Category Archives: MAIN DISH RECIPES

BROCCOLI CHICKEN WITH GREEN ONIONS AND CASHEW NUTS

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I like life to be easy, because I’m basically a simple person at heart. I don’t like conflict, I don’t like snarky people, and some days I don’t like spending hours in my kitchen. And yesterday was one of those days when I was not in the mood to spend hours preparing our evening repast. Plus Mr. C. had a 6:00 pm zoom meeting with the rest of the board members of our HOA (Home Owners Association). Never fun to begin with, but with Covid-19 to consider, and the annual meeting less than 2 months away, there was a long agenda with many important decisions to be made by these valiant members of our community. And since we enjoy a late and leisurely dinner, we decided to postpone dining until after the meeting. So I knew that whatever I was going to serve had to be prepped ahead of time so that it could be cooked and served right after the meeting was over. So what to fix?

First of all I knew that my rice cooker, with its helpful warming function, would keep perfectly cooked rice warm until we were ready to eat. So then, what to go with brown rice?

Since there is rarely a time when I‘m not in the mood for Chinese American food, I decided to fix a chicken and broccoli dish. I desperately needed to use the head of broccoli that had been in our last farm box. Plus I wanted to use some of the chicken thighs that are currently residing in our slowly dying freezer, the demise of which is imminent! So I went online and found the bones of this recipe on the errenskitchen.com site. We enjoyed this dish very much. And it was perfect for this occasion. I had been able to prep everything ahead of time, so that when Mr. C. opened the pocket doors to our den, announcing that the zoom meeting had been adjourned, dinner was on the table within about 10 minutes.

So if you too would benefit from having a recipe for a delightful and easy to prepare chicken and broccoli dish that can be prepped well in advance, you now have a way to make that happen. (The means are up to you.)  

As always, keep smiling, stay positive, and keep cooking delicious and healthy food for yourself and your family. Peace and love to all.

1 lg. head of broccoli, peeled stems and florets cut into bite sized pieces

2 T. vegetable oil, or more if required

4 boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces

2 tsp. toasted sesame oil

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

4 green onions, sliced  

1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

pinch crushed red pepper flakes

3 T. Tamari or soy sauce, or more to taste  

2 T. hoisin sauce

6 T. chicken stock

2 T. honey, or more to taste

1 T. water

1 T. cornstarch

⅓ c. roughly chopped cashews

sesame seeds, opt. 

Steam the broccoli until crisp tender. Set aside.

Heat a heavy frying pan over medium heat. Add the vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and cook lightly on all sides. (The chicken doesn’t need to be totally cooked at this point.) Remove chicken to a container and set aside. 

Add the sesame oil and additional vegetable oil if necessary to sauté the garlic, green onions, and ginger for 30 seconds.

Add the crushed red pepper flakes, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, chicken stock, and honey; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and add the partially cooked chicken and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is reduced by about half.

Whisk the cornstarch and water together and add to the sauce. Add the broccoli and simmer until the broccoli is heated through and the cornstarch has thickened the sauce.  

Stir in the cashews, remove from heat, and lightly sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve immediately. Perfect with steamed brown rice.

    

LEFTOVER POT ROAST CHILI

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OK, have I got an exciting new way to cook dried beans for you to try! And BTW, this chili ain’t bad either. (But more about the chili later!) But the beans. OMG! No soaking overnight or boiling for 10 minutes and letting them sit for 2 hours, then draining, starting with fresh water, and boiling them until they’re done. While of course checking them constantly. None of that. Just plop the suckers in a covered pan and add water and salt. Bake (you read that right) BAKE for 2 hours. Voila. Perfectly cooked, creamy delicious beans. No instant pot (although an instant pot does a good job too) required. But Instant Pots cost money. This doesn’t. Assuming of course that you have a pot with a cover and an oven.

Anyway, this is the easiest way I have ever cooked dry beans. And because I am lazy (I admit it and have no problems doing so), this is such a wonderful new addition to my list of easy preparations that I am experiencing heart palpitations just keeping my excitement under control as I share this information with all of you. But for the life of me, what I can’t quite get a handle on, is why I didn’t think of this first?!?! Heck, I’ve been making baked beans for decades. And I never soak the beans overnight. I just add all kinds of wonderful ingredients (bacon, ketchup, brown sugar, onion, molasses, mustard, herbs, various liquids, etc. etc.) and plop the whole mess in the oven for several hours. So why did it never occur to me that I could do the same thing with any dry beans and get the same amazing results? (Some would say it’s because I’m obviously not very bright. And of course, they would be making a good point. But frankly, it just never entered my mind.) But now that I have been made aware of this secret to perfectly cooked beans, I plan to use this method for preparing all kinds of different dried bean varieties using a wide array of flavoring additives. Which got me to thinking, maybe some of you never thought of cooking beans this way either.    

So that’s what got me so excited about sharing this revelation with all of you. But enough about beans. On to the real subject of this post. Chili. And how it all came about.

Our freezer is dying. It’s a slow demise, but never-the-less, our 17-18 year old upright freezer is on its last legs. But I still have several cuts of beef from our last two organic beef purchases. The meat is wonderful. It’s not too fatty and the flavor is marvelous. But we are not eating as much meat as we did when we were younger. And, like I said, our freezer is in a slow decline. So, in order to use up the beef ASAP, I made pot roast out of a hunkin’ big boneless chuck roast a few nights ago. It was wonderful. Full of flavor and we enjoyed it two nights in a row. But there comes a point when left-overs become a redundancy. So the leftover meat and gravy sat in our refrigerator for a day or two before I said that’s it. This has to be eaten or thrown away. But I was just not up for throwing perfectly good meat and gravy away. And I didn’t want to put it in our dying freezer either. So what to do with leftover lean meat and about a cup of fabulous pot roast gravy.

So yesterday morning, as if hit by a bolt of lightning (we do live on Lightning Way after all), I thought about using the cooked meat and gravy in one of our favorite dishes – chili. So that’s just what I did.

Now this is not a new and exciting recipe for an old standard. It’s basically just the way I usually prepare chili. Except of course for substituting already cooked beef for hamburger and gravy for beef stock. And of course including perfectly cooked kidney beans using my new cooking method.

So I hope you enjoy the recipe. And do try cooking dried beans using your oven rather than your cook top. You will absolutely love how easy it is to produce perfectly cooked beans.

As always, stay safe, stay sane, and keep looking forward. It’s a brave new world we are heading into. Might as well just lay back and not get too stressed by the ride. Nothing any of us can do about most of it anyway. Oh wait, there is one thing we can all do that might help towards a better future. We can all VOTE. Peace and love to all.

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

½ c. diced onion, plus more to serve with the chili

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 green pepper, diced

1 (28-oz. can) diced/chopped tomatoes (preferably Italian tomatoes)

2 T. tomato paste, or more to taste

1 c. leftover pot roast gravy (or as much as you have) or 1 cup of beef stock

½ c. water, or more as needed

1-2 c. cooked kidney, pinto, or black beans (or beans of choice) (see recipe below for No Soak 2 hour “Baked” Dried Beans)

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

2-3 T. chili powder

1 T. dried parsley

1 tsp. dried oregano (preferably Mexican)

pinch crushed red pepper flakes

1-2 c. cubed leftover pot roast

Mexican sour cream, garnish, opt.

grated sharp cheddar cheese, opt.

Heat the olive oil in a large covered Dutch oven. Add the onion and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and bell pepper and cook for about a minute or until you can smell the garlic. Add the canned tomatoes, tomato paste, leftover gravy, water, cooked beans, salt, pepper, chili powder, parsley, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and cook for about 30 minutes to blend flavors. Add the cubed leftover pot roast and cook for another 15 minutes or so. Stir often during the cooking time. Adjust seasoning along the way. Serve dolloped with sour cream and a sprinkling of grated cheddar cheese.

No Soak – 2 Hour “Baked” Dried Beans  

1 c. dried beans, sorted and rinsed

½ tsp. kosher salt

water

Place beans in a heavy covered pot. Add salt and whatever other vegetative matter, herbs, or spices you might wish to add. Add enough water to cover the beans by 2 inches. Place cover on pot.

Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 2 hours. After an hour, check beans to make sure they have enough liquid. Add a bit more liquid if necessary.

If the beans aren’t fully softened to your liking after two hours, add enough water to cover the bean surface, put the lid back on, and return pot to the oven. Bake in 15-30 minute increments until desired tenderness is reached.

Additions I added to the pot when I cooked the kidney beans for this chili:

1 T. dehydrated onion flakes

1 tsp. chili powder

¼ tsp. granulated garlic

freshly ground black pepper

pinch crushed red pepper flakes

Please note: When I cooked my old (I have no idea how many years they have been in my pantry) large dark maroon kidney beans, they were perfectly cooked after 2 hours. There was very little liquid left in the pot, so I threw the whole mess in with the other chili ingredients, and called it good. In fact I called it absolutely wonderful.

I plan to use this recipe from now on every single time I need to cook dried beans. Why the heck not? It’s easy and the result is perfect. Frankly, I will be cooking a lot more beans now that I have this way to ensure perfect beans every time. Thank you to thekitchengirl.com site for this incredible new method.  

SOUTHERN FRIED OYSTERS WITH LOUISIANA STYLE RÉMOULADE SAUCE

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Fried oysters

Whenever I think of my favorite food, oysters are invariably right up there in the top 10. And I used to be content with just dipping the raw oysters in beaten egg, then into salt and pepper seasoned cornmeal, and quickly fried in a modicum of vegetable oil. And to dip them in? Plain old mayonnaise.

Well the modicum of vegetable oil is still part of the equation, but the batter and dipping components have radically changed over the years. Mainly because as I’ve gotten older, my palate has become more sophisticated. Which in turn has resulted in my becoming a very picky eater. And no, not in the way “picky eater” is usually defined – unwillingness to try new dishes or even any dish that includes a small amount of food a person doesn’t like, as well as showing a strong preference for only a certain type of food. That definitely is not me!

So when I categorize myself as a picky eater, it means that every last morsel of food that hits my mouth better be pretty damned delicious! And why I have continued to search for a recipe that would provide me with oysters fried to delicious and crispy perfection. I mean really, why should I settle for anything less?!?! Well, for one reason and one reason alone. I COULDN’T PRODUCE OR FIND A RECIPE THAT TRULY WORKED FOR ME EVEN THOUGH I TRIED DOZENS OF TIMES!  Plus I wanted a magnificent sauce, like the ones we experienced in New Orleans several years ago. (Didn’t realize at the time that the sauce was a rémoulade, because, well, I was born and raised in the state of Washington. What the heck did I know about fine Creole or Cajun cuisine? Well at least until we visited the fair city of New Orleans for Mardi Gras, that is!)

So bottom line, it has literally taken me decades to come up with this perfect combination. And because I would not settle for anything less than the best for you as well, I’ve refrained from posting any recipes for fried oysters or rémoulade sauce until today.

But the other night, using the fried oyster recipe from the butter-n-thyme.com site (Chef Steven), and the simplyrecipes.com site recipe for rémoulade sauce (Elise), I found the winning combination. And I am so excited to share these two marvelous recipes with you.

Of course, I changed things a bit on both recipes, but nothing of any real significance. So my sincere thanks go out to Steven and Elise. Because of you my search is over. Now I can just sit back (so to speak), pull out this recipe every time I get a hankering for fried oysters, and produce an oyster dinner fit for a king. (Or Mr. C. in this case!)  

So if you too love fried oysters dipped in rémoulade sauce, give these recipes a try. Or if you are not a rémoulade fan, dip the oysters in your favorite tartar sauce or aioli. Or if you are not an oyster fan, serve the rémoulade sauce with something else. But if you are reading this post, I just have to assume you are interested in at least part of this winning combination. Of course you could just be reading this post to keep track of what that crazy Patti Carr is up to now. That’s OK too. (Hi Rebecca. G&G send our love to you and that Brady boy.)

Well that’s about all for now. Except to tell you that I’ve provided 2 recipes for Creole Seasoning and 1 recipe for Cajun Seasoning below. All 3 are great recipes. If you are going to build your own seasoning, which I would highly recommend, read the list of ingredients in each recipe and make your choice depending on which herbs and spices you own and already know you like. Whichever recipe you choose, these fried oysters and rémoulade sauce are going to be delicious. (You can probably even buy Creole or Cajun seasoning at your local grocery store. Imagine that! Perfectly acceptable alternative.)

As always, stay safe, stay positive, and keep cooking great food. Peace and love to all.

½ c. buttermilk

1 T. hot sauce (I use Frank’s RedHot) 

20 oz. oysters, washed and drained (I use 2 – 10-oz. jars of oysters for the two of us)  

½ c. cake flour (see recipe for homemade cake flour below)

½ c. cornmeal

2 tsp. Creole or Cajun seasoning (see recipes below)

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

¼ tsp. granulated garlic

¼ tsp. granulated onion

1/8 tsp. dried oregano, crushed in the palm of your hand to release the natural oils

1/8 tsp. dried thyme, crushed in the palm of your hand to release the natural oils

vegetable oil

lemon wedges

Whisk the buttermilk and hot sauce together. Add the drained oysters, cover, and place in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.  

Mix the cake flour, cornmeal, creole seasoning, salt, pepper, granulated garlic, granulated onion, oregano, and thyme together in a shallow pan. Taste the mixture and add more of whatever you think is missing.

When ready to cook, heat the oil in a large frying pan. (I use just enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan.)

Remove the oysters from the buttermilk, shake a bit to remove some of the buttermilk, then place in the flour mixture. Coat both sides. Place so they are not touching each other in the hot oil. (Oil temperature should be about 360 degrees.)

Fry the first side to golden brown, then gently flip to the other side. Remove from pan and onto a paper towel lined serving plate when the second side is also nicely browned. Serve with rémoulade sauce (see recipe below), tartar sauce, or aioli. Pass lemon wedges.

LOUISIANA STYLE RÉMOULADE SAUCE

 

¾ c. mayonnaise

1 T. yellow mustard

1 tsp. paprika (not smoked)                                            

1 tsp. Cajun or Creole seasoning

1 tsp. prepared horseradish

1 tsp. dill pickle juice  

2 squirts hot sauce, or more to taste (I use Frank’s RedHot)

1/8 tsp. granulated garlic

Mix it up. Refrigerate until ready to use.

EMERIL’S ESSENCE CREOLE SEASONING

2½ T. paprika

2 T. salt

2 T. garlic powder or granulated garlic

1 T. freshly ground black pepper

1 T. granulated onion or onion powder

1 T. cayenne

1 T. dried oregano

1 T. dried thyme

Combine all the ingredients and store in an airtight container.

CREOLE SEASONING MIX (my recipe) 

1½ tsp. onion powder

1½ tsp. granulated garlic

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. white pepper

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. paprika

½ tsp. dry mustard

½ tsp. dried thyme

½-1½ tsp. cayenne (depends on how much heat you like or can tolerate)

½ tsp. gumbo file

Combine all the ingredients and store in an airtight container.

CAJUN SEASONING (I have no idea whose recipe this is or where I found it)

2 T. paprika

1 T. granulated onion or onion powder

1 T. granulated garlic

1 T. dried oregano (Mexican oregano preferred) (If the dried oregano leaves are large, break them down a bit in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder)

1 T. dried thyme

1 T. freshly ground black pepper

1 T. kosher salt

1 tsp. cayenne

Combine all the ingredients and store in an airtight container.

Cake Flour:

½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour (fluffed and leveled off)

1 T. cornstarch

Place the flour in a mixing bowl. Remove 1 tablespoon of the flour and place it back in your flour container. Add the cornstarch and whisk it all together. (This aerates the mixture so the consistency is similar to “real” cake flour.)

Use in any of your recipes that call for cake flour. And yes you can double or triple, etc. this recipe.

MARINATED GRILLED FLANK STEAK

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OK, sometimes I don’t even have the strength to mess with someone else’s recipe. And you know what, in this case it was absolutely the right thing to do. OK, I did halve the marinade ingredients, because I often find that some cooks are much more liberal with ingredients than I am. And it makes me feel that I am being wasteful if I use more of an ingredient than I think is necessary. Even though the cost might not be that great, I just can’t make myself do it. (And yes, I am over 70!) Some might even go so far as to call me stubborn, but pig headed works just as well. Anyway, I made this recipe a couple of days ago, marinated the meat for about 7 hours, and Mr. C. grilled it to perfection that evening. Absolutely delicious, tender, and just right served with oven roasted new potatoes and steamed fresh green beans.

So I actually don’t have much more to say today. I’m feeling terribly lazy, and with temperatures in the 80s, I’m being drawn outside. The Cascade Mountains including Mt. Baker are out in all their glory, the birds are having a raucous time flitting from tree to bush to fountain. And the water (Port Susan Bay) is calm and absolutely replete with boaters. (Two boats – that’s a lot for Port Susan Bay.) Plus the protagonist in the book I’m reading is in desperate trouble. I feel it only right to get back to him and offer any help this benign observer can offer. (Like I can change the plot line and help him defeat the bad guy! But I’m there beside him none-the-less!) So, I’m going to keep this post short and sweet. (Well as sweet as it’s possible for me to be!)

BTW- this recipe is courtesy of Sara at dinneratthezoo.com. (Visit her site. She cooks good stuff.)

As always, from our sunny home to yours – peace and love to all.

6 T. low sodium soy sauce

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

2 T. brown sugar, packed

1½ tsp. apple cider vinegar

1½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

freshly ground black pepper

2 lg. garlic cloves, finely minced

1½-2 lb. flank steak, trimmed of silver skin and as much fat as possible

Combine the soy sauce, olive oil, brown sugar, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and pepper in a re-sealable bag; seal and shake to combine. If you prefer, marinate the steak in a shallow pan. Works either way.

Reserve 2 tablespoons of the marinade for later use. Stir the garlic into the marinade. Add the steak and marinate for several hours.

Heat an outdoor grill to medium-high. Place the steak on the grill and cook for 3-6 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of your meat and your desired level of doneness. For medium rare, the internal temperature should read about 130-135 degrees.

Remove the meat from grill and tent with foil. Let stand for 5-10 minutes and then slice diagonally against the grain into thin pieces with a very sharp knife. Drizzle with reserved marinade, then serve.

LEFTOVER CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

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OK, I don’t know about you, but I could eat chicken noodle soup any time of year. And I just happened to have some leftover baked “fried” chicken that once again had been a majestic failure. Oh the chicken was semi-tasty, but the recipe author had promised me that the breading would be crisp and crunchy even though the chicken was baked rather than fried. And he had stated that the spices would really set this chicken apart from every other baked “fried” chicken I had ever prepared or tasted. All I can say to that is – liar, liar!

OK, maybe I didn’t prepare it correctly. But for once I actually followed the instructions. (Perhaps that was my first mistake.) Anyway – I was not happy with the results. So I had a whole passel of not crispy, rather blah tasting “fried” chicken residing in my refrigerator. And if a platter of leftover chicken can manage to look forlorn, this chicken had it down pat! So, what to do?

Well for sure I’m not into throwing chicken away. So I thought about using it in a casserole. But I wasn’t in the mood for a casserole. I know, picky, picky! But I have to be in the mood for a certain food or type of dish before I can really do it justice. Just like with colors.

When I am creating a mosaic object, I have to like the colors I’m using or I simply can’t create the piece. So much so that when my daughter Paula asked me to do a table top for her in purple and green, I just couldn’t do it. Couldn’t make myself work with purple. I did make a table top for her, but it sure didn’t include purple!

Anyway, food is the same way for me. If I don’t like an ingredient, I can’t force myself to use it. And you wonder why I never became a chef! Anyway, I wasn’t into eating a casserole for dinner last evening, but I knew I would totally enjoy a big old bowl of homemade soup. Hence, this recipe.

Now of course this recipe is just like every other chicken noodle soup recipe out there. But I wanted to remind you that just because a recipe doesn’t come out as you envisioned, doesn’t mean that you can’t take what’s left of it, or parts of it, and turn it into something outstanding. (Called making lemonade out of lemons.) (It also doesn’t mean that you can’t dump the whole darn thing and start anew!) And just because one cook likes a dish and is proud enough about it to post it for the entire world to view, doesn’t mean everyone is going to appreciate it as much as they do. Everyone’s taste is different. And everyone’s level of experience in the kitchen is also a consideration on how well any given dish will turn out. So when I wrote liar, liar earlier, it was just for the fun of being able to write it out. (I’ve actually always wanted to yell it at the top of my lungs at someone, but have as yet to lower myself to that level. But it still could happen. I’m getting older after all!) But back to this recipe. (It’s so hard for me to stay on track!)

Like I said, this is just a plain old everyday chicken noodle soup recipe. No fancy ingredients, no special secret to the best soup you will ever taste. Just a good recipe for building a healthy soup using leftover chicken. (Notice I didn’t write that this was going to be the best soup you ever tasted. Absolutely cannot make that statement!)

What I can say however, is that I still plan to never ever wear purple! Because I’ve heard it said that at least in western culture, purple is a symbol of jealousy, deceit, and sadness. In fact, in the 16th century it was the official color of grieving. Even earlier, around 1200, Pope Innocent II made it the official color of repentance. Hence the deceit part. (Because everyone knows that those who must repent are deceitful!) So I plan to forgo deceit too if at all possible. (Now if only those in charge of our country would do the same…….but I digress!!)

So to reiterate: this is a recipe for a good chicken noodle soup, made with healthy ingredients, and at least in my case, a whole lot of love. (That’s always one of the secret ingredients I include in all of my recipes.)

So till next time, stay healthy, stay happy, and stay focused on being the best possible person you can be. Peace and love to all.

2 T. butter

½ onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, thinly sliced

2 small carrots, halved then thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

2 T. chopped fresh parsley, divided

6 c. chicken stock

2 tsp. Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base

1 bay leaf

¼ tsp. dried thyme

½ tsp. seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper

½-1 c. frozen petite peas

½ – ¾ lb. leftover chicken, cut into bite sized pieces (no bones, but coating is fine)

2 c. thick egg noodles, cooked al dente 2-3 sliced green onions

Heat the butter in a large, covered soup pot. Add the onion, celery, and carrots. Cook until the veggies begin to soften. Add the garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon of the parsley; cook for 1 minute.

Add the chicken stock, chicken base, bay leaf, dried thyme, seasoned salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover pot, and simmer gently for about 45 minutes or until the carrot pieces are completely tender.

Just before ready to serve, stir in the peas, chicken pieces, remaining fresh parsley, and the al dente noodles. (And no, don’t cook the pasta in the chicken broth. Cook the pasta separately. If you cook the pasta in the soup broth it just adds unnecessary starch to the soup.) Adjust seasoning and discard the bay leaf.

Serve in soup bowls garnished with sliced green onions. Pass oyster or regular saltine crackers.  

SPAGHETTINI A LA PROVENÇALE (TUNA SPAGHETTI)

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OK, the first wonderful thing about this simple pasta dish…. Wait, I just broke one of my cardinal rules of etiquette. I wrote a spoiler alert in the first sentence of this post! (I wrote that this was a simple pasta dish.) That kind of information should have been saved for a little later in this write-up. Oh well…………..

But since I already gave away one of the top reasons you should rush into your kitchen and prepare this amazing dish, I might just as well tell you all the other reasons you must treat yourself and your family to this fabulous pasta sooner rather than later. Because if you wait, you’re only going to kick yourself (you know where) for not having built this dish already. Just sayin’. (I speak from experience.)

My dear friend Ellen sent me this recipe a few weeks ago, and for whatever reason I only got around to preparing it a couple nights ago. (What was I waiting for?) Anyway, I changed things up a bit from Ellen’s recipe, because I simply can’t leave well enough alone. It’s just not how I operate. But boy oh boy, what a tasty treat this was for dinner. And the ease of preparation, use of fairly common ingredients that I almost always have on hand, absolutely contributed to the pleasurable dining experience Mr. C. and I shared. I served the pasta with a simple green salad, and life was good. And I wasn’t exhausted. Better and better.

Now don’t be frightened by a whole can of anchovies. Or the capers. If you are not familiar with these two exquisite ingredients, it’s high time you learned how much flavor they can bring to a dish. And canned tuna in a red sauce? I for one had no idea how much I would enjoy the combination.

And yes I know, eating tuna, especially albacore tuna, can be risky. But according to Medical News Today, adults weighing over 150 pounds should not eat tuna more often than every 9 days. Well, for us that is not a problem. We actually rarely eat tuna. But I must say, there are always a couple of cans in our pantry because you just never know when a tuna fish sandwich craving might occur! It definitely has been known to happen at Chez Carr!

So if you are in the mood to create a quick, simple, low fat, and different pasta dish some evening, I highly recommend you give this recipe a try. We loved it. And another nice thing I need to mention before you wander off to your real life – no Parmesan cheese required. It was actually called for in the original recipe, so of course you can add Parmesan if you must. But I really felt it would be superfluous. Plus just more calories we really don’t need!

As always, think healthy, cook healthy, and stay healthy. Peace and love to all.

¼ c. chopped fresh parsley

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 T. capers

3 T. extra virgin olive oil

½ lg. yellow onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 can (2-oz.) anchovy fillets packed in olive oil (oil discarded)

1 lg. can (28 oz.) plum tomatoes in their own juice (Italian preferred)

1 T. tomato paste

4 oz. sliced pimentos

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

pinch crushed red pepper flakes

1 (6-7 oz.) can tuna, drained and chunked into small pieces (I use Kirkland brand albacore tuna)

8 oz. thin spaghetti, cooked al dente  

Combine the parsley, dried oregano, and capers in a bowl. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large fry pan. Add the onion and cook until soft but not brown. Add the garlic and anchovy fillets and cook for 1 minute. (I break up the anchovy fillets while they cook.)

Stir in the canned tomatoes (juice and all), tomato paste, pimentos, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Let simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes. Add the tuna and heat through.

Toss in the al dente pasta and the parsley mixture. Simmer for a minute or two. Serve immediately.  

BRINED, RUBBED, AND GRILLED BONELESS PORK CHOPS

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We love pork chops. First of all they’re easy to cook. (If you know how). And secondly, they are really quite reasonably priced. And there is very little waste because they are such a lean cut of meat. And mainly, when cooked correctly, there is just nothing finer than a good old pork chop for dinner.

But boneless pork chops must be carefully handled or the blasted things can become shoe leather in a matter of minutes! And I do really mean minutes. And believe me, over the years I have made more shoe leather than I care to admit. But too much cooking time is not the only culprit involved with creating an unpalatable piece of meat. The meat itself, especially a cut like a boneless pork chop that contains little to no fat needs extra special care. It’s the marbled fat in meats that melt during cooking that enhance tenderness and add succulence. So how to achieve a juicy, tender, and flavorful pork chop against all odds. Well there are some well-known secrets to achieving pork chop perfection.  

Brining is one of the well-known secrets that every good cook should become aware of if they are not already employing this simple technique. Brining infuses pork chops, and other non-fatty meats, with savory flavors while at the same time tenderizing the meat. Brining works especially well for types of meat like poultry, fish, and less fatty cuts of pork. (Like boneless pork chops.)

The second well-known secret to preparing a truly delicious hunk of meat, is rubbing the meat with a savory combination of ingredients including herbs and spices before applying heat.

The third and final secret to attaining perfectly cooked pork chops, or other meats, bread, cakes and the like, is an instant-read thermometer. Even if you have been cooking and baking for decades like I have, I find it very comforting to have my thermometer on hand even if all it provides is a second opinion!        

So last evening rather than having to cut our pork chops with a hacksaw, our trusty table knife was all that was required. And the meat was juicy and very flavorful. The brining recipe below is new to me and seems to be perfect for pork chops. I haven’t tried it with other meats, but I see no reason why it wouldn’t work just fine for them too. The rub recipe below can be used with pork, chicken, beef, you name it. (I have been using it for years.)

So if you too enjoy a nice boneless pork chop now and then, this is the recipe for you. Yes it takes a little time to build the brine. (But not much.) And the rub also takes a bit of time to throw together. But it makes plenty, so you’ll be all set to also rub other meats into culinary masterpieces.

As always, stay safe, stay happy, and have fun in your kitchen. Peace and love to all from Chez Carr.  

Brine:

1 c. water

2 T. kosher salt

1 T. brown sugar

1 T. maple syrup

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

freshly ground black pepper

1 c. ice cubes

2-4 thick boneless pork chops

vegetable oil

Heat the 1 cup water, salt, brown sugar, maple syrup, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and black pepper to a boil in a saucepan. After the brine comes to a boil, remove from heat and add the ice cubes to help cool the liquid.

Once the brine is cool, place the pork chops in a shallow container or sealable plastic bag and pour the brine over the top. Let the pork chops sit in the brine in the refrigerator for 1 to 6 hours. Meanwhile prepare the rub.

Remove the pork chops from the brine, rinse them under cold water and pat them very dry with clean kitchen towels or paper towels. Lightly coat the chops with veggie oil just before adding the rub. Apply the rub to both sides of the oil coated pork chops thick enough to cover the chop, but not fall off the chop if you turn it upside down. (You will have extra rub for next time. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.) Let the chops rest at room temperature for 30 minutes while you pre-heat the grill to medium-high heat.

Grill the chops for 3 to 5 minutes per side. (Depends on the thickness of your chops.) Cook only until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 145 degrees on an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chop. Remove from grill, place on a plate, and let rest loosely covered with foil for 3-4 minutes before serving.

Rub: (can be used for pork, chicken, or beef)

3 T. dark brown sugar, packed

1 T. regular paprika

1 T. chili powder

1 T. kosher salt

1½ tsp. smoked paprika

1½ tsp. granulated garlic

1½ tsp. granulated onion  

¼ tsp. dried thyme

coarsely ground black pepper

Stir or shake all the rub ingredients together. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.    

SHRIMP, BACON, AND CORN CHOWDER

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Whenever I’m feeling lazy, but still know that sometime that evening we are both going to think having dinner is a damn good idea, I remember that I have a pound of frozen shrimp in the freezer. And why shrimp you might ask. Well, shrimp defrosts easily, and takes very little time to cook. And besides, we love shrimp.

So yesterday being no exception (me feeling lazy that is), I went on line looking for a new way to prepare shrimp. And if at all possible, in a soup or chowder. (And no I don’t know why I was feeling hungry for soup in July. I just was.) Anyway, I found this recipe on the damndelicious.net site, and it was just that. Damned Delicious! And oh so easy to prepare.

So much so, that I actually had enough oomph left over to mix up a batch of Jiffy cornbread and throw it in the oven. (And no, I don’t usually use a cornbread mix. But yes I always have a package on hand for emergencies. Like when I only have enough strength to mix 3 ingredients together. That kind of emergency.)

So I’m feeling rather happy with myself for pulling together a really delightful dinner last evening with such a small amount of effort. And even happier to be able to share this wonderful recipe with you. I did make a couple of minor changes to the original recipe, but that’s just me.

So I highly recommend that you make this chowder sometime soon. It has just enough spicy heat to be perfect on a hot summer evening. And of course, it would be wonderful served in the dead of winter.

So as always, eat well, stay well, and think good thoughts. It’s amazing how contented you will feel if you make a special effort to appreciate the good things in your life. (It’s called “counting your blessings”.)  Peace and love to all.  

4 thick slices of meaty bacon, diced

1 lb. large shrimp – peeled, deveined, and cut in half or thirds

1 small onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp. smoked paprika, or more to taste

½ tsp. dried oregano

½ tsp. dried basil

tiny pinch crushed red pepper flakes

3 c. chicken stock

1 bay leaf

2 c. corn kernels

¼ c. heavy cream

1 T. cornstarch

2 T. chopped fresh parsley leaves

Cook bacon in a medium sized pan until brown and crispy. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked bacon to a medium sized bowl and set aside. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease from the pan. Add shrimp; cook until pink, remove from pan and add to the bowl with the cooked bacon. Set aside.

Add the onion and gently cook until soft. (You don’t want the onion to brown.) Add garlic; cook for 1 minute. 

Stir in the salt, pepper, smoked paprika, oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes; cook for a couple of minutes.

Whisk in the chicken stock and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile whisk the heavy cream and cornstarch together.

When the stock has cooked for 15-20 minutes, whisk in the cream and cornstarch slurry. Over medium heat, stir until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens slightly. Discard the bay leaf before adding the corn, cooked bacon and shrimp. Bring back to a boil, adjust seasoning, and serve piping hot garnished with the fresh parsley. Lovely served with warm cornbread.  

OVEN BRAISED KOREAN BEEF

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In the past, Mr. C. and I have gone together with his sister Katie and her husband Rick to share a half beef. And I have absolutely no trouble using up the ground beef, tender steaks, or various other choice bits. But then I am left with chuck steak, rump roasts, arm roasts, chuck roasts, and heel of round. Some of which I have no idea how they should be prepared. Except for one thing that each of these cuts have in common. They are not tender cuts of beef. They are going to need special attention and fussing over to help them achieve greatness. So that equates to a whole lot of braising action that’s going to have to happen at Chez Carr within the next few months. So standby for more recipes of this ilk to come your way.

So armed with the knowledge that I would need to do something noteworthy to the meat to make it palatable, I asked Mr. C. to pull a couple of packages of chuck steak from the freezer, while I went on line to research recipes.

Now I’m a sucker for anything with soy sauce as an ingredient. So I searched under beef and soy sauce and found this recipe on the damndelicious.net site. I messed a bit with Chungahs recipe, mainly because her recipe was designed to be cooked in an Instant Pot. I prefer the more intense flavored braise that happens when meats are left to their own devices in a Dutch oven. So I adapted the recipe to my own personal preferences. Plus I really appreciate the way braising meat flavors the air in my kitchen while it’s bubbling and tenderizing away in the oven. (As with soy sauce, I’m also a sucker for good cooking smells wafting through the house.) 

Anyway, I made this recipe and we both enjoyed it very much. And aside from browning the meat, this was a quick and easy main dish to put together. Then serving it with steamed brown rice and Sunomono, well there was very little prep time involved for this dinner. And sometimes I really appreciate the less time the better in my kitchen. I think getting older is having that effect on me. Although there are still days when all I really want to do is play in the kitchen. Perhaps it’s just that some days preparing food seems more like work; other days it seems a lot like play. I think that happens to most of us who spend any time in our kitchen. At least most of the time cooking still feels more like play than work. So I guess for now at least, you can count on new recipes coming your way via my kitchen.

As always, stay safe, and please respect yourself and those around you by wearing a mask when in public. Also, remember to cut people some slack during this rough time. You haven’t walked in anyone else’s shoes, and many people are wearing multiple pairs of shoes right now. As parent, teacher, spouse, cook, wage earner, shopper, gardener, etc. etc.

So please remain stalwart in all your dealings with others. Compassion, understanding, and empathy never go out of style. Neither does good food. So get cooking. If nothing else it will keep you busy. And busy hands are happy hands. Or so the old adage goes. Peace and love to all.

1 c. beef broth

1 c. water

½ c. reduced sodium soy sauce

1/3 c. brown sugar, packed

1 T. sesame oil

1 T. rice vinegar

1 tsp. Sriracha, or more to taste

1 tsp. granulated onion  

1/8 tsp. white pepper or freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp. vegetable oil

2 lb. beef chuck roast or other tough cut of meat (bones, fat, and grizzle removed as much as possible), cut into 1-inch cubes

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 T. freshly grated ginger

2 tsp. corn starch

sesame seeds

2-3 green onions, thinly sliced

In a large bowl, whisk the beef broth, water, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, rice vinegar, Sriracha, granulated onion, and white pepper together.

Heat oil in a covered Dutch oven. Add the meat cubes and fry until brown. Add the garlic and ginger; cook for one minute.

Pour the sauce over the meat, cover, and place in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 1½-2 hours, or until the meat is very tender. (Check after an hour to make sure there is enough liquid. If not, add a bit more water or beef broth.) Meanwhile mix the cornstarch with ¼ cup water. Set aside.

When the meat is tender, remove from oven and stir in the cornstarch slurry. Cook over medium heat on your cooktop until the sauce thickens. Adjust seasoning. 

Serve garnished with green onions and sesame seeds. Great with steamed brown rice and Sunomono (Japanese cucumber salad) or a lovely roasted veggie. 

CREAMY CHICKEN CHILI

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I don’t know what the weather is like in your part of the world right now, but here on Camano Island its misty moisty and fluctuating around 65 degrees. Not offshore misty, but rather rainy misty. And not really cold, but not warm either. So to my thinking, it’s still soup and chili weather. So I thought about it for a while yesterday morning and decided to serve chili last evening for dinner.

Now just because I wanted chili for dinner, didn’t mean that I wouldn’t appreciate a new take on an old favorite. And one type of chili I had never made before was a chili containing chicken rather than beef or pork. I like chicken. I’ve got chicken in the freezer. So chicken chili it is! Only one problem. I don’t quite know where to begin. So to the internet I proceeded.

And based on the white chicken chili recipe I found on the cookingclassy.com site (with my own adaptations of course), I prepared this really delicious and comforting dish for supper last evening. It was easy to prepare, contained ingredients I had on hand, and was basically a one dish meal. I like one dish meals. But I decided to fancy up the meal a bit, so I made a small plate of nachos to go with the chili. Simple really. Just a layer of tortilla chips, a bit of both sharp cheddar and mozzarella cheese, and a smattering of pickled jalapeño. Bake for 4-5 minutes in a 400 degree oven, and Bob’s your uncle! (And no, I don’t usually use mozzarella cheese in either chili or on nachos. But I didn’t have any Monterey Jack, so I used what I had on hand.)

So if you too would like to serve chili for dinner some evening, but a chili that’s a bit different, give this recipe a try. Want more heat? Add some fresh jalapeño. Don’t have any cannellini beans on hand, use canned chili beans in a sauce like I did last evening. Don’t like beans, leave them out. Don’t like chicken, leave it out too. Wouldn’t matter. The chili would still be delicious.

In any event, stay happy, stay healthy, and keep trying new recipes. I think one of the reasons I am weathering this coronavirus pandemic with all of its ramifications as well as I am, is because I get to try out new recipes, write about my triumphs, and share them with you. You simply don’t know how much it means to me to be able to include you in my life in this very simple way. Peace and love to all.

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

¾-1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite sized chunks

seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper

½ c. diced onion

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

2 c. chicken broth

1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies

¾ tsp. cumin

½ tsp. paprika

½ tsp. dried oregano

½ tsp. ground coriander

pinch cayenne pepper

1 c. cooked cannellini beans or 1 can beans of choice  

1 c. corn (frozen, canned, or fresh)

2 oz. (¼ pkg.) cream cheese

1 c. grated mozzarella, Monterey Jack, or other melty white cheese

2-3 green onions, thinly sliced

2 tsp. fresh lime juice, or more to taste

tortilla chips

sliced avocado

Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add the chicken. Sprinkle with seasoned salt and pepper. Cook the chicken just until it’s done. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add the onion and sauté until soft. Add garlic; cook for one minute.

Add the chicken broth, green chilies, cumin, paprika, oregano, coriander, and cayenne pepper. Bring mixture just to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 15 minutes.

Add the beans, corn, and cooked chicken. Bring just to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, green onions, and lime juice. Adjust seasoning.

Serve in soup bowls with tortilla chips and avocado passed at table.

Note: If you have leftover chicken, by all means use it in this dish. Add it along with the beans and corn as instructed in the recipe.