VEGETARIAN LENTIL SOUP

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OK, I know. Most lentil soups are vegetarian. But I felt compelled to make certain, right from the onset, that you knew that this soup contained no meat or meat products. Mainly because most of the main dish recipes I post contain meat as the primary protein. But not this recipe. Lentils are the protein star of this show. And in fact, according bbcgoodfood.com “Lentils are a rich source of protein making them a great alternative to meat or fish. As much as a third of the calories from lentils comes from protein, which makes lentils the third highest in protein, by weight, of any legume or nut”. 

In addition to the lentils being super good for us, all the veggie action happening in this soup makes it a very healthy, high fiber choice to serve for lunch or dinner. Plus, it tastes really, really good. Of course, I can never leave well enough alone. I had to bake some cornbread to go with the soup. But the cornbread – Classic Buttermilk Cornbread (recipe to be posted in the near future) contains no added sugar. So, at least I get points for serving my new recipe for cornbread in place of some of our other favorites containing sugar. (Mr. C. and I both loved the cornbread. Plus, it was darned easy to build. As was the soup BTW.)  

So, if you too love a great bowl of lentil soup, give my version of a recipe I found on the cookieandkate.com site a try. (Great site BTW.) And, trust me, you will not miss meat in the least when you savor the wonderful flavor and heartiness of this soup. And as far as serving this healthy soup with cornbread, well, life is short my friends. And good food is one of life’s greatest pleasures. So, if I stick to the old aphorism “all things in moderation”, serving a modest sized piece of cornbread along with the soup is well within reason! (My story, and I’m sticking to it!)

Peace and love to all.

¼ c. extra virgin olive oil

1 med. onion, chopped

2 carrots, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

4 garlic cloves, finely minced

2 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. curry powder

½ tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. seasoned salt

pinch crushed red pepper flakes

freshly ground black pepper

1 (14-oz.) can tomatoes (Italian preferably)

6 c. water

2 T. vegetable base (I use Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base)

1 c. brown or green lentils, rinsed and picked over

2 c. chopped fresh spinach, collard greens, or kale

2 T. fresh lemon juice, or more to taste

crumbled feta cheese, opt.

Heat the olive oil in a large covered Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is turning translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic, cumin, curry powder, thyme, seasoned salt, crushed red pepper flakes, and lots of black pepper. Cook for 1 minute. Add the canned tomatoes, breaking up any large chunks (if any), and cook for a few more minutes. Stir in the water and vegetable base.

Bring to a boil, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Simmer for about 30 minutes. Add the lentils, and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape.

Add the chopped greens and cook for about a minute. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning, including more curry powder if you are a true curry lover.  

Great topped with a bit of crumbled feta.

     

FRUIT AND NUT GRANOLA WITH OLIVE OIL AND MAPLE SYRUP

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Fiber, fiber, fiber! Fiber appears to be the new battle cry of the health food evangelists that have taken over my Facebook. And yes, I get it. We all need fiber in our diets. Especially those of us over a certain age. But OK, all ready. If we have reached that certain age, we already know when we aren’t getting enough fiber in our diet. (Mother nature has a very effective way of letting us know. No subtlety required!)

Now, if you have no idea what I’m talking about, you are either young or you are well and truly blessed. But seriously, for more information simply search the internet under “why is fiber so important as we get older” and all will be revealed.

Now one very effective way to ramp up the fiber in our daily diet is to include a small portion of granola for breakfast every morning. Doesn’t have to be a lot, and it doesn’t mean you have to give up that easy over egg you so dearly love. (No wait. That’s me that has to have my daily egg. You might not even like eggs!)

Anyway, if you are like Mr. C. and me, we usually have a good-sized breakfast. A very small portion of meat (half a slice of bacon or one link sausage), one egg, a piece of toast or half a bagel, a small bit of yogurt, half a tiny orange each (winter) or berries on our yogurt (summer), and a quarter cup granola. I know it sounds like a huge breakfast, but we do not allow ourselves snacks after dinner, so we are usually ready for a fair amount of food by the time I finally get our morning repast on the table. (I am not a morning person. I need my hour or so after rising to read the paper and drink my Americano before I can successfully find my way to our kitchen. But most days breakfast comes before 10:00, but not by much!)

If you have perused my blog at all, you might have noticed that I already have several recipes for granola already posted. And if you were paying attention to what I wrote above, you also know that we eat a lot of granola. And being the gourmands that we are, our palates demand variety. Thus, another new granola recipe to share with you.

And because this granola is made with olive oil rather than butter, and maple syrup rather than granulated or brown sugar, I feel like this is a healthy varietal to add to my collection of granola recipes. Plus, it’s very easy to make, contains no scary ingredients, and tastes wonderful.

So, do yourself and your family a favor. Make homemade granola. It is ever so much tastier than anything you can buy off a shelf. Plus it contains more of everything that’s good for you and none of the ingredients for which there is actually no known pronunciation!

As always, peace and love to all.  

½ c. pure maple syrup

½ c. extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. ground nutmeg

6 c. old-fashioned rolled oats

3 c. nuts (pecans, almonds, walnuts, etc.)  

1 c. flaked coconut

2 c. dried fruit (chopped if necessary) (apricots, dates, blueberries, cranberries, cherries, raisins, etc.)

Preheat oven to 300-degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the maple syrup, olive oil, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together. Then stir in the oats. Spread mixture on a rimmed baking sheet in an even layer and bake for 25 minutes. (Don’t wash the bowl.)

Add the nuts and coconut. Bake for an additional 20 minutes or until the oats are a light golden brown.

Remove from oven and transfer the granola back to the large bowl and add the dried fruit tossing to combine.

Allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

   

JALAPEÑO POPPER STUFFED ZUCCHINI

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In my never-ending quest to get more veggies into our diet, I added 2 small zucchinis to the list for our last round of grocery shopping. Mr. C. does most of the shopping these days, for various reasons, and he came home with 2 perfect little squash. So, yesterday afternoon while deciding what to serve with salmon, I decided to make stuffed zucchini. I already have a great recipe for Cream Cheese and Parmesan Stuffed Zucchini, but I wanted a filling that had a bit of a bite to it, to offset the subtle flavor of the salmon. So, I adapted my original recipe to what you find below. And oh, my, word – the zucchini was extraordinarily yummy. Just enough jalapeño to tantalize our tastebuds, but not enough to bring tears to our eyes. (Oh, there actually were a few tears shed, but only because we would have enjoyed having leftovers.)

So, if you too love zucchini and would like a new and exciting way to serve this terribly versatile veggie, I recommend giving this recipe a go. Easy to prepare, common ingredients that everyone should have at their disposal, and super delicious. And if by some crazy chance you aren’t familiar with pickled jalapeños (I like Mrs. Renfro’s Nacho Sliced Jalapeño Peppers), then you are in for a new treat. I always have a jar on hand. Great for nachos, in guacamole, to perk up refried beans, in fillings for enchiladas, etc. etc. Oh, they are also fantastic in my Jalapeño Popper Dip. So, put pickled jalapeños on your grocery list if you don’t already have some in your refrigerator, and make something fun to eat with this delicious product. And always remember to play with your food. (Even if your mother told you not to.)

Peace and love to all.

3-4 T. cream cheese, room temperature

¼ c. finely grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 T. sour cream

1 T. chopped pickled jalapeño

pinch granulated garlic

pinch seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 small zucchini (about 6-inches each), cut in half lengthwise and seeded

paprika

Mix the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, sour cream, chopped pickled jalapeño, granulated garlic, seasoned salt, and pepper together.

Place the zucchini halves in a baking dish. Equally fill each cavity with the cream cheese mixture. Very lightly sprinkle with paprika.   Bake in a pre-heated 375-degree oven for 30-40 minutes or until the filling is puffy and slightly brown. Serve hot.

CREAMY LEFTOVER TURKEY AND WILD RICE SOUP

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OK, I don’t know about your household, but in this house my husband pays attention to what is in our freezer. Now I know that sounds strange, so allow me to elaborate.

We have a two-story house. The bottom level includes a two-car garage (including a second refrigerator/freezer combination), a work room, a storage room, a utility room (where the freezer lives), a big closet under the stairs, and a wine cellar. And most of the time, Mr. C. is the one who visits the basement on a regular basis. So, while he is downstairs doing “whatever”, I often ask him to bring up items from the freezer. And since we only have a stand-alone refrigerator in the kitchen, his visitations to our freezer is almost a daily occurrence. Therefore, Mr. C. knows what’s in our freezer much better than I. (We do have a stand-alone ice maker in our pantry adjacent to the kitchen, because, well, doing without a ready source for ice cubes would be inconceivable.)

So, yesterday morning, I mentioned that I had no idea what I was going to prepare for dinner. He hastily reminded me that there was one lone package of leftover turkey that probably should be used in the very near future. I had already been thinking of some kind of soup to serve for dinner, so I very sweetly asked him if he would retrieve the leftover turkey the next time he found a need to visit the basement. 

But I wasn’t quite in the mood for my regular standby Turkey Noodle Soup. (But I assure you, it is also a delicious way to use leftover turkey.) I was simply in the mood for something creamy. (When am I not in the mood for something creamy?) Anyway, I found this recipe (with a few adaptations by yours truly) on thefoodcharlatan.com site. And I must say, this is one of the best soups I have ever tasted. Absolutely delicious. And no, I am not going to wait to make this soup again until I have leftover turkey. I may actually buy a turkey breast next time I go to the grocery store just so that I have turkey meat available when I want to have this soup again for dinner. Like next week. It is just that good!

So, I hope you give this soup a try. It’s easy to prepare, includes every day ingredients, and is relatively inexpensive to produce. What more could you ask?

Peace and love and hot soup to all.

8 c. chicken broth, divided

½ c. wild rice*

pinch kosher salt

5 T. unsalted butter, room temperature, divided

1 lg. onion, chopped

1½ c. chopped celery (including leaves)

2 c. shredded carrot

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 tsp. seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. dried poultry seasoning

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 bay leaf

2-4 c. chopped leftover cooked turkey (a mixture of dark and white meat if possible)

3 T. unbleached all-purpose flour

¾ c. heavy cream, half & half, or even whole milk

2 T. fresh lemon juice

1 T. chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish

1½ tsp. finely chopped fresh sage

½ tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary

In a small, covered saucepan, bring 2 cups of the chicken stock to a boil. Stir in the wild rice and pinch of salt. Reduce heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer for 55-60 minutes or until the rice is tender. Remove from heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large stock pot, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and celery. Cook until the onion is translucent. Add the shredded carrot and garlic; cook for 1 minute. Then add the seasoned salt, black pepper, poultry seasoning, dried thyme, bay leaf, and remaining 6 cups of chicken stock.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes or until the shredded carrot is tender.

Add the turkey and cooked rice. Bring to a boil. While the soup comes to a boil, mush the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter together with the flour. Gradually stir the semi-Beurre manié** into the soup.

When the soup thickens a bit, add the heavy cream, lemon juice, parsley, sage, and rosemary. Bring back to a boil, remove from heat, taste, adjust seasoning, and discard the bay leaf.

Serve garnished with chopped parsley or herb(s) of choice.  

*Despite its name, wild rice is not rice at all. It is the seed of an aquatic grass like rice, but it is not directly related. Wild rice grows naturally in shallow freshwater marshes and along the shores of streams and lakes.  It is only referred to as “rice” because it looks and cooks like real rice. Wild Rice is rich in antioxidants and is considered a healthy option to white rice. The low calorie and high nutrient contents make wild rice a nutrient-dense food. It’s a very impressive source of minerals and a great plant-based protein source.  

**I call it semi-Beurre manié, because true Beurre manié is equal parts butter and flour. And for those who are unfamiliar with the term, Beurre manié (French “kneaded butter”) is a dough, consisting of equal parts of soft butter and flour, used to thicken soups and sauces. By kneading the flour and butter together, the flour particles are coated in butter, resulting in no nasty little flour lumps in your perfectly prepared soup or sauce. And as far as the butter part? Well, everything tastes better with a bit of butter.

  

SOURDOUGH CHALLAH BREAD (with added yeast)

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First let me say that I love the flavor and texture of challah. Toasted, buttered, and slathered with local honey is fantastic. But, with these two loaves, I cut them into small cubes and toasted/dried them in the oven for turkey dressing. (Of course, I did save 2 thick slices for toast one morning, but I still had plenty for the dressing.) And just like every other time I’ve made dressing, I over-achieved. Way too much dressing, and not up to my usual standard. I thought I didn’t have enough challah cubes for the dressing, so I used some whole wheat bread cubes, and even cut up a few slices of seed bread I had in the freezer.

So, I must say, the next time I make dressing, I will use only challah bread. The toasted whole wheat and seed bread cubes were just too heavy. Had I just used the challah cubes, the dressing would have been fine. (And a reasonable amount. What was I thinking?)

But please don’t limit your enjoyment of challah to using it in turkey dressing. It has so much more to offer. It is perfect just toasted, but when turned into French toast, even the dullest of mornings becomes special. Slathered in butter and topped with warm maple or berry syrup, absolutely nothing is more delicious. (And yes, always warm syrup before serving it to the most important people in your life. I mean really! Who could possibly be more important or deserving than the people sitting around your breakfast table?)   

Well, that’s it for now. I’m not going to bore you any more rhetoric today, except to say, if you are a bread lover, give challah a try. You will forever be thankful for discovering this culinary treasure.

And a big thank you to Lora, from the savoringitaly.com site, for this splendid recipe.

And as always, peace and love to all.  

1 c. warm water 

1 pkg. or 1 scant T. active dry yeast  

1 tsp. plus ⅓ c. granulated sugar, divided

2 tsp. fine sea salt

4½ to 5 c. bread flour, divided 

4 lg. eggs, divided

¼ c. vegetable or canola oil, plus more for greasing the mixer bowl

1 c. room temperature sourdough discard 

poppy or sesame seeds, opt.

In a mixer, with a dough hook attachment, combine the warm water, yeast, and the 1 teaspoon sugar. Let the yeast bloom for about 5 minutes. Then slowly mix in the salt and 1 cup of the bread flour until well combined.

Mix in 3 of the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add in the remaining one-third cup sugar, oil, and sourdough discard. Add enough remaining flour to create a dough that is a bit sticky, but soft and smooth. (This should take several minutes of kneading to achieve.)   

Pour a bit of oil over the dough and form into a ball. There should be a film of oil over the entire surface. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size (about 60-90 minutes).

When the dough has risen, punch it down. Shape each portion per instructions given below for either classic or batard shaped loaves.  

Classic Challah Shape: (this method makes 2 challah loaves)

Divide the dough into 6 equal portions. Shape each portion into a ball and allow to rest covered with plastic wrap for 5-10 minutes.

With clean, lightly floured hands, begin to shape and gently stretch three of the dough balls into log shapes. Place the dough logs on a very lightly floured work surface and use your hands to roll and pull them into long rope-like strands. Use even pressure as you roll the dough to maintain an even thickness along the length of each rope. Place the challah dough ropes on a baking sheet that has been lightly greased or lined with parchment paper. (The ropes should be lined up, side by side, but not touching. Leave at least an inch between each rope so that you have enough room to braid. If one of your dough ropes is thicker or smaller than the others, make that one the center strand.

Firmly pinch the ends of the dough ropes together at the top end. This will hold the top of the loaf together while you braid the dough. Tuck the braid ends under the loaf to help hold them together while you braid, and while the challah bakes.

Begin to braid the challah by lifting the dough rope on the right and passing it over the center rope (the rope to the immediate left). The rope that was originally on the far right now becomes the center rope. The original center rope is now on the right. The rope on the left has not moved. Take the dough rope on the left and pass it over the center strand (the rope to the immediate right). The rope that had been on the left is now in the center. Continue braiding the challah by alternately placing the right rope over the center rope, then the left rope over the center rope. Try to keep the braid fairly tight as you work your way down the loaf. When you’ve braided all the way to the bottom of the loaf, pinch the ends of the dough ropes together, and tuck them under the loaf. This will give your challah an attractive, tapered shape, and help hold the braid together while the loaf rises and bakes.

Repeat the process with the other 3 strands of dough.

Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a draft free place for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

When ready to bake, brush with egg wash. (Egg wash is made with the remaining egg and a few drops of water whisked together). Sprinkle with poppy or sesame seeds if desired.

Bake the challah in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 35-40 minutes. The internal temperature should reach 190-degrees. (Check after 30-minutes. If the bread is getting too brown, cover with aluminum foil for the remaining time in the oven.)

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before slicing. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Batard (Football) Shaped Loaves: (this method makes 2 large loaves) (I bake the bread this way when I am using the bread for bread pudding, stuffing/dressing, or any recipe that calls for an egg rich bread.)

After the dough has doubled, punch it down and divide into 2 pieces. Shape into 2 elongated loaves and place on a lightly greased or parchment paper lined baking sheet. Cover, and allow the loaves to rise for 45-60 minutes. Brush with egg wash. (Egg wash is made with the remaining egg and a few drops of water whisked together).

Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 35-40 minutes. The internal temperature should reach 190-degrees. (Check after 30-minutes. If the bread is getting too brown, cover with aluminum foil for the remaining time in the oven.)

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

   

SIMPLE ITALIAN VINAIGRETTE

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Made this dressing last evening. Simple to prepare, and because I was feeling lazy, the only thing I had to mess with was the fresh lemon juice. No chopping onion or fresh garlic, etc. etc. And while I was juicing the lemon, I remembered that I hadn’t shared my new “trick” with you. So, today before I started writing up this post, I took a few pictures.

Now you know I don’t usually take an abundance of pictures. Because to my thinking, there is nothing worse than going to a blog and seeing at a minimum, 9 pictures of the same thing. I don’t have that kind of time. I just want a few choice words, then give me the darn recipe thank you, and let me be on my way! (And yes, I’m getting cranky in my old age!)

So, if you aren’t interested in getting more juice from your lemons, then don’t go all the way to the bottom of this post. But if you are intrigued by the shear idea of more juice per lemon, I’ll forgive you if you stop reading at this point and jump right to the juicy part of this post.

I assume you’re back now, so I’ll tell you how much we enjoyed this dressing on a simple salad of romaine, arugula, baby spinach, grape tomatoes, and sunflower seeds. We were practically fighting over the last little bits. (OK, not really, but every little bit of the salad was enthusiastically eaten.)

So, even if you have been making your own salad dressing since God was child, I think you will find this delicious dressing (compliments of Christina at thewholecook.com website with a couple minor changes by me) to be a great addition to your salad dressing recipe collection.

As always, have fun in your kitchen. And eat salads like they are going out of style. Veggies are good for us. And although green salads will never be my favorite dish to prepare, salads are still one of my favorite dishes to eat. So, you do the math!

Peace and love to all.  

¾ c. extra virgin olive oil

¼ c. red wine vinegar

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. granulated garlic  

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried basil

¾ tsp. kosher salt, or more to taste

½ tsp. granulated onion

freshly ground black pepper

pinch crushed red pepper flakes

Place all ingredients in a covered jar. Then shake like crazy. Store in fridge.

How to get more juice from a lemon. (At least this method works for me!)

Cut the nub end off half a lemon.
Then cut off the rind. Be careful to cut off only the yellow part.
Place the cut end down in your lemon squeezer gismo. (At least, I believe that’s the technical name for this helpful tool.)
What’s left after you extract the juice.

I don’t know if I actually get that much more juice cutting off the rind. But I sure know my arthritic hands appreciate not having to squeeze the juicer as hard.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE PASTA WITH ROASTED RED PEPPERS AND MOZZARELLA CHEESE

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Well, once again laziness and frugality paid off here at Chez Carr.

I had a couple of left-over Italian dinner sausages, half a jar of Cento brand roasted red and yellow peppers, and a couple of cups of shredded mozzarella cheese in the fridge that either needed to be used or added to the yard waste barrel. (And no, they were neither engulfed in blue fur or too far gone to use safely. Just great ingredients that really should be used before they went bad.) So, what immediately sprang to mind was a pasta dish. (Unfortunately, pasta is never far from what’s on my mind, but that’s a discussion for another day.)

So, I decided a quick and easy “lasagna like” casserole for a lazy Saturday evening meal would be perfect.

Starting with my old standby marinara recipe, I deleted a couple of ingredients, added a couple of others, and came up with what you see written below. And OMG, for the brief time I spent on this dish, it tasted like I had spent hours slaving over its preparation. Plus, I got to use part of a package of strozzapreti pasta in the process. Which BTW, we discovered we really liked. (I had been a bit reluctant to try it because A) it is hard to find in our part of the world, B) I thought it might be difficult to eat, and C) because I’d purchased it two or three years ago and it might no longer be good.) Well, not only was it still good; it was absolutely delicious. And my hesitation about the shape making it hard to eat; completely unfounded. Of course, I did break the roughly 3-inch pieces in thirds, which significantly reduced any chance of choking. (Read about the history of strozzapreti below.)

So, if you too love a pasta casserole, give this recipe a try. And don’t be afraid of using fennel seed. After all, it’s what makes Italian sausage so delightfully delicious. Stay safe everyone. And peace and love to all.

3 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided

½-1 lb. Italian dinner sausage, cut into thin slices (or bulk Italian sausage)

½ med. onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely minced

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

1 c. chopped roasted red/yellow peppers (Cento brand is amazing)

1 bay leaf

pinch crushed red pepper flakes

1½ tsp. dried oregano (I use Mexican oregano)

1½ tsp. ground fennel seed

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

6 oz. strozzapreti*, gemelli, or fusilli pasta – cooked al dente

2 generous c. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

In a large fry pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the sliced Italian sausage and cook until the sausage is nicely browned on both sides. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a medium sized heavy covered pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onion and cook just until softened. Add the garlic and cook for one minute.

Add the chopped or diced tomatoes, roasted red peppers, bay leaf, crushed red pepper flakes, oregano, ground fennel seed, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile lightly butter a 9×9-inch baking dish. Set aside.

After the sauce has burbled for 30 minutes, stir in the browned sausage and al dente pasta. Scoop half of the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Then sprinkle with half of the shredded mozzarella, them layer on the remaining sauce. Sprinkle on the remaining shredded mozzarella cheese.

Bake uncovered in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 5-7 minutes before serving.

*To quote Chef Stef “Strozzapreti is the taller cousin of cavatelli and the gangsta of the pasta family. Strozzapreti‘s name literally means “Priest Stranglers”. Yes, in the Middle Ages this pasta was designed to choke priests to death right in front of you as you were having dinner. The Heimlich maneuver hadn’t been invented yet.  But a hatred of paying taxes to the church had been. Furthermore, medieval Italy had a love of curses. Apparently a sfoglina (female pasta maker) would mutter a curse damning the priest with each cut of pasta. Think of strozzapreti as the semolina version of John Wick**!”

**Apparently, John Wick is a fictional character and the titular protagonist of the neo-noir action thriller film series “John Wick,” portrayed by Keanu Reeves. John is a legendary hitman who had retired until a gang invades his house, steals his car, and kills the puppy that his late wife Helen had given him.

 

SPICY BROCCOLI BEEF

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I am always happy when I make any kind of Asian dish for dinner. And over the years, Mr. C. has learned to enjoy Asian dishes just about as much as I do. Of course, he will never truly appreciate a dish containing bok choy, but as far as I’m concerned, that’s his loss! More for me! And although broccoli is never going to make Mr. C. want to do cartwheels on our front lawn (we don’t even have a front lawn), he has learned to enjoy broccoli in its many culinary iterations. And to say that I love broccoli is an understatement. I could eat broccoli every day, in one form or another, and be perfectly content. So, when we sat down to this dish recently, we both loved every bite.

And for all of you out there who know how labor intensive many Asian dishes are to prepare; this easy recipe is going to please you no end. And as far as I’m concerned, this is a one dish meal when served over rice. You got your meat, veggie, and side all there on your dinner plate. What else would you need?

If you prefer ground beef to steak, you might like to check out my recipe for Ground Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry.

Well, that’s it for today. I have some emails to answer, the protagonist in the book I’m reading to tag along with, my daily 20-minute workout to perform, and the recipe for tonight’s dinner still needs a bit of revising.

So, I wish you all a lovely weekend. And please be extra careful while you are away from the safety of your own home. We have several friends and relatives who have recently contracted covid. And even though they are fully vaccinated, and super careful when they are with others, they are never-the-less ill from this disease. No one needing hospital assistance (at least yet thank God), but still feeling poorly and confined to their homes. So, stay vigilant.

And as always, peace and love to all.

3 T. soy sauce or tamari

1 T. dark soy sauce (or another tablespoon of regular soy sauce)

2 tsp. sesame oil

2 tsp. finely grated ginger

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

½ lb. sirloin steak, very thinly sliced

2 T. cornstarch

¼ c. beef broth  

1 T. brown sugar  

3 T. veggie oil, divided

3 c. broccoli florets and peeled stems  

4-6 sliced green onions, plus more for garnish

steamed brown or white rice

Whisk the regular soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes together in a bowl.  Add the sliced steak and let marinate for 1 to 4 hours.

Place the cornstarch in a bowl. Remove steak from marinade, letting the marinade drip off a little, and drop the meat in the cornstarch. Stir the meat around until it is totally coated with cornstarch. Reserve any liquid remaining after the steak has been removed from the bowl. Stir in the beef broth and brown sugar. Set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large wok or heavy frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the steak and cook until the first side is nicely browned. Flip and only cook the beef for a minute more. Remove to a bowl and set aside.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan along with the broccoli. Stir fry, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli is crisp tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in the green onions and cook, stirring the whole time, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the marinade to the pan and bring to a boil. Let burble for a minute or so until the sauce thickens up a bit. Then taste and adjust seasoning.

Serve over rice. Garnish with additional green onions, if desired.

   

LAYERED MILK CHOCOLATE AND WHITE CHOCOLATE FUDGE (BLACK AND WHITE FUDGE)

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When I asked Mr. C. what kind of fudge to make for Christmas, he immediately remembered the layered fudge he had thoroughly enjoyed at our good friends Tim and Suzie’s home. We were having a bit of a social hour after the guys (TimE3 Jazz – Tim, Todd, and Andy) completed their Sunday afternoon rehearsal. And a variety of fudge was available for the starving musicians. (Food and adult-beverage rewards are always appreciated! By both the band members and their wives!)

So, I decided to come up with a recipe. And the recipe you find below worked out just fine. Not only is it decadently delicious; it looks delightful on a tray of assorted Christmas goodies. But this fudge is much more than just a Christmas confection. It would be perfect for Valentine’s Day or as a special gift for someone’s birthday or anniversary. This fudge is just that good!

I made the bottom layer with milk chocolate, but it could easily be prepared with semi-sweet or even dark chocolate if that would be your preference. Matters not.

I don’t know about you, but I am darned glad the holidays are over. Not that I don’t love seeing everyone and that all the festivities aren’t fun. But boy do I get pooped these days. But now that the tree is untrimmed and all the decorations are safely tucked away in our downstairs storage room, I can get back to doing what I like best. And that’s trying out new recipes and sending them on to you through the magic of the written word. And not only do I love writing out the recipes, I also very much enjoy writing up the introductions. That’s because I love to read. And have been an avid reader since I was a small child.

I know I miss valuable information by not watching TV. But I do read the paper every day, discuss significant issues with our highly educated and informed friends, and read Heather Cox Richardson’s daily report. But the places I get to visit and characters I get to meet through reading books has always been more satisfying than too closely following the shenanigans of the men and women who are currently trying to shift our country from a democracy to an oligarchy. So, my New Year’s resolution is to continue keeping semi-informed. While at the same time staying sane by reading as many books as possible. (And yes, I know, being an ostrich is not always the best choice. But I figure my sanity is worth a bit of sand in my beak!)    

As always, peace and love to all.

Milk Chocolate Fudge layer:

3 c. granulated sugar

¾ c. (1½ sticks) unsalted butter

1 small can (5-oz.) evaporated milk (2/3 cup)

2 c. milk chocolate chips (12-oz. pkg.)

1 7-oz. jar marshmallow crème

1 tsp. vanilla

Line a 10X16-inch pan with foil and coat lightly with nonstick spray.

Heat sugar, butter, and evaporated milk to a full rolling boil in a heavy saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil on medium heat until candy thermometer reaches 234 degrees, stirring constantly to prevent scorching; about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips and marshmallow crème until melted. Stir in the vanilla.

Spread immediately and evenly into the prepared pan. Cool at room temperature while you prepare the white chocolate fudge.

White Chocolate Fudge layer:

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

20 oz. white chocolate, roughly chopped (And no, white baking chips are not a substitute. I use Callebaut White Chocolate Callets (chips).)  

3 T. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

In a large, glass bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk, white chocolate, and butter. Place the bowl in your microwave and heat the ingredients over medium heat until the white chocolate has melted, and the mixture is completely smooth, about 8 minutes. Stir often during the process.

The mixture will be quite thick. Carefully spread the fudge over the milk chocolate fudge layer and smooth the top. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before cutting.

Remove from fridge, lift the fudge out of the pan, remove the foil, and cut into small squares. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Serve either cold or at room temperature.

CREAMY BAKED CHEESY CAULIFLOWER

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So, OK, how do you get your family to eat veggies? I don’t know about you, but when I served “icky” veggies to my kids as they were growing up, I had to resort to tactical maneuvers even highly trained military experts would be proud of! Secret Sauce, for example. (See “recipe” below.) And the other secret ingredient was cheese sauce. And make that plenty of cheese sauce, thank you very much!

And now that my kids are all grown up, I still need to fuss with cruciferous veggies because Mr. C. will never fall into the category of cruciferous veggie lover. He loves other vegetables, like anything that goes into a green salad. But cruciferous veggies, at least the ones I can get him to eat at all, must be fussed with. Which I don’t mind doing for him, because I love “Secret Sauce” and cheese as much as the next gal.

So, the other evening when I served cauliflower per this recipe, all decked out with cheese and bacon, he ate it without wincing. (I actually think he liked it quite a bit, but he would never admit it!)

So, if you too have members of your family who wouldn’t mind if the only two veggies they were ever served were potatoes and corn, give this recipe a try. Most people, regardless of age, love bacon and cheese. And there really isn’t that much of either in this recipe. So, do yourself a favor. Feel good about serving yourself and your family a healthy vegetable. And as far as the rest of the ingredients are concerned, well, at least the cauliflower isn’t being deep fried, or breaded, then deep fried, or breaded, deep fried, and served with a buttery cheese sauce. It really could be prepared a lot more caloric and unhealthier. (My story and I’m sticking to it!)

As always, remember that variety is the spice of life. And that there are just so many wonderful veggies from which to choose. And I know, when you are a busy person just trying to get dinner on the table, the last thing you need is a fussy recipe for the vegetable. So, save your fussing for your days off. Just don’t forget to serve those veggies. Because everyone, regardless of age, needs the ruffage that veggies provide. And the vitamins, etc. etc. Plus, if you are like me, I often prefer the veggie portion of dinner, over the meat. (And no, I’m not contemplating vegetarianism.) We just eat a lot less meat than we used to. And even as a toddler, I preferred green onions over ice cream. (Or so I was told.) So, I have a long history, and I do mean a long, long history as a veggie loving critter. But I love ice cream now too. Mores the pity…….

And sorry there’s no picture. My brain was apparently on post-Christmas hiatus.

Peace and love to all.

½ lg. head cauliflower, cut into small chunks

2 oz. cream cheese, room temp.

¼ c. Greek yogurt

pinch kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 T. minced green onions

2 T. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

3 slices diced bacon, cooked crisp (divided)

½ c. grated sharp cheddar cheese

paprika

Steam the cauliflower until crisp tender.

Meanwhile, stir the cream cheese, Greek yogurt, salt, pepper, green onions, Parmesan cheese, and ¾ of the crumbled bacon together in a large enough bowl to accommodate the sauce and the cooked cauliflower.

When the cauliflower is cooked to crisp tender, add it to the bowl and gently mix until all surfaces of the cauliflower are covered with the cream cheese mixture. Or a close proximaty.

Scoop into a lightly buttered 9-inch square or equivalent sized casserole or baking dish. Even out the surface, then top with the cheddar cheese and the reserved bacon.

Sprinkle on a bit of paprika and bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Serve hot.

Secret Sauce

1 part mayonnaise

1 part soy sauce

Stir the two ingredients together and serve with any of your favorite, or least favorite vegetables.