Category Archives: MAIN DISH RECIPES

SAVORY OVEN BAKED PORK LOIN BACK RIBS

Sometimes, there is just nothin’ will do except some BBQ’d ribs. But it is winter, and it is cold outside, and I really didn’t want Mr. C. to have to get the smoker going or fire up the barbeque. Even though both the smoker and the barbecue are under cover, it’s still not pleasant being outside.

So, I came up with this recipe and darn, the ribs were really delicious. The meat literally fell off the bones, and was juicy, tender, and ever so succulent. And this way to bake ribs had been super easy. No fuss, no muss, and just good eating.

So, if you too love ribs but aren’t excited about spending a lot of time in the making, give this recipe a try. The ribs are seriously yum.

Now if you do have time, I suggest you make your own BBQ sauce. Because, well, there is nothing on the market better than a really good homemade BBQ sauce. And because I am feeling charitable today, I’m going to provide you with my 2 favorite recipes. Please note, if you are trying to stay away from sugar, the second recipe BBQ Sauce with Monk Fruit Sweetener is sugar free.

Well, it’s kind of pretty outside right now. Lots of clouds, but the sun is setting so there is some pink in the sky too. Perhaps since it’s getting on to dinner time, I should think about making like a cook. I’m pretty sure Mr. C. would agree wholeheartedly. So, bye for now.

Peace and love to all.

1 (3 lb.) rack of pork loin back ribs* or spareribs

1 T. rib rub (see recipe below)

2 tsp. Montreal Steak Seasoning

1 tsp. granulated garlic

BBQ sauce

Place ribs meaty side up in a covered baking pan. (Or use aluminum foil.) (I use my Le Creuset Braiser.)

If the rack is too long for your pan, cut the rack in half. Evenly sprinkle the meat with the rib rub, Montreal Steak Seasoning, and granulated garlic.

Cover the pan and bake in a pre-heated 300-degree oven for 2 hours. After 2 hours, check to see if the meat is tender and falling off the bones. If not, bake for another half hour.

When the meat is tender, raise the temperature to 350-degrees, remove the lid or foil and baste with barbecue sauce and place in oven for 20 minutes.  

Remove from oven, cut the ribs between the bones, and serve with additional BBQ sauce.

*Pork loin back ribs are cut from the top part of the pig’s rib cage, just below the loin muscle. These ribs have meat both in between and on top of the rib bones, making them meatier than spareribs.

RIB RUB:

2 T. paprika

2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 T. kosher salt

2 tsp. granulated garlic

1 tsp. cayenne

1 tsp. ancho chili powder (found in most upscale grocery stores in bulk)

2 tsp. dried oregano

2 tsp. dried thyme

Combine all ingredients in an airtight container. Store at room temperature.

BOURBON BBQ SAUCE

¼ c. unsalted butter

¼ c. minced onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

¼ c. brown sugar

2 tsp. whole grain mustard

1 c. ketchup

1/3 c. Worcestershire sauce

¼ c. fresh lemon juice

¼ tsp. hot sauce, or to taste

¼ tsp. cayenne

2 T. bourbon

Melt butter in a medium sized covered saucepan. Sauté onion until translucent; add garlic and cook until garlic releases its aroma, about 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover pan, and simmer gently for 30 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Basically, cook the sauce until you reach desired thickness. (Sauce will thicken as it simmers. If the sauce is still too thin after 60 minutes, remove the lid. But be warned – simmer at a low temperature or you will have BBQ sauce all over you and your kitchen!) Serve sauce warm or at room temperature.

BBQ SAUCE WITH MONK FRUIT SWEETENER

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

½ c. finely chopped onion

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste

¾ c. water

1 T. monk fruit sweetener (I use the “golden” variety)

1 T. apple cider vinegar, or more to taste 

3 T. Worcestershire Sauce

¼ tsp. hot sauce, or to taste (I use Frank’s RedHot)

1 tsp. smoked paprika

½ tsp. seasoned salt  

freshly ground black pepper

tiny pinch cayenne pepper

tiny pinch ground cloves

Heat the olive oil in a small, covered saucepan. Sauté the onion until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

       

ITALIAN HAMBURGER SOUP WITH VEGGIES AND PASTA

The other evening, I was hungry for soup. (Actually, when do I not have a strong craving for soup would be a more accurate statement.) Anyway, I wanted soup for dinner. But I didn’t want a soup that would take a great deal of time to prepare or need to burble on the stove for hours. I wanted a quick, easy, yummy Italian flavored soup that contained pasta. Normally a veggie soup would contain chunks of potato. But I happen to be married to a guy who does not appreciate boiled potatoes. French fries, baked potatoes, and mashed potatoes are OK occasionally. But cut up potatoes in soup or chowder does not in any way, shape, or form appeal to this guy. But pasta? Absolutely!

For the soup, this time, I used extra wide egg noodles because I had just the right amount left in a big old bag that I really wanted to use up. I wanted it gone from my pantry. (One of my New Year’s projects is to clean out my pantry. This was a good beginning.) But next time I make this soup, I will be using a sturdier pasta.

And of course, because this was a beef vegetable soup, I began with a mirepoix (onion, carrot, and celery sautéed in oil). Then I added garlic and many of the other usual suspects you would find in any beef and veggie soup. A pretty simple preparation, but hearty and very tasty. You of course, could choose to add more veggies. But I found this to be the ideal balance of veggies, meat, and pasta.

I chose to serve the soup liberally sprinkled with pecorino-Romano cheese. We love this hard, salty Italian cheese made from sheep’s milk. It was the perfect complement to this brothy Italian soup, being an Italian cheese after all!

So, if you too would like to serve a soup that I feel everyone in your family would enjoy, this is probably the recipe for you. Simple, savory, and satisfying.

As always, peace and love to all.  

2 T. extra virgin olive oil 

¾ c. chopped onion

2 sm. carrots, thinly sliced

2 celery stalks, thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 lb. lean ground beef

1½ tsp. Italian seasoning

1 bay leaf

½ tsp. seasoned salt, or more to taste  

freshly ground black pepper   

4 c. beef broth

1 (15 oz.) container tomato sauce or diced tomatoes (Italian preferably)

1-2 T. tomato paste

1 tsp. Kitchen Bouquet, opt.   

1 c. dry pasta (I think Fusilli, Rotini, or penne are best)

grated pecorino-Romano cheese, opt. (for serving) (Parmesan in a pinch)

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until the veggies are crisp tender. Add the garlic and cook until very fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add the ground beef, Italian seasoning, bay leaf, seasoned salt, and pepper, breaking up the meat as it cooks.

When the meat is cooked, add the beef broth, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and Kitchen Bouquet. Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat, cover the pot, and allow to simmer for 30-40 minutes or until the carrot pieces are tender. Stir occasionally. Add more beef broth if you prefer a more brothy soup.  

Bring the soup to a boil and add the dry pasta. Cook until the pasta is al dente. Remove bay leaf, taste, and adjust seasoning. Serve piping hot. Pass the pecorino-Romano cheese.  

       

CREAMY LEMON PASTA WITH PROSCIUTTO AND PEAS

Please note: I would have posted this recipe yesterday, but my site was still causing me some problems. And frankly, I’m too lazy to re-write this preface. But since I’m sure you would want to know, Mr. C. never made it home after his afternoon rehearsal in Seattle because of a 4-hour traffic delay in Everett. So, he went straight to rehearsal in Mt. Vernon, missing dinner of course, but enjoyed a big old bowl of avgolemono when he got home around 10:00 pm. And yes, the poor guy was totally pooped after his ordeal. But very glad to be home where he was greeted by Miles, Max, and his adoring wife. (Miles and Max are our cats.)

The older I get, the less time I want to spend in the kitchen. I know that sounds just plain wrong coming from someone who has always enjoyed cooking and sharing her recipes. But I’m not as young as I used to be. Well, none of us are, but you know what I mean. But, and here’s the real killer, I still love to eat and share great food with Mr. C. and others. And I still look forward to posting recipes. So, that leaves me trying new recipes that have fewer ingredients and take just a reasonable amount of time to prepare.

So, the other evening I had a package of prosciutto that really needed to be eaten and a couple of lemons that had seen better days. And over the years I have made plenty of quick and easy pasta recipes, because frankly, pasta of any kind is just about my favorite food. Well, that and any bread product you care to mention.

So, using what I had on hand, I formulated this recipe. And it made for one heck of a good entree. We both absolutely loved this pasta dish. And it was simple and fast to prepare. Yeah! I served the pasta with a simple green salad, which was the perfect accompaniment.

So, if you too love a tasty pasta dish, but do not want to spend a great deal of time in its preparation, this is the recipe for you. And it is a recipe that could easily be adapted. You could use small cubes of pancetta instead of prosciutto, regular onion in lieu of shallots, whole milk in place of heavy cream, and whatever style of pasta you prefer. The only thing I will haunt you about is if you use some kind of bottled lemon juice in place of the real thing. Unacceptable. On oh so many levels.

Well, it’s dismal outside today. But it’s warm and cozy inside our home. Our cat Miles is nestled into the kitty bed on Andy’s desk. His brother is napping on our bed. Mr. C. is down in Seattle taking a piano lesson, then rehearsing with our dear friend Vivianna for one of her upcoming recitals for her PhD in music. This evening Andy has a rehearsal in Mt. Vernon. He is one very busy guy. But I love that he is getting to play music as much as he does. And I go with him to as many of his gigs as I can. I just love being married to such a talented musician. And a fabulous person to boot!

So, with his very tight schedule in mind, I am going to make one of his favorite soups for dinner. Avgolemono. Which in case you don’t know is a Greek lemon rice soup. And you can bet your bottom dollar I will be using fresh lemon juice. Because Mr. C. deserves the best! As do each of you.

Peace and love to all.  

1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 (3-oz.) pkg. prosciutto, chopped into small pieces

2 T. unsalted butter

3 T. finely chopped shallots

¾ c. chicken broth

¾ c. heavy cream

zest from ½ lemon

1 T. fresh lemon juice

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 c. frozen peas

10 oz. penne rigate, cooked al dente (save some of the water)

grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving

Heat the olive oil in a small skillet. Add the prosciutto and brown for 4-5 minutes or until crisp. Remove from heat and set aside.

Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté until soft, about 4 minutes.

Add the broth and simmer over medium high heat until mixture is somewhat reduced, about 2 minutes.

Add the cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 3 minutes.

Add the frozen peas and then simmer just until the peas are heated through. (You really do not need to cook them. They just need to be warm.) Add the al dente pasta and browned prosciutto. Toss pasta with sauce until coated. If sauce is too thick, add a bit of pasta water. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Serve immediately. Pass the Parmigiano-Reggiano.

SAVORY BLACK BEAN CHILI

I made this chili the other evening using only the experience of making chili for roughly 58 years. So, did I need a recipe to follow? No, I did not. So, why am I giving you this recipe? You probably already have the perfect chili recipe. But in case you don’t or haven’t been cooking all that long, you might just need a great recipe for chili. Because a great chili recipe is something every cook should have at their disposal. Chili is simply one of those dishes that is loved by people of all ages. And really, is there anything better to eat when it’s cold, dark, and dreary outside? Of course not! Add a chunk of cornbread spread with lots of soft butter and honey to accompany the chili, and you have a meal fit for a king.

So, what’s so special about this chili you might ask? Actually, there is nothing exceptional or unique about this dish, except it’s darned delicious. And easy to prepare. And warms up beautifully. And is the perfect comfort food.

So, if you live in a temperate environment where the sun shines every day, the temperature never goes under 70-degrees, and you don’t even own a heavy jacket, you absolutely do not need this recipe in your life. But for the rest of us who can and usually do complain about cold and rainy weather especially in winter, if not this recipe, you should have at least one good chili recipe at hand.

Well, that’s it for today. I am having trouble with my site. I keep getting an error message that says I’m using an outdated version of PHP. (Whatever the heck that means.) Anyway, I’m trying to get it fixed, but for someone like myself who can barely remember to plug in my cellphone daily, having technical problems on my site is tantamount to asking me to replace the engine in our Prius! But keep trying I must. (Any good thoughts sent my way very much appreciated.)

If you have favorite recipes on this site, I advise you to print them out ASAP. Who knows when I might just blow up the whole site!

Peace and love to all.  

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1 c. chopped celery

3 lg. garlic cloves, finely minced

¼ c. chopped fresh parsley

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

1 (15-oz.) can/box tomato sauce (preferably Italian)

1 (15 to 20-oz.) can black beans (rinsed and drained) (I use Cento brand)

1 can black olives, drained and sliced

1 (4-oz.) can diced green chilies (I prefer Hatch diced chilies)

3 T. chili powder

1 T. oregano (I like Mexican oregano)

1 tsp. paprika

dash ground cloves

½ tsp. seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper

Warm the olive oil in a large heavy covered pan or Dutch oven. Add the ground beef, onion, and celery. Cook until the ground beef is nicely browned. Add the garlic and fresh parsley and cook for 1 minute.

Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, black beans, black olives, diced green chilies, chili powder, oregano, paprika, ground cloves, seasoned salt, and pepper.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for an hour. Taste and adjust seasoning just before serving.

Great topped with grated sharp cheddar cheese and sour cream. (Corn bread on the side is nice too.)

LEMON AND GARLIC BAKED HALIBUT  

We would truly enjoy eating fresh seafood on a weekly basis. Not only for the health benefits* seafood supplies, but also because we both love the taste of almost any critter which spent its entire life in either fresh or salt water. But regrettably, dining on fresh seafood weekly just doesn’t quite happen for us. For one thing, I don’t trust the “fresh” fish selection offered by our local grocery store. (Name withheld to protect the innocent.) Second, we don’t go to Costco weekly although I love Costco’s fresh seafood selection, and finally, because fresh seafood is bloody expensive!

And granted, if push came to shove, we could afford to eat seafood on a more frequent basis. But it still doesn’t happen. So, when we do get an opportunity to feed on fish, I try my darndest to prepare it in a way that will emphasize its most admirable qualities.

So, please allow me to elucidate on the qualities of fresh halibut since that’s what this recipe is all about.  

Halibut is a very lean fish, with almost sweet tasting flesh. And when cooked properly, the firm but tender texture of the fish flakes into large segments that literally melt in your mouth. (So, no pressure involved with preparing a lovely halibut fillet to avoid rendering it dry and tasteless! Right? Wrong! Unfortunately, over cooking seafood is the easiest thing in the culinary world to achieve!)

If I have learned anything in all my years of cooking seafood, it’s to err on the side of underdone. Because you can always cook it longer if necessary. But, unless you are not of this world or have some voodoo knowledge of which I am unaware, you can’t undo overdone. My solution – an instant read thermometer. And I recommend you adopt this simple solution to overcooked seafood anytime you also prepare fish.  Actually, when you prepare any meat for that matter. (OK, not the meat in stew for example. You can be sure stew meat is perfectly cooked when it falls apart when you bite into it. But for rare steak, perfectly cooked pork, chicken, or slightly rare lamb, an instant read thermometer is indispensable.)

Now, about this recipe. I wanted to prepare a baked halibut dish that featured a bit of a savory topping that I hoped would complement the flavor of the fish, not disguise it. And be very easy to prepare. And with this recipe I believe I achieved my goal.

So, if you too love halibut, or any firm white fish, and want to give it a bit of a special fixing, I invite you to try this recipe. All I can say is that halibut fixed this way made for mighty fine dining for us the other evening. (If I say so myself!)

Well, that’s all I have to say on the subject of fish today. Happy cooking, happy eating, and try to stay healthy. There is a miserable cold like “something” going around our area. And I have heard it’s no darn fun. So, take especially good care of yourself as we go into the cold and flu season.

And as always, peace and love to all.

1 lb. halibut fillet

2 T. melted unsalted butter

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1 sm. garlic clove, finely minced

1/8 tsp. dried parsley

¼ tsp. paprika

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

Place halibut in a lightly greased baking dish.

In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, lemon juice, minced garlic, dried parsley, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Pour this mixture over halibut.

Bake in a pre-heated 400-degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until the fish is no longer transparent. The internal temperature should reach between 137 and 140-degrees and the fish should flake easily when tested with a fork.   

Remove from oven and serve immediately.

* Seafood is known to be an excellent source of lean, high quality, easily digested protein. A 3.5-oz. serving provides almost half of an adult’s daily protein needs for only 100 to 200 calories. Seafood is also low in saturated fat and sodium and is a rich source of many essential vitamins and minerals.

  

DUCK SAUSAGE AND BEAN SOUP

OK, not everyone has a neighbor that gifts them with a package of duck sausages just for the fun of it. But I do! (Vicki, my dear friend next door.) But then, what the heck to do with the sausages? So, bottom line, the poor sausages languished in our freezer for several months before I had the courage to use them in a dish. That, and Mr. C., who happens to have taken on the dubious task of “keeper of the freezer”, had grown weary of asking me when I planned to do something with the sausage. (Somebody has to make sure the freezer is always well stocked, and I am not that person. I am great at keeping the fridge and pantry in good supply. But I am terrible when it comes to the freezer. It lives in our garage, so out of sight, out of mind as the old saying goes!  You know how it is!)

Anyway, I finally decided that the sausage would be perfect in soup. And where better to look for a recipe than on the site that sells all things duck – D’Artagnan. (Great site BTW!)

So, this is my version of D’Artagnan’s White Bean & Duck Sausage Soup. (Why do I always think of the Marx Brothers when I say duck soup?)

Anyway, the soup turned out to be quite delicious, and very easy to build. There is one difficult step however, but that step happens almost every time I make soup. It’s the waiting time while the soup burbles away to yummy perfection. Because all the time soup is cooking, great smells emanate from the kitchen. And this soup was no exception when it came to smelling delightful as it cooked.  

So, if you too just happen to have some duck sausage laying around, make this soup. It is ever so nourishing and makes your mouth happy while filling your tummy. A perfect winter treat! If you don’t have any duck sausage on hand, then consider ordering some online. It is very rich and delicious. And an 8.5-oz. package goes a long way.

Well, that’s all for today. It’s very cold outside. And mother nature can’t decide whether to cover us with snow or torture us with the fact that the clouds could dump on us at any old time. So, we wait. And watch. And change a couple of appointments just in case. Never a dull moment. But then, that’s OK too!

Peace and love to all.

1 c. dry cannellini beans

2 T.  extra virgin olive oil, divided

1 (8.5-oz.)  pkg. Duck and Armagnac Sausage, removed from casings and cut into small dice (duck sausage available at D’Artagnan – on line)

1 lg. shallot, chopped

½ c. chopped onion

1 lg. carrot, chopped

1 rib of celery plus leaves, chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 tsp. tomato paste

4 c. chicken stock  

1 lg. bay leaf

¼ tsp. dried thyme

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp. Aleppo pepper or half Spanish paprika and cayenne or Piment d’Espelette   

2 c. arugula, Swiss chard, kale, or baby spinach, finely chopped

2 tsp. cognac, opt.

The night before you plan to build the soup, rinse beans under cool running water then place in a large non-reactive container and cover with 2-inches of cool water. Let beans soak at room temperature overnight. Or, rinse the beans, cover with 3-inches of water, bring to a boil, remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 2-3 hours. 

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a covered large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Thoroughly brown the sausage then remove it to a small bowl. Set aside to cool then place in your refrigerator until called for.

Add the second tablespoon of olive oil to the pan along with the shallot, onion, carrot, and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté vegetables until shallots are translucent and carrots start to soften slightly, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Stir in the tomato paste and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock, stirring up any browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Add the bay leaf and thyme. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn down the heat to medium-low, drain beans, rinse, then add to the pot. Cover the pot and simmer the mixture for about 2½ hours, or until beans are cooked through. Remove bay leaf.

When the beans are tender, stir in the sausage, arugula, and Aleppo pepper. Continue to cook over medium heat for 20 minutes. Adjust seasoning and add the cognac. Serve hot.

Olive Oil Drop Biscuits are great with this soup. Look for recipe on this site in the very near future.  

CREAMY PARMESAN AND GARLIC PASTA WITH HAM AND PEAS  

I never quite know what to do with leftover ham. OK, I can always build soup, or use it in a quiche, or just fry it up for breakfast. But sometimes I am in the mood for pasta. (Sometimes! Now that’s an understatement if I ever made one! Because I am ALWAYS in the mood for pasta!) Anyway, the other evening I had a pasta craving, but was totally aware that in our refrigerator, a hunk of ham was languishing and really needed to be eaten. And not just any ham, but a small chunk of Black Forest ham. My favorite.

So, with a little angel on one shoulder lecturing me to not be wasteful, and a red, demon-like character with small horns protruding from his head, an arrowhead pointed tail, and a pitchfork in his hand yammering in my other ear that I should ignore my conscience, I went online for inspiration. And I found this recipe on the damndelicious.net site. And that’s what this dish turned out to be. Damned Delicious! And, ever so easy and quick to prepare. So, many thanks to Chungah for this great recipe.

Not only did I use up the ham, I got my pasta fix too. A win/win situation. And, I now have a perfect way to serve leftover ham. Because as we all know – the holidays are on their way. And I don’t know about you, but after working several days setting a menu, doing the grocery shopping, preparing the dishes, serving the food, and then doing the cleanup after hosting an event, I’m one pooped gal. And not for just that one day. I’m bushed for a couple days thereafter. But somehow, we still need to eat during my recuperative period. And frankly, this dish is so easy to make that I’m already planning to use the leftover ham from either Christmas dinner or another meal I plan to serve sometime around that time for just this dish.

So, if you too plan to serve ham during the holidays, don’t forget this recipe. Because the KISS principal is always in vogue. Keep It Simple Sister (or Sir). And truly, I don’t have any doubts that you will find this recipe a snap to prepare. And that everyone in your family will enjoy eating this dish. The flavor is fairly mild, so even the youngest at table should have no problem gobbling it down.  

Peace and love to all.

2 T. unsalted butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 T. unbleached all-purpose flour

1 c. chicken broth

½ tsp. dried thyme

¼ tsp. dried basil

pinch seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper

¼ c. half and half

¼ c. freshly grated Parmesan

½ c. frozen petite peas

1 c. diced ham

4 oz. spaghetti broken in thirds, cooked al dente (save some of the cooking water)

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the flour until it and the garlic are both a light golden brown, about 2 minutes.

Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, dried thyme, dried basil, seasoned salt, and pepper. Cook, whisking constantly, until well blended, about 1-2 minutes.

Stir in the half and half and Parmesan and cook until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes. If the mixture is too thick, add some of the pasta cooking water until desired thickness is obtained. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Stir in the peas and cook for 1 minute. Then add the ham and al dente spaghetti. Toss to combine. Serve immediately.

    

CHEESY SOUP WITH BACON, CORN, AND RED BELL PEPPER

OK, this cheesy soup isn’t all that much different from my Bacon, Corn, and Cheese Soup recipe. But it’s unlike enough to warrant its own blog post. Both recipes make for good eating and are very easy to prepare. And best of all, absolutely perfect for this time of year.

I don’t know where you live, but here in Northwest Washington, it’s getting cold. And wet. And frankly, I’m just not feeling quite ready for cold wet weather. But it truly is a relief not to be breathing wildfire smoke like we were plagued with in September and most of October. So, as the old saying goes – “pick your poison” Toxic air or cold and rain! Neither option is perfect. But since we have zero control over the weather anyway, the best thing I know of to relieve the doldrums when cold, wet, dark, and dreary days become a reality, is to build comfort food. And in my humble opinion, soup is the quintessential comfort food.

There is just something about soup. First of all, in the colder months it’s usually served hot. And usually, soup is very simple to prepare. And often, even better warmed up the next day! How can that not be a totally cool thing!

So, my advice to you, if you too suffer from prolonged exposure to dark, cold, and wet days, is to make soup. The warmth alone feels like a big old hug for your insides. And the happiness experienced by your taste buds is bound to result in the release of endorphins. And as we all know, our bodies produce endorphins to help relieve pain, reduce stress, and improve mood. So, I say – go for it. Put on a pot of soup and let everyone at table reap the benefits.

I know I have been worrying too much lately about the future of our country. And I’m sure some of you share my concern. But I had a stern talk with myself as I was drifting off to sleep last night. There isn’t a bloody thing I can do about most of what is happening. But I can remain (or try to remain) positive. And work towards being a good example for others. Goodness and kindness are still a huge part of our culture. We need to remember how many wonderful people are out there just trying to live a good life and not hurt anyone in the process. I need to concentrate on these people and not the few who are demonstrating hate. This is my plan for myself in the immediate future. That and making soup more often!

Peace and love to all.

8 slices lean bacon, diced

1 med. onion, chopped

1 carrot, grated

1 c. diced celery

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

4 c. chicken stock

1 c. milk

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 squirt hot sauce

¼ c. flour

1 T. dried parsley

freshly ground black pepper

3 c. fresh or frozen corn

1 c. finely chopped red bell pepper

3 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese

In a medium sized saucepan, fry the bacon until crisp. Remove bacon from pan and set aside.

Add the chopped onion, carrot, and celery to the pan. Sauté until the onion is golden. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

In a bowl, whisk together the chicken stock, milk, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, flour, parsley, and black pepper. Add to onion mixture and bring to a boil over medium heat whisking the entire time.

Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the corn, red bell pepper, and reserved bacon. Cook an additional 5 minutes.

Just before serving, remove soup from heat, stir in cheese, taste, and adjust seasonings.  

GRILLED HERB AND GARLIC MARINATED PORK TENDERLOIN  

Before we left home for our September trailer trip, I found this recipe on the lacremedelacrumb.com site and decided I would serve pork tenderloin prepared this way for one of the dinners we would be serving to Andy’s sister Katie and her husband Rick. We share dinner making when we travel together, so both Katie or I get a night off from meal planning and preparation. (Works great. You should try it if you too RV with others.) Anyway, I made sure I had all the ingredients I would need with me in the trailer. When it came time for the great pork tenderloin adventure, I prepared the marinade and allowed my pork tenderloins to enjoy a cold dip safely tucked away in our trailer refrigerator. Then at the appropriate time Mr. C. fired up the grill, and complete with instant internal temperature thermometer in hand, proceeded to make short work of grilling the tenderloin to perfection. Well, almost to perfection.

The meat was slightly overcooked, but it was not Mr. C’s or the thermometer’s fault. I had instructed the man behind the grill to cook the pork to 145-degrees. Which BTW, if you do a random search regarding the right internal temperature to insure medium-rare pork you will find that 145-degrees is the most common temperature quoted. That is until you come across Alex Delany’s December 18,2017 article entitled “This is the Secret to juicy pork chops, tenderloin, and more” in Bon Appétit. An excerpt from Mr. Delany’s article states “Pork should be cooked medium to medium-rare. Like steak. Like salmon. Like all the best stuff. Now, we pull pork from the heat at 135° and let the temperature rise to 145° as it rests, landing it right in the sweet spot: perfectly pink and USDA approved. (Yeah, the USDA changed its standards too.)”

So, from now on, I will be cooking pork to 135-degrees and then tenting it for about 7-10 minutes (depending on the thickness of the meat) before serving. (The tenting process helps keep the meat warm while it continues to cook and gives the juices enough time to re-absorb.)

But even being moderately overcooked, the pork was still delicious. The marinade had been extremely easy to put together and had given the pork a subtle savory flavor that was enjoyed by all.

So, if you too enjoy pork tenderloin but don’t want to spend a lot of time getting it ready for the grill, this is the recipe for you. Simple ingredients, readily available, and reasonably inexpensive. A magic combination if there ever was one!

Mr. C. has a gig which I will be attending tonight at the Rockfish Grill in Anacortes. That means I don’t have to cook dinner. And as much as I enjoy rattling pots and pans in the kitchen, I also delight in a night off occasionally. So, I’m going to allow someone else to cook for me tonight. And clean off the table and do the dishes. While all the while listening to great jazz. Life just doesn’t get much better, I’m telling you true. And if you cook your pork this way, life isn’t going to get much better for you either.

And as always, peace and love to all.   

An unpaid political announcement: Please don’t forget to vote. And please vote like your kids, grandkids, great grandchildren, nieces, and nephews’ future quality of life depends upon the outcome of the election. Because unfortunately, that just happens to be the case. At least, that’s the way it appears to me. So, please vote for peace, love, and understanding. Not hate, misinformation, and conspiracy theories.

¼ c. extra virgin olive oil

juice of ½ lemon

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

2 tsp. honey

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 tsp. Italian seasoning  

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper 

2 sm. pork tenderloin, all fat and silver skin removed, then patted dry 

Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl.

Pour 3/4ths of the mixture into a large Ziploc bag along with the tenderloins. Smoosh everything together until the meat is coated with marinade. Press out excess air, seal the bag, and chill for 1-2 hours. Or longer if you have the time.

Preheat grill to medium and oil the grates.

Using tongs, transfer pork to the grill. (Discard the marinade in the bag.) Brush the top side of each tenderloin with some of the remaining marinade. Close the grill lid and cook turning every few minutes to ensure even cooking. Brush the meat with more marinade every time you turn it.

The meat is ready to come off the grill when the internal temperature reaches 135-degrees.

Remove from grill and transfer to a cutting board. Loosely tent the meat with aluminum foil and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND RICE STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

I always know when fall has officially arrived because bell peppers go on sale. And because I am who I am, I simply can’t pass by these big beauties without taking a couple four home with me. And although I like stuffed red, yellow, and orange peppers, my favorite is still stuffed green bell peppers. Blame my parents if blame must be assigned. Because they always stuffed green peppers. Of course, there were no red, orange, or yellow bell peppers to be had when I was a kid. Or at least in my childhood grocery shopping memory, there were not an array of colored bell peppers from which to choose. If you wanted a bell pepper, it was green. Period!

But from the first time I can remember stuffed peppers, I liked them. But then, I preferred green onions to ice cream when I was barely walking. (Or so I was told!) So, as the saying goes, there is no accounting for taste.

But as an adult, I still adore stuffed peppers. And often times, what I stuff them with is what I happen to have on hand. In this case, I can attribute this recipe to us bringing home all the non-perishables from our trailer before we take it in for winterization. I had exactly ¼ cup of a rice mixture left in one of our trailer storage containers. (Why I didn’t use that last ¼ cup in the trailer when last I made rice, I will never fathom. But then, there are lots of things about myself that I have yet to understand. So, why should a simple thing like a quarter cup of unused rice be any different? But I digress…….)

Anyway, the rice along with a half-pound of bulk Italian sausage that was languishing in our freezer, and a lone home-grown tomato that desperately needed to be eaten, all contributed to this thrown together recipe. But somehow, it worked. Also, you will notice from the picture that I used 2 red bell peppers. That’s what I had on hand. And they tasted fine. But, next time, I will make this recipe with green bell peppers. I simply like the bite from green bell peppers better. But it’s all a matter of taste, so don’t let me dictate which bell peppers you should use. Use whichever you prefer. Just make the darn things. They are easy to prepare, quite economical, and taste divine. And bake potatoes to go along with the peppers. Add a simple salad or steamed veggie and dinner is on the table. Very little fuss required. And fairly healthy too. And isn’t that we are all after these days.

So, for today, my work here is done. I’ve given you a recipe for a simple, healthy entrée. The ball is now in your court.

Peace and love to all.  

¼ c. rice (I used a rice mixture)

½ c. chicken broth

2 green bell peppers (or red, orange, or yellow if you must)

2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

½ lb. bulk Italian sausage

¼ yellow onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

½ c. diced tomato, fresh or canned

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp. fennel seeds

¼ tsp. dried oregano

pinch crushed red pepper flakes

1 c. grated cheese (Mozzarella, Jack, cheddar, etc.), divided   

Place the rice and broth in a covered saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, leave covered, and simmer for 15 minutes or until the rice is tender but still has some bite. (Most of the broth will be absorbed at this point.) Remove from heat and let sit uncovered until needed.

Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise. Discard the ribs and seeds. Place in a lightly greased shallow baking pan, preferably one with a lid. (If you don’t have a pan with a lid, you can cover the pan with aluminum foil after you have placed the peppers into the pan.)

Heat the olive oil in a large fry pan. And the sausage and crumble as it cooks until it’s nicely browned. Add the onion and cook until the onion is starting to soften. Add the garlic. Cook for one minute. 

Add the diced tomato. Cook until no liquid remains.

Add the salt, black pepper, fennel seeds, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, and cooked rice. Stir to blend all the ingredients.

Remove from heat and stir in half of the cheese. Taste and adjust seasonings. Stuff the half peppers with sausage mixture, dividing equally and gently packing the mixture down.

Bake covered in a preheated 375-degree oven for 60 minutes or until the peppers are tender. Remove from oven, remove lid, and add the remaining cheese on top of the peppers. Return the pan uncovered to the oven. Bake for a few minutes until the cheese is melted. Serve hot out of the oven.