BROCCOLI SALAD WITH BACON, DRIED CRANBERRIES, AND SUNFLOWER SEEDS  

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OK, I know. I already have 2 very similar broccoli salad recipes on this site. That’s because I REALLY LOVE BROCCOLI SALAD! But the one I served yesterday for our JazzVox pre-concert meal was even more spectacular than my other recipes. (Sorry guys, but the truth shall set me free!) I think it was the use of apple cider vinegar rather than another type of vinegar, and the addition of dried cranberries that made this version so amazing. Also, the fact that I made it the day before and let it sit overnight in the fridge. This I learned from Holly, creator of the spendwithpennies.com cooking blog. (A fabulous site BTW. You simply must check it out!) So, this is basically Holly’s recipe with a couple of minor ingredient amount changes of mine.

And I must say, this salad literally disappeared yesterday. One moment there was still some left in the bowl. The next time I looked, it was all gone. It might have been because of all the bacon. But I am choosing to believe that people are finally realizing that broccoli is an excellent source of vitamins C, K, and A. And that it also contains several important minerals, such as potassium, calcium, and iron as well as several antioxidants, including vitamins C and E, β-carotene.

Anyway, if you want to make a broccoli salad that is sure to be a hit, this is the recipe for you. And it can be made ahead. And who doesn’t love that kind of recipe. Especially when entertaining.

Well, today is a down day for me. Not mentally, but after feeding 41 people yesterday, my body is rebelling at even getting up from my desk to grab a drink of water. (My body saying – You want me to walk all the way to the kitchen. Have you no compassion for tired legs and feet? Don’t you remember that the kitchen is your enemy? Etc. etc. ad nauseam!) So, my brain having a mind of its own, I am choosing to surrender and keep my butt firmly planted in my desk chair today.

But I’m still coherent enough to wish peace and love to all.

⅓ c. finely diced red onion

1 c. ice water

1 c. mayonnaise

3 T. apple cider vinegar

1 T. granulated sugar

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

8 c. broccoli florets and peeled stems, cut into bite-sized pieces and thoroughly dried

½ c. dried cranberries

½ c. sunflower seeds

1 c. cooked tiny meaty bacon pieces, plus more for garnish

Combine the red onion* and ice water in a small bowl. Make sure the onion is under water. Let the onion mellow out while you make the dressing and chop the veggies. Then drain the onion and pat dry really well before adding to the bowl with the other ingredients.  

Whisk the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the broccoli, cranberries, sunflower seeds, bacon pieces, and drained and dried onion. Pour the dressing over all and mix well.

Cover and refrigerate overnight for best results. Remove from fridge about 30 minutes before serving. Garnish with bacon.

*It seems to me that red onions seem to be getting “hotter” than I remember them being in the past. So, letting the cut onion spend some quality time in ice water helps reduce the hot or bite. This is true for other onions and shallots too.  

MY FAVORITE YEAST BREADS, QUICK BREADS, ROLLS, MUFFINS, PANCAKES, ETC.

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OK, here goes! When it comes to almost any kind of bread, count me in! I have never found a type of bread I couldn’t eat. OK, I do draw the line at store-bought white sandwich bread (you know the one I mean), but that’s about it! But homemade bread of any kind or most breads served in good restaurants, I’m the first one to dive in.

But before I go any farther, I need to rant a bit about a problem I see happening all over America. The exorbitant price of edible groceries, including artisan bread. Terrible. I agree. But if someone starts ranting while I am standing behind them in line at the grocery store, and their cart is full of pre-packaged meals, packaged cookies, expensive bakery style bread, canned chili, canned soup, etc., they have immediately lost my sympathy. They aren’t buying items to make food; they are buying PACKAGED PRODUCTS! And you simply have to pay more for packaged items. Duh! So, what I really want to say to these shoppers – try cooking and baking dishes from scratch and see how bloody much you save on groceries! Harrumph!! However, if a cart contains fresh veggies, lean meat, all-purpose flour, butter, sharp cheddar cheese, and chocolate chips, I will gladly hear that person’s concern. And join them in their tirade! Fair is fair after all! OK, I feel better now. Thanks for listening. And back to the real reason for this post.

The first time I realized I liked to mix things together was when I was about 4. I would sneak flour and eggs from our kitchen, go outside, and mix them with sand and dirt. I don’t think I actually ate any of my mixtures, but how could I remember that far back? At least I hope I didn’t eat any of my first culinary attempts. But as soon as my mom discovered what I was up to, she put a stop to the sand and dirt part and let me help her bake cookies. And I have yet to stop loving to make a mess in my kitchen. (Or anyone else’s kitchen for that matter!)

Now, I do realize, not everyone has my passion for building food from scratch. But even if you aren’t as crazy as I am, this list might help you narrow down your choices when it comes time to bake a loaf of bread or a batch of muffins for a special occasion.

Well, enough for today. I currently have a mini concert going on in my living room. Mr. C. on piano, along with a violinist and violist playing chamber music. I am such a lucky person to have such beautiful music coming from my living room.

And to say thank you to all three of them, I am serving a luncheon of soup and homemade rolls. So, farewell for now. Time to make like a cook.

As always, peace and love to all.       

MY FAVORITE YEAST BREADS, QUICK BREADS, ROLLS, MUFFINS, PANCAKES, ETC.

Baked English Muffins

Banana Bread

Beer Bread

Brioche Dinner Rolls

Buttermilk “Everything” Seasoned English Muffins

Caribbean Cornbread

Challah

Cheddar and Chive Cornmeal Biscuits

Chewy Sourdough Baguettes

Cinnamon Sugar Quick Bread

Crumble Topped Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Walnuts

Crusty Sourdough Rye Bread

Date-Nut Bread with Coffee and Jack Daniels

Dilly Casserole Bread

Easy Buttermilk Biscuits

Easy Dinner Rolls

Easy Overnight Chewy Bread (no knead)

Easy Overnight Chewy Dinner Rolls (no knead)  

Easy Overnight Focaccia Two Ways

Frosted Maple Pecan Scones

GF (Gluten Free) Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins

GF Sandwich Bread

Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Bread

Light Rye Bread

New York Style Bagels

Oatmeal Pancakes

Onion Dill Bread

Overnight Brioche Rolls

Overnight Chewy Artisan-Style White Bread

Overnight Italian Bread

Overnight Pain de Campagne (French Sourdough Bread)

Overnight Soft Herb Rolls

Overnight Sourdough Discard Bâtard (great for making crostini)

Picnic Buns

Refrigerator Whole Wheat Rolls AKA Honey Buns

Rosemary Olive Bread

Rhubarb, Orange, and Walnut Quick Bread

Rustic Italian Bread

Rustic Sourdough Boules

Savory Green Chili, Parmesan, and Green Onion Cornbread

Simple Sourdough Boule

Sour Cream and Chive Crescent Rolls

Sourdough Waffles or Pancakes

Zucchini Seed and Nut Bread (a quick bread)

EASY OVERNIGHT CHEWY DINNER ROLLS (NO KNEAD)  

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Garlic Herb Butter and rolls

In my quest to make bread baking easier for myself and of course for you too, I recently posted a fabulous recipe for Easy Overnight Chewy Bread (No Knead). And I love that bread. But there are just those times when instead of a boule (round loaf) you want individual rolls. So, I came up with this recipe that could not be easier to make. Thus, the title. But it is still a two-day process. Consider yourself warned.

But boy are these rolls delicious. Chewy and flavorful, especially when slathered with Garlic Herb Butter. (See recipe below.) And perfect for a beginning bread baker.

No kneading. No guessing how much flour to use. You don’t even need to worry about warming the water. Water right out of the tap is fine. You simply need to follow the simple instructions and prepare yourself for all the rave reviews you will receive from your family and friends. (Remember to remain humble.) (Good cooks are always humble.) (That’s the rule!)

So, if you too ever find yourself needing great dinner rolls with little time to spend on the effort, this is the recipe for you.

That being said, my work here is done.

Peace and love to all. And happy bread baking.

4 c. bread flour, fluffed, plus more for shaping the dough

2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. instant dry yeast  

2 c. room-temperature water

In a large bowl, stir the bread flour, salt, and yeast together. Add the water and mix with a sturdy rubber spatula until all the flour is incorporated. The dough will be wet and sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave on your counter overnight. The following day the dough will have risen somewhat but will not look like other risen bread dough.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 425-degrees.

Spread a generous amount of flour on a work surface or pastry cloth. Using a stiff spatula remove the dough from the bowl to the floured surface and turn the dough several times to coat it with flour.

Coating your hands with flour, divide the dough into about 12 equal portions, turning each piece in the flour to coat. Shape each piece into a ball, pulling edges under and pinching together to make a smooth top. Place the balls on prepared pan a couple inches apart. Let the shaped rolls rise for 20 minutes. (The rolls will not rise a lot during this 20-minute rest.)

Bake for about 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches at least 205-degrees. They will not brown very much. That is just fine.

Remove from oven and transfer rolls to a wire rack to cool completely.

To serve, heat them for about 45 seconds in your microwave. Great served with Garlic Herb Butter. See recipe below.

GARLIC HERB BUTTER

½ c. unsalted butter, room temperature

1 scant T. fresh finely chopped parsley

1½ tsp. fresh finely chopped thyme leaves

1/8 tsp. granulated onion

1/8 tsp. granulated garlic

¼ tsp. kosher salt, or more to taste

freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients. Store covered in your fridge but serve at room temperature.

    

MY FAVORITE SALADS  

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OK, I adore salads, but salads are not my favorite dish to prepare. All that washing, drying, and knife work can become tedious. Very quickly. At the same time, I enjoy a good salad probably more than any other part of a meal, except of course for the bread. Because as anyone who knows me can attest, I could practically live on bread. Good homemade or bakery bread slathered with soft butter. Or dipped into sauce or gravy. Or perhaps with some cheese on the side. In England the combination of bread and cheese with possible additions like green salad, hard boiled eggs, ham, pâté, and/or mustard pickles is called a “Ploughman’s Lunch”.

And even though I have never found English cuisine to me my favorite (that was a nice way of putting it, don’t you think) I could easily enjoy a Ploughman’s Lunch 2 or 3 times a week without feeling picked on! I mean really. What’s not to love!

But for me, one of the key ingredients to keep me a happy camper in that scenario would have to be the salad. Because, as stated above, I love a good salad. And of course, a good salad depends on being dressed in a wonderful dressing or vinaigrette. So, my next post will be my list of favorite dressings and vinaigrettes.

Well, that’s it for now. Mr. C. doesn’t have a gig or a rehearsal this evening, so I can enjoy a leisurely dinner with him in the comfort of our own home. Lately, I find that I prefer eating at home rather than dining out. I think that might mean I’m getting old. (The comforts of home and all.) (Feet encased in slippers, sloppy jeans, minimal make-up, a fabulous before dinner drink made by the resident mixologist, a tasty homecooked meal, and more pages turned in my current book for my after-dinner treat.) For me, this is the perfect recipe for an evening at home.

Well, I hope you too find some inspiration from my list of favorite salads. Now that I’ve actually made my choices, I can hardly wait to fix these salads again. We all need a little jump start occasionally. And creating this list did just that for me.

And as always, peace and love to all.

MY FAVORITE SALADS  

Asian Vegetable Salad

Blue Cheese and Walnut Salad in a Balsamic Vinaigrette

Broccoli Salad

Buffalo Chicken Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing

Celery Salad (Céleri Salade)

Chef Salad with Thousand Island Dressing

Chicken and Wild Rice Salad

Chopped Salad with Salami and Cheese

Cobb Salad with Shrimp

Creamy Cucumber Dill Salad

Crunchy Cabbage Slaw with Peanuts and Parmesan

German Potato Salad

Greek Salad (Kinda Sorta)

Grilled Romaine Salad

Gurkensalat (German Cucumber Salad)

Italian Salad

Japanese Cucumber Salad (Sunomono)

Kale Salad with Dried Cranberries, Pumpkin Seeds, and Poppy Seed Dressing

Marinated Fresh Veggie Salad

Mexican Toasted Corn Salad

Quinoa Salad with Feta Cheese and Spinach

Old Fashioned Potato Salad

Overnight Mexican Coleslaw

Panzanella Salad (Tuscan Bread Salad)

Pasta Salad

Pea Salad

Pear and Blue Cheese Salad

Remolacha (Argentine Beet Salad)

Roasted Beets, Candied Pecans, and Feta Cheese Salad with a Balsamic Vinegar

   Dressing     

Romaine Salad Dressed in an Asian Flavored Vinaigrette

Shrimp and Macaroni Salad

Simple Italian Rocket (Arugula) Salad

Spinach Salad

Spinach Salad with Roasted Beets, Feta Cheese, Toasted Hazelnuts, and Honey  

   Balsamic Dressing

Tuna Macaroni Salad

Veggie Macaroni Salad

Waldorf Salad with Dried Cranberries and Orange Zest

RUSTIC ITALIAN BREAD    

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I can’t help myself when it comes to trying easy bread recipes. Especially recipes that contain only the 4 basic ingredients (flour, salt, yeast, and water) you find in any yeast bread recipe, no matter how many other items might be included in the list of ingredients. After all my years of baking bread, I finally realized that you only need these 4 essential ingredients to make unimaginably delicious bread. And for just pennies, rather than several dollars spent when purchasing the same type of bread at your local grocery store or bakery. And this recipe from the ciaoflorentina.com site could not be easier.  

I did change the baking directions on Florentina’s recipe however, because I really like to bake a simple bread like this one in a Dutch oven* or cloche** (clay bread baker). And Florentina’s recipe called for baking the bread on a pizza stone.

Because another important thing I have learned from years of baking bread – I CAN NOT TURN OUT HOMEMADE BREAD QUITE AS PERFECT AS BREAD BAKED IN A COMMERCIAL OVEN***. However, when I use a Dutch oven (regular cast iron or Le Creuset) or clay cloche, I can come pretty darn close. And for my pennies spent, close is good enough. And in most cases, better than just good enough. Wonderful, to be exact.

So, if you too are into baking bread, give this amazing recipe a try. Just be prepared and have soft butter available. But try to let the freshly baked bread cool before diving into it. I know, I’m asking a lot of you. But trust me, as soon as the bread is cool, slice off a big hunk and liberally spread it with butter.  After all, who deserves a treat more than you?!    

And on that happy note I wish you, as always, peace and love. And happy baking.

3½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 tsp. fine sea salt

2 tsp. instant yeast

1½ c. warm water

In the bowl or your stand mixer, combine the flour, salt, and yeast with the paddle attachment.

Add the warm water and mix until a soft dough has formed. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and a tea towel. Allow the dough to rise at room temperature for about 3 hours or until doubled in size.

Place a bit of flour on a pastry cloth or clean kitchen counter. Transfer the bread dough onto the floured surface using a stiff spatula. Then flour your hands and form the dough into a boule (ball shape). (Do not knead the dough or handle it more than necessary.)

Place the formed bread dough on top of parchment paper and using a serrated knife, gently carve an X on top. Rest the formed dough while you place a Dutch oven or cloche on the middle rack of your oven and turn the temperature dial to 450-degrees.  

Once the oven has come to temperature, carefully remove the hot Dutch oven, and gently place the boule and parchment paper inside the Dutch oven.

Cover and bake the bread for 25 minutes. Remove the lid and bake another 10 minutes or until golden brown on top and the internal temperature reaches 205-degrees.

Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

*Using a Dutch oven helps to mimic the environment of a commercial oven. That being a moisture-sealed chamber with intense and (mostly) even radiative heat. Dutch ovens offer ample thermal mass to ensure a temperature-stable baking environment with their thick cast iron walls. 

**A cloche is designed to support bread dough while it bakes creating a perfect rise. Cloches should have tight-fitting lids that trap steam, giving the bread a lovely crispy golden-brown crust. A good cloche also comes with a heavy-duty bottom that also ensures a thick, crispy, golden base.

***Commercial ovens provide heat from both below and above. They can also inject steam into the baking chambers.

EASY CHEESECAKE FRUIT BARS

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I love cheesecake. But in my lazy old age, I prefer not to spend hours in its creation. Unless, of course, it’s a special occasion. Then I will do what needs to be done. But for a quick and easy cheesecake, that takes little effort, with no special ingredients required, this recipe works just fine. In fact, more than just fine. These bars are delicious.

I wrote this recipe up years ago. And while culling my “recipes to be tried” pile (about a foot deep), I found this beauty patiently waiting to be tried. And why I waited several years to make these easy to prepare bars is a puzzle. Of course, I also have other cheesecake bars on this site. And they too are wonderful. (Strawberry Rhubarb Cheesecake Bars, Tart Cherry Topped Cheesecake Bars, and Lime or Lemon Curd Topped Cheesecake Bars) But this one is just simplicity itself. And you can vary the flavor by whatever jam, jelly, preserves, or curd you happen to have on hand. I used blackberry preserves and they were perfect. A little tart. A little sweet. Terrific!

So, next time you get a hankering to build a cheesecake but would prefer to save most of the fuss and bother for another time, give this recipe a try.

Well, another evening of live music is in store for me tonight. And believe me, I am not complaining. Listening to live music is just one of the best ways I know of to stay connected with good and positive things in today’s complicated world.

There is so much negative happening these days, that for me, clearing my mind by listening to music helps me cope with today’s reality and remain reasonably sane. (I will never be completely sane. Just not in my genes.) But music, along with reading books, cooking, posting recipes, spending time with friends, or just puttering around the house (I am an excellent putterer BTW) keeps me on almost an even keel. Almost!

I hope you too have pleasant ways to deal with some of the harsher realities of life today. Even if hard times don’t hurt you personally, they are still out there affecting masses of humanity. And at least for me, sometimes that’s harder to deal with because nothing I do can help the situation. I simply can’t make things OK. (But I would if I could!)

Peace and love to all.

Crust:

2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed

½ c. brown sugar, packed

½ tsp. kosher salt

¾ c. (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temp., cut into small pieces

1¼ c. jam, jelly, preserves, or curd, divided

Place the flour, brown sugar, salt, and butter in the bowl of your food processor. Whirl until mixture begins to form small lumps. Sprinkle mixture evenly in a 9×13-inch pan. Pat down gently. Just enough to make an even surface. (No need to wash the food processor bowl or chopping blade at this point. Use them again for the filling.)

Bake the crust in a pre-heated 350-degree oven on the middle rack for 15-18 minutes, or until light golden brown. Remove from oven but leave the oven at 350-degrees.

Evenly spread the hot crust with 1 cup of the jam. (I use a small offset spatula for this task.)

While the crust is baking, prepare the filling.

Filling:

2 (8-oz. pkgs.) (2 cups) cream cheese, room temp.

2 lg. eggs

¾ c. granulated sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

In the same food processor bowl, whirl the cream cheese until smooth. Add the eggs, granulated sugar, and vanilla. Whirl until well combined.

Spread the filling evenly over the jam covered crust. (I use the same offset spatula again that I used to spread the jam.) (And yes, I already told you I was lazy!)

Drop small bits of the remaining quarter cup of jam over the cream cheese mixture. Then gently swirl it to make a nice pattern for the top of the bars. Hint: I find it helps to stir the jam a bit before dropping it onto the cream cheese mixture. It loosens the consistency of the jam which then makes it easier to swirl.

Bake the bars, still on the middle rack, for 28-30 minutes or until slightly puffed. Remove from oven, cool completely, and refrigerate until ready to serve.    

  

EASY OVERNIGHT FOCACCIA TWO WAYS (ROSEMARY OR KALAMATA OLIVE AND ROASTED GARLIC)

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Rosemary Focaccia on the left. Kalamata and Roasted Garlic Focaccia on the right.

Well, this was easy bread to build. Almost too easy to be real. But guess what? This is the best focaccia imaginable. Chewy and UNBELIEVABLY delicious. And did I mention this focaccia is ever so easy to prepare. Yes, I did. But I feel duty bound to state it again. And we all have Ali of alexandracooks.com to thank for this amazing recipe.

But to be truthful, I don’t follow Ali’s instructions to a tee. Ali often adds flavorings on top of her focaccias, but I worry about ingredients either burning, or getting too well cooked her way. So, I put additions in the dough itself. Just a personal preference. So, feel free to go wild and do whatever you want when it comes to additives or toppings when you make your focaccia. But the one thing you must do, especially if you are new to baking bread, is just do it. Make – this – bread. It is marvelous. And fool proof. (Not that you’re a fool, I’m not saying that. Well, yes, I guess I might be saying that if you don’t make this focaccia!) Anyway, just make the darn bread and be done with it!

Well, this is my second post for today. Mr. C. is in Seattle making beautiful music with some other gifted musicians for an upcoming concert, so I don’t have him to bug. The house is clean. The laundry is done, and I don’t have to make dinner tonight. So, I think I’ll just post this recipe and get back to trying to help my poor protagonist in the book I’m reading figure out who done it. I actually can’t imagine a better way to spend a winter afternoon than by turning pages in a book.

May you too have afternoons spent doing anything you darn well please.

Peace and love to all.

ROSEMARY FOCACCIA

3 c. bread flour

1½ tsp. kosher salt

1½ tsp. instant yeast

1 T. finely minced fresh rosemary

1½ c. lukewarm water

extra virgin olive oil

flaky sea salt   

In a medium sized bowl, whisk the flour, salt, instant yeast, and rosemary together. Add warm water. Using a rubber spatula, mix until the liquid is absorbed, and the ingredients form a sticky dough ball. Rub the surface of the dough with olive oil. (Use enough that the dough won’t dry out as it sits in the refrigerator.)

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator immediately for at least 12 hours or for as long as three days. 

Pour about 3 tablespoons of olive oil into a 9×13-inch baking pan. Remove the dough from fridge and using a stiff spatula, transfer the dough to the baking pan and form it into a rough ball. Roll the dough ball in the oil to coat it all over, again forming a rough ball.

Let the dough rest uncovered for 3 to 4 hours or until it looks about doubled in size.  

Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 425-degrees. Pour about 2 more tablespoons of olive oil over the dough. Rub your hands lightly in the oil to coat, then, using your fingers, press straight down to create deep dimples. The dough probably won’t fill the pan. No matter. Just press the dough as much as possible into an even thickness.  Sprinkle with flaky sea salt all over. (Be generous.)

Transfer the pan to the middle rack of your pre-heated 425-degree oven and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the underside is golden and crisp and the internal temperature of the bread reaches at least 200-degrees. 

Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the focaccia to a cooling rack. Let it cool before cutting into small squares.

KALAMATA OLIVE AND ROASTED GARLIC FOCACCIA

3 c. bread flour

1½ tsp. kosher salt

1½ tsp. instant yeast

8-10 cloves roasted garlic, smashed (see recipe for roasted garlic below)

½ c. chopped kalamata olives

1½ c. lukewarm water

extra virgin olive oil

flaky sea salt   

In a medium sized bowl, mix the flour, salt, instant yeast, roasted garlic, and kalamata olives together. Add warm water. Using a rubber spatula, mix until the liquid is absorbed, and the ingredients form a sticky dough ball. Rub the surface of the dough with olive oil. (Use enough that the dough won’t dry out as it sits in the refrigerator.)

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator immediately for at least 12 hours or for as long as three days. 

Pour about 3 tablespoons of olive oil into a 9×13-inch baking pan. Remove the dough from fridge and using a stiff spatula, transfer the dough to the baking pan and form it into   a rough ball. Roll the dough ball in the oil to coat it all over, again forming a rough ball.

Let the dough rest uncovered for 3 to 4 hours or until it looks about doubled in size.

Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 425-degrees. Pour about 2 more tablespoons of olive oil over the dough. Rub your hands lightly in the oil to coat, then, using your fingers, press straight down to create deep dimples. The dough probably will not completely fill the pan. No matter. Just press the dough as much as possible into an even thickness.  Sprinkle with flaky sea salt all over. (Be generous.)

Transfer the pan to the middle rack of your pre-heated 425-degree oven and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the underside is golden and crisp and the internal temperature of the bread reaches at least 200-degrees. 

Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the focaccia to a cooling rack. Let it cool before cutting into small squares.

How to roast garlic

Using a sharp knife, slice ¼ to ⅓ -inch off the top of the garlic bulb exposing the individual cloves. Remove any loose papery skin.

Place the garlic cut side up in the center of a piece of foil large enough to envelope the bulb. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Fold the foil around the garlic.

Place in a small baking dish or ramekin and bake in a pre-heated 400-degree oven until the cloves inside the packet are light brown and soft, 40 to 70 minutes. Check on the garlic after about 50 minutes. Continue baking if necessary.   Remove from oven, carefully open the foil, and let the garlic cool until it’s easy to handle but still warm. Press on the uncut base of the bulb to squeeze the cloves out. Allow the cloves to cool completely before using in any of your favorite dishes. 

BROCCOLI IN ASIAN GARLIC SAUCE  

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Patti thinking – Broccoli, how do I love thee? let me count the ways. Mr. C. thinking – Broccoli, again?! That is pretty much the reality when it comes to broccoli here at Chez Carr. Mr. C. is not now, nor will he ever be, an advocate for more cruciferous vegetables (CV) being served in our home. The most common CVs being arugula, Bok choy, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, radishes, and turnips. And I must confess, there isn’t enough money to get me to eat a cooked turnip either. So, I do join him on that one.

But Mr. C. does make an exception for arugula (rocket) and radishes. He very much likes both of these CVs. And broccoli if it comes with Secret Sauce (see recipe below), cheese sauce, in soups or salads, and now in this wonderful Asian flavored sauce from thegardengrazer.com.

Not only is the sauce delicious, but it is also very easy to prepare. And as a bonus, this dish has great eye appeal! But best of all – Mr. C. will eat it! And broccoli is so good for us. It is often considered to be a nutritional powerhouse because of its numerous health benefits. An excellent source of vitamins C, K, and A along with several important minerals, such as potassium, calcium, and iron. So, for me – what’s not to like?!

So, if you too have a person in your family who doesn’t appreciate broccoli as much as you do or if you are the person in your family who doesn’t really like broccoli and everyone else does, I suggest you give this recipe a try. Or, if you happen to be crazy for Chinese food like me, then definitely fix this recipe at your earliest convenience. It truly is yummy. (And easy to build.)

Well, that’s it for today. Mr. C. is at a midday rehearsal in Seattle and has another rehearsal in Oak Harbor (Whidbey Island) tonight. And for this evening he has invited me along. And to make his offer even more appealing, he cinched the deal by offering to first take me to dinner at one of our favorite restaurants. That just happens to be in Oak Harbor. Frasers Gourmet Hideaway. So, how could I say no?!

So, I’m going to take it easy this afternoon. And just luxuriate in the knowledge that we will both be well fed this evening. And that I don’t have to lift a finger to make it happen. As much as I love to cook, I also love a break.

But not a break from wishing peace and love to all.

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

¼ c. vegetable broth (or whatever broth you have on hand) (I used chicken)

1 T. Tamari or soy sauce

4-5 crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste

1½ tsp. cornstarch 

1 T. toasted sesame oil

2-3 c. bite-sized pieces of fresh broccoli (florets and peeled stems)

1 T. sesame seeds

Whisk the garlic, veggie broth, Tamari, red pepper flakes, and cornstarch together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat the sesame oil in a skillet or wok over medium heat.  

Carefully add broccoli. Cook for about 4 minutes, stirring often to prevent burning.

Reduce heat to low. Whisk the garlic sauce again and add it to the pan. Stir well to coat broccoli.

Cook for about 3 minutes, or until broccoli is desired tenderness. (The sauce will thicken and absorb into the broccoli.)

Serve immediately garnished with sesame seeds.

SECRET SAUCE

1 part mayonnaise

1 part soy sauce or Tamari

Whisk together and serve with your favorite cooked veggies.

And BTW, this recipe is also of Chinese descent. I got the recipe from a Chinese woman with whom I worked in the 70s. Cindy was one of the best cooks I ever had the pleasure to work with. She told me this sauce was an old Chinese recipe. (Wink wink!)  

QUICK AND EASY GREEN ONION EGG FOO YOUNG  

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The egg part

The sauce

OK, this is the easiest egg foo young recipe I have ever tried. Simple to prepare with very few ingredients. But I must admit, I was a bit hesitant to try this recipe from omnivorescookbook.com for just that very reason. Because my other Egg Fu Yung recipe Shrimp or Pork Egg Fu Yung with Gravy or Sauce (and yes you can spell this Chinese egg dish several ways) calls for a lot more ingredients.

And although I love that version of one of my favorite Chinese dishes, I was in a hurry. It was getting close to dinner time, plus, I was also planning to prepare another Asian dish – Broccoli in Asian Garlic Sauce. (To be posted in a couple of days.) I just needed a couple of easy to prepare dishes to round out the meal I was serving that included 2 Chinese restaurant leftovers from the night before. You know how that is. You can’t finish all the food on the table at the restaurant. But there’s not enough left to make a small lunch, much less, a good-sized dinner. So, a couple of simple, meatless dishes would be perfect to complete the whole Chinese food dining experience again for this evening’s repast. (FYI: I could basically eat American Chinese food at least once a week. I like it that much!)   

And boy oh boy did I luck out with these 2 new recipes. And because both are better than most dishes with similar names found in Chinese restaurants (at least in our area), I am really excited to share both of these spectacular recipes with you.

So, without further ado, I give you (drum roll please) this fantastic recipe for Egg Foo Young. And I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we did.

And because I’m rather busy today cleaning house, making dessert to serve to HOA board members having their monthly meeting at our home tonight, and dinner to prepare (Savory Black Bean Chili and Buttermilk Cornbread), I better get on with my day. So, count yourself lucky. You are being spared any more rhetoric from me today.

Except, as always, peace and love to all.

For the Sauce:

½ c. chicken broth

1 T. oyster sauce  

1 T. dry sherry      

2 tsp. soy sauce  

½ tsp. granulated sugar

2 tsp. cornstarch

1 tsp. vegetable oil

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

Whisk the chicken broth, oyster sauce, dry sherry, soy sauce, sugar, and cornstarch together in a medium-sized bowl.

Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic. Sauté for about a minute or until the garlic is fragrant. 

Whisk the chicken broth mixture again to completely dissolve the cornstarch. Pour into the pan, and stir over low heat until a silky, thickened sauce is formed. Remove from heat and set aside.

For the Egg Foo Young: (perfect amount for two hungry people)

4 lg. eggs  

¼ c. finely diced red, yellow, or orange bell pepper

3 slim or 2 fat green onions, finely chopped

pinch kosher salt

pinch white pepper  

2-3 T. vegetable oil

Whisk the eggs well. Add the bell pepper, green onion, salt, and white pepper. Mix until well combined.

Heat the oil in a medium sized skillet over medium heat. Scoop 4 roughly equal portions of the egg mixture into the skillet.

Fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. You can use your spatula to help keep the egg mixture from spreading. If the egg starts to brown too fast, turn down the heat.

Remove and serve immediately topped with sauce.

  

MY FAVORITE LAMB RECIPES

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If I had my druthers (I love that word BTW), I would eat lamb more frequently. And since I am pretty much in charge of our kitchen, I could make that happen. But do I?

No. And why is that you might legitimately ask? Well, the main reason is that I fall into the same rut as some other cooks when it comes to thinking about what to serve for dinner night after night after night. I simply don’t think about serving lamb as often as I should. And of course, there is the expense involved. Lamb is more expensive than other meat. Plus, it isn’t as readily available. But that’s not a good enough justification for always thinking “chicken” or “beef” before “lamb”. Because I usually have all three in my freezer! So, I think it mainly boils down to laziness.  

Now, if I were the kind of person who made New Year’s resolutions, serving more lamb would top my list. (That and using up what I have in my freezer and pantry before the pull dates.) (There’s that lazy tendency rearing its ugly head again.)

Anyway, the list you find below enumerates the lamb dishes I love the most and plan to make again and again over the next few years. And as far as my laziness tendency is concerned, I’m working on it. That and my propensity towards impatience. I really need to work on that too! And I want it fixed – NOW!! (Wish me luck!)

Well, that’s all for today. We are going with friends (Tim and Suzie and Todd and Cindy) tonight to see and hear Kenny Barron perform at Jazz Alley. Mr. Barron is a renowned jazz pianist, composer, educator, & NEA (National Endowment for the Arts) Jazz Master. And he is still performing at 80 years young. Yeah, for that! So, it should be a grand evening spent with great friend and listening to great music. In my book, life just doesn’t get any better.

But before I let you go; I need to let you know that I have been cursed all day with an ear worm. And I thought I would share this with you to perhaps help me free myself of this odious condition. So, along with my list of favorite lamb recipes, I offer my “ear worm words” in place of the real words to My Favorite Things from The Sound of Music. Please don’t hesitate to sing or hum along.

My Favorite Things (Patti style)

Sprinkles on cookies

And aioli on fishes

Italian tomatoes in savory dishes

Chile con carne and buffalo wings

These are a few of my favorite things

Sauces and gravies

And things made with whole wheat

Bread from my oven, always a real treat

Salads with dressing, happiness brings

These are a few of my favorite things

Vegetables roasted and corn off the grill

Rare steak with mushrooms, always a thrill

Casseroles baking, and my timer that pings

These are a few of my favorite things.

When my sauce breaks

When my phone rings

When I’m feeling mad

I simply remember my favorite things

And then I don’t feel so bad

And as always, peace and love to all. (And sorry for the ear worm!)   

MY FAVORITE LAMB RECIPES

Baked Rack of Lamb with a Savory Topping

Garlic and Rosemary Roasted Rack of Lamb

Grilled Lamb Patties with Rosemary and Thyme

Grilled Lamp Patties with Tzatziki

Grilled Rosemary and Garlic Marinated Lamb Chops

Ground Lamb Meatballs in a Garam Masala Sauce

Irish Lamb Stew with Roasted Root Vegetables

Lamb Ragu with Penne Pasta

Oven Baked Lamb Chops

Oven Roasted Herb and Garlic Crusted Rack of Lamb

Palócleves (Hungarian Lamb Soup with Sour Cream)

Rack of Lamb with Kalamata-Rosemary Crust

Roasted Leg of Lamb with Garlic, Rosemary, Thyme, and Dijon Mustard

Stuffed Boneless Leg of Lamb