Stuffed Bell Peppers & Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms

Stuffed Bell Peppers (& Portabello Mushrooms)



Cooked Brown Rice (2 cups water, 1 cup rice)
2 Tblsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp Lime Sea Salt (from Whole Foods)

2 Tblsp Garlic Olive Oil (Made night before, 3 large cloves of Garlic still in oil Mashed in pan)
1/2 Diced Vidalia Onion
1 Diced up Portobello Mushroom
The tops of the Bell Peppers (I diced the shoulder around the stem)
1 lb Lean Ground Beef
1 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Cumin
1 Tblsp Italian Seasoning

2 Large Bell Peppers and 4 Portabello Mushroom in 9 x 13 Pyrex Pan

Season the water for the Rice with 2 Tblsp Italian Seasoning and 1 tsp Lime Sea Salt. Cooking the rice until all water is absorbed. 

The Meat and Veggies were cooked together in Olive Oil with 3 garlic Cloves that I had roasted yesterday, and seasoned with 1 tsp Paprika, 1/2 tsp Cumin, 1 Tblsp Italian Seasoning. I added the rice when cooked to the Meat mixture and mixed well.

Stuff the cleaned and prepared Mushroom Caps and 2 Bell Peppers.I topped with Mozzarella Cheese. Put into Oven at 350 degrees and cooked it for 30 Minutes.

Stuffed Zucchini



 

1 Huge Zucchini (or 2 large size ones)

1 or 2 small Yellow Squash (Crook neck or Summer)

1 cup Baby Carrots                           ½ cup Green Onions (tops)

½ cup Cilantro                                  1 Cup Cooked Brown Rice

2 Tbsp Italian Seasoning                 2 tsp Garlic Powder

1 tsp Onion Powder                          1 tsp Paprika

Salt & Pepper to taste (I use just a dash of each)

½ cup Mozzarella Cheese (I used a Rice Cheese already shredded)

½ cup Grated Pecorino Romano

Drizzle with Olive Oil

Pepperoni Slices (Optional)

Halve the Zucchini, carefully removed it's inner flesh leaving about a 1/4 " shell.

Then dice the flesh removed from the Zucchini along with a few peeled and diced Summer Squash. (Very small ones).

 Then in a food processor chop fairly fine the carrots, Green Onions and cilantro.

Add the Chopped mix from the food processor to the Zucchini and Squash in a large mixing bowl and add the cooked brown rice, Seasonings & Cheeses. Drizzle with Olive Oil. Stir mixture together well and stuff back into the Zucchini Shells (Boats).

Then top  with a few slices of pepperoni and more of the Mozzarella Cheese and Pecorino Romano on top.

You will have extra stuffing which can be put into two large ramekins with more pepperoni and cheese on top.

Put all in the oven on 350 for 25 minutes.

I served these with Trader Joe's Hofbrau Brats. Very yummy.

Cucumber Salad

Richard brought home some nice organic English Cucumbers. He asked me to slice them up and make a cucumber salad for him. A summer time favorite. So here is the recipe.

Cucumber Salad

Slice 2 English Cucumbers (thin rounds of no more than 1/4 inch thick)
1/4 cup - minced Green Onion
1/2 cup - minced Fresh Cilantro
1/4 cup Basalmic Vinegar
1/4 cup Olive Oil (EVOO)
1 Tblsp - Italian Spice
dash each of fresh ground black pepper and sea salt

Put all into a container and mix.

It tastes best after marinating overnight!

Enjoy, nice and cool to eat.

Eggrolls & Cole Slaw!

I love making eggrolls, but how I hate the prep work. LOL Tonight, Richard wanted Cole Slaw. I bought  head of cabbage last night that could double as a bowling ball. We are talking HUGE! So I saw a reason to do prep for my Eggrolls and at the same time make him his Cole Slaw! A much healthier Slaw at that because it isn't just cabbage and carrots this time. So here is the recipe for the veggies I use in my Eggrolls which I divided and made the Slaw with also.

Eggrolls

Ground Chicken/Pork or Beef
1/2 head Cabbage
1/2 bag Baby Carrots
1/2 bag of Broccoli Slaw
1 yellow Bell Pepper
12 Green Onions (Green tops only)
1/2 Bunch of Cilantro
1 Tblsp -Cumin
1/2 Tblsp - Chili Powder
1 Tblsp - Onion Powder
2 Tblsp - Garlic Powder
2 Tblsp - Parsley

1 package of Eggroll Wrappers

I clean and cut up into small wedges the Cabbage and the Bell Pepper. In small batches I run them through the Ninja Food Processor pulsing around 8 times, and pour into mixing bowl. Then I run the Broccoli Slaw, Carrots, Green Onion Tops & Cilantro through, also in small batches until all done. I add the spices and stir completely.

I then set out the wrappers, with a damp paper towel over them to keep moist. Get a cookie tray and lightly grease it, a large plate and a bowl with water.

Peal off a wrapper from the stack, and lay on the plate. Lightly dip fingers in water and moisten the edges of the wrapper. This activates the corn starch on the surface of each wrapper and creates the "glue" that holds them together when rolled up.

Put a regular spoon level amount of ground meat and another of the veggie mixture across the wrapper, about 1/2 inch from one end.

Bring the end over the top of the mixture and give a slight roll, fold either side up onto the roll and brush with damp finger tips and finish rolling to the end.

You will have a nice thick roll and with a bit more water on fingers you seal the outside edge. Place edge down onto the cookie sheet and repeat until you have used up the wrappers. I think it's 20 wrappers in the package.

(Normally there is some meat left over and a lot of the veggie mix. I add a small amount of the veggies mix to the meat and make patties for a future meal.)

(What is left of the Veggie mixture I then add Marzetti Slaw Dressing to and Richard has an extra good slaw for the week.)

In a Wok I heat oil over medium high heat. In small batches of 4 or 5 I cook the eggrolls turning occasionally to ensure even cooking.

 If you have a rack that fits in your wok, you can set the cooked rolls on it to drain before moving to the serving dish. I don't have that rack, so I put a couple paper towels on a plate and let drain that way and lightly salt them as I take them out of the Wok. I use Hawaiian Sea Salt because I like the flavor.

This makes 20 Eggrolls. Dip in what ever sauce you prefer. I like Teriaki or Duck Sauce. Last time I used a Plum Sauce which is a bit spicy but really good. This round we had Sweet Mango Chutney and the Cucumber Salad that I also prepped last night.





Cole Slaw

As noted above:
Take Veggie Mix of Cabbage, Carrots, Cilantro, Broccoli Slaw, Green Onion & Yellow Bell Pepper
Add Marzetti Slaw Dressing to taste. (Some like a wetter slaw, others not so much.)
I like to add a Teaspoon of Fennel or Caraway Seeds also.


This is a very healthy and veggie laden slaw! If you want to go even lower calorie you can make it with Vinegar instead of the Marzetti. If you do, add a packet of Stevia to sweeten the Vinegar. I would go with a good Apple Cider Vinegar for the best flavor. Made this way it is pretty much a freebie on most diet plans.

Creamy Broccoli Cheese Soup

So today I decided to do something with that lovely head of broccoli I had in the fridge. I had finally gone to Whole Foods and had Goat Yogurt and some good Goat and Sheep Milk Cheeses. I was ready to cook something yummy and one of my more favorite "comfort foods".

Creamy Broccoli Cheese Soup!

3 cups (1 large head) - Broccoli - cut into small pieces
1 cup - Celery - chopped
3 cups - Chicken Stock (No Salt Added if on salt free diet)
9 Large Cloves Garlic - Chopped
1 Tblsp - Smoked Paprika
1 tsp - Cumin
1 tsp - Lime Sea Salt (Optional, again leave out if on salt free diet)
2 cups Cheese Grated (I mixed Goat Mozzarella, Sheep Manchego & Naked Goat)
1 cup - Goat Yogurt
2 cups Goat Milk
1/2 cup Rice Flour

First in my Dutch Oven I put the cut up broccoli, celery, garlic and spices with the chicken stock on medium heat. When it starts to lightly boil I turned the heat down and let cook for 45 minutes. When the broccoli is tender to a fork I got out my stick blender and carefully mixed everything until mostly smooth. You will have some small bits of the florets still, but the stems will go totally creamy smooth.

Set the stick blender aside for further blending.

Add the rice flour with some goat milk til smooth and then add to the hot broccoli mix in the Dutch Oven. Stir until the Broccoli soup starts to thicken. Then add the milk and goat yogurt and keep stirring. I then started adding the cheese a little bit at a time. Stir slowly and keep adding the cheese until creamy smooth. If needed go ahead and use the stick blender again to remove any lumps.

Turn the heat to low and let simmer with the lid on for another 15 minutes, stir occasionally. This allows the soup to thicken a bit more.

I ate this as is, Richard added crackers. The cumin and smoked paprika gave this the nice warm flavor and it was so creamy and yummy. Once again, comfort food extrordinaire.

Mango Teriyaki

So we have this terrific diner in Richmond called Silver Diner. They make really great food and as Mom would say, the best Chocolate Milkshake in Richmond. Since I can't try the milkshake I will have to take her word for it. But they believe in locally grown and organic foods. Which for a diner is awesome. For me, my favorite dish is this wonderful veggie pasta with Mango that they serve. I usually have them add shrimp since I like the seafood.

Well, the other day I thought I bet I can make something similar. We had Mangos 10 for $10 at Kroger so Richard bought me a few. Same with Broccoli. So I sat down and started cutting lots of veggies and 2 mangos up. Richard thought I was going a bit nuts with the veggies, but he had to admit, the final meal was fantastic. So here is my version of the Silver Diner Dish, with a few variations. Just remember, there is a Whole lotta choppin' goin' on here!

Mango Teriyaki

1 head of Broccoli - diced into 1 inch pieces
1 cup of baby Carrots, julienned
4 large stalks Celery, cleaned and sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
10 Shiitake Mushrooms, julienned
1 cup Sugar Snap Peas
1/2 cup of fresh Cilantro, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup of Radichio, julienned
2 Mangos, diced
1 cup of shrimp
3 Tblsp Teriyaki
1/2 Lemon Juiced
2 Tblsp Wok Oil (Safflower infused with Thai Basil and Lemon Grass)
1 Tblsp Agave Syrup
Whole Grain Pasta (I used Spaghetti made with Whole Wheat this time, though I prefer Rice Pasta best)

I heated the wok and added the oil, lemon juice and agave. Once hot I added the broccoli, Carrots, Celery first. After they had cooked 3 minutes I added the Sugar Snap Peas. I put the lid on for just a bit to give these a chance to soften.

While the lid was on the veggies, I started the water boiling for the pasta. I know once I add the last ingredients and the shrimp I won't want to let it cook too long, so the pasta needs to be ready.

Once the Broccoli and Peas appear soft enough to poke with a fork I add the Cilantro, Radichio, Mangos and Shrimp with the Teriyaki Sauce.

When the Noodles are cooked, remove from the water and serve right away. This dish made enough for about 5 servings.

Mental Musings & a Nice Pork Chop recipe!

I am finally walking without assistance and feeling more stable. I am looking to get some good shoes to start doing a light amount of Zumba to continue losing weight and strengthen my whole body, not just my right leg. My brother gave me the training DVD's for a birthday present, but of course I couldn't do anything then because I was still in the cast and wheel chair. I have started using the starter disk just helping my brain to remember the dance steps. This is why I chose the Zumba for working out since I loved dancing when I was younger. So we will see how it goes.

So today it rain, not a little sprinkle but a big old, late winter soaker. Thankfully, it stopped around 2 in the afternoon. Some days, I love rain, but this has been such a wet winter I am really over it. Needless to say, I slept in. And when it came time to fix our dinner, I was having trouble getting inspired. Then I had a little nudge that pushed me to try something different and yet, not too much of a change.

Richard had picked up a Family Pack of Pork Chops the other night at the store. I divided the pack and put 4 of the chops in 2 vacuum seal storage bags in the freezer. The last two I put in the fridge. Richard said he would love chops today. So I stood and stared dumbly in the fridge for a few. I pulled out a zucchini and then said "nope" and put it back. I looked at the eggplant and decided I didn't have the time. I thought about spinach and saw we only had a small amount left. But we had a ton of cabbage. Richard really loves cabbage. 

Suddenly I thought about giving it a bit of a German Country flavor and I had Granny Smith Apples. And inspiration struck. I don't know if you have ever tried Apples with Cabbage, but it's a wonderful combination. Gives that slight tart flavor without being salty or too strong. Add some Rice and the pork chops cooked on the George Foreman Grill and voila, a simple and delicious meal that really took just 25 minutes between prep and cook time.

Grilled Pork Chops with Cabbage & Apples over Rice

2 Pork Chops (Season with Garlic Powder, Black Pepper & Meat Tenderizer)

1/2 head of Cabbage chopped up into medium sized pieces.

1 Granny Smith Apple, cored & sliced

1 Tblsp Anise Seeds, crush lightly with your fingers as you add to the cabbage.

1 Tblsp Oregano

1 Tblsp Oil (I used a nice Wok oil made with Safflower Oil infused with Lemon Grass and Thai Basil)

1 cup Brown Rice

2 cups Water

Salt to taste

First I seasoned the Pork Chops and set them aside.

Then I cut up the apple and put it in the Fry Pan with the Oil and let it start to cook on Med Heat. While this is starting to cook I cut up the Cabbage adding it right away. I added the Oregano and Anise Seed. And sprinkled just a bit of Lime Salt. Stirring a bit to get the apples turned so they don't burn. I covered with a lid and turned the heat down to Medium Low.

I put the water on to boil adding a small amount of Sea Salt to taste and added the rice. Since it takes brown rice longer to cook I add it before the water gets to a boil which helps to soften the hulls quicker.

At five minutes before time to serve I put the Pork Chops on the George Foreman Grill. They were nice and thin so they cook fast.

The Cabbage with Apples so complimented the Chops, I plan to do this again.
(Made this again, but forgot the Anise Seeds, added garlic and Green onion instead. Good, but missed the seeds.)

Okay, I am sorry to say I didn't last on that diet program. Not for a lack of effort. But I am already so limited with food allergies. This just limited me beyond my ability to feel satisfied.

So, even though I am not sticking to the letter of the diet, I am still losing. Mostly due to the fact I am watching the carbs and fats. But occasionally, I take a break and make something a bit fattier because it just tastes so good. And it isn't fair to stick Richard to such a strict diet when he doesn't need to lose like I do.

Today was a looser interpretation of the diet day. True I made fish, a very low fat white fish called Swai. Similar in flavor to Catfish, but very lean. Here is the recipe I created and Richard raved over. In fact his words were, "You need to make this often. And you should publish the recipe too!" So here it is.

Swai Florentine

Half a bag of Fresh Spinach
1 tsp- Trader Joe's 21 Season Salute
Garlic Powder to taste (I used approx 1 tsp)
2 Swai fillets
1 can - Cream of Shrimp Soup (Campbell's)
1/3 cup Mayo (Or yogurt to lessen the fat content)
1/4 cup chopped Green Onion
1 tsp Dill
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tblsp - oregano
1 tblsp - cilantro
1/3 cup prepared roasted peppers (see earlier recipe)
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

I used herb scissors to cut up the spinach and covered the bottom of the 9x13 baking pan that I had lightly sprayed with cooking spray.

I sprinkled the Trader Joe's and Garlic Powder over the spinach.

I washed and dried the fish and put the two fillets side by side over the top of the spinach.

In a mixing cup I mixed the can of soup with the mayo and remaining spices. I spooned and spread this mix over the top of the fish.  Over this I sprinkled the roasted peppers and topped all of it with the bread crumbs. I lightly sprayed the crumbs with oil to brown them.

I put the pan into a preheated 375 degree oven and baked for 15 minutes then lowered to 350 degrees for another 5 minutes.

I served over white rice.
The next time I make this I will take pictures and or video tape the process.
Video is now published on YouTube.com. You can find it at:
http://youtu.be/AX-pZ8yKLeA
I made a slight variation to the recipe, added Broccoli Florets, I didn't have the Green Onion or the Roasted Pepper in the dish this time. And I home made my bread crumbs as I was out of the Panko. I hope you enjoy the video!

2 Dressings for Salads and More!

So, this week I started a "6 Week Body Makeover" plan. The program is found at http://www.provida.com. This program is really a way of changing the way you eat for your body type. For me, Body type A, I have to cut out all Salt, Oils, Fats, Refined or pre-processed products and no Dairy, no Red Meat. With my already limited diet due to food allergies, this is really limiting me on protiens I can have. Egg Whites, Chicken Breasts, and fish like Halibut are my choices for protiens. And since no Salt or Oil, that means no mayo or salad dressings. So I got online and looked for recipes. I found two that sounded interesting but they were not truly complete. They left out measurements. So I did some playing with the ingredients and this is what I came up with.

To replace Salsa, Ketchup, etc I now make:

Roasted Pepper Dressing:

Ingredients:

1 Roasted Red Pepper (skinned)
1/2 Roasted Yellow Pepper (skinned)
5 cloves of Roasted Garlic (Instead of using oil I put a bit of Basalmic Vinegar on the garlic before roasting it. Flavor is great.)
3 - Plum Tomatoes - diced
tsp - Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute
1/2 tsp - Smoked Paprika
1/2 tsp Cumin
1/4 Cup - Basalmic Vinegar

Was Peppers and place on baking sheet.
Clean the Garlic Bulb of outer paper skin and cut the top just a bit to reveal the cloves. Drizzle with a small amount of the Basalmic Vinegar. Wrap in aluminum foil making a pouch.

Roast the peppers and garlic in a 350 degree oven. You will need to turn the peppers at least once.
Remove Peppers after 20 minutes. Let Garlic Roast for another 20 minutes until it's soft.

Put the Peppers right from the oven into a container and cover to sweat them. After about 10 minutes you can take them out and the skin peels off very easily. Once peeled cut up removing the seeds and put into a food processor. Add the cloves of roasted garlic, the tomatoes and all spices and blend until almost smooth. Add the Vinegar and put in a container. This is a wonderful sauce for topping chicken or fish. I love it for a bit of a kick in my salads too.

You can refrigerate for about a week.

I made extra peppers when I did this and the other peppers and the rest of the garlic I cut into smallish slices and put into a container with a bit more vinagar. I use this in my egg white omlets.

The other sauce is more a salad dressing and also a great fish marinade.

Cilantro Lime Dressing:

1 cup Fresh Cilantro roughly chopped
2 Limes Juiced & Zested
1/2 tsp Coriander
1/2 tsp Cumin
2 Tblsp Fine Herbs (I get this herb blend at Fresh Market)
3 Cloves Roasted Garlic (see above recipe)
2 pkgs Stevia (I use one I get at Whole Foods, but Truvia works)
I added about 2 oz water to make it a better salad dressing.

Mix all ingredients in the food processor. Store in a well sealed container.

This is a nice topping for chicken dishes too. But fabulous on fish.

As I get further into this diet I will add more recipes. And I will update pictures as I lose weight.
Here is my "BEFORE" Picture:

Rolled Oat Cookies from Moira Glavan

This recipe comes from a dear friend from Florida, Moira. She now lives in Wisconsin and she is very talented and inventive in the kitchen. Check out her wonderful creation of Rolled Oat Cookies. She had some left over bananas that were getting too ripe, so she thought, "Let's make cookies!" and that is just what she did. Here is her Recipe:

Moira Glavan

I will tell you exactly what I did..:

 

Smashed up 5 ripened bananas, added in 2 tsp of cinnamon and 2 teaspoons of nutmeg, added in 1 tsp of vanilla extract, added in about 2 tbs of honey, then stirred in 4 cups of rolled oats, and 1 1/2 cu...ps of applesauce and 1 cup of diced dates...stirred well all together....preheated oven to 350, spoon dropped mix on ungreased cookie sheet (flattened them out) and baked for about 25 minutes each batch.

 

I want to try them again now still using the bananas as the base along with the applesauce, but may try cranberries or blueberries instead of the dates...They do turn out more of a moist chewy cookie rather then crispy, and if you wanna make it more desert like, you can always dab them with fat free cool whip.

 

Now, I have to add, these would be Gluten as well as dairy free. If you have my allergy to Tryptophan, there is some in the bananas. But I find if baked into something, or in a smoothie, I can tolerate them to a degree.

Cool whip is made with Soy, which is high in Tryptophan, so try a Rice Whip if you can find it. I have gotten it at Good Foods and Whole Foods in the past.

And her idea of substituting Cranberries or Blueberries for the Dates is great. Just remember, Dates, are high in sugar and are somewhat starchy, so they don't add liquid when cooking. The berries will. I would go with Fresh Cranberries in the winter and then you are not adding sweeteners that are uneccessary and only raise the calories.

 

Thank you Moira for a wonderful new recipe. Happy eatings everyone!

Leek & Potato Soup

I have had a few requests for the recipe for my Leek & Potato Soup. It's really super simple. And I did it in the Crock Pot, even easier.

Leek & Potato Soup

3 large Leeks

1 large sweet onion (I like Vidalia or Mayan Sweets) (Diced Up)

5 Cloves of Garlic (Peeled and minced)

2 Tblsp Goat Butter & 1 Tblsp Olive Oil

8 medium Yukon Gold Potatoes (Peeled and Diced)

1 Cup of Goat Yogurt

6 oz of Chevre (I used basil garlic to give a bit more flavor)

2 cups of Chicken Stock (Or Vegetable if you prefer)

3 cups of Whole Milk (I used Goat due to my allergies to Cow)

1 tsp salt

Black Pepper to taste

The hardest part for this is prep work. Leeks by nature are gritty, so you have to really wash them well. You will use the white part only (Going into the very pale green) Do not use the dark green parts as that is too strong in flavor. You will cut the bottom root ball off of the Leek, then cut thin rings, approximately 1/6 of an inch. Cut all the way up to the light green and stop. You will then take those rings and seperate them by sticking a finger in the middle and causing all the layers/concentric rings to pop out. Put into a colander and run under cold water. Get your hand in there and toss and make sure they are all clean.

Once clean you can put them in the crock pot with the chicken stock and turn it on High to start. I warmed the chicken stock in the microwave so the pot gets warmed up from the inside helping to prevent it from cracking as it heats up.

While the leeks start to cook in the Crock, I started the onions in a large skillet with 2 Tblsp of Butter (I use goat, you can find it at Fresh Market, Whole Foods and some of the larger Kroger Stores) and 1 Tblsp of Olive Oil. I happen to have some Olive Oil that has garlic and Oregano in the oil to flavor it. This just adds to the flavor of whatever I am cooking and I used this. I found it at World Market.

I cooked the onions until starting to get translucent and a bit of golden on edges, then added the minced garlic. I continued to cook for another 3 minutes and then poured all of this into the crock with the Leeks in the stock. I stirred well and then added the potatoes. (Hubby had peeled and I diced them up.) Also I rinse the potatoes well in cold water. This helps to remove some starch and they cook smoother.

I stirred the potatoes into the Leek mixture and put the lid on. I let this cook for about 2 hours. At this point I got out the Stick Blender, or as Alton Brown says "The Boat Motor" and I blended everything in the pot until it was creamy smooth with no lumps. I add the Yogurt, Chevre & Milk at this point and stir until smooth and well blended. I let continue to cook on low for another hour.

I like to serve with a spoon of Chevre or more Yogurt on top and chives sprinkled on for color. You can also serve it cold on a hot day. It's a real delight.

This soup can be used as a base for making other soups too. I like it for making homemade seafood chowder. Just heat, add seafood and maybe some cut up carrots or corn and serve.



Day of Venting!

Technically, tomorrow is Thanksgiving. (It is almost 2 am here and since I haven't gone to bed yet, it still feels like Tuesday to me. LOL) I know I already posted my reasons I am thankful. And yeah, I am thankful. But tonight, the pain in my leg is up and my mood has dropped with the pain. Tonight I am feeling the fears and insecurities that come with pain.

My husband who has been doing so well helping me is back to dropping hints of being single and why marrying me has been a hardship to him. He has looked for a reason to quit the security job for a while and now that he has it's my fault he isn't getting that extra income. I am so tired of being the reason his life is so bad. (Or so he keeps saying.)

On top of it all, I think my family in Georgia is mad at me for some reason. Not one of them has called to see how I was after my accident. I didn't fall on purpose. I sure as heck didn't want a broken bone. And even more, I didn't want to have this happen in the middle of my Mom's move. I didn't want to let her down and even more, didn't want my brother and his wife to have to step up and do all of what I do for her. But all I hear from them is to grow up and be an adult when I needed help and was in pain and crying because I was afraid. Excuse me, I am not a stone cold fish. I do have an emotional nature and a natural response to excessive pain.

So why do I feel guilty for being human? Why do I feel like I am letting everyone down and they are holding it against me? No... I am not on pain killers. I am allergic to so many that the doctor wouldn't prescribe anything. So I am on Arthritis Strength Tylenol and nothing else. I am staying off my leg as much as possible, I am keeping it elevated and following doctors orders.

Maybe it is just because Saturday is my 52nd Birthday. Mom talks to me about it on the phone but other than her, I haven't gotten one birthday card in the mail. Or at least, Richard hasn't gotten the mail since Saturday, so I don't think I have one. Since I can't get to the Mailbox myself, I don't know. But it is depressing to think none of my immediate family has remembered. I got 6 birthday emails from restaurants with their birthday specials. But none from my family. The only person who has remembered / said anything is my half sister in TN. And for that, I am truly greatful.

Today I am feeling low. Normally I wouldn't blog this, but a blog is a journal. The difference is, it's a journal everyone else sees. But it is still a journal. And journals are where you write not just the good things, but your fears and bad days also. So today is a bad day. Hopefully, tomorrow will be better.

A while ago I saw a segment about Black Garlic at this URL and was enthralled with the idea of a Garlic that is better than roasted and delicious to use in recipes. I searched all over for it and found some at a brand new Super Kroger store across from Short Pump Mall. I immediately peeled a few cloves and diced them up and used them as a spread with a bit of olive oil on Boboli Crusts to make home made pizzas. The flavor was mellow, nutty and perfect. The problem... finding more.

Tonight I did an online search and found out much more about this delightful sensation. It's new to the US and chefs around this country. But in Korea it has been around for centuries. The best part, it doesn't give you bad breath like raw garlic and it's health benefits are doubled in the fermenting process.

It is easy to use, just peel the skin which is loose and easily removed, then dice, slice, mash or however you want to use it. You can even just eat the cloves as they are sweet and you won't suffer the Halitosis that regular garlic will give you.

So where did I find some? Try http://www.blackgarlic.com/ or you can order some from Amazon but it was cheeper at the blackgarlic.com website. I have been told some Asian markets carry it, but there are none in the Chester area. I am telling grocers and produce managers all over the area about the benefits of Black Garlic. Hopefully, some will take the hint and start carrying it.

So if you want to try something different, go on your own hunt for Black Garlic today! You will be so glad you did.

Corned Beef with a Twist.

This week I was shopping at Trader Joe's in Short Pump. Just as I got there I saw they had a table out front loaded down with Brussel Sprouts on the stem. They were beautiful and I bought 2 stalks. I don't know if you have ever seen how they grow, but that long stalk is totally loaded down with little green heads that look like mini cabages. I swear there were about 50+ sprouts on each stalk. What to do with that many Brussel Sprouts? Well, besides my usual dish that is. And then it hit me, Corned Beef in the Crock Pot with carrots, an Onion diced up and about as many Brussel Sprouts as I could make fit. They worked so much better than cabbage and the flavor was fabulous. I have the Hamilton Beach 2/4/6 quart Crock Pot. For this dish I used the 6 quart.

Corned Beef & Brussel Sprouts in Crock Pot
1 corned beef brisket w/seasoning packet
1 bag of baby carrots
1 large sweet onion diced
1 frozen cube of garlic (1 tsp) (I bought these at Trader Joe's)
2 frozen cubes of basil (2 tsp)
Pinch of fennel seeds
About 50+ Brussel Sprouts
2 cups of water

Clean and dice the onion and put in crock pot. I add half the carrots to the bottom of the pot.

I then opened the package with the Brisket and put the meat in the crock with the fat side down. I add the water in the bag to get the juice from the brisket and pour into the crock over the meat. Then I open the small seasoning package and pour it in too. I add the 3 frozen cubes of garlic and basil and the fennel seeds. I then add the rest of the carrots and all the cleaned brussel sprouts.

Put the lid on and allow to cook on High for 2 hours. Turn the meat over immersing the brussel sprouts and continue cooking on High for another hour.

Turn down to Low and continue cooking for at least another hour. (Even better if you let it cook another 2 hours.)

I cooked whole wheat egg noodles to serve the corned beef over. I also took the juice from the crock pot and put it into a small pot on the stove and added brown rice flour to thicken and make a nice gravy.

For hubby I had Sam Adams Winter Lager to drink with his meal. For me I had Ginger Ale Zevia. (sweetened with Stevia, 0 calories.)

A great meal on a cold winter day! Happy cooking!

Grilled Ginger Tuna Steaks & Pears

Yes, once again, you heard that correct, Tuna with Pears. It was awesome. What you need :

Ingredients:

2 - 2 " thick tuna steaks
1 Asian Pear Peeled & Sliced Thickly
1/2 cup of Trader Joes Mango-Mangosteen Juice
1 TBSP ginger paste
2 TBSP Terriaki Sauce

In a large bowl mix the juice with the ginger and terriaki sauce.
Wash & peel the pear and put the slices with the tuna steaks into the sauce. Either turn frequently to coat everything in the marinade or Shake lightly if you have a lid for the bowl. Allow to sit in the marinade for 30 minutes.

Heat your grill and put down foil to cook on. I like the Reynolds Non-Stick Foil. Especially when grilling.

When the grill is hot, add the Pears & Tuna Steaks and pour the marinade over them. Put the grill cover down and let cook for 5 minutes, then check to see if the Tuna is turning from red to white on the bottom and up the sides. At that point turn everything over and allow to cook about 5 more minutes. Depending on your grill & thickness of the Tuna Steaks this can take between 10 and 15 minutes to fully cook the tuna. Remove from the fire and plate to serve. The flavor is simple and lightly spicy sweet. And the pears are a wonderful counterpoint to the meaty flavor of the Tuna Steaks.

Enjoy...

Heavenly Brussel Sprouts

Yes I know, this seems like an oxymoron. You say, "How on earth can I say Brussel Sprouts are Heavenly?" Well, let me tell you a little secret, for years I couldn't stand them either. But I never had them fresh, always frozen. And no matter what anyone did they tasted bitter to me. But recently, I found fresh ones in the grocery and my husband said, "Why don't you ever make me brussel sprouts?" So I bought them, and thought long and hard about what to do to make them taste palatable.

I got out "The Joy of Cooking" and a few other cookbooks and looked to see what they had to say. I checked Food Network too. Then I had an idea, what if I made them into a casserole, so they were balanced with other flavors. First, I cleaned, cut the base and removed some outside leaves. Then I cut them in half and put them in boiling water that I salted with a nice smokey sea salt. I only let them cook for 5 minutes. Long enough to brighten them, but not over cook. Then I quickly drained them and rinced in cold water. I think this helps to rid them of bitterness.

In a large skillet I melted a tablespoon of goat butter. (remember, I'm allergic to cow milk) Meyenburg makes a delightful butter that is very sweet. To the melted butter I add 1 diced small sweet onion (or as I did tonight, One leek, white only) and let it saute until it starts to carmelize. I add 1 rough diced granny smith apple. When the Brussel Sprouts have been rinsed off I add those to the skillet. I stir and add a tablespoon of Balsalmic Vinegar and sea salt to taste. Cover and let simmer until the sprouts have softened up. If you want to add a bit of zing you can add dried cranberries or fresh ones in season. When using fresh I cut them in half and put them in when I add the apples.

If you want to make this a full meal in one skillet, you can add cut up sausage, I love a good beer brat. When I make this a full meal, I serve it with either rice or noodles depending on my mood. I use rice noodles, but my husband loves the wide egg noodles. I even served it over coucous one time. It's marvelous.

So there you go, it's so easy and ultra good. You will be amazed at how tasty those Brussel Sprouts really are.

Rose's Version of Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Now I know there are several recipes for this. But I came up with my own, slightly less spicy version. And while messy, Richard and I really enjoyed this dinner tonight.

I had 4 boneless chicken breasts. I cleaned and trimmed them of fat and pieces that had tendon or fibrous sections. I reserved these trimmings to make a chicken stock with.

I cut the chicken into small chunks and set aside.

In a large plastic ziploc bag, I put a cup of rice flour, 3 tsp sweet smoked paprika, 1 tsp chili powder, 2 tsp ginger powder, 1/8 tsp sea salt, 1/8 tsp black pepper, both fresh ground. I zipped the bag closed and shook well to mix.

I then added the chicken and shook well to liberally coat every piece.

I coated the bottom of a wok with canola oil and heated it over medium high heat until oil started to sizzle. I then added about 1/4 of the chicken and stir fried until lightly golden and cooked through. I removed the chicken to a paper lined bowl and added the next 1/4 of the chicken to the wok. I continued until all the chicken was cooked.

I set the cooked chicken aside to cool and in a small pot I used 1 cup of water with the reserved chicken bits and fat and cooked with 1 tbsp parsley, 1 tbsp garlic about a teaspoon of rice vinager and 1 tsp celery seed. ( I used celery seed in lieu of onion since I reserved a bit of this stock and the chicken bits for the dogs food and onions are poisonous to dogs.)

When the stock was cooked I removed the chicken bits and most of the garlic leaving a broth which I then added 2 tbsp peanut butter, 1/4 cup pineapple juice, 2 tsp soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste. I then added 1/4 cup of corn starch and heated until it thickened. I added 1/3 cup of diced red pepper as the last ingredient before removing from the heat.

I added this mixture to the chicken I had already cooked and tossed to coat it liberally.

I then removed the green leaf lettuce from the fridge that I had cleaned and dried the leaves of earlier in the day. I set out plates with the lettuce and small dipping dishes of soy sauce on the side. From the bowl of chicken we then spooned some of the chicken into the center of a lettuce leaf. You then rolled the leaf making sort of a taco or pocket sandwhich and ate. We each at about 4 or 5 of these stuffed lettuce wraps. So good.

If you like things spicier, you can add some fresh chili peppers to the sauce. But I am a wimp and like things flavorful but never spicy hot.

Rose's Lamby Shepard Pie

This is a favorite of mine. I don't make it often but I have had a yearning for it since St. Patrick's Day. But Richard wanted Corned Beef and Cabbage on that Sainted Day! So last night I gave in to the whim and made my Pie.

Now Shepard's Pie isn't what you would normally consider a pie, since it doesn't have a pie shell. Instead it has a layer or crust of Mashed Potatoes on top of it. Sometimes I make it very cheesy, but last night I felt like going a bit more simple. And here it is:

Rose's Lamby Shepard Pie

Ingredients:

2 medium sweet Onions, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tblsp Butter (Goat Butter)

1 lb Ground Lamb
2 Large stalks Celery, Diced
20 baby carrots, diced
2 large mushrooms, diced
1/2 cup Goat Milk
2 Tblsp Unbleached Flour

2 Cups Potato Flakes
1 1/4 Cup Water
3 Tblsp Butter (I used Goat Butter)
1 Cup Goat Milk
1/4 cup Grated Romano Cheese (I normally use Pecorino Roman which is sheep milk)
Salt & Pepper to taste
(I added a Tblsp chives & of Parsley and 1 Tblsp of Garlic Powder for extra flavor)

Preheat the oven to 375 Degrees.

In large skillet on medium low melt the butter and add the onions. Let simmer until onions start to get clear then add the garlic and salt and pepper lightly. (If you want to get fancy you can pour a bit of vermouth or vodka over the onions at this point. The liquid will steam off, but the flavor is incredible. This helps bring the sugar out of the onions and they carmelize beautifully)
Remove the onion and garlic mix to let stand for a bit while you put the lamb into this nicely seasoned skillet. Turn the heat up a bit and break up the lamb so that it will cook evenly. Add the carrots, celery and mushrooms and let cook down til they have a chance to start tenderizing.
In a bowl add the milk to the flour and stir til smooth. Pushing the meat mixture aside in your pan, start to pour in the milk mixture and let it heat to a boil and thicken, creating a nice sauce. At this point add the onion mixture and cook for another 5 minutes adding more salt and pepper.
Pour this entire mix into a pregreased deep casserole dish and set aside.

In a Medium pot bring the butter, water and salt & pepper to a boil. Remove from the heat and start adding the potato flakes and milk stirring continuously until well blended. Add a bit more potato flakes if you want to make thicker. Add in the parsley, chives and garlic to season if using them. Add in the Romano Cheese and stir til melted in.

Put the potatoes over the top of the lamb mixture in the casserole and make sure it covers all the way around to the edges. I like the potatoes to be at least an inch thick. Thicker if I have enough. I then will top with more Romano cheese that I just grate right over the top. About a 1/4 cup. Put the casserole into the oven and cook for 10 minutes at 375 then turn it down to 350 and let cook another 30 minutes or until top gets a lightly golden crust.

...Just a note, you can prepare this ahead of time and cover the casserole and refrigerate overnight before cooking. This makes it great as a prepare ahead dish for parties. I usually let it cook 10 minutes longer to bring it fully up to heat when done this way.

Serves 4-6 people.

That long awaited Mac and Cheese...

Well, as you can guess I haven't posted for a while. I came down with the flu and Asthma at the same time. I had a rough few weeks and am still coughing, but mostly over it. So now to the recipe...

Ultra Creamy Mac and

Ingredients:

1 package of pasta of choice (I love Rotini best) Cooked and drained

1 large Vidalia or Sweet Onion, Chopped

1 TBSP Goat Butter

1/2 lb Manchego Cheese, Grated

1/2 lb Goat Gouda, Grated

1 3 oz pkg Chevre (with Pepadew if you can find it)

2 oz Goat Butter

1/4 cup flour (I like unbleached but I have used Rice flour too)

2 cups Goat Milk (Meyenburg now has a 2% for the weight concious)

(Alternately, when out of milk I have used chicken stock which makes the flavor very rich)

1/2 Cup Manchego & Goat Gouda shredded together

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

(Optional, you can add veggies, diced chicken, shrimp or stew meat to this to make it a full meal.)

First I put the pasta in boiling water and cook until it is Aldente, drain, toss with a bit of olive oil and put into a deep casserole that I presprayed with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large skillet I melt 1 Tbsp Goat Butter and add the chopped onion. Saute slowly to carmelize the onions. Once Carmelized, add to pasta and stir.

In a medium saucepan heat the 2 Tbsp Goat Butter and Chevre til melted and add the flour whisking rapidly to blend quickly and allow to come to light boil. Slowly add the 2 cups of Goat Milk (Or Stock) whisking continuously and let heat back to a light boil as this begins to thicken up again. Start stirring in the grated cheeses and continue to stir until everything is melted and smooth.

**At this point, if I am going to add veggies or meat I do now. I like peas with white meat of chicken. But I have used broccoli too. The fanciest I made was with Fresh Asparagras lightly steamed and chopped up and Shrimp.

Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and onions and stir well to blend together. Cover the top with the final 1/2 cup of cheese. Put the casserole into the oven and cook for 20 minutes or until the top has gotten lightly golden. Remove and let sit for at least 20 minutes before cutting into the casserole. This lets the cheese sauce to set up and when you cut in all the cheese won't run out.

serves 6-8

Side Note: If you need to make this in advance for a dinner, I suggest making the sauce ahead of time. Don't add it to the pasta until the day of the dinner and baking then. Pasta will keep absorbing liquid and cause your creamy Mac and Cheese to be just a lot of Pasta Glue that is a bit dry.

Mac and Cheese dinner and Puppy Gone Wild

I made Macaroni and Cheese the other day. Yesterday, the puppy was begging for some and after having his taste of it he had a wild child moment of excitement and I caught this video clip with my Nikon Coolpix 4300. I'm not sure if it was a cheesy high or just the fact that he totally loves the tub. But he is the bounciest little guy and he loves water. So the tub is the best game in town for him.

Anyhow, I made 2 batches of the Macaroni & Cheese, for my husband I used regular milk, butter and a combo of Mozarella and Muenster Cheese to make the sauce. I seasoned it with salt, pepper, garlic and chives. And I baked it in the oven at 370 degrees for 20 minutes. A normal but very creamy recipe.

For me though, I improvised and I have to say, it is the bomb. Recipe to follow...