STOVE TOP PORK TENDERLOIN IN A BRANDY PEPPERCORN SAUCE

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OK, this has to be one of the best and easiest pork tenderloin recipes I have ever prepared or eaten. And that is saying something! Because I love pork tenderloin and fix it quite often.

But as some of you already know, not only do I get bored easily, but I’m also getting older every day and quick and easy is becoming the rule rather than the exception. Which means, I am always on the lookout for recipes where there is no chopping required, calls for only one pan, and can be prepared in a short amount of time. Well, boy howdy, I found this recipe on the food.com site (Jan in Lanark) with a tiny bit of modification by (Patti on Camano Island), and it fits every one of my recipe criteria. And delicious, well that doesn’t even begin to describe this succulent pork slathered in sauce.

It all started with Mr. C. who invariably orders Peppercorn New York Steak when we dine at The Keg in Alderwood Mall. I wasn’t in the mood for steak, but we had two beautiful pork tenderloins in our freezer. So, why not peppercorn sauced pork tenderloin. Why not indeed? So, then the hunt for the perfect recipe ensued.

So, if you too love pork tenderloin, want fabulous but not fussy, this is the recipe for you. I served the pork last evening with Italian Marinated Fresh Veggie Salad (recipe on site) which I had thrown together the day before, and a roasted sweet potato.

Speaking of sweet potatoes, generally, red-skinned sweet potatoes, like Garnet varieties, tend to have a richer, more complex flavor compared to lighter colored sweet potatoes. So, for more bang for your buck, look for sweet potatoes with dark skins.

OK, that’s about it for today. I need to get back to the second book (Design for Murder) in a new to me mystery series written by Carolyn G. Hart. The first book in the series (Death on Demand) had been such a romp, that I immediately ordered more.

I am so glad I learned to read. Because books have always been my solace. And now, with what is happening to our country, I need books more than ever. May you too find solace in what brings you the most joy.

Peace and love to all.

1 pork tenderloin, silver skin and fat removed

1½ tsp. coarsely ground black pepper, or more to taste

2 T. unsalted butter

3 T. brandy

½ c. half & half, whole milk, heavy cream (whatever you happen to have on hand)

1 T. Dijon mustard

¼ tsp. kosher salt

1/8 tsp. granulated garlic

pinch dried thyme

pinch dried marjoram*

pinch dried rosemary (if you have fresh rosemary, add just a tiny pinch)

Press pepper all over the pork tenderloin.

Heat butter in a lidded frying pan that just fits the pork and brown over medium heat.

Reduce heat to low or if you are using a propane or natural gas stove, turn off heat before you add the brandy. Pour brandy over the pork. Please note: even if you turn off the natural gas or propane flames before adding the brandy, you might still get flames when you turn the heat back on. Just be prepared. And if it worries you, carefully slip the lid over the frying pan.

Over low heat, stir in the half & half, Dijon mustard, salt, granulated garlic, thyme, marjoram, and rosemary. 

Cover and cook for 5-10 minutes or until the internal temperature of the pork reaches about 142-degrees. Turn off the heat.

Remove pork to a cutting board, tent with aluminum foil, let rest for about 5 minutes, and cut into ½-inch slices. If you are feeling super fancy, you can cut the meat on the diagonal.

Just before serving, add the meat slices back to the sauce and heat just until warm.

Serve topped with more of the sauce.

If you are serving the meat and sauce over mashed potatoes or the like, you might want to double the sauce recipe. Just sayin’!

*I love Marjoram. And use it a lot. But it is not as well-known as oregano.  Marjoram and oregano are both herbs in the mint family that are closely related and often used interchangeably. However, marjoram is milder and sweeter than oregano. So, if you too love oregano, but it is more strongly flavored than you need for the dish you are preparing, give marjoram a try.

EASY OVERNIGHT FOCACCIA WITH ROSEMARY, KALAMATA OLIVES, AND GRANULATED GARLIC

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(Sorry for not having a picture. But if you want to see what focaccia looks like, you can bring up my other focaccia recipes. All focaccias actually look pretty much alike.)  

This must be the easiest homemade bread recipe ever invented. No stand mixer required, no killing your hands by kneading the dough for several minutes, plus no worry whether you added too much or too little flour to the mix. This recipe is practically fool proof. OK, you could mess it up if you left it in the oven too long, or didn’t use instant yeast, or forgot to add the salt. That kind of error. But if you follow the instructions to the letter, you simply can’t go wrong.

And this focaccia is just so amazingly tasty. And chewy. Perfect with Italian food or anytime a nice hunk of bread would be perfect with soup or stew. No butter or dipping sauce required. It is simply perfect as it is.

So, I’m going to make this post short and sweet today. I want you to have time to go into your kitchen, mix these marvelous ingredients together, put the whole mess in your fridge, and walk away until tomorrow.

So, until tomorrow, or whenever I have the strength to post again, may you stay happy, healthy, and well informed. And as a small aside: to any underinformed out there who mainly get their news from FOX, just perhaps it might be time to broaden your horizon. There is a whole lot of tragic “stuff” going on in Washington DC that might even affect you. Especially if you are a veteran, work for any kind of agency that was created for the betterment of all (both state and federal), care about state and national parks, have even the tiniest belief that science is not a hoax, are retired and depending on social security and Medicare or Medicaid to fund your old age, or have even the smallest consideration for those less fortunate than yourself. You need to open your mind to the reality of what is currently happening to our democracy. Read what the historian Heather Cox Richardson has to say. Listen to NPR (National Public Radio). Tune into PBS NewsHour and CNN. And after learning about what is really going on you feel things have gone too far, you might consider sending a message stating your dissatisfaction to your favorite Republican congressman or woman. They need to do the job they were hired to do. That being – to defend the Constitution and try to do the best they can FOR EVERY AMERICAN CITIZEN. THERE JOB IS NOT TO JUST SIT BY AND ALLOW ANY PRESIDENT AND HIS BILLIANAIR BUDDY OR BUDDIES DESTROY OUR BELOVED COUNTRY! And in doing so, destroy all the good we as Americans have done for other nations. Remember, we are just a small part of planet earth. We can’t just think about ourselves. So, please take a stand for democracy and the greater good of all mankind.

Peace and love to all. (Or at least, most of you!)

4½ c. bread flour, fluffed

2¼ tsp. kosher salt

2¼ tsp instant yeast

¾ tsp. granulated garlic

5 tsp. finely minced fresh rosemary

1¼ c. roughly chopped kalamata olives

2¼ c. lukewarm water

extra virgin olive oil

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

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours.

Pour about 3 tablespoons of olive oil into a half-sheet (18×13-inch) rimmed baking pan. Remove the dough from fridge and using a stiff spatula, transfer the dough to the baking pan and form it into a rough ball. Roll the dough ball in the oil to coat it all over, again forming a rough ball.

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

Set a rack in the middle of the oven and pre-heat the oven to 425-degrees. Press the dough as much as possible into an even thickness and into the corners of the pan. (The dough will slip back to the center but spread it out as best you can.)   

Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the underside is golden and crisp and the internal temperature of the bread reaches at least 200-degrees. 

Remove from oven and transfer the focaccia to a cooling rack. Let it cool before cutting into small squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.

ITALIAN MARINATED FRESH VEGGIE SALAD  

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This past Sunday, I served this salad to our JazzVox home concert guests. And it was a hit. The salad was easy to prepare, contained healthy ingredients, was crunchie, and gorgeous to boot! Also, it needed to be made ahead so the veggies could soak up some of the incredibly tasty dressing/marinade. Which always works best for me when I have a crowd to feed.

(This is actually a picture of the salad I just made. The day of the concert all the salad was gone before I could take a picture. And I only got one bite! So, I couldn’t wait any longer. Luckily, I had all the ingredients. So, now I get to feast on this salad too. Mine! All mine! Except of course if Mr. C. wants a bite or two.)

I found this recipe on thelifejolie.com site. And boy am I glad I did.

The other nice thing about this salad was that I got to use my new Crinkle Cutter Knife, Potatoes Crinkle Fry Cut and Vegetable Cutter for Veggies, Stainless Steel Carrot Slicer – yellow (Amazon $5.99).

I had purchased this gizmo a few months before, but for whatever reason I had never thought to actually use it. But after cutting the cauliflower, cherry tomatoes, celery, and onion, my right hand was getting tired. Then the light bulb came on. Why not try cutting the carrots with my new crinkle cutter knife? And OMG, slicing the carrots was a breeze. The blade is very sharp, so it cut through the carrots like they were butter. But the slices were too big for the salad, so I just kept using the cutter to create the sizes I needed. Then I used the same cutter on the cucumbers. It worked great on the cucumbers too. And because of the wavy cuts, the veggies looked so pretty in the salad. But the best part was that my hand didn’t hurt while using my new best kitchen implement. So, if you cut a lot of carrots, etc., you might consider spending the big bucks on one of these cutters. (And no, I don’t get any kind or reward from any store for recommending this item. This cutter just worked so well for me; I thought you too might profit from owning one.)

Well, today is Mr. C’s and my 32nd wedding anniversary. I can’t believe how quickly the time has gone. And how wonderful my life has been since he came into my life. Not only has he made my life better by just being such a wonderful, thoughtful, and decent human being, he has allowed me the freedom to just be me. With all my foibles, strong opinions, righteous displays of indignation, and my inability to keep my very private thoughts to myself rather than put them out for all the world to read either on Facebook or on this blog. This has taken real courage on his part.

May you too have a life partner who treats you with respect, makes coffee for you in the morning, takes out the garbage without being asked, does the laundry when needed, and in every other way shows love through not just words but by their everyday actions that speak even louder than words.

Peace and love to all.  

¾ c. extra virgin olive oil

3 T. white wine vinegar

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. dry mustard

⅛ tsp. white pepper 

1 clove garlic, finely minced

2 c. small bite sized cauliflower florets

2 c. halved cherry tomatoes (if large cherry tomatoes, cut in thirds)

2 c. small bite sized carrot pieces

2 c. small bite sized celery pieces 

2 c. thinly sliced English cucumbers that have been partially peeled, halved, and the seeds removed 

½ med. white onion, cut in half again, thinly sliced, soaked in ice water for at least 15 minutes, then drained and patted dry

½ c. chopped fresh parsley

Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, salt, dry mustard, white pepper, and garlic together in a large mixing bowl.

Stir in the cauliflower, cherry tomatoes, carrots, celery, cucumbers, white onion, and parsley. Taste and add salt if necessary.   

Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Pull out of the fridge 30 minutes before serving. This will allow the olive oil to warm enough to not clump onto the veggies. And give the salad a good stir before serving as the marinade tends to settle to the bottom of the bowl. Transfer to a pretty salad bowl before serving.

RUM-RAISIN BUTTERCREAM FROSTED SOUTHERN RUM BUNDT CAKE  

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OK, I’m posting two cake recipes in a row. And I know, some of you out there are not cake lovers. Well, I have a thing or two to say about that! You are missing out! Because a piece of truly good cake is one of the best desserts out there. Especially if you are serving quite a few people, or in the case of this cake, taking dessert to a friend’s home. Which is exactly what happened with this cake.

Our dear friends Paul and Vivianna were hosting a dinner for their oldest daughter who is moving to New York City. So, I offered to bring dessert. But before we drove to Seattle for the dinner party, Mr. C. had a gig in Anacortes. So, whatever dessert I brought had to be in the car, all by itself, for quite some time. Apparently, cake can be very resilient! No signs of trauma. No frosting out of place. Just a happy cake waiting to be loved. And loved it was by one and all.    

Now to be fair, this cake takes a bit of time to prepare. Why? Well, because there are three separate parts to assemble before this incredibly moist and delicious cake can be considered ready for presentation.

I found the original recipe on the grandbaby-cakes.com site (a wonderful site BTW). I did make one tiny change to the ingredient list that I felt was necessary. I added just a bit of espresso powder to the mix because rum and coffee make great partners.

Now, the original recipe only called for two parts; the cake itself and the rum syrup that is poured on the cake while it is still in the pan and still warm. But when it came time for me to ever so gently entice the cake out of the pan, my cake obviously didn’t want to leave its cozy confines. So, I had to frost the cake to cover up the missing bits. (Not the first time I’ve had trouble with bundt pans. But that’s a sad story for another time.) And frankly, I knew better. You leave a cake in the bundt pan and then pour a sweet, sticky syrup all over it, and of course the cake is going to stick to the pan! Duh! But I was prepared for the inevitable. Frosting has many amazing qualities. The first being that it tastes wonderful. The second being that it covers up a multitude of sins.  

So, I decided what this cake really needed was a rum-raison buttercream frosting. And that’s exactly what I prepared to cover my poor battered and bruised cake. No one knew that I had avoided a disaster. They just enjoyed the heck out of the cake. Yeah frosting!

So, when you decide this is the cake for you, prepare to cover the cake with frosting. Unless of course you are better at removing cakes from a bundt pan, but even then, frost the darn cake anyway. The frosting really adds a lot to the final enjoyment of this cake.

Well, that’s it for now. The political circus that is keeping me crazy seems to be getting even worse. But I refuse to cave. I am going to remain happy, find enjoyment in friends and family, music, reading good books, eating good food, and knowing that I am not alone. We are all in this together. And whether the good guys win, or the few who shall remain nameless with only their own interests at heart win, there isn’t really a darn thing I can do about it. But I have chosen to remain civil, to care about others, and to keep working on myself. I will not let the evil one or two win! These few horrid people are not going to take my joy away from me.

May you too stay happy, healthy, and positive. Cook good food. Tell people you love them. Make life as enjoyable for your family and friends as you can. Make a difference in someone’s life. Share your happiness with others. Care about others from the bottom of your heart. Be a civil person.

And as always, peace and love to all.

For the cake:

½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp.

½ c. vegetable oil

1 sm. pkg. (3.4 oz.) vanilla instant pudding

¾ c. granulated sugar

¾ c. light brown sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. fine sea salt

½ tsp. espresso powder

2¼ c. cake flour, fluffed

4 lg. eggs, room temp.

1 T. pure vanilla extract

½ c. whole milk, room temp.

½ c. dark rum

Prepare a 12-inch Bundt pan by spraying liberally with nonstick baking spray.

In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine butter, oil, pudding mix, sugars, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder and beat on high for 3 minutes, until evenly mixed and fully hydrated.

Reduce speed and add flour in 2 additions and beat until thick and smooth.

Add eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl between each egg.

Add vanilla, milk, and rum, and mix until smooth. Batter will be thinnish.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Give the pan a firm yet gentle tap on the counter. (This little jiggle helps release any trapped air bubbles, ensuring your cake comes out super smooth.)

Bake in a pre-heated 325-degree oven until golden brown and cake starts pulling away from the edge of the pan, about 50 minutes. Or until the internal temperature reaches 200-degrees.

Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make the Rum Butter Syrup.

For the Rum Butter Syrup:

¼ c. (½ stick) unsalted butter

¼ c. water

1 c. granulated sugar

⅓ c. white rum

pinch fine sea salt

Combine all the syrup ingredients in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat and cook until the mixture thickens and reduces, for about 11 minutes.

After the cake has been out of the oven for 15 minutes, using a skewer, poke holes all over the surface. (The cake is still in the pan.) Slowly drizzle the syrup all over the bottom of the cake, allowing it to soak up all the yummy syrup.

Cover and let sit for at least 2 hours to allow the syrup to fully soak into the cake before turning it out onto a cake plate. (Don’t worry if the cake doesn’t come out of the pan as nicely as you would like. Not to worry. You’re going to frost and cake anyway. And frosting hides a multitude of sins! Or divots!

Store the cake in an airtight container.

For the Rum-Raisin Buttercream Frosting:

⅓ c. golden raisins

2-3 T. spiced rum

½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp.

1½ c. powdered sugar

pinch ground cinnamon

pinch sea salt

¼ tsp. vanilla extract

Place the raisins in a very small saucepan. Add 2 tablespoons of the spiced rum. Bring to a low simmer, remove from heat, and allow to cool completely.

Beat the butter until soft and creamy. Add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla extract. Beat until creamy. Add more spiced rum if the frosting is too thick.

ITALIAN CREAM CAKE (from scratch)

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In May of 2013 I made an Italian Cream Cake (I changed the name to Italian Dream Cake) for a JazzVox concert. It was so very delicious that I decided to make the same cake for our 111th JazzVox home concert this past Sunday. But when I went to look up my recipe on this site, I realized it started with a cake mix. Now, with all due respect to cake mixes, which I must admit are handy, I have made it my mission to make as much food as possible from scratch. And also, one of the considerations in my change from cake mixes to “from scratch” recipes is the fact that the ounces of cake mixes have significantly decreased over the last 30 years. Most standard cake mixes used to be around 18.25 ounces, but now typically range from 13 to 16 ounces per box, meaning manufacturers have reduced the size of their mixes by several ounces. And this reduction in the amount of flour in the cake mix, as well as the leavening agents, compared to liquid ingredients in the rest of your recipe with a cake mix as the base, might result in less than delightful results. But there is hope even if you plan to use a cake mix and your recipe calls for 1 cake mix and your recipe is over 20-30 years old.

I found this “upsizer” recipe on arkansasonline.com/news/2020/mar/11/upsizer-easy-fix-for-shrinking-boxed-ca/

Please note, this mix cannot be used in place of all the cake mix in a recipe as it doesn’t contain all of the ingredients. But if your original recipe called for a standard cake mix (18.25 oz.), you can still use a cake mix with fewer overall ounces, by adding a bit of cake mix “upsizer”.

Cake mix “upsizer” recipe:  

1½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour (see note)

1 c. granulated sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. baking soda

Whisk all dry ingredients together and store the mixture in a glass jar or other airtight container. To use, measure 3 ounces or about 6 tablespoons and add to the boxed mix.

This recipe makes enough to extend 6 (15.25-ounce) boxes of cake mix.

Note: For a chocolate cake, reduce the flour to 1 cup PLUS 3 tablespoons and add 5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder.

I am providing you with this information because some of my favorite cake recipes on this site call for cake mix. And frankly, using a cake mix saves time, and in some cases, like with chocolate cake, it saves money. Chocolate cake mix can be cheaper than using expensive cocoa powder in a scratch cake. Just always add a small bit of espresso powder to the mix and the flavor will be outstanding. But back to the real reason for this post.

Italian Cream Cake isn’t Italian in the least. In fact, Italian Cream Cake is a classic Southern dessert that’s rich, moist, and irresistibly decadent. Despite its name, this cake isn’t from Italy! It features a tender coconut and pecan cake, frosted with a creamy cream cheese frosting with just a hint of almond flavoring.

So, if you want a cake that will knock the socks off whoever is lucky enough to be offered a piece, then this is the cake for you. And believe it or not, it’s very easy to make. So, do yourself and your family and friends a favor and make this for your next get-together. It is truly one of the best cakes I have ever tasted.

Well, that’s it for today. I am in recovery mode from having hosted a fantastic concert in our home last Sunday. It just doesn’t get any better than Janis Siegel (from Manhattan Transfer fame) on vocals and Jeremy Siskind (an American pianist, composer, and educator known for his innovative blending of jazz and classical music) on our Bösendorfer piano. The concert was truly fantastic. But this old gal was pretty burned out and in bed by 8:30 pm that evening. Mr. C., bless his heart, did 99% of the cleanup. When I got up the next morning, the kitchen was clean, and the last load of dishes was happily burbling away in the dishwasher.

I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again. I am one truly lucky lady.

Peace and love to all.  

2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed

1 tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. fine sea salt

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp.

2 c. granulated sugar

5 lg. eggs, separated

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. buttermilk

1 c. sweetened shredded coconut, plus more for garnish

1 c. lightly toasted chopped pecans, plus more for garnish

For the cake:

Lightly butter a 9×13-inch baking pan. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt together.

In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream the butter and granulated sugar together. Beat until light and fluffy.

Add the egg yolks one at a time, making sure each yolk is fully incorporated before adding the next.

Stir in the vanilla extract.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter mixture, alternating with the buttermilk. Always begin and end with the dry ingredients to ensure the batter mixes evenly.

Once combined, fold in the shredded coconut and chopped pecans.

In a clean mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading it evenly to ensure an even bake.

Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 25–30 minutes. The cake is ready when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.  

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp.

1 pkg. (8 oz.) full fat cream cheese, room temp.

2 c. powdered sugar, or more as needed

1 tsp. vanilla extract

¼ tsp. almond extract

In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the room temperature butter and cream cheese together until the mixture is smooth and creamy.  

Gradually add the powdered sugar beating well after each addition.  

Addthe vanilla extract and almond extract.

Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy. If it’s too thick, you can add a splash of milk to adjust the consistency. If it’s too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar.

Frost the cooled cake and decorate with coconut and pecans.

SOUTHERN MACARONI SALAD WITH SWEET DILL PICKLES  

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OK, I had never (to the best of my knowledge) tasted a sweet pickle before making this salad. I’m a dill and bread and butter pickle gal. Well, that is, until I offered to make one of the salads for Duck Fest. Allow me to describe “Duck Fest”. An annual get-together for friends to eat duck (this time duck mousse, duck quesadillas, duck tenders, 5 salads, and the best cake you ever tasted).

This was this year’s Duck Fest cake. Amazing to look at, and irresistibly delicious. Part of the cake was chocolate and the other white cake with a blueberry filling. Yum to the max!

To this event, each person is asked to bring a “duck” gift wrapped in a brown paper bag. Then it’s a regular white elephant gift exchange where guests exchange gifts that are impractical or humorous. The goal is to have fun, not to get a valuable gift. Players then draw numbers and take turns picking a gift from the pile. Players can also steal a gift that another player has opened. But hosts Mark and Vicki have limited the “steals” to only one. Good thinking! Otherwise, it’s just too chaotic. (And presently, we all have enough “chaotic” in our lives.)  Anyway, it’s a fun event. And all of us who are lucky enough to be invited always have a great time. And thank you Mark and Vicki for yet another wonderful afternoon of friends, fun, and wonderful food. But back to this salad.

Vicki gave me the recipe from the foodiecrush.com site and provided the ingredients. She had made a couple of changes to the recipe herself, but I told her I would follow the recipe closely. Which I did. Almost. But I have been experiencing more and more how raw onions often have a sharp taste. So, soaking cut onions in ice water that you plan to serve raw significantly reduces the strong, pungent flavor by leaching out the sulfur compounds responsible for the sharp taste. So, that’s what I did. I also may have inadvertently added a bit more chopped sweet pickle to the mix. My bad!

But let me make this perfectly clear. This recipe makes for one delicious macaroni salad. It’s easy to prepare. It should be made ahead. And it feeds an army. Although the recipe calls for hard boiled eggs, I personally think they could be left out and no one would know the difference. And eggs, well, they’re a bit pricy now. So, forget the eggs if you must and spend those extra dollars on good quality pasta instead. Using good quality pasta and cooking it al denté is the key to making any macaroni salad better.

The other tiny, itsy-bitsy modification I made was what I always do when preparing salad ahead of time. I take the salad out of the fridge before serving it, stir it, taste it, and if not perfect, I figure out what is needed to make it better. In this case, the salad was a bit dry, and it needed just a bit more pickle flavor. So, I made a bit more dressing and chopped up a couple more pickles.  

I do this every time I serve a salad that has been happily residing in my fridge overnight. And why I never serve salad to guests in the original mixing bowl. And yes, it means one more bowl to wash. But we all eat with our eyes first. And a messy bowl of salad is not as appealing as one served in a nice bowl with a bit of something decorating the surface.

Well, that’s it for today. I’m just about finished with Louise Penny’s 2024 book entitled The Grey Wolf set once again in and around the Québec village of Three Pines. Great writing as always. So, I recommend you read this book. And make this salad. You will not be disappointed. You can even eat this salad while reading this book. A two thumbs up if ever there was one!

And as always, peace and love to all.  

1 lb. sm. tube shaped pasta like ditalini or tubetti (small shells or small elbow macaroni works too)

⅓ red onion, finely minced

2 celery ribs, diced (leaves too) 

1 red bell pepper, small dice

1 yellow or orange bell pepper, small dice

 heaping ½ c. chopped sweet pickles (sweet gherkins) 

1 c. mayonnaise

¼ c. plus 1 tablespoon sweet pickle juice

2 tsp. granulated sugar

1½ T. Dijon mustard

½ tsp. kosher salt, or more to taste

freshly ground black pepper

3 hard-boiled eggs, diced, opt.

1-2 T. chopped fresh parsley, opt.

Cook the pasta in salted water until al denté. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water until the pasta is cool to the touch. Shake the colander to drain away as much pasta cooking water as possible. While the pasta sits, toss it occasionally with clean hands. (I drain the pasta and just leave it sitting in the colander in my sink while I chop the veggies and do all the other prep work.)

Place the finely minced red onion in a bowl with ice water. Set aside for about 20 minutes before draining. Dry the minced onion in a paper towel.  

Place the cut celery, minced red and yellow bell peppers, chopped sweet pickles, and onion in a large mixing bowl.  

In a small mixing bowl, whisk the mayo, pickle juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper together.

Add the dressing to the veggie mixture along with the drained pasta and chopped hard boiled eggs. Stir carefully so as not to break up the chopped hard-boiled eggs.

Taste and adjust seasoning.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour, but even better if refrigerated overnight.

Before serving, especially if the salad has been refrigerated overnight, stir the salad and if it seems a bit dry, make just ⅓-½ cup more dressing (rough estimate of amounts) and ⅓ cup more minced pickles and add them to the mix. Stir the salad again, taste, and add salt and/or pepper as needed.

Transfer the salad to a nice salad bowl and sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley.

Best when allowed to be unrefrigerated for about an hour before serving.   

SPÄTZLE (GERMAN EGG NOODLES)

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Spätzle in a creamy garlic sauce

My new Spätzle maker

And yes, the correct spelling of the German word for this egg noodle is “Spätzle” with an Umlaut (ä). Pronounced schpehtz-luh. When anglicized the spelling becomes “spaetzle”. (Your German lesson for today.)

Well, howdy everyone. I’m going to keep this post light and breezy today. I am tired of politics and the crazy that has taken place the last three weeks or so. So, to save my sanity, I’m only going to write about food and the book I just finished.

As for food, I had a blast yesterday making spätzle for the first time. Well, maybe “blast” is too strong a word. Because, not knowing what the heck I was doing, and using a spätzle maker (picture above) for the first time, I managed to get about 14 bowls, pots, cooking utensils, etc. dirty in the process of making this recipe. And because cooking the noodles is a last-minute thing, all the dirty pot, pans, etc. were on Mr. C. since he routinely has dish washing detail after dinner.   

Usually, I can wash the prep bowls, etc. as I go. So, next time, I hope I can be a bit more efficient. And you can bet your bottom dollar there will be a next time. The spätzle were delicious.

But as I stated under the picture, next time I won’t try to be so fancy. I will merely fry them in a little butter and call it good.

So, next time you need egg noodles as a base for some kind of heavenly meat with gravy or sauce entrée, or in a soup or stew, or any time an egg noodle would be perfect, I suggest you make a batch of these babies. They are a bit chewy, which is wonderful. They come out perfectly al dente. And isn’t that pasta perfection!

Now, about the book I just finished. The Paris Library, written by Janet Skeslien Charles is set in Paris, beginning in 1939 and Montana, beginning in 1983. I loved this book. It was hard to read because of all the hardship caused by the Nazis in occupied France, but it was well worth reading. Great writing and the story was very intriguing.

I think one of the things I like best about reading books is that I learn so much history as I live vicariously through the characters. I feel their pain, I rejoice in their accomplishments, and I often relate to their fears and insecurities.

And a book about libraries? How could I not love a book about libraries?

As a young girl, I was lucky enough to have a small branch of the King County library system in my neighborhood. Close enough to get there by bicycle in about 5 minutes. And I clearly remember the day the librarian informed me that I had basically read all the age-appropriate books this tiny library had to offer. I was crushed. Then she smiled at me and said, “but I’m going to recommend some books that might be a little over-your head, but I feel you’re ready for the challenge”. (Or words to that effect.) I’ve never forgotten that simple act of kindness. It made a huge impact on my life. Her fearless refusal to let a little girl down taught me a lot about how one person can make a difference. She truly won my heart that day. I only wish I could tell her that I’m still an avid reader. But I’m sure by now she is in heaven sitting in a comfortable chair, in front of a fire, with a cat on her lap, sipping a cup of tea, while reading a book. At least, that is what I hope for her.

Actually, that is my hope for each of you too. Well, maybe not the already in heaven part. Let’s wait a while on that!

But until then, peace and love to all.

2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed, plus more if needed   

1 tsp. kosher salt

4 lg. eggs

scant ½ c. whole milk, or more as needed   

Place the flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Use your dough hook to combine. Add eggs, then milk, starting with slightly less and adding more milk as needed. Or more flour if the dough is too runny. It is the right consistency if it pulls away from the edges of the bowl as you mix. If the dough is too thin, the dumplings won’t form properly. You’ll need to add a tablespoon of flour at a time until the right consistency is met. If the dough is too thick, you’ll struggle to get it through the spaetzle maker holes.  

Knead the dough (number 2 setting) for a few minutes. Then using a heavy rubber spatula, pull the dough away from the sides of the mixing bowl. This pulling action should look like the dough would rather stick to the sides but is willing to come reluctantly towards the middle of the bowl in one long wide sheet.  

Bring at least 2 quarts of lightly salted water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Using a spätzle maker of your choice, press the noodles into the simmering water and cook for about 2-3 minutes, or until the noodles float to the top. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the noodles to a large colander set in an appropriately sized bowl to drain.

Use in any recipe that contains pasta, in place of mashed potatoes or rice, and in your favorite soups or stews. As a simple side dish, add it to a pan with a bit of butter and fry until it is heated through and beginning to brown a bit. Or use one of your favorite pasta sauces.  

And yes, spätzle can be made ahead and stored in the fridge and then reheated.  

GROUND BEEF AND ITALIAN SAUSAGE MEATLOAF  

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Some days, all I want is comfort food. So, yesterday I decided to make meatloaf. But I didn’t have any regular bulk pork sausage in the freezer. What I did have, however, was some bulk sweet Italian sausage. OK, that’ll do! And then, why not look for a new recipe? (My favorite thing to do!) And what I found, and only slightly modified, was this recipe on the bellyful.net site.

The meatloaf was so delicious! So, I knew I just had to share this recipe with you. I served it with baked gold potatoes and Simple Oven Roasted Eggplant Chunks. And if you haven’t tried this eggplant preparation yet, WHAT IN HECK ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Mr. C. commented again last night how much he liked the eggplant. And not every veggie gets that kind of review from this quasi-veggie lover!

Well, that’s it for today. I don’t even have a book review for you today because I have been continuing to read Cara Black books, and I’ve told you how fun her books are already. But soon I will be telling you all about the current book I am reading, written by Janet Skeslien Charles, a new author to me. The book is entitled The Paris Library. Set in Paris, 1939 and Montana, 1983. I’m almost finished with the book, so you don’t have long to wait for my review. (Spoiler alert. It’s going to be a good review.)

And there will be no political commentary today. I’ve been writing so much lately that I’m totally burned out on the subject. (And aren’t we all!)

So, as always, peace and love to all.            

For the meatloaf:

½ onion, finely minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 T. finely chopped parsley

2 lg. eggs, lightly beaten

3 T. ketchup

¾ c. Italian breadcrumbs

⅓ c. whole milk

¼ c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1½ tsp. dried Italian seasoning

1 tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. paprika

freshly ground black pepper

1 lb. sweet Italian sausage

1 lb. lean ground beef 

Stir the onion, garlic, parsley, eggs, ketchup, breadcrumbs, milk, Parmesan cheese, W. sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, paprika, and black pepper together in a large mixing bowl. Add the Italian sausage and mix it into the other ingredients. (I use a serving fork for this. It does a great job.) When the Italian sausage is well dispersed, stir in the ground beef.

Form the meat mixture into 2 football shaped flat loaves in a 9×13-inch baking pan. Bake in a pre-heated 375-degree oven for 45-minutes. Remove from oven and slather with the meatloaf sauce.

Return to oven for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature of the meatloaf reaches at least 160 degrees.

Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Serve with mashed, baked, or roasted potatoes and a veggie or salad.  

For the meatloaf sauce:

½ c. ketchup

¼ c. brown sugar  

½ tsp. granulated garlic

½ tsp. granulated onion

pinch seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl, stir all the ingredients together.

CANNELLINI BEAN, SMOKED HAM HOCK, AND NAPA CABBAGE SOUP

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Believe it or not, I haven’t posted a recipe for soup for about 3 weeks.  Now, that has got to be a first, at least for February, which in my estimation should actually be renamed Soupuary! I mean really, if Donald is bent on renaming mountains and bodies of water, why not let Donnie rename some of the months of the year too. Here are my suggestions. And remember, you read it here first!

January – Attackuary in honor of January 6th, 2021, and all the “patriots” who were recently pardoned who were only doing their civic duty by answering the call to action demanding an end to the “big steal”.  

February – as stated above

March – MarchICE in honor of all the great “ICE” men and women.

BTW: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was formed to protect the United States by enforcing immigration laws and investigating crimes. ICE’s mission was to safeguard national security and public safety. However, the mission statement has changed. Past administrations have stated that ICE would mainly focus on criminals. But a key issue to watch is how the term “criminal” is now defined. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said this week that the administration sees all undocumented immigrants as “criminals”.

April – Apereal for all the fine men and women who respect the ideal that only white people have the intelligence and moxy to make America (uh-MER-uh-kuh) great again.

May – This month name will remain the same. But now defined as (May everyone who has ever questioned the wisdom and foresight of the new administration be smitten with the bird flu that originated in Biden’s basement!)

June – Junior in honor of Donald Jr. And what a great guy he turned out to be! Donald Trump Jr has described his father as “an artist with real estate”. And made the case for the Trump Organization and for his dad, that he was a “genius”. Of course, a month should be named after him! It’s getting harder and harder to get someone to lick your boots!  

July – Julep instead of suggesting, “let them eat cake” as Marie Antoinette is attributed with responding when being told that her subjects had no bread, it would be more appropriate for the current administration to say instead – let them drink Juleps! Since like Marie, our current leader appears to be as oblivious to the poverty rate in our country, especially in some of our southern states, as she was. So, you’ all – drink up. There isn’t anything a good Julep can’t fix! (Except of course, pay the rent or put food on the table for your kids. But then, no problem, the kidlets will get food at school. Oops, no. Sorry, not anymore! Free lunches for children – cancelled!)  

August – Donald will leave the name of this month unchanged. Because the meaning of “august” is respected and impressive. But now in the dictionary there will be a new synonym – worthy of being honored; entitled to honor and respect. adjective. of or befitting a lord. “of august lineage” synonyms: grand, lordly, Donald T.

September – Collapse since September is often referred to as fall, and the collapse or fall of democracy is the end goal of the present administration, it only makes sense to change the name to fit the reality!

October – Harvest a new name for this 10th month of the year to entice all of our hard living, employment hesitant, gun toting, cigarette smoking, high school dropouts, preferably with a felony count or two, a chance to be the very best farm workers ever. Because of course they have only been holding back from taking these jobs out of a sense of charity. But now, they will all be just excited as hell to take the place of undocumented workers and show them how a real true American man performs a job. Yeah team!

November – Thanks A big “thanks” to celebrate all the faithful people who voted for the present administration without using their brain. And we, the current leaders, are especially grateful to those of you who are well educated. Because if we can fool you, then the sky’s the limit. (Unless it’s sky owned by Elon!) So, forget what we promised during the presidential campaign. Forget that we plan to destroy democracy in the name of God. And guys, forget how we are diminishing the rights of your wife, daughter, mother, sister. How, by our actions, we are informing everyone of color, different religious beliefs, LGBT, etc. that we are the master race. Heil Elon! So, again, thanks for your unfounded and unequivocal support. You’ve made us what we are today.   

December – Christ because every American must now profess to being a Christian. To tack up the 10 Commandments in every school room. And as Christians always supporting real inclusion and the importance of love, compassion, and helping others through our actions and words. And as Christians, showing love to our neighbors as ourselves. Or as Christians, welcoming all people into our churches, regardless of their background, beliefs, or differences. But really, surely Christ didn’t mean everyone! What Christ probably meant, was that as good Christians, we were allowed to pick and choose the commandments that meet our needs and beliefs. And to learn to love green Jello and tuna casserole.

Well, that pretty much sums up the whole year at a glance. And before you think I might be anti-Christian, let me be perfectly clear. I was raised in a Christian home. Although I don’t go to church any longer, I believe in being the best person I know how to be. And the real Christians I know, and love, are kind, compassionate, loving, and caring people. And yes, there is a difference between people who love the Lord, and those who give Christianity lip service. They may be fooling themselves, but they are not fooling me. Christ was not discriminatory. He loved everyone equally. And if any of what I have written, makes you mad. Good. Frequent another site.     

And I know, Soupuary will never fly. Not political enough! But I don’t give a flying fig! I like it.

And I suppose before I let you go, I should say something about this soup. It’s easy to make, reasonably inexpensive, and mighty darn tasty. Enough said!

Peace and love to all.  

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 T. unsalted butter

1 lg. onion, diced

2 med. carrots, diced

2 stalks celery, diced (plus leaves)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 lg. smoked ham hock

½ tsp. dried thyme

1 lg. bay leaf (or 2 small)

½ tsp. seasoned salt

¼ tsp. celery salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp. dried parsley

tiny pinch crushed red pepper flakes

8 c. veggie stock (I use 8 cups water and 6 tsp. Better Than Bouillon Veggie base)

1½ c. dried cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

4 c. chopped napa cabbage

1 T. fresh lemon juice

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large, covered soup pot or Dutch oven. Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery until the onion is soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Add the ham hock, thyme, bay leaf, seasoned salt, celery salt, black pepper, parsley, crushed red pepper flakes, veggie stock, and cannellini beans.

Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until beans are tender (about 2 hours).

Remove the lid and add the cabbage.

Cover the pot and continue to cook until the cabbage has softened, about 10 minutes. Add lemon juice, taste, and adjust seasoning.

Garlic bread makes for a nice side.

KANTO STYLE SUKIYAKI

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Peace and love to all.

1 c. mirin

¼ c. water

¾ c. low sodium tamari or low sodium soy sauce   

½ sm. onion, halved and thinly sliced

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

4 c. roughly chopped napa cabbage

6 green onions, cut into 1-inch lengths diagonally

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

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

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

steamed rice, opt.

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

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

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

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

Serve hot.

For the Baked Marinated Tofu:

2 T. tamari or soy sauce  

1 T. toasted sesame oil

¼ tsp. granulated garlic

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

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

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

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

Remove from the oven and set aside until needed.

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