Deb's Kale & Spinach Bites

 

Deb’s Kale & Spinach Bites

2 cups chopped fresh kale (stalks removed), spin in salad spinner to dry

6 ounces fresh spinach, chopped, spin in salad spinner to dry

1 chopped yellow onion

2 minced garlic cloves

2 tablespoons melted butter

2 beaten eggs

1 egg with 1 tablespoon of water whisked in

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 cup bread crumbs

½ cup panko bread crumbs

1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (divided)

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon of these spices: thyme, sage, rosemary, oregano

¼ teaspoon cayenne

½ teaspoon garlic powder

Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt & pepper to taste

 

Line a half-sized sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Melt the butter and olive oil in a medium skillet and add the chopped onion. Sauté until cooked through and very soft, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic, and quickly sauté but don’t burn it. Add kale and spinach and cook briefly until slightly wilted. Let cool slightly. Prepare other ingredients while cooling spinach mixture.

Combine the kale/spinach mixture, Dijon mustard, spices, regular breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup of the grated parmesan cheese, salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until you have a smooth consistency but still have texture to spinach and kale. Taste and add squeeze of lemon juice, some hot sauce, more salt, more pepper, or worcestershire sauce as needed. Add beaten eggs.

Spoon the spinach mixture into a medium bowl and form into little balls - best to use a melon baller. Place on the parchment-lined cookie sheet and put the cookie sheet in the freezer for 90 minutes or 2 hours. Bake as outlined or put in a freezer bag and keep until ready to bake.

To bake: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Beat one egg with 1 tablespoon of water and place in bowl. Combine ½ cup of panko bread crumbs and remaining ½ cup of parmesan cheese in a bowl. Add ½ teaspoon of salt, pepper, and garlic powder to the cheese panko mixture. Add ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper. Mix with your hands, then brush each kale bite with egg wash and then roll each kale bite in the parmesan/panko mixture. Coat them well because this provides the crispiness.

Place the coated kale bites back on the parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes or until they’re just starting to turn golden brown. Don’t be afraid to let them cook longer. Let cool slightly before serving.

Optional Dip Sauce: Combine ½ cup sour cream or ½ cup Greek yogurt with 1 tablespoon mayo, ¼ cup fresh dill, & 1 clove minced garlic. Add hot sauce, salt and pepper to taste

Robin's Mediterranean Rice

4 cups cooked white rice (warm or room temperature)

½ cup of currants

1/3 cup toasted pine nuts

1/3 cup of drained capers

4 teaspoons dill (double if using fresh dill)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon of salt

½ teaspoon of pepper

 

Whisk together this dressing: dill, lemon juice, cumin, olive oil, salt and pepper in small bowl.  In a separate bowl, gently mix rice, currants, pine nuts and capers together.  Immediately before serving, pour dressing over rice mixture and gently toss. 

Robin's Smoked Gouda Soup

1 stick of butter

1 cup of chopped onion

2 cloves of minced garlic

1 chopped head of cabbage or 1 packet of tri-color coleslaw

¼ cup of flour

8 cups of chicken or vegetable stock (two 16 oz. boxes of stock)

2 teaspoons of salt

½ teaspoon thyme

½ teaspoon cayenne powder

1 cup of ½ & ½ or milk

8 ounces of smoked gouda, shredded on box grater

3 chopped carrots

4 slices of bacon

 

Brown bacon until crisp and set aside until cooled. 

Melt butter in Dutch oven.  Sauté onion until translucent in butter.  Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Add cabbage and cook until barely tender.  Sprinkle flour across cabbage – onion mixture and cook for 2 minutes until flour barely begins to brown. 

Add broth and spices and cook until mixture bubbles and slightly thickens.  Taste and add more salt if needed. 

Add milk and heat thoroughly.  Then add grated cheese and stir until melted.  Add carrots and simmer without boiling until carrots are barely cooked. 

Serve soup with parsley and crumbled bacon.

Deb's Ranch Dressing

 

Deb’s Ranch Dressing

½ cup mayonnaise

½ cup buttermilk (shake well)

1 clove garlic

1 tablespoon finely chopped onion

1/8 sea salt

½ teaspoon dry mustard

2 tablespoons chives (finely chopped)

1 tablespoon parsley (finely chopped)

1 tablespoon fresh dill (finely chopped)

¼ teaspoon black pepper

 

Whisk together mayo and buttermilk.  Mash garlic, onion, and salt together on a cutting board to form a paste.  Use parchment paper to make the transfer easier.  Whisk paste and dry mustard into mayo/buttermilk mixture.  Whisk in the chives, parsley, dill, and black pepper.  Add additional salt to taste (go easy!).  Refrigerate in an airtight jar.

Sylvia Dodson's Cornbread

 3/4 c. meal

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

3/4 c. buttermilk

1 egg

1/4 c. flour

1/2 t. sugar

1/4 t. soda

1/8 c. oil

Bake at 450 until browned (20-25 minutes).

** Sylvia used ground meal from an Amish store. It is grainier than regular corn meal. She used unbleached flour.

*** Vickie doubles this recipe for a large iron skillet of cornbread.

Watermelon Citrus Salad

Fresh watermelon

2 navel oranges

½ cup fresh lime juice

½ cup honey

Pickled red onions

½ cup roasted pistachios

1 cube of greek feta cheese, sliced in 1/8” squares

2 TB of mint or cilantro

Make honey-lime syrup by boiling lime juice and honey for 2 minutes and allow syrup to cool.  Cut one-half of watermelon into large triangles.  Cut away orange rind with knife and slice oranges.  Place watermelon as the 1^st layer of the salad on a large platter.  Nestle orange slices among watermelon. Place feta cheese among orange slices.  Spread pickled red onions across the salad and then mint/cilantro.  Right before serving, drizzle honey-lime syrup across salad and sprinkle pistachios atop the syrup. 

Hot and Smoky Vegetarian Baked Beans

 Hot and Smoky Vegetarian Baked Beans

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

2 chopped green peppers

1 1/4 cups purchased barbecue sauce

3/4 cup dark beer

1/4 cup mild-flavored (light) molasses

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard 

3 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 whole chipotle chile from canned chipotle chilies, chopped

2 15- to 16-ounce cans Great Northern beans, drained

2 15 to 16 oz cans chickpeas, drained

2 15 to 16 oz pork n beans without pork, drained

1 – 2 tablespoons liquid smoke

Chopped fresh parsley***

Brown onions and green pepper in olive oil until transparent.  Add onions and peppers to the next 7 ingredients in a bowl and stir to blend. Whisk in a whole chopped chipotle chile, or less, depending on spiciness desired. Stir in beans and liquid smoke. Transfer bean mixture to 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish or crockpot. Bake uncovered until liquid bubbles and thickens slightly, about 1 hour. Or cook in slow cooker for 4 hours on low. Cool 10 minutes.

Thai Lettuce Wraps

 1 lb. ground chicken

2 minced garlic cloves

3 thinly sliced green onions (white & green parts)

1 thinly sliced fresh jalapeno (optional)

Salt & pepper to taste

2 TB soy sauce

1 tsp. fish sauce

1 tsp. sambal oelek or sriracha

1 TB brown sugar

1 head iceberg or bibb lettuce, well rinsed and separated

2 fresh limes

½ onion cut in slivers

1 TB fresh ginger (optional)

Cilantro, basil or mint for topping (or all 3)

Heat nonstick skillet with 2 TB oil.  Quickly sauté jalapeno and onion for 1-2 minutes.  Add garlic and sauté for 1 additional minute.  Remove veggies from skillet and set aside.  Brown chicken in same skillet.  When browned, add cooked veggies back to skillet with soy, fish sauce, sriracha, and brown sugar.  Cook until liquid is almost completely reduced.  

Serve with juice of limes drizzled across the top.  Spread onion slivers and fresh herbs across the top.  Serve with chilled lettuce to serve as a wrap for chicken mixture.

Robin's Corn Chowder

 2 T. Olive oil

1 T. Butter

3 T. Flour

5 c. Vegetable stock

4 c. whole kernel corn

1 med. diced sweet onion

2 Russet potatoes, diced

1//2 c. each red and green pepper

1/4 T. black pepper

1 c. Half and Half

1 can diced tomatoes

Add oil and butter to pan over low heat. Saute onion until transparent. Sprinkle flour over onion, cook 5 minutes. Add broth and potatoes, bring to boil, reduce heat to medium and cover for 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. 

Add corn, peppers, salt, pepper, cream (tomatoes). Simmer over low for 10 minutes.

Garnish: 2 Roma tomatoes diced and 1/2 c. Basil

Makes 6 servings

Banana Nut Bread or Muffins with Maple Glaze

 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan 

1¼ cups all-purpose flour 

1 teaspoon fine sea salt 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

1 cup sugar 

2 large eggs, at room temperature 

3 ripe bananas, mashed 

1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush an 8- by 5- by 3-inch loaf pan with butter. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Set this aside. To make the batter, in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the paddle, cream the 1/2 cup of butter and the sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, then the mashed bananas. Add the reserved dry ingredients and pecans and stir to combine. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake until the cake is a rich, golden brown and it starts to pull away from the sides of the pan, 1 hour to 1¼ hours. Transfer to a rack to cool slightly, then invert the cake onto the rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

For muffins, bake at same temperature for 20 minutes. Makes 12 muffins. Spray muffins tins well.

Maple Glaze 

1 c. confectioner's sugar

3 T. pure maple syrup

3 T. whole milk

Mix together and pour glaze over cooled bread or muffins. Top with toasted pecans.

Adapted from Virginia Willis--Bon Appetit Y'All