Recipe Review from 8/17/20

The sunflowers are blooming!

It's difficult to capture just how awesome the sunflower patch is this year.  The grey posts are 6 high, so you can get a feel just how TALL these are!  There is one flower that is easily 12" across - most are smaller than that.  We're hoping they have time to develop seed as the plan is to keep the heads for the chickens for winter entertainment. 



The Meal Plan: Sat (L) Double Blue salad (S) leftover salmon
Sun (L) Zoodles with pesto (S) Gnocchi
Mon - leftover gnocchi
Tues - Fish bowls
Wed - Fish bowls
Thurs (yoga) - Ribs
Fri - leftover ribs


"Zoodles" with Pesto (From a Friend)
This was a recommendation from a friend that was easy, versatile, and very good. I did make my own pesto, but store bought would be just fine. You might note, there is no cooking with this - zucchini is served "raw". My friend noted that they tried nuking it briefly in the microwave and sauteing it on the stove, but said raw was best.   Do cut the noodles into smaller pieces after spiralizing - it makes for easier, less messy, eating

1 zucchini, medium-ish
pesto of choice
Optional toppings: pine nuts, feta cheese, kalmata olives, diced sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan cheese...one, all, it's up to you!

Spirialize zucchini (I did "small" noodles). Cut into smaller lengths.
Add pesto to taste.
Add optional ingredients if desired.
Serve!


Summer Vegetable Salad with Gnocchi (Eating Well, June 2020) vegetarian
I made this almost as written, only subbing an extra zucchini for the yellow squash as I have those in the garden. While I love almost anything with gnocchi in it, this grilled vegetable salad wasn't my favorite. I can't put my finger on why, perhaps it was a tich putzy with the corn; perhaps it was a tich on the bland side, I just don't know. While I probably won't make this one again, I can see myself adding gnocchi to my favorite grilled veggie recipe in the future.

Recommended, with a few reservations.

Serves 4

photo from eatingwell.com

1 (16 ounce) package whole-wheat gnocchi
1 small eggplant, sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch planks
1 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch planks
1 medium yellow squash, sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch planks
1 ear corn, husked
½ medium red onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rings
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 cloves garlic, grated
½ teaspoon ground pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup crumbled feta cheese

Preheat grill to medium-high

Boil gnocchi according to package directions. Drain.

Meanwhile, brush eggplant, zucchini, squash, corn and onion with 2 tablespoons oil. Grill the vegetables, turning occasionally, until charred and tender, 6 to 10 minutes total. Transfer to a cutting board. Remove the corn kernels from the cob and cut the other vegetables into bite-size pieces.

Whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, vinegar, basil, garlic, pepper and salt in a large bowl. Add the gnocchi and the vegetables and toss to coat. Serve sprinkled with feta.


Crispy Fish Taco Bowls (Eating Well, Sept 2020
I adored this recipe. It was remarkably easy to make - noting I did make my rice well ahead of time in the instant pot - and the chipolte mayo brought all the flavors together without being overly spicy. I did use halibut instead of cod as that's what the meat market had handy. I did grill the fish (on a baking sheet) instead of baking because I didn't want to heat up the kitchen. Leftovers also worked well.

Recommended!

Serves 4

photo from eatingwell.com

1 pound white fish, such as cod, cut into 2-inch pieces (I used halibut)
½ cup mayonnaise, divided
¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
¼ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons sauce from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo
2 tablespoons lime juice
Pinch of salt plus 1/4 teaspoon, divided
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
2 cups cooked brown rice
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 cup thinly sliced radishes
Fresh cilantro for garnish


Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet; coat with cooking spray.

Coat fish with 1/4 cup mayonnaise. Place panko in a shallow dish and roll the fish in it. Transfer to the rack on the pan. Bake the fish until crispy and cooked through, 8 to 12 minutes, depending on thickness.

Meanwhile, mix the remaining 1/4 cup mayonnaise, sour cream, adobo sauce, lime juice and pinch of salt in a small bowl.

Sprinkle the fish with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Divide rice among 4 bowls and top with the fish, cabbage, radishes, the sauce and cilantro, if desired.

Recipe Review from 8/10/2020

This week was a lesson in "best laid plans" and being flexible with meal planning. It began with one tiny "oops" - I forgot to buy the gnocchi. From there it was a matter or shuffling the remaining meals around for the remainder of the week. On Wednesday, the Husband was delayed getting home so dinner was a fried egg sandwich on sourdough bread for myself. Sooo good! Easy quick, a combination comfort food and guilty pleasure.

No crafty projects to show and tell this week. I have some more masks for the kiddos in progress and I have two scarves on the needles (one will be done this weekend). In the meantime, a picture of past gardens!

Daylily - My Sweet Rose (I think...)

The Meal Plan
Sat (L) leftover zucchini (S) grilled chicken
Sun (L) veggies and gnocchi chicken (S) blueberry salad
Mon - sheet tray salmon leftover chicken
Tues(vet) gnocchi blueberry salad
Wed - chicken fried egg sandwich for me
Thurs (Yoga)- leftovers sheet tray salmon
Fri - blueberry salads chicken

Lunches - chopped Greek salads, fruit



Double Blue Salad (modified from Whole Foods Co-op/Garbanzo Gazette Summer 2020) vegetarian

Years ago I had found a blueberry and blue cheese salad with a maple syrup vinagarette and spiced nuts that was absolutely devine. A tasty combination of sweet and tangy, a little bit of spice from the nuts, all brought together with the maple syrup dressing. A combination of flavors that complimented spinach, kale and or Swiss Chard. Then I misplaced the recipe and every Fall I miss it greatly.

This recipe came close to that original and I'm am very happy again!

I did have the recipe as I didn't need to serve 10. As written below, this makes about 4-6 servings depending if it's a main or a side. I served as a main. Recommended!

Salad
1/2 lb greens of choice (I used lacinato kale and Swiss Chard)
1/2 pint blueberries
8 oz blue cheese crumbles

Spicy Pecans
2 cups pecan pieces
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp granulated sugar
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp butter
 
For the Spicy Pecans:
Roast pecans on a cookie sheet at 350* for 15 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes to prevent burning. When the start to smell like toasted nuts, remove from oven and set aside.

As nuts are roasting, melt butter in a small bowl. Mix seasonings in a larger bowl. When nuts are toasted (and still warm), toss in the bowl with the seasonings and add the butter. Spread mixture on a cookies sheet and let dry for about and hour. Can be stored for up to a week in an air tight container. Dressing
My note - this isn't halved.
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 onion, peeled and minced
2/3 cup maple syrup
1 cup canola oil
1 tbsp dijon mustard (or mustard of choice)


For the Salad base: Arrange greens, cheese and blueberries on a large platter or in individual bowls. Add pecans and serve with the maple dressing.



Rosemary Roasted Salmon with [Green Beans] (Eating Well, July/Aug 2020)
I'm enjoying this current "sheet pan" trend in the food world. Little bit of prep - and usually the prep is pretty simple - while everything is baking, I can clean up. We typically get two meals out of one dinner, so bonus! Minimal work for dinner for two nights.

The Husband pulled this one together and he used the grill to cook it so we wouldn't heat up the house. Grill time was a bit longer than the listed oven time, which makes me wonder if oven would need to be longer too? I supspect so.

A couple of modifications - swapped out the asparagus and used some fresh green beans, he used a dried Italian herb mix instead of fresh rosemary, and some dried garlic instead of fresh. For the balsamic glaze, I just reduced some balsamic vinegar till it seemed thick enough. So this is a flexible and versitle kind of dish. Recommended!

Serves 4

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

photo from eatingwell.com

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 ¼ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt, divided
¾ teaspoon ground pepper, divided
1 pound asparagus, trimmed
4 (5 ounce) skinless salmon fillets, preferably wild
1 medium lemon
2 tablespoons balsamic glaze
½ teaspoon whole-grain mustard

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Stir together oil, rosemary and garlic in a small bowl. Place potatoes in a large bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of the oil mixture and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Arrange the potatoes in an even layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast until lightly browned and tender, about 20 minutes. Push the potatoes to one end of the pan.

Place asparagus in the large bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of the oil mixture, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Arrange the asparagus on other end of the baking sheet. Roast until the asparagus is bright green, about 3 minutes. Push the vegetables to either end of the pan, leaving space in the center.

Brush salmon with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil mixture and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Place the salmon in the center of the pan. Thinly slice half the lemon and tuck the slices around the salmon and vegetables. Roast for 5 minutes more. Cut the remaining lemon half into wedges.

Whisk balsamic glaze and mustard in a small bowl. Brush 1 tablespoon of the mixture on the salmon. Continue roasting until the salmon is just cooked through and the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Drizzle the vegetables with the remaining sauce. Serve with the lemon wedges.


Chopped Greek Salad (modified from Two Peas and Their Pod blog)  vegetarian
This is a very versatile recipe that you can tweak to suit your individual needs and tastes. Also a great way to take advantage of the summer garden produce! I used kale, Swiss chard, zucchini and cherry tomatoes from my garden. Yum!

Instead of chickpeas, I used some leftover kale in my salad, and leftover chicken breast in the husbands. see? Versatile salad! As this was for lunches, I assembled everything the night before and kept the dressing in a separate container. It was a grab-n-go meal in the morning.

This made 9 lunches when assembled in individual portions each night. I still had some leftover dressing at the end of the week, but not much. Recommended!

photo from twopeasandtheirpod.com

Dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

Salad:
6 cups chopped Romaine lettuce (I used kale and Swiss chard)
1 seedless cucumber, chopped (I used zucchini in mine)
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 red bell pepper, chopped
14 oz artichoke hearts, chopped
½ red onion, chopped (skipped - don't want to offened co-workers)
1/2 cup pitted and halved Kalamata olives
14 oz chickpeas, rinsed and drained (I used quinoa in mine, chicken in the husbands)
6 oz feta cheese, cubed or crumbled

First, make the Greek salad dressing. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the romaine lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, red pepper, artichokes, red onion, kalamata olives, chickpeas, and feta cheese. If you are using the homemade pita chips, break them up into the salad or you can use store bought pita chips. Drizzle the salad with the Greek dressing and toss until all of the ingredients are well coated. Serve immediately.

Dark Deeds by Mike Brooks (Keiko #3)

Dark Deeds by Mike Brooks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb: In the third book of the “entertaining” (Kirkus Reveiws) Keiko series, Captain Ichabod Drift and his crew find themselves in another mess as a ship-wide vacation leads to their second-in-command taken hostage by the planet’s criminal mastermind.

After the riotous civil war in Dark Sky, the crew of the Keiko decides to go on vacation at an illegal gambling port for a little fun. What they don’t realize is that the casinos are run by an ex-client who didn’t get his shipment due to the war. The mob boss decides to take Tamara Rouke, the Keiko’s second-in-command, and hold her hostage until the crew raises enough money to pay him back for the lost shipment. If they don’t pay up in time, Rouke will be killed.

Captain Ichabod Drift and his crew agree. But as they find a way to get the funds, one will betray everyone and one will die…

Read for June book group - except for me because I got June and July books mixed up.

Book three in the Keiko series, where the crew of the Keiko find themselves back at the mercy of the gangster? Mob boss? Orlov, that they inadvertently pissed off in a previous book. Orlov takes Tamara Rourke hostage and demands Drift comes up with the money Orlov lost in their previous dealings. Drift hatches a crazy plan and everything goes wrong.

Folks compare this to just about any other popular series with a ruggedly good-looking captain and a ethnically diverse crew, but where this deviates from other popular series is this was darker and a tich more violent than the previous two books. It lacked the light-heartedness typically found in this particular sub-genre. Dark Deeds had it's moments of quirky replies and off the cuff remarks, but when taken as a whole, it was on the darker side of things.

Was it still entertaining? Absolutely. Was the ending what I expected? Not remotely. And that's what I enjoyed about this one. I like to be surprised.

Recommended if you like space opera. Definitely start with book number one - Dark Run.

View all my reviews

Recipe Review from 8/3/20

This weekends fun

I've been on a a bit of a sewing binge the last couple of weekends making masks. With MN enacting a Mask-Up policy, I found myself in need of a few more masks, and if I need some, the Husbands needs a few and well, my sister and her family could use some more if the kiddos end up back in school... Fabric was purchased (on sale!), and away we went!

The previous weekends fun

 

 

 

 

The Meal Plan
Sat (L) leftover (S) Lemony Zucchini and shrimp
Sun (L) leftover shrimp (S) Folks Place
Mon - Burgers and onions
Tue - leftovers
Wed - burgers
Thurs - zucchini larb
Fri - take n bake pizza

Lunches - sandwiches, fruit, nuts

Sorry - there was a distinct lack of pictures for the first two recipes. !

Beef Burgers with Caramelized Onions (Eating Well July/Aug 2013 and 2020)
This was a bit of a departure for me - I actually used beef.  It was organic, grass feed, locally pasture raised beef which has a distinctly different flavor than conventionally raised beef. Probably closer to buffalo in flavor. It's also leaner and it showed in this recipe. I should have added an egg.

I have mixed thoughts on this one overall. As I noted, a bit on the dry side so I had to be careful when grilling. Bulger was perhaps a tich to prominent and that was with a full 16 oz of beef, not the 12 called for. Plus, I'm really not a fan of beef but the husband is so keep experimenting. Recommended with reservations

1/3 cup bulgur
½ cup warm water
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups sliced onions, (4 medium)
2 teaspoons sugar
¼ cup water
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
12 ounces lean ground beef
2 tablespoons tomato paste
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 hamburger buns, split and toasted
Lettuce, for garnish


Combine bulgur with 1/2 cup warm water in a small bowl; let stand until the water is absorbed and the bulgur is tender, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over low heat. Add onions and sugar; saute until the onions are very tender and golden, about 15 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup water and vinegar. Season with salt and keep warm.

Preheat grill or broiler.

Combine the plumped bulgur, beef, tomato paste, parsley, salt and pepper in a medium bowl; mix thoroughly but lightly. Shape into four 3/4-inch-thick patties. Grill or broil on a lightly oiled rack until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Place the patties on buns, top with the caramelized onions and garnish with lettuce.


Lemony Shrimp and Zucchini (modified from Lidia Bastianich)
You are going to be seeing a lot of zucchini dishes. I have a lot of zucchini. I saw this on a recent episode of Lidia on PBS and while it's easy enough to make san's recipe, this was available on-line. Yay! I had a couple of modifications - I spiralized my zucchini simply because I could. I also halved the recipe since there's only two of us.  I did up the seasoning on the zoodles - I flavored the oil with crushed garlic cloves then removed, and added more red pepper flakes and oregano.

Halved - serves 4; As written - 6-8.

Zucchi ni
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 medium zucchini (about 20 ounces), cut into 1 1/2-inch-by-1/4-inch-thick matchsticks
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Sicilian on the branch

Shrimp
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 teaspoon kosher salt
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits
1 cup dry white wine
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 to 3 tablespoons bread crumbs

For the zucchini, add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, scatter in the zucchini. Season with the salt and red pepper flakes. Cook until the zucchini begins to wilt but still has a little bite, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle with the dried oregano, remove from the heat, and keep warm.

For the shrimp, add the olive oil to another large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add half of the shrimp and season with half of the salt. Sear quickly on both sides, about 1 minute, and remove to a plate. Repeat with the remaining shrimp and salt.

When all of the shrimp is out of the skillet, add the garlic and butter to the oil remaining in the pan, and cook until sizzling, 2 minutes. Add the white wine, lemon zest, and lemon juice, and bring to a boil. Add the shrimp back to the sauce, sprinkle with the parsley, and toss. Sprinkle with the bread crumbs and return to a boil to thicken the sauce. Serve the shrimp over the zucchini.


Thai Zucchini Salad (Zucchini Larb) (Eating Well, June 2020)
This was very good, but, I had some grave concerns making it It was...stinky.  Very stinky.  I think my fish sauce was not the best quality and past it's prime. The Husband was most kind in phrasing his concern about how fragrant it was. But! Once on the plate - this was quite good. As in, I would make this again if I could get my hands on some decent fish sauce. Plus it used up a couple of zucchini. Leftovers were also quite tasty. 

Serves 4

1 ½ cups water
¾ cup quinoa
3 tablespoons short-grain brown rice (I used regular brown rice, seemed to work fine)
¼ cup lime juice

1 ½ tablespoons fish sauce
1 Thai bird's-eye chile, minced, or 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 ¾ cups finely chopped summer squash (about 1 medium)
1 ½ cups finely chopped zucchini (about 1 medium)
8 leaves green-leaf lettuce
Fresh basil & mint for serving


Combine water and quinoa in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork and cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat rice in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown and some starts to pop like popcorn, 4 to 7 minutes. Let cool slightly, then blend into a fine powder in a spice grinder. Wipe the skillet clean.

Whisk lime juice, fish sauce, chile (or crushed red pepper) and sugar in a small bowl. Add oil, squash and zucchini to the skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until just tendercrisp, about 2 minutes. Stir in the ground rice and all but 4 teaspoons of the sauce.

Serve the quinoa and the zucchini mixture in lettuce leaves. Top with the reserved sauce and basil and mint, if desired.

Walk the Wire by David Baldacci (Amos Decker #6, Will Robie #5.5 )

Walk the Wire by David Baldacci
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Jacket Blurb - Amos Decker -- the FBI consultant with a perfect memory -- returns to solve a gruesome murder in a booming North Dakota oil town in the newest thriller in David Baldacci's #1 New York Times bestselling Memory Man series.

When Amos Decker and his FBI colleague Alex Jamison are called to London, North Dakota, they instantly sense that the thriving fracking town is ripe for trouble. The promise of a second gold rush has attracted an onslaught of newcomers all hoping for a windfall, and the community is growing faster than houses can be built. The sudden boom has also brought a slew of problems with it, including drugs, property crimes, prostitution -- and now murder.

Decker and Jamison are ordered to investigate the death of a young woman named Irene Cramer, whose body was expertly autopsied and then dumped in the open -- which is only the beginning of the oddities surrounding the case. As Decker and Jamison dig into Irene's life, they are shocked to discover that the woman who walked the streets by night as a prostitute was a teacher for a local religious sect by day -- a sect operating on land once owned by a mysterious government facility that looms over the entire community.

London is a town replete with ruthless business owners, shady government officials, and religious outsiders, all determined to keep their secrets from coming out. When other murders occur, Decker will need all of his extraordinary memory and detective skills, and the assistance of a surprising ally, to root out a killer and the forces behind Cramer's death. . . before the boom town explodes.

Read as an audio book - Amos Decker #6 and Will Robie 5.5. Book is about Amos, Robie's a supporting character.

I'm actually not quite sure what to say about this latest installment. I enjoyed it, the pacing was about perfect, and I was engaged on my daily commute. That being noted, the plot(s) bordered on unbelievable, the conspiracy theories a bit over the top (but yet, not), and all the killings just didn't make sense in the grand scheme of things.

So how to review such mixed commentary?

Characters - I was quite surprised to see a "guest appearance" by Will Robie and it was a nice change of pace from bringing in Melvin from previous books. The three high school classmates that now "ran" the town of London were interesting, and Jamison is a complimentary foil to Decker. Characters worked for me.

Setting - London, North Dakota. Which, really, could be Williston, North Dakota for all practical matters. Not to many stories are set in the middle of the plains in an oil town. Made more interesting because I've been through North Dakota in the last two years, so having that visual helps with the setting.

Plot - if you are into conspiracy theories, this may be a book (and series) for you. While I could loosely accept the whole "ticking time bomb" being hidden at this second, closed, North Dakota Air Force base, the rest of it didn't work for me. And I've never understood the mind-set of "let's murder everyone" to try and cover up a conspiracy. For myself, I was more interested in Decker figuring everything out than I was of the plot itself.

Ultimately, I enjoyed this latest installment. I did have the added benefit that I want to go and pick up the next Will Robie book. I've read #1, but not the rest. Stay tuned!

View all my reviews

Recipe review from 7/10/20 (and the rest of July)

Well, July got away from me and then I forgot to hit "publish", so this is getting posted a bit later than I would have liked.

We did a 4th of July dinner with my Folks, a trip to Madeline Island, and then I was in the Twin Cities for five days for a yoga training.  We had made reservations for Madeline Island back in February, and since we were renting a cabin with a full kitchen, we kept the reservation. The yoga training was originally scheduled for end of May, but YogaFit and the hotel came to an agreement for an alternate date and, while greatly modified, the training happened.

Madeline Island 2020 (c) scifiwithpaprika

Which means, not a heck of a lot of new recipes for July.  Seriously.  I think I made seven in all and they were all back around the beginning of the month. 


Korean Turkey Burgers with Kimchi (Eating Well, July/Aug 2020)

This recipe was originally published in Eating Well in July/August 2013)
These were remarkably easy to assemble, were the perfect size for a burger, and I had a "why haven't I tried kimchi on burgers before?!? moment. Only two substitutions - I used pork instead of turkey as I had it in the freezer and I subbed radishes for the cucumbers as I don't like cucumbers. We enjoyed these immensely and I would make them again in a heartbeat. Recommended!

Serves 4

1 pound 93%-lean ground turkey (I used ground pork)
3 scallions, sliced
8 teaspoons Korean chile paste (see Tips), divided
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise4 small whole-wheat hamburger buns, toasted
12 slices English cucumber (I used radishes)
1 cup kimchi


Preheat grill to medium-high.

Combine turkey, scallions, 5 teaspoons chile paste and sesame oil in a medium bowl; gently knead together. Do not overmix. Form into 4 burgers, about 4 inches wide.

Oil the grill rack (see Tips). Grill the burgers until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 165 degrees F, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Let rest for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine mayonnaise and the remaining 3 teaspoons chile paste in a small bowl. Assemble the burgers on toasted buns with 2 teaspoons of the mayonnaise mixture, 3 slices cucumber and 1/4 cup kimchi each.

Turkey Picnic Sandwiches (modified from Cooks Country)
I made this for our trip to Madeline Island, keeping the ingredients separate until it was time to assemble and pack for the day's picnic outing. One major modification - I completely skipped making my own "focaccia" out of pizza dough.I bought some ciabatta buns from the co-op and used those, thus saving me several hours of putzing. While I love the ATK franchise, whoo, sometimes they do love to make things more complicated and time consuming than your average cook needs or wants.

We both greatly enjoyed these. The flavors are on the sharp side between the pungent sun-dried tomatoes and the tangy parsley, and they are nicely balanced with the gouda and roasted red pepper. I would absolutely make these again and I would have NO hesitation is using the ciabatta buns.  Definitely assemble ahead of time and wrap tightly in plastic wrap to give time for all the flavors to do their dance.   Highly recommended.


4 pre-made ciabatta buns or one larger loaf

photo from cookscountry.com

Toppings
4 ounces sliced Muenster cheese
8 ounces thinly sliced deli turkey
½ cup fresh parsley leaves
1 ¼ cups jarred roasted red peppers, drained and patted dry

Spread
¾ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and patted dry
¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted
¼ cup capers, rinsed
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, minced
¼ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

For the spread: Meanwhile, process tomatoes, almonds, capers, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper flakes in food processor until finely chopped, about 20 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Transfer to bowl and stir in oil.

Slice bread in half horizontally. Spread tomato mixture on cut sides of bread, about ½ cup per piece (use all of it). Layer Muenster, turkey, parsley, and red peppers on bread bottom. Cap with bread top and wrap sandwich tightly in double layer of plastic.

Place Dutch oven on top of sandwich and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. (Pressed sandwich can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Let come to room temperature before serving.) Unwrap sandwich, cut into quarters, and serve. (Sandwich can be kept un-refrigerated for up to 2 hours.)

Recipe Review from 7/6/2020

The week started with having my Folks out for a small 4th of July BBQ, where we contentedly sat in the screen tent, talked, savored some chilled wine, and sweated.  It was 95* and humid with no breeze, not something we are used too.  But it was lovely enjoying being outside with Family.

Munsinger Clemens Botanical Gardens, St. Cloud MN
photo by scifiwithpaprika

Two new recipes this week from a newly published cookbook - Falastin. This was an impulse purchase after listening to Christopher Kimball (Milk Street podcast) interview the authors. What caught my attention, and thus my purchase, was the observation that these were recipes that were approachable by anyone, could be easily modified (the quinoa/bulger debate), and didn't require a lot of difficult to find ingredients.

And, because it's a newly published cookbook, I'll point you in the direction of your library to check out the full recipes and the pictures.  Which I forgot to take.&

The Meal Plan
Sat 4th of July! (L) leftover pasta (S) BBQ pulled turkey sandwiches, potato salad, watermelon
Sun (L) leftover burgers (S) leftover BBQ turkey
Mon - leftover BBQ turkey
Tue - Salmon skewers from Falastin cookbook
Wed - leftover salmon
Thurs - leftover turkey
Fri - take n bake pizza

Lunches - turkey wraps

Spiced Salmon Skewers with Parsley Oil  (Falastin cookbook)

Serves 4-6, depending if appetizer or main, and if having something alongside.

As the cookbook noted, these were quick and easy to prepare.  They also require an hour lead time to allow the salmon to marinate.  Guess who overlooked that little detail?  Oops.  I improvised and vacuum sealed while prepping the onion and parsley oil.   Recipe calls for these to be broiled then baked.  I grilled.  There were some concerns that the salmon wouldn't hold together on the kebabs on the grill, but for the most part the salmon stayed in cubes. 

These were awesome.  I would make them again in a heartbeat.  The parsley oil is the perfect accompaniment to the salmon, and pre-cooking the onions was the best idea yet when making kebabs.    Highly recommended!

Na'ama's buttermilk fattoush (Falastin cookbook)

Serves 4-6, depending if side dish or main (I made it as a main dish)

This is a great recipe to use some of that summer bounty - radishes, cucumbers, parsley, onions and mint.  It's also a great recipe to use up some older bread.  Recipe calls for pita, which I had on hand from pita burgers a couple weeks ago.  The recipe notes that Turkish flatbread, naan and pita all work well as long as its on the stale side. 

I admit to having my doubts about this recipe.  Raw onion?  Ten sliced radishes?  Whoo...this is going to be potent.  And yet, it wasn't.  Not at all.  It was flavorful, it was creamy and lightly tangy, and I loved the sumac as the background spice. 

I did serve this as a main dish, and had enough for two meals.  I did not add all the pita upfront, but set aside one slice for the next day's meal so it wouldn't turn to absolute mush.  While leftovers worked, I wouldn't go beyond a day.

Lots of extra bread is a must to sop up the wonderful dressing.   Recommended.

Recipe Review from 6/28/2020

Okay! Second time drafting this! Apparently, in Blogger, when you hit "Revert to Draft" it completely deletes the post. Ouch! So, second version is going to be a bit shorter than the first.   Four new recipes this past week, mixed reviews.   Enjoy!

Daylilies!  (C) scifiwithpaprika

The Meal Plan:
Sat (L) leftover salmon salad (S) brats
Sun (L) bulger and pasta (S) pita burgers
Mon - brats
Tues - pita burgers
Wed - roast veggies and orzo
Thurs - pita burgers
Fri (off) roast veggies


Lunches - hummus sandwiches

Brussels Sprout Salad (Cooks Illustrated) vegan
I had extra sprouts from the Korean BBQ Chickpea recipe, I wanted something to go with brats and I thought of a Brussels Sprout salad. Observations - it's putzy having to thinly slice a pound of sprouts and the cores tend to be bitter. In hindsight, I should have omitted more of the cores while slicing. I also had one mistake where I inadvertenly evaporated the dressing so it was not as flavorful as it could have been. I would try this one again, or a similar recipe knowing what I do now. Recommended with reservations






Serves 6-8 as a side.

5 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper
1 shallot, halved through root end and sliced thin crosswise
¼ cup dried apricots, chopped
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
⅓ cup shelled pistachios, chopped
1 ½ pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed, halved, and sliced thin
1 ½ ounces (1 1/2 cups) watercress, chopped
4 ounces ricotta salata, shaved into thin strips using vegetable peeler



Whisk vinegar, mustard, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt together in bowl. Add shallot and apricots, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and microwave until steaming, 30 to 60 seconds. Stir briefly to submerge shallot. Let cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.

Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add pistachios and cook, stirring frequently, until pistachios are golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Off heat, whisk in shallot mixture. Add Brussels sprouts and toss with tongs until dressing is evenly distributed and sprouts darken slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to serving bowl. Add watercress and ricotta salata and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately.



Orzo Salad with Roasted Vegetables (Food Network, Ina Garten) vegan option

The Husband and I tag-teamed this dish. He cooked the veggies on the grill then chopped while I cooked the pasta and assembled the dressing. Grilled, this takes almost no time at all and doesn't heat up the house. 

Only one modification, I used 1/4 cup lemon juiced and 1/2 cup olive oil. Otherwise, basically made as written.Omit the cheese for a vegan option.

Recommended. Perfect for a picnic, lunches, or a potluck.

I got three meals for two - so serves 6-8 depending if a side or main.


1 small eggplant, peeled and 3/4-inch diced
1 red bell pepper, 1-inch diced
1 yellow bell pepper, 1-inch diced
1 red onion, peeled and 1-inch diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 pound orzo or rice-shaped pasta

For the dressing:
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/3 cup good olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To assemble:
4 scallions, minced (white and green parts)
1/4 cup pignolis (pine nuts), toasted
3/4 pound good feta, 1/2-inch diced (not crumbled)
15 fresh basil leaves, cut into julienne


Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Toss the eggplant, bell peppers, onion, and garlic with the olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large sheet pan. Roast for 40 minutes, until browned, turning once with a spatula.

Meanwhile, cook the orzo in boiling salted water for 7 to 9 minutes, until tender. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the roasted vegetables to the pasta, scraping all the liquid and seasonings from the roasting pan into the pasta bowl.

For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper and pour on the pasta and vegetables. Let cool to room temperature, then add the scallions, pignolis, feta, and basil. Check the seasonings, and serve at room temperature.

All-American Potato Salad (Cooks Illustrated) vegetarian
This is a make ahead recipe - at least two hours to allow the potatoes to cool, then to let all the flavors meld before serving. This is nicely creamy without being overwhelming, allowing the flavor of the potato and pickle to show. Recommended

Serves 4-6

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 ½ teaspoons table salt
3 tablespoons dill pickle juice, plus 1/4 cup finely chopped dill pickles
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon celery seed
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
½ onion, red (small), chopped fine
1 rib celery, chopped fine
2 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice (optional)


Place potatoes in large saucepan with cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to boil over high heat, add 1 teaspoon salt, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

Drain potatoes thoroughly, then spread out on rimmed baking sheet. Mix 2 tablespoons pickle juice and mustard together in small bowl, drizzle pickle juice mixture over potatoes, and toss until evenly coated. Refrigerate until cooled, about 30 minutes.

Mix remaining tablespoon pickle juice, chopped pickles, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper, celery seed, mayonnaise, sour cream, red onion, and celery in large bowl. Toss in cooled potatoes, cover, and refrigerate until well chilled, about 30 minutes. (Salad can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 2 days.) Gently stir in eggs, if using, just before serving.

Turkish Pita Burgers (Eating Well, May/June 2008, July/Aug 2020)

Despite the long ingredient list, these came together fairly quickly.

A couple of modifications - I used 1 lb pork in lieu of the lamb/turkey mix called for. The best part of these, in my humble opinion, is the dressing: no raw garlic to linger for hours after the meal. We also grilled these on a baking sheet instead of cooking under the broiler. And finally, instead of making balls, which don't fit in a pita, we made 8 medium-small patties which worked perfectly.

I would make these again! Recommended!


Made four meals for two of us with modifications noted above.


1/3 cup bulgur
1 cup boiling water

2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds
3/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt, preferably Greek
¼ cup finely chopped scallion greens
¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar

1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground pepper, divided
2 cups diced tomato
½ cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

12 ounces ground lamb
4 ounces 93%-lean ground turkey
1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1 large egg
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch of ground cinnamon

6 whole-wheat pita breads, warmed


Combine bulgur and water in a small bowl; let stand until the water is absorbed and the bulgur is tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain any excess liquid.

Meanwhile, heat coriander and cumin seeds in a small skillet over medium heat until they begin to pop and are fragrant and lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Scrape into a small bowl to cool, then crush in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.

Combine 2 teaspoons of the spice mixture with yogurt, scallion greens, 2 tablespoons parsley, mint, oregano, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Combine tomato, red onion and oil in another small bowl.

Preheat broiler (see Grilling Variation). Coat a broiler pan with cooking spray.

Place the reserved bulgur, the remaining spice mixture, the remaining 2 tablespoons parsley and the remaining 1 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Add lamb, turkey, yellow onion, egg, garlic, cayenne, salt, allspice and cinnamon. Gently combine, without overmixing, until evenly incorporated. Form into 12 equal balls, then form each into an oval patty about 1/2 inch thick.

Place the patties on the prepared broiler pan. Broil, turning once, until browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 165 degrees F, 8 to 10 minutes total.

Slice open the warmed pita breads. Fill with 2 burgers, about 1/3 cup tomato mixture and 2 generous tablespoons yogurt sauce each. Step 9 Grilling Variation: To grill the lamb patties, preheat a grill to medium-high. Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the patties, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 165 degrees F, 8 to 10 minutes total.

Agent to the Stars by John Scalzi

Agent to the Stars by John Scalzi
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Jacket Blurb: The space-faring Yherajk have come to Earth to meet us and to begin humanity's first interstellar friendship. There's just one problem: They're hideously ugly and they smell like rotting fish. So getting humanity's trust is a challenge. The Yherajk need someone who can help them close the deal. Enter Thomas Stein, who knows something about closing deals. He's one of Hollywood's hottest young agents. But although Stein may have just concluded the biggest deal of his career, it's quite another thing to negotiate for an entire alien race. To earn his percentage this time, he's going to need all the smarts, skills, and wits he can muster. Read as an audio book. July's book group selection. I read out June and July out of order.

If you enjoy John Scalzi's books, you'll probably enjoy this one. It's a light read, engaging, entertaining, a bit silly, yet manages to ask some interesting questions about human perceptions and life. I did read this as an audio book simply because Will Wheaton is a fabulous narrator and I will read almost anything he narrates.

It's not a perfect book, there are flaws - and those will be dependent upon the reader viewpoint - but it's entertaining and I quite like to be entertained when reading. This would be a good selection if traveling, hanging out at the beach, a hot summer day in a hammock, or similar situation. It's easy to put down and pick up if commuting.

Recommended if you like Scalzi. Recommended if you want to try Scalzi.



View all my reviews

Recipe Review from 6/21/2020

Lots of new recipes this past week!  When meal planning, I tried to select things that would be easy - or at least not time consuming - to pull together on a weeknight, and would be good for warm temps so I could enjoy sitting out on my porch for supper.   All in all, it worked out well.  The Husband was able to help with the grilling so the tag-teaming helped with how long it took to get from prep to table.   Enjoy!

Spokane Falls, Spokane WA 2015
(C) scifiwithpaprika blog

The Meal Plan:
Sat (L) Korean BBQ Chickpeas (S) Blended burgers
Sun (L) Korean BBQ Chickpeas (S) Blended burgers
Mon - Salmon Caesar Salad
Tues - Grilled Jambalaya
Wed - leftover Salad  Jambalaya
Thurs - leftover Jambalaya
Fri -leftover Salad


Lunches - (me) Chickpea and bulger salad (the Husband) Sandwiches


Korean BBQ Chickpea Bowls (modified from Two Peas and Their Pod blog) vegan
This was pretty simple, despite the call for the oven. What with it being 80* and no air conditioning...yeah, not turning on the oven. So I assembled the chickpeas and Brussel sprouts and put on the grill. It worked...sort of. I had more charring than crisping, the sauce pretty much burning to the aluminum foil, but in the end everything was cooked.

A couple of substitutions - I don't have tamari so I used soy sauce; and I wasn't going to open a can of tomato sauce for 2 tbsp, so I subbed ketchup. The rest was made as written.

I would make these again; and I would do these on the grill again with perhaps only one burner or turning the temp down to 250*. I served with rice because that's what I was in the mood for. This was perfect for a warm summer's evening dinner on the porch. Make it your own. Recommended!

Serves 4 (barely)

For the sauce, chickpeas, and Brussels sprouts: 3 tablespoons tamari (I used soy sauce)

Photo from Two Peas and Their Pod

2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons tomato sauce (I used ketchup)
2 teaspoons honey or coconut sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons chopped green onion
15 ounces chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup halved Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed

For the Bowls:
2 cups cooked quinoa or rice
1 zucchini, ribbon cut
1 carrot, ribbon cut
1 cup sliced grape tomatoes
1 large avocado, sliced

For the Toppings:
1/2 lime, juiced
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
Fresh cilantro
Dash crushed red pepper flakes, optional
Salt and pepper, to taste


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with foil.

To make the Korean BBQ marinade, combine the tamari, water, tomato sauce, honey, ginger, pepper, garlic, sesame oil, and green onion in a medium bowl. Add the chickpeas to the marinade bowl and toss until chickpeas are well coated. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the marinade for topping the bowl.

Spread out the chickpea mixture on the prepared baking sheet. Add the Brussels sprouts Roast for 30 minutes, turning once, until the chickpeas and Brussels sprouts are crispy. Remove from the oven and set aside.

For the bowls, divide the quinoa or rice into bowls. Top with chickpeas, Brussels sprouts, zucchini, carrot, tomatoes, and avocado slices.

Garnish the bowls with lime juice, sesame seeds, cilantro, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Serve immediately.



Salmon Caesar Salad (Eating Well, June 2020)

I simplified this dish a bit - I bought a 1.25lb fillet and grilled it.  Grilling didn't stink up the house, in 80* temps grilling kept the house cooler, I didn't have to clean a pan, and it gave me time to pull the salad part together. 

A couple substitutions:  I used regular Parmesan for the Parmigiano-Reggiano and I used red cabbage for the raddicho because I had that in the fridge. 

With only two of us in the house, I only prepared enough salad for one meal so the lettuce would stay fresh.  I did get three meals out of this with no skimping on ingredients.   This was a perfect dish for a hot summer night, light, filling, and tasty.  Oh!  If you adverse to the lingering taste of garlic, either omit or cut back.  Garlic kinda stuck with me longer than I care for.  Recommended!

Serves 4-6

photo from eatingwell.com

The salmon:
1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 (5 ounce) skinless salmon fillets (see Tip)

1 teaspoon ground pepper, divided

⅛ teaspoon salt plus 1/2 teaspoon, divided

The dressing:

½ cup buttermilk
¼ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

¼ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese 

(I kept the cheese separate an put on top before serving)

2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 ½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon grated garlic

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

The salad:

5 cups chopped romaine lettuce
3 cups chopped radicchio (I used red cabbage as I had it in the fridge)
3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil, plus more for garnish
1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon

My note: I grilled...
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sprinkle salmon with 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Add the salmon to the pan and cook until golden brown and flakes easily with a fork, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and break into large chunks.

Whisk buttermilk, yogurt, cheese, lemon juice, Worcestershire, garlic, mustard and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon each pepper and salt in a large bowl until well blended. Reserve 1/4 cup of the dressing in a small bowl. Add lettuce, radicchio, basil and tarragon to the large bowl and toss to coat.

Arrange the salad on a platter and top with the salmon. Serve topped with the reserved 1/4 cup dressing and more basil, if desired.

Grilled Jambalaya (Eating Well, June 2020)

I love jambalaya and this seemed a great way to enjoy the flavors in a "deconstructed" way. Bonus was I had everything on hand but a pepper!   I simplified a bit here too - I grilled first then cut into pieces.   The sausages were grilled whole, pepper was broken into three chunks and grilled whole, shrimp were threaded onto their own skewers and grilled as such.  This way I could ensure that everything was cooked through and way less work. 

I did make one notable substitution: I used frozen chopped okra that I had in my freezer.  I was going to grill on a small pan, but I ran out of room on the grill so it ended up in the frying pan.  Worked pretty good and my okra had a nice char. 

I would absolutely make this again!  Recommended!

Serves 4-6 (I got 3 meals for two out of this)

photo from eatingwell.com

3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 cup long-grain brown rice
1 ¾ cups water
8 ounces andouille sausage, sliced 1/2 inch thick
8 ounces peeled and deveined raw shrimp (21-25 per pound)  (I used 1lb of shrimp)
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 large red onion, cut into 2-inch pieces
8 ounces okra
2 ½ teaspoons Cajun seasoning, divided
1 ¼ teaspoons celery seed, divided
¾ teaspoon ground pepper, divided
1 large tomato, cored and cut in half
Sliced scallions for garnish

 
Preheat grill to medium-high.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until toasted, about 2 minutes. Add water and reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cover and cook until tender, 40 to 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, thread sausage, shrimp, bell pepper, onion and okra on separate skewers. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning, 1 teaspoon celery seed and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Grill the skewers and tomato halves, turning frequently, until the shrimp are opaque and the sausage and vegetables are slightly charred, about 5 minutes for the shrimp and sausage and 5 to 10 minutes for the vegetables. Remove the shrimp, sausage and vegetables from the skewers and transfer to a plate; cover with foil to keep warm.

Chop the tomato and stir into the cooked rice along with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning and 1/4 teaspoon each celery seed and pepper. Spread the rice on a serving platter and top with the shrimp, sausage and vegetables. Sprinkle with scallions, if desired.



[Pork]-Mushroom Burgers with Quick Pickles (Eating Well, July/Aug 2020)

Some significant modifications to this recipe in part because there are several items that I can't obtain in my area.  Now I do automatically substitute pork for ground beef, that's my quirk.  I subbed pickled sweet cherry peppers for the piquillo (yeah, not going to find those in Duluth) plus I had the cherry peppers in the fridge.  I subbed pepper jack cheese for the manchego in part because there is only one store that *might* carry it and I'm not running all over town for cheese when I had pepperjack in the fridge.  Brioche buns in this town? Yeah...not happening. 

End result - one very tasty burger.  Kinda hit the spot in this warm weather we're having.  I served with some carrots and dip.   Recommended even if you don't have the exact toppings called for.  Get creative!

Serves 4

1 pound cremini mushrooms, halved if large

photo from eatingwell.com

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
5 tablespoons sherry vinegar, divided
2 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika, divided
2 teaspoons garlic powder
⅛ teaspoon salt plus 1/2 teaspoon, divided
Pinch of sugar
2 cups sliced cucumber
6 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons tomato paste
2 pounds lean ground beef
8 ounces piquillo or Padrón peppers (I used sweet cherry peppers)
6 ounces thinly sliced Manchego cheese (I used some pepperjack)
8 brioche buns, split and toasted  (I used kaiser rolls)
Greens, red onion & tomato for serving


In batches, pulse mushrooms in a food processor, scraping down the sides once or twice, until finely chopped.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and the liquid has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. Add 4 tablespoons vinegar, 2 teaspoons paprika and garlic powder. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Scrape into a large bowl and spread into a thin layer. Let cool for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1/8 teaspoon salt and sugar in a small bowl. Add cucumbers and toss to combine. Combine mayonnaise, tomato paste and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon paprika in a small bowl. Set the cucumbers and aioli aside.

Preheat grill to medium-high.

Add beef and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt to the mushrooms. Mix well. Form into 8 equal patties, about 4 inches in diameter. Toss peppers with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a medium bowl. Transfer to a grill basket.

Oil the grill rack. Grill the burgers, flipping once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 155 degrees F, 8 to 10 minutes total. Grill the peppers, stirring occasionally, until browned, 5 to 8 minutes total.

Top the burgers with cheese and cook until melted, 1 to 2 minutes more. Serve the burgers on buns with greens, onion, tomato, the peppers, cucumbers and aioli.

Bulger with Chickpeas and Herbs (Fast and Slow Ckbk by Milk Street)   vegan

Made 5 lunches

This salad combines the nutty taste of bulger with the creamy chickpea and everything is tossed with dill and parsley for a versatile salad.  Scallions and pistachio's round out the flavors.   I skipped the pistachio's and added some crumbled feta.  

It was also an opportunity lost for the cook book - they used canned chickpeas when this would have been a great way to reference the homemade chickpeas in the next chapter.

Lest you are wondering if there's more to this recipe, there isn't.  It's bulger, chickpeas, scallions, dill, parsley, and pistachios.  That's it.  The bulger is cooked in the instant pot, the chickpeas and herbs are stirred in when cooking is done, and the nuts sprinkled on top.  Which I skipped.   As I noted above, this is good, I think this has some versatility for use - lunch, dinner, picnic, potluck - and it's easy.   If you have and IP,  and you get this cookbook, I recommend this recipe.

Recipe Review from 6/22/2020

It was a busy week and I admit that my meal plan wasn't quite adhered to.  Problem is, I don't remember what swapped out where so there are some blanks.  I think I did take n bake pizza.  That's what I usually turn to when feeling uninspired to make dinner.

cyclist, Manitowac, WI   
photo (C) 2016 scifiwithpaprika

The Meal Plan:

Sat (L) leftovers (S) Father's Day dinner
Sun (L) leftover from Father's Day dinner (S) Wild Rice burgers
Mon - wild rice burgers
Tues - take n bake pizza 
Wed - leftover pizza
Thurs - wild rice burgers
Fri - grilled cheese


Lunches - salmon pasta salad


Wild Rice Patty Melts (Eating Well c/o Duluth Grill, Duluth, MN) vegetarian

I love a wild rice burger.  I'm from Duluth.  I have wild rice.  What could be better?  Well...if someone else made my burger perhaps.  But!  Baring having to go out to eat I gave these a try.  Despite the rather long ingredient list. these actually came together fairly quickly.  It helped that I made the rice earlier in the day and set aside till dinner. 

A couple of modification - I used panko bread crumbs in place of the cereal (I don't have any cereal on hand); I added the caramelized onions to the burgers instead of layering on top; and I grilled these on a sheet pan on the grill because I didn't want to heat up the house when it's 80* outside. 

These were...fantastic.  Seriously, I would make these again in a heartbeat.  Tasted great right off the grill and reheated beautifully as leftovers.   Moist, flavorful, delicious. You could have a lot of fun with flavors on this one. 

photo from eatingwell.com

Recommended.

Serves 6

Burgers
1 cup wild rice
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
¾ teaspoon granulated garlic
¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
¾ cup reduced-fat mayonnaise

½ cup crushed cereal squares, such as Chex

(I used Panko breadcrumbs)

½ cup finely chopped mushrooms
⅓ cup finely chopped fresh parsley plus 1 teaspoon, divided

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Onions:

1 ½ teaspoons butter
1 ½ teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced

Toppings:

¼ cup jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed and finely chopped

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic
¼ teaspoon dried basil

¼ teaspoon ground chipotle pepper

4 ounces sliced pepper Jack cheese
6 slices whole-wheat bread, toasted


Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 40 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, heat butter and 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat until the butter stops bubbling. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are a deep golden-brown, 35 to 40 minutes.

Position racks in middle and upper thirds of oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Combine cumin, granulated garlic, crushed red pepper and white pepper in a medium bowl. Add the cooled rice, mayonnaise, cereal, mushrooms, 1/3 cup parsley and eggs; mix well. Scoop the mixture into 6 portions on the prepared pan and shape into patties.

Bake the patties on the middle rack until firm and lightly browned, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon parsley, peppers, vinegar, minced garlic, basil and chipotle in a small bowl.

Turn broiler to high. Top the patties with cheese. Broil on the top rack until the cheese melts, 1 to 3 minutes. Serve the patties on toast, topped with the onions and vinaigrette.