Gazpacho

Gazpacho is flexible. So too this gazpacho recipe - feel free to play around with the quantities. I have taken the idea of using celery salt from Laura Wright's The First Mess Cookbook and I think it really makes the soup, but the recipe is an amalgam of her recipe and the French Laundry's Gazpacho recipe from The New York Times Country Weekend Cookbook (a version of which I posted on this blog back in 2011). I like gazpacho chunky these days, but you could puree it in a blender (and even strain it) if you like your gazpacho smoother. Do this after letting the ingredients sit together for a while. And you could also put in a little vodka - and think of it as a healthy Bloody Mary.

Gazpacho

4-6 large tomatoes, peeled and diced
1 medium sized red onion, diced
1/2 large red bell pepper, diced
1/2 large English cucumber, diced
2 cloves garlic, grated
2 tbsps tomato paste
1 1/2 tsps celery salt
1/4 - 1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 c olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a nonreactive bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least an hour. Serve cold. Will keep several days.

Soy-Glazed Salmon

We made this simple yet fabulous grilled salmon last night. Served it with brown rice and a salad with arugula fresh from friend Christa's garden. Highly recommend! Recipe is based on one from Bon Appetit's The Grilling Book - the very best summer cookbook around.

Soy-Glazed Salmon

4 1/2 tbsp packed brown sugar
2 tbsp dijon mustard
1 1/2 tbsp reduced salt soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp rice vinegar

1 1/4 - 1 1/2 lb skinless, boneless salmon fillet (or 4 - 6 oz fillets)

Whisk together sugar, mustard and soy sauce. Transfer 1 1/2 tbsp to a small bowl, mix with vinegar, and set aside.
Brush salmon with glaze and grill glazed side down over high heat until slightly charred  - around 5 minutes. Brush top with remaining glaze, flip, and grill on second size until slightly charred and salmon is done to your liking - around 5 more minutes. Plate and drizzle with reserved glaze/vinegar mix.

Claire's Black Bean Brownies

Claire has been making these brownies for a few years now, and they never disappoint! The recipe comes from a blog called Chocolate Covered Katie: The Healthy Dessert Blog. Here's how she/we make(s) them but there are modifications on the blog if you'd like to check it out. Not only are these brownies moist and chocolatey, they are also flour free. And super easy to make. And no one will know about the secret ingredient: black beans!

Black Bean Brownies

1 1/2 cups black beans (15-oz can, drained and rinsed well)
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Combine all ingredients except chocolate chips in a good food processor, and blend until completely smooth. Stir in the chips, then pour into a greased 8×8 pan. (Claire sprinkles extra chocolate chips on top at this point.) Bake for 15-18 minutes, then let cool at least 10 minutes. If they still look a bit undercooked, which they normally will, they will firm up in the fridge. They freeze well, but you'll want to freeze on a cookie sheet before putting into bags or they'll stick together.

Spicy Ginger Pork Curry

I've been making this pork curry for 20 years. It's easy to make and so tasty. The original recipe comes from Nancie McDermott's The Curry Book. I've made a couple of small tweaks to the recipe. Here's how I make it.

Burmese-Style Pork Curry with Fresh Ginger

1/4 c peeled fresh ginger, cut into matchsticks
1 1/2 pounds of pork roast (a reasonably fatty cut), cut into 1 inch cubes (previously cooked is fine)
1 tbsp red thai curry paste (or to taste)
1/4 c brown sugar
2 1/2 c water
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp low sodium (or regular) soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c thinly sliced shallots
2 tbsp minced garlic
1/4 lime juice

Cover ginger with warm water in small bowl and set aside.
Combine pork, curry paste, and brown sugar in a heavy saucepan and cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring regularly to coat the pork.
Stir together water, turmeric, soy sauce, and salt, and pour over the pork. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 45 minutes.
Add ginger with soaking liquid, shallots, garlic, and lime juice to the pan and cook for a further 5 minutes. Taste and adjust with additional salt, lime juice, or sugar if desired.
Serve over jasmine rice.

Lentil Sloppy Joes

I can't believe it's been over a week since I posted a recipe here. I anticipated posting many during our self isolation, but the days slip by one after another until it's been a week and then two... I also can't quite believe I haven't posted this particular recipe before now. It comes from Recipes from the Hood, a 2011 cookbook filled with recipes from moms in a local Etobicoke women's group - MINOES (Mothers in Need of Entertainment). These are perfect vegetarian sloppy joes. You won't even notice you're not eating ground beef!

Lentil Sloppy Joes

1 c uncooked green lentils
4 c water
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 pepper, whatever colour you have, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
8 oz tomato sauce
1/4 c tomato paste
3 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp yellow mustard
4-6 brioche buns*

Put lentils in pot with 4 c water, cover, and bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until lentils are cooked. Drain and set aside.

Saute onion and pepper in oil until soft. Add garlic and saute for about one minute more. Add cooked lentils, chili powder, oregano, and salt, and mix. Add tomato sauce and tomato paste, stir, and cook for another 10 minutes.

Add maple syrup and mustard and heat through. Turn heat off and let sit for about 10 minutes, or more, until you're ready. Serve in brioche buns, ideally with the Il Buco kale salad on the side.


*This is what I like best, but any hamburger buns would do. You could also serve this on rice or potatoes if you wanted.

Spaghetti with Sausage and Kale

This is supper tonight. Our Grocery Gateway order was bumped from this afternoon to Sunday (will we ever see it?!) so we can't have the burgers and fries originally on the menu. Then I remembered this forgiving pasta, and the single sausage and small portion of ground beef hanging out in the freezer. The real recipe is in Curtis Stone's What's For Dinner - and it is perfect. However, liberties can and will be taken. Fingers crossed!

Spaghetti with Sausage and Kale

8 oz sausage meat or other ground meat, seasoned like Italian sausage
1 or 2 large bunches of kale, stems removed, thinly sliced
1 lb spaghetti or fettuccini
1/2 cup olive oil (Curtis uses 3/4 cup - you could try it with even less than I do)
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp grated lemon zest (or substitute some of the olive oil for lemon olive oil)
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 oz freshly grated parmesan - I like it coarsely grated here
salt and pepper
optional: chili flakes

Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add kale and cook for about 5 minutes, until tender. Scoop the kale out of the water with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Return water to boil and add spaghetti. Cook until tender. Drain, saving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and brown the meat, breaking it up as you go.  Remove the meat from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add 1/4 c of olive oil and garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until garlic is fragrant. Stir in kale, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Add spaghetti and another 1/4 cup of olive oil (or lemon olive oil) and toss to coat. Stir in lemon juice then half of the parmesan cheese. Use the reserved pasta water to moisten as necessary.

At this point, we take out Claire's vegetarian portion, and add the meat to the remaining pasta. Taste for salt and pepper, and top each serving with remaining parmesan cheese.

Cheese Biscuits

This week I have cooked almost exclusively from Melissa Clark's Dinner: Changing the Game. It is a wonderful book filled with the just the kind of comforting recipes one needs in these days of uncertainty. Last night I made the Rye & Cheddar Biscuits and was surprised by how easy they were, and how tasty! I've never made biscuits before and this will now be my standard recipe. From her post in the NYT today, I think there is wiggle room for variation. While the original recipe calls for rye flour, I used whole wheat because it's what I had on hand. Perfect with a hearty soup or stew. Enjoy!

Cheese Biscuits

 2 eggs
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 c plain yogurt
1 tbsp brown sugar
12 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 c grated cheese (cheddar or another hard cheese)

optional: handful of fresh herbs

Heat oven to 450. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl whisk together yogurt, one egg, and brown sugar. Cut butter into flour mixture until you have pea sized crumbs. Gently fold in wet ingredients, followed by cheese and herbs.

On a floured surface, pat dough into a square shape that is 1 1/4 inches high. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the dough into 9 equal pieces. Space close together but not touching on prepared baking sheet. Whisk remaining egg with 1 tbsp water and brush on top.

Bake until brown and tender - 12 to 17 minutes. Cool a bit before serving.

Current Go-To Salad Dressings

My taste for salad dressings and vinaigrettes seems to go in waves. When I like something, I really like it. For example, the pecorino dressing below - that I made three times in one week. It is from the Canal House Cook Something cookbook. It's super easy and very tasty. A really nice alternative to caesar salad dressing. You can use it on romaine or any other sturdy lettuce. I think it might also be nice with broccoli. I also like to have a solid vinaigrette recipe that I can vary as I wish. The one here is from Dorie Greenspan's Everyday Dorie: The Way I Cook. I love it just the way it is. You could add freshly chopped herbs, dried tarragon or oregano, chives or shallots, or whatever else you'd like. It is a staple to dress the salad made from whatever leaves, seeds, and protein I throw together.

Everyday Vinaigrette

Shake together in a small jar:

3 tbsp EVOO
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp white balsamic vinegar
1 tsp dijon
salt and pepper to taste

Pecorino Dressing

Whisk together:

2 oz good pecorino romano, grated finely
1 garlic clove, grated finely
1/3 c boiling water

Then whisk in:

3 oil packed anchovies, finely chopped
1/4 c EVOO
lots of freshly ground black pepper

Add salt to taste

Spaghetti Two Ways

I am nesting right now and, like I said in my last post, I am revisiting comforting recipes from my childhood. I'm also really enjoying easy recipes that pack some real taste. These are two very different, very simple, spaghetti recipes that pair well with a simple green salad with maybe some nuts and green onions thrown in. I am partial to Dorie Greenspan's house vinaigrette from Everyday Dorie. Enjoy!

Spaghetti with Salmon and Tomato Sauce

1/4 c olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp dried basil
1 - 28 oz can plum tomatoes
1/3 c tomato paste
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
8 oz dried spaghetti noodles
1 - 7 3/4 oz tin salmon (or tuna), drained and flaked
capers, optional

Saute garlic in oil over medium low heat with parsley and basil until golden. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, salt and pepper. Simmer for 20 minutes, breaking tomatoes with a spoon. Add flaked salmon or tuna.
Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and mix into sauce. Let sit, covered, for 5 minutes before serving.

Hands-Off Spaghetti and Meatballs

* This is an America's Test Kitchen recipe found in multiple places. Seriously, it's good!

12 oz dried spaghetti noodles, broken in half
1 - 24 oz jar of marinara sauce
2 c water
1 lb lean ground beef
3/4 c panko breadcrumbs
1/3 c basil pesto
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
grated parmesan

Heat oven to 475F. Spray 13x9 inch baking dish with vegetable or olive oil spray. Spread dried pasta in the dish, pour sauce and water over pasta and gently toss with tongs to coat.
Combine beef, panko, pesto, salt, and pepper, ideally with your hands. Roll into 1 1/2 inch meatballs. (I use the Pampered Chef small or medium scoop depending if I want slightly larger or slightly smaller meatballs.) Place meatballs on top of pasta, cover dish tightly with foil, and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and stir. Return uncovered dish to oven and bake until pasta is tender nd sauce is thickened, about 5-8 minutes.
Toss to coat pasta and meatballs with sauce. You can add some hot water here if you want to thin the sauce a bit. Let cool for 10 minutes. Serve with grated parm.

Tuna Bumsteads

I hadn't had these for at least three decades. Until Saturday night! After some considerable searching, I found my Aunt Marie's recipe in an old cookbook I put together in my 20s. (As an aside, that means you're likely to see more golden oldies on here in the next few weeks.) I've made a few substitutions so what's below is my version of the recipe. They were well received by all, and leftovers were sent for school lunches. They even taste good cold!

Aunt Marie's Tuna Bumsteads (Reboot)

1 c grated old cheddar cheese
2 cans tuna, drained and flaked
1/2 c light mayo
1 small onion, diced
1-2 stalks celery, diced
8-12 stuffed green olives, chopped (or more - these are the magic ingredient)
1/2 red pepper, diced
salt and pepper as desired

8 mini brioche buns* (or other buns of choice - hotdog buns would also work)

Mix ingredients together. Spread onto one side of bun and cover. Wrap in foil and heat in oven at 350F for 20 or so minutes, until centre is warm and cheese is melted.

* I get the Costco ones.

Hungry for More - Salted Maple Granola and French Onion Soup

I liked the Chrissy Teigen/John Legend Super Bowl ad. I mean, it wasn't Groundhog Day, but it was pretty good. What is even better, though, is Chrissy Teigen's cookbook - Cravings: Hungry for More. We reviewed it last year in my cookbook book club (Four Cooks One Book) and we all liked it. A LOT. More than we expected to be honest. Here are two of my faves from the book. We make these recipes all the time. Enjoy them, but also go buy the book! The photos are beautiful and the recipes work well. Lots of variety.

Salted Maple Granola

3 c old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 c unsweetened finely shredded coconut
1/2 c chopped pecans
1/2 c slivered almonds
1/4 c sunflower seeds
1/2 c melted coconut oil (recipe suggests vegetable oil as an alternative, but coconut is much nicer)
1/2 c maple syrup
1/3 c packed light brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 c dried cherries, chopped

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a very large bowl, combine oats, coconut, pecans, almonds, and sunflower seeds. In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt. Add to oat mixture and toss.

Spread onto baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure it does not burn. Remove from oven, cool completely, and add cherries.

French Onion Soup

3 tbsp olive oil
7 tbsp butter
10 c thinly sliced onions (use your favourite or a variety of types)
5 thyme sprigs
8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 tbsp flour
1¼ c dry red wine
6 c beef broth*
1½ tbs soy sauce
kosher salt
4 large croissants, cut into 1½ inch cubes**
¾ lb gruyere or swiss cheese, grated

In a very large, heavy pot, heat oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add onions and thyme and cook until onions begin to soften, about 15 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, add garlic, and cook, stirring often, until are golden. CT suggests this will take about 20 minutes, but depending on the stove, temperature, and pot, this can vary. You want to stir and wait until all the onions are a golden brown.

Add flour and stir for 2-3 minutes ensuring all onions are coated. Add win and increase heat to medium. Cook until wine has evaporated. Discard thyme and add broth, soy sauce, and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce, and simmer until thickened, about 45 minutes. Add salt if you think it needs it.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350F. Arrange croissant pieces on a baking sheet and bake until golden, about 9 minutes. Remove from oven.

Set oven to broil. Arrange soup crocks on a baking sheet. Put 1/4 c grated cheese in the bottom of each crock. Ladle soup over, almost to top. Place a few croissant pieces on top, followed by another 1/4 c grated cheese. Broil until bubbling and lightly browned.

A-MA-ZING!

* As I have mentioned before, I use the Better than Bouillon paste to make my stocks and always keep the chicken, beef, and vegetable in the fridge. I think it's now at Costco in large jars.
** Don't scrimp here. The croissants are really what elevates this soup to the stratosphere. I get mine at Ma Maison.

Lemony Kale Salad with Roasted Tomatoes

This salad is part of a meal in Curtis Stone's Good Food, Good Life, where he intends the kale salad and roasted tomatoes to be served separately alongside pram-crusted pork chops. I like to make the kale salad with the roasted tomatoes. I serve it alongside a variety of dishes - tonight we're having it with Will's Fish Chowder. This salad is very easy and consistently popular at potlucks.

Lemony Kale Salad with Roasted Tomatoes

20 cherry tomatoes

2 tbsp EVOO

kosher salt and pepper

tuscan kale, stemmed and thinly sliced (enough for about 4 cups)

grated zest of 2 lemons

2 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp EVOO

kosher salt and pepper

optional: coarsely grated parmesan or asiago

Preheat oven to 450F. Toss tomatoes with EVOO, salt and pepper, and place on a heavy baking sheet. Roast for 5 minutes, until tomatoes begin to burst.

Toss kale with lemon zest, juice, and EVOO. Season with salt and pepper. Add tomatoes and their juices and gently toss one more time.

If you wish, you can then sprinkle grated cheese over top.

Comfort Soup

Claire asked if I'd make her a cookbook when she leaves for university next year. (How is that possible?!) She asked if I could include this recipe, and I realized I hadn't put it on the blog. So here it is. This simple soup recipe is surprising. It has a sweetness to it from the carrots and red pepper. I found the inspiration in Michael Noble's Chicken Soup recipe in The Soup Sisters and Broth Brothers Cookbook. I like to make it when I have leftover roast or rotisserie chicken, although it does not need the chicken. I always add the lentils and noodles. You could easily double it so there are leftovers for lunches although it is best the day it's made. (Serves 3-4)

Comfort Soup

2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter, cut into cubes
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, diced
1/2 leek, sliced thinly
1/4 red pepper, diced
2 sprigs thyme (or about 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
pinch of red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 small bay leaf
Optional: red lentils (about 2 tbsp); fideo or vermicelli noodles (about 2 tbsp); leftover cooked chicken

Heat oil and butter in a pot over medium heat until foamy. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened but now brown. Add carrot, leek, red pepper, thyme, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables soften. Add chicken stock, lentils, noodles, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes until vegetables, lentils, and noodles are fully cooked. Remove bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Season with salt and pepper.

Harissa Chicken with Leeks, Potatoes, and Yogurt

This recipe is now all over the internet, with good reason. It's very tasty, and smells wonderful while cooking. The recipe comes from Melissa Clark's fab cookbook - Dinner: Changing the Game, but I've used David Lebovitz's slight variation here. I recommend using dill as one of the herbs, but you can use whatever is in the crisper drawer that needs using. Harissa is spicy, so if you don't love spice, perhaps cut back a bit on that ingredient. This recipe serves 3 but could stretch to 4 with a side salad.

Harissa Chicken with Leeks, Potatoes, and Yogurt

2 tablespoons harissa
4 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 teaspoons kosher or flaky sea salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 1/2 pound skin on chicken thighs, legs and/or drumsticks
1 1/2 pounds roasting potatoes (such as Yukon Golds), peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch (4cm) cubes
2 leeks, washed, sliced in half lengthwise, and thinly sliced crossways

grated zest of one lemon
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
lemon or lime juice

1 cup (10-12g) mixed fresh herbs, such as parsley, mint, dill, chervil, and tarragon, very coarsely chopped

In a large bowl, mix together the harissa, 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, cumin, 2 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper. Add the chicken and potatoes. Use your hands and toss to combine. Let stand for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 425ºF (220ºC). Adjust the oven rack to the center of the oven.

In a medium bowl, toss the leeks together with the lemon zest, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Transfer the chicken and potatoes, and any sauce in the bowl, onto a large rimmed baking sheet. Arrange the chicken pieces so they are skin side up, and make sure the chicken parts and potatoes are in a single layer. Bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Toss the potatoes (so they can brown on the other sides of them) then strew the leeks over everything on the baking sheet. It may look like a lot, but they'll bake down.

Bake until the chicken is cooked through, another 20 to 25 minutes. While the chicken is cooking, in a small bowl, mix the yogurt with the garlic, the remaining salt and pepper, and a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and spoon the yogurt sauce in various places over the chicken and potatoes. Top with fresh herbs and serve.

Beryl's Sunday Basmati

I love this recipe. It's the third pilaf-style rice recipe I've posted here - and they are all different. This one is now a standard in our house, and a real comfort food. Planning to make it tonight with a grilled curried flattened chicken and Costco baja salad. Perfect fall fare.
This recipe comes from Floyd Cardoz's Flavorwalla cookbook. I've tweaked the recipe a bit to streamline the instructions.
Enjoy!

Beryl's Sunday Basmati

3 tbsp canola or avocado oil
1 inch cinnamon stick
3 cloves
1 c chopped white onion
4 scallions, thinly sliced
2 bay leaves
2 c basmati rice
1 1/2 c diced tomatoes (you can use well-drained tinned tomatoes if necessary)
3 c water
Bouillon (original recipe calls for 1 large Maggi cube/I often use 3 tsp Better than Bouillon)

Put rice in a large bowl and fill with cold water. swish with your hands, pour off water - repeat, until the water is almost clear. Drain, cover rice with lukewarm water, and soak for 20 minutes. Drain well.

Heat oil in a large pot or dutch oven. Add cinnamon and cloves and cook for about 1 minute. Add onions and scallions and saute until softened but now browning. Add bay leaves and drained rice and cook, stirring frequently, until rice starts to stick to the bottom of the pot.

Add tomatoes, bouillon, and water. Bring to a boil, stir, cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand for 15 minutes.

Remove cinnamon, cloves, and bay leaves. Fluff with a fork and serve.

Tzatziki (Cacik)

This is a recipe for Turkish cacik from Rick Stein's Venice to Istanbul, but it's what we use for tzatziki. It is easy and great!

Tzatziki

1 English cucumber, peeled, deseeded and grated
1 tsp salt
500 g greek yogurt
1 tsp lemon juice
I garlic clove, grated
1 tbsp chopped dill
1 tbsp chopped mint leaves
1/2 tsp cumin


Mix grated cucumbers with salt and set aside for 10 minutes. Drain cucumbers, then squeeze between paper towel to remove excess liquid.
Add cucumber to yogurt then stir in remaining ingredients.
Season to taste with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with cayenne before serving.

Two Classic Salads - Two Great Recipes

We all know these salads and most of us have recipes we go back to time and again to make them. I realize, however, that I have not committed my favourite recipes to this blog. This post will correct that. The first recipe - for Greek Salad - comes from Rick Stein's Venice to Istanbul. It is simple but for me yields the perfect greek salad. The second recipe - for Salade Nicoise - come from Melissa Clark's Dinner. The dressing is fabulous! In both cases I have made some minor changes to better suit our tastes. As with every salad you'll ever make, the freshness and quality of the ingredients will make all the difference.

Greek Salad

1 lb tomatoes, cut into chunks

1/2 english cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced into thick slices

1 red onion, sliced thinly

20 kalamata olives

4 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

black pepper

1 tsp dried oregano

1 cup feta cheese (the block kind in brine, not the grated kind!)

Put tomatoes, cucumber, onion and olives into a large serving bowl.

Mix together oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Pour over salad and toss gently. Slice or break the feta into large-ish pieces and place on top of the salad. Sprinkle with oregano.

Drizzle with additional olive oil to taste.

Salade Nicoise

8 oz new or baby potatoes

8 oz green beans

1 tbsp basil leaves, finely chopped

8 radishes

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

12-14 oz tuna packed in olive oil, drained

1/2 c kalamata olives, pitted

4 oil-packed anchovy fillets, minced

1 large garlic clove, grated

1/2 tsp kosher salt

2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

3/4 tsp grated lemon zest

1/2 tsp dijon

1/3 c olive oil

Blend together anchovy, garlic, salt, lemon juice, lemon zest, dijon and olive oil.

Boil potatoes until fork tender, adding green beans for last 2-3 minutes. Drain and let cool to a temperature you can handle. 

Halve potatoes, and place in bowl with green beans. Dress with some of the dressing. Allow to cool, Toss in basil.

Arrange potatoes and green beans, radishes, tomatoes, and tuna on a large platter. Scatter with olives and drizzle with remaining dressing. 

Garnish with black pepper, flakes of sea salt, and torn basil leaves.

Brown Rice with Spiced Chicken, Tomato, and Zucchini

I used to make this recipe all the time. Then I forgot about it. I saw some beautiful zucchinis at Pat's Supermarket last week and searched out this recipe. It's from Leith's Cooking for One or Two (where they are called courgettes of course). I've revised the recipe so it feeds four. Quick, easy, tasty. Especially when winter returns in mid-April! Leftovers make great lunches.

Brown Rice with Spiced Chicken, Tomato, and Zucchini

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
4 oz brown rice
1 pint chicken stock
2 zucchinis, cut into 1 cm dice
2 tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1 cm dice
4-6 boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2.5 cm pieces
2 tsps cajun spice
2 tbsp butter
lemon juice
parsley

Toss chicken thighs with cajun seasoning and set aside.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in saucepan and fry onion until soft. Add rice, stir to coat. Pour in stock, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and simmer 40-50 minutes until rice is tender, stirring occasionally.
When rice is almost cooked, heat remaining 1 tbsp oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan. Add butter. When foaming, fry chicken briskly until browned. Add zucchini and tomato and toss until hot but zucchini is still crunchy. 
Add cooked rice to chicken. Check seasoning. Add lemon juice to taste and garnish with chopped parsley.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chia Pudding (aka Breakfast)

This is THE BEST chia pudding I've ever had. Almost as good as a budino!

Thanks to cousin Jen for sending me to A Saucy Kitchen gluten free website where you can find the recipe here: https://www.asaucykitchen.com/peanut-butter-chocolate-chia-pudding/.

This is my (slightly modified) version:

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chia Pudding

1 c unsweetened almond or coconut almond milk
1/4 c chia seeds
3 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp crunchy peanut butter (all natural)
2 tbsp maple syrup

Combine ingredients, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Makes 4 servings.

Swedish Lemon Visiting Cake

I love baked goods with cardamom. They remind me of Sweden. I made this cake for the first time this week and we all loved it. It baked evenly and yielded a moist, dense, lemony loaf. The recipe was posted on the NYT website and attributed to Dorie Greenspan. I have made a couple minor tweaks based on my own ingredients. (The original recipe also had a marmalade glaze that I found unnecessary, but if that appeals you can get the original recipe online.) Best served with afternoon tea (or coffee)!

Swedish Lemon Visiting Cake

1 1/2 c flour

1 1/4 tsp b powder

1 tsp ground cardamom

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp fine sea salt

1 c sugar*

1 large lemon

4 large eggs, room temp

1/2 c greek yogurt**

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

5 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Preheat oven to 350.

Butter 8 1/2 inch loaf pan, dust with flour, and place on baking sheet.

Whisk together flour, b power, cardamom, ginger and salt.

Put sugar in a large bowl. Grate zest of lemon over sugar. Rub sugar and zest together until mixture is moist and aromatic. 

Squeeze lemon to yield 3 tbsp juice and set aside.

Add eggs to sugar one at a time, whisking after each addition. Whisk in juice then yogurt. Using whisk, gently stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients in two additions.

Stir vanilla into melted butter then blend into batter.

Scrape batter into loaf pan.

Bake 70-75 minutes, covering loosely with foil if it browns too quickly. 

Transfer to a rack, let rest for 5 minutes, loosen with a knife and invert onto a rack.

Cool to room temperature.

* original recipe called for 1 1/4 cups

** can use heavy cream