Broccoli with Garlic

From: http://southernfood.about.com

16 ounces broccoli florettes

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon roasted walnut oil or olive oil

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

¼ cup finely chopped red onion

2 teaspoons lemon juice

½ teaspoon salt

Dash black pepper

Steam the broccoli just until tender. In a small sauce pan, heat the butter and oil; add minced garlic, red onion, and lemon juice. Cook just until tender. Toss with the broccoli along with the salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serves 4.

Nancy’s Notes: Made Jan. 18, 2010 – nothing wrong with this preparation but no raves either.

Successful Green Limas

 

 

1 bag frozen green beans

2 carrots, diced

3 slices pre-cooked bacon, diced

3-4 tablespoons diced red onion

1 tablespoon butter

Seasonings

Cook frozen limas and diced carrots in small amount of water. When fully cooked, drain and set aside in colander or dish. In the same pan melt butter, add red onion and diced bacon. When onions soften add beans and carrots. Season with sea salt, pepper and Castle Peak Cheese Sprinkle from Savoy Spice Shop in Littleton, Colorado.

Nancy’s Notes: I was looking for something a little extra to do with a bag of green limas. Many of the recipes I Googled included sauces and or large amounts of cheese. I picked up a couple of ideas and created this side dish that was very well received. Michael thought this was a really good treatment and took home the leftovers.

No Crust Spinach Quiche

From: Colorado Classique – Junior League of Denver, page 229

 

1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

8 ounces Swiss cheese, grated

1 slices day-old bread, crusts removed, torn in small pieces 6 eggs, lightly beaten

¼ cup copped onions

1 tablespoon butter

1 ¼ teaspoons nutmeg

Salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350°. Mix spinach, cheese, bread, and eggs together. Sauté onions in butter, then add to spinach mixture. Season mixture with nutmeg and salt and pepper. Transfer to a greased pie plate. Bake for 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Nancy’s Notes: Made Oct. 5, 2009 – Good. I didn’t have much of this because of the emergency trip to Florida. Plan to do again.

Chicken Thighs with Roasted Grape Tomatoes

From: Colorado Classique – Junior League of Denver, page 137

1 ½ tablespoons lemon zest

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

8 boneless Maverick Ranch Certified Organic chicken thighs

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

Roasted Grape Tomatoes

2 cups grape tomatoes

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 ½ tablespoons capers

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup Parmesan cheese

Preheat and oil grill. Combine lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic in a large zip-top bag. Add chicken to bag and seal. Marinate in refrigerator for 15 minutes, shaking bag occasionally. Remove chicken from bag and place on a plate; discard marinade. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Grill chicken for 5 minutes on each side or until done.

To roast tomatoes, preheat oven to 425°. Combine tomatoes and olive oil in an 8-inch square baking dish and toss gently. Bake for 18 minutes or until tomatoes are tender. Combine tomatoes with parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, capers, salt, and pepper and stir gently. Serve tomatoes in a small bowl next to chicken and dip chicken in sauce of tomatoes, or spoon tomatoes over chicken. Garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Nancy’s Notes: Made the Roasted Tomatoes Oct. 5, 2009. With a surplus of grape tomatoes from the garden I thought this would add a nice addition with the Imperial Chicken. I was disappointed, didn’t think they were worth the effort.

Posole

From: Beyond the Rim – Junior League of Amarillo, page 64

2 (12-ounce) packages dried posole or dried black beans

1 pound mild bulk pork sausage

1 pound hot pork sausage

1 large onion, diced

2 (14-ounce) cans diced tomatoes

1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles

1 (16-ounce) jar thick chunky medium salsa

4 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon oregano

2 garlic clove, minced

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons chili powder

Sort and rinse the posole. Place the posole in a large bowl with water to cover and soak overnight. Drain the posole and place in a 6-quart pot. Brown the mild pork sausage, hot pork sausage and onion in a large pan, stirring until crumbly; drain. Add the sausages and onion to the pot. Add the peeled tomatoes, tomatoes with green chiles, salsa, salt, cumin, oregano, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and chili powder. Add enough water to cover. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer several hours or until the posole is tender but not mushy. Add water occasionally if necessary. Yield: 12-18 (1-cup) servings.

Nancy’s Notes: Made Nov. 9, 2009 – Very good, I’m not a huge posole fan but I even liked this one. Bob and Michael really liked. Made a big pot full. I used a 1-pound package of posole and 1 cup of chicos (dried sweet corn). Never planning very far ahead, I didn’t do the overnight soak. I was making this as a side dish and decided to use only a ½ pound of each sausage – turned out to be plenty. Of course, I added some of my Chimayo Holy Chile.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

From: Beyond the Rim – Junior League of Amarillo, page 65

¼ onion, chopped

¼ cup (1/2 stick) margarine

2/3 to 1 cup flour

3 (10-ounce) cans chicken broth

1 ¼ cup chopped celery

1 ¼ cups chopped carrots

1 (16-ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli

1 pound Velveeta cheese, diced

2 cups half-and-half

Cook the onion in the margarine in a large pan over medium heat until the onion is translucent. For a thinner soup, stir 2/3 cup flour into the margarine; for a thicker soup, use 1 cup flour. Add the broth and whisk. Pour into a slow cooker. Add the celery, carrots, broccoli, Velveeta cheese and half-and-half. Cook on Low for 6 to 7 hours, stirring occasionally. Yield: 8 to 10 servings.

Nancy’s Notes: Made Nov.16, 2009 – I used 2 crowns of fresh broccoli, lightly steamed, then chopped. I made on the stove, keeping the heat on low so I didn’t scorch. I didn’t have celery since I used it all in the dressing – would be a good addition. Used 3 (14-ounce) cans of chicken broth and 2/3 cup flour, created a soup thickness I like, neither too thick or thin.

Sweet Potato Dust

While shopping at Costco last night we purchased a big bag of sweet potato fries. I had to try them this evening will our BBQ pork sandwiches and slaw. I recalled the great sweet potato fries we had at Mosaic Restaurant several months ago. Trying to replicate the seasoning on those fries I concocted my own version. Not a bad imitation.

1 teaspoon Penzey’s 4/S sea salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder

1/4 teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon

Mix together, sprinkle over fries as soon as they come out of the oven, toss to coat. Eat away and think of all that vitamin A.