Tapenade and a few things it can go with! Mmmm...

So i am trying to make and all foodie blog...and archiving all the original and family favorite recipes form my other blog...didn't know there were so many. I once had a son who hated me because i had not become famous by writing a cookbook and being on TV...no I m not kidding---this child had Oedipus delusions of grandeur FOR me...It still makes me laugh... boys hit an age where food becomes foremost on their mind!

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Cruise the Mediterranean...NOT!

Another week, and one less week of the winter blues. We can't cruise the Mediterranean, but we can think about it!

Last weekend I made a recipe that i have been hungry to try for, well, I don't want to tell you how long I put off nice things like this...I won't tell you.

It was tapenade.

I searched for recipes on the web,combined and took what i felt would taste best from each recipe, and left out the anchovies--sorry Dad.

Note: My father is not really into seafood, he had bad experiences in the Navy, and it left him scarred as far as certain ocean foods. One day while traveling to My Pap's house in Alaska, riding in first class--thanks to Dad who worked almost 40 years for TWA, and His father many years before that, way before jet engines...Dad had a Caesar salad, made right before his eyes, and he let them put anchovies on it!-I was shocked, but as always, I think I sort of snuggled up a little closer and felt so proud to be Dad's seatmate,and that he was so cool and brave and classy to eat such a gross food. He was so classy in his mandatory suit too, and In his "zone." Dad's zone was airports and airplanes. I followed suit, taking to the sky for a job as a corporate flight attendant in my late teens.Serving Classy meals to foreign Gov't and military officials, foreign dignitaries, and domestic CEO's ...and clients... I never ate anchovies though, OH Yes! ahem, Anchovies, back to the Mediterranean, and by the way again, Dad's service in the Navy included cruising the Mediterranean--maybe it got in my DNA to be attracted to this recipe I saw on TV once. I do like olives.

Tapenade1Jar of red kalamata olives
1tbsp minced garlic
(I put 2 cloves through my garlic press, but I believe the pre-chopped from a jar would be good.)
1 Tbsp Capers ( hey what are capers anyhow?)
2 tbsp olive oil
1tsp lemon juice
2-3 basil leaves
I can artichoke hearts

Pulse in the food processor until uniformly but coarsely chopped.It keeps for a week in the fridge.

BONUS RECIPE: And it will save another washing of the food processor bowl for this next recipe to make it right away before you clean up. I wanted to try another recipe for Mediterranean Tuna Salad, but I did not want to go get more olives and artichoke hearts, so I made my own fast versionof this lowfat tuna salad, by leaving some in the processor bowl, adding a few shots more of olive oil, and a few cans of water packed tuna--it was delicious. Use in the place of any ordinary tuna salad. This will be the tuna I can get my picky picky boy to actually eat! Wow!

For the classic use of Tapenade, I baked (you can grill or broil, but i was at curves while it cooked so i could not) swordfish steaks, tuna steaks would do also. At the table we that like olives and salty tart tastes topped our swordfish with tapenade sauce. It was excellent. I had this at a huge wedding last summer, and my mouth has been watering for it since--total delay gratification.The meal was appreciated by all, and the last piece of fish--yep, went to my picky picky kid who exclaimed that this was his kind of fish!

Also, for lunch a few days, I took a piece of rice bread, and toasted it like you do for grilled cheese--butter both sides and fry it till brown and crisp. I topped that with tapenaude spread thinly, then my tuna mixture form above, a few more dots of tapenade, and a piece of rice brand cheese, and put a small lid over cooking till warmed, then into the oven ob roil till that nasty cheese substitute actually melted, i cut it into four wedges with a buttered knife, and it was worthy of serving to some foreign dignitary.A Mediterranean Tuna/Tapenade Melt It was unbelievable. After the tuna ran out, I just made cheese and tapenaude grilled--also capable of being classified as a dainty dish to set before a King! There is still some left--it goes along way in the home of picky eaters. Want a Hoot? my sensory challenged child like this! he also would eat kalamata olives and artichoke hearts--off to search for more recipes.

If you are adventurous enough to try this recipe, i hope you like it! If not go find some king or foreign dignitary to share it with! Well, how about your husband, or if you are still waiting for your Prince, maybe this will charm him, if not try cookies, it worked for mine--he does not like olives.Although, he'd have probably faked liking olives before we were married, just to keep me on the hook, until he finally reeled me in!!!

Think the Mediterranean Sea, shining in the sun, and beaches and salt air,and the sun penetrating your skin and warming you, while you take a nap, dreaming that spring WILL come, it does every year, Cruise or NOT!

Honey Chicken er Slightly Indian Baked Barbecued Chicken

Still Archiving form my other blog...nice to have it all in one place for people who ask.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

another recipe

This one we call Mrs> O's Chicken

This is my no fault company is coming over recipe. If you are ever invited to dinner, the truth is, i will make this. it is so easy i can also get my house cleaned and have less stress that day, before you come over. My kids love it and we try not to eat it every week, but we could no problem.

I first ate it at a birthday party for a friend at the church i grew up in, and My old Sunday School teacher cooked it for large crowd. "Mrs. O" and her husband were missionaries in Africa before or around the time i was born. Then she was my primary Sunday school teacher for a set or years prior to middle school. She and her husband were very supportive if my tow trips to Africa in my late teens when I was exploring that life, a life of missions.

At the same time I was I was also contemplating continuing in being a flight attendant, 3rd generation in aviation, and already had OTJ training there too--what to choose??? And God choose me a husband instead of either, and looking back at my whole life sofar, I see the wisdom and blessing in that quick save. It was a quick save, because he asked for my hand and made his intentions / interest known to me the day i got back for my second and decisional missions trip.

Enough talk.

The recipe is really called Honey Chicken. Make it for your honey tonight. It is an easy one, but he will love it. he will think you cooked all day! I hope your winter blues are on their way out.

Honey Chicken

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

4 Tbsp. butter
1/2 Cu. Honey
1/4 Cu. Mustard ( I prefer spicy brown but any mustard will work just as well)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp curry powder

melt the butter in a pan and add all other ,except the chicken.
Spray a baking dish with oil, and place the washed and dried chicken breasts in it.
Pour the sticky mixture over it and roll the chicken in it to fully coat it.
bake at 350 for 1 to1 and 1/2 hours, basting a few times.

I like to serve this with thai noodles or white basmati rice
and green beans garnished with almonds.

Enjoy!

Thanksgiving Recipes (from my other blog)

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Thanksgiving Recipes 2009

Thanksgiving RecipesRebecca 2009

Pumpkin Pie
Make your gluten free piecrust.
Or use gluten free pantry brand
Pie crust form a box…

My Pumpkin filling:
Steam chunks of pumpkin
(or just use the stuff in the can)
in the blender of food processor
add the pumpkin, pumpkin pie spices,
two egg whites, real vanilla extract,
appx ¼ cup of hone and two packets
of gelatin melted in either cooled
steam water form the pumpkin,
or just room temperature water
blend until smooth & aerated then
Pour and bake according to your
own pumpkin custard recipe, 350 at 45 min.
When done, sprinkle with cinnamon
Keep in the fridge and serve chilled.

Non-dairy whipped topping:
About ¼ cup of Extra virgin coconut
oil at room temp, ½ a brick of silken
tofu, about 1/8 cup of honey—maybe
more, and 1 tsp (+) vanilla extract,
blend in a mini food processor until
smooth—the coconut oil is hardened
so it may take a while to blend smooth.
Also, it will re harden if placed in the
Fridge—best to use it right away, or
just be okay with having to spread it.

My non-dairy hot slaw:
Shred a medium-sized head of cabbage.
Heat a large heavy bottomed soup pot.
Spray bottom and sides with oil. Melt
three tbsp butter ( we do use real butter)
or your best substitute. Add the shredded
cabbage and stir, do not allow it to
burn or become brown, once heated
turn the heat way down and put the
lid on, to “sweat” it, stirring every
few minutes until it is translucent
but still a bit has texture. Meanwhile
prepare the dressing. ½ brick of
silken tofu, the juice of one lemon,
3 –4 tbsp oil and salt to taste blend
in food processor until smooth, add
to the cabbage and stir. Salt to taste
Transfer the hot slaw to an oiled
baking dish, place the cover on and
keep warm until serving.

Thr tofu sour cream dressing is also
good made with firmer tofu and used over
cooked peas, for a side of creamed peas
or dollopped onto baked potaoes with
other toppings as an easy meal

Cranberry Relish (jello) Ring
Prepare gelatin following the recipe
for knox blocks or finger jello on the
box of gelatin packets, only use twice
the amount of gelatin packets, and fruit
sweetened cranberry juice, we used to
use cranberry apple, but now cranberry
raspberry is more readily available in all
fruit sweetened variety, set aside, it cannot
be completely cool to pour over the mix
below, but it cannot be hot, just luke-warm
and that takes a while.

Prepare and combine, then spoon into
an oiled jello mold these ingredients:

I bag of oranges, peeled with a serrated
knife to remove all white membranes
then scrape each section off of the inner
membranes, and cut each freed section
into 2-3 chunks

1/2 cup of walnut pieces, rinsed to remove
any loose brown papery skin (shake/sift in
a small colander under running water )

½ bag of fresh cranberries sliced thinly
sliced on the food processor

These fruit and nut mix should fill a
standard 9 inch jello ring mold, pour
the cooled jello over top to fill the ring
and chill overnight or until set. Remove
onto a plate and garnish with kiwi slices
and pomegranate piths. It is slightly bitter
and that is just the way we like it, or it
seem too much like dessert, upstaging
the pies!

A few other seasonal recipes:
Bakers unsweetened chocolate broken
into squares, and and dipped in a small
dish of honey for chocolate cravings!

or shave unsweetened chocolate onto
any ice cream substitute or whisk into
warmed non-dairy milk for cocoa.

I have alos made for a cocoa sustitiute,
Steep these tea bags into warmed non-
dairy milk substitute: celestial seasoning’s
brand hazelnut dessert tea, or anise seeds
in a tea infuser

Certified Gluten-free Granola (from other blog)

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Recipe" Vanilla Almond Granola

Curves Comrades,

Here is my recipe from the buffet On Saturday, as requested.

By the way, it was almost fun, except we were kid of---Uhm...at work. Next time--the Pizza Grill AFTER the meeting. Maybe the next staff meeting.

Warning, I am a dump throw kind of cook. For me, what i have on hand usually determines what goes into a recipe, more so than a piece of paper that will make me inevitable have to run to the store for just one thing. The main piece of information you will want is my method for more evenly distributing and combining the ingredients--warming the nut butter and the honey. Also, it would be more nutritional if it was not toasted. Any time oil is heated, it WILL go rancid. (free-radicals) If I did not know this would be eaten in about one sitting at my house, right after it is cooled, i would keep it raw, and store it in the fridge. Okay, enough about nutrition.

Oh yeah, You can make it Peanut and Nutmeg Granola, instead of Almond and Vanilla. Then you don't have to destroy your food processor bowl with almonds. If you do, Then grind raw almonds to a powder i8n your processor. Use earplugs it will be deafening for the first few minutes! Slowly drizzle Almond oil and safflower oil ( raw) into the drip top of the processor as it is running, until it reaches thick soupy consistency. I store it in the fridge, which firms it up a little more. Or buy natural PB at the store. Be sure to heat the nutmeg (1/8th tsp) otherwise it will stay bitter.

Read the back of a 2lb container of old fashioned rolled oats to see the amount of servings in the container. Count out 12 almonds per serving, and run through a nut chopper on the course setting. Spray oil a large soup kettle, and pour in the oats, then the chopped almonds, and stir a little just to evenly distribute and combine.

In an oiled glass bowl, add 1 cup of almond butter, 1/2 cup of honey and heat in the microwave until it is just warm enough to be the consistency of pancake batter--try not to let it get hot (Heat ruins nutritional value in otherwise good fats.) to that mix, quickly add one TBSP pure vanilla extract, and 1/2 cup of walnut oil (excellent source of omega 3!!!) stir quickly, but not long

Tip: use a spray oiled large glass measuring cup.put tie one cup of nut butter in first, then measure 1/2 cup honey on top of that--the nut butter will hold it up! Then when it is warmed and mixed, add the oil on top of that--the mix will hold it up...then the vanilla and quickly stir...
I hate doing more dishes than necessary!

Then add to the oats and chopped almond mix, dropping by spoonfuls and stirring as you go. Work quickly, as the almond butter and honey will naturally become as stiff as taffy as it cools. (That is why this one can bee just as good raw. If baking, spay a large sheet pan (i sue the bottom of my broiler pan) with spray oil, and bake a t 350, stirring as soon at the top begins to brown, this could take up to a half hour--but don't leave the kitchen--ya gotta keep your eye on it.

When it is cooled,it is excellent for cereal with milk, or snacking. Store unused portions in an airtight container or zip bag--and refrigerate to slow the rancidity of the goods oils.

Hope that was not too hard to follow. I think it about 1 or 1/2 cup would be 1 carb exchange, and 1 meal sized protein exchange.

Best to everybody going on the WM plan. We are all in this together, and with the members. I know so much more about the purposes of the phases, and how to better serve the members!

Shrotcake...Strawberries anyone? (another form form my other blog)

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Gluten-free Shortcake

Two speckled bananas.

One stick of butter...but if you can't then substitute another speckled banana

if you use butter, it will have a more "normal" texture, if three bananas more chewy

okay, chop the butter with a pastry blender and then the bananas until coarsely about 1/4 in cubes

add about 2/2 0r three cups of flour combined with two tsp of non-aluminum baking powder

mix or rather lightly toss until all pieces are separated and coated, do not let it get like bread dough, it needs to stay chunky.

Oils a 9 x 13 pan and quickly add rice milk to moisten to a consistency of say those bisquick kind you used to make

turn out into the pan and pop onto the oven at 350 until done ie knife inserted into the center comes out clean and peaks of chunks are golden.

serve with berries and rice milk...or rice ice cream. Mmmm!

Let's get personal and speak candidly about gluten-free sugar free S'MORES

another entry taken form my other blog:

graham crackers...shaved chocolate...substitute for toasted marshmallows...seriously
...and how to clean cast iron cookware...

I am so ADD, or cramming so much life into tone lifetime,  that all this ends up in one article

Sunday, September 5, 2010

more on s'mores and cast iron cookware

Every summer holiday that has a fireworks display, Memorial Day, the 4rth, Labor Day.. we have an urban fire and have root beer floats. ( My In-laws and people from Western Pa call them brown cows.) Then we pick up our lawn chairs from around the fire circle and walk down to the end of the yard where there is an out door stage perfect for viewing the seasonal replica on the bombs bursting in air. over the lovely river. There is a break between clusters of trees and also a space between the high shrubs and the bottom layer of the thick canopy of leaves above, making a dark frame around the huge 3-D blossoms and colorful explosions. Perhaps of you have ever lived in a real war zone, you would want to stay home, but my yard is the gathering place for friends and family. There are times we make a whole night of it and sleep out.

Tonight we did something different. I thought about s'mores after it was not reasonable to go to the store for graham crackers that we needed. So, i looked on the web for recipes and adapted one for our gluten free needs. They turned out so well, they practically melt in your mouth. I pierced them with the tines of a fork, and cut them into marshmallow-sized squares. Then i shaved dark unsweetened chocolate all over them while they were still hot. That was tasty enough, but them we brought out the long forks, and a basket of marshmallows and the secret ingredients i mentioned in my last post... grandparents, extremely healthy homemade s'mores, fireworks, a crackling fire, a chill in the air for snuggling with little double digit aged , but still little and lovable kids... what more could one want!!!

Then, while we were not looking, little pyromaniac boy placed three big logs in the urban fire place, and we had to linger long after the beautiful display and the grand finale...By the way the colors are more brilliant and pristine when there is no humidity or haze. Everyone has gone home, and the little ones are in bed. I am literally roasting a few of my cast iron frying pans, dutch oven, and lid. I roasted potatoes in over the fire last week while camping, and with a plastic scraper, my frying pan was like new. I liked it up on the internet, and throwing your cast iron into a fire will take off any old harmless, but annoying and ugly crustiness that can form around the rims on the inside and outside of these kitchen favorites.

I can't wait to see them tomorrow. it is still warm in the daytime, so I will season them in my out door oven for a several hours each, and they will be like new. The website said i should not need to do it again for another 10 to 15 years...mine have never had this treatment, and they were in their 25th year of near continuous operation. Cast iron and fireworks and s'mores...really if I had any self respect, i would not have run these three subjects all together...time is always fleeting. here is another. ! And 10 labor days ago, I was in labor...OH my baby is ten!!! I am getting old!

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

S'mores and Serenity

First of all...I had an epiphany about how to make s'mores that are not the least bit unhealthy and I am sure i could attain instant fame or infamy were i to go fully public!!! I can't risk my reputation...so readers will have to fire me a one on one...I am sure that if you are crazy enough to follow the recipe, you will never want to implicate yourself by leaking it ti the media--so "cawl me and we'll tawlk" and after i tell Ya, I'll have ta kill ya...But were are talking no refined sugar, and no gluten...

I will list a few vignettes of a vacation well spent...in a few minutes... somebody's at my door...

Chicken Tikka Commentary--with a great tip at the end for perfect basmati rice

form my other blog too...

Saturday, September 18, 2010

purposeful sensory overload

Life is hard. Human suffering that I have seen, see, know of, is making me sad and feel disconnected from the simple pleasures of my keeping at home...I was out from 9-3 today, a Saturday...I seem to be out alot...even when it seems like i am scheduled to be home more than usual...actually I was "out" via the phone working something out that took an emotional toll.

It is easy to think you want to live in the country, when you drive though it on a blue sky sunny day. it is easy to talk about things that are yet to be done, standing a gabbing when there is work to be done. It is hard to feel at home when you have a heart to alleviate suffering, and you can't.

Tonight in my oven is a most aromatic dinner, that i did not have all the ingredients for it, but i made anyway. I've never made it before but i have been thinking about it for weeks. Chicken Tikka, pre-made canned saag, and perfectly textured basmati. *It is drifting in the kitchen window like a cartoon genie emerging from a bottle. It is mesmerizing the neighbors by now, because I am still making use of my outdoor oven set-up to keep the house cool, and in case the aroma was too potent and got stuck in the curtains! it is definitely potent. One of my grown sons is sick, it will get past his stuffy nose.

It is sensory jamming, can't get around it....I needed override this out of sorts feeling that i have.

(Also, if I am going to be half starved being good on a diet that is really saving my life, and does give me more energy, i am going to eat something memorable,that might make me feel hungry. I have been cooking both lunches and suppers, and will continue until I have gotten"back to where i once belonged! spring rolls on Thursday for lunch, baked of course. Five spice ground chicken breast and veggies....no one will suffer on mom's diet...no whining!!!)

Tonight's menu:

Basmati Note--I learned form my Indian friend Nina that you use less water then with brown rice, and cook only until it is absorbed and leave it...the texture is wonderful, not like the pablum i used to serve.Now to get this house in order for the Sabbath and determine to meet next weeks challenges, both known and unknown.

A Sneaky Meatloaf Recipe (from my other blog)

Sunday, September 19, 2010

too darned healthy

Another day of cooking. Well, just the late afternoon. I was in the mood for meatloaf...and made the best that ever came out of my oven. I could never repeat it. the secret ingredient will remain a mystery...

It was sensory seeking Ds's (12 y/o) homemade salsa. The background is that he woke up last Sunday morning, made and also ate some original salsa creation before the rest of us woke up. The whole corner of church where thankfully we were sitting, (rather tucked away, because somebody was late,) reeked of garlic breath...that is no exaggeration. If you ever saw our church, the cathedral ceiling is so high it really should have risen and dissipated, , but it hung there incriminating and infecting the air around us...I kept wishing it was wafting in from a post service luncheon...but no, it was my son's lethal breath.

Oh well, his garden concoction was still in the fridge this Sunday, well preserved by the garlic and onion. The peppers were perfectly wilted,it light on Mexican spices, heavy on onions, and the tomatoes and juice - just right, so, in it went. Were I to write a recipe it would be as follows: well, minus mystery salsa, that was (about a scant 1/2 cup.)

3lbs all natural ground turkey, both dark and white meat, and no skin

1 cup certified gluten-free rolled oats

scant 1/2cup of finely ground flax seed --I use an electric coffee grinder

1/2 a 4oz can of tomato paste

1tsp salt, or just a-half

14 tsp ground (powdered) white pepper

three small onions chopped fine in the food processor

1 medium zucchini grated

(If none of sjs' salsa-you can add a tablespoon or two of finely chopped green or red bell pepper

lots of parsley--so buy it in bulk, not a wussy little grocery sized bottle--go to the mega mart

five or six leaves of fresh basil chopped

ketchup for on top in a zig-zagged or criss-crossed pattern, to keep it moist.

Bake for longer than you think you should, because ground turkey still looks pink after it is probably done, but it looks gross that way.

I think that is what was in my meatloaf tonight. Most of my recipes are a case where the "jersey is retired" and this was one of them...I am sure i forgot an ingredient, and I used agave sweetened catsup-Ketchup... --it was too sweet and i was just wanted to use it up.

This is why I really can't sign up on make them a meal, because I never know how the meal will turn out. For instance, this one was so darned healthy, that a person or family that eats the typical American diet would go into a healing crisis* for the shock to their body from all the healthy stuff i put in it.

*Healing crisis--the reaction of your body when you make a sudden change in habit regarding things you put in your body...like a junk food withdrawal... sometimes you feel like you are getting the flu, but you are just changing your body chemistry so rapidly it is detoxing too fast and dumping too many toxins for your poor body to handle...but us, we eat heath food store silage all the time, so we are good on it.

Tonight i was not drowning my sorrows so much as drowning my tomorrow. I also made lentil soup, Tuscan roasted potatoes, and mock zucchini crab cakes, because tomorrow both kids have lessons on complete opposite ends of the county tomorrow evening at 4:30PM and who knows when the grown working dudes will show-up...this way everyone can fend for themselves in the fridge on their own body clock.

I hope to cook for Sunday and Monday next Saturday...that would be a rest. laundry tomorrow, including sheets. Oh, yeah, we borrowed Mark Lowry "Mouth In Motion" VHS form the library, and needed to return it, so we watched that before bedtime--too funny-temporary stress relief.

One of my No-Carb Chicken Vegetable Soup Recipes (from my other blog)

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Just one of many chicken soup recipes

This one is a no-carb Chicken vegetable soup

I have been perfecting on a recipe that has no carbs but is dense with vegetables

The people at my table want hearty dense soups, yet I cannot take the carbs

rice corn and potato laden soups make me fall asleep almost before i leave the table

see my pictures on facebook...I should learn how to upload pictures here...sigh...

This is entry is for Linda who smelled it from my thermos on retreat, and asked me...

therefore, let not your hearts be troubled that one of the main ingredients next to chicken is cauliflower--yes, it has a consistency in coup like that of rice...and is so flavorful.

Anyone who has mashed cauliflower instead of potatoes, in order to save on their carb counts has been pleasantly surprised too. Bing the cook, I feared that my thermos reeked...but Linda did not think so. I also took a steaming pot to the mid-winter ladies soup and bread night...no one ran away form that either. I have changed it over the years, and finally settled on something, to leave out the small amount of garlic powder I either added to the stock phase, or rubbed the chicken with before boiling it and the root vegetables into the stock. Oh, and once i had my very picky brother over for supper, and he loved it and wanted My sister in law to get the recipe, and she cooked it...that is the final word right there, my brother is not a health food junkie like me. Nor is he gratuitous with compliments to cook or other wise, so be brave!

Cut your root vegetables:

For the stock: 2 onions roughly chopped,

two carrots scrubbed and with the skins on in one or two inch chunks

sorry no celery in this stock...but basil and herbs!

all this will be strained out, so make it rough.

Cut these vegetables and set aside:

Finely chopped carrot--about 7 or a cup chopped

I peel then cut each carrot into 14in think pennies, then chop them in the hand chopper to appx little 14/in cubes--if you can picture that...why, it releases the sweetness better, but without the black skins..and because beating on the pampered chef chopper is fun

Dice about 4- 5 medium onion--about two cups diced (do not use the p-chef chopper on that--do it the old fashioned way or the flavor of the onion will not be good...yes, it will it will be released into the soup and then disappear if chopped too finely.

wash these vegetables: they will NOT got into the stock---they are added later or the consistency and flavor will not survive the heat and reduction of the stock phase.

Zuchinni--the wimpy store sized, not any obese bouva shenklels* from your garden!

(*Pa Dutch meaning "boy's legs")

Relax, you will cut the zucchini into rounds and then quarter the rounds later...closer to the end. Why, because the zucchini will release that clear gel like healing plasma when cut--you want that to go directly into the broth. (When it is time , you can half the zukes lengthwise, lay the half flat on the cutting board, and half it again, then make 1/4 inch slices--there are many ways to slice a zucchini...and now i can spell it right, since i have used that word too many times! )

wash and remove the leaves and core-stump of a large head of cauliflower, but leave the head intact...don't bother to chop that yet, because it will smell as it sits --bag the whole thing and put it back in the fridge--with the zucchini There i spelled it again!)--I think it may make the soup more flavorful to loosely chop that later and put it right into the soup as well, because the 'fragrance" can be plunged and infused into the broth rather than the kitchen or refrigerator...

Wash and skin the parts of chicken you like for soup

(you need bones and some dark meat, but not fat!)

(I totally cheat by making most all my soups out of two or three chickens worth of thighs--sometimes even boneless as well...and two or three breasts...then i reserve the cleaner larger hunks of white meat for chicken salad another day... just a tip. I use boneless things for my Oriental soups and Indian curried soups too--because i am THAT lazy,my the poulterers at market even chunk them for me for stews and stir fries and homemade chicken nuggets! Si i lean on them for culinary support.)

Here is the rub_ I personally use a unique ingredient--my home packed seasoned salt from my herb garden--more on that later in another blog entry. I lie of that rare ingredient, You can use organic poultry seasoning as a rub, with just hint of garlic salt or granules--it's not that hard to do. I once heard Jaques P`epin (Jack Pappan) say that any bacteria on chicken that can survive cooking deserves to kill you, my chicken soup is started as soon as I get home form market--where they skin skin it for me--when i do a rub, i just throw the loose herbs etc into the bag it comes home in, and rub it in there--then dump it into my pot. I am a freak about disinfecting anything that touched raw meat, so that method is as time saver. The meat from the grocery packs will need washed skinned and patted dry f9or a rub...sorry. (If I gift you a bottle of my herb salt next Christmas. then you will be free of the rub...you can just dump in a scant 1/4 cup of my herb salt--sifted or not.

Disinfect you hands and your surfaces now...that the chicken and the stock/root vegetables are in the pot, if you used a rib, and a table spoon or two of salt, you can add a tsp of thyme, sage, two tbsp of dried basil--or better yet, and pack of fresh basil chopped--about 1/4 cup of form your garden...then fill the fragrant pot with water to within an inch of the top--like a8-10 quart size...now here is a lazy cook tip--I boil my stock in my pasta pot, and when it is time to remove the chicken, bones and rough cut veggies and carrots with ugly blackened skins--i strain it like noodles into my heave bottomed soup pot...then let the chicken cool for picking and chopping or pulling...yes it makes a few more dishes, but they can be washed up and put back away before dinner..okay, now boring that brew to a rolling boil and back it off so you can go do something else for about an hour (no lees that 45 minutes ,but not so long that the pot boils dry... whatever fits your schedule.

So the stock is boiled and fragrant and making you hungry, the solids are cooling to be picked off the bones, the stock in in a pot...time to add these a good sized bag of frozen cut green beans--oh yeah, fresh ones are better--but I am lazy...and i like the color of the frozen ones...Cut and add the zucchinis then roughly cut the head cauliflower into what quarters, then cut up the blobby pieces into quarters again--like those brooms in the the magicians apprentice, but don't worry about their size--they will eventually break up into rice sized pieces even the stubby stumps.

Pick and dice the cooled chicken, and put that back into the pot (if it is too dense--keep out the white meat for a cold salad tomorrow...this soup will be thick enough.

Bring it all back up to a boil, than back it off like you did the stock, let that simmer for as little as a half hour, or as long as you need to, when the cauliflower is breaking down when it is stirred, turn it off. Let that sit until you are ready to serve it, it will stay hot for hours.

As any soup...it is just a good of not better when re-heated the next day...my family LOVES it!

Ginger Chicken and Broccoli (excerpt from my other blog)

Anyhow, ginger is very good to drink, eat, and even bath in when you need your fever to get on with it, and do it's work.

So, I cut a whole steamer basket of broccoli into florets, and steamed then until tender but still crisp. I heated a pan, not too hot, and gated peeled fresh ginger into it, about a tablespoon, once that was heated, with some spray oil, and a bout a TBSP olive oil, the threw in the broccoli and sirred to coat with the caramelized ginger, then squirted in a few TBSP of Braggs amino acids (soy sauce--no wheat) and that steamed and infused it the rest of the way, total time in the frying pan may have been tow minutes.

 

It was absolutely delicious, and cut past that no-taste you get when you are sick, it was warming and comforting, and i knew it was good for all of us. 

WE only eat vegetables and broth when acutely ill, veges and a serving of meat in a soups when recovering.

Sweet and Sour Barbecue Chicken

Into the bag of boneless skinless thighs went a tbsp of chopped garlic from the little glass jar form the store,  and a few TBPS or tamari  (wheat free and sugar free soy sauce) early Friday morning...

Onto the grill today... cooked till nearly done...then brushed with an oriental sweet and sour barbecue sauce made up of honey, tamari, olive oil and vinegar...

equal parts tamari and olive oil, say about 1/4 cup,  but only about one tbsp vinegar and two tbsp of honey... stir until smooth---oh no i think i put natural catsup in it too...about two to three tbsp...

now...my 22 year old sought me out after raiding the fridge this evening and said--hey somebody is really getting the sauces down lately--and gave it the thumbs up---it was wonderful!!!

I would not hesitate to julienne these into strips for home made "pork" spring rolls or wontons (made with 100% rice [spring roll] wraps...very like those little reddish pork strips  at the restaurants..Mmmm..

I think it is the kids I am writing this for...and because i make recipes up all the time and then forget...and never make it again...

Chili-lime Barbecue Sauce

Mmmmmm...Grilled Chili-lime Chicekn Dinner! 

On Fridays morning I put a marinade into each bag of chicken that i brought home... 

tonight was the boneless skinless thighs in lime and salt...I need to make this a few times, then officially wrote this recipe and submit it for some award...oh  my goodness the barbecue sauce is to die for, even before it touched the meat---we are experimenting with brushing it onto the corn on the cob that we are also having tonight---a perfect marriage of flavors---an kind of a chili-lime chicken and corn on the cob--and i an too busy reveling here to make a vege---we did have cantaloupe as appetizer already...and the propane jsut ran out--ok...I will think of a vege after i write out the barbecue sauce recipe...and make a title

after the meat  were thrown on the grill by my husband--the chief at grilling at this house (i burn everything!) i began layering the flavors in the sauce for brushing on when it is near done---

IMPORTANT NOTE: Contamination is an issue--I don't have enough heat or digestive juices to deal with it etiehr, but everyone should be wise about contaminated utensils and surfaces:

SO, That is how we barbecue here, lest we cause the brush to have raw meat contamination---

First i marinate with something near what the sauce will be (or i don't depending,) we cook the meat  until near done---then begin turning and brushing on the sauce--letting it get dry and stick to the meat, then brushing on more until it is all used up...but the key is waiting until there will be no raw juices escaping...like 20 minutes into it if it is cut up...later of doing a whole chicken...(did i publish my beer can-less chicken, or have i lost that to poor memory already?) if I MUST put a sauce on on earlier in the grilling process, i spon it on, then go disinfect that spoon...then we still wait till the safe time to use the brush...our brush is like a paint brush here---no-lil wimpy thing! 

SO here is who i made the marinade...

the juice of two limes squeezed into a bowl

1/2 tsp of cumin... whisk it in with a small whisk

three or four TBPS of col,ld pressed extra virgin olive oil...whisk again...

heat another 1/2 tps of cumin---in a little pan, or small dish on the microwave--however you do it...I did it in the pan...scraped it out...but  poured in olive oil for sauteing my other ingredients:

Finely diced  green paper, and finely diced plum tomato ( the size of fresh  un-canned salsa--ok...and I would bet a tomatillo might work here too...Dump those into the pan peppers first....give them a bit of a roast...till soft and some browning...then pull that out and set aside and throw in the diced tomato...stir-fry saute quickly with a dash (as you like it--but it does not take much!!! or it will overtake!) of cayenne for some kick...add the peppers back in... stir around...then pour into the lime juice, olive oil and raw cumin...stir...mainly to cool, but also to blend the flavor...okay then I strained out the mushy solids, and placed them in my mini-food processor...a little one cup apparatus...and blended it almost smooth...and added a tsp or tow of dried cilantro--less of fresh---ok...and then poured that puree back into the flavored oil and lime juice mix...and whisked that again... everybody tasted it---my foodyiest child--who craves strong flavers said it was like and explosion of lots of flavors!

Everybody loved it--I am already re fluxing just waiting for that grill..but sometimes I HAVE to let my taste-buds play...or my cooking gets just plain boring! 

...and i did use fennel and black rice

I did not brine the chicken---i did not invest that much time but i will next time!

Black rice--steamed...then sauteed fennel, red pepper and onion...until clear....tossed together

Got high fives around the table---it had been a while since i put my whole self into creating, especially in regards to layering flavors, and not just cooking and slamming something out onto the table

i think might was near enough what i had the night out on a date...and ad cook i did not have that same ecstatic feeling while eating...but i did feel like I was going to be quite the culinary charmer!

I think that next academic year--when bally taxi destroys the traditional dinner hour---daddy might have to come home for lunch on certain days...and then the packed en-route supper can be something boring.

Only war wound was small bit of meat spattered up from the pan and landed right on my eyeball--but it did not hurt---that is probably a bad sign...but i think i am OK

Anyhow, I WILL learn about and use fennel -often!!!

Preamble to new found inspiration...cc'd from my FB wall

Rebecca Saylor

July 18

Out to dinner tonight---rarely do that, but discovered a place where i actually might be able to eat the food and not hate myself afterward...the food was so good...I do not think I have been so enchanted by a plate of food...The foodie in me can always tell what things are made of, and then go home and replicate...but i cant i just cant this time...it eluded me...I was rendered unable to talk dur

ing dinner, after ward when we were outside I was trying to tell him why i did not feel like at talking at dinner I was almost out of it an glazed, form trying to literally ferret out the blend flavors...like when you are seeing something magnificent happen right before your eyes, and you want to take a picture, but you just can't to which he replied..."I think I have seen that look on your face in there before, just never in public." ROFL!

Rebecca Saylor Here is the deal though...maybe my experience was tainted from years of deprivation...being chained to my own cooking...I came home with visions of marinades dancing in my head... tomorrow is market day---we WILL have brined chicken...all kinds of brines all weekend! And black rice...and I will learn to use fresh fennel...

July 19 at 10:16pm ·