Category Archives: MAIN DISH RECIPES

KANTO STYLE SUKIYAKI

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How do I love thee? (Sukiyaki) Let me count the ways! I love the veggies, the mushrooms, the tofu, the noodles, the beef, and of course the broth. In fact, I love every ingredient in this Japanese hot pot dish. Everything! But before I go any further, I should explain the difference between the two main ways Sukiyaki is prepared and presented in Japan.

In Japan there are two main styles of sukiyaki preparation. Kanto (Tokyo) style of Eastern Japan and Kansai (Osaka) style of Western Japan. Kanto style sukiyaki is prepared by heating sukiyaki sauce (warishita) in a pot before pouring the sauce over the veggies and meat and cooking them all together. Kansai style sukiyaki is eaten in stages. The beef is first seared in the pot and then sprinkled with sugar. Then the warishita is added to the pot along with the other ingredients. Since I prefer my sukiyaki Kanto style, that’s what you get today.   

When I was first learning to cook in 1964, my beloved Betty Crocker cookbook (1961 First Edition, Third Printing) was given to me by my Aunt Ruth (mom’s sister).

As a new bride I faithfully perused Betty’s recipes almost every day. But until I started working at the International Branch of Seafirst Bank in January of 1970, I paid no attention to the Sukiyaki recipe in my cherished BC cookbook.

But at work, surrounded by Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Hawaiian, black, one woman from England, a Brooklynite, and a few of us white folks thrown in for diversity’s sake, I learned to love all kinds of ethnic food, including of course, Asian cuisine. In fact, I went for Asian food like a moth to a candle. I was instantly smitten, and even after decades of making food from all over the world (American style), I never lost my love for Asian Inspired Dishes. Which BTW, you can find all my Asian inspired recipes under Categories, right hand column on this site.  

And never mind I’m 68% more Neanderthal than the average Neanderthal. And almost every gene in my body was lovingly inherited from my ancestors centered around Strasbourg (now part of France, but part of Germany at times). Mother French/German, father Swiss French. Last names like Amann, Kléber, and Merz.

But ethnicity apparently had nothing to do with my taste buds. Because culinarily speaking, I am half Italian and half American Chinese/Japanese. I can’t help this. Italian food rocks me to sleep, while Asian food wakes me up.

That is what is so exciting about living and being a cook in an immigrant nation. All the diversity of dishes that include unique and different ingredients create new and exciting flavors and textures for all of us to enjoy. We are so lucky. And this circumstance is never clearer to me than when I travel overseas.

As much as I adore Italian food, when I’m in Italy, by about the second week, I begin to crave Chinese or Mexican or Greek food. My mouth yearns for a change because it has become accustomed to the variety of flavors only a melting-pot nation can provide.

So, although I promised myself, I would stop writing about politics, I can’t help but remind all of us, me included, how lucky we are to live in a country that until recently, took pride in our diversity. We are, and have always been, an immigrant nation. Unless of course, you are a native American or your ancestors were brought here as slaves. (But I can’t go in that direction, or I will totally come unglued.)

And of course, many of you are as upset as I am about what is happening to our country. All we can do is be kind to each other and hope and pray that our elected officials, both democrats and republicans, can get their collective act together and stop the crazy.

So, stay positive, stay informed, take care of yourself and your loved ones, and don’t give up. We are well and truly all in this together.

Peace and love to all.

1 c. mirin

¼ c. water

¾ c. low sodium tamari or low sodium soy sauce   

½ sm. onion, halved and thinly sliced

½-¾ lb. fresh mushrooms (your choice), sliced

4 c. roughly chopped napa cabbage

6 green onions, cut into 1-inch lengths diagonally

1 bunch (5-6 oz.) Japanese noodles (udon, somen, or rice vermicelli), cooked and drained

1 pkg. extra firm tofu, baked (see recipe for Baked Marinated Tofu below)  

½ lb. marbled beef, cut into very thin slices (see how below)

steamed rice, opt.

Bring the mirin, water, and tamari or soy sauce to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Place the onion, mushrooms, cabbage, and green onions in a large, covered skillet (keep the veggies separated) and pour the mirin sauce over the veggies. Add the cooked noodles and baked tofu.

Cover, bring to boil, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer until all ingredients are softened. Add the meat and cook only until it starts turning from red to partially brown.

Place a bit of rice in individual soup bowls. Add a bit of each veggie, cooked meat, and noodles to the bowl. Add broth.

Serve hot.

For the Baked Marinated Tofu:

2 T. tamari or soy sauce  

1 T. toasted sesame oil

¼ tsp. granulated garlic

1 pkg. (10.5 oz.) extra firm tofu, cut into ¾-inch cubes  

Combine the tamari, sesame oil, and granulated garlic in a large, flat-bottomed dish. Place the cut tofu in the dish, and using your fingers, turn the cubes until all sides of the tofu cubes have been introduced to the liquid. Allow the cubes to marinate covered in your refrigerator for at least 1 hour, turning the cubes periodically.

Line a baking pan with parchment paper. Pick the tofu out of the marinade and place the cubes on the baking pan. (Any leftover marinade can be added to the mirin mixture.)

Bake the marinated tofu cubes in a pre-heated 425-degree oven for about 25 minutes, turning after 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and set aside until needed.

How: Place the meat in freezer just until it starts to get hard. Then remove from freezer and slice the meat as thinly as possible.

DRY BRINED SPATCHCOCKED CORNISH GAME HENS

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OK, I know, I know! I already have spatchcocked game hen recipes on this site. But I just can’t stop myself from trying new recipes with which to thrill and delight all my wonderful readers (if they turn out that is), while coincidently keeping myself reasonably sane. Because really, how much fun is it to fix the same darn dishes over and over again? Especially for someone like me, who unfortunately possesses the attention span of a gnat! I’d simply have gone crazy if I had chosen to become a line cook. I probably would have wound up in jail for locking the chef in the restaurant’s walk-in freezer while I put my own spin on his or her signature sauce. It simply would not have worked out for me! (Not too well for the chef either!)

Anyway, I’m not in jail, I haven’t permanently traumatized an unsuspecting chef somewhere in the greater Seattle area, and you and I both have a new recipe for game hens. All’s well, that ends well. But on to why I posted this recipe.

First of all, I am a fan of brines, herb salts, and rubs. Be it a dry rub like I use on Smoked Dry-Rubbed Ribs, a wet brine and dry rub used on my recipe Brined, Rubbed, and Grilled Boneless Pork Chops, or an herb salt used on my recipe for Herb Salted Turkey with Cognac Gravy. There is just something magical about what a little brining or dry rub can add to the enjoyment of meat. And Billy Parisi’s Chicken Seasoning (recipe below) is the best seasoning for poultry I have ever tasted. I plan to use it on all kinds of chicken preparations. It is just that delicious! Plus, this is Mr. Parisi’s recipe for game hens too.

And although I over-roasted the two game hens I prepared last evening, they still tasted marvelous. We enjoyed one last night with rice pilaf and half an artichoke each. Tonight, I’m serving the second hen with pasta, liberally smothered in a new gorgonzola sauce recipe I’m attempting, and oven roasted eggplant chunks. Also a new recipe.    

And speaking of ending well, I finished yet another Carl Hiassen book (Sick Puppy). Such a fun way to learn about the great state of Florida.

But, as the old saying goes – and now for something completely different – I just started The Covenant of Water, a novel by Abraham Verghese. I’ve only read the first 4 pages, but I’m already hooked. I’ll keep you posted.

And on that happy “new book” high, I wish peace and love to all.

2 Cornish game hens, spatchcocked (see how below)

3 T. Chicken Seasoning (see recipe below)  

Wash and pat the hens down with paper towels on both sides.

Transfer them to a rack over a sheet tray and generously season them on all sides with the Chicken Seasoning.

Place the hens in the fridge uncovered for 12 to 48 hours. (This is the dry-brining part.) (My hens were in the fridge for 24 hours. Perfect!)

When you’re ready to bake them, preheat the oven to 425-degrees.   

Bake the game hens on the middle rack for 40-50 minutes or until the deepest part of the breast reaches 165-degrees internally. (Check after 40 minutes.)

Remove them from the oven and rest them at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

To spatchcock a game hen: (or a chicken or turkey for that matter)

Wash and dry the critter and place on a cutting board, breast side down. Using sharp kitchen shears, cut down each side of the backbone, starting from the neck end down to the tail. Remove the backbone, pull open the game hen, chicken, or turkey and flip it over, then press down on the breast to open it out flat.

CHICKEN SEASONING

3 T. coarse sea salt

1½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

5 tsp. granulated garlic

5 tsp. granulated onion  

1 tsp. dry mustard

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. paprika

2 T. dried parsley

2 tsp. dry rosemary (I broke my dried rosemary leaves down a bit for this mixture using my small mortar and pestle)   

2 tsp. dry thyme

Using a fork, spoon, or whisk, mix all the seasoning ingredients together until combined. Store in an airtight container.

LEFTOVER ROAST BEEF BURRITOS

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And no, I will never be able to wrap a burrito correctly. And yes, I have tried. It would take greater skill than I happen to possess!

So, after eating pot roast fresh from the oven the first night, and the second night eating leftover pot roast and assorted veggies and still having quite a bit of meat left, I knew we needed a change. But what to do with cooked lean meat that was rather dry at this point. Well, why not turn it into some kind of Mexican dish? Great! Why not indeed?

The first thing I thought of was tacos. Add some taco seasoning and Bob’s your uncle. But I like my tacos in crispy corn shells. And I have yet to figure out how to make crispy corn tortillas. But I do know how to make flour tortillas. There you go. So, then the next decision. Enchiladas or burritos. After researching the difference between an enchilada and a burrito, I learned that an enchilada is typically made with a small corn tortilla and is covered in a sauce. While a burrito is made with a larger flour tortilla and is usually wrapped without a heavy sauce covering. So, both tacos and enchiladas were out. That left burritos. OK by me, I love burritos. But now, how to make a burrito filling?

So, I went online to find the perfect recipe. And luckily, I found this recipe on the allrecipes.com site. However, I did make a few minor changes. But not enough to make a never mind. (I love that expression.) Anyway, the burritos turned out great. And they were fast and easy to make. (Well, they were fast and easy to put together after I made the flour tortillas and guacamole. Which as you might suspect, making homemade tortillas takes a fair amount of time. Guacamole, not so much. But it all adds up.)

And yes, I do realize, not everyone is as crazy as I am about making their own bread products. But I will always remind you that homemade bread and in this case, tortillas are tastier, cheaper, and contain only unbleached all-purpose flour, salt, baking powder, veggie oil, and water. Whereas, for example, Mission Large Flour Burrito Tortillas – 16 count ($6.99 at Fred Meyer) are made from Enriched Bleached Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine, Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Water, Vegetable Shortening (Interesterified Soybean Oil, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil and/or Palm Oil), Contains 2% or Less of: Salt, Sugar, Baking Soda, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Distilled Monoglycerides, Fumaric Acid, and Calcium Propionate and Sorbic Acid (To Maintain Freshness).

OK, I’ve climbed down off my soapbox. So, back to this recipe.

If you ever find yourself with leftover cooked meat (beef, pork, chicken, ostrich, etc.), consider disguising it in the form of a filling for burritos. Not only will your family heave a sigh of relief for not having to eat the same meal yet another time, but you can also take pride in serving a relatively healthy lean meat reinvention.

Well, that’s it for today. The sun is shining and Mt. Baker, in all its gender-neutral glory, is gracing my view as I type up this post. (See photo below.)

But before I leave you in peace, I must mention the name of the last book I finished. Stormy Weather by Carl Hiaasen. And I must say, if you have not read any books by Carl Hiaasen, then you are missing out.

Carl Hiaasen does not write conventional mysteries. His characters run from bat —- crazy (but lovable) to the most corrupt politicians and bureaucrats imaginable. And in many of his books, people who don’t respect nature or are only interested in obtaining more wealth or power get theirs in an unconventional way. And since I can’t find any mention of the good guys winning in real life, I find reading about outlandish ways to punish those for whom I wouldn’t offer a glass of water if they were dying of thirst, these works of fiction make me laugh. And to tell you the truth, I need to laugh. It’s a crazy world right now. And given a choice, I would rather laugh than cry.

And as always, peace and love to all.     

1 T. vegetable oil

½ onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

½ c. diced tomato

2 c. chopped cooked roast beef

1 (8 oz.) can or jar Mexican salsa (mild to hot) (your choice)

1 (4 oz.) can diced green chiles

1 tsp. toco seasoning 

tiny pinch crushed red pepper flakes, opt.

5-6 flour tortillas (see recipe for homemade flour tortillas below)

2 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided

shredded lettuce, opt.

sour cream, opt.

guacamole, opt.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion and cook until tender and transparent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Mix in the diced tomato, roast beef, Mexican salsa, chiles, taco seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes.

Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, for 25 minutes, or until thickened.

Arrange tortillas on a clean, flat work surface. Spread an equal amount of the beef mixture in the center of each tortilla. Sprinkle evenly with half of the cheese. Fold over ends and sides to make a package.

Place the burritos in a lightly greased 9×13-inch pan. Sprinkle the burritos with the remaining cheese and bake in a pre-heated 400-degree oven for about 15 minutes, or until the cheese melts. Serve with lettuce, sour cream, and guacamole. Or any other condiment that takes your fancy!

FLOUR TORTILLAS

3 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. baking powder

⅓ c. vegetable oil  

1 c. warm water

Combine flour, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of your stand mixer. Using the dough hook, mix dry ingredients until well combined.

Add oil and water with mixer running at a low speed. After about 1 minute, or when mixture comes together and begins to form a ball, continue to mix for 1 minute more or until the dough is smooth.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface. Divide into 8 equal portions. Turn each piece to coat with flour. Form each piece into a ball and flatten with the palm of your hand. Cover flattened balls of dough with a clean kitchen towel and allow them to rest for at least 30 minutes (or as much as 2 hours) before proceeding.

After the rest period, heat a large non-stick pan or griddle over medium heat. Roll a dough piece into a very thin, rough circle, about 7-8 inches in diameter, while keeping the work surface and rolling pin lightly floured.

When the pan is hot, place the dough circle into or onto the pan and allow it to cook about a minute or until the bottom surface has a few light brown spots and the uncooked surface is bubbly. If it is browning too fast, reduce the heat a bit. If it’s taking longer than a minute to see a few golden-brown spots on the underside of tortillas, increase the heat a bit.

Using a spatula, flip to the other side and cook for 15-20 seconds.

The tortillas should be nice and soft but have a few small brown spots on the surface. While the first tortilla is baked, roll out the second so it is ready to bake when the first one is off the griddle. Then proceed the same way until all the tortillas are baked.

Note: Don’t be tempted to roll out all the tortillas before starting to bake them. Or if you do, stack the uncooked tortillas separated by parchment paper or you will never get them apart. 

Remove the baked tortilla from pan and stack to help keep the tortillas soft. 

Serve the tortillas warm or allow them to cool for later use. When ready to use, place a slightly damp paper towel in the bottom of a microwave-safe container (with a cover) that will hold the stacked tortillas. Microwave uncovered for 15-30 seconds (start with 15) or until warm, then keep covered to hold heat while serving.

Or, for this recipe, fill the tortilla as instructed above.

Store extra tortillas in an airtight container or Ziplock bag at room temperature for 24 hours or refrigerate for up to 1 week.

To freeze, separate tortillas with waxed paper and place them in a Ziplock bag before placing them in your freezer.

Mt. Baker with Camano Island’s very own Barnum Point in the foreground. The water is Port Susan Bay.

EASY BACON, GRUYÈRE CHEESE, AND GREEN ONION QUICHE IN A PAT-A-PAN CRUST

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OK, this post is basically about a French tart by the name of Lorraine. Well, not quite. But it is a recipe for a savory tart from the Lorraine region of France. And yes, I already have several quiche recipes on this site. But each is just a little bit different. And because this is the easiest quiche (savory tart) I have ever made, I decided you might like this recipe too.

Now, the picture you see above is what I made. But after tasting the quiche, I decided next time I would not include the spinach which is the green leafy stuff you see in the picture. As it turned out, the spinach overwhelmed the other flavors. And even though I love spinach and use in some of my other quiche recipes, it didn’t work for me this time. And I feel it wouldn’t work for you either.

But if you feel like adding it, be my guest. I feel like all my recipes that don’t include a precise balance of ingredients, particularly leavening agents like baking powder or yeast to achieve the desired rise and texture in baked goods, are fair game. Make them your own. Use ingredients you and your family like. Be creative!

Speaking of new and creative ways to make crust, you just must try this pat-a-pan crust. I wouldn’t advise you to use this recipe for an apple pie, for example. Not enough structure. But for a quiche it is perfect. And crazy easy to make.    

Well, that’s it for today. Mr. C. has an early rehearsal tonight so dinner must be on the table at 5:00 pm. So, I better get going. Because today’s adventure in the kitchen will find me experimenting with ingredients to turn leftover pot roast into a glorious filling for burritos. And since burritos are usually made with flour tortillas, I must make the tortillas too. (They are just so much better than the ones you get in a grocery store.) And then, there’s the guacamole, which unfortunately isn’t going to make itself! So, as you see, I have my work cut out for me.

So, until I return with yet another fun recipe for you, peace and love to all.

PAT-A-PAN CRUST

1½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed

3 T. whole-wheat flour

½ tsp. fine sea salt

½ c. vegetable oil

3 T. whole milk

Place the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, and salt in the pie pan and mix with a table fork until blended.

Combine the veggie oil and milk with the same fork until creamy.

Pour over the flour mixture.

Mix with that same fork until the flour mixture is completely moistened.

Pat the dough with your fingers, first up the sides of the plate, then across the bottom. Flute the edges. Set aside.

QUICHE FILLING

8-inch pie crust, unbaked and set in pie plate (see my recipe above or use your favorite bottom crust only recipe)

8 slices thick, meaty bacon, chopped and cooked until crisp

2 c. grated Gruyère cheese

¼ c. finely chopped green onion or 1 large shallot, finely minced

¾ tsp. dry mustard

1⅓ c. milk (whole milk is best)

4 eggs

ground nutmeg

Scatter cooked bacon over pie crust. Layer cheese on top of bacon. Add chopped green onions or shallot.

Whisk the dry mustard, milk, and eggs together. Hint: Place dry mustard in bowl and add just a tiny splash of the milk. Whisk until there are no mustard powder lumps. Then add the remaining milk and eggs and whisk all together. (If you add all the ingredients together at once, you often end up with mustard lumps that, trust me, are very hard to incorporate with the other ingredients.)

Pour liquid mixture into the pie pan. Sprinkle lightly with ground nutmeg.

Bake in a pre-heated 400-degree oven until set, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for about 5 minutes before serving

Hint: to keep your pie crust edge from getting too brown, cover with aluminum foil.  

EASY PIZZA CRUST DOUGH

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Last Sunday morning I decided I wanted to go out for dinner. But then, for whatever reason, I changed my mind and decided instead that I just wanted to stay home and have homemade pizza. Mr. C. immediately agreed with my idea and offered to go to the store for any ingredients I needed. (We both love homemade pizza.)

So, off he went to procure pepperoni, bulk sausage, mushrooms, and mozzarella cheese.

And since I was desirous of keeping life as simple as possible for myself, I decided to wing it and try making a pizza crust that took little effort. And the recipe you find below is what I came up with.

Now one of the problems I have always had with making homemade pizza is that the crust never seems to get done before the toppings are hot and the cheese is melted and nicely browned. That’s because I am never skimpy with the amount of topping I use. In fact, I usually add way more than is necessary. So, I decided this time to pre-bake the crust for a few minutes before adding all the yummy toppings. And it worked.

So, if you too love homemade pizza, I think you should consider making this crust.

And since I’m sure you wondered what I put on this crust, find my recipe for Easy Pizza Sauce below along with the toppings I chose to use on this pizza.  

1 c. warm water 

1 tsp. granulated sugar

1 T. instant or active dry yeast

1 tsp. fine sea salt

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, or more as needed

Combine warm water, sugar, and yeast in the bowl of your stand mixer and stir to combine. Let mixture sit for 5 minutes, or until it becomes bubbly. Add salt, olive oil, and 2 cups of flour.

Using your dough hook, kneed until a ball begins to form (dough will be very sticky). Add more flour as needed to create a soft dough. (Part of the dough will cling to the bottom of the bowl, but that’s exactly what you want.)

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise for a few minutes or up to an hour. Then plop the dough out of the mixing bowl and spread it onto a lightly greased baking pan in whatever shape or thickness your heart desires. (I use a half-sheet pan 17.9″L x 12.9″W x 1″H.) I just use my fingers to force the dough into the whole pan with the edges thicker than the main part of the crust.

Bake unadorned in a pre-heated 475-degree oven for 7-8 minutes. (This allows the crust to be done at the same time as the toppings are hot and the cheese is melted.)

Remove from the oven and add sauce and any toppings you desire.

Place back in the oven until the crust is golden brown (14-15 minutes) and the cheese has melted and a nice golden brown.

Remove from oven and let sit for 5-7 minutes before serving.

EASY PIZZA SAUCE

2 T. tomato paste

3 T. extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp. chopped dehydrated onion

1 tsp. Italian Seasoning

¼ tsp. granulated garlic

freshly ground black pepper

pinch fine sea salt

tiny pinch crushed red pepper flakes, opt.

⅓ c. finely diced fresh tomatoes, opt.

Stir altogether. Spread on pizza dough after the first baking.

My Favorite Toppings (as pictured above) (and in that order)

pepperoni

fried breakfast or Italian sausage

chopped onion

sliced button mushrooms

sliced black olives

grated mozzarella cheese

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS IN A THICK RED-WINE VEGGIE SAUCE  

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So, confession time. Until yesterday I had never cooked a shank. And for the life of me, I couldn’t tell you why. Maybe because, best to my recollection, I had never eaten a shank until last year when we were served braised lamb shanks prepared by my sister-in-law Katie. I was blown away by the wonderful flavor and tenderness of the meat. And then just before Christmas, our dear friend Phyllis served braised beef shanks at a small dinner party we were fortunate enough to attend. And it finally dawned on me that shanks were just braised meat. Duh. Basically, as simple as that!

So, after that, I bought a couple of lamb shanks and tucked them in our freezer.

Jump forward a few weeks, and our dear friend Todd posted about fixing lamb shanks and that did it! I had to venture into braised shanks land. And oh, my goodness. Braised shanks ARE REALLY EASY TO PREPARE. All I can say is “where have braised shanks been all my life?” (And thank you recipetineats.com for this wonderful recipe.) (And sorry for all the changes.) And just because I’m sure you too were wondering, a lamb ‘shank’ is the lower part in the rear leg. The same joint in pork is the ‘hock’ and in beef, the ‘leg’. The equivalent joints on the front legs are ‘fore shanks’ for lamb, ‘knuckles’ for pork, and ‘shins’ for beef. And since you too may never have seen either lamb or beef shanks sold at your local grocery store, lamb shanks look like this.

Beef shanks are large, round cuts of beef with a bone running through the middle, between 2-3 inches thick, from the lowest part of a cow’s leg, just above the hoof. Beef shanks look like this.

So, if you too have had your head buried in sand while everyone around you has been enjoying shanks, then take my word that lamb shanks are easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. And no, I haven’t prepared beef shanks yet. But you can count on me to do so in the next couple of weeks. And when I find a great recipe, I will pass it on to you. As far as where you can purchase lamb or beef shanks, I’m afraid you are on your own. Bug the butcher at your local grocery store. That’s what I plan to do!

And as always, peace and love to all.

2 lamb shanks

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper  

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

½ onion, finely diced

½ c. finely diced carrot

½ c. finely diced celery

2 garlic cloves, minced

1¼ c. dry red wine

1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes (preferably Italian)

1 T. tomato paste

1 c. chicken stock

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 bay leaf

Pat the lamb shanks dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Heat olive oil in a heavy based pot over high heat. (I use my Le Creuset Dutch oven.)  Sear the lamb shanks until brown all over, for about 5 minutes. Remove lamb onto a plate and set aside.

Turn the heat down to medium low. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes or until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Add red wine, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken stock, thyme, and bay leaves. Stir to combine.

Place the lamb shanks into the pot. Turn the stove up, bring liquid to a boil. Remove from heat, cover, and transfer to a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 2 hours.

After 2 hours,remove the lid, and check to make sure the lamb meat is ultra tender.  If not, cover and keep cooking. (Ideal is tender meat but still just holding onto bone.)

Remove lamb onto plate and keep warm.

Pick out and discard bay leaves and thyme.

If required, bring veggie mixture to a simmer over medium heat and reduce slightly to a syrupy consistency. Or, if it is too thick, add a bit more chicken broth or water. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Great served with Creamy Polenta (see recipe below)

And of course, both of these recipes can be doubled or tripled.

And if you have any left-over chunky sauce, don’t throw it away. Freeze it and add it to your favorite marinara sauce. That’s what I plan to do.

CREAMY POLENTA

2 c. water

¼ c. whole milk

scant ½ tsp. fine sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

½ c. polenta (I use Bob’s Red Mill yellow polenta)

½ tsp. extra virgin olive oil

In a medium pot, bring the water, milk, salt, and pepper to a high simmer. Slowly whisk in the polenta. Bring the heat to a very low simmer. Continue to whisk the polenta until it just starts to thicken. Then cover the pan and let the polenta cook for about 20 minutes.

Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon so that the polenta doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. The polenta should be soft and tender when done.

If your polenta is too thick, whisk in a bit more water. (The polenta should be creamy.)

Turn off the heat and whisk in the olive oil. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Season to taste and serve hot.

Note: Polenta will thicken as it sits. If you are not serving it immediately, you can reheat it by whisking in more water or olive oil to make it smooth and creamy again.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE, MUSHROOM, AND SPINACH LASAGNA WITH BÉCHAMEL SAUCE (WHITE LASAGNA)

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The picture is of the last piece of this lasagna and the last of Eggplant Parmesan Light. They are both delicious and go very well together.

Well, Christmas and the onset of a new year have come and gone, and frankly I’m exhausted. But even though I am in recuperation mode, I wouldn’t change one minute of all the time I spent getting ready for Christmas and the new year and the time I spent with family and dear friends. Because Mr. C. and I are well and truly blessed with fabulous relatives and the very best of friends. And for me, this is the one time of year I go a little crazy and all-out to show my nearest and dearest how appreciative I am to have them in my life. After that, they simply must make do with the bare minimum of pomp and circumstance. No longer do any of my kids or grandkids receive cute little Valentine cards or gifts, or Easter baskets, or sometimes even birthday cards, much less birthday presents. Because as I have advanced in age, there is just a limit to the amount of energy I have for such endeavors. But for Christmas, I put on a new persona. I become the embodiment of Mrs. Santa.

And if there is one wish that I truly hope and pray will continue to be granted, it’s that I can continue keeping Christmas like I always have. Because, as you know, there is just something special about all the Christmas lights, the Christmas tree, Christmas cards, and Christmas cookies. When are cookies ever as delicious as at Christmas time? Never! Oh, they still taste wonderful. But Christmas cookies just come with a certain cachet. Maybe it’s because at this time of year they are kept in Christmas tins. Because who doesn’t like to lift several lids to find just the cookies they are craving at the time?

So, may you too, my fellow Mr. and Mrs. Santas, find time during the beginning of 2025 to relax a bit, take time for yourself, and reassess your priorities. (I use the term priorities rather than resolutions because it’s much easier for me to prioritize than to make a resolution and actually accomplish a loss of 20 pounds in 15 days!) But enough about me and my idiosyncrasies. And on to this recipe.

First of all, as in every lasagna I have ever made, this recipe takes time to prepare. So, I’m not going to tell you that this is a breeze to make. It’s actually a pain in the rear to build. But it’s still worth the effort because it’s really yummy. And sometimes white lasagna is a very nice change of pace.

So, I highly recommend this recipe or my Roasted Mushroom Lasagna with Béchamel Sauce or Roasted Veggie Lasagna with Cheese Béchamel Sauce if a lasagna that does not contain tomatoes would make a nice change.

Plus, as in most lasagna recipes, this recipe yields a lot of servings. So, it is perfect for feeding a crowd. Or if you are much more efficient than I am, you could make it and cut it into portions and freeze them for those nights when cooking anything is tantamount to hitting your thumb with a hammer.

And as for books that I have recently read, forget it for now. I have been to bloody busy. But I plan to change that right after I post this recipe.

So, bye for now and may 2025 find you happy, healthy, and on your best behavior. (We are all going to need to be on our best behavior because it’s going to get rough! And civility, empathy, compassion, and compromise are going to be more important than ever.)

And as always, peace and love to all.        

For the sauce:

½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 lg. clove garlic, finely minced

½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour

4 c. whole milk, plus more if needed if the lasagna looks like it might be a bit dry*

1 tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

12-16 oz. low fat cottage cheese, whirled in a food processor or blender until smooth

½ c. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1 lg. egg, beaten

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Then whisk in the flour and continue whisking for a couple of minutes or until the paste begins to bubble and thicken.

Slowly whisk in the milk, until no lumps remain. Raise heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, then reduce to low and continue to simmer until sauce has thickened, about 3-4 minutes.

Stir in the salt and pepper, then mix in the cottage cheese and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and allow the sauce to cool before adding the beaten egg. Set aside.   

For the sausage, mushroom, and spinach layer:

1 lb. bulk Italian sausage

1 lb. sliced mushrooms

5-8 oz. baby spinach, roughly chopped

Fry the bulk sausage in a frying pan until nicely browned. Drain if a lot of fat. Then add the mushrooms and cook for a couple of minutes. Remove from heat and add the fresh spinach. Set aside until needed.  

Putting it all together:

12 oz. lasagna noodles, cooked al dente, drained, and patted dry

3 c. grated mozzarella cheese (12 oz.)

freshly chopped parsley

Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a deep-dish casserole pan or dish that is at least 9×13-inch wide and long. Spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom.  

Lay a layer of lasagna noodles over the bottom. (There will be 3 layers of noodles when the casserole is fully assembled.)

Spread a third of the sauce on the noodles, and half of the sausage, mushroom, and spinach mixture. Then top with a third of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat with another layer of noodles, sauce, the rest of the spinach mixture, and another third of the mozzarella cheese. To finish, top off with a layer of noodles, and the remaining sauce. (The remaining mozzarella will be used during the latter part of the baking process.)

*If it appears that the lasagna might turn out dry when baked, poke some holes in the top and gently pour on a half cup to a full cup of milk.  

Cover with foil and bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for about 40-50 minutes. Uncover the lasagna and scatter the remaining mozzarella cheese over the top and bake for another 15 minutes or until the lasagna is completely heated through and the cheese is melted. (The internal temperature should reach at least 165 degrees.)

Remove from oven, cover with foil, and let sit for about 10 minutes.

Garnish with parsley and serve warm.

Please note: This casserole can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 2 days before baking. But be sure to take it out of the fridge for a good hour before you plan to put it in an oven. And even then, it might take a bit longer to bake.  

ROASTED CHICKEN SOUP WITH HERB DUMPLINGS

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And I know, I have several recipes on this site for chicken soup. I got that. But darn, sometimes all I want is a bowl of chicken soup. (Plus, Mr. C. was still not quite over his cold. And everyone knows chicken soup cures colds.) And, sometimes, I want dumplings in my soup. Not because they are good for me, heck no, they are simply soul satisfying. They taste good, and they are made with flour. And I am addicted to flour and comfort food. And they are the very definition of comfort food.

I could give up sugar, I could give up chocolate, I could even give up meat. But the one thing I could not, and do not want to live without, is anything bread-like.  

So, the next time you too need a comfort food fix, I suggest you make this soup with dumplings.

Well, Thanksgiving is over, and as much as I researched and thought I had come up with the perfect green bean casserole recipe, it turned out less than adequate. Too much onion flavor and not enough overall appeal. The presentation was fine, but the casserole itself lacked all the yummy that I remembered from canned green beans and cream of mushroom soup. How humbling to reflect on childhood memories of my mom’s green bean casseroles. Especially since my mom would never have been considered a good cook. Yet she made better green bean casseroles with canned beans, canned soup, grated cheap cheddar cheese, and French’s Onions than I produced with fresh and expensive ingredients! (Huh, and I consider myself some kind of cook.) But you know, it’s OK.

We all need to periodically be reminded that everything is not always going to go our way. And especially for those of us who cook, every dish is not going to be stellar. That periodically, we are going to try our best, and the result is not going to be nearly what we envisioned.

That’s when we need to keep on trying. Put our disappointment into perspective, and not wallow in self-pity which does no one any good and serves to stop us from allowing our creative side to blossom. Even if the result, as with this green bean mess, is a wilted blossom.   

So, no I’m not going to share this disaster with you! But I am also not going to give up. There must be a way to make a green bean casserole that checks all the boxes. Great green bean flavor, a wonderful creamy, tasty sauce, with crispy onions on top.

But enough about green beans and on to this recipe.

The first thing that makes this recipe a bit different from my other chicken soup recipes is the roasting of chicken parts to enhance the flavor of the broth. And why I hadn’t thought to do this before, when I always roast chicken and/or turkey pieces when I make the stock for chicken or turkey dressing and gravy, is anyone’s guess!

But I must say, baking the chicken pieces to a crispy dark brown and scaping all the water softened brown bits off the baking pan and into the Dutch oven with the other liquids, really does make a difference in the overall flavor of the soup.

And some might wonder why I use regular chicken stock and chicken base, instead of all one or the other? As much as I like and use chicken base frequently, if I use it all by itself to make 8 cups of stock, the broth becomes way too salty. But most purchased stock or broth, doesn’t have enough flavor. Thus, the use of both.

Well, that’s it for today. I’ve started a new book, and so far, I have met two older women, neither of whom I would particularly want to call friends. But it’s early in the book, and I might have a change of heart.

But I have two other books that I finished and can write about. Ann Cleeves book entitled The Baby-Snatcher was most enjoyable. The second book, The Skull Beneath the Skin, by P. D. James, usually a wonderful writer, left me uncomfortable. I like to know that the bad guy (or gal) gets his/her comeuppance. And that doesn’t happen in this book. (In reality, yes of course everything isn’t always tidied up to my satisfaction. But in books, I want reality to be forgotten.) Plus, I found all but one of the characters to be dull, unlikable, and just too nasty or inhumane to be believable. Even the police officers were inadequately portrayed as completely unfeeling, unsympathetic, and basically bored. And I like my police officers to be bright, witty, charming, and engaged. (I know, I know! And I’m fine with being a pollyanna!)

And as such, from our home to yours, peace and love to all.  

For the Soup:

2 lb. chicken parts (I used 3 boneless, skinless thighs, 1 large boneless, skinless breast, and 5 drumsticks)

1 tsp. veggie oil

seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 T. unsalted butter

1 lg. or two sm. shallots, finely chopped

2 lg. carrots, finely diced

2 stalks celery (plus leaves), thinly sliced

1 lg. garlic clove, minced

2 bay leaves

½ tsp. dried thyme

8 c. chicken stock or broth

5-6 tsp. chicken base (I use Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base)

¼ c. fresh parsley, finely chopped

2-3 green onions, finely chopped

Spread the chicken parts on a large, low-sided baking pan. Rub the oil all over the pieces and coat them liberally with seasoned salt and black pepper.

Bake in a pre-heated 400-degree oven for 1 hour or until the chicken or turkey is well browned. Give them a turn halfway through the baking process. Remove from the oven and place the meat on a plate to cool. Pour about 2 cups of water over the brown bits left on the baking pan and let sit for several minutes.  

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the shallot, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring often until the vegetables begin to soften. Stir in the garlic, bay leaves, and thyme. Cook for about 1 minute.

Add the chicken stock, chicken base, and the juices and browned bits from the roasting pan. (If you are using chicken legs, add them to the soup and let them cook for about 30 minutes, before removing them and letting them cool with the other chicken pieces.) (BTW, chicken drumstick meat is tender and very flavorful. So, using all drumsticks when making this or any other chicken soup is always acceptable.)

Bring the soup to a low simmer, cover the pot with a lid and simmer the soup for an hour or longer. Check periodically.

Once the roasted chicken pieces are cool, cut them into bite sized pieces and place them in the refrigerator until needed. Discard any bones or skin.

When the soup has simmered to perfection, add the diced chicken, taste the soup, and add additional salt or pepper if required. Stir in the parsley and green onions. Then add the dumpling batter as directed below.  

For the Herb Dumplings:

1 egg

6 T. whole milk

2 T. veggie oil

1 c. all-purpose flour, fluffed

1½ tsp. baking powder   

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 T. chopped fresh chives

1 T. finely chopped fresh parsley  

½ tsp. dried thyme

In a bowl whisk the egg, milk, and oil together. In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, chives, parsley, and thyme together. Stir the dry ingredients into the egg mixture just until combined. Do not over-mix.

Using a spoon or ice cream scoop, drop dumpling balls into the stew.  (The dumplings will double in size while they cook, so make them as big or small as you wish.)

Cook dumplings at a slow simmer for 10 minutes with pan uncovered. Then cover the pot and simmer for about 10 more minutes or until the dumplings are cooked through. (Make sure you don’t peek while the dumplings are cooking for the last 10 minutes. They need to steam in order to be nice and fluffy and lifting the lid will release the steam.)

To check if the dumplings are ready, use a toothpick to make sure the dumplings are cooked through. The toothpick will be clean if the dumplings are cooked enough. Then serve the soup immediately.

CHICKEN MARSALA WITH DRIED MUSHROOMS AND EGG NOODLES

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I don’t always have fresh fungi hiding out in the veggie drawer of my refrigerator. (And yes, you should refrigerate mushrooms to keep them fresh. Store them in a paper bag or porous container. Avoid plastic bags and sealed containers when storing mushrooms as the lack of air flow will speed up spoilage.)

Anyway, I didn’t have any mushrooms the other day when I decided to serve chicken marsala for dinner. And as everyone knows, mushrooms are an integral component of marsala. (Chicken marsala is an Italian American dish of pan-fried chicken cutlets and mushrooms in a Marsala wine sauce. The mushrooms are typically seared and tossed with the chicken.) Well, there you go. Except I didn’t have any mushrooms, and I jolly well wasn’t going to make a special trip to the grocery store for one ingredient! So, then, what to do? Well, duh, use dried mushrooms. And that’s just what I did. (And yes, I always keep 2 or 3 types of dried shrooms in my pantry.)

I also didn’t have any heavy cream. Which is also an ingredient you find in most marsala sauced recipes. (Witness one of the other chicken marsala recipes already on this site – Creamy Chicken Marsala with Egg Noodles. (Which BTW, was the basis for the recipe you find below.) My other recipe entitled Chicken Marsala, contains mushrooms but no heavy cream. But neither recipe was exactly right for this occasion, so I simply made do with what was available.

So, basically, I’ve got you covered whether you have or don’t have mushrooms on hand or do or don’t have or want to use heavy cream. And if you hate mushrooms, just leave them out. (I’m sure you figured that part out all by yourself!)  

Regardless of which recipe you use, even if it isn’t one of my recipes, you should make chicken marsala in the near future. It is just so yummy. And I would advise serving it with egg noodles.

Well, that’s all I have to say on the matter. Mr. C. is doing some errands today and has offered to stop at the store and pick up some fresh fish for tonight. And I thought simple fried rice (brown of course) would make a nice and different side dish. So, along with some kind of lemony aioli for the fish, I better do a bit of research on fried rice, because again, I am lacking some of the ingredients in the three fried rice recipes already on this site. So, wish me luck coming up with a tasty new recipe. And I’ll let you know if fried rice is a nice accompaniment to fried fish. Never a dull moment here at Chez Carr.

And as always, peace and love to all.     

⅓ c. broken dried mushroom pieces (I used dry porcini mushrooms)

½ c. boiling water

3 T. unbleached all-purpose flour

½ tsp. seasoned salt

fresh ground black pepper

1 lg. chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

2 T. unsalted butter

1 shallot, thinly sliced or 2 T. finely diced onion

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

¼ tsp. dried thyme

1 c. Marsala wine

1 c. chicken broth

½ c. whole milk

2 T. cream cheese

2 c. lightly packed dry egg noodles, cooked al dente

Combine the mushroom pieces and boiling water together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Whisk the flour, seasoned salt, and black pepper together in a Ziplock bag. Toss the cubed chicken pieces in the flour mixture to coat. (Save the flour that remains in the bag.)

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large frying pan. Add the chicken and sear on all sides until lightly browned. (The chicken will not be cooked at this point.) Remove the chicken from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl.

Add the shallot or onion and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and dried thyme. Cook for 1 minute.

Add the wine and the chicken stock to the pan. Scrape the bottom of the pan using a wooden spoon to remove any browned bits remaining in the pan. Let the liquid come to a boil.

Add the partially cooked chicken back to the pan along with the drained dry mushroom pieces. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Whisk the milk and the remaining flour together in a small bowl and stir the mixture along with the cream cheese into the pan with the chicken. When the sauce is smooth, add the al dente pasta and toss to coat.

Cook for another 1-2 minutes or until the pasta absorbs a bit of the creamy sauce. Taste and add kosher salt and more black pepper if required. Serve immediately.

MARINATED FLANK STEAK

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I just love being able to prepare part of what I plan to serve for dinner earlier in the day. And then, like with this entrée, ask Mr. C. to finish the dish by throwing it on the BBQ. This leaves my hands free to whip up or put the finishing touches on the side dishes. And who doesn’t love wonderfully tender and delicious steak? OK, if you’re a vegetarian, you might not feel the same way I do. But then, you wouldn’t be reading this post in the first place. So, assuming that you too are a marinated steak fan, may I highly recommend this recipe.

And I know. Not everyone has the luxury of slowly reading the paper in the morning sipping on an Americano. And then casually fixing breakfast, cleaning up the kitchen and making a marinade in which to allow the flank steak that you defrosted in the refrigerator overnight soak up all the flavors as it once again spends some quality time in the fridge. But there is a solution even if you are still gainfully employed. Make the marinade the night before. Then before leaving for work the next morning, slip the meat into the marinade, cover, put in the fridge, and walk away knowing a good portion of that night’s dinner is well on its way to being marvelous. Sounds easy, right? But, having been a working mom and not an early riser, every blessed minute of my morning ritual did not include anything more than putting breakfast on the table and getting myself out the door in time to not be late for work. So, you might just want to save this recipe for weekends.

But regardless of when you plan to serve this lovely steak, do it. It truly is yummy.

Well, that’s it for today. It has been very rainy the last couple of days because of an “atmospheric river”. And from everything I have read, atmospheric rivers are quite interesting. And no, atmospheric rivers are not a new phenomenon. They were only given this pretentious new name sometime in the 1990s.

This is what I learned about these “rivers” by going to the USGS site. I thought you might also find this interesting.

  1. Atmospheric rivers transport water vapor from the tropics towards the poles.
  2. Atmospheric rivers are the largest “rivers” of fresh water on Earth.
  3. There’s a rating system for atmospheric rivers like there is for hurricanes.
  4. Though an atmospheric river can help extinguish fall fires, they can increase the hazard of past and future wildfires.
  5. An atmospheric river mega-storm could be California’s other “Big One.”
  6. Atmospheric rivers are expected to increase in intensity in California due to climate change.

So, there you have it. But I’m not going to worry. Climate change is not a real thing.

At least that is what certain politicians are espousing even though there is a near-universal consensus among scientists that climate change is happening and is caused by human activity. So, la la la, I’m going to bury my head in the sand too. Not! I’m simply going to keep hoping and praying that congress can put their differences aside and just do the job of serving their constituents by making a better world for not just Americans but by becoming a positive influence for other nations. And that means both sides coming together for the betterment of all. And no, I don’t care if you’re republican or democrat. Do the job you were hired to do. And do it right! Dammit!

Only by congress standing up for “we the people”, and not caving to the whim of certain newly elected officials with only their own interests at heart, can any real, beneficial work get accomplished. Or any possibility for the return of hope rather than despair that many of us feel. We will make it through this. But we must all represent decency, humility, gratitude, and uppermost – civility. If we, as individuals can’t be civil, then we can’t expect it of others.

Peace and love to all.

4 tsp. Montreal Steak Seasoning (made by McCormick)

1 T. Italian seasoning

freshly ground black pepper

1 T. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. granulated garlic

¼ tsp. granulated onion

¼ c. extra virgin olive oil

¼ c. red wine

1-2 lb. flank steak, fat and silver skin removed and lightly scored.

Combine the Montreal Steak Seasoning, Italian seasoning, black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, granulated garlic, granulated onion, olive oil, and red wine together in a glass pan. Place the flank steak in the marinade and turn several times to coat every bit of the steak. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or longer for extra flavor and tenderness.

Remove the steak from the fridge about 45 minutes before grilling over medium-high heat for about 6 minutes. (Discard the marinade.)

Then flip the steak and grill until cooked medium-rare. (About 130-degrees when poked with an instant read thermometer.)  

Remove from the grill, cover for about 5 minutes, then thinly slice on the diagonal. Serve immediately.