Author Archives: Patti

TOMATO AND PERSIAN CUCUMBER SALAD

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I made this salad the other evening because a) I needed to use the Persian cucumbers I had received in our last box from Klesick’s Farms. (We get their veggie and salad box every 2 weeks.) b) I needed to use the beautiful organic beef steak tomato that had arrived in the same box. c) I’m trying to serve salad most evenings for dinner. d) This salad is really, really delicious and super easy to build, especially the dressing.

I have been preparing this salad dressing, sometimes adding finely minced garlic or shallot, for as long as I can remember. It’s a very rudimentary dressing, but sometimes the simplest preparations are the best. And for this combination of veggies it is absolutely perfect.

Now of course I could have added red onion or any number of additives. That would have been delicious too. But sometimes I get a little weary of making salads. (Sometimes! Now that’s what is commonly referred to as an understatement! I often go just about prostrate over the very thought of fixing yet one more salad!) So anytime I can fix a quick and easy salad that looks and tastes great, I am one step closer to keeping my mental health intact.

So if you too get a wee bit tired of hacking and slashing veggies, fix this simple salad that actually takes a very short time to prepare. Sanity is a wonderful thing to maintain, and it’s especially difficult right now as we watch the world keep re-shaping itself on a daily basis. So we have to stay resolute. Say to yourself – I will keep myself and my family healthy by preparing delicious and nutritious food. I will endeavor to accommodate every family member’s fondest wish. (Wrong! I only threw that in to see if you were paying attention!) I will take good care of myself physically and mentally. (Right!) And if that means cutting yourself some slack in the kitchen, then by all means do so! We cooks are only human too. (And yes, I know that comes as a surprise to some of you.) We get just as discouraged, afraid, concerned, overwhelmed, exhausted, and weary as anyone else. But we have one advantage over some of the rest of the populace. We know how to bake brownies!  

So to all my fellow cooks out there – stay vigilant. Keep your sanity, and help those around you do the same. Keep cooking, but make it simple if that will help you maintain. As always, peace, love, and contentment to all.

4 T. extra virgin olive oil

1½ T. red wine vinegar

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper  

3 small Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced or half of an English cucumber, partially peeled, cut in half, seeded, then cut in half rounds

1 lg. tomato, de-seeded and chopped

1 T. chopped fresh chives

Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper together in a salad bowl. (Can be made ahead.) When ready to serve, gently stir in the cucumbers, tomato, and chives.

ITALIAN MEATBALL SOUP WITH VEGETABLES AND MACARONI

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OK, if truth be told, I only made this soup because I had frozen meatballs in the freezer that I had planned to use on our recent trailer trip. But because we decided the smart thing to do was turn tail and head directly for home 2 weeks early because of the coronavirus scare, some of the frozen pre-made items I had planned for dinners on the road didn’t get eaten. And then when we got home, and eager to get the trailer cleaned and perishables off-loaded, we just kind of threw the frozen items in our home freezer. Fast forward a few weeks, and I remembered the meatballs and decided they should be eaten, sooner rather than later. And not really being in the mood for spaghetti and meatballs, and kind of hungry for soup, I developed this recipe.

Now I realize that if you don’t happen to have meatballs in your freezer, this recipe might take more energy and work than you are willing to expend. But for those of you who do have the time and energy, build a pot of this soup in the near future. It is pretty darned delicious, if I do say so myself. (Really – goes without saying. If I didn’t think this soup was great, it wouldn’t be on this site!) And while you’re at it – make a double or triple batch of the meatballs. Then freeze what you don’t need.  Then next time you get a hankering for meatball “whatever”, you’re set and ready to go.

Now, if you don’t have a lot of time for food preparation, but like the idea of a vegetable soup using ground beef, give a gander at my recipe titled Ground Beef and Vegetable Soup. (Catchy name, right?!?!) Anyway, just as delicious, but less time consuming to prepare.

Actually, you could build this soup very easily by simply frying a pound of ground beef, or even a pound of Italian sausage, before frying the onion, carrots, celery, etc. The soup would still have a lot of flavor, but you might lose points on presentation. But then again, who gives a flying fig about presentation while being confined to quarters during this coronavirus crisis! You’re probably already going slightly deranged balancing working from home, keeping your family members from killing each other, trying to explain to your pets while you and your family are always underfoot, and trying to figure out who that crazy looking person is in your bathroom mirror! Like I said – presentation, although nice, can wait until you are once again your normal, terribly efficient kitchen Goddess or God.

In the meantime, stay sane, hold fast to your sense of humor, and keep cooking yummy food, even if it’s just for yourself. As always, peace, love, and an extra serving of patience to everyone.

Meatballs:

1 egg

1 T. milk

¾ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

¼ tsp. granulated garlic

2 tsp. finely chopped parsley

½ c. finely chopped onion

1/3 c. dried Italian or regular breadcrumbs

1/3 c. finely grated Parmesan cheese

1 lb. lean ground beef

Combine the egg, milk, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, granulated garlic, parsley, onion, breadcrumbs, and Parmesan cheese together in a medium bowl. Add the ground beef and stir just until combined.

Using an ice cream scoop, form balls and place on a lightly greased rimmed baking pan.

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

Soup:

2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

½ c. diced onion   

2 carrots, thinly sliced

2 stalks celery, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

½ c. dry red wine (I use Gallo Hearty Burgundy)

4 c. beef broth, or more if the soup appears too thick      

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 bay leaf

1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning

½ tsp. dried basil

pinch crushed red pepper flakes

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes (preferably Italian)  

4 T. tomato paste, again preferably Italian

1 c. dry macaroni

2 T. chopped parsley

grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (or Pecorino Romero or Asiago)

Heat oil in a medium sized covered pan. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the red wine and cook until almost all the liquid is evaporated. Add the beef broth, salt, pepper, bay leaf, Italian seasoning, dried basil, crushed red pepper flakes, Worcestershire sauce, canned tomatoes (don’t drain), and tomato paste.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover pan, and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Stir periodically. After the soup has simmered for 30 minutes, taste and adjust seasoning (may need more salt).

Add the meatballs and dry pasta, and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the macaroni is al dente. Add parsley, and serve piping hot. Pass the grated Parmesan cheese.  

SOURDOUGH RUM RAISIN BREAKFAST BREAD (no added yeast)

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I just can’t begin to tell you how delicious this bread is. I mean seriously, this is like eating a really yummy cinnamon roll with a lot less calories. And truly, I didn’t miss those extra calories one little bit! And there was none of that rolling out the dough on your counter, adding the melted butter, sugar, cinnamon, and raisins, then cutting the rolled dough into even sized pieces. Plus, no frosting needed. That’s right. Didn’t miss that luscious cream cheese frosting even for a moment. Didn’t even think of it till I was writing this post. That’s how much I enjoyed eating this bread for breakfast this morning.

Now I know what some of you are thinking. Patti, I don’t bake bread. I don’t plan to ever bake bread. So will you please stop posting bread recipes! I get it. But in my defense, all of the recipes you find on this site are here only because I wanted to serve a particular dish to my family or friends. And if it made the grade, share the recipe with you. But because I love to bake bread, well, that’s what you are going to find me posting fairly often. Especially right now.

Fresh bread gives off just about the most wonderful aroma while it is baking. And if there is anything that helps lift our spirits during this coronavirus enforced captivity, it is wonderful smells emanating from the kitchen. Even if I’m the one creating the smells. It’s like a boost of energy when I walk away from the kitchen, then come back and am greeted with a whiff of something wonderful either bubbling away on the stove, or coming through the oven vent. I am reminded that there is still much pleasure to be had, even during these difficult times. And I have helped by perfuming the air with anticipation. Anticipation that something lovely is going to happen soon. Even if that event is just our next meal.

So keep cooking everyone. And don’t forget to pat yourself on the back once in a while. You deserve it. You are working from the heart. The heart of your home.

3 T. rum

1 c. golden raisins

½ c. sourdough starter

¼ c. brown sugar (packed)

¼ c. vegetable oil, plus a little more for various purposes   

1½ tsp. kosher salt

¾ c. room temperature water

¼ tsp. vanilla

1½ tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. nutmeg

3 c. bread flour

raw or demerara sugar

Warm the rum in a small saucepan. Do not let it come even close to a simmer. Remove from heat, stir in the raisins, and let cool completely.

In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the sourdough starter, brown sugar, oil, salt, water, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the cooled raisins plus any rum that wasn’t absorbed. Add in 1½ cups of the bread flour, mixing to combine. When well combined, add the remaining flour ½ cup at a time, until a stiff dough is formed. (You may not need all 1½ cups of the remaining flour). The dough will still seem fairly tacky, but will pull most of the way from the sides of the bowl.

Pour a bit of veggie oil over the dough and using your hands, roll the dough into a ball. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set on your counter to rise overnight. (Mine was on the counter for 16 hours.)

The next morning, gently punch down the dough with greased hands. Knead the dough about 8-10 times right in the mixing bowl. Shape into 2 rounded rectangles and place seams side down in greased 9×5-inch loaf pans. Lightly coat the top of each loaf with a bit of cooking spray. Cover with a clean tea towel. Let rise 4-5 hours at room temperature, or until loaf is doubled in bulk. (The dough will not reach the top of the pan.) If your house is cold, rising could take longer.

At the end of the rising time, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mist the top of the loaf lightly with water. Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 38-45 minutes, or until browned on top and the internal temperature reaches 208-210 degrees when taken with an instant read thermometer.

Remove loaves from oven and remove from pans. Place on a wire rack to cool completely. When completely cool, place in freezer storage bags and place in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or the freezer for up to 2 months. (I keep one in the fridge. The other loaf I freeze.) Made fabulous toast this morning. Tomorrow morning, French toast! Can’t wait!

BROWN SUGAR AND MUSTARD BAKED PORK TENDERLOIN

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So let’s talk pork tenderloin. One of the most delicious, reasonably priced, super lean, easily adaptable to either baking or grilling cuts of meat there is. And who doesn’t love those qualifications? Well maybe you. But for me, pork tenderloin is a lifesaver. There are just endless possibilities when it comes to preparation. Some recipes require marinating. Some require a fancy sauce. Some require you to baste the meat as if bakes or while it is being grilled. But lucky for you and me, this recipe that comes from theseasonedmon.com site, with my addition of granulated garlic, has no such requirements.

This recipe is so darned simple I was almost reluctant to fix it the other evening. But I was tired (why I don’t know, since I have been practically inert while social distancing from the world) so I didn’t feel like spending much time in the kitchen. So I slapped the brown sugar, etc. together. Slathered the meat with this simple concoction. And threw the whole mess in the oven as instructed.

After the allotted baking time, I removed the pork from the oven, let it rest before slicing, and served it with – wait – I don’t even remember what I served it with. I was that tired. Anyway, I do remember that the pork was really, really delicious. And the next day when I warmed it for lunch, it was perfect. Still tender. Still tasty. In fact, I was really sorry when it was all gone. Next time I will fix 2 tenderloins so we will have planned overs for more than 1 meal. Yes – it was just that good!

So if you are looking for a really easy way to prepare pork tenderloin, prepare this recipe. It’s a real winner. Not the most gorgeous presentation you will ever lay your eyes on. But so what. Sometimes presentation is overrated. I know with my own personal presentation, the package sure ain’t what it used to be. But I’m still the same gal under all those wrinkles. So don’t judge this tenderloin just by the picture above. Just like with older people like me, there’s sometimes a lot more going on than meets the eye. (And in my case – thank God for that!)

As always – love, laughter, good health, and happy eating to all.   

1 T. brown sugar

1 T. yellow mustard (can use Dijon in a pinch)

pinch granulated garlic

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 (1 lb.) pork tenderloin, silverskin* and extra fat removed 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Mix the brown sugar, mustard, granulated garlic, salt, and pepper together.

Line a small rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Lightly coat the foil or parchment paper with cooking spray. Place pork on the prepared pan and pat dry with paper towels. Rub brown sugar mixture all over the pork.

Bake pork for 20-30 minutes, or until a thermometer reads 145 degrees. Remove from oven and loosely tent with foil. Allow the meat to rest for about 5 minutes before slicing on the diagonal. 

* The silverskin is sinew on one side of the pork tenderloin and looks like thin, silvery fat.  You need to remove it because it will become tough and chewy when cooked.  To remove the silverskin, slip a very thin, sharp knife in between the silver skin and the meat then cut it all away. Take care to just remove the silverskin and not a lot of the beautiful meat itself!

LEMON PEPPER RICE

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I made this rice dish the other evening to go with fried cod. It was the perfect accompaniment to the fish. And it was easy to prepare and really, really tasty. Along with steamed broccoli, we dined royally at Chez Carr. So give it a try. You’ll be hooked too.

Now I don’t know about you, but having now been grounded for a month, and having been the sole person in charge of all things kitchen (except for washing the dishes which Mr. C. gladly handles), I’m getting a bit tired of cooking. Oh not so much the actual preparation aspect, I can handle that. I’m talking about the menu planning part. And my greatest passion is trying new recipes and passing them on to you! So if I’m getting tired, imagine what others are experiencing.

Actually I was contemplating what it must be like to not particularly enjoy cooking in the first place. But really having no other choice but to continue cooking or face family members not really sympathetic to enforced weight loss! Yikes. Could get ugly real fast.

With that concern in mind, I want to offer the following suggestion to all cooks who are struggling with the “what in the heck should I fix for dinner tonight” dilemma? Use the KISS principal. KISS – Keep It Selfish Sister/Sir. Prepare your favorite dishes. If you are preparing and eating what you like best, then it’s reasonable to assume that the dish is probably pretty darn delicious! And it is always easier to cook something that you yourself are hungry for. And – well here goes the really tricky part – you are the one who is doing yeoman’s duty, so don’t give in to pressure from your family. Sure they are stressed too. And of course their well-being is of concern. But it’s like with face masks in an airplane when the pressure drops, we are always reminded to put our own mask on first so that we are able to help those around us. First and foremost you need to take care of yourself. And if that means that you bake oatmeal cookies rather than chocolate chip cookies, so be it. Believe me, if you are doing well, your family will be close behind.

So dear readers, keep cooking. Keep smiling too. If nothing else, your smile will be infectious. I mean really. Who can stay grumpy when there’s a happy cook in the kitchen? No one, that’s who!  

½ c. water

1 c. chicken broth

pinch kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1/8 tsp. lemon zest

2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice   

1 T. unsalted butter

1 c. medium grain rice, uncooked (I use Sunluck Niko Niko Calrose white rice grown in California)

Place everything in your rice cooker and place on “GO”. If you don’t have a rice cooker, bring water, broth, salt, pepper, lemon zest, lemon juice, and butter to a boil in a medium sized covered sauce pan. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand about 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork just before serving.

MAPLE BOURBON GRANOLA

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I firmly believe that having rudimentary cooking skills should be a requirement to graduate high school.  (Everyone should know how to feed themselves.) That and having a part time job in retail and some oversees travel experience, at least before graduating from college, would help people understand the world and hopefully themselves a lot better.  

So what does all of this have to do with granola? Not a darned thing! But from my perspective, it’s the kids in college today that are going to be left with our messy and unhealthy world to clean up. So they better know how to feed themselves, get along with others, feel compassion for their fellow world citizens, and understand that as Americans we are simply a small part of the whole picture. We are not the center of the universe.

They better also understand that currently we are being governed by politicians who appear to not want the United States to remain a democracy. And if this current administration and their response to our coronavirus pandemic isn’t indicative of how low a regard they hold the average citizen, then I don’t know what it would take to shake some people’s belief.  

Now, if I have offended any of you who are reading this post – good! Be offended. But put your indignation aside and do yourself and your fellow Americans a favor. Do some independent research about our current administration. And I don’t mean by just talking to friends who feel the same way you do. Read the op-eds in your local paper. Read the New York Times, the Washington Post, and check out wire services such as The Associated Press, Reuters, and Bloomberg News.

Now, you might be asking yourself why I am risking loosing readers by offending their delicate sensibilities. It’s because I care about our country, and I care about living a productive and happy life. And I simply can’t continue to feel good about myself if I don’t at least try to help people understand what a fine line we are currently walking. The almost total disregard Washington D.C. is currently showing other nations, and the increasing way in which our national leaders are hurting the very citizens who most need this countries help, is beyond my comprehension. So the better informed people are, the better their decisions will be when it matters the most. Like the upcoming presidential election.

So to those of you in the choir out there – sorry for taking up your valuable time. But if I have helped even one person understand better what is currently happening to our nation, it was worth the loss of readership.  

Be safe out there. Stay healthy. And stay informed. Oh, and make this granola. It’s really yummy!

⅓ c. extra virgin olive oil

⅓ c. real maple syrup 

2 T. bourbon

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. fine-grain sea salt 

1¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

6 c. old-fashioned rolled oats 

2½ c. mixed nuts (roughly chopped pecans, almonds, roughly chopped walnuts, hazelnuts, etc.)

1 c. unsweetened coconut (I use Bob’s Red Mill Unsweetened Coconut Flakes)

2 c. dried fruit, chopped if large pieces (dried apricots, dates, dried cranberries, dried blueberries, dried cherries, dried figs, dried apples, etc.)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl whisk the olive oil, maple syrup, bourbon, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together. Stir in the oats, nuts, and coconut.

Pour the mixture onto prepared pan and spread into an even layer. (You may need more than 1 pan.) (Don’t wash the bowl.)

Bake until lightly golden, about 20 to 25 minutes, stirring halfway through the baking process. Remove from oven, pour back into the same bowl, and stir in the dried fruit. Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container. 

GROUND BEEF AND BROCCOLI STIR-FRY

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As we are still confined to quarters, I remain steadfast in my desire to not only cook new and interesting dishes for Mr. C., but also to help you to do the same for your family.

Now anyone who knows me is aware of my love for Chinese food, ground beef, and broccoli. (Not always in combination, but you know what I mean!) So, the other evening I was hungry for Chinese food. I knew I had some broccoli that needed to be used and a pound of ground beef thawing on my counter. So before you could count from one thousand backwards, I had glommed together this recipe after perusing various cooking sites. None of the recipes I found were just what I was looking for. But I had cooked enough Chinese dishes over the years to have a pretty good idea of the flavor combination I was looking for. So with a little assistance from some of my favorite recipe writers, I hit upon this combination of ingredients. And lucky for me, I had everything I needed without having to get in our car, drive to our local grocery store, don a mask, gloves, and a standoffish attitude!  

So if you too love a good stir-fry and don’t want to spend bunches of money in the process, give this simple dish a try. It truly is tasty and very simple to prepare.

As always – have fun in your kitchen, be kind to those around you, and take extra special care of yourself. Cooks should always be appreciated (and thanked BTW), but probably never more than during this pandemic. So from this cook to you – thanks for all you do for your family. You do make a difference. Never forget that.

1 T. vegetable oil

1 lb. lean ground beef  

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

4-6 c. fresh broccoli florets and peeled stems, cut into bite sized pieces

½ med. sized onion, halved then thinly sliced

2-3 garlic cloves, finely minced

2-3 tsp. finely minced fresh ginger  

2 tsp. sesame oil

½ c. water

1 tsp. beef base (I use Better Than Bouillon – Beef flavored)

¼ c. low-sodium soy sauce

2 T. brown sugar

pinch crushed red pepper flakes

2 T. cornstarch

2 green onions, sliced on the diagonal

1-2 T. sesame seeds, opt.

steamed rice, for serving

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Cook until no longer pink. Remove from pan. (Don’t break the meat up too much as it cooks. You want some nice sized chunks.)

Add the broccoli and onion. Cook over medium heat until the broccoli is crisp tender, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute.

Meanwhile, whisk the sesame oil, water, beef base, soy sauce, brown sugar, crushed red pepper flakes, and cornstarch together.

Once the broccoli is finished cooking, add the meat back to the pan. Stir in the soy sauce mixture and cook until thickened, 1-2 minutes, stirring the entire time. Stir in the green onions. Garnish with sesame seeds. Serve over rice.

CREAMY BACON, CORN, POTATO, AND CHEESE CHOWDER

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Sorry about the photograph. Just know that I am currently in contention for the worlds’ worst photographer award. Wish me luck!

So being a bit short on milk (and not wanting to make a special trip to the grocery store), but still wanting a cheesy bacon soup for dinner, I went searching for a new recipe for an old favorite. And boy am I glad I did. But before I go any further, I want to make an unpaid, unsolicited statement. I love that I can go online and find recipes like this one (thank you skinnytaste.com) without leaving the comfort of my desk chair. No fumbling through numerous cook books with the hope of finding what I need. No having to invent every aspect of a dish. (I’m getting lazy in my old age.) No having to pay even a single penny for a recipe. Just quick and easy access to wonderful recipes. So to all my fellow cooks out there sharing their recipes, I say thank you so much. You have made my life so much easier. And I truly appreciate all the effort you went into on my behalf. There, I feel better now because it just had to be said! But back to this recipe.

What I needed was a way to create a creamy consistency for chowder without using milk as the base for the creaminess. (I hope that makes sense to you.) So when I read this recipe that used pureed cauliflower as a thickening agent, I knew I had hit upon not only a great new concept for this recipe, but also for other recipes. The first one to come to mind was stew. Instead of taking out some of the broth and making either a flour or cornstarch slurry, I could use pureed cauliflower in its place. And cauliflower is good for us. It’s a cruciferous vegetable that is naturally high in fiber and B-vitamins. It provides antioxidants and phytonutrients that can protect against cancer. It also contains fiber to enhance weight loss and digestion, choline that is essential for learning and memory, and many other important nutrients.

So the end result of my using this recipe rather than my other recipe on this site entitled Bacon, Corn, and Cheese soup, is that I used only ½ cup of my precious milk rather than 2 cups. And bottom line. We could not taste the cauliflower at all. Plus I had cauliflower that really needed to be eaten. So joy of joys. I learned a new trick and used an ingredient that was both healthy and deserving of my attention.

So if you would like to make a lovely tasty chowder in the near future, this is the recipe for you. And yes, I still used some flour and cornstarch to thicken the chowder, but very little milk, which was my main concern. So enjoy this recipe my friends. And stay happy and focused on staying healthy. The old saying “this too shall pass” couldn’t be more relevant that what we are all living through right now.

6 lean thick strips of bacon, diced

½ c. chopped onion

2 lg. garlic cloves, finely minced

2 T. all-purpose  

1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves

1 tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

4 c. chicken broth

2 small potatoes, diced

12-oz. cauliflower, including stem, cut into 3 or pieces

2 c. frozen corn kernels

½ c. whole milk

1 T. cornstarch

3 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese (loosely packed), or more to taste

Place bacon in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot and sauté over medium heat until well cooked and crispy. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and place in a small bowl. Set aside.

With the pot still over medium heat, add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Sprinkle the flour over the onion and garlic, add thyme, salt, and pepper; cook for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly.

Add the broth, potatoes, and cauliflower pieces. With a wooden spoon, stir and scrape the bottom of the pot to get all those delicious brown bits. Bring the pot to a boil then decrease to simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes. (You want the cauliflower to be fork tender.)

Transfer the cauliflower and 2 cups of the broth to a flat bottomed bowl. Using an immersion blender, whirl the cauliflower and broth until pureed. Transfer puree back to the pot.

Add the frozen corn and a slurry made with the milk that has been whisked together with the cornstarch. Mix, then simmer until the soup is hot and thick. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese and cooked bacon. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Nice served with garlic toast or homemade bread that has been toasted and liberally spread with butter.

SAME DAY WHOLE WHEAT SOURDOUGH BREAD (added yeast)

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My mission when I first started working on simple bread recipes to share with you during this coronavirus crisis, was to use less yeast and concentrate on sourdough, baking soda, and baking powder as the primary leavening agents. Then I read this recipe from the lanascooking.com site.

And although this recipe does use sourdough starter, it also requires a packet of yeast. At about the same time I became interested in this recipe, it dawned on me that not everyone wants to wait 2-3 days for a loaf of sourdough bread. That there are bakers out there with sourdough starter happily fermenting away in their refrigerator that want to start a loaf in the morning, and serve lovely homemade bread for dinner that evening. While at the same time not wanting to spend all day at the task. 

Well folks, sourdough bread doesn’t get much easier than this. Nor does it get any tastier. This is a winner. An absolute winner!

So if you too are starting to bake bread again after an absence of say – 30 years, this is the perfect bread to get you hooked again on the joy of baking your own loaf. And if you are just beginning your relationship with yeast, I assure you that there is nothing scary about preparing this bread. So do not be intimidated. Remember, you are in charge. If you can read and follow instructions, you’ve got it made! (So to speak.) So give this recipe a try. It truly is scrumptious!

And stay healthy everyone. Eat well, laugh lots, and tell everyone you know how much you care about them. We are all in this crazy new situation together. I’m just enough of a Polly Anna to be hopeful that when we have conquered the coronavirus that most people will have learned to be more empathetic and willing to accept each other’s differences. I mean really! What reasonable person could still care or feel threatened by another persons’ ethnicity, religious preference, sexual orientation etc. when having just been confronted with his or her own mortality? Regardless if they believe in an after-life or not. If a pandemic isn’t a universal playing field, I sure as heck don’t know what is! And color, political affiliation, religion, wealth etc. matters not. Not when it comes to viruses. Nor should it matter a whit in any other regard!

As always – peace and love to all. And happy bread baking.

1 c. room temperature sourdough starter (see recipe for starter below)

1½ c. lukewarm water

1 pkg. or 1 scant T. dry active yeast   

1 T. granulated sugar

2½ tsp. kosher salt

2 c. unbleached bread flour

1¾ c. whole wheat flour, plus more as needed

olive oil

Combine the room temperature sourdough starter, water, yeast, sugar, salt, bread flour, and about 1½ cups of the whole wheat flour in the bowl of your electric stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.

Knead on slow speed until a smooth dough forms, about 4-6 minutes. Add additional bread flour if required. (If you are used to bread dough that forms a nice clean ball around the dough hook, pull back a little on the amount of flour you usually use. This dough is a bit different. It is perfect when you touch it with your finger and it’s not sticky, but some of the dough is still clinging to the bottom of the mixing bowl.)

Pour a bit of olive oil over the dough and using your hands, form a ball completely coated in the oil. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap, and place in a draft free location until doubled in size, about 90 minutes.

Divide the dough in half. Shape into two oval loaves and place on a parchment paper lined or lightly oiled baking sheet. Cover with a clean tea towel and let rise again for about an hour. Near the end of the rising time, preheat oven to 425 degrees.

About 5 minutes before you place the loaves in the oven, cut 2 or 3 deep, diagonal slashes in each loaf. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes or until the internal temperature of the bread when taken with an instant read thermometer stuck in the side of each loaf reaches about 195 degrees. The bread should be a nice golden brown.

Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

SOURDOUGH STARTER

2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

2 T. sugar

1 T. or 1 pkg. active dry yeast

2 c. barely warm water

Combine all ingredients in a large glass or plastic juice pitcher using a wooden or plastic spoon. (Don’t worry about lumps because the little yeasty beasties will make short work of dissolving the lumps!) Cover with lid, turning strainer in lid to pouring lip. (This allows air to reach the starter.) Let ferment 3 days at room temperature, stirring several times daily. After the third day, transfer starter to a covered glass container and refrigerate. It is now ready to use.

To use, remove desired amount for recipe and replenish starter by stirring in equal amounts of flour and water or follow the instructions for the particular bread you are making. Let stand at room temperature overnight. Return to refrigerator.

If a clear liquid forms on top, stir back into starter. Every time you use, replenish with equal amounts of flour and water. Even if you don’t use every week, replenish every 7 – 10 days with equal amounts flour and water. (First remove about ½ cup of the existing starter. This allows room in your container for the new flour (yeast food) and water.)

Use in any of your favorite bread, muffin, or pancake recipes.

  

       

PANCETTA AND KALE PASTA WITH GARLIC AND LEMON

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OK, I know some of you don’t have pancetta just lying around, or kale for that matter. But if you do, you just have to make this dish. I found it (slightly modified by yours truly of course), on the – theviewfromgreatisland site.

OMG – this is one of the best pasta dishes I have ever tasted. And to think, one of the main ingredients is that annoying green veggie kale that every health conscious cook is trying to slam down everyone’s throat! How is it even possible that kale is so good in this dish? (I can hear what you’re thinking, because I was a bit concerned myself.) Not only is it completely possible; it’s the reality! Kale is perfect in this dish. Really! In fact, next time I plan to use even more kale (and yes you read that right) in with the same amount of other ingredients. It was that darned good!

I frankly have no more to say about this recipe. Just make it at your earliest convenience. Except I should add one more piece of advice. Mr. C. and I ate every bit of this pasta last evening. So if you are fixing for a family or you want to have planned overs, you better double the recipe. Consider yourself warned!

Stay healthy everyone. And keep cooking. It helps keep you grounded (in more ways than one!)

2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

½ c. chopped pancetta* (the leaner the better)  

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

2-3 c. thinly sliced kale (loosely packed)  

¼ c. whole milk

¼ tsp. lemon zest

4 tsp. lemon juice  

pinch crushed red pepper flakes

freshly ground black pepper

¼ to ½ c. pasta cooking water

8 oz. spaghetti, cooked al dente

grated Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, or  Asiago cheese, for serving

Heat the olive in a large frying pan. Add the pancetta and sauté over medium-low heat until crispy and fully cooked. Add the garlic and sauté for a minute.  

Add the kale to the pan, toss with the pancetta and garlic, and cook for a couple of minutes or until the kale is wilted and lightly cooked.

Add the milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, crushed red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Stir well to combine. While the pasta finishes cooking, ladle about a quarter cup of the pasta water into the frying pan. Bring to a light simmer. Using a pair of tongs, lift the al dente pasta into the frying pan. Toss to combine. If needed, add additional water. (I found that I needed about a half cup of the pasta water last evening.)   

Serve with grated cheese.

*I find great pancetta at Grocery Outlet. It comes in a large package that contains several end pieces. The pancetta is lean and I like the fact that I can cut the meat into the size pieces I need for whatever dish I am preparing. I also like the fact that buying it at Grocery Outlet saves me about 90% off regular grocery stores.