Broccoli Cheese Soup

One of our favorite soups is broccoli cheese soup. It is a regular on our menu. Today, I made it and kicked up the recipe a bit... with great results.

Broccoli Cheese Soup
2 TBS butter
1/4 cup chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup carrots, grated
2 TBS flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup vegetable stock
3/4 lb Velveeta, cubed
3 cups fresh broccoli, cut into small florets and steamed
fresh cracked pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and carrot. Cook and stir for 5 minutes or until union is tender. Add flour, cook 1 minute or until bubbly stirring constantly. Stir in milk and stock. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium-low, simmer one minute. Add remaining ingredients. Cook until Velveeta is melted and soup is heated through, stirring occasionally.

Pumpkin Soup

I do not like pumpkin pie, or most things with pumpkin in it. I think it's the combination of the cinnamon and nutmeg that turns me off. Several years ago a had a soup that changed my opinion of pumpkins, it was a pumpkin curry soup, it was to die for. I tried to recreate it today.

Pumpkin Curry Soup
1 TBS butter
1 small onion, finely diced
1 TBS ginger, grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBS curry powder
1 TBS ground cumin
1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1 TBS flour
2 cups vegetable broth
15 oz canned pumpkin
3/4 cup half and half
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped

Saute the onion, garlic and ginger in the butter until soft. Add the curry, cumin and cayenne and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the flour and cook for another minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add in the broth, whisking to eliminate any lumps. Bring to a simmer, stirring often. Stir in the pumpkin and continue to stir until there are no lumps of pumpkin. Stir in the half and half and cook until heated through. Stir in the cilantro and serve.

Eat your veggies!

Brussel sprouts have gotten a bad wrap. Many are the story about kids hiding them in their napkins, or adults only wanting to eat them if they are covered in cheese sauce. I love brussel sprouts... my favorite way to prepare them is just simply roasting them, they come out almost tasting sweet... simply delicious.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts
2 cups brussel sprouts, trimmed
4 TBS butter, cut into thin slices
coarse ground sea salt
fresh cracked black pepper

Cook the brussel sprouts in boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain and place in a roasting pan. Place the butter slices on top and add the salt and pepper as desired. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a 450 degree oven for 45 minutes.

Happy Thanksgiving

It's been awhile since I've had to worry about cooking a Thanksgiving meal. This year, Mark and I celebrated Thanksgiving just the two of us at our home. We had a fabulous meal... Mark smoked a turkey and I made the sides... green rice caserole, salad of spring greens, and sweet potato home fries. For dessert I made one of my signature desserts - Bailey's marbled cheesecake.

Fall...

Fall brings out different kinds of vegetables. One very common one used at this time is the sweet potato. I am not a fan of sweet potatoes in a sweet dish (like the overdone mashed sweet potatoes with marshmallow topping found on so many Thanksgiving tables). I like my sweet potatoes done in a more savory style. This is a simple, but tasty way to make them.

Sweet Potato Home Fries
2 large sweet potatoes - quartered and cut into strips (about the size of french fries)
1 large onion - halved and then sliced into 1/4" slices
2 TBS olive oil
1 TBS soy sauce
fresh crack black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine. Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

A different kind of chili

It's cooling down and is finally chili time! I found this interesting version of the tex-mex dish in Simple Vegetarian Pleasures by Jeanne Lemlin. Here's how I made it.

Sweet Potato Chili
3 TBS canola oil
2 large onions, diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 1/2 TBS chili powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
2 1/2 cups water
28 oz can ground tomatoes
1/4 cup tomato paste, thinned with 1/4 cup water
2 medium-large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
2 15 oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and saute, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to brown, at least 10 minutes. Stir in the bell peppers and cook 10 minutes, stirring often

Sprinkle on the chili powder and cumin and cook 2 minutes, stirring continously. Stir in all the remaoning ingredients - except the cilantro and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the sweet potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in the chopped cilantro and serve.

Heavenly Pasta

There's a pasta dish at Jason's Deli that I just love. I was craving it the other night and decided to try to recreate it at home. It turned out great!


Veggie Pasta
1 TBS olive oil
1/2 red onion, halved and sliced thin
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 portabello mushrooms, halved and sliced 1/2" thick
1/2 cup dry white wine
6 sun dried tomatoes (not packed in oil), cut into slivers
14 oz can artichoke hearts (packed in water), quartered
8 oz bow tie pasta, cooked and drained
2 cups spinach

Heat olive oil in pan and saute onion and garlic until just tender. Add mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes and wine and cook until wine is reduced to half. Add the artichoke hearts and cook until they are warm throughout. Add the pasta and the spinach and toss until the spinach is wilted. Remove from heat and serve with shredded asiago cheese.

Soup creation

I had a wonderful soup at TGI Fridays this past summer. It was a roasted red pepper soup... and it was delicious. I searched high and low for a recipe that would be similar to it, and couldn't find one. This past weekend, I tried to recreate it... I think I came pretty close.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Oil for pan
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
2 cups vegetable stock
8 oz roasted red peppers
1/4 cup fresh basil
28 oz can ground tomatoes
1 cup half and half
4 TBS butter

Saute onion, garlic, carrot and celery in olive oil until fragrant. Add stock and simmer until carrots are fork tender. Add the peppers and basil. Place the vegetable mixture in a blender and blend until smooth. Return to pot and add the tomatoes and cook until heated through. Add the half and half and butter and cook until the butter is melted.

Vindaloo Shortcut

I'm always looking for new products to try when I'm at the grocery store. Recently, I was at Super Target and found a jarred Vindaloo sauce. I decided to pick it up and try it... good decision, it was very good and so quick and easy.

Shrimp Vindaloo

Oil for pan
1 onion, halved and sliced
2 tbs garlic

1 lb shrimp, peeled and deviened
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed (place in microwave for 5 minutes with 2 TBS of water)
1 jar Archer Farms Vindaloo Sauce

Saute onion and garlic in pan with oil until tender. Add shrimp and cook until turn pink. Add potatoes and sauce and cook until heated through. Serve with jasmine rice and naan.

Classic resurrected

Years ago... hate to mention how many... I purchased my first vegetarian cookbook (Vegetarian Pleasures by Jeanne Lemlin) and the first dish I made from it was Mexican Stuff Squash. I can't begin to explain how heavenly the dish was. Our vegetable market had squash big enough to stuff, so I picked those up and decided to make this dish again. I can't remember the last time I made it, or why I stopped making it.

Mexican Style Stuff Squash
4 large yellow summer squash
1 TBS olive oil
1 medium size onion, diced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 4 oz can green chiles, drained and diced
1 15 oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
8 oz cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup sour cream

Cut the ends off the squash and discard. Slice each squash in half, lengthwise. With a teaspoon hollow out the squash until a shell is left, reserve insides. Fill a large pan with 1/2" inch of water. Place the squash halves in, cut side down and steam for 5 minutes. Remove and place in a prepared pan.

Chop the squash insides. Saute the onion in the oil until translucent. Add the jalapeno, cumin and oregano, cook 1 minute longer. Add the chopped squash insides and cook for 5 minutes longer. Add the chiles and pinto beans, cook until squash is tender. Allow to cool, then add the cheese and sour cream and mix well.

Fill the squash shells with the vegetable/bean/cheese mixture. Cook at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes until bubbly. Enjoy!

I'm BAACK...

Haven't been online in a while due to birthday festivities (no cooking for the birthday girl), and Hurricane Ike downtime. Thankfully, we survived Ike! I've been back home now for a week and it's nice being able to get cooking again! I made this delicious side dish last night, everyone went back for seconds.

Zucchini and Tomatoes
Olive oil - enough to coat pan
1 yellow onion, chopped (bite size pieces)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 small zucchinis chopped (bite size pieces)
1 14 oz can Italian style diced tomatoes

Saute onions and garlic in oil until onion is translucent. Add pepper and oregano, saute and stir for a minute. Add the zucchini and toss, cook for 3 minutes (tossing occasionally). Add tomatoes, and cook until everything is heated through. Serve. Great when topped with Parmesan cheese.

Hurricane Party

Living in the gulf coast in the summer is prime time for hurricanes. Thankfully, we have not had to evacuate or a direct hit. In the days of a hurricanes landfall, we have been getting together with our neighbors for a hurricane watch party. We made hurricanes at our last one.

Hurricane Punch
4 cups pineapple juice
4 cups orange juice
1 1/4 cup white rum
3/4 cup dark rum
1/8 cup sweet and sour
1/8 cup grenadine syrup

Combine and enjoy!

Mmm Mmm Soup

I really enjoy a good soup. The right kind of soup can be a nutritional powerhouse. I eat soup year round... usually doesn't matter if it is cold or hot outside. This weekend a made a delightful soup, based on a combination of 2-3 different recipes.

Vic's Minestrone Soup
1 TBS olive oil
1 onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 small zucchini, chopped (3/4" chunks)
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 cups vegetable stock
2 cups water
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 carrots, julienned
1/2 cup fresh green beans, cut into 1" pieces
6 sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil), drained and diced
14.5 oz can diced Italian tomatoes
1/2 cup macaroni, cooked and drained
14.5 oz can navy beans, drained and rinsed
1 TBS dried oregano
20 fresh basil leaves, minced

Combine the oil, onions and garlic and saute until onions are translucent. Add the zucchini and red pepper flakes and saute 5 more minutes. Pour in the stock and water and add the celery, carrots, green beans, both kinds of tomatoes, macaroni, beans and oregano. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add the fresh basil, stir and serve.

Indian Spice

I'm a big fan of Indian food and spice. Tonight I made an Indian spiced dish that is super easy and really good. It's a great way to get in some greens.

Curried Greens and Beans
4 cups mustard greens, thick stems removed and chopped
1 TBS vegetable oil
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBS fresh ginger, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can chopped tomatoes
1 TBS curry powder
1 TBS ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
1/2 cup plain yogurt or sour cream

Bring a pot of water to boil. Place greens in the pot and cook until just tender. Drain and rinse under cold water.

Heat the oil in a skillet and cook the onions, garlic and ginger until tender. Stir in the red pepper flakes and cook a little while longer. Mix in the greens, beans, tomatoes, and remaining spices. Simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add the yogurt or sour cream. Enjoy!

Banana Bread

Mark has been asking for banana bread quite a bit lately. The heat finally broke today, so it was a perfect time to do a little baking. This is a basic recipe with tons of banana flavor.

Banana Bread
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
5 overripe bananas
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

In large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar together. Mix in eggs and bananas until well blended. Mix in soda and salt. Gradually mix in flour. Stir in pecans. Bake in 350 degree oven for 60-65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Sweet Tooth

Mark and I have quite the sweet tooth. I try to eat healthy most of the time, so I don't cook many desserts. I was in the mood for some type of fruit dessert, and found this recipe. It turned out wonderful... although I think it could use more fruit, less butter and most definitely a spray of pam before putting the ingredients in the baking dish.

Triple Berry Crisp
1 1/2 cups fresh blackberries
1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
4 tablespoons white sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, gently toss together blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, and white sugar; set aside.
In a separate large bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cut in butter until crumbly. Press half of mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Cover with berries. Sprinkle remaining crumble mixture over the berries.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until fruit is bubbly and topping is golden brown.

Soul Satisfying Soup

I love a good soup. Don't really know why I crave soup with the hot weather we've been having of late in Houston. Could be that I had a feeling that we were going to be hit by a tropical storm this week? This recipe came from Jeanne Lemlin's book - Vegetarian Classics.

Curried Red Lentil Soup
1 1/2 cups red lentils
1 TBS canola oil
4 cups water
2 medium sized red skinned potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
2 TBS butter
1 medium onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 TBS minced ginger
1 chili pepper
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

In a 3 quart saucepan, combine the water, oil and lentils. Bring to a boil, skimming off any foam that surfaces. Reduce heat, simmer for 20 minutes, stirring often. Add potatoes. Melt butter and saute onion, garlic, ginger and chili until onion is translucent. Add spices and cook for 2 more minutes. Scrape onion mixture into the lentil mixture and simmer for 20 more minutes.

Summer's Bounty in a Bowl

I just can't write more about my favorite time of the year also coincides with when the freshest locally grown produce is available. Last night I made a salad that I found in the Everyday Food magazine, with my own twists.

Corn, Avocado and Tomato Salad
2 ears corn, shucked and kernels removed
2 avocados, diced
4 roma tomatoes, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
4 green onions, sliced thinly on diagonal
1/4 cup cilantro, minced
4 TBS fresh lime juice
2 TBS vegetable oil
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and serve.

Vegetarian Pleasures

Over 20 years ago when I decided to delve into the vegetarian lifestyle the first cookbook I got was Vegetarian Pleasures by Jeanne Lemlin. It is a menu cookbook and is a great first cookbook for someone new into the vegetarian scene. I have several favorite dishes that I have made from that book. With tomatoes and basil being in the height of the season now, I opted to make a delicious summer pasta dish.

Pasta with Uncooked Tomato and Fresh Basil Sauce
1 lb ripe tomatoes, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup fresh basil leaves, shredded
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh ground pepper to taste
10 oz whole wheat angel hair pasta
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Combine the tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Toss well. Let marinate at room temperature for at least 2 hours.

Cook the pasta until al dente and drain very well in a colander and return to the pot.

Toss the pasta with the Parmesan cheese. Pour on the sauce. Toss well and serve immediately.

No Dumplings

A dish that brings back fond childhood memories is sauerkraut and dumplings. Tonight I made sauerkraut, but didn't make the dumplings. While good on it's own, I really missed the dumplings.

Sauerkraut
1 TBS vegetable oil
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp chili flakes
1/4 tsp caraway seeds
15 oz can diced tomatoes
15 oz can sauerkraut, drained
dash Tabasco sauce, to taste

Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet and saute the onions and garlic until tender. Add the chili flakes and caraway seeds and cook 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and sauerkraut and cook until heated through. Add Tabasco sauce, stir and serve.

Farm Fresh Corn

Summer is most definitely a vegetarian delight with locally grown vegetables in abundance. I picked up some corn from my local vegetable market and made some corn chowder.

Southwestern Corn Chowder
1/2 cup onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 TBS butter
2 TBS flower
2 cups potato, peeled and diced
2 cups water
1 vegetable bullion cube
2 cups fresh corn (2-4 ears)
4 oz can diced green chilies
2 TBS diced jalapenos (i used canned)
3 1/2 cups milk
1 TBS cumin
1/4 cup cilantro, minced

Melt butter in large sauce pan and saute onion and garlic until onion is translucent. Stir in flour and cook for 3 minute, stirring constantly. Add water, bullion and potatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 7-10 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Add corn, chilies, milk and cumin. Simmer 10 minutes. Ladle about 1/2 soup in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour blended soup back in pan. Add cilantro and stir.

Zucchini

It's summer and about the time that most folks that have a garden with zucchini are finding new and different ways to use it. I've had fried zucchini, grilled zucchini, zucchini bread and even chocolate zucchini cake! This is one of my favorite ways to prepare zucchini. My sister gave me this recipe... I modified it a bit to be "summer friendly" (i.e., no oven).

Sauteed Zucchini and Feta
1 TBS olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic minced
2 cups cubed zucchini
1 tomato, diced
1 tsp oregano
salt and pepper, to taste
10 kalamata olives, pitted and diced
1/4 cup feta cheese

Saute the onion and garlic in the oil until tender. Add the zucchini and cook for 5 minutes. Add the tomato, oregano, salt and pepper and cook until zucchini is tender. Add olives and feta. This is great served over rice or orzo, but equally good eaten all by itself.

Rainy Day

It is a cloudy and rainy day today in Houston... what better meal to make on a downer day like today than grilled cheese and tomato soup? We like our tomato soup with a little of a kick. Here's how I make it.

Tomato Soup - Indian Style
26 oz can tomato soup
26 oz water
1 TBS hot curry powder
1 TBS cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or more to taste)

Combine ingredients in sauce pan and cook over medium heat until heated through.

Fresh Basil

Recently I harvested basil from the garden and made pesto. It was so easy and so delicious. I used the pesto to make a pasta salad.

Pesto Pasta Salad
6 oz pasta shells, cooked, drained
1/2 cup homemade pesto
2 artichoke hearts, diced
3 sun dried tomatoes, diced

Combine ingredients. Chill and enjoy!


Homemade Pesto
2 cups fresh basil leaves
2/3 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Combine the basil, olive oil and garlic in a food processor and process until smooth (scraping down he sides as necessary). Place the mixture into a bowl and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Chill until ready to use.

Wet and Refreshing

We enjoyed a refreshing beverage last night as the Houston heat ebbed off a bit.

Summer Beer
12 oz can frozen lemonade
60 oz beer (5 beers - we use bud light)
12 oz water
12 oz vodka

combine and serve in glasses over ice.

The Search has Ended

Mark loves sloppy joes, although the canned sloppy joe sauce does not make Mark a happy camper. I looked through a few sloppy joe recipes and decided to make sloppy joes from scratch. Mark thought they were phenomenal, much better than the ones made from a can.

Sloppy Joes
1 lb lean ground beef (I use buffalo)
1 green pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
1 cup ketchup
2 TBS yellow mustard
3 TBS brown sugar
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper
1 TBS Tabasco, or more to taste

Brown beef, pepper and onion together in skillet. Drain and rinse. Return to skillet and combine with all other ingredients. Simmer 20 - 30 minutes. Serve in hamburger buns.

Shortcut to Curry

This weekend I had a craving for shrimp... and Indian food. Wanting to create something at home, I found some Indian Josh Rogan sauce by Patak's in the Indian section of Kroger. As usual, I added my own touches to the sauce. It turned out wonderful!

Shrimp Curry
1 jar Patak's Josh Rogan sauce
1 TBS vegetable oil
1/2 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
1" piece ginger, shredded
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deviened
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cilantro
1 TBS garam masala
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Saute onion, garlic, pepper and ginger in oil until onion is soft. Add the Josh Rogan sauce and bring to a boil. Turn down head and add shrimp, peas and broccoli. Cover and simmer until shrimp is pink and vegetables are cooked. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream, cilantro, garam masala and cayenne pepper. Serve over jasmine rice.

The Cause of My Headache

This morning I woke up with the most terrible headache. Most likely it was from celebrating the 4th too much. We had a great time visiting with our neighbors, watching fireworks, drinking jello shots and eating guacamole and chips. (What a combo!) This was my first time making jello shots, they are a lot easier to make than I ever imagined.

Tropical Jello Shots
16 ounces (2 cups) boiling water
6 oz. jello fusion - pineapple, cherry, orange flavor
6 ounces cold water (3/4 cup)
10 ounces chilled coconut rum (1 1/4 cup) - we used Palms

Bring water to a rolling boil. Stir together boiling water and powdered gelatin in a mixing bowl. Stir constantly until gelatin is completely dissolved. Stir in cold water and rum. Pour mixture into individual shot-size (1oz-2oz) plastic cups

Happy 4th of July!

As most Americans do on the 4th, we had a cookout. Mark filled up his smoker full of meat... he had a steak, hot and spicy bratwurst, and pork tenderloin. He even put potatoes on the grill. I focused on drinks and side dishes. One side that HAD to be made was potato salad... this isn't just any potato salad, it's the best in the world!

Mom's Potato Salad
2 lbs russet potatoes, cubed and boiled
Italian dressing
1/2 onion, diced
15 pickle slices, diced
3 hard boiled eggs, diced
1 cup mayo
1 TBS sugar

Pour Italian dressing (enough to coat) over hot potatoes and allow potatoes to cool. After cooled, combine with the rest of the ingredients and enjoy!

Getting back into the swing of things

Eleven days of vacation will do strange things to a person. Everyday tasks that seemed effortless now become a struggle. We had a great time on vacation and got to see lots of family and friends that we have missed so much since our move to Texas. Mark was surprised with a couple of cookouts for his birthday, and even some great presents - homemade pies, a smoking jacket and an electric smoker. Mark wasted no time putting the smoker together and to good use upon our arrival home. I ran to the store for ingredients for a favorite BBQ side dish.


Spicy Coleslaw
1 package broccoli coleslaw
1 package home style coleslaw
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 TBS cumin
1 TBS chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
10 dashes of chipotle Tabasco sauce (or more to taste)

1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
1/2 cup ranch dressing
3/4 cup miracle whip or mayonaisse (or more to desired consistency)

Combine all ingredients, chill overnight and enjoy!

Delights from the Garden

Can you see them??? We have two baby tomatoes on our tomato plants. They are taking FOREVER to grow larger and ripen. I know, I should be patient, but the best part of summer is homegrown tomatoes! There are other things as well in our little garden... herbs! We've got sweet basil, spicy basil, oregano, rosemary, mint and lavender. I used some of the sweet basil and oregano in a marinara sauce that I made for lunch today. .. what freshness and zing fresh herbs bring to a dish. The mint is looking very good, perhaps I'll make mojitos tonight...

I Heart Coffee

There is nothing better in the morning than a hot, freshly brewed cup of coffee. I drink mine black... enjoying all the earthiness of the brew. Recently, a friend told me about a website - uroastem.com where you can purchase your very own green coffee beans and roast them yourself. Considering the freshness that freshly roasted beans would bring to my morning cup of joe, in addition to the cost savings of doing it myself, I just couldn't pass up trying it. I ordered up a pound of Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, Fair Trade Organic Guatamala Genuine Antigua and Sumatra Mandheling Fair Trade Organic. So far I have tried the Ethiopian and Guatamala and they are just out of this world! The roasting process is so easy and the results are well worth the time.

More salad...

As I posted previously... I totally believe that the ultimate summer food is salad. Today I made another of my pasta salads.

Awesome Pasta Salad II
1/2 pound whole wheat rotini pasta - cooked
1 lb shrimp - peeled and deveined, sauteed in Greek salad dressing
15 kalamata olives - pitted and shopped
3 small cucumbers - peeled, seeded and chopped
10 cherry tomatoes - quartered
1/2 red onion - quartered and thinly sliced
1/2 cup feta cheese - crumbled
1/3 cup roasted red peppers - chopped
1 Tbs oregano
1 jar pepperocinis
Greek salad dressing - enough to coat

Toss all ingredients together and enjoy!

Spa Cuisine

Tonight we had a very healthy, inventive and fresh dinner. It all started out with a tasty salad that I had found from the PETA vegetarian cooking blog. Intrigued by hearts of palm, I had been searching for a recipe so that I could try them. This one sounded fantastic and tasted equally as good. Check out the Hearts of Palm, Avocado and Orange recipe here. We rounded out the meal with sweet mango marinated mahi mahi (found at Sam's Club), roasted asparagus with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and brown rice pilaf. We felt so healthy, we HAD to eat cake and a fudge bar!

In search of the perfect salsa

Tonight was Taco Burger night. One of the key ingredients for Taco Burgers or Taco Salad is a good salsa. Sadly, I have yet to find one that I'm wild about in the jarred salsa section at the store. Here in Texas, there are a few more options than I could find in Kansas, but to my dismay... they still don't have the freshness and punch that I like in a salsa. Several years ago I came up with a blender salsa that was similar to the salsa served in my favorite Mexican restaurants.

Vic's Blender Salsa
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
2 - 3 jalapenos
3 cloves garlic
1/2 onion, quartered
1/4 cup cilantro leaves

Combine above ingredients and puree until smooth.

Refreshing Cool Down

Every now and again, I crave a tropical drink. This weekend, the temperature was in the mid-90s and it seemed like a perfect time to recreate a favorite beverage of mine - the MJB. I'm really not sure what MJB stands for... someone suggested that it is short for More Jamaican Babies. Whatever the acronym means, the drink is a great way to cool down.

MJB
2 cups ice
1 cup pineapple juice
1 shot glass coconut rum
1/2 shot glass peach schnapps
1/2 frozen banana

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!

Summer is Really For Salads

Summer seemed to start a little early this year... at least it did in Houston. It has been in the mid-90's for at least the past two weeks. I'm loving the weather, but don't really feel like cooking or eating anything warm. When that feeling strikes, it is best to have a few homemade salads on hand. The tuna salad is a recent creation... I made it this way when the relish and miracle whip amounts I thought I had on hand had been depleated (I hear it was the cats). I created Awesome Pasta Salad several years ago, when I was helping my sister out with her newborn twins HD and RN. Not knowing anything about caring for kids... I put myself on kitchen duty.

Vic's Tuna Salad
2 7oz pouches white albacore tuna
10-12 slices sweet and hot pickles, diced
3 hard boiled eggs, diced
2 TBS Thousand Island dressing
1/4 cup miracle whip light, or more for desired consistency
garlic powder, to taste
pepper, to taste

Mix all the above and serve.

Awesome Pasta Salad
1/2 box whole wheat rotini, cooked, drained
2 cups broccoli florets, cooked with pasta during last minute of cooking
1 can chickpeas, drained
1 can ripe olives, drained
1 jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained
4 green onions, slivered
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup red peppers, julienned
1 jar pepperocini peppers (whole)
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 oz mozzarella cheese
balsamic vinaigrette dressing

Combine the above ingredients in large bowl and mix. Best chilled overnight.

Impromptu Stir-Fry

I had tons of veggies in the fridge and had just picked up some snow peas at the 99 cent store. Inspired by the abundance of veggies on hand, I decided to make a stir fry.

Stir-Fried Veggies
oil for pan
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves of garlic
1 Tbs ginger, minced
1 tsp Thai garlic chili paste, heaping
1/4 soy sauce
2 cups broccoli florets
1 red bell pepper, juilienned
1 zuchinni, quartered and chopped
8 large mushrooms, quartered
1 cup snow peas
12 asparagus spears, cut on diagonal

Heat the oil and add the onion and garlic. Add the ginger, chili paste and soy sauce, stir to mix. Add broccoli and cook for a minute, then add red bell pepper and cook for a minute, stirring often. Add the zucchini, mushrooms, and snow peas and cook for a minute, stirring often. Add asparagus and cook until bright green. Serve over rice.

Mark's Birthday

Sunday is Mark's birthday. He likes to celebrate it for at least a month. Last night we had a little soiree in the garage for the occassion. To kick the Houston heat, I made mojitos. Our neighbor proclaimed it was the best drink she had ever had.

Mojito
10 mint leaves, muddled
2 Tbs fresh lime juice
2 Tbs Bacardi limon rum
1/4 cup simple syrup
ice
soda water

Combine mint, lime juice, rum and syrup in a cocktail shaker and shake to combine. Pour into a pint glass filled with ice. Fill glass the rest of the way with soda water. Stir and enjoy!

Taco Burgers

I love making Taco Burgers. Not only is it a quick and easy meal to make on a weeknight, but it gives me a reason to indulge in one of my favorite salads.

Taco Burgers
1 lb ground beef
1 pkg taco seasoning
hamburger buns
shredded lettuce
shredded cheese
avocado slices
sour cream
salsa

Brown ground beef, rinse and drain. Add taco seasoning and prepare according to package directions. Serve on buns with remaining ingredients.

Vic's Taco Salad
corn chips, crushed
shredded lettuce
avocado slices
kidney beans
shredded cheese
sour cream
salsa

Layer above ingredients, beginning with chips and ending with salsa. Enjoy!

Vindaloo

Mark's favorite dish at Indian restaurants is Lamb Vindaloo. Knowing this... I was determined to find a recipe and try to make it at home. My friend Jonathan from India came through with a recipe and I made it this weekend. Mark thought it was beyond excellent... next time I'm going to modify it a bit and cook it with shrimp, so that I can enjoy!

PORK VINDALOO
1 ½ lb lean pork cubed or pork fillet
4 tbs white vinegar
5 tbs oil or ghee
3 medium onions peeled and finely sliced
5 green chillies finely cut / ground
6 cloves of garlic peeled and pureed
1” ginger peeled and finely minced
5 cloves
1 tsp cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
¼ tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp ground black pepper
2-3 tsp salt
1 tsp garam masala
4 oz tomato puree
1 cup cubed new potatoes (steamed in the microwave for 5 mintues)
2 Tbs Boiling water
Sprigs of fresh cilantro

1. Rub the vinegar into the meat and chill overnight.
   Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onions garlic and ginger until soft. Add the chillies and cloves and fry for a further minute.
2. Remove the meat from vinegar with a slotted spoon and add to the pan and fry until the meat is browned and sealed. SAVE THE VINEGAR/JUICES. DO NOT THROW AWAY.
3. Add the cayenne pepper, coriander, cumin, salt and black pepper, cook for a few minutes and then add the tomato puree, the reserved juices, potatoes and boiling water.
   Cover and simmer for 30/40 minutes or until the meat is cooked.
4. Add the garam masala and cook for a further 4-5 minutes.
5. garnish with the fresh coriander and serve.
   
   

Devilish Eggs

I am not a fan of eggs... I don't really like the way they taste. But, have found that if you put enough flavor in them to kill the taste, they really aren't that bad. Mark loves deviled eggs, and the holiday weekend seemed like the perfect time to make them. I even ate a few.

Curried Deviled Eggs
7 eggs, boiled and peeled
1 TBS chana masala, or curry powder
cayenne pepper, to taste
mayonnaise

Halve 6 of the eggs. Mash the yolks and extra egg together, add the curry and pepper. Add mayonnaise until it is the correct consistency. Fill empty egg halves.

Tale of two cucumber salads

Today I went to my little heaven on earth - Froberg's Market. It's a vegetable market not to far from my house. Frankly, besides fresh home grown tomatoes, I do not know what is better than home grown cucumbers. And... guess what??? It's cucumber season at Froberg's Farm!!! In my excitement, I bought way too many cucumbers... so, decided to make cucumber salads. The first one is one my mom always made, the second just a creation from the kitchen.

Cucumbers in Sour Cream Dressing
3 cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced
3 green onions, slivered
1 cup sour cream
2 TBS lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate until serving.

Cucumber and Tomato Salad
3 cucumbers - peeled, cut in 1/2 and seeds scooped out and thinly sliced
2 tomatoes - chopped
1/2 red onion - thinly sliced
1/2 cup feta cheese
vinaigrette dressing - enough to coat

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate until serving.

Monster Sketti

Last night I made Mark's favorite dish... spaghetti. I make one batch of sauce and then split it 1/2 veggie and 1/2 Italian sausage. It is really good and almost as easy as opening a jar. For dessert I served Strawberry Whipped Sensation, very cool and refreshing on a warm spring night.

Vic's Spaghetti
olive oil - for pan
1 onion, diced
6 cloves of garlic, pressed or minced
18 oz mushrooms, sliced or chopped very thick
dried oregano (about 1 tsp)
fennel seed (about 1 tsp)
crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)
1/4 cup red wine
2 cans crushed tomatoes (28 oz)
1 can whole peeled tomatoes (28 oz), mushed up with your hands
salt, pepper, oregano, basil, to taste
green olives - about 1 1/2 cups

Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil until the onion becomes tender and translucent. Add the oregano and fennel, and crushed red pepper, cook for 1 more minutes. Add the mushrooms and saute until the juices have reduced to practically nothing. Add the red wine and saute until it has reduced to 2 TBS. Add the tomatoes. Taste, re season if necessary. (this is the point that i separate the sauce). Add the green olives. Cook another 10-15 minutes and it is ready to serve over spaghetti noodles.

Moosewood Restaurant ROCKS!!!

I have never eaten at the Moosewood Restaurant in Ithaca, NY... but I have several of their cookbooks. My favorite being Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites. I am always finding new favorites in this book. My most recent is a dish that I cooked last night (I changed it up a bit and included those changes below). I served this with pork chops marinated in jerk seasoning for Mark... would be awesome with jasmine rice.

Cauliflower with Curry Sauce
3 cups cauliflower, steamed
1 small onion, diced
1 tsp canola oil
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 TBS cilantro
pinch of cayenne
1 cup nonfat yogurt (I used low fat sour cream)
chana masala

saute the onion in oil until golden (add a little water if needed to prevent sticking). Add cumin, coriander, turmeric and cayenne and cook for 2 more minutes. Transfer onion mixture to blender and add yogurt and cilantro. Puree until smooth. Pour the curry sauce on the cauliflower and toss gently. Sprinkle on chana masala as desired.

Collaboration is Great!

Last night I made two simple and delicious dishes. My sister-in-law and I collaborated on both of these on a recent visit. The roasted vegetables have become a staple... the pasta salad is just fabulous.

Roasted Vegetables
Several cups of chopped veggies (I used zucchini, portabello mushrooms, red onion, new potatoes (steamed in the microwave for 5 minutes), and red pepper)
Bottled salad dressing - vinaigrette style (last night I used Asian style vinaigrette, have used sun-dried tomato and balsamic in the past)

Place veggies in a baking dish and coat with vinaigrette and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Awesome Pasta Salad IV
8 oz whole grain rotini pasta - cooked and drained
1 jar artichoke and capers bread dip (from the Bread Dip Co.)*
1 red pepper, chopped
3 green onions, slivered
1/2 cup feta cheese
4-5 sun dried tomatoes (packed in oil), rinsed and chopped

Combine above and season to taste with salt and pepper

*could use 1 can artichoke hearts (chopped very small), 2 TBS capers, 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 TBS lemon juice, 1 clove garlic (minced) and 1 tsp dried oregano

Fried Green Tomatoes

I have always been intrigued by the dish Fried Green Tomatoes (where exactly do you find green tomatoes... are they unripe ones, or are they a special variety, and why on earth would you mess up a perfectly good tomato by frying it). And little scared of it (after eating Green Tomato Pie once as a child). On Saturday at the vegetable market I found Green Tomatoes (they are unripe, and they sell them down here as Green Tomatoes). Since Mark and I are now living in the southern states, I thought it was appropriate to try this dish. I followed the recipe pretty much to the letter, but sliced my tomatoes about 1/4" thick. I served them with a side of Ranch dressing. Oh, my... very tasty! Mark and I give Fried Green Tomatoes a "thumbs up"!

Welcome!

Welcome to the first post of my blog... many of my friends and family have shown an interest in several of my recipes, so will be posting many of them... at least the "keepers".