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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Recipe Review from 10/28/2019

This was a week where I had more planned than I had meals!  This was in part due to leftovers from the week previous falling into the weekend, and the shredded pork tacos making more than I anticipated, and really the whole meal plan just kinda fell apart and that's okay.  Things can be shifted around and that's just less to buy for the coming week!  

The Meal Plan:
Sat (L) leftover baked rice  (S) leftover minestrone soup
Sun (L) squash soup and cheese sandwiches  (S) shredded pork tacos
Mon (yoga/bookgroup/legion)
Tues - tacos
Wed (chili potluck at work) - baked stuffed potatoes  tacos
Thurs (yoga) leftovers  tacos

Fri (yoga) leftovers  take n bake pizza


Lunches - butternut squash soup

Butternut Squash Soup (with Apple Grilled Cheese Sandwiches) (Eating Well, Oct 2019)
It was my intent to make this over the weekend, but as life happened, I made the sandwiches to go along side the leftover minestrone soup, and ended up making the soup for lunches during the week. 

What can more can I add to an already classic combo?   This particular soup may make it into my top three for butternut soups - creamy, velvety, loved the cumin/tumeric spice combo and the coconut milk gave it a lovely sweetness that had hints of vanilla.   I highly recommend this recipe!

Made 4-5 servings. 

photo from eatingwell.com

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil or coconut oil, divided
1 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus more for garnish
5 cups cubed (1-inch) peeled butternut squash
1 (15 ounce) can light coconut milk, divided
2 cups low-sodium no-chicken broth or chicken broth

1 small apple, thinly sliced, divided
¾ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lime juice
4 slices whole-wheat country bread
1 cup shredded smoked Gouda or Cheddar cheese
Ground pepper for garnish


Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and ginger; cook, stirring, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Add cumin, turmeric and cayenne; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add squash, coconut milk (reserve 4 tablespoons for garnish, if desired), broth, half the apple slices and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender, about 20 minutes.

Stir in lime juice. Remove from heat. Puree the soup in the pan using an immersion blender or in batches in a blender. (Use caution when blending hot liquids.)

Divide ½ cup cheese between 2 slices of bread. Top with the remaining apple slices, cheese and bread. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the sandwiches and cook until lightly browned on both sides and the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes per side. Cut in half. Garnish the soup with the reserved coconut milk, more cayenne and ground pepper, if desired.

Zero Sum Game by S.L. Haung

Zero Sum Game by S.L. Huang

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Jacket Blurb: Cas Russell is good at math. Scary good. The vector calculus blazing through her head lets her smash through armed men twice her size and dodge every bullet in a gunfight, and she'll take any job for the right price.

As far as Cas knows, she’s the only person around with a superpower...until she discovers someone with a power even more dangerous than her own. Someone who can reach directly into people’s minds and twist their brains into Moebius strips. Someone intent on becoming the world’s puppet master.

Cas should run, like she usually does, but for once she's involved. There’s only one problem...

She doesn’t know which of her thoughts are her own anymore.

Read for October book group. Read as an audio book.

Premise of the book is Cass Russel, a street wise gal good at retrieving items, has been hired to retrieve Donna Polk's sister from the cartel. The job goes sideways and Cass finds herself falling down a rabbit hole involving her not-friend Sun Rio and a PI named Arthur, and a putting them all against not one but two secret organizations. One organizaation determined to make the world a better place, the organization is determined to eradicate the very existence of the first. Cass and Arthur soon learn that morality is a very gray area and their thoughts might not be their own.

This is fairly fast paced. The story hits the ground running and really doesn't stop. At. All. I thought the narrator had an excellent performance - it was almost as if you could feel Donna Polk manipulating the people around her, the lack of empathy in Sun Rio, and Cass's mind whirring as she tries to fit all the pieces together.

There is a small enough cast of characters to keep the story interesting and kept the plot moving forward without getting bogged down. Everything is told from Cass's point of view, but we go get those glimpses of frustration, anger, and worry from our supporting characters. I did find Cass to be a bit of a contradiction; for someone as smart as she is, there were some moments where I found her actions to be...stupid. Plot mechanics aside, they were just dumb choices or decisions. It's like watching someone in a horror movie - "Let's hid in the shed with the chainsaws!" or "Nooo! Don't go down into the basement alone!". And they do it anyway.

I also hit a wall with my tolerance for action about chapter 27. I was ready to be done - wrap this plot up and let's move on. Alas, no. There were three more hours to go at that point. About chapter 30 the story starts to move over into implausible and I'm contemplating skipping to the end. But, the astute reader will recognize that at some point, there will be a Big Reveal...I just had to hold out till then to confirm my suspicions.

Overall, an interesting read that could have wrapped things up about 10 chapters earlier than it did and still been just as strong a story. Not sure *I* would read the next in the series, we'll see what the book group thinks.



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Recipe Review from 10/21/2019

I thought I had good luck with Cooking Light recipes, but now that I've been getting the Eating Well magazine, wow. So many incredibly good meals and I've been so satisfied with the results. Granted, I've had several "Meh" recipes too, either my fault or just a poor recipe, but overall, I'm quite pleased and I think I'll get a subscription.

The Meal Plan:
Sat - Lunch with Friend; Supper with family
Sun - leftover Zen House; leftover pasta
Mon (yoga) leftover pasta
Tues - pancakes
Wed - Baked Saffron Rice
Thurs (yoga) leftover rice
Fri - Pizza

Lunches - leftover Indian; Minestrone soup

Winter Minestrone Soup (Eating Well online) vegetarian option
This wasn't from the magazine, I found it online. I was searching for a dish that used sausage and butternut squash. I have something like 20 lbs of butnut in my basement right now. The kicker? That's four squash! I'll be freezing some when I have the time to chop.

I didn't use sausage links for below as I had a partial package of ground in the fridge. I used cannelli beans instead of kidney (not my favorite), I spaced I needed fennel so I subbed baby carrots, and I skipped the white wine as I didn't want to open a bottle and have it sit in the fridge until the weekend. Overall, pretty decent if not a bit bland. 

photo from eatingwell.com

1 pound uncooked Italian or pork sausage links, cut into ¾-inch slices
2½ cups peeled winter squash, such as butternut squash, cut into 1-inch cubes
1½ cups cubed potatoes
2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15 ounce) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
(I used cannelli beans)
½ teaspoon dried sage, crushed
4 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 cup dry white wine
4 cups chopped kale or fresh spinach


In a large skillet, cook the sausage until browned; drain well.

In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, place squash, potatoes, fennel, onion, garlic, beans and sage. Top with sausage. Pour broth and wine over all. Cover and cook on Low for 8 to 10 hours or on High for 4 to 5 hours.

Stir in kale (or spinach). Cover and cook 5 minutes more.

Baked Saffron Rice (Jamie Oliver 5 Ingredient Meals)
Okay, true to the episode, this is fast and easy.  That being said, I did have some hiccups.  My printout of the recipe cut off part of the directions so I had to extrapolate a bit.   I don't have a stove-top safe roasting tray, so I used a 12" oven-safe skillet.  I think I was a little overzealous with my 4 tbsp of tomato paste, because end result was a little tomato-y.   I also should have covered the pan for the first 10 minutes of cooking - while the bottom was perfectly cooked, the top was definitely underdone. I'm for "crunchy", but I do like my rice cooked.

Would I make this again? ...maybe.  On the fence.  

photo from jamieoliver.com

2 red onions
2 small pinches of saffron
4 heaped tablespoons natural yoghurt
4 tablespoons sun-dried tomato paste
.66lbs (300g) white basmati rice
salt, pepper, olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF

2. Peel and finely chop the red onions.

3. Place a 11"x 7" (25cm x 30cm) roasting tray on (medium-high) heat on the hob, pour in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, add the onions and fry for 4 minutes, or until soft and sweet, stirring regularly.

4. Meanwhile, place half the saffron in 2.5 cup (600ml) of boiling kettle water. In a bowl, cover the remaining saffron with 1 tablespoon of boiling water, steep for 10 seconds, then mix with the yoghurt and put aside.

5. Stir the tomato paste, rice and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper into the onion tray, then pour in the saffron water and bring to the boil.

6. Once boiling, carefully transfer to the oven for 15 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed all the liquid, fluffed up beautifully and is golden and crisp on top.

7. Spoon the saffron yoghurt over the rice, drizzle it all with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, fork and mix it all together, and dish up.

Recipe Review from 10/14/2019

The previous weekend was yuck weatherwise, with rain, snow and blustery winds.  A good day to bake bread and cook something in the oven.  We decided to make a roast chicken dinner with all the fixin's:  slow roasted chicken, gravy from drippings, baked dressing, and a homemade cranberry relish.  The bread cubes were the only thing I didn't make from scratch - just easier to buy a bag of Peppridge Farms or similar and then add my favorites like apples, mushrooms, celery and onions.   Best part?  THE LEFTOVERS!  Yum!

The Meal Plan
Sat (L) Turkey and apple sandwiches (S) Roast Chicken dinner
Sun (L) leftover squash stew (S) leftover Roast chicken
Mon (yoga) Roast Chicken
Tues - "Brinner"  leftover pancakes, sausage links, poached egg
Wed - Penne with sausage, chard and squash
Thurs (yoga) - leftover roast chicken
Fri - leftover penne


Basic Whole Roast Chicken (Eating Well, Jan/Feb 2019)
Easy enough, though I brain farted splitting the herbs in half and everything when into the butter and under the skin.I will also note, 1 hour is NOT enough for a 5-6 lb chicken. Hour and a half more like, and this was using a temperature gauge.

I saved the juices from the bottom of the pan and made gravy, I separated the onion from the carrots and celery and put those into the gravy. Yum! Then I tossed some chicken bones from the freezer into the pan to roast for stock (made the next day). Other than the chicken not being done in an hour, I'd use this recipe again.

Serves 4-6

photo from eatingwell.com

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, such as sage, rosemary and/or thyme, divided
I used 2 tsp dried herbs
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
¾ teaspoon ground pepper
1 (4 to 5 pound) whole chicken
1 small lemon, halved crosswise
1 medium head garlic, halved crosswise
3 medium carrots, cut into 3-inch pieces
3 stalks celery, cut into 3-inch pieces
1 large onion, thinly sliced

Position rack in the bottom third of oven; preheat to 375°F.

Combine butter, 1 tablespoon herbs, ½ teaspoon salt and pepper in a small bowl. Place carrots, celery and onion in a large broiler-safe pot. Place carrots, celery and onion in a large broiler-safe pot.

Remove giblets from chicken and reserve for another use. Loosen and lift the skin from the breast with your fingers and spread the butter mixture under it, starting at the neck end. Place lemon and garlic in the cavity. Tie the legs together with kitchen string. Place the chicken breast-side up on the vegetables and put the lid on.

Roast the chicken for 1 hour (to 1-1/2 hours). Increase oven temperature to broil. Uncover and broil until golden brown and a thermometer inserted in a thigh without touching bone registers 165°F, 6 to 10 minutes. I skipped the broiling and just opened the lid on the pan and let brown.

Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board and let stand for 15 minutes before carving. Serve sprinkled with the remaining 1 tablespoon herbs and ½ teaspoon salt.


Spiced Apple-Cranberry Relish (Cooking Light Nov 2016) vegetarian
I think I've made and reviewed this previously. If you like your cranberry relish/sauce with a bit more "umph", this would be the recipe for you. Warm spices (cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves) blend beautifully with the cranberries and apples for something that is a bit reminiscent of a berry pie. Everything comes together in about 25 minutes and can easily be made ahead.

Recommended!

Serves about 8 (1/4 cup servings)

photo from cookinglight.com

1 (12-oz.) pkg. fresh cranberries, divided
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons apple cider
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup chopped apple
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Reserve 1/2 cup cranberries. Place the remaining cranberries and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium-low. Add apple cider, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg to cranberries and sugar in pan; cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.


Increase heat to medium-high. Stir in apple and vinegar. Cook 8 minutes. Stir in reserved cranberries, salt, and pepper.


Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberries (Bon Appetite)
This was so easy to pull together! I did skip the compote - I had blueberry jam in the fridge that I used instead. I also used frozen blueberries because I had those in the freezer. Otherwise, made as written. These were sweet, with a hint of nuttiness from the whole wheat flour.  This also makes a large batch - enough for two of us for two breakfasts. Leftover pancakes - all the flavor minus the cleanup! Recommended!

photo from bonappetite.com

For the Compote
4 cups fresh blueberries (about 1½ pounds), divided
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1½ teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

For the Pancakes
4 large eggs, separated
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1⅓ cups whole-milk fresh ricotta
¾ cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Vegetable oil (for griddle)
Pure maple syrup and room-temperature butter (for serving)



Cook 2 cups blueberries, ¼ cup sugar, and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until berries start to burst and mixture becomes thick and jammy, 6–8 minutes. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and 1 cup blueberries. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Let compote sit until you are ready to serve.

Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat egg whites in a medium bowl until stiff peaks form, 3–5 minutes. Whisk all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and remaining 1 Tbsp. sugar and 1 tsp. salt in a large bowl to combine. Whisk egg yolks, ricotta, buttermilk, and vanilla in another medium bowl.

Add egg yolk mixture to dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula to incorporate. Fold in one-third of egg whites to lighten, then add remaining egg whites and fold in until no streaks remain.

Heat a griddle or a large skillet over medium-low; brush with oil. Working in batches, scoop ½-cupfuls of batter onto griddle. Top each with 2 Tbsp. fresh blueberries. Cook pancakes until bottoms are golden brown and bubbles form on top, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook, reducing heat if browning too quickly, until second sides are golden brown and pancakes are cooked through, about 2 minutes.

Serve pancakes with warm compote, maple syrup, and butter.

Do Ahead: Compote can be made 2 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.


Penne Pasta with Sausage, Butternut Squash and Chard (Eating Well, Sept 2019)
This comes together very quickly, so my strongest suggestion would be start the water heating, then make sure everything is mise en place (all chopped and prepped).   I made this as written, no changes or substitutions.   Tasty in a Fall comfort-food kinda way.  Use a spicy sausage if you like a bit more heat.   Recommended.

Serves 4 (6 if small portions with a large salad)

photo from eatingwell.com

8 ounces whole-wheat penne
2 cups diced butternut squash ( ½-inch)
4 cups lightly packed chopped chard
1 cup diced smoked sausage
½ cup finely chopped shallot
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups low-fat milk
1 cup freshly grated pecorino cheese, plus more for serving
½ teaspoon salt
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Crushed red pepper flakes for garnish


Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 2 minutes. Add squash and cook for 6 minutes. Add chard and cook until the pasta is tender, 1 to 2 minutes more. Drain and return to the pot.

Meanwhile, combine sausage, shallot and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallot is soft, about 5 minutes. Add sage and sprinkle with flour; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Whisk in milk and cook, whisking occasionally, until the sauce starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Stir in cheese, salt and nutmeg; cook until the cheese melts and the sauce is thick.

Pour the sauce over the pasta mixture and stir to coat. Serve topped with more cheese and pepper flakes, if desired.

Bloody Genius by John Sandford (Virgil Flowers #12)

Bloody Genius by John Sandford

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb: At the local state university, two feuding departments have faced off on the battleground of PC culture. Each carries their views to extremes that may seem absurd, but highly educated people of sound mind and good intentions can reasonably disagree, right?

Then someone winds up dead, and Virgil Flowers is brought in to investigate . . . and he soon comes to realize he's dealing with people who, on this one particular issue, are functionally crazy. Among this group of wildly impassioned, diametrically opposed zealots lurks a killer, and it will be up to Virgil to sort the murderer from the mere maniacs.

Read as an audio book.

This was bloody brilliant. The story and mystery engaging, the reader is pulled along on Virgil's quest, then BAM! all the pieces slot into place and it's like, holy shit! Brilliant!

I will admit to being somewhat thrown by not knowing who the protagonist was ahead of time. Sandford's books historically reveal the murderer if not first thing, than nearly first thing, and the reader watches as Virgil (or Davenport) run around trying to figure out the crime while the reader knows everything. Not a fan of this myself, but this installment didn't do that, and I found myself waiting for the next chapter to be devoted to what the protagonist was up to. And it never happened, and, I admit, I stressed a little because "that's not how it's done".

But the ending of this one made up for everything in spades. Just...brilliant.

Except for the ending - ending. Now I'm a little nervous about the overall story arc.

Recommended if you've been reading the Virgil series.



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Recipe Review from 10/7/2019

This review wraps up September.  After several less than stellar recipes over the previous weeks, these were all winners.  I did have some technical difficulties with the squash stew (related to my IP slow cooker function), but in the end even that turned out good.   Enjoy!

The Meal Plan:
Sat (L) leftovers (S) potluck
Sun (L) pot roast(S) squash, lentil and millet stew
Mon (yoga) leftover pot roast
Tues - Spanikopita Calzones
Wed - Beef and broccoli stir fry
Thurs - leftover calzone
Fri- leftover stir fry

Lunches - the squash stew

Spanikopita Calzones (Eating Well, September 2019) vegetarian
A little bit time consuming, so perhaps not the best for a week night unless you get home early. And part of that "time consuming" was on me, as I made my own pizza dough but didn't get it out of the fridge early enough (at least two hours ahead of time if you have cool kitchen like I do).

The filling was part of an article in the magazine that focusing on how versatile it could be - stuffed peppers, grilled sandwiches, and more.  I plan on going back and trying the different variations.  

I would, however, make these again in a heartbeat. Delicious! The tangy creamy spanikopita filling against a well made, flavorful pizza crust was just yummy. These did make four large-ish calzones, which can be split and shared...or not. Recommended!

Made 4 (could do 6 depending on your pizza dough).

photo from eatingwell.com

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divide
¼ cup chopped shallot
1 (11 ounce) package baby spinach
(I used 8 oz Swiss chard)

2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
1 clove garlic, grated
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
½ cup part-skim ricotta cheese
6 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
1 pound prepared pizza dough, preferably whole-wheat
½ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup shredded provolone

Preheat oven to 475°F.Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 1 minute. Add spinach in batches and cook, stirring, until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in dill, parsley, garlic and pepper. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Transfer the spinach mixture to a large mixing bowl.

Stir in ricotta and feta. On a lightly floured surface, cut dough into 4 equal pieces. Pat and roll each piece into a 7-inch circle. Place ½ cup filling on one half of each circle, leaving a ½-inch border. Top with 2 tablespoons mozzarella. Fold the dough over the filling and crimp the edges with a fork to seal. Cut 3 small slits in the top to vent steam; brush the calzones with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Transfer the calzones to the prepared baking sheet. Bake the calzones until browned on top, about 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.


Slow Cooker Squash, Lentil and Millet Stew (Eating Well, September, 2019) vegetarian
I had some technical difficulties with this one - for some reason, my Instant Pot slow cooker function does not get as hot as a traditional slow cooker, and the split peas were not fully cooked after 8 hours.  I tried to pressure cook for a couple minutes, but kept getting a "burned" reading.  So, a bit of frustration there.  In hindsight, I should have pre-soaked the split peas. 

I also subbed quinoa for the millet because I had quinoa on hand and my local store doesn't carry millet.  Subbed Swiss chard for the spinach because I have a garden bed full of chard.  Skipped the curry leaves and asafetida powder.  Not going to find either in my corner of the world and not worth ordering online.

Despite the technical difficulties, substitutions, and omissions, this was very good.  Don't skip that herbed sauce!  So very tasty.  This was perfect for Fall lunches!  Recommended.

Serves 6-8

photo from eatingwell.com

4 cups cubed peeled winter squash (1¼ pounds; 1-inch cubes)
1 cup red lentils, rinsed
½ cup toor dal (split pigeon peas), rinsed
⅓ cup millet  (I used quinoa)
1 tablespoon Kashmiri chile powder (see Tips)
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon ground pepper
5 cups water
2 tablespoons ghee or canola oil
15 fresh curry leaves (see Tips) (optional)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black or brown mustard seeds
Pinch of asafetida (see Tips)
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
Fresh cilantro for garnish

Herbed Yogurt (Don't skip!)
2 cups whole-milk plain yogurt
¾ cup chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
Pinch of salt


Combine squash, lentils, toor dal, millet, chile powder, coriander, 1½ teaspoons salt, cumin, turmeric and pepper in a 4- to 7-quart slow cooker. Add water and cover. Cook on Low for 8 hours or High for 4 hours.

Meanwhile, prepare herbed yogurt: Whisk yogurt, ¾ cup cilantro, mint and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Just before serving, heat ghee (or oil) in a small skillet over medium heat. Add curry leaves (if using), cumin seeds, mustard seeds and asafetida; cook, stirring, until the seeds start to pop and darken in color, about 30 seconds; immediately scrape into the slow cooker and cover. Add corn to the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the corn to the slow cooker and gently stir to combine. Serve topped with the yogurt and garnished with cilantro, if desired.


Tips: Made from Indian Kashmiri chiles, Kashmiri chile powder has mild heat and a vibrant red hue. Look for it at Indian markets or online. For a substitute, use regular chili powder.

Used in Indian and Middle Eastern cooking, asafetida (as-uh-fet-i-duh) is known for its distinct, slightly sulfurous aroma that works synergistically with other spices to enhance them—similar to the way anchovies can amp up a dish's flavor without you knowing they're there. You can find the spice at Indian markets or online.

Curry leaves are native to South Asia. They have a faint citrusy flavor. Find fresh curry leaves in the produce section (and sometimes in the freezer) at Asian markets and some natural-foods stores. Freeze extra leaves airtight for up to 2 months.

To make ahead: Refrigerate dal (Step 1) for up to 2 days. Refrigerate herbed yogurt (Step 2) for up to 2 days.


Beef and Ginger Stir-fry (Eating Well, September 2019)
I fully admit I am not a fan of beef and will generally avoid it.  However, the Husband does like beef and I thought this would be worth a try.  I have to say....incredibly easy to make and tasted very good.  Fresh, bright, and the perfect amount of "saucy". Husband liked this a lot.  I would make this again, and I would for fun, try using pork.  Recommended!

Serves 4

photo from eatingwell.com

⅓ cup reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce
¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
1 pound sirloin steak, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons peanut or canola oil, divided
6 cups broccoli florets
½ cup sliced scallions, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
1 teaspoon finely grated garlic
2 cups cooked brown rice
Crushed red pepper for garnish


Whisk tamari (or soy sauce), broth, brown sugar and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in a small bowl.

Toss steak with the remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large flat-bottom wok or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the steak and cook, stirring once, until browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a clean plate.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and broccoli; cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in scallions, ginger and garlic; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk the tamari mixture and add it, along with the beef, back to the pan; cook until the sauce thickens, about 1 minute.

Serve over brown rice and garnish with crushed red pepper, if desired.

The Consuming Fire by John Scalzy (The Interdependency #2)

The Consuming Fire by John Scalzi

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb:  The Consuming Fire —the sequel to the 2018 Hugo Award Best Novel finalist and 2018 Locus Award-winning The Collapsing Empire—an epic space-opera novel in the bestselling Interdependency series, from New York Times bestselling author John Scalzi

The Interdependency—humanity’s interstellar empire—is on the verge of collapse. The extra-dimensional conduit that makes travel between the stars possible is disappearing, leaving entire systems and human civilizations stranded.

Emperox Grayland II of the Interdependency is ready to take desperate measures to help ensure the survival of billions. But arrayed before her are those who believe the collapse of the Flow is a myth—or at the very least an opportunity to an ascension to power.

While Grayland prepares for disaster, others are preparing for a civil war. A war that will take place in the halls of power, the markets of business and the altars of worship as much as it will between spaceships and battlefields.

The Emperox and her allies are smart and resourceful, as are her enemies. Nothing about this will be easy... and all of humanity will be caught in its consuming fire.


Read for September book group.

Read as an audio book because, it's WILL WHEATON! Best narrator ever. Or certainly right up there.

Jacket blurb summarize the book quite well so I won't rehash.

I will admit to being somewhat confused for the first half of the book - my own fault. I kept getting this series mixed up with Android's Dream. I don't know why my brain wanted to mush Androids Dream with the Interdependency, but it did. Quite annoying. And confusing.

So I spent the first part of the book just tying to figure out who was whom and what the heck was going on. Then I started to get a bit fidgety and thought about skipping to the end. And that's when our fine characters took a little jaunt to a far flung star system and things became very interesting indeed. Like, that is frickin' COOL! interesting. And after that it was hard to step away.

The ending was awesome. Simply, awesome.

A great second installment (despite confusing myself) and I'm looking forward to the next book.



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