I Get Ideas For Dinner Everywhere

      So I’m at the fish counter at my local supermarket contemplating what to buy for dinner tonight night when I see a woman choosing two nice pieces of rock cod.
    “Are you going to saute or fry that fish?” I ask her.
    “No,” she answers, “I’m going to fix it like we had at a restaurant a few months ago. I bake it at 350 degrees, smother it in diced tomatoes and sliced black olives and fresh chopped parsley.”
    “That sounds good,” I say. How long do you bake it?”
    “Oh, about 15-20 minutes and then I sprinkle it with shredded cheddar cheese and put it back in the oven until the cheese is melted.”
    “Yum!Okay. That does it.” I turn to the fishmonger.  “Give me two pieces of rock cod, please.”
    As the woman strolls away with her shopping cart I shout, “Thanks for the tip!”
    “You’re welcome,” she answers. “Enjoy!”
    So tonight we’re having the fish, rice pilaf, made with Royal Blend rice (a blend of  white, brown and wild rice) and some lovely organic broccoli that came in the Farm-fresh-to-you box Lexi orders once a month. Even though you can go online and see what veggies and/or fruit is coming in the box, when I open the door and there it sits on the porch, it’s still like Christmas every month. Here's how I made dinner:

After checking the fish for bones I seasoned it with salt and pepper and put it in the prepared pan. 

I know, I know. My pan doesn't look like one of Ina Garten or Rachel Ray's but I don't have a crew to clean up after me. After you spray the pan with cooking spray and lay the fish on it, spread the diced tomatoes over the fish and then sprinkle with sliced olives and parsley.

Bake the fish at 350 degrees until it flakes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Put it back in the oven until cheese is nicely melted. It's ready to serve.

It may look like a hot mess but believe me it is yummy!

 

 

 

In the meantime, saute the mirepoix (fancy name for diced carrot, onion, and celery) in butter until softened and transparent.

 

 

Add the rice and stir until rice is coated with butter.

Add the chicken broth (or water,) bring to a boil then lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until rice has absorbed the liquid and can be fluffed with a fork.

 

 

 

 

Dinner is served

 

 

 

Recipes

Rock Cod With Tomatoes and Black Olives

1-1/2-2 lbs fresh Rock Cod fillets
1 can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup sliced black olives
2 Tblsp. chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees
Spray a baking pan with cooking spray or line with foil.
Remove any bones from the fish. Season with salt and pepper and lay the fish in the prepared pan. Cover fish with diced tomatoes and  sprinkle with sliced olives and parsley. Bake for 20 minutes or until fish flakes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Return to oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve.



Royal Blend Rice Pilaf

1 Tblsp. butter
1 carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1/4 large onion, diced
1 cup Royal Blend rice
1-1/12 cups chicken broth (or water)
1/2 tsp. salt (optional)
Melt 1 Tblsp. butter in a medium saucepan and saute the mirepoix (fancy name for diced carrot, onion and celery) until soft and transparent. Add 1 cup Royal Blend rice mixture and stir until the grains of rice are coated with butter. Add 1-1/2 cups chicken broth (or water) and salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat  and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until rice has absorbed all the liquied and can be fluffed with a fork. Serves 2-4.

A Final Farewell to Our Cabin in the Woods

     For the past three years my family has rented the same big, comfortable cabin in Arnold for our vacation. It suits us to a T. Four bedrooms, two and a half baths, a large, well equipped kitchen and a big wrap-around porch is exactly what our nine-member (plus one dog) family needs. See my blog from July 27, 2015, Cabin in the Woods, Pet Friendly, Sleeps Nine. This year, however is to be our last as the owners have retired and decided to move in permanently. What nerve! Just when we had everything down to a science. We all knew where we were to sleep, where the hammock is, and most important, where all the kitchen gadgets, pots and pans are. There is even a large, fenced-in yard so Samson, Steve & Steph's Border Collie, can run and fetch. We will miss our comfortable cabin in the piney woods.

This says it all

    This year, as usual, all nine of us, plus Samson arrived around one o’clock on a Saturday afternoon. After unloading Tony’s Corolla, Brenda’s Pilot and Steve’s Avalanche and putting everything away we were ready for naps, games, hammock time and reading. For dinner Robin put together a quick and easy Pasta Puttenesca made with Tuna packed in oil instead of anchovies. She served it with a big Caesar salad.

Our first dinner of the season

    Sunday morning we rose early and were on the road by 8:30 headed for the Sourgrass recreation area on the Stanislaus river. Right away a shady, flat spot with a nice picnic table for games and lunch overlooking the river, beckoned to us. Tony and Nathan took the floaties upriver to float down some pretty tame rapids while Brenda, Robin and I were content to float near the shore. Stephanie, Steve, Ada and I got brave and swam around in the clear water right below the table area. Later, Steve, Aiden and I hiked downriver to a vista point where we could watch the wriver charging through a narrow channel between large granite boulders. Now that’s whitewater! Dinner that night was delectable chicken burgers and a big salad of rough-chopped veggies and greens served with homemade ranch dressing.

Our nice shady table at Sourgrass

Sourgrass Day Use area overlooking the Stanislaus

Whitewater!

Or not!

    Monday found us once again, on the road early to stake out a claim on a small beach, again, on the Stanislaus river. This time it was in the Calaveras Big Trees State Park. Last year we had the beach to ourselves most of the day. There are nine of us and this year two other families showed up with almost that many each. Our quiet sandy beach soon became like Coney Island! By early afternoon we had had it and headed back to the cabin. That night Robin made a delicious Sausage and Bean Ragout http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/sausage-cannellini-tomato-ragout served over Rosemary Polenta and green salad with a fresh basil vinegrette. For dessert there was fresh peach pie and vanilla ice cream.

My turn to float on the Stanislaus in Calaveras Big Trees

    Tuesday was river rafting day. I have to confess, I was a little nervous but everyone assured me it was a category one white water trip and they were right. The most dangerous part was when we started and drifted under some overhanging trees where I got bonked on the shoulder by a tree limb and a small cut on my hand. Sigh. The rest of the trip was lovely, with narrow, shady spots, wide, lazy areas where the paddlers had to use their oars to keep us going and some exciting rapids that were just enough to keep it interesting. That night Steve grilled the Korean BBQ ribs that had been marinating all day in a sweet and spicy asian sauce. They were served with Asian pilaf and Asian cole slaw.

River rafting on the "lazy" Stanislaus River

Don't get bored Ada, there are more rapids coming up!

    Wednesday morning found us heading north to Utica Lake. It sits high in the Sierras like a jewel; clear turquoise water surrounded by huge white granite rocks and dark green pine trees. It’s one of our favorite spots. Everyone but Robin and me kayaked around the lake and over to an area where they could jump off one of the big boulders into a deep pool. Robin and I chose to sit and read and just breathe in the wonderful mountain air and enjoy the view. Dinner that night was Steve’s famous deep fried fish tacos, black beans and refried beans and Spanish rice.

Utica Lake

    Thursday was the day everyone was waiting for. Brenda and Steve had rented a party boat on Lake Don Pedro! It was fabulous! With lots of seating, a bar, a grill, a water slide and even a bathroom with a shower, it couldn’t have been nicer. Even Samson was thrilled. After stowing all our gear, food and drinks we motored over to a quiet cove where Steve and Nathan anchored us to the shore. Then the fun began. I don’t know who enjoyed that water slide more, the kids or the adults. Samson would jump onto the shore, race around, then into the water, then onto the boat, and start over again. The outside temperature was 103 that day but we didn’t even notice. That night we ate out at the Snowshoe Brewing Company in Arnold.

It's a party!

    Thursday night after dinner we toasted Robin and Stephanie's new jobs with, what else, champagne!

Here's to Robin and Stephanie in their new jobs!

Friday we packed up the cars again and drove to Alpine Lake, another sweet little lake near Bear Valley. Once again we lucked out and took possession of a shady picnic table right near the edge of the lake. Easy access for the kayakers and close to a little island we could actually wade over to. Our last day of vacation and it was a fairly quiet and lazy day. That night Steve grilled tiny chickens to crisp, golden perfection and they were served with Stephanie’s macaroni salad (a Ree Drummond recipe http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/the-best-macaroni-salad-ever/) and grilled corn salad. A perfect meal to end our stay.

Tony & Nathan kayaking on Alpine Lake

    Saturday morning was time to pack up and move out for the last time. Sadly we said our final farewell to our favorite vacation rental. Time to find another cabin in the piney woods. So far Brenda found one on VRBO that has a “Bunk House” for the boys. Now that sounds promising.

By bye

Kitchen on Mill Road: Making Jelly and Jam is Just Plum Satisfying

Kitchen on Mill Road: Making Jelly and Jam is Just Plum Satisfying:     It’s summer here in Silicon Valley. At one time this area was known as “The Valley of Heart’s Delight,” because of all the fruit orchard...

Making Jelly and Jam is Just Plum Satisfying

    It’s summer here in Silicon Valley. At one time this area was known as “The Valley of Heart’s Delight,” because of all the fruit orchards. Almost all the orchards are gone now but many homes still have fruit trees in their backyards…leftovers from those days or planted on purpose because of our climate. There is still one large, notable family fruit orchard near my townhouse. Very soon that will be gone too. In its place will be a large planned community. According to the model that is set up for the public to see in our local library, some of the fruit trees are to be saved around the perimeter of the development. Not quite the same as a whole orchard, bursting with clouds of white blossoms in the spring and in summer, covered with soft green leaves and heavy with fruit. At least this paradise isn’t going to be completely paved over. Just partly.
    A few days ago I was out and about shopping when my cell phone rang.
    “Hi Judi, it’s Norma. I have some plums for you from my tree. Can I bring them over?”
    “Oh, thank you, Norma,” I said,  “but I’m in Target right now. Could you leave them on my front porch?”
    “Sure. I will do that now. Bye bye.”
    When I returned to my townhouse, sure enough, there on my porch was a huge bag of beautiful ripe plums….10 or 15 pounds of them!

Norma's generous gift of beautiful ripe plums

There was no doubt in my mind what came next. Plum jam and jelly, of course. It had been almost a year to the day since I last made a batch of jelly and jam from the same luscious plums from the same tree in Norma’s backyard. The jam had turned out perfectly, sweet and tart. And the jelly, oh my. I had never seen such a gorgeous clear red color in my life. I loved seeing those ruby red jars standing there like little soldiers, just waiting to be spread on someone's toast.
    It’s been hot here this week but I had to start using those plums before they went bad. Would the jam be as tasty and tart as last year? And would the jelly jars glow like rubies on the shelf? Time to find out. Here’s how I did it.

For making jam or jelly you will need:
For each batch, about 3-5 lbs. fruit
5 lbs sugar
Pectin (powdered or liquid)
One 8-quart saucepan or pot for cooking jam or jelly
One large canning pot with metal insert for boiling jars, lids and rings and later processing the jam in a water bath.
For each batch, 8,  8-ounce jelly jars with lids and rings
Tongs
Wide-mouth funnel
Ladle
Lifter for lifting processed jars out of water bath.
(For making jelly  you will need a muslin bag for straining juice from cooked fruit.)

All this can be purchased at any hardware store or Target

8 Qt. pot for cooking the fruit or the juice

My monster canning pot. Also available at hardware stores

My handy dandy juice strainer doo dah.

Now let's get started.
Wash, rinse, and put 8, 8-ounce glass canning jars with lids and rings into a large pot making sure they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and then turn off heat.

Boiling the jars, lids and rings to sterilize them

Plum Jam
2 quarts fresh plums, pitted and chopped
7 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon butter or margarine (to reduce foaming, if desired)
One box Sure-Jell Pectin
1. Put pitted and chopped plums and water into a large, 8-Quart pot. Bring to a boil and
then simmer for 5 minutes, covered.
2. Add the sugar and one box of pectin. Stirring frequently, bring back to a rolling boil that you cannot stir down and boil hard for one minute.

Boil the fruit, sugar and pectin one minute

3. Remove from heat and, using a metal spoon, remove as much foam as you can from the jam.
4. Using tongs, remove a  jar from the pot of hot water, pouring out any water. Set on paper towel and using a wide-mouthed funnel, ladle the hot jam into the jar, leaving a 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rim with damp paper towel. Center lid on jar and apply ring and screw on fingertip tight.

Ladle the hot jam into the jar

Place lids and twist on rings.

5. When all jars are filled place them back in canner, adding enough water to cover the jars at least one inch. Bring water to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and, using a lifter, remove jars to cool on a tea towel or rack.

Processing the jam

Do not move the jars for 24 hours. Listen for the ping that indicates the jars are sealed. When they are cool check each one that the lid stays down. Note: Sometimes jam or jelly can take up to 2 weeks to fully gel.



Plum Jelly
1. The night before you want to make jelly, cut up 2 quarts plums and put fruit, skin and pits in a large covered pot and bring to a boil.
2. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes and remove from heat. Ladle the cooked fruit into a dampened muslin bag you have put in a large pot, then closing the top of the bag, suspend it over the pot, letting the juice drip into the pot. Let it hang for at least 8 hours. Do not squeeze the bag. That would make the juice cloudy. In the morning, discard the fruit. Measure the juice and if needed, add a little water to make 4 cups juice.
3. Get your jars, lids, and rings ready as instructed above.
4. Combine 6-1/2 cups sugar with the juice 1/2 tsp. butter or margarine (to reduce foaming) and bring to a rolling boil that can’t be stirred down. Add one box of Sure Jell Pectin and bring back to a hard boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim foam if necessary.
5. Fill jars and process, following instructions for jam.

Aah, nine little red plum jam soldiers.

And just look at the color of the jelly!

Final note: Making jam or jelly may seem like a pack of trouble and require a lot of equipment but trust me, the satisfaction that comes with seeing all those beautiful jars of lusciousness lined up, ready to give a way as gifts or simply open and spread on your peanut butter sandwich, makes it all worth it.

It's Sunday night and Robin is rustling up some ribs

    It’s Sunday night and I’m headed over to my daughter, Brenda’s. Lexi will meet us there. I’m excited because Robin is making her famous Baby Back Ribs tonight served with her South of the Border Cole Slaw. And for dessert, she is using a recipe for Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake she saw on the internet. Want to try it? Go here: http://tiphero.com/pineapple-upside-down-bundt-cake/

When they were kids, my daughters  loved my old-school Pineapple Upside Down Cake  so we will see how this one compares.

At least it's a pretty pattern.

The first thing Robin did was mix brown sugar and butter and put in the bottom of the bundt pan.   Then she meticulously arranged the half slices of pineapple and the cherries over that. So far, so good. Here's where Lexi stepped in to mix up the yellow cake batter.

Lexi has her own method of mixing.

It takes two.

Ready to bake.

Voila! Lookin' good!

Robin tests the ribs... tender and ready for the grill

    Warning! If you want to make Robin’s Ribs, there is a long list of ingredients and some of them are a bit exotic. Making these ribs takes some time and effort but believe me, it is worth every ingredient and every step! They are falling-off-the-bone tender and mouth-watering flavorful.

Almost ready to eat

Nom nom!

By the way, the ribs were faboo, as usual and the Pineapple Upside Down Cake was good! Maybe not quite as good as mine but we all managed to choke down a piece. Or two.

Recipes

Robin's South of the Border Slaw

  Mix together in a large bowl:
2/3 cup lite mayonnaise
1/3 cup  sour cream
Juice of one lime
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped fine
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp.kosher salt

Add 1/2 head cabbage, finely shredded and 1/2 cup toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and mix all together and chill one hour before serving.  Serves 4-6

Rob’s Rib Rub

Mix together in a small bowl:
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. hot paprika
1/2 tsp. Montreal Steak Seasoning
1/2 tsp. Cajun seasoning
1 tsp. kosher salt
(Optional) 1/2 tsp. Ras-El-Hanout (a Morroccan spice. Can be found at Cost Plus)
Makes enough for 3-4 racks ribs

Robin’s Awesome Sauce

1-1/2 cups catsup
1/3 cup dark molasses
1/2 cup chunky salsa
1 Tblsp. yellow mustard
2 Tblsp. Kikkoman Teriayki glaze

2 Tblsp. liquid smoke
2 Tblsp. your favorite hot sauce (Robin uses Frank’s Hot Sauce)
2 Tblsp. cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tblsp. Worcestershire Sauce
Mix all ingredients together in a sauce pan and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until it is bubbling. Remove from heat.

.

Robin’s Famous Baby Back Ribs 

Hwe's how to make them from beginning to end:

Put 3-4 generous racks of ribs in large pot and add one can of any beer and enough water to just cover the ribs. Add 1/2 tsp. Rob’s Rib Rub (see above). Bring to a boil and parboil the ribs for about 10 minutes.

Remove ribs and put in shallow baking pan and sprinkle both sides with Rob’s Rib Rub. Add two ladlesful of boiling liquid to pan.

Cover tightly with foil and bake at 200 degrees for 2 hours or until fork tender.

When ribs are almost done, prepare coals in a grill. When ribs are done, drain and place over hot coals and brush with Robin’s Awesome Sauce or your favorite sauce. Cook over coals (or on gas grill) about 2 minutes on one side, then turn and brush other side with sauce and cook another 2 minutes. Remove and serve with additional sauce on the side. Serves 4-6
 
 

 

 

Pentacost Sunday and My Favorite Salad

Sunday dawned bright, clear and warm. Flowers are blooming and the birds are singing. What a day to celebrate the feast of Pentacost at our church. Oh, and we are having a baptism as well! It’s expected to wear the color red. It symbolizes the joy and the fire of the holy spirit and gives us an opportunity to haul out our reddest and brightest clothes. And red is my favorite color!  Hallelujah!

After church we are having the traditional  barbecue, (the church provides hamburgers and hot dogs) and the parishioners bring the side dishes and desserts. I have decided to bring a Couscous, Garbanzo and Olive Salad.  I first met this savory delight when Ann, my Memoir Writing Class teacher, brought it for an end-of-semester potluck. After one delicious bite, I had to have the recipe. Ann generously sent it to me with the reminder that it comes from the book, The Best 50 Olive Recipes by Catherine Pagano Fulde. I prepared it Saturday night so the flavors could mingle and develop into scrumptiousness. Is that a word? Well, it should be.

This salad is a snap to prepare. The couscous practically makes itself. There is a little chopping involved and a couple of cans to open but generally speaking it only takes minutes to make. Here is how it goes.

Assemble your ingredients. Oops, I already juiced the lemon before I took the picture.

Make the couscous and cool it before pouring it into a large mixing bowl.

Add the rinsed and drained garbanzo beans.

 A few words about the handiest tool  in my kitchen: It is a lid popper. As the years creep up on me my hands have less and less gripping power and sometimes I have the devil's time opening a sealed lid. Well, this little baby fits just under the edge of the lid and with a slight pressure...Pop! and Bob's Your Uncle, as my mother used to say. In other words, the seal is broken and the lid opens without any difficulty. I would be lost without this little tool.

I love my lid popper!

Pop! So easy!

Start chopping!

Add the rest of the ingredients

Mix the dressing

Add the dressing and mix well. That's it!

Red and Ready for the potluck.

Couscous, Garbanzo and Olive Salad

1/4 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup lemon-infused virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 box Near East plain couscous, prepared as directed on package
2 cans garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
3 Tblsp. capers, rinsed and drained
1 jar (7 oz.) roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
1 cup pitted mixed olives, drained and rough chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint
Tomato wedges for garnish (optional)

In a small bowl, whisk lemon juice with oil, salt and pepper. In a medium sized pot prepare the couscous as directed. Let it stand about 5 minutes; fluff with fork and let cool for another 5-10 minutes. Pour into large mixing bowl. Fold remaining ingredients, except garnish, into couscous and add dressing. Mix well and chill. Garnish with tomatoes. Serves 6-8.