This variation on the traditional basil pesto is for you folks who love hot, spicy food. I kept finding myself spreading pesto on homemade pizza and then putting jalapenos on top. Then it occurred to me to put them right into the pesto. Yum.
Ingredients
3 cups packed fresh basil, cleaned and de-stemmed
2 cloves of garlic sliced
¼ -½ cup olive oil (see how it goes)
¼ cup pine nuts or walnuts
5 oz. Parmesan or Romano cheese cut into small chunks or slices
¼ cup chopped jalapeňo peppers (or to taste)
salt to taste
approximately 14 oz. pasta (rice, wheat, or whatever works for you)
Directions
Put all the ingredients (except the pasta of course) into a food processor and whirl until creamy smooth. Be careful with the olive oil, don’t add too much. Start out with about ¼ cup and add more if needed to get the consistency right. Also monitor how many jalapeňo peppers you include in the pesto. This recipe is not for wimps! But different people like different levels of spiciness.
Boil up the pasta as per the directions on the package. Toss the pasta with the pesto so that the pasta is evenly coated. A nice addition to this dish is chopped sun-dried tomatoes, chopped marinated artichoke hearts, and/or chopped olives.
The pesto can be frozen and tastes surprisingly fresh when defrosted months (and even a year) later.
Eat well, be well, live deliciously!
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Luxshen Kugel
This is a classic Jewish recipe, made differently by different people, depending on where in Eastern Europe their family originated. “Luxshen” means noodle and a “kugel” is literally a pudding, but sometimes it comes off more as a casserole. This sweet noodle pudding makes a delicious dessert or can be served as a sweet side dish with a full meal. It can be served either hot or cold. Read below under Directions for suggested transformations that will make the dish gluten-free or lactose-free, if necessary. To start with, though, here is the fundamental luxshen kugel recipe that my mother passed down to me.
Ingredients
12 oz. broad egg noodles (recipe also works with 8 oz. or 16 oz. OK)
¼ lb. butter
½ lb. sour cream
½ lb. cottage cheese
3 eggs (separate yolk and white)
½ c. honey
½ c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
½ c. raisins
2 tsp. cinnamon
dash of salt
dusting of nutmeg
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350º. Boil the noodles until done. Grease an 8x12 baking dish. Slice the butter into ¼-inch slices. When the noodles are done, drain them, place them in a mixing bowl, and melt the butter into them. In a separate bowl, combine the sour cream, cottage cheese, honey, milk, vanilla, raisins, and cinnamon. Crack the eggs and separate them, putting the yolks into the sour cream mixture and the whites into a separate bowl alone. Put the dash of salt into the egg whites and beat them until they are stiff. Combine the sour cream mixture with the noodles and stir until well blended. Then add the egg whites, folding the noodle and sour cream mixture in carefully while keeping the egg whites as fluffy as possible. Put the kugel into the baking dish and dust the top with nutmeg. Bake the kugel for one hour, uncovered. Check it after 45 minutes. If the top is getting too brown, then put foil over it for the last 15 minutes.
Now for the variations.
To make this dish gluten-free, simply use rice noodles instead of wheat noodles. Any type of noodle can be used, but flat noodles usually work best. If you use a long noodle, like a linguine, break the noodles in half before boiling.
It could be challenging to make a version of this dish that will accommodate the lactose-intolerant. Most people who have trouble with lactose have no difficulty with full-fat foods because they contain little or no lactose. So keep the butter in this version. Either use a tofutti sour cream or use full-fat sour cream with no reduced fat content, and either omit the cottage cheese or use a cottage cheese that is not reduced fat. For the milk you can either use whole milk or lactose-free milk. How many accommodations you make will depend on how sensitive the lactose-intolerant eater is.
Many children are not fond of raisins so I want to mention that this recipe works just as well without them. On the other hand, if you are making this dish for people who like fruit, then try combining dark and golden raisins and adding some fresh apples. If you add apples, I suggest that you peel them, chop them, and sauté them in a little butter until soft before putting them into the kugel.
Serve the kugel piping hot or allow it to cool, refrigerate it, and cut it into squares.
Eat well, be well, live deliciously!
Ingredients
12 oz. broad egg noodles (recipe also works with 8 oz. or 16 oz. OK)
¼ lb. butter
½ lb. sour cream
½ lb. cottage cheese
3 eggs (separate yolk and white)
½ c. honey
½ c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
½ c. raisins
2 tsp. cinnamon
dash of salt
dusting of nutmeg
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350º. Boil the noodles until done. Grease an 8x12 baking dish. Slice the butter into ¼-inch slices. When the noodles are done, drain them, place them in a mixing bowl, and melt the butter into them. In a separate bowl, combine the sour cream, cottage cheese, honey, milk, vanilla, raisins, and cinnamon. Crack the eggs and separate them, putting the yolks into the sour cream mixture and the whites into a separate bowl alone. Put the dash of salt into the egg whites and beat them until they are stiff. Combine the sour cream mixture with the noodles and stir until well blended. Then add the egg whites, folding the noodle and sour cream mixture in carefully while keeping the egg whites as fluffy as possible. Put the kugel into the baking dish and dust the top with nutmeg. Bake the kugel for one hour, uncovered. Check it after 45 minutes. If the top is getting too brown, then put foil over it for the last 15 minutes.
Now for the variations.
To make this dish gluten-free, simply use rice noodles instead of wheat noodles. Any type of noodle can be used, but flat noodles usually work best. If you use a long noodle, like a linguine, break the noodles in half before boiling.
It could be challenging to make a version of this dish that will accommodate the lactose-intolerant. Most people who have trouble with lactose have no difficulty with full-fat foods because they contain little or no lactose. So keep the butter in this version. Either use a tofutti sour cream or use full-fat sour cream with no reduced fat content, and either omit the cottage cheese or use a cottage cheese that is not reduced fat. For the milk you can either use whole milk or lactose-free milk. How many accommodations you make will depend on how sensitive the lactose-intolerant eater is.
Many children are not fond of raisins so I want to mention that this recipe works just as well without them. On the other hand, if you are making this dish for people who like fruit, then try combining dark and golden raisins and adding some fresh apples. If you add apples, I suggest that you peel them, chop them, and sauté them in a little butter until soft before putting them into the kugel.
Serve the kugel piping hot or allow it to cool, refrigerate it, and cut it into squares.
Eat well, be well, live deliciously!
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Potato Salad
Nothing hits the spot with barbecue like a good potato salad. Here’s a basic recipe. If you want a vegan version, skip the eggs and use a vegan mayonnaise.
Ingredients
4-5 medium-sized potatoes (about 5 cups)
1 red pepper
½ c. chopped onion or 1 tbsp. onion powder/granules
½ c. chopped celery
3 hard-boiled eggs
½ c. mayonnaise (use more if you like it creamier)
¼ c. sweet pickle relish
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. mustard
1 tsp. black pepper
1-2 tsp. dill weed
1 tbsp. chopped parsley
1 tsp. celery seed
dusting of paprika
salt to taste
Directions
Bring 12 cups of water (and a tsp. of salt) to bowl in a pot with ample room for the potatoes. While waiting for the water to boil, chop the potatoes into chunks of approximately one inch. When the water is at a rolling bowl, put the potatoes in. They will take about 20 minutes of cooking at a rolling bowl. Check them periodically with a fork to be sure they are not too mushy. You want them just soft, not crunchy.
You can boil the eggs separately or, do as I do, and toss them into the pot of boiling potatoes for 10 minutes. They are easy to fish out with a pair of tongs. Cool the eggs immediately in cold water and peel them right away. (If you wait to peel them then you will have trouble getting the shells off nicely.) Chop the eggs as if for egg salad before combining them with the other ingredients.
Chop the vegetables into small pieces. Use fresh dill and fresh parsley if possible.
When the potatoes are cooked to satisfaction, drain them, rinse them in cold water in a colander, and combine them with all the other ingredients in a large bowl. Add the mayonnaise last. Put the potato salad in the refrigerator to chill for about an hour before serving. Dust the top with paprika.
For a creamier potato salad, melt a couple of tablespoons of butter into the potatoes when they are hot out of the pot and add a couple of tablespoons of sour cream to the salad.
Adjust ingredients proportionately for a larger batch.
Eat well, be well, live deliciously!
Ingredients
4-5 medium-sized potatoes (about 5 cups)
1 red pepper
½ c. chopped onion or 1 tbsp. onion powder/granules
½ c. chopped celery
3 hard-boiled eggs
½ c. mayonnaise (use more if you like it creamier)
¼ c. sweet pickle relish
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. mustard
1 tsp. black pepper
1-2 tsp. dill weed
1 tbsp. chopped parsley
1 tsp. celery seed
dusting of paprika
salt to taste
Directions
Bring 12 cups of water (and a tsp. of salt) to bowl in a pot with ample room for the potatoes. While waiting for the water to boil, chop the potatoes into chunks of approximately one inch. When the water is at a rolling bowl, put the potatoes in. They will take about 20 minutes of cooking at a rolling bowl. Check them periodically with a fork to be sure they are not too mushy. You want them just soft, not crunchy.
You can boil the eggs separately or, do as I do, and toss them into the pot of boiling potatoes for 10 minutes. They are easy to fish out with a pair of tongs. Cool the eggs immediately in cold water and peel them right away. (If you wait to peel them then you will have trouble getting the shells off nicely.) Chop the eggs as if for egg salad before combining them with the other ingredients.
Chop the vegetables into small pieces. Use fresh dill and fresh parsley if possible.
When the potatoes are cooked to satisfaction, drain them, rinse them in cold water in a colander, and combine them with all the other ingredients in a large bowl. Add the mayonnaise last. Put the potato salad in the refrigerator to chill for about an hour before serving. Dust the top with paprika.
For a creamier potato salad, melt a couple of tablespoons of butter into the potatoes when they are hot out of the pot and add a couple of tablespoons of sour cream to the salad.
Adjust ingredients proportionately for a larger batch.
Eat well, be well, live deliciously!
Monday, August 30, 2010
Mediterranean Rice and Pepper Salad
Good for potlucks, gluten-free, this salad is fresh and tasty. Cilantro lovers will especially enjoy this one. Notice that you must make this in advance and allow it to marinate for a half an hour (at least). Also leave advance time to cook the rice (45 minutes) if you are starting from scratch with no leftover rice handy.
Ingredients
3 cups cooked rice
1 chopped red pepper
1 chopped yellow pepper
4 oz. crumbled feta cheese
1/3 c. pitted and chopped Kalamata olives
¼ c. fresh chopped cilantro (packed cup)
1/3 c. olive oil
3 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
3 tbsp. dry white wine
½ tsp. ground black pepper
Directions
Cook the rice. About one cup of uncooked rice will yield the three cups of cooked rice. I like to use exotic and wild rices (in combination). Ordinary brown rice will work fine with this recipe. It is also possible to substitute quinoa for the rice. Make sure the rice is cooled down to at least room temperature before adding any other ingredients (or the vegetables will wilt and the cheese will get mushy).
Chop the vegetables and cilantro and combine them with the (cooled) cooked rice. Add the olive oil, vinegar, wine, and black pepper. Finally, carefully fold in the crumbled feta. For an attractive appearance, save out some of the feta and cilantro to sprinkle on top.
Allow the salad to marinate in the refrigerator for at least a half an hour before serving. This dish goes well with other Mediterranean food, such as hummus, falafel, babaganoush (eggplant), or tomato/cucumber salad.
Eat well, be well, live deliciously!
Ingredients
3 cups cooked rice
1 chopped red pepper
1 chopped yellow pepper
4 oz. crumbled feta cheese
1/3 c. pitted and chopped Kalamata olives
¼ c. fresh chopped cilantro (packed cup)
1/3 c. olive oil
3 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
3 tbsp. dry white wine
½ tsp. ground black pepper
Directions
Cook the rice. About one cup of uncooked rice will yield the three cups of cooked rice. I like to use exotic and wild rices (in combination). Ordinary brown rice will work fine with this recipe. It is also possible to substitute quinoa for the rice. Make sure the rice is cooled down to at least room temperature before adding any other ingredients (or the vegetables will wilt and the cheese will get mushy).
Chop the vegetables and cilantro and combine them with the (cooled) cooked rice. Add the olive oil, vinegar, wine, and black pepper. Finally, carefully fold in the crumbled feta. For an attractive appearance, save out some of the feta and cilantro to sprinkle on top.
Allow the salad to marinate in the refrigerator for at least a half an hour before serving. This dish goes well with other Mediterranean food, such as hummus, falafel, babaganoush (eggplant), or tomato/cucumber salad.
Eat well, be well, live deliciously!
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Pan-Fried Green Beans in Tarragon
This is a simple recipe and it seems to be a great way to get vegetables into folks who don’t usually like vegetables, particularly children. The trick to getting it right is to use fresh, crisp, nice green beans and to stir them constantly so that they don’t get burned. Don’t cook them too long, just enough. Keep them bright green and crispy.
Ingredients
3-4 cups of fresh green beans with ends snapped off
2-3 tbsp. olive oil (adjust as needed for the amount of green beans)
1 tbsp. butter (can be omitted for vegans)
1 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. tarragon
½ tsp. black pepper
salt to taste
Directions
Snap the green bean ends off and cut the green beans into lengths of 1-2 inches long. Put the olive oil into a deep-dish frying pan and heat over medium heat for a couple of minutes. If you include the butter, you probably don’t need quite so much olive oil. The butter adds a nice rich flavor, but is not necessary if you are cooking for vegans. Once the oil is hot, turn the heat down to low and add the green beans and herbs.
Cook the mixture on low to medium heat, uncovered, stirring frequently for approximately 8 minutes. If you cover the pan, the green beans will steam and become soggy so leave the lid off. You want the beans to be just cooked, still a bit crispy, but not at all raw. If you need more oil to keep the beans from sticking to the pan then add it cautiously, one tbsp. at a time.
Other optional ingredients to add to the pan with the green beans: ½ a red pepper chopped fine, 8 small mushrooms or one medium Portobello mushroom chopped fine, and/or ½ cup chopped walnuts (these other ingredients are not recommended for picky eaters and children as they may prevent them from eating this dish)
Eat well, be well, live deliciously!
Ingredients
3-4 cups of fresh green beans with ends snapped off
2-3 tbsp. olive oil (adjust as needed for the amount of green beans)
1 tbsp. butter (can be omitted for vegans)
1 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. tarragon
½ tsp. black pepper
salt to taste
Directions
Snap the green bean ends off and cut the green beans into lengths of 1-2 inches long. Put the olive oil into a deep-dish frying pan and heat over medium heat for a couple of minutes. If you include the butter, you probably don’t need quite so much olive oil. The butter adds a nice rich flavor, but is not necessary if you are cooking for vegans. Once the oil is hot, turn the heat down to low and add the green beans and herbs.
Cook the mixture on low to medium heat, uncovered, stirring frequently for approximately 8 minutes. If you cover the pan, the green beans will steam and become soggy so leave the lid off. You want the beans to be just cooked, still a bit crispy, but not at all raw. If you need more oil to keep the beans from sticking to the pan then add it cautiously, one tbsp. at a time.
Other optional ingredients to add to the pan with the green beans: ½ a red pepper chopped fine, 8 small mushrooms or one medium Portobello mushroom chopped fine, and/or ½ cup chopped walnuts (these other ingredients are not recommended for picky eaters and children as they may prevent them from eating this dish)
Eat well, be well, live deliciously!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Balsamic Zucchini Squash on the Grill or in the Pan
I use the same basic recipe to cook this squash on the stove-top or to marinate it and cook it on the grill. Either way, it’s simple and scrumptious. If you grill it as a vegetarian choice at a BBQ, make sure to grill up enough for the meat-eaters too since it will be very popular. The ingredients are the same for either cooking method.
Ingredients
1 or 2 small- or medium-sized zucchini squash cut into one-inch cubes
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
3-4 tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
2-3 cloves crushed garlic (depending on size of cloves and how much you love garlic)
Directions
In the Pan:
Do not peel the squash. Cut the squash into cubes. Crush the garlic. Heat the olive oil in a deep dish frying pan over high heat until it is hot (about 2 minutes). Add the squash and the crushed garlic, turn the heat down to medium, and stir the squash frequently so that it doesn’t burn to the bottom. For more squash, you may need more olive oil. Use enough oil to coat the squash and prevent it from sticking. Cook the squash in the olive oil for about 3-4 minutes. Then add the Balsamic vinegar and turn the heat to low. Cook uncovered until the squash is tender, about 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently. For more squash, you may need to add a little more vinegar.
On the Grill:
Do not peel the squash. Cut the squash into cubes. The squash needs to marinate for at least 30 minutes before you put it on the grill. There are two ways you can marinate it. You can put the squash cubes into a plastic Ziploc bag with the olive oil, Balsamic vinegar, and crushed garlic. If you use this method, zip the bag shut and toss it until the contents are thoroughly mixed and the squash is completely coated with oil and vinegar. After 30 minutes, remove the cubes from the bag and put them on skewers for easy grilling. This is a bit messy. A tidier way to marinate the squash is to put the squash cubes onto the skewers before marinating. Then put the marinade into a cookie sheet. Lay the squash skewers inside the cookie sheet and turn them over and over until the squash is coated with marinade. Let the squash sit in the marinade for 15 minutes, then turn it over on the other side for 15 minutes. The trick to the cookie sheet method is to use skewers that are short enough to fit within the cookie sheet so that the squash sits well down in the marinade. Once marinated, put the squash skewers on the grill and cook until the squash begins to brown.
Eat well, be well, live deliciously!
Ingredients
1 or 2 small- or medium-sized zucchini squash cut into one-inch cubes
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
3-4 tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
2-3 cloves crushed garlic (depending on size of cloves and how much you love garlic)
Directions
In the Pan:
Do not peel the squash. Cut the squash into cubes. Crush the garlic. Heat the olive oil in a deep dish frying pan over high heat until it is hot (about 2 minutes). Add the squash and the crushed garlic, turn the heat down to medium, and stir the squash frequently so that it doesn’t burn to the bottom. For more squash, you may need more olive oil. Use enough oil to coat the squash and prevent it from sticking. Cook the squash in the olive oil for about 3-4 minutes. Then add the Balsamic vinegar and turn the heat to low. Cook uncovered until the squash is tender, about 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently. For more squash, you may need to add a little more vinegar.
On the Grill:
Do not peel the squash. Cut the squash into cubes. The squash needs to marinate for at least 30 minutes before you put it on the grill. There are two ways you can marinate it. You can put the squash cubes into a plastic Ziploc bag with the olive oil, Balsamic vinegar, and crushed garlic. If you use this method, zip the bag shut and toss it until the contents are thoroughly mixed and the squash is completely coated with oil and vinegar. After 30 minutes, remove the cubes from the bag and put them on skewers for easy grilling. This is a bit messy. A tidier way to marinate the squash is to put the squash cubes onto the skewers before marinating. Then put the marinade into a cookie sheet. Lay the squash skewers inside the cookie sheet and turn them over and over until the squash is coated with marinade. Let the squash sit in the marinade for 15 minutes, then turn it over on the other side for 15 minutes. The trick to the cookie sheet method is to use skewers that are short enough to fit within the cookie sheet so that the squash sits well down in the marinade. Once marinated, put the squash skewers on the grill and cook until the squash begins to brown.
Eat well, be well, live deliciously!
Monday, August 16, 2010
Pesto Lasagna Casserole
This is a variation on the Mushroom and Spinach Lasagna Casserole. Basically you substitute the tomato sauce with pesto. It’s one of those dishes that you kind of can’t stop eating because it’s just too good! And it’s perfect for the summer when you have fresh basil in the garden (or handy from the Farmer’s Market). Try making it with fresh pesto (see my pesto recipe) for a meal that will take you to heaven and back.
Ingredients
16 oz. pasta (spiral or curly pasta is better, rice pasta can be used)
¾ cup basil pesto (see my pesto recipe)
8 oz. grated cheese (use an Italian blend, such as mozzarella, cheddar,
parmesan, asiago, and romano)
2 eggs
9 oz. chopped spinach
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
2-3 tbsp. dry red wine (a merlot or cabernet works well)
2 cups chopped mushrooms
1/3 cup chopped onions or 2 tbsp. onion powder
3 tbsp. finely chopped fresh oregano or 2 tbsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. black pepper
salt to taste
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease an oblong baking dish. Boil the pasta until it is done al dente.
Sauté the onion and mushrooms in olive oil for about 3 minutes, until soft, stirring frequently. Add the red wine and place the chopped spinach on top then put a lid on the pan to steam the spinach until it wilts. Do not overcook the spinach. If you are using fresh oregano then steam that with the spinach. Beat the eggs and combine with the vegetable sauté.
Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and blend together thoroughly. Spread the ingredients in the oblong baking dish. Bake for 50 minutes uncovered.
Other vegetables may be added, such as olives, artichoke hearts, or sun-dried tomatoes. However, I recommend no more than 2 cups of added veggies (in addition to the spinach, mushroom, and onion already in the recipe). Otherwise the lasagna becomes overpowered with veggies.
Eat well, be well, live deliciously!
Ingredients
16 oz. pasta (spiral or curly pasta is better, rice pasta can be used)
¾ cup basil pesto (see my pesto recipe)
8 oz. grated cheese (use an Italian blend, such as mozzarella, cheddar,
parmesan, asiago, and romano)
2 eggs
9 oz. chopped spinach
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
2-3 tbsp. dry red wine (a merlot or cabernet works well)
2 cups chopped mushrooms
1/3 cup chopped onions or 2 tbsp. onion powder
3 tbsp. finely chopped fresh oregano or 2 tbsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. black pepper
salt to taste
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease an oblong baking dish. Boil the pasta until it is done al dente.
Sauté the onion and mushrooms in olive oil for about 3 minutes, until soft, stirring frequently. Add the red wine and place the chopped spinach on top then put a lid on the pan to steam the spinach until it wilts. Do not overcook the spinach. If you are using fresh oregano then steam that with the spinach. Beat the eggs and combine with the vegetable sauté.
Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and blend together thoroughly. Spread the ingredients in the oblong baking dish. Bake for 50 minutes uncovered.
Other vegetables may be added, such as olives, artichoke hearts, or sun-dried tomatoes. However, I recommend no more than 2 cups of added veggies (in addition to the spinach, mushroom, and onion already in the recipe). Otherwise the lasagna becomes overpowered with veggies.
Eat well, be well, live deliciously!
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