Food

by

Old-Fashioned Sauerbraten

With cold weather upon us, it’s time for some hearty main dishes that can stoke those internal fires. This German version of pot roast will warm your insides, guaranteed.

We really like this recipe! I make it for Grandpa Holzmann when he comes to visit. In fact, we have several friends who ask for this whenever they come to stay with us. It makes a great company meal. You can use a cheaper cut of beef, and most of the work is done ahead of time so you can enjoy your guests. The hardest part is finding room in the refrigerator to marinate the meat for several days.

Continue reading →

by

What Shall We Then Eat? (Part 3)

A while back, I posted a couple of blogs about eating responsibly—“What Should We Then Eat?” (Part 1 was about eating to be healthy, and Part 2 was about eating with the environment in mind.) Today, I’d finally like to finish this mini-series with “Part 3: Eating with a Social Conscience.”

Here in the U.S., it’s easy to forget that our food choices have a global impact. A quick trip through the market can remind us. There are bananas from central America, coffee from Kenya, and apples from Australia. Tropical species (such as chocolate) have to be imported. Out of season produce is grown in the southern hemisphere and flown north so we can eat oranges all summer and grapes all winter. All in all, when it comes to food choices, we’re pretty spoiled.

Continue reading →

by

Hot Broccoli Cheese Dip

The “party season” is coming up, and this hot broccoli dip is perfect for a crisp—or snowy—autumn evening. It somewhat resembles the more common spinach artichoke dip, which I can’t eat because I’m allergic to spinach. You can trade the Jack cheese for another variety if you like, but don’t overpower the taste of the vegetables.

Continue reading →

by

The Unhealthiest Hour?

dscf7577

I call it “Carb Café.” Of course, that isn’t the official name, but it’s the most descriptive. Like many larger churches, our church has an area where you can buy boutique coffee, breakfast, lunch, and snacks. Breakfast options include cinnamon buns topped with gooey white frosting, huge cake-like muffins in several flavors (including chocolate), and biscuits (white flour and shortening leavened with baking powder) topped with high-fat white gravy. There are over-sized cookies, sausage breakfast burritos (high in fats and cholesterol), and, for a time, Belgian waffles. A bit more healthy are the recently-added bagels with (full fat) cream cheese, sweetened yogurt, and “breakfast sandwiches.” To be fair, they also have apples, oranges, or bananas for a dollar each.

Continue reading →

by

Amazing Orange French Toast

Labor Day weekend is here, with an opportunity to spend Monday sleeping late for a change. What better way to celebrate than with a special breakfast—served at noon? This would also be a great breakfast to prepare for your sweetie, served in bed and garnished with a kiss.

While I never encountered French toast in France, it is traditionally made with French bread. Perhaps that’s where the name comes from.

As with so many delicious recipes, this is really not very good for you. But hey, you’re not making a habit of it, are you?

Continue reading →

by

Mexican Corn & Zucchini

It’s August, summer produce is at its peak—and the veggie most in abundance is zucchini!

Since I garden, I usually have plenty of zucchini to use and to share. As a result, I’m always searching for new recipes to put this profusion to good use. My standard zucchini recipe is to sauté it with caramelized onions and garlic, then top it all with Parmesan cheese. While that’s definitely delicious, a little variety helps keep everyone enthusiastic.

At the same time, we love to eat Mexican food. While rice and beans are great, most Mexican menus are very short in the veggie department. We all need to eat more veggies.

This recipe for sautéed corn and zucchini solves both problems. It uses up plenty of squash, and pairs beautifully with enchiladas and other Mexican main dishes.

Continue reading →

by

Mexican Chicken Salad

The weather is hot, so we’ve been eating a lot of salads lately. We’ve also been using the grill a lot, keeping the heat outside and the kitchen cool. Today’s recipe combines both of these features, creating a main dish that’s perfect for summer.

Next time you make some BBQ’d chicken (perhaps for an upcoming 4th of July party), throw a few extra pieces on the grill. Anything with a Mexican, Mediterranean, or Asian flavor is fine. Chill the extra meat, remove any skin or bones, and use it the next day in this main dish salad. I love a dinner that can be thrown together in less than 30 minutes, especially when I don’t have to cook a thing.

If the salad alone doesn’t fill you up, try serving it with fresh or grilled fruit, quesadillas, or splurge and serve Dulce de Leche ice cream for dessert.

Continue reading →

by

What Should We Then Eat? (Part 2)

refrigeratorStanding in front of the open refrigerator door, you survey the contents. What do you want to snack on? In today’s globalized world, this is a complicated question. In April I commented about our nutritional choices. Today I’m more interested in the environmental repercussions.

How is the food grown? What fertilizers are used? Are the plants sprayed with pesticides? And are organic growing methods automatically better? How about the use of fossil fuels to transport food over long distances? Or the energy and other resources used in processing, preserving, and packaging those convenience products? If you believe all the hype, you could be convinced that an environmental apocalypse is just around the corner, all because of our food choices.

Continue reading →

by

Pork Piccata

I love veal piccata, but veal is ridiculously expensive, if you can even find it at the market. Author Jeff Smith introduced this pork version in his Frugal Gourmet cookbook. I think it’s one of the best recipes in the whole book. As usual, I’ve tweaked it a bit. This is how I make it.

This is a great dinner choice for hot weather. You don’t have to turn on the oven, and the time spent over the stove is minimal. Plus, the lemon flavor seems refreshing on summer evenings.

I make pork piccata for company quite a bit, as pork roasts are relatively inexpensive. This Italian recipe goes well with asparagus or broccoli, and a white bean salad. If you make the salad ahead of time, and have the veggies ready to microwave or steam, you won’t need to spend too much time at the stove instead of with your guests. (If you try to make the pork ahead of time, the sauce seems to disappear into the meat.)
Continue reading →

by

Los Cabos Chicken Soup

cabosanlucas-lah

Necessity was the mother of invention for this recipe. We were on vacation in Cabo San Lucas, at the southern tip of the Baja peninsula, and I needed something easy to make for dinner in our tiny kitchen. These are the ingredients I found in the supermercado, and they added up to a wonderful Mexican soup! The second time I made it, I added leftover refried beans, and it still tasted muy delicioso.

When we got home, I checked online, and found that I’m not the first to have this idea. I guess lime, chicken, and rice just go really well together!

Continue reading →