Fresh Cranberry Sauce

I know this is last minute as tomorrow is Thanksgiving but you really should try this cranberry sauce. Get yourself a 12 ounce bag of fresh cranberries and add the following.

Orange Juice                           1 cup
Granulated Sugar                    1cup
Red Onion, minced                 1/4 cup
Fresh Garlic, minced               1-2 cloves
Fresh Ginger, minced              2 Tbsp
Cayenne Pepper                      pinch or to taste
Fresh Parsley, minced              2 Tbsp

Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. It's best to cool over night but can easily be made the same day. Sweet and savory and goes well with more than just turkey. After Thanksgiving when the stores are trying to off their excess stock of cranberries buy a couple of bags and toss them in the freezer. Try this sauce with a roast pork loin or some pan seared pork chops. It also goes great with grilled or roast chicken or even duck for you hunters out there. Give it a shot I'm sure it's something you will definitely enjoy!!!

Old Fashioned Beef Stew

Well I've been kind of busy and haven't posted in quite a while but hopefully things will slow a bit and I can get back on track. Cool weather is upon us and it's time for some soups and stews. Today we will make a hearty beef stew. I think you will find this easy to make and well worth the effort. You will need a 7 quart sauce pan preferably with a heavy bottom. Now you can buy a roast and chunk it up yourself but you will find it to be a lot less work if you buy stew meat already cut. If you go to a store with a meat department such as Fareway or Tom's you will get a better quality than if not. Let's list ingredients.

Beef stew meat                                                   2 pounds
Salad oil                                                             2 Tbsp
Yellow onion, large diced                                    1 large
Carrots, peeled and cut in coins                          4 medium
Celery, chopped                                                 1 bunch
Diced tomatoes, petite                                         1-14.5 ounce can
Beef broth                                                          3-14.5 ounce cans
Italian seasoning                                                  1 Tbsp
Black Pepper, fresh ground                                  to taste
Garlic Powder                                                     2 Tbsp
Parsley flakes                                                      2 Tbsp
Cayenne pepper                                                  pinch
Cornstarch slurry to thicken

Heat your pan with medium high heat. Add the salad oil and the stew meat and cook until the meat is fully browned. While the meat is browning you can add all the seasonings. I didn't use any salt in this recipe as beef broth is usually rather salty but if you must go ahead and add a little as needed. Once the meat is browned add the vegetables and let them cook a little. When the onions are starting to turn translucent add the tomatoes and the beef broth. Mix this all well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about an hour and one half or until the meat is nice and tender. If you feel that there isn't enough liquid you can always add a little water.  At this point you want to make a slurry with cornstarch and water. For this amount I would mix 1/3 cup of cornstarch with 1/3 cup of water. Add this mixture to the simmering stew, I usually add about 1/2 and check the thickness then add more as needed. After you achieve the desired thickness let the stew simmer for about 10 minutes and serve. Pair this up with some buttermilk biscuits or cornbread and you have a great meal that everyone is sure to enjoy!!!

Penne Pasta with Meat Sauce

Pasta, there are just so many things you can do with pasta. All the different kinds of pasta and the sauces.....well it's endless. This is a quick pasta dish that I'm sure you will enjoy. I have added a little heat and some sweetness to the sauce so it is unlike your traditional pasta with meat sauce. The Cajun spice gives it a little zip and the sugar balances out the acidity of the tomatoes. Add a nice green salad and some garlic bread or Parmesan toast to this dish and you have a great meal that is quick and easy to prepare. If you really don't care for the spicy stuff you can leave the Cajun spice out of this recipe with out a problem but I would encourage you to give it a try, it really is good stuff and it's not so much spice that it over powers the dish. Lets get started, here's what you'll need:

Penne pasta                                                        1 pound
Ground beef, 85% lean                                       1-1/4 pound
Yellow onion, diced small                                   1 medium
Garlic powder                                                    2 Tbsp
Parsley flakes                                                     2 Tbsp
Italian seasoning                                                 1 Tbsp
Black pepper, fresh ground                                 lots (about 50 turns of mill)
Cajun spice                                                        1 Tbsp or to taste
Petite diced tomatoes                                         1-28 ounce can
Crushed tomatoes                                              2-28 ounce cans
Granulated sugar                                                1/4 cup

Cook the pasta as directed on the package. While you are waiting for the water to come to a boil in another 6 to 8 quart pan brown the ground beef with the onions and add all the seasonings as it cooks. When the beef is fully cooked drain the fat from the beef and then put the beef back into the pan. Add all the tomato products and mix well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until pasta is done. When your pasta is done drain it well and add it to the meat sauce. Mix it well and bring it to a simmer. Add the sugar and mix well. Check the flavor and adjust the seasonings as desired. I started with 1 Tbsp of Cajun spice and then checked the flavor. You can add a little more or a lot more as you desire but it is best to add a little at a time as you can always add more but it becomes difficult to take it away. The same with the sugar, 1/4 cup is a good starting point and then add more a little at a time if so desired. Tomatoes sometimes will differ in their acidity so the amount you use may not always be the same. For the Parmesan toast just slice up a loaf of French bread, butter both sides, sprinkle with garlic powder and then sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese. Give it a little pat and turn them over and do the same to the other side. Bake in a 400 degree oven on a sprayed cookie sheet for 10 to 15 minutes and serve it up with your pasta and a nice tossed salad. There it is, quick, easy and delicious for all to enjoy!!!

Honey Soy Glazed Salmon Fillet

Salmon is one of those fish you just have to like. It has a unique flavor and is full of omega fatty acids and other vitamins and minerals that are good for you. There are many ways to prepare Salmon and today we are going to marinate it and sear it. I prepared this for a dinner at the college president's home last Sunday as I stated in my previous blog and it seemed to go over pretty well. I had one person that attended tell me the next day that she didn't really care for Salmon that much but she thought this dish was very good. I hope that you will like it as well. We have several recipes to do here as I prepared a glaze for the Salmon and also prepared wild rice cakes as an accompaniment . It all went together very well so lets get started. Lets make the marinade for the Salmon first. For this you will need:

Soy Sauce                                                                    1 cup
Water                                                                           2 cups
Honey                                                                          2 cups
Lime Juice                                                                    1/2 cup
Rice Wine Vinegar                                                        1/4 cup
Fresh Ginger, minced                                                    1/2 cup
Green Onions, chopped                                                10 each
Salmon Fillets, skinless 4 ounce                                     14 each          
Sea Salt                                                                        little, to taste
Black Pepper, fresh ground                                           little, to taste
Garlic Powder                                                              little, to taste

Combine all ingredients except the salt, pepper, garlic and Salmon and mix well. Season the fish lightly with the salt, pepper and garlic and place in a dish or bowl large enough to hold it all and put about 1/2 of marinade over the Salmon. Refrigerate until time to cook. Marinate Salmon just 1-2 hours. Reserve remaining marinade for sauce which we will thicken later. While the Salmon is marinating its time to make the rice cakes. Here's what you'll nee for rice cakes.

Water                                                                    4 cups
Wild rice                                                               2 cups raw
Red bell pepper, diced                                           1 large
Green onions, chopped                                          10 each
Sea salt                                                                  to taste
Black pepper, fresh ground                                     to taste
Eggs, large                                                             6 each
All purpose flour                                                    1/4 cup

Bring water to a boil and add rice, return to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 45 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. While rice is cooking cut red pepper and green onions. If desired the rice may be cooked a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator until you are ready to make cakes. Doing so will shorten your time in the kitchen to prepare this meal. Once the rice is cool mix in the peppers, green onions, eggs, flour and seasonings. Okay, the rice cake mix is ready, the Salmon has been marinating for at least an hour, if you plan to have a vegetable it should be prepped, I guess it's time to cook.  If you have an electric griddle it will work great to cook your Salmon and the rice cakes, heat it to about 350 degrees. If you are preparing the full recipe it will be easier to par-cook the Salmon and then finish it in the oven. Place a small amount of salad oil on the griddle and place Salmon on griddle. Cook just long enough to get some color, it should only take a few minutes, turn Salmon over and cook just a few minutes on the other side. Remove and place Salmon on a cookie sheet and hold there until time to finish. Heat your oven to 400 degrees, the Salmon will only take about 5 minutes to finish when it is time. Now would be a good time to make your sauce also. Place reserved marinade in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. You will need a slurry to thicken the sauce. You should have about 3 cups of marinade for your sauce, for this you will need to mix separately 1/3 cup of cornstarch with 1/3 cup of water. When marinade comes to a boil whisk in slurry, return to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm until time to serve. You can make the sauce while you are par-cooking the Salmon. Give the griddle a quick clean, I would just wipe it good with a paper towel, apply a little oil to the griddle and start cooking the rice cakes. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to portion your cakes. Place a 1/4 cup of rice cake mixture on the griddle and flatten out a little to make a 3 inch cake. I would be steaming my vegetables at this point also. Cook cakes about 4 or 5 minutes and turn. Now you want to put the Salmon in the oven. Cook the rice cakes another 5 minutes and everything should be done. Time to serve. Now if you really wanted to make service time a lot easier you can par-cook the Salmon and cook the rice cakes earlier in the day placing them both on separate cookie sheets and refrigerate them for later. When it is time to eat place the Salmon and rice cakes in the oven when you serve your salad. In a 400 degree oven they should be hot and ready in 10-15 minutes so about the time you are finishing your salad your entree will be ready to serve. I started this meal with a wild mushroom appetizer which you saw in my previous blog, followed that with a Caesar salad and of course next came the Salmon. We finished our meal with a dessert that I purchased, a very rich chocolate fudge cake with fresh raspberries and both chocolate and raspberry sauce. For the salad I tossed romaine lettuce with a purchased Caesar dressing, croutons and Parmesan cheese. I'm posting pictures of the salad and dessert for presentation but they are not something that I have prepared from scratch. Again, time is a great factor these days when you are in the kitchen and when you can find a good product that will satisfy and present well you need to take advantage of it. Any way I feel that from beginning to end this is a meal with a nice variety and a lot of great flavor for all to enjoy!!!

            

Wild Mushrooms & Bourbon Chive Cream in Phyllo Cups

Well as you may know I work at Iowa Wesleyan College and our season started back on August 8th when our athletes came back for the year. Since then life has been kind of busy and I really haven't had a lot of opportunity to cook much at home or blog even if I did cook. Well finally work has given me the opportunity as we had one of those nice dinners at the presidents house tonight. The menu consist  of an appetizer, salad, entree and dessert. The appetizer was Wild Mushrooms and Bourbon Chive Cream in Phyllo Cups. The salad a Caesar Salad, the entree was a Seared Atlantic Salmon Fillet with a Honey Soy Glaze accompanied by a Wild Rice Cake and Fresh Asparagus Tips. The dessert was a Chocolate Divine Lava Cake with Fresh Raspberries. Tonight I am posting the appetizer and will attempt to blog the rest during this week. The dinner was for 14 people so the recipes to follow will be for that amount. The first thing we need to do is make Phyllo cups. Phyllo pastry is a paper thin pastry that is used in Middle Eastern and Balkan cuisine. It has many applications and you should be able to find it in the freezer section at the store. The Phyllo that I am using comes in 1 pound packages and the sheets are 14x18 inches. To make the Phyllo cups you will need some muffin tins, pan spray, a stick of melted butter, a pastry brush and of course Phyllo dough. First thing is to spray the muffin tins with the pan spray. Phyllo is very delicate so take care in handling it. You should cover the sheets you are not using with a damp cloth or film wrap while you are working with the other to make the cups. Peel off 1 sheet at a time and lay it out on a cutting board, brush it with the butter and cut it in squares that are approximately 4x4 inches. I cut my sheets 4x3 giving me 12 squares. This will give you 2 cups using 6 squares for each cup. Stack the squares alternating the corners so that you have 8 points. Once you have the squares stacked pick up the Phyllo and form it into the muffin cup pressing it down inside so to form a cup and flatten out the edges even with the top of the muffin tin. You will need to alternate cups in the muffin tin and usually get 4 or 5 cups in a 12 cup muffin tin. These can be made a day or two ahead and be stored at room temperature in an air tight container. Once you have all the cups made bake the Phyllo cups in a 400 degree oven for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Now that you have the cups made it's time to make the mushroom filling for them. Here's what you will need:

Butter, melted                                                                        1 stick (4 ounce)
Crimini mushrooms,rinsed and sliced                                      3/4 pound
Shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, rinsed and sliced           3/4 pound
Shallots, minced                                                                     1/2 pound
Garlic fresh, minced                                                                8 cloves
Salt                                                                                         to taste
Black pepper, fresh ground                                                     to taste
Heavy whipping cream                                                            2-3 cups
Bourbon                                                                                 1/2 pint
Fresh Chives, Chopped                                                           1/2 cup

I made this in a wok but use what ever pan you have that works for you. Melt the butter and add the shallots and garlic, saute until the shallots are translucent and the garlic begins to turn a little golden in color. Add the mushrooms and cook until they are tender. Add 2 cups of cream and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the cream has thickened. Add the bourbon and simmer another 10 minutes or so until the cream has reduced to a desired thickness. It should cling to and cover the back of a spoon. If you should happen to get it too thick just add a little more cream to get the thickness you desire. Check the flavor and adjust the seasonings as needed. Time to serve. Set your Phyllo cup up in the middle of a plate, you could use a salad size plate or an entree size which ever you prefer or have. Spoon about a 1/4 cup of the mushroom mixture into the Phyllo cup allowing some to go onto the plate also and garnish generously with the fresh chives. If you can't find crimini or shiitake mushrooms you can use any fresh mushroom you like for this dish, it's all good. If you like mushrooms I'm sure you will find this to be a dish that is well worth the effort and that you will really, really enjoy!!! 

Spicy Chicken Quesadilla

Here's another way to use up some left over chicken. We grilled some chicken breast the other night and had a few left over so tonight we will turn that into a quick and easy dinner simply by adding a few tortillas, some shredded cheese and a little Cajun spice. Now you can serve this with some Mexican rice and or refried beans or maybe a lettuce salad or eat it all by itself. Tonight I chose to add a lettuce salad with some garden fresh tomatoes and Ranch dressing. Of course you must have some salsa to go with it and maybe some sour cream or guacamole or all the above. Again the goal is quick and easy so I have chosen what we have in the house. I have probably around 8 or 9 ounces of cooked chicken breast and that should give me enough to make 4 nice quesadillas.
Here's what we will need:

10 inch flour tortillas                                                    4 each
Chicken breast, cooked and diced small                       8-9 ounces
Cajun Spice                                                                to taste
Co-jack cheese, shredded                                           10-12 ounces
Butter or salad oil                                                        little to cook with

Heat a large skillet with medium high heat, add a small amount of butter or oil to skillet and place the tortilla in skillet also. Spin the tortilla around some to help spread the oil evenly. (You could use pan spray for this also if you prefer.) Add about 2 ounces of diced chicken to the skillet around the outside of the tortilla and sprinkle generously with Cajun spice. Spread 2-3 ounces of the shredded cheese evenly over the tortilla. When the chicken is hot move it over to the tortilla also distributing it evenly. Once the cheese has begun to melt well you can fold the tortilla in half. Cook until everything inside is good and hot and the tortilla is golden brown and crisp. Remove from pan and cut in four wedges. Repeat these steps until all quesadillas are made. If you have some left over steak it works great for this also. Add your favorite sides and you have a quick and easy dinner that all will enjoy!!!  

Whole Wheat Penne Pasta with Fresh Tomato Basil Sauce

Garden fresh tomatoes make this sauce a treat you won't soon forget. It's the time of year when tomatoes are abundant and this recipe will help you to clear some of those tomatoes off the kitchen counter. I used about 15 medium sized tomatoes for this sauce and it yielded me about 3 quarts of tomatoes after I peeled and chopped them. Now you don't have to peel them but doing so makes for a much nicer sauce. It's really pretty easy and goes quick if you do it right. First thing put a 6 quart pan about 2/3 full of water on and bring it to a boil. You will also need a 4 quart bowl about 2/3 full of ice water to shock the tomatoes when they come out of the hot water. While you are waiting for the water to boil you need to prep the tomatoes. Start by taking a paring knife and cutting out the core, turn the tomato over and score or cut an X in the bottom. If you have any bad spots cut them out now also. Once you have this done and the water is boiling it's time to peel the tomatoes. Put about 1/2 of the tomatoes in the boiling water and leave them for 30-60 seconds. It really doesn't take long and you should be able to see the skin start to pull away. Remove the tomatoes and place them in the ice water, once you have them all in pick them up one at a time and peel the skin off. It should pull right off, if not they need to go back in the hot water for a little longer. Once you have the first batch done repeat the steps to finish the remaining tomatoes. Now you need to chop the tomatoes. I like to dice them kind of small but you can chop them what ever size you might like. You could also put them in a food processor and pulse it to get a coarse product or if you like you can process the heck out of them for a smooth sauce. Keep in mind though that this sauce will be kind of thin and the finer the tomatoes the longer you may have to cook it to get any kind of thickness. Dump the water out of your bowl and use it to store the tomatoes as you chop them. I did just a couple of tomatoes at a time and then scraped them off into the bowl so I wouldn't lose any of the juice. Now your tomatoes are ready, lets see what else we will need:

Olive oil                                                                                1/4 cup
Fresh garlic, minced                                                              5 cloves
Yellow onion, diced small                                                      1/2 medium
Fresh tomatoes, peeled and diced                                          3 quarts
Sea salt                                                                                 1 Tbsp or to taste
Black pepper, fresh ground                                                    to taste (lots)
Fresh parsley, chopped fine                                                   1/2 cup
Fresh Sweet Basil leaves, chopped coarse                              1 cup

Heat the olive oil in a 6 quart sauce pan over medium heat, add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally until slightly browned. Add the tomatoes, sea salt and black pepper (I used about 50 turns of the pepper mill) and mix well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20- 30 minutes. At the same time you should be heating water to cook your pasta. I chose a whole wheat pasta but you can use whatever you prefer. One pound of pasta will be plenty although the whole wheat pasta comes in a 13 or 14 ounce package.  I guess they figure if you are going to eat healthy you don't need as much. Anyway, while your sauce is simmering get that pasta cooked and drain but don't rinse it. Leave that starch in and it will help the sauce. Also I chose to serve some grilled chicken with my pasta. Now would be a good time to get that cooking. I seasoned mine up with plenty of garlic powder, some fresh ground black pepper and a little sea salt...off to the grill. We also chose to have some grilled sweet corn and I put it on the grill at the same time as the chicken. Now about 20 minutes later and a few trips back and forth from the house to the grill the corn and chicken are done so pull it and back into the house we go. Add the pasta , parsley and sweet basil to the sauce and mix it all in well. Let it heat a little while you get everything else to the table, slice up a loaf of some nice whole grain Italian bread and once again you have a nice hot summer dinner the whole family will enjoy!!!

Penne Pasta and Chicken Prima Vera

Large chunks of tender chicken breast, penne pasta, fresh vegetables, Parmesan cheese and creamy Alfredo sauce make this a dish that is sure to keep everyone happy. I like to bake or grill the chicken breast and then cut it up and add it to the pasta at the end. Doing this insures that your chicken will be nice and tender as opposed to cutting it up raw and cooking it in the pan.
I also like to stir-fry the vegetables in a wok and then complete the dish in the wok adding the sauce, pasta and chicken. As you can see in the picture below this recipe will fill the wok to the top so there will be plenty for guests or leftovers. You can easily feed 8-10 people with this, especially if you add a nice green salad and some garlic bread or Parmesan toast.

Start out with about 2 pounds of chicken breast, rinse it well with cold water, put it on a sheet pan and season both sides generously with fresh ground black pepper, garlic powder and a little sea salt if you like. Bake the chicken in a preheated 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes. The chicken should be firm to the touch and again if you're not sure that it's done cut a little slit in it and take a look, no pink, it's done. Once you get the chicken in the oven put on a pan of water for the pasta and follow the directions on the box. They are usually pretty accurate. Here's what we will need to complete the dish:

Chicken Breast, cook, cool and chunk                         2 pounds
Penne Pasta                                                                1 pound box
Olive Oil                                                                     1/4 cup
Fresh Carrots, peel, halve and cut on bias thin              2 medium
Red Bell Pepper, seed and cut in strips                        1 each
Yellow Onion, julienne                                                 1/2 medium
Fresh Broccoli, cut bite size buds                                1 bunch
Alfredo Sauce                                                             3-16 ounce jars
Parmesan Cheese                                                        1/2 cup
Black Pepper, fresh ground                                          to taste (plenty)
Garlic Powder                                                             1 Tbsp or to taste
Cajun Spice                                                                 to taste
Fresh Chives, chopped                                                1/4 cup

Okay, so the chicken is in the oven and we have the water on for the pasta. Start cutting the vegetables, I would cut them in the order listed as the broccoli will make the biggest mess and should be cut last. Reserve the vegetables until ready to cook. When the water comes to a boil start the pasta. Once it is going good heat up your wok and add the olive oil, toss in the vegetables and give them a stir. cook the veggies until they are hot but still crisp and add the Alfredo sauce, use about 1/4 cup of water in each jar of sauce and shake it up good to get all the sauce and add it also. You might be thinking, bottled sauce? What's up with that? Well if you want to make sauce I could definitely give you a good recipe or you could get one elsewhere online but to keep it simple and quick I have chosen to use a prepared sauce. I usually buy what ever cost the least and season it up to suit my needs. Maybe sometime this winter I can prepare an Alfredo from scratch and post it. It's really not difficult but does involve more time and preparation than opening a jar. Any way the sauce is in and the pasta is probably getting close. I would guess your chicken should be done by now and cooling a bit so you can chunk it up. Stir the sauce a bit and turn the heat down so it doesn't scorch. Add your seasonings, the Cajun spice is really something optional, I like to add some to give the dish a little zip, you can add a little or a lot it's up to you. When the pasta is done drain it and add to the sauce, add the chicken and bring it all up to heat so you have a good simmer. Add the Parmesan and fresh chives, mix well and serve. Again add a nice green salad and some good bread to this dish and you have a meal that all will enjoy!!!

Grilled Cajun Pork Chops with Tomato Chive Relish

Boneless pork chops coated with plenty of Cajun Spice make this dish a real treat. If you like it spicy hot you will love this. Add a cool fresh garden tomato relish and you have a combination of flavors that will tantalize your taste buds. You can sear this up in a pan or since it is summer my choice is to fire up that grill and get that great flavor from cooking with charcoal. First thing you want to do is make the relish so it has a little time for the flavors to grow together. For this you will need the following:

Fresh Tomato, dice small                                                   1 large
Red Onion, dice small                                                        2 Tbsp
Green Bell Pepper, dice small                                             2 Tbsp
Fresh Garlic, minced                                                          1 clove
Fresh Chives, chopped                                                      1 Tbsp
Olive Oil                                                                            1 Tbsp
Lime Juice                                                                         2 Tbsp
Black Pepper, fresh ground                                                to taste
Sea Salt ( optional )                                                            pinch

Mix all ingredients and chill until time to serve. This will make 4-5 servings and doubles easily if you need more.

Now for this I used boneless pork chops but you can use any type of pork chop you might prefer. It's really a pretty simple process, get the grill good and hot, season up your pork real well with your favorite Cajun Spice and head for the grill. I'm pretty generous with the spice as I like it hot. If it doesn't at least bring a little sweat to the brow it's just not sufficient. We all have a preference so spice your chops the way you like, lots or just a little. The chops I use are about 5-6 ounces and will take between 10 to 15 minutes depending on how hot the grill is. Get them on, get some nice color, probably 5 or 6 minutes, turn them over and finish them, probably another 6 minutes or so. Pork will firm up as it cooks and they say now that you don't have to kill it for it to be safe to eat. Cook to medium to medium well and you have a pork chop that is still juicy and full of flavor. Pair this up with some brown rice or your favorite potato and a nice green vegetable, add the tomato chive relish and you have another great summer meal that all will enjoy!!!

Garden Fresh Tomato Basil Salad

There's just nothing better than garden fresh tomatoes and it's that time of year when they should be plentiful. Here's a quick and easy salad that will surely please all the tomato lovers in your family and help to get some of those tomatoes off the kitchen counter. All you need is a little fresh basil, fresh garlic, thinly sliced red onions, fresh ground black pepper, extra virgin olive oil and of course fresh tomatoes right out of the garden. In the picture above you see some nice fresh sliced tomatoes with some red onions and a nice sprig of fresh basil. This is good and may be enough for you but if you want to dress it up a little I suggest you try this. Mince up a clove or two of garlic, cut some basil in strips ( just leaves, no stems ), slice some red onion and the tomatoes and arrange them on individual salad plates. Sprinkle with the basil, garlic, and fresh ground black pepper. Now drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil on it and you have a nice refreshing tomato salad that's loaded with flavor for all to enjoy!!!

  

Stromboli

Stromboli is one of my all time favorites. One of the great things about Stromboli is that you can put just about anything you like in it. This is a quick and easy Stromboli that we will use prepared ingredients for. I could give you recipes for dough and sauce and such but these things take time and it seems that time is always short so if you can speed up the process and have a good product...why not?  The dough for Stromboli is a basic pizza dough but today we are going to use a frozen bread dough. The best thing to do is plan ahead and pull the bread dough the night before and let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then when you are ready your dough will be ready too. One loaf will make 4 individual Stromboli and that's the recipe we will do today. Here's what you will need:

Frozen bread dough                                                           1 loaf
Pizza sauce                                                                        3/4 cup
Canadian bacon, cut in strips                                              5 ounces
Pepperoni, cut in strips                                                       2 ounces
Colby-Jack Cheese                                                             6 ounces
Red or yellow bell pepper, cut in strips                                1 each
Yellow onion, cut in strips                                                   1/2 cup


Lets start with the dough, cut the loaf in 4 equal pieces and on a clean dry work surface with a little flour start flattening them out one at a time with the heel of your palm. After you get them kind of flat you can pick up the dough and start stretching it, turning it in a circular motion so as to keep it even and somewhat round. If it gets sticky just add a little more flour. And if your brave enough you can even give it a spinning toss in the air. Careful don't drop it on the floor! Anyway stretch them out to about 8 inches in diameter, dust a cookie sheet with a little flour and lay them out on it. Cover them with a clean dish cloth and let them sit for about an hour. They will rise a little and should get a little puffy. Now lets cut the pepper and onion and saute it in a little olive oil or butter. Cook until just crisp tender, remove from heat and reserve for later. Next cut the meats into strips, you could leave it whole but cutting it makes it easier to eat.
After the dough rises a little it's time to build the Stromboli. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet or pizza pan with pan spray, uncover the dough  and start with the sauce. I used about 3 Tbsp per crust and you want to place it in the middle of your dough. Split the rest of the ingredients evenly between the 4 crusts. You will want to layer it. I did Canadian bacon, about half the cheese, pepperoni, peppers and onions and the other half of the cheese. Now fold in the ends, pull one side of the dough up and over the top, tuck it in a little and roll the Stromboli so that the seam will be on the bottom. Move it to the sprayed pan and do the others. Kind of looks like a burrito. Cut a couple of slits in the top of the dough, brush lightly with olive oil and it's ready to bake. These took about 17 minutes for me. I set my timer for 12 minutes, when it went off I turned the pan and set the timer for another 5 minutes. They came out hot and a nice golden brown. You can use what ever type of meat and cheese in these that you would prefer. You could even make them a vegetarian dish if you like. What ever your choices may be I'm sure this is something that you will find very satisfying. Serve it up with a nice green salad and a little sauce on the side and you're going to make everyone happy. Enjoy!!!

     

Grilled Herbed Chicken

My very first blog was a "Quick and Easy Marinated Chicken". That was back on April 23rd of this year. As we have progressed into the summer the fresh herbs have become plentiful and this recipe uses the same marinade as before but I have included some fresh herbs to compliment the dish. Fresh Sweet Basil, Dill Weed and Rosemary chopped and combined add some distinct flavor to an already tasty breast of chicken. I will list the recipe for the marinade again and then we will talk a little more about the fresh herbs.

Boneless, skinless chicken breast          about 2 pounds
Wishbone Italian Dressing                     1-16 ounce bottle
Garlic Powder                                        1 Tbs
Fresh Ground Black Pepper                   to taste
Sea Salt                                                    to taste
Parsley Flakes                                         1 Tbs

Okay, rinse the chicken in cold water and season with the sea salt, garlic, parsley flakes and black pepper. Add about 1/2 the bottle of salad dressing and mix so that the chicken is well coated with the dressing. Refrigerate and let marinate overnight. When it's time fire up that grill and while it's getting hot we will finish getting the chicken ready. Hopefully you have fresh herbs in your garden but if not you can usually purchase these at the local market. Again for this I used fresh Rosemary, Dill and Basil. I used about a half a cup total of chopped herbs so if you chop about 3 Tbsp of each that should give you plenty. After the herbs are all chopped and mixed together take the chicken out of the marinade and put it out on a cookie sheet. Coat both sides well with the herb mixture and head for the grill. Always start your chicken breast with the skin or smooth side down on the grill as this side presents the best. People eat with their eyes as well as with their mouths so it's important that the food looks as great as it tastes. The chicken breast I buy from the local Fareway Store are large. Each lobe weighs about a half  pound so they take 10-12 minutes on each side to get them done. A smaller breast will of course take less time, maybe 8-10 minutes on each side. Any way the chicken breast will firm up as it cooks and if you're not sure cut a slit in the thicker part and take a look. Now you can pair this up with any sides that you like. Today we added a nice green salad, sliced tomatoes from the garden, fresh sweet corn and grilled whole wheat French bread loaded with butter and garlic. What ever you decide to put with your chicken I'm sure it's going to be a great summer meal that everyone will enjoy!!!

Refrigerator Pickles

I have cucumbers coming out of my ears. They are everywhere. It's that time of year when cucumbers are abundant. I have made cucumber salad, given many away, made refrigerator pickles and I still have half a dozen on the kitchen counter and more coming outside. The first batch of pickles are about half gone so I guess it's time to make another. These pickles have lots of flavor, are easy to make and will keep in your refrigerator for 2-3 months. They never seem to last more than a week around here though. I like to peel my cucumbers for this but it is not really necessary so if you prefer to leave the skin on your cucumbers by all means do so. As you can see there is more than cucumbers in this recipe so I guess I should list the ingredients so we can get these pickles made.

Cucumbers, peel and slice thin                                              6 cups
Yellow Onion, cut in strips                                                   1 medium
Fresh Garlic, peel and slice thin                                            3 cloves
Carrots, peel and slice thin on the bias                                  2 each
Red Bell Pepper, seed and cut in strips                                 1 each
Fresh Jalapeno, seed and cut in strips                                   1 each
White Wine or Apple Cider Vinegar                                      1-1/2 cups
Granulated Sugar                                                                 2 cups
Fresh Dill, chopped                                                             1/4 cup
Sea Salt, optional                                                                 1 Tbsp
Black Pepper, fresh ground                                                  to taste

Cut all the vegetables and layer in a 2 quart glass or stainless bowl. Combine the vinegar and sugar and mix well until sugar is pretty well dissolved. Add salt, pepper and dill weed to vinegar mixture and pour over the vegetables. Cover and refrigerate, pickles will be ready in 12 hours and will keep in refrigerator for 2-3 months. Yields about 1-1/2 quarts. These pickles go well with any summertime meal and are great to have just for a snack. Enjoy!!!
 

Ginger Lime Marinated Shrimp and Scallops

Shrimp and Scallops, a great combination. Add some fresh ginger, some lime juice and of course a little garlic and you are going to get some great flavor. Now make a fresh strawberry mango salsa to go along with it and you're really stepping it up. I used a pound of both shrimp and scallops for this recipe. There were just 3 of us for dinner and there really wasn't much left. Of course we were hungry, dinner was late due to an unexpected visitor and it was very good so it was hard to stop eating it. You should be able to feed 4 easily with this recipe if you add in all the components such as a nice green salad, maybe some brown rice and a green vegetable. Some sliced French bread on the grill smothered with butter and garlic will go well with this also. Lets start with the marinade as you will want to let this sit for an hour or two. Here's what you will need:

Olive Oil                                                     1/4 cup
Lime Juice                                                   from 2 limes
Fresh Ginger, peel and mince                       2 Tbsp
Fresh Garlic, minced                                   2 cloves
Fresh Chives, chopped                               1/4 cup
Black Pepper, fresh ground                         20 turns of pepper mill
Cajun Spice                                                1 Tbsp

Make sure your seafood is cleaned and thawed, mix all the above ingredients well and add it to the seafood. Mix this well but gently so as not to bust up the scallops. Put this in the refrigerator for a couple of hours and it will be ready to go. Before you grill it though you will want to put it on skewers so you don't lose any of that precious seafood to the fire. While that is marinating lets make some strawberry mango salsa. For this you will need:

Fresh Mango, peel, seed and cut in small chunks                          1 each
Fresh Strawberries, rinse, remove stem and cut in chunks             8-10 each
Fresh Jalapeno, remove seeds and dice small                                1 each
Fresh Garlic, minced                                                                   1 clove
Fresh Ginger, minced                                                                  1 Tbsp
Black Pepper, fresh ground                                                         to taste
Fresh Chives, chopped                                                               2 Tbsp
Lime Juice                                                                                  1 lime
Olive Oil                                                                                     2 Tbsp

Mix all ingredients well and refrigerate until to time to serve.

Okay, the shrimp and scallops are done marinating, you have them on the skewers all ready to go, lets cook. You will want the grill to be good and hot because these items don't take very long to cook and if your grill isn't hot you won't get much color. I keep the shrimp and scallops on separate skewers as the cooking times may be slightly different and we want to make sure they are done but not over cooked. Put your seafood on the grill and let it cook for about 6 or 7 minutes before you turn it. Give it another 6 or 7 minutes on the other side and it should be done. The shrimp will turn kind of a deep pink color, be firm and should char a little bit and the scallops will firm up and also should char just a little. Times may vary some depending on how hot your grill is and the size of the shrimp and scallops but this should be pretty close. Take it in and serve it up with the salsa and all your favorite side and again you've got a refreshing summer meal that every one will enjoy!!!

Grilled Spicy Chicken Salad with Honey Mango Vinaigrette

Crisp Romaine lettuce is the base for this salad. Add some spicy grilled chicken tenders, fresh strawberries, red onions, fresh blueberries, toasted almonds and a sweet and vinegary mango dressing and you have a summer salad that will knock their socks off. The heat from the spicy chicken, the fresh fruit and the sweet but tart dressing, the nutty flavor of the almonds, the crisp romaine and the bite of the onion all blend together to give you a flavor sensation that is out of this world. I really think you're going to love this one. Lets get started by making the vinaigrette. Here's what you will need:

Fresh Mango, peel, seed and chop small             1
Champagne Vinegar                                           1/4 cup
Water                                                                1/4 cup
Red Onion, minced                                            2 Tbsp
Fresh Garlic, minced                                          2 cloves
Fresh Jalapeno, seed and mince                          1 each
Lime Juice                                                         from 1 lime
Black Pepper, fresh ground                                about 10 turns
Honey                                                               1/2 cup
Dijon Mustard                                                   2 Tbsp
Extra Virgin Olive Oil                                        1/2 cup

In a food processor or blender combine chopped mango, vinegar and water, process until mixture is pureed smooth. Pour into a mixing bowl and add remaining ingredients except the olive oil.  If you have an immersion blender you can just start with the mixing bowl to puree the mango. Any way you have all the ingredients together except the oil, mix these ingredients well and then slowly whip in the olive oil. This should all blend together well with no separation. Cover and set aside for service. Chill if you like. Yields about 2 cups.

Rinse and quarter about a pound of strawberries, rinse about a 1/2 pint of blueberries and toast a couple of ounces of almonds. About 5 minutes in a 400 degree oven should do it. Cut 1/4 red onion in strips. Rinse and chop 1 head romaine lettuce.

Now the chicken. I guess the amount depends on how many people you want to feed. Figure about 4 ounces of chicken per person or salad. I made about 2 pounds of chicken so we would have plenty of leftovers. Rinse the chicken with cold water and drain well. Put the chicken in a bowl and add a little salad oil, just enough to lightly coat as it will flame up when you put it on the grill if you use too much. Add a generous amount of your favorite Cajun spice and mix it well. Now chicken tenders are kind of small so they will cook quickly. In order to get some nice color you will want to have a pretty hot grill. About 5 or 6 minutes on each side on a good hot grill and your chicken should be done. Cut the chicken in chunks and build the salad. There is really no rhyme or reason for this step. Start with a bed of lettuce and top it with the rest. The important part is to make it look pretty. Serve this up with some nice grilled whole grain garlic bread and you have a nice refreshing summer meal that you're sure to enjoy!!!