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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):

Remarkably Bright Creatures, by Shelby Van Pelt. Oh gosh, what a fabulous book. It’s a novel; however, much of the story is about the intelligence of octopus. In particular this one, Marcellus, who lives in an aquarium in a fictitious town in western Washington State. Marcellus himself writes some of the chapters. More than anything the book is about relationships, not only Marcellus with a woman (of a certain age) who cleans the aquarium at night, but the various people in this small town. Absolutely charming book. Both of my book clubs have it as a read this year. Loved it.

Trust, by Herman Diaz. This novel is an enigma in so many ways. It’s a book, within a book, within a book. About the stock market crash back in 1929, but it’s about a man. Oh my. I could hardly put this book down it was so riveting. Never read anything quite like it. Very hard to write a description of it. Read it. It’s really interesting. This book won the Pulitzer. That’s why I bought it.

Cassidy Hutchinson is a young woman (a real one) who works in politics or “government.” She’s worked for some prestigious Washington politicians, and ended up working for Trump. The book is a memoir of her short spin working at the highest levels, and obviously at the White House. She worked under Mark Meadows and suffered a lot of ridicule when she quit. Truth and lies . . . when she couldn’t live with herself and subvert the truth. Enough, gives you plenty of detail leading up to and after the January 6th uprising. She testified to Congress about what she knew. Really interesting. I almost never read books about politics because I think many (most?) of our elected politicians succumb to the lure of power and forget who they work for, us, the public.

Becoming Dr. Q, by Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa, MD, is an Associate Professor of Neurosurgery and Oncology at Johns Hopkins University. This is his memoir about how he went from being a penniless migrant from Mexico to one of the world’s most renowned experts in brain tumors. About how he aspired to merely attend high school, how he made ends meet (barely) and how he eventually made it to medical school and became the expert he is. What an uplifting story. Here in California we have such a huge problem with illegal immigrants and I certainly don’t have the answers, but this story makes you stop and think.

The Invincible Miss Cust, by Penny Haw.  In 1868 Ireland, a woman wasn’t allowed to attend veterinary school, much less become a veterinarian. It took  years of trying (to the horror of her aristocratic family) and finally someone took her under their wing, she enrolled using a pseudonym (a name not revealing her gender). This is a true story of Aleen Isabel Cust, who did just that and was finally able to practice veterinary medicine in a rural area. This book is historical fiction, and some creative liberties were probably taken, but the tale itself is quite something. Enjoyed it from beginning to end.

Her Heart for a Compass, by Sarah Ferguson (yes), the Duchess of York. I was pleasantly surprised as I read this book that it wasn’t the usual romantic romp – there’s more to this story than you might think. Ferguson utilizes some of her family ancestors as real characters in the book. It starts with a young aristocratic woman on the eve of an arranged marriage. She just can’t abide the man, and runs away. Literally runs away with nothing. It’s the story of how she survives and becomes an agent for good in England and finally finds someone to love. The right love. Sweet story but with lots of twists and turns.

Someone Else’s Shoes, by Jojo Moyes. Moyes is such a prolific author, and comes up with the most unexpected stories. This being another one that grabbed my attention from the first page. Nisha, our heroine, is a wealthy socialite. She thinks her life is perfect. At the gym someone else grabs her gym bag, so she grabs the similar one. Then she finds out her husband is leaving her and he’s locked her out of their high-rise apartment. She’s penniless. No attorney will take her on. She has nothing but this gym bag belonging to someone else (who?). The gym has closed its doors. In the gym bag she did pick up are a pair of Christian Louboutin red crocodile shoes, and take big significance in the story, obviously. Nisha becomes a different person when she dons those shoes. Nisha meets some really kind people, people who barely subsist but willingly help her out. I marvel at Moyes’ ability to write a riveting story from the premise of a mistaken gym bag.

The Eleventh Man, Ivan Doig. What a story. Ben, part of a Montana college football team in the 1940s, joins the service during WWII. So do all of his eleven teammates. After suffering some injuries in pilot training he is recruited by a stealthy military propaganda machine. His job is to write articles about his teammates as they are picked off at various battle theaters around the Pacific and Europe. Ben goes there, in person, to fuel the stories. And sometimes accompanies bodies home, attends the funerals. There’s a romance involved; much of the book takes place in Canada, actually. Absolutely fascinating book. I don’t often read brutal war stories, but this one was a very interesting one. Ivan Doig is a crafty writer; I’ve read several of his books, my favorite being The Whistling Season.

Wavewalker, by Suzanne Heywood. Oh my goodness. A memoir about a very young English girl who goes off with her besotted and narcissistic parents and her brother on a years-long sailing journey supposedly following the route of James Cook. A very old, decrepit 70-foot schooner. Four people, 2 sort-of adults and 2 children. Sometimes a helper or two. A seasick mother. A dad who is driven to the extreme, whatever the damage he creates. She spent 10 years aboard, with a verve for sailing, a passion for reading and education (by mail) and survives the mood swings of her mother. She and her brother are left to fend for themselves in various places; the parents take on paying customers. Often there’s little or no food. I’m surprised they all survived, and they barely didn’t in several instances. You get to read all the details. Heywood managed to get into Oxford (despite her mother’s shenanigans and even her father’s unwillingness to help her, financially or otherwise). She’s a successful businesswoman and a very good writer. My DH (dear husband) always wanted to sail around the world; unfortunately I wasn’t a willing sailing mate for that as I get deathly seasick. The story intrigued me from beginning to end.

Claire Keegan wrote Small Things Like These. It’s won a lot of awards, and shortlisted for the Booker Prize. Takes place in Ireland. Some profound questions come up in this novella, about complicity, about restitution. There’s a convent nearby, and attached one of those places young girls were sent if they found themselves “in the family way,” and about how the church helped, supposedly, by taking the children and placing them in homes, without consent. It’s ugly, the truth of the matter. Really good read.

Nicholas Sparks isn’t an author I read very often because his books are pretty sappy, but daughter Sara recommended this one, The Longest Ride. It begins with Ira (age 93), stuck in his car as it plunges off the edge of a road, and it’s snowing. As the hours tick by, he reminisces about his life, having long conversations with his deceased wife. Then you pick up with a very sweet romance between a college student and a bull rider. The two stories interconnect. I really enjoyed the story.

The Neuroscientist Who Lost Her Mind, by Barbara Lipska. Interesting that I’ve read two books recently about the brain (see Doctor Q above). This is a true story about a woman, a neuroscientist, who developed a metastatic melanoma in the brain. Because she in medicine, she chronicled her journey through it and coming out the other side. Fascinating if you’re interested in medicine (I am) and how the brain works (yes, that too). A very fascinating read. Not for everyone, I suppose.

The Price of Inheritance, by Karin Tanabe. This is a mystery, of sorts. Our heroine is an up and coming employee at Christie’s (auction house). In bringing a large collection of expensive art to auction, she makes a misstep about the provenance of a desk. She’s fired. She goes back to her roots, takes a job at a small antique store where she used to work. She begins buying antiques for the store, trying to make sense of what happened to her career. She meets a young Navy officer. The intrigue begins. I could hardly put this down. Although there is some romance in the book, it’s more about art and the lure of finding a gem amongst the junk. I loved this book because I’d never read anything about how auction houses work.

The Covenant of Water, by Abraham Verghese. Did you read Cutting for Stone, years ago, by this author? Such a good book, so I knew I’d enjoy this one, and oh, did I!. The book takes place in a little known area of southern India, and chronicles a variety of people over a few generations, who inhabit the place. Some who leave and some who come back. Verghese sort of writes like Ken Follett, or Michener, in that he delves into the intricacies of family relationships. There’s also a medical mystery involved too, which was very interesting. It’s a very, very long book, but worth reading.

Finding Dorothy, by Elizabeth Letts. My friend Dianne recommended this book to me, and it was so special. Loved it beginning to end. It’s based on the story of 77-year old Maud Gage Baum (her husband Frank Baum wrote The Wizard of Oz) as she tries to advise the MGM folk as they are filming the 1938 movie with Judy Garland. You’ll learn lots of Oz and Baum history, and you’ll surely be rooting for Maud as she does her best to steer the director to stay true to the book. Absolutely fascinating read, every page.

The Bandit Queens, by Parini Shroff. I don’t quite know how to write a blurb about this book. The premise is so off the norm. It’s about a young Indian woman, Geeta, as she tries her best to make a living after her husband leaves her. Yet the community she lives in, thinks Geeta murdered him. Then some of her so-called “friends” ask her to help them get rid of their husbands too. It’s rollicking funny and unbelievable in many ways, including the backward ways of the local constabulary. I heard myself say “what?” many times in the weaving of this fanciful story.

Attribution, by Linda Moore. We follow art historian Cate, as she struggles to succeed in her chosen field against sexist advisors. She finds what she thinks is a hidden painting, perhaps a masterpiece. She risks everything to try to determine if it’s real or fake. It’s a mystery and a treatise in a way about art in general. What makes a masterpiece? Fascinating story and very well written. Loved it.

The Measure, Nikki Erlick. Oh my goodness. This story grabbed me from about the third sentence. Everyone in the world finds a wooden box on their doorstep, or in front of their camper or tent, that contains a string. Nothing but a string. People get various lengths of string and finally experts conclude it predicts the length of life. No one receives a string until they attain the age of 22. The author has a vivid imagination (I admire that) and you just will not believe the various reactions (frenzy?) from people who are short-stringers, or long-stringers. I’m sure the book is a parable or metaphor for us to be more understanding of how we segregate people – not black and white, this is short or long strings. I was in awe of the author’s ability to visualize how this kind of eventuality would complicate our lives. Yet there’s hope woven throughout. SUCH a good read. Highly recommend.

The Book Spy by Alan Hlad. True stories, but in novel form, of a special Axis group of men and women librarians and microfilm specialists, sent to strategic locations in Europe to acquire and scour newspapers, books, technical manuals and periodicals, for information about German troop locations, weaponry and military plans of WWII. I was glued to the book beginning to end. Fascinating accounts.

A Dangerous Business, Jane Smiley. What a story. 1850s gold rush, story of two young prostitutes, finding their way in a lawless town in the Wild West. There’s a murder, or two, or three, or some of the town’s prostitutes, and the two women set out to solve the crime.

Storm Watch, by C. J. Box. I’m such a fan of his tales of Wyoming Game Warden Joe Pickett’s adventures catching criminals. Loved it, just like I’ve loved every one of his books.

Defiant Dreams, by Sola Mahfouz. True story about the author, born in Afghanistan in 1996. This is about her journey to acquire an education. It’s unbelievable what the Taliban does to deter and forbid women from bettering themselves. Many trials and tribulations – just so you know, she makes it to the U.S. and becomes a quantum computer researcher at Tufts University. A book everyone should read.

Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. This is fairly light read, a novel – but interesting, about the meaning behind many flowers – like roses, you’d think of love. But red roses mean something else. You’ll learn about the various flowers as they’re woven into a story about a woman who studies them and creates a niche for herself producing beautiful bouquets and flower arrangements for special occasions.

The Rome Apartment, by Kerry Fisher. Such a cute story. Maybe not an interesting read for a man. It’s about Beth, whose husband has just left her, and her daughter has just gone off to college. Beth needs a new lease on life, so she rents a room from a woman who lives in Rome. Beth has much to learn about herself from the landlord, a woman of vast experience and compassion. Did I say cute? Yup.

All the Beauty in the World, a memoir by Patrick Bringley. Absolutely LOVED this book. Bringley was at loose ends and accepted a job as a guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. He’d been a journalist at The New Yorker magazine, but after his brother was ill and died, he needed refreshing. After his training at the museum, he moves from room to room, guarding the precious art, and learning all about the pieces and the painters or sculptors. He takes special interest in many pieces and shares it in the book. He definitely has a writing gift. Lots of funny stories sprinkled throughout the book. I guarantee if you have any interest in art, you’ll love the book and Bringley’s story. He worked at the museum for a decade.

The Queen’s Lady, by Joanna Hickson. I love stories about Tudor England, and this one didn’t disappoint. Joan Guildford is a lady in waiting to Queen Elizabeth. Oh my goodness are there twists and turns. I went to my reference book on English kings and queens to verify the lineage of one person or another, and read several Wikipedia entries about various people in this book. So interesting. If you enjoy English history, this is a good one, probably more interesting to a woman than a man.

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 Chicken, Soups, Veggies/sides, on October 27th, 2023.

Tummy-warming soup with a Mexican bent – made with poblano chiles, canned green chiles and a bunch of vegetables. Plus chicken, of course.

First, a little update about me. My jury duty is finally over with – it lasted four weeks. Thank goodness I’m done with it. I wasn’t ever called to be a deliberating juror (I was an alternate), but when the jurors did meet they convicted the defendant on all five counts, including an enhancement charge that she had intended to cause bodily harm. I wrote a letter to the prosecutor (thanking her), one to the police detective who was assigned to the case (thanking him for his 14 months of working on the case), another to the police chief (telling him how much I admired the detective for his work, but also for his compassion to the victim), and lastly I mailed a Halloween card to the victim herself telling her how brave she was to testify (age 11). The defendant will be put away for a long time.

Now let’s talk about soup. When the weather begins to turn cooler I’m all in for making soups. This one started out as a slow cooker soup, but since I no longer have a large slow cooker (only the instant pot one – and it would have been too small for this batch) I changed the recipe all around, added more vegetables into it and made it on the stovetop. If you have leftover chicken (or in my case it was some rotisserie chicken) this is a perfect soup to use it up.

This is a quick and easy soup if you have all the ingredients. The original recipe called for rice (you can add it if you’d like), but I added some sweet potato and a bit of butternut squash. Actually, for the record, I bought a box of fresh, chopped up veggies at Trader Joe’s, a kind of fall medley, so I’m estimating how much sweet potato and squash it added. Soups like this aren’t exact – add more of anything that suits you and your family.

There are bunches of recipes on the ‘net lately, all made in a crockpot, using a brick of cream cheese. That adds a lot of luscious creaminess to the soup as it melts slowly. I almost always have an 8-ounce brick of cream cheese in my refrigerator. You don’t have to decorate the servings with grated cheese or cilantro, but those two things add a nice touch to the soup. Finishes it off.

What’s GOOD: loved this soup. It makes a big batch, so I have ample to freeze in Ziploc quart bags. Loved the creaminess of it, and the various vegetables added, the sweet potato and butternut squash. The various chiles add a lovely umami flavor to the soup, I think. Altogether delicious.

What’s NOT: nothing really. I suppose you could adapt this to an instant pot (make half the recipe) and then add the cream cheese at the end and let it simmer (not pressure cook) to blend slowly into the soup itself. Made on the stovetop, with all the chopping, etc. it probably takes an hour to make the soup.

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

* Exported from MasterCook *

Green Chile, Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Recipe: Adapted significantly from an online recipe
Servings: 8

1 tablespoon EVOO
1 large yellow onion — diced
1/2 cup celery — diced
2 whole poblano peppers — seeded, diced
2 garlic cloves — minced
1 tablespoon chili powder — or more if you like more heat
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
29 ounces low-sodium chicken broth
30 ounces green enchilada sauce
8 ounces diced green chiles — canned
2/3 cup frozen corn — or fresh if you have it
1 large sweet potato — peeled, diced
1 cup butternut squash — diced (or more if desired)
8 ounces cream cheese — cubed
4 cups cooked chicken — shredded or cubed
salt and pepper
GARNISHES:
Monterey jack cheese and freshly chopped cilantro

1. In a large pot heat EVOO, then add onion, celery and poblano peppers. Saute on low for about 10 minutes, then add fresh garlic, chili powder and ground cumin. Continue to cook over low for about 1-2 minutes.
2. Add chicken broth, canned green enchilada sauce, canned chopped green chiles, corn, sweet potato, and squash. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until veggies are just about tender.
3. Add cubed cream cheese and cooked chicken. Stir and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until cream cheese is well incorporated and smooth in the soup. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serve in bowls and top with Monterey jack cheese and chopped cilantro.
Per Serving: 428 Calories; 18g Fat (38.0% calories from fat); 44g Protein; 23g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 129mg Cholesterol; 839mg Sodium; 7g Total Sugars; trace Vitamin D; 100mg Calcium; 4mg Iron; 956mg Potassium; 401mg Phosphorus.

Posted in Beef, Pork, Veggies/sides, on July 21st, 2023.

There are SO many recipes out there in the ‘verse for meatloaf. How do you choose?

My friend Dianne and I hosted a PEO fundraising event awhile back and did a menu from Erin French’s cookbook, The Lost Kitchen. I already posted the cocktail we made, the Cider & Rosemary Prosecco Cocktail, and in the photo for the cocktail was a cute little board with the whole menu on it. Here’s the next set of recipes.

We’re talkin’ meatloaf here. So, can I say this meatloaf is all that different from others? Well, yes and no. What’s different: quite a lot of carrots, a lot of shallots, pecorino cheese (that’s certainly different!) and more than a usual amount of bread cubes. Listening to podcasts, or reading articles about meatloaf, more and more chefs reveal that they use a lot of bread in their meatloaf – because it makes it tender. I don’t think my mother used any bread or breadcrumbs in her meatloaf. I might have used a little bit in my old tried and true meatloaf. Hence my old standby is kind of a firm, very firm chunk of meat. I definitely like this better, despite not really wishing I have to add carbs to make it tender. But hey, if it tastes better, then yes, I guess I’ll have to incorporate this into recipes from now on.

Erin suggested a variety of sides to choose from (including just mashed potatoes) but I thought the parsnips would be a different side not many people would make themselves. Many of our guests had NEVER had parsnips before – some didn’t even know what they looked like. They’re shaped like big carrots, but they’re a kind of off-white color. They’re quite hard to cut, but become tender when they cook. They’re naturally sweet – not as sweet as sweet potatoes, but still they have a lot of natural sugar in them. Trader Joe’s carries them now and then – I guess when they’re in season. Particularly around the holidays.

The glaze on the meatloaf is a ketchup based one (with brown sugar and Dijon added). I love the topping – wanted some of it with every bite. And I wanted a bit of parsnips with every bite too. Make plenty – you’ll be surprised how well it goes with meatloaf.

All of our guests raved about both dishes and wanted the recipes. We got to talking about meatloaf and many at our table had their own little twists that became family favorites. It was decided that next year Dianne and I are going to do a meatloaf cook-off. She’s going to make two types and I’m going to make two types (all four of them different) and we’ll have sides and a dessert. Maybe we’ll include Ina Garten’s turkey meatloaf in the mix too — not sure. It’s excellent, but I think we’d be comparing apples and oranges to choose between and try to compare a beef/pork meatloaf with a turkey one.

Really, I loved Erin’s Dad’s meatloaf. It WAS very tender, and tasty from the added carrots, shallots and Pecorino  – and the bread! The recipe below makes two big loaf pans of it – you could easily halve it, though. I’m sure portions would freeze easily, however! And the parsnips were a big hit. I have loved parsnips ever since I first tried them in England many years ago. They’re a standard side dish in British cuisine. You don’t have to do much to them to make them delicious – this with butter and heavy cream. Yummy.

What’s GOOD: Loved the meatloaf and the parsnips. The additions in the meatloaf make for a very tender loaf – more tender than usual. And the parsnips are such a lovely sweet surprise. And they go so well with meatloaf. Both recipes are keepers.

What’s NOT: the meatloaf does take a bit of prep (you could use a food processor to hasten the process) but so worth it. Parsnips are a cinch.

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

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

* Exported from MasterCook *

Erin French’s Dad’s Meatloaf

Recipe By: Erin French, The Lost Kitchen Cookbook
Servings: 10

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 1/2 pounds ground pork
3/4 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup chopped shallots
1/2 cup pecorino cheese — grated
2 cups bread cubes — (1/2-inch-diced) such as sourdough
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
2 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons kosher salt
6 twists pepper — (pepper grinder style)
SAUCE:
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. In a large bowl, add all meatloaf ingredients and mix with your hands until combined. Do NOT overmix it! Divide the mixture between two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans and set aside.
3. For the glaze, in a medium bowl, stir together the sugar, ketchup, and mustard. Brush the top of each meatloaf with a thick coat of the glaze. Transfer to the oven and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the middle registers 150 degrees F, about 45 minutes.
4. Let the meatloaves rest for 10 to 15 minutes, unmold, cut into slices, and serve. Ideally, serve with parsnip puree on the side.
Per Serving: 340 Calories; 15g Fat (38.7% calories from fat); 30g Protein; 22g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 125mg Cholesterol; 797mg Sodium; 17g Total Sugars; trace Vitamin D; 71mg Calcium; 3mg Iron; 576mg Potassium; 298mg Phosphorus.

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* Exported from MasterCook *

Parsnip Puree

Recipe By: Erin French, The Lost Kitchen Cookbook
Servings: 8

3 pounds parsnips — peeled, roughly chopped
Salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream — warmed

1. Put parsnips in medium saucepan, add cold water to cover, and seasonw ith salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat so the water simmers, and cook until just fork-tender, about 20 minutes.
2. Drain parsnips and transfer to a food processor. Add butter and pulse until melted. Pour in cream and process until very smooth. Taste and add salt if needed, though if your cooking water is well seasoned, you probably won’t need more. Serve immediately or keep warm in a double boiler. Can also be made a day ahead and reheated in the microwave oven – be sure the center of the mound of parsnips is hot.
Per Serving: 229 Calories; 12g Fat (43.8% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 31g Carbohydrate; 8g Dietary Fiber; 32mg Cholesterol; 22mg Sodium; 9g Total Sugars; trace Vitamin D; 73mg Calcium; 1mg Iron; 654mg Potassium; 131mg Phosphorus.

Posted in Chicken, Veggies/sides, on June 16th, 2023.

 

Talk about flavorful? You need to make this – these two recipes.

It’s been a couple of months since I made this – I’ve had lots of recipes to write up for the blog – I think this was over Easter weekend. My friend Linda and I shared cooking responsibilities. I made this one of the evenings. Two fabulous recipes (below). You definitely need to make them both – not necessarily together, but the chicken was great with the cheesy cauliflower, and the zinfandel gravy was tasty to have with the cauliflower.

The chicken recipe was in Bon Appetit in November of 2001. A long time ago, and I just got around to making it. Nothing about it is difficult. You do need bacon (adds so much wonderful flavor), shallots and good mushrooms. The recipe called for boiling onions – I tried to find them (frozen) at Trader Joe’s, but they told me they only carry them around the holidays. So I used regular yellow onions instead, cut into some wedges and some chopped. I took along a good bottle of Zinfandel, and Linda and I enjoyed drinking it – the part I didn’t use in the chicken. The recipe was developed by Chef Jeff Mall, from a restaurant in Healdsburg, CA, called Zin. No longer in business, so the internet says. I’m glad I have this recipe – it’s a good one to serve to guests, and you could make a large or small quantity. I prefer cooking chicken thighs over breasts (too easy to overcook breasts) and I think thighs have more flavor.

The thighs are dunked in flour, salted and peppered, then browned in the bacon grease. Don’t over-brown them as you’ll cook them through right there in the pan. Since I always use thick cut, meaty bacon,  there wasn’t a lot of grease anyway. The recipe suggests adding a dash of olive oil to the pan also, which I did. Once browned, the thighs are removed while you make the sauce (shallots, garlic, onions, mushrooms and Herbes de Provence, if you have it –  if not, use thyme). The original recipe called for marjoram –  I didn’t have it but did have the Provence herb mixture on hand. Chicken stock is added plus the Zinfandel, and you scrape up all that browned goodness from the bottom of the pan. The original dish was baked, but I cooked it on the stovetop. Boneless, skinless thighs don’t take that long to cook! The chicken and veggies are removed, then you make a butter roux and thicken the sauce. Add the chicken and veggies back in to re-warm. Just warm everything through.

Meanwhile, you will have made the cauliflower. I started with a recipe from Kalyn’s Kitchen – she calls it “the best pureed cauliflower.” I agree! Once the cauliflower has steam-cooked for about 20 minutes, you drain it well. In fact, you drain it for about 5 minutes so you know there isn’t much water left (this way the mashed version won’t be too thin/watery). The cauliflower goes into the food processor along with some grated Parmesan (the good stuff, not the canned variety), salt, pepper, a little bit of cream, and Kalyn used 1 1/2 T of soft goat cheese. What I had on hand was Boursin garlic herb cheese – that’s what I used – about 1/4 cup (more than in the original recipe). Taste it for seasonings. You might need to reheat the mashed cauliflower just before serving – over low heat as it could burn easily. My friend Linda was quite enamored with the cauliflower – she’d never had any that was so flavorful. Yup! Really good. When you serve it, lap some of the sauce on the cauliflower – not a lot.

What’s GOOD: both of these recipes are delicious. Worthy of a company meal. It does require several steps to making it, but neither is overwhelming. Count on about 1 1/2 hours total including baking time for the chicken. The chicken is extra-tasty. Also a bit rich from the bacon and the buttery sauce. Love-loved the sauce! If you have leftover sauce be sure to use it in soup (I made a chicken and vegetable soup the following week). The cauliflower recipe is a real keeper. Well, both of these are. Loved the cauliflower with the cheesy components in it. Not overwhelmingly cheesy – just GOOD cheesy. Altogether fabulous two recipes.

What’s NOT: only that the chicken does take some time, start to finish. Cauliflower is easy, though.

Coq au Zin printer-friendly PDF and MasterCook file (click link to open recipe)

Cheesy Mashed Cauliflower printer-friendly PDF and MasterCook file (click link to open recipe)

* Exported from MasterCook *

Coq au Zin

Recipe By: Adapted from Bon Appetit, Nov 2001 (from Zin Restaurant & Wine Bar, Healdsburg), Chef Jeff Mall
Servings: 8

2/3 cup all purpose flour — for coating the chicken
Salt and pepper, sprinkled on the chicken thighs
6 slices thick-sliced bacon — chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
12 boneless skinless chicken thighs — excess fat trimmed
1 cup chopped shallots
3 garlic cloves — minced
1 pound onions — (boiling onions are called for, but you may use yellow onions, some in wedges and some coarsely chopped)
12 ounces crimini mushrooms — quartered, or white mushrooms, halved or quartered
2 tablespoons herbes de provence — dried
1 bottle Zinfandel — (750 ml)
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
ROUX:
2 tablespoons all purpose flour — at room temperature
2 tablespoons butter — (1/4 stick) room temperature
GARNISH:
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

1. Place flour in shallow dish.
2. Cook chopped bacon in heavy large pot over medium-high heat until crisp, about 4 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Add olive oil to bacon drippings in pot. Sprinkle chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Working in batches, coat chicken thighs with flour and add to pot; sear until light, golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Boneless, skinless thighs will not brown as much – and if you did, it might dry out the chicken too much. Remove chicken and set aside.
3. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons fat from pot. Add shallots and garlic to pot and sauté 1 minute only. Add onions, crimini mushrooms, and herbes and sauté until onions begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Add red Zinfandel and bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Add chicken stock and bacon; simmer for 5 minutes. Add chicken back in and bring liquid to a simmer. Cover and reduce heat so the juices just barely simmer and cook slowly for about 20 minutes. Remove the chicken and vegetables and set aside.
4. Mix flour and butter with a fork in small bowl to blend. Bring wine mixture to boil. Whisk in flour mixture and boil until sauce thickens and is reduced to 2 3/4 cups, about 8 minutes. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper (it may not be needed since you reduced the sauce). Add chicken and vegetables back into the pot and heat through. Serve immediately over a bed of mashed potatoes or cheesy mashed cauliflower.
Per Serving: 518 Calories; 26g Fat (45.8% calories from fat); 48g Protein; 21g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 227mg Cholesterol; 503mg Sodium; 5g Total Sugars; trace Vitamin D; 32mg Calcium; 1mg Iron; 402mg Potassium; 135mg Phosphorus.

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* Exported from MasterCook *

Cheesy Mashed Cauliflower with Boursin Cheese

Recipe By: Adapted from Kalyn’s Kitchen
Servings: 6

1 large head cauliflower — cut into small same-size florts
1 clove garlic — minced
1 tablespoon half and half — or more if needed
4 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese — grated
4 tablespoons Boursin Gourmet Spreadable Cheese, Garlic & Herb — crumbled
salt/pepper to taste

1. Place cauliflower florets in a pan with enough water to cover, and add garlic and a small amount of salt.
2. Let cauliflower come to a boil, then lower heat and cook 15-20 minutes, or until cauliflower is very soft.
3. Remove from heat and pour into a colander. Allow to drain for at least 10 minutes. Do not skip this step or the finished dish will be watery.
4. When cauliflower is well drained, pour into food processor and puree, adding the half and half if needed. You could also use a potato masher or a small hand beater to “whip” the cauliflower as you would potatoes, although the texture will not be as smooth.
5. Put cauliflower back into the pan you cooked it in and heat on very low. Add Parmesan, Boursin goat cheese and stir until both are incorporated and melted. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Heat 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly so it does not stick to the bottom. Serve hot, with a little freshly grated Parmesan on top if desired.
Per Serving: 81 Calories; 6g Fat (67.5% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 2g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 18mg Cholesterol; 170mg Sodium; trace Total Sugars; trace Vitamin D; 133mg Calcium; trace Iron; 68mg Potassium; 79mg Phosphorus.

Posted in Veggies/sides, on June 2nd, 2023.

A delicious, savory side dish – full of flavor, but very healthy. Potatoes on the bottom, then bell peppers, tomatoes, garlic, basil and oregano.

A recipe from my friend Linda T, and she got it from Cucina Rustica, a cookbook from 1990, by Evan Kleiman. The cookbook is all about rustic (simple) Italian fare. Linda served this with the delicious double glazed salmon dish when we spent the weekend doing a lot of fun cooking. Serve this with a meal that has a stellar main dish – a roast, a roasted chicken perhaps, or in our case, with salmon. There’s no real liquid poured in or over this dish – just the juices from the sliced tomatoes.

Start with the potatoes (use a boiling type) and they’re sliced and layered in an olive-oil greased casserole dish. (See unbaked dish in photo at right.) Then add the sliced peppers, then a layer of tomatoes. It’s seasoned with salt, pepper, basil, garlic and oregano. Then layer again. Lastly you drizzle a bit of olive oil over the top and bake for about 45 minutes or until the potatoes are tender (thicker = longer baking time). You can add a tiny bit of water to the dish if you think it’s too dry – this would be part way through the baking process.

Allow it to cool a few minutes as it would be way too hot to eat immediately.

What’s GOOD: a simple dish, layered, baked in a hot oven, a lovely melding of Italian flavors with the peppers and tomatoes. Note: there’s no cheese in this! And do notice the low calorie count – as I said, very healthy. (Thanks for the recipe, Linda.)

What’s NOT: nothing at all – a straight forward dish. Has to be made just before baking, however, as the potatoes would darken.

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

* Exported from MasterCook *

Tiella del Sud – Potatoes, Peppers and Tomatoes

Recipe By: My friend, Linda T, from Cucina Rustica cookbook
Servings: 6

1 pound boiling potatoes
2 whole bell peppers — red, orange, yellow
3 large tomatoes — red, ripe
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 large garlic cloves — peeled, coarsely chopped
10 whole fresh basil leaves — coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano — or more if desired

1. Wash potatoes well and slice thin. Cut peppers lengthwise and remove cores and seeds. Slice into strips about 1/2-inch wide. Core tomatoes and slice horizontally about 1/4-inch thick, reserving juice.
2. Use some of the olive oil to grease bottom of gratin dish large enough to contain all ingredients to a depth of about 2 inches. In dish, arrange a layer of potatoes, a layer of peppers and a layer of tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with garlic, basil and oregano. Continue layering until all ingredients are used up. Pour reserved juice from tomatoes over mixture. Drizzle with remaining olive oil. Bake in preheated 400°F oven for about 45 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. If mixture appears too dry, add a few tablespoons water as it cooks. Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
Per Serving: 168 Calories; 9g Fat (48.0% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 20g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 8mg Sodium; 3g Total Sugars; 0mcg Vitamin D; 24mg Calcium; 1mg Iron; 515mg Potassium; 59mg Phosphorus.

Posted in Salads, Veggies/sides, on May 12th, 2023.

Would you believe I forgot to add the cotija cheese?

A post from Carolyn. The best laid plans – the cotija cheese was right there beside the bowl, but did I remember to add it? Nope. Well, the salad was fabulous without it, but when you make it, you should add the cheese. This recipe I adapted just a smidgen from smitten kitchen. What intrigued me was the combination of ingredients – the harissa (which I love), the caraway and cumin too. If you  have a food processor, do use it for grating the carrots. Although I have a box grater, it’s new and those blades are ever-so sharp. My carrots were small, and was afraid the carrot would wobble and next thing I’d grate off part of my fingers. So I used a mini-food processor and chopped/chunked them instead. Not the best carrot shape, but it made no difference to the flavor or texture.

This salad is so easy to make – the dressing has a bunch of ingredients, but it takes little time to gather them up (garlic, caraway, cumin, paprika, harissa, sugar, lemon juice and herbs). The dressing is cooked slightly (to take the edge off the raw garlic and enhance the caraway and cumin). Then there’s olive oil too, and lastly the cheese. Smitten’s recipe calls for feta, but I had cotija (A Mexican cheese that’s very similar to feta, salty too) and it should have made it INTO the salad if I’d remembered! Once you’ve combined the carrots and the dressing, taste it for seasonings (salt? more oil? more lemon juice?), then sprinkle with cheese, fresh mint and parsley, finely chopped.

What’s GOOD: the lemon juice and seeds (caraway and cumin) add a lovely flavor. Then there’s the harissa, of course, which has a real whammy of flavor. Put them altogether and you’ve got a great tasting salad. A keeper.

What’s NOT: only that grating the carrots takes time and does make a bit of a mess. Worth the effort, though.

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

* Exported from MasterCook *

Carrot Salad with Harissa, Cotija and Mint

Recipe By: Adapted from smitten kitchen
Serving Size: 4

3/4 pound carrots — peeled, trimmed and coarsely grated
1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic — crushed
1/4 teaspoon ground caraway seed
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika — or try smoked paprika if preferred
3/4 teaspoon harissa
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice — scant
2 tablespoons Italian parsley — finely chopped
3 tablespoons fresh mint — finely chopped
1/3 cup cotija cheese — crumbled or chopped into bits, or feta

NOTE: using a food processor to grate the carrots will save a lot of time.
1. In a small sauté pan, cook the garlic, caraway, cumin, paprika, harissa and sugar in the oil until fragrant, about one to two minutes.
2. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Taste for balance of oil – acid – it may need a bit more olive oil.
3. Pour over the carrots and mix. Add the herbs and mix again. Allow salad to chill for an hour then add the cheese before serving.
Per Serving: 216 Calories; 18g Fat (72.8% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 11g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 18mg Cholesterol; 287mg Sodium; 5g Total Sugars; trace Vitamin D; 142mg Calcium; 1mg Iron; 341mg Potassium; 104mg Phosphorus.

Posted in Veggies/sides, on March 17th, 2023.

Another winner of a recipe for roasted veggies.

A post from Carolyn. Can you remember back (not all that many years ago) when we didn’t even know about the succulent sweetness of roasting vegetables on a large sheetpan? I sure do. I think the phenomena happened about 10 years ago, then we went into full swing with sheetpan dinners. I sure do love those. And I’m a fan of America’s Test Kitchen, whence this recipe originated. Brussels sprouts are a favorite of mine, and I was happy to try a new version of them. As it happened I’d been out to lunch that day, and wanted something really healthy for dinner and not too filling. This was my dinner – I ate about half of that plate full.

This would make a great vegetable dish for company. It’s not hard – you could prepare everything ahead of time, have the vinaigrette ready except for the chopped apple, and roast the veggies just before dinner is ready. What’s different about this recipe is the oven temperature. It’s 500°F. Wow, is that ever hot. Have good heavy hot pads at the ready when you take it out of the oven. Just a warning! It intrigued me – that high oven temperature – because usually we roast veggies at about 425 or 450. In this case, the Brussels sprouts came out perfectly tender and still vibrantly green. The leaves that came loose (you know, the leaves that kind of break off when you halve the Brussels sprouts?) burned to a crisp (but they were edible – I just took them off when I plated it). I loved the dark caramelization of the sprouts. Then the apple cherry (or in my case I had dried cranberries open and decided to use them instead) vinaigrette is kind of genius! Pile the veggies on a platter and pour the apple vinaigrette over the top and you’re done.

The maple syrup in the vinaigrette adds a lovely sweetness. I didn’t have a tart apple, so used an Envy. Probably made the dish a bit sweeter than intended. I didn’t have fresh tarragon, either, so I used dried. Am sure the dish would be enhanced with fresh tarragon.

What’s GOOD: everything about this was delicious. I will definitely make this again. Loved the texture of the Brussels sprouts (super tender) and the flavor differences between the apple and the little amount of vinaigrette, and then the dried fruit too. Altogether delicious.

What’s NOT: nothing that I can think of. It’s a keeper. There’s very little actual vinaigrette (meaning oil/vinegar) so try to sprinkle the apple fruit vinaigrette all over the top to cover as much of the Brussels sprouts as possible. Maybe next time I’ll double-up on the oil, vinegar and maple syrup.

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Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Apple Cherry Vinaigrette

Recipe By: America’s Test Kitchen
Servings: 6

VINAIGRETTE:
1 small tart apple — cored and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/3 cup dried cherries — or dried cranberries
1 tablespoon EVOO — divided
6 teaspoons cider vinegar
3 teaspoons maple syrup
3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 small shallot — minced
BRUSSELS SPROUTS:
2 pounds Brussels sprouts — trimmed and halved
5 tablespoons EVOO
1 1/4 teaspoons table salt
3/4 teaspoon pepper
6 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon — or dried, using 1/3 the amount

1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place rimmed baking sheet in oven, and heat oven to 500°F.
2. Toss minced apple and cherries with 1 tablespoon oil, vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, and shallot in bowl until well combined; set aside. If using dried tarragon, add it to the vinaigrette here.
3. Toss Brussels sprouts with salt, pepper, and 5 tablespoons oil in second bowl until evenly coated.
4. Working quickly and carefully, remove sheet from oven and arrange Brussels sprouts in even layer on hot sheet. Return sheet to oven and roast until Brussels sprouts are well browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer Brussels sprouts to serving platter. Top with apple mixture. If using fresh tarragon sprinkle on top at this point. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Per Serving: 245 Calories; 14g Fat (48.9% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 28g Carbohydrate; 7g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 550mg Sodium; 14g Total Sugars; 0mcg Vitamin D; 83mg Calcium; 3mg Iron; 698mg Potassium; 117mg Phosphorus.

Posted in Salads, Veggies/sides, on January 27th, 2023.

Love those haricot verts. One of my favorite vegetables.

A post from Carolyn. A few  years ago I was enjoying a dinner out with friends, and the waiter came to our table to tell us about the specials. He listed off several, then got to the last one and said the entree was served with harr-eh-cot-vertz. It was like scratching your fingernail on a blackboard. Oof. I quickly told him how to pronounce it – hair-eh-co-vehr. I don’t think he believed me because he gave me a rather blank look. I said, “next time you’re in the kitchen, go ask the chef.” He did, and came back later to say yes, I was correct. He asked me again how to say it and he painstakingly wrote it down on his little waiter notebook. Why exactly we don’t called them “baby green beans” I don’t know. For a long time (years ago) these beans were certainly considered “gourmet,” not ordinary, and were hard to find. I suppose it’s like a lot of French culinary words that have become part of our English speaking – like Bouillabaisse, or fondue, baba au rum, and others. How about boeuf bourgignon. There is no English translation of bourgignon. Hence, haricot verts, friends! I’m not a French speaker, but any good home cook will learn some French as they learn to cook and bake!

Just in case you don’t see them regularly in your market, they’re really just young green beans, plucked before they get big or woody or tough. Trader Joe’s sells them for a very good price in a little 12 ounce package. They’re all cleaned and trimmed. I used 3 packages for this salad/side dish.

The recipe came from David Tanis, the acclaimed chef and author. He worked at Chez Panisse for awhile, and currently writes a weekly column for the New York Times. This recipe came from an article in Food & Wine magazine a few years back.

The green beans are cooked just until bite-tender and cooled. The original recipe had you prepare dried white or cannellini beans, but I’m too lazy – I buy canned. But since there were seasonings in the dried beans as they cooked (onion, bay leaf and thyme) I decided to add onion powder, powdered bay leaf and dried thyme to the salad dressing instead. It was an easy substitution. I made the salad dressing the day before and let it sit out on my kitchen counter overnight, so the flavors would blend. The cannellini beans were drained and rinsed, then I combined just a bit of the dressing in with the beans and they sat in the frig overnight. When I was ready to serve, I scooped the beans down the center of the platter, then the haricot verts around the outside, sort of haphazardly, then drizzled the dressing over everything, using my hands a little bit to distribute the dressing on the beans. If you want to toss the dressing thoroughly with the green beans, do it separately then put them on the platter. I garnished the platter with some halved cherry tomatoes (mostly for color) and a bunch of chopped Italian parsley.

Everything for this was prepped the day before – in this case I was taking it to someone else’s home – so I just put everything into a big tote bag (separately) and composed the salad at serving time.

What’s GOOD: a lovely, different side veg or salad, however you want to think of it. The dressing was really nice. I’d definitely make this again, if only for the color/photo factor. I had several nice comments about the salad when it was served. Certainly there are different textures here – the soft cannellini beans and the just crisp-tender green beans. And the shallot vinaigrette was really delicious.

What’s NOT: only that you need to start a bit ahead, although you certainly could make this and serve it immediately. I wanted the salad dressing to meld a bit; that’s all.

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Haricot Verts and Cannellini Beans with Shallot Vinaigrette

Recipe By: Adapted from David Tanis, Oct 2018
Servings: 12

30 ounces canned cannelini beans — drained and rinsed
2 pounds haricots verts — trimmed
DRESSING:
2 large shallots — minced
2 garlic cloves — minced
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon powdered bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried thyme — crushed in your palms
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Kosher salt
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground pepper
GARNISH:
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes — halved
1/4 cup chopped parsley

1. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the haricots verts until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain the beans and spread them on a towel-lined, large rimmed baking sheet to cool.
2. In a lidded jar, combine the shallots, garlic, onion powder, powdered bay leaf, dried thyme, mustard and both vinegars. Add a pinch of salt and let the vinaigrette stand for 10 minutes. Whisk in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Allow dressing to rest at room temperature for 2-3 hours or overnight to meld flavors. If time allows, combine the drained and canned beans with about 3 tablespoons of dressing and refrigerate until time to serve.
3. Arrange cannellini beans on a large platter and drizzle about 2 tablespoons dressing over them. Decoratively arrange the green beans around the platter and drizzle the remaining dressing on them. Season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle top with parsley and cherry tomatoes.
Per Serving: 143 Calories; 9g Fat (58.6% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 11g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 211mg Sodium; 2g Total Sugars; 0mcg Vitamin D; 30mg Calcium; 1mg Iron; 198mg Potassium; 68mg Phosphorus.

Posted in Pasta, Salads, Veggies/sides, on January 13th, 2023.

Oh so delicious. Served warm – it could be an entree, or a pasta side salad.

A post from Carolyn. Looking at this recipe, I might not have given it much attention. Kind of regular-type ingredients (pasta, sausage, broccolini, tomatoes, cheese). Not exactly ho-hum, but when you put them all together, it’s quite a tasty dish. This came from the December cooking class with Phillis Carey. She’s a Southern Italian (actual Sicilian) and she said this recipe comes from Puglia (pronounced poo-lee-ah). For me, the Italian sausage makes it a stand-out, but the creamy addition of ricotta cheese on top gave it a silky finish too. The grape tomatoes are roasted for 20-25 minutes until they’re just at that peak of plumpness and about to fall apart. Do save a little bit of the pasta water as you’ll want to add some of it at the very end to give the pasta a bit more smoothness.

If you have all the ingredients, you could probably make this in less than 30 minutes, start to finish.

What’s GOOD: the combo is really delicious and filling. For me it’s the Italian sausage that gives it a wonderful taste. The tomatoes add umami flavor too, and you get in some veggies with the broccolini. Altogether wonderful.

What’s NOT: nothing at all – easy to make.

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Pugliese Orecchiette with Broccolini, Sausage and Roasted Grape Tomatoes

Recipe By: Phillis Carey, cooking instructor, Dec. 2022
Servings: 5

16 ounces grape tomatoes
3 cloves garlic — minced (divided use)
1 pinch red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons olive oil — (divided use)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound Italian sausage — casings removed
8 ounces orecchiette pasta
8 ounces broccolini — chopped into 1/2″ pieces, or use spinach
1 1/2 cups Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese — grated fresh
1 whole lemon — zest and juice
1/2 cup ricotta cheese — whole milk type

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss grape tomatoes with 1 clove garlic, a pinch of red pepper flakes, 2 T olive oil and 1/2 tsp salt. Spread in pie plate and roast for 20-25 minutes, or until tomatoes are blistered and they release some of their juices; set aside.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil; add a generous amount of salt. Add orecchiette and cook to al dente (take 3 minutes of time off the time listed on the box). Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining 1 T olive oil, and sausage; cook, breaking up until meat is brown, about 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer sausage to a plate, keeping the fat in the skillet. Add remaining 2 cloves garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add broccolini and cook until crisp-tender, about 7 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low.
4. Add pasta and sausage to skillet along with grated cheese, lemon zest and juice and a general few turns of black pepper. Stir in a few tablespoons of the pasta water if needed. Toss in the roasted tomatoes, taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve with a dollop of ricotta cheese on top and sprinkle with more grated Parm. Serve warm.
Per Serving: 856 Calories; 51g Fat (54.4% calories from fat); 48g Protein; 49g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 123mg Cholesterol; 1395mg Sodium; 6g Total Sugars; trace Vitamin D; 949mg Calcium; 4mg Iron; 794mg Potassium; 787mg Phosphorus.

Posted in Vegetarian, Veggies/sides, on December 9th, 2022.

Yummy. Comfort food at its best.

A post from Carolyn. Once in awhile I get a craving for risotto. Usually after I’ve watched someone else make it on a TV program, I’ve seen it on a menu, or someone mentions it in passing. I used to make it much more regularly, but since it’s a very simple carb, I try not to. Yet a craving sometimes needs to be answered. My cousin Gary was visiting and he doesn’t mind having meatless meals. As it happened, I had some chicken sausages that I cooked separately, for some added protein.

I have a relatively “old” Breville multi-cooker – it’s a similar shape to an Instant Pot (smaller in all dimensions). It’s not an Instant Pot (though I have one of those also) – this was before IP came into being and has now taken over pressure cooking in general. This old Breville cooker (that doesn’t pressure cook) has a risotto setting. FYI: you can’t buy these old Breville models anymore. Not sure if anyone manufactures a device that “makes” risotto like it does. This little model does have a saute function, but I was in a relative hurry, so I cooked the shallots and mushrooms in another skillet and added them to the cooker. I’ve revised the recipe with directions for using a regular pan on the range, since I doubt many people have this old Breville thing.

Risotto requires a lot of stirring, and particularly at the end of the cooking time as it could burn easily if you’re not watching it. Have the rest of your meal all ready at this point so you can concentrate on the risotto.

One of the secrets to risotto is adding a little bit of white wine at the very beginning – with the rice – and allowing all the wine to be absorbed by the raw rice. Then you begin adding broth about 1/2 cup at a time and the mushroom concentrate. (A note about that – if you don’t have mushroom base, it’s now available from Better Than Bouillon, and I hear it’s really delicious.) Continue cooking, adding broth, until the rice is done, kind of mildly firm to the tooth, but still just barely cooked through. Then you add a dollop of sherry wine and 1/2 cup of heavy cream. I let it continue to warm through, and maybe add some water if it’s too thick, or to cook a minute or two more if it’s too thin. Scoop into heated bowls and garnish with black pepper and some grated Parm.

What’s GOOD: oh my, yes, I do love risotto. If you like mushrooms, you’ll love the intense flavor in this. Do click on that amazon link above for the mushroom concentrate – it makes a difference. The risotto was so satisfying – comfort food for sure. Leftovers were mixed with a tiny bit of water and served a few days later. Altogether wonderful.

What’s NOT: only the time of cooking risotto, with stirring and stirring.

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Risotto with Mixed Mushrooms

Recipe By: My own recipe, a combination from several on the internet
Servings: 4

1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms
1 tablespoon EVOO
1 medium shallot — minced
1/2 cup dry white wine — or vermouth
1 cup arborio rice
1 cup brown mushrooms — chopped
2 teaspoons mushroom concentrate — optional, or chicken soup base
3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon sherry wine — or brandy
1/2 cup heavy cream
Freshly ground black pepper
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese grated on top

STOVETOP:
1. Wash and blot dry the shiitake mushrooms and soak them in warm/hot water for about an hour, until they’re soft. Remove and discard the stems, then slice or dice them. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet add EVOO until pan is warm and shimmering, then add the minced shallot. Stir continuously while it cooks. Do not let it brown. Add the brown mushrooms and the shiitakes and cook for about 5 minutes. Then add the rice. Stir as it cooks for about a minute, then add the dry white wine. If you have any mushroom concentrate, add it and stir well to distribute. Stir while the wine is absorbed into the rice. Have ready the numerous cups of broth (heated on the stove nearby, or Pyrex measuring cup in microwave). Begin adding about 1/2 cup of broth at a time. At this point it doesn’t have to be stirred continuously.
3. Continue adding 1/2 cup of broth as the previous addition is absorbed. These additions cannot be hurried. Do not add more broth until most of the previous addition has disappeared almost. Taste the rice to see if it is cooked through – this process should take about 20-25 minutes altogether. Toward the end it needs to be stirred continuously so it doesn’t stick. The rice should be just barely firm to the tooth. Add sherry wine and heavy cream. Continue to heat through for less than a minute. Add black pepper to taste. Taste the risotto for thickness – if it’s too thick add a bit more broth. It should be pour-able. Serve on heated plates and garnish with grated Parm. Eat immediately.
BREVILLE MULTI-COOKER:
1. Briefly wash dried shiitake mushrooms, then soak in warm/hot water for about an hour until they’re soft. Remove and discard tough stems, then slice or dice the mushrooms and set aside.
2. Using Saute setting heat EVOO, then add shallots. Cook for about 5 minutes until shallots are limp but not browned. Add brown mushrooms and continue to saute until mushrooms have given off their liquid and the pan is nearly dry.
3. Add rice to the pan and stir until rice is coated with the oil and mushroom mixture. Add white wine and continue to stir as the wine cooks off.
4. Add nearly all the broth and mushroom concentrate or chicken soup paste, stir well.
5. Change cooker to Risotto setting, cover and allow to cook through. Toward the end make sure the pan isn’t dry. If it gets too dry, add about 1/4 cup of water. Taste rice for perfect risotto texture (slightly firm to the tooth). Add sherry wine and heavy cream. Allow mixture to warm through. Taste for salt or pepper, and if it’s too thick, add water to thin risotto. Serve immediately in heated bowls with freshly ground black pepper and freshly grated Parm on top.
Per Serving: 255 Calories; 16g Fat (57.5% calories from fat); 7g Protein; 19g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 34mg Cholesterol; 79mg Sodium; 3g Total Sugars; 1mcg Vitamin D; 38mg Calcium; 1mg Iron; 432mg Potassium; 157mg Phosphorus.

Posted in Vegetarian, Veggies/sides, on September 11th, 2022.

SO easy to make, and so delicious. 

A post from Carolyn. I made this for my lunch the other day. My usual go-to for lunch is soup, but gosh, it’s been SO darned hot here in SoCal, that eating hot soup did not appeal. But warming up my toaster oven was easy enough and this came together in minutes. This was so good. Maybe doesn’t reach the tip-top of any broccoli dish I’ve ever made, but it sure was tasty and easy to do.

I had broccoli heads in my refrigerator – being a single person/widow, buying an entire bunch of broccoli is usually too much for me, so the broccoli head, even though more expensive, is a wiser choice. If you want to buy the bunch and have a family, well then, just double this recipe. My notes say this is an Ina recipe, but I did alter it a little bit – really I just cut up the broccoli into florets (making sure I cut off any of the wider, thicker stalk parts, tossed it with EVOO, salt and pepper, some slices of fresh garlic, roasted it in a 425°F oven for about 15 minutes. Once out of the oven I sprinkled it with shreds of Parm and pine nuts and put it back in the toaster oven for about 3 minutes. Done. Then I added the lemon zest AND lemon curls and a squirt or two of lemon juice and it was ready to eat. I gobbled up that pan full, just about. The recipe called for julienned basil – and I had some – but forgot to put it on there. Do add it if you have it available.

I also had some leftover calabacitas (one of my favorite vegetables ever) and ate those along with the broccoli. A very filling lunch. Not much protein (cheese and pine nuts, only), but I had chicken for dinner, so I was fine with my allotment of daily protein.

What’s GOOD: so easy to prepare, and takes just minutes start to finish. Really good flavor from the cheese and pine nuts. Lots of texture too. Be sure to use finely grated Parm, not big shards or shreds so you have plenty of Parm to go around. You don’t use much.

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

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Easy Pan-Roasted Broccoli with Parm

Recipe: Adapted slightly from an Ina Garten recipe
Servings: 6

2 pounds broccoli heads
4 garlic cloves — peeled and thinly sliced
EVOO
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons lemon zest — some grated, some in threads
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons pine nuts — toasted
1/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese — not shreds, but finely grated
2 tablespoons fresh basil — julienned

1. Heat the oven to 425°F.
2. Cut the broccoli into florets, leaving an inch or two of stalk attached to the florets discarding the rest of the stalks. Cut the larger pieces through the base of the head with a small knife, pulling the florets apart.
3. Place the broccoli florets on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Toss the garlic on the broccoli and drizzle with 2 tablespoons EVOO, then sprinkle with the salt and pepper.
4. Roast for 18-20 minutes, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned. Remove the broccoli from the oven add lemon zest, lemon juice, pine nuts, and Parmesan. Return to the oven for 2-3 minutes until cheese is melted. Sprinkle wop with basil. Serve hot.
Per Serving: 136 Calories; 7g Fat (40.9% calories from fat); 10g Protein; 12g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 9mg Cholesterol; 783mg Sodium; 3g Total Sugars; trace Vitamin D; 234mg Calcium; 2mg Iron; 534mg Potassium; 219mg Phosphorus.

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