mushroom frittata

Credit for the following delish dish goes to chef hubbie…

• large non-stick saucepan:  saute onions in 2 T. olive oil, add sliced mushrooms & saute for a few minutes
• add thyme, salt & pepper, & half-n-half (approx. 1/3 to 1/2 cup)
• beat 5 eggs (or so) in bowl, temper eggs by slowly adding & stirring in saucepan mixture
• add back into saucepan & cook on stove top until set
• put under broiler to brown top

Enjoy with a piece of toast & fruit for breakfast, or with a salad for lunch or dinner.

“Cooking is at once child’s play & adult joy. And cooking done with care is an act of love.”  ~ Craig Claiborne

meal strategy

A new, fresh way to decide what to have for dinner.  Ask yourself:

“What is going to go rotten first?”

For us yesterday it was the kale = ham n’ greens

Question #2:

“What is the oldest item in the freezer?”

I’m beginning to wonder how long we could be fed off those two questions…

Question #3:

“How can I reinvent _____________ ?”

Example:  left-over chicken meat transformed into pasta salad

Dressing:  dijon mustard, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper with romano sprinkles on top

“Fish is the only food that is considered spoiled once it smells like what it is.”  ~ P. J. O’Rourke

tomato salad

Someone get me a spoon.

• home-grown tomatoes
• tiny diced shallots* or purple onion
• red* or white wine vinegar
• olive oil
• Dijon mustard
• fresh thyme
• kosher salt & ground black pepper

*preferred

“It’s difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato.”  ~ Lewis Grizzard

beet basics

Stuffed (dried apricots, bread crumbs, sage, cream, salt, pepper) grilled pork chops & potatoes, collard greens, & beets…

It is time to give away the canned beets.

• cut off the greens
• place in covered casserole dish with 1/4 cup stock or water
• microwave for 12-18 minutes
• take a paper towel & gently rub off beet skin

Excellent plain, tossed with a vinaigrette, served on a salad, or with turkey & greens on crunchy bread…

“…roasted root vegetables, which most of us have discovered only recently, are, like, the greatest thing ever, & even the company cafeteria can’t ruin them.” ~ Mark Bittman

muffin malfunction

Tried a new recipe this morning – Carrot Raisin Bran Muffins from a November 2008 Family Circle…

Look pretty good, don’t they?  And this was after my camera strap got caught & the muffins scattered all over the place.

Thinking the 3/4 teaspoon of wheat flour was suspect, I changed it to 3/4 cup.  Although they were smelling a wee bit wheaty (cow feed?), confidence held.

Upon sampling the first dense bite, a “hmmmm” crept into my mind…  Reviewing the process, it occurred to me that the baker left out the oil!  Plus, the baker added WAY too much flour.  whoops.  The accidental metamucil muffin.  Better stick close to home today.

Thank goodness for honey & butter.

“Learning to ignore things is one of the great paths to inner peace.”  ~ Robert J. Sawyer, Calculating God

mango lassi

Mangos…a puzzler to find the fruit around the odd-shaped seed & tough skin, but worth the effort!

A simple summer yummy ~ 1 cup cubed mango, 1 cup plain yogurt, 1/2 cup milk, 3-4 tsp. sugar, dash cardamom

Blend & serve!

“They don’t have a decent piece of fruit at the supermarket.  The apples are mealy, the oranges are dry… I don’t know what’s going on with the papayas!”

~ Kramer, in “The Mango”

fried rice

Cook up the following recipe for an easy, healthy meal option during the week.  Prepare the following:

• slightly undercooked rice (1 cup raw)
• vegetable assortment, diced – celery, onions, carrots, bok choy, ginger, garlic, frozen peas
• scrambled eggs

• saute onions, garlic, ginger in sesame oil
• add vegetables & saute
• stir in rice
• fold in cooked scrambled eggs
• add ground coriander & soy sauce, season to taste

“He that takes medicine & neglects diet, wastes the skills of the physician.”  ~ Chinese proverb

 

chopped challenge

An entertaining, thinking game providing a canvas for creative culinary practice…try a spin-off of the Food Network show “Chopped” with the kids.  (I will not lie.  A bit of mental prep for parents is needed.  Try to be impervious to the mess & lay down the law requiring all players to clean-up at conclusion!)

The hubster picked four ingredients, usage of pantry items, & 30 minutes for the participants to concoct an appetizer.

• yellow pepper
• greek yogurt
• italian salami
• roasted almonds

The final plates:

A previous episode’s dessert ingredients:  bananas, graham crackers, cottage cheese & pistachios

Next time there is “nothing to eat” in the house, find four ingredients & declare a chopped challenge!

“I have a good collection of cookery books. This is not so much because I like cooking, but because I like eating.”  ~ Louise Brown

nummy napa

Call me crazy, but Napa cabbage has a buttery texture.  Dreamy.  Try the following salad with grilled bone-in pork chops.  You won’t be sorry.

• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 T. olive oil
• 2 T. rice vinegar
• 2 tsp. sesame seeds
• 1 T. honey
• thinly sliced Napa cabbage
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

“The embarrassing thing is that the salad dressing is outgrossing my films.”  ~ Paul Newman

chicken meatballs

Ever tried ground chicken?  Our first attempt, thanks to the Chicken Meatballs with Peanut Sauce  recipe in Family Circle’s April issue, was a success!

The process is extremely similar to other meatball recipes…imagine that!  Mix the ingredients, form into balls, brown, simmer in sauce.

The tasty meatball flavor compliments the not too heavy or spicy peanut sauce.  Serve with basmati rice & a fresh veggie.

“I always say centered food equals centered behavior.”  ~ Marilu Henner