Last Saturday we were blessed with spectacular Springtime weather...sunny and almost 70 degrees! Naturally, we dragged out the grill and outdoor patio furniture from the shed. (We don't have a covered patio and the winds can gust upwards of 100 mph. We also didn't want to have to chase our grill as it rolled down the street!) So, we waited until weather permitted to unleash the hubby grill master!
For our first official barbecue I marinaded some shrimp..simple stuff. Something I've been wanting to attempt is barbecued oysters...yum! On a trip to San Juan Island there was a restaurant on the oceanfront as we disembarked the ferry. The giant barbecues set up on the sidewalk at the entrance were covered with rows of fresh salmon and oysters. We were hooked! Now, I've never been fond of oysters, but I remember these to be different from the kind you send raw down your throat as fast as you can without choking to avoid (sorry) the snotty slimy texture. Even if you don't care for oysters...that may change after you've tried these! The only problem was that I only bought 4 to sample!
Barbecued Oysters
This is obviously a sampling. If you dare to make more you'll need to increase the measurements.
4 cleaned oysters (Have a sharp paring knife, tongs, potholder and plate handy.)
For the sauce:
In a small saucepan heat 2 Tablespoons of butter, 1/4 cup of Thai sweet chili sauce and 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh cilantro. Heat this up before you put the oysters on the grill, bring outdoors with a basting brush.
Heat the barbecue to about medium. Lay the whole oysters flat side up. Keep on for about 2 minutes. They will steam inside and barely open. Remove from the grill. Use the tongs to remove, the knife to pry open being careful not to let the juice seep out. Use the potholder so you don't burn yourself. This is an easy process.
Toss the empty half shell out. Place the oysters back on the grill, baste with the sauce and close grill top. Continue to cook for another 2 minutes. Remove to a serving dish and eat immediately! Soooo good!
It's official. My new crock pot is the catalyst for this lazy girl dinner. It was one of those days when I was feeling very uninspired by the food selections around me. I wandered into the pantry and started grabbing cans of beans. Kidney, garbanzo, black beans...what else? This is how I cook. Sometimes it comes out fantastic, and other times completely forgettable and not worthy of this blog. Yes, it happens!
This one was worth it and so easy and filling for a family of 6. Lots of leftovers for us, but it was even better the next day. Get out your crock pot and start grabbing.
Tex Mex Pot O' Beans
1 package (1.5 lb.) chicken wings
1 can black beans (15 oz.)
1 can garbanzo beans (15 oz.)
1 can kidney beans (8.75 oz.)
1 can whole kernel corn (15 oz.)
1/2 onions, chopped
1 Tbsp barbecue sauce
1/4 cup thick hot salsa
2 cups chopped kale
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
Dump the wings (rinse first) into the crock pot. Drain and rinse all the beans and corn and throw on top of chicken. Follow with the onions, barbecue sauce, salsa, kale, broth and water. Stir to mix, cover and cook on high for at least 4 hours. Then turn down to low for the remaining time. I started cooking on high around 12 noon, until about 4:00 pm. Turned it down to low and it simmered for another hour or so. By then the meat from the wings was falling off. Good stuff!
Switching gears....a restaurant review for the Twisted Fork in South Reno
Twisted Fork
The name, Twisted Fork, for me, conjures up images from early days of MTV featuring a big hair band called "Twisted Sister". I'll just say, I'm way off base. This new eating establishment in South Reno hit a home run on a recent visit.
I confess, I was a little worried because I had started ANOTHER weight loss plan. More on that when I'm willing to divulge, but this is neither the time or place, right now. Eating out can make or break good intentions. I was prepared and did my groundwork, perusing the menu online before I got to the door. We didn't make reservations, big mistake, as it was jam packed. That's either a good sign or it was Washington's birthday weekend. Both were true!
Twisted Fork has an innovative, varied menu. There is something for everyone! Entrees such as tiger shrimp tamal, (tamale) pan roasted salmon, roasted chicken & ham potpie, porcini mushroom ravioli and risotto crab croquettes grace the menu. I chose a root vegetable salad, mixed greens with a cashew encrusted goat cheese and topped with a side of seared ahi. Wonderful and beautiful presentation.
The service was good as was the atmosphere. I'll be sure to return...there is an order of tiger shrimp tamale with my name on it!
Open for lunch and dinner next to RC Wiley on Steamboat Parkway in South Reno.
Stuff It! Stuff the eggplant, that is. One of my favorite ways to serve and eat eggplant is fried and layered into a crusty piece of French bread. But, when I choose to limit my intake of bread and fried foods, this preparation is a close second.
Eggplant is one of those vegetables which is overlooked or completely ignored. It's usually "stuffed" into a dark corner in the grocery store. In my store I have to stand on tip toes to reach up and grab one. It's as if they are trying to hide the eggplant! Maybe, it's because no one knows what to do with it! And, if you don't, you can always use one as a Mediterranean decoration. Pick a colorful bowl, fill with lemons, pomegranates and sprigs of rosemary. Plop an aubergine colored eggplant in the center. (I just gave myself a great decorating tip!) If you want to make a meal instead of decorate, stay tuned!
Turkey Sausage Stuffed Eggplant
2 smaller (6-7 ") eggplants, or you can use 1 large (8-9") size
2 tbsp olive oil
3-4 turkey sausages, removed from casings
1/4 of a yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 mushrooms, chopped
1/4 cup diced red pepper
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the eggplants in half, lengthwise and scoop out the pulp. Do this by using a paring knife to cut withing 1/2 inch of the outside. Lift out as much pulp as you can, then carve the rest. Don't completely remove all the pulp. Reserve the scooped out pulp and place the hollowed eggplants on a baking sheet, cut side up. Drizzle with one of the tablespoons of oil. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, remove and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, brown the turkey while chopping into bite size pieces using a wooden spoon, then add the onions, garlic, mushrooms, and red peppers. Add one cup of diced (reserved) eggplant. Cover and continue to cook on medium for about 7 minutes. Add the fennel seeds, parsley and broth, stir, cover loosely and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Stuff the eggplants, firmly and sprinkle cheese on top. At this point you can refrigerate and bake later. Or, set the oven to 350 degrees and bake for about 10-15 minutes.
Serves 4.
I'm a sucker for any kind of Asian noodle, chow mein, lo mein, soba, pad Thai and chow fun for starters. I admit that I've attempted to make some of these in the past, but, years ago special ingredients weren't readily found at the store. You usually had to go to an Asian market to seek them out. Now there's no excuse for not being able to create these noodle dishes.
I used frozen cooked shrimp for this which made it immensely convenient instead of having to clean them myself. They're great to have in the freezer to add to salads and pastas, too. Fresh is always best, however, if you're pressed for time, use the frozen. I also used packaged soba noodles called chuka soba which means Chinese noodle (I hope). No hand pulling noodles for me.
I like my noodles spicy hot, but not the five alarm #5 on the noodle scale. I used sriracha sauce to add some heat. Depending on your preference, you may want to add some to your individual plate if making for your children. You've been warned!
Ingredients:
package of soba noodles
1 Tbsp oil
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup cooked shrimp, defrosted, cut into pieces
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1/4 cup carrots, julienne
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped
2 Tbsp Hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp sriracha hot sauce
1/2 cup water
Cook the noodles according to package in boiling water. They only take 3 minutes. Drain and rinse well and set aside.
In a large skillet (or wok -type pan) heat the oil on medium high. Add the eggs and immediately start to stir around like you're scrambling eggs, only quicker. When done, remove from the pan, lower the heat to medium. To the skillet, add the shrimp, carrots, onions, cilantro, mint, Hoisin, and sriracha sauce. Stir until well blended. Add the noodles, mix and add the water to give it a looser sauce. Add the eggs at the end and serve.
Believe it or not it will take less than 10 minutes. All the chopping (prep work) takes the longest. Enjoy!
Okay, so you're not forbidden to eat this. The dish is plated onto a bed of dark "forbidden" rice and piled high with shrimp and vegetables. Black rice is similar in the fiber content of brown rice with the same nutty taste. In ancient Chinese culture it was only served to the Emperor and was off limits to his subjects, thus, "forbidden".
Treat yourself with a dinner fit for the king!
Ingredients:
Forbidden (black) rice, cook according to directions
1 Tbsp oil
1/2 large carrots, peeled and julienne (cut into strips)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 green onions, chopped (reserve 1/4 of this portion for garnish)
1 cup sliced mushrooms
3/4 cup shredded red or green cabbage
1 Tbsp hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
10-12 pre-cooked shrimp, cleaned, no tail
Napa or lettuce leaves for garnish
sriracha or chili sauce for a spicy condiment
forbidden rice (Cook according to directions)
Once you've done all the chopping or prep work, this comes together quite quickly. Cook the rice first. It will take about 45 minutes. In a large skillet heat the oil on medium heat. Add the carrots, onions, garlic, mushrooms and cabbage and stir while cooking until slightly limp. Add the shrimp, stir, and add the hoisin and soy sauce. If mixture appears dry, just add a bit of water to loosen.
Serve on a lettuce leaf and a bed of rice. For those of you who like a little spice, by all means add some chili flakes, sriracha sauce or sweet Thai chili sauce.
Makes 2 heaping towers.
Is it bizarre that I should have such intense cravings for food like salmon or tuna? I'm not sure...could it be a deficiency in vitamin K or D? Or is it just my adoration for low carb substitutes that mimic a pizza?
If you're a fan (I know there must be one person out there!) of bagels with cream cheese and salmon, you will surely be satisfied eating just one or part of one. This combination is far from "normal" on a pizza, but somehow it works! Try it!
Ingredients:
Plain naan (Indian flat bread)
fat free cream spreadable cream cheese
handfuls of spinach or arugula, chopped
pre-cooked sliced onions with minced garlic (optional)
smoked salmon (1/2 - 1 oz for each serving)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place naan on baking sheet and heat for about 3-4 minutes. Spread each naan with about 1 oz of cream cheese, then some onions and garlic. Top with spinach or arugula and dot with small pieces of salmon. Done and dinner is served!
This would make a great appetizer for those fish loving friends! Just cut into strips and serve with a glass of white wine.
You've seen those pricey decorative bottles of infused balsamic at specialty stores and farmer's markets. I thought I would take a chance when I purchased a tall bottle of blackberry ginger balsamic at a nearby farmer's market last Summer. Pricey? Yes! So, this concoction will go onto my "to make home made" bucket list. In the meantime, I graced an otherwise plain piece of chicken with a balsamic honey glaze. Delicious!
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp herbs de Provence
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp oil
4 thin chicken breast "steaks"
2 Tbsp blackberry ginger balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp honey
Season the chicken on both sides with the herbs, salt, pepper and thyme. In a large skillet heat the oil on medium. Brown the chicken on both sides, cooking for about 7 minutes on each side, remove from the pan (keep warm) while making the glaze/sauce.
In a small saucepan, on low-medium heat, add the honey and vinegar. Simmer and stir until the mixture thickens. Pour over the chicken.
I served it over a bed of arugula and the glaze was perfect for a salad dressing as well.
NOTE: You can certainly use the same skillet for the glaze that you used for the chicken. I did it separately, in case I had leftover sauce for a salad the next day. (I didn't want chicken bits in it.) Crazy, huh?
