Well, apparently, I thought these two simple veggie dishes were “too insignificant” to even bother to take a photo.  “Too Insignificant” meaning something so unimportant or small that it was not worth considering or paying attention to; essentially completely negligible or irrelevant. Well, that may have been the case when I prepared both of these recipes as almost an afterthought to accompany the more exciting and note-worthy entrée. That is until I sat down to dinner and thoroughly enjoyed the first bite and every bite thereafter of these simply prepared veggies. So, I thought you might profit from my disdain. And believe me, I’ll try hard not to let this happen again. Starting today, I plan to take a picture of every item I bake, boil, steam, fry, etc. etc.

So, if you too like simple recipes that are quick and easy to fix, these recipes definitely fit the bill. And no, they aren’t fancy. But they are doable even if you are a harried working mom or dad that just got home from work and instead of being greeted with “welcome home” or “how was your day”, you are greeted with “I’m hungry”, “what’s for dinner”, or my personal favorites – “I need 2 pieces of poster board and some colored pens for class tomorrow” and “I need a white shirt for the band concert tomorrow night”. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have been there too!

So, if these two recipes help you get dinner on the table, my work here is done!

And for you parents who wonder “will this ever end”, believe me when I say – yes it will. And one day when you are older, you will realize that you would give almost anything for 1 more day of your kids asking you “what’s for dinner”?

Peace and love to all.   

OVEN ROASTED SWEET POTATO CHUNKS

2 T. extra virgin olive oil, plus more to coat the baking dish or pan

2 lg. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch chunks

¼ tsp. dried oregano

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

Coat the bottom of a baking pan or dish with just a thin coating of olive oil.

Place the cut sweet potatoes in the baking dish, along with the oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.

Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven until the sweet potato chunks are soft and fork-tender, for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, turning them halfway through the baking process.

Remove from the oven and serve immediately.   

BUTTER LEMON BROCCOLI

1 head broccoli, cut into florets and peeled stems 

2 T. unsalted butter

1 T. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. lemon zest 

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

Steam* the broccoli until crisp tender; remove from pan.

Melt the butter in a non-stick fry pan over medium heat. When the butter melts and starts to foam, add the lemon juice and cook for 30 seconds.

Add the steamed broccoli, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Toss until the broccoli is well-coated.

Serve immediately.

*Because I have an inquiring mind, I decided to research whether it is nutritionally wiser to steam broccoli (and other veggies) or to cook them in a microwave. And from everything I have read, the best way to retain vitamins and nutrients while they are being cooked is to use short cooking times that limit the exposure to heat and a cooking method that uses as little liquid as possible. This can be achieved with a microwave, although most studies show that the very best way to retain nutrients in vegetables is to steam them.

And even more interesting and enlightening – if your primary goal is to preserve the most nutrients in your vegetables, then steaming is generally considered better than roasting, as steaming retains more vitamins and minerals, especially water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C.

And finally, boiling vegetables is generally considered the least healthy way to cook vegetables because it causes the greatest loss of nutrients.

Now, to be honest, steaming does not retain the color of veggies the way nuking them does. And the fantastic flavor of veggies that have been roasted is incomparable. But for pure nutritional value, steaming is the recommended method.    

So, confession time. Until yesterday I had never cooked a shank. And for the life of me, I couldn’t tell you why. Maybe because, best to my recollection, I had never eaten a shank until last year when we were served braised lamb shanks prepared by my sister-in-law Katie. I was blown away by the wonderful flavor and tenderness of the meat. And then just before Christmas, our dear friend Phyllis served braised beef shanks at a small dinner party we were fortunate enough to attend. And it finally dawned on me that shanks were just braised meat. Duh. Basically, as simple as that!

So, after that, I bought a couple of lamb shanks and tucked them in our freezer.

Jump forward a few weeks, and our dear friend Todd posted about fixing lamb shanks and that did it! I had to venture into braised shanks land. And oh, my goodness. Braised shanks ARE REALLY EASY TO PREPARE. All I can say is “where have braised shanks been all my life?” (And thank you recipetineats.com for this wonderful recipe.) (And sorry for all the changes.) And just because I’m sure you too were wondering, a lamb ‘shank’ is the lower part in the rear leg. The same joint in pork is the ‘hock’ and in beef, the ‘leg’. The equivalent joints on the front legs are ‘fore shanks’ for lamb, ‘knuckles’ for pork, and ‘shins’ for beef. And since you too may never have seen either lamb or beef shanks sold at your local grocery store, lamb shanks look like this.

Beef shanks are large, round cuts of beef with a bone running through the middle, between 2-3 inches thick, from the lowest part of a cow’s leg, just above the hoof. Beef shanks look like this.

So, if you too have had your head buried in sand while everyone around you has been enjoying shanks, then take my word that lamb shanks are easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. And no, I haven’t prepared beef shanks yet. But you can count on me to do so in the next couple of weeks. And when I find a great recipe, I will pass it on to you. As far as where you can purchase lamb or beef shanks, I’m afraid you are on your own. Bug the butcher at your local grocery store. That’s what I plan to do!

And as always, peace and love to all.

2 lamb shanks

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper  

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

½ onion, finely diced

½ c. finely diced carrot

½ c. finely diced celery

2 garlic cloves, minced

1¼ c. dry red wine

1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes (preferably Italian)

1 T. tomato paste

1 c. chicken stock

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 bay leaf

Pat the lamb shanks dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Heat olive oil in a heavy based pot over high heat. (I use my Le Creuset Dutch oven.)  Sear the lamb shanks until brown all over, for about 5 minutes. Remove lamb onto a plate and set aside.

Turn the heat down to medium low. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes or until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Add red wine, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken stock, thyme, and bay leaves. Stir to combine.

Place the lamb shanks into the pot. Turn the stove up, bring liquid to a boil. Remove from heat, cover, and transfer to a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 2 hours.

After 2 hours,remove the lid, and check to make sure the lamb meat is ultra tender.  If not, cover and keep cooking. (Ideal is tender meat but still just holding onto bone.)

Remove lamb onto plate and keep warm.

Pick out and discard bay leaves and thyme.

If required, bring veggie mixture to a simmer over medium heat and reduce slightly to a syrupy consistency. Or, if it is too thick, add a bit more chicken broth or water. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Great served with Creamy Polenta (see recipe below)

And of course, both of these recipes can be doubled or tripled.

And if you have any left-over chunky sauce, don’t throw it away. Freeze it and add it to your favorite marinara sauce. That’s what I plan to do.

CREAMY POLENTA

2 c. water

¼ c. whole milk

scant ½ tsp. fine sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

½ c. polenta (I use Bob’s Red Mill yellow polenta)

½ tsp. extra virgin olive oil

In a medium pot, bring the water, milk, salt, and pepper to a high simmer. Slowly whisk in the polenta. Bring the heat to a very low simmer. Continue to whisk the polenta until it just starts to thicken. Then cover the pan and let the polenta cook for about 20 minutes.

Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon so that the polenta doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. The polenta should be soft and tender when done.

If your polenta is too thick, whisk in a bit more water. (The polenta should be creamy.)

Turn off the heat and whisk in the olive oil. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Season to taste and serve hot.

Note: Polenta will thicken as it sits. If you are not serving it immediately, you can reheat it by whisking in more water or olive oil to make it smooth and creamy again.

OK, I never said I was a gourmet. I love food much too much to limit myself to only fancy dishes like Pâté De Foie Gras, Beef Wellington, truffles, or anything made with Wagyu beef. Not to mention my budget could never accommodate that much money spent at fancy restaurants or even the ingredients for homemade versions. Which is just fine. Because sometimes, all I want is a good old-fashioned hot dog.  

Now don’t get me wrong. I want a good quality frankfurter. And I also insist on having a great bun. So, I have found that the only way to get a bun for either a hot dog or a hamburger that lives up to my picky expectations, is to build my own. And yes, I have two other recipes for hot dog and hamburger buns on this site – Soft and Tender Hot Dog (Etc.) Buns and Whole Grain Hamburger or Hot Dog Buns. They too are delicious.

But I am still in recovery mode from the holidays, so I wanted to make a very quick and easy bun this time.

And I found just what I needed on the jennycancook.com site, which BTW is a terrific site. I encourage you to visit Jenny’s site. It is a winner!

Anyway, if you too love a good hot dog or hamburger, consider building your own buns. Not only will you save a great deal of money (not enough to buy a vat of Pâté De Foie Gras however), but I think you could probably treat yourself to a latte from Starbucks.

And you will have the satisfaction of not force feeding your family or friends ingredients like, Malted Barley Flour, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Soybean Oil, Monoglycerides, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Ascorbic Acid, etc. etc.

So, there you go. I rest my case!

And on that uplifting note, peace and love, and Happy New Year to all.  

For Hot Dog Buns:

2¾-3 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed, divided

2 tsp. instant yeast (or active dry yeast)

1 T. granulated sugar

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 c. warm whole milk  

2 T. vegetable oil

1 egg, beaten

Combine 2½ cups of the fluffed flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer.

Add warm milk, oil, and most of the beaten egg. (You want to save just enough of the beaten egg to brush the top of the buns before they go into the oven.)

Mix for 2 minutes with your dough hook. Scrape down the sides with a stiff spatula as needed.

On low speed add the remaining ¼-½ cup flour until the dough forms a sticky mess.

Cover and rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cut dough into 8 pieces on a floured surface. (I use my bench scraper to divide the dough into 8 pie shaped wedges after I have shaped the dough into a big ball.) Then with floured hands, press each piece of dough into a 3 x 6-inch rectangle. From the 6-inch side, roll up tightly into a log.

Place seam-side down on the baking sheet, cover with a clean tea towel, and let rise in a warm spot until the dough has doubled in size. For me, this takes about 45-50 minutes.

Just before baking in a pre-heated 375-degree oven, brush each roll with the remaining beaten egg. Bake for 12 minutes. (The internal temperature should reach 190 degrees before removing the buns from the oven.) Then let cool completely before cutting.

For Hamburger Buns:

2¾-3 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed, divided

2 tsp. instant yeast (or active dry yeast)

1 T. granulated sugar

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 c. warm whole milk  

2 T. vegetable oil

1 egg, beaten

sesame seeds

Combine 2½ cups of the fluffed flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer.

Add warm milk, oil, and most of the beaten egg. (You want to save just enough of the beaten egg to brush the top of the buns before they go into the oven.)

Mix for 2 minutes with your dough hook. Scrape down the sides with a stiff spatula as needed.

On low speed add the remaining ¼-½ cup flour until the dough forms a sticky mess.

Cover and rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cut dough into 8 pieces on a floured surface. (I use my bench scraper to divide the dough into 8 pie shaped wedges after I have shaped the dough into a big ball.) Then with floured hands, shape each into a ball and place on prepared baking sheet.

Flatten each ball to about ½-inch thick, cover with a towel, and let rise in a warm spot until they double in size, about 45-50 minutes.

Just before baking in a pre-heated 375-degree oven, brush each roll with the remaining beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 12 minutes. (The internal temperature should reach 190 degrees before removing the buns from the oven.) Then let cool completely before cutting.

So, here’s how this recipe originated.

The other evening, we had tickets to a musical in Everett. And as usual, we decided to have dinner at one of the local restaurants before attending the performance. We made our reservation, showed up on time, ordered a drink and our meal and were settled in our booth happily awaiting the pleasure of another great meal in this restaurant. And all was fine until I cut into my sirloin steak.

I had made a huge point about wanting my steak really, really rare. And the waitress had assured me it would be cooked as rare as the health department would allow. So, after a couple of bites I was less than happy. But I’m not one to make a fuss, because, what’s one medium rare steak in the grand scheme of things! (I mean really. It’s not like a certain felon winning the upcoming election. Now that would be a real reason to get upset. But over an unproperly cooked steak? Not that big a deal.)

But, when the waitress came around asking if everything was delicious, Mr. C. told her my steak was over cooked. She took one look at the steak on my plate and told me she was so sorry and would have a rare steak out to me ASAP. I demurred, but she would have none of that! She not only promptly brought me a rare steak, but also boxed up the first one for me to take home. So, this overcooked sirloin steak, currently residing in my refrigerator became a challenge. What to do with this small bit of cooked beef. And, what came immediately to mind? Well duh! Fajitas, of course! And at the mention of fajitas, Mr. C. immediately offered to go to the grocery store. He said I had him at the mere mention of “fajitas”! (He offered to go to the store because I don’t always have bell peppers on hand. I usually buy them only when needed.)  

So, then, for sure, it would be fajitas for dinner! And while I was at it, why not try out a new way to make fajitas using already cooked meat. Which then led me to realize, it didn’t have to be just cooked beef. Cooked pork or chicken would also work perfectly.

So, there you have it. The back story to this recipe. (And I know. You didn’t really need the back story. But I had fun writing about this adventure. And it’s my blog. So there!) So, I shall continue with the preface to this recipe as if I hadn’t already written anything at all about the recipe you find below.  

The main thing you should know about this dish is that it’s easy to prepare and quite economical. And you use leftover meat. Of course, if you want to make this dish with uncooked meat, that’s quite all right too. In fact, considering myself a decent human being, I’ve provided you with instructions for cooking the meat right along with the veggies.

And of course, you don’t have to make your own fajita seasoning or homemade flour tortillas. But of course, I always suggest that you at least make your own seasoning mix. Especially when the herbs and spices are as common as the ones used in this fajita seasoning mix.

Well, that’s all for today. It’s raining cats and dogs outside and the wind is playing havoc with the few leaves that are still valiantly clinging to our deciduous trees. But I must say, the wind is winning this battle.

Speaking of cats, I have included a picture of Max, one of our orange fuzzies. Although there are dozens of warm and cozy places for our kitties to spend their 20 hours a day napping, Max has decided the pillows on our guest bed provide him with maximum comfort. Or he just wants to drive me crazy in my effort to keep everything neat and tidy. Which is of course, my fondest hope! Regardless, he was most upset when I woke him from his slumbers. And having roused him, didn’t have the decency to stick around after taking his picture to cuddle with him. Life can be very trying if you are cat.

And speaking of critters, real or imagined, I just finished reading A Journey with Orvis, written by Mose Tuzik Mosley. Mr. Mosley is a travel writer. But this book, his first novel, copyright 2024, is a travel tale with Orvis, his imaginary dog. A delightful story and for me, a great way to look back on my own travels to places like Istanbul, Zagreb, and Paris. So, if you enjoy travel books, and learning about interesting places you too might like to visit, this is an excellent read. I enjoyed every page of this book.

On the happy thought of wonderful places yet to visit, as always, I wish you peace and love.   

For the Fajita Seasoning:

4 tsp. chili powder

2 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. paprika 

1 tsp. granulated sugar 

1 tsp. granulated garlic

1 tsp. granulated onion

½ tsp. kosher salt, or more to taste

pinch cayenne pepper 

freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients and keep in a covered jar in your pantry.

For ALREAD COOKED meat and veggie tortilla filling:

2 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided

1 onion, quartered and thinly sliced

2 bell peppers, (I use one red and one yellow or orange) quartered and thinly sliced

1 sm. garlic cloves, finely minced

6 tsp. fajita seasoning (recipe above), or more to taste

6-8 oz. of very finely sliced cooked beef, pork, or chicken  

2 to 3 T. beef, chicken, or veggie broth

3-4 lg. flour tortillas (see my recipe for Flour Tortillas on this site)

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes soft.

Add the peppersalong with the 2nd tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet, stir occasionally, and cook until the peppers are crisp tender. Add the garlic and cook for one minute.

Add the fajita seasoning along with the sliced cooked meat and broth. Lower the heat to medium. Heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring all the time. (You want the meat to get heated through and the flavors to combine, but you don’t want to overcook the meat. Taste and add more fajita seasoning if needed.

Serve immediately in warmed* tortillas.

Offer a variety of toppings at the table.  

*To warm one or two flour tortillas, place them on a slightly damp paper towel in your microwave on high for about 15 seconds.  

For the table:

For example: sour cream, grated cheese (I use sharp cheddar cheese), sliced avocado or guacamole, salsa, lime wedges, finely chopped green onion.

For UNCOOKED meat and veggie tortilla filling:

2 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided

1 onion, quartered and thinly sliced

2 bell peppers, (I use one red and one yellow or orange) quartered and thinly sliced

1 sm. garlic cloves, finely minced

6-8 oz. of very finely sliced uncooked beef, pork, or chicken  

6 tsp. fajita seasoning (recipe above), or more to taste

2 to 3 T. beef, chicken, or veggie broth

3-4 lg. flour tortillas (see my recipe for Flour Tortillas on this site)

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes soft.

Add the peppersalong with the 2nd tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet, stir occasionally, and cook until the peppers are crisp tender. Add the garlic and cook for one minute.

Add the uncooked meat and stir fry beef or pork until your desired doneness and chicken until no pink remains.

Add the fajita seasoning along with your broth of choice. Lower the heat to medium. Heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring all the time. (You want the meat to get heated through and the flavors to combine, but you don’t want to overcook the meat. Taste and add more fajita seasoning if needed.

Serve immediately in warmed* tortillas.

Offer a variety of toppings at the table.  

*To warm one or two flour tortillas, place them on a slightly damp paper towel in your microwave on high for about 15 seconds.  

For the table:

For example: sour cream, grated cheese (I use sharp cheddar cheese), sliced avocado or guacamole, salsa, lime wedges, finely chopped green onion.  

OK, I know, I already have several coleslaw recipes on this site. But I love coleslaw. Good coleslaw! Not just shredded cabbage with no dressing or at best, a wimpy dressing, which is what I encounter so often in restaurants. What’s with these people? Do they not think that some of us actually like coleslaw? Hello! I mean really! Put some savory/sweet dressing on the cabbage and I promise to stand up and applaud the cook who actually shows some interest in what he or she is serving.

Actually, there is one restaurant that I know of in our area, that makes really good coleslaw. And that’s Orlando’s Southern Barbecue in beautiful Oak Harbor on Whidbey Island. They make great coleslaw, fabulous fried catfish (in case you are interested), and other terrific, barbecued items. And they have live music. Mr. C. plays in some of the bands that are featured on their stage. So, good on them for serving good food and good music. A winning combination. But back to this coleslaw.

When I was preparing the menu for our last JazzVox concert, I needed some crunch. And what is better at crunch than coleslaw. And of course, it’s a very inexpensive dish to serve. And that is always a consideration.

But enough about coleslaw. (Even if this post is all about coleslaw!) I need to get back to my current read – Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. So far, I love this book. So, more to come about this delightful read when I have actually finished the book.

But the book I can write about is one we have had on our shelves for a very long time. The book is entitled Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll. And although I must have read this book at some time in the past, it just jumped out at me when I was perusing our bookcase. And since I really couldn’t remember the story, I decided to just sit down and open my mind to this wonderful piece of writing. And to once again enjoy the poetry of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (his pen name was Lewis Carroll) and the fabulous illustrations by Sir John Tenniel.

So, if you have never read this fascinating tale or haven’t read it for a long time, I suggest you do so. And just to refresh your memory, I will give you a brief taste of what you will experience.

Jaberwocky.

“Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:

All mimsy were the borogroves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.

Humpty Dumpty

Other wonderful illustrations in the book

Well, it’s Friday, and we actually have no plans for this evening. And that, my friends, does not happen very often. So, today I am trying out a recipe for arancini. (Italian rice balls.) I plan to serve them as an appetizer at an upcoming event at our home. And although I usually throw caution to the wind and try out new dishes on guests, I decided with these little darlings that I plan to bake rather than deep fat fry, I better use a bit of good sense and try them out on Mr. C. first. Wish me luck!

And as always, from our home to yours, peace and love to all.

¾ c. mayonnaise

2 T. apple cider vinegar 

1 T. Dijon mustard

1 T. pure maple syrup  

¾ tsp. celery seeds

¼ tsp. fine sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

6 c. thinly sliced and chopped green cabbage

2 c. thinly sliced and chopped red cabbage

2 carrots, grated

2 celery ribs, plus leaves, finely chopped

2 green onions, finely chopped

Whisk the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, celery seeds, salt, and pepper together in a covered container.

Toss the green cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, celery, and green onions together in a mixing bowl. Add half of the dressing and toss until every bit of vegetative matter is coated with the dressing. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Also place the remaining dressing in the fridge.

About an hour before serving, remove both salad and reserved dressing from fridge. Using a large, slotted spoon, lift the salad into a pretty serving dish. (You want as much of the liquid that accumulated overnight in the bottom of the bowl to stay in the bottom of the mixing bowl. Discard the liquid in the bottom of the bowl.)

Stir in the remaining salad dressing, taste, and adjust seasoning if required.

The rolls.

The olive and veggie “salad” and assorted meats and provolone cheese.

The top with a bit of olive oil and the bottom filled with “salad”.

Add the meat, cheese, and tomato and the sandwich is ready to be put together.

All together now, all together now…… (FEEL FREE TO SING ALONG)

Two halves of a whole.

Sorry about all the pictures. But in the case of this sandwich, I thought pictures would be better than a thousand words.  

Several years ago, we joined our dear friends Dick and Eloise for a mini vacation to the great city of New Orleans for Mardi gras. We spent 10 days in this amazing city attending parades, eating as much great food as our tummies could accommodate, and of course listened to terrific jazz in small hole-in-the-wall cafes, famous eating establishments, and funky bars so dark you wondered if you had stumbled into a jazz infused spelunking adventure filled with really interesting (think kinda scary) critters.

And frankly, had we not been staying with Dick and Eloise’s son John, DIL Carol, and kidlets in their big, beautiful home, the entire trip would probably not have been such a wonderful experience. Because there’s only so much fun I can handle before I just want to bury my head under a pillow. So, staying in a hotel near the center of all the noise and 24-hour partying might have been more than I could handle. But since we had the great opportunity to stay in a private home, we enjoyed the heck out of our visit to “The Big Easy”.

And as I mentioned above, part of the reason we enjoyed New Orleans so much was the food. On one memorable occasion, Mr. C. and I took a walk around the neighborhood where we were staying and found a small corner market/deli that advertised “great muffaletta sandwiches made to order” or some such phraseology. Never ones to shirk our responsibility to embrace local cuisine, we wholehearted bought into the whole Creole/Cajun/Southern/Italian food scene. And OMG, we were immediately hooked on this famous Italian sandwich invented in New Orleans featuring cured meats, provolone cheese, olive and veggie salad, and great bread.

So, if you too would like to have a taste of what New Orleans has to offer in the way of fantastic food, then give this sandwich a try.

And if you ever get the opportunity to visit New Orleans, try as much of the local cuisine and listen to as much jazz as your body and soul can handle. Because N’awlins is the birthplace of jazz. And the jazz performers in New Orleans are top drawer. And while you are listening to these fabulous musicians, eat everything in sight.

For additional recipes that might take you back to or introduce you to some of the types of dishes you might experience in New Orleans and environs, go to the “Categories” area on this site and search under “Creole/Cajun Recipes”.  

Well, that’s all I have to say today. Except of course, peace and love to all.

For the olive and veggie salad:

2/3 c. extra virgin olive oil, or more if needed

¼ c. red wine vinegar

1 c. pitted kalamata olives, chopped

¾ c. pimento-stuffed green olives, chopped

¼ c. chopped pepperoncini

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

2 T. drained capers, roughly chopped

2 T. finely chopped fresh parsley

½ c. finely chopped celery

¾ c. finely chopped carrot

1 tsp. dried oregano

freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a glass container with a lid. If the olive oil doesn’t cover all the chopped ingredients, add a bit more until all is covered. Refrigerate until needed. Best made at least a day ahead.

For 8 homemade individual round flat dinner rolls:  

2¼ c. warm water

1 T. instant yeast

1 tsp. granulated sugar

1½ tsp. fine sea salt

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

olive oil

In the bowl or your stand mixer, combine the water, yeast, and sugar. Ignore for 5 minutes.

Add the salt and a bit less than 5 cups of the flour. Mix with your bread hook until a soft dough has formed. Add additional flour as needed. (There should be a bit of dough hanging out on the bottom of the bowl. That’s what you want.)

Pour a bit of olive oil in the mixing bowl and using your hands and a stiff spatula form a dough ball covered in oil.

Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise at room temperature for about 80 minutes or until doubled in size.

Place a bit of flour on a pastry cloth or clean kitchen counter. Transfer the bread dough onto the floured surface using a stiff spatula. Then flour your hands and form the dough into 2 large equal sized balls.  Then divide each ball into 4 pieces. Form each piece into a fairly flat round roll. (Do not knead the dough or handle it more than necessary.)

Place the formed bread dough on top of a parchment paper lined baking sheet and using a serrated knife, gently carve 2-3 diagonal cuts on the top of each loaf.

Rest the formed dough while you fill an oven proof pan with 2-inches of water and place it on the ovens’ bottom rack. This will create steam that will help the crust become a bit hard as it bakes. Then set the oven to heat at 450-degrees.  

Once the oven has come to temperature, transfer the bread to the middle rack of your oven. 

Bake for about 13 minutes or until golden brown all over and the internal temperature reaches about 200-degrees.

Remove from oven and transfer the loaves to a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before slicing the loaves in half crosswise.     

To put the muffaletta sandwich together:

8 round flat dinner rolls*or a large Italian loaf of bread (unsliced)

¾ lb. deli sliced Genoa salami

¾ lb. deli sliced ham

¾ lb. deli sliced mortadella

¾ lb. deli sliced provolone cheese

thin tomato slices

For each roll, hollow out the bread halves by pulling out about half of the insides. If using a long loaf, cut crosswise and into about 2½-inch wide pieces and remove about half of the soft bread. (Hint: Do not throw this nice lovely soft bread away. Toast it in your oven for the next time you need plain breadcrumbs.)

Coat the inside of each roll or sliced loaf with the olive oil marinade from the veggie salad. (Place most of the marinade on the top half since the salad goes in the bottom half.)

Spoon salad into the bottom halves.

Layer the salami, ham, mortadella, and provolone evenly over the salad. Add the tomato slices and place the top half of bread firmly on the tomato slices.

Serve immediately, or cover sandwiches tightly with plastic wrap and place in your fridge for several hours. Muffaletta sandwiches can be served cold, at room temperature, or slightly warmed.

Great served with thick potato chips, Classic Southern Macaroni Salad (see recipe below), and a cold beer.  

*I like to use round, flat dinner rolls because I can “capture” the filling better than if I use sections from a long loaf of bread. Just a personal preference.

CLASSIC SOUTHERN MACARONI SALAD – based on a recipe I found on the southernbite.com site

1 c. mayonnaise, or a bit more if needed

1 T. yellow mustard

3 T. white vinegar (the old-fashioned kind)

1 tsp. granulated sugar  

1 tsp. seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp. granulated garlic

¼ tsp. granulated onion

½ c. finely chopped dill pickle

1 T. dill pickle juice

½ c. finely diced red onion* or green onion

½ c. finely diced celery (plus leaves)

3 c. uncooked small elbow macaroni, cooked al dente, drained and cooled by tap water

kosher salt, if needed

In a covered bowl, whisk the mayo, mustard, vinegar, sugar, seasoned salt, black pepper, granulated garlic, and granulated onion together. Then stir in the chopped dill pickle and pickle juice. Set aside. 

Place the onion, celery, and cooked macaroni in a covered bowl. Add about 2/3rds of the dressing and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate the pasta for at least 2 hours. (Refrigerate the remaining dressing too.)

When ready to serve, add remaining dressing and toss to coat. Taste and add kosher salt if needed.

*If you use diced red onion, before adding it to the rest of the ingredients, give it a bath for about 15 minutes in ice water. This will reduce the “bite” that is often associated with red onion. Be sure to drain and pat the diced onion dry with a paper towel before adding it to the salad.