Author: maryscreek

Great food does not need to be complicated. Enjoy entertaining and serving Alaskan caught salmon, halibut, crab, Ling cod, and shrimp.

Fresh Strawberry Sorbet

Strawberry season is here and they are available in markets or at u-pick farms. The starwberry flavor is so refreshing to the pallet and you just want more.

Ingredients

2 C sugar

2 C water

2 pounds of  fresh strawberries

Directions

Cuisinart Yogurt/Ice Cream Machine and Cuisinart 7 or 12 cup food processor. Place Yogurt bowl in freezer 24 hours before making sorbet.

Simple Syrup

In small pan add water and sugar. Do not stir. Bring to boil and then simmer for 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. This maybe made ahead of time and refrigerated.

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Making Sorbet

Wash, destem, and halve the strawberries.

Add the strawberries to the food processor and puree until smooth.

Add 1 1/2 cups of simple syrup and  pulse until combined. Pour into large covered bowl and place into freezer for two to three hours.

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Assemble yogurt/ice cream maker and pour strawberry mixture into machine and churn for 15-20 minutes or until stiff.

Remove from maker and serve or place in covered container and freeze until further use.

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NOTE:

We use fresh organic strawberries. I have not made sorbet with frozen fruit.

Yogurt Waffels

A light fluffy textured waffel crispy on outside and soft on the inside. They do not get soggy after adding maple syrup.

Ingredients

 1 ½ C flour

2 t baking powder

2 t baking soda

Pinch of salt

3 eggs

1 ½ C yogurt¹

1 t vanilla

3 T butter melted

Directions

Preheat waffle iron to medium setting  Serves 6

Mix dry ingredients together in medium bowl and set aside

In small bowl add eggs, yogurt, and vanilla than whisk.

Add egg yogurt mixture and butter to flour mixture and mix until incorporated. Do not over mix.

Spray top and bottom irons with PAM or lightly brush with melted butter. Ladle waffle makers recommended batter amount into the iron, Cook until golden brown about 6-8 minutes. Remove and serve with maple syrup or berry toppings.

Note:

¹Any yogurt can be used. I use plain Greek yogurt.

I do not add sugar. Maple syrup or berry toppings provide the sugar element.

These waffles can be frozen and reheated in a microwave or toaster.

Mussels in Thai Style Broth

Mussels in a delicious Thai style broth bursting with flavor served over a rice corn combination.

Ingredients

Rice

2 C jasmine rice

4 C water

1 t salt

Corn

2 ears of fresh corn on cob

1/3 C water

Pinch of salt

1 t butter

Mussels

2 ½ pounds mussels

3 C chicken broth or fish stock

5-6 dried hot chilies

3 inch lemon grass quartered

2 inches fresh ginger peeled and sliced

5 garlic cloves smashed

1 serano chili quartered optional¹

To Create Final Dish

1 Roma tomato deseeded and  chopped

1 lemon juiced

1/3 C cilantro chopped

1 T fish sauce

Directions

Rice

  • In medium pan, add rice and water and bring to boil.
  • Cover and simmer until rice is cooked until tender.

Corn

  • Wash corn and remove silk.
  • Remove corn kernels from cob and add to small saucepan with water and butter.
  • Cook until el dente then season. Remove from heat and set aside.

Mussels

  • Scrub mussels and remove beards.²
  • In large sauce pan, bring broth, chilies, lemon grass, ginger, and garlic cloves to a boil.
  • Add mussels, cover and cook until mussels open or about 5-7 minutes.
  • Discard mussels that do not open.

Assemble Final Dish

  • Stir hot rice and corn together and divide into four large soup/pasta bowls.
  • Remove mussels from broth and place on rice corn mixture.
  • Strain broth and then add tomato, lemon. cilantro, and fish sauce mixture and stir.
  • Ladle this this broth equally into the four bowls and serve.

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Notes:

¹We like spicy food so we added the extra chili to the broth.

²Our farm raised mussels usually are pretty clean and have few beards.

 

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

What’s better than a chocolate chocolate chip cookie!  So good with a glass of milk and greater made into an ice cream sandwich.

Ingredients

1/2 C butter softened

1/2 C white sugar

1/3 C brown sugar

1 C plus 2 T flour

1 T Ghirardelli® cocoa mix

2 t espresso

1/2 t salt

1/4 t baking powder

1 t baking powder

1 egg

2 T milk

1 t vanilla

1 ounce semi sweet chocolate grated¹

2 C Guittard® milk or premium chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven 375º F   Parchment line baking sheets

In small bowl combine dry ingredients, mix then set aside.

In medium bowl mix butter and sugar until fluffy.

Add egg, milk, and vanilla and combine.

Stir in dry ingredients, chocolate chips, and grated chocolate.

Refrigerate for an hour. Drop by teaspoonful about 2 inches apart. Bake 10 – 12 minutes. Remove and cool on baking rack.

Note:

¹We use a microplane for grating the chocolate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Curly Kale Salad and Hummus on Lavash/Flatbread

This is a busy day for the family as we have birthday parties and two basketball competitions that require our participation. We need a delicious but satisfying lunch. A crispy lavash/flatbread painted with lemon hummus and topped with a flavor packed curly kale salad.

Ingredients

Lavash

1 lavash(9 inches by 12 inches)

1 T olive oil

1/2 – 2/3 C hummus

Salad

1 bunch curly kale

Dressing

1/2 cup olive oil

5 garlic cloves minced

1/3 cup Parmesan Reggiano grated plus 1/4 cup  set aside

1/3 cup lemon juice

2 t Dijon mustard

6 ounces fresh raspberries or blackberries¹

1/3 C spiced pecansSugar Spiced Pecans

Salt and pepper

Directions

Serves 2 or 4.

Preheat oven to 420º F.

Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Salad Dressing

Pour into bowl,  lemon juice, minced garlic, mustard and cheese and combine. Stream in olive oil while vigorously whisking until emulsified. Pour into salad bottle and set aside.

Kale Prep

Remove kale ribs, wash and spin and tear into bite size pieces or if in a hurry rough chop. Transfer to large bowl.

Flatbread Prep

Place flatbread on baking sheet and paint both sides lightly with olive oil.

Transfer to oven and bake about 2- 3 minutes per side and remove from oven and cool.

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Assemble

Salad

In large bowl containing kale, add salad dressing and toss to coat kale leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Then add 1/3 C parmesan and gently toss.

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Spread flatbread with hummus.

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Top hummus with salad.

Dress with berries, pecans, and cheese.

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Serves two or four.

 

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Notes:

¹I use the berries in the salad that are on sale.

Organic kale and berries are in season now. There is such an abundance that most of the markets have fresh produce on sale regularly.

 

Potato, Bacon, Onion Tarte Flambenkuchen

An Alsatian flatbread or pizza with comfort food toppings. The bacon and crust add crunch, the onions add sweetness, the potatoes and sauce merry for depth of creaminess.

Ingredients

No Yeast Crust

1 1/2 C fllour

3 T olive oil

1/2 t salt

5-6 T water

Sauce

1/3 C fromage blanc

1/3 C crème fraîche(sour cream)

1/4 t nutmeg

Toppings

2 Yukon Gold potatoes sliced thin

2 T olive oil

1 onion sliced thin

1 T olive oil

3 bacon slices crumbled¹

1 slice provolone chopped

1/3 C mozarella shredded

Directions

Preheat oven to 500º F.  Cover one baking sheet in aluminum foil. Cover second baking sheet with parchment paper.

Make Dough

In medium bowl add flour and oil and mix until crumbly.

Add water and combine to form dough ball. Knead for 5-10 minutes.

Cover with plastic wrap or in covered bowl and let rest for at least one hour.

Make Sauce

In small bowl, combine crème fraîche, froamge blanc, and nutmeg.  Set aside.

Make Toppings

Using a mandolin, slice potatoes and onion very thin.

Rinse potatoes in water to remove extra starch and dry.  Coat with olive oil and roast in oven about 10-15 minutes, turning once. Remove and cool.

In medium skillet heat olive oil, add onion slices and cook until carmelized. Remove and cool.

In small skillet add bacon and cook until crisp. Remove and place on paper towel to degrease.

Assemble Tarte

Roll dough on parchment covered baking sheet until about 1/8 inch thick.

Add sauce and spread to about 1/4 inch from edge of dough.

Spread potatoes evenly across the crust, then add carmelized onions  and bacon bits.

Sprinkle provolone and mozzarella across the toppings.

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Place the tarte on top shelf of heated oven for 5 minutes, Then remove and place on lowest shelf for 7-10 minutes until crust is crispy brown.

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Remove and serve.

Note:

¹We use turkey bacon in our recipes.

When visiting Strasbourg, France I had Alsatian choucroute garnie in the fall which was always memorable but the one dish I enjoyed with friends year round was tarte flambée with bacon and onions or apples and cinnamon many times. It is great with an Alsatian dry white wine. I now regualrly make tartes but experiment with different toppings.

 

 

 

Bing Cherry Sorbet

Cherry season is here and never lasts long enough. Enjoy a sorbet made with fresh cherries. It is so tasty alone or with a dollop of whipped cream or better yet drizzled with choclate syrup. Yummy

Ingredients

Simple Syrup

1 C water

! C sugar

Cherry Sorbet

6 C cherries depitted and halved

2 T lemon juice

1/8 t almond extract

1 1/2 C simple syrup

Directions

Cuisinart Yogurt/Ice Cream Machine and 7 or 12 cup food processor

Simple Syrup

In small pan add water and sugar. Do not stir. Bring to boil and then simmer for 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. This maybe made ahead of time and refrigerated.

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Making Sorbet

Place Cuisinart Yogurt bowl in freezer 24 hours before making sorbet.

Depit the cherries by using a chop stick to push pits though or a pastry piping tip or use a cherry pitter. Slice cherries in half.

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Add the cherries and simple syrup to the food processor and puree until smooth. Add lemon juice and almond extract and pulse until combined. Pour into large covered bowl and place into freezer for two to three hours.

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Assemble yogurt/ice cream maker and pour cherry mixture into machine and churn for 15-20 minutes or until stiff.

Remove from maker and serve or place in covered container and freeze until further use.

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Note:

I do not strain cherry mixture prior to pouring into yogurt maker.

 

 

Easy Chicken Bolognaise

Tonight is kids’ two-hour basketball practice so we need an easy, quick to make dish.  The type of food that makes a growing child ask for seconds.  Unfortunately, there are never leftovers:)

Ingredients

Sauce

1 pound ground chicken ¹

1 T Mexican Blend (Morton & Bassett)

1 t Lawry’s® Seasoned Salt

2 T olive oil

1 large carrot diced

2 celery sticks diced

1 large shallot diced

4 garlic cloves minced

1 C chicken broth

2 t basil chopped

2 t thyme

2 C marinara sauce

1/2 C cream

1/2 C Parmesan cheese

2 t parsley chopped

Salt and pepper

Pasta

1 pound of  pasta

4 quarts of salted boiling water

Directions

Serves 4-6

Sauce

In medium bowl combine chicken, Mexican seasoning, salt and set aside.

Heat olive oil in large skillet. Add diced carrots, celery, and onions.  Then cook for 4 minutes over medium high heat.  Next, add garlic and cook for two minutes.

Add the seasoned chicken mixture, then stir to break chicken into bits.  Cook until chicken is no longer pink–about 8 minutes.

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Add chicken broth and cook for two minutes while stirring occasionally. Add marina sauce, basil, and thyme and cook for five minutes.

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Add cream, combine, and simmer for about ten minutes.

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Add additional reserved pasta water, if sauce is too thick. Add Parmesan and adjust seasoning.

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Pasta

Bring 4 quarts of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook following package directions. Drain and reserve about 1 cup pasta water.

Assemble Pasta Dish

In large serving bowl add the pasta. Pour sauce over the pasta and top with chopped parsley.  If desired, serve with a green salad on the side.

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Notes

1. Ground turkey or ground can be used as direct replacement.

 

 

 

 

 

Hummus Pizetta with Cucumber Tomato Salad

Addictively tasty healthy food.  That’s what toasted lavash with lemon hummus and tomato cucumber salad is.  Crunch. Yum. Pick up the crumbs.  Repeat.

Ingredients

1 lavash(9 x 12 inch)

1 T olive oil

2/3 C hummus *

Salad Ingredients

1/2 C cucumber diced

1/2 C tomato diced

2 T shallot diced

1 T mint chopped

2 T Kalamata olives chopped

Dressing Ingredients

1/2 t salt

Pinch of pepper

1/3 C white balsamic vinaigrette plus 2 T set aside

Last Ingredient to Add

2 C Little Gem (baby romaine) lettuce **

Directions

Serves 2 or 4.

Preheat oven to 450º F.

Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Make Salad

Chop and prep all salad ingredients.

In small bowl, combine all salad ingredients (except romaine).

Set aside.

In a container, combine salad dressing ingredients and toss.

Make Dressing and Dress Vegetables

Make white balsamic vinaigrette.

Add 3 tablespoons of  dressing to vegetables and marinate for 1 hour. Set aside.

Flatbread Prep

Place flatbread on baking sheet and paint both sides lightly with olive oil.

Transfer to oven and bake about 3 minutes per side and remove from oven and cool.

Assemble

Spread flatbread with hummus.

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Add romaine to marinated salad mixture and toss.  More olives could also be added.

Add mixture to flatbread and drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of dressing on top.

Cut and serve.

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Notes

* I use lemon hummus or caper hummus in this recipe.

** If I am out of romaine, I use arugula. This changes the crunch factor and the taste profile.

This is a favorite luncheon meal–vegetables and protein on lavash.

White Balsamic Vinaigrette

An easy to make balsamic vinegairette that is light but sweet.

Ingredients

2 T white balsamic vinegar

1 t honey

1 T dijon mustard

1 T shallot chopped or 2 cloves garlic minced

1/2 t salt

2 t  lemon juice

Pinch of black pepper

1/3 C olive oil

Directions

Tools and ingredients

In small bowl add all ingredients except olive oil and mix. Add oil in steady stream while whisking vigorously to emulsify dressing.  Transfer to salad dressing container.