JBug's Kitchen Antics

Southwestern Pasta Salad

Hope you all had a fabulous Independence Day. We celebrated as well  with a wonderful breakfast cooked by the Big Guy after a grinding workout at Diane's Fitness, followed by a few hours in front of the television watching the Kennedy mini series. We ordered the DVD's on-line and brought it with us from home and it is amazing. Thanks Mary L for the recommendation!

We also went for a long walk on Governor Patterson beach and a short drive through Yachats to do a little people watching, then home to drinks and dinner. It was a great day as you can see from this tired dog, kinda' serious Big Guy and happy me. Don't kid yourself; the Big Guy's smiling under that mustache and as for me, I could hardly haul myself outa' the car when we got back to our cottage.

We joined in on what seems to be the National trend and had tube steak for dinner last night, hot off the grill but instead of the standard potato salad and Pringles, I whipped up a little pasta salad.

This salad's different from most in that it includes black beans and corn, along with green onions and chopped sweet red peppers in a spicy creamy dressing made from sour cream and hot salsa. Personally, I thought it went very well as a side dish to a perfectly dressed hotdog but as you can see, the Big Guy just had to go one better. He dressed his dogs with some leftover OK Chili from the night before.

Judging from the size of the plate and the number of beans present, I'm almost positive it's gonna' be another windy day on the beach, if ya' know what I mean.

Southwestern Pasta Salad (adapted from Taste of the Territory)

10 ounces bowtie pasta, cooked per package directions and well drained

1 – 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 – 15 ounce can whole kernel corn, rinsed and drained

1 sweet red pepper, chopped

4 green onions, chopped

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

Dressing:

1 cup non-fat sour cream

8 ounces hot thick and chunky style salsa

1/2 teaspoon cumin

2 cloves garlic, minced

Combine dressing ingredients in a large bowl and whisk well. Fold in cooked pasta, black beans, corn, sweet pepper, and green onions. Refrigerate for a minimum 1 hour to blend flavors. Garnish with cilantro. Makes 8 servings. Download Southwestern Pasta Salad

Summer Salmon with Corn Relish and Basil Vinaigrette

The Big Guy's home so we actually had a "real" dinner on the table last night. The title of this post pretty well says it all, except that the order is out of whack. It's really all about the basil vinaigrette since it is used as a marinade for the salmon, a dressing for the corn relish and coats the greens under the whole shebang.

Fresh basil, tons of garlic, Asian chile sauce (Sambal Olek) as well as balsamic and red wine vinegar join the olive oil to become the basis of a colorful summer salad. To be truthful, the Big Guy liked it but I wouldn't put it on my list of favorites. I found the flavors extremely strong and the muddied colors of the relish a trifle offputting.  

The entire dish doesn't have a hope in h@** of being near edible unless you use a very high quality balsamic, so for heavens sake don't bother with the cheap stuff. Be sure to put the vinaigrette together and let the garlic/basil flavors develop well in advance because it really does get better with time; oh and remember, don't marinate the salmon for longer than an hour before grilling because it'll just turn to mush in all the acid.

All of that said, it's a wonderful one plate meal to come up with on a hot windy summer night.

Summer Salmon with Corn Relish and Basil Vinaigrette (adapted from Idaho a la CArte)

Vinaigrette:

1/2 cup high quality balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 teaspoons Asian red chile paste with garlic (Sambal Olek)

1/2 cup olive oil

Place vinegars, basil, garlic and chile paste in a blender and pulse to combine well. With the motor running, slowly add olive oil and process until emulsified. Chill for several hours before using.

Corn Relish:

2 cups frozen corn kernels, defrosted

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1/2 cup chopped red pepper

1/4 cup chopped black olives

1/4 cup minced sweet or red onion

1 tablespoon liquid honey (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine relish ingredients together in a small bowl. Add 1/3 cup of basil vinaigrette and toss to combine. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as required. Refrigerate covered for up to 4 hours.

Salmon:

1 pound salmon fillet, rinsed and dried (I used Wild Sockeye)

1 package mixed greens

1 cup mini tomatoes

For the salmon, feel for any bones in fillet and remove as required. Leaving skin intact, place fillet into a zip bag and add 3/4 cup basil vinaigrette. Marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour, turning half way through. To cook, drain salmon from marinade and cook on hot grill 8 to 10 minutes or until firm to the touch, or bake in a preheated 425 oven for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on thickness of fish. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

To plate, toss mixed greens with a small amount of basil vinaigrette and place on a chilled plate. Top with corn relish. Sprinkle with tomatoes. Place salmon on top. Download Summer Salmon with Corn Relish and Basil Vinaigrette

Mache Salad with Apple, Dried Cherries and a Shallot Vinaigrette

When the heat's on in the desert, we tend to eat lighter at least for a while. Knowing we're heading for cooler climates and comfort food helps in that respect, never mind the incentive to drop a couple of pounds before vacation begins just so we can have the fun of gaining it all back.

Last night's dinner was a light and flavorful salad made of mache lettuce, slices of Granny Smith apple, tart dried cherries and toasted walnuts all drizzled with a creamy shallot vinaigrette.

Mache lettuce, also known as lamb's lettuce, is a sweet nutty mild flavored green that's gaining in popularity in these parts; however, the salad would also be wonderful made with mixed greens particularly frisee which also has a nutty although slightly peppery flavor.

The salad would stand quite nicely on its own at least in another household where there isn't a resident carnivore with very strong opinions. I chose to add some pork tenderloin medallions to the mix. Coated in honey mustard then dipped into seasoned crumbs and fried briefly, it was a perfect marriage. After all, what goes better with pork than apples?

By the way, if you decide to call the salad dinner without the pork, add a little chevre' or even some mild feta to up the satiety value.  It'll keep you out of the ice cream for at least another hour.

Mache Salad with Apple, Dried Cherries & Toasted Walnuts (adapted from Epicurious)

Shallot Vinaigrette:

6 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup minced shallot

2 tablespoons honey

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine ingredients in a blender and pulse until well mixed. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as required. Set aside.

 Salad:

1 package Mache lettuce, washed and dried

1/2 cup dried tart cherries

1 medium Granny Smith, cored and thinly sliced

1/2 cup walnut halves, toasted

Plate Mache lettuce and arrange apple slices on top. Sprinkle with cherries and walnuts. Drizzle with shallot vinaigrette. (Serves 4 as appetizer or 2 for dinner)

Honey Pork Tenderloin (optional)

1 small pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat and silver skin

1/4 cup honey mustard

Seasoned dry breadcrumbs

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Slice trimmed pork tenderloin into half inch pieces and pound between sheets of plastic wrap to a quarter inch thickness. Coat with honey mustard then dredge in dried crumbs, being sure to pat both sides of tenderloin to be sure crumbs adhere. Heat vegetable oil in a heavy pan over medium heat. Cook tenderloin for 3 to 4 minutes, flipping half way through cooking period. Drain on paper towels. Serve on top of salad. Download Mache Salad with Apple, Dried Cherries a Shallot Vinaigrette

A year ago - Great Northern Bean Salad with Country Style Ribs

 

 

Bacon and Blue Potato Salad

No turned up noses allowed until you hear me out, OK? The Big Guy brought back a cookbook from his recent travels to Tulsa, OK called "Taste of the Territory" and it's a goldmine of new and interesting recipes. You'll be seeing a lot of it over the next little while. I spotted one of the true gems yesterday and felt compelled to give it a JBug twist.

If you're anything like us, when you think of baked potatoes you automatically add sour cream and chives to the mix. This unique potato salad combines all that good stuff along with mellow blue cheese, crispy bacon, sweet onion, eggs and crunchy toasted almonds to take the ordinary into the realm of extraordinary. 

Served beside a perfectly grilled steak, this Bacon Blue Potato Salad was out of this world fabulous and may just end up on our list of all time favorite good eats. Next time you've potato salad on your menu, give this one a try. It's superlative with steak, would be fabulous with burgers and may just be the bomb with some Buffalo fried chicken.

Bacon and Blue Potato Salad (inspired by Taste of the Territory) 

1 pound mini potatoes, washed and dried

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

4 to 8 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (amount varies depending on taste)

1 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

1/2 cup chopped sweet onion

1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds

1/2 cup crumbled crisp bacon

3 hard boiled eggs, diced

1 teaspoon sea salt or to taste

Pepper as required

Preheat oven to 425. Toss potatoes with 1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil and place in a heavy pan. Roast for 15 minutes or until just cooked through. Remove from oven and move to a large bowl. Immediately toss hot potatoes with remaining olive oil as well as white and red wine vinegars. Cool to room temperature. In a small bowl, combine blue cheese, sour cream, parsley, chives, and sweet onion. Fold dressing into cooled potatoes along with almonds, bacon and eggs. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to blend flavors. Serve cold.   Download Bacon and Blue Potato Salad

Thai On Thai - Grilled Chicken on a Noodle Salad

I grew up on a beef/dairy farm which meant we ate beef all week long and chicken was reserved for Sunday dinner. How we'd look forward to it too. Tradition's a good thing sometimes, so we stuck with it last night and cooked some cluck just for old time's sake. The only thing is, it wasn't quite like any chicken we would've eaten way back in the day. Believe me.

Picture a mess of skinless boneless chicken thighs marinated for hours in a mixture of basil, mint, cilantro, ginger and other assorted "tangs" and grilled over hot charcoal till it's all crispy on the outside and tender inside.

That's what we had for dinner last night although the Big Guy swore he could have cooked it better. Personally I could find absolutely nothing wrong with it; however, he said he needed to get his grill hotter, oil it down good and maybe even skewer the chicken pieces so they didn't stick and were easier to turn. Whatever.

Sittin' pretty on top of a Thai Noodle Salad loaded with noodles and veggies, this "cool" food is guaranteed to impress. What makes it even more attractive is the whole darn thing can be prepped early in the day before the heat gets too oppressive, so when dinner rolls around the kitchen stays cool. Bonus!

I really have only one complaint about it - yup, just one. We shoulda' doubled the recipes.

Thai Grilled Chicken (adapted from Best of Bridge Series, The Rest of the Best)

2 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs

Marinade:

1/3 cup fresh basil

1/3 cup fresh mind

1/3 cup fresh cilantro

1/4 cup peeled, chopped fresh ginger

3 garlic cloves

1-1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

1-1/2 tablespoons fish sauce

1-1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons liquid honey

1 Anaheim pepper, seeded and roughly chopped

Combine above ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until finely chopped. Place chicken in a zip bag and pour marinade mixture over top. Seal back and move ingredients around to make sure marinade covers all pieces of chicken. Refrigerate overnight or for several hours. Remove chicken from marinade and grill on a hot grill until chicken is no longer pink inside. Hint – oil grill well and make sure it’s very hot before placing chicken on it.

Thai Noodle Salad (adapted from Best of Bridge Series, The Rest of the Best)

Vinaigrette:

Zest of 2 limes

1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 Serrano pepper, minced (or Jalapeno if you want it less spicy)

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine well. Set aside.

8 ounces Chinese egg noodles

1/2 pound asparagus spears

2 cups peeled shredded carrots

1 cup julienned jicama

1 red pepper, julienned

1 cup thinly sliced green onions

In a pot of boiling water, blanch asparagus spears for 1 minute to bring out their color. Remove from pot and cool under cold running water. Cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces. Meanwhile cook Chinese noodles according to package directions. Drain well. Combine noodles, asparagus, carrots, jicama, red pepper and green onions in a large bowl. Toss with vinaigrette. Cover and refrigerate for several hours to blend flavors. Makes 6 servings.

A year ago - Santa Fe Corn Pie

Mango and Spicy Shrimp Salad

Summer has arrived in full force in our South Western state making the requirement for "cool" food of the utmost importance. Last night's dinner is a prime example.

Large shrimp spiced with Cajun seasoning and pan fried quickly, topping a salad of mixed greens, sweet onion, crunchy jicama, cucumber and smooth creamy sweet mango cubes all dressed up with a honey chive mayo like dressing.

Another Best of Bridge recipe, it's one I'd never tried before and now I'm wondering just why not. If you're finding mangos to be a little scarce, the salad would be great with peaches or even pineapple. As for the dressing - I'm picturing it slathered on a grilled chicken sandwich or in a chicken salad. It would be superb, simply superb.

By the way, if you're worried about the uncooked egg yolk in the dressing, simply leave it out. It'll taste about the same, just lack a little richness.

Mango and Spicy Shrimp Salad  Adapted from Best of Bridge Series Cookbooks – The Rest of the Best

Honey Chive Dressing:

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon liquid honey

1 garlic clove

Pinch of salt

1 cup canola oil

3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

In a blender or using an immersion blender, combine egg yolk, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, honey, garlic and salt. Whiz until well mixed. With the motor running, gradually add oil until an emulsified and thick. Fold in chives and parsley. Refrigerate a minimum of 1 hour to blend flavors.

Salad:

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 mangos, peeled and cut into cubes

Juice of 1 fresh lime

1 cup peeled and diced jicama

1/4 English cucumber, cut into strips

1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion

Mixed lettuce greens

Heat sauté pan over medium high heat. Coat cleaned shrimp with Cajun seasoning. Add oil to pan and when shimmering, add shrimp. Sauté until just cooked – approximately 2 to 3 minutes, turning half way through. Arrange lettuce in a bowl or on individual plates. Top with jicama, cucumber and onion. Toss mango with lime juice and arrange on salad greens. Top with shrimp and pass the Honey Chive dressing. Makes 4 servings. Download Mango and Spicy Shrimp Salad

 

 

Buffalo Shrimp on Lemon Caesar Salad

It has been a month of Sundays since I've constructed a Caesar salad and as for Buffalo Shrimp, well that would be never. Pity really!

Remember when Caesar salad's were all the rage? Not that they're unpopular now, but during the 70's there wasn't a restaurant around that didn't serve it and I admit one of the first things I purchased for my empty apartment was a wooden salad bowl so I could make it.  A staple in my diet during my single days, it's safe to say with all the garlic and anchovies emanating from my pores, it could account for the fact that I stayed single till I was 45.

I thought I'd mastered a fool proof recipe but this lemon version of the salad wins the prize and topped with Buffalo Shrimp - well what can I say except we were wishing I'd cooked more'n a pound of the darn things. Don't be thrown off by the amount of spices in the coating mix - it's quite perfect. You certainly won't need it all so put half in a zip bag and save for later before you bread your shrimp because it would be a great coating for chicken tenders too, that is if you're not a shrimp fan. As for the Caesar salad, you'll notice there isn't an egg to be found and to be honest, you won't even miss it!

Buffalo Shrimp on Lemon Caesar Salad

Shrimp:

1 pound large shrimp, cleaned and deveined

2 cups flour

2 tablespoons creole seasoning

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon black pepper

Oil for frying

Sauce:

4 ounces hot sauce (I used Louisiana Hot Sauce)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons butter

Rinse shrimp under running water and set aside. Combine flour with seasonings and divide in two, placing half in a zip bag for future use. Coat shrimp with remaining dredging mix (reserve what’s left) and place on wire racks over a sheet pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set coating. After 30 minutes, dredge coated shrimp in reserved coating mix. Heat oil in deep skillet and fry shrimp in batches for 2-1/2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Do not overcook!  Remove from pan and set aside on paper towels to drain.

Meanwhile combine hot sauce, garlic powder, cayenne and butter in a small saucepan and heat until butter is melted. Whisk sauce to incorporate ingredients. Pour over cooked shrimp and toss to mix well. Serve over prepared salad.

Lemon Caesar Salad (adapted from Sheila Lukins)

3 hearts romaine lettuce, shredded

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Coarse ground black pepper

2 cups croutons (I used homemade from leftover focaccia)

Dressing:

1 tablespoon anchovies rinsed and patted dry

Grated lemon rind from 1 lemon

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 cup olive oil

Coarse ground black pepper

Using immersion or regular blender, combine anchovies, lemon rind and juice, vinegar and mustard. With motor running slow drizzle in olive oil until mixture thickens and emulsifies. Add pepper to taste. Toss lettuce with dressing. Add parmesan, pepper and croutons and toss again. Top salad with shrimp and serve. Download Buffalo Shrimp on Lemon Caesar

A year ago - Curried Chicken with Cranberries

Thai Chicken Salad with Rice Noodles

Sometimes ya' just have to tie one on with a little Thai, ya' know what I mean? The Big Guy's busy marking exams with a fast approaching deadline and stressed to the nines. Me? Well, our little Maxer goes in for surgery today on a mast cell tumor so I'm a basket case.

Dinner last night needed to be something that would hold well since I had no idea what time the Big Guy would be home. It also had to be something I couldn't screw up since I'm not thinkin' or seein' too clearly these days- call it allergies, lack of sleep or just worry.

This bowl of calories disguised as nutrition is basically a chicken salad with a lime ginger peanut sauce along with some fresh raw veggies all served on a bed of rice noodles.  It's a great fresh tasting summer time meal and rather lovely in that it can be prepared in advance, refrigerated and dressed at the last minute. It's more than worth a second look and the leftovers make great lunch fodder too.

Thai Chicken Salad with Rice Noodles (adapted from Bon Appetit Magazine)

4 garlic cloves

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon peanut butter

1-1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

1-1/4 teaspoons sambal oelek

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Combine garlic, soy sauce, lime juice, sugar, peanut butter, ginger, sambal oelek in blender and pulse until well mixed. With motor running add vegetable oil and blend until smooth. Taste for seasoning and add pepper as required. With all the soy sauce and peanut butter, it's doubtful you'll need salt.

4-1/2 ounces rice stick noodles (malfun) cooked per package directions

1-1/2 cups cooked chicken – shredded

3 cups shredded cabbage

1 cup grated carrot

1 cup red bell pepper strips

1/2 medium sweet onion or green onions, thinly sliced

1/2 English cucumber cut into julienne strips

1/2 cup chopped roasted salted peanuts

Place cooked rice noodles on bottom of platter or shallow bowl. Mix together chicken, cabbage, carrot, bell pepper strips, onion and cucumber. Toss with prepared dressing, just enough to coat. Place on top noodles and garnish with roasted peanuts. Serve remaining dressing on the side. Download Thai Chicken Salad with Rice Noodles

Creamy Roasted Potato Salad with Fresh Herbs

We had a glorious plate of leftovers recently with porchetta heated on the flat top until all crispy and caramelized ...mmm I can hear my sister Joy groaning with delight right now. Our porchetta was joined by a very simple but different and no doubt wonderful creamy potato salad.

We love potatoes around here - actually, maybe I should clarify that. I love potatoes - any kind, any shape, any how and many's the day I'd rather be singing a vegetarian's ode to the almighty spud and leave the carnivore ways to the other family member. Don't get me wrong though - there's no way I'd give up my share of that crispy pork. We have several "favorite" potato salads such as a warm version with an herby vinaigrette or our old standby with mustard, sweet relish and mayo but this one just might just kick 'em to the curb. It certainly made an instant impression on the resident meat lover and I know for a fact it had my attention when I was putting it together.

Made from little teeny tiny potatoes quick roasted for 18 minutes in a hot cast iron pan, cooled and joined by sweet onion, sundried tomatoes, chopped fresh parsley, basil and dressed in a dollop of mayo, these puffy little gems fairly explode into feathery lightness on the tongue and make the tastebuds sing with a punch of summery flavor.

I'd hazard to say this one's going to be showing up on our menu a lot over the next few months now that grilling season is upon us.

Creamy Roasted Potato Salad with Fresh Herbs (a JBug’s Kitchen original)

1 pound teeny tiny potatoes, washed and well dried and with skin left intact

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 cloves garlic roughly chopped (optional)

1/2 cup chopped sweet onion

1/3 cup oil packed sun dried tomatoes, chopped

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup mayonnaise

Sea salt and coarse ground black pepper to taste

Place 10 inch cast iron skillet into oven and heat oven to 400. In a medium bowl, coat well dried mini potatoes with vegetable oil. Add garlic and toss to combine. Move potatoes and garlic to the preheated cast iron skillet and roast for 18 minutes or until potatoes are just cooked. Remove to a large bowl and cool to room temperature. Add sweet onion, sun dried tomatoes, parsley, basil, and mayonnaise to potatoes and toss to coat. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed. Cover and chill before serving. Makes 4 servings. Download Creamy Roasted Potato Salad with Fresh Herbs

Nacho Pie on Corn and Black Bean Salad

This is nacho ordinary pie. Sorry I just couldn't resist. Quick, tasty and darn near exactly like a plate of nacho's, this one's inspired by Taste of Home and has the makings of a new favorite in this household.

Loaded with ground beef and onion jazzed up with taco flavors, topped with creamy sour cream and lots of cheese with the crunch of crushed tortilla chips, well it's just darn near got it all wouldn't ya' say? Not only is the filling easy to put together, the crust is simply a tube of storebought crescent rolls unrolled and fitted on the bottom. I cooked ours in my favorite cast iron pan and I'm so glad I did because it made for a crunchier crisper finish without a doughy bite in sight.

As for the filling, why you're only limited by your imagination. In fact, next time instead of using beef I may have to try chicken along with some green chiles too and maybe even a couple of black olives on top. Whatever you enjoy in your plate of nachos you can have here as well.

We had our pie nestled on top of a corn and black bean salad - a real "Joseph's coat" of color and burst of flavor. Talk about a marriage made in heaven; the flavors of the corn, black beans, sweet onion, and red pepper sauced with lime, cilantro and salsa verde really made dinner an absolutely perfect fiesta of Mexican flavors.

Darn it all anyway, I just realized I missed the wedding! Oh well, they always make me cry anyway and heaven's knows I've enough of that going on. Max's had a string of seizure days starting 48 hours ago and is one restless little heap of fur and bones so sleep has been a tad minimal. Here's hoping he gets his shakey dances over with soon so Momma can get some sleep because Momma's waterworks go into overdrive when she's tired and grumpy. Oh dear - poor Papa!

Nacho Pie on Corn Black Bean Salad (inspired by  Taste of Home)

1 pound extra lean ground beef

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon Mexican oregano (optional)

3 teaspoons chile powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 Tablespoon Wondra instant blending flour

1 – 8 ounce can tomato sauce

1/4 cup water

Salt and pepper to taste

1 – 2.5 ounce package of Nacho flavored tortilla chips, crushed

1 tube (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls

1 cup sour cream (lite is fine)

1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend

In a large sauté pan, cook crumbled ground beef and onion until meat is no longer pink and onion is softened. Drain off any fat. Add garlic powder, cumin, oregano, chile powder, cayenne pepper and Wondra flour and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes. Add water and tomato sauce, bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 3 to 4 minutes until sauce is thickened. Set aside.

Meanwhile preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9 inch cast iron pan or pie plate with cooking spray. Unroll crescent rolls and separate into 8 triangles. Place in bottom of pan with points toward the center and press onto bottom and up sides of pan, sealing any cracks to create a solid crust. Sprinkle half of the crushed nacho chips on top of crust. Top with cooked meat mixture spreading it evenly then spread sour cream carefully over meat. Sprinkle with cheese and remaining crushed nacho chips. Bake for 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve on or beside Corn Black Bean salad.

Salad:

1 -  15 ounce can black beans, drained rinsed and drained again

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

1/4 cup finely chopped red pepper

1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion

1 cup quartered cherry or mini plum tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 cup purchased salsa Verde

Juice of 1 fresh lime

Combine all ingredients together and serve at room temperature. Download Nacho Pie on Corn Black Bean Salad

 

 

Crispy Pork Carnitas with Avocado and Tomato Salad

We're still working our way through Birthday week in this household so I'm cooking things that are on the top of the Big Guy's yum list. Pork is up there in his book, right next to beef!

We've shared a version of this crispy pork with you before, but it is one dish that can be changed in a myriad of ways, all to do with what kind of citrus one uses. This time I braised a lovely piece of pork butt in a combination of fresh orange, lime and lemon juices along with lots of garlic. After a long slow simmer on top of the stove, the pork is shredded, doused in a good glug of brandy and fried in a hot pan until crisp. Topped with the remaining cooking juices it is just about as fabulous as you can get all stuffed inside a nice warm tortilla.

We had our pork filled soft tacos topped by some Avocado and Tomato Salad made of cubed avocado in a basic vinaigrette along with crisp bacon, little plum tomatoes and red onion. Its fresh flavors complimented the pork in a very nice way and adding a little crunch from the bacon too. After all one there's no such thing as too much pork, is there.

Crispy Pork with Citrus  

2-1/2 pounds pork butt

1 cup water

Zest of each 1 orange, 1 lemon and 1 lime

3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

Juice of 2 lemons

Juice of 1 lime

5 large garlic cloves, peeled and left whole

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

1/3 cup brandy (or apple jack, or bourbon)

Cut pork into large 2 to 3 inch cubes, removing some but not all of the fat. Place into a large heavy pot (I used a cast iron Dutch oven), add water, citrus zest, orange, lemon and lime juice as well as garlic and sea salt. Bring to a boil, cover pot and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook pork for 1-1/2 hours until very tender, adding liquid as needed to keep meat semi submerged. Remove lid, increase heat to medium and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes to reduce liquid by approximately one half. Remove meat from pot, reserving liquid and using two forks, tear into strips.

Heat a large heavy skillet over high heat until almost smoking. Add slivered meat and brandy. Cook until meat is crisply caramelized but not dry – about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add reserved cooking liquid. Serve warm inside flour or corn tortillas along with avocado salad, guacamole, refried beans, assorted salsa, chopped jalapeno’s and sour cream. Download Crispy Pork with Citrus

Avocado and Tomato Salad (adapted from Jackson Hole Cooks)

5 slices bacon, diced and cooked until crisp

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

Coarse ground black pepper

3 drops hot sauce

2 medium avocados, peeled and cubed

1-1/2 cups grape tomatoes, cut in half

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

Salad greens (optional)

Combine oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and hot sauce in a medium bowl. Whisk well. Add avocado and toss to coat. Add tomatoes, red onion and crisp bacon. Toss, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to blend flavors. Before serving place on salad greens. Download Avocado and Tomato Salad

Meatloaf Panini with Crunchy Broccoli Salad

What to do, what to do with some of the Big Guy's barbecue meatloaf was the question of the day yesterday, but hey no problemo. While the little flavor bombs are great hot or warm, they're also fabulous cold.

Loaded up with provolone and roasted red peppers our dinner came together pretty darn quickly last night. We could have had fries with our sandwiches, but opted for this broccoli salad instead. Now who says broccoli always has to be healthy ...I mean, why not make it "un" and add bacon, dried cranberries, salted sunflower seeds, mayo and sour cream too?  Yup that's what I did and we love the darn stuff. Of course, we would - it's loaded with calories!

Crunchy Broccoli Salad Adapted from Jackson Hole Cooks by Rebecca Woods

4 cups fresh broccoli, washed and chopped (including stems)

1/4 cup chopped red onion

1/2 cup sundried cranberries

1/2 cup salted sunflower seeds

4 slices bacon, cooked till crisp and crumbled

 

Dressing:

1/3 cup light Mayo

1/2 cup light sour cream

3 Tablespoons sugar

2 Tablespoons white vinegar

Toss ingredients together in a salad bowl. Whisk together dressing ingredients and toss with broccoli mixture. Refrigerate at least one hour to blend flavors. Serve cold. Download Crunchy Broccoli Salad

Grilled Lamb Chops with Wheatberry Salad

It was a good grillin' day yesterday and what's better on a hot windy desert spring day than a "cool" easy on the cook dinner of lamb chops and salad.

Our lamb loin chops got a significant head start in the flavor department thanks to a bath in a marinade made of olive oil, white wine, lots of lemon juice, garlic, parsley, rosemary and mint. They looked almost like ceviche when they went on the grill but came off looking and smelling rather wonderful.

The flavors were all there - unfortunately neither the prep cook (me) or the butcher cleaned them up enough from the start so quite honestly, other than the little tenderloin the rest of them were quite sinewy. For some reason I'm always a little hesitant to remove fat from extra lean loin chops before they're cooked, but the 8 minutes the chops spent on the grill coupled with their extra thickness meant the fat really didn't have a chance to break down anyway and it was really hard to remove from the chops at the dinner table. My bad - I should have done a better job!

As for the Wheat berry Salad - well it was a first for me cooking these little pellets of winter wheat and it certainly won't be the last. For darn sure if you're looking for a little "movement" in your life, this fiber rich grain is the one to add to your diet. In a salad filled with crunchy pistachios, fresh ginger, raisins and green onions in a lemon honey dressing, it's about as good as it gets. I added some slivered apricots and forgot the goat cheese, but I'm putting it in the recipe so you don't make the same mistake although the salad was plenty good without it.

I figure this chewy flavorful side dish will be lovely with just about anything off the grill this summer, be it chicken, fish, pork or beef, or just fine on it's own as a vegetarian dish but pretend I didn't say that OK. After all,the master of the house is a dyed in the wool carnivore. Hmmm, that was rather appropriate after a big feed of lamb chops wouldn't you say?

Grilled Lamb Chops with Herb Marinade (adapted from Canadian Living Barbecue & Summer Foods Cookbook)

Pour this marinade over a boneless leg of lamb if you prefer, then grill until medium rare and slice very thinly.

4 – 1-1/2 inch thick lamb loin chops

Marinade:

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup white wine

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

Grated rind of 1 lemon

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup chopped minced onion

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Place olive oil, white wine, lemon juice, lemon rind, garlic and onion in a deep container and whiz with an immersion blender or alternative place in a food processor and pulse until mixture emulsifies. Add salt, pepper, parsley, rosemary and mint.

Trim, wash and dry lamb loin chops and place in zip top bag. Add marinade and refrigerate 4 hours. Remove from marinade and blot slightly with paper towels. Place over hot coals on grill and cook to desired doneness (8 minutes for medium rare). Download Grilled Lamb Chops w Herb Marinade

Wheat Berry Salad with Raisins, Apricots and Pistachios (adapted from Today’s Food and Wine, MSNBC)

1 cup uncooked wheat berries (hard winter wheat)

Water to cover by 2 inches

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon honey

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

2 tablespoons peeled minced fresh ginger

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/4 cup slivered dried apricots

1/2 cup toasted pistachios

3 green onions, sliced thinly

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese (optional)

Place wheat berries in a medium sized saucepan and cover with water at least 2 inches above wheat berries. Bring to a boil, lower heat to simmer, cover and cook for 1 hour. Drain. Add remaining ingredients except for goat cheese to hot cooked wheat berries and toss well to mix. Sprinkle with goat cheese just before serving. Serve at room temperature or cold. Makes 6 servings. Download Wheatberry Salad with Raisins, Apricots and Pistachios

 

Spicy Shrimp Cakes with Lemon Mayonnaise

Last night I finally got with the program and served something for dinner more in keeping with a 90 degree plus day. Adapted from a Food Network recipe, rather than use crab which is priced just slightly less than an ounce of gold in this man's country,  I used tiny little pre-cooked Oregon salad shrimp. Whizzed in the food processor and added to sauteed shallots, garlic and red pepper these moist little cakes are spiced up with lots of Dijon mustard, Cajun seasoning and hot sauce.

Bound with a fairly moderate amount of panko crumbs they held together beautifully during their brief foray into the frying pan and were luscious atop a mache' salad with minced sweet onion and little heirloom tomatoes, all dressed up with lemon mayonnaise.

Although we had these puppies for dinner, it would be a perfect lunch for ladies who do that kind of thing along with a glass of crisp Pinot Gris. Serve it to your significant other and they're liable to do hand stands, yell "YUM" and head back for seconds like my Big Guy did...well, he didn't quite manage the hand stands, but he sure did holler a lot. 

Hope you all are enjoying a relaxing Sunday, although I see that some of you are digging out after yet another snow storm. Gosh darn it, I'm not sure where I'd rather be right now. Not to complain - ah heck why not I do it all the time, it is stinkin' hot in this man's country which doesn't bode well in the energy saving department. I had to break down and turn the AC on yesterday. It seems a tad early for that! Download Spicy Shrimp Cakes with Lemon Mayo

Spicy Shrimp Cakes with Lemon Mayonnaise (inspired by The Neelys at foodnetwork.com)

If the price is right and you’re so inclined you can certainly substitute crab for the shrimp in this recipe but I’m too darn cheap to buy it unless it’s on sale. Do not used canned crab.

1 tablespoon butter

1 shallot

1 clove garlic

1/4 cup red pepper

Sea salt and coarse ground black pepper

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup Dijon mustard (or more if you want it spicier)

Zest from half a lemon

1 teaspoon Creole seasoning

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 cup plain panko crumbs, divided

1 egg

Hot sauce to taste

1 pound small cooked salad shrimp

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Melt butter in a small sauté pan over medium heat. In a food processor, chop together shallot, garlic and red pepper. Sauté vegetables in butter until they’ve softened – 3 or 4 minutes, stirring often to prevent burning. Remove from heat and cool.

Meanwhile, add salad shrimp to food processor and pulse until chopped. Transfer to a large bowl along with cooled vegetables, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon zest, Creole seasoning, chopped parsley, one half cup panko crumbs and egg. Add hot sauce and season with salt and pepper as desired. Combine well. Using a four ounce scoop, form ingredients into a ball, then flatten to approximately a three quarter inch thickness. Coat in remaining panko crumbs. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set coating and help the cakes to stick together.

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Fry shrimp cakes till golden brown and crisp – about 4 minutes per side. Serve with Lemon mayonnaise.

Lemon Mayonnaise:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 clove garlic, minced

Juice of 1 lemon (approx. 3 tablespoons)

1 teaspoon lemon zest

Pinch cayenne pepper

Date and Gorgonzola Pinwheels over Greens

I came across this recipe on the Pepperidge Farms site and thought we really needed to give it a go. I mean what's more interesting than combining dates with blue cheese and bacon, unless it's figs with blue cheese and bacon. I don't know about you, but I get tired of the same old flavor combinations so I'm usually game to try something new. Just don't tell the big guy or he'll have me eating some of the javalina languishing in the freezer from this year's hunt that Big Bad John left for us to "enjoy". Darn and here I thought I was off the hook!

There's croutons people and then there's the flavor filled totally addictive puffy crispy wheels of yummy goodness we had on our greens last night. As we were enjoying them, we could think of a bunch of combinations using different ingredients like proscuitto, sundried tomatoes, olives, mozzarella, garlic and pinenuts, or chicken with hoisin and green onions, or even pears, brie and pecans but the balsamic soaked dates over bacon with crumbled gorgonzola all wrapped up in puff pastry were absolutely stellar.

They'd be superlative as an appetizer with a glass of sherry before dinner, or with fruit and port after or just as we enjoyed them with some of the big guy's fabulous barbecued ribs and a glass of wine. One thing I know for sure...we haven't seen the last of them in our house. Put 'em on your list to try. I guarantee you'll think you're really on to something!

 

Rack of Lamb with a Marionberry Hazelnut Crust

Our special Valentine's menu was a combination of favorites - meat, chocolate and berries for the big guy and pears and blue cheese for moi. Of course also included was an incredible bottle of Oregon Pinot, gifted from our friend John (talk about fabulous)! Course truth be known the entire menu wasn't just a celebration of our love for each other but also of the land we call home, even though we're not living there at the moment - the Pacific Northwest.

We started with a Pear and Gorgonzola Salad on a bed of mache lettuce topped with toasted pecans and a shallot vinaigrette.  Mache, also known as lamb's lettuce is a French green with a sweet nutty mild flavor. Thanks to Trader Joe's it is available here (grown in the Salinas area of California), but for those with a green thumb, be sure to get your hands on some seeds. You won't be sorry adding it to your garden in the spring. Believe me, it is wonderful particularly combined with a perfectly ripe pear, gorgonzola cheese and crunchy pecans, and the shallot vinaigrette would make an old shoe taste appetizing! It is my absolute favorite salad, bar none! Have I said that before?

As for the rack of lamb, well I thought I'd try a new recipe that had received rave reviews. Adapted from Bon Appetit, it combines marionberry jam and dijon mustard as a glaze, topped by crunchy ground hazelnuts, fresh parsley and soft bread crumbs. After 30 minutes in a hot oven, the big guy crowed that it was a perfect rare but honestly it was a little too rare for me so I put my slices back in the pan for a few minutes on high heat. Served nestled on a bed of caramelized shallot mashed yukon gold potatoes, it looked amazing and the big guy was happy, happy. To be honest the potatoes were far superior to the meat (dah) because in my opinion the lamb was a little bland never mind I did a big boo boo and left some silverskin on it. Let that be a lesson to you...get your butcher to clean up the rack so you don't have to. It took me way too long to french the bones, etc. and I still didn't do a proper job. Darn! I hate when that happens.

Me and my wonderful Valentine weren't complaining about dessert though - a Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Torte, adapted from a Best of Bridge recipe. Talk about chocolate overload, if there is such a thing! Made from high quality cocoa and raspberry jam, the bottom layer is like a chewy rich moist brownie which is then topped with a truffle like layer of dark chocolate ganache flavored with more raspberry jam. It is not to be believed, easy to make and worth every stinkin' calorie. By the way, while the recipe specifies "fresh" raspberries, I used the frozen variety. They wanted my first born for the fresh ones and since that's impossible at my advanced age, I hit the freezer section instead and they were fine...just fine!

Pear & Gorgonzola Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette (adapted from Idaho a la Carte)

Shallot Vinaigrette:

1/2 cup light vegetable oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons liquid honey

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon water

Salt & pepper to taste

3 tablespoons finely minced shallot

Combine above ingredients together in a glass jar and shake well. Chill.

Salad:

1 package Mache lettuce (or mixed greens)

2 pears, cored and sliced

2 ounces gorgonzola cheese, thinly sliced

1/2 cup toasted pecans

Place lettuce on plates. Top with sliced pears, gorgonzola and pecans. Spoon vinaigrette over top.  Serves 4 Download Pear and Gorgonzola Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette

Rack of Lamb with Marionberry Hazelnut Crust (adapted from Bon Appetit)

1 well trimmed rack of lamb, bones frenched

Salt & coarse ground black pepper

3 tablespoons marionberry jam

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/3 cup finely chopped hazelnuts

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

1/3 cup fresh breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 425. Season lamb with salt and pepper. Combine marionberry jam and Dijon mustard and coat fat side of lamb liberally. Combine hazelnuts, parsley and breadcrumbs and toss well together. Place mixture on top of glaze, pressing well to adhere. Top evenly with pieces of butter. Roast for 30 minutes for rare. Let rest for 10 minutes before cutting rack between bones into individual chops. Serves 2. Download Rack of Lamb with Marionberry Hazelnut Crust

Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Torte (adapted from Best of Bridge Series Cookbooks)

Base:

9 level tablespoons good quality unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces

1/4 cup raspberry jam (I used seedless)

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup flour

Preheat oven to 350. Line 8 inch round pan with removable bottom with parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray. Set aside. Combine cocoa, butter and jam in a small saucepan and heat over low heat, stirring constantly until butter has melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and set aside. Using electric mixer, beat eggs until light and foamy. Add sugar, vanilla and chocolate mixture and beat well to combine. Stir in flour mixing just until blended (be careful not to over mix at this point). Spread batter into prepared pan and bake for 20 to 30 minutes or just until cake has set. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Remove from oven and cool on a rack.
Topping:

2 tablespoons heavy cream

2 tablespoons raspberry jam

2 tablespoons butter

4 ounces semi sweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped (do not use unsweetened)

Combine cream, jam and butter in a small pot and heat over medium low heat stirring constantly until butter is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and add chocolate, stirring until chocolate has melted. Cool slightly.

1 cup fresh raspberries

Whipping cream

Remove cooled brownie base from pan and place on serving plate. Carefully spread topping over it. Top with raspberries and chill until cold. Serve with whipped cream on the side. Download Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Torte

Peach Glazed Salmon with Orange Pasta Salad

If salmon's on your menu and you're looking to kick it up a notch, give your jam cupboard a look see before you reach for the usual standby. Our good neighbor Judi brought us a lovely jar of Peach and Jalapeno Jam at Christmas and other than the fact that it is absolutely incredible on just about anything, it made a lovely glaze on our wild Sockeye Salmon last night.

I washed and dried the salmon, removed a few pin bones then dusted the filets with lemon pepper and salt and coated them in a couple of spoonfuls of that treasured spicy sweet jam. Shoved under a preheated broiler for 8 minutes, the fish was perfectly cooked with its crunchy little bits of caramelized jam and lovely on top of a light and refreshing pasta salad.

Adapted from the famous Best of Bridge Ladies, this salad made good use of some fresh Minneola's from our tree along with asparagus, celery, sweet onion and a few chives. Seasoned with salt and pepper and dressed with a light orange and dill vinaigrette it was a great foil for the salmon and rather good for us in the calorie department.

Course it would have been even better without the glasses of wine and the ice cream for dessert. Oh well - an extra 15 minutes on the elliptical will help take care of that! Thank you Judi for the wonderful jam and your kindness in giving it to us. Would you consider sharing the recipe with all of us?

Fresh Orange & Pasta Salad (adapted from Best of Bridge Series Cookbooks)

2 cups pasta, cooked according to package directions and well drained

2 oranges, peeled and cut into segments

2 cups asparagus pieces, blanched

1/2 cup sliced celery

1/2 cup chopped sweet onion

2 tablespoons chopped chives

Salt & pepper to taste

Vinaigrette:

Grated peel & juice of 1 orange

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt

1/2 teaspoon dried dillweed

In a large salad bowl, whisk together vinaigrette ingredients until well combined. Add drained pasta, oranges, asparagus, celery, onion and chives. Toss to combine. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as required. Cover and chill. Makes 6 servings.

Note: - I tossed the fresh asparagus pieces in with the pasta during the last minute of cooking to blanch them before adding them to the salad.  Download Fresh Orange Pasta Salad

 

 

Chicken Cutlets with Romesco and Prosciutto Cracklin's

I know you're not going to believe this, but if you look back you'll notice that we haven't had chicken in an awfully long time - in fact, not since December 22 and that's over 2 weeks. It's got to be a record and I don't know about you know who, but I've been craving the stuff.

Last night's chicken cutlets took care of that issue quite nicely, at least for a day or so. Chicken breasts pounded until thin and coated with bread crumbs mixed with parsley then fried till crispy golden. YUM! Topped with a romesco sauce which is just a fancy name for roasted red peppers pureed with nuts and lots of garlic and thickened with bread crumbs and served on a bed of butter lettuce garnished with crispy fried prosciutto ...well it was about as sublime as you can get. Best part is, there's Romesco sauce left over and I can only imagine how wonderful it's going to be on a pizza or slathered on a turkey sandwich or with veggies as a dip. Yum!

Now granted I'll agree with you that this salad would be best served when the weatherbug is registering 85 degrees, but we needed to use some organic butter lettuce up before it started growing creepy crawlies in our fridge, so book mark this one and give it a try in the summer, OK?  Alternatively turn up the heat, break out the white shorts and sandals and whip up a pitcher of sangria to go along with this dish. You won't be sorry, I promise!

Chicken Cutlets with Romesco & Prosciutto Cracklin’s (adapted from Bon Appetit)

Romesco Sauce:

1-1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs (I used French bread with crust) divided

1 cup drained roasted red peppers (jarred)

1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 teaspoon Hungarian paprika

In the bowl of a food processor, combine 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, peppers, nuts, oil, vinegar, garlic and paprika. Process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Chicken:

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 chicken breast cut in half and pounded into cutlets about a quarter inch thickness

3 ounces prosciutto

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 small head butter lettuce, washed and dried

2 tablespoons oil & vinegar dressing (I used Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette by Kraft)

Shavings of Parmesan cheese for garnish

Combine remaining 1 cup of fresh breadcrumbs with parsley and set aside. Season chicken well with salt and pepper. Coat with crumbs, pressing well so they adhere to the chicken. Set aside.

Heat large skillet over medium high heat. Add prosciutto slices and cook until browned and crisp – about 2 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. Add olive oil to skillet and heat until shimmering. Add chicken and cook for 4 minutes total, flipping over half way through when golden brown. Remove from pan and cool slightly. Place butter lettuce leaves on a large plate. Top with a drizzle of oil and vinegar dressing and add chicken. Top chicken with Romesco sauce, garnish with crisp prosciutto and parmesan cheese shavings. Serves 2.

Hint - for a lower carb version, try a mixed grain bread rather than French bread. The sauce will have a slightly different flavor, but it'll taste just as good.

Apple Walnut Salad with Caramelized Pork & Port Vinaigrette

That darn scale has been rising all week, no doubt because of all the leftovers from the party that I've yet to share the particulars about. Hey, keep 'em curious and they keep coming back is my motto! LOL

We needed something on the lighter side for dinner last night and although this salad had limited ingredients, it wasn't wasn't lacking in flavor. Not one bit! A piece of leftover pork salvaged from the freezer was thinly sliced and quickly fried until crispy in a scorching hot cast iron pan. Place on top of a bowl of mixed greens with a little sweet onion, crisp wedges of Granny Smith apples, topped with toasted walnuts and dressed in a Port Vinaigrette, it was wonderful and left us sufficient room to enjoy a piece of Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake. What can I say except that I'll share that recipe with you later!

It is amazing what one can do with leftovers and a little ingenuity, isn't it? Download Apple Walnut Salad with Caramelized Pork a Port Vinaigrette

Apple Walnut Salad with Caramelized Pork and Port Vinaigrette ( a JBug Original)

4 cups mixed greens

1/2 cup minced sweet onion

1 Granny Smith apple, core removed and cut into wedges

1/2 cup toasted walnuts

4 ounces cooked pork loin, thinly sliced

Port Vinaigrette

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup canola oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon

3 tablespoons tawny port

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt

1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a small jar with a lid. Shake to mix well.

Heat cast iron pan over medium high until almost smoking. Add pork slices and fry until brown and crisp – about 3 to 4 minutes. Arrange mixed greens in a salad bowl. Top with sweet onion and apple slices. Place caramelized pork on top. Garnish with toasted walnuts and dress with port vinaigrette.

Serves 2

Taco Salad

With all the excesses from the last couple of days, last night's dinner requirement other than quick and easy was that it had to be somewhat lower in calories. That extra 10 minutes on the elliptical yesterday felt like an eternity and I've no desire to have to up that to 20 minutes after I step on the scale this morning. Oh the joys of being inside a body that likes any excuse to bulk up.

Honestly, there's nothing special about this particular Taco Salad other than than maybe the shells, or certainly the homemade roasted vegetable salsa, or how about that dressing. OK maybe it was a little special after all. It certainly tasted good.

The shells are simply flour tortillas that I draped over some large soup cups and baked in a 400 oven for a total of 10 minutes. Half way through when the outsides were crisp and golden, I removed the soup cups and flipped the shells over, then continued baking them until they were firm and golden brown - proof positive there's no need to deep fry tortilla shells.

As for the salsa, I cut 3 large very ripe tomatoes in half and put them cut side down on a sheet pan along with a half red onion, cut into large pieces, 2 whole chilies, one jalapeno and one serrano (remove the stems before they hit the food processor) and a half a seeded red pepper, also cut side down. It all went under the broiler for 10 minutes until everything was nicely charred then hit the food processor along with 3 cloves of garlic, a bunch of cilantro and the juice of 2 Mexican limes. A few pulses, a little salt and pepper, some extra hot sauce and the salsa was ready. I chilled it super fast by putting it into a stainless bowl and shoving it into the freezer. The salsa method's from John Conley's book, Salsa Brava Cocina and the great thing is you don't even have to take the seeds or membranes out of the chilies....and no it wasn't super hot. For some reason I can't seem to find really hot peppers right now or maybe it's just that my taste buds are fried.

Building the salad was a cinch - shredded romaine lettuce next in the shell followed by ground beef cooked with GASP, packaged taco seasoning mix and a half a chopped onion, shredded cheese, salsa and the finale...the salad dressing, which was sour cream mixed with a little salsa.

That was it ...dinner was done. The only problem was that by 9 bells, I was wishing I'd made that apple cake I've had my eye on, and I'm still wishing it as we "speak". Darn.

 

 

Pasta Salad with Green Olivada

Prepare yourself because I'm about to brag again. The big guy cooked up a mess a' ribs last night for dinner and my only task of the day was to make a salad to go along with them. Tough job eh? Actually, it isn't easy to make something that will stand up to his pork spareribs because he does an incredibly fine job of cooking the tender, moist, flavorful little morsels. 

I chose to make a pasta salad and while there's a multitude of different ways to make a one, this particular version happens to be perfect for a warm climate because there's not a smidge of mayo anywhere in it. That means there's no need to worry overly about enduring a visit from Uncle Sam and Aunt Ella (salmonella). Dressed with a lovely green olivada, an Italian olive spread flavored with capers, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard and anchovy paste, it coated our tri colored rotelle pasta with an explosion of flavor. Along with the addition of fresh mozzarella balls and cherry tomatoes, the salad is substantial enough to be served on it's own too. 

The big guy liked it a lot and while I loved the idea of it, I put more than the required teaspoon of anchovy paste into the darn thing thinking more of a good thing would make the salad better. It didn't...so if school's out on anchovies in your opinion, leave them out OK?

Pasta Salad with Green Olivada (adapted from Bon Appetit)

Olivada;

1 garlic clove, peeled

1 – 12 ounce jar small pitted green olives (drained & divided)

3 tablespoons capers, drained

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 teaspo0on anchovy paste

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Using a food processor, with the motor running drop garlic in and chop finely. Turn off machine and add 1 cup olives, capers, red wine vinegar, anchovy past, Dijon and red pepper flakes. Pulse 6 times to chop coarsely. With machine running add olive oil slowly to form a coarse puree. Season with black pepper (watch the salt because both olives and anchovies are salty). Stir in remaining olives. Set aside.

For Salad:

1 pound rotelle, fusilli, or gemelli pasta

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh chopped oregano

2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes cut in half

1 – 8 ounce package small fresh mozzarella balls, drained

Cook pasta according to package directions until tender but firm. Drain and place in large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Cool. Add olivada, tomatoes, mozzarella and oregano and toss well. Season with additional salt and pepper as required. Serve slightly chilled or at room temperature.  Makes 8 servings.  Download Pasta Salad with Green Olivada

Tuscan White Bean Salad with Spinach

The heat is back on in Arizona these days. Expected high of 90 today and yesterday we were in the mid-80's. It just doesn't seem right somehow and I have to admit, it's a little hard to eat "comfort" food when comfortable means having the AC back on.

Last night's menu was more of a summer hot weather dish which doesn't quite suit what's happening in most of the rest of the country but tuck this one away for future reference because it deserves a spot on the menu. Actually it would be great beside some of the left over turkey bird we'll all be having in a few weeks.

This gorgeous salad includes navy beans (I used canned), and onion along with sun dried tomatoes, kalamata olives and marinated mozzarella cheese balls. Garnished with fresh parsley and basil and mixed together with a sharp Italian vinaigrette, it goes together very quickly and looks phenomenal on the plate. Best at room temperature, I served it on a bed of spinach because I knew we'd have leftovers but you could certainly mix the spinach right into the salad too.

Served with some moist tender hamburger steaks and a lovely ripe sliced tomato on the side, it was summer personified on the second day of November. Go figure! Download Tuscan WHite Bean Salad with Spinach

Tuscan White Bean Salad with Spinach (adapted from The Foster’s Market Cookbook)

2 cans Navy beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion

1/2 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes

8 ounces marinated mozzarella cheese balls

1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives

Salt & pepper to taste

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Italian dressing

2 cups fresh spinach, cleaned and roughly chopped

Combine ingredients beans, onion, sun dried tomatoes, mozzarella and olives together in a medium sized bowl. Toss to combine. Add basil, parsley and dressing, tossing lightly. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature or just slightly cool. Toss with spinach just before serving or alternatively serve on a bed of spinach.

Dressing:

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1 clove of garlic, minced

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Mix above ingredients together in a small jar and shake well to combine well.

Creamy Buffalo Chicken Salad

For some bizzare reason we haven't had a chicken salad of any kind in forever and we love the things. Can't blame us for that when it all begins with chicken the big guy cooks on the grill. Thankfully he felt up to grilling some on Saturday when we were both a little under the weather and here's the proof.

This particular J'Bugs Kitchen invention has all the ingredients that make a plate of Buffalo chicken wings taste so good, but in this case it's re-constructed.

Beginning with cubed cooked chicken that's tossed with some hot cayenne pepper sauce (like Frank's Red Hot), and followed by shredded carrots, red onion, and celery it's finished with a creamy homemade ranch style dressing. Put to bed on a layer of crisp romaine and garnished with blue cheese (in my case gorgonzola) it certainly has all the flavors of Buffalo wings but it's a lot less messy to eat.
Spicy, creamy, and crunchie it's great with a piece of crisp sourdough toast and makes a might tasty week night dinner. By the way, feel free to use a supermarket rotisserie bird. It'll work just fine.

Creamy Buffalo Chicken Salad (an original from JBug’s Kitchen)

2 cups cubed cooked chicken

1/3 cup hot sauce (I used Frank’s Red Hot)

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1/2 cup light mayonnaise

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 Tablespoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon dried minced onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

2 ounces blue cheese

Romaine lettuce

In a medium sized bowl combine chicken and hot sauce. Toss to coat well. Cover and refrigerate a minimum of half an hour to allow flavors to develop. Meanwhile in a small bowl mix together mayonnaise, buttermilk, dried parsley, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Whisk together until smooth and creamy. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum half hour to blend flavors.  Before serving, add celery, onion and carrots to chicken. Fold in dressing. Place romaine lettuce on a platter. Pile salad on top and garnish with blue cheese. Makes 4 servings. Download Creamy Buffalo Chicken Salad

 

Apple and Stilton Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette

In keeping with our usual quick and easy theme for Friday, last night's salad was all of that and more. This fabulous light dinner was inspired by a recipe in one of my favorite cookbooks, Idaho a la Carte and made good use of some of those wonderful crisp apples that so mean "fall" in my mind along with a cheese that is truly the King of cheeses, Stilton.

 

I absolutely love the stuff but seldom buy it because of the price. We're pretty darn happy I kicked the budget to the curb and grabbed some for this salad. Stilton is a product of jolly old and is only produced in three counties Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire England. Made of cows milk its distinctive white crust and blue veined interior is quite crumbly and almost acidic when it's young, but as it matures it becomes smoother with a buttery texture, and a more mellow flavor.

The one we had last night was absolutely incredible - creamy smooth and about the best "blue" cheese ever. On a bed of fresh greens surrounded by wedges of granny smith apple and toasted walnuts with a sweet yet sharp honey mustard shallot vinaigrette, we were happy campers. Course we had to have a little rib eye along with our salad to keep the big guy happy, but it was amazing how well that rare steak went with the sharp, sweet, tart flavors in the salad.

All in all, I'd say this salad is a real keeper and a perfect addition to your holiday menu. I know it'll have a place on honor on mine!

Apple and Stilton Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette (Inspired by Idaho a la Carte)  

Vinaigrette:

1/2 cup canola oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon water

1 shallot, minced

Dash salt

3/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

Combine all above ingredients in blender or food processor and process until smooth and emulsified. Chill until serving time.

Salad:

1 package mixed spring greens

2 granny smith apples, cored sliced in wedges

4 ounces mature Stilton cheese, at room temperature sliced in small wedges

1/2 cup toasted walnuts

Arrange all ingredients on a plate or platter. Drizzle with Shallot Vinaigrette. Serve with fresh ground black pepper. Download Apple and Stilton Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette

Miami Spice

The big guy kept me safe and out of the kitchen yesterday - hey, there's been a run on ice and BandAids the last couple of days so he's really thinking about the budget too. He did absolutely all the cooking and waited on me hand and foot - literally. He even did all the clean up too - there's no way he was letting me anywhere near a knife.

Last night's dinner was inspired by a cookbook the big guy brought back from the Sunshine State on his last visit there. The book "Miami Spice" is loaded with specialties celebrating the new Florida cuisine including treats from Latin America, Cuba and the Caribbean.

Cubans love their pork and this shoulder roast spent 24 hours marinating in a Mojo made of copious amounts of garlic as well as orange, lemon and lime juice before it hit the heat. A slow roast outside on the barbecue resulted in extremely moist, tender and absolutely delicious slices of meat with a pleasant tangy citrusy finish. Accompanied by some Florida Slaw loaded with shredded cabbage, bell, poblano and jalapeno peppers, carrot and mango in a creamy orange flavored mayonnaise along with some traditional Tostones (fried, mashed green plantains), dinner was relatively healthy, definitely flavorful and a perfect end to a rather long week.

Cuban Style Roast Pork (Lechon Asado)

3 to 4 pound pork shoulder or loin of pork

15 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons salt

2 cups fresh orange juice (about 4 oranges)

1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 5 lemons)

1 cup fresh lime juice (6 to 8 limes)

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon oregano

2/3 cup olive oil

Combine garlic, salt, citrus juices, onion, oregano and olive oil in a large zip top container. Add pork and marinate overnight. Preheat oven to 325. Place pork and some marinade in a roasting pan and roast until internal temperature reaches at least 155 degrees. Spoon marinade over roast as needed.  (Alternatively, slow roast in a disposable foil pan on the barbecue over indirect heat for approximately half an hour per pound or until meat thermometer registers a minimum of 155). Let roast sit for 10 minutes before slicing. Download Cuban Style Roast Pork

Florida Slaw

Dressing:

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup orange juice concentrate

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

 

5 cups thinly shredded cabbage

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1/2 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 poblano thinly sliced

1 jalapeno pepper, minced

1 ripe mango, diced

1 bunch scallions, finely chopped

Cilantro leaves, chopped (optional)

Combine dressing with vegetables and serve. Download Florida Slaw

Pork Katsu with Soba Noodles

Ahhh, breathe easy. This is the last stop on our week of Asian culinary delights and of course the whole imaginary trip isn't complete until we stop in Japan. I dare say, sushi would have been delightful but there's no way I'm tackling that from home unless I learn how to make it in advance from a sushi master, so here we are with a quick and easy substitute.

To quote epicurious.com, "tonkatsu --deep fried breaded pork, is a European inspired dish that evolved during the late 19th century in Japan." It is simply pork that is pounded to within a quarter inch thickness, seasoned with salt and pepper, breaded in panko crumbs and pan fried. You've likely made it a b'zillion times and just didn't know it had a name, right?

It's tender, crispy on the outside and fabulous sliced as I have it here, or even slapped between two slices of good bread in a sandwich. The bonus is that it's just as delicious cold as it is hot which helped last night because we ate in shifts. The big guy had a meeting after work and wasn't home until 8 bells and of course I was hungry at 6 so this suited both of our schedules mighty finely.

Now, about the cold Soba Noodle Salad, we've had versions of this before on this site and every time I make it I wonder why we don't have it more often. Soba, made from buckwheat flour, take to a veggie filled cold salad like a hand to a glove and just get better and better with time. They cook quickly in just five minutes and in this case joined shredded carrot, julienne sticks of zucchini and slices of green onion in a honey ginger garlic vinaigrette. I think you'll agree this is a great week night dinner with a potential for fabulous lunch leftovers.

Pork Katsu with Soba Noodle Salad

2  4 ounce boneless center cut pork chops, trimmed of fat

1 large egg

1 tablespoon water

1 cup panko crumbs

3 to 4 tablespoons vegetable oil

Place pork chop inside large zip top bag, leaving bag open and pound to a 1/4 inch thickness. Season both sides lightly with salt and pepper. Beat egg with water. Coat chop with egg/water mixture then dip in panko crumbs, pressing crumbs onto pork. Heat oil in large non stick skillet over medium high heat. Cook chops approximately 4 to 5 minutes total until golden on each side and just barely cooked through. Drain on paper towels. Slice and serve.

Soba Noodle Salad:

4 ounces soba noodles cooked per package directions and well drained

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1 small zucchini, cut into julienne strips

2 green onions, sliced

Combine ingredients below in a screw top jar and shake until well mixed.

1/3 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1-1/2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 tablespoon honey

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon Asian chili sauce (sambel olek) optional

 To complete salad, toss soba and vegetables together with dressing and serve.  Serves 4 Download Pork Katsu with Soba Noodle Salad

 

 

Vietnamese Rice Noodle Salad (Bo Bun)

Last night's stop on our little "mini vacation" was Vietnam for this fabulous noodle salad. This is what I order when we go out on a date night to our favorite Vietnamese/Thai Restaurant (Saigon). Typical of all Vietnamese cooking, this salad is full of fresh ingredients including lots of vegetables with meat included almost as an afterthought.

Traditionally including shrimp, chicken or pork, I chose to think outside the box a tad and used beef that I marinated for several hours in garlic, green onion, lime and a little soy before cooking it in a very hot grill pan. 

Otherwise our rice noodle salad is pretty close to typical. Rice vermicelli noodles sit on a bed of fresh bean sprouts, shredded lettuce, cucumber, carrot and slivered green onions. Topped with a mix of fresh herbs including basil, mint and cilantro and garnished with chopped peanuts along with thin slices of meat and sliced egg rolls, the crowning glory is really the salad's dressing, Nuoc Cham. A Vietnamese dipping sauce, it appeals to the tastebuds by including a little heat, a little sweet, a touch of sour and a lot of flavor.Don't let the addition of fish sauce turn you off. It doesn't taste fishy in the least but if you have a allergy to shell fish, you'd be best to just leave it out. 

By the way, I love to mix a couple of sauces in my bowl but that's just personal taste so don't get the "tradition police" after me, OK. I just had to include some of that peanut sauce we had Sunday night too because it's too darn delicious to ignore.  All in all, it was a light refreshing meal, perfect for our hot August night.

Vietnamese Rice Noodle Salad (Bo Bun)

1 pound boneless beef steak

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 green onion, sliced

Zest of a lime

3 Tablespoons soy sauce

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

Combine all ingredients in a zip top bag and marinate in the refrigerator for minimum 4 hours. Cook steak on grill pan to desired doneness (3 minutes 1 side, 2 minutes on the other for medium rare). Remove from pan and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice into thin strips. Set aside.

Salad:

8 ounces of rice vermicelli

2 cups fresh bean sprouts, cleaned

2 cups shredded lettuce

1 cucumber, seeded and cut into julienne strips

1 carrot, shredded

handful each of fresh mint, cilantro and basil, chopped

1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook rice vermicelli noodles for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring pot occasionally. The noodles are cooked when soft and white but still firm. Drain well and run under cold water until cool. Set aside at room temperature.

To serve:

Place bean sprouts, lettuce, cucumber and carrots in the bottom of the bowl. Add cool vermicelli noodles and a handful of fresh herbs. Top off with slices of beef, and garnish with a chopped peanuts. Drizzle with Nuoc Cham sauce.   Serves 4

Nuoc Cham (Dressing)

1 Thai bird’s eye chili or jalapeno, minced

1 clove garlic

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon chile paste (sambal olek optional)

1/4 cup lime juice

1/4 cup fish sauce

1/4 cup hot water

1 tablespoon shredded carrot (optional)

Chop chili and garlic until well minced. Add to small bowl with sugar and remaining ingredients. Stir well. Let sit for a minimum of 15 minutes before using.

Chicken Pasta Salad with Pesto

Wonder of wonders, we were under a hundred yesterday. If this keeps up, one of these days I'll get that pot of soup on the stove that I've been craving. Realistically though it's a long way from soup weather so we're still on the "cool" theme.

Not just another pretty green face, this Chicken Pasta Salad has everything going for it including flavor. Chock a block full of artichoke hearts, salty capers, green olives, creamy avocado and sweet tomatoes never mind chicken and pasta, it's dressed in a fresh lemony pesto vinaigrette with a hint of Dijon mustard and a touch of cayenne. It was a great opportunity to give that ballistic basil a good haircut and use up the rest of the chicken the big guy cooked the other night.

To make up for the fact that dinner took about as long to put together as the pasta took to cook, I whipped up a little Plum Kuchen. Quite honestly I think I'd rather have this old fashioned kuchen than pie any day of the week and it's a great way to showcase all the stone fruit available in the market at the moment.

Slightly sweet, slightly tart with a touch of cinnamon and a hint of vanilla, this slice of heaven is incredibly easy to make and a perfect dessert for those who are pastry phobic. The crumbly crust is perfectly tender and kind of a cross between a buttery pastry and a tender rich cake. As for the filling, I've used peaches and pears before, but believe you me plums are the best, especially with the crown of creamy delicious vanilla flavored custard. We could hardy wait for it to cool enough to have a piece and now that I'm talking about it, I can't wait to have another one.

Chicken & Pasta Salad with Pesto Vinaigrette Dressing:

1 cup fresh basil leaves

Juice of 1 lemon

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon coarse ground pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

2/3 cup olive oil

In food processor combine basil, lemon juice, garlic, mustard, salt, pepper and cayenne.  Process until chopped. With the motor running, slowly add olive oil and process until smooth. Set aside.

Salad:

6 ounces pasta, cooked according to package directions and well drained

1 whole chicken breast, cooked & chopped

2  - 7 ounce jars marinated artichoke hearts, drained

1/4 cup capers, drained

1 avocado, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup green olives, drained and sliced

2 large tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped

4 green onions, chopped

Combine above ingredients. Toss with dressing. Chill, covered for a minimum of 1 hour. Makes 6 servings

Plum Kuchen

In food processor combine:

1 cup sugar

1-1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cut into pieces

Pulse three or four times until mixture forms fine crumbs. Remove 1/2 cup of crumbs and set aside. Place the remaining crumbs into a 9” springform pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Spread crumbs evenly on bottom  of pan.

4 plums

Slice and remove pits from plums. Arrange slices on top of crumb mixture in pan. Sprinkle with the reserved half cup of crumbs. Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 20 minutes.  Remove kuchen from oven.

Beat together

1 cup whipping cream

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla                                                                   

Top kuchen with egg/cream/vanilla mixture and return to oven. Bake for additional 30 to 40 minutes or until custard has set and top is golden brown. Cool to room temperature before serving.

Asian Pork Salad

It's been hotter than the hubs of hell here the past couple of weeks, and likely feels even more so to us after being away feeling the cool ocean breezes. For some reason I tend to forget that it's hot or hotter in other parts of the country too, silly me. There's no question it makes finding cool recipes a real challenge.

I had my favorite cutter/chopper home yesterday and he volunteered to help put dinner together. Far be it from me to decline the assistance so we whipped up this quick and fairly light Asian flavored salad for dinner last night.

Loaded with thinly sliced pieces of pork tenderloin, carrots, red pepper and onion and flavored with ginger, garlic, soy sauce and sesame oil, this stir fry goes together very quickly and really tastes like you fussed. I'm sure you're wondering what makes it different from a regular stir fry. That would be a spicy sauce like dressing that's not thickened with cornstarch or arrowroot. Piled on top of some fresh salad greens, it is colorful, flavorful and without the usual noodles or rice, much lower in calories.

Of course, one could also load it into lettuce leaves or even mu shu pancakes for that matter but there's one word of caution. Don't underestimate the power of the red pepper flakes and for heaven's sake, don't leave out the fresh mint. It really makes the dish sing.

Asian Pork Salad

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pork tenderloin (approx. 1 pound), thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 inch piece fresh ginger, minced

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

3 large carrots, julienned into 2 inch strips

1 red bell pepper, julienned

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1/2 tablespoon sesame oil

1 package mixed greens

Fresh mint leaves

Sliced toasted almonds for garnish

Heat oil in a wok over high heat until almost smoking. Add pork tenderloin and stir fry for 3 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and stir fry for 1 more minute. Add carrots and red bell pepper. Combine soy sauce, rice vinegar and crushed red pepper flakes. Add to pork mixture in wok, lower heat to medium low and cook for 2 minutes. Add onion, cook for 1 more minute. Stir in sesame oil.  Spoon mixture over lettuce. Garnish with mint leaves and almonds.  Serves 4.  Download Asian Pork Salad

Teriyaki Salmon on a Spicy Thai Noodle Salad

Quick and cool were the prerequisites for last night's dinner as it's hot and muggy here in hell these days. Will this monsoon season ever end so I can find something else to whine about? I mean, it's so miserable that even Georgie the cat has had enough. I caught her cooling off in the fountain yesterday - course she could have been there because she was outfoxed by the bird she was after.

The temperature outside also made me want to test the theory that eating something spicy makes you feel cooler. While I'm not one hundred percent sold on the theory, for sure the gorgeous fillet of wild sockeye sitting pretty on a bed of pasta spiced up with soy sauce, garlic, lime and jalapeno met the necessary criteria and satisfied two hungry souls. As for being cooler - not so much, but isn't that the AC's job anyway?

By the way it's too darn hot to fire up the barbecue at our house, particularly since it involves charcoal and dealing with flying creepy crawlies and slithering snakes all of which make me run as fast as possible in another direction; however, for those of you who are so inclined feel free to cook the salmon fillet outside instead of in the oven.

Teriyaki Salmon on Thai Noodle Salad

Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1/4 cup vegetable oil

3 Tablespoons soy sauce

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

1 Tablespoon grated lime zest

1 large jalapeno pepper, minced

Place ingredients in a small jar and shake well to combine.

 

Salad:

6 to 8 ounces spaghetti noodles

1 cup peeled and shredded carrots

1 cup sliced green onions

1/2 cup slivered red pepper (optional)

1/2 pound green beans, blanched and drained (optional)

Cook noodles per package directions and drain well. Toss hot noodles with vinaigrette. Add vegetables and toss well. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Serves 4.

Salmon:

2 – 6 to 8 ounce salmon fillets, pin bones and skin removed

3 Tablespoons teriyaki sauce

2 Tablespoons hoisin sauce

1 Tablespoon minced ginger

1/4 teaspoon Sriracha sauce

1 teaspoon honey

Preheat oven to 475. Place prepared salmon fillets on a foil lined greased baking sheet. Combine teriyaki, hoisin, ginger, Sriracha and honey in a small bowl. Brush salmon fillets with half of mixture and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Bake salmon for 10 to 12 minutes or until done. Top fillets with remaining sauce and serve over noodles.   Download Teriyaki Salmon on Thai Noodle Salad

Shrimp Salad with Orange and Tarragon

I have a confession to make. The last time I made this for dinner I bragged about the fact that we ate the whole 2 pounds worth of shrimp in one sitting. Well, goes to show how much has changed around here with the two of us working out. When you're counting the calories against the minutes it takes to burn them off on the elliptical, consumption is considerably less as we found out last night. One pound of shrimp in a salad for two is more than enough to fill the void.

This salad is adapted from an Ina Garten recipe and it's a real winner. The beautiful shrimp were on special at Sprouts and they wanted $2.00 more a pound for the cooked versus uncooked variety, so I bought the uncooked ones and roasted them in a 400 oven. It took a mere 6 minutes until these beauties were perfectly done and with a much better flavor than the boiled or steamed version.

Mixed with an orange and tarragon mayonnaise, along with some fresh fruit and a piece of cheese toast, dinner was ready in a flash, the kitchen was cool and cleanup a breeze. What more can one ask for?

 

Shrimp Salad with Orange Tarragon Mayonnaise

1 pound large shrimp, shelled and cleaned

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt & pepper

Rinse and dry shrimp well. Sprinkle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Roast in a 400 oven for 6 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes.

Mix together the following

1/2 cup light mayo

1-1/2 teaspoons grated orange rind

1 tablespoon orange juice

1-1/2 teaspoons white vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon or 1 teaspoon dried

1/4 cup chopped sweet onion.

Combine with cooled shrimp and refrigerate a minimum of 30 minutes to blend flavors.  Makes 3 servings