Spicy Stuffed Peppers

4 servings, 9 Weight Watcher Points+

I love stuffed peppers. Stuffed anything is a great way to use up leftovers while creating a homey, savory dish for an autumn meal. This recipe can be tweaked a hundred ways, and will never taste the same way twice; however, every way you fix it, it is going to taste delicious.

Notes

Sausage - You can use just about any kind of chopped meat. I used a very savory weiswurst, but you may want to try breakfast sausage, Italian sausage, or chorizo. The meat should be highly seasoned, so if you are using chopped meat such as chicken or ground beef, be sure to season it well.

Tomatoes - The recipe uses canned, diced tomatoes, but I've been making it with roasted tomatoes. The recipe will taste better if you use tomatoes that have been cooked down to about a third or half their volume. You will want some distinct tomato pieces in the recipe.

Peppers - Use any of the following: small or medium sweet peppers, Anaheim peppers, or Poblanos. If your family does not like heat, stick with the sweet peppers. I prefer to roast and skin the peppers before stuffing them. I broil them on all sides until blistered and charred, then put them in a covered casserole or paper bag and let them sweat for five or ten minutes. Then I peel them and remove the stem and seeds.

Seasonings - I season these peppers with taco seasoning, but salt and pepper, some oregano and basil, or some curry spices might be just the ticket, too. Season this dish the way your family likes it.

Cheese - I have used Cheddar, Gruyere, and Pepper Jack. Use the cheese that gives you a cheesy smile.

2/3 c uncooked brown rice, rinsed
1-1/3 c water
4 peppers, roasted, stemmed, and seeded
4 - 8 oz sausage
1 large onion, chopped
4 oz mushrooms, coarsely chopped
3 large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 - 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, drained with liquid reserved
2 t taco seasoning (recipe)
other seasonings, to taste
2 oz cheese, (1/2 c) grated

In a saucepan with a cover, heat the water to boiling, add the rice, and cook covered over low heat for 45 minutes or until all of the water has been absorbed.

While the rice is cooking, roast the peppers, and set aside.

Remove any sausage casing. Break the sausage up into a large skillet. Brown the sausage on medium heat. Remove the browned sausage to a plate and set aside. Drain off all but one or two teaspoons of fat from the skillet.

Add the chopped onions to the skillet, stirring to coat the onions with the fat in the skillet. Fry the onions on medium heat, turning them every three minutes or so until they are quite brown, but not scorched. Remove the onions from the skillet to a plate, and set aside.

If necessary, add some oil or fat to the skillet. Fry the mushrooms for about three minutes. Add the garlic, and cook for an additional minute.

Turn the heat to low, and add the onions, sausage, and drained tomatoes. Stir to combine and heat. Stir in the cooked rice and taco seasoning. Add some of the reserved liquid from the tomatoes and heat to boiling. Stir in the cornmeal and simmer until the mixture is thickened. Remove from the heat.

Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

Stuff each pepper with the sausage/rice mixture. Spray the inside of a casserole with pan spray. Spoon any leftover stuffing into the casserole. Arrange the stuffed peppers in the casserole dish. Sprinkle with the grated cheese. Sprinkle with some paprika or taco seasoning. Bake for 25 minutes.

Spanish Tortilla

1T oil
1 med potato, scrubbed and grated or julienned (1/8")
1/2 med onion, thinly sliced
1 spicy black bean burger
1/2 t taco seasoning
salt
4 eggs, whisked together with 2T water
2 oz cheese (cheddar, Swiss, Gruyere, etc.)
paprika

Heat 1t oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onions until browned and caramelized, about 6 minutes.

Add 1t oil to the skillet, and breakup the bean burger in the skillet. Brown the bean burger pieces with the onion until the burger pieces are well-browned and crispy. Remove the onion/burger mixture to a plate and set aside.

While the onions and the burger are frying, grate (or use a mandolins) the potatoes into a bowl of cold water. Let sit for a couple of minutes. Drain and rinse the potatoes in a colander.

Heat the oven to 350F.

Reduce the stove heat to low-medium. Add 1t oil to the skillet. Add the potatoes to the skillet. Stir to coat the potatoes, and cook for 9 minutes. Turn the potatoes, and sprinkle lightly withe salt. Sprinkle with the taco seasoning, and fry for another 9 minutes. Turn one more. Fry for another 4 minutes. Adjust the heat to low. Add the onion/burger mixture. Mix together. Pour the eggs over the potato mixture. Tilt the skillet to make sure the eggs are spread out evenly. Sprinkle with the cheese then with the paprika.

Bake for 10 minutes. Cut into 8 wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Chicken and Pasta

Makes 2 to 3 servings, 8 - 12 Weight Watchers® Points

4 oz pasta (shells, ziti, etc.)
4 oz chicken breast, thinly sliced (see note)
2 t olive oil
1/2 medium onion, sliced and separated into thin strips
1 med apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 c frozen (or fresh-shelled) baby peas
1/2 t kosher salt (or to taste)
1/2 t crushed black pepper (or to taste)
3/4 t curry powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 c chicken broth
1 T cornstarch dissolved in 2 T cold water
1 T chopped walnuts

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water in a colander. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a large, nonstick skillet. Add the chicken, and saute just until the chicken is cooked, 3 or 4 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet to a plate.

Saute the onion and apple just until the onion is translucent. Remove from the skillet to a dish.

Add the curry powder to the skillet, and stir for about 30 seconds. Add the garlic, and let it sizzle for a few seconds. Stir in the chicken broth, scraping all the crumbs on the bottom of the skillet.

Boil rapidly to reduce the stock by half. Reduce heat to low, stir in the cornstarch mixture, and simmer for a minute or so until the sauce is thickened.

Add the chicken and the apple/onion mixture, and heat briefly. Stir in the peas, and heat through. Fold in the pasta and remove from the heat.

Divide among two or three serving plates. Sprinkle each plate with some chopped walnuts.

Not So Death-Defying Funeral Potatoes

Serves 8 or more. Each serving has about 4 Weight Watcher® points. This recipe was adapted from a New York Times recipe, which called these "Updated" Funeral Potatoes. Some of you from Utah, might consider this update an effete version of the dish that you know and love: the can of cream soup is completely missing, and whatever happened to the corn flake crumbs/crushed potato chips on top? My own update of this recipe is to make a diet-friendly version. I fixed it last night, and it passes the sniff test.

3 large baking potatoes, about 2 lb
1-1/2 c (12 oz) non-fat sour cream
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 medium onion, grated
1 t kosher salt (or 1/2 t table salt)
1/2 t black pepper
4 oz low-fat cheddar cheese, grated
4 oz low-fat swiss cheese, grated
1/2 t (or more) paprika

The day before you serve this dish, bake the potatoes: heat the oven to 375°F, scrub and trim any spots off the potatoes. Prick the potatoes, or score them to prevent them from exploding in the oven. Place them directly on an oven rack in the middle of the oven, and bake them for one hour. Remove them, and cool them for about 15 minutes. Refrigerate them overnight.

When you are ready to prepare the Funeral Potatoes, heat the oven to 350°F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 x 9 baking dish.

In a large bowl, stir together the sour cream garlic, onion, salt, and pepper. Gently mix in the grated cheese.

Grate the potatoes onto a plate. The skin will flake off as you grate the potato. Discard the big pieces of potato skin. Fold the grated potatoes into the sour cream/cheese mixture.

Spoon and spread the potatoes into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the dish with paprika. Bake 35 - 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let the dish stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Variations:

You can mix and match the variations listed below. This dish is a great improvisational base for your own down home cooking impulses.

Full-Fat Version. If you aren't on a diet, you might consider the full-fat version. The full-fat version serving is about 8 Weight Watchers® points. In the original New York Times recipe, gruyere cheese is used instead of Swiss. (Gruyere doesn't come in a low-fat version at my supermarket.)

Cream Soup Version. Bake an additional potato. Add one can of condensed cream of chicken, celery, or mushroom soup to the sour cream/cheese mixture. You may want to taste before adding any additional salt.

Note: I made this version. I also increased the cheese to 5 oz of each variety.

Corn Flakes or Potato Chips? If you want a crumb topping, crush enough corn flakes or potato chips to make 1/3 - 1/2 c crumbs. (You can also use corn chips or bread crumbs.) If you are using corn flakes or bread crumbs, add 2 T melted butter to coat them. Spread the crumbs on top of the dish before baking.

Veggies Version. Add 1 c chopped celery, or frozen peas, or both to the sour cream/cheese mixture. Also consider green beans, broccoli, or chopped spinach.

Southwest Version Add 2 t taco seasoning and 1 small can of whole kernel corn, drained to the sour cream/cheese mixture.

Meat-Eaters' Version Add 2 cups chopped ham, turkey, or chicken to the sour cream/cheese mixture.

Southwest Collard Greens ☺

4 servings. These are Southwest Collard Greens inasmuch as fish sauce is native to Albuquerque. Total preparation time is at least 45 minutes.

2 t olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, sliced then coarsely chopped
1 chorizo sausage (3 - 4 oz), casing removed
1 lb bunch collard greens (see note)
1 T fish sauce (or substitute salt to taste)
1 T taco seasoning (homemade, or 1/2 package)
2 T apple cider vinegar

Note: To prepare the greens for cooking, cut the central rib (and stem) from each leaf. Discard the rib. Rinse the leaves, then spin dry in a salad spinner, or pat dry between layers of paper towels. To chop the greens, stack several rinsed and dried leaves on top of each other, roll them up into a tight roll, then slice the roll into thin slices. Continue to roll and chop the leaves until you have chopped the whole bunch.

Heat the olive oil in a tall saucepan (with cover) over medium high heat. Add the onion, and stir to coat with oil. Fry for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. Add the garlic, and fry for another minute or so. Add the chorizo, and break up into small pieces. Fry until the sausage is no longer pink.

Add the chopped collard greens, and stir to mix well with the onion mixture. Cover the saucepan, and reduce the heat to medium low. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the collards are wilted, but still bright green. Stir in the fish sauce, taco seasoning, and vinegar. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and continue cooking for at least 10 minutes until the greens are tender and no longer bright green. You can leave this on a very low heat for a couple of hours.

This is a great side dish that stands up to just about anything. It's great with barbecue, and with beans. You can also double the recipe and fix it in a crock pot for a great picnic dish. (Fry the onions, garlic, and meat, add to the crockpot, add the other ingredients. Cover, set it to cook, and ignore for several hours.)

Green Salsa

6 tomatillos
1 green pepper
1 jalapeño pepper
1/4 medium onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t kosher salt, or to taste

Turn on your oven broiler. Line the broiler pan with aluminium foil. Place a rack in the bottom of the broiler pan.

Remove the husks from the tomatillos, and rinse. Cut the green pepper in half, and remove the seeds and white membrane. Place the pepper halves skin side up on the rack in the broiler pan. Arrange the tomatillos and the jalapeño pepper on the rack, too, and place under the broiler element.

Let the vegetables brown and char a little under the element, turning them as necessary. You may need to rearrange items while they are broiling. The pepper skins will blister and char. The tomatillos may split and sizzle, and they will also brown.

Remove the vegetables from the oven. Place the green pepper halves and the jalapeño pepper in a covered dish or a paper bag, and cover, or tightly close the bag.

Chop the onion in a food processor until finely chopped. Put the chopped onion in a mixing bowl. With a paring knife, remove the stem from each tomatillo. Chop the tomatillos in two batches in the food processor. Add them to the chopped onion.

Peel the blistered skin from the green pepper halves. Peel the jalapeño pepper. Slice it lengthwise and remove the seeds. Finely chop the jalapeño with a knife. Add the pepper halves and the chopped jalapeño to the food processor, and chop finely. Add the chopped pepper to the bowl with the onion and tomatillo mixture.

Stir in the minced garlic and taste the salsa. Add up to 1/2 t kosher salt.

Serve with chicken or pork. Use as a dip for corn chips. Tastes great with scrambled eggs.

Taco Seasoning ☺

This is just plain good Taco Seasoning for tacos, chilis, chicken, or breakfast cereal. You'll love it! This amount is the equivalent of two commercial packages of taco seasoning mix.

Combine in a spice grinder, and grind together:

2 large dried guajillo chili
1 T cumin seeds
1/2 t black peppercorns
1/2 t chopped dried garlic
1/2 t chopped dried onion
1/2 t red pepper flakes

Put the ground mixture in a small bowl, and mix in:

1/2 t sweet paprika
1/2 t smoked Spanish paprika
2 t kosher salt

Store tightly covered.

Spicy Latkes

I love the recipes in the Washington Post. This recipe for latkes gives you a whole new appreciation of fried potatoes. Thanks to Shulie Madnick for this wonderful treat.

Serves 2

1 large potato or two small potatoes
1 medium onion
1 dried Thai chili pepper, chopped
1 T finely sliced red bell pepper
1/2 c chickpea flour
1/4 c + 2 T water
1 large egg
1/4 t cumin seeds
1/4 t red pepper flakes
3/4 t kosher salt
1/4 t turmeric
1/4 c packed cilantro leaves
1/4 c cooking oil

Line a strainer or colander with paper towels. Get out a wire rack and two baking sheets. Place the wire rack over one baking sheet, and line the other baking sheet with paper towels.

Peel and grate the potatoes, and let the potatoes drain in the paper-towel lined strainer. Peel the onion, and cut it in half from top to bottom. Place the cut side of the onion on the cutting board, and slice each onion half (top to bottom) into very thin slices.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. While the skillet is heating, add the flour, water, and egg to a large mixing bowl, and whisk together. Grind together the cumin seeds and red pepper flakes, and add to the batter, along with the salt and turmeric.

Fold the paper towels over the grated potatoes, and squeeze as much liquid as you can out of the potatoes. Add the potatoes, onions, peppers, and cilantro leaves to the batter, and mix until the vegetables are coated with the batter.

Add the cooking oil to the skillet. Use a 1/2 c measure to scoop the potato mixture, form it into a patty. Fry the patties four at a time for about three minutes on each side. Remove the fried latkes to the wire rack to drain, then transfer them to the lined baking sheet. Keep the latkes in a warm oven until you are ready to serve them.

Add another tablespoon or so of oil to the skillet, and fry the remaining latkes.

These are delicious latkes with a little kick. They go well with the traditional sour cream and applesauce, or eat them with cucumber raita and lime pickle.

Roasted Eggplant Dip

1 large eggplant
1/4 c olive oil, divided
2 T tahini
juice of 1 lime
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 T sriracha chili sauce(optional)
1/4 t kosher salt, or to taste
1/4 t black pepper

Heat the oven to 450°F (232°C). Slice the eggplant into 3/4-inch slices, then into 3/4-inch cubes. Toss the eggplant with 2 T of the olive oil, then spread out the eggplant cubes evenly in one layer on a large, rimmed baking pan. Roast the cubes for 10 minutes, then turn them with a metal spatula, and continue roasting for another 10 minutes. Turn the eggplant cubes again. You may need to continue roasting until the eggplant has mostly browned, and shriveled somewhat. It should be quite soft.

In two or three batches, chop the eggplant in a food processor, and place the puree in a medium mixing bowl. Add the remaining olive oil and the rest of the ingredients. Mix together. Serve with pita bread, chips, or crackers. This recipe makes about a cup of dip.

Pad Thai ☺

This recipe is adapted from Wandee Young and Brian Ayanoglu's book, "Simply Thai Cooking." Pad Thai looks a lot more complicated than it is. Allow about 2-1/2 hours preparation time. Cooking time is about 10 minutes. I prepare the tofu and the tamarind sauce ahead of time. This recipe makes 4 generous servings.

Prepare ahead:

tamarind sauce (see ingredients below)
fried tofu (see below)
garnishes (see below)

Prepare before frying:

1/4 c peanut or canola oil
1 t garlic, minced
4 oz uncooked boneless chicken breast, thinly sliced
12 30-count shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 eggs
8 oz pad thai noodles
1/3 c unsalted roasted peanuts
2 c bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
4 spring onions, including green tops, 1/2" slices on the diagonal

Tamarind Sauce:

1/4 c tamarind paste
1/3 c hot water
3 T fish sauce
2 T sugar
juice from 1 lime

Fried Tofu:

12 oz block of firm or extra firm tofu, cut into 1 x 1/2 x 1/2-inch slices
1 T cooking oil

Garnishes:

1/2 t Thai chili powder (you can substitute cayenne)
1 chili pepper (Thai, jalapeno, etc.) seeded and thinly sliced
1/4 c cilantro leaves, rinsed and dried
1 lime, cut into eighths

Tamarind Sauce

In a small bowl, pour the hot water over the tamarind paste, and break the paste up in the water with a fork. Set aside for 15 - 20 minutes.

After the paste has softened, pour the paste mixture into a wire strainer over a bowl, and use a wooden spoon to mash the paste through the strainer. Strain as much of the pulp as you can, using a rubber spatula to scrape the pulp off the bottom of the strainer into the bowl. You should end up with about 5 T of pulp. Discard the seeds and residue in the strainer.

Add the fish sauce, sugar, and lime juice to the tamarind pulp. Mix together and set aside. (You can make the sauce ahead of time and refrigerate it until you fry the pad thai.)

Fried Tofu

Heat the oven to 450°F. Lightly toss the tofu and the cooking oil to coat the tofu. Place a wire rack on a shallow baking sheet. Spread the tofu in a single layer on the rack. Roast the tofu for about 10 minutes, then use a spatula to turn the pieces of tofu. Continue roasting the tofu, turning it every 7 - 10 minutes until is is golden brown. Cool and set aside. You only need 1/3 of the tofu for this recipe.

Noodles

A half-hour before frying the pad thai, fill a large saucepan with very hot tap water. Add the noodles to the water. The noodles should soften quickly in the hot water. Set the noodles aside for 20 - 30 minutes.

Peanuts

To crush the peanuts, put them on a cutting board, and crush them with a rolling pin. You can also chop them in a food processor, but the rolling pin gives better results. Do not crush the peanuts too much. If the peanuts require additional toasting, heat a skillet over medium heat, add the peanuts, and shake the skillet every minute or so until the peanuts are brown. Be careful not to burn them.

Frying the Pad Thai

When you are ready to fry the pad thai, drain the noodles, and put them back in the saucepan. Bring a quart of water to boil and pour over the noodles. Soak the noodles for another couple of minutes, then drain them. Set the noodles aside.

I put each ingredient in a small bowl or plate and line the ingredients up on the kitchen counter in the following order: garlic, chicken, shrimp, 1/3 of the prepared tofu, eggs (broken into a dish), drained noodles, tamarind sauce, crushed peanuts, bean sprouts and onions, Thai chili pepper and garnishes.

Heat a large wok on medium-high heat. Add the oil. As soon as it shimmers, add the garlic and stir with a metal spatula. Fry just until the garlic begins to brown, less than 30 seconds. Add the chicken and stir-fry until the pink has disappeared. Add the shrimp and tofu and stir-fry until the shrimp is opaque. Slip the eggs on top without breaking the yolks, and let the eggs cook for about a minute.

Add the noodles to the wok, and fold the mixture from the bottom of the wok. Stir fry for another minute. Stir in the tamarind sauce, and add 2/3 of the crushed peanuts. Stir to incorporate the peanuts, and then fold in 2/3 of the bean sprouts and all of the green onions. Remove from the heat

Carefully pour the pad thai onto a large serving platter or into a large bowl. Sprinkle with the Thai chili powder. Sprinkle with the remaining crushed peanuts. Arrange the chili pepper slices and the cilantro leaves on top of the pad thai. Place the lime slices and the remaining bean sprouts around the edge of the dish. Serve immediately.

Spicy Pumpkin Soup

3 c chicken broth
1 c cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
1-1/2 c pumpkin puree
2 T fish sauce
1 T Sriracha sauce (or other hot sauce)
4 oz narrow rice noodles
juice from 1/2 lime
cilantro leaves

Note: Whenever I bake a chicken, I make stock from the giblets, the picked over carcass, and any leftover pan drippings. I cover the detritus with cold water, add a bay leaf, a couple of allspice pods, two or three cloves, and a chopped onion. I bring it to a boil, and simmer it for an hour or more, then refrigerate it.

Combine the broth, chicken, pumpkin, fish sauce, and chili sauce in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low, and add the rice noodles. Simmer for four minutes or until the noodles are tender. Stir in the lime juice. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

Cranberry Relish

1-12 oz package raw cranberries
1 seedless orange
6 T sugar

If you froze the cranberries, do not thaw! Rinse the cranberries and drain. Put one-third of the cranberries in the bowl of a food processor. Rinse the orange, but DO NOT peel it. Cut the orange in half, and remove the pith running through the center of the orange. Cut each half into three or four slices. Put about one-third of the orange slices in the processor. Process until the mixture is chopped, but not pureed. Remove the mixture to a mixing bowl.

Process the remaining cranberries and orange slices in two batches and add to the mixture in the mixing bowl. Add the sugar. The relish should be tart, but not too mouth-puckering. If necessary add sugar to taste.

Store the relish in a covered dish. Refrigerate several hours or overnight. This relish tastes best when made a day ahead.

Sourdough Rye Bread

Thanks to Scott Johnson. I've slightly modified his recipe so that it makes one loaf of bread. This is a delicious loaf. It looks a lot more complicated to make than it really is. Makes one loaf

Note: If you have already prepared a rye sourdough starter, go to the Rye Sour step, below.

Starter

1/8 t dry yeast
1/2 c (4 oz) warm water
1/2 c (2.3 oz) rye flour

In a medium mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add the rye flour and mix until smooth. Cover the bowl and set in a warm place in the kitchen for 24 hours. At this point, you can refrigerate the starter, or you can begin mixing the rye "sour."

Rye Sour

1 c starter
3/4 c (6 oz) warm water
1-1/2 c (7.5 - 8 oz) rye flour
1 T crushed caraway seeds
1 T minced onion

Mix together, cover, and set aside for overnight, or until it has doubled in volume.

Bread Dough

rye sour mixture
1/2 c (4 oz) warm water
1-1/2 t dry yeast
2 + 1/2 c (7 + 2 oz) bread flour
1/2 t salt
1 T caraway seeds

Remove 1 c (8 oz) rye sour to use as a starter for your next loaf of bread. You should have about 1-1/2 c rye sour remaining. Store the starter in a glass or plastic container. Cover the container, but do not tightly seal it. Refrigerate the starter up to a week or so.

Dissolve the yeast in the water and add to the sour. Stir in 1-1/2 c bread flour, the salt, and the caraway seeds. Mix in another 1/2 c bread flour by hand. Sprinkle some flour on a board or countertop, turn the dough onto the board, and begin kneading the dough. The dough will be sticky, so gradually work additional bread flour into the dough. Knead the dough for 10 - 15 minutes until it become very elastic. Keep your work surface lightly floured to prevent the dough from sticking too much.

Cover the dough with a towel, and let it rest for 15 minutes (this helps the gluten in the dough relax). When the dough has rested, shape it into a loaf. Flour the bottom of the loaf and place on a greased baking sheet, OR flour a bread peel, and place the loaf on the peel to rise. Cover the loaf with a towel. Let the loaf rise for 2 hours.

Conventional Baking

Heat the oven to 375°F. If you have not already done so, place the loaf carefully on a greased baking sheet. Score the top of the loaf. Bake for about 45 - 50 minutes.

Dutch Oven Baking

Heat the oven to 450°F. Place a large covered dutch oven near the bottom of the oven to preheat while the oven is heating. The dutch oven should be in the hot oven about 20 minutes before you bake the bread. When the dutch oven is very hot, remove it from the oven, and remove the dutch oven's cover. Using the peel, transfer the loaf to the dutch oven. Sprinkle some rye flour over the loaf. Cover the dutch oven, and return it to the oven. Bake for 25 minutes and remove the cover from the dutch oven. Lower the oven temperature to 350°F, and bake another 25 minutes.

Remove the loaf from the oven, and from its pan. Cool on a rack.

Spanish Rice

2 T olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 small green or red pepper, chopped
1-1/2 c white rice, rinsed and drained
12 green, stuffed olives, sliced
3 link sausages (chorizo, etc.), cooked and chopped
2 c spicy tomato sauce
1 c chicken broth
1/4 lb white cheddar cheese, grated

Set the oven to 350°F. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the onion and pepper until soft. Add the rice, and brown the rice for five to eight minutes until it has a nice golden color. Add the olives and sausage, and turn the rice mixture into a large baking dish with a cover. Mix together the tomato sauce and chicken broth. Pour over the rice. Cover the dish, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cover. Sprinkle with the grated cheese, and continue baking, uncovered, for another 15 minutes.

Easy Bread

15 oz bread flour (or half bread flour, half whole wheat)
1 t dry yeast
1 T granulated sugar
1 t salt
12 oz lukewarm water

In a medium-sized glass mixing bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients. Stir in the water, and mix until all of the flour is mixed in, and the dough is "shaggy." Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place 18 to 24 hours.

After the dough has risen, stir it down and let it rest for 15 minutes. While the dough is resting, grease a bread pan (5" x 9" x 3"). Spread 1 T flour on a cutting board or counter top. Turn the rested dough onto the floured board. Sprinkle another tablespoon of flour on the dough. Gently knead and shape the dough into a loaf and place it in the bread pan. (The dough may be very soft and somewhat sticky.)

Cover the loaf with a floured paper towel. Set it aside in a warm, draft-free place and let it rise for a couple of hours.

After the bread has risen, adjust the oven racks, so that one rack is near the bottom of the oven, and the other rack is in the center of the oven. Place a cast-iron skillet in the oven, and set the oven temperature of 450°F. When the oven is heated, bring 2 c water to boiling. Remove the skillet from the oven, and carefully pour the boiling water in the skillet, Place the skillet back in the oven on the bottom rack. Place the bread pan on the middle rack. Bake for 30 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Remove the skillet from the oven. Continue baking the bread for another half-hour. Remove the bread from the oven, and turn it out of the bread pan onto a rack. Cool the bread completely before slicing.

Piquant Sauce for Fish or Whatever

2 T olive oil
juice of 1/2 lime
2 t fish sauce or Worcestershire Sauce
2 t Tabasco or hot sauce
3 T ketchup
2 t prepared mustard
2 t brown sugar
1/4 t black pepper
1/4 t smoked Spanish paprika (optional)
6 pimento-stuffed green olives, coarsely chopped
2 t capers, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced

Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan, and heat until bubbly. Serve either hot or cold. Refrigerate leftover sauce.

Braised Pork Neck Chili

4 T oil, divided
1 large sweet onion
1 green pepper, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
2-1/2 lb meaty pork neck bones
1/2 t kosher salt
1 c red wine or tomato juice
2 medium cans diced tomatoes (no-salt)
1 small can yellow corn
1/2 t black peppercorns, crushed
1 dried ancho chili, ground
1 dried guajillo chili, ground
1 t dried basil
1 t dried oregano
1-1/2 t sugar (to taste)
2 T vinegar (to taste)
1 can black beans
1 can small white beans

Heat 2 T oil at medium heat in a large dutch oven. Add the onions, peppers, celery, and carrots, and saute for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Remove the vegetables to a bowl.

Add the remaining 2 T oil to the dutch oven, and raise the heat to medium high. Place the meat in the dutch oven, meaty side down, and brown for 3 - 5 minutes. Salt the meat. Turn the meat, and brown for another 3 minutes. Remove the meat to a plate, and lower the heat to medium. (If necessary, cook the meat in two batches.)

Immediately deglaze the dutch oven. Add the meat and sauteed vegetables to the dutch oven. Stir in the crushed peppercorns, ground chilies, basil, and oregano. Add the sugar and vinegar to taste.

Cover the dutch oven and place in a 250°F oven for 2 hours. Take the chili out of the oven and remove as many bones as possible from the stewed meat. Add the two cans of beans, cover the dutch oven, and continue baking for another 2 hours or more.

Before serving, remove remaining bones, connective tissue, and gristle from the meat. Serve the chili over rice, or with cornbread.

Aunt Virgie's Chicken and Noodles

Beat together:
4 eggs
8 T whipping cream
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 t baking powder
1 c flour

Put 2-1/2 c flour in a large mixer bowl. Add the beaten mixture, and mix well with a dough hook. Turn out on a floured counter and put the mixing bowl over the dough. Let it rest for 10 - 20 minutes.

While the dough is resting, bring 3 qt of chicken broth to a boil in a large soup pot. Roll out fairly thin and cut into strips with a pizza cutter or a knife.

Heat the broth to a rolling boil, and add the noodles to the broth. After the noodles have cooked for 20 minutes or so, reduce to a simmer and cook for a couple of hours. While the broth is cooking, you can add carrots, celery, and chopped chicken.

After the noodles have cooked, you can either serve the soup, or you can refrigerate it. The soup is best if you let the noodles sit in the refrigerator for at least a day. To reheat, add additional chicken broth, and reheat slowly in a slow cooker, or over very low heat on the stove.

Speckknödel

This recipe is adapted from a web site of Alto-Adige recipes. Chefs are H. Gasteiger, G. Wieser, H. Bachmann.

200 g (7 oz) white bread (about 6 slices) (See note, below)
80 g (3 oz) Speck alto Adige PGI, cubed,and trimmed of fat
15 g (2 T) flour
15 g (1 T) unsalted butter
40 g (1/4 c) onion, peeled and minced
2 eggs
100 ml (1/3 c + 1T +1 t) milk
5 g (1 T) chopped parsley
2 - 4 g (1/4 - 1/2 t) kosher salt
Grind of black pepper

Note: You can use white bread or bread rolls for this. Weigh the bread, then let it sit out for 12 hours or so, until it is dried out.

Cube the bread into 1/4-inch or smaller cubes. Add the speck and flour. In a skillet, melt the butter, and add the onions. Cook over low heat until the onions are translucent, but not brown. Add the onions to the bread mixture. Mix together lightly with your hands.

Mix together the eggs and milk. Pour over the bread. Sprinkle the parsley, salt, and pepper over the bread. Using your hands, knead the mixture, just until it holds together. Do not over knead. Cover and let sit for 15 minutes.

While the dough is resting, in a large, stock pot with a lid, pour 3" (7.5 cm) of water in the bottom of the pot. Add 15 g (2 t) of salt to the water, cover the pot, and bring the water to a simmer.

Using a 2T (25 g) scoop, shape the dumplings into balls, and put on a large dinner plate. Wetting your hands will make it easier to handle the dough. The recipe makes approximately 16 dumplings. When you have shaped all of the dumplings, drop each dumpling into the simmering water. Cover the pot, and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the water with a skimmer or a slotted spoon.

Serve the dumplings hot in a broth, or as an accompaniment to meat. This serves 6 - 8 people as an appetizer, and 4 people as a side.

Chicken, Two Kinds of Olives, and Pasta

2 T flour
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 chicken leg, skinned
1 chicken thigh, skinned
1 T canola oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 T olive oil
1 small green pepper, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
4 oz pork or chicken sausage
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
12 oil cured black olives
12 green olives
2 T red wine
2 T red wine vinegar
1/2 t dried basil
1/2 t dried oregano
1/2 small zucchini, julienned
4 oz medium shell pasta
1 qt water
2 t olive oil

Heat a large cast-iron skillet to medium high. While the skillet is heating, on a small plate, mix together the flour, salt, and pepper. Lightly flour the chicken pieces. Add the oil to the skillet, and swirl the skillet to completely coat the bottom with the oil. Add the chicken pieces, and cover the skillet. Fry for about 3 minutes. Turn the chicken, and fry for another two minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate. Reduce the heat to medium.

Add the olive oil to the skillet, and immediately add the chopped onions, stirring the onions to coat them. Cook the onions for 3 minutes, then stir them. Continue to stir for another 3 or 4 minutes until the onions are well-browned. Add the peppers, garlic, and sausage, and saute until the pepper is limp, and the sausage is cooked through. Break the sausage up while it is cooking.

Add the chicken, the tomatoes,their liquid, and the chicken to the skillet. Sprinkle any remaining flour used to bread the chicken over the mixture and stir it in. Add the olives, wine, wine vinegar, and spices. cover and cook on low for 20 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet, and let it cool. Debone the chicken, and break it up into small pieces. Add it back to the skillet along with the zucchini.

Bring the water to a boil in a 1-1/2 qt covered saucepan. When the water is boiling, remove the cover, and add the olive oil. Add the pasta, and cook for 6 - 7 minutes. Test for doneness. Drain the pasta. Stir into the chicken mixture. Serve immediately.

Stuffed Green Peppers

2 green bell peppers
2 Black bean burgers
1 stalk chopped celery
20 chopped olives (green and kalamata)
1 c cooked brown rice
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 egg
1/2 cumin seeds, toasted
1/2 t black pepper
3 whole cloves
6 whole allspice
2 t chili powder
1/4 t cayenne pepper
salt to taste
1 T olive oil
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 small can tomato sauce
black pepper
cumin
salt to taste
1 - 2 t sugar

If desired, roast and peel the bell peppers, or parboil the peppers for three minutes. Cut off the pepper tops, and seed the peppers. Set the peppers aside.

Mix together the (defrosted) black bean burgers, celery, olives, brown rice, garlic cloves, and egg. Toast the cumin seeds and grind together with the black pepper, cloves, and allspice. Sprinkle the ground spices over the bean mixture along with the chili powder, cayenne pepper, and salt (start with 1/4 t or so). Lightly mix together. Spoon the black bean mixture into the bell peppers. Do not pack the mixture in the peppers.

Heat the oven to 350°F. In a small skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high. Add the chopped tomatoes, and boil until most of the liquid is gone, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent burning. Add the tomato sauce, and season the mixture with salt, pepper, chili powder, and cumin. Stir in the sugar. Remove from the heat.

Grease a small casserole. Spread the leftover filling in the bottom of the casserole. Arrange the peppers in the casserole. Spoon the tomato mixture over everything.

Cover the casserole and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and continue baking for another 20 to 30 minutes.

Chicken Soup

2 T olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and sliced (1/8")
2 med turnips, diced
2 med carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 large potato, cubed (1/4")
2 c chicken stock
1 c water
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
1 small can corn
1 15 oz can black bean, drained and rinsed
3 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
3 T fish sauce
3 whole cloves
1/2 t pepper corns
6 whole allspice
2 bay leaves
2 pequin peppers or 1/4 t cayenne pepper
2 c chopped cooked chicken

Heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a large soup pot (with a cover). Spread the onions over oil, and let sit undisturbed (uncovered) for two or three minutes. Stir the onions, and continue frying for another four to six minutes, stirring the ovens thoroughly every couple of minutes.

When the onions have browned, add the turnips, carrots, celery, and potato. If the mixture is dry, add 1/4 - 1/2 c water or chicken stock. Cover the soup pot, and continue cooking for five minutes or so. Add the chicken stock, water, tomatoes, corn, black beans, and garlic. Add 2 T fish sauce. Adjust to taste, adding up to an additional tablespoon of fish sauce.

In a spice mill grind together the cloves, pepper corns, allspice, bay leaves, and pequins. Add to the soup with the cooked chicken. Cover and simmer the soup for a half hour.

Black Bean Potato Pie

This is a free-style dish. It's great for cleaning out the refrigerator.

2 T olive oil
1 onion, 1/4" dice
1 2-oz link sausage (optional), see note 1
1 black bean burger
1/2 green or red bell pepper, 1/4" dice
1 small can corn, drained
3 large garlic cloves, minced
salt, pepper, chili powder, paprika, clove, and oregano
2 medium potatoes, peeled 1/4" slices or julienne
2 T flour
1 c chicken stock, see note 2
1/4 lb Swiss, cheddar, or gruyere cheese, grated
1 c milk

Note 1. You can skip the sausage and substitute one more black bean burger. You can use just about any sausage you want: Italian, chorizo, pork, etc.

Note 2. Use a robust chicken stock (make your own). You can substitute a hearty vegetable stock for the chicken stock.

Heat the oven to 350°F.

Heat the oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Spread the onions in the skillet. Fry for about two minutes, then turn. Continue frying the onions, turning every couple of minutes until they are well-browned. Remove the onions to a plate and set aside.

If necessary, add a little oil to the skillet. Remove the sausage from its casing and crumble in the skillet. Break up the black bean burger into the skillet. Brown the sausage the the burger pieces, turning frequently. When the mixture is browned, add bell pepper, and fry until the pepper is brightly colored and limp. Lower the heat to medium low.

Add the corn and garlic to the sausage mixture, and season to taste. Stir in the cooked onions, and remove the mixture from the heat. Set aside.

Butter a large covered casserole. Layer half the potatoes in the bottom of the casserole. Lightly salt the potatoes, and sprinkle with 1 T flour. Spread 1/2 the bean-sausage mixture over the potatoes, and top with 1/2 of the grated cheese. Repeat the layers.

Pour the chicken broth over the casserole. Pour enough milk to bring the liquid up to about 2/3 the side of the casserole dish.

Bake covered for 30 minutes. Remove the casserole lid, and continue baking for another 25 - 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes or so before serving.

Thai Chicken Soup

2 c chicken broth (salt-free or regular)
2 t sugar
3 - 4 slices ginger root, peeled and matchsticked
2 kaffir lime leaves, torn into pieces
1 - 2 Thai chilis, cut into strips
1/4 t Thai chili pepper or cayenne pepper
1/2 c straw (or white) mushrooms, sliced
1 T fish sauce (optional, see note below)
1 c chicken (uncooked or cooked)
3 T fresh coriander leaves
juice from 1 lime

Bring the chicken broth to a boil. Add the sugar, ginger, and kaffir leaves. Simmer for two minutes. Add the chilis, Thai chili pepper, mushrooms, fish sauce, and chicken. Simmer for three to four minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink, and completely cooked. Remove from the heat and add the coriander leaves and the lime juice. Serve immediately.

Note: if you do not use the fish sauce, you may want to add salt, especially if you are using unsalted broth.

White Bean Dip

1-10 oz can white beans, rinsed and drained
3 T chunky peanut butter
3 T olive oil
2 T plain yogurt
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
juice from 1/2 lime
1 t cumin seed, toasted (See note, below)
3 whole cloves
1/4 t black pepper corns
1/8 t cayenne pepper
1/4 t salt

Combine one-half of the beans and the peanut butter in a food processor bowl, and process until the peanut butter and the beans are incorporated. Scrape the mixture into a mixing bowl.

In the processor bowl, combine the remaining beans and the yogurt, and process until smooth. Scrape the mixture into the mixing bowl. Add the garlic and lime juice to the bean mixture.

In a grinder, or mortar, grind the cumin, cloves, and black pepper corns. Add all of the spices to the bean mixture.

Whisk the dip until all the ingredients are mixed together. Garnish with a swirl of olive oil and paprika. Serve with pita or crackers.

Chard Panade☺

This recipe is a nod to Molly Wizenburg's Chard Panade. Just reading her blog made me want to try a savory dish like this.

Serves 4

For the Panade:
5 c chicken or vegetable stock (see recipe, below)
6 T olive oil
1 large sweet onion
1 bunch chard
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 c shredded cheese (Swiss, sharp cheddar, gruyere)
1/2 loaf (8 - 10 oz) rustic bread, cut into 1" cubes

In a saucepan, bring the stock to a quick boil, and reduce it by about one-third.

While the stock is boiling, heat 2 T olive oil in a large iron skillet over medium high heat. Peel and thinly slice the onion (1/8"). Spread the sliced onions in the skillet and let sit for about three minutes. Stir the onions occasionally to caramelize. Take care not to burn them. Remove the cooked onions to a plate, and remove the skillet from the heat.

Stem and wash the chard. Coarsely chop it. Add another 2T olive oil to the skillet and heat over medium high heat. Spread the chard in the skillet, and cook for about 30 seconds. Stir the chard to coat with the hot oil. Add the minced garlic and stir for ten or fifteen seconds. Add a couple of tablespoons of stock, then cover with a lid, and continue cooking for about two minutes. Remove from the heat, and set aside.

Butter a 9" covered casserole dish. Spread about one-quarter of the caramelized onions in the bottom of the dish. Layer one-third of the bread cubes. Cover with one-third of the chard and one-third of the cheese. Continue layering the onions, bread, chard, and cheese, finishing with the cheese. Pour the reduced stock over the casserole. Swirl the remaining olive oil over the top of the casserole. Cover the dish, and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Remove the cover, and continue baking for another 20 minutes.

For the Vegetable Stock:
2 T olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
1 parsnip, peeled and grated
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/4 c red wine
5 c water
1 T fish sauce (optional)
salt to taste
3 whole allspice
3 whole cloves
1/2 t whole black pepper

Instructions for the Vegetable Stock:

Heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the onion, and fry the onion until it is dark brown and caramelized. Do not let the onion burn.

Add the carrot, parsnip and celery, and continue sauteeing the vegetables, until they begin to brown. Scrape the vegetables into a saucepan, and deglaze the skillet with the red wine. Add the deglazed liquid to the saucepan.

Add the water to the vegetables, and heat over medium high heat until the stock is boiling. Add the fish sauce, and taste for salt (it may not need any). Grind the allspice, cloves, and black pepper, and add to the stock. Keep at a simmer for 30 to 45 minutes. Strain and discard the solids. Refrigerate.

Apple Sour Cream Cake

This recipe is adapted from Fantastic Apple Sour Cream Coffee Cake on Food.com. A Wahoo to Kittencalskitchen.

15 servings

Cake:

1/2 c butter
1 c granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 t vanilla extract
2 c flour
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 c sour cream
2 c sliced apples (2 large apples, peeled, quartered, and sliced)

Topping:

1 c chopped walnuts
1 c packed brown sugar
1 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1/4 c butter

Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 13" x 9" pan, or a large bundt pan, and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar for a couple of minutes. Add the eggs, and continue to cream the mixture for another 5 minutes.

In a bowl, mix together the remaining cake dry ingredients. In two additions mix in the dry ingredients alternately with the sour cream into the butter mixture. Carefully fold in the apples.

Mix together all of the topping ingredients in a bowl until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is incorporated.

If you are using a bundt pan, sprinkle 1/2 of the topping mixture in the bottom of the pan. Spread one-half of the cake batter in the prepared cake pan. Sprinkle with the rest of the topping mixture, and spread with the remaining cake batter.

If you are using a 13" x 9" pan, spread 1/2 of the cake batter in the pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 of the topping mixture. Spread the rest of the cake batter over the topping, and sprinkle the rest of the topping over the cake.

Bake 35 - 40 minutes for the 13" x 9" pan or 45 - 50 minutes for the bundt pan. Test the cake with a toothpick.

If you are using the bundt pan, let the cake cool for 5 - 10 minutes, then remove the cake from the pan, and finish cooling on a rack or plate.

The cake is best served warm with vanilla ice cream and warm toffee-caramel sauce.

Toffee-Caramel Sauce

This recipe comes (with some changes) from food.com. Thanks to ElaineM. I made this sauce for an apple cake. It's really good!

1/2 c butter
1/2 c brown sugar, packed
1/4 c white granulated sugar
1-1/2 T water
pinch of salt
1/2 c evaporated milk
2 t vanilla extract

Heat the butter, sugars, water, and salt in a pan over medium heat. Stir constantly, and after it begins to boil, cook for another 3 - 5 minutes. The longer it cooks, the thicker the sauce. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the milk and vanilla. The sauce will thicken as it cools.

Scalloped Zucchini

Serves 2

1 medium zucchini
1/4 c bread crumbs
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1 c grated cheese (parmesan, gruyere)
1/2 c milk

Grease an 8" x 8" baking pan. Preheat the oven to 350ºF

Wash and slice the zucchini in 1/4" slices. Toss together all of the ingredients except the milk, and arrange in the baking pan. Pour the milk over the zucchini mixture. Bake 35 - 40 minutes.

Cucumber Salad

Serves 2

1 medium cucumber
2 t kosher salt
2 T rice vinegar
1 t sugar
1 T sesame oil
1/4 t ground black pepper

Wash and peel the cucumber. Slice it thinly (about 1/8"). I use a manoline, although some of you out there are very good with knives.

Layer the cucumber slices in a plastic colander, salting each layer as you go. Sprinkle any remaining salt on the cucumber slices, and gently toss them. Spread them out in the colander, and set aside for at least 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix together the vinegar and sugar. Add the sesame oil. Set the dressing aside. (See the note, below.)

Wash your hands. Rinse the cucumber slices in the colander under running water. Use your hands, and squeeze as much liquid as you can from the cucumber slices. Place the squeezed slices in a small serving bowl.

Pour the dressing over the cucumber slices. Sprinkle the ground pepper over the cucumber. If you are not serving the salad immediately, refrigerate it.

Note: If you aren't worried about sodium, you can add 1 T fish sauce or soy sauce to the dressing. Increase the sugar by 1/2 t to 1 t. A sprinkle of cayenne pepper adds a zing, too.