Three days to Sweet Week

I've been trolling around this morning looking for a tempting wild salmon recipes. I've got a 1 1/2 pound filet at home and want to cook it tonight. Except for the new potatoes, shallots, fresh tarragon and baby spinach, I've have all the other ingredients in my pantry and fridge to make this dish from Bon Appetit, April 2006. Funny, I didn't remember it from the magazine.

Unfortunately, when my husband bought the salmon, he didn't have the fish guy take the skin off. That's a bear to do at home on raw salmon without mutilating the fish. I'll leave the skin on and we'll just have to sort of peel it back when we eat.

Have a great weekend. See you back next week for lots of desserts!

Seared Wild Salmon with New Potatoes and Dijon Broth
1 1/2 pounds baby potatoes or new red potatoes, unpeeled

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons canola oil
4 6- to 8-ounce skinless wild salmon fillets

2 cups dry white wine
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves plus sprigs for garnish
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds baby spinach leaves

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place potatoes in large saucepan and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-high and boil until almost cooked through, about 12 minutes. Drain; cool. Cut potatoes in half.

Melt butter with canola oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Season salmon with salt and pepper. Place salmon in skillet, flat side up. Cook until brown, about 4 minutes. Turn salmon over and cook 2 minutes. Carefully arrange salmon, flat side down, in large baking dish. Scatter potatoes around salmon.

Combine wine, shallots, and vinegar in heavy large saucepan. Boil until reduced to 1 cup, about 7 minutes. Add chicken broth, chopped tarragon, and mustard. Bring just to boil. Pour hot broth over salmon and potatoes in dish. Bake until salmon and potatoes are cooked through, about 20 minutes.

About 5 minutes before fish is done cooking, heat olive oil in heavy large pot. Add half of spinach to pot and stir until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add remaining spinach and toss just until wilted.

Divide spinach among 4 shallow bowls. Top each with 1 salmon fillet. Divide potatoes and broth among bowls; garnish with tarragon sprigs and serve.

Serves 4.

Source: Bon Appetit magazine

Four days to Sweet Week

I'm so excited about Sweet Week. Sad, I know. But I keep thinking about desserts I've made over the years for special occasions. Some people remember what they wore, I remember what I made. Monday through Friday next week, dessert's on me. (Or at least my hips.)

Completely Random Alert: This recipe was published in a major metropolitan newspaper this week: Crispy Abalone With Artichoke Foam and Barigoule. For those who don't know, and I was among you until 10 minutes ago, barigoule is a Provencal dish of braised 'chokes in white wine. Make of it what you will, but I ask, artichoke foam? Why? Sounds like something awful that's bubbled up from the sea.

For my tastes, I'll take Linda Gassenheimer's Pork with Plum Salsa. It's the the end of the plum season and I've seen some lovely ones at the grocery.

Pork with Plum Salsa
¾ pound pork tenderloin
Olive oil spray
2 teaspoons chopped dried rosemary
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 medium-size ripe plums
2 tablespoons diced red onion
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Several drops hot pepper sauce
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Heat broiler. Line a baking tray with foil and spray with olive oil spray.
Remove visible fat from the pork. Place pork on baking sheet and spray with olive oil spray. Sprinkle with rosemary and salt and pepper to taste. When potatoes are ready, place on the same baking tray with the pork. Place under broiler about 6 inches from the heat. Broil 10 minutes. Turn and broil 5 minutes. A meat thermometer should read 160 degrees. Divide between 2 dinner plates and spoon salsa on top.

For salsa: Cut plums in half and remove pits. Coarsely chop, place in a bowl and add onion, cumin, hot pepper sauce, and cilantro. Mix well and serve with pork. Makes 2 servings.

Per serving: 297 calories (26 percent from fat), 8.6 g fat (2.4 g saturated, 2.9 g monounsaturated), 108 mg cholesterol, 37.4 g protein, 17.8 g carbohydrates,3.5 g fiber, 88 mg sodium.

Source: Linda Gassenheimer

Time to stir up Stir Crazy

Can I really have been blogging since August 2005? That's what the archives tell me and computers don't lie. (Crash maybe, but lie? Not so much.) About six months after I started blogging about general food topics, I changed the focus of Stir Crazy to offer a recipe everyday for weeknight dinners. The first post was Feb. 14, 2006. I don't remember any significance about the date, nor do I remember any phenomenal Valentine's gift.

That's a lot of main dish recipes, with an occasional side dish thrown in. And how many Rotisserie Chicken Wednesdays? Enough to wipe out a feathered flock.

So next week, just for the fun of it and to entertain myself a little, I'm going to give you a week of my very favorite dessert recipes. Get takeout, make sandwiches, look at the archives for ideas. (I'll send a bottle of La Tourangelle Roasted Pistachio Oil to the first person who tells me what costume I had to make for my son and what meal I suggested on April 9, 2006.)

On Monday, you'll get a recipe for a flourless chocolate cake that snared two men. One even married me. I'll let you be surprised about the rest of the week.

The countdown to Sweet Week is on.

Rotisserie Chicken Wednesday

I know it can be a pain in the pa-toot, but homemade dressing is sooo much better than bottled. And this one is fantastic. Yeah, it'll take you a few more minutes but the dressing keeps for two weeks in the fridge. Believe me, it won't last that long. Imagine it over that wedge of iceberg. MMMM.

As you know, I'm in Apple Mode and, well, I haven't given you a chicken salad recipe in nearly a month. Apples are a delicious alternative to grapes in chicken salad and they are seasonal. Don't let the 90-degree weather fool you. It is fall. Make this tonight and pretend.

Chicken-Apple Salad with Garlic Blue Cheese Dressing
For dressing:
2 cups buttermilk
1 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 cup diary sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Dijon-style mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 to 3 cloves garlic, chopped
Black pepper to taste

For salad:
8 slices bacon
1 cup chopped pecans
3 to 4 cups torn romaine, arugula, and/or spinach
1 cup finely chopped apple
2 1/2 cups shredded or cubed rotisserie chicken
1/2 of a small red onion, thinly sliced
Crumbled blue cheese (optional)

For dressing, combine buttermilk, blue cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, and garlic in a blender. Cover and blend until smooth. Season to taste with pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use. (Keeps for two weeks tightly covered in the fridge.)
Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat. Drain on paper towels, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings in skillet. Add pecans to skillet; saute pecans until toasted. In a large bowl toss romaine with toasted pecans, crumbled bacon, and apple; divide among four dinner plates. Arrange chicken slices on top of each salad. Top each salad with onion and, if desired, blue cheese. Serve with dressing.

Notes: All the ingredient amounts in both the salad and the dressing can be adjusted according to taste. Great served with cornbread!

Serves 4.
Source: www.betterrecipes.com

Here's the beef

Who said cooking doesn't pay off? A Nevada woman recently won $50,000 in the annual Beef Cook-Off competition. Today's recipe is the "Kids in the Kitchen" winner. For this, an Illinois woman and her daughters got a mere $10,000.

For my money, which there isn't much of, the $10,000 winner is more doable and interesting than the grand prize, Nuevo Chipotle Beef in Butternut Squash Boats. (You can get it at www.beefcookoff.org)  Good enough to impress the judges but the squash boat totally turns me off. And I'm getting pretty darn tired of chipotle this, chipotle that.

What kind of attitude is this for a Tuesday? Sorry, it's the only one I've got today.

Go home early! Make dinner!

Crispy Beef Lettuce Wraps with "Wowee" Sauce

Substitution alert:  ¾ cup crushed baked tortilla chips could substitute for the sliced water chestnuts.

1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple in juice, drained
1/3 cup orange marmalade
¼ cup reduced-sodium or regular soy sauce
1 pound ground beef
1/3 cup sliced green onions
Freshly ground pepper
8 large lettuce leaves, such as Bibb, leaf or iceberg
¾ cup each: sliced water chestnuts, shredded carrots

Combine pineapple, orange marmalade and 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce in a small bowl; set aside.

Cook ground beef, stirring occasionally to break meat into small crumbles, in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat until beef is no longer pink, about 8-10 minutes. Pour off drippings, if necessary; add green onions and remaining soy sauce; season with pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Evenly spoon beef mixture onto each lettuce leaf. Top with equal amounts of water chestnuts and carrots; spoon sauce over top. Wrap lettuce around filling. Serve with remaining sauce.

Serves 4.

Nutrition information per serving: 323 calories, 26 percent of calories from fat, 9 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 69 mg cholesterol, 37 g carbohydrates, 24 g protein, 637 mg sodium, 3 g fiber

Rainy days and Mondays ...

Another work week kicks off ... do you know what you're making for dinner? This recipe comes from Kathy Manweiler who writes a helpful recipe makeover column for the Wichita Eagle. Readers send her recipes and she scales back whatever it is in them that makes them unhealthy. Check her out at www.wichitaaliveandwell.com.

In this recipe, she tackles fettuccine Alfredo which can be a whopping 1,500 calories if you eat it at a restaurant. Holy scale, Batman, that's more than wee Robin should eat all day.

Besides cutting back on fully loaded heavy cream, she also suggests a more reasonable portion. To those of us who eat out a lot, a 1 cup portion might seem stingy. I would add to it tiny florets of cooked broccoli and maybe even a 1/2 cup of cubed boneless, skinless chicken that's been grilled. That'll give you more bulk and protein. Stick to a green salad with Italian dressing as an accompaniment and snub the bread so you don't undo what she has done.

Until Tuesday ...

Kathy's Fettuccine Alfredo
1 pound uncooked fettuccine
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ cup fat-free milk
2 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup half-and-half
2 tablespoons heavy cream
¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Cook fettuccine according to package directions. Drain and place it in a large bowl.

Put the flour in a heavy saucepan and gradually add the milk, whisking until smooth. Cook the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened (about 5 minutes.)

Add the butter and stir until melted. Stir in the half-and-half and heavy cream until mixture is well combined. Add the grated cheese and stir until melted. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the salt and pepper.

Put the sauce in the bowl with the fettuccine and toss until the pasta is well coated. Serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings.

Per 1-cup serving: 326 calories, 10 fat grams, 45 carb grams, 2 grams fiber, 12 protein grams, 337 mg sodium, 31 mg cholesterol.

Chunks of dish

I'm ashamed to tell you that I bought the National Enquirer yesterday to ready about Rachael Ray's marital trouble. Well, I guess I'm not that ashamed if I'm telling you guys. It took me a while to get to the juicy dish because of stories about Angelina Jolie (too skinny, they said) and Kirstie Alley (too fat, they say). When I did make it to the cover story, I was more interested in the sidebar about how much money Rachael is worth. About $1-billion!  I am not making that up.

Between the daytime gab fest, the Food Network shows, cookbooks, the magazine, real estate, a line of cookware PLUS a bunch of endorsements, among them Dunkin' Donuts, that girl is made in the shade. Unless, it's really true that the marriage with the lawyer-husband who brokered most of the deals is failing. Imagine that payout.

The lesson here is to learn to cook and talk at the same time really, really well. And don't forget to smile. I was doing that last night when I prepared something I haven't made for ages: Tuna chunks. I call them that for a lack of a more attractive description.

Next time you go to the fish counter, see if they have tuna or even salmon pieces. These are the trimmings from when the fish has been cut into pretty steaks. The cool thing is they are about $6 a pound, compared to $12 or more for the others. Same fish, different shape. They cook fast and are delicious over salad or flavored couscous with some chopped veggies add in. Fabulous leftovers for lunch.

Because I am watching carbs (ouch), I sprayed a hot skillet with Pam, plopped in 1 pound of the tuna pieces then drizzled them with 2 teaspoons of olive oil. (I measured.) A little coarse salt, a little freshly ground black pepper and the flipped them in two minutes. Three more minutes then I drizzled a bit of lite soy sauce on them. The soy sauce sort of caramelized (watch it so it doesn't burn) and made a tasty crusty on one side. I ate mine with a sliced tomato and a bit of mayo. The husband ate his with couscous.

And I was smiling and talking all the while. Cha-ching?

Oh, to have their problems

There are so many farmers' markets in the San Francisco area (about 90) that some of the farmers are packing up their organic goodies and going back to the farm. There is actually a glut of high-quality veggies and fruit, lots of it grown without pesticides and don't need oodles of fossil fuel to get to the market. I know, I am weeping too. It's almost impossible to bear.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the farmers aren't making enough money because the supply is so good. Ah well, we can dream, can't we?

Make this yummy salmon steak to make yourself feel better. It's from Self magazine so it's even good for you.

Salmon Steak with Orange-Balsamic Glaze

1/4 cup orange juice concentrate
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 salmon steaks (about 6 ounces each)
Vegetable cooking spray

Place first 7 ingredients in a large sealable plastic bag. Shake well. Add salmon and refrigerate 30 minutes to 1 hour. Remove steaks from marinade and pat dry with a paper towel. Coat grill with cooking spray and heat on high. Grill steaks, turning once halfway through, until no longer translucent in the center, about 4 minutes per side.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Self magazine

Rotisserie Chicken Wednesday

Imagine this. A chicken casserole recipe that doesn't require a can of condensed soup. Oh, it still has a creamy base but you make it yourself. Stop laughing right now. You can do it.

Consider this your first step in French cooking. You start by making a roux with butter and flour. This starchy, cooked paste is what will thicken the sauce. I guarantee this is a kid-pleaser. Even with the jar of pimeintos. Leave out the almonds if you think you'll get the yuck face.

Great leftovers.

Scalloped Chicken
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
salt and pepper
3 cups cooked rice
3 cups cooked diced chicken
2 cups sliced sauteed mushrooms
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 jar (4 ounces) chopped pimiento, drained
Plain read crumbs

Melt butter over low heat in a medium saucepan; stir in flour, blending well. Add chicken broth, milk, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Butter a 2-quart baking dish. Spread half of the rice in the bottom of the baking dish; top with half of the chicken, half of the sliced mushrooms, half of the slivered almonds and pimiento.

Pour in half of the sauce. Repeat layers; sprinkle with plain bread crumbs. Bake scalloped chicken at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Serves 4 to 6, depending on those appetities.
Source: www.about.com

It's almost fall. Somewhere.

I see signs that fall is coming to Florida. Or better yet, that summer is going away. The thermometer is dipping below 90. Okay, maybe it's only 1 degree but it is a sign. So we don't have riotous colors rocketing through our trees. We still have apples (thanks to the cooler climes that grow them) and they go well with pork.

Apples have been on my mind and if you go to www.dining.tampabay.com and click on In Janet's Kitchen, you can get a run down of what apples do what. This recipe calls for Granny Smith apples which are tart and crisp and available year-round.

It's almost time to start those ovens again.

Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Apples and Onions

1 large pork tenderloin (about 14 ounces) 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 large onion, sliced
2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/2 cup dry white wine or apple cider

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Season pork with salt and pepper.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork and sear until all sides are brown, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes. Transfer pork to plate. Cool slightly. Spread mustard over top and sides of pork; press fennel seeds into mustard. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet. Add onion slices and apples; sauté over medium heat until golden, about 5 minutes. Spread evenly in skillet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place pork atop apple-onion mixture.

Transfer skillet to oven and roast until apple-onion mixture is soft and brown and meat thermometer inserted into center of pork registers 150 degrees, about 15 minutes. Transfer pork to platter and tent with foil. Let stand 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour white wine over apple-onion mixture in skillet. Stir mixture over high heat until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Cut pork on diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Spoon apple-onion mixture onto plates. Top with pork and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Bon Appetit, 2004

A quick Monday pizza

I like white pizza a lot. Give me a spinach white pizza with lots of garlic anyday over a gloppy red mess. This recipe is a good variation on that theme. It sounds promising though I haven't tried it.

Not to worry about homemade dough. Refrigerated pizza dough on a weeknight will stand in just fine.

Don't want to use potatoes and squash? Consider another combination, but only after you give this one a try. I think you'll like it a lot. Sort of the un-pizza. The rosemary gives it a strong autumnal feel. Make sure you chop the woody leaves fine or you'll be picking them out of your teeth.

Harvest Pizza
1 tablespoon cornmeal
All-purpose flour, for dusting work surface
1 batch prepared pizza dough, at room temperature
3 small potatoes, thinly sliced
1/2 small winter squash, peeled, seeded, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 cups shredded cheese, such as mozzarella, Cheddar or a blend

Preheat oven to 450 F. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Scatter the cornmeal evenly over a baking sheet.

On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll out the pizza dough to a roughly 12-inch round. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet and set aside.

Once the water has come to a boil, add the potatoes and parboil for 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a kitchen towel or several layers of paper towels to absorb excess water. Repeat this process with the squash.

Coat the pizza dough with the olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Arrange the potato slices in an overlapping circle along the outside of the dough. Arrange the squash slices over the center of the pizza. Season again with salt and pepper.

Spread the cheese evenly over the pizza, then sprinkle with rosemary. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until cheese is lightly browned.

Serves 4.

Source: Associated Press

Go Bucs, eat steak

Sunday is the Bucs home opener so there will be plenty of people tailgating at the stadium plus another bazillion Tampa Bay fans eating and watching at home. This recipe for Spicy Skirt Steak comes from "The Tailgating Cookbook." Skirt steak is a relatively inexpensive cut of beef. I say relatively because beef has gotten so expensive. I use skirt steak when I make Cornish pasties. Why do I make those, you ask? Because my husband's people are from Cornwall. Anyway, skirt steak has lots of flavor and this recipe adds a Latin flair with lime, cilantro and onions. Not exactly a dish to take into the mines like the pasty but something with a lot more pizzazz.

The directions assume you'll be grilling in a parking lot somewhere but I know you guys can adapt the recipe to home cooking. Have a great weekend.

Spicy Skirt Steak
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 skirt steaks, about 3 pounds total, cut in half
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 limes, cut in half
2 tablespoons hot taco sauce
1 teaspoon salt

At home
One hour before packing, mix together the olive oil, lime juice, garlic, cumin, and coriander. Place the steaks in a resealable freezer bag and pour in the marinade, making sure the steaks are completely coated. Refrigerate.

At the tailgate
Prepare coals for a hot fire. When the coals are ready, transfer the skirt steaks directly from the marinade to the grill and cook for 8 to 9 minutes, turning once, for medium-rare, 9 to 10 minutes for medium. Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and let them rest for 5 minutes. While the steaks are resting, transfer the sliced onion, pepper, and cilantro to a medium serving bowl. Place the limes, cut side down, on the grill until they brown slightly, about 4 minutes. Set aside.

Cut the steaks into 1/2-inch strips, then add them to the bowl with the onion mixture. Season with the hot sauce and salt, then squeeze the grilled limes over everything. Toss together and serve.

Makes 4 servings.
Source: The Tailgate Cookbook (2005)

Sort of Gumbo

Here's the soup recipe I mentioned yesterday. There are a lot of variations of gumbo but this one is very liberal. Since gumbo means okra in a West African language, there really should be some in the soup. This one has none, which suits one person in my family just fine. He leaves the little green wheels in a heap at the side of the bowl anyway.

Whatever it's called, this soup has good flavor. I made it on Sunday and we at it Monday night. Isn't soup always better the next day? I might be tempted to call it a Chicken and Sausage Chowder. I added a a rinsed and drained can of Northern beans to give it more body.

Make sure when you make the roux (that's the flour and oil mix) that you let it cook until it turns the color of peanut butter. I made this soup in my much beloved Le Crueset pot which conducts heat really well and it took about 25 minutes. You have to keep stirring it, though I prepped my veggies while the roux was cooking and looked frequently. Be very attentive the last five minutes. As soon as it reaches the right color dump the veggies in to cool it down and keep it from burning.

The roux is the key to this soup. It adds a rich and nutty flavor that stands up well next to the bold sausage.

Cheers!

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cooking oil
3/4 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, any fat removed
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
8 ounces cooked smoked sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
8 ounces andouille sausage, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 black pepper
Hot cooked rice

For roux, in a medium heavy saucepan stir together flour and oil until smooth. Cook and stir constantly over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Cook and stir constantly about 15 minutes more or until a dark, reddish brown color is reached. Stir in celery, onion, green pepper and garlic; cook for 5 minutes more, stirring constantly.

Add chicken, sausages, salt, red pepper and black pepper to the saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, covered, about 1 hour or until chicken is tender and no longer pink. Remove chicken pieces and when they are cool enough to handle, shred and return to pot.

Cook for 2 to 3 minutes more or until heated through and serve in bowls with rice.

Serves 8.

Source: Adapted from Simple Secrets for Everyday Cooking from Better Homes and Gardens.

Kitchen Wisdom

This morning on my way to work I pass one of those make-and-take meal assembly places. There's a big sign out front that says "Get out of the kitchen and back into your life." Haven't tons of people already gotten out of the kitchen and that's why we're in such bad shape?

The better message: "Get into the kitchen and get your life back."

As I pass the sign, NPR is reporting that more states are considering requiring restaurants to list calories and other nutritional information on menus. Do people really not know that monster portions, loaded with carbs, butter and salt, aren't so healthy?

It all made me think about the state of home-cooking and how we continue to give control of what we eat to outside sources. I've convinced myself I don't have time to cook a nutritious, healthy meal every night ... yet I still find time to watch Britney Spears combust on the MTV awards about 10 times.  How about you?

Rotisserie Chicken Wednesday

Okay, who was I kidding with that post yesterday? I didn't make Shrimp Newburg last night. Way too exhausted. The kid had a Subway turkey sandwich (he was STARVED after soccer practice), I ate the rest of the taco meat from Sunday's taco bake with tortilla chips and my husband, well, what did he have? ... Oh, yeah, leftover soup. It was chicken and sausage gumbo I had made on Sunday too. (I'll give you that recipe tomorrow but it's not really gumbo. No okra.)

Today's recipe, from Simply Recipes at www.elise.com, is more my (and I think yours) style. A super simple Chinese Chicken Salad recipe that can be thrown together in less than 15 minutes. What really makes this salad taste so good is the dressing. Don't wimp out and buy one. (Look who's talking!)

See you back tomorrow.

Chinese Chicken Salad Recipe

1/2 lb shredded rostisserie chicken pieces
1/2 head of Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
3-4 scallions, sliced
1 carrot, julienned
1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, chopped
2 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
For dressing:
2 Tbsp tamari (a wheat-free concentrated soy sauce, can also use 3 Tbsp regular soy sauce)
2 Tbsp dark sesame oil
2 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar (or plain rice vinegar with a teaspoon of sugar)
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon chili pepper flakes

In a large salad bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Adjust to taste.

Add the chicken and salad ingredients and toss well. (If you don't have toasted sesame seeds for the salad, add a tablespoon of tahini or peanut butter to the dressing before tossing.)

Serves 4.

Source: www.elise.com

Blast from the Past Dinner

My gosh, it's nearly 5 and I've given you no ideas for dinner tonight. We're in the same boat. I don't know what I'm going to make either. I hate it when everyone looks at you, all empty but somehow hopeful that there will actually be dinner. Why me? Can't they forage for themselves? Sorry, had to blow off a little steam.

Anyway, I like the idea of Lobster Newburg and since I've got some shrimp defrosting in the fridge, I think I'll make this. (But, of course, sub the lobster with the shrimp.) I am also going to sub the light cream with fat-free condensed milk. It's got the velvety texture of light cream but none of the fat (okay, and not all of the taste) ... and with the yolks and butter, I need to trim somewhere. I am going to serve it over rice. Maybe steam some asparagus. I'll let you know how it turns out.

LOBSTER NEWBURG
3 egg yolks
6 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-½ cups light cream
12 to 16 ounces cooked lobster meat (or other shellfish)
Juice of 1 lemon
2 to 4 tablespoons dry sherry
Salt and cayenne
Beat egg yolks in a small bowl; set aside.
Melt butter in a heavy skillet over low heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Whisk in cream, raise heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbly.
Stir a little of the hot mixture into the yolks, then slowly add the yolk mixture to the pan, whisking constantly until sauce thickens again.
Stir in the lobster, lemon juice, sherry and salt and cayenne to taste. Serve at once over toast, puff pastry shells, rice or pasta. Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 480 calories (72 percent from fat), 38.6 g fat (23.1 g saturated, 11.1 g monounsaturated), 323.8 mg cholesterol, 22.5 g protein, 9.4 g carbohydrates, 0.2 g fiber, 488.4 mg sodium.

Baked Tacos?

I made this recipe from Cook's Country magazine last night and my family loved it. I thought it was a little gloopy myself and wondered if I just shouldn't have made tacos. But it was sort of fun and looks showy when you bring it to the table. (Especially when no one has had a homecooked meal in a week. Yes, even I get too busy.)

I didn't like the off flavor of the packaged taco seasoning. Sort of metallic and every now and then I'd get a big bite blast of harsh spices. Weird. You can make your own taco seasoning with this recipe from cooks.com. Mix 1 tablespoon chili powder, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 1 teaspoon each ground cumin, garlic powder, paprika, powdered oregano and sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. (3 tablespoons equals what's in a packet.) I am going to do that next time.

Anyway, do not forgo the scattering of scallions. You need the brightness. Serve with sour cream and fresh salsa. Here's the recipe with a few tinkers by me. (Why does it have to be cooked at 475? The shells nearly combusted in the last few minutes.)

Beef Taco Bake
2 cans of Ro-Tel tomatoes (drained, 1/2 cup of juice reserved)
1 can refried beans
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
12 taco shells
1 1/2  pounds ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning mix (or make your own)
Sour cream and salsa for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix 1 can tomatoes, refried beans, hot sauce and cilantro in a bowl. Spread evenly over bottom of 9 x 13 baking dish. Top with one cup of cheese.

Cook ground beef in a skillet until no longer pink. Drain off any fat and add taco seasoning. Fill each taco shell with some cheese and beef. Place in bean mixture so standing upright. Once all shells are filled cover the pan with tinfoil and bake for 10 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 3 to 4 minutes, until cheese melts. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

Serves 6.

A vegetarian Friday

Preparing the eggplant is the most difficult thing about this recipe, and it's really more time-consuming than difficult. Eggplant is bitter before it's cooked and requires long cooking to bring out its mellow side. The purple veggie is broiled with red peppers and their skins removed before adding to the pasta.

This is an earthy dish just right for fall (as if). The lemon juice brightens it some but I'd be tempted to scatter bits of goat cheese or feta crumbles all around to give it more tang.

Happy weekend!

Rotini with Smoky Eggplant and Red Pepper Sauce

1 large eggplant, cut in half lengthwise (about 1 pound)
3 red bell peppers, cored, seeded and cut into quarters
8 ounces rotini or other small pasta
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat a broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place eggplant halves, cut-side down, in the center of the baking sheet. With a small sharp knife, prick through the skin of each half in several places. Arrange the peppers, cut-side down, around the eggplant.

Broil the vegetables until the pepper skins have blackened, about 20 minutes. Transfer the peppers to a plate and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside for 10 minutes to loosen the skins.

Meanwhile, return the eggplant to the broiler and cook until the skin has blackened and the flesh is completely softened, about another 10 minutes.

While the vegetables cook, bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the olive oil, parsley, lemon juice and garlic.

When the eggplant is done, let it cool slightly then use a large spoon to scrape the flesh from the skin and onto a cutting board. Chop the flesh to a chunky consistency and transfer to the bowl with the lemon juice and garlic mixture. Stir well.

Peel and discard the blackened skin from the cooled red peppers. Coarsely chop the peppers and add them to the eggplant mixture. Drain the pasta, add it to the sauce and toss thoroughly to coat. Season with salt and black pepper.

Nutrition information per serving: 383 calories; 15 g fat (2 g saturated); 0 mg cholesterol; 55 g carbohydrate; 9 g protein; 4 g fiber; 7 mg sodium.

Eat this. You'll be hooked.

I am totally hooked on the Blue Cheese Wedge Salad at Courtside Grille in the Carillon area of very northern St. Petersburg. Or maybe it's Clearwater. Anyway, it's on Ulmerton Road. Go there and order it. OR, grill a steak tonight and make this salad to go with.

Talk about a throwback. Ever since we discovered baby greens with names like frissee and mache and radicchio, we've kicked iceberg to the curb. But sometimes, the ice cold coolness of iceberg can't be beat. It's the perfect foil for high-flavor blue cheese. This recipe takes Courtside's version one step further, by adding bacon and chopped tomatoes. (Courtside serves it with a heat-seeking scallion.)

Man, I'm hungry. Gotta get to the store.

Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing

1 head of iceberg lettuce, cut into 4 wedges, rinsed and well drained
1 cup dairy sour cream (do not use no-fat) OR 3/4 cup sour cream and 1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons buttermilk
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 cup crumbled blue cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
8 tablespoons crisp cooked crumbled bacon
1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped tomatoes

Core lettuce head and cut into 4 wedges. Rinse, drain well and pat dry. For dressing, mix sour cream with buttermilk and vinegar until smooth. Stir in 1/2 cup crumbled cheese and salt and pepper to taste.

Drizzle 1/4 of blue cheese dressing over center and down sides of each lettuce wedge on a serving plate, using amount desired. Using remaining 1/2 cup blue cheese, sprinkle some over each wedge. Then top with a sprinkling of bacon and tomatoes. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

NOTE: To make center cut iceberg lettuce salads, cut head of lettuce crosswise into slices and proceed as directed above.

Source: Los Angeles Daily News

Rotisserie Chicken Wednesday

If you've been reading Stir Crazy for any time at all, you know I'm a big fan of Mexican food. It seems there was a stretch of Wednesdays that I was using that rotisserie chicken to make variations on enchi-taco-itos. Well, I'm back to it.

This recipe for Baked Chimichangas (which are deep-fried burritos) takes some of the fat out of the dish by cooking them in the oven instead of the deep-fryer. By making Mexican dishes at home, you can also control some of the ingredients such as subbing low-fat stuff for fully loaded. I don't think you give up a lot of flavor when you've got lots of strong spices.

My quibble with this recipe, and with most, is that realistically it won't feed six people. I think three is more like it. Even with salad and maybe a vegetable, most diners will probably have two chimis.

Baked Chimichangas
2 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1 cup salsa
1 small onion, chopped
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
6 flour tortillas (10 inches)
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup fat-free half and half cream
1 can (4 ounce size) chopped green chilies

In a nonstick skillet, simmer chicken, salsa, onion, cumin and oregano until heated through and most of the liquid has evaporated.

Place 1/2 cup down the center of each tortilla; top with 2 tablespoons cheese. Fold sides and ends over filling and roll up. Place seam side down in a 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat the broth, bouillon and pepper until bouillon is dissolved. Combine flour and cream until smooth; stir into the broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in chilies and heat through. To serve, cut chimichangas in half; spoon sauce over the top.

Serves 6 (very small people with tiny appetites).

Source: www.cdkitchen.com.

Something fishy here

I've got to confess that I am not a great fish cook. And fish is about the last thing I hanker for most nights. Shellfish, yes. Finfish, not so much. My son spent a week fishing and lobstering in the Keys this summer and the family he went with was nice eough to share some of the bounty. Mahi Mahi filets and spiny Florida lobsters.

I've made both and I've got to say they were pretty good. I tried to replicate a dish he said they had where the fish was cooked over the coals in foil. It was okay, but I wish I'd had this recipe from Linda Gassenheimber to tinker with. It calls for the fish to be cooked in a steamer but I'd use a skillet with a lid and add more lettuce leaves to the bottom of the pan. They act as a buffer against direct heat and help keep the fish moist. I think more than the fish, I am drawn to the bread crumbs.

Stuffed Fish Under Wraps

1 tablespoon diced red onion
½ cup plain bread crumbs
Zest from 1 medium-size lemon
½ tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons dried sage or fresh
2 teaspoons dried thyme or fresh
1 egg white
Salt and pepper
6 large romaine lettuce leaves
2 8-ounce fish fillets (snapper, sole, lemon sole, yellow tail, other white fish fillets), 1 inch thick

Mix onion, bread crumbs, lemon zest and juice, sage and thyme together in a small bowl. Add egg white and blend well. Place 3 romaine leaves in bottom of a steamer or enough leaves to cover steamer rack. Lay fish fillets on top. Spoon stuffing on top of fillets. Pack down with spoon.

Cover fillets with remaining romaine leaves. Place over boiling water, cover with a lid and steam 10 minutes for 1 inch thick fillet. Increase to 15 minutes for thicker piece. Serve fish still wrapped in lettuce on individual plates.

Makes 2 servings.

Per serving: 351 calories, 53 grams protein, 22 grams carbohydrate, 5 grams fat, 12 percent of calories as fat, 2 grams fiber, 84 milligrams cholesterol, 361 milligrams sodium.