Chicken Scallopine, Spaghetti with Garlic and Olive Oil, Poached Asparagus

This is a gourmet meal that's easy and, in this case, raises leftovers to new heights! I have leftover asparagus, leftover pasta...what to do? Get a single boneless skinless chicken breast from the grocery butcher and you're ready to go! I love scallopine -- veal or chicken -- and, of course you can do it with any of several sauces. In this case, we're using just the pan juices with a little lemon juice.

Chicken Scallopine

Boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/3 cup flour
1 egg, beaten
1 cup fine bread crumbs (freshly grated Parmesan is good added to the bread crumbs)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (or more)
1 tablespoon (or more) peanut oil
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Cut the breasts in half, up the center. Put each half between sheets of waxed paper and pound with a meat pounder until less than half an inch thin, pushing the pounder outward to spread the flesh. Line up the flour, beaten eggs, and bread crumbs. Dip chicken pieces in flour (patting to shake excess), egg, and crumbs. Transfer to a cookie sheet lined with wax paper and refrigerate to firm and set the coating until ready to cook.
When ready to cook, remove the breasts from refrigerator and heat the butter and oil in a large heavy skillet over high heat until hot and bubbling. Put the breasts in the pan, turning down the heat to medium-high. Brown quickly on both sides, sprinkling with salt and pepper -- about a minute or two on each side, until the coating is browned.
Serve with pan juices and a little lemon juice.

Spaghetti with Garlic and Olive Oil

This is actually a good dish for a light supper entree, with the addition of (again the dreaded by many but adored by some) anchovies. A dear friend who was a Jesuit priest, with a vow of poverty but a love of the good things in life, first introduced it to me as a main dish with anchovies. So many great dishes are simple and inexpensive. This is also a combination that provides the basis of many glorious dishes -- clams in white sauce, shrimp scampi ... I could go on and on ... here we have simply the basic.

1/3 pound cooked spaghetti
 1/3 cup good olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
freshly ground black pepper (or crushed red pepper)
1 tablespoon chopped parsley (or  tablespoon chopped fresh basil)

Heat oil until barely warm, and add garlic. Let it soak for 2 or 3 minutes. Add pasta to the pan with oil and garlic, and add pepper. Stir and cook together for a few minutes to allow flavors to blend. Top with parsley or basil.

Poached Asparagus

Remove the tough ends from asparagus spears by bending until each spear breaks. Place in sautee pan with a small amount of water and simmer until fork-tender. Lift from the pan and dress with lemon and butter or Easy Skillet Hollandaise.

Baked Potato with Hamburger Steak and Oven-Roasted Asparagus

When I got my copy of James Beard's Theory and Practice of Good Cooking from the out-of-print division at Amazon recently, the first thing I looked up was his discussion of the baked potato. My original copy had been destroyed in a minor flooding incident and I remembered his eloquent praise of the properly baked potato -- but I couldn't remember what it was that made his potato so perfect. The only difference between his directions and my usual procedure is the baking time -- he suggests 1 1/2 hours at 425 (or longer for a large potato) while I usually bake a potato for 45 minutes to 1 hour at 425. Well, of course, he's right. It is better cooked for the longer time. He suggests that after slitting open the potato immediately upon removing it from the oven (to allow the steam to escape and prevent the potato from becoming soggy -- it should be "fluffy on the inside with a nice crisp skin"), you simply add salt and coarsely ground pepper: "It should have a good potatoey flavor, a mealy texture, and a lovely earthy smell." Indeed! It is a treat to savor the natural goodness of the potato unadorned. Then add whatever extras you like.

The baked potato is the centerpiece of this meal. Because it will bake for 1 1/2 hours, I begin with the potato, then add the hamburger steak and asparagus (in separate pans) for the last half-hour. Simplicity itself!

Baked Potato

Preheat oven to 425.

Scrub the skin well, allow to dry thoroughly, and rub with olive oil. Prick with a knife or fork several times (to allow steam to escape). Bake for 1 1/2 hours, or until it feels soft and gives when you squeeze it.

Additions: any or all of the following -- butter, salt, fresh ground black pepper, grated cheese, crumbled bacon, sour cream, chives

Hamburger Steak

I bought a prepared sirloin patty at the grocery which had already been mixed with steakhouse seasoning. I simply placed it on a broiling rack and added it to the oven for the last 30 minutes of the potato baking time -- turning it after 15 minutes. I thought it was quite good, and didn't add any sauce.

Oven-Roasted Asparagus

This is a fantastic cooking technique for almost any vegetable. You simply arrange the vegetables in a roasting pan (larger vegetables like carrots should be cut into smaller pieces), drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. Roast at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or so (depending on the vegetable). In this case, I used crushed red pepper instead of the black pepper and added the asparagus to the oven at the same time as the hamburger steak. The temperature was 425 instead of 400, but they turned out delicious -- similar to grilled asparagus.

Baked Pork Chops with Sweet Potato and Apple

Joy of Cooking cites an old observation that the pig is like a saint in that both are more honored in death than in life. Some people have an aversion to the pig in either incarnation, and some religious traditions shun pork. Nevertheless, pork ribs, pork tenderloin, and pork chops are enormously popular dishes, because they are tasty and economical. The mild flavor lends itself to multitudes of marinades, seasonings, and sauces. The following is a very simple and plain recipe which brings out the delicate natural pork flavor.

Baked Pork Chops

2 thick pork chops
1 lemon, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
butter
juice of one lemon

Preheat oven to 400.

Place pork chops in greased baking pan. Top each with a slice of lemon. Sprinkle with crumbs, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Dot with butter, and add a squeeze of lemon juice.

Bake for 25 or 30 minutes per pound, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165. Let the meat rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

Sweet Potato and Apple Bake

2 medium sweet potatoes
1 cup thinly sliced apples
1/4 cup brown sugar
dash cinnamon
grated lemon rind
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup water

Bring oven to 350.

Cook sweet potatoes covered in boiling water until nearly done. Peel and cut into 1/2 inch slices.
Cook sliced apple covered in boiling water until nearly done. Sprinkle with lemon juice.

Layer the potatoes and apples in a greased baking dish. Sprinkle each layer with brown sugar, cinnamon, and lemon rind. Dot top layer with butter.

Pour water over casserole. Bake for one hour.









 

Make-ahead Cheese Souflee with Orange/Grapefruit Spinach Salad

You can assemble this souflee as much as three hours before baking time, which makes for a more relaxed preparation. I know one woman who freezes her assembled souflees for as long as several days before baking them, and the results are perfectly beautiful and delicious. A souflee isn't as difficult or temperamental as its reputation would have you believe. Most important is that all ingredients, including the eggs, should be at room termperature before you begin.  Also crucial is that the egg whites are beaten until firm enough to stand in peaks and folded very gently into the souflee with a rubber or plastic spatula so they do not lose aeration. If you are using a mixer or a non-copper bowl to beat the egg whites, add a pinch of cream of tartar when the eggs begin to get foamy. This adds the acidity that a copper bowl provides naturally, and allows the eggs to rise and become stable.

The one demand a souflee does make is that it must be served immediately. Puncture the top with a spoon and fork, making sure each serving has some of the soft center and the crusty exterior (you may use either one large baking dish or individual dishes).

This recipe is for a classic cheese souflee, but you could add chopped vegetables, chicken, seafood, or ham -- a souflee is a great vehicle for leftovers!

Cheese Souflee

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sifted flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
dash cayenne
2 cups milk
1/2 pound sharp cheddar cheese, cubed
8 egg yolks
8 egg whites

Remove the top oven rack (to allow room for the souflee to rise) and preheat oven to 475.

To prepare the baking dish, butter bottom and sides well, then coat the surfaces with grated cheese.

Melt the butter in the top of a double boiler over boiling water. Add flour, salt, paprika, and cayenne. Mix well, and stir in milk. Stir constantly until sauce is thick. Add small cubes of cheese and stir until cheese melts. Remove from heat.

Beat egg yolks until they are light, and slowly pour yolks into cheese sauce stirring constantly.

Wash beater thoroughly -- even a speck of yolk can spoil the egg whites.

Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold cheese sauce into egg whites. Pour into baking dish.

(At this point you can refrigerate for up to three hours. Remove about 20 minutes before baking.)

Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 400 and bake for 25 minutes.

Orange/Grapefruit Spinach Salad

Arrange orange and grapefruit segments on top of trimmed baby spinach. Drizzlle with simple vinaigrette: 3 parts olive oil to 1 part vinegar (or a combination of vinegar and lemon juice), blended with a sweet or honey mustard.

Beef Shish Kebab with Tabbouleh

It was a revelation to me how good shish kebab can be broiled in the oven! Of course, the grill is best but I live in an apartment and grills are not allowed. To me the oven is easier, too, but use either method you prefer. Groceries often have kebabs already arranged with vegetables on the skewers. But the following recipe allows you control of the quality of the beef, the selection of the vegetables, and the ingredients of the marinade. And the meat and vegetables will not have been sitting for who knows how long at the butcher's counter! Remember that any cut surface on a food exposed to the air loses quality and flavor rapidly. It's best to cut the beef yourself just before marinating. Or ask the butcher to cut it for you. You need a lean, tender cut of beef -- sirloin, top sirloin, or rib cut. Trim off as much fat as possible.

Beef Shish Kebab

2 pounds lean beef, cut into 2-inch cubes
Marinade:
2/3 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
Vegetables:
mushroom caps
squares of green pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

Combine marinade ingredients in a glass or pottery bowl. Add cubed beef and marinate 4 to 48 hours, turning frequently.
When you're ready to cook, preheat the broiler and thread the skewers leaving about 2 inches at the handle and tip. The pieces should be close together so they don't dry out. You can alternate the beef with vegetables on the same skewer or use separate skewers.
Remove the rack from the broiler pan (or -- easy clean-up -- use an aluminum foil broiling pan!). Arrange the skewers across the pan, with the tips resting on one side and the handles on the other. Brush kebabs with oil.
Place in the oven with the meat about 3 inches from the heat. Turn often, brushing with the marinade (pay particular attention that the mushrooms stay well-oiled -- they can dry out and shrivel up). For rare beef, cook about 9 minutes. For medium-rare, about 12.

Tabbouleh

This is one of my favorite foods! On a hot summer day, tabbouleh has often been my entire lunch or supper. You can buy tabbouleh at many grocery delis (Central Market and Eatzi both have tasty versions), but -- as with most foods -- it is much better made fresh.
Tabbouleh is traditional in the Middle East with grilled or broiled foods. And with the vegetables from the kebabs, this rounds out a very healthy and tasty meal!
If you can't find the fine bulghur (or if you have leftover rice), a rice salad would be good, too. Just toss the cooked rice in vinaigrette (the rice should be moist but not soggy) and mix in chopped green onion, diced peeled seeded cucumber, chopped peeled seeded tomato, and chopped parsley.

1/2 cup fine bulghur (cracked wheat -- make sure you get the fine grade as others are too coarse)
3 medium ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
1 cup finely chopped parsley
1 cup finely chopped green onion
1/3 cup lemon juice
salt
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves

Soak bulghur in cold water to cover for 30 minutes. Drain in a sieve lined with cheesecloth (to prevent fine grains from falling through), then twist the cheesecloth into a bag and wring out remaining moisture from the bulghur. Spread the bulghur on a dishtowel and leave until fairly dry. Put bulghur in a large bowl and add tomatoes, parsley, onion, lemon juice, and salt (to taste). Mix thoroughly but gently -- your hands are really best for this so as not to break the grains. Mix in the olive oil and mint just before serving.

Tomato Soup, Spring Greens Salad in Apricot-Ginger Vinaigrette with Salmon, and Parmesan Toast

I have received a couple of requests for lighter fare -- I think the Beef Stroganoff threw quite a few people into calorie shock! This soup and the toast together are 198 calories (16% from fat) and the salad is 120 calories with 2 grams fat.

Tomato Soup with Parmesan Toast

This soup can be pureed until smooth or left slightly chunky according to personal taste. You can also use an immersion blender if you prefer (I finally got one and it is so much easier than a traditional blender -- highly recommended!).

2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
2 cups chopped fennel bulb
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups vegetable broth
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 thyme sprig
salt and white pepper to taste

Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and sautee for three minutes. Add fennel and sautee for three minutes. Add garlic and sautee for five minutes, or until all vegetables are tender.

Add broth, tomatoes, and thyme to pan. Bring to a boil. Partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 35 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes. Discard thyme sprig.

Place half tomato mixture in blender. Remove center of blender lid. Secure lid on blender, placing a clean towel over opening to prevent splattering. Blend until desired consistency. Repeat with remaining tomato mixture. Stir in salt and pepper.

Parmesan Toast

sliced French bread
freshly grated Parmesan cheese
(chopped garlic)
(crushed red pepper flakes)

Preheat broiler.

Place bread slices on a baking sheet. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cheese on each slice. Add garlic and/or red pepper flakes if desired. Broil for 2 minutes, or until cheese melts.

Spring Greens in Apricot-Ginger Vinaigrette with Salmon

Apricot-Ginger Vinaigrette

1/4 cup all-fruit apricot spread
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons grated peeled ginger root
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon salt

Blend until smooth in a blender or food processor.

Spring Greens Salad with Salmon

4 cups salad greens, preferably spring mix, torn into bite-sized pieces
2 cups baby spinach leaves
1 cup shredded red cabbage
1 cup snow peas, trimmed and halved diagonally
1  7.1-ounce vacuum-sealed pouch pink salmon

Place all ingredients except salmon on a platter. Toss with dressing. Crumble salmon on top.

Tamale Pie with Tex Mex Shredded Lettuce Salad

We call this "Texas Shepherd's Pie." It's the same idea: an all-in-one meal of meat and vegetables topped with a starch. But Tamale Pie has those zesty Tex Mex flavors  that we all love. This is the basic recipe. You can add other ingredients like corn, green chiles or cheese if you like (my mother used to throw in frozen mixed vegetables). I don't use cornbread mix, because I think it's too sweet. You can omit the cornbread crust completely if you're worried about calories, and have what we used to call "Skillet Stir Fry."

Tamale Pie

1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 or 2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
1 pound ground beef
1 4.5 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 cup cornmeal
4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
sliced ripe olives

Preheat oven to 350.

Sautee onion, green pepper, and garlic in oil until just tender. Crumble beef into skillet and brown. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, and chili powder. Cook over low to medium heat for about 20 minutes.

While meat mixture is cooking, bring 3 cups of the water to a boil. Slowly pour cornmeal into remaining cup of cold water, stirring until smooth. Add salt and chili powder to boiling water, then, stirring constantly, add the corn meal mixture to the boiling water. Cook and stir for 5 minutes, Remove from heat and cover.

Layer half the cornmeal mixture on the bottom of a greased casserole or deep pie dish. Add meat mixture. Sprinkle with olives. Top with remaining half of cornmeal.

Bake at 350 until nicely browned, about 20 minutes.

For a crisp and tart side, I like this shredded lettuce and chopped tomato salad similar to those served in Mexican restaurants with the "combination plates":

Tex Mex Shredded Lettuce Salad

1 teaspoon white vinegar
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups sliced or shredded lettuce
1/2 cup finely chopped tomatoes
(sliced avacado)

Mix together first four ingredients, then toss with lettuce and tomatoes. Add sliced avacado if desired.

French Onion Soup with Roast Beef Sandwich

This soup is so good, so easy, so filling, and so inexpensive that it's no wonder it is the traditional "fast food" in France, where a large pot simmers as workmen file by with their bowls and a crust of bread.  There are different versions, of course. This one is from Joy of Cooking, but I don't always follow it exactly. The proportions may vary, I may use plain toasted bread, I may use another type of cheese -- a slice of Gruyere draped across the top of the crock is a more traditional presentation and delicious. I've used both yellow and white onion, and both are good though I prefer the yellow -- it has more flavor. Lots of freshly ground black pepper really makes a crucial difference.
James Beard's recipe -- a hardier, more filling version which he says is actually from Switzerland-- has you stir in a little flour and red wine or sherry at the same time you add the beef broth, then add some grated Gruyere before topping with the toasted bread and more cheese then warming in the oven.
Obviously, the beef broth you use will affect the flavor of the soup (and if you make it yourself you can control the quality of ingredients), but I've been very pleased with the results using Campbell's or Swanson's. The first time I made this I used the Swanson's beef broth undiluted. It was delicious, though quite rich. I realized then that I was meant to dilute the canned broth, but when I tried that it seemed too bland. I compromised by diluting the canned broth with about 1/3 can of water instead of the full can called for. You could also use wine instead of water to dilute. And if you want a really rich soup, add more butter. Taste before adding to the oven to make sure it's just what you want!
I fix this at least once or twice a month. It's really enough by itself for a light supper. Some chopped parsley added just before serving gives a nice fresh flavor, some color, and extra nutrition. A green salad is nice on the side -- Romaine, Boston, Bibb, or "European Blend" are especially good -- with a thick slice of tomato (if you can find a good tomato) dressed with garlic Dijon vinaigrette.. And if you're hungry, adding a sandwich makes a very satisfying meal.

French Onion Soup

1 1/2 cups very thinly sliced onion
3 tablespoons butter
6 cups beef broth (or vegetable stock, for vegetarians!)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 slices toasted French bread
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
(Cognac, sherry, or wine)

Sautee the onion slices in the butter until well browned -- and I mean brown, not golden -- but not burned, separating the slices into rings as they cook. This may take a while, but it is crucial for a tasty result. Add the broth and pepper. Cover and cook over low heat for 30 minutes.
Transfer the soup into individual crocks or into a large crock or casserole. Cover with the toasted bread. Sprinkle the cheese onto the toast and heat in the oven or broiler for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
Add a dash of cognac, sherry, or wine, if desired.

This sandwich is a variation of the French Dip, and uses some of the broth from the soup. You can also dip it into the broth for moisture and flavor as you eat. Remember that you need quite a bit of beef, depending on the bread you are using...the proportions should be about 1/3 top bread, 1/3 beef, 1/3 bottom bread, otherwise the flavor of the beef will be lost.

Roast Beef Sandwich

roast beef, thinly sliced
butter
Dijon mustard or horseradish
French roll or other sandwich roll
hot broth

Preheat oven to 400.
Split the roll and spread with butter and Dijon mustard or horseradish. Dip beef slices into broth or simmer them for a few minutes in the broth and then place on the roll. Heat in the oven for about 5 or 10 minutes (wrap in foil if you want a softer sandwich with a more "steamed" texture).

Notes on Cooking for One

I feel that I've strayed a bit from the original concept of this blog, which was supposed to be recipes and suggestions for cooking for one. Several of the recipes are scaled for one or are flexible as to amount, but many make a larger amount. I just couldn't resist sharing some of my favorites. So the question becomes whether to freeze the leftovers, recycle into other dishes, or both. I am not a big fan of freezing, mainly because I don't have a good freezer. I also tend to forget about things in the freezer.  Freeze away, if you like, but I have tried to provide for recycling leftovers if you prefer that route.

After a large recipe, I try to incorporate the leftovers into the recipes for the next two days.. I think three days is enough. After that, freeze or toss! So brisket becomes barbecue, then beef hash. Roast chicken and rice becomes chicken enchiladas, then black beans and rice (chicken spaghetti should have appeared in this sequence, too -- I posted it too soon!).

The main thing I would like to emphasize about cooking alone is to make it special, to honor yourself as much as you would any guest. Every meal, especially in the evening, should be attractively arranged on a pretty plate. Eat at a real table, not hunched over a coffee table -- I've done it and I understand, but you will enjoy the meal so much more if the plate and utensils are at a more comfortable height. And take the time to make yourself something nutricious, delicious, and satisfying! Taking the time to prepare a nice evening meal is kind of like taking the time in the morning to groom yourself carefully -- you may not always feel like it, but It makes you feel so much better when you're done! Of course, anyone who is cooking for one must include dinners out and takeout food in the routine, too. But commercially prepared food grows tiresome after a while. There is no substitute for a homecooked meal.

I'd really like feedback in the comments section if there is any particular issue of cooking for one you would like to see me addresss, or any recipe requests or cooking questions. For example, I've thought about doing a post on kitchen devices...let me know...

Beef Stroganoff in a Slow Cooker

The man I dated during the 1980s loved this recipe and the roasted chicken with rice and broccoli. Those were the two he always debated between for any special occasion, like his birthday. I really like this, too, although it is rather rich. It's a very untraditional Stroganoff, using ground beef instead of cubed or thinly sliced beef and adding tomato paste. What can I say? With apologies to the purists, it's good and it's easy! (If you don't have a slow cooker, you could use a lidded casserole in the oven -- Low is equivalent to 172 degrees) This is also a great party dish, as part of a buffet. You can serve it from the slow cooker or transfer to a fancier chafing dish. The pasta in another chafing dish, a big bowl of salad, and a basket of sliced French bread.

Beef Stroganoff

2 pounds ground beef
2 tablespoons shortening
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
2 teaspoons salt
1 taablespoon Worcestershire
1/4 teaspon pepper
1 cup beef broth
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 cups sour cream blended with 4 tablespoons flour
(6 tablespoons red wine)
Brown beef in a skillet. Put all ingredients in slow cooker and stir thoroughly. Cover and cook on Low 6-8 hours. Serve over hot cooked noodles or rice (I like it on those curly egg noodles).

You need something crisp and tart with this, to balance the texture and the richness. A Romaine salad with vinaigrette is good. Silver Palate makes a bottled raspberry vinaigrette that would also add a fruity flavor. Or try grating a small raw beet (beets always seem Russian -- I guess because of borsch) and a small onion over the Romaine before tossing with vinaigrette.

Duke of Windsor Sandwich from Neiman-Marcus Mermaid Cafe and Chilled Cucumber Yogurt Soup

The Duke of Windsor Sandwich was always my favorite thing to order at Neiman's. I think I was first just curious to find out what a duke would like to eat (I was about 7 years old). Besides, the other girls always got the chicken salad and I wanted to be different! At that time and at my age, chutney -- and even pineapple -- seemed quite exotic. I still love it.

This recipe is not from Neiman-Marcus. They have a cookbook available on Amazon that does include the Duke of Windsor Sandwich recipe, but I don't have it. This is the closest I could come to recreating it. The only snag is that it is much, much better with actual sliced roasted turkey rather than the prepackaged slices. Your grocery deli might have something close enough.

Duke of Windsor Sandwich

1 canned pineapple ring
2 slices egg bread, toasted
1 1/2 ounces Olde English Cheese Spread (sharp cheddar)
1 tablespoon Major Grey chutney
2 ounces sliced turkey
1 lettuce leaf

Sautee pineapple ring in butter and cut in half.
Spread cheese on one slice of toast, then spread chutney on top. Add pineapple halves, turkey, and lettuce. Top with other piece of toast. Trim crusts and cut in half.

Potato chips or corn relish are good with this. Or how about this recipe from the old Dallas Museum of Fine Arts Gallery Buffet Soup Cookbook?:

Chilled Cucumber and Yogurt Soup

1 cup plain yogurt
2/3 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup cucumber, peeled and seeded
1/4 cup half and half cream
salt
white pepper
1 teaspoon green onion (including top), chopped fine
1/2 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped (or 1/4 teaspoon dried)
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Add yogurt to chicken broth and mix well. Grate cucumber and add to broth and yogurt. Add remaining ingredients and stir until well blended. Adjust seasoning. Chill for at least 4 hours. Garnish with a pinch of dill.

Shrimp Lemon Pepper Linguine

This recipe comes from allrecipes.com, where I have found several good recipes. They have a rating system and a well-used comment section for feedback. This recipe got rave reviews, and I agree.

If you like a lot of sauce, try doubling the sauce ingredients. Cut back the amount of pepper if it sounds like too much.

This would be wonderful with grilled shrimp, if you are so inclined. Add with the pasta and cook until the ingredients have blended, but don't let the shrimp overcook. Asparagus or capers are good, added with the pasta. Also crushed red pepper (instead of the black pepper) and/or freshly grated Parmesan.

The comments indicate this recipe doesn't really work as well with other types of pasta. The broad linguine allows it to support enough sauce to balance the shrimp.
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Shrimp Lemon Pepper Linguine

1 8-ounce package of linguine
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup white wine
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
salt to taste
2 teaspoons fresh grated black pepper
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup butter
chopped parsley*
chopped basil
(chopped asparagus)
(capers)
(crushed red pepper)
(fresh grated Parmesan)


Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguine and cook to al dente. Drain.
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and sautee garlic about one minute. Add chicken broth, wine, lemon juice, zest, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer until liquid is reduced by about half.
Add shrimp, butter, parsley, and basil. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, then stir in cooked linguine and continue to cook another 2 minutes or until the pasta is well coated.

*a word about parsley: I know several people who consider it "garnish" or as merely serving a decorative function to add color. Not true! Besides having a fresh flavor that balances the richness of a dish, parsley has lots of vitamins and many nutritional benefits.

Moros y Cristianos (Cuban Black Beans and Rice)

I have received a request for a vegetarian entree recipe (Hi Marian!), and this is also a good Lenten Friday supper dish. The name -- Moors and Christians -- reflects the Spanish heritage of the dish, referring to the black beans and white rice.

This is another dish introduced to me by my cousin Mary Hobart. She always used the recipe on the label of the canned Goya black beans, with a few changes. But when I checked the Goya web site, I found the recipe there to be slightly different. The following is the version I've made before -- I know that it's good. But I include afterward the web site ingredients in case you'd like to try them.

A crisp green salad and French bread are good with this.

Black Beans and Rice

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup onion finely chopped
1/4 cup green pepper (or any combination of green, red, and yellow peppers), chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 can of black beans, with liquid (or canned organic vegetarian black beans)
1 teaspoon oregano
3/4 cup water, orange juice, white wine, cider vinegar, or Rum (I like the orange juice with a little water)
1 Bay leaf
chopped parsley or cilantro

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion, pepper(s), and garlic. Cook until tender -- about 8 to 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients (except parsley/cilantro), stir, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes to one hour, adding more liquid if needed.
Remove bay leaf and serve over hot white rice, topped with chopped parsley or cilantro.

The Goya web site adds "Sazon Goya" -- packaged seasoning I'm not familiar with -- and Adobo sauce, which is good though I've never tried it with this. It also omits the bell peppers, which I really like. One version also adds uncooked rice and two cups water at the same time the beans are added and directs to simmered covered for 25 minutes and allow to stand for 5 minutes, then drizzle each serving with olive oil. I'm sure cooking the rice with the beans gives more flavor to the rice, but I like having the leftover beans separate to munch on as a snack!

Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas with Black Beans and Rice

This is a great recipe for leftover chicken and rice. It's adapted from an old spiral-bound cookbook (c. 1978), "It's a Long Way to Guacamole," written by two homesick Texans who were living in the Washington, DC area with their families. Recreating the Tex-Mex food of  their native state provided comfort, and eventually expanding friendsips as their informal dinners grew into a large gathering of people of varied backgrounds who shared an appreciation for this tasty cuisine.

Traditional Mexican cooking can be quite time-consuming. I have simplified the recipes quite a bit. Of course making fresh salsa or enchilada sauce or making the refried black beans from scratch would make the meal much better. If you do want a fresh sauce for the enchiladas, add a little chicken broth to my recipe for Salsa de Tomatillos (12-6-11), puree in the blender, and simmer in a pan with a little vegetable oil for about 15 minutes (add some green food coloring if the color of the cooked tomatillos is unappetizing to you -- that's what the restaurants do!). A lot of people make their own tortillas and they are really easy and delicious...just follow the directions on the bags of Masa Harina (in the same section of the store as the flour). But if you're feeling a little lazy (as I am today), but still want a nice home-cooked dinner the following is easy and delicious!

Green Chicken Enchiladas

3 cups shredded chicken
1 onion, chopped
1 jar green chile salsa (I like the SafewaySelect brand salsa verde)
2 cups chicken broth, warmed
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 pound Monterrey Jack cheese, grated
corn tortillas

Preheat oven to 325.
Place shredded chicken, onion, chicken broth to cover, and a little of the liquid from the salsa in a bowl. Add cumin and white pepper to taste and toss with a fork to combine.  Allow to sit uncovered for about an hour, adding chicken broth as the chicken absorbs the liquid.
Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Using tongs, dip each tortilla in the oil for a few seconds -- until it softens. Drain on paper towels. Fill each tortilla with the chicken mixture, add a sprinkling of cheese, roll, and place flap side down in a greased casserole dish. When the enchiladas are arranged in a single layer in the casserole, spoon more sauce over them and top with the remaining cheese. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes.

Black Beans

canned black beans
chopped onion
chopped garlic
chopped jalapeno
Monterrey Jack cheese, grated

Because this is the lazy cook's Mexican dinner, I've just used canned black beans. The Goya brand is good, but so are others. Season them to taste with sauteed onion, garlic, chopped jalapeno, etc. while heating over medium heat. Simmer for about 20 minutes to blend the flavors, then -- with the heat on low -- mash with a potato masher (adding a little vegetable oil if you like) until you have the consistency you want. Top with grated Monterrey Jack cheese and serve immediately or transfer to a casserole dish and warm in the oven until needed.

Easy Spanish Rice

1 cup cooked rice
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup green pepper
3 cups canned tomatoes
salt

Sautee onion, garlic, and green pepper until onion is translucent. Add rice. Stir to mix. Add tomatoes with liquid. Stir. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Classic Roasted Chicken with Rice and Broccoli

Is there any more nourishing and satisfying meal than roasted chicken with rice and a vegetable? Not to me. It could be ancestral memory, since roasting was one of the first ways of cooking meat -- although that was on a spit over an open fire. Roasting on a spit or rotisserie still produces a delicious chicken, but a plain ordinary oven can give us a  fine bird, too.

Even for such a simple dish there are many controversies and variations:

To truss or not to truss

Most serious cooks seem to think trussing is important. I have heard some say that this cooks the chicken more evenly in addition to the obviously superior presentation. But I have also heard and read that not trussing allows the heat to circulate around the legs and wings more easily for more even cooking. I don't do it because it seems like a lot of trouble and I like the results I get without it just fine. Go ahead and truss if you like. Some people do recommend releasing the legs and wings for the final 30 minutes or so of cooking to better roast the inside skin.

To stuff or not to stuff

This is really a matter of personal taste. Many people were brought up with stuffed roasted chicken and, for them, stuffing is essential to a good chicken dinner. To me, it's too much. I like the purity of a plain roasted chicken. There are many good recipes for stuffing, but I won't recommend any since I am not a fan.

Vertical or Traditional

The main claim of the various vertical roasters on the market is that they solve the age-old problem of thoroughly cooking the chicken without drying it out. The chicken is straddled on a metal cylinder, so that the heat works from the inside as well as the outside for a more evenly cooked bird. I bought one of these back in the 1980s, and loved it. But I find now that I always use my traditional V-shaped roasting rack. I think either method is good. A chicken roasted on a vertical roaster needs to be carved on the roaster, which doesn't make much of a presentation. But it is extremely easy to carve -- falling off the bone, really, so that carving is hardly even necessary. The vertical roaster is also more difficult to clean. The essential thing is not to have the chicken sitting in its own juices so that the bottom becomes soggy.

Local, organic, free-range

By all means, if you have access to and can afford local, organic, and/or free-range chicken go for it! This chicken is not only healthier but much more flavorful. Local food is fresher and, because the chickens have lived in the same environment that you do, they supposedly can provide immunities for allergies, etc. Organic food eliminates harsh pesticides that can also trigger allergies and have many other unpleasant repurcussions. Free-range chickens are less fatty and, although I don't enter into the moral issues, this method is obviously more humane as well.

I'll limit my discussion of controversies to these four, though I could go on and on. The variations are so numerous as to be almost without limit, so I won't discuss them at all. Just google "roasted chicken" for as many recipes as you can imagine. Here is my favorite:

Roasted Chicken

1  3-4 pound chicken
2 lemons
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt
paprika
rosemary
sage
olive oil

Preheat oven to 350.

Trim the excess fat from the chicken, rinse it, and dry thoroughly inside and out (I didn't understand why recipes called for the rinsing and drying until I read that it allows the flavors from the herbs in the cavity to penetrate and for the skin to crisp more nicely). Rub the skin with olive oil. Squeeze half a lemon into the cavity and then place the other lemon half there along with a bay leaf. Pour the juice of the second lemon over the chicken and then season with salt, paprika, rosemary, and sage, rubbing to  spread evenly and adhere well to the skin.
Place in roaster and cook, basting often, for about 1 to 2 hours (about 20 minutes per pound), or until the internal temperature is 165 (this is James Beard's recommendation, although Joy of Cooking recommends 190...use your own judgment, but remember that the chicken will continue to cook after leaving the oven).

Giblet Gravy

I like chicken and rice moistened with just the pan juices thinned with some chicken broth. Plain pan gravy is good, too. But giblet gravy is really delicious and something special. It's a little more trouble, and some people don't like the giblets. I love them! This is James Beard's recipe:

giblets from chicken cavity
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 or 3 grinds of black pepper
sprig of parsley
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
(hard-boiled egg, chopped)

While the chicken is cooking, simmer the above ingredients (except the chopped parsley and hard-boiled egg) for 15 or 20 minutes. Strain the broth and reserve. Chop the giblets and reserve. When the chicken is done, remove it from the roasting pan and drain or spoon out all but 3 tablespoons of the fat from the pan. Add the broth and giblets to the pan and bring to a boil. Simmer for several minutes, stirring and scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Boil over high heat until reduced to your taste. Add parsley -- and hard-boiled egg, if desired -- and pour mixture into a gravy boat.

Rice

There are many types of rice and many cooking methods. I like Texmati rice, and follow the directions on the container. Then I add  pan juices or giblet gravy and a little chopped parsley. But you can cook the parsley in the rice, cook pine nuts in the rice, substitute chicken stock or broth for water to cook the rice...the possibilities are endless!

Broccoli

A green salad is good with chicken and rice. So are green beans or any other vegetable. But my favorite accompaniment is broccoli.
Many people think they don't like broccoli. I think that's because if it is overcooked or undercooked it is awful, and the stems can be tough and tasteless. But the florets, steamed until just fork-tender, are delicious tossed in lemon butter. And, topped with Hollandaise (see previous recipe for Easy Skillet Hollandaise), broccoli is sublime! I would suggest, however, sticking with the more simple lemon butter sauce if you are serving gravy with the chicken. The Hollandaise would be too rich in that combination, and the flavors would compete.

Beef Hash with Poached Eggs and Easy Skillet Hollandaise

This recipe is an attempt to recreate a wonderful brunch dish I had years ago in the restaurant at the El Tovar hotel at the Grand Canyon. I believe their beef hash was made with tenderloin or some other fine cut of beef, but I have made it with leftover brisket, pot roast, and various types of steak. It works especially well for leftover beef, since there are often leftover potatoes. It's quite rich and filling, and would be good for supper, too. Of course, the hash is good by itself -- or with the sauce and no egg, or with the egg and no sauce.
My Cuisinart food processor broke down a couple of months ago (it was only 30 years old!) and I haven't been able to replace the parts yet, but it occurs to me that chopping the beef, potatoes, and onion might be well suited for it. I would think you would first chop the beef and onion, then add the potatoes. Probably just a pulse or two for each...

Beef Hash

4 tablespoons butter
2 cups finely chopped or shredded beef
3 cups finely chopped boiled potatoes
1 onion, diced
1/2 cup milk
fresh ground black pepper
chopped parsley

Melt the butter in a frying pan. Combine beef and potatoes in a bowl and add the onion and milk. Stir to mix.  Add pepper. Spread the mixture evenly in the frying pan and cook over low heat, shaking the pan occasionally or loosening edges with a spatula. When the hash is well browned on the bottom use the spatula to fold it over like an omelet.  Divide into individual servings and top with parsley. Or, if you will be adding the poached eggs and/or Hollandaise, put the hash in a low oven to stay warm. Don't add the parsley until ready to serve.

Both poached eggs and  Hollandaise require close attention. But both cook quickly. I suggest poaching the eggs first and allowing them to rest and drain on saucers with a paper towel while you make the Hollandaise, because the Hollandaise really is better served immediately. When it's time to top the hash with the eggs, grip the paper towel and tilt the saucer to slide the egg onto the hash (they may need a little prodding with your finger or a spoon).

Easy Skillet Hollandaise

I have always had success with this technique, which I found at Cooks.com, but I read somewhere else that only experts should attempt it. I don't know why. I'm really not an expert. But this seems a lot easier and less cumbersome than the double-boiler method, and more flavorful than the blender method.

4 egg yolks
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 sticks butter (1/2 pound) in chunks
pinch cayenne
1/2 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
pinch of white pepper (optional)

Beat egg yolks over low heat in a small skillet for about 5 minutes.  This is the tricky part.  The eggs should be heated until you can see the bottom of the pan with a stroke of the whisk. If the temperature is too hot, the eggs will scramble. If it's not hot enough, the sauce will be too thin and may separate.
When the eggs are ready as described above, lower heat to the very lowest setting and begin to add the chunks of butter, one at a time, stirring after each addition. Then stir in salt, pepper, cayenne, and lemon juice.

Turn off the heat immediately when the sauce has reached the desired consistency.

Remove hash from warming oven, and place servings onto plates. Top each with a poached egg and a spoonful of Hollandaise, and sprinkle with parsley.

Barbecue Dinner

I love a quotation I found in a cookbook from the early 1800s: Every cook must learn what every wife knows -- how to make the best of the cold remains!

Leftover beef brisket is easily transformed into barbecue, and it's different enough that it doesn't really seem like "leftovers"! I know, I know...boiled beef brisket hardly qualifies as "barbecue" -- barbecue should be smoked for hours with special spices, etc. But shredded and with a good sauce, it's pretty good and a lot easier. The side dishes really make a completely new meal, even if you use the same potatoes and green beans.

I use a slow cooker for the barbecue, because I have one and it's easy. You can use a lidded casserole in the oven: "Low" on the slow cooker is 172 and "High" is 212, but I don't think the exact temperature or time is that important. The main thing is to cook on low heat long enough for the meat to really absorb the sauce, but not over-cook.
You can use your favorite barbecue sauce. I like the Stubb's Barbecue Sauce (from Stubb's Barbecue in Austin -- they carry a bottled version at my local Tom Thumb), and I add a little cider vinegar.

If you really are cooking for one, you might have enough left over beef to make beef hash tomorrow -- it's delicious with a poached egg and Hollandaise on top (hmmmI need to post my recipe for skillet Hollandaise...later!). Use as much or as little as you like for the barbecue. Maybe you can find someone to share!

Barbecue Beef

Place the meat on a large cutting board and shred. Place beef in slow cooker. Pour sauce over the beef and mix well (the amount of sauce is up to personal taste, but don't get it too soupy). Cover and cook on Low for about 6 hours.
The beef can be served directly from the slow cooker or casserole onto toasted buns, or just as is onto the plate...and now for the fun part!

The "Sides"

There are so many good side dishes for barbecue! Of course you want some good pickles and rings of sliced onion. It's nice to offer some of the heated barbecue sauce so those who like a lot can spoon on extra. One or more hot sauces, for those who like it spicy. But then there is so much more to choose from!  I have never really found a recipe for cole slaw that I like, although I've eaten good cole slaw (I love the cole slaw at Vincent's Seafood Resteraunt in Dallas, for instance, and Big Pine Lodge on Caddo Lake), and so I don't offer a cole slaw recipe. If you have leftover potatoes and green beans, you can use them to make potato salad and green bean salad. A stuffed baked potato casserole a la Sammy's Barbecue (scoop out the insides of baked potatoes, add the ingredients of a stuffed potato, mix, and bake at 350 for 30 minutes) is great if you have left over baked potato. Fried okra is traditional and I do love it. And, really, it's hardly Texas barbecue without beans!

Potato Salad

You probably have a favorite recipe for potato salad. There are many variations: mayonnaise, mustard, vinaigrette. As you probably have deduced, I am a big fan of vinaigrette. Here is my favorite:

Warm boiled potatoes in microwave if they have been in the refrigerator. Add chopped celery and marinate in vinaigrette for about an hour. Before serving add some chopped chives or green onion. Serve at room temperature.
For a mayonnaise version, follow directions above but add mayonnaise, chopped boiled eggs, and chopped pickles. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.
For a mustard version, add mustard to the mayonnaise recipe.

Green Bean Salad

I do the green bean salad pretty much the same as a potato salad, though without the celery or green onion (a little grated onion instead). If you do the vinaigrette for the potatoes, you might want to do the mayonnaise for the green beans -- or vice versa.

Fried Okra

Fresh or frozen okra
Corn meal
salt & pepper
cooking oil

Cut okra into rounds. Salt and pepper. Shake in a sack with corn meal until okra is completely covered.
Heat 1/3 cup oil to very hot in a skillet. Fry okra until golden brown -- about 12 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

"Fort Worth Beans"

My mother's family were from East Texas and were raised on Southern cooking. When my mother's older sister married and moved to Fort Worth, she was surprised to see that a staple of the diet there was baked barbecue beans. Every house had beans on the stove, and people expected it when they came to call. So she set out to learn how to make "Fort Worth Beans"!

This is my version of her recipe, with a huge shortcut thanks to Bush's Baked Beans. You could use any of their many varieties of baked beans. I happen to like the maple and bacon.

Bush's Maple & Bacon Baked Beans
chopped onion
French's mustard

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine beans, onion, and a generous dollop of mustard in a greased casserole. Bake for 30 minues covered.
(You can add two strips of bacon on top of the beans, and cook for 30 more minutes uncovered, for a more authentic touch)

Scalloped Tomatoes

This recipe comes from Helene Randolph Moore, a friend of my former mother-in-law Lenora Love. Helene says it was a favorite supper dish during the Depression. It's good with steak and potatoes, and it would be good with the Boiled Brisket if you decide to serve that with the beef juices instead of the gravy -- I think it would be too rich with the beef & gravy. It's something different and super easy. I've even used the canned diced tomatoes with basil if I'm really feeling lazy!

4 slices toast, coarsely crumbled
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 1-pound can of tomatoes, broken up, with juice
6 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried basil

Preheat oven to 425.

In a 9-inch pie plate pour the butter over the toast, stirring to coat.  Heat the tomatoes, sugar, salt, and basil until sugar dissolves. Stir into buttered toast.  Press down bread until it is submerged.  Bake about 25 minutes, or until brown around the edges.

Beef Brisket with Gravy

This is a very simple way to prepare brisket, and it produces a tender and tasty dish. It is my adaptation of my mother's adaptation of the Joy of Cooking recipe. If you have an electric knife, it will be easier to prevent the meat from falling apart when you slice it -- it is that tender! Cut against the grain. But, if it does fall apart, who cares? It still tastes just as good!

Any potato dish and a green vegetable are good with this. I usually do boiled new potatoes (tossed in butter, parsley, and salt & pepper) and boiled or steamed green beans (tossed in butter, salt, white pepper, and a tiny bit of grated onion or onion juice -- just enough to balance the sharp flavor of the beans). You can also add boiled new potatoes to the beef for the final cooking stage (see below). But a baked potato, scalloped potatoes, or mashed potatoes would be good. And any vegetable or vegetable combination could round it out. Or sliced tomatoes...If you decide to serve the beef with its own juices instead of gravy, scalloped tomatoes would be good (see following post), and the scalloped tomatoes provide a starch as well as a vegetable if you would like to leave out the potato.

6 cups water
3 lbs lean boneless brisket
dash of celery salt
2 or 3 cloves of garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400.

Bring water to a boil. Place meat in a large pot and cover with boiling water. Add celery salt and garlic. Cover tightly and simmer for about 3 hours, or until tender. Remove meat and place in a shallow pan, skin side up. Score several times across the top, and season with salt and pepper. Place in oven and cook for 20 minutes, or until browned (at this point you can also add cooked potatoes to roast with the juices).

You can serve the sliced beef with its own juices or any gravy. The recipe below is from Joy of Cooking :

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup chopped onions
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons freshly grated horseradish, or dollop of prepared horseradish to taste
salt
vinegar or lemon juice
(sugar)
chopped parsley

Degrease 2 cups of the cooking liquid from the beef.
Melt the butter and lightly brown the onions. Stir in flour until blended, then slowly stir in the degreased stock. Season with horseradish, salt, vinegar or lemon juice. Taste to adjust the seasonings, and add a little sugar if the flavor is too harsh. Ladle gravy onto each serving of beef and top with a little parsley, or sprinkle the parsley onto the gravy in a gravy boat to be passed at the table.

Chicken Spaghetti

I've realized since starting this blog how many of my favorite recipes are related to fond memories. My late friend Sally Henry taught me how to make what is now my favorite vinaigrette. My friend Bill Johnson introduced me to the wonderful Palm Beach Tennis Club Salad. Craig Claiborne's Green Goddess Salad Dressing comes from a cookbook I found in the kitchen of my late cousin Mary Hobart Key.

Today's recipe is the closest I have been able to come to recreating the famous chicken spaghetti prepared by the cook (whose name unfortunately escapes me for the moment!) who worked for the Dunlap family (the late John and Peter, and sister Anne -- now Spitler). Everyone loved that chicken spaghetti, especially for parties, but she would never give out the recipe -- you had to hire her to make it! Anne says she has it somewhere, but we're still waiting...

I think this has most of the same ingredients. It's very similar to King Ranch Casserole, but milder and with spaghetti instead of tortillas. In fact, this can be a casserole, too...just place the ingredients in a greased casserole dish! But I remember it being served in a big bowl so you could serve yourself, alongside a big bowl of green salad, and a basket of French rolls or sliced baguette.

It's a good dish for leftover roasted chicken, but is best with the meat from a boiled (really poached) chicken. The frozen cubed chicken is very popular for chicken salads and casseroles because it is so easy to use, but it's not nearly as good as chicken that's been cooked with the skin and the bone (which give a lot of flavor) and then shredded to absorb the sauce.

If you object to canned cream of mushroom soup, you can sautée some mushrooms in butter, add flour, whisk to combine, then slowly add milk while continuing to whisk.

1 3/4 cup raw spaghetti, broken up
1/4 green pepper, chopped
1/4 cup diced pimientoes
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 - 2 cups shredded chicken
1/2 onion, chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

Combine all ingredients except spaghetti and cheese in a large pot. Heat over medium-low heat about 25 minutes, or until flavors are combined. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a separate pot. When the spaghetti is done, drain and add to the pot with the chicken. Toss gently. Add the cheese and toss again. Transfer to a serving bowl.

This is a very forgiving dish, and is delicious hot, room temperature, or even cold, so it's great for buffets.

Boiled or Poached Chicken:

1 chicken, whole or cut up
1 quart water
1 stalk celery
1 quarter of an onion
a few sprigs of parsley
1 carrot
1 tablespoon salt

Clean the chicken and place in a large kettle.  Add the water, then the other ingredients.  Bring to a boil, cover, then lower heat and simmer until tender -- about 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours. Be sure the heat is low. When done, let the chicken cool in the liquid.  Then remove skin and shred -- you can use two forks, but I think it's easier to just use my fingers. The liquid left over is, of course, a nice chicken stock that can be used for soup or sauces!

Nicoise Salad & Craig Claiborne's Green Goddess Dressing

Nicoise salad, of course, is just a salad as done in Nice. The main idea is fish and vegetables, served at room temperature and "composed" -- that is, arranged on the plate rather than tossed. One can vary the ingredients, but the classic Nicoise centers on tuna and usually includes potatoes,  hard-boiled eggs, Nicoise olives, haricots verts (the thin French green beans), and anchovies.

I know many people think they don't like anchovies, but if you can get really high quality anchovies instead of the mush usually found at the grocery store you might be surprised. Texture and flavor are much improved by draining the filets on a paper towel. The anchovies can be omitted or served on the side for the timid, but they are very much a classic ingredient. Anchovies are considered a great delicacy in Mediterranean countries.The best tuna for this is the canned French or Spanish tuna packed in olive oil. You can substitute any canned tuna,other types of green beans for the haricots verts, or other brined black olives for the Nicoise olives, but -- as with omitting the anchovies -- the result will be a less distinctive salad. I also sometimes have substituted poached or grilled salmon or tilapia for the tuna, and I like to add capers, red bell pepper, and green onions. The proportions of each ingredient are up to individual taste. A nice crusty French roll is all you need to accompany the salad.

This is a really great dish for entertaining, for a luncheon or a casual supper on a hot summer evening. The cooking and marinating and chopping and slicing can be done the day before. And because all the ingredients are served at room temperature, the plates can be composed and placed at each setting on the table before guests arrive. As the guests are gathering it's nice to have a chilled soup -- like tomato bouillon or cream of carrot -- served in demitasses with cheese straws, and this makes a nice and easy first course. For dessert, something creamy like a chocolate mousse.

Nicoise Salad

Bibb or Boston lettuce
haricots verts
new potatoes
eggs
red bell pepper
green onion
tuna
anchovies
capers
Nicoise olives
vinaigrette

Halve or quarter the potatoes, depending on their size, then boil the haricots verts and potatoes separately until just tender enough to cut with a fork. Place into separate bowls and toss with vinaigrette (see recipe below). Allow to marinate for about 20 minutes to one hour.
Boil the eggs, then slice (or quarter if you prefer).
Drain anchovies on a paper towel.
Slice red bell pepper into thin strips.
Cut heads and ends off of the green onions.

Arrange each plate as follows:

A leaf of lettuce in the center, on which is placed the tuna in a mound. The anchovies are then draped across the tuna, usually two anchovies in a cross. The capers then sprinkled around the mound of tuna.
In a circle around the tuna and lettuce,  alternate the haricots verts and potatoes. At the top of the plate arrange the eggs,  at the bottom the olives, on one side the red pepper strips, and on the other side the green onions.
The effect should be two circles surrounding the mound of tuna.
The salad may be dressed with vinaigrette before serving,  but I like to pass the dressing so each person can have as much or as little as desired.

Vinaigrette:
3 parts olive oil
1 part vinegar
(garlic chopped or pressed, if desired)
(Dijon mustard, if desired)
salt, to taste
white pepper, to taste

Although a simple vinaigrette is the traditional dressing for Nicoise Salad, if you decide to used poached or grilled salmon instead of the tuna I think this Green Goddess dressing would be delicious as a sauce on the salmon. It seems a little rich for tilapia.I would stick with the vinaigrette for the vegetables, but have some of the Green Goddess on the table to drizzle on the vegetables if desired (it makes a good dip for blanched vegetables, too). I first made this when I lived in Austin in the 90s, and we all liked it so much we ate it on everything we could think of -- even sandwiches!
I know, again with the anchovies! But you really can't taste them in this. They just add a certain depth of flavor, like a bay leaf does in a stew. Please don't omit them!

Craig Claiborne's Green Goddess Dressing

2 ounces flat anchovies, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh chives,  chopped
1/2 cup parsley,  chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons tarragon vinegar
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
fresh ground black pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine ingredients in the container of an electric blender and blend for two seconds, or beat thoroughly with a rotary beater.  Chill,  and use on salad greens, chilled seafood, or hard-boiled eggs (or anything else that sounds good!).

Vincent Price's Palm Beach Tennis Club Salad

I first had this salad many years ago, when my friend Bill Johnson invited me to his dinner club. Each member of the club would bring one dish for the dinner, and Bill had been assigned to bring the salad. He found this recipe in a charity cookbook of some kind, I believe. I probably don't remember it completely accurately, but the dresssing was especially delicious.
Make sure in any salad that the greens are completely dry. This allows the dressing to coat the leaves evenly.

The salad:

Boston or Bibb lettuce: washed, dried, and torn into medium pieces
bacon, crumbled
Blue Cheese, crumbled
scallions, chopped
artichoke hearts, chopped
croutons
avocado, diced
hard-boiled egg, diced

Assemble ingredients in a large bowl and toss with dressing:

Three parts walnut oil to one part pear vinegar, salt and white pepper to taste.

My Tom Thumb has walnut oil. The pear vinegar is a little harder to find, but worth it!

More later...

Well, I'm back! Inspired by my success in finding my three favorite cookbooks through Amazon's out-of-print service, I am newly inspired to cook alone!
The books have not arrived yet, but I am feeling inspired by the very anticipation! James Beard's The Theory and Practice of Good Cooking is simply the best book on cooking I have ever encountered. It is not so much a recipe book as an explanation of the principles of cooking. My good friend and mentor in many ways, the late Sally Henry, gave me this book as a wedding present. It is incomprehensible to me that it has gone out of print. He devotes a chapter to each cooking method: baking, broiling, etc., explaining the principles and advantages of each method. The many pages he devotes to baking a potato baffled me when I first read it, but after reading his explanations I followed the instructions and found that, indeed, the baked potato is much abused and ill appreciated!
My cousin Mary Hobart Key introduced me to Craig Claiborne's Cooking with Herbs and Spices. Mary Hobart was from Mississippi, as was Claiborne, and had known him. He told her that tomatoes need a lot of salt, because you need to get rid of the water to savor the flavor of the tomato. So here is Craig Claiborne's method of preparing a tomato for a salad:

core tomato
fill cavity with salt
allow to sit for 15 minutes or so
squeeze salt from tomato (which squeezes out the seeds along with the water)

You now have a rich, delicious tomato if you have started with a good one, and an acceptable one if you have started with an anemic one typical of our supermarkets. This also solves the problem James Beard has with using tomatoes in salads : that they water down the dressing and should only be served on the side.

I plan to post more regularly now (I've also recovered my password for the blog...I am trying to keep up with technology!). Tomorrow, favorite salad recipes!