MIXED NUT AND DRIED FRUIT GRANOLA

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Included in our Christmas package from daughter Ursala, was a special gift for Mr. C. His own package of granola. (He shared his granola with me, so I let him live. Smart guy that he is!) Anyway, the granola was over-the-top delicious. So I asked for the recipe. (Well, of course I did!)

Now I know what you’re thinking – “Patti, you’ve already posted two granola recipes on this site”. True enough. But if you and your family are anything like me and mine, well granola as part of a well-balanced and hearty breakfast is a must. And who doesn’t like variety in their food selection, especially in cereal?

Now for those of us in the baby boomer (and older) generation, a big old bowl of granola might add too many calories if accompanied by toast, egg, and a breakfast meat. But for someone like myself, who is trying to be good, a delicious breakfast of a plain piece of toasted grain and seed bread, topped with 2 over-easy eggs, a chicken sausage patty about the size of an Oreo cookie, a quarter cup of homemade granola with a small amount of fresh fruit and a quarter cup of vanilla yogurt is only about 500 calories. And I’m telling you, there is no way I am ever going to be hungry before lunch when I start my day with this high in protein and fiber breakfast. I truly look forward to a small variation of this breakfast menu every morning. OK, not as much as my cup of coffee and the newspaper, but it’s next on my list.

And yes, I know there are some really good granolas that can be purchased at your local grocery emporium. But they come at a price – a very high price! And while homemade granola isn’t exactly inexpensive to make, you sure as heck get a better return for your hard earned dollars! Plus, you have control over the quality of the ingredients. Which, in case you haven’t already deduced, is the main reason, along with eliminating ingredients with names that I can’t pronounce from my diet, that I am such an advocate of home cooking.

OK, off your soap box Patti. After all, it is clearly pointless to attempt to convert those who by their very interest in this recipe have already demonstrated a love of home cooking. (Maybe someday I will learn not to “preach to the choir”. But alas, that day has yet to come. Sorry!)

Thanks again darling Ursala for the granola. 

  • ½ c. + 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ c. honey
  • ¾ tsp. vanilla
  • 1¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp. ground nutmeg
  • 1 tsp. fine-grain sea salt
  • 4 c. oats
  • 3 c. nuts (slivered or whole almonds, pecans, cashews, hazelnuts)
  • 2 c. unsweetened coconut
  • 2 c. chopped dried fruit, such as dates, cherries, apples, apricots, blueberries, etc.

Whisk together the olive oil, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl. Add the oats, nuts, and coconut.  Spread evenly on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. (Don’t wash the bowl yet.)

Bake in a 325 degree oven until lightly browned, about 25-30 minutes. Stir once or twice during the baking. (Watch carefully, as coconut and nuts can burn easily.) Remove from oven and scoop back into the mixing bowl. Add the chopped dried fruit. Stir to combine. Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container. Based on a Michael Symon recipe.

 

NAVY BEAN AND SMOKED HAM HOCK SOUP

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And yes I know I recently posted a recipe for Navy Bean Soup. I’m not getting forgetful, but I really wanted Navy bean soup for dinner last evening, but I wanted a slightly different flavor for the broth. So I concocted this recipe based on my original recipe. (Life is never dull in the Carr household!) I also wanted to use up some kale I had in the fridge.

Having used kale in other bean soup recipes, I felt no reluctance to add it to this recipe. In fact I am using kale so much these days, that if a dish doesn’t contain kale, Mr. C. starts to get worried! (Always like to keep him on his toes!)

So if you crave a bean soup with a kind of new flavor sensation, give this recipe a try. The addition of a bit of tomato paste, some smoked paprika, and kale gives this wonderful old standard a lift up into the 21st century. It’s like changing a song from a waltz to a bossa nova. Or plain scrambled eggs into an omelet. Nothing wrong with the original, but the change is more than welcome too. Enjoy!

  • 1 qt. chicken stock
  • 1 qt. water
  • 1 smoked ham hock
  • 2 c. navy beans, washed and drained*
  • 1 T. tomato paste
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 carrot, chopped into fairly small pieces
  • 1 c. chopped celery, including the leaves
  • ¼ c. minced fresh parsley
  • 2 minced garlic cloves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 tsp. dried marjoram
  • 2 tsp. seasoned salt
  • 1 tsp. dried thyme
  • 1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary or ½ tsp. dried
  • ½ tsp. smoked paprika
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 c. finely chopped massaged curly kale

Combine all ingredients except the kale in a heavy covered pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover pot, and cook until the beans are very tender, about 2 hours. After 90 minutes, remove the ham hock, let cool, and separate the meat from the bone and fatty tissue. Chop or shred the meat and add it back to the pot along with the chopped kale. Remove bay leaves and adjust the seasoning. Simmer soup for about 15 minutes or until the kale is wilted and tender. Great served with a good hearty bread or crusty baguette.   

*For this recipe, beans do not need to be pre-soaked.

GF BLUEBERRY CREAM CHEESE MUFFINS

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OK, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – I am not a muffin lover. But, and isn’t there always a but, these muffins are delicious. My friend Peggy described them as having a consistency reminiscent of angel food cake, but not quite as soft. And the nice little crunch provided by the sprinkling sugar just adds to the overall appeal. And blueberries, who doesn’t love blueberries? One of those guilty pleasures that is actually really, really good for you. Did I mention that these babies are really, really tasty?

Now the original recipe I found on Mel’s Kitchen website did not call for GF flour. But my friend Marsha, who suffers from celiac disease, turned me on to Cup4Cup, her favorite GF flour. She uses it in place of regular flour with amazing results. So I decided for my JazzVox brunch yesterday, I would give Cup4Cup a go in this recipe. And of course what usually happens when I think I am doing the right thing like offering up a GF dish, I read the very next day that I am playing into the hands of people who may be harming themselves by adopting a GF lifestyle. (I really can’t win!) 

According to Peter Green, MD, director of the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University, “The gluten-free diet is a trendy diet. It will save someone’s life if they have celiac disease, but its role in the general public is nonexistent. Many people who go on a gluten-free diet do so for “bogus reasons.”

So now what do I do? Throw the muffins out as not to pander to someone’s uninformed idea of what is good for them? Or do I simply serve the muffins knowing that they are delicious and who the heck cares anyway if they are made from something other than wheat flour? I tell you – it ain’t easy keeping up with everyone’s food allergies, likes and dislikes, vegetarianism, veganism, etc. etc. It’s like checking out alternate facts! What the heck is an alternate fact anyway? Isn’t a fact a fact? Has the dictionary definition (a thing that is indisputable) changed over the last 3 weeks? Should I start preparing alternate recipes in case we happen to find ourselves in an alternate universe? A universe without basil, for example. (God forbid!)  

Anyway, the thing to know is that these muffins are wonderful. They are easy to prepare, and regardless of whether or not you use GF flour or “the real thing”, you are going to be very happy with me for turning you on to this recipe. Enjoy the muffins my friends and thank you Mel for this amazing recipe.

  • 8 oz. (1 pkg.) cream cheese, room temperature
  • 4 T. (½ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1½ c. granulated sugar
  • 2 lg. eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 c. Cup4Cup GF flour (or your favorite GF flour or if necessary, regular unbleached flour)
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • ¼ tsp. baking soda
  • ¼ tsp. fine sea salt  
  • ½ c. buttermilk
  • 2 c. fresh blueberries
  • sprinkling sugar, opt.

Cream the cream cheese, butter, and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk; mix until well-combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the cream cheese mixture and mix just until combined. Do not over-mix. Gently stir in the blueberries.

Using a medium sized ice cream scoop, plop dough into 2 – 12 cup paper lined muffin tins. Top each muffin with a light sprinkling of sprinkling sugar. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 14-16 minutes or until the tops spring back lightly to the touch and the bottoms are a nice golden brown. Don’t overbake.  

Remove the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in a covered container at room temp. or in the refrigerator for several days.

Thanks to the Mel’s Kitchen website for this delicious recipe. Makes 24 muffins.   

BROCCOLI SLAW

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I’ve decided that I am going to lose weight! I am making this declaration because I know I am not the only one facing advancing weight gain that seems to go hand in hand with advancing age. My overweight issues are simple. I’m over 70, have arthritis, take medications that encourage my body to gain weight, and have absolutely no self-control when it comes to food. Now, the age thing, arthritis, and required medication I can’t do anything about. The self-control – well, that’s what I really need to focus on. And really, the wisdom that is supposed to come with age seems to have happened in certain areas. But when it comes to food, wisdom seems to have skipped the “moderation in all things” arena entirely! So that leaves the problem of getting my weight back down to a reasonable level, entirely by the application of determination and the desire to see my toes again!

Now I’m not talking about being 128 pounds (college weight) again. I’m talking about being a healthy weight for a woman of my age and body type. It’s really a self-imposed weight that I feel is reasonable. After all, I have always known that I simply was not designed to be svelte. I came in what I refer to as the “European peasant-body model”. (No offence to European peasants intended.) So I’m never going to be skinny, but my greatest hope is not to be considered “filled to the brim of slimness” either.

So why all this rhetoric about weight? Well it’s just to let you know that I will be trying harder to bring you more recipes that are lower in calories, fat, salt, and everything that makes food taste wonderful. (Just kidding about the “makes food taste wonderful” part.) Tasty food will always be my number one priority.

So, with healthy, low calorie, and delicious food in mind, I offer this not-so faithful adaption of a recipe I found on the Smitten Kitchen site. (Love that site BTW.)  

  • 1 head of broccoli (with stems*), thinly sliced
  • 1 carrot, shredded
  • 1 celery stalk, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced
  • 1/3 c. finely chopped red or white onion
  • 1/3 c. slivered almonds
  • 1/3 c. dried cranberries
  • ¼ c. low-fat buttermilk
  • ¼ c. light mayonnaise
  • 1 T. cider vinegar
  • ½ tsp. sugar
  • ½ tsp. seasoned salt
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 tsp. Mrs. Dash
  • freshly ground black pepper (not very much)

Combine the broccoli, carrot, celery, onion, almonds, and dried cranberries in a bowl. Whisk the buttermilk, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, seasoned salt, kosher salt, Mrs. Dash, and pepper together and pour over the broccoli mixture. Toss well and adjust seasoning. (Try not to eat all the salad before anyone else gets at least a bite!) Refrigerate at least 2 hours before you plan to serve. (Good luck waiting that long!)

*Peel stems before slicing.

CORNED BEEF HASH BREAKFAST SCRAMBLE

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So, here it is the day after St. Patrick’s Day and you have a big old hunk of left over corned beef staring at you every time you open your refrigerator. You already know that Reuben sandwiches are in your near future, but what to do with the rest is still nagging at you from the edges of your organized mind. Well, I have the perfect solution to your quandary. Make hash!

Now, you need to know that I love corned beef. So when I go to the bother of braising corned beef, I don’t stop with just one brisket. I usually braise 2 at a time. And yes I do mean braise. The term “braise” means (at least to me) taking a less-tender cut of meat (often beef) and slowly (low heat over a long period of time) cooking it partially covered with a liquid until tender. (Think pot-roast.) And especially with corned beef, the result of braising rather than boiling is significant. Boiling seems to draw all the flavor out of the meat, while braising seems to impart the flavor of the herbs and spices, while at the same time allowing the meat to obtain a very pleasant firm but tender texture. (Boiling alone seems to make for a loose texture that I personally find less desirable.)

But back to this scramble.

The only time Mr. C. and I eat breakfast out is when we are traveling. And why – well – breakfast is easy to fix, and I have control over everything from the amount of salt and fat used, to the quality of the eggs. But breakfasts can become a bit tedious. So every once in a while I like to replace our usual over-easy eggs with an egg dish that surprises our taste buds. And that’s just what happened this morning when I served up some of this scramble. My taste buds were on full alert because this dish was so yummy. Even Mr. C., who, if never presented with another potato, except in the form of French fries, had to agree that this scramble was mighty fine. (He even had seconds!)

So if you too would like to serve a new and different taste treat for breakfast some morning, give this recipe a try.

If you would like to check out additional corned beef recipes, including a recipe for a killer Rueben Sandwich, search under “corned beef” on this site.

Lastly, don’t even think of using canned corn beef in this recipe. You would be visited by three spirits, all of whom would look just like me! And each one would be even more unpleasant than the ones that visited Ebenezer Scrooge!

(On a friendlier note – check out the picture at the end of this post. Max, on the left, and Miles next to my computer, helping me write yesterday’s post. So nice to have office help.)

  • 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 unpeeled russet potatoes, cut small dice
  • 2 T. unsalted butter
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 c. diced baked corned beef (see recipe below)
  • 8 lg. eggs
  • ½ c. milk
  • 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • ¼ tsp. seasoned salt
  • 1 T. chopped fresh parsley leaves, opt.

Whisk the olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper together in a medium sized bowl. Pat the diced potato pieces dry and add to the bowl; stir until potato pieces all covered with a thin coating or oil. Place potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet lightly coated with cooking spray. Bake in a pre-heated 450 degree oven for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. (Use convection if available.) Remove from oven and set aside.

Meanwhile melt the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the onion and red pepper and fry, stirring often, until onion becomes translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the corned beef and fry, stirring frequently, until slightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the reserved potatoes.

While the hash is frying, whisk the eggs, milk, Worcestershire sauce, and seasoned salt together and pour over the hash.  

Reduce heat and stir gently lifting the mixture off the bottom of the pan and flipping until the egg mixture is set. Serve immediately garnished with parsley.

Note: Before you add the egg mixture, the hash can be frozen. It freezes beautifully.

CORNED BEEF

  • 2 lg. bay leaves, torn into tiny pieces
  • 1 tsp. black pepper corns
  • 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp. coriander seeds
  • ½ tsp. mustard seeds  

Combine bay leaves, pepper corns, red pepper flakes, coriander, and mustard seeds along with the little packet of spices that comes with the corned beef. Set aside.

Place brisket in a large covered Dutch oven. Pour 2 cups of water into the pan along with 1/3rd of the spice mix. (The spices should be in the water.) Cover Dutch oven with lid and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 1 hour. After 1 hour, use your sucky upy (my term for a turkey baster) to drain/suck the water from around the corned beef.* Add 2 cups fresh water, another third of the spice mix and cover. Bake another hour. After second hour, drain and replace water and add the last of spices. And you guessed it, bake for another hour, or until the brisket reaches an internal temperature of 175 degrees and is fork tender. Remove from oven, place on a platter, and let rest at least 45 minutes before cutting into small cubes.  Note: This way of cooking corned beef results in a very flavorful tightly grained but tender meat. Perfect for hash. Great for sandwiches too.

*An alternate method for changing the water is to remove the corned beef from the pan and simply pour off the water.

 

 

MEATLOAF WITH STROGANOFF SAUCE

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I think I mentioned in one of my recent posts that we had purchased some grass fed beef. (Lovely, BTW.) Because I don’t particularly enjoy cooking or eating cuts of meat that are terribly fatty, like chuck steak or chuck roast for example, I asked the butcher to grind most of these types of cuts into – you guessed it – ground beef. So when you look in my freezer you will find lots of 1 lb. packages of this amazing ingredient. So featuring ground beef for dinner has become quite frequent in the Carr household. And since I almost always like to gussy things up a bit, I thought a nice meatloaf topped with a sumptuous gravy would be perfect to serve on a cold winter night. (Plus I knew there would be leftover meatloaf.  And we absolutely adore meatloaf sandwiches when made with multi grain wheat bread, a tiny smear of mayonnaise, a good dollop of ketchup, a modicum of mustard, a very thin slice of onion, some lettuce, a tomato slice or two, and sliced dill pickle. If feeling extravagant, a thin slice of sharp cheddar cheese is always welcome too.) But back to this recipe. (But do try my idea of a perfect sandwich if you ever find yourself with leftover meatloaf in the refrigerator.)

As I was considering how I could change the meatloaf up a bit, I thought about stroganoff. We both love stroganoff. And ground beef is not much more than steak that has been previously tenderized. So why wouldn’t a stroganoff sauce be perfect? And indeed, why not? So I prepared one of my usual meatloaf recipes, and while it and a potato were happily baking away in the oven, I went to work on the sauce.

Now I’ve been making stroganoff for well over 40 years. So creating the sauce recipe was easy. What was difficult was realizing that I should have been serving this combination for well over 40 years too! Where was my head when I was trying to come up with wonderful, economical, reasonably quick dinners for my children after a full day of work? And then realizing how much money I could have saved by making a meatloaf rather than purchasing a pricey cut of beef for the stroganoff. Plus with meatloaf, I could have hidden veggies and a scoop of my ever present secret ingredient – wheat germ! Like I said, where was my head?

Well in my defense, I was a little busy during those years. Plus, if a recipe didn’t appear in one of my cookbooks, I certainly didn’t have the time for inventive cooking. But I do now. So my hope is that this recipe will help you if you are facing time or budget restraints but still desire the wonderful taste of a delectable stroganoff.

And please do me a favor. If you have beef recipes that you cherish, but don’t have the time or financial resources to prepare them per your recipe, let me know. I will see if I can figure out how they can be prepared using ground beef. Please – I need your help. I’m drowning in the stuff and I’m running out of ideas. Thank you.

Meatloaf:

  • 2 T. chopped dehydrated onion
  • 1 T. dried parsley
  • 1 tsp. granulated garlic
  • 1 tsp. Montreal Steak Seasoning (comes in bulk in the dried herbs and spices section)
  • 1 tsp. seasoned salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ tsp. dried savory
  • ½ c. dry bread crumbs (I use the Italian bread crumbs – also comes in bulk at many grocery stores)
  • 2 eggs
  • ¼ c. milk
  • 1 lb. bulk sausage
  • 1 lb. not so lean ground beef
  • paprika

In a large mixing bowl combine the onion, parsley, garlic, Montreal Seasoning, salt, pepper, savory, bread crumbs, eggs, and milk. Stir in the sausage and then the ground beef. (I use a table knife for this purpose.) Form into 2 rectangular loaves. Place on a rimmed baking pan and bake for 1 hour in a pre-heated 350 degree oven. Remove from oven and let sit for at least 10 minutes. Slice and serve topped with Stroganoff Gravy and lightly sprinkled with paprika.

Stroganoff Sauce:

  • 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ c. chopped onion
  • 10-12 button mushrooms, sliced
  • ½ tsp. dried thyme
  • pinch kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp. beef base
  • 1 c. sour cream

Heat the olive oil. Add the onion and mushrooms; cook until the onion is translucent and the mushrooms slices are starting to brown. Whisk in the thyme, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and beef base. Bring just to a boil. Add the sour cream and once again, bring just to a boil. Remove from heat and serve over slices of the meatloaf.

 

MULLIGATAWNY (INDIAN CHICKEN CURRY SOUP)

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This recipe came to me via an Epicurious request from a reader. When I saw the recipe I nearly hit my head on the ceiling jumping for joy. Because this was (and still is) my favorite chicken curry soup. And the reason I was so excited? Because, now at long last, I could make my favorite Indian restaurant’s soup anytime my little old heart desired. And that restaurant is Shamiana Restaurant in Houghton (Kirkland) Washington. If you live in the Seattle area and have not had the pleasure of dining at this wonderful restaurant, I suggest you give it a try in the near future. But back to the soup.

This soup is not only easy to make, but once you acquire the spices, fairly economical to prepare. And as I have preached in the preface to many of my recipes, even the spices are economical if you buy them in bulk. And yes, I know – those darling little glass spice jars look so becoming in your kitchen cabinet. But dear readers, once you start using herbs and spices with shear abandon, which incidentally is what I hope you do, you will find that those little jars don’t really hold very much. And unless you are a descendant of the late John D. Rockefeller, and therefore have money to burn, that’s exactly what you are doing when you remove one of those tiny spice jars from the grocery store shelf and place it in your cart. You might as well take a $20 bill out of your wallet and set fire to it right there in the grocery store! But again, back to the soup.

I served this soup, along with three others, at the before concert meal for a recent JazzVox concert. But while I was considering this soup to be one of the available options, I frankly was concerned that Mulligatawny might be just a little bit too exotic for some people’s taste. Well after all these years, I should have known better! By and large, the people who attend our in-home concerts have as great an appetite for unfamiliar and different food as they do for fabulous vocal jazz. So needless to say, despite my uneasiness regarding serving this soup, it was very popular.

So next time you experience a burning desire for chicken soup, but want to challenge the arbitrary boundaries you have set on what constitutes said dish, make a pot of this delicious soup. You will soon learn that there is more to chicken soup than you ever imagined!  

Oh, and BTW – if you do decide to burn your money in a grocery store, please do not tell the authorities that is was because of my suggestion. I greatly appreciate your lack of candor in this regard. Thank you very much.

  • ¼ c. vegetable oil
  • 3-4 chicken breasts, finely diced and seasoned with salt, pepper, and a small amount of turmeric
  • 3 c. chopped onion
  • 1 lg. or 2 small carrots, finely diced
  • 1 celery stalk, finely diced
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2-3 T. garam masala
  • 1 T. ground coriander
  • 1 tsp. turmeric
  • ½ tsp. cayenne
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 tsp. kosher
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1½ c. dried red lentils, washed
  • 8 c. chicken stock
  • 1 c. unsweetened coconut milk
  • 2-3 T. fresh lemon juice
  • 2 c. cooked basmati rice, opt.*
  • lemon wedges

Heat oil in a heavy large covered soup pot over medium heat. Add the chicken and sauté until just done. Remove from pan and set aside. Add onions, carrot, and celery; cook until onion is a light golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. (You want the onions slightly caramelized.) Add garlic and sauté 2 minutes. Add garam masala, coriander, turmeric, cayenne, bay leaves, salt, and pepper; stir for 1 minute. Add lentils; stir until coated. Add chicken broth. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until lentils are very tender, about 30 minutes. Remove bay leaves and add coconut milk, fresh lemon juice, and reserved chicken. Cook for about a minute or until all the ingredients are hot. Adjust seasoning.

If you like rice in your soup, place a small amount in the bottom of a soup bowl. Ladle soup over and squeeze some fresh lemon over top.

*I wrote cooked rice as an optional ingredient, because in our house only one of us likes rice in his Mulligatawny. I prefer my soup without rice. Vive la différence!

Thanks Shamiana for this delightful recipe. And please pardon the changes.  

 

 

OLD FASHIONED SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS

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Every once in a while, all I want for dinner is a big old plate of spaghetti and meatballs. And when the urge hits me, I fix this recipe.

I have been making this sauce and these meatballs for decades. This was one of my standby recipes when my children were young, because they all loved it, spaghetti was fairly economical to make, nutritious, and I enjoyed preparing it. (And yes, even after work!) So not only is this spaghetti delicious, it brings back wonderful memories.

It was also one of the recipes I fixed when after a long weekend morning of cleaning the house, doing 43 (or so it seemed) loads of laundry, and working in the yard, I would get a wild hair about 2:00 pm to have company for dinner! (Dear God, what was I thinking?) So I would pick up the phone and call our dear friends and invite them over. Then off to the store, back home, start some bread, make this dish, cut up greens for a salad, throw some brownies together, put the box of wine in the refrigerator along with some Miller beer, and Bob’s your uncle! Where I ever got the energy for those kind of days I will never know! My only excuse is that I was young and didn’t know any better.

Now that I’m a wee bit older and definitely a whole lot smarter, I have to plan company dinners down to a gnat’s eyelash. I go so far as to prepare comprehensive excel spreadsheets, complete with time tables that reflect any and all tasks that can be done ahead of time. (Many would call it being anal-retentive; I call it being prepared!) Some would even go so far as to blame it on my age! And they would be right! I simply can’t work as fast or as long as I did in my thirties. Regardless – I can still do it, and that’s what matters.

So if you too love spaghetti and it’s a nostalgic part of your past, call, text, email, twitter, or whatever!?!? your friends and invite them over for dinner. And no, you don’t have to go so far as to serve them box wine, although I’ve been told they are making some really good box wines these days. (There are just some food and drink items from our past that should stay relegated to the very back recesses of our brains. For example: I have my memory of boxed white wine safely filed away between Annie Green Springs and Ripple in the back part of my brain. And I can’t even remember where I stashed my memory of Singapore Slings, but I sincerely hope that wherever it is, it stays hidden for the rest of my life!)

Oh, BTW, it’s OK if you don’t have wonderful memories of spaghetti and meatballs. It’s never too late to begin making your own nostalgic memories. Have fun!

Meatballs:

  • ½ c. finely chopped onion
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 2 T. chopped fresh parsley
  • ½ tsp. ground savory
  • ½ tsp. dried thyme leaves
  • ½ tsp. seasoned salt
  • ¼ tsp. paprika
  • ¼ tsp. dried rosemary
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • pinch ground nutmeg
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 T. milk
  • ¾ c. oats
  • 1 lb. lean ground beef
  • 1 lb. seasoned pork sausage

Combine the onion, granulated garlic, parsley, savory, thyme, salt, paprika, rosemary, pepper, nutmeg, eggs, and milk together in a medium bowl. Add the oats, ground beef, and ground pork and stir just until combined. Using an ice cream scoop, form balls and place on a lightly greased rimmed baking pan.

Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until the balls are baked through. Remove from oven and set aside.

Sauce:

  • 2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ c. chopped onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 (28-oz.) can chopped or diced tomatoes (Italian tomatoes preferably)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • pinch crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano (I use Mexican oregano)
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 T. chopped fresh basil leaves
  • 1-2 T. butter, optional
  • ½ lb. spaghetti, cooked al dente
  • grated Parmesan, garnish

In a large covered sauce pan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes. (Take the lid off part way if the sauce is too thin or allow to gently burble away until the sauce reaches your desired thickness.) Remove from heat, discard bay leaf, add the basil, and adjust seasoning. If the sauce tastes acidic, add butter 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavor.

Just before serving, add the meatballs and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the al dente spaghetti, and serve immediately. Pass Parmesan.

 

PENICILLIN COCKTAIL

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I very rarely let another person add a recipe to my site, but I made an exception in this case. I also almost never provide a recipe for something that is never, ever, under any circumstances, going to pass my lips! But in this case, even though I think Scotch belongs in the class of alcohol that is fit only for possible survival if you are lost in the wilderness*, I decided I would post this recipe for one of Mr. Cs favorite drinks. (I even let him write up the ingredient list and instructions.)

And yes I do know that many people consider Scotch and other types of whisky drinkable. But I have never found any whiskey that I can get past my nose, much less down my throat! But Scotch is the worst. Who in their right mind would drink an alcohol made from rain water that has flowed over hill sides overgrown with heath and through peat meadows? Not to mention that the Caol Ila recommended in this recipe also tastes of iodine and smoke, with a distinct medicinal smell. Think Band-Aids! (The taste of Caol Ila is consistent with the peaty, iodine taste associated with Islay (pronounced “eye-luh”) malts, of which Caol is one. Plus it’s readily available. That’s always a nice thing!)

So there you have it. Mr. C is a Scotch lover. He of course loves this drink, but he also loves his Scotch neat, on the rocks, or in a Rusty Nail. (Mr. C prefers a not-so-sweet Nail – 4 part Scotch, 1 part Drambuie).

So setting my own bias aside, and once again offering incontrovertible proof that I respect my dear husbands palate as much as my own, I offer you this recipe from Rick, our dear brother-in-law.

And should you try this drink and like it, please leave me a reply. Mr. C would love to hear from you. If you hate the drink, just remember, you were warned. But don’t fret. Go fix yourself a lovely dry martini, and within 15 minutes, the world will be back in order. Ahhhhh – I’ll drink to that!!

*For more information, go onto the backpacker.com site and search under “Survival: Lost with…Only a Bottle of Whiskey”.

  • 2 oz. blended Scotch whiskey*
  • 1 oz. King’s Ginger Liqueur
  • ¾ oz. lemon juice
  • ¼ oz. honey syrup (see recipe below)
  • ¼ oz. single malt Scotch whiskey**

In a cocktail shaker, combine the blended Scotch, ginger liqueur, lemon juice, and honey syrup; add ice and shake well.  Decant into a Tom Collins glass with some of the ice.  “Float” the single malt Scotch on top by pouring slowly over the back of a spoon into the glass. Makes 1 cocktail.

*The blended Scotch whiskey used in this drink should have a moderate to strong peaty flavor.  “Islay Mist” brand is excellent for this drink.

**The single malt Scotch whiskey used in this drink should similarly have a moderately strong (but not overwhelming) peaty flavor.  An Islay malt such as Caol Ila is a good choice.

Honey Syrup:

Combine 1 part honey and 1 part water in a small saucepan. Heat to a simmer while stirring; allow to cool.  Leftover syrup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

 

 

 

EASY CHINESE DUMPLINGS/POTSTICKERS ANYONE?

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I love good Chinese food. (I know, I’ve said it before!) But in all honesty, what I enjoy the most is Dim Sum (點心). According to Wikipedia, dim sum is described as “a style of Chinese cuisine (particularly Cantonese but also other varieties) prepared as small bite-sized portions of food served in small steamer baskets or on small plates. Dim sum dishes are usually served with tea, and together form a full tea brunch. Dim sum traditionally are served as fully cooked, ready-to-serve dishes. In Cantonese teahouses, carts with dim sum will be served around the restaurant for diners to order from without leaving their seats.”

When we lived in Bellevue, going to a Chinese restaurant that served dim sum was easy. Just a short 20 minute ride from our house to the International District and we were in dim sum heaven. But now that we live (on a good traffic day) 75 minutes away from the district, we are not so prone to jump in the car for a lunch time excursion.

But that doesn’t mean that I don’t still love dim sum. It just means that if I want dim sum, I pretty much have to make it myself. And believe it or not, as frightening as that sounds, it’s doable! All you need is a little time, confidence, and a few readily available ingredients. (Well, at least in the 3 recipes I’m sharing with you today!)

So go ahead. Be brave. Put on your big kid pants and get out to your kitchen and prepare a treat that everyone will love. Just make enough while you’re at it. They freeze beautifully. Just don’t cook them before you freeze them. Simply lay them out on a lightly greased baking sheet. Allow them to freeze solid individually, then bag them up. Then any time you want dim sum for lunch or have a yen for appetizers before dinner, take a few out, steam as directed below, and enjoy. (No need to defrost before placing in the steamer.)

And please know that if you live close by, I am always available as a taste tester. I take great pride in being considered approachable and I’m always more than eager to assist in the quest for fine cuisine.

CHINESE PORK AND SHRIMP SHU MAI (DUMPLINGS) WITH GINGER-SOY DIPPING SAUCE 

  • ½ lb. ground pork
  • ½ lb. chopped fresh shrimp
  • 4 diced water chestnuts
  • 2 green onions, very finely minced
  • 3 fresh shiitaki mushrooms, minced
  • 3 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes, then drained and minced
  • 1 T. rice wine or dry sherry
  • 1½ T. cornstarch
  • ½ tsp. sugar
  • 2 tsp. low sodium tamari or soy sauce
  • 2 tsp. sesame oil
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper (not too much)
  • 24-30 round won ton wrappers 

Combine pork, shrimp, water chestnuts, green onions, and mushrooms together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the rice wine, cornstarch, sugar, tamari, sesame oil, salt, and pepper. Add to the pork mixture. Place a tablespoon of the mixture in the center of each won ton wrapper. Gather the sides up around the filling so that it looks like a tiny purse. Allow some of the filling to show at the top. If you have trouble, dab a little water on the skin so that it sticks together better.

Place onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Repeat until all the filling and wrappers have been used. Place shu mai in the refrigerator or freezer for 1 hour. Lightly coat your steamer rack(s) with cooking spray. Place the cold shu mai onto the prepared steamer racks, 1-inch apart. Cover steamer, and cook dumplings for 15-20 minutes or until the wrapper is tender and the filling is cooked completely. Serve with Ginger-Soy Dipping Sauce.  (See recipe below)

VEGETABLE POTSTICKERS WITH GINGER-SOY DIPPING SAUCE (Vegetarian)  

  • 3 T. vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp. minced ginger
  • ½ lg. onion, finely chopped
  • 1 lg. garlic clove, finely minced
  • 1 c. shiitake mushrooms, chopped (you can use part re-hydrated dried mushrooms)
  • ¾ c. finely shredded green cabbage
  • ¼ c. finely shredded carrot
  • 2 green onions, finely minced
  • ¼ tsp. white pepper
  • 1 tsp. sesame oil
  • 5 tsp. Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
  • 1 T. GF tamari or soy sauce
  • ½ tsp. sugar
  • 1 pkg. round won ton wrappers

In a wok or large skillet over medium heat, add the oil and ginger. Cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the onions and stir-fry until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Add the chopped mushrooms and stir-fry for another 3-5 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender and any liquid released by the mushrooms has cooked off.

Add the cabbage and carrot and stir-fry for another 2 minutes, or until the veggies are tender and all the liquid released has been cooked off. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

When cool add the minced green onion, white pepper, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, tamari, and sugar. Taste and adjust seasoning.

To assemble, scoop 1 scant tablespoon of filling onto the center of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper in half to form a half circle. Using a fork, crimp the edges together. (Make sure to seal as tightly as possible.)

Place onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Repeat until all the filling and wrappers have been used. Place potstickers in the refrigerator or freezer for 1 hour.

Lightly coat your steamer rack(s) with cooking spray. Place the cold potstickers onto the prepared steamer racks, 1-inch apart. Cover steamer, and cook dumplings for 12-14 minutes. Serve with Ginger-Soy Dipping Sauce. (See recipe below)

Thanks to the Woks of Life website for the main gist of this recipe.

SHRIMP SHU MAI (CHINESE SHRIMP DUMPLINGS) WITH GINGER-SOY DIPPING SAUCE

  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • ½-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
  • ¼ tsp. lime zest
  • ½ lb. lg. uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined, and coarsely chopped
  • 1 tsp. low sodium tamari or soy sauce
  • ½ tsp. rice wine vinegar
  • ½ tsp. sesame oil
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 tsp. white pepper
  • 1 green onion, very finely minced
  • 20-24 round wonton wrappers

Place garlic, ginger, and zest in a food processor and pulse 6 to 8 times or until finely ground and well combined. Scrape down sides of bowl.


 Add half of the shrimp, Tamari, vinegar, sesame oil, salt, and pepper to the food processor and process until a smooth paste just comes together. Pour mixture into a mixing bowl and fold in the minced green onion and remaining shrimp.


 Place scant tablespoon of the mixture into the center of a wonton wrapper. Gather the sides of the wonton skin up around the filling so that it looks like a tiny purse. Allow some of the filling to show at the top. If you have trouble, dab a little water on the skin so that it sticks together better.

Place onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Repeat until all the filling and wrappers have been used. Place shu mai in the refrigerator or freezer for 1 hour. Lightly coat your steamer rack(s) with cooking spray. Place the cold shu mai onto the prepared steamer racks, 1-inch apart. Cover steamer, and cook dumplings for about 20 minutes. Serve with Ginger-Soy Dipping Sauce. (Recipe below.)

GINGER-SOY DIPPING SAUCE

  • ½ c. low sodium tamari or soy sauce (use GF tamari or soy sauce for vegetarian)
  • 2 T. rice vinegar
  • 1 T. sesame oil
  • pinch crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 finely minced green onions
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 1 T. finely minced fresh ginger

Combine all ingredients.