Greek Yogurt Chocolate Pudding

Greek Yogurt Chocolate Pudding

1/4 cup cacao powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup corn starch
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup whole milk
1 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup Greek yogurt

In a medium sauce pan whisk cacao powder, sugar, corn starch, and salt. Add milk and whisk till well blended. Cook mixture, stirring constantly, till mixture thickens. Stir in vanilla and butter till blended. Add Greek yogurt and mix till just blended. Fill ramekins and refrigerate at least four hours or overnight. Think I'd double the recipe next time. Tangy and delicious and not too sweet.

Hoisin Noodles

Hoisin Noodles

 8 ounces of pho or other rice noodles or pasta
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 scallions chopped fine
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds

When you need some comfort food, some carbohydrates, make some noodles. Pour hot water over noodles, let sit covered for 2 minutes (for the pho noodles). Stir and let sit for another 2 minutes. Drain and rinse. Other noodles or pasta may need a different preparation, read the package for those. Sauté garlic and scallions till soft. When soft add hoisin sauce and stir in drained noodles. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve immediately. Quick to make and tasty too.

Grape Chutney

Grape Chutney

1 yellow onion chopped fine
10 mini red peppers chopped fine
2 inches of fresh ginger peeled and chopped fine
1 tablespoon olive oil for sauteing
1 large guajillo pepper soaked in hot water to soften then chopped fine
1 large bunch red grapes cut in half
1/2 cup dark raisins
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon mustard powder
salt and pepper to taste
few drops red food coloring (optional)

Sauté onion, peppers, and ginger in olive oil. Deseed, then soak dried guajillo pepper in very hot water till soft. Chop guajillo pepper and reserve hot water for chutney. You may substitute guajillo pepper with a hot pepper of your choice. Add grapes, raisins, vinegar, brown sugar, and spices. Cook till mixture becomes homogenized and thickens. Taste chutney to be sure it is sweet enough. Fill pint or half pint jars with jam and refrigerate when cool.

Greek Lemon Spinach Rice or Spanakorizo

Greek Lemon Spinach Rice or Spanakorizo

2 shallots chopped fine
3 garlic cloves minced
olive oil for sauteing
1 cup medium or long grain rice
2 cups water or vegetable stock
2 lemons, zest and juice
1-10 to 12 ounce package of baby spinach
1 large bunch of fresh parsley
1 teaspoon dried dill
salt and pepper to taste
feta cheese for garnish if desired (optional)

This is a very common Greek rice pilaf dish served as a side dish or a meal. Sauté shallots, then add garlic. Add rice and stock or water and lemon zest and juice, along with dill, salt and pepper. Last add spinach and parsley on top of rice mixture and cook for approximately 20 minutes till rice is cooked. Stir gently to spread the spinach and parsley throughout rice. Serve hot as a meal or side dish. Garnish with feta cheese crumbles if desired.

Willow Ptarmigan

Willow Ptarmigan

photographer Anthony Madden

wish we'd gotten some snow, it's insulating for plants

Baked Artichoke Hearts

Baked Artichoke Hearts

2 cans artichoke hearts
1/2 cup gf bread crumbs
2 tablespoons fresh parsley or dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
4 ounces pecorino Romano cheese, grated

1/2 cup olive oil
zest of one lemon
1/4 cup lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Cut hearts in half and place in an 8x8 baking dish or sheet pan coated with olive oi. Mix bread crumbs, parsley, garlic powder and cheese. Sprinkle over the top of the artichoke hearts. Last mix olive oil, zest, lemon juice, and salt and pepper and drizzle over artichokes. Bake covered at 325 F for 20 minutes. Turn up the heat to 375 F and bake till golden brown on the top, removing cover if necessary to achieve the browning you desire. Serve immediately. So delicious. 

Vichyssoise or Leek & Potato Soup

Vichyssoise or Leek & Potato Soup

2 large leeks, green part removed and white sliced then diced fine
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 small gold potatoes, peeled and chopped small
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
32 fluid ounces vegetable stock, unsalted
1-1/2 teaspoons white pepper

Vichyssoise is a French hot or cold soup. With this weather mine will be hot. Sauté/steam cut leeks in butter till very tender, do not let them brown. Add salt, then stock and potatoes. Cook soup till potatoes are cooked through. Blend mixture well and add the white pepper. It is usual to add cream or milk and buttermilk, half a cup each. I opted using just the leeks and potatoes which ensured the soup texture was very satisfying. Even though using a few simple ingredients this soup is rich, warming, and delicious.

Chicken Thigh Marsala

Chicken Thigh Marsala

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut in half
3/4 cup gf flour
salt and pepper
olive oil and butter for browning chicken thighs
1 small yellow onion chopped fine
12 ounces of button or cremini mushrooms cut in quarters
3 garlic cloves minced
more olive oil and butter for sauteing mushrooms
1-1/2 cups dry marsala wine (may substitute half stock or broth)

Cut chicken thighs in half, removing any excess fat. Salt and pepper chicken thighs, then dredge in flour. In a large frying pan, brown thighs in olive oil and butter,  then set aside. Add more olive oil to sauté mushrooms, onions, adding garlic last minute. Add marsala wine and cook down. Add thighs back into frying pan and cook till thighs are cooked through. Cover pan if necessary to ensure chicken is cooked through. Serve over rice, mashed potatoes or pasta of your choice. A classic andd absolutely delicious.

Potato Pancake

Potato Pancake

2 small to medium potatoes, peeled and sliced very thin
4 eggs
4 tablespoons water
4 tablespoons gf flour

salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon dried herb of your choice
olive oil to fry pancake
4 green onions, white parts sliced crosswise very thin (optional)

Peel potato and slice very thin into matchsticks and place in a mixing bowl. If making ahead of time soak potatoes in cool water to prevent browning. Drain potatoes well if so. I parboiled the potatoes since my knife skills aren't that good and the potatoes were kind of thick. Then I drained the potatoes and added them to a mixing bowl. Add 4 eggs to potatoes, then water, flour, salt and pepper. Add onions if using them. Mix gently. Add olive oil to frying pan large enough where potato and egg  mixture can be spread thin. Cook mixture covered for at least three minutes. When edges start to brown, flip pancake and cook covered for another three minutes. Press fork into pancake to be sure potatoes are soft. Whenever I cook eggs using my good frying pan they stick. I'm going to start using cast iron for eggs. Serve plain or with syrup, jelly, or sauce of your choice. Yummy, quick and easy, for breakfast or a snack.

Snapper Fillets with Parsley Pesto

Snapper Fillets with Parsley Pesto

2 snapper fillets
olive oil for sauteing
1 bunch of fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup cashews chopped fine
3 garlic cloves minced
1/4 - 1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Chop parsley, cashews, and mince garlic. Place pesto ingredients in blender and blend with olive oil and a bit of salt and pepper. Bring snapper fillets to room temperature and salt and pepper both sides. Sauté in hot frying pan with olive oil. Serve with pesto drizzled over the top of the fillets. I served the fillets with wild rice. So delicious and parsley has a powerhouse of benefits for your health. Parsley isn't just for a garnish.

Shrimp with Spicy Chocolate Sauce

Shrimp with Spicy Chocolate Sauce

1-1/2 pounds shrimp peeled and intestines removed
4 tablespoons butter
2 garlic cloves minced

4 ounces of at least 70% dark chocolate (I used 90%)
2 teaspoons cacao powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cayenne powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup or more of heavy cream
1 tablespoon parsley chopped fine (optional)

Peel and remove intestines of shrimp. The vein is good to eat the intestines are not. Set aside to sauté later in the butter and minced garlic.

Melt chocolate in double boiler till just melted. Stir in sugar and cook till not gritty. Add salt, chili, and cayenne powder, then stir in heavy cream and cook till smooth, watching closely. If sauce is too thick add more cream. When chocolate sauce is smooth, keep warm over the water in the double boiler.

Meanwhile in a separate sauce pan, melt butter and add prepared shrimp. Cook on one side about 2 minutes, then add minced garlic. Turn shrimp and cook other side of shrimp. Do not overcook shrimp. Serve with the chocolate sauce on the side or add to cooked shrimp and serve immediately. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired. Decadent and delicious. Excess sauce may be store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks and reheated gently when used again.

Roasted Eggplant

Roasted Eggplant

Follow the link to the recipe.

Mexican Huevos Ranchos or Chili Fried Eggs

Mexican Huevos Ranchos or Chili Fried Eggs

1 mulato dried pepper, toasted, remove seeds, chop & soak in hot water
1 small yellow onion sliced in quarters then sliced in strips
2 garlic cloves minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons catsup
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
4-6 eggs

Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil. Add tomato paste and catsup, spices and let simmer covered till very soft. Add eggs one at a time, space apart. Cook till yolks are beginning to turn opaque. Serve over corn tortillas and with some refried beans. This was quite spicy. Guess the mulato pepper was hotter than I expected, still delicious. Perhaps next time I'll use half a pepper. A glass of milk will quell the heat.

Tart Red Cherry Cobbler

Tart Red Cherry Cobbler

1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1-24 ounce can tart red cherries packed in water
1/4 cup light brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 F. Put stick of butter in bottom of 8x8 baking dish and melt in oven. Meanwhile in separate mixing bowl add flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Next add milk, vanilla, and almond extracts. Stir batter till just barely mixed, a few lumps are ok. Pour batter into baking dish over melted butter. Drop cherries by spoonful's over the mixture evenly. Drop dollops of cream cheese over the cherries. Sprinkle brown sugar over the cream cheese. Bake in oven at 350 F for approximately 45 minutes or until top is nicely browned. Batter will puff up around cherries, cheese, and brown sugar. Cool for 15 minutes and serve with some ice cream or whipped cream. Tart red cherries are supposed to be good for your health. Enjoy !

Brandy Mushroom Cream Sauce

Brandy Mushroom Cream Sauce

8 ounces of mushrooms sliced
olive oil and butter to sauté mushrooms
1 ounce of brandy
1-1/2 cup cream

Sauté sliced mushrooms in butter and olive oil in hot pan. Make sure mushrooms get very soft. Add brandy and cook off. Add cream and reduce. Sauce is good over pasta, chicken, fish, or steak. We had it over a branzino fillet along with French cut green beans. Live a little, eat a rich sauce to celebrate life.

Ingrilli Lemon or Lime Juice

Ingrilli Lemon or Lime Juice

Picked up one of each of these at my local
grocery store. I had been keeping
those plastic bottles which fit in my fridge door.
This brand is by far much better.

Pan Seared Branzino

Pan Seared Branzino

2 branzino fillets
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
salt and pepper on fillets
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley
1 tablespoon capers, drained
1 additional tablespoon butter

Salt and pepper fillets. Sear branzino fillets in hot olive oil and butter, skin side first. Flip fillets and add lemon juice, parsley, capers and additional butter. Serve with rice or your favorite vegetable. You could substitute flounder, snapper, or other mild fish fillets. So wonderfully delicious and quick to make. 

GF Lemon Bars

GF Lemon Bars

Crust:
1/2 pound butter softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups 1:1 gf flour
1/8 teaspoon salt

Filling:
6 eggs
3 cups sugar
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
1 cup lemon juice
1 cup gf flour
confectioners sugar for dusting the top

With blender blend butter, sugar, vanilla, sugar, then fold in flour. Press crust mixture into a 9x12 baking dish and chill for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake crust in oven for 20 minutes till it just starts to brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.

Whisk the eggs, sugar, zest, lemon juice, then flour till smooth. Pour filling over the cooled crust and bake for an additional 25-35 minutes till top starts to brown around the edges.. Set aside on wire rack to cool completely. Bars will firm up as the mixture cools. Cut into squares and dust with confectioners sugar. Remove bars and serve immediately sprinkled with confectioners sugar, or store in an air tight container. Bars can be kept in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. So very rich and delicious.

Strawberry Blueberry Corn Avocado Salad

Strawberry Blueberry Corn Avocado Salad

1-1/2 pints of fresh strawberries cut into bite sized pieces
3 corn on the cob, blanched for 5 minutes, then cooled and removed from cob
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
2 avocados, diced
1/4 cup red onion chopped very fine, or a shallot, or green onions
fresh basil leaves
fresh mint leaves
juice of one lime
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Blanch corn for 5 minutes. Drain corn and remove corn from cob. Thaw blueberries or measure fresh ones out. Cut up strawberries. Cut up avocado and sprinkle with lemon juice so it doesn't turn brown. Toss all ingredients together adding lime juice and olive oil dressing just before serving. We had blueberries which we picked in the summer and then froze. The corn was also frozen from the summer. Even though it's winter, sometimes you just need a salad with fresh summer ingredients.

Crispy Pan Fried Smelt

Crispy Pan Fried Smelt

If you know me, you know I like trying new recipes. I've never had smelt fish before so I thought I'd give them a try. Purchased these fresh at the seafood market in Gainesville. Coat in gluten free flour or rice flour and pan fry in olive oil till crispy on one side, about 5 minutes. Turn fish gently and fry for another 10 minutes. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce like tartar or just lemon wedges. Similar to sardines the bones are small and are edible. Enjoy !

Chorizo al Vino Tinto

 

Chorizo al Vino Tinto

1 small yellow onion or a large shallot chopped fine
1 large clove of garlic minced well
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 pound chorizo, skin removed and sliced
3/4 cup red wine
3 tablespoons honey
salt, pepper, dried thyme, dried ground rosemary to taste

Basically this is a Spanish tapas dish; it's chorizo slices cooked in red wine to make a reduced sauce. Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil. Add sliced chorizo and cook till slightly browned on both sides. Add wine and spices and cook till wine reduces. When sauce is reduced add the honey to further reduce and thicken the sauce. Serve with crusty bread or over rice or pasta. Very rich and delicious, so dark in color some folks might be put off by the color, not us.

Gainesville Seafood Market

 

Gainesville Seafood Market

Taking a trip to Gainesville Seafood Market today to stock up on fresh fish. We package it up and put in our freezer to use as we go. After today we're headed into a cold stretch so roads will be too icy to drive down there then.

Gruyere and Muenster Scalloped Potatoes

Gruyere and Muenster Scalloped Potatoes

6 medium russet potatoes, peeled then sliced on mandolin
olive oil for coating baking dish sides and bottom
3 yellow onions sliced on a mandolin and caramelized
2 cups milk
8 ounces of gruyere cheese grated
8 ounces of muenster cheese grated
nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup gluten free bread crumbs

Brush 9 x 12 inch casserole baking dish with olive oil. Arrange two layers of potato slices on the bottom overlapping slightly. Next add half of caramelized onions. Sprinkle with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Melt cheeses in the milk. Pour half cheese and milk mixture over the first layers. Repeat again with remaining potatoes, onions, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Pour remaining milk cheese mixture over the top. Cover the top with bread crumbs and bake covered at 375 F for 45 minutes. Remove cover and bake another 20 minutes till top starts to bubble and brown. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving. Cut into serving sized pieces. Very hearty and delicious!

Strawberry Tomato Avocado Salad

Strawberry Tomato Avocado Salad

1 pound strawberries sliced
2 cups cherry tomatoes cut in half
1 large avocado sliced
1/4 cup red onion chopped fine (I used me pickled red onions)

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon mustard
1 garlic clove minced (I used powdered garlic powder)
salt and pepper to taste

Mix first four ingredients for salad. Mix remaining ingredients for dressing and drizzle over the top of salad and toss gentle. I was surprised that Gary liked the salad which he called unusual. Another quick and tasty salad. Enjoy !

Plain Raspberries with Tangy Dressing

Plain Raspberries with Tangy Dressing

1 pint red raspberries
2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
1/2 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
few drops of chili oil (optional)
few drops of fish sauce (optional)

Whisk last six ingredients to make the dressing. Drizzle dressing ingredients over raspberries, then add the crumbled cheese over the top. Enjoy!

Moo Shu Pork with Shitake Mushrooms

Moo Shu Pork with Shitake Mushrooms

Follow link for recipe.
This time I used shitake mushrooms I've rehydrated,
bamboo shoots, and green onions
along with the scrambled egg and other ingredients.
Right now I'm marinating the pork.

Tip: freeze pork slightly so you can slice it real thin.

Thankful for the Warmer Weather

Thankful for the Warmer Weather

Roasted Eggplant with Anchovy Dressinng

Roasted Eggplant with Anchovy Dressing

1-2 eggplant sliced crosswise in 1/2 inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper each side of eggplant

2 tablespoons mirin
1 small can flat anchovies
1 large clove garlic minced very fine
2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped very fine
oil or water the anchovies were packed in
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon agave syrup

Preheat oven to 400 F. Meantime slice eggplant crosswise into 1/2 inch slices. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush each side of the eggplant slices with olive oil and then salt and pepper each one. Bake for about 40 minutes turning once half way through cooking. Begin make your dressing with mirin, add flat anchovies and garlic and hand press them in a small bowl. When blended into a smooth paste, add parsley, vinegar, chopped parsley, anchovy oil, and agave syrup. Drizzle the dressing over the baked eggplant and serve immediately. I have some left over dressing and will use it over some romaine lettuce for a salad. I like eggplant, Gary does not; more for me. 

Chestnuts

Chestnuts

Many years ago I purchased some chestnuts
and the package said "from Korea".
Now I can get them locally.
Click for nutrition and health benefits.

Sage and Arugula Risotto

Sage and Arugula Risotto

2 small shallots chopped fine
3 garlic cloves minced fine
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pats of butter
1-1/2 cups arborio rice
1 container of chicken stock warmed till almost boiling
1 cup white wine
3 tablespoons fresh dried sage leaves (from my garden)
salt and pepper to taste
5 big handfuls of baby arugula leaves
2/3 cup feta cheese crumbled

Sauté shallots in olive oil in a large capacity frying pan but not cast iron. Add garlic at the end and sauté for one more minute. Add butter and then the rice to toast the rice in the butter. Meanwhile heat stock up to almost boiling in a separate sauce pan. When rice is toasty add heated stock 2 ladles full at a time. Using heated stock is the tip which makes the rice absorb the stock slowly and develop it's starch and creaminess. As stock is absorbed slowly, add the wine half way through. Keep adding stock till it's all gone. Towards the end add the sage, (I added the whole sage leaves which hydrated in the broth). Last I added the cheese crumbled quite small. Every time I make risotto it gets better and better. This time it has a lemony flavor, probably from the feta cheese. I used the lemon slice as a garnish, didn't even squeeze it over the risotto. Enjoy!

New Years 2026 Black Eyed Peas

New Years 2026 Black Eyed Peas

Follow the link for my black eyed pea recipe.
Black eyed peas are a tradition to have on new years day.

Happy New Years 2026