Healthy Oatmeal Breakfast

No sugar is added to this bowl of cereal. The oatmeal is a good source of dietary fiber.

Ingredients

¼ cup dried skim milk

dried cranberries, amount can vary

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¾ cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup of water plus a shot glass

Preparation

Add ingredients to a microwaveable bowl. Place bowl in microwave oven and heat for 99 seconds. Open microwave and stir. Replace bowl in microwave and heat for 45 seconds before stirring again, and heating for an additional 45 seconds. Remove bowl from the microwave, stir the oatmeal and eat.

Homemade Chorizo

The chorizo was made using pork loin that is ground in an old-fashioned hand-cranked meat grinder. The fine template of the meat grinder is used in lieu for the coarse template.

Ingredients

4 pounds of boneless pork loin, ground as stated above
3 tsp. Kosher salt
1 ½ tsp. ground coriander
1 ½ tsp. ground cumin
1 palmful of Mexican oregano (not to be confused with Mediterranean oregano)
several garlic cloves
1 or more Tbls. of ground chile powder (not chili powder)*
1/4 cup of cider vinegar

* Chili powder also contains salt, cumin and oregano

Preparation

Cut the pork loin into small chunks. Grind the meat into a roasting pan that can be used to mix it with the other ingredients.

Add all the other ingredients except the vinegar. Thoroughly mix the ingredients together. Once it is decided that the mixture is homogeneous, add the vinegar and mix it in until is completely absorbed.

Form the mixture into 8 patties. Put each patty into a separate plastic sandwich bag that has a flap for closing. Put 4 such bagged patties into a freezer bag large enough to hold them. Place both freezer bags into the freezer for future use.

Frittata with Chorizo, Onion and Cheese

This is a frittata made with rehydrated powdered egg whites, whole eggs, homemade chorizo, onion, and shredded mozzarella cheese. A 10-inch old-fashioned cast iron skillet is used to cook the frittata. 

Ingredients

4 Tablespoons of powdered egg whites (equivalent to 6 whole eggs)
7 fl. oz. warm water
3 whole eggs
8 ounces of homemade uncured chorizo (usually made into patties before freezing)
1 small onion, diced
Shredded mozzarella cheese enough to sparingly cover the finished frittata
cooking spray to coat skillet before ingredients are added to it

Nota bene: No salt is added because the chorizo contains salt.

Preparation

Measure the powdered egg whites into a 2-cup measuring cup. Add half of the water to the egg whites and slowly stir the mixture until the clumped eggs are moistened. Then add the rest of the water and stir until there is an almost smooth consistency. Set aside for a while and stir at frequent intervals. When the egg white and water mixture is of smooth consistency, add the whole eggs one at a time, breaking the yolk and softly beating to incorporate each whole egg. Set the egg mixture aside an proceed to sauteing the onions and chorizo.

Preheat the skillet after spraying it with cooking spray. Add and saute the onions at medium low temperature. Add the chorizo, which should be thawed, to the skillet, breaking up the patty with a spatula, and making sure that the meat is properly browned. Distribute the chorizo and onion evenly in the skillet.

Stir the egg mixture just before adding it to the skillet. Allow the bottom of the frittata mixture to set, takes about 2 or 3 minutes on the cooktop, before removing to the broiler position of the oven. Expose the frittata to the broiler element until the egg mixture no long looks wet and it starts to brown. Once it is lightly browned, remove it from the broiler to a table top onto a pot holder, and add the shredded cheese. Allow the cheese to be melted by the heat of the frittata. Slice the frittata into wedges and serve.

Quesadillas The Easy Way

This is not so much a recipe as it is a technique of preparation. I tried it for the first time today and it worked well. This method was just an experiment. More thought to ingredients will be given the next time I make the quesadillas.


I used large flour tortillas and filled them with thin slices of ham and a mixture of grated cheeses. I spread a mixture of mustard and mayo on half of each tortilla. Then the ham was layered on the spread followed by the grated cheese. Next the other half of the tortilla was folded over the filled half.

Each of the filled and folded tortillas was laid on a preheated panini maker and grilled. It does not take long for the cheese to melt, so be careful not to burn the tortilla. Remove the quesadilla from the panini maker to a plate or cutting board. Cut each quesadilla into 3 wedges and serve either yourself or a crowd.

Take into consideration that this is more about method than recipe, and fill the tortillas with ingredients that you desire. Just don't over do it.

Small Frittata Sandwich

This is a simple sandwich with only 4 ingredients. It is a change from my usual fare that I have for lunch.

2 large eggs
1 heaping teaspoon of salsa arrabbiata (recipe is included on this blog)
2 or 3 slices of processed cheese or provolone
2 slice of good rye bread

Add the salsa to the middle of a small bowl and then add the eggs to the same bowl. Beat the eggs and salsa together.

Preheat a small skillet on the cooktop. I use a 6" cast iron skillet. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet and cook at low heat until bottom of mixture sets. Then transfer the skillet under the oven broiler.

Watch to see when the mixture has been completely set. It takes only a few minutes. Remove the skillet from the oven. Set the skillet down on a pot holder or trivet.

Slice the frittata in half and place the halves on a slice of rye bread. Position the 1st half so that the 2nd half of the frittata does not completely overlap the 1st half. Lay the cheese slices on next. Then cover the cheese with the other slice of bread.

Now you can eat the sandwich.

Buon appetito! 

Surimi Soup 2 – My Way

This recipe is a variation on a theme. The surimi costs about $2.67 per pound. Compare that price with those prices for fresh fish at any fishmonger's counter. 


15Apr11 – Income Tax Day

Ingredients

Canola oil

½ tsp. curry powder

½ tsp. ground mace

2 small onion (golf ball sized), diced

1 or 2 garlic cloves, sliced

1 celery rib, diced

1 14.5-oz. can of diced tomatoes, liquid drained and reserved

2 Tbs. flour

Drained tomato liquid and water to make 2 cups

Heaping baby spoon chile powder

1 cup of frozen corn

1 lb. surimi, torn by hand

Heaping ½ teaspoon Italian seasonings

Kosher salt, pinch

1 12 fl. oz. can evaporated milk

Water from rinsing evaporated milk can

Preparation

Heat the canola oil in a tall sauce pan, and add curry powder, mace and chile powder when oil shimmers. Add onion, celery and then garlic when onion is translucent.

Add flour briskly whisking it to make a roux. Add the tomato liquid and water mixture a little at a time allowing the roux to thicken and adding water as needed.

Add the corn, drained diced tomatoes, chopped surimi, salt, and evaporated milk plus water swirled in the milk can. Bring heat to a simmer for several minutes. Serve.

THIS ALSO WAS A GREAT TASTING SOUP to be made again

Sweet Potato Hummus

 The original recipe was given to me by our eldest daughter. It did not contain cumin and coriander. I like my hummus more savory than she does. 

The immersible blender really helps create a smooth dip. I try not to waste any of the finished product and the blender works well in wide mouthed plastic containers like those in which soup is purveyed by Chinese carryout kitchens.

Sweet Potato Hummus – Amended Recipe

Recipe my way made 05Apr11

1 15-oz. can of chickpeas, rinsed

1 garlic clove, peeled and microwaved for 30 seconds

1 sweet potato, baked and peeled

½ cup of olive oil

½ tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ground coriander

Puree the chickpeas, spices and garlic with immersion blender in a plastic container* recycled from Chinese take-out. Add the sweet potato flesh and process drizzling the olive oil in the mixture while the blender is running. Serve with crackers or tortilla chips.

* Use of the plastic container avoids the need to transfer the mixture.