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Author Archives: dee
Baby Lima Bean and Chorizo Casserole
ok – I’ll admit this one seems a bit weird. It came about years ago and has evolved into its current and *most delicious* incarnation. I think of this as a spicy white-bean-dip-you-can-eat-for-supper. And, it’s pretty perfect for these really cold nights. We will get back to salads and lighter fare once the weather warms up past freezing!
To begin, sort and rinse 1lb of baby lima beans. Soak for 6 hours (or overnight). 
Drain. Place beans into a sauce pan and cover with water. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and allow to cook until tender, about 2 hours. You can cook the beans a day or two before you put this together, if you prefer. Once the beans are tender, add 1tsp. Celtic or Himalayan pink salt. Please use good salt – that white, bleached stuff has been stripped of micronutrients and is nothing but trouble!
When you are ready to assemble, sauté your veggies. I used: 
1 Poblano pepper, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 sweet red pepper, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
Place the chopped aromatics into a large skillet on medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp of fat (going with the pork theme, I used bacon drippings). Cook til tender, about 5-7 minutes. Slide the veggies to one side of the pan and add 1lb chorizo. 
Brown and break up the chorizo, mixing with veggies as you go. 
By now, the baby lima beans are tender and mushable. I like them to be about the texture of refried beans. One thing that’s helpful is to cook them in just enough water to do the job – then, you don’t have to drain and the starchy liquid left in the beans helps to pull it all together. It’s going to work, either way!
Once the meat is done (no pink remaining), add the baby lima beans to the skillet. If your beans are wet and soupy, drain them first. Be sure to reserve some of the starchy cooking liquid in case you need to add a little liquid back.
Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Dig out your favorite casserole pan (9×13 or a round one deep enough to hold everything). Add the cooked beans to the skillet and stir well. Taste it and correct any seasoning issues. Now, carefully pour the chorizo/bean/veggie mixture into the casserole pan, adding in a handful of grated cheddar cheese. 
If it seems too wet, bake uncovered. If you feel like the moisture level is right, cover with foil.
Bake for 30 minutes or until it’s all bubbly and the eaters start to assemble. Serve with a big chopped salad and lots of fresh toppings and tortilla chips for scooping. We had:
diced avocado
finely diced red pepper
finely chopped red onion
sour cream
and I WISH I’d had some cilantro – would’ve been even better!
Seriously GOOD eating.
Spinach Salad
Often, in this life, it’s all about the simple things. Spinach salad is one of those lovely, simple things. There are a zillion different versions out there, but this basic one can get you started.
2 cups washed baby spinach
8-10 bite-sized mozzarella balls
2 Tbsp. pomegranate arils
drizzle of olive oil
drizzle of balsamic vinegar
salt & pepper to taste
I found these in the grocery store and was thrilled to find arils without the work! Try them. You can eat the whole thing AND they’re completely delicious.
Yes… we eat salads, too!
Jaeger Schnitzel
Pronounced “Yeager” (like Chuck Yeager), Jaeger Schnitzel is a hearty and deliciously decadent meal. It was a birthday request from my honey and I was happy to make one of his all-time favorites. He ordered Jaeger Schnitzel many years ago in German restaurant and was blown away. This is my take on that experience with apologies in advance to any deviations from authentic German recipes.
1 lb venison cutlets (pork, beef, chicken or turkey are all acceptable substitutes)
2/3 cup all purpose flour, in a bowl seasoned with: 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder and 1 teaspoon Chipotle chili powder
Stir the seasonings into the flour and lightly coat each piece of venison. 
I will mention this is not “breading”, just a light coating of seasoned flour that sticks to the natural moisture in the cutlets. Heat up a medium skillet and add 3 Tbsp. fat.
I used Spectrum shortening. 
It’s organic and performs nicely in high heat. You can find this at most health food stores and larger grocery stores. Once the pan is hot, gently place the cutlets in the pan being careful to avoid crowding. 
Once you’ve got the meat going, prepare your veggies for the mushroom sauce: 
5 baby portabella mushrooms
1/2 red onion
2 sticks celery
1/2 poblano pepper
3 cloves garlic
In a food processor, finely mince all the veggies, scraping down the sides as needed. It should look about like this when the veggies are ready to go.
I ♥♥♥ a soffritto! It allows me to sneak in lots of extra veggies!
Back to the browning cutlets ~ cook the meat in batches, adding additional fat if needed. Usually 3-5 minutes on the first side then 2-3 minutes on the second side. You’ll know when it’s done. Then, place the meat in a 200 degree oven on a baking sheet to hold warm while you make the sauce.
Use the same skillet in which you cooked the cutlets, removing any really dark or burned bits. Spoon your soffritto veggies into the pan and begin stirring. The moisture from the soffritto will begin “pull up” the crazy flavor from the pan. This is a good thing. Cook and stir the soffritto for 5-7 minutes, scraping up the deliciousness from the bottom of the pan. I added a little more fat here to loosen things up. 
It’s also around this time you will need to start the rice. I like organic basmati. Place 1 cup rice in a pan and turn on the heat to medium high.
Give the rice a swirl of olive oil. 
Let the rice heat up and stir it to coat each grain with the oil.
Once it begins to smell slightly toasted but *BEFORE* the rice begins to brown, add 2 cups of beef broth. 
Place the lid on pan, reduce the heat to simmer and let it go for about 20 minutes… plenty of time to finish the sauce.
And, back to the soffritto! Add about 1.5 Tbsp. of tomato paste. 
Stir the tomato paste to incorporate. It will need a couple of minutes to come together just so. Then, you add the rest of the seasoned flour (left0ver from coating the cutlets).
Let it cook for 2-3 minutes. It’s going to become thick and gloopy. Don’t worry!
You just want to cook the flour and it’s all going great! 
Now, add about 2 cups of beef broth. Stir and stir and stir. Mash out any lumps. I keep my heat medium low and it’s really forgiving here.
If you are cooking too hot and fast, panic can set in. Just be mellow, keep stirring and it will come together. In a few minutes, it will all get friendly and you have tomato-spiked mushroom gravy! To this, add a big handful of chopped parsley. 
Plate it up and go to town! Ich liebe es!
Broiled Salmon Fillet
How have I not posted about salmon before? It’s a definite favorite. My Dad spent a summer working on a fishing boat in Alaska and we got hooked (sorry!) off his surplus of line-caught salmon. The secret for perfectly cooked fish is having it completely thawed before it goes into the oven and not overcooking. TIME in the heat is the process that develops the “fishiness factor” so, cook it fast and hot. Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees, lay the fillet on parchment paper (skin-side down) and prepare the glaze.
In a small bowl mix:
1 Tbsp. spicy, whole-grain mustard
1 Tbsp. molasses
Stir together and smear over the top of the salmon. Season with a nice sprinkling of salt and freshly ground pepper.
Place your pan into the oven on a middle rack and turn the broiler on. Allow to broil for 5-7 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet. Turn the pan around for even browning and watch closely. You want color and sizzle but not blackening. Ideally, there’s some degree of gradation toward the middle of the salmon but it takes a bit of finesse to pull this off. It’s gonna be delicious, either way! Oh, the tender flesh, the sweet from the molasses and the spiciness of the mustard! Bliss, pure bliss.
This recipe is so simple and delightful I hope you will try it – even if you “think you don’t like fish”.
Razzle Dazzle
I gave up soda years ago. Caffeine makes me jumpy. Yet, who doesn’t *want* a little something tasty to sip in the afternoon? My solution: I came with up something delicious and refreshing out of fresh, healthful ingredients so I didn’t want or miss the sugar/acidic/bad-for-you gunk I used to drink before I gave a rip about my health. You can make this in less than 3 minutes. Try it!!
1 fresh lemon
1 fresh lime
2 fresh clementines (like Cuties or whatever is in season).
Cut citrus fruits in half and squeeze into a quart jar. 
Fill with fresh, filtered water. If you prefer a sweetened drink, add stevia or raw sugar to taste. Drink over ice or at room temp. Completely lovely. Even lovelier if you have a sprig of fresh mint.
NOTE: I did not come up with the name for this. That honor goes to a dear friend of mine. Her son had moved home for a time and she made this for him. When he’d ask for it, he’d say “Mom, could we make some Razzle Dazzle?” Thank you, Jonas. I believe we can!
Chicken Pot Pie
It’s COLD! And, when it’s really cold, sometimes you just need some real, comforting home food to warm you up from the inside out. We only make this dish about once a year, but my husband has been campaigning for it lately. He makes the crust and I make the filling. Can’t ask for a better deal!
To begin: stew a chicken
I do this in the slow cooker. In the morning, I place 1/4 onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1/2 lemon and 1 cup filtered water in the slow cooker. Add a rinsed, clean chicken. Salt and pepper go on top. Place the lid on tightly, turn the heat to high and let it go. In the afternoon, skin and bone the chicken. Filter the veggies out of the cooking liquid and keep the broth! You won’t use it all in this dish but, it will be fantastic in soup or any recipe calling for chicken broth.
Once the chicken meat is set aside, begin preparing the filling. OH MY GOSH! You’re going to need a crust. See? That’s where teamwork comes in. My hubby makes the holiday pies and any pie crusting that goes on comes from him. Here’s an excellent resource on the process he uses and the recipe he uses from Cooks Illustrated:
http://food52.com/recipes/24966-cook-s-illustrated-foolproof-pie-crust
NOTE: This recipe makes 1 crust – for a double crust, double the recipe. You will need to double for chicken pot pie.
It’s now the only pie crust he makes. Perfect for sweet or savory dishes. So, get *someone* to do the crust and give it time to chill for a couple of hours in the fridge before assembly.
Back to the filling:
6-7 white, button mushrooms, diced small
1 cup thin sliced celery
1 cup carrot “squares” – he who makes the crust insists they must be squares like the bought ones he *used* to eat – suit yourself and your eaters
Now, this is chicken pot pie. Use rendered chicken fat if you have it. Don’t skimp! I use about 2 Tbsp. Heat the pan, add the fat, S&P and cook all the veggies til tender. It will take 10-15 minutes on medium low heat. They don’t need to brown and they should not be crunchy in this dish. Once the veggies are perfect, make a roux. To the tender veggies, add 2 Tbsp. flour. Cook and stir for 1-2 minutes. Then, using your saved chicken broth (about 1 cup) turn the filling into pure decadence. Stir to combat lumpage! Add in about 1 1/2 cups chopped chicken. Stir to combine and let the whole mess of loveliness come to simmer. Now, add in 3/4 cup frozen peas. Turn the heat off and spoon in 1/2 cup full fat plain Greek yogurt. Taste it. Oh yeah. Correct seasonings, if needed.
Roll out the bottom crust and place into pie pan. Pour in the filling. Top with remaining crust, cutting some vent holes. Into a 425 degree preheated oven it goes! Let it cook for about 10 minutes then lower the heat in the oven to 400 and cook another 30 minutes or until beautifully golden. Now, here’s the hard part, it should set for about 10 minutes before you slice into it. If you can hold off, good for you! It will pull up all the liquids and make perfect slices. Either way, enjoy! 
We certainly did! :0
As you can see, we only have finish pics of this dish. I’ll do better next time!
Salty Dogs
I love this cocktail. Let me qualify that: I love the version my husband makes. I love him, too. Even so, nobody makes a better Salty Dog. Today I share his technique with you.
Start with fresh grapefruit. 
Four grapefruit will make about 3 drinks so plan your squeezing accordingly. The grapefruits! What did you think I meant??
Squeeze the juice – I have a little juicer component on my favorite kitchen workhorse.
It comes in super handy for this. 
To your favorite glass (this one came from New Mexico and if it ever gets broken I will cry!) add crushed ice all the way to the top. Add a squeeze of lime to the ice.
To this, mix 1 part vodka to 3 parts freshly squeezed grapefruit juice. Finish with a couple of grinds of superfine fresh ground salt.
Tink! (that’s the sound of the glasses clinking together)
Note: You can make this drink with store-bought juice but, it’s not the same. If you do – omit the salt. Processed juice is salty enough. If you use something like Ruby Red (from the non-refrigerated section) it will be much sweeter than the authentic, fresh version. If you must use bought juice, I recommend Simply Juice from the cold section of your store – it’s not the same, but will do in a pinch.
Pumpkin 101 and Creamy Pumpkin Soup
Gorgeous! Besides that, pumpkins are full of beta carotene, fiber and tons of nutrients. This one was used for decorating at the studio (and one awesome Halloween workout) where I teach Pilates. You can buy special cooking pumpkins that are smaller and easier to manage. However, I hate waste and I do love a challenge, so I now have several of these bad boys. (Thanks, Weavermans!) First, we must get it into manageable-sized chunks. I took my sharpest kitchen knife and began slicing downward from the top. 
Continue doing this all the way around the pumpkin, then, make a short cut at the top below the stem to connect the long cuts and you will have pumpkin wedges. 
Using a large spoon, scrape out the seeds and stringy fibers. (Don’t throw them away – we need them later on for homemade granola!) 
Once you have all the insides cleaned out, place your pumpkin wedges into a large roasting pan and place into a pre-heated 400 degree oven. 
This will need to roast for about an hour. When the flesh is tender enough to pierce easily with a fork, just turn the oven off. Leave the door closed and let the pumpkin sit until it’s cool enough to work with – about another 45 minutes to an hour. It will have browned in some place and softened considerably by this time. 
Take a wedge and use another large spoon to scoop as close to the skin as you can and remove the delicious pumpkin flesh.
You can see there are still some connective fibers left over from the seed removal. That’s alright. Everything is tender and they won’t even be detectable. With all sections scraped, you end up with a LOT of perfectly golden, tender pumpkin that beats the socks off canned for flavor and texture in any recipe you have for pumpkin.
And, since we have already gone this far. And, since you KNOW how much I adore soup. Let’s just make some right quick.
Into a large stock pan, place 2-3 Tbsp. of fat. (I am using chicken fat, but butter, coconut oil or a combo are just fine.) Add 2 big pinches of turmeric to enhance the beautiful golden color and add in some fabulous anti-oxidants plus 1 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper.
Now, the aromatics. I used 1/2 red onion, roughly chopped and 4-5 sticks of celery, roughly chopped. Add to pan on medium – high heat.
I am making 10 servings (about 1 cup each) of soup. If you wish to make less, or more, adjust accordingly.
Once your aromatics are tender, add the pumpkin flesh (in my case, about 7-8 cups). The pumpkin is already cooked, we just want this all to come together. We need liquid and decadence: organic coconut milk! 
Perfect. Put the whole can in there. Then, 2-3 cups of chicken broth. 
The coconut milk will soften and add unbelievable creaminess and up the satiety factor by a zillion. When everything has come up to a simmer, check and see if your consistency is about right. Remove from heat and whip out your immersion blender. Blend until perfect. 
Taste for seasonings and adjust to your preference. Serve and bask in the glory! 
Note: This can easily be made vegan. Use coconut oil for fat and vegetable broth or water for additional liquid.
Saturday Eggs
Oh, how I LOVE weekends! We eat breakfast daily but, on weekends, it can be a little later, a little more relaxed and even a little tastier! We call these Saturday eggs but they can be enjoyed on any day of the week. Customize this to suit your families preferences – this is just a process. If you want potatoes, add potatoes. For more heat, use jalapenos. Got some mushrooms that need to be used up? Chop them and toss them in. You get the idea. You can expand this to feed a crowd. For today, I am feeding 2, and we’ll have no trouble eating all this! I just so happened to have red pepper, purple onion and bacon on hand and that’s how these evolved. 
Heat your skillet to low-medium. To the hot skillet, spoon in 1-2 Tbsp. bacon grease. Then, add your chopped veggies. 
I used about 1/3 cup of each. Add a little salt and pepper and let them go, stirring occasionally. Cook 10-15 minutes until the water is released from the veggies and they are soft – can’t have crunchy bites in your eggs, now can we? The lower and slower these cook, the sweeter the onions and peppers will get. When the veggies are “there” with maybe some browning to the edges, add your pre-cooked bacon* {see previous post BACON}. Again, I used about 1/3 cup, chopped fine. 
Now, the eggs. 
Add salt and pepper and whip them up! 
And, into the pan they go!
When the eggs are about half-set, add in a handful of grated cheese. 
Continue cooking and stirring gently, bringing cooked parts up and letting egg liquid get to the heat at the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and serve! 
*Note: If your bacon is raw, simply cook it in the same skillet at the start. It will render the fat needed for the veggies. Once the bacon is done, remove it from the pan. Allow to cool and chop. Return it to the same pan as described above.