A Healthy 4th of July BBQ

Image by Asten via Flickr

Independence Day is upon us. The grills are being cleaned and readied for the BBQ master. Shoppers are buying up the potato salad, macaroni salad and cans of baked beans from the groceries.I thought I might offer you a different option this year to lighten things up.

Back in the days when I was a Carnivore, my husband and I tag teamed making Turkey Burgers. They were a little trickier on the grill since they didn’t have all that fat to bind things together. We settled on him either being “very” careful turning them or using a grill basket which was much better. I have also added some egg or egg white to the burgers to bind them and that works pretty well too.

In my more domestic days I made fresh hamburger buns. Wow! Those really added a lot to the meal. If you can get some good buns from a bakery, not a grocery, I suggest you do.

Instead of heavy fat laden potato salad or the butter loaded scalloped potatoes my mother used to make, I make Buttermilk Herb Scalloped Potatoes. The Buttermilk is lower in fat. When cooked, it adds a very tangy cheesy texture to the potatoes. The herbs give the dish a fresh from the garden taste.

Then there is the macaroni salad. Now don’t think I am inhuman. I love my mother’s macaroni salad, mayonnaise and all but I have an alternative that I love equally. I got the idea while dining at Dakota’s restaurant in Downtown Dallas. They made a WheatBerry Salad with minced vegetables, blue cheese and a balsamic vinaigrette. I make it that way at times, but when my Albanian heritage kicks in, I make a Dilled Wheat berry Salad with minced vegetables, mint and Feta cheese. I dress it with the traditional fresh squeezed lemon and olive oil. The oil I use sparingly.

A bit outside the box, my Butter Beans Oreganato taste great and may help you add some of your own “Fireworks” to the occasion :).

So this year, try something outside of your comfort zone. These may not be “American” per se, but we are a melting pot in America and this "4th of July"
(or sometime this summer) I hope you try these recipes. I think you will like them and they are good for you too!!

Red Carpet Turkey Burgers

For the burgers:

1 lb “lean” ground turkey
1 ½ tsp liquid smoke (hickory if you are from the East, Mesquite if you are from Texas)
1-2 Jalapeno peppers seeded and chopped
1 Shallot minced
1 Garlic clove peeled and minced
S& P to taste
1 egg or 2 egg whites optional
4 Good quality hamburger buns
Garnishes:
1 small green or red pepper cut in strips
Lettuce
Grated low fat Cheddar or Swiss cheese
Country Dijon Mustard

Preheat a BBQ grill. Combine all the burger ingredients and mix. Gently form the mixture into 4 burgers. Place in a lightly oiled grill basket or very carefully on the prepared grill (remember to oil the grill before heating it so you don’t burn your eyelashes off!!)

Grill until cooked through turning once. Don’t try turning them multiple times or they will fall apart and you will be eating turkey hash!!

Another option you could try instead of the liquid smoke is using Hoisin sauce and substituting sweet green pepper for the Jalapeno. You could top this with sautéed shitake mushrooms and Light Swiss Cheese

Buttermilk Herb Scalloped Potatoes

3 Medium Yukon Gold Potatoes (or large redskin potatoes) sliced in ¼ inch strips
¼ onion chopped (or more to taste)
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour (white is ok too)
1 ½ tsp each dried thyme and rosemary crumbled
S&P to taste
1 ½ Tablespoon good quality Parmesan or Romano Cheese not the flavorless stuff
1 Cup Buttermilk
1 tablespoon Smart Balance margarine or margarine made with yogurt
Pinch of Paprika

Preheat oven or toaster oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8x11 loaf pan. Toss the potatoes with the whole wheat flour, salt and pepper and herbs. Layer half of the potatoes in the loaf pan. Top with chopped onion then repeat with another layer. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the top and dot the potatoes with Smart Balance or the Yogurt based margarine. Pour Buttermilk over all then sprinkle with Paprika
Bake (uncovered) for 1 to 1 ½ hours or until potatoes are tender.
Enough for 4 as a side dish.

Wheatberry Salad

1 cup dried wheatberries
2 cups water
1 Chicken or Vegetable bouillon cube (optional)
½ red or sweet onion, minced
1 medium carrot; minced
½ red bell pepper, minced
1 ½ oz feta cheese crumbled
Handful of fresh cleaned spinach torn into small pieces

Dressing:

1 ½ tablespoons fruity olive oil
½ large juicy lemon
1 tsp dill weed or 1 tablespoon fresh dill chopped fine
½ tsp dried mint crumbled or 1 tsp fresh mint minced (fresh is best here)
S&P to taste

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add bouillon if you want. Add wheatberries, bring to boil then reduce heat and cook covered for 45-50 minutes until done but still chewy. Toss with a fork then let cool.

When cooled, add remaining ingredients except the dressing ingredients (onion through spinach). Mix. Add olive oil and dill. Mix to coat the berries with the oil. Squeeze the lemon over the salad and mix again. Add salt and pepper. Taste and make any adjustments to the dressing.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

To make this with the Blue cheese instead, substitute the Blue Cheese for the Feta. Omit the dill, and mint and substitute balsamic vinaigrette for the lemon and oil. I love it this way too and it might be more “American”.

Butter Beans Oreganato

1 Can Butter Beans
½ lemon
½ Tablespoon Olive oil
¼ Teaspoon dried oregano crumbled
S&P to Taste

Heat Butter Beans in a pan on the stove or bowl in the microwave. When hot add the olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper and mix gently. Squeeze the lemon over all and mix again. Serve warm.

Have a Happy, Healthy and Safe 4th....and don't forget to exercise!!

The Herbalist

I love to garden and I love growing herbs. When I owned a house, my backyard was my herb garden. At one time or the other I have grown; Lemon Thyme (the best), Basil, Dill, Lavender that smelled incredible after a rain, Epazote a Mexican herb , Mexican Marigold Mint, Mint, Lemon Balm, Cilantro (that spread all over the yard), Salad Burnet, a cucumber flavored herb, Sage( which I never had much luck with), Lemon Grass, Curry Plant(good but toxic in large amounts), Nasturtium (the flowers are great in a salad) and even Bay leaf.

The thing I love most about growing herbs is picking and having them fresh for whatever meal I am preparing. Herbs and spices add so many flavors to a meal. I would like to share with you some of the uses I have come up with over the years. I will include some information and simple ideas for using herbs. Some of these will be very familiar to you, others may be new.

In Dallas there is a Nursery in Highland Park, Northhaven Gardens http://www.nhg.com/
that carries a variety of herb plants. If you are local to the area, you might check it out and try your hand at a few of the more unusual herbs. I use fresh herbs unless otherwise stated.

Here is a rundown of some of my favorites:

Chervil- This is a very delicate, mild licorice flavored herb. It is in the parsley family. I have found it fresh at the Grocery, WholeFoods or Central market in the packages you find in the fresh vegetable area.

My favorite use, I learned from my chef/friend Wade. He sliced fresh radishes added a dollop of good quality unsalted butter (European or Danish is best), topped it with a sprig of Chervil and a little good quality salt. That’s all there is to it and it is great.

I also like to make Chervil butter to add to fish, veggies or to use with scrambled eggs. Mix one stick of softened butter with 1/3 cup of chopped chervil.

Lavender is my favorite scent, but as a culinary herb it must be used sparingly or it will taste like soap. It is used in making Herbs de Provence.

You can buy a good quality Herbs de Provence and mix it with some fresh lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Put some of the marinade aside for use in grilling and the rest you can use as a marinade for Tuna or Salmon. Marinate it for at least 30 minutes. Grill the fish to desired doneness, basting with the reserved marinade. You can serve it as is or with some lemon (low fat) mayonnaise on toasted buns.

Here is a link to a recipe for a cheese spread that uses fresh lavender blossoms and other herbs. The pretty purple flowers make a very nice presentation. You can always use low fat cream cheese for this. http://www.vegetablegardener.com/item/3653/cream-cheese-with-herbes-de-provence-and-garlic

Rosemary- The stems make great skewers for grilled fish and the sprigs can be used as basters with a marinade. When you have a sore throat, hot rosemary lemonade can be very soothing. Heat a cup of water in the microwave (or on the stove) as you would for tea. Squeeze a half of lemon in it, add honey to sweeten it and steep a sprig of rosemary in the lemonade for a few minutes. Remove the sprig and enjoy. I also have made a similar tea with culinary lavender or with sugar infused with lavender.

Dill- Ok, my Albanian heritage comes out when I think of dill. You can cook salmon on the stove with lemon, butter and fresh or dried dill (or bake it topped with lemon and dill butter). You can make a cucumber salad with mayonnaise, white wine vinegar and dill ( also add cherry tomatoes and slices of sweet green or red pepper). I also use dill in making stuffed grape leaves in the Spring and add fresh sprigs of dill to Greek salad which I mentioned in an earlier post. I plan on making a salmon, potato and dill chowder. Sounds like a good combination.

Salad Burnet- Ok this one may not be too familiar and not so easy to find. I would check a nursery that has a variety of herbs. They may carry this one. Salad Burnet is a cucumber flavored herb. It is parsley like and the cucumber flavor is very subtle. I have used it in a recipe from the Moosewood Cookbook for Flounder Florentine. Basically you sauté onion, chopped spinach, and dill until the spinach wilts. Here I make my own addition of some chopped salad burnet. Mix in chopped toasted almonds and lemon juice, cool then spoon over flounder filets. Roll up, put in an oiled baking pan and bake at 375 until the fish flakes.

Oregano- We think of it as an Italian herb but it is also in Mexican and many other cuisines. If you haven’t eaten fresh Oregano, please try it, very different. A good use for it is in a sandwich of lightly toasted Rosemary bread, sliced ripe tomatoes, sliced sweet green peppers, feta or cheddar cheese, mayo and fresh oregano. If you have to add luncheon meat go at it but it is great as a veggie sandwich.

Bay Leaf- When I went to the Culinary Institute they had a bay tree growing out front. We would plan our menu then go out and pick the leaves fresh from the tree for cooking. My favorite use for bay leaf is Turkish Swordfish Kebabs. You have to first soak the bay leaves (especially if you buy then dried). You then alternate the fish, bay leaves and lemon wedges onto the skewers. Drizzle with olive oil, season and grill on high heat, turning until done.

Sage- You most likely think of Thanksgiving when you think of sage, however I like it in a stew of sliced potatoes, onion, tomatoes, wine, vegetable (or chicken) broth and fresh peas topped with Parmesan. I suspect you could add some chicken to make this a meal.

Basil-Well we all know a lot about this herb. It is the all time best with tomato dishes, whether sliced, sauced or otherwise. I like to make a pesto with Basil, toasted walnuts, really good parmesan not the flavorless stuff and olive oil. I sauté scallops then add the pesto a squeeze of lemon and serve over angel hair. Yum!

Well that is enough to take in for now. I will continue with other herbs and recipes in subsequent posts.
I would love some feedback on this blog, your cooking ideas and things you would like me to write about.

Enjoy.

On a visit to Dallas last year, I had a very special date at Roy’s, a terrific Hawaiian Fusion restaurant. The meal was wonderful as was the company and atmosphere.

Roy Yamaguchi was born in Tokyo and attended the Culinary Institute of America in NY at the age of 19. In 1988 after having worked in LA and opened his first restaurant there, Roy relocated to Honolulu. He opened the first Roy’s restaurant which brought him much prestige and accolades.

In addition to his delicious East-West Cuisine, he has a signature cocktail that I would like to share with you. He calls it the original Hawaiian Martini. It goes well with Asian or Hawaiian food. I am including an easy menu that I believe, pairs well with it.

The drink may also pair well with Caribbean and Florida fare. No matter what, it is a great drink!!

Of course, my version isn’t exactly the recipe at Roy’s. They use only Maui pineapples and Skyy Vodka and Stoli Vanil Vodka. When it comes to pineapples, I take what I can get but much prefer the Sugar Sweet Pineapples from Costa Rica. You can often find them at Costco and they are just as good for eating as they are for this drink. If you have Skyy and Stoli, great, but if not I am sure there are other good brands that will work too. I have also considered using White Rum and Vanilla Rum in the recipe. The best garnish I have seen not only includes a chunk of Pineapple but also a purple orchid, very pretty!

This is the recipe that Roy’s in Orlando has published. I have seen another version where they use sugar syrup or add more pineapple juice (for the light weight drinkers like me!), but this is the authentic recipe and the easiest too! You will need a large glass jar.


R O Y ' S H A W A I I A N M A R T I N I
Roy's Orlando-Orlando, FL
Adapted by StarChefs

Yield: approximately 12 (4-ounce) servings
 1-1/2 (750 mL) bottles Skyy Vodka (or 4-1/2 cups)
 1/2 (750 mL) bottle Malibu Rum (1-1/2 cups)
 1/4 bottle Stolichnaya Vanil (3/4 cup)
 1 pineapple cut into 1/2-inch thick wedges
 1/4 cup sugar
Layer the pineapple wedges into the jar. Pour in the remaining ingredients and allow the pineapples to marinate for at least two days. To serve, ladle approximately 4 ounces of the liquor into a stainless steel shaker half filled with ice. Shake 30 times, and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a wedge of marinated pineapple and enjoy!

Honey Teriyaki Salmon

If you are in Texas, an easier version of this recipe can be made with the Teriyaki Marinade that you find at Central Market. It is their label and is syrupy and sweet. There is no need for any honey added as this would make a great marinade by itself.

1 lb Salmon Filet (1 inch thick)
1 cup of Teriyaki Marinade
3 tbl Honey (maple syrup might be good too but less authentic)
Marinate the salmon in the teriyaki in a Ziploc bag for several hours.
Preheat a grill on high and oil the grill using the safest method you come up with (which isn’t spraying oil onto the grill unless you need shorter eyelashes and bangs).

Place salmon meat side down and grill approximately 5 minutes then turn over skin side down. Brush on some honey and cook for 5 more minutes until done.

Note: Fish should be cooked 10 minutes per inch normally, so if your fish is a different thickness, adjust accordingly.

Snow Pea Medley

Sauté Snow Peas, Sliced Red Bell Pepper and if you can find it a Maui Onion (Vidalia or Bermuda Onions are equally sweet) until done. Add a dot of butter and a splash of soy sauce, and then serve.

Some nice cooked short grain brown rice would round out the meal.

Dessert can be as simple as some pieces of Mango, Pineapple, Papaya and Guava or any combination you can find fresh. If you want something more decadent you can try ice cream.

Ben and Jerry’s makes a Chocolate Macadamia Ice Cream while Hagen Daz makes Mango or Ginger Ice Cream and Baskin Robbins makes Nutty Coconut.

Kilohana! Enjoy!

Easy and Healthier Snacks

I often feel challenged when I am asked to bring a snack or appetizer to a party or if someone comes over on short notice. I need to come up with some easy snack that doesn’t keep me in the kitchen or that travels well.

I love to serve “out of the box appetizers” to get away from the normal Nachos or Cheese Spread or Artichoke Spinach dip. I don’t mind cheese but many appetizers have too much, so I try to find recipes that have just a little cheese. I also try to avoid the heavy fare that makes you feel like you ate three times your calories and fat allowance for the week!

Let’s face it, people snack on crap a lot of times. It’s easy, it’s fast, it’s filling and you can pick most of it up at the store without much preparation. Well that is just not my style, so I would like to share with you some fairly easy choices that are “out of the box”. I have tried to remember where I found these ideas and listing them if I know them.

Puffed Wild Rice
Heat a frying pan over medium high heat. You can spray it lightly with cooking spray or keep it dry Add a handful of wild rice and heat, shaking the pan like you are making popcorn, until the wild rice puffs. Sprinkle with salt or garlic salt and serve. You can also add this to the next recipe for popcorn and serve them together. I have also served them mixed with toasted nuts.

Italian Seasoned Popcorn
Buy a jar of popcorn instead of buying the prepared Microwave popcorn. Put ¼ cup of popcorn into a brown paper lunch bag. Fold to close and put in the microwave fold side down. Cook for about 2-3 minutes until you hear the popping slow down.

Remove and carefully open because there will be steam in the bag. Pour into a bowl and top with a light spray of butter or margarine, Parmesan cheese and a sprinkling of Italian seasoning. Mix together and serve.

There are lots of seasoning variations so be creative.


Yogurt Cheese with Pita
Bon Appetit Magazine May 1995
This comes from the Israeli port, Caesarea

Cheesecloth

4 cups plain yogurt (not low or nonfat)
1 tsp sesame seeds
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp dried summer savory
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp ground cumin
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
Toasted Pita bread triangles

Set a strainer over a large bowl but make sure it is not touching the bottom. Line the strainer with 4 layers of cheesecloth that overlap the edges by about 4 inches.

Spoon yogurt into the strainer. Gather and fold the cheesecloth over the yogurt. Refrigerate for 8 hrs or overnight. The liquid will drain and the yogurt will thicken.

Combine sesame seeds, salt, summer savory, cayenne and cumin in a small bowl. Open the cheesecloth and using a rubber spatula transfer the drained yogurt to a nice serving bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over it. Sprinkle on some of the sesame seed mixture then serve it with the Pita Triangles. You can add some cured olives too if you like.

I buy the natural yogurt or Bulgarian yogurt at Whole Foods Market. You can also lightly grill the Pita with just a bit of garlic butter brushed on it before serving.

Asian Guacamole with Wonton Crisps
Sunset Magazine
Alot of Groceries carry these ingredients now

1 tbl black sesame seeds or regular (the black ones I found at World Market or Asian Stores)
1 large ripe firm avocado (3/4 lb) The Florida Avocados might be best. They are bigger and are not as high in fat
1 tbl shredded pickled ginger
3 tbl seasoned rice vinegar (or 3tbl cider vinegar with 1tsp sugar)
½ tsp wasabi powder
Won Ton Crisps (recipe follows)

Fry sesame seeds in a frying pan over medium high heat until the seeds start to pop. Set aside and cool.

Peel, pit and dice avocado into a bowl. Add ½ tsp sesame seed, ginger, vinegar and wasabi and mix it together gently. Transfer it into a pretty serving bowl and serve with the Won Ton Crisps

Won Ton Crisps

4 tbl butter or butter flavor cooking spray
20 wonton skins
Any seasoning you might like, you could use the sesame seed and a little kosher salt for this use.

Preheat oven to 375degrees
Melt the butter and brush some on a rimmed baking sheet (or spray the cooking spray). Cut each wonton skin in half to make a rectangle. Arrange closely together on the baking sheet, but don’t overlap. Brush the tops lightly with butter or spray with the cooking spray.

Sprinkle on the sesame seeds and kosher salt if preferred. Bake at 375 for 5-6 min until golden and crisp. Repeat until all are done.

Variation:
You can also make these as a stand-alone snack by brushing with butter then topping with Italian seasoning and Parmesan before baking.
I haven't tried this but you could try sprinkling it with chili powder and a sharp cheddar for a Mexican crisp
Another variation:
For a sweet crisp, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar before baking.

Cherry Bruschetta
BHG Magazine

Mix 1 cup coarsely chopped, pitted light or dark sweet cherries with 2 tablespoons red or green jalapeno jelly. Mound on slices of lightly toasted French bread or leaves of butterhead lettuce. Top with a little crumbled blue cheese and sprinkle with a tablespoon or two of toasted slivered almonds.

They suggest you can use a paper clip to pit the cherries if you don’t have a cherry pitter.

Ok, this one is my favorite. My friend Wade showed me this.
Fresh Radishes with European Butter and Chervil

Get a bunch of pretty colored radishes or just the red ones if that is all you find. Slice them a little thick. Buy some European butter (you can find Danish butter at Whole Foods) and put a little of the cold butter on each radish slice. Top with fresh chervil if you can find it (this is really good!) or if not a little minced chive. Serve with salt or sprinkle a little kosher salt on each.

Stuffed Mushrooms
This is a cinch to make:

Buy a package of Herbed Boursin Cheese. (I think it comes in light). Use it to fill 6 canned mushroom caps then put a sprig of parsley on top.

Here is my addiction:

Sweet Spiced Pistachios
Lebanese Cooking by Susan Ward

2 ½ cups shelled salted pistachios
2/3-cup superfine sugar
1 tsp ground mace
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Place the nuts in a skillet without any oil, and heat until they are golden, stirring frequently. This takes about 5 minute. Sprinkle over the sugar, then the spices and continue to stir until the sugar is melted and the nuts have caramelized.

Take off the heat and spoon the nuts onto foil or a baking sheet to dry. They may clump but if you want you can break them up once they are cool.

Lasts a couple weeks in an airtight container. It doesn’t last that long in my place!!

Peaches and Red Wine Sauce
Food and Wine Magazine

I usually make this sauce with leftover Red Wine, so I end up making a half recipe. The sauce is wonderful on fresh peaches with a little not too tangy goat cheese or maybe even ricotta on the side. Of course it is great just with the peaches.

1 bottle red wine
1 cup sugar
¼ tsp vanilla
¼ tsp pepper
½ tsp allspice
1 4 inch cinnamon stick crushed
Fresh peaches (or Nectarines)
Optional: Goat or Ricotta cheese

Mix it all together. Bring it to a boil then simmer until it is reduced to syrup. Remove the solids, cool and refrigerate. Slice some nice juicy peaches and drizzle a little syrup over each. Serve with picks.

You can make this a terrific dessert by putting the sauce over ice cream and adding any berries or fruit with it. The peaches, vanilla ice cream and red wine sauce make a nice and tasty presentation.

Speaking of Fiber

When the average person thinks about adding fiber to their diet, they think of brown rice, wheat and oats primarily. After a while there is only so much brown rice or oats you can eat.


There are a lot of other fiber rich foods available. One food that has a great nutritional profile is Quinoa (pronounce “keen wah”). Quinoa is not a grain; it is actually a relative of Spinach and Swiss Chard. Quinoa was eaten by the Incas on their way to battle and has been called “the gold of the Incas” or “the mother grain”.


It is a nutritional power house, high in protein and high in the amino acid lysine which is essential to tissue growth and repair. A cup of quinoa is equal to a quart of milk in calcium content. Although not as high in fiber as some grains, it is a good source of iron, phosphorus and several of the B vitamins.


Quinoa seeds are often coated with saponin, a soap like product. As such, it should be rinsed before cooking to get rid of any saponin residue. Due to its high oil content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, it should be stored in a cool dry place.


I am allergic to oats, so I came up with this breakfast recipe . Quinoa contains no gluten so it is an option for those that are gluten intolerant. It is outrageously tasty and good for you too!


There are many things you can do to vary the recipe. You could try making a winter pudding with apples and cinnamon and walnuts, replacing the coconut extract with rum or vanilla flavor. You can use apricots and dried cranberries with whatever flavoring sounds good.. I thought next time I might add chopped mango to the mix or replace the banana with mango. In any case, the recipe is terrific just the way it is.


I use brown rice syrup http://www.lundberg.com/products/syrup/syrup_og.aspx that you can get at WholeFoods or other health stores. It has a lower glycemic index than sugar. If you don’t want to buy it, you can use white or brown sugar or even maple syrup. If you have never tried brown rice syrup, I suggest you try it. It is not overly sweet like white sugar and you will find many uses for it. I have used it in cornbread with great results.


If you want more of a soft pudding texture, only cook this for 40 minutes. I like it more loaf like so it can be sliced, so I cooked it for an hour.


One warning: Be careful…when you try this you may find yourself wanting to eat the whole batch! This is good stuff!


Tropical Quinoa Pudding


½ cup Quinoa
1 cup water
1 egg and 1 egg white
½ cup of non-fat milk (or low fat, if preferred)
Heaping ¼ cup brown rice syrup
Pinch of salt
1 tbl wheat germ (I used 2 tbl of granola because I didn’t have wheat germ)
2 tbl coconut (I used sweetened but you could also use unsweetened coconut)
½ tsp coconut extract (you could vary this with vanilla extract, coconut rum or some other tasty liqueur if preferred)
¼ cup plus 1 tbl slivered almonds (toasted)
¼ cup raisins


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put the Quinoa in a fine strainer and wash it to remove the saponin residue.


Bring quinoa and water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until the water is absorbed and quinoa is translucent, approximately 15 minutes.


Whisk together egg, egg white, milk, salt, brown rice syrup. Stir in cooked quinoa, coconut, wheat germ, raisins and 1/4 cup almonds.


Pour mixture into a lightly greased 8x5 loaf pan. Top with the reserved 1 tbl of almonds. Place loaf pan in a preheated 350 degree oven for an hour. Serve hot.

Southwestern Pasta Sauce

Back in my Potter days, I spent a lot of time in New Mexico. For a Ceramic artist it is a great place of inspiration. Not only could the landscape be breathtaking but I loved visiting the Galleries and meeting the artists in Santa Fe. Most of all I loved New Mexican food. There are so many great places to eat in New Mexico.

After flying into the airport at Albuquerque, I would head to Old Town for some touristy shopping and a grilled cheese and green chile sandwich. I loved it. In Santa Fe, I would sometimes go to Maria’s (http://www.marias-santafe.com/restaur.html ) for authentic Northern New Mexican cooking. I don’t know if they still do it, but they made their own fresh tortillas which were wonderful.

When I wanted to venture out, I would drive up to Chimayo visit the famous Church then head to Rancho de Chimayo (http://www.ranchodechimayo.com/history/history.htm) for a leisurely lunch and the best Chimayo Margarita ever. They have several Vegetarian plates which are tasty, but my companions have enjoyed many other dishes including the Green Chile Stew. The Margarita is unique made with Gold Tequila, Crème de Cassis and Apple Cider. I included the recipe in an earlier post.

One of the restaurants in Santa Fe that is known for its lunches and dinners is actually my favorite Breakfast spot, Pasquales (http://www.pasquals.com/about.html ). Their Huevos Motoulenos are the best; Eggs on a Corn Tortilla with Black Beans, Sautéed bananas, Feta Cheese (only a little) Peas and Salsa. Sounds weird but it is wonderful. I have their cookbook and have made this for brunch and people enjoyed it. Not only was the food great at Pasquales, but the artistic New Mexican atmosphere made for a great start to my day. They also had some great chocolate cookies at check out which people bought for breakfast.

I wouldn’t say the recipe I am about to share is “authentic” Santa Fe, but with all the diversity in cooking in the area, I think it is still safe to term it Santa Fe Pasta Sauce. In any case, it reminds me of my artistic days in Santa Fe and it tastes great too.

Actually this is a recipe from Cooking Light. It makes enough for eight so invite your friends over or half the recipe if that is too much. The recipe calls for Sour Cream, but if you don’t like it, I don’t see why you couldn’t leave it out. It does add to the creaminess of the dish. The same goes with the Black Olives, if you don’t like them, don’t use them.

You are welcome to use low sodium ingredients if you want less salt in your diet. I would suggest you stick with the Fettuccini noodles, they hold the sauce well. You could use a multigrain or whole wheat fettuccini if you want to add some fiber (and Lord knows we need our fiber!) Obviously, I don’t eat the chicken, but if you are a carnivore, go at it!

Be sure to eat this with a tasty Chimayo Margarita. It will make you happy and frisky!

Santa Fe Pasta Sauce

1 TBL Olive Oil
½ cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves minced
1 (16oz) jar salsa (your favorite. I prefer mine smoky)
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn
¾ cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup chopped ripe olives
½ cup low-fat sour cream (not nonfat)
½ tsp Creole Seasoning
4 (4oz) skinned, boned chicken breast halves
Cooking spray
4 cups hot cooked fettuccine (about 8oz uncooked pasta)
Slices pickled jalapenos (optional unless you are a Texan in which case you will use fresh and it won’t be an option)

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and sauté 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low. Stir in salsa and tomato sauce; cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add corn, beans, olives, sour cream, and Creole Seasoning; cook 4 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Keep warm.

Prepare grill or broiler. Place chicken on a grill rack or broiler pan coated with cooking spray(coat the grill before heating it unless you want a visit from your local fire department); cook 5 minutes on each side or until done. Slice chicken lengthwise into ½ inch wide strips.

Spoon the sauce over the pasta. Top with grilled chicken strips, and garnish with the peppers if desired or if you are Texan.

Yield 8 servings (serving size: ½ cup sauce, ½ cup pasta and about 4 strips of grilled chicken)
Calories 302(21%from fat) Fat 7.2g (2.1 g saturated) Protein 24.5g; Cholesterol 54mg; Calcium 73mg; Sodium 592 mg; Fiber 3.8g; Iron 2.8mg; Carbohydrate 34.6g.

Enjoy!

Recipes from previous posts

Here are the past recipes from my previous blog:
Here is a recipe for Cachacha Mojitos. Cachacha is a Brazilian form of rum distilled from pure sugar cane rather than molasses.
Recipe:
1. 1.5 - 2 oz. of Cachaça
2. 2 teaspoons of sugar. (raw evaporated sugar cane or Turbinado sugar is best)
3. 1 Lime, cut into wedges.
4. 5-6 mint leaves (preferably fresh)
5. . Enough ice to fill up the glass one and half times (crushed is fantastic, but regular will work just fine)Put mint and sugar in a shaker. Squeeze some lime in also (from a wedge) Muddle with a pestle until mint is torn and mashed up and most of the sugar is dissolved.Add Cachaca to the shaker. Fill your glass with ice. Pour the ice in the shaker. Shake for half a minute then pour into a glass. Top the glass with ice and enjoy.
Garnish with lime and sprig of mint.Another great garnish is a stick of peeled sugar cane if you can get it.

This comes from the Grill Book, New Food and Flavors for the Grill:http://www.strandbooks.com/app/www/p/qsearch?author=McCune%2C+Kelly%3B+Thomas+Ingalls%2C+Designer%3B+David+Barich%2C+Producer

It was rated the top specialty book of 1987 (yes I have had it awhile, it is out of print!) By the International Association of Cooking Professionals and Joseph E Seagram and Sons. The recipes are excellent and the pictures are wonderful.

This recipe is for a grill marinade that I used on Chicken using Marsala Wine. It is very Italian so a great accompaniment would be some cooked spaghetti with a simple Italian tomato sauce and maybe some garlic bread. A salad would round things out. Ok you can add a nice Cappucino for dessert with a bit of Amaretto on the side. Why not?Although this recipe is for grilled chicken, I have frozen individual boneless skinless chicken breasts (pounded flat) in this marinade in baggies, then defrosted them and baked the chicken in the oven for easy after work preparation.

Note: No I am not eating Chicken now….thus the 1987 cookbook!! Just because I am a vegetarian doesn’t mean you have to be!

Marsala Marinade:
1 ½ cups Marsala
½ cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves chopped
1 tsp fennel seed
3 tsp chopped fresh oregano (or 1 tsp dried)
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
Freshly ground pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Whisk to emulsify. Marinate poultry for 4 hours before grilling.Grill until done. I basted the chicken while grilling. Serve with or over pasta with freshly grated good quality Parmesan.Thats if for now.


Here is a darn easy recipe. It comes from the Central Market website. Shirley and I made it back when she was living with me and we really enjoyed it…especially since it was EASY!

BEAN AND CALBACITA TACOS
1 cup instant refried beans (you can get a vegetarian brand if you are a veggie)
1 butternut squash
2 tbl grape seed oil (or substitute what you have as long as it can take high heat)
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cumin
2 tsp honey
Tabasco sauce to taste
Salt and Pepper to taste
8 taco shells or 8 soft corn tortillas
4oz feta cheese, crumbled (Queso Fresco would be more authentic)
Chopped green onions

Mix one cup of boiling water with the black beans and set aside. Peel and clean the squash, removing the seeds and strings, and chop into ½ inch chunks . This is the hardest part of the recipe so here is a suggestion we tried and it made this much easier: “Poke it with a knife in a bunch of places, microwave it for 3 minutes, leave it to cool, and it peels very easily.”

Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat, and add the oil. When the oil smokes, add the squash cubes and toss well. Sprinkle in the seasonings and honey, and sauté over high heat, tossing frequently, until browned outside and tender, but not mushy.

Assemble tacos by spooning in black beans and topping with the squash and the cheese and green onions. Serve two to a plate.
4 servings.

I was trying to think of a good recipe to give you. Since it is winter, I thought you might like a more warming recipe. I don’t really have much of a recipe but I assume you have been cooking for yourself long enough to figure this one out.

I love this Baked Stuffed Squash, so here it is:

Baked Stuffed Acorn Squash

Get one or two Acorn Squash and cut them in half and either bake them cut side down with some water in the bottom of the pan for about 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees or Microwave them covered and cut side down with some water until tender. I think that should be about 8-10 minutes but don’t hold me to that time.

Once that is done, lightly cook some lean ground beef or even better a mix of beef and sausage (I use either soy crumbles or veggie sausage with a little butter). Drain if you are using meat. Add chopped fresh apples, skin and all and cook just for a minute or so. Add cinnamon, brown sugar and some butter.

That is the basic stuffing, but I add dried cranberries or dried cherries and dried apricots cut into little pieces. Then to make it even better add some chopped walnuts (I bet chopped almonds would be good too).

Stuff this mixture into the squash and dot some butter on top or spray the butter on to keep everything moist. If you want to be really decadent you can drizzle some maple syrup on top of use it instead of the brown sugar.

Bake for about 20-25 minutes at 350 or till cooked and hot. You will have to figure the amounts that will fit into the two or four squash halves. I would guess ½ lb of meat per 2 halves would work.

If this sounds oh so complicated…which it isn’t, then you can make a

Hot Apple Cider Toddy to warm you up.

Go get yourself a bottle of Apple Cider and Spice juice at Whole Foods or make some mulled cider (you can even get some Alpine Spice Cider packets at the grocery (Albertsons carries it)if you are really basic…even sugar free if you prefer. http://www.continentalmills.com/brands/alpine/spiced_cider_mixes/ ).

Make some fat free or low fat cool whip mixed with a bit of rum extract . Open a bottle of whiskey or some good rum (or leave out if you are on the wagon).Crush some graham crackers to make crumbs and add some cinnamon to it. Heat the cider in a mug. Put in a cinnamon stick. Add a shot of whiskey or rum to it if preferred. Top with the Rum flavored Cool Whip and sprinkle some of the Graham Cracker mix on top.

Pick up the phone and dial takeout then drink your Toddy. By the time your dinner gets there you will be warm, cozy and relaxed.

Stay warm and Enjoy.

Since it is fall, I thought I would share with you a couple of fall "warmers". Otherwise known as alcoholic beverages.

The first drink I had while in Chimayo, New Mexico at the Rancho de Chimayo Restaurant. It's a great place to relax, have their special Margarita and enjoy the afternoon. Chimayo is known for the church where miraculous healings have occured. http://chimayo.org/history.html. Needless to say, I did bring some of the dirt from the chapel home with me.The second drink is just the best, richest, tastiest homemade hot chocolate I have had.

Once you have the ingredients together it is a cinch to make. It's best on a blustery cold evening.

Chimayo Margarita
1/4 oz lemon juice
1 1/4 oz premium tequila
1 1/2 oz apple cider
1/4 oz Creme de Cassis (I have substituted Frambois)
Apple wedges thinly sliced for garnish

Add tequila, creme de cassis, cider and lemon juice to a shaker. Blend well and pour over ice into a glass. Garnish with apple wedges

Italian Hot Chocolate with Espresso, Lemon and Anise

4 cups Whole Milk(not lowfat!!)
3/4 cup of sugar (blasphemy!)
4 oz unsweetened chocolate finely chopped
2 oz semisweet chocolate finely chopped
2 tbl Instant espresso powder
5 1/2 inch wide strips lemon peel
6 tbl anise flavored liqueur such as sambuca

Combine everything but the liqueur in a saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth and it comes to a boil. Remove from heat then mix in liqueur. Divide among cups. Drink up!Hope you enjoy these!


After a nice dinner at III Forks, the waiter brought us a complimentary cocktail that was sweet and delicious. He said it was made with coconut milk, Irish whiskey and I thought he said Sambuca, but I am not sure about the Sambuca addition. Subsequently, when I came home I tried to find a similar recipe on line to no avail.I did however read about all things coconut. I had wondered how as kids we had opened coconuts, not being that strong or determined.

Most of the articles about opening coconuts only talked about opening the shell. Well that part is a no brainer. If you have a hammer and screwdriver all you do is hammer open the eyes, drain the “milk” then hit the shell until it cracks.The husk is a different matter. I think I now remember what we did. The article I read suggested you could open it with a machete, unless of course you were concerned that you might cut something off that you need! I would suspect that most anyone would agree, given that thought, they would opt for another method.

Their other suggestion made a lot more sense and I am sure as kids this was our method.

The method is simple: basically you take the pointed end of the coconut (not the end that was attached to the stalk), point it at the cement (ie. sidewalk) and from a distance of about 3-4 feet toss it like a football at the ground. this might take a few shots, but if you have a ripe coconut, are lucky or skillful, you will be able to get the husk to split long-ways around the circumference of the coconut. Then you can peel off the husk and crack the coconut's shell to get to the meat inside.Not only does it sound safer (as long as you are a good aim) but it is probably more fun too.


So in the interest of all things coconut, here are a few recipes:

Orange Coconut Salmon
4 (4oz) filets salmon
1 (7oz) pkg flaked coconut
2cups orange juice
4 tablespoons orange marmalade
1 egg beaten
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Place salmon in a Ziploc with orange juice and marinate in the refrigerator several hours or overnight.Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Coat salmon filets with egg. Dip filets in coconut and arrange in a single layer on a medium baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until the coconut is golden and the fish flakes easily with a fork.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, blend orange marmalade and Dijon mustard. Heat until warm and serve as a dipping sauce for the salmon.(From Allrecipes, submitted by Ellen)

Tangy Coconut Chicken

2 lbs chicken parts
½ cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 ½ TBL Water
¼ tsp salt
½ cup dry unseasoned bread crumbs
½ cup shredded coconut
½ cup butter or margarine melted (yes it isnt low fat!)

Prick chicken pieces on all sides with fork tines. Place in a snug container or Ziploc. Combine lemon juice, Worcestershire, water and salt. Pour over chicken coating completely. Set aside for one hour (in fridge).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a Ziploc, combine bread crumbs and coconut. Coat chicken with butter and then with the crumb mixture. Arrange in a single layer in a shallow baking pan. Pour remaining butter over the chicken. Bake until tender about 1 hour.

Garnish with parsley and lemon wedges.

Non- AlcoholicMANGO-CARDAMOM DELIGHT

1 cup coconut milk
scant 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 cups mango chunks

In a blender, combine coconut milk and cardamom.Gradually blend in mango chunks until smooth

Coconut lime cooler

This is a variation of a Sandra Lee recipe
2 parts pineapple-coconut juice
1 squeeze of lime juice
1 part vanilla vodka
1/2 part milk or vanilla frozen yogurt
1/2 part banana Schnapps
Ice cubes
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup sweetened coconut flakes

Add all ingredients, except coconut flakes and honey, in a cocktail shaker with ice.

Pour honey onto a plate. Lay out coconut on a plate. Dip the rims of chilled glasses into honey and roll in coconut.

Shake and pour ingredients from the cocktail shaker into chilled martini glasses to serve.


Here is a recipe for a soup I made last week. It is really good and not too difficult. The wine in it is essential to the flavor.

Even though it is hot here, I always enjoy making soup. Amazingly, my mother really liked this, not realizing I had made it with Tofurkey! She is a die hard carnivore, so I get points for this one!

If the idea of Tofurkey sausage scares you (I know it did me until I tried it) then go ahead…be a carnivore. Get some good Italian sausage and use it!

It always tastes better with some nice Italian bread and a glass of Chianti!

Note: I have never made the full recipe. Being single, half the recipe is quite enough for me. If you make a half recipe, cut down the cooking time accordingly

If this inspires you to cook, let me know how you like it.

Italian Sausage Soup

1 ½ to 2 lb Mild Italian Sausage cut in pieces (or an equal amt. of Tofurkey Italian sausage with Sundried Tomatoes)
2 onions peeled and chopped
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 28oz can Italian style tomatoes undrained
2 Medium Zucchini sliced
1 Large Green Pepper seeded and chopped
2 qts beef broth (or if Vegie you can use a mushroom broth base, I found one at the grocery)1 cup dry red wine such as Chianti
1 pkg (3oz) of Spaghetti sauce with Mushrooms ( I have never used this, I use a jarred spaghetti sauce and cut down on the broth)
1 pkg (7oz) elbow macaroni
Grated or Slivered Fresh Parmesan or Asiago cheese.

Brown sausage; remove from skillet and reserve. Saute onion and garlic in sausage fat (or if using Tofurkey, olive oil…much healthier!) until tender.

Combine sausage, onion, garlic and vegetables in Crock pot or Dutch oven (big saucepan!) Add beef broth and wine (cut back on the broth if you plan to use jarred spaghetti sauce.) Add enough cold water to the spaghetti sauce mix (or use the spaghetti sauce from the jar) to make a smooth paste. Stir into the pot until well blended.

Cover and cook on low in the Crockpot for 6-8 hrs or in a Dutch oven for a couple of hours, until the vegetables are tender.

Near the end of the cooking time cook the macaroni and add it to the soup.Serve with Parmesan. Yum.8 servings

I thought I would share another good Summertime Recipe. It is a Cherry Blue Cheese Salad.

The original recipe came with a gift someone gave me of chocolate covered Cherries, but Chukar Cherries (http://www.chukar.com/category/67) also sells dried tart cherries.

To be honest, I buy mine at Whole Foods. Either will work in this recipe.

I am going to give you the basics as their recipe calls for about 12 cups of greens. Way too much.

Cherry Blue-Cheese Salad:

What you need:Butter Lettuce (torn)
Radicchio (if you are feeling rich) (torn)
Dried tart cherries
Red Onion (sliced)
Merlot wine about 1/4 cup (or Port)
Raspberry Vinegar (you can get this at just about any grocery)
Lemon Juice (fresh is best)
Dijon Mustard
Extra Virgin Olive oil
Honey
Black pepper
Gorgonzola or Blue Cheese
Nuts (Walnuts, Slice or Slivered Almonds, Hazelnuts or even Pecans will work) Toast them.
Salt

For the greens, combine a mixture of butter lettuce and Radicchio 3-1 ratio Butter to Radicchio(Not that I have ever done this, I just use the lettuce mix I have on hand!)

Take however many dried cherries you want and soak them in Merlot wine. Port works good too.

To make the dressing combine 2 tbsp raspberry vinegar, 2tbl fresh lemon juice, 2 tsp Dijon mustard, 1/2 tsp pepper and 2 tsp honey and whisk it together. (The dressing mixes better if you dont add the oil at first) Add 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and whisk again. (Now the original recipe calls for 1/3 cup oil, but I like a sharper dressing and one lower in fat). If you are needing more dressing, just double or triple the recipe (or just use the ingredients and eyeball the amounts).

To put it all together, mix the greens with the cherries, gorgonzola or blue cheese and toasted nuts. Red onion is optional.Dress the salad lightly, mix and add salt as needed.

Some nice wholegrain toast would be a good side.

I guess if I was a meat eater, I would suggest a beef or pork main course, but I'm not, so hardboil an egg and get your protein that way. :) or eat some tofu. The salad alone is meal enough for me!

Summer Grilling-Teriyaki Shrimp Kabobs

I love grilling in the summer and I have this great Coleman grill.

In Texas, Cory was kind enough to set it up for me. I loved cooking on the patio on a warm summer night or on a blustery fall evening. Sometimes I got a bit carried away.

Polly, Anthony and Shirley must have a lot of faith in me, because grilling Italian Sausages with all the grease in them can make quite a flame up...a bit nerve racking, but I managed not to burn the complex down that night :)

My patio here is screened in and there are strict rules against grilling, so I took my grill over to my mothers and set it up there. Last weekend, I promised her a nice grilled dinner.

She being the carnivore and me being the semi-vegie that I am, I had to come up with something we both would enjoy. What I settled on was Teriyaki Shrimp Kabobs and they were delicious, so I thought I would share the recipe with you.

Actually there is no recipe, per se, but this is what I did.

I went to my favorite hang out " World Market" in search of a good Teriyaki Sauce. In Texas, Central Market makes a nice syrupy sweet teriyaki marinade, but there are no Central Markets here!What I did find was Kona Coast Brand Ginger, Wasabi, Teryaki Marinade http://www.mezzetta.com/about/whatsnew/product_3.php .

I had some fresh delicious Costa Rican Sugar Pineapple, so I cut it in chunks. I also had a red onion, so I alternated chunks of red onion, pineapple and Shrimp on metal skewers (you can probably use presoaked wooden skewers, but it is nice to have a set of metal kabob skewers in the house anyway)and brushed them with the marinade.

The Shrimp was fairly large. Smaller ones cook too fast. They were peeled with the tail still on.Once I skewered them I brushed them with the Marinade

.I made a pot of brown rice and heated the grill just before it was through cooking. Then all I did was cook the shrimp kabobs on an oiled (oiled prior to the preheating for safety's sake) grill brushing with the marinade to keep them moist

(One note: If I were to do it again I would either soak the Red Onion chunks first to get the heat out or more likely, I would slightly precook them They were a little underdone and quite sharp tasting).

I thought a squeeze of lime towards the end of grilling would add a nice flavor or serving lime wedges with the meal.

I wasn't able to find bean sprouts (That's another story, the food stores in Wellington area! Whole Foods is building here and I go by weekly, impatiently awaiting their Grand Opening!) but a great way to finish the brown rice is to add some soy sauce, bean sprouts and chopped peanuts just before serving.

Some sauteed snow peas or sauteed snow peas mixed with red pepper slices is a great accompaniment.

Anyway, it turned out to be a wonderful easy dinner with not a whole lot of clean up.

Oh, and I must not forget dessert.....I bought some Hagen Dazs Reserve Hawaiian Lehua Honey and Sweet Cream Ice Cream...but I forgot to bring it over to my Mothers. I am enjoying it though! They also make a Toasted Coconut Ice Cream http://www.haagendazs.com/reserve/. Mango Ice Cream sounds good too or you can go for the old Chinese Restaurant staple, Orange Sherbet!

Hope you get a chance to make these.

I have a favorite New Mexican Cornbread recipe I wanted to share with you. It is great with BBQ Brisket or even better with some good Texas Chili.

I only normally make one substitiution, and that is using low fat extra sharp cheddar or 2% milkfat extra sharp or sharp cheddar for the full fat version. Those of you that don't like onions, sorry. I think they add a lot to the taste and they are minced so you don't get too much onion flavor at once. You can try it without as you please, but you may have to make some adjustments on the liquid or substitue something else, maybe popped wild rice ( yes it does pop like pop corn)

You can get blue cornmeal at Wholefoods or Central Market. I think Wholefoods is cheaper. Sprouts or Wild Oats might have it too.

Remember to preheat the oven and check the bread at 40 minutes. If you overcook it, it will be too dry.

You can double the jalapenos if you are a heat freak!

Jalapeno-Cheddar Cornbread

1/4 cup jalapeno chiles, stems and seeds removed, chopped fine
1 cup blue cornmeal
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 cups of buttermilk
1 cup minced onions
2 eggs, beaten severely
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese.

Combine all the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.Heat the milk with the jalapenos and onions and allow to cool, then combine the eggs and cheese in a small bowl.

In a huge bowl, add the cooled milk, eggs and cheese to the dry ingredients and blend until smooth (or use a huge bowl for the dry ingredients then add the above ingredients, less dishes)

Pour this mixture into a greased 9 in square pan and bake in a 350 degree oven for 40-50 minutes or until the cornbread is browned and firm.

Serves 6
From: Just North of the Border by Dave Dewitt and Nancy Gerlach ( the chili guys)

Grilled Mahi-Mahi with Mild Red Thai Curry Sauce

I don't know where I got this recipe, but I really enjoy it. I think I have only used the mahi mahi once. I usually just use something that is fresh at the time, usually a white fish like halibut or maybe cod. I don't use tilapia because honestly I think it tastes like the bottom feeder it is.

I use light coconut milk and Taste of Thai Red Curry in the packet (I get it at Wholefoods or Central Market). The other red curry brands are painfully hot to me. This brand is milder.

This is actually very easy. It is served with sauteed corn, mushrooms and spinach. If you have never tried this combination, I suggest you do. It is wonderful.

The red curry sauce is good on chicken or shrimp too.

3 tbl peanut oil
1 garlic clove minced
11/2 tsp minced peeled fresh ginger (or if you are lazy, get the minced ginger in the jar)
2 tsp curry powder ( I dont love this so I use just a little)
2 tsp Taste of Thai Red Curry paste
2 tsp paprika
3/4 tsp ground cumin
2tbl soy sauce
2 tbl tomato puree (or paste and some water to thin it)
2tbl light brown sugar
1 14oz can unsweetened coconut milk (or light coconut milk)
4 mahi mahi filets
8oz each ( mine are usually half that size)
Olive oil for grilling
Salt and fresh ground pepper

Prepare the grill. Measure the ingredients and have them by the stove.

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger. Cook 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low, and add the curry powder, curry paste, paprika and cumin. Stir and cook for 2 minutes

Raise the heat back to medium, and add the soy sauce, tomato puree, brown sugar and coconut milk, whisking after each addition. When small bubbles form around the edge of the saucepan, simmer very gently for 10 minutes, whisking frequently. Do not allow to boil.

At this point I would get the corn side dish cooked and keep it warm.

Brush the fish with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until cooked through. Serve immediately with the sauce.
4 servings ( or 8 if you are me).

If you can't find the red curry paste, here is a store locatorhttp://www.atasteofthai.com/products_by_category.cfm?CatID=1Try it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.


Eggs with Feta and Tomato

I was reading my favorite blog today, 101 Cookbooks regarding her favorite Egg Recipes (it being Easter and all!).

Here is mine. I think it comes from the Dean and DeLuca cookbook, but don't quote me on that. In any case, it satisfies the Albanian in me.

Baked Feta, Tomato and Egg.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Put a little bit of olive oil in 4 ramekins. Slice 4 thick slices from a ripe tomato. Put a slice in each ramekin. Cut 1/2 lb of Greek Feta (or milder French if you prefer) into 8 slices. On top of each tomato slice, place 2 of the Feta slices.

Break an egg on top of the feta in each dish. Season with paprika, salt and pepper.

Bake until the eggs set, 20-25 minutes. Drizzle a little good olive oil on top.

If you happen to have Oregano leaves around (which most of you probably don't!), garnish with them.

Eat with some good toasted, Kalamata Olive, Rosemary or Sourdough bread.
4 servings