Cooking Classes!!!

Spring comes frolicking in on Saturday and perhaps you are ready for more than a couple of fresh, new recipes to whip up? I have collected a bunch...so many that this blog could be a book, no... a series and so I thought I would share some more of them and teach some cooking tips and tricks along the way. There are four new classes that I will be offering this summer and fall at a fabulous kitchen shop . If you are interested before then, contact me at pennyrudder@yahoo.com for the class schedule and I will crack out the pots and pans and help you serve up some delicious new dishes for spring!

Party On!

Hallmark must be in over-drive because it seems I have missed more than several holidays in March already and oodles slipped by me in February. No, not the big ones like Valentines' Day and Lincoln's and Washington's birthdays (remember how fun those were to celebrate separately with a jelly roll "log" cake for Lincoln and sweet cherry something for Washington??) Most of the other "special days" I hadn't heard of but I bet some of you feted the margarita on National Margarita Day, right? Anyone??? I will try to remind those of you who missed it when I remember exactly which day in Feb it was! I have got to read the fine print in my day planner better...certainly it knows all these important dates!! Anyway, onward to March.

March is National Peanut Butter Month and National Have a Friend Over for Dinner Month ( as well as my birth month, Paddy's Day, Daylight Savings Day, Vernal Equinox...) I am not kidding; each week is jam-packed with excuses to have a party or two or three.

March began while I was at my mom's soothing her over the first anniversary of my dad's death. Except for a few blips and crazy weather, things went pretty well. A tear or two or several but overall, she (and I) talked through the remembrances and nearly finished up all the legal/administrative stuff. I am really glad that the first year is behind us. It was great to hear her recall some of their moments together with a little laughter instead of such deep sadness. I do worry about her loneliness and so, among other things I had to do, I also threw a few parties for her pals, not March's dinner idea but lunch.

Both of us love to trying out new recipes on guests (consider yourself warned!) and without knowing it, did give March and peanut butter its due. For one party, our guests were world travelers and so we wanted a fun exotic dish to serve. You can vary this recipe in so many ways. Our guests included two omnivores and two veggies and so I actually made two versions, one with local bay scallops (oh my, they were back in season this year with a salty-sweetness that was amazing!) and the other with tofu. While not a fan of soy, I found this tofu one terrific.

West African Stew

2 tablespoons peanut oil

1 large white onion, diced

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 jalapeno pepper, minced

1 large sweet potato, peeled and sliced

1 tart apple, diced (sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent browning)

1 14-ounce can veggie broth

1/2 cup chunky peanut butter

2 tablespoons curry powder

1 teaspoon Tabasco

1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

2 tablespoon orange marmalade

1 pound bay scallops or firm organic tofu ( note: original recipe called for chicken, turkey or shrimp but I had to "make it mine" and substitute sustainable alternatives for omnivores and vegetarians)

1 cup brown rice (cook with 2 cups liquid)

In a large skillet, heat peanut oil over medium heat until hot. Add onions, Worcestershire sauce and minced jalapenos. Saute until onions are brown. Add sweet potato and apple. Stir in 1/2 cup veggie broth. Add peanut butter, stirring until it is absorbed. Turn down heat to low and simmer 5 minutes. Add curry, Tabasco, coconut extract, marmalade and simmer 30 minutes, adding remaining broth as needed. While the stew cooks, prepare rice. About 5 minutes before serving, add in scallops or tofu and heat through. To serve, ladle over a bed of rice and top with a merriment of condiments: chopped almonds or peanuts, flaked coconut, sliced bananas, etc.

Serves 4.

"Flowers" for Comfort?

There is something to be said for making a recipe three times in two weeks and it is YUM! I found this recipe in a favorite magazine and blissfully cooked myself into a near addiction. This soup delivers a strange, hard-to-peg satisfaction. Is it comfort food, "health" food (what is up with that category?), delightfully veggie or just darn good? I think...all of the above and who knew cauliflower could flower into something so satisfying? Most of us have memories of over-cooked, waterlogged, mushy florets or cauliflower as a less than starring partner in a vegetable "medley". Well, this soup stars only cauliflower, enhanced with a little leek and a few herbs and wow...can it ever stand alone!


The possibilities for playing with this recipe are endless and now you know what I have been up to! You can vary the cheese (think smokey cheeses as an option), add heat with a few chilies, top with all kinds of fresh herbs, caramelized onions, roasted garlic or "croutons" of roasted yams or winter squash, swirl in a few grated beets for a whole new color, use orange or purple cauliflower and on and on. Ha... now you know why I have been so busy!! And, this soup is wonderful with The Queen of Green Salad! Don't skimp on the lemon juice...it is like a splash of sunshine.


Cauliflower Soup


2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large leeks, the white and light green parts thinly sliced
4 cups chopped cauliflower florets (I use a whole head)
2 1/2 cups milk, divided
2 cups water
1-2 bay leaves (and any other herbs of choice)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups extra-sharp, dye-free Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice


Heat oil in a Dutch oven and add leeks. Saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add cauliflower and saute for a few moments and then add 2 cups milk, bay leaf, water and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until cauliflower is soft, about 8-10 minutes. Whisk remaining 1/2 cup milk with flour and stir into soup. Cook until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and discard bay leaf. Add cheese, stir until melted and add lemon juice. Garnish with a few chopped green onions or parsley and a drizzle of olive oil. Serves 6-8.


* Note: I leave the soup chunky and do not smooth it out in a blender. I like the more rustic look the little chunks of cauliflower give...and also, there is no blender to wash!

Great balls of...

To look around, "round" is the shape of the week. Early in the week, gorgeous, big, fluffy, round snowflakes fell and for several moments, there was a winter wonderland all around us. Then, not-so-gorgeous, big, sloppy, round rain drops fell. For the rest of the week, icy slush has been all around us, its dreary messiness brightened up by delightful round-bellied snowmen in neighbors' yards.

Like I said in an earlier post, I love snow, especially the big flaked kind. So many wonderful memories swirl around snow...of our snowmen (one we kept part of in the freezer for three years), of "real'' snow cones sweetened with maple syrup, of sledding on my stomach, skiing on my back, ice skating on my ankles and making snow angels as soon as there was enough snow to spread into wings. As a kid, whatever I lacked in winter athleticism, I made up for in "free-form" winter enthusiasm. My dad was an avid winter sportsmen and he introduced me to all his favorite sports and tried to pass on his skills. I must admit ( and I am sure he knew) that my favorite part of our ski or skating adventures together was the after...warming icy toes and frozen noses in front of the fire! As a mom, I also love the memories of bundling up our babies with layers and layers of snow clothes until they were fluffy, round, snow-suited cuties and then, trying to pile those human "snow balls" onto sleds and flying saucers. When they were babies, we lived less than a mile from Lake Erie and the "lake effect" had us around snow and rain for many, many months of the year. They were round little bundles a lot! Now, our babies are adults and our round-bellied pups offer their own doggie twist on snowbaby cuteness. Love it...and I could go on and on, but I am going in circles...

Back to earth...Valentine's Day is right around the corner and I promised a "healthy" treat. This recipe is from my friend Ann and it is quite versatile. You can roll these delicious little balls in sesame seeds or coconut or dip them in melted unsweetened dark chocolate. Although I haven't done this yet, I bet you can substitute almond or cashew butter for the peanut butter, and other dried fruits or dark chocolate bits for the raisins. Snow or no snow, have fun playing around with these. With just a little imagination, you will have a whole "candy" box full.

Valentine "Butter" Balls

1/2 cup natural peanut butter (stir well if there is oil in the jar)

1/3 cup local honey

1/3 cup unsalted sunflower seeds

1/4 cup dry milk

1/2 cup raisins

3/4 cup wheat germ or All Bran cereal

Mix all until well combined and then shape into balls. Keep in 'fridge for snacking.

Saintly Gumbo

Now that was a great Super Bowl!!! I am so excited that the Saints won! Wearing that itchy gold sweater for four hours was worth it. To get ready for the game, as well as dragging out the black and gold outfit (the same one I wore last year for the Steelers), I also read through a treasured New Orleans cookbook borrowed from a neighbor who cooks up the most delicious food. Everything from the first recipe to the last sounded so yummy. The cookbook read like a juicy culinary novel; hopefully, I didn't leave any drool marks on the pages.

However, most of the soup recipes had meat or shrimp and I wanted to try out a new approach to gumbo, one that I could actually convert to a veggie gumbo or to one using a sustainable seafood. Lo and behold, Mark Bittman must have been reading my mind and he published a recipe for "lighter gumbo" in last Wednesday's New York Times. I love the Wednesday NYT! Anyway, I made it on Saturday and will share the recipe and the tweaks. I think this would be lovely with tofu as well, as long as the seasonings are hearty enough. I am not crazy about tofu unless the dish is really brightly seasoned. Mark's recipe uses a more sustainable shellfish, scallops, instead of shrimp which are one of the worst seafood choices to make if you are interested in the health of the oceans (see Eating Animals in post "Are you booked?")

Here is Mark's recipe. I did think the flavors were better the next day and this gumbo also made a perfect pre-game lunch.

Saintly Gumbo

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup flour

1 onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped

2 tablespoons minced garlic

sea salt and black pepper
2-3 cups vegetable broth

2 cups chopped tomatoes with their juice (Eden Organic's cans are safe and BPA-free)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried

2 bay leaves
cayenne to taste

Old Bay Seasoning to taste

1 pound scallops or firm tofu, cur in to bite-sized cubes

Chopped fresh parsley or other herb of choice

* Note: although not in Mark's recipe, I would add in okra!

To prepare roux (some friends chimed in here and they measure the "doneness" of roux by the number of beers consumed?!):

Put oil and butter in a Dutch oven over medium-low heat. When butter melts, add flour and cook, stirring almost constantly, until roux darkens and becomes fragrant, about 15-20 minutes. As it cooks, adjust heat so that it doesn't burn. Add onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic and raise heat to medium. Sprinkle with sea salt, pepper and Old Bay Seasoning. Stir frequently until veggies have softened, about 10 minutes.

Stir in stock, tomatoes, thyme, oregano, bay leaves and cayenne. Cover and bring to a boil, Reduce heat to a simmer and cook another 20 minutes. Add scallops and cook until no longer translucent, about 2 minutes. If using tofu, add in here as well. Remove bay leaves and taste for seasoning, making sure there is a little "kick" to the flavor from the cayenne or even a splash of Tabasco sauce.

Serve over steamed brown basmati rice and garnish with chopped parsley. Serves 6-8. Any leftovers are even better the next day!

Who Dat Stuffing Ya Game Face?

Ahh, the Super Bowl....a football game totally in a class by itself. Having grown up in The 'Burgh, I am a Steelers fan and this time last year, was in my element. I was still out with Mom and Dad and we rounded up every Pittsburgh-y treat we could find...kielbasa, pierogis, Heinz catsup, Iron City beer and of course, Klondlike ice cream bars, both smooth and crispy. Dad pulled out his treasured "Terrible Towels", we each donned a Steelers knit cap and we each had armchairs ready to second guess the quarterback before Monday morning. (I don't quite get football and so, what the heck, I shouted mainly "Go get 'em's!") We ate and howled and waved our towels over every move the Steelers made, in between stuffing our faces, of course. It was great fun, a glorious victory and the perfect last Super Bowl for my dad. When he passed away three weeks later, I think he was still "in the moment". The Terrible Towels and Steelers caps were out in full view when I got back up there.

Well, that was last year. This year, the Steelers were not on their game and hopefully, the Saints are marching (well, passing and kicking) towards victory. Food and fun will flow all day and night on Sunday. Crawfish, gumbo, red beans and rice, cornbread, pralines. Win or lose the Super Bowl, New Orleans food is totally in a class by itself! A friend sent this dip recipe to me and it looks like it has a nice, spicy little kick to it...a perfect way to stuff my game face this Super Bowl! Go Saints!

Who Dat Roasted Pepper and Feta Dip

4 whole roasted red bell peppers (either roast yourself and peel or buy the jarred ones and drain)

2 cups crumbled feta cheese * see note below

4 large garlic cloves, peeled

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Sea salt (maybe)

Put peeled garlic cloves in a blender and pulse to mince. Add whole peppers (drained well if jarred and peeled if you have roasted them yourself. Put roasted peppers in a brown bag while they are hot, hot, hot and they will peel easier). Pulse until the peppers and garlic are a smooth paste. Add feta cheese, lemon juice and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne. Taste and add either more lemon juice or more cayenne or both. Taste also for saltiness. Feta is a salty cheese and you may not need to add any. Pulse until smooth and place in fridge. Serve with pita chips or lots and lots of beautiful veggies. Makes 3 cups.

* I love French goats milk feta or locally made if you can find it. It is way less salty and because of that, blends flavors rather than dominates them. By all means, use your favorite feta and add sea salt to taste. I also prefer to blanch broccoli rather than serve it raw.

Who knew?

Well, who knew? Today, February 3rd is National Carrot Cake Day!!?? Jeepers, not me and to think I almost missed it! Such a week. In case you did, too...party on. My favorite carrot cake recipe is in the post "Let the elephant in the room eat a peace of cake." Fire up the oven and enjoy!

A New Queen of Green

I have always considered myself a Swiss chard kind of gal. I love the buttery, soft texture of those delicious greens and "rainbow" chard is in a class of deliciousness all by itself. Well...in keeping with turning over some new leaves in 2010, there is a new Queen in town and it is kale. Oh my gosh..I ignored Her Majesty for so long! Ms. Kale looked rather unruly, curled up and stubborn...kind of like the my own head of hair that I have to deal with every morning. Who wants to deal with that in a food, too? Then, one day, I got a taste of a lemony kale and avocado salad and I was hooked, absolutely hooked...addicted, really and have been eating platefuls of it almost every day for two weeks. Yum...like candy or even ice cream, which for me is like saying, kale is almost its own food group!

Since my kale discovery, it has been kind of like wearing red and noticing everyone else who is also wearing red because now I am seeing all sorts of wonderful sounding kale recipes...soups, frittatas, quiches, and more salads. Here is a new one I gobbled up last night.

Queen of Green Salad

2 1/2 cups shredded or chopped kale (select fresh, tender-looking leaves)

1/4 cup toasted almonds

1/4 cup shredded aged cheddar cheese (no dye, please)

1/2 cup roasted, cubed butternut squash (any winter squash is good here or sweet potatoes)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper and sea salt

Grated pecorino or other hard cheese (optional and to taste)

Toss together kale, almonds, shredded cheddar and squash. Season to taste with lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and black pepper. Place on 2 plates (or 1) and garnish with grated pecorino cheese. Savor every bite! Can serve 2, but I am making no promises there.

Oh, and while we are on "new leaves" for the new year, there are a couple of changes to this blog. I will be offering vegetarian recipes only and so now it is a "less wheat, no meat" blog and I also hope to expand on the "green-ness" with other tips for healthier people, healthier communities and a healthier planet. Have you got any to share??

Are you booked?

No, I don't have any excuses at all. I have been at my green table plenty, but just not writing about what's gone on there. I have a couple of favorite blogs I read and one writer has been AWOL for months and I keep thinking, "Where is she?" Then, a couple of you asked me the same question! And so, here I go...

Over the holidays, one thing that I promised to do for myself was read more books. I often sit at the table and drool over cookbooks and scan magazines and newspapers, but it is also a pleasant place to read in general and I have missed a lot of great books. The first thing I set out to do in 2010 was get a library card. Funny...I am a card-carrying regular at my parents' library but not my own and so that was the first biggie for the new year and I got my official CALS library card today!! I just finished Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder and it is a wonderful read about the struggles of providing "options for the poor" in Haiti and chronicles the work of Dr. Paul Farmer and Partners in Health. Visit his website to check out the work his team is doing.

Next, I read a book my son gave me and it was one of the toughest reads ever. The book is Eating Animals by Jonathan Sofran Foer and it is a bombshell read about how the animals we eat are raised and slaughtered. I thought I knew the gist, but boy...the devil really is in the details. As a result of reading Eating Animals, I have made some significant changes in the way I will shop, cook and eat from now on. Without giving away the heart of the book, he asks the reader a stunning question.

One recent night, while I was sitting around my green table, reading, I also cooked this soup. The aromas are very stimulating and the flavors lingering...qualities deliciously in keeping with a great book.

Book Lover's Garlic Soup

15 cloves of garlic, peeled, smashed and minced (no kidding!)

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon dried sage or 3-4 fresh sage leaves

1/2 teaspoon Herbs de Provence or thyme

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

4 cups of water

Bring this to a gentle boil and then cover and simmer for about 40 minutes. The house will be quite fragrant!! After 40 minutes, remove bay leaves and pulse in a food processor if you want a smoother soup. I skip the pulsing part.

Next, whisk: 2 egg yolks and 1 whole egg*. Add in a generous cup (about 1 1 /2 ounces, grated) of Parmesan Reggiano cheese or a mixture of parmesan and shredded gruyere. Whisk in 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil and some fresh black pepper. Then, add some hot garlic broth from the pot to the egg yolk mixture, stir well and then slowly add a little more hot liquid and then pour very slowly into the main soup pot. Whisk continually so that it doesn't curdle. This last part is a little tricky. Taste and adjust seasonings.

To serve: toast a thick slice of rustic bread and break it up into the bottom of your soup bowls. Ladle soup over bread and sprinkle with more cheese, if you like. Makes about 4 cups of soup.

* If you can, please get your eggs from a farmer you know so that you can see how the hens are cared for.

Half Mast and Mostly, Filled with Fun

I got several comments about the " 'Boo.." post, almost as many as the "Let the elephant..." one and so I feel I need to add this post in before I move on to the granola and hot dogs which really are coming next!


Some of you were a little surprised by the peanut butter jar having a place of prominence at my dad's memorial service. I guess you did have to be there but I will share the scene better than I did in an earlier post. I had never planned a memorial service before and of course, my dad left me no instructions and my mom's only comment was, "Pensy, what are you going to do for Dad's service?"

Dad's "assignment" over the past few years was to write me a "Doomsday Book". When I was up with him in January, I gently asked him how the writing was going. His response, "Oh, good, babe. Yea, good. You will find everything you need in the metal box by my desk." The day after he died, I tiptoed up to his room to look for my book and you guessed it. The neatly typed Title Page was the book in its entirety. And so, feeling the heaviness of my dad's death and the fragility of both my mom's and brother's condition, I decided we needed to throw a party in Dad's honor.

While the flags all over their island were lowered to half mast and the antique fire truck was draped in black, our party for Dad was actually fun, moments softened with a few tears here and there, but mostly replete with laughter. One of Dad's most honored achievements was that he was a commissioner of the volunteer fire department and an honorary fireman, and so we had his party at Firehouse #3. I went full throttle on a display with different vignettes that told his story, right down to the foods and snacks he loved...hence the peanut butter. We had his letter sweater from high school, trophies won from sailing, medals from The War, oars from his beloved dinghy, books from the library, his walking stick and trowel and the piece de resistance...a collage of every theater and event ticket he had saved and a list of 85 favorite things. In the background, we played his favorite show tunes.

It makes me smile just to think about that day. My mom is still getting letters and cards which make her smile and my brother is happy . All is good. Here is one of the foods we served. Dad loved a good deviled egg and he loved Firehouse #3.

Firehouse #3 Deviled Eggs

10 large eggs, hard-cooked and shelled

1 clove garlic, minced

2 serrano chilies, seeded and minced

1/2 cup real mayo

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder

1/4 teaspoon good chili powder

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon chopped cilantro

1 teaspoon chopped chives

Slice off top 1/3 of each egg and set aside. (It is a great help to slice off the bottom of each egg so that it sits flat and doesn't roll.) Scoop out the yolks and mash together with the rest of the ingredients except the chives. Refill egg white shells. Garnish with chives and serve chilled. Serves quite a few unless you are also feeding firemen. Those guys can eat!

Hot Dogs? You're dog-gone right!

As a little girl, I don't remember thinking very much about hot dogs, or even eating them for that matter. As an adult, I don't remember thinking about them at all until this summer. Well, yes, I take that back. They are iconic and perfect at the ballpark. Drowning out thoughts of "what's in these things?" with mustard and beer, fireworks and a good game works. But neither the thought or taste would linger.

Now, it seems that hot dogs and granola (more on that later) are all I think about. I am totally enamoured with hot dogs. But, here's the catch. Like Popeye would say, "I am what I am" and so, of course, I am trying to rescue the hot dog from its current hazardous waste condition and junk food demise. By George, I think I have done it.

After devoting nearly a week to eating nothing but hot dogs (seriously!), my family taste testers and I have come up with something fun: three really Great Dogs. Well, we already have three really great "real" dogs that I have written lots about before: Stuart, Lillie and Annie. And so, using their three sparkling personalities as a template, my sous chef Stuart and I spent four hours in the kitchen one afternoon making their signature "dogs" and they were a hit with the peanut gallery. There weren't even any leftovers for breakfast.

And so, my mission continues and is taking me on a rather curious but tasty course and honestly, I am a little bemused. First the granola and now the hot dog. Who knew? I am going to share my discoveries on Thursday with my First Thursday in Hillcrest pals.

For those who are looking for the recipe that goes with this week's New Clean Plate Club...it's in the next post.

Punch'ed out twice!

I have lost this recipe so many times it isn't funny. I put it in a place where "I will never lose it" and poof...it's gone. "They" (those ubiquitous know-it-all's) say we spend three weeks of every year looking for stuff. I'll tell you what. If that is true, I am well into my allotment for 2010, maybe 2011. And so, as I was getting ready to write this morning, I couldn't find the recipe...again. I even had to call my daughter, hoping I had tucked it in a cookbook I just sent her. No, I hadn't and the search began. That was the first punch out.

The second punch out is that this entry really is a recipe for punch, a beverage concoction I am usually not overly fond of, and so I am actually surprising myself by writing it. Most punches are way too sweet or subtly laced with far more alcohol than they 'fess up to. But, this one...well, it is just as straight forward and spirited as can be, a little sweet and a little tart and a great way to toast the last few days of summer.

Now, if I just can remember where I put the password to this blog....Cheers!

Tropical Sangria

2 limes, thinly sliced

2 small star fruit, sliced crosswise

1 bottle chilled white wine

12 ounce can of mango nectar, chilled

1 mango, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

12 ounce can of ginger ale, chilled

1 bottle sparkling white wine, chilled

Mix everything in a large punch bowl and serve it up! Add a few ice cubes and slices of lime for garnish. Fills a nice-sized punch bowl.

Lend me your ear

I love it when fresh corn hits the market and lands up on my dinner plate. The sweet, crisp, juicy, butter-dribbles-down-my-chin taste of fresh corn means S-U-M-M-E-R to me. Where I used to spend my summers as a kid, we watched the fields like hawks to make sure that the corn was "knee high by the Fourth of July" and then eagerly waited for first ears to fill the farmers market. There was always a certain anxiety until we saw and tasted those first ears. Did we time our vacation days right? Will the corn be in? Please, let it be in!!!

I love fresh corn in any color: yellow, white and the "butter and sugar" combination and now, there is even a red kernel that is wonderful. One of my favorite memories of going shopping with my Dad in the summer was stopping by Harbes Farm Stand and having an ear or two of their famous roasted corn and a glass or two of their fresh squeezed lemonade. We would sit down at one of their picnic tables or walk around looking at all the other fruits and veggies. They all looked great, but corn was king in our book! I can still see and taste the delights we shared.

Here is a recipe for roasted corn that we make on the barbecue grill:

Roasted Corn

Allow 1-2 ears per person and extra sweet butter

Sea salt and fresh black pepper

Buy corn the same day you plan to serve it and ask the farmer or grocer when it came in. Some corn will still be sweet sitting a couple of days, but most will turn a little "starch-y" and will not have that delectable fresh-picked flavor.

Remove silks but not husks from each ear. Soak corn in cold water for about 20-30 minutes. When your grill is hot, remove corn from water and fold back husks. Place little bats of sweet butter directly on the ear of corn in 3 or 4 spots. Replace husks and wrap in foil. Place foil packet on grill and cover with grill cover. Smoke for about 20 minutes, rotating once or twice.

To eat, remove foil. The corn in its husk will be very hot!!! You may opt to remove the husk or peel it back and use it like a holder. Add extra butter, sea salt and pepper. Bite in...either "around the world" or "typewriter" style will do!

Squash that rain! The picnic's on !

Today's New Clean Plate Club menu was supposed to kick off our new theme for August: sun-drenched summer picnics. However, as I was writing the newsletter, it was absolutely pouring outside. So rainy, rivers of water were surging down our street and so dark, all the lights have been on inside, all day. Nothing sunny about tonight's picnics plans. However, it won't be the first picnic to have a change of plans and menus, right?


I remember stubbornly holding onto those picnic thoughts when we lived in Ohio. It was Memorial Day weekend, our children were 1 and 4 and I was determined that we would do what other Americans were doing elsewhere, cooking out and eating picnic style. It didn't matter that it was still winter-like in Cleveland. No sirree, what's a 30 degree temperature when you want to have picnic fun? It adds a little nip to the occasion for sure! And so, as well as shoveling off the 'barbe, I also dressed myself and the kids in our parkas, lit the grill, cooked outside and my husband hauled the picnic table and benches out and we ate picnic style...mittens and all!

Here is a warm food recipe for a cool weather (or a rainy weather) picnic! It has all the tastes of summer and just a little heat to take the chill out of the day.


Squash Fritters

1 zucchini or summer squash, shredded
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
Sea salt or kosher salt
1 egg, beaten to blend
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons light beer or club soda
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
Extra virgin olive oil or canola oil

In a bowl, combine shredded squash with the flour and a pinch of sea salt. Stir in the egg, baking soda, beer or club soda and basil. Continue stirring until the mixture is the consistency of pancake batter. Heat about 1/4 inch oil in a skillet over medium heat. Drop batter by heaping tablespoons into the skillet. Fry on each side about 2-3 minutes or until puffed and golden brown (and no runny insides!) You may need to add a little more oil. Place cooked fritters on a paper towel to drain and keep warm until ready to eat or devour immediately! Serves 4.

Cool, delicious, red and sweet

"Cool, deIicious, red and sweet". Oh, my...it can only mean watermelon...one of summer's sweetest fruits. When our kids were young, we had an "old fashioned" ice cream freezer and hand cranked it at every occasion. (I think the electric freezers are a real improvement!!). We made "anything but plain" vanilla and chocolate, creamy frozen custards and fruity flavors like fresh peach, blackberry and pumpkin. The flavor and velvety texture of handmade ice cream (to say nothing of the fun of licking the paddle) can't be topped. I found this recipe that is sure to cool down the hottest day and make an already delcious part of summer eating, even better. Go grab a spoon and an electric ice cream freezer and get cranking!

Watermelon sorbet is one of the best summer desserts that's ever been invented. Because the fruit is so naturally sweet, you only need to add a little bit of sugar syrup. Makes 1 quart.

3-4 cups cubed watermelon (about the amount in a quarter of a whole mid-sized watermelon)

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

1-2 tablespoons vodka (do not use a flavored one)

Tip: Have your ice cream maker prepared by placing the drum in your freezer for at least 24-hours before you plan to make this dessert. Also try to make this sorbet at least 8 hours before you plan to serve it, giving it time to be fully frozen.
Tip: The vodka keeps the sorbet from freezing into a solid block of ice after you place it in the freezer but it adds no discernable taste. If you cannot or don't want alcohol in your sorbet, be attentive to how long you freeze the finished mixture before you serve it or else leave at room temperature for some period before serving it so that it softens bit.

In a saucepan combine the sugar and the water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook at a low boil or high simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has completely dissolved, about 10 minutes. Remove the syrup from the heat and let cool. This sugar syrup can be made in advance and refrigerated until you're ready to use it.

Prepare your watermelon by cutting the pieces from the inner, darkest part of the melon where it's the sweetest, and make the effort to remove all the seeds, including the little white ones.
Place the cubes of melon in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process until the fruit is completely smooth and liquefied. Pour the puréed fruit through a fine mesh sieve set over a large bowl or a 4-cup glass measuring cup. Press down on any fruit that remains in the sieve so as to extract all the juice. This captures any seeds you may have missed. Discard anything collected in the sieve.

Combine the strained watermelon purée with the sugar syrup. You should have about 4 cups of dark pink, very sweet purée that has a strong watermelon flavor. Cover and place in the refrigerator until it's well chilled, at least an hour and maybe longer depending on how cooled the syrup was.
When the purée and syrup mixture is very cold, add the vodka and stir to combine.

Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and freeze according to its manufacturer's instructions.
When fully thickened and slushy and frozen (this may take 20 or so minutes), transfer to a plastic container and place in the freezer to finish reaching its finished frozen state.

Enjoy every bite!

Cook it like it is, Sister!

My sister-in-law, Alice, is a wonderful cook and between us, I think we have cooked everything imaginable from scratch. She has a wonderful flair with fresh foods and actually grows many foods on the farm she and my brother have in Nova Scotia. While our family was together, my brother and I had many "cook-off's", but Alice was on her own and in her glory with this dessert. Challenging her was futile..the girl can make a pie!

She usually holds out on this recipe but begging paid off and so here is Alice's Grasshopper Pie.

1 8 1/2 ounce package chocolate wafers

2/3 cup sugar

4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 eggs, separated

3 1/2 tablespoons green creme de menthe

4 1/2 tablespoons white creme de cacao

6-8 drops green food coloring*

1 egg white

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

2 cups heavy cream

3 tablespoons vanilla

3 tablespoons confectioners sugar

chocolate shavings

Preheat oven to 375. Crush wafers and combine with 1 teaspoon sugar and then, cream with butter, using an electric mixer. Line a 10-inch pie plate with the crumb mixture and bake in the oven for 12 minutes. Cool. While crust is cooling, sprinkle gelatin into 1/2 cup cold water in a saucepan. Add 1/3 cup sugar, 1/8 teaspoon salt and egg yolks. Stir until well mixed and heat gently, stirring constantly until gelatin has dissolved and mixture has thickened (do not boil!).

Remove from heat and stir into it the green creme de menthe and white creme de cacao. Stir in green food coloring *( you may want to omit this). Refrigerate for about 15 minutes or until mixture starts to gel slightly, about the consistency of unbeaten egg whites. Beat the 4 egg whites with cream of tartar and remaining salt to stiff peaks. Gradually beat in remaining sugar and fold into liqueur-flavored mixture. Combine 1 cup heavy cream with 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla and 1 1 /2 tablespoons confectioners sugar and whip. Fold whipped cream into liqueur-flavored mixture and then turn into pie crust. Chill pie several hours or overnight. Top with remaining cream, whipped and flavored with remaining vanilla and confectioners sugar. Garnish with chocolate shavings.

Serves 8-10, maybe!!

Family Feud

Well, not really a feud!! Every time my brother and I have a chance to get together, which is not very often, we cook and have fun turning dinner into a "cook-off". While our inclinations are different...he is usually all about meat and as you know, I am the Veggie Queen, we both love to have at it with the 'barbe. While we were in New York, however, it was so rainy that the thought of firing up the barbecue in the rain was less than appealing. We made excuses until the very last night he was there and then, let it rip. Rick braved the elements, mixed up his "magic marinade" and I brushed it over tuna steaks and sweet Shinnecock bay scallops. We served these delectable morsels with fat, al dente asparagus topped with herbed summer squash and wild mushrooms. Divine, if we say so ourselves... and not a feuding word uttered!

Rick's Magic Marinade

Grated peel of 2 lemons

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/8 teaspoon red pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

2/3 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon coriander

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Combine all in a glass jar, give a good shake and refrigerate until ready to use. Makes one cup.

Frozen memories

Whew...it has been a spring!! So much has happened and at whirlwind speed to boot. I was in the "food belt" of Long Island and thought I would have to float home (soooo much rain). Despite all the turmoil, the fun part of all the late spring weather was the pop in the farm markets. Over the four weeks I was there, stands opened their doors and a lot of gorgeous and delicious produce filled up their tables. Hardy flowers and herbs cascaded out of pots; beautiful beets, carrots, potatoes and "greens" of every color had enough sparkle to rival the luscious berries; eggs (blue, green, brown and white) were fresh with amazing golden yolks and the snap peas were sweet as candy...hardly even needed cooking. Asparagus was available in three colors and soooo plump and sweet. Except for the rain, it was truly a Veggie Queen's paradise!!


I was in New York to plan the celebration of my dad's life. In late May, we had an afternoon of his favorite foods, music and memories. He loved all the farmers markets and was one of the founders of a large community garden. Every spring he and his garden buddies planted their plots with personal favorites, swapped their extras throughout the season and then, at the end of summer, had a harvest dinner. Dad loved Swiss chard, peas, sunflowers, berries of every kind and his own brand of "Magic Beans". He had a green thumb and everything he planted grew like crazy. While I was down in the basement looking through the freezer, I found one of his culinary specialties. Although he didn't grow it himself, he put his own touch on his favorite "veggie-fruit" of spring: rhubarb. He made this sauce, froze it and dished it out generously on "Friday night ice cream"...another favorite, another sweet memory.


Dad's Rhubarb Sauce

4 cups rhubarb (6-8 stalks), cut into small pieces
3/4 cup sugar (yes...true!)
1/4 cup water

Place all ingredients in a saucepan; cover and bring to a boil. Uncover and let simmer over medium heat until all rhubarb has melted down....about 20 minutes.

Dad also used to add Five Alive, a citrus juice concentrate that is no longer available and in its place, he tossed in some frozen OJ. This is a tangy sauce despite the sugar and is great as a fruit, sauce for meats and of course, as he meant it, an ice cream topper!

There is something fish-y here

My dad was born in China and as a young girl, that was soooo confusing. Remember those reports we (or at least I) had to write in elementary school about our families? For me, it was a nightmare that made no sense. You see my dad's mom was born in Mexico and so by the time I got through explaining my dad's and grandmother's origins, I was totally confused and felt isolated as no one else in the class had such a far-traveled family tale! To make matters even more confusing, they lived in Canada most of their lives until dad went to college. Phew!

As an adult, I wanted dad to go back to China and see where he had lived, but by the time he applied for a passport, he was beyond the adventuring stage. And, it took some time for the government to figure things out, too! We tried to locate Grandma Jean's birthplace while we lived in Mexico but so much had changed. Maybe that is what discouraged dad from revisiting his birthplace. Anyway, we still have his beautiful silk baby booties!

Here is a delicious Asian sauce recipe that is perfect on rice or soba noodles and welcomes the addition of some shrimp if you'd like it even "fishier" or tofu. It is spicy and so you may want to tone it down or fire it up!

Lime Chili Sauce

1/3 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
¼ cup finely shredded carrots
½ teaspoon chili paste
1 tablespoon each chopped fresh mint and cilantro

Whisk all together. Makes ¾ cup

This one's for "The Sisters"!

You'd think, the way I have gushed about Stuart Little for two posts, that he was the "only" one. Our kids say I am guilty of favoritism and I guess I am...at least that's what is evident here in writing anyway. However...we do have two other sweeties, Annie, a black and white rat terrier who channels Audrey Hepburn, and Lilly, a curly haired Cairn-ish terrier with "natural red highlights" that make me envious. They are high energy cuties who like Stuart, just happened into our lives and luckily have stayed. They are mostly outdoors during the day and now, because they have calmed down a little (oh, those terriers!), they are coming in the house earlier at night and have become the resident lounge lizards on our couch. We call them "The Sisters".

Lucky for them, The Sisters' domain is the backyard. That is prime property...yes, without a couch but definitely with its own perks. The barbecue grill is there. They are oh-so-happy to see me yank out the charcoal and light up the grill. That means food is coming their way first...little droplets of tasty fat, morsels of meat or fish that fall off the grate or that I happen to flip with too much energy, even roasted veggies that slip off the skewers. All good, all theirs. And, all goes to the quickest to dive under the grill and scarf it up. Let Stuart have the house; they have the eats! They are on high alert throughout the grilling process, which is a good thing. Their attention spans (Lilly's is a little shorter) work as well as a timer or meat thermometer. They know when things are done.

A girl (or two) can only wait so long for dinner.

Despite lots of rain around here, I fired up the 'barbe a couple of weeks ago and started cooking out. I always have to remind myself that as a trained nutritionist, I am supposed to know and do better. Try as I may, I always want to sneak a little bite of roasted, charred fat and one bite leads to another. Oh, the flavor! Oh, the crisp! Oh, just one or three bites won't hurt, right? But, I grill out a lot for about 6-7 months of the year and so, to be safe, I do the following:

1. Marinate everything in an acid-based marinade (I often use a combo of marinade, dry rub and basting sauce)

2. Don't let things catch fire (don't laugh)

3. If they do, cut or scrape off and don't eat charred area, especially fat

4. Sear quickly over direct coals for "effect" and to seal in juices

5. Finish over indirect heat in back section of grill

Here is a basic marinade I use for everything...veggies, fish, chicken and even tofu. It is the Little Black Dress of my sauces and yes, The Sisters love it.

"The Sisters"Little Black Dress Lemon Marinade

Zest of one lemon

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup fruity olive oil

1/4 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

In a glass jar, mix lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Shake to dissolve salt. Add garlic and rosemary and taste and adjust flavors. Add more garlic or use other herbs instead of rosemary. Try basil, lavendar, lemon mint or thyme, oregano. Play with this and dress it up or down. Makes about 1/2 cup. Marinate foods for at least 30 minutes up to two hours. Also, marinate overnight if that works better for you!