Fish baked over Salsa

Homemade salsa
2 8 oz. pieces of firm white fish, like cod or hake
Juice from 2 limes
Jalapeno, seeded veined and chopped
Salt
Capers

Marinate fish in lime juice and salt while you make salsa

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

spread salsa on bottom of baking dish. Add capers and place fish pieces on top of salsa.

Cover dish with aluminium foil.

Bake covered for 15 minutes, remove foil and bake another 15 minutes, until fish is cooked through.

Sprinkle raw jalapeno over fish. Serve

Easy homemade salsa

1 28 oz can whole peeled Italian tomatoes
1-2 Jalapenos
1 small sweet onion (like Vidalia)
cup of chopped Cilantro, stemmed and washed carefully
Juice of 1 lime
Salt

Squeeze juice from tomatoes in can. Pour into bowl large enough for all ingredients.
Chop tomatoes into small pieces. Add to bowl.
Chop onion finely. Add to bowl
Split jalapenos lengthwise and scrape out ribs and seeds (this is where the heat is). Chop finely and add to bowl.
Juice lime and add to bowl.
Chop cilantro finely and add to bowl at last minute,
Slat to taste

Portobello Parmesan

Portobello mushroom are very meaty and have a steak like flavor, but are not that expensive. you can grill them if you have a grill

3 TBS olive oil,
2 Portobello mushrooms Stemmed and washed
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 cup Lonely Guy spaghetti sauce (or store bought marinara sauce)
¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 TBS cup grated Parmesan

Place a pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill.

Drizzle 3 tablespoons of olive oil over both sides of the mushrooms. Sprinkle the mushrooms with salt and lots of pepper. Sauté/ Grill until the mushrooms are heated through and tender, about 5 minutes per side.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Spread ½ cup of the sauce on the bottom of a baking dish. Place the grilled mushrooms on top of the sauce and top with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with the cheeses and top with the butter pieces. Bake until the cheese melts and the top is golden, about 15 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes. Serve with a nice salad or on top of cooked pasta.

1 serving

1 half hour

Plain Brown Stew

This is adapted from a Julia Child recipe. Nothin’ plain about it, but that’s her title

One slice of bacon or slice of pancetta (deli counter) cut into ¼" slices
Cooking oil
2 lbs. stew beef
½ cup carrots (salad bar)
1 onion chopped
2 cups red wine (I know, I know)
1 can beef broth
Bay leaf
½ TSP thyme
½ TSP dried orange peel
1 TBS tomato paste (from tube)
2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 TBS butter
2 TBS flour

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a Dutch oven or other heavy pan, render bacon/pancetta in oil over moderate heat for 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from pan.

Heat fat until smoking and brown beef in batches (so you don’t crowd) on all sides until richly brown. Remove and put with bacon in bowl.

Add carrot and onion and sauté for three minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

Add wine to pan scrapping bottom and bring to boil until winey smell is gone. Add broth, meat and bacon along with tomato paste and herbs.

Return to boil. Cover top of pan with foil and put lid on. Place in oven for two hours.

Remove from oven and let rest for 1 hour.

Strain stew through colander into another pot.

Wash original pot. Melt butter in pot and stir in flour, browning a little. Add broth ladle by ladle to butter mix, stirring to dilute. Add meat to gravy.

Press any liquids out of veggies and add to broth. Discard veggies. When stew is warm, serve over noodles.

4-6 servings

3 hr

This freezes well for leftovers

Pita Pizza

Quick in-the-toaster-oven homemade “pizza”

Pita bread split in half (could also use English muffins)
Jar of pizza sauce (try them until you find one you like)
Packaged Mozzarella
Olive Oil

Heat Toaster oven.

Broil pita until is brown on edges.

Put TSP of oil on Pita and spread

Spread small amount of Pizza sauce on pita, spreading with back of teaspoon

Add cheese as desired

Broil in toaster oven until cheese begins to melt


Yields as many as you make

10 minutes

Variations:
Add cooked onions and/or garlic
Add slices of pepperoni or ham
Add other veggies form salad bar

Peas and Spinach

This is a really interesting combination.

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 (10-ounce) bag frozen peas
1/4 cup water
1 package spinach, washed
salt
pepper


Cook garlic in oil and butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until soft, about 6 minutes. Stir in the peas and water and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until peas are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in spinach, salt, and pepper and cook, tossing, until spinach is just wilted, about 1 minute.

Peanut Butter Noodles

You are more likely to have creamy peanut butter than Tahini Sauce. If you are a big shot and have Tahini, use it instead

1 lb. spaghetti
½ cup creamy peanut butter
Red pepper flakes
1 clove Garlic, very finely chopped
1 bunch scallions chopped
1 tablespoon sesame oil
¼ cup canola oil
½ cup rice wine vinegar
⅓ Cup chopped basil (optional)
2 cups cucumbers (salad bar OK)

Cook pasta according to instructions. Rinse drain and return to pan.

Mix peanut butter, oils, and vinegar.

Add Chile, garlic and herbs and stir until smooth.

Toss pasta, cucumbers with dressing. Serve warm.

2-3 servings

Add shredded cooked chicken if you have it.
This is very good cold too.

Pasta with Butter and Peas

The sweetness of the peas against the richness of the butter makes a lovely combination.

1 lb. Pasta
4 TBS butter, cut into 1 TBS pieces
1-2 cloves of garlic
1cup peas (from Salad bar or frozen)
Parmesan

Boil lots of salt water for pasta.

Cook pasta according to package direction

When pasta has 5 minutes left, Melt 1 TBS of butter in small sauce pan and add

Garlic and stir for 2 minutes until soft.

Add peas, coat with butter and cook for two minutes. Turn off heat.

Drain pasta and return to pot. Add remaining butter, butter/pea mixture and cheese.

toss and serve.


2-4 servings

20 minutes

Parmesan Chicken Fingers

Chicken breast
Oil in a spray can, like Pam
Grated Parmesan (not the canned stuff)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Cut breast into 4 or 5 “fingers”

Spray with oil and roll in Parmesan spread on plate

Roast 15 minutes until done, turning once or twice


1 serving

20 minutes

Variations:
Add red peppers flakes
Serve over chopped greens

Original Buffalo wings

This is the real deal. Accept no substitutes

36 wing sections (thighs and legs only)
4 cups canola oil
Stick of butter
Hot sauce to taste, at least 4 TBS (use Frank’s or Crystal)

Use a deep side pot or Dutch oven. Add oil and heat until almost smoking. Add ⅓ of wings and cook 10 minutes until golden. Drain well and put in warm oven.

Fry next two batches of wings in the same way.

Melt butter in microwave and pour in large enough bowl to hold all wings. Add hot sauce, add wings and stir to coat.

Serve with cold beverages.

1-2 servings

45 minutes

If you allow the oil to cool, you can store in plastic container in freezer and use again.

No Knead Bread

This really works!

3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
Water
¼ teaspoon instant yeast
1¼ teaspoons salt
Cornmeal as needed.

1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1⅝ cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.

3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

4. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.

One 1½- pound loaf

20 hours (most of it waiting)

Kinda MaPo Tofu

Tasty cheap and filling

1 package firm tofu, cut into ½ " cubes and drained on paper towels
Oil
1 can chicken broth
1 Bunch scallions, cleaned and cut finely
1-2 cloves Garlic
Red Pepper flakes
1 TBS soy sauce

Heat Oil in pan until hot. Sauté scallions 3 minutes until they start to brown. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Remove from pan and reserve.

Add chicken broth and red pepper to pan and boil vigorously until reduced by half.

Add tofu and simmer for 3 minutes until warm. Sprinkle scallion mix over tofu and serve over rice


2-3 servings

Lamb and Eggplant

A tasty and different one dish meal. For vegetarians, leave out the lamb

½ Lb. ground lamb
1 medium eggplant cut into ½ " cubes
1 bunch scallions, cleaned and cut finely
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup Cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half and salted
¼ cup feta cheese
¼ cup mint, chopped
Red pepper flakes
Cooking oil
Salt

After dicing eggplant, salt well in colander and let sit for ½ hour. Rinse well and drain on paper towels.

Heat oil in pan until hot. Sauté scallions 3 minutes until they start to brown. Add Lamb, breaking up into small pieces. Add Garlic. Sauté over high heat until lamb is well done. Remove lamb mix to bowl, leaving oil in pan.

Add Eggplant and tomatoes and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. You may need to add more oil.

Return lamb mix to pan, remove from heat. Stir in Feta, red pepper and mint. Serve


2-3 servings

45 minutes

Spring vegetable soup

Quick and filling. The salad bar is a great place to harvest small amounts of vegetables.

Soup Base
1 quart broth
Olive oil
1 medium onion, diced coarse
2 medium carrots from salad bar, diced or shredded
1 medium rib celery from salad bar, diced
Garlic, minced

Spring Soup
4 medium new potatoes, diced
1 cup green peas, fresh from salad bar or frozen
½ pound thin asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup egg noodles
4 ounces fresh spinach (1 cup or so) from salad bar
¼ cup fresh mint leaves if available

For the soup base: Heat oil in Pan. Add onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add broth, bring to a simmer, and simmer 10 minutes. Strain and discard vegetables

For the spring soup: With the soup base at a simmer, add new potatoes, peas, asparagus, and noodles and simmer until vegetables are tender and noodles are done, 8 to 10 minutes. Add spinach and simmer 3 minutes longer. Stir in mint. Let stand as long as you can to let flavors blend before serving.

2-4 Servings

Stewed Mushrooms

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound crimini (baby portobello) mushrooms, cut into rougly equal size pieces
1/2 carrot, chopped
1 onion, chopped
Garlic, minced
1/2 cup red wine
1 cup broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/4 teaspoon dried)

Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium Dutch oven or heavy sauce pan over high heat. Sear the mushrooms until they begin to darken on the edges, 5 minutes or so. Season wiht LOTS of black pepper. Remove them from pan.

Add more olive oil. Toss the carrots, onions, thyme, salt and cook for 10, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for just one more minute.

Add the wine to the pot, scraping any stuck bits off the bottom, then turn the heat all the way up and reduce it by half. Stir in the tomato paste and the broth. Add back the mushrooms with any juices that have collected and once the liquid has boiled, reduce the temperature so it simmers for 20 minutes, or until mushrooms are very tender.
Simmer for 10 more minutes.

Serve over Polenta or pasta or noodles.
Serves 2

Pan Roasted Corn

This is a summer time favorite but you can make a creditable version with frozen corn

6 ears of corn (or 2 cups frozen)
1 bunch scallions, cleaned and sliced thinly
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes
1-2 jalapenos
½ stick butter
Oil
Salt

Cut corn off ears and discard cob.

Heat oil in pan until hot

Saute scallions until they begin to brown.

Add Jalapenos and stir for one minute.

Add corn and stir to mix and then sit over high heat until they start to make popping noises and burn a little.

Stir and cook for 3 more minutes

Add tomatoes and stir until they start to soften.

Add butter, stir to melt and let flavors marry.

Salt liberally and serve.

4-6 servings

20 minutes

You can also add chopped cilantro with the butter.

Not Quite Nicoise Salad

Quick and easy salad assembled from Salad Bar

From Salad Bar:
Two cups romaine
1-2 boiled eggs
4-6 tomatoes slices
¼ cup chopped onions
Cucumber slices
¼ cup chick peas
Cooked green beans, asparagus and or peas

1 Can light Tuna in oil

EVOO and good vinegar

Cut eggs in quarters

Drain Tuna and toss with EVOO and Vinegar

Serve with good bread

1-2 servings

2 minutes (after shopping)

Use Best Salad Dressing Ever, if you want

Potato cubes with Garlic and herbs

Could be a side, could be a meal

1 potato, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
1 TBS Butter
6 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed and left whole
Salt
Fresh chopped herbs (parsley or sage or oregano)

Rinse potato and dry on paper towels

Melt butter in pan at medium heat, add potato, stir to coat and cover. Stir every three minutes for 9 minutes. Add Garlic, turn heat to low and stir every three minutes for 9 minutes

Add liberal amount of salt and herbs and serve


1 serving

20 minutes

Roasted Cauliflower with Pork and Black bean sauce

Cauliflower is kind of a blah vegetable but roasting it keeps its flavor and gives a nice texture. Cauliflower better a little underdone than over done

1 small head of cauliflower, stemmed and broken into flowerets
½ pound ground pork
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp fermented Chinese black beans, rinsed and chopped
1 TBS corn starch dissolved in ½ cup chicken broth
Red pepper flakes
Oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
In oven proof pan, swill oil, add flowerets and stir to coat with oil.
Place in oven and roast 20- 30 minutes, turning every 5 minutes, until cauliflower begins to browns and become tender. When cauliflower is done, remove from oven.
While Cauliflower is roasting, heat oil in skillet and brown pork well, breaking up into small pieces. You want pork to be well browned and crunchy. Drain, leaving fat in pan and set aside.
When Cauliflower is out of oven, Heat oil in pan and add garlic, black beans and red pepper flakes. Stir for one minute.
Add corn starch mix and stir as it thickens. Add Cauliflower and pork to pan to warm and coat.

Serve with rice.
Serve with Asian chili garlic sauce like Sambal

2-4 servings

30-40 minutes

Ranch beans

Great for breakfast with eggs or for cheap dinner

Not good for vegetarians as the Bacon is critical

1 14 oz. can kidney beans
Onion, chopped
1-2 strips thick bacon, chopped (buy at deli counter or buy a pound and wrap and freeze the rest)
Water
Pepper

Chop bacon into ¼" strips

Heat pan over medium and saute bacon until well browned. Leave fat in pan. Add onions, stir to coat and cover. Cook for 3-5 minutes until softened and starting to brown. Add undrained beans and 1 can water. Add LOTS of black pepper.

Bring to boil and then simmer for 15 minutes until beans are soft.


1-2 servings

Can serve over toast to stretch it further.
OK to use hot sauce.
NOT good left over

1-2 servings

Frittata for Breakfast or Dinner

This basic recipe can be used with many variations. Buy eggs by the half dozen. you can chp leftover and serve on a salad.

2-6 eggs
2 TBS Butter
I cup chopped onion
2 TBS Parmesan

Break eggs into bowl and set aside

Preheat Broiler with shelf on highest rung.

Melt butter in pan over high heat.

When it starts to brown, stir in onions and cook, stirring occasionally 3 minutes.

Beat eggs in bowl and pour over onions.

If using gas stove, turn heat down to lowest. If using electric, turn heat to lowest and remove pan from burner for one minute, then return for 4 minutes. Let sit in pan for at least 5 minutes, until bottom of eggs set. If you do not have a broiler, put lid on pan now and wait for egg mix to set on top.

Place pan under broiler for one minute until top sets. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.

2-4 servings
15 min

Variations:
With onions, you can add:
Chopped tomatoes
Jalapeños
Basil
chopped ham from deli

Good with Mexican bottled green sauce

Microwave risotto

Not the real thing, but way easier!

Olive oil
Byutter
1 onion chopped
1 cup Abrorio rice (you can use regular rice in a pinch)
2 14 oz cans broth

1. Put two TBS oil and 2 TBS butter in flat bottom casserole and Nuke for 2 minutes.
2. Chop one onion and stir in oil/butter and nuke for 4 minutes.
3. Put one cup Arborio rice into casserole, stir to coat and Nuke for 4 minutes
4. Add two 14 oz. cans of Chicken broth to casserole and nuke for 5 minutes. Stir and repeat. Stir and repeat again.
5. Now timing gets a little tricky. Should only need another 2-8 minutes. You judge by amount of liquid and consistency.
6. Added ¼ cup grated Parmesan and any other flavor ingredient (sautéed mushrooms, sautéed tomatoes, shrimp, radicchio, etc.)
7. Let sit for 3-5 minutes to settle and cool.

Peanut Butter Tofu

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Chinese chili-garlic sauce
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter
• 1/4 cup hot water
• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
• 1 package tofu, cubed
• 4 scallions, sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup basil, use Thai basil if possible
• chili oil for drizzling

1. Heat the peanut oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and sizzle briefly. Turn down heat. Carefully add chili-garlic sauce and fry until fragrant. Add fish sauce and simmer. Stir in peanut butter, so mixture forms a rough paste. Stir in hot water and sugar. Turn up heat and simmer
2. Stir in the tofu. Stir in green onions, cilantro, and basil and heat through. Drizzle with chili oil and serve with rice.

Ketchup Noodles

1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup water
Minced Garlic
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
Chile Garlic sauce
1 pound spaghetti
Chopped Cucumber
Sesame oil
Cook spaghetti according to package instructions. Meanwhile, soften garlic in a little hot oil then add remaining ingredients except cucumber and sesame oil. Bring to boil, and then simmer. When spaghetti cooked, drain and add to sauce. Stir to coat.
Serve with cucumber, sesame oil and extra ketchup and Chile garlic sauce.
This is good cold for breakfast

Thai Style Soup with Shrimp/Tofu

You could substitute tofu for shrimp.


1 teaspoon oil
3 stalks lemon grass, tough outer leaves removed, bottom 5 inches halved lengthwise and sliced thin crosswise
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
8 sprigs fresh cilantro leaves, chopped coarse
3 tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla)
4 cups broth
1 tablespoon sugar
½ pound white mushrooms, cleaned, stems trimmed, cut into ¼-inch slices
1 pound raw shrimp, if frozen thaw before cooking
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice from 2 to 3 limes
2 teaspoons red curry paste (Thai)

Garnish
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 Serrano chilies or one jalapeno, sliced thin
2 scallions, sliced thin on bias
1 lime, cut into wedges

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat until just shimmering. Add lemon grass, shallots, cilantro, and 1 tablespoon fish sauce; cook, stirring frequently, until just softened, 2 to 5 minutes (vegetables should not brown). Stir in chicken broth; bring to simmer over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until flavors have blended, 10 minutes. Pour broth through fine-mesh strainer and discard solids in strainer. Rinse saucepan and return broth mixture to pan.

Return pan to medium-high heat. Stir sugar into broth mixture and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium, add mushrooms, and cook until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add shrimp and cook, stirring constantly, until no longer translucent, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove soup from heat.

Combine lime juice, curry paste, and remaining 2 tablespoons fish sauce in small bowl; stir into soup. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with cilantro, chilies, and scallions. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

2-4 servings

20 minutes

Julia Child Chicken

Adapted from Julia Child

1 chicken breast with skin and bone (grocer will package just one if you want)
½ cup flour in plastic bag with salt and pepper
2 TBS Butter
1 or 2 garlic cloves
¼ cup white wine
¼ cup broth

Preheat oven to 375.

Melt butter in pan over moderate heat.

Place chicken in bag with flour and shake to coat. Shake off excess flour and sauté breast in pan. Sauté 3-4 minutes on each side until nicely browned.

Bake chicken in oven for 20 minutes, basting with butter from pan with spoon every 5 minutes. Set on plate to rest.

Add garlic to pan and sauté for 1 minute. Add wine and boil off winey smell. Add broth and reduce by half.

Pour over chicken and serve.


1 serving

Half hour

Ribollita

Serves 4
1/2 cup cooking olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped (salad bar)
4 carrots, peeled chopped (salad bar)
2 zucchini, halved lengthwise and chopped
2 yellow squash, halved lengthwise chopped
1 fennel bulb, chopped
1 small Napa or Savoy cabbage, roughly chopped
Broth
2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans
1 14-ounce can peeled whole tomatoes
Rosemary
Sage
Parsley
Bay leaf
1 bunch spinach
Red-pepper flakes
Extra-virgin olive oil
Parmesan
Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the oil. When hot, stir in the onion, garlic, celery, carrots, zucchini, squash, fennel and cabbage. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the beans, tomatoes, herbs and broth. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour.
Fold in the spinach and simmer until wilted. Stir in salt and red-pepper flakes to taste.
Serve with Extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with grated Parmesan.
Good with Crusty bread