Author Archives: Patti

ROASTED GARLIC SOURDOUGH BOULE (uses sourdough discard and added yeast)

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I am always amazed when I bake bread. Amazed that “we” actually produced such an awesome loaf. Me, myself, and I, that is! Of course, with the help of my little yeasty-beasty sourdough starter friends. But then, why shouldn’t they help me out? I’ve been feeding them conscientiously every 7-10 days for months. We’ve become buddies, comrades, and allies in my quest for the perfect sourdough loaf. And they’ve been very patient with me. Sometimes I have used them to less advantage. Other times they have shown their true colors. And this, dear friends, is one of those times. If I do say so myself, this is one darn good loaf of bread. Period! It’s flavorful, but not over the top garlicky. It’s chewy, but not too chewy. And the crust is divine. All and all, I’d give this bread a rating of 9.8 out of 10. (Nothings perfect, after all.) But this bread is about as good as it gets. And extremely easy to build. And let me tell you true, this bread makes the best ever toast. Lightly spread with soft butter, there is just nothing better to accompany bacon and eggs.

Plus, no fancy ingredients, not even bread flour required for this loaf. Just plain old unbleached all-purpose flour. And even if you don’t have a cast iron Dutch oven or a cloche (clay baker), you can simply bake the boule on a piece of parchment paper. It will still taste delicious. The crust might not be as fabulous, but the chewy texture and the light sourdough flavor will still be present. And of course, the lovely roasted garlic.

So, I see nothing stopping you from building a loaf that will knock your friends and family’s socks off. (They don’t need them on anyway. It’s SUMMER!)

As always, be the one who brings the entire family together around the dining table. With heaps of good and healthy food and lively conversation. Because these precious days together will not last forever.

I remember how I felt some days while my kids were young. I’d ask myself will this ever end? Will I ever have any peace and quiet? Will there ever be any milk left in the refrigerator?? But those days did end, and honestly, I’d bring a few of them back if that were possible. Because they were also joyous days. Hectic, frantic, but very gratifying. And always full of love. And the best times we experienced together almost always revolved around the heart of our home – the kitchen. Good food always makes for better companionship. And as cooks, we can make that happen.

Peace and love to all.   

¾ c. sourdough starter discard   

½ c. warm water  

1½ tsp. instant dry yeast 

1 tsp. granulated sugar

1¼ tsp. kosher salt

2½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour (more or less)

1 head garlic, roasted* then cloves roughly chopped

extra virgin olive oil, for greasing bowl and brushing on boule after baking

super-fine sea salt, for sprinkling over baked boule

Combine the sourdough starter discard, water, yeast, and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer. Let stand for 5 minutes. Then add the salt and flour. Using your dough hook, knead until the dough is smooth, elastic, and quite stiff, about 6 minutes.

Pour a bit of olive oil around the dough, and using your fingers and a stiff rubber spatula, form dough into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for an hour or until doubled. (If you gently poke a finger into the dough, an indentation should remain when you remove your finger.)

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a rough rectangle or oval about ½-inch thick. Spread the chunks of roasted garlic evenly over the dough. Roll into a log starting with a short side.

To form into a boule, gently bend one end up towards the middle. Do the same with the other end. Then turn the dough over and tug and tuck towards the bottom of the ball until you’ve formed the dough into a tight ball shape. Place the dough ball, smooth side up on a piece of parchment paper long enough to allow you to lower the dough into a Dutch oven or cloche (clay baker). Cover the dough with greased plastic wrap and let rest for 60 minutes. (It should just about double as it rises.)

Meanwhile, place your Dutch oven or clay baker (cloche), lid and all, in your oven. After the dough has been rising for about 30 minutes, pre-heat your oven to 425-degrees. When the dough has risen sufficiently, carefully remove the Dutch oven or clay baker from the hot oven. Immediately use a sharp knife or lame blade to score an X about ¼-inch deep into the surface of the bread dough. This allows the bread to expand without tearing as it bakes. (Don’t press down too hard. You don’t want to deflate the dough ball.)

Carefully remove the Dutch oven or cloche lid and place the parchment paper and loaf in the bottom of your Dutch oven or on the bottom portion of your cloche. Then cover and place in the pre-heated 425-degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and continue baking for an additional 10-13 minutes or until the crust is nicely browned and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. (Your instant read thermometer should read between 200 to 205-degrees.)

Remove from oven and carefully transfer to a cooling rack. Brush generously with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with super-fine sea salt. Let cool completely before slicing.

Please note: If you prefer a crisp, chewy crust, don’t slather with olive oil. Leave as is.

Store leftovers at room temperature wrapped in a tea towel.

*To roast a head of garlic, cut off the top of the garlic to expose the cloves. Drizzle with 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil. Cover and roast at 400-degrees for 60 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven and let cool until you can easily remove the golden, soft cloves from their paper-thin wrappers.

How can Miles possibly be comfortable with his back half on the desk surface? And a very comfortable amount of kitty bed still available to accommodate the rest of his big, fuzzy body. But there he lay as I wrote this post. My little buddy. My helper. And the guy who tells me not only is it lunch time, it’s kitty treat time too!

     

SHRIMP AND ZOODLES STIR FRY

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I know I’ve mentioned it before, but I love my new spiralizer. And yes, I am kind of a gadget girl. Melon ballers and the like have a tendency to follow me out of kitchen shops regardless of whether or not I might actually have a need for said product. It’s the old “isn’t that cute” syndrome that afflicts many of us. And for which there seems to be no known cure. And now with Amazon, it’s even easier to locate those special little items you had no idea you needed so badly. But in all fairness, they are often inexpensive, and even if they serve only one purpose, they are worth the dollars just for the convenience. See, I can justify almost anything. After all, I’ve been at it for a long time. But enough about my rather light case of kitchen tool neurosis. And on to why you too should purchase a spiralizer. (If of course you don’t own one already!)

Then with your spiralizer firmly attached to a counter, you can spiralize your zucchini and carrot and prepare this fabulous recipe courtesy of Holly at the spendwithpennies.com web site. Of course, you could just chop up the zucchini and carrot, but what fun would that be? Getting out the spiralizer, and then making a slight mess on your countertop seems so much more chef-like than merely hacking and slashing the vegetables on a cutting board. Not to mention – classier. And don’t we all want to be thought of as classy cooks? Of course, we do! And speaking of classy, to really up your game, you can refer to spiralized zucchini as “courgetti” which is how spiralized zucchini is referred to in France. English – zucchini, French – courgette.

But whatever you choose to call these thin, spaghetti like strands of fresh zucchini, you are in for a treat. So much healthier than using pasta, and so very tasty. And on that happy note, I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we do. It’s easy to prepare, contains simple, healthy, and everyday ingredients, and most importantly, tastes wonderful.  

So, as always, be content. It’s not always easy. Sometimes I forget that I’m not alone feeling insecure or a bit scared about the future. Most of us who have been productive individuals all our lives, find it difficult to accept that our usefulness has become limited by age and/or health issues. And it’s no fun accepting the new reality. I often find myself worried about how the aging process has limited my abilities. And then I realize there isn’t a darn thing I can do about it. And how much even my closest and most loving family and friends might hate me if I didn’t age right along with them. Which of course I am. No one escapes the aging process. Not even if we thought it would never happen to us! (That would include me.)

Then, I laugh at myself for being such a doofus. And remember how lucky I am in the grand scheme of things. And I figure, as long as I can still laugh at myself, I’m OK. After all, it’s a well-known fact that laughter is the best medicine. And the type of “medicine” that has no adverse side effects. Only beneficial properties.  

Peace, love, and contentment to all.

¼ c. water

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

1 T. cornstarch

2 T. brown sugar

3 T. soy sauce

½ tsp. sesame oil

½ tsp. Sriracha, or to taste

1 (6-8 inch) zucchini, spiralized (zoodles)  

¼ tsp. kosher salt

2 T. extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil, divided

½ lb. large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed, then cut in thirds

1 carrot, spiralized

1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips

2 tsp. minced fresh ginger

3 garlic cloves, minced

sesame seeds, topping, opt.

thinly sliced green onions, topping, opt.

In a small bowl, whisk the water, chicken base, cornstarch, brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and Sriracha together. Set the stir fry sauce aside.

Spiralize the zucchini. (I leave the skin on.) Using scissors, cut the long strands into shorter pieces. Place in a colander in your sink, and sprinkle with the kosher salt. Give the zucchini a toss with the salt, then let it sit until you are ready to add it to the stir fry. (Salt and all.)   

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large pan or wok over medium heat. Add shrimp and cook just until done (about 2-3 minutes). Transfer to a separate bowl and set aside.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan and add the spiralized carrot and red pepper strips. Cook until softened (about 4 minutes).

Add minced ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).

Add the zoodles and cook for about 2 minutes.

Add cooked shrimp and stir fry sauce to the pan. Stir well and increase heat to medium-high. Cook until sauce is thickened. Remove from heat.

Serve immediately topped with sesame seeds and green onions.

     

BABY ARUGULA AND ROMAINE SALAD WITH LEMON SALAD DRESSING AND PARMESAN CHEESE

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So, the other day Mr. C. comes home from the grocery store with a tub of baby arugula. We had been talking about how much we liked arugula, but I hadn’t included it on my shopping list. Never-the-less I was delighted with the purchase. So, that evening I made this salad. The recipe from saltpepperskillet.com didn’t call for romaine, but I felt that using a combination of the two different kinds of lettuce would be delicious. The arugula providing the spicy, peppery, slightly bitter component, while the romaine offered a nice crunch. And then, when tossed with this lemon dressing, well, to put it succinctly, we were blown away! This made for an absolutely delicious, simple to prepare salad. One that we will be enjoying over and over. A salad that will go very well with any kind of simply prepared meat or seafood I choose to serve. Yum, I can’t wait.

We are avid lemon lovers to begin with. But when you add the other ingredients to the firm lemon base in this dressing, magic happens. And of course, you could add other ingredients besides lettuce to this salad. But honestly, why bother! This is perfect as is. So, thank you Justin for this marvelous recipe.

As always, eat your vegetables! They are good for you and when they taste as good as they do in this salad, there is no excuse for not gulping them down!

Peace and love to all.  

¼ tsp. lemon zest

2 T. lemon juice

2 T. extra virgin olive oil 

¼ tsp. Dijon mustard

2 tsp. minced shallot

1 T. honey

1/8 tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

baby arugula

romaine lettuce, chopped

coarsely grated Parmesan or Pecorino-Romano cheese

Whisk or shake the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard, shallot, honey, salt, and pepper together.

Place the arugula and romaine lettuce in a salad bowl. (I use equal amounts of each.) Toss with enough of the dressing to coat the lettuce leaves without drowning them. Serve immediately. Pass the Parmesan.

 

ITALIAN SAUAGE, BELL PEPPERS, AND SPIRALIZED ZUCCHINI (ZOODLES)

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When it comes to pasta, I am a complete sucker. I like it all. Doesn’t matter in what form the pasta takes, be it shells, rotini, spaghetti, fettuccine, egg noodles, etc. etc., I enjoy every variation. But in hoping to trim off some of the carbs in our diet, and since I now own a spiralizer and have been reading splendiferous reviews about the use of zoodles instead of noodles, I decided to join the throng and substitute zucchini for “the real thing” in one of my favorite pasta dishes.

Well, boy howdy, was I delighted with the result. I DID NOT MISS REAL PASTA IN THE LEAST!!!! Not kidding here folks. This “pasta” dish was the best Italian food I have made or eaten in quite some time. And although I know many of you have been using spaghetti squash in lieu of pasta, I truly like the taste of zoodles better. Or should I say, the lack of taste better. I too have used spaghetti squash, but the flavor wasn’t ever quite right. Not to mention the texture. And I’m a devoted fan of any kind of squash! But with zucchini, it seems to take on any flavor you put with it. And since the simple sauce in this recipe is so darn delicious, who wants any outside flavor detracting from the essence of Italian sausage, bell peppers, and basil? Not me!

And I’m sure you have noticed, with only a cursory glance at the ingredients, this is a really simple dish to prepare. And no, you don’t need onion, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, etc. Don’t even be tempted. Just trust me on this one. This is a KISS principle recipe. (Keep It Simple Sister.)

So, as always, have fun creating healthy and delicious dishes for your family. And anytime you can get your family to eat (and enjoy) more veggies, give yourself a gold star.

Peace and love to all.    

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 lb. bulk Italian sausage, pork or chicken

1 tsp. fennel seeds

3 bell peppers, diced (yellow, orange, or red) – I use one of each

1 28-oz. can Italian peeled whole tomatoes (Roma or other)  

freshly ground black pepper

½ c. loosely packed basil chiffonade

2 med. sized (about 6-inch each) zucchini

¼ tsp. kosher salt

grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese

Heat the olive oil in a heavy, large-covered pan. Add the sausage and fry until it is nicely browned. Add the fennel seeds, diced peppers, canned tomatoes (I cut the canned tomatoes into small pieces with a scissors before adding to the pot), and black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally for about 45 minutes or until the peppers are very tender, but not mushy.

Meanwhile, spiralize the zucchini. (I leave the skin on.) Place in a colander in your sink, and sprinkle with the kosher salt. Give the zucchini a toss with the salt, then let it sit until you are ready to add it to the sauce. (Salt and all.)   

When ready to serve, add the zoodles and basil to the sauce and cook for 3-4 minutes.

Serve liberally sprinkled with Parmesan or Pecorino-Romana, or my favorite, a combination of the two cheeses. 

 

ANISE BISCOTTI WITH SLIVERED ALMONDS (traditional Italian favorite)

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When I think of biscotti, I always envision traditional anise flavored biscuits. Because I happen to be someone who truly loves a strong, licorice-like taste. But if you are familiar with this site, you know I have several biscotti recipes already posted that do not include anise. So, if you happen to fall in the category that is not anise addicted, I still have you covered. (Just search under “biscotti”, and all will be revealed.)

And I should mention that I already have an anise biscotti recipe on site that is the same as this one except for the addition of anise seed in this recipe. I could have simply updated the original recipe, but I thought it would be more fun to publish this version too. (After all, choices are always nice.) Anyway, these are now my new favorite traditional anise flavored biscotti.

So, lets talk a bit about how easy biscotti biscuits are to build. The dough is basically like many cookie doughs. Cream the butter and sugar together, add eggs and flavoring. Then whisk the flour, leavening (in this case baking powder), and salt together. Then combine the whole mess. But where in drop cookies you simply plop balls of dough on a baking sheet, or rolled cookies, where you cut the rolled-out dough into various shapes, with biscotti you form logs. Then you bake the logs for a short time, remove them from the oven, let them cool a bit, then cut the logs into slices, and bake them a second time until they are done. It may sound like more work then plopping or rolling, but it actually takes very little skill to make perfectly formed biscotti biscuits.

And I’m telling you true, there is just nothing better than a biscotto (singular of biscotti) dunked in your morning coffee or tea. So, you simply must give biscotti a try. And if you have been making biscotti for decades – Saluti!

As always, stay safe and stay focused on the well being of others. If you haven’t been vaccinated against covid, please consider the health of those with whom you make contact. You may be extremely healthy, but you can’t tell from just looking at someone whether or not they too share your good fortune. They could have an immune deficient condition that is not apparent. And even if they have been vaccinated, it would still be very unhealthy for them to contract the disease. So, please don’t make this all about you. Because it is not all about you or your personal rights or about your being a faithful member of your chosen political party! Politics has absolutely nothing to do with fighting a disease. Covid-19 has no affiliation with any political party. It has no political agenda. It’s only mission, if you care to define it as a mission, is to attack people’s lungs and possibly cause an overactive immune response which can lead to increased inflammation throughout our bodies. So, getting vaccinated is necessary if we hope to stop the spread of this deadly disease. Getting vaccinated is simply about saving lives! Yours included. Nothing else. Please do your part.

Peace and love to all.

½ c. unsalted butter, room temperature

1 c. granulated sugar

3 lg. eggs, room temp.

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. good anise extract

2 tsp. ground anise seed

3 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

1 T. baking powder

½ tsp. kosher salt

1 c. slivered almonds, lightly toasted  

Cream butter and sugar together until light and creamy. Add the eggs, vanilla, anise extract, and ground anise seeds. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Combine with butter mixture. Stir in the slivered almonds.

Using your hands liberally coated with flour, divide the dough into 4 pieces on a floured surface. Pat each piece into a 12×1½-inch rectangle. Place on a large lightly greased baking sheet about 4 inches apart. (Use more than one baking sheet if necessary.) Bake the logs in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until a light golden brown. Remove from oven.

Cool for 15 minutes. Then cut each roll on a slight diagonal into ¾-inch thick slices. Turn the slices cut side down on the baking sheet. Bake for 10-13 minutes or until each piece is firm and nicely browned. Remove from oven and cool on the baking sheet(s). Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Note: I suggest baking biscotti with straight oven heat. Convection baking browns them too quickly.  

 

SWEET AND SALTY SHORTBREAD COOKIES

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Ok, I’m going to mess with your perceived ideas about Scottish shortbread a wee bit. We all know how wonderful traditional shortbread is with its crunchy, buttery goodness. But what if you added a bit more powdered sugar and coarse kosher salt to the mix? Well, you’d get this cookie, that’s what would happen! And I have to say, for a new way of enjoying plain shortbread, this is so very tasty. The extra sweetness combined with the tiny bits of coarse salt, is a fun new taste sensation. Especially since no one’s taste buds are expecting the cookies to be as sweet or as salty. (And isn’t that fun!)

So, I guess the only thing left to say is – next time you want to prepare a simple shortbread cookie that will be a hit with your family and friends, give this recipe a try.

And if you are wondering why I chose to make tiny heart shape shortbread cookies, well, they were for a very special event. The marriage of my son Sven to Jill, a truly wonderful woman and just the perfect fit for my son. Both being intelligent, athletic, successful, delightful and caring people, and devoted parents. I could not be happier for either of them. (Or for me, if truth be known.)

As always, have fun in your kitchen and always keep thinking positive thoughts. Things do have a way of working out, even if it appears to the contrary as you wait for some type of resolution. So, practice patience. Not easy, I’ll grant you that. But if you continue to have hope, most often, time will take care of whatever situation has held you in its grip.

And again – congratulations to Sven and Jill. And to the many family members on both sides who attended the wedding – thank you for being a part of this special celebration. I love you, one and all.

Peace and love to all.

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter

1 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

½ tsp. kosher salt

¼ tsp. baking powder

2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed

Cream the butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla together until light and creamy. Whisk the salt, baking powder, and flour together in a separate bowl. Add to the butter mixture just until well combined. Form dough into a ball.

Place on a lightly floured surface and roll to approximately ⅓-inch thick. Cut into your favorite shapes.

Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 17-18 minutes or until the bottom of the cookies are a nice golden brown. Don’t under-bake. (Please note: the cookies will not expand very much, so they can be placed quite close together on your baking sheet.)

Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container.   

   

ASIAN SPIRALIZED VEGGIE SALAD

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When we were camping in May with Andy’s sister Katie and her husband Rick, each couple took turn cooking dinner. One night it would be Mr. C. and me slaving away in our trailer preparing dinner for four, and the next evening it would be Rick and Katie’s turn to do the honor. This is what is called, in the vernacular, a win/win situation. Each couple got a night off from cooking (and doing dishes) with the sure knowledge that dinner would be delicious. And in Katie’s case particularly – healthy and inventive. She even went so far as to bring her spiralizer along for the ride. How cool is that! And of course, after seeing how much fun it was to operate the gizmo and how nice the veggies were cut, I made myself a mental note to purchase one when I returned home.

Well, apparently my mental notes aren’t as reliable as they used to be. So, when the mental note finally found its way out of the abyss formerly known as my memory 6 weeks later, I got right on it. I ordered a Brieftons 5-blade spiralizer from Amazon. And frankly, I was amazed at how inexpensive it was. $24 (well really only $23.99) but we all know that’s $24 to anyone with half a brain! But I digress……. And the other evening, for the first time, I took the plastic wonder out of its box, gave it a quick wash, and set it up on my counter. Then with the help of the directions (and yes, I read directions because I’m not mechanically inclined enough to intuit how something works), I spiralized the zucchini, cabbage, carrot, and orange bell pepper for this salad. It was so much fun! And the machine was so easy to clean after I was all done playing with the veggies.

And the salad was delicious. I especially loved the “zoodles”. (That’s zucchini noodles to the unenlightened.) And now I can hardly wait to serve zoodles instead of spaghetti next time I get a hankering for Old Fashioned Meatballs and Spaghetti. Of course, I’ll have to rename the dish. Meatballs and Zoodles. Or Oodles of Zoodles and Meatballs, or a name equally as catchy.  

So, in the final analysis, I think I made a wise choice purchasing this new kitchen tool. The price was right, and now the only problem is where to store the darn thing. My pantry is already filled to the brim. But I will make it work. Somehow.

As always, have fun making delicious and healthy food for your family. And thanks again Katie for turning me on to this new way to get more veggies into our diet. Yet again, I am in your debt. Hugs to you and Rick.

And peace and love to all.

Oh, and just so you know, I included 3 salad dressing recipes that can be used with the veggies in this recipe. All 3 are Asian inspired.   

Dressing #1 has a bolder flavor than Salad dressings #2 & #3

Dressing #2 would be a better choice if you want the flavor focus to be on the veggies. Dressing #1 takes the focus off the veggies and places it more on the flavor of the dressing.

Dressing #3 is the same dressing you would find on a standard Chinese chicken salad or my version – Asian Slaw.  

Salad Dressing #1

2 T. vegetable oil

1 tsp. toasted sesame oil

⅓ c. rice vinegar

3 T.  hoisin sauce, or more to taste

5 tsp. soy sauce, or more to taste

1-2 T. peanut butter (creamy or crunchy), or more to taste

1 clove garlic, finely minced

2 tsp. finely minced fresh ginger

pinch crushed red pepper flakes

Whisk the veggie oil, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, peanut butter, garlic, ginger, and crushed red pepper flakes together. Let sit at room temperature at least 30 minutes before dressing your salad. Store unused dressing in the refrigerator.

Salad Dressing #2

3 T. rice vinegar

1 T. peanut butter

1 tsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. toasted sesame oil

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1 tsp. granulated sugar

freshly ground black pepper

pinch crushed red pepper flakes

Whisk the rice vinegar, peanut butter, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, garlic, sugar, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes together. Store in refrigerator.

Salad Dressing #3

¼ c. vegetable oil

2 T. sesame oil

4 tsp. white vinegar (the regular old fashioned distilled kind)

1 tsp. lemon juice (the kind that comes from a real lemon)

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

Whisk all ingredients together. Store in refrigerator.

Put it all together:

2 zucchini (about ¾ lb.) spiralized (zoodles)

¼ tsp. kosher salt

1 c. spiralized green or red cabbage   

1 lg. carrot, spiralized

1 red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, spiralized

2 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal

2 T. toasted sesame seeds

salted peanuts, for garnish, opt. (or slivered almonds would be perfect if you chose to use dressing #3)

Place the spiralized zucchini in a colander either in a bowl or in the sink. Toss with the salt. Let the zoodles drain a bit of their excess moisture while you prep the other vegetables. Before building the salad, cut the spiralized zucchini with a pair of scissors to make them easier to toss (and eat). (You might want to do the same with the other veggies too.)

In a large mixing bowl, combine the zucchini noodles (unwashed) with the cabbage, carrot, bell pepper, and green onions.

Pour enough dressing (your choice) over the vegetables to coat them, but not drown them. Toss, taste, and adjust seasoning. Refrigerate the salad if made ahead.

Just before serving, toss in the toasted sesame seeds. Garnish with salted peanuts (or almonds).  Serve immediately.

And in case you were wondering, of course you can use any old veggie you want in this salad. Actually, the more and different the veggies, the better!  

  

CHOCOLATE CHIP AND NUT BLONDIES

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Sometimes I’m almost embarrassed to post a recipe as simple as this one. But maybe, just maybe, you never thought of putting chocolate chips in your blondies either. I say either, because I never thought to do so until our good friend Keith made some to sell at his wife Sheila’s choir fund raiser. One taste told me that I had been missing out on a really good thing. And as some of you well know, I’m getting quite lazy in my golden years. So, a butterscotch flavored chewy bar cookie that is very simple to build, (no mixer required), chocolaty, and crunchy is excellent in every regard! (Including the short amount of time this cookie takes to prepare.)

Absolutely perfect to feed hungry children and starving musicians. (I don’t have kidlets in the house any longer, but sometimes jazz musicians can be found huddled around the baby grand in our living room. And of course, they must be fed frequently to ensure that they keep up their strength. And for whatever reason, cookies and strong coffee are their preferred method of securing sustenance. Imagine that!)

Anyway, these bar cookies are terrific. And like I mentioned above, very easy to make. And I promise not to be offended, in any way, if you already have a favorite blondie recipe you would prefer to use. Just add some chips (chocolate, mint chocolate, peanut butter, white chocolate, M&Ms, etc.) and whatever nut you happen to have around (or not), and you have a whole new bar cookie with which to thrill and delight your family and friends. Drum roll please!  

So, as always – have fun in your kitchen. Make some cookies. Because cookies are the only food group that everyone, of every age enjoys. And I know cookies aren’t the healthiest thing to feed your children. But as an occasional treat, there is nothing finer.

Peace and love to all.

½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

2 c. brown sugar, packed

2 lg. eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. kosher salt

2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed

1½ c. semisweet chocolate chips

1 c. chopped walnuts, lightly toasted pecans, hazelnuts, etc.  

Stir the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, baking powder, and salt together using a whisk. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the flour just until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts.

Spread the dough out evenly in a lightly buttered 9×13-inch pan (glass is best). Bake in a pre-heated 325-degree oven (350-degrees if you are using a metal pan) for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few fudgy crumbs and the top looks set. Resist overbaking.   

Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Cut into whatever size pieces you want. Store in an airtight container at room temperature or freeze for longer storage.

 

OVERNIGHT SOURDOUGH DISCARD SOFT BREADSTICKS

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It isn’t often that I get to make a bread that’s as much fun to fix as it is to eat. But for me, breadsticks fit that statement perfectly. But breadsticks do have their limitations. They are not a utilitarian bread product. For example, you can’t put breadsticks in a toaster and serve them for breakfast. You can’t use them to make French toast or French dip sandwiches or any kind of sandwich for that matter. So, as a bread for all occasions, they are a bit lacking.

But when a piece of bread is needed to dip, dunk, or mop – soft breadsticks are unparalleled! First of all, they are the perfect shape. And if they are soft like these breadsticks, anything you dunk them in or slather on them is going to stick. And isn’t that a beautiful thing?!

And in the case of these breadsticks, you make the dough one day and bake it off the next day or the day after. (My favorite type of dough to make.) And just so you know, this is a very self-confident dough. It enjoys being alone in a cold and dark place. In fact, it absolutely insists on some time alone to contemplate whatever it is that bread dough considers worth its time to ponder. And if you forget about it for a day or two, it could care less. It knows full well that sooner or later it will be baked into perfect soft and tasty breadsticks. (We should all be blessed with this amount of confidence!)

So, the only thing left to say, is that these breadsticks are supremely easy to build, truly delicious, and go with all kinds of different dishes. And like every other type of bread we build in our own kitchens, an inexpensive alternative to the exorbitant or should I say extortionary price we are forced to pay for artisanal bread in a bakery or market. Just sayin’!

As always, play with your food and be creative. When you decide it’s time to spend some quality time in your home with your family, make it quality time spent in the kitchen. Believe me, your grown children will not remember that their childhood home was a bit dusty, or the garage was often cluttered. But they will remember the meals your family shared around the dinner table and the times you made cookies together. Let the dusting wait.

Peace and love to all.

1 c. warm water 

½ c. whole milk

½ c. sourdough starter discard

2 tsp. instant yeast

1½ tsp. granulated sugar

2 tsp. kosher salt

3 T. olive oil, plus more for greasing the mixing bowl

4 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, more or less

4 T. (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted

½ tsp. kosher salt

¼ rounded tsp. granulated garlic  

¼ rounded tsp. Italian seasoning

Combine the warm water, milk, sourdough starter discard, instant yeast, sugar, salt, and 3 tablespoons olive oil in the bowl of your stand mixer. Using the bread hook, add as much flour as necessary to make a soft dough. When the dough has been kneaded for several minutes, and there is still a bit of dough clinging to the bottom of the bowl, the dough is ready for the next step.

Pour a bit of olive oil around the edge of the mixing bowl. Using your fingers and a stiff rubber spatula, form the dough into a nicely greased ball. Cover with plastic wrap and place in your refrigerator overnight or up to three days. When ready to use, remove the dough from fridge and let sit on your counter for an hour.

On a nicely floured surface, shape the dough into a rectangle about 16×7-inches. (I use a rolling pin but patting out the dough with your fingers works too.) Cut the dough into 16 1-inch strips with a pizza cutter. Twist each piece gently and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. (They can be fairly close together.)

Cover with a tea towel or piece of plastic wrap sprayed with non- stick spray. Allow to rise until doubled (approximately an hour).

Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 22-25 minutes or until a very light golden brown. The internal temperature should measure at least 200-degrees.

While the breadsticks are baking, combine the melted butter, kosher salt, granulated garlic, and Italian seasoning. Remove breadsticks from oven and immediately brush with butter mixture.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Great dunked in olive oil, soup, marinara sauce, or used to clean one’s plate or bowl. Or, if you are feeling really unorthodox, you can serve the breadsticks in place of dinner rolls. But, people will talk!  

Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

OVEN FRIES WITH SAVORY SEASONING

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In my never-ending quest to make my life less complicated, I have had to make many concessions over the years. One such concession is to not fight battles over which I have absolutely no control. For example – turning Mr. C. into a potato lover. And God knows I’ve tried my darndest to win him over. Because I happen to love potatoes and could happily eat them a couple times a week. And yes, I know. Potatoes are a starchy carbohydrate with little protein to call their own. And according to Harvard, the carbs in potatoes are the kind that the body digests rapidly and have a high glycemic load (or glycemic index). That is, they cause blood sugar and insulin to surge and then dip. But in their defense, they are fat free. And they contain fiber, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and manganese.

So, what have I learned regarding serving potatoes over the course of 3 decades with Mr. C? Well, I’ve learned to curb my desire for potatoes to about twice a month. And even then, when I serve them, they must be buried in flavor, or gravy, or sour cream, bacon, cheddar cheese, and freshly chopped chives. And before you ask, French fries don’t count. French fries are simply a subset that happen to have hardly any relationship to the actual vegetable itself. They are merely a way of getting ranch dressing into your mouth when eating fried fish or hamburgers.

So, what’s a potato lovin’ gal like me to do? Well, this recipe for a baked and low-fat version of a French fry, is an easy way to ensure that we are both going to enjoy our dinner. Because these babies are loaded with flavor. And very easy to prepare. No hacking or slashing. Just some dried herbs and veggies, a bit of olive oil, a few minutes in a hot oven, and dinner is served.  

As always, think of new and exciting ways to get your family to eat their veggies. And yes, even with all the bad press, botanically speaking, potatoes are still a vegetable. And as much as I kid about Mr. C., he is a still the most wonderful sport when it comes to trying out all the different dishes I come up with. He never complains, in fact, he generally applauds my efforts. Even when a dish falls into the “ghastly” category, he never throws it in the garbage and calls for pizza delivery. Even though he has Pappa Murphy’s number on speed dial. And who could ask for more loyalty and love than that? So, on that happy note, give these easy and delicious “fries” a try. Your family will be glad you did. Your cardiologist too.  

Peace and love to all.

1 tsp. dried parsley

½ tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. granulated onion

½ tsp. granulated garlic

¼ tsp. dried oregano

¼ tsp. dried thyme

¼ tsp. dried basil

¼ tsp. paprika

freshly ground black pepper

2-3 peeled or unpeeled Yukon Gold potatoes cut lengthwise into ½ inch-thick sticks.

1 T. extra virgin olive oil 

Pre-heat the oven to 450-degrees.

Grind the dried parsley, salt, granulated onion, granulated garlic, oregano, thyme, basil, paprika, and black pepper together. (I use my small mortar and pestle.)

Spray rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray.

Rinse the cut potatoes under cold water, then thoroughly dry them with a tea towel or paper towels.

Toss potatoes with olive oil and spice mix. Transfer to prepared sheet, spreading in a single layer. Place in top third of oven.

Bake in pre-heated oven turning after 20 minutes. Continue to bake for an additional 20-minutes, or until the potatoes are tender on the inside and brown on the outside.

Remove from oven and serve immediately. (No ranch dressing required.)