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Post by pepperhead212 on Jul 15, 2023 21:34:15 GMT -5
I made another, even larger batch of of that raw tomato and pasta dish, but this time I added some other flavors to it, like I usually do. Besides the 3 lbs of tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and 3 basils I had in the basic sauce, I added some olives and olive pastes, some anchovies, and some capers, plus a tb of red wine vinegar. I made almost the same things to add to the the pasta - this time 5 oz spelt, instead of kamut, and an ounce more of channa dal, pre-cooked in the Instant Pot, before cooking 12 oz spiral pasta. The pasta was drained on the dal and spelt, to re-heat that some, before mixing it all with the tomato mix. Even after that large bowl I had of it, I have about 4 qts leftover of it, for many more helpings. I know one friend who will help me with it! 48 oz of tomatoes, diced, with 3 huge cloves of garlic, and some Thai basil, minced. by pepperhead212, on Flickr 20 Greek style olives and about 3 tb of anchovies, chopped, plus a tb green and 3 tb kalamata olive paste added. by pepperhead212, on Flickr 3 tb salted capers, soaked a couple of hours, then chopped, and added to the tomatoes. by pepperhead212, on Flickr pasta, with channa dal, spelt, fresh tomatoes, garlic, 3 basils, anchovies, olives and EVOO, and capers. by pepperhead212, on Flickr Finished pasta with the raw tomato mix by pepperhead212, on Flickr
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Jul 17, 2023 18:13:38 GMT -5
That sounds delish. Of course I love olives and capers. Why did you soak the capers? To remove some of the salt/briny flavor?
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Post by pepperhead212 on Jul 17, 2023 21:49:07 GMT -5
That sounds delish. Of course I love olives and capers. Why did you soak the capers? To remove some of the salt/briny flavor? That's the main reason, plus it softens them some - they were sort of hard, after being salted, and I've always liked the salted ones, more than the pickled ones.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Jul 18, 2023 21:25:08 GMT -5
I made a dish with about 10 okra I had (they're starting to produce, now that it's hot), plus about 3 c of eggplants, cut up, and both of these veggies stir-fried, until browned in spots, then set aside, while a tomato sauce is made in the Instant Pot, starting with onions, then peppers, then some minced garlic, plus some thyme, parsley, and some of the basils, to cook down a bunch of chopped up tomatoes. Then I put in some more water, half the rest of the basils (I always use a lot of it!), some whole oats that I soaked a couple of hours, 3/4 c toor dal, and 1/2 c red lentils, and set to cook 8 min, then let it release 10 min, then released the rest manually. Then I put the eggplant and okra in, and simmered it just 8 minutes, since the veggies were pre-cooked. Then I stirred in the remaining basils, a little more salt, and this was done. One dish meal - the ratatouille seasonings on eggplant and okra, with 2 dals and whole oats. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
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Post by brownrexx on Jul 19, 2023 5:49:57 GMT -5
pepperhead212, I just saw a post online this morning asking if any vegetable stands locally were selling okra. It's pretty rare around here but there is one who was selling it yesterday. I actually didn't grow any this year.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Jul 19, 2023 10:03:27 GMT -5
I am impressed that you found a local veggie stand selling okra up there, brownrexx.
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Post by octave1 on Jul 19, 2023 12:33:17 GMT -5
Laura_in_FL , they sell okra here as well, there are several large but local Asian grocery stores in my area and okra is available even in the wintertime.
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Post by brownrexx on Jul 20, 2023 9:41:57 GMT -5
Laura_in_FL , I didn't actually see it. Someone posted on my local town FB site. I have actually never seen it for sale anywhere but I don't shop at Whole Foods. I would expect that they MIGHT sell it but I'm not sure.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Jul 20, 2023 10:41:22 GMT -5
I always see the okra at Asian markets, both the SE Asian and the Indian market, and only occasionally at supermarkets, though I'm never buying it - just noticing it.
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Post by brownrexx on Jul 21, 2023 10:06:00 GMT -5
I always see the okra at Asian markets, both the SE Asian and the Indian market, and only occasionally at supermarkets, though I'm never buying it - just noticing it. I don't shop at those markets so it may be available here as well but I don't know.
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Post by brownrexx on Jul 21, 2023 10:28:17 GMT -5
Made one of my favorites last night - chicken shish-ka-bobs and I added a few shrimp which were also really good. The marinade contains horseradish, honey, soy sauce and Montreal Steak Seasoning. I always grill the meats and veggies separate due to the different cooking times and then I just mix them all together on a platter for serving. Last night I was in a hurry and didn't feel like threading the veggies onto skewers so I just put them onto a grill pan and it worked out great and was so easy. 20230719_171019 by Brownrexx, on Flickr 20230719_171511 by Brownrexx, on Flickr
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Post by brownrexx on Jul 21, 2023 17:22:08 GMT -5
I made a new recipe tonight and it was good, zucchini pancakes. It is so simple. Just mix one egg, 2 tsp milk or water, 2 tbsp. of flour, salt and pepper and 1/2 c. shredded zucchini. I browned them in a lightly oiled pan. The recipe is called tiny pancakes and it is supposed to make 8 little pancakes but I was in a hurry and just made 3 bigger ones. We also had coconut crusted tilapia (breaded in my local seafood market) and fresh beans from my garden. Hubby definitely gave me the side eye when I told him we were having zucchini pancakes but surprisingly he LIKED them and wants to make them again. I think that the next time I may add some dill to the batter but you can add any seasoning that you like. They really are super easy and so quick that even september might try them! LOL. Zucchini Pancake by Brownrexx, on Flickr
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Post by september on Jul 21, 2023 20:59:28 GMT -5
brownrexx , as it happens, I have a few young zucchini ... I might try these!
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Post by pepperhead212 on Jul 22, 2023 21:42:13 GMT -5
Today I made one of my lentil salads, starting with 2 whole lentils and chana dal, plus some freekeh, in the Instant Pot, in slow cook mode, while I was in the garden. I always put a couple of black cardamom pods in the water, which adds a smoky flavor, like the freekeh. This salad was another one of those with canned kippered herring - a 6.5 oz and a 3.25 oz can. I also cut up a large handful of garlic chives, probably well over a half cup, and close to a half cup of dill, chopped up. Also well over a half cup of chopped up jalapeños, which turned out to have almost no heat. I chopped up all of the cherry tomatoes I had ripened - about 3 c - and about 3/4 c diced fetah. All this was mixed in the drained lentils/freekeh, with some olive oil and red wine vinegar, and a generous amount of black pepper. Here is the bowl of the salad, before I sliced a single HB egg on this serving. I didn't want to mix in more to the 3 qts of salad left. Salad, made with chana dal, and 2 whole lentils, freekeh, with canned kippers, tomatoes, dill, garlic chives, fetah, and jalapeños. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
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Post by pepperhead212 on Jul 28, 2023 13:10:45 GMT -5
Not dinner, but I just made another favorite snack today, though technically, I have never made this exact smoothie before, as it is with the first kajari melon I've had. I cut this one open, and immediately thought about saving the seeds, to make some horchata - a Mexican drink I've been making for years, since I got the recipe in one of Diana Kennedy's books. The seeds from cantaloupes are blended, then strained, and some water, sugar, and a little lime juice is added. And sometimes some other fruits are added. This time, I also blended the melon, after the seeds, and added the last few cubes of pineapple I had in the fridge, a small orange, and a few drops of coconut flavor (always good in these things!), and after blending all those smooth, I squeezed in a half of a lime, and added the other half a few dropsat a time, until it was just right. Then I removed half of it, a little over 375 ml, and put that in the fridge, and put ice in what was left, and blended that smooth. I usually add some chia seeds to it, but forgot, but I'll do that with the other half. Absolutely delicious, and only gave myself one brain freeze! Seeds and liquid from the Kajari melon, blend in VM, until smooth, and strained. by pepperhead212, on Flickr Strained Kajari juice, going into the trimmed melon, to be blended. by pepperhead212, on Flickr Finished smoothie, with the Kajari melon, pineapple, orange, and some lime juice. by pepperhead212, on Flickr Now I'll go in and make some gazpacho, with a bunch of those tomatoes and cucumbers I have in there! Also not cooking, which is good in this heat!
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Post by pepperhead212 on Jul 28, 2023 16:02:50 GMT -5
I got the gazpacho made, and chilling now! Only took about an hour and a half, much of that was cleaning the tomatoes I had harvested the last couple of days. As always, I filled the Vitamix with just tomatoes, the first time, blended it briefly, with a generous tb of chia seeds, and let it sit to gel, while I trimmed and cut the rest of the things up - 2 cukes, a large bell pepper, one large clove of garlic, a medium sized shallot, and about half as many tomatoes. Then I finish blending the tomatoes, and the chia seeds thicken it just about right. I then blend the second batch of veggies up, with another tb of chia seeds, and let it sit, while I dice up some cukes, a large bell, and some more tomatoes, and put those pint containers in the fridge. Then I finish blending the second batch, until the chia seeds are totally ground up, then I add an oz of sherry wine vinegar, then, with the VM running on high, slowly add 2 oz of olive oil to the veggies, and it will emulsify. Then I mix the 2 together, and chill a few hours, before serving with those diced vegetables, and some croutons. About 40 oz of tomatoes, and some chia seeds, for the first batch. by pepperhead212, on Flickr The second batch to mix in has 20 oz more tomatoes, and the cukes, pepper, shallot, garlic, and olive oil. by pepperhead212, on Flickr Finished gazpacho, ready to chill. Not bright red, due to the green bell, and cukes, but still delicious! by pepperhead212, on Flickr The only heat from making this is from the motor on the Vitamix! Finished Gazpacho. Don't know why this posted on the wrong thread. The gazpacho, before adding the croutons. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
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Post by pepperhead212 on Aug 2, 2023 15:41:41 GMT -5
Yesterday, I made another batch of that pasta with raw tomatoes, only slightly different from last time. I started by soaking a cup of kamut a little over an hour, while making the rye bread dough, then cutting up over 3 lbs of tomatoes, and setting aside in a colander, to drain a little of the liquid (I didn't waste it - I just drank it! lol). Then I rinsed about 4/3 c (just what was left in the jar), then combined them in the Instant Pot, set manual for 13 min, and let them cook, and the pressure release, while chopping up all the rest of the ingredients, to combine with the tomatoes - minced garlic, minced Thai basil, chopped up the regular basil a little coarse, and chopped up a bunch of kalamata olives, and about 10 anchovies, and about 1/4 c salted capers, soaked well over an hour. And I added about a tb each of green and kalamata olive paste (that Greek stuff I get sometimes at Lidl). Stirred all this together, plus about 1/2 c olive oil, and a tb of red wine vinegar, and put in the fridge, drained the kamut and lentils, and continued with the rye bread. When finished with the rye bread much later, I cooked a lb of pasta, and poured it over the lentils and kamut, to reheat them, then drained well, and mixed it with the tomato mix, in an 8 qt bowl. It all fit back in that 4 qt bowl, after I took a BIG bowl of it, so it wouldn't have mixed in that! Here's the mix-tomatoes, garlic, basils, kalamata olives, chopped and paste, capers, anchovies, and olive oil and wine vinegar. by pepperhead212, on Flickr Finished raw tomato pasta, with some cooked kamut and channa dal, mixed with the pasta. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
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Post by brownrexx on Aug 3, 2023 15:06:10 GMT -5
I am a little behind in posting because I have been super busy but here is the first BLT of the year. Luckily when I realized that I had a major problem with my seedlings in that poison potting soil, I bought a couple of seedlings at the greenhouse and they are starting to give me tomatoes. This first one is a Big Beef. My seedlings have small green tomatoes so I will get some of my heirloom tomatoes but they will be late. I also made some pickled vegetables which is called Chow Chow in PA Dutch country where I live. It is slightly sweet. 20230726_172952 by Brownrexx, on Flickr
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Post by spike on Aug 6, 2023 11:40:31 GMT -5
I've been having this same salad for lunch for the last three days. It reminds me of what we ate growing up. My potted greenhouse cucumbers have been producing well, have given away many to neighbors and my son, can't keep up with production. My quickie salad is two cut up cukes, and two sliced young slightly bulbing onions, treated like green scallions. Salad dressing of equal parts of kefir and sour cream with a dab of mayo, salt and pepper and some chopped dill. Bread is Lithuanian dark rye, with just butter. ooooh I have a fork!!! LOVE that!
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Aug 7, 2023 9:04:28 GMT -5
Last night was grilled chicken breast, lightly marinated in Italian salad dressing and sous-vide cooked before a quick sear on the grill. We had broccoli and fettucine for sides. Alfredo sauce and pesto were on the table but not tossed with the pasta, since not everyone likes them. Silly people! I think I'll make some Teriyaki Shrimp (since I've got one more bag of shrimp in the freezer to use) and Cauliflower Fried "Rice" for dinner tonight.
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Post by brownrexx on Aug 7, 2023 18:35:44 GMT -5
I went grocery shopping today and totally changed my menu for tonight. I love scallops and they had nice big ones for $11.99 / lb. They called them pieces but they were mostly big ones with a few smaller pieces. The full sized ones at my other store were $29 /lb this week and naturally I didn't buy any. Hubby likes salmon and I don't so he had pan seared salmon and a Caprese salad. I had the seared scallops and we both had a vegetable medley sautéed in olive oil that I made with my garden vegies. It contained zucchini, yellow squash, orange pepper, onions, celery, okra, corn and a few tomato pieces. I love veggies like this. This meal turned out so good, I was really happy with it. I would have paid money to eat a good meal like this at a restaurant. Fresh summer food is SO good. 20230807_170055 by Brownrexx, on Flickr
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Post by octave1 on Aug 7, 2023 19:41:50 GMT -5
Seafood and fresh, garden grown vegetables is my favorite kind of meal too brownrexx.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Aug 8, 2023 17:04:37 GMT -5
Nice big scallops (even if they had a few pieces in there) for $11.99/lb is a very good deal, brownrexx! Sounds yummy! I just put meatloaves (2 loaves since my older sons are coming) in the oven for tonight. I am just getting out of the hot kitchen for a few minutes before I go back in and prep the mashed potatoes, broccoli, and rolls.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Aug 12, 2023 21:38:30 GMT -5
I made a curry today, and started with some white chickpeas, and some barley, cooked in the Instant Pot. While that was cooking, I cut up all the vegetables, and blended up about 12 oz of tomatoes. When it was cooked, I removed it to a metal bowl, then sautéed the onions a few minutes in some oil, followed by the garlic and ginger, then added the tomatoes. Plus, I added some of the pav bhanji masala that I make, and let that cook down until very thick, then added the chickpeas and barley back in, along with the okra (and some mushrooms, that I forgot about), and cooked that down about 10 minutes, then added the cut up long beans and eggplant. Cooked those about 15 minutes, then added the tarka - mustard seed, cumin seed, dried chilis, curry leaves, and asafoetida, cooked in oil in that order. I thought I photographed the bowl I served, but I must have forgotten it! Curry, with the tarka on top, ready to stir in. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
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Post by brownrexx on Aug 14, 2023 20:00:26 GMT -5
Tonight's dinner was Happy shrimp. That is the name of the recipe. The shrimp were not happy since they were dead. LOL. It is a very nice recipe that looks kind of fancy but is easy and made in one pan and then served over rice. We like basmati rice. The sauce is made of heavy cream, fresh chopped tomatoes, white wine, onions, garlic, s & p and fresh basil. The fresh tomatoes add a nice flavor and they make the sauce a pretty pink color after simmering for a few minutes. I really like this recipe and it made me happy! Side for him was a Caprese salad and for me the last of my green beans. "Happy" Shrimp by Brownrexx, on Flickr
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Aug 15, 2023 11:06:48 GMT -5
Looks very tasty! Last night was Chicken Parmesan with spaghetti and marinara sauce and garlic bread. I don't like making Chicken Parmesan at home - too much mess, too many dishes. But it was a special request from son #3, who is leaving for college this weekend. It was tasty, and I only mangled some of the chicken pieces during the cutting and pounding.
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Post by brownrexx on Aug 16, 2023 12:24:03 GMT -5
Laura_in_FL, I LOVE chicken parmesan. I don't fry mine because of the potential mess. I bake it in the oven and then top with sauce and cheese,
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Aug 17, 2023 13:23:28 GMT -5
I may try baking mine sometime for me and DH - the kids would revolt! It might also "fry" nicely in an air fryer, but I'd have to fry one piece at a time in my current air fryer. But honestly I dislike the breading process and the mess that makes, too. Except for special occasion dishes, I'd rather go out when I want breaded food and let someone else deal with the mess.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Aug 17, 2023 13:25:43 GMT -5
Tonight is back to meatloaf - a special request from my youngest son. His birthday was yesterday, but tonight we're doing the family party for him and DH (whose birthday was Monday). This is the only night that everyone can come.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Aug 19, 2023 15:44:08 GMT -5
I made a bean salad today, with 6 different varieties of beans (actually 7, including the kidney beans!). I started making it last night, by cutting up the beans, then steaming them, then draining, and icing them, then draining again. Then I cooked some purple barley in the IP - 2/3 c cooked up to about 2 c when I drained it. I cut up a large red bell pepper into strips, sort of like the beans, and mixed all these together, adding a can each of whole corn and dark kidney beans, rinsed and drained. This got refrigerated, to continue on today. Today, I added some EVOO and red wine vinegar, and chopped up a bunch of basil, a small amount of Thai basil, and a generous amount of chives and garlic chives, and about 3 tb of that kalamata olive paste, and mixed that in. I minced one of those Datil peppers up for it, but then added another one. I added about a half cup of sliced almonds, then added a bunch of halved or quartered cherry tomatoes. I finished with a little salt, and a bunch of freshly ground pepper. I ended up with over 3 quarts of the salad! Bean salad, with some tomatoes, peppers, corn, purple barley, and some almonds. by pepperhead212, on Flickr Bean salad, for lunch, and a lot for later. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
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