based on a recipe in The Ultimate Mediterranean Diet Cooking for One Cookbook by Kelly Jaggers
serves 1
1 cup broccoli florets 2 teaspoons olive oil Penzeys Northwoods seasoning, or other blend, to taste 1 lemon wedge 2 Tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place broccoli on a small baking dish and drizzle with the oil. Stir it around to coat the broccoli. Sprinkle with the seasoning and stir it again. Roast for 10 minutes, then turn the broccoli over and roast the other side for 5-10 more minutes until broccoli is slightly charred and the stems are crisp-tender. Put the broccoli on your plate, squeeze the lemon wedge over the broccoli, top with the feta, and serve.
olive oil 1 small red onion, thinly sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 ½ cup Sugar Plum Tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, or other small tomatoes 4 cups baby spinach ¾ cup of chopped fresh herbs: chives, basil, dill, parsley, thyme, oregano, what have you got?, divided 6 large eggs ½ cup sour cream 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground black pepper 1 block TJ’s Feta Cheese, crumbled and divided
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil over high heat in a large skillet, until shimmering. Add 1 cup of the tomatoes. Toss until the tomatoes begin to blister and pop, about 5 minutes.
Add the onion and garlic. Stir occasionally, until the onions begin to soften, about 3-5 minutes.
Add the spinach and cover pan with a lid. The pan will be very full, but in a few minutes the spinach will cook down and wilt. Remove the lid and stir spinach every few minutes until most of the spinach is wilted, then remove from heat.
Add ½ cup of the herbs to the pan.
In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, salt, and pepper, then stir in half of the feta cheese and the spinach mixture.
Grease a 7×11″ casserole dish with 1 teaspoon of olive oil.
Pour the egg mixture into the casserole dish, distributing the tomatoes as desired.
Sprinkle the remaining feta cheese over the top.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the frittata is set in the center.
Cut the remaining tomatoes in thin slices; drizzle with remaining ½ tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper (or use the vinaigrette of your choice) add the remaining ¼ cup of herbs, and stir. Cut the frittata into 6 pieces and put on plates. Top each serving with the dressed tomatoes & herbs.
1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup ketchup 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar 1 Tablespoon water 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce 1 teaspoon dry mustard 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or a dash of hot pepper sauce
Mix everything together. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
beef stew meat cubes, or chuck roast/steak, cut into approx. 2″ chunks. If you buy it already cut up and it’s in smaller chunks that’s okay. Shouldn’t be any smaller than 1″. oil (olive, canola, etc.) salt and pepper yellow or white onion, peeled and chopped. carrot, peeled and chopped (optional) celery, chopped (optional) bay leaf Worcestershire sauce
Start in the morning and cook this all day. Choose a large deep skillet with a lid, or a Dutch oven. Put it on the stove with the burner on medium+. Once the pan gets hot add about a Tablespoon of the oil, then put in single layer of beef cubes and season liberally with salt and pepper. Do not crowd the pan or they will steam instead of brown. Cook for several minutes (5?) until brown on one side, then turn and brown the other. Remove the browned beef and any juice to a plate or bowl, and repeat for the rest of the beef.
Once the last batch of beef is browned, return all the beef and juices to the pan. Add the vegetables, a bay leaf or two, about a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce.
Cover the pan, turn the heat to low and let it simmer very gently (DO NOT BOIL) all day until it is very tender. Check it throughout the day to make sure it is not drying out, and that the simmer is still very gentle. Serve with potatoes, noodles, rice, or bread, and a vegetable. Slice it up and put it on a salad or in a quesadilla. You get the idea.
Sent out by Kaiser on 1/18/24. My thoughts: I am really surprised/disappointed in Kaiser for sending out a recipe that calls for such expensive and hard-to-find ingredients. This does not inspire the average person to make this healthy and delicious salad. And the ingredient list doesn’t even include the chicory! Harumph. Instead of the escarole, head of radicchio, and chicory, I used Trader Joe’s Champs Elysees salad mix (and I will add some arugula next time). I used toasted slivered almonds instead of hazelnuts. I added goat cheese.My beet took a full hour to roast.
Simple advice for eating a more healthful diet: eat fruits and vegetables of a variety of colors. This salad’s color palette may vary with different combinations of beets and citrus, but it will certainly make fresh fruits and vegetables the star of the meal. Salads of the chicory family are especially hearty. This salad keeps well for leftovers even after being dressed; think entrée salad one night topped with fish, and leftovers for lunch the next day.
Servings: 6 Prep time: 45 minutes
4 medium beets
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 medium fennel bulb
3 citrus fruits
1 head escarole
1 head Treviso radicchio
1/4 cup mint leaves
1/4 cup tarragon leaves
1/3 cup roasted hazelnuts, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling on beets
1/8 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Trim the beets of their tops and scrub clean. Pat beets dry and place cut side down, along with the garlic cloves, on a large rectangle of aluminum foil.
Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Wrap foil tightly, place the packet on a small baking sheet, and roast in the oven until beets are tender, about 45 minutes to one hour.
Carefully open foil and let cool briefly. When able to handle, wear gloves or use a paper towel to rub the skins off the beets. Cut each beet into quarters, then into 1/3″ slices.
Reserve the roasted garlic cloves for the vinaigrette.
For the fennel, trim the green stems and cut bulb in half through root. Trim away most of root. Thinly slice the fennel and reserve in cold water. Drain before using.
For the citrus fruits, cut a little bit off each end, exposing the flesh below. Place cut side down on cutting board and trim away the pith and zest (the white and colorful stuff, respectively) by following the contour of the fruit with your sharp knife. Next, cut crosswise into round slices (pop the seeds out if you can) or cut out segments by trimming alongside the inner membranes.
Cut the radicchio into one-inch-wide pieces and tear the escarole into smaller pieces.
Pick the mint and tarragon leaves off the stems and wash along with the chicory.
For the vinaigrette, remove the roasted garlic from the cloves and whisk together with the lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and olive oil. Season with a 3-finger pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
Combine all of the ingredients together in a large bowl. Start by using about 1/2 to 3/4 of the vinaigrette, adding more to taste.
Slightly modified from a recipe in “Natasha’s Kitchen” by Natsha Kravchuk
Makes about 24
Canola oil 6 strips regular-cut bacon (not peppered, not thick), cooked until crisp, drained, and cut into small bits 4 oz plain cream cheese, at room temperature (low-fat/neufchatel works fine) 1/2 cup grated Parmeson cheese 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 2 Tablespoons finely chopped parsley plus more for garnish (omit for Burns family) 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 pound small- to medium-sized button mushrooms
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Lightly coat a rimmed baking sheet with oil and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, Parmesan, garlic powder, parsley, salt and pepper. Mash with the back of a spoon to mix everything thoroughly, then add the bacon bits and mix again.
Divide the filling among the mushrooms – it will mound up. Arrange on the baking sheet, evenly spaced. Sprinkle the remaining bacon bits on top of each mushroom. Bake for 15 minutes, until the mushrooms are starting to soften and the tops are brown in a few spots.
Transfer the mushrooms to a serving platter, sprinkle with the reserved parsley, and serve.
Cindy made this for Swedish Christmas Eveternoon Smorgasbord 2023 and it was divine!
10 servings
Ingredients
Cake
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Topping
2 teaspoons granulated or turbinado sugar
1/4 cup sliced almonds (or chopped almonds)
2 tablespoons powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
Cake
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray, line the bottom of the pan with parchment, then spray the parchment. Set the pan aside.
Use a rubber spatula to stir the sugar and butter together in a large bowl. Mix in the eggs, almond extract, and vanilla to combine.
Sift the flour and salt into the bowl, then mix until just incorporated. Spread into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top.
Topping
Sprinkle the sugar over the cake, then top with the almonds.
Bake 34 to 44 minutes, until the top is light golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Cool the cake on a wire rack, dust with powdered sugar, and serve.
Cake can be stored at room temperature, covered, for up to 2 days or in the freezer, tightly wrapped, for up to 2 months.
Pain de mie is a fine-textured, moist bread baked in a special lidded pan. The lid keeps the loaf from crowning, giving it a flat top and perfectly square-edged slices. For toast (and French toast), sandwiches (including our favorite, grilled cheese), and the best bread-and-butter ever, you simply can’t beat pain de mie.
While most pain de mie recipes call for a traditional 13″ x 4″ x 4″ pan, this one is perfect for our smaller 9″ x 4″ pan. If you have the larger pan, see our recipe for classic Pain de Mie.
*Use the lesser amount in a humid environment or during the summer; the greater amount in a dry climate, or during the winter.
Instructions
Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Mix all of the ingredients in the order listed, and mix and knead — by hand, or using a stand mixer — to make a smooth dough. It won’t be particularly soft nor stiff; it should be smooth and feel bouncy and elastic under your hands.
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, or large (8-cup) measuring cup. Cover it, and let it rise for 60 to 90 minutes, till it’s become quite puffy, though not necessarily doubled in size.
Gently deflate the dough, and shape it into a 9″ log. Place it in a lightly greased 9″ pain de mie pan. Cover the top of the pan with plastic wrap, to protect the dough as it rises.
Let the dough rise for about 60 minutes, till it’s within about 1/2″ of the top edge of the pan. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Remove the plastic wrap, and slide the greased lid onto the pan. Bake the bread for 25 minutes. Remove the lid, and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, till it’s a rich golden brown. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center will read 195°F to 200°F. If you prefer a lighter-colored crust, tent the loaf with foil as soon as you remove the pan lid.
Remove the bread from the oven, and turn it out onto a rack to cool. When completely cool, wrap in plastic, and store at room temperature.
Yield: one 9″ loaf, about 18 to 24 servings, depending on how you slice it.
Tips from our Bakers
For a bit of tang and wonderful overall flavor, make a simple sourdough pain de mie using your sourdough starter discard (the starter you’d potentially discard during the feeding process). Substitute 227g (1 cup) starter for 113g (1/2 cup) of the water and 113g (1 cup) of the flour in the recipe. Adjust the remaining water and/or flour if necessary; starters may vary in consistency.
3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided 1 lb. ground turkey 1 medium yellow onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 fresh pasilla/poblano pepper, diced 1 green bell pepper, diced 1/4 cup Penzey’s Bold Taco Seasoning* 2 bay leaves
*Or substitute 1 Tablespoon ground cumin 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper salt to taste
1 4-oz. can diced green chiles 1/2 12-oz. jar Trader Joe’s salsa verde 2 cups water 15-oz. can Navy beans
sour cream for serving
Heat 2 TB. of the oil in a stock pot or large saute pan over medium heat. Add the ground turkey and brown, turning and breaking up frequently to make it as fine as possible. Once the turkey is no longer pink, transfer it to a bowl and set aside. Add the remaining oil, diced onion and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the pasilla and bell pepper and stir until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the taco seasoning (or cumin, oregano and cayenne) and stir until combined. Add the turkey, bay leaves, canned green chiles, salsa, beans, and water. Stir to combine and then bring to a simmer. Once simmering, cover and turn the heat down to low. Simmer for at least 30 minutes. Taste and add salt as needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish with sour cream if desired.
2 cups (13 ounces or 370 grams) grated, packed zucchini, not wrung out, grated on the large holes of a box grater
2 large eggs
2/3 cup (160 ml) of a neutral oil (DP uses safflower), olive oil, or melted unsalted butter (I think I will try using a little less oil next time)
1/2 cup (95 grams) packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon fine sea or table salt
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground or freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour (I used half whole wheat pastry flour and half all-purpose)
2 tablespoons (25 grams) raw or turbinado sugar
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 6-cup or 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray. Place grated zucchini in a large bowl and add oil, eggs, sugars, vanilla, and salt. Use a fork to mix until combined. Sprinkle cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and baking powder over surface of batter and mix until combined — and then, for extra security that the ingredients are well-dispersed, give it 10 extra stirs. Add flour and mix until just combined. Pour into prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with the raw or turbinado sugar — don’t skimp. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick or tester inserted into the middle cake but also into the top of the cake, closer to the dome, comes out batter-free.
Let cool completely in the pan. Leave in pan, unwrapped, overnight or 24 hours, until removing (carefully, so not to ruin flaky lid) and serving in slices. Zucchini bread keeps for 4 to 5 days at room temperature. I wrap only the cut end of the cake in foil, and return it to the baking pan, leaving the top exposed so that it stays crunchy.