Pork Chop!

I'm always in a bit of a quandary about the best way to cook a thick pork chop. I think I found a pretty good method the other night.

2 1 inch thick top loin pork chops
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup vegetable or chicken broth
2 T butter

Pre heat oven 400

In cast iron skillet, brown the seasoned chops on each side for four minutes.

Put in oven for ten minutes.

Let them rest while you make a sauce with the wine, broth and butter.

I served with buttered sweet corn and baked sweet potatoes garnished with Greek yogurt and chopped green onions.

Spicy Turkey Chili

I've never met a chili I didn't like and this one is no exception. I had some chipotle peppers to use up and some ground turkey in the freezer--and before you know it, you've got a nice chili simmering on the stove.

1 pound ground turkey
1 onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 can white beans, rinsed and drained
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 can chipotle peppers minced
3 T chili powder
1 t cumin
1 t oregano
1/4 t cinnamon
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper
28 oz can diced tomatoes
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth

In large pot brown the turkey, onion and red pepper. Stir in garlic, salt, pepper and spices. Add chipotle peppers, tomatoes, and broth,and simmer for an hour.

Serve garnished with any of the following: sour cream, green onion, chopped avocado, cheddar cheese.

Smoked Whitefish

Here is a very useful tip we learned from our New Jersey relatives: buy your whitefish salad at Costco! No kidding, it's really good. Enjoy! Their Parmesan bagels aren't bad either!

Whipped Cauliflower

Often my go-to prep for cauliflower is to roast it. Every now and then I make mashed cauliflower. This dish is more like whipped in that you use a food processor. It was pretty good as a side along with steak and roast asparagus.

1 medium cauliflower, broken into florets
1 quart chicken broth
A couple chipotle peppers minced
Salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves smashed
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded cheddar

Boil the cauliflower, some salt and pepper and garlic in the broth for 20 minutes. Drain well.

Place in food processor and blend it up. In casserole dish, place cauliflower, stjir in chipotles and sour cream and 1/4 cup cheese. Top with the other 1/4 cup cheese and bake at 400 for 20 to 30 minutes. If you want a mixture that is thicker then don't use processor, just mash with fork or masher.

Spicy Chicken Legs

Saw this on the New York Times site and didn't have all the ingredients but improvised and the outcome was pretty tasty.

1 pkg chicken legs
2 T tomato paste
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 orange, juiced
a pinch of cayenne
1 t cumin
1 t coriander
1/2 t salts

Throw all the ingredients into small processor and whirl up into a paste. Slather mixture all over chicken legs cover and refrigerate up to a day.

Heat oven to 375 and bake legs for 30 minutes then turn for another 20 to 30.

Easy Eggplant Parm

I have posted a couple eggplant parm recipes on here and here is yet another. Many recipes call for frying the eggplant but baked is much healthier and still delicious. This is super simple and super yummy.

1 large eggplant, peeled and sliced in 1/3 inch round slices
Italian bread crumbs
2 beaten eggs
1 jar favorite spaghetti sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 cup grated parmesan
garlic powder

Heat oven 400

Dip eggplant slices in egg and then in breadcrumbs. Sprinkle with garlic powder.  Put slices on cookie sheets and bake for 20 minutes, then flip for another ten. In buttered casserole dish, layer half the eggplant, 1/2 the sauce, half the cheeses. Repeat. Put back in oven for 30 minutes and then let sit for 15 to 20 before cutting.

French Drumsticks

So what are French Drumsticks? Just a fancy way of saying we're having chicken legs and I'm using a lot of Herbes de Provence! Ha

1 pkg chicken legs
1/2 bag of carrots, peeled and cut into large matchsticks
a couple stalks of celery chopped big
1 onion sliced
olive oil
salt and pepper
red pepper flakes
 1 T Herbes de Provence
apple cider vinegar
1 T Dijon
water

Put all the veggies in bowl and drizzled with olive oil, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.
In large oven proof skillet, brown the chicken legs about 5 minutes each side. Remove to plate. Throw the veggies in and cook around for a few minutes. Make a mixture of about 1/4 cup vinegar with cup of water and the mustard--Add chicken legs back to skillet and add Herbes de Provence--then pour over Dijon mixture and put in 400 degree oven about an hour. Pretty tasty.

Cabbage Sausage Bake

This dish was pretty much gone and then I remembered I forgot to take a picture. Forgive the almost empty dish look. We wanted something easy and comforting while watching the snow come down and this fit the bill.

1 small head cabbage sliced
1 pkg chicken or turkey sausage, chopped ( we use spicy Aidell's)
1/2 large onion chopped
3 T butter diced
handful of breadcrumbs

Pre heat oven 300

Place sliced cabbage in colander and pour boiling water over to sort of soften- drain
Saute sausage and onion in skillet
In buttered baking dish, layer a 1/3 of the cabbage, salt and pepper and dot with one T diced butter, then 1/2 the meat mixture, then another 1/3 of cabbage, spices and butter, meat and finally cabbage again, spices, the breadcrumbs and butter. Cover with parchment pepper and then tightly with foil or casserole lid. Bake for 2 hours, then uncover and bake 1/2 hour more.

Moroccan Cod

Here's a yummy easy dish to enliven some basic cod.

2 cod fillets
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 chopped onion
3/4 t cumin
Olive oil
1 1/2 T drained capers
1/4 t cinnamon
Salt and pepper

In medium skillet with lid, heat a bit of olive oil and stir in the cumin. Add the onions and salt and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the can of tomatoes, capers and cinnamon. Simmer uncovered 20 minutes. Add the fish and simmer with lid on for 20 minutes.

Very good served with rice or couscous.

Cauliflower Spinach Curry

It has been snowing all day and I was feeling like I really wanted something cozy for dinner. I decided on a lazy day curry since I used Trader Joe's Curry Simmer Sauce. Was this curry as good as the authentic curries my DIL makes? No way! But it was tasty, easy and warmed our insides tonight!

1/2 head cauliflower, broken into small pieces
1 onion chopped
4 garlic cloves sliced
1 jar Trader Joe Curry Simmer Sauce
8 oz water
Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes
Small bag of baby spinach

Condiments (optional)

Sliced cherry tomato
Thinly sliced cucumber
Toasted sliced almonds
Greek yogurt

In large skillet sauté onion in olive oil for five minutes, add the cauliflower and spices and continue to cook for five more minutes. Add the garlic and then the sauce and water.  Stir well and cover and simmer for 45 to an hour. Serve over grains with added condiments.

Chicken with Cauliflower

Tonight I decided to do something different with cauliflower. My go to prep is usually to roast it but decided to incorporate into the dish tonight kinda like a stew of sorts.

Pkg of bone in chicken thighs, skinned
28 oz can diced tomatoes
Salt and pepper
3 garlic cloves, sliced
Red wine vinegar
Olive oil
1 onion sliced
Cinnamon and thyme 1/2 t each
1/2 head large cauliflower broken into florets and then sliced a bit
Feta cheese (optional)

In large Dutch oven, brown the thighs in a little olive oil five minutes each side.
Remove to plate. Pour out the oil and ad 2 T of red wine vinegar to hot pot. stir a bit and then add a bit of olive oil and sliced onion. Stir over medium heat and slowly cook onions for about ten minutes. Then add the garlic for a few minutes and the tomatoes, salt, pepper and spices. Add the chicken back in. Add just enough water to barely cover the chicken, bring to simmer, cover and cook 20 minutes. Add the cauliflower and cook another 20 minutes. Serve over grains sprinkled with the feta if that sounds good.

Yummy Swiss Chard

I saw some gorgeous chard at Arbor Farms market and thought it would make a lovely "bed" for a nice piece of blackened salmon. I added some steamed dilled carrots and we had a lovely bowl dinner!

1 bunch Swiss chard, rinsed and stems cut away from the leaves
Chop the stems and the leaves. You need to cook the stems first.
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 onion chopped
8 oz tomato sauce
Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes
Olive oil

In large lidded skillet, sauté the onion and stems in olive oil for five minutes or so. Add the garlic for a few minutes then throw in the leaves a bunch at a time. Add the tomato sauce and spices and maybe a little water. Stir well and then simmer gently until all the leaves wilt. You can hold over low flame until the rest of your dinner is ready.

Shrimp Romaine Stirfry

Every now and then I see a recipe that gives me pause. The other day I saw this Mark Bittman recipe and I wondered, really? Well, folks I made it and it was fabulous! Go for it if it sounds good to you!

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon rice wine
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• ¼ cup chopped scallion, plus more for garnish
• 1 large head romaine, sliced
•       1pound medium shrimp, shelled, cleaned and deveined
•  Salt
•  freshly ground black pepper

Combine soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine, sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl and mix well; set aside.

1. Put a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil, swirl it around and immediately add garlic. Cook for 15 seconds, stirring, then add scallion and lettuce. Raise heat to high and cook, stirring occasionally, until lettuce just softens, about 2 to 3 minutes; transfer everything to a plate and set aside.
2. Turn the heat down to medium, add remaining tablespoon of oil, let it get hot, add shrimp and sprinkle with salt and pepper; raise heat to high, continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp turn pink and are no longer translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Turn heat down to medium, return lettuce to pan, and toss once or twice. Stir sauce to make sure cornstarch and sugar are well blended and add to pan. Cook until everything is warmed through and sauce thickens. Garnish with chopped scallions and serve.

Pork and Eggplant Picadillo

I had some leftover pork tenderloin as well as a nice fat eggplant in the fridge, so I cooked up some tasty Picadillo! This dish can be made with lots of different ingredients.

Leftover pork tenderloin, cut into small cubes
1 eggplant, peeled and cubed
1 onion chopped
2 hot red peppers, seeded and chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
2 T tomato paste
1 cup water
2 T cider vinegar
Handful of raisins
8 large green olives, sliced
Cinnamon
Garlic powder
Oregano
Salt and pepper

In large skillet, sauté the onion, eggplant and red peppers in olive oil. Add the meat, stir and add all the rest of the ingredients, stir bring to boil then turn down to a simmer with lid on for 30 minutes.

Serve over rice with a dollop of Greek yogurt.

Spatchcock Chicken

Did the title grab your attention? A spatchcocked chicken is one that has had its backbone removed so you can flatten the chicken and cook it faster. I had read about this procedure and it seemed like way too much work for the likes of me. However, wouldn't you know I happened to see one of these cute little birds in the Arbor Farms meat case all ready semi-deboned and ready to cook? Had to try it and it was DELISH!

1 semiboneless chicken- the brand I bought was Bell & Evans.
Salt, pepper
1 large onion in wedges
Vegetable oil

1. Sear the chicken: Heat the oven to 400°F. Heat the cast iron pan over medium heat until hot, about five minutes, then add the vegetable oil and swirl to coat the pan. Lay the chicken in the pan skin side down and let it sear for four minutes, or until the skin is crisp and brown. Gently flip the chicken skin side up - the skin should release from the pan if it is browned properly; if it sticks in spots, use a metal spatula to gently scrape it loose from the pan. Add the onion wedges.
2. Roast the chicken: Slide the pan into the oven. (If you have one, insert a probe thermometer into the deepest part of the breast.) Roast the chicken until it reaches 160°F to 165°F in the breast, and 170°F or higher in the joint between the thigh and the drumstick, about 40 minutes.
3. Let the chicken rest for ten minutes before carving.

Mustard-Glazed Pork Tenderloin

I like pork tenderloin a lot because it's lean and mild. You can use many different spices and sauces to change up the taste! Here's a good one from the NYT.

1 pkg pork tenderloins
3 T brown sugar
2 T grainy mustard
2 t minced rosemary
2 T dry sherry
Mix all the ingredients and marinate the meat for several hours or overnight.

In large cast iron skillet, sauté the tenderloins over medium high heat, turning every 4 minutes and basting with marinade for about 25 minutes or so. Then let the meat rest tented with foil about ten minutes.

Spaghetti Squash Au Gratin

Kind of like potatoes au gratin, but with squash!

1 spaghetti squash
1 small onion, sliced thinly
2 hot red peppers, seeded and sliced
2 T butter
1 t thyme
salt and pepper
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar

• DIRECTIONS

1. Cut the spaghetti squash in half and remove the seeds. Place in a covered dish with a ¼ inch of water and microwave for 10 -12 minutes. I have trouble cutting squash so I usually punch some holes in it and microwave it for ten minutes then it's easier to proceed.
2. In a medium sized skillet over medium heat, add the butter, onions, red pepper and thyme and cook until the onions are slightly brown in color. Salt and pepper to taste.
3. Using a fork, scrape the insides of the squash and transfer to a small bowl.
4. Combine the squash, onions, sour cream and half the cheese together and mix well. Transfer the mixture to a buttered baking dish and top with remaining cheese.
5. Place into a 375º for 15 – 20 minutes until golden brown on top.

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Mississippi Pot Roast

I read about this on the New York Times Cooking site and it sounded interesting. Supposedly it has been a Pinterest recipe darling for some time but I guess I missed the hype? The original recipe calls for some processed ingredients and that has been changed in this rendition. I have to say it was exceedingly simple and quite delicious. You could serve it over mashed potatoes, noddles or as a hot sandwich filling as I did.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 boneless chuck roast or top or bottom round roast, 3 to 4 pounds
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons neutral oil, like canola
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 8 to 12 pepperoncini
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• ½ teaspoon dried dill
• ¼ teaspoon sweet paprika

• PREPARATION

  1. Place roast on a cutting board and rub the salt and pepper all over it. Sprinkle the flour all over the seasoned meat and massage it into the flesh.
  2. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan set over high heat until it is shimmering and about to smoke. Place the roast in the pan and brown on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes a side, to create a crust. Remove roast from pan and place it in the bowl of a slow cooker. Add the butter and the pepperoncini to the meat. Put the lid on the slow cooker, and set the machine to low.
  3. As the roast heats, make a ranch dressing. Combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, dill and paprika in a small bowl and whisk to emulsify.  Remove the lid from the slow cooker and add the dressing. Replace the top and allow to continue cooking, undisturbed, for 8 hours, or until you can shred the meat easily using 2 forks. Mix the meat with the gravy surrounding it. Garnish with parsley, and serve with egg noodles or roast potatoes, or pile on sandwich rolls, however you like.
  
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Good Veggie Combo

I'm always trying put different vegetables to roast. Tonight's combo was carrot, turnip, red pepper tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh rosemary. I took a "before" picture and forgot to take the after! They were delicious though!

Southern Fried Cabbage with Sausage

This is a really simple quick dinner and it always hits the spot.  Sorry that that picture is of a mostly empty skillet--almost forget to take a photo!

3 T olive oil
1 small green cabbage, sliced
1/2 onion chopped
1 lb chorizo chicken sausage, sliced
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Tony Chachere's Seasoning to taste

In a large skillet, brown the sausage. Remove, and melt butter in skillet and add cabbage and onions and cook for 5 minutes or so. Add remaining ingredients and then add the sausage back in. Cover the skillet and cook for about ten minutes. Uncover, and finish cooking until cabbage is desired tenderness and most of the liquid has been reduced.

Quick Pasta Salad

We eat a lot of sandwiches for lunch and it's nice to have a little side dish to accompany. This is easy and keeps well in the fridge for several days.

8 oz whole wheat spirals
1 bag of broccoli florets, steamed
1 red pepper diced
1 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
Greek Salad Dressing
feta cheese

Mix it all up and serve.

Roast Squash and Apple Salad

Sometimes I see a recipe with ingredients that I wouldn't necessarily pair together and it intrigues me. This salad is an example. Glad I took the risk as it was delicious.

– INGREDIENTS –

1 pkg cubed butternut squash                                                                                                          2 tablespoons olive oil Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste 2 cups chopped romaine 2 cups chopped spinach 1 cup chopped cabbage 1 small apple, cored and diced 1 small cucumber, diced 3 tablespoons raw walnuts, chopped 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh cilantro 1 large scallion, thinly sliced Juice of 1 large orange 2 tablespoons tahini 1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest Step 1:Preheat oven to 400°F. Step 2:Toss the squash with the olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes or until the squash is fork tender. Step 3:Remove the squash from the oven and set aside for 5 minutes.  Add the romaine, spinach, cabbage, apple, cucumber, walnuts, cilantro and scallion. Step 4:In a small bowl, whisk the orange juice and tahini until it creates a creamy dressing consistency. Drizzle this dressing over the squash and greens mixture. Add sea salt and pepper and orange zest and serve warm.

Grown Up Grilled Cheese

Sometimes you just want a grilled cheese so why not jazz it up a bit?

smoked ham
sharp cheddar cheese
hot tomato chutney
whole wheat bread

Grill it up and enjoy!

Fish Taco Bowl

This is so easy and so good! I get a lot of my frozen fish at Costco. Recently I got a box of panko crusted tilapia and it makes a really good fish taco bowl. Just cook the fish, and then break into bite size pieces. Layer a bowl with some rice, chopped cabbage, tomatoes, avocados, the fish and some crema and a drizzle of hot sauce and you're good to go!

Crema recipe:    5 T Greek yogurt, 1/2 t cumin, 1 small clove garlic minced, 1 small lime juiced, hot sauce and salt. Mix it all up in small processor.

Sweet Potato Leek Gratin

This is a recipe of Melissa Clark's from the NYT. Her recipe called for white potatoes but I only had sweet on hand and it turned out just yummy. Next time, I'll try it her way.

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced in 1/8 slices. (I used my mandoline for this job)
2 leeks sliced lengthwise and then chopped and washed well cause leeks are filled with dirt!!
2 cloves garlic minced
1 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper
thyme
nutmeg
2 T butter
3/4 cup shredded gruyere

Spray a deep dish pie pan or 2 qt gratin dish
preheat oven 350

In skillet, melt butter and sauté leeks 7 minutes, seasoning well with salt and pepper. Divide the potatoes and layer half in the bottom of the dish, add half the leeks, then the rest of the potatoes and top with the rest of the leeks. In skillet you cooked the leeks, add the cream and the garlic and few dashes of thyme and nutmeg and simmer for five minutes. Then pour over potato/leek mixture and top with cheese. Cover with foil and bake 40 minutes, then uncover and bake for 20 minutes. Let stand a while before cutting.

Watermelon!

It's not really summer until you've had some watermelon! How about a watermelon tomato salad? Deliciously refreshing.

2 cups cubed seeded watermelon
1 cup cherry tomatos, halved
large handful of cilantro chopped
1 cup white vinegar
1 jalapeno sliced
1/2 sweet onion, sliced thinly
salt, pepper, cumin
feta cheese, crumbled
lime wedges

Slice onion and jalapeno into small bowl. Pour vinegar over an let that sit for 1/2 hour.

When ready to serve, Mix together the watermelon and tomatoes in large flat bowl. Drain the onion mixture, reserving one tablespoon of vinegar. Add onion mixture to bowl, sprinkle on cilantro and feta. Season with salt, pepper and cumin and drizzle vinegar over all. Serve with lime wedges.

4 servings

Tomato Cuke Raita and Costco Naan

I love the yogurt based raita served with Indian food. The other day I decided to make a cheat curry using Trader Joe's Curry Simmer Sauce. I sautéed onion, red pepper, and a bunch of chunkily chopped cauliflower and then simmered it for a half hour. Good over brown basmati rice. I did however, make homemade raita (yay, me). The real score of the evening was the naan I found at Costco. They are small naan-just perfect size for your toaster--are you kidding me?

Raita
1 cup yogurt
1 tomato, diced
1/2 cucumber grated
juice of one lemon
cumin, coriander, salt and pepper
handful of chopped cilantro

Mix it all up and chill a couple hours ahead to blend flavors.

Seared Scallops over Lentils and Spinach

A while back I made a big batch of Sloppy Lentils and I froze half. The other day I thawed them and decided they'd make a great "bed" for some succulent scallops. I also added a whole bunch of spinach for color.  And, why not throw in some bacon for good measure? Yum!

Sloppy Lentils (see March 2011 entry)
Sea scallops for two
bag of spinach
2 garlic cloves, minced
olive oil and butter
salt and pepper
2 bacon slices
smoked paprika

Heat up the lentils
In large skillet, fry up two rashers of bacon, drain and crumple. In same skillet quickly cook the garlic (don't let it burn) and throw in the spinach in batches to wilt. Remove spinach to warm bowl. Add some butter to skillet and quickly sauté the scallops--they cook fast--a couple minutes max on each side. Salt and pepper the scallops. Dust them with a bit of smoked paprika.  In bowl, layer the lentils, the spinach and top with the scallops.

Southwest Tuna Salad

Here's a different twist on the tried and true tuna salad most people always make. The addition of corn and southwest spices make for a tasty departure.

1 can tuna, drained
1 cooked ear of corn, sliced off cob
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
juice of one lime
1 t chili powder
1/2 t cumin
salt
1/2 t oregano
1/2 red pepper diced
1 jalapeno diced
1 rib celery diced

Mix the yogurt, lime juice and spices and then mix that mixture into the other ingredients.

Onion Feta Burger

This makes for a tasty burger:  caramelize some sweet onion, spread some Dijon on a Trader Joe brioche bun, and top with crumbled feta. YUM!

Halibut!

There are so many reasons to love having fish for dinner. First, it's down right healthful if you choose the right fish and it's also so wonderfully fast! I buy the individually frozen halibut steaks at Costco and they thaw beautifully and cook up like fresh. Tonight I had tomatoes from my yard and some nice fresh basil. I always have white wine on hand so there's my sauce!

Halibut steaks
2 cups chopped tomatoes
olive oil
salt and pepper
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 white wine
bunch of fresh basil

Season the fish with salt and pepper and then sauté in some olive oil four minutes per side. remove and keep warm. Sauté garlic  briefly, add the tomatoes and sir around. Cook down a bit. Add the white wine and stir well--cook a few minutes. Put fish back into the pan and add the chopped basil.

Super Grilled Cheese

Who doesn't love a grilled cheese sandwich? Have I got a treat for you. Next time you make one, add a little baked ham and hot pepper jelly! Butter it up and grill it in the panini press---Add a pickle and you've got lunch!

No Mayo Chicken Salad

I happen to love mayonnaise but I know that is not the case for all people. For those mayo haters here's a tasty take on chicken salad-mayo-free!

Just mix up a homemade vinaigrette or store bought and shred up cooked chicken, chopped almonds, tomatoes, thin slivered sweet onion and marinated chopped artichokes and voila! chicken salad!

Eggplant Manicotti

Usually when you hear manicotti you think of pasta but I substituted eggplant and it worked really well. Stuffing manicotti shells can be kind of tedious and I'm a lazy cook.

1 very large eggplant
1 jar favorite spaghetti sauce
1 carton ricotta cheese
1 egg
shredded asiago and Parmesan cheese
nutmeg
cayenne pepper
garlic powder
cooking spray

Slice eggplant long ways into 1/3 inch slices
Spread out on cookie sheets and spray then season with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
Bake for around 13 minutes at 350

Meanwhile, mix ricotta cheese with egg, salt and pepper, a little nutmeg and cayenne pepper and about 1/2 cup asiago and Parmesan.

In baking dish apply thin coat of sauce. Starting from small end of eggplant slice add a couple tabelspoons ricotta mixture and roll up and place in baking dish. Repeat. Dump the rest of the sauce over all and sprinkle more asiago and Parmesan over the top. Cover with foil.

bake at 350 for 30 minutes, taking foil off last ten minutes.

Twice Cooked Pork Tenderloin

Here is a little different twist on making pork tenderloin. Mark Bittman, from the NYT, suggests you quickly brown it, then slice into medallions and brown again--hence twice cooked! Result was yummy.

• 1 boneless pork tenderloin, about 1 pound
•  Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons butter, extra virgin olive oil, or a combination
• ¼ cup cream
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 
•  Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish, optional
• 1. Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper. Put a large skillet over medium-high heat; a minute later add 2 tablespoons butter and/or oil. When butter foam subsides or oil dimples, add meat (curve it into skillet if necessary). Brown it well on all sides, for a total of 4 to 6 minutes. Turn off heat, remove meat from pan, and let it sit on a board. When skillet has cooled a bit, proceed.
  2. Cut meat into inch-thick slices. Once again turn heat to medium-high, add remaining butter and/or oil and, when it's hot, add pork slices to pan. Brown on each side, about 2 or 3 minutes each. Turn heat to low and remove meat to a warm platter.
  3. Add 1/2 cup water to pan, turn heat to high, and cook, stirring and scraping, for a minute. Lower heat slightly, add cream and cook until slightly thickened. Stir in mustard.  Then taste and adjust seasoning. Serve meat with sauce spooned on top, garnished, if you like, with parsley.
  
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Salmon Salad

This is the reason you buy more salmon than you need for one meal because you want leftover cooked salmon for this salad! No directions needed. Enjoy.

Creamy Pasta with Chicken Sausage

Every now and then I find myself making a dish that is just not that healthful but I do it anyway. I figure you can't be all about KALE all the time for Pete's sake! This dish has sausage, heavy cream, pasta and cheese---oh yeah and some spinach for color!! hahahahah

I have to say it was pretty darn tasty though.

1/2 lb whole wheat pasta spirals (another salute to health!)
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup shredded parmesan
1 pkg chicken sausage, sliced
1 garlic clove minced
1 bag spinach

Cook pasta according to directions. In large skillet brown the sausage in some olive oil, throw in the garlic, add the cream and the parmesan and bring to a boil cooking it all down a bit. Throw in the spinach and the cooked pasta and mix well. Enjoy.

Delicious Farro Salad

I know I sound like a broken record about how much I like Melissa Clark's recipes (and Mark Bittman's) but I can't help it. Some time take a look at her videos on the New York Times Cooking site. She's a sort of no-nonsense cook and I like that. One of these days I may make something she recommends and it will fall short but that hasn't been the case yet. Turns out this farro salad is fabulous. I did not have all the same ingredients but I had enough and some decent substitutes so I soldiered on and it was still fabulous! In the directions I will put my substitutions in parentheses. You can make it to her specifications if you prefer. OR, you can make it just like I did!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup farro
• 1 cup apple cider
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, more as needed
• 2 bay leaves
• 8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 70 grams Parmesan cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler (1/2 cup) ( I used 1/2 cup shredded Parm)
• 70 grams chopped pistachio nuts (1/2 cup) (I used chopped pecans)
• 2 cups arugula leaves (I used chopped romaine)
• 1 cup parsley or basil leaves, torn (I did not have either!)
• 1 cup mint leaves
• ¾ cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
• ⅓ cup thinly sliced radish
•  Maldon or other flaky sea salt, for finishing

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  Nutritional Information

PREPARATION

1. In a medium saucepan, bring farro, apple cider, salt, bay leaves and 2 cups water to a simmer. Simmer until farro is tender and liquid evaporates, about 30 minutes. If all the liquid evaporates before the farro is done, add a little more water. Let farro cool, then discard bay leaves.
2. In a salad bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Add farro, cheese and pistachio nuts and mix well. This salad base will keep for up to 4 hours at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator (bring to room temperature before serving). Just before serving, fold in arugula, herbs, tomatoes, radish and flaky salt to taste.