Shrimp Fried Cauliflower Rice

Ingredients

3 cups cauliflower florets

1/2 cup grated or small diced carrots

1/2 cup grated or small diced onion

3 cloves garlic minced

3/4 cup small uncooked shrimp

1/4 cup of shopped cilantro

1 1/2 teaspoon five spice poweder

soy sauce

salt and pepper to taste

vegetable oil

Makes about 2 servings.

Directions

1. slice or coarsely chop cauliflower. Place about half of the cauliflower into a food processor and pulse unless chopped to about the consistency of rice. Put aside in a bowl and report with the remaining cauliflower. Alternative method: Grate the cauliflower with a coarse box grater.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in wok until starting to smoke. Toss in half the garlic and the shrimp. Sprinkle with a 1/2 teaspoon of five spice power and salt to taste. Stir fry until shrimp is just cooked. Remove shrimp and set aside
3. Add a little oil to the wok bring back to smoking hot. Add garlic, onions and carrots. Sprinkle with a half teaspoon of five spice power and salt and pepper to taste. Stir fry until the carrots are cooked and removed from the pan and set aside.
4. Add an little more oil and bring the wok back up to temperature. Swirl the oil around and add the cauliflower, remaining five spice power, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir fry and toss until the cauliflower is just cooked.  Add back shrimp, vegetables, and cilantro, Add soy sauce to taste (a little goes a long way). Toss until well combined and serve immediately.

Feel free to chance the protein(s) as you wish and vegetables. Peas, green beans, bok choy, cabbage, and peppers should all be good. Perfect for cleaning out the leftovers in the frig.

For an extra hearty meal top each serving with an over easy egg.

Paella

Ingredients

1 Rotisserie chicken
1 lb Smoked Sausage
1 lb Shrimp, peeled, deveined, and butterflied
1 onion diced
4 cloves garlic minced
1 14 oz can whole tomatoes drained and hand crushed.
1/2 cup frozen peas
4 cups short grain Spanish rice
6 cups chicken stock, warmed until almost boiling
1 bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped
smoked paprika
1 tsp Saffron threads
Salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

14 Inch Paella Pan or very large oven safe skillet.

Preheat the over to 400 degrees and set up the racks so you can put the paella directly on the bottom of the oven. If and electric set up the bottom rack as close to the coils as you can.

Directions

1. Cut up the rotisserie chicken in legs, thighs, wings, breasts. remove the breasts from the bone and cut in half. Leave as much of the skin on as possible.
2. Cut the sausage up into bite size pieces and sprinkle with paprika. Brown in the pan in a little olive oil and set aside.
3. Make the sofrito by adding onions to the pan and cooking until they start to caramelize, Add the tomatoes, garlic, and parsley and cook until very thick.
4. Add the saffron to to stock and allow to bloom
5. Add the rice to the sofrito and stir and brown the rice some. Add the sausage
6. Add about half of the stock and bring to a simmer. Nestle the chicken into the rice. Add the remaining stock. place the shrimp on top of the paella and sprinkle the peas over the mixture. Sprinkle with a little paprika for color.
7. Place in the over on the bottom for 20 minutes. Do Not Stir! at twenty minutes check to see that all the moisture has been absorbed, If so remove from the oven.
8. Cover and let rest for about 5 minutes before serving . Ideally there will be a little crusty rice on the bottom.

Beef Bourguignon

Ingredients

6 strips bacon, cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces
3 pounds beef rump, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons flour
10 ounces beef broth, can condensed
2 cups red or Burgundy wine
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon whole thyme
1 whole bay leaf
1/2 pound white onions, peeled
1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced

Directions

1. Sauté bacon in a skillet on stovetop set to medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside.
2. Add beef cubes to skillet and brown well. Remove meat and set aside.
3. Brown carrot and onion in skillet and transfer to stoneware. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in flour, add broth, and mix well.
4. Add beef and bacon to stoneware, mix, and place in slow cooker heating base.
5. Add wine, tomato paste, garlic, bay leaf, onions, and mushrooms. Cover; cook on Low for 10-12 hours or on High for 5-6 hours.

Grilled Avocado Cheese Sandwich

Two big slices of artisan bread (I used rosemary olive oil this time)
Half of a ripe avocado slices thin
grated smoked Gouda cheese
thin slices tomato
thin sliced red tomato
bacon fat (yes bacon fat)

Butter the bread with cool bacon fat. Assemble the sandwich with avocado slices, cheese, tomato and onions. Grill on a griddle until browned and the cheese is melted. I discovered with this sandwich that the bacon fat makes the most incredible crisp bread.

Navy Bean and Spinach Soup

1 lb dry navy beans
1 quart chicken stock
1 large carrot diced
1 med onion diced
1 stalk celery chopped thin
1 bunch fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 quart water
2 cups chopped frozen spinach
Salt and pepper to taste

Place navy beans in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and turn off the heat and let the beans soak for 30 minutes.

Drain and rinse the beans and add the rest of the ingredients except for the spinach. Simmer on low until the beans are tender, about 2 hours. Add water as needed.

Removed the stems from the thyme and the bay leaves.

Mash about a cup of the beans well or pure in a blender or food processor. An immersion blender works best. Add the beans back to the soup and the spinach. Simmer another 15-20 minutes and adjust the seasoning as needed.


Serve with crusty bread and crumbled thick bacon on top.

Bacon and Spinach Frittata with Smoked Gouda

5 slices of thick bacon, cooked and rough chopped
1 cup smoked Gouda cheese  grated
1/2 cup thawed frozen chopped spinach, all the moisture squeezed out
1 medium zucchini cut into small julienne
6 eggs
salt an pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Saute the zucchini in a little bacon grease until tender to remove some of the moisture.Cool

Beat the eggs. Add the spinach, zucchini and 3/4 cup of the cheese. Mix well.

Heat a 10 inch oven safe omelet pan with a little butter. Pour the egg mixture into the pan. Top with the the bacon and the remaining cheese.

When the eggs have started to firm up, transfer the the oven and back for 15 minutes until the frittata is firm. Cool slightly before serving.

Pecan Pie

This is an old family recipe, not sure which side of the family though.

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon flour
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups pecans

Combine all ingredients, mix well. Pour into prepared pie shell. Bake at 375 F for 40 to 50 minutes.

Lamb, Potatoes, and Peas in Red Curry Sauce

2 lbs of cubed lamb
2 lbs of small red potatoes, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 yellow onion, sliced vertically into sections
1 can coconut cream
2 to 3 tablespoons red curry paste
2 tablespoons palm sugar or brown sugar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
salt to taste
1/2 cup dry-roasted cashews, for garnish
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

Wash the potatoes thoroughly and place them, along with the onions, in the slow cooker insert,

Mix the coconut cream, red curry paste, sugar, and soy sauce together and pour over the potatoes. Cover and cook on low for about 3 hours, or until the potatoes are somewhat tender when pierced with a fork.

Rub the lamb with a tablespoon of curry paste and brown. Add to the potatoes. Add the sweet potatoes, cover and continue to cook on low for another 2 to 3 hours, or until all the vegetables are tender. Add the peas along with salt to taste and continue to cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes longer.

To serve, sprinkle each portion with 1 to 2 tablespoons cashews and some cilantro.

This recipe was based on one from The Gourmet Vegetarian Slow Cooker

Double Deepdish Apple Pie

I based this recipe on a recipe I found on the Food Network website. Really I just made it bigger and deeper! The pie looks best in a spring form pan, but it works well done in a casserole dish too and will travel well.

3 cups all purpose flour

1.5 teaspoon salt

1 cup 2 tablespoon shortening

Ice water

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

In a large mixing bowl cut the shortening and salt into the flour by hand or with a pastry blender until the texture of cornmeal. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of ice water over the mixture and mix until the dough is moistened. Repeat by adding 6 to 8 tablespoons water, one at a time, until all the dough is just moist. You can also do this whole process in a food processor, pulse the mixture a few time each to mix.

Divide the dough into thirds. Roll out two disks, one a little smaller than a 9 inch spring form pan, the other a pit larger. Roll the last third into a rectangle. I roll everything between parchment paper and I've never found another method thats easier to handle the dough.

Place the large disk on the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan. Press it in untill it fills the bottom and some of the sides. Cut the rectangular portion of the dough into strips as wide as the pan is tall. Press the strips into the pan to line the sides. Make sure the dough is completely sealed. Dock the dough slightly by poking it with a fork.

Filling:

3/4 to 1.25 cup all purpose flower

8-9 cups slices apples (6-7 apples, I like Granny Smiths, but don't be afraid to mix in what ever you have on hand)

1.5 cups white sugar

1.5 cups brown sugar

1.5 teaspoons cinnamon

3 tablespoons butter

Mix all the ingredients except butter together. Add the flour a little at a time until the the apples are well coated.

Fill the crust in the spring form pan with the apples. Cut the butter into small pieces and scatter over th apples. Place the smaller disk of dough on top of the apples and cut a few slits in to the crust in a design for allow steam to escape.

Back at 375. Check at 25 minutes. When done the crust should be slightly brown the apple mixture bubbling. Check at 5 minute intervals until done.

Let the pie cool completely before removing from the pan.

Basic Sesame Cole Slaw

• 4 Cups finely shredded cabbage
  
• 1/2 cup finely sliced red onion
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon sushi vinegar
  
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons oil olive
• 1 packet Splenda or 1 tablespoon sugar
• (optional) one finely julienne red bell pepper

Toss all ingredients together until all the cabbage is well coated. Allow to rest in the refrigerator for 1/2 to 1 hour at least.

This recipe goes well with pork and roast chicken, it also make a great BBQ or ham sandwich.

Seared Tuna with Asian Red Cabbage Coleslaw

The coleslaw recipe is adapted from a recipe I found on Epicurious.

• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 4 cups thinly slices red cabbage (about 1/2 a head)
• 1/2 cup thinly slices onions
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon oriental sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Gari (sushi ginger) - optional
  

Stir sesame seeds in small dry skillet over medium heat until light golden, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

Combine cabbage and green onions in a large bowl. Add vinegar, canola oil, sesame oil, and sugar and toss to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Toss before serving. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

Seared Tuna

Coat both sides of a 1/2 pound think tuna steak with Montreal Streak seasoning. slice the streak into two portions lengthwise. Get a pan as hot at possible. Put a small amount of peanut oil in the pan and sear the streak about 1 minute on a side. The center should still be rare.

Slice thin and arrange on a plate. Serve with Asian Red Cabbage Coleslaw. Serve with Gari for a special touch.

Grilled Salmon with Yellow Curry

• 2 portions of salmon fillet skinned
• 2 zucchini
  
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 tablespoon yellow curry paste
• 1/2 can coconut cream or milk

With a mandolin julienne the zucchini lengthwise on the smallest setting. The result will be a lot like linguine. Cut the bell pepper into as thin strips as possible.

Salt and pepper the salmon and grill

Saute the zucchini and pepper until tender.

in a small sauce pan heat the coconut cream and curry paste and salt and pepper to taste. Stir and simmer for a few minutes until the paste is fully combined.

Toss the zucchini and peppers with the curry.

Place a bed of the vegetables on a plate and top with a fillet. Top with a little curry.

Serves two.

Easy Spicy Black Bean Soup

I took this recipe from the Food Network website. Its pretty spicy, you might consider reducing the cayenne by half or more, and spicing it up to taste with hot sauce at the table.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 6 cups low sodium chicken stock
• 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• salt and pepper
• Cheddar cheese
• Sour cream
• Chopped red onion

In a large heavy pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and peppers and cook until tender about 5-8 minutes. Stir in spices and toss to coat vegetables. Pout in stock an beans and bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 15 minutes. In a blender, puree half the soup until smooth and stir back into the soup pot. Serve hot with garnishes

When I completed this recipe it was really HOT. I simmered it until reduced by about one third. It was much richer and reduced the heat quite a bit.

I like to serve my soup with a chopped boiled egg in it for a really complete meal.

Strawberry Pie

Strawberry Pie was always a tradition on the 4th of July when I was growing up. When I was shopping today on the 4th of July strawberries were only $0.99 a pound! It was fate, damn the heat I'm making a strawberry pie!

This is my mother's recipe, I'm not sure where she got it from, as I recall it was on an old yellowing index card so you know its good.

• 9 inch baked pie shell
• 3 pints fresh strawberries
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 cup sweetened whipped cream

1. Wash and hull the berries. Reserve half (the best looking ones) and mash the rest.
   
2. Add sugar and cornstarch.
3. Mix well and cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickends and clear.
4. Stir in the lemon juice and cool.
5. Add the remaining berries saving 6 for garnish.
6. pour into the pie shell and chill.
7. Before serving, top with whipped cream and garnish with the remaining berries.
   

Zucchini Mock Pasta with Peppers and Sausage

I've managed to loose and keep off about 30 pounds in the last year. One thing I had to change was eating less pasta. I have found you can make some pasta dishes with zucchini treated like pasta.

• 2 zucchini julienned with a mandoline into long strips like spaghetti
• 1 red or green bell pepper
• 1 link Italian sausage, sliced thin (I recommend a low fat chicken or turkey sausage)
• Quick Marinara sauce
  

salt the zucchini and place in a colander for 45 minutes to an hour to reduce the moisture in it and firm it up. Wash it thoroughly and let drain.

Prepare quick Marinara sauce:

• 8 oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 small onion diced small
• 3 cloves garlic crushed and chopped

Saute the onions and garlic. Add tomato sauce and season with pepper and basil. Cook until thickened slightly.

Saute the zucchini and peppers together until tender. Add the sausage and continue to cook until hot.

Plate and top the Marinara sauce.

Indian Style Cabbage and Sausage

Supper

This recipe was inspired by both the Indian buffet I had for lunch and what I had on hand. The cabbage is based on a recipe I found online, Five-minute Indian-style Cabbage. Its quick, pretty, and you always feel healthy eating bunch of cabbage!

• 1 link of chicken sausage (about 1/2 lb) sliced thin
• 1/2 head of cabbage sliced very thin
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 tablespoon black mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  
• dash of cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)
  

Heat a wok until hot and add the oil, add the mustard seeds. When they start to pop add the spices and stir. Working fast, add the cabbage and stir fry until it is starting to be tender. Add the sausage and continue to stir fry until the cabbage is tender to your taste.

Serve immediately and garnish will cilantro.

Serves two.

Sausage and Peppers Fritatta

June 23, 2009 Breakfast

• 1/2 link organic chicken sausage (about 1/4 lb) diced
• 1 red bell pepper cut into small julienne strips
• 1/4 onion, cut in to julienne strips
  
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup grated lowfat Mozzarella cheese

Preheat the broiler

Saute the peppers and onion till tender, toss in the sausage to warm it a little

beat the eggs with the Parmesan and half of the Mozzarella. Heat small omelet pan over medium heat with some oil or butter. Add the egg mixture to the pan an allow it to cook until the eggs are mostly set, 2-3 minutes.

Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the fritatta. Place in the broiler until the cheese is brown and the eggs are completely set (2-3 minutes). Let cool for a few minutes before serving.

one big breakfast or a light breakfast for two.