Making spaghetti with a pizzazy slant...

Sometimes the best "keeper" recipes are from every one's kitchen "aunt".  She has been around for a long time.  Her recipes can be basic and yet be very flavorful.  I have a few of em that I have held onto for decades, referring to them every now and again for either Aaron and I or for a dinner party.  The auntie I am referring to is good old Betty Crocker.  I have two cookbook's by her. One is very old and one is from the eighties.  I remember looking through my newer of the two and thinking that she was so "innovative" with recipes like Avocado Soup.  I even started wondering about who the heck this Ms. Crocker was?  You always see a painted likeness of her...not a real photo...turned out I lost interest in finding out...it just wasn't all that important...I just knew that I never had a flop with one of her recipes...One of my favorites is very simple and yet not so simple in taste.  It's Betty's Tuna Spaghetti.  The marriage of the tuna with the garlic and the herbs and the half-and-half make for an out of the ordinary Spaghetti dish...sometimes a red marinara gets old...and sometimes Tuna Spaghetti hits the spot perfectly.

Betty's Tuna Spaghetti

1 package thin spaghetti or Angel hair pasta

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/4 cup butter

3/4 cup half-and-half

1 tsp dried basil leaves

1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves

1 can tuna (9 1/4 ounce)*

1/2 cup sliced pimiento stuffed green olives

1/4 cup grated Parmesiano Reggiano (she used regular...Reggiano is sooo way better...sorry Bet)

Cook Spaghetti as directed on package and drain

Cook garlic in butter in 2 qt saucepan over medium low heat...you don't want to burn the garlic...just cook till beginning to get golden brown

Stir in half-and-half, basil and the oregano

Heat just till begins to boil

Add in tuna, olives and cheese...stir together for one minute

Pour over hot spaghetti

*I have altered this at times with canned salmon and using just 2% milk instead of the half and half

Ahhhh the anti-vampire principles of garlic!

robert

Spring is starting to wake up and stretch!

Outside, my tulips are just peeking out thru the pine needles but the outside temperature is still keeping the ground too hard to till. The non stop yet gratifying work of a vegetable garden soon begins.  Many of you know that I do a huge 800 square foot organic vegetable garden every year.  I have learned through trial and error what works best for me here at 7500 feet of elevation.  The gardening rules here are different than in sunny, at sea level Southern California.  So wherever you live be it high or low, arid and dry or humid and moist...a vegetable garden is possible, achievable and it's therapeutic, it's grounding, it's nutritional, it's exciting and sometimes, it's a royal pain in the butt...but all in all I don't think I would ever go a season without one. 

If you have never attempted to grow your own food and want to, I suggest starting small, unless you are going to attempt a community garden with many hands to rely on.  At this time in Southern California you can already be tilling and working in all the plant muscle building nutrients such as mulch, cow/horse manure, dried leaves, egg shells, coffee grounds, etc.  You have the advantage of a long growing season and you have the ability to plant seed directly into the ground.  I don't have that luxury here...our season in Northern New Mexico is quick.  So I pre grow my vegetables in little seed containers in a mini standing greenhouse...this guarantees me a head start and much yield success...I have to transplant into the finally warm enough ground right around Mother's day.  At lower elevations you don't need to do pre seed starting unless your looking for speedier crops I suppose.

First time veg gardeners...I suggest easier crops like beans, corn, onions, garlic, potatoes, tomatoes, squash, pumpkin, herbs such as dill, basil and cilantro...these will guarantee you success...but you still have to give lots of attention in the form of water and feeding.  I only use organic fish emulsion and sea bird guano.  I purchased mine in Oregon from this establishment http://www.3rlighting.com/organic/guano.html  I have had great success with high nitrogen guano. 
You might live somewhere where you only have to walk into a good nursery to purchase some.  I do a mix of the two products, the emulsion and the guano, mixed together in a gallon container.  Just be careful to keep the fish emulsion off your skin or wash it off right away...its non toxic...but the smell will really gross you out if you leave it on your skin for any length of time. 

Mulching around your plants will guarantee healthy happy vegetable plants...which means more plentiful yield too.  I use fresh nitrogen rich grass clippings from the neighbors ...just make sure they are not feeding their grass with any fertilizers other than cow manure or any other organic compound manure.  What I have found works best water-wise is to do some serious soaking in the first few weeks to get the plants root systems established...once this is accomplished...then you can cut back on the H2O.  The three to four inches of mulch around the plants will keep the moisture in.  You never want to have a vegetable plant sitting in dry soil.  It's just common sense...your planning on eating what these plants produces for you...so don't stress em out!  Treat them like your babies and they will in turn reward you. 

If you end up with problems from pests such as flea Beatles or aphids...and you will.  Whether it's an extreme invasion or minimal is partly up to you.  I choose to spray them off with a good jet of water...you can try purchasing lady bugs...they love aphids.  I did deal with an extreme case of Flea Beatles last season and found out that I could treat them organically with Diatomaceous earth http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatomaceous_earth ...If you end up with a problem you can't identify thru books or internet sources...well there is always your local nursery.  There is always someone there that knows the trick to organically control whatever you have going on.  Here we have Deer, Raccoons, Fox...I do a large enough garden where I simply realize that a portion of the yield is going to feed the local wildlife.  My very first year, 9 years ago I was woken up by Aaron at 6 o'clock in the morning to find out that my Bok Choy was being immensely enjoyed by a huge doe.  Worst...when I approached and tried to scare off the deer...she simply looked up at me and went back to eating...

Weeds thrive because your watering on a regular basis, plus your feeding the ground...I try to control the problem...but it's not an easy one.  After a good summer rain shower when the nitrogen level in the atmosphere is so plentiful...you excitedly can just about watch the vegetable plants grow...unfortunately, the weeds do too!  I suggest trying to pull em out on a regular basis instead of waiting till you can barely tell the vegetable plants from the weeds...In some cases, some of the weed pests have real aggressive root systems that will weaken the vegetable plants if you let them.  If nothing else, weed in the immediate vicinity of your plants.  Here I need black plastic, to generate and maintain heat in the soil...our summer nights are chilly this high up...my point is, the plastic helps a little in the control of the weed garden.  Another way to look at it is that a few weeds are very tasty and nutritional. I always harvest Purslane...vegetarians love it mucho! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portulaca_oleracea

So...you put in the all the sweat filled work, your back needs yoga more than usual...then a few months later you take the first bite of a vibrant red, sun and vine ripened tomato that you were responsible for helping thrive...and in that instantaneous moment of realization as you pick the tantalizing fruit...holding it in your hand, you take a bite...and you know...oooh you know, as you wipe the sweet tomato juices from your chin...that you're never going to get this flavor and juiciness from a store bought (not including farmers markets!) tomato...you sigh in the knowledge that it's so worth it...a 100 % guaranteed of no "Monsanto modifications" here!

I hope today's blog entree will inspire some of you that have always wanted to attempt a vegetable garden...but found an excuse not to..."but I will be on summer vacation"..."but I kill everything I try to grow"..."the gophers will eat everything"..."nothing grows in my yard's soil"...etc etc etc etc etc.  Just do it.

Robert

A cole slaw with a cheesy twist...

When I saw this recipe being made by Ina Garten, otherwise known as the Barefoot Contessa on Food TV, I immediately knew I had to try it because I love Blue Cheese so much.  I never would have thought of a cole slaw laden with the chunky moldy stuff.  It's a perfect compliment to barbecue or a good stacked sandwich.  I use Cholesterol free mayonnaise in place of regular (as her recipe calls for) and it's still stupendous in flavor. 

Blue Cheese Cole Slaw

1/2 small head green cabbage
1/2 small head red cabbage
4 large carrots, scrubbed or peeled
2 cups (16 ounces) good mayonnaise
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) crumbled Roquefort blue cheese
1 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves


Cut the cabbages in half and then in quarters and cut out the cores.
Set up the food processor with the slicing blade
(according to manufacturer's instructions) and place the pieces of cabbage, one at a time, lying horizontally in the feed tube. (If they don't fit, cut them to fit lying down.) Place the feed tube pusher on top and turn on the processor. Don't push on the feed tube pusher or the slices will turn out too thick! Continue with the remaining red and green cabbage quarters. Transfer into a large bowl, discarding any very large pieces. Before you pour the dressing on the salad, save a handful of the grated vegetables to decorate for serving.

Change the slicing blade for the large shredding blade and cut the carrots so they also lie down in the feed tube. Since the carrots are hard, replace the feed tube pusher and press firmly with the food processor on. Transfer to bowl with the cabbages.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, both mustards, vinegar, celery salt, kosher salt, and pepper. Pour enough mayonnaise dressing over the grated vegetables and toss to moisten well. Add crumbled blue cheese and parsley and toss together. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours to allow the flavors to meld.

Serve cold or at room temperature.

Hail Blue Cheese Fanatics!

robert

The kind of bread pudding that does a muy pronto vanishing act at your dinner table...

There is nothing like warm, fluffy, cinnamony bread pudding especially in the cold of winter.  Oh my goodness...with a fresh steamy cup of coffee...what else does one need?  Well...for the period of time you're savoring the pudding, it almost feels like you don't need anything else in life except the amazing deliciousness of this bread pudding that I make.  It's a good recipe, best when you use older bread and even better when it's cinnamon raisin bread.  I took a basic recipe and changed it and boy does it vanish quickly.  Not only is this a comfort dessert deluxe that your dinner guests will more than appreciate, but it's very inexpensive to make too.  You can be more healthy by substituting all low fat milk and using egg substitute...but this is bread pudding for gods sake!..enuf said.  ;-)

Robert's Cinnamony Bread Pudding

4 cups dried white or cinnamon raisin bread cubes (6-7 slices)

1/3 cup golden raisins

2 eggs slightly beaten

1 cup whole milk

1 cup evaporated milk

1/4 cup melted butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 300 degrees and place the cubed bread into oven for 15 minutes to make bread dry

Remove from oven and allow to cool, then add raisins to bread

Increase temperature to 350 degrees

In a large bowl combine eggs, milk, melted butter, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla

Mix bread into egg mixture and pour into a greased 1 1/2 quart casserole

Bake uncovered for 50 minutes...or just until very puffy and knife comes out clean when inserted into center of pudding

Cover immediately with plastic wrap and allow to cool

u r going to luv this!

robert





Mock Oyster Casserole

(click on pick for bigger view)

I shall never forget Ruth Dudley...In the early nineties when we met her, we were simply looking at the vacant "fixer upper"  for sale in North Long Beach. This tiny but feisty white haired woman stepped out of her little reddish colored cottage house right next door and stated in a shakey high pitched frail voice "Don't waste your time!  it's a piece of junk in there!"...For the next several years she told us over and over how thankful she was that we hadn't listened to her advice.  She had been a widow for twenty years, with no family..Major, her husband and herself had decided not to have kids.   She adopted us and we adopted her.  We added some excitement and youthfulness to her life and she added grandma like comfort to ours.  She was so thrifty with every single penny she had...all of her meals were so delicious yet so cheap to fix.  Her slow cooked all day round steak melted in your mouth when she was done preparing it.  Her chicken wings in a white sauce with homemade egg noodles absolutely satisfied your appetite just like a favorite meal from grandma.  One of my favorites of Ruth's she called Mock Oyster Casserole.  It is one of the simplest things I have ever made...its so basic.  The most elaborate part of the recipe is when you cook the chopped eggplant.   it has been many years since she passed...she was 89 years old when she left us.  But her cooking and kindness will live on in Scott's and my heart forever...

One of her favorite things to say was..."the most important thing in life is to have friends and the good memories that come from having those friends"

Ruth's Mock Oyster Casserole

1 small eggplant peeled and cut into small rectangular pieces 2 inches long by 1/2 inch wide

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup ground ritz crackers

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup of milk

Small pieces of butter

In boiling water, cook the eggplant pieces for about 8 minutes to soften and semi cook

Taking a small casserole dish

First lay down a layer of eggplant, then some cheese and some salt and pepper then some ritz crackers

Repeat the layers to the top of the casserole

now drizzle the milk over the top and scatter a few small pieces of butter on top

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes

It really does taste like oysters...in a good way for those that think oysters are disgusting...give this a try.  It's so darn easy what do you have to loose? 
Ruth would absolutely be tickled knowing that I was giving out one of her recipes today on my blog  ;-)

robert

Very fast refried beans in your pressure cooker...soooo much better than canned

Since I was a little kid, I have always loved hot cheesy refried beans.  I remember back in the late 60's being at our favorite Mexican restaurant and asking if I could have my moms off of her plate if she didn't finish them...and often would plead for a side order of refrieds.  At home I couldn't wait till my mother's big pot of beans was nearing their end because that meant that she was going to be making her refrieds...I don't know what she did exactly, I think she would put them into a skillet and add bacon drippings, smash them with a spoon if I remember correctly and then allow some of the liquids to evaporate for delicious refried beans.  Well...I wish she were here today so I could share my quicker and easier way to make refried beans.  I don't wait till the beans are almost gone.  I cook a big pot and make refrieds out of all of it.  Sooooooooo good!  And if your hungry and want a real quick meal...a tortilla and bean and cheese burrito...well there is no better marriage!

Fast Pressure Cooked Refried Beans

4 cups dried pinto beans - fresh is best if you have access, but bagged off the shelf is fine too

1 slice of bacon - finely chopped

1/2 yellow onion chopped

2 tbsp bacon drippings

salt and pepper to taste

cheddar and jack cheese

Sort through beans to make sure there are no rocks or scary looking bad beans

In a large pressure cooker saute the chopped bacon with the drippings and the onion

Add in the dried pinto beans and stir to coat well

Pour in enough water to cover the top level of beans by 3 inches

Cover and lock lid and cook over high heat

When the hissing begins. lower the heat to medium and cook for 45 minutes

Turn off head and allow to de pressurize on its own

Remove approximately 2 cups of bean liquid, set aside

With an immersion blender process the beans till velvety smooth

Add salt and pepper to taste

Now add in about 2 cups monterey jack cheese and 2 cups cheddar

Mix with large spoon
If your beans are too thick add in some of the bean liquid you reserved till the consistency is creamy but not runny
A variation I sometimes do is to grab your jar of jalapeno peppers from the fridge and pour in some of the chile liquid

Taste...if you did it right...your eyes will roll back in their sockets and you will let out a little coo of culinary ecstasy.

This recipe is specifically for a pressure cooker.  You can follow your stove top or crock pot recipe for making pinto beans and then follow the recipe from the point of using the immersion blender

hasta luego!

robert



A really healthy and good tasting waffle

On many mornings I love to have fresh waffles for breakfast.  So after seeing all the not so good for you ingredients in Krusteaz brand instant waffle and pancake mix several years ago I started making my own from scratch waffle batter.  There have been a lot of experiments along the way between then and now...mostly good.  The waffle I normally make now always consists of the same ingredients with the only variations being adding or deleting the banana and sometimes I use blueberries too.  So if you own a waffle Iron and it sits waiting for you to bring it out of the cupboard...here is a reason to bring it out and waffle away!

Robert's Healthy & Yummy Waffles

This recipe quantity is for a round waffle iron, if you own something bigger, then adjust

ingredients in recipe accordingly

1 egg

1/4 cup canola oil

1 tsp vanilla

2 tbsp oat bran

1 tbsp flaxseed meal

2 tbsp bluecorn meal

2 heaping tbsp whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

4 tbsp unflavored non fat yoghurt

1 ripe smashed banana

1/4 cup lowfat milk

Mix all ingredients in a 2 cup measuring cup

Batter should be on the thick side

Pour about 1/2 cup of batter onto hot waffle iron and spread out quickly

with the back of a spoon to fill about 90 percent of the cooking area

Close lid and follow your waffle irons directions

I usually let mine cook for about 6 to 7 minutes...I like waffles to have a crunch to them

Serve with real maple syrup

Here's to waffle mornings!

robert