Author Archives: Patti

ITALIAN PARSLEY AND FRESH BASIL VINIAGRETTE  

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You know I am always looking for new salad dressing recipes to bring an ever-changing flavor sensation to our otherwise tedious adherence to salads that begin by adding romaine and arugula to a salad bowl. But don’t get me wrong. We love green salads. But, whereas many refrigerators contain several flavors of bottled salad dressing from which to choose, our refrigerator only contains the remnants, if any, of the last salad dressing I prepared. So, the dressings I make had better be pretty darn delicious.

So, the other day I went looking for a salad dressing recipe that possibly contained a new, and perhaps completely unheard of salad dressing ingredient. I didn’t find one. But what I did find was this fabulous recipe straight from Jenn Segal’s blog onceuponachef.com. There were no new and exciting ingredients to be found in the recipe. Not a single ingredient that I had never used before in a salad dressing. But, for whatever reason, I was drawn to the recipe. Not only because it was easy to prepare, but because the ratios looked a little off to me. I know that sounds strange. But a full cup of fresh parsley? That seemed like too much to me. But I trust Jenn. I have messed with enough of her recipes to feel comfortable that she and I think a lot alike when it comes to food. So, I made the vinaigrette exactly as written. And I am here to tell you, this recipe makes for one absolutely delicious salad dressing. So, thank you Jenn for another wonderful recipe.

Well, that’s it for today. Sorry for no picture, but a picture of salad dressing in a bottle is not my idea of something that would pique your interest.

We’re staying home today because we had snow again last night, and the roads are a bit dicey. Not to mention our steep driveway. Mr. C. just finished shoveling it, but I’m not going to sit in a car, going backwards down a steep and not terribly wide bit of concrete. And should we not be able to stop the car at the bottom of our driveway, after crossing the road we would find ourselves backed into a fairly deep ravine. So, I’m not going anywhere! I’m staying in the safety of our warm and cozy home. And do a bit of recipe research. (As if I don’t do that every day anyway!) But forced confinement makes it all that much easier to justify spending hours on my computer.

Peace and love to all.  

1 c. loosely packed fresh Italian parsley leaves

1 c. loosely packed fresh basil leaves

2 cloves garlic, peeled

¼ tsp. dried oregano

¼ c. red wine vinegar

¾ c. extra virgin olive oi

1½ tsp. honey

¾ tsp. kosher salt 

freshly ground black pepper

Whirl everything in a food processor. Store in the fridge.

   

CURRIED QUINOA WITH SLIVERED ALMONDS AND GOLDEN RAISINS  

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Every time I think I may have come up with a radically new flavor combination, all I have to do is go on-line and do a search. Take yesterday, for example. While trying to come up with a new way to cook quinoa, I considered whether quinoa and curry powder might make a unique and delicious combination. Well, I was hardly the first person to come up with that idea! (I swear there is nothing new under the sun!) Because low and behold, there were 2,900,000 results from which to choose. Yikes! So, no Patti, you were not the first person to think these two, star ingredients would combine beautifully. But not being crazy or stupid, I decided to let someone else do the heavy lifting (so to speak). So, I based the recipe you find below on Sarah Brull’s recipe for Curried Quinoa Pilaf. And with the few modifications I made, I consider this easy recipe a winner.

The curry flavor is in no way overwhelming, and the toasted almonds provide a delightful crunch. And then there are the golden raisins. I love golden raisins. They provide that tiny bit of sweetness in this dish that is perfect with the spices.

So, for all of you out there who may not have tried quinoa, I would suggest starting with this recipe. And if you are already a quinoa lover, can you ever have too many great recipes that include this healthy seed. Of course not!

Well, it’s sunny here on Camano Island. There is still snow on the ground from a recent storm. The bay is looking quite docile, and at least the bottom 2/3rds of Mt. Baker is showing itself. Along with great vistas of many other snow-capped mountains in the Cascade Range. Miles and Max (our orange fuzzy family members) are happily enjoying their afternoon naps. Mr. C. is having a pleasant afternoon in rehearsal up north, and I have leftovers from last evening to serve for dinner tonight. In other words, all’s well with my world. Hope the same can be said for your world too. And do try this recipe. It’s really good.

Peace and love to all.

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

½ onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 tsp. curry powder, or more to taste

¼ tsp. cumin

1 c. quinoa, thoroughly rinsed and drained (I like the tri-color quinoa)

1 c. water

2 tsp. vegetable base (I use Better Than Bouillon Vegetable base)

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 T. fresh lemon juice

2 T. chopped fresh parsley

½ c. golden raisins

½ c. toasted slivered almonds

Heat olive oil in a covered pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the garlic, curry, and cumin, and sauté for one minute, or until the garlic is fragrant.

Add the quinoa, water, vegetable base, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, for approximately 15 minutes, or until all of the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and keep covered for five minutes. Then stir in the lemon juice, parsley, golden raisins, and toasted almonds.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

     

SIMPLE SOURDOUGH BOULE (added yeast)

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OK folks, bread baking can’t get much easier than this. So, if you have been holding off baking bread that looks and tastes like it came from a fancy bakery, there is no time like the present to put on an apron and have at it! And I know, this bread could contain one less ingredient if the recipe didn’t call for added yeast. But I believe I have mentioned before that I hardly ever plan-ahead on the type of bread I am going to bake. It’s more of a spontaneous result of realizing while I am making breakfast that we are almost out of bread. See how that works. Running low on bread equals, get your tush in gear and make more! Simple. OK, in my own defense, I do think ahead sometimes. But not nearly as often as I would like. Thus, the added yeast in this recipe. (I never claimed to be a kitchen goddess. But I do qualify for a B+ on consistent behavior. Pavlov would be so proud.)

Anyway – this recipe makes a really great loaf of bread. Perfect for sandwiches, smothered with Garlic Herb Butter (see recipe below) as an accompaniment for Italian food or soup, made into crostini, as the base for bruschetta, or any time a lovely slice of bread is warranted. This recipe basically produces an all-around, delicious, lightly flavored, firm textured, chewy crusted sourdough bread. And super easy to build.

Well, that’s it for today. As usual I have a protagonist to accompany as (in this case) he unravels the mystery of who killed Cock Robin? Not really Cock Robin. But you catch my drift!

Plus, I’m making meat loaf for dinner. And I still haven’t figured out what side dish to serve. Also, salad or veggie? Sometimes it boggles my mind how many choices I make each day that are mostly insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Will my dinner choices have any impact on world peace, for example? Of course not. Will my choices affect our continued good health? You bet your bippy my choices make a difference! So, no pressure Patti! But make the right choices.

And yes, I know. Preparing the menu for every stinkin’ meal, every stinkin’ day takes a lot of thoughtful decision making. But good, healthy food can make all the difference in the world to your family when it comes time to sit down together and share a meal.

So, keep preparing delicious, healthy food for the enjoyment of every person at table. Your reward will be the smile on their face(s). And the knowledge that you are not alone! Every meal planner around the world shares the same predicament!

Peace and love to all.  

1½ c. warm water

¾ c. sourdough starter discard, room temperature

2 tsp. active dry yeast

1½ tsp. kosher salt

4 – 4½ c. bread flour, or as much as needed

extra virgin olive oil 

Place the warm water, sourdough starter, and yeast in the bowl of your stand mixer. Let sit for 5 minutes. Add the salt and 1½ cups of the bread flour. Mix together with your bread hook. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Add enough remaining bread flour to make a soft, elastic dough. Dough should ball up around the bread hook, leaving just a bit stuck to the bottom of the bowl. The dough should be a bit sticky, but not tacky. Pour a bit of oil in the bowl and using your hands and a stiff rubber spatula, form the dough into a ball, completely greased with the oil.

Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled in volume, 60-90 minutes. Punch down once during this rising.

Cover a cookie sheet with a rectangle of parchment paper. Use enough parchment paper to allow for lifting the dough into a Dutch oven or clay baker (bread cloche). Gently shape the dough into a ball but avoid kneading. Place the dough ball on the parchment paper. Cover with the same piece of plastic wrap that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Place in a warm, draft free spot for an hour.

In the last half hour of rising, preheat oven to 500 degrees. Place your clay baker or Dutch oven on the middle rack of the oven at the same time you turn it on. You want your clay baker or Dutch oven to get hot right along with the oven.

Once the oven comes to temperature, slash an “X” on the top of the dough. (Don’t use too much force or you will deflate the bread.) Just let the weight of the knife do the work.

Remove the Dutch oven or clay baker from the oven being very careful not to burn yourself. Carefully, using the sides of the parchment paper, lower the dough into the hot Dutch oven or clay baker. Cover the Dutch oven or clay baker and place in the oven.

Bake covered for 30 minutes, then uncover and allow to finish baking. Total baking time is about 35-40 minutes. (Mine is perfect after a total of 35 minutes.) The top should be dark golden brown. The internal temperature should reach at least 205 degrees.

Remove from oven and carefully lift the parchment paper and bread out of the clay baker or Dutch oven onto a wire rack to cool. Cool completely before slicing.

Please note: A trick I use to make lifting my clay baker in and out of the oven, is to place it on a low sided baking sheet before it ever goes into the oven. It’s much easier to lift a baking sheet in and out of the oven than a clay baker. Much less likely to burn yourself. Dutch ovens – no problem. They have nice handles made for the purpose.

Also, if you don’t own a clay baker or a Dutch oven, simply bake the bread as is. It may take longer to bake then the time given above, so to be certain, take the breads temperature to make sure it is done to perfection.

GARLIC HERB BUTTER

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

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

2 tsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley

½ tsp. Italian seasoning

¼ tsp. dried oregano

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

Mush all together and serve at room temperature. Let people slather the butter on themselves, or place sliced bread on a baking sheet and spread liberally with the butter mixture. Bake in a pre-heated 375-degree oven for 8-10 minutes or until the bread is crusty around the edges and the butter topping is very hot. Serve either piping hot or at room temperature.

         

LEFTOVER PORK TENDERLOIN PAPRIKÁS (PAPRIKA) OVER CREAMY PECORINO ROMANO PULISZKA (POLENTA)  

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I love Hungarian food. And this is a quick and easy recipe for a really delicious Hungarian paprikás. The combination of sweet and smoked paprika lends an amazing flavor to this creamy, savory, meat studded sauce. And when served over polenta containing a sheep’s milk cheese, the result is a mouth full of heaven.

For this recipe, based on a recipe from katlynskitchen.com, I used leftover pork tenderloin medallions which worked really well. But if you don’t happen to have leftover pork, you can start with uncooked pork with the same result. (Instructions included below for starting with uncooked pork.)

But don’t skip making the polenta. If you don’t happen to have Pecorino Romano in your fridge, you can certainly use Parmigiano-Reggiano. But if you have never tasted Pecorino Romano, this is a great time to learn about this amazing cheese. We love it! And I always have a big old hunk of it (thank you Costco) in our fridge. It is perfect in all kinds of dishes, and it routinely displays the longevity of a Twinkie. (It doesn’t get blue fuzz around the edges even after a couple of months.) For those of you unfamiliar with this marvelous cheese, a bit of information from the Spruce Eats site:

“Pecorino Romano is an ancient Italian cheese made from 100% sheep’s milk. The milk comes from sheep bred in the wild and fed on natural pastures in Lazio, the province of Grosseto in Tuscany, and the island of Sardinia. It is one of four Italian sheep’s milk cheeses that benefits from protected designation of origin (P.D.O.) status and continues to be made using only traditional methods in its areas of origin.

Pecorino Romano is a hard cheese with a smooth, thin, natural rind. It’s white to pale straw in color, and it’s distinguished by its crumbly texture and an intense salty flavor which increases with age. While Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese have similar uses, they are different. Parmigiano-Reggiano is a hard cow’s milk cheese. It’s nuttier and sweeter than Pecorino Romano, which is decidedly saltier. Depending on the recipe, Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano can be interchangeable or combined, and they are both ideal grating cheeses.” 

So, I guess there’s nothing else to say about this recipe. So, I’ll close for today and go make some granola. Dinner is already prepared. Leftovers. (I’m really learning to love leftovers.) Just a simple green salad to complete the meal, and dinner will be on the table. No fuss, no muss. It’s my lucky day!

As always, be happy and stay healthy.

Peace and love to all.

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

½ sm. onion, chopped

6 oz. button or cremini mushrooms, thickly sliced

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 (14.5-oz.) can tomatoes, plus juice (preferably Italian tomatoes)

½ c. chicken stock  

½ lb. (plus or minus) leftover* pork tenderloin or pork roast, cut into ¾ inch cubes

1 T. sweet (regular) paprika (use Hungarian or Spanish paprika in a tin for best flavor)

½ tsp. smoked paprika 

¼ tsp. dried thyme

¼ tsp. dried caraway seeds, crushed

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

2/3 c. sour cream

1 T. freshly chopped parsley

Heat the olive oil in a large, covered pan. (I use my Le Creuset Dutch oven.) Add the onion and mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms begin to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Add the canned tomatoes, chicken stock, diced cooked pork, sweet and smoked paprika, thyme, caraway seed, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 90 minutes, or until the meat is fork tender. Stir periodically. If more liquid is required, add a bit more chicken broth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Just before serving, remove from heat and stir in the sour cream.

Great served over polenta or hot al dente noodles if you prefer. Just before serving, garnish with fresh parsley.

*If you don’t have leftover pork, simply chunk up some uncooked pork tenderloin or roast and brown the meat in a tablespoon of olive oil in a large, covered pan. Then add the onion and proceed as directed.

CREAMY PECORINO-ROMANO POLENTA (PULISZKA)

3 c. chicken broth

pinch sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

¾ c. polenta (coarsely ground cornmeal) (not instant or fast cooking variety)

2-3 T. unsalted butter

½ c. freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese (or your favorite hard sheep’s cheese)

Bring broth, salt, and pepper to a boil in a medium-sized, covered saucepan. Whisk the dry polenta slowly into the boiling broth until all of the ground corn is stirred in with no lumps remaining.

Reduce heat to low and simmer, whisking continuously until polenta starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. (Polenta mixture should still be slightly liquid.) Cover and cook for 30 minutes, whisking every 7 minutes or so. (When polenta is too thick to whisk, stir with a wooden spoon.) Polenta is done when the texture is creamy, and the individual grains of ground corn are tender.

Remove from heat and gently stir in the butter until partially melted. Then add in the Pecorino Romano until the cheese too has melted.

Cover and let stand 5 minutes to thicken. Stir, then taste to see if additional salt or pepper is required.

PAN SEARED AND SAUCED PORK MEDALLIONS

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Now one thing you should know. These days, I am leaning more and more towards recipes that are quick and easy, but still deliver a big bang for the buck! And pork tenderloin remains one of the best ways I know to accomplish this goal. Except for the bit of silver skin, that BTW must be removed prior to cooking, there is no waste. Plus, you can flavor it up any old way you choose. So, the other evening I chose to adapt a recipe I found on the diethood.com site for our dinner repast. And I can hardly wait to share the recipe with you.

This recipe is so blinkin’ easy I’m almost embarrassed to pass it along. Almost! But I simply must provide you with this recipe because even though I’ve been retired for almost 20 years, I still remember coming home from work wanting nothing more than a nice cocktail and a bit of time to rest my weary bones. But as with all of us, there was still dinner to fix. Now that I’m a bit older, there is still dinner to be prepared, and I still want my evening cocktail. But now that same cocktail is my incentive to cook dinner! I sip away while I prepare dinner. Some might consider my evening libation a bribe to cook dinner. I consider it simply a necessary ingredient for whatever I happen to be making! (And no, I don’t have a drink every evening. But it makes for a good story.)   

Anyway, this is an entrée that can be prepared very quickly, but still taste like it was prepared by the head chef of a truly fine restaurant. And the preparation is extremely easy. Serve the medallions with mashed potatoes, rice, or even buttered noodles and a salad or green veggie, and life’s good. And thank you Katerina for this wonderful recipe.

As always, have fun in your kitchen. Make good food. Laugh a lot. And be kind. Mr. C. and I just finished reading Man of Nazareth by Anthony Burgess. A beautifully written historical novel about the life of Jesus. And throughout the entire book, the theme of kindness was upper most. Kindness to others regardless of ethnicity, color, or any of the other aspects of an individual that result in distrust with no real reason. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who thinks they may have a bit yet to learn about kindness.

Peace and love to all.

scant ½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp. dried thyme

¼ tsp. paprika

¼ tsp. granulated garlic

¼ tsp. granulated onion

1 (1-1½ lb.) pork tenderloin, all excess fat and silver skin removed  

2 T. avocado or vegetable oil

3 T. unsalted butter, divided

½ c. water

½ tsp. chicken base (I use Better Than Bouillon Chicken base)

1 T. chopped fresh parsley, for garnish 

Combine the salt, pepper, thyme, paprika, granulated garlic, and granulated onion in a small mixing bowl.

Cut the tenderloin into 12 equally thick medallions (rounds). Place the medallions on a small baking sheet. Sprinkle half the seasoning evenly over each medallion. Press down on the medallions to secure the seasoning and to flatten them to an even thickness.

Add the oil to a large fry pan set over medium-high heat. Add the pork medallions (seasoned side down) to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes. While the first side cooks, add the remaining seasoning to the top side of each medallion. Please note: if you don’t have a large enough frying pan so the medallions aren’t crowded in the pan, cook the medallions in 2 batches.

Flip the pork medallions and add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the pan; cook for 2-3 more minutes, or until the internal temperature of the medallions register 135-degrees. (Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the medallions.) DO NOT OVERCOOK!

Remove the medallions from the skillet and set aside on a platter.

Slowly whisk in the water and chicken base while scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. As the sauce cooks over medium heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Gently stir until the melted butter has slightly thickened the sauce.

Return medallions to the skillet. Gently spoon the sauce over the medallions as they heat. Remember: you don’t want to cook the medallions any longer. You are simply re-heating them a bit.  

Remove from heat, garnish with parsley, and serve the medallions immediately.

NO BAKE FRUIT AND NUT GRANOLA SQUARES

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For those of us trying to be good (that is staying away from cookies, candy, and the like), we still deserve a treat occasionally. And for those of us getting older and faced with the possible onset of diseases (like diabetes) that often hit as we hobble into our golden years, we have to be particularly careful what we put in our mouths.

So, I decided to look for a treat recipe for myself that packed a wallop. Wallop in this case defined as having “a big flavor bang, in a small package, that’s reasonably healthy”. (Not an easy task.) So, when I discovered a recipe for a 5-ingredient granola bar on the minimalistbaker.com site, I decided this treat would work for me with a few minor ingredient adjustments. And the recipe you find below is the result. Plus, I cut the pieces much smaller than the original recipe suggests. Actually, about a third the size. But as it turned out, one piece is absolutely enough. Because these babies are rich.

But OMG, they are delicious. Perfect for those times when nothing but a bit of sweet will do! But I try not to eat one a day. They aren’t vitamins after all!  Even if they do contain healthy ingredients. According to healthline.com “Dates boast an impressive nutrient profile but are quite sweet. Yet, they’re packed with fiber, which helps your body absorb its sugars more slowly. When eaten in moderation, they’re a safe and healthy choice for people with diabetes.”

And maple syrup, which again should be eaten in moderation, according to food.ndtv.com states “the glycemic index of maple syrup is around 54. Foods with glycemic index lower than 55 get digested slowly, enabling slow release of sugar in the blood stream, prevented chances of abnormal blood sugar spikes.”

And then there’s the peanut butter. (Oh, how I love peanut butter!) According to the nationalpeanutboard.org “Individuals with diabetes need foods that can help manage blood sugar and weight. Peanuts and peanut butter can be a powerful ally to reaching success. Peanuts and peanut butter have a low glycemic index, which means they don’t cause blood sugar to rise sharply.”

And to top things off, these squares also contain almonds and rolled oats. But everyone knows the health benefits of these two incredible ingredients, so I will skip describing their many glorious assets.

Final analysis – these granola squares are easy to prepare, contain healthy ingredients, and taste really, really good. Oh, and they’re crunchy. And who doesn’t love crunchy!

No more to say except – stay healthy, stay kind, stay involved, and stay safe. Oh, and stay informed. It’s natural to want to protect ourselves from all things unpleasant. But it’s not wise to forgo information that is not to one’s liking. Especially on current events. But we should always choose wisely how and where we gather information. And to my thinking, reliable sources don’t just state their own feelings on a subject. They try to give only the facts and allow the reader or listener to use their own critical thinking abilities. For me, this is the foremost criteria for good reporting. I don’t appreciate being talked down to. Or being told what to believe. But when someone is an expert, or reporting on what was said by an expert, it allows me to come to my own conclusion. For this type of reporting, I am most appreciative. And the only kind that truly holds my interest. Or for which any attention is received by me at all! 

Peace and love to all.

1 c. (packed) roughly chopped dates (I use Medjool dates)

2-3 tsp. water

1 c. toasted* slivered almonds

1½ c. toasted* rolled oats

½ c. finely chopped dried apricots (or dried fruit of choice)

¼ c. real maple syrup  

¼ c. creamy salted peanut butter (not natural)

½ tsp. vanilla  

Process dates and water in a food processor until only small bits remain (about 1 minute). Transfer to a mixing bowl. Stir in the toasted almonds, toasted oats, and dried fruit until well blended.  

Warm the maple syrup and peanut butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour over the oat mixture and mix well.  Scoop mixture into an 8×8-inch baking dish or other small pan lined with parchment paper. (Be sure to use enough parchment paper that you can lift the bars out of the pan.)  

Press down firmly with your fingers until the mixture is uniformly flattened. This helps the squares stick together better.

Cover with plastic wrap and let firm up in fridge for 45 minutes or more.

Remove cold contents from the pan and cut into desired size squares.  

Store in an airtight container in your fridge.

*To toast almonds and oats, place on a rimmed baking sheet and place in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 10-15 minutes or until slightly golden brown.

  

HAM HOCK AND NAVY BEAN SOUP WITH FENNEL 

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And yes, I make soup frequently. Because – I love soup. It’s easy to prepare, most of the time includes lots of veggie action, and it tastes good. And during the fall and winter months, soup is a comfort. For me it’s a reminder of how lucky I am to be warm and cozy in my own home. And to my mind, soup should be the poster child for comfort food. And you know how I feel about comfort food! Thus – I make soup all the time. Luckily Mr. C. loves soup as much as I do. Otherwise, he’d be on his own for dinner because I’d be serving soup anyway! Of course, you know that’s not true. But it makes for a good story. And it serves as an affirmation of how much I really do love a big old bowl of really good soup. And there in lies the heart of this harangue. I only like soup when it is delicious. And usually that means – homemade. (Or made in a fine restaurant.) And I know. I’m picky. But I’m sorry folks, a bowl of soup that comes from a can, just doesn’t make it for me.

First of all, canned soup is usually too salty. Then, for what you get, it’s expensive. If there is any meat, in a soup that calls itself chicken noodle soup for example, any of us would be hard pressed to find more than just a smidgen of chicken. So, what would we be paying for? I rest my case. (And yes, I know, convenience is worth something.)

Actually, I really shouldn’t be preaching to the choir in the defense of homemade soup. Because if you weren’t into homemade soup in the first place, you wouldn’t even be reading this diatribe!   

Anyway, all blather aside, I truly believe you would find this soup easy to prepare and ever so delicious. Absolutely perfect for a grey, Pacific Northwest dinner. (Or anywhere else for that matter!)

Peace and love to all.

1 T. extra virgin olive oil,

½ lg. onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

4 celery ribs plus leaves, thinly sliced

1 lg. fennel bulb, diced

4 lg. cloves garlic, finely minced

½ c. dry white wine

6 c. chicken broth (or 6 c. water and 2 T. chicken base)

1 (8-oz.) can tomato sauce

½ tsp. seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp. fennel seeds

¼ tsp. dried thyme leaves

4-6 crushed red pepper flakes

1 bay leaf

1 smoked ham hock

1⅓ c. small navy beans, rinsed

2 c. thinly sliced baby spinach

Heat olive oil in a large, covered soup pan or Dutch oven. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and fennel bulb. Sauté only until onion starts to soften. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Add the wine and cook until any liquid has evaporated.

Add the chicken broth, tomato sauce, seasoned salt, pepper, fennel seeds, thyme, crushed red pepper flakes, bay leaf, ham hock, and navy beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and gently simmer until the beans are soft, about 2 hours. After about 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.

When the beans are tender, add the spinach. Remove from heat. Taste and adjust seasoning. Discard bay leaf before serving.

Great accompanied by crusty baguette slices or Crostini. See recipe below.  

Please note: For this recipe, beans do not need to be pre-soaked.

CROSTINI

baguette or similar chewy long loaf of bread

extra-virgin olive oil

flaky or coarse sea salt

Pre-heat your oven to 450-degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up. 

Slice the bread on the diagonal into pieces no wider than ½-inch. Lightly brush both sides of each slice with olive oil.

Place the slices in a single layer on your prepared baking sheet and bake them on the middle rack for about 9 minutes, until they are crisp and nicely golden on top. Remove from oven and sprinkle lightly with salt. Serve immediately.

CHICKEN ENCHILADA CASSEROLE  

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Oh, the siren call of a truly delicious casserole. And yes, I know that part of the definition of “siren call” includes “potentially harmful and dangerous”. And the kind of casseroles I am always drawn to, can be just that for me. Because I am always tempted to eat more casserole (like this one) than is healthy or required by my body to stave off starvation. And let’s face it. My aged body doesn’t need very much nourishment to keep it alive and healthy. But my mouth, has obviously decided to ignore the memo from my brain. Because my mouth keeps wanting more, more, more! So, my common sense is often driven to intercede in my brain’s defense. Which is quite a difficult thing for it to do, as some of you might attest. But, whenever possible, I allow my common sense to prevail. And it absolutely must take over when I am sitting at dinner with a big old pan of this kind of casserole beckoning me to have seconds a mere 6 feet from where I am dining. It isn’t fair, but then, what in life is?!

So, I guess what I am trying to relate, is that this is a very tasty casserole. And quite easy to prepare. And the kind of casserole that everyone in your family will enjoy. And I know that some people have an aversion to casseroles. What’s with that? It’s got to be a holdover from when they were children and forced to eat a dry tuna casserole. (Like the one my mother used to make.) To these people I say – GET OVER IT! Times change, recipes change, and when made correctly, casseroles can be fantastic. And this is a good one to prove that point!

So, even if you have a family member who is casserole resistant, make one anyway. This person will soon learn that a good casserole is a joy and a delight! I’ve got broad shoulders. Tell them, Patti made you do it.

Peace and love to all.

3 T. unsalted butter, divided

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

½ c. finely diced onion

2 T. unbleached all-purpose flour

2½ c. water

4-5 tsp. chicken base (I use Better Than Bouillon Chicken base)

12 regular size corn tortillas  

½ c. sour cream (Mexican sour cream is best)

¼ tsp. seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper

1½ tsp. chili powder

1/8 tsp. cayenne

1 tsp. granulated garlic

⅓ c. diced roasted red peppers

4 oz. can diced green chilies (I use Hatch chilies)

2 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 c. grated Monterey Jack or mozzarella cheese

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a good-sized frying pan. Cook the chicken until still a bit of pink remains. Add the onion and cook for about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken and onion to a small bowl.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the pan. Add the flour and whisk together for about 3 minutes. Add the water and chicken base. (And of course, you can skip the water and chicken base and use chicken broth.) Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and let burble for a couple of minutes as the mixture thickens. Before adding the other ingredients, remove a half cup of the mixture and spread on the bottom of a lightly greased 9×13-inch casserole or Pyrex baking dish.

Then stir in the sour cream, seasoned salt, pepper, chili powder, cayenne, granulated garlic, roasted red peppers, green chilies, and chicken and onion mixture plus any residual juice.    

Next add 6 tortillas evenly distributed to the baking dish. Then spread the tortillas with half of the chicken mixture, and half of both kinds of grated cheese.

Repeat with the remaining 6 tortillas, remaining chicken mixture, and top with the remaining grated cheese.

Bake uncovered in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until bubbly.   

CHEDDAR AND CHIVE CORNMEAL BISCUITS

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And yes, that little unshaped biscuit is from the last bit of dough. And it matters not that it is misshapen. It’s mine, all mine!

Sometimes all I want is a really good biscuit. Biscuits are so easy to build, and are such a wonderful accompaniment to soups, stews, chili, and chowders. They simply make the meal. But my personal favorite is when I get to have a biscuit with breakfast. And I must say, these biscuits are absolutely perfect along with a bit of breakfast meat and an easy over egg. No jam, jelly, honey, etc. required. Just a bit of unsalted butter melted on each half. Fabulous.

But of course, these biscuits are wonderful anytime a bit of bread would make a meal complete. And I have to admit, for me, bread makes any meal better. I don’t allow myself bread with every meal because, well, it wouldn’t be good for health reasons. But that doesn’t mean I don’t miss it!

Even when we go out to dinner, I always hope that a basket of bread will be the first offering to be placed on our table. Well, that is, after my martini, of course! But when no bread appears, I always feel a bit cheated. Over the years I have learned to hold back any tears that might come unbidden from my disappointment. But if I were the one who paid the check, the tip would, I’m sure, always be a little less if no bread was delivered. (And yes, I know, it’s not the waiter’s fault that no bread is included with the meal. But to my thinking, these waiters should have thought of that before they chose to work in an establishment that doesn’t know or understand the needs of their clientele!) Luckily for these waiters, I rarely pay the check. And Mr. C. is far too kind to punish anyone for another’s transgressions!)  

I guess what I am trying to say, is that these biscuits are really, really yummy. I found the recipe on the bostongirlbakes.com site. And believe it or not, I didn’t change a thing. Just as written on Heather’s blog. So, thank you Heather for this amazing recipe.

So, to all of you who are true bread lovers, please give this recipe a try. The biscuits are easy to prepare, contain no fancy ingredients, and possess a delightful flavor and texture. And just the right size to alleviate guilt, but not feel stinted either.

As always, be happy. Those of us with a roof over our heads, enough food to feed our family, and friends who care about us even if at times our inner 2-year-old screams to be set free, are truly lucky. And of course, you do realize that I would never take my aggression out on a waiter. However, there are times when it’s a good thing the cook doesn’t come out of the kitchen to ask patrons how we enjoyed our meal? There are just too many times when that person would get more than he or she bargained for if I were asked that question!

Peace and love to all.  

2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

1 c. yellow cornmeal (fine grind cornmeal is best)

5 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. kosher salt

½ c. (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

1 c. cold buttermilk

1 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese

3-4 T. chopped fresh chives or 2 T. dried chives

melted butter

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.   

Place the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in your food processor. Pulse a couple of times to mix the ingredients. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks granular.  

Add the cheese and chives. Pulse until the ingredients are evenly combined.

Pour in cold buttermilk and pulse a few times until a shaggy dough forms. The dough will be sticky at this point.

Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Bring the dough together gently. Knead the dough by pressing the dough down into about a ½-inch thickness, then fold in thirds (fold the right side over, then left side over the dough). Repeat 3 times to create flaky layers.

Pat the dough into a 1 inch-thick circle. Cut the biscuits into rounds using a 2½-inch biscuit cutter. (Remember, when cutting biscuits, press straight down on the biscuit cutter. Do not twist as you press down.)

Press the scraps together and cut out remaining biscuits. Place on prepared pan about 1½-inches apart.

Bake in a pre-heated 450-degree oven for about 15 minutes on the middle rack of your oven. When done, the internal temperature should be between 205 and 210-degrees and the biscuits should be a nice golden brown.

Remove from oven and allow to cool on pan for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to continue to cool. Brush tops with melted butter.

Store the biscuits in an airtight container in the refrigerator. These biscuits are best when re-heated before serving.  

   

BAKED RACK OF LAMB WITH A SAVORY TOPPING 

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This is a simple variation on my Rack of Lamb with Kalamata-Rosemary Crust recipe. (My favorite rack of lamb recipe BTW.) But some days I don’t want to mess around in the kitchen as much as other days when I can hardly wait to start dinner. And I know, for those of you for whom cooking is the antithesis of a pleasurable way to spend your time, you must think I am bat (fill in the blank) crazy! But it’s true. There are days when I truly look forward to my time in the kitchen. But then there are the days I still want to serve up a delicious meal, but putting in the effort to do so, just doesn’t appeal at all! And the evening I served this recipe for rack of lamb just happened to be one of those times.

In truth, I had already prepared Mediterranean Quinoa Salad, which BTW is not only delicious but very easy to prepare.  But my flagging stamina that day had already been taxed. The last thing I wanted was to spend more than 20 minutes more in food prep. Being the rather resourceful person that I am, I brought out my standard recipe, the one mentioned above, and paired it down to the recipe you find below. And to my great delight, the meat was juicy and very well-seasoned. Which along with the salad made for a mighty fine meal.

So, if you too have those days when you would rather do almost anything besides cook, this is the perfect recipe for you. Quick, easy, and delicious.

And lest you think that I am losing my love of all things culinary, fear not. I still love my kitchen and producing different dishes at a prodigious rate. I’m just getting older, and what used to take me an hour, can now take me two or even three hours. But I’m still in the game. Fearless, searching for new and different recipes with which to thrill and delight you, and always up for a challenge. It’s just that now I am no longer the hare, I’m the tortoise!  

Peace and love to all.  

1 garlic clove, finely minced

1 tsp. Dijon mustard  

½ tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves

2 tsp. finely chopped shallot

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

4 pitted kalamata olive, minced 

1 (8-rib) frenched rack of lamb, silver skin removed

lemon wedges, for serving

Mix the garlic, Dijon mustard, rosemary, shallot, salt, pepper, olive oil, and kalamata olives together. 

Place the rack of lamb, meaty side up on a small, rimmed aluminum foil covered baking sheet. Coat the top of the meat with the garlic mixture and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.

Roast the lamb in a pre-heated 450-degree oven for 20 minutes for medium-rare, or until a thermometer inserted in the center reads 120 to 125-degrees. 

Remove from oven, tent with foil, and let rest at least 10 minutes before carving into chops.

Serve with lemon wedges.