Kale, Pepper and Olive

INGREDIENTS
1    bunch Lacinato kale, destemmed
1    tablespoon olive oil
4    cloves garlic, minced
1    teaspoon granulated sugar
12  Kalamata olives, pitted, chopped
1    jar (4 ounces) roasted red bell peppers, chopped
1    tablespoon aged Balsamic vinegar

METHOD

Cut the kale into bite-sized pieces. Rinse and drain. Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the kale and, stirring, cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Add ¼ cup of water, cover, lower the heat to medium-low and cook until the kale becomes tender, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Uncover, add the sugar, olives and peppers. Continue to cook over medium heat until the liquid has evaporated. Spoon the kale into a serving dish and drizzle with the Balsamic vinegar. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Based on a recipe from Real Simple magazine.

Tropical Rice

Serve this warm as a side dish or cold as a dessert; good either way.

INGREDIENTS
2    cups water
1    cup Arborio rice
1    large can crushed pineapple
1    cup dried mango or papaya, or a mix, cut to ¼ inch dice
½   cup golden raisins
2    tablespoons lime juice
1    tablespoon dried cilantro
2    teaspoons ground cumin
½   cup green onion tops, sliced to ¼ inch

METHOD

In a medium sauce pan, bring the water to a boil and add the rice. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 4 minutes. Add the pineapple and juice, the mango, raisins, lime juice, cilantro and cumin, stirring it all together.

Continue to simmer for 4 to 5 minutes or until the rice is tender. Remove from the heat and allow it to rest for 2 minutes before serving, topped with the green onions.

Mushroom Meatloaf

INGREDIENTS
¾   pound Crimini mushrooms
1    tablespoon olive oil
1    large white onion, finely chopped
6    cloves garlic, minced
2    tablespoons butter
1    teaspoon dried thyme
¼   cup dry Sherry wine
½   cup dry bread crumbs
¾   pound ground beef (90%)
1    tablespoon tomato puree
2    large eggs, slightly beaten

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 375 F> Working in batches if necessary, place the mushrooms into a food processor and pulse until they are minced. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add the olive oil. When warmed, add the onions and cook for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

Add the mushrooms, butter and thyme and cook for about 7 minutes until the mushrooms begin to brown. Add the sherry, stirring it in, and remove the pan from the heat. Cool slightly.

Combine the mushroom mix with the bread crumbs, the ground beef, tomato puree and the beaten eggs, mixing well. Place into a loaf pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until reading 160F on a meat thermometer. Remove, cool slightly, slice and serve.

Based on a recipe from Cooking Light magazine

Bulgur, Kale and Eggs

This recipe will make six servings and can be reduced successfully in half or thirds.

 INGREDIENTS
2   teaspoons olive oil
1    medium white onion, chopped (1 ½ cups)
4    cloves garlic, minced
3   cups chicken or vegetable broth
2   cups water
¾  cup uncooked bulgur
¼  teaspoon salt
1   bunch Lacinato kale, stripped, chopped
1   tablespoon lemon juice
1   tablespoon white vinegar
6   large eggs

METHOD

In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium high and add the onions. Cook until almost browned, about 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the pepper and garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the broth, water, bulgur and salt. Cover, lower heat to simmer, and cook for 8 minutes. Add the chopped kale, cover and cook for 12 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and remove from the heat. Evenly divide the stew into 6 shallow bowls.

In a large skillet, add water 2/3 full and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and add the vinegar. Break each egg into a small bowl and then pour each egg gently into the skillet. Cook until the desired level of doneness and remove the poached eggs carefully with a slotted spoon, placing an egg into each stew bowl. Serve immediately

As an alternative method of cooking the eggs, use a flat shallow dish about 3 to 4 inches wide and lightly butter the dish. Break an egg into the dish and cook for 45 seconds (+- for done-ness) Loosen the edges of the egg with a knife and slip it onto the bulgur/kale mixture

Adapted from a recipe in Cooking Light magazine

Kale Cauliflower Casserole

INGREDIENTS
1   small head cauliflower, cut to florets
2   tablespoons olive oil, divided
1   medium leek, sliced in half lengthwise, sliced small crosswise
4   tablespoons butter, divided
1   bunch Lacinato kale, de-veined, roughly chopped
1   cup whole or 2% milk
½  cup sour cream
¼  cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/8  teaspoon ground cloves

METHOD

Grease the sides and bottom of a 3 quart baking dish. Steam the cauliflower until crisp-tender, about 6 to 7 minutes. Oil an edged baking dish with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, place the steamed cauliflower on the baking dish and broil on high until the cauliflower begins to brown, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 and move the oven rack to the middle of the oven.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the chopped leeks and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until soft and beginning to brown. Place into the baking dish. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and half of the chopped kale. Stir and cook until the kale is well wilted. Remove to the baking dish and repeat with the second tablespoon of butter and the remainder of the kale.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, sour cream, cheese and cloves. Pour into the baking dish and mix well with the leeks and kale. Add the reserved cauliflower to the baking dish and mix into the other vegetables. Add the remaining butter as slices on the top of the casserole and place into the oven. Cook for 30 minutes and remove to cool slightly before serving.

Based on a recipe from the Food Network by James Deen

Brown Rice Pilaf

INGREDIENTS
1   cup brown rice
3   cups water
2   tablespoons olive oil
4   green onions, chopped, white and green parts
½  cup diced red bell pepper
3   cups sliced and chopped Crimini mushrooms
¼  cup water
3   tablespoons chopped pecans
½  teaspoon salt

METHOD

Cook the brown rice in the 3 cups of water until soft, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, bring the olive oil up to medium heat in a medium skillet, swirling to coat. Add the onions, bell peppers and mushrooms and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add the water and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Remove from the heat until the rice is cooked.

When the rice is cooked, add it, the pecans and the salt to the skillet. Stir and continue to cook until heated through. Serve immediately.

Inside Out Pancakes

INGREDIENTS
½   cup dark brown sugar
2    tablespoons toasted pine nuts or pecans
½   teaspoon ground cinnamon
      pancake batter for 8 small pancakes

METHOD

In a medium bowl, mix together the sugar, nuts and cinnamon. Set aside. Heat a large non-stick skillet or griddle over medium high heat. Spoon 2 tablespoons of batter into the skillet, spreading it out thin. Add 1 tablespoon of the sugar mix, spreading it evenly. Spoon 2 more tablespoons of batter over the sugar mix. Cook until the pancake looks cooked (check the edges), flip and finish cooking. Repeat with remaining batter and sugar mix.

From a recipe in Cooking Light magazine

BASIC PANCAKES

INGREDIENTS

1   cup all-purpose flour*
2    tablespoons brown or raw sugar
2    teaspoons baking powder
1    tiny pinch salt
2    medium to large eggs, lightly beaten
1    tablespoon olive or canola oi

¼   cup  reduced fat (2%) milk

METHOD

Whisk all the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl and gradually add and mix in the wet ingredients. Do not add all of the milk at once, but gradually, stirring the batter in between additions. If the batter seems a bit stiff, you can always add milk 1 teaspoon at a time to thin it.

Use a non-stick or lightly oiled skillet over medium heat and add the batter ¼ cup at a time. When the edges of the pancake look dry, look to see if it needs to be turned over. Do so with a spatula and cook the reverse side a bit less time than the first side, checking for the right amount of brown-ness.

*NOTE: Feel free to mix different types of flour into the batter, such as whole wheat, but always have a portion of the mix as all-purpose. Some of the other types of flour do not hold together as well. See also the recipe for Oatmeal pancakes in this blog.

Sweet and Sour Pork

INGREDIENTS
2   tablespoons juice from the canned pineapple
2   tablespoons cider vinegar
1   tablespoon soy sauce
1   tablespoon brown sugar
1   tablespoon sesame oil
 
2 tablespoons peanut or olive oil, divided
1 pound pork loin, cut to bite-sized pieces
1 medium onion, cut into 8 wedges
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 stalks celery, cut to ½ inch pieces (1 cup)
1 red bell pepper, seeded, cut to 1 inch pieces
1 can (12 ounces) pineapple chunks

METHOD

To prepare the sauce, drain the pineapple, reserving 2 tablespoons of the juice. In a small bowl, stir together the pineapple juice, cider vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, add the pork cubes and fry until well browned, about 4 to 5 minutes per batch. Remove the pork to a medium bowl and set aside.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic, the celery and bell pepper and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender-crisp, about 7 to 8 minutes. As the famous Chef Chu used to say, this is stir-fry dish, not watch-fry dish

Add the pineapple, pork and the sauce and stir to coat.. Let the sauce simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to allow the pineapple to become tender and the pork to warm. Serve with warm rice.

 

Dijon Chicken and Tomato Risotto

INGREDIENTS

Chicken

2   chicken breast halves, skinless, boneless or
6   chicken thighs, skinless, boneless
2   tablespoons sour cream
2   tablespoons Dijon style mustard
1   tablespoon Herb de Provence or mixed herbs of your choice
 
Risotto
1   can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1   can (154 ounces) diced tomatoes
2   tablespoons olive oil
1   medium white onion, chopped
1   cup Arborio rice
½  cup dry white table wine
1   tablespoon dried basil
1   tablespoon butter
3   tablespoons Parmigiano-Romano cheese, grated

METHOD

Chicken
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Cut the chicken breasts into six even sized pieces. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mustard and herbs. Dredge each chicken piece in the mixture and place onto a wire rack placed on a baking sheet. Be sure all surfaces have an even coating of the sour cream-mustard mixture. Place the rack into the middle of the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, until the chicken pieces have begun to brown. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Risotto.

Pour the tomato sauce into a 2 cup measuring cup and add 1 can of water. Drain the diced tomatoes into the measuring cup, squeezing all the liquid out of the tomatoes. Fill the measuring cup to 2 cups with water and set aside.

As the chicken cooks, prepare the rice in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and swirl to evenly distribute. Add the onions and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until translucent. Add the rice and mix thoroughly. Cook the rice until it begins to sizzle, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the white wine and stir until it is absorbed. Add ½ cup of the tomato-water mixture, stir and wait until it has been absorbed. Continue to ad small amounts of liquid and stirring until the rice becomes al dente, about 20 minutes. (Check the chicken if you haven’t already removed it from the oven.) Add the diced tomatoes and basil and mix in to the rice. Add the butter and stir until it melts. Add the cheese, remove from the heat and stir it into the rice. It is now ready to serve alongside two or three pieces of chicken.

Tomato and Corn Pie

INGREDIENTS
1   recipe basic pie dough from this Blog
1   tablespoon olive oil
½  pound ground beef
1   medium onion, chopped
1   can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes
1   package (16 ounces) frozen corn, defrosted, rinsed, drained
1   small can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1   tablespoon dried basil
1   tablespoon all-purpose flour
½   cup sour cream

METHOD
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Using half of the pie dough, roll it out until it is large enough to cover a 9 inch pie pan with at least ½  inch extra. Set aside. Reserve the other half for another dish.

In a large skillet or sauce pan, add the olive oil and the ground beef. Cook the beef while breaking it up into small pieces, for about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chopped onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring it into the ground beef.

Add the diced tomatoes, corn, tomato sauce and basil, Stir and cook this mixture until most of the liquid has evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the flour and sour cream and mix well. Cook for 1 to 2 more minutes and pour the mixture into a 9 inch pie dish. Cover with the reserved pie dough, cutting off any extra. .and make four slits in the crust. Bake until the crust is golden, about 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on a rack before serving.

Cooks Notes: To modify this dish, add jalapeno peppers and chili powder for a Southwest flavor or cumin, coriander and lemon juice for a North African flavor or add whatever you wish for a different flavor profile.