I have had a ton of basil from my garden this year. I made a lot of Pesto and have it in the freezer, so today I used it to make tomato sauce to freeze. I found the perfect recipe in Marcella Hazan’s The Classic Italian Cookbook.
Sauce will cover 1# spaghettini and will serve 4 (I doubled the recipe)as part of an Italian Meal
1 large bunch fresh basil
2 C canned Italian plum tomatoes, seeded, drained and coarsely chopped
5 large cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1/3 C EVOO
1t. salt
6 twists of the pepper mill
I put everything in the pan and after it came to a simmer, combined and chopped with my immersion blender. I let it simmer for 15 minutes. It is now cooling and my kitchen smells amazing. We are dining out tonight, so I am going to package for the freezer after it cools.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
Oeufs en Cocote
I have been reading my French cookbooks and we are planning a trip to Normandy. My Williams Sonoma Cookbook, Paris says that Parisians never eat eggs for breakfast but often have them for a first course for Lunch. So today I made Baked Eggs in Cream for lunch with a salad. For the salad I combined romaine and arugula. I added an avocado and orange slices and dressed it with the leftover dressing from the lobster salad on Tuesday night. I wish I’d added sunflower seeds, but we were in a rush to go play golf. Didn't have time to think.
Recipe serves 4 but is easy to cut in half
1-2 T unsalted butter
8 eggs
1-1/1/2 T chopped fresh chives
Salt and pepper
¼ C heavy cream
¼# gruyere cheese, shredded
2 T grated Parmesan Cheese
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and have boiling water available. I have instant hot water on the sink.
2. Place 4 ¾ C ramekins or custard cups in a large, deep baking pan. Place a generous dab of butter in the bottom of each ramekin. I also sprayed them with spray butter. Break 2 eggs in each ramekin. Sprinkle the eggs evenly with the chives, salt and pepper. Drizzle evenly with the cream. Top each ramekin with the cheeses.
3. Pour boiling water into the baking pan to reach about halfway up the sides of the ramekins and cover the pan with a sheet of aluminum foil. Bake about 10 minutes. Mine were not done. I had to bake them 4 minutes longer using the Advantium, speed cook setting. I have trouble getting things done in my oven.
It says to serve with Champagne. Unfortunately lunch before golf was served with iced green tea. These eggs were really good. I could eat this and a Caesar salad forever.
Dinner is the second half of the turkey burgers from last night grilled and the remainder of the soup. I worked out this morning, made lunch, and played golf, done for the day.
Recipe serves 4 but is easy to cut in half
1-2 T unsalted butter
8 eggs
1-1/1/2 T chopped fresh chives
Salt and pepper
¼ C heavy cream
¼# gruyere cheese, shredded
2 T grated Parmesan Cheese
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and have boiling water available. I have instant hot water on the sink.
2. Place 4 ¾ C ramekins or custard cups in a large, deep baking pan. Place a generous dab of butter in the bottom of each ramekin. I also sprayed them with spray butter. Break 2 eggs in each ramekin. Sprinkle the eggs evenly with the chives, salt and pepper. Drizzle evenly with the cream. Top each ramekin with the cheeses.
3. Pour boiling water into the baking pan to reach about halfway up the sides of the ramekins and cover the pan with a sheet of aluminum foil. Bake about 10 minutes. Mine were not done. I had to bake them 4 minutes longer using the Advantium, speed cook setting. I have trouble getting things done in my oven.
It says to serve with Champagne. Unfortunately lunch before golf was served with iced green tea. These eggs were really good. I could eat this and a Caesar salad forever.
Dinner is the second half of the turkey burgers from last night grilled and the remainder of the soup. I worked out this morning, made lunch, and played golf, done for the day.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Cold soup and turkey sliders
I started cooking early today as I will be taking my neighbor to her therapy at 5:00 PM. The first thing I made was a cold soup called Mexican Tomatillo Avocado Soup. I got the recipe out of Sunset Magazine, August 2010. Serves 6
1 ¼ # tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1 white onion, finely chopped
2 ½ C chicken broth
1 garlic clove, minced
¾ English cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
2T lime juice
2 t green hot sauce
1 ½ t minced fresh oregano leaves
1 avocado, chopped
3 T chopped cilantro (I used garden fresh Italian parsley)
1. Chop tomatillos coarsely. Puree half each of tomatillos, onion and broth in a blender with garlic. Rub through a fine strainer into a stainless steel bowl; discard contents of strainer. Finally chop the remaining tomatillos. Add remaining tomatillos onion, broth, cucumber, lime juice, hot sauce and oregano to bowl and stir.
2. Nest bowl in ice water; stir often until cold about 15 minutes. Add avocado and cilantro and if you like, more lime juice and hot sauce.
I skipped the ice bath as I was finished and had it in the refrigerator by 11:00 AM.
To go with this I wanted Greek Turkey Burger Sliders. The ones I had purchased from Wegman’s were good, but when I was reading the label to see what was in them, ¾ of the ingredients were chemical sounding. This recipe comes from FoodTV’s Ellie Krieger. She made 4 large burgers; I turned it into 10 sliders. I used my new slider maker and Jim will grille them in the rack that came with it. It holds 9.
Burgers:
2 t EVOO
½ small onion, chopped
2C lightly packed baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
¼ C crumbled feta cheese
1 T chopped fresh dill or 1 t dried
½ t ground black pepper
1 ¼ # lean ground turkey breast (I only had one #)
¼ t salt
Whole wheat slider buns
Heat 2 t EVOO in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until wilted. Remove the pan from the heat and cool. I put the feta, dill salt and pepper in a bowl; added the cooled onion mixture and turkey burger. I mixed well and formed my sliders placing them on a plate. Cover with plastic wrap until ready to grille. Season the burgers on both sides with additional salt and pepper if desired.
I served with tomato slices, lettuce and Yogurt Sauce:
½ C nonfat Greek style yogurt
2 t fresh lemon juice
2 t EVOO
1 clove garlic, minced
1 t chopped fresh dill
1/8 t salt
Pinch of ground black pepper
In a small bowl mix all ingredients and cover with wrap until ready to serve.
The sliders were good, but Wegman’s were better. Jim served a Viansa wine called Athena. It was good with the turkey sliders, but the soup is like a very tart gazpacho. So it overpowered the wine. We have more than half left over. We only cooked half the sliders. I will decide tomorrow whether to freeze or have leftovers.
1 ¼ # tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1 white onion, finely chopped
2 ½ C chicken broth
1 garlic clove, minced
¾ English cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
2T lime juice
2 t green hot sauce
1 ½ t minced fresh oregano leaves
1 avocado, chopped
3 T chopped cilantro (I used garden fresh Italian parsley)
1. Chop tomatillos coarsely. Puree half each of tomatillos, onion and broth in a blender with garlic. Rub through a fine strainer into a stainless steel bowl; discard contents of strainer. Finally chop the remaining tomatillos. Add remaining tomatillos onion, broth, cucumber, lime juice, hot sauce and oregano to bowl and stir.
2. Nest bowl in ice water; stir often until cold about 15 minutes. Add avocado and cilantro and if you like, more lime juice and hot sauce.
I skipped the ice bath as I was finished and had it in the refrigerator by 11:00 AM.
To go with this I wanted Greek Turkey Burger Sliders. The ones I had purchased from Wegman’s were good, but when I was reading the label to see what was in them, ¾ of the ingredients were chemical sounding. This recipe comes from FoodTV’s Ellie Krieger. She made 4 large burgers; I turned it into 10 sliders. I used my new slider maker and Jim will grille them in the rack that came with it. It holds 9.
Burgers:
2 t EVOO
½ small onion, chopped
2C lightly packed baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
¼ C crumbled feta cheese
1 T chopped fresh dill or 1 t dried
½ t ground black pepper
1 ¼ # lean ground turkey breast (I only had one #)
¼ t salt
Whole wheat slider buns
Heat 2 t EVOO in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until wilted. Remove the pan from the heat and cool. I put the feta, dill salt and pepper in a bowl; added the cooled onion mixture and turkey burger. I mixed well and formed my sliders placing them on a plate. Cover with plastic wrap until ready to grille. Season the burgers on both sides with additional salt and pepper if desired.
I served with tomato slices, lettuce and Yogurt Sauce:
½ C nonfat Greek style yogurt
2 t fresh lemon juice
2 t EVOO
1 clove garlic, minced
1 t chopped fresh dill
1/8 t salt
Pinch of ground black pepper
In a small bowl mix all ingredients and cover with wrap until ready to serve.
The sliders were good, but Wegman’s were better. Jim served a Viansa wine called Athena. It was good with the turkey sliders, but the soup is like a very tart gazpacho. So it overpowered the wine. We have more than half left over. We only cooked half the sliders. I will decide tomorrow whether to freeze or have leftovers.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Decadent Dinner
I was reading the Private Club Magazine last week and came upon different salads that looked delicious from different eating clubs associated with Club Corp. that owns our Golf Club. This was called Lobster, Arugula, and Fennel Salad with Orange from Executive chef Greg Carso of the Metropolitan Club in Chicago. We have eaten in this club and the food was good, so I decided to make it. I call this a decadent dinner as this is a Wednesday! Who eats lobster on a Wednesday? Well, what the heck, we are retired. We can have a fine breakfast on Monday instead of Sunday and even Max had a peanut butter Frosty Paws today, in the middle of the week. I did buy frozen lobster shelled in a container instead of buying fresh lobster or frozen lobster tails. I have to say I regret it. If you are going to the trouble to make this, go all the way and cook the lobster fresh and clean it for the salad. I thought the frozen lobster tasted watery. Other than that, this was very, very good.
Serves 6 (I cut it down for the 2 of us)
1 large fennel bulb
1 large bunch baby arugula (about 6 cups)
3 large oranges, peeled and segmented
1 C hearts of palm, drained and chopped on a bias
Citrus Dressing (recipe follows)
4 cooked lobster tails, (6 oz each)(these were $53 each in the grocery store frozen)This would be a better dish to make when Costco has lobster tails on sale.
¼ C pomegranate seeds (can substitute blueberries)
Slice fennel bulb thin and remove lacy frond tips. Set fronds aside for garnish. In a large bowl, combine sliced fennel, arugula, orange segments and hearts of palm. I sliced the fennel on a mandolin to get really thin pieces. Add Citrus Dressing and toss. Divide salad evenly and top each serving with 1-2 C of lobster coins. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and fennel fronds.
Citrus Dressing:
I couldn’t find a way to divide this so I am just saving as a salad dressing for the future
1 orange, juice only
½ lemon, juice only
¾ C EVOO
3 T white balsamic vinegar
1T Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large bowl, whisk all ingredients.
Jim served a Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, 2007. Several wine people think this is overpriced and others are just as good. I have to say that they are wrong!
Jim like the meal which is a lot to say for a salad hater. I would have liked it better with fresh cooked lobster.
Serves 6 (I cut it down for the 2 of us)
1 large fennel bulb
1 large bunch baby arugula (about 6 cups)
3 large oranges, peeled and segmented
1 C hearts of palm, drained and chopped on a bias
Citrus Dressing (recipe follows)
4 cooked lobster tails, (6 oz each)(these were $53 each in the grocery store frozen)This would be a better dish to make when Costco has lobster tails on sale.
¼ C pomegranate seeds (can substitute blueberries)
Slice fennel bulb thin and remove lacy frond tips. Set fronds aside for garnish. In a large bowl, combine sliced fennel, arugula, orange segments and hearts of palm. I sliced the fennel on a mandolin to get really thin pieces. Add Citrus Dressing and toss. Divide salad evenly and top each serving with 1-2 C of lobster coins. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and fennel fronds.
Citrus Dressing:
I couldn’t find a way to divide this so I am just saving as a salad dressing for the future
1 orange, juice only
½ lemon, juice only
¾ C EVOO
3 T white balsamic vinegar
1T Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large bowl, whisk all ingredients.
Jim served a Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, 2007. Several wine people think this is overpriced and others are just as good. I have to say that they are wrong!
Jim like the meal which is a lot to say for a salad hater. I would have liked it better with fresh cooked lobster.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Quick Dinner
My neighbor had to have her knee stretched as she was not achieving the bending that she was supposed to after replacement. I spent most of the day at Fair Oaks hospital reading instead of home cooking. We had those salmon burgers again and I made a Watermelon Salad with Lime Dressing to go with it. Jim gave it the highest compliment that he could give watermelon, “It does not taste like watermelon.” I happen to love watermelon and thought the lime dressing was great on it. It said serves 6 as part of a meal. Jim and I ate most of it and Max finished the rest.
1 lime
1/4C sugar
4 C cubed watermelon (1 small seedless)
1. Zest the lime and then cut off and discard the outer white membrane. Chop lime into small pieces making sure to rein all the juice.
2. Combine lime zest, pieces, juice, sugar, and ¼ C of water in a small saucepan. Cook over high heat until boiling and all the sugar is dissolved. Let cool slightly and pour lime dressing over watermelon in a bowl. Mix to combine.
Today we are going shopping for groceries and I will get back on track making good meals.
1 lime
1/4C sugar
4 C cubed watermelon (1 small seedless)
1. Zest the lime and then cut off and discard the outer white membrane. Chop lime into small pieces making sure to rein all the juice.
2. Combine lime zest, pieces, juice, sugar, and ¼ C of water in a small saucepan. Cook over high heat until boiling and all the sugar is dissolved. Let cool slightly and pour lime dressing over watermelon in a bowl. Mix to combine.
Today we are going shopping for groceries and I will get back on track making good meals.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Weekend
This weekend was very pleasant, as long as you stayed indoors. We had people see the house both Saturday and Sunday. We went out to dinner on Saturday and our neighbor invited us to dinner on Sunday. I offered to bring a potato dish and for that I chose Stuffed Baked Potatoes from James McNair’s Potato Cookbook. They were very good and a good accompaniment to grilled steak. Serves 4
4 large baking potatoes
¼ C (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
6 oz cream cheese, softened
½ C crème fraiche
½ C freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ C fresh chives, oregano, parsley or combination of your choice, minced
Salt, pepper and additional melted butter for brushing top
Scrub and bake the potatoes. I used my Advantium Speed Cook Oven and had baked potatoes in 20 minutes. Slice off the top about a quarter of the way down lengthwise. Make sure you make this cut where the bottom will lay flat without rolling. Carefully scoop out the pulp from the bottom and the tops and put in a bowl. Leave about an 1/8 “around the bottom shell. This is difficult, but don’t worry you can hide mistakes.
The directions say to press through a ricer. I skipped this step and just put all ingredients in a bowl and used my electric mixer to make it smooth. I then put the mixture in a disposable pastry bag with a star tip and filled the shells, making a decorative swirl on the top. I actually increased the recipe as I was serving 6. After they were filled I put them in a 9x12 Pyrex dish and took them next door. I had sprayed the top with butter. Brushing would have deleted my ridges from the star tip.
We placed them in the oven while the rolls were baking and then finished with about 4 minutes under the broiler to brown the tops. They looked gorgeous and tasted divine.
We had a big storm late Sunday that has cooled things off a little.
4 large baking potatoes
¼ C (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
6 oz cream cheese, softened
½ C crème fraiche
½ C freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ C fresh chives, oregano, parsley or combination of your choice, minced
Salt, pepper and additional melted butter for brushing top
Scrub and bake the potatoes. I used my Advantium Speed Cook Oven and had baked potatoes in 20 minutes. Slice off the top about a quarter of the way down lengthwise. Make sure you make this cut where the bottom will lay flat without rolling. Carefully scoop out the pulp from the bottom and the tops and put in a bowl. Leave about an 1/8 “around the bottom shell. This is difficult, but don’t worry you can hide mistakes.
The directions say to press through a ricer. I skipped this step and just put all ingredients in a bowl and used my electric mixer to make it smooth. I then put the mixture in a disposable pastry bag with a star tip and filled the shells, making a decorative swirl on the top. I actually increased the recipe as I was serving 6. After they were filled I put them in a 9x12 Pyrex dish and took them next door. I had sprayed the top with butter. Brushing would have deleted my ridges from the star tip.
We placed them in the oven while the rolls were baking and then finished with about 4 minutes under the broiler to brown the tops. They looked gorgeous and tasted divine.
We had a big storm late Sunday that has cooled things off a little.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Dinner after the Ladies Member Guest Golf Outing
Today I played the second and final round of the Ladies Member Guest Tournament. It was a hundred degrees and high humidity, no exageration. We were totally whipped by the final hole. One team member won the closest to the pin. I was grateful that three friends were willing to play with me. I did lousy as usual. But we had fun. I think we were all suffering from heat stroke and spent more time laughing than playing golf. Other teams came in and talked quietly about arguments. We looked at each other like argue; hold each other up in this heat.
Originally, I thought let’s go out to dinner. Then I thought something simple would be easier than getting dressed up. Remember my winning grille basket? Well, I told you I would comment as I used each marinade. Tonight I marinated pork tenderloin in the Jack Daniel’s EZ Mesquite Marinade. This really had a great Mesquite smell. It turned out better than the Teriyaki sauce Jack Daniel’s EZ Marinade. All and all, I wouldn’t buy them as I enjoy making marinades, but if you are pressed for time, they are respectable. With this I served roasted fingerling potatoes and snap peas. It was all I could muster tonight.
Jim served an excellent wine, Toluca Lane 2006 Pinot Noir from Oregon. It was from the Three Tree Lane Winery. It was way better than the meal.
Originally, I thought let’s go out to dinner. Then I thought something simple would be easier than getting dressed up. Remember my winning grille basket? Well, I told you I would comment as I used each marinade. Tonight I marinated pork tenderloin in the Jack Daniel’s EZ Mesquite Marinade. This really had a great Mesquite smell. It turned out better than the Teriyaki sauce Jack Daniel’s EZ Marinade. All and all, I wouldn’t buy them as I enjoy making marinades, but if you are pressed for time, they are respectable. With this I served roasted fingerling potatoes and snap peas. It was all I could muster tonight.
Jim served an excellent wine, Toluca Lane 2006 Pinot Noir from Oregon. It was from the Three Tree Lane Winery. It was way better than the meal.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Frittata with Chard, Sausage, and Feta
Tonight’s meal was wonderful. I decided to make this as the last two nights we have had big storms as we were getting ready to grille. Tonight we prepare and no storm. This recipe comes from the June, Bon Appetite. I know it is almost the end of July, but the July issue is not as good as June. This is listed as an appetizer. Makes 20 bites is the quantity listed. But they do say you can use it as lunch or brunch. I served it tonight with cantaloupe wedges. Jim really like it. We had Black Mountain Pinot.
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1- 12 oz bunch Swiss chard, stems and center ribs, removed.
1T EVOO
1 C chopped onion
8 oz mild Italian sausage, casing removed, sausage broken into 1” pieces
8 large eggs
¼ C heavy whipping cream
½ t salt
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
1 C crumbled feta cheese (4.5 oz)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray an 8x8x2 glass baking pan with nonstick spray. I did not follow the directions for the swish chard. I cut the stems and removed the ribs. I had washed the chard and as I trimmed it I put it in a colander to drain. I placed it in a microwave proof dish with lid and cooked it for fresh vegetables. I drained it on multiple paper towels, and squeezed it dry with more. Chop it and set aside.
Next heat a skillet with the EVOO; add the onion and cook on med for 4 minutes. Add the sausage and break up and continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes. Cool.
Whish eggs, cream, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add chard and cooled sausage mixture, then the feta. Stir to blend. Place in prepared pan and bake until set in center 45 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 to 20 minutes if cutting up for an appetizer. I cooled for 10 minutes and served with cantaloupe wedges.
This was a really good dinner. For the next two nights you will not hear from me. I am participating in the ladies member guest. I have invited 3 players way beyond my capacity. Maybe they will carry me to victory, if less; we will have fun. Being so un-athletic, I did not even get it with the invitations. They called it a tail gate party. I’m thinking elegant dress like at the grass horse races. I look again and realize it is talking about football. Who in the world thought that ladies, football and golf went together?Oh, well!
You will not see a blog until Sunday. We are going to Elaine’s for dinner that night, but I am making the potato dish. The club is feeding me for the next two days.
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1- 12 oz bunch Swiss chard, stems and center ribs, removed.
1T EVOO
1 C chopped onion
8 oz mild Italian sausage, casing removed, sausage broken into 1” pieces
8 large eggs
¼ C heavy whipping cream
½ t salt
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
1 C crumbled feta cheese (4.5 oz)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray an 8x8x2 glass baking pan with nonstick spray. I did not follow the directions for the swish chard. I cut the stems and removed the ribs. I had washed the chard and as I trimmed it I put it in a colander to drain. I placed it in a microwave proof dish with lid and cooked it for fresh vegetables. I drained it on multiple paper towels, and squeezed it dry with more. Chop it and set aside.
Next heat a skillet with the EVOO; add the onion and cook on med for 4 minutes. Add the sausage and break up and continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes. Cool.
Whish eggs, cream, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add chard and cooled sausage mixture, then the feta. Stir to blend. Place in prepared pan and bake until set in center 45 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 to 20 minutes if cutting up for an appetizer. I cooled for 10 minutes and served with cantaloupe wedges.
This was a really good dinner. For the next two nights you will not hear from me. I am participating in the ladies member guest. I have invited 3 players way beyond my capacity. Maybe they will carry me to victory, if less; we will have fun. Being so un-athletic, I did not even get it with the invitations. They called it a tail gate party. I’m thinking elegant dress like at the grass horse races. I look again and realize it is talking about football. Who in the world thought that ladies, football and golf went together?Oh, well!
You will not see a blog until Sunday. We are going to Elaine’s for dinner that night, but I am making the potato dish. The club is feeding me for the next two days.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Summer Vegetable Quesadillas
This meal was from Sandra Lee’s Semi-Homemade Grilling 2. Serves 4
Jim felt this would have been better if he had not followed directions and looked at the second side which burned. I’m not sure. We could scrape of the burned edges, but it was boring.
1 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise
1 medium yellow squash, sliced lengthwise
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 medium red onion, sliced
1T EVOO
½ t Mexican seasoning, McCormick (I used Penzeys fajita seasoning)
8, 8” flour tortillas
5 oz soft goat cheese
½ C shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Chunky salsa
1. Set up the grill for direct cooking over medium heat. Oil grate when ready to start cooking.
2. In a large bowl, combine zucchini, squash, pepper, onion, seasoning, EVOO, salt and pepper. Combine to coat the vegetables well. We used our new vegetable grilling pan and it took longer than the 3-4 minutes the recipe says. Another problem was a storm that rolled through just as we were ready to cook.
3. Meanwhile spread half the tortillas with the goat cheese evenly. When the vegetables are done, divide evenly over the goat cheese. Top with the Jack cheese and place the remaining tortillas on top. (I placed each tortilla on wax paper and then when complete stacked on a tray for Jim)
4. Cook on grill 3-4 minutes per side or until cheese has melted. The first side was fine. Watch carefully when you turn over.
5. Serve hot with Salsa
We drank a Michigan Riesling with this meal and it was a good complement.
Jim felt this would have been better if he had not followed directions and looked at the second side which burned. I’m not sure. We could scrape of the burned edges, but it was boring.
1 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise
1 medium yellow squash, sliced lengthwise
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 medium red onion, sliced
1T EVOO
½ t Mexican seasoning, McCormick (I used Penzeys fajita seasoning)
8, 8” flour tortillas
5 oz soft goat cheese
½ C shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Chunky salsa
1. Set up the grill for direct cooking over medium heat. Oil grate when ready to start cooking.
2. In a large bowl, combine zucchini, squash, pepper, onion, seasoning, EVOO, salt and pepper. Combine to coat the vegetables well. We used our new vegetable grilling pan and it took longer than the 3-4 minutes the recipe says. Another problem was a storm that rolled through just as we were ready to cook.
3. Meanwhile spread half the tortillas with the goat cheese evenly. When the vegetables are done, divide evenly over the goat cheese. Top with the Jack cheese and place the remaining tortillas on top. (I placed each tortilla on wax paper and then when complete stacked on a tray for Jim)
4. Cook on grill 3-4 minutes per side or until cheese has melted. The first side was fine. Watch carefully when you turn over.
5. Serve hot with Salsa
We drank a Michigan Riesling with this meal and it was a good complement.
Sunday
Here it goes again. What you ask? Well we had a big Sunday and I was too tired to type up the meal and the events surrounding it. So I got up Monday and typed the whole thing up. Went to post and found out the internet, phone and cable were down. It came on later in the afternoon and I thought I had posted the write up. I had not. I also discovered today that I sent the wrong Sunday file to the recycle bin. I sure hope this cures my obsessive compulsive bent for order and tossing, but I doubt it.
Sunday was the Rally for the Cure golf tournament at our Club. Saturday afternoon we picked up our friend Annie at the airport. She had graciously agreed to be a volunteer for the event so we could play. I actually got out of bed at 6:00 AM to do this. I discovered that it is light at 6:00 AM; what a waste of sunlight. The club served breakfast. Who can chew that early, but luckily they had some yoghurt. The club was a sea of pink shirts. Only a few pooper men had on other colored shirts. It was supper hot and everyone looked drained when we finished around 2:30 PM. I know for sure that I drank about a gallon of water and never had to use a restroom. My clothes were soaked with sweat.
A wonderful lunch was provided by the Bonefish Grille. The Bonefish and other merchants were outstandingly generous with their donations for both the raffle and the silent auction. I did a painting of the clubhouse to be in the silent auction. I received a lot of compliments but was disappointed to see it only fetched $275. But not many in our club are into art. A lot of member were amazed that I was “artistic”, I guess that they just thought I was a great golfer. Only those who have golfed with me will get the joke. I won 5 rooms of carpet cleaning in the raffle, which I really need, and bid and won a wonderful basket of goodies from Weber Grille. The basket was so wrapped and bedecked with ribbon that I did not understand how grand the item was until I got home. I saw food and only a minimum bid so I upped it. There were 8 different kinds of marinade and a couple rubs. A complete set of grilling tools, Vegetable grilling pan, grilling corn holder, Outdoor placemats, and wine glasses plus matching serving bowl, bamboo skewers, a Fine Cooking Grille Cookbook, Pam Grilling Spray, a lighter, plus it was all in a great basket with a decorative cloth liner.
We used the Teriyaki marinade for the chicken on Sunday. I don’t travel the pre-made aisle often, but thought this was a great thing for campers. The marinade is premade and in a reseal able plastic bag. Put your meat in at home and pack in the cooler. When ready take it out and grille, toss the bag. We marinated the chicken for about an hour. I would say that it was probably as good as the one I had planned to make from scratch. Also with an overload of premade marinades in the pantry now, don’t expect any recipes from scratch this summer. I will however comment on each one as I use it.
I had purchased baby zucchini, baby corn and portabella mushrooms that I was going to wrap in foil packets with a basil sauce for a side. With the new grilling pan, I used a basil EVOO, salt and pepper. They were easy and delicious.
I made, the day before, a Potato Salad with Pancetta, Rosemary, and Lemon from the July Bon Appétit. It is a no mayo approach to potato salad that I found refreshing. The recipe served 8 so I only made half.
5 oz 1/8” thick slices pancetta, about 5 slices
¼ C fresh lemon juice
1T minced fresh rosemary
2t finely grated lemon peel
1 garlic clove, pressed
2/3 C olive oil
3T Yukon Gold potatoes
3 large celery stalks, thinly sliced
2 T chopped fresh parsley
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Arrange pancetta slices on rimmed baking sheet, spacing apart. Bake until golden brown and crisp about 20 minutes. Drain on paper towel and Cool. Coarsely chop. Personally I would cook it less. I thought all the flavor was cooked out.
Meanwhile, whisk lemon juice, rosemary, lemon peel, and garlic in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil. I did the whole thing in my mini food processor and achieved a good emulsion. Add salt and pepper.
Place the potatoes in a large pot and add enough cold water to cover by an inch. Boil with the lid ajar until tender about 18 to 20 minutes. Cool and slice ¼” think. Place in a large bowl and add the celery, parsley, and dressing. Taste and again add salt and pepper to taste. If not serving immediately, refrigerate the salad and the pancetta separately and combine when ready to serve.
Dulce De Leche Cheesecake Bars (the dessert from hell) Serves 24 (Yes really, it is very rich)
I opened up the June Bon Appetite and find this cheesecake recipe that sounds really good. It says that Dulce Leche is popular in Latin American Countries. Annie before going on to being a Principal and now Director of Special Education for the state of IN was a Spanish major and spent time south of the border. Perfect! Bon Appétit says that dulce de leche is available in Latin markets and specialty stores. We have in Manassas a store called Global Markets. It specializes in both oriental food and the other have is south of the border. Well, our SOB people do not request ducle de leche. So unless you live in NYC where apparently the editors were able to obtain it premade, you will have to make it yourself. I had to do a second start, and be forewarned, plan on spending 3-4 hours standing over the stove.
After searching the local stores I went to FoodTV and followed Alton Brown’s Dulce de Leche recipe. Go to FoodTV.com. Go to Alton Browns site and type in Dulce de Leche, 2007. He has a video that is very helpful in case you missed the show. But with my stove I had to constantly change the flame height to keep it from boiling over and simmering. Frankly, if you can find a very good brand of caramel sauce, I think you will achieve the same results.
Crust:
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 ¼ C finely ground graham crackers (about 17 whole, I used 18 as they were 9 to a package)
2T sugar
¼ t ground cinnamon
10 T unsalted butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 13x9x2” baking pan with the spray. I put the graham crackers, sugar and cinnamon in the food processor and let it rip. When I had fine crumbs I add the butter and pulsed. Press evenly onto the bottom of the pan. Bake about 10 minutes.
Filling:
3 8 oz packages Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature
1 C sugar
3 large eggs
½ C purchased dulce de leche (HA, HA)
2 t vanilla extract
Blend cream cheeps and sugar in processor until smooth and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time and process about 3-5 minutes between additions. Scrape down the sides. Add the dulce and vanilla and blend about 10 seconds. Spread batter over cooled crust. Bake until just set in center and the edges are puffed and slightly cracked about 38 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool completely.
Glaze:
2/3 C dulce de leche
3T heavy whipping cream
Fleur de sel
Blend the cream and dulce. Mine was still warm, but they suggest using the microwave to blend if it is not. Poor over the cooled cheese cake and spread evenly. Sprinkle with the Fleur de sel. Refrigerate until chilled, about an hour. The glaze will not be firm.
Can be made up to 2 days before, which I did. I did not believe the 24 servings, but it is very rich, so believe it. This would be a very good dessert to make for a large party.
Don’t look for Monday we had leftovers.
Here is my painting that I donated. This is before matting and framing.
Sunday was the Rally for the Cure golf tournament at our Club. Saturday afternoon we picked up our friend Annie at the airport. She had graciously agreed to be a volunteer for the event so we could play. I actually got out of bed at 6:00 AM to do this. I discovered that it is light at 6:00 AM; what a waste of sunlight. The club served breakfast. Who can chew that early, but luckily they had some yoghurt. The club was a sea of pink shirts. Only a few pooper men had on other colored shirts. It was supper hot and everyone looked drained when we finished around 2:30 PM. I know for sure that I drank about a gallon of water and never had to use a restroom. My clothes were soaked with sweat.
A wonderful lunch was provided by the Bonefish Grille. The Bonefish and other merchants were outstandingly generous with their donations for both the raffle and the silent auction. I did a painting of the clubhouse to be in the silent auction. I received a lot of compliments but was disappointed to see it only fetched $275. But not many in our club are into art. A lot of member were amazed that I was “artistic”, I guess that they just thought I was a great golfer. Only those who have golfed with me will get the joke. I won 5 rooms of carpet cleaning in the raffle, which I really need, and bid and won a wonderful basket of goodies from Weber Grille. The basket was so wrapped and bedecked with ribbon that I did not understand how grand the item was until I got home. I saw food and only a minimum bid so I upped it. There were 8 different kinds of marinade and a couple rubs. A complete set of grilling tools, Vegetable grilling pan, grilling corn holder, Outdoor placemats, and wine glasses plus matching serving bowl, bamboo skewers, a Fine Cooking Grille Cookbook, Pam Grilling Spray, a lighter, plus it was all in a great basket with a decorative cloth liner.
We used the Teriyaki marinade for the chicken on Sunday. I don’t travel the pre-made aisle often, but thought this was a great thing for campers. The marinade is premade and in a reseal able plastic bag. Put your meat in at home and pack in the cooler. When ready take it out and grille, toss the bag. We marinated the chicken for about an hour. I would say that it was probably as good as the one I had planned to make from scratch. Also with an overload of premade marinades in the pantry now, don’t expect any recipes from scratch this summer. I will however comment on each one as I use it.
I had purchased baby zucchini, baby corn and portabella mushrooms that I was going to wrap in foil packets with a basil sauce for a side. With the new grilling pan, I used a basil EVOO, salt and pepper. They were easy and delicious.
I made, the day before, a Potato Salad with Pancetta, Rosemary, and Lemon from the July Bon Appétit. It is a no mayo approach to potato salad that I found refreshing. The recipe served 8 so I only made half.
5 oz 1/8” thick slices pancetta, about 5 slices
¼ C fresh lemon juice
1T minced fresh rosemary
2t finely grated lemon peel
1 garlic clove, pressed
2/3 C olive oil
3T Yukon Gold potatoes
3 large celery stalks, thinly sliced
2 T chopped fresh parsley
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Arrange pancetta slices on rimmed baking sheet, spacing apart. Bake until golden brown and crisp about 20 minutes. Drain on paper towel and Cool. Coarsely chop. Personally I would cook it less. I thought all the flavor was cooked out.
Meanwhile, whisk lemon juice, rosemary, lemon peel, and garlic in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil. I did the whole thing in my mini food processor and achieved a good emulsion. Add salt and pepper.
Place the potatoes in a large pot and add enough cold water to cover by an inch. Boil with the lid ajar until tender about 18 to 20 minutes. Cool and slice ¼” think. Place in a large bowl and add the celery, parsley, and dressing. Taste and again add salt and pepper to taste. If not serving immediately, refrigerate the salad and the pancetta separately and combine when ready to serve.
Dulce De Leche Cheesecake Bars (the dessert from hell) Serves 24 (Yes really, it is very rich)
I opened up the June Bon Appetite and find this cheesecake recipe that sounds really good. It says that Dulce Leche is popular in Latin American Countries. Annie before going on to being a Principal and now Director of Special Education for the state of IN was a Spanish major and spent time south of the border. Perfect! Bon Appétit says that dulce de leche is available in Latin markets and specialty stores. We have in Manassas a store called Global Markets. It specializes in both oriental food and the other have is south of the border. Well, our SOB people do not request ducle de leche. So unless you live in NYC where apparently the editors were able to obtain it premade, you will have to make it yourself. I had to do a second start, and be forewarned, plan on spending 3-4 hours standing over the stove.
After searching the local stores I went to FoodTV and followed Alton Brown’s Dulce de Leche recipe. Go to FoodTV.com. Go to Alton Browns site and type in Dulce de Leche, 2007. He has a video that is very helpful in case you missed the show. But with my stove I had to constantly change the flame height to keep it from boiling over and simmering. Frankly, if you can find a very good brand of caramel sauce, I think you will achieve the same results.
Crust:
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 ¼ C finely ground graham crackers (about 17 whole, I used 18 as they were 9 to a package)
2T sugar
¼ t ground cinnamon
10 T unsalted butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 13x9x2” baking pan with the spray. I put the graham crackers, sugar and cinnamon in the food processor and let it rip. When I had fine crumbs I add the butter and pulsed. Press evenly onto the bottom of the pan. Bake about 10 minutes.
Filling:
3 8 oz packages Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature
1 C sugar
3 large eggs
½ C purchased dulce de leche (HA, HA)
2 t vanilla extract
Blend cream cheeps and sugar in processor until smooth and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time and process about 3-5 minutes between additions. Scrape down the sides. Add the dulce and vanilla and blend about 10 seconds. Spread batter over cooled crust. Bake until just set in center and the edges are puffed and slightly cracked about 38 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool completely.
Glaze:
2/3 C dulce de leche
3T heavy whipping cream
Fleur de sel
Blend the cream and dulce. Mine was still warm, but they suggest using the microwave to blend if it is not. Poor over the cooled cheese cake and spread evenly. Sprinkle with the Fleur de sel. Refrigerate until chilled, about an hour. The glaze will not be firm.
Can be made up to 2 days before, which I did. I did not believe the 24 servings, but it is very rich, so believe it. This would be a very good dessert to make for a large party.
Don’t look for Monday we had leftovers.
Here is my painting that I donated. This is before matting and framing.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Saturday potluck
I knew that our host wanted to make smoked meat. They have an amazing smoker. I was watching The Barefoot Contessa and thought that her Greek Panzanella would go with smoked meat. This recipe serves 6. We had so much food I knew I did not need to increase it. The wonderful thing about this recipe is that the bread never got soft.
Ingredients:
EVOO
1 small French boule, cut into 1” cubes, about 6 C.
Kosher Salt
1cucumber, unpeeled, seeded and sliced ¼ “thick
1 red bell pepper, large diced
1 yellow bell pepper, large diced
1 pt. cherry tomatoes, halved
½ red onion, sliced in half rounds
½# feta cheese, cut into ½ “cubes
1/2C calamata olives, pitted
For the vinaigrette:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1t dried oregano
½ t Dijon mustard
¼ C red wine vinegar
1 t salt
½ t freshly ground black pepper
½ C EVOO
Directions:
Heat 3 T EVOO in a large sauté pan. Add the bread cubes and sprinkle with salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently for 5-10 minutes, until nicely browned.
Place cucumber, red and yellow pepper, tomatoes and red onion in a large bowl. Whisk the first 6 ingredients for the vinaigrette in a mini food processor. Add the EVOO slowly to make an emulsion. Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables. Add the feta, olives and bread cubes and mix lightly. Set aside for 30 minutes for the flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature.
Everyone liked the Greek Panzanella but there was so much food. The smoked turkey and smoked beef was great. Great evening, but we all have to get up early tomorrow for the Breast Cancer tournament and everyone there was playing tomorrow.
Ingredients:
EVOO
1 small French boule, cut into 1” cubes, about 6 C.
Kosher Salt
1cucumber, unpeeled, seeded and sliced ¼ “thick
1 red bell pepper, large diced
1 yellow bell pepper, large diced
1 pt. cherry tomatoes, halved
½ red onion, sliced in half rounds
½# feta cheese, cut into ½ “cubes
1/2C calamata olives, pitted
For the vinaigrette:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1t dried oregano
½ t Dijon mustard
¼ C red wine vinegar
1 t salt
½ t freshly ground black pepper
½ C EVOO
Directions:
Heat 3 T EVOO in a large sauté pan. Add the bread cubes and sprinkle with salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently for 5-10 minutes, until nicely browned.
Place cucumber, red and yellow pepper, tomatoes and red onion in a large bowl. Whisk the first 6 ingredients for the vinaigrette in a mini food processor. Add the EVOO slowly to make an emulsion. Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables. Add the feta, olives and bread cubes and mix lightly. Set aside for 30 minutes for the flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature.
Everyone liked the Greek Panzanella but there was so much food. The smoked turkey and smoked beef was great. Great evening, but we all have to get up early tomorrow for the Breast Cancer tournament and everyone there was playing tomorrow.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Friday dinner
I have been cooking since the moment I woke up. That was about 10:00AM. I was working on our dinner tonight, preparing for our Pot Luck group tomorrow night and doing a few things ahead for dinner after the tournament on Sunday. We also had our computer guru here to once again try to get Jim wireless in his office. Jim has worked on it for weeks since the last time he was here and told him he had the wrong equipment and told him what to buy. Well, it took him 4 hours. Luckily Jim did a lot of cleaning while I was at the club last night. I was cooking the whole time our guru was here and we are now in good shape for the weekend.
Red Wine T-Bone Steaks (Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Grilling 2)
I only made half as it is just the two of us tonight
4 ¾” thick beef T-bone steaks
1 ½ C red wine (we used Zinfandel)
4 ½ salt-free garlic-herb seasoning, McCormick (I rarely use these “semi-homemade” things, I mixed dried garlic powder and Fine Herbs)
1 T Montreal steak seasoning from McCormick Grill Mates (I used my Penzeys Chicago steak seasoning)
For Red Wine Butter:
1C red wine
1/3C finely chopped shallots
1T frozen orange juice concentrate
1t crushed garlic, finely chopped
1 stick butter, softened
1. Place steaks in large zip-top bag. Add the wine and seasonings. Squeeze the air out of the bag and seal. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours.
2. For the butter, in a saucepan, combine the wine, shallots, OJ concentrate and garlic. Reduce mixture over med-high heat to ¼ cup, cool completely. Work the reduction into the butter with a fork; form into a log. Wrap in wax paper and chill until firm.
3. Set the grill for direct cooking over high heat. Oil grate when ready to start cooking. Let steaks stand at room temperature for 20-30 minutes. Remove steaks from marinade; discard marinade. Place on hot, oiled grill and cook for 5-7 minutes per side for medium. Transfer to a platter and let stand for 5 minutes. Serve topped with red wine butter.
I served this with Roasted Fingerling Potato Salad and a small Romaine lettuce salad. The potatoes served 6 so I cut in half, and are from Bon Appetite, June.
2T plus 2 t EVOO
3 # fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise
2 green onions, thinly sliced
¼ C fresh Italian Parsley leaves
2 T fresh tarragon leaves
1 ½ T red wine vinegar
1T coarse-grained Dijon mustard
2 hard boiled eggs, peeled, chopped
Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Brush heavy large rimmed baking sheet with oil. I lined the pan with non stick aluminum foil instead. Place potatoes and 2 T of oil in large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss. Arrange potatoes, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Roast 23 minutes. Using tongs, turn potatoes over. Roast an additional 12 minutes. Set aside in a serving bowl. Stir the remaining ingredients except the boiled egg together, spoon over the potatoes. Top with the egg.
This meal was really good. The non-traditional potato salad is now my favorite. Jim loved the steak. I have to say it really was good.
Jim served a 1996 Rosenblum Sonoma Valley Zinfandel. He said we bought it when we lived in ca. It was superb.
Red Wine T-Bone Steaks (Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Grilling 2)
I only made half as it is just the two of us tonight
4 ¾” thick beef T-bone steaks
1 ½ C red wine (we used Zinfandel)
4 ½ salt-free garlic-herb seasoning, McCormick (I rarely use these “semi-homemade” things, I mixed dried garlic powder and Fine Herbs)
1 T Montreal steak seasoning from McCormick Grill Mates (I used my Penzeys Chicago steak seasoning)
For Red Wine Butter:
1C red wine
1/3C finely chopped shallots
1T frozen orange juice concentrate
1t crushed garlic, finely chopped
1 stick butter, softened
1. Place steaks in large zip-top bag. Add the wine and seasonings. Squeeze the air out of the bag and seal. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours.
2. For the butter, in a saucepan, combine the wine, shallots, OJ concentrate and garlic. Reduce mixture over med-high heat to ¼ cup, cool completely. Work the reduction into the butter with a fork; form into a log. Wrap in wax paper and chill until firm.
3. Set the grill for direct cooking over high heat. Oil grate when ready to start cooking. Let steaks stand at room temperature for 20-30 minutes. Remove steaks from marinade; discard marinade. Place on hot, oiled grill and cook for 5-7 minutes per side for medium. Transfer to a platter and let stand for 5 minutes. Serve topped with red wine butter.
I served this with Roasted Fingerling Potato Salad and a small Romaine lettuce salad. The potatoes served 6 so I cut in half, and are from Bon Appetite, June.
2T plus 2 t EVOO
3 # fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise
2 green onions, thinly sliced
¼ C fresh Italian Parsley leaves
2 T fresh tarragon leaves
1 ½ T red wine vinegar
1T coarse-grained Dijon mustard
2 hard boiled eggs, peeled, chopped
Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Brush heavy large rimmed baking sheet with oil. I lined the pan with non stick aluminum foil instead. Place potatoes and 2 T of oil in large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss. Arrange potatoes, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Roast 23 minutes. Using tongs, turn potatoes over. Roast an additional 12 minutes. Set aside in a serving bowl. Stir the remaining ingredients except the boiled egg together, spoon over the potatoes. Top with the egg.
This meal was really good. The non-traditional potato salad is now my favorite. Jim loved the steak. I have to say it really was good.
Jim served a 1996 Rosenblum Sonoma Valley Zinfandel. He said we bought it when we lived in ca. It was superb.
Thursday Dinner
Thursday was a super busy day. I had to sort through the refrigerator and figure out what we still had. I needed to use up and then go to the store for the remaining products, plus plan for this weekend of events and company. Luckily I had made the following dish for dinner the day before as it had to marinate to reach supreme flavor. We had lunch late and dinner even later as I was at our club stuffing and alphabetizing the registration envelopes for the breast cancer golf tournament on Sunday. This says 6-8 servings as a side dish. We used it as dinner. Everyone should have a bean night.
Dilled White Bean and Grape Tomato Salad
2 15 oz cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
12 oz halved grape tomatoes
2/3 C diced red onion
¼ C chopped fresh dill
1/4C EVOO
3 T fresh lemon juice
1 T balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, pressed
Toss all ingredients in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper; cover and chill. Make one day ahead for flavors to meld.
Dilled White Bean and Grape Tomato Salad
2 15 oz cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
12 oz halved grape tomatoes
2/3 C diced red onion
¼ C chopped fresh dill
1/4C EVOO
3 T fresh lemon juice
1 T balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, pressed
Toss all ingredients in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper; cover and chill. Make one day ahead for flavors to meld.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Wednesday and I am back
I came home Tuesday late. My neighbor, Jim and I had dinner at a local restaurant. Jim picked me up at the airport and immediately showed me his severed thumb from cooking. I have warned everyone who enters my kitchen that my knives are kept in restaurant quality sharpness. When all hell broke loose in IN, we had just returned from shopping. There were things that would not keep or could not be frozen. I went over the recipes and marked in red how he could make them simpler in order to keep the food from going bad. He started with the prosciutto-wrapped scallops, p. 74 Bon Appétit, June. Cutting into his thumb to divide the scallops created the wound. I have told him over and over to cut into the board. He said, “I knew you would say that and could hear you as I bleed all over.” He did not make the sauce, but called to say it is really time consuming, but good tasting. Next he had to make the grilled Asian Chicken with bok choy, shitake mushrooms and radishes. He did not again make the sauce and this only took about 4 phone calls. Tonight we had the remaining grilled bok choy, radishes and red pepper as I had to either use it or toss. After that, while I was gone, he went out to our club or was invited to dinner by friends that took pity on him. Tonight I was praised for Costco salmon burgers and Chilled Avocado Soup with spicy breadcrumbs.
After writing about the disappointing salmon sliders from Wegman’s a follower wrote to say the salmon burgers from Costco are delicious, and they are! I topped mine tonight with lettuce and pickled ginger. These are a winner on the grille. We had grilled the bok choy, radishes and red pepper. I sprinkled with a little lemon olive oil, salt and pepper. Grilled for about 4 minutes. The soup is as follows:
Soup
1 large ripe avocado, 11-12 oz, halved, pitted, peeled, diced (forget the diced, it goes in the blender)
1 ½ C vegetable broth or more later
¼ C heavy cream
2T fresh lime juice (I whole lime)
Generous pinch of kosher salt
Put all in a blender and puree until smooth. Transfer to a 4C measuring cup and add more broth by ¼ C at a time tothin soup as desired. Cover and chill at least 2 hours.
Breadcrumbs
1 slice of soft white bread with crust
1T butter
¾ t paprika
¼ t coarse kosher salt
¼ t cayenne pepper
Using a 6” pan melt the butter. I put all the rest of the ingredients in a small blender and ground fine. Add all to the butter and cook stirring until crumbs are crisp. It took mine about 4 minutes. I put in a bowl to cool. This was to serve 8-1/3 C servings as an appetizer. I served it in quarters and Jim ate three.
This meal was so simple and I was praised to the high heavens. Jim said that what I consider simple and fast took him hours. I think the reason we've been married for 45 years may be the saying, "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach."
Just to follow up my sudden departure and stay in IN. My Aunt passed away Sunday night. She and my Uncle have been a great source of comfort as my Mother has passed into her own world. I will miss her dearly. My Mother had a great deal of difficulty recovering in the hospital from her surgery and is now in rehab at a nursing facility. Only time will tell whether rehab, or continued nursing, will be her life from this day forward. My two remaining aunts came from Chicago to visit their two sister-in-laws. My cousin Rita drove them down. I have the most beautiful photo of my mom smiling up at her two sister-in-laws taken by my cousin. Aunt Fran was right; she knew exactly who you were. I could tell on her face.
Jim lived. He even made Max’s meatballs while I was gone. Max ate Jim’s prized tomatoes off the vine one day from perfection while I was gone. Yes, I got a call about that also. We also got hit by a golf ball for the first time and a window shattered. A young man hit the ball 400 yards off the blue tees, but unfortunately he sliced it. They are replacing the window and Jim congratulated the young man. If it had gone straight, he could be on the PGA tour. It wasn’t just a grounder, as it had to clear my neighbors screened in poach with a very tall roof.
After writing about the disappointing salmon sliders from Wegman’s a follower wrote to say the salmon burgers from Costco are delicious, and they are! I topped mine tonight with lettuce and pickled ginger. These are a winner on the grille. We had grilled the bok choy, radishes and red pepper. I sprinkled with a little lemon olive oil, salt and pepper. Grilled for about 4 minutes. The soup is as follows:
Soup
1 large ripe avocado, 11-12 oz, halved, pitted, peeled, diced (forget the diced, it goes in the blender)
1 ½ C vegetable broth or more later
¼ C heavy cream
2T fresh lime juice (I whole lime)
Generous pinch of kosher salt
Put all in a blender and puree until smooth. Transfer to a 4C measuring cup and add more broth by ¼ C at a time tothin soup as desired. Cover and chill at least 2 hours.
Breadcrumbs
1 slice of soft white bread with crust
1T butter
¾ t paprika
¼ t coarse kosher salt
¼ t cayenne pepper
Using a 6” pan melt the butter. I put all the rest of the ingredients in a small blender and ground fine. Add all to the butter and cook stirring until crumbs are crisp. It took mine about 4 minutes. I put in a bowl to cool. This was to serve 8-1/3 C servings as an appetizer. I served it in quarters and Jim ate three.
This meal was so simple and I was praised to the high heavens. Jim said that what I consider simple and fast took him hours. I think the reason we've been married for 45 years may be the saying, "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach."
Just to follow up my sudden departure and stay in IN. My Aunt passed away Sunday night. She and my Uncle have been a great source of comfort as my Mother has passed into her own world. I will miss her dearly. My Mother had a great deal of difficulty recovering in the hospital from her surgery and is now in rehab at a nursing facility. Only time will tell whether rehab, or continued nursing, will be her life from this day forward. My two remaining aunts came from Chicago to visit their two sister-in-laws. My cousin Rita drove them down. I have the most beautiful photo of my mom smiling up at her two sister-in-laws taken by my cousin. Aunt Fran was right; she knew exactly who you were. I could tell on her face.
Jim lived. He even made Max’s meatballs while I was gone. Max ate Jim’s prized tomatoes off the vine one day from perfection while I was gone. Yes, I got a call about that also. We also got hit by a golf ball for the first time and a window shattered. A young man hit the ball 400 yards off the blue tees, but unfortunately he sliced it. They are replacing the window and Jim congratulated the young man. If it had gone straight, he could be on the PGA tour. It wasn’t just a grounder, as it had to clear my neighbors screened in poach with a very tall roof.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
July 4th before and after
I had planned tonight to write about our wonderful weekend in PA for the 4th and I still will.
We left on Friday and drove to PA. The drive was slow, but we finally arrived and were treated to a wonderful lunch of salad with Jicama and chicken among other treats by Jane. Bryce served 3, yes 3 rose wines. Jane said she got the recipe from Cooking Light. I honestly can’t remember the rest of the afternoon. Dinner was whole lobsters (what a treat!) and the best Cole slaw which Jane said is sold in the fish department of Giant. Many bottles of wine later, we all went to downtown fireworks in their friend’s yard on the river. The temperature was delightful and I got to once again sleep with a cat at the foot of the bed.
The next morning we were a little slow, but were able to get our acts together to get to Jakes in NJ by noon for a visit with Jim’s cousin Susan and Jim. We then went wine shopping and came home to prepare for a picnic and fireworks. The fireworks are in Tinicum Park in Erwinna, PA and they include music all evening by the Riverside Symphonia. Jane made a fabulous picnic of chicken salad, carrot salad and Chinese green salad. Others brought fabulous appetizers. For dessert we had the best chocolate cookies I have ever tasted and a wonderful blueberry cake. Jane had also fixed a delicious peach cake for our lunch on Friday. For Sunday breakfast, I had both cakes instead of the usual breakfast. Life is short, eat dessert first. Bryce did a spectacular job of our set up at the park. We had a long table with linen table cloths and plastic dishes and wine glasses that looked like china and crystal. We even had flowers on the table. This is my kind of picnic. We had a lovely evening. The weather was again delightful when the sun went over the hill. I am going to post our photo.
On the 4th we went to our friends Carole and Dick. We had a fabulous meal and I will have to post later as Carole and Dick are great cooks and I am sure you will want the recipes. Time is short tonight as I will explain at the end.
We drove home Monday and picked up Max the wonder dog at the end of the day. I had nothing planned but had shrimp in the freezer. I used a Creole dry rub and we grilled the shrimp. We dipped them in Wegman’s chipotle lime butter. They were delicious. I made a impromptu salad of iceberg lettuce, drained and rinsed black beans, chopped zucchini, celery and cilantro. I used Vidalia onion dressing. Pretty good.
Tonight we had Bon Appétit, June, Halibut Fish sticks with dill-caper tartar sauce and Israeli couscous with Asparagus, peas, and sugar snaps. I will have to ask you to go on line to look them up as I am running out of time. They were very good. Best fish sticks I have ever tasted.
You may not hear from me for a while. This has been one of those days. My mother fell and broke her hip. She is almost 90 and has severe dementia. She will be operated on tomorrow AM. We are not sure how well she will recover. My wonderful Aunt Maureen fell ill and had emergency surgery yesterday and it did not go well. I am flying to IN to maybe say goodbye to both. All has been unfolding all day. My brother just called from the hospital. Said did not look good.
We left on Friday and drove to PA. The drive was slow, but we finally arrived and were treated to a wonderful lunch of salad with Jicama and chicken among other treats by Jane. Bryce served 3, yes 3 rose wines. Jane said she got the recipe from Cooking Light. I honestly can’t remember the rest of the afternoon. Dinner was whole lobsters (what a treat!) and the best Cole slaw which Jane said is sold in the fish department of Giant. Many bottles of wine later, we all went to downtown fireworks in their friend’s yard on the river. The temperature was delightful and I got to once again sleep with a cat at the foot of the bed.
The next morning we were a little slow, but were able to get our acts together to get to Jakes in NJ by noon for a visit with Jim’s cousin Susan and Jim. We then went wine shopping and came home to prepare for a picnic and fireworks. The fireworks are in Tinicum Park in Erwinna, PA and they include music all evening by the Riverside Symphonia. Jane made a fabulous picnic of chicken salad, carrot salad and Chinese green salad. Others brought fabulous appetizers. For dessert we had the best chocolate cookies I have ever tasted and a wonderful blueberry cake. Jane had also fixed a delicious peach cake for our lunch on Friday. For Sunday breakfast, I had both cakes instead of the usual breakfast. Life is short, eat dessert first. Bryce did a spectacular job of our set up at the park. We had a long table with linen table cloths and plastic dishes and wine glasses that looked like china and crystal. We even had flowers on the table. This is my kind of picnic. We had a lovely evening. The weather was again delightful when the sun went over the hill. I am going to post our photo.
On the 4th we went to our friends Carole and Dick. We had a fabulous meal and I will have to post later as Carole and Dick are great cooks and I am sure you will want the recipes. Time is short tonight as I will explain at the end.
We drove home Monday and picked up Max the wonder dog at the end of the day. I had nothing planned but had shrimp in the freezer. I used a Creole dry rub and we grilled the shrimp. We dipped them in Wegman’s chipotle lime butter. They were delicious. I made a impromptu salad of iceberg lettuce, drained and rinsed black beans, chopped zucchini, celery and cilantro. I used Vidalia onion dressing. Pretty good.
Tonight we had Bon Appétit, June, Halibut Fish sticks with dill-caper tartar sauce and Israeli couscous with Asparagus, peas, and sugar snaps. I will have to ask you to go on line to look them up as I am running out of time. They were very good. Best fish sticks I have ever tasted.
You may not hear from me for a while. This has been one of those days. My mother fell and broke her hip. She is almost 90 and has severe dementia. She will be operated on tomorrow AM. We are not sure how well she will recover. My wonderful Aunt Maureen fell ill and had emergency surgery yesterday and it did not go well. I am flying to IN to maybe say goodbye to both. All has been unfolding all day. My brother just called from the hospital. Said did not look good.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Bad dinner, sorry
I did not like tonight’s dinner at all. Last week or so I bought the Greek turkey sliders at Wegman’s and they were great. I saw in their flyer the Salmon sliders with Asian fruit slaw and decided this would be great. It was not. I am not even going to repeat the recipes.
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