Category Archives: MAIN DISH RECIPES

ROASTED LEG OF LAMB WITH GARLIC, ROSEMARY, THYME, AND DIJON MUSTARD

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When my children were young, leg of lamb was a rare treat. And they loved it. They would actually argue over who got to gnaw on the bone. Seriously! But lamb has never been an inexpensive protein. And even now, when it’s just the two of us, I think twice before plopping a package in my cart. I do it of course, but because neither legs or racks are available at our local grocery stores, we have to go out of our way to make a purchase. The good news, however, is that our very own IGA right here on Camano Island carries ground lamb in the frozen foods section. So, we can at least get our lamb fix that way. (And believe me, we do!) As a side note and before I go any further, let me recommend ground lamb as a wonderful change from simple ground beef patties. I add a bit of finely chopped onion and a scant tablespoon of Montreal Steak Seasoning to a pound of ground lamb, then fry the patties in a bit of olive oil. Absolutely delicious. And a slightly less expensive way to enjoy this tasty meat. But back to this post.

Yesterday I decided to do a little research before roasting the bone-in leg of lamb in my usual manner. Since I had been using the same method for about 50 years, I decided it might be nice to change things up a bit. So, I went on-line and found this recipe on the damndelicious.net site. It immediately took my fancy because it had all the ingredients I love to use with lamb. So, I changed a couple of ingredient amounts that I felt would better suit our tastes and proceeded from there. And I must say, the lamb was perfectly seasoned. And done to perfection. It could not have been tastier.

So, if you too love lamb, I suggest you give this recipe a try next time you get a hankering for a bone-in leg of lamb. If, however, you prefer boneless leg of lamb, let me recommend my Stuffed Boneless Leg of Lamb recipe.  It is truly sensational. But regardless, if you roast a bone-in or a bone-out leg, leftovers will be perfect for Lamb Ragù with Penne Pasta or Palócleves (Hungarian Lamb Soup with Sour Cream). So many choices, so little time! Oh, and if you want to know my original recipe for leg of lamb, it’s very simple. Make plenty of deep cuts into the meat and stuff them with slivers of garlic. Then slather the whole roast with extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkle with kosher salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Then roast to desired doneness. (Still a really good way to roast lamb.)

Well, that’s about all for today. It’s Friday here on Camano Island and I feel like taking it easy. The heroin in the book I am currently reading is missing, after losing both her lover/best friend/life companion and her beloved dog on the same day 6 months prior. I simply can’t stand the suspense! I must get back and help the good folks (and hopefully not the bad guys) ferret out her location. And help her, if possible. (Perhaps I’ve been living a little too vicariously through the eyes of the characters in the books I’ve been reading. Perhaps I’ve been confined to quarters too long and need to get back into the real world again. Perhaps I’m feeling just like everyone else who is sick and tired of covid-19 and just wants it to GO AWAY! Perhaps!!)

But as always, peace and love to all.

3-4 lb. bone-in leg of lamb, trimmed of all fat

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper (quite a bit)

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1½ tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

1½ tsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves

Dry the leg of lamb with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, score* the top side of the lamb by making shallow cuts all over. (Think scoring a ham.)

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, garlic, rosemary, and thyme together.

Place the lamb on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Slather the olive oil mixture all over the lamb, rubbing it thoroughly into the scored cuts. Pour water into the pan about ½-inch deep. (This prevents drippings from spattering all over the inside of your oven as the lamb roasts. If you don’t care, or you have a housekeeper who cleans your oven, just line the pan with aluminum foil and forget the water.)

Roast in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for about 60-75 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 135-140 degrees for medium-rare. Roast longer if you must, but don’t blame me if the meat resembles shoe leather! Remember: The instant-read thermometer should be inserted into the thickest part of the meat and not touching any bone.

When done, remove from oven and let rest for at least 15 minutes before carving.

Perfect served with Mushroom Risotto with Green Onions and Peas. (Recipe coming soon to your very own computer.)  

*Starting from one end close to the bottom, cut about ⅓ of an inch into the meat in a line. Repeat making lines 1″ apart. Turn the lamb and repeat diagonally from one side to the other.

REUBEN SANDWICH CASSEROLE

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This lovely recipe comes curtesy of the vintagedishandtell.com site. Although I changed amounts here and there, some of the layering instructions, and added black pepper, Sarah’s recipe came closer to what I envisioned than any of the other on-line recipes I perused. So, Sarah is the real hero of this blog post.

The ingredients for this simple to prepare and delicious casserole can be purchased at almost any reputable grocery store. The prep time is so quick, that it is a perfect weeknight dish to serve your family. Especially for those of you poor folks who are still working. Or folks like me, who used to work for a living, but now are too tired to produce the likes of Beef Wellington followed by Baked Alaska every evening for dinner. Yah think!?!?

Now having said that I’m unable (also unwilling) to fix fancy dinners every evening, I need to step back a bit. Because in all honesty, three of the ingredients listed in this recipe I made from scratch – Homemade Sauerkraut, Thousand Island Dressing, and Sourdough Light Rye Bread with Caraway Seeds. (And yes, I actually prepared all three of these items with this casserole in mind. How’s that for good planning and follow up at the ripe old age of 76?) But just because I am crazy enough to find making everything from scratch a joy and a delight, doesn’t mean you have to follow suit. I’m sure Mr. C. would agree that one crazy cook per county is enough! And I claim Island County. So back to my original statement. You can buy the ingredients for this dish and it will still be absolutely delicious. (And a great deal less work.) And yes, all three of the recipes highlighted above are on this site.

This casserole basically tastes like a really wonderful Jewish deli Reuben sandwich. Just a lot less messy to eat. (And yes, I still miss Brenner Brothers Bakery in Bellevue. They made the best sandwiches I ever tasted.)

So as always, have fun creating wonderful food for your family. And don’t stop thinking about new and delicious ways to put everyday ingredients to use. We are lucky in that regard. Through the wonders of modern technology, there isn’t a recipe ever envisioned that someone hasn’t already thought of and posted on the internet. For which, I will forever be grateful. Takes so much less effort to prepare someone else’s beloved recipe. Or start with a recipe and afford your brain the luxury of only constructing changes rather than full on invention. I don’t know about your brain, but mine I’m sure appreciates every effort I make on its behalf.

Peace and love to all.

2 c. well drained sauerkraut

2 T. very finely chopped onion

1 T. dried parsley

½ tsp. caraway seed

freshly ground black pepper

2 c. grated Swiss cheese

2/3 c. Thousand Island dressing

½-¾ lb. thinly sliced pastrami or corned beef

2 c. cubed (¼-inch cubes) light or dark rye bread (crusts welcome)

2 T. butter, melted

Combine the sauerkraut, onion, parsley, caraway seed, and pepper in an ungreased 8 x 8-inch baking dish or equivalent sized casserole dish. (I used my French White Corningware casserole dish for this recipe.)

Top with 1/3rd of the cheese and half of the Thousand Island dressing. Layer on half of the pastrami. Spread another 1/3rd cup of the grated cheese over the top and then the remaining dressing. Add the remaining meat and sprinkle on the remaining cheese.

Toss bread cubes with melted butter and sprinkle on top of casserole. Lightly press down on the bread cubes to compact the casserole a bit.

Bake uncovered in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for about 40 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Remove from oven and allow to sit for about 5 minutes before serving.

Great served with the usual suspects – dill pickles, thick potato chips, a crispy green salad, and of course a cold dark beer!

     

CREAMY SAUSAGE, POTATO, AND SAUERKRAUT SOUP

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And now for something completely different. And no, this is not a joke recipe. It’s a real recipe and a darn good one at that! But perhaps you would find a bit of the back story interesting at this point. 

It all started with 2 heads of green cabbage. (Doesn’t it always!) One head Mr. C. had purchased from our local grocery store. The other had just arrived in our bi-weekly vegetable and salad farm box. Now one head would have been more than sufficient for the salad I had planned. But 2 heads? (So, no, 2 heads are not always better than one!) So, now what to do? Well, one thing I had always wanted to try making, but was a bit reluctant to try, was homemade sauerkraut. But really, how hard could it be to make sauerkraut? Only ingredients being cabbage and salt after all.

I’d watched my grandmother making sauerkraut in a big old ceramic crock when I was quite young. As I recall, she just layered sliced cabbage with salt and left it alone. And, if I had been particularly good that day, she would let me sprinkle on some of the salt. So, obviously fond memories had something to do with what happened next. My only concern was from a health standpoint. Would I poison us if I fermented my own cabbage? But after reading that sauerkraut is basically safe to eat at every stage of the fermentation process, I decided to give it a try.

So, before I could stop myself, I had hopped on-line and ordered a Jillmo Fermentation Jar, 2 Liter Fermentation Kit with Fermenting Weights and Airlocks, 2 Pack from Amazon. Which promised to be delivered the next day. And was. So, now I had no choice but to make sauerkraut. Which of course I did.

After carefully reading the instructions, in no time I had a jar of fermenting cabbage happily residing in my pantry. Fast forward one month, and I now had a jar of homemade sauerkraut in my refrigerator patiently waiting to be consumed. And after tasting it, I decided I had made the right choice. Homemade sauerkraut was fabulous. So, yesterday I decided enough was enough. I had to use some of my homemade sauerkraut.

I had been working on a recipe for a Reuben Sandwich casserole, but I didn’t have any pastrami in the fridge. So, I went on-line to see what other sauerkraut dishes might catch my eye. And there they were, several recipes for sauerkraut soup. And you know my passion for soups. So, after perusing several recipes, I glommed together this recipe. When we sat down to dinner, I told Mr. C. that if he hated the soup, we could always send out for pizza and I wouldn’t be in the least bit offended. But with the first bite it became obvious that we wouldn’t be ordering pizza. The soup was rich and absolutely delicious. Good to the last bite. And the best part – it had been ever so easy to build. Just a couple of vegetables to be chopped, and not a long cooking time. And so delightfully different from all the other soups I make. Mr. C. commented that it reminded him a bit of the Russian Borscht I make. (Recipe on this site, of course!) I agreed. This soup did have some of the basic borscht flavors that we both love so much.

So, if you are into trying a new soup that is different, while at the same time truly delicious, give this recipe a try. And if you ever considered making your own sauerkraut, I highly recommend that too. Easy and much better than any commercially manufactured product. And just because I love you all, you will find my homemade sauerkraut recipe below.

As always, keep having fun in your kitchen. Keep trying new and interesting recipes. And keep an open mind. One never knows when a new taste sensation will send your taste buds into their happy place. After all, avocados, chocolate, peanut butter, and even bacon were once edibles you had never before experienced. And look how well they worked out! Peace and love to all.

2 T. unsalted butter, divided

8-10-oz. smoked sausage, thinly sliced (I used Aidells Portobello & Swiss Cheese smoked chicken sausage. But kielbasa would also be wonderful.)     

1 c. chopped onion

freshly ground black pepper

2 c. sauerkraut, rinsed  

3 c. chicken stock

1 med. peeled potato, cut into ¼-inch chunks

¼ c. whole milk

¼ c. heavy cream

1 T.  Dijon mustard

¼ tsp. dill weed

¼ tsp. paprika

plain croutons, for garnish

finely diced Swiss cheese, for garnish

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned. Remove sausage and set aside.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and onion to the pan; cook until the onion is soft. Add the sauerkraut and ½ cup of chicken stock and boil until no liquid remains.

Add remaining stock. Reduce heat, add the potato, cover, and simmer until the potato pieces are tender, about 20 minutes.

Stir in the milk, cream, Dijon mustard, dill weed, paprika, and browned sausage. Bring to a boil. Adjust seasoning.

Serve with croutons and diced Swiss cheese.  

HOMEMADE SAUERKRAUT  

1 lg. head green cabbage (about 2 pounds)

4 tsp. fine sea salt

Remove any bruised or damaged exterior leaves from your cabbage, and then slice it in half crosswise. Remove the cabbage’s core, and then slice the cabbage into strips no wider than ⅛-inch thick.

Toss cabbage and salt together in a large mixing bowl and let it rest about 20 minutes, or until the cabbage begins to soften and release a little juice. Then squeeze the cabbage with your hands to soften it even further and help it to release more juice.

When the cabbage has become limp and has released ample juice, transfer it to your jar. Pack the sauerkraut tightly into your jar, using a kraut pounder or a wooden spoon, so that the cabbage continues to release its liquid and no air bubbles remain.

Continue packing the cabbage into the container until the cabbage is completely submerged in its own liquid. Place a weight over the cabbage, and then seal the jar. Allow the cabbage to ferment at room temperature and away from direct sunlight for at least 1 month or until fermented to your liking. At which time, transfer it to your fridge where it will keep for up to 1 year.

FYI: the Jillmo fermentation kit worked great. I highly recommend this product.

     

CHICKEN À LA KING

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I seem to be once again entering one of my retro food kicks. I don’t know why it is that I periodically want to revisit the 50 and 60s, but there it is. I just do.

Now I realize that Chicken à la King wasn’t invented in the 50s or 60s, but only achieved its pinnacle of popularity during those two decades. And where once you could hardly find a menu that didn’t list this lovely dish, you would be hard pressed to find a café or restaurant now that did.  And I for one do not agree that Chicken à la King should be relegated to the land of lost and forgotten dishes. Not by a long shot! It is just too delicious and easy to prepare to be dismissed so inelegantly. It deserves better treatment. Plus, it has an interesting history.

There are competing stories related to the origin of Chicken à la King. One such story is that the dish was first created in the early 1900s to honor E. Clark King II, the proprietor of the Brighton Beach Hotel. At the time, Brighton Beach, like its sister Coney Island, was considered a fashionable resort town for harried Manhattanites looking to get away from the city. Apparently, the head chef at the hotel invented the dish to serve to Mr. King and his wife. They enjoyed it so much they requested seconds. After that, Chicken à la King became an item offered on the hotel restaurant’s Bill of Fare. (Bill of Fare is English and was the standard at the time. Menu is French. Calling Bill of Fares – Menus, didn’t come into general usage in America until the 1930s when the term Bill of Fare was universally supplanted.)

Anyway, enough about the history of this dish and on to why I chose to prepare it and then why I’m passing the recipe on to you.

I love creamy comfort food. The more sauce or gravy the better as far as I’m concerned. Now, my doctor would be horrified to read this statement. Because the last thing my “filled to the brim of slimness” body needs is more calories from butter, cream, etc. But I simply refuse to live my life eating only celery sticks and low-fat cottage cheese. (Both of which I actually enjoy eating, but not as my only food source!) Plus, I am leaning more and more towards dishes that don’t take hours to prepare. Oh, they can happily burble away for hours and that’s OK. But me standing up and supervising their progress for hours – not so much. So, a recipe like this that is creamy, doesn’t call for too much prep work, and is ready for the table in under an hour is my idea of a perfect food. The fact that it is really delicious doesn’t hurt either. Or that you can serve it over biscuits, noodles, rice, or even toast. How cool is that!?!?

And as far as the health concerns, of course I take them into consideration. But I try to mitigate any problem by not over-eating. You know the old saying “moderation in all things”, well I like the logical next step in that equation too – “so long as it’s not carried to excess.”

As always, have fun in your kitchen. Don’t forget about all those wonderful dishes that you enjoyed in the past. Of course, you can always give them a bit of a new spin like I did with this recipe. But even with the changes, the good memories will still be triggered.

I don’t know about you, but I remember when times were simpler. People seemed kinder. There was less hatred and violence, and you could trust that most of your fellow citizens cared about and reflected common decency. Maybe by feeling hungry for the comfort dishes I knew and loved when I was younger, it’s my mind’s sub-conscious way of telling me that what I am truly missing isn’t the food from a bygone era. But rather a yearning for our country to put its hard feelings aside and return to a less troubled and more compassionate way of life. If that’s the case, my mind and my heart are in full accord.

Peace and love to all.    

¼ c. (½ stick) unsalted butter, divided

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 3 boneless, skinless thighs, cut into small bite sized pieces

kosher salt

8-10 thinly sliced button mushrooms

½ sm. onion, minced

½ green pepper, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 tsp. seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper

¼ tsp. dried thyme leaves

⅓ c. unbleached all-purpose flour

¼ c. dry sherry

1½ c. chicken broth

¾ c. whole milk

¼ c. heavy cream (or additional whole milk)

1 sm. (4-oz.) jar sliced pimento, well drained

½ c. frozen petite peas                                                

2 T. freshly chopped parsley

Melt half the butter in a large saucepan. Add the chicken pieces and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Fry until the chicken has cooked through and slightly browned. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoon butter to the pan and add the mushrooms. Cook until golden brown. Add the onion and green pepper; sauté until the vegetables are tender. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Stir in the seasoned salt, pepper, dried thyme, and flour; cook for another minute. Add the dry sherry and let it evaporate for about 30 seconds.

Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, milk, and heavy cream. Cook until the mixture is thickened and bubbly. Add the cooked chicken, drained pimento, frozen peas, and fresh parsley. Cook until the chicken is hot. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Great over Easy Buttermilk Biscuits. (see recipe below) Also can be served over al dente egg noodles, rice, or toasted bread.

Please note: This is an even quicker and easier recipe if you have left-over chicken or turkey. Just chop up 2-3 cups of the cooked meat and add it to the sauce along with the pimento, frozen peas, and fresh parsley.

EASY BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the board

¼ tsp. baking soda

1 T. baking powder

1 tsp. kosher salt

6 T. cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

1 c. buttermilk, or more as required

Whirl the flour, soda, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of your food processor. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the buttermilk and mix just till combined. If it appears too dry, add a bit more buttermilk. (The dough should be fairly wet.) Turn the dough out onto a floured board. Adding flour as needed, fold the dough on itself about 5 times.

Gently pat the dough to 1-inch thick. Cut the dough into large rounds and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Gently knead the scraps together and make as many biscuits as possible.

Bake in a pre-heated 450-degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until the biscuits are a light golden brown on the top and bottom. Do not overbake. Remove from oven and serve warm topped with Chicken a la King. Or allow to cool and store in an airtight container. Gently warm before serving.

Sunset. Pink clouds to the East over Port Susan Bay.
Sunset the same evening to the West over the top of our ridge. Pink to the East, orange to the West. Either way you look – absolutely gorgeous. We are truly blessed.

 

ITALIAN SAUSAGE, CANNELLINI BEAN, PASTA, AND KALE MINESTRONE

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And yes, I know. I just posted a soup recipe. But if you could look out my East facing windows, you would know why soup was most definitely on the menu again last evening. Where on a clear day we can see several snow-covered peaks in the Cascade mountain range, including Mt. Baker, the ever-changing wind patterns on Port Susan Bay, and a great expanse of sky even if there are a vast array of clouds, the last few days have been gray, misty, foggy, rainy, drizzly, socked in, etc. – basically obscuring our beautiful view. In other words, we are experiencing typical winter weather in the North Sound region. So, of course, what else should I expect? I know. I get it. But that doesn’t mean I have to like it! So, when I look outside and all I can see are wet dripping trees in my front yard, my body goes into comfort mode. And as you well know, one of my favorite comfort foods is soup.

Now, I didn’t start out to make minestrone. I don’t even like most soups calling themselves minestrone. Mr. C. doesn’t particularly like them either. I just wanted a soup with Italian sausage, cannellini beans, lots of veggies, and pasta. But by the time I finished listing the ingredients I wanted to use, it dawned on me that what I had basically created was minestrone. But my way. So, why fight it? I just told myself to build the soup and see what happens.

So last evening, we sat down to this soup and slices of Sourdough Whole-Wheat Bran Bread (recipe coming soon) that had only been out of the oven for a couple of hours. We both agreed, that call this soup what we may, it was absolutely delicious. And if this was what good minestrone tasted like, perhaps we had been missing out on a rare treat all along. Of course, we will never know. Because when we get a yearning for this soup again, this minestrone recipe is what I will use.

So, next time you get a craving for a hearty, winter soup, I advise you to prepare a big old pot of minestrone. (I still can’t believe I’m advocating making minestrone!) Anyway, just make this soup. You’ll be glad you did.

As always, never be afraid to change your opinion when you are proven wrong. Or laugh at yourself for being pig-headed over an inconsequential matter. (Like me denouncing minestrone!) Many of our prejudices (great or small) are grounded in feelings rather than facts. So, like my prejudice against minestrone soup, just let them go. Peace and love to all.

1 lb. bulk Italian sausage

2 carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery, thinly sliced

1 med. yellow onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

6 c. chicken broth, or more as needed

1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes (Italian, if possible)

2 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

scant ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 bay leaf

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1-2 c. cooked cannellini beans* (1 (15-oz.) can, drained and rinsed works too)

1 c. dry pasta (I use small elbow macaroni)

2- 3 c. loosely packed chopped kale or spinach

extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

grated Parmesan or Pecorino-Romano cheese, for garnish

Brown the Italian sausage in a large, covered soup pot or Dutch oven. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside**.  

Add the carrots, celery, and onion. Cook until the onion is tender, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Add the chicken broth, canned tomatoes including juice, dried basil, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently for 40 minutes.  

Add the cannellini beans (cooking liquid and all) and pasta. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes. Stir in the kale and cooked Italian sausage.  Cook only until the kale is wilted, about 2 minutes. Adjust seasoning. Discard bay leaf.

Serve soup drizzled with a bit of olive oil. Pass grated cheese.

*How I cook cannellini beans for this soup

1 c. dried cannellini beans, rinsed

3 c. water

½ tsp. seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 T. dehydrated onion pieces

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

Put all in a covered pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the beans are tender. Depending on the age of your dried beans, this can take 2-4 hours – or beyond. So, I start the beans well in advance of the soup itself. When the recipe calls for the beans, I pour the whole mess in the soup pot. I don’t drain the beans. The liquid itself adds flavor to the soup.

**Please note: This is a trick I learned many years ago and often use whenever I use Italian sausage or the like in a recipe. I take the Italian sausage out of the pan after I have first cooked it, because, if I left it in the soup, by the time it came time to serve the soup, there would be no flavor left in the meat. I want that burst of Italian sausage yumminess in every bite. And yes, the broth will still be delicious even without the sausage simmering away with all the other ingredients. Try it, you’ll like it Mikey!     

 

CAMANO COCK-A-LEEKIE SOUP

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OK, I expected this to be just another basic chicken soup. And it is, but not quite. It has a more complex flavor. I think it has to do with the use of a bit of dry white wine, fresh thyme, and of course the use of leeks rather than regular onions. Whatever the reason, I say – vive la difference! Because, regardless of what you name this soup, it is darned tasty.

Now for those of you who are purists, I did not include any prunes. No offence to prunes, but I just couldn’t go there. I also didn’t use rice or barley, which are more often found as the thickeners in a traditional Scottish Cock-a-leekie soup. I happen to love noodles. And in just a few rare cases, I don’t really like rice in soup. (And yes, Avgolemono is one of the rare exceptions.) And as far as barley goes, well suffice it to say, you won’t find any barley in my pantry. I simply do not care for either the slimy chewy texture or bland flavor of barley. (Any doubts how I really feel about barley?) But, of course, if you love rice or barley in soup, feel free to replace the noodles with either of these ingredients. (I will not take it personally.)

So, is this an authentic cock-a-leekie recipe? Heck no! Is it a mish-mash recipe concocted from too much research and way too much esprit de corps shown for the usual suspects in a delicious chicken soup? Heck yes! And is it worth making? You bet your last package of boneless, skinless chicken breasts it is!

Now, if you look closely, you won’t find a lot of fat in this recipe. What you will find however, is a nice assortment of veggies. So, is it a fairly healthy dish? Yes, I believe it is. And what’s more, super easy to prepare.

So, as always, think soup on cold winter days. Nothing says healthy comfort better than a big old bowl of steaming goodness. And keep looking for better days to come. We now have a vaccine and the prospects for a better year ahead. So, stay positive. We all need time to heal after the last few years. Healing takes time, courage, and forgiveness. Be the person in your family that helps make the healing transition happen. Peace and love to all.  

2 T. unsalted butter

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite sized pieces

1 tsp. seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 c. thinly sliced celery (including leaves)  

1 med. carrot, finely diced   

2 lg. leeks, white and light green parts, halved, and thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

½ c. dry white wine (I generally use Pinot Grigio)  

5-6 c. chicken stock

1 bay leaf

2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves or ½ tsp. dried thyme

2 c. broken thick egg noodles

1 tsp. lemon zest

2 T. chopped fresh parsley

chopped green onion, garnish

Heat the butter in a large heavy covered soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the chicken pieces and sprinkle evenly with the seasoned salt and pepper. Fry until the pieces are a bit browned and cooked through. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. 

Add the celery, carrot, and leeks to the pan. Cook until leeks have softened a bit, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for one minute. Add the wine and cook until almost no liquid remains. Add the chicken broth, bay leaf, and thyme. Bring to a boil, cover pan, reduce heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes, or until the carrot is tender.  

Add the egg noodles and lemon zest. Return the heat to a high simmer and cook until the pasta is al dente. Return the cooked chicken to pot, add the parsley, taste, and adjust seasoning. (Will probably need a bit of kosher salt.) Discard bay leaf.

Serve in soup bowls garnished with green onion.

    

RED HOT FRIED OYSTERS WITH LEMON-DILL TARTAR SAUCE

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And yes, these are jumbo oysters. The jars were labeled “small”. They lied. But the oysters were still delicious!

And yes, I know. I already have a great recipe for fried oysters (Southern Fried Oysters) on this site. But really, can you ever have too many great recipes for fried oysters? In my humble opinion, no, you can’t! It’s like having too many fabulous cookie recipes. That’s not possible either!

So, the other evening when we were hankering after some fried oysters, I came up with this recipe for fried oysters and a yummy new tartar sauce to serve alongside. (I was on a roll.) And we enjoyed the heck out of the briny little darlings dipped in this lovely piquant sauce.

Now I know, not everyone enjoys the taste or texture of oysters. Good, that means there’s more for us to enjoy! Because we feel that oysters are one of the greatest ways to celebrate living in the Pacific NW. Their taste is unrivaled. And thankfully, so is the nutritional value of these succulent little bivalves. They come straight from the sea chock full of essential vitamins, minerals, and organic compounds. They are an excellent source of protein, vitamin D, zinc, iron, and copper. They also contain high levels of Vitamin C, phosphorus, niacin, and riboflavin.

Now please realize, I’m not trying to talk you into becoming a fan of oysters if you are firmly in the “I hate oysters” camp. But, if you love oysters as much as we do, then I would love to have you try fixing them this way.

For years I just dipped the raw oysters in egg and then cornmeal, with a sprinkle of salt and pepper while they were sizzling away in veggie oil. Yes, they were good. But I was not allowing them to live up to their full potential. With just a few additional ingredients, oysters can jump from good to awesome.  

And yes, for you purists out there, we too enjoy eating tiny, raw oysters. But they need to be super fresh. So, the oysters we get in jars from our local grocery store are fine for frying. But I wouldn’t consider eating them raw. I save that fabulous experience for dining in reputable restaurants.

As always, keep working at improving your cooking technique. Keep finding new and interesting ways to present food to your family. And keep trying new and different recipes. Life is simply too short to eat the same food, fixed the same way, meal after meal. Of course, there are people like my husband for whom a little less variety might be desirable. (That’s the curse of being married to a recipe developer/food blogger.) But the lovely man never complains. And bless him for that. Stay safe everyone.

Peace and love to all.

½ c. buttermilk

¾ tsp. granulated garlic

¾ tsp. paprika

1 tsp. hot sauce (I use Franks RedHot Sauce)

2 10-oz. jars fresh oysters (enough for 2 people)   

½ c. cornmeal

½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

veggie oil

Whisk together the buttermilk, granulated garlic, paprika, and hot sauce in a small bowl.

Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, salt, and pepper together in a separate shallow dish.

Add the oysters to the buttermilk and let soak. Then remove, letting the excess drip off, and dredge through the cornmeal mixture, tapping off the excess.

Heat the oil in a large fry pan. Fry the oysters until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and serve with Lemon Dill Tartar (see recipe below) or your favorite tartar sauce.

Lemon-Dill Tartar Sauce

¼ c. mayonnaise

¼ c. sour cream

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 T. fresh lemon juice

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 T. dill pickle relish (or finely chopped dill pickle)

2 tsp. finely chopped red onion

Combine all the ingredients. Refrigerate until served. Can be made ahead.   

CREAMY BACON AND CHEDDAR CHEESE VEGETABLE SOUP

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Whenever I’m feeling kind of low or my arthritis is flaring up, I turn to soup. So yesterday, feeling both low and not physically at my best, I came up with this easy recipe for a cheesy vegetable soup for dinner.

Now, for those who know me personally, please don’t worry about either my mental health or my physical well-being. Every once in a while, when I read about all the morons out there who cause trouble just for the shear pleasure of doing so, their antics over-whelm me. I simply can’t understand or empathize in any way with their stupid and destructive behavior. I lose all ability to sympathize in any way with their fundamental right to be nitwits. In other words – I want to take a bucket of ice water and pour it over their heads. Or better yet, become Marshall Dillon and throw all their racist, destructive, malevolent butts in jail. And, throw away the key! I know. Tell me how you really feel, Patti!

But as much as I try to stay mad or moody or depressed, it only lasts for a day or so. Then my usual calm and equanimous nature springs back and I once again feel magnanimous towards all my fellow denizens of mother earth. (Well, most of them anyway!) And because of fast acting drugs, I can usually force my arthritis into submission within a couple of days also. So, like I said, not to worry. I’m much better today. But back to this soup.

I had some bacon that needed to be used. I also had a small green pepper on its last legs (so to speak), and some broccoli that was well past its pull date. (I know. Fresh veggies don’t come with pull dates. But if they did……) Anyway, I decided a nice hearty vegetable soup would be just what the doctor ordered. But not too healthy. Considering my mood and joint pain, I felt in need of comfort. And of course, felt I well deserved it too. Mr. C. offered to either cook dinner or go pick something up, but I had been inactive all day. And as I am fond of saying, busy hands are happy hands. (No, I don’t always say that. But it has always worked out that way for me!) So, to the kitchen I proceeded.

And after spending all of an hour plotting, planning, hacking, slashing, cooking, and simmering, dinner was on the table. And I felt better. Not only about the state of the world, but my arthritis seemed to have taken the hint and faded into the background.    

So, if you too have days when life seems more difficult than usual, may I take this opportunity to recommend soup. There is just something about a big old bowl of soup that fairly screams “it’s going to be OK”!

As always, treasure the good times, work through the rough patches, and don’t let others influence your feelings of joy and happiness. Peace and love to all.

6 oz. meaty thick bacon, cut into small pieces

1 carrot, shredded

2 celery stalks, thinly sliced

½ med. onion, finely chopped

1 green pepper, finely diced

3 lg. garlic cloves, finely minced

freshly ground black pepper

3 c. water

2 tsp. chicken base (I use Better Than Bouillon Chicken base)

dash hot sauce, such as Frank’s RedHot Sauce

2 c. chopped broccoli (I cut the broccoli into small bite-sized pieces)

2 T. flour

1 c. milk   

1 sm. (4 oz.) jar sliced pimentos, drained 

2 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese, or more to taste

¼ c. loosely packed fresh parsley

Fry the bacon in a large, covered soup pot until crisp. Remove the bacon leaving about tablespoons of the grease in the pan. Add the carrot, celery, onion, and green pepper; cook until the onion is soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the black pepper, water, chicken base, and hot sauce. Cover the pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the broccoli and cook for a couple minutes or until crisp tender.  

Whisk the flour and milk together. Add to the pot and stir until the soup is bubbling and thick. Add the sliced pimentos, cheddar cheese, cooked bacon, and parsley. Let simmer for a minute, then remove from heat. Stir until the cheese melts completely. Taste and adjust seasoning.

 

STEAK DIANE

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And yes, any food blogger worth her or his salt would have cleaned up the plate before taking a picture. Obviously photography is not my passion. Eating is!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

I don’t know about you, but I’m very glad to see the last of 2020. OK, I know, we mostly all feel the same way, but I disdain generalities, so I thought I’d start 2021 on a good footing. And no, it’s not my New Year’s resolution to abstain from making generalities. It’s more of a realization that defining someone or something in general terms rather than being specific to the individual or situation, is ultimately unfair. Am I no longer a vital and contributing member of society because I’m over 75? Am I a better citizen because I’m not in a racial minority? Am I a more learned or intelligent person because I’m a democrat rather than a republican? Heck no to all those questions! So, if I were to come even close to setting myself up for failure by making a New Year’s resolution, it would be to begin each day by simply trying to be a better person. Of course, that would be cheating because I start every day by giving myself a little lecture on that very subject. Some days it works better than others. Some days my good angel wins. But more often than I would like, my little devil (who is terribly cute with his little reptilian tail and pitchfork) wins the day. But I’m still hopeful that the little angel will win out in the end. So, what does all this have to do with Steak Diane? Not a great deal. But enough to make me choose to celebrate 2020 rather than cast it aside without fanfare. And how do I celebrate any special occasion? With wonderful food, of course! Thus, Steak Diane for dinner. BTW, it is believed that the name “Steak Diane” is of Roman origin. After the Roman goddess, Diana or Diane.  

But before we got to dinner, there just had to be appetizers and a drink. So, at around 4:00 pm, that’s how our evening began. (See picture below.)

Starting back left – red onion, capers, lemon zest and juice, salt, and pepper mixed with cream cheese to spread on crackers topped with smoked salmon. Next Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts, pitted castelvetrano olives, and Blue Cheese, Cream Cheese, and Date Spread.

Steak Diane didn’t happen until about 8:00 pm. Speaking of which………….

I found this wonderful recipe for Steak Diane on the coctione.com site. The recipe appealed to me instantly because it contained every single ingredient I felt would compliment a beautiful steak. I followed the recipe to a tee. (Something that rarely happens.) And I’m so glad I did. What a fantastic combination of flavors. And simple instructions for a sauce that ends up better than almost anything I ever tasted in a restaurant. And speaking of restaurants, apparently in the 1950s and early 60s, especially in New York city, upscale restaurants prepared this dish table side, with its theatrics arising from the flambéing of the cognac used to make the sauce.

Well, I must tell you, while I was preparing this dish, Mr. C. was enjoying his before dinner Spanish sparkling wine (cava) while observing my every move as I prepared this dish. Even the part where I almost started a conflagration when I set fire to the cognac. (And yes, some of our acquaintances, like our dear friend Jim, can flambé with panache. Me, not so much. But I’m learning. The hard way, of course.) Anyway, Mr. C. found it entertaining. (Got to keep our spouses riveted. But burning down our home might have been a little too riveting. Yah think! But thank God, that didn’t happen.)

Anyway, to make a short story long, the next time you want to celebrate a special occasion, I would recommend preparing this dish. It is really fantastic. We both decided that this dish might just become a New Year’s Eve tradition. It’s just that good!

As always, keep astounding yourself by trying something new. And it doesn’t have to be by preparing a new dish. It could be by learning a new language. Or learning to ski. Or taking up origami. Life is so darn short. Don’t waste it by wondering what if? Just do it! And more than ever – peace and joy and love to all.   

2 T. canola oil

2 1-inch (at least) thick tenderloin or filet mignon steaks

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1½ c. beef stock

2 T. unsalted butter

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 sm. shallot, minced

½ c. thinly sliced fresh mushrooms

¼ c. cognac or brandy

¼ c. heavy cream

1 T. Dijon mustard

1 T. Worcestershire sauce

dash hot sauce, such as Bob’s Red Hot

1 T. minced fresh parsley

1 T. minced fresh chives

Heat the oil in a 12″ skillet over medium-high heat. Liberally season the steaks with salt and pepper. Add to skillet. Fry, turning once, until browned on both sides and cooked to desired doneness, about 4 to 5 minutes for medium-rare. (Depending on how “medium-rare” you like your steaks, the internal temperature should read anywhere from 130 -145 degrees.) Transfer steaks to a plate; set aside.

Return skillet to high heat, add stock, and reduce the broth to ½ cup, about 10 minutes. Pour into a bowl and set aside.

Return the skillet to heat, and add butter, garlic, and shallots. Cook, stirring, until soft, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, and cook, stirring, until they begin to brown, about 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat.

Add cognac, and light with a match or fire stick to flambée; cook until flame dies down. Please note: The cognac flames will shoot up about 15-16 inches when torched. So be very, very careful.)

Return pan to heat and stir in the reduced stock, cream, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Let burble and start to thicken before returning steaks to the skillet.

Steak just returned to the sauce.

Turn the steaks in the sauce until warmed through and the sauce is thickened, about 4 minutes. Transfer steak to serving plates and stir parsley and chives into sauce. Pour sauce over steaks to serve.

I served the steak with creamy mashed potatoes and my Roasted Beets, Candied Pecans, and Feta Cheese Salad with Balsamic Vinegar Dressing. Yum

BOURBON, BROWN SUGAR, AND DIJON MUSTARD GLAZED HAM

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One of my favorite Christmas day dinner menus begins with a spiral cut half ham. Including ham on the menu reduces my work by a considerable amount. And after playing Mrs. Santa for a month, and therefore tired of baking, shopping, wrapping, sending, delivering, cooking something special for Christmas eve etc., etc., this old gal is ready for a break on Christmas day. So, what can be easier or more delicious than a big old ham for the Christmas dinner entrée? Nothing I know of, that’s for sure.

So, when it was going to be just the two of us at table this Christmas, we decided a 10-pound ham was not out of the question. After all, we could always pawn some off on our neighbors Mark and Vicki. And then there was scrambled eggs with chopped ham, green onion, and sharp cheddar cheese for breakfasts for the next 6 weeks. And of course, Navy Bean Soup. And leftover ham freezes beautifully. So, it made good sense at the time.

In retrospect, it may not have been my best idea since we still don’t have a new freezer even after waiting for over 9 months! But I think there’s still a bit of room in our garage refrigerator/freezer. So, it should be OK. But I sure don’t regret fixing the ham with this new glaze recipe. It made for some pretty-fine eating. Not overly sweet. Just a perfect combination of flavors.

So, next time you want to serve guests (you remember the good old days of having company for dinner, right?), think about serving ham with this glaze.

I don’t know about you, but I only think about ham for holiday dinners. Why is that? It’s a wonderful pork product. So as soon as it’s once again safe to entertain, I plan to have a big old dinner party, and you can bet your last package of pork rinds, the star of the show is going to be ham!

Speaking of which, the ham bone that is currently in residence in our refrigerator is calling to me. Along with some dried Navy beans, an onion, and a few stalks of celery, I hear my name being bantered about in the kitchen by a few of the main soup ingredients. So, I better end this post and get my own butt in gear. There is soup to be made. (And ingredients to appease!)

As always, have fun in your kitchen. Experiment with different flavor combinations, and if something doesn’t work, don’t get discouraged.

If you only knew how many times my cooking experiments weren’t successful. But, of course, you couldn’t possibly know because you will never find my less than sterling attempts on this site. Simply know that in many cases, to achieve a great dish, there have been a succession of modifications along the way. But when I do find that magic combination that makes my taste buds sing, that’s what makes cooking so fun for me! May it be the same for you. Peace and love to all.

9-10 lb. spiral sliced half ham (butt end if possible*)

¼ c. (½ stick) unsalted butter

½ c. brown sugar, packed

3 T. Dijon mustard

3 T. bourbon

¼ tsp. ground cloves

freshly ground black pepper

Remove the ham from packaging and let sit 1 hour before proceeding. (If the ham comes with a glaze packet, throw it away.) Wrap the ham tightly in foil and bake approximately 10 minutes per pound in a pre-heated 325-degree oven.

Meanwhile, melt the butter and whisk in the brown sugar, mustard, bourbon, ground cloves, and black pepper.

Remove ham from oven, carefully remove the foil, and spread about ¾ of the glaze over the entire ham. Pull apart the ham slices and slather the glaze between the slices too. Place ham back in the oven and let bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Slather the remaining glaze over the top and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the glaze is slightly brown and crispy.

Remove from oven, tent loosely with foil, and let sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

*I prefer the butt end of a ham. But most of the time the butt end and shank end aren’t marked on the package. The meat on the shank end (leg portion) tends to be leaner. The meat on the butt end is more tender and fatty which results in a richer flavor. But when push comes to shove, I purchase what’s available. And butt or shank end, I’m never disappointed.