Citrus Roasted Olives and Almonds

Citrus Roasted Olives and Almonds

My friend Carolyn made this excellent Mediterranean appetizer. Her comments are in ( ).
 
Ingredients:
 
2 cups olives with pits (you can mix your favorites or choose a variety for color; our favorites are Kalamata olives and Sicilian dry-cured olives--the wrinkly ones)
 
2/3 to 3/4 cup almonds, un-blanched (the original recipe calls for 1 full cup; I think that is too many)
 
Orange and lemon zest (I used the better part of one orange and one lemon)
 
Sprigs of resinous herbs like rosemary, oregano, thyme, or basil (I used rosemary, which is the most essential, thyme, and a few leaves of sage)
 
Very thinly sliced lemon for garnish (you could use thinly sliced orange too)
 
Extra virgin olive oil
 
Directions:
 
Place everything except the lemon and orange slices in a bowl or casserole dish (suitable for serving), sprinkle generously with olive oil, and toss.  I happened to have some lemon olive oil, so I used some of that too. 
 
Garnish with the slices and heat at 300 degrees until very warm but not too hot to eat (I think it took 10 minutes?). 
 
If you have leftovers, when you reheat them, the lemon slices may be tender enough to eat—a bonus.  Also, the oil left in the bottom of the bowl can be used for dipping bread.
 
Carolyn Z.
(Recipe from HGTV Smart Solutions, 2005)
 

White Bean Salad with Tomatoes and Kalamata Olives

 

 
This is a recipe from America’s Test Kitchen, The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook, that I recently purchased. It’s filled with some wonderful recipes and is great for anyone that wants to eat healthy. I served this at a party recently and it was a hit! 
 
Serves 6 - 8
 
Ingredients:
 
1/4  cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
2 15-oz. cans Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (I used Goya brand)
Salt and peppter
2 tspn sherry vinegar
1 small shallot, minced
1 cup quartered grape tomatoes
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/3 cup kalamata olives, chopped
 
Directions:
 
Cook 1 tablespoon of olive oil and garlic in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until the garlic turns golden but not brown, about 3 minutes*. Add the beans, 2 cups of water, and 1 teaspoon of salt and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 20 minutes.
 
Combine the vinegar and minced shallots in a serving bowl and let sit for 20 minutes.
 
Drain the beans and remove the garlic. Add the beans to the serving bowl, along with the remaining olive oil, tomatoes, basil and kalamata olives. Season with salt and pepper; stir gently to combine. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.
 
 
My Notes:
 
This really served closer to 10 to 12 people.
 
I only used about 10 basil leaves.
 
*The recipe says to remove the garlic, but after cooking it in the olive oil, I chopped them and added it back to the pot to simmer with the beans.
 
The sherry vinegar I purchased is made with aged California sherry vinegar and apricot juice. This was the only one I found in the store (Harris Teeter) but it worked out great.

Lentil & Quinoa Soup

Recently I was in the mood for lentil soup. I looked online site for recipes and found several good ones. I wanted to use my Instant Pot, so I followed this recipe with some adaptation: 
 
https://profusioncurry.com/lentil-quinoa-soup-instantpot/?fbclid=IwAR3T2x7z4ANRczVvcXYAWvUyURKlMLYWYigYeZ1wXteu4SYtWmYQ_tH-aJI
 
In bold are my additions/changes
 
1 cup dry brown or green lentils washed and rinsed
1/2 cup quinoa rinsed
4 carrots chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups water or broth [I used low fat, low sodium chicken broth]
Added 1 can of diced tomatoes with the juices
Splash of dry white wine (about 3 tablespoons)
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Umami Seasoning Blend (optional ) [I didn’t have this so I added a bunch of mushrooms, sliced, along with a teaspoon or so of Dijon mustard, some red pepper flakes, and dried thyme]
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Add all the ingredients to the Instant Pot. Stir.

Close the lid. Switch the vent to "sealing". Choose MANUAL ( Pressure cook) mode, choose High Pressure and adjust the time to 12 minutes. It will take around 10 minutes to get up to pressure.

When the InstantPot beeps after cooking, wait on KEEP WARM timer for 5 minutes. Then move the valve to "venting". After the pressure is released, and pin is down, carefully open the lid.

Give the soup a good stir. Adjust the seasoning. Squeeze a quarter of lemon or stir in lemon juice. Adjust the seasoning. Add some fresh cracked black pepper on top and garnish with fresh herbs.
 
I topped the soup with a dollop of Greek yogurt.

Scallops with Pesto Sauce

 

I made a pesto pasta with scallops and vegetables for dinner one night. It was pretty simple to prepare and just something I tossed together.
This is a serving for one.
 
5 scallops (rinse, pat dry, and sprinkle with a little bit of salt and pepper)
3 large mushrooms, sliced
Red bell pepper, sliced (about 1/5th of a pepper)
1 small clove of garlic, chopped
About 3 T. pesto (I make my own)
Olive oil
2 oz. pasta (I bought the Barilla Thin Spaghetti Protein+ pasta)
 
In a large pot, bring water to a boil with some salt and a teaspoon of olive oil. Add the pasta when ready. It took about 6-7 minutes to cook.
 
Meanwhile, in a large pan, fry the garlic, mushrooms, and bell pepper in olive oil. Move the vegetables to the side of the pan, and add a tablespoon of olive oil and pan fry the scallops. Cook about 4 minutes on each side.
 
Drain the pasta and add the pesto; mix in. Plate the pasta and top with the scallops and vegetables. Garnish with some fresh basil leaves. Eat and enjoy!
 
You can add more vegetables if you'd like. I would have liked more mushrooms because they cooked down quite a bit.

Mushroom Tortellini

 

Mushrooms tortellini with vegetables and a red pesto sauce.

Serves 1
 
I boiled water in a medium pot and cooked the tortellini with some salt.
 
Meanwhile, I sautéed one chopped garlic, some red onion, a few quartered cherry tomatoes and diced yellow pepper in a little olive oil and salt and pepper. Once cooked, I turned off the heat.
 
I drained the pasta and placed it into a bowl.
 
I added the vegetables and 1 tablespoon of red pesto sauce (store bought) and tossed to coat the tortellini. I topped with a little Feta cheese and Parmesan cheese; and fresh basil.

Egg Salad Sandwich

 

Just a simple sandwich for lunch.

1 Hard-boiled Egg

1/2 t. Dijon mustard

1 t. or so of Hellmann's Mayonnaise (adjust quantity to your liking)

1 t. Chopped onion

Dried dill

Dash of Cumin

Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine the above ingredients. Refrigerate to chill.

Top the bread with lettuce, then the egg salad. Add some sliced avocado.

Serve with baby carrots on the side.

Shrimp Salad

I had left-over shrimp from a party, so I made this delicious salad.

I included avocado, lettuce, chopped baby carrots, diced orange bell pepper, Feta cheese, and Kalamata olives.

I topped it with Balsamic vinegar, olive oil and lemon juice.

Healthy Eggplant Parmesan

This is my version of a healthy and tasty dish. Instead of deep frying, I baked the eggplant before assembling the dish.

Serves: 4

1 large eggplant, sliced thin into rounds
Salt
1 large egg, beaten
Black pepper
1/2 cup of Italian Breadcrumbs
Olive Oil
1 cup Rao’s Tomato Sauce
Parmesan cheese, grated
Fresh basil leaves, chopped (plus some for a garnish)
4 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced (or a little more if needed)
 
Place the eggplant slices on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with some salt, cover with paper towels and set aside for 30 minutes to drain the liquid.

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Rub some olive oil onto a baking sheet.

Place the breadcrumbs onto a large plate; and the beaten egg in a bowl.

Dip each eggplant slice in the egg and then into the breadcrumb, turn to coat both sides. Place onto the oiled baking sheet. More breadcrumbs may be needed.

Bake the eggplants for about 18 to 20 (half way through, turn the slices over) until they are browned. Remove from oven, and let cool for 10 minutes.
 
Reduce the oven to 325°F.

In a 9 x 12 glass baking dish, spread some tomato sauce on the bottom and add a layer of the eggplant. Top with the grated parmesan cheese, basil and mozzarella. Sprinkle with some salt and pepper to taste. Repeat this layer until all eggplant has been used. The final top should be a layer of tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. This should yield two layers of eggplant. If you want three layers, use a 8 x 8 pan.

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. 

Remove from oven and set aside for 5 minutes before serving. Top with the fresh basil.

Serve with your favorite pasta. 

 

22 June 2022:

I'm still enjoying this recipe. I made it last night and layered it (3 layers).  I diced the cheese.  

Homemade Hummus

Hummus Recipe Using Dried Chickpeas

My recipe, adapted from a few other recipes found online

8 oz dried Chickpeas, rinsed and sorted through to pick out any bad ones
2 Garlic cloves, minced
3 Ice cubes
1/4 cup Tahini (I use the Trader Joe’s brand)
3 T Extra virgin olive oil
1 Lemon
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 t. Cumin
1/4 t. Cayenne Pepper
 
Garnishes: Cooked reserved Chickpeas, drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle of Paprika or Sumac.
 
Warm pita bread, cut into wedges and/or fresh vegetables (sliced cucumbers, red bell peppers, carrots, broccoli, etc)
 
Directions:
 
Soak the chickpeas overnight in a pot that’s filled about 2” above the chickpeas (at least 12 hours).
 
The next day, strain the chickpeas in a colander; rinse well. Add fresh water to the pot, covering 2” above the chickpeas. Bring to a boil, and then turn down the heat and let simmer for about 2 hours, until tender. (The last time I made this, I had to simmer for 2.5 hours – it just depends on the age of the dried chickpeas).
 
Rinse and cool the chickpeas (reserve about a cup of the simmered liquid).  Set aside a handful of the chickpeas to use as a garnish.
 
Remove the outer skin. This is time-consuming but this what makes the hummus creamy. If you leave the skin on, you’ll end up with a grainy texture. When the chickpeas are simmering, some of the skins will float to the top, so you can take them out with a strainer.  
 
Place the chickpeas in a food processor along with the garlic, ice cubes, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, cumin, and cayenne pepper, and process until smooth. You may need to use a spoon to scrape down the sides. Adjust the seasonings to your taste. If it’s too thick for your liking add some of the reserved liquid.
 
Serve:
 
Place in a bowl and either serve right away; or refrigerate (covered with plastic wrap) until ready to serve.
 
When serving, top the hummus with the reserved chickpeas, a drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle of Paprika or Sumac, and the pita bread and/or vegetable.
 
Note:
 
You can use canned chickpeas, but you need to simmer them for about 20-30 minutes.  Then continue the recipe, to include removing the outer skin.

Flatbread Pizza

 

Flatbread pizza! OMG, so good!

I used an Aldi Flatbread.

I brushed the flatbread with a little olive oil and topped it with the following ingredients:

Rao's Tomato Sauce
Turkey Italian sausage (cooked, then crumbled into small pieces
Fresh Mozzarella

Fresh baby spinach leaves
Kalamata olives, chopped
Baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
Grated Parmesan cheese

Baked for 10-12 minutes right on the rack at 425 degrees.

Shrimp and Avocado Ceviche

 

16 September 2020

This is my version, in which I adapted from these two recipes:
https://www.thekitchn.com/ceviche-recipe-22902965?fbclid=IwAR0jwL203YcfdRSOrJOioQQHuiVDGcVr8saK_b9TzbL5OVgcFbuKIM_8ItE
http://www.eatingwell.com/video/6984/how-to-make-shrimp-ceviche/

Serves: 1

5-6 peeled and deveined raw shrimp (purchased from Costco, frozen and thawed)
Freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
Freshly squeezed lime juice (1/3 lime)
Freshly squeezed orange juice (1/4 of an orange) 
4-5 grape tomatoes, seeded and quartered
1 T. red onion, sliced small
1  jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped (about 1 teaspoon)
1/4 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 small avocado
1 T cilantro leaves chopped, for garnish
 
1/4 cup (dry measurement) Whole wheat couscous

Cook the couscous according to directions; then chill in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Bring a pot of water, salted, to a boil over high heat. Turn off the heat and add the shrimp. Let the shrimp cook about 3 minutes until just done. Drain and rinse the shrimp in cold water; place on a plate and refrigerate for about 15 minutes to cool.
 
Chop the shrimp and place in a nonreactive bowl. Add the lemon juice, lime juice, orange juice, tomatoes, red onion, jalapeño, cucumber and salt; toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
 
Just before serving, dice the avocado and add to the ceviche mixture. Toss gently to combine.
 
To serve, place the couscous and top with the ceviche and all of the liquid. Top with the chopped cilantro.

Instant Pot Sausage Lentil Stew

  

I made this 11 December 2019 – my changes are in  [  ]

Prep Time 10 minutes    Cook Time 25 minutes   Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 8

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 lb Italian sausage  [I used a combination of sweet and hot; 6 links, which came to 1 lb 2.7 oz total]

1 large onion chopped [I had 3/4 of a large onion on hand]

2 stalks celery chopped [I used 3 stalks]

3-4 carrots peeled and chopped

3 cloves garlic minced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 1/2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon salt

29 oz canned diced tomatoes

5 cups chicken stock  [Only had 4 cups chicken stock, so I added 1/4 white wine and 3/4 cup beef broth]

1 1/2 cups dry lentils rinsed and picked over (preferably French Green Lentils)

1 cup finely chopped kale (optional)

Press the SAUTE button on the instant pot and let preheat for 1-2 minutes. Add the olive oil and Italian sausage. Cook, breaking into small pieces with a spoon, until no longer pink.

Add the onion, celery and carrot. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the vegetables start to soften. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and salt.

Add the diced tomatoes, chicken stock, and lentils. Stir to combine.

Close the instant pot [turn the dial to pressure cook] and press MANUAL and set timer for 10 minutes. When the time is up let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release the rest of the steam.

Stir in the chopped kale. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy!

Recipe from: https://meaningfuleats.com/instant-pot-sausage-lentil-stew/

Instant Pot Beef Chili

Instant Pot Beef Chili

This is one of my favorite recipes from the Instant Pot Miracle Cookbook. I sometimes use a combination of beef and pork, or just pork.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Function: Sauté (Normal); Pressure/Manual (high)

Closed Pot time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Release: Natural

Serves 8

1.5 Lbs ground beef

1 C Chopped onion

4 Cloves garlic, minced

1 15-oz Can tomato sauce

2 15 to 16-oz Cans kidney beans, drained

1 C Beef broth [or chicken broth – low salt/low fat]

2 14.5 oz Cans diced tomatoes, undrained

2 T Chili powder

1/2 t. Black pepper

1 4.5-oz Can diced green chilies, undrained (optional)

Hot sauce (optional)

Shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and/or sliced green onions

PREP

Select Sauté on the Instant Pot and adjust to Normal. Cook the ground beef, onion, and garlic for about 10 minutes or until the meat is browned and onion tender.

Press Cancel. Add tomato sauce, beans, broth tomatoes, chili powder, black pepper, and green chilies.

Secure the lid on the pot. Close the pressure-release valve.

COOK

Select Manual and cook at high pressure for 10 minutes.  When cooking is complete, use a natural release to depressurize.

SERVE

Serve chili with hot sauce, cheese, sour cream, and/or green onions.

My notes: I originally mis-read the recipe and only used one can of beans (black beans) and one can of diced tomatoes. It was on the soupy side but very flavorful and excellent. One time I made it with 2 lbs of ground meat, so I doubled the diced tomatoes and beans. This makes a lot for two people, so I freeze in smaller containers. 

INSTANT POT SHRIMP & GRITS

INSTANT POT SHRIMP & GRITS

15 April 2020: I searched for a shrimp & grits Instant Pot recipe and found several online. After reading through the recipes, I chose this one to make:

https://www.paintthekitchenred.com/best-instant-pot-shrimp-and-grits/?fbclid=IwAR0ULt_PvvLFyrEpoxs5PdUrlPLEOHOQR1nk5-_9PpN5bqT9Tb31u9JyfT0

Prep Time: 5 minutes   

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Servings: 2 servings 

Calories: 292 kcal

Shrimp Ingredients

1 lb shrimp peeled and deveined

2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning or more to taste (or Creole Seasoning)

3 strips smoked bacon diced

1/3 cup onion chopped

1/2 cup bell peppers red and/or green, chopped

1 Tbsp garlic, minced

2 Tbsp dry white wine

1 1/2 cups canned diced tomatoes

2 Tbsp lemon juice or to taste

1/4 cup chicken broth

1/4 tsp Tabasco sauce or hot sauce, more to taste

1/2 tsp salt or to taste

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup scallions sliced thin (green parts only)

Grits Ingredients

1/2 cup  grits

1 cup milk

1 cup water

salt and pepper to taste

1 Tbsp butter, optional

Pat shrimp dry and sprinkle with Old Bay seasoning. Set aside.

On 'Saute' mode, cook bacon until crisp, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove to a plate and set aside.

Sauté onions and bell peppers in the rendered bacon fat till onion is translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Add garlic and sauté briefly. Turn Instant Pot off.

Deglaze with white wine, and stir well to remove any browned bits, allowing the wine to mostly evaporate.

Stir in tomatoes, lemon juice, chicken broth, hot sauce, salt and pepper.

Place trivet in the Instant Pot.

In a medium bowl that will fit in the Instant Pot, stir together grits, milk, water, salt and pepper. Place bowl on trivet.

Close Instant Pot Lid, and make sure steam release handle is in the ‘Sealing’ position.

Cook on 'Manual' (or 'Pressure Cook') mode for 10 minutes.

Allow the pressure to release naturally.

Open the Instant Pot, remove the grits and set aside.

Remove the trivet.

Carefully stir in shrimp and close the Instant Pot immediately and allow the shrimp to finish cooking in the residual heat.  Instant Pot will be in 'Keep Warm' mode.

While shrimp is cooking, fluff grits with a fork, adding in a tablespoon of butter.

After 10 minutes, open the Instant Pot. Gently stir the shrimp.

Turn on 'Saute' mode and stir in cream. Heat through (don't boil) and turn off Instant Pot.

Serve grits topped with shrimp and sauce.

Garnish with scallions and bacon.

My Comments: 

The recipe stated it serves four, but this really serves two people with some grits leftover. 

I used the large Costco shrimp (10) and they could have cooked a few minutes longer. I turned the shrimp over and they finished cooking while I was stirring in the cream.

I was worried about the size of the bowl for the grits thinking it would overflow, but it didn't.

I added a heaping tablespoon of Parmesan cheese (didn't have cheddar) into the grits, but it really wasn't needed because of the tomato broth. 

This was excellent and definitely a keeper.

The next time I will make it with Andouille sausage instead of bacon. 

Ribeye Roast

Ribeye Roast

Tony made this last night (14 February 2020) for Valentine's dinner.

This recipe is adapted https://healthyrecipesblogs.com/ribeye-roast/  Comments in [ ] are the changes Tony made.

Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt (not fine salt)  [2 T Himalayan Pink Salt]

1 teaspoon black pepper [2 T Lemon Pepper]

1 teaspoon garlic powder [1 to 1.5 t garlic powder]

1 teaspoon dried sage [didn’t use]

1 teaspoon dried thyme [didn’t use]

[1 t. Paprika]

3 lb. boneless ribeye roast, USDA prime grade [trimmed of the thick fat. Ours was 5.25 lbs, so the dry ingredients were revised]

Instructions

In a small bowl, use a fork to mix together the salt, lemon pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Rub all over the roast, pressing to make sure the rub adheres to the meat.

Place the meat, fat side up, on a rack in a roasting pan and allow it to get to room temperature, about 1 hour [2 hours].

Preheat the oven to 500°F. Insert a meat thermometer into the middle of the roast and set the thermometer to 130°F (medium rare) [125° F for rare]. 

Place the ribeye roast in the 500°F oven and roast it for 15 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Keep roasting the meat until the thermometer registers 130°F [125° F].  [125°F]. For a 3 lb. roast this SHOULD take roughly 1 more hour (20 minutes per pound) according to conventional wisdom. But the only way to know for sure is to use a thermometer. [Use an internal instant read thermometer].

  

Remove the ribeye roast from the oven. Loosely cover it with foil and allow it to rest for 30 [15] minutes, then cut it into thin slices [or thick] and serve.

[Check out this web site for cooking times for meats: https://blog.thermoworks.com/beef/steak-temperatures-ordering-and-buying-guides/]