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.

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.

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.

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. Serves 2 or 3 as a light breakfast or lunch. 

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.

Pantry Pita Pizza

Put together from ingredients on hand. Wonderfully musical when spoken, this dish was COVID-inspired on the Ides of March, 2020.

2 pita loaves
1 T olive oil
2 T olive tapenade
1/2 c hummus
1/2 c diced tomatoes, canned or fresh, drained
1/4 c ripe black olives, coarsely chopped
1/4 c feta cheese, crumbled
onion powder
oregano
crushed red pepper

Steam the pitas until soft in the microwave under a moist paper towel or cloth. Preheat toaster oven to 400 F. Pour a tablespoon of olive oil into the oven pan and use it to coat both sides of the pitas. Divide the ingredients on each loaf. Spread tapenade on each, then the hummus thickly, and then distribute the cheese, tomatoes, olives, and the seasonings to taste. Bake 12 minutes or until thoroughly heated through. Serves two.

Greene's Onion Burgers

A Detroit tradition, once operating at many busy corner grills across the region, now reduced to a single suburban outlet. Greene's cranked out thousands of simple, tasty cheap onion burgers with a very limited set of sides. No deep fryer. DrDaddy made his supper from these 'trefedick' sinkers on the nights after public school when he attended Hebrew school as he pursued his Bar Mitzvah status, just 70 yards from the Greene's white-tile walls. Counter service and carryout only. Years later, he would return to take away burgers. Now, to simulate the experience of carryout and the drive home to deliver the goodies, the sandwiches are wrapped in wax paper, bagged, and held 10 minutes before serving.

8 1/6 lb (75 g) ground chuck, formed into balls
plentiful white onions, thinly sliced into rings on a mandolin
8 soft white buns (toasted, optional)
pickle chips
ketchup
yellow mustard

12x12 inch wax paper squares
paper bags

Heat the griddle to 325 F (165 C). With a stiff spatula, press a large raft of onions into  each ball of meat and flatten them together. Salt well, and press again. Open each bun and put the top on the bottom. When juices appear on upper surface of patty, flip and place bun on top. After a minute, lift patty and turn top of bun over, and put top on bottom. Flip and drop. Lift top of bun, add three pickle chips, a squirt of ketchup and of mustard. Wrap each burger in wax paper and groups the sandwiches in a bag. Pour a beer if you like. Wait. Reheat the bag in µwave if you must.

MiniReview: Copa Cuban Restaurant

Wound up at lunch time feeling a bit peckish parked across Main Street from the newly opened Cuban place, "Copa". Checked the menu on my smart phone. Looked yumm and affordable. Greg Cox gave it ****, $$, a great ratio of quality to cost. Son Jon and I popped in, were immediately seated. Durham is still very quiet after Hurricane Florence, even though all roads are clear and the sky was sunny. An elegant room, cream lemon walls, photographs of Cuban scenes. Not old Havana. Today's. 

The verdict? Best Cuban sandwich possible! They bake the bread. Perfect crust and crumb. They cure the ham. They cure the pickles. They roast the meat. Their own sauce. And wonderful blackbeans in a rich, aromatic gravy. Good golly, tops! Only drank ice water, which they serve at the table in an elegant, ice-cold glass bottle. Friendly, effective service. We both ordered the same meal, total was $24 before tax and tip. Worth every scrumptious morsel. I took half of mine home. We both made happy noises.

Copa
106 W. Main St.
Durham, NC 27701
https://copadurham.com/

Quick and Easy Bean and Spinach Soup

Developed April, 2017. Seasoned pinto beans serve as the basis of a hardy vegan soup ready in 30 minutes from pantry ingredients. Leftovers make a good breakfast.

1 14.5 oz can rancher style (charro) beans
2 T tomato paste
1 T olive oil 
16 oz chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 t ground cumin
1/2 t ground coriander
pinch of red pepper flakes
6 oz frozen or fresh leaf spinach
1 t salt
1 t sugar
lemon juice to taste

Heat the oil in a two-quart saucepan. Brown the tomato paste in the oil, add the spices, and cook a few seconds to bloom the flavor. Add the beans and the stock, and cook at a fast simmer over moderate heat with frequent stirring for 20 minutes. Mash the beans with a potato masher. Add the spinach, return to a simmer with stirring for another 8 minutes. Adjust seasoning. Serves 3 to 4. Pair with crusty bread or hot biscuits, for a complete meal. 

Caldo Chicken-Vegetable Soup in a Tomato Broth

First prepared March 7, 2016. A quick and satisfying meal that offers balanced nourishment and flavor.

2 T olive oil
2 T butter
2 lb frozen caldo vegetable mix (corn-on-the-cob nuggets, red potatoes, pearl onions, celery, carrots)
5 cups hot water
1 cup chopped tomato (fresh or frozen)
1 T chicken base
1 t salt
1 t sugar
1 cup shredded cooked chicken breast (e.g., from rotisserie chicken)
freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 c coarsely chopped parsley

Heat the oil and butter in a four-quart saucepan. Rinse the frozen vegetables in a mesh strainer under cold, running water for 30 seconds to refresh them, drain well, and add to the hot fat. Cook over moderate heat for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the water, chopped tomatoes, and seasonings, and bring to a gentle boil. Cook covered for about 15 minutes, until the potatoes test done with the tip of a knife. Stir in the cooked chicken, pepper, and parsley. Let stand 10 minutes for flavors to meld. Serves four.

Steak Fajitas

Developed March, 2016 from Internet recipes. Easy, tasty meal that takes very little time to prepare or cook.

1/4 c soy sauce
1/4 c lime juice
1/4 c vegetable oil
2 T brown sugar, packed
1 t ground cumin
1 t ground black pepper
2 t chili powder
2 t garlic, finely minced

1 lb skirt steak, trimmed of fat and membranes, and cut into two pieces

1 large red bell pepper, trimmed, and cut into 1/2-inch strips
1 medium white onion, cut into 1/2-inch segments through the poles

8 small (or 4 large) flour or corn tortillas, softened in the microwave

Toppings: guacamole, tomato salsa, pico de gallo, sour cream, grated cheese, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, diced chilies, salsa criolla, pickled onions, etc.

Whisk the eight marinade ingredients together in a bowl. Transfer the meat to a large zipper-lock plastic bag, and pour in half the marinade. Squeeze out the air, seal the bag, and turn to cover the meat with marinade. Put the sliced vegetables into another zipper bag with the remaining marinade. Express the air and close the bag. Put both bags on a plate and into the refrigerator. Marinade for 2 hours, turning the  bags after one hour. To roast the vegetables, preheat a heavy 8x8 inch metal pan under the broiler of a toaster oven for 5 minutes. Carefully add the vegetables along with 2 tablespoons of the marinade. Caution, it will sizzle. Roast under broiler for about 8 to 10 minutes, until they are lightly charred and softened. Transfer to a serving bowl, cover and set aside. Prepare a charcoal grill with a very hot flame. Wipe the meat dry with paper towels, and place each piece directly over the flame. Cook two to three minutes to get a good char, and then turn it over to complete the cooking, about two minutes more. Do not overcook. Tent to keep warm. Slice thinly across the grain. Serves three to four.

Improvised Steamer for Plates and Shallow Bowls

Folding Steamer Basket with Handle Removed

Recorded January, 2016. Used for decades in our kitchen to prepare dim sum appetizers, fish, seafood, meat, vegetables, hard-cooked eggs, and even huevos rancheros. Steaming offers many advantages: Hands off cooking, no risk of drying out or burning the food, energy efficiency, retains juices and nutrients. Bowl lifters are available online for a modest sum. They make handling hot plates much safer and secure. 

10 inch sauté pan with tight-fitting cover
Stainless Steel Collapsible Steamer Basket (available online or in specialty stores)
water

Add water to a depth of 2 cm (3/4 inch), remove handle from basket, spread open in the pan, and cover. Bring to a rapid boil over high heat. Carefully place a plate or shallow bowl with food on it, and replace the cover. Lower heat to medium to maintain good steaming. Most dishes require 8 or more minutes. To safely remove a dish, lift the cover toward you so steam will vent away from the cook, and set aside. Using a spatula, tongs, or bowl lifter, carefully remove the plate or bowl and serve.

Chinese Noodle Soup with Pork Balls and Napa Cabbage

Prepared December, 2015. Pork, beef, and fish balls are popular to serve as appetizers or to add to soups. They are sold frozen in specialty Chinese food outlets, and make it easy to add flavor and protein to a dish. 

1 qt (1 L) water
4 oz (115 g) frozen stuffed pork balls
1 t (5 ml) fish sauce
1 T (15 ml) soy sauce
1 t (5 ml) sugar
1/2 t (2.5 ml) salt
1 t (5 ml) sesame oil
1 t (5 ml) grated fresh ginger root

6 oz (175 g) Napa cabbage, cut into 1 inch pieces

3-1/2 oz (100 g) dry Chinese wheat noodles

Bring water, frozen pork balls, and seasonings to a slow boil in a 3-quart saucepan. Cover, adjust heat to a fast simmer, and cook 10 minutes. Remove the pork balls to a plate to cool briefly. Cut each ball into thick slices, return to the pot, along with the cabbage, and return to a fast simmer. Cook 10 minutes with occasional stirring, and add the dry noodles. Cook five minutes more. Serves four as a first course in a Chinese meal, or two for a hearty meal. Variations: Omit meat balls. Substitute fish balls for the pork balls. Use bok choy rather than Napa cabbage.

French Dip Beef Sandwiches

Recorded December, 2015. Prepared many times over the years. A Family Favorite. Easy, fast, and satisfying. Trimming the bread leaves more room for filling and reduces calories from carbohydrates.

6 oz mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 t minced garlic
2 T olive oil
1/2 t salt

Jus (see Recipe)

1 lb loaf artisanal French bread
12 oz thinly-sliced deli roast beef, rewarmed in the jus 

Sauté the mushrooms in olive oil until they are browned, stir in the garlic and salt, and cook a few minutes more. Re-heat the beef slices in the warm jus. Crisp the loaf in moist 350 degree F (180 C) oven for six minutes. Slice the loaf into four sections, and then each section lengthwise. Remove V-shaped pieces from top and bottom and set aside for another purpose. Spoon a quarter of the sauteed mushrooms into the bottom half, pile on a quarter of the warm beef, and top the sandwich. Press down and slice in half on the diagonal. Plate with a bowl of jus for dipping. Variation: Substitute sauteed onions for the mushrooms.

Jus for French Dip Beef Sandwiches

Developed December, 2015. Beef, tomato paste, and mushroom powder all contribute beefy flavor to this jus. A robust sandwich piled high with deli roast beef on crusty French bread makes a quick, satisfying economical meal.

1 oz deli roast beef, finely minced
2 t vegetable oil
1 T tomato paste
1/2 c dry red wine
1/2 t minced garlic
2 c hot water
3 T beef base (Better Than Bouillon™ Reduced Sodium is good)
1 t sugar
1/2 t salt
1 T porcini mushroom powder (purchased online or prepared from dry porcini)
2 T tapioca or corn starch dispersed in 2 T of water

In a two-quart saucepan, heat the oil to a shimmer and add the minced beef. Sauté until well browned. Stir in the tomato paste, and after a minute, add the garlic, and 30 seconds later, stir in the wine. Boil until half the liquid is lost. Stir in the hot water, beef base, sugar, salt and porcini powder. Cover and simmer 15 minutes, with occasional stirring. Stir in the starch suspension, and stir until thickened. Rewarm the beef slices in the hot jus before loading the sandwiches. Serves 4. 
Suggested sides: cabbage salad or freshly pickled onion-cucumber salad.

Chinese-Style Cabbage Soup with Rice Noodles

Developed Spring-Summer, 2015. Quick, light nourishment providing hydration, savory cabbage, and carbohydrates from slippery rice noodles. 
Stock

1 qt (1 L) water
5 oz (150 g) napa cabbage, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 T (30 g) chicken base (Better Than Bouillon Organic Reduced Salt™ is good)
2 t salt

Seasonings

1 t sugar
1 T soy sauce (Kikkoman™ is good)
1 t Chinese rice wine
1 t fish sauce
1 t dark sesame oil

4 oz rice noodles, soaked 1/2 hour in cold water, and drained
Garnish

shreds of cooked chicken, pork, lamb, or beef
bean sprouts
sweet basil leaves

Bring the water, base, and salt to a boil in a three-quart covered saucepan. Add the cabbage and seasonings, reduce to a fast simmer, and cover. Cook until the cabbage is almost done. Add the noodles and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Ladle into bowls and offer garnishes. Variation: add prepared fish balls or pork balls when five minutes remain.

Seafood Cocktail Sauce

Dveloped June, 2015. A traditional tomato-horseradish sauce for shrimp cocktails and other seafood dishes. Chilled shelled shrimp on a bed of crisp head lettuce, topped with a zesty sauce make a classic appetizer.

100 g (7 T)  chili sauce (Heinz™ is good)
25 g (2 T) prepared white horseradish (Kraft™ is good)
3 g (1/2 t) lemon juice
2 ml (1/4 t) salt
1/2 ml (1/8 t) sriracha

Combine ingredients, store cold in a tightly-covered container, and allow the sauce to mature overnight. Provides about 7.5 carbohydrate per 30 g (2 tablespoon) serving.

Mushroom Soup

Developed June, 2015. This recipe delivers deep mushroom flavor in less than 30 minutes. It was devised starting from a recipe in a Good Housekeeping cookbook with the aims to intensify and brighten the flavor, to cut calories, and decrease saturated fat.

1 lb white or brown mushrooms
2 oz olive oil
2 oz butter
1/2 c coarsely chopped onion
1/3 c all-purpose flour
3-1/2 c chicken or vegetable stock
salt to taste
1/2 t ground black pepper
2 T lemon juice
2/3 c half and half or light cream

Wipe mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Remove the stems, chop finely and set aside. Slice the mushroom caps thinly. Heat oil in a 4-quart sauce pan and add the butter. When bubbling stops, stir in the mushrooms and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook over medium high until browned, stirring often. With a slotted spoon, remove mushrooms to a bowl leaving the juices behind in the pan. Heat the pan, adding more oil as needed. Add chopped stems and sliced onions, and saute until tender. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly stir in the stock, bring to a fast simmer and cook until it thickens. With an immersion blender, blend until smooth. Stir in the mushrooms and simmer a few minutes. Stir in the lemon juice, pepper, cream, and salt to taste. Serve warm. Serves 4 to 6. Skillet garlic toast makes a good side.

Egg Salad

Recorded February, 2015. The wise cook keeps a supply of shelled, hard-cooked eggs on hand to provide a ready source of solid nutrition as well as a useful ingredient. This recipe yields a satisfying filling for a sandwich or mounded on a lettuce leaf as carbohydrate-free small plate. Ready in less than 5 minutes.

1 cold hard-boiled egg, shelled
1 T mild onion, finely minced
1 T mayonnaise
1/8 t pepper sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Finely dice the egg and place in a small bowl, mix in the onion, and mash together with a fork until smooth. Mix in the mayonnaise, hot sauce, salt, and pepper until well combined. Makes 1 or 2 servings.

Fried Chicken Salad

Prepared November 25, 2013. The dish uses leftover fried chicken breast meat.

1/2 lb (250 g) boneless, skinless chicken breast harvested from fried chicken (or rotisserie chicken), small dice
1/2 c celery, small dice
1/4 c green onions, finely crosscut
1 T vegetable oil
3 T lemon juice
2 T fresh parsley, minced (or 1 T dry)
1 t dry tarragon, rubbed
1/3 c mayonaise
salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, mix the chicken with the vegetables. Then drizzle on oil and lemon juice, add the herbs, and mix. Mix the mayonaise in gently, add salt and pepper, and additional lemon juice to taste. Makes about a pint. Variation: Substitute roast turkey breast for the chicken.