Recipe Review from 12/23/2019

Hard to believe 2019 is winding down!  We've passed the Solstice so we'll start to see some longer days (yay!).  

The Meal Plan:
Sat (L) Chinese take-out (S) Meneman (scrambled eggs)
Sun (L) leftover soup (S) Slow cooker Italian Sunday gravy over pasta
Mon (yoga) leftover pasta
Tues - Sunday gravy over polenta
Wed (L) (S) leftover polenta
Thurs (yoga)
Fri


Slow Cooker Italian Sunday Gravy (modified from ATK; Slow Cooker Revolution; The Complete Slow Cooker)
This recipe shows up in several places under ATK's label. I have noticed they change the Italian sausage up at bit, one asking for 2lb of one kind, an another recipe asking for 1lb each of Hot and Sweet.; So....your call. I will also note, they mean encased sausage, not ground. One recipe calls for tomato sauce, another for tomato puree. Again...your call.

But, because recipes are guides, and I was using things I had in my freezer: I did 1 pound mild Italian ground which I broke into large chunks, and purchased 1 lb hot Italian sausage. I used tomato sauce, not puree and it was, well, nice and sauce-y.

I'm also going to note, this is really a recipe for the Husband - normally I don't make something so meat intensive. Or with beef. But with the number of veggie dishes I've been making this month, it was the least I could do. :)

This was very good and very versatile: I served over rotini pasta for the first two nights, hoagies for the next couple of nights, and polenta or hoagies will be for down the road. With only two of us eating this, some went into the freezer. Recommended!

Makes about 16 cups (enough for 3 pounds of pasta)  I used rigatoni.

Photo from America'sTestKitchen.com

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds hot Italian or sweet Italian sausage
(or 1 lb hot Italian sausage AND 1 lb sweet Italian sausage)
2 onions, chopped fine
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
12 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano or 2 teaspoons dried
½ cup dry red wine
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 (28-ounce) can tomato puree (or tomato sauce)
2 pounds bone-in country-style pork ribs, trimmed
(I used 1.75 lbs boneless) 
1½ pounds flank steak, trimmed
Salt and pepper
chopped fresh basil skipped, to $$

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown half of sausage on all sides, about 5 minutes; transfer to slow cooker. Repeat with remaining sausage; transfer to slow cooker.

Add onions to fat left in pot and cook over medium heat until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, garlic, and oregano and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in wine, scraping up any browned bits; transfer to slow cooker. Stir in tomatoes and tomato puree.

Season spareribs and steak with salt and pepper and nestle into slow cooker. Cover and cook until pork and beef are tender and fork slips easily in and out of meat, 9 to 10 hours on low or 6 to 7 hours on high.

Transfer sausages, spareribs, and steak to cutting board and let cool slightly. Using 2 forks, shred ribs and steak into rough 1-inch pieces; discard fat and bones. Slice sausages in half crosswise.

Using large spoon, skim fat from surface of sauce. Stir in shredded meat and sausages and season with salt and pepper to taste. Before serving, stir in 2 tablespoons basil for every 8 cups sauce.


Buttermilk Waffles (Martha Stewart)
I received a waffle maker for Christmas.  I had buttermilk that needed to be used.  I made these and can only say, "Oh my!"   Crispy exterior, soft interior, great flavor, cooked perfectly...I can envision having buttermilk on hand just to make these.

Two modifications:  I reduced the butter to 1/3 cup and I added 1 tsp almond extract to the wet ingredients.  I think vanilla would also be a good flavor boost.   I'm making these again.  Soon!  Recommended! 

photo from MarthaStewart.com

2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1/2 cup (1 stick) 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
1 tsp almond extract
Vegetable oil, for waffle iron (If needed...follow the directions on your waffle maker)

Preheat oven to 275 degrees; set a rack on a baking sheet, and place in oven. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, butter, and eggs; add flour mixture, and mix just until batter is combined.

Heat waffle iron according to manufacturer's instructions; brush with oil. Pour batter onto iron (amount depends on iron size), leaving a 1/2-inch border on all sides (spread batter if necessary). Close iron; cook until waffles are golden brown and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to rack in oven to keep warm; repeat with remaining batter.


Tomato Soup (EatingWell Magazine, Soup Cookbook) vegetarian/vegan options
Made this for lunches and suppers for part of the week.  This comes together very quickly, with minimal hands-on prep and plenty of time for clean-up.

My observations - this tasted a bit "tinny" or "V-8 ish", not flavors I'm wild about and I think it's due to using whole tomatoes.  If I were to make this again - and I would give this another try - I would use 3 14.5 oz cans of fire roasted tomatoes for a flavor boost AND, I would add 1 tbsp tomato paste to the onions, celery and garlic after they have softened.  I also think fresh herbs are lost in this dish - sauteing some dried Italian herbs with the onion and celery would be better IMHO.

I served this with spanakopita grilled "cheese" sandwiches.   I made the calzones with this recipe earlier this Fall. 

So, soup is recommended with some reservations. 

Made enough for 6 (recipe said four, but I got way more than that)

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or parsley
1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, with juice
1 (14 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, with juice
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, “no-chicken” broth, or vegetable broth
½ cup half-and-half (optional)
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste


Heat butter and oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until the butter melts. Add onion and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and thyme (or parsley); cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 10 seconds.

Stir in canned tomatoes (with juice). Add broth; bring to a lively simmer over high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a lively simmer and cook for 10 minutes.

Puree the soup in the pot using an immersion blender or in batches in a blender. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Stir in half-and-half (if using), salt and pepper.

Recipe tip: To make ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Head On by John Scalzi (Lock In #2)

Head On by John Scalzi

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Jacket blurb:  John Scalzi returns with Head On, the standalone follow-up to the New York Times bestselling and critically acclaimed Lock In. Chilling near-future SF with the thrills of a gritty cop procedural, Head On brings Scalzi's trademark snappy dialogue and technological speculation to the future world of sports.

Hilketa is a frenetic and violent pastime where players attack each other with swords and hammers. The main goal of the game: obtain your opponent’s head and carry it through the goalposts. With flesh and bone bodies, a sport like this would be impossible. But all the players are “threeps,” robot-like bodies controlled by people with Haden’s Syndrome, so anything goes. No one gets hurt, but the brutality is real and the crowds love it.

Until a star athlete drops dead on the playing field.

Is it an accident or murder? FBI Agents and Haden-related crime investigators, Chris Shane and Leslie Vann, are called in to uncover the truth―and in doing so travel to the darker side of the fast-growing sport of Hilketa, where fortunes are made or lost, and where players and owners do whatever it takes to win, on and off the field.
 
Read as an audio book. Read for December book group.

I will note first and foremost, please read Lock In before Head On. Lock In does provide the necessary background information and world building that continues in Head On.

This is going to be a short review - I greatly enjoyed this scifi-mystery selection. Scalzi's writing just pulls you along and with Wheaton narrating, it's an engaging and fun "read".

I thought the mystery set against the sport of Hilketa provided a good backdrop and further look into the world of the Hadens (explained in book 1), I loved getting to know Chris's parents and his flatmates better, Chris's FBI partner Vann is a hoot, the addition of the cat as a witness was great, and add in Hadens who think they can do things without ramifications made for one heck of a read.

Recommended. Highly recommend the audio book.



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Recipe Review from 12/15/2019

A mixed week meal wise - lots of leftovers from the week previous, and a handful of new recipes. Two outstanding ones, one...(shaking hand back and forth), was just "okay".    Enjoy!

The Meal Plan:
Sat (L) craft show (S) Brazilian Fish Stew
Sun (L) leftover spicy rice noodles  (S) leftover squash "chili"
Mon (yoga) leftover fish stew
Tues - take n bake pizza
Wed - pork chops
Thurs (yoga) leftover squash "chili"
Fri (yoga) pork chops

Lunches (Husband) Sandwiches; (Me) winter vegetable dal

Brazilian Shrimp and Fish Stew (ATK)
Aka: "Moqueca"
When I saw this on an episode of ATK back in October, I knew this was a "must make". I finally had an opportunity to try this and it didn't disappoint. The pepper sauce was the perfect amount of heat for me, but it could definitely be a bit much for those with sensitive taste buds or the kiddos. Definitely serve on the side and let people adjust the heat to their liking.

We all thought this was good - a combination of sweet from the peppers, balanced by the briny shrimp and the creamy cod. The coconut milk really balanced out all the flavors perfectly.

This took me about an hour from start to finish in part because I was not in my own kitchen, and in part it was a new recipe. Would I make this again? YES. A definite and most resolute YES.

Pepper Sauce
4 pickled hot cherry pepper (3 ounces)
½ onion, chopped coarse
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
⅛ teaspoon sugar
Salt

Stew

photo from AmericasTestKitchen.com

1 pound large shrimp (26 to 30 per pound), peeled, deveined, and tails removed
1 pound skinless cod fillets (¾ to 1 inch thick), cut into 1½-inch pieces
3 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper
1 onion, chopped coarse
1 (14.5-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
(I had to buy a 28 oz can and use half)
¾ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk (I used regular, NOT lite coconut milk)
2 tablespoons lime juice

Serves 4-6 easily.

FOR THE PEPPER SAUCE: Process all ingredients in food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Season with salt to taste and transfer to separate bowl. Rinse out processor bowl.

FOR THE STEW: Toss shrimp and cod with garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in bowl. Set aside.

Process onion, tomatoes and their juice, and ¼ cup cilantro in food processor until finely chopped and mixture has texture of pureed salsa, about 30 seconds.

Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add red and green bell peppers and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add onion-tomato mixture and ½ teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until puree has reduced and thickened.

Increase heat to high, stir in coconut milk, and bring to boil (mixture should be bubbling across entire surface). Add seafood mixture and lime juice and stir to evenly distribute seafood, making sure all pieces are submerged in liquid. Cover pot and remove from heat. Let stand until shrimp and cod are opaque and just cooked through, 15 minutes.

Recipe tip: Serve with steamed rice.; My note - I didn't. I served with warmed rustic sourdough.


Winter Vegetable Dal (Eating Well Magazine, Soup edition) vegetarian/vegan
This came together very quickly - probably in an hour or less from the time I pulled out the spices and veggies from the fridge to turning off the stove. In part his was because my squash was already cubed and ready to go. If you have to prep your squash, it'll take longer.

A couple of notable substitutions: I forgot to buy a Serrano chili, so I added some hot red pepper flakes and a pinch of cayenne pepper; I left my garlic at my Folks place, so no garlic; I used brown lentils instead of red, because the recipe I was working off of didn't say; and I used regular coconut milk instead of lite, because I like the flavor better.

This was...okay. Not quite stellar, not quite "bleh". Not spicy, but not entirely mild. Just...middle of the road. I think if I were to make this again I would use red lentils, the brown being a bit to earthy and overwhelming the squash and cauliflower. Recommended with some little reservations.

Serves 6-ish

Photo from eatingwell.com

2 tablespoons coconut oil or canola oil
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
12 fresh curry leaves (see Tip) or 1 large bay leaf
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 serrano chile, finely diced
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger
4 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 ½ cups water
1 ½ cups red lentils, rinsed (I used brown lentils)
1 (14 ounce) can “lite” coconut milk
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 ½ cups cubed peeled butternut squash
2 cups cauliflower florets (1-inch)
1 large Yukon Gold potato (about 8 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 teaspoon garam masala
2 tablespoons lime juice


Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves (if using) and cook until the seeds begin to pop, about 20 seconds. Add onion, chile, ginger and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is starting to brown, about 5 minutes.

Add bay leaf (if using), water, lentils, coconut milk, salt and turmeric to the pot. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently to make sure the lentils don't stick to the bottom. Add squash, cauliflower and potato; return to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are just tender when pierced with a fork, 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove from heat; stir in garam masala and lime juice.

Pan Seared Pork Chops with Dirty Rice (modified from ATK)
This was a weeknight meal, but on a night I got home from work a bit earlier than usual.  Prep to table was probably an hour total?  And I will add, totally worth it!  This was outstanding!

A couple modifications - I used thin chops instead of thick because that's what I had in my freezer.  Worked very well and I just modified my cooking times.  I didn't have red bell, so I subbed celery.  If I make this again, I would use both because the flavors are very New Orleans.  I didn't have any garlic, so that was skipped.  And I used a Cajun spice blend (there's those New Orleans flavors!). 

Don't skip rinsing the rice!  I'm finding that's a key step in rice dishes. 

This turned out just yummy.  Rice was perfectly cooked, the seasonings so well balanced.  I loved the celery as a sub for red pepper - little hits of sweetness.  Pork chops turned out beautifully cooked (again, I decreased cooking times).   If I made this again (and I probably will), I would season the chops with some of the cajun blend.  Recommended! 

2 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth

photo from ATK.com

1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed (don't skip rising the rice!)
4 bone-in pork rib chops (I used thin chops, recipe called for thick)

Salt and ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 ounces chorizo sausage, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces
1 small onion, minced
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine
2 celery stalked, chopped
6 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves or 1/4 teaspoon dried
¾ teaspoon chili powder or Cajun spice blend
3 scallions, sliced thin


Combine 1 1/4 cups of the broth and rice in a microwave-safe bowl, cover, and microwave on high power until the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. I brought the 1 1/4 cup of rice to a boil on the stove, added the rice, simmered until the water was absorbed, and let stand.  Fluff the rice with a fork.

Meanwhile, pat the pork chops dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Carefully lay the pork chops in the skillet and cook until well browned on one side, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer the pork chops to a plate.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the skillet and return the skillet to medium heat. Add the chorizo, onion, and bell pepper and cook until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, thyme, and Cajun spice blend and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in the remaining 1 1/4 cups broth and microwaved rice, scraping up any browned bits. Nestle the pork chops into the rice, browned side up, and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the pork chops register 140 to 145 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, the rice is tender, and the liquid is absorbed, 8 to 10 minutes.   Turn off heat, cover and let stand.  Serve.

Transfer the pork chops to a plate, browned side up, brushing any rice that sticks to the chops back into the skillet. Tent the chops loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Gently fold the scallions into the rice, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve with the pork chops.

Recipe Tip:  If you can’t find chorizo sausage, use andouille or linguica (my comment - kielbasa would also be very good)

Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi

Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb:  Jack Holloway works alone, for reasons he doesn't care to talk about. Hundreds of miles from ZaraCorp's headquarters on planet, 178 light-years from the corporation's headquarters on Earth, Jack is content as an independent contractor, prospecting and surveying at his own pace. As for his past, that's not up for discussion.

Then, in the wake of an accidental cliff collapse, Jack discovers a seam of unimaginably valuable jewels, to which he manages to lay legal claim just as ZaraCorp is cancelling their contract with him for his part in causing the collapse. Briefly in the catbird seat, legally speaking, Jack pressures ZaraCorp into recognizing his claim, and cuts them in as partners to help extract the wealth.

But there's another wrinkle to ZaraCorp's relationship with the planet Zarathustra. Their entire legal right to exploit the verdant Earth-like planet, the basis of the wealth they derive from extracting its resources, is based on being able to certify to the authorities on Earth that Zarathustra is home to no sentient species.

Then a small furry biped—trusting, appealing, and ridiculously cute—shows up at Jack's outback home. Followed by its family. As it dawns on Jack that despite their stature, these are people, he begins to suspect that ZaraCorp's claim to a planet's worth of wealth is very flimsy indeed…and that ZaraCorp may stop at nothing to eliminate the "fuzzys" before their existence becomes more widely known.

Read as an audio book; narrated by Will Wheaton.

Blurb summarize the book quite well, so I won't rehash.

The Husband and I "read" this on a recent road trip and we both greatly enjoyed both the book itself and the narration. Scalzi has a way with plots and words that just suck you in and Wheaton is probably my favorite narrator. Now I fully understand, Scalzi's books aren't for everyone, but they totally work for the Husband and I, they are perfect for road trips, commuting, and general zoning out.

Short review -recommended if you enjoy scifi. 'Nuff said.


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Recipe Review from 12/2/2019

Not much to say about this week...it snowed, it got cold, was busy with work, yoga and family and made a few recipes.   Life is good! 

The Meal Plan from 12/2
Sat (L) homemade pizza (S) pasty
Sun (L) leftovers (S) Squash and Quinoa chili
Mon (yoga) chili
Tues - chili
Wed (oil change) - Spicy Pork noodle soup
Thurs (yoga) - soup
Fri - soup

Lunches - potato and pea curry recipe from last week. (Yup, made it again!)

Pale Ale Pizza Crust (American Media Specials, Vol 19 No 77; Beer)
This has potential.  I say that because I rushed this and used cold flour (a baking no-no) and that definitely affected the rise and baking.  Yet, despite my oversight, this has good flavor and I think is worth making again.  Correctly. 

3 cups flour
1 cup pale ale
salt (I used 1/2-1 tsp-ish)
Pizza sauce
Shredded cheese
Pizza toppings

Preheat oven to 425*

Mix flour, salt and beer in a medium bowl.

Form into a ball.  Make sure all flour is thoroughly mixed and dough is workable and not too dry.  Add more beer if necessary.

Place in an oiled bowl.  Cover bowl with a towel and let dough rise for 10 minutes.

Use a small amount of oil to lightly coat baking sheet or pizza stone.

Spread dough out on baking sheet or pizza stone.  Poke dough with fork every 1-2 inches.  Cook in oven 5-10 minutes before topping.

Remove and top with sauce, cheese and toppings of choice.

Bake 8-12 minutes more or until dough is cooked and toppings are done.



Butnut Squash and Quinoa Chili (modified from America's Test Kitchen) vegetarian/vegan
Putzy. I think this was easily two hours from start to finish, probably a bit more as we had to tag-team cutting up our 10lb squash (not kidding). But two hours is probably about right. Cut your squash, roast the squash, puree some of the squash, saute the peppers and spices, cook the quinoa for 15-20 minutes, add the squash and simmer.

One noteable change - I subbed cashews for the peanuts. I did have to lightly toast the cashews in a cast iron skillet.

This makes a lot. Four dinners for two of us, might have been six dinners for two of us.

3 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces (9 cups)

photo from America's Test Kitchen

2 onion, cut into ½-inch pieces
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt and pepper
5 cups water, plus extra as needed
¾ cup salted dry-roasted peanuts, chopped (I subbed cashews)
1 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces
1 jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk
1 cup prewashed white quinoa (I used tri-color)
¼ cup minced fresh cilantro or parsley

Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 450 degrees. Toss squash, onions, ¼ cup oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper together in bowl. Spread vegetables out in even layer over 2 rimmed baking sheets. Roast vegetables, stirring occasionally, until tender, 45 to 50 minutes, rotating and switching sheets halfway through roasting.

In food processor, process ½ cup roasted vegetables, 2 cups water, and ¼ cup peanuts until smooth, about 1 minute.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add bell pepper, jalapeño, and 2 teaspoons salt and cook until peppers start to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, ginger, cinnamon, coriander, cayenne, and ¾ teaspoon pepper, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in remaining 3 cups water, tomatoes and their juice, coconut milk, and quinoa and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.

Stir in pureed vegetable mixture and remaining roasted vegetables and let heat through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Adjust consistency with additional hot water as needed. Sprinkle individual portions with cilantro and remaining ½ cup peanuts and serve.


Spicy Noodles with Pork, Scallions and Bok Choy (Eating Well, Dec 2019)
This is a recipe where you definitely need everything in place before you start.  Once those rice noodles hit the water, the clock is ticking to get everything else cooked and ready.  This is spicy, so if you are not keen on heat or there are little tastebuds, cut back (or omit) or sub curry paste. 

The main thing I took away from this recipe is, not good for leftovers.  Rice noodles turned into mush.  Or at least mine did.  Not the most appealing look even though it tasted fine.  Recommened with some reservations.

Serves 4.

7 ounces thin rice noodles or rice sticks

photo from EatingWell.com

2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 head bok choy (about 1 pound), chopped, greens and whites separated
3 scallions, sliced, greens and whites separated
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
¼ cup chili-bean sauce (see Tip) or chile-garlic sauce
(subbed red curry paste)
1 pound ground pork
2 cups unsalted chicken broth
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
Crushed red pepper for garnish


Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large flat-bottomed wok or cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add bok choy whites and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add bok choy greens and cook until wilted, about 1 minute more. Transfer all the bok choy to a medium bowl.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, scallion whites, ginger and chili-bean sauce (or chile-garlic sauce) to the pan. Add pork and cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Add broth, tamari (or soy sauce) and sugar. Mix cornstarch and water in a small bowl and add to the pan. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Stir in the reserved noodles and bok choy; cook, stirring, until heated through, about 1 minute. Serve topped with scallion greens and crushed red pepper, if desired.

Recipe Tip: Chili-bean sauce, a popular condiment used in Sichuan cooking, is made from fermented soybeans and broad beans, and red chiles. It adds heat and saltiness to these noodles. Look for it at Asian markets or online.


Madeleines (AllRecipes.com)
At some point in the recent past, I requested and received a Madeleines pan. I have a particular fondness for the chocolate dipped Madeleines at Starbucks, and realized that I can made the little delectable morsels at home.

I remember (and blogged) about a recipe by Clotilde of Chocolate and Zucchini fame. I also remember this was a multiple day affair with dense cold dough and a bit of frustration.

This weekend I was seriously craving some Madeleines, so I turned to Google and found one that can be made, baked and eaten, like, now.  I had everything I needed on hand: flour, vanilla, confectioners sugar, lemon zest, baking powder, and butter. 


Oh my cakey goodness!  These were good.  And so easy!  And incredibly tasty right out of the oven with the hit of baked buttery cake-y deliciousness with a hint of lemon!  I ate like six while still warm...  This might have just become my go-to recipe.  Start to finish?  Maybe half an hour.  Really.   Recommended!

Made 22, 3" cakes. 

photo from AllRecipes.com

2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease and flour twenty-four 3-inch Madeleine molds.


In a medium bowl beat eggs, vanilla and lemon zest with an electric mixer on high speed for 5 minutes. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar. Beat for 5 to 7 minutes or until thick and satiny.

Sift together the flour and baking powder. Sift one-fourth of the flour mixture over the egg mixture, gently fold in. Fold in the remaining flour by fourths. Then fold in the melted and cooled butter. Spoon batter into the prepared molds, filling 3/4 full.

Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are golden and the top s spring back. Cool in molds on a rack for 1 minute. Loosen cookies with a knife. Invert cookies onto a rack and cool. Sift confectioners' sugar over the tops or melt semi-sweet chocolate chips and dip the tips in the chocolate. Store in an airtight container.

To Fetch a Theif by Spencer Quinn (Chet and Bernie #3)

To Fetch a Thief by Spencer Quinn

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Jacket blurb:  In this third book in the brilliant mystery series, Chet and Bernie go under the big top to solve the most unlikely missing persons (and animals!) case ever.

Chet has smelled a lot of unusual things in his years as trusted companion and partner to P.I. Bernie Little, but nothing has prepared him for the exotic scents he encounters when an old-fashioned traveling circus comes to town. Bernie scores tickets because his son is crazy about elephants. The only problem is that Peanut, the headlining pachyderm, has gone missing—along with her trainer. Stranger still, no one saw them leave. How does an elephant vanish without a trace?
 
Read as an audio book.

Another delightful installment in the Chet and Bernie series.

Premise of the book is the circus is in town, and the star of the show, and elephant known as Peanut, has gone missing. Chet and Bernie are hired to look into the disappearance of the elephant and her trainer, and stumble upon something much bigger and more dangerous than anyone realized.

I was wondering, as the story flowed along, if the trend of Chet and Bernie being separated would continue, and it did. But fortunately, not in the same way as book one and two. At book three, this is becoming a bit formulaic, but the execution was done well enough I didn't mind so much.

Bernie also continues to struggle with his burgeoning relationship with Sally while trying to do the right thing for his ex-wife Lita in a nicely written sub-plot.

And as always, Chet shows us the world through his canine eyes in the only way he knows how.

There are lighthearted and fun, perfect for a commute, vacation, or after a rough day at work. The enjoyment is in the simplicity. Recommended if you've read the first two.



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Recipe Review from 12/2/2019

Okay, getting the posts slowly back on track! Well... mostly. A couple of belated shout-outs at the very bottom.

This weeks review covers a bit of Thanksgiving weekend, which found us digging out from nearly 2' (yes, that's two feet) of snow.  Storm hit hard and fast and I admit, we were a bit unprepared.  Especially when our plow guy had to beg off to do his commercial plowing.  Thanks to awesome neighbors with snowblowers on tractors and co-workers willing to lend us their snow blower, as of this post, we're dug out and cleaned up.  And waiting for our new snowblower to arrive... 

Meal Plan from 12/2/2019:
Sat (L) Salmon Cakes (S) leftovers
Sun (L) Salmon Cakes (S) Squash soup
Mon (yoga) Squash soup
Tues - Squash soup
Wed- Chicken hoagies
Thurs (yoga) Chicken hoagies
Fri - Chicken hoagies

Lunches - sandwiches (Husband); chickpea and potato curry (me) with fruit


Chicken Cacciatore Hoagies (Eating Well, Dec 2019)
These were easy, tasty, and the leftovers were perfect for busy weeknights.  My one modification was I used a combination of leftover turkey and supplemented with a couple of frozen chicken thighs I had in the freezer to make 1 1/4 lbs of meat.  Other than that, no changes.   I obviously didn't toast the hoagie buns all at once, but popped into the oven while re-heating part of the mixture.  Like I said, easy, tasty and perfect for a busy weeknight.  I would make these again.

Serves 6 (three meals for two of us)

photo from EatingLightcom

1¼ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper, divided
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano, plus more for garnish (I used 1 tsp dried)
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
⅓ cup dry red wine
1 (15 ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
6 whole-wheat hoagie rolls, split and toasted
¾ cup shredded Romano cheese

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once or twice, until browned on both sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Add bell pepper and onion to the pan; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, oregano and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until most of the wine is reduced, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and the chicken. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook until the chicken is tender and cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Remove from heat. Using two forks, shred the chicken into large pieces. Divide the chicken mixture among hoagie rolls and top with cheese and more oregano, if desired.


Chickpea and Potato Curry (Eating Well, Nov 2019) vegetarian/vegan
This was my lunch for the week - I made it ahead, measured it into my lunch containers and it was grab and go in the morning.  I really liked this dish, the perfect blend of seasonings and veggies.  I did have some leftover basmati rice from dinner at our local Indian restaurant and I would highly recommended making some on the side for this.  Yum!

A couple of noteable changes: I didn't peel the potatoes (a waste of time and potato); I didn't puree the onion/tomato mixture (futzy); I DID add 1 tbsp tomato paste at the same time as the garlic, curry powder, salt and cayenne for an added flavor boost.  With those handful of modfications, my curry came out chunky rather than saucy, but I was entirely happy with the results.  So happy in fact, I made it a second time for lunches in the coming week.   Recommended
 
Serves 4 (made four lunches)

1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

photo from EatingWell.com

3 tablespoons grapeseed oil or canola oil
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons curry powder
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (14 ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
¾ cup water, divided
1 (15 ounce) can low-sodium chickpeas, rinsed
1 cup frozen peas
½ teaspoon garam masala (see Tip)

Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a large pot fitted with a steamer basket. Add potatoes, cover and steam until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Set the potatoes aside. Dry the pot.

Heat oil in the pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic, curry powder, salt and cayenne; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and their juice; cook for 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor. Add ½ cup water and puree until smooth. (I skipped this bit)

Return the puree to the pot. Pulse the remaining ¼ cup water in the blender or food processor to rinse the sauce residue. Add to the pot along with the reserved potatoes, chickpeas, peas and garam masala. Cook, stirring often, until hot, about 5 minutes.



Easy Spicy Salmon Cakes (Eating Well, Nov 2019)
This used some of the Maple-Miso Salmon I reviewed in the week previous week.  This also required me to be a bit creative as I didn't have all the exact ingredients needed, and I really didn't want to buy more condiments.  I subbed red curry paste for the chili-garlic sauce, and I used a combination of spices I had in the cupboard for the five-spice powder.  I really enjoyed these - I thought the flavor was nice and bright with a touch of zing!, they cooked up absolutely perfectly and the leftovers reheated very nicely.  I served these over spring greens with some of the Cranberry Relish from last weeks spicy salmon (because I had it in the fridge).   You can top with whatever flavors you enjoy.  Recommended!

Serves 4 (two meals for two of us)

recipe from eatingwell.com

1½ cups flaked cooked salmon (leftovers from Maple-Miso Salmon from last week)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
¼ cup finely chopped red onion
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon chile-garlic sauce  (I used red curry paste)

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder (had to improvise and make my own version)
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
¼ cup canola oil


Combine salmon, eggs, onion, cilantro, chile-garlic sauce, soy sauce and five-spice powder in a large bowl. Fold in breadcrumbs. Form into four 3-inch-wide patties.

Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the salmon cakes and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, 4 to 6 minutes total.


Easy Scallion-Salmon Dip (Eating Well, Nov 2019)
This used up the salmon from the Maple-Miso Salmon recipe.  I had enough salmon to make this twice in fact - once for Thanksgiving, and again for just us.  Mm Mm so good!  So good in fact, I'll probably bring this to a long-standing New Years Eve potluck we attend.  Recommended!

Serves 6-10ish.

photo from eatingwell.com

6 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sliced scallions
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
¾ cup flaked cooked salmon (see Maple-Miso Salmon recipe from week previous)

Whisk cream cheese, mayonnaise, scallions, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Fold in salmon.

To make ahead: Refrigerate for up to 1 day.







And a couple of mentions from waaaay back in November when blogging got away from me:

New Mexican Red Pork Chili (America's Test Kitchen Slow Cook Revolution)
For this recipe I'm going to have to point you in the direction of the cook book and your library. Recipe is a bit long to type out at this point in time. But don't let that put you off! This is SO easy and minimalist, with great flavor and super versatile - serve it over grits/polenta, rice, baked potato or even on it's own with some cornbread or fritos on the side. And this makes a lot.
Essence of the recipe is boneless pork butt is slow cooked in a mixture of sauted onions, chili powder, garlic, tomato paste, oregano, chicken broth, a half cup of coffee, with a minced adobo chili and a bit of brown sugar to balance everything out.

One change I did make was I did not add the recommended half cup of raisins but swapped those out with a can of hominy instead.

Recommended! Made 6 meals for two of us - half of those meals were plain with fritos, half were over polenta.


Jambalaya (Kevin Belton's New Orleans Kitchen)
Another one I'll have to direct you toward the library.  One would think after spending a week in Louisiana and New Orleans area that I  would be tired of southern cajun/creole food.  If it were fried, then yes, whole heartedly tired of it.  But this is not fried and I think jambalaya is probably one of my favorite comfort foods.  The only thing I can't seem to replicate is the "fluffy" rice, mine seems to be consistently more like risotto - creamy.  I wonder if I shouldn't be rinsing my rice before making?  Dunno.  Might have to try that next go around. 

New Orleans 2019

So way back at the beginning of November, the Husband and I took a jaunt down to N'awlins.  We were inspired to visit partly because a co-worker spoke highly of the area, and in part due to advertisement on PBS for St. Tammany Parish as sponsors for Kevin Belton's New Orleans cooking show. Our resort was actually in St. Tammany Parish, so we spent the majority of our time bouncing around the area north of Lake Pontchartrain (thank heaven's for spell check!), which is known as the "North Shore". An absolutely lovely area!

So the trip in review:

Friday we had a 7am flight, a leisurely but not overly long layover in Minneapolis, and landed in NOLA about 1p. In a BRAND NEW airport. Like it opened two days before we arrived brand new! All shiny and modern and open and where the heck do we go for luggage and transportation...? Got the rental car and headed north across the Lake Pontchartrain causeway. Checked in at 4p exactly and called it a day.

Saturday - we went into Covington to check out the farmers market and a HUGE art show (Three Rivers Art Show). Picked up some tasty food, wandered through the talls, and then headed back to the unit to watch the second half of Penn St vs MN football game (Gophers won!). Went for a walk late afternoon 'cause when it's 70* and sunny you just have to get outside.

Covington, LA

Sunday - we changed our plans due to a pending cold front coming through later in the week and went on a swamp tour.  So cool! So different from our swamps! Didn't see any alligators tho - I guess they started hibernating. Found a place for lunch, went back to Covington to walk the Tammany Trace Trail (like our Munger) and wandered the art show a bit more.

Honey Island Swamp

view from Tammany Trace Trail

Monday - New Orleans day! We headed in early (not early enough to beat rush hour, ugh), found parking, found breakfast, then went to the WWII museum. It's an incredible and overwhelming experience. They broke the exhibit into two parts - European theater and the Pacific Theater. We started with the European theater, came out two hours and we both went "I need a break". So we wandered all around the French Quarter.It's like....Las Vegas and Savanna had a love child and created NOLA. Unlike anything I've visited to date. We called it quits about 430p and survived rush hour getting back north.

It just dawned on me, none of my pictures from inside the museum turned out. What the heck..?!?

Palace Restaurant - lovely breakfasts

French Quarter

Tuesday dawned to 35* rain with a very blustery wind. A 40* temperature difference from Monday! Ugh. But at least it wasn't the -6* back home!  The plan was to do a plantation tour, but the one I picked out wasn't open on Tuesday.  Drat and bother. We ended up at the Houmas House plantation and lunch at Cafe Burnside. Probably one of the best meals we had in NOLA was at this cafe.

quirky and fun art

Wed - wandered St. Louis Cemetery #3 (open, clean, good neighborhood, no "tour" required), made our way to Central Market and Deli for a muffletta, ate said muffletta in Jefferson Square, then wandered to find a 2nd Cafe du Monde for tea and binets where we ended up in an outlet mall on the river. They don't have tea (who doesn't have tea?!?)and nope, I decided I'm not wild about binets. Wandered back to the car and called it a day. Oh, we stopped at Abita Springs brewery on the way back and enjoyed a flight which I enjoyed more than the binet.

Thursday - hung out at the unit. Lunch was BBQ (really good BBQ!) in Covington. Went in quest of a Starbucks so I could use their internet (a work thing cropped up). Ate the last of our food stuff for supper while doing laundry that evening and packed.

Fri - 230am wake-up. At the rental return by 430a. At the airport by 5a. Small line at luggage check but once Delta had more than one worker-bee the line moved right along. Significant line through security - but it too moved right along. 30 minutes to spare before boarding started at 650a - alas, not enough time to grab breakfast.  We were on the ground by 1pm and spend a couple hours catching up with my Folks (and picking up the pups from boarding).

Overall impressions - we really enjoyed the area north of Lake Pontchartrain (Covington, Abita Springs), and the WWII museum, the plantation tour and the swamp tour.

NOLA/French Quarter itself...mmm. Not so much - I quickly became tired of people trying to sell me something or entice me into their establishment, the homeless on every corner accosting the tourists for money, we struggled to navigate to things of interest (GPS wasn't working the best in the close quarters). The French Quarter (much like it's "parent" Las Vegas) knows how to part you from your money which becomes very annoying. The Husband didn't care for how the place smelled (grease/garbage from all the restaurants out on the very cramped streets,homeless population, hashish, urine all with undertones of musty mildew probably from the sewers).

Would we go back? Probably, but we would skip NOLA itself and spend more time in greater Louisiana, maybe even a trip to Baton Rouge.

Recipe Review from 11/25/2019

Uff. What a week. Head cold. Snowstorm one on Wednesday. Thanksgiving activities.  Quick fit in the grocery shopping and sub a yoga class.  Snowstorm two on Saturday and Sunday was instant winter with something like 15" of snow at once.

I didn't host Thanksgiving, but brought the sides: a basic dressing, squash, cranberry relish, and the base for gravy. Taking a note from Sarah Molton's Thanksgiving day recommendations: make everything ahead and then pop into the oven while the turkey rests. Worked like a charm! Totally doing that again, made festivities so much smoother and relaxing for all involved.

The Meal Plan:
Sat (L) out (S) Stirfry tofu and mushrooms
Sun (L) leftover stirfry (S) Salmon with spicy cranberry sauce
Mon (yoga/book group/legion) leftover salmon
Tues (yoga) salmon cakes leftover salmon

Wed - salmon cakes pasty
Thurs - Thanksgiving!
Fri (errands/yoga at noon/Hockey game pm) (l) Leftovers (S) out

lunches - leftovers from last week, sandwiches, grapes, granola bars

Instant pot chicken broth (loosely based off of Damned Delicious blog)
I got a late start to my broth over the weekend and not wanting to deal with chicken bones and hot broth 9p at night, I decided to give the Instant Pot a try. Now, I greatly modified the recipe from Damned Delicious - mostly what I needed was amount of chicken, how much water, and timing. I generally don't add aromatics such as onion, celery, garlic, etc, because I may need it for sick pups. This is straight up unseasoned, salt-free, bone broth.

Since I needed the stock for Thanksgiving, I stored the broth in some quart sized mason jars in the fridge until needed.

This is what I did for 3 qts of stock:

• 1 - 3lb chicken
• Roast at 350* for 1 hour and 15 minutes (roughly)
• Let stand 15 minutes or until cool enough to handle
• Quarter chicken
• Remove thigh and breast meat
• Place remaining chicken parts in the slow cooker and cover with water until the "Max" line, (follow directions for your specific pressure cooker) set to Pressure Cook, 45 minutes, with natural release.
• Let cool, strain, discard bones and "stuff", and store in your preferred method

From start to finish, about 4 hours total. 3 1/2 of that is completely hands off.

Mushroom and Tofu Stirfry (Eating Well, Dec 2019) vegetarian/vegan option**
A recipe I actually made as written! I used a combination of black oyster mushrooms, large portabello,and shitake. If I were to make this again I would use brown, white, and shitake mushrooms. I don't have access to baked or smoked tofu, so I used extra-firm. This does come together quickly, so having everything prepped ahead of time is a must. I timed it when my instant rice went into the pot (10-12 minutes total cooking time), I started the veggies. Then everything was ready at the same time. Recommended!

This made enough for 2 people for 2 meals when served with rice.  

photo from eatingwell.com

4 tablespoons peanut oil or canola oil, divided
1 pound mixed mushrooms, sliced
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 large clove garlic, grated
1 (8 ounce) container baked tofu or smoked tofu, diced
3 tablespoons oyster sauce or vegetarian oyster sauce** (see Tip)


Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large flat-bottom wok or cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms and bell pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in scallions, ginger and garlic; cook for 30 seconds more. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and tofu to the pan. Cook, turning once, until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the vegetables and oyster sauce. Cook, stirring, until hot, about 1 minute.

Recipe Tip: Sweet, salty oyster sauce is made from, well, oysters, along with salt, sugar and sometimes soy sauce. Substitute vegetarian oyster or stir-fry sauce, if desired, which uses mushrooms instead of oysters.


Roasted Salmon with Spicy Cranberry Relish (Eating Well, Dec 2019)
This was pretty good. I had my doubts about the cranberry relish - you don't cook the cranberries, it's a "raw" salad, but I was impressed with how fresh and crisp this worked over the salmon. I will note, this makes a lot of relish and granted, I halved the salmon (there are only two of us) but kept the relish quantity the same for ease of prep. I think for 8 people it still would be too much. Recommended.

Serves 8 (I halved the salmon for 2 meals for 2 of us)

photo from eatingwell.com

2½ pounds skin-on salmon fillet
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns, cracked
1 lemon, zested and cut into wedges
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen (8 ounces)
1 small shallot, minced
1 serrano pepper, seeded
1 medium Granny Smith apple, peeled and finely diced
1 stalk celery, finely diced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place salmon on the prepared pan. Mash garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, peppercorns and lemon zest into a paste with a fork or a mortar and pestle. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon oil and mustard. Spread on the salmon. Bake until the flesh flakes easily with a fork, 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, pulse cranberries, shallot and serrano in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in apple, celery, vinegar, 1 tablespoon parsley and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and ½ teaspoon salt. Sprinkle the salmon with the remaining 1 tablespoon parsley and serve with the relish and lemon wedges.

The Late Show by Michael Connelly (Renee Ballard #1)

The Late Show by Michael Connelly

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Jacket Blurb: Renée Ballard works the night shift in Hollywood, beginning many investigations but finishing none as each morning she turns her cases over to day shift detectives. A once up-and-coming detective, she's been given this beat as punishment after filing a sexual harassment complaint against a supervisor.

But one night she catches two cases she doesn't want to part with: the brutal beating of a prostitute left for dead in a parking lot and the killing of a young woman in a nightclub shooting. Ballard is determined not to give up at dawn. Against orders and her own partner's wishes, she works both cases by day while maintaining her shift by night. As the cases entwine they pull her closer to her own demons and the reason she won't give up her job no matter what the department throws at her.

Read as an audio book.

I've read and reviewed Connelly's Harry Bosch series, which I have for the most part enjoyed, with the exception that Bosch is a total git. I was on the fence about picking up The Late Show, but needed something to read for my commute and it was on sale.

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised and pleased with the first installment with Renee. I found her to be an interesting character, fairly well balanced in her approach to being a detective, treats her fellow detectives with respect but isn't afraid to push. I also liked the double mystery in this installment.

There were a handful of things that rubbed me the wrong way - not enough to set aside the book or stop reading the series - but notable on their own:

Her dog Lola. Not wild about how the dog spent most of the time with the dog sitter. Pick up the dog, then dump the dog off. That's not fair to the dog and I fully admit, my quirk.

Repetitive statements such as "the late show". Yeah, I got that "the late show" is police jargon for working the night shift after the first 10 times it was used. After that, it just felt forced.

I am not a fan of turning the female protagonist in any book into a sexual victim. It's demeaning and not necessary.

There is a scene in the book where Renee paddles out into the fog on the ocean...for someone as skilled on the water as she is - a dumb move. Yes, the scene has meaning, but given her knowledge of surfing, it was dumb.

So perhaps a bit nit-picky, but that's what a review is about - just an opinion and discussion about what worked for the reader or didn't work. I thought this was a strong and engaging read, the twists and turns were well done, the narrator did a very good performance, and I am looking forward to checking out the next installment.



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Recipe Review catch up

Life and work got a bit busy, we took a trip to New Orleans, and with all of that I fell behind getting my recipes posted. So this is a recap new recipes from the last several weeks. 


Slow Cooker Carne Picada Tacos (Eating Well, Sept 2019)
It's slow cooker season again, and with busy schedules I need meals that don't require a lot of prep and provide leftovers for several meals.This fit the bill.

I will note one major substitution - I swapped out the beef and used a pork shoulder. I combined the sliced jalapenos with the meat rather than serving separately. I also confess I used a pico de gallo I bought at the store. Like I said, I needed easy easy easy.

Would I make this again? Absolutely! This was perfectly seasoned for us, it made enough for the week, and it's kinda versatile. The base recipe can be used in a variety of ways such as enchiladas, over baked potatoes, or even on top of nachos. Recommended!

Serves 8-10

2 pounds beef brisket (flat end), trimmed (I used a pork shoulder)
2 teaspoons ancho chile powder

photo from eatingwell.com

2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup water
2 tablespoons tomato paste
8 small jalapeño peppers
16 corn tortillas, warmed
2 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce skipped

½ cup crumbled cotija (see Tip) or feta cheese

Avocado Salsa (I skipped this)
1 avocado, diced
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup quartered grape tomatoes
2 mini sweet peppers, diced
½ jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1½ tablespoons lime juice
¼ teaspoon salt

Place brisket in a 4- to 7-quart slow cooker and sprinkle with chile powder, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt and oregano. Whisk water and tomato paste in a small bowl and add to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours or High for 4 hours.

About 20 minutes before serving, heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add whole jalapeños and cover. Cook, shaking the pan occasionally and turning the jalapeños with tongs as needed, until charred and blistered on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes to soften.

Meanwhile, prepare avocado salsa: Combine avocado, cilantro, tomatoes, sweet peppers, minced jalapeño, lime juice and salt in a medium bowl. Transfer the brisket to a clean cutting board. Shred it, then finely chop.
Slice the blistered jalapeños. Serve the brisket in tortillas, with lettuce, the jalapeños, cheese and the salsa.

Recipe Tip: Traditionally made with cow's milk, cotija is a salty Mexican cheese that's crumbly, dense and best used sprinkled on top of dishes just before eating. Look for it with other specialty cheeses at most supermarkets, or use feta in a pinch.

BBQ Pork and Broccoli Stuffed Potato (Eating Well, Sept 2019)
The link above will take you to the recipe and four or five other variations and options for loading up your potato including: Cheeseburger stuffed, Salmon Stuffed, Chicken Curry, Pesto/Spinach/Fried Egg topped, and Mexican.

I had set aside some pork from the recipe above to make this. I use both russet potatoes and sweet potatoes because I like sweet potatoes.

Easy, very filling, versatile.  Recommended.

Serves 4. 

photo from eatingwell.com

4 medium russet potatoes (about 8 ounces each)
½ cup barbeque sauce
8 ounces shredded cooked pork, warmed
1 cup chopped steamed broccoli
4 teaspoons shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Pierce potatoes all over with a fork. Microwave on Medium, turning once or twice, until soft, about 20 minutes. (Alternatively, bake potatoes at 425°F until tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.) Transfer to a clean cutting board and let cool slightly.

Holding them with a kitchen towel to protect your hands, make a lengthwise cut to open the potato, but don't cut all the way through. Pinch the ends to expose the flesh. Top each potato with some barbecue sauce, pork, broccoli and cheese. Serve warm.

Slow Cooker Vegan Butternut Squash Soup (Eatingwell.com) vegan/vegetarian
I have something like 20lbs of squash in my basement right now and I am exploring all sorts of ways to make soup and other squash dishes. Remember me mentioning "easy" and "several meals"? Yup - here too, except this was for lunches.

When all was said and done, I was not a fan of this soup and it could have been in part due to the squash I used. I have no idea what variety it was (along the lines of a butnut, but not a butnut), I don't think it was as ripe as it should have been/could have been (not a good fall for our squash), it was much more watery than a butnut, and I think those two factors definitely impacted the overall recipe. I prefer my squash soup thick and creamy.

Recommended with reservations - maybe with a true butnut squash this would have been better. 

photo from eatingwell.com

1 large sweet onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups no-salt-added vegetable broth
1 small butternut squash (about 2½ pounds), peeled and diced
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and sliced
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg


Combine onion, garlic, broth, squash, apple, oil, maple syrup, vinegar, thyme, salt, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours or on High for 4 hours.

When the time is up, remove the lid and stir well. Puree with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender. (Use caution when blending hot liquids.) Serve topped with pepitas (or croutons), if desired.


Slow Cooker Thai Braised Butnut Squash and Tofu (modified from America's Test Kitchen website)
I really enjoyed this dish - chop, plop, walk away. Make your rice and serve! I do use full-fat coconut milk, I like the extra richness it provides. If possible, don't skip the cilantro; if not a cilantro fan, I suggest a little basil.

I made this for my lunches one week - so easy to pack ahead and grab 'n go.  I did have to remember to pack my cilantro separately - it got a bit wilt-y when reheating in the microwave at work.  

Recommended. Serves 4 to 5 with rice.

1 onion, chopped fine

photo from americastestkitchen.com

3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces (6 cups)
14 ounces extra-firm tofu, cut into ¾-inch pieces
1 cup vegetable broth,plus extra as needed
2 teaspoons instant tapioca
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ¼-inch-wide strips
1 cup canned coconut milk
1 tablespoon lime juice, plus extra for seasoning
Salt and pepper ⅓ cup fresh cilantro leaves
¼ cup chopped dry-roasted peanuts (I skip)


Preheat a medium sized pan over medium-high. Saute onion until just starting to soften. Add curry paste, 1 tablespoon ginger, garlic, and 1 tablespoon oil in bowl, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. Transfer to slow cooker. Stir in squash, tofu, broth, and tapioca. Cover and cook until squash is tender, 3 to 4 hours on low or 2 to 3 hours on high.

Stir bell pepper, coconut milk, lime juice, and remaining 1 tablespoon ginger into slow cooker. Cover and cook on high until heated through, about 10 minutes.

Adjust sauce consistency with extra hot broth as needed. Season with salt, pepper, and extra lime juice to taste. Sprinkle individual portions with cilantro and peanuts before serving.

Hounded by Kevin Herne (Iron Druid #1)

Hounded by Kevin Hearne

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Jacket Blurb: Atticus O’Sullivan, last of the Druids, lives peacefully in Arizona, running an occult bookshop and shape-shifting in his spare time to hunt with his Irish wolfhound. His neighbors and customers think that this handsome, tattooed Irish dude is about twenty-one years old—when in actuality, he’s twenty-one centuries old. Not to mention: He draws his power from the earth, possesses a sharp wit, and wields an even sharper magical sword known as Fragarach, the Answerer.

Unfortunately, a very angry Celtic god wants that sword, and he’s hounded Atticus for centuries. Now the determined deity has tracked him down, and Atticus will need all his power—plus the help of a seductive goddess of death, his vampire and werewolf team of attorneys, a bartender possessed by a Hindu witch, and some good old-fashioned luck of the Irish—to kick some Celtic arse and deliver himself from evil.



Read for November book group.

This was so much fun to read. Just a delightful take on urban fantasy with Gaelic and Nordic gods, witches, Druids, Irish Wolfhounds, vampires, werewolves, and whiskey drinking old ladies. When all is said and read, this is pure entertainment, so not something to take overly seriously.

What I enjoyed - well, everything. Especially Oberon, the wolfhound. Loved his doggie point of view.

What I didn't care for - um, not much. I really find anything to complain about. I was entertained.

So this is going to be a super short review. If you need something light, for travel or vacation that can easily be put down/picked up, this is the book for you. I'm looking forward to getting my hand on the next couple of books in the series.

Recommended if you like urban fantasy set in Tempe, AZ, based loosely on Celtic mythology.



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