Fritter Style Cornbread

This is not a light and fluffy cornbread. It is a dense, moist, and totally delicious treat. You can add butter or honey or both, but the muffins are also delicious all by themselves.

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup corn meal

1/3 cup soft butter

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons diced green chilies or diced jalapenos

1/2 cup cooked corn

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 cup grated pepper jack cheese

Put all ingredients into a glass mixing bowl; stir well, brush the bottoms of a muffin tin, and scoop batter into the tin. This recipe makes 12.

Bake at 375 for 18 - 20 minutes

Cool slightly before removing the muffins from the tin. The cheese can make these stick a bit. Use a plastic knife to separate the muffins from the sides of the wells. Most muffin tins are nonstick, and the plastic will not scratch the coating.

You can also bake this in a cast iron skillet. The baking time will be slightly longer. Test for doneness by pressing the middle to see if it springs back.

We are healthy only to the extent that our ideas are humane. Kurt Vonnegut

Marinade for Roasted Vegetables

Because I like to cook with whatever is in the house, I have formulas for some things rather than recipes. A recipe implies that you should have certain ingredients to make the food taste right or to make it work. Most of the time, that isn't the case. Most things have a ratio that will allow you to substitute a whole array of ingredients. In addition to using up what you have around, formula cookery results in some novelty and discovery. 

We like to roast vegetables rather than steam or boil them because the flavor is concentrated and intensified in the roasting. With some of the water content gone and a bit of caramelization, new flavors emerge. The best example of this is how many people like roasted Brussells sprouts, but do not care for them cooked with any other method.

The sauces can be drizzled over the vegetables in whatever quantity you like. I like to drizzle a little when I first put them in the oven and then again about 15 or 20 minutes before I remove them from the oven.

Formula for Marinade

Tang - wine vinegar, rice vinegar, cider vinegar, lemon or lime juice - about 1/4 cup

Sweetness - honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, jelly - especially pomegranate - about 1/3 cup

Fat - butter, avocado oil, olive oil, ghee, or some combination of those - about 1/2 cup

Liquid - broth, wine, fruit juice, water, beer - about 1/3 cup

Flavoring/Umami - soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, chili pepper flakes or powder, caraway seed powder, dill weed, mustard, coriander, fennel, ginger, garlic, etc. How much of these flavorings you use is totally unique to who's doing the eating. But all of these are generally measured with spoons rather than cups.

There is no reason not to use the same formula for meat marinade, as well.

Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.

Jaryd Clifford

Pumpkin Cranberry Nut Muffins

This quick bread recipe has a distinct holiday feeling, but I can also envision serving it at a springtime brunch. Days are getting longer and soon we will be eating on patios and porches again. The cranberries in this recipe give the sweet bread a lively tartness that will complement any breakfast entree.

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup white sugar

1 cup of cooked pumpkin

2/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts or whatever you might have on hand

1/2 cup chopped fresh cranberries (You can use the dried version, if it's not the season for fresh.)

2 eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup soft butter

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons vanilla

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 rounded teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

This recipe will make 18 medium sized muffins. Four or five small loaf pans might be an option, too.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes (muffins) or 30 minutes (loaf pans). Test for doneness by pressing on the middle. It should spring back and feel fairly firm.

The more efficient you get, the more you become a limitless reservoir for other people's expectations.

Jim Benson

Tempura and Ponzu

This stuff is so delicious, and not terribly complicated. It is good without any ponzu sauce, but the sauce is so simple to make, you will definitely want to try it.

I cubed the tofu and set it on a clean towel to drain away excess moisture.

The tempura mix consists of equal parts: cornstarch, nutritional yeast and wheat flour and a teaspoon of salt. (Try rice or potato flour if you don't want gluten.) Use about 1/3 cup of each. 

Toss the cubes in the dry mix and gently lower into hot oil. Used about a quarter inch of coconut oil in a frying pan at medium heat.

 

Fry for 4 or 5 minutes; then flip (carefully) to crisp the other side. Stir a little to make sure all the pieces are coated with oil. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and drain on some paper toweling.

The ponzu sauce consists of:

Soy sauce - about a half cup

The juice of 1 lemon and 1 lime

A tablespoon of vinegar

And a couple of teaspoons of honey

Drizzle a little over your crispy tofu for a real treat.

Good for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.

Mignon McLaughlin

Shaved Carrots and Sliced Brussels Sprouts

Veg! Veg! Veg!

It seems like we can't get too many vegetables. We all want to eat as many as we can. This is a tremendously simple way to jazz up a couple of old favorites.

To make this dish in a 9 x 13 casserole, you will need about 6 - 8 large carrots. I made the carrot curls with my peeler, but if you have a mandolin, this would be an ideal use for it.

Use about a dozen and a half sprouts. Shuck the outside leaves and slice them quite thin.

Sprinkle a little salt and pepper over these; and put them in the oven uncovered at 350 for 20 minutes.

While these are roasting, make a drizzling sauce of:

3 tablespoons melted butter

3 tablespoons soy sauce

Juice of 1 lime

3 tablespoons of honey

2 tablespoons of dill weed

2 tablespoons of parsley

When the 20 minutes are up, drizzle half of the sauce over the vegetable mix. Bake for 20 more minutes.

Drizzle the rest of the sauce over the mix and cook for a final 20 minutes. The sweet roasted goodness of these is amazing. Enjoy!

Glory follows virtue as if it were its shadow. Cicero

Crab Stuffed Twice Baked Potatoes

 I was searching my kitchen for something to plump up my twice baked potatoes and struck gold. I opened a can of crab meat, drizzled some fresh lemon juice over it, sprinkled some chili powder on it, and added it to the potato spice mix.  Voila!

1. Slice the leftover baked potatoes in half and scoop out the insides.

2. Set the shells on a baking sheet and put some melted butter into the potatoes - at least a tablespoon per potato.

3. Ad some parsley flakes, bouillon powder, black pepper, ground caraway, and sauted onion and garlic to the potatoes. If you are pressed for time, you could get away with onion and garlic powder.

4. Mix the crab/lemon/chili powder into the potatoes and mix it all together well.

5. Fill each of the potato shells; top with paprika and bake at 350 for about a half hour.

These are so delicious! You might want to try them at a dinner party.


No problem can be solved at the level of consciousness at which it was conceived,
Albert Einstein

Sweet Potato Breakfast Bake

Sweet Potato Breakfast Bake

Cooked sweet potato - about 2 cups
The canned ones would work. You can also easily roast your own by popping them in the oven whole until they are soft and then scooping out the inside.

3 eggs

1/2 cup butter/bacon drippings blend Or coconut oil if you prefer

1/2 cup ricotta cheese (Silken tofu for a dairy free version)

3 tablespoons brown sugar or honey or maple syrup

1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon chili powder blend (not pure chili powder)
A couple tablespoons of spiced dried kale flakes - if you keep this kind of thing around. If not, throw in some parsley and call it good.

1. Use an electric mixer to beat the eggs, the add all of the other ingredients and mix thoroughly.

2. Spread in a 9 x 13 glass baking dish

3. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

4. Top with crumbled bacon and serve warm.

This is an easy and hearty breakfast. You could mix it up the night before and stick it in the fridge to pull out and bake in the morning. In this case, I would add the bacon crumbles in the morning just before baking.


Beauty scatters the seeds of hope in us. Sister Joan Chittister

Color Cole Slaw

 

Color Cole Slaw

We have some lovely purple cabbage in our garden, so it seemed like a good time for a new twist on cole slaw. It's a great side dish and could also be used as a garnish for fish tacos.

2 cups shredded purple cabbage

2 cups shredded Napa cabbage

3/4 cup diced red bell pepper

3/4 cup diced celery

1 1/2 cup grated carrot

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons caraway powder

2 tablespoons dill weed

1/3 cup balsamic vinaigrette 

Stir and let sit at least a half hour before serving, so that the flavors have a chance to blend a little.

The amounts are not critical; this my best estimate of what I actually used.

Mighty things from small beginnings grow.  John Dryden

HOT STUFF BREAKFAST

This dish works best when the squash comes fresh from the garden. Pick them when they are no longer than 5 or 6 inches. The smaller the squash, the more flavorful they are.

Summer squash – all colors, sliced very thin
Chopped artichoke hearts
Fresh herbs - Chives, basil, oregano and marjoram all work well.
Poblano or Anaheim chili if you like a little heat
An Ortega chili will work if you want to start the day in a milder style
Olive oil and butter
Salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese - Reggiano if you’re feeling fabulously rich

1. Chop the pepper into small pieces and saute in olive oil.

2. While the peppers are sauteing, wash and slice the squash. Put the thinly sliced squash pieces into the saute mix, sprinkle on some salt and pepper, and continue to saute for another 5 to 10 minutes.

3. Add the herbs, butter and the artichoke hearts; then turn the heat to low. Cover the pan so that everything heats through.

4. Sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of grated Parmesan  on the vegetables just before you remove them from the stove. (Leave this out for a dairy free option.) The cheese will melt quickly and acts as a flavor enhancer for the fresh herbs and vegetables.

Serve with bacon, sausage, or eggs or all by itself for a light, but invigorating breakfast!

Man's mind stretched to a new idea never goes back to its original dimensions.
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr

Edible Bouquet

This isn't cooking in the strictest sense, but you will be welcome at any party with this simple summer recipe.

Put a few colorful items on a wooden skewer and stick them in a pint size canning jar. You can also mix up a vinaigrette for people to drizzle over the skewers when served.

Some items to put on skewers:
Green or black olives
Mozzarella balls
Radish slices
Cherry tomamtoes
Mushrooms
Deli meat - In this picture, chunks of deli turkey were wrapped in lettuce leaves
Bell pepper pieces
Cucumber slices
You could also add fruits such as berries or melon chunks

Vinaigrette:
A couple tablespoons of mustard
A splash of Moscato wine
1/2 cup garlic flavored olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
A rounded teaspoon of dill weed
A pinch of curry powder

Enjoy! The best part of this might be that you won't have to use the oven or the stove.

How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. Annie Dillard

Roasted Eggplant with Pomegranate Sauce

Peel and cut eggplant into 1 inch cubes
Cut mushrooms into chunks

Add chunks of red pepper, tomato, or thin slices of carrot for color.

Sprinkle the mixed vegetables with sea salt, and a drizzle of olive oil and roast them in a shallow pan at 325 degrees for about 35 minutes. Then pour the pomegranate sauce over the vegetables and turn the heat to 350. Roast uncovered for about 20 more minutes or until eggplant is very tender.

Serve over rice with chicken or shrimp.

Pomegranate sauce:
1/4 cup of pomegranate jelly*
1/4 cup of olive oil or butter
2 tablespoons of soy or tamari
1/2 teaspoon each of ginger, thyme, salt, and curry
A splash of red wine and a bit of mustard are also good.

Melt the jelly slightly in the microwave before mixing with the other ingredients. If you use butter, you can melt that along with the jelly.

* You could also use pomegranate molasses or pomegranate syrup. I use the jelly because it's what I have around most of the time. Even pomegranate juice could work in this recipe.

Yams with Fruit

We eat yams year round, but it seems they should get dressed up for the holidays. Any fruit will work - pears, apples, persimmon, oranges - anything that can be sliced.

Slice the potatoes and fruit into a casserole dish of any size.

Make a baking sauce using any or all of the following ingredients:

Bacon grease or olive oil

Butter

Salt

Cinnamon

Curry powder

Pinch of rosemary or thyme

Fruit juice

Almond extract or vanilla

Honey or maple syrup

Amounts are not too critical. I used about a third cup of the butter mix, a quarter cup of fruit juice and 3 tablespoons of honey. Spice to taste. You can veer toward sweet or savory. I used more curry than cinnamon. Melt the butter sauce, add spices and pour over the slices.

Sprinkle some chopped pecans or walnuts over the top. Bake covered with foil for 1/2 hour. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes more - all at 350 degrees.

Serve at any meal. This makes a great breakfast, a popular side or a good one-dish meal.

Fennel Slaw

Have you seen these beauties at the farmer's market and wondered what to do with them? They are full of flavor and they are very versatile. They can be sauteed just like onions and garlic and added to meat and vegetable dishes, but the best new thing I've found is to use them in a crunchy, tangy salad.

Chop: 
1 peeled apple
3 stalks celery
1 fennel bulb
1/2 small cabbage
A few of the fennel "feathers"

Grate:
3 large, peeled carrots

Mix the chopped and peeled vegetables together and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and a couple tablespoons of lemon or lime juice.

Mix with 1/2 - 3/4 cup of a creamy salad dressing. Avocado, honey mustard or ranch are all great options.

Take this to your next picnic or barbeque. It will be a hit.

Each of us guards a gate of change that can only be opened from the inside.
Stephen Covey

Best Tomato Soup Ever

This tomato soup recipe is based on the traditional Italian vodka sauce recipe, but without the 

vodka. Carrots are what give the vodka sauce it's sweetness, so they are included here to 

balance the acidity of the fresh tomatoes.

4 medium size carrots - peeled and diced 

12 medium tomatoes - peeled

4 cloves garlic

1 medium onion - cut into chunks 

4 cups chicken or turkey broth 

Tarragon, salt, pepper, basil 

Creme fraiche (Substitute whole fat coconut milk for a dairy free option)

1/2 cup hand grated Parmesan cheese (Leave out for dairy free)

1/3 cup red wine 
2 cups chopped, cooked turkey 

1/2 cup cooked rice (brown, white or wild)

1. Chop the garlic, onion and carrots; put in slow cooker on high  

2. Blanch* and peel the tomatoes. Chop these and remove some of the seeds, 

but don't worry too much about seeds. add them to the cooker. 

3. Add broth and let this simmer slowly for 2-3 hours until the carrots and onions 

are very soft. Cook your rice while the vegetables are simmering and set it aside.

4. Remove from heat. Let cool. If you want to do this over two days, 

you can refrigerate the soup at this point. 

5. Use a hand blender to puree the tomato carrot mix. You can do this 
while the soup is warm, but avoid blending while hot for all kinds of obvious 
reasons. 

6. Return to slow cooker on high setting and add red wine, rice, cooked turkey 

and spices. 

7. Stir in the creme fraiche and the Parmesan cheese. If you're going dairy free, 

simply add some full fat coconut milk instead.

8. Taste and add more seasoning if necessary. 

9. Enjoy! 

*To blanch the tomatoes, immerse them in boiling water for about a 

minute and a half. Cool and peel. The skins should slip off easily. 

Setbacks are inevitable; misery is a choice.

WB Yeats  

Vegetable Medley

Potatoes
Carrots
Green beans
Red bell peppers
Asparagus
Olive oil
Butter*
Salt
Tarragon
Curry
Dill

This dish has three layers and three roasting times, but is is easy to prepare and an instant favorite.

First Layer: Peel and chop potatoes and carrots into chunks that are about 1 inch cubes.
Put these in the bottom of a glass dish; drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and very lightly with tarragon.
Bake at 375 for 25 minutes.

Second Layer: Wash and snip the stems from green beans, chop a large red bell pepper, and layer these over the partially cooked potato/carrot layer. Add a few dots of butter, sprinkle with salt, and just a tiny bit of curry. Return to oven for 15 minutes.

Third Layer: Add asparagus with woody ends removed, a tad more salt and butter and a light sprinkling of dill.
Return to oven for 10 minutes.

The potatoes and carrots will be cooked through, the beans and peppers will be slightly crisp, and the asparagus will be tender.  The seasonings blend perfectly, thanks to the addition of olive oil and butter. Who could ask for more?
*For a dairy free option, use olive oil in place of butter.

A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.
Walter Winchell

Cheesy Potato Snacks

"Snacks" might be a bit misleading. A couple of these will work for me for lunch or breakfast any day. They are easy to put together, pretty to look at, and most likely a crowd pleaser. They would make a nice hors d'oeurve if it's going to be a while before dinner is served.

Use leftover baked potatoes; cut each one in half and scoop out the middle. (Save this for a breakfast hash.) Leave about 1/4 inch of potato in each skin.

Place the skins on a cookie sheet. Add the following to each potato skin:
1 teaspoon butter
1 chopped fresh basil leaf
2 tablespoons soft herbed cheese or 1 ounce jack cheese

Sprinkle with paprika or turmeric and bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes.

While they are baking, chop some fresh tomato and avocado. Add these as soon as you remove the potatoes from the oven.

There is no such thing as an end unaffected by the means used  to obtain it.
Anne Perry 

Hearty Greens and Leek Soup

It would be hard to describe how good this soup tastes. Something about the combination of leeks and fresh greens is total deliciousness with every bite. I am always looking for ways to cook those all important greens, and this does the trick very well.

Large pan of chopped greens - spinach, beet greens, kale, bok choy, Swiss chard

These should cook down to approximately 1 1/2 - 2 cups of cooked greens.

Olive oil

2 leeks

3 cups almond coconut milk

1/3 cup butter

Curry powder

Salt

Small pieces of asparagus or broccoli to add while soup simmers

1. Remove large stems from greens and cut into 1/2 inch strips.

2. Saute greens in a large skillet with olive oil and salt.

3. Saute leeks in a separate pan with a little olive oil and butter.*

4. After leeks are soft and greens are cooked down, let both cool for about half an hour.

5. Put greens and leeks in a soup kettle with 2 cups of almond coconut milk and purée them with an immersion blender. 

6. Add 1 more cup of almond coconut milk, remaining butter, curry powder and vegetable pieces.

7. Simmer on low for 10 - 15 minutes. Add salt or more curry powder if needed.

8. Serve with avocado slices or rice crackers or both:)

*Leave out butter if you want a vegan or dairy free option.

You cannot find peace by avoiding life.
Virginia Woolf