Sopa de Lima

 

 

AKA Lime Soup.    Do NOT run away!

 

This awesome soup is a speciality in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico.  First time I heard of it I turned up my nose but tried it anyway.  YUMMY!!

 

This takes a while to make but is well worth the effort, it freezes well and is definately hearty enough for our colder climates.  I will add my comments as to how to speed things up and also where I have 'Americanized' the recipe.   For example, you would not see cheddar cheese as a condiment in Mexico but if you want it here, it works. 

 

Broth

 

 

 

In large stock pot add the carcus of one deli bought chicken, meat removed, shredded,  and saved for later.

 

Add:

1 onion quartered

1 rub celery quartered

2 peeled carrot quartered

1 head of garlic, cut in half (no need to peel each clove)

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper

 

Cover with water (minimum of 10 cups), bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1.5-2 hours.   Strain out the carcus and vegetables, toss.  Return strained broth to stock pot and set aside. 

 

(or simply use 2 quarts of prepared chicken stock)

 

Soup

1 Medium sized sweet onion, chopped

1 Carrot, peeled and chopped (this is the American addition)

1 Rib celery chopped (another American addition)

2 Cloves garlic, chopped

1 Serrano chili, deveined, seeded and then minced

 

In frying pan saute vegetables above until tender but not mushy.  (approximately 5 minutes)

 

Add:

1 Can chopped tomatoes (15 oz)

1 4 oz can chopped green chilis

1 Tsp ground cumin

1 Tsp to 1 Tbsp Chipotle chili powder (adjusted for taste)

1 Tbsp dried oregano (Mexican oregano if you have it)

1 tsp ground achiote (Mexican section of store- if you can't find it, don't worry about it)

 

When warm add to broth in stock pot with the chicken and the juice of 4 fresh limes.

 

Serve with:

 

Chopped cilantro

Shredded cheddar cheese

Lime slices

Chopped avocado

Lime wedges

Fried corn torilla strips  (Corn tortillas cut in strips and fried in 2 inches of hot oil until crisp- or simply pick up a bag of plain Tostitos and crush over soup in place of crackers)

 

These are simply placed on top of a bowl of soup.

 

This soup is SOOOO good and I have yet to meet someone that does not like it even though they had reservations when heard there was lime in it.  Just thinking about it reminds me of Mexico.

 



Thai Turkey Lettuce Boats

 

 

Easy, tasty, healthy, very fast yet likely a better warm weather choice.  Even Tim, "Mr. Potato" loves these...

Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey
3 chopped green onions including greens
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp fish sauce (can be found in asian section of store)
3 tbsp peanut butter
2 tsp chopped garlic
1 1/2 tsp Sriracha sauce (red chili sauce-in asian section of store)
1 tsp sugar
1/2 - 1 tsp crushed red pepper

Garnishes
1 cup shredded carrots
1/3 cup chopped salted peanuts
Chopped fresh cilantro

Washed and dried hearts of romaine lettuce

Cook ground turkey until browned, drain.  Add the remainder of the ingredients through the red pepper to the cooked turkey and stir until hot (approximately 4 minutes)

Place mixture on lettuce leaves and garnish.  Wrap lettuce around meat mixture and enjoy!

Note:  The Sriracha sauce is a good condiment on hand for many dishes.  Also, lettuce like Bibb lettuce would make very nice wraps, but I happened to have the Romaine on hand and therefore they became 'boats' instead.
Do not forget the garnishes

I'm not sure I would really put this in the authentic Thai category, but it is very good none the less.



Pet Medications

 

 

Do your 4 legged friends need unflavored medications?  This is a tough one:

1 Toasted English Muffin
Jiff peanut butter
Meds

2 of my dogs take either an aspirin or vetprofin depending on the day (1- torn acl, the other arthritis)
All three get glucosamine for their joints and simply so the youngest one doesn't feel left out.

Goes down like a charm and if the peanut butter sticks on the roof of their mouth, it is also very entertaining.

Have fun!



Picadilly Relish

 

Green tomatoes in your garden? 

 

The relish recipe below is from Tim's Mother, Jeanne.   Jeanne passed away a few years back and one great way to keep her fresh in our memory is to make some of the awesome things she made for her family.  I have the original, hand written recipe for this relish, which is on the back of some sort of receipt.  It is stained and nearly falling apart.  

 

With that said, this relish tastes wonderful, utilizes garden produce and is not just for hot dogs and hamburgers.   In our house, this relish is also the 'secret' ingredient in potato salad and pasta salads.  The sweet sour flavor adds that little bit of 'what is that'.  You will never buy a commercial pickle relish again.

 

These are the vegies you will need:

4 cups ground onion

1 medium head cabbage

12 green peppers

10 large green tomatoes

12 sweet red peppers

 

Shred all vegetables using shredder in the food processor.  Each vegetable should measure approximately 4 cups each after shredding.    Mix together. Sprinkle with 1/2-1 cup of kosher sale and let stand overnight.

 

Rinse and drain.

 

Brine

 

6 cups sugar (yes, 6 cups)

1 tbsp celery seed

2 tbsp mustard seed

1 1/2 tsp Tumeric powder

4 cups cider vinegar

2 cups water

 

 

 

Heat until sugar is dissolved.  Pour over rinsed and drained vegetables. Heat to a boil and simmmer for 3 minutes.

Seal in hot sterilized jars in a water bath for approximately 5 minutes. 

 

Store in a cool dry place and refridgerate after opening.  A sealed jar and the vinegar will keep this relish usable for well over a year.

 

Thank you Jeanne, until we meet again! 

Margherita Pizza

 

 

 

 

Garden fresh tomatoes and basil, fresh mozzarella, what more needs to be said?

 

Several years ago when I made this for Tim, he saw my ingredients on the counter and asked where the meat was and if the pizza included tequila.   Tim is of Irish descent and his palate at the time was meat and potatoes.   Did I say meat and potatoes?  Any deviation to the meat and potatoes, such as pizza needed to have several types of meat on it.  I told him to relax and just give it a try.  He looked at me cautiously, made sure he had a back up of some sort of meat and dug in.     He was sold!

 

 

This is so simple and so tasty it should be part of everyones  summer menu.

 

I for one do not make my own pizza crust.  I purchase the dough or buy a crust from the store.   Thus making this pretty easy.   I do however make my own tomato sauce becaue I usually have an abundance of tomatoes in August, I love garlic and it freezes well,

 

Pizza Sauce

 

1 entire head of garlic, cloves minced

2 quarts peeled and chopped roma tomatoes

1 tsp sea salt

1 1/2 tsp oregano

 

Saute garlic in olive oil for a few minutes until fragrant but not browned, add tomatoes salt and oregano.  Simmer for approximately 45 minutes until it reaches the desierd thickness.    Personally, I keep this on the thin side.  When cooled place in a blender until smooth.  Freeze approximately in 1 to 1 1/2 cup amounts for future use. 

 

Yield 4 -5 pizzas

 

Margharita Pizza

 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

 

1 pizza crust

1 cup pizza sauce

8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced thinly

2 roma tomatoes, thinly sliced

1/2 cup sliced basil leaves

 

 

Spread pizza sauce over crust and arrange mozzarella and tomatoes atop.  Place in preheated oven and bake for approximately 16 minutes or until crust is golden.   Remove pizza, sprinkle with basil leaves. Let rest for 5 minutes, cut and enjoy!

 

Notes

 

Obviously make your own pizza dough if you so choose.

 

Roma tomatoes are very meaty, therefore a good choice for both the sauce and the pizza.   If you do not have romas, any larger tomato will do but they will need to be juiced and seeded to make sure the sauce is not water thin and the top of the pizza is not runny.

 

 

Chicken-Fried Steak with Gravy

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C milk (preferrable whole or 2%)
2 eggs
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp both salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp both garlic and onion powder
3 lb round steak tenderized, cut into 6 pieces
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tbsp butter

Gravy
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
3 1/2 cups whole milk or 1/2 and 1/2 mixed with lesser fat milk
3/4 tsp kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp paprika and garlic powder

To make the steak
Whisk the milk, eggs and mustard together in a medium bowl

In a separate dish mix the flour and the next 4 ingredients (through the onion powder)

Have a third dish ready

Salt and pepper each piece of meat.

Place one piece of meat in the flour to coat, then the egg mixture, then back in the flour to coat again.   Place on spare dish.   Repeat with each remaining piece of round steak.

Heat oil in large, heavy pan, add the butter and heat on medium high.  Add the meat 2 - 3 pieces at a time frying until golden brown, about 2 minutes each side.    Place in baking pan and cover to keep warm while frying the remaining steak.

To make the gravy
After the meat is cooked, without cleaning pan, add the 1/4 cup whole wheat flour and whisk into a thick roux.   The roux should be somewhat shiny, if not, add a bit more butter.  Keep cooking until golden brown.  Add the milk, salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder, whisking as you do this to eliminate lumps.   If too thick, add more milk.   Taste for seasoning and add more if necessary.

Serve steak with gravy poured over.    Mashed potatoes would also be good, but in this diabetic family, we had enough carbohydrates with the breading and gravy so we did not need to add potates as well.

Note:   Whole wheat flour adds a nutty taste to this recipe.   White flour could also be used.

This is pretty good comfort food using a cheaper and tougher cut of meat.

Perfect Green Beans

Perfect green beans, you can't get any better!

Forget the boiling to death until they lose their color and are mush balls.  When you do this, all of the nutrition and good taste are left in the water.   Instead, this can't get any easier.

Wash and trim beans

Insert into boiling water and blanch for 3-4 minutes

Drain and shock them in ice water to keep them from continued cooking

Now, they're ready to eat.

Warm in a pan with butter or olive oil and two cloves of minced garlic, salt and pepper.  Yum!

Additions could be:
1 Tbsp Sirracha sauce (aisian redpepper and garlic sauce) to make them szechuan.   
Toasted alsmonds
Crispy bacon bits

You name it, it can be done but the beans can stand on their own in this semi crisp, not overcooked state.

Enjoy!

Andouille Sausage Po Boy

YUM!

When in Mpls last week, I just HAD to go to 1029 bar www.the1029bar.com due to a compelling show on Diners Drive ins and Dives.  The show highlighted menu offerings that include a Lobster roll with fresh lobster flown in regularly.    I had to order that and Tim ordered the Sausage PoBoy.  The Lobster Roll was good, the PoBoy, even better.  

A Po Boy is simply a New Orleans sandwich, often with shrimp or catfish.

Since this Po Boy was so good, I created one myself.   I had Andouille Sausage from Kramarczuks in my freezer.   www.kramarczuk.com.  I have been patronizing Kramarczuks for over 30 years because their polish sausage is unparalleled.  Last year I purchased their Andouille sausage for Jambalaya and found it to be exceptional as well.  Better than several other places I have purchased it.  Andouille sausage can be purchased anywhere smoked sausages are made; however, if you have the time, make the trip to Kramarczuks and you will be happy you did.

My version of the Andouille Sausage Po Boy:

Baguette roll for 4 sandwiches

4 smoked Andouille sausage links

Aioli (aka garlic mayonnaise) Recipe below

Romaine lettuce

Sliced Tomato

Sliced sweet onion

4 slices pepper jack cheese

Heat the Andouille on the grill.   Slice and toast the baguette on the grill.

Generously coat both cut sides of the baguette with Aioli, slice Andouille in half down the length.  Place Andouille, lettuce, tomato, onion and cheese on top of Aioli, top with the other half of the baguette and enjoy!

Aioli

1/4 cup olive oil

3 garlic cloves mashed

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 Tbsp dijon mustard

1 Tsp rice vinegar

3/4 cup mayonnaise

Mix together and let flavors meld for at least 2 hours. Aioli will keep for 3-4 days if refridgerated. 

Notes:

• If 'spicy' is not your thing.  Substitute a quality Polish sausage and Provalone or Monteray Jack cheese.
• Instead of the grill, simply toast the baguette and heat the sausage on the stove top
• Aioli can be made from scratch, however with the risk of salmonella from raw eggs, I substituted commercial mayonnaise instead.  Low fat mayo?  No, its full of fillers and the taste is compromised.

Simple, and it is very good.   Enjoy!

Champion Quality Smoked Ribs

I may be bragging, maybe not.   I just know that after smoking ribs for years, Tim and I have perfected smoked ribs so that I haven't found anything better in the Mpls rib venue.   Our tried and true process however is non-traditional and would not qualify in a contest since we pre-bake them somewhat and use an electric smoker versus charcoal.


To start, purchase quality ribs.   Pork loin back ribs, not the $1.89 spare rib specials you get on sale at big box grocery stores.   These are meaty with less fat than the spare rib cut.    Sams Club (and I suspect Costco) has them offered regularly.   Shop around, but you may need to go to a better butcher then messing around with the spare ribs.

1.  Peel off the membrane on the back side, generously rub top and bottom with the rub recipe at the beginning of this blog.  Cover and refridgerate overnight.

Why peel the membrane?  The membrane acts as a barrier to the rub and smoke penetrating the meat.

2.  Place in a jelly roll pan and bake at 320 degrees for 1.5 hours

3. Place in 180-200 degree smoker and smoke for 2-3 hours

4.   When done, place on heated grill for the final touch.    At this point, the ribs do not need any sauce, but is also the place to start brushing with your favorite BBQ sauce if that is what you prefer.   For me, that includes purchased Sweet Baby Rays Sweet and Spicy barbeque sauce, Wild Wings AsianZing sauce, or homemade pepper jam. 

Enjoy!,  These beauties will fall off the bone, melt in your mouth, and create a taste sensation.   Serve with oven fried potatoes (earlier post) and cole slaw.

One rack (shown above) should feed 3-4 people.

Enjoy, you won't be going to a specialty restaurant anytime soon!

O.K. Folks, I know you're reading, become a follower.   It doesn't cost anything, doesn't go to your email.   Don't be afraid!

Moussaka

A Greek classic

This layered Greek classic is complex only in the fact that there are a multitude of steps needed to put it together and requires that you use every pan and appliance you own. 

The layers consist of eggplant slices, a ground beef or lamb mixture, parmesan cheese and bread crumbs and finally topped off with a Bechamel (classic white sauce).

Requirements include:

• Peeling, slicing and sauteing eggplant in butter until browned and then setting aside.
• Dicing onions and browning them with ground meat, wine and tomato paste, then setting aside.
• Using your foodprocessr to make the bread crumbs and grate the Parmesan
• Heating milk in a sauce pan
• Heating and whisking butter and flour in another pan
• Blending the hot milk and flour mixture together and cooking until thickened.
• Cooling the milk mixture slightly and then adding eggs and nutmeg.
• Finally layer eggplant, meat, parmesan/crumbs twice, cover with bechamel and bake for an hour. 

 I have absolutely no problem spending this much time and dirtying this many dishes as long as the final result is stupendous!  However, the end result was merely good, not great and according to Tim, I never need to make it for him again.

Oh well, on to washing a sink piled high with dirty pots and pans.   Heavy sigh!

Smoker

Charcoal?  Electric?

Over the years, Tim and I have both started with a charcoal smoker, modified it with an electric attachment, purchased an electric version and most recently we bought a Bradley electric smoker. www.bradleysmoker.com

We've had this smoker for 4-5 years now and it is by far the best, most efficient,  easy to use, easy to regulate smoker we have ever had.  This smoker requires specific wood briquettes made by Bradley to use which come in Apple, Hickory, Mesquite, Cherry and I believe Pecan briquettes.  The smoker itself is about the size of a small refridgerator.

Simply load the briquettes, fill a stainless steel bowl with water, cider, beer or other liquid, plug it in and there you go.   The briquettes feed themselves as needed. Even I can do it!  However, smoking items is a 'man thing' in our house so Tim is the Smoke Master.  I handle the brining, rubbing, preparation as my part of the tag team.

Of course, this is not the smoker for professional contests because they require charcoal and often are so large they take up an entire driveway.  But, this is perfect for the home smoking artist. 

We have smoked turkey, cheese, salmon, tulibee, salt (yes, salt) and the to die for pork ribs. 
I make a pretty delicious pulled pork and my next experiment is to smoke it for a few hours before finishing up baking in a slow oven.  I suspect it will reach a new high. 

Happy smoking everyone!

Oven Fried Potatoes

These are very similar to 'JoJo' potatoes which are usually cooked in a pressure cooker.   This recipe is easier, very tasty and goes great with smoked ribs.

4 large, unpeeled potatoes, each cut in 8-10 wedges

1/2 cup olive oil

3 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese

1 tsp garlic powder

3/4 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp salt and freshly cracked pepper

Place potato wedges, peel side down in a shallow baking pan.   Mix remaining ingredients: brush over potatoes and bake in 375 degree oven for 45 minutes.

Smoked ribs will come shortly.

Gyros/HolyLand Deli Part 2

So, you paid attention and took a trip to Holyland Deli.  Or for that matter, you made your own shawarma and cucumber sauce for gyros at home.   The rest is as simple as assembling a taco.

 Shawarma, pita bread, sliced oions, tomatoes, lettuce and cucumber sauce (using the greek yogurt pictured up top).

Simply heat the shawarma in a frying pan,  warm the pitas in the microwave for approximately 30 seconds and start building.   
Cut pita in half, open up and load with with the fixings above.   Since the cucumber sauce is so good, I usually add some half way through and then again on top.   Time to eat!

Pick up like a taco, take a bite, wipe face with napkin, repeat.

While the cucumber sauce can be purchased, it is also incredibly simple to make and tastes better than store bought. 

Cucumber sauce

Ingredients
1 cucumber peeled, seeds removed and cut into chunks
1 cup greek yogurt  (sour cream can be substituted
1 tsp dill
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 tsp olive oil
Pepper to taste
Sprinkle cucumber pieces with salt and let sit for approximately  1 hour to draw out some of the water.  Drain, pulse in food processor or blender, place in strainer and squeeze out the remaining water.  Mix with the remaining ingredients and refridgerate for at least 2 hours, overnght is best.

This sauce can also be used on sandwiches in place of mayo.  

Holy Land Bakery & Deli

Looking for the best Gyros in Minnesota?  Do you like olive oil, olives, hummos, spices, etc?

Holy Land Bakery and Deli

2513 Central Ave NE

Minneapolis, MN 55418

www.holylandbrand.com

This is well worth the trip!   When I head to the cities, I try to make sure I get to Holyland.  This is a taste and shopping adventure.    The Gyros in the deli area cannot be beat.  The pita bread is baked daily, the Shawarma is freshly roasting and is sliced as ordered, the vegetables are fresh and the cucumber sauce yummy and they are huge!

If you start your adventure by having a gyro in the deli, you can probably keep your grocery bill under control.   After eating, head into the bakery and and grocery area:

 

• The pita and other breads are made daily as well as baklava and other deserts.
• The choice of olives, black and green is endless 
• The hummos, regular and various flavors make for a tasty and healthy dip
• If you don't want to make your own cucumber sauce, find it here
• Tabouli - I can't make as good as I can buy it here
• Bulk spices are very affordable.  I always buy my cardamon, corriander and whole nutmeg here
• Rice, rice and more rice
• Olive oils, multiple choices
• Aisles and aisles of Mid-eastern delights

Finally, my favorite, you can buy the Shawarma in 1 lb packages in the freezer.   For people like me that live 100+ miles away, I can stock up on this flavorful lamb and beef  delight and make my own gyros at home.

Finally, if you are looking for fresh goat, this is the go to place.  Can't say I have ever tried it but when I do, I'll let you know. 

Add this to your place to check out!

Chipotle Crusted Salmon

In the Sloppy Joe recipe I introduced the wonderful, smoky and spicy chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.  You can also get that hot smoky flavor by using chipotle chile powder in the spice aisle of your grocery store.   The powder comes in handy particularly when you are making something dry. 

My favorite way to eat salmon in the past was to make a teriyaki sauce, marinate the salmon and then grill.  A sweet and spicy rub is now my all time favorite and it is incredibly simple!

When purchasing a salmon fillet,  separate the thin bottom 1/3 and shorten the cooking time so that this piece does not overcook.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp brown sugar

3/4 - 1 tsp chipotle chile powder

1/2  tsp ground cumin (or better yet, whole cumin toasted and ground)

1/4 tsp kosher or sea salt

1 lb skin on fresh salmon

Blend brown sugar, chipotle powder, cumin and salt. Coat skin side of salmon with oil or no-stick cooking spray and spread rub mixture on top of fish.

Heat grill to medium and cook the 2/3 piece of salmon for approximately 2 minutes and then add the bottom 1/3.  Grill for a total of 7 minutes or until opaque throughout.

Done!   Could this be any simpler?   And very very tasty.   This recipe should serve 4 according to recommended serving sizes, but it is so good I think 3 servings is more appropiate.

This may also be your next go to for salmon.  Enjoy!



Not your High Schools Sloppy Joes

Remember checking out the weekly highschool lunch menu and anticipating the sloppy joes day? Or the 'joes your Mom made using Chicken Gumbo Soup?  While these may bring back fond memories, I couldn't help myself and modified them to reflect a more adult taste.




One ingredient, which is a favorite of mine, is Chipotle Chiles in Adobo Sauce.   Chipotle chiles are smoked Jalapeno peppers and the adobo sauce is a tomato vinegar sauce.    Chipotle Chiles in Adobo Sauce can be found canned, in the mexican section of the supermarket.   They add a spicy, smokey taste to your dishes.   I can't imagine a recipe that would call for a whole can of these hot wonders in one dish.  Usually you would use one pepper, or amounts measured in tablespoons.   What to do with the rest?  Simply put the entire contents of the can into a blender and puree.   Then fill an ice cube tray with the puree and freeze.   Once frozen, remove from the tray and store in a zip lock bag in the freezer.   Each ice cube is approximately 1 tablespoon.  




On to the recipe!

2 lbs ground beef
1 onion diced
1 red pepper diced
4 cloves garlic diced

1 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp ancho chili powder
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp chipotle chili puree
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp honey
29 oz can tomato sauce

Sweat the onion, pepper and garlic in a large pan, add ground beef and brown.  Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for approximately 30 minutes.

Serve on buns with potato chips.   I don't know about you, but scooping up some 'joe with a chip and eating it that way is a little bit of heaven!
This makes a large batch, it freezes well and also can be kept warm in a crock pot for buffet eating.
I like  spicy food and have on occasion added a 3rd tablespoon of chipotles.  This is purely a personal taste issue.   The 3rd tablespoon may put it over the edge for many Midwestern tastebuds.
Enjoy!!!!!

Pantry Stocking

Vinegar

Do I need all of these?   Yes!
Along with the standard white vinegar, add redwine, balsamic, rice, apple cider and white wine vinegars to your pantry.     Some can be interchanged but they all have their own unique properties and it can be surprising what a bit of vinegar does to many dishes including sweets. 



Blonde Moment Part 2

I just received the bill from Aitkin Appliance Center for the refridgerator service call.  This is a very good local company that not only offers competitive priced appliances but also has Jay, the expert service diagnostician that comes with a smile on his face when responding to 'emergencies'.  For your appliance needs, they are located at 18 2nd St. NE, Aitkin, MN 56431 and can be reached at RKJ@aitkinapplicancecenter.com 

My philosophy is 'buy local when ever possible'

Anyway, as I mentioned, I received my bill.    Jay not only wrote a note of thanks on the inovoice, but could not help himself by adding the note to remember to clean out underneath the refridgerator at least once a year.   I had to laugh, roll my eyes and give myself the old 'DUH'.

Chicken and Shrimp Pad Thai

This is a DELICIOUS dish.  Its quick and easy and one that my meat and potato husband said would replace steak as his last meal request.  Try it and you will add it to your regular menu.

Sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/8 cup rice vinegar

1 tsp fresh ginger grated

1 tsp minced garlic

2 tbsp hot black tea (plain hot water will do)

3 tbsp peanut butter

1 tsp Sriracha (hot chile sauce) or red pepper flakes

Whisk until smooth, taste and add to heat level if desired with more sriracha and set aside

8 ounces rice noodles cooked according to directions, drain and set aside (regular spaghetti noodles can certainly be substituted and try the whole wheat spaghetti)

2 tsp sesame oil

2 tsp minced garlic

1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into 1/2 inch pieces

3 cups sugar snap peas

1/3 C chopped cilantro

1/3 c roasted peanuts

4 lime wedges

Heat the sesame oil in a wok or a large heavy skillet on medium heat.  Add the chicken and saute for about 3 minutes, add the garlic and saute for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the shrimp and saute, stirring, for approximately 2 minutes or until almost done.  Add sauce mixture and cook for 1 minute.   Add the rice noodles (or pasta) and snap peas, cooking and stirring until heated.  

Dish onto 4 plates and sprinkle with peanuts and cilantro.  Finally squeze a lime wedge over each plate.  

Thats it and it is very good.   It also holds up well for left overs if eaten the next day.   Enjoy!



Making your own Chicken and Beef Broth

Why?

• Its easy
• Its inexpensive
• You have control over the sodium and fat
• Contrary to popular belief, it is NOT labor intensive

Did you pick up a store bought roasted chicken for dinner?

Take the carcass, and any skin you did not eat;
3 stalks of celery cut in half
3 carrots peeled, cut in half
1 garlic bulb cut in half
1 large onion cut in quarters
Bay leaf, salt and pepper

Put in stock pot with 12 cups of water and simmer for 1.5 hours

Strain out veges and bones, throw away
Chill broth until any fat solidifies and skim off
Freeze in ziploc bags and/or individual custard cups (approx 1/2 cup) and when frozen, release from cups and store in a large zip lock bag.

Thats it.

To make it better, spend some time roasting a chicken or beef soup bones (rubbed with the rub at the beginning of this blog) along with the vegies sprinkled with olive oil, salt and pepper in a 375 degree oven for 45 minutes to an hour before adding them to the stock pot.
The meat can then be removed and used for other dishes.

I've always made my own stock, however, when I was out, I had Tim pick some up from the store.   Being the thrifty man he is, he picked up Great Value chicken broth.   The ingredients included salt, MSG and sugar as the main ingredients.   We won't be doing that again.

Potato Salad

HMMM, the ice was out and the dock put in the water on Saturday 3/24/2012.   REALLY REALLY early for north central Minnesota.   Add to that the 70 degree temperature and the need for picnic food kicked in.   Thus, the first potato salad of the season.

I have made this salad for years and never had a recipe, so in order to post, I had to follow and record my steps and measurements.    Now, for those people that have asked me for the recipe, I actually have one to share.  

Start with the  usual suspects:

Ingredients:

4 lbs red potatoes

Peel and cut into thirds (or 6ths if large potatoes), making sure you have somewhat uniform sizes.  Put into pan of cold, salted water and bring to a boil until fork tender.    8-10 minutes.    Drain and let cool.

7 large eggs

Cover with water in sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium high heat.   When water reaches a boil, cover and remove from heat for 14 minutes.  Then immediately chill in cold water.  For easier peeling, slightly crack each egg while cooling in the cold water.

3 stalks celery

4 radishes

1 small sweet onion or 1/2 large one

1/2 package dried Good Seasons Italian Dressing mix (about 1 1/2 t)

1/3 cup pickle relish

1 T dijon mustard

1 t kosher or sea salt

2t freshly ground pepper.

While potatoes and eggs are boiling and cooling, cut celery and onion into approx 1/2" pieces and thinly slice the radishes.   Place in large bowl.

When potatoes are still warm but cool enough to handle, cut into 1/2" pieces and add to the vegetables.   Sprinkle the 1/2 pack italian dressing over the warm potatoes and let sit until fully cooled. 

Add the relish (Jeanne's Picadilly Relish is awesome but you need to wait until fall harvest for the recipe, therefore any pickle relish should do), mustard, mayoi and salt and pepper.  Stir to mix.

Finally chop 6 eggs and add to the mix, leaving the last egg for slicing and placing on top.

Taste for adjusting the seasonings.   The Italian dressing has salt in it, therefore check at this point to determine if the added salt is enough. 

Place in serving bowl, arrange egg slices over the top and sprinkle with paprika.   

This is pretty tasty and a good start to warmer days ahead!   Enjoy. 

Shepherds Pie

So, my sister-in -law was visiting for St. Paddys weekend and said she would supply the Irish dinner.   Tim recommended Corned Beef and Cabbage but 'Queen' Mary who had received a growler of Liftbridge Chestnut Hill for her birthday www.liftbridgebrewery.com thought a cabbage and beer combo would be a bit much.  As a result, we thought Shepherds Pie would be a great alternative.    Total comfort food. 

Anyway, I had not made Shepherds Pie before and Tim sent Queen Mary to the Foodnetwork for choices.   When I reviewed their choice and looked at more, we ended up using Shepherds Pie, recipe courtesy Anne Burrell at   www.foodnetwork.com .  Why this one? Well, first it had lamb roast instead of ground beef or lamb.   If you're going to go with lamb, you might as well make it the good stuff.  Second, it included a cup of red wine.   What red meat is not enhanced by a bit of wine? 

Queen Mary picked up some ridiculously expensive lamb tenderloin and was too afraid to make the recipe since she had spent $40 on the lamb alone so we tag teamed it.
Mary sliced and diced the vegies and I did the cooking.

This is what it looked like up until making the mashed potatoes.

This is after the taters.  The the final, broiled topping version is up top of this blog.
While this is certainly not my own recipe, I do have a few comments:

• I added pepper to the ingredients in all places that added salt.
• Red wine could be skipped but if you do use it, use a wine that you can actually drink.  The cooking wines in MN grocery stores are horrible.   Go with more chicken stock if this is all you have.
• This is a healthy dish until the mashed potatoes.   We went with the levels of butter and heavy cream recommended because in this family, St. Patricks Day is a national holiday.  However, to reduce the fat and calories, milk, less butter and chicken broth can lower fat without compromising taste. 

Enjoy!
 

Balsamic Chicken with Peppers and Pecans

Serves 4



A very simple recipe that takes grilled chicken breast to the next level.

Tim and I were watching Giada on the Food Network when she was making ravioli with a balsamic sauce.    It sounded so good, I had to make something similar.    Reducing balsamic vinegar and sugar into a syrup yields a fantastic sweet-tart sauce.  It is easy and quick.  Dipping each bite into a bit of the syrup makes your tongue smile.

Ingredients

2 tbsp butter, divided
1 red pepper
1 orange pepper (or any two colors you prefer)
2 cloves garlic minced.
2/3 c toasted pecan halves, roughly chopped.*
2/3 c balsmic vinegar
2 tsp sugar
8 thinly sliced chicken breast cutletsy (or two to threee chicken breasts pounded and cut into 8 pieces)
Kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Thinly slice peppers and saute in a large pan with 1 tbsp of the melted butter, salt and pepper until soft, about 5 minutes.   Add the garlic for another 3 minutes, stirring to prevent the garlic from burning.       Set aside in bowl and stir in the pecans.

In small sauce pan add the balsamic vinegar and sugar.   Simmer over low heat until reduced to a syrup (5-10 minutes), add 1 tbsp butter and set aside.

Add olive oil or Pam spray to both sides of chicken pieces and salt and pepper.    Grill or saute chicken until cooked through.   These are thin pieces of chicken, if on the grill you only need about two minutes a side.

Arrange on a platter, drizzle with balsamic syrup and top with peppers and pecans.

*I have always toasted my pecans in a dry skillet, shaking to avoid burning.  However according to the Georgia Pecan Commission, simply spread them on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  Very simple!   Also, walnuts could be substituted, just don't forget to toast them.

A Blonde Moment?

No recipe, just a humbling kitchen experience.

I poured myself a glass of milk with my dinner and it was somewhat warm.   Thinking I had simply bumped the temperature control knob on the fridge, I turned it up and forgot about it.   The next morning, in getting my orange juice, it was still warm and I opened the freezer to find most of the items partially thawed.    I immediately brought items down to the large freezer in the basement and called the repair man. 

Mind you this fridge is only about 5 years old and we've already had to replace a blower.  I am very indignant and will never buy an Amana refrigerator again!

So, the repair man comes out and explains that he really doesn't have a problem with Amana, and perhaps we are just unlucky.   He checks everything and all is o.k.   Before he leaves he checks one last thing.   He removed the front bottom of the fridge and asks if we have cats.   There is so much dog hair down there, the generator got to warm and shut off.   

I have routinly vacumned behind the fridge, but underneath only put the swiffer underthere.  I did not know that the lower panel nicely unsnaps for vacumning.    DUH!

We have three dogs which shed.

Good thing I was using that pound and 1/2 of shrimp for gumbo that very day or I would have had to find a quick use for the thawed out seafood!



Seafood Gumbo

For us Midwesterners, another name for gumbo could be stew.   This wonderful, slightly spicy seafood combination was a wonderful Friday dinner during Lent for my Irish Catholic husband and inlaws. Total comfort food with complex flavors that make my taste buds smile.   
While there is probably a different gumbo recipe in every New Orleans household, and often times includes Andoule sausage, a wonderful smoked, spicy sausage, I of course, was staying away from the meat because of Lent.
This recipe is time consuming, has many steps, and is probably made over a two day period, it is worth the trouble.  Read the recipe in its entirety before making.  Serves 8

Step 1
Ingredients:

3/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat.   Stir in flour, salt and pepper and cook until smooth, stiring until darkened (about the color of a copper penny).

Step 2
Add:
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 bayleaves crushed
1 1/2 tsp paprika
3/4 tsp caynenne
2 cups coppped celery
2 cups chipped onion
2 cups chopped bell pepper (I used red pepper)
4 garlic cloves, minced

Cook until vegetables are tender (about 30 minutes) and let cool somewhat.


Step 3
In separate pot, boil:

1 1/2 quarts reduced sodium and low fat chicken broth
1/2 to 1 cup clam juice (or the juice from two cans of diced clams, reserving the clams
The shells from 1 1/2 lbs of medium uncooked shrimp, reserving the shrimp.  If you are using whole shrimp, include the heads in broth mixture. 

Bring to a boil and lower heat to a simmer for 30 minutes.   Strain out the solids and add the stock slowly to the roux and vegetable mixture.  Add

Step 4
14 ounces tomato sauce or diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as tobasco), or more to taste.

Cook until thickened.

NOTE: At this point, if cooking this over a two day period, let 'stew' cook and refridgerate over night.  The flavors will blend beautifully letting it sit.

Step 5
When  ready to serve, rewarm the stew and add:

The reserved clams and shrimp
2 cups crab meat

Or, any combination of seafood you wish.   Fresh shucked and drained oysters and/or crawfish meat would be wonderful.
Heat for 15 minutes.

Serve in bowls over rice and topped with chopped green onions.

This is awesome!