Green Goddess Dressing

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

This is my new found favorite dressing.  Toss with romaine lettuce.  Perfect served with Croque Monsiere.

1 egg yolk

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp dry mustard

2 T tarragon vinegar

1 T anchovy paste

1 cup olive oil

1/4 cup cream

1 T lemon juice

1 tsp onion juice

dash of garlic powder

2 T chopped parsley and or cilantro

In a deep bowl or pint jar, mix egg yolk, salt, mustard, vinegar, anchovy. Add 2 T olive oil; beat until blended with stick blender.

Beat in remaining oil, 2 tablespoons at a time.  Stir in rest of ingredients; cream, lemon juice, onion, garlic and parsley. 

Store in refrigerator tightly covered until needed. Makes 1 1/2 cups of dressing.

This is a great ceasar like dressing.

Posted in My Pantry, Salads | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Crispy Roasted Potato Cubes or Fries

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

Sweet Potato Fries

Heat oven 450 degrees.

Potatoes (any kind, red, sweet, idaho) chop into 1 inch cubes or into 1/2 inch fries

Arrange on sheet pan, single layer only or they will not brown.:

These potatoes are very versatile. You can use any of the following or combination of the following spices

Salt, Pepper, Oregano, Rosemary, Thyme, Tumeric, Chili Powder, Garlic, Tarragon, Basil, Sage – all work well.

Pour olive oil over cubed potatoes and sprinkle with seasonings.

Let bake, using a spatula, turn over after about 20 minutes. Usually takes about 45 minutes.

Broil for 5 minutes to get nice a crispy.

Make with sweet potatoes and serve with skewers for appetizers.

Crispy Potato CubesSweet Potato Fries

Posted in Appetizers, Eat your vegetables, Fan Favorites, Side Dishes | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Arroz con Leche – Rice Pudding

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

Serve as dessert or for breakfast in the morning

Abby would make this for the kids for breakfast and they would go crazy for it.  It is still a favorite.  I tried to make it on the stovetop like she did, but invariably I burn it. Nothing smells as bad a milk and rice.  Yuk.  I stick to the oven method. The classic recipe is with raisins, but they make it too sweet for me, so I omit them.

4 to 6 servings

  • Milk — 4 cups
  • Short-grain rice –1/2 cup
  • Cinnamon stick — 2 broken into pieces
  • Salt — pinch
  • Raisins — 1/4 cup (Optional, I like mine without raisins)
  • Sugar — 1/2 cup
  • Butter — 2 tablespoons
  • Vanilla — 1 teaspoon
  • Zest of one orange
  • freshly ground nutmeg (garnish)

Method

  1. Place the milk, rice, cinnamon stick, orange zest, salt and sugar  in a medium oven proof bowl and set into oven at 300 degrees for 2 hours.  Stir every 20 minutes. 
  2. Add the raisins if you are using them, vanilla and nutmeg and bake for another 20 minutes. Stir often to keep from sticking to the bottom of the pot.  Adjust sugar to taste and serve hot or cold, with some ground cinnamon or nutmeg and orange zest to top as garnish.

Variations

  • Arroz con Dulce (Puerto Rico), or Arroz-Doce (Brazil): use coconut milk in place of regular milk.
  • Short-grain rice, like arborio or Valencia rice, is best for rice pudding as it gives the dessert a creamier texture, but regular long-grain rice can be used to good result too. A little more rice can be added if you want a firmer pudding. If the pudding gets too thick, just add a little more milk.
  • Sometimes water, cream, sweetened and condensed milk or evaporated milk is substituted for part of the regular milk. Just make sure the total amount of liquid adds up to 4 cups. And adjust the amount of sugar as needed.
  • Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of brandy or rum when you stir in the butter and vanilla if you like.
  • Some recipes call for stirring in 2 beaten egg yolks at the end before adding the butter and vanilla. The heat of the pudding will cook the yolks, make it creamier and give it a pale golden color. (I like mine eggless.)
Posted in Breakfast, Dessert - Eat dessert first, Life is uncertain | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Blenheim Apricot Jam

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

Apricot Jam on Toast

Add blanched and peeled apricot kernels to each jar before sealing. How many? I’m not sure. I put up half-pint jars with 3, 4, 5 and 6 kernels per jar.

Fruit-to-sugar ratio by volume 3:2

Fruit-to-sugar ratio by weight 5:4

4.5 lbs (2 kg) pitted and halved Blenheim apricots or 12 cups loosely packed 3.5 lbs (1.6 kg) granulated sugar or 8 cups 2 small lemons

1 Place prepared fruit in a ceramic bowl, add lemon juice and sugar. Cover with wax paper and macerate for several hours in the refrigerator.

2 Transfer mixture to a heavy enameled pot and slowly bring to a full boil.

3 Lower heat to a controlled boil, skim and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until mixture begins to reduce and thicken, and the apricot halves begin to break down. Check for a jell set at 20 minutes—I went to about 22 minutes with this batch, which should give me a luscious consistency that will mound in a spoon but slowly drip through the tines of a fork.

4 Once the jam is sufficiently reduced, ladle into jars and seal. I processed the jars in a hot-water bath for 10 minutes, as suggested by Ball.

4.5 lbs apricots yielded a scant 6 pints of jam 1 x pint jar 5 x 8 oz jars 5 x 4 oz jars plus a few ounces set aside for breakfast.

Posted in Helen's Kitchen, Jams and Jelly | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Au Gratin Potatoes

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

Ingredients:

Servings:

 8

 

Servings Size

  •  

    Update

    •  

    Directions:

     Prep Time: 20 mins

    Total Time: 2 hrs

    1. 1 Preheat oven to 375°F Coat a 2-quart covered baking dish with cooking spray.
    2. 2 Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour; add milk slowly, stirring. Add potatoes and stir to mix. Bring to a boil. Stir in 3/4 cup of cheese, salt and pepper.
    3. 3 Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and level out surface. Bake for 1 hour, uncovered. Cover and bake until potatoes are fork-tender, about 20 minutes more.
    4. 4 Change oven temperature to broil. Sprinkle remaining cheese over potatoes. Broil 6 inches from the heating element until the cheese is golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before slicing into 8 pieces.

     

    Read more: http://healthy.food.com/recipe/ww-au-gratin-potatoes-294143#ixzz1BkeHi0G0

    Posted in Helen's Kitchen, Side Dishes | Tagged , | Leave a comment

    Spicy Cilantro Sauce

    Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy
    • 1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
    • 1/2 cup packed fresh flat-leafed parsley leaves
    • 2 shallots
    • 1 large garlic clove
    • 2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh gingerroot
    • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
    • 1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
    • 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon water
    • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
    • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
    • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

    Preparation

    Have ready a bowl of ice water. In a small saucepan of boiling water blanch cilantro and parsley 10 seconds and drain in a sieve. Refresh herbs in ice water and drain in sieve. Chop shallots and garlic.

    In a small nonstick skillet cook shallots, garlic, gingerroot, cumin, and red pepper flakes in 1 tablespoon water and oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until shallots are softened. In a blender purée shallot mixture, herbs, remaining 1/4 cup water, and soy sauce until smooth, about 1 minute, and season with salt and pepper. Sauce may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring sauce to room temperature before serving.

    Just before serving, stir in lemon juice.

    Posted in Mexican Restaurant, Salsas and Hot Sauce | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

    Tropical Avocado Salsa

    Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

    2 cups of finely diced tropical fruit such as pineapple, mango, kiwi, papaya

    2 hass avocados pitted, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch dice

    1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped

    1/4 cup red onion finely chopped

    1 serrano or jalepeno pepper finely diced

    2 tablespoons lime juice

    1 fresh, diced tomato

    Gently toss ingredients. Season with salt and pepper.

    2

    Posted in Mexican Restaurant, Salsas and Hot Sauce | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

    Salmon Confit with Arugula and Balsalmic Reduction

    Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

    Salmon Confit with Arugula and Balsalmic Reduction

    If there is one fish I love, it is salmon.  My husband just doesn’t like it.  So, instead of a main course, I can get away with a Salmon salad or make it for myself for lunch. 

    • 4 cups light olive oil
    • Bouquet Garni- Thyme and Rosemary tied together
    • Four 6-ounce boneless, skinless Copper River salmon/Alaskan salmon filets
    • 1 1/2 pounds micro arugula, washed and patted dry
    • Kosher Salt to taste
    • 4 teaspoons aged balsamic vinegar (see note)

    Preparation

    1. Combine the olive oil with the Bouquet Garni in a shallow, heavy-bottomed pan large enough to hold the salmon in a single layer over very low heat until the oil reaches 150°F on an instant-read thermometer.

    2. Add the salmon and cook, at a constant temperature, for about 5 minutes or just until the salmon has begun to firm up. Using a slotted spatula, lift the salmon from the pan and place on a double layer of paper towels to drain.

    3. Place a small mound of micro arugula in the center of each of four plates. Lay a piece of salmon on top of the greens on each plate. Sprinkle sel de Guerande over the salmon. Drizzle a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar over the salad and salmon on each plate and serve.

    Note: If using balsamic vinegar other than that aged for 100 years (most good balsamics are aged from 5 to 10 years), place 8 teaspoons in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and slowly reduce by half. Cool and use as above.

    Posted in Appetizers, Ocean's Best Seafood | Tagged | Leave a comment

    Grilled Fresh Salmon and Asparagus with Balsalmic

    Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

    Ingredients

    Salmon:
    1 1/2 lbs fresh salmon
    3/4 stick butter
    3-4 cloves garlic
    juice of one lemon
    lemon slices for garnish
    2 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
    Dry white wine (to taste)(optional)

    Asparagus:
    2 1/2 lbs asparagus about 1/2 in. thick
    2 1/2 tblsp. unsalted butter
    2 1/2 tblsp balsalmic vinegar
    salt and pepper to taste

    Preparation

    Heat grill on high.
    In a suacepan, place butter, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and wine over low heat, and simer until the tastes meld (approximately 10 min.) Place the salmon on a platter, skin side down and brush the lemmon/butter sauce liberally on each piece. Let stand for 20-30 minutes. Place salmon on hot grill and grill on each side about no longer than 5 minutes. Serve with lemon slices and the remaining butter sauce.

    Asparagus:
    Bring salted water to a boil in skillet large enough to hold asparagus lying down. When boiling, add asparagus; cook uncovered, until tender. Timing will depend on thickness of asparagus, 5-8 minutes Drain asparagus. Spread on cloth towel; scatter ice cubes over asparagus. Can be cooked several hours ahead of time kept at room temperature.
    To serve, heat butter in same pan over medium high heat. When hot, stir in vinegar. Add asparagus and cook until hot, about 2-3 minutes. Add salt and pepper, shake gently until mixed. Serve hot.

    Posted in Ocean's Best Seafood | Tagged , | Leave a comment

    Everything Cookies! My favorites.

    Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy


    I revamped the recipe found on the back of Nestle’s Chocolate Chips, Oat Chocolate Chip, incorporating everything but the kitchen sink. And if you’re craving a hassle-free indulgence, you can also order these gourmet chocolate chip cookies delivery.
    Servings: 8 dozen
    Ingredients
    3.5 Cups of Flour
    2 tsp baking soda
    4 tsp salt
    2.5 cups Brown Sugar
    2 sticks of butter (16 T)
    1 stick of crisco (16 T)
    1 cup granulated sugar
    4 eggs
    4 T milk
    4 tsp vanilla
    2.5 C of rolled oats
    2.5 C of oatmeal – fancy

    3/4 C M&Ms

    3/4 C chocolate chips
    3/4 C raisins
    1 C pecans or walnuts chopped
    1 C macadamian nuts

    Cream butter and sugar, add other wet ingredients.
    Mix dry ingredients in separate bowl.
    Lastly add the oats, the raisin, chips, nuts.
    Drop by small dipper onto cookie sheets. bake 10-12 minutes at 375.

    Posted in Cookies | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment