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.

The other day Mr. C. and I were shopping at our local IGA here on the island. He happened to notice that in the freezer section with all the other seafood options, appeared a shrink-wrapped package of thick, boneless, skinless tuna steaks. He showed it to me and said, “what do you think?” I said, “let’s go for it!”. And oh, am I glad I said that! Because Nagi’s recipe on recipetineats.com for Tuna Steaks served with Sauce Vierge (slightly modified by me) is one of the best and easiest entrées I ever made or eaten. Absolutely delicious! And the whole meal had been exceedingly easy to prepare.

I served the fish with Easy Plain Polenta (recipe below) and steamed broccoli. Yum, yum, YUM!

So, if you too have ever wondered if frozen tuna was worth the effort, I can only tell you, my experience. The tuna was perfect. I let it thaw completely and then used paper towels to dry it off a bit. Then went from there with the recipe below.

I think the main reason the tuna was so perfect is because when fish is frozen within hours of harvest, the freezing process stops deterioration and actually preserves the freshness of the fish. Plus, when seafood is frozen at sea and sold still frozen, we the consumer get to decide when to defrost the fish and can thaw it right before cooking. So, will I be buying more frozen tuna next time I go to the store? You bet your sweet bippy!

And since I’m sure you were wondering – Sauce Vierge is the French version of salsa. Salsa apparently can be traced back to the Inca, Mayan, and Aztec civilizations of Central and South America. Whereas Sauce Vierge was popularized in the 1980s by Michel Guérard, a French chef, author, and one of the founders of nouvelle cuisine.

And since I needed to have “nouvelle cuisine” defined for me, I thought you might appreciate the definition too.

According to the Oxford dictionary, nouvelle cuisine is “a modern style of cooking that avoids rich, heavy foods and emphasizes the freshness of the ingredients and the presentation of the dishes.”

Well, that’s it for today. I am spending my week getting ready for a 3-band picnic here at Chez Carr next Sunday. So, I am spending a bit of time each day baking, mixing, shredding, dicing, whisking, etc., and generally dirtying up my kitchen in preparation for the gang. In other words, I am doing what I love. Feeding people, I know and love, and those I hope to know better. And trying in my own way to spread a little joy.

It’s a tough reality we are living through right now. Most of what is happening to our country makes no sense to most of us. It’s a tumultuous time, to say the least. So, getting together with friends and family and sharing a meal, or going for a hike, or teeing off for a round of golf, etc., can serve as a reminder of what is still wonderful about our own little corner of this crazy world. We need each other. And we all need to know we are not alone.

So, invite a friend over. Bake a batch of cookies and share them with your neighbors. Take someone a bouquet of flowers from your yard. In your own way, let people know how much they mean to you. It’s the simple gestures that make the most impact.

What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
No not just for some but for everyone

(Thank you Hal David.)

And as always, peace and love to all.       

For the Sauce Vierge: (make this before you cook the tuna steaks)

3 T. extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 T. fresh lemon juice

¼ tsp. anchovy paste

¼ tsp. finely minced garlic

½ tsp. finely minced parsley

½ tsp. finely chopped basil

1 tsp. capers, drained and roughly chopped

pinch kosher salt, or more to taste

freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. finely diced shallot

6-8 cherry tomatoes, diced

6 kalamata olives, sliced   

Mix ingredients in a bowl. Taste and add more salt if needed.

For the Tuna Steaks:

8-12 oz. thick, boneless, skinless, tuna steaks

extra virgin olive oil

fine sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

On a small baking pan or dinner plate, drizzle olive oil over the tuna. Smear the oil with your fingers over one side, then lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. Flip and repeat.

Heat a skillet (preferably a skillet with grill lines) over high heat until smoking hot.

If your skillet is not well-seasoned, brush the skillet with olive oil or take pan off stove and spray with any cooking oil.

Place tuna steaks in the skillet and cook for 45 seconds.

Turn steak 45 degrees. Continue cooking for another 45 seconds.

Flip the tuna carefully, then leave for 1 minute or until the internal temperature in the middle reads 118-degrees. 

Remove tuna from skillet and place on a cutting board. Rest for 5 minutes. (The tuna will cool down to almost room temperature. That’s what you want!) Slice the steaks into 1-inch pieces. Plate the tuna and spoon the Sauce Vierge over the top. Then drizzle just a bit more olive oil over the whole mess. Serve immediately.

Great with Easy Plain Polenta. See recipe below.

EASY PLAIN POLENTA

1½ c. water

½ c. whole milk

rounded ¼ tsp. fine sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

½ c. polenta (not instant)

2 T. unsalted butter 

In a medium saucepan, bring water, milk, salt, and pepper to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to medium. While whisking, slowly pour the polenta into your liquid over the course of about 1 minute. Take it slow! This ensures that there will be no lumps in your cooked polenta.

Once all the polenta is in the liquid, continue whisking until it starts to thicken, about 2 minutes. Then turn down the heat to low and cover the pan. The polenta should be gently bubbling but not fully simmering. Set a timer for 30 minutes and be sure to whisk the polenta every 5 minutes or so to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

After 30 minutes, test your polenta. It should be soft and creamy, with no lumps or graininess. If you want your polenta to be slightly thicker, let it cook for another 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in the butter. Taste again and add more salt or butter if you want a more savory or salty flavor.

Great side dish or base for any prepared food that would be perfect over mashed potatoes, quinoa, rice, etc.   

OK, I know. I already have 2 very similar broccoli salad recipes on this site. That’s because I REALLY LOVE BROCCOLI SALAD! But the one I served yesterday for our JazzVox pre-concert meal was even more spectacular than my other recipes. (Sorry guys, but the truth shall set me free!) I think it was the use of apple cider vinegar rather than another type of vinegar, and the addition of dried cranberries that made this version so amazing. Also, the fact that I made it the day before and let it sit overnight in the fridge. This I learned from Holly, creator of the spendwithpennies.com cooking blog. (A fabulous site BTW. You simply must check it out!) So, this is basically Holly’s recipe with a couple of minor ingredient amount changes of mine.

And I must say, this salad literally disappeared yesterday. One moment there was still some left in the bowl. The next time I looked, it was all gone. It might have been because of all the bacon. But I am choosing to believe that people are finally realizing that broccoli is an excellent source of vitamins C, K, and A. And that it also contains several important minerals, such as potassium, calcium, and iron as well as several antioxidants, including vitamins C and E, β-carotene.

Anyway, if you want to make a broccoli salad that is sure to be a hit, this is the recipe for you. And it can be made ahead. And who doesn’t love that kind of recipe. Especially when entertaining.

Well, today is a down day for me. Not mentally, but after feeding 41 people yesterday, my body is rebelling at even getting up from my desk to grab a drink of water. (My body saying – You want me to walk all the way to the kitchen. Have you no compassion for tired legs and feet? Don’t you remember that the kitchen is your enemy? Etc. etc. ad nauseam!) So, my brain having a mind of its own, I am choosing to surrender and keep my butt firmly planted in my desk chair today.

But I’m still coherent enough to wish peace and love to all.

⅓ c. finely diced red onion

1 c. ice water

1 c. mayonnaise

3 T. apple cider vinegar

1 T. granulated sugar

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

8 c. broccoli florets and peeled stems, cut into bite-sized pieces and thoroughly dried

½ c. dried cranberries

½ c. sunflower seeds

1 c. cooked tiny meaty bacon pieces, plus more for garnish

Combine the red onion* and ice water in a small bowl. Make sure the onion is under water. Let the onion mellow out while you make the dressing and chop the veggies. Then drain the onion and pat dry really well before adding to the bowl with the other ingredients.  

Whisk the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the broccoli, cranberries, sunflower seeds, bacon pieces, and drained and dried onion. Pour the dressing over all and mix well.

Cover and refrigerate overnight for best results. Remove from fridge about 30 minutes before serving. Garnish with bacon.

*It seems to me that red onions seem to be getting “hotter” than I remember them being in the past. So, letting the cut onion spend some quality time in ice water helps reduce the hot or bite. This is true for other onions and shallots too.  

I love it when the salad and side dish are one and the same. Of course, I can always go completely nuts and serve another veggie or homemade rolls or biscuits. But why? As in this case, I’ve got my side grain or starch dish and veggie (spinach) all in one bowl. And having only two dishes to prepare equates to less work and time spent in the kitchen. Which is becoming more and more appealing the older I get! And another wonderful thing about this salad; it is even better when made ahead. And who doesn’t love that option.  

When a combination dish is as delicious as this modified version of a recipe I found on the borrowedbites.com site, I truly feel like I have won the lottery. So, served with a simply prepared chicken breast, lamb or pork chop, or seasoned ground beef patty, dinner is on the table in no time flat. And this makes for a very nutritious and easy meal to prepare and fancy enough for even the most discerning guests.

So, I suggest you make this salad soon. It is truly delectable.

Well, that is all I have to say today. We have reservations this evening at the Mirkwood Public House in Arlington for dinner and a show. The show being “A Vaudeville Cirque Extravaganza” (New Old Time Chautauqua*), featuring the Flying Karamazov Brothers, the Fighting Instruments of Karma Marching Band/Orchestra, and other vaudevillian luminaries. Should be fun. A little out of our normal entertainment framework. But isn’t that the way we grow. We try something new. We choose a new author, we visit a new land, we meet new people, we expand our horizons by letting go of our comfort zone. Not to the point of making ourselves uncomfortable. But as I have often said, I can put up with almost any type of entertainment, within the bounds of decency, for 2 hours. I may never want to hear or see this kind of show again. But then I at least have real experience with, not just some pre-conceived idea of why I don’t want to attend this type of event. I can at least say – once was enough. However, what I hope to be able to say is – when’s the next show?

Peace and love to all. And happy adventures.

1¾ c. quinoa**

1½ c. chicken broth

1 lg. garlic clove, finely minced

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. lemon zest

3 T. fresh lemon juice, or more to taste

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

2 T. chopped fresh parsley

1½ c. chopped fresh spinach

¾ – 1 c. crumbled feta

½ c. toasted slivered almonds

Rinse and drain the quinoa thoroughly in cold water. In a medium saucepan, add the quinoa to the chicken stock. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pan, and cook until all the liquid is absorbed, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat, take off the lid, and set aside.

While the cooked quinoa is off heat, whisk the garlic, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning together in a bowl. Stir into the warm quinoa.

Just before serving, stir in the parsley, spinach, feta cheese, and slivered almonds.

You can serve this wonderful salad right after preparing, but it is even better the next day, after having spent the night in your refrigerator. But if you plan to serve it the next day, don’t add the parsley, spinach, feta cheese, and almonds until just before serving.  

*A Chautauqua began in 1874 by the opening of the Chautauqua Institution. A Chautauqua is a camp that focuses on learning and entertainment, with lectures, concerts, and presentations by religious leaders, philosophers, and specialists in a variety of fields.

**Though technically a seed, quinoa is classified as a whole grain and is a good source of plant protein and fiber.