Cooking & Recipes Personal Chef Style

Foods Can Bring People Together

2012-10-22T17:53:00.001-04:00

Have you ever noticed how food can bring people together? It is amazing that even the grumpiest curmudgeon or the shyest of introverts can be brought to animated and extensive conversation when it comes to the subject of food.

It doesn't matter who we are or where we come from, whether we are vegetarian, vegan or lovers of poultry, meat and seafood, the scent of food, the sight of certain dishes or even something outside of the realm of food itself, can evoke heartfelt sentiments that take us back to childhood and family or to pleasant memories of a special meal in a distant place far away from familiar surroundings. Just ask ask people about their favorite comfort food. That's a two or three day conversation, because nobody has just one.

When it comes to food, every country on the planet can boast of a vibrant history and proud heritage of, at least, one dish that has become a classic. Food does more than just sustain life; it is love, life and the heart of society. Food brings people together. It is the shared flavors of friendship and community.

Wherever people congregate, a long wait in the grocery line, a business meeting, a neighborhood festival or a date with old friends, the subject of food invariably creeps into the conversation. Food breaks down barriers. More than anything else in society, food binds people together. And, now, with so many foods imported and exported from many different places, we are all interconnected.

Our attitudes and behaviors center around food. We may have learned how to behave or not behave at the dinner table. We may have learned how to curb our selfishness at meals when we were children. Mom said, "share" or "save something for someone else," or even, "think about all those starving children in...."

Food can set off an emotional charge also. What do we feel when we hear that many people starve in many countries for lack of food production, while in others, people get certain illnesses because of eating too much food? Food is a common denominator. We all need it. We all have different relationships with food. We may either love or hate it. Or, it may be that we can take it or leave it.

In any case, there's much to be said about food. And, we always find something to say about it. Are you a meat lover? A vegetarian? Do you love fast food, healthy food, sweets, snacks, big meals? All of the above? Believe me, of all the subjects in the world, everyone can talk about food. Foods bring people together more than sports, movies or entertainment. Just sayin.'

Rambutan Exotic Asian Fruit

2012-10-13T22:37:00.000-04:00

Today, I went to my favorite Korean grocery store which carries an extensive array of fresh Asian vegetables and fruits from Korea, Japan, Vietnam and China. On display as samples for tasting, there were several offerings of fresh fruit; clementines, Korean melons and other exotic (at least to me) fruits being offered. There were also these beautiful tiny fruits with funny looking little spindly things coming out of it. The store had them as samples so I tried a half. It turned out to be a Rambutan. It was delicious, juicy with the texture and feel of a grape and just so sweet.

I asked one of the store managers how to choose the best and ripe ones. As we walked over to the section that held the fruit, she explained that the Rambutan is a relatively common tropical fruit in many South Asian countries and easily accessible in her country the same way an apple is common to us here in the US. She showed me what to look for in the ripe fruit and also pointed out which ones not to buy. She said that any with black forming on the tips means that the rambutan is old or beginning to dry up.

She showed me how to open the fruit by using her thumbs to break the skin to peel away part of the spiny exterior to expose the fruit inside. It then slips easily out of the skin, because the spines are very soft. The fruit actually looks like a large white grape. It has a seed inside and you just eat around the seed. Wow, what a treat!

Fast and Easy Salad with Tomato, Avocado and Ground Lamb Salad

2012-10-11T18:57:00.001-04:00

When I was growing up, salads meant red ripe tomatoes, lettuce and sliced onions with a homemade "French" dressing drizzled on top. Admittedly, they were yummy and fresh, however, they were pretty much relegated to the summertime because that was when our local Maryland tomatoes were available. Every year I would look forward to eating succulent tomatoes right from our backyard or my grandfather's garden with the juice dribbling down my chin. For many years, I used to wait for the summer season to buy fresh tomatoes. Out of season, a good tomato is hard to find.

Today there are many varieties of tomatoes with all kinds of shapes, sizes and colors. There is no doubt that they may not be at their best flavor, however, tomatoes are available in markets everywhere throughout the year. Although nothing compares to the distinct mouth-watering taste of a garden-fresh, vine ripened tomato, I can't resist having having tomatoes in all seasons, either in a salad or in one of my bacon, egg, tomato and avocado sandwiches. Besides, it has been fun experimenting with different the varieties throughout the years.

This salad doesn't really have a recipe. The only quantity that I can almost specify is that from almost a pound of ground lamb, I made four patties and put two in the freezer. I cooked one of the frozen patties and used a half crumbled up for the salad. I sprinkled the patty with BBQ Tandoori seasoning and cooked it slowly in a tablespoon of olive oil and about a half a cup of water. I let it cool a bit before adding it to the salad in the bowl.

Here are the ingredients I used

Italian greens, already packaged and cut
Romaine lettuce, torn into pieces
Tomatoes cubed
Avocado sliced
Onions, thinly sliced
Cooked Ground Lamb
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
2 TBs light dressing

Way yum!

Speaking of Catfish Family Appetizer

2012-10-10T22:32:00.000-04:00

I haven't actually talked about catfish for a long while, so I feel the need to get back to it. Catfish, in my view, was born to be dunked in milk or egg, coated with cornmeal and fried crisp and golden. Although my favorite is the fried catfish, there are so many other tasty ways to eat it. I have used it for fish tacos and, particularly in this weather, in catfish stew spiced with Caribbean curry powder. Catfish is so versatile that you can bake it, encrusted in grated potatoes, grill it or broil it. with garlic, herbs and lemon or lime.

You can add it into your favorite pasta dish or in put some of the sweet little morsels into salads. Or, for example, you can or use it in little pastries as appetizers for a dinner party. (See recipe below) Be careful, though, you may end up indulging so well in the little pastries, you may find you have left no room for the main dish.

Catfish and Goat Cheese Appetizers

Ingredients

1 - 15-ounce package folded, refrigerated, unbaked pie crusts (2 crusts)

1 medium onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

3 TBS butter or margarine

1½ pounds U.S. farm-raised catfish fillets, cubed

8 oz fresh goat cheese or soft-style cream cheese

2 TBS chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp dried basil, crushed

Directions

Let pie crusts stand at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes according to package directions.
Unfold pie crusts.
Place on ungreased baking sheet.
With 3 1/4-inch round cutter, cut 8 rounds from each pie crust
In a saucepan, cook onion and garlic in butter or margarine until tender.
Add catfish; cook and stir about 5 minutes or until flakes easily.
Use spoon to break into small pieces.
Add goat cheese or cream cheese and basil.
Cook and stir until cheese melts.
Remove from heat.
Spoon the catfish mixture evenly onto half of each dough round.
Brush edge of crust rounds with beaten egg.
Fold crust rounds in half; press edges with fork to seal.
Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
Brush tops with egg or milk. Cut small slit in top of each.
Bake in a 375°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until pastry is brown.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

This recipe is a take on a dish from the US Catfish Institute Cookbook

Cod Filet and Black Bean Sauce

2012-10-07T21:36:00.002-04:00

It's funny how things happen where you think your discussions or thoughts seem to have no relationship to anything. They are just random; just like last night at a fabulous and tasty dinner at the home of Alisa and Greg's, close friends of my daughter's, the conversation, as usual, turned to everybody's take on food. The food was great! There were many cooks in attendance, 8 people out of 9, as a matter of fact. Greg made the Shrimp Creole. Gerri made a Key Lime Pie to which she added toasted coconut and Alisa and Wendy W made a delicious salad.

Of course, with that many cooks at the table, the conversation naturally turned to food. Then, the discussion shifted to the subject of vegetarianism and "organic foods." I mentioned that a friend of mine from Ethiopia who travels extensively in Europe laughed and noted that only in America are people concerned with "organic" foods and vegetables. She said that in Europe, and in many other countries, the food is fresh, in other words, it's already pesticide free.

Then, the hostess, Alisa, my daughter Wendy H's contemporary, commented that when she first stared cooking a cookbook she used started every recipe with the ingredients, "a can of this" and 2 cans of that. We all laughed and tried to figure out what foods we still use from a can. Not too many we thought, with a slight bit of arrogance.

We pretty much poo-poo'd the idea, thinking of the foods we still use from a can as if everything else is beneath us. Everybody thought of beans and I thought of anchovies, because that's also a favorite of mine that I use salted from my favorite Italian deli or from a can. However, like food snobs, we decided canned foods are relatively obsolete and it's passé to use them in healthy cooking. So, I didn't think that anything more about the subject of canned foods.

Today, however, after an entire day of not eating because I overslept and then was really busy all day and unable to eat until I got home at 4:30, I was ravenous. So right away, I made a salad of only romaine (because it was right there), sprinkled on some grated Parmesan and a bit of salad dressing and started on that. I knew that I wanted some fish so I took a couple of frozen cod fillets out of the freezer to thaw out.

Did I mention that I was extremely hungry? So, after I ate the salad, I thought about the kind of taste I wanted for my fish. The night before, we had eaten Greg's Creole shrimp, which was delicious and took a little while to chop and cook the ingredients.

Yet true to my way of cooking and the state of my hunger, I didn't want to wait too long to eat. So I opened up, guess what?? A can of black beans and a can of tomatoes and hot chilies, threw them into a pan in which I had already melted a tablespoon of olive oil and a tablespoon of light butter for flavor and let them cook about 5 or 6 minutes to let the liquid evaporate and thicken the sauce. Then I placed the cod fillets into the black bean sauce. (I was so hungry, I couldn't even wait for the fish to thaw completely.)

I lowered the fillets gently into the sauce and let them cook for about 3 minutes on each side, smothering them, so to speak, with the black bean and spicy chili tomato mixture. Then I let them simmer for about 3 minutes more to soak up the flavor of the sauce. I didn't add anything extra; no salt, no pepper, not even any herbs or spices. I was ready to eat! Lo and behold—the fish and canned vegetable were delicious; and satisfying and healthy to boot!

I realized that there are many foods we still use that are canned and bottled and can be a lot healthier than some so called "healthy, low fat" foods that have loads of sugar and sodium in them so they taste good. Just like this cod filet and black bean sauce recipe. Way yum!

Kale and Daikon

2012-10-02T22:50:00.000-04:00

Daikon and Kale Greens

If you love kale as I do, you will appreciate this simple and delightful side dish to accompany chicken, tofu or other vegetables. It only takes a short time to make and the results are very tasty. Plus, for me, it's a new twist to add Daikon and fresh ginger to one of my favorite greens.

As I make my dishes, one of the hardest things for me to do is to write down exactly how much of anything I use. I suppose that goes back to my mom's and my grandmother's way of cooking. Unless it was a cake or cookies, something that needed precise measurements, they didn't measure everything exactly.

I am likely to throw things into the pan and then add seasonings and ingredients that In most cases, I have to painfully try to remember and then record it. That's why it takes me so long sometimes to put a recipe on my blog.

Anyway, here goes.

Ingredients

1-2 Tbs vegetable or canola oil

1 lb fresh kale

½ lb Daikon radish

1 Tbs minced garlic

½ medium onion, sliced thin

1 Tbs fresh minced ginger

1 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste

2 Tbs hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

Wash kale. Tear the leaves from the stems. Discard stems. Cut or tear leaves into smaller pieces or strips. Peel the Daikon radish, cut into ¼ inch thick slices and then into four small pieces.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add Daikon and cook for about minutes. I actually cooked it until it got a little brown. Add sliced onions, garlic and ginger and co2 ok until soft, another minute. Add red pepper flakes and washed kale, being very careful because the water from the kale may splatter. Cover with a tight fitting top and cook about 5 minutes, stirring, occasionally. Raise heat to medium high and cook another 5 minutes allowing the liquid to evaporate. Stir in hoisin sauce and vinegar. Way yum!

Easy Ways to Reduce Blood Pressure

2012-09-29T23:23:00.000-04:00

Easy Ways to Reduce Blood Pressure

I've been thinking recently that I have been spending too much money on blood pressure medicine and arthritis pain relief. I have realized for some time that I know how to combat these symptoms by spending that money on adding more vegetables and fruits to my diet and dropping some weight, especially from my belly. Now, mind you, I know how to do that and have done it before; it just takes my determination to make a change.

So, the other night, I attended an event where my daughter was sworn in as member of the board of the county women business owners association and met a woman who was a vegetarian. She and my daughter started talking about vegetarianism. My daughter is a new vegetarian. This woman mentioned that she freezes her tofu, which changes the texture and also makes it easier to cook, eat and marinate.

I am not a vegetarian, however, my motto is, "pretty much if it's food, I like it." I love all kinds of food, including, and not limited to, junk foods, healthy foods, international cuisine, soul food, ethnic foods, meats, poultry, vegetarian and vegan. Other people joined the conversation and the vegetarian mentioned kale and collards and how difficult it can be to cook them with flavor without meat. It got me to thinking about how I have cooked collards and kale and sauerkraut without the meat.

For some reason, after that conversation, I have been craving kale. I've also been thinking about adding some vegetables that I have tried and either haven't cooked or haven't cooked for a long while.

So my next recipe will be a kale and daikon mixture that hits the spot. It was something new for me; because even though I feel I must eat healthy, it must taste good to me, otherwise, I can't encourage anyone else to eat it.

Back from Travels with Doctor Who

2012-09-29T22:46:00.001-04:00

So, I'm back from my 3-month journey with The Doctor, Martha Jones and Mickey Smith, Amelia Pond and Rory Smith and many other companions, encountering, for example, the Daleks, The Silence, the Silurians, the Ood, the Gunslinger and the Shakri. I must admit, the Weeping Angels are too creepy for me to encounter on this most recent trip, however, I'll check them out again on my short trip with Doctor this evening when "The Angels Take Manhattan. Don't fret; I'll be back on Monday, Earth Time.

Then, I;ll be back with some great recipes and simple foods with avocado, mushrooms and other satisfying, delicious and healthy foods. This is a food blog,after all.

Open-Face Portabello Mushroom Melt

2012-06-28T21:15:00.000-04:00

Portabello mushrooms are a delicious alternative to hamburgers, turkey burgers and those miracle veggie burgers. They are filling and satisfying and can be teamed up with a host of goodies to make a mouthwatering weekday meal for yourself or your family.

This is a perfect Spring or Summer lunch and so filling that you may not need a big dinner. I added lots of flavors that I enjoy. Sometimes, I make it strictly vegetarian, however, today, I added a couple of strips of low fat turkey bacon, because I wanted a bacon taste with the avocado I decided to add.

I always just use what I have in the fridge. For example, I had some spring onions that needed using, so I cooked them instead of regular onions. Anything that you would use to garnish your hamburger patties, you can use here.

I used TJ's California-style Protein Bread and grated sharp Cheddar. Way yummy! You might like another hearty bread that will hold up to the ingredients. If you notice, I did not use any salt since my sauce is quite flavorful and the cheese and ranch dressing are salty enough. Besides, you can taste the freshness and meatiness of the mushroom.

Ingredients

2 slices whole grain bread, toasted
1 or 2 Tbs olive oil
Large Portabello Mushroom, whole or sliced
Light mayo or your own special sauce* (See below)
Tomatoes, thin slices
Grated or sliced cheese
Onion slices, sauteed
2 slices crispy turkey bacon
1/2 avocado, sliced
Spring greens or lettuce of your choice
1 to 2 Tbs light Ranch dressing
Freshly ground pepper
My Own Special Sauce *

Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add mushroom and saute, covered, on both sides in the olive oil. Add onion slices and cook until soft. Added grated or sliced cheese of choice. Turn off heat and cover so the cheese melts over the mushroom and onions. At this point, you can slice the mushroom so it spreads over both pieces of bread

Meanwhile, toast the bread and let get crispy. Spread the mayo or sauce on both slices. Place toast side-by-side on a plate. Add spring greens and sliced tomatoes. Grind pepper to taste on tomato slices. Place mushroom with melted cheese and onions on top. Make sure to spread all ingredients over both slices of toast. Add ranch dressing and spread over the top. Place bacon slices acroos the top and add the avocado slices. Not only beautiful, but delicious looking!

*My Own Special Sauce

1 cup light mayo
3-4 Tbs Greek yogurt or light sour cream
Pinch or two of cumin seeds
2-3 Tbs dill relish
Cayenne pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients well in a small mixing bowl. Chill before serving to let the flavors blend. With this recipe, you can adjust ingredients to taste.

* I also use this sauce on my fried catfish. Way yum!

Prom Time is Family Time

2012-05-26T01:34:00.000-04:00

I had the great fortune and opportunity earlier this evening to spend time with my lovely granddaughter, Danielle, getting ready for her high school prom. Proud GranAngela is at her side. This is a landmark event for all of our families. My family, including her "Auntie Wendy", my brother, Garcia, sister in-law, Joyce and nephew, Aubrey, who remembers every birthday and milestone in Danielle's 18 year-old life; her dad, my son Dan's family, including my wonderful daughter in-law, Natalie, Pop Pop (big Dan), Earlyn, and Uncle Brenton; her fantastic mom, Yolanda's family. We surely missed her maternal grandmom, Vanessa, tonight. She would have been beaming and joyous, just as I was, to see how well Danielle has done. Then, there's big brothers, Terrence and Anthony and Sage, Danielle's 4 year old niece and stepdad, Aaron. Missing, but not forgotten were Mommie Phronie, Daddy Garcia, Big Mommy and Big Daddy, the great grandparents, who would have been overjoyed to see her. We're all so proud and happy, Danielle! Love from GranAngela

Check out her hot shoes, bag and dress!

Break out of the Meal Rut-Rotisserie Chicken with Garam Masala

2012-04-28T22:22:00.000-04:00

There are times when I just have a taste for something for which I have no real recipe. I just know I want something to taste a certain way. Earlier today I was with some friends who were going to an Indian restaurant for lunch. As I was driving home, I was thinking how much I love Indian food. The spices are not only flavorful, but so aromatic. I was picturing what I had in my cupboard and refrigerator for some great Indian-tasting food for dinner.

One of my mainstays is Garam Masala, which I keep in my kitchen always. I love it on chicken and other foods. I was also thinking of the texture I wanted in my mouth. Mashed potatoes, perhaps, or just some potatoes and onions with garam masala sprinkled on them. In addition, I had the remnants of a rotisserie chicken I had bought from Costco a couple of days ago. (I think, for the price, it almost a sacrilege to go into Costco and not buy one of the rotisserie chickens)

If you notice, I said I wanted some great Indian-tasting food for dinner. Unfortunately, I don't really know how to cook Indian food as I mentioned to my friend, Joyetta, recently. I love the spices that go into Chana Masala, because I really like chickpeas and so I keep that spice blend on hand. For some strange reason, however, hummus does not excite me, at all. In fact, I don't like hummus at all! I don't know what it is! Anyway, I really like the Sabji Masala spices and the Tandoori/BBQ spice mix in my menus, so they are also in my kitchen cabinet for my bidding.

Well, I have to beg the forgiveness of my friends, Joyetta, Gitima, Rischi, Aditya, Amit, Sweta, Saroj, Rohit, Shobhana and Anshu, to mention just a few, because I can just bet this is not a genuine Indian dish. However, it was so delicious, comforting and satisfying, it was just what i needed and wanted. It went great with a new red French wine, Peuch Cocut Merlot, I was trying out.

Ingredients:

2 medium sliced Yukon Gold potatoes
1/2 onion into chunks
1 tablespoon of olive oil (I always use extra virgin; don't ask me why)
1/4 cup of water
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp Chana masala spice mix
1/2 tsp Garam Masala or to taste
1 cup cut up rotisserie chicken
1/2 package fresh baby spinach

I cut up 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes and about a half an onion into chunks and put them into a non-stick skillet over medium heat with a tablespoon of olive oil and about a quarter of a cup of water, if that much. I sprinkled on a half a teaspoon of ground turmeric for the color and added a couple of pinches of cumin seed. That probably came to about a quarter or a half a teaspoon of the seed. I then added the Chana masala spice mix and let all of it cook covered for about 15 minutes. Then I cut up about a cup or so of the rotisserie chicken, added in a half package of baby spinach and about a half a teaspoon or more of garam masala. I let it cook for about 3 or 4 more minutes until the spinach wilted, cut off the stove and let everything sit for about 15 minutes, covered, before I dove in with both feet, or at least, with a fork.

Whoa! All I can say is "OH MY GOODNESS! WAY YUM!" Just the right amount of spiciness and zest. Plus I have great leftovers for Monday lunch!

Poached Salmom with Organic Pea Shoots

2012-04-15T20:50:00.000-04:00

My daughter, Wendy Howard's (http://www.facebook.com/woweeh) poached salmon leaves no room for doubt, it is the best. It is so good, in fact, that I tend to not look at portions, and take more than my share. It is so yummy. She makes an incredibly delious creamy dill sauce, which you can see I couldn't help smothering the salmon in. Tonight , I had mine with organic pea shoots and a sweet potato. It was wonderful! Also check her out on Twitter (@whconsults). Anyway. This was way yum! As you can probably see from the bottom photo!

Annapolis Family Gathering

2012-04-12T23:28:00.000-04:00

Dogwood trees always remind me of Easter season. They've been beautiful this Spring in Maryland. The trees bloomed early and at the same time as the Cherry Blossoms and tulips. My neighborhood in Wheaton has been like a lovely painting; so alive and brilliant with so many bright colors.

I traveled to Annapolis for Easter Sunday dinner at my brother's. It was great. I was reminiscing with family and friends as we ate a fabulous dinner of ham, Maryland crab cakes, roasted salmon, potato salad, cole slaw, corn muffins, a broccoli and carrot mix, rolls and tossed green salad. Joyce, my sister in-law is always prepared for an army of 50. Believe me, I am not complaining. There is definitely something marvelous to be said for leftover ham, eggs and cheese for breakfast the next morning.

Then, for dessert, there were lemon meringue pie, delicious brownies made by my nephew, and ice cream. Afterwards, with some coaxing from my sister in-law, who loves them, we all played parlor games. We had many choices and ended up choosing Logo and Bingo. I'm not a lot for games, however, it turned out to be really fun.

I thought about Easter dinners growing up in Annapolis. My mother always cooked a lamb roast which we never ate with mint jelly. That wasn't Mom's thing. Whenever we had lamb, Easter or not, we always had Kosher dill pickles. I think I may have tried mint jelly once later with lamb, however, I never order it like that. I think that explains my love for dill relish in everything from potato salad to tartar sauce to my homemade deli sandwiches. In fact, the only time I eat sweet relish these days, is when it's in someone else's dish.

I did end up having ham, scrambled eggs with grated cheese, Quinoa toast and my favorite tea--Berry Blossom white with honey and coconut milk the next day. Yum.

Sunday Night Dinner in a Sandwich for Two

2012-04-10T14:43:00.000-04:00

Sunday dinner doesn't always have to be an elaborate all-day cooking affair, In fact, this meal takes very little time and effort. You can make it for an intimate dinner for two or even for a family.. All it takes is Portabello mushrooms, grated mozzarella or cheddar cheese. onions, tomato slices, extra virgin olive oil, sprouted wheat bread or whole wheat or whole grain hamburger buns.

I must admit that when I came in recently from a long Sunday of visiting friends I love who are in assisted living facilities, I was really hungry and didn't feel like waiting for the mushrooms to marinate. 10 minutes was all it took. I actually marinated, if you can call it that, the mushrooms right in the non-stick pan I cooked them in.

I put about 1 tablespoon olive oil in the pan, then placed very thin slice onions all over the bottom. Next, I took two large Portabello mushrooms caps, wiped them dry with paper towels and rubbed the top side with a little extra virgin olive oil and placed them on their tops in the pan with the olive oil and onions. Meanwhile, I put about a tablespoon of olive oil into the underside of the mushrooms, sprinkled ground dill, garlic powder, savory, fresh ground pepper and Italian seasoning over them and added some thin slices of onion. I Iet everything sit so all the flavors could soak through.

After about 5 minutes, I inverted the mushrooms and sprinkled the seasonings on the tops of the caps, which had been sitting on the onions and olive oil. Then I turned the stove on and cooked them, covered, top side up over medium-low heat for just a few minutes. Turn off the heat and add grated or your favorite sliced cheese. Cover for a few seconds, letting the cheese melt over the caps.

Let drain on paper towels. Serve on your favorite bread, lettuce or spring mix, (pictured above) tomatoes, the cooked onions, mayo or guacamole and anything else you like.

Healthy Spring Green Smoothie

2012-04-05T15:09:00.002-04:00

Spring just does wonderful things to me. It's time to open windows and enjoy the spring breezes. Yes, it's time to breathe deeply and let the air inside, that is, unless you are affected by the pollen. In addition, I am on a smoothie kick. I've been making lots of healthy smoothies lately. Today, I made one that was so beautiful, it reminded me of my favorite color: Spring Green. It evokes the colors and flavors of spring; the neighbors in their gardens, new buds on the trees, blossoming flowers, ripe fruit, birds singing and the wonderful smell of freshly mowed grass..
So, my tribute to Spring is this healthy Green Smoothie follows:

1 cup brewed tea (Berryblossom White)
1 Tbs honey or to taste
1 small tub Greek yogurt (I used vanilla)
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut or almond milk
1/2 frozen banana
1/2 cup frozen peaches
1/2 cucumber, peeled and sliced
1 handful baby spinach leaves

Blend until smooth. About 1 minute in an electric blender.

Blueberry Cucumber Smoothie with

2012-04-03T23:05:00.000-04:00

I know it sounds a bit weird, however, this is what I came up with for breakfast this morning. It turned out really well. I wanted blueberries and banana in my smoothie. I made one last week, with blueberries, banana and spinach that was inspired by one of my Facebook friends who said she used kale and coconut milk in her smoothie,

Yesterday, I read an article on the RealAge website about the benefits of blueberries and decided to make this blueberry concoction with surprise ingredients today. Measurements are not accurate, I threw in what I wanted. You can do the same. Create your own. Mine was delicious--luscious and thick! Nest time, I'll sprinkle in a bit of cayenne.

1 cup brewed Blossomberry White tea **
1 Tbs honey
1/2 cup unsweetened Coconut or Almond milk
1 frozen banana
1/2 cuo frozen blueberries
1/2 avocado, peeled and cut into small pieces
1/2 cucumber, peeled and sliced

Liquify in a blender until smooth. Enjoy!

** I use Tazo Blossomberry. You can use any tea or all milk

Healthy Fish Tacos For Your Family Movie Night

2012-03-23T23:20:00.000-04:00

I usually make my fish tacos with fried fish, as in my photos here. However, recently, I have been aware of the amount of sodium and fat I am eating these days. So, for a change, I have been testing making my fish tacos by sauteeing the fish instead of frying. I have also been experimenting with herbs and spices instead of salt since there is so much sodium in so many of the foods we eat. Surprisingly, they taste just as good because of the seasonings in the guacamole and the salsa. Plus, I have the pleasure of knowing they are truly healthy and still way yummy! Even if you decide to fry your fish, you can omit deep frying and salt.

I have used catfish, tilapia, and whiting to make these. You can use cod, flounder or any other white fish you have available. I use the prepared standing taco shells, just because I like the idea that you can sit them up side-by-side and they don't fall over so much.

Ingredients

2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 lb catfish, tilapia or cod fillets
*Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste, if necessary
Guacamole
Salsa
**Light sour cream or Homemade Fish taco sauce (See Below)
Shredded reduced-fat cheddar or Colby Jack cheese
Shredded lettuce
8 Stand and stuff taco shells

Preparation

Heat oil in skillet over low-medium heat. Add the fish. Add *salt and pepper if desired and cook slowly on each side for about 3-4 minutes or until the fish flakes easily. I like to add a couple of tablespoons of water if the fish starts sticking to the bottom of the pan and then cover to steam until fish is done. Season with garlic salt. Remove from heat.

Place fish into shells and add toppings. I usually start with the lettuce, fish, then guacamole on top; salsa, light sour cream or my homemade tartar sauce and cheese

*In my quest for no added salt recipes, I have combined ground savory, basil, dill to season the fish. It has been a delicious substitute and has made the fish have really succulent.

My Homemade Tartar Sauce

1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1/2 cup low or non-fat yogurt
2 Tbs dill relish
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp dried dill
1/2 tsp dried oregano or Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp basil
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper or to taste

In a medium bowl, mix together yogurt and mayonnaise. Stir in dill relish, oregano, cumin seeds, dill, and cayenne. Let stand to blend flavors while preparing tacos

Stuffed Soft Crabs Maryland Style

2012-03-22T16:00:00.000-04:00

I love Maryland seafood. There are so many delicious varieties in the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. I feel lucky to have grown up in a region with, what I consider, the best seafood in the world. You may ask whether I have had all the seafood in the world and I'd have to say "no." Nevertheless, that's what I think and I'm sticking with it.

It's coming up on soft-shell crab season in May. I haven't tried this particular soft shell crab recipe yet, however, it won't be long before I do. I love soft crabs and stuffing them with crab meat sounds so delicious. I just hadn't thought of this. It looks so easy and that's what I like--Food that is simple, easy and delicious. Found this recipes in one of my Maryland Seafood Booklets.

12 medium Maryland soft crabs, cleaned
1 pound Maryland backfin crabmeat
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine

Dry soft crabs with paper towels.
Remove all cartilage from crab meat.
Place soft crabs in shallow baking pan.
Remove top shell from crabs and stuff each
crab cavity with about 3 tablespoons
crabmeat. Replace top shell. Melt butter
and pour evenly over crabs. Bake at 400°F
until shells turn red and crabs are slightly
brown, about 15 minutes. Serves 6.

7 Seafood Handling Tips for your Family's Safely During the Hot Seasons

2012-03-21T23:23:00.000-04:00

It's almost that time of year again. We are fast coming upon the spring and summer hot seasons. We cook in our kitchens or on outdoor grills to eat outside. We'll take foods with us to distant locations. We also do more fishing than during the winter, have family crab feasts and attend neighborhood "fish frys." I think we eat and cook lots more fish, oysters and crabs to be eaten outdoors here in the Chesapeake Bay area than at any other time of year.

So we need to be aware that there are dangers involved if we are not careful about protecting our foods from spoiling.; especially seafood. I have assembled some safety tips for keeping your seafood safe for everyone to enjoy during the spring and summer time.

1. Always make sure to wash your hands with hot soapy water before and after handling raw seafood. As a food handler, 20 seconds was required. Singing the Happy Birthday song twice takes 20 seconds and should be standard practice anytime you cook raw seafood, even as a home cook.

2. Do not leave any seafood out of the refrigerator for more than two hours, including preparation time and time on the table.

3. It is always the best practice to defrost seafood in the refrigerator or under cold running water and not on the kitchen counter. You can use the microwave method, although I only use this in an extreme emergency.*

*Even in an emergency, I prefer using cold or lukewarm water in a bowl or plastic bag and massaging the fish often to break through the ice. (It may take a bit more effort on your part; and your hands do get cold; however, I notice that the microwave will actually cook parts of the fish, so in essence, it hasn't saved anything.)

4. This tip is extremely important. Never, ever put cooked food on the same plate you used for the raw seafood.

5. Similarly, don't ever put cooked crabs in the same basket that came with the live crabs.

6. When you're marinating fish or shellfish, do it in the refrigerator, never at room temperature. Throw away the marinade after use.

7. Make sure you wash all containers, utensils, knives, plates, cutting boards and other surfaces touched by raw seafood with hot soapy water before reusing them.

Family Friendly Holiday Sweet Potato Pie

2011-11-23T22:34:00.001-05:00

I love sweet potato pie and have always loved it. It's not a recipe that my mom or anyone in my family ever made. It's just something that I found out about when visiting my ex-husband's family in North Carolina. Well, actually, it was my brother in-law's grandmother who made awesome sweet potato pie. She was a true southern cook. It was an amazing adventure to visit that part of the family. They were the epitome of the black family from the South who had little in the way of financial riches and worked hard to support the family in the best way they could.

Interestingly, it didn't have to be Thanksgiving or Christmas. It could just be an occasion of family or friends visiting for a weekend. Every stop was pulled out. It was amazing. Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, candied yams, potato salad, collard greens, kale, homemade rolls, sweet potato pie; and this was not a holiday! This was just a regular Sunday dinner! Welcoming anyone who came by. I was a young bride and new to North Carolina cooking. But it was there in Raleigh that I fell in love with North Carolina Barbecue and real sweet potato pie.

Here is my take on Sweet Potato Pie. I'm pretty sure I've added some ingredients like rum extract and coriander that they did not use in the North Carolina . This year, I used white and yellow sweet potatoes for the first time. I got them from a local farmer where I buy my eggs.

This recipe made enough for two hearty pies. Since I don't do pie crusts very well, I got two ready made frozen pie crusts to pour the filling into. That didn't take away from the taste. I also could not find my hand mixer so I had to mix the filling by hand. This meant I couldn't mix everything at one time. Had to add the ingredients a few at a time. It took a little extra time to blend. Still, the pies turned out well. And, they were actually better on the second day when the flavors had a chance to meld.

Ingredients

4-4 1/2 cups mashed sweet potatoes (I used about 4 lbs of sweet potatoes)
4 eggs slightly beaten
1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)
1 cup almond milk
2 Tbs molasses
6 Tbs all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp coriander
1 tsp allspice
2 tsp lemon extract
2 tsp rum extract
2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 375° F

Mix all ingredients together until well-blended with a hand mixer or food processor. Bake for one hour or until a sharp knife inserted into center of pies comes out clean. Serve plain or with whipped cream.

Fast and Easy Pork Sandwich for a Quick Fall Lunch

2011-11-18T16:27:00.001-05:00

When you go to a deli or a lunch wagon here in my area for a hot sliced or pulled pork sandwich, you can expect to spend no less than $8 for a naked sandwich. More often than not, however, they will cost $9.00 or more plus tax. Don't get me wrong, they are delicious and worth it. Well, maybe. Anyway, I guess it's whatever the market will bear. And, in this market, it can bear a lot, apparently.

I was thinking: "Why go to a deli when you can make a perfectly delicious sandwich at home worthy of the best meals on wheels food truck fare?" So, for lunch today I made my sandwich with some thinly sliced Korean BBQ marinated pork I bought from one of my favorite Korean food markets. I cooked it slowly in a a tablespoon of oil with some sliced yellow and red onions, toasted a large sub roll and added a little non-fat ranch dressing for the extra juicy sloppy factor. When I had almost finished half of the sandwich, I though to have some avocado with it. Way yum!

Rotisserie Chicken Salad for Dinner and A Movie At Home

2011-11-12T19:54:00.001-05:00

When I had my own personal chef business, I would cook for many couples who either had no time to cook because they both had demanding jobs or they just hated to cook. As a personal chef, the idea is to cook meals for a week or two, package and label them with instructions and freeze them. The first meal, however, was not one to be frozen, but to be ready for dinner and a movie when the clients came home that very evening.

Apart from the regular menu we had agreed on, one of my requests was whether I could do something with leftover rotisserie chicken. As you might imagine, many of these power couples would buy a roasted deli chicken for a quick meal and wonder what they could do with it after the first day. So I would make a simple rotisserie chicken salad. The chicken was already cooked and well seasoned so it was just a matter of cutting up the chicken, adding some onion and celery, and perhaps apples, raisins, avocados or nuts, depending on whether one of them had a food allergy

It turned out to be a favorite. It also happens to be a favorite of mine for dinner and a movie at home. You can have this with crackers for lunch or as a sandwich on a hard roll or croissant. You can serve this rotisserie chicken salad as a main course on Romaine lettuce or baby spinach leaves with baked sweet potato fries and a glass of beer. I'm into pumpkin beer for the season. I also like this with fresh asparagus.

Here's my recipe for a simple creamy rotisserie chicken salad. In fact, I just made this one this evening. This is great for dinner and a movie. In fact, I'm watching an old classic 1936 Perry Mason movie.

Ingredients

2-3 cups rotisserie chicken, cut up, skin and all

1 small onion, chopped fine

1 or 2 stalks celery, chopped fine

1/2 cup light mayo

2-3 Tbs light ranch salad or sour cream

1 tsp dried dill (flakes or seed)

1 tsp dried parsley flakes

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in bowl. Add more ranch dressing if you want a wetter salad. Personally, I make mine with lots of Ranch dressing You could add walnuts or crunchy apple chunks. I also love this with chopped avocado and crispy turkey bacon.

East Fall Apple Dessert

2011-11-10T22:36:00.001-05:00

I saw a recipe online recently for an apple crisp cooked in a microwave. Being a cook who doesn't always want to take a long time for cooking and preparation, I decided to try it. The flavor was delicious, however, it turned out that the topping wasn't really crispy. It was a simple recipe to which I added a couple of ingredients I thought would add to the dish. I was right. It turned out well, like an apple pie without the crust.

The topping is chewy and the inside was soft and juicy. I used 3 huge Stayman apples that I got from a local farmer's market over the weekend. They are sweet and tart all at the same time. Actually, they were so large, they measured almost five cups. You can use Granny Smith as the original recipe called for or other cooking apples. Enjoy.

Ingredients

4 cups apples, peeled, cored and sliced

Juice of one lemon

¼ tsp ground cardamom

1 tsp ground nutmeg

½ tsp ground coriander

For the topping

½ cup melted butter

¾ cup quick cooking oats

¾ cup packed brown sugar

½ cup flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground allspice

In large bowl place sliced or cut-up apples. Add lemon juice, cardamom, nutmeg and coriander. Mix well together with wooden spoon.

Place apples in an 8 inch square baking dish or a deep dish glass pie plate. In another bowl, mix together the melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, oats and flour. Spread this topping evenly over the apples.

Cook in microwave on high power for 10-12 minutes until apples are soft. Let cool so topping will set. Serve with ice cream or use a dollop of sour cream.

Best Muffins for a Fall Family Chili Dinner

2011-11-08T16:39:00.000-05:00

Before they were an entire breakfast and dessert combined, muffins used to be a great accompaniment to dinner and a nice change from toast with breakfast. In fact, now there are so many varieties of those huge "cake" muffins, you hardly ever see just a plain regular muffin. That's what I call them, "cake muffins"because it's like eating cake for breakfast.

Fall is a wonderful time for muffins. My mom, Sophronia, used to make great muffins when it started getting cool outside. She made two kinds; plain and corn, and, they were always comforting. They were simple and delicious warm, dripping with butter and strawberry preserves, which was my favorite way of eating them in the mornings for breakfast. When we ate chili for dinner, we had corn muffins. Any of these muffins are equally great with chili as well as with bacon, eggs and tea.

Here are my mother's recipes below. Although the recipes call for greased muffin tins, you can use muffin cups. Please note below. Be careful! Do not beat the batter. Overmixing the plain batter will cause development of too much gluten in the flour and yield a tough muffin. The corn muffins do require a thorough mix, however.

So, in my humble opinion, here are the best muffins for a family chili dinner.

Sophronia Baden's Family Muffins

2 cups flour

4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 TBs sugar

1 cup milk

2 TBs melted butter or shortening

1 egg, beaten

Sift and mix dry ingredients. Combine liquid ingredients and add to dry ingredients. Mix just enough to moisten the flour.** Do not beat. Fill greased or buttered muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake at 400° F 20-25 minutes.

**IMPORTANT Muffin batter should be stirred or mixed gently only until the dry mixture is moistened. It should never be beaten.

Mom's Corn Muffins

1 cup flour

2/3 cup yellow corn meal (We always used Indian Head Yellow Corn Meal. I still do.)

2 TBs sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs, beaten

2 TBs melted butter

2/3 cup milk

Sift and mix all dry ingredients. Combine eggs and milk. Add melted butter. Pour all into corn meal mixture and mix thoroughly. Fill greased muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake at 400° F for 20-25 minutes.

Enjoy.

Fun Family Meal Idea-Super Moist Stuffing Muffins

2011-11-08T16:38:00.001-05:00

Moist Stuffing Muffins

I think one of the most fun things I have done is to take stuffing and make it into muffins. Technically, these should be called dressing muffins, because they are made outside of the bird, not stuffed into one. Taking the traditional turkey stuffing fragrant with onions, celery and sage and making them into super moist stuffing muffins turns out to be a fun family meal idea. Of course, it's easy to just take a box of stuffing, mix it with water and make muffins. That's fine if you're in a big hurry. However, the delight you will feel when you hear the ooohs and ahhhs from your adoring family and friends is beyond compare.

Besides, the aroma of fresh cooked celery onions and sage wafting through your home is is like a tonic to your senses. There is nothing like it. It evokes memories of the Thanksgiving turkey preparations of childhood even if it is not Thanksgiving when you are making this recipe. My mother used the stock made from simmered turkey giblets to moisten the dressing. She also used this stock as a base for her turkey gravy. She never made these super moist stuffing muffins. I am sure, however, that she would approve this fun family meal idea.

Ingredients

1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2-3 stalks celery, chopped (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

1 loaf bread, stale or toasted, torn into small pieces
2 cups turkey juices mixed with water, or chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 tsp ground sage
1 tsp poultry seasoning
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 375° F

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook onion and celery slowly in melted butter until soft but not browned. Turn off heat. Add bread and dry seasonings and stir gently. Pour liquid over the mixture, and pack tightly into greased muffin tins.

Bake 25-30 minutes