Spinach Salad

Alexandra called me the other night and asked for this recipe, "I checked your blog", she said, "but couldn't find it." I think that this is one of those recipes I just carry around in my head and never bothered to note in any of my paper cookbooks, but it has indeed been a favorite for many years.

Small or "baby spinach" is definitely a plus as is the first of the season spring spinach. If using larger spinach leaves, remove any large stems, including the vein that runs through the middle of the spinach leaf.



Put the clean, dry spinach in a salad bowl (10-16oz to serve 4 people). Toss with a small amount of

Olive oil - just enough to lightly coat the leaves.

Peel and slice in wedges

1 ripe avocado

and place in a shallow dish.

Mix:

1 T fresh lemon juice
1/4 t cumin (or more or less to taste)
1/4 t garlic powder (or more or less to taste)
1/4 t ground black pepper (or more or less to taste)

Pour this mixture over the avocado and toss VERY GENTLY so as not to break the avocado slices, then pour over the oil coated spinach leaves. Add:

4 thin slices red (or sweet white) onion broken into individual rings
1 fresh tomato, cut in wedges or cherry tomatoes (optional)

Toss again very gently. Serve.

VARIATION:

After tossing the spinach with oil, toss with the dried spices and then add the lemon juice and toss again.

Then add (to serve 4 people)

1-2 hard boiled egg(s), sliced thin
2-4 pieces bacon, cooked until very crisp, dried on paper towels to remove as much fat as possible, and chopped into small pieces.
4 thin slices red (or sweet white) onion broken into individual rings
1 fresh tomato, cut in wedges or cherry tomatoes (optional)

Toss very gently  to minimize breaking up the egg slices. Serve.

Reviewed 6/19/2017

Chicken Stuffed with Spinach, Goat Cheese and Mushrooms

This winter I had invited guests for dinner, asking when they accepted my invitation if there was anything they could not or preferred not to eat. One guest replied seafood - both shell and regular fish. Whoops! There went most of the main dishes I had anticipated serving. I had a feeling that if I did a vegetarian entrée, this group would expect the main course to follow and since they were about my age I did not want to drag out the overused Chicken Marbella. I though of my Pollo Relleno recipe, liked the idea but decided it was too spicy for this group so created this "variation". It was met with much success. Like Pollo Relleno and Chicken Marbella this is an excellent dinner party dish because it can be prepared entirely ahead of time - just place in a preheated oven about half an hour before serving.

When I tried this recipe pre-dinner party, the individual pieces looked very large. I tried slicing (see photos) and found this not only looked much more attractive but allowed the option for guests to adjust their serving size to their appetite.

The following recipe serves 2 - adjust quantities for expected number of guests.

Sauté:

2 t olive oil (heat first)
1 small shallot, peeled and finely minced, until golden brown, then add:

6-8 (3-4 oz.) mushrooms (I use crimini, baby bella, shitake or a mix of these)
and continue cooking 2-3 minutes over medium heat, then add:

4 oz spinach (if not using baby spinach remove stem, including vein that  runs down the middle of the leaf and tear into small pieces) and cook just until spinach wilts.
                      
Set aside.

Separate, if necessary:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, ~3/4 to 1# total

then slice lengthwise down the middle, almost but not completely through, to form a large pocket


Place the chicken on a washable plate, plastic cutting board or wax paper and open each piece so the two sides lie flat. Place 1/2 of the mushroom - spinach mixture on each piece. Then place, lengthwise on top of the  center of the mixture

2/3 - 1 oz of goat cheese (I use goat cheese with herbs).

Then fold the pieces together. Chicken breasts can be prepared to this point and refrigerated for several hours. The following step should be done preferably no more than an hour or two before baking.

Dip each breast piece (both sides) in:

1 egg, beaten (I have on occasion used 1/8 c "egg product"  - 1 egg will actually do 4-6 pieces -  but I think in this case using the real egg is better)

and then immediately (again, both sides) in:

~1/3 c panko (more or less depending on size of chicken. Place on non-stick or (olive) oiled cooking pan. If not cooking immediately return to refrigerator.

Place in pre-heated 350 degree oven and bake for 30 minutes (for a medium sized breast) until the chicken is cooked through and opaque (~160 degrees F) and the panko is browned.

Serve individual pieces plated...

...or slice into 3/4 to 1 inch thick pieces and serve on a platter.

Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs (optional).


I often serve with Weeds with Pecans and Fruit and a wild/brown rice mix.




Reviewed 5/13/17

Pumpkin Pie Muffins

Faced with two Halloween 2009 Jack-o-Lanterns that Christopher had challenged me to not "let disgustingly rot in the terrace garden", and the realization, after I had bravely butchered them, that Christopher "really doesn't like pumpkin", I went to the wonderful Mostly Muffins cookbook that Christopher gave me many years ago. Here I found a "pumpkin recipe" even Christopher admitted liking. My changes are in brackets.

Makes 10 -12 muffins or ~32 mini-muffins

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl combine:

2 cups flour
3/4 c [I use 1/2 c] firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt [I omit]
1 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground cloves
1/8 t ground nutmeg

Mix well and then add [recipe calls for mixing these ingredients separately and then adding to dry ingredients; I just add individually to dry mixture and then mix well]:

3/4 c canned pumpkin [I use 1 c and fresh or frozen pumpkin for better texture and flavor]
1/2 c butter or margarine, melted and cooled [I use 1/4 c canola oil instead]
1/4 c buttermilk [since I usually do not have, I use 1/4 c cider or 1/4 cskim milk]
2 eggs, lightly beaten [I often use 1/2 c "egg product" instead]
3 T molasses [I omit]
1 t vanilla
3/4 c [ I use 1/2 c] chopped pecans
3/4 c chopped pitted dates [I use 1/2 c raisins]
[1 large apple, cored and chopped]

Mix well and then place in a non-stick muffin pan. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until a cake tester [or small skewer/straw from broom] comes out clean. Cool ~ 5 minutes before removing muffins from cups. Good both warm and at room temperature.

The mini-muffins,shown in top photo and left are particularly good for entertaining, either for brunch or with hot cider or tea on a fall afternoon.




Revised 11/14/2024 changed olive oil to canola oil



Reviewed 5/10/17

Baked Pumpkin Slices/Maple Baked Pumpkin

This is another recipe I discovered while trying to make the most use of our 2009 Jack-o-Lanterns. It is adapted from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything (original edition/1998). I have only made it once and it turned out to be pretty much of a disaster because although the tops looked wonderful the bottom of each slice was badly charred. The unburned part was very tasty and I am going to try again* having learned the lesson: Turn Often!

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Cut (do not peel) into 1-1 1/2 thick slices  [I now peel*]

1 (2-3 pound) pumpkin (preferably Sugar Pumpkin)

Unless this is the remains of a Jack-o-Lantern, remove seeds and strings, reserve seeds for Firey Pumpkin Seeds and spread slices on a lightly oiled baking sheet.

Combine:

1 T canola or other neutral oil [I used olive oil]
2 T lemon juice
1 T soy sauce
1 T brown sugar
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground ginger

[or use a simpler sauce of 2 T olive oil and 2 T maple syrup*]

Brush a bit of this mixture onto the pumpkin. Bake for about 25 minutes, then brush again. Turn slices and brush tops. Bake until done, an additional 20-30 minutes. Turn and check every 10 minutes to be sure bottom surface is not charring; when checking and turning brush with any remaining mixture.

Broil slices very briefly to brown before serving (optional).

* November 2012:  Maple Baked Pumpkin Revisited the above recipe, this time reading Bittman's recipe more closely. Bittman's recipe does not give instructions to peel the pumpkin though I recall I did (instructions above to the contrary). I made it again, not peeling the pumpkin and served with some quinoa left over from Carnival Squash Stuffed with Black Quinoa Pilaf (photo at top).  OK at best.  I did not like the soy sauce overtones. Took the last quarter of a pumpkin I had left, peeled it,  cut it in chunks, tossed it with 

Some  raw Brussels sprouts** left from Thanksgiving 
1 T olive oil
1 T maple syrup

Baked on a lightly oiled cookie sheet at 450 degrees F, about 20 minutes until the pumpkin was soft. Although the outer leaves of the Brussels sprouts charred slightly they were very tasty and the pumpkin with this simpler sauce much better to my taste than the "Baked Pumpkin Slices". Photo above shows this mix served with Mushroom Risotto (version with sage).

** January 2015:  We are having a brussels sprouts revival. I never much liked brussels sprouts, perhaps because I usually steamed and overcooked the veggie.  This past holiday season I made Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad  many times and Alex and Dan roasted brussel sprouts a few times.  In all cases the sprouts were still a little crunchy. Based on Alex and Dan's cook time I would now add the brussels sprouts about 10 minutes after the pumpkin.

Revised 8/24/2017

Fiery Pumpkin Seeds

This is one of the recipes I found when trying to put all of our Halloween 2009 Jack-o-Lanterns to good use. It is adapted from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything (original edition/1998):

Separate the seeds from the pumpkin strings by rinsing them in a bowlful of water. Dry the seeds between paper/dish towels.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix (for 2 cups seeds; adjust for more/less seeds):

2 T light vegetable or olive oil
1 t cayenne (or more to taste)
1 t salt [I use less]
1/2 t cumin [Bittman says "optional"; I think the cumin is essential]

Toss the seeds with this mixture until they are well coated.

Bake the seeds on a baking sheet in a 350 degree F oven for 30 to 45 minutes, tossing occasionally, until they are tan and crisp.

These are good as a snack.  They are also good as a topping for Stuffed Poblano Peppers or Poblano Chili Stuffed with Pumpkin.

Reviewed 5/15/17

Waybury Hot Fruit Compote

This is an old recipe I found in Moogie's cookbook during a recent visit to Colorado. I remember having this years ago at The Waybury Inn in Middlebury, Vermont (the inn is still thriving but it appears the Hot Fruit Compote has been replaced on the menu with the likes of wasabi, dusted porcini and tangy pomegranate sauces). Still might be one of "those comfort foods" with a roast loin of pork on a cold winter evening.

"Combine 1/2 cup each: prunes, pears, peaches, pineapple with 1 1/2 c apple sauce and arrange in casserole. Then add 1 t cinnamon and 1/2 t each ginger and nutmeg. Add the juice of 1/2 lemon and its grated rind. Mix the fruits and place covered in a 250 degree oven for at least one hour before serving. The longer it bakes the better it is. Other fruits can be substituted and either fresh or canned may be used. This makes a delicious condiment with all meat and foul."

Reviewed 6/20/2017

High Altitude Baking

Now that I am spending more time in Colorado (Carbondale ~6200 feet), I am becoming aware of the challenges of high altitude baking. Before trying an Orange Poppy-Seed Bunt Cake at this elevation, I  searched "high altitude baking" on Google and found this useful website. The cake recipe notes adjustments I make when cooking in Carbondale.

In case you cannot download the referenced website at a future date, here is the executive summary:

Some recipes have problems above 3000 feet, others do not. Here are the three major changes to consider:

For each t of baking powder, reduce 1/8 - 1/4 t at 6000 feet and 1/4 t above 7000 ft
For each c of sugar, reduce 0-2 T at 6000 feet and 1-3 T above 7000 ft
For each c of liquid (eggs and butter count as liquid), increase 2-4 T at 6000 feet and 3-4 T above 7000 ft
Increase baking temperature by 25 degrees F.

I also found that using high altitude flour greatly improved my results when making this cake.

Not baking but...

Many recipes on this blog call for wild rice blend (I use Lundberg Wild Blend). When cooking this rice I increase the water fron 2 c to 2 1/3 c per cup of rice.

Reviewed 5/11/17 

Revised 2/18/25: added rice