Terre Pruitt's Blog

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Archive for the ‘“Recipes”’ Category

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Refreshing Apple Salad

Posted by terrepruitt on June 11, 2015

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia at the San Jose Community Centers, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex City of San Jose, San Jose Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYoI came across a recipe for apple slaw.  I thought that sounded interesting.  Nice and refreshing.  But I did my usual skimming of the recipe and I thought there was apple cider vinegar in it.  I bought the apples and didn’t buy any apple cider vinegar because I thought I had some.  I didn’t have any.  I went to the store a couple of times but didn’t have apple cider vinegar on my list so of course, I didn’t get any.  I finally remember to get some.  I planned on making it on a night that I was subbing an evening class after teaching Nia in the morning.  The class I had to sub was early so I had planned on making the slaw before class.  This was my plan when I bought the vinegar.  Between purchase and the actual day, I forgot that I was going to make this.  So my day is going on and I begin to prepare dinner to start cooking while I am gone, then I remember I wanted to make this slaw.  And even though it is slaw, I was thinking the apples were to be sliced really thin.  Like mandolin-sliced.  I don’t have a mandolin, but I figure I can slice them thin.  So I run up to my computer to get the recipe and, “Oh yeah.  SLAW – grated.  Well, I am going to slice them AND leave the skin on.”  That was my thought process.  Also included in that thinking was, “No apple cider vinegar?  I must have not copy and pasted properly.  I could have sworn it had apple cider vinegar.”  I also usually copy and paste the website where I got the recipe into my document.  Since I didn’t see that I KNEW that I copied the recipe wrong.  But I couldn’t remember where I got the recipe.  So I had to look around and think.  Then I remembered.  I went to the site . . . nope, I didn’t copy it wrong.  I still don’t know where I got the idea that the recipe called for apple cider vinegar.  But I decided since I bought the stuff I was going to use it.  So MY recipe for apple slaw turned into more of an apple salad.  And I loved it.  Hope you like it too.

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2 large Granny Smith apples
1 lemon
4 tsp olive oil
4 tsp apple cider vinegar
salt
feta cheese

Peel* the Granny Smith apples and then slice them very thin.  Mix the juice from 1/2 of  the lemon, the oil, and the vinegar in a bowl.  Toss with the apple slices.  Add the salt.  Just a couple of sprinkles.  Then squeeze a little more lemon juice on top of the apples (from the other half of the lemon).  Cover and place in the refrigerator for a few hours.

If you are able, you can toss the mixture during the cooling period so that all the apples have a chance to sit in the juice mixture.

Once you are ready to serve, move the apples into your individual dish and sprinkle with a little feta and serve.  You might feel it needs a little more salt, but that is up to you, the feta sometimes adds just the right amount of saltiness.

The apples I used were HUGE so it will be about 4 to 6 servings.

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*You might have noticed that in my introduction I said I wanted to leave the skin on the apples.  And I did on parts of it, but those parts were so difficult to slice thin.  Granny Smith has some thick skin I’d say and I was in way too much of a hurry to try to force it.  So I peeled the other apple entirely.  Much, much easier to slice.

This would also be fine without the feta.  Or maybe even good with a nice shredded cheddar?  Either way, I really like it.  It is easy and refreshing.  A nice summer salad.  One of these days I will actually try making the SLAW!

 

 

What do you think?  Have you had apple slaw before?  How about this, anyone up for apple salad?

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Shredded Beef – Crockpot Cookin’

Posted by terrepruitt on May 30, 2015

We have these roast in our freezer.  HUGE chunks of meat I have no idea what to do with.  I am not a “roast” fan.  The hours of cooking so the fat can melt and seep into the meat, just does not appeal to me.  I have never liked the texture of roast and one day while flipping through channels I paused on America’s Test Kitchen (love that show, especially back in the day when it hadn’t yet been “glammed up”).  They were cooking a roast.  One reason I love that show is they explain the science behind the cooking or at least the reasons why you do what you do.  So they explained that the reason a roast is low cooked for hours is because the fat needs to melt into the meat.  It makes it tender and flavorful.  Yeah, snort!  I didn’t like it before and that REALLY made it unappealing to me.  But . . . . this beef is more lean, I believe.  I have also grown a little bit more tolerate of roast and have actually had some that were yummy.  But, cooking one?  Another story.  I can’t remember exactly how I came across a recipe for Cuban Beef.  I wasn’t looking for it, I think I might have just happened across a blog and it was on there?  I don’t remember, but I have had a recipe for Cuban Shredded Beef on my desktop for almost a month now.  So I decided to try it.  Well, not really.  I had read through the ingredients but not the instructions.  I started to read through them the night before I was going to cook the roast and I decided I didn’t want to do that.  I wanted to throw the thing into my crock pot and let it cook.  So, I started with her list of ingredients and went from there.  I bet it would help a lot if I were more familiar with the science behind cooking a roast.

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Shredded Crock Pot Beef – “Cuban Style”

3.5 pounds pounds of roast, trimmed**
salt
1 bottle lime beer
2 T sherry
1 cup orange juice
juice from 1 1/2 lime*
zest from 1/2 lime
3 teaspoon garlic
3/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 of an onion

You will use some of these ingredients in the crock pot and some in the oven.

Coat the roast with salt and let it set while you prepare the crock pot liquid.

For the crock pot:

1 lime beer
2 T sherry
1/2 cup orange juice
juice from 1/2 lime
zest from 1/2 lime
2 teaspoon garlic
1/2 teaspoon cumin
a small portion of onions, sliced thin

(Salted 3.5 pounds pounds of roast, trimmed)

Mix the above ingredients together, pour them into the crock pot, then put the salted roast in the crock pot.  If the liquid does not cover the roast and you have a few minutes, let it sit, then flip it over.  Then put the sliced onions on top.  Let it cook on low for three hours.

Then flip it over and turn it to high for an hour.  Then turn the heat to low and let it cook for another two hours.

**this was a grass-fed roast.  Grass-fed beef tends to cook quicker so keep that in mind.

For the beef after cooking in the crock pot

1/c orange juice
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic
juice from 1/2 lime
onions

Mix all the ingredients.  Shred the beef (I used my blender), spread on cookie sheet, pour the liquid over the beef, stir it so all the beef can get some of the liquid.  Then put the cookie sheet in the oven for 20 minutes on 425° F.  You might want to cook it a bit longer if you want those crispy bits of beef.  You decide.

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https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7769/18285057272_2eb5d843ac_b.jpgI served it on bread.  A sweet submarine roll for my hubby and sliced sour dough for me.  I don’t really know how you are supposed to serve Cuban Beef.  I don’t know what Cuban Beef is.  I just made a “regular” sandwich; cheese, mayo, and onions.  I put quartered limes on our plates and we both ended up squeezing it on the meat.

*I am going to use more lime in the recipe itself next time.

This was very good.  I like the lime flavor.  It is zesty and a step away from our normal flavor palate.  It was nice.  I will probably do it again with one of the other roasts we have.

So . . . what is “Cuban Beef”?  Do you have a recipe for Cuban Beef?

Posted in "Recipes", Food | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Our Version Of Taco Salad

Posted by terrepruitt on May 26, 2015

What do you put in your taco salad?  Do you eat taco salad?  Taco salad is one of my favorite meals.  It is probably one of my favorite meals for several reasons.  One reason is it is raw veggies and meat with tortilla chips, that is just a winning combination to me.  Another reason is when we have it, it usually translates into at least two meals — you know I love leftovers.  And another reason is, usually when we have it my husband has made it.  I had taco salad with my friends once and they laughed at me because the only thing “taco” about my taco salad is the tortilla chips and the “taco seasoning” in the meat.  Since I was the one that started making the taco salad in our relationship I have “infected” my husband with my idea of or the way I make taco salad.  We do it a little different.

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1 lb Ground Turkey
1 package of taco seasoning
tortilla chips
lettuce
shredded cheese
olives
onions
pickles
bell peppers
cucumbers
broccoli
carrots
sour cream
salsa

Cook the meat with the seasoning.  You can use the directions on the package or not.  I don’t, I saute some onions then add the meat.  While the meat is cooking I put in the seasoning.  My hubby follows the directions on the package.  Whatever works for you.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia at the San Jose Community Centers, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex City of San Jose, San Jose Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYoThe lettuce is chopped or the kind from a bag.  The olives are chopped or sliced, either by you or that is the way you bought them.  The onions . . . I like red, but whatever color will do, even scallions.  Whatever they are they are chopped.

Pickles are chopped.  So are the bell peppers, cucumbers, broccoli, and carrots.

Then you just layer it in your individual bowl.  My husband and I do ours individually since we both like different things in our salads.  We also do our layers differently.  Then he adds salsa and sour cream.  I don’t add any of that.  We both crumble our tortilla chips on top.  One time I forgot them.  I remembered them after I was half way through eating my salad.

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As you can see there are no beans.  I don’t like beans, so I have never put beans in my “taco salad”.  And, like I said, since I have always made it like that my poor husband doesn’t get beans in his salad.  I don’t know if he would like them, but we don’t think to get them.  Also, I believe pickles are a weird ingredient for a taco salad.  I cannot tell you how that started.  It might sound odd, but it works really well . . . I think.  For me it is a MUST, the pickles are a source of moisture for my salad since I don’t add any dressing, salsa, or sour cream.

I believe we have had tomatoes in our taco salad before.  Basically any veggie that we would put in a salad we could add to our taco salad.  The first nine ingredients on the list are the “must-haves”.

Do you eat taco salad?  What do you put in your taco salad?

 

My Introduction To Taco Salad

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Squished Lemons In a Jar

Posted by terrepruitt on April 14, 2015

I have some friends on Facebook that I have never met.  They are friends I have through Nia.  Nia is like any other group exercise or activity, you tend to “gather” in a group.  In addition to the average things people share on Facebook (recipes, family pictures, proud parent moments, pet pictures, meal pictures) we do share about our classes.  We make announcements about up coming events.  We talk about the routines and the “stuff” going on in Nia.  So I have a group of “Nia people” I am friends with on Facebook.  One of them was having a conversation with one of her friends and I jumped in because it sounded interesting.  You might know from some of my previous posts that I have a lemon tree.  You may also know that I am not really a fan of lemon flavor.  I never think to add it to any meat I am cooking.  I never think to use it to flavor marinades or dressing.  Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia at the San Jose Community Centers, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex City of San Jose, San Jose Group Ex classes, YMCA, City of San Jose Group X, Zumba, PiYoI only use it in lemon cookies . . . which I don’t make often any longer.  Every once in a while I zest some into our rice.  But I don’t think of using the lemons to cook so I am always on the lookout for ways to start using them more.  Well, the conversation they were having was about lemons.  So I butted in and said, “Hey, what is this about lemons?”

Georgia, my Nia friend on Facebook, shared the recipe she uses to preserve lemons.  She said to put them in a jar with salt, let them sit for a month, then use them as you need them.  Her instructions stated a quart jar.  Well, I don’t have one and have yet to remember to buy one.  I really wanted to try this, so I started thinking I didn’t need such a large jar.  I might not like it so I decided to start small.  So this past week, I smushed some lemons in a jar.  I did not do it correctly because I got more involved with cutting and getting them into the jar than actually following the instructions.  I did not have the instructions in front of me and I so was just guessing.  Of course after I was done I looked them up.

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You’ll need a large jar that will not leak when it is flipped over.  (In her picture it looks like she might have used a large pickle jar.)
About 7 or 8 organic lemons (I only used two and a half because my jar was so small)
salt

First make sure the jar is clean.  Then make sure the lemons are clean and dry.  Then cut the lemons – not all the way through – in an X pattern.  Cutting from one end to the other, leaving one end intact.  I did not do that because the lemons were bigger than my jar.  So I actually cut the lemons into wedges.

Put about two tablespoons of salt in the bottom of the jar.  Then put a cut lemon in the jar.  Smush it down so the juices come out.  Then put more salt, then another lemon – smushing it down, getting more juice.  Continue this process until the jar is full.  Georgia said you cannot have enough salt.  She also said you can add other flavors; herbs, cinnamon sticks, cloves, bay leaf, dried red chili peppers . . . . whatever flavor you would like.

If you need to, put more lemon JUICE in the jar to make certain the lemons are covered.  Then you leave the jar on your counter for 30 days.  Flipping it over every day.

After 30 days you put the jar in your refrigerator and use a lemon or a piece every time you want to flavor something with lemon.  Pick what you want out of the jar, rinse it, then use it.  You can chopped it up using both the rind and the pulp.  Use it with chicken, beef, pork, fish, pasta, salad . . . whatever you want.

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Her recipe said that you can always add more juice and salt as you use the slices.

She said that the sour goes away and an intense yummy lemon flavor comes out.

Now . . . . I just did this . . . and by JUST . . . I mean I am in the 30 day flipping stage.  So once my 30 days are up you will be reading about it again to see what I think.

In looking at her post again she indicated this was a Moroccan delicacy.  So I looked it up and there is a lot of information regarding it on the internet.  I will post more when I actually get to taste them.

Perhaps some of you already do this so you can share?  What do you think?

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Quick Collard Greens And Carrots

Posted by terrepruitt on March 26, 2015

I just looked up collard greens on my blog.  I know I have blogged about them before.  Turns out I blogged about them for the first time in March four years ago.  I had been in the store and just decided to buy some.  I decided to try them.  So back in 2011, I cooked them and I liked them ok.  I said in my post that since they seemed ok I could try making them in other ways.  Well, no, not so much.  I have tried them other ways and I just don’t like them.  My husband loves them.  I cook them planning on eating them, then I suffer though eating a small portion.  Yes, I can eat them because they are good for me, but I don’t think they give me such outstanding nutrition that I should have to “suffer” through them, especially when they are something that my husband enjoys so much.  The past time before tonight that I made them I decide to just make them for him and I would make myself a salad.  So I still eat my veggies, but basically the ones I eat all the time.  Tonight I decided, again, I would make them for him and make myself a salad.  Then it occurred to me, if I am making them just for him to eat, I might as well throw in some carrots.  I don’t like cooked carrots, but he does.  So, I cooked a bunch of collard greens and he said he liked them.  I didn’t cook them for hours with a ham hock.  But what I did was fast and easy and edible . . . to one that likes collard greens!
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3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 of a large onion, chopped
a bunch of collard greens, chopped
salt
1/4 of a cup of carrots – THICK match stick cuts
a tablespoon of Better Than Bouillon
1/4 cup hot water
1 heaping teaspoon of chopped garlic

In a large pan, heat the oil.  Then put in the chopped onion.  Heat the onion until it is translucent, or, if you are like me until it starts to caramelize a bit . . . . you decide on the flavor you are after.  After the onion is the way you want it, add the chopped collard greens to the pan.  Let them cook for a minute on medium, then sprinkle with a little (just a little) salt.  While the collard greens are cooking add the Better Than Bouillon to the 1/4 cup hot water and mix it up.  Add the carrots to the pan.  After about 10 minutes on medium heat, add the liquid bouillon to the pan, if it is not dissolved push the greens to one side of the pan and add the liquid directly to the pan so the heat help melt the bouillon.  Then mix it all together.  Add the garlic.  Then cook until the collard greens are to your liking.  I don’t cook them until they lose all their bright green color.  But if you like them that way – do that.

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I probably will add more carrots next time, but I basically used what we had.  I had almost forgot we had the collard greens because they came in our produce box.  So I hadn’t planned ahead on how to cook them.  But, as I have said many times before, I am fortunate my husband likes a lot of things so sometimes when I throw stuff together he is ok with it.  It seems like he really likes collard greens so he might just eat them any way I cook ’em.  Not me.

I still have not tried the recipe that Chef Dwight gave us in my comments.  One of these days, Dwight!  Do go to my first post My Experiment with Collard Greens and read the comments for a Southern Recipe for collard greens.

I will just keep cooking them for my hubby!

 

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Watermelon Radish Salad

Posted by terrepruitt on February 10, 2015

My last post was about receiving the Watermelon Radishes in the organic produce box that we have delivered.  Well, I didn’t know what to do with them – remember, part of the reason why I get a box delivered is to experience new-to-me produce.  When I had glanced on the internet at what they were I saw a few things about “Pickling” them.  I hadn’t considered roasting them, as I think of them more like a radish — because they are — and I wouldn’t think to roasted a radish.  So I thought I would try throwing them in some vinegar and seeing what that would be like.  I didn’t do it the day I received them, but I did it the next day.  Although they were not going to be a part of Saturday’s dinner.  I was thinking we would have them Sunday.  So I didn’t think they would be soaking this long.  Here it is Tuesday and we still have not eaten them.  I tasted them so that I could post this.  I will serve them tonight with dinner.  They taste ok.  I am not getting a lot of THEIR flavor possibly because they set so long.  I only had a few pieces as I do want save them to have with dinner tonight.  Here is what I did to make the Watermelon Radish Salad.
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1 1/2 tbsp of SEASONED rice vinegar
3 tbsp of REGULAR rice vinegar
3/4 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
dash of pepper
1 large Watermelon radish (a little smaller than a tennis ball)

Mix the ingredients in a bowl, except the radish.  Slice the radish as thin as you can.  Then put the slices in the bowl with the other ingredients.  Flip the bowl or stir the radishes every once in a while so that all of the slices are in the liquid at one time or another.

Let set for at least two hours.

Then eat as a snack or a side dish.

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I think next time I will add some onions and garlic.  In my quick research of them, I kept seeing the comment that they were “sweet” so I didn’t want to add garlic to that.  Also when I sliced them and tasted them they were really peppery so I didn’t want to add the onion.  But now that I have tasted the plain and simple way I will probably add some more flavor.  Perhaps so soy sauce to make it more like a cucumber salad?

So even though I usually roast my veggies, as I mentioned I hadn’t considered doing that but, my husband shared my post on Facebook and one of his friends did say he LOVED them roasted.  So I will probably try that.  We have two left and they are huge so I COULD probably do both.  Make another “salad” and roast one.  We will see.

My evening yoga class is on break this week so that means I will have extra time to cook this week so that just might work.

I do want to say that the smell coming from the radishes is NOT GOOD.  It is worse than soaking beans.  I am using my essential oil and candles remedy to battle the stench.

A lot of people commented on my husband’s post that they LOVE these radishes.  What about you?  Do you like watermelon radishes?

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Turkey Tortilla Rolls Ups Lessons

Posted by terrepruitt on December 11, 2014

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia at the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Zumba, PiYo, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex City of San Jose, San Jose Group Ex classes, YMCATortilla rolls ups.  An easy thing to make and bring to a potluck or serve at a party.  I brought them to our Thanksgiving lunch.  I wasn’t sure if we would be snacking beforehand or not.  Lately we have been so I brought them.  This time we did not and they were served with lunch, which is fine.  At the meal there were several names that were being tossed about and, of course, I don’t remember any of them because I just have always called them tortilla rolls.  I don’t consider it a wrap because it is sliced and not served whole.  I have also called them turkey rolls because I make them with turkey lunch meat.  I have made them often enough — which is just a few times — that I have learned a few things.  Well, this time I learned even more.  So I am going to share the things I learned about Turkey Tortilla Rolls Ups.

First here is the “recipe”:

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Tortillas (large), 5
Cream Cheese, a brick
lunch meat (I usually use turkey), 15 slices
cheese, sliced, 15 slices
onion, sliced
olives, sliced
lettuce

Before you start you might want to take the cream cheese out of the refrigerator to soften.

I use the ingredients in the order listed.  I find that it seems easier to lay out cling wrap.  The size of the wrap does not have to be that large because the tortilla is going to be rolled.  So it can be as long as the tortilla, but the entire tortilla does not need to fit on it (say from top to bottom).

Lay out 5 pieces of cling wrap.  Then place a tortilla on each piece.  Then spread the cream cheese in a “band” across the tortilla about 1/3 of the way up.  Then put a little “ribbon” of cream cheese on the upper edge of the tortilla.  Place the lunch meat across the band, (at least 3 slices per tortilla).  Place the sliced cheese (at least 3 slices per tortilla) on the lunch meat near the bottom of it.  I don’t have pictures because, can you guess?  I really wasn’t planning on posting this because this recipe can be found anywhere, but what I found out made me want to share.

Put slices of onions on top of the sliced cheese.  On top of all that add the slices of olives.  Then put handfuls of lettuce on top of that.  The lettuce can be put on the tortilla from the bottom all the way up to — and even past — the band of ingredients you have across the tortilla.  So basically you can “fill up” the entire bottom half of the tortilla with lettuce.

When you roll, I find it works best to roll it has tight as you can.  You have to push the lettuce in and under the roll as it goes.  Roll it as TIGHT AS YOU CAN.  You will probably hear lettuce crunching!

Then roll the tortilla roll into the plastic wrap.  Then let them set at least two hours.  Before serving, cut into slices.  I usually get about 8 rolls out of a tortilla.  So this recipe will make about 40 little roll ups.

They seem to slice best with a serrated knife.

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My family got together AFTER Thanksgiving.  I made the roll ups on Thursday night.  I sliced them and served them Saturday.  When I made them I rolled them very tight.  When I sliced them they were very loose.  I was confused while cutting the first wrap.  Then by the time I got to the second one I realized that the lettuce had shrunk.  It wilted a bit.  It wasn’t really soggy and totally wilted, but it did lose a lot of volume.  So that is something I need to keep in mind if I make them in advance.

Also . . . people seem to love the flavor of cream cheese and olives.  Interesting the things you learn:

-serrated knife, the lettuce will lose volume making the wrap loose (and more difficult to cut), and olives and cream cheese.  Oh, and at the store I found THIN sliced cheese.  That helped a lot.

Do you like these?  Do you make them?  What would you put in your Roll Ups?

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Dancing With Persimmons

Posted by terrepruitt on November 13, 2014

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia at the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Zumba, PiYo, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex City of San Jose, San Jose Group Ex classes, YMCAOk, not really, but Salsa is a dance.  In my post where I had asked what to make with all the winter fruits and veggies I said I had about seven persimmons and I did.  I didn’t know what to do with them and I know we are going to be get more in the next delivery.  I know I can always make Fancy Toast, but I wanted something else to do with them.  All I found when doing a quick search on the internet were cookies and cakes.  I wanted a savory persimmon recipe.  So I searched for “savory persimmon recipes” and I found one on the ad infested Organic Authority.  It is a persimmon salsa.  I thought, “Why not?”  So below is my version of Persimmon Salsa, which is not too much different from theirs.  I just cut up the persimmon smaller, used tablespoons instead of teaspoons, and used a different, milder, pepper.

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Persimmon SalsaDance Exercise, Nia, Nia at the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Zumba, PiYo, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex City of San Jose, San Jose Group Ex classes, YMCA

5 small Fuyu persimmons
2 tbsp minced shallots
1 tbsp PLUS 1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp minced fresh basil
2 tbsp minced fresh mint
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 tbsp minced Anaheim pepper
salt
pepper

Peel the persimmons and cut into tiny chunks.  Mix the shallots, lemon juice, basil, mint, ginger, and pepper in a bowl.  Season with salt and pepper.  Let the flavors meld together for at least two hours.  Then serve however you would like.

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Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia at the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Zumba, PiYo, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex City of San Jose, San Jose Group Ex classes, YMCAMy idea was to let my hubby munch on it as an appetizer.  I wanted to serve it on crackers. That is why I cut up the persimmons really small.  If I were just going to plop in on some meat, I might not finely “chop” the persimmons.  Even though I thought I would have leftovers and would end up putting some of it on chicken (or perhaps pork), I thought I’d start small since its original purpose is to pile it onto crackers.

Next time I make it, I will pair it with some meat.   Instead of using it to flavor the meat during cooking, like I do with marinades, I will just use it raw as a topping.

I also think the next time I make it, I might use a little more pepper since he couldn’t taste the pepper at all.  Before the flavors all settled it wasn’t too hot.  I was careful to avoid the peppers though when I tasted it.  We will see.  My husband really liked it even though he didn’t experience any heat.

Anaheim peppers are supposedly less hot than the jalapenos that the original recipe called for.  I was going for “less hot.”

So now I have another type of relish, salsa to use during the holidays.  It can be used as an appetizer with crackers or used to add flavor to meat, just like the cranberry relish recipe I just posted. (click here to go to: A Quick And Yummy Way To Use Cranberries).  I normally try not to post recipes so close together, but I had Nia class this morning and have to rush off to yoga tonight.  I don’t know where the day went.  I had this post all typed up and ready to go. . . . so two recipe post close together!

I won’t be eating this salsa by the spoonful because of the peppers, but the cranberry relish . . . . no telling.

What are you doing with all of your persimmons?  Do you just eat them as you would an apple?  Do you have a favorite recipe?

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A Quick And Yummy Way To Use Cranberries

Posted by terrepruitt on November 8, 2014

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia at the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Zumba, PiYo, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex City of San Jose, San Jose Group Ex classes, YMCAI received cranberries last year a couple of times in the organic produce box that we buy.  At least one batch went to waste.  I think — I can’t remember, but I think we ate some from the next batch, but not a lot.  So part of that container went to waste.  I was convinced that I could make something with them, but I had no idea what.  Everything I looked up just didn’t seem appealing.  I asked a question on my blog about what people are eating.  I mentioned cranberries, asking what to do with them and one of my students replied with a very delicious and EASY recipe.   It is a “no cook” relish.  I didn’t know that I would like it, I am not a relish fan.  But this is fresh fruit and not a pickled variety.  Also, this student, this friend, has supplied me with great recipes before so my trust level is high.  The recipe is so easy.  Sometimes I think that adds to a recipe.  If it is something you can whip up quick it helps it taste better.  The relish is raw, no cooking involved.  That is one way that it is easy.  It is a cranberry orange relish.  It is delicious!

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Cranberry Orange Relish

a little over a cup of cranberries
1 apple
1/2 of a medium to large size orange
a little less than 1/3 C sugar
maybe a little salt

Remove the core from the apple.  Leave the peel on.  Then cut the apple into large chunks.  Cut the orange into chunks — LEAVE THE PEEL INTACT.  Put the cranberries, apple chunks, cut up orange WITH THE PEEL ON, sugar, and pinch of salt into the food processor or blender.  And pulse until the ingredients are mixed up and finely chopped.  Scrape the sides down, if necessary, in between pulses.*

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I served it on some boneless pork chops.  It was awesome.  I figured since my husband likes Porky Pork Chops, which has apples, the relish with cranberries, apples, and oranges would be good.  And it was.  It was soooooooooooooo good.  We had some leftover.  And my friend mentioned eating it on crackers.  So I wanted to try that.  DELISH!

This relish is so good you don’t need to put it on anything, you can eat it by the spoonful!

It is also so good, I can imagine it on a variety of things.  It would be good on chicken, on some salad greens, on pancakes, on waffles, on French Toast, or served as a fruit “bruschetta”.  I don’t eat dressing/stuffing, but I imagine it would give your holiday dressing a little zip.  I know . . . and I mentioned it in the post that netted me the recipe . . . that my sister-in-law put cranberries in her dressing so this would be just a little bit more umph!

It would be yummy as an ice cream topping.  Perhaps it could even go on a fruit pie.

Really it can go anywhere your imagination goes.  I wanted to post this recipe in time for Thanksgiving in case you wanted to use it for Thanksgiving Dinner.   (Or Thanksgiving Lunch – as is the case with us because someone has tickets to the 49er game so we have to have dinner at noon!)

To see my friend’s write-up of the recipe (she used about 4 cups of cranberries or a 12 ounce bag – which she says is about 3 cups) go to my post and scroll down the comments.  Then go make it and tell me what YOU put it on.

Thank you, again, for the recipe Joan!

Doesn’t this sound good?  Doesn’t this sound easy?  What are you going to put it on?

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Leftover Rainbow Chard To The Rescue

Posted by terrepruitt on October 25, 2014

You might know from reading my posts that 1) I teach Nia in the morning and yoga in the evening on Thursdays  2)  On Thursdays I like to have dinner at the point of readiness at which it will only take a 20 minutes tops for me to have dinner on the table  3)  I cook a lot of ground turkey and use the same flavors/spices.  So, I was so excited that on Sunday I thought ahead to what I would cook on Thursday.  I found a recipe in my “Recipes I really want to try” folder.  Artichoke hearts are not something I think of using because I didn’t always like them.  The recipe I decided to try had them in it.  I was very focused on the artichoke hearts.  My plan kind of consisted of the fact that by the time I went shopping on Thursday we would need A LOT of things.  The weekend before we had been out of town so I let the fridge get rather empty.  So this trip I was going to be grabbing some staples.  I had added a few things to my list as I thought of them.  I was focused on the artichoke hearts, that DIFFERENT flavor.  The recipe I chose was a chicken recipe and when I glanced at it when scribbling out my list I thought the chicken was shredded.  My idea was to check the recipe again before I shopped on Thursday to see if it was or not.  If it was I could have used chicken I had, if not, I needed to buy some.  I got busy and didn’t check the recipe again and I just decided I could buy the chicken and use it if I needed it or save it if I didn’t.  Something came up Thursday morning after my Nia class so I arrived home after shopping later than I planned.  After putting away the groceries and having some food, I looked at the recipe – the SPINACH and Artichoke Chicken recipe.  I hadn’t bought spinach.  I hadn’t even put it on the list.  (EYE ROLL!)

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia at the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Zumba, PiYo, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex City of San Jose, San Jose Group Ex classes, YMCASo click here for the recipe I was going to make.  The recipe I ended up making is below.  Just some slight adjustments. (Be sure to visit Dinner of Herbs for more yummy recipes!)

When I was putting away the groceries I noticed I had a container of “fresh” baby spinach that needed to be used.  There was about a handful of nice looking leaves.  I had also noticed we had our leftover Rainbow Chard.  I had cooked the Rainbow Chard as I usually do with onions and garlic and salt in some olive oil.  I had even added a bit of Worcestershire sauce to help over power the “green” taste.  So the chard was tasty.  I was just concerned that it would get too cooked after baking for 25 minutes.  But . . . I didn’t have the time nor the desire to go out to get spinach.  I needed to use up the chard anyway so . . . why not?

Also, the store I was at did not have the usual brand of chicken breast so I bought some that I have never seen.  They were quite large.

So below is what I ended up making.  I thought to take a few pictures while I was making it, but after I got home from class and was in get-it-on-the-table mode I forgot to take pictures of it cooked.  It was good.  I will be making it again . . . . next time with spinach and then who knows.  It seems any green you would cook would work.

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Chicken With Spinach, Rainbow Chard, and Artichoke Hearts

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied
garlic salt
handful of baby spinach, chopped
1.5 cups of cooked Rainbow Chard
2 6.5 oz jars of artichoke hearts, drained (save a little for the pan)*, and chopped
1/8 C sliced almonds**
2 oz Neufchâtel cheese
2-3 tbsp Parmesan cheese
Garlic powder
Onion powder

Preheat oven to 375° F.  Sprinkle garlic salt on both sides of each chicken breast.  In a large bowl mix the spinach, chard, artichoke hearts, almonds, Parmesan cheese, and powders.  Use two utensils to cut the Neufchatel cheese into the mixture.  Put the chicken in a 9X13 glass casserole dish.  Spoon the filling onto one side of each of the butterflied chicken breasts, then fold over.  Spoon any remaining filling onto each folded chicken breast, if you have enough put it all around.  Bake for at least 20 minutes . . . until chicken is cooked to your liking.

*I poured a little bit of the artichoke marinade on the chicken.
**Next time I am going to add more AND sprinkle some on top!

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Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia at the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Zumba, PiYo, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex City of San Jose, San Jose Group Ex classes, YMCAThe chicken breast I used were so huge, I actually had to cook them for 40 minutes.  PLUS, I left them in the oven with it turned off for an additional 10 minutes while I prepared our plates with the rice I served.  I don’t think that the chicken I normally buy would require 40 minutes.

Neufchâtel is like cream cheese in that it has the same consistency, so it just didn’t stir into the other ingredients.  I had to “cut it in” with two utensils.  Basically you want to make sure there are no clumps of cheese.

The store I was at had only ONE brand of Neufchâtel cheese and I don’t know how authentic it is because it tastes just like cream cheese to me.  Perhaps on my next go at this recipe I will find a brand that I feel is more authentic.  I will do some research.

Sounds yummy, huh?  Don’t you think any green that you would cook would work?  If you make it with another green (kale, collard greens, etc) let me know.  Go wild!

 

 

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