Ready for a bowl of Chili?

Over the years, I've worked on making a bowl of chili to my taste but more so because I LOVE CHILI CHEESE FRIES WITH BBQ SAUCE. It is simply delicious. (Well anything with BBQ sauce taste great.)

So here is my chili recipe that can be flexible for those meat eaters or vegetables only eaters basically a flexitarian recipe. My recipe can be a little time consuming but I figured out some short cuts for those with time commitments around the dinner time.


Meat (or Meatless) Chili

Preheat your stew pot.

For vegetarian version:

Add in your dry spices without oil. - Chili Powder, Cumin, Salt, Garlic powder, Cayenne, Pepper.

Once the spices have heated up. Follow to "Add in a little oil...."

For meat lovers:

Add in about a tablespoon of oil. Then add in your ground turkey (beef or pork or chicken)

While the meat browning- sprinkle your seasonings of chili powder, cumin, salt/pepper, cayenne.

Flip the meat and break it up until almost cooked. (I do not cook the meat all the way because when you add it back into the pot it will finish cooking.)

Remove from the heat and drain (if necessary).

Set aside. It will be added in towards the end of the cooking time.

For both versions:

Turn down the heat a little to below medium.

Add in about 2 tablespoons of oil.

Add in your cubed onion. Cook until clear.

Add in 2 teaspoons of minced garlic.

Add in diced pepper (optional.)

Allow the mixture to softened but don't let the garlic burn.

Short on Time- Easy Method:

The easy method is opening cans;however, for those interested in making your own 15 bean refried beans, chicken stock , or using own homemade stewed tomatoes recipes.

- Open 1 can (14.5 ounces) organic fire roasted diced tomatoes with green chilies

- Open 1 can (16 ounces) organic refried beans

- About 2 3/4 cups of organic chicken broth (vegetable broth for vegetarian)

Add in additional seasonings to taste...

For smokey sweet flavor: Add in smoke liquid, Worcestershire sauce, barbecue sauce (2 tbsp) and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar.

Bring the chili to simmer over low heat for about an hour. Remember to stir every 15 minutes and scrap down the sides.

Finally when you think it's almost done.

Add in your ground meat for those meat lovers and allow it to simmer a little longer until meat is fully cooked.

Turn off heat and leave on stove top to cool.

Taste test but don't forget to blow on the spoon! Adjust seasonings if necessary.

NOTES:

Added measurements in case you make your own homemade versions of canned items.

Organic versions can be used for this recipe.

For chili cheese Fries with Barbecue Sauce:

Cook fries according to package. I like them a little extra crunchy.

Spread french fries on a plate and spoon the chili on top.

Add a few swirls of barbecue sauce.

Enjoy with a fork!

Homemade Refried Beans

Making your own homemade refried beans isn't hard. I found through trial and error that it makes a difference in the chili. One thing I found helpful is soaking the beans. I do not recommend the quick couple of hour soak or placing them in a crock pot thinking they will cook. You might be a little disappointed. Just plan ahead the night before!

Soak the beans for 24 hours. Change water at least twice.

Heat up the pot on medium heat.

I like to flavor my beans depending on what recipe I will use them in.

For a chili recipe: I used chili powder and cumin. Season with pepper and salt.

Add in oil.

Drain the beans and add them into the pot. It will sputter with steam.

Stir and Pour water back into the pot to cover the top of the beans. I add about an inch of the top. It will boil away.

At this point you can optionally add in cloves of garlic and peppers to flavor the water.

The beans should be simmering/boiling.

There is a balance of heat that should be found to make sure your beans are becoming tender and the liquid is slowly evaporating. If the water gets to low add about a cup of water back in.

Stir.

Testing the beans. Remove one from the pot very carefully. When you bite into it, it should be soft. If there is a tiny bit of hardness to it, it will not become soft when you smash it. So make sure that when you think it is done, it should smash easily between your teeth.

Once the beans are done, remove from heat, remove garlic cloves and peppers (if you added) and grab your smasher!
Let your strength smash the beans-- transforming into refried beans. It might turn a little gray but don't worry. Season if necessary!

I don't recook them in oil but I add it into chili or burrito stuffing.



Chili Tacos

Have leftover chili? Here's my twist to using leftover chili and making a new dish from the last serving.

I had on hand a package of taco shells. Heat according to package.

I heated up my leftover chili.

I sprinkled cheese on the bottom.

Spooned my heated chili over the top.

Sprinkled cabbage and a little hot sauce.

Spoon guacamole or sour cream on top.

Simple meal made easy with leftover chili!

Enjoy and Have Fun Cooking!

Hey Batter, Batter...

Yes Folks- it is a fly ball over the left field. HOME RUN! We fried that fish...oops I mean baked the fish. Success measured in baseball is by the number of home runs a batter can achieve in a game; success in the kitchen is measured by clean plates, no leftovers, and full bellies of goodness.

My latest endeavor in cooking fish. I've attempted many different ways to cook fish for my husband who simply adores fish. Now if you know me I didn't like fish when I kid. My taste started to change when I tried fresh fish out the lake grilled on flat rocks when camping. When I got married to my fish loving husband, I tried even more to be more adventurous with fish.


After almost 13 years of marriage, fish recipes are starting to pour out of kitchen in new creations.

Parmesan Garlic Salmon

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare the sauce to top the fresh/thawed salmon fillet.

Sauce Ingredients:

1/2 cup of mayonnaise

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1-2 teaspoons of garlic powder

1 tablespoon of lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon of cayenne powder

pepper/salt to taste

Optional: minced chives

Blend together.

Grab a baking dish line with parchment paper.

Place fish and top with sauce.

Bake until almost flaky which takes about 20-30 minutes depending on your oven and preference.

I grabbed a picture to help remind me to make this meal again since my husband simply enjoyed the flavors of the fish & sauce blending together in each bite.

I paired the dinner with a side dish of broccoli and pasta. The pasta was a cheesy/tomato flavor.

The coolest thing about this meal -- it took only 30 minutes from prep to sitting down at the table to eat.

Have fun cooking!

Granola Expedition

Granola Expedition

Are you hesitant about making your own granola? Not sure if it will turn out and then afraid that you would have to toss it? Or worried that when you looked up the recipe on the Internet you recognized half the ingredients were not budget friendly. Well stop worrying any further! I was in your shoes before now I am confident that I can inspire you to try my recipe. It uses flexible ingredients, relies on few ingredients, and can be kid friendly. (You can also make it with organic products.)

It was late at night and I was watching the Disney channel since it was left on. I saw this recipe info commercial. It had a Chef from Food Network mentoring a few Disney kid stars on how to make granola. I hadn't written it down but I was confident that I would find it on the Internet the next day. (No luck- it's a hard recipe to track down! Lizzie's Granola.) Instead I found similar recipes that caught my fancy plus with the visual demonstration from the Disney show I thought I could try.

Granola Expedition

2 1/2 cups of rolled oats

1/4 cup of olive oil (you can choose to use canola oil or whatever baking oil you have on hand)
1/3 cup of brown sugar
1/3 cup of corn syrup (or honey)

I also ground up a 1/2 cup of mixed nuts.

1 teaspoon of cherry extract (or vanilla)

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

Toss all the ingredients listed into a bowl to stir together.

Spoon into a large rectangular glass dished.

Place in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Stir.

Place back into oven for another 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown.

Remove from oven.

2nd Part: Prepare while granola mixture is in the oven.

Here's what I add my twist.
I had this leftover nut trail mix. I just got tired of eating it but didnt want it to go to waste.
So I decided to pick out the banana chips. Ground them up just a little to make it smaller pieces.
I removed the chunks of dried fruit and also ground those into smaller pieces.
Finally added the whole nuts.

Once the granola mixture is removed from the oven. Toss together to start the sugars cooling. Do it slowly for more chunks.

Tips:

More sugar in a mixture, more easier to burn.

Do not add in the nuts or dried fruit. They will burn or harden.

Enjoy and Have Fun Cooking!

Cilantro Coleslaw

Adding a new twist to a traditional recipe: Coleslaw with an Asian twist.

I eyeballed my measurements based on how much salad dressing I want to make.

Dressing:

Mayo
Olive oil
Rice Wine Vinegar
Lemon Juice
Sugar
Salt/Pepper
Cayenne
Lots of Cilantro chopped

(I'll try to develop measurements and repost later on with them.)

Slice up the cabbage into thin shreds
I also added carrots, cucumber, and sweet pepper for color!

One thing to note with coleslaw dressing as soon as the dressing and cabbage are mixed together the dressing will get a little runny and the cabbage will soften. So wait until the last minute to mix and serve.

Weaving in the Vegetables

Inspiration comes and goes....I am inspired by recipes that incorporate vegetables into the main course. Usually it is meat, vegetable, and carbohydrate is on our family dinner plate. My latest attempt is to find recipes that inspire a weave of the usual into something new. Here's a little inspiration for you:


Zucchini Spaghetti

Trying to cut back on your carbs? Or trying to get your kid to eat more vegetables? This is a yummy recipe for the summer.


Spaghetti and sauce will prepared as normal.

Cut zucchini into matchsticks and saute with olive oil under slightly tender. Remove and place into a bowl.

A flavoring tip: add whole peeled cloves of garlic into the pasta boiling water to enhance with a garlic flavor. Remove and smash to saute with the zucchini.

Toss the zucchini with cooked spaghetti and sauce.

Plate up with green salad and turkey meatballs for a complete meal with extra vegetables.

Here's a picture of what it looks like and what inspired me to make it....

Second menu item that I hope will catch your fancy. It weaves ground turkey, oats, and broccoli into an Asian themed burger for the indoor grill. This recipe was created in cooperation with my husband. He had the idea and I executed the recipe.

Homemade Vegetable Burgers

Mix in a bowl the following for the turkey burgers:

1lb of ground turkey

10 broccoli florets processed in the food processor (frozen broccoli will work as long as it is slightly defrosted 4 minutes at power 1.)

1/2 cup of rolled oats

For seasoning: 1 tsp of red chili paste, 1 tsp of minced garlic, 2 tbsp of soy sauce, 1/2 tsp of oyster sauce

Blend and make into patties.

I noticed the burgers are a little tender and require light touch. I also made sure to oil the side of the burger before I placed it on the grill. It seemed to help just a little.

As a side dish to my burger, I prepared a simple fruit salad with apple slices, orange wedges, and fresh blueberries.

From my family dinner table to yours- Enjoy!!

Turkey Meatloaf Muffins Topped with Bacon Jam

This recipe makes my mouth water. It is an easy portion controlled meal making you grin with satisfaction.








Meatloaf Muffins Topped with Bacon Jam


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.



Grab a pound of ground turkey.


Add it to a bowl with 2 slices of bread torn in pieces, 1 egg, 1/2 onion diced, 1 stalk of celery diced, a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, and season with pepper and salt.


Smoosch together so the mixture looks well blended.

Scoop about 1/4 cup into a 12 count muffin pan or distribute 1/2 cup mixture into 6 count jumbo muffin pan.


Place in oven until 5 minutes more to cook. Top with the Bacon Jam mixture (recipe to be posted later.)


The meatloaf will be done when the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.






Dish up with a side of mini penne with a fresh tomato sauce and garlic bread.

Enjoy!

Easy Pecan Bars

Pecan Bars
An adapted recipe selected from one of my favorite cook books: Food for Friends by Sally Pasley Vargas

Recipe is divided into two layers.
Bottom Layer:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.



Add the following ingredients into a food processor:
1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons of brown sugar
Salt to taste
1 stick of butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla

Pulse until a powdery substance.

Prepare your baking dish a 9 by 13 works fine. Line with parchment paper. Cut and fold to the pan.

Pour the mixture into the pan.

Use your clean hands to pat to evenly compact the bottom layer.

Bake in the oven for about 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven when done.



Top layer:

Grab a thick bottom small saucepan. Add in the following ingredients:
1 stick of butter
½ cup of brown sugar
½ cup of dark corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon of heavy cream

(My substitute: 1 tablespoon of powder milk and 1 tablespoon of butter)



Stir over medium heat to melt butter.
Continue to stir as you turn up the heat to bring to a boil.

Let it boil for 1 minute without stirring.

Pour over the baked bottom layer.

Sprinkle about 2 cups of pecans over the top of the top caramel mixture layer.

Place back into the oven for about 20-25 minutes or until the topping is uniformly bubbly.


*Please use caution when you remove this dessert from the oven. It will be very hot.*

Remove and aside to cool. Let the caramel topping cool and solidify to touch prior to cutting into bars. It takes about 15-20 minutes to cool.

Your Taste Buds Will Adapt

In reflection while cooking a stir fry today, I realized that I've started to enjoy kale, chard, and collard greens. Prior to receiving a produce box, I hadn't really thought to purchase kale, chard, collard greens, or even butternut squash on a regular basis at least not twice a month. This sums up the fact the more you give it a try then better chance that you might like eating it.

So here are my salutes to new vegetables creeping into my life and my family eating habits. My first recipe is to make saute greens.

Saute Greens

Grab about a 3-4 leaves of kale and 3-4 of chard.
Remove the stem down the middle of the leaf. This is really tough and will not make for pleasant eating.

Next roll up the leaves. Slice the into thin strips. Soak the greens in a bowl with water. Rinse. Set aside.
Slice up an onion.
Grab out a nonstick saute pan with a lid. Heat on medium heat. Add olive oil. First caramelize your onions. Remove them.
Drain the oil back into the pan. Make sure the pan is nicely warm.
Remove the greens from the bowl of water and place into the saute pan.
Cover and let it steam until the leaves wilt.
Stir.
Season with a little salt and pepper to taste.
Remove the lid and let it simmer off the access liquid.
Add back in the caramelized onions.
Stir.
Get ready for delicious greens and pair up with a meatloaf muffins, tater tots, and a fruit salad to make a great family dinner.



My recipes have transformed to incorporate these greens into my menu.

Everyday (Birthday) Cakes

As far as I can remember I loved looking through cook books. I think I was somewhere in 3rd or 4th grade when it came into my sister's and mine possession. It was when we really started to learn about cooking and took an interest in our food presented on the dinner table.





There was this one cookbook that I fondly remember as a kid that was especially for kids. Inside was a pretty picture of a chocolate cake with a design and balloons in the background associated with birthday parties.







(One thing I've learned through the years is that the picture may look pretty but it doesn't make the food taste any better once it is made.)


Eventually one day I found a recipe that sounded good with what I imagine a yellow cake to taste like with chocolate butter cream frosting. I stumbled upon a website ( King Arthur Flour) that provided an easy homemade golden vanilla cake. I use to receive their magazines and I remember the recipes within them but forget to clip them out. Well low and behold, they are now on a website with pictures!
Since it was my husband's birthday, I wanted to try it out but I checked with him to see if he would rather have oatmeal cookies with a marshmallow filling. The cake won!


Anytime I am going to plunge into the kitchen to start cooking, I like to write down my instructions and ingredients. This helps tremendously in making sure I don't miss a step. Sure- I could have printed it out and read it before trying it; however, the process of re-writing the recipe helps imprint it in my memory. I strategize on what steps to take. I group my ingredients and methods.





As soon as I got home from work, I started my task after being barreled down my two 40 pound puppies. I tied my hair back, pushed up my sleeves, put on my apron, and washed my hands. I was ready to start cooking! Since I had both desert to make and a dinner to cook, I acted upon an important piece of advice: Mediate a minute just to put into perspective the timing of a meal plan.



Thoughts that go through my head...



What needs to be done first?



What is second? If I get this task done, what is my next?



Can I overlap cooking times for a meal?




Timing is crucial in the kitchen. If the timing goes well it translates to sitting down for dinner at our regular scheduled time. Just like a restaurant, the guests like to have their meal at a certain time. So I treat my family the same way because in reality the body likes routines and starts the digestion process in the same timely manner each day.

Homemade Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Butter cream Frosting

Back to baking a cake. Here's how I started this process. Grabbed the butter, eggs, and milk for both the cake recipe and chocolate butter cream recipe. Just like baking cookies, room temperature ingredients blend together much butter than cold.




Preheat 350 degrees.


In a large bowl- whisk together the following:


2 cups of sugar

3 1/4 cups of flour

2 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder

1 teaspoon of salt


Next- grab your very soft butter and your hand mixer.


3/4 cup butter, softened



Mix this with the dry ingredients and it will turn the mixture sandy.


Grab the milk and vanilla.

1 1/4 cup milk, room temperature

2 teaspoons of vanilla


Add all at once and turn on the hand mixer - 30 seconds at low, 30 seconds at medium.

Scrap down the sides.


Grab your eggs. I place them in warm water to bring them to room temp.


4 eggs


Crack 1 egg at time and add into the mixture. Blend for 30 seconds. Scrap time the sides. Repeat this process 3 times.


With the last egg cracked and added. Turn on the mixer for 30 seconds on medium high.


Time to pour your batter.


You can choose to use either cupcake pan or bundt or cake pans. It just depends what you would like. Just make sure to use parchment paper or cupcake holders.


Place in the oven and bake until just about light brown.


Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Once it pulls away from the side a little, remove from the pans and place on a cooling rake.



Chocolate Butter cream Frosting


The frosting to top it off. I found this recipe after a quick google search. I decided to halve the recipe as I went along. Seriously what do you do with too much frosting and in my case I'm not a big fan of the sugary topping. So I tried to make it to my liking. I taste tested it along the way. I found this important but I went into a sugar shock at certain moments.



It helps to use room temperature butter and room temperature milk. A microwave can assist if you run out of time but make sure not to let the butter get too melted into soupy liquid phase.


Place into the mixing bowl:

1 stick of butter, cut into pads.

3 cups of powder sugar

3 Tablespoons of milk

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1/8 teaspoon of salt


Use the hand blender on low and let it blend together for about 30 seconds. About a little bit more milk if it is too chunky. Smooth it out just a little with about 30 seconds more.


Chocolate- I used my unsweetened cocoa powder. On the side of the package, it provides a chocolate square equivalents= 3 Tablespoons cocoa + 1 Tablespoon canola oil


I grabbed a small pot and heat it up on low. Added in 6 Tablespoons of cocoa powder and 2 Tablespoons of canola oil. I mixed it together until it became smooth and warm.


Pour it into my frosting mixture.

Next I turned my hand mixer on medium high to whip up the frosting.


Frost your cake once it has cooled with the chocolate butter cream frosting.

Once the cake is frosted place the candles for a birthday wish!

Food Blogging Time

As I search the Internet for recipes, I notice more and more individuals are catching the food blog virus. It is wonderful! There are so many views and so many ways to cook wonderful food. As a reader and a writer, I want to provide an insight to how I like to cook but keeping in mind my food preferences and additionally my own family member's food preferences. I can't at all times make each person happy with my cooking (but at least they get dinner cooked for them.)

Please take a moment and review the various recipes with the hope that you copy & paste them to try later... like I do. Take time to write down a recipe to get inspired and cook up a feast while having fun cooking it!

The 6:30 Dinner Crew

Welcome to a New Year! Let's dive into some new dishes with the help of my latest delivery. Today I received the following:

A bunch of carrots
A bunch of Collard Greens
1 Butternut Squash
A bunch of Purple Kale
A bunch of Broccoli
A bunch of Chard
A pound of Zucchini
A head of Radicchio
A bunch of Leaf Lettuce
A couple pounds of Sweet Potatoes
A red Onion
A half pound of Shallots






Many of the vegetables are easy to use in an average dinner menu but the Butternut Squash, Kale, and Collard Greens are my hardest to develop into a like-able dinner plate item for my family.

I first took on the butternut squash.What do you make with it besides a Butternut Squash Soup. Well, I turned to many cookbooks to seek my answer (or a quick search on the Internet) for recipes.




Here's what I came up with and thought would work for a tasty menu item:


Butternut Squash Gratin with Caramelized Onions
Needed in Pantry Raid:

Olive Oil
1/2 Onion
1 Small Butternut Squash
Flour
Butter
Milk
Cream Cheese
Bacon Jam - optional
Bread Crumbs
Pepper and Salt

We will break this recipe down into steps for each layer.











Step 1: Caramelize Your Thinly Sliced Onions, Season with salt and pepper.


Place into the bottom of the casserole dish.










Step 1A: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Step 2: Evenly slice your butternut squash into moon wedges. Toss in the flour and shake away extra. Place batches into the same heated skillet that was used for the onions with some additional oil for browning the butternut squash. It takes a few minutes on each side.




This helps to tenderize the butternut squash to quicken the cooking time.Add on top of the caramelized onions in the casserole dish.









Step 3: Grab a few tablespoons of butter to melt in the same pan and add in any leftover flour to match the amount of butter added. This will start a rue that will eventually turn into a white cream cheese sauce. Add in a cup of milk for each Tablespoon of butter/flour ratio. (For example: 1 Tablespoon of butter, 1 Tablespoon of Flour, and 1 Cup of Milk - makes a perfect white gravy.) Add in a package of cream cheese (and a Tablespoon of bacon jam if you have it.) Stir until almost melts. Season and pour it on top of the butternut squash and caramelized onions in the casserole dish.

>









Step 4: Finally sprinkle evenly over the top a thin layer of breadcrumbs. Open your oven and let it cook for about 20-25 minutes. At the very end when the butternut squash gratin is bubbling around its edges. Turn on your broiler and let the top brown up.


Step 5: Remove and let it cool.

Step 6: Did I mention make sure to let it cool?




Step 7: Serve up to your family to see what they think.

Opinions from my family: Second servings and cleared plates pointed in the direction that they enjoyed it and it turned out to be a good recipe.

This recipe helped inspire me to create a vegetarian lasagna using the butternut squash and a white sauce. See upcoming posting for the recipe.

3 More Reason to Eat Your Fruit & Vegetables

3 More Reason to Eat Your Fruit & Vegetables

1. A recent study reported by BBC News website on August 19, 2010 suggested green leafy vegetables may reduce the risk of developing diabetes. This is great news for those have a chance to change their lifestyle and reduce risk of developing diabetics. The message is very clear: Change your eating habits! Eat your 5 servings a day of fruit and vegetables. This translates to meaning that chips and soda are not helping your body. Plan your meals and snacks around fruit and vegetables.



2. Another report also reported by BBC News website March 2010 that two key medical treatments to halt diabetes are not resulting in reducing the risk. Only exercise and a healthy diet can really show the desired affect for the patient. Remember that 30 minutes of exercise per day can help a person. This can be split into 3 “10 minute” exercise intervals. Sometimes we might have 10 minutes here or there but can’t commit to 30 minute blocks of time.



3. One more article worth mentioning for those who love to eat white rice. Researchers are recommending a replacement of white rice with brown rice and/or wholemeal bread. The reason is simple: white rice causes a steep increase in blood sugar. Diabetics need to be concerned with the release of glucose into their bodies. A slower release is important.



Another starch that most diabetics should consider are sweet potatoes. A great substitute and an addition to baking with a brown potato.

When was the last time you visited a farmer's market?

As the warm weather enters the valley the farmers set-up their produce stands.

As a child/teenager, it was a delightful early morning trip to the farmer's market. Yes- it was hard to get up about 7:00 in the morning but it was totally worth it. We always had fresh produce. I continue on with this tradition of going to the farmer's market but it's not so early in the morning more like mid-day. Down the street from my work are two farmer's markets which are bustling with lunch time visitors.

A few things to keep in mind when visiting the farmer's market:

- Bring your own reusable bag to carry all your purchases.
- A pocket for a quick grab of cash or change.
- Walk around the market to mental notes of the prices. One table might have a better deal than another.
- Put yourself on a budget.

For $5 - this is what I bought:

- Rainbow chard - $1
- cilantro bunch - $ 1
- 4 large tomatoes - $1
- 1 basket of cherry tomatoes - $2

These ingredients will transform into various components of a meal.

Rainbow Chard a great green leafy vegetable to enjoy which replaces spinach. I saute it with a little bit of garlic and soy sauce.

With the tomatoes and cilantro, I will make a fresh salsa to enjoy with some homemade corn chips.

Lastly, the cherry tomatoes will be made into a chutney to top my mini muffin turkey meatloaf.

A few things purchased at the farmer's market can increase your vegetable (or fruit) intake- plus you've supported local farmers.

http://www.california-grown.com/

Converting One Person at a Time...

Series: Produce Box, July 20, 2010 Deliver; Published Blog 10

Summer brings warm temperatures and bright sunny skies to help produce grow. This is one of my favorite produce procurement times of the year. There are bright wonderful colors and lots of varieties. Who could deny that fresh tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, peppers, corn or melons taste added on to the menu- certainly not me!
I eat a colorful rainbow variety when it comes to summer produce.
My latest produce box delivery was the valley box. I received the following items:
- White corn
- Slicing Tomatoes
- Zucchini
- Melon, musk Ambrosia
- Peaches Yellow
- Carrot Nantes
- Eggplant Japanese
- Cucumber Regular
- Tomato, cherry mixed medley

I had to patiently wait for my produce box to arrive at the house... I couldn't wait to eat the eggplant. My husband should be jealous of my love affair with this lovely purple vegetable called eggplant. It is a vegetable that is widely used in various cultures around the world. It takes on taste from seasonings very well with a smooth mushy texture. I like it grill, toasted, saute, stewed, broiled, and fried. This is one vegetable on my definitely like category.

Another item in my produce box that I've enjoyed quite surprisingly are the cherry tomatoes. As most of my family and friends know, tomatoes are a miss or hit for me. I cant eat tomatoes on their own but I can cook them or eat them raw with other vegetables for a pleasant experience. This is a prime example of foods prepared one way might not hit your fancy but another way sends you back for seconds.
My favorite recipe using cherry tomatoes is to cook it with caramelize onions. This sweet tasting cherry tomato relish is a great topping for meats, pasta, or even couscous.

Kitchen Mission:
I hope to inpire fellow readers to venture into the kitchen. Take a stab at a new recipe with some fresh produce in hand.

Until next time -- Have fun cooking!

Coffee and Steak

New tastes and new recipes are in demand. Willing participants are needed to try new ideas created by chefs. Here's my experiment involving coffee and beef steak.



Background:

I was introduced to a new author Cleo Coyle that writes Coffee House mystery novels. They are great imaginative escapes that involve coffee, plus recipes! This appealed to my inner desire to create and cook which is a lot of fun for me. The inspiration for my coffee marinated steaks was from my leisure reading of the mystery novel.



Caffeinated Barbecue Steaks



I placed my steaks from the refrigerator onto the counter. I grabbed a shallow dish to create my coffee marinade. I made this really easy for myself by grabbing a Starbucks VIA packet and a little cold water. Empty packet, add water, stir, and place steaks into dish. Yes, coffee made with VIA is that simple to make. Absolutely love using the product.


I thought about adding seasonings but I was hesitant. I wanted to keep a true coffee taste so I added no other spices or flavors. I let it sit for 24 hours in the coffee marinade.


The following evening I started up my barbecue to grill the steaks.


Once it was ready, I placed the steaks on the grill and quickly seasoned with a little season salt.


Cook the steaks to your preference. I cannot recommend the amount of time it might take. If you are worried about under or over cooking, invest in a meat thermometer


Remove and let it sit for at least 5 minutes. This is important to keep the meat juicy.


Serve with your favorite vegetable and a carbohydrate.




My vegetable to accompany this recipe was the following:

Sweet and Spicy Carrots

Grab a small sauce pan.
Heat-up on medium heat.
Add in a tablespoon of butter.
Let it warm up.
Add in about 2 tablespoons of brown sugar.
Add a dash of coffee liqueur, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
A quick dash of salt and pepper.

Let the sugar mixture bubble to cook down a little.
I added in caramelized onions that I had precooked prior to making the sauce.
I let it simmer for a little bit more.
Finally add in fresh cut carrots cut into rounds. I used a bunch Nantes carrots from produce box.
Let the carrots cook in the mixture for a quick 1-2 minutes and turn it off.
I like my carrots to have a crunch.

My carbohydrate to accompany the meat and vegetable:

Toasted Barbecue Garlic Bread

Pre-make the garlic oil spread. This is really easy to make with fresh or bottled garlic.
Grab your small sauce pan.
Heat-it up on a medium low.
Add in about 1/4 cup of olive oil.
Next add in the chopped garlic.
Optional: Add in some fresh basil, a little cayenne powder, and a little seasoning to preference.
Let the garlic oil mixture cook until garlic is tender.

Toasting bread on the barbecue should be the last item cooked on the grill. Reason- the coal fire has cooled downed so the bread gets a chance to brown up without burning.
Place your bread slices on the grill. Let the bread toast up which will happen fairly quick. After it is flipped over, spoon the garlic mixture over the bread.

All the above recipes put together makes a fairly tasty meal.
When plating up, spoon the sweet and spicy carrots sauce over the meat. It will be totally worth it in taste!

Enjoy and have fun cooking!

Long Time No New Postings????

Thank you it is nice to be back! I took a sabbatical leave from my blog publishing to create new recipes in my own kitchen. Yes- we finally got our house after a 16 month wait. I'm soooo excited to be in my kitchen. I've been busy cleaning, unpacking, and setting up my big kitchen.

I'm still receiving my produce boxes at my new house. It has been quite delightful with the introduction of summer produce. My latest boxes have brought blueberries, melons, tomatoes, green beans, and so much more!



As promised new recipes:

Spicy Rotini, Zucchini, and Italian Sausage

Caramelize about ¼ an onion, diced
Add in about 5 hot cayenne peppers, whole
Once the onion is almost browned and translucent, add about 1 tablespoon of chopped garlic
Remove the peppers.


Preparing the Sausage:
I used 3 pork sausage links about ½ foot long.
I placed my sausage in a pot of water and brought it to a boil for about 15 minutes.
I set aside to cool and drained the water
Once the meat is ready to handle, I removed the casing and tore the sausage into pieces.
Set aside.

Boil the pasta to al dente
I used a ½ box of rotini

Allow the meat to brown and become crispy
I diagonally sliced two zucchinis to place around the edges while the meat was cooking
Carefully toss the meat in the middle to cook on the other side without disturbing the zucchini

Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water.
Add on top of the meat.

Next add in about 2 tablespoons of tomato paste.
Toss the pasta, meat, and zucchini to coat with the tomato sauce
Season with pepper and salt

Allow the dish to cook a little longer about 5 minutes and stir with an additional 5 minutes.
Serve with garlic bread and a green salad.


Greek Couscous Salad

I prepared the couscous to box directions. 1 cup of dry couscous and 1 cup of water
Let it cool.


Need:
1 cucumber
¼ cup of sun dried tomatoes
¼ cup of feta cheese
¼ cup kalamata olives

Toss together and fresh with a little lemon juice, pepper, and salt.
Optional Idea: Use Orzo for the carbohydrate.


Deliciously Quick Fajitas


Prepare your meat first.
I learned through trial and error that if you brown the sides of the meat it will hold in the moisture and keep it tender. This technique can be used to for many recipes like stir-fries, stews, or pasta dishes.

Cut your meat into small strips.
Heat-up a frying pan with enough oil to cover the bottom. I used canola oil. (In the past I have used sesame oil too.)
Then in small batches just toss in handfuls of meat. Cook just enough to brown the edges. The insides will still be pink. (This is OK because the meat will be tossed back into the pan later on.)
Remove the meat and place on a paper towel. I like to salt it at this time.

Use the same pan for the remaining cooking preparation.
Keep the pan on medium heat.
I slice up half of a white onion into slivers and toss it in with the remaining oil.
Let the onions cook until tender. (Optional: toss in whole cayenne peppers for heat.)
For a little moisture, I diced up a tomato and tossed it in.
For those who love bell peppers, add in slivers of the colorful bell peppers.

Let the mixture simmer for about 5 minutes.

Add in the beef and squeeze fresh lime juice over the top. Then toss in the limes to the pan. (Optional: Bottled lemon juice will also do the trick.)
Reduce the heat and let the mixture simmer together.

Prepare the tortillas of choice: corn or flour.

Final dish: Grab a tortilla, add in the meat/vegetable mixture, add in shredded cabbage, and a dollop of sour cream. Then get ready for the mouth watering bite of your own homemade fajita.

Options: Various fish or meats can be used for the meal. Follow the simple reasoning of not overcooking the fish or meat the first time because it is cooks a second time.

Checca Sauce

Cherry tomatoes are in season!!

This is a wonderful fresh tomato sauce. I have to share it because I love making it during the summer season. It tastes great hot or cold. Raw food at its best!

In a food processor add the following items:
- 1 package of cherry tomatoes
- 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
- ½ onion
- 1-2 teaspoons of fresh garlic
- Handful of fresh basil
- ½ cup of fresh Parmesan
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Puree until well mixed and taste.

Cube up a ½ chunk of fresh mozzarella.
Cook up a fresh batch of pasta.
Toss all the checca sauce, fresh mozzarella, and pasta in a bowl.
Serve up and Enjoy!


Homemade Corn Chips

One thing I love to eat at Mexican restaurants is the corn chips. I like to eat these plain chips with salsa, or avocado. Learning how to make these chips is easy on the budget. Just remember it does require a little extra time to prepare. It took me about a half hour to prepare about a bag of chips.

Set-up

Heat-up the oven on a low temperature. Grab a cookie sheet and line it with aluminum foil.

Grab a plate and place about 3-4 layers of paper towels to drain the oil of the chips.

Grab a sauce pot and heat-up on medium-high heat. Pour in the oil about a fourth of the way from the bottom.

I like to cut the corn tortilla into triangle eighths.

Test the oil by throwing in one triangle to see if it starts to bubble on the edges. If it ready throw in about 10-14 tortilla triangles...this depends on the size of your pot. Don't overcrowd the oil it will reduce the temperature and take longer to cook.
As the chips starts to cook to a light brown, flip the tortilla chips.
Once the other side is cooked and the corn tortilla has firmed up, then transfer to the cookie sheet.
To finish the cooking process with crisping of the chip, place in the preheated oven.



Deserts:

What can you do with fresh nectarines or peaches if you can't eat them quick enough? My solution is to make turnovers. I like to use a pie crust made simple: Krusteaz Pie Crust. Thanks to my Dad he introduced me to it. A great pie crust in seconds.

Tip: I found this product does not require much water just enough to pull it together.

Nectarine or Peach Turnovers

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare the crust:
Use enough pie dough mixture for one pie with a crust.

Prepare the pie filling:
I grabbed my freshly delivered nectarines (or peaches) that had been ripening in a brown paper bag on the counter. I left the skin on as I sliced into slivers into my mixing bowl. I sprinkle a little lemon juice, brown sugar, and cinnamon. One additional item is a little corn starch to gel up the liquid. The recipe use intuitive measurements.

Flour a board with a little flour. Partition into about 7-8 small golf size dough balls.

Roll out the dough into a triangle/oval shape. Place on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper.
Add a little of the fruit mixture to the middle of each the rolled out dough.
Close the flap and place in the oven for about 20-25 minutes. Check it to see if the dough is cooked and the bottoms are slightly browned.
Let it cool.


In picture above I used for this batch fresh blueberries.

Optional: If you have fresh strawberries or blueberries, try with a little fresh whipping cream for summer shortcake.

For the love of eating healthy

Series: Produce Box, May 26, 2010 Deliver; Published Blog 9

I am content after enjoying a meal full of hearty goodness. I loved the variety that arrives in my delivery. I received all of the following items:

asparagus

avocados

cabbages

corn

large onions

celery

Klamath potatoes

cherry tomatoes

green leaf lettuce

cucumbers

rosemary

Plus my fruit box:

melon

apples

oranges

apricots

peaches

I still had on hand:

carrots

cabbage

shallots

spring red onion

fava beans

beets (which quietly hide in the back of the fridge- sorry beets) I guess my weakness has been found! Every superhero has a weakness.

Spicy Rotini, Zucchini, and Italian Sausage

Caramelize about ¼ an onion, diced

Add in about 5 hot peppers, whole

Once the onion is almost browned and translucent, add about 1 tablespoon of chopped garlic



Preparing the Sausage

I used 3 pork sausage links about ½ foot long.

I placed my sausage in a pot of water and brought it to a boil for about 15 minutes.

I set aside to cool and drained the water

Once the meat is ready to handle, I removed the casing and tore the sausage into pieces.

Set aside.



Boil the pasta to al dente

I used a ½ box



Allow the meat to brown and become crispy

I sliced two zucchinis in diagonal slices around the edges while the meat was cooking

Toss the meat in the middle to cook on the other side without disturbing the zucchini



Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water.

Add on top of the meat. Next add in about 2 tablespoons of tomato paste.

Toss the pasta, meat, and zucchini to coat with the tomato sauce

Season with pepper and salt



Allow the dish to cook a little longer about 5 minutes on each side.

Serve with garlic bread and a green salad.



Greek Couscous Salad



I prepared the couscous to box directions. 1 cup of dry couscous and 1 cup of water

Let it cool.

Need:

1 cucumber

¼ cup of sun dried tomatoes

¼ cup of feta cheese

¼ cup kalamata olives


Toss together and fresh with a little lemon juice, pepper, and salt.

Set aside and get ready to eat as a salad with dinner or it could be the main dinner item.

Enjoy!

What Vegetable do you Love?

Series: Produce Box, May 12, 2010 Deliver; Published Blog 8

An important change occurred in my relationship with food, I have a better strategy in understanding the forged relationship where my brain, taste buds, and stomach have to meet. I constantly refresh my brain with nutritional data from food documentaries, books, and health websites. This leads me to creating recipe ideas using various ingredients that my taste buds will find interesting so that my stomach is satisfied. A catalyst is the major change is the transforming from processed and convenient foods to cooking with raw ingredients.

Think for a moment about how you would start making water into soup. You would want in the end flavor and satisfaction of filling comfortable full. A recipe provides the avenue in the of starting with raw ingredients to ending it with a meal. Then as you accomplish a good blend then you can additional nutrients or vegetable flares. There are two vegetables: sweet potatoes and fava beans in my produce box deliveries that provide additional nutritional value for my body. Although these vegetables are really good to eat there's been much difficulty in finding their niche in my recipes. At last I figured a good one out... it includes using both of them with a vegetable I love- potatoes!

I share with you my latest recipe:

Pan Roasted Tater Medley

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

8-10 cubed Klamath pearl potatoes

½ c. chopped sweet potatoes

½ c. minced fava beans

1 diced spring red onion

2 tsp. chopped garlic

1 T. worcestershire sauce

¼ minced cilantro

Salt & Pepper

Add the cubed potatoes to the heated oil. Add in the sweet potatoes, fava beans, and spring red onion. Cook for about 7-10 minutes. Then add in the garlic, worcestershire sauce, cilantro, and season with pepper & salt to taste. Cook and stir until vegetables are tender to taste.

Seasonal Vegetable Substitution

No sweet potatoes on hand- try ½ c. chopped Nantes carrots

No spring red onions on hand- try using a shallot or onions.




A common thread in most of my meal creations is the of planning ahead. Consciously think about what can be made now to save time later. Here's a technique as camping season is approaches. I would like to introduce some charcoal barbecue recipes.



Sausage Packet

In the mountains every resource needs to be used to its fullest potential. This can be made the night before for breakfast. I cooked this while also prepping dinner on the grill.

Place your raw sausage meat onto a sheet of aluminum foil. Fold it in half. I would suggest wrapping it a second time to secure it.

Place it on the grill and let it cook. Flip it a couple of times to allow even cooking on both sides. It takes about 20-30 minutes to cook up the chub.



Breakfast Pizza

This recipe is really simple and totally tasty. In the woods, I like to bring along a ready made pizza crust. Find your favorite brand or try pita bread.
For this recipe here's the steps I take while I'm surrounded by mountains and pine trees:

Heat up your grill.

Grab the aluminum foil. Cut and pull about the size of the pizza crust. I like to make mine about 4-5 sheets thick for a little sturdiness and reduce burning on the bottom.

Add a layer of tomato paste onto the crust.

Next arrange on the cooked sausage.

Heat-up your frying pan to scramble about 5 eggs for medium size pizza. Under cook the eggs but not runny. Then spread evenly over the sausage.

Optional: Sprinkle red pepper flakes

Finally add the cheese.

Place the breakfast pizza in its aluminum foil pan onto grill. Place on the top. Come back and check every 5 minutes to rotate.
It will be done cooking as the cheese melts, eggs are cooked and then bottom has slightly brown.

The Month of May

Series: Produce Box, May 5, 2010 Delivery; Published Blog 7

A pleasant awakening of newly selected produce appeared early on the porch this week. Its presence was acknowledge by my mother-in-law's dogs as they barked the alert of delivery person. As I pushed away my early morning slumber, I picked up the two boxes in the living room entry to bring them into the kitchen for examining the contents.
To receive a produce box, the descriptive feeling comes to mind from a past event. I had step out the kitchen for a quick moment, upon my return a small blue box was left on the stove by my secret admirer. Typically most small boxes usually contain jewelry of course and it made me smile. It was the surprise of unknown held within. I had this same feeling of curiosity that held wonderment of what did they hold. In the first small produce box I found the contents of "Small Fruit Only" :
Bananas
Strawberries
Tommy Atkins Mangos
Oranges
Ruby Red Grapefruit
Apples

My 2nd box "More Veggies Only" contained:

Radishes
Carrots
Celery
A Bag of White Baby Potatoes called Potato Klamath Pearl
Tons of Baby Bok Choy
Cilantro
Fava Beans
Avocados
Iceberg Head of Lettuce
Cherry Tomatoes
Brocolini- also called Baby Broccoli
Broccoli
A good handful of Zucchini



Recipe Ideas:

Baked Apple Crisp

Tasty healthy alternative to an apple pie.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grab a 13x9 pan.

Dice your apples.

Throw into your pan.

Sprinkle to taste sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla.

For the crumb topping.

Grab a bowl to mix the following items: quick oats, sugar, cinnamon, a little flour, and smart spread.

Mix together until crumbly. Adjust the margarine so that there is no flour left.

Optional: nuts

Place in the oven for about 25-30 minutes. The top should be a little brown, apple soft, and smells really good.


Sushi Roll: Teriyaki Salmon and Chard

My homemade version of sushi involved cooked teriyaki marinated salmon and cooked chard vegetable mixture.

This recipe has three components put together to create the final product.

1st part:
Sushi Rice (recipe in published blog 1)
** Remember not to use any metal products after the sugar & vinegar is mixed with the rice. No metal spoons, metal knives, or metal mixing bowls. **

2nd part:

Cook the fish. I decide to use a simmer fish technique(from published blog 6.)
Let it cool and then shred it to remove any bones.

3rd part:
I grab the following items to make my saute chard vegetable mix:
a serrano pepper
garlic
fava beans
soy sauce
chard
pepper

To my heat pan, I threw in the minced pepper and a little olive oil. Let it cook up a little then add in the chopped garlic.
I decided to chop up the fava beans into little pieces to speed up the cooking process.

I splashed on some soy sauce and allowed the mixture to simmer in the sauce.

I added in the last of my chard into the pan tearing it into eatable pieces.

I covered the vegetables in the pan.

I checked it and stirred about every 5 minutes until the chard was shriveled like spinach.

Let it sit and cool.

Final Product:

After each component has cooled down, prepare in the following order:

Pat down sushi rice onto plastic wrap on top of your sushi roller.

Next add your salmon in a line about 1/4 away from the edge of rice in length.

Next add your chard vegetable mixture.

Then roll it up with firm pressure.

Allow it to sit.

Remove roller and plastic wrap, then quickly cut with a plastic knife.

Serve.

Cherry Tomato Sauce

This is a versatile sauce providing a sweet tomato flavor. It is cooked down to increase thickness and it can be tossed into many dishes. I use it for a couple different recipes such as on homemade pizza, over chicken breasts, or toss with pasta or potatoes. I sometimes add in peppers to it to make it a little spicy which I sauteed with fresh corn.

Method:

Heat up a sauce pan on medium heat.

Add olive oil.

First add in a small onion to caramelize.

I used shallots because I had them on hand leftover from a previous produce box delivery.

I then sliced each of my washed cherry tomatoes in half and added them to the pan.

I allowed the mixture to cook down by simmering away the excess liquid.

I like to mush down the cherry tomatoes skins to blend in better.

This sauce can be placed in the freezer for later use. Another helpful tip is this recipe allows for to enjoy fresh homemade tomato sauce on hand and helps prolong the shelf life of the tomatoes.

My last recipe in this blog will be dedicated to all those who have in either heart or blood have provided loving nourishment for another. Mothers come in so many forms and relationships. It is no longer the perception that a child will be born unto and only know one mother. A child may have several mothers throughout their lifetime. I have learned the motherly instincts comes forth when needed.

My own relationship with my own son brought forth my motherly instincts. My stepson and I were introduced when he was 3 1/2 years and I was 22 years old. He changed my whole life as my whole scheduled evolved around him and my new husband. I was forced to change from only thinking of myself to thinking about his future and how can we provide better for him. As I reflect back, my husband and I are both better people because we have him in our lives.

Going back to discussing cooking, my next recipe because of the developing unique relationship my mother-in-law and I have as we are joined by a mutual love. We've come to the acceptance part of our relationship. She provides the opportunity for me to provide her some of the love I have for food. She mentions in conversation the latest recipe she saw on television from the Martha Stewart show. So from my internal knowledge I put her recipe recommendation into action.

Candied Orange Peel

I washed and soaked my oranges in cold water. I had two recipes to use the oranges. I wanted to juice my oranges but I also wanted to remove the peel. It's much easier to remove the peel while the orange is whole. I used a vegetable peel to remove the peel (because I do not have a zester) and made smaller line pieces with a knife.

I added 1 cup sugar and 1 cup of cold water to a sauce pot. It's that simple.

Let it come to a boil and add in the orange peels.

I let it cook down and did not use a candy thermometer.

I then poured it out onto greased parchment paper placed on top of a cookie sheet to cool.

I broke it into pieces as it cooled down.

Here's a picture of what it looked like:

I decided to grind up the orange peel in the simple sugar into a powder for future recipes. I found that the food processors works best for this task because it has the power.

Here's what it looks like:

Choices In Eating

Series: Produce Box, April 21, 2010 Delivery; Published Blog 6

Once is event, twice is a coincidence (some might think), three times is a definite... these were the thoughts in my head... as I discuss a subject I haven't gotten tired of talking about food. Recipes are being distributed everywhere from all types of media sources from word of mouth to the Internet. The other day in the midst of conversation with a close friend we discussed recipes on ingredients from our produce box deliveries. It was really cool to have a chance to discuss delivers. Our discussion brought up some really good points:

• A produce box allows one to manage a greater intake of produce into their diet.


• A produce box does takes a little more time to prepare dishes from scratch.


• A produce box cuts back on eating out by keeping to the commitment to not let any produce got to waste.


• Pre-planning of meals is a must with a produce box. For instance as soon as I know that the produce list is posted for the various boxes available for order, I start pondering recipes and look up recipes about particular vegetables or fruits.

Here's one of her recipe that using a common ingredient we both share in our deliveries: Chard

Saute Chard and Tomatoes over a Bed of Rice

This recipe has many unique flavors. It will be an interesting recipe to try.

Saute up minced ginger and garlic in palm fruit oil.

** Palm fruit oil can be found at your local COOP or speciality store.**

Add a low quality tomato like roma.

Allow it to simmer to reduce the tomato into a sauce consistency.

Add in peanut butter to taste.

Stir to blend.

Optional add in point for meat.

Add in shredded chard with stems removed.

Season with pepper and salt to preference.

Cover.

Add in chard and Let it cook down in the sauce.

Serve on a bed of rice.

Each person cooks to their liking with the items on hand. One person may carry certain items in their pantry. It has become apparent to me that each us need a little helping hand with what to create. My sister calls me the other day and tells me a recipe in the course of our conversation her recipe from the Kraft website and is really easy especially while being able to entertain my two cute wonderful nephews. Lucky enough I had a computer ready to share her recipe:

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Chicken breasts depending on how many to serve. (1 chicken breasts= 1 serving)
Butterfly the long way of the chicken. Careful not cut the other side off.
Stuff about two tablespoons of flavorful cheese into the chicken pocket. She used an Irish cheese she had on hand.
Place 2 asparagus spears inside it long wise.
Close the flap.
Sprinkle Parmesan on top.
Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 20-30 minutes.

I'd like to take a moment to thank all who have provided me recipes and/or techniques. Cooking is great fun in providing challenge in making new recipes. One of my favorite ways to past time is to search for recipes. I go to the library to browse cook books. While googling ingredients, I will come across links to check out recipes at the following websites: NPR, Health magazine, KCRA channel 3, or SacBee (to only name a few of the places I like to scoop.) On one of my latest searching adventures brought to me a new technique in cooking fish. I thought I would share it with you.

Simmered Fish

Prep your fish. I choose a tilipia. I used my food scissors and cut into across strips.

Let it sit while the sauce pan heats up.

Add in some olive oil to saute up fresh chopped garlic. Add in hot peppers for heat.

Next add in a couple big spoon full of a peanut dipping sauce.

Add in a little sugar for some sweetness.

Add in a little soy sauce for saltiness.

Blend the ingredients into a smooth sauce.

Allow it to heat-up to an almost simmer. Add in your cut fish.

Let the sauce pan to return back to a simmer. Stir and let it continue barely simmering until fish is flaky. Carefully stir. Fish is fragile after cooking. Turn off the heat and allow to sit prior to serving.

I enjoyed this with a stir fry of the following vegetable from my produce box: broccoli, rapini, cilantro, leek, spring red onion, shallot, and fresh wide Chinese stir-fry noodles.

The peanut sauce fish was a wonderful flavor companion with the vegetable stir-fry.

My produce box recipes for the past week:

Fish, Rice, and a tasty Chard and Leek Stir fry

Another simple dinner menu but the chard and leek stir fry might throw you for a loop. Its two vegetables that are not commonly found together. So when my husband requested it, I thought to combine it with a familiar flavors like soy and teriyaki. Here's how I made it:

On medium heat, place a non-stick pan with sesame oil.

Once it has heated up add 3 chili pods to your desired heat preference.

Then add in the slivered leeks.

**One thing to note is the cleaning of leeks. These lovely green onion like vegetable contains hidden layers of dirt. Take time in careful washing and rinsing to remove as much as dirt as possible. Also to slice in the middle in order to remove dirt from the layers.**

Next sprinkle with a tablespoon of garlic.

Add in the chopped chard with stems removed.

Splash about a teaspoon of soy sauce.

Cover with a lid or aluminum sheet to allow the chard to shrivel down in the liquid. Let it cook for about a few minutes.

Splash teriyaki sauce over top and let it continue to cook with the cover.

Turn off the heat and let it sit. Then remove and transfer to a serving bowl.

Lentil Soup

Food Network influenced the creation of this meal. My mother-in-law saw the chef prepare this recipe and she was intrigued. So we went out and purchased lentils just for this recipe. We teamed up and split the tasks. It turned out wonderfully tasty.

Used the following ingredients:

olive oil

shallots

celery

carrots

mushrooms

garlic

chicken stock

water

Optional: baked ham and garlic french bread

Method:

Heat-up a soup pot on medium heat. Add some olive oil.

Chop up two shallots and place in pan.

Next add in two stalks of celery.

Add in two mushrooms. (I like to chop my finely.)

Add in two tablespoons of garlic.

Add in a handful of carrots.

Let the vegetables cook for a few minutes.

Then if you choose to add in the optional baked ham. Allow it to brown just a little in the pan. Add in the pound of lentils. We used brownish/green lentils..

Add in the container of chicken stock (contains 4 cups) and two cups of water.

Turn the heat down to low and allow the soup to simmer - not boil.

Stir and monitor the liquid. Check on the lentils to see if they need more cooking time.

The soup took about 45 minutes to simmer.

Barbecue Game Hens

After a busy day at work, it nice to come home and dive into culinary creativity. I started up the barbecue to cook this meal and its components.

Take your defrosted game hens out of the refrigerator and rinse off. I used my kitchen shears to open up the game hen. I cut the game hen into two parts: the chicken & wings and legs, thighs, and back. I rubbed salt, pepper, and olive oil over it. Set aside while my grill heated up and regulated its temperature.

I prepped some of the remaining vegetables in my produce box. I made aluminum foil grill packets. I usually just place the vegetable inside and cover with a little olive oil and garlic. The packets do not take long to cook and turn out really tasty. (Works well with frozen vegetables too.)

I also prepped these other recipes to accompany my barbecue game hens and vegetable packets.

Fruit Salsa Salad

You will need:

1 lemon

1 jalapeno pepper (seeds remove)

cilantro

mango

2 kiwis

avocado

tomato - vine ripen tastes best

Squeeze the lemon juice into the bowl. Remove any seeds.

Chop up the tomato, avocado, kiwis, mango, and jalapeno.

Stir with a hint of sugar (this creates liquid) and a little salt and pepper.

Next add in the cilantro leaves.

Allow this to sit for at least 10 minutes. It will turn into a wonderful fruit salsa salad.

Grilled Garlic Bread

I like to stop by store on my way home to pick-up a fresh loaf of bread. It's very satisfying when its fresh.

I prep my garlic and olive oil in a ramekin to place into the microwave for a few minutes at 80% power.

I slice the bread and spoon on the garlic oil mixture. Wrap up in aluminum foil and place on the grill.

Flip the bread to prevent it from burning.

Microwaved Artichokes

My husband and I love artichokes. We even enjoyed them together on one of our first dates.

Trim you artichokes. Remove the outer bottom layer of leaves, stems, and cut-off the pointy tops.

Place in a microwave glass bowl.

Cook for about 5-7 minutes (depending on size of artichoke).

Test to see if the bottom is soft to pierce with a fork.

WARNING-- the glass bowl will be HOT!

Let it sit to cool and serve with a little mayo.

I've enjoyed providing my latest recipes using the ingredients from my produce box. My next delivery will be arriving soon which promises more recipes, tips, and fun cooking.