Carrot Ginger Soup

This is a very basic recipe. Makes one serving. Follow the directions and proportions once, then consider the possibilities.

I enjoy this recipe as is, but also add curry spices and top with sauteed jalapenos. Or replace some of the water with coconut milk and top with cilantro rather than parsley. The key is to compliment the carrots, not overpower their flavor. (I love carrots in minestrone, but that's not a Carrot Soup, it's a soup with carrots in it.)

Unfortunately, I'm not sure which magazine this recipe came from; I've carried this clipping for years and can't match the font styles to food magazines we subscribe to. You'll find a myriad of variations on the Internets. If you come across this, please ping me so I can credit the source.

Carrot-Ginger Soup

Ingredients

• 2 t. mild oil or butter
• 2 T. each: diced onion and celery
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced (about a cup)
• 1 cup broth (vegetable or chicken)
• 1 T. orange juice
• 1 1/2 - 2 t. grated ginger
• 1 t. unsalted butter
• parsley, optional
• orange zest, optional

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the onion and celery. Do not saute. Cover and cook over a low heat until they start to soften.
2. Add carrots. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes.
3. Add the broth, OJ and ginger. Cover the pan and simmer until the carrots are completely tender, about 30 minutes.
4. Remove from heat. Puree until smooth.
5. Pour into bowl, dollop with butter and lightly sprinkle with chopped parsley and orange zest.

Photo coming soon.

"Stressed" is "Desserts" spelled Backwards: Food Porn Roundup

Hello, Friends. It's time for another Food Porn Roundup. I know, it's been a while, but we've had a little excitement around here (a tree fell on the house). We're finally organized, having moved what we can do without for the next few months into storage and living in the back of the house.

Reading food blogs is a welcome distraction. Here are a few recipes I've bookmarked from some of my favorite blogs. Which do you find tempting?

Almost Bourdain

Sicilian Orange Cake

Chocolate and Zucchini

Basic Granola Formula

Wives with Knives

Cranberry Hazelnut Raincoast Crisps

White on Rice Couple
Chili Cheese Fries

Vietnam World Kitchen

Egg Foo Yung

Pease Pudding

Moroccan Quinoa Salad

Closet Cooking

Lime Meltaways

eCurry

Shrimp with Scallions & Garlic in Chile Tamari Sauce

Carrot Scallion Latkes

Elana’s Pantry

Cannelle Vannille

Pear and Hazelnut Tart

White on Rice Couple
Garlic Hot Sauce

Fuss Free Cooking
Homemade Chocolate Hazelnut (Nutella) Spread

Tamale Pie

I love handwritten hand-me-down recipes. My mother-in-law copied her tamale pie recipe for me on notebook paper, which after 35 years, is yellowing and now in a plastic sheet protector.

I also love one dish meals, and this is equally yummy warmed up for lunch (or breakfast!) the next day. Tonight I used ground beef because that's what hubby got at the grocery. Ground turkey or leftover chicken is excellent. Or skip the meat and add black beans & potatoes.

Brown the filling in one skillet, empty that goodies in a baking dish, and then use the same skillet for the cornmeal topping. In all, prep will take fifteen or so minutes. In our home, if you cook, you don't clean (, so my work here is done!

Peggy's Tamale  Pie
Ingredients

• 1 onion
• 1 red or green bell pepper
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 1/2 lb. meat
• 1/3 lb frozen corn (or the kernels of one cob)
• 1/2 c. stewed or fresh tomatoes
• chili powder
• 1 chopped jalapeno (optional)
• handful chopped cilantro (optional)
• 1/2 c. cornmeal
• 2 c. milk
• 2 T. butter
• 1 egg
• 1 c. grated cheddar

Directions

1. Saute meat, veggies, herbs, spices until the meat is slightly browned.
2. Oil a baking dish and pile the goodies from the skillet in a big bowl.
3. In the skillet, add the cornmeal, milk, butter, egg and half the cheese and whisk until it starts to thicken.
4. Pour half the cornmeal mix in a greased baking dish. Add the meat and veggies, then top with the remaining cornmeal mix.
5. Bake in 350 degree oven for 50 minutes. Top with the remainder of the cheese and bake for 5 more minutes.
6. Mangia!

Beef Soup simmered in a Lemon Thyme & Fennel Broth with Cheddar Onion Drop Biscuits

I intended to make minestrone for dinner, but hadn't shopped accordingly. I love kale in minestrone, carrots, celery, cannelini. So I invented a soup using what we had on hand, which is how the best soups are made.

The house smells so good right now you could lick the air. The basis of the aromatic broth is lemon thyme and crushed fennel seeds. I happen to have lemon thyme growing in a pot on the porch. It's unlikely you'll find it in the grocery store, but regular thyme and a dash of lemon juice are a fair enough substitute. I also polished off the soup with a hearty squeeze of "lima dulce" or sweet lime, which we picked up at the farmers market last week. Another unlikely find at your local market, so freshly squeezed lime is fine.

Aromatic Beef Soup with Lemon Thyme and Fennel
Ingredients

• 2 c. cooked, cubed beef (leftover roast, for example)
• 1 med. red onion, chopped finely
• 3 fat cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1-2 T lemon thyme
• 1 T chopped fennel seed (not ground fennel seed)
• 2 T olive oil
• 5 cups broth (I use chicken broth)
• 1 c. uncooked rice (my choice: short grain brown rice)
• 1 c. frozen or fresh green peas
• optional: 1-2 T lemon and/or lime zest

Directions

1. Saute the onion and mushrooms in the olive oil. Add the garlic and fennel seed after two minutes.
2. When the garlic has softened, add the broth, thyme and beef.
3. Simmer on a low heat for about 20 minutes, allowing the herbs to infuse the beef.
4. Add the rice. Continue to simmer until the rice is tender.
5. Add the peas. Cook only until they are tender, maybe one or two minutes more.
6. Serve with a fat wedge of sweet lime.

Cheddar Onion Drop Biscuits
Ingredients

• 2 c. flour
• 1 T. baking powder
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 t. sugar (optional)
• 6 T. butter
• 1 c. plus 2 T. dairy (whatever you have on hand: milk/cream/buttermilk)
• 1 cup finely shredded cheddar or cheddar blend
• 1-2 scallions or small bunch of chives, sliced finely

Directions

1. Preheat the oven at 400 degrees.
2. Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt.
3. Add the butter, cubed, and using a pastry cutter, blend it into the flour.
4. Add the scallions, milk and cheese. Mix only until blended.
5. You can spoon the batter onto a buttered cookie sheet or shape 6 chubby patties by hand.
6. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the tops are browned.

Melt-in-your-mouth Ratatouille

We were at a dinner event in San Francisco some years ago when I had ratatouille for the first time. Thankfully, the husband didn’t realize it had eggplant in it or he never would have eaten it again.

Of course I had to replicate what my friends claimed was the best ratatouille they’d had.

My two-step process may seem like overkill to you, but the trick is to get the veggies so melty and herb-infused that an eggplant hater can’t detect the texture and falls in love with the flavor. Simmering on the stovetop just doesn’t quite do it.

Warning: this recipe makes a boatload, but it freezes well. Adjust proportions to make a modest amount.

Melt-in-your-mouth Ratatouille

Ingredients

• equal amounts of: eggplant, zucchini, fresh tomatoes – about 2-3 c. each, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• equal amounts of: red onion, red bell pepper – about 1 c. each, chopped
• herbs: half bunch of Italian flat leaf parsley; also basil, thyme, rosemary, garlic – season to your taste
• 1 large can diced tomatoes and one small can tomato paste

     Optional:

• crimini mushrooms – whole, 1/2 - 1 c.
• carrots, 1/2 - 1 c. chopped
• lemon zest

 Directions

1. Chop everything and combine the veggies (with the can of diced tomatoes) in a Big Deep Saucepan with the herbs (except the parsley). Cover and simmer until al dente.
2. Stir in the tomato paste and parsley.
3. Pour the whole mix into a deep baking dish. Cover with foil. Bake in 375 oven for about 35 minutes.
4. Uncover and sprinkle with parmesan. I like a lot. You decide. Bake until the parm is bubbling.
5. Top with chopped parsley before serving. 

And there you have it. The veggies and herbs and cheese are one big melty mouthful of goodness. I can eat this for breakfast. This is one of those dishes that's even better the next day.

Quinoa Garbanzo Bean Taco Salad

Maybe I'm stretching it by calling this a taco salad, but hey, my blog, my choice.

I made this much salad to see us through the week. This is a lot for two people. I shared with coworkers, and we ate this for lunch and dinner.

Next time, I'll probably halve the recipe. Still, it's been nice to have something on hand that's healthy, satisfying and totally tasty. And if you don't like cilantro, substitute parsley or another fresh herb of your preference.

A recipe like this is a reminder (for me) and a suggestion (for you). The key is combining legume / quinoa with fresh herbs and veggies. Take this one step further and put a scoop on a bed of spinach, topped with oven-roasted chicken and sour cream. Which is what we have planned tonight.

Quinoa Garbanzo Bean Taco Salad

Ingredients

1 15.5 oz. can of garbanzo beans, drained (or 1 1/2 c. cooked garbanzos)

1 1/2 c. cooked quinoa

2 cloves minced garlic

1 c. chopped red onion

1 juicy tomato, diced

2 sticks celery, chopped

1 med. zucchini, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

1-2 minced jalapenos

1/2 t. cumin

1/2-1 t. chili powder (to taste)

juice from 2 limes plus lime zest

dash salt

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

olive oil and rice vinegar...enough to create luscious coating.  Remember: less is more.

Directions:  Easy easy easy!

1. Cook the quinoa and let cool.
2. Chop the veggies and herbs.
3. Drain the garbanzos.
4. Mix it all up and season to taste  (I prefer rice vinegar with dash of balsamic).

Eat now. Just as Good chilled. Just as good the next day. Killer.

Curried Pumpkin Soup

I was cleaning off my desk and found this recipe scribbled on a yellow legal pad. This soup is one of our cool weather staples.

Use a good sugar pie pumpkin (as opposed to one of the tasteless behemoths sold for jack-o-lanterns) or substitute another orange-fleshed winter squash. Kabocha is my favorite. Butternut works, too.

This soup is even better the second day. To dress it up, swirl a spoonful of crema fresca or creme fraiche -- both milder than sour cream, which I don't personally like -- on the top, and sprinkle with parsley.

Curried Pumpkin Soup
Ingredients
2 lbs/ 4 c. cooked pumpkin (about a 4 lb pumpkin)
1 med. onion, finely chopped
2 shredded carrots
2 T. olive oil
2 Red Delicious apples, cored, peeled and diced
1 large russet potato, peeled and diced (if you prefer, use yam or sweet potato)
1 large clove garlic
1 T. curry ...make sure your spices are fresh or make your own curry powder*
2-3 c. chicken or vegetable stock
orange zest (optional)
crema fresca or creme fraiche
parsley

Directions

1. Wash the outside of the pumpkin. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. If you have room in your oven, bake the pumpkin whole. I don't so I chop it in half and put each half, face down, on a cookie sheet. Either way, poke holes in the pumpkin with a skewer or knife so steam can escape. You really don't want the pumpkin to explode in your oven.


• Bake the pumpkin until tender, about 60-90 minutes. When it's cool enough to handle, clean the seeds and any pulp, and peel the skin. Rough chop the flesh and set aside.


3. While the pumpkin bakes, saute the onion in the olive oil in a stock pot until semi-translucent. Add the curry powder, carrots and garlic and continue to saute, stirring frequently, until onions and garlic are soft.
4. Add the chicken stock to the pot, along with the potato, apple, and pumpkin. Simmer until the potatoes are tender. If you're using orange zest, add it now.
5. Use a hand blender to puree the soup. Or let it cool and use your blender or food processor.
6. Serve warm, with a swirl of crema fresca and a sprinkle of chopped parsley.

* You may prefer to make your own curry blend. There are recipes online. This one is basic, this one slightly different.

South of the Border Tabbouli

I've been craving tabbouli, but didn't have the ingredients on hand, aside from bulghur, that I ordinarily use in the recipe. So I made today's salad with a south of the border flair. Must say, this is divine. Feel free to adjust the seasonings and add more veggies, even different ones, like cucumber or grated carrot.

Sorry about the blurry pics. Using my old Blackberry...need new camera!

South of the Border Tabbouli
Ingredients
3/4 c. bulghur
juice of 2 limes
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
6 scallions, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 c. chopped tomato, fresh not canned!
1/4 t. ground cumin

1/4 c. olive oil

salt to taste

Directions

1. Soak bulghur in 1 1/2 c. water for an hour, or until tender. Drain any excess before adding the rest of the ingredients.
2. While that soaks, chop the veggies and combine in bowl with herbs, lime juice and olive oil.
3. Mix in bulghur. Feel free to eat immediately...although I think letting the flavors soak into the grain is worth waiting for another half hour.
4. Store leftovers in a covered container in fridge. Best eaten within the next day.

This is the height of tomato season, so spring for the ripest heirlooms. Your dish only tastes as good as the quality of your ingredients.

Indian Tacos

I first tasted Indian tacos at a pow wow in Oroville, where some of my high school students, members of the Concow Maidu tribe, were dancers and singers.

More recently, we got Indian tacos from a roadside stand outside of Gerlach, Nevada, on our way home from Burning Man.

This is what a "typical" Indian Taco looks like:

Move over Pavarotti: Food Porn Roundup

A friend of Pavarotti's wrote, "Luciano thinks about food all the time. It's not just that he likes to eat: he loves to smell food, to touch food, to prepare food, to think about food, to talk about food."

So we have that in common with the bloggers of this week's food porn roundup. Top of this list, Dressed-up White Bread, made with semolina and oatmeal, snipped with kitchen shears into a veritable peony-- check out Donna Currie's site to see how easy this is to do.

Cookistry

Dressed-up White Bread

Living in the Kitchen with Puppies

Soft Beer Pretzels

ecurry

Chard & Garlic Whole Wheat Flat Breads

Joy the Baker

Shrimp and Grits

Steamy Kitchen

10-Minute Shrimp and Mushroom Thai Curry

Kaylyn’s Kitchen

Twenty Zucchini Recipes

Almost Bourdain

Turkish Pizza with Grilled Eggplant

Sauce and Sensibility

Chicken Salad with Pecans & Artichoke Hearts

For the Love of Cooking

Moo Shu Pork

Ravenous Couple

Bo Bia Chinese Sausage Spring Rolls and Peanut Sauce Recipe

Vietnam World Kitchen

Curried Fried Rice

Wives with Knives

Potato, Onion and Gruyere Galette

My Recession Kitchen

Tamale Pie

The Knead for Speed

Crepe Lasagna Tower

Lost Past Remembered

Lamb Aloes with Spiced Port Sauce & Pomegrates

Moroccan Lamb Sausages & Mezze Friends

Hubby loves lamb, me not so much. But I found this recipe in Saveur that enticed me, so I bought a small lamb roast and thought I'd use the food processor to rough grind the meat. The recipe calls for toasting and grinding spices and includes harissa, which I'd made the previous week. Besides, look at the photo they included. A tasty mezze spread indeed.

Unfortunately, my first batch was a FAIL, tasteless and dry. So I tweaked the traditional recipe, because that's what cooks do. I added ground pork and chuck for fat and flavor, used smoked paprika, and amped up the spices. We also grilled the sausage, which made a world of difference. Oh.my.goodness.

We served the sausages as appetizers -- or mezze -- with whole wheat pita, yogurt with herbs, tapenade, carrot salad, more harissa, (seriously sinful triple cream) goat cheese brie, cucumbers, and heirloom tomatoes. We had leftovers -- only because our friends made the most incredible chicken tagine for the main course -- but this could easily suffice as a summer meal. What was for dessert you ask? Cardamom-infused yogurt with white nectarines and ginger syrup (directions below).

 Moroccan Lamb Sausage

Ingredients
1 lb. ground lamb
1 lb. ground pork
1/3 lb. ground chuck
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 T. minced flat-leaf parsley
1 t. sweet paprika
2 t. smoked paprika
1 t. coriander seeds
1 t. cumin seeds
1 t. fennel seeds
3 T. harissa

Directions

1. Toast the coriander, fennel and cumin seeds lightly, and grind them into a powder. I used our retired coffee grinder. If you don't have a grinder or mortar and pestle, go ahead and buy powdered spices, but do toast them anyway.
2. Mix the spices, garlic, harissa and parsley into the meat.
3. Divide into 12 patties. Grill on a medium heat, so they are fairly well cooked through, turning to brown on both sides.
4. Serve with suggested mezze fixin's.

Cardamom Yogurt with White Nectarines & Ginger Syrup
Ingredients
32 oz. tub of plain yogurt (organic/non-fat is our preference)
5 pods of cardamom (I used green cardamom)
4 white nectarines (peaches or other stone fruit will do)
3 inch nub of ginger root
3/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. water

Directions

1. Prepare yogurt:


1. Drain the yogurt in cheesecloth to remove excess liquid, for 2-4 hours.
2. Crush the cardamom in a mortar and pestle or with the back of a spoon, and stir it in the yogurt. Refrigerate overnight.
3. Strain the seeds/pods from the yogurt before servinng.


2. Prepare the ginger syrup:


1. Peel and slice the ginger.
2. Boil ginger with water and sugar for a couple of minutes.
3. Turn heat on low and let simmer until liquid is thick. This won't take long.
4. Remove the ginger and let the liquid cool
5. Store the syrup in a sterilized jar in the cupboard, not the fridge.


3. Prepare dessert:


1. Dollop yogurt in bowl. Mebbe about 1/3 - 1/2 c. person.
2. Top with sliced nectarines.
3. Drizzle ginger syrup on the entirety. To taste. It's powerful, so less is more.
4. You'll want to spread this all over your body and lick it off. Seriously.

Rock'n'Roll Hoochie Coo: Food Porn Roundup

It's that time again. I should be folding laundry but instead, here I am, catching up on food porn. I'm sharing this list with you, but I made it for myself.  There are so many talented cooks, and so many yummy recipes to try, but alas, only so many hours in the day. So here's what I hope to experiment with this month - listed again in no particular order.

Amateur Perceptions
Stuffed Buns

Audex Artifex
Banquet Foccacia

101 Cookbooks
Spiced Tomato Gratin

bakies

Calzone

Cate's World Kitchen
Black Bean and Quinoa Salad

Chocolate & Zucchini
Olive Oil and Seed Crackers

Patent and the Pantry

Shaved Asparagus Pizza

Closet Cooking

Zucchini and Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Parmesan Tart

Inspired Taste

Vietnamese Noodle Soup: Pho

Urban Recipe
Thai Shrimp and Corn Cakes

My Diverse Kitchen

Paneer Pound Cake

Homesick Texan
Fried Pickles

Cookin' Canuck
Grilled Zucchini Roll-ups

elly says opa!

Chipotle Beef Tacos

Almond Corner

Garam Masala

What's Cookin, Chicago?

Beef and Cheese Empanada

Hungry Desi

Couscous with Preserved Lemons and Haloumi Cheese

In the kitchen of my family

Rosemary Olive Oil cake

Harissa on breakfast sandwiches?

I'm learning about Moroccan cuisine. One ingredient that's unique to North African cooking, particularly Moroccan and Tunisian, is harissa -- not something we typically find at the local grocers -- so I googled, went shopping for chilis and spices, and voila! Homemade harissa. The first batch was not as spicy as I expected, but we've nearly depleted the batch I made, so that'll be remedied next go-round.

The condiment makes an appearance at the mezze, and is included in tagines and merguez. We happen to like breakfast sandwiches -- toasted whole grain bread with something crispy green (this week, it's been cuke slices), turkey or chicken, cheese and a good mustard (sorry, no French's in the house). I've been slathering harissa over the poupon. Don't knock it till you try it.

Harissa

Ingredients
15 dried chilis: guajillo, New Mexico, arbol
3-5 garlic cloves
1/2 t. salt
2 T. sweet paprika
2 T. coriander seed
1 t. caraway seed
1 t. cumin seed
1 T. lemon juice
3 T. olive oil
1 red bell pepper, roasted and peeled.

Directions

1. Oven-roast a red pepper or use prepared pepper. Set aside.
2. Remove the stems and seeds before soaking the chilis.
3. Pour boiling water on the dried chilis and soak them for about an hour.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. When it's ready, toast the spices on a cookie sheet for 1-2 minutes.
5. Grind the spices -- I used our retired coffee grinder.
6. Drain the chilis. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor (or use a hand blender) and let it rip until you have a relatively smooth paste.
7. Store the harissa in a clean jar in the fridge. I don't know how long it will keep....it never lasts long around here.

I may be addicted to food blogs: Food Porn Roundup

My RSS feed list is growing. What with work and projects, I only review new posts about once a month, but I can lose track of time bookmarking recipes I want to try. Here are some I discovered today, listed in no particular order:

My Kitchen Snippets

Mini Cottage Pies

Chocolate & Zucchini

Yellow Zucchini Tarte Fine on a Yogurt-Based Crust

White on Rice Couple

Pickled Green Tomatoes

Baking Powder
Pepper Jack Zucchini Muffins

L. Brooks Cooks
Chicken Salad with Peaches and Hazelnuts

Mark Bittman
Stir-Fried Beef with Lemongrass and Chiles

Zoom Yummy

Galette with Ricotta and Zucchini

Living in the Kitchen with Puppies

Yeasted Sprouted Wheat Bread

Homesick Texan
Summer Squash Enchiladas

girlichef

Stromboli

Waffleizer

Waffled Quesadillas with Roasted Tomato Salsa

What’s for lunch, Honey
Spinach and Caramelized Onion Lasagna

101 Cookbooks
Rosemary Olive Oil cake

Furey and the Feast
Strawberry Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Sausage Shrimp Jambalaya with Quinoa

By the time I got home from work the other night, I didn't feel like cooking, but I was famished.

I also didn't feel like cleaning up after myself. Hence this meal-in-one-pot. From start to finish, done within the hour. Leftovers became the Best.Lunch.Ever.

I didn't take photos, but I plan to make it again next week, add pics to the blog, and then participate in D-Feast Friday.

Sausage Shrimp Jambalaya with Quinoa
Ingredients
1 small red onion
1 red pepper
4 stalks celery with leaves
2 summer squash
3 cloves garlic
4 strips bacon, chopped (optional)
olive oil, just enough to sautee veggies
1 1b. chicken or turkey sausage -- find something tasty
1 1b. raw shrimp
1 c. quinoa
1/2 c. short-grain brown rice
3-3 1/2 c. chicken or veggie broth (more broth if you use fresh tomatoes)
1 t. paprika
1/2 t. ground cumin
1/4 t. cayenne
2 T fresh thyme leaves or half as much dried thyme
1 14.5 oz can unsalted diced tomatoes or fresh chopped tomatoes
salt to taste

Directions:

1. Chop veggies and sautee with bacon and smidge of olive oil for a couple of minutes.
2. Slice sausage and add to sautee pan to brown.
3. When veggies are al dente, add broth, tomatoes, grains and seasonings.
4. Simmer for 30 minutes until grains are edible, not mushy, and add shrimp.
5. Contine to simmer until shrimp is cooked, which will take no time at all.
6. Top servings with something fresh, fragrant and green: sliced scallions, basil.

Quick notes about seasonings: Let flavors simmer, taste as you cook and season to taste. You'll use less salt if your food is flavorful. My measures are approximate. Ultimately, how much you use depends on your taste preferences and the freshness of your ingredients.

I also use a low sodium, soy-based vegetarian "chicken flavor" powdered broth I get at the local natural food store. Locals, go to the food bins at New Leaf.

Peppers Stuffed with Zucchini and Israeli Couscous

Using seasonal ingredients and what's in the pantry, blah blah blah. The best food blogs sing this song.

But really, that's the way I cook. I shop the natural food and chain grocery stores for pantry staples, shop the farmer's market for fresh veggies and herbs.

And then I play.

So, I've got succulent red bell peppers, beets, globe zucchini, and fresh basil. What to do?

Snip the beets greens, julienne the basil, finely chop the zukes....and then cook up the remainder of the Israeli (aka pearl) couscous that's been sitting on the shelf since winter, mix it up with fresh herbs and tasty bits, and stuff the peppers.

Baking is a science. If I'm making bread or a sweet treat, I tend to follow the recipe as it's written. But otherwise, I view a recipe as a suggestion. I hope this sounds good enough for you to try, but the next time I make stuffed peppers, I'll do something different. Maybe use quinoa and cilantro. Stuff poblanos instead of bells. Add sausage or sun-dried tomatoes. Use cheddar or goat cheese.

Depends what's in season and what I have in the pantry.

Stuffed Peppers with Israeli Couscous and Zucchini
Ingredients
2 roomy red bell peppers (pick peppers you can halve and stuff full, not quirky ones)
3/4 c. uncooked Israeli couscous
1/2 red onion and 2 globe zucchini, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, minced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
a handful of beet greens and fresh basil, julienned and chopped
1 egg
1/3 c. grated parmesan

Directions

1. Cook the couscous in chicken broth until al dente.
2. Halve the peppers and clean out the seeds.
3. Lightly oil a baking dish and arrange the peppers.
4. Chop the other vegetable ingredients.
5. In a mixing bowl, combine the cooked couscous, the veggies and basil, egg, and parmesan. Lightly salt and pepper.
6. Fill the bell peppers. Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes.
7. If inclined, sprinkle more fresh herbs or a little more cheese when the peppers come out of the oven.

Scallops in Basil Cream Sauce

Mr. G made this for dinner last night. My mouth had a party.

Mark Bittman, aka The Minimalist, posted this recipe in the New York Times in 2007. If you eschew dairy, substitute olive oil for the butter and tomatoes for the cream. But you'll have to change the name of the recipe if you do.

Last night, we used basil in a tube as we didn't have any fresh herbs on hand. I don't recommend that. That's not to say that dinner wasn't divine (it was), but fresh basil adds color, flavor and aroma that the tube did not deliver.

Scallops in Basil Cream Sauce
Ingredients
6 tablespoons butter
1 lb. sea scallops
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup chopped shallots
2 cloves freshly chopped garlic
Pinch crushed red chili flakes (optional)
1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup heavy cream (I suggest using more cream)
20 basil leaves, cut in thin ribbons.

Directions

1. In a skillet, brown scallops in 4T. of butter. Do not cook them, just brown them and then remove scallops.
2. Add remaining butter to pan and melt.
3. Add shallots, garlic, chili flakes and salt and pepper to taste. Cook about 2 minutes, or until shallots soften.
4. Add wine, raise heat a bit, and let bubble away for a minute or so until reduced by about half; add cream and repeat. When liquid is thick, return scallops and juices to pan.
5. Cook for about a minute, stirring in half the basil, until scallops are just barely firm. It's very easy to overcook scallops and end up with hockey pucks. If you're not sure, take one out of the pan and slice it through the middle...it should be barely transluscent inside. (It will continue to cook even after removed from heat.)
6. Remove from heat. Serve in small bowls, or on top of angelhair pasta (my preference).
7. Top with remaining basil.  

Here's Bittman showing us how easy this dish is to make. And in case you're interested, The Minimalist has a YouTube channel.

White Chili

White chili is made with white chicken, white beans, white cheese, and chicken stock instead of tomatoes.

My co-workers rave about this chili recipe. I know we're skipping into summer, but this is a great make-ahead meal if you're going camping. Or if you like breakfast burritos.

Unfortunately, I have no photos. My digital camera bit the dust -- in case you're disappointed by the lack of food porn on the site so far, I am too.

But I'm going to post this recipe anyway, because it's that good. Trust me. I'll take pics next time we make this.

White Chili

Ingredients

• 5 c. cooked cannellini (or 4 15oz. cans small white kidney beans)
• roasted peppers (about 1 cup skinned, seeded and minced). I used anaheim, jalapeno, yellow bell pepper, hungarian chili
• 2-3 ears corns, shucked
• 3-4 shallots, finely chopped
• ½ sweet white onion, finely chopped
• /2 t. each: chili powder, lemon pepper, ground cumin
• 4-5 cloves of roasted garlic
• 2 chubby boneless, skinless chicken breasts – cooked and chopped
• 6 spicy Italian sausages (I like spice; use.a milder chicken sausage if you prefer)
• 1 bunch cilantro, rough chopped
• 1 cup light beer (like Corona)
• 6 oz. grated white cheddar cheese
• 3 cups chicken broth

Prepare

1. Drain and rinse the beans.
2. Cook the sausage. Slice thinly.
3. Cook the chicken breasts, cool and take the meat off the bone. Chop in hearty chunks.
4. Roast the peppers. Rub them with olive oil and bake in the 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes. Take them out when the skin is blistering. Let cool, peel, de-seed and mince flesh.
5. Shuck the corn. (don't cook it ahead of time)
6. Saute the onion and shallots in olive oil in a stock pot.

Cook

1. Saute the onion and shallots in olive oil in a stock pot.
2. Add the peppers and garlic., then chili powder, lemon pepper and cumin. Stir for a couple of minutes, then stir in the corn and garlic.
3. Add the beans, beer, broth, sausage and chicken. Cover and let simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Add chopped cilantro and let simmer another 15 minutes.
5. Add 6 oz cheese and stir until blended. Keep the temperature as low as possible so the cheese stays blended in the broth. Stir occasionally so it doesn’t burn on the bottom. Cook until beans and corn are tender enough.
6. If you like a little more kick, add a tablespoon of your favorite hot sauce. I like Louisiana Style Batch #218 Hot Sauce by Original Juan

Oven-Roasted Tomato Apple Ketchup

If you're a label reader, you know that most store-bought ketchup brands use sugar or high-fructose corn syrup. I happen to like ketchup, so when I came across Cindy Pawlcyn's ketchup recipe in Big Small Plates, I decided to try making it myself. 

You can skip the oven-roasting step and simmer the veggies in the cider and spices, but oven-roasting adds depth that sets this ketchup apart from all others.

And about the apples. You won't taste them in the final product, but they add sweetness. Next time, I may even bake them first, too.

Oven-Roasted Tomato Apple Ketchup
Ingredients
4 lb peeled/seeded tomatoes (I prefer roma or heirloom)
4 cloves garlic
2-4 jalapenos (it depends on how hot they are)
1 1/2 lb sweet apples
3 sweet onions (red, Vidalia or Maui)
1 1/2 c. apple cider vinegar
1/2 c. basalmic vinegar

1 T. sea salt

1 t. paprika

1/4 t. of both ground allspice & ground cloves

1 t. dry mustard

1/2 c. mild/light honey*

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut tomatoes and jalapenos in half. Remove seeds.
3. Cut onions into 4ths.
4. Toss veggies and unpeeled garlic cloves with olive oil until lightly coated, spread on cookie sheet, and bake until soft, about 20 minutes.
5. Let the veggies cool before peeling them.
6. Puree veggies and apples in food processor until smooth.
7. Add veggies and apples to a stockpot with vinegar and spices. Simmer on low for about an hour. Stir OFTEN to prevent the bottom from burning.
8. Remove from heat and let cool.
9. I like to take the hand blender to this one more time, then bottle. Makes a nice gift.
10. This can be stored in the fridge for a couple of weeks. If it lasts that long.

* You can use Splenda instead, but if you do, add it when the sauce is done cooking.

Buffet Menu

This is the menu of dishes I made for my daughter's wedding rehearsal dinner. It's certainly appropriate for any special occasion. In planning the menu, I kept in mind various food restrictions: my daughter prefers vegetarian fare, her father is allergic to seafood, the soon-to-be husband's dad is on dialysis. For instance, Joe wanted a ham, but individuals on dialysis need to restrict their salt intake, so I also baked chicken breasts.

Everything here was prepared, to some degree, ahead of time, which is the key to a successful buffet. The biscuit and madeleine doughs were ready. Salads made, veggies chopped. Salmon terrines prepped the day before. And as you'll see, I didn't skimp on flavor -- we love fresh herbs and fragrant spices to take a dish over the top.

The entire menu can be prepared by a first time cook. The trick to having everything ready when guests arrive is making a timeline and to do list.

The Menu

Artichoke Heart Dip [note: I used parm and mozzarella]
Baked Chicken Breasts - no recipe
Baked Ham - no recipe
Cheddar Sage Buttermilk Biscuits w/ 3 mustards - recipe below
Crudite and Hummus
Marinated Olives
Monet Salad w/ Mustard Vinaigrette - recipe below
Pasta Salad - recipe below
Smoked Salmon Terrines - recipe below
Wild Mushroom Crostini
Zucchini Madeleines

Recipes

Cheddar Sage Buttermilk Biscuits w/ 3 mustards
Ingredients
2 c. flour
4 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1/2 t. cream of tartar
1 T. sugar
8 T unsalted butter
3 1/2 oz. shredded cheddar
10 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
2/3 c. buttermilk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut butter into flour.
3. Add dry ingredients.
4. Blend in milk. Mix just until ingredients are combined, then roll dough on floured cutting board and cut into biscuits.
5. Butter/flour cookie sheet and place biscuits.
6. Bake 10-12 minutes.
7. In three small bowls, dollop your favorite mustards so guests can pick their poison. I chose Dijon, stoneground, and honey mustards.

Monet Salad w/ Mustard Vinaigrette

I saw this idea in a cookbook once but haven't been able to find it since, so I can't credit the source. But the idea is simple enough. A Monet Salad is composed of mixed baby greens and edible flowers. I used rosemary, geranium, lavender and nasturtiums. The vinaigrette is equally simple. The proportions: 3/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup vinegar (I combine rice/balsamic), and 3 tablespoons of Dijon. Stoneground mustard is just as nice if you have that on hand. Put it in a pretty bottle and shake it up to emulsify the ingredients.

Pasta Salad

This is not really a recipe as much as a list of ingredients. As you see, this is a meal in itself. In addition to the pasta (I used farfalle this time, although any curly pasta, like rotini or campanelle, is suitable), I added: red onions (diced small), green onions, celery, carrots, salami (cubed), mozzarella (cubed), capers, peperoncini, red bell pepper, marinated artichoke hearts, fresh basil and parsley. To keep the noodles from getting soft, I tossed it with olive oil and vinegar right before serving, then seasoned with salt and pepper to taste. Voila.

Smoked Salmon Terrines
The filling: I prepared the horseradish cream cheese filling from this Sunset recipe plus lemon zest.
The terrines: Next, I lined 3 mini-bread pans with plastic wrap, letting it drap over the sides so the terrine could be completely wrapped while it set. Then I lined the pan with thin slices of smoked salmon, draping it over the sides so I could fold it back to cover the filling.
     Since the terrines were so small, I simply spooned in the cream cheese filling to the top (rather than alternate layers of cream cheese and salmon), folded the salmon neatly over the top to encase the filling, wrapped the plastic wrap tightly around the package and popped the lot in the fridge.
     This needs to chill at least 4 hours. Such a pretty dish. Served with sliced baguettes. Note: use a VERY sharp knife to slice the terrine. This holds up nicely on a buffet table.

And for dessert? We picked up a fruit tart and a chocolate cake from a local bakery, and grapes and strawberries from the farmer's market. Keep it simple and enjoy the party.

Coffee Chili Cocoa Spice Blend

Last summer, I picked up canister of Two Spicy Ladies' coffee bbq rub at the Roseville's farmer's market and used it up way too quickly. It's fabulous on meat or seafood and adds a deep smoky flavor to chili. I'm addicted and as it's not available online, I raided my spice cabinet to create this recipe.

We made a big batch in December and packaged the seasoning in magnetic tins for gifts. 

Coffee Chili Cocoa Spice Blend
Ingredients
6 T chili powder (mix em up: chipotle/ancho/new mexico)
6 T powdered espresso
2 T unsweetened cocoa powder
3 T raw or demerara sugar
1 T each: coarse sea salt, coriander, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, ground mustard, coarse pepper, red pepper flakes

Zucchini Artichoke Heart Frittatas

Ages ago, C&M Italian delicatessen, on Girard Avenue in La Jolla, made the best frittata sandwiches (zucchini or artichoke) in the '70s. Sure would love their recipe for these two options -- I saved my tips in order to afford a sammie here on occasion.

Here's my hybrid copycat recipe.

There are a couple of ways you can approach this recipe. Make a thin frittata and top it with marinara and parm. Or make a sandwich patty. Or make chicken-nugget-sized patties and dip them in  the sauce. My children enjoyed these.

If you have time, shred rather than chop the zucchini, sprinkle lightly with salt to leach out the excess liquid, and let drain for 20 minutes before adding to mix. Rinse off the salt, squeeze out the liquid before adding to the mix.

For extra crispiness, bread the patty with bread crumbs before sauteing.

Zucchini Artichoke Heart Frittatas

Ingredients
2 medium zucchini
1/2 c marinated artichokes, chopped and drained
1/2 c. Italian bread crumbs
1 clove minced garlic
3 eggs
1/4 c. parmesan
1/4 t. crushed red pepper
2 T. milk
1/2 c. minced onion

Directions: Mix. Saute. Top or dip in a seasoned tomato sauce. Or stuff into a sourdough roll with a slice of provolone.

Cioppino

Cioppino is a seafood stew which supposedly originated in San Francisco. It's surprisingly easy to make, involves little prep, and takes very little time to cook. It's essential to use fresh seafood and fresh herbs.

I've included a clip of Bobby Flay's Cioppino Throwdown with Phil DiGirolamo from Phil's Fish Market in Moss Landing. Bobby says the key ingredient in the tomato base is anchovies (he actually uses anchovy paste). Phil says it takes about an hour for the tomato base to cook.

My version, which serves 2-4, is simpler and faster to make, and in my opinion, is just as tasty.

Cioppino

Ingredients
1 dungeness crab, or 2 snow crab legs
12 mussels
1/2 pound sea scallops
8 large shrimp
8 clams or can of minced clams (add juice too)
4 baby squid (cleaned/sliced)
1/2 lb. firm white fish, like cod or red snapper, cut into chunks
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup finely chopped onion or shallots or leeks
1 c. chopped tomatoes
1 finely chopped anaheim pepper
1/2 c. grated carrots
1 T olive oil
3 c. fish or chicken stock
1 c. white wine
1 T. fresh thyme
1 T. basil
cayenne or crushed red peppers

Directions

1. Lightly saute onions, garlic, pepper, tomatoes for two minutes.
2. Add broth, wine, fresh clams (if using canned, add in step 4) and crab. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes.
3. Add mussels and thyme, cover and simmer until mussels and clams have opened.
4. Add scallops and fish, cover and simmer for 1 minute.
5. Add sliced squid; cook about 30 seconds.
6. Top with croutons and enjoy.
   
   

Gazpacho

Too hot to cook? This is the perfect meal. Going camping? Blend and chill ahead of departure. When you're done setting up camp, all you have to do is take this out of the cooler and pour dinner.

This recipe is inspired by the BEST gazpacho at the Redwood Forest Restaurant in Chico.

Gazpacho
Ingredients
1 cucumber
1/2 medium red onion
1/2 c. green pepper
2 large plum tomatoes, peeled and seeded
1 c. finely chopped cauliflower
1/2 pound mushrooms
1 bunch fresh spinach
1 heaping T. fresh basil
1/2 t. garlic
1 t. black pepper
3/4 t. crushed, dried thyme
1/4 t. ground cumin
1 t. ground sage
6 T each: olive oil, white wine vinegar, lemon juice
3/4 t. tabasco or sciraca
2 cans (46 oz. size) V-8 juice (or Spicy V-8 and leave out tabasco)*
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce

* or substitute your homemade veggie juice

Directions
1. Finely chop vegetables or pulse BRIEFLY in food processor (still chunky), then remove to a large bowl.
2. Add all seasonings, sauce, and juice. Stir well. Chill. Suggestion: Let flavors combine for at least 3 hours before serving.

Zucchini Madeleines

I don't have much of a sweet tooth, so I'm always trying savory variations of popular recipes. It's worth splurging to get non-stick madeleine pans to make these!

fyi, I didn't invent this recipe, but I no longer have the original and can't find it online, so I'm not sure what I've tweaked over the years.

Zucchini Madeleines
Ingredients
4 medium-size zucchini (about 1 1/2 lb.) shredded
2 t. salt
6 T. olive oil
1 medium-size onion, chopped
1 c. flour
1 T. baking powder
5 large eggs
2 T. milk
1 1/2 c. (about 5 oz.) grated parmesan
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
2 T. chopped fresh basil or 1 t. dried basil
1/4 t. pepper

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix zucchini with salt. Let stand until limp and liquid has drained from it, about 30 minutes. Rinse well; drain, squeezing out as much water as possible.
2. Meanwhile, put 2 T. of the oil into a frying pan on medium-high heat. Add onion, stirring occasionally, until limp and lightly browned. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, stir flour with baking powder. In a separate bowl, whisk until blended eggs, milk, remaining oil, cheese, garlic, basil and pepper.
4. Add zucchini and onion and mix well. Stir zucchini into flour mixture until evenly moistened.
5. Butter and flour madeleine pans or small muffin pans. (even if you have non-stick pans)
6. Spoon batter into pans, filling to rims. Bake in a 400 degree oven until puffed and lightly browned, about 15-20 minutes. Cool about 5 minutes, then invert pans to remove; use a spatula to loosen them gently, if necessary.
7. Serve hot or at room temperature. Makes 2 dozen.

Tex Mex Scones

This recipe is my attempt to recreate the savory Tex Mex Scones baked at Cory’s Sweet Treats in Chico, where I stopped often on my way to work.

Cory has since closed the cafe to open Cory’s Country Inn.

Tex Mex Scones

Ingredients:
2 c. flour
1/4 t. salt
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. chili powder
1/3 c. butter
1 egg
1 c. milk/cream
1 finely chopped plum tomato
1 minced jalapeno
1/4 c. finely chopped red pepper
1/4 c. finely chopped red onion or scallions
2 T. chopped sundried tomato in oil, drained
2 T. sliced black olives
1 1/2 c. shredded cheese (cheddar or blend)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix flour, salt, chili powder and baking powder.
3. Using pastry cutter or forks, cut in butter until it is the size of small peas.
4. Mix in egg and milk.
5. Add chopped vegetables and cheese; mix only until evenly combined.
6. Divide dough (it will be sticky, so you may want to LIGHTLY flour your hands) into 6 equal parts. Shape round patties that are 2-3 inches thick.
7. Bake on lightly oiled baking sheet for 25 minutes.

Salsa-licious

The first recipe, Mango Strawberry Salsa, earned first place in the Cinco de Mayo Salsa Contest at my workplace last year. This year, I created something completely different, Spicy Artichoke Heart Salsa.
Both salsas are wonderful fresh, but even better after the flavors have marinated a few hours or even overnight. Enjoy.
Mango Strawberry Salsa
Ingredients
1 chubby ripe mango, peeled, pitted and diced
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 habanero pepper, sliced open (let marinate then remove)
1/2 serrano pepper, seeded and minced
1/4 c. finely chopped red onion
1/4 c. finely chopped red bell pepper
1/4 c. chopped cilantro leaves
3 ripe strawberries, finely chopped
Juice from 3 limes
Juice from ½ orange
Spicy Artichoke Heart Salsa
Ingredients
2 c. marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 small can sliced black olives (2.25 oz)
1/4 c. minced red/sweet peppers
1/4 c minced red onion
1/4 c minced seedless cucumber
1-2 minced jalapenos
2 T. minced poblano
2 minced roma tomatoes
½ c. cilantro, chopped
juice of two limes
1/2 t. smoked paprika
1/2 t. chipotle chili powder or 1 t. adobo sauce
dash salt