Zucchini and eggs
When I was a kid, my mother, sister and I lived with my Italian grandmother for a bit before moving into our own digs. There are several food related memories from those days, as you might imagine. Read more
Shrimp Pizza
Shrimp pizza is one of my favorite homemade pizzas. We make it a little more non-traditional by using an alternative pizza sauce. Our sauce for shrimp pizza is a traditional cocktail sauce, and instead of mozzarella, we use grated cheddar. Also, the shrimp is par cooked before topping the pizza. If put on the pizza raw, the shrimp juice that comes out during cooking makes the pizza soggy.
We make our own cocktail sauce. The ingredients, mixed to taste, are:
Ketchup
Horseradish
Garlic powder
Lemon juice
Getting the ratios right for your taste buds may take a little practice, but it’s worth it for the fresh factor. Also, there are many veggies that go well on shrimp pizza — fresh tomatoes, mushrooms, and summer squash or zucchini to name a few.
Photo credit: eliazar
Old Fashioned Hard Candy
Another successful confection from my candy-making phase is traditional hard candy. Hard candy is a classic. It takes few ingredients to make, and it is pretty in a candy dish or a gift jar. This old recipe is my favorite.
2 c sugar
1 c water
3/4 c light corn syrup
Food coloring (red, green, yellow, etc.)
1/2 t oil of cinnamon, clove, peppermint, orange, anise, etc.
Confectioner’s sugar
Combine sugar, water, and corn syrup in 2-qt heavy saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved; the cook without stirring, lowering heat and cooking more slowly during the last few minutes, to the hard crack stage (300 degrees). If sugar crystals form on the side of the pan, wipe them off.
Remove from heat; add food color and oil flavoring, stirring only enough to mix. Pour into 2 well buttered 9″ pie pans. Set one pie pan of candy over a pot containing hot water. As soon as the other pie can of candy is cool enough to handle, cut it with scissors into strips 1″ wide, then snip strips into pieces. Work quickly. Drop pieces into a buttered baking sheet. If candy cools too quickly, set it over saucepan of hot water to soften it, but if it gets sticky, return at once to work counter. Repeat with second pan of candy.
When candy is cool, sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar. Store in airtight containers with waxed paper between the layers. Makes about 100 pieces…1 1/4 lbs.
Photo credit: taygete05
Cowboy Caviar
A coworker from my past introduced me to this completely simple, economic and tasty appetizer. The ‘caviar’ is not fish eggs, but yummy black turtle beans. Good chunks of veggies, tortillas, and sturdy tortilla chips are good options for dipping or scooping this tasty concoction. I never got the formal recipe from Kathy, my coworker, but I noted the ingredients and build this to taste.
1.5-2 cups black beans
1 large clove garlic
onion, small dice (sweet onions are better, in my opinion)
red pepper, small dice (I’ve used fresh and roasted red peppers. Different taste profile, but both successful)
olive oil
lime juice
salt and pepper
1 8-oz brick cream cheese
Combine everything but the cream cheese in a bowl. Bean mixture can be made up to a day in advance. Much longer and the veggies get soggy. Refrigerate for at least an hour to let the flavors meld.
Soften the cream cheese and spread it on the bottom of any flat plate or baking dish with a little bit of a lip to keep juices contained. I’ve used a 12″ pizza pan, a 9×14 baking dish, and a large dinner plate. Just be certain whatever it is, it’s not so big that the cream cheese ends up being spread too thin.
Spread the bean mixture evenly over the cream cheese. Serve with the above suggested dippers and prepare for rave reviews and requests for Corona.
Photo credit: Father Jack
Spicing Up Lunch
When you think ‘pesto’, you probably think the basil variety, right? Well, ‘pesto’ is the Italian word for ‘paste’, and soft green herbs lend themselves well to pesto. Try making a nice cilantro pesto. There are several variations available on this particular pesto, but cilantro, salt and olive oil are a given. Almonds are a good complement to the delicate cilantro flavor. And to kick up that southwest flavor, add a little onion, or a chile, or a touch of lime. Then, use as is or as an add-in to cream cheese as a delicious alternative to traditional sandwich dressing.
For those who brown bag it, this is just one suggestion for making that lunch interesting, which then makes carrying lunch more of a choice than a decision of necessity.
Editor’s Note: Those reducing their meat and dairy intake might appreciate this list of ideas for vegan sandwiches.
Photo credit: ingrid taylar
Perfect Butterscotch Patties
When I was a teenager, a couple friends and I went through a candy-making phase that lasted about 3 months. Being a big fan of butterscotch, I dug up this recipe from the family archives. It’s made with stuff found in most people’s kitchens, is pretty foolproof, and sure is good. I’ve given it for Christmas several times over the years and it is always received with smiles and yummy noises.
2 c sugar
1/4 c light corn syrup
1/2 c (1 stick) butter
2 T water
2 T vinegar
Combine all ingredients in 2-qt heavy saucepan. Stir and cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved, the reduce heat and cook at a medium boil, stirring as needed to control foaming and to avoid sticking asmixture thickens. If sugar crystals form on sides of pan, wipe them off. Cook to the hard crack stage (300 degrees).
Remove from heat and let stand 1 minute.
Spoon onto a lightly buttered or oiled foil pan or into the bottom of miniature muffin tin cups (1 1/4″ diameter). Make thin patties. Remove when cold.
Photo credit: Little Blue Hen
Cream Cheese Sandwich Spreads
This isn’t a new idea. Consumers of bagels had this idea long ago. Put cream cheese on a sandwich! I adopted the idea while in college in Cleveland and have never looked back. Cream cheese is a wonderful replacement for aged cheese on any sandwich that includes deli meat. It’s less expensive, less fatty (especially if one uses Neufchatel), and stays on the sandwich.
Then, consider jazzing up that cream cheese. I’ve added fresh garlic and dill; horseradish and bacon; sun dried tomatoes; or roasted peppers as savory options. Cream cheese with cinnamon and honey goes great with banana or apple on a sandwich. The savory cream cheese options are great paired with a nice deli meat, rolled, and sliced for an appetizer, too.
Still, my point is that a sandwich does not need to be just a sandwich. There are many options for jazzing up the sandwiches in your brown-bag lunch. Be the kid in the lunchroom who’s envied by the other kids, add some garlic and dill cream cheese to that canned salmon sandwich!
Editor’s Note: Going dairy free? Check out this list of vegan sandwiches.
Photo stream: kthread
Sandwich Spread
Several years ago, my Aunt Sylvia gave me a jar of the most interesting sandwich spread. It was different and really, really tasty. I asked for the recipe, and was surprised to see green tomatoes as one of the core ingredients. I’m always on the lookout for ways to use excess produce, and green tomatoes present a particular dilemma. This is a wonderful way to put those end-of-season greens to work. This recipe makes a lot, but since it’s great for hostess or holiday giving, too, that’s okay!
12 Green peppers
12 Red peppers
24 green tomatoes
4-6 onions
2 T salt
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1 1/2 c vinegar
3 1/2 c sugar
1/2 c flour
1 qt Miracle Whip
1 pt mustard
Put the vegetables through a grinder. Add the salt and let the mixture stand for at least 3 hours (or overnight).
Drain vegetable mixture and put into a large pan. Add the vinegar and sugar. Bring mixture to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Thicken the mixture with flour or thin with water to attain the desired texture.
Take off the stove and add the Miracle Whip and mustard.
Put into scalded jars and seal. Makes 10-14 pints.
Use this spread in conjunction with some of these awesome sandwich ideas to dress up a potentially mundane lunch standard.
Editor’s Note: Here are some additional ideas for vegan sandwiches.
Photo credit: Lina Smith
Welsh Humbug
On a recent trip home, I went on a recon mission to find some of my favorite family recipes that I didn’t already have in my collection. I went on a candy-making spree sometime in my teen-aged years. My stepfather brought this recipe to the table in the midst of my hard-candy phase. I loved it. The ingredients are few; family can be involved; great for gifting; just plain yummy.
1/2 c vinegar
1/2 c water
2 c brown sugar
Butter the size of a hickory nut (larger than a walnut)
Peppermint oil
Mix first four ingredients in a sauce pan. Boil until mixture reaches hardball stage 250° F–265° F).
Add 6 drops of peppermint oil and stir until combined.
Pour mixture onto a greased platter to cool some.
When mixture is cool enough to handle, pull like taffy until mixture gets a sheen.
Cut into 1/2″-1″ chunks.
Photo credit: Sunset Sailor
Honey/Peanut Rolls
My mother made this for us when we were kids. Can’t go wrong with peanut butter and honey, in my humble opinion. This treat just brings that home. Few ingredients, cost effective, pretty healthy and yummy, too. And it keeps well. It’s a great holiday cookie; hostess gift; or just a nice sweet to have on hand.
1 c nonfat dry milk powder
1 c peanut butter (I use crunchy)
1 c honey
1/2 t vanilla
1/2 t rum extract (or more vanilla)
1/2 c chopped peanuts
Combine dry milk powder, peanut butter, honey and flavorings in a 2-qt mixing bowl. Combine thoroughly. Divide in half. Shape each half into a ball; cover and refrigerate for an hour.
Line two 12″ strips of aluminum foil with waxed paper; sprinkle each with 1/4 cup of the chopped peanuts. With hands buttered (or sprayed with vegetable spray), shape each ball of candy into a roll 5-6″ long. Place each roll on peanuts and continue to roll distributing nuts evenly. Roll from center to both ends until roll is 3/4″ to 1″ in diameter. Wrap in foil and twist ends tightly. Chill thoroughly, then slice into bite-sized pieces. Makes about 3 dozen pieces, or 1 1/2 pounds.
