Quick Mushroom Barley Soup

A hearty, flavorsome meal ready in less than 30 minutes from mushrooms plus pantry ingredients.

8 oz large white mushrooms

3 c water

Seasonings

1-1/2 t salt

1 t sugar

1 t lemon juice

1/2 t ground cumin

1/2 t ground coriander

1/4 t granulated garlic

2 T tomato paste

pinch red pepper flakes

2 t olive oil

1/3 c quick-cooking pearl barley

1-1/2 T tapioca or corn starch suspended in water

Wash the mushrooms in several changes of tap water. Quarter them, put in two-quart saucepan, add the water and salt, and bring to a gentle boil for five minutes. Remove the mushrooms to a bowl using a slotted spoon or spider. Bring mushroom stock to a boil, add the seasonings, oil, and the barley. Simmer until the barley is tender, about 15 minutes, add back the mushrooms, the starch and simmer five minutes more. Adjust seasoning as needed. Serves four.

Pasta in Lemon Sauce

Lemon Pasta with Sous Vide Pork Chop

Developed by Ben, Summer, 2023. A quick tasty side dish for meats or fish.

1 lb spaghetti or similar pasta shape
zest of 1 lemon

juice of 1 lemon

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1/3 c grated parmesan cheese

4 T (1/2 stick) butter 

Cook pasta in salted water. In a sauté pan over low heat, melt the butter with the garlic and lemon zest. When pasta is almost done, reserve a 1/4 cup of the pasta water and transfer the noodles to the sauté pan. Add the cheese and half of the lemon juice. Increase heat to medium high stirring to combine, adding pasta water as needed to create a creamy sauce. Adjust seasoning with salt and remaining lemon juice.

Lemon Bars

Transcribed from the beautifully hand-printed recipe that a colleague generously prepared for me after I inquired about this luscious treat she brought to work and shared with us. December, 1992. H/T “Linda Barr”.

2-1/2 c all-purpose flour, divided

1/2 c powdered sugar, sifted

3/4 c (1-1/2 sticks) butter, cut into large dice

1/2 t baking powder

4 eggs, beaten

2 c granulated sugar

1/2 t lemon zest, grated

1/3 c lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Whisk together 2 cups of flour and the powdered sugar. With a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles meal. Spread the mixture in a 9x13x2 inch baking pan, and firm and flatten to form a crust. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until lightly browned. Whisk the eggs, sugar, zest, and juice together in a bowl and then incorporate the 1/2 cup of flour and baking powder. Pour over the crust and bake at 350 F for 25 minutes, until lightly browned and set. Let cool on a metal rack. Dust with powdered sugar and cut into bars. Yields about 2 dozen bars.

Italian Sausage, Onions, and Red Peppers on a Sub Roll

Quick, easy, and tasty! Emulates the state fair staple but substitutes sweet red pepper for the unripe green pepper.

2 4-oz sweet Italian sausages

1 c yellow onion, sliced thinly through the poles

1 c red bell pepper, stemmed and seeded, julienne sliced

2 T vegetable oil

1 t kosher salt, divided

1 t yellow mustard, divided

2 sub rolls, split from the top

Heat the oil in a 10-inch non-stick skillet to 350 F. Add the peppers and a pinch of salt. Fry quickly for 2 minutes. Add the onions, season, and continue frying until the onions begin to soften. Add the sausages to the middle of the skillet and continue frying. Turn the sausages after they have browned on the first side. Continue until browned on the second. Warm the rolls in the microwave. Place a sausage in the middle of each, mound up the vegetables, and lightly decorate with mustard. Serves 2.

Cornmeal Muffins

This recipe, revised from an online example, yields 12 moist, flavorsome muffins in 30 minutes. Developed Spring, 2023.

1 c all-purpose flour
1 c cornmeal

1/4 c sugar

2 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

1 egg

1/4 c vegetable oil

1 c milk

Preheat oven to 400 F. Grease muffin tin with vegetable oil spray. In a large bowl, whisk together corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a measuring cup, beat egg, whisk in oil and then stir in the milk. Combine egg mixture with dry ingredients with a spatula until smooth. Spoon batter into a prepared muffin tin. Bake at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean. Yields 12.

 

Mexican Style Rice - Stovetop Method

This recipe produces a product similar to what is served in many Mexican restaurants in the US. Similar to our microwave version.

1 c long-grain rice

1 T vegetable oil

3/4 t tsp salt

1 t ground achiote

1 t ground cumin

2 T dry onion

1/4 t granulated garlic

1/4 c prepared tomato salsa

1-3/4 c chicken stock

Heat the oil in a saucepan, stir in the rice and salt, and cook over medium for a few minutes until the rice becomes opaque. Stir in the achiote, cumin, onion flakes, and garlic. Heat for 30 seconds and stir in the salsa and stock. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.

Quick Onion-Mushroom Gravy

Developed March, 2023. Good companion to grilled or roast meats, meat loaf, mashed potatoes, steamed rice, noodles, spaetzle, or open-face sandwiches. 

1 T vegetable oil
2 oz button mushrooms, finely chopped
1 T all-purpose flour
1 t beef dry rub
1 T dry onion
8 oz hot water, divided
1 T beef or onion stock base (Better Than Bouillon™ is good)
1 T porcini powder
1 T tapioca or corn starch dispersed in 1 T cold water

Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium and add mushrooms. Fry for a few minutes until they are browned. Stir in the flour, heat for a minute, then add the dry onion, the dry rub, and heat for another minute. Off heat, whisk in a 1/4 cup hot water to form a smooth slurry. Stir in stock base and porcini powder. When incorporated, stir in the remaining hot water, and simmer 5 minutes. Whisk in the starch slurry and heat until it thickens. The recipe is easily doubled.

Variations: Dilute the finished gravy with 1 cup beef stock to make a jus for French dip sandwiches or as a base for hearty soups or stews.

Vegetable Lo Mein

Developed Summer, 2022 from an earlier dry-noodle dish. This version utilizes fresh lo mein noodles purchased at a local pan-Asian grocery.

1 medium yellow onion, thinly cut through poles
1 T minced garlic
2 c baby bok choy, cut on the bias into 1-inch pieces
2 c napa cabbage, cut into shreds
1 7-oz can bamboo shoot strips, rinsed well, and drained
3 T vegetable oil, divided

16 oz fresh lo mein noodles

Sauce

1 c chicken stock

2 T soy sauce
2 t roasted sesame oil

1/2 t sugar
2 t fish sauce

1 T shao shin rice wine
2 T oyster sauce

2 t tapioca or corn starch

2 green onions, cut on bias

Bring 3 quarts of salted water to a gentle boil. Add the noodles, separating them as they boil. Boil gently for 3 minutes. Drain well, toss with 1 tablespoon of oil, cover and keep warm. Meanwhile combine the sauce ingredients in a cup. To make the topping, heat 1 T of oil sizzling hot in a large wok. Stir fry the onions until they begin to soften. Then stir fry, in turn, the bok choy, napa, onions, bamboo shoots, and garlic, adding oil as needed. When the vegetables are almost done, stir in the sauce and bring to a boil. Then, fold in the noodles, and heat through. Serve in a large bowl, garnished with the green onions. Serves 6. Variation: shreds of meat cooked separately can be added with the noodles.

Roasted Tiny Potatoes

This recipe yields a product that's crusty on the outside and creamy on the inside. Quartering the potatoes doubles the crisp surface area. This easy recipe with limited knife work is well suited for the beginning cook.

12 oz small white or red potatoes (about 1.5 inch across)
2 T olive oil
1 t kosher salt
2 t dry rosemary powder
1/2 t granulated garlic
1/2 t ground black pepper

Quarter the potatoes, place in a bowl, mist with water, cover, and steam in the microwave oven for 3 minutes on high power (1250 W). Preheat the toaster oven to 425 F. Drizzle on the oil, mix in the seasonings, transfer to an 8x8-inch metal pan, and roast for 10 minutes. Turn over the potatoes and roast another 10 to 15 minutes. Serves two to three.

Toaster-Oven Garlic Bread

Winter 2023. This approach streamlines an earlier recipe by combining the topping ingredients into a compound spread. Pairs nicely with soup, chowder, or steamed seafood or offer as an appetizer with drinks at a gathering.

8 oz loaf supermarket French bread

1/3 c soft tub margarine
1 t granulated garlic, divided
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese, divided

In a small bowl, mash the margarine with a fork until softened. In two steps, mash in the granulated garlic, and finally, in two steps, the cheese. Preheat the oven on the broil setting with the rack placed 6 to 8 inches from the coils. Cut the loaf into 3/4 inch thick slices. Cover each with a generous layer of spread and arrange on a 12X9 baking sheet. Grill the bread until the top is browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Serves 2 to 4 depending on the menu. 

Dry Rub for Beef

Developed over many years for steaks and roasts.

2 T kosher salt
1 t black peppercorns
2 t brown sugar
1 t dry rosemary
1 t granulated garlic
1 t mushroom powder
1 t dry thyme

Combine the ingredients in a spice grinder. Pulse a few times to form a fine powder. Store in a tight container. To use, dry the meat, sprinkle the rub on all sides, rub it in, cover in plastic, and marinate up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. Use one teaspoon per pound. 

Quick Tomato-Lentil Noodle Soup

Turns a BLT or tuna sandwich into a nice supper entirely from pantry ingredients.

4 c water
2 T tomato paste
1 pkg Madras stewed lentils
1 pkg tomato noodle soup mix (Knoll™ is good)
2 T dry onion flakes
1/2 t fennel seeds
1 t dry tarragon
1/4 t crushed red pepper
1/2 t sugar
1 t fish sauce.

Bring the water to boil in a three-quart saucepan. Stir in the tomato paste and lentils. Return to a boil and add the soup mix and the seasonings. Simmer, with occasional stirring, for 8 minutes. Serves 4.

Hearty Beef Soup with Mushrooms, Barley, and Black Beans

Developed December, 2022, mostly from pantry ingredients.

1 c (20 g) dry porcini mushrooms
3 T olive oil, divided
6 oz button mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1/2 c carrots, coarsely chopped
1 c onion, coarsely chopped
2 T tomato paste
2 t garlic, minced
1 14.5-oz can Cuban-style black beans (Bush™ is good)
reserved mushroom stock
3 c water
1 T beef stock concentrate (Better than Bouillon™ is good)
1/2 c barley
2 c cabbage, coarsely chopped
1 t salt
1 t sugar
1/2 t ground black pepper
10 oz (300 g) cooked beef steak, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Rinse the mushrooms briefly and cover with 12 oz of very hot water. Stir and set aside for 30 minutes to hydrate and release their flavor into the soak water. Drain, reserving the liquid and chop them with a few pulses in a small food processor. Do the same for the fresh mushrooms. Heat the oil in a 3-quart saucepan and add the mushrooms. Sauté for a few minutes and then add the chopped carrots. Add more oil as needed to maintain a good sauté. After a few minutes, add the onions and garlic. Fry until onions start to soften. Mix in the beans including the pack water. Add the water, mushroom liquid, and the stock concentrate. Bring to a gentle boil and stir in the barley and cabbage. Cook covered, gently boiling until the cabbage is tender and the barley has swollen, about 20 to 30 minutes. Off heat, stir in the seasonings and beef. Warm through and serve. Rye bread and butter make good sides. Serves 4.

Mignonette Sauce for Shellfish

This simple sauce is the perfect accent for raw, steamed, or broiled seafood.

1/4 c finely-minced shallot
1/4 c red wine vinegar
1/4 c rice wine vinegar
1/4 t cracked peppercorns
1/2 t salt
1 t sugar

Add ingredients to a small bowl or container. Mix well and let stand at least 30 minutes. Spoon small amounts over oysters, clams, mussels, or fish. Keeps well in the refrigerator for a good while.

Dry Marinade for Pork

Developed over the course of many years. Chops, roasts, ribs, braises all benefit.

2 T kosher salt
2 t fennel seeds
2 t sage
1 t dry thyme
1 t peppercorns
1 t granulated garlic
1 t paprika
1/2 t red pepper flakes
1 t corn starch

Add the components to a spice grinder and process until finely powdered. Store in a shaker jar tightly covered, in the dark. Use about 1 teaspoon for each pound of raw pork rubbed on all surfaces. After seasoning, bag the meat and hold for up to 24 hours below 40 F.

Dorothy's Quick and Easy Corn Chowder

This simple soup has been brought forward from DrDaddy's childhood. His sainted mother was not only a skillful traditonal cook but was also an innovative, resourceful one as well. She fed three hungry kids lunch every day and created quick, easy, healthful dishes on a modest budget. This is a simpler version of a corn and clam chowder presented earlier.

1 15-oz can creamed corn (Del Monte™ is good)
1 can of milk
2 t butter
salt and pepper to taste

Stir the corn and the milk together in a small saucepan. Heat to steaming but do not boil. Stir in the butter and adjust the seasoning. Yields two to three servings. Saltine crackers on the side make a nice addition.

Catfish Stew

First prepared January, 2008, Catfish nuggets are sold at a lower price than fillets.

2 rashers bacon, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 ribs of celery, sliced crosswise
1/2 c sweet red pepper, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
1 t fennel seed
1 t dry tarragon, rubbed
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into large dice
4 c chicken stock
1/4 c minced parsley
2 lbs catfish nuggets, cut into bite-size pieces
1 c milk or light cream
tapioca or corn starch suspended in a little cold water
2 t salt
1 t freshly ground pepper
sliced green onions to garnish

In a large heavy pot, over medium heat saute the bacon until crisp. Add onions, celery, and carrots, and stir. Cook with occasional stirring until they begin to color. Add the peppers and herbs. When soft, add potatoes and broth. Return to a low boil and simmer 20 minutes, adding the parsley after 10 minutes. Add the fish and return to simmer for 5 minutes. Do not boil. Add the milk, raise the heat to low boil and add the starch suspension gradually with stirring until the stew is somewhat thickened. Adjust seasoning. Ladle into bowls and garnish with green onions. With hot crusty bread and butter, serves 6 to 8.

Poultry Rub

Use on whole chickens, turkeys, or parts before roasting or grilling.

2 T kosher salt
1 t peppercorns
1 t coriander seeds
1 t dry rosemary leaves
1 t dry sage leaves
1 t dry oregano leaves
1 t dry thyme leaves
1 t dry tarragon leaves
1 t granulated garlic

Combine the ingredients in a spice grinder and process until fine. Rinse the poultry in cold water, dry thoroughly, oil the skin, and season all sides with a 1 teaspoon per pound. Store tightly covered. 

Mexican-Style Pickled Carrots

Often found on the condiment bar at taquerias, this piquant treat comes together quickly from mostly pantry ingredients. H/T Ben.

1 lb (450 g) carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch (5 cm) lengths
2 large jalapeños, sliced diagonally
3 garlic cloves crushed
6 oz (175 ml) white vinegar
6 oz (175 ml) water
2 t (10 ml) vegetable oil
2 bay leaves
6 black peppercorns
1 t (5 ml) dry oregano
1 t (5 ml) salt

To a three-quart saucepan, add the garlic, vinegar, water, oil, bay leaves, peppercorns, oregano, and salt. Bring to a boil and add the carrots, onion and jalapeños. Lower the heat to a fast simmer and cook for 15 minutes, uncovered. Transfer to a quart mason jar or divide between 2 pints. If more liquid is needed to cover the vegetables, add equal parts water and white vinegar. Tighten lid and allow to cool to room temperature before refrigerating. Ready to eat after 3 hours but better if pickled for a day or two. Note: If using baby carrots, boil for 3 minutes before lowering heat to a simmer.

Quick Rice and Lentil Soup with Poached Egg

A warm bowl of soup makes a satisfying breakfast or lunch dish. This one comes together quickly from pantry ingedients.

1/3 c long grain rice
1 T olive oil
2 T tomato paste
2-1/2 c water
2 T beef or vegetable stock concentrate
1 foil pack Madras lentils
1 t fish sauce (optional)
1/2 t sugar
1/4 t salt
2 oz frozen leaf spinach
1 large egg

Heat the oil in a two-quart saucepan, add the rice, stir and fry a few minutes until lightly colored. Stir in the water, tomato paste, stock concentrate, sugar, salt and fish sauce. Bring to a gentle boil for 10 minutes with occasional stirring. Mix in the lentils, cook for 5 minutes more, and then stir in the frozen spinach. When it's bubbling hot again, move off heat, crack in the egg, cover and wait 4 minutes while it poaches. Then, stir the egg into the soup and serve, 2 or 3 as a light breakfast or lunch. 

Brownies

Developed Summer, 2022 from online examples.

1/2 c butter (1 stick)

1 c white sugar  

2 eggs 

1 t vanilla extract 

1/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder 

1/2 c all-purpose flour 

1/4 t salt 

1/4 t baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C). Grease and flour an 8-inch square pan. In a medium bowl, melt 1/2 cup butter in the microwave.  When cool, whisk in the sugar and then the eggs and the vanilla. Beat in the cocoa, the flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overbake. Variation: Sprinkle 1/2 cup chocolate chips uniformly on top before baking.

Where did the name 'DrDaddy' come from?

Recorded October 5, 2021. From family history. Many years ago, our family was friendly with another family, a man, a woman, and two teenage kids. The mother had a brother named Steve. The kids were told to call him "Uncle Steve" which they did. One day when Steve was visiting them, he told them he was proud to have just finished his medical residency. He now thought of himself as a 'real' doctor. He told the kids not to call him Uncle Steve anymore but to now address him as Uncle Doctor Steve. His specialty? Psychiatry of course. So the gag in my family became that I would, in view of my doctorate in science, insist my kids call me Doctor Daddy. They never call me that, fact is, they hardly ever call!

Pork Loin Roast, Sous Vide Method

Sous Vide Roast Pork Loin

Prepared according to the procedures recommended by son Ben. The dry rub is mine. 

about 1.5 lb pork loin
about 3 T vegetable oil

Dry Rub

2 T kosher salt
2 t granulated garlic
2 t fennel seed
1 t dry thyme
1 t peppercorns
1 t paprika
1 t sage
1 t dry rosemary

Process the above ingredients in a spice grinder about 20 seconds until fine, and store in an air-tight container. Lightly rinse the pork loin and dry thoroughly with paper towels. With a sharp knife cut away most of the fat cap. Rub all the surfaces with the spice mixture, using 1 tablespoon of dry rub per pound (15 ml per 450 g). Prepare a water bath fitted with a heating circulator set to 137 F (58 C). Put the meat in a twist-tie plastic bag and force the air out by the displacement method. The thin wall facilitates squeezing the air out. Tie a tight knot at the top of the bag taking care not to let air back in. Lower the bag into the water gently. Add hot tap water, if needed, to bring the level to the maximum permitted by the circulator. Cover the pot with plastic wrap to limit evaporation. Process for 4 hours. When the time is up, remove the roast from the bag and reserve the juice rendered during cooking. Dry the surface thoroughly. Heat a stainless skillet over medium high, add the oil, and then the roast. Brown it on all sides, turning with tongs. Pour the reserved drippings over the meat. Slice thinly and serve.

Hush Puckies

Batch of Hush Puckies on Paper Towel

Developed Summer, 2021. The stiff batter is first formed into balls by hand, then flattened, and then fried on both sides in shallow oil. Shaped like hockey pucks, they are 'hush puckies' in place of deep-fried round hush puppies. 

1 c hush puppy mix with onion (House-Autry™ is good)
1 or 2 T sugar
1 t granulated onion
1/2 c water
1 T vegetable oil 

1/2 c fry oil

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and then stir in the water, then the oil, until all are incorporated. Let stand 30 minutes in the refrigerator to hydrate and firm up. Add the fry oil to a 10-inch non-stick skillet (about 1/4  inch deep) and heat slowly to 350 F. Form a batch of four 1-inch balls, flatten to a 2-inch diameter, and place in the oil. Fry about two minutes until browned on edges, turn over and fry another minute or so until browned on both sides. Drain on paper towels, keep warm in a 200 F oven, and fry another batch. Pairs nicely with pulled pork, fried fish, or seafood. Makes about 10 pucks.

Sub Salad

This salad represents the vegetable toppings from our hot sub sandwiches served as a side salad.

2 c finely-shredded iceburg lettuce
1 oz thinly-sliced red onion
1 oz sliced pepperoncini
4 oz ripe tomato, cut in large dice
1 oz sub sandwich vinaigrette

Combine the first four ingredients in a bowl. Drizzle on the dressing and toss gently to combine. Serve at once. Serves two.

Cranberry Sauce with Mandarin Oranges

Developed on T-Day 2021, using canned mandarins, when it was discovered that DrDaddy had no fresh oranges on hand. Half the sugar comes from the "light" syrup.

1 15-oz can mandarin oranges in light syrup
1 12-oz bag fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 c granulated sugar
1/8 t table salt

Empty the entire can of oranges into a three-quart saucepan. Break into small pieces with a potato masher. Add the berries, sugar, and salt. Place over high heat, bring to a boil. Mix constantly with the masher. When the berries start to pop, lower the heat to medium and cook about five minutes, mashing and stirring from time to time. When the cranberries are mostly broken up, cover tightly and set aside to cool. Do not disturb or the pectin network will be disrupted and the sauce won't properly gel and will be watery.

Easy Cheese Biscuits

Developed Fall, 2021. The unbaked biscuits keep for months in the fridge and bake in less than 20 minutes. Freshly-baked cheese biscuits and a warm bowl of split pea soup make a comforting cold-weather meal.

8 large refrigerator biscuits (Pillsbury Flaky Layers™ work well)
1/2 c finely-shredded sharp cheddar (Kraft™ works well)
2 T melted butter (optional)
1 t coarse sea salt (optional)

Preheat a toaster oven to 375 F. Pull a biscuit from the stack and carefully split it in half. Sprinkle a tablespoon of cheese on one half, top with the other half, and press the edges together to seal in the cheese. Arrange on a 12 inch baking pan on a 3-2-3 layout. Brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle on a little salt (optional). Bake 17 to 18 minutes until tops are golden brown. Lift biscuits off pan while warm with a thin spatula. Let cool until safe to eat. To store extra, wrap tightly in plastic film and freeze.

Five-Minute Onion Jam

Onions Simmering in Oil

Developed Summer, 2021 as a topping for hamburger sandwiches. How the onions are cut and the addition of salt and baking soda are key to shrinking the cook time.

1 medium (about 5 oz or 150 g) yellow onion
1 T (15 ml) vegetable oil
1/8 t (0.5 ml) table salt
1/8 t (0.5 ml) sodium bicarbonate

Slice the onion in half through the poles, trim off ends and peel it. Cut across to yield 1/8th inch (3 mm) half-round slices. Heat the oil over medium to about 350 F in a non-stick skillet, add the onions, salt, and soda, and mix. The mixture should be bubbling actively as water and carbon dioxide is driven off. When brown, soft, and condensed, the onions are ready. Spoon them onto hamburgers or other sandwiches. Serves two. Variation: Scramble with eggs.

Beans and Greens Soup

Developed June, 2021. Makes a satisfying breakfast, brunch, or lunch dish.

4 c bok choy, Swiss chard, or escarole, leaves separated from stems
1 T olive oil
1 t ground cumin
1 t ground coriander
1 t minced garlic
2 T dry onion
1 14.5 oz can southern-style pinto beans (Bush™ is good)
2 cans of water
1 t salt
1 t sugar
freshly-ground pepper to taste.
2 oz deli or home-cooked chicken meat, diced (optional)

Cut the rinsed stems into bite-size pieces and the leaves into 1-inch squares. Heat oil over medium-high in a three-quart saucepan until it's 325 F. Add the spices and garlic, and stir for 30 seconds. Immediately add the stems and stir well. Keep frying the stems with occasional stirring until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the reserved leaves, cook for a minute and stir in the beans, water, dry onion, salt, and sugar. Cook gently with occasional stirring for another 10 minutes. Serves 3 or 4.

Pizza in a Pita

Dividing a loaf of pita bread into top and bottom, provides a space for filling. In this quick dish, perfect for a warm breakfast, brunch, or afternoon snack, the space is filled with a tomato sauce, pepperoni sausage, mozzarella cheese and quickly pan-grilled in olive oil. For vegetarian, substitute olive tapenade for the meat.

1 loaf pita bread
2 T prepared tomato salsa or pizza sauce
1 oz thinly-sliced pepperoni or olive tapenade
1/4 c grated mozzarella
1 T grated parmesan
1 t olive oil, divided

With a scissors, cut around the edge of the pita to free it into two halves. With the back of a spoon spread the sauce evenly on the bottow leaving the outer 1/2 inch uncovered. Cover the bottom half with pepperoni slices and sprinkle on the cheeses. Press the top half into place. Heat 1/2 teaspoon of oil in a small nonstick skilled over medium-high. Put in the stuffed pit. Grill for 2 minutes pressing with a spatula. Drizzle on the rest of the oil, flip, and cook for 2 minutes more. Cut into 4 pieces with a sharp knife. Serves one. Variation: Cut into 6 or 8 pieces as a warm appetizer.

Potato Puff Tuneup

Coarse semolina and oil add extra crispness.

7 oz (200) g frozen potato puffs (Alexia™ is good)
1 T vegetable oil
1 t onion powder
1 T coarse semolina

Preheat toaster oven to 425 F. Place puffs in toaster-oven pan and thaw 30 minutes at room temperature. Drizzle on the oil and spread by rotating the pan to cause the potato puffs to roll around. Next, dust with the onion powder and repeat the rolling motion. Finally, sprinkle on the semolina and roll the potatoes to coat evenly. Roast 15 minutes. Shake the puffs and roast another 5 minutes. Serves two. May be doubled but don't crowd pan.

Pan-Grilled Stuffed Pita

Grilled Pita 

Developed April, 2021. A quick, warm breakfast, crisp on the outside, soft and smooth on the inside. H/T Dan Sousa for scissors tip.

1 pita loaf
1/4 c hummus
1 tsp olive oil
pinch of kosher salt
pinch of granulated garlic

Trim off the rim of the pita with a scissors, leaving an inch intact to act as a hinge. Carefully open up the pita. Spread hummus on one side, leaving the outer half-inch bare. Press the other half firmly in place. Heat a small skillet over medium and add half the oil. When hot, place the stuffed pita in the skillet. Drizzle the remaining oil on the top and fry for about two minutes until the bottom is lightly browned and crisp. Flip the pita, season with the salt and garlic, and fry another two minutes. Cut into quarters with a sharp knife. Serves one. Variation: Cut into six or eight pieces as a hot appetizer.