Monday, October 17, 2011

Cindy's Chicken Salad

     I have been eating chicken salad for every "event" that my mom and aunts have hosted over some 50+ years.  I have also included it in many menus for many events I have hosted. Over the years I have tweaked it but it remains virtually the same. The beauty of this salad is it can be quadrupled or halved and it retains the same flavors. Also this is a salad that can be eaten on bread or on lettuce leaves. It can be a one dish meal or a nice side dish.  I often serve this salad with a fruit salad and a pasta salad. Or...in the fall and winter, some potato or pumpkin soup.  Just so you know, you can use the roast chickens that the stores sell now days. It makes it a FAST salad. But I learned something watching the Cooking channel and I now use this procedure almost exclusively the night before when I am going to poach the chicken myself.

This recipe makes enough for 10 servings with leftovers if you are lucky.  Much better the next day.  :)

Chicken Prep

The night before
1 whole raw chicken, rinsed and cleaned out, covered in water to which 1 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of salt have been diluted.

Chicken Poaching Water

1 whole chicken
3 bay leaves
4 smashed cloves of garlic
1 onion quartered
1 tsp salt
1 TBSP whole peppers
The night before


1. Drain the chicken.
2. Put the raw whole chicken in a pot of water to cover the chicken.
3. Put 3 bay leaves
4. 1 tsp whole pepper.
5. 1 TBSP salt
6. 4 garlic cloves, smashed.
7. 1 large onion cut in 1/4's
8.  Cook for about 1.5 hours in the following manner.  Bring water to a boil and then drop to a simmer.  Cover the pot. Check chicken.  Chicken is done if you can wiggle the leg and it comes away from the body. Cool the chicken.
Ingredients:
 Debone the chicken and cut into small chunks. (Pull the chicken away from the bones.  Remove the fat and skin.)
3 ribs of celery diced
1 cup of green grapes cut in half
1 cup red grapes cut in half
1/4 cup dried cranberries
3 green onions diced
1/2 cup cashews
1 small jar of marinated artichokes.
1/4 cup of chopped parsley
1 tsp fresh tarragon leaves chopped

Dressing
1/4 cup of fresh lime juice
1 cup of plain yogurt
1/2 cup light mayo (I like the mayo that has lime juice in it.)
1 large (heaping ) TBSP Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tsp. curry  powder
1 heaping TBSP of Agave syrup

1.  Combine all of the above and whisk.
2. Taste and adjust s/p.

Directions:
Pour dressing on the chicken and fruit and toss carefully.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

It's Autumnal Weather Food

 

It's been a long time since I posted.  I have been traveling but I am still cooking and I have been eating many delicious foods. I hope to post more recipes soon.

So today it rained.  No news in that, you say.  Wrong. We've had spritzes but no real rain for a looooonnnnnggggg time. It got my fall weather juices flowing. So I made a stuffed pork tenderloin, minted peas, a  green salad with thin apple slices and  goat cheese and jalapeno cornbread.

 The Pork
2 lbs pork tenderloin sliced almost through fat side up ( a big momma!)
1/4 olive oil
3 heaping tabsp. grill seasoning (I love Kirkland's)
1 cup of apple cider vinegar and 1 TBSP sugar 1 tsp salt  mix to combine
1 green tart apple very thinly sliced
1 large onion thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
1. Slather the pork with olve oil and then take a palm full of grilled seasoning and cover the pork inside and out with the seasoning salt.
2. Marinate the apple and onion in the sugar, salt and vinegar for about 1 hour.
3. Drain and fill pork cavity.
4.Line a roasting pan with heavy duty foil.   Place pork slit side up in a roasting pan.
5. Bake at 500 for about 20 min..
6. Lower heat and cook for about 45min. top 1 hour at 350.
7.  Remove from heat and cover pork with the foil.

Jalepeno Corn Bread
Preheat oven to 350
1 pkg. Jiffy cornbread mix (Don't turn your nose up at this.  I've tried it many ways and this is still the best!!!)
1 egg beaten
1 can of creamed corn
1/2 cup shredded cheese ( I like the Mex. mix)
2 jalapenos peppers diced finely  (remove the seeds if too hot)

1. Combine all of the ingredients and fold carefully.
2. Spray muffin tins or small loaf pans with Pam.
3.  Follow cooking directions on Jiffy pkg.

Salad
1 large green apple sliced thinly
*I have sometimes used a purple onion too.  (1/2 of an onion sliced thinly.)
1 cup of apple cider vinegar
1 TBSP sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup olive oil
2 big handfuls of salad greens
1/2 cup of goat cheese crumbled
pepper to taste

1. Marinate the apple in the vinegar, sugar and salt for about 30 min.
2.  Remove the apples add the oil and whisk the above dressing.
3. Put salad greens in a bowl and add apples and goat cheese. Toss dressing  to coat.
4. Add peeper and toss again.

Peas
1 pkg. frozen peas
1 box of sliced mushrooms
1/4 stick of butter
1 tsp. mint jelly
1 tsp. finely chopped mint

1. Follow frozen pea directions but add the mushrooms, butter and mint jelly.
2. Just before serving toss in the mint.

This meal served 4 generous dinner portions (second all around) with left overs which I will use for sandwiches tomorrow.

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Warm sweet and sour coleslaw

     For lack of a better name, I gave this salad the name slaw.  But it could also just be a condiment to fish, pork or chicken.  In any case, I am sure you have had something like it when you have had the German coleslaw. This dish came from my need to make something that might entice my son to eat the fish I had just purchased.  Ono is a VERY mild fish but my youngest does not really like fish except when I fry it in a beer batter. So I was wondering what I could do, beside marinate the fish, so that he might like it a little more. Like most of what I make, I used what I had on hand.  I had a purple cabbage and a green cabbage in the fridge.  By the way, these two veggies will last forever!!! Sliced fennel would have also been great but I didn't remember or see the fennel bulb until the next day!  Darn!  Oh well...next time. I decided that I would make the cabbages into something I could put some grilled ono on.  I did not want to add sugar to make it sweet but I did want to make it a little more exotic since the ono was marinated in lime juice, ginger, rosemary and garlic.  So I invented this slaw.  I think you will agree, it turned out pretty dang good and will be on the table again. I used a slightly sweet wine which I think for this dish is essential because I did not add sugar.  The wine was also "left over."  Waste not...want not.


 Vinegar and wine soak for onions
1)  Put onions in the wine and vinegar.  *1/2 cup of sweet white wine (Reisling)
*1/2 cup of white balsamic vinegar  (reg. color will do just fine) Make sure the onions are covered.
2)  Add salt and toss.



2 TBSP butter
 1/2 of  a small  green cabbage shredded about 3 to 4 cups
1/2 of a  purple cabbage shredded about 3 to 4 cups
1 large softball sized white onion sliced thin (*soak in vinegar & wine . See amounts below.)
1 small baseball sized purple onion sliced thin (*soak in  vinegar & wine.  See amounts below.)
1 tsp of fennel seeds
*1/2 cup of sweet white wine (Reisling)
*1/2 cup of white balsamic vinegar  (reg. color will do just fine)
1 tsp. of salt for the vinegar and wine
1 TBSP orange blossom water (I get this in a bottle at the Mid. Eastern produce store.  I think one could get a similar effect by grating a 1/4 tsp. of orange rind.)
s/p to taste




1)  Melt the butter but do not let in brown.
2)   Drain and save wine and vinegar from cabbage and add cabbage to pan.  Stir to coat cabbage and wilt over med heat.
3)   Add the onion and continue to stir.
4)   Push all the cabbage and onion to the sides of the pan and add the fennel seeds to the middle of the pan. Cook for about 3 to 4 min.
5)  Now stir the seeds into the cabbage and onion.
6)   Add all of the liquids. (The wine and vinegar that you saved from soaking the onions are the liquids.)
7)  Reduce the heat and cook stirring occasionally. Cabbage should still have a little crunch.
8)  Taste and adjust seasonings.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Fresh Beet Salad

      I  love salads!!!   Hot, room temp, cold, veggie, pasta, main dish,  side, seafood salads are all fantastic additions to any meal or a meal in themselves. I have been re-evaluating my diet lately.  I realized that at one time in my life I gravitated towards salads.  They were the first things I was allowed to create in my mother's kitchen and my dad claimed I never made the same salad twice.  I have decided to go back to the way I used to eat.  I think this is a good time in my life to come back around to this way of eating.  With this in mind, I am going to record some of my favorite salads   The first one has morphed into the one I will share today.  The original used lemon and oil as a dressing.  It is still delicious but I like this one ever so much more. See what you think.  This recipe makes 4 servings with a little leftover for lunch the next day.
   
6 beets the size of baseballs ( Save the tops)
juice of 1 large lime (not key lime) 1/4 cup more or less
1 can of corn no salt  (fresh is better but I didn't have any)
1 cup Greek yogurt
3 green onions sliced on the diagonal green and white parts
1/4 of parsley coarsely chopped.
s/p to taste

1. Wash and  put beets w/o the tops into a pot and cover with water.  Bring to a boil.  Boil for about 5-7  min. Sharp knife should be able to pierce through the beet.
2.  Cool.  Then peel skin.  The skin should just rub off.  If it doesn't it really doesn't matter if it doesn't more fiber!
3.   Cut the beets into cubes.  (In half then halves into 1/3 and then cut into cubes.)
4.   In another bowl mix the yogurt and the lime.  Pour over the beets and mix.
5.  Add corn, onions and parsley.
6.  Taste and add salt and pepper.
7.  You can chop up the beet greens and add to the salad.   This is an individual preference.  I love beet greens!

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Japanese Cooking Made Easy

     My husband is the Athletic Director at Monte Vitsa and he hired Kinomi.  She is the trainer.  Because the District pays her so little, we decided long ago to buy her breakfast every Sunday after we go to mass as often as she is able to meet us.  She meets us and we get to feed her before she dashes off to a soccer game rain or snow, sunny day or blustery day.  To say that she is a wonderful trainer and person falls short of how much we have grown to love her. During one of these breakfasts, I asked if she'd be willing to come and teach me a few of her favorite Japanese dishes. She had come to make tamales at my annual "tamalada."  She had enjoyed that very much.  I knew that I would love whatever she taught me.  What a treat!  Kinomi doesn't eat much in the way of meat and especially doesn't like chicken nor cat fish.  (Funny story about that.)  But because she knows that we do eat meat, she included some delicious chicken dishes and a ground beef dish.  Like me, she gave me many examples of ways to "change things up." Everything we made was so super easy and quick.  She says that this is food that we would find in a home not necessarily in a restaurant.
     The ingredients were easy to find and nothing was so unusual that one would have to go to a specialty store.  This kind of cooking is very affordable and super fast.  Nothing about it is fussy or pretentious.  Kinomi said that this would be food that would be served family style and most definitely considered "home cooking."  That is not to say that one could not kick any of these dishes up a notch.


     I am going to start with the way I would serve this meal next time I make it.  I am going to begin with the soup.  Normally, Miso soup is a hot salty soup with no umph.  Today's Miso was very good.  You'll see in a minute that a "mother's " touch made this soup a stand out. One could sprinkle tofu as well as the green onion to garnish this soup.

Miso Soup

Miso paste
4 cups of boiling water
2 to 3 TBSP Miso paste
kale rough cut about 2 cups  (cabbage, or spinach can be substituted)
2 eggs whisked
1 green onion cut on the diagonal into very thin slivers.  Use white and green parts of the onion.

Reduce the water to a simmer.
1. Using a ladle, fill it with a TBSP of the miso paste.
2.  Dip the ladle into the water and  using a tsp.  stir until  the miso is dissolved in the ladle.  Dump that into the water.
3.  Do this again at least twice more.  Taste and see if more paste is needed.
4,  Pour the eggs onto the back of the ladle which is suspended over the simmering water.  Stir the egg into ribbons.
5.  Serve with a garnish of green onion.

     My next course would be the eggplant salad.  That's what I called it because it can be served at room temp or cold.  Man is this good.  Kinomi says when her mom makes this, she makes Kinomi her own dish.  It is that good.

Nasuno tsu yuzuke

sesame oil to coat the bottom of a large skillet  (This oil imparts a nuttiness that is essential.)
6 smallish Japanese eggplant cut lengthwise in thin slices
1 green onion sliced into thin diagonal slices
juice of 1 whole lemon
1 tsp.fresh grated ginger  (Must be fresh ginger.)
1/2 to 3/4 of a cup Mentsuyu sauce
1/4 cup of water

1.  Saute eggplant in the skillet.  Turn when just golden around the edges.  Kinomi uses chop sticks to turn the eggplant.  I used tongs.  :)
2. In a flatish dish with a bit of a lip, place all of the eggplant, onion, lemon juice and ginger.  Toss to coat.
3.  In a bowl, mix the Mentsuyu sauce and water.  Taste.  If too salty add more water.  If not flavorful enough add more Mentsuyu.
4.  Pour over the eggplant.  Let cool completely or refrigerate until serving.


     My next dish would be Nikujaba.  This is so very tasty and so delicious.  It will remind you of many dishes you have eaten at home. Kinomi says the flavor improves as it sits.  And she claims it's best if eaten the next day.

Nikujaba
oil to coat the bottom of the skillet
1 lb ground beef  leaner is better
4 medium sized  russet potatoes cut into chunks
1 cup of diced  white onion
5 TBSP soy sauce
2 TBSP sugar
2 TBSP Mirin
2TBSP cooking sake
some water

1.  Brown the beef.
2. Add the potatoes and onions
3.  When everything has been added, taste the sauce.  Adjust by adding water if too salty.
4.  Reduce heat and let simmer with lid off for about 20 min. until potatoes are soft but not mushy.
5.  The longer this sits in the sauce the tastier but be careful not to let the potatoes get mushy.

     I would end this meal with the chicken.  She did not give it a name but it was very good and fast cooking.  I could see eating this on a picnic cold. Very simple and very good.

preheat heaven to 375

3 lbs of chicken wings tips of the wings cut off
3 cloves of grated garlic
juice of 1 lemon
enough soy sauce to cover the chicken in a single layer in a pan.
2 or 3 tsp of sesame seeds

1.  Wash and cut off the tips of the chicken wings.
2. Coat the wings in the garlic, onion and soy sauce.
3.  Let marinate for at least 30 min. or overnight.
4.  Put on a foil covered baking dish.  Cook for 30 min at 375.   15 on one side 15 on the other.  Check to make sure liquid is clear.
5. While still in the oven, last few minutes sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Monday, May 30, 2011

Melt in your mouth Ribs

    First I have to tell you, I am NOT a ribs kinda gal.  Usually too sweet and cloying in my mouth. 2nd. the inspiration was a recipe I got out of a family recipe book that one of my husband's cousins organized.  I have NEVER met this woman in person but through facebook I have grown to LOVE her.  She is funny, witty, endearing, sweet and just plain fun. I promised her that I would make her Cherry Cola Ribs. Credit where credit is due, I did follow her Cherry cola sauce recipe but kinda went my own way on the rub and the baking of the ribs.  I used beef ribs and would change the rub a bit for pork.  Someday, I'll do pork.
      I had some fantastic ribs once many years ago when Jason was still at UCSD.  Costco had some giant tea bags and he made a rub and placed those ribs on the bags.  Heaven on earth.  He, like me, didn't remember much more than that about those ribs.  I have always wanted to duplicate them.  Tonight Zach ate 9 ribs and raved about them the whole time.  Granted, my hubby likes sweet so this was right up his alley. I ate the ribs without the sauce and they were perfect for me. Please don't misunderstand me, I think the sauce was spectacular but too sweet for me.  Most likely, this sauce is perfect for the rest of the world. I just don't do sweet.  I know there is something wrong with me.  I admit it and have done penance for years.
     What follows then is a marriage of sweet meets savory.  It's a good union and one that will last through the ups and downs of fickle tastes.
     I served this with a pea salad that I folded into a tri colored pasta.  I made some corn on the cob and called it a meal!!!!!  Oh so good.

Ingredients for the rub and cooking vapor
7 lbs of beef ribs
1 packet of peach  instant tea mix  makes 1 quart
1/4 cup Montreal Seasoning from Costco
1/4 cup onion flakes
2 TBSP of garlic powder
2 TBSP of onion powder
2 heaping TBSP of fresh ground pepper
2 tsp of cayenne pepper
2 jumbo onions peeled and cut in half
4 bay leaves
 2 tsp dried oregano
2 cans of cherry cola
1 cup red wine

Ribs
1. In a mixing bowl mix the first 7 ingredients.
2.  Pat  the ribs dry with a paper towel and rub the mixture onto both sides of the ribs.
3.  Place the onions cut side down in a roasting pan.
4.  Put the coated ribs on the onions.
5. Add the last 4  ingredients to the edges of the pan w/o disturbing the ribs.
6.  Cover your pan with heavy duty aluminum tightly sealed around the edge of the pan.
7.  Bake for 4 hours at 250.

Cherry cola Sauce
3 cans cherry cola
2 cups cherry jam or preserves  I used seedless Boysenberry
2/3 cups Dijon Horseradish Mustard
3 TBSP soy sauce
2 TBSP apple cider vinegar
1 TBSP Hot Pepper Sauce   I used 2 heaping TBSP cayenne pepper

1.  Boil the cherry cola until reduced to 1 1/2 cups.
2. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and cook on med. heat for 35 min.  Stir occasionally.
3. Take off heat and let cool.
4.  I did not BBQ my ribs.  I just spooned about half of the sauce onto the ribs and placed the ribs back into the oven for about 20 min. without a cover.
5.  I reheated the rest of the sauce and served at the table.

Made enough for 4 servings. 4 ribs each. Zach ate enough for 2 people.  I was fine with 2 ribs.

Even the onions were amazingly delicious!





 

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Kinda Healthy Stuffed Zucchini

      I think stuffed zucchini is a "comfort food." My mom made them as did Zach's mom. I think they were pretty popular in the 70's.  My take is a nod to the  moms who influenced my cooking.  Of course, the recipe  is all mine in that I just let my kitchen angels guide me as I remembered the next step.  However, again I need to say that if it were not for my youngest child I would not be able replicate this recipe at a later date.  Now it is here for anyone who wants to duplicate it.
      I love to get an idea for a menu when I am at the store.   I was at my favorite little produce store  (North Park Produce) and saw the perfect stuffing zucchini;  long and straight with no blemishes.  I picked up 6.  They were each about the size of my hand from middle finger to wrist.  This menu tonight reminded me of Europe in particular France.  I am not sure why.  We did not eat anything I made tonight in any of the countries we visited.  But it just screams French Bistro or at least little eatery on a corner tucked away in some side street.  It is simple, filling,  not fancy and very comforting.
     I used a combo of ground meats because North Park Produce sells ground chicken, which I love and can't always find.  I used a fatter ground round with it. (80% fat)  2 to 1 ratio.  2 lbs ground beef and 1lb ground chicken. Having said that I made up the whole batch with all the ingredients.  I know later this will make a good meatloaf or hamburger patty or meatballs etc. I had plenty left over to freeze and make something else another day.  I think the 2 to 1 is just about perfect for this recipe.  I used parmesan cheese because they also sell wonderful cheeses at NPP.  But any hard cheese would work though.   The sauce I made is so embarrassingly simple I hesitate to disclose it but it is perfect in it's simplicity
      I served this with a spinach, mushroom and herb fritata and a spinach/ tomato salad that I dressed with a lime, kosher salt, fresh ground pepper and EVOO.
     Be comforted and enjoy.


Ingredients
6 zucchini  (see above for size)
1 lb ground chicken
2 lbs ground beef
2 tsp ground garlic owder
3 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 cup diced mushrooms
1 tsp crushed oregano
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp  rosemary finely chopped
1/4 cup diced parsley
1 cup of bread crumbs

1 cup of parmesan cheese

Sauce
1 can of stewed tomatoes
1 small can of tomato sauce
1 large garlic clove
10 basil leaves

Garnish with basil and mint ribbons.

1.  Bring a big pot of water to a boil.  Carefully place zucchini in the water when it reaches a boil.
2.  Boil for about 10 min.  (Zucchini should be able to be easily pierced with the tip of a sharp knife.)
3.  Drain and let cool for a bout 5 min.
4.  Cut each zucchini in half the long way.  Turn cut side down on a paper towel.  Continue to cool.
5.  With a teaspoon starting from the stem side scoop out the flesh from stem to tip.  Be careful NOT to go through the skin. Save the fleshy stuff.  Put it on some paper towel or in a colander to drain.
6.  Turn cut side down again on the paper towels  while you make the filling

Filling
7.  In a large bowl, add all the ingredients except the zucchini.
8.  Mix with your hands gently until all ingredients are incorporated.
9.  Chop up the fleshy part of the zucchini that has drained and add it to the meat mixture.
10.  On a baking sheet lined with foil place the zucchini.
11.  Using a spoon fill each hollowed out part with the meat mixture.  DO NOT PACK but fill generously. 12.  Sprinkle with the cheese.


Sauce
13.  Place 1 can of stewed tomatoes and one 6 ounce can of tomato sauce with 10 basil leaves, 1 clove of garlic and the  green onion  into a blender.
14.  Pulse and pour onto the zucchini.
15.  Bake at 350 for about 20 min. to 30 min. or until meat is cooked.
16. Garnish

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Cauliflower Smash that tastes like mashed potatoes

     I sometimes wonder why I bore so easily.  I managed to stay married to the same guy for 37 years.  Stayed in the same career for 36 (although I went up and down in grades and in and out of the classroom.) Furniture, wall color, dishes, glasses, garden flowers, all get dumped, tossed, changed, updated too often according to my husband.)  And, when it comes to food, especially veggies, I just gotta mess with them.  Now don't get me wrong,  I love just about any veggie any way.  But I do get tired of making the same steamed or roasted etc. veggie every night.  So I am always looking for a different way to make the veggie side. I know I have made this dish before but given the nods of approval last night,  I think I nailed it. And once again, I have to thank Trevor for making me write this down so now I can replicate it.  (Kinda...)
 
     I think that the cauliflower is an under appreciated vegetable. I like to finely dice it and make it into a salad.  Yum!  I steam  it and put a lemon brown butter sauce on it.  I also just like it roasted with a touch of salt and lime juice.  But admittedly, it's not my go to veggie. BUT...now I think that has changed.  I agree that I did add  a potato to this dish but I am making it again w/o the potato.  I also think this presentation is pretty healthy and there are many ways to change it up.  No Mexican "crema"  use Greek yogurt.  No Greek yogurt use sour cream.  No potatoes, use the boxed flakes.  Although I don't advocate using dehydrated potato flakes, this might be the one exception. (BTW, I do use these flakes to thicken my soups sometimes...works great!)  I think you could even use buttermilk.  No goat cheese, (but this does taste so good) use any other white melting cheese.      I suppose if you like garlic mashed potatoes you could cook the cauliflower and potatoes with a few cloves of garlic.  I also think if tangy is not your thing, you could substitute butter and cream or milk. I would go with a mild jack cheese.  You could spice this up in many ways too.  For example; cook a diced chili in with the veggies and use a pepper jack cheese.  I think just about anything you would normally do with a mashed potato you could do it with this dish.So think of the cauliflower as a blank palate and you can add layers of flavors and textures.  I don't think you can go wrong.  Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 medium sized cauliflower no brown spots.  Broken apart into florets
2 med. sized peeled russet potatoes cut into chunky quarters (3/4 size of your hand)
2 bay leaves
4-6  cups of chicken broth (enough to cover the cauliflower and potatoes)
(You can also use those flavored cubes pre mixed and diluted in hot water.)
white pepper/kosher salt   (no salt if you use those cubes)
3 oz of goat cheese
1/4 cup of "Mexican Crema"  comes in a jar or sour cream or buttermilk
about 2 cups or so of the liquid you drain from cooking the cauliflower This will depend on your personal preference.
Garnish with chives and parsley


1) Place the potatoes, cauliflower bay leaves and broth into a pot.  Make sure veggies are covered with the broth.
2)  Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover with a lid.  Cook on a med. low heat for about 10-12 min. until veggies are tender and soft.
3)  Drain liquid but save at least 2 cups. Remove the bay leaves.
4)  Put potatoes and cauliflower back into the pot and begin to mash.  Use some of the reserved liquid to make this process easier.
5)  Add the goat cheese and "crema" by folding in each until incorporated. Add more liquid if you want a smoother mash.
6)  Garnish with the chives and or parsley.

Made at least 6 servings.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Green mole and chicken breasts

     I did tonight what I do best.  I took the left over mole sauce from last night and made it into a whole new meal.  Trevor and his girlfriend Jen agreed with me.  The sauce was amazing!   We could have just eaten the sauce as a dip with tortillas.  Yes it was that good.  So what did I do?
1.  To about 3 cups of leftover sauce from last night I added 5 drops of bottled green habanero sauce.
2. I roasted 2 serrano chilies and 2 jalapenos.  Seeded and diced them into the sauce.
3.  I added 1 cup of leftover white wine from dinner last night.
4.  I cooked this sauce over medium high heat until bubbly.
5.  Turned off the heat and let it cool a bit.  Then I stuck in an emulsion blender and blended for about 5 min.
6.  I salt and peppered the chicken breasts and added poultry seasoning which I make myself which has no salt and is a combo of sage, oregano and rosemary.  I cooked them in 2 TBSP of butter and 2 TBSP of EVOO for about 7 min. each side on med. high heat in a cast iron skillet.
7.  I sauted swiss chard with 1 sliced onion and 3 cloves of minced garlic.
8.  I served the chicken on a bed of the chard and topped with the sauce. OMG!  Delicious.

Green Pork Mole

     I love mole.  (I wish I knew how to get the accent mark over the e.)  Usually the mole our family eats and prefers  is red and from scratch...... very labor intensive.  I have made red mole from scratch only 3 times.  I had helped my mom several times. Using a jar of prepared mole I have made this dish many many times.  I had never made green mole myself.  I know my mom had never made it either.  I ate it on several occasions in Mexico as a youngster.  I loved it!!!  I have eaten it in the states maybe a couple of times.  But this unique dish has haunted me.  I thought I could use what I know about making the red mole and just make it green and using my memory I could come close with the flavor.
     The reason I decided on green mole instead of the red is that my daughter just had a baby and is breast feeding.  Like all new moms and all newborns there appears to be a period of adjustment in regards to what my daughter can eat that doesn't offend the breast fed neophite. My daughter was sure the baby was reacting to spicy food so she has cut back on this type of food.  My cousin and her husband were coming over for dinner and to see the baby.  Trevor's friend had come to visit too.  So a special  meal was in order. I was going to be babysitting the baby who indeed was having a fussy day. The idea of green mole popped into my head.  I knew I could control the heat because the green doesn't come from the chile.  Whereas in the red, the red sauce is dependent on the chilies used.  Also, I knew that although there were lots of ingredients,  the cooking would not really require my attention.
     I have not included the pork recipe but it is the easiest part.  3 lbs country style pork ribs.  Salt, pepper, garlic powder, 1 cup of Balsamic vinegar and 1 cup of water or broth. Bake uncovered @ 250 for 5 hours. Turn halfway through cooking time.
    My memory went into overdrive as I tried to figure out the best "green" stuff to use.  I think you will be surprised at some of the ingredients I came up with. I did google green mole and I did get a handful of hits.  I looked them over and was surprised how close my tastebud memory had come. So...enjoy this green mole and it's okay to think and or say..."Wow, that's weird!"   This recipe serves 8 generous portions with sauce leftover.  Tomorrow I can pour the sauce over chicken.


Sauce
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup toasted almonds
2 TBSP toasted sesame seeds
6 cups chicken broth divided
2tsp oil
8 cloves of garlic finely minced
2 yellow med. onions
1 bunch of kale chopped or green part of swiss chard
1 TBSP allspice berries
1/2 tsp. toasted cumin seeds
1 tsp. chopped fresh oregano
1 bunch of parsley chopped  (no stems)
4 cups romaine lettuce green part not the rib diced  Save the ribs and lighter greens for a salad.
3 roasted, peeled and diced poblano chiles (No seeds, ribs or stems)
1/2 bunch washed chopped  cilantro


1. Begin by toasting the seeds and nuts.  In a cast iron pan or other heavy duty pan pour seeds or nuts to brown over a moderate heat. No oil just a dry pan.  This part will need your undivided attention.
2. Cool them on a baking sheet as you toast the next seed and then pour all of them into a food processor.  Add enough broth to get the blades going.  About 2 cups at first. Process for a minute or 2.  Add another cup of broth and blend until smooth like chunky peanut butter. Set aside.
3. In a pot brown the onion, garlic and swiss chard or kale in about 2 tsp. of oil.
4. Toast the allspice and cumin seeds and grind with a mortar then add to the pot with the onions and garlic.   Add oregano. Stir until fragrant.
5.  Add the seeds and nut mixture into the pot with the onions and garlic and stir in about 1 cup of broth.  Simmer.
6. Add the parsley, lettuce, chilies and cilantro to the food processor with 1 cup of broth.. Blend until smooth.  This is the most beautiful green I have every seen.
7.  Add this to the seed and nut mixture.  Stir and continue to simmer on very low heat for about 15 minutes.
8.  Cool the seeds nut mixture and then in small batches put in the food processor 1 last time. Reheat for about 15 minutes.
9.  Pour sauce over the pork and serve with tortillas.  I made rice and put the pork on the rice and the sauce on top. Garnish with cilantro.

TO MAKE THIS SAUCE HOTTER ROAST 2 JALAPENOS OR 2 SERRANOS OR BOTH. ADD WHEN YOU PROCESS THE LETTUCE.

 

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Hurry Up Chicken

     I was rather late getting home from being with Nessa and our new baby girl.  I had NOT thawed anything out for dinner and had already used a canned food yesterday   (Don't like to do that too often.)  Trevor doesn't eat pasta very often and I didn't have very much in the way of fresh produce.  A problem I have encountered before. Truth be known...many times. I really have to go to the grocery store today. I can't wait for the Farmers' Market this Sunday!  What could I do?
     What I did have was frozen chicken breasts, frozen broccoli, onions and garlic a plenty.  Lately, I have been adding vinegar to the mustard bottles that just have a little left in the bottom of the bottles or jars.  I add different vinegars to those different mustards and find that when you add oil and some herbs, one has the beginning of a delicious salad dressing.  I also have a pretty good herb garden.  I planted rosemary when we first moved into the house as a hedge and it is now 4 feet tall.  In the spring the tender branches smell amazing when you brush against them.  I have plenty of different kinds of thyme.  None is doing great but I always have plenty. I thought that maybe these vinegars could become a sauce with a little help.
     I hate dry chicken and I know through experience (not through any kind of training) that cooking chicken on too high a heat (except when you fry it) or for too long chicken will rebel and taste awful and chew like jerky. So especially starting with frozen chicken all previous methods of cooking chicken, which take too long, were not desired.  Ones needs to be vigilant and tricky, so one can fool the chicken into thinking it's being handled correctly.
      I have set up the origins of this meal. My "Hurry Up Chicken" was actually similar to other chicken recipes I have made with the exception of the chicken not being frozen My kitchen angels were working over time last night because I didn't really have a firm grip on what I was going to make.  I am sure someone trained in the fine art of cooking would cringe and find fault with everything I did.  But I have to tell you, it tasted very good and met my expectations. I served this with rice which cooked while I made the chicken. and a very green salad.  (I had no other veggies but romaine, celery and 1 cucumber.)

Word of Caution...Just to be sure the chicken is thoroughly cooked, cut down the center of the fattest breast.  If the liquid has any pink...KEEP COOKING.  If the liquid runs clear.  It's okay.  If there is no liquid at all...oopps.  It's edible but will be dry.  I'd cut it up and mix it with the sauce and serve it that way over the broccoli and rice  And always...if you don't have fresh herbs use dried herbs but 1/2 as much.

                  The Chicken
2 TBSP of grapeseed or another vegetable oil to coat the skillet
5 frozen skinless boneless chicken breasts
1 med. white onion sliced in rings
5 cloves of garlic mashed with the side of a knife but kept whole
1/4 of my vinegar mustard...see above ( Maybe 1 tsp whole grain mustard added to apple cider vinegar.  I am sure any vinegar would do just as well as would any other mustard.)
1/4cup of  honey
2 TBSP finely minced fresh rosemary
1/2  tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 cup hot water with chicken broth cube  Mix well to dissolve cube.
1 small jar of artichokes
pepper  You won't need much salt because of the chicken cube.
sprigs of rosemary for garnish (optional)
1 pkg. frozen broccoli


1.  I put the frozen chicken into a cast iron skillet at a med high heat in which I had poured 2 TBSP of olive oil first and covered them with a lid.  No liquid just the frozen chicken.  (About 5 min.)
2. As I thought, the moisture from the chicken itself began to create a vapor.  At that point I added the onions and garlic.  Covered the pan again.  (Another 5 min.)
3. I mixed the next 4 ingredients in a microwave safe bowl and cooked in the microwave for 1 minute.
4.  I poured this onto the chicken  and covered the chicken breasts. (About 5 more minutes.)
5.  I waited for the pan to be just a little drier and flipped the chicken to the other side.  That side had a nice caramel color.  (I checked  one breast by lifting the corner to see if it was getting some color.) 5 min. or so
6.  At this point I added the chicken broth and the artichokes.
7.  I reduced the heat and simmered the chicken the rest of the way with out the lid.  This took about 7-10 minutes.That side should also begin to get a nice golden color.



Sauce
1 chicken broth cube in 1 cup of water
1/4 cup honey
1 TBSP  apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. whole grain mustard
1 tsp fresh thyme
1 tsp. fresh rosemary finely chopped
s/p

8.   Place all of the ingredients in a microwave safe bowl. Stir.  Put into the microwave for about 1 minute.
9.   Remove from the microwave and stir.
10.  Place in the microwave for an additional  30 sec. The sauce should be thicker than water more like a syrup. If not, put in microwave again for another 30 sec. Stir again and pour over chicken breasts in the pan. 11.  Simmer gently for about 3 minutes.

12.  Cook frozen broccoli using the pkg. directions in the microwave using broth instead of water.

13. Serve the chicken breasts and sauce over the broccoli.
14. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary.

Provecho!  Enjoy!!

Monday, May 9, 2011

Scotch Eggs made with Salmon

     So today I will share what I am famous or infamous for.  I took leftovers from yesterday's Mothers' Day Dinner and completely morphed it into a different and interesting meal.  To recap, my son Trevor made a very good New York steak dinner with fancy sauces and trimmings up the wazoo!  We had no meat left and nothing thawed out so today for dinner  I  used some canned salmon.  This could have been done with leftover salmon.  Basically, I took the salmon and made a patty with it.  However, I put it around leftover deviled eggs and fried them and then added the  onions and mushrooms from yesterday.  OMG, very different and very yummy!
     A word or two about scotch eggs.  I had never in my whole life seen nor eaten this egg concoction until a Mexican friend of mine, who is married to a New Englander, brought them to a potluck.  I am NOT an expert on this recipe but it's basically a hardboiled egg that has been covered with a sausage and fried. Let's face it...it's fried and there is pork...what's not to love?  I rarely fry anything but sometimes it's just what works best.  You could try just baking these patties.  However, I think frying is just better in this case.  So using this idea and then incorporating yesterday's leftovers, I created a totally different recipe.

Leftovers
3  deviled eggs
chipotle mayo sauce
sauted onions and mushrooms

Salmon Patty
2 small tuna sized cans of pink salmon drained
1/4 of a white onion diced very fine
2 TBSP of finely minced parsley
1/2 cup bread crumbs
3 eggs beaten
1tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp finely minced rosemary
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
eggs from above cut in half
s/p
garnish with parsley

1.  Flake the canned salmon in a bowl.
2.  Add all of the rest of the ingredients and mix well.  Salmon should be able to be formed into a ball.
3.  Wrap the deviled egg in the salmon mixture.  Flatten into a patty shape.
4.  Heat a skillet with about 1/2 inch of veggie oil to just before smoking.
5.  Gently slide the patties into the skillet.
6.  Lower heat to med. high and fry for about 4  to 5 min. on each side.  Patties will be crispy brown but not burnt.
7.  Remove the patties from heat and keep warm.  Heat the onion mushrooms until they are warm.
8.  Place the onions and mushrooms on the salmon patties.
9.  To each patty with about a TBSP of room temperature chipotle mayo.

This made 6 palm sized patties.  My husband ate them on toasted bread with a slice of swiss cheese.  Me, I just ate them with the asparagus and pepper salad also leftover from yesterday.  Heaven.  Bliss!

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

My Lazy Dolmas

    I mean no offense by not  making traditional foods the traditional way.  I just don't always end up making things the traditional way.  If you have been reading my blog for any length of time, you know that I change things up.  It comes from getting an idea, looking for a recipe to check on times and then trying to make do with what I have.  Crazy, I know but it often works in my favor.  I end up creating pretty decent imitations of the foods I have tried to execute.
     So this recipe started out with all the right intentions.  I had eaten some dolmas at my favorite little "ethnic" store, North Park Produce.  A couple of days later I decided that I wanted to recreate them.  I had 2 lbs of ground lamb,  I knew that that would be the base because my family would not like a vegetarian choice.  I was clean out of grape leaves (hehe) so I went back to the store to buy some.  The cute little cashier recognized me and asked me what I was going to make for dinner that night. ( I have an ongoing conversation about trying to make different ethnic foods.) When I told her I was going to try make dolmas, she laughed and said, "Make it the lazy way, like me." So this recipe is NOT authentic except it came from a very real "ethnic" young lady.  I did look up a" real" dolmas recipe to see where hers differed.  I can see some differences but honestly, the ones I made where every bit as good as the ones I had eaten a few days prior.  I thought I had raisins and when I looked in the pantry, I couldn't find any. So  I used a little apricot jam.  (Sweet...???)
     Before I begin, I have come to appreciate that just about every culture I know wraps something in a leaf of some kind.  I find that interesting.  This recipe will remind you of making tamales.  The fold, tuck and roll are a bit different but the idea is the same.  The authentic dolmas are steamed like tamales too.  These were not.
    There is very little fat in this meal so one can feel righteous and eat a ton.  I made 40 of these little guys.  Not 1 was left!


Dolmas the Lazy Way
Preheat oven to 350

Prep the leaves.  I bought a jar.  I took out 2 bundles and put them one by one in a baking dish.  (You will have enough leaves left to make another batch.)  I poured hot tap water over them.  I let them sit for about 10 min. and I drained them  and did it again.  Then I laid out some paper towels and removed the leaves one at a time.  I pinched the stem off  from each leaf.  Some leaves are torn or will tear.  Don't discard these.  You will use them later.

GROUND LAMB FILLING
small amount of oil (TBSP?)
2lbs of ground lamb
1 small white onion finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic finely minced
6 oz of pine nuts
1/2 cup of risotto rice
1 med. sized tomato diced
1 tsp allspice

1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp dried oregano  crush it in your hand 

3 TBSP finely chopped mint
3 TBSP finely chopped dill
1/2 bunch of parsley finely chopped
1 TBSP apricot jam (You are supposed to use currants or raisins.)
2 cups of broth


1)  In a little bit of oil fry the onion and meat.
2)  Add the garlic and pine nuts.
3)  When the onion is limp, the meat is browned, add all the rest of the ingredients.  Stir until well combined.
4)  Cook  for 10 minutes with lid on using med. heat.  Rice will be half way done.
5)  Turn off heat and cool slightly.


TO FILL THE LEAVES
  In a baking dish spray some PAM or other spray and line with the torn or not so pretty grape leaves.
Lay the leaf, vein side up.  Stem side closest to you.  Put 1 heaping tsp of the filling in the center on that main vein going down the leaf about a thumb away from the stem end.  Fold that end up over the filling.  Now fold the right side in.  Now the left side in.  Continue to roll up.  Squeeze the dolma just a little in your hand. Place in the baking dish.

Liquid to pour over dolmas as they cook

2 cans of tomato sauce
Fill those cans up with broth or water
1 can of tomato paste
juice of 1 lemon  (I didn't have lemon so I used 2 limes)
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp salt
dash of pepper

1)  Pour all of the above in a bowl and whisk until well combined.
2)  Pour over the dolmas.
3)  Bake for 30 min.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Eggcelent Deviled Eggs

     I am NOT a chef.  I am NOT trained as a chef.  I don't claim "chefiness."  BUT  I do like to eat.  I do like to feed people.  And for as long as I remember I have been able to taste what ingredients are in what I am eating.  I did not realize everyone could not do this.  I also love to play with ingredients in recipes and that is how I came up with these recipes.
     I have 3 very good friends with whom I meet up with a few times a year.  We usually drink wine and bring things to eat.  One such day I decided to play with deviled eggs and take those to our gathering.  I "deconstructed" several egg dishes and turned them into a deviled egg.  I thought of all the different ways I have eaten eggs,  for example; Ham and Eggs. I made the classic deviled egg and added finely diced ham.  Chorizo con huevos is a Mexican classic.  I added the cooled  fried chorizo to the egg mixture. Sausage and eggs, another common breakfast.  I made some sausage and just diced it very fine. Shrimp omelet is one of my favorites.  I sauted some shrimp in butter and diced them and then gently folded it into the egg mixture. I could go on and on but I know you get the idea.  Just let your imagination guide you.

     Just note that whatever you add to the egg mixture must be cool.


Hard Boiled Eggs

6 large eggs
2 TBSP full fat mayo
1 tsp. plain yellow prepared mustard
1 tsp dill pickle juice right from the jar
S/P to taste (about 1 tsp. of salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper)

Garnish
1 TBSP finely chopped parsley
a sprinkle of paprika for each egg once filled



To boil eggs
1)  Place 6 eggs in a single layer in the bottom of a pot and add enough water to cover by at least an inch.
2)  Bring to a hard fast boil and boil for 5 min.
3) Turn off heat and let stand for at least 15 min.
4)  Drain and fill pan with ice and enough water to cover the eggs for another 15 min.
5)  Drain.  Shake the eggs in the pan to loosen the shell. Peel the eggs. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Yolk mixture
6)  Cut eggs in half the long way.
7)  Scoop out the yolk. Put yolk in a bowl and mash with a fork.
8)  Add mayo. Stir.
9)  Add  prepared plain old yellow mustard.  Stir.
10)  Add secret ingredient... dill pickle juice.
11)  Fill each egg with about 1 heaping tsp. of mixture or use a pastry bag and pipe it in the egg.
12)  Sprinkle each egg with  parsley for garnish.
13) Sprinkle each egg with paprika for color on each individual egg.


To make the ham deviled egg add 1 heaping TBSP of ham. I garnished these with dill.
To make the chorizo add about 1 heaping TBSP. of fried chorizo.  I garnished these with cilantro.
To make the sausage and egg add 1 fried sausage link diced very finely.
To make the shrimp and egg, I sauted about 1 heaping TBSP of  the tiny bay shrimp and coarsely chopped them. I garnished these with very thin strips of basil.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Devilish Deviled Eggs

     One of my mom's "go-to appetizers" was her Family Favorite  Deviled Eggs.  My mom really didn't do appetizers. She liked to cook the main dish and the sides.  The rest she left up to others to contribute. Truth be known, she hated eggs herself and rarely ate them.  (Like one of her grand daughters.)  I recently had a niece ask for my mom's recipe for deviled eggs.  My kids ALWAYS requested that she bring some to any party I had.  The recipe that follows is sooooo easy and sinfully good.  I deconstructed every kind of egg you could think of and made some "fashionable" deviled eggs for a little get together with some very close friends.  But, I have to admit, although my fancy ones were good, the originals were still very good.  I will post those fancy deviled eggs someday because they were good and well received.
     My mom's deviled eggs went through a few morphs.  I remember when she used to put sweet pickle relish in them.  My 2 oldest kids asked her not to anymore and she stopped. I also remember her adding chopped jalapenos and or bacon bits to them at different times.  But her plain simple deviled eggs became her hallmark. She did have a secret ingredient.  She finally told me a couple of years before she passed.
     So...this one's for you Kelly.

Hard Boiled Eggs

6 large eggs
2 TBSP full fat mayo
1 tsp. plain yellow prepared mustard
1 tsp dill pickle juice right from the jar
S/P to taste (about 1 tsp. of salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper)

Garnish
1 TBSP finely chopped parsley
a sprinkle of paprika for each egg once filled



To boil eggs
1)  Place 6 eggs in a single layer in the bottom of a pot and add enough water to cover by at least an inch.
2)  Bring to a hard fast boil and boil for 5 min.
3) Turn off heat and let stand for at least 15 min.
4)  Drain and fill pan with ice and enough water to cover the eggs for another 15 min.
5)  Drain.  Shake the eggs in the pan to loosen the shell. Peel the eggs. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Yolk mixture
6)  Cut eggs in half the long way.
7)  Scoop out the yolk. Put yolk in a bowl and mash with a fork.
8)  Add mayo. Stir.
9)  Add  prepared plain old yellow mustard.  Stir.
10)  Add secret ingredient... dill pickle juice.
11)  Fill each egg with about 1 heaping tsp. of mixture or use a pastry bag and pipe it in the egg.
12)  Sprinkle each egg with  parsley for garnish.
13) Sprinkle each egg with paprika for color on each individual egg.


That's it.  So simple and so good.
 

Dinner Salad to a Simple Main Dish Salad

    
     Skip all the narrative if you just want a recipe.  I am afraid I just began musing.......
     The very first thing I was allowed to do in the kitchen was help make salads.  I love salads and would often have salad instead of dessert.  My mother-in-law thought that was "cute."  Much later I found out the the Europeans often serve the salad as a last course.  BTW I have been to Europe 5 times now and have yet had anyone serve me  a  salad after the main course.  But people swear it does happen.  Anyway, salads are so versatile. Add some meat and it becomes a healthy main dish.  Use fruits and it's almost a dessert.  But most often it's a side dish.  I was a little surprised that some people who have stayed with us over a long period of time are intrigued that I serve a salad with EVERY dinner.  I don't know exactly when that started because as a kid growing up I don't remember a salad at every dinner early on.  I think when my mom first went on Weight Watchers she began the nightly salads. I know that at my grandma's we had salads sometimes.  My two favorites were nopales and a tongue and beet concoction. In Mexico as a teenager, I was sent out to forage for greens and wild tomatoes to put in our salads at our beach house.  I picked a lot of purslane, a kind of watercrest and found parsley and cilantro growing wild in a long abandoned huerta. I have made a salad at every dinner as long as I have been married because in those early years it helped stretch the dollar.
    Anyway,  all this intro to say that I have a niece who is pregnant and she has asked me to help her create healthy low budget meals.  She says she loves salads and that began the cavalcade of memories. I decided to begin with salads first.  Any raw veggie can be substituted for any veggie I have here. Likewise you can delete a veggie you don't have or like.   An exceptions that come to mind is eggplant.  I have seen just about every other veggie I can think of eaten raw but never eggplant.  To convert a dinner salad to a main dish salad just add a protein.  Usually for me that's leftover meat from the previous night's supper. Or, I open and drain a can of tuna. I have found myself adding canned  beans lately. Especially garbanzo and fava.  I think I read somewhere how good beans are for us dieters.
     A note about salad dressings.  I have made salad dressings from very unusual ingredients.  Sometimes I use juices and broths. Recently, I used Lemon Crystal Light.  Always I use vinegars and or citrus fruits  Sometimes I use yogurt and mustard.  I have developed a little formula;.
           1 part acid (fruit juices, citrus or vinegars) + 1/2 part oil (or mayo, yogurt, broth ...) + herbs + salt (kosher) + a dash of something sweet (honey, sugar, agave syrup, stevia, jams, jellies etc.)  fresh ground pepper + a surprise umpapah.     I have learned to make a dressing stay emulsified by using a little mustard.
      Now, you just let your imagination and taste buds lead you.   Salads.....YUMMMM!

Simple Dinner Salad (Makes 4 big servings)

Dressing (This will make more than what you'll need.  Save the rest and refrigerate it.)

1/4 cup apple juice
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp mustard
2/3 of a cup of oil
1 garlic clove mashed to a pulp (Lay the clove under the flat side of a knife and whack it several times. Be aware that the garlic will fly if you whack too hard! )
1/2 tsp salt and fresh ground pepper
pick any or all of the following crushed dried  herbs; 1/4 tsp dried oregano  1/4 tsp tarragon  1/4 tsp  parsley  1/4 tsp marjoram (don't use if you use oregano...tastes almost the same) 1/4 tsp.  mint  1/4 tsp dill 1/4 tsp thyme
If you use a fresh herb double the amount and chop very fine.

1) Pour the first 2 ingredients into a bowl or into a jar and whisk or shake vigorously.
2) Add the mustard and whisk or shake.
3) Add the oil and shake or whisk.
4) Once you have decide on your herbs, in a separate little bowl, mix them well with the garlic, salt and pepper.  Use the fork and toss the mixture around until well incorporated.
5)  Now add this herb  mixture to the jar or bowl and whisk or shake vigorously.
6)  Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.


1/2  head of romaine lettuce (washed and spun dry)
1 tomato diced  (Don't seed it. All the good stuff is in the gel like part)
1 cucumber diced ( or a couple of the little one or 1/2 of an English seedless  If you have trouble digesting the seeds of a regular cucumber, just scoop them out with a spoon.)
1/2 green, red, orange, yellow  bell peppers diced (any combo)
1 stalk of celery washed and diced
1 carrot washed and diced
1/4 dried fruit (cranberries, blueberries, etc.) Use this for the garnish.



1)  Put all the above in a large bowl and toss.
2)  I like to "dress" each individual plate/bowl with dressing.  That way I can save the leftover greens for
 next day's salad.  I use 1 heaping generous  TBSP per bowl and toss with my fork right in each bowl. Garnish with the dried fruit.
3) If you are sure that you will eat all the salad, pour 1/2 of the amount of dressing around the inside rim of the salad bowl.  Then toss gently. Garnish with the dried fruit.


To make this a main dish salad.  Add (leftover) salmon, tuna, steak or a grilled chicken breast. Or of course you can make some meat, chicken or fish and let it cool while you put the rest of the salad together.
Sometimes I make the same salad the next day and add  hard boiled eggs cut into slices with cubed up cheese.  See, so simple....

Friday, April 22, 2011

Salmon with Wild Berry Sauce

    Way back when I started this Blog it was because Trevor, my youngest, thought somebody out there would appreciate someone who uses what's on hand to make a tasty meal.  Trevor has just reminded me again that I make a lot of different sauces.  I do.  Today I was cleaning the fridge and found a jar of Wild Berry Jelly.   There was about 1/4 of a cup of the stuff.  So I decided to do something with it.  I also found a bottle of Kendal Jackson Chardonay that had about 1/2 cup of wine.  (Mr.  Jackson died today.  Trev knew his daughter at Davis.) I picked about a cup of parsley from the garden and some mint (it's going crazy right about now.) I snipped a few sprigs of thyme, sage and oregano. I had about a dozen or so grape tomatoes and some sorry lookin' green onions. I also used some Chinese garlic chili sauce.  I know that most of you who don't know me will not believe that I 1) didn't use a recipe and 2) just pull stuff out of thin air.  (I have a theory that I have Kitchen Angels that do speak to me as I cook.  Please don't institutionalize me for saying this.They say things like; "How about a little mint...No more garlic...Easy on the wine girl!"  Could also be my deceased mom.) Anyway, many, many of my choices are serendipidous.(sp?)  This recipe just happened and it, like so many other things that I just make up  was really really good!!!!  I made some oven roasted grape tomatoes and green onions. (salt/pepper and toss w/evoo @450 for about 20 min.) Heaped that on top of the salmon and then the garnish.  I also served this with little red potatoes and a tossed salad.  Heaven on a dish. Promise.


4 frozen pieces of frozen salmon (thawed)
s/p both sides

4 TBSP of grapeseed oil or veggie oil to coat the bottom of a cast iron skillet or large frying pan


Sauce
1/4  berry jelly (or jam)  Honestly, I think it could be any  berry jelly or jam.
1/2 cup of white wine or use chicken broth
a splash of rice vinegar (maybe a TBSP)
1/4 cup of mint, parsley and sage chop very fine (any combo) (save some to garnish fish.)
1/4 cup of chopped green onion
1 heaping tsp of red pepper flakes
2 heaping tsp. of Chinese chili garlic sauce


1.  Heat skillet to screaming hot. Almost smokin'.
2. Salt and pepper salmon.
3.  In a bowl whisk  or in the jelly jar add all of the ingredients and shake until well combined.
4. Place salmon in pan on high and cook for 2 min. on each side.
5.  Reduce heat and pour sauce over salmon. Cover with a lid.
6.  Cook for an additional 3 or 4 minutes.
7. Serve and garnish with herbs that you saved.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Crystal Light Salad Dressing

     This may be the most interesting use of Crystal Light beverage mix that you will every read or taste.  You can skip right to the recipe or read how it came about.
     I was in South Carolina and my son Jason asked me to help him with a carne asada dinner to which he wanted to invite some friends.  I get weary of always being asked to make carne asada but I continue to comply  because it goes over so well.
     I had made the black beans, the Mexican  rice and had marinated the meat.  I decided that we needed a salad.  My son did not have any lemons and I like to make my "chopped salad" with a lemon lime dressing.  I was making myself some crystal light and I wondered what would happen if I used the little packet in the dressing.  What follows is the recipe I concocted.  I was surprised by the rave reviews and everyone was stymied when I told them the ingredients of the dressing.  If you don't know ahead of time I promise you can't guess the secret ingredient.   By the way...I have come to appreciate that "southerners"  like their sweets.  This salad dressing is  sweet and tangy.  I am thinkin' I may try to marinate chicken and or fish in this stuff.  I hope you too will agree that it is a keeper.

This salad serves 12 generous portions.

2 heads of lettuce washed, torn and spun ( I used romaine and a very  large red leaf.)
1 small bag or about 4 cups of arugala
2 stalks of celery diced
2 large carrots diced
2 cups of diced broccoli florets
1 pint grape tomatoes washed and cut in half
2 green onions finely diced
a handful of cilantro leaves pulled off the stem

the juice of two large limes (not key limes) roughly about 1/4 cup
1/8 cup apple cider vinegar
1 generous TBSP of grainy mustard
1 packet of crystal light lemon aide
1 grated garlic clove
1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
2 TBSP of cilantro that has been finely diced
1/2 cup of olive oil
add chicken broth if dressing is too acidic by the TBSPS
s/p to taste    Freshly ground pepper and Kosher salt are best.
I ended up with about 1 cup of salad dressing.


1. Toss all of the veggies into a large salad bowl.
2. In a mixing bowl whisk  or in a  large jar with a lid mix all of the ingredients except the chicken broth. I like the jar because you can shake it and really incorporate the ingredients.
3. Taste the dressing, if  the dressing is too acidic add chicken broth by the TBSPS.
4.  Pour the dressing once around the edge of the salad bowl and toss. Taste and add more dressing  if necessary.  There should be a little left after the first go around the bowl.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Okra Pasta Stew

     I would be very remiss if I didn't begin by saying upfront that I have not always been a fan of okra.  Especially because I had never eaten it until maybe 6 years ago in my first ever gumbo.  Okra reminds me of nopales.  The taste and texture are different but both have a similar viscosity. I believe I have written about this before.  In the little Middle Eastern store I frequent I noticed a bag of frozen baby okra.  On the back of the package I saw a recipe for "okra stew."  ( I have found many really tasty recipes this way.)   Never happy to leave well enough alone I made this recipe my own adapting it to placate my palate preferences.  I made this more like a casserole by adding vegetable pasta.  I particularly like this recipe because most of the ingredients were from things I keep in my pantry, refrigerator or in my freezer.
     I have taken to making my own spice mixes for the different ethnic foods I cook.  If ever you want to make things go more quickly make up you "ethnic spice" and herb mix and put in one of those little glass jars. That way they are ready when you are.


1 generous TBSP of grapeseed oil
1  medium onion diced
2 celery stalks diced
3 cloves of garlic minced
4 oz of sliced mushrooms  (1/2 of a basket)
1 red pepper diced
1 pound of ground chicken, turkey or lamb
1 can of diced tomatoes
3 cups of chicken (or veggie) broth
1/2 lb vegetable pasta spirals
1 bag of frozen baby okra
1 tsp. summac
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. crushed dried oregano
1 tsp. chili powder
2 tsps. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. dried sage

Garnish
1/2 cup feta cheese
TBSP of parsley
2 green onion finely sliced on the diagonal

1.   Bring a large pot of water to boil and preheat oven to 350.
2.   Heat oil and cook onions, garlic and celery until soft and onion is "see through."
3.  Add mushrooms and red pepper. Cook until just limp.
4.  Spray a baking dish with oil.  Toss all the cooked veggies in.  Set aside.
5.  Brown the meat.  Season with salt and pepper.
6.  Add the can of tomatoes (no salt added) and the broth (low sodium).  Stir until mixture comes to a boil.
7.  Pour the above into the baking dish with veggies and stir.
8.  Put pasta into boiling water.  Throw in a palm full of salt.  Cook 2 min. short of package directions.
9.  Throw the okra in with the pasta and cook for a couple of minutes.  Drain.
10.  Put the pasta into the baking dish.  Stir until all is combined.
11.  Into a small bowl mix all the seasonings until combined.  Sprinkle the seasoning into the baking dish.  Toss to combine.
12.  At this point the mixture should be a little wet.  If not wet enough  add a little more broth. Think stew.
13.  Bake for 20 minutes.
 Serve this in a shallow bowl.   Top with feta, parsley and green onions.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Figure Friendly Chile Rellenos

   I love chiles,  all kinds all ways.  For some reason, this morning, I thought of the dinner I made last night and was transported to a Safeway store when I was about 4.  I was with my grandmother, known to me and forever more as Mamaita.  ("Little Mother;" she was obviously neither my mother nor little.  In fact she was taller than my little barely 5'2" mother and a well built, very erect woman..)  I ways dancing through the aisles racing around and twirling as she pushed the cart.  My favorite aisle was the veggie aisle.  Stories abound regarding my antics as a mere toddler riding in the shopping cart and reaching out for the  green onions and radishes from the displays. Apparently I would stuff them in my mouth  (unwashed...yuck!) before they could snatch them from me. I wonder which vitamin deficiency I suffered from? I remember sneaking a peek to make sure my grandma was not watching and grabbed a chile quickly stuffing it into my mouth.  I was in my own kind of Nirvana. The heat burning up through my tongue into my nose and sinuses. The verdant flavor and crisp texture satisfying  my need to crunch.  Tears began brimming my lower lids and slowly pooling and falling in streams down my cheeks.  Suddenly, my Mamaita noticed and must have thought I had hurt myself.  Sweeping me in to her arms she cradled me and kissed away the tears.  I was afraid to open my mouth for fear that she would discover the truth. She didn't but I think that perhaps my already spicy toned palate would forever equate tenderness with chiles. (By the way the spell check keeps putting a red line under chile.  I am spelling it in Spanish!!!!)
   So last night's dinner was my attempt to make chile rellenos something I would make more often because I love them.  Don't get me wrong, I will continue to make them battered and fried  but only once in awhile. These were neither battered nor fried.  But as Trevor, my son, commented you could taste each ingredient harmoniously complimenting the other.  Have I mentioned that Trevor is our resident "Foodie." A note about the cheese.  I used the Costco preshredded Mexican blend.  All stores seem to have this combo.  But shred your own by all means. So with that in mind here goes my version of a stuffed pepper.

                                
6 fat ancho chiles as straight as possible and about 6 inches long and 4 inches across  (This makes for easier stuffing.)
1 lb of ground chicken
4 small red potatoes diced
2 med. tomatoes diced
1 celery stalk diced
1 leek diced for the filling and 1 leek diced for the steaming sauce
3 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup chopped cilantro  (save a bit for garnish)
 1/4 tsp. of  dry oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
 1/4 tsp ground cumin
 TBSP of Kosher salt
1 bottle of any beer (I used a Trader Joe's Mexican type beer.)
at least 4 cups of  shredded cheese (1/2 cup for each chile ad the rest to put over the top of all of chiles.)
1/2 cup Mexican Crema  (In a pinch salt and stir regular sour cream until it's a liquid.)

Preheat oven to 450.
1. Char the chiles over an open flame or roast in the oven.  I have NEVER done this.  I think you broil them.
2.  Place them in a ziplock plastic bag. Seal the bag so that they sweat.
3. Heat a large skillet over med. heat with a TBSP of grapeseed oil.
4. Begin to brown/cook the ground chicken.
5. Add the potatoes, tomatoes, celery and leeks. Cook until just soft.
6. Add the garlic and salt  and all of the herbs and spices.
7. Pour about 1/4 cup of beer into the mixture.  Reduce the heat and allow to cook with lid on.
8. Take the chiles one at a time out of the plastic bag and with wet hands rub off the skin. DON'T WASH THE CHILIES!)  Wipe your hands off with paper towels and wet hands again for each chile. It's okay if not all the skin comes off.
9.  Lay the chilies flat and slit them open making a pouch.
10. Fill each chile with enough chicken filling to be "stuffed" generously.
11.  Stuff each chile with cheese.
 12. Pour the rest of the  bottle  beer into a baking dish with 1 chopped leek.
13.  Place the stuffed chiles on top of the leeks and beer.
14.  Cover with foil (but don't let the foil touch the cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes.
15. Remove from oven and pour crema over the chilies. Garnish with cilantro.

Friday, March 25, 2011

Not Momma's Tuna Casserole

     Oh my!  I did it tonight.   I actual do this often.  I just open the fridge and the pantry and forage.  Must be the hunter gatherer in me.  I created a great tuna casserole.  This is not an easy feat. This has never been my favorite meal until tonight.  I do remember my mom's tuna casserole being somewhat dry and having potato chips on the top.  A few months ago we had some tuna casserole at a friend's house where each of us was supposed to bring a 50's dish.  I did not like the tuna casserole that night either.  I was sure that there was a recipe out there somewhere that would make this Lenten mainstay delicious.  I really think that I found it.

    It's a Friday in Lent and I had bought a butt load of tuna from Costco.  So I decided that would be the main dish.  I had celery, 1/2 of a purple onion and fresh mushrooms.  In the pantry I had a can of artichokes packed  in water and the canned albacore also packed in water.  (I'm not sure about the dolphins.)  What to do, what to do?  What follows was pure angelic inspiration.  I have often said I cook with my angels.  No joke.   Oh ...and this is NOT figure friendly...read lots of different fats going on.   I thought of a thousand ways to make this easier and less calorie dense and some day I'll post those.  But today I'll post this delightful concoction. Ready?   Here we go!!!


2 TBSP.  butter 
1TBSP.  olive oil
1 small cauliflower in smallish flowerlets

1/2 of a large purple onion diced
3 stalks of celery diced
1 8oz box of button (white) mushrooms sliced
1/2 red bell pepper
1 can of artichokes packed in water drained and cut into quarters
2 cloves of garlic finely minced or grated
2 small cans of tuna
1 lb of ANY pasta (I used a little cap like pasta.  I forget the name.)
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp. thyme  (If you use dry double the amount of the herb.)
1/4 tsp fresh oregano  (If dry double.)
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg  (If dry double.)
1/4 cup of white flour & TBSP of butter
2 cups of milk
 2 cups of sharp grated cheddar cheese
1/4 seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley  &  a small jar of  pimento pepper for garnish

Preheat oven to 350.
Bring a pot of water to a boil.
1. In a large skillet you are going to saute the cauliflower flowerlets in the hot fat until a little browned.
2. Add the rest of the veggies except the artichoke  and cook until softened but still with a little bite.
3.  Add the artichoke, tuna  and garlic to the skillet.  Lower heat.
4.  Add herbs to skillet.  
5.   Add pasta to boiling water.
6.  Add about 2 TBSP.  of salt and the bay leaves to the pasta and water.  Cook according to pasta direction.
7.  Move the veggies to the  sides of the skillet and add the flower and the  butter to the center.  Stir with a whisk until butter is incorporated into the flour.  You are making a rue.
8. Slowly, while still whisking, pour in the milk.  Flour will thicken.
9.  Add cheese and slowly stir with a large spoon.
10.  Drain pasta when al dente.
11.  In a buttered casserole dish put down a layer of pasta with a slotted spoon.
12. Scoop out the tuna sauce and distribute over the top of the pasta.
13.  One more layer of pasta and 1 layer of sauce.
14.  Sprinkle on the bread crumbs.
15.  Garnish and bake for 20 minutes.
I also added some fresh parsley and some chives before I served this.  I served this with a spinach salad with feta, tomatoes and green onion. I made  a rice vinegar dressing.  


Enjoy!!!!

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Super Simple Supper

     There are days that I can not get inspired at all. Or, when I know that  I won't feel like cooking because I will have been out all day.   However, I still like something that tastes delicious.  Enter the crock pot.  The following recipe has been made over the years with many different ingredients.  But the simplest is the one you will find today.  This is good enough to serve to company.  Oh, and it's so cheap to make.  If you have issues with MSG, look at the seasoning in the taco mix.  I could and have made my own mix but in  this recipe you don't have to measure anything.  If you are feeling guilty about the lack of veggies, by all means throw in some carrots and celery. You can also use an envelop of onion soup mix or veggie dip mix.  I have used them with equal success.   This is really a no brainer recipe and is sooooo delicious.  Meat is usually fork tender and shreds if that's the way you're going. The meat does have to come in contact with the bottom of the crock pot.  In other words, the entire bottom surface of the meat must touch the bottom of the crock pot.
     Incidentally, I do make my own spice mixtures.  If you ever want me to make you some for a specific food you are making, for a small fee and s/h, I'd be happy to make you up a seasoning mix. Most herbs will be from my garden. I don't use insecticides.  I dry the herbs in the microwave including the chile.  Contact me at zpeck@cox.net.


chuck roast (When money is really an issue ...wait for a sale and then buy the smallest piece)
1 baseball sized onion cut into large chunklets
3 bay leaves
1 envelope of taco mix (Doesn't matter the brand. If you make a piece of meat that is really big like say 5 lbs. use two envelopes of seasoning)
1 bottle of beer (again doesn't matter the kind) OR equal amount of any red wine. (Don't open a new bottle of wine.  Use leftover wine that you forgot to cork.)



1.  You don't have to sear the meat.  Just dump it into a crock pot.
2. Sprinkle it with the 1/2 of the contents of the envelope, then flip the meat over and sprinkle the rest of the seasoning.
3. Dump in the other ingredients.  (Pour the beer or  wine along the sides of the pot.)
4.  Put crockpot on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.

Serve with veggies on the side or a green salad.  I usually have tortillas but this is equally as good with bread. You can shred the meat and make tacos or cut in chunks and serve that way.
Enjoy!

Friday, March 11, 2011

Lenten Salmon Patties

   I was raised a Catholic by a Mexican Catholic Mother.  Every Friday during Lent we did not eat meat and we could count on a few meals that we would always eat. One such meal was the salmon patty.  The salmon came from a can and one can made 6 patties.  We would also eat lentil soup, tuna casseroles,  clam chowder and sometimes, not often, some kind of fried fish.  My mom was a great cook and yet during Lent her meals were quite austere.  In the summer when we were at our beach house in San Miguel, Mexico my mom made fantastic seafood.  But during Lent we got pretty just okay food. There was this bread pudding like concoction which is quite popular during Lent. My great aunt made it every year.  Capirotada has all the food groups in one dish but it is meatless.  I know because when I taught the nutrition unit to my kindergarteners I would divide the class into 5 groups.  We would walk to the store and each group would pick out their contribution with the help of a volunteer mom.  We'd go back to school cut, shred and bake the capirotada in the oven. The kids, mostly hispanic, loved it!  Me, not so much.  Thankfully, my own mom didn't seem to like it either.
   I have altered the recipe of the salmon patties quite a bit.  She used soda crackers as the binder and I know she never used lime zest.  She did make a warm salsa which I didn't make this time but I have made it in the past.  One of my son's friends came over tonight and asked me what was that "delicious smell."  I gave him a patty with the sauce to taste.  He admitted that it was pretty good.  The lentils I made tonight were not made as a soup but as a side dish.  I used less liquid and cooked it a little longer so it was thicker and not soupy.  Along with the salmon patties and  the lentils I made a broccoli slaw with a rice vinegar dressing.  All in all, I was quite pleased with this meal and hope you will be too.

Cindy's Lenten Salmon Patties
oil to cover the bottom of a frying pan by 1 inch in depth.
2 cans of pink salmon well drained (remove all the black "stuff."  I think it's skin.)
1/2 cup of bread crumbs (I make my own but you'll want the seasoned ones.)
1/4 parmesan cheese
2 eggs well beaten
3 green onion finely diced
1/2 of a red bell pepper finely diced
1 celery stalk finely diced
 zest of 1 lime
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1/2  tsp cayenne powder
1/2  tsp pepper  You will not need salt.
capers and lime wedges for garnish

1.  Combine the salmon, the bread crumbs and the cheese.
2.  Add all of the rest of the ingredients to the eggs and stir to combine.
3.  Combine the egg mixture and the salmon and mix well.
4.  Form into hamburger sized patties and place on a plate to rest.
5.  If the mixture appears too wet, add more bread crumbs.
6.  Heat oil so that when you put a wooden spoon handle in it, bubbles form around the handle7.  Fry patties in small batches about 3 minutes on each side.  Patties should be crispy brown on both sides.
Place on a cookie sheet and place in a warm oven while you make the sauce.

Cucumber Sauce
3 small middle eastern type cucumbers finely diced  (No need to peel or seed these little guys.)
2 green onions finely diced
1/4 of a red pepper finely diced
1/2 tsp of minced mint
1/4 tsp minced parsley
juice of 1/2 a lime
s/p

1. Dice and mix all ingredients.
2. Spoon over patties.
3.  Garnish with capers and a lime wedge.

Makes 8 good sized patties.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Roman Meza Shannon Peck Albondigas

   The simplest foods are sometimes the best.  Albondigas is a soup.  How much simpler could you get? I think my favorite foods are soups. Pho, Italian Wedding Soup, Greek Lemon Egg Soup, Menudo, Posole the list could go on. Albondigas just means meatballs.  So we are working here with meatballs in a broth.  This soup has morphed for me over the years.  As I listened to other people speak of the albondigas they grew up with, I added and tweaked my original recipe which came from my mom and in turn came from her grandmother. MY grand mother was NOT a cook.  But my great grandmother was spectacular.  Abuelita was so precise and very rigid about the ingredients and the procedures .  Understand that you are getting a very family specific interpretation of this grand soup. It is also somewhat labor intensive. Having said that, there are shortcuts and items you can omit. Then you will have made Albondigas your family specific soup.  Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS FOR THE SOUP
oil to cover the bottom of a pot (I have been using grape seed oil lately.)
1 med onion diced
2 large stalks of celery cut in thumb sized chunks
2 large carrots cut size of the celery
1 chiyote or 2 Mexican squash  cut into about 1 inch chunks (you can use zucchini but it's not the same)
3 cloves of garlic minced
3 bay leaves
1 tsp of fresh oregano chopped coarsely
1/2 tsp of ground cumin
1 can of diced tomatoes
8 cups of beef and chicken broth (can be 4 and 4 or 2 and 6)

FOR SOUP
1. Into a very large soup pot saute first 4 ingredients until onion is translucent.
2. Add garlic and  herbs. Stir.
3. Lower heat and add broth. Simmer with lid off until just before you add meatballs.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE MEATBALLS
1 lb of ground pork
1  lb of ground lean beef
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dry oregano
1 tsp fresh thyme (just pull the little leaves off)
1 TBSP  fresh mint diced  very finely
1/4 cup cilantro chopped coarsely
1/2 cup raw long grain white rice  (sorry, can't be brown unless it's already cooked)
2 raw eggs whisked
2 tsps of salt
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp of black pepper

FOR MEATBALLS
1. Remove your rings .
2.  Into a very large bowl mix the meat together.
3. Add the ingredients one at a time and mix with a light touch. Kinda scoop and flop over. Don't knead.
4. Add the eggs and make sure that this is fully incorporated.  DON'T USE ANYTHING BUT YOUR HANDS TO MIX.
5. Raise the heat of the broth and bring it to a hard boil.
6.  Begin to make the meatballs and place them on a clean plate.
MEATBALL SIZE: SMALL ONES COOK FASTER. LARGE TAKE LONGER. duh

7. When all the meatballs are made, add a few at a time carefully to the boiling broth. The broth should be boiling while you add the meatballs.  Continue to boil for about 3 minutes.
8. Reduce the flame and simmer with lid on for 20-30 min. depending on the size of your meatballs. The meatballs are cooked when the rice "puffs up."
9.  Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.

You can garnish with chopped cilantro and a wedge of lime.  Serve with tortillas.
About 8 servings.