Green Tomato Omelet

 

1 pound firm green tomatoes

1/3 cup cornmeal

6 large eggs

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

 

Slice the tomatoes into ½ inch thick rounds; the slices will be different sizes.  Dredge each slice in cornmeal and set aside.  Beat the eggs in a bowl with the salt, pepper, parsley, chives and thyme.

Warm the oil in a 10 or 12 inch skillet on medium heat.  Add the tomatoes and fry for about 2 minutes on each side, until golden but not brown.  The tomato slices should be firm; they’ll continue to cook in the eggs.  Remove from the skillet and drain on paper towels.

Without wiping out the skillet, cook the garlic for less than a minute.  Pour in the egg mixture and cook covered, on medium low heat for about 2 minutes.  Arrange the tomato slices on top and cook for about 5 minutes, until the bottom is firm and browned.

Flip the omelet:  Run a spatula around the outside edges and then under the omelet.  Carefully slide the omelet onto a plate.  Then flip the plate over the, depositing the omelet back into the skillet tomato side down.  Cook for 5 minutes, or until the bottom is firm.  Position a serving plate upside down, on top of the skillet and, holding it down with your palm, flip the skillet over to release the omelet onto the plate tomato side up.  Let the omelet sit for a minute or two, then cut into wedges.

Mushroom Croustades

 

No matter how many of these you make, they will disappear fast!  This recipe makes 4 to 4 ½ dozen.

Filling:

3 tablespoons minced green onions

4 tablespoons melted butter

½ pound minced mushrooms

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup heavy cream

½ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons parsley

2 tablespoons chives

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Croustades

1 loaf, firm, square bread, sliced

¼ cup butter melted

Filling: Saute green onions in butter.  Add minced mushrooms and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until moisture is gone.  Remove from heat and add flour, stirring until well blended.

Add heavy cream, bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and add salt, pepper, parsley, chives soaked in 2 tablespoons water and lemon juice.  Mix well and cool.  Using a small spoon, fill the baked croustade cups.  (Can be frozen at this stage).  Bake and serve.  350 for 10 minutes – 12 to 15 if frozen.

Chicken Honey Nut Stir Fry

 A simple, yet elegant chicken dish.  

2 teaspoons peanut oil

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and diagonally sliced

1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut in strips

1 tablespoon cornstarch

3/4 cup orange juice

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon minced ginger

1/4 cup cashews

1/4 cup minced green onions

Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a wok over high heat.  Add the carrots and celery and stir fry for 3 minutes.  Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil, then add the chicken and stir fry for 5 minutes more.

In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch into the orange juice.  Mix in the soy sauce, honey, and ginger.  Add this sauce to the wok and cook over medium heat until thickened.  Top with cashews and green onions.

I serve this over rice.

Black Bean and Ham Soup with Sweet Potatoes

 

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 medium red or yellow onions, chopped

4 cloves garlic, sliced

1 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced

2 medium size sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes

1 ½ cups canned crushed tomatoes

¾ teaspoon each ground cumin and coriander

½ teaspoon each ground ginger and salt

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 ½ cups water

1 cup cooked white or brown rice

4 cups cooked black beans (or 2 cans, drained and rinsed)

6 ounces cooked ham, cut into matchstick strips

3 tablespoons lime juice

Heat the oil in a 5 quart Dutch oven over moderate heat for 1 minute.  Add the onions and garlic and saute, stirring frequently until limp, about 5 minutes.  Add the green pepper and saute, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes more.  Stir in the sweet potatoes and tomatoes and cook, uncovered, until slightly thickened, about 4 minutes.

Mix in the cumin, coriander, ginger, salt and pepper.  Add the water and bring to a boil over high heat, then cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

Stir in the rice, bean, and ham.  Cook, uncovered, until heated through, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the lime juice.

DELICIOUS!

 

Chicken with citrus cream sauce

 

1 ½ pounds boneless chicken breasts, cubed

1 onion, finely chopped

3 tablespoons flour

3 tablespoons butter

1 cup chicken broth

1 each, lime, lemon, and orange sliced in half

1 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon orange marmalade

Salt and pepper

1 package (10 oz.) Pepperidge Farm frozen puff pastry shells, baked according to package directions

Coat chicken pieces with flour.  In a large saucepan, saute in butter until half cooked, about 2 to 3 minutes.  Remove chicken and set aside.  Saute onion, adding a little more butter to pan.  Squeeze half of the lemon, lime, and orange into onion mixture.  Cook, while stirring, until sauce reduces slightly.  Add chicken broth and marmalade.  Increase heat while stirring, reduce liquid to half.  Add heavy cream and reserved chicken.  Cook, stirring constantly until sauce thickens and just begins to boil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve in warm pastry shells.  Slice remaining citrus fruit into wedges and use as a garnish.

 

Apple Cheese Bread

This is a new recipe I tried recently and really like.

1 stick of butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar 

2 large eggs

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups grated Granny Smith apples

3/4 cup grated Cheddar

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan.  In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy.  Beat in the eggs one at a time.  In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Add the flour to the butter mixture and stir until well mixed.  Stir in the apple, Cheddar and nuts.  Spoon into prepared pan.  Bake one hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.  Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a rack to continue cooling.

Apple and Artichoke Chicken Breasts

 

2 tablespoons oil

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 onion, sliced

1 garlic clove minced

Fresh sliced mushrooms

1 can (14 oz.) artichoke hearts

1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth

2 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced

1 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons cold water

Pasta, cooked and drained

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add chicken and cook, turning once until browned on both sides, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add onion, garlic, and mushrooms.  Saute until onion is soft and tender, 5 minutes.

Add artichoke hearts, chicken broth, apples, and wine.  Simmer until apples are tender, about 10 minutes.

Add cornstarch to cold water and mix well.  Add to skillet and stir.  Continue simmering until sauce thickens.  Serve over pasta.

 

Cranberry Pork Chops

I stock up on fresh cranberries when they are in the store around the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays and freeze them to use throughout the year.  Now that they are in the store again, I found I still have two packages frozen.  So I dug up this old recipe that I haven't made in awhile.  It is delicious!

6 pork chops, about 3/4 inch thick

cooking oil

2 cups fresh cranberries

3/4 cup sugar 

salt and pepper

1/3 cup water

Brown the chops in the oil.  Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer about 1 hour.  Add more water as needed.

I'm writing a cookbook!

No, you won't find it on Amazon or any other website or in a bookstore.  It's in the early stages of development and will probably take me six months to a year to complete.  I will take the completed work to Kinko's on a flash drive and ask them to copy on 3 ring punched stiff paper and then it'll go in a binder.  I will make a copy for each of my sons, another relative who has already "reserved" a copy, and a copy or two for myself.  I believe good recipes should be handed down in families.

Quite some time ago, several years or more, actually, the idea struck me.  I have hundreds of really great recipes.  My cooking skills have evolved from pathetic to top notch over the last half century.  I was not raised in a home where good cooking and variety of meals could be found.  But once I got out into the world and discovered all the wonderful cuisines, my interest and skills in cooking sprung to life!

I'm excited about gathering all these recipes and putting them into one volume.

Eggplant and Tomato Skillet Dinner

This one embraces three words every cook wants to hear!  Quick, Easy, and DELICIOUS!

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 small eggplants, peeled and chopped in 1/2 inch pieces

1 clove (or more!) garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

4 roma tomatoes, chopped

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons basil

Saute the onion in olive oil till onion is translucent.  Add remaining ingredients, stir to combine.  Reduce heat, cover skillet and cook until the eggplant and tomatoes are soft, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

This one is a winner!  As usual for me,  I don't measure the spices, just sprinkle over the mixture till your "inner voice" says, "that's good!"