Cooking Method: Simmering
Zinfandel Barbecue Sauce
This Zinfandel Barbecue sauce is to die for. It is always a crowd pleaser at any party. Excellent as a dipping sauce, or brush generously on chicken, pork, or beef before grilling. I usually use it with meatballs and throw them in a slow cooker with the sauce.
By - Prep: 10 mins
- Cook: 45 mins
- Yields: 16 Servings
Peanut Butter Ramen Noodles
One of the things (which my husband Eric invented) I always made for my kids is something we call peanut butter ramen noodles. By adding peanut butter, it adds some much needed protein. I also like to add some shelled edamame for even more of a protein boost. It's really delicious!
- Prep: 5 mins
- Cook: 10 mins
- Yields: 1 Serving
Veal Goulash with Egg Noodles
One of my clients that I personal chef for requested I make this dish. I made this healthy version using non-fat sour cream, no salt, canola oil spray instead of butter and No Yokes Noodles. It got rave reviews. Eric wants me to make this for us soon. I know most people are horrified about using veal, if so, use beef instead.
- Prep: 15 mins
- Cook: 50 mins
- Yields: 8 Servings
Swedish Creamed Potatoes
These Swedish Creamed Potatoes go really well with Swedish Meatballs and is a staple in most Scandinavian homes.
- Prep: 10 mins
- Cook: 40 mins
- Yields: 8 Servings
Parmesan Crusted Swordfish with Lemon and Crispy Caper Sauce
My friend Mary Ann had an incredibly elegant dinner party and made this Swordfish. No on has formal dinner parties anymore. So many people put in "high-end" kitchens in their homes and never entertain. Mary Ann made everything seem effortless, but it was due to her advance planning and preparation. You could actually do this with different kinds of fish or chicken.
- Prep: 30 mins
- Cook: 35 mins
- Yields: 6 Servings
Japanese Beef Curry
I love Japanese Beef Curry. To me it's like Japanese comfort food. There's something so deeply satisfying and soul-warming about it. Japanese curry sauce mix, often called "curry roux," typically comes in the form of solid blocks or powder. It's a blend of curry powder, flour, oil, sugar, salt, and various seasonings and spices. Vermont Curry and S&B Golden Curry are ready made and the two most most popular brands. These mixes usually have MSG. I prefer to make my curry from scratch. Though making the roux does take about 20 minutes to reach "color of a fox," as the say in Japan, a deep tan color. It’s well worth the wait!
- Prep: 20 mins
- Cook: 2 hrs 15 mins
- Yields: 4 - 6 Servings
Kale & Quinoa Salad with Lemon Garlic Dressing
Kale has been deemed the number one superfood, a nutritional powerhouse. The benefits of eating kale are too numerous to list. I was recently in a supermarket and notice a whole wall of kale in the salad section. There is some sort of kale salad on almost every restaurant menu these days. Quinoa (pronounced 'keen-wah') is another superfood, which is a complete protein. It has the perfect ratio of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats and is one of the best sources of protein you can get from a plant source. By pairing these two superfoods, you've now got an explosion of nutrition, not to mention flavor!
- Prep: 20 mins
- Cook: 15 mins
- Yields: 6 Servings
Ham and Split Pea Soup
Every year I make some sort of soup using the ham hock from Christmas dinner. I happened to have a very large bag of split peas, which I like because you don't have to soak them overnight. Serve it with a loaf of crusty bread and a salad. You can just use chopped up ham, if you do not have a ham hock on hand.
- Prep: 15 mins
- Cook: 2 hrs
- Yields: 8 Servings
Cheesy Potato & Ham Chowder
While surfing the web, found this recipe on an Indiana Farmer's site (yes, you know you are leading an exciting life when you are checking out farmer's websites!). I have no idea why I made it, because I generally hate soup of any kind. It was really delicious and my husband said we need to keep this recipe in the family archives. I added some white pepper to it, but the simplicity is what really makes this soup good. Some crumbled bacon bits would not go amiss as a garnish...
- Prep: 15 mins
- Cook: 30 mins
- Yields: 4 Servings
Indian Cauliflower and Potatoes
Indian Cauliflower and Potatoes are so good, it has cumin, ginger, coriander and turmeric. Indian food is something I could eat every day. I love it. I started eating it after I got out of college in New York city. It was the cheapest possible meal. For $4 you could have a feast. I used to order Vindaloo and each time I would want it hotter and hotter. It got to the point that my friends told me to stop because it looked like I would have a heart attack! I did taper off, my stomach needed a break! After living in New York, I moved to London - a virtual Indian food mecca. Now we live in Los Angeles, where good Indian is scarce. This week my husband and I tried a new place - finally some stellar Indian food! We brought home leftovers and to bulk it out for the next day, I made this cauliflower dish. Cauliflower and potato are a perfect vehicle for the cumin, ginger, coriander and turmeric. By the way, the restaurant is called Nirvana in Arcadia, CA.
- Prep: 15 mins
- Cook: 20 mins
- Yields: 4 - 6 Servings
