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Amaranth leaf salad with herbed balsamic vinaigrette – simple and refreshing for late summer days.

When friends unfamiliar with my gardening hobby come to call, I sometimes serve homegrown Amaranth leaf salad as a side dish. The beautiful magenta-tinged leaves of the Red Leaf Amaranth plant are mature enough by early summer to use as a stand-alone salad or mixed with other greens. Because they are not sold in grocery stores or even at produce stands, no one has a clue what the colorful greens are. Thus, I often refer to this dish as my “Mystery Salad”.

I only recently found I could grow Amaranth….. which I first discovered as a “seed or grain” that I use when baking cookies to add a crunchy texture. It also provides an extra depth of flavor when added to pancake or muffin batters.

Grown historically by the Aztecs, gluten-free Amaranth is high in protein , vitamins and minerals. I grow it in pots outside my kitchen door rather than in my garden where it can be nibbled by deer. The plants produce leaves, flowers and nutritious seeds similar to buckwheat and quinoa from May through October.

Growing Amarinth is easy and fun with a profusion of colorful leaves for salads or cooking along with flowers and nutritious seeds similar to buckwheat or quinoa.

Similar in taste to arugula but more delicate., the leaves are delicious in salads on their own or combined with Green Leaf or Romaine lettuces and/or red onion, red pepper, cucumber, radishes or cherry tomatoes. The greens are best when combined with an herbed Balsamic vinaigrette that’s simple to whip up.

Herbed Balsamic Vinaigrette

  • 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 Tablespoon water
  • 1/4 teaspoon of sugar or to taste
  • Healthy dollop of Dijon mustard
  • 1 large or two small garlic cloves chopped
  • 2 or 3 stems of thyme stripped from stem
  • 2 stems of flat leaf parsley – torn
  • 2 leaves of basil – torn
  • 2 stems of chives – chopped

Whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, water, sugar, and the dollop of Dijon mustard. Add herbs, whisk again and allow the herbs to steep for a few moments before serving.

Simply layer the leaves, add some cat mint blossoms or other edible flowers and set the dressing out for guests to drizzle. I like to serve the salad as a compliment for casseroles made from richly sauced chicken or turkey and porcini mushrooms.

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Forrest’s easy chops for two

Known to his friends as something of a globe trotter, Forrest Terrell loves to travel. But, when at home in Annapolis Maryland, he enjoys cooking and listening to jazz – usually simultaneously.

A widower since 2007, he enjoys heading to the West Coast to take in jazz events or visit family….. or indulging in long-dreamed of trips. He’s visited India, Russia, China, Japan and Thailand.

He first developed a taste for travel on work-related trips . But the international travel bug bit when he and his late wife Claire celebrated an anniversary in Rio de Janeiro. Subsequent trips to Budapest, Prague and Vienna in honor of Claire’s Hungarian heritage were followed by a trans- Atlantic cruise ending in London. Between trips, Forrest satisfied his wanderlust through travel to Amsterdam as a courier delivering documents and participating in educational adventures including a wildlife expedition to Kenya.

His culinary adventures began of necessity when Claire – a magnificent cook with a flair for entertaining – passed away. Fortunately, she left an immense book of recipes behind – a veritable treasure trove of good things to eat – that Forrest relies on.

Preferring to make simple dishes using the freshest ingredients and best meats, he’s chosen a recipe called 1+1+4+4 Pork Chops to share with us. They are quick, reliable and easy to make whether serving two or four people. We’ve chosen to prepare the recipe for two.

1+1+4+4 Pork Chops

  • 2 one-inch pork chops (boneless or bone-in as mine were)
  • Salt, pepper or fresh herbs to taste (I added a bit of fresh thyme and rosemary)
  • 1 Tablespoon of oil if needed (optional)

Forrest emphasizes that a one-inch chop is crucial to the success of the technique of searing the meat to seal in the juices and cooking through in a prescribed amount of time to retain moisture and tenderness. He buys his at The Amish Market in Annapolis.

Place your 1-inch thick pork chops on a plate or non-wooden cutting board. Pat them dry and lightly salt and pepper. I chose to add a bit of fresh thyme and rosemary from my garden.

Preheat the pan in which you are going to cook the chops. If using a cast iron skillet like the one I chose, heat the pan until a droplet of water sizzles on the surface. You may add up to 1 Tablespoon of olive or vegetable oil if you feel it is needed. Add the chops.

Over high heat, brown the first side of the meat for exactly 1 minute. Turn and cook exactly one minute more. Turn the chops again , reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. Cook for 4 minutes. Turn the chops for a final time and cook 4 more minutes.

Transfer the pork chops to a cutting board . Cover and set aside to rest while you prepare your side dishes. (Once they’ve rested, they may be sliced or not.) I like to serve them with roast potato slices Sharon Lee style along with Brussels Sprouts and green peas. The sprouts are steamed in a saucepan with an inch and a half of water, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a pinch each of sugar and red pepper flakes, salt to taste and a squeeze of lemon juice. The potatoes are a simple creation of my own that require a bit more work. Here’s the recipe.

Sharon Lee’s Roasted Potatoes

  • 2 medium to large potatoes washed and sliced (skin on)
  • 2 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil combined with fresh thyme, parsley and sage
  • Salt and/or pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine 2 Tablespoons of olive oil with torn leaves of thyme, parsley and sage. Lay potato slices on a cookie sheet. I use an old standby that’s not pretty but works great. ( If you have a nicer cookie sheet that you’d like to use you can cover it with aluminum foil.) Coat with olive oil mixture. Place in oven to roast and watch carefully. Cook between 7 and 9 minutes on one side. Flip to other said and cook another 7 to 9 minutes. (Both sides will then be golden brown.) Remove from oven and serve.

Forrest serves his pork chops with one of two sauces

Bourbon and Mustard Sauce

  • 1/2 cup bourbon (or other whiskey)
  • 1/4 cup Dijon Mustard
  • 2 Tablespoons honey or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • black pepper to taste

Deglaze the pan in which you cooked the chops by adding the 1/2 cup of bourbon and stirring for l minute. Reduce heat to low and add mustard, honey Worcestershire and pepper and cook, stirring, till warmed through.

Apple Cider Pan Sauce

  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Simply deglaze the pan in which the chops were cooked with the cider vinegar and cook over medium heat, stirring from the bottom, until the sauce is reduced and thickened. Add salt and pepper.

I chose the latter recipe and set the table and poured a couple glasses of wine while it reduced. Then I retrieved my resting chops, plated them with the vegetables and pulled up a chair. They were delicious!

Many thanks to Forrest Terrell for his delicious 1+1+4+4 recipe for pork chops. They were served with Apple Cider Pan Sauce on the side, roasted potatoes, Brussels Sprouts and green peas. Yummy.
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From garden to table, late season string beans, squash delight the taste buds

Autumn leaves are falling so I checked my little vegetable patch to see what’s left for me to harvest.  There are lots of herbs, some tomatoes and, oh yes, beans.  I’m only able to raise a limited amount.  But nothing tastes better than string beans fresh from the garden.

Much like my mom and grand mom, I enjoy sitting on the porch and snapping the ends off string beans fresh from the garden. Husked corn’s already in the fridge.

I find it relaxing to sit on the porch and snap the ends off beans…even better when a friend or family member joins me in the effort.

My mother Margaret Owings and my grandmother Fanny Belle Elseroad made the most extraordinary string beans . They’d simmer them on the stove top with ham hocks or bacon drippings the old fashioned way for hours…a method  that produced a flavor and texture that can only be described as meaty.

My own method for cooking green beans is  similar but modified for a shorter cooking time.  It’s easy to grab a ham hock from my freezer but it takes time for the meat to give up its flavor.  So, if I’m busy, I’ll usually substitute  bacon.

The recipe I’ve come up with is more of a guideline that’s flexible depending on the amount of beans you’re using.  It requires that you taste the beans while cooking so that salt and seasonings may be adjusted.  I’ve based the following measurements and instructions on roughly 1-1/2 to 2 pounds of freshly harvested green beans.

I’ve shortened the time required to make the recipe to around 30 minutes but allowing 40 minutes or even an hour enhances the flavor.  While they are cooking I’ll work on other dishes including the summer squash recipe further down the page.

“String Beans My Way”

A large saucepan or dutch oven

1-1/2 to 2 pounds of string beans

3 or 4 strips of bacon

2  inches of water

A drizzle of olive oil

1/2 teaspoon of sugar

1/2 to 1 teaspoon of salt (start with less than 1/2 teaspoon and add more as needed)

Several pinches of dried dill

2 teaspoons of cider vinegar

Gather the beans from your garden or buy them from a local farmer’s market or produce stand.  As a last resort, buy them from a supermarket.

Snap the ends off the beans

Give them a good rinse and set them aside

While the bacon was cooking for the beans, I sliced tomatoes for another dish.

Fry 3 or 4 strips of bacon.  When done drain the bacon on paper towels and reserve 2 Tablespoons of drippings.  Set aside.

Place the string beans  in a large saucepan or dutch oven with 2 to 3 inches inches of water depending on amount of beans

Drizzle with olive oil

Turn the heat on the burner to high till the water begins to boil and then turn it down to simmer

Add 2 Tablespoons of bacon drippings

Add 1/2 teaspoon of sugar and sprinkle with less than 1/2 teaspoon of salt. (Add more as you go along according to taste up to 1 whole teaspoon))

Sprinkle liberally with dried dill

Allow beans to simmer on a back burner while you prepare other dishes and turn them from time to time

Had more vegetables to slice than room on my cutting board. But the water beneath the string beans was heating up nicely.

Add cider vinegar to beans starting with 1 or 2 teaspoons but tasting and adding  more as needed.

Crumble half the bacon and add to the pot

Before serving, top beans with remaining crumbled bacon

Meanwhile, prepare ingredients for other sidedishes.  The growing season for yellow squash is nearing an end so I like to saute them along with other vegetables.  You can’t beat the fresh taste and lightness of this dish.

Yellow Summer Squash with Mushrooms and Peppers

3 yellow squash

1 Tablespoon of olive oil

2 Tablespoons water

1 clove of garlic

3 slices of a large yellow onion

Half a red pepper sliced

4 or 5 mushrooms sliced

Leaves of fresh sage and  fresh basil if you have them

Add about a Tablespoon of olive oil to a saute pan along with 2 inches of water.  Arrange sliced squash in pan with onion slices and garlic and saute briefly

Layer in sliced peppers and mushrooms and add 1 or 2 torn or chopped sage leaves and basil leaves

The fragrances of the onions, garlic, sage and basil as they cook are wonderful. Such a colorful dish too.

Turn several times while cooking  (takes less than ten minutes).  Turn off heat but keep warm.  Both dishes go especially well with pork or chicken.  And if you have any string beans left over, they’re even better warmed over the second day.

 

 

 

 

 

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Chives in bloom? Perfect time for Mary Swanson’s Scandinavian Potato Salad

From the moment my garlic chives pop out of the soil each spring till frost threatens and they disappear to overwinter below ground, I use them by the handful.  I particularly love when the chives burst into bloom at the end of August.  Bumblebees and honeybees swarm above them in the afternoon sun and frequently touch down on the lovely white blossoms pollinating as they go.

Garlic chives are one of my favorite herbs.  They are mild with a flavor between spring onions and garlic.  I occasionally use them to make my friend Mary Swanson’s wonderful Scandinavian Potato Salad recipe – a salad that’s perfect for an outdoor meal.

I first tasted this dish at  a “race day” luncheon for six prepared by Mary and her husband Ernie, a fine cook in his own right.  The Swansons are avid Formula I auto racing fans – a passion we all share.  So getting together to watch live coverage from racetracks around the globe is a fun way to spend an afternoon.

Scandinavian Potato Salad was but one star of the race day meal.  Ernie’s perfectly prepared pork medallions were great and Mary’s colorful pepper-studded black bean salad  hit the spot.

Still, it was the potato salad that captured my attention.  Different from any I’d ever tasted, it was so good I had a second helping.  I immediately asked for the recipe and Mary kindly wrote it out for me.  I share it now with you.

Mary Swanson’s Scandinavian Potato Salad

6 to 8 potatoes (Any kind  will do.  I used some white potatoes I had on hand, however, Mary most often uses medium sized red bliss potatoes.)

2 teaspoons salt (Add most to cooking water but reserve a little for dressing. Adjust to taste in accordance with amount of potatoes used.)

1 bunch garlic chives  (lavender-blossomed onion chives can be substituted and are equally good)

1/3 cup oil  (extra virgin olive oil is good but your choice)

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Remaining salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper (Or peppercorns – several grinds of the pepper mill)

Slice potatoes in rounds and place in a large saucepan with 2 to 3 inches of water and most of the salt. Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat.  Simmer till done.  Drain potatoes and place in large bowl.

Meantime make dressing by combining oil, sugar, the remaining

salt, the Dijon mustard and pepper.  Mix well and pour over potatoes and chives.  (Best done while potatoes are still warm when dressing’s easily absorbed.)  Can set out early as this mayonnaise-free side dish will not spoil if the day is warm.

Mary emphasizes that this is truly a taste-as-you go recipe with the amount of salt added determined by the number and size of the potatoes used.  You can add an extra dash or two of vinegar for a more piquant flavor.

This tangy potato salad is a great accompaniment for meat or poultry and is so easy to make.  I served it this time with steak and end-of-summer veggies including Anne Arundel County corn on the cob from Pumphrey’s Farmstand on Veteran’s Highway in Millersville, Maryland and just picked green beans prepared the old-fashioned way.

Everyone grabbed a plate and enjoyed the meal,.  Even our guilty-looking  cat Biscuit (who invited himself to dinner) managed to con us out of several bites of steak and had a fine old time.

               Everybody grab a plate and help yourselves.  No…not you Biscuit!

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Savory Meatloaf – Skip The Jelly

For years, I tried to come up with an acceptable meatloaf…..my husband John’s favorite comfort food. I failed.

My original attempts were based on a basic cookbook recipe and tips from my mother (who made fabulous meatloaf but never relied on a recipe).

I had the basics right.  I used ground beef and/or ground pork, chopped onion, chopped celery, crumbs of some sort, a squirt or two of ketchup and an egg to hold it together.  But my meatloaf was consistently bland.

A decade later it finally occurred to me to ask my mother what I could be doing wrong.

“Did you add the grape jelly?” she asked.

Flabbergasted, I wondered if I’d heard her correctly but took her suggestion to heart.  I didn’t have any grape jelly but added a teaspoon of sugar to my next meatloaf with amazingly good results.  The sugar balanced the other ingredients.

I next copied the technique of sauteing the chopped veggies before adding them to the meat from a local chef.  The recipe I ended up with for “savory” rather than sweet meat loaf follows.

It’s simple to make though I add many herbs and spices.  You’ll note that this meatloaf is not coated with a tomato-based sauce because it’s delicious without.

               Sharon Lee’s Savory Meatloaf

(Serves 4)

1-1/2 or 2 pounds ground beef (or half ground beef and half ground pork)

Bread crumbs – Two handfuls  (Grind my own but can be purchased)

Chopped onion (equivalent to two tablespoons)

Chopped green pepper ( equivalent to two tablespoons)

Chopped celery (equivalent to two tablespoons)

Two or three dashes of salt from shaker

1 teaspoon sugar

Fresh or dried oregano, thyme, rosemary, and parsley

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Dash of poultry seasoning

Dash of onion powder

Two or three dashes Worcestershire Sauce

Two or three dashes Soy Sauce

1 egg

2 dollops of ketchup

First, find a large bowl or pan to mix the ingredients in  (I use an old sheet pan). Arrange the ground meat in the pan. Add two handfuls of breadcrumbs.  Chop the onions, peppers and celery.

 

Next, saute the onions separately in some olive oil.  When translucent add them to the meat and breadcrumbs.  Add a bit more olive oil to the pan. Saute the green peppers and add them to the meat mixture.  Saute the celery and add it as well.

Add seasonings beginning with two shakes of salt (or to your taste). Next add the all-important teaspoon of sugar and your favorite herbs.  I like oregano, thyme, rosemary and parsley.  If fresh, strip from stems.  If dried, rub pinch or two between your fingers to release the oils.

For great flavor, add a pinch of cayenne, a pinch of poultry seasoning and a pinch of onion powder followed by two dashes of Worcestershire Sauce and two dashes of soy sauce.

 

 

Finish by adding one egg and two dollops of ketchup.  Then mix everything together with your hands.

 

Move the meat mixture to a loaf pan.  Place in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

Half way through cooking, pour off accumulated fat.  Place back in the oven until the meat loaf appears firm and the top is nicely browned.

You can bake potatoes along with the meatloaf for an easy meal or prepare the easy-to-make turmeric rice.  (Recipe below.)

For an easy buffet dinner after watching the Indianapolis 500 auto race on TV with friends, this meatloaf is ideal. Serve it with turmeric rice with garlic, red peppers and mushrooms, green beans and cinnamon applesauce. Ice cream for dessert.

                                           Turmeric Rice

1 cup white rice

1 clove garlic smashed and chopped

1 teaspoon roughly diced onion

2 tablespoons diced red pepper

2 tablespoons diced mushrooms

2 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

Quarter teaspoon of turmeric (or more according to your taste)

Add rice to saucepan and rinse several times until water runs clear.  Drain rice and press toward side of saucepan.  Add olive oil and saute garlic, onion and red pepper and fold the rice into the oil with the veggies.  Add the mushrooms followed by the 2 cups of water and teaspoon of salt.  Bring to a boil.  Then lower the heat and simmer until the water has evaporated and the rice is done.

 

 

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Easter Eggs the Easy Way

Perhaps like me, you’ll be having family around your table for Easter Sunday…adult children or grandchildren who love Easter eggs.  You love having a large bowl of pretty pastel eggs as a centerpiece/menu item for brunch.  But you don’t have any small kids around at the moment to help dye eggs.

With other preparations to make for the holiday, you’re much to busy to line up small cups of dye and dip eggs all afternoon.  So what are you to do?

Having found myself with this dilemma on more than one occasion, I wisely adopted my mother Margaret Owings’ shortcut for easy Easter eggs.

You simply dye the eggs while simultaneously hard boiling them.  All that is required is pots in which to boil water, a tablespoon, some food coloring and some vinegar.

Easter Eggs the Easy Way

Three dozen eggs  (Grade A large)

Three large pots filled three-quarters full with water

Three tablespoons white or cider vinegar per pot

Thirty or more drops of yellow, red, blue or green McCormick’s food coloring (can mix other colors according to directions on box)

Add three teaspoons of vinegar to each pot of water and turn on the burners.  Remove eggs from carton and drop carefully in the pots.  Squeeze in approximately thirty drops of food coloring per pot depending on how deep you want the color to be.  Bring the water to a boil, then lower it to a simmer and cover each pan with a lid.  Let the eggs simmer for 15 minutes.

Extract eggs.  You can submerge them in cold water for easier peeling but I usually place them back in the egg cartons to cool before arranging them in a bowl or basket.  I’ll serve them with homemade muffins or quick bread with juice and coffee for Easter brunch.

 

 

 

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Fresh Spring Herbs Tantalize Taste Buds

While not my favorite time of year, March is the month when my herbs spring back to life alongside daffodils, tulips and grape hyacinths.  I’m always careful not to get the grape hyacinths mixed up with the brighter green garlic chives that pop through through the soil at the same time.   Oregano peeks through the dried leaves and quickly spreads across my herb garden. Radicchio plants that overwintered are growing too.

Pots of thyme, sage and parsley bounced back well. They are abundant enough that I can run out the back door and break off springs to use for cooking or  use them in spring salads and salad dressings.

 

 

 

 

Here’s a recipe for an easy homemade balsamic dressing with garlic and herbs that’s a hit with my family.

Balsamic Dressing with Garlic and Herbs

1 clove garlic (finely chopped)

1/2 teaspoon sugar

Dash of salt

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2-1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 scant tablespoon water

Dab of French-style mustard (I use Grey Poupon)

Fresh herbs of your choice  basil, oregano, sage and thymeYou can mix this dressing in a blender as shown here or simply in a clean jar that you can shake to mix.  The basic recipe may be used with different kinds of vinegar (red wine or cider vinegar are good) and with different herbs.  You can vary the ratio of oil to vinegar according to your taste.

To blender or jar add:  garlic, sugar and salt, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and water

Use a knife blade or small spoon to add mustard

Strip leaves from springs of herbs and add to blender or jar

Blend or, if using a jar, shake until the ingredients are blended

Pour over salad greens and other ingredients

(The salad I made contained romaine lettuce, sliced apples, slices of orange pepper, blackberries, blueberries, garlic chives and edible violets.  However, the dressing is equally great with red leaf lettuce, and mushrooms, red peppers, shredded carrots or other veggies.)