Category Archives: snack

Thank You TJ’s

That is “Trader Joe’s” for the uninitiated.  I like this store for certain things – organic frozen items, unusual but healthy snack things, and prepared things like: already cooked beets or in this case already cooked lentils. Yup admitting it right here and now. I purchased precooked lentils. And I can justify the under $3 price for like 10 servings of lentils. (I already threw the box out, but it was a lot, like enough-for-a-party-lot.)

And by the time I truck over to “whole paycheck” and buy in bulk, bring them home and inevitably over cook them, I already have enjoyed a quick nutritious lunch. For several days.

It couldn’t have been simpler: A chopped sweet red pepper, some finely diced red onion, some cubed bits of cucumber, some crumbled feta and a quick dressing of oil, vinegar and Italian seasoning. What could be easier. That is why I thank TJ’s – for making my healthy eating just a little bit more convenient.

lentil salad

P.S. for some fun reading check out the raging debate over these very lentils at chowhound. Jeez these people ought to lighten up!

P.P.S. I did not receive any promotional considerations for this product review but TJ’s if you are listening.. feel free to send free stuff!

Chasing JoJos

Still trying to recreate the mythical JoJos of my youth.

If you haven’t had or heard of JoJos – you can read my last posting about them here or if that is too much clicking here is a short review…

Potatoes, scrubbed but skin on, cut length-wise, quarters and maybe quarters again. Coated in a delicious crispy coating, crunchy on the outside, fluffy on the inside.

But these are not steak fries. They are JoJos – think “chicken fried potatoes.” Except the real ones are “broasted!”

But on this JoJo day I was inspired to make some crispy coated, oven-baked versions.

Mary was my husband’s uncle’s mother-in-law (better take a minute on that one) and she apparently made the best potatoes. One time last summer I actually had the pleasure of meeting her and of course I managed to work the topic into conversation and although no real recipe was given – I gleaned enough to get the idea that she was basically making an Italian oven-baked JoJo.

From what I could gather there was butter and lots of it. Some breadcrumbs. The seasoning – Italian blend in her case. And don’t “fahget the Paaaarmm Ma.” (That is Massachusetts vernacular for “don’t leave out the Parmesan cheese mom.”) And plenty of tossing and turning in the pan during cooking time.

So I blended up a mix of seasoned bread crumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, some seasonings (mostly Italian in nature) that I annoyingly and uncharacteristically forgot to write down and tossed the raw potato wedges in hot melted butter before coating them in the breadcrumb mix and baking in a hot (400-425 degrees) oven. I tossed them carefully, several times, during cooking to ensure even crispy-ness and to make sure no butter got left behind in the pan. About a total of 30 mins +/- Basically until the thickest wedge is fork tender.

They were delicious!

Crispy and delicious, but definitely not "broasted!"

Crispy and delicious, but definitely not “broasted!”

Holiday Snacking

I never met a cheese I didn’t like and of course we all know my obsession with Robusto. So it seems shocking that I would consider any other cheese. However, just before Christmas, when I was perusing the Whole Foods cheese department (okay you got me…I was actually eating them out of all their samples)- I was inspired to set up a little cheese board.

Anybody who has shopped there and spent any time in the cheese department may have seen a little basket tucked away by the olive bar full of cheese odds and ends. I love it because it is a great way to sample some pretty fancy cheeses without committing to a big expensive piece. On this day I struck gold with some fairly decent size pieces. I saw a plan for a forming.

I got a little fancy on the cheese board and offered the fig spread that is so good with cheese and crackers. And when I was over in produce they had the most beautiful little Satsuma Mandarins, so I peeled a few of those into a pretty dish and used some whole ones with their wonderful greens.

I didn’t worry about “pairing” my cheeses or complimenting flavors, I just went with what was in the basket of odds and ends. Oh, but I must confess, after eating an embarrassing amount of samples I did buy a full size wedge of the Parrano Gouda. It was the least I could do.  But no need to worry Robusto – you remain my first and true love!

Since I was only hosting a couple of folks – this and some homemade cheese straws were all that was needed to kick off dinner!

holiday snacks

Hot Sauce And Cereal

Sounds weird, but not what you think…

Corn-flake fried chicken tenders flavored with Frank’s® Buffalo Wing Sauce!

Served with homemade diner style mac-n-cheese and bleu cheese dressing for dipping.

SO YUMMY if I say so myself!

The whole thing started with a stroll thru the hot sauce aisle  – that started an immediate craving for wings. But being a bit lazy I decided that I didn’t want to deal with bones. So as I picked up some chicken tenders, I thought about how I would get a crisp exterior on them before tossing them in the tasty mix of hot sauce and margarine. (That’s tradition, don’t mess with tradition.)

As I was putting a box of corn flakes in the cart, I noticed on the back they had printed their recipe for “corn-flake” fried chicken. (If you haven’t tried this kind of fried chicken, try it.) So it was fate. I knew exactly how I would make my crisp chicken tenders. Buffalo-style.

I marinated my tenders in a mix of milk, hot sauce, salt and pepper. I think an hour is a minimum and longer would be better. Buttermilk would be good too, instead of milk, but who has that lying around?

Crush up plenty of corn flake cereal. It is good to have most of it pretty small, like bread crumbs, to get good coverage. But you also want some not as finely crushed so you have all the texture of the “crevices.” Now set up your stations: flour* – egg – crushed cereal. (standard breading technique, ya’ll) Tip: Let them rest on the rack for a few if you plan on shallow or deep-frying, so the coating can really adhere.

I was baking these – so I sprayed my pan and the rack I would be baking on with non-stick spray. Lay the tenders carefully on and now spray those with some “spray butter.” (This is a great – but – chemical- laden product that I keep on hand for “healthy” un-frying in the oven – you can lightly drizzle the tenders with some melted, organic, low-sodium, butter instead) It is important that the coating on the tenders have some kind of “fat” moisture so they will crisp up in the oven.

Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 30-40 mins depending on the size/thickness of your tenders. Watch carefully to be sure they don’t burn. Flip once if you dare – carefully – to crisp the other side. Drizzle with melted margarine-hot sauce mix and serve more on the side for dipping if you want.

The leftovers make spectacular sandwiches!!

Production Notes

The amounts I used…

2 lbs +/- boneless chicken tenders

1 cup milk

1/2 cup +/- hot sauce

*flour (or for gluten-free: use cornstarch or masa) for light dredging

1 egg

3 1/2 cups corn flake cereal (measured pre-crush)

Non-stick spray

“Spray butter”

For the sauce:

1 stick of margarine and 3/4 cup +/- hot sauce – melt together on low in sauce pan

Dad’s Pear Tree

There is a pear tree in my parent’s yard. It has been there forever. I don’t know if my dad planted it or if it was there when they bought the property and built the house over 40 years ago. It’s just always been there.

It has seen some history: I wiped out on my bicycle on the driveway below it and I am sure I had some near misses with it as a new car driver. I know my dad bit into a pear every year only to be disappointed in its impossibly tough and sometimes wormy interior. He would complain and ponder why such a promising fruit tree never amounted too much.

Then my dad passed away in early spring 2011 and that very year and this year too it made the most wonderful pears. Large and unblemished. He would have loved them.

So when my mother brought down a whole bag full on recent visit to my house, I decided to bake with them.

There is nothing easier than pulling open the freezer and grabbing a package of pre-made dough rounds, otherwise know as “discos.” So I mixed up the diced pears with a little brown sugar, ground ginger, dash of ground nutmeg, dash of salt , bit of cornstarch and a pat of butter for each little pear turnover.

Brush them with a little melted butter and sprinkle a little sugar on, bake them at 400 degrees until done. Don’t burn your mouth on the hot filling!

He would have loved these!

Corn & Tomatoes

Corn and tomatoes are a traditional marriage of flavors in New England and probably all over the country. But while I wait for tomato season to start here in Massachusetts, I decided to make a twist on this flavor combination. Sun-dried tomatoes and creamed corn! Before you click to another blog, let me clarify that I used this as a filling for some empanadas. And my husband (who tells it like it is) thought they were delicious.

The filling was simply: 1 and half 8oz blocks of cream cheese (softened at near room temp is best); approximately 20 sun-dried tomatoes, reconstituted and drained; 1 clove of garlic; 1 can (14.4 oz) creamed corn; salt and pepper to taste. Combine all into a food processor until smooth. Remove the mixture. For texture and more corn flavor, add 1 cup (+/-) of frozen corn kernels that are defrosted and have been roasted on a sheet pan with salt,pepper and oil in the oven.

Stuff 20 defrosted “discos“  dough rounds with a couple teaspoons of this mixture and fold over the edges, sealing with a little water and a fork crimp. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven on sheet pans until the empanadas are puffy, golden brown and “polka-dotted.” For the non-dieters out there try frying these little beauties instead of baking.

“polka-dotted” empanadas!

Cravings

We all crave for something at one time or another. Sometimes its attention we crave, sometimes we long for the past and sometimes we just need some chocolate.

Last week I was craving Buffalo Wings. It was no wonder with all that Superbowl hype! It seemed like every channel I turned to, had some guest chef on making their versions of spicy Buffalo wings.

Well my craving was finally satisfied. Two-fold. I made traditional spicy Buffalo wings and my neighbor made spicy buffalo chicken dip!

The wings…

I have never actually made wings myself – usually I leave that up to the experts at the bar. But they were easy. Just oven bake a couple of pounds +/- of wings until crispy – nothing on them not even a speck of oil! Meanwhile mix a 12 oz bottle of Frank’s® Redhot® new thick sauce with 1/2 stick of margarine (yes margarine was part of the original wing invention) and a dash of soy sauce and a dash of Worcestershire sauce.  Heat until bubbly and slightly reduced. Coat the hot, roasted wings and serve with the usual blue cheese dip and veggies.

The dip…

If you haven’t tried the “dip version” of this game day treat – well you better make friends with my neighbor or look up a recipe on the internet because it is delicious and even better than the actual wings because you can eat more at a time on chips than you can get from a little wing!

Thanks for sending that over, Joanie!

Disco Party

I had a disco party last weekend.

And although we do actually own a mirrored disco ball (rumored to be an actual relic from the now defunct “Palace nightclub” in Saugus, MA!) it wasn’t that kind of party. It was the kind that uses the frozen dough rounds called discos from brands like Goya and LeFey. You find them in the freezer section and you can make instant little savory empanadas or delicious little hand-pies with them.

I made both that day.

Savory filling on the left: 1/4 lb of ground lamb with 1 small sweet Italian sausage crumbled, browned and cooled. 1 tiny jar (5oz) of pumpkin butter, 1 tablespoon of dried, rubbed sage and 1 can (15.5oz) of black beans, drained and rinsed. Pulse it in the Cuisinart and fill 7 discos, seal, bake and devour.

Sweet filling on the right: 1 small package (6oz) of blackberries, 6 teaspoons of brown sugar, 3 teaspoons of salted butter – divide 3 ingredients equally between 3 discos, seal, bake and devour.

Discos make fun “game day” food!

Waste Not, Want Not

I freeze everything – even if it is just a small amount. It can always be used. I waste almost nothing.

So if a recipe calls for a small amount of crushed pineapple and all I have is the big can size, I go ahead and open it anyway because I will just freeze the rest. If I have some BBQ sauce leftover – whether homemade or bottled, I go ahead and freeze it before it sits in the fridge for another month.

You get the idea.

The other day when I looked in my freezer with the intention of finding inspiration…I found it.

What do you get when you put a frozen, bought-on-sale mini pork roast together with some leftover frozen bits of crushed pineapple and some BBQ sauce and few things that you have on hand already?

Sweet and Sour Pork!

I added 1 medium onion rough chopped and a sweet red pepper that had been hanging around my crisper. Along with the last of my green, bell peppers from the garden!

I also added a hefty amount of low sodium soy sauce and a small dash of fish sauce – both from the pantry.

I put the whole thing in a low temperature slow-cooker at 7:30 in the morning and went to work.

I came home to dinner all ready and smelling good! Just add rice!

Oh and it makes great leftovers for re-heating!

Pineapple Tomatillos

Check out these beauties and yes, I got the “good” dishes out for this picture.

A couple of weekends ago, hanging out with my mom in NH, we were making our usual Saturday afternoon dash down the road to the local farm stand to buy our regular supper of corn and tomatoes on the porch when I spotted these out of the corner of my eye.

Upon first glance I just thought they were really little but typical Tomatillos. (You all know that green “tomato-like” thing that comes in a husk and is the base for Salsa Verde, right?) Well I LOVE Tomatillos so I looked closer and saw a sign that said “Pineapple Tomatillos.” I immediately yelled out for Steve.  Steve is the 6 foot plus muscular, tan, tank-top wearing farmer-owner at the farm stand. He is married to a pretty, gentle and knowledgeable lady named Kathy. Together they run The Depot farm stand – and you just know they have a great (but hard-working) life!

Anyway he immediately offered me a sample and I was smitten. Pineapple-flavor but not citrus-y. Sort of rich like a jam. The smaller green ones have little more sour to them but nothing crazy. I instantly had visions of how to prepare these. Certainly nothing as pedestrian as a salsa with corn chips. More like a warm sweet salsa to serve with spicy pork chops. Kinda New England fall-meets-Hawaii-meets-Jamaica. Or maybe as an exotic croissant filling?  But just enjoying these freshly husked and popped right into your mouth might just be the best way.

 

Jojos on the grill

Ever had a Jojo? How about grilled Jojos?

That’s what I thought. You aren’t even sure what a Jojo is. When I had my first Jojo I didn’t know what they were called but they were delicious.

A Jojo is essentially a potato that is cut in quarters, lengthwise with skin left on. Than it is coated in a light, crisp, highly seasoned coating and fried. The best ones are actually “pressure-fried” as in “broasted.”

Now I know what you are thinking…”steak fries, I have those all the time.” Nope these are not steak fries – they are Jojos. (steak fries are thinner and don’t have a coating.)

The first ones I ever had, and these are the stick by which I measure all others, had a coating similar to fried chicken but not as thick. My mouth waters just thinking about it. And to think that was over 30 years ago at a very small town convenience store in the middle of rural New Hampshire!

My husband had his first Jojos about 15 years ago at a local joint in his neighborhood of Cambridge, MA.  A place that happens to have the best fried chicken in the area. No surprise there – they go hand in hand.

Anyway this past weekend I thought it might be fun to try a “grilled Jojo.” I coated the cut potatoes in oil and after perusing several variations of the coating recipe on the web, I settled on simple coating of seasoned salt and granulated garlic powder. I didn’t want to try to grill a potato coated first with a light egg wash and then lightly coated in seasoned flour, but that would have been much more traditional. If I was frying or even oven-baking that is what I would have done. But since I was grilling I didn’t want to risk it.

They came out pretty good and even my neighbor thought so when we shared a few across the fence. I will admit that although delicious, they were more like a grilled steak fry and not as much like the crispy, coated “fried” Jojo of my youth that I was hoping to recreate. Once this heatwave is over – I will be firing up the indoor kitchen and making some proper fried Jojos!


Author’s Notes:

I felt it only made sense to serve these with grilled brats as a nod to the Wisconsin origins of the original “broaster” machine that has made so many delicious Jojos throughout the years.

Also a little roasted corn on the grill is always delicious.

This lovely blog (click here) posted a similar nostalgia for Jojos back in January 2008 and has posted a great recipe as well.

Discos & Desperados

Lately I have been “eating” my way through the freezer in an attempt to clear some space for my anticipated summer garden harvest. (The first tomatoes and peppers are forming right now – yay!)

So the other day I was fishing around and found a package of Goya “disco” dough rounds and a forgotten pound of ground meat.

Empanadas!

In order to make empanadas in my house you have to sing the song “Desperado” – replacing the word “desperado” with “empanada.”   What!   You are not familiar with the 1973 soft rock hit by The Eagles?!  Well give it a listen here.  You won’t regret it.

So now that I have set the mood by describing a middle-aged couple singing and cooking “desperado” – I mean “empanadas” …

…on to the actual cooking part of the blog.

The filling:

Ready for the oven:

(yes I poked a hole in that back one!)

Ready to eat:

The beauty shot:

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Production notes:

I used ground pork because that is what I had – you could use ground beef, turkey, chicken or whatever.

For a vegetarian option use cooked black beans instead of meat.

I roasted and diced Acorn Squash for the filling but your favorite kind of squash will do.

Along with the usual onions and garlic browned with the meat I used some cumin powder, ground Ancho chili pepper and some smoked sweet paprika. However I would have liked it a little Zingy-ier than my husband and would suggest a high dose of your favorite vinegar-based hot sauce to brighten things up.

I baked mine, but frying them would be divine.

Weeknight Night Grill Session

What’s better than a weeknight grill session?

A weeknight fancy dessert!

We had both this past week. Looks fancy but was really easy.

I had made the potato salad the night before – boiled the little red guys and dressed simply with a combination of yogurt and low-fat mayo. Add lots of chopped celery for crunch and shallots for …well because I have a shallot addiction. Lots of flavor that included dried dill., seasoned salt, black pepper and apple cider vinegar.

The steak tips just get a standard treatment of S&P with a little red wine vinegar to liven things up. Grilled sliced onions too!

But dessert was the showstopper.

Just open up that puff pastry – you know the one already made in the freezer section – peel and slice 1 peach down the middle, add some frozen raspberries that you have in your freezer from last year’s harvest. Add some butter, sugar and a little cornstarch. Bake until yummy!

Three Goddesses & Lunch

We spent Easter Sunday in the presence of Three Goddesses at the Massachusetts Horticultural Society.

Ceres, Pomona & Flora (grain, fruit and flowers respectively) – shown below

Along with these ladies we saw a few spots of early spring blooms -


And some things not in bloom but very old…

… Back at home for lunch, we enjoyed a trio of three delicious things …

Tomato and Feta tart with Brussels Sprouts salad with roasted apples and toasted walnuts.

and a sweet treat at the end of cinnamon pear and banana coffee cake.

Special thanks to Lydia  (pantry goddess) for inspiring this menu!

“Philly Style” White Pizza

Full Disclosure: I have not been compensated in any way to endorse the new Kraft brand Philadelphia Cream Cheese line of “Cooking Cremes.”

However…I did get a free sample handed to me the other day as I exited the subway. (“T” for those of us from Boston.)

Ironically, I had just seen a magazine ad for this new product from the Kraft family a few days ago. So clearly the marketing campaign is working.

Now for those of you under the illusion that I eat totally organic and never any processed foods…you may want to cover your eyes now. That means you mom. I know you raised me better than this but I can’t help myself; I am intrigued with all things food and will try most anything at least once. And frankly I like some of it. In moderation of course. At least I am willing to admit it.

So I gladly held out my hand for the free sample of the 10 oz Italian herb flavor Kraft Philadelphia Cooking Creme with coupons for more.

My mind immediately started ticking – what could I make with this?

Since I already have a love for all things white-sauce, creamy and cheesy, I had no problem thinking of things.

Pizza

Could I spread this on a pizza shell? Would this work and would 10 mins in the oven be long enough time for this product? I checked out their website and only found 1 recipe for pizza – essentially a Margherita pizza with a white sauce. (Philly Creme)

So I used 5 ounces as my base and added my own variation on toppings.

I added tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, cooked chicken and fat-free feta.

Of course I brushed my pre-baked thin crust, front and back, with a tablespoon of olive oil first and drizzled another tablespoon on top of the toppings just to keep things moist and yummy.

Into a well-preheated 450 degree oven – on to the screaming-hot pizza stone. (This is the secret to a crispy crust.)

10 minutes later a warm, toasty delicious and fairly healthy (low-fat) dinner!

(Kraft- you can email me for an address to send the royalties! Or at least some more coupons!)

Suggestions:

Leave off the chicken and add some thin sliced green bell pepper for a vegetarian option!

Black olives make everything better – add some!

Use a whole wheat crust for a nutritional boost!

I think some leftover blanched broccoli would be delicious!

More tomatoes = more juicy pizza – you decide how many!

“Box Stew” Quiche

Remember this?

That was one the items from Aunt Barbara’s clever “cabinet stew in a box“  Christmas gift to me.

Well after I made a toasted tortilla snack with some, the rest went to the fridge to await another use.

Quiche.

I just love using up random ingredients in quiche.

You can almost put anything in them – they are quick, easy and can be eaten all week as a snack, lunch or dinner. That is what we do in my house.

So this quiche has some cubed cooked ham, the rest of that jar of corn salsa and some shredded Monterey Jack Cheese.

You could easily leave out the ham to make this vegetarian.

You could also add a few black beans to make it more filling.

Ironically my friend over at The Perfect Pantry just posted about Quiche Lorraine. There is actually some interesting history behind that traditional form of quiche.

In the meantime….enjoy my southwest version of this classic.

Not-So-Cliché Nachos

Nachos can be boring and they can be predictable. Cliché game day food. Especially on Super Bowl Sunday. Don’t get me wrong – I enjoy nachos as much as anybody – but when my husband told me he wanted nachos for a half-time snack, I thought to myself, “Really? Can’t we be more interesting than that?” But I didn’t have any better ideas…

Then he dropped a bombshell right there in the store. (In front of the dairy case to be exact.)

He said “How about with turkey?”

“Turkey?” I asked. As in ground turkey? This can’t be true.

I couldn’t believe my big, burly, partner-in-crime would betray his first love! (Red-meat that is.)

In the past when I have suggested tacos made with ground chicken, he actually ignored me. I have to sneak ground turkey into a ground pork mix when he is not looking to make a healthier meatloaf.

Turkey. He suggests one of those rotisserie turkey breasts all cooked and yummy from the deli. I immediately visualize turkey sandwiches and head for the counter.

“Production notes”

We already know that I top the corn chips with cheese and ground cumin and broil them till crispy to make a crispy bottom to the nachos.

Next I scattered thin strips of turkey that came from the thin slices of the breast. I added a can of sliced black olives; some frozen corn kernels from the bag in the freezer and little dollops of my favorite jar of salsa.  A little more cheese and a squeeze of lime juice before putting under the broiler for 45 more seconds!

Light, easy, crunchy – not at all greasy….”not-so-cliché-nachos!”

“Box Stew”#1

Remember when Aunt Barbara gave me that clever gift this past Christmas… “Cabinet Stew in a Box.”

Well I made the most delicious snack the other day with something from it.

I will admit that when I opened the jar of “corn-chile tomato-less salsa” … I frantically considered running out for some tomatoes since I didn’t have any on hand. At least until I see my mother again. :-)

But I took a deep breath and told myself  “you can get thru this.”

(Small tomato addiction.)

I spread some of the salsa on a broiled/toasted tortilla; added cheese and plenty of cumin.

One more minute under the broiler and ….

Till the next snack time….

Tomato Confessions

I am always raiding my mother’s tomato supply. I know she doesn’t mind. I secretly thinks she keeps a supply on hand to feed my tomato addiction.

I could be addicted to worse.

Last weekend I literally took a tomato when she wasn’t looking. I couldn’t resist. She had three on the counter just begging me to take one. I took it and secreted it away in my bag before anybody noticed. A tomato that good has to be enjoyed in private with wonderful, simple accessories like sea salt, good olive oil, luscious bread, olives, cheese, soppressata and fresh basil if you have it – that kind of thing.

I think she has good tomato karma.

She always gets the most amazing tomatoes. Year round even! I think she has a secret source. A tomato dealer.
She always has the organic ones still on the vine. All ripe and juicy, bursting with flavor.

Summer is no problem – I grow my own or supplement with farm stand purchases. But winter is a sad time for me. Every time I go to the store in the winter all I see are those off-season, pinkish, tasteless hot-house varieties. I think they actually wax the skin- yuk!! But I can always relay on mom. And since I visit a lot, I can usually secure the “goods” at least once a week.

Last night’s dinner consisted of:

Stolen tomato, toasted and torn olive roll, Parmesan cheese, soppressata, olive oil, drizzle of balsamic vinegar, sprinkle of dried oregano, sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper.

Mom’s reply to this post sent via email…..

” Just so you know, I reported you to the Tomato Police!!  Not only that, you shouldn’t be putting salami on my vegetarian tomatoes!! (I had to look up soppressata) “

Sandwiches…I Mean Pizza…Three Ways

The other night in the grocery store I couldn’t locate my favorite brand of pre-baked pizza dough.  I had some “hot ham” from the deli in my fridge just begging to be used up and this inspired me to try to recreate a Cuban sandwich as pizza, therefore I found myself shopping for the pizza crusts.

Finally I found it but only in the 3-pack personal pizza size. I bought them anyway!

“Sandwich as pizza!”

That is when you convert your favorite sandwiches into pizza. It is practically a hobby with me. If it is good between slices of bread; why not on top too? Check out my previous creations: “Yawkey Way” & “Green Chilie Cheeseburger”

But since I had to get the 3-pack of crusts, I still had two other crusts in the package to consider.

So for my husband who is not so spicy – a traditional Hawaiian pizza would be just fine.

And just for fun, why not try to recreate those delicious Chilean sandwiches from the Boston restaurant Chacarero.

So on a cold snowy night – the “three amigos” of pizza were created!

Hawaiian style - everybody’s knows this favorite: red sauce, ham, pineapple and mild mozzarella cheese. (Although this one didn’t start out as a sandwich-it would make a delicious one!)

Cubano Style - to do it right…pieces of roast pork, glazed ham, swiss or provolone cheese, mustard and pickles. I didn’t have roast pork on hand so I used the hot ham instead and I used a mild cheddar. To keep it pizza-like I kept the red sauce and left off the mustard. But I think a daring person would get the mustard in there somewhere. Next time.

Chilean Style - my own version: red sauce, hot ham, Munster cheese and “banana peppers”. However, grilled marinated chicken, green beans and avocado spread would have really made this feel authentic but I wasn’t going back to the store – so next time.

I think these pizzas may need to spend some more time in R & D, but they have potential!

Leftover Lamb!

…makes for great cabinet stew!

…or in this case… “Lamb Bruschetta!”

Besides everything tastes better on top of toasty bread.

The recipe:

1 pint or so of cherry tomatoes, split and placed in a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with olive oil, S & P, and a splash of balsamic vinegar. Roast in preheated 400 degree oven for 10- 12 mins.

Meanwhile chop the leftover cold lamb into bite size or even smaller bits. Go ahead and chop the leftover roasted veggies like mushrooms and onions that were served with the lamb the first time. My lamb was cooked medium-rare the first time so it could withstand a little more cooking – about 4-6 mins – in the oven mixed in with the already hot, roasted tomatoes. If the lamb was medium-well to begin with I might have cooked it for only 3-4 mins – just enough to get it hot.  I wouldn’t want to overcook lamb that was perfect to begin with.

Throw some big split Italian loaf or French loaf into the oven for a few mins to get it all crisp and toasty. I didn’t put anything on the bread since the lamb and tomato mixture is so juicy to begin with.

Scoop the hot mixture onto the toasty bread and sprinkle a 1/4 cup of crumbled feta onto the top. If you have some fresh herbs on hand like parsley or basil or oregano – throw that on top to brighten things up. (sadly I didn’t have any.)

“Weeknight lamb” just became delicious and quick “weeknight bruschetta!”

Decorating The Tree Snack!

Roasted chickpeas!

Healthy and delicious – thanks to Doctor Oz for this suggestion.

Soak dried chickpeas overnight and rinse in the morning. Boil for 1 hour. Drain and spread out on a parchment lined sheet pan. Drizzle olive oil to coat. (I think I could have gone with even less than I did.) Sprinkle optional seasonings like: salt, pepper, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne to taste.

Roast in 450 degree preheated oven for 15 mins or slightly longer for crisper. Keep an eye on them and take out at first sign of overcooking!!

Pour into your best crystal bowls and enjoy!!

After Class Snack

After a long day at work and an even longer evening in the classroom – does anyone feel like cooking? Not me. Since I don’t own a microwave – something quick AND hot just doesn’t happen.

So I have become the master of the broiler.

Here is what I whipped up one night this week.

1 English muffin, opened and “pre-toasted” once thru the toaster.

1 small red apple – preferably a tart-sweet juicy variety.

Slices of Cabot Pepper Jack cheese- as much as you want or don’t want.

Healthy shake of cumin powder.

Pinch of sea salt – optional.

Pile it all on top of the muffin and broil till cheese melted and bubbly.

Note: for the non-spice lovers

- use plain sharp cheddar and sprinkle with sage.

Summer for Dinner

Breakfast for dinner is not a new concept. And using up the pancake mix hanging around the pantry is always a good idea.

But having a little bit of “summer” for dinner is not as common.

Nothing says summer like fresh picked blueberries.

Every summer my mother picks MANY pounds of blueberries. She drags my father out there in the heat to pick – grumbling the whole time. We are no good at picking – I just hide among the bushes eating them until I have a stomach ache. She is the only productive picker. She goes every few days during the height of the season. She even follows the crop like a migrant worker, traveling to a farm 50 miles further north to catch an extended season of picking. After the picking she stands for hours in the kitchen, sorting through and separating them. Some get frozen whole and some get a gentle simmer on the stove with the smallest addition of sweet honey. She fills the extra freezer in the garage with her efforts and ends up with enough so she can have blueberries at least once a week till the next picking season arrives. If a burglar was to break in – forget about the TVs – the real treasure is the blueberries.

In a weak moment recently she parted with a small container of them. We rushed them home in a cooler like precious cargo. We promptly made giant, fluffy pancakes on the griddle, skipped the maple syrup and topped them only with butter and the blueberries.

With the first bite we were transported back to summer!

I called to compliment her on them. I told her how delicious they were and how I appreciated that she parted with some. She told me, “flattery will get you a lot of things but not anymore of my blueberries!”

Pizza Night Re-Mix (with sausage)

The promised but conveniently forgotten sausage had to be eaten.

The turkey chili incident caused a craving and besides they were in the fridge.  I had always intended to use them as more than a decoy to get someone tricked into eating the turkey chili.

Sweet Italian sausages are always spicy enough for us but the level of spice can vary from brand to brand. I prefer locally made Bianco & Sons or DiLuigi’s but will buy the “Perri” brand made by Johnsonville when I can’t find my local favorites.

Sandwich as pizza

Around my house we love to convert our favorite sandwiches into pizza toppings. Last time it was green chili cheeseburgers and this time it was Italian sausage sandwiches.

It was easy – I just crumbled the sausages, sliced an onion very thin, sliced a sweet red pepper and threw the whole mess into a skillet with a tiny bit of olive oil and S & P. Cook “low and slow” like the “The Sausage Guy” cart and soon your kitchen smells like Yawkey Way.

We like a crispy thin crust so I make sure to get the pizza stone screaming hot for the pizza shell. (Too lazy to deal with fresh dough – plus a small allergy to yeast – means I buy the pre-made shells.)

Smooth on some tomato sauce, add some cheese and you have yourself a delicious pizza ready in about 8-10 mins in a 425 degree oven.

Ready for the close up of the finished piece? (the picture doesn’t do it justice!)

Pizza Night

Pizza night is a great opportunity to use up random things around your kitchen. You can put almost anything on a pizza shell, bake it and enjoy. I don’t have to tell you that pizza is a great, quick week night dinner.

Tonight I browned a 1/2 lb +/- of ground beef that was hanging around my fridge and a chopped up half of a small onion. (Save the rest for Western omelets!) I added a hefty dose of cumin and some salt/pepper.  After it was all brown and delicious looking – I added in a small can of chopped green chilies and let that saute for a couple of minutes. I spread the whole thing on a thin pre-baked pizza shell. I added plenty of shredded cheese – extra sharp.

I also had the last of the cherry tomato harvest on hand so I sliced up a few of those and dotted them on the top. I finished with an extra sprinkle of salt, pepper and cumin and squirted a bit of fresh lime juice on top for sparkle.

Into a preheated 425 degree oven on the pizza stone and 8-10 mins later a crispy, delicious, cheesy pizza emerged.

I call it: “green chilie cheeseburger pizza”

After Movie Snack

Coming home after an early movie today – I had a sweet tooth.

With no sweets in the house I was forced to something very unusual for me. Bake.

I had a random pie crust in the fridge. They come in a box of two and I had used one a while back for a Quiche. So I only had the one left.

I got it out. Filled it with 2 med apples, sliced. Some beautiful blackberries that I picked up for cheap at my favorite neighborhood fruit stand/store; Ernie’s. I filled the round dough with some lemon juice, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, cornstarch and butter pats.

I folded it over – attempting to seal the over-stuffed, over-grown turnover and baked in hot 450 degree oven for 45 minutes.

Let it cool before cutting and enjoy!

Mr. Weber Comes To Dinner

Yep it was that Mr. Weber.

We picked him up on the side of the road last weekend. He had a flat tire. He was looking kinda tired. A little worse for wear. Someone had kicked him out of the house.  We invited him home, gave him a hot shower and a nice place to rest his tired self. We fixed his tire and replaced his rusty grill. By the time he had stayed a week with us he was looking refreshed and almost like new.

He loved our yard – full of flowers and critters – so inviting and comfortable. “Thanks” we said, “we like to think so.”

We asked him to dinner. He agreed to join us. He asked only one thing of us.

“Please don’t invite Mr. Kingsford, he stinks and I don’t really like him.”

We agreed – we never liked that guy Kingsford either. We decided to have a “theme night” and recreate the old west. We broke out the cowboy charcoal and grilled a flat-iron steak.

Baked up some big russet potatoes -loaded with butter of course. But the real star of the rodeo was the “summer jam.”

We washed it all down with some Pepsi from way back in the day.

Rodeo Summer Jam 2010

3-4 med size red bell peppers sliced in strips

3-4 large Italian sweet green peppers sliced in strips

2 small onions sliced thinly

3-4 large Roma tomatoes cut in large chunks

1 small jar of salty, briny capers (med-larger size not tiny) drained.

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 -3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Olive oil to generously coat and plenty of salt/pepper

Chopped fresh basil to sprinkle table side as desired

Combine everything except the fresh basil,tomatoes and capers. Spread in one layer on a sheet pan. Bake on bottom rack in well-preheated 375 degree oven for 30 mins. Take out of oven, toss and turn veggies; sprinkle tomatoes and capers on top. Return to oven for another 30 mins. Serve warm and juicy with the steak, fresh basil on side.

This is delicious later in week added to scrambled eggs or it freezes well and can be defrosted to use as a crostini/bruschetta topper.

Are You Ready For Some Football?

I wasn’t. I mean I wasn’t ready snack-wise.

I am definitely ready for some football and some football weather but when I realized the first pre-season game was being broadcast this past Sunday night I went into “snack-panic” on Sunday afternoon. What could I throw together? What ingredients did I have on hand to roll out some football-worthy snacks?

Beef nachos were forming in my head for “football night in America!”

Of course I would need to avoid running to the store at all costs since that was more effort than I was willing to put out.  So I checked the cabinets and found corn chips. I checked the fridge and knew we had some cheese. Happily I found had a 1/2 lb of ground beef in the fridge too. I knew I could chop up some onions to brown with the beef and also those green peppers kicking around the crisper. Why not! But what about some seasoning and/or salsa? Can’t have nachos without some of that on hand. Or can you? As I checked the cabinets I found no salsa – so I improvised. I added a hefty amount of cumin to the browning beef, along with salt and pepper. I also added a half of a can of Chipotle peppers. Those spicy wonders would give a kick!

But I needed a little more tomato action. I decided to grab a can of diced tomatoes I had on hand; opting to save my precious few garden fresh ones to enjoy in a non-cooked way. I opened the can and to my surprise I had opened a can of diced tomatoes WITH oregano, basil and balsamic vinegar already in it. One of those crazy purchases I forgot I owned. That wasn’t going to mix well with the Tex-Mex flavors I had going! Desperate for a tomato product from the cupboard and not finding any plain diced, no sauce and no canned whole tomatoes – I made a bold decision.

I opened a can of Campbell’s tomato soup!

This product has stood the test of time through many a casserole and cabinet stew alike. I used about a half of a can just to get the browned beef, onions, peppers, cumin and chipotle the right consistency and tomato base.

No matter what you put on top of your nachos, here is my secret for crispy cheesy chips every time…

I like to broil the cheese onto the plain chips first.The cheese gets all melty and provides a moisture barrier between the chips and the spicy meat mix. The chips stay crisp once the meat mix goes on.  Most folks put the spicy meat mix on first, then the cheese and put the whole thing under the broiler – the problem with that, is the chips get soggy under there while the cheese is melting up on top.

Then once you add the spicy meat mix, if you feel you must, add more cheese on top. (and I often do) Add it real quick and broil for like 30 seconds more.

Oh and final tip… only one layer of nachos keeps it crisp too.  If you are feeding a crowd just use a huge sheet pan or do it in batches. It doesn’t pay to layer the chips and spicy meat mix – the chips get soggy.

My husband never knew about the Campbell’s soup but he loved the spicy beef nacho’s.


Annual Peach

Normally I eat one good peach a year.

The man whose name appears first at the law firm where I work by day, usually buys a case each summer and puts them out in the kitchen for everyone in the office to share. He is originally from South Carolina and he likes to treat us with some of his  “local” fruit. The firm is in Boston. As soon as the “silent alarm” rings the office descends like seagulls for our peach. (Maybe 2 if no one else is looking!)

I like to admire my annual peach for a while before I eat it. Really study its perfection. There is not one blemish. These are picked and packed by hand, shipped and packaged with care in individual little foam nests. I shutter to think of the environmental impact and the carbon footprint.

BUT IT IS THE BEST PEACH I HAVE EVER EATEN.

I savor each slice,  eating it slowly, so it’s juicy perfection will take me through till the next annual shipment.

I can hear you asking…If I love peaches so much why don’t I just buy them at the store? Good question. Here is the answer. After a peach like that you can’t fool around with those hard, mealy things from the grocery store. Nope, none can compare with the annual peach. So why bother. I will just enjoy my one perfect peach. Annually.

Until this weekend!

My mother discovered a wonderful PYO orchard close to her and picked like 25 lbs! I became the recipient of a huge bag – probably 25 of the most beautiful, ripe, tangy, juicy peaches.

I wouldn’t have to wait until next year for my annual peach.

I brought them home and admired them. I took their picture. I day dreamed about the possibilities.

(I mean possibilities other than eating them fresh all in one sitting.)

My thoughts turned to baking. Could I make a peach pie? It was risky since I am not much of a baker. You have to be able to follow directions/recipes exactly for baking and I am not so good at that. Gambling on a peach pie seemed scary.

I decided to be brave and consult a few experts – Martha and Marion.

Martha’s recipe called for a very fancy “Pate Brisee” pie crust – I decided to go with a reliable rolled dough from the refrigerator section of the store – it has never failed me yet. Martha called for simplicity like a little lemon juice, sugar, butter and flour to thicken the juices. Why not add a little cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg? I couldn’t resist – it always works with the apple pie.

And Marion..well honestly I really can’t follow that crazy recipe format that was so revolutionary back in 1931. But she did have a suggestion for a streusel topping which I prefer on pie. Hers called for melted butter, cinnamon and fine, dry cake crumbs. I didn’t have any cake crumbs but I had plenty of stale “scala” bread from the local bakery. Scala – called “scali” by the locals is a light airy Italian loaf with sesame seeds on the crust. Why not grind that up and use it? Maybe add some brown sugar? Now we’re talking streusel!

A pie made in the true cabinet stew style – use what you have!

Here it is assembled and ready for the oven.

Here it is baked and cooling. (Maybe I could have put the foil on top a little sooner.)

It was delicious! And no I didn’t write the recipe down -  but I did remember to take a couple of pictures. But now that I have another source for delicious, juicy, perfect, farm-fresh AND local peaches; there could be more pie in my future. And more fresh peaches than once a year. Maybe some more next weekend. Mom?