Hamming it up!

I made a ham for dinner the other nite with some nice Red eye gravy. Today I had to break the ham down into parts to use for other dinners. As I did this I decided to use some of the not so nice scraps to make Ham Salad for sandwiches. I started chopping that ham up and it reminded me of being at a family dinner this weekend. We had a BBQ and one of the kids was using a knife and chopping some pickles. The way he used the knife he was bound to hurt himself and his mom said so too.

So I decided to show him just which knife to use and how to use it. He was using a straight edged Japanese knife to chop with and he was trying to do the rocking motion you would use with a chefs knife. It was all wrong. And so I showed him what to use the Japanese knife for. Then I got a chefs knife and showed him how to use it so he wont get hurt whether chopping or slicing. My chefs knife tho is my favorite tool. I will grab it first before anything else and so how to use it is not something I even think about anymore. So it was nice to be able to pass on some knowledge of the proper handling so he wouldn't get hurt.

And so today I sliced off some of the nice ham slices and mixed it with the gravy and packed it away for another dinner one nite when I don't have time to make much. And then I did the rest of the slices to use later on for either sandwiches or fried with eggs for breakfast. I like to keep it on hand also for adding to mac and cheese with peas for a whole casserole dinner sometimes. But there's always pieces and bits that aren't really nice for that and are too much for anything else. I take the ham-bone too and pack that with some not so nice pieces to freeze to make soup later on. But I don't like to add alot of ham to that, so there's always some left.

My bfs dad made Ham Salad once when we were there. Now Ive had all sorts of things with all the cooking I do. And I worked at a fine 4 star restaurant too. I was exposed to caviar, salmon ,fresh right from the farm stuff and everything homemade. We were encouraged to use unusual items and be very creative. But even with this in my background there's always things Ive never had. I didn't grow up with ham salad either......my only exposure to it was that dreadful deviled canned ham. I hated that stuff. And so when I tasted this at my bfs dads house I was surprised. I liked it!

And so I'm not sure what he put in his.......seemed simple enough. And I wandered online too and most recipes are very simple too. So most of you may not care what my recipe is. But for those of you who never had it......here's my version. 

 Ham Salad for Sandwiches (makes about 4 sandwiches)

about 3c. of chopped ham from a lg. roast
1 med. size shallot, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1/4c. Dijon mustard or to taste
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Lots of freshly ground pepper
Mayo to bind

Mix all chopped items together in a bowl. Sprinkle on lots of fresh ground pepper. Most hams are salty and don't need more added. Add mustard and about a half cup of  your favorite mayonnaise. Mix well. Most likely it will need more mayo but I do this first to distribute all the veggies and spice and mustard well. Add more mayo if needed. It depends on how moist you like your salads. I added about another half cup over the first amt. Taste and adjust seasonings if you need it. I put this on some nice 8grain bread and topped it with Swiss Cheese. 

***Note: I found out my bfs father did add sweet pickle relish to his ham salad. I added a few tb. to what I had left and it was delicious. The relish does help cut the salty taste of this alot. Ill be making it that way from now on. 

Summer Salad ~ Cold Pea Salad

The nice weather is here and the BBQ's have started so I thought Id post one of my quick salad recipes. I like this one because its made with frozen peas. You dont cook it, no really, you just thaw them. This way they stay sweet and a bit crunchy. And splurge on Macadamias if you make this. They are so creamy and buttery and just perfect for this salad. I never have any of this salad left when I bring it to parties and picnics.

COLD ENGLISH PEA SALAD

2lbs. frozen peas

1c. sliced water chestnuts

1 bunch watercress, chopped

1/2c. macadamia nuts, chopped

1c. mayonnaise ( I use Best Foods, its Hellman's on the east coast)

1/2c. fat free sour cream

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 green onions, chopped

1/3c. parsley, chopped

3 tb. chopped fresh tarragon ( or 1tb. dried)

Thaw peas in a strainer under running warm water, drain well. These will not be cooked, they really don't need to be. Add rest of ingredients and mix well. Chill.

** You could use sugar snap peas added to this for extra texture.

Corn Salad with Feta

I found this recipe online awhile back and finally got a chance to make it. The original called for fresh corn that you cut off the ear and saute. You certainly can do that if you wish but I didn't have that in my house at the moment. I bet it would be great in the summer with fresh corn. However, since I usually have canned or frozen corn on hand, thats what I used.




Corn Salad with Feta serves 2


1 can (160z.) canned corn, drained well
1 tb. butter
2 tb. olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp. dried thyme (you can use fresh if you have it)
3-4 green onions, green portion only, thinly sliced on the diagonal
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
4oz. feta cheese cubed or crumbled
Juice of half of a lime
1 tb. fresh chopped basil


In a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm the butter and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil until nearly smoking. Add the garlic and sauté, stirring constantly, 20 to 30 seconds. Add the corn and sauté, stirring occasionally, until golden and just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the thyme and green onions and sauté for about 1 minute more. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a large bowl. Let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
3. In another bowl, combine the tomatoes, cheese, the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, salt and pepper and toss gently to mix. Add the tomato mixture, the lime juice and basil to the cooled corn and toss to mix. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt, pepper and more lime juice. Serve at room temperature.


We just loved this. Its a nice change from a green salad as a side but this could even be a lunch with some nice crusty bread on the side.

Beet Salad with Ranch Dressing

Last nite I marinated some steaks. I was going to make it an ez meal , just steak and salad. When I started pulling out stuff for my salad I realized I didn't have any tomatoes. All I had was lettuce and cucumber. Great....now what? So I started to dig around in the pantry to see what I could find and I came across a can of sliced beets.

I asked my bf if he liked beets cuz I know I do but haven't made them in ages. I don't recall ever making them for him. Good thing he likes them. My next thought was ok now what? I remembered recently reading something about beets with ranch dressing. Well I guess it could be good, I like both. So after I made the dressing this is what I came up with. It was YUMMY! And Ill be making it again........next time tho I'm going to plan for it and buy some fresh beets to roast. Roasted beets are the best made that way, much sweeter.

Beet Salad with Ranch Dressing
1 can (1lb.) sliced beets, drained well
3 green onions, sliced thin
S & P
1/2 tsp dried dill weed
1/2 cucumber, peeled and halved then sliced
Mixed lettuces
Homemade Ranch dressing (follows)

Wash lettuce and dry well, Rip apart into bite size pieces and put on flat tray or bowl. Add cucumbers and toss. In a small bowl put sliced beets, onions, S & P, and dill and mix well. When ready to serve, top lettuce with beet mixture and drizzle with a bit of dressing. Pass rest of dressing at table. If this has to sit awhile do not put the dressing on at all until your ready. It will turn fluorescent pink!

Ranch Dressing
* 1 cup mayonnaise
* 1/2 cup sour cream
* 1/2 teaspoon dried chives
* 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
* 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
* 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
* 1/8 teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, chives, parsley, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

ROASTED BEETS

SERVES 4
1-1/2 pounds medium red beets, peeled and quartered
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375° F. Place the beets in a small roasting or baking dish in one layer. Drizzle with the oil. Add the garlic, salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Roast until fork-tender, about 30 minutes. Serve hot or room temperature.
Note: If you can get baby beets, roast them whole with the peel on. The peel will slip off easily when cooked.

Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms with Tomato and Bread Salad

I stumbled onto this recipe and it sounds so good. Its a vegan meal pretty much unless you dont eat cheese or dairy either. I could eat this for dinner but I know my boyfriend would be looking for the meat so if I decide to make it, I might throw a chop or burger on the grill too while these were cooking..... Just for him........cuz I love him :)

Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms with Panzanella

8 portabello mushroom caps
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing mushrooms, plus 1/4 cup
1 (10-ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
1 can quartered artichoke hearts, drained well
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1 egg yolk
1 clove garlic, grated with microplane or small side box grater
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg, about 1/8 teaspoon
1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, a couple of handfuls
6 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 cup fresh basil leaves, about 20, torn
4 cups crusty bread, torn or coarsely chopped
1 small red onion, very thinly sliced

Panzanella, stale bread salad, requires that you soak and wring out the bread before assembling the salad. If you make this with fresh crusty bread or the bread has staled a bit but not hardened, the juice from the tomatoes should be enough to tenderize the bread's crusty edges.
Preheat grill to medium-high and oven to 425 degrees F.

Using a damp towel, brush mushroom caps to clean. Using a pastry brush, coat the caps with extra-virgin olive oil and grill with lid down or roast about 5 to 6 minutes, turning once, until tender but still firm at center.

Wring the spinach out in a clean kitchen towel. Separate the spinach with your fingers and combine with artichokes, ricotta cheese, egg yolk, grated garlic, salt and pepper, to taste, and nutmeg. Remove mushroom caps from grill.

To portion-control the filling, divided the stuffing into 4 parts then just split each of those evenly between 2 caps. Sprinkle the caps with Parmigiano and cook 5 to 6 minutes more in the preheated oven to set filling and lightly brown tops.

Do not seed tomatoes. Chop and place in a salad bowl. Add basil, bread, onions, 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, lots of salt and pepper and toss with your hands to combine.

Fresh Herb and Millet Salad with Tomatoes

I finally found the recipe I used at the Health Food Deli I worked at. It didn't use Quinoa like I thought, it used millet.

Nutritionally, millet is about as high in protein as wheat (about 4.2 grams per half-cup serving) and also provides niacin, vitamin B6 and folic acid along with some calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium and zinc. It doesn't contain gluten so it can't be used in breadmaking, but it is a nutritious alternative to wheat products for those who are allergic to gluten.

I wouldn't call millet a substitute for wheat, but it is a nice addition to the diet. You can often substitute millet in recipes for buckwheat, rice or quinoa, and you may see it sold as couscous (although couscous usually is made from semolina, a wheat product). When baked into muffins, millet gives a nice crunch.

To cook millet as a grain instead of rice, just simmer 1/2 cup in 11/2 cups of liquid. If you leave it alone as it cooks, you'll get fluffy grains like rice; if you stir frequently and add a little extra liquid during cooking, you'll get a dish that resembles mashed potatoes. It takes about 25 minutes to cook millet by simmering.


Fresh Herb and Millet Salad with Tomatoes

4 c. cooked millet
1/3 c. finely minced chives
1/4 c. finely minced flat leaf parsley
1/2 c. finely minced basil
2 tsp. finely minced marjoram
S & P to taste
Juice of 1/2 lg. lemon, (about 2tb.)
1/4 c. olive oil
1 lg. ripe red tomato, skinned and diced (about 1/2 lb.)
Few black olives (opt.)

While the millet is hot, transfer it to a lg. bowl and combine with the herbs, salt, pepper, lemon juice and oil. Gently stir in the tomatoes. Serve at rm. temp. garnished with the olives.

ASPARAGUS WITH TOMATOES AND PINE NUTS

I decided to post one of my families favorite asparagus dishes. I found it in this cookbook many years ago. I tried to find it online to show you the cover but apparently its been reprinted so many times. My cover, I couldnt find online so I had to scan my own copy. Then I looked thru it. OMG Ive been using it and writing in it and messing it up for yrs and now I find out I HAVE A FIRST EDITION!!!!!! grrr Oh well theres nothing I can do about it now. This was printed in 1985, the yr. after I moved here. This is one of those cookbooks that has simple Italian foods but tons of flavor. I love it.

ASPARAGUS WITH TOMATOES AND PINE NUTS Serves 6-8 as a first course


2 lb. thin asparagus
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced fine
1 shallot, peeled and minced fine
2 tb. pine nuts

Simple Virgin Dressing:
1/4c fruity olive oil
1tb. balsamic vinegar
2 tb. roughly chopped basil
Coarse salt

Blanch the asparagus in a lg. amt. of boiling water in a lg. pot for 5-7 min. or till tender yet firm to the bite. Plunge immediately into a lg. bowl filled with ice and water. When asparagus feel cool to the touch, remove from water and drain. The asparagus may be cooked the day before serving. Refrigerate covered with a damp cloth.

When ready to serve , combine the tomatoes, shallot, and pine nuts in a small bowl and moisten with a bit of the Simple Virgin Dressing. To make the dressing whisk oil and vinegar together in a small bowl. Add basil and sprinkle the salt over . stir in.

Spoon the tomato mixture across the center of the asparagus in a stripe. Just before serving, pour rest of dressing over. Vinegar discolors asparagus so wait till serving to pour it all on.

***My own version of this: I double everything but the asparagus. We love the dressing, tomatoes and pine nuts but this recipe just didn't make enough to have a bite with all that asparagus. If theres any left , Ill eat it the next day for lunch, I don't care if the color isn't bright. It tastes yummy!

Wild Violets

I have had a love affair with violets for as long as I can remember. They grew wild in the woods near me in NJ when I lived there. My gramma had them too. When I went to the Jr. Prom yrs later I even asked the boy who was taking me to get me violets as my flowers....I was wearing a lavender and lace gown. Violets are tiny lil things that you might even miss unless you look close. The smell is heavenly but fleeting, that is because one of the components in them actually numbs your nose once you smell them. So today I thought Id blog on another of my favorites and also a few recipes. Yes you can use them in food as long as they are organic, not sprayed, and not ones from the side of the road. If you read all the way down to the bottom theres some yummy surprises to top this all off hehee. Violets --Viola ordorata, also known as sweet violets, so delicate with their velvety purple petals. For me, they always conjure up images of lace gloved matrons sipping sherry from cut crystal glasses. The air, of course, is thick with the intoxicatingly clean, sweet perfume that could only belong to violets. Many cultures, primarily the Celts and the Germans, celebrate the arrival of springtime at the first sighting of violets. The German's further celebrate this event with dancing and drinking of May wine, a concoction made of wine, herbs and of course violets. Combining wine and violets dates back to the days of the ancient Greeks, who would not only put the petals in the wine, but also scatter them all about the banquet hall. They also wore garlands decorated with violets in the belief that this would help to prevent dizziness and headaches from overindulging in drink. (There must be some basis for this since today in France violets are used in the treatment of hangovers). Napoleon was also very fond of violets, even going so far as to adopt the violet as the symbol of his party. Josephine is reputed to have worn violets in her locket, and covered Napleon's grave with violet petals. Throughout the years people have used violets for medicinal purpose, usually in the form of a tea taken internally. In Pakistan, it is drunk to increase sweating and thus reduce fever. It is also reputed to relieve anxiety, insomnia and reduce high blood pressure. In the 17th century throat lozenges, made with violet conserve, were used to treat bronchitis, as well as to combat sinus congestion. Violet sugar was a popular staple in apothecaries of the time. This was used to treat consumption. These treatments worked because of the antibacterial properties of the blossoms. In addition, they contain vitamin C and A, and an aspirin like compound. For external treatments, violets were mixed with vinegar to make liniments. These were used to relieve gout, and to ease liver and spleen problems. The Celts were known to steep violets petals in goat's milk to make a facial treatment aimed at improving one's complexion. One of violet's most notable trait's is its delicate fragrance. It is ironic that this aroma is rarely used today to make perfume because the scent dissipates quickly. It is often replaced by synthetics. When violets are used in the kitchen, it is their candied form that most of us are familiar with. In the Victorian times these were so popular that they were often served as a confection for high tea. They were also used to garnish cakes, pastries, flans and puddings. These days people tend to use the fresh petals more than the candied ones. I love to add them to chilled soups (they are especially striking on creamy spring pea soup). Try adding them just before serving to a salad of fresh spring greens. Not only do they add rich color, but a delicious floral taste as well. I will often use Johnny-Jump-ups in addition to the violets. They, along with pansies, are part of the violet family. Their flavor and perfume is not as strong as those of the violet's, but their vivid colors, and contrasting face-like patterns transform a plan salad into a delightful treat. Violets are also used to add deep color and perfumed taste to jellies, jams, and liqueurs. Commercially available violet water can be used to add that floral quality to cakes, tea breads, ices, and poached fruit. The garden is where violets truly shine. Being a perennial, you can enjoy them year after year, in rock gardens, pots, borders and formal gardens, almost anywhere there is rich, moist soil, full sun (partial shade in very hot regions) and good drainage. Native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa, violets have now naturalized in most temperate zones. They propagate by seed, or by root division. Plant them in fall in mild winter areas, and fertilize well to insure a showy burst of flowers come spring. Violet and Orange Whipped Cream and Strawberries serves 4 2 tsp. candied violets* 2 tsp. candied orange peel 2 cups unsweetened whipped cream 2 baskets strawberries, stemmed and quarted 4 fresh violet blossoms, or Johnny-jump-ups With a very sharp knife, chop the violets and the orange peel separately. Place the whipped cream in a bowl. Gently fold in the violets and the peel without deflating the cream. Divide the berries into four decorative dessert cups. Top with the flavored whipped cream, and serve, garnished with a fresh violet blossom on each dessert. *available in specialty markets. Or make them yourself when you have violets blooming, its ez and I store them in an air tight container. Candied Violets Makes 100 If the eggs in your area are questionable as far as the risk of salmonella, feel free to substitute an equivalent amount of meringue powder, available at many baking supply stores. 1 large egg white 1/3 cup water 1 16-oz. box superfine sugar 100 freshly picked violets on the stem -- In a small, deep bowl, lightly beat together the egg white and water. Set aside. -- Pour the sugar into something smallish and deep, like a loaf pan. Working with 1 violet at a time (I warned you, this is tedious!), dip the violet into the egg white mixture, then hold it over the sugar and snip the blossom from its stem. Gently scoop more sugar on top of the violet so that it's completely covered. Discard the stem. Your scissors will get really gummed up after a few dozen violets, so you may have to stop and rinse them from time to time. -- Remove the violet from the sugar with a fork and lay it carefully on a wire rack to dry completely. Repeat until remaining violets are gone, or you are ready to scream, whichever comes first. Allow violets to completely dry at room temperature for several days before storing in airtight containers. Storage Candied violets keep for several months in a cool, dark place, and look gorgeous scattered over cakes, ice cream, and custards. Violet Muffins 1 box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix (makes 6 to 10 muffins) or use your own muffin recipe 1/2 cup fresh violet leaves and blooms Add 1/2 cup fresh violets to each box of corn muffin mix. Sprinkle tops of muffins with violet leaves. Bake as directed. To get extra vitamins from the violets, mix some fresh violet blooms and leaves into some margarine (whipped would be best), and have it ready when the muffins come out of the oven. Violet Jelly 2 cups violet blooms (the darker blooms make a richer color) Juice of 1 lemon 1 package commercial pectin 4 cups sugar Put violet blooms in a jar or other glass container. Cover blooms with boiling water. Let it steep for 24 hours. This is called "infusion". After 24 hours, strain the liquid from the blooms. Put 2 cups of violet liquid in a saucepan. Add lemon juice and pectin. Bring to a boil and then add sugar. Return to a boil and boil hard for one full minute. Pour into sterilized jars and seal. Violet Jam 1 cup violet blossoms, tightly packed 1 1/2 cups water Juice of 1 lemon 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar 1 package powdered pectin Place violets in food processor. Add 3/4 cup of water and lemon juice. Blend to coarse paste, add sugar, blend until dissolved. In a pan, heat 3/4 cup of water, then stir in pectin. Boil hard for 1 minute. Add to blender; blend for about 1 minute. Pour jam into small jars and seal. Store in freezer Violet Vinegar - pick enough violet flowers to fill a pint jar - pour unseasoned white wine vinegar over flowers - put lid on - sit container in windowsill for 4 days - strain into another pint jar, put lid on and refrigerate. Salad Dressing - 1/2 Cup Mayonnaise - 1 tsp. sugar - 1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. Violet Vinegar - Mix well Sweet Violet Herb Salad 1 head of endive 1 tbsp finely chopped celery 1 tbsp finely chopped, tender fennel stalks (peeled if necessary) 1 tbsp chopped parsley 1 tbsp chopped chervil 2 olives, finely chopped salad dressing to taste petals of 30 sweet violets Separate the endive leaves and place in a salad bowl. Add the remaining salad ingredients, including the herbs, and gently mix well. Add the dressing and toss the salad. Sprinkle on the sweet violet petals. Serves 4. And two more recipes which have nothing to do with violets except the name and sounded like a great way to top this off!!! Blue Violet Martini * 1 ounce Hpnotiq * 1/2 ounce Chambord * 1 ounce Absolut Raspberri * splash of pineapple juice * 3 blackberries PREPARATION: In an ice-filled mixing glass, combine Hypnotiq, Chambord, Absolut and juice. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled Martini glass. Garnish with skewered blackberries. April's Violet 1 1/2 oz. Bombay Sapphire gin 2tsp. Blue Curacao liqueur 3 drops grenadine syrup Pour into a mixing glass half filled with ice. Add ingredients, stir. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and serve.

Wild Greens and Proscuitto with Honey Peach Vinaigrette

This was another dressing I made at the restaurant. OMG I love this dressing and salad. I couldn't find a picture close to it but we served it with the chunks of peach in the dressing and a prosciutto rose. You could just serve it like the picture with slices of peach and shreds of prosciutto. But it doesn't look as pretty as what I served. The dressing here tho is a creamy one.

Wild Greens and Prosciutto with Honey Peach Vinaigrette Serves 2-4

Dressing:
2 egg yolks
1/4tsp. Coleman mustard
1tsp. whole grain mustard
2 1/2oz. honey
1/2c. champagne vinegar
8oz. of a bland salad oil....like pure olive oil not virgin or corn oil
dash of salt and pepper to taste
a dash of fresh grated nutmeg
1 lg. peach, peeled, pitted and chopped

Salad:
fresh wild greens salad mix
1 slice of prosciutto for each salad as a garnish



Directions:
Combine egg yolks, mustards, and honey, blending well. Begin adding oil and vinegar alternately beginning with the oil, constantly whipping. Add seasonings and adjust if needed. Fold in peaches prior to serving and serve ice cold.

Put a nice mound of wild greens on a salad plate. Roll prosciutto slice into a rose shape and put on side of greens as garnish or .......shred and toss with greens. Top with Honey peach dressing and serve.

Spinach and Strawberry Salad with Thyme Vinaigrette

I used to make this in the Spring at the restaurant I worked at. It was very popular. This has a dressing recipe but at home I would make a Red Onion/Thyme vinegar first to use in the dressing recipe itself. That vinegar also won a First Place ribbon at our local county fair.


Spinach and Strawberry Salad with Thyme Vinaigrette Serves 4

1 bag spinach, washed and large stems removed
1 belgian endive, sliced thinly
1 8oz pkg. fresh ripe strawberries
1 pkg. quail eggs

Dressing:
1/2c. olive oil
1/4c. white wine or champagne vinegar
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tb. chopped fresh thyme
1 sm. red onion, minced
Salt and Pepper to taste



Directions:
First cook quail eggs....
1 10-pack fresh quail eggs*
1 tablespoon plus 1 cup distilled white vinegar
1 1/2 cups ice cubes

1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt

*Quail eggs are available at some supermarkets, farmers' markets, and specialty foods stores Place quail eggs in small saucepan; add enough cold water to cover by 1 inch. Add 1 tablespoon vinegar. Bring to boil. Remove pan from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Add ice cubes to pan; let stand 15 minutes to cool. When cool cover with the vinegar in a glass bowl. You want glass so the vinegar doesn't react with the bowl. Let them sit until the shell becomes like rubber, this makes it easy to shell.Then peel and rinse them well with water.

Wash spinach and drain well. On a plate put spinach leaves, sprinkle with finely sliced Belgian endive. Top with 2-3 strawberries, cut in wedges. Drizzle with dressing and top with a few cooked quail egg halves.

Easy Ceasar Dressing

I love ceasar salads, all kinds , with chicken, plain , shrimp you name it. But I hated making the dressing every time I wanted it and somehow bottled dressings dont taste as good as homemade. Then I found this recipe. I love it! I make a big batch and put it in an old jar and keep it refridgerated for when I want it now. When you really think about it the base is really a homemade mayonnaise so thats whats used in this instead of making this by hand. By doing that it keeps well too.

EASY CEASAR DRESSING MAKES 6 SERVINGS

4 anchovy fillets (yes use it, it does make a difference and when blended you dont taste it)

3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped up a bit

2 tb. extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. Dijon

1/2 tsp. Tabasco

1 1/3c. mayonnaise ( I like Best Foods, its Hellmanns in the east)

2tb. Parmesan cheese

2tb. (or more) fresh lemon juice

Extra Parmesan for the salad when served.

Blend all ingred. in a food processor then chill.

I usually put all the ingred. down to the Dijon in the processor, then zap it a bit till the garlic is pretty ground up. You dont want chunks of that. I use anchovy paste you can buy in a tube because I dont use it much. I dont need to buy a bunch then have it go bad. I squirt out what I think are 4 fillets and add. Once the good stuff is blended I add the mayo, cheese and lemon juice and zap. I add the Tabasco and zap once more and taste to adjust if needed. I always use fresh lemon juice for this , its the best. This dressing is not strong so for us I usually add a bit more of the flavorings and maybe another garlic clove. Taste when you make it and decide for yourself.

Italian Potato Salad

This was my Italian mom in laws recipe. While we are partial to creamy potato salad, this one is a nice change.

ITALIAN POTATO SALAD

4-5 lg. potatoes

2 stalks celery

1/4 of a red onion, sliced very thin

lots of extra virgin olive oil (approx. 1/2c or to taste)

red wine vinegar (approx. 1/4c. or to taste)

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2tsp. dried oregano

S and P to taste

Put potatoes in a lg pot and cover with water. Boil till potatoes are tender (If a fork goes in deep to the middle easy, they are done). Drain and let cool till you are able to handle them. Peel and slice potatoes (about 1/2in. thick or so) into a lg. bowl. Thinly slice the celery thinly across the ribs and add. Toss in red onion slices but separate them so they blend. (I rough chop mine after slicing because I do not like large pieces of raw onion, but thats just my preference) Drizzle olive oil over all and toss. Sprinkle with garlic powder, oregano, and S & P and toss again. Potato slices will break up as you toss and that's OK. Saves time when you slice so you don't have to make everything bite size to start with. Drizzle with red wine vinegar and toss again then taste. Adjust seasonings and serve. Serves 4-6.

This tastes best at room temperature and is great for picnics. No mayo to worry about getting warm and making anyone sick. Refrigerate if not using right away but take out a bit early to serve. Cold oil doesn't taste great. If you use lil red potatoes (like above) you don't have to peel them , just make sure they are clean.

Herb Salad with Cheese Custards

I love herbs. I grow them all the time around my house wherever I live. I use them all the time in my cooking. I prefer fresh but I dry my own and buy dried of others to use when I cant get the other. When I worked at the restaurant many yrs ago, I convinced them to let me start growing herbs. This was before many wineries had their own gardens. They gave me one lil patch around a cork tree ( ya right, big garden , giggle). In the meantime till it took off tho I found a local herb grower to supply the restaurant. This place wanted local produce and growers to feature in their foods. Over time and after I left they moved the herbs to a bigger area and actually started a real garden. Today its huge and Im very proud to have been a part of that.

This is one of the salads I created for our spring menu. It features a spring mix of greens with herbs added, topped by baked cheese custards, served with a Garlic Herb dressing. Of course I would bake dozens of custards at a time. I had to cuz the darn staff loved em so much they sucked half of em down before service! I was always shooing them away from the bakery while they cooled. The custards are yummy warm or cold. They call for using fontina cheese and parmesan but since I used to make huge cheese boards for catered parties. I always had sm. chunks of this and that leftover and would use them up in this way. They are simply awesome!

MIXED LOCAL SPRING LETTUCES & HERBS W/CHEESE CUSTARDS Serves 4
First you want a mixture of spring greens and herbs....
Radicchio, Sorrel, Bibb, Arugula, baby lettuces, or you can buy spring mix in the grocery stores
I added basil.. red and green if you have it, you want this to be colorful its spring!
Dill and tarragon leaves

CHEESE CUSTARDS Makes 4
2eggs
3/4c. heavy cream
1/8 tsp, each nutmeg,cayenne pepper, white pepper
1tsp. mustard ( I always used Dijon)
1 bunch chives, chopped
3/4c. (4oz) shredded Fontina cheese
1/2c. shredded Parmesan

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, spices and herbs. Add cheeses, blend well. Divide between 4 buttered custard cups. Place on baking sheet. Bake 20min. till puffed and golden. Let cool. Blot excess oil from custards after unmolding and chill. ( can be served warm or rm. temp. if serving soon.) Feel free to play with the cheeses you add to it, use up bits you have around and add them to this mix. Just make sure the proportion of cheese is the same, at least 1 1/4c. of cheese for the recipe. Ive added cheddar and a touch of blue cheese too.

GARLIC-HERB DRESSING
1/4c tarragon vinegar
1c. olive oil
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
6 green onions, chopped
1/4 c. dill, chopped
2tb. fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1 tb. fresh chopped garlic

Put in food processor and blend. If you dont have tarragon vinegar its ez to make, just get a good white wine like champagne vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Regular white vinegar is way too strong. Then add some tarragon sprigs you buy in the produce section and let sit in a bottle on the counter for 2 wks. The longer it sits the better it tastes and you can even use the tarragon thats in the bottle for things you cook. We used just regular olive oil for this instead of extra virgin so the delicate flavors would come thru.

To serve toss lettuces with the herb leaves, I tore up the basil cuz the leaves are big. Tearing is better because the basil will darken if you cut it and dont use it right away. Top with cheese custard and drizzle on dressing or pass it around. Ive also garnished this with herbal flowers or Nasturium blossoms, must be organic tho, not pesticide sprayed.

Two more salads

CAULIFLOWER AND BROCCOLI SALAD

2 heads broccoli, chopped
1 head cauliflower, chopped
3/4c. dried roasted peanuts (lightly salted)
3/4c. raisins (soak in water 5min.)
8 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
1c. mayonnaise
1/2c. sugar
2tb white wine vinegar


Mix together mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar, set aside. Mix rest of ingredients together. Add mayonnaise dressing just before serving.


Whats really nice about this is the veggies are not cooked so the salad is so crunchy and fresh.







MACARONI SALAD serves 121lb. cooked small elbow macaroni
1c. frozen peas
3 stalks celery,chopped
3 green onions, chopped
2 tb. parsley, chopped
1/2 green pepper, 1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/2lb. shredded Cheddar cheese
DRESSING:
2c. mayonnaise
1c. sour cream
Salt and pepper
Garnish with chopped black olives, red peppers and peas.


Mix all ingredients together and chill.
I never really liked Macaroni salad until I had this. All these things add so much flavor to the salad.

Wheatberry Salad

I never even heard of wheatberries until I worked at a Health food deli located in a health food store here. I sure learned alot and found that in spite of what you think healthy food can taste awesome. I took over the deli after working with a friend who was the chef there. I was disappointed in some of the stuff and so I worked on perking them up with lots of flavor. I know they tried to use the ingredients in the store to promote sales but sometimes fresher is better or less is more. So I took their recipes and cut down even more on the oils and fats used and added tons of fresh garlic, onions and herbs instead of always the dried. Dried has its place but when I can use fresh I always do. I even dry some of my own for when theres no fresh to be had.

Wheatberry is the unprocessed wheat kernel, before it gets refined into flour, wheat germ, bran, and more, so you get the full nutritional and fiber value of each constituent. Some chefs, recommend soaking overnight and cook for about an hour. We just cooked the wheatberry for an hour or till tender. I didnt have time to do overnite when I would be running out in the store sometimes.

Wheat Berry
Refers to the entire wheat kernel, without the hull, which contains the bran, germ, and endosperm. Wheat berry or wheatberry, as it is also known, have a tan to reddish brown color and are available as either a hard or soft processed grain. The soft grain will cook faster, but otherwise, either type can be used in recipes. They provide a tasty nutty flavor when used in salads, soups and stews.

WHEATBERRY SALAD SERVES 12
Dressing:
1/2 c. low fat mayo
1 tsp. dillweed
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 c. white vinegar
1 tsp. basil
1/2 c. fresh chopped parsley
1 clove of garlic minced

Salad:
1 c. EACH hard and soft wheat berries, cooked 1hr. drained and cooled.
3 chopped green onions
1 carrot, chopped
1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 each of red and green pepper, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped

All the vegetables can be chopped in a food processor if you wish, to about sm. pea size. In a bowl put all the chopped vegetables. In another bowl combine all the dressing ingredients. Add cooled wheatberries to veggiesand mix well. Add dressing. Mix and chill.

What I liked about the wheatberries are they are kind of chewy and they taste delish. But the texture really got to me. They dont get all soggy and mushy, its almost like eating a burger. Its a pretty hearty salad. You could easily cut this recipe in half or even a quarter if you want. Some of the stores that carry bulk foods have wheatberries. I like to buy mine at the health food store but if you buy more than you need I would freeze them. Most grains will get rancid over time. Also many times you will get grain weevils and such in any kind of product like this, even flour, so freezing kills them.

SUMMER and tomatoes

I was wandering around the blogs last nite and read many blogs about summer......what it means, the memories some had, etc. It got me thinking about it and wondering what to post. I didnt want to do the usual longest day of the yr. or what the soltice is. Everyone is doing that. And then I thought......fireflies or as we called them lightening bugs.

As a child I remember many summer nites being outside with my friends till late. We would gather fireflies and put them in a jar to watch them blink on and off, facinated by such a strange bug. Now I dont like bugs generally but these .....well how can you hate these. Its like ladybugs, love those too. I got to thinking about how as a kid we would stay outside playing till 11pm. After a certain hr. my mom wouldnt let me leave our street but I could stay outside as long as I was within calling distance. We would all play hide and seek at nite or catch fireflies or sit on each others porches talking for hrs. I miss those days. There are no fireflies where I am now in California.

I lived in a neighborhood that had duplex housing , for those that dont know thats one big house basically with two living spaces for two families. I dont think we were poor, I never felt poor but I knew we were not rich either. Bobby Hegyes who played Juan Epstein on Welcome Back Kotter lived around the corner from me. We all grew up playing softball and stuff in the streets there. I remember summer days where we would get rocks that would draw on the road like chalk would and spend all day drawing an obstacle course to use with our roller skates afterward. I remember having skates that had that key you didnt dare lose to tighten them. Later on my mom bought me new skates that you adjusted to fit, then all you had to do was pull em apart to slip them on and off.

We would do stuff like that till supper time then head home.........anxious to go back outside after dinner and play till dark. Warm summer nites, humid with fireflies to light up the nite.....We used to catch some even and smash them on our sneakers so they would glow in the dark too. Yea I know , how gross and how mean but as kids we didnt think that way.

Another of my favorite summer things is tomatoes. I grew up in New Jersey and there is no finer tomato in the world than one grown there. It has a taste like nothing else. I remember my Grampa growing them and he would let me help him in the garden. First just to get to the garden I had to get past their dog that I hated , it always barked and growled and was tied up near the garden entrance. Then I had to go under the grape arbor and it was filled with creepy japanese beetles. I remember Grampa having a jar of water and he would hand pick them off and drown them. Eww gross.

But once I got past all that the garden was like a fairyland to me. He had rows of all kinds of things growing so neat in the large fenced area. Grampa had a well there and would lift big buckets of water from it to fill a steel barrel with to use to water the garden. Grampa used to work at a brick factory so I guess he was pretty strong from there to be able to do it. Then he would fill the big galvanized watering cans to hand water his garden. When I got big enough he would fill a smaller one for me and let me loose on the garden. Oh how I loved it , this special time with Grampa ( sitting here with tears as I write this , I still miss him) and watering that miraculous garden that grew everything under the sun.

He was the only person I ever knew that grew Kohlrabi...a funny looking vegetable that formed this big knob with leaves coming out of it. He would pull out his pocket knife, pick one and peel it for me to eat like an apple. It was crunchy and tasted like fresh broccoli stems would. I loved it, no wonder broccoli is one of my favorite veggies! I dont know what Gramma ever made of them. I never saw them in any meal. But when Grampa let me pick a tomato to snack on while I watered...........oh....that was pure heaven! I would pick one and just eat it like that , warm from the sun full of juice and summer. It was the finest thing on earth and one of the things I look forward to the most still.....my first tomato of the season.

So I decided in honor of that first tomato I would post my favorite tomato recipes. You must use the good garden tomatoes , red and really ripe for these, they just dont taste the same without them.

SUMMER SPAGETTI Serves 6

6 medium size tomatoes, very ripe
2tb. chopped parsley
10 fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
1/4c. fresh lemon juice
3tb. extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 lb. spagettini
2 tb. butter

To peel, dip tomatoes in boiling water for 15 seconds or till skin splits. Peel and chop. Squeeze the seeds out. Put tomatoes in a strainer over a bowl and let drain 1hr. Combine drained tomatoes, parsley, basil, lemon juice, oil, garlic, and S&P in a bowl; reserve. Cook pasta and drain. Put in a large bowl and toss with the butter. Add half the sauce and toss working fast to keep the pasta hot. To serve portion out and top with dollops of the remaining sauce on each serving.

This is one of those cook and be ready to eat now type meals. The hot pasta and the tomatoes are amazing together. There is no other cooking than the pasta and its the perfect summer meal with a lil garlic bread and a nice dessert. I sometimes make the sauce early in the morning then when we are ready to eat , I make the pasta and toss. The cold sauce and the hot pasta complement each other and make it fairly warm and all the yummy flavors just explode. Sometimes I will make it with tiny shells to serve as a side dish for picnics but I find I must increase everything because then the pasta absorbs the liquid and its too dry. But everyone loves this either way.

The next recipe you must have garden tomatoes for also but its great when theres a glut of them in the garden. You can use as many as you want and it keeps good in the refrigerator for days too. My mother in law used to make this and we just love it.

MOMS TOMATO SALAD SERVES AS MANY AS YOU WANT

Lots of fresh ripe garden tomatoes!
Olive oil - S & P
Red onion
Green peppers
Celery
Mint leaves (I prefer spearmint) or basil

Wash and core tomatoes, cut into wedges, not too big, you want to be able to handle them easy when you eat. Slice onions thinly. For about 6 tomatoes I would use about half an onion. You need to eyeball this and taste later, amts are up to you. Chop green peppers in about 1/2in pieces, slice celery on the diagonal. Again up to you how much you use, they are to compliment the tomatoes tho so not as much of these as tomato. Maybe one green pepper and two ribs celery for the 6 tomatoes. Add olive oil and some S & P to this . Slightly mash the veggies to release some of the juices , not alot just to get the juices flowing. Add chopped mint or basil and toss. I use about a 1/2c olive oil here. Let sit at rm temp. till ready to serve. The juices should be released over time and you can stir it up now and then if you want to help that. Sometimes the tomatoes are just too mealy and not very juicy. If thats the case then you can add some water to them and mix again.

There is no vinegar added to this , the tomato juice and olive oil make your dressing. Taste and see if there anything you might want to add. Sometimes it might need more oil or S & P or even more mint. Just be sure theres lots of juice!

We could eat just this as a meal with a loaf of Italian bread to sop up the juices , its that good! But I frequently make this for picnics, everyone requests it. Its a great way to use up alot of tomatoes tho when you have them.

Just a few recipes

Just wandering thru some of my cookbooks and my personal pile of recipes and thought Id post a few today. The first one is Kalamata Olive Pesto that I created for the restaurant where I worked. We served it as an appetizer over scallion fettuccine. You could make this and just use regular fettuccine and toss in fresh sliced scallions to approximate the flavor. My ex and I were out one day and the car radio was on. There were food reviews and restaurant reviews on at that time and Narsai David was reviewing some. He is a local famous chef and celebrity out here. I got so excited because suddenly I realized he was reviewing my dish from the restaurant! And he just loveddddddddd it . omg omg omg Boy did that make my day! So here it is. .....

KALAMATA OLIVE PESTO Makes 2c.
9oz. black Kalamata olives, pitted
1 fresh red chili 2in. long. or chili flakes
2 garlic cloves
2 shallots
3/4 tsp. minced fresh thyme
3/4 tsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/4c. lemon juice
1 small bunch of chives
If olives are not pitted, remove pits first. Stores are now carrying pitted Kalamata olives tho so that would save tons of time if you can find them. Put all ingredients into food processor and blend well. Refrigerate. Use on french bread with goat cheese or on pasta.

I made a Greek style appetizer out of this one time for a party at my house. I set this out in one of those divided dishes... one had the olive pesto in it, one had dried tomatoes in oil in it and another had crumbled feta cheese in it. You could also just use roasted red peppers too instead of the tomatoes. I had a basket next to it filled with plain sliced baguette and everyone made their own nibbles. It was a huge hit.

But this could be used on pasta with maybe artichokes in it or as a spread on sandwiches too. Or roll it up in some puff pastry from the store and bake it for appetizers. Or you could make it into a nice tart for lunch or a party. Just make a pastry crust and line it with some olive pesto and top with fresh garden tomatoes, a lil S&P, some fresh thyme sprigs and drizzle with more olive oil, then bake.....yum. You could even roll out some bread dough and spread this on it , roll up and bake for an awesome bread for your meal.
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Another thing this would be good on is this next sandwich. I found this years ago at a Trader Joes Market out here. I had it once and never saw it again. But I loved it so much as I ate it I dissected the ingredients and made a list so I could make it myself later on. It was a Greek Salad Sandwich, and its vegan ,,,,,no meat! and trust me you wont even miss it. I'm not a vegan but I don't mind eating that way once in a while. This was awesome tho.

GREEK SALAD SANDWICH
For each sandwich you need:
1 ciabatta roll, it needs to be crusty peasant type bread like this if you cant find ciabattas.
feta cheese, sliced tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, sliced Kalamata olives, chopped green peppers, sliced red onion, chopped pepperonicini peppers, Basil, Mint and Oregano.
Equal parts lemon juice and olive oil for a dressing.
Slice bread, layer all veggies on it. Top with cheese. Make dressing with lemon juice, olive oil and herbs. Drizzle over sandwich and put top of sandwich on and eat. You could also stuff this into a pita pocket. It would be really tasty too with leaves of fresh basil in it.
This would be a great sandwich to use that olive pesto in instead of sliced olives.

Sesame Chicken and Chopped Salad

Ive made this so many times over the years and theres so many ways to use this that I just had to put it here. Its called Sesame Chicken. It has just a few ingredients and is baked but its good hot or cold.

SESAME CHICKEN6-8 boneless chicken breasts
1 stick of butter or margarine
1/2c. lemon juice
1/2c. breadcrumbs
1/2c. grated parmesan cheese
sesame seeds
paprika

You will be making two mixtures to dip the chicken in . First melt the butter, then add the lemon juice. The next mixture is the breadcrumbs and cheese in another bowl. Dip each breast in the butter/lemon mix then into the crumb/cheese mix and put in a 13 x 9in pan. When all chicken is dipped pour the rest of the butter mix thats left over it. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and dust with paprika. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 1hr.

Thats it. This is good hot or cold so altho theres only two of us I make the whole batch to have leftovers. I have a lemon tree in my yard (Ill miss that the most when I move to Oregon) and I use fresh lemons in mine but anything will do. I use it the next day cold in a sandwich or salad. Its really good cut up and put in a ceasar salad for lunch the next day. Its awesome because it complements the dressing so well. I show another salad in that pic and its good leftover in that too ( recipe follows).

When Ive gone to church potlucks Ive cut the chicken in smaller pieces and I swear theres never any left. You know how at potlucks folks pile up there plates so why waste a good chicken breast by giving them ones too big to finish. Ive also made this into chicken tenders and baked. I served that with a homemade oriental plum sauce as an appetizer. My boyfriend likes this with a dijonaise sauce he makes just before dinner. I like it as it is. Make sure if your eating it hot to scoop up some of the juice if there is some. Most times it evaporates but whats there is delish. I tend to use frozen chicken breasts cuz I always forget to thaw stuff but I find if I do that they come out juicier too. If you use thawed breasts Id watch the time on these....check at 30min , then again at 45min. I find sometimes 1hr with thawed dries them out way too much. (BTW I use this recipe so much that I just make a big batch of the breadcrumb mix and put it in a bag in my freezer. You can add herbs and such to it and use it for breaded pork chops and things like that)

Ok now the salad I made last nite is one of my favorites. I swear to God I can eat this every day of my life. (and I have for lunch at the restaurant I worked at too!) We used to call it Chopped Salad there but its really a Greek Salad. I will give ingredients but its really up to you how much of anything you use.

CHOPPED SALAD (GREEK SALAD)

tomatoes
cucumbers
green onions or regular onion
Kalamata Olives (greek olives) pitted is the best but either is fine
Lotsa feta cheese
fresh garlic
mint and parsley
S & P
Extra Virgin olive oil
lemons for juicing

First thing, dice tomatoes, cucumbers in equal parts. I either use reg. cukes and peel em or buy those hydroponic ones that dont need peeling. Those make the salad look nicer but I just buy whats cheapest. You do want the best tomatoes you can find for this. In summer I use up alot of my garden ones in it. You need that fresh taste so the ones they sell in the stores on the vine are what I use otherwise. I will chop up about 4-6 green onions or 1/4 of a reg. onion and toss that in. Finely mince a lg. clove of fresh garlic. (You can use more if you love garlic but not too much or thats all you will taste and if you feel adventurous ,a finely minced jalapeno or two, with seeds removed is yummy too.)You want fresh everything here, thats the key to the taste. Mix it all tog. with some S & P and Olive oil. It must be Extra virgin. You want that flavor. Now juice some lemons for a small batch 1 or 2 lemons is fine, strain it tho or take out the seeds after juicing. This is all to taste so dont worry you can adjust it later. Stir it all and set aside while you do the rest.

Take a nice handful of mint leaves, only the leaves and a nice handful of parsley leaves, only leaves there too. Chop it till fine and toss in the bowl. Yes its alot but thats what makes it so yummy. BTW if you have fresh mint, I have found I dont like peppermint in it.....I use spearmint, that gives the best taste.

Mix it all and top with lots of crumbled feta cheese and olives. I can eat this just like that but as u you see I ripped some lettuce leaves apart and put it around the edge so it doesnt get soggy till I need it then served it. You can take some lettuce and top it with the veggies or just mix it all up. If you make some cracked wheat (bulgur) this becomes tabbouli salad another fav of mine. I make my bulgur in chicken stock for more flavor and then it becomes a whole vegetarian meal. (Yea I know chicken stock isnt vegan but my point is, its a meal with no meat, just grains and veggies, not strict vegan. You could use veggie stock tho if you are vegan.) Ive made that for parties and OMG theres never any left. Leftovers store well (without the lettuce) so you can have it the next day for lunch. Today tho Im gonna eat the leftover chicken chopped up in it for lunch Also this tastes best at room temperature. And the longer it sits the better the flavor.