Christmas Brunch!

If you read this blog very often (all two of you) you know that I'm a pretty big fan of Trader Joe's. So, recently I read that their Queen Croissants were out of this world. I picked up a box and was saving for a special occasion as the calorie count is high. What better day to put them to the test than Christmas Brunch and they were divine!! They are huge, flakey and have a caramel bottom--seriously? I whipped up some eggs, a small salad, a few sausage patties and poured some champagne. Yep, pretty dang good if I do say so myself! Merry Christmas y'all!

Sheet Pan Salmon

I love making the whole dinner on a sheet pan. Just line with parchment and easy clean up too! I happened to purchase a large piece of salmon at TJ's and decided to make up this tasty dish. It worked!

1 head of cauliflower, broken bite size pieces

1 large carton cherry tomatoes

1 onion cut in large pieces

olive oil, salt and pepper

Mix all the veggies in a large bowl with olive oil and salt and pepper

Spread the veggies out on parchment-lined sheet pan. Roast at 450 for 40 minutes.

Put salmon fillet on top. Drizzle on olive oil, salt, pepper and some Dijon mustard. Roast for another 20 minutes.

Serve with some rice.

Quite tasty :-)

Leftover Chili? Make Pasta!

We had leftover Game Day Chili and I decided to do my own version of Cincinnati Skyline Chili, which is basically chili over spaghetti noodles. People in Ohio would not be happy with my description but really do I care? Ha--can you tell I've lived in Michigan WAY longer than the 18 years I spent in Ohio??

1/2 pound bucatoni--thick cut spaghetti--cooked al dente

Reheat the chili and thin with tomato juice. Serve pasta with sauce-garnished with cheddar cheese, chopped jalapenos, and chopped onion. Nice with garlic bread.

Game Day Chili

Back in the day there was a very spicy Chili Cook-Off in Saline each year. One year the winning chili went on to take state and national honors so it was indeed a prize-winning recipe. The interesting thing was that this chili had no beans. Now, to some, that would be chili heresy, but I guess not if you're from Texas. Supposedly, many Texans like their "bowl of red" to be beanless. This recipe which is an adaptation of the Bob Varga's winning recipe does not have beans but I have to say I don't really miss them.

1 lb ground pork
1 pound round teak, cut into small dice
1 huge onion, diced
1 huge green pepper, diced
8 celery stalks, diced
1 can green diced green chilis
7 garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
2 oz chili powder
4 T cumin
1 t sugar
2 T beef base
1 t oregano
1 huge can whole tomatoes, crushed up
1 15 oz can tomato puree
1/2 jar spicy tomato juice
4 hot peppers (jalapenos or habaneros) chopped finely

In large soup pot brown the meat, and then add all the spices. Stir in the onion, pepper, celery, chilis. Let cook about 20 minutes. Add everything else and simmer uncovered for two hours.

When ready to serve--add toppings of your choice:  we do avocado, pickled jalapeno, Greek yogurt and cheese-plus oyster crackers!

Salmon with Anchovy Butter

This is a recipe from Melissa Clark (NY Times food writer) and it's so good. However, some folks think they don't like anchovies. This is so tasty you might want to try it.

1 lb salmon cut in two portions
3 T butter
1 large garlic clove minced
4 anchovy fillets, minced
1/2 t salt
black pepper
1 T drained capers
lemon
parsley

Mash the garlic, and anchovies with the butter-add the salt and pepper. When ready to cook fish, preheat oven 400.  Heat 1/2 the butter mixture in oven proof pan. Add the fish, skin side down for about 3 minutes. Add the capers to the skillet and put the skillet in the oven for 8-10 minutes. Take skillet out and add the rest of the butter mixture to melt. To plate, put fish on plate, spoon pan butter sauce over, squeeze half a lemon over fish and add parsley. Really good with rice and peas.

Chicken Sausage and Potato Salad

This is a yummy and easy dish to make if you happen to have only a few ingredients on hand in the fridge. I only had a couple cups of greens and the dish would have been better with double that!

1 pkg small potatoes, cut in half
4 cups of greens--arugula or other mixed greens
1 pkg of hot Italian chicken sausage, sliced in one inch pieces

1/3 cup cider vinegar
1 T Dijon mustard
1 T maple syrup
1 T olive oil

Steam the potatoes for 15 minutes. Pour them into a large bowl-add the greens and cover with foil. Next, sauté the sausage pieces in some olive oil. When they're nicely browned to your liking, add them to the bowl and cover again. In the skillet, pour in the vinegar, mustard, syrup, and olive oil. Whisk around well--add black pepper. Pour hot dressing on the mixture in the bowl and toss well. Serve with a nice crusty bread and butter.

Balsamic Chicken with Corn and Swiss Chard

I happened to go to the Farmers Market today mainly because I wanted tomatoes. I get frantic at this time of year because tomato season is ending! It's such a short window and you have to squeeze in as many fresh Michigan tomatoes while you can! While at the market I happened by a stall that had the most gorgeous greens so of course they had to come home with me. This recipe is dang good--enjoy!

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 cup of froozen corn, thawed
1 bunch Swiss chard, chopped (stems and leaves separated)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 scallions, sliced

Whisk the vinegar, olive oil, ketchup and mustard in a small bowl. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and brush all over with the vinegar mixture.Marinate for a couple of hours in fridge.

Preheat a grill to medium and lightly brush the grill grates with olive oil.  Grill 5 minutes on one side and 5 on the other.

Meanwhile, heat a cast-iron skillet to medium-high heat on the stove  Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, about 5 minutes.

Add the corn kernels and Swiss chard stems to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn is tender and lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the butter, scallions and chard leaves. Cook until the chard is just wilted, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Slice the chicken and serve with the corn mixture.

Cod with Zucchini, Tomato and Shallots

Ok, I made this one up (given what I had in the fridge) and quite frankly it was really good! You could really change it up a lot of different ways but one thing I wouldn't change is the way I prepared the fish. I don't often bread fish but I did tonight and it was SO GOOD.

This served two.

Pkg of Trader Joe's cod (thawed) has three pieces and they're not huge
1 cup whole wheat Panko crumbs-be sure to use these
2 egg whites, beaten
salt and pepper
olive oil

Veggies
2 medium zucchini, chopped
4 shallots, sliced
1 large tomato, diced
4 scallions sliced in 1/2 inch pieces
red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
olive oil

fresh basil and lemon wedges

Brown rice, cooked


Preheat oven to 450

Dip the fish pieces in egg white and coat with crumbs--then sauté (in oven proof skillet) in some olive oil for about 3 minutes. Turn the fillets. Then stick the skillet in the oven for about 7 minutes.

At the same time, sauté all the veggies in a pan, adding spices.

Serve over some brown rice---layer, rice, veggies--top with fish and then garnish with thin ribbons of fresh basil and lemon wedges.

Cauliflower and Green Beans

We really like roasted veggies and these two work really well because both recipes are cooked at a high temp: 450.

Cauliflower- 1 head cut in flowerettes
olive oil
red pepper flakes
1/2 lemon juice
Sassy garlic mix (from Charleston, SC market)
pepper

Mix all together in a bowl, then spread on parchment lined baking sheet. Roast for 35 minutes--stirring well after 20.

Green beans-fresh whole beans tossed with olive oil, Asian Fish Sauce, and black pepper. Roast 25 minutes.

Served with grilled chicken topped with chipotle salsa.

Linguini with Little Neck Clams and Peas

1 can little neck clams
1/2 pkg frozen peas thawed
3/4 cup white wine
6 oz linguini, cooked
1 onion chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper
oregano
red pepper flakes
Parmesan

Cook the pasta
Drain the clams-add the clam juice to the white wine

In skillet, sauté the onion and garlic in some olive oil. Add salt, pepper, oregano and red pepper. Add the clams, wine and clam juice. Stir around-bring to a boil and add the peas and then the drained pasta. Toss and serve with Parmesan cheese.

Coconut Curry Shrimp

Oh boy, is this ever easy and oh, so good! I had frozen shrimp that I defrosted earlier in the day. Super easy because they were already cleaned and shelled. Basically all I had to do was chop an onion and some garlic and BOOM!-dinner is served!

3/4 lb shrimp
some butter 3 T or so
1 onion diced
4 garlic cloves minced
1 can light coconut milk
1 T curry powder
some agave syrup
some Sriracha for heat
a little salt
fresh basil
1/2 lime-squeeze a quarter into sauce and save a quarter to serve with dish

Cooked rice--basmati or jasmine

Get your rice cooking. This comes together fast once the chopping is done so you can easily make it as soon as your rice is finished.

In large skillet, melt butter and shrimp and cook for a minute or two on each side and remove to another bowl. Then, to the same skillet add onion and garlic, stir a few minutes and add the curry powder stirring well. Add the coconut milk and some salt, then add the lime juice, some agave, and a squeeze of Sriracha. Taste and see what you think it needs. More salt, lime or heat? Add the shrimp back in to the skillet and stir to heat through. Serve over rice garnished with chopped fresh basil and a lime wedge.

Stuffed Vegetables with Vegetables!

I had a couple really large zucchini and decided that they'd make lovely "boats" for something. I had a nice eggplant and some chopped greek olives so that was the beginning of my stuffing! I added some other items and it all came together quite well. It helps to have a well stocked pantry so you can whip dinner up without too much trouble or having to run to the store. I hate running to the store for an item or two. I will go to great lengths to avoid that.

2 large zucchini, cut in half and hollowed out
1 medium eggplant, peeled and diced
1 onion, chopped
red pepper flakes
olive oil
1 jar spaghetti sauce ( I used Mario Batali Tomato Basil)
some bread crumbs
some shredded parmesan

In skillet, brown the onion and the eggplant in some olive oil. Add the red pepper flakes. Stir in olives and the sauce and then simmer for 1/2 hour.

Preheat to 400
Fill the zucchini boats. Add some olive oil to the bread crumbs and Parm and then sprinkle that mixture over the boats. Bake for around 40 minutes or so.

Sweet Potato, Pork and Kale Stew

I don't usually make stews in the summer. I think of them as cozy food. However, sometimes ingredients in your fridge dictate what you're going to make. I had about 1/3 of a cooked pork tenderloin, a sweet potato, and a bunch of kale that was wilting before my eyes so that combo screams "STEW" to me. It really was quite flavorful due to the two large jalapeños I had as well as the secret addition of 1/4 cup of creamy peanut butter. YUM--served over brown rice.

1 cup cooked pork tenderloin, cut in small chunks
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut in large dice
1 large onion chopped
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 jalapeños, chopped
1 bunch kale, chopped
1 28 oz box or can of diced tomatoes
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 T chili powder
1 t cumin

In large lidded skillet, sauté the onion and jalapeño, add the spices and stir. Add the tomatoes, potato, beans, and pork-stir well, bring to a boil then simmer, covered for 25 minutes. Add peanut butter and stir well then add the kale. Cover for 8 minutes or so to throughly wilt the kale. Serve over brown rice.

Pasta with Hot Sausage and Kale

So the other night my DH says to me, Will I ever see pasta again? Poor him. He seems to be tired of "zoodles" and wants the real deal. Well, what can it hurt? So, I go all out and use whole wheat spirals, hot sausage, and KALE! I have to say this was quite tasty if I do say so myself :-) I bought the hot Italian sausage at Sparrow Meat Market in Kerrytown and it is really good stuff--head and shoulders above what you might get at the local grocer like Meijer, Kroger, etc.

1 lb hot Italian sausage, removed from casings
1 bunch kale, stemmed and chopped
4 large garlic cloves, sliced
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 bag whole wheat spirals
parmesan cheese

In large skillet, brown the sausage, remove to bowl. Add the garlic and stir a bit, add the kale and the chicken broth--add the sausage back in and cover and simmer for 15 minutes or so. Boil the pasta, drain (save a little pasta water in case you need it). Add the drained pasta to the sausage kale mixture--stir around and add a little Parm-if mixture seems a little dry add the pasta water. Mine didn't need extra water. Spoon into bowls and pass extra Parm.

Chimichurri!

I have posted a couple different recipes for chimichurri on this blog and here you'll find yet another. I just love this robust, flavorful sauce. It is so versatile. You can serve it with meats and poultry or with veggies. It's a bit too strong for fish and seafood I think. I made this batch a couple of days ago and it has been gracing cold grilled pork tenderloin, grilled chicken breasts, sliced tomatoes, and fresh sweet corn!

1 bunch flat leaf parsley
8 cloves of garlic, minced
3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 T red onion, diced
1 t dried oregano
1 t pepper
1/2 t salt

Pulse parsley in food processor. Add remaining ingredients and blend.

Chicken and Avocado

If you happen to love chicken salad and you also love guacamole, why not do a combo concoction? Seems totally reasonable to me and I have to say the outcome was delicious. This dish is really more of an avocado salad dressing (rather than a true guac) that you make for the chicken mixture.

2 grilled chicken breasts, chunked and shredded a bit
1 large stalk celery, minced
1 large shallot, minced

Dressing:
In small processor, add
1 chunked avocado
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 T fresh mint and parsley
juice of half a lemon
salt and pepper
Whirl it into dressing

Fold dressing into chicken mixture and refrigerate for 20 minutes or so.

Good served on toasted whole wheat.

Sunday Breakfast

Toast a piece of whole wheat bread.
Mash 1/2 of a small avocado-spread on said toast.
Add one over-easy egg. Season to taste.
Gobble it up!

Summer Time Dinner on the Deck

We are having perfect summer time Michigan weather. It is sunny, 76-no humidity-everything is green-flowers are blooming-Pure Michigan! This kind of weather calls for something yummy on the grill as well as vegetables that you don't need to fuss over. Basically, you want dinner to magically appear without ever having to leave the pleasant, breezy surroundings. Earlier in the day, I marinated the chicken, made the salsa and cut up the veggies so when it came for cocktails on the deck--I was pretty well set :-)

Easy Grilled Chicken
Marinate chicken breasts in Italian salad dressing a couple hours before dinner

Preheat grill to hot--season the breasts well and place on grill-turn grill to medium and let them cook with lid down for 5 minutes. Turn them, and cook another 5 minutes--them let them rest for at least 5-10.

Salsa Cruda 
1 box cherry tomatoes, halved
some balsamic
some red wine vinegar
sat and pepper
1 garlic clove smashed and minced
fresh basil slivers

Stir that well and let sit out on the counter for an hour or so. Very tasty over sliced, grilled chicken.

Mixed Veggies Bake
Carrots, Onions, Peppers and Zucchini-cut in chunks and tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper and fresh herbs (I used rosemary, thyme and oregano). Spread on parchment lined baking sheet and roast at 400 for about an hour. Drizzle with Sirracha and some Parmesan before serving.

Moroccan Style Cod with Olives, Lemon and Cauliflower

So, this title either made you salivate or wince. I have found that most people are not really luke- warm about olives OR cauliflower--they're either fans or not. If both make you happy, then read on:

This dish is super good! It's a Bon Appetit recipe that I found because I was searching around for something to do with both cod and cauliflower. I tweaked the recipe a bit in cooking procedure and ingredients mainly because I didn't have exactly what the original recipe included. This dish is unusual. It is a bit quirky and the kind of dish that a certain kind of restaurant might feature. I would be a fan and order it over and over. However, I really like tart, savory fare but that does not appeal to all palates. I served this on a bed of basmati brown rice.

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

• 5 cups cauliflower florets
• 6 garlic cloves, minced, divided
• 1 teaspoon turmeric, divide
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin, divided
• 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons thym
• 20 large pimiento-stuffed green olives from jar, halved, plus 1 tablespoon brine
• 1 pound cod fillets
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup mixed chopped olives
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

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Directions

• • Place cod on plate. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon paprika over fish. Sprinkle 2 minced garlic cloves over; drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil. Rub into fish on both sides. Cover and chill 1 hour.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add cauliflower; sauté 2 minutes. Add 2 minced garlic cloves, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, and 1/4 teaspoon cumin; sauté until cauliflower is crisp-tender and beginning to brown, stirring and adding about 1/2 cup water to keep garlic  from browning too quickly, 4 minutes longer. Add vinegar, sugar, thyme, and 2 minced garlic cloves. Reduce heat to medium-low and add some more water simmer until most of vinegar is absorbed, about 4 or 5 more minutes. Transfer to large bowl. Toss in stuffed olives and 1 tablespoon brine. Season with salt and pepper.
• Re-heat same skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish to skillet and cook until just opaque in center, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Carefully transfer fish to platter. Add lemon juice and mixed olives to skillet and stir 10 seconds; pour over fish. Spoon cauliflower mixture around fish, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve.

Baked Baby Backs

Sometimes you might feel like ribs but you don't want to use your grill. Maybe you just want to put them in the oven and forget about them? Maybe you don't want to use a commercial BBque sauce: maybe you feel like making your own from scratch? If that's you,  then I have a great recipe for you. You put a rub on the ribs and bake for over two hours--then spoon on the sauce for the last 1/2 hour. They are very tender but they are different from your typical barbecued ribs so be advised :-)

-  3 pounds pork ribs
- 1 Tbsp. sea salt
- 1 Tbsp. paprika
- 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp. onion powder
- 1 Tbsp. chili powder
- 2 tsp. ground black pepper
- 2 tsp. cumin
- 2 tsp. cayenne pepper

Directions:1. Place the oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 250F. Combine all spice ingredients together in a small bowl and stir to combine to create the rub.
2. Rub both sides of the ribs with the spice rub and place the ribs on a baking sheet, meat side down and cover with foil.
3. Bake the ribs for about 2 hours. during the last 1/2 hour, remove foil, flip carefully and spoon on barbecue sauce. Bake for 30 more minutes--if you want you can run under the broiler if you want them more browned looking. ( I didn't do that)
4. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Slice the ribs and serve.

While the ribs are baking you can make your homemade sauce:

- 16 oz tomato sauce
- 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 5 Tbsp. raw honey
- 1/2 Tbsp. ground black pepper
- 1/2 Tbsp. onion powder
- 1/2 Tbsp. ground mustard
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1. Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. Bring just to a boil. 
2. Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for 1 hour or until thickened to your liking.

I served with baked veggies: eggplant, zucchini, onion and peppers topped with a little mozzarella cheese.

Cold Peanut Zoodles with Chicken

Oh, wow, is this good! My DH often sends me recipes from the NYT and I often just ignore them--too much time, too many ingredients-feeling lazy-whatever. However, recently he sent me this recipe and it piqued my interest because I am basically a complete sucker for anything that may involve a peanut sauce. The original recipe called for rice noodles but I had a gigantic zucchini that wanted to be made into noodles and my waistline agreed that would be a good idea. It gave me an excuse to use my cute spiralizer tool, too. This is a bit of work because you need to make a couple sauces and a marinade but after all that is done, it comes together pretty quickly and it is quite delicious. Here are the directions for the original recipe with my changes:

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE DIPPING SAUCE

• 3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 garlic clove, finely grated
•   2 serrano chiles, sliced thinly

FOR THE PEANUT DRESSING

• 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 6 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 4 Tablespoons peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
•  Pinch cayenne

FOR THE CHICKEN AND RICE NOODLES

• 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 1 1/4 pounds
• 4 large garlic cloves, halved
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoons brown sugar
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
• 1 large zucchini, spiralized into "noodles"
• 2 small cucumbers, cut in 1/4-inch half moons
• 1 medium carrot, cut in thin julienne
• Small handful basil sprigs
•  Small handful mint sprigs
•  Small handful cilantro sprigs
• 4 tablespoons slivered scallions

• PREPARATION

Make the dipping sauce: Combine ingredients in a small serving bowl, making sure to dissolve the sugar. Leave to ripen for 15 minutes. Refrigerate any extra and use within a few days.

Make the peanut dressing: In a blender or small food processor, puree all ingredients to a smooth sauce, about the thickness of heavy cream. Pour into a serving bowl.

Put the chicken thighs in a zip-lock bag. To make the marinade, puree the garlic, ginger,  fish sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar and cayenne in a blender or small food processor. Pour the marinade over the chicken and toss to coat. Let marinate at least 15 minutes-better if longer like an hour.

Grill the chicken on stove-top grill pan, or under the broiler until nicely browned, about 3 to 4 minutes a side. Let cool slightly, then chop roughly into 3/4-inch pieces.

In a small bowl, dress the cucumbers, carrots with 1 tablespoon dipping sauce. Divide the cooked noodles among 4 bowls. Top each bowl equally with the cucumber mixture and chopped chicken. Spoon 2 teaspoons dipping sauce and 2 tablespoons peanut dressing over each portion. Add the basil, mint and cilantro sprigs, torn or roughly chopped (leave whole if leaves are small). Sprinkle with the scallions.  Pass small bowls of the two sauces.

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Steamed Fish and Veggies

Ok so you've probably heard of cooking food En papillote  which is the fancy French way of saying in parchment paper. Yeah, well, I use parchment paper all the time as a liner for my veggies but I don't often wrap food in it. However, I saw a recipe on  my Splendid Table (NPR) site and I thought what the hell? So it's fish and veggies wrapped in parchment paper and baked and I have to say it was darn good! The recipe called for red snapper but my fish person didn't have it so I used Walleye (which according to my non-fishing eating father) is the best fish known to man. I have to say the dish turned out really nice but it is a subtle dish and as you all know, I like food with fairly strong flavors. I think it was actually very good--sort of almost like something you would get a fancy shmancy restaurant :-)

Fish and Veggies in Parchment

1 lb red snapper walleye, trout (cut in half)
1 small zucchini, sliced thinly
1 small yellow squash, sliced thinly
1 medium tomato chopped
olive oil
salt and pepper
white wine springs of fresh thyme
parchment paper
fresh basil

Tear big pieces of parchment. Divide squash between the two papers. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. top with fish fillet, drizzle with white wine, salt and pepper and tomatoes and fresh thyme. Fold the fish up in a nice little package and place on baking sheet. Bake for 10-20 minutes depending on the thickness of your fish. Open the packages carefully as they will be hot. Transfer to plate, pouring juice over all and adding chopped fresh basil.

This dish is nice served over couscous or rice since it generates nice juice that you can pour over.

I also served with peas that I cooked with chopped red pepper and chopped fresh mint--plus about a T of butter.