Mike's Amazing Humus!

I asked my friend Mike to send me more recipes, and he quickly obliged. I was looking for something quick and healthy tonight, so I made this one - oh so delicious!


I have to say, my friend Ann has been a humus fan for a while - she'd buy those tubs from the deli section of the grocery store, and she really enjoyed them as a dip for veggies, or a spread for her sandwich. I'd come over and try a bite, and bleck. It seemed too stiff, kind of chalky, and incredibly bland. Plus the prepared stuff seemed to be just as high in calories as dips I really liked, so I never really got into humus. I just figured I didn't like it.

Then, while I was out a party at the South City Grill with Mike, Jessie and a number of other fun folks, we ordered a few appetizers, some of which included humus. Others were calamari, and fried zucchini and eggplant served with tzatziki (love love love this stuff!!) Oh and this amazing feta - just sliced with oregano and olive oil on it - so good! And it was an awesome party! Anyway - the humus was lovely and I enjoyed it. I also found enjoyable humus at The Silver Leaf Tavern - served with freshly baked flatbread. For a $2 nibble at happy hour, it's tasty with pinot grigio if they have any to pour. Oh and another fabulous place is Barbounia - the freshly baked just out of the oven flat bread served with the humus and other mediterranian dips is superb!!

So now I know - humus is like a chocolate chip cookie - you can have chips ahoy, but why waste the calories - go for the home made version, and you will be so much happier!

Here are Mike's thoughts on humus, and the fabulous recipe!

Humus in 5 minutes



History:


If you ask 100 people where the origin of Humus came from you, you’ll get 100 different answers. The Israeli’s lay claim that they invented it while the Turks, Greek, Egyptians and every other country in the middle east will do the same. Who originally invented? Since no one truly knows, I’ll speak out and say I did. Why not? Everyone else is claiming ownership, I might as well throw my name into the hat. In the end, regardless of who invented it, it’s a quick an easy vegetarian appetizer that can be made in literally minutes and is very healthy for you.


The traditional way of making involved taking dry chick peas, soaking them overnight in warm water, and then boiling them down for 2 hours to thoroughly cook them. With modern technologies, food manufacturers do the work for you and the canned stuff is just as good.

Ingredients:


One 16 oz can of chick peas (also known as Garbonzo beans). *
2 cloves of large garlic chopped down to small pieces
2 table spoons of Tahini (Sesame paste)
3 tablespoons of lemon juice (1 large lemon)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed black pepper
3-4 tablespoons of milk

* Brand choice for chick peas is Progresso. I’ve tried dozens of other brands such Bush, Goya and other brands but the best flavor seems to come from Progresso.


Add all of your ingredients into a food processor and puree until creamy. This may take 2-3 minutes. If your mixture is lumpy, add more olive oil as needed. There is no such thing as too much olive oil.

For the Vegans of the world, take the milk out and substitute with more oil.

Serve with toasted pita bread chips or veggie sticks.

So, I served this lucious dip with roasted carrots and roasted red and yellow bell peppers as well as some little crostini toasts I had left over. Yummy!!!
 
Note: the recipe's typo has been updated. 1 16oz can is correct. Initially I mis-read the recipe - I thought it was 2 cans of 16 oz garbanzos, but no, 2 cans of 8 oz, so my 1 can of 16 oz was just fine :) I had specially purchased the tahini, and will keep my eyes open for more recipes to use this delicious seseme seed puree. And I had lemons, and milk, etc. on hand. I hadn't heard of adding milk until Mike had it in his recipe, and I like it - it's not so heavy this way - very nice. Then I realized I didn't have any garlic - I know, how could that be? But it was. So I subbed some dried. It worked out pretty good! I'm sure the fresh garlic would have been even better. I will note that I used a nice extra virgin finishing oil in this - you know - that special oil you keep for salads, etc. Oh yes - so delicious!
 
This keeps great in the fridge too - whip up a batch - and share it with friends. Oh and while you buy the tahini, get some nice flatbread or pita too. Fresh though - not that stuff you find at the deli section with Ann's humus (LOL). If there isn't any fresh, you could perhaps try some naan - the Indian flat bread. I've seen that in the grocery, and it looks softer than the packaged pita. Unless of course you go the toasted route Mike suggests, then by all means, the deli pita is fine :) My favorite accompaniment continues to be the roasted carrots :)

Amaretto Pear Crisp

Doesn't that close up look so delicious? The caramelization on the side of the baking dish, the whole rolled oats, and the peary sweet juice between the lumps of fruit.

OK - yeah, I'm tooting my own horn, but I was feeling extra inspiration today - not allowing Rick's software implementation get in my way - haha!

I took my very very ripe bartlett pears (my absolute favorite variety) and I cored and cut them in pretty large chunks, with the skin on. They were so ripe, the skin was as tender as the flesh, so I wanted that extra fiber.

Here are the ingredients:
4 incredibly ripe bartlett pears, cored, chopped with skin on
2T amaretto
1/2 a stick of salted butter (1/4 C)
1/3 C light brown sugar
1/3 C flour
1/3 C old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 t all spice

I combined the chopped pears and amaretto and placed them in the bottom of a baking dish - maybe a 7x9".

I combined and cut the cold butter with the brown sugar until the butter is the size of peas. Then I stirred in the remaining ingredients, and spooned it over the pear amaretto mixture.

Pop it in the oven for an hour at 350. Try to let it cool before you jump in there. To guild the lily, add a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy! We sure are!

Suzee's Cucumber Martini

I've written at length about my love of the cucumber martini. My favorite is at the Banc Cafe - they make their own cucumber vodka with Ketel One and yes, cucumbers. A kind of mascerated love juice that is so delicious.

I don't think I can maintain a supply of cucumber vodka like the Banc Cafe, and I don't get to go very often, so I'm looking for ways to introduce a cucumber martini more frequently than 2 or 3 times a year. This isn't quite it - perhaps you all have some ideas to make it better.

I made a cucumber juice to create the martini - I blended a whole english cucumber (but I recommend you peel yours) with about a half cup of water. I strained it and used it in this drink. I think next time I would puree the cucumber without the water.

3 parts Belvedere Pink Grapefruit vodka (this is what I have!)

1 part St Germain liquor

4 parts cucumber juice

juice from a wedge of lemon

Shake with all your might with ice cubes!

Then ENJOY!

Rick's Favorite Fish

I've written about my desire to "get" Rick to like seafood because it is so good for you. I've been sticking mostly to delicate fishes with consistent textures, and according to Rick, this recipe is quite a success.

1 lb cod or other delicate white fish
2 - 3 T olive oil mayonaise
2-3 t dijon mustard
freshly grated parmesan cheese

Mix the mayo and mustard, and spread over the fish filets. Grate a nice layer of shredded parmesen over the mayo mixture - think of this as your flavored salt layer.

Bake the fish for 15 minutes at 350, or until opaque.

It's quite nice with roasted asparagus as well :)

Enjoy!

French Food At Home

I've been watching a new cooking show lately - French Food at Home with Laura Calder. Really fun soundtrack - a jazzy background with what could be French vocalizing or it could just be someone scatting gently. Her kitchen is so homey - big windows with rustic panes, bright blue tile for her back counter top, a big farmhouse sink, and with all these rustic touches, she has juxtaposed state of the art appliances and a contemporary kitchen island. I know - it sounds awful, but somehow it really works!

Laura is a unique host as well - her show is from Canada, and perhaps there food hosts don't feel the need to over sell each dish - she is very low key. The food she makes looks simple, and you are encouraged to try things you never have before. No "watch out for this" or "if you don't do this, xyz will happen", and there is an assumption you know cooking terms like "bain marie". Frankly I find her so refreshing!

I'm looking forward to trying this recipe very soon - Easy Pastry Shop Apple Tart.

If you like food TV - you can find Laura Calder on Cooking Channel :) Enjoy!

Suzee's Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Last Monday was President's day - I woke up late and lazy - isn't that what holidays are for??

Fresh Direct had broccoli on sale - 1 bunch for $1.99 and 2 bunches for $3. And it was time to do something with it! I love broccoli cheese soup, and lately I've been avoiding prepared soups as they have WAY too much salt for me. I've been looking forward to this soup for a while :)

I took all the broccoli, and peeled the stems (peel them well to get down to the soft inner core), and chopped them up. I added them to a dutch oven.

I had 2 quart containers of homemade chicken stock (read - no salt at all), and I added that frozen, along with one can of fat free low salt chicken broth, and cooked the broccoli very very well done.

Of course the frozen stock melted and I took a stick blender to all that broccoli. It took a little time, but I managed to get all those pieces blended up :)

I added a t onion poweder, 1 t garlic powder, 2 t sea salt and 1 t of fresh ground pepper. I also added a cup of shredded cheddar, and mixed it all up.

I served it in mugs with a dollop of low fat sour cream - and it was delicious!!

Looking back, I think I would serve the cheese as a garnish rather than stirring it in - one cup compared to all that broccoli and stock meant you couldn't taste it as clearly as you'd like. I don't want to add more, I want to taste more :)

Let me know how it goes for you! Enjoy!

Suzee's Roasted Asparagus

These lovely roasted spears are enhanced by a sprinkling of sharp cheddar cheese. My friend Suzanne used to roast asparagus in a little oil with freshly grated parmesan cheese grated over the tips. She has many wonderful dishes, and if you get the opportunity to partake in a dinner she has made, don't miss it!

I make her version frequently, but decided the other day to shake it up a bit and see how this might taste.

Wash and snap the ends off a bunch of asparagus, and roll them in some olive oil. Lay them in a sheet pan in a single layer, and roast for 15 minutes or so at 350. Pull them from the oven, and add shredded sharp cheddar cheese to cover the tips. Continue roasting for another 15 minutes. Delicious! The cheddar is surprisingly a more flavorful cheese in this preparation - perhaps because the shreds are larger, so more cheese is used overall. Whatever the reason, it is a heartier flavor, and quite tasty. I think Suzanne would approve.

Sunday Mary Afternoon

Brunch is a religion here in NYC. Restaurants have special menus and cocktail specials, some even offer "all you can drink" options. We like to go to Brunch because it's better than a blue hair special, and if you go late, around 3 or 4, there is plenty of elbow room :) Sometimes, though, we like to laze around in our pajamas for the day, and if we want a brunch like experience, this is one cocktail we enjoy!

The secret is to use Mr. & Mrs T's Bold and Spicy bloody mary mix. It is the only ingredient I use that still contains high fructose corn syrup, but I don't think anyone thinks a bloody mary is health food. It's a treat, so I don't feel too bad about that.

A simple vodka is fine - no need for martini worthy spirits. Add in 3 good shakes of tobasco sauce, and a few grinds of pepper. And one of the most important things is the fresh garnishes. Today I added a couple celery stalks and a couple cucumber spears - the fragrance as you sip the cocktail just puts it up over the top. Seriously.

Mix, enjoy the fragrance, and sip. You won't have any choice but to enjoy :)

Suzee's Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

It's not often I make these mushrooms. I came up with the recipe back in college, when I started cooking because I LOVE LOVE LOVE to eat - good food, not yukky food. I used this stuffing for both mushroom and baked stuffed shrimp (which were all the rage back in the day). As a college chick, I could make dinner for 6, with cocktails and wine, for less than the cost of 2 entrees at a reasonable restaurant. And I admit - mine was better! Hehehehe :) Well, I thought so, and that meant I enjoyed cooking for my friends, and they didn't seem to mind eating what I made :)

For these stuffed crabs, you need:

A can of crab, drained and squeezed well - get that juice out of there, and discard (the 6 oz size is good for 2 lbs of mushrooms)

A stick of salted butter

A sleeve of saltines (this time I used stone ground crackers)

2 lbs of mushrooms

Since I was the only one eating these cutie patooties, I only made a few, but these are the proportions.

Mince the garlic.

Melt the butter over low, and add the garlic.

Crush the crackers - not with a rolling pin so they are too fine, but just with your hands. If  you only use your hands, you won't have to worry about crushing them too finely, and they should be very, very small pieces.

Mix the crab, crackers and butter mixture.

Brush the mushrooms so they are free of dirt, and pop the mushroom stems from the mushroom cups. You can save the stems for anything calling for sliced or minced mushrooms, or if you are feeling exeedingly ambitious, make some duxelles and freeze it for later. Its an ingredient that will add richness to almost any meal including beef.

You can, at this point, pre-bake the cups for 20 minutes or so. Some people do this so that the stuffing doesn't easily fall out of the mushroom, but after trying it, I don't think it's really worth the trouble. You can decide for yourself - if you do pre-bake, you can cut the total baking time.

At this point, whether you have pre-baked or not, it's time to stuff the cups. Honestly, I always have extra stuffing left over, so pile it high :)

Snuggle all the mushrooms in a single layer in a baking dish, and bake at 350 until you smell the mushrooms, and then add 0 or 15 minutes more. This will be about 25 minutes or so for pre-baked mushrooms and about 45 for raw.

Now, if you have other things baking at 400 or 325 or whatever, this recipe is very forgiving. Adjust the cooking time and be sure to cook them until the mushrooms are fully cooked. Then enjoy!

Suzee's Huevos Rancheros

I had some tasty leftovers in the fridge, and they inspired this weekend brunch dish.

Fresh Direct started carrying La Tortilla Factory brand tortillas - they are low carb, 50 calories a piece and really tasty. I just warmed them up on the serving plate for 30 seconds in the microwave. I topped each tortilla with about a 1/2 cup of heated refried beans (120 cal), 1/4 cup shredded cheese (100 cal), 2 eggs over easy (140 cal), 2T of my homemade salsa (maybe 10 calories?) and 2 sausage links (140 cal).

So this tasty dish, filled with protien, fiber and calcium was 560 calories. Not a diet dish but a satisfying dish filled with nutrients.

And once you break open those gorgeous over easy eggs, it's a work of art!

Suzee's Inside Out Chicken Pot Pie

Took today off, so this evening I didn't mind making a hearty dinner. I had chicken left over from the weekend, and I was ready for some kinda yummy warm something.

I started with 2 - 3 T of butter, and melted it over medium heat in a dutch oven. I sprinkled 2 T of flour over the butter and made a roux, stirring and letting the flour cook for a minute or 2.

Next I added 3 cups of broth (homemade even) and a cup of white wine (Cavit Pinot Grigio). I whisked it all together and brought it to a bubble. I added 1/2 t garlic powder, 1t onion powder, 1t tarragon, 1T dijon mustard, and 2 packets of splenda. I tasted and added a little salt and a little freshly ground pepper.

Next I added a 16 oz bag of frozen mixed veggies, and a 16 oz bag of broccoli cuts. I stirred it up, and put a cover on it. While that was heating, I pulled out my chicken, and chopped about 4 cups of chicken.

Meanwhile, I stared water boiling, and cooked about 4 oz of elbow macaroni a minute or 2 shy of al dente.

I mixed the chicken and the pasta into the veggie mixture. I decided at the last minute to add some cheese, so I stirred in 2 cups of shredded cheddar.

I covered it, popped it into a 350 degree oven, and let it bake for about 30 minutes.

Even though I didn't take a photo, I had to capture what I did. Rick loved it! I bet adding more stock would make it into a great stew.

If you try it, let me know how it goes! You could cut the ingredients in half too, but we are looking forward to leftovers :)

Suzee's Amaretto Blueberries

Tonight I made a last minute dessert for dinner. We rarely have dessert these days, and I was in the mood. I thought up this quicky little ditty :)

2 4 oz packets of fresh blueberries
2 oz cream cheese
1/2 a nip of amaretto liquor
1 t white sugar

Mix the cream cheese with the amaretto. Split the mixture into 2 small bakeproof ramekins. Layer the 2 packets of blueberries over the mixture - one packet for each ramekin.

Sprinkle the sugar over the blueberries.

Bake at 350 degrees while you are eating dinner.

Once dinner is over, pop the ramekins on a bread dish, and stir up the blueberries, and cream cheese.

The sauce is sweet and the amaretto complements the blueberries so nicely.

Enjoy!

Mussels in a White Wine Cream Sauce

My friend Amber was looking for a recipe for mussels that had a nice sauce with it. This is my basic mussel recipe, and many have asked for it.

A pinot grigio you would drink - say Cavit, inexpensive but still tasty 1/2 bottle

2 or 3 tomatoes, chopped

a softball sized onion chopped

3 or 4 fat cloves of garlic minced or grated on a microplane

2 T olive oil

2 T butter

5lbs mussels, cleaned, debearded and checked to be sure they are alive (toss any with open shells)

A splash of cream or 1/2 & 1/2

juice of 1 lemon



Saute the onion in the olive oil and butter until translucent

Add the garlic and sautee for a minute or 2 more

Add the wine, cover and bring to a simmer

Add lemon juice and tomatoes, bring back to a simmer

Add in the cleaned mussels, steam with the top on until they boil over 3x

Take the pot off the heat, stir in the cream, and serve with crusty bread to sop up the juices!!



Divine!

Rick's Favorite Oatmeal

Oatmeal is one of those incredibly low calorie breakfasts that is so satisfying. I think oatmeal is really my favorite "whole grain" and definitely my favorite baking ingredient. All that extra fiber along with the chewy texture and homey flavor is something of which we should take advantage, in my opinion.

Rick loves this preparation, and so do I. Unlike baked goods, I can just make enough for right now, and I have some tricks to make it just a little more decadent, without totally ruining the benefits of this tasty ingredient.

I make the oatmeal leveraging the directions on the package - a 2:1 ratio of water to grain. So 2 cups of water to 1 cup of old fashioned oats for the two of us. Then I start my tricks! I add about a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to the pan, and I core and chop a ripe pear (leave the peel on). Then I turn on the stove to start the cooking process. Bring to a simmer and cook for a few minutes until the oatmeal is the consistency you like.

Split the oatmeal into 2 bowls, and sprinkle about a tablespoon of brown sugar in each bowl, and add about a 1/2 cup of milk as well. Then, crumble 2 or 3 walnut halves into each bowl as well. Don't mix it all up - that way the little bit of sugar will dance directly on your tongue! And the nuts add this crunchy dimension, and the fruit adds sweetness too.

Every time I eat it, it reminds me of a cross between oatmeal cookies and apple crisp. What a way to start the day, huh? Yum!

Suzee's Peas and Onions with Champagne Cream Sauce

We went to the Indian Lake Potluck Thanksgiving this year, and Rick was hoping for some peas and onions. Usually we just buy them frozen, but here in South TX there was not even a package of frozen onions to be had.

I did find some raw pearl onions and figured, what the heck - lets try and make some from scratch.

I blanched the onions for 3 - 4 minutes to get the skins off (3 ten ounce packages). I figured out early on that if you leave the root end attached, and slice off the other end, you can pretty easily peel off the outter layer and slice it off the onion. I tried the "slip the skins off" method, but my onions were not cooperating.

In a stock pot I added about a 1/2 cup of flour and 3 or 4 T of butter. I stirred them together to make a roux and continued stirring as they cooked on medium for 2 - 3 minutes. I added a can of low sodium chicken broth, and whisked this together until smooth. Next I added 1/2 bottle of Asti Spumanti (Mom's fave for a holiday). Once it stopped bubbling from the carbination, I simmered it a bit to allow it to thicken. Maybe 5 or 10 minutes. I added some salt and freshly ground pepper, and I'll tell you the sauce tasted pretty gosh darn good at this point, so I added back the onions and also added 2 lbs of frozen peas. I let the the veggies simmer for about 10 minutes. After that I added about 1/2 - 3/4 cup half and half, and heated it through. I added more salt and pepper at this point as after the cream addition, it definitely needed some adjustments.

I consider this recipe a success - the 25 or so folks at the pot luck enjoyed them, as did Rick. Next time though I think I would make these adjustments.

Add the peas at the end, so they stay a nice bright green.
Consider going without the cream at all - the sauce was really nice even without it.
Add some tarragon to the mix - I think that would really make it special.

If you try this recipe, let me know how it goes! Enjoy!

Creamy Champagne Chicken Soup

My friends Jennifer and MJ came to visit not too long ago, and I think that's why I've been reminiscing about them lately. We went to UNH together, played and danced and did all that college stuff. After college, I was a bridesmaid at their wedding, visited when babies were born, and shared lots of dinner parties at their house and mine.

MJ is one of the pickiest eaters I've ever met (well, perhaps Rick is that picky too). At any rate, during the dinner parties, we tried new dishes and socialized at home where we could be comfortable and spend a few less dollars. MJ was always a wonderful guest, and we always had fun, but it was tradition that he would stop on the way home from dinner at McDonalds - I think he used to get a quarter pounder with cheese because he was hungry. I served a lot of fish because I loved it, but he did not. Thanks MJ for coming despite the menus I subjected to you :) You are my favorite non-eating dinner guest :)

Now Jen would make delicious meals (which yes, MJ liked haha!) and this one dish she made was called Champagne Chicken. It has been too long to remember any specifics except that it had champagne and chicken in it, and was a great use for left over champagne. I remember I really liked it.

So, for some reason the other day I was thinking about all of this as I was making chicken noodle soup. Interestingly I had a heavy 1/2 bottle of left over champagne. Thanks Jen for inspiring this yummy dish!

Ingredients:
12 C Home made chicken stock
1 lb raw boneless chicken, in a small dice ( use cooked chicken and add at the end)
1+ lb carrots, peeled and diced (be sure it's pretty small to get a few things on your spoon and to ensure they cook)
1/2 lb egg noodles
1t dried thyme
1t dried tarragon
1t onion powder
1t garlic powder
1/2+ bottle left over champagne
water

sour cream for finishing

Method:
Heat the chicken stock with the carrots.
When it starts to simmer, add the chicken and the spices.
After 10 - 15 minutes, add the champagne and the noodles. Stir to ensure all the noodles get wet, and let simmer for 10 minutes or so. Add the chicken now if you used cooked chicken. Don't mix it for these 10 minutes so the noodles don't get gummy.
After 10 minutes, it may seem a little stiff. Add water, 1 cup at a time, until it's the soup consistency you like.
Heat through.

Serve in a bowl or a mug, and stir in a spoonful of sour cream

This is a really tasty option, and you feel good for using up that champagne!

Suzee's Grapefruit Glazed Layer Cake

I was feeling a little restless today. There weren't any jobs posted that sounded interesting, the one contact I was able to connect with didn't have any time to chat today. Perhaps tomorrow.

I started browsing through the Foodbuzz Top 9, and came upon the number one today and it inspired me to make a cake. This is really not anything fancy - I had a cake mix in the cupboard for French Vanilla cake. I made it according to the directions (but if I do it again I would add a cup of sour cream like my MIL does - that adds a great crumb and moisture) in 2 eight inch round pans. I let it cool, and flipped one layer and placed it on the plate top side down. I added about a cup or so of Stonewall Kitchen's Mimosa Jam (oh my so delicious!) and spread it over the top of the lower layer. I put the next layer on top. Then I mixed about a cup and a half of confectioners sugar with about 2T of grapefruit juice, and mixed them together - it took some time, but don't add more liquid - it will come together. I tasted it and it needed something to cut the sweetness so I added a couple of scrapes of orange zest. That did the trick!

I drizzled the glaze over the top, and licked the spoon (yum!)

I hope you enjoy pairing these flavors - I'm in a big grapefruit phase - expect more :) xo

Suzee's Beef Stroganoff Soup

As a part of the Tastemakers Program with Foodbuzz, I was able to replentish my supplies of Lea and Perron's Worcestershire Sauce. I got my coupons for freebies, and shared them with my family.

My cousins, Denise and Ginny, always have great beef recipes using this really uniquely flavored condiment, and I think their mom, my Aunt Beth, would use this a lot too. It's that little something that makes you go hmmm.... yum! What is that??

I also like to make soups of the flavor of things that may be too rich to eat as just a dish. Adding water gives me more bites of delicious flavor :) So this experiment came out pretty good :)

Ingredients:
1 32 oz carton of Rachael Ray Beef Stock
1/2 lb browned ground beef
1 1/2 minced onion
10 oz package of button mushrooms, minced and sauteed
8 hefty shakes of Lea and Perron's Worcestershire sauce
1/2 C red wine
1/2 C brown rice (uncooked)
2 C water

sour cream to stir in at serving time.

Add all together and allow to cook for a few hours on low. It worked best for me to pop the pan in the oven on 300 and let it go :)

I read an interesting article from the magazine which is associated with America's Test Kitchen. They tested a number of beef broths, and the Rachael Ray Beef Stock In A Box won by a mile - she actually uses 2x the beef products to make the stock. I think it also really made a difference in this dish.

I like to leave the sour cream out until you serve it as then you can determine how much you want to add, and then of course it's easier to reheat as well :)

Enjoy!!

Suzee's New England Shepard's Pie

There is no lack of Irish Pubs serving Shepard's Pie in NYC, but none are the same dish Rick and I ate in the school cafeteria or that our mom's made when we were kids. Out and about this classic is made with carrots and peas (hello? where is the corn?), but perhaps that is because corn was a North American thing?

At any rate, if we want some of that original deliciousness, we gotta make it at home. And that's ok, because it is a homey meal :) This recipe serves 2, but you can easily make a larger portion and reheat for leftovers. Our problem would be we would eat it all if I made more than 2 servings!

Ingredients:
1/2 lb low fat hamburger
1 small or 1/2 large onion
1 can cream style corn
2 large or 3 small potatoes (I like yukon gold best for this)
1t olive oil
1T butter (salted please)
1/4 C milk or whatever you put in your coffee
1/2t garlic powder, divided

Method:
Peel the potatoes, and cut into similar sized pieces. Put them in a pot with water covering them, and boil while you prepare the rest of the dish.

Mince the onion small - you want a few onion pieces to be in every bite

Sautee the onion over low heat in the olive oil - allow it to go for a 1/2 hour or so, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and sweet

Move the onions into a bowl, and start browning the ground beef. Add almost all the garlic powder to the meat as it is browning. Once the meat is cooked through, add back the onions, mix and put the mixture in the bottom of the casserole (I use a 2 quart dish).

Check your potatoes - if they are cooked, turn off the stove, drain, and add the butter and milk to the pan along with the cooked potatoes. Put the top on the pan to keep warm.

Add the creamed corn over the beef mixture in the baking dish.

Mash the potatoes in the pan, and top the casserole with the potatoes.

I actually put the casserole in the fridge at this point, but you could pop it in the oven for 20 minutes and serve.

Since I took it out of a cold fridge, I baked for 50 min, covered at 350. It was really tasty :)

If I were to make any changes, it would be to add more corn to the mix - it adds this sweetness to the savory beef - really good!

Suzee's Sweet and Salty Broccoli Salad

I went to the store to get some crudite for the game. I was feeling low on veggies, and I thought that would fit the bill. I walked to D'Agastino's and was absolutely disgusted by the offerings. Every colored pepper was shriveled (and $7.99/lb), and the celery was brown with rot (and $3.99/lb). Heavy Sigh... I moved to the bagged salads - the delicate lettuces were also rotting, despite the fact the use by date was 6 days in the future.

Then I saw the last bag of broccoli slaw, and it was in good shape! OK - I can work with this. Here is what I did:


1 12 oz package of broccoli slaw shreds
1 crisp red apple
a big handful of grapes (a heavy cup)

1/2 cup olive oil mayonaise
1/3 cup (or so) apple cider vinegar
2 packets of splenda (or a few spoons of sugar)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 T salty sunflower seeds

In a big bowl, dump the package of broccoli slaw in.
Chop the apple in julienne slices, and add to the bowl.
Cut the grapes in quarters, and add to the bowl.

In a small bowl, add the mayo, vinegar and sweetener. Mix with a fork or whisk. Initially it will look lumpy or perhaps curdled, but keep stirring - it will become smooth. Add this dressing to the broccoli mixture. Season with salt and pepper, and toss the salad well. It will seem  like there is not enough dressing, but keep tossing, and it will be enough to coat everything lightly.

Serve on 4 plates, and sprinkle 1T of sunflower seeds on each serving.

Enjoy!