Corn Cakes

Yesterday, I came home from the library with a plethora of new cookbooks to salivate over. Our teenage niece was staying the night so we had to come up with something that she could help prepare and that she would eat. The solution: Get her involved in the planning. I let her go through a couple of cookbooks after telling her the basic items I had in mind. We had a chicken already defrosted and she chose to have it roasted. Easy enough. We butterflied it, buttered the skin and used Herbs de Provence. All suprising choices from a thirteen year old.

Next, we had to come up with a couple of side dishes. She had already picked orzo pilaf. She went through the cookbooks and came up with an idea for corn cakes. I had been to the farmer's market on friday and picked up a couple of ears of corn, green onions and zucchini. She wasn't sure about the zucchini as she claimed to have never tried it. We decided to plow ahead and the results were delicious! She loved these corn cakes. Mike made a cocktail sauce and we also tried them with sour cream. Both worked out beautifully. Hope you enjoy them.

Corn Cakes

yields about a dozen or more cakes

2 ears of corn, shuck the corn from the ears,about 1 cup
2 green onions, sliced thinly
1/2 cup zucchini, diced fine
1 T. roasted red pepper, diced fine
2 eggs, beaten
10 Ritz type crackers, smashed
3/4 C. skim milk
1 C. Flour, all purpose
1 T. baking powder
1 T. dill
salt and pepper to taste.

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. You want the consistancy to be like a pancake batter so make adjustments to liquid vs. dry ingredients if neccessary. Heat some oil in a skillet (we used a combination of olive oil and vegetable oil). Fry in pan until they are a golden brown. Place on a plate with a paper towel on it to absorb any excess oil. Can be reheated in a low oven if there are any leftover.

Note: If your corn is not very sweet, you can add 1 T. of sugar.

A Dish For Everything

Several years ago, I had some friends of my grandparents for Christmas dinner. We were sitting around the table after dinner and Bert said,"You are just like your grandma." "You have a dish for everything". It was true. I had acquired a massive collection of dishes and bakeware. Well, like my grandma, I do enjoy a good auction. I also love thrift shops and garage sales. My mom is the same way. I would imagine she has 6+ sets of dishes. She likes to change them out seasonally. I like to change them out depending on the meal and the number of guests that I'm having.

Pasta with Spicy Anchovy Sauce and Dill Breadcrumbs

Yesterday, we decided to try the cover recipe of the April 2008 Gourmet Magazine. It looked so delicious that I convinced myself to give anchovies another try. Big Mistake!!!! I have never liked them and have now confirmed that I never will. As a food enthusiast, I try to keep an open mind but there are two things that I absolutely cannot eat. The first is Tuna Noodle Casserole (hence the problem with this dish) and peaches or anything peach flavored. Still, the process of cooking is always a pleasure even if the end result is,shall we say, disappointing.

My issues weren't with the recipe itself. I simply don't have a taste for anchovies. The recipe was easy to follow and for those that enjoy them, it would make an excellent dish. It was like a simplified Tuna Casserole and really would fit into the "comfort food" niche. One of the things that I loved about it was the dilled breadcrumbs. They looked gorgeous and had a toasty flavor that was only enhanced by the dill. I think I'll work them into some other dishes so the experience was not a total loss. Mike,however, liked the dish but felt that it needed a little garlic. Well, we'll share the recipe and let you decide for yourselves.

Pasta with Spicy Anchovy Sauce and Dill Breadcrumbs (serves 6)

3/4 C. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 C. fresh bread crumbs (preferably from a baguette)

1/4 C. chopped dill

1 lb. red onions,thinly sliced (3 cups)

1 2oz. can flat anchovy fillets, drained and chopped

1 lb. bucatini or perciatelli pasta

1/2 t. dried hot red-pepper flakes

* Heat 1/4 cup oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmer,then cook bread crumbs,stirring constantly,until deep golden and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes.

* Transfer bread crumbs to a bowl and toss with dill and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper

* Wipe out skillet, then cook onions with 1/4 teaspoon salt in remaining 1/2 cup oil over medium heat, stirring frequently, until very soft, 12-15 minutes. Add anchovies and cook, mashing anchovies into onions until dissolved.

* Meanwhile, cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water and drain pasta

* Stir red-pepper flakes and reserved water into anchovy sauce, then add pasta and toss to combine. Add about 1/2 of the bread crumbs and toss to coat. Serve sprinkled with remaining bread crumbs. (I think a nice garnish of dill would be pretty for presentation)

Note: The ingredient list is exact to the original recipe. The only thing that I changed in the instructions is that I did not describe to process of cooking the pasta. I'm assuming that everyone knows how to make pasta al dente.

Have A Glass Of Wine

This is an email that I received today. Thought some of the wine drinkers might enjoy it.


For those who wish to have a glass of wine.. and those who don't.

As Ben Franklin said: In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom.
In water, there is bacteria. In a number of carefully controlled trials, scientists have demonstrated that if we drink 1 liter of water each day, at the end of the year we would have absorbed more than 1 kilo of Escherichia coli, (E. coli) - bacteria found in feces. In other words, we are consuming 1 kilo of poop. However, we do NOT run that risk when drinking wine & beer (or scotch,tequila, rum, whiskey or other liquor) because alcohol has to go through a purification process of boiling, filtering and/or fermenting. Remember: Water = Poop, Wine = Health Therefore, it's better to drink wine and talk stupid, than to drink water and be full of shit.

There is no need to thank me for this valuable information: I'm doing it as a public service.

It's Easy Being Green...in the kitchen

Being green, for me, is not just being a "band wagoner" nor am I part of Al Gore's supposed plan to take over the world. Being green has been a way of life for me and it's just plain common sense. My grandparents lived through The Great Depression and World War II. They lived green out of necessity-- not because some politician or celebrity told them it was cool. They instilled many of these ideas in me so it's sort of second nature.

The basic idea is this: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. How simple is that?

We have put some very easy to implement ideas to work in our household that city dwellers, suburbanites and country folk can use. They take very little time and/or money. In fact, they may actually save or earn money.

Ten Easy Ways to be Green in your kitchen:

1. Clear the clutter and don't accumulate more. Although, I have many collections and way too many dishes, we try to keep it down to a dull roar. Step away from the mall!!! We try to live with what we need instead of everything that we want. This also applies to certain kitchen gadgets that are unnecessary and end up in the landfill. (I'm thinking of a certain boxers electric indoor grill and by the way, it was a gift.)

2. Buy high quality items that will last and look for items made from organic or recyclable materials. Don't forget to check out yard sales. I purchased my very high quality chefs knife at a yard sale for $1. I also lucked into a stack of brand new Williams-Sonoma kitchen towels last year. I could still kick myself for not buying that mandolin for $15. Someone else's seldom or never used item, may be just the thing you're looking for.

3. The more fresh items that you use in the kitchen, the less packaging to throw away. Enough said.

4. This leads me to gardening. We have an organic vegetable garden. No fuel is used getting our veggies from the farm to the table. Our little 15x15 plot yields more than enough for two people and we have some left to freeze for the winter. We use only human energy with no power tools allowed. Once the soil is prepared and the garden is planted, it takes very little time to maintain.

5. "The Earth Machine" AKA ,the compost bin, lives in the back yard. We purchased it at a yard sale for $3 but before that we had one constructed out of chicken wire and some cheap wood that was leftover from another project. The chicken wire was even purchased at a yard sale for $1. Composting sounds more intimidating then it actually is. It takes no more time to throw something in the compost bin than the garbage. I keep a bowl handy to throw scraps in and then it get taken out to the compost heap.

6. Don't waste food. Eat the leftovers. What ? Are you too good???

7. Recycle as much as possible. We don't have recycling available with our trash service so we keep three garbage cans outside for aluminum cans,steel cans and plastics. When they are full, we take them to our local recycling center. We paid for all of the garden supplies for this year and had some money left over, from our recycling. This is great!!! Somebody is paying me to take my garbage. Awesome!!

8. Take your own bags to the market. More on this to follow...

9. Use non-toxic cleaning products. I prefer Method products because of the affordability but there are lots of other great products out there. Don't forget baking soda and vinegar.

10. Minimize the use of paper products. We use cloth napkins and bar towels to minimize our paper towel use and I don't think we even have any paper plates. Yuk!!!!

So there you have it. Even if you can only do a couple of things to help out our planet, that's a couple more than you were doing before.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Dip

One of my favorite discoveries at Trader Joe's is Roasted Red Pepper Hummus. Since I haven't been able get to Columbus recently, I had to try to make my own. Mike and I collaborated on this version and it's full of flavor and low in fat.

We started out discussing the mechanics of how this was going to happen since our food processor, a hand me down from my mom, had recently gone to kitchen gadget heaven. Mike informed me that many of the great chefs of the world could make hummus long before the invention of the food processor. I think this was just Mike furthering his own agenda. (that the only thing a good cook needs is a sharp knife) I whip out this old food mill that once belonged to my grandma and decide that it might be useful for processing the chickpeas. It worked great but proved to be useless with the roasted peppers. Mike whipped out his trusty chef's knife and chopped them to a fine, paste-like texture. I grabbed the camera and proceeded to take pictures while trying to stay out of the way of a genius at work.

This has got to be one of the easiest and most delicious concoctions we have ever made, so here it is.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Dip

1 can of garbanzo bean/chickpeas

1/2 small jar of roasted red peppers (about 1 1/2 whole peppers)

1 t. crushed garlic

1 T. low fat sour cream

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

Place the beans in a food processor and pulse until paste-like. Add the roasted red peppers and remaining ingredients and pulse until blended. If the mixture is still too dry, add a tad more olive oil but go easy on the sour cream or it will be too light. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Notes: We really like garlic so we added a little more. You could also use a kosher salt to perk up the flavor. The taste was much better today so I think I'll make it a day ahead if I'm going to take it to a party. The flavors really melded overnight in the fridge.

Poulet A La Moutarde De Dijon (Chicken in Mustard Sauce)

Tearing recipes out of magazines appears to be hobby of mine. It didn't begin as a hobby but, over time, this pile of recipes grew into what could now be called a collection. This is the pile known as, "I'll make it someday". I love to try new recipes but sometimes the idea never becomes reality. I get in a hurry and rely on old standards just to get a meal on the table. One of the great things about this blog is that is forces me out of my comfort zone and into a whole new world. It allows me to rediscover what simple, well prepared food really is.

I didn't have to work yesterday so I had all day to decide what to cook. It became like a bad case of writer's block. I couldn't think of anything. Do you ever have those days when you just can't decide what you're in the mood for? I went through "the collection" and nothing really caught my fancy. Then I remembered that tucked back into a sleeve of a folder was a recipe for a chicken in mustard sauce. I tore it out of Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion probably five or more years ago. I only tore out the page with the recipe so I can't tell you when it was published or who the recipe belongs to. What I can tell you is that this recipe is definitely going to be a repeat performer. It was simple to prepare, required few ingredients, was visually stimulating and tasted fabulous! Now I can't wait for my next excuse to have my family over for dinner.

Note: Because I don't know who authored the original recipe, I am printing it with the original ingredient list but will use my descriptions,instructions and modifications to tell you how I prepared it.

Poulet A La Moutarde De Dijon (Chicken in Mustard Sauce)

1 chicken (3 1/2 to 4 lbs), cut up, (breasts halved)

salt and pepper

2 T. butter

1 T. olive oil

1 C. sour cream or creme fraiche

1 T. dijon mustard

1 C. white wine

1 T. chopped,fresh tarragon

Modifications: I used boneless,skinless chicken breasts lightly dredged in flour and cubed since I was in a hurry and the chicken would cook faster. I used Bohemian Highway's California Pinot Grigio 2006 as my wine. I also added some chopped vidalia onion,shallots, and garlic and substituted dried,organic tarragon for the fresh.

In a heavy skillet, melt butter with oil and place the chicken that has been lighted floured. Add salt and pepper,onions,shallots and garlic along with the tarragon. Cook over a medium to medium-high heat until chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear. Remove chicken to a plate.Deglaze the pan with the wine. Then add the mustard and sour cream and mix gently. Allow the sauce to simmer for a few minutes. Add the chicken back to the pan so that each piece is well covered with the sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste and continue to simmer for a few minutes. Plate it with some of the tarragon or some fresh parsley for garnish.

Serve with a nice green veggie, perhaps asparagus and/or glazed carrots, and a good, crusty bread.

Thai Noodles

Church potlucks are a great place to collect recipes. For many years, I was married to a Presbyterian minister so I have attended a plethora of potlucks. I was pretty good at asking people for their recipes and have amassed a huge collection of them. The potluck is a great place to try out new things and although there are still some rather interesting Jello concoctions at the table, many new dishes are appearing.

This recipe found it's way to a potluck in Fort Pierce,Florida and I just had to get the recipe. The lady that brought it was on vacation but she took the time to write it down for me. It's perfect for summer and for me could be a main dish. Enjoy!

Thai Noodles

2 packs of rice or egg Chinese noodles from the produce section, cooked al dente and drained.
shredded carrots
snow peas
yellow and red peppers, sliced thin
red onion, long thin slices
green onion, long thin slices

You can also add chicken or shrimp and cashews or peanuts

Toss in peanut sauce and chill for at least one hour.

Peanut Sauce:
1/2 c peanut butter
fresh garlic
a tablespoon or two of brown sugar
fresh ground pepper
1/4 c soy sauce
1 C water mixed with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch

Mix all ingredients in a pan over medium high heat until thickened. Toss into noodles/veggies until all are coated.

It's Too Damn Hot to Cook!

In keeping with our crazy weather traditions, here in mid-central Ohio, the temperature has gone directly from winter to summer. It has been in the 90's and extremely humid the past few days.

The first day of heat was welcomed, the second was tolerable and by Sunday, I was bitching all day long. I was too stubborn to turn on the A/C since we just got the last gas bill from having the furnace on into May. I was so damn hot that I actually set up an inflatable kids pool, no pardon me, it's called the "Deluxe Family Pool", so I could lay on the floating mat to cool off. Talk about Beverly Hillbillies! There I was, wearing my bikini top and cut off cargo pants that I've made into shorts, sprawled on my pool raft. I had my lounge chair parked beside it with a cool,refreshing lemonade in a plastic Ohio State cup. It sure was classy! I bet all of Mansfield's elite were dying to come over and get a piece of this action.

Anyway, in the midst of this lovely weather, I was not about to heat my kitchen up anymore then it already was. So what's a girl to do? If I would have had my wits about me, I would have planned to get up early and make a few dishes before it got too hot to cook but that didn't happen. Laziness and sleep won out. Instead I defrosted some precooked shrimp from a bag and my sous chef, Mike, prepared a fierce cocktail sauce. I did whip up an orzo pilaf to go with it but by yesterday afternoon, I headed to our local chain "Marketplace" and bought some chicken salad, buns, chips and salsa, deli meats, cole slaw and some ice cream. Everything was good but it costs a fortune (I had spent over $40) and I can prepare better quality foods at home with a lot lower price tag.

I have to say, I was a bit disappointed in myself. After all, I am always preaching to my family and friends about the benefits of cooking at home then I totally dropped the ball. This is the perfect time of year to plan about a weeks worth of meals, cook them, stick them in the fridge and then you're done. I could have prepared a bunch of salads and cold dishes and then all we would have to do is open the fridge.

Because of this little heat induced fiasco/brain meltdown, I went through my recipe box last night and sorted out my recipes by season instead of category. I'm getting together a bunch of my favorites for summer and will be posting them for you to enjoy also. Hopefully, they will get us through until all my produce starts pouring in from the garden so keep checking back.

Also please email me with any great summer recipes that you would like to share with other readers and I'll get them posted.

JoAnne's Beef Dip

My friend and co-worker, JoAnne, is retiring today. Although I'm happy for her and wish her all the best, I will miss her. Jo is one of those people who is good at everything. She can craft, sew, cook, garden. Last year, she took a class on making stained glass. Her first pieces were beautiful! They looked like she had been doing it for years. When I complimented her on them, she replied with a modest, "thanks". Sometimes, I don't think she realizes how very special she is. It's been a long time since I've met someone who is truly kind and who restores your faith in people. So for that, I thank her.

We always like to talk about food and recipes at work. We especially love any excuse to bring food to work. Jo brought this dip to our first potluck and the bowl was scraped clean. We have asked her to bring it each time we have food at work. When my husband's family came last month, Jo gave me this dip to serve them and they absolutely loved it. I shudder to think how much electricity was used because the refrigerator door kept getting opened and closed because someone was getting the dip back out.

Jo's Beef Dip

1/3 cup sour cream
1 small jar or pkg dried beef
1 1/2 tablespoon horseradish
1 pkg cream cheese

Wash and dry the beef to remove the saltiness. Cut up or shred. Mix all ingredients. Chill. Serve with crackers. (We liked it on bread or toast.)

Grandma Wappner's Cheese Spread

I’m taking the day off from writing to go see the Sex and the City movie but wanted to, at least, give you a recipe. My mom says there is no cheese spread as good as this one that Grandma Wappner used to make. I hope you enjoy it.


Grandma Wappner’s Cheese Spread
1 lb Cheddar Cheese
2 eggs, beaten
1 T. butter
1 can chopped pimento
½ C. Miracle Whip or Mayonnaise
Melt butter over water in a double boiler. Add cheese until melted. Stir in beaten eggs, pimento including the juice. Remove from heat and add mayonnaise. Use on crackers or sandwiches.