sauté onions with sugar until a golden color and translucent add garlic and cook 1 min more. Lower heat and return chops to pan, covering them with the onions. Add the broth, cover and cook 40 min. Plate chops, with onions over them. Add the Madera to the broth and deglaze the pan. Bring the liquid to a boil and simmer for 1 min. to reduce it slightly then pour over chops and serve.

Suggested Sides: Squash: 2 boxes. 10 oz. each, cooked squash. Drain well, mix with 1 Tbs. butter, salt, pepper and sugar to taste. Heat in microwave according to package directions Herb Roasted Carrots: Toss 1 lb. baby carrots with 1 Tbs. oil and 1 Tbs. dried crushed rosemary or thyme. Bake on a foil lined sheet for 20 min. at 400 deg. Toss with ½ Tbs. balsamic vinegar and roast 8 min. more.

Spinach Pie: (2) 10oz boxes of chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess water, mixed with 2 envelopes beef or chicken broth, and 2 eggs. Pour into a greased casserole, sprinkle ground nutmeg on top and bake 350 degrees for 30 min. Both sides can be cooked along with the entrée.

Pork in Pepper Sauce: Serves 4 This dish can be done two ways – on a grill > Method A – OR in a skillet >? Method B. Either way the sauce is made first. As usual turkey can be substituted or veal.

About 11/2 to 2 lb. pork loin or loin chops cut –

A). in 4 thick slices, or chops, for the grill

B). in 8 thinner slices or chops for the skillet

2 tsp. minced bottled garlic

1 tsp. dried basil

1 medium onion – chopped

(1) 7 oz. jar roasted red peppers

1tsp oil

1/8 tsp. lemon pepper

¼ cup White wine

2 Tbs. butter – for Method B

To make sauce :Microwave onion in oil with lemon pepper 1 ½ min. Drain peppers, blend with onion, basil, and garlic to a puree. Add the wine.

Method A: Put the sauce in a small pan. Grill meat. Warm the sauce as pork is finishing, pour over the meat and serve.

Method B: Melt the 2 Tbs. butter in a skillet over medium heat and brown meat on both sides. Pour sauce over the meat, reduce heat and cover. Simmer gently for 8-10 min., until pork is done.

Salmon with Tomatoes and Greens : Serves 2
2 thick center slices of salmon (slices work better than fillets)
(1) 5 oz. bag spinach leaves  or equal amount of Kale leaves, thick stems removed
(1) 15 oz. can diced tomatoes with juice
1 Tbs. oil –optional
¼ tsp. garlic powder

Skin the salmon and bake on a non-stick surface at 350 deg. for 5 min, per inch of width or until flakes.  When fish is done, put greens in a flat-bottom dish, top with oil if using, tomatoes with juice and garlic. Microwave for 1-2 min. until greens are slightly wilted and tomatoes are warm.  Plate greens topped with tomatoes and place a piece of fish diagonally across each plate. Serve at once.

Spinach Centered Fish Rings; 4 Servings
4 filets of a mild flavored white fish-tilapia, flounder, scrod
(2) 10 oz. boxes frozen chopped spinach -thawed
1 egg
1 envelope or 1 Tbs. bouillon granules either chicken or beef
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
Step 1-cut the fish filets lengthwise in half and form each filet into a ring, head to tail, securing with toothpicks. Place in a lightly greased close-fitting pan, but not with the rings touching.
Step 2 – Squeeze excess water out of the spinach and mix it with the egg and the bouillon
Step 3 – Fill the fish rings with the spinach and sprinkle the nutmeg over the tops.
Step 4 – Bake in a preheated 350 deg. oven @ 25 min. or until egg cooks and forms custard in the bottom of the pan.  Serve at once with pieces of the custard as a garnish.

Alternatively for hearty appetites, form the halves of fish filets into only 2 rings and divide the spinach between them. Add 5 to 8 min, to coking time.


NEW New England Boiled Dinner: Serves 4

1 2) 15 oz. cans small, while white potatoes- drained

(1) 10 ½ oz. can beef consommé

(1) 14 oz. can chicken broth

2 Tbs. butter

Make small snips around the edges of the meat to prevent curling. Sauté in the butter until slightly browned. Remove from heat, add the potatoes and top with the beans. Pour the liquid over and bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and cook for about 30 min. Make sure beans are tender.

Dec 26

HOLIDAY FRUIT SALADS BRIGHTEN MEALS

HOLIDAY FRUIT SALADS BRIGHTEN MEALS

One of the bright displays of the winter holidays used to be fruit baskets. I can’t peg when they disappeared; 15 years ago? More? What I do remember is the way they showcased the fresh citrus fruits just coming to market. It’s a long way until spring and those grapefruit, oranges and kumquats, fit in perfectly with the holiday décor, while adding a touch of warmth and sunshine. 

December holidays are really a season, lasting several weeks, filled with parties and at least one feast, showcasing tempting food. It’s a fun time, children out of school and adults with shortened workloads, a time when things should be a bit special, even weekday dinners. Nothing adds interesting color and flavor to a meal like fresh fruit and gives our taste buds a refreshing change from heavier entrée flavors.

The salad recipes in this post not only do that but also can be used in three ways to fil different needs. They can be served as small side salads, enlarged to a luncheon salad or fortified with protein and carbs to create a combined dinner salad. Combined dinner salads have been a favorite of mine since 2015 and I’ve written several posts on them. The latest on  Sept. 12, 2024. These salads are a menu planner’s dream. They’re ingredient flexible, come together easily and fast, can be served at room temp, provide a nutritious meal and are very, very economical, achieving elegance with leftovers or deli meats. 

Combined salads are the outcome of high meat prices, especially beef and the desire to make a good cut stretch further. Originally intended for steak, they now are neat ways to use leftover roast or even deli meats for a quick cold dinner, because the meat, thinly sliced, is arranged on one side of the plate. They are simply created by multiplying the single salad ingredients by the number of desired servings.  Sufficient protein is supplied by the addition of cheese, nuts, seeds, grains and/or legumes. Body is achieved by adding croutons potatoes, vegetables and/or legumes. The result is a nutritious, satisfying meal.

Citrus aren’t the only fruits that can be added to salads to lighten holiday menus, apples, pears, grapes and tomatoes, yes tomatoes they’re a fruit too, are available in the stores during the holidays. Any of them can perk up a salad, add color to the dish and zing to the entire meal. I’m offering recipes containing these fruits, most of which I’ve served. I know all will be welcome additions to your holiday meals. Since there are too many recipes, to write in standard ingredient listing form without making the post too long, I’ll present them in paragraph form first the salad ingredients, then the dressings and finally, the instructions.

Remember the bitter, tough pith of citrus fruits, the white inner skin beneath the rind, must be removed. This is easiest done by cutting away the outer layers with a knife, but it’s acceptable in larger fruits to halve them and remove the sections with a serrated ‘grapefruit’ knife. Smaller fruits like Clementines can simply be peeled and the center membrane trimmed off with a scissors. Of course all inedible seeds, even in grapes should be removed as well. The salads can be made ahead; the ingredients stored separately, the lettuce in water, and assembled just before serving. 

NOTE: appropriate bottled dressings are acceptable substitutes in most of these salads, but always add them just before serving.

RECIPES

CITRUS FRUITS:
Citrus in Champagne Vinaigrette: Serves 8-10
1) Meat of 2 navel oranges and 2 pink grapefruit, ½ cup toasted, slivered almonds. ½ cup thinly sliced red onion, 1 small head of radicchio and 2 heads red or green leaf lettuce in bite-sized pieces, 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese.

2) Dressing: Whisk ½ cup champagne vinegar, 1/3 cup olive oil, 2 tsp. Dijon mustard, salt & pepper to taste.

3) Toss onion and lettuces, gently mix in fruit and nuts with dressing; sprinkle cheese over top.

Grapefruit Salad: Serves 6

1)Meat from 3 grapefruit, 2 thinly sliced pears,1/4 cup craisins, ¼ cup chopped, toasted pecans, 5 cups mixed greens, 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese

2) Dressing: Whisk ¼ cup grapefruit juice, 2 Tbs. EACH oil and balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper to taste

3) Gently toss all ingredients with the dressing. Top with the cheese.

Spicy Orange Salad: Serves 6

1) Meat of 6 navel oranges, 4 cups chopped Romaine lettuce,1 Tbs. minced fresh cilantro

2) Dressing: Whisk 2 Tbs. oliveoil,1/4 tsp. EACH ground coriander and ground cumin, pinch cayenne pepper, and 1 clove garlic mashed with ½ tsp. salt

2) Gently toss oranges, lettuce and dressing, garnish with cilantro

Church Salad: Serves 6

1) 1 lb. Romaine cut in bite sized pieces, (1) 8oz.can mandarin oranges,1/2 small white onion thinly sliced

2)1/3 cup orange juice, 2Tbs.oil, 1 heaping Tbs. poppy seeds

3) Simmer juice, oil and seeds over low heat for 10 min. or until seeds soften. Cool completely. Gently toss with lettuce and oranges just before serving.

Nutty Orange Salad: Serves 8

1) 2 sliced scallions, 1 cup sliced celery, 6 cups Romaine in bite sized piece, ( 1) 15 oz. can

Mandarin oranges or 4 peeled Clementines in sections, ½ cup sliced almonds, 5 Tbs. sugar

2) Dressing: Whisk together 2 Tbs. red wine vinegar, ¼ cup olive oil, 2 Tbs. sugar,1 Tbs. dried parsley, pinch cayenne pepper, salt & pepper to taste

3) Stir almonds and 3 Tbs. sugar in a skillet, until sugar melts and coats nuts, cool on foil. Toss salad ingredients gently with dressing just before serving. Garnish with sugared nuts.

PEARS

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

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