food

Christmas Jam

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Last Fall I came across a recipe for Christmas Jam. What was particularly intriguing to me was the use of cranberries and the warm spices. This is the time of year that fresh cranberries are available in the supermarkets, and I always buy several pounds so I can make whole cranberry sauce. I feel like chicken dishes need a side of cranberry sauce! When I canned my applesauce last Fall I threw in some cranberries along with the apples. The cranberries added a little color and gave it some nice pops of flavor. So this jam recipe really appealed to me. The tartness of the cranberries, in combination with the other berries, makes this jam particularly tasty. And when you add in the orange zest and the spices it does make this jam taste like a holiday!

Ingredients:

30 ounces of berries (I weighed out 10 oz of each)

Cranberries, blueberries, and strawberries

1 T orange zest

1/4 tsp each of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg

1 package sure jell

1/2 cup water

small pat of butter

4 cups sugar

Coarsley chop your fruit. I used my mini ninja, and they were perfect after a few pulses. You don’t want to purée them.

In a heavy stainless pot combine the chopped fruit, water, spices, orange zest, and sure jell. Add a small pat of butter to reduce the foam.

Over medium high heat bring the berry mixture to a full boil stirring constantly. Once it boils add the sugar and bring it back up to a boil stirring occasionally. Once it is back at a boil, boil for one minute without stirring. Remove the pan from the heat.

Ladle the jam into sterilized jars leaving about 1/4 inch head space. Seal with lids and process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Remove the jars to cool on a towel and let them sit 24 hours. Make sure all of your jars have sealed before storing. If you have any that didn’t seal refrigerate them.

I got 8 jars per batch. Enjoy on toast, pancakes, as a filling for cookies, as an ice cream topping, or just a plain old PB&J. If you are inclined to share, add a festive ribbon or bow and you have a delightful holiday gift. Homemade is best!

NOTES: Stick with 10 oz of cranberries, but you could also use raspberries or blackberries. I also substituted ground ginger for the cinnamon in my second batch. I like my jam to have some chunks of fruit but, if you prefer, you can do a finer chop on the berries.

Ramen and Veg

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The ramen experience! Everyone has had ramen. You can always tell when school is starting because grocery stores, particularly in college towns, have cases of ramen on an end cap! An inexpensive, satisfying, and easy to prepare meal for young people living on their own. Years ago when I was still working, a friend and coworker brought a ramen salad to a potluck we were having. The ramen in that salad is just crumbled, not cooked. The dressing hydrates it, but it still has a little crunch. After visiting the Chicago Botanic Garden Christmas light show our daughter and son-in-law took us to a restaurant that specializes in Ramen dishes (and served wonderful sushi and cocktails). After a cold, rainy walk the hot ramen was especially delicious. This doesn’t replicate the dish we had at the Torino Ramen in Wilmette, and it’s nothing like my friend’s salad recipe, or the ramen of your college days, but it is a tasty version of a ramen dish. We had this as a meal in itself, but it would also be a good side dish with a protein. This is a modified version of a recipe I saw online and, like most savory recipes, it can be further modified based on personal preferences.

Ingredients:

2 blocks of ramen

2 carrots matchsticked

2 cups of broccoli florets

1/2 red bell pepper sliced

1 cup snap peas

1 cup edamame

1 generous tsp each of ginger, paprika, Korean chili flakes, cumin and garlic

3/4 cup coconut milk

1 1/2 cups broth (I used chicken broth from Better than Bouillon)

1 T soy sauce

This is prepared stovetop in a large pot with a lid. Wash and prep your vegetables and add them to the pot along with the noodles. If you’re using the individual ramen packets discard the flavor packets.

In a bowl or large measuring cup whisk together the coconut milk, broth, and spices and pour it over the noodles and vegetables. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover the pot, and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stopping halfway through to stir. You don’t want to overcook the noodles or the vegetables.

Plate, garnish with sesame seeds, and enjoy.

NOTE: Another recipe that can be modified based on ingredients you have on hand. The spice level is moderate. The next time I make this I will add some yellow miso paste. Miso is fermented soybean paste, and it adds great umami flavor.

Dumplings in Thai Coconut Curry Sauce

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This is something that I found scrolling reels on Instagram, a favorite past time of mine. To me, what makes cooking fun and interesting is experimenting with new recipes. To be honest, this was my first time using curry paste. I’ve used curry powder before which is typically used in Indian cuisine, but I’m a little scared of using too much heat in dishes. Particularly dishes I plan on eating. The red curry paste is make from chilis, is frequently used in Thai dishes, and it’s got a major kick. At least for me. There’s spice that makes your eyes water and takes your breath away, and there’s spice that’s a flavor bomb and enhances the dish. I’d say the red curry paste is in the middle. I need to train my palate. I’m working on it. I did cut the paste in half when I made this recipe. I usually have pot stickers aka dumplings in the freezer. Occasionally we have them for a quick lunch with a dipping sauce. This recipe comes together pretty quickly, and fed two of us plus leftovers. As with most savory recipes it’s a good outline that can be modified based on taste preferences and what you have on hand.

Ingredients:

1 14oz can of full fat coconut milk

2 T red Thai curry paste (I used 1 T, but suit yourself)

2-3 cloves of minced garlic

3 T soy sauce

2 T agave

1 red bell pepper thinly sliced

1-2 cups of broccoli florets

3 cups of chopped bok choy

15 frozen pot stickers/dumplings (flavor of your choice)

1/4 cup green onions chopped for garnish

sesame seeds for garnish

1-2 T chili crisp for more heat (I omitted)

Preheat your oven to 375. Use a 3.5 quart oven safe casserole dish. Put the milk, curry paste, garlic, soy sauce, and agave into the casserole pan and whisk together until everything is incorporated.

Once you’ve whisked the sauce ingredients wash and chop your vegetables.

Toss your vegetables in the sauce to evenly coat them. Nestle in the potstickers.

Spoon some of the sauce over each dumpling. Cover with foil and bake for approximately 30 minutes. The potstickers went in frozen so check for doneness after 30 minutes. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Add chili crisp if you have a notion to. We enjoyed this with a little jasmine rice.

NOTE: Feel free to change out some of the vegetables. Cabbage, snow peas, mushrooms, carrots, or sweet onions would be good additions or substitutions. I discovered super easy to use ginger paste at Aldi, and I keep jarred minced garlic in the fridge for a time saver because why not?!

Pork and Ramen

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I haven’t blogged anything in months, largely because we adopted a rescue pup just prior to Thanksgiving, and he’s turned our lives a little upside down. His name is Leo, and I tell people all the time that Leo is A LOT, but that really is an understatement. Hopefully with these few months under our belts as Leo’s new parents things will calm down. Hopefully. And I have missed working on my blog. In addition to sharing recipes with people, blogging keeps recipes I enjoy making and we enjoy eating where I can actually find them. Sometimes I find ideas and inspiration from instagram reels and other online sites, make notation on little slips of paper, and then waste time searching for those pieces of inspiration. This pork and ramen recipe is my interpretation of something I saw on Instagram. It comes together quickly, can be modified based on ingredients you have on hand, and is a simple yet delicious meal.

Ingredients:

2 packages of ramen (w/o seasoning)

1 cup of broth

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 T toasted sesame oil

2 cloves of garlic minced

1 T ginger grated

1 cup green onions chopped

1 cup bell pepper sliced

1 T cornstarch with 2 T water

Salt and Pepper to taste

Sesame Seeds for serving

Anyone who cooks on a regular basis knows that whatever you’re cooking comes together much faster when the ingredients have been prepped before you get started. Now that everything is ready, cook the ground meat in a large skillet over medium high heat until browned.

Once the meat has browned add the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil. Stir until combined. Stir in the broth and bring to a simmer.

Once it’s simmering add the ramen, peppers, and green onions. Simmer for about five minutes until the noodles are tender.

Stir in the cornstarch slurry. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

I did a quick stir fry of pea pods and served the meat and ramen over the pea pods. Super easy and super tasty! A quick stir fry of broccoli, bok choy, or cabbage would also all be good additions.

NOTE: Ground beef or chicken could be substituted for ground pork. I used Better than Bouillon Chicken broth but you could substitute vegetable or beef broth.

I usually buy a large knob of ginger, cut and peel it, and store it in the freezer. Recently I discovered tubes of ginger which are so convenient and easy to use.

Bean and Sausage Soup

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Another “it’s soup weather” recipe, and I do love soup weather. I’ve been making this soup for years, and I’m pretty sure it was a recipe I found on a jar of Randall’s beans. I must tell you, a jar of Randall’s beans is a great grocery find. They are perfect for soup, refried beans, and baked beans. Randalls do the soaking and cooking for us…so easy to use and delicious to eat. Beans are a great source of plant protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals and they’re low in fat. As an added benefit, beans are great colon cleansers. 🙂 All beans are considered legumes, but not all legumes are considered beans. For instance peanuts are not really nuts, they are actually legumes…edible seeds that grow in pods. Personally, beans and nuts are more appetizing words than legumes, so bean soup it is.

Ingredients:

1/2 pound smoked sausage of your choice

6 cups of chicken broth

1 cup of diced onion

1 cup of diced celery

2-3 cloves of garlic minced

1 tsp thyme

salt and pepper to taste

28 oz of diced tomatoes

48 oz jar Randall’s mixed beans

kale or spinach (optional)

Prep all of the veggies and cut the sausage into half moons.

Add a tablespoon of vegetable oil to a large Dutch oven and sweat the veggies for a couple minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add the thyme.

Add the sausage, the tomatoes, and the broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 30-45 minutes. Drain the jar of beans and add them to the soup pot.

If desired, add a few handfuls of chopped kale or spinach.

Continue to simmer for 10 minutes or so until the greens are wilted, and the beans are heated.

Ladle into bowls and enjoy. Delicious!

NOTE: Great served with some crusty bread and a bit of fresh grated parmigiana. I used Michigan smoked sausage from Dearborn, but feel free to use your favorite. You can also add additional vegetables like diced carrots or potatoes.

If you want to kick up the flavor a bit, add some red pepper flakes.

Zucchini Ravioli

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I know I’ve mentioned this before, but I am hooked on Instagram reels, particularly food reels. I was intrigued by these little ravioli pockets made with zucchini, and since I had a plan to can tomato sauce yesterday, I decided it was a perfect day to try my hand at these “healthier” ravioli. And to test my sauce. This is the time of year that zucchini is very plentiful, but you don’t want to use the giant ones. Save those for making breads and cakes and savory dishes like ratatouille. The pockets were fun and easy to make. I must admit that ravioli made with homemade pasta trumps zucchini ravioli by a smidge, but I thought these were delicious. And if you’re counting calories, all the better! Love experimenting with new things…and even happier when they are a success.

Filling Ingredients:

15 oz of ricotta

1 egg

1 1/2 cups of mozzarella

3/4 cup fresh grated parmigiana

1 1/2 cups of chopped spinach (fresh or frozen)

2 tsp Italian seasoning

salt and pepper to taste

tomato sauce of your choosing

And 3 medium size zucchini

Add all of the filling ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir well to combine.

I used a mandolin to slice my zucchini but you could also use a peeler. You want the slices to be nice and thin to get a good fold.

Preheat your oven to 375. Start forming your ravioli. Take two zucchini ribbons and crisscross them. Put a generous tablespoon of filling in the center and fold the ends over to form a pocket.

The filling and zucchini made approximately 2 dozen ravioli.

I lined a jelly roll pan with heavy foil (for easy clean-up) and spread about a cup of sauce in the pan. Arrange the ravioli on top of the sauce.

Add a dollop of sauce on top of each pocket.

Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiana cheese.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden.

Serve with a nice salad and some garlic bread, and enjoy a delicious, healthy, almost diet worthy dinner!

NOTE: You can modify the filling based on personal preference. My filling recipe is basically the filling I use for stuffed shells and lasagna. Fresh parsley or basil could be substituted for the spinach.

Prefer an Alfredo over a red sauce…that would be delicious as well.

Beef Barley Soup

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Fall is here and that means it’s soup weather in Michigan and, I’m sure, all over the Midwest. Last week I made beef barley, one of my husband’s favorites. I used my pressure cooker because I think the cooking process intensifies the flavors and definitely makes the meat melt in your mouth tender. An insta-pot also functions as a pressure cooker and a Dutch oven on top of the stove would work also. This is the kind of soup that most of us have all the ingredients for in our kitchens. I used a package of cubed chuck and, after searing, I cut it into even smaller pieces. The thing about soup is there are guidelines but no hard and fast rules. Make it your own. Don’t like some of the veggies, substitute. We have a good friend who won’t eat anything with bay leaves, so leave the bay leaves out. Whatever adjustments you make, when it’s done you’ll be enjoying a nice, hot bowl of soup with a hunk of crusty bread or some croutons, and you’ll be happy you made it!

Ingredients:

2 pounds (give or take) of cubed beef

olive oil for searing

1 large onion diced

1 or 2 russet potatoes peeled and diced

3 medium carrots diced

1 cup of diced baby portabellos

3 ribs of celery diced

6 garlic cloves minced

2 bay leaves

Bundle of fresh thyme

2 T tomato paste

2 pints of diced tomatoes

4 cups of beef or mushroom stock (or a combination of both)

1 T soy sauce

3/4 cup of barley

Wash and dice all of your vegetables.

Set your pressure cooker to browning. Season your beef with salt and pepper. Add some olive oil to the pan and sear the meat in batches. Once all of the meat has been seared cut it into smaller pieces and set aside along with all the meat juices.

Add all of the veggies to the pot and sauté for 4-5 minutes stirring occasionally.

Turn the pressure cooker off. Return the beef and the juices to the pan. Add the bay leaves, tomato paste, tomatoes, broth, and the soy sauce. Use kitchen twine to secure the thyme and add to the pot. Secure the cover and process on high pressure for 15 minutes. Allow the pot to naturally release for 15 minutes, and then carefully release the remainder of the steam.

Because I had quick barley I added it after releasing the pressure. Set the pot to simmer and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the barley is tender.

Ladle into bowls and enjoy.

The soup will taste even better on day two!

NOTES: Frequently recipes will call for 1 T of tomato paste and you’re left with the majority of a can. I put the remainder of the tomato paste in an ice tray and when it’s frozen I transfer the cubes to a freezer bag. Each cube is approximately 1 T of tomato paste. No waste and handy for your next recipe.

Cowboy Caviar

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It’s been way too long since I’ve attended to my blog, and not because I haven’t been cooking. I’ve come to the realization that part of the reason I blog, in addition to wanting to share food with friends, is because I often have to search through my archives to find recipes that I’ve made, and want to make again. Like this recipe for Cowboy Caviar. This works great as a dip with corn chips or just on it’s own as a side salad. The fresh squeezed citrus gives it a bright, fresh taste. And it is SO colorful. I brought this to our Saturday Nighters group as my passing dish last weekend. As snack foods go I think it’s pretty healthy, and except for the chips, pretty low calorie! Lots of chopping is involved, but it comes together pretty quickly.

Cowboy (or Texas) Caviar was actually invented in the 1950s by Helen Corbitt. She was the food director for Neiman Marcus, and she first served this on New Years Eve at the Houston Country Club. Apparently the very humble ingredients are what inspired the name “Cowboy Caviar.” Regardless of what you call it, it is delicious.

Ingredients:

1 cup tomatoes diced

1/3 cup red onion diced

1 can black beans

1 can black eyed peas

1 1/2 cups frozen sweet corn

2 bell peppers diced

1 jalapeño diced

1/2 cup cilantro

1/3 cup olive oil

3 T fresh squeezed lime juice

2 T red wine vinegar

1 T sugar

1/2 tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

Dice the tomatoes, red onion, bell peppers, and jalapeño into pieces about the size of the beans and corn kernels.

Drain and rinse the black eyed peas and black beans.

Remove most of the stems (a personal preference) and chop the cilantro.

Add all of the beans and diced ingredients into a large bowl. Make your dressing.

Whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, vinegar, sugar, and garlic powder. Pour over the beans and vegetables and toss. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy! With or without chips.

NOTE: I chose to use a red and a yellow bell pepper but any color will do. If you want a little more kick do not remove the jalapeño seeds or use the jarred pickled jalapeños. You can also add diced avocado.

Cowboy caviar tastes best if prepared a few hours before eating.