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Here are the tastingspoons players. I’m in the middle (Carolyn). Daughter Sara on the right, and daughter-in-law Karen on the left. I started the blog in 2007, as a way to share recipes with my family. Now in 2023, I’m still doing 99% of the blogging and holding out hope that these two lovely and excellent cooks will participate. They both lead very busy lives, so we’ll see.

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BOOK READING (from Carolyn):

Once in awhile I’m ready to read another Louise Penny mystery. This time it was World of Curiosities. Usually I’d write something wonderful regarding “another tome about Three Pines.” Not going to say it this time. Three Pines becomes a sinister place. Murders (many).  Of course. Some bad folk out there, far too close to home. I had to put it down a couple of times because it was so frightening. But Inspector Gamache prevails. Of course he does! A piece of very complicated art is involved (I think it may be a real painting). Louise wrote a nice epilogue about how she devised the whole idea. Very interesting read.

Over the years I’ve read many of Jodi Picoult’s books. This, her newest, or very new, is called Mad Honey. Oh, my. This book is beyond Picoult’s usual borders, but then she always writes edgy books. That’s her genre. This one is written with a co-author, a woman who is gay (I think) and also a trans-gender. There is a lot of learn in this book, and might be very difficult or hard for some to read. Very engrossing story, though, as always.

Philippa Gregory is one of my fav authors. Just finished her 3rd (and last, I think) in the Fairmile series called Dawnlands. If you scroll down below you’ll find the 2nd book in the series, Tidelands. Very interesting about English history, but about the same families from the first book in the group. Loved it, as I loved all of them.

Am currently reading Rutherfurd’s long, long book, Paris. I love these involved historical novels about a place (he’s written many about specific places in the world). It’s a saga that goes back and forth in time, following the travails of various people and families, through thick and thin. Some of it during the era of the King Louis’ (plural, should I say Louies?). Very interesting about some of the city’s history and royalty.

Although this book says A Christmas Memory, by Richard Paul Evans, it’s not just about Christmas. A young boy is the hero here, but really an older widower man who lives next door plays a pivotal part of this book. It’s poignant, heart-rending and sweet. It delves deep into childhood memories to take readers back to an age when a world felt like it was falling apart, reminding us that even in the darkest of times, the light of hope can still shine. A beautiful read.

Wish You Were Here, by Jodi Picoult. Another page-turner. I loved this book. A thirty-something woman, about to take a trip with her boyfriend, when Covid breaks out. Covid plays a major role in this book, beginning to end. She decides to go anyway as her boyfriend is a doctor and cannot leave. She ends up on a remote Galapagos island, and you go along with her – with people she meets, the life she leads, the isolation she experiences, the loneliness she feels, but the joy of nature is a sustaining aspect. She’s stuck there because of Covid. Not boats, no airport, no nothing. Barely enough food. But yet, she survives. I could NOT put down this book. It had me riveted. You know, Covid is going to play a major role in a lot of books in our future – it has to. It was such a pivotal moment in this century!

Not everyone wants to read food memoirs. When I saw Sally Schmitt had written a memoir, titled Six California Kitchens, I knew I wanted to read it. I met Sally a few times over the years when I visited Napa Valley, and bought some of her famous pickled items, chutneys, jams, etc. She was the original chef at The French Laundry, before it became truly famous by Thomas Keller. Sally shares her food story, how she came to become a chef and entrepreneur. It’s a charming book and there are a few recipes (I think one at the end of every chapter). Enjoyed reading it. If you ever visited Napa Valley in the early days (the 1960s through 80s) you will enjoy reading how “California cuisine” kind of came into being.

Being a fan of Vivian Howard (from her TV show), when I saw she’d written another book, I knew I should buy it. This Will Make It Taste Good is such an unusual name for a cookbook, but once you get into the groove of the book, you’ll understand. She’s now divorced, but still running two restaurants and raising twins (part-time, I’m guessing as I assume her ex is involved some). I don’t know how she had time to write another book. She’s hysterically funny. I mean it. Over the years (and I’m guessing most of this came from her North Carolina roots and the mayhem she encountered opening a restaurant in her tiny, rural town, to great fame) she developed a group of tasty “things,” to complement her food. It’s hard to pinpoint what these are – they’re recipes for some “kitchen heroes” she calls them. They’re condiments. They’re food additions, they’re flavor enhancers. If I make some of them (I hope to) I’ll post them on my blog. They have umami flavors, and she says it’s how she survives and makes everything taste good. She includes the recipe for each of these kitchen heroes (and each title is laugh-out-loud funny in and of themselves) and a few uses of them. Recently she wrote a column in Garden & Gun (magazine) about online dating, and about how she filled out her profile and of some of the not-so-happy first dates. I laughed and laughed over that. I hope you click on that link and read it.

As soon as it came out, I ordered Spare, by Prince Harry. I’ve always been interested in the Royal Family. And I’m old enough to remember when Queen Elizabeth was crowned – my mother and I watched it on tv, in those early days of television. I admired her throughout her long life. What you learn in this book is how abominably Harry and Meghan have been treated. We all know the Royal Family has a company of people who “handle” them, called “the firm.” These people control what everyone in the R.F. does, when, who is present, who can take a vacation where, and some of them give permission for journalists to photograph, in somewhat private spaces, in return for leaving them alone for awhile. The paparazzi, and the photojournalists are ruthless. Absolutely ruthless and relentless. I cannot imagine having to live with that kind of low-life awaiting  your every move. It could break anyone, as it did Diana. I’ve never been a fan of Charles, and this book doesn’t endear him to me. I’ve never been a fan of Camilla, either. There’s a lot of verbiage given over to outing many people in the R.F. Betrayals on many levels. I devoured it, but then I’m an Anglophile of the first order.

Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri. Usually I don’t seek out short stories. I might have purchased this book without realizing it was. There aren’t that many stories – each one gets you very ingrained in the characters. I love her writing, and would think each story in this book could be made into a full-fledged novel. I was quite taken with the main characters in each and every one of them. Since each story is different, I can’t describe one, without describing all of them; no space for that. With each story I was very sad when I realized it was the end, leaving you hanging. I wondered if these were stories Lahiri wrote hoping they would transcend into a full length novel, but she grew bored, or couldn’t quite flesh out more. But I always felt there could/would be more. I wanted there to be more.

A Lantern in Her Hand, by Beth Streeter Aldrich. A very interesting and harrowing story of early pioneer days in the Midwest (Nebraska I think); covered wagon time up to about 80 years later as the heroine, Abbie Deal, and her husband start a family in a small town. On land that isn’t lush or reliable. Many years of drought, winds, grasshoppers. The story is a novelized one of Aldrich’s own family roots. It’s full of good old-fashioned family values and is a record of some difficult Midwest pioneering history.

The Messy Lives of Book People, by Phaedra Patrick. From amazon’s page: Mother of two Liv Green barely scrapes by as a maid to make ends meet, often finding escape in a good book while daydreaming of becoming a writer herself. So she can’t believe her luck when she lands a job housekeeping for her personal hero, mega-bestselling author Essie Starling, a mysterious and intimidating recluse. The last thing Liv expected was to be the only person Essie talks to, which leads to a tenuous friendship. When Essie passes away suddenly, Liv is astonished to learn that her dying wish was for Liv to complete her final novel. But to do so Liv will have to step into Essie’s shoes. As Liv begins to write, she uncovers secrets from the past that reveal a surprising connection between the two women—one that will change Liv’s own story forever.

Four Seasons in Rome by Anthony Doerr. I’m a fan of this author and relished reading his book about a year in his personal life, with his wife and very new, newborn twins. Doerr was given an auspicious award – a year of study in Rome, with apartment and a stipend. There are four chapters, by season. You will laugh and cry with him/them, as they have to work very hard to survive days and nights with crying babies that will not settle down. As he escapes to his study lair, if only to get away from the babies, sometimes to nap because he was up all night. Those of us who have had fussy babies know what this feels like. He suffers greatly because the “great American novel” isn’t coming to him. He feels the year wasting away from the standpoint of the award. The time in Rome was wonderful, and he and his family enjoy many wonderful visits to city high points, to stand in awe at old relics. I loved every bit of this book – so well written. If you’ve ever been to Rome you’ll enjoy it all the more.

Kristin Hannah’s Distant Shores is quite a read. Some described it as like a soap opera. Not me. Interesting character development of a couple who married young. She put her own career/wants/desires aside to raise their children. He forged ahead with his life dreams. The children grow up and move on. Then he’s offered a huge promotion across the country. She’s torn – she doesn’t want to be in New York, but nothing would get in the way of his career. They try to make the marriage work from separate coasts. The wife begins to find herself again, re-igniting her own passions. Lots of family dynamics.

Oh, William! by Elizabeth Strout. Lucy Barton is divorced. But she’s still sort of friendly with her ex. It’s complicated. Out of the blue he asks her to go on a trip with him to discover something about his roots. They go. And of course, they’re taken for a married couple most of the time. Lucy laments the things she loved about her ex, William. Hence she says “Oh, William” more than once. They encounter some very funny circumstances, and she guides him along, lamenting again, “Oh, William,” again. I don’t think she ever says it TO him, however. Very funny book. Sweet. Elizabeth Strout is a gifted writer.

Tidelands,  by Philippa Gregory. It tells the tale of a peasant woman, Alinor (an herbalist and midwife), who lives barely above the poverty level, trying to raise two children, during the time of great turmoil in England, the rancorous civil war about Charles 1. Her husband has disappeared. The feudal system at the time isn’t any friend to Alinor. In comes a man (of course) who is a priest, but to the Catholic king, not the Protestant people, and everything Catholic is abhorred and suspect. A fascinating read, loved every chapter.

Read Reminders of Him, by Colleen Hoover. A page turner of a story. A young woman is convicted of a crime (young and foolish type). Once released her sole purpose is to be a part of her daughter’s life. Hoover has such a gift of story-telling and keeping you hanging on a cliff.

The Last Anniversary by Liane Moriarty. Oh my goodness. The wicked webs we weave. How in the world did the author even come UP with this wild story, but she did, and it kept me glued. Sophie walked away from her wedding day, and always wondered if she made the wrong decision. Then she inherits his aunt’s house, back in her home town, where the quizzical Munro baby disappearance provides a living for many of his family. Sophie moves there, only to have to unearth all the bad stuff that happened before. Quite a story.

Very funny and poignant story, Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont, by Elizabeth Taylor (no, not that one). Mrs. Palfrey, a woman of a certain age, moves into an old folks’ home in London. It’s a sort of hotel, but has full time elderly quirky residents. You get to know them all, and Mrs. Palfrey’s subterfuge effort to show off her “grandson.” I might not have ever picked up this book, but one of my book clubs had us read it, and I’m ever so glad I did.

For one of my book clubs we read Lessons in Chemistry, by Bonnie Garmus. This book is so hard to describe. Elizabeth is a wizard at chemistry and struggles to be recognized for her intelligence and research. She meets a man at her company who is brilliant too. They make quite a pair. They have a child, then he suddenly dies. Her work isn’t taken seriously, so she leaves her employment and becomes an overnight phenom on a cooking show where she uses the chemical names for things like sodium chloride, etc. You go alongside her struggles, and her raising of her daughter. LOTS of humor, lots to discuss for a book club.

Horse. Oh my, is it a page turner. Loved it from the first page to the last. Sad when it ended. It’s a fictional creation but based on a real racehorse owned by a black man, back in the 1850s. Technically, the story is about a painting of the horse but there are many twists and turns. If you’ve ever enjoyed Brooks’ books in the past, this one won’t disappoint.

The Book of Lost Names, by Kristin Harmel (no, not Hannah). Certainly a little-known chunk of history about a woman who becomes a master forger during WWII to help get Jewish children out of France. Not easy to read, meaning the difficulty of anyone finding the means and place to DO the forgery and right under the noses of the Nazis. Really good read.

Liane Moriarty’s first novel, Three Wishes, follows the travails of adult triplets, so different, yet similar in many ways. Two are identical, the third is not. So alike, and so not. It takes you through a series of heart-wrenching events, seemingly unrelated, but ones that could bring a family to its breaking point and test the bonds of love and strength.

Recently I’ve read both of Erin French’s books, her cookbook, The Lost Kitchen, and since then her memoir, Finding Freedom. About her life growing up (difficult) about her coming of age mostly working in the family diner, flipper burgers and fries (and learning how much she liked to cook). Now she’s a very successful restaurant entrepreneur (The Lost Kitchen is also the name of her restaurant) in the minuscule town of Freedom, Maine. She’s not a classically trained chef, but she’s terrifically creative. See her TV series on Discover+ if you subscribe.

Jo Jo Moyes has a bunch of books to her credit. And she writes well, with riveting stories. Everything I’ve read of hers has been good. This book, The Girl You Left Behind, is so different, so intriguing, so controversial and a fascinating historical story. There are two timelines here, one during WWI, in France, when a relatively unknown painter (in the style of Matisse) paints a picture of his wife. The war intervenes for both the husband and the wife.

Eli Shafak’s Island of Missing Trees. This book was just a page turner. If you’ve never read anything about the conflict in Cyprus (the island) between the Turks and the Greeks, you’re in for a big history lesson here. But, the entire story centers around a fig tree. You get into the head/brain/feelings of this big fig tree which plays a very central part of the story. You’ll learn a lot about animals, insects (ants, mosquitos, butterflies) and other flora and fauna of Cyprus.

Also read Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty. Ohhh my, such a good book. I couldn’t put it down. Whatever you do, do not read the ending before you start the book. I’ve never understood people who do this. The book chronicles the day a mom just ups and disappears. The grown children come back home, in panic. The dad isn’t much help, and he becomes the prime suspect of foul play. There is no body, however.

If you’d like a mystery read, try Dete Meserve’s The Space Between. It’s just the kind of page-turner I enjoy – a wife returns to her home after being away on business for a few days, to find her husband missing and what he’s left for her is an unexplained bank deposit of a million dollars, a loaded Glock in the nightstand, and a video security system that’s been wiped clean.

Read Alyson Richman’s historical novel called The Velvet Hours. Most of the book takes place in Paris, with a young woman and her grandmother, a very wealthy (but aging) woman who led a life of a semi-courtesan. Or at least a kept woman. But this grandmother was very astute and found ways to invest her money, to grow her money, and to buy very expensive goods. Then WWII intervenes, and the granddaughter has to close up her grandmother’s apartment, leaving it much the way it had been throughout her grandmother’s life, to escape the Nazis. Years go by, and finally answers are sought and found. An intriguing book, based on the author’s experience with an apartment that had been locked up similarly for decades, also in Paris.

Susan Meissner is one of my favorite authors. This book, The Nature of Fragile Things tells a very unusual story. About a young Irish immigrant, desperate to find a way out of poverty, answers an ad for a mail order bride.

Also read Rachel Hauck’s The Writing Desk. You could call this a romance. A young professional, a writer of one successful book, has writer’s block. Then she’s asked to go to Florida to help her mother (from whom she’s mostly estranged) through chemo. She goes, hoping she can find new inspiration.

Also recently finished The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish. The book goes backwards and forwards in time, from the 1600s in London with the day-to-day lives of a group of Jews (who had to be very careful about how they worshiped) to current day as an old house is discovered to hold a treasure-trove of historical papers.

Colleen Hoover has written quite a book, It Ends with Us: A Novel, with a love story being the central theme, but again, this book is not for everyone – it can be an awakening for any reader not acquainted with domestic violence and how such injury can emerge as innocent (sort of) but then becomes something else. There is graphic detail here.

Nicolas Barreau’s novel Love Letters from Montmartre: A Novel  is very poignant, very sweet book. Seems like I’ve read several books lately about grieving; this one has a charming ending, but as anyone who has gone through a grave loss of someone dear knows, you can’t predict day to day, week to week. “Snap out of it,” people say, thinking they’re helping.

Another very quirky book, that happens to contain a lot of historical truth is The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World: A Novel by Harry N. Abrams. Set in Japan just after the tsunami 10 years ago when 18,000 people died. At a private park miles away, some very special people installed a phone booth, with a phone (that didn’t work) at the edge of the park, and the survivors of the tsunami began wending their way there to “talk” to their deceased loved ones. Very poignant story.

No question, the most quirky book I’ve read of late, a recommendation from my friend Karen, West with Giraffes: A Novel by Lynda Rutledge. Back in the 1930s a small group of giraffes were brought across the Atlantic from Africa to New York, destined for the then-growing San Diego Zoo. The story is of their journey across the United States in the care of two oh-so-different people, both with a mission.

Could hardly put down Krueger’s book, This Tender Land: A Novel. Tells the harrowing story of a young boy, Odie, (and his brother Albert) who became orphans back in the 30s. At first there is a boarding school, part of an Indian (Native American) agreement, though they are not Indian. They escape, and they are “on the run.”

Just finished Kristin Hannah’s latest book, The Four Winds: A Novel. What a story. One I’ve never read about, although I certainly have heard about the “dust bowl” years when there was a steady migration of down-and-out farmers from the Midwest, to California, for what they hoped to be the American Dream. It tells the story of one particular family, the Martinellis, the grandparents, their son, his wife, and their two children.

Also finished reading Sue Monk Kidd’s recent book, The Book of Longings: A Novel. It is a book that might challenge some Christian readers, as it tells the tale of Jesus marrying a woman named Mary. I loved the book from the first word to the last one. The book is believable to me, even though the Bible never says one way or the other that Jesus ever married. It’s been presumed he never did. But maybe he did?

Jeanine Cummins has written an eye-opener, American Dirt. A must read. Oh my goodness. I will never, ever, ever look at Mexican (and further southern) migrants, particularly those who are victims of the vicious cartels, without sympathy. It tells the story of a woman and her young son, who were lucky enough to hide when the cartel murdered every member of her family – her husband, her mother, and many others. It’s about her journey and escape to America.

Also read JoJo Moyes’ book, The Giver of Stars. Oh gosh, what a GREAT book. Alice joins the Horseback Librarians in the rural south.

Frances Liardet has written a blockbuster tale, We Must Be Brave. I can’t recommend this book highly enough. Although the scene is WWII England, this book is not really about the war. It’s about the people at home, waiting it out, struggling with enough food, clothing and enough heat.

William Kent Krueger wrote Ordinary Grace. From amazon: a brilliantly moving account of a boy standing at the door of his young manhood, trying to understand a world that seems to be falling apart around him. It is an unforgettable novel about discovering the terrible price of wisdom and the enduring grace of God. It’s a coming of age story.

A Column of Fire: A Novel by Ken Follett. It takes place in the 1500s, in England, and has everything to do with the war between the Catholics and the Protestants, that raged throughout Europe during that time, culminating in the Spanish Inquisition.

My Name Is Resolute by Nancy Turner. She’s the author of another book of some renown, These is my Words:

The Shepherd’s Life: Modern Dispatches from an Ancient Landscape by James Rebanks. This is a memoir, so a true story, of a young man growing up in the Lake District of Northern England, who becomes a shepherd. Not just any-old shepherd – actually a well educated one. He knows how to weave a story.

 

Tasting Spoons

My blog's namesake - small, old and some very dented engraved silver plated tea spoons that belonged to my mother-in-law, and I use them to taste my food as I'm cooking.

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Posted in Appetizers, Cookbooks, Fish, on September 1st, 2023.

You are going to love these. I mean it.

In my last post I told you about Vivian Howard’s latest cookbook, This Will Make It Taste Good, and about the various “flavor heroes,” she calls them, that she relies upon in her restaurant and home cooking. To make this recipe above, however, you have to make one of her flavor heroes, the one she calls the “Little Green Dress.” Hereon referred to as LGD! I suppose that’s a take on every woman’s need for a “little black dress,” except that here, the color is decidedly green, not black.

The flavor hero recipe has a preponderance of Castelvetrano olives in it, plus shallots, garlic, vinegar, capers, some anchovies (which you don’t taste at all – but you know – anchovies are one of the umami flavors), fresh parsley, fresh mint, EVOO, hot sauce and salt. You pour this into a clean glass jar, and if you haven’t used it within a few days, pour a little layer of EVOO on top so it doesn’t spoil. It will keep for several weeks that way.

If you’re not familiar with Castelvetrano olives . . . well, they’re a more ripe olive than the traditional green olives – not in color, just in how they pickle them, I guess. They have a milder flavor and they’re not as piquant (sour).

Once you make this flavor hero, then you add some of it to – – in this case it’s canned tuna, a little bit of mayo, and some minced celery and you’ve got a fantastic lunch. Vivian slices avocado and puts that on the cracker first, then piles it with the tuna salad. I forgot the avocado that day, but I made it again the following day, and used some avocado on one, and a sliced egg on the other.

You may THINK this is not worth the trouble, but I’m tellin’ you, it is. I don’t think I’ve ever had canned tuna taste this great. I’m serious. When my friend Cherrie and I got together to make three of the flavor heroes, we made this tuna salad cracker for our lunch. Cherrie and I were both blown away by how flavorful it is. FYI: I buy the line-caught Wild Planet albacore tuna from Costco (blue can, in a stack of about 5).

But, I do need to tell you about Wasa crispbread crackers. I remember them vaguely from my youth – my mother used to buy them. I have no recollection what we ate them with. They come in various grain flavors – I bought the whole grain. They’re not a good cracker to eat by themselves – even Vivian Howard says they taste kind of like cardboard. But they have a very unique characteristic (not mentioned in the book) that once you pick up that little slate of cracker, piled with goodies, you can bite into it without risking cracking the whole cracker and making a big mess. It stays intact as you munch on down. I suppose you could make the tuna salad and use other crackers, but I’m certainly a fan now, of Wasa crackers. I don’t know whether all grocery stores have them – I finally found them at my small, independent market near me.

It’s been two days since I had this for my lunch, and as I write, I’m craving another serving of those tuna crackers.

What’s GOOD: (the flavor hero, the LGD): so unique, and I hope to find more ways to use it. The cookbook includes many recipes using small amounts of it. (The tuna cracker): it’s sensational. I’m craving it. So delicious. Once you have the LGD made, it’s so very easy to make the tuna salad and you’ve got a simple but flavor-packed lunch.

What’s NOT: well, if you’re not willing to put in the effort to make the LGD, then you won’t be able to enjoy the flavor of the tuna snack crackers. I’m telling you, you don’t want to miss this flavor puch. FOMO!

LGD printer-friendly PDF and MasterCook file (click link to open recipe)

Tuna printer-friendly PDF and MasterCook file (click link to open recipe)

* * Exported from MasterCook *

Tuna Salad Snack Crackers

Recipe By: Vivian Howard, This Will Make It Taste Good
Servings: 4

10 ounces canned tuna — water-packed, drained, can use up to 12 ounces tuna
1/2 cup celery — finely diced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt — [might be too much – taste first]
1/2 cup Little Green Dress
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 large avocado — halved, pitted, peeled, sliced
Juice of one lemon
1/4 teaspoon salt — optional
8 whole Wasa Fiber Whole Grain Crispbread

NOTE: if you don’t have avocado, sliced hardboiled egg will do. One of the big benefits of Wasa crackers is that when you bite into them, they will not break apart in your hand.
1. Place drained tuna in a medium bowl and break apart some. Stir in celery, salt, Little Green Dress (LGD) and mayonnaise. Stir well. Set aside.
2. Cut avocado into slices and squeeze lemon juice over avocado and season with the 1/4 teaspoon salt. if needed.
3. Divide avocado slices on crackers and spoon tuna mixture on top. Serve immediately. Two slices make a very adequate lunch portion.
Per Serving: 327 Calories; 19g Fat (41.9% calories from fat); 21g Protein; 37g Carbohydrate; 16g Dietary Fiber; 27mg Cholesterol; 980mg Sodium; 1g Total Sugars; 1mcg Vitamin D; 81mg Calcium; 4mg Iron; 725mg Potassium; 134mg Phosphorus.

– – – – – – –

* * Exported from MasterCook *

Little Green Dress

Recipe By: Vivian Howard, This Will Make It Taste Good
Servings: 20 (approximate)

2 medium shallots — peeled
2 cloves garlic — peeled
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2/3 cup Castelvetrano olives — pitted
1 1/2 tablespoons capers — rinsed
2 anchovy fillets — oil-packed
1 bunch Italian parsley — about 1 cup
1/2 cup fresh mint — packed
1/2 cup EVOO
grated zest of one lemon
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon hot sauce — [I used Frank’s]
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

NOTES: Spoon on baked potatoes, dollop on steak, roast chicken, lamb, pork or fish. Add to salad with creamy cheese., on scrambled eggs, on top of soup, with guacamole on toast, in chicken, potato or egg salad, on top of deviled eggs, simmer with ground meat for tacos, spread on top of pizza, as filling for quesadillas. Or thin with oil to make a vinaigrette.
1. In a small food processor, puree shallots and garlic, then stir in a small bowl with red wine vinegar. Allow to pickle for awhile, about 20 minutes before continuing. Set aside.
2. Mince pitted olives, capers and anchovies in food processor. Transfer to a medium bowl. Pick leaves and smaller stems from parsley and mint and mince in the food processor. It may take awhile to get it all processed. Transfer herbs to the bowl with olive mixture.
3. Add vinegar-shallot-garlic mixture, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, hot sauce and salt to the bowl with everything else. Stir it all together and let this puddle of green sit for a minimum of 30 minutes. This will keep for a month in a sealed container in your fridge as long as you submerge it with a layer of olive oil.
Per Serving: 52 Calories; 6g Fat (92.7% calories from fat); trace Protein; 1g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; trace Cholesterol; 96mg Sodium; trace Total Sugars; trace Vitamin D; 7mg Calcium; trace Iron; 22mg Potassium; 4mg Phosphorus.

Posted in Appetizers, Miscellaneous, on September 1st, 2022.

Having made this as a dip, to eat with pita chips, I had a lot of it – and it went beautifully as a sauce with the tri-tip steak we grilled. Several guests commented how complementary it was to the meat.

A post from Carolyn. There’s been a bit of cooking and entertaining going on in my house lately. Birthdays and then Taylor’s nursing graduation. I made a batch of this dip and had plenty to serve for both events. Happy coincidence. I made the grilled tri-tip for both parties (mostly different people) and this dip, although maybe not the most appetizing color, is really delicious.

The recipe has been in my arsenal for a long time – I might have made it years ago – before I started writing a blog. It’s a Phillis Carey recipe. And I’ll just say – it’s super easy to make. It’s a sour cream based dip but also contains red wine vinegar, some oil, a little brown sugar, garlic, fresh ginger, cumin and salt. The most time consuming thing about this is soaking the dried ancho chiles in boiling water for about 20-30 minutes.

Pasilla Chili Peppers in Bulk | Buy Dried Ancho Peppers There’s a picture at left of some ancho chiles (or chilies). They’re a very dark red/brown. They’re a pasilla/poblano chile that’s been dried. They have tons of flavor, but not much heat. I keep them on hand – although the food experts say if you haven’t used them in a year, buy new ones. I’ve never done that — I have dried chiles that are 5 years old and they seem fine to me. Use  your own judgment.

Anyway, once you have soaked the chiles, you mix up the ingredients in the food processor, then chill for several hours to allow the flavors to blend. Serve with tortilla chips, with veggie strips, crackers, or as a sauce for grilled meat (shrimp also recommended).

What’s GOOD: so easy to make. Just have dried chiles and sour cream on hand and you will likely have all the other ingredients. Great also as a sauce to grilled meat. It’s not hot – it has a little bit of heat and a lot of flavor.

What’s NOT: nothing, as long as you have the dried chiles on hand.

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Ancho Chile Dip/Sauce

Recipe By: Phillis Carey, about 2005
Servings: 6

3 whole dried ancho chiles — (remove stems and seeds after soaking)
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 cloves garlic — minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Place dried chilies in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand for 20-30 minutes and then drain well. Remove stems and seeds. Tear the chiles into 1″ pieces.
2. Add all ingredients to a food processor and buzz until smooth. This dip will keep 4 to 5 days in refrigerator. Serving ideas: Great with sliced vegetables, with tortilla chips or as a dip for shrimp but also good used to garnish for quesadillas or taquitos. And makes a great sauce to go with steak or a grilled beef something (marinated tri-tip). Garnish bowl with one dried ancho chile, to help identify what it is.
Per Serving: 159 Calories; 15g Fat (85.2% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 5g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 19mg Cholesterol; 205mg Sodium; 4g Total Sugars; 0mcg Vitamin D; 39mg Calcium; trace Iron; 59mg Potassium; 28mg Phosphorus.

Posted in Appetizers, on August 14th, 2022.

Do you wonder how to pronounce it? It’s ch-tee-pee-tee. It’s Turkish.

A post from Carolyn. It’s been years ago now that one of my granddaughters, Sabrina (the one who has just started med school in South Carolina) and I flew to Washington, D.C. with my son, Powell (her uncle), who needed to be there on business. In between business he took us places and made some touring arrangements for us. Sabrina and I flitted around to various monuments and museums during the daytime and then we’d meet Powell in the evenings. One night he took us to Zaytinya, a well known restaurant (by Jose Andres) which serves Turkish, Greek and Lebanese food. So kinda-sorta Eastern Mediterranean food. Among the outstanding dishes we had that night, this one stood out to me. An appetizer served with pita bread or pita chips. I couldn’t get enough of it. Once I got home, I found the recipe online somewhere, somehow, and until now I hadn’t gotten around to making it. Not sure why as it’s so easy to do.

If you have abundant red bell peppers, by all means, char or roast them yourself. I had a big jar of them in my pantry, so used them instead. You mix up a vinaigrette of shallot, garlic, red wine vinegar and EVOO or just OO, then mix in crumbled Feta, some fresh thyme leaves and you’re done. So easy. I made it the day before, and actually, it kept for a week. Some of the feta had begun to disintegrate, but the flavor was still there and it tasted fine. The picture I found online shows a more homogenous mixture (you couldn’t see the cheese or peppers, it was just a solid red), but I like the differentiation with mixing it this way.

What’s GOOD: how easy it is to make if you’ve got some jarred bell peppers. Keeps for several days; obviously a good make-ahead appetizer. Very tasty with the bell pepper and cheese combo. Altogether delicious. I served it with pita chips.

What’s NOT: nothing that I can think of.

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Htipiti Spread

Recipe By: From Zaytinya, a Turkish-Greek-Lebanese restaurant in Washington, D.C.
Servings: 8

BELL PEPPERS:
4 whole red bell peppers
1 tablespoon olive oil
VINAIGRETTE and SPREAD:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 medium shallot — finely chopped
1 whole garlic clove — finely chopped
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces Feta cheese — crumbled (use goat’s milk Feta if available)
4 teaspoons thyme — plus more for garnish
pita chips for serving

Note: it’s pronounced ch-tee-pee-tee, which means “beaten”. If desired, you can use jarred red bell peppers; remove any skin, membranes and seeds before proceeding to step 3.
1. Preheat oven to 300°F.
2. Place bell peppers on a foil-lined, rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with 1 T oil, turn to coat. Roast peppers, turning every 15 minutes or so, until collapsed and very tender, 60-75 minutes; Let cool.
3. Meanwhile, whisk shallot, garlic, vinegar, a pinch of black pepper and 1/4 cup oil in a small bowl to combine. Season with salt.
4. Remove stems, skins and seeds from bell peppers, discard. Finely chop flesh and transfer to a medium bowl. Whisk dressing to reincorporate and pour over peppers. Toss to coat. Gently toss Feta and thyme. Cover and chill dip at least 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
5. Top the Htipiti with more thyme and serve with pita chips. Can be made one day ahead. Keep chilled. Will keep for several days.
Per Serving: 168 Calories; 15g Fat (77.3% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 5g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 25mg Cholesterol; 326mg Sodium; 3g Total Sugars; trace Vitamin D; 147mg Calcium; 1mg Iron; 151mg Potassium; 113mg Phosphorus.

Posted in Appetizers, Vegetarian, on August 14th, 2022.

These toasts, cute as can be, and quite delicious. I’d have this for lunch. Dinner even, if you didn’t want a hearty meal.

A post from Carolyn. So this recipe came from my friend Cherrie. She subscribes frequently to “Hello, Fresh,” that delivery service that gives you everything you need for a meal (several meals in a week, actually), all you have to do it put it together. I’m not sure whether this was an appetizer, or if it was a vegetarian type light dinner. She made it, took a taste of her husband’s but decided she wasn’t hungry enough for it and when I came for dinner that night she gave me a package of these. Already put together – all I had to do was warm them up a bit. She liked it enough she plans on making it herself sometime soon, and she sent me the Hello, Fresh print-out they sent her for the preparation.

Going online, I discovered this recipe was in Bon Appetit in 2014. So neither she nor I can claim anything about creating this recipe. It’s just that with tomatoes in season right now (and so very tasty) this can make a lovely light meal, or served on smaller toasts, as appetizers. However you serve them, they’re really tasty and not difficult to make.

There’s the photo I took of the ones my friend Cherrie made. She used pine nuts in hers, not walnuts. You do need to have ricotta on hand, some good tomatoes (cherry or grape type), some fresh herbs (chives, dill, thyme, maybe, or basil) and good bread to serve it on. Oh yes, balsamic glaze too. Knowing this recipe was just up my friend Joan’s alley, I sent it to her and she made it that very evening (her picture there at top). She raved about the good taste of the tomatoes (charred) and the garlic too. I concur – love tomatoes and garlic, and the charred tomatoes have that wonderful umami flavor.

What’s GOOD: the tomatoes (charred makes such a difference), the garlic, the cheese, texture of the nuts, the herby ricotta. Everything good.

What’s NOT: nary a thing – fresh herbs are needed here.

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Charred Tomato & Ricotta Toasts

Recipe By: Hello Fresh recipe
Servings: 2 (maybe more)

1 clove garlic
10 ounce grape tomatoes
1/4 cup herbs — parsley, dill and/or chives
8 ounces ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
4 slices sourdough bread
3 tablespoons walnuts — or toasted pine nuts
5 teaspoons balsamic glaze
salt and pepper
4 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese — grated

1. Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Peel and grate or mince garlic. Halve tomatoes; toss on a baking sheet with half the garlic, a large drizzle of olive oil, and pinch of salt and pepper. Roast on top rack until tomatoes are lightly charred, 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Carefully wipe off sheet with paper towels.
3. Meanwhile, pick parsley leaves from stems; mince leaves. Mince chives. In a second medium bowl, combine ricotta, half the Parmesan (save the rest for serving), and half the minced herbs. Season with salt and a pinch of chili flakes to taste.
4. In a small bowl, combine remaining garlic and a large drizzle of olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Brush one side of each slice of sourdough with garlic oil. Place on baking sheet used for tomatoes. Bake on top rack until toasted, 4-5 minutes total.
5. Remove sheet from oven; add walnuts to same sheet. (TIP: If sourdough is done at this point, remove from sheet.) Return to oven until walnuts are toasted, 2-3 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, roughly chop walnuts.
6. Divide toasts between plates; spread with herby ricotta. Evenly top with tomatoes, walnuts, and remaining Parmesan. Sprinkle with remaining herbs and chili flakes to taste. Drizzle with as much balsamic glaze as you like and serve.
Per Serving (the calorie count must to be high because of the unknown size of the sourdough bread): 936 Calories; 44g Fat (42.1% calories from fat); 39g Protein; 98g Carbohydrate; 7g Dietary Fiber; 76mg Cholesterol; 1475mg Sodium; 9g Total Sugars; trace Vitamin D; 672mg Calcium; 6mg Iron; 892mg Potassium; 638mg Phosphorus.

Posted in Appetizers, Breads, on August 10th, 2022.

So very easy, you will hardly believe it. No, there isn’t any lavender in it – Taylor was using photo props to make the picture more beautiful.

A post from Carolyn. My dear granddaughter Taylor will only be living with me for another week or so by the time this recipe posts. Oh sigh. I’ll miss her so much! She made this bread. Four ingredients. During her last clinical hospital work (12-hour shifts at a local hospital, in their post-partum department) she befriended all of the nurses in the department and wanted to do something nice for them on her last day. She’d made this bread before (a recipe from her friend Quinn – thanks, Quinn!), and it’s so very easy.

The dough is mixed up in a stand mixer (with dough hook if possible). I couldn’t FIND my dough hook. (Where in the heck has it disappeared to?) So she used the metal paddle for awhile until it got to be labored in mixing, then she kneaded it a bit by hand. It sat out on the kitchen counter (covered with plastic wrap) for about 15 hours until it had more than doubled in bulk. She punched it down, then formed it into a nice big loaf shape (on the counter is fine, just cover it with a big bowl or a damp tea towel). When she was ready to bake it, she preheated the oven to 450°F AND put the big ceramic Dutch oven into that cold oven so it heated up while the oven did. You could use a cast iron Dutch oven too, or a regular lidded pan – just grease the container so it pops out easily.

Then she very carefully picked up the loaf and put it in the hot-hot Dutch oven, with the lid. It baked for 15 minutes. Then the oven temp is turned down to 350°F for 20-30 minutes. Then you remove the lid from the bread and allow it to bake further for 10 minutes until the crust has turned a golden brown. Once out of the oven you can carefully tip over the Dutch oven to let the bread pop out, then right it and let it sit on a rack until cool. Wait at least an hour before trying to slice it.

She was serving it with artichoke dip, so I cut up the bread for her into thicker slices, then into elongated cubes, about 3/4″ side and 2 inches long. I ate a few edges with a little butter. Yum. I think back to decades ago when I used to bake bread every week (sourdough, with a starter) and the hours it took. This is just so easy to do, letting the overnight rise do all the heavy lifting, so to speak!

What’s GOOD: how easy this is to make, and when fresh and warm, altogether delicious. You could use this as a bread bowl too. Am sure this could be made into 3 smaller boules also as long as you have the containers to do them in. Adjust the baking time, obviously. The bread texture is on the firmer side – this isn’t a tender bread (no fat or milk in it, notice!). So a French style, rustic texture.

What’s NOT: only that you need to be at home when the 12-18 hour window is up, and continue to be there for the 2nd rising and then the baking time.

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Easy Overnight Yeast Bread

Servings: 12 (or more)

6 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon yeast — not rapid rise
2 teaspoons salt
2 2/3 cups cold water

1. Mix all ingredients well (use dough hook of stand mixer if available). It should come together in a big ball. Place in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside (on kitchen counter) overnight and let it rise to double in bulk, about 12-18 hours.
2. Remove dough to a floured surface, sprinkle with some additional flour and knead for a minute, to mold it into a ball shape.
3. Leave dough on the counter, cover with a dampened tea towel or a huge bowl, and let it rise until the dough has risen for 1 1/2 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 450°F. Place a Dutch oven (with lid) in the oven and allow it to heat as the oven heats up. Once oven reaches temperature, remove Dutch oven, remove lid and carefully transfer dough inside. Replace cover and bake for 15 minutes.
5. Turn heat down to 350°F and continue baking for another 20-30 minutes, then uncover the bread and continue baking for another 10 minutes until top is golden brown.
6. Remove from oven and carefully turn Dutch oven over to remove bread. Set bread upright on a wire rack to cool. Allow to cool at least an hour before trying to cut. Use a serrated knife.
Per Serving: 228 Calories; 1g Fat (2.5% calories from fat); 7g Protein; 48g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 389mg Sodium; trace Total Sugars; 0mcg Vitamin D; 11mg Calcium; 3mg Iron; 69mg Potassium; 69mg Phosphorus.

Posted in Appetizers, on July 25th, 2022.

Make most of this ahead, then just spread them up at the last minute.

A post from Carolyn.  You’ll recall I had a wine tasting at my house awhile back – this was another of the appetizers made that evening. I’d found the recipe online and my good friend Linda made them, then she and I quickly put them together just before serving.

Caramelized onions aren’t hard to make – but as anyone who has made them knows, it takes a whole lot of onions to make a batch that yields about 3/4 cup of so, as onions are comprised of a lot of water. As they simmer and sizzle away, they wilt and then become golden brown, then deep mahogany brown. Be careful you don’t cook them too long (they will burn eventually), but make sure they are dark golden.

In this case, we spread the toasted baguette slices with goat cheese (a soft, spreadable type), then carefully added some of the caramelized onion on top, then sprinkled chopped up rosemary on top of that. Went beautifully with the rose wine sangria we served.

If you happen to have Boursin on hand, you could easily substitute that for the plain goat cheese, although I’d go really easy on the rosemary in that case, since the garlic/herb Boursin is already seasoned well. Maybe substitute a bit of parsley on top instead.

What’s GOOD: if you have all the ingredients on hand, this is a very easy appetizer to make. Double the batch of onions – they’re good on so many other things.

What’s NOT: only that it requires a bit of spreading and prep just before serving.

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Goat Cheese and Caramelized Onion Tapas

Recipe By: adapted from Spanish Sabores blog
Servings: 24

2 tablespoons EVOO
3 large onions — thinly sliced
2 pinches salt
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons sherry vinegar — or balsamic vinegar
36 slices baguette — thinly sliced
10 ounces goat cheese — Chevre, warmed to room temp
1/4 cup fresh rosemary — finely minced
Balsamic glaze for garnish

NOTE: If you have Boursin goat cheese (herb/garlic) you could use it instead of the plain goat cheese. If using, garnish toasts with chopped parsley instead of rosemary.
1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add EVOO. When heated through, stir in the onions and cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes.
2. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the salt, sugar, and vinegar. Cook for about 30 minutes, stirring every 4-5 minutes, or until the onions are a deep, dark brown and taste sweet and soft. If you are going to leave the onions to caramelize while you do other things, leave a splash of water in the pan so they don’t burn. Set aside to cool for at least 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 325°F. Spread the baguette slices on a baking tray and bake for 6-8 minutes or until lightly toasted.
4. To prepare the tapas, generously spread each slice of toasted baguette with the softened goat cheese, then add a heaping teaspoon of the caramelized onion. Garnish with a few rosemary leaves. Drizzle a little bit of balsamic glaze on top. Taste one to make sure you’re using the right proportion of cheese–onion-rosemary-glaze. Adjust quantities as your taste dictates.
Per Serving (not including baguette): 61 Calories; 5g Fat (69.4% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 2g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 9mg Cholesterol; 62mg Sodium; 1g Total Sugars; trace Vitamin D; 40mg Calcium; trace Iron; 42mg Potassium; 49mg Phosphorus.

Posted in Appetizers, Pork, on June 19th, 2022.

Another recipe from the wine tasting event last month. So good.

A post from Carolyn. So there’s a little story to go along with this recipe. If you’ll recall, the wine tasting event (a fundraiser for my PEO chapter) at my house was kind of a Spanish wine and tapas affair. Not strictly, but mostly. First we had a Spanish sangria made with a cava rose wine. I have yet to post that recipe . . . and Lois made these wonderful appetizer meatballs, among other Spanish tidbits we served.

Just so you know, there’s a difference between Mexican chorizo and Spanish chorizo. The Spanish variety is more like cured sausage – it IS a cured, dry sausage. I’d found the recipe online and gave the recipe to Lois. I’d cautioned her to make sure she bought Spanish chorizo which would require cutting the sausage into tiny little (dry) cubes and incorporating them into the meatball mixture. I recommended Lois go to Whole Foods, as I knew they (usually) have Spanish chorizo. She went to the specialty meat counter and pointed to the chorizo in the case and asked the butcher if it was Spanish chorizo. My guess is the butcher was Hispanic, and thought she was asking if it was “Mexican” chorizo, although she said “Spanish.” Semantics. Perhaps he didn’t know there was a difference. So she bought Mexican chorizo (which is a raw meat product) and made these wonderful meatballs.

Meaning that these meatballs weren’t authentically Spanish, but a Mexican version. I didn’t know how they’d turn out . . . but I can categorically say they were fantastic. Everyone loved them. So did I! It’s not as if the recipe was wrong, or bad, just that we didn’t cleave to the original. We all laughed about it. The blog where the recipe originated is written by a young couple who live in Spain and all their recipes are authentic (and in English).

There are two parts to the recipe – the meatballs (ground pork and chorizo) and a tomato based sauce (with smoked paprika) that is spooned over the top of the hot, cooked meatballs. If these were served in a tapas bar in Spain, they’d probably be warm, not piping hot. They might even be at room temp (not a good thing bacteria-wise). We served them hot (picture at top) with toothpicks.

If you wanted to make these into a meal, serve with a side veg, and some Spanish rice version of some kind. And maybe a green salad.

What’s GOOD: these were really delicious. Not authentically Spanish, but very tasty. Very much worth making.

What’s NOT: only that you should seek out good quality chorizo. NOT the kind from your local grocery store as it’s usually very fatty and you don’t really know what’s in it.

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Spanish Meatballs

Recipe By: adapted from Spanish Sabores blog
Serving Size: 12

MEATBALLS:
3 tablespoons EVOO
2/3 pound Mexican chorizo
2/3 pound ground pork
1 medium onion — finely chopped
2 cloves garlic — finely chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
1 sprig thyme
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 large egg
1 pinch salt
1 pinch black pepper
SAUCE:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion — finely chopped
2 cloves garlic — finely chopped
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 whole bay leaves
1/2 cup white wine — or dry sherry
1/2 cup chicken broth — or vegetable stock
14 ounces crushed tomatoes — or diced tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves — chopped, a few larger pieces for decoration

1. MEATBALLS: Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add a tablespoon of the EVOO. When it’s hot, add the chorizo and sauté to release the fat, for 5 minutes or until the meat turns a darker, golden color. Add the diced onion and sauté for 3 minutes or until translucent.
2. Add the garlic and sauté together until aromatic (about 1 or 2 minutes). Take off the heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.
3. Meanwhile, combine the ground pork, breadcrumbs, paprika, thyme leaves, egg, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Add the onions, garlic, and chorizo and mix until well-combined.
4. Wet your fingers lightly with water, then roll the mixture into 1-inch balls. Makes about 30.
5. Preheat oven to 400°F. Place meatballs on two parchment-lined large sheetpans, leaving space in between each one. Bake for 15 minutes.
6. SAUCE: place a separate saucepan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Sauté the diced onion until translucent, then add the garlic and paprika. Continue to sauté for a further two minutes, until the aromas are strong.
7. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and cook for 4-5 minutes until the wine is reduced. Add the chicken broth, as well as the tomatoes and bay leaves. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes or until it reaches a sauce-like consistency. Season with salt and pepper as desired.
8. To serve, garnish the meatballs with tomato sauce and fresh parsley. Both meatballs and sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated. Reheat meatballs and sauce separately and proceed as above.
Per Serving: 196 Calories; 13g Fat (59.4% calories from fat); 11g Protein; 9g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 46mg Cholesterol; 368mg Sodium; 3g Total Sugars; trace Vitamin D; 37mg Calcium; 1mg Iron; 305mg Potassium; 120mg Phosphorus.

Posted in Appetizers, Soups, Vegetarian, on June 16th, 2022.

Simply the best kind of refreshing first course for summertime. If you haven’t got good, ripe tomatoes or watermelon yet, save this to make in a month or two.

A post from Carolyn. So, a couple of weeks ago I hosted a small fund-raising event at my home. It’s the third time or fourth time we’ve had a wine tasting fund-raiser on my patio. I think we skipped a year, 2020, when we were all housebound from Covid lockdowns. About 10 of my dear PEO sisters bid on attending the event this year. The money all goes to philanthropies to help young women get an education; and we who host pay for the food or activities and the bid money goes to the philanthropies.

I had two co-hostesses, Linda and Lois, and they made most of the food. I made sangria (recipe coming up) and I also made another batch of the tres leches cake I posted a few weeks ago. The one made with pineapple, coconut milk, rum, etc. I made some asparagus appetizers, then we had some Spanish meatballs, and also a baguette slice appetizer. All those recipes coming up soon.

The weather was okay – maybe we should be happy it wasn’t blisteringly hot as that would have been miserable. It was about 70, and we sat outside the whole time. I’d figured out the menu some months ago and decided to go with a Spanish wine and tapas theme. After having the sangria (from Spanish rose cava), we moved on to an appetizer, then we served this lovely gazpacho. I love gazpacho. I found a great website just chock full of tapas recipes, called Spanish Sabores. Most of the recipes came from that website, however all of them had a few modifications so I feel quite comfortable posting them. If you’re ever wanting to do a tapas night, do go to that website for ideas. The couple who post are just the cutest!

So, this recipe. I told Lois to buy really good tomatoes, and to find a ripe watermelon. That’s not always easy, and this was in May, so it’s possible neither would be great, but I sent Lois to my favorite independent grocery store where I can rely, always, on their good produce. She talked to the produce guy and he helped her pick out the best. When in doubt, buy Roma tomatoes as they generally have good flavor year-around.

The gazpacho is so easy to make – whiz up most of the ingredients in a blender, put it through a fine-mesh sieve (or not, if you want more texture) and then add the watermelon and mint, then taste for seasoning. After Lois made it, I tasted it and decided it needed a tiny bit more salt, a bit of sugar (because I could taste the bitterness of the green bell pepper) and then I added some balsamic vinegar. A tetch. Really just a tetch. Oh, perfection. In this soup, you really can taste the tomatoes, the watermelon, the bell pepper. The other ingredients just add layers of flavor.

What’s GOOD: so fresh, and refreshing. Easy to make. Do taste it at the end to add salt, maybe, or a bit of sugar, or the balsamic vinegar (very little). You can make it ahead, too.

What’s NOT: only that you need to seek out and find really ripe (tasty) produce to go into it. Don’t compromise on that or the soup won’t be great.

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Watermelon Mint Gazpacho

Recipe By: Adapted from Spanish Sabores blog
Serving Size: 8

6 large tomatoes — very ripe, roughly cut into large chunks
1/2 cup green bell pepper
2 small cloves garlic — cut into a few pieces
1 small onion — roughly chopped
3 cups watermelon — ripe, roughly chopped with seeds removed
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons EVOO
4 teaspoons sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar — or maybe up to 2 tsp
1 teaspoon sugar — or more to taste (optional)
2/3 cup fresh mint leaves — plus more for garnish

NOTE: If you prefer your gazpacho thicker, do not strain, or use a wider-mesh strainer to retain more of the tomato pulp. You can also top each glass with a little sherry vinegar, olive oil, sea salt, a watermelon ball and a mint leaf.
1. Wash and chop the tomatoes, pepper, and onion. Make sure you are using the best quality fruits and vegetables possible since gazpacho is a raw dish.
2. Blend the tomatoes, green pepper, onion, and garlic until completely pureed.
3. Strain the blended vegetable juice through a fine mesh strainer. (Or not, if you prefer a thicker consistency.)
4. Everything should pass through except for a layer of seeds and skin. Discard this.
5. Add the vegetable juice back to the blender and add the watermelon. Blend again until completely pureed.
6. Add salt to taste (go easy, you can always add more later), and sherry vinegar and blend. Suit your own taste on how much vinegar – and it depends upon the ripeness of the fruit and vegetables used.
7. Finally, slowly add in the EVOO (better olive oil means better gazpacho) as the blender is running. Add balsamic vinegar and sugar and blend until smooth.
8. Taste the gazpacho for salt and vinegar and adjust if necessary. Then, add two to four ice cubes (depending on how thin you like your gazpacho – when we made it we used no ice). Let them melt for a few minutes in the blender and then add a handful of fresh mint and blend for the last time. Can be made the day before; keep chilled.
9. Taste for salt and serve ice cold in glasses, garnished with a mint leaf.
Per Serving: 87 Calories; 4g Fat (35.8% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 13g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 9mg Sodium; 9g Total Sugars; 0mcg Vitamin D; 36mg Calcium; 1mg Iron; 392mg Potassium; 44mg Phosphorus.

Posted in Appetizers, on June 2nd, 2022.

A really delicious dip to serve about 8-10-12 or so. Similar to many recipes out there, but there are a couple of things different about this one.

A post from Carolyn. If you go online and hunt for seven layer dip, you’ll find hundreds of recipes. Literally hundreds. It’s certainly popular and well deserved, since it’s so delicious. Haven’t we all made seven layer dip for decades? I sure have. There are a few things that are different about this one – the bean layer requires some cooking (and mashing) with some good flavorings added in, and there’s a corn layer to this one.

I started with a recipe on the ‘net, and changed it by adding the kind of canned corn that contains peppers (Fiesta, Mexicorn type) instead of either fresh corn or ordinary canned corn. I also added more ground cumin. The first layer in the 9×9 pan was the beans (see photo at left) – black beans in this case, and they’re drained well, then added to some of the green onions and garlic sautéed with some EVOO. Some cumin is added too. The beans are mashed (either with a fork or a potato masher) and some water is added – they need to be spreadable (i.e., not too dry). Finally, they’re smeared into the dish.

Then a layer (not much) of sour cream is added. There’s some shredded cheddar cheese, the guacamole you’ve made, some more cheese, the can of corn, then lastly you add the freshly made salsa. I used fresh Roma tomatoes, which were nicely ripe. I didn’t peel them, but they were chopped finely and I removed the center part with most of the seeds. Lime juice gives accent to the salsa and guacamole, ground cumin adds piquancy to both the beans and the guacamole, and garlic is added to the beans and guac. The salsa should be drained (of liquid that generates from the tomatoes) before it’s spread on the top.

I made this 24 hours ahead, letting those flavors meld a bit, then served it with a lot of crispy tortilla chips. I buy a brand of tortilla chips that are actually freshly fried (Las Golondrinos) available at a few of my local stores. If you can, seek out a place that makes home made chips – they’re so much better! Just before serving I sprinkled a bit of salt on the top of the tomatoes – use your own judgment after tasting it.

What’s GOOD: all those good, fresh flavors – the beans, cheese, guac, corn and salsa. Altogether delish. There is no heat to this dip – you could add some chili powder if you prefer. Loved that I could make it ahead.

What’s NOT: nothing at all, except you need to start a few hours ahead.

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Seven-Layer Dip – with corn

Recipe By: adapted from a recipe on the internet
Serving Size: 8 (maybe more if they don’t eat too much of it!)

2 cups tomatoes — cored, diced (Roma)
1 bunch green onions — thinly sliced, light and dark parts separated
1 jalapeño pepper — seeded and finely diced (divided)
4 tablespoons lime juice — from 2 limes (divided)
1 teaspoon salt — and more to taste
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons EVOO
3 cloves garlic — minced (divided)
15 ounces canned black beans — drained and rinsed
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin — divided use
A tablespoon or two of water
3 medium avocados — halved, pitted and diced
8 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese — shredded (divided)
1 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cups corn — canned, drained – with peppers (Del Monte Mexicorn, Fiesta, Green Giant)
Tortilla chips — for serving

1. SALSA: In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, half of the dark part of the green onions, half of the minced jalapeño, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and the sugar. (If your tomatoes are sweet, omit the sugar.) Set aside.
2. BEANS: Heat EVOO in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add all of the light part of the green onions and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 2 minutes. Measure out 1/4 teaspoon of the minced garlic and set aside in a medium bowl (you’ll use this for the guacamole). Add the remaining garlic to the skillet and continue cooking for 30 seconds more. Do not brown. Add the black beans, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 3/4 teaspoon of the cumin, and water and continue cooking for about one minute. Off the heat, mash the beans with a fork or potato masher until they have a chunky puréed texture. Add a tablespoon or two of water to make the beans spreadable. Spread the beans into an 8×8 or 9×9-inch glass baking dish into an even layer. Set aside. Don’t be dismayed if the bean layer tastes salty – the dish needs salt.
3. GUACAMOLE: To the medium bowl with the reserved garlic, add the avocados, the remaining dark green scallions, the remaining jalapeño, 1/2 teaspoon salt, the remaining 3/4 teaspoon cumin, and the remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice. Mash with a large, wide-tined fork until blended but still a bit chunky.
4. ASSEMBLY: Spread the sour cream evenly over the black bean layer. If you have one, use an offset spatula. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the sour cream, followed by all of the guacamole, and then the remaining cheese. Sprinkle the corn over the cheese.
5. Transfer the salsa to a fine sieve and drain for about 5 minutes. Then pour the salsa on top of the corn corn layer, using a spoon to spread evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours, or overnight if possible. Remove from refrigerator about an hour before serving, and serve with a spoon and heaps of tortilla chips. If made ahead, liquid might possibly rise up to the surface – use a paper towel to blot the liquid before serving.
Per Serving: 415 Calories; 31g Fat (64.3% calories from fat); 14g Protein; 25g Carbohydrate; 10g Dietary Fiber; 42mg Cholesterol; 566mg Sodium; 5g Total Sugars; trace Vitamin D; 268mg Calcium; 2mg Iron; 810mg Potassium; 285mg Phosphorus.

Posted in Appetizers, on October 31st, 2021.

Post by Sara – What can you do with celery leaves?

I know…we all add them to our stock or soups, maybe even salads.  But seriously, what else can be done?  I started researching this very thing because I was given a box of fruit and veggies from a local organic grower.  And the celery was twice as big as you see in the stores plus it had this gorgeous head of leaves.   When I buy celery at the grocery store, it is trimmed of the leaves.  To be honest, I was shocked at how large the bunch of celery was with its leaves intact.  So…what can we do with celery leaves?  Make pesto, of course!

There is a very unique taste to this pesto.  It’s not as strong as you might expect.  Not so overwhelmingly celery flavored.  I served it as an appetizer on toasted baguette slices at a family BBQ.  It was topic of conversation while being a big hit.  I plan to use some of the (very little) remaining as a sauce on my halibut I’ll be grilling this week.

Ingredients pictured left in food processor before processing into paste and adding olive oil.

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Celery Leaf Pesto

Serving Size: 8

5 cups celery leaves — loosely packed, leaves only
zest of a half an orange and zest of 1 whole lime
2 cloves garlic
1 1/2 cups parmesan cheese — grated
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup olive oil — plus 2 tablespoons

1. Wash celery leaves in cold water and lightly pat them dry.
2. Add all ingredients to the food processor EXCEPT olive oil. Pulse until a thick paste forms.
3. Add the olive oil and pulse the sauce at lowest speed until well combined.
4. Season with salt and pepper. Be careful about the salt – some Parm is very high in sodium. Taste before adding.
Per Serving: 246 Calories; 23g Fat (81.6% calories from fat); 8g Protein; 3g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 12mg Cholesterol; 300mg Sodium.

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