easy recipes

Nostalgia and Mint (Recipes at the bottom)

Mint has always been an important part of my family’s menu. For as long as I can remember, my grandfather was making a salad with mint or making his mint “BBQ” sauce to top everything from ribs to chicken. Throughout my childhood, there was always mint growing in the yard. I have fond memories of picking the leaves and placing them on my tongue. It’s not just in my life that mint has been prominent. Throughout history, mint has been used in many ways.

Mints are mentioned in early medieval plant lists. Apicius listed mint as an ingredient in several dishes in his famous cookbook as early as the first century. Charlemagne(742-814) decreed that mint and other herbs be grown in his famous gardens. The Pharisees paid their tithes in mint, anise, and cumin according to the biblical record. In Babylon, mint was added to Turnip stew in one of the oldest recipes known, written on a stone tablet.

In Middle Eastern cultures, mint was used to make tea and served to welcome guests, and in ancient Greece, mint leaves are crushed and rubbed on the table to show hospitality to visitors.

Native mints were growing in America before the first settlers from Europe arrived. The settlers added to the mint species by bringing their own varieties.

Mints are still widely used all over the world today. Spearmint flavored mint is the most commonly used, of which there are several varieties.

They are sharp and clean tasting, probably why mint sauces and jellies have often been paired with fatty red meats such as Beef and Lamb. Roast Leg of Lamb with Mint Sauce was served as a main course item on the Titanic. Not a bad last meal as far as I am concerned!

This recipe is interesting because I have never before seen the addition of the cherry to mint sauce but was intrigued by the depth and flavor it adds. The Lamb chops are natural with this sauce, and as far as I am concerned, there is no better choice of meat to accompany such a rich and flavorful sauce.

Cherry Mint Sauce

Serves 6

2 Cups dried Cherries

4 Cups Cabernet wine

2 Cups Mint Stems

1 Cup Mint Leaves – chopped

1/4 Cup Sugar

3/4 Cup Water

1/8 Cup Cornstarch

Place Cherries, wine, and mint stems in a large skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce by 2/3, then remove stems. Whisk in chopped mint and sugar. In a small bowl, mix water and cornstarch to form a slurry and add to the skillet. Cook the sauce until it coats the back of a wooden spoon. Serve over Lamb, Venison, Beef, or Duck.

Grilled Lamb Chops

Serves 6

3 Lamb rib racks, bones cleaned and cut into individual chops – rinsed and patted dry

1 Cup Extra Virgin Olive oil

1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves

4 Garlic cloves, sliced

Salt & Pepper to taste

2 Cups Cherry Mint Sauce (recipe above)

6 Each Fresh mint sprigs for garnish (optional)

Place Lamb chops in a large resealable plastic bag or container and add the oil, rosemary, and garlic and marinate overnight in the refrigerator. The next day, preheat the grill, remove the lamb from marinade, and season with salt and pepper. Place lamb chops on the grill at a 45-degree angle to establish grill marks. Cook for about 1-2 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature is 135-145 degrees. Remove the lamb from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Spoon the Cherry Mint sauce over the meat and serve. Garnish each plate with a sprig of mint if desired.

By Chef Kerry, ago

Easy Week-Night Asian Lettuce Wraps

These lettuce wraps with Asian inspired flavors allow you the indulgence of delicious food without the extra calories of rice or bread.  They can be made with ground turkey or chicken to further reduce the calorie count without compromising flavor.  Fast and easy, they make a great weeknight dinner.  

Asian Lettuce Wraps

Serves 4-5

1 pound ground chicken, turkey or pork

3 Tablespoons of Hoisin sauce (check for gluten free options)

3 Tablespoons of soy sauce or Tamari for gluten free (low sodium is ok)

2 Tablespoons of rice wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon of Sriracha sauce (optional)

1 Tablespoon of Sesame oil

1 Tablespoon of Olive oil or Vegetable oil

1 Medium onion – diced 

1-3 cloves of garlic – minced

1 Tablespoon of fresh grated ginger

1 can of sliced water chestnuts – drained

3 green onions – sliced thin

1 cup of frozen peas

1 cup of shredded (or sliced thin) napa or red cabbage (optional)

1 cup of bean sprouts (optional)

1-2 fresh hot peppers or 1 Bell pepper – sliced thin (optional)

¼ cup of fresh chopped cilantro (for garnish)

Large Leafy pliable lettuce leaves washed and dried (Boston Bibb / Butter lettuce work well)

Make the sauce:  In a small bowl, whisk together Hoisin, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, and Sriracha. Set aside.

Add the olive oil to a large skillet or frypan over medium heat until shimmering, add onions and hot peppers and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  

Add garlic, ginger, and cabbage to the pan and cook for another minute.  

Add ground meat, and cook, breaking up with a spoon until opaque and mostly cooked through.  

Add peas and sauce to the pan and cook for 3 minutes. 

Add bean sprouts water chestnuts to the pan and cook for 1 minute.

Remove pan from heat and top with green onions.

Spoon about 1/3 cup of mixture into each lettuce leaf and sprinkle cilantro on top. Serve immediately. 

By Chef Kerry, ago

Fast & Easy Pantry Superbowl Snacks

It’s a few hours before the big game, but you still don’t know what to do for snacks?  Maybe you didn’t make it to the store, or maybe you just got too busy to think about it.  Whatever the reason, don’t worry, all is not lost.  I’ve got a few easy ideas using items you probably have on hand in your kitchen.  

Pigs in a blanket

1 package of hot dogs or cooked sausage

1 roll of Crescents (Pillsbury)

Ketchup (optional)

Mustard (optional)

Pre-heat oven according to Crescent roll package.  Open and unroll Crescent rolls onto a clean working surface. Separate them according to the perforations. Spread a light amount of ketchup and mustard (if using) only on the wide end of each roll.  Place one sausage or hot dog at the wide end of each roll and roll them up. 

Place them on a lined or sprayed baking sheet a few inches apart. 

Bake according to package directions.  Let cool for 5 minutes and then cut them to size.  Serve with more ketchup and mustard, melted cheese, BBQ sauce, or hot sauce. 

Cheese dip

1 Eight ounce box of Velveeta

½ cup of Rotel tomatoes drained or ½ cup of salsa excess liquid drained

½ cup of cooked sausage or left-over cooked meat chopped fine (optional).

1 scallion, sliced thin keeping white and green parts separate (optional)

Place all ingredients, except the green parts of the scallions, in a bowl and microwave 30 seconds at a time, stirring after every 30 seconds, until Velveeta is completely melted. Stir thoroughly and sprinkle the top with scallion greens. Serve immediately. If it gets too cool and starts to be hard to dip, microwave for 30 seconds, and stir.

Variation:  Omit Salsa/Rotel and meat and stir in a can of chili instead.

Air Fryer Taquitos

1 ½ – 2 cups of left-over cooked meat and/or cooked veggies

1 cup of shredded Cheddar, Monterey, Gouda, Colby or Taco blend cheese

4-8 inch flour or corn tortillas as needed

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 tsp ground garlic

Jarred sliced hot peppers (optional)

Mix meat and/or veggies with cumin, chili powder, and garlic.  Mix in hot peppers if using.  If the mixture is too dry, add 1 Tablespoon of water at a time. It should be moist but not dripping.  Put cheese on one end of a tortilla, place meat/veggie mixture on top of the cheese, place a little more cheese on top and roll up.  Depending on the size of your tortilla, you should have about 3 Tablespoons of filling (including the cheese) in the tortilla, don’t overfill.  You should be able to roll it easily.  Place seam side down in a single layer in the air fryer basket.  Repeat until all the filling is used.  Spray Taquitos with oil spray and air fry on 380 for 6-8 minutes until light brown and crisp.  Cool for 2-3 minutes before biting in; they will be very hot inside.  You can serve salsa, sour cream, guacamole on the side for dipping. 

Buffalo Cauliflower or Brussel Sprouts

2 cups of Cauliflower florets (can be frozen)

Or 

2 cups of cleaned, trimmed, and cut in half Brussel sprouts

Frank’s Original Hot Sauce or Buffalo Sauce

Ranch or Bleu cheese Dressing

Pre-heat oven to 375.

Place Cauliflower or Brussel sprouts in a Microwave safe bowl with a lid and add ¼ cup of water (if using frozen, don’t add any water), cover and microwave for 3-4 minutes or until a fork offers only slight resistance.  

Transfer to a strainer and drain off any liquid.

In a large bowl, Toss Cauliflower or Brussel sprouts in Frank’s until well coated.  Transfer to a lined and sprayed sheet pan.  Bake for about 15-20 minutes, until they are brown.  Check after 10 minutes.

Serve with Ranch or Bleu cheese dressing for dipping.

By Chef Kerry, ago

Asian Style Rice Salad

This recipe was born from a need to make my husbands’ lunches more interesting.  Although delicious, he was growing tired of the Italian pasta salad he’d been taking for lunch every day.  At first, I was going to make this recipe with noodles, which would certainly work, but I decided to go with rice to vary his lunch even more.  He loves very spicy food, but if you aren’t as impervious to heat as he, you may wish to leave out some or all of the optional ingredients. I’m sure some left-over cooked chicken would be a great addition to this recipe as well.  Enjoy!

Asian Style Rice Salad

4-6 servings

1 cup uncooked rice – Jasmine, long grain, or brown

1 cup frozen peas thawed, or 1 cup sliced snow peas

¼ cup minced red onion

1-2 Tablespoons seeded & minced hot pepper -Jalapeno, Serrano, or Thai chili pepper (optional)

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)

1 seeded & minced red bell pepper

2 teaspoons granulated garlic or 1 Tablespoon fresh minced garlic

2 teaspoons fresh ginger minced or 1 teaspoon dried

1 eight ounce can of water chestnuts diced

1 bunch of scallions white part minced, and green part sliced thin (keep separate)

2 Tablespoons honey or Agave

2 Tablespoons rice vinegar 

1 Tablespoon Sriracha (optional)

¼ cup toasted sesame oil

2 Tablespoons soy sauce or Tamari

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 Tablespoon of lime juice

3 Tablespoons fresh cilantro minced

Cook rice according to package directions and then spread onto a cookie sheet to cool to room temperature.  While cooling, whisk crush red pepper, garlic, ginger, scallion whites, honey or Agave, rice vinegar, Sriracha, sesame oil, soy sauce, black pepper, and lime juice in a bowl big enough to hold the rice and all the other ingredients.  Once cooled, add rice to the bowl and mix thoroughly.  Mix in the remaining ingredients reserving 1 Tablespoon of cilantro and the scallions greens for later. Chill covered for 2-4 hours.  Stir before serving and garnish with reserved cilantro and scallion.

*For a higher protein and lower carb option, substitute Quinoa for rice in this recipe.

By Chef Kerry, ago

SHRIMP & CORN WITH CHILI LIME BUTTER

A couple of summers ago I added a Chili Lime Butter Shrimp Taco with Avocado puree, slaw, and Cotjio cheese to my food trucks’ taco menu.  On the food truck, I cook and hold the shrimp in the chili-lime butter so that it doesn’t dry out during the two hours of service, but I wondered if I could elevate the recipe to a more filling dish at home by adding corn, fresh cilantro, and hot pepper.  It turned out great.  This is a very quick and easy weeknight dish that pairs well with rice, beans, vegetables, or soup.  This version also makes a very good taco.  Enjoy.

Shrimp and Corn with Chili Lime Butter

2-4 servings

1-pound extra-large shrimp (21-25 per pound) 

1 ½ cup of frozen corn thawed

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon chili pepper flakes (optional)

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

1 Tablespoon diced & seeded hot pepper, Jalapeno or Serrano (optional)

Juice and zest of 1 lime

1 lime quartered in wedges

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Thaw, peel, devein, and remove tails from shrimp, pat them dry with a paper towel.  Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat, add garlic and the diced pepper to the butter.  Sauté for about 2 minutes, adjust heat if needed so the butter doesn’t burn, then add the shrimp in a single layer and sprinkle chili powder, chili flake, salt, and pepper over shrimp. Cook shrimp until edges turn pink and bottoms start to get brown spots, about 3 minutes. Quickly flip shrimp and add corn evenly around the pan.  Cook for another 2-3 minutes until shrimp is opaque and cooked through.  Stir and remove from heat.  Off heat, stir in lime juice, zest, and half the cilantro. 

Serve the remaining cilantro and the lime wedges with the shrimp.

This recipe is also great in tacos with avocado, Cotija cheese, and a side of crispy coleslaw.

By Chef Kerry, ago

What to Do with Left Over Veggies – The Frittata

It’s late Sunday morning, you’re leisurely sipping on a warm cup of coffee or tea and thinking about what to have for brunch.  Maybe you’re still feeling the aftermath of the last glass of wine you had after supper, or perhaps you just aren’t in the mood to invest much time into this.  You head over to the refrigerator to see what the options are, all the while wishing leftover pizza will suddenly appear out of nowhere and be sitting on the shelf.  Sadly, a magical pizza fairy has not blessed you this day and the only left-over food you see are some cooked vegetables from supper.  How will you turn these vegetables into a meal that’s not too involved or time-consuming? The answer comes from Italy, make a Frittata.  

The Frittata is a bit like scrambled eggs, crustless Quiche, Spanish Tortilla (which usually includes cooked potatoes), or an unfolded Omelet.  In Italy, mothers and grandmothers will whip up a Frittata as a quick and easy snack using whatever meat or vegetables they have around the house. You might also see a Frittata at a bar being offered as a bite to eat between meals with an espresso or glass of wine.  In my experiences, they were always served at room temperature in Italy, but at home I like to eat it hot with melted cheese on the top.  

It’s perfectly acceptable to add whatever cooked vegetables and meat you have handy.  Fresh herbs or fresh spinach added at the end of cooking are nice too.  In this recipe, I used zucchini and mushrooms that have been cooked with onion and garlic.  I typically add a few dashes of Tabasco, but that’s not traditional.  Don’t be afraid to make it your own, this is a forgiving recipe.

Frittata

Serves 2 -3

3 large eggs

1 Tablespoon milk (nut milk or animal milk)

2 dashes of Tabasco (optional)

Salt & pepper to taste

1 tsp Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

2 Tablespoons Parmesan or Pecorino cheese grated (optional)

½-1 cup cooked vegetables 

Shredded cheese of your choice (optional)

¼ cup fresh baby or chopped spinach (optional)

1 Tablespoon of olive oil 

Heat olive oil in a non-stick oven safe sauté or fry pan until shimmering slightly.  Add the cooked vegetables evenly across the bottom of the pan.  

In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, Tabasco, Parmesan, pepper flake, salt, and pepper.  Pour egg mixture evenly over vegetables in the pan and reduce heat to low.

Method 1:  Cook until edges start to brown slightly then turn out onto a plate and slide back into the pan.  Continue to cook until edges start to brown slightly.  Optionally,  sprinkle with shredded cheese, fresh spinach, fresh herbs, and cook until cheese is melted. 

** This method can be difficult and messy, so it’s not my favorite.

Method 2:  Place pan into a preheated oven at 350 degrees and cook until eggs set up and begin to brown slightly.  Gently shake the pan to test for doneness.  Optionally, sprinkle top with shredded cheese, fresh spinach, fresh herbs if using and cook until just melted. 

Method 3 (my favorite):  Cook until edges start to brown slightly.  Cover with a tight fitting lid and continue to cook until set.  Gently shake the pan to test for doneness.  Optionally, sprinkle top with shredded cheese, fresh spinach, fresh herbs if using and cook until just melted. 

Serve warm or at room temperature.

By Chef Kerry, ago