Red Pears in Red Wine

First prepared December 22, 2010. Makes a refreshing starter at breakfast, or a healthy mid-day snack, or a light, natural dessert at supper.

1 large ripe red Bartlett pear
1/2 t sugar
1/8 t ground cinnamon
pinch salt
pinch freshly ground pepper
1 oz mellow red table wine

Mix the wine and seasonings together in a small bowl. Peel, core, and cut the pear into bite-size pieces, and add them to the bowl. Marinate for 30 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serves 2.

Beef Ravioli in Broth with Spinach

First prepared January 17, 2007. Modified from a Rachel Ray recipe on foodtv.com.

2 c (1 large) white onion, sliced thinly through the poles
2 t minced garlic
2 T vegetable oil
25 oz package of frozen beef ravioli, prepared according to package directions
1 qt beef broth

8 oz fresh spinach, rinsed

pinch of grated nutmeg

In a large sauce pan, heat the oil, add the onions and a pinch of salt, and sauté until lightly browned. Add the garlic, and when fragrant, add the broth and nutmeg and heat for a few minutes. Add the drained and cooled ravioli and reheat thoroughly. Stir in the spinach, and cook for two minutes until wilted and cooked through. Do not overcook. Serves 3 or 4 for dinner. 

Variation 1: Substitute cheese, spinach, or seafood ravioli and use chicken, vegetable, or seafood stock.

Variation 2: Substitute bok choy or other tender greens and adjust cooking time as appropriate.

A recent breakfast

A midweek breakfast for a retired man.

Oven Roast Potatoes III

 Oven Roast Potatoes as a side with French dip sandwich

First prepared February 22, 2008

2 medium russet potatoes, cut lengthwise into 6 or 8 wedges, skins on
2 T EVOO
1 t fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 t paprika
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven and baking pan to 425 ºF. Put potatoes in a bowl and toss with oil and seasonings. Spread in a single layer in the hot roasting pan, and roast 20 minutes. With a spatula and tongs, turn each potato over and return to oven for another 10 minutes or until tender. Serves 3 to 4 as a side dish.
NOTE: Sweet potatoes make a lovely substitute and change of pace.

Eggs Bubba I

Recorded Nov 16, 2010

2 buttermilk biscuits (Pillsbury® Frozen, baked according to package)
2 oz rosemary ham
4 Perfectly Poached Eggs
4 oz sausage gravy (homemade or commercially prepared)

Cut the ham into strips, and warm through in a little butter and set aside. Split the biscuits on plates. Top each half with some ham. Place an egg on each, and spoon on generous dollops of sausage gravy. Serves two. In the variation known as Eggs Bubba II, a bed of grits replaces the biscuit. As starter, gussied up tomato juice matches well.

Tomato Juice, Gussied Up

Recorded November 18, 2010

8 oz chilled tomato juice
2 dashes Louisiana hot sauce
1/2 t A-1 sauce
1/2 t lemon juice
sprinkle of sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Add juice to a glass, stir in seasonings, and serve. Goes great with a zesty grilled cheese sandwich. Serves one. Add a jigger of vodka, ice cubes, and a celery stick garnish for a tasty Bloody Mary.

Cranberry-Orange Sauce

Recorded December 4, 2007.

12 oz fresh or frozen cranberries
juice, pulp, and zest of one orange
plus enough water to make one cup
1 c sugar

Combine ingredients in a heavy sauce pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower heat and cook with stirring for about 5 minutes. Berries will burst. Mash the berries as they cook with a potato masher until crushed and well mixed. Cover and let it sit undisturbed to cool and gel. Store in a tightly-covered container in the fridge. Keeps well.

Easy 'O-T-C' Dressing

Adaptation of marinade used for onion-tomato-cucumber salad. Recorded November 2, 2010.

apple cider vinegar
water
1 t Dijon mustard
1 t mayonnaise
2 t salt
1 t sugar
1 t ground black pepper
1 t dry parsley flakes
vegetable oil

Follow the markings on a Good Seasons™ salad dressing bottle with a tight-fitting cap. Add vinegar to the “V” mark, and water to the “W” mark. Add mustard and mayonnaise, and shake well. When dispersed, add the dry ingredients, shake until dispersed  and let stand 10 minutes. Add oil to the “O” mark. Shake vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes to combine oil and vinegar. Store covered at room temperature. Shake well before each use. Makes about 8 oz.
Variations: Use as a cole slaw dressing, or as a marinade for chicken breast or pork chops.

Avocado and Bacon Sandwich

Recorded February 5, 2007

1 English muffin
1 T mayonnaise
1/2 ripe Hass avocado
1/2 t lemon or lime juice
thinly sliced red onion
1 strip crisp bacon
ripe tomato slices

Toast bun. Spread mayonnaise on both interior surfaces. Place avocado in a small bowl, squeeze on the juice, mash lightly with a fork to leave small chunks, and spread on lower half. Top with bacon pieces, tomato, and onion.

The Creamsicle (An alcoholic mixed drink)

Recorded October 10, 2005. Perfect light cocktail, bothin the summer and during the fall holidays. About 10% ABV (alcohol by volume) as mixed.

1 jigger orange liqueur
1 jigger light cream or half&half
2 jiggers orange juice

Combine and stir in a 12-ounce whiskey sour glass, filled with ice.

Freshly Pickled Onion and Cucumber Salad

First prepared December 2, 2003. A Family Favorite and SIGNATURE DISH. Especially good with rich foods, such as grilled hamburgers, pork chops, or fried fish.

1 medium cucumber (choose a firm one with little or no yellow in skin)
1 large sweet onion (Vidalia or similar)
1/4 c + 1 T apple cider vinegar
1/2 T salt
1/2 T sugar

Peel and thinly slice (1/8 inch) the cucumber. Mix the vinegar, sugar, and salt in 1-quart bowl, and add the cucumber slices. Peel the onion and thinly slice it parallel to the equator. A mandolin or V-slicer speeds this work. Bring 1-1/2 quarts (1.5 L) of lightly-salted water to a boil over high heat, add the onions, and cover. After it reboils for 30 seconds, drain into a collander and refresh with plenty of cold water. Drain well and add to the cucumbers and mix well. Chill before serving. Adjust seasoning if needed.

Poached Chicken

Transcribed and adapted 2-15-08 by Alan from a handwritten recipe by Merry Magid. Revised 2-16-08 to match Julia Child's original (Vol II, Mastering the Art of French Cooking)

1 small fryer, cut up, or 3 to 4 bone-in breasts, cut in half
3 T margarine or butter
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces diagonally
1 large onion, blossom cut
3 ribs celery, cut into large pieces diagonally
1 leek, sliced
2 c chicken broth
1 c white wine
1 t dry tarragon

Skin chicken parts, except wings, and remove all visible fat. Sweat vegetables in margarine in a heavy pot for 5 minutes. Add chicken, cover, and turn off heat for 5 minutes. Add broth, wine, and tarragon. Return to a simmer for 45 minutes, turning occasionally.
Serve over steamed rice in a bowl, with the vegetables and broth.

Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage

Our internet consensus recipe. Developed January, 2005. Great side for rich meat dishes such as oven-braised spare ribs.

1 medium head red cabbage, coarsely shredded

1 onion, thinly sliced

4 strips bacon, coarsely chopped

2 medium apples, peeled, cored, & sliced

1/3 c apple cider vinegar

1/3 c water (approx)

1/4 c brown sugar

1 t salt

1/2 t dry mustard

1 large bay leaf

2 t caraway seeds

Fry bacon until crisp. Add onion, cook until lightly browned. Stir in the other ingredients. Cover and cook about 1/2 hour on medium-low heat, until tender. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Simple Brine

1 qt cold water
1/4 c kosher salt
1/4 c sugar

Soak meat (up to 2 lbs of fish, shellfish, pork, or chicken) for 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours for thicker pieces) in the fridge. Drain and hold in a strainer under ice until ready to cook. For an example of use, see (Another) Seafood Stew.

Easy Steamed White Rice

Developed September, 2010 and prepared often. The method produces a product very similar to what is served in Chinese restaurants or that rice cookers produce.

1 c long-grain white rice
1-1/2 c water
1/2 t salt (optional)

Bring water and salt to a boil in a small saucepan. While water is heating, rinse rice in a mesh strainer until water runs almost clear; drain thoroughly. Stir in the rice, cover tightly, and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for 16 minutes. Fluff with a fork, cover for 10 minutes to steam, and serve.

Eggs: Such a dandy food!

Onion-Braised Spare Ribs

First prepared December 12, 2005. Ribs in the Winter. The dish adapts the "gedaempteh" method used by my Jewish grandmother to slowly cook veal breast, a product similar to pork ribs but having the potential of being Kosher.

5 lb slab pork ribs, trimmed of fat and cut into 1- and 2-rib portions
3 c yellow onions, sliced
1/4 c ketchup
1/4 c cider vinegar
1/2 c water
granulated garlic 
ground cumin
ground cayenne or crushed red pepper
ground paprika 

Arrange ribs in a covered roasting pan. Mix and pour liquids over and dust on seasonings to taste. Top with sliced onions. Cover. Roast 30 min at 350 F. Turn over meat, reduce heat to 325 ºF and roast 60 minutes more covered, turning once. Remove cover, turn meat, and brown for 30 to 40 minutes. Replace pan liquid as it evaporates. Serve over steamed rice. Fried apples and turnip greens make nice sides. Serves 4 to 6.

(Almost) Instant Caramel-Maple Apple Topping

September 27, 2010
Bought a three-pack at Kroger. That’s a lot of candy apples, so now what?

1 nut-covered caramel candy apple
2 T water
1 t butter
1 T maple syrup

Remove stick! Quarter, core and thinly slice apple. Add apples and water to a small nonstick skillet and bring to a rapid simmer. Cover and cook until apples are tender but not soft, about 6 minutes. Remove cover, add butter and reduce over medium heat. Add maple syrup and heat through. 
Uses: topping for waffles, pancakes, ice cream, puddings.

Wok-Grilled Snow Crab

Developed during 2010 when crab was 3 bucks (USD) a pound locally. The problem with frozen cold-water crab is that it has been subjected to a roiling boil in sea water on the trawler and then frozen. This produces a product that needs to be prepared without further disruption of its texture and dilution of flavor. This stir-fry method uses gentle re-heating without water or steam. It yields a product that is flavorsome and satisfying. Serves 3. A SIGNATURE DISH.

about 3 lbs (about 1.5 kg) frozen snow crab clusters
canola oil
roasted sesame oil
soy sauce (Kikkoman™ is good)
granulated garlic
Old Bay® seasoning mix 

Thaw the crab completely in a colander over a container or sink. Keep it cold after thawing if necessary under a layer of wet newspaper, covered with ice. Prepare the crab by lightly striking the larger leg segments with the side of a heavy cleaver to crack the shell.
Heat a large wok over medium high heat (setting 6 to 7) and add a few tablespoons of oil. When smoking, cautiously pile on the crab segments with tongs, and cover. Handle the crab with tongs and a wok paddle during cooking. With a gentle inverting motion (to keep the clusters intact), turn the stack of crabs from time to time as they fry. Add oil if necessary. After five minutes or so, drizzle on a few teaspoons of roasted sesame oil, and stir to coat. Sprinkle on a few tablespoons of soy sauce, the garlic powder, and Old Bay to taste. Continue to stir fry until crab is thoroughly reheated and invested with a mahogany sheen.
Serve with crusty warm sourdough bread and provide a range of opening and picking tools. My favorite is a heavy kitchen shears with a serrated bite and sharp tips. A young fresh wine is perfect with the dish. The leftover crab meat is well worth picking to make Quick Corn and Crab Chowder for a tasty lunch.

Our first Internet recipe collection

Before beginning this food blog, I accumulated hundreds of my own and others recipes at ibiblio.org, a giant publishing server run by UNC-CH. 

At the time, Jonathan was the technical director of ibiblio, and he graciously allocated disk space and login in support of these posts. 

Subsequently, Jon left that post and in 2008, I lost my login privilege and the online collection stopped growing.

Here's the link:

http://www.ibiblio.org/papa/Recipes/?C=M;O=A