Fish Coconut Curry

(4 servings)

Don't let the variety of spices discourage you from trying this delicious curry. If you are fortunate enough to live near a Whole Foods, Sprouts or Central Market, they might very well have a spice section in their bulk foods department. In Dallas, it's possible to purchase spices by the spoonful for mere pennies.

Central Market will sometimes even take that extra step and order specific bulk spices for you. I needed lavender for a Coca Cola syrup I was experimenting with last summer. Central Market ordered it and then called me when they had it in stock two weeks later. I was thrilled they were willing to do this when all I needed was two tablespoons of the stuff!

2 tsp coconut oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, inced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/8 tsp cayenne, or to taste
14.5oz can diced tomatoes
13.5oz can coconut milk
1/2 - 2 jalapeno peppers, sliced and to taste
salt, if needed
1 lb firm white fish
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Heat the coconut oil in a heavy pot with a tight fitting lid. Add the onion and cook until it's translucent. Adjust the flame as needed to keep the onion from burning.

Stir in the garlic, ginger, garam masala, coriander, cumin, turmeric and cayenne. Cook for a minute or two (until the spices are very fragrant), then stir in the tomatoes, coconut milk and jalapeno pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the flame to low, cover the pot and cook for about an hour. Taste and add salt, if needed.

Cut the fish into bite sized pieces and add to the curry. Cook for another 3-6 minutes or until the fish is cooked through.  If you cook it too long the fish might begin to flake and fall apart. Remove from heat and sprinkle with the cilantro.

Serve.

Raw Turnip, Apple and Carrot Slaw

(4-6 servings)

Recently I tried turnips for the first time. They hadn't been at all what I expected, and their taste and textures were quite different raw or baked. I love them raw; somewhat peppery and nice and crispy.

Raw turnips are delicious in this fresh salad!

1 large honey tangerine
2 tbsp apple cider or rice vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 clove garlic, minced
2 turnips
1 crisp apple
3 medium carrots
salt and pepper, to taste

Cut the tangerine in half and squeeze out the juice; you should have about 1/2 cup, give or take. Combine that with the vinegar, olive oil and garlic. Set aside.

Slice the tops off the turnips (where the leaves came out) as well as the bottoms. Peel them and then shred them into a large bowl.

Wash the apple, cut it into quarters (you can leave the peel on if you like) and remove the core. Shred the apple into the bowl.

Wash and scrub the carrots and shred those into the bowl as well.

Pour the dressing over the shredded vegetables and toss until everything is evenly combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper, as needed.

Serve.

Pork Chops with Rosemary, Orange and Vinegar

(2 servings)

Sprouts had some great looking pork loin chops on sale this week. I made a quick meal of them by pan frying them and then deglazing the skillet with rice wine, vinegar and orange juice. Yum!

1/2 cup rice wine (unseasoned) or chicken stock 
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 large clove garlic, minced or pressed
1 1/2 tsp orange zest, finely minced
1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
2 tsp olive oil
2 pork loin chops, about 1 inch thick
salt and pepper, to taste


First prepare the sauce by combining the rice wine or chicken broth, orange juice, vinegar, garlic, orange zest and rosemary. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a non-stick skillet over a medium high flame.

Season the pork chops with salt and pepper on both sides. Fry the chops for about 4-6 minutes on each side. They should still be pink (slightly underdone) on the inside if you cut into one with a sharp knife. They will continue to cook a touch more while they rest underneath the foil. This will ensure they are nice and juicy when ready to serve.

Place the pork chops onto a plate and cover with foil to keep them warm.

Pour the sauce mixture into the skillet and using a wooden spoon scrape loose any fried bits that are clinging to the pan.

Simmer the sauce briskly (while stirring) until it becomes syrupy and has reduced to about a third; about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat and stir in any juices that have accumulated from the resting pork chops. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed.

Spoon the sauce over the pork loin chops and serve.

Garlic Roasted Turnips

(4 servings)

Turnips, they are foreign to me. To my knowledge my mother never served them to us. I'm not sure if she wasn't familiar with them or if she just didn't care for them. Whenever I saw turnips at the market I just walked past them and headed toward more familiar veggies, like carrots and asparagus.

Well this month turnips are in season in Texas and I thought it was time I gave them a try. They weren't at all what I expected. I was told to peel them and as I did, I was struck by how much their aroma reminded me of radishes and kohlrabi. They also had a wonderful crisp texture.

A friend mentioned they were delicious roasted, and I thought that would be easy enough to try. Well, I'm sold! Turnips are delicious! I will definitely have them again soon.

2 lbs turnips
1 (generous) tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Remove a thin slice of turnip from the top where the leaves were and the very bottom where the root is. Remove the remaining skin with a knife or potato peeler. I was tempted to leave the skin on, but everyone I asked gave me an emphatic, "no!"

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Cut the turnips into sticks that are about 1/3 of an inch thick. Place into a large bowl.

Drizzle the olive oil over the cut up turnips. Add the garlic, salt and pepper. You might want to ease up on the pepper a tad because the baked turnips appear to accentuate the peppery taste more than usual. Toss until the turnips are evenly coated.

Place the turnips onto a baking sheet (I lined mine with parchment paper). I bake everything in a small counter top convection oven and my 13x9 inch baking sheet wasn't large enough for the turnips to lay flat in one even layer. This was fine. Halfway through baking I gave them a good toss.

Bake the turnips for about 40-50 minutes or until they have browned nicely. Give them a good toss about halfway through baking.

Red Cabbage Coleslaw

(about 4 servings)

Cabbage and carrots are in season in Texas at the moment. Both these vegetables found their way into this delicious coleslaw.

1 tbsp onion, grated
2 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp sour cream
2 tbsp milk
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp honey
1/2 head red cabbage, finely shredded
1 carrot, grated
salt and freshly grated pepper, to taste

Combine the onion, mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, vinegar and honey in a large bowl.

Add the red cabbage and carrots. Toss. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Toss again and serve.

Savory Chicken in Port Sauce

(about 4 servings)

This is a relatively simple chicken braise which is packed full of flavor. It's a great recipe for entertaining because once everything is in the pot you can leave it for an hour or so while you tend to other things. In the meantime your kitchen will fill with an amazing and inviting aroma as this tasty chicken dish cooks.

1 tbsp oil for frying, such as coconut
1 3/4 - 2 lb skinless and boneless chicken thighs, about 8 
salt and freshly cracked pepper
1 medium onion chopped, about 1 1/2 cups 
3-4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 large tomato, diced
2 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika
1 bay leaf
2/3 cup tawny port
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
2-3 tbsp fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped

Heat the oil in a heavy pot with a tight fitting lid over a medium-high flame.

Sprinkle both sides of the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Fry them until they are browned. Remove from pot and place onto a large plate. Lower the flame.

Add the onion and garlic. Saute for about 5 minutes until the onions have softened. Stir in the diced tomato.

Return the chicken to the pot as well as any juices that might have accumulated. Sprinkle the paprika evenly over the chicken and add the bay leaf.

In a measuring cup combine the port, tomato paste, mustard and apple cider. Pour this over the chicken and onion mixture. Bring everything to a simmer, cover the pot with a lid and set the heat to low.

Cook for about 45-60 minutes or until the meat is tender.

Remove the chicken to a warm serving plate. Increase the heat and simmer the sauce until thickened; 3-5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. Remove the bay leaf. Spoon the sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley or cilantro and serve.

This braised chicken goes well with rice, roasted potatoes or buttered noodles.

Mango & Blueberry Sour Cream Crisp (Gluten free)

(4-6 servings)

This crisp is similar to the nectarine pie I made last year. The sour cream cream mixture forms a custard of sorts as it bakes; it's very nice with a variety of fruits or berries.

Serve this crisp warm or at room temperature.

fruit filling
1/2 cup sour cream
1 egg
2 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp cinnamon
a pinch of salt
3 cups mango, diced (2 large mangoes)
1 cup blueberries, washed and sorted

streusel topping
1/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup rice flour
1/4 cup sliced almonds
2 tbsp sucanat or brown sugar
3 tbsp cold butter, diced

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Butter an 8 inch square baking dish and set aside.

Whisk together the sour cream, egg, honey, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Add the mango and blueberries and toss until they are evenly coated. Set aside.

Combine the almond flour, rice flour, sliced almonds, sucanat and butter in a small bowl with a fork until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is the size of petite peas.

Spread the fruit and sour cream mixture evenly  in the prepared baking dish. Top with the streusel mixture.

Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375°F and continue to bake another 35-45 minutes or until the top has browned nicely and the filling is bubbling hot.

Stuffed Zucchini

(4 servings)

This tasty Mediterranean dish is often made with lamb or beef. I used ground turkey thighs this time and thought they were quite good.  This entire recipe calls for only half a pound of meat!

3 medium zucchini, about 2 1/2 lbs

1/2 lb ground turkey, lamb or beef
1/2 cup raw long grain rice
2 tbsp currants
2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped or 2 tsp dried dill
2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped or 2 tsp dried mint
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
1 tbsp concentrated tomato paste

1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
1 tbsp concentrated tomato paste
1 tbsp fresh chopped mint or 1 tsp dried mint
2 cups chicken broth or beef broth if using beef or lamb
salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste


Wash the zucchini and cut each one into 3 or 4 sections. Using a melon scoop, scoop out the insides of each section leaving a "floor" in each one. You will end up with little zucchini "cups". Reserve the pulp for another use (I will post a recipe tomorrow). Set aside.

Combine the ground meat, rice, currants, dill, mint, salt, cardamom, allspice, pepper and tomato paste until well mixed.

Fill the hollowed out zucchini loosely with the meat mixture; the rice will expand during cooking and if the filling is too tight, the zucchini containers will burst.

Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot with a tight fitting container. Add the garlic and saute for a minute or so, then add the onion. Saute the mixture until the onion has softened and becomes translucent. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste and mint.

Place the stuffed zucchini in the pot with the tops facing up. Distribute the tomato mixture evenly around the zucchini.

Pour in the broth and cover the pot. Simmer over low heat for about an hour or until the meat and rice are cooked.

Remove the zucchini from the pot and increase the heat. Briskly cook the tomato mixture until the liquid has reduced by about half; about 10 minutes. Taste the sauce for seasoning and add salt and pepper, if needed. Return the zucchini briefly to the pot to reheat, then serve.

Quick Frozen Yogurt

(about 3-4 servings)

A while back I came across this somewhere at BBC Food. A quick frozen yogurt which didn't require an ice cream machine, just a food processor. The idea is similar to the frozen banana dessert I posted recently, only this time you combine frozen fruit with Greek yogurt and a touch of honey.

1 cup Greek yogurt (I used 2%)
about 2 cups frozen cut up fruit and/or berries
1-3 tablespoons honey, depending on the tartness of the fruit you are using

Place everything into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until you have a smooth mixture.

If the mixture isn't firm enough, add a bit more frozen fruit and process again.

Garnish with fruit or berries, if desired. Serve.

Asparagus Soup

(2 - 3 servings)

Asparagus was on sale this week at Sprouts; 99¢ a pound. Beautiful slim green spears. I grabbed two bunches and munched on one as soon as I got home. I love raw asparagus, it reminds me of fresh green peas. The second bunch found its way into this soup.

1 lb asparagus
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
a pinch of cayenne pepper
1/4 cup white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or replace this amount with additional broth
2 3/4 cups vegetable broth
a small amount of olive oil
salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1 tsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp heavy cream

Wash the asparagus and snap off any woody ends (I only had 4 of these) and discard.

Cut off the tips and set aside. Cut the remainder of the spears into thin slices.

Heat the oil in a heavy pot with tight fitting lid, over a low flame.

Stir in the shallots and saute them until they are translucent. Add the asparagus and stirring from time to time cook them slowly over low heat for about 10-15 minutes taking care they don't burn. Stir in a pinch of cayenne pepper.

Increase the heat slightly and stir in the wine, if using (otherwise skip this step). Cook until most of the wine has evaporated.

Pour in the broth, give everything a good stir and cover the pot with a tight fitting lid. Lower the heat and cook for about 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Lightly oil an ovenproof dish with olive oil and add the asparagus tips. Drizzle a few drops of oil over the tips and roll them a round a bit to coat them, then arrange them in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Roast the tips for about 12-15 minutes or until you notice them lightly brown, then remove them from the oven.

Puree the soup either in a blender or with a hand held immersion blender until the soup is smooth. Stir in the vinegar, then taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed.

Return to the stove and stir in the heavy cream. Allow the soup to heat up again without bringing it to a boil, otherwise the soup might curdle.

Divide the soup between 2 or 3 bowls and garnish with the roasted tips. Enjoy.

A Simple Frozen Banana Dessert

(2 servings)

A year or so ago I came across a posting about a single ingredient banana ice cream. I had forgotten about it until this weekend when I had a couple of very ripe bananas on my hands.

This is really simple if you have a food processor. It might work in a blender, but I haven't tried that. I made a chocolate coating for the ice cream and topped it with roughly chopped dry roasted cashews. Boy, was I amazed by how good this was! These bananas turned into the smoothest and creamiest ice cream ever. It was sweet enough and dairy free, and it really came down to just eating a banana or so.

If fat is an issue then don't bother with the chocolate coating or nuts. Bananas do contain a tiny amount of fat naturally. I looked it up, 1 g of fat in a 225 g serving.

banana ice cream
2-3 large very ripe bananas


chocolate coating
2 tbsp bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
1 tbsp virgin coconut oil (the kind for medium heat and solid in the jar)


4-5 dry roasted cashews, coarsely chopped

Peel the bananas and cut into slices. Place them inside a freezer bag and try to keep them in a single layer. Freeze overnight or until they are frozen solid.


Right before you remove the bananas from the freezer, make the chocolate coating.

Place the chocolate chips and coconut oil into a bowl. Set this over hot water or place it into the microwave and heat 10 seconds at a time until they begin to melt.

With either method, once most of the chocolate has melted about halfway or a bit more, remove it from the heat and continue to stir until the chocolate has completely melted. Set aside.

Remove the frozen bananas from the freezer and place the slices into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until they break up and then continue to pulse until they form a ball.

Remove the top and scrape down the sides. Break up the ball and distribute it evenly around the bottom of the bowl. Replace the top and continue to pulse until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Divide the ice cream between 2 bowls. Drizzle each with the chocolate coating (there's probably enough coating for 3 or 4 desserts; it hardens to a super thin shell the moment it hits the cold ice cream) and sprinkle each with the chopped nuts.

Enjoy.

Another Tomato & Cucumber Salad

(4 servings)

Tomatoes and cucumbers are in season at the moment in northern Texas. The local beefsteak tomatoes have been especially amazing; not only are they delicious, but they have a wonderful aroma. I've had them almost every night this week in some form of this salad which I posted previously using lime and cilantro.

Today I prepared it with basil and balsamic vinegar. I didn't even bother to toss the salad in a large bowl, but instead arranged the goodies on plates as I finished dicing them. This is such a simple and easy to make salad. If you can get your hands on the freshest ingredients, it will be packed full of flavour!

1 large English cucumber
1 large beefsteak tomato
1/4 red onion
8-10 fresh basil leaves
salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1-2 tbsp olive oil

Wash the cucumber and cut into 1/4 inch dice. Divide up among four plates.

Wash the tomato and then slice vertically into 1/4 inch thick slices (this helps prevent the seeds and juices from spilling out). Cut these slices further to form 1/4 inch dice. Divide these among the 4 plates arranging them over the cucumber.

Dice the red onion and sprinkle over the tomatoes on each plate.

Sprinkle a pinch or two of salt over each salad, followed with freshly cracked pepper, to taste.

Wash, then cut the basil into thin strips. Divide these up among the four plates.

Lastly, drizzle one tablespoon of balsamic vinegar evenly over each of the 4 salads and then 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil over each.

You can serve the salads right away or leave them on the counter to marinate up to 30 minutes or so.

Gluten Free Banana Pancakes with Strawberries

(about 3  5" pancakes/serving)

Lately I've noticed a number of gluten free banana pancake recipes circulating the internet. I tried several and with a bit of experimentation ended up with this recipe. The resulting pancakes are a little on the flat side, not too sweet and not too eggy. I did get fluffy pancakes when I separated the eggs, beat the egg whites until they were stiff and folded those back into the batter, but that's just too much work for a Sunday morning. I tried a few batches with baking powder, and in the end omitted that because I didn't notice much of a difference. I also made these with and without coconut flour and I liked them best when they contained a small amount as that seemed to give them a bit more structure.

These banana pancakes are moist and delicious. Even if you can tolerate gluten, I highly recommend giving these a try, you might be surprised how good they are!

per serving
1 cup fresh strawberries
1 tsp brown sugar

1 medium just ripe banana (use an over-ripe banana if you prefer a sweeter pancake)
1 large egg
1 tbsp coconut flour

whipped cream, optional

Wash and hull the strawberries. Cut them in half and lay them in an even layer on a plate with the cut sides facing up. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the cut berries and set aside.

To make the pancakes in a food processor:
Peel and cut up the banana and place into bowl. Add the egg and coconut flour. Pulse until the mixture is smooth. You'll end up with about 3/4 cup of batter per serving.

To make the pancakes by hand:
Peel and cut up the banana and place into a bowl. Mash it with a fork until you have a fairly smooth mixture; a few lumps are ok. Stir in the egg and coconut flour. Mix until smooth. You'll end up with about 3/4 cup of batter per serving.

Heat a non stick griddle or large frying pan over medium-low heat. I tried a few different temperature settings and this worked best for me using a gas flame. You might have to experiment a bit as these pancakes will brown quickly if the temperature is too high.

Lightly grease the griddle and pour *small pancakes about 5" in diameter leaving  space around them. You'll use about 1/4 cup of batter for each.

Cook them for a minute or two until the bottoms are nicely browned. Carefully flip each one over and cook the other sides until they are done; another minute or two. *These pancakes aren't quite as sturdy as those made with a lot of flour.

Continue until all of the batter is used up. Keep the finished pancakes warm.

To serve:
Top the pancakes with the strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream, if using.

Flan De Naranja; Orange Flan

(6 servings)

The other day I came home with a variety of oranges, tangerines and tangelos. They were all on sale and I couldn't help myself. I have been peeling and eating most of them, but I had enough to try a Spanish orange flan recipe I spotted online a while back. I loved that it contained no milk or cream; only juice and eggs.

I made mine with freshly squeezed juice and reduced the amount of sugar the recipe called for because my juice already seemed sweet enough. I also added the zest from one of the tangelos to the juice and let that sit for a bit. I have been using a microplaner in place of my conventional zester with terrific results. The zest I obtain from the microplaner is so fine, there's more surface overall creating a pungent citrusy fragrance/flavour from the oils in the peel.

This flan was delicious and exceeded my expectations, however the next time I make this I will use 6 ramekins instead of 1 larger dish. I think the single servings will make a nicer presentation.

adapted from a recipe at tusrecetasdecocina.com

1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp water
2 - 3 tbsp honey, to taste
2 cups freshly squeezed orange, tangerine or tangelo juice
about 1 tbsp orange, tangerine or tangelo zest
4 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 325°F

Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the bottom of a *small (1 qt.) ovenproof dish. Sprinkle the water over the sugar until the sugar is soaked evenly. Place the dish into a microwave and cook for about 1 1/2-2 minutes on high to start and then about 15-20 sec. intervals until the sugar becomes a nice **medium brown colour. Remove (the dish will be very hot) and swirl the sugar mixture so it coats the entire bottom and sides. Set aside.

*or use 6 ramekins in which case it might be easier to make the syrup over the stove top in a pot.

** Watch the syrup carefully because once it begins to change colour, it will darken rapidly. I use a low powered microwave and I check the syrup every 15 seconds once it begins to change.

Combine one tablespoon of honey with the juice. Add more if needed. Stir in the zest and set aside.

Whisk the eggs in a bowl until the yolks and whites are well combined. Whisk in the juice mixture.
Pour the mixture through a sieve carefully into the baking dish with the caramelized sugar. Press the zest with the back of a wooden spoon to extract as much flavour as possible. Cover the top with a piece of waxed paper or parchment paper cut to fit.

Place the baking dish into a larger baking dish and fill with hot water about 1/2 way up the side of the flan dish. Place into oven and bake/steam for about 50-65 minutes or until the flan has set.

Allow to cool completely. Loosen the edges with a sharp knife, and dip the bottom of the dish into hot water for about 30 seconds. Carefully invert the flan onto a serving platter and serve.

Smoked Sardine Spread

(about 1/2 cup)

It's been years since I've eaten sardines. They were too much of a good thing while I was in college, I suppose. Back then they were incredibly cheap and very convenient to have around for snacking.

The last time I encountered them was almost two decades ago on a trip to Portugal to visit my mum. She had rented an apartment for the winter in Albufeira, I think it was. It had a tiny white kitchenette where my mum had filled one huge drawer with fresh oranges and another with sardines. It looked to me like she had at least 50 or 60 tins of the stuff. I couldn't help but chuckle as she excitedly explained how she had an orange or two for breakfast, then sardines for lunch and dinner with perhaps another orange, and how healthy it all was!

Recently I found myself in an isle at the grocery store checking out various tins of seafood and fish. I was surprised by how many varieties of canned sardines were available. Skinless and boneless, smoked, packed in water, in tomato sauce, in mustard, olive oil, or Mediterranean style with black olives. The selection had grown considerably since I was a student. Curious, I brought home several tins. A couple of lightly smoked sardines packed in olive oil, as well as a tin of skinless and boneless sardines.

This recipe is adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Sardine Rillettes, from Around My French Table: More Than 300 Recipes from My Home to Yours (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishers, 2010). This relatively inexpensive and delicious sardine spread is great as an appetizer or a snack!

The following can be easily doubled or tripled, if desired.

1x  3 3/4oz tin of lightly smoked sardines packed in olive oil

2 oz Neufchatel or cream cheese, at room temperature

1 tbsp chopped fresh dill

1-2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, to taste

1 pinch of cayenne pepper
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 green onion, finely sliced

1 tsp drained capers

Remove the sardines from the tin and drain. Carefully remove any bones, if desired. They are quite soft and will break up easily when mashed.  Set aside.

In a small bowl or the bowl of a food processor combine the Neufchatel cheese with the dill, half of the lemon juice, cayenne and a bit of salt and pepper. When the mixture is smooth, add the sardines, onions and capers. Mix them in until they are well combined with the cheese mixture, or pulse a few times if using a food processor. Add more lemon juice if needed. Season with more salt and pepper, if needed.

Serve with crackers or cut up vegetables.

Last Minute Cheese Spread

(about 1 1/2 cups)

Need a last minute appetizer, but don't have time to head out? You might be in luck if you have some cheese on hand, some wine.... oh and a food processor would be handy too!

I served this cheese spread with sesame rice crackers. Plain might have been better, but that's all I had in the cupboard.

1/2 lb of firm cheese, I used a combination of gouda and sharp cheddar
2 tbsp butter or cream cheese
1 1/2 tsp prepared mustard
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
a pinch or two cayenne
up to 1/3 cup of dry wine
1 tbsp drained capers, chopped chives, sliced green onions, chopped red onion, or chopped bell pepper

Cut the cheese into chunks and place into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the butter or cream cheese, mustard, paprika and cayenne. Pulse a few times until the mixture looks crumbly. With the motor running, add one tablespoon at a time of the wine until you have a smooth spread. You might have to stop a few times to break up the cheese inside the bowl which might form into a ball.

Scrape down the sides and add the capers or whatever you have on hand for a bit of texture. Pulse a couple of times, just enough to mix in.

Serve with cut up vegetables or crackers.

Chili Goulash

(4-6 servings)

Recently I made some chili con carne in tandem with a friend. We hit the grocery store together then headed to our respective homes to cook. We spent the afternoon sending each other photos of our work in progress, from chopping up the veggies, to the beer we were drinking while preparing our meals. Both of our chilies turned out great, loaded with ground beef, various peppers and kidney beans.

When I finally finished the last of it over a week ago, I got to thinking it would be interesting to make a goulash seasoned much like an American chili. Nice chunks of marbled beef cooked slowly with an assortment of bell peppers and chili peppers, until the meat was fork tender and the vegetables broken down into a thick aromatic sauce. I left out the kidney beans Texas style, but added tomatoes which some believe don't belong in a proper goulash.

This Hungarian-American hybrid goulash was amazing! It was the perfect meal for a cold winter night.

1-2 tbsp oil, give or take
1 1/2 lbs marbled round steak (London Broil) cut into 3/4 inch cubes
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 large yellow onions, chopped fine
3 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika

2 tbsp chili powder

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp whole caraway seeds
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
2 cups beef broth

14.5oz can diced tomatoes
3 bell peppers, seeded and diced

1 poblano pepper, seeded and diced

1 red fresno chili pepper, *seeded and diced

1-2 jalapeno peppers, *seeded and diced

1/4 cup finely ground cornmeal

Heat one tablespoon of oil in a large skillet and fry the meat until it's nicely browned. You might have to do this in batches. Place the meat into a heavy pot with a tight fitting lid; alternately you can place the meat into a slow cooker.  When you have finished with the meat, add more oil to the skillet if needed and lower the heat.

Add the garlic and the onions and fry them until they have softened. Stir them, scraping up the bits from the fried meat. When the onion mixture has softened add it to the meat in the pot or slow cooker.

Stir in the the paprika, chili powder, cumin, thyme, oregano, caraway, salt, pepper, broth and diced tomatoes. Bring the chili goulash to a gentle simmer, then stir in all of the diced peppers and *chili peppers. *Add the seeds for additional heat, if you prefer it hotter. Bring to a simmer again. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cover the pot. Cook for about 3-4 hours or until the meat is fork tender. If you are making this in the slow cooker, it will probably take an extra few hours on the lowest setting; I'd probably aim for 6-7 hours.

Check and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary. Sprinkle the cornmeal evenly over the top, then stir it in until it's evenly distributed. Cook for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the chili goulash has thickened, stirring from time to time.

Ladle into bowls and serve. Garnish with parsley, if desired. This goulash reheats really well.