On a day when we had lotss of snow and needed soup but I have to admit to being lazy and I doctored a few cans and invented

Diane's Creole New England Clam Chowder.

 

1 can good quality clam chowder (I use Snows)

1 can cream style corn

1 can clams with juice

1 Andouille sausage, diced

1 slice bacon, diced

1 onion, sliced 

1 teaspoon (or more) Creole seasoning or Emeril's essence.

 

Cook the sausage and bacon until done but not crisp, add the onion to the fat and sauté till translucent.  Add the can of chowder, clams  and corn and stir to blend.  Add the Creole seasoning and heat to serving temperature.

 

It was YUMMY!  even though it came from a can.  We used more Creole seasoning on each bowl.

 RICE TORTE                                 

 

 

Crust

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon water

4 tablespoons +1/2 teaspoon olive oil

 

(You can also use pre-purchased pasta sheets)

 

 

The key to an excellent dough is to work it as little as possible, then let it rest, covered, while the filling is being prepared.  The dough can even rest a few days in the refrigerator.  

This recipe is for a 9 1/2 x 13 1/2 x 2" glass pan.

 

Put the flour + salt in a bowl and pour the water and 4 tablespoons oil in with it.  Mix together until the dough is formed.  You can use a pastry blender as though you were making a pie crust; two knives work as well.    When formed, let the dough rest on the board 20 minutes.  On a lightly floured table, roll the dough thinly to the thickness of about two sheets of paper.  Be patient, this takes time and practice.  Put the dough in the pan leaving about a 3" overhang.  Lightly oil the pan to get a golden brown color.  (If you use a metal pan you will get a darker crust).

 

Filling

2 1/2 cups long grain rice

5 cups water

about 1/2 teaspoon salt

4 large onions

4 large beaten eggs

1/4 lb of butter

a bit of oil

2 cups grated parmesan cheese

 

Additional for glaze:

4 tablespoons grated cheese

1 large egg beaten 

1 teaspoon oil

 

Cook rice as directed on package.  (2 1/2 cups of rice with 5 cups of water make 7 1/2 cups of rice)  You can make rice a day ahead and store in the refrigerator.

Sauté 4 large onions very finely chopped in 1/4 lb of butter with a tiny bit of olive oil until golden.  Mix rice with 2 cups parmesan cheese.  (You can mix parmesan and Romano)  Add 4 beaten large eggs.

Pour filling into crust.  Level with back of spoon.  Fold the edges into the top so it makes a 1 - 2" border.  Trim the excess.  Mix 4 tablespoons of grated cheese with a bit of oil and one well beaten egg.  Brush the top of the torte, including crust.

Bake at 450° in a preheated oven for about 30 minutes or so until it is golden.  Let it cool for thirty minutes and cut into 1 1/2 inch squares. 

Serve warm, but it is also great room temperature.

 

 

CHEESE STRAWS


1/2 pound prepared puff pastry, thawed
2 tablespoons grated Gruyere cheese
Cayenne
2 tablespoons grated cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon very finely chopped prosciutto (optional)

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.

Divide the pastry into 3 equal portions. Roll out one portion to rectangle 1/8 inch thick and 10 inches in length. Sprinkle the Gruyere evenly over the surface and dust very lightly with cayenne. Use the palms of your hand or a rolling pin to firmly press the cheese into the dough. Cut the dough into 1/2" wide strips, twist them, and arrange them on a baking sheet. Continue with the remaining pastry, sprinkling Cheddar cheese on one batch and Parmesan and prosciutto, if using on the other, on the other. Chill for at least 30 minutes before baking.

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Bake the straws until puffed and golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Cool and serve.

 

HOT CRAB DIP

 

 

• 1 Can crab meat (picked over, cartilage removed)
• 1 8 ounce package cream cheese at room temperature
• 2 T horse radish
• 3 T chili sauce
• 3-4 shakes hot sauce
• 3 T milk (use only if it is too thick)
• Cream together the cream cheese and the crab. Add horseradish, chili sauce and hot sauce (to taste).
• Heat in microwave on high for 4 minutes, stirring halfway.
• Can also be heated in oven until bubbly. (350° for 15 min)
• Can be mixed ahead and refrigerated.

Diane's Nacho Pasta

• 1 pound farfalle pasta, cooked according to directions,  drained, save 1 cup of pasta water

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
  
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 2 poblano peppers, chopped
• 1 jalapeno (or more to taste) diced
• 1 can black beans, drained
• 1 large can diced tomatoes
  

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
  
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup scallions, chopped - whites and greens
• cilantro to taste - I use 1/4 cup

In a large (large enough to hold all ingredients) skillet, on medium, heat olive oil and brown chicken.  

Remove chicken and set aside.  Add additional olive oil to skillet and diced onion. Saute until onion is soft.  Add garlic and peppers.  Saute until peppers are soft.  Add black beans, tomatoes and browned chicken to pan.  Heat until bubbling and chicken is cooked through.

Pour sauce over cooked.  Stir to combine adding pasta water if needed.  Add cheese, scallions and cilantro and stir to combine and melt cheese.

Serve!!🍲

 I Love Mexican Food

I think I didn't have my first Taco until I was in college.  I always like spicy foods, but Mexican just wasn't common.  Now a taco is the least common Mexican item I eat.

This week we will be having two different  meals influenced by the chilies and flavors of Mexico.   I am making my own fajita and taco seasoning.  The store bought varieties have so much salt and sugar in them and by the ounce are fairly expensive.  I also invented a nacho pasta dish that we love.   I will share both.  They can be mixed up in larger quantities and stored in shaker jars. 

 

Diane's Fajita Seasoning

1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground paprika
1 teaspoon Truvia  (1 packet) 
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper 

 

Diane's Taco Seasoning

Most taco seasoning mixes contain salt, warming spices (such as paprika, oregano, and chili), onion powder, and garlic powder.

2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½  teaspoon (to taste) kosher salt
1 teaspoon coarsely black pepper
½  teaspoon ground paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon (to taste) crushed red pepper flakes 

 

Our Corned Beef and Beef Roast for Sauerbraten

 

 

 

MENU 3-16 to 3-23

Wed - Corned Beef, Cole Slaw, Cucumber Salad

Thu - Roasted Chicken, String beans

Fri - Out after appointments

Sat - sauerbraten  potato pancakes, broccoli

Sun - Turkey Chili

Mon - BBQ kielbasa, cole slaw

Tue - Queso Chicken Cutlets, Asparagus

Wed - Chicken Schwarma in pita pockets

Packet Seasonings

So today, even though it's the 16th, is our corned beef day.  It's a day early for St. Patrick's Day.  I cut open the corned beef briskets fro the package and low and behold, they didn't come with the seasoning packet.   So, I had to improvise.  I looked up what the packets might have in them and then picked out the spices and herbs that I have in stock.  The list is mustard, dill, bay leaves, allspice, ginger, star anise, pepper, cloves, coriander, cinnamon, juniper berries, mace, chilies, cardamom.  I used mustard seeds, bay leaves, allspice berries, pepper and coriander.  I hope it works.  It's slow cooking now.

I pride myself on not being a picky eater.  I will try most anything once.  I love vegetables of all kinds.   I love to try ethnic foods and enjoy learning about cultures through food. 

I have to confess though, that I am not a fish lover.  I do love shellfish, but most others are not on my regular menu.  There is one that I can't even try.  I look at it and just can't imagine putting it in my mouth.  It's octopus.  I see it and picture those suction caps getting stuck on my cheeks and tongue.

OK, sorry if I just made you not want to eat it or eat it again.

Is there anything that you can't eat or won't eat??

Most people think of corned beef and cabbage when planning a St. Paddy's Day dinner.  There are other options though.  This is one of my favorites.

  Guinness Braised Beef Roast


Ingredients

8 quarts beef stock

2 cups tomato juice

2 cans Guinness® Draught

2 carrots, diced

4 celery stalks, diced

2 chopped onions

4 sprigs of fresh thyme

1 1/2 pound beef chuck roast

Canola oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Prep time   45 Mins
Cooking time    2 Hours 30 Mins  (6 hours in slow cooker)
Serves    2

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Season chuck roast generously with salt and pepper. Coat your pot with canola oil and pan sear it on all sides. When the meat is seared to an amber brown color, transfer to a roasting pan. In the same pot, sauté carrots, onions and celery for 5 to 8 minutes then transfer to the roasting pan. Add two cans of Guinness® Draught to deglaze the pot over medium heat. Pour this liquid over the short ribs in your roasting pan.  Alternatively, you can add all the ingredients to a slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours.

Add beef stock, tomato juice and fresh thyme to the roasting pan and cover tightly with foil. Place meat into preheated oven and braise for 2–2.5 hours. The meat will have fallen apart in chunks.  

Remove meat from the roasting pan and transfer to a plate to rest. Strain the remaining liquid and divide in half. Pour one half of the liquid into a saucepan and reduce over medium/high heat and reduce to create a sauce.

When ready to serve, simmer short ribs in the second half of your liquid until tender, approximately 15 minutes. Spoon sauce reduction over the short ribs and serve.

   
  

 

🍽I grew up in a "clean your plate" house. While I understand not wasting food and eating nutrition before dessert, there are also downsides.

 

 

For me personally, I learned to overeat. If I was full, I didn't recognize that until my plate was empty. I also learned to eat things that didn't give me pleasure. 

 

 

In the last 10 months, since my diagnosis of diabetes, I look at food in a totally new way. I count everything I put in my mouth. I limit carbohydrates and especially the empty nutrition carbohydrates. I refuse to put anything in my mouth that I don't like. I am far from a picky eater, but now I am far more discerning of what I prefer. Life is short. Eating bad bread, mushy French fries, or overcooked vegetables is NOT going to happen anymore.

 

 

There is nothing I can't eat, but some that I shouldn't have too much. I do miss some things. I miss potato chips, and ice cream. There are sugar free ice creams that aren't bad. I have found a few "chip" substitutes and discovered that part of my love of potato chips is the crunch factor.

 

 

😋I am a self professed "foodie" and enjoy finding ways to make old recipes into delicacies that we enjoy and are also in keeping with my current diet requirements.

Meatball and Barley Stew

Today, I have a meatball and barley stew cooking in my rice cooker. I used half a bag of pearl barley seasoned with onions, lots of garlic, lots of ginger, and Sriracha. (all to taste) I added 2 pounds of little meatballs that I had previously made and frozen and 1 bad of frozen chopped spinach. I also added 1 can of condensed Campbell's French onion soup and a can of water. It smells awesome! I can't wait to eat it.

Grape Yogurt

Why don't yogurt manufacturers make grape flavored yogurt?  I have seen almost all other fruit flavored yogurts.  There is lemon and orange and raspberry and blueberry and banana and mango and passion fruit.  There is key lime and apple pie.  There are also quite a few other exotic flavors and combinations like chocolate and red velvet cake and honey.  Why not grape?  I think the Welch's company is missing a marketing opportunity. 

Today, I mixed a heaving tablespoon  of Welch's grape jam into a cup of fat free plain Greek yogurt.  OH MY!  It was luscious.  I remember having grape ice cream and grape pudding at the Welch's Grape Festival years ago.  It's time for GRAPE YOGURT!

(By the way, I haven't seen grapefruit flavored yogurt either.  I haven't tried it yet.  Although, I love grapefruit, I think it might curdle the yogurt.  Or is yogurt already curdled??  I guess I have to try it.)

Crazy Breakfasts from Leftover Chinese

We love Chinese food.  Actually, I haven't yet met an Asian food that I didn't like.  We get take-out Chinese about twice a month.  I know I can make Chinese myself; and I do.  But, some days I work so many hours in the day that I need someone else to do the cooking.

This week, I had a shrimp lo mein dish for my dinner.  As my mother used to say "my eyes were bigger than my stomach."  I ordered a large quart of it and couldn't finish it.  So, the next day I mixed the lo mein with eggs and made a frittata and the following day, I made a dressing and ate some of it as a noodle salad.

Here is my Asian/Chinese Vinaigrette:

2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar
1 Teaspoon Toasted Sesame Oil
1 Teaspoon Raw Sugar or Honey
1 Teaspoon Freshly Grated Ginger
1 Teaspoon Freshly Grated Garlic
1/4 Cup Canola Oil

This amount is good for a large salad.  Double or triple the quantities and keep it in the refrigerator for about a week.

Mushrooms 101

Lots of good information on cleaning mushrooms.  There are so many old wives tales out there that are pure
bunk.  Rachael Ray shares the misinformation at least once a week.  Here are some links to the information needed to understand that it is OK to wash mushrooms in a sink or bowl of water.


Is it OK to wash mushrooms??


How should I wash mushrooms?? Will they get soggy in water??

My Own "Vlasic" Bread and Butter Pickles!

I am hooked on Vlasic Bread and Butter Pickles. 

I have always loved bread and butter pickles, but none compares to Vlasic for me.  It is relatively easy to make pickles.  Rachael Ray has an entire fan base "quick pickling" everything.   I have tried many combinations of sugar, vinegar and spices.  While they are all good, nothing compares to Vlasic.



Next problem is the expense.  Vlasic pickles aren't cheap.  The jars of the Bread and Butter Sandwich Snackers are sometimes as much as $4.79 and they don't go on sale very often.  Combine that with the fact that when I open the jar, it makes about 3 sandwiches.  So, the pickles ends up costing more than the meat or cheese on a sandwich.

My solution of sorts was discovered today!!  I had saved the jar with the brine in it to use as part of a barbecue sauce.  I have done that before.  All of a sudden I had an idea!  I cut up some baby cucumbers and  a small onion and added it all to the jar.  Then I added a few handfuls of grape tomatoes.  It is all brining in the refrigerator.

So, I added the veggies but the flavor is pure VLASIC!!

A second jar for the price of one!  

Slow Cooker Baked Beans in a Rice Cooker (DRIED BEANS!!)

Here is our dinner tomorrow night.  One of the great things about it, is that you can start with dried beans and 4 hours later, you have a full meal.  My rice cooker has a slow cook setting.

Slow-Cooked Baked Beans in a Rice Cooker
Serves 6–8 as a side dish and 3-4 as a main meal.
Ingredients:

• 3/4 lb thick-cut bacon, diced
• 1 lb kielbasa, sliced into coins 
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 lb dried pinto beans
• 5 cups water
• 3/4 cup molasses
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup spicy mustard
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

Preparation:

1. Cook the bacon over medium heat in a medium-size skillet. When the bacon begins to brown, add the onions and kielbasa and sauté until translucent.
2. Place the beans into the slow cooker with the water, bacon, kielbasa and onion. Cover and set the slow cooker on high for 3 hours.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Combine the molasses, ketchup, mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
4. After 3 hours add the sauce and stir to combine. Cover and let the beans cook an additional hour.

Master Quench Chicken and Pasta

A few years back, I was enjoying an evening of music and friendship at the Lion's Den in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.   They always have a wonderful choice of local brews and high end wines.  That's what I usually drink.  I was drawn to a specialty drink on the menu called a Master Quench.  One of the ingredients is maple syrup, the real stuff of course.  I had to try it!  Maple syrup is one of my addictions.  It was made with vanilla vodka, ginger beer (not ginger ale), maple syrup, and a dash of cayenne pepper.  Yes, it sounds strange!  But MY OH MY!  It is so good.  The sweet of the maple syrup takes some of the bite out of the cayenne pepper and the blend of those flavors is awesome!

My favorite REAL maple syrup

Fast forward to today.  I decided to make a marinade/sauce for my chicken and pasta based on those flavors.  I melted 2 ounces of butter and added 1/3 cup of Sriracha hot sauce, 2 tablespoons of freshly grated ginger, 3 tablespoons maple syrup and a cap full of real vanilla extract.  I let it warm slowly until I could smell all of the flavors had melded.

I cut up 1 1/2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken thighs into bite sized chunks and put in the bottom of my rice cooker.  I poured the melted butter mixture over the chicken.  I add 1 pound of elbow pasta and 4 cups of chicken broth. I mixed with tongs and put into the rice cooker base.  I cooked on the white rice setting until done.  I checked it after 12 minutes and stirred to be sure there was enough liquid for the pasta.   

It was AWESOME!!  My husband had 4 helpings.  It was so colorless though.  Next time, I will add diced sweet green and red peppers.

Melting Pot

The United States has to be the best place to eat!  Where else can you have an Italian panini filled with

sauteed vegetables spiced with Indian seasonings and melted together with sharp Vermont cheddar cheese?  And the bread used was San Francisco sourdough.

That's exactly what I had for lunch on Sunday.  I tutor long hours on the weekend and the mother of one of my students must have felt badly that I was missing lunch on Sunday.  So, she made me a sandwich.  It was awesome.  It got me to thinking about the melting pot that is this country, not only in the people, but the food.

For example, how about having an egg roll filled with BBQ pork and cole slaw?  Or a pizza with feta cheese and spinach?   I think my favorite melting pot food is Italian polenta served as a base for American BBQ pulled pork. 

The possibilities seem endless!!

South of the Border Breakfast

This morning I took a trip to Mexico.  Well, not really!  I never left my kitchen in New Jersey.  I sauteed two poblano peppers with an onion and two minced cloves of garlic in 1 teaspoon of olive oil.    I added a few turns of freshly cracked pepper and a pinch of seasoned salt.  When the peppers and onions were completely wilted, I folded it all into a warm flour tortilla.  To round out my breakfast, I had a fresh mango that I peeled and sliced into chunks.  HEALTHY AND SO DECADENT!