tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-231280192024-03-13T17:12:08.805-05:00What I'm Cooking NowThe musings and culinary diary of one middle aged divaDenise Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393220639430224731noreply@blogger.comBlogger210125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23128019.post-18632674217446378672024-01-04T21:43:00.000-05:002024-01-04T21:43:04.989-05:00Lebanese Chicken and Rice<p> My mother-in-law was the best cook in her family, and trust me, that is saying something. I absolutely loved eating at her table, and she appreciated my obviou pleasure. Though she and I sometimes butted heads, she always cooked my favorites for me when we visited. Food was what we had in common, other than her youngest son, and it was the way she showed love in a somewhat contentious relationship. </p><p>However, my mother-in-law absolutely refused to share recipes, or allow me (or her other 3 daughters-in-law) to watch her cook. So, her personal recipes are lost forever. I never understood that reluctance to teach us. </p><p>When we moved across the country to California, we met many Syrian, Lebanese, Jordanians, and Palestinians at church. There were many pot lucks, and my husband and I soon found that two women cooked like his mother, Marge Hanna and Mary Salah. Both of these kind women took pity on this new bride and taught me everything I needed to know about cooking the meals my husband longed for. I thank God for the older women I met there at Church of the Redeemer, who taught me so much, some of it about cooking. I try to pay it forward in their honor. </p><p>Rice is a staple for lebanese people, and it usually takes the form of broken vermicelli and long grained white rice sautéed till golden in butter and olive oil, then simmered till done. There are many versions; some with nuts, some with meat or chicken, some simmered in rich broth, and some in water. </p><p>I used to always make the fanciest version for Pascha with minced lamb, onions, shallots, Arabic spices (see a prior post about my special mix), pistachios, almonds and pine nuts, called snoobah in Arabic. I will post that recipe soon.</p><p>This is a simple, every day version, ready in half an hour, made from ingredients readily available in most people's kitchen.</p><p>This will serve 3 or 4, with a salad or lubieh (recipe also on this blog) on the side.</p><p>INGREDIENTS:</p><p>1/2 cup broken vermicelli, orzo, or other very small pasta</p><p>1 cup basmati rice</p><p>1/4 cup butter</p><p>2 Tbs EVOO</p><p>1 medium onion, minced</p><p>2 cups water or broth</p><p>1 bay leaf</p><p>1/2 tsp allspice (or more, up to 1 tsp)</p><p>1 tsp salt</p><p>Pinch pepper</p><p>1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, chunked (will be shredded later)</p><p>1/2 cup pistachios, almonds or pine nuts sauteed till golden in butter (optional)</p><p><br /></p><p>METHOD:</p><p>In a heavy bottomed 3 qt pot with a tight-fitting lid, melt butter with EVOO over medium low. Sauté the pasta till golden, add rice and continue sautéing till golden, stirring constantly and watching carefully so nothing burns. Add the onions and allspice, stirring constantly till translucent. Pour in the water. Add bay leaf, salt and pepper, stir well and taste for salt. Stir in the chicken, bring to a boil, reduce to low, and cook for 20 minutes. </p><p>When done, let it rest, covered, for a few minutes, then fluff with a fork, shredding the chicken as you go. If you are using browned nuts, and I highly suggest you do, stir them in with their butter, while fluffing and shredding.</p><p>Sahtein!</p>Denise Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393220639430224731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23128019.post-29753032345136781312024-01-03T14:25:00.001-05:002024-01-03T14:25:46.607-05:00Minestra<p> </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVd4sKMh3NNBgtYyLGKivU_Vjt-ZwopY0JClRdtP3i9fa4uLSbwkbBziLiP126nim6oqYh9lrfj2V8s1qP2VOzg6QpAgz-Y3BZAi2ryvVFrxY8z3UHIt2CgyUxRPrNSsW7tl6xy0hfltjGl0oVBjUObe7ut295DJlB_GJ5jiKt3na2T1KpYbnprg/s4000/20240101_162931.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVd4sKMh3NNBgtYyLGKivU_Vjt-ZwopY0JClRdtP3i9fa4uLSbwkbBziLiP126nim6oqYh9lrfj2V8s1qP2VOzg6QpAgz-Y3BZAi2ryvVFrxY8z3UHIt2CgyUxRPrNSsW7tl6xy0hfltjGl0oVBjUObe7ut295DJlB_GJ5jiKt3na2T1KpYbnprg/s320/20240101_162931.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p></p></blockquote><p><br />Minestra is true peasant food, my favorite kind of food! In its purest form, its beans and greens in a simple, garlicky broth. In the US, where I live, Italian Americans tend to add a flavorful meat, like sausage or prosciutto. Either way is yummy.</p><p>I grew up with this stuff, and the variations are endless. What type of bean, what type of greens, what type of meat? I've had it with green cabbage, lima beans (butter beans for you Southerners) and chunks of really excellent pepperoni, which is almist impossible to find in the deep South where I live. Then there is the savoy cabbage, cannellini beans and hot Italian sausage. What about my mother's and my favorite of mustard greens, Christmas limas, and sweet Italian sausage. On the rare occasions that I find mustard greens at the market, this is what I make.</p><p>It's a southern tradition to eat black eyed peas on January 1st, and the popularity of various types of greens here made minestra a no-brainer. I have never used a recipe for this; I just throw the basic components in the pot and keep tasting till my grandmother speaks to me from the grave saying, "That's good, Honey", and then I serve it. However, the beateous Laura asked for a recipe, so I'm memorializing what I did.</p><p>I normally cook dried beans myself, usually in my Instant Pot, so this recipe begins with looking up how long black eyed peas take in the Instant pot, which is 10 - 12 minutes with a 15 minute natural release. I had some kale, and that takes 2 minutes in the instant pot. I decided to cook everything together.</p><p><br /></p><p><u>INGREDIENTS </u></p><p>2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil (Evoo)</p><p>1 med yellow onion, chopped </p><p>5-6 garlic cloves, minced</p><p>12 oz Italian sausage, sliced into 1/3" rounds (I used 2 hot and 2 sweet)</p><p>1 lb, or more, kale, cleaned, deveined, and chopped (I used bagged kale)</p><p>8 oz dried black eyed peas</p><p>4 cups chicken stock (taste for saltiness and chickeny flavor if its not homemade and add 1-2 tsp chicken bouillion or Vegeta if needed)</p><p>2 cups water.</p><p>Salt and a pinch of red pepper flakes (or cayenne) if desired</p><p>Shave some parmesan into your bowl for a real taste treat.</p><p>Serve with crusty bread to sop up the juices. </p><p><u>INSTANT POT METHOD</u></p><p>Turn it on to sauté and let it come to temperature. Sauté the sausage till golden around the edges, stirring often, adding Evoo if necessary, about 5 minutes. Add in the onions and garlic to sauté, till translucent and fragrant.</p><p>Add in the black eyed peas and broth (reserve the water till later), bouillion powder if using, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Stir well. Pile in the greens, place the cover and cook on high for 15 minutes with 15 minutes natural release. </p><p>Kale can take the extended cooking time - it will be very soft, but not mushy. Stir well, taste the peas, they should be buttery soft, but still retain their shape. Taste the broth for salt and flavor. My broth was a little bland to begin with, so I didn’t add any salt, but I did add the bouillion. When cooked, it was a little salty, so I added 3 cups water. </p><p>We loved it!</p><p><u>STOVE TOP METHOD</u></p><p>Use 2 cans or 3 cups precooked beans.</p><p>In a 5-6 qt dutch oven, sauté the sausage, onions, and garlic in Evoo as above. Follow all directions, but cover the pot and gently simmer for half an hour. Taste for flavor and how tender the beans and greens are. Depending on the greens you use, it might take more or less time. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL-zjI2t8chaJ14O9dapxhZlKLXHq1bwIXGfwmaMDsBsmPULD9F_oqJKbBoKUY1viqywQZG1z3R3uhyq_PGD9b512Ja0toLg6jOVdztqdCiM3C_ZLDTuVPeEuxnKGNH98_qfxOG2MbX-aAuiQ9vAAh_bt2p2Luxtt20wPGr7JtwQNiYdIcSSri0Q/s4000/20240101_162931.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL-zjI2t8chaJ14O9dapxhZlKLXHq1bwIXGfwmaMDsBsmPULD9F_oqJKbBoKUY1viqywQZG1z3R3uhyq_PGD9b512Ja0toLg6jOVdztqdCiM3C_ZLDTuVPeEuxnKGNH98_qfxOG2MbX-aAuiQ9vAAh_bt2p2Luxtt20wPGr7JtwQNiYdIcSSri0Q/s320/20240101_162931.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Denise Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393220639430224731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23128019.post-3267573027973914592023-05-19T21:49:00.003-05:002023-05-19T21:49:23.109-05:00Shrimp and Broccoli Spaghetti<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKLklW6lc6gLRC6fInp7NaahvD6V0vC_Q_aANIQGA0sWlEHkBJ-q1aSko_ZBmx7tL4UOxZwfYnFonhs95Dtu9Iy7aYOf3BoQJphZzX-N2NY9wzPyMcoDGANebwXAbMU1hA--eZGI6JW--WCoHLho-S6o7xdkJLdu2OaHfe2M7JZhc-0A5e0U0/s4000/20230519_182220.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKLklW6lc6gLRC6fInp7NaahvD6V0vC_Q_aANIQGA0sWlEHkBJ-q1aSko_ZBmx7tL4UOxZwfYnFonhs95Dtu9Iy7aYOf3BoQJphZzX-N2NY9wzPyMcoDGANebwXAbMU1hA--eZGI6JW--WCoHLho-S6o7xdkJLdu2OaHfe2M7JZhc-0A5e0U0/s320/20230519_182220.jpg"/></a></div>
Dear Daughter was a vegan while in high school.We sometimes at at a little diner around the corner. over time, we tried pretty much everything on the menu, including broccoli pasta which was simply aglia olio with cruncht broccoli. we put our own spin on it, and it became a staple in our house.
This is how I made it tonight for two people in one pot.
Cut a small head of broccoli into florets. Put a large pot of well salted water on to boil. Once boiling, stir in 8 oz of spaghetti and return to boiling. Set the timer for 11 minutes. At the 6 minute mark, stir in the broccoli. remove about 4 oz of the boiling water to the serving dish and stir in a scant teaspoon of chicken broth powder. At the 4 minute mark, add the partially defrosted shrimp, bring back to a boil, and boil for the rest of the time, about 2 or 3 minutes. Drain the pot into a strainer, and dump contents into the serving bowl. The spaghetti is well cooked but not mushy, the broccoli is soft, and shrimp is pink and tender.
On top of the hot spaghetti, place 2 or 3 Tbs butter, about 1 or 2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil, a scant tsp of mustard, a good sprinkling of garlic salt, and a good pinch of cayenne. Stir well and plate. If you want, top with freshly grated parmesan like I did, stir well, and mangia.
So good! Two thumbs up!Denise Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393220639430224731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23128019.post-66861951046874332962023-05-03T09:24:00.001-05:002023-05-03T09:26:35.384-05:00Cock A Leekie Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY6RNHoo5z2rH-cV7H6Dry4cIt-d41MYiWyHwOxEx8TWySVOmKZnQ2TxsY9h6G_Np8SW-18pgFmQsaE5qWZFzbyFF4AAYRFW31lcObSvEiFQMgMsALRvx4fzKIEDnRDED0sozdybJPYlI_iZJum_43DyrQIou8p35JM25-AWSd9RRfHOXOwGo/s4000/20230502_170012.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY6RNHoo5z2rH-cV7H6Dry4cIt-d41MYiWyHwOxEx8TWySVOmKZnQ2TxsY9h6G_Np8SW-18pgFmQsaE5qWZFzbyFF4AAYRFW31lcObSvEiFQMgMsALRvx4fzKIEDnRDED0sozdybJPYlI_iZJum_43DyrQIou8p35JM25-AWSd9RRfHOXOwGo/s320/20230502_170012.jpg"/></a></div>
If you know me in real life, you know that I am a huge fan of the Outlander books by Diana Gabaldon, and the TV series by the same name. This unhealthy obsession has sparked an interest in all things Scottish, including the food.
So, when my SO suggested I make chicken soup for dinner, I immediately thought of cock a leekie, which would use up the beautiful leeks and free range chicken we got at the Commissary a few days ago. I thought that the soup might be a bit too plain for my taste, but I was so very wrong! This recipe, which I cobbled together from some videos and a Google search, is the most flavorful and chickeny soup I've made in a long time. Try it, and don't forget the prunes; you will not be sorry.
whole chicken, 2-3 lbs
3 large leeks (1 big bunch)
10 C chicken broth (I like Swanson)
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 large garlic cloves, peeled & smashed
1/2 tsp garlic salt
4-5 whole dried prunes
1 small onion
1/2 C pearled barley or more
Cut the leeks in half lengthwise, then cut off the tough green tops. set the whites aside. Cut the greens in half again, separate the layers and wash extremely well to get all the sand out. Place the greens in the bottom of a 5-6 qt soup pot. Remove the packet of liver etc from the bird, rinse well inside and out, and place in the pot on top of the greens. Sprinkle liberally with garlic salt and pepper. Tuck the bay leaves, garlic cloves, and prunes around the chicken, and pour in the broth. The chicken will be submerged or nearly so. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to medium low to maintain a steady simmer, and cover. Crack the lid a bit and simmer for 70 minutes.
Meanwhile, slice the leek whites into 1/4" half circles, separate the layers, and swish them in a large bowl of cold water to clean all the sand out of them. Let them sit in the water while you dice the onion. Pick over and rinse the barley.
Remove the chicken and let cool. Strain all the solids out of the broth and discard. Taste for salt. Bring the broth back to a boil, add in the onion, pearled barley and leeks, and simmer for 20 - 25 minutes until the barley is cooked. Meanwhile, shred the chicken and discard the bones and skin. when the barley is done, stir in all the shredded chicken to heat it up, and enjoy!
Denise Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393220639430224731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23128019.post-89853135921788213432020-07-02T09:59:00.000-05:002020-07-02T10:22:33.453-05:00Italian Wedding Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I don't know why this delicious soup is called Wedding Soup. I read somewhere that it was because the flavors are wedded together perfectly. To me, though, it reminds me of a childhood favorite soup called chickarina which was made with chicken meatballs and no greens. This is made with beef meatballs and greens, but you can definitely substitute ground chicken for the ground beef and have a delicious, lighter soup. In fact, I may do that next time!<br />
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I can eat soup every single day, so don't go by me - my dear friend pronounced this soup absolutely delicious last night, so you can take that to the bank. Serve it with lots of freshly grated parmesan on top. Get the soup bubbling on the stove first, then make the meatballs and drop them in, next add the pasta to cook, and lastly, add the greens to cook or to wilt, depending on what greens you have on hand. This is best made with extremely flavorful chicken broth - I make my own chicken bone broth in the instant pot and it is amazing! Save 3 chicken carcasses, picked clean, or the equivalent in bones. Cover with water in the pot, set for one hour at high pressure, let reduce naturally. No need to add anything other than salt - the chicken flavor is divine!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><u>ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP</u></b></div>
<b>For the soup:</b><br />
2 large onions, diced small, about 1/4" (about 1 1/2 cups)<br />
2-3 large celery stalks, with leaves, diced small (about 3/4 - 1 cup)<br />
2-3 large carrots, diced small (about 3/4 - 1 cup)<br />
4 cloves garlic minced or pressed (about 1 1/2 Tbs)<br />
1 - 2 Tbs olive oil<br />
salt and pepper to taste<br />
2 1/2 quarts rich chicken bone broth<br />
3/4 cup (for brothy soup) or 1 cup (for a more substantial, thicker soup) small soup pasta, such as:<br />
acini de pepe, orzo, ditalini, mini farfalle, or even Israeli coucous<br />
6 oz fresh greens, roughly chopped (escarole, spinach, kale, even arugula is good)<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vTmnO2b00qk/Xv31mJa1z4I/AAAAAAAAVxY/sWAgbKoEzwYZPhNByS3v0331Nol4goEnQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/103996013_10158531417852265_2014475745852054628_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1352" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vTmnO2b00qk/Xv31mJa1z4I/AAAAAAAAVxY/sWAgbKoEzwYZPhNByS3v0331Nol4goEnQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/103996013_10158531417852265_2014475745852054628_o.jpg" width="151" /></a>In a 5 or 6 quart soup pot with a heavy bottom, saute the onion, celery, and carrots in the olive oil. When onion is transparent, and perhaps just golden at the edges, add the garlic and saute for a minute or two more. Add the broth and let simmer while you make the meatballs<br />
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<b>For the meatballs:</b><br />
1 lb ground beef (or chicken)<br />
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs (put 1 -2 slices in your blender or processor)<br />
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley (or 1 heaping Tbs dry)<br />
1 1/2 tsp minced fresh oregano (or 1 scant tsp dry)<br />
2 Tbs minced onion<br />
2 cloves garlic minced<br />
1/2 cup shredded parmesan<br />
1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper<br />
1 large egg<br />
1 Tbs olive oil if meat is very lean, skip otherwise<br />
<br />
Mix all ingredients well with your hands and form into 1" balls. I use a melon baller for this.<br />
<br />
<b>Put it all together:</b><br />
Once the soup has simmered for 20 or more minutes and the carrots are tender, add in the meatballs, and return to simmer 10 minutes. If using a tough green, like kale, add the kale with the meatballs. Stir in the pasta after the meatballs have cooked 10 minutes, and simmer 5 more minutes. If using a tender green like arugula or escarole, add in and cook for about 3 minutes. If using spinach, add on top and let it wilt - no further simmering is necessary. Taste for salt and pepper. Depending on the broth used, you may need up to 1 Tbs of salt and 1/2 tsp of black pepper for the pot.<br />
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Ladle into bowls and serve with freshly grated parmesan on top.<br />
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Mangia!<br />
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Nota Bene: for a similar, but lighter soup, check out my recipe for <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=23128019#editor/target=post;postID=8112228987712426733;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=3;src=postname" target="_blank">Brodetto con Polpetti </a><br />
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<br />Denise Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393220639430224731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23128019.post-88398416284429763142017-10-16T06:01:00.001-05:002017-10-16T06:21:31.167-05:00White Bean and Chicken ChiliI can't believe that I never made white bean chili before. This may be my favorite chili <br />
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yet! I made it in my instant pot because I cooked the beans from dry in it, but you can substitute 3 cans of beans, rinsed and drained, and cook it on the stove top. I used cannelini beans because that's what I had on my shelf, but any white bean would do. While the beans were cooking, I cooked the butternut squash. I cut it in half length wise, scooped out the seeds, and sprayed the cut sides with olive oil (I have a mister that I use instead of Pam for everything), placed them cut side up on a baking sheet in a cold oven, and baked at 375F for 45 minutes, which was perfect. I will use the other half for something else, maybe as a filling for ravioli, or in a risotto later this week. I used homemade double strength chicken stock which is very flavorful, but you can add 1 Tbs of chicken bouillion paste or granules to improve the flavor of your chicken stock. This works great when I have to use commercial chicken stock - unless I use Swanson's brand. Swanson's brand is the tastiest and doesn't need any help in the flavor department. You can use any cut of chicken, though I think the flavorful thighs would be best. I used tenders because they were on sale AND marked down, and I couldn't resist them at the store today. You can use any flavor of Rotel that you like - I used the one with jalapenos because I like spicy food. You can add plain tomatoes, or Rotel without the heat, and you can add a little heat yourself via cayenne, pepper, or hot sauce. It's up to you.<br />
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And without further ado, here is the recipe.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">WHITE BEAN AND CHICKEN CHILI</span></b></div>
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12 oz white beans, picked over, rinsed, cooked until tender without salt, and drained<br />
Half a butternut squash, cubed and cooked<br />
2 Tbs olive oil<br />
1 onion, diced<br />
3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced<br />
1 Tbs dried oregano<br />
1 Tbs ground cumin<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
4 cups flavorful chicken stock<br />
1 can RoTel tomatoes<br />
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken, cubed<br />
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Start by cooking the beans and the squash. While they are cooking, drink a glass of wine, and then peel and dice the onion and smash and mince the garlic (or you could put it through a garlic press).<br />
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In a soup pot (or your instant pot set on saute), saute the onion in the oil until translucent and the edges are just starting to turn toasty. Add the garlic and stir for a couple of minutes. Add in the oregano, cumin and salt, then the tomatoes and broth. Add in the beans and cook for about 15 minutes to let the flavors meld a bit. Then, add in the chicken and squash cubes, and simmer until the chicken is done, about another 10 or 15 minutes. Taste for salt and pepper, and serve.<br />
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Garnish with whatever you like: sour cream, some shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, avocado.... it's delicious without any additions. Or, you could serve it over rice or soft polenta, which I may do for dinner later this week.<br />
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This made a lot, about 10 cups of a very, very thick chili.<br />
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2 Smart points per cup, if you count all the veggie points; about .75 smart points if you don't.Denise Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393220639430224731noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23128019.post-11967271141132013772017-10-10T06:53:00.002-05:002017-10-10T06:53:23.785-05:00The Best BorschtReaders of this blog know that I am an Orthodox Christian, and I've lived in various parts of the United States over the last 40 or so years. I've been exposed to people from all over the world, and my husband I had best friends for many years who were Russian Americans. We also were members of a parish that had many Russian Americans, and people from all over eastern Europe. That is how I became obsessed with borscht. I have always loved beets, and beet soup Russian style is absolutely divine.<br />
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Now, borscht is made all over eastern Europe, with various incarnations. It can be meatless, or full of meat, hot or cold, with or without cabbage, but the one constant is it's characteristic deep red color from the beets. Here is my favorite recipe for a meaty borscht.<br />
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BORSCHT<br />
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3 quarts meat broth, meat reserved and cubed<br />
6 - 8 medium beets, scrubbed well<br />
2 large carrots, sliced<br />
1 really large potato, cubed into 3/4"<br />
1 lb canned chopped tomatoes<br />
1 lb cabbage, sliced thin<br />
1 Tbs sugar<br />
2-3 Tbs red wine vinegar<br />
1-2 tsp dill<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
1/4 tsp pepper<br />
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Cook the beets how you like, peel the skin off, and slice into eighths, so they fit on the spoon. Put beets, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, salt, pepper and 1 tsp dill in the broth, and boil till tender, 20 - 30 minutes. Add meat, sugar and cabbage, and simmer till cabbage is tender. Remove from heat, taste for sugar, salt, pepper and dill. Stir in vinegar before serving. Top with sour cream and more dill.<br />
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NOTES:<br />
I usually make my own broth in the pressure cooker from meat scraps and bones. If you buy meat broth, you will need to also buy some stew meat, and will have to simmer the meat in the brother for about an hour before making the soup, to ensure that it is tender - or, you can pressure cook the meat with a natural pressure release.<br />
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I have made this with broth made from lamb bones and meat, and if you like lamb, as I do, you will be in for a taste treat! I think the lamb version is my most favorite, even more than the beef version! I've never made this with broth from pork bones, but I don't see why it would not be tasty as well.<br />
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I usually pressure cook the whole beets, or sometimes halved beets if they are really large, but you can boil them, or roast them, too. Be sure to save the beet greens because they may be the best part of the beet, and so very healthy!<br />
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I don't usually have sour cream hanging around the house, but I always have a big tub of plain yogurt, so feel free to drop a dollop of that on top of your soup. It is really yummy!<br />
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If you don't have red wine vinegar, use apple cider vinegar, or white vinegar, but don't use balsamic. That particular culture clash is not yummy. Ask me how I know this.<br />
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<br />Denise Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393220639430224731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23128019.post-81122289877124267332017-10-07T10:44:00.002-05:002017-10-07T21:04:48.817-05:00Brodetto con Polpetti - Italian Chicken Meatball SoupWhen I was a kid, I loved chickarina soup which was garlicky chicken broth with some veggies, greens and acini de pepe or other type of pastina, with chicken meatballs floating in it. I loved it, and so did every other kid I knew. Fast forward to San Jose, CA, circa 1983 or 1984. I had bought a large, 8 quart pressure cooker, and made chicken stock from trimmings and bones a couple of times a month. My neighbor, Marge (an amazing cook, fellow Italian married to a Syrian) and I were talking about soup over a glass or two of wine. We both talked about chickarina, and I decided I was going to make it. I had plenty of homemade chicken stock, so why not?<br />
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Over the next couple of years, I made it often, always tweaking it, and eventually settled on this version, which will most likely be made this weekend. I've cleaned out my fridge and freezer, and need to make some chicken broth from carcasses I've saved in the freezer, so brodetto con polpetti it is.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Brodetto con Polpetti</u></span></b></div>
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2 quarts flavorful chicken stock<br />
2 smallish zucchini, chunked<br />
2 med carrots, chunked<br />
1 med leek, washed and chunked<br />
4 shallots, or 1 small onion, quartered<br />
1 clove garlic<br />
handful or two of baby spinach<br />
1/4 lb pastena of choice<br />
1 tsp parsley dried, or 1/8 C fresh, minced<br />
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Simmer the veggies (except the spinach) in the broth 45 minutes, till very soft. Puree with a hand held blender. Add the raw polpetti and pastena, and simmer, covered, 10 minutes, till polpetti are cooked through. Check for salt and pepper, stir in the spinach to wilt, and serve with freshly grated parmesan on top.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Chicken Polpetti </span></b></div>
1 lb lean, raw ground chicken (breast is good for this)<br />
1/3 C breadcrumbs (Italian flavored, or make your own)<br />
2 - 3 Tbs freshly grated parmesan<br />
1/2 tsp minced garlic<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
1/4 tsp pepper<br />
1 egg<br />
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Mix all together with your hands till well combined, then use a melon baller to make around 4 dozen marble sized meatballs. They will swell a bit when cooked.<br />
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Notes:<br />
The flavor of the broth is what makes this dish amazing, so if your broth is not super flavorful, feel free to add a little chicken bouillion powder, or just use the best store bought chicken broth, Swanson's. Sometimes I use Israeli couscous, which is a pasta product, in this. Traditionally, the pastena would be round, like acini de pepe, but you can use any tiny, soup pasta that you want, and what you already have hanging around. I pretty much always have some fresh and frozen greens in my house, so I use whatever I've got on hand - it does not have to be spinach.<br />
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Most importantly, DO NOT SKIMP ON THE PARMESAN! That ground up stuff in the green shaker can is not parmesan, it is an abomination! Buy a little chunk of the real thing and grate it as needed, and you will be amazed at how much flavor it gives. It also lasts a very long time in your fridge. Hold onto the hard ends and put that in your soup as well, especially minestrone, for a taste explosion, so don't waste the rind by throwing it away.<br />
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<br />Denise Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393220639430224731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23128019.post-66636930481826099212017-07-16T17:24:00.001-05:002017-07-16T17:24:15.599-05:00Vegetable Barley Stew My grandmother was a great cook. Of course, everyone thinks their grandmother was a great cook, and it is the remembrance of the love that makes us think that. However, my grandmother was an adventurous and creative cook, and that's what made her a great cook. She was game to try anything, like making her own won ton wrappers so she could make her own egg rolls. Who does that? Grammie did. She also cooked traditional Italian, Jewish and American foods. This is one of her traditional New England style soups, which I have veganized. She made it with beef, and my cousin Ginny says that it was her father's favorite soup. Uncle Joey and my mother were the last two siblings, and eventually, he was the last sibling. I wish he was here, because I would love to get his opinion on this soup. So, this is for you Ginny!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Vegetable Barley Stew </span></b></div>
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1 1/2 C pearled barley, picked over and rinsed well<br />
1 large onion, chopped<br />
3 large carrots, chopped<br />
2 large stalks celery, chopped<br />
3 large garlic cloves, smashed and minced<br />
1 - 14 oz can of diced tomatoes in tomato sauce<br />
2 Tbs not chicken bouillion powder<br />
1 quart veggie broth<br />
2 heaping tsp Italian herbs (yes, I do use them on occasion)<br />
1 TBS parsley flakes<br />
1 tsp salt (to taste)<br />
1 quart water, plus more if needed<br />
1 TBS olive oil<br />
<b><i>Secret ingredient</i></b>: red lentils or split mung beans<br />
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In a 4 to 5 qt soup pot, saute onion and garlic in olive oil till translucent. Add celery, carrots, herbs (but not salt). Add the tomatoes, broth and 1 quart of water, stir well. Add in the barley and bouillion powder, and taste. It probably will need more salt, but hold off on that for a bit. Let it simmer for around a half hour. By that point, the barley will be nearly cooked. You may need some more water and salt, so add it now. When the barley is done, about 45 minutes in total, you are ready to eat!<br />
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My secret ingredient to make a very thick, vegan stew, is to toss in about a half cup of red lentils or split mung beans, which dissolve after 15 minutes of cooking. They don't change the flavor, but they add nutrition and thicken the broth nicely. You can add more or less, but remember that as the soup sets, the barley will continue soaking up the broth, so it can be extremely thick the next day, almost like a pudding. I happen to love it that way, but you may need to thin it out a little when you reheat it later in the week.<br />
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This is what I like to call, <b>Clean Out the Fridge Soup.</b> You can add in any leftover veggies or meats to this soup and it will be yummy. You can add any vegetables you like in addition to onion, garlic, carrots and celery. I seldom put potatoes in since I use a higher ratio of barley to liquid than most barley soup recipes, but you can put them in if you like. I also like to put a cup or so of frozen peas with this, but I am out of peas today. <br />
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<b><u>To make this beef and barley soup:</u></b><br />
Use all beef broth instead of veggie broth and water<br />
Use beef bouillion<br />
Toss in any leftover beef blood or juices from another meal, and add some cubes of beef. Use about a pound of beef roast, precooked or not.<br />
Leave out the secret ingredient.<br />
<br />Denise Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393220639430224731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23128019.post-43199424643771223022017-07-16T08:31:00.001-05:002017-07-16T13:58:29.986-05:00Popcorn and Cavender's Greek Seasoning - The Staff of LifeI really love popcorn. I mean, I REALLY love popcorn. I REALLY REALLY love popcorn, and I consider it to be a whole grain and therefore a reasonably healthy snack choice. I also live alone, and like many women who live alone, popcorn is sometimes dinner. I used to cook it in olive oil on the stove, and dress it with melted butter (the more, the better), salt, pepper and lots of freshly grated parmesan. Then I went through the bagged microwave popcorn phase, which is tasty, but expensive. I've been using a PowerPop in the microwave for many years and I love it - I think I have the original model. It requires a disposable metallic disk be inserted, and I keep using the disk till it gets burnt up. I've also had a couple of forays into electric air poppers, but they throw too much heat for me, and I always go back to the PowerPop in the microwave.<br />
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I always cook my popcorn dry in the microwave in the PowerPop. I buy bags of corn kernals, decant to a quart canning jar, and put a coffee scoop inside for easy measuring. I put two scoops (4 Tbs, or 1/4 C) into the PowerPop, set my 1200 watt microwave for 2 minutes 30 seconds on high, and let 'er rip. I usually drizzle a little olive oil over and then season to my taste. I love Adobo seasoning, especially the one with the pepper, and often use that, though I've used any seasoned salt you can think of. Along with the Badia brand Adobo, I'm currently using Tony Chachere's Seasoning (which is mostly cayenne and not enough other flavors, so I won't be replacing it when it's done), and Cavender's Greek seasoning. I don't know how authentically Greek Cavender's is - probably not very authetic at all - but it is delicious on my popcorn. I've gone through a small shaker in a month. Oink.<br />
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I just made a dupe of Cavender's. I looked online and found a few recipes for Cavender's, looked them over, put a few together and came up with, not a dupe, but a delicious blend that I may like even better - all from spices and herbs I already had on hand. The recipe is below.<br />
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Now, I watched a YouTube video in which a young vegan woman explained how to get salt or other seasonings to stick on dry popcorn. Her secret is to use powdered seasonings. She said salt crystals don't stick, but salt powder does, and she is absolutely correct!!!! I'm all about saving a few calories here and there, and this works!<br />
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So, since I use Cavender's mainly for my popcorn, I made the dupe and put it through my Vitamix which made short work of pulverizing the ingredients into a powder. It took about 20 to 30 seconds. I've refilled my Cavender's shaker and I am ready for popcorn!!!<br />
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Note: Many of the recipes I saw online added a ton of onion powder, like a tablespoon, but I don't have any onion powder on hand, and if I bought it, I wouldn't use it except for this recipe, so I didn't bother. It's delicious as it is. I may add a touch more salt to the next batch simply because I love salt, but maybe by then I will have tamed my taste for salt a bit.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Denise's Greek Style Seasoning Salt Powder</span></b></div>
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<i>Makes more than 1/3 cup</i></div>
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1 TBS salt</div>
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2 tsp basil</div>
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1 TBS oregano</div>
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1 TBS garlic granules</div>
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2 tsp dill weed</div>
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1 tsp marjoram</div>
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1 tsp ground black pepper</div>
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1 tsp parsley flakes</div>
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1 tsp rosemary</div>
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1 tsp thyme</div>
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1/2 tsp ground cinnamon</div>
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1/2 tsp ground nutmeg</div>
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I added 1 tsp cornstarch to keep it from clumping.</div>
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Denise Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393220639430224731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23128019.post-21748876828134685082017-05-01T06:55:00.002-05:002017-05-01T06:55:30.177-05:00Golden Milk, or, How to Beat your GenesMy father and his mother had Alzheimer's, so statistically, I am at risk. My mother's family had heart disease both rheumatic (not genetic) and other which is a combo of genetics and lifestyle, so statistically, I am at risk. I have osteoarthritis in both knees which is quite severe and painful, and in my hands and a few other places. So, I often read up on how to keep these problems at bay and how to cope with them. There are sorts of things that various scientific and pseudoscience sources tout, and then there is what my doctors say.<br />
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My doctor said I should take 800 mg of ibuprofen twice a day for my knees. It's a LOT of ibuprofen; ibuprofen has been shown to injure the heart muscle which scares me, and I took it for nearly a year. There was immediate improvement, but over time, it seemed to stop working. I went off it for a few weeks and felt that the pain and stiffness was worse, so I went back to taking it. Immediately I felt a big difference for the better, but after a few more weeks, the effects lessened. I started looking for something else, since knee replacements are not possible right now.<br />
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Then I read about turmeric which supposedly helps with inflammation as well as ibuprofen, does not not harm the heart muscle, and has the added benefit of protecting against Alzheimers disease. The capsules are pretty expensive, and you take four at a time several times a day. The fresh root is the most potent, but very hard to find and I kill all plants, so the ground spice is what I'm focussing on. I found several recipes for golden milk which is spiced sort of like chai, but with milk instead of tea, and with the addition of turmeric. I decided to add some black pepper to assist with the turmeric's medicinal properties, and some coconut oil for the Alzheimer's. I'm going to play some more with this recipe, but this is what I did last night and it was delicious! I drank it before bed and this morning, my knees seem less stiff and painful, so maybe, just maybe, we have a winner here.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Golden Milk</span></u></b><br />
2 C milk - plant or animal based; I used cow's milk because that's what I had in the fridge<br />
1 tsp ground turmeric<br />
1 tsp ground cinnamon<br />
2 star anise<br />
4 cardamom pods<br />
1 heaping tsp of freshly grated ginger (don't bother to peel, just use your microplane and grate)<br />
1/4 tsp black pepper<br />
1 Tbs honey (I use local honey which helps with my allergies)<br />
1 heaping tsp coconut oil<br />
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Stir it all up in a 2 C pyrex measuring cup and microwave for 2 minutes, stir well, and microwave for another minute till steaming hot.<br />
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It really was delicious, and although this was meant to be two servings, I drank the whole thing. Yes, it was that good! Once the milk is gone, I'll try it with unsweetened almond milk and maybe maple syrup - the real stuff, not that brown sugar water.<br />
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I don't think the star anise or cardamom pods are necessary for medicinal purposes, though the pepper is, so I think they could successfully be left out and it would still be delicious. I love fresh ginger, and always have a few knobs in the fridge, but you may not have it lying around. I will try it with ground ginger and see how that affects the flavor. I really only use ground ginger when making gingerbread, so mine is probably old and should be used up anyway.<br />
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And, now, off to the salt mines!<br />
<br />Denise Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393220639430224731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23128019.post-33730754561331506852017-02-06T07:38:00.001-05:002017-02-06T19:45:11.036-05:00200 Posts - A Milestone!200 posts! 200 posts, and 10 years! It's a milestone, isn't it?<br />
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I started this recipe blog back in February, 2007 because of some conversations I had with some newly Orthodox women on the now silent Orthodox Women's yahoo group. These women were worried about what to feed their families during Lent, and some of us older women gave them some ideas. I committed to posting what I fed my daughter and myself, with recipes, each time I cooked something, and What I'm Cooking Now was born. It seemed to be helpful and I enjoyed blogging, so I kept it up. I soon realized, though, that as I told anecdotes and wrote down how I cook, I was making a virtual cookbook of family recipes and lore for my daughter. So, in a way, this blog is a love letter - to my daughter, who is now grown and a co-author of this blog - and to my mother, grandmother and aunties, from whom I learned to cook and to eat. </div>
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Food is necessary to live, it's true, but it is also a creative act. You can open a can of beans, put it on the table, and you have provided food for the body. You can open that can of beans, add some onion, garlic, chopped carrots, celery and peppers, salt, pepper, basil, a splash of vinegar and a bit of olive oil, tasting to make sure that it is delicious, put it in a pretty plate, surrounded with slices of baguette, and you have provided more than only food for the body. If you serve it to those you love, and sit together to eat it, and thank God for it, you have provided food for the soul as well as the body. </div>
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Culturally, I'm an Italian American, and in my culture, lovingly prepared food is a sign of love. A meal around the table is how the family bonds are strengthened. Once I moved far away from my large, extended Italian family, I tried to recreate the sense of belonging, of acceptance, of satiety in my own home. My home became a gathering place and I made a new, large, extended family of people with other food customs. I've traveled the world through what is on my plate. I've broadened my horizons while broadening my taste buds, and this has only enhanced my life. </div>
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My family, both sides, are immigrants from Italy and French speaking Canada, ultimately from France. I married a man whose family on both sides were immigrants from Lebanon and Syria. Our best friends grandparents were from Russia. We lived in an area with many restaurants run by immigrants from Viet Nam, India, Cambodia, Pakistan, Japan, China, various places in Africa, and every country in Europe. My husband lived in Germany and Thailand. We were adopted by a big, fat Greek family, and we not only learned to dance the sirto and tsamiko, but to cook and eat Greek style. We ate the world, and the world is a tasty place, indeed. </div>
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When my grandparents immigrated to the United States, they brought their culture with them, and this culture informed how they interacted with each other and with the world. This culture included music, art, language, history, and food. The first generation in this country - my parents and their siblings - lost much of the music, art, and history, but learned the language (to a greater or lesser degree), and my generation has lost the language entirely. What is left to tie us to our roots? It is the food - the food is what is left. When all aspects of your culture have passed into history, you still have the food to let you know who you are and where you came from. I now live in a place where many natives do not have any idea of where their family came from, and in the United States, everyone comes from somewhere else. I wonder if the fear of immigrants so prevalent today is because the understanding that we are all immigrants to this land has been lost. I often think how poorer my life would be if I didn't have a sense of where I came from. </div>
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I have sometimes described myself as a foodie, and I am. I like food. I like everything about it. I like the taste, I like how it looks and smells, I like thinking about what I'm going to cook and who I'm going to feed. I like planning and shopping. I like opening my fridge or pantry, seeing lots of food, and knowing that I am ready to feed hungry people at a moment's notice. I can always put a little of this and a little of that together and end up with a tasty and filling meal. I like my gadgets and experimenting with them. I like the act of cooking - the chopping and mincing and measuring and stirring. I like to eat, too. I like the aroma of the food, I like how pretty it is, I like the mouth feel, the taste. I like new tastes and flavors, as well as those flavors that are so well known that they are a part of my DNA. Food is fun. Food is creative. Food is not love, but the act of cooking for someone is. When you cook for someone, when you create a meal from the vegetables and meats and grains in your pantry, the end result is greater than the sum of the parts. As you cook and stir and measure, if you are attentive to this one thing that you are doing, it is almost like a prayer. </div>
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I come from a long line of strong women. In my heart, I am holding my daughter's hand on my left, and my mother's hand on my right. She is holding her mother's hand (Josephine), and she is holding her mother's hand (Angela), and she is holding her mother's hand (Angela) and on and on... Our hands are working hands, scarred, burned, scrubbed clean, short nails. Our hands prepare food to nourish our families, and in so doing we are creating a life, a home, a place of physical and spiritual refreshment. We are participating in some small, mystical way, in the act of creation. Food is more than fuel, so much more. </div>
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As I write up and post recipes, I tell stories about the food, about my family, my history, my memories, memories of a time and a place and people that are long gone. As I write these memories down, I get to relive them, and by reliving them, I reconnect with a part of myself that may have been forgotten, or may lie dormant. As I write these memories down, I also am writing a love letter to those times and people. Writing things down is forever, and as I write these little snapshots of my life, I am ensuring that they will live on into the future, so in a way, I am a keeper of family history, like a bard of old, only instead of poetry, my medium is food. </div>
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So, I will keep writing in this blog. I'll keep posting recipes, and cooking methods, and little stories. I'm doing this for myself, and I'm doing this for my daughter, who has lived her entire life far from the extended family, so she will understand better where her parents and grandparents came from. My hope and prayer is that anyone who reads this blog enjoys the stories, and cooks the food for their family. </div>
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I'll end with my mother's favorite Italian proverb:</div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sette cose fa la zuppa, cava fame e sete attuta, empie el ventre, snetta il dente, fa dormire, fa smaltire, e la guancia fa arrossire’</em></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">‘Soup does seven things, it takes away hunger and thirst, fills the stomach, cleans the teeth, makes you sleep. makes you slim and puts colour in your cheeks’</span></div>
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So, make some soup, feed your family, talk around the table, and put some color in your cheeks!</div>
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Denise Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393220639430224731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23128019.post-75722757932609116152017-01-29T08:01:00.002-05:002017-01-29T08:01:53.717-05:00Fragrant Quinoa Pulao<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's official. I'm obsessed with my Instant Pot. Is there anything that it can't do?<br />
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It's a new year, and I made an inventory of the various foods I have in my pantry, freezer and fridge, and realized I have a fair amount of quinoa. I keep buying it because I know it's high in protein, which is good for fasting periods, but I never cook it. Yesterday, was the day to cook the oldest package of quinoa, which was prewashed and just under 2 cups.<br />
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I had watched a YouTube video on how to make quinoa pulao which looked tasty, and I adapted it to what I had on hand and to the instant pot. Keep in mind, that quinoa cooks quickly, so once you add the quinoa to the pot, you can easily cook it on the stove top - just follow the package directions for the timing, but use the proportion of 1 part quinoa to 1 1/2 parts liquid, if you want fluffy quinoa. You can also substitute rice in this dish.<br />
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Don't be afraid of the long list of ingredients - it's mostly spices, so measure your spices out first, and then get cooking. If you don't have all the spices listed, I'll make some suggestions at the end of the post. Use any neutral flavored oil - I used coconut oil. Use any combination of vegetables, but make sure you use a minimum of 3 cups, 4 would be better, IMHO, and frozen veggies are fine. Just use what you have - I had frozen corn and broccoli. I probably should have chopped the broccoli a bit, but I didn't. <br />
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This recipe makes a very fragrant, but mildly spiced pulao. You can amp up the heat according to your taste, of course, but the mildness means that it will go well with nearly every meal.<br />
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2 C quinoa (rinsed well, if not pre-rinsed)<br />
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2 Tbs oil<br />
1 Bay leaf<br />
3 cardamom pods *optional, but can substitute ground coriander<br />
1/2 tsp cumin seeds<br />
1/4 tsp black pepper, or 4 peppercorns, crushed<br />
1/4 tsp ground cloves, or 4 whole cloves, crushed<br />
1/4 tsp turmeric<br />
<br />
Over medium high heat, saute the above spices in the oil for 2 - 3 minutes<br />
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1 medium onion, minced<br />
1 Tbs minced ginger<br />
1 Tbs minced garlic<br />
1 green chile, seeded and minced (I didn't have this, so I used 1 dried chili arbol - you can use a couple of pinches red pepper flakes, too)<br />
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Add the above to the spices and saute until the onion is translucent<br />
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Add the quinoa, and saute for about 5 minutes, to toast it a little bit.<br />
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You'll need to keep stirring, or it will stick. You could add more oil, but I didn't want to do that, so I kept stirring every minute or so.<br />
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Add 3 - 4 cups of veggies: peas, corn, carrots, broccoli, sweet potato - whatever.<br />
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You can add beans or legumes, too as long as they are already cooked<br />
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Mix in the veggies, and then add the final group of spices:<br />
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1 tsp garam masala<br />
1 tsp ground coriander<br />
1/2 tsp ground cumin<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
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Mix in the spices, saute for just a minute or two, then add the liquid:<br />
<br />
3 C water or broth (scant)<br />
1/8 C lemon or lime juice<br />
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For Instant Pot: cover, set on high pressure and cook for 4 minutes, use natural pressure release. Fluff with a fork<br />
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For top of stove: cook quinoa according to package directions, using the same proportions.<br />
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You could make this in a rice cooker, too, but you'll have to look up the timing for your particular model.<br />
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Subtitutions: Make sure you use garam masala, but you could substitute some pumpkin pie spice mix for some of the other spices, using your judgement. I wouldn't really recommend using "curry powder" instead of garam masala, unless it's a particularly tasty and fragrant mix. Many curry powders have a high proportion of turmeric to the other spices, to give the impression that you are getting more spice than you actually are, and too much turmeric simply tastes like dirt. So, I stay away from curry powder most of the time. (I do have some in my spice drawer, so do as I say and not as I do, ok?)<br />
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I measured out the spices according to the different steps, measured out the quinoa, veggies and water, and, chopped and minced everything, before I started cooking. Think of this more like a stir fry, where you need to have everything ready before you cook.<br />
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I had two bowls for lunch and it was delicious - very fragrant, the tiniest bit of heat, and mild. Denise Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393220639430224731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23128019.post-39333191931567745482016-03-14T22:35:00.001-05:002016-07-20T18:12:19.758-05:00Non-Beef and Barley Stew in the Instant Pot<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mvb0-a_-7dc/Vud8DVTNbNI/AAAAAAAAGiU/Oqz5GwoU2YcvA-chQss7UzQXzGHXHpNwQ/s1600/stew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mvb0-a_-7dc/Vud8DVTNbNI/AAAAAAAAGiU/Oqz5GwoU2YcvA-chQss7UzQXzGHXHpNwQ/s320/stew.jpg" width="320" /></a>This was a riff on a recipe from Straight Up Food that I saw on Facebook. It depended heavily on lots and lots of mushrooms for it's meatiness, which I did not have, so I did what I always do - wing it. I seldom have a disaster when I wing it, and sometimes, I get serendipity. Today was serendipity, for sure - it was absolutely fantastic, and tasted curiously meaty,<br />
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I had about a half cup of barley that I had been meaning to put into soup, so today was the day. I already knew that I was going to make the soup in the instant pot, and since the pot really intensifies flavors, I didn't bother sauteing the onions and garlic - I just dumped all the ingredients in the pot, poured the liquids over and put the lid on. I didn't even stir it, but it came out perfectly.<br />
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I needed to use up my potatoes, some old carrots and slightly limp celery. Never let it be said that Josie Cieri's granddaughter threw food away if she could help it! Here is the recipe:<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Non-Beef and Barley Stew in the Instant Pot</u></span></b><br />
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7 or 8 smallish potatoes, peeled and cut in 1/2 inch dice<br />
1 small head celery<br />
4 large carrots, chunked<br />
1 large onion, chopped<br />
1/4 C tomato paste<br />
1/4 C Better Than Bouillion Mushroom Base (or veggie broth of your choosing)<br />
1/2 C pearled barley<br />
1 1/2 heaping Tbs minced garlic<br />
1 Tbs dried Italian herbs (yes, I do have a small supply - I just never use them for Italian food, mostly because I am Italian - but Herbes de Provence would be yummy, too)<br />
1 heaping Tbs paprika (next time, perhaps the smoked paprika?)<br />
1/2 tsp dried rosemary<br />
5 C water<br />
1 C wine (yes, I finished the bottle - it was a pinot noir)<br />
frozen peas<br />
no salt and no pepper<br />
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Threw everything into the IP, locked the lid in place, and pressed the soup button. 30 minutes later, it was done to perfection. I stirred a half pound of frozen peas into it, and called it done.<br />
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This was very substantial and thick, and quite filling. I think it could be flavored any number of ways, and when I'm eating meat again, I'm going to cube some beef stew meat, add some pickles and pickle juice and dill and call it Rassolnik (Russian Pickle Soup) which sounds weird but is truly yummy.<br />
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Next week, I'm going to replace the Italian herbs with dill, use any old veggie broth, keep the paprika and rosemary, add a little beer maybe, some cabbage, and use up two cans of diced beets that I have. A splash of vinegar or lemon juice in the bowl, and I'll have something quite borscht like.<br />
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If you don't have an instant pot, check it out. I've had a lot of appliances: I've used four different stove top pressure cookers, numerous rice cookers, steamers and crock pots, and quite honestly, absolutely nothing can compare with the instant pot. It is absolutely, hands down, my favorite appliance. I don't get paid to sing the praises of the Instant pot - I'm just a really, really satisfied customer.<br />
Denise Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393220639430224731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23128019.post-52521883741373749602016-01-23T15:16:00.000-05:002016-01-23T20:35:05.023-05:00Eddie's Favorite Boston Baked Beans My Dad loved baked beans, and for him, they had to be baked beans or nothing at all. It's the Boston thing, you know? His mother grew up in Canada and came to the US shortly before she married, and she knew her way around a bean pot. I grew up eating Boston baked beans on Saturday nights, usually accompanied by baked ham with pineapple sauce, and occasionally with a steak, but never, ever with franks. My father loved hot dogs, but they were a quick lunch and not dinner, at least not in our house. My Dad had a few culinary quirks and three were that he enjoyed baked beans as an accompaniement to fried eggs and toast on Sunday mornings, beans on toast, and as a sandwich filling on Mondays.<br />
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When I married, I began experimenting in the kitchen, and adapting tried and true recipes to my husband's taste and mine. My kitchen is full of all kinds of crazy gadgets, and I enjoy adapting recipes to the different gadgets I own, too. My Dad loved my baked beans, and he confided to me that they were better than my mother's, and his mother's, too, so this recipe is a winner, for sure. <br />
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I first made baked beans the old fashioned way, baking them in the oven in my mother's bean pot. Then I got a crock pot, and I adapted the recipe. Then I got a stove-top pressure cooker and adapted the recipe again. Now I have an electric pressure cooker (an InstantPot) which cooks at a lower pressure than the stove top pressure cooker I have, and I need to adapt the recipe yet again.<br />
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Today is the seventh anniversary of my Dad's death, and in remembrance of his delight in sniffing the air and saying, "I smell BEANS! Someone must love me!", I made Boston Baked Beans in the InstantPot. I may play with the recipe a bit more because they came out a little too juicy, but I will update this page when I do.<br />
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My Dad's favorite uncle, Uncle Amedee Gallant, used to make a fantastic variation which we simply called white beans, in which he substituted maple syrup (the real thing - the guy made his own maple syrup up there in Plaistow, NH) and white sugar for the molasses and brown sugar. He upped the mustard, too and added a couple of bay leaves. He used to cook his beans for 24 hours on top of his woodstove in his knotty pine man cave that he built himself. Sometimes he used bacon instead of salt pork. I really loved Uncle Mede and his cooking. Yum.<br />
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If you have time to soak the beans, you can make them in a crock pot or bake them in the oven. If you are using unsoaked beans, you will need to use a stove top or electric pressure cooker.<br />
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If you can't find salt pork, or don't want to use it, you can use 8 oz of raw bacon, sliced into 1/2 inch bits. You could use a ham bone or sausage or ham hock, and it would be delicious, but very different from Boston baked beans.<br />
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<b><u>Different ways to initially cook the beans, prior to adding the ingredients:</u></b><br />
1. Soak overnight, then:<br />
a. cover with water and boil on the stove till the skins pop<br />
b. pressure cook according to your cooker's instructions<br />
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2. Unsoaked, dry beans can be pressure cooked, using your pressure cooker's instructions<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Boston Baked Beans</span></u></b></div>
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1 lb or 3 Cups small white beans, such as navy beans<br />
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1 very large onion, chopped, at least 1 C<br />
1 1/2 tsp salt<br />
2 - 3 tsp dry mustard<br />
3 Tbs ketchup<br />
1/3 C dark molasses<br />
1/3 C brown sugar<br />
8 oz salt pork cut into 1" cubes<br />
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Wash and pick over the beans. Precook as above. Drain.<br />
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Retutn beans to pot. Add all other ingredients plus water. Stir well and cook as below.<br />
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<b><u>Old Fashioned way:</u></b><br />
Drain precooked beans and put into your bean pot. Add the ingredients plus enough water to just cover the beans and stir well. Put the salt pork on top. Cover the pot and bake at 250F for at least 8 hours without disturbing it - no stirring, no lifting the cover to see how it's doing. At the 8 hour mark, take the cover off and put it back for another half hour. This gives the characteristic crust on the top which is absolutely the best part!!!!! <br />
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<b><u>Crock Pot:</u></b><br />
Drain precooked beans and put into your crock pot. Add the ingredients plus 3 C water. Stir the salt pork into the beans. Cover and cook 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low. OR, you can soak the beans, don't bother precooking them, and toss everything into the crock pot. If you do that, you will need to cook them 8 hours on low or 6 hours on high. Check halfway through to make sure there is enough water.<br />
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<b><u>Pressure Cooker at 15 lbs pressure (stove top)</u></b><br />
Using UNSOAKED beans, cook beans in about 6 cups water at 15 lbs for 25 minutes. Quick release. Drain beans. Return to pressure cooker. Add 2 Cups water and all other ingredients. Bring to 15 lbs pressure again, cook 25 minutes, use quick release. Check to see if it needs more water, or if it needs some liquid boiled off and check for salt as needed.<br />
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<b><u>InstantPot Electric Pressure Cooker (at 11 lbs pressure which is the standard)</u></b><br />
Using UNSOAKED beans, place beans and 8 cups water in pot. Cover. Press manual and cook 30 minutes. Turn keep warm off. Use natural (slow) release for 10 minutes, then quick release if the pot won't open. Drain beans and return to InstantPot. Add ingredients, plus 1 - 2 Cups water (I used 2 cups and it was just a little too much - next time, I will try 1 1/2 Cups). Stir in the salt pork. Cover the pot, press Manual and cook for 25 minutes. Use quick release.<br />
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<br />Denise Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393220639430224731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23128019.post-18037312265750141412015-12-09T16:31:00.001-05:002015-12-09T16:31:43.385-05:00Vaguely Southwestern Chicken and RiceLast night, the green beans and the carrots went bad.<br />
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This was especially frustrating, since I had just come from Trader Joes to get chicken.<br />
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The original plan was to have baked chicken with veggies and rice on the side, but since that wasn't happening, it was time to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9C_HReR_McQ">get creative</a>.<br />
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I don't have a well-stocked pantry. This should probably change. Fortunately, I had exactly one can of tomatoes.<br />
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What I ended up doing was making a chicken and rice bowl. I melted butter in a saucepan until it browned, sauteed raw rice with salt and paprika until it get crispy, and added the entire can of tomatoes and one cup of water (the tomato juice made up for the rest of the liquid). I let that cook.<br />
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Meanwhile, I diced the chicken and browned it with Cajun seasoning. I like chicken almost burned, but that's a personal preference.<br />
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The chicken was done before the rice, so I just combined it all in the pot when the rice was finished cooking. The paprika gave it a nice smokey flavor, and what was initially emergency rations turned into a meal Boyfriend now requires I make regularly.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10166322878485308056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23128019.post-72118432859723563252015-12-09T16:21:00.000-05:002015-12-09T16:21:17.724-05:00Mac & Cheese & Stuff<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
DD here!</div>
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I've been working full-time for over a year now. Most evenings I get home not too exhausted and a healthy dinner with all the major food groups gets made. Some days, it does not.</div>
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When Boyfriend doesn't feel like covering (we swap kitchen duties every other day), we have our go-to low-effort meal: Mac & Cheese with Other Stuff Added.</div>
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Other stuff can be whatever you want, although I usually go for sausage (Aidell's Cajun Style Andouille is a particular favorite). I saute the sliced sausage with either broccoli or green beans in olive oil until everything browns and caramelizes and add it to boxed macaroni and cheese, cooked according to whatever the side of said box says (we like Annie's Cheesy Taco Mac and Cheese best, but it's hard to find in our little Safeway. I add Cajun seasoning if I can't find it.).</div>
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It's filling, at least mildly nutritious, and only takes ten minutes from start to finish.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10166322878485308056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23128019.post-66737253627079858472015-05-26T17:42:00.002-05:002015-10-12T17:02:40.104-05:00Tikil Gomen - Ethiopian Cabbage, Carrots and Potatoes<br />
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Many years ago, on the west coast, my church became home for a while to a group of Ethiopians. Every once in a while, they would have a dinner on Saturday night and on Sunday, the entire hall and kitchen smelled delicious. Finally, Tennie cooked some lunch for us at the church, and the mysterious aromas and tastes kept me going back to the line again and again. Fast forward a few years, and a friend named Poindexter and I used to drive up from San Jose to Berkeley to hit the used bookstores and eat as the Blue Lotus, probably the best Ethiopian food I've ever had. Alas, the Blue Lotus lives no more, but I will never forget all the different dishes I tried there. We went there at least twice a month, and after a while, the proprietor would simply bring us food to try without us having to order anything. Man, I loved that place.<br />
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Now that I live in a place that is not as diverse, I miss a lot of the little mom and pop ethnic restaurants that I used to frequent. Wherever I go, I look for Ethiopian, Eritrean, Cambodian, Indian, Pakistani, Thai, Polish, Russian, Romanian, Arabic and Vietnamese food. I was so spoiled in San Jose, and I didn't even know it.<br />
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Last night I read a food blog which featured a recipe for Ethiopian cabbage, carrots and potatoes and I knew that was going to be my dinner tonight. I had a small cabbage, a few potatoes and carrots that really needed to be used, a large onion, and a collection of spices that would make a sultan weep. The problem was that I could tell that recipe was going to be really, really bland. Isn't google a wonderful thing? I googled the recipe, looked at about 4 recipes, and winged it in my pressure cooker.<br />
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First thing, you should measure out your spices. Then you should peel the potatoes and carrots (save the peelings, onion skins and ends for broth). Chop everything. Next, heat the oil in the pot over high heat, stir in the onions, garlic and ginger, then the potatoes and carrots, then the spices and saute, and lastly, toss in the cabbage, stir to combine, add about 3/4 C water, stir again and lock the lid in place. Bring to pressure and let 'er rip for 9 minutes exactly. Quickly bring the pressure down, open the pot stir and taste for salt and pepper. I ended up adding about 1tsp of salt and a squirt of Sriracha, just because I am addicted to Sriracha. Alas, no injera in my house, so I'll eat it with a tortilla. How is that for fusion dining?<br />
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This was so amazing!!!!!!!! It took about 15 minutes to measure and chop, about 3 minutes to come to pressure, 9 minutes at pressure, and about 2 minutes to come down from pressure. Basically, this is a half hour meal. Add some cooked chick peas if you want. This would be amazing as a bed for a poached or baked egg, or as a cold topping for a strange, but delicious bruschetta. At least I think so.<br />
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Here are the ingredients:<br />
2 Tbs olive oil<br />
5 carrots, peeled and sliced thick<br />
1 onion, halved lengthwise and sliced<br />
4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed<br />
half a medium <br />
cabbage, chopped<br />
1 tsp curry<br />
1/4 tsp black pepper<br />
3 cloves garlic, minced<br />
1 tsp turmeric<br />
1 inch minced ginger<br />
1 tsp garam masala<br />
1/2 tsp mixed Arabic spices (cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg)<br />
1 tsp ground cuminDenise Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393220639430224731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23128019.post-64816561477715652862015-04-17T20:33:00.000-05:002015-04-17T20:33:01.329-05:00Pascha Cheese 2015The never ending saga of Pascha cheese continues.....<br />
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This year, I used 2 lbs of whole milk ricotta and my vitamix, and it was the best ever, texture wise, AND it was so yummy and chocolately.<br />
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First, I put the cream in the vitamix together with a small jar of room temp nutella, the vanilla, and a stick of room temp butter (the salted kind). I whizzed it at high speed till mixed well and fluffy, using the tamper. Then I added the ricotta, again using the tamper, and added just one or two tablespoons more of cream. It became so smooth! I turned it out into a big bowl and stirred in the sugar. I tasted it, and stirred in a couple more spoons of unsweetened cocoa powder. I packed it into my cheesecloth lined mold, set my brick on top and let it drain. It drained very very little liquid and kept it's shape after unmolding, even hours later.<br />
<br />
So there you have it! It was yummy, and exactly the right amount for my little red plastic mold. No photos of it unmolded this year, unfortunately.<br />
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<a href="http://whatimcookingnow.blogspot.com/2012/04/rebecca-or-dianes-pascha-cheese-2012.html" target="_blank">Here is a link to an all inclusive post about Pascha Cheese.</a> It includes a link to directions on how to make the quark, or tvorog, itself, and links to my two favorite recipes. Rebecca's has eggs, and Diane's does not. This year's effort was a riff on Diane's recipe.<br />
<br />Denise Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393220639430224731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23128019.post-38342019924597993002015-02-21T22:39:00.000-05:002015-02-23T12:00:32.289-05:00Great Lent 2015 SuggestionsThis is where I'm putting some of the ideas to try during Lent:<br />
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<a href="http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014810-red-bean-herb-and-walnut-salad?ref=health&_r=0" target="_blank">Georgian Bean Salad</a><br />
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<a href="http://countingsheep.typepad.com/amuse_bouche/2011/07/korean-radish-salad-or-banchan-with-a-twist.html" target="_blank">Korean Radish Salad</a><br />
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<a href="http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014721-shakshuka-with-feta" target="_blank">Shakshuka</a><br />
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<a href="http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016062-red-lentil-soup-with-lemon" target="_blank">Lemony Red Lentil Soup</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2015/02/vegan-ramen-miso-creamy-vegan-vegetarian-food-lab-recipe.html" target="_blank">Ramen</a><br />
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<a href="http://drbenkim.com/bin-dae-duk-korean-pancake-recipe.htm" target="_blank">Korean Pancakes</a><br />
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<br />Denise Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393220639430224731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23128019.post-52399388235392238522015-01-30T18:57:00.001-05:002015-01-30T18:59:44.371-05:00BalelaOn a blog that I sometimes read, the writer was bewailing the lack of Trader Joe's in her area, a sentiment that I am totally familiar with.... Sigh.... The reason she was so upset was because she could no longer get her daily fix of Balela. Balela? What is THAT? I googled it, and found that Balela is one of Trader Joe's biggest sellers, a bean salad consisting of chick peas and black beans, with what sounded like a typical lemon juice based dressing. Hey, I can make that! <br />
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And so, I did.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><u>BALELA</u></span></b></div>
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2 C cooked chick peas</div>
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2 C cooked black beans</div>
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1 large tomato, diced</div>
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1 small onion, diced</div>
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1/4 C minced fresh parsley</div>
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1/8 C minced fresh mint </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Dressing </span></b></div>
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1/4 C apple cider vinegar</div>
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1/4 C lemon juice</div>
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1/3 C EVOO</div>
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3 cloves garlic, minced</div>
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1 heaping tsp sumac</div>
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1/2 tsp ground black pepper</div>
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1/4 tsp cayenne</div>
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salt to taste (approximately 1 tsp)</div>
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1/2 tsp cumin (optional)</div>
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NOTES: I didn't use cumin, but it would be delicious. I hesitate to use much cumin in arabic food, because cumin isn't a feature in Lebanese cuisine, and my mother in law, who was the best Lebanese cook EVER, absolutely never, ever used cumin. I know that other parts of the Middle East have a great affection for cumin, and I do too, but I don't usually use it in arabic food. No, not even in hummus, so don't ask!</div>
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This is the end of January, and I promised myself that I wouldn't do any food shopping this month so that I would be forced to cook up all the food I have in my pantry. As a result, fresh parsley? Fresh mint? Don't have 'em. I used dried instead. Fresh tomato? Nope. I used a can of diced tomatoes, drained well, and saved the juice for another purpose. </div>
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I love sumac, so you might want to use a half teaspoon at first, if you are not familiar with the flavor. This one is a keeper. It's a wonderful, sour and tangy bean salad. </div>
<br />Denise Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393220639430224731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23128019.post-87955976755854852622014-11-07T20:25:00.001-05:002014-11-07T20:25:18.371-05:00Perfect Steak, Every TimeA couple of years ago, I promised a friend a wonderful 60th birthday dinner, and I knew that dinner needed to include a perfect steak for this meat lover. I bought us two rib eye steaks, 2 inches thick, and I marvelled at how beautiful they were. I made Steak au Poivre, but what I'm going to talk to you about today is the method of cooking the steak.<br />
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When you have a very thick steak, you have to be careful that you don't char the outside while the inside is still cold - unless that's how you like it! For me, I like a medium rare steak with a warm pink center, nice and juicy. The way to do that, believe it or not, is to sear it in a smoking hot pan and then roast it in the oven. Yes, you hear me correctly. Try it my way just once, and you will never cook your steak any other way.<br />
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Bring the steak to room temperature. You'll need a cast iron pan big enough to fit the steak, salt and pepper (or any other dry steak seasoning that you like, such as Montreal Steak Seasoning), and some olive oil. That's it.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BCnxIovm_Wk/VF1w3sMwcgI/AAAAAAAAGOA/AtggetwsrPc/s1600/steak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BCnxIovm_Wk/VF1w3sMwcgI/AAAAAAAAGOA/AtggetwsrPc/s1600/steak.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a>Turn your oven on as hot as it will go, somewhere between 500F and 550F. Put the dry pan into the cold oven, and let it heat while the oven is coming to temperature. Pat the steak dry with paper towels (this is very important). Drizzle a little olive oil onto the steak and make sure that all sides are well oiled. Sprinkle on both sides with salt and pepper and press into the steak. Turn on one of your burners as high it will go. When the oven and the pan have heated, put the pan on the burner, slap the steak into it and let it sizzle for 30 seconds, use tongs to turn it over and sear the steak on the other side for 30 seconds, and then put it in the oven. DO NOT PIERCE THE STEAK WITH A FORK - USE TONGS INSTEAD!<br />
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In the oven, cook for 2 1/2 minutes for medium rare, then flip it and cook for 2 1/2 minutes on the other side. Add one minute to each side for medium, etc.<br />
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Remove from the oven and check for your desired degree of pink. It's easy when you know how!<br />
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Make the OK sign by pressing your index finger against the tip of your thumb. Now, using your other index finger, press the pad of flesh directly below your thumb on your palm. That is how rare steak feels when you press it. <br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', DroidSerif, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.25px;">For medium rare, press your middle finger against your thumb. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', DroidSerif, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.25px;">For medium, press your ring finger against your thumb.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', DroidSerif, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.25px;">For well done, press your pinkie against your thumb. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', DroidSerif, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.25px;">Once the steak is cooked to your specifications, cover it with foil and let it rest for at least 5 minutes. </span><br />
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While you're waiting for the steak to rest, go ahead and deglaze the pan with some wine or brandy or broth, add some garlic, mushrooms, onions, salt and pepper and some kind of an herb.... I really love herbes de provence, which long time readers of this blog already know. <br />
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And, voila! The perfect steak!Denise Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393220639430224731noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23128019.post-48491954664470168502014-11-07T19:43:00.002-05:002014-11-08T08:50:08.276-05:00Elizabeth's Massaged Kale Salad with Pomagranate SeedsYears ago, maybe 20 or more, I met a woman in an online Orthodox women's group. She was very warm, bright and funny and I simply got a major kick out of her. As we got to know each other, we found that our lives were eerily parallel. We chatted on the phone and we found we were sympatico. I love that word, "sympatico", and wish that there was an English equivalent. <br />
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Anyway, the years have passed, and from time to time we get to meet in person for a few hours, or a day. This past weekend, I hit the jackpot - we hung out at my house for the entire weekend! On Saturday, we did a little food shopping, and I bought the world's greatest steak and some gorgeous organic kale. I cooked the steak and some sauteed zucchini with yellow squash, and Elizabeth made this gorgeous salad with the world's most perfect pomagranate that she had brought along. It was fantastic! You will love it, too - I guarantee it!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Elizabeth's Massaged Kale Salad with Pomegranate Seeds</span></b></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><b><u>Kale Salad:</u></b><br />1 Bunch Fresh Kale<br />¼ - ½ Sweet Onion, Thinly Slivered<br />1 – 2 Oranges, Sectioned<br />1 or ½ Seeded Pomegranate (Depending Upon Size)<br />Pepitas (Green Pumpkin Seeds) and/or Sunflower Seeds, For Topping<br /><br /><b><u>Citrus Vinaigrette Dressing:</u></b><br />1 Orange, Both Zest & Juice<br />2 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar<br />1 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard<br />1 Tbsp. Honey<br />Sea Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper, To Taste<br /><br />Zest the orange peel from about ½ of the orange. Add the zest, juice and all other dressing ingredients to a jar. Shake well and set aside.<br /><br /><b><u>For the Salad:</u></b> Remove the stems from the kale, preferably by hand. Take remaining kale leaves and tear into small, bite-sized pieces. Then (this is the key to the recipe!), massage the torn up kale leaves. Yes, give it a good work over until the leaves turn a slightly darker color. When well massaged, add thinly sliced sweet onion, orange sections and pomegranate seeds. Shake the dressing again to make sure it is well mixed. Pour over the salad and toss well. Top with pepita (pumpkin) seeds and/or sunflower seeds. Serve. This salad will hold up better than most, even after it is dressed.</span></div>
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Denise Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393220639430224731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23128019.post-24205318428481388002014-11-04T07:42:00.002-05:002014-11-04T11:55:44.448-05:00French Pot Roast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When I was little, my parents owned a small country inn on a beautiful alpine lake in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. We provided our guests with a modified American plan, which meant that we served them breakfast and dinner. My mother was the cook, and my Dad was the host extraordinaire/maintenance man. My Italian grandmother used to prepare the evening meal until I was about 8, since my mother had a serious heart condition and sometimes needed to lie down in the afternoon. <br />
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When I was seven, my Mom had open heart surgery and was so much better that my grandmother "retired" to her cottage across the lake, and my Mom cooked both meals. Well, sometimes she got sick, like everyone else, and the summer before I was ten, that happened. My grandmother was not at the cottage, and we needed to serve dinner to a small number of guests, maybe 20 or so. My Mom was distraught, but she couldn't stand up because of dizziness. I was nearly ten, old enough to follow directions, so, the first dinner that I ever cooked, was for 20 guests, 3 waitresses, one helper, my parents and myself. 27 people. It was pot roast. My mother lay on a cot in the office, just beyond the kitchen, and gave me detailed instructions, one step at a time. We had tomato juice for a starter, pot roast with vegetables and salad, and ice cream sundaes for dessert.<br />
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I will never, ever forget that day, and the sense of accomplishment I felt - not only because I had cooked a tasty meal, but because I had helped my family in our business - our livelihood. I contributed something important and valuable. Talk about raising my confidence level!<br />
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I always loved pot roast, which is an old New England favorite, It's comfort food for me. When I married, I made pot roast in my own home often, because I loved it and because it was so easy in my crock pot. I make it lots of different ways, but this is my favorite, easy, go-to recipe. You will need a 6 quart pot.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">French Pot Roast</span></b></div>
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4-5 lbs rump or chuck roast, with or without bones (save the bones for stock)<br />
1 1/2 C dry red wine plus 1/4 C water, or any combo of alcohol and water<br />
2 beef or mushroom bouillion cubes<br />
1 tsp tabasco or other hot sauce (I like Sriracha best)<br />
1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmet<br />
1/2 tsp dry thyme<br />
2 bay leaves<br />
1/2 tsp dry tarragon<br />
6 celery stalks<br />
6 carrots, scraped, cut into chunks<br />
4-5 medium onions, skins on, cut into quarters<br />
4 potatoes, scrubbed, cut in quarters<br />
1/2 lb mushrooms, wiped clean, cut in half (or left whole)<br />
3 garlic cloves, smashed and minced<br />
1/4 Cup white flour<br />
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Dredge meat in flour. Place in pot. Mix dry ingredients and sprinkle over the meat. Place vegetables into the pot, with mushrooms on the top, and carrots on the bottom. Make sure that the carrots will be submerged in the liquid. Pour liquids over all. Cover tightly and simmer. When cooked, remove meat and vegetables to a platter. The liquids will be slightly thickened, but you can taste for salt and pepper and thicken a bit more if you like to provide a gravy. Let the roast stand for 10 minutes before slicing.<br />
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Crockpot: Cook on medium-low all day, 8 - 10 hours, or 4 hours on high.<br />
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Microwave: Deeply pierce the roast many times on all sides prior to cooking. Place in a large, 5 or 6 quart casserole that fits in your microwave and has a tightly fitting cover. Cook at 50% for 30 - 35 minutes per lb of meat. Turn the roast over after half the cooking time. Add the vegetables at the half way mark.<br />
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Pressure: Put meat, liquid and spices in pot. Cook at 10 lbs for 45 minutes. Let the pressure reduce naturally. Add all veggies, bring to pressure, and cook at 10 lbs for 6 minutes. Let pressure reduce naturally.<br />
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Stove top: Simmer slowly for 4 hours, checking to make sure that the liquid has not boiled away.<br />
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Oven: Covered tightly, bake at 325 for 2 - 3 hours, till tender, and checking the liquid level a few times.<br />
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Notes; I seldom use the flour anymore. I often leave out the potatoes and serve it with mashed potatoes instead. Use the vegetables you have on hand and like - I've used rutabagas and sweet potatoes, too! I often leave out the mushrooms if I don't have them, but I usually have mushroom soup base that I will substitute for the beef bouillion. I usually use the red wine, but I have substituted a dry white, a rose, brandy or beer. This last time, I only had marsala and sherry in my cupboard, so I used half brandy and half water, and it was delicious!Denise Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393220639430224731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23128019.post-9495563604567092012014-04-18T08:40:00.002-05:002014-11-08T09:08:59.262-05:00Grammie's Liver PateYes, I know that you don't like liver. Yes, I understand that you had a nasty encounter with liver as a child and it was gross. Yes, I understand that you want to skip this recipe entirely, but don't. Really.<br />
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When I was a child, I really hated liver. I hated liver and onions, and I especially hated chicken livers in a garlicky wine sauce that my Mom used to make rather often. I didn't like the flavor and I didn't like the texture. Totally gross. However, at every holiday and family get together, I used to eat this grayish brownish stuff called pate which my Grammie used to serve as a filling for celery sticks. I mean, I REALLY LOVED this stuff. Sometimes, I'd eat the celery sticks as fast as Grammie could fill them, and she would laugh and say to me, "You love your Grammie's cooking, don't you!" I did. And my Grammie, too. The best part was taking a pate sandwich and half a stuffed artichoke to school the week after Easter. That was total bliss. I was probably 10 or 12 before my cousin Ethel told me that the delicious pate was actually made with the dreaded liver! No matter, what is delicious is delicious, even if it is made with liver! (In case you're wondering what the other kids thought of my lunches, well, they didn't think much about them at all, because half the class ate precisely the same way. The other half of the class ate things like bologna on white bread, and desperately tried to trade their gummy sandwiches for one of ours on delicious scali bread. No way!)<br />
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This recipe is extremely quick, economical and simple. Many years ago, my grandmother was a housekeeper for a rather well-to-do Jewish doctor. He loved her cooking, and she would cook for dinner parties for him from time to time. She learned how to make all the yummy Jewish delicacies like matzoh ball soup and chopped liver. This recipe is what happens when you add an Italian to chopped liver!<br />
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I haven't made pate in a couple of years, but I'm making it this year.<br />
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GRAMMIE CIERI'S CHICKEN LIVER PATE<br />
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1 large onion, chopped fine<br />
1/4 lb salted butter<br />
1 lb chicken livers, cleaned well<br />
1 lb whole milk ricotta<br />
1/4 C finely chopped toasted walnuts<br />
salt and pepper to taste<br />
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Toast the walnuts (I do mine in the toaster oven), chop and set aside. Clean the chicken livers well and remove every last bit of silverskin, gristle or fat. Leave them whole. Melt the butter over medium heat in a large skillet, and saute the onions until totally translucent and soft. Add the chicken livers and saute until cooked through, but not dried out. A tiny bit of pink in the center is just right. Salt and pepper everything in the skillet to your taste. Transfer the contents of the skillet to a food processor and whiz until completely smooth. You may have to do this in two batches if your processor is small. Remove the contents of the processor to a large bowl. Add the walnuts and the ricotta and mix well. Taste for salt and pepper. Serve chilled, with paprika sprinkled on top.<br />
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Note: I've made this so many ways.... You can add a clove of garlic and a splash of brandy to the onions while they are sauteing. Also, one hard boiled egg can be added to the processor. Add herbs that you like, though I really like this best in it's simplest form.<br />
<br />Denise Normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393220639430224731noreply@blogger.com3