Brunch
Leftover bowtie pasta (see 3/29)

Snack
Bean burrito with our very first baby lettuce of the year!

Dinner
Reuben sandwiches made with homemade rye bread and leftover corned beef (see 3/28)
Carrot sticks
Spinach-chickpea dip

Recipes:

QUICK RYE BREAD
3 to 4 c. all-purpose flour
1 Tbs. caraway seed
2 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. minced onion
3 pkg. active dry yeast
2 1/4 c. water
3 Tbs. brown sugar
3 Tbs. butter
2 1/2 c. rye flour
1 egg white, beaten

In mixer bowl, combine 2 c. all-purpose flour, caraway seed, salt, onions, and yeast. Blend well.
In a small saucepan, heat water, brown sugar, and butter to between 120 and 130 degrees F. Add warm liquid to flour mixture. Mix at low speed until moistened, then beat for 3 minutes at medium speed.
By hand, stir in rye flour and an additional 3/4 to 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour until dough pulls cleanly away from sides of bowl.
On a floured surface, knead in 1/4 to 1/2 c. all-purpose flour until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place in greased bowl and cover loosely with plastic wrap and a cloth towel. Place bowl in a pan of 95-degree water and let rise 15 minutes.
Grease a large cookie sheet. Punch down dough several times to remove all air bubbles. Divide dough into two parts and shape them into 12-inch-long oblong loaves. Place loaves on cookie sheet. With a sharp knife, make a 1/8-inch-deep slash down the center of each loaf. Brush with egg white. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat oven to 375 degrees.
Uncover risen dough. Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until loaves sound hollow when tapped. Immediately remove from cookie sheet and cool on wire rack.

SPINACH-CHICKPEA DIP
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 a small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
10 oz. baby spinach, washed
15-oz. can chickpeas, drained
1/2 c. nonfat plain yogurt
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 c. crumbled feta cheese
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried dill weed
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a large skillet, saute onion and garlic in 1 Tbs. of the olive oil until translucent and fragrant. Add spinach in batches and cover, stirring occasionally and adding more spinach until all of it has wilted. Continue sauteing, uncovered, a few more minutes. Pour off remaining liquid.
Combine spinach mixture, chickpeas, remaining olive oil, and the remainder of the ingredients in a food processor. Process until no large chunks remain. Serve with bread or raw vegetables.

Breakfast
Cold cereal with milk
Grapefruit

Dinner
Grilled hamburgers on homemade buns (made with 90% lean ground sirloin; see 3/26 for bread recipe)
Foil-packet grilled potatoes
Foil-packet grilled apples

Dessert
Graham cracker roll

Recipes:

FOIL-PACKET GRILLED POTATOES
2 medium or large potatoes, sliced into french fries
1 Tbs. olive oil
a shake of garlic powder
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Toss the ingredients together in a double-walled foil packet and grill over hot coals until soft.

FOIL-PACKET GRILLED APPLES
3 or 4 medium tart apples, sliced
a handful of raisins
a sprinkle of Ceylon cinnamon
2 tsp. brown sugar
1 Tbs. butter, cut up

Toss the ingredients together in a double-walled foil packet and grill over hot coals until soft.

GRAHAM CRACKER ROLL
3/4 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 c. nuts, chopped (Grandma always used pecans, but I used walnuts this time because that was all I had)
1 c. dates, snipped small with kitchen scissors
20 marshmallows, snipped small with kitchen scissors
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. heavy cream, whipped until it holds stiff peaks

Crush graham crackers with a rolling pin until you have 3/4 c. Set aside 1/3 c. crumbs for coating.
Add chopped nuts, dates, and marshmallows. Add salt. Fold in stiffly whipped cream.
Shape mixture into a firm roll. Roll in reserved graham cracker crumbs. Wrap in wax paper and chill. Slice and serve with whipped cream.

Breakfast
Yogurt

Lunch
French bread pizza

Dinner
Bowtie pasta with marinara sauce, fresh mushrooms, and Italian turkey sausage
Asiago cheese bread (from a local bakery called Sweet Kneads)

Breakfast
Cinnamon toast
An orange

Lunch
Corned beef and cabbage

Dinner
Cold cheese and vegetable sandwich
An apple
Peanut butter cookies

Recipes:

CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE
This is so simple that you don't need a real recipe for it. You just take a corned beef brisket and cut it so it fits in your slow-cooker, then add the spice packet that comes with it, plus some coarsely chopped cabbage, carrots, and onions. Sprinkle in a little celery seed, whole black peppercorns, a few red pepper flakes, and a tiny pinch of cinnamon. Then add water to cover, put the lid on, and leave it to cook overnight--12 or 13 hours should do it.

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. peanut butter
2 Tbs. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
sugar for the tops of the cookies

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In bowl of KitchenAid mixer, beat sugar, brown sugar, and butter until light and fluffy. Add peanut butter, milk, vanilla, and egg, and blend well.
By hand, stir in flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix well.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten in crisscross pattern with a fork dipped in sugar.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until golden. Remove from cookie sheets immediately.

Breakfast
Scrambled eggs
Bacon
Toast (see bread recipe, 3/26)

Lunch
Salad made with leaf lettuce, leftover fajita chicken (see 3/26), avocado, salsa, and a dash of red wine vinegar

Dinner
Hoppin' John
Stewed okra
Crustless sweet potato pie

Recipes:

HOPPIN' JOHN
Props to Deborah Madison for making the ham hock redundant--the chipotle really adds that smokiness. This is my version.
1 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. peanut oil
1 large onion, diced
1 small chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced (freeze the rest of the can for later use)
2 bay leaves
a few stalks of fresh thyme, pulled from the stem
a pinch of allspice
4 c. frozen black-eyed peas
4 c. water
salt

In a large, heavy saucepan, melt the butter with the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, chipotle, bay leaves, thyme, and allspice and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is soft and translucent.
Add the black-eyed peas and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the peas are soft and the sauce has begun to thicken up. It should take about an hour. If you like, you can whisk in a tablespoon of flour to make it more gravy-like.
Salt to taste and serve (with rice, if desired).

STEWED OKRA
1 to 2 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
about 15 to 20 pods okra, cut into chunks
2 large tomatoes, chopped
a couple of dashes of Tabasco sauce
salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and saute until soft and translucent.
Add okra, tomatoes, and Tabasco. Saute for about five minutes, until tomatoes start to soften, and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook, covered, stirring often, until the mixture is soft and saucy. Season to taste.

CRUSTLESS SWEET POTATO PIE
Walks the line between side dish and dessert...
2 large sweet potatoes, cooked and peeled
1/2 c. 1% milk
1/3 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 Tbs. butter
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease a 9-inch glass pie pan.
Place the sweet potatoes in the bowl of a KitchenAid mixer. With the flat beater, mix slowly for about half a minute.
Add milk, sugar, eggs, butter, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Mix on medium speed for about two minutes, until the butter is evenly distributed through the mixture.
Spread mixture in greased pie pan and bake 30 minutes, until set and slightly golden at the edges. Cut into wedges and serve.

Breakfast
Peanut butter and strawberry jam on homemade white bread
Milk

Snack
Rootbeer float (made with lowfat Breyer's vanilla ice cream)

Dinner
Grilled fajita chicken sandwiches
Zucchini, potatoes, and onions grilled on skewers
Watermelon

Recipes:

HOMEMADE WHITE BREAD
5 to 6 c. bread flour
3 Tbs. sugar
2 tsp. salt
2 pkgs. active dry yeast
2 c. water
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1 egg white
sesame seeds

In the bowl of a KitchenAid mixer, blend 2 c. flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. In a small saucepan, heat water and oil until 120 to 130 degrees F. Add warm liquid to flour mixture and blend at low speed until moistened. Beat 3 minutes at medium speed.
By hand, stir in additional 2 1/2 to 3 c. flour until dough pulls away cleanly from sides of bowl.
On a floured surface, knead in 1/2 to 1 c. flour until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place dough in greased bowl and cover loosely with plastic wrap and cloth towel. Let rise in a warm place (80 to 85 degrees F) until light and doubled in size, about an hour.
Grease one large loaf pan and one sheet pan. Punch down dough several times to remove all air bubbles. Divide dough into two parts. Shape one half into a loaf and place in loaf pan; shape the other half into several hamburger buns and place on sheet pan. Cover and let rise until dough expands and top of loaf is about 1 inch above pan edge, 30 to 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and place a pan of water on bottom rack. Uncover dough, brush with egg white, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake breads until they sound hollow when tapped (40 to 50 minutes for the loaf; more like half an hour for the buns).

GRILLED FAJITA CHICKEN
I often just make this on its own, but today we shredded the meat and served it on homemade buns (see bread recipe above) with avocado, salsa, and lettuce.
Juice of one lime
1/3 c. Miracle Whip Light
Half a packet of low-sodium taco seasoning
4 skinless split chicken breasts

Stir together the first three ingredients, then coat the chicken breasts thickly with the mixture. Grill over hot coals until charred slightly and cooked through.

Breakfast
Yogurt with red raspberries

Lunch
Leftover pork with bean curd

Dinner
Curried chicken croquettes
Chopped vegetable salad with red wine vinaigrette

Recipes:

CURRIED CHICKEN CROQUETTES
These are hilarious--they look exactly like Scotch Eggs. But they're really creamed chicken fried in bread crumbs. They're very rich but delicious.
1 1/2 c. whole milk
1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
half a large onion, finely chopped
1 or 2 small cloves garlic, minced
a little olive oil
1/2 lb. or so of leftover cooked chicken, finely chopped (I used some rinsed-off chicken thighs from the Sri Lankan Chicken Curry we had on 3/21, so they had a nice curry flavoring to them already)
1 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
1 c. fresh breadcrumbs
vegetable oil for deep-frying

Melt the butter in a frying pan and stir the flour into it to make a roux. Cook gently for a couple of minutes.
Heat the milk in the microwave until it's hot but not boiling. Add the hot milk, a little at a time, to the roux. Stir it until a thick, smooth bechamel sauce forms. Keep cooking and stirring for another minute or so, then remove from the heat.
In a second pan, saute the onion and garlic in a little olive oil until they're soft, then add the chopped chicken and stir for a few minutes. Add this mixture to the bechamel, add the curry powder and salt, and stir well. Transfer the mixture to the fridge for an hour or so to firm up.
When the mixture is firm enough to work with, start heating your oil.
Take spoonfuls of the cold mixture and roll them into balls with floured hands. Dip them into beaten egg, then roll in breadcrumbs until thoroughly coated.
Deep-fry in hot oil for a few minutes, turning halfway through if necessary, until nicely browned and crisp. Serve with shrimp sauce and/or Major Grey's Chutney (we like the sauces and chutneys made by Crosse & Blackwell).

Breakfast
Cold cereal with milk

Lunch
Bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich
An apple

Dinner
Falafel sandwich from Gyro Wrap

Not a banner day for recipes! :-)

Breakfast
Leftover coconut cream pie

Lunch
Leftover Greek-style cannellini, pasta, and vegetables
An apple

Dinner
Pork with bean curd
Rice

Recipes:

PORK WITH BEAN CURD
1/2 lb. firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 Tbs. peanut oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
a quarter-sized piece of fresh ginger, minced
1 lb. pork butt, sliced across the grain into thin strips
2 Tbs. hoisin sauce
3 green onions, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
1 small head bok choy, chopped
2 Tbs. sherry
1 Tbs. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
white pepper to taste
1/4 c. chicken stock
1 Tbs. cornstarch mixed with 1 Tbs. water

Drain the tofu pieces in a colander for half an hour, then pat them dry with a paper towel.
Heat a wok and add the oil. Stir-fry the garlic and ginger for a moment, then add the pork and stir-fry until cooked through. Remove to a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the oil behind.
Add the hoisin sauce, green onions, and bok choy to the wok. Stir-fry for a minute or two, then add the pork, tofu, and all the remaining ingredients except the cornstarch mixture. Stir-fry until everything is quite hot.
Stir in the cornstarch mixture quickly until the sauce thickens, then remove the wok from the heat.
Serve over rice.

Breakfast
Oatmeal with brown sugar and milk
Morningstar Farms vegetarian sausage
Grapefruit

Dinner
Greek-style cannellini, pasta, and vegetables

Snack
Coconut cream pie

Recipes:

GREEK-STYLE CANNELLINI, PASTA, AND VEGETABLES
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
3 Tbs. olive oil
1 carrot, sliced thin
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 six-inch zucchini, quartered and sliced
a large, juicy tomato, chopped
1 tsp. dried mint
1 tsp. dried dill weed
a sprinkling of dried marjoram
about 2/3 of a large jar of marinated artichoke hearts (without liquid)
salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
a 15-oz. can cannellini beans, drained
1/2 lb. pasta (spirals, small shells, or the like)
a splash of red wine vinegar
feta cheese

Saute the garlic and onions in 2 Tbs. of the oil in a large skillet. While they cook, chop the carrot and bell pepper. Add them to the onions, stir, and keep sauteing.
Add the zucchini, tomato, herbs, artichoke hearts, seasonings, and beans. Simmer until vegetables are tender.
While the vegetable mixture simmers, cook pasta according to package directions. Toss with the remaining olive oil, then combine with the vegetable mixture and add a splash of red wine vinegar.
Serve with crumbled feta cheese on top.

COCONUT CREAM PIE
one 9-inch baked pie shell
3/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 c. 1% milk
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 1/2 Tbs. butter
3/4 c. sweetened flaked coconut, plus extra for the top of the pie
1 tsp. vanilla extract
meringue (see below)

In a saucepan, whisk together the sugar, flour, and salt. Gradually add milk, mixing well.
Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture thickens and boils. Boil for 2 minutes, then remove from heat.
Stir a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks, then mix yolks into hot mixture. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add butter, vanilla, and coconut, and pour into cooled pie shell.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spread meringue on top of pie, sealing to edges of pastry to prevent shrinkage. Sprinkle with coconut. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until peaks on meringue are browned. Cool and serve.

MERINGUE
3 egg whites
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
4 Tbs. sugar

Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Add sugar gradually as you continue beating. Meringue is ready to use when stiff peaks form and sugar is dissolved.

Breakfast
Yogurt

Lunch
Sri Lankan chicken curry
Steamed jasmine rice

Recipes:

SRI LANKAN CHICKEN CURRY
2/3 c. chopped onion
5 large cloves garlic
2 Tbs. chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 Tbs. curry powder
1 Tbs cinnamon (real Ceylon cinnamon, not cassia--you can get this overseas or at Penzey's)
3/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 c. chopped cilantro
7 or 8 chicken thighs, skin removed
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 can reduced-fat coconut milk
1 c. lowfat chicken broth
1/2 tsp. turmeric
salt to taste

Whirl the first six ingredients and 1/4 c. of the cilantro in a food processor, stopping often to scrape down the sides, until they form a paste. Rub this paste on the chicken.
Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet or wok pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and brown on all sides, about 6 minutes. Add coconut milk, broth, and turmeric. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, turning once, about 30 minutes.
Uncover pan, salt, and bring to a fast boil for about five minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 c. cilantro and serve over rice.

Breakfast
Low-fat banana oat muffins

Dinner
Smoked pork shoulder sandwiches from Jackson's Bar-b-que Corner
Watermelon

Recipes:

LOW-FAT BANANA OAT MUFFINS
If you make this recipe, try adding 1/2 tsp. salt. It needed it. It also needed some more fat!
2 large ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 c. buttermilk
1/3 c. packed light brown sugar
2 egg whites
2 Tbs. canola oil
1 c. rolled oats (quick oats are okay)
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 scant tsp. nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line nine cups of your muffin tin with paper liners; put a little water in the remaining three cups.
In one bowl, mix the bananas with the buttermilk, brown sugar, egg whites, and oil, then add the oats and stir.
In a second bowl, combine the flour, nutmeg, and baking soda. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and quickly stir them together.
Fill the lined muffin cups with batter and bake until golden and springy, about 25 minutes.

Breakfast
Yogurt with red raspberries

Lunch
Indian gordita

Dinner
Greek lamb
Mashed potatoes
Fresh steamed green beans
Sliced tomatoes with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and herbs

Recipes:

INDIAN GORDITA
1 gordita-sized flour tortilla
1/2 c. Fragrant Spiced Corn (see 3/18)
1/4 c. cooked black beans
1/4 c. chopped tomatoes
1/4 c. shredded cumin-flavored gouda (or another cheese of your choice)
salsa

Arrange corn, beans, tomatoes, and cheese on tortilla, then fold over and heat in a skillet, microwave, or toaster oven. Serve with salsa.

GREEK LAMB
4 Tbs. olive oil
1 1/2 to 2 lb. neck or shoulder pieces of lamb
juice of 1 1/2 lemons
7 or 8 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 c. water
salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan. Add the lamb and lightly brown it all over.
Add the lemon juice, thyme, water, and seasonings to the pan, then turn the heat down. Simmer with the lid on for about 50 minutes, until the meat is very tender.
Serve with plenty of good bread or potatoes to sop up all the juices.

Breakfast
Mushroom omelet with herbed gouda cheese

Lunch
Tomato bisque (from a can)
Leftover slaw (see 3/16)

Dinner
Fragrant spiced corn
Indian sesame shrimp

Recipes:

FRAGRANT SPICED CORN
This awesome, easy recipe is adapted from Neelam Batra's book "1,000 Indian Recipes," which is much-used in our kitchen.
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground fenugreek seeds
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1 lb. frozen cut corn, thawed
2 Tbs. canola oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. tamarind paste
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
3 Tbs. chopped cilantro

Place the corn in a large nonstick skillet or wok pan, and stir over medium heat until any clinging water evaporates. Transfer to a bowl.
In the same skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat and cook the onion, stirring, until soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the corn, spices, and salt, and cook until the corn is golden, 2 to 3 minutes.
Mix in the tamarind paste and cook until it evaporates and glazes the corn. Add the red bell pepper and cook about 2 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and transfer to a serving dish.

INDIAN SESAME SHRIMP
This recipe is adapted from Batra's book, too, although I toyed with it some and didn't feel my version was altogether successful. It would be better on the grill, I think, which was one of her suggestions.
1 Tbs. garlic-ginger paste
3 Tbs. nonfat plain yogurt
1 Tbs. sesame oil
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs. white sesame seeds, coarsely ground
1 tsp. garam masala
1 tsp. dried fenugreek leaves
1/4 tsp. ajwain seeds
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 lb. medium shelled shrimp, tails intact
1 small to medium tomato, coarsely chopped
a hot chile pepper, sliced
2 green onions, chopped
2 tsp. white sesame seeds, dry-roasted

Whisk together the first nine ingredients in a nonreactive bowl. Stir the shrimp into this mixture, cover, and let it marinate in the refrigerator as long as you can manage--anywhere from 1 to 24 hours.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Transfer shrimp to the skillet using a slotted spoon, so that the marinade is left behind. Turn as needed, cooking until shrimp are golden and opaque. It should only take a couple of minutes. Transfer to a serving platter.
In the same skillet, lightly cook the tomatoes, chile pepper, and green onions just until softened. Scatter over the shrimp as a garnish. Sprinkly with dry-roasted sesame seeds and serve hot.

Breakfast
Cold cereal with milk
Grapefruit

Dinner
Taco Stand!

Breakfast
Blackberry yogurt

Lunch
Black beans with cubed avocado and salsa
Pan-fried ripe plantains

Dinner
Fried oysters
Light lemony slaw

Recipes:

FRIED OYSTERS
1 pint shucked oysters
2 eggs
2 Tbs. heavy cream
saltines, crushed with a rolling pin
vegetable oil for deep-frying

Whisk eggs and cream until well blended. Dip oysters in mixture, then dredge in cracker crumbs and deep-fry in batches until golden brown and crisp.

LIGHT LEMONY SLAW
1/2 head green cabbage
1 carrot
2 Tbs. sugar
3 Tbs. white vinegar
a squeeze of fresh lemon juice
a pinch of celery seed
salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Shred cabbage and carrot and combine in a bowl. Add remaining ingredients and toss well.

Breakfast
Cold cereal with milk
A banana

Lunch
Tuna melt

Dinner
Duck soup
Garlic bread

Recipes:

DUCK SOUP
About 8 c. duck stock, seasoned, with meat from bones
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 handfuls fresh green beans, trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 c. quartered mushrooms
1/4 c. uncooked lentils
a few tsp. Worcestershire sauce
a dash of red wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Begin heating the stock in a stockpot.
In a separate pan, saute onion in vegetable oil. Add celery, carrots, garlic, potatoes, and green beans in that order, as you finish cutting them up. Saute until onions are translucent.
Transfer vegetables into warmed stock. Add mushrooms, lentils, Worcestershire sauce, and vinegar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until vegetables and lentils are tender. Season to taste and serve.

Breakfast
Wheat buttermilk biscuits
Pear-citrus marmalade
An orange

Lunch
Leftover cold duck
Stir-fried broccoli

Dinner
Whole-wheat flatbread pizzas with green peppers, mushrooms, and pickled sweet banana peppers

Recipes:

PEAR-CITRUS MARMALADE
I canned a few batches of this last fall, when we had a glut of pears from the tree next to our house.
5 lbs. pears
1 1/4 lemons
1 1/4 oranges
3 3/4 lbs. sugar
Wash the pears, then cut them in half and remove the cores. Cut the ends off the lemons and oranges and quarter them.
Put the pears, lemons, and oranges through a food grinder (use the coarse blade).
Put ground fruit in a pot and stir in the sugar thoroughly while bringing to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring frequently. Continue cooking until shiny and almost transparent.
Ladle into sterilized jars and process. Makes about eight 8-oz. jelly jars.

PIZZA SAUCE
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. dried red pepper flakes
several sprigs of fresh oregano, chopped fine
an 8-oz. can tomato sauce
a 15-oz. can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried fennel seed, chopped fine
2 tsp. sugar

Saute onion in olive oil until it begins to soften. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, and oregano, and continue sauteing until onion is translucent.
Add remaining ingredients and simmer until flavors are blended and sauce thickens slightly.

Breakfast
Whole-wheat raspberry pancakes (yes, still the same batch...but have no fear, I've used it all up now)

Dinner
Greens with potatoes
Wheat buttermilk biscuits

Recipes:

GREENS WITH POTATOES
3 or 4 smallish potatoes, cut in half
a big bunch of greens (about a plastic produce bag full...these could be turnip greens, mustard greens, spinach, kale, chard, etc.)
2-3 Tbs. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 tomatoes, chopped
hot sauce (Texas Pete or Tabasco)
salt and freshly ground pepper

Cover the potatoes with cold water, salt to taste, and bring to a boil. Cook until tender. Drain, then peel and coarsely chop.
Meanwhile, simmer the greens in salted water in a large skillet or wok pan until tender. Drain.
Dry the skillet or wok pan and add olive oil. Heat the oil with the garlic and the red pepper flakes. When the garlic is fragrant, add the tomatoes, then the greens and potatoes. Cook over medium heat until flavors are blended (putting a lid on it for part of the time helps speed the process). Add hot sauce to taste.

WHEAT BUTTERMILK BISCUITS
1/2 c. whole-wheat flour, plus extra for the counter
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3 Tbs. butter
1/2 c. buttermilk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Pour in the buttermilk and stir with a fork just until the dry ingredients are evenly moistened.
Scatter whole-wheat flour on the counter, then pat out the dough into a small 1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick circle. Use a sharp-edged scraper to cut the circle into six wedges, then lift the wedges onto a nonstick baking sheet.
Bake 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Breakfast
Stewed apricots
Whole-wheat raspberry pancake (same batter as yesterday, with frozen raspberries dropped in this time)

Lunch
Nachos

Dinner
Slow-roasted duck with sage, ginger, and rhubarb sauce
Carrots and potatoes in olive oil

Recipes:

STEWED APRICOTS
Dried apricots
Water
Sugar (about 1/3 c. per pound of apricots)

Place dried apricots in a saucepan with enough water to barely cover them. Add sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook about 45 minutes. Add water if necessary to keep the pan from becoming dry.

NACHOS
White corn tortilla chips
1/2 can fat-free refried beans
1 fresh hot banana pepper, sliced thin
1/2 a small onion, diced
3/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 avocado, chopped
1/2 to 3/4 c. sliced lettuce
1/4 c. chopped cilantro
salsa

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spread chips on a baking sheet and dollop with beans. Scatter peppers and onions, then top with cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and bubbling.
Remove nachos from oven and scatter avocado, lettuce, and cilantro on top. Serve with salsa.

SLOW-ROASTED DUCK WITH SAGE, GINGER, AND RHUBARB SAUCE
This is adapted from a recipe by Jamie Oliver, one of my favorite chefs.
1 2-lb. duckling
salt and freshly ground black pepper
a knob of fresh ginger, grated coarsely
1 c. rhubarb (frozen is fine), chopped small
a few sprigs of fresh sage, chopped coarsely
4 cloves garlic, chopped coarsely
1 onion, sliced thin
1/2 c. sherry
3/4 c. chicken stock

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Season duck generously inside and out. Combine ginger, rhubarb, sage, garlic, and onion and stuff in cavity of duck. Bake in a 12-inch cast-iron pan until skin is crisp, juices run clear, and leg bones can be easily loosened (this should take about two hours or so). Drain off fat when necessary (you can clarify it and reserve it for roasting potatoes another time).
When duck is done, remove it to a plate. Pour off remaining fat in pan. To make sauce, pull out stuffing and add it to the pan along with sherry and cooking stock. Cook on high until consistency is to your liking. Press sauce through a coarse sieve.

CARROTS AND POTATOES IN OLIVE OIL
2 Tbs. olive oil
3 carrots, sliced
1 russet potato, chopped into 1/2-inch cubes
2 cloves garlic, minced
a couple of sprigs of fresh thyme, pulled from the stem

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add carrots and potato and saute until the carrots' color brightens. Add garlic and thyme and toss, then cover and continue cooking on low. Every once in a while, remove the cover and stir. Cook until vegetables are tender.

Breakfast
Whole-wheat banana pancakes (made from Hodgson Mill Whole Wheat Insta-Bake mix, with banana slices embedded in each pancake while it's cooking)

Dinner
Grilled hamburgers with tomato and lettuce
Grilled foil-packet potatoes and onions
Baked beans

Recipes:

GRILLED FOIL-PACKET POTATOES AND ONIONS
2 medium russet potatoes
1 onion
2 Tbs. olive oil
a few sprigs of fresh oregano and thyme
garlic powder to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Slice onion into rings. Slice each potato in half lengthwise. Then, with the cut side on the cutting board, cut into thin slices lengthwise. You should have "fries" that are thin one way and wide the other way.
On the bottom side of a double-walled foil packet, drizzle 1 Tbs. of the olive oil. Scatter onions and potatoes evenly, then tuck in herb sprigs and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and seal packet.
Grill packet on both sides over hot coals. Remove herb sprigs before serving.

Breakfast
English muffin with blackberry jam
Grapefruit

Lunch
Salmon croquettes
Corn
Green salad with tomatoes, carrots, and balsamic vinaigrette

Dinner
Turkey vegetable soup

Recipes:

SALMON CROQUETTES
1 can salmon, drained
8 saltine crackers, crumbled
1 egg
flour for dredging
1-2 Tbs. oil for frying

Mix salmon, saltines, and egg in a bowl. Form into six patties and dredge with flour. Fry on both sides over medium heat.

TURKEY VEGETABLE SOUP
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
a bay leaf
1 c. cooked dark-meat turkey, shredded into bite-size pieces (this was Thanksgiving turkey that had been in the deep freeze)
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes, with juice
4 c. water
3/4 c. cut cooked corn (leftovers from lunch)
1/4 c. uncooked pearl barley
a couple dashes of Worcestershire sauce
freshly ground black pepper to taste
salt to taste

In a large pot, saute onion, celery, and carrots in olive oil for a few minutes, then add garlic and bay leaf. Continue sauteing until onion is translucent.
Add turkey, tomatoes, corn, and barley and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables and barley are soft.
Season with Worcestershire, pepper, and salt and simmer for a few more minutes to blend flavors.

Dinner
Honey Szechuan chicken legs
Turnip greens
Black-eyed peas

Recipes:

HONEY SZECHUAN CHICKEN LEGS
6 chicken legs, skin on
1 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. bottled Szechuan stir-fry sauce
1 Tbs. honey
1 Tbs. Texas Pete hot sauce (to taste)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix soy sauce, stir-fry-sauce, honey, and Texas Pete in a small bowl.
Bake chicken legs on baking sheet until mostly cooked through. Remove from oven, make random cuts in the meat, and brush thoroughly with sauce mixture. Return to oven and bake until fully cooked.

...

So...where have we been for nearly a week?
We went to Florida for Spring Training. The weather was stunning the whole time, and we tried so many things we'd never tried before!
On Thursday we drove as far as Titusville, tried to get a motel, and discovered it was Bike Week at Daytona. There were no rooms to be found, so we continued to Cocoa, found a room (still brutally expensive), and stayed the night.
Friday morning we awoke and drove to Vero Beach to see the Dodgers and the Braves face off at Dodgertown. Our seats were incredible (right behind the Braves' bench), the park was gorgeous, and we got sunburned like the tourists we were. We ate dinner in Stuart, at a wharfside restaurant called The Dock. Big, beautiful raw oysters and delectable crab cakes! Then we hopped back in the car and drove down to meet our sportswriter friend Dave in Fort Lauderdale. We got in late, and he met us at the coolest bar on earth--a mangrove-encased waterfront dive called Le Tub in Hollywood.
The next day we grabbed some great Cuban food at Las Vegas on 441 in Hollywood. Then, thanks to Dave, we saw the Orioles and the Expos play at Fort Lauderdale Stadium. Our seats were just as great as the day before, only this time, mercifully, we were in the shade. The game was excellent in a Keystone Kops kind of way...lots of fun to see the teams work out their preseason kinks.
That night, we discovered a new passion at Dania Jai-Alai. If you haven't checked out this sport, you owe it to yourself! Then we adjourned to Le Tub again, where we discovered how great their food is. We fed our dinner scraps to giant fish that lurked only a few feet away.
Sunday, we took our dog to the pier at John U. Lloyd Beach State Park. Then we drove down to Hallandale Beach to go to the horse races at Gulfstream Park, home of the Florida Derby. We finished the day with a spectacular Polynesian meal at the Mai-Kai. This is not to be missed. We recommend the Mai-Kai Duck, which is a Peking Duck-style dish with a crispy crust and tender meat.
Monday morning we started our drive back home. We stopped in Jupiter for a meal and stumbled onto Don Ramon's, which had even better Cuban food than Las Vegas! The ropa vieja there is perfect, and the bread is divine.
Our last vacation stop was when we spotted a jai-alai sign on the highway north of Ocala. There it was--a fronton smack in the middle of a cow pasture. We watched Miami Jai-Alai on simulcast and started winding back down to our normal lives.
We're exhausted! But we're back...

Breakfast
Apricot scone (from Jittery Joe's)

Snacks
Oatmeal raisin cookies
Refried beans, tortillas, cheese, and salsa

Dinner
Chicken lo mein (a little bit makeshift, since we're trying to empty out our fridge right now)

Recipes:

CHICKEN LO MEIN
1/2 package Chinese wheat noodles
2 Tbs. peanut oil
1/2 c. chicken broth
2 Tbs. soy sauce
2 Tbs. sherry
1 Tbs. sugar
2 tsp. sesame oil
black pepper to taste
red pepper flakes to taste
1 c. cut up chicken (leftovers from yesterday's grilling)
1 onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic, sliced
1 c. bean sprouts
1/2 c. frozen peas

Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse. Cut noodles a few times with kitchen scissors to shorten them.
Combine broth, soy sauce, sherry, sugar, sesame oil, black pepper, and red pepper flakes in a bowl. Whisk together into a sauce.
Heat a wok on high and add peanut oil. Quickly stir-fry chicken and onions until onions begin to soften a little.
Add sauce and noodles and cook on high heat, stirring constantly, until about half of the liquid is absorbed or evaporated.
Add garlic, bean sprouts, and peas. Cook on high heat, stirring constantly, until almost all of the liquid is gone and the vegetables are crisp-tender. Serve immediately.

Breakfast
Bagel with neufchatel cheese and blackberry jam

Lunch
Spring rolls
Peanut dipping sauce

Dinner
Grilled quartered chicken with rib seasoning
Grilled foil-packet sweet potatoes and parsnips
Green beans

Baked for our upcoming road trip...
Oatmeal raisin cookies

Recipes:

SPRING ROLLS
Large circular rice-paper spring roll wrappers
--plus some or all of the following--
Small rectangles of marinated firm tofu
Medium-sized cooked shrimp, chilled, with shells and tails removed
Thinly sliced crisp lettuce
Bean sprouts
Cucumber cut into matchsticks
Coarsely chopped cilantro
Chopped green onions

Soak wrappers in warm water until soft but not waterlogged. Carefully drain each wrapper and transfer to a plate.
Arrange fillings in a line in the middle of wrapper, then fold like a burrito.

PEANUT DIPPING SAUCE
3 Tbs. soy sauce
1-2 Tbs. creamy peanut butter
1 Tbs. molasses
1 Tbs. sugar
3 Tbs. chopped unsalted peanuts
juice of 1/2 to 1 lime
1-2 Tbs. Vietnamese fish sauce
red pepper flakes to taste

Whisk all ingredients together and serve with spring rolls.

RIB SEASONING
1 Tbs. salt
1 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
1 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 tsp. sweet Hungarian paprika

Keep this mix around for ribs, chicken, and other meats. Rub meat with seasoning before grilling over hot coals.

GRILLED FOIL-PACKET SWEET POTATOES AND PARSNIPS
1 large sweet potato, skin on, sliced into thin rounds
2 parsnips, sliced into thin rounds or small chunks
1-2 Tbs. butter, cut into small pats
light sprinkling of cinnamon
1 Tbs. honey

Make a double-walled foil packet. Dot bottom side with half of the butter, then arrange sweet potato and parsnip pieces on it. Sprinkle very lightly with cinnamon, drizzle with honey, dot with butter, and seal tightly with top piece of foil.
Cook packet on both sides over hot coals until vegetables are soft.

OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES
2 eggs
1 c. sugar
1 c. melted butter
2 Tbs. molasses
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 c. rolled oats
1 c. raisins
3 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. hot water

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Beat eggs, then add other ingredients and mix well.
Drop on a greased cookie sheet, press flat, and bake 15-17 minutes.

Breakfast
Bagel with neufchatel cheese
Orange

Snack
Lemon chess pie

Dinner
Spaghetti
Green pepper and onion marinara sauce

Recipes:

GREEN PEPPER AND ONION MARINARA SAUCE
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, sliced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. dried red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. dried fennel seed, chopped fine
a couple of grinds of black pepper
1 tsp. sugar
an 8-oz. can tomato sauce
a 15-oz. can diced tomatoes

In a medium saucepan, saute onion, bell pepper, and garlic in olive oil until soft. Halfway through the sauteing time, add the herbs, spices, and sugar.
Add tomato sauce and tomatoes and simmer until flavors are blended.