Author: Robert Andrews

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2 pounds soft-skinned cucumbers
6 ounces watercress
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 small jalapeño pepper (use more if it’s very mild)
1 large Haas avocado (7 ounces)
1-2 teaspoons sea salt

1. Trim the ends off the cucumbers, taste each end, and trim off any bitter part. Cut the cucumbers into cubes. Wash the watercress, remove any heavy stems, and chop it roughly. You should have about 2 cups.

2. Combine half the cucumbers and most of the lemon juice in the container of a blender and puree. The cucumbers will soon be a liquid, and you can then easily add the remaining cucumbers, the watercress, garlic, and jalapeño. Puree until everything is smooth, working in batches if you need to. (I find that my immersion blender does not work well with this raw soup.)

3. Cut the cucumber in half, remove the pit, peel the avocado, and cut the flesh into cubes; you should have not quite 1 cup of diced avocado. Add the avocado to the cucumber puree, along with a teaspoon of sea salt, and process again. The mixture will become thicker and creamier. Stir everything together in a bowl and taste. Add more lemon juice and more salt, a bit at a time and stirring thoroughly each time, until the balance feels right to you. I like to feel the citrus edge against the creaminess of the avocado, and while I don’t want adistinctly salty taste, the various flavors become clear only when the right amount of salt is added. Use your taste buds — it’s fun.

4. Chill the soup well. Serve it in small bowls, and drizzle each serving with a little fresh fruity olive oil, then scatter a few tomato cubes and croutons on top.

Garnishes:
Fruity green olive oil
1 ripe red tomato, finely diced
Homemade croutons (method follows)

Variations • Haas avocados are the ones with the almost black pebbly skin. They have more flavor and a creamier texture than the ones with the smoother, bright green skin.

• It’s important to taste the cucumbers before using. You don’t want any bitterness to mar the delicate flavors of the soup. This recipe is all about a balance of the various flavor components.

• If English cucumbers aren’t to be had, many farmers’ markets have the stubby

Notes This lovely and refreshing cold soup earns raves in the hot days of late summer. Serve it in small bowls, each cool green pool scattered with drops of

Cold Cucumber and Avocado Soup

olive oil, bright red cubes of tomato, and a few crisp croutons.

Long, soft-skinned cucumbers, called English, Armenian, or Persian cucumbers, are best for this soup because they can be used with skin and seeds. If they are very large, check for mature seeds and remove them, but a slender cucumber of this type generally has tiny, soft seeds that puree perfectly.

Watercress adds a little bite to the mild cucumber and avocado. Arugula can be used instead, or a bunch of cilantro, but choose one — don’t mix the flavors. This recipe is based on proportions for one large avocado and can easily be doubled.

pickling cukes that can be mild and sweet. Again, taste them before using.

2 sm cucumbers (peel, seed & dice)
4 cup chicken stock
1 cup sour cream
lemon, salt & pepper

1. Cook until cucumber is soft
2. Cool slightly and put through blender w/1 cup sour cream.
3. Season w/grated lemon rind and salt and pepper.

Chill thoroughly, sprinkle w/chives

1 CU water
1 CU sugar
1 spent (used) vanilla bean
1/4 CU hazelnuts (smashed)

1. Add all ingredients and bring to simmer
2. Heat until it reduces by about half
3. Strain liquid and store

Variations If you also add 1/4 CU coffee beans (smashed) you can make your own coffee
concentrate. Add 1 TBL concentrate to a cup of coffee for flavored coffee

1 package of large round cheap coffee filters

1. Cover bowls or dishes when cooking in the microwave. Coffee filters make excellent splatter covers.

2. Clean windows and mirrors. Coffee filters are lint-free so they’ll leave windows sparkling.

3. Protect China. Separate your good dishes by putting a coffee filter between each dish.

4. Filter broken cork from wine. If you break the cork when opening a wine bottle, filter the wine through a coffee filter.

5. Protect a cast-iron skillet. Place a coffee filter in the skillet to absorb moisture and prevent rust.

6. Apply shoe polish. Ball up a lint-free coffee filter.

7. Recycle frying oil. After frying, strain oil through a sieve lined with a coffee filter.

8. Weigh chopped foods. Place chopped ingredients in a coffee filter on a kitchen scale.

9. Hold tacos. Coffee filters make convenient wrappers for messy foods.

10. Stop the soil from leaking out of a plant pot. Line a plant pot with a coffee filter to prevent the soil from going through the drainage holes.

11. Prevent a Popsicle from dripping. Poke one or two holes as needed in a coffee filter.

12. Do you think we used expensive strips to wax eyebrows? Use strips of coffee filters.

13. Put a few in a plate and put your fried bacon, French fries, chicken fingers, etc on them. Soaks out all the grease.

14. Keep in the bathroom. They make great “razor nick fixers.”

Recipe One

TOPPING

1. Combine
   • 1 C brown sugar
   • 1/2 C flour
   • 1/2 tsp salt
   • 8 TBL pieces of butter
2. Pulse until pea sized pieces of butter
3. Set aside

CAKE

• 2 C flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 TBL  CinnaSugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• ½ C coconut (optional)
  – COMBINE ALL OF ABOVE
• 1 can 20 oz. Sliced apples
• 1 TBL additional CinnaSugar
  LATER TOPPING
• 1 C sour cream
• 1 egg

Step by Step

1. Prepare topping
2. Combine all cake ingredients except the apples
3. Optional:  Mix in coconut.
4. Pat mixture in ungreased baking pan 13x9x2 building up sides.
5. Bake 10 min at 350°.
6. Arrange apple slices over top of the warm crust.
7. Sprinkle apples with CinnaSugar
8. Sprinkle apples with sugar/butter topping
9. Blend sour cream & egg, drizzle over apples.
10. Bake 25 min. or until edges are light brown. Do not over bake.

Serve warm!

Recipe Two

• 1/2 stick butter – melted
• 1/4 C packed brown sugar
• 1/2 C AP flour
• 1/2 tsp instant coffee
• 1 tsp CinnaSugar
• scant salt
  MIX ABOVE FOR TOPPING

  CAKE INGREDIENTS

• 1 3/4 C AP flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cardamom
• 1 tsp CinnaSugar
  WHISK CAKE INGREDIENTS TOGETHER
• Add 1/2 C instant coffee
• 1/3 C sour cream
• 1 C granulated sugar
• 2 sticks of softened butter
  CREAM TOGETHER UNTIL FLUFFY
• Add 2 eggs, 1 at a time – beating between each
• Add 1 tsp vanilla with the second egg

1. Add dry ingredients to bottom
2. Layer of wet
3. Layer of dry
4. Layer of wet
5. Layer of dry – this is the last layer, and top layer

For help, refer to FoodNetwork.com/tricia

Bake 350º for 45 minutes

 

¼ cu roasted garlic
pinch chili flakes
1 tsp parsley
1 tbl olive oil
¼ cu arugula
1 + cu angle hair pasta – al dente
cheese

Instructions:
Roast garlic in olive aoiol, add chili flakes, add arugula, add drained pasta-water to steam, add parsley and salt. Mix and plate.

Special Steps:
Top w/parsley, olive oil and cheese

Lamb chops
Rosemary
Chive
Oregano
Pepper
Salt
Olive oil
Pita bread
Cucumber
Feta cheese

Instructions:
Clean and cut rack of lamb. Season with rosemary, oregano, salt & pepper, crush together and sprinkle over top, drizzle w/olive oil. Mark on grill if possible.

Special Steps:
Serve on top of pita bread. Serve with Mediterranian salad onside. Slice cucumber on side and feta cheese on top.

Potatoes
Peanut Oil

Instructions:
Cut –half/thirds/half, cut in 12th.. Place in cold water with ice. Chill at least 30 min. Towel dry-as dry as possible. Heat peanut oil to 325. Drop handful into hot oil. Stir-lime blonde about 10 minutes (oil will drop to 260). Drain/cool/dry. 3-5 min in oil

RSUGG-bake @ 350 F for 8 min.

Eggs (boiled)
Turkey or chicken
Tomatoes
Avocado
Bacon
Lettuce
Blue cheese (danish blue)

Instructions:
Cook bacon on oven rack for 15 min @ 425 and drain on paper towels. Cut end off romaine lettuce, float in water to clean. Slice lengthwise then cross cut into little sized pieces. Put into salad spinner ro shake in paper bag. Toss lettuce in dressing. Distribute on platter, lay in rows, avocado, bacon, blue cheese (Danish blue), tomatoes, diced roast turkey breast or chicken, hard boiled egg.

Special Steps:
Dressing; 1 tbl Dijon mustard, 2 tbl red wine vinegar, oregano, touch of dill, 2 tbl olive oil, stirring to emulsify.

http://www.xml3.com/family/Recipes/05.pdf

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Ingredients Eggs (boiled)
Turkey or chicken
Tomatoes
Avocado
Bacon
Lettuce
Blue cheese (danish blue)

Instructions 1. Cook bacon on oven rack for 15 min @ 425° and drain
on paper towels.
2. Cut end off romaine lettuce, float in water to clean.
Slice lengthwise then cross cut into little sized pieces.
3. Put into salad spinner ro shake in paper bag.
4. Toss lettuce in dressing. Distribute on platter, lay in
rows, avocado, bacon, blue cheese (Danish blue),
tomatoes, diced roast turkey breast or chicken, hard
boiled egg.

Dressing;
1. 1 tbl Dijon mustard, 2 tbl red wine vinegar, oregano,
touch of dill, 2 tbl olive oil, stirring to emulsify.

2 tbl crisp bacon pieces
1 cu fresh corn
1 tbl parsley
1 tbl olive oil
1 tbl chopped green olives
2 tbl red onion
1 tbl fresh lemon juice

Instructions:
Mix ingredients with, basil, thyme, peppers, whatever

Sprinkle salt, scrub w/cut side of lemon half, wipe off and rinse. Or White vinegar.

Good Choices

Butcher Block or Kiln Dried Maple
Occasionally sand, wash and oil with food grade mineral oil.

Plastic
Use for all meat and things that can’t be eaten raw.
Sanitize occasionally with white vinegar

 

Banana’s
4 tbl butter
½ cu dark brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick
lemon zest (use peeler, do not get white)
dark rum

Instructions:
Heat quickly before butter separates, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon stick, lemon zest. Add dark rum, (helps sugar dissolve)

Peel ripe but firm (2 bananas) slice 4 halves into sauce flat side down. Turn heat down to low, cook 1 ½-2 min each side, baste, flip delicately.

Dish out ice cream “Dreamery” vanilla or double rainbow, 2 scoops, ready to flambé.

Add 3 tbl dark rum, take off heat and set on fire.

Spoon bananas & sauce over ice cream.

Flank steak (sliced thin)
1 tbl Kikkoman soy
1 tbl sesame oil
¼ cu black vinegar (alt balsamic)
1 tbl souchein wine (or dry sherry)
1 tbl sugar
canola oil
3 cloves garlic
2 tbl fresh ginger
3 tbl long cut chives
Thai red chilis
Chives (long cut)

Instructions:
Marinate; 1 tbl soy, 1 tbl sesame oil, ¼ cu vinegar, 1 tbl wine, 1 tbl sugar. Marinate steak over night, partially frozen to cut.

Smoking hot wok w 2 tbl canola oil, heat 3 cloves of garlic, 2 tbl ginger, 3 tbl chives. Add Thai redchilis and cook 3-5 min. Add meat, cook till brown, fold in sauce.

Serve over rice

• Chicken breast
• Salt
• Butter
• 8 oz. Brown ale
• onion
• brown sugar
• bay leaf
• thyme
• vinegar
• salt & pepper

Instructions:

• Brine for moisture in 2 qt water, 1 C salt, refrigerate for 60 minutes.
• Rinse off then dry. Browns better , otherwise steams.
• Season with GTP or salt, pepper and paprika
• Cook skin down in 1 TBL EVOO about 5 minutes
• Flip and cook 3 minutes.
• Put on baking sheet and cook at 400º for internal temp of 160º (about 12-15 minutes)

Special Steps:

• Sauce, Cook in same pan of residual fat, onion, 1 C chicken stock, 8oz. Brown ale (beer), brown sugar, bay & thyme.
• Reduce to ¾ cup
• Whisk in butter, ½ tsp vinegar, salt & pepper.

Thighs
Onion (diced)
6 cloves garlic (diced)
1 anchovy (diced)
cayenne
1 cu dry white wine
1 cup chicken sauce
1 cup diced canned tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
2 tbl thyme
2 tbl oregano
1 bay leaf

Instructions:
Brown thighs in 1 tsp olive oil, heat season thighs (do not brine skin) skin down 5 minutes (set aside to cool) drain off grease into bowl.

Saute @ med heat, onion anchovy, garlic, cayenne, wine, chicken sauce, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, thyme, oregano and bay leaf.

Remove chicken skin, put chicken into pan 1-1 ½ hour and cook @ 300. Remove chicken & cover. Reduce liquid w/tsp lemon zest, mix zest and parley for top. Cook 10 minutes, drizzle w/olive oil, sprinkle parsley.

Chicken breast
Thyme
Rosemary
Bay leaf
¼ cu vermouth
garlic
shallots
parsley
olive oil
salt & pepper

Instructions:
(Roast garlic first) in pan place garlic with 2 shallots, toss w/2 tsp olive oil, salt & pepper. Roast at 400 for 45 min in covered pan/uncover last 10 min.

“Brine the chicken breast, cut backbone out, cut along fat lines, wings & backbone become stock. Rinse & dry chicken, add sprig (thyme rosemary, bay leaf tied together as sprig) cook on med/high in oil, skin done 4-5 min. Flip and cook 4 more minutes, remove chicken, pour off standing grease.

Sauce; ¾ cu stock, ¼ cu vermouth, serape bottom into sauce, add sprig. Cook @ med heat & add garlic, shallots (peel and all). Return chicken to pan, leave skin on & up above liquid line. Cook @ 450 for 10 min.

Remove chicken take out 10 cloves, place remaining around chicken. Squash garlic out, remove paper skin (strainer?), put pure into pan. Bring sauce to simmer with 2 tbl butter, 1 tbl parsley.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast fillets
½ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbl minced Italian parsley
1 tbl + 2 tsp olive oil

Place the chicken fillets between sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap and pound lightly with a mallet until even in thickness. Remove the wax paper or plastic wrap and sprinkle the fillets with salt, pepper and parsley. Lightly tap the spices into the fillets with the mallet. Drizzle the fillets with 1 tbl of the olive oil. Heat the remaining 2 tsp of olive oil in a grill pan over med-hi heat. Add the chicken and cook until no longer pink, turning once. Serves 4.

180 calories, 27 g protein, 0 arbohydrate, 7 g fat (1 g saturated), 68 mg cholesterol, 344 mg sodium, 0 fiber.

 

Baked Chile Relleno Puff

1 ½ cu grated reduced fat cheddar cheese
8 canned green chiles
6 eggs, whites separated, two yolks reserved
1 cu 1% milk
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chile powder
½ cu all purpose flour

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly coat a 1 quart soufflé dish with olive oil.
2. Open and split 6 of the green chiles, discarding the seeds.
3. Lay out the chiles on the bottom of the dish and sprinkle with 1 cu of the cheese.
4. Place the egg whites into the bowl of a food processor and whirl until they are foamy.
5. Pulse in the 2 egg yolks, milk, cumin, chile powder, flour and the 2 remaining green chiles.
6. Pour the mixture over the green chiles and cheese.
7. Top with remaining ½ cu cheese. Bake for about 30 minutes.

200 calories, 18 g protein, 16 g carbohydrate, 8 g fat (4 g saturated), 89 mg cholesterol, 347 mg sodium, 1 g fiber.