OK, I know, everyone already has their favorite recipe for chili, and I actually already have several recipes on this site that I dearly love too. So, what made me go online and look for another chili recipe is anyone’s guess. And why black beans? Well, that’s easy. I was too lazy to cook kidney beans from scratch and all I had in the pantry was a lone can of black beans. So, I thought – what the heck. Go online and see how other cooks make their chili using black beans. And I stumbled on to the juliasalbum.com site. As I perused the ingredients, it looked like the perfect chili recipe to me. Of course, I added a couple of ingredients and played fast and loose with some of the spice amounts, but other than that, this fabulous and easy to prepare chili recipe is compliments of Julia.
So, what makes this chili special? Well for one thing, it contains more vegetables than you usually find in chili. (That’s a plus BTW.) And 5 cloves of garlic. That’s more garlic than you find in most chili recipes. The spices are not uncommon, but the cup of beef broth is. And beef broth is such a wonderful ingredient to bring extra richness to any dish. So, basically, this is just a good basic recipe for a fabulous bowl of chili. And in my book, there is just nothing finer. Served with a nice cornbread muffin, life is good.
As always, have fun in your kitchen. And remember, some of the best food in the world is often very simple to prepare and has been a family favorite for decades. But that doesn’t mean the dish can’t be “revised” periodically. Hope you enjoy this “revision”.
Peace and love to all.
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 med. carrot, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely diced
¼ c. chopped Hatch chili or ½ c. chopped green bell pepper
5 garlic cloves, chopped
3 T. chili powder
4 tsp. paprika
4 tsp. Italian seasoning
2 tsp. cumin
½ tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 (28-oz) can whole or diced tomatoes, plus juice (Italian tomatoes, if possible)
1 c. beef broth
1 (15-oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
grated sharp cheddar cheese, garnish
thinly sliced green onions, garnish
sour cream, garnish
Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy covered pan. Add ground beef and cook until browned. Add the onion, carrot, Hatch chili or bell pepper, and celery; stir well and continue cooking for about 2 more minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one minute.
Stir in the chili powder, paprika, Italian seasoning, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Add the canned tomatoes with juices and the beef broth. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently for 1 hour. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Add the black beans and cook for another 20 minutes or so.
To serve, pass the grated cheddar cheese, sliced green onions, and sour cream.
Let me begin by saying that Mr. C. loves leftovers. So, one of the benefits of cooking too much food for Thanksgiving is having just what he loves at his disposal. (Remember that word – disposal, because it’s going to be used again in this post, but in a very different context!)
But after the first meal of all things leftover, and even a second attempt to present him with yet another opportunity to enjoy all the delicious flavors that make Thanksgiving such a special occasion, his desire to eat anymore of the leftovers began to wane. And I could hardly stand to open the refrigerator. So, that meant that I had to figure out a better way to use up the leftovers. Thus, this recipe.
So, with 3 cups of shredded turkey to use in a dish that would hopefully be welcome, even if the name included “leftover turkey”, I came up with this recipe. But what to serve it over? That part came next.
So, I went online to find a drop biscuit recipe that didn’t require getting out the food processor or my stand mixer. (I’m still recovering from all the cooking I did for Thanksgiving, so the simpler the food prep for now, the better.) I found this recipe on the cookingclassy.com site and the biscuits turned out perfect for the intended purpose. Split in two, they weren’t smooth surfaced like so many of my biscuit recipes produce. (Which is perfect in most cases.) However, these biscuits had the perfect crumb to absorb the lovely gravy base that makes this àla King so delicious. And, best of all, the drop biscuits had been super easy to prepare.
As for the leftover mashed potatoes, dressing, and corn pudding, well you remember that word I used above – disposal, that’s exactly where they ended up. Sometimes you just have to do what’s best for everyone concerned. And for my own sanity, not having the leftovers stare me down every time I opened the refrigerator, was a prudent move towards keeping me mentally healthy. Of course, the guilt is still there, but then, that’s another story for another time.
As always, keep staying healthy, keep making decisions that benefit not only yourself but those around you, and stay positive. Your positive outlook on life can be contagious. You never know who might need positive inspiration from time to time.
Peace and love to all.
¼ c. (½ stick) unsalted butter
½ c. minced onion
¼ c. shredded carrot
¼ c. finely diced celery
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
¼ c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp. seasoned salt
freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp. poultry seasoning
1/8 tsp. dried thyme
¼ c. dry sherry
1½ c. turkey or chicken broth, or more as needed
¾ c. whole milk
¼ c. heavy cream
2-3 c. diced turkey (and yes of course, you can used cooked chicken in place of turkey)
1 sm. (4-oz.) jar sliced pimento, well drained
½ c. frozen petite peas
2 T. freshly chopped parsley
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and sauté onion, carrot, and celery until tender, 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the flour, seasoned salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, and thyme and cook a minute or two. Add the dry sherry and let it evaporate for about 30 seconds.
Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, milk, and heavy cream. Cook until the mixture is thickened and bubbly. If too thick, add a bit more broth. Add the cooked turkey, drained pimento, frozen peas, and fresh parsley. Cook only until the chicken is hot. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve over halved biscuits, steamed rice, or mashed potatoes.
See recipe below for quick and easy Buttermilk Drop Biscuits.
BUTTERMILK DROP BISCUITS
2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. granulated sugar
¾ tsp. kosher salt
½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 c. buttermilk
In a small mixing bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt together.
Place the butter in a medium sized microwave safe dish and heat until about ¾ of the way melted. Remove and stir to melt fully.
Pour the buttermilk in with the butter and whisk until mixture appears lumpy.
Pour the flour mixture into the buttermilk mixture and stir gently just until all the flour is incorporated.
Using a #16 ice cream scoop that has been coated with cooking spray, scoop the dough onto a parchment paper lined baking pan at least 1½-inches apart. If you don’t own a #16 ice cream scoop, spray a quarter cup round measuring cup with non-stick cooking spray.
Bake in a pre-heated 475-degree oven until tops are golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 205 to 210-degrees, about 12 – 14 minutes. Remove from oven, split, and serve topped with plenty of the à la King.
I added a bit of kale and chopped green onion to garnish the quiche before baking. Wasn’t necessary. Won’t do it again.
And yes, we love quiche. And that’s why there are already several quiche recipes on this site. Now, one of the things I like most about quiches is their versatility. I can put pretty much any ingredient in a pie shell, pour eggs and milk over the top, and bake until the filling is set. Voila! Egg pie!
So, the other evening, quiche was on our dinner table. And yes, quiche is also perfect for breakfast or lunch. That’s another versatile thing that I love about this dish. But mainly it’s about how wonderful this dish tastes. And how the creamy rich filling is offset by the crispy pie crust. (I don’t use this simple pie crust recipe for regular pies because it isn’t a flaky crust. But for quiche, it’s perfect!) And very easy to make. And at this stage in my life, I support easy.
So, if you too would enjoy a quiche that has all the requisite elements of a successful dish that includes, easy to prepare, delicious, not too expensive, and everyone at table will love, then this is the recipe for you. Make it “quiche night” at your house in the near future. Your family will love you even more than they already do!
And isn’t that what it’s all about anyway. Love and family and understanding and forgiveness and respect.
In these trying days when there is almost a civil war happening between the people who are vaccinated and those who aren’t, please don’t forget that everyone is doing their best. (Except for certain politicians who are trying to kill Democracy. But that’s another story!)
But for those of us who simply can’t understand why anyone would hesitate to get vaccinated, it seems like such a simple thing to just do it. (I fall in that camp BTW.) But I don’t live in another person’s head. I don’t know their fears or misgivings or past experiences. And I definitely don’t know what it’s like to be unable to make a decision. But from the few I know who haven’t been vaccinated, inertia seems to be the biggest reason to remain unvaccinated. So, be kind to these people and try to understand that life may not be as easy for them as it is for you. Love them, treat them with respect, and above all, don’t give up on them. Not everyone was lucky enough to be born with what I consider to be “a good tool belt”. A tool belt containing a goodly amount of intelligence, an inherent sense of self-worth, imagination, empathy, understanding, energy, and various other attributes that help most of us become happy, caring, and successful adults. If you were born with a good tool belt, you were just plain lucky. Not everyone was similarly blessed. So, be patient and kind. Don’t burn bridges that might never have been built if not for covid-19. And no, it’s not easy. I have a couple relatives I would like to shake by the shoulders, throw them in the back of my car, and drive them to get vaccinated. But I don’t walk in their shoes, and no one (yet) has put me in charge. Until then, I do the best I can. I’m not perfect and I get pretty darned frustrated. But I have yet to lose a friendship because we have differing opinions about being vaccinated. (OK, maybe one. But he isn’t family, and we have history anyway!) So, like I said, it’s not easy to safely maneuver the vaccination minefield. But definitely worth the effort.
And as always, peace and love to all.
8-inch pie crust (see recipe below)
2 T. unsalted butter
1½ c. diced ham
½ med. onion, chopped
2½ c. grated Swiss, Gruyère, Emmental, or Jarlsberg cheese (or combination)
1½ c. whole milk (part half & half is great)
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
freshly ground black pepper
5 lg. eggs
ground nutmeg
Heat the butter in a small frying pan. Sauté the ham pieces until browned. Using a slotted spoon or spatula, remove the ham to a small bowl. Set aside.
Add onion and cook over medium low heat, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft and starts to become a light golden brown, 20 – 30 minutes.
Scatter ham pieces over the partially baked pie crust. Layer cheese on top of ham. Scatter cooked onions evenly over the cheese.
Whisk together the milk/half & half, Dijon mustard, black pepper, and eggs. Pour liquid mixture in pie pan. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Hint: to keep your pie crust edge from getting too brown while baking, cover with thin strips of aluminum foil.
Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven until the filling is set, about 45-55 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Whole Wheat Pie Crust
1 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1 c. whole wheat pastry flour
heaping ½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
¼ tsp. baking powder
7 T. vegetable or canola oil
5 T. cold water
Whisk the flours, salt, sugar, and baking powder together. Pour the oil and water over the dry ingredients. Stir with a fork until the dough is evenly moistened. Pat the dough across the bottom of a fairly deep pie pan, then up to the rim.
Bake in a pre-heated 400-degree oven for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside until you are ready to assemble the quiche. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
If you are new to my blog, there is something more you should know about me than just what I have confessed to in my introduction – “It’s really just all about me!” I love Chinese food. And not the kind you find in China because I have never been there. Nope, I love the kind of Chinese food you find in good old American Chinese restaurants, especially the ones that can be found in any large-city International District. And I especially love the dishes that have only a superficial resemblance to any dish you might actually find in China. Except for one. Because even though egg fu yung is considered an American Chinese dish, its culinary roots reach back to Shanghai, and the name of this dish is Cantonese, with several accepted spellings including egg foo young, egg fooyung, egg foo yong, egg fu yung, and egg furong. I have chosen to spell this dish egg fu yung, because, well I don’t know why, I just have! For the sake of simplicity, you may think of this dish as basically a fried omelet, with not very much meat, lots of veggies, and topped with a yummy sauce or gravy.
You will notice that I have included 2 recipes for the gravy/sauce. I made them both but couldn’t choose which one I preferred. And neither could Mr. C. or our dear friends Mark and Vicki. So, your choice.
Now after a rudimentary glance at these recipes, you might think they would be anything but easy to prepare. But I’m here to tell you, they are not difficult at all. Just preparing a simple gravy or sauce, then a bit of hacking and slashing of veggies, a bit of playing with the meat, then combining all the egg fu yung ingredients together. (Except the gravy/sauce that is!) And once you’ve ladled the egg mixture into the pan, you are about 3-5 minutes away from sitting down to dine.
So, if you too are a Chinese food fan, then I think you are in for a treat. And even though you may be a true Chinese food aficionado, I’m willing to bet you haven’t ordered egg fu yung in quite some time. Because if you are like me, you consider yourself to be a “foodie”. And how can a true food connoisseur consider a humble and often thought of “secondary” dish now be relighted to the highly sought over position of “entrée”? Well, until recently, I wouldn’t have considered egg fu yung to be the star of the show either. In fact, I hadn’t ordered it in years. OK, decades. But during a recent visit to a Chinese restaurant, I was advised to order it, and I simply flipped over how delicious it was. It was my favorite dish on the table. What had I been waiting for? So, be reminded. Egg Fu Yung is delicious, and when you make it yourself, you can include any old meat or veggies you choose. And regulate the amount of salt, etc. etc. So, take my advise and make this dish at your earliest convenience. It is truly delicious, not too expensive to prepare, and a lot less caloric than many other Chinese dishes that you might enjoy.
As always, have fun in your kitchen. Try new recipes, especially the dishes you enjoy the most when you go out to eat. They may be easier to prepare than you would imagine. And don’t get me started on how much money you will save by fixing your favorite dishes at home. I neither have the time nor the energy to prepare a 60-page dissertation on nutrition, unpronounceable ingredients, marketing, and economics.
Peace and love to all.
Egg Fu Yung “Gravy”
Egg Fu Yung Gravy:
¼ c. vegetable oil
¼ c. finely diced onion
6 med. button mushrooms, chopped well (or the equivalent in chopped shiitake mushrooms)
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
¼ c. flour
1 tsp. granulated sugar
pinch white pepper
2 c. water
3 tsp. chicken or vegetable base (I use Better Than Bouillon bases)
2 T. dark soy sauce
2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan. Add the onion, mushrooms, and garlic and cook until the garlic starts to brown. Whisk in the flour and cook for at least one minute. As it cooks whisk in the sugar and white pepper.
Slowly whisk in the water and chicken base. Cook until nice large bubbles appear. Then stir in the soy sauce and cook for another minute. Taste and adjust seasoning. Just before serving, whisk in the sesame oil.
Simple Egg Fu Yung “Sauce
Simple Egg Fu Yung Sauce:
4 tsp. cornstarch
1 c. beef broth or 1 cup water and 1 teaspoon beef
2 T. soy sauce
Combine all sauce ingredients in a small pan and heat to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute; serve hot.
SHRIMP Egg Fu Yung:
2 T. vegetable oil, divided
3-4 button mushrooms, chopped
⅓ c. thinly sliced celery
1 sm. garlic clove, finely minced
6 eggs
½ c. bean sprouts
3 green onions, thinly sliced, divided
4 oz. chopped raw shrimp
¼ tsp. kosher salt
pinch white pepper
1 tsp. sesame oil
sesame seeds, opt. garnish
steamed rice
Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a very large, non-stick pan. Cook the mushrooms and celery until just starting to get soft. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and set aside.
Whisk eggs in a bowl. Add the beansprouts, ¾ of the green onions, raw shrimp, salt, and pepper. Add the cooked mushrooms, celery, and garlic.
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and sesame oil in the same very large pan and set over medium heat. (Use additional oil if you feel there isn’t enough in the pan. Especially if your pan is quite large.) Ladle in ¼ of the batter for each egg fu yung. Use a spatula to push edges in to form 4 round(ish) shapes. As mixture sets at the edges, with spatula, gently keep the egg mixture together as if you were corralling sheep.
Cook until the undersides are medium golden brown then flip and cook the other sides again until nicely browned. (The raw shrimp will cook during this time.)
Slide omelets onto plates. Dribble on some of the gravy. Then sprinkle with sesame seeds and remaining green onion slices. Serve with a side of rice and the remaining gravy or sauce.
Note: You can use any combination of meat/seafood and veggies. Use a total of 2 to 2½ cups of protein/veggies for 6 eggs.
PORK Egg Fu Yung:
4 oz. ground pork
½ tsp. soy sauce ½ tsp. oyster sauce
¼ tsp. sugar
dash sesame oil
2 T. vegetable oil, divided
3-4 button mushrooms, thinly sliced
⅓ c. thinly sliced celery
1 sm. garlic clove, finely minced
6 eggs
½ c. bean sprouts
3 green onions, thinly sliced, divided
¼ tsp. kosher salt
pinch white pepper
1 tsp. sesame oil
sesame seeds, opt. garnish
steamed rice
Place pork in a bowl. Mix in the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and sesame oil. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a very large, non-stick pan. Cook the mushrooms and celery until just starting to get soft. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and set aside.
Whisk eggs in a bowl. Add the beansprouts, ¾ of the green onions, salt, and pepper. Add the pork mixture crumbled into the egg mixture with your fingers. Add the cooked mushrooms, celery, and garlic.
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and sesame oil in the pan and set over medium heat. Ladle in ¼ of the batter for each egg fu yung. Use a spatula to push edges in to form 4 round(ish) shapes. As mixture sets at the edges, with spatula, gently keep the egg mixture together as if you were corralling sheep.
Cook until the undersides are medium golden brown then flip and cook the other sides again until nicely browned. (The raw pork will cook nicely during this time.)
Slide omelets onto plates. Dribble with gravy then sprinkle with sesame seeds and remaining green onion slices. Serve with a side of rice and prepared gravy or sauce.
Note: You can use any combination of meat/seafood and veggies. Use a total of 2 to 2½ cups of protein/veggies for 6 eggs.
On the rare occasions when I consider my kitchen “private enemy number one”, I become fixated on producing the easiest dish possible. And of course, because I know the Gods are probably having a field day watching my conundrum, they seem to take delight in instilling me with a burning desire for a savory meat dish. Which invariably takes a lot of prep time. Well, when this occurred a few days ago, I nixed their fun! I fixed this recipe!
I happened to have all the ingredients on hand. And this dish is super easy to prepare. And you could not ask for a more delicious and savory meat dish. (And I know. It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature or the Gods of “whatever”. And in all truth, I wasn’t trying to be duplicitous. But dang, when an old gal like me doesn’t feel like spending hours in the kitchen, she shouldn’t be needlessly tortured with a hankering for the type of dish that usually takes hours to prepare! That’s simply not fair! Anyway, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!) But back to this recipe.
After the few minutes it took me to get the game hen in the oven, it occurred to me that maybe I should serve a little something with the game hen. But again, I wasn’t in the mood to go to any trouble. So, I whipped together a simple salad and baked a sweet potato. Done!
So, the next time you are feeling less than inclined to spend a hunk of time in your kitchen, but still want to give the illusion of having spent quality time slaving away on someone else’s behalf, give this recipe a try. And to make things even easier on myself next time I make this dish, I plan to cut up some regular potatoes and a sweet potato, coat all the pieces with a bit of olive oil, and place the potato chunks right on the pan with the game hen. Then if I still have a tad bit of energy, I might slice up a couple of tomatoes, slather them with olive oil, splatter them with a bit of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, and decorate the whole mess with basil chiffonade. (That will complete the illusion of time and effort spent.) At which point, I will probably go sit down and read my book while the oven does the hard work. And no, you don’t have to wait to make this recipe until you are tired of your kitchen. Do make it any old time you want. You will be glad you did.
As always, live your life to the fullest. And if some days the “fullest” you feel you can tolerate is several hours spent reading a good book or listening to your favorite concertos or binge watching several seasons of Schitt’s Creek, then that is just fine. Everyone gets to define “fullest” their own way.
Peace and love to all.
1 T. unsalted butter, room temp.
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. dried parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ tsp. lemon zest
2 tsp. lemon juice
½ tsp. seasoned salt, plus more for sprinkling
freshly ground black pepper
1 (24-oz.) Cornish game hen
In a small bowl, mix the butter, olive oil, parsley, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, seasoned salt, and black pepper together. Place the spatchcocked hen on a small, rimmed baking sheet.
Using your fingers, loosen the skin from the breast and legs/thighs and stuff all but 1 tablespoon of the lemon-herb butter under the skin. Rub the remaining butter over the top of the hen. Lightly sprinkle with seasoned salt.
Bake in a pre-heated 375-degree oven for 1 hour or until the skin is golden brown and the internal temperature in the thigh reaches 160-degrees.
Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
To spatchcock a game hen:
Wash and dry the hen and place on a cutting board, breast side down. Using sharp kitchen shears, cut down each side of the backbone, starting from the neck end down to the tail. Remove the backbone, pull open the hen, flip it over, then press down on the breast to open it out flat.
The first thing you might notice after a cursory glance at the ingredients for this recipe, is that there are no potato chunks in this chowder. And I know, many of you don’t consider chowder to be chowder if it doesn’t contain potatoes. And don’t get me wrong, I love potatoes too. But I have eaten far too many chowders (seafood chowders especially) that were half potatoes to the exclusion of other veggies that might actually have given the chowder a lovely flavor base. So, frankly, I’m done with potatoes in my chowders. (That sound you hear is Mr. C. applauding in the background?) In fact, until the other evening when I ordered a cup of crab and corn chowder at the Brown Lantern Ale House in Anacortes, I hadn’t had a taste of chowder in years. But this crab chowder was so delicious, and to my delight, nary a cheap filler like potato in the entire mixture. Just a lovely creamy chowder filled with real crab and corn. So, my faith in chowders renewed, the next day I glommed together a recipe for (you guessed it) crab and corn chowder.
So, why is this recipe for a shrimp chowder you might be asking yourself? Simple answer. I didn’t have any crab on hand. But I did have bacon, shrimp, and 2 ears of corn. So, the crab and corn recipe is pending. In the meantime, you’ll just have to settle for this recipe. Which by-the-way is delectable. Easy to prepare, and a lot lower in fat than many chowder recipes.
As always, be creative in your kitchen. Trust your instincts, especially if you’ve been cooking for a long time. You know what spices go together. You know what to put in a good spaghetti sauce. And what to throw into meat loaf. And that bacon is it’s own food group! So, yes, of course, if you can’t imagine a chowder without potatoes, serve it up! I won’t know, and even if I did, I’d be the one you heard in the background clapping my hands together in celebration of your knowledge of your families preferences. Because, more than anything, I want you to love cooking. And to feel pride when you feed not only yourself but your family and friends with fantastic food. And if that means potatoes in the chowder you serve, good on you! You’re doing it right!
Peace and love to all.
5-6 slices thick-cut lean bacon, cut into small pieces
½ lb. lg. shrimp, peeled, de-veined, tails removed and cut into small pieces
2 T. unsalted butter
½ c. finely chopped onion
⅓ c. shredded carrot
1 c. thinly sliced celery, plus chopped leaves, if possible
½ red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
¼ tsp. seasoned salt
freshly ground black pepper
pinch crushed red pepper flakes
¼ tsp. dried thyme
¼ tsp. paprika
2 T. unbleached all-purpose flour
1½ c. chicken stock or 1½ c. water and 1½ tsp. chicken base
1 c. whole milk
½ c. half and half
cooked kernels from 2 ears of corn (or 1½ cups frozen)
2-3 green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish
hot sauce, for table
Fry the bacon in a Dutch oven or large, deep saucepan over medium heat until crisp, about 6 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the bacon to a small bowl. Set aside.
Add the shrimp and cook just until done. With a slotted spoon, remove to the same bowl with the cooked bacon.
Add the butter to the pot and let it melt. Stir in the onion, carrot, celery, and bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are tender, about 5 minutes. Next stir in the garlic, seasoned salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, dried thyme, and paprika. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Sprinkle the flour over the top of the onion mixture, then cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Slowly stir in the chicken stock, milk, and half and half until no flour lumps remain. Stir in the corn kernels and bring to a gentle boil. Let bubble until thickened, about 5 minutes. (If the chowder is not as thick as you like, make a beurre manié (paste made with equal partsflour and soft butter mashed together) and stir into the soup. (I would suggest starting with 1 tablespoon each of soft butter and flour. Then if the soup is still not thick enough, repeat the process.) Taste and adjust seasoning.
When ready to serve, stir in the cooked bacon and shrimp and continue cooking just until the shrimp is hot.
Serve the chowder hot, sprinkled with sliced green onions. Pass hot sauce at table. Great served with Soft Sourdough Rolls. (Recipe to follow in the near future.)
OK, as most of you are well-aware, I am a comfort food lover. Any dish that comes with a sauce or gravy immediately catches my attention. So, consequently, I often order a fancied-up ground beef pattie over a regular steak in a restaurant if given the choice. There’s just something that smacks of good home style cooking anytime a simple ingredient like ground beef is presented on the menu at a fine dining establishment. It means, someone in the kitchen thinks the way I do. So, an immediate bond is created regardless of the fact that in 99% of the cases, I won’t even be able to see the kitchen. Much less, who is doing the cooking. But that doesn’t matter. I instinctively know that he or she and I could be compadres. And that we are on the same wavelength when it comes to knowing that a doctored bit of good, fairly lean ground beef can be ever so much more flavorful than even a very well grilled hunk of beef.
And for those of us home cooks looking to save a bit of money and still produce a dinner that others will enjoy, there just isn’t anything easier to build or more delicious than a ground beef pattie smothered in a bit of sauce. And for the potato lovers in your family, a side of mashed potatoes should have your whole family bouncing up and down on their dining room chairs in anticipation. OK, maybe only coming to the table without their cell phones. But at least not hiding in their closets or threatening to leave home! Or worse yet – ordering in pizza!
So, next time you are in a hurry, or you and your kitchen are not on speaking terms, or you are just too burned out to even order take out, give this dish a try. It’s easy, it’s forgiving, and it tastes like you went to a great deal of trouble. But be advised. The sauce is very rich. So, if you have small children, you might want to offer them ketchup instead of the sauce. However, if your spouse asks for ketchup, please do me the honor of providing him or her with the driving instructions to the nearest McDonald’s!
Peace and love to all.
1 lb. lean ground beef
2 T. + ¼ c. finely chopped onion, divided
2 tsp. Montreal Seasoning
3 T. unsalted butter, divided
¼ c. finely chopped onion
8-10 button mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
½ c. dry red wine
1 c. water
1 tsp. beef base (I use Better Than Bouillon Beef Base)
freshly ground black pepper
1 T. all-purpose flour
Combine the ground beef, 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion, and Montreal Seasoning. Form into 2 or 3 torpedo shaped patties. Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a medium sized frying pan. Add the patties and fry the first side until dark brown and about half cooked. Flip the patties and cook an additional couple of minutes or until desired doneness. (We like our patties with a bit of pink in the middle.)
Transfer the patties to a small plate; cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
Melt 1 more tablespoon of the butter in the same pan. Add the remaining quarter cup of onion and the sliced mushrooms. Gently cook until the onion is soft, and the mushrooms are beginning to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add the wine, water, beef base, and black pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and cook uncovered, for about 8 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by about half.
While the liquid is reducing, mash the remaining tablespoon of butter with the flour to make a smooth paste. (Helps immensely if the butter is at room temperature.)
Once the wine mixture is reduced, whisk the flour paste, a teaspoonful at a time, into the simmering liquid. Cook for a few minutes or until the sauce is nicely thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning.
(And no, there is no salt in the list of ingredients. Beef base usually contains more salt than I would prefer. So, I’ve found, that it’s much easier to add salt if needed, than to get rid of too much!)
Add the beef patties back to the pan. Allow to heat through, then serve decorated with the delicious sauce. Great with mashed potatoes or our favorite – Perfect Stove Top Brown Rice. (See recipe below.)
PERFECT STOVE TOP BROWN RICE
1 c. uncooked long grain brown rice, well rinsed
2 c. water
¼ tsp. seasoned salt
freshly ground black pepper (just a pinch)
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
Combine the rinsed rice, water, seasoned salt, pepper, and olive oil in a pot; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 45 minutes.
Remove from the heat and let sit covered for 10 minutes more. Fluff with a fork.
I take the worst pictures of any food blog I know. For this and many other things, like my random thoughts on all kinds of non-food issues, I humbly apologize. I simply can’t help myself.
Now, I know what you all are thinking. Everyone knows that rosemary and garlic are very complimentary to the flavor of lamb. Yah, yah, yah – I get that. But, having known about this myself for years, and having prepared many a marinade for lamb using these lovely ingredients, I had never before, until the other evening, made a marinade as easy to prepare or that had afforded such delicious results.
The chops had just the right amount of background rosemary and garlic essence, which in no way masked the beautiful flavor of the meat itself. And I found that just two hours of “marinating” the chops at room temperature was the perfect amount of time.
I guess I should mention that technically the lamb is really slathered rather than marinated. But Grilled Rosemary and Garlic “Slathered” Lamb Chops as a name for this dish didn’t really sound very appetizing. So, I acquiesced to a more normal name, but only for marketing purposes. (Like I have any sponsors to answer to or even if I did, would give a flying fig what I called a dish!) Anyway, “marinated” it became and “marinated” it will remain.
And really, the only things you need to know about this recipe, regardless of what it is called, is that the results are delicious. And like I already stated, the marinade is terribly easy to prepare, and the chops, when not over cooked, are delicious.
Now for those of you who like your meat well done, please find another recipe. I say that with only your time and money as the upper most consideration. Because, if you like well-done meat, why bother buying lamb chops in the first place. They’re expensive and if you’re going to murder the meat anyway – go buy a cheap cut of beef, cook it until it resembles the hide of the animal it came from, and drown it in A-1 sauce. Dinners on the table!
OK, I got a little carried away there, but seriously, any cut of lamb is best when on the rare side of medium-rare. And you truly are wasting your money if you cook lamb, or any other really expensive cut of meat, to death. You are much better off making a lovely pot roast with a chuck roast, for example. Money saved and the outcome for a delicious meal, much higher.
So, as always, have fun in your kitchen. Prepare meals that not only you will enjoy, but everyone at table will find pleasing. And remember, food doesn’t have to be fancy to be delicious. Some of my favorites, like meatloaf, chili, beef stew, and spaghetti and meat balls are hardly what I would consider “fancy foods”. But there is nothing I like better. And if you feel like chili in August, build a batch. There is no Emily Post to tell you that chili should only be served in the winter. There are, of course, seasonal ingredients. But to my thinking, there is no such thing as a seasonal food. Whatever sounds good to you, you are much more likely to build. And your family and friends will always come along for the ride. So, chili in summer and chop salad in winter – make it happen!
Peace and love to all.
2 cloves garlic, minced
1½ tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
½ tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. lemon zest
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
4 lamb chops, thick cut
Combine the garlic, rosemary, salt, pepper, lemon zest, and olive oil in a medium sized covered container. Add the lamb chops and turn them in the marinade so that all of the surface of the meat has been introduced to the marinade. Cover and place on your counter for a couple of hours, or if marinating longer, say overnight, place in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before grilling.
Grill the lamb chops on medium heat for 6-9 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads no more than 125-degrees. (For medium rare.)
Remove from grill, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
I know I’ve mentioned it before, but I love my new spiralizer. And yes, I am kind of a gadget girl. Melon ballers and the like have a tendency to follow me out of kitchen shops regardless of whether or not I might actually have a need for said product. It’s the old “isn’t that cute” syndrome that afflicts many of us. And for which there seems to be no known cure. And now with Amazon, it’s even easier to locate those special little items you had no idea you needed so badly. But in all fairness, they are often inexpensive, and even if they serve only one purpose, they are worth the dollars just for the convenience. See, I can justify almost anything. After all, I’ve been at it for a long time. But enough about my rather light case of kitchen tool neurosis. And on to why you too should purchase a spiralizer. (If of course you don’t own one already!)
Then with your spiralizer firmly attached to a counter, you can spiralize your zucchini and carrot and prepare this fabulous recipe courtesy of Holly at the spendwithpennies.com web site. Of course, you could just chop up the zucchini and carrot, but what fun would that be? Getting out the spiralizer, and then making a slight mess on your countertop seems so much more chef-like than merely hacking and slashing the vegetables on a cutting board. Not to mention – classier. And don’t we all want to be thought of as classy cooks? Of course, we do! And speaking of classy, to really up your game, you can refer to spiralized zucchini as “courgetti” which is how spiralized zucchini is referred to in France. English – zucchini, French – courgette.
But whatever you choose to call these thin, spaghetti like strands of fresh zucchini, you are in for a treat. So much healthier than using pasta, and so very tasty. And on that happy note, I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we do. It’s easy to prepare, contains simple, healthy, and everyday ingredients, and most importantly, tastes wonderful.
So, as always, be content. It’s not always easy. Sometimes I forget that I’m not alone feeling insecure or a bit scared about the future. Most of us who have been productive individuals all our lives, find it difficult to accept that our usefulness has become limited by age and/or health issues. And it’s no fun accepting the new reality. I often find myself worried about how the aging process has limited my abilities. And then I realize there isn’t a darn thing I can do about it. And how much even my closest and most loving family and friends might hate me if I didn’t age right along with them. Which of course I am. No one escapes the aging process. Not even if we thought it would never happen to us! (That would include me.)
Then, I laugh at myself for being such a doofus. And remember how lucky I am in the grand scheme of things. And I figure, as long as I can still laugh at myself, I’m OK. After all, it’s a well-known fact that laughter is the best medicine. And the type of “medicine” that has no adverse side effects. Only beneficial properties.
Peace, love, and contentment to all.
¼ c. water
1 tsp. chicken base (I use Better Than Bouillon Chicken base)
1 T. cornstarch
2 T. brown sugar
3 T. soy sauce
½ tsp. sesame oil
½ tsp. Sriracha, or to taste
1 (6-8 inch) zucchini, spiralized (zoodles)
¼ tsp. kosher salt
2 T. extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil, divided
½ lb. large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed, then cut in thirds
1 carrot, spiralized
1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
sesame seeds, topping, opt.
thinly sliced green onions, topping, opt.
In a small bowl, whisk the water, chicken base, cornstarch, brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and Sriracha together. Set the stir fry sauce aside.
Spiralize the zucchini. (I leave the skin on.) Using scissors, cut the long strands into shorter pieces. Place in a colander in your sink, and sprinkle with the kosher salt. Give the zucchini a toss with the salt, then let it sit until you are ready to add it to the stir fry. (Salt and all.)
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large pan or wok over medium heat. Add shrimp and cook just until done (about 2-3 minutes). Transfer to a separate bowl and set aside.
Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan and add the spiralized carrot and red pepper strips. Cook until softened (about 4 minutes).
Add minced ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
Add the zoodles and cook for about 2 minutes.
Add cooked shrimp and stir fry sauce to the pan. Stir well and increase heat to medium-high. Cook until sauce is thickened. Remove from heat.
Serve immediately topped with sesame seeds and green onions.
When it comes to pasta, I am a complete sucker. I like it all. Doesn’t matter in what form the pasta takes, be it shells, rotini, spaghetti, fettuccine, egg noodles, etc. etc., I enjoy every variation. But in hoping to trim off some of the carbs in our diet, and since I now own a spiralizer and have been reading splendiferous reviews about the use of zoodles instead of noodles, I decided to join the throng and substitute zucchini for “the real thing” in one of my favorite pasta dishes.
Well, boy howdy, was I delighted with the result. I DID NOT MISS REAL PASTA IN THE LEAST!!!! Not kidding here folks. This “pasta” dish was the best Italian food I have made or eaten in quite some time. And although I know many of you have been using spaghetti squash in lieu of pasta, I truly like the taste of zoodles better. Or should I say, the lack of taste better. I too have used spaghetti squash, but the flavor wasn’t ever quite right. Not to mention the texture. And I’m a devoted fan of any kind of squash! But with zucchini, it seems to take on any flavor you put with it. And since the simple sauce in this recipe is so darn delicious, who wants any outside flavor detracting from the essence of Italian sausage, bell peppers, and basil? Not me!
And I’m sure you have noticed, with only a cursory glance at the ingredients, this is a really simple dish to prepare. And no, you don’t need onion, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, etc. Don’t even be tempted. Just trust me on this one. This is a KISS principle recipe. (Keep It Simple Sister.)
So, as always, have fun creating healthy and delicious dishes for your family. And anytime you can get your family to eat (and enjoy) more veggies, give yourself a gold star.
Peace and love to all.
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. bulk Italian sausage, pork or chicken
1 tsp. fennel seeds
3 bell peppers, diced (yellow, orange, or red) – I use one of each
1 28-oz. can Italian peeled whole tomatoes (Roma or other)
freshly ground black pepper
½ c. loosely packed basil chiffonade
2 med. sized (about 6-inch each) zucchini
¼ tsp. kosher salt
grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese
Heat the olive oil in a heavy, large-covered pan. Add the sausage and fry until it is nicely browned. Add the fennel seeds, diced peppers, canned tomatoes (I cut the canned tomatoes into small pieces with a scissors before adding to the pot), and black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally for about 45 minutes or until the peppers are very tender, but not mushy.
Meanwhile, spiralize the zucchini. (I leave the skin on.) Place in a colander in your sink, and sprinkle with the kosher salt. Give the zucchini a toss with the salt, then let it sit until you are ready to add it to the sauce. (Salt and all.)
When ready to serve, add the zoodles and basil to the sauce and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Serve liberally sprinkled with Parmesan or Pecorino-Romana, or my favorite, a combination of the two cheeses.
