Daily menu

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Elegant eating in under 30 minutes: Linguine with Artichokes, Chicken and Pine Nuts

This is the dish to make when you’re hungry for something complex and grown-up. It’s quick to prepare and tastes like it came from an upscale pasta restaurant. Make a point of keeping a can of artichoke hearts in the pantry and some pine nuts tucked away in your freezer; the rest of the ingredients are standard.

Linguine with Artichokes, Chicken and Pine Nuts (serves 4)

1. Put up a pot of water to boil.
2. Start the chicken:

  • 2 split chicken breast pieces, cut into 1 inch chunks
  • 3 Tbs. olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, pressed
  • juice from 1 whole lemon
  • 1 14 oz can artichoke hearts, halved
  • 1 c. chopped parsley

Heat the olive oil, add the chicken with a sprinkle of salt. Add the garlic and saute for about 5 minutes, turning the pieces to brown all sides. Squeeze on the juice of the lemon, add the artichoke hearts and parsley, cover and heat over a low heat until the chicken is cooked through, for 8-10 more minutes.

3. Boil the linguine according the package directions, drain and toss with:

  • 2 Tbs. olive oil
  • 1 clove crushed garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • fresh ground pepper

4. Toast the pine nuts while the pasta is cooking:

  • 3/4 c. pine nuts

Place the pine nuts in a small pan over a very low heat. Stir occasionally. When browned, remove from heat and set aside in a (not plastic) bowl.

5. Serve it up. Cover the pasta with the chicken mixture, top with pine nuts and sprinkle with:

  • Parmesan cheese
  • Fresh ground pepper
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Cobb Salad with Mild Danish Blue Cheese Dressing

Take the time to plate this up in the kitchen, giving everyone their own beautiful plate at the table.

I was surprised that everyone loved this meal! The kids were captivated by the colors and the beauty of the presentation, and then declared it delicious. A winner. Granted this was a bit fussy: frying bacon, pan grilling chicken, boiling both eggs and corn on the cob. Then there are the cold ingredients: chopped iceberg lettuce, chopped tomatoes and sliced avocado. But then the fun begins, arranging all of the elements on a plate, and turning a Thursday night dinner into something really fun.

A traditional cobb salad is served with crumbled blue cheese, but I was certain that wasn’t going to be popular at my table. Instead, I made up a milder version of a blue cheese dressing. If you like your blue cheese flavor stronger, then double the amount of cheese.

Mild Danish Blue Cheese Dressing

  • 1 c. mayonnaise
  • 1 c. buttermilk
  • 4.5 oz. Danish blue cheese
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • fresh ground pepper to taste

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender.

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Giant Garlicky Meatballs

Spaghetti with giant garlic meat balls, served with Maralee's garden fresh asparagus, and a salad with thousand island dressing.

This is to counter an earlier posting of teeny-tiny meat balls. Tonight I went for giant-sized, with plenty of spices. Each meatball is made from a fifth pound of beef.

Giant Garlicky Meatballs (makes 10)

  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 6 cloves garlic, chopped coarse
  • 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
  • 1 c. chopped parsley
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. oregano
  • 2 tsp. basil
  • 1 32 oz. jar marinara sauce

Mix together all ingredients, except for marinara sauce, and form into 3″ balls. Brown in olive oil, turning 3-4 times. Drain oil from pan and pour the marinara sauce over the meatballs. Cover and let the meatballs finish cooking in the sauce, over low heat, for 20-30 minutes.

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Reusable rice bag—a “find” while preparing Cholae and Fried Rice (Indian style)

This brand of Brown Basmati rice comes in a faux-cloth, reusable, zippered bag.

I was picking up some rice to make Indian style fried rice and I found this reusable rice bag! It is so clever, with its own zipper, and so beautiful. For those in CU, I bought this at Am Ko.

Also, I’m ready to share the recipes that I learned during my Indian cooking lesson, as told to me by my friend, Bharathi.

Fried Rice (Indian Style)

  • 3 c. basmati rice
  • 2 Tbs. butter
  • 2 Tbs. oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 tsp. cumin seeds
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp. ginger, minced
  • 2-3 c. mixed vegetables, frozen or finely chopped fresh
  • 8 whole cloves
  • 1 tsp. salt, or to taste
  • 6 c. water

Heat butter and oil, add onion and saute until soft. Add garlic, ginger, cloves, and cumin seeds. Stir for one minute, then add rice and stir 2-3 minutes. Add salt, vegetable and water, and cook as you normally do for rice, for about 45-50 minutes.

Cholae (a spicy, flavorful, garbanzo bean and tomato stew)

  • 1 Tbs. oil
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tsp. grated fresh ginger
  • 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
  • 5 c. cooked garbanzo beans
  • 1 28-oz can chopped tomatoes (use the juice as well)
  • 1 15-oz can tomato sauce
  • 1 Tbs. amchoor powder (dried mango powder)
  • 2-3 tsp. channa masala (cholae masala) seasoning
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 4 whole bay leaves

Heat oil, add onion and saute until soft. Add garlic, ginger, cholae masala, turmeric, bay leaves, tomatoes and tomato sauce. Heat over medium heat for a few minutes and then stir in garbanzo beans, amchoor, salt and a little water (to adjust consistency). Heat over low heat for 30 minutes or more.

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Enjoy pancakes during the week: Make your own pancake mix

Our home in New Mexico sat at the top of a ridge, giving us an unobstructed view to watch things rise over the horizon: the sun in the morning, the moon in the evening, and the school bus in the afternoon. Max went to afternoon kindergarten and the bus would come right after lunch, which allowed us the luxury of a relaxed morning at home. Breakfast was an event, not just something on our checklist. No hurry-up bowls of cereal, or quick scrambled eggs on toast to eat in the car (as we often do these days) but it was a time for lovingly prepared, home-cooked breakfasts which were as much about the experience as they were the calories. Back then, nearly 100% of the time the answer to “What would you like for breakfast?” was “Pancakes.” Most often Joe, who was all of 18 months old, shouted this out. I always acted like this was new information, something special, and would set about preparing the batter. When the pancakes were ready we would sometimes take breakfast out to our front porch to “watch the world go by.” The three little kids would sit at their tiny little table on the deck, and I’d pull up the fourth teeny-tiny chair and join them.

Eventually, the excitement over mixing up pancake batter every morning grew tiresome. It was then that I decided to make up my own pancake mix.  My mother-in-law had given me the idea—it was something she had done when her three kids were little. It’s been many years since I got out my recipe, but this summer, now that Joe is 11-1/2 and capable of cooking, I made the pancake mix so he can enjoy fresh pancakes himself every morning, sitting on the front porch, watching the world go by.

Whole Wheat Pancake Mix

Blend together the following, using your hands to break up any clumps of brown sugar, so that everything is mixed together evenly:

  • 6 cups whole wheat flour
  • 3/4 c.  dried buttermilk
  • 8 Tbs. brown sugar
  • 8 tsp. baking powder
  • 4 tsp. baking soda
  • 4 tsp. salt

To make the batter, blend together the following (makes 6 pancakes):

  • 1 c. mix
  • 1 egg
  • 1 Tbs. oil
  • 3/4 c. water

Store the mix in an air-tight container, with the mixing instructions taped to the lid.

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Grilled Sesame Ginger Chicken

Don’t get stressed out about the word “marinade,” thinking that you missed the boat if you didn’t get the chicken sitting in it the night before. Yes, it will taste better and be moister if you can get the chicken in the marinade 4-6 hours before grilling, but truly, I’m lucky if it sits in the marinade for 20 minutes, and it’s still delicious.

Grilled Sesame Ginger Chicken

For 6 chicken thighs (or other pieces), prepare the marinade:

  • 1/4 c. each: soy sauce, olive oil, white wine
  • 2 Tbs. sesame seeds
  • 2 Tbs. grated ginger
  • 3 green onions, sliced

Marinade the chicken and place it on a medium hot grill. Brown and turn, then continue cooking until the meat is no longer pink (about 20 minutes total).

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Pink Slaw (the secret is beets)

I can’t decide if I like the flavor or the color more in this vibrant slaw made with raw, grated beets. Make your favorite coleslaw recipe, and add in a grated beet—it’s just that simple. Here’s how I make mine:

Beet Slaw

  • 4 cups grated or thinly sliced green cabbage (about 1/2 of a small to medium-sized cabbage)
  • 1 medium grated beet
  • 3/4 c. mayonnaise
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 Tbs. sugar
  • 2 green onions, sliced thin

Mix it all together, chill and serve.

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Garlic Oven Fries

Try these the next time you’re grilling hamburgers.

Garlic Oven Fries

  • 4 large russet potatoes
  • 2 Tbs. crushed garlic
  • 2 Tbs. olive oil
  • kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Put the garlic and oil into a 1-gallon zip lock bag, or into a large bowl.  Let the garlic visit happily with the oil while you cut the potatoes into fry-shaped slices. Toss the potatoes with the garlic oil, spread on a pan and sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until browned. If you want a little extra browning, turn on the broiler for a minute or two.

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A socially responsible fish shopper’s solution: Garlic Crumb-Topped White Fish

White Fish served with wild rice, broccoli shoots and cantaloupe.

Standing next to the fresh fish case at Sam’s Club, I phoned my socially aware sister, Maralee. “Is it still okay to eat talapia? I heard that deep fishing methods kill off coral reefs and dolphins, but this talapia is farm raised.” Maralee advises me to look for wild-caught salmon. But Sam’s salmon was from a farm in Norway (This would not be slow food.), the pink trout was farmed in Chile, and there was cod from Columbia. The white fish, however, was wild caught from relatively nearby Canada. These days, when purchasing fish, one must consider fishing practices, mercury content, distance transported; frankly, it gives me a headache. To be socially responsible while purchasing fish, concerned about impacting the environment and being safe, is about as much fun as buying a new car. At the Sam’s fish counter, admittedly not the ideal place to be responsible, the White Fish was the best choice. So tonight I made white fish, something that I’ve only ever used before as part of a gefilte fish recipe.

Garlic Crumb-Topped White Fish

  • 1 pound White Fish fillet
  • 3/4 cup crumbs (I used half panko and half matzo meal)
  • 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
  • 2-3 Tbs. olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • fresh lemon

Place the fish, skin side down, in a greased baking dish. Blend together, using a fork, the remaining ingredients. Sprinkle the crumb mixture on top of the fish, and press it down into the fish. Bake 1t 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until the fish flakes off and the crumbs are slightly browned. Serve with fresh lemon.

The White Fish, just coming out of the oven.

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Raspberry Vinaigrette

This is the time of year that I try to use up the berries that have been stored in my freezer all winter. Most of them go towards jam, but I keep some on hand to use in muffins and pancakes. Since berry-picking season is approaching, it’s time to clear out the freezer. Tonight, to dress up some cold green beans, I blended up some raspberry vinaigrette.

Raspberry Vinaigrette

  • 1 cup frozen, or fresh, raspberries
  • 1/4 c. olive oil
  • 1/4 red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 c. cilantro
  • 2-3 Tbs. sugar
  • juice of 1/2 a lemon
  • 1/2-1 tsp. salt
  • freshly ground pepper

Keep out 1/4 cup of the chopped cilantro. Blend together all the rest of the ingredients, then stir in the 1/4 cup of reserved cilantro. Store in the refrigerator.

Use the vinaigrette as a sauce to pour over steamed green beans, or as a marinade.

To use as a marinade for green beans:

Steam the green beans until just tender and not too soft, then immediately cool under running water. Put the beans in a ziplock bag with about 2 Tbs. of the marinade. Refrigerate for an hour or more. Serve cold.