Sherry – Page 43 – Rosemary and the Goat

Beef, Mushrooms and Pea Pods

Nothing is easier than a quick stir fry!

I love Asian food and don’t know why I don’t cook it more often. Remember my Wok’n Noodles? I made that dish after seeing a restaurant in Paris called Wok’n Noodles and I thought that would be a cute name for a noodle dish and for some reason the tune “Walkin to New Orleans” (Wok’n) popped into my head. 🙂

We did a going away party in early January for friends who moved to China for three years. It was really a fun party and got me thinking about some old Asian inspired recipes I use to prepare.

My sister and I have made this recipe for at least 15 years and I use to make it quite often. This time I decided to add some sugar snap peas along with the snow peas. I love the crunch from the sugar snaps because they stay nice and plump and add a lot of texture to the dish.

So, if you are looking for a dish that is so quick to throw together, please try this; and you can even use instant rice if you are in a pinch for time.

January 31, 2014 By Sherry

Salads

Jicama Apple Salad

Hik-ka-ma and apples were made for each other.

Sometimes I think I have so many recipes I couldn’t possibly have room to add one more to my collection and then along comes a crisp, fresh salad that has so much crunch and flavors I could not resist asking for the recipe along with everyone else at our bunco get together a few weeks ago. I would almost call this a slaw because there is no lettuce involved and the fact that things are all cut into thin julienned pieces it kind of looks like a slaw. Salad/slaw, whatever you call it it’s wonderful.

Our bunco group is going into it’s fourth year and we always share lots of food, wine and laughs for the night. One of our new members, Susan, brought this salad and it was a huge hit with everyone. This would be a great salad with just about anything; it could be served alone, along with some grilled meat/poultry/fish, or with brunch dishes. Like I said, it would be good with anything.

I made this for grandson, Milo’s 5th birthday party (brunch) a few weekends ago. Last year for his brother’s first birthday party, his dad did a pig roast (baby piglet) and I’m thinking how many one year olds have a pig roast for their first birthday. Well, he did and it was so much fun. Even the older kids loved looking at the pig roasting away while I’m thinking — “that poor little thing”. But in the end, it was delicious. So for Milo’s birthday, it was brunch and we had quiche, this jicama apple salad, Coconut Banana Puffs and of course sausage balls.

I’ve used jicama for years although I have to admit before moving to Texas I don’t think I had ever heard of it yet alone knew how it was pronounced (HEE-ka-ma or HIK-ka-ma). It’s hard to peel a jicama and is best if you cut top and bottom of jicama and then start with your knife and cut off the sides until you have all the skin removed. Jicama is low in carbs, calories and fat and when you add in the apple, peanuts, onions, how much healthier could you get.

January 26, 2014 By Sherry

Side dish

Fingerling Potatoes with Preserved Lemons

Putting my preserved lemons to good use.

So, here’s the recipe I promised for using the Preserved Lemons.

I have been looking for something to use my preserved lemons with since I made them back before Christmas. This year our Myer Lemon tree produced about 18 lemons or that’s what was left after squirrels or some other critter pulled some off, nibbled a little on the green, unripened lemons and left them before going on to destroy something else.

I have to say, opening up a Bon Appetit magazine, that I did not order, and seeing this potato dish with PRESERVED LEMONS excited me. Ok, it’s just potatoes but now I can use my lemons. About the magazine — I was curious why I got the magazine as I haven’t taken this one for at least 15 years and didn’t want to be charged later for some type of renewal. Long story short is I ordered something at Christmas from a company that gave me a free year’s subscription. So, guess I will enjoy it until next year and maybe I will decide to renew it.

The preserved lemons were so easy to make. If you find lemons on sale sometime try making a couple of jars. They are as simple as cutting in quarters, packing with salt, putting in jars and just keep pushing them down until they make juice. You may have to add a little juice to top off the jar but that’s it. Refrigerate them for a few weeks and they are ready to go. I have read to use them in risottos, salad dressings and salads; and I’m sure there are lots of other recipes out there using them. Oh, and you only use the rind when you get ready to put them in a dish, throw away the lemon pulp, seeds, etc and chop or sliver up the lemon rinds.

January 21, 2014 By Sherry

Fish/Seafood/ Garnish/ Side dish

Preserved Lemons

These make me pucker just thinking about them.

I had a jar of preserved lemons that I bought several years ago in a mark down basket at a gourmet kitchen store. By the time I got around to cleaning my pantry out last week (I do this at least once a month) the jar of lemons looked like a jar of something not even resembling a lemon, they were dark gray and those definitely got thrown out.

We have a Meyer Lemon tree that was potted but then put in the ground. This is the third year for it to take up residence in our yard. Last year, some critter pulled all the lemons off and we ended up with 2 in the late Fall. Something happened this year, maybe the predators went to someone else’s yard because I had 16-18 beautiful, almost baseball size, Meyer lemons. So, since one can only drink so many lemon drop martinis, I decided to try to make preserved lemons and believe me, they were the easiest things I have ever made.

You say, “what am I going to do with preserved lemons since I don’t own a tagine and I don’t make Mediterranean food”. Well, you can make my Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Preserved Lemons that I will be posting in two days (can’t give you lemons and then make you wait 6 days to post another recipe.

After a bit of research, I found quite a few things to do with preserved lemons — use them in salad dressings and sauces, in salsas and dips, pasta dishes, risotto, Tagines (there’s that word again), hummus, and just about anything that would benefit from a tart bite of a piece of lemon.

Of course when you take these out to use them you want to rinse off all the salt and tear out the inside of the lemon and throw this away as you are only using the rind.

The good thing about this recipe is you can make just one jar or whatever amount you want.

January 19, 2014 By Sherry

Salads

Brussels Sprout Salad

Delicious recipe from East Side King in Austin.

This is the salad I was telling you about that I had at East Side Kings place in the Hole in the Wall in Austin. I had been reading about food trucks on this particular visit to Austin and wanted to visit one of Paul Qui’s places. Everyone raved about his salad. I liked the salad but mine was drenched in dressing.

So, when I set about trying to find a similar recipe I came across his recipe printed in People magazine. The recipe there did not list the cabbage but on the restaurant menu it does. I took liberties with the recipe because I wanted some “greens” in it; instead of slaw type ingredients. So I used savory cabbage because I like how ruffled it looks when you cut it. Originally I added a handful of arugula but found that with the bitterness of the Brussels sprouts the arugula was too much.

One big change I made was to the Brussels sprouts which he pan sautéed. After making the Fried Brussels Sprout Leaves and learning how frying them brought out the sweetness, I decided the second time of making the salad to fry the leaves and toss with the salad at the last minute.

One other thing is the jalapeño which he added to his salad. It was sliced very thinly but the dressing has 4 Thai chili peppers in it which made for a pretty “hot” salad. I omitted the jalapeño all together on the second try and the heat from the chili dressing was perfect. One of Paul’s recipes called for alfalfa sprouts; which I decided to replace with pea shoots. To me alfalfa sprouts just disappear into the salad and I love the “cute” factor of the pea shoots.

Second time out I also added a handful of fresh bean sprouts and a few sesame seeds and I added 1 teaspoon of balsamic to the dressing which I think really improved it.

Who am I to change a recipe of a Top Chef winner — well I did and I liked the results. As you can tell from my changes, you can try just about anything. The stars of the salad I think are the fried Brussels sprout leaves, fried shallots and the dressing.

January 14, 2014 By Sherry

Appetizers/ ColdApp/ Salads/ Side dish

Peanut Noodle Salad

The party’s over but I will make this salad again.

Last weekend we hosted a going away party for friends who are moving to China for three years. It was a fun party to prepare for because I decided “East Meets West” would be the theme of the party; some Texas style foods on one side of the table and Chinese (Asian style) foods on the other and they met in the middle with my husband’s pulled pork on mini rolls with an Asian slaw topping.

Hope you enjoy the pictures below as much as I had preparing for the party. I found a cool piece of purple brocade with butterflies at Jo Ann Fabrics that was marked 50% off so I got three yards for $15. I didn’t bother even hemming it since I just bunched it up on the table around the platters. I had these Asian lanterns left from my daughter’s wedding and they worked perfect for the table top and I bought these large paper parasols to put out front along the walkway.

I’ve been hoarding about 150 little Chinese takeout cartons for several months trying to come up with a way to use them. For my daughter’s wedding a couple of years ago we had them with Truffled Parmesan French Fries and they made such a cute container for foods to snack on I decided to order some for myself. So, this Peanut Noodle Salad was taking up residence in these cartons with some beautiful chopsticks I ordered with some forks on the side for those not adventurous enough to use the chopsticks.

This salad was a perfect appetizer because I made it in advance and was just one thing that didn’t get fiddled with at the last minute. I decided to only fill the cartons half full since we had so many other things on the menu.

BLAST FROM THE PAST: This was the very first recipe I posted back in June of 2009. Mandarin Orange Napoleon and it was so good. I must make that again sometime for a party.

January 9, 2014 By Sherry

Entree/ Fish/Seafood

Alaskan Salmon Cakes

Straight from my husband’s pole.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! And thank you for coming to my blog. I can’t believe this June I will have been doing this for five years and I’m still going. I guess I have to cook so why now share what I’m doing with you all. I hope everyone had a happy and safe New Year’s and ready for 2014. I have a new grandson making an appearance in April. This will be our fifth little boy and my daughter’s first baby so it’s going to be so much fun seeing her and her husband become parents. I have to say it again even if I have said it a hundred times — the best part about being a parent, I think, is watching your own kids become parents.

We have been eating salmon and halibut, at least once a week, since my husband got back from his fishing trip from Alaska last August.

Growing up we had salmon patties or croquettes (whatever you called them back them) quite often. They were always made from canned salmon and you will never believe what we like to pour over them for a sauce — canned mushroom soup. Believe me it’s good. I’m not going to pour canned soup over Ina’s recipe but when I make salmon patties from canned salmon I STILL heat up some thick mushroom soup and my husband and I pour it all over our crispy patties.

I wanted my husband’s salmon to be the STAR of the cakes not the vegetables so I added twice the amount of salmon that Ina’s recipe called for. I tried baking some and frying some. The ones fried were a little harder to turn and the ones I baked were not as oily tasting. Either way, they are delicious. Baking is a lot easier if you have a bunch to cook.

Seems like all the crab cake recipes I have ever tried were pretty simple — crab meat, red onion, and red pepper, maybe a little mayo and a couple of tablespoons of breadcrumbs to hold them together. This recipe could be done in stages. For one thing, I would mince all the veggies the day before; this would save a lot of time. In reading through some of the comments people made on her recipe a few people said they froze uncooked cakes and cooked them at a later time with great results. I did this as it make about 15 cakes and even though we love fish even we could not eat that many salmon cakes.

January 4, 2014 By Sherry

Egg Dishes/ Morning Foods

Spinach and Mushroom Baked Eggs

Another breakfast dish!

After the holidays, everyone is always looking for easy recipes that are not too fattening. I love the idea of the spinach with the baked eggs and tomatoes were perfect.

I keep saying that breakfast is my least favorite meal of the day yet I keep coming up with new recipes to try. I have to say the thought of plain ole scrambled eggs always makes me want to turn to a bowl of cereal in the morning or even a breakfast bar.

I had all these ingredients just laying in anticipation of being included in a new recipe. Those poor little tomatoes usually just get tossed into a salad or if they are lucky maybe they take a dive into some type of dip concoction. The mushrooms were dying to be sautéed and begging for me to use coconut oil to do them in.

This recipe can be increased to as many servings as you need. All you need to do is saute more mushrooms and spinach. If you want to add in a little ham or bacon to the bottom go ahead, I won’t tell. The next time I try making a baked egg dish I’m going to have my eggs at room temperature because my eggs never get done in the amount of time they are suppose to. I want a set white but runny yolk.

So, what’s your favorite breakfast dish? The next time I’m in Nashville I will definitely have the Sweet Potato Pancakes at the Pancake Pantry or try the Red Velvet Pancakes at Loveless Cafe there. Until I’m there again, I’m going to have to try and make both those pancakes.

December 30, 2013 By Sherry

Cookies/Bars/ Dessert

Frosted Molasses Cookies

Nice and spicy and for my Christmas Baby who turns 40 on Christmas day.

Merry Christmas everyone. I hope you all are spending the holidays with family and friends and enjoying some of the recipes I have posted here. My son and his family in Chicago will be spending their Christmas in Minnesota this year and I sent a box of these cookies to the in-laws house for him to enjoy on his birthday — ohhh, my Christmas baby. Seems like just yesterday we were rushing to the hospital in Louisville to meet our first born. He was born 12:26 a.m. on 12-25-73 (I was one minute too late to match his birth date).

I have always loved baking, and making cookies has always been the top of my list of baked goods. My kids mostly grew up on homemade cookies because that’s what I did — baked. Occasionally I would slip and buy some Oreo’s or Chips Ahoy Chocolate Chip but the chocolate chip of course never measured up to homemade.

Didn’t all kids have hot cookies and milk waiting for them when they came home from school. My daughter, Alexis was always our sugar cookie baker because I never had the patience to cut and decorate that type of cookie. I have my share of cookie cutters and probably have over 75 for sure but I’m usually looking for a quick way to decorate them.

December 24, 2013 By Sherry

Appetizers/ ColdApp

Salmon Martinis ??

A new use for those martini glasses.

My favorite party to cater has always been a cocktail party. I’m always on the look for new and interesting ideas for finger foods and if you ever need any ideas for finger foods, take a look at my appetizer section here on the blog.

A friend of mine gave me these beautiful martini glasses one year for Christmas. Of course I made martinis in them, what else would they be used for????

I have used them many times for nuts, dips, even as small vases for flowers, and this great little smoked salmon spread. For a golden wedding anniversary I catered I used this gold netty stuff to surround the martini glasses and then I used the different glasses to hold the mousse (see pickled ginger rose and bell pepper star garnish), the chopped eggs, red onions and capers. The glasses made such a beautiful presentation.

Dig out some of those beautiful glasses you may have and use them for something other than a cocktail. You can take a recipe as simple as this salmon spread or any spread and make it look so enticing just by the way you present it.

December 20, 2013 By Sherry

Candy/ Cookies/Bars/ Dessert

Pecan Divinity

Little clouds of sweetness.

(Happy last day shopping everyone. I’m checking my list and checking it twice. I did almost 100% of shopping online and now just waiting for things to start rolling in. I love ordering, it’s like Christmas everyday when packages start rolling in. I always wish I got an earlier start though because I start getting nervous if I know we are leaving and everything hasn’t made it to my door step.) MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I think anyone who has eaten my mother-in-law’s divinity would call these little pieces of candy “pillows from heaven”. I would wager to say she has been making divinity for at least 50 years probably longer and what amazes me is she makes the most wonderful divinity and never uses a candy thermometer.

On a recent trip back to Missouri I talked her into showing me how she does her divinity. I think just about everyone in our hometown probably has tried her divinity and hers is always the first one to sell out at any bake sale.

I remember a life time ago, making some divinity to send to my husband at college. You know how roommates and fraternity brothers can be, of course someone stole some of his divinity. To his misfortune he got a piece that had a pecan shell in it and he broke a tooth. Needless to say, he never took any of my husbands food again.

December 15, 2013 By Sherry

Entree/ Pasta/ Pork

Spinach Fettucini with Sweet/Hot Sausage

Good on a cold winter’s night.

Nothing taste better to me on a bone chilling night than pasta, a good salad and maybe some homemade bread or even a good loaf of some artisan bread you picked up at the store.

There are so many pasta and sauce recipes out there that you could probably make a different pasta each week and never have to repeat a recipe.

I found this recipe in a Creme de Colorado cookbook about 20 years ago and I have been making it ever since. I remember the first time I made this dish I was catering an event at a local art gallery. Two people came up to me after the dinner and said they would like me to cater the exact same dinner for them. So, I did make it again and actually a few more times before I ever TASTED the dish. Now, you may say, how could you do that. I don’t have an answer. Sometimes I read a recipe and I know I will like it. I guess I felt no need to sample the finished dish. After making the dish several times (I finally tasted it) it has become a favorite of mine. I love the sweet and hot taste of the Italian sausage together with the sauce. I heard the judges on a cooking show say “if you aren’t tasting, you aren’t cooking”, guess I should start tasting some as I go.

This recipe has a lot of olive oil and butter and of course you could always cut down on the oil and butter that make up the sauce and probably substitute some broth in place of it. If I were you I would follow the recipe the first time as written and then tweak the second time you make it. I cooked 1 lb. each of the hot and sweet sausage and you do want both the sweet and hot flavors or the different sausages. Sometimes if I find the sausage at the butcher counter then I will buy just 1/2 lb. of each. The day I made this I decided to go on and cook the whole package of each and add some extra meat to the dish. You can either freeze your extra sausage for another use or add it to the fettuccini.

I made this for our Bunco Christmas get together last week and it was a big hit. Thanks ladies for being my guinea pigs (tasters is a better term I guess).

Do you have a favorite pasta dish? If so, I’d like to hear about it; please leave in the comment section below.

December 10, 2013 By Sherry

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