Greetings, Friends! So glad you stuck around during my absence. But I'm back in the kitchen with some great new recipes. And this one is at the top of my list.
I was fortunate to be able to spend a night with my friend, Sharon, when I was in Oklahoma City. It was, unfortantely, just for one night and I had thought we might go out to dinner. But she told me she had planned to make dinner so what could I say? I would never, ever turn down a meal at her home. And I knew I was in for a treat when I got to her front door and the aroma wafted through her screen door.
Sharon, however, is one of those "fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants" cooks and so her recipes are a touch of this and a tad of that, or you could try something different! So I did the best I could to duplicate hers and think I came pretty darn close.
This is so, so simple and oh-so-good. I think she told me she got this original Weight Watcher's recipe from a friend. I almost always use skinless, boneless chicken breasts, but she had used thighs and they were so tender after simmering in the sauce that I stuck with her choice.
The amounts I have below are what I used. This is a small batch since there are just the two of us, so adjust according to how many servings you'll need (or make extra in case you like this as much as I did). You can use tomato soup (any kind, prepared.....not condensed) in lieu of the tomato sauce. Onion and pepper amounts are also a guestimate......add more or less to your liking. And you really must serve this over mashed potatoes......this simple sauce makes the best gravy.
SHARON'S FABULOUS TOMATO CHICKEN (2 servings)
8 oz skinless, boneless chicken thigh, cut into bite-sized pieces
14.5 oz can of stewed tomatoes, chopped up
8 oz tomato sauce or tomato soup
1/2 medium sweet onion, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 tsp fresh garlic, minced
1 tsp minced fresh parsley
garlic powder, to taste
S&P to taste
mashed potatoes
In a skillet or electric pan, brown the chicken on both sides. Remove. Saute onions, pepper and garlic until tender. Add tomatoes and tomato sauce or soup, garlic powder, and S&P. Put seared chicken back into the mix. Simmer covered about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve over mashed potatoes.
Recipe Source: Sharon Davis, Oklahoma City
I was able to go the Oklahoma City National Memorial when I was in Oklahoma City last week. I believe the pictures say it all.
9:01 a.m. April 19, 1995. One minute before the bombing.
9:02 a.m.
9:03 a.m. One minute after the bombing.
Chair symbolizing the life of Paul Douglas Ice.
A partial view of all of the chairs representing the lives of the 168 victims murdered on April 19, 1995.
Never forget.
Just a note to let you know I'll be off-grid for a few weeks. I'm leaving in a couple of days to spend a bit of time with my sweet mother, who is in late stages of Alzheimer's.
For anyone who has been through this with someone they love with all of their hearts, I don't need to tell you how heart-breaking this disease is.
On top of this, I'm looking down the barrel of the 20th anniversary of the Oklahoma City Bombing. It's so hard to believe that my sweet big brother was murdered 20 years ago. He had so many plans (he was only 43-years-old at the time) and was so looking forward to the future (he was a pilot with his own plane and had planned on trips to Alaska, New York, and more).
Not to mention I was just three blocks away on the other side of Robinson Avenue. I was on the 21st floor of the First National Bank building (a place my father took me to as a young girl to watch the stock tickers on the bank building floor) when the blast happened. Someone said "that's the Federal Building," and I said "my brother works in the Federal Building."
I'll never forget riding down the elevator around 10:30 a.m, about an hour and a half after the blast. I was so happy to get a day off of work! I hated my job and the people I worked with. It was like a free pass. And then I saw the enormity of what had happened. OKC became "The Oklahoma City Standard." Within minutes, expressways were blocked off with police vehicles. Luckily, I was able to take Reno Avenue to my parent's home in Midwest City.
I'll never forget the next few hours. My dad was still in his garden. Mom and I sat on the couch watching the television. I laid down with my head on her lap. After a while, my Dad come into the house. He eventually decided he needed to go downtown to Saint Anthony Hospital, the clearinghouse for bombing victims, to try to find his son. Once there, he found a big bulletin board with names of people treated and released. And guess what? "Paul Ice" was shown as treated and released. Needless to say, we were thrilled, but where was he? Turns out, SO WEIRD, there was a janitor at the Methodist Church across the street whose name was Paul Ice.
Now we have been in the OKC area for decades and thought we knew everyone with the "Ice" surname, but had never met this man (still haven't).
So the day grew longer. We waited. And waited. And waited. Eight days until they recovered Paul's body. He is now buried alongside his beloved father and other family members at the Fairview Cemetary outside of Apache, OK, the hometown of our sweet, sweet Momma, and next to our Dad's grave and later our Mother's. There is one more plot and I'd like to think that maybe someday me, my husband, and our cats and dogs' ashes may lay next to them. Or we'll be in Arlington National Cemetary, or the National Cemetary here in beautiful Chattanooga, TN.
And one last thing since I'm spilling my heart. Our sweet girl, Muffin, is not long for this world. I have so loved this sweet, sweet puppy-dog-girl since she came into our lives the 4th of July weekend, 1999. She and I have been together almost every moment of our lives since then and I can't imagine life without her. I treasure every moment with her.
So, thank you for your patience. I look forward to getting back in action in a few weeks.
Please remember Oklahoma City. Visit www.oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org.
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This is a pretty basic salmon pasta salad recipe except rather than using a traditional mayo dressing, you use vegetable oil. I like to toss all of the ingredients together (including what would be in the dressing, except the oil) and then drizzle the oil at serving time so the pasta doesn't absorb it during the time it spends in the fridge.
SALMON PASTA SALAD (6-8 servings)
8 oz pasta (rotini, farfell, or what you like)
2 cups cooked, flaked salmon or 1 can (14 3/4oz) pink salmon, drained, bones and skin removed
1 1/2 cups quartered cherry or halved grape tomatoes
1 medium cucumber, quartered and sliced
1 small red onion, sliced
1/2 cup vegetable oil, or less
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice
1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh dill
1 tsp finely minced fresh garlic
S&P to taste
leaf lettuce for serving, optional
In a large bowl, toss the pasta, salmon, tomatoes, cucumber, and onion.
For dressing, combine the oil, lemon or lime juice, dill, garlic, S&P; mix well. Pour over pasta. Cover and chill. Serve on lettuce if desired.
Recipe Source: www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/salmon-pasta-salad (submitted by Mary Dennis of Bryan, Ohio)
I needed a side dish for a salmon fillet the other night. Jim's choices were green beans or edamame. He opted for edamame.
I keep both shelled edamame and edamame in the shell in my freezer. Either one is a great and healthy snack or a wonderful addition to any salad. This salad reminds me of a corn and black bean salad, but instead of a Southwestern twist, this corn and edamame salad has a bit of an Asian twist (am I in an Asian mode lately or what?) with a tad bit of minced ginger added, and a tiny bit of mayo instead of an oil dressing.
Regardless of its ethnic leaning, this is a wonderful side salad. Not just in taste, but in color and texture as well. Oh, and not only is it mighty easy, it keeps well for days.
ROASTED CORN and EDAMAME SALAD (4 servings)
2 ears fresh corn, unhusked, or 1 1/4 cups frozen then thawed corn kernels
1/2 cup shelled edamame
1/4 cup chopped red onions
1/4 cup small-diced red bell pepper
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp light mayo
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp finely minced fresh ginger
S&P to taste
Soak fresh corn in cold water about 30 minutes. Heat grill on high. Grill corn in husk, 10-15 minutes, turning once. Let cool. Remove husks. Cut corn from the corn in a bowl.
Add corn (either freshly roasted for thawed/frozen) and remaining ingredients. Cover and chill in fridge until read to serve.
Recipe Source: www.epicurious.com
We love spring rolls, the Asian rolls wrapped in rice papers (not fried). It's a great light meal for late evenings or hot weather. I generally put all of the ingredients out and then we just roll our own putting in as much or as little of each ingredient as we desire.
This is basically just a deconstructed spring roll. And it is good! I prefer to use roasted shrimp, but you could certainly use some cooked chicken (a great place for leftovers). I found the Japanese salad dressing recipe in own of my beloved Moosewood cookbooks (while tossed salads aren't a traditional Japanese food, they've become popular and often served in Japanese restaurants).
I'm listing the dressing recipe as I found it, but I only made a quarter of the recipe....just right for two entree salads. And there are no amounts for salad ingredients, it just depends on how much you want to make (I roast my peeled and deveined shrimp with a bit of EVOO and black pepper on "High Broil," top rack for 3-6 mintues, depending on the size).
Serve this with egg rolls or potstickers on the side.
Salad Ingredients:
chopped lettuce (green or red leaf, romaine, or spring mix)
shredded cabbage
chopped cucumbers
carrots cut into matchsticks
rice noodles, run through hot water until softened
bean sprouts
chopped red pepper
fresh mint leaves, torn
fresh basil leaves, torn
sliced green onions
cooked shrimp or chicken
roasted peanuts
salt to taste
Salad Dressing:
1 small garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/4 medium onion, minced (about 2 Tbsp)
1/2 medium carrot, grated small (about 1/4 cup)
1 1/2 Tbsp grated peeled fresh ginger root
1/4 tsp dried mustard
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp apple cider or apple juice
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup mild rice vinegar (you can use apple cider vinegar, but first bring to a boil and let cool to room temp)
S&P to taste
For the dressing:
In a food processor or blender, whirl the garlic, onion, carrot, and ginger for about 30 seconds (I simply whisked it). Add the rest of the ingredients, except the S&P, and process until thickened. Stir in S&P to taste.
For the salad:
Toss all of the salad ingredients together (can be made ahead and refrigerated). You can either toss the shrimp or chicken with the salad, or serve it on top.
When ready to serve, toss salad and dressing until well-covered.
Recipe Source for the dressing: Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant, 1990, p. 405
Did you do a traditional St. Patrick's Day Corned Beef and Cabbage? I certainly did. Every year I have to ask myself why I only make it once a year. I love corned beef and cabbage. Maybe it's that seasonal/holiday thing like only having eggnog at Christmastime.
Regardless, it's one of the things I adore about this time of year. I have found in the last few years that my favorite brand, hands-down, is Groebbels (vs. Murphy & David which are usually these only two choices in these parts). And I generally use either the crock pot or pressure cooker with outstanding results (adding the vegetables at the end of the cooking time).
But when I saw this recipe in our local paper a few weeks prior to SPD, I thought I'd try this elevated approach. It includes adding extra spices (including a specialty spice blend), bay leaves, allspice berries, mustard, and beer. Their recipe called for fingerling potatoes, but I had some large red potatoes on hand which I simply quartered. Also, they did not call for the added cabbage but, come on, what's SPD with corned beef and cabbage?
CORNED BEEF with CARROTS and POTATOES (and Cabbage) (servings depend on size of corned beef)
1 packaged corned beef brisket with seasoning packet (as big or small as your family needs)
4 dried bay leaves
8 whole allspice berries
1 Tbsp of Kitchen Creole's Black Rose spice blend (available online)
1 onion, sliced
2 stalks celery
4 large whole cloves garlic
2 Tbsp whole-grain mustard
1 bottle Dark Stout Guiness beer or other dark lager
1 1/2 bottle of water
Fingerling potatoes, leave whole
Carrots, cut in large chunks (I used small baby carrots)
1/2 or whole head of cabbage, quartered, optional
Place bay leaves, berries, kitchen creole, onion, celery, and garlic in the bottom of a slow cooker. Place corned beef fat side up on top of mixture, along with seasoning packet.
Spread mustard on top of brisket, along with more kitchen creole. Pour in beer and water. Cover and set to low heat for about 5 hours; at that time check to see if brisket is tender. If it's tender, leave it in the cook and add potatoes and carrots (and cabbage, if adding).
Turn heat to high and continue to cook for 45 minutes (test beef and vegetables, add more time if necessary).
When ready to serve, remove beef and let it sit for several minutes before slicing. Serve with vegetables. Serve with butter/more mustard/and/or horseradish sauce.
Recipe Source: www.timesfreepress.com/news/life/entertainment/story/2015/mar/04/courtes-kitchen-low-n-slow-corned-beef-simple-make-packed-flavors-and-good-several-meals/291186/
