In lieu of hot veggies, I like to make side salads to go with dinner in the summer. Hubby isn’t a big fan of green salads so I switch it up now and then.
This bright salad combines the sweetness of ripe watermelon with the salty tang of feta and kalamata olives. The sweet/savory dressing brings it all together for yumminess in every bite.
Variations: Any tomatoes will do; I like the yellow for the contrast in color. You can use an English cucumber and leave the skin intact.
Chicken wings don’t have to be a guilty pleasure. I’ve found that baking them is as delish as deep frying, and far more heart-healthy (not to mention less messy).
You can take the easy-peasy route and simply make a batch of basic wings and then serve a variety of dipping sauces on the side. Or you can go a bit more fancy and flavorful by tossing them in one of the sauces below near the end of the cooking time. I usually serve with a platter of raw, cold veggies.
Variations: Recipes for my basic wings and two favorite flavors are below: Buffalo and Ginger-Soy. You can toss the wings in a multitude of sauces of your choosing and finish in the oven. Oil based salad dressings are a good option. Stay away from cream-based sauces as they will burn; offer them for dipping instead (ranch and bleu cheese are a favorite). An easy way to create your own dipping sauces is to start with a base of 1/4 cup sour cream and simply stir in herbs and spices of your choosing.
A dear friend gifted me with a literal armload of fresh herbs from her garden. I used them in daily recipes for a solid week, keeping them wrapped in damp paper towels in the fridge, and then needed to find another use before they turned brown. There are a plethora of ideas such as tying them in bunches, hanging by their stems and letting dry, making pesto or chimichurro sauce, and freezing in ice cube trays. I opted to make simple syrup, compound butter and infused oil.
Kugel is a well-loved staple of Jewish family meals and can be made sweet or savory, with noodles or potatoes. Although I’ve seen some fancy schmancy recipes, traditionally it’s a baked pudding or casserole with simple ingredients, served as a starch side or dessert. It can be made in a regular casserole pan but I like the presentation of a round pie dish.
Potato kugel is made with grated potatoes, but when I’m making a special holiday dinner with many components such as Passover, the use of frozen hashbrowns makes for an easy side that can be prepped in the morning and popped in the oven an hour before serving. It can also be baked, cooled, frozen and reheated if you want to pre-make it.
Hubby is most definitely a meat and potatoes kind of guy but we have been trying to limit our carbohydrate intake so often dinner just features a protein and large portion of a veggie side. Sunchokes, also known as Jerusalem artichokes, look similar to potatoes when diced or sliced and have a similar texture, but feature a sweet, nutty flavor similar to an artichoke, that only needs a few herbs and olive oil. I served these with Easter dinner (turkey ham basted in mustard, honey and brown sugar and roasted asparagus).
Sunchokes are also good raw; crunchy and a great addition to a green salad when sliced thinly. Some people prefer to peel them, but with their odd shape it can be quite a task. I prefer to wash off any dirt and give them a good scrub with a textured sponge or veggie brush and leave the skin on.
They are rich in iron, potassium and vitamin B1. And the really good news for diabetics is that they have have a lower glycemic index score than potatoes as they store their carbohydrate as inulin (not to be confused with insulin) rather than starch. And for all of us, they aren’t fattening (one cup of raw sunchokes has approximately 110 calories and zero fat)!
Caprese salad is always a favorite … thick slices of juicy tomatoes, hunks of creamy mozzarella and fresh basil leaves drizzled with olive oil on a platter or in stacks. I thought this would make a colorful addition to a family diner in lieu of the usual green salad so scaled down the ingredients to miniature size and added some fresh herbs planted by the Grands. Next time, I’ll double the recipe for leftovers as it was quickly gobbled up!
Variations: You could skip the added herbs and keep it classic with just the basil, and also try different flavored olive oils. A drizzle of balsamic vinegar across the top would make for a nice presentation and burst of flavor (my daughter is not a fan, so we didn’t add to ours).
There is something soothing about sitting down to comfort food during these tough times, plus they are also inexpensive and easy to make. Turkey is a healthy alternative to beef, but tends to be drier so the pasta sauce gives needed moisture without being greasy.
I used to stuff my peppers by cutting off the top with the stem but have found that by slicing them lengthwise the meat mixture heats quicker which allows the peppers to remain firm instead of getting mushy. (Plus they don’t tip over in the pan and are also easier to cut and eat.)
These make a nice, low-carb meal with added hidden veggies and a side salad rounds it out nicely. Bell peppers are high in vitamin C, with a single one providing over 150% of the recommended daily intake. They also provide vitamin K1, E and A, and folate and potassium.
Variations: You can use whatever color bell peppers you like or be really creative and mix it up with red, orange, yellow and green for a pretty presentation! You can also use red tomatoes instead of the yellow that I used (it’s what I had on hand), kale instead of spinach (which I absolutely detest!), different types of shredded cheese and different flavors of pasta sauce. You could also use straight up tomato sauce but would need to add some herbs to make it more flavorful.
During this pandemic, I have the privilege and pleasure of homeschooling my Grands two to three days a week so my daughter can do her job as a behavioral therapist for special needs children, an essential service so the children don’t fall behind with their development.
In addition to school work and online meetings, I try to come up with creative and fun hands-on activities and cooking is something that both Grandsons enjoy. Measuring and mixing are great for math and organizational skills and I’m attempting to expand their palates as well.
This recipe was simple enough that my almost-eight-year-old Grandson could do it all by himself with just my supervision! Although he thought the can of cream of celery soup looked like “slime” and the mixture was “gross,” he loved it when he tasted the finished product.
I treasure my memories of cooking with my Nana and know that although the virus has been a tough time to live through, this will also be remembered as a time when family was truly put above all else and we created some great meals together.
This is my husband’s favorite meal and is packed with rich flavors in every scrumptious bite. It is NOT a quick and easy recipe and I won’t be preparing it when we are underway on long passages. It’s for special occasions and fills the cabin with an amazing scent for hours as it simmers.
I made this on a Thursday during the Pandemic. The special occasion? Because Aaron gets up early every day to go to a job in a very scary time to support our family. My job is to help care for our Grands so my daughter can work, keep our home clean and tidy, and feed him. Because I now shop only once a week and we have a teeny fridge and no freezer, I’ve been sticking with simple proteins and veggies. But once a week, I plan something special to show him my appreciation and love … and he eats up both! 🙂 Bonus is that Tiki gets the beef bones!
The key to this recipe is to start early and simmer for hours, allow another few hours to sit covered, then put in the oven for the final hour. No knives are needed when it has been cooked all day … it is falling off the bone and fork tender. It truly is OHMYGOD delish!
Vivo O Sonho 