Recipe Review from 4/6/2020

Weather bouces from a balmy 50*, to rain and thunderstorms, to 40*, to snow squalls, a day of warm, then a slap in the face with unkind windchills.   If we have to "Shelter in Place" this is the time of year to do it up here.

This weekend I was sewing!  I haven't pulled out the sewing machine in years.  I got burnt out doing six years of middle eastern dance costumes and really haven't touched the machine since...2007ish?  I have to admit, I enjoyed myself and might look at tackling a quilt with the quilt fabric I have stashed. 

photo from scifiwithpaprika.com (c)2020

Meanwhile, we made a few new recipes!  Enjoy!

The Meal Plan from last week:
Sat (L) leftovers (S) Kimchi Soup
Sun (L) leftover soup (S) Chicago Thin-crust pizza
Mon - leftover pizza
Tues - spaghetti
Wed - leftover kimchi soup and leftover spaghetti
Thurs - pasta e fagioli (Italian pasta and bean soup)
Fri - leftover soup

lunches - barley, corn and black bean burritos

Kimchi jjigae (Modified from My Korean Kitchen Blog)
I don't know how this popped up on my radar, but it was a "I have to make this NOW" kinda recipe.  Fortunately, I know someone of Korean decent and got the lowdown that this soup is a lot like chili or chicken soup here in the States.  Everyone has their favorite recipe and they are all a little different.

First challenge was to find some gochujang.  "Everyone" is touting "you can find this at your local supermarket or co-op!".  Ah...no.  I live in Northern MN where siracha is considered to be exotic.   Nearest Korean market is 150 miles away and a road trip isn't happening right now.  I did find something called gochujang at the co-op, but I don't think it's actually *gochujang*.   It would have to do.

Ditto for gochugaru, the chili flakes.  I didn't even bother to look for these and just subbed red pepper flakes.  It would have to do.

The rest was easy peasy.  I subbed chicken thighs for the pork, and fried them in a tich of leftover bacon grease.  I did substitute cremini mushrooms for the shitaki as I had cremini in the fridge. I subbed shallot for yellow onion, because of the same reason.

Bottom line?  I would absolutely make this again!   In fact, I did the next day!  Delicious!   Highly recommended

Meat
1/4 lb chicken thighs, cut into bite size pieces

photo from scifiwithpaprika.com (c)2020

1 Tbsp rice wine (mirin) (or substitute 1 Tbsp dry sherry)
3 ground black pepper to taste

Kimchi and Others
3/4 cup aged Kimchi (at least 2 to 3 weeks old), cut into bite size pieces if not already
1/4 small brown onion, thinly sliced (I used a shallot)
1 stalk small green onion, thinly sliced
4 oz small shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, thinly sliced
approx 5 oz firm tofu, sliced or cubed
1 cup water

Jjigae base (mix these in a bowl)
1 Tbsp Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)  (I used red pepper flakes)
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp Korean chili paste (gochujang)
1/4 tsp minced garlic
ground black pepper to taste

1) Marinate the chicken with the rice wine and the ground black pepper for about 15 mins.

2) Cook the Kimchi in a skillet until soft. (You could do this in the pot where you will make this jjigae. Do this only if the pot is big enough to maneuver around.)

3) Put the marinated meat into the bottom of the pot. Add all the other ingredients (kimchi, onion, mushrooms, tofu, water and the base sauce) except for green onion into the pot.

4) Boil the pot on medium high heat initially then reduce the heat to medium once it starts boiling. Cook further until the meat is cooked. (It takes 10 to 15 mins from the beginning of step 4.) Make sure the sauce is well blended into the rest of the ingredients. (This can be done by gently mixing the sauce around the soup with a small teaspoon and splashing the soup over other ingredients every now then). When the meat is cooked, add the green onion and turn the heat off.

5) Serve with rice (and other side dishes).



Pasta e Fagioli (modified from Cooks Illustrated)
This was a pantry dive recipe.  I had the dried beans, I had the orzo, all I needed was some celery  and I was set.  The dried beans were from our garden a couple years ago, and we don't think the ripened quite right.  I used my instant pot to cook, doing a test batch first (over cooked) and then a batch for this.  Some beans were perfect, others were a bit more al dente than I care for.   I have since learned to add a tsp of baking soda to the bean water prior to cooking.   Next time.

As the recipe tip notes below, first meal this is a soup.  Following meals, this turns into more of a stew, which I am completely okay with.  If you prefer to keep it soup-like, cook and keep the pasta separate.

While I enjoyed this, I think this would have been better without the beans from the garden.   Still, recommended.

Photo from cooksillustrated.com

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
3 ounces bacon, chopped fine
1 medium onion, chopped fine (about 1 cup)
1 medium rib celery, chopped fine (about 2/3 cup)
4 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 heaping tablespoon)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 anchovy fillets, minced to paste (about 1 teaspoon)
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with liquid
Parmesan cheese rind, one piece about 5 inches by 2 inches, discarded prior to serving
2 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
(I used 1/2 lb dried Hidatsa Shield Beans, pre-cooked)
3 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon table salt
8 ounces orzo or other small pasta (ditalini, tubetini, conchigliette)
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese, (about 1 cup)


Recipe Notes: This soup does not hold well because the pasta absorbs the liquid, becomes mushy, and leaves the soup dry. The soup can, however, be made in two stages. Once the beans are simmered with the tomatoes, before the broth and water are added, the mixture can be cooled and refrigerated for up to 3 days. When ready to complete the soup, discard the Parmesan rind (otherwise it will become stringy), add the liquid, bring the soup to a boil, and proceed with the recipe.

Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes. Add pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add onion and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, and anchovies; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan. Add cheese rind and beans; bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer to blend flavors, 10 minutes. Add chicken broth, 2 1/2 cups water, and 1 teaspoon salt; increase heat to high and bring to boil. Add pasta and cook until tender, about 10 minutes (refer to package instructions to better estimate pasta cooking time).

Discard cheese rind. Off heat, stir in 3 tablespoons parsley; adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into individual bowls; drizzle each serving with olive oil and sprinkle with a portion of remaining parsley. Serve immediately, passing grated Parmesan separately.



Chicago Thin-Crust Pizza (modified from Cooks Country)
Full disclosure here - I really only used the pizza crust recipe below.   And I had mixed results.   I had borrowed a food processor, only to discover a key component was missing and rendered the machine unusable.  So this was made in the stand mixer.   Worked fine.   Honestly, I would have preferred to have stand mixer directions because yo! not all of us have an 11 cup food processor!

Second, this makes a mess.   You get cornmeal everywhere.   Once I transferred the first crust to my "peel", and ensured it wouldn't stick, and got my toppings on, the crust had contracted and it wasn't as thin as I would have liked.  Husband preferred it though.

Second crust (have I mentioned the cornmeal?) did turn out nice and thin and crispy, well, they were both thin and crispy...but this one was thinner and crispier.  I also didn't bake it quite as long as called for because quite frankly, I don't care for "dark" crust.  Crisp, yes, dark...no. 

Okay, crust issues aside, I used jarred spaghetti sauce (Rao's) for the pizza sauce because I had some in the fridge.  I used ground Italian sausage because I had it in the freezer and could use the leftovers in another dish.  I used a pizza cheese mix from the co-op that is a combination of mozzarella and smoked provolone.  So good!

Bottom line, I'm not sure this was worth all the futzing.   Good taste, futzy assembly.

photo from scifiwithpaprika.com (c)2020

2 ½ cups (12 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1 ½ teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons cold water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Cornmeal

12 ounces sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
12 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (3 cups)
½ teaspoon dried oregano

Sauce
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon fennel seeds


FOR THE PIZZA: Process flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in food processor until combined, about 3 seconds. With processor running, slowly add cold water and oil and process until dough forms sticky ball that clears sides of bowl, 30 to 60 seconds.

Transfer dough to lightly oiled counter and knead until smooth, about 1 minute. Shape dough into tight ball and place in greased bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise at room temperature until almost doubled in size, 2 to 21/2 hours. One hour before baking, adjust oven rack to lowest position, set baking stone on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees.

FOR THE SAUCE: Whisk all ingredients together in bowl. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)

Transfer dough to lightly floured counter, divide in half, and gently shape each half into ball. Return 1 dough ball to bowl and cover with plastic. Coat remaining dough ball lightly with flour and gently flatten into 8-inch disk using your fingertips. Using rolling pin, roll dough into 12‑inch circle, dusting dough lightly with flour as needed. (If dough springs back during rolling, let rest for 10 minutes before rolling again.)

Sprinkle pizza peel with cornmeal. Transfer dough to prepared pizza peel and carefully stretch to return to 12-inch circle. Using back of spoon or ladle, spread scant 1/2 cup sauce in thin layer over surface of dough, leaving 1/8-inch border around edge. Pinch 6 ounces sausage into approximate dime-size pieces and evenly distribute over sauce. Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups mozzarella evenly over sausage to edge of pie. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon oregano over top.

Carefully slide pizza onto baking stone and bake until cheese is well browned and edges of pizza are crisp and dark, 10 to 14 minutes. Slide pizza peel underneath pizza and remove pizza from oven. Slide pizza onto cutting board and let cool for 5 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough, sauce, sausage, mozzarella, and oregano. Cut pizzas into 2- to 3-inch squares and serve.

Our Harlem:Seven Days of Cooking, Music and Soul and the Red Rooser by Marcu Samuelsson

Our Harlem: Seven Days of Cooking, Music and Soul at the Red Rooster by Marcus Samuelsson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Jacket blurb: Make an audio pilgrimage to Harlem with Ethiopian and Swedish chef, TV personality. and restaurateur Marcus Samuelsson, and get to know the food, history, music, and. . .most importantly . . .the people of an iconic neighborhood that Marcus knows as his home and the home of his Red Rooster restaurant.

Special guests join Marcus each day of the week to cook, sip cocktails and make their Harlem our Harlem including Melba Wilson, Jelani Cobb, Bevy Smith, Kievin Young, for starters.

For Wednesday, with writer Jenani Cobb, Marcus will recreate the short ribs he made for President Obama's fundraiser at the Red Rooster and discuss the significance of the first African American President. With food historian Jessica Harris, Marcus will discover the African and Southern roots of his ingredients. He'll make fried chicken with Harlem's very own Charles Gabriel and visit La Marqueta with Harlem native, Aurora Flores.

You'll learn about Harlem's amazing history, diversity, and current vibrant life and the institutions that are the pillars of the neighborhood. . .the Apollo theater, the Studio Museum and the Schomburg Center. Writers Isabel Wilkerson and Nicholas Lehmann explain the Great Migration from the South that brought mac and greens, new voters and amazing creative talent to Harlem. And Dapper Dan talks about Harlem style.

And like Red Rooster itself, music provides a foundation for each day. . .from El Barrio Night's Latin rhythms to Sunday's Teenage Gospel Choir.


Available as audio book only.

I downloaded this as an Audible Original. I greatly enjoy Marcus's "No Passport Required", so I thought why not? He so eloquently explores other cities, regions and cultures through food, that a seven day "journey" through his experiences as a chef at the Red Rooster and a member of the community in Harlem could only be enlightening.

And it was. I thoroughly enjoyed this dive into the history, culture, and potential future of Harlem. I think I learned more about African-American culture, their influence upon music, food, and culture, than I did in any so-called history class. As one well spoken interviewee noted, it's "his-story". And now I got to hear it from those who lived it, who were there or growing up during key turning points. I also appreciated how Marcus included the other cultures that influenced the ebb and flow of Harlem. Their voices need to be heard as well and it made for a more inclusive story.

I will confess, initially I wasn't certain about the format. This is NOT a book being read to the listener, but it's also not a pod-cast. It's more of a live interview, a live action format, tailored to an unseen audience. It's almost as I was sitting at the next table, the next bar stool down, listening in on another groups discussion. But it's okay to listen in, they want to engage a wider group. This style might not be for everyone, but once I got used to it, it works. The downside of this is sometimes it's hard to hear or hard to listen to because there is definitely background noise.

Overall, this was fun, enlightening, and engaging. The daily "theme" of culture, history, food and drink made me want to go to Harlem, to see the Apollo, to walk the streets, to eat the food. If you have foodie tendencies and don't mind an unconventional "read", I would recommend Our Harlem.



View all my reviews

Recipe Review from 3/30/20

Ah.  Tis the Season of Mud now.  Where here in the Northland of Minnesota, the snow is melting, it's either raining or sleeting, and little puppy paws are covered in mud.  Inside rugs are rolled up until it's a bit less...damp, outside.

                                                           Andy          and        Kepler (2019)


While I made two new recipes last week, I'll only be posting one.  The Breakfast Jambalaya (New Orlean's Celebrations by Kevin Belton) while fabulous, was more than I wanted to type out.   It is a delightful riff on jambalaya - with bacon, sausage patties, and sausage links instead of chicken and shrimp.  The best part - it's served with an egg on top!  Any kind of egg you like: fried, poached, sunnyside up, scrambled.  Delicious!  Seriously, I could eat this again this week.  Go check out his cook book!  

The pulled pork is this recipe here:   Instant Pot pulled mojo pork    Great in tacos, great base for pulled pork sandwiches.  Recommended!


The Meal Plan
Sat (L) leftover butnut soup (S) Breakfast Jambalaya
Sun (L) leftover jambalaya (S) pulled pork sandwiches
Mon - leftover pulled pork
Tues - leftover jambalaya
Wed - leftover pulled pork
Thurs - leftover pulled pork
Fri - leftover jambalaya

Lunches - Turkey wild rice soup

Turkey and Wild Rice Soup (Eating Well, Soups)
I'm always on the look out for a new-to-me wild rice soup recipe.  While I do have my favorite, there might be one that I like a bit better.

What I liked about this one was the ease of assembly.  I do use regular (harvested by myself and a friend) wild rice.  For the first time ever, I pre-cooked the rice in my Instant Pot with great success and time savings!  Whoo hoo!  I added about 3+ cups of cooked wild rice toward the end of the cooking process with the turkey.

This does, in part due to the rice, turn out almost casserole like - very thick and stew-like.  Which I don't mind at all.  If you are looking for something a bit more soup like, you may need to add liquid upon reheating.

Overall, I would make this again.  It's easy to assemble, a great way to use leftover turkey or chicken, a great way to use wild rice and it made enough for two of us for lunches for the week. 


I got 6-8 (lunch)

photo from eatingwell.com

servings out of this.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups sliced mushrooms, (about 4 ounces)
¾ cup chopped celery
¾ cup chopped carrots
¼ cup chopped shallots
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup quick-cooking or instant wild rice, (see Ingredient Note)
3 cups shredded cooked chicken, or turkey (12 ounces; see Tip)
½ cup reduced-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley


Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add mushrooms, celery, carrots and shallots and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add flour, salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes more.

Add broth and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Add rice and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until the rice is tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in turkey (or chicken), sour cream and parsley and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes more.



Recipe tips:
Ingredient note: Quick-cooking or instant wild rice has been parboiled to reduce the cooking time. Conventional wild rice takes 40 to 50 minutes to cook. Be sure to check the cooking directions when selecting your rice--some brands labeled “quick” take about 30 minutes to cook. If you can't find the quick-cooking variety, just add cooked conventional wild rice along with the turkey at the end of Step 2.

Tip: To poach chicken breasts, place boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a medium skillet or saucepan. Add lightly salted water to cover and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer gently until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 10 to 12 minutes.

Recipe Review from 3/22/20

Shelter at Home started Friday here in Duluth, and then some places were hit with 10" of heavy, wet snow that brought down major power lines.  No power outages at our humble household, but it did think about going out several times. 

Oregon Coast, 2014 (South of Newport, I forget which state park)

Some really good recipes last week. I didn't type the Jambalaya Stuffed Chicken Thighs from New Orleans Celebrations by Kevin Belton because it was just too long.  I DO recommend checking out this cook book from the library - this recipe was AWESOME.  A bit time consuming, but it makes enough to feed 10-12.  We did freeze some for later as that was a bit much for two of us.  Meanwhile, enjoy the rest!


The Meal Plan:
Sat (L) leftovers (S) Salmon with quinoa
Sun (L) leftover salmon (S) Jambalya stuffed thighs (comment above)
Mon - leftover thighs
Tues - leftover thighs
Wed - Take out Pho!
Thurs - Shrimp remoulade
Fri - leftover shrimp

Lunches - butternut squash soup

Salmon with Roasted Red Pepper and Quinoaa (Eating Well, Jan/Feb 2020)
I made a significant modification to this - I baked my salmon instead of cooking on the stove-top. I find the oven doesn't stink up the house, I get more even cooking, and clean-up is snap. While the salmon was cooking, I prepared the quinoa. I didn't worry about "2 cups cooked quinoa", and just made according to the directions on the package.

This came together quickly and easily (especially when done in the oven), with enough time for clean-up beforehand and easy cleanup after. With the leftovers, I flaked the salmon and tossed with the quinoa like a salad, then gently reheated. This was good both days. I would make this again. Recommended!

Serves 4

photo from eatingwell.com

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 ¼ pounds skin-on salmon, preferably wild, cut into 4 portions
½ teaspoon salt, divided
½ teaspoon ground pepper, divided
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, grated
2 cups cooked quinoa
1 cup chopped roasted red bell peppers (from a 12-ounce jar), rinsed
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup chopped toasted pistachios


Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Pat salmon dry and sprinkle the flesh with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Add to the pan, skin-side up, and cook until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn and cook until it's just cooked through and flakes easily with a fork, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.

Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper, vinegar and garlic in a medium bowl. Add quinoa, peppers, cilantro and pistachios; toss to combine. Serve the salmon with the salad.

Shrimp Remoulade Po'Boy (modified from New Orleans's Celebrations by Kevin Belton)
While the ingredient list seems long, don't be put off by this recipe. It actually comes together very quickly - peeling the shrimp is what took the longest. Having made this once, I would recommend making the sauce first, then move on to the shrimp. Toast the bread while the shrimp are cooking, and everything comes together lickity split.

Original recipe has this being served cold, which wasn't real appealing in March in Northern MN, so I served it warm. I would definitely make this again - Highly Recommended.

Serves 4.

photo from scifiwithpaprika.com

**My modifications from the original recipe are italicized
2 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined
6 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 tbsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp black peppercorns
1 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tsp dried thyme
3 bay leaves
1 gallon water
2 lemons, halved
1 small onion, halved
1/8 cup kosher salt
Remoulade Sauce
1 loaf French bread
thinly sliced cabbage
1 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
3 tomatoes, sliced

Remoulade sauce
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp Creole seasoning
2 tbsp paprika
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup spicy brown mustard
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup parsley

Rinse shrimp and set aside.

In a large tea ball or square of cheese cloth tied, combine red pepper flakes, peppercorns, celery seed, thyme and bay leaves. If using cheese cloth, tie tightly with a string.

In a stock pot, combine water, herb ball/cheese cloth sachet, lemons, onion and salt. Bring to a boil, add shrimp, and cook for 3 minutes. Turn off heat and let set for 5 minutes. Drain water, separate shrimp from lemon, garlic, onion, and seasoning ball.

While water is coming to a boil and shrimp cooking, prepare the remoulade sauce:
Combine oil vinegar, Creole seasoning, paprika, and pepper. Mix thoroughly. Add Worcestershire sauce and mustard and stir. Fold in green onions and parsley. Set aside.

Original recipe serves the sandwich cold, I preferred to serve it warm:
Lightly toast or warm the french bread. Slice open.

After shrimp are done cooking and separated from the lemon and onion, combine shrimp with the remoulade sauce. Place shrimp mixture on prepared buns. Add [lettuce and tomatoes] or thinly sliced cabbage

Irish Soda Bread (modified from 100 Great Breads by Paul Hollywood)
And Lo!  In typing this review I have discovered a TYPO in my cookbook!  Two typos!  Both the soda bread recipes list baking powder when it should be baking soda.  Kinda significant difference when baking bread.   Also in researching the recipe to type this review, I see other places list using half white and half wheat.   I used all white.

Well, I made this with baking power, and while I didn't get the rise I thought I would, it still tasted pretty good.  I added a tablespoon of caraway seeds as it didn't seem like Irish Soda bread otherwise.

500g Bread Flour

photo from the internet

1 Tsp (3/4 oz) Baking Soda
1 Tsp Salt
1 tbsp caraway seeds
3 oz butter
150 ml (1/2 pint) buttermilk
200 ml (7 oz) milk

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt [and caraway seeds] and work in the butter.

Add the buttermilk and mix until a sticky dough forms.

Lightly flour a work surface and tip the dough onto it.

Gently roll and fold the dough a couple of times to bring the mixture together. Do not knead.
Shape the dough into a ball. Flatten the ball gently with your hand. Score the dough with a deep cross dividing it into quarters. Dust the bread with flour.

Place onto a baking tray lined with baking parchment and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. The loaf should be golden-brown.

Leave to cool on a wire rack. This is best eaten on the day of baking.

Hilldiggers by Neal Asher (Polity Universe #15)

Hilldiggers by Neal Asher

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Jacket blurb: "In Neal Asher's Hilldiggers, during a war between two planets in the same solar system – each occupied by adapted humans – what is thought to be a cosmic superstring is discovered. After being cut, this object collapses into four cylindrical pieces, each about the size of a tube train. Each is densely packed with either alien technology or some kind of life. They are placed for safety in three ozark cylinders of a massively secure space station. There a female research scientist subsequently falls pregnant, and gives birth to quads. Then she commits suicide – but why?

By the end of the war one of the contesting planets has been devastated by the hilldiggers – giant space dreadnoughts employing weapons capable of creating mountain ranges. The quads have meanwhile grown up and are assuming positions of power in the post-war society. One of them will eventually gain control of the awesome hilldiggers . . ."

I noted in the title that Hilldiggers is #15 in the Polity Universe and this is based upon the chronology of the books. However, Hilldiggers can be read as a standalone as it's not part of a specific series (Scatterjay, Agent Cormac, Owners, Jain, etc). Which yes, is a bit confusing because when you've read enough Asher books, you want to tie it into something and this selection doesn't.

And as usual with one of his books, there is no expedient way to summarize two planets long at war, a Polity emissary, a strange and inexplicable Worm contained at the space station, an interfering AI, and how all of this fits together. So I won't.

Overall, I enjoyed Hilldiggers. I liked the rotating points of view between three of the four siblings, the AI Tigger, and McCrooger. As with most Asher books, there are fascinating plot twists, interesting technology, subtle and not so subtle commentary on the state of the universe (or politics closer to home), and strange alien beings.

What I didn't care for were the chapters from Haralds - one of the four siblings - point of view. For myself, I found these repetitious, perhaps bordering on annoying, and eventually I started skipping to the last paragraph to get the gist of that segment and moving on. Did I feel I lost anything in the overarching scheme of the book? Not at all.

Recommended if you like Neal Asher books. I do recommended this selection if you've been debating about trying one of Asher's books. It would be a way to sample without having to deal with one of his trilogies.



View all my reviews

Recipe Review from 3/15/20

How are ya'll doing out there in internet land? Are we coping okay? Little stressed out? I confess that my meal planning has been a bit more "seat of the pants" than not, where I have a vague idea of what I want to make but didn't write it down before I head to the grocery store. I've picked up a small handful extra ingredients that I can freeze, or shelf stable pantry items, just in case we need to hunker down even more in our little corner of the woods.

I picked up - rice, dried pinto beans, canned canellini and garbanzo beans, canned tomatoes, spaghetti and spaghetti sauce, cheese, salmon, pork shoulder roast, shrimp, evaporated milk, four bags of mixed frozen veggies, flour (AP and bread), sugar (brown and white), and chocolate chips. Because chocolate chip cookies make anything tolerable.

So I should be able to plan from those items above, needing only a handful of fresh veggies. So now I have something to work with and don't need to worry about "what if" the store doesn't have something.

Stay well!  Be well! 

Seven Falls, Sabino Canyon, Tucson AZ (C)2020 by scifiwithpaprika

Last weeks Meal Plan:
Sat (L) leftovers (S) Kimchi and bacon fried rice
Sun (L) leftovers (S) chili
Mon (yoga) chili
Tues - take n bake pizza
Wed - chili with polenta
Thurs - salmon and quinoa chili and polenta
Fri - leftover lentil soup

Lunches (Husband) sandwiches; (Me) lentil soup

Egyptian Lentil Soup (Eating Well, March 2020) vegetarian/vegan
This comes together very quickly, using items that I mostly had on hand.  My tomato went composty before I could use it, but we were making chili so I took a half cup of diced canned tomatoes and use those.  Worked just fine.

I also only had 2 cups of red lentils, so I subbed that 1/2 cup with brown lentils.  Also worked just fine, but it did make my soup a little "muddy" colored.

My big question with this was what to top it with - in the picture it looks like olive oil and some kind of dried pepper.  I went with toasted pumpkin seeds, which were okay, but this could have used a little extra kick.  If you have any suggestions, send them along!

Recommended.

Serves 4-6 (I had five lunches, and one dinner serving two)

photo from eatingwell.com

1 tablespoon sunflower oil
½ cup sliced carrots
½ cup diced tomato
⅓ cup sliced yellow onion
2 tablespoons sliced garlic
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper
2 ½ cups yellow or red lentils
9 cups water

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add carrots, tomato, onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato has broken down and is starting to stick to the bottom of the pan, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, cumin, salt and pepper; cook, stirring frequently, until the tomato paste is browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Add lentils and water; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are soft and the soup is thickened, about 25 minutes.

Puree the soup using an immersion blender or in batches in a regular blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids).

Recipe Notes: Use red, yellow or even brown lentils to make this iconic and super-simple Middle Eastern soup. Skip green or black lentils, which won't soften enough to puree smoothly. (Recipe adapted from Zooba Restaurant.)



Kimchi and Bacon Fried Rice (modified from Milk Street Tuesday Nights)
Sorry, no picture for this one. Was going to and forgot because I was distracted with how darn tasty this was!

I don't have access to Japanese rice in town, so I used Arborio. I did rinse the rice before cooking, to prevent it from sticking too much. Definitely make the rice ahead of time (or buy plain rice for take-out).

Original recipe called for peas, I subbed edamame because I had a bag in the freezer (kinda seemed intuitive to use edamame).

I cut back on the kimchi, two cups seemed overwhelming for the dish, but it's also going to depend on what kind of kimchi you have access too and how much heat you like. One cup was quite perfect for us.

And I don't own a non-stick skillet, so I made this in my 10" cast iron skillet.  Not quite big enough, but I knew that going in, but I got browning!  And minimal sticking!  Yay!  Success!

DON'T FORGET TO COOK THE EGGS. Like I did the first time. So bummed! Honestly though, this was also good without the egg, but better with. You can fry the eggs in the same pan you cooked the rice, but I found it simpler, and cleaner, to start poaching while the rice was cooking.

Highly recommended. Served 4.

3 1/4 cups short-grain rice, chilled (I used Arborio; Japanese recommended)
6 oz bacon, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup kimchi, well-drained, roughly chopped
2 tbsp reserved kimchi juice
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 cup frozen edamame, thawed
4 green onions, diagonally sliced
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
4 large eggs
salt and fresh ground pepper

Recipe notes: Don't use long-grain rice. The Japanese-style short-grain rice gives the dish a satisfying stickiness and chew. Don't use a conventional skillet; a nonstick pan is needed to prevent the rice from sticking.

My Notes: make sure you use chilled rice. Break up any large clumps with your fingers.

In a large non-stick skillet (12" - 14"), cook bacon over medium heat until well browned. Drain, reserving the fat, and set the bacon aside.

Start a sauce pan heating with enough water to poach two to four eggs.

Return 1 tbsp of bacon fat to the pan, add the onion an cook over medium, stirring until softened. Stir in the rice and cook for 1-2 minutes. Drizzle the kimchi juice, soy sauce and 1 tbsp of the bacon fat over the rice and stir. Spread the rice in a even layer in the pan, increase the heat to medium-high or high and cook until browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes.

Scrape along the bottom of the pan and flip the rice, then spread and cook again until browned on the bottom, another 2-3 minutes. Stir in the kimchi, edamame, sesame oil, and scallions. Cook, stirring until hot, 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Poach two to four eggs while rice is resting to desired consistency. Divide rice into bowls, serve poached eggs over rice and sprinkle with reserved bacon bits.

The Innocent by David Baldacci (Will Robie #1)

The Innocent by David Baldacci

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb:  America has enemies - ruthless people that the police, the FBI, even the military can't stop. That's when the U.S. government calls on Will Robie, a stone cold hitman who never questions orders and always nails his target. But Will Robie may have just made the first - and last - mistake of his career... 
 

It begins with a hit gone wrong. Robie is dispatched to eliminate a target unusually close to home in Washington, D.C. But something about this mission doesn't seem right to Robie, and he does the unthinkable. He refuses to kill. Now, Robie becomes a target himself and must escape from his own people.

Fleeing the scene, Robie crosses paths with a wayward teenage girl, a fourteen-year-old runaway from a foster home. But she isn't an ordinary runaway -- her parents were murdered, and her own life is in danger. Against all of his professional habits, Robie rescues her and finds he can't walk away. He needs to help her.

Even worse, the more Robie learns about the girl, the more he's convinced she is at the center of a vast cover-up, one that may explain her parents' deaths and stretch to unimaginable levels of power.
Now, Robie may have to step out of the shadows in order to save this girl's life... and perhaps his own.


Read as an audio book.

This started out fairly strong and engaging, then mid-way through I kinda lost interest and didn't pick it up for over a week and only returned to it when I had a four hour round trip drive to a meeting and was kept engaged to the finish.

For myself, part of the mid-book dis-interest was I could see where a major sub plot was going. For the sake of spoilers I won't get into specifics. Plus that way you get to figure it out for yourself. But, as it were, yes, a big fat "this can end only one way"situation.

Another factor to my lack of interest was Julie, the young protagonist which part of the plot revolves around. This could be attributed to the narrator's performance in which she quite aptly captures a 14 year old girl's whine, petulance, and attitude which, ultimately, grated on my nerves. So an added bit of realism to the story.

The story itself bounced between moderately realistic and completely unbelievable, but that too is the point. Shear escapism. Reading about somebody else,s problems so you don't have to think about that crummy work day. However, I do prefer some realism in my escape-ism unless it's urban fantasy. By the time the whole plot was explained at the conclusion, and it was truly explained because it was quite convoluted, I was shaking my head. The impetus of the whole chain of events was just...unbelievable.

So I'm not certain where I stand on this series. I quite enjoy the two narrators (they do quite a few of Baldacci's books). I liked Will Robie. I liked Agent Vance. Julie was an interesting dynamic that spent most of her time getting shuffled around. I enjoyed how Will was working with agencies and not going rogue on the outside. But the ending left me rolling my eyes and uncertain if I want to pick up the next book.

Recommended...with reservations.



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Recipe Review from 3/8/2020

Post Daylight Savings time change has left everyone kinda groggy and discombobulated this week. 

Pre Corona Virus contingency planning has started at work and in Duluth in general and there is a shortage of toilet paper in town.  Everyone is a bit on edge yet people seem to be fairly upbeat about things despite the uncertainty of everything.  At least those around me in line at the grocery store on Friday night were. 

Sister in Oregon is a bit ahead of us here preparation wise, so I have an idea of what's coming down the pipeline and for how long. 

In the meantime, I made some good recipes last week.  Enjoy!

Spokane River and falls in Spokane, WA (c) ScifiwithPaprika 2018

The Meal Plan:
Sat (L) Leftover hoagies (S) Pasties
Sun (L) leftover hoagies (S) salmon and orzo
Mon (yoga) leftover salmon
Tues - au gratin potato casserole (not a new recipe...)
Wed - Shrimp and grits
Thurs (yoga) leftover casserole
Fri - leftover shrimp

Lunches - Afghan Takari Soup (me); Pb and J: (Husband)

Afghan Takari Soup (Eating Well, Jan/Feb 2020) vegetarian with vegan option
For all it's simplicity - you will note there is only salt and pepper as seasoning - this was was delicious! Don't skip the red chutney below because this really pulls the soup together. I made this for lunches for the week, and with the chutney (because it makes a bit more than a cup), I had enough for five days.

Highly recommended!

Serves 4-5

photo from eatingwell.com

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large carrot, diced
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups low-sodium no-chicken or vegetable broth
1 (15 ounce) can no-salt-added chickpeas, rinsed
⅔ cup frozen corn
⅔ cup frozen peas
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper
½ cup packed chopped spinach
Fresh cilantro for garnish

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add carrot, onion and garlic; cook, stirring, until the onion is soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in broth, chickpeas, corn, peas, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Stir in spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Serve the soup topped with cilantro, if desired.


Red Chutney (for above)

photo from eatingwell.com

I used a can of diced tomatoes, drained well, and proceeded as written (minus the squeezing) and subbed a yellow pepper for the red. I skipped the food processor and just stirred everything together and popped into the fridge till needed.

1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 red serrano pepper, chopped
1 large clove garlic, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon or lime
½ teaspoon kosher salt

Drain tomatoes in a fine-mesh sieve, crushing the tomatoes with your hands and squeezing out excess moisture. Combine the tomatoes, bell pepper, serrano, garlic, lemon (or lime) juice and salt in a blender or food processor. Pulse until blended but not pureed.

Shrimp and Grits (modified from Kevin Belton's New Orleans Celebrations)
Sorry, no picture or link for this recipe! 

This might very well be my new favorite shrimp and grits! The shrimp was flavorful without the spices overwhelming everything, the grits were creamy and smooth and a perfect compliment to the shrimp. What really cinched this recipe tho was the leftovers. I think this tasted even better the next day, and I have never had grits reheat so nicely! I'm sure it was the extra liquid in the initial cooking.

I got four servings of both shrimp and grits, but I did have enough grits leftover for that fifth and sixth serving.  If you want six servings, you need to go with a 1-1/2 of shrimp. 

Recommended!

Serves 4-6

Grits
2 cups chicken stock
3 cups milk
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup stone-ground grits
4 tbsp butter
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Shrimp
5 bacon slices, chopped
1-1/2 lbs jumbo shrimp, peeled and de-veined
1 tbsp Creole seasoning
1 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tsp minced garlic
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 tbsp lemon juice

Grits
Combine stock, milk and salt in a heavy sauce pan and bring to a boil. Gradually whisk in the grits, stirring continuously to prevent lumping.

Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, covered, and stir frequently until stock is absorbed. About 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and whisk in butter, cheese and additional salt if needed. Cover and set aside.

Shrimp
Saute bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, until bacon is brown and crisp. Remove bacon from skillet and transfer to a paper-towel lined plate. Drain excess fat from pan and set aside.

Re-heat skillet over medium heat and add 1 tbsp of saved bacon fat. Add shrimp and creole seasoning and saute for about 3 minutes. Remove shrimp from pan and set aside.

Add parsley, garlic, green onions, bell pepper and paprika to pan; stir in stock. Cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes.  Return shrimp to pan and add lemon juice. Cook for about 1 minute.

Assembly
Spoon grits onto a plate or a bowl and top with shrimp mixture.  Sprinkle with reserved bacon.  Serve.

Hexed by Kevin Hearne (Iron Druid #2)

Hexed by Kevin Hearne

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb:  Atticus O’Sullivan, last of the Druids, doesn’t care much for witches. Still, he’s about to make nice with the local coven by signing a mutually beneficial nonaggression treaty—when suddenly the witch population in modern-day Tempe, Arizona, quadruples overnight. And the new girls are not just bad, they’re badasses with a dark history on the German side of World War II.




Book number two rocked. These books are like a bag of kettlecorn or cheesy popcorn - they go down way too fast and leave you wishing you had bought the next book/bag.

Hexed follows the same premise as the first installment - someone wants Atticus dead and he's determined to stay alive. Atticus gathers his friends and they go off to do battle. In between fighting giant wheel bugs, fallen angels, and witches sporting the 1980's punk rock look and carrying hand guns, Oberon (Atticus's trusty wolfhound) has some insight into sticking it to The Man.

This book hits the ground running and doesn't stop until the last nasty is dead. It's fun, it's sad, it's frequently over the top (that's urban fantasy), and it's perfect for when you've had a no good, very bad, not nice day and need something light and fun. Or if your traveling. Or if your snowed it. Or if it's a perfectly nice day and you can sit on the porch and avoid mowing the lawn.

If you like urban fantasy - highly recommended.



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Tucson AZ, 2020

So last week I took a little jaunt to Tucson to visit the Folks.  Weather was sunny and warm, with a slight breeze - not warm enough that I could wear shorts, alas.  I still needed my jacket during the day.

Thursday - I flew into Phoenix then took a shuttle to Tucson, arriving by 1:00p.   I normally don't fly into Phoenix, but there were no direct flights from Minneapolis to Tuscon when I made reservations this year.  

Friday - was a hike in Sabino National Park.  Dad and I did the Bear Canyon Trail to the Seven Falls.  We took the shuttle to the third and last stop on Bear Canyon, then hiked from there.  Round trip hiking: 5.5 miles.  The trail being somewhat rugged, Mom opted to take the tram to the top of Sabino and walk back down.  Everyone reported back that their respective hikes were quite delightful.

Crossing the river

Four of the Seven Falls

Saturday - we relaxed a bit in the morning then went out to the White Barn Farmer and craft market.  Oh my, does this put what we have in Duluth to shame.  It's not big (nor is Duluth's), but the fresh produce, mushrooms, meat, coffee, nuts, honey was delightful.  I wanted to take some of everything home with me.  In the afternoon, we went to the Botanical Gardens.  Myself, I LOVED the orchid and butterfly enclosure.  The rest of the grounds are quite delightful and this is worth a visit.  The small cafe on site and the butterfly enclosure have limited hours, so plan ahead.

Sunday - more resting, then a picnic and walk in Saguaro National Park.  This is my forth walk about here, but we did a different trail area this time.  I love hiking in the desert, so very different from the North Shore.

Monday - we went out for breakfast at wonderful place called Fresh Market, then visited this AMAZING nursery whose name I never did find out.  Oh. My. Goodness!  The colors! The variety! The gift options! The pots! The orchids!  Ah. Maz. ING!  We had lunch back at the house, then went to Aqua Caliente Park which just reopened Friday after three years of extensive restoration. I think a trip back here in future years will be on the agenda, just to see how the restoration finishes and to check out the ranch buildings when they are open.  It's a lovely park.

Tuesday - was fly home day.  It was a wonderful trip and I'm sad to say adios! to the sun, greens and tans.  We're still about three months out from the snow melting in the Northland.  Alas. 

The Departure by Neal Asher (Owner Triology #1)

The Departure by Neal Asher

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Jacket Blurb: Visible in the night sky the Argus Station, its twin smelting plants like glowing eyes, looks down on nightmare Earth. From Argus the Committee keep an oppressive control. Soon they will have the power to edit human minds, but not yet - twelve billion human beings need to die before Earth can be stabilized.
 
Read for February book group.

I greatly enjoyed this installment from Neal Asher. While I've quite like all the books of his I've read to date, this one was probably at the top of my list.

And as with Asher's books, I'm not going to try and recap the plots.

What I liked: less technology, less strange creatures, less convoluted political maneuverings. Now, don't take this to mean there wasn't the future technology - there was. And don't take this to mean there wasn't a political agenda - there was. These items were set against a back drop of a future version of George Orwell's 1984 and mankind has turned into a "manswarm" that cannot be sustained and those in power will be eliminating.

Yes, it's a bit of a dark and unpleasant time on Earth.

I also quite enjoyed the dual plots bouncing between Earth and Mars. Despite the time difference of events on Earth playing out over years and the events on Mars happening in less than a week, it worked. And readers of Asher will make the connection between Earth and Mars in a matter of pages.

I could go on about what I enjoyed and didn't enjoy, but overall this was a most excellent start to a new trilogy and you're wasting time reading this instead of that. Off you go!



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