Good day all:

No this isn't a food picture!   What you say?  I will say that this is from on of my favorite cities, especially for the food experience.

This is just a fun pic of Buckingham fountain that I am working on for my daughter and son in law who lived in Chicago, ( Justin raised there, Lenni went to grad school there and then worked for several years before relocating to Florida).

My thought for the day is that if given a chance, go to Chicago for some really great experiences from ballgames, to museums, outdoor fun, and especially the FOOD!!

HAVE A LIFE -FILLED DAY

Starting it up for winter...fun with food

OMG I have been away from this post for way too long.  I find it time to start up the blog again with more fun recipes and hopefully, input from you out there.  I like to cook organic, fresh, and daily, so lets get started on a new journey of life and food.

avacado and crusty bread

Great topping for polenta

I was craving polenta today, but didn't want to eat the Italian sausage that I usually use with my polenta.  I was really wanting something that was vegetarian.  I love peppers and had an entire bag of them (sweet peppers, a great place to get them is Costco because you can get a big bag.)  Anyway, I made a basic sauce out of whole tomatoes (crush them with your hands), some garlic, fresh oregano, a little italian herbs, fresh basil, some chopped rosemary and a can of tomato sauce.  Oh I also always add about a teaspoon of sugar and olive oil.  Cook it down to get the flavors forward.

While the sauce was stewing I sliced onion in 1/4 inch rounds, cut the peppers in half the long way, chopped some garlic and chopped some eggplant into cubes.  Then I sautéed them, (onions and peppers first) adding the rest when they softened.  I sautéed them until they were well done.  Make your portions of each for the amount you want.  Onion about 1/4 the amount of the peppers and garlic and herbs to whatever you like.

When the sauce and the veggies are done, mix the veggies into the sauce, make the polenta and then top the polenta with the sauce.  TO DIE FOR!!!!!...   See polenta in an earlier posting.    I mean it, you have to make this.....when there is a cold, wet day try it with a nice glass of vino...You won't regret!!

Portabello with shallot/onion, garlic, and red wine marinade and pea pods

                   PORTABELLO MUSHROOMS WITH PEAPODS AND WHOLE GRAIN

                    PASTA:  

This recipe is made for 2 medium-large servings.  About 2 oz. of wholegrain spaghetti, 3 slices of onion or 1/2 shallot, and one large portabello mushroom with about 10 or so peapods.  Adjust for servings.                        

                   

Well if I don't say so myself, this is one of the best dishes I've made in a long time.  I had Portabello mushrooms but didn't want to just grill them.  I also had some leftover red wine, sooooooo.  I took the gills out of the mushrooms with a spoon, because I don't like the taste of them, then I sliced them in thick slices about 1/2 inches wide.  After this I just make them into nice  1 to 1/2 inch pieces.  I chopped up some shallots(or onion) and some garlic. (about 1-2 pieces of garlic, and 1/4 cup of onion)  placed the ingredients into a bowl and tossed them. I poured some EVOO over the mushrooms and chopped veggies then tossed the ingredients with my hands. When this was done I took about 1/2 cup of red wine and dumped it over and tossed the ingredients again. After completing this part:

 Let set for about 10 minutes then dump off the extra wine from the bottom of the bowl.  Preheat your pan to medium high with EVOO in the bottom and sauté the mixture until nicely browned.( While sauteing make your pasta). Just before you are ready for the pasta throw in a handful of peapods. You barely want to cook them so just toss them for a minute.   .  Just before you are ready to add your pasta take a ladle of the water and put a little over the sautéing mix to deglaze the pan scraping up all of the stuck bits from the bottom of the pan.  With tongs take the pasta from the water and put it in the veggie mix and toss it until completely coated.  Add a bit more water if you need to deglaze more.  Put it in a bowl and enjoy!   

This is a recipe that can be adapted to stuff a tortilla and make a roll, to add peppers to and make many other applications.  Try some different mixes, I'm sure you will love this as a base recipe.  

Filling breakfast with very few calories...

It has been awhile since I have posted but sometimes all of us get in a rut and just need some time to come out of it.  Today I felt crummy with a head cold, but also felt hungry, so I chose one of my favorite breakfasts loaded with lots of vitamins.  Hopefully it will help me get over this cold quickly.

I know that many people, especially right now post New Years, have resolutions to lose some pounds.  If you like to eat, this is a good one because it will fill you up, and it is really tasty.
    
                                                     SPINACH SCRAMBLE

All chopped up

To start chop up about 2 tablespoons of shallot.  Reg. onion works if that is all you have. 1 small garlic clove .

shallot, garlic and egg

Break up a tip of dried red pepper, or add a few pepper flakes...just a few.  Even if you don't like heat add them anyway.  They don't make it hot, they just add a layer of goodness.  Saute all of the above in EVOO  (do not use light olive oil, use extra virgin).  If you don't have it use any good vegetable oil, but whenever possible use Olive for its health benefits.  (Read my previous post about olive oil)        

While the onion etc is sautéing, put 2 egg whites and 1/2 egg yolk in a bowl with about an oz of milk or water and mix lightly.  Add the egg into the pan and lightly scramble.  Don't miss it too much, just lightly stir it about so you have larger hunks of egg. 

The 2 eggwhites and 1/2 yolk mixed with

milk .

Lightly scramble the eggs.

Don't let them get too dry

 When the egg is almost set add a large handful of fresh spinach leaves.  With a spatula begin to fold the eggs up and over the spinach.  You should add a bit of olive oil over the spinach to help it wilt.  Sprinkle with good sea salt (which is lower in sodium) or kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper.

Ready to eat.  

                

Mixing the egg while wilting

the spinach

      TIP:  Use med. coarse salt and always use fresh cracked pepper, it is so
                                  much better and the grinder is pretty on the counter!!!!
Toast up a piece of good whole grain bread with a wiping of fresh garlic, or butter and enjoy.  This is a lot of food, but has very few calories and is only 2 weightwatcher points with a banana.  I guarantee you will be full and very satisfied when you are done.

Enjoy and Cook Fresh Daily!!!

polenta with red sauce and italian sweet sausage

OK so this is short and sweet....I dare anyone to challenge me to polenta with red sauce and italian sausage.   I swear, not to brag or anything, I make by far the best I've ever had!!!!   None better and really, it only takes about 30 minutes for all of it....NO recipe tonight...I'm just savoring it with a GREAT glass of Primitivo from the Plymouth area of California....Bella Piazza winery    yummy!!!!!      I wonder what the rich people are eating tonight because it doesn't compare to my dinner!!!!    Not bragging, just the truth!!!!!     Have a great weekend all....and   Cook Fresh Daily!!!

Spinach and sausage pie...from Brenda's recipe file

I am sorry I haven't posted lately, but with the holidays Santa just had me way too busy to get on the computer hardly at all.

One of my favorite recipes came to me from Brenda many years ago, and I like to make it at least 2 to 3 times a year.  I decided it was time again on New Years Eve, so I made the crust put it in the refrigerator and began to put the ingredients together.  I usually don't make it exactly like the recipe, because it is a bit bland.  I just add whatever my taste is in the mood for, but the basic ingredients are simply:  Sweet Italian Sausage, Ricotta cheese, Mozzarella cheese.  I like to add Crimini mushroom and a bit of onion and garlic plus I like half and half sweet and spicy italian sausage.  Pepperoni can also be used if you want a more south of the border taste.

The pie dough

The recipe is:

2 packs of frozen chopped spinach defrosted.
8 ozs of Ricotta cheese
16 oz of mozzarella cheese
1 lb of italian sausage out of the skin, chopped into about 1 inch pieces.
6 eggs
How to put it together:                  

I lightly sauté the sausage

Half of the pie... : )   oops where is the rest!!!!   yummy

In a bowl mix the spinach, eggs, ricotta, and mozzarella and then add any other ingredients you might like.

Add caption

Mix the meat in pour it into the bottom crust, then top with the other crust.  I also like to add a decorator design of leaves or something on the top.   Make an egg wash and paint it on the top of the pie.  Bake in the oven at 350 for about 40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown..You can eat it hot or cold...It is yummy.

a fresh alternative to jam

Have you ever been in a rush for a bite as you're going out the door for work but don't want to eat a Mcwhatever.  I was in a hurry today to get out of the house to the gym before I needed to make my lunch for work, walk the dog, and clean up any messes in the house that were NOT LEAVEABLE!!!!  (I guess that's not a word)   Here is a really fresh alternative to toast and jam.  If you are trying to get rid of that tummy try this instead of the processed sugar choice of jam or jelly.  I love the fresh taste of this breakfast.

                                          TOAST AND FRUIT WITH HONEY
                                 ACCOMPANIED WITH PLAIN YOGURT AND HONEY

Simply toast a slice of an all grain bread.(all grain is important because it doesn't create an insulin response and sugar rush. )  It digests slower so keeps you full longer therefore it also doesn't cause the tummy bulge as much as a white flour or whole wheat bread.

Slice about 4 angled pieces of banana and thinly slice a fresh fig.  Layer the fruit on the toast after you have buttered it.  Drizzle just a tiny bit of honey over the fruit and serve it with a small ramikin of yogurt drizzled with honey also.  All in all a very filling breakfast that sticks to your ribs and keeps you going!!!!  No the toast isn't burnt, my phone is just not good indoors for darker pics....ENJOY