EatDinner4Two.com

Salsa Salad – Mostly From The Garden

Joe — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 16:59:58 +0000

I was intrigued and drawn to this recipe when I read it. My daughter had brought it over to us and it was as delicious as it was intriguing. I had never had raw sweet corn. It is a great summer salad and when the cherry tomatoes ripen on the vine, it is a perfect time to raid the garden for most of the other ingredients. Unfortunately, in Minnesota at least, we do not have avocados and limes in our garden, but other than that it is ready to go.

Ingredients:

1 ear of fresh sweet corn (uncooked)
2 cups cherry tomatoes (1 box at the store)
1 ripe avocado
2 Tbs. lime juice (or 1/2 fresh lime squeezed)
1 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 tsp. granulated garlic (or mince fresh garlic to taste)
2 Tbs. chopped green onion
Ground pepper and a sprinkle of coarse salt

Directions:

Cut sweet corn from the uncooked ear of corn and add to the medium sized bowl. Peel avocado and cut into pieces and add to bowl. Cut cherry tomatoes into half or quarters and add to mix. Chop onions and put into salsa mix. Mix olive oil, lime juice and spices and toss salad in bowl. Cover and chill before serving.

Cherry tomatoes, lime juice, avocado, and fresh sweet corn

Serve chilled for a delicious summer salsa salad

Curry Chicken Salad With Mango and Broccoli

Joe — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 21:35:42 +0000

Curry & mango have an intense flavor when combined for this salad. The flavors will be enhanced even more the next day if you have any left overs after dinner. It also makes a great luncheon salad and can be served on bread like a chicken or tuna salad sandwich. You can vary the amount of yogurt to make it creamier or thicker.

Ingredients:

1 large, boneless, skinless, cooked, chicken breast – cubed
1/3 c. non-fat plain yogurt
1 Tbs. prepared mango chutney
1 tsp. hot curry powder
2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 c. finely chopped broccoli
1/4 c. minced onion
1/4 c. chopped cashews
2 c. chopped romaine lettuce

Directions:

Whisk yogurt, chutney, curry and cilantro in medium bowl. Add broccoli, onion, cashews and the cooked chicken and toss to coat. Put a cup of lettuce on two plates. Divide chicken salad evenly over the plate of lettuce. Serves 2.

Easy to make, cold salad that can serve as a sandwich the next day.

Beet Salad With Spinach and Chicken

Joe — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 20:38:18 +0000

There is nothing better than a nice cool salad that can serve as dinner during the long hot dog days of summer. I usually make this salad using a large chicken breast left from the grill the night before. The real maple syrup and vinegar combine for a nice sweet & sour flavor.

Ingredients:

1 large, boneless, skinless, cooked chicken breast, cubed
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. real maple syrup
1 Tbs. vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. coarse grained mustard
1 1/2 tsp. low sodium soy sauce
1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper
4 c. baby spinach
1 (8 oz.) can sliced beets
1/4 c. crumbled goat cheese
2 Tbs. chopped pecans

Directions:

Mix olive oil, maple syrup, vinegar, mustard, pepper and soy sauce in a small bowl and whisk to stir. Put spinach in large bowl and add dressing. Toss to coat. Divide salad onto two plates. Top salad with chicken, beets, goat cheese and pecans.

Delicious summer salad with sweet and sour dressing.

Whole Wheat Coffee Cake Recipe

Joe — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 19:47:44 +0000

I have never tasted another coffee cake recipe quite like this one. I got the recipe from a Greek man that I worked with at the University when I was young. It is an unusual recipe, very wholesome and filling, and without sounding too sexist, it is “manly”. Maybe that is because I associate it with my husband, who has me fix this for him every year on Father’s Day. That does not mean that I don’t get my fill of it also.

It is not an easy coffee cake recipe. Care has to be taken when baking it so that you do not end up with a moist middle. You can also overcook it trying to get the middle done. Pay attention to the directions which I have honed over the years and you will not be disappointed.

Ingredients (batter):

1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1 c. margarine
4 eggs
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. white flour

Ingredients (topping):

4 Tbs. margarine, melted
1 c. brown sugar
2 Tbs. white flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream brown sugar and margarine together in a mixer for the batter. Add eggs and beat again. Add dry ingredients and beat with mixer.

Mix ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Put half of batter into a greased 9 x 9 glass dish or pan. Mix together all of the ingredients for the topping except the nuts. Add the chopped nuts and stir again. Cover batter with half of completed topping mix.

Add half of topping mix to half of batter as you build layers.

Sprinkle and spread half of topping being careful to keep away from edges

Add the remainder of the batter and spread evenly and smoothly.

Put second layer of batter on and spread evenly again.

Spread second layer of batter evenly.

Add remainder of topping mix by sprinkling evenly over the batter, staying away from the edges of the dish.

Sprinkle remainder of topping evenly while staying away from edges.

I bake the coffee cake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, then I turn down the oven to 300 for another 15 minutes. Check with a toothpick now.

Check middle of cake with a toothpick. Cake is done when pick comes out dry.

If it comes up with moist batter on the toothpick, like it has in the picture, then put it back into the oven and bake for another 7-10 minutes longer, keeping a close eye on it so as not to burn it.

Finished whole wheat coffee cake from the oven

Warm and wholesome - looks good enough to eat.

Serve warm with a generous helping of whipped cream.

Arugula, Spinach, and Basil Pesto

Joe — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 17:03:59 +0000

My garden is producing spinach and arugula at an alarming rate! My refrigerator is full
of food storage bags filled with fresh produce, grown organically and pesticide free. I was thinking this morning that I needed to do something different.

My husband is getting tired of the same old salads. Why not make a pesto and just
combine both greens with fresh basil from the herb pot? This is what we came
up with and it is delicious! Most recipes for pesto call for pine nuts, which can be expensive. I already had some almond meal so I decided to use that instead. It tastes
great. Walnuts are another good substitute. Just be creative. Fresh is better and you
can gear it to your own taste. That is what pesto is all about.

Ingredients:

2 cups packed fresh greens
1/2 cup chopped almonds or walnuts
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese.
3 cloves of garlic or more if you like it stronger.

Directions:

Put the greens in the food processor and pulse them with some olive oil.

Pulse in a food processor with olive oil to the desired consistency

I used arugula, spinach, and basil with the stems removed. Add the chopped almonds or walnuts. I used an almond meal made from 100% almonds that was already ground into a meal so I used a heaping 1/4 cup of that as a substitute. Add a little more olive oil and pulse to blend. Add the grated cheese and garlic, some more olive oil, and pulse some more. We used a granulated garlic and put in about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon. You can roast the garlic to make it a little smoother and mix with some fresh minced garlic for some punch. Some people will want to add salt also, but we did not.

Toss pesto with pasta or serve on crackers or oven toasted bread

Serve over cooked pasta, oven toasted bread, or favorite crackers.

My Favorite Buttermilk Pancakes

Joe — Wed, 09 May 2012 16:33:06 +0000

I don’t often have buttermilk around in the refrigerator unless I am baking something special. If I have leftover milk, I will usually make some buttermilk scones or buttermilk pancakes. Both are good for a delicious breakfast treat. It reminds me of having a special Sunday morning breakfast as a child, a welcome alternative to toast and cereal.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. soda
1 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
1 c. buttermilk
2 Tbs. canola oil

Directions:

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Combine egg, milk and salad oil in a separate bowl and whisk together. Add this to the bowl of dry ingredients and stir with a spoon until just moistened. Bake on a hot griddle or frying pan. Makes (8) 4” pancakes. For thinner pancakes, add 2 more tablespoons of milk to batter.

Delicious and special breakfast of buttermilk pancakes

Sweet Potato Soup Recipe With Kale, Cumin, and Lemon

Joe — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 19:44:01 +0000

I have a kale soup recipe and I have another sweet potato soup with curry, but this recipe combines the kale and the sweet potatoes into a healthy vegetable soup recipe of its own. You can also puree this soup if you want and I think it helps blend the flavors of it into a delicious, exotic recipe from another land.

Ingredients:

2 large leeks
1 large onion
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 large sweet potatoes
1 bunch of kale
4 green onions
2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 c. vegetable broth
1 tsp. salt
fresh ground pepper
1 Tbs. ground cumin
2 Tbs. lemon juice
pinch of cayenne pepper

Garnish optional: fruity olive oil, crumbled feta cheese or dollops of goat cheese.

Directions:

Peel outer skins of leeks, thoroughly wash and trim. Use only the light green and white part of the leek. Cut lengthwise in half and slice into thin pieces. Chop the onion. Heat olive oil in soup pot or Dutch oven. Sauté onions and leeks in pot for about 20 minutes until caramelized or golden brown.

Caramelize onions and leeks in soup pot for 20 minutes.

Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into 1/2 inch cubes.

Peel and cube sweet potatoes. Cut green onions for later.

Trim the stems out of the kale and chop into small 1” pieces. Cut the green onions into small pieces for later. Add the potatoes and kale to the soup pot with 5 cups of water and a teaspoon of salt when the onions are browned. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add kale and sweet potatoes to pot with 5 cups of water and cook for 15 minutes.

Add green onions, vegetable broth, and pepper. Simmer gently with cover on for another ten minutes.

Add vegetable broth, green onions and pepper, Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add cumin, salt and pepper to taste, cayenne pepper to taste, and lemon juice to soup before serving. I will show you a picture of the soup in the pureed form as well as the serve as is.

Season and dollop some goat cheese or feta cheese on top.

Puree the soup for a creamy blend of flavors and add a dollop of goat cheese.

I dolloped some goat cheese on, but you can use feta cheese also, if you have it. Enjoy.

Cream Of Asparagus Soup Recipe – Another Green Soup

Joe — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 20:35:17 +0000

Have I told you how much I like to make soup? Now that asparagus is in season and I have a new immersion blender, this soup seemed perfect for me to try. It did not disappoint. I have another asparagus soup recipe with brown rice that is also delicious. Try them both and let me know how you like them.

You can make this creamy with milk, whole cream, or do what I did and put my almond milk in it. I am always trying new ways to reduce the fat in my diet, so you know why I am making my choice. I might sacrifice a little taste for health, but I did not notice.

Ingredients:

2 lb. asparagus
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 small leeks
4 c. vegetable broth
1/2 c. frozen peas
1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup milk or heavy cream
lemon juice

Directions:

Cut off tips of asparagus and sauté them in olive oil for 2 minutes. Set them aside.

Cut the tips of the asparagus, sauté them for a couple of minutes and set aside.

Use same Dutch oven or soup pot to cook vegetables. Cut only white and light green parts of leeks into thin slices.

Cut the white and light green parts of the leek into thin slices

Trim the bottom stems and cut asparagus into 1” pieces. Add asparagus and leeks into Dutch oven or large pot with a little olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and cook over medium high heat covered for about 10 minutes until vegetables are softened.

Cook vegetables until tender - about ten minutes.

Add vegetable broth and bring soup to boil over medium high heat for about 5 minutes until vegetables are tender. Stir in parmesan cheese and peas. Use immersion blender to puree or transfer to blender or food processor in batches to puree and then return soup to pot. Stir in milk and asparagus tips that were set aside. Season with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or individually season each bowl as you serve it. Reheat for a couple of minutes before serving. Season with salt and pepper to taste also.

Creamy Asparagus Soup garnished with sauteed tips and ready to serve.

An Easy Orzo Salad Is One Of My Favorite Orzo Recipes

Joe — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 23:30:41 +0000

I didn’t grow up eating orzo. I had to look it up to see what it was when I first read a recipe in a magazine with orzo pasta in it.

Also known as risoni, orzo is Italian for barley. Today, it is a wheat pasta slightly larger than rice. Commonly used in soups, this orzo recipe is made into a warm salad. You can use it as a side or as a main dish. You can take this one as far as you want also. I mixed in a few herring sardines with mine. My husband spiced it up with some lemon juice and minced garlic. You can add kale in with the spinach. You can cut it in half if you are serving it as a side or cook the full boat for dinner when cooking for two. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

1 c. orzo
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 clove minced garlic
2 Tbs. olive oil
6 c. baby spinach (6oz.)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. halved cherry tomatoes
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 c. sliced black olives
1/4 c. soft goat cheese
1/4 tsp cracked pepper

Getting the ingredients ready to make orzo salad

Directions:

Boil orzo according to directions. Sauté onion and garlic in wok or frying pan over medium heat until soft and then add spinach and olives. After spinach is wilted, about 1 minute, add tomatoes and goat cheese and let it soften and melt for about another minute. Sprinkle lemon juice over the top and season with cracked pepper and a sprinkle of salt. Ready to serve.

Warm, easy to make, orzo salad ready to serve

Fettuccine Using A Great Canned Tuna Recipe

Joe — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 23:15:08 +0000

When we were in college, there was a column in the newspaper called “Cheap But Edible”. We were newly married and in school so this appealed to us. We have made this recipe for years. We made it for our kids when they were growing up and it is still a classic. It is so appealing because it is easy, you usually have all of the ingredients on hand, and it tastes good. You can doctor it up to suit your own tastes. We have added a couple of things over the years to spice it up. You can do the same. Add some fresh asparagus if you have it.

Ingredients:

1 7oz. canned tuna
1/2 package (4oz.) of fresh mushrooms
1 can cream of mushroom soup (low sodium)
1/4 c. finely chopped celery
1 c. milk
1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese
freshly ground pepper/salt to taste
sprinkle of minced onion
8-10 oz. of fettuccine (basil)

Fettuccine Noodles

Penzey’s Mural of Flavor seasoning

Directions:

Prepare fettuccine noodles according to directions on package.

Prepare fettuccine noodles according to recipe

In a medium saucepan put the soup, milk, tuna, mushrooms, celery, parmesan cheese, minced onion, & seasoning.

Make the sauce with canned tuna and cream of mushroom soup.

Mix all together and cook until it comes to a boil, then turn down heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Put the cooked fettuccine in a dish and spoon the tuna sauce on the top. Grate on some fresh pepper and more parmesan cheese.

Serve with extra grated parmesan on top. Delicious.