Matt's Macaroni Salad

(16) 8 ounces macaroni (dry)
(1/2) 1/4 cup onion, chopped
(2) 1 cup celery, sliced
(2) 1 cup green or red bell pepper, chopped
         
          Cook macaroni to al dente according to package directions.  Drain and shock in cold water to stop the cooking process.  Drain thoroughly, and place in a bowl with other salad ingredients.

Dressing:
(2) 1 Tablespoon prepared mustard
(2) 1 teaspoon salt
(1/2) 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
(2) 1 teaspoon sugar
(4) 2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
(1 1/2)  3/4 cup mayonnaise

          Mix all ingredients together, and add to salad.  Mix thoroughly. Refrigerate until ready for service.

Optional:  Can add (2) 1 6 ounce can of tuna  OR (16) 8 ounces of shrimp.

TIM'S NOTES:  A single batch of this salad might serve 2-4 people comfortably as a side dish.  However, if you are feeding a few more than that, a double batch might be in order.  The amounts above in parenthesis are for a double batch.
          Sadly, many recipes call for 16 ounces of pasta, and (at least at my grocery store) pasta is coming in 12 ounce boxes.  I measured the dry macaroni out, and a 12 ounces package=3 cups. So for 8 ounces dry macaroni in the original recipe, you would need 2 cups.  For the double recipe, use 4 cups dry macaroni.
          This salad is a very basic recipe and good as is.  However, I think you could probably add anything your little heart desires or your imagination can dream up.  You could add sliced olives, cubed cheese, radishes, cherry tomatoes, thawed (frozen) peas, cooked chicken, etc.
          To make this salad gluten free, use your favorite gluten free macaroni in place of regular macaroni.  Works like a charm!

Southwestern Corn and Potato Soup

1 cup finely chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 small fresh chile, seeded and minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups vegetable stock
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 medium sweet potato, diced (about 2 cups)
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
3 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
salt to taste
lime wedges
finely chopped cilantro leaves

          In a covered soup pot, simmer the onions, garlic, chile, and salt in 1 cup of the vegetable stock for about 10 minutes, or until the onions are soft.  In a small bowl, make a paste with the cumin and a tablespoon of the stock; stir it into the pot, and simmer for another 1 to 2 minutes.  Add the sweet potatoes and the remaining stock and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the sweet potatoes soften.  Add the bell pepper and the corn and simmer, covered, for another 10 minutes, or until all of the vegetables are tender.
          Puree about half of the soup in a blender or food processor and return it to the pot.  The soup will be creamy and thick.  Add salt to taste, and gently reheat on low heat.  If desired, serve with lime wedges and top with cilantro.

TIM'S NOTES: Not sure why you would want to add just one cup of stock in the first stage of cooking.  I thought this was a little fussy and just added all the stock in the beginning.  Also, the term "sweet potato" can be confusing.  Sweet potato, to me, has white flesh, and yams have orange flesh.  Botanically, yams ARE sweet potatoes, and some recipes calling for sweet potatoes are actually calling for yams.  So I have sometimes added yams as substitution for sweet potatoes.  I just happened to have a yam tonight, and it worked out just fine. You can use either in this recipe and I am sure it would work.

Caramelized Onions

2 medium yellow onions
1 1/2 Tablespoons canola oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1. Peel and trim onions.  Vertically slice 1/4 inch thick.
2. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onions and 1/4teaspoon salt.  Cook 8 minutes, stirring.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low.  Cook for 35 minutes or until deep amber, stirring.  Use for pizzas, panini, or pasta tosses.  (I also use them in salads and soups!)

Lemon Noodles

1 pound spaghetti
1/4 pound butter
1 pint sour cream
juice of one juicy lemon
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup minced parsley
Parmesan cheese, to taste

          Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cook the noodles in boiling water; drain and put into a baking dish.  Melt butter in a small sauce pan; remove from heat.  Stir in sour cream, lemon juice, and lemon peel.  Pour over pasta, toss and bake 20-25 minutes.  Remove from oven, sprinkle on lots of freshly ground pepper, minced parsley, and Parmesan cheese.  Toss and eat.

TIM'S NOTES:  The recipe says these would be a good side dish for fish.  I think they would be.  I am not a big fan of spaghetti, and wondering if these could be made with another shape of pasta? Since I used gluten free pasta, my choices are limited, but I would like to try this next time with another kind of pasta.  I am also wondering if you couldn't use feta cheese instead of the Parmesan?  I think feta would go well with the lemon.

Creamy Potato Kale Soup

1 cup finely chopped onions
2/3 cup finely chopped leeks
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon canola or other vegetable oil
4 cups vegetable stock
4 cups coarsely chopped potatoes
1/4 teaspoon ground fennel
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
2 Tablespoons white wine
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 Tablespoons minced scallions
1 1/2 Tablespoons minced fresh basil
1/2 cup evaporated skimmed milk
4 cups loosely packed shredded kale
salt and black pepper to taste
squeeze of fresh lemon juice (optional)

          In a 3 or 4 quart covered soup pot, saute the onions, leeks, and salt in the oil on very low heat for 7 minutes, until tender.  Add the stock and bring it to a boil.  Add the potatoes, fennel, celery, wine, and dill.  Simmer for about 20 minutes, covered, until the potatoes are tender.  In a blender or food processor, puree the soup in batches until smooth.  Return the soup to the pot and stir in the mustard, scallions, basil, and evaporated skimmed milk.
          In a separate pot, gently boil the kale in just enough water to cover.  When the kale is just tender, drain it and stir it into the soup.  Add salt and pepper to taste and lemon juice, if using.  Carefully reheat the soup until it is very hot but not boiling.

Apple Salsa

3 Tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
1 1/2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 sweet apples (Golden Delicious) peeled, cored, and chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh oregano, minced (1 teaspoon dried)
        

Stir sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes together in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Add chopped apples, cover pan, and reduce heat; cook gently till apples are very soft.  Mash them with a potato masher until practically smooth.  Stir in oregano.  Refrigerate, serve chilled.  Makes 1 1/2 cups.  Good with sausage.

Gluten Free Cream Puffs

1 1/4 cups white rice flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk or dairy free milk
1 cup water
6 Tablespoons butter cut into 1-inch pieces
4 large eggs at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 

Combine the flour, cornstarch, xanthan gum, sugar and salt in a medium bowl,  Combine the milk, water, and butter in a large saucepan over medium high heat and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat.

Add  the dry ingredients and beat briskly with a wooden spoon until thoroughly incorporated.  Return the saucepan to the stove and reduce heat to low.  The mixture will begin to pull away from the side of the pan.  Stir for 3 to 4 minutes more, letting any moisture evaporate.

Remove from heat and let stand at room temperature about 5 minutes or until cooled slightly.  Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring briskly after each addition until the egg is thoroughly incorporated.

Form the dough into 2-Tablespoon-sized mounds, and drop onto the baking sheets, leaving 1 to 2 inches between puffs.  Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.  Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes longer, rotating the pans halfway through.  Turn off the oven and prop open the oven door slightly.  Let the puffs cool in the oven for an additional 30 minutes.

Remove the puffs from the oven and make a small slit in the side of each puff to allow the steam to escape.  Let cool completely.  Serve filled with whipped cream or ice cream and topped with chocolate or berry sauce.

TIM'S NOTES: Traditional cream puffs are split, doughy filling removed and dried in the oven.  If you wanted to do this, when you leave the oven door open and let them sit for 30 minutes would be a good time to do this.  I didn't do this, and they were okay.  I think you need to do that with bigger puffs.  These are fairly small.  Not sure why you have to make a slit to allow the steam to escape, either.  After sitting 30 minutes in the oven to cool, there didn't seem to be any steam.  I didn't do this.  When you split them to fill, you might want to scoop out the doughy insides.  The recipe calls for sweet fillings, but savory fillings would work as well.

Cilantro Lime Yogurt Dressing

1 cup nonfat or low-fat plain yogurt
1 Tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1 Tablespoon minced scallions or chives
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
salt to taste

          In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, cilantro, scallions or chives. and lime juice.  add sal to taste.  Set aside for at least one hour to allow the flavors to meld.  Stored refrigerated in a covered container, it will keep for 3 or 4 days.

TIM'S NOTES: This dressing has a bit of a bite to it from the yogurt and the lime juice.  Just recently, I discovered if you add a couple pinches of sugar to it, it takes the edge off of that bite, but doesn't affect the flavor of the dressing.  It is good either way, but I think it is a little more refined with the sugar.

Golden Basmati Rice

1 cup white basmati rice
1 cup diced onions
2 teaspoons canola or other vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups peeled and grated carrots
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange peel
3/4 teaspoon salt

Rinse the rice and soak it in water to cover for 30 minutes.
          When the rice has soaked for about 20 minutes, saute the onions in oil for about 5 minutes.  Add the turmeric, cinnamon, and cardamom.  Cook, stirring constantly, for another minute and set aside.  Bring the 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid.  Stir in the onion mixture, carrots, orange peel and salt.  Drain the rice and add it to the saucepan.  Return it to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes until tender.
        Remove from the heat and allow to sit 10 minutes.  Just before serving, stir the rice to fluff it.

Spaghetti with Oil and Garlic

12 cloves garlic
1/4 cup best quality olive oil
4 quarts water
1 1/2 Tablespoons salt
1 pound spaghetti
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 cup finely chopped Italian parsley
freshly ground black pepper (garnish)
Grated Parmesan cheese (garnish)

1. Peel garlic cloves.  Mince six of them and set aside.  Slice remaining garlic.
2. Heat the oil in a small skillet.  Add sliced garlic and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.
3. Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot.  Stir in salt, add the spaghetti, and cook until tender, but firm;  do not overcook.  Drain pasta well, and transfer to a pot.
4. Add the chicken broth to the pasta, and simmer until most of the broth has been absorbed, 5 minutes or so.
5. Stir in the heated olive oil and sliced garlic, then the minced garlic, and the chopped parsley.  Toss thoroughly.
6. Divide pasta evenly among heated plates or shallow soup bowls.  Pour any remaining broth over pasta and serve immediately, accompanied by lots of freshly ground black pepper and grated Parmesan cheese.

TIM'S NOTES:  I am not sure I like the sharp, biting, unrefined taste of raw garlic, so I sliced and cooked all 12 cloves.  I think the garlic flavor would be more pronounced if you left some raw, but I was happy with the more refined flavor when I cooked it all.  You decide.  Also, I found that spaghetti doesn't come in 1 pound packages, but rather 12 ounces.  I used one package plus a little more.  Served with a green salad, and a beverage of your choice, this makes a simple, yet elegant dinner.

Gluten Free Strawberry Almond Flour Cake

4 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons sugar, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups almond flour
1 Tablespoon coconut flour (or 1/4 cup almond flour, if preferred)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 to 2 cups mixed fresh berries, for topping.

          Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease the bottom and sides of an 8 inch round cake pan.  Sprinkle the 2 Tablespoons sugar on the bottom.

          In a large mixing bowl, beat together the egg yolks, 1/4 cup of the sugar, and the vanilla until smooth.  In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until they form soft peaks.  Slowly beat in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar.  Set aside.

          Whisk together the flours, baking powder, and salt, and add to the egg yolks.  Stir together to form a thick dough.  Fold in the egg whites 1/2 cup at a time, incorporating them fully between each addition.  The final addition should result in a smooth fluffy batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan.  Bake the cake on the center rack until it's golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven  and allow it to cool on a rack for about 5 minutes.

          Run  a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cake from the sides;  turn the cake out onto a serving platter.  Allow the cake to cool fully before topping with sliced strawberries or other fruit of your choice. 

TIM'S NOTES: There were two choices for almond flour--one that was superfine, and one that was coarser.  I suppose either one would work, but I like a more refined product, so I chose the superfine flour.  I did not use the coconut flour because it didn't seem worth it to buy a whole other kind of flour for such a miniscule amount.  If you happen to have it on hand, feel free to use it, but the extra almond flour works fine as well.  I thought maybe this cake was going to be too dry, so I added freshly whipped cream (sweetened with a little sugar and vanilla) before adding the berries.  The cake would have probably been moist enough as is, but the whipped cream just added another dimension to the flavor.  I put the cream on top of the cake, but if you were up to it, you could probably split the cake and put the whipped cream between the layers. This recipe also did not say how long to bake the cake.  I baked it about 20 minutes and it was perfectly done.

Tim's Chicken Salad

This chicken salad was a throw together recipe of my own.  I will try to recreate it here for you, but you might like to improvise on you own.

1 1/2 pounds raw chicken, cooked
1 cup sliced celery, sliced
1 cup red grapes, halved
3/4 cup toasted almonds
1 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
chopped cilantro, to taste  (optional)

TIM'S NOTES:  Chicken:  I used boneless, skinless chicken breast, and when raw, I cut it up in very small pieces.  I sautéed them in a little olive oil until cooked.  I salted and peppered them when done.  You could use other cooking methods like poaching in water, baking, or whatever.  I sautéed the chicken because I thought it would be a better flavor.  Also cutting the chicken breast in smaller pieces before cooking (as opposed to leaving whole or cutting up after) facilitates a faster cooking process.

Almonds:  I used slivered almonds, but you could also use sliced almonds if you wanted. I am thinking toasted cashews or pecans would also work.

Mayo:  I blended the curry into the mayo and let it sit in the fridge for a couple hours to infuse.  In fact, I chilled all of the ingredients before mixing together. And I like curry, so 1 1/2 teaspoons was good for me.  You might like to dial it back to 1 teaspoon to start.  After mixing with the mayo, give it a taste.  If you think it needs more add the rest.

I served my chicken salad on a bed of chiffonaded spinach, but you could use any kind of lettuce or green you wanted.  I am also thinking that serving this with lime wedges would be good, too.  Use your imagination and have fun!

Scotch Oatcakes

1 cup sifted flour
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups rolled oats, regular or quick cooking
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk (about)

Sift dry ingredients.  Blend in oats.  Cut in butter thoroughly.  Stir in milk until a soft dough is formed.  Divide into six sections.  Roll each piece on a floured surface into a four inch round.  Cut into four triangles.  Place on baking sheet.  Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned.  Yields 24 cakes.

Lowcountry Shrimp and Grits

The description says," This classic Carolina combo makes for a flavorful and fast dinner."

4 center-cut bacon slices, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, quartered
5 cloves garlic chopped
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3 1/4 cups unsalted chicken stock, divided
3/4 cup black coffee
1/2 cup lower-sodium tomato juice
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp
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2 cups whole milk
1 cup uncooked quick-cooking grits
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1/2 cup chopped seeded tomato
2 green onions, chopped

1. Cook bacon over medium-high heat until crisp.  Add onion, thyme, mushrooms, and garlic;  saute 6 minutes or until onions and mushrooms are golden brown.  Add 1 1/4 cup chicken stock, coffee, next 4 ingredients (through red pepper), and 1/8 teaspoon salt.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 4 minutes.  Add cornstarch, stirring with a whisk until smooth.  Add shrimp; simmer 4 minutes or until shrimp are done.
2. Bring remaining 2 cups stock, remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, and milk to a boil in a medium saucepan; add grits, stirring with a whisk.  Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring frequently with a whisk.
3. Place 1/2 cup grits in each of 4 shallow bowls; top each serving with 1 cup shrimp mixture.  Sprinkle each serving with 2 Tablespoons tomato, and about 1 Tablespoon green onions.  Serves 4.

TIM'S NOTES: The only way this is going to go together quickly and effortlessly is to have everything all ready to go.  I found that if you use a fattier cut of bacon, you need to drain a portion of the bacon grease off.  You can always add a little back to the pan when you are cooking the onion and mushrooms if it seems too dry.  When you add the cornstarch to the sauce, make sure to make a slurry by mixing the cornstarch with a little chicken stock or water.  This will make a smoother sauce.  If you just put the cornstarch in dry, it will clump up.  Making a slurry is standard culinary procedure.  I am not sure why the recipe doesn't say this.  Make sure to drain your shrimp well.  Mine were frozen, and I had to thaw them in water.  They added more moisture to the sauce.  If this happens, add a little more cornstarch by the slurry method until it looks thick enough to you.

Kale and Grapefruit Salad

Dressing:
2 Tablespoons Canola oil
1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
          Whisk together in a large bowl.
Add:
3 cups baby kale
3/4 cup grapefruit sections
1/4 cup red onion, sliced
          Toss to coat.

Tim's Notes:  This salad is the perfect gem to serve with the Spinach and Feta Quiche with Quinoa Crust.  A couple things to note.  I used olive oil in the dressing.  The original recipe used canola oil because they were watching the fat content.  I also used red wine vinegar, and it was okay.  The important thing is to use some kind of wine vinegar because it has a nice bite to it.  And I don't know what kind of utopian world these people live in, but I think most of us aren't going to be able to get baby kale.  We are just going to get the great big curly leaf kale.  If this is the case, I would remove the tough ribs, and just use the leafy part.  I chop the kale fairly fine, and I mix it with the dressing to coat it evenly.  I let it sit a few minutes to let the vinegar and salt soften the kale a bit before adding the other ingredients.  I cut the grapefruit sections into three pieces for easier eating.  Same with the red onion.  After mixing up this salad, I also let it sit again just because it helps to soften the kale.  This salad is good chilled.  If you choose to make it with the quiche, make it while the quiche is in the oven.

For those of us who are single and not going to want to make the whole salad (it is not going to carry over well!)  make individual portions as needed.  I use the full amount of dressing, about 1 1/2 large kale leaves (tough ribs removed and cut fine) 5 sections of grapefruit (each cut into three pieces) and about 2 Tablespoons red onion.

Spinach and Feta Quiche with Quinoa Crust

Crust:

2 cups cooked quinoa, chilled
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg, beaten

Filling:
1 teaspoon canola oil
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1 (5 oz.) bag baby spinach
1/2 cup (1%) low-fat milk
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1.5 ounces feta cheese

1. For the crust, preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Combine quinoa, pepper, and egg in a bowl, stirring well.  Press mixture into bottom and up sides of a 9 inch pie plate coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.  Cool.
3. For the filling, heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Add oil and onion; saute 3 minutes.  Add spinach; saute 3 minutes.  Remove from heat; cool.

Combine milk and next 5 ingredients in a bowl; stir with a whisk.  Arrange spinach mixture over crust; pour egg mixture over spinach.  Sprinkle with feta.  Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Tim's Notes:  When making the spinach onion filling, make sure to saute in a big pan.  High sides work well.  Once the spinach is wilted a little, things will be fine, but when first adding the spinach, there is a lot of volume to it.  This recipe was constructed to be lower calorie.  Thus the canola oil and the 1 % milk.  Olive oil, and 2 % milk are also fine.  The second time I made this, I also added a couple of mushrooms, and by a couple, I do mean TWO... finely chopped.  This is a tightly constructed recipe and there isn't a lot of wiggle room for extra ingredients (unless you were to use a deep dish pie plate).  I sautéed the mushrooms with the onions.  I also served this quiche with the suggested  kale/grapefruit salad, which I will post separately.  I like recipes like this because while the quiche is baking, you can make the salad and clean up the dishes. Someone asked me if the quinoa crust would be good for sweet fillings.  I honestly don't know, but experiment if you like.  I would omit the black pepper.  Maybe add cinnamon, or another sweet spice like nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, or allspice?  It might be good with a vanilla or custard filling, again, with a little cinnamon or nutmeg, perhaps?  Again, we're off the map, so you'd be on your own!

Honey Mustard Sauce

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
2 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 Tablespoon lemon juice

          Mix all ingredients together.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.

One Pan Broccoli-Bacon Mac 'N' Cheese

2 center-cut bacon slices, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups unsalted chicken stock
1 cup 1%  low-fat milk
1 (10 ounce) package frozen butternut squash puree, thawed * (See note)
10 ounces uncooked large elbow macaroni (Use gluten free pasta to make this gluten free)
3 cups chopped broccoli florets
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
5 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded and divided (about 1 1/4 cups)

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add bacon, and cook 4 minutes or until crisp, stirring occasionally.  Remove bacon from pan.
2. Remove all but 2 teaspoons bacon drippings from pan.  Add garlic  to drippings in pan and saute 30 seconds.
3. Add stock, milk, and squash to pan.  Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
4. Add pasta and cover.  Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Stir in broccoli.  Cover and cook 3 minutes or until pasta is done and sauce is thickened.
5. Stir in salt, pepper, and 4 ounces cheese.  Sprinkle remaining cheese and bacon on top.  Cover and let stand 1 minute.

*  If you can't find frozen butternut squash puree, swap in an equal amount of mashed sweet potato or canned unsweetened pumpkin.