CHEESY ROASTED CAULIFLOWER CASSEROLE

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Cauliflower is one of those veggies that I don’t serve very often. And yes I know that I should fix it more regularly because it’s relatively inexpensive, easy to prepare, and is an extremely healthy vegetable. It’s basically full of nutrients. It also contains unique plant compounds that may reduce the risk of several diseases, including heart disease and cancer. But even with its impeccable pedigree, cauliflower is still a cruciferous vegetable and therefore a bit disdained by my dear husband. And of course there is always the consideration that cauliflower can cause gastrointestinal distress (gas and bloating). Which can be a little disconcerting if you are at a social gathering. But since the onslaught of covid-19, social gathering are prohibited anyway! So really not a problem, at least for now! But I digress…..

So last evening faced with a really large head of cauliflower that definitely needed to be eaten, I went in search of a way to disguise the potent flavor of this veggie.

Now don’t get me wrong. Mr. C. is a really good sport about eating his veggies. Even the ones I know he would never eat if I weren’t around. But because I know that Mr. C. endures rather than enjoys some of the vegetables I serve, I always try my best to make them as palatable for him as possible. And last evening, this recipe I cobbled together received Mr. Cs unsolicited comments expressing overall approval of the dish. (Sometimes the stars really are aligned perfectly.)

So if you too have someone at your table for whom cauliflower is not their favorite vegetable, give this recipe a try. With all the cheesy, creamy goodness going on, your picky eater may not even notice the “white veggie” hidden under the luscious sauce. Just call it “Cheese Casserole”. That should do the trick.

As always, keep cooking, keep playing well with others, keep taking care of yourself, and keep wearing a mask when necessary. We are all in this together. And until every single one of us works as a team, we are never going to reap the benefits of a positive united front against anything, be it Covid-19, racial and social injustice, or a decaying political system. Peace, love, and understanding to all.

1-1½ lg. head(s) of cauliflower, cut into small florets  

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. kosher salt 

freshly ground black pepper

½ c. sour cream 

2 T. whole milk 

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

generous pinch granulated garlic

couple squirts hot sauce (I use Frank’s RedHot sauce)

1½ c. grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided

paprika

2-3 sliced green onions or 2-3 T. chopped fresh chives

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a greased 9×13-inch baking dish, combine the cauliflower with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Make sure every bit of the cauliflower is coated with the seasoned oil. Transfer the cauliflower to the prepared baking sheet making certain the cauliflower is in a single layer. (Do not wash the baking dish.) Roast the cauliflower until crisp-tender, about 12-16 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the sour cream, milk, Dijon mustard, granulated garlic, hot sauce, and ¾ cup of the grated cheddar cheese in the 9×13-inch baking dish. (Yes the same one you mixed the raw cauliflower with olive oil, salt, and pepper. And you’re right, I hate to wash dishes as much as the next gal!)

When the cauliflower is crisp-tender, transfer it back into the 9×13-inch baking dish. Stir it into the sour cream mixture until well combined. Top with the remaining shredded cheddar and sprinkle with paprika. Return to the oven and bake just until the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with the green onions or chives. Serve hot out of the oven.

SOURDOUGH DISCARD HAMBURGER BUNS (added yeast)

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topped with “Everything Seasoning”
topped with sesame seeds
ready to bite into

First thing you should know, cheeseburgers are my favorite food. (No gourmet this gal!) But in all honesty, I have never been able to produce a homemade hamburger as good as say Red Robin’s Guacamole Burger. And for the life of me, I don’t know why that is. But I never stop trying and I am always disappointed with the results. Maybe disappointed is too heavy. Maybe I just wish my burgers were as good as the rockin’ robin can make them! And maybe the real reason I can’t duplicate a restaurant burger is because someone else did the cookin’ of that burger! (Believe me, I’ve gone down that dead end road more than I care to admit.) But even making homemade hamburger buns, using top quality ground beef, and making homemade sauce for the burgers, the overall product is simply not as delectable.

So yesterday when I tried once again to make a superior burger at home, I produced a good imitation, but it still wasn’t as good as the “real” thing. However, the buns were outrageous. There isn’t a restaurant anywhere around that has anything on my buns! Just sayin’!

And even though I seasoned the meat, cut up lettuce, tomatoes, onion, and made perfectly wonderful hamburger sauce and homemade guacamole, I’m still not close to enjoying my own burgers as much as a good old fashioned, fat and sauce dripping off your elbows, much too salty burger that comes from a restaurant or burger stand.

Now I know what you’re thinking. Why keep trying? Why not just go out for a burger once in a while? Well, you’re right. That’s exactly what I should and undoubtedly will do. But darn – I hate when I can’t prepare something at home that’s as simple as a decent cheeseburger. What kind of a cook does that make me? Waaah (pity party happenin’ here folks)

So being the stubborn critter I know myself to be, I will probably just keep trying until either I find perfection or I lose every one of the few remaining wits I still have at my disposal! But now with this recipe, I at least have a really good and simple recipe for delicious hamburger buns. As do you now!

But dang, if you have the secret to homemade hamburger perfection, please share. I am but a “reply” away and would love to hear from you. Or you can email me at chezcarrcuisine@wavecable.com.  

As always, love and peace to all.

BTW – I cut one of the buns in half this morning, toasted each half on the bagel setting, spread them with peanut butter and marionberry jelly, and served them alongside our easy over eggs. Loved every bite. Perfect use for leftover buns.

¾ c. sourdough starter discard

¾ c. lukewarm water

1½ tsp. active dry yeast

1 T. granulated sugar

1 egg, divided

2 T. nonfat dry milk

1½ tsp. kosher salt

4 T. (½ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 T. potato flour (not potato starch)

¼ c. whole wheat pastry flour or regular whole wheat flour

2½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp. water

sesame seeds or Everything Seasoning (recipe below), opt.

In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the sourdough starter, water, active dry yeast, and sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Using your dough hook, mix in the white of the egg (reserve the yolk for brushing the buns before they go in the oven), dry milk, salt, butter, potato flour, whole wheat pastry flour, and just 2 cups of unbleached all-purpose flour.  Mix all the ingredients together for 2 to 3 minutes to make a sticky, cohesive dough. Then knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5-6 more minutes. Add the rest of the flour or additional flour as needed. The dough should not feel sticky, but there might be a bit that sticks to the bottom of your mixer.

Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let rest in a warm place for about 90 minutes or until about doubled in bulk.  

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and form into a round ball. Using a dough scraper or large bladed knife, cut the ball in half, then each half into 4 equal sized pieces. Let dough triangles rest for 10 minutes. Shape each piece into a tight ball and place them on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, or into the lightly greased wells of a hamburger bun pan. (If you use a silicone hamburger bun mold like I do, (see picture) no greasing required.)  

Press the balls gently to flatten them slightly. If you are using a bun pan, the dough should come close to filling the wells of the bun pan.

Loosely cover the buns with a clean tea towel, and let them rise until puffy, about 90 minutes in a warm place.

Twenty minutes before you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Whisk the egg yolk and water together.

Uncover the buns and gently brush them with the egg yolk mixture. (Brush lightly because you don’t want to deflate the dough.) Sprinkle with sesame seeds, Everything Seasoning, or topping of choice.

Bake the buns for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown and a digital thermometer inserted into the side of one bun reads at least 190 degrees.

Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack before serving. Buns can be stored at room temperature for several days in an airtight container. Freeze for longer storage.

“EVERYTHING” SEASONING

2 T. poppy seeds

2 T. sesame seeds

1 T. dried finely minced onion (I semi-crush the dehydrated onion in my mortar and pestle before adding it to the other ingredients)

1 tsp. granulated garlic

1 tsp. kosher salt

Mix all ingredients together and store in an air-tight container.

   

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.  

BUTTERY SOURDOUGH BISCUITS

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OK, these are not your every day, ordinary baking powder biscuits. These guys taste like they are cheese biscuits. I kid you not! And the texture is also reminiscent of a cheese biscuit. (Not what you would consider light and fluffy.) But there is no cheese in these babies. I keep saying cheese, but there is no cheese in any way associated with these darlings. So that means you can serve these biscuits all by themselves with any of your favorite soups or stews, alongside your eggs at breakfast, or any time a cheesy biscuit would be lovely to serve. And no cheese expense involved. And for those of us who are trying (I said trying) to avoid sugar, you don’t even need jam on these puppies. Or even butter. (There truly is enough butter already in the biscuit, so no, no additional butter is necessary.) And these guys are kind of crunchy. Why you ask? I haven’t the slightest idea. But they are!  

Now if you prefer light as a feather biscuits, these are not for you. But I still have you covered. You want the perfect biscuit, try my Easy Buttermilk Biscuits. They are truly de light ful. But if you want a biscuit that is just a bit different, quick and easy to build, and helps you use your sourdough discard, you simply must give these darlings a try. (Thank you King Arthur Flour for the recipe.)

For breakfast yesterday morning, I went whole hog and served us each a full biscuit that had been split (carefully), toasted, then filled with bacon, scrambled eggs, thinly sliced cheddar cheese, and a couple drops of hot sauce. Oh baby, those were really tasty breakfast sandwiches.

Now this recipe really only makes 4 biscuits. So if you have a hungry mob to feed, I would suggest you double the recipe. For us, these biscuits will be perfect for 3 breakfasts. And because they are so darned fast and easy to build, I’m going to be serving them a lot in the future.

As always, take care of yourself, take care of your family, and be the kind of person who respects other people and can also point to yourself in the mirror and say “I like and respect that person too!”  

For over a decade, the Staple Singers recorded songs that were very political in nature. The songs focused on the issues of racism, and contributed to the African American civil rights movement by persuading people to learn to respect themselves. The song, Respect Yourself, (lyrics below) written by Luther Ingram and Mark Rice and recorded by the Staple Singers in 1971, was actually written as a message song to encourage self-empowerment and dignity, especially within the black community. Even though the words are almost 50 years old, they remain a good reminder to each of us of the importance of respect. Love and peace to all.

Respect Yourself Lyrics:

If you disrespect anyone you run in to…….

How the world do you think anybody’s s’posed to respect you?

If you don’t give a heck ‘bout the man with the bible in his hand……….

Just get out the way and let the gentleman do his thing!

You the kind of gentleman that want everything your way……….

Take the sheet off your face boy, it’s a brand new day.

Refrain:

Respect yourself, respect yourself.

If you don’t respect yourself ain’t nobody gonna give a good cahoot – Respect yourself, respect yourself

If you’re walkin’ round think’n that the world owes you something ‘cause you’re here,

You goin’ out backwards like you did when you first come here.

Keep talkin’ ‘bout the president won’t stop air pollution………

Put your hand on your mouth when you cough, that’ll help the solution.

Oh, you curse around women and you don’t even know their names……

And you dumb enough to think that make you a big ol man!

Refrain:

Respect yourself, respect yourself.

If you don’t respect yourself ain’t nobody gonna give a good cahoot – Respect yourself, respect yourself

Recipe:

1 c. unbleached all-purpose flour 

2 tsp. baking powder

¾ tsp. kosher salt

8 T. (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, grated

1 c. sourdough starter discard

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir the grated butter into the flour until the mixture is unevenly crumbly. Add the starter, mixing gently until the dough comes together.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and gently pat it into a square 1-inch thick. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 4-6 square biscuits.   Place the biscuits onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2″ between them. (They’ll spread a bit as they bake.) Bake for 20 to 23 minutes, or until a light golden brown and feel set to the touch.

Remove the biscuits from the oven and serve warm. Or cool completely, wrap in plastic, and store at room temperature for several days. Heat before serving. (I split mine and used the toaster. Worked great!)   

PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP BLONDIES

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Now I know these bar cookies are not on my list of foods that should be eaten on a daily basis. They are not even on my list of foods OK to have once a week. However, they are now on my list of easy and delicious treats that I plan to repeatedly enjoy to satisfy my ever expanding peanut butter craving. Of course, by eating these blondies it’s not only my craving that is expanding. But this ugly reality can be left until our country is back to normal and my mental health is back to its usual happy, contented existence. (If either of these conditions actually happen, given the circumstances we are currently experiencing in America, I will be the first one to profess a belief that miracles can and do actually happen! Until then, it’s a cookie once in a while as a reward for keeping any burgeoning insanity in check!)

So if you too would profit by a sweet nibble, I most definitely recommend you give this recipe a try. I found the recipe on the sallysbakingaddiction.com site. I did make a couple of insignificant changes, but mainly because I didn’t have some of the same ingredients on hand that are called for in Sally’s recipe. So I can take no claim for this wonderful recipe. And truly, it is a wonderful recipe. The blondies are soft, and moist, and just bursting with flavor. I served them last evening to dear friends (social distancing of course), and they were proclaimed a winner.

As always, stay connected with what’s happening around you. But don’t let all the displayed hatred, fighting, and ignorance change who you are, what you stand for, or how you relate to others. And I know it’s not easy. In fact, I’m finding it quite difficult to even be civil to people who display outward signs of bigotry and injustice, and who flaunt their perceived civil rights in other people’s faces by not wearing a mask. Literally – other people’s faces. But I can’t let them win. I can’t let them turn me into an undisciplined, over-reactive person for whom moral integrality is just a thing of the past. Or simply an idealistic concept that no longer has any meaning in today’s world. I can’t let that happen. I fervently pray I won’t let that happen.

Luckily, I have a wonderful husband, a great family, and terrific friends to help me find my way through these unchartered waters. I hope you too are blessed with intelligent, reasonable people who are steadfast in their desire to remain decent, knowledgeable, and concerned with others, not just themselves. Peace and love to all.

¾ c. (1½ sticks) unsalted butter

2 c. brown sugar, packed

¾ c. creamy peanut butter (not the natural kind)

2 lg. eggs 

1 egg yolk

1 T.  vanilla extract (yes, tablespoon)

2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour (fluffed)  

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. kosher salt

¾ c. peanut butter chips

¾ c. milk chocolate chips

In a large glass mixing bowl, melt the butter in your microwave. When melted let sit for about 3 minutes before whisking in the brown sugar until well combined. Then whisk in the peanut butter, eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla until completely combined.

In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Add to the butter mixture. (I use a regular old table knife to stir the batter because it’s quite thick.) Finally stir in the peanut butter chips and the milk chocolate chips. Spread the batter evenly into a lightly buttered 9×13-inch pan.  

Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Test the blondies with a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan. If it comes out wet, the blondies aren’t done. If there are only a few moist crumbs, or none at all, the blondies are done. (Don’t overbake or the blondies will be dry.)

Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely before cutting into squares.

Cover and store leftover blondies at room temperature for up to 1 week.

 

  

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.    

RANCH STYLE SALAD DRESSING

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Yesterday when I was planning what to serve for dinner, I decided a big old chef salad would hit the spot. Mainly consisting of a variety of veggies, with a few small pieces of salami, ham, cheese, black olives, and sun flower seeds thrown in for good measure. But what salad dressing to go with all these beautiful ingredients? So, I asked Mr. C. if he would prefer an oil and vinegar based dressing or perhaps a ranch style dressing as a change of pace. He thought a ranch dressing would be nice. So a ranch dressing it would be! I already had a Ranch Dressing and Dip recipe on this site, but I was in the mood to play mad scientist. So I donned my lab coat and pocket protector and went to work.

I have always enjoyed the combination of sour cream, mayonnaise, and buttermilk. So that was the starting point. And equality seems to be one of the most talked about themes in today’s society, so I decided equal amounts of these delightful ingredients should form the base of my new experiment. Then what next? Well, I took a look at my other ranch dressing recipe, and went from there. The dressings are very similar, but just enough different to be interesting. And of course I added my three secret “ingredients” that I always add to every dish I prepare. And in doing so yesterday afternoon, I realized I had never shared my secret “ingredients” with all of you. (And yes, incredibly remiss of me!) So here goes.   

As with all of the dishes I make, be it a main dish, side, salad, dessert, appetizer, or whatever, there are three “ingredients” I invariably add at some point in every preparation. These ingredients can’t be purchased in any store or even through Amazon prime. There is no cost involved, and no additional prep time required. They are simple ingredients really. But I believe they are essential to the outcome of any dish.

The first is a whole bunch of respect for the ingredients in the dish I am preparing. The second is a modicum of confidence in my ability to use the ingredients to full advantage. And the third and most important, is a ton of love thrown in for the person or persons for whom the dish is being prepared.

With these three indispensable “ingredients” always at the forefront of my thoughts with every dish I prepare, I figure I’ve got half the battle won. Even if no one else knows about my secret “ingredients”, I know they’re there! And that makes me happy. (And I truly believe it makes the food taste better.) So I would strongly advise that you too include these “ingredients” in every culinary endeavor you undertake.

As always, stay safe, stay connected, and try to enthusiastically embrace the main things we all should have learned in kindergarten:

– Share everything

– Play fair

– Don’t hit people

– Put things back where you found them

– Clean up your own mess

– Don’t take things that aren’t yours

– Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody

– Wash your hands before you eat

Peace and love to all.

½ c. mayonnaise

½ c. sour cream

½ c. buttermilk

¼ c. chopped fresh chives or 1 T. dehydrated chopped chives

2 T. minced fresh parsley or 2 tsp. dried

½ tsp. granulated garlic

½ tsp. granulated onion

½ tsp. seasoned salt

¼ tsp. dried dill weed

freshly ground black pepper

Combine all the ingredients together in a covered container. Refrigerate. Best if made a couple hours before you plan to serve. Before using, give the dressing a good stir, taste, and add a tiny bit more seasoned salt if necessary.

CREAM CHEESE AND CHUTNEY SPREAD

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It was really fun to try a new slant on one of my favorite appetizers, Baked Brie with Curry Powder, Chutney, and Toasted Pecans last evening. We had been invited to dinner (social distancing rules in place, of course) at the home of our dear friends Jim and Margo.  I had offered to bring an appetizer, hence the reason for fixing an appetizer in the first place. (And no, we don’t usually enjoy appetizers before our evening meal unless we are entertaining. I do understand when and where to draw the line in our quest for a reasonably healthy life style!)

Anyway, in deciding what appetizer to prepare, I remembered that I had some cream cheese in my fridge quickly coming to the end of its shelf life. I also had a partial jar of mango chutney staring me in the face every time I opened the refrigerator door. So I did what I often do. I searched under the ingredients I wanted to use, in this case cream cheese and mango chutney. Then I simply took my pick of all the recipes that were metaphorically speaking – laid at my feet. (In other words, I let some other cook do all the heavy lifting so that I could take all the credit. (My mom never raised no dummy!)

Anyway, with a tiny bit of modification, this recipe from the food.com site is perfection personified. The flavors in this spread are unusual, so really fun to serve in that regard. And creamy and rich without being cloying. And visually attractive. And wonderfully easy to prepare. And I know I talk a lot about ease of preparation in my recipes. But the older I get, the more I search out fast and easy ways to bring delicious food to our table. And I’m not even busy raising children or working for a living. I’ve already had that pleasure. But I can still empathize with those of you who are busier than you have ever been. So I like to feature recipes that can be fixed with a minimum of effort.

Now granted, some of my favorite recipes like Kouign Amann, might be classified as “for later when I have nothing better to do” by many of you. I get that. When I had kids at home and was a working mother, I would have pitched a recipe like that right into my much used circular file. And instead would have settled for baking a cake or making a batch of cookies. Any labor saving device I could use to fill the kids tummies while at the same time preparing tasty and nutritious food. It’s a real balancing act for a busy home cook. And believe me, for many years I knew that proverbial pivot point (or should I say breaking point) all too well.

So when I mention that a recipe is easy to prepare, it’s really for my own benefit. But the end result is that it might help you out too. I simply like ease of preparation. It works for me in my golden years, and I hope it works for you as well. (And yes, once in a while I still go crazy and prepare a food item that takes hours to prepare. But this is happening less and less as the years go by.)

As always, stay active, stay productive, but stay reasonable. If you need to put your feet up, do so. If you need help, ask for it. If you can make a positive difference in someone’s life, please make it happen. But not at the expense of losing your own health or happiness. No one should even consider asking that much of you. Peace and love to all.

4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

1 tsp. curry powder (like McCormick)

¼ tsp. ground ginger

¼ c. minced green onions

¼ c. golden raisins, roughly chopped

¼ c. mango chutney

¼ c. chopped cashews

Combine the cream cheese, curry powder, ground ginger, most of the chopped green onions, and raisins together. Spread about ½-inch thick on a small plate. Spread the chutney evenly over the cream cheese mixture and sprinkle with the chopped cashews and reserved minced green onions. Serve at room temperature with crackers.  

SOURDOUGH WHOLE WHEAT AND OAT SANDWICH BREAD (added yeast)

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And yes, that tiny, perfectly round hole you see on pictures of most of the breads I bake is from my taking the breads temperature. I like my bread to be healthy. (And done!)

Even though I have more bread recipes than any one person can reasonably hope to bake, I’m always trying new combinations of ingredients to up the nutrition and flavor for that one slice of bread I allow myself to eat every day. Now please understand, if my body would allow it, I would eat some type of bread with each of my meals. Because I love bread. Matters not if it’s in the form of a loaf, or English muffin, or bagel, or cornbread, etc. etc., I love them all. But as I’m aging, or should I say, as both Mr. C. and I are accumulating years, we absolutely need to cut down on carbs. Wahhh. But carbs are what make everything taste good. So how to handle this predicament? (It really is an unpleasant reality of growing older.)

Well, the first thing to consider is the nutritional value of the carbs that we do eat. Because truly, you can’t get away from carbs. For example, we both love sweet potatoes, brown rice, and lentils. Yes they are high in carbs, but they are none the less very, very good for us. We just need to learn to enthusiastically embrace portion control. (Like that’s ever going to happen!)

So this bread contains oats. Oats may be one of the healthiest whole grain foods on this planet. It also contains some whole wheat flour and whole milk. (BTW, since we use very little milk, we always buy whole milk.) An interesting fact about milk from the Guardian:

“Low-fat milks may contain 1% or 2% fat, while whole milk contains 3.25% fat. Cup for cup, whole fat milk contains fewer carbohydrates than low-fat or skim because more of its volume is made up of fat, which does not contain lactose. It also has slightly less protein.”

So bottom line. Yes this bread contains carbohydrates. But it has some redeeming qualities too. Besides being full blown, in your face, really and truly delectable. And undeniably easy to build.

So if there is one bread recipe I would advise a novice sourdough bread baker to try from the plethora of bread recipes that grace this site, it would be this one.

As always, stay safe, stay savvy, and stay happy. Peace and love to all.

1 c. sourdough starter discard, at room temperature

2 tsp. active dry yeast

2 T. honey

1 T. extra virgin olive oil, plus more for rising the dough

¾ tsp. kosher salt

½ c. + 2 T. whole milk

1 c. old-fashioned rolled oats

¾ c. whole wheat flour


1½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour (more or less as required)

Combine the sourdough starter, yeast, honey, olive oil, salt, and milk in the bowl of your stand mixer. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Using your dough hook, stir until combined. Stir in the oats, whole wheat flour, and enough of the all-purpose flour to form a rough, shaggy dough.

Knead the dough for about 5 minutes or until the dough comes together into a smooth ball. (There probably will still be a bit of dough languishing on the bottom of the bowl. Ignore it.) The finished dough should still be sticky, but should easily form a ball and feel elastic.

Pour a bit of olive oil over the dough, and using your hands, roll the dough (even the recalcitrant dough from the bottom of the bowl) into a ball. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for about 1½ hours. (It won’t quite double in bulk, but it should look larger and puffy.)

Roughly shape the dough into a loaf, then place in a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan. Pat the dough into the corners of the pan and flatten the top as much as possible.

Loosely cover the dough with plastic wrap that has been lightly coated with cooking spray (greased side down). Let loaf rise for 60-75 minutes or until the dough has just cleared the top of the pan.  

When you see the dome of the loaf just starting to peek over the top of the pan, pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. (This should give the oven time to pre-heat before the loaf is ready to bake.)

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the loaf is dark brown and registers at least 190 degrees on an instant read thermometer.

Remove from oven and tip the loaf out onto a cooling rack. Let cool completely before slicing. Store 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.