Sue's Cookin' GreatshadesOnline

In our travels, we find great restaurants where they serve some super dishes. When we find something we really like, I go home and make it. Sometimes I put my own touches on it. I almost always make it do-able in an RV kitchen. This site passes on those recipes to you. If you like them, please use them. Let me know which ones you like by either making a note our guestbook or by emailing me at sue@greatshadesonline.com.

If you have an easy but wonderful recipe to share, send it to me. If I like it too, I'll publish it here.

Now, more than ever before, cooking at home is very important. Foods in packages is altered in some way. Additives, like high-fructose corn syrup and MSG make us fat, cause heart disease, high blood pressure,and diabetes.

Bon Apetit!

12/12/2007

Okay, it's winter again and I have time to cook. I didn't realize that it had been so long since I made an entry here! I have a couple of things to share with you.

RISOTTO

(I was afraid of risotto for a long time, but it's really too easy)

I use rice which is especially for risotto. The basic recipe is on the package: saute 1/2 c chopped onion, in 2 T olive oil and 2 T butter, for about 3 minutes. Add 1 c rice and cook & stir for about 3-4 minutes. Add 1c liquid and continue to cook and stir until absorbed. Add a 2nd cup of liquid and cook and stir until absorbed. Add a third cup of liquid and continue as above.

Now, you can really use any kind of oil you like, and any liquid or combination of liquids. I have used beef or chicken fat in place of the oil, and chicken or beef or veggie broth plus some wine.

Add fresh or dried herbs, chopped vegetables, cheese, or ? Today, I threw in some leftover roasted garlic alfredo sauce and a handful of leftover cooked green beans, cut in 1" pieces.

VEGETABLE BROTH

How often have you thought it would be nice to have some kind of broth to add to your gravy or sauce? Did you know that you can easily have some veggie broth on hand? When you peel vegetables, put the peelings and trimmings in a plastic bag and save them up. In a few days, put the trimmings in a pan with enough water to cover them and cook for 20 or 30 minutes. Strain off the liquid and keep this broth in a glass jar in the fridge. If you like, you can put one cup of broth into a plastic bag and freeze it. You can add to your broth whenever you steam veggies. Just add the water from the bottom of the steamer, to your accumulated broth.

When we cook vegetables, nutrition is lost in the water. Saving the broth lets us recover those nutritients. If you have ever read the label on store-bought broth, you know why making your own is better.

12/6/2006

Have you ever made Crazy Cake? I was reminded of it tonight - haven't made it in eons. Here it is, updated

CRAZY CAKE

1 1/2 c Unbleached All-Purpose Flour or substitute part of this with coconut flour
1 tsp Vanilla
1 1/2c - 1c Xylitol sweetener or sugar
1 T Vinegar
3 tbl Cocoa
6 T coconut oil or butter, melted
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 c milk
1/2 tsp Salt

Mix flour, sugar, cocoa, soda and salt. Add oil,vinegar and vanilla.Stir in milk. No need to beat. Pour into 8 x 8-inch pan or loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees F oven until it springs back, about 30 minutes. I like to sprinkle on sliced almonds before baking and dust with powdered sugar when it's done. This is wonderful when served warm with vanilla ice cream.

10/2/2006

New taste treat! We had planned to throw some steaks on the Fire Pit tonight, but didn't take them out of the freezer early enough. So, since my daughter has chickens and there are plenty of eggs, I decided to make quiche. Two of them.

QUICHE

For two quiches, combine:

8 eggs

2 cups of 1/2 & 1/2

1 tsp RealSalt

pinch of course ground black pepper

Pre-bake the pie crust at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes.

Ham Quiche

Cover the bottom of the crust with a layer of grated cheddar cheese or jack cheese, or a little of both.

Sprinkle on a light layer of chopped onion.

Add a layer of ham slices or Canadian bacon.

Top it with about 1 cup of chopped broccoli.

Pour in the filling.

Bake for 10 minutes at 400, then reduce to 300 and continue baking for about 30 minutes.

Crab Quiche

Follow the steps above, through the onion step.

Distribute a layer of crab over the onion. I use canned crab from the Tuna Guys http://www.tunaguys.net/

Add a light layer of chopped broccoli.

Pour in the filling.

Bake as above.

Then, in a moment of brilliance, I decided to make a sauce to put on this quiche.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a med saucepan over med heat.

Stir in 4 tablespoons flour and blend well.

Gradually pour in 2 cups of milk.

Add a handful of grated cheddar cheese and another of grated jack cheese. Then about 1 tablespoon of chopped onion.

Heat, stirring continually, until the cheese is melted and blended in, and the sauce thickens.

Add 1tsp of RealSalt.

Pour liberal amounts of this yummy sauce over the hot quiche (have some of each!) OOOEEEE!

1/15/2006

Recently, I had a flashback to my childhood which resulted in a craving for Waldorf Salad. I'd forgotten all about it. I think the last time I ate it was probably 30 years ago. Anyway, here it is:

WALDORF SALAD

3 med apples

1T sugar or xylitol

1tsp lemon juice

dash of salt

1c thinly sliced celery

1/2 c coarsely chopped walnuts

1/2 to 1c raisins or currants

1/4 c mayonnaise

1/2 c plain yogurt

Wash and core the apples. Do not peel them. Cut into 1/2" cubes. Sprinkle apples with sweetener, lemon juice and salt. Add celery, raisins and nuts. Fold mayo and yogurt into the apple mixture. Enjoy!

This salad keeps well and the apples won't turn brown overnight. Serves 4 -6.

1/2/06

I found a can of tuna today, which I had hidden away for some special time. Realize that this was no ordinary can of tuna! This was premium solid white Albacore from The Tuna Guys in Gig Harbor, Washington. Check out their website at www.tunaguys.net. In addition to the Albacore, they have smoked Albacore, dungeness Crab, Shrimp, smoked Steelhead and yellowfin Tuna. It's a little spendy, but it's worth every cent. This is definitely NOT Bumblebee!!

Chocolate Pie - gotta tell you about a chocolate pie I made for Christmas: I used an Oreo prepared cookie crust, which I think is really what made this pie super. Then I used cooked Jello chocolate pudding and fresh whipped cream. I toasted some sliced almonds and sprinkled them liberally on top of the whipped cream topping. Definitely a hit!

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March 24, 2005 - I happened to catch a cooking show on tv today. It resulted in a wonderful dinner:

Balsamic Vinegar Reduction Sauce:

3/4 c Balsamic vinegar

1/4 c Extra virgin olive oil

1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese

In an 8" skillet, bring the Balsamic vinegar to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 15-20 minutes, until the vinegar is syrupy. Don't be too aggressive, or cook too long, or you'll ruin the flavor.

Add in the olive oil and cheese.

I only had a little parmesan and a little Gorganzola, so I stirred in about 1 1/2 T of these, combined.

Whisk it together and keep it warm.

The dinner tonight was Dave's famous wood fired steak, cooked on the Firepit; fresh, steamed asparagus with butter; fresh mushrooms, sauteed, and a garnish of ripe tomato slices.

To do the mushrooms:

Slice them into nice, thick slices.

Heat a skillet (not non-stick) and about 1/4c coconut oil over high heat.

Add mushrooms and salt. Don't let the skillet cool too much or they'll get mushy.

When the mushrooms get brown, stir in the garlic and continue cooking for a few minutes, adding a few tablespoons of the reduction sauce to deglaze the pan.

Add about 1/2 c to 3/4c of the sauce and turn off the heat.

Spoon over your steaks and enjoy!

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Hey! here's a new ingredient to add to your smoothie or Panna Cotta (see below): coconut cream! Learn about it here.

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Cheesy Salmon Bake

I found this recipe at Lighthouse Deli in South Beach, OR

3 lbs Salmon Steaks or filets

8 oz softened cream cheese

1/4 c mayonnaise or sour cream

1 T lemon juice

Italian bread crumbs

Mix cheese, mayo and lemon juice together and spread on salmon. Shake on Italian bread crumbs to cover salmon and cheese. Bake at 350 degrees on a greased baking sheet for 20 minutes or until the thickest part of the salmon is flakey.

YUMMY! This is rich, so serve it with fresh, steamed veggies and a salad.

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Manicotti

We've had great Manicotti in various restaurants around the country. Here is my version:

Manicotti pasta (plan on 2 per serving)

cooked chicken (any kind will do. I usually use leftovers from one of those rotisserie chickens you get at the grocery store)

sun-dried tomato alfredo sauce (one jar per pkg of pasta)

30 oz container of Romantic cheese

small ball of mozzerella cheese

other cheeses, as desired (Assiago, provolone, romano)

abt 1/2 c sour cream

1 med-lg onion

2 cloves garlic

1/2-1 tsp Oregano

1/2-1 tsp sweet basil

pre-cook pasta slightly less time than directed.

Chop onion & garlic and saute in coconut or palm oil, butter, or chicken fat. If using roast chicken or rotisserie chicken, add the drippings and pan juices also.

chop chicken in chunks about 1/2 big.

In a large bowl, mix the cheeses, sateed onion & garlic, hers, sour cream and chicken. stuff cooled pasta using a small spoon and place in a single layer in a greased baking pan. Pour sauce evenly over pasta. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about an hour.

Get creative - add chopped leftover asparagus, artichoke hearts,chopped Kalamata olives, chopped leftover broccoli, etc. Instead of chicken, use cooked turkey, crab or lobster.

Instead of canned sauce, make your own white sauce with cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, herbs. That way you avoid any sugar or preservatives that might be in the canned sauces.

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Panna Cotta with Mascarpone

This super easy desert can be varied with different toppings. If you use fresh fruit and sweeten with xylitol, it is delicious and also low-carb. This recipe is deluxe - calls for mascarpone. This is just as yummy using all 1/2 and 1/2 or Brown Cow or Mountain High vanilla yogurt, or cream cheese in place of the mascarpone. Basically, you could use prettymuch any dairy product (or mix and match them) to equal the total dairy in this recipe. It's great with goat's milk, too. No cooking means that you can't mess up this custard-like marvel. RecipeGal.com Panna Cotta with Mascarpone

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Panna Cotta

                              Servings: 4
                      Preparation Time: 20 min.
                        Chilling time:3-12 hours

      Panna cotta is an Italian dessert that literally means "cooked cream",       which is usually what the traditional recipe consists of. I took some       creative liberties and added mascarpone and sour cream.

      1 12 ounce package frozen mixed berries, thawed and drained        3 tablespoons sugar
      vegetable cooking spray
      1 tablespoon milk
      1 1/4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
      1 1/4 cups whipping cream
      1/3 cup milk
      1 tablespoon vanilla
      1/4 cup sugar
      1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
      1/4 cup sour cream

      Place mixed berries in a small bowl and crush slightly with the back       of spoon. Stir in 3 tablespoons sugar. Cover with plastic wrap and set       aside. Spray four 3/4 cup ramekins with cooking spray. In a small       bowl, pour 1 tablespoon milk. Sprinkle gelatin over and allow it to        soften (10 minutes). Meanwhile, combine cream, 1/3 cup milk,       vanilla, and 1/4 cup sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over       medium high heat, stirring often. Remove from heat, add gelatin       mixture and stir until melted. Let the mixture cool. In a medium       sized bowl, whisk together mascarpone cheese and sour cream until        smooth. Slowly add the hot cream mixture into the bowl, whisking       constantly. Pour mixture into prepared ramekins. Chill until cold       and set (at least 3 hours and up to 12) Run a small knife around the       edge of the ramekins to loosen the panna cotta. If that doesn't work,        dip the bottom of the ramekin in hot water for a few seconds. Invert       ramekin onto a plate. Spoon berry sauce over panna cotta. Serve.

My favorite Panna Cotta, so far, was made with cream, milk and sour cream and served with lightly sweetened fresh blackberries, which I let sit and "juice up" for a while.

from www.luxuryweb.com

1 envelop unflavored gelatin

1 1/2 c half and half

2 Tbl milk

1/2 c Xylitol sweetener (www.nowfoods.com)

1 1/2 tsp vanilla (don't skimp, here)

3/4 c sour cream

pinch of salt

Sprinkle the gelatin over 2 Tbs cold water or milk and set aside. Combine the liquid ingredients, sweetener, vanilla and salt in a large saucepan. Heat to steaming (but don't boil it) over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and stir in the gelatin. Keep stirring (whisk it, if you want) until it is thoroughly dissolved and no lumps appear. Pour into lightly greased ramekins or molds (coconut oil works well) and set aside to cool. Refrigerate overnight (or at least until well-set). Mash some of the berries and put a generous spoonful onto a desert plate or bowl. Unmold the Panna Cotta on top, of the mashed fruit, then spoon on some whole berries and a little juice. Mmmm! This stuff is sinfully delicious even though it has no sugar, grains or trans fats. It's even health food, if you make it with raw (unpasteurized) milk, or substitute some coconut milk. Gelatin is very good for your joints, hair, skin and nails. Xylitol is one of the healthiest sweeteners you can use, and the health benefits of blackberries (& blueberries and cherries) are great.

APPLE PIE

I happen to LOVE apple pie, so it's one of the things I do best!

Make the pastry first, so it can "rest" in the fridge for a while. For years, I used a piecrust recipe which is made with a mixer. It's easy and fast and it works. Later, I misplaced that recipe and got to looking in my cookbooks for a new one. I felt brave that day, so I tackled something called "Pate Brisee". What I learned was that all of that scary stuff my grandmother told me about pastry was nonsense. "Don't handle it too much, it'll be tough!", "Be sure to have everything cold and use ice water". Well, I'm here to tell you: almost any pastry works fine. How bad can it be, with apples, cinnamon and sugar inside?

So, relax, take your time and enjoy!

Pate Brisee

2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 c. butter or palm oil shortening room temp. but not melted

1/2 T. salt

1/2 to 3/4 c. water

Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut the butter into 8 or 10 pieces, dropping it into the flour. With your hands (Whoo Hoo! fewer utensils to wash!) rub the butter pieces with flour. Just get in there and rub the mixture between your fingers, then between your palms. Now, make a "well" in the middle. Pour about 1/2 c of water into the well and stir it in with your index finger, then gather up the outlying flour and work it in, adding a little more water, if you need to. Ideally, the resulting mixture would be wet enough to hold together, but not so wet that it's sticky. (It's not critical) Now, divide the dough into two parts and place them in ziplock bags. Refrigerate for 2 hours, or up to 36 hours. When you are ready, take out one piece at a time and roll it out (do flour the surface you are rolling on and your rolling pin, as well.) Before you put the dough in, grease your pan with a little butter, on the sides and bottom. With a sharp knife or kitchen scissors, trim the dough to about 1/2-3/4" bigger than the pie plate edge. Pour in the filling and roll out the top crust. Place the crust on top, then trim the edge as you did before. Fold up the edges, then pinch around the edge with your fingers. Cut a few holes in the top, to let steam escape. Sometimes, I cut little slices just inside the edge, so that nice, caramel apple stuff will bubble up there.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 min to 1 hour. It should be nicely brown and smell wonderful!

APPLE PIE FILLING

2 Quarts of peeled, cut up apples. Braeburn apples, or Granny Smith

3/4 to 1C Sugar

2 or 3 Tbl. flour

1tsp. cinnamon

a dash of salt

1 tsp. to 1Tbl. lemon juice depending on how flavorful your apples are.

Cut the apples into a large bowl. Mix the sugar, cinnamon, flour and salt together, then mix into the apples. Let this sit, at room temp, for about 30 minutes, to develop the juices. If it seems too wet, add a little more flour.

Pour the apple mixture into your pie crust, then dot with butter, before putting on the top crust.

Serve warm or cold, with or without ice cream or heavy cream on top.

Have you ever read a cookbook? I recommend it. I have one called "The Joy of Cooking" which educates you on how the ingredients you use behave in various situations and combinations. Once you know the "whys and wherefores" you can create with food without worrying about failures. - Sue