Easy Orzo Salad

Thanks to my aunt, Marian, who was glad to pass along her recipe for my blog. This is a favorite for potlucks and parties at her house.  She calls it "Frog's Eye Salad" and once you start mixing it you'll see why. No matter how hard you try to keep them separate, the peas find their way into the olives and, well, they look like cartoon frog eyes to me!

If you're trying to get a kid interested in cooking, this colorful salad is a good first choice. Depending on the age of the child, you may want to take over pasta cooking duty, but save saying, "frogs eyes" for the kid. 

With apologies to my aunt, I confess that I made some changes to her original. Since everything was in season, I had the opportunity to use fresh peas and heirloom tomatoes, but you can also use frozen peas and a juicy beefsteak tomato. As always, stick to locally grown organic vegetables. I didn't add the shrimp, since we were serving it with grilled prawns but I served crumbled feta cheese on the side.

Enjoy!


Time: 1 hour
Level: Easy
Yield: Serves 10 - 12

Almond Crusted Crab Cakes with Lemon Yogurt Sauce

I can't remember the last time I had crab cakes. The breading, the frying, it's just not worth the trouble. That said, when my neighbor went crabbing on the Oregon coast, I couldn't say no to this offering. 
 
The challenge was to enjoy the meal and not the guilt. I get it, I could have eaten it right from the shell, or in a salad but I haven't posted in a while and I needed the challenge of developing a new recipe.

Recently someone posted a recipe where they added cauliflower to the crab meat in place of bread. I figured that was a pretty good place to start.  Also, I love the mild taste of crab and I didn't want to overwhelm it with a strong-flavored sauce. So I tweaked my lemon yogurt salad dressing and served a dollop on each cake. Given the feedback I've gotten from the lemon cream sauce I blogged about, I think you'll like this. If not, go back to a dollop of mayo or a drizzle of aioli -- just don't tell me about it if you go with ketchup!

Here's what I came up with. No mayo, no bread, and no frying. These were cooked on top of the stove in a covered nonstick pan that was rubbed with a little olive oil.

Time: 1 hour

Level: Easy

Yield: 3  2 1/2" crab cakes

Blackberry Braid

Blackberry Braid appears in TakeRoot Magazine. Feature photo by Debbie Duhn

Summertime means blackberries are ripe for the picking in the Willamette Valley. So, when TakeRoot Magazine offered to let me play in the kitchen, I stayed there until I remembered this idea for the Summer issue.
If you're like me, you've got plenty of recipe options for jam and pie, so try something a little different.

This simple puff pastry braid is easy to make (beginners will like this one), looks fancy enough to impress the neighbors and, best of all, it's versatile. Try option 1 if you love the lemon and blackberry combination, or option 2 for an orange liqueur version.


Enjoy the summer, and have some dessert!







Time: 1 1/2 hours
Level: Easy
Yield: One 12 inch braid

Wheat Berry Salad with Clementine Maple Vinaigrette

Wheat berry, wheatberry, wheat-berry. I've seen them all and can't seem to get consensus on how this neat little kernel is spelled.

After asking an editor, a proofreader and consulting the industry website, I finally did what all marketers eventually do (and rarely admit), I went to google! Two words (no hyphen) generated the most results, so wheat berry it is!
 
If you haven't tried them, this might be the time. If you like farro, wheat berries are similar. Both offer that mild, nutty taste and a gentle 'pop' when you bite into them.

You'll find this recipe is forgiving. If you don't like arugula, use kale. Maybe use a little water cress or almonds. I decided to celebrate Oregon with cranberries and hazelnuts but walnuts and raisins would be great for the holidays. For my sister who doesn't care for maple, a good local honey is a perfect substitute in the dressing!  Have fun this summer, there are plenty of salads to be had!




Time: 1.5 hours (mostly cooking time)
Level: Easy
Yield: Serves 6-8

Apple Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel Sauce

When I got the call for a recipe that featured northwest apples, I got busy with some of the most popular ingredients around; sweet Honey Crisp apples and salted caramel sauce! Since this recipe will publish in the fall issue of Take Root magazine, I thought I'd offer up something that would be appropriate for one of those chilly fall days.

Traditional bread pudding was the base for this one but I made some changes, like adding apples and using cinnamon bread. My friends tell me that the bread pudding was good but the caramel sauce put it over the top. I'm glad to have friends who are such willing taste testers! Anyway, here goes, enjoy!


Time: 2.5 hours (1 hour to soak bread, and cooking time)
Level: Easy
Yield: Serves 12

Grilled Pork Loin in Tequila Mustard Marinade

Last week my kitchen took root where the family gathered and the cooking began. This time I made a pork loin roast. I've been making this marinade for chicken and decided to try it out on the pork. I'm glad to report that the family was happy with it.  You see, I write a cooking blog, but my whole family knows its way around a kitchen. Talk about pressure! My brother and I enjoyed some friendly competition (he does make a mean rack of smoked pork ribs) while our sister was out of commission with a sprained wrist. 

As is usually the case, we had more than enough food so we didn't have to cook every day. In fact, the pork roast leftovers are a perfect addition to a main dish salad on these hot summer days.  We also grilled vegetables and fruit while the grill was hot.

Oh, I do love dining al fresco!




Time: 5.5 hours (4 hours marinating time plus cooking time)
Level: Easy but requires a gas grill
Yield: Serves 12

Baked Chicken and Artichokes

Spring is finally here and the longer daylight hours entice me to stay outdoors as long as possible. This recipe will take only 20 minutes (maybe less) in prep, and the rest is oven time.

If you're anything like me, you welcome a new way to prepare skinless and boneless chicken breasts. Of course, this will work with any cut of chicken (or turkey) but I like this recipe best for breast meat because it stays moist throughout the baking process.

I've been working on a few versions of this one so my friends and loved ones are about over chicken and artichokes by now.

The first version is one I read about in Epicurious magazine and I stayed close to the original recipe with a few variations (more garlic and the addition of red pepper flakes). The second version follows.

Aside from succulent chicken and an easy recipe, clean-up is a cinch. Happy Spring!

Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Level: Easy
Yield: Serves 4

Fancy Apple Slaw

If you follow my Facebook or Twitter page, you might know that I picked up some apples from the farm to school  program and have been threatening to blog about them for some time. I do love the apples and the local program is blog-worthy by itself but this is a recipe blog so I'm stayng in my wheelhouse.

Unfortunately, the apple-a-day rule usually takes over and there are none left to incorporate into my recipes. This time I bought some fresh and made this to serve with a ladies lunch. Apple slaw is so easy and it takes very little time to prepare.  If you make coleslaw you probably noticed the absence of sugar. You wont need it, the apples and red pepper add all the sweetness you need. That pretty watermelon daikon added lots of color but was also peppery compliment to the slaw.

I hope you enjoy this one.


Time: 20 Minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Level: Easy

Sockeye Salmon Appetizer

What fun that Thanksgiving and the beginning of Hanukkah are converging this year! I feel so blessed to have been invited to a dinner where our backgrounds cross paths and we all get to break bread as thankful Americans.

Our hosts allowed as how this would be a traditional Thanksgiving menu but, when I was asked to bring appetizers, it seemed like I could be somewhat creative with a nod to a traditional Jewish meal of lox and bagels.

Instead of bagels (after all, this is an appetizer) I'm using small loaves of pumpernickel and rye because they are hearty, flavorful and firm -- even a thin slice doesn't require toasting.

With the bread choice solid, it was off to the Oregon Lox Company for some sockeye salmon, then to pick up some Nancy's cream cheese, another local specialty.


I've had something like this before, but never had a recipe so the day has been full of trial and error. Tasty trial and error, but still. Anyway, I think I've settled on a flavorful combo so I thought I would take a picture and share my recipe. The dill and capers are what set this apart. The shallots can be replaced with caramelized onions, but don't forget the capers. Seriously.

As I count my blessings this year, I'm wishing you the happiest of Thanksgiving and Hanukkah celebrations.    





Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 24 appetizers
Level: Easy

Tomato Cabbage Soup with Turkey

A chill is in the air and that can only mean one thing; it's time for soup!

I say that like I enjoy a chill in the air (and soup). Actually, I'm not really crazy about either so I have to experiment with my favorite ingredients and hope for the best. I shouldn't be surprised that this one was popular -- anything with tomatoes, garlic and bacon usually doesn't last around here!

Not only does this one go together quickly, but the flavors of tomato, shallot, garlic and Italian seasonings are deceptive. It's a light soup with the taste of a bowl of pasta! In fact, this is a great way to use leftover sauce from Sunday dinner. If you do that, omit the tomato paste and additional herbs. In the spirit of full disclosure, I have to admit that the first time I made this, I tried a new (to me anyway) product from Progresso. They're called Recipe Starters and I tried the fire roasted tomato flavor. It was really good, but because it contains sugar, cream and wheat, it might not be right for everyone.

Of course there are a lot of variations, most notably without meat but I wanted to add the protein and make it a one-pot meal.

Time: 1 hour
Yield: Serves 8
Level: Easy

Slow-cooked Pork in Northwest Mole Sauce

It's been a busy month and I've been cooking up a storm. Now it's time to blog about some of this!
When friends from Washington were visiting, I made pork in mole (pronounced mo-lay) sauce but I had try it with a northwest spin. I've been working on my mole sauce for a long time but this one turned out nice and it was simpler than most I've tried. The slow-cooker takes a lot of the work out of it.

Mole sauce, while complex, isn't all that tough to make and it gets better with time. A quick check online will produce more recipes than I imagined but there are some ingredients that stay the same; nuts, chile peppers, and something sweet are the basic 3 but there's room for creativity every step of the way.
For this recipe I used Oregon hazelnuts instead of almonds (or peanuts) as the chief thickener. I used dates instead of raisins and sunflower seeds instead of sesame.

Even the pork was a northwest original. I chose fresh pork that's sustainably raised and fed with GMO-free feed. In this case, it came from Tails & Trotters, noted for finishing the feeding process with hazelnuts. How perfect is that? Many thanks to Mike Wooley, from Long's Meat Market, for working with me. Most butchers are used to questions about the quality of the meat, and they routinely work with the size of each piece (they had to fit in the slow cooker) but he didn't miss a beat when I told him that it needed it to be photogenic, too.

I gave this one a 'difficult' rating but it's not hard to do, just complex. There's a lot of tasting as you go and it helps to know what you like. If you've never made mole before, consider this one a worthwhile adventure in the kitchen.


Time: 1 hour prep 6-8 hours total
Yield: Serves 10
Level: Difficult

Chicken Kiev

The first time I tasted this dish I was at a restaurant called Soloman Grundy's on the Berkeley Marina. I was just starting to take an interest in cooking and this was the first recipe I attempted that was outside of our family's southern Italian wheelhouse.

I'm guessing it was in the late '70's - or maybe the early '80's - well before the internet, so I took to the family collection of cook books and newspaper clippings until I found a recipe. I wish I could source it for you but that moment has passed. All that's left is the hand-written copy I made. It took a while to get it right, but it's easy to do.

The surprise of this dish, when cooked correctly, is the burst of butter that spills out when the chicken is sliced. After a few failed attempts, I learned that the key is to freeze the butter. Don't skip that step. The chef at Solomon Grundy's served it on a bed of rice with a cheese sauce that was delicious but difficult for me to recreate. Frankly, this dish doesn't need sauce and I've never had it served that way again.

As you can imagine, the butter keeps the chicken breast moist but a little sauce dresses up the presentation. If you're so inclined, the easy Hollandaise sauce recipe is included.

This is a hearty chicken dish that will take away the chill as Autumn sets in. I served it with a pearl couscous/lentil medley and grilled squash. 

Level: Average
Yield: Serves 4
Time: About 1 hour

Quinoa Stuffed Patty Pan Squash

Starburst or patty pan; whatever you call these squash they're delicious and beautiful to serve. I made these after a trip to The Corner Market in Eugene. They had so many and I wanted to make something that was in season and abundantly available in the Pacific Northwest. Here's what I came up with.

These are chock-full of protein and flavor from quinoa, cheese, a little bacon, some onion... you get the idea. I tried a few variations but the trick to keeping the stuffing together was to add an egg white to the quinoa mixture before baking.

These are surprisingly filling, so feel free to serve it as a main dish.










Time: 1 hour
Level: Average
Yield: Serves 2 (4 as a side dish)

Savory Quinoa with Apple Juice

Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) is my favorite side dish and a perfect alternative to rice. It's full of fiber and protein but the texture, the gentle "pop" when you take a bite, that's the fun of this dish.  Dress it up with broth, juice or any number of flavors that will enhance its inherent nuttiness.

In this version, I cooked the quinoa in apple juice to compliment the curried chicken and glazed squash I served.  Since I used a glass cup as a mold I kept it simple with few additions. If you're not using a mold, you can add walnuts and diced apples. This one is as versatile as they get!

Find the complete meal here: Curried Chicken and Vegetables over Quinoa
and here: Honey Ginger Glazed Acorn Squash




 

Time: 30 minutes
Yield: Serves 4
Level: Easy

Avocado and Watermelon Salad

This one is so fresh and easy that you'll want to make it all season! The watermelons are juicy and flavorful; the perfect compliment to citrus and avocados. All the ingredients can be sourced locally right now, so enjoy this season's bounty!

Serve this with grilled beef or ribs. It's just fresh enough to give your palate a rest and it's great fun. I know a few people who don't care for tomatoes so I decided to substitute those with watermelon. It's unexpected and I think you'll like it.

Feel free to make this ahead, just keep it cold until about an hour before serving. I keep the diced avocados in the lime juice and pour that over the top as a dressing.

Enjoy!



Level: Easy
Time: 15-20 minutes prep
Yield: Serves 4  

Fresh Figs and Chèvre in Puff Pastry

I've been waiting all year to make these! The figs are finally here and I've got some of my new local find - goat cheese (chèvre) from Fraga Farms.

This recipe is both savory and sweet. The tangy goat cheese and a dash of black pepper go well with the sweet honey and aromatic lavender. The lavender is very subtle. If you want more of that taste you can grind the lavender buds and use them as you would a spice. In fact, I might try that next time.

I made puff pastry for this recipe and it was good (the recipe link is below) but I think it would be fine with frozen pastry dough. This is really all about the filling. Make it as easy as you'd like.
The thing about this pastry is that it's so pretty. It's really nice for a brunch or a leisurely weekend breakfast. They will last a few days - just remember to refrigerate them in the hot weather.

 


Time: 1 1/2 hours (less if you use frozen pastry)
Level: Average
Yield: 24 pastries

Baked Jalapeño Poppers Three Ways

I love Summertime! Like that old song says,  the livin' is easy. Entertaining is casual and serving small bites, made with the freshest ingredients, is exactly what I love to do. These are such versatile appetizers that you can make one batch and that appeals to three different palates. Okay, three different - spicy loving - palates.

I decided to experiment with a few different fillings this time. The first is a light version with cream cheese and Greek yogurt dipped in egg and panko crumbs. The second, a more traditional version, is filled with cream cheese, and topped with grated cheddar. The last, I call them Heavy J's,  are filled with cream cheese and cheddar then wrapped in bacon.

When I made these, I wanted a variety so I divided the ingredients and prepared them all at once. If you have a preference the recipe is easily multiplied (or divided) to meet your tastes and needs.

A few tips: Gloves. Use them. Jalapeño oil is a slow burn that will last under your fingernails for days. If you forget, use dish detergent (like Dawn soap) and COLD water to dissolve and remove the oils. Another tip, let them rest when they come out of the oven. They really are molten. Give them at least 5 minutes to cool and to let the cheese set. 
Enjoy!


Time: 30 minutes
Level: Easy
Yield: 16 poppers

Sausage Kabobs with Basil Dipping Sauce

A complete meal and a house that stays cool. Isn't that what we all want in this heat?
I had some Italian-style chicken sausage and some beautiful new circle kabobs that I'd never used and wanted to try. Blogging wasn't in the plan for this simple dinner but I decided to share some discoveries I made. SPOILER ALERT: The food was tasty, the circle kabobs were downright dangerous!
 
The chicken sausage was good - not the same as traditional pork, but very flavorful and much lighter fare, perfect for hot weather. I served it with a basil dipping sauce that, after countless experimental batches, turned out blog-worthy. I posted it separately, the link is in the recipe.

Now, take another look at those circle kabobs because they're the reason I'm writing today. What a presentation, huh? Worthy of the "Oohs!" and "Ahhs!" when you serve the meal. Well that, dear readers, is where the romance ends! They're sharp, slippery and unwieldy. I broke out a pair of brand new rubber gloves in a failed attempt to get a grip. Nothing short of pre-drilling holes in the food would have made that process easier (or safer). Eventually, the ingredients were impaled on the evil circles and ready for the grill. Which brings me to the next challenge - managing them over a fire. Trying to fit all four on the grill is quite a puzzle and the only way we could do it was to allow the ends to stack on top of each other. In theory that shouldn't be a problem but, in practice, they become entangled and, before you know it, you've got all four linked together over a fire. Turns out that's nowhere near as fun as it sounds! I was thinking about tossing them in the trash but now I think I'll re-purpose them into a wind chime or something I hang from my lilacs to keep the deer away!

Back to the food. Sausage, peppers and onion. In our family these ingredients are the basis for traditional sausage and peppers in tomato sauce (a recipe for a cooler day). The sausage is usually pork, the peppers, green and the onion, yellow. For this Summer-time version I found organic mini peppers and I chose a sweet onion. Since the peppers and onions cook quickly on the grill, you'll want to pre-cook the sausage or use Andouille or another smoked sausage. I cooked the sausage the night before, when it was cooler.

The biggest difference is the tomato sauce -- there is none. Instead, this no-cook basil dipping sauce was a nice compliment to the chicken.  I hope you get some basic bamboo skewers and enjoy it!

Time: 1 hour
Level: Easy
Yield: Serves 4

Crunchy Baked Portobello Fries

I love French fries. There, I said it. Now, what do I do about it? It doesn't  matter if I make them at home or eat them out, they're made of carbohydrates, salt and fat.  I left them behind (well, almost) in favor if the "side salad" years ago. Don't get me wrong, I like salads, but I miss fries.  The flavor and crispiness;  the way you can eat them with your hands. They're social food. "Want some of my fries?" 

Over the years I've tried baked "fries" but was still left with too many carbs and salt so I stopped doing that. Then I saw someone on television raving about portobello fries. After some research I came across a recipe for baked portobello "fries" that were coated in bread crumbs. I decided to try an old low-carb trick and replace most of the bread crumbs with dried onions. Before you say it, I know; onions are also carb-rich. But they're good carbs!

If you read this blog often, you know that I love to experiment with seasonings. For this recipe I added a bit of curry and black pepper, then I served them with a yogurt dipping sauce. You'll be surprised at how quickly they go together -- and how quickly the disappear - truly fast food!

Time: 20 minutes

Yield: Serves 2

Level: Easy

Fiesta Salad with Creamy Enchilada Dressing

I've decided that salads are the Summertime version of the casserole. Don't you agree? All of the ingredients are served in a single dish and you have complete control of the nutritional value of the meal. Even better, about 90 percent of the meal can be prepared ahead of time and that leaves more time to enjoy the warm weather and long Summer days.

About month ago I made enchiladas and was inspired to transform the ingredients into a salad once it became too hot to turn on the oven. My challenge was to make a dressing that was appropriate for the enchilada-style salad. After getting really fancy with vinegars and seasoned oils (none of which reminded me of the enchilada flavor I wanted), I found a solution that was easier than I imagined. Remember when we used to make quick thousand island dressing by mixing ketchup and mayo? Well, I had some Sweet Creek organic enchilada sauce and some Nancy's sour cream in the fridge. It tasted great and it doesn't get any easier to make.
I topped this salad with some chopped spicy almonds but you can also use tortilla chips or diced jicama to add a little crunch. Get creative!

Time: 40 minutes
Yield: Serves 6-8
Level: Easy