Asian Slaw

I have a few weekly go to items that are always in the fridge. Generally, they are easy to make, full of flavor, get better with age and have multiple uses and oh yeah they are really good for you!! As usual I found a recipe with flavors that I liked and changed it up a little so it worked for my purposes. Ingredients: 1 bag broccoli slaw (trader joe's sells oraganic bags) 1 bag of shredded cabbage (trader joes again) (this stuff looks like you cut it yourself not the fine shredded stuff) 1 bag carrot slaw (only a handful needed) 1 english cucumber seeded (peel and slice down the middle to create 1/2 moons) 1 small red onion or 1/2 a large or to taste 1 Tbl of sugar ( i use super fine) 6 Tbl of rice wine vinegar (seasoned or unseasoned) 1Tbl of toasted sesame oil 3T of canola oil 1 tsp salt (adjust as needed) 1/2 tsp of pepper (or to taste) The easiest way that i have found to do this is right in a storage container. I have this nice square rubbermaid one that once covered lets me shake the contents to enhance the marinating process. Measure Sugar and Vinegar in the bottom of a bowl or container with a lid whisk until sugar is dissoved add sesame oil and canola oil and salt and pepper , whisk again. put in bagged mixtures. Peel and slice cucumber lengthwise and with a sharp knife cut in on an angle on both sides of the seeds and then pull out the strip of seeds. Place the cucumber flat side down and slice thin half moons. Peel red onion and slice in half and the slice very thin half slices. place cucumber and onions on top of shredded mixture cover with lid and shake it to mix. I marinate over night and it gets better all week long. Uses Salad Turkey wrap with slaw layered down the middle mixed with cubed chicken or canned or leftover salmon or other fish or shrimp

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Marshmallows Galore!

One might ask what possessed you to start with Marshmallows?? I don't know..I wish I painted or sewed or knitted or was a writer, but I get into the zone when I cook or bake and as of last week make candy!! Maybe it was Halloween and my refusal to buy candy until the very last minute or perhaps it was the fact that store bought Marshmallows have a whole lot of I don't know what in them and they are starting to give me a headache! The simple thing to do would be not to eat them, but I am a lot of things and simple is not one of them!!

Anyway I make this instant Chocolate Mousse Pie for my niece and nephew and I was looking for a better ingredient. My answer came from my now favorite food network chef, Giada De Laurentis, when she made orange marshmallows and caramel chocolate candies. Ahhhhhh, the sugar rush that has followed!!

The Recipe is simple but one caveat...you need a heavy duty mixer a hand held won't work here!

Orange Homemade Marshmallows

1/2 + 1/4 cup of water

3 packets of gelatin

2 cups of sugar

1/2 cup of evaporated milk ( i have used 2% )

1 tsp of vanilla

zest of one orange

confectioner sugar for dusting

8x8 pan buttered and dusted with confectioner sugar (like butter and flour but 10xsugar)

Pour 1/2 cup of water in mixing bowl of your mixer

Sprinkle 3 Tbl or 3 packets of gelatin over water let it stand for 10 minutes

In a heavy bottomed 3 qt saucepan measure 2 cups of sugar and add the 1/4 cup of water and the 1/2 cup of evaporated milk

stir over low heat until sugar dissolves and then don't stir turn up heat to medium and let it come to 240 degrees, using a candy thermometer it will get crazy bubbly and have a tannish color don't worry this is normal. After it reaches 240 remove from heat and slowly poor the mixture over gelatin and with the whisk attachment start beating slowly and then gradually turn up the speed full blast. Mixture will double or triple and start looking like the best marshmallow fluff you ever did see!!

Turn the speed down and add the orange zest and vanilla and incorporate. Then working quickly scrape the mixture into your prepared pan and smooth. I use a silicone spatula, no sticking!! Giada sprinkles hers with orange candy sugar...I did other stuff to mine.

The marshmallows need to dry uncovered for 8 hours or overnight. To cut marshmallows take a cutting board and sprinkle with sifted confectioner sugar

Enhancements:

After 4 hours while still damp roll in toasted coconut. Cut off a strip of Marshmallow, I make small squares using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter.

To toast Coconut spread on a cookie pan and toast at 350 for 5 minutes or until a beautiful light camel color...don't burn.

Chocolate Dipped

Cut dry marshmallows and dip in melted milk or dark chocolate.

Heat chocolate slowly over simmering water or very slowly in the microwave. I dip on the top like frosting.

Caramel Chocolate:

First spread with Caramel and then dip in chocolate.

I am still thinking of making my own mallowmars...deciding if I will use graham cracker or ginger snaps!!!

Variation:

Vanilla Flavored cut out the orange zest and use 1 Tbl. of good vanilla extract!!

Now I am thinking about playing with all kinds of flavors.

So Far my Favorites have been:

Orange Plain

Orange Flavored with toasted coconut

Orange Flavored with caramel and toasted coconut

Orange Flavored with Dark 60% melted chocolate

Vanilla Flavored with Milk Chocolate

These will keep in an airtight tin for 2 weeks!!

Think I have been eating enough Marshmallows .....Yum and Ouch all at the same time!!

Back in the Saddle-Curry to the rescue!

No I don't ride horses and the couple of times I have tried were a joke. I mean we're talking embarrassing to humiliating. They are not kidding when they say the animal can smell fear and believe me they took full advantage of that fear!!!

Back in the saddle means after being trapped by two snow storms following the downward diet spiral from Halloween through New Years it is time to get ready for spring and summer however distant they still may feel!!

Well being trapped in the house once the power was restored had me watching Dr. OZ. Well that is enough to scare the be-jeezus out of anyone. That day he was talking about memory, which the fact that I remember what he was talking about is in itself a good thing! Turns out India has the lowest incidence of Alzheimer's Disease and they believe it is due to the use of turmeric in the cooking. So before the show was over I made a split pea soup with curry that only uses 5 ingredients and i have now moved on to Vegetable Curry as well. Considering what is happening with my mother I will be putting curry or turmeric or both in just about everything. I was never a big curry fan but these dishes are delicious, easy and total comfort food without all the health hazards of most comfort food.

Vegetable Curry-Jane Brody "Good Food Book"

Pull out your Dutch Oven or a large Pot. This makes a lot and you can use whatever veggies you have on hand. The important thing is to put the veggies that require longer cooking in first.

I did not use eggplant since i didn't have it and it wasn't on my mind. I used Cauliflower, Carrots, Sweet Potato (just one big one) Red Bell Peppers, Onions and Zucchini (was added last) and a can of diced tomatoes and the juice instead of fresh. Plus the other ingredients in the recipe. It was all good and she is right a dollop of yogurt (i used greek) makes it so smooth and yummy.

Vegetable Curry

1 pound eggplant, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes(about 4 cups)

1/2 tsp of salt

1 T plus 2 tsp oil divided

2 T curry powder (mild hot or both) I just used what i had on hand (Madras) I might use more

next time and a mix but what i did have had a little kick.

1 tsp ground cumin

2 large cloves garlic, finely minced (2 tsp)

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Salt if desired to taste (check if your curry powder is salted too) I usually salt as I go along seasoning in layers

1/2 cup of broth chicken or veggie ( i use low sodium and i added more at the end so i would have it a little saucier.

2-3 medium carrots sliced thin not paper thin but so it will cook in 15 to 20 minutes

1 green pepper thinly sliced ( I used Red i like them better!)

2 cups diced potatoes (2 medium) I used one large sweet potato and I would use Butternut Squash too in the future

2 cups bite sized cauliflower florets ( I used a whole head and didn't make it too small since I was going to be re-heating this again and again)

1 medium zucchini sliced (I used two small and I would use more but add them last since they cook fast and go to mush if cooked too long)

2 cups peeled seeded and chopped tomatoes save the juice (yeah like I was doing this, I used a can of diced tomatoes and I might use 1 1/2 cans the next time)

1/4 cup tomato liquid or more broth

1 16oz can of chick peas (rinsed and drained)

1/4 cup raisins ( i might try craisins too next time they didn't have them when jane wrote the book!)

Plain low-fat yogurt for garnish (optional)

1) Eggplant-place in a colander and salt and let it set for 30 minutes toss so all pieces are coated and let it drain to get the biitterness out. Pat dry.

2)Heat 1 T of oil in your dutch oven or large pot. Add the eggplant and and stir often for 5 minutes to soften. Remove from pan. Set aside.

3)Heat the remaining oil in the pot and add the onions, carrot and red pepper sprinkle a little salt and pepper to taste. Add the minced garlic and stir of a minute or two. Add the curry, cumin and broth and stir and cook for 2 minutes add the potatoes and the cauliflower cover and simmer 5-7 minutes. Return the eggplant to the pot and add the zucchini, tomatoes, chickpeas and raisins. Cover and simmer 10 minutes more or until potatoes are tender.

Serve curry with dollop of yogurt.

Enjoy and don't be afraid to use any veggies you like and increase the amounts.

Moroccan Fajitas

Okay so if I see another piece of chicken I will freak. So how about some meat but with enough other stuff that we're not heavily clogging the arteries. What I like about the skirt steak that you can buy small portions and it is a change from flank steak but you can use that or strip steak but remember cook it medium rare and slice it thin on an angle against the grain.

Moroccan rubbed Fajitas with roasted onions and red peppers.

Sweet Potatoes with Moroccan rub.

This has got to be one of the most flavorful, fast and fun dinners. You could use this rub on chicken and fish and have a whole buffet of fajitas or wraps or whatever you want to call it. The recipe called for strip steak but I used skirt steak cooked rare and sliced thin. I served them in Multi-grain Flat-outs a cross between a tortilla and a flattened out pita. I also roasted thick slices of Vidalia onions and sweet red peppers. Made a little fresh tomato and red onion salsa and some store bought salsa.

Morrocan Spice Rub-EatingWell Magazine May 2006

1 tsp ground allspice

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 lb of steak skirt steak.

Spray steak with oil rub seasoning liberally on both sids of the steak.

Heat a stovetop grill spray with oil grill approx. 4 minutes per side. Let meat rest 20 minutes before slicing.

Preheat oven to 425

Line Half Sheet pan with foil and spray with spray olive oil.

Cut 1 or 2 Large Vidalia Onions in Thick slices

Cut 1 or 2 Red Peppers or any kind you like in thick strips

Spray with oil season with salt and pepper.

Roast for 35 to 45 minutes. If peppers are done you can always finish the onions on the grill.

Sweet Potatoes -start them 1/2 through the onions and red peppers since the oven should be turned down to 400 so the potatoes don't burn.

1 lb of sweet potatoes or a combo of sweet potatoes and butternut squash cut into 1 inch cubes

spray with canola oil and season with a couple tsps of the spice rub drizzle honey and a little brown sugar

roast for 45 minutes. check at 35 minutes. If you feel it needs more flavor drizzle a little balsamic vinegar at 35 minutes and cook for 15 minutes longer or a little fresh orange juice.

Round out with a green vegetable...spinach, asparagus, broccoli

Serve with a salad and whatever condiments you desire.

This would be a fun dinner to put together and then make the ice cream sandwiches for dessert!!!

Smash stuff into ice cream and you're a genius!!

So over the summer I was hanging in the kitchen and I see Ina Garten making ice cream sandwiches. Of course she was making them on huge homemade cookies and with haagen-dazs ice cream...well you get the point..a gazillion calories...ouch!! I love Ina and I make some of her recipes but knowing that I come from a family where weight is an issue and it has made me meshuga (crazy) most of my life and that Ina is not svelt an alternative was in order. Geez, I think that was an amazing run-on sentence! There you go Arielle, that is what made me decide to make my own "rocky road". My daughter will walk in and find me playing with food and wondering what made me think of whatever I was playing with at the moment. That is how last summers favorite treat was conjured up.

Ok, so I had some light vanilla ice cream around and some teddy grahams and mini marshmallows (my favorite) and mini chocolate chips and I had these flourless chocolate cookies from Safeway. Those cookies were the first try and my sister likes them the best filled with Edy's light mud-pie ice cream. I make them and cut them in half since they are big. I do find the cookies a little crisp once frozen and harder to eat. To each there own.

I digress as usual...

The Solution for size and the right texture and versatility.....

Biscoff cookies. What are these you might ask? They are a cinnamon biscuit about 25 calories a cookie. Safeway (I cant remember the west coast partner) has them and funny enough walgreens. They are oval in shape and a perfect snack size for a mini ice cream sandwich.

You can use any ice cream that you like but the day my daughter found me i was smashing

Light Edy's vanilla ice cream with crushed chocolate teddy grahams and marshmallows and mini-chocolate chips. I have also added drizzled caramel once or twice and frankly mush in anything that you like. I could go on and on about heath bars, reeses, m&m's etc...

After letting the ice cream soften and mixing the add-ins place it in a container and let it firm up again. Take a baking sheet and cover it with either tin foil or wax or parchment paper. Take a soup spoon and make an egg shape scoop out of the firm but not fully frozen ice cream and place it on the cookie top with another cookie. Press down slightly and smooth the sides. Place on the cookie sheet. If the ice cream starts melting put the cookie sheet in the freezer and keep adding until you are done. I make a package of cookies at a time and once fully frozen put them in a container.

The way my husband, family and friends have responded is crazy. You would think I actually did something than just combining some things I had in the house. I guess this little treat provides just the right kind of satisfaction without any guilt.

Even Harry will eat Tilapia

There has been so much work going in our house that home cooking has been eliminated.  Nothing like chopping up a ton of veggies, having your hands in chicken or something that requires hand washing,  only to have the water turned off.  Yeah, I have pots of water all over the place but it starts feeling like indoor camping.  Anyway I digress which is typical!!

I never make fish at home since my husband gags on cue if he just thinks about a bone.  The joke in our family is that the kids ate fish with gusto and as they watched Harry pick up a fork they would all start making choking sounds.  I swear if there was a bone it would find Harry.  No one else would have a bone but he channeled that damn bone where ever it might hide.

Alright, so this economy has me so freaked out that my new kick is cooking for less.  Waste not want not, right?  So I bought Tilapia.  I think of it as the Pinot Grigio of fish.  Easy, clean, simple, anyone can eat it.

It was on sale so cheap was on my mind and fast since it was late.  Grape Tomatoes were on sale and so were mushrooms.  So sauteed highly seasoned Tilapia with a roasted relish of Grape tomatoes, red onions, mushrooms with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Mixed organic greens with , hot peppers, and chopped tomatoes, onions, english  cucumber, and red pepper.

The relish that I do all the time is a variation of one that I learned in a cooking class. In that you blanch then peel plum tomatoes before roasting.....a slight potchky (more work) and blend the finished product.  I like texture and the more I eat the happier I am.

Roasted relish

Pre-heat oven to 425

Cookie sheet lined with tin foil (for easy clean-up)

Red Onion one large or more if you like (or sweet if you dont have red) diced medium

Grape Tomatoes (I had some going south it was probably two containers

Two container sliced mushrooms

olive oil

balsamic vinegar

garlic

salt 

pepper

or grill seasoning

Place onions and tomatoes on sheet pan drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar

Season with Salt and pepper or grill seasoning (u can add a pinch of cayenne if you like it spicy)

add chopped garlic or use garlic powder or use garlic clove in skin and squeeze garlic out after cooking.

Cook for 30-35 minutes take out and mix around add mushrooms and toss add a little seasoning to mushrooms.  Cook another 10- 15 minutes.  

The great thing is you can take out the pan and if you are not ready to eat you can put it back in to heat and it's all good!

Tilapia

You can use a non-stick skillet, or a grill pan.  I used the skillet, didnt feel like cleaning the grill pan.

Spray one side of Tilapia with olive oil or rub a little on.  Season with salt and pepper or grill seasoning.  I used some chili powder too, but dont know if I would do that when topping with relish.  I would definitely do it to make fish tacos or wraps.

Little olive oil in the pan heat the pan and place the fish seasoned side down then season the top side of the fish.  Cook 3 - 4 minutes per side.  Remove to a plate and cover with foil if not serving immediately.  

Serve a couple pieces of fish with tomato mixture slightly on top and to the side with tossed salad in a white wine vinegar, dijon mustard vinaigrette.  Makes a pretty plate.  Lots of color.

Hey and guess what Harry ate 3 pieces of fish a ton of tomato, mushroom relish and a boatload of salad. No bones thank god!!!

You can take the leftovers and make a great fish wrap the next day.  There are these new breads called Flat-outs and the multi-grain with flax are really good.  You can grill them and wrap them with leftover fish and salad.

Anyway dinner was quick and cheap and delicious.  

Eating Cheap/Eating Well-For Arielle!!!

So today is the first day my youngest is abroad and cooking for herself.  You would think with a mom so consumed by food and cooking that she would know what to do!  Alas, I was not a good teacher.  When the kids were younger and I was working getting dinner on the table for 5 was something i wanted to do quickly.  Also Cooking and chopping was my zen time maybe true or an excuse not to take the time and patience.  Anyway that is all in the past and I have been working with my older sons for years on cooking.  Adam and Greg cook and entertain all the time.  So now for Arielle who is much happier if I just make it and serve it.

This one is for you rel.  We did discuss some of this before you left but here goes.  

You will need some basic utensils.

First 2 decent knives.  

• one larger knife for chopping, one paring knife 
• one large saute pan, deep with a lid.  
• one soup pot (for pasta etc)
• one smaller pot ( for can of soup, oatmeal etc)
• one smaller pan for eggs 
• utensils, spoons, spatula, tongs, forks, spoons, knives and some plates and bowls
• prep bowl/serving bowl
• sheet pan if you want to roast veggies
• strainer 
• peeler for veggies and strips off a hard cheese

Groceries

Oatmeal

Brown Rice

Quinoa

Protein Plus or Whole Wheat Pasta

Black Beans

White Cannellini Beans

Chick Peas

Chicken Broth

Salsa

Dijon Mustard

Olive Oil

Vinegar, Balsamic, Red or White wine

Garlic, Salt, Pepper, Red Pepper Flakes

Canned tomatoes, sauce, paste etc....

Onions

Hot Sauce

Frozen Veggies (good in a pinch to mix with rice etc..)

Chicken 

Tofu

Ground Chicken, Turkey

Greek Yougurt

Eggs

Cheese-Parmesean, Locatelli (saltier than parm), or a hard cheese for grating

Fruits and Veggies

If you have the basics up to the hot sauce you can basically prep a hearty meal in a short amount of time.  For instance prep rice or quinoa.  Saute frozen veggies with oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, add chick peas (rinsed), salt and pepper, toss in rice, pasta or quinoa you can add a little broth or pasta water if using pasta.  You can add diced tomatoes if you want and then add some italian seasonings or oregano.  

Just remember everything good comes in a bow.  

Also if you have fresh veggies you can roast them in a 425 degree oven (you do the conversion) with olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper.  Remember you can use the big saute pan and saute some mushrooms and then add the veggies and the pasta.  Grill or sautee or roast the chicken and add to pan.  

Or you can do the red peppers, onions and grape tomatoes or cut up plum tomatoes with olive oil, garlic, salt pepper, and balsamic vinegar.  Grill some chicken or fish you can do it not grilled but in a sautee pan or in the oven.  Slice the chicken on an angle and top with the veggies.  Roast or boil some potatoes and mash with roasted garlic and broth.

Anyway the turkey chili recipe is on the blog.  You also know that you can take any ground product chicken or turkey.  Olive oil in the saute pan brown the chicken or turkey and add a jar of salsa.  Grate some cheese, make a salad, get some wraps or pita,

 a cup of soup and you are good to go!!! 

This is just a  quick post to get you going while you are setting up house!

I love you and have a blast.