Category Archives: MAIN DISH RECIPES

EGGPLANT PARMESAN LIGHT

Leave a reply

I absolutely love Eggplant Parmesan. But I don’t like all the calories and mess associated with most homemade versions. Even my favorite recipe from Marcella Hazan, my favorite Italian chef BTW, requires frying the eggplant. And there was a time when the mess was just part of the deal and I accepted that the top of our range would be spattered with grease. But those days are over. I no longer have the strength to clean up that much mess, nor do I need the associated calories. So, when I decided to make Eggplant Parmesan for brother-in-law Rick and sister-in-law Katie last evening, I went looking for a new and improved method of pre-cooking the eggplant.

I found several recipes that baked the eggplant before layering it together with sauce and various cheeses. So, I took inspiration from others and glommed this recipe together, including the use of my old reliable and simple to prepare Marinara Sauce.  

So, if you too love Eggplant Parmesan, I hope you give this recipe a try. It is absolutely delicious without being in the least bit greasy tasting. In fact, the end product fulfilled all my requirements and then some. (In other words, it turned out even better than I expected.)

But in all fairness, Eggplant Parmesan is never going to be a quick and easy fix. It takes a certain amount of time to do all the hacking, slashing, and grating. But I can promise you that all the work involved is worth the effort. And of course, you can use a jar of marinara sauce in place of homemade. But if you have the time, I truly feel that you can’t beat the recipe below for ease of preparation or flavor.

As always, have fun preparing good food. The food you yourself consume and provide for your family and friends should never be just a means of survival. It should always be a pleasure to consume, a treat to smell, and attractive to the eye. And as good cooks, we can make that happen.  

Peace and love to all.

3 lbs. eggplant (about 3 medium sized), ends removed, partially peeled, and sliced into between ¼ and ½-inch thick rounds

kosher salt

extra virgin olive oil

12-16 oz. low fat cottage cheese, whirled in a food processor or blender until smooth

about 3 c. Marinara Sauce (see recipe below)

2/3 c. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided

2 lg. eggs

½ c. loosely packed chopped fresh basil 

2½ c. grated low-fat mozzarella (8-oz.), divided 

Sprinkle kosher salt over the slices of eggplant, being sure to salt both sides. Set the salted eggplant in a colander and let it rest for about 30 minutes. By then the eggplant should begin to sweat. Rinse the eggplant under cold water to remove the excess salt. Then press the eggplant between clean kitchen towels or paper towels to extract as much liquid as possible.    

Lightly grease 2 low-sided sheet pans (or one large sheet pan) with olive oil. Lay the first layer of eggplant on the greased pan. Then lightly brush the eggplant slices with olive oil. Lay the next layer down, and lightly brush the top of this layer too. Bake for about 20 minutes in a pre-heated 450-degree oven or until the top layer of eggplant is a light golden brown.

Meanwhile, combine the cottage cheese, ⅓ cup of the grated Parmesan, eggs, basil, and ½ cup of the grated mozzarella cheese.

Butter the bottom and sides of a 10×16-inch baking or casserole dish. Spread ½ cup of the marinara sauce on the bottom of the pan. Add ⅓ of the eggplant to cover the bottom of the dish. Top with ⅓ of the cottage cheese mixture, ⅓ of the mozzarella cheese, and ⅓ of the marinara sauce. Add another layer of eggplant and repeat with the cottage cheese mixture, mozzarella cheese, and sauce two more times, reserving the third layer of mozzarella for topping. Sprinkle with the remaining ⅓ cup of grated Parmesan cheese.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a pre-heated 400-degree oven until the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit about 10 minutes before serving.

Marinara Sauce

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil

½ c. chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 (28-oz.) can chopped, diced, or Roma tomatoes (Italian tomatoes preferably)

1 bay leaf

pinch crushed red pepper flakes

1 tsp. dried oregano (I use Mexican oregano)

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

3 T. chopped fresh basil leaves

1-2 T. unsalted butter, opt.

In a large, covered saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Remove from heat, discard bay leaf, add the basil, and adjust seasoning. If the sauce tastes acidic, add butter 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavor.

            

GROUND LAMB MEATBALLS IN A GARAM MASALA SAUCE

Leave a reply

We love East Indian food. But until recently there hasn’t been a decent Indian restaurant anywhere near our home. And even though we now have an option, I don’t always like to go out to eat. Most of the time, I just like to fix what I’m hungry for in the privacy of my own kitchen. And of course, sometimes the dishes I prepare turn out pretty good and I share the recipes with you. Sometimes, well let’s just refer to them as colossal failures. Great idea, but not the results I expected and therefore quickly relegated to the never to be seen or heard of again. Or if I think the recipe might be redeemable, I’ll put the recipe in my “try again with changes” folder.

But luckily, this was not one of those recipes. Thank goodness. Because this dish was very easy to prepare. (I really like that!) And very tasty. And the whole house smelled like an Indian restaurant. (Who could ask for anything better than that?)

So, if you too love Indian food, give this simple recipe a try. Add a green veggie and dinner is on the table in no time.

As always, stay cool (both literally and figuratively), honor your kitchen by visiting it frequently, and never be discouraged if a recipe you try isn’t as amazing as you expected. Everyone’s tastes are different. So, if you try a dish and it isn’t completely to your liking, don’t make it again. Or try it again with modifications that you feel would improve the final result. Believe me, rarely does the printed recipe I start out with end up pristine. Especially if it’s a recipe I developed myself. Like this one. All the time I was preparing this dish last evening, I was making changes. Might be too much salt, so cut in half. Add chicken stock because the sauce is too thick. Add 2 teaspoons regular curry powder to increase the depth of flavor.

So, please do the same with any of my recipes. Don’t ever hesitate to make a recipe your own. You know what you like, so embrace “modify” as your official culinary mantra. It’s been mine for decades, and it has never steered me wrong.

Peace and love to all. 

4 garlic cloves, finely minced, divided

½ c. + 1 c. chopped onion, divided

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

3 tsp. garam masala, divided (see recipe below)

1 lb. ground lamb

1 T. extra-virgin olive oil

2 tsp. minced fresh ginger

2 tsp. curry powder

1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes

⅓ c. water, or more if sauce is too thick

1 tsp. chicken base (like Better Than Bouillon chicken)

pinch cayenne pepper

½ c. plain Greek yogurt or sour cream

2 T. freshly chopped parsley, opt.

chopped peanuts, opt.

steamed basmati rice (see recipe below)

Combine half of the minced garlic, the ½ cup chopped onion, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, a few grinds of black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of garam masala in a mixing bowl. Stir in the ground lamb. Form into balls whatever size you prefer. (I use an ice cream scoop to form the balls.)

Heat the olive oil in a large fry pan. Fry the meat balls until they are nicely browned. (They will finish cooking as they briefly simmer in the sauce.) But for now, remove from pan and set aside.

Add the remaining 1 cup chopped onion to the pan and sauté for 4-5 minutes, until softened. Add the other half of the minced garlic and the minced fresh ginger; sauté another 30 seconds.

Stir in the remaining 2 teaspoons garam masala, curry powder, diced tomatoes, and chicken broth. Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Bring to a low simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Stir in the meatballs until warmed through, 1-2 more minutes. Adjust seasoning. Turn off the heat and stir in the Greek yogurt until just combined.

Serve hot over basmati rice (see recipe for perfect basmati rice below) garnished with parsley and chopped peanuts.

STEAMED BASMATI RICE

1 c. basmati rice

1½ c. water

Place rice and water in a medium size saucepan over medium high heat, no lid. Bring to a simmer, then cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 12 minutes.  DO NOT LIFT THE LID.

After 12 minutes, remove from heat, leave for 10 minutes with the lid on, then uncover, fluff with a fork, and serve immediately.

GARAM MASALA SPICE BLEND

1 T. ground cumin

1½ tsp. ground coriander

1½ tsp. ground cardamom

1½ tsp. ground black pepper

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. ground cloves

½ tsp. ground nutmeg

Combine all the ingredients and store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

     

CREAMY GARLIC SHRIMP

Leave a reply

Invariably when I get a craving for rich and decadent comfort food, it coincides with my lack of desire to spend a lot of prep time over said dish. I don’t understand why there is such a strong correlation, but never-the-less, it happens to be the reality of the situation. Perhaps my desire for rich food comes from my subconscious reminding me that I should be feeling stressed or a bit anxious over something. And because we have such a long experience of each other, my subconscious is quite aware that a creamy and luscious culinary concoction always gives me a feeling of wellbeing. Whatever the excuse, I can always find an adequate justification for treating myself to a delicious indulgence.

But then, along with the desire for said indulgence, comes the reality that I don’t always feel like spending a lot of time in the production. So, what is a 77-year-old foodie to do? Well, I will tell you. It’s just this kind of recipe which is quick and easy to prepare but decadent enough for the most sophisticated gastronome, that saves my bacon. (So, to speak.) And thank heaven, after cobbling several recipes from my internet search together, I had my desired comfort food on the table in short order. And there was much rejoicing at Chez Carr.

This delightful creamy shrimp dish, served over Parmesan Polenta, along with a simple green salad, made for a mighty fine dinner the other evening. And this old gal was still able to walk and talk (almost coherently) after all the preparation had been completed.

So, if you too would appreciate a delightful new way to cook shrimp that tastes like it came out of a 5-star restaurant, I recommend you give this recipe a try. The dish could not be easier to prepare, doesn’t require any fancy ingredients, and packaged frozen shrimp is perfect in this dish.

As always, keep smiling, keep looking on the bright side, and keep going. As I get older, my reading chair keeps looking more and more comfy. But if I want to stay able to do things, I must continue to stand my butt up, and force myself into action. And truthfully, I always feel better and stronger for the effort.

Peace and love to all.        

2 T. unsalted butter

1 lb. lg. shrimp, peeled, de-veined, and tails removed, then cut in thirds

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

4 garlic cloves, finely minced

pinch crushed red pepper flakes

½ c. dry white wine

½ c. chicken broth

½ c. half & half

⅓ c. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

2 T. chopped fresh parsley

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the shrimp very lightly with kosher salt and plenty of black pepper. Add to the skillet and cook until the shrimp is just cooked through and no longer translucent, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Add the garlic to the skillet. Sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the crushed red pepper flakes, wine, and chicken broth; reduce by half. Add the half & half. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until the sauce is a bit thickened. (This should take about 2 minutes.) Add the Parmesan cheese and gently stir until melted, about 30 seconds. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Add the shrimp back to the skillet. Gently stir to combine and cook for about a minute. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Great served over Parmesan Polenta. (See recipe below.)

PARMESAN POLENTA

4 c. chicken broth

pinch sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 scant c. polenta (not instant or fast cooking variety)

3 T. unsalted butter

½ c. freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Bring broth, salt, and pepper to a boil in a medium-sized, covered saucepan. Whisk the dry polenta slowly into the boiling broth until all of the grains are stirred in and no lumps remain.

Reduce heat to low and simmer, whisking continuously until polenta starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, whisking every 7 minutes or so. (When polenta is too thick to whisk, stir with a wooden spoon.) Polenta is done when the texture is creamy and the individual grains are tender.

Remove from heat and stir in the butter until partially melted. Then add in the Parmigiano-Reggiano until the cheese too has melted.

Cover and let stand 5 minutes to thicken. Stir, then taste to see if additional salt or pepper is required.

BOURBON MARINATED GRILLED PORK TENDERLOIN

Leave a reply

Whenever I want a simple main dish that requires a minimum of effort and a maximum of flavor, I think of pork tenderloin. I know I’ve said it before, but pork tenderloin is just about the perfect meat. It is tender and juicy, when treated with respect, easy on the budget, and tastes amazing when given the opportunity. And it does taste marvelous when marinated, baked, or sauced with other yummy ingredients. Because let’s be honest here. Left unadorned, pork tenderloin (or pork roast or chops) can be a bit boring. But quite often, I don’t want a heavy sauce with all the extra calories. I just want a simple piece of meat, but I want it to be flavorful. And that’s where a great marinade can come in handy. And oh my, this marinade makes for a very flavorful meat. I changed the recipe a bit from the original I found on the plainchicken.com site to better reflect our tastes, but the bones of the recipe are all on Stephanie.

And I also know what some of you are thinking. Here you go again Patti with your love/hate relationship with bourbon. And you’d be correct. I still can’t get the stuff past my lips if it is in the form of a drink. But as an ingredient, I have nothing but respect for what it lends to all kinds of dishes, from savory to sweet. In fact, if you want to see how frequently I use bourbon as an ingredient, just type bourbon in the “search” box on this site, and you will be amazed at this whiskey’s versatility. (And no, I am not on the bourbon industry’s payroll. But perhaps I should be. Of course, it would all be fun and games until they offered me a drink. Then all bets would be off! I would probably be asked to resign and that would hurt my feelings. So, I’m better off just using the product in recipes, then sharing my recipes with you, and leaving the rest in the capable hands of people who actually enjoy drinking the stuff.)  

So, bottom line, if you would like a recipe for pork tenderloin that is easy to build and tastes wonderful, give this recipe a try. And no, you don’t have to use fancy bourbon for this recipe. I use Jim Beam in every dish I make that calls for bourbon. I keep the bottle in my pantry along with other wines and spirits I use exclusively in recipes. My own stash for my own use! (OK, I do let Mr. C. use my booze if he asks very nicely.)

As always, have fun in your kitchen. Try new recipes, but cling to your favorites as well. There is just nothing better than making an old favorite that everyone adores. It’s like having a good friend over to dine. Just brings a smile to your face. Speaking of which, isn’t it wonderful to be able to once again have family and friends over for dinner. Or to go to someone else’s home for a visit.

On that happy note, I wish to propose a toast to all the medical personnel who worked on the covid-19 vaccine, who attended people who came down with the virus, or who were in any way responsible for helping us make it this far in our pandemic struggle. And to the people who taught our children via Zoom, worked in grocery stores, or in any way provided services that brought them into potential harm, my sincere thanks to each and every one of you.

And if you have yet to be vaccinated, please do so as soon as possible. We should each do our part to help conquer this horrible virus. I feel that it is not only our responsibility to help in this cause; it should also feel like our privilege to assist in putting an end to the spread of this often-fatal disease. So, please do your part. Get vaccinated!

Peace and love to all.  

¼ c. bourbon

2 T. brown sugar

2 T. soy sauce

1 T. Worcestershire sauce

1 T. fresh lemon juice

¼ tsp. granulated garlic

1/8 tsp. granulated onion

1 pork tenderloin, silver skin removed

kosher salt

Whisk the bourbon, brown sugar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, granulated garlic, granulated onion, and black pepper together in a covered container.

Place pork tenderloin in the marinade and refrigerate for an hour to overnight. (Overnight is best.)

Remove pork from marinade, sprinkle liberally with kosher salt and grill until internal temperature reaches 145-degrees. (about 12 minutes) 

Remove from grill, tent, and allow to sit for about 5 minutes before thinly slicing on the diagonal.  

 

SIMPLE MARINATED GRILLED FLANK STEAK

2 Replies

OK, let me just say this before I start writing about this recipe. It is hot outside. Terribly hot. And I live in Western Washington where it’s not supposed to be this hot! But it is! And I guess I’m only mentioning this new development because if you are anything like me, you do not do well in hot weather. I tend to get cranky, and my inherent laziness just seems to blossom when I become too warm. And any thought of too much effort in the kitchen leads me to want to tear into anyone whose ideas differ from mine with the vengeance of a mother bear protecting her cubs. So those of you who are anti-vaxxers, believe you are superior to others because of the color of your skin, want to deny others the right to have control over their own body, or feel your own true God is the one true God – please stay a safe distance from me so that no one will get hurt! It’s only for your own good that I admit to this uncharacteristic tendency of mine to verbally assault anyone with beliefs I find abhorrent when the weather outside becomes unbearable. Lucky for us we had a heat pump installed when we built our house. Or I would probably get into our air-conditioned car and vandalize any Trump sign I found still on display. Like I said, I don’t do well when it’s too damn hot!

So, with ease of preparation in mind, I offer up my rendition of a simple marinade for flank steak. I modified the original recipe I found on the simplyrecipes.com site to make the marinade even easier to prepare. And perfect for camping or trailering where kitchen and workspace can be limited. Throw a few ingredients into a Ziplock bag, along with the flank steak of course, and place it in your fridge or cooler overnight. Then place it on a hot grill, take it off the grill, let it rest a few minutes, then slice and serve. Terribly easy and terribly delicious.

So, that’s it for today. Have a great day and stay cool. And if you were appalled at my rant about people who have a different idea of humanity than I do, so be it. There are millions of great cooking sites out there. Be my guest.

Peace and love to all.

⅓ c. extra virgin olive oil

⅓ cup soy sauce

¼ c. honey

2 T. red wine vinegar

2 tsp. granulated garlic

1 tsp. granulated onion

1 flank steak

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

Combine the marinade ingredients in a large non-reactive bowl.

Place steak in the bowl and turn so that it is completely coated with the marinade. (You can also place the steak and marinade in a freezer bag and place it in a bowl.)

Chill and marinate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight. (Overnight is best.)

Heat your grill until very hot. (The grill is hot enough when you can hold your hand about an inch over the grill only for about a second.)

Remove the steak from the marinade and gently shake off the excess marinade from the steak (but make sure there is still a thin coating because the oil in the marinade helps to keep the steak from sticking to the grill).

Generously sprinkle steak with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. (The salt and pepper will help form a savory crust on the steak.)

Place steak on the hot grill. Grill for a minute or two on each side to get a good sear, then turn down the heat on the grill, cover and cook a few more minutes or until the internal temperature reaches about 135-degrees for medium-rare. Remove from grill and cover with aluminum foil to hold in the heat while the steak rests for 10 to 15 minutes. Then slice diagonally against the grain into thin pieces with a very sharp knife and serve immediately.  

CHICKEN CACCIATORE WITH PARMESAN POLENTA

1 Reply

The other day, much to my chagrin, I failed to find my recipe for Chicken Cacciatore on my blog. What!?!? Had it really been over 8 years since I made this delightful chicken dish? (You see, I started this blog in January 2013. And without fail, I always post any recipe worthy of my reader’s discerning palate. So, being reasonably bright, I deduced that I must not have prepared this amazing dish for a very long time.) Well – shame on me! Because there is nothing finer than a good cacciatore. And this recipe produces an outstanding cacciatore if I do say so myself!

This version is based on the recipe I conceived for my 2nd self-published cookbook which came out in 2009. I made a few changes to that recipe to bring the dish more in line with how we eat today. But it is still just a basic recipe for a truly yummy tomato-based chicken stew. I must admit that preparing this dish takes a bit of prep work, but most of the time required from start to finish involves your oven.         

While we were partaking of this dish a few nights ago, we were reacquainted with just how fond we are of this dish. And I realized that very few Italian restaurants feature cacciatore on their menu. And for the life of me, I can’t understand why that is. (Unless they too have forgotten just how wonderful it is.) Perhaps they consider cacciatore a comfort food and choose not to feature it in their upscale Italian dining establishment. But if that is the case, I must ask why that is. Because for me, a succulent piece of meat surrounded by a lovely herby tomato sauce and served over creamy polenta is about as trendy as it gets. And if restaurants still serve lasagna and spaghetti and meatballs, why would they feel that cacciatore wasn’t as appealing? I guess somewhere along the line I must have missed the article that revealed the reasoning. Either that, or I have completely lost touch with my Italian heritage and therefore no longer intuitively understand why certain Italian dishes are no longer popular. (Actually, I have no Italian ancestors, I just wish I did!)

So, for your culinary edification, and with full knowledge that this old gal doesn’t possess even a single Italian gene in her entire body, I offer my take on this centuries old Italian chicken dish. I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we do.   

As always, have fun in your kitchen. Try new dishes, but always keep your old favorites in mind. And don’t hesitate to change your sacred recipes to reflect how your tastes have changed. Or to make the dish healthier or easier to prepare. I mean really, you probably didn’t hesitate when deciding to change your appliances from avocado green to stainless steel. Or replace your old shag rug with hardwood flooring. So, why not bring your favorite recipes into the 21st century too. If I can do it, so can you!

Peace and love to all.

6-8 small boneless, skinless chicken thighs

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

3 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 med. white onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 red bell pepper, diced

10-12 med. sized button mushrooms, sliced

2 T. chopped fresh parsley

2 T. chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish

1½ tsp. dried oregano

¼ tsp. dried thyme

1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

¾ c. dry white wine

1 (28-oz.) can diced or crushed tomatoes with juice

1 T. tomato paste

½ c. chicken broth

3 T. drained capers

grated Parmesan for table, opt.

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a heavy, oven-proof, covered skillet. Sear chicken on both sides until golden, about 3-4 minutes each side. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Sauté the onion until transparent, about 3-4 minutes. Add in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the red pepper, mushrooms, parsley, 2 tablespoons of the fresh basil, oregano, thyme, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.

Pour in the wine, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Cook until wine is reduced, about 2 minutes.

Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken broth, and capers. Taste and adjust seasoning. Return chicken pieces to the skillet.

Cover the skillet and transfer to a pre-heated 350-degree oven. Cook for 50 minutes. Remove the lid and cook for an additional 30 minutes or until the sauce is thickened and the chicken is fork tender.

Remove from oven, sprinkle with remaining basil, and let sit a few minutes before serving. Great served over Parmesan Polenta. (See recipe below)

PARMESAN POLENTA

4 c. chicken broth

pinch sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 scant c. polenta (coarsely ground cornmeal) (not instant or fast cooking variety)

3 T. unsalted butter

½ c. freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Bring broth, salt, and pepper to a boil in a medium-sized, covered saucepan. Whisk the dry polenta slowly into the boiling broth until all of the polenta is stirred in and no lumps remain.

Reduce heat to low and simmer, whisking continuously until polenta starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. (Polenta mixture should still be slightly liquid.) Cover and cook for 30 minutes, whisking every 7 minutes or so. (When polenta is too thick to whisk, stir with a wooden spoon.) Polenta is done when the texture is creamy, and the individual grains of ground corn are tender.

Remove from heat and gently stir in the butter until partially melted. Then add in the Parmigiano-Reggiano until the cheese too has melted.

Cover and let stand 5 minutes to thicken. Stir, then taste to see if additional salt or pepper is required.

Serve as a base for the Chicken Cacciatore or any saucy meat dish. Or serve it as is. It’s wonderful just plain too!

BRINED AND BAKED PORK CHOPS

Leave a reply

Whenever I plan a trailer camping trip, the first meat I think to bring along is the other white meat. You know – pork. And because pork products come in many forms, for this post, I am only referring to pork chops and pork tenderloin. But why only chops and tenderloin? That’s simple to explain. They are both very easy to cook. Sometimes it takes a little prep work to coach the best out of these cuts, but never very much. But cooking either cut takes a gentle hand. Pork needs to be respected and of utmost importance, it should never be over cooked. (Of course, it can be over cooked, but not if you desire a tender piece of meat.)

For years I couldn’t fix a tender pork chop to save my soul. But then I discovered brining and learned that trichinosis is not the plague it once was, and therefore we no longer need to cook pork to death! So now, every camping trip includes pork chops and pork tenderloin. And both are always very well received with very little effort expended on my part.

Happily, last evening, we feasted on tender and succulent pork chops thanks to this recipe I found on the iwashyoudry.com site. I served the chops with Easy Fried Rice and Garlic Roasted Sugar Snap Peas. (Both recipes soon to be posted.)

So, if you too are a fan of pork chops but can’t stand it when your chops turn out dry and fit only for repairing the soles of your favorite leather boots, give this recipe a try. You will be glad you did.

As always, keep smiling, keep being tolerant of others even if their views differ radically from your own, and most importantly, thank your lucky stars that you were blessed with a mind that can discern fact from fiction. Because there is a lot of fiction being touted these days around the country, and especially in Washington DC. And unfortunately, not everyone was born with a healthy intellect or was taught critical thinking. That level of intelligence or skill is simply not possessed by everyone. So, be kind. Understand that you are just luckier than some.

Peace and love to all.

2 (4 oz. each) 1-inch or thicker boneless pork chops

2 c. warm water

2 tsp. kosher salt

2 tsp. seasoned salt

extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. granulated garlic

½ tsp. paprika

freshly ground black pepper

Bring the pork chops to room temperature before preparing the brine.  

Place the warm water in a flat glass container that will allow the pork chops to not overlap. Stir in the kosher and seasoned salt until they are both dissolved. Place the pork chops in the salt water, making sure the chops are completely covered. (Add additional water if necessary). Let the pork chops sit in the water at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes, or place in your fridge for up to 24 hours. (I brined and refrigerated our chops for 7 hours. They were perfect.)  

Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.

Remove pork chops from salt water and pat dry with paper towels, making sure all moisture is removed. Drizzle both sides of pork chops with a bit of olive oil, then season both sides with the granulated garlic, paprika, and black pepper.  

Bake in a pre-heated 425-defree oven for about 8 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches about 143-degrees. Remove from oven and cover loosely with foil for 5 minutes before serving.

    

LEMONY SHRIMP PASTA

Leave a reply

The only thing Mr. C. and I disagree about regarding this dish, is that he likes his pasta lightly sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, and I like mine undecorated. Other than that, we totally agree that this is one of the best pasta dishes we have ever tasted. Now I realize this recipe is ever so close to my recipe for Spicy Lemon Shrimp with Pasta. But it is just different enough to be interesting. But either recipe will guarantee a better lemony shrimp pasta dish than you will ever taste in any restaurant. Not bragging here folks – just stating a fact.

Because most restaurants have to dumb down their recipes to please the majority of their clientele. So, instead of making recipes like this one lemony enough, they will only go so far. And of course, restaurants don’t use as much shrimp, because, well, shrimp costs money. And they are in the business of making a profit. And heaven help them if they give a dish like this a bit of a kick. But that little “kick” helps make this dish super delicious.

So, of course I am prejudiced, but I have eaten many a lemon shrimp dish where only my sense of decorum prevented me from paying a visit to the restaurant chef and demanding a lemon, a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, and more shrimp! Now you too won’t have to be tempted to embarrass yourself or whomever you are dining with. When you get a hankering for an easy lemon pasta to prepare, that is going to make every adult in your home happy, don’t hesitate to give this recipe a try. I do feel that this much flavor might be a tad too much for a young child. But if you too are empty nesters, I say GO FOR IT!

And of course, you must be a lemon lover. Because lemon is really the star in this pasta. Of course, the shrimp doesn’t hurt either. But it’s really the intense lemon flavor that takes this dish into a whole new realm of delicious. So, please give this recipe a try.

As always, keep smiling, keep cooking, and keep trying new dishes.

Peace and love to all.

1 lb. lg. uncooked shrimp – peeled, de-veined, and tails removed  

1 T. unsalted butter

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

2 green onions, thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, finely minced

¼ c. dry white wine

½ c. chicken stock

2 tsp. grated lemon zest

3 T. lemon juice

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

pinch crushed red pepper flakes

3-4 T. loosely packed minced fresh parsley

8-oz. spaghetti, cooked al dente

finely grated Parmesan cheese, opt.

Heat the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, green onions, and garlic; cook just until the shrimp turn pink, 2-3 minutes. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon.

Add the wine to the pan and cook until the liquid is mostly evaporated. Then add the broth, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil and cook for about 1 minute. Return shrimp mixture to pan and heat through.

Remove from heat and add in the al dente pasta. If more moisture is required, add in a bit of pasta water and return pan to heat for only about a minute. Taste, adjust seasoning if necessary, then stir in the fresh parsley. Serve immediately.

Pass Parmesan cheese at table.

GROUND LAMB PATTIES WITH ROSEMARY AND THYME

Leave a reply

I’m not known for keeping my opinions to myself. You should be quite aware of this if you are in the habit of reading my blog. There just doesn’t seem to be any way for me to keep my innermost, private, terribly biased, and probably offensive to some, thoughts inside my head where they belong. So, here goes another blast from me that shouldn’t be said, or in this case written down for everyone and their grandmother to read! But I’m going to say it anyway! “In my opinion, those who loudly proclaim that they hate lamb but have never even tasted said critter, should be made to ride the “It’s a small world” Disneyland ride for 10 hours straight!” (And no real offense to whomever is running the show for the Disney corporation now.  But whoever you are, I’d be willing to bet you couldn’t stand this ride for 10 hours straight, even if they doubled your yearly salary!) (I rode it once when I went to Disneyland with daughter Paula and kids. Once! And even then, I was almost screaming by the time the poor ride attendant “helped” me to the exit.) So, that’s how strongly I feel about the subject of lamb! And I stand behind my comment!

Now, for those who have tasted lamb, but don’t like the slightly gamey taste, that’s a different story. But just to arbitrarily decide that lamb is icky before even giving it a chance, well that’s just not right! I mean it’s not sea urchin or parsnips for goodness sake!

OK, I feel better now. And I know I am preaching to the choir about the marvels of lamb because you wouldn’t be reading this post if you weren’t interested in preparing a ground lamb dish. Of course, you could be just reading this post to find out what I felt compelled to rant, advise, or sweet talk you into today! Either way, I feel I have adequately fulfilled my responsibility for every type of reader.

But, if it’s a great recipe for ground lamb you are after, this recipe should make you happy. One thing you should know. I compiled this group of ingredients based on ease of preparation. I plan to serve these patties while traveling in our trailer. Because dried seasonings and herbs are much easier to use when I am trying to fix dinner in an area roughly the size of a linen closet. Without the shelves, of course! (Not complaining here, because I love our trailer. But too much of my hacking and slashing can become hazardous to Mr. C.  as he tries to navigate his way past me from the dining/reading/game playing area of the trailer to the bathroom or the bedroom area. (And I hope you realize that I am delineating both “bathroom” and “bedroom” very loosely in this context.) 

So, for trailering, it’s mostly dried herbs and spices all the way. But you will find that I have also listed fresh equivalents, which I too will be using when I have the luxury of a larger “kitchen” in which to prepare these lamb patties.  

As always, keep having fun. Laugh at yourself when it’s appropriate. And find the joy in everything you do. Peace and love to all.

1 lb. ground lamb

2 tsp. Montreal Seasoning

1½ tsp. granulated garlic or 1 large garlic clove, finely minced

½ tsp. dried rosemary, crushed or 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary  

¼ tsp. granulated onion or 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh onion

¼ tsp. dried thyme or ½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Mix all together and form into 3 patties. Grill or pan fry in a bit of extra virgin olive oil. Great served with Hummus or Tzatziki. (Or both!)  

SAVORY BAKED SPATCHCOCKED CORNISH GAME HEN

Leave a reply

OK, we love Cornish game hens. And whereas, when we were younger, we could each easily polish off our own game hen, that is no longer the case. So, we now share a hen. (A 24-ounce hen that is. And yes, they come in smaller sizes!) And as much as I think a grilled game hen is lovely, I prefer to stick the darn thing in the oven and forget about it. So, I am always trying to find new and different ways to serve these rather affordable and succulent little beasties.

So, the other evening, for the first time ever, I decided to try my hand at spatchcocking. I’d heard about this method of insuring that every bit of the hen gets roasted evenly, but I had never tried it. For whatever reason. (Oh heck, I know the reason. I thought it would be much more difficult than it was and that I would make as much of a mess spatchcocking, as I do when I try to cutup a whole chicken. Which, unfortunately, I have never succeeded in doing, enough so, that you could identify it as chicken rather than mystery meat! But that’s a long, sad tale for another day!) Anyway, I managed to make short work of the job and was quite proud of myself. And the hen roasted beautifully. And I was so delighted to find that the skin (which is one of the best parts of a game hen) had browned and crisped up beautifully. Revelation! And I’ve got to say, for me there is no turning back! It’s spatchcocked game hens for me from now on. And yes, I have another wonderful recipe for game hens on this site. Rosemary, Lemon, and Garlic Roasted Cornish Game Hens. But you can bet your last turkey wish bone, that the next time I make that delightful recipe, there will have been some spatchcocking action going on before that baby reaches the oven! (I’m nothing if not flexible!)

So, if you too are a fan of Cornish game hens, and for the world I wouldn’t know why you wouldn’t be, then I suggest you give this recipe a try. And to learn how to spatchcock a game hen, go on-line. There are innumerable videos for you to watch presented by people who actually know what they’re doing! I leave you in their capable hands.

So, as always, leave your fears behind when you go into your kitchen. I remember taking a short cake decorating class many years ago. And the first thing our instructor said to us was “remember, frosting is an inanimate object, and you all are smart human beings.” (She was making a huge assumption when it came to this class attendee. But I was smart enough to catch her point.) Frosting, or any ingredient for that matter, is subject to the whims and wishes of the cook. In a cook’s capable hands, frosting can be spread beautifully, or if can look like a 5-year-old had fun alone in the kitchen. But her point was, so what if your first try isn’t successful, scrape the frosting off the cake and try again. You, the human, are in charge. I learned a lot that day from that fine instructor. But I still can’t cut up a chicken to save my soul!  

Peace and love to all.          

3 T. unsalted butter, room temperature

½ tsp. seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 clove garlic, finely minced

½ lemon, zested

1 tsp. minced fresh rosemary

½ tsp. minced fresh sage

½ tsp. fresh thyme leaves

1 (24-oz.) Cornish game hen, washed, dried and spatchcocked

In a small bowl, mix the butter, seasoned salt, pepper, garlic, lemon zest, rosemary, sage, and thyme together. Place the spatchcocked hen on a small, rimmed baking sheet.

Using your finger 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.

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 the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.