Happy Anniversary

Posted on May 16, 2012 by Marilyn

January in Belize with my grandson

It’s May…my website has been “up” for a year now. And this month is my 40th wedding anniversary! Unbelievable to me… So, I’ve decided this week is author’s choice and I am writing this post openly and honestly about my personal relationship with food and with my body.

I don’t know if I have written that I don’t have, and in fact have never had, food “rules.” I grew up in a household where we were allowed to have leftovers from dinner at breakfast time and where homemade baked cookies were always around. I never step on my scale – I only use it to weigh my luggage so I can avoid paying extra fees. I don’t count calories – in fact I’m somewhat clueless about caloric content of many foods. I have never dieted. My weight doesn’t cycle up and down  and my tighter fitting items of clothing usually feel the same. I am happy with my weight and my body. I am not perfect by any means – I have a substantial tushy, cellulite on my thighs and my waist is definitely bigger than it was 10 years ago. But I think my body looks good for someone my age. I secretly believe the reason I don’t have facial wrinkles is  because I have never dieted and I am not too skinny. All of this is most likely part of why I love to cook; I enjoy not only the process, but I like to eat too.

I realize my story is not the norm. It always makes me unhappy when friends put themselves down and talk about being fat, having to go on a diet, or needing to go to the gym to burn off calories.

So I thought I’d share my credo:

I eat only when I am truly hungry. And I try to eat what I crave at the time. I sometimes eat every three hours or sometimes two times a day (usually not). Nine times out of ten I have a very distinct sense of what it is I want to eat. For example, yesterday’s breakfast consisted of a rye bagel smeared with ricotta cheese and topped with marinated smoked peppers – with some fresh fruit salad and my latte, of course. That is what I craved and it tasted great.

The perfect breakfast!

I never, ever eat or drink “diet” foods like diet soda, low calorie cookies, artificial sugar substitutes,” light” this or that. I do not own or keep clothing that is too small, or too big. My personality is such that I love variety in food, so I don’t have the same breakfast or lunch every day. The exception is that I adore leftover food and might have the same soup for lunch three days in a row if that sounds good to me. Otherwise I give my extra food to friends or family, or freeze it for later if it is something that freezes well.

As an aside, I gave my kids free reign with food from a very early age. I never remarked about them gaining weight or looking fat. I had my children make their own lunches to bring to school from the time they were about seven or eight. They gave me weekly shopping lists and they could pack anything they wanted for school as long as they did this without my help – it could be cold pizza, cookies, candy, sandwiches…whatever they wanted. Other parents were horrified and thought I was lazy and irresponsible. My daughter would make elaborate concoctions to take to school. My youngest son really disliked school lunches and didn’t like sandwiches, so he would take odd combinations of food. Guess what? I found out that my middle son would take candy and cookies, then trade it for sandwiches and healthful foods his friends’ mothers packed. Many of his classmates were not allowed to have sweets, and because Daniel could have sugary food at his discretion, he didn’t really care about eating it. To him, it was a bartering tool. Fast forward to today: all three of my kids are normal weight, no one has ever had food issues and all three eat pretty healthfully. I can’t say this is 100% due to my wonderful mothering because genetically our families are not overweight, and we all exercise (but never obsessively) several times a week.  It is not pure luck that I am not overweight!

I don’t feel the need, ever, to finish my food. It isn’t helping the starving people in China, as they used to say. When I am full and satiated I stop eating. I leave food on my plate (gasp!).  I always told my kids and their friends that they didn’t have to finish food or “clean their plate.” Most people look at me like I am a lunatic when I say this.

I always have toasted nuts in a dish on my kitchen counter as well as a jar of homemade biscuits or cookies. They last a long time because everyone knows they will be replenished instantly once they are eaten. In other words, there is not a “charge” or awful feeling about eating something forbidden.

I don’t eat in the car, I never eat while watching television, I don’t walk around the house and eat, I don’t stand at the counter and eat…99 percent of the time I sit down, I set the table with a placemat, with cutlery, with a pretty plate and glassware and napkin and I make my meal or snack the focus of my attention. I really taste the food; I don’t talk on the phone and eat. I don’t read the paper and eat…I savor my food – sometimes with music in the background and occasionally I’ll even put a flower or two in a vase by my place setting.

I also know that if you grew up, as most do, with food rules and regulations and diets that it is hard to get beyond this and be guilt free with food, no matter what. I get that. I also beg young parents to think about the messages you give your kids when they see you constantly step on the scale, or berate yourself or your spouse for being fat. I wish everyone could be at peace with their body and with their food choices and stop obsessing about food and weight.

Enough … I’ll get off my soap box now. But I can’t help but end with this. Below is a picture of a pillow my  sister emailed to me. In my mind… it really is all about balance. And, of course, a bit of chocolate.

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Coconut Cake

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Marilyn

Click here to view recipe.

Coconut Cake Reminiscent of Cha Creek Delicacies

During our first family trip to Belize in 1998, we stayed inland, close by San Ignacio town at The Lodge at Chaa Creek. During the ensuing years we have returned to this sustainable “green” resort with our family, friends and visitors to take a canoe trip down the Macal river, tour the butterfly farm, go horseback or bike riding or to enjoy their delicious meals. However, this past fall was the first time since my initial trip that I actually stayed overnight at Chaa Creek. I went on this trip with a number of goals: touring the Chaa Creek Preserve, the 33-acre Mayan Organic Farm run by owners Mick and Lucy Fleming, poking around their Global Kitchen and visiting with the chef, Mario.

This is a first class, sustainable jungle lodge started by the Flemings in 1981. Mick is English and Lucy grew up in New Jersey! They now employ 130 workers and have built 25 cassitas that are scattered across their property. They run a first class restaurant and bar as well as a spa and offer numerous tours to their guests. Our accommodations were beyond gorgeous and the cassita fit seamlessly into the natural environment. Every morning I awoke to the sounds of bird calls. Since my first visit almost 15 years ago, the lodge has expanded and there is now a huge pool and conference center on the grounds. Many couples choose this venue for their wedding or honeymoon.  Prince Harry recently chose this top notch lodge as a destination and stayed there during his visit to Belize!

I was happy to meet Mario, the executive chef who has been at Chaa Creek for three years. Mario was extremely friendly and he is passionate about creating local dishes using the produce and products grown on the Mayan farm. Like many of the employees, he lives in Crista Rey, a Mayan village nearby. Maria, our waitperson, has worked at the lodge for 23 years. She was kind enough to let us practice our rudimentary Spanish while she served us delicious food.

Delightful Dining Area

The lodge offers an abundance of tours and excursions from cave tubing, Mayan ruin excursions, horseback riding, canoeing – seemingly endless possibilities. The highlight of my trip was a private, guided tour of the Mayan organic farm, led by the Chaa Creek owner Mick. On the way, we were amazed to see an expansive woodworking shop where most of the furniture is crafted for the lodge. We spent a couple of hours watching compost being “fed” and observing the many chickens, goats (they supply milk for the lodge, which is also made into cheese and yogurt) and other animals feeding off the land. Mick is, understandably, quite proud of his farm and is slowly but surely learning how to raise a variety of fruit trees and vegetables using ancient Mayan methods (no sprays or fertilizers!). The entire staff’s dedication to authenticity and natural produce made me appreciate their food all the more!

With Mick On The Farm

I urge you to visit the Lodge’s website where you’ll find amazing Belizean and local recipes. One dessert I ate at Cha Creek reminded me of a cake I have made here in the States. It is simple and the ingredients are usually in my pantry and refrigerator. I’m thinking that in the future I will use coconut milk in place of cow’s milk and possibly some coconut oil to replace some of the butter. This cake delights guests who aren’t chocoholics – and even though I love chocolate I also enjoy making and eating this cake.

Tropical Coconut Cake

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Cake Ingredients
  • 1 stick salted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 ¾ cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder (aluminum free)
  • ½ cup milk or coconut milk
Topping Ingredients:
  • 6 Tbsp butter
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup cream or half and half
  • 1 ¼ cup shredded sweetened coconut
Cake Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees, and adjust the oven rack to the middle of the oven.

Cream butter and sugar for 4 minutes with an electric mixer, add the eggs one at a time along with the vanilla. Continue to beat 1 minute. Stir the baking powder and flour together so they are combined. Add ⅓ of the flour/baking powder mix just until incorporated, then add ½ of the milk. Alternate adding flour and milk, ending with flour. Do not over beat.

Put into a greased 10” x 2 inch cake pan. The batter will be thick – spread it evenly with a spatula. Bake for 35-45 minutes (my oven took 45 minutes) or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove the cake pan to a rack and let the cake rest for 10 minutes. While it is cooling, make the topping.

Topping Instructions

Melt butter in a 2 quart sauce pan, add brown sugar and whisk until smooth. Cook over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add cream and whisk to incorporate. Heat another 1 minute – do not let it boil or simmer. Remove from heat and stir in coconut. Let cool about three minutes then spread on warm cake (that has cooled for 10 minutes).

Spread topping to evenly cover the top of the cake and broil at 400, rotating constantly until it bubbles all over and becomes slightly brown. This happens quickly so be careful.

Cool cake and slice into pieces to serve. Cover the remaining cake tightly with saran and foil – this stays moist for few days. The cake also freezes beautifully, tightly wrapped, for up to 2 months.

Note: You could substitute some chopped toasted pecans for part of the coconut if you’d like. I have also made this in a springform pan (line the bottom with parchment) and put the cake on a beautiful cake stand for company. This recipe as written works for me and looks pretty because I plate it and serve it with some fruit on the side.

I am thinking that next time I might drizzle it with melted bittersweet chocolate.

Did I mention that I will absolutely go back to Chaa Creek as soon as I can? The two nights we stayed there were so relaxing and peaceful. If you plan to visit Belize, this is a place you should not miss.

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Dessert Platter: Read On….

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Marilyn

Dessert Platter - delicious cheese, balsamic reduction, honeycomb, berries

Figuring out what to make for dessert when planning an evening with friends always presents a dilemma for me. Don’t get me wrong – I love sweet things. But honestly I’d rather have a piece of good, dark chocolate than, say, a decadent slice of cake or pie. Grilled or poached fruit? Right up my alley. I am often too full for anything but a few bites of a bona fide dessert.

Luckily, I can find inspiration for such decisions easily and often ideas come from my favorite muses – my family! When my sister stayed with me recently she brought a large piece of fresh honeycomb from her travels to Savannah. She then proceeded to make a dessert platter to mimic one she was served in Georgia. Sadly, my refrigerator contents were not up to par – I had been traveling to the Midwest and not had ample time to restock my cheese stash. So she demonstrated as best she could: we drizzled some fig-strawberry balsamic reduction onto a plate (any type of balsamic that is syrupy would work), cut a 1 ½ inch piece of honeycomb oozing with honey onto one side, made a pile of thinly sliced Italian Parmesan cheese on the other (she really wanted to use good blue cheese but alas…), and piled some fresh berries in the corner. We stacked some homemade seeded crackers into a glass, added broken pieces of bittersweet chocolate, a bit of fig jam, fresh pistachio nuts in the shell, some dried apricots and voila! Heaven on a plate.

Homemade crackers accompany the platter

We took a homemade cracker (next time I will make them with some dried diced cherries) and topped it with some jam or honey and cheese, then ate the other components with our fingers. I plan to use this type of dessert platter to follow a rich, filling meal. I might slice some tart apples, and try various cheeses and nuts just for variety! And if you want to make your own balsamic reduction (which I highly recommend) – here’s a link to a great recipe.

This type of platter can also be made and used as an hors d’oeuvres plate- just incorporate more savory items: cubes of smoked or fresh cooked salmon, blanched vegetables, pepperonata to name a few. We actually had this as dinner recently prior to a 7:30 midweek play! So many options… I encourage you to let your mind go wild. Root around in your refrigerator. Making hors d’oeurvres or dessert platters can be much more fun than just serving a hunk of cheese or a slice of cake!

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Quinoa Salad

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Marilyn

Click here to view recipe.

Jakey Boy

Jake, 26, is my youngest son, and when he was growing up we called him “Jakey Boy.” He is 6 ½ years younger than my second son and 8 ½ years younger than my daughter — so it comes as no surprise that he is part youngest child and a lot “only” child. My grandchildren only call him “Jakey Boy” or “Uncle Jakey Boy.” In fact his nephew Isaiah, age 3, asked him what his middle name was and Jake replied “Boy.”

When it comes to food, Jakey Boy and I have identical palates… we both adore all kinds of veggies and fruits, grains, sushi, and high quality food in general. Two to three stars of heat, thanks for asking. Baked goods and sweets are a lower priority – unless they are crème de la crème, brown butter dark chocolate chip cookies, or my biscookies. We both eat small, frequent meals, and we know exactly what we want to eat. You can imagine how thrilled I am that for now he is living and going to school in Seattle. He’s always up for trying a new restaurant or sampling a new recipe, although he is brutally honest with his opinion. This makes me love him all the more!

So this post is dedicated to Jakey Boy. It’s a simple quinoa salad with fruit, cheese and nuts that I have made for years but forgot was in my computer “salad” files. Jake made it while back in Philadelphia and New York visiting college friends, and told me it is so perfect that I needed to post it. Here it is:

Quinoa Salad

Jakey Boy Quinoa Salad

Serves 6-8

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Ingredients:
  • 1 ½ cups quinoa, rinsed
  • 4 ½ cups water
  • 1 cup cooked garbanzo beans, freshly cooked or canned and rinsed well
  • 1/2 cup dried unsweetened, unsulphured cherries
  • 1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced ¼ inch
  • 1/2 cup toasted pecans or walnut pieces, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon grainy mustard
  • 2 Tablespoon sherry vinegar
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 Tablespoons walnut oil
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 2/3 cup crumbled high quality feta cheese (I love Pastures of Eden)

Salad Ingredients

Instructions

Bring water to a boil over high heat. Add quinoa and simmer until it is translucent but still has a bit of crunch, about 12 minutes. Drain and return the hot quinoa to the sauce pan. Cover with a towel for 10 minutes so the moisture absorbs.

Once it cools to room temperature, combine the cooked quinoa with the chickpeas, dried cherries, bell pepper, and nuts in a large serving bowl.

Put the honey, mustard, vinegar, salt, pepper, and oils into a small bowl and whisk to combine. Add more honey or seasoning to taste. Gently stir the dressing with the salad and add a bit extra salt and pepper-but be careful not to over salt because the feta itself adds saltiness.

Serve immediately or refrigerate for a few hours overnight. Stir in the cheese right before serving. This keeps a few days in the refrigerator and leftovers taste delicious.

Note: You could eliminate the walnut oil and instead use ¼ cup of olive oil, but I love the nutty taste of walnut oil with this salad. I have used dried chopped apricots or cranberries but strongly prefer the dried cherries! And I have made this salad with farro and with kasha too in place of quinoa yet quinoa is my fave!

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Hallelujah for Halibut!

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Marilyn

Click here to view recipe.

Halibut with Oven Roasted Peppers & Sweet Onions

Let me begin by saying that I love, love, love Pacific halibut — and it thrills me every spring when it makes its first appearance at our local markets. I can’t even count the ways I prepare it: on the grill, in the oven, broiled, wrapped in parchment, etc. The delicate, firm white meat never disappoints me – it is moist and succulent and takes on any flavor profile, whether it’s a simple sear with lemon or the more savory addition of roasted onions and peppers. I am so fortunate to get the best the ocean has to offer right here in Seattle from my favorite fishmonger Kenny at Uwajamaya.

I’ve known Ken for thirty years so we have literally grown up together, and in all this time I have NEVER, EVER had a piece of fish that is substandard. I contend that everyone would love fish if they would buy it from a place that has large volume and from a fishmonger they trust.

Perfect Halibut

Earlier this month, I invited my local family (only seven adults live here now) to celebrate my brother Kal’s 57th birthday. Kal has been an amazing uncle to all his nieces and nephews – he taught my kids to ski, he helped them with homework and has taken them hiking, camping, you name it. It’s like my kids have a third parent! So we were all thrilled to be able to celebrate him.

To surprise him, I prepared halibut in the oven and everyone loved it! It never fails to please – especially served alongside a wonderful green salad, a fresh fruit salad, quinoa salad and marinated asparagus. And I can’t forget the chocolate stout cake – made with Scharfenberger chocolate – my favorite. Whenever I make dinner, I like lots of choices and many side dishes – the more the merrier, leftovers welcome. Despite being full from dinner, everyone was able to take home leftover cake and salad! Kal even took some of my organic quinoa so he can make this salad for home.

Happy Birthday Kal!

Halibut with Oven Roasted Peppers and Sweet Onions

Serves 4-8*

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Ingredients:
  • 4 halibut steaks split in half lengthwise, about 1 inch thick
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 8 grinds of fresh pepper
  • 1 very large sweet onion, cut in half, slice halves into ⅓ inch half circles and separate the pieces
  • 1 orange pepper, cut into ⅓ inch strips
  • 1 red pepper, cut into ⅓ inch strips
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • 1 lime, (zest for pepper/onion mixture, juice for fish marinade)
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, cut into thin pieces
  • 6 branches of fresh thyme
  • 1 more lime, juiced for serving the fish
  • sea salt and pepper to taste

*I always figure about ½ pound of fish per person.

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Combine peppers and onions with orange and lime zest and add in 2 Tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes, stir and add thyme and garlic and continue cooking 20 more minutes. Remove the vegetables to a bowl – they will be used to top the fish.

Meanwhile, marinate halibut in lime juice, olive oil and pepper for ½ hour. Remove from marinate – dry the fish and discard the marinade. Put the fish on the now-empty, rimmed baking sheet and top with the cooked pepper/onion/garlic/thyme mix. Bake 12 minutes. Remove from oven and squeeze the remaining lime over the entire dish. Season with more salt/pepper and serve.

Happy birthday to the best little brother in the world! He is 3 minutes younger than his twin sister, Katie.

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Sesame Asparagus

Posted on April 11, 2012 by Marilyn

Click here to view recipe.

"Smart" Phone Photo Op with Eileen in our animal bathrobes!

Let me begin by saying that this is a remarkable story, a true story about a surreal experience I had at the end of March. My friend Eileen and I planned an overnight trip to Portland, Oregon…just a quick getaway to eat, shop and sight-see. Portland is a three-hour drive from Seattle and it had been years since my last visit. For the record, I lived there for a year between1974 and 1975; it has, of course, changed and grown since that time and is now a fun, vibrant city.

I investigated, copied parts of a New York Times article about Portland and booked a room at the Hotel Vintage Plaza – a lovely, midsize hotel close to downtown, the Pearl district and great restaurants. Lia, the guest services representative of the hotel, was most helpful in suggesting things and places we might enjoy prior to and during our visit.

Let me be clear that I often discover places on my own that are not written up in newspapers or magazines – places that are fantastic for food or shopping. This ended up being the case in Portland. Through talks with shop owners, we were introduced to 23rd Street (LOVED) and we found a number of enchanting stores right around our hotel, such as the Portland Mercantile and several small boutiques. Neither place was ever mentioned in our research. We did read about the Pearl District and spent hours traipsing from clothing and home decor stores to art galleries. Frankly, we didn’t really love any of the stores we perused as we found them too contrived and young for a couple of 60-somethings.

Food Cart Falafel!

However, Lia suggested we try the food carts which literally line an entire square block and learned that these “food cart colonies” are clustered all around town. What a concept – like a mobile food court! I sampled falafel and Eileen chose Mexican food, which we took to the park nearby. For dinner, we made reservations at Andina, a Peruvian restaurant close by our hotel that my friend Kathy loved. Considering that Kathy is a foodie in every sense of the word, I always trust her restaurant recommendations. Again, the restaurants suggested in newspapers didn’t strike my fancy as much as great Peruvian ethnic food!

We took a short taxi ride to Andina and spent two hours sampling six various Peruvian tapas. The menu was peppered with several quinoa dishes, breads, salads, and desserts. I was happy to discover a number of dishes featuring passion fruit including a delicious salad called Ensalada Verde Peruana – greens topped with hearts of palm, cotija cheese and asparagus drizzled with a passion fruit salad dressing that was so good I asked about how to prepare it. Our server informed me that the chef used about 20 various ingredients for this dressing! (No, I did not get the recipe.) My favorite tapas was composed of thinly sliced red and golden beets flanked on one side with a ribbon of tasty, green vegetable puree and on the other with shaved, sesame scented, pickled vegetables. By the end of the meal we were tired and gave up plans to listen to jazz, returning to our hotel by taxi.

Beautiful Beet Salad

The following morning we decided to wander around downtown, but Eileen could not find her cell phone. I called from my “smart” phone to her antiquated flip phone, surmising that if it rang we would find it buried among our belongings. No dice. We even got in the car and I again called her number. No ring. Eileen wasn’t that worried because she uses this $40 phone only for emergency contact and rarely makes calls and certainly has no important data stored. However, if it were truly lost, she would have needed to call her carrier, cancel the number, buy a new phone…you know the drill. No fun. Both of us are incredibly careful about organization and do not misplace our belongings, so the missing phone started to drive me crazy.

Lo and behold, a few minutes passed when my phone rang and Eileen’s number popped up. “You’re calling me!” I chirped, then realized her CELL PHONE was calling my cell phone. A taxi driver, in very broken English, told me he found a cell phone in his taxi. It took several tries and I finally understood the address where he told us he’d wait for us to retrieve the phone. Little did we know that his location was 30 plus minutes from downtown – over bridges, down boulevards, and into the bowels of the Portland suburbs. Along the way I fantasized that this man would become Eileen’s future husband – the man of her dreams.

My trusty but annoying portable GPS (who I nickname “The Lady”) gave us directions and miraculously we found the location and the taxi driver, wearing red pants as he described. He was young, toothless, and very sweet. Eileen was so grateful – she hugged the taxi man and told him what a kind, wonderful person he was. The whole ordeal exhausted us and we could not believe what had happened. It took us at least fifteen minutes to realize that this man in the red pants had been our taxi driver who transported us the previous night to Andina!

Anyway, you’re probably wondering what all of this has to do with cooking and I must admit – absolutely nothing. However the Peruvian salad I enjoyed reminded me that asparagus is in season in the Pacific Northwest, so I thought I’d share one of my favorite, easy salads that I make this time of year: marinated asparagus. Back in my catering days, I used to serve this with salmon and noodle kugel. You’ll find this lovely tender vegetable in the spring, and the marinade has so few ingredients but brings asparagus to life. The asparagus and dressing can be made separately a day or two ahead of serving, so this is my spring “go to” dish when I attend a potluck or have company for dinner.

Marinated Asparagus

Marinated Asparagus

Serves 6

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Ingredients:
  • 1 ½ lb of fresh asparagus
  • 2 tsp sesame oil + 2 tsp canola oil
  • 2 Tbsp tamari sauce
  • 1 Tbsp brown sugar (or to taste)
  • 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds and/or 2 Tbsp of slivered roasted bell pepper, yellow or red
Instructions:

Snap off the ends opposite the tips of the asparagus. Unless the stalks are pencil thin*, I peel the stems with a veggie peeler (if thin, you can omit peeling), put in large deep sauté pan with an inch of water. (My sauté pan is 11 inches in diameter.) Bring to a boil, and lower to medium heat for 5-7 minutes until the asparagus is bright green and barely tender when pierced with a fork. Leave the top off the fry pan when doing this.  Remove the stalks of asparagus and put into ice water and let sit for 5 minutes. This stops the cooking and quickly cools the vegetables. Place the stalks onto a dry dishtowel, making sure the water is absorbed, and then put in a sealed bag or container.

Mix the rest of the ingredients into a small jar and taste for sweetness. I often make a double batch of the dressing which keeps for a couple of months refrigerated.  When using it for this recipe, it takes very, very little dressing.  Roll the asparagus in the dressing right before serving or the dressing will make the asparagus turn a much less vibrant color.

To serve, place on a serving platter and top with toasted sesame seeds. I usually garnish this with slivers of roasted red and yellow pepper.

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Meatball Matzo Ball Stew

Posted on April 4, 2012 by Marilyn

Click here to view recipe.

Meatball Matzo Ball Stew

Passover is almost upon us, and I’m looking forward to traveling to the Midwest to be with my family for the first Seder Saturday night. Since today is the first Wednesday of the month, I am featuring a simple recipe that I make year round but always during Passover, when wheat and leavening is not to be consumed.

Everyone who has ever sampled this one pot dish raves about the flavors. It is a warm, comforting meal-in-one, and I include a lot of vegetables in the pot along with the meat and matzo balls. In our house we call this “old man food” because we’ve found that older men love the familiar flavors and textures of the stew – it reminds them of food they ate in their youth!

You don’t have to be Jewish or observe Passover to make this stew. It is super easy and you’ll have dinner for several nights!

Hearty Meatball Matzo Ball Stew

Serves 8 or more

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Ingredients
  • 2 lb very lean ground chuck (I always use grass fed organic meat)
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¾ c matzo meal ( or ½ c breadcrumbs if it is not Passover)
  • 1 ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • 1/3 tsp fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 ½ c zucchini, cut into ¾ inch cubes
  • 5 carrots, peeled and sliced (2 cups)
  • 1 large parsnip, peeled and sliced (1 cup) or you can use all carrots and eliminate parsnips
  • ½ yellow bell pepper, seeds removed cut into ½ inch dice
  • 3 stalks celery, sliced ½ inch (3/4-1 cup)
  • 1 large chopped onion, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch dice (2 cups)
  • 1 ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup tomato juice
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 recipe matzo balls
Instructions:

Mix first 5 ingredients, and gently divide the meat mixture evenly to make 12-14 meatballs, about 2 inches in diameter. Place these on a waxed paper-lined, flat tray while you prepare the stew.

Prep and place all the cut veggies in a 6 quart soup pot then add the tomato sauce, tomato juice, water and sugar (I add sugar or honey whenever I used canned tomatoes to cut down on the acidity and find it makes a big difference). Stir well to combine.

Top the veggie/liquid mix with formed raw meatballs. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover to let it slowly simmer for 35 minutes. Baste the meatballs every 10 minutes with juice, being careful not to break them apart.

Meanwhile, make one recipe of matzo balls (from a package or from scratch, depending on your time frame and how industrious you’re feeling). A package of Manischewitz matzo ball mix needs to have 2 eggs and 2 tablespoons of oil added, then formed into about 10 1-inch diameter balls. Handle the mixture gently with wet hands – do not over handle. After the raw dough has been refrigerated for 25 minutes, place the uncooked matzo balls into an 8-quart pot of rapidly boiling water. Make sure the pot is very large as the matzo balls tend to expand. Immediately cover the pot, turn down the heat but be sure the water continues to boil. Do not lift the lid until 25 minutes have passed.

Matzo Ball

After 25 minutes, remove the lid of the matzo ball pot and gently remove the cooked matzo balls and place them on top of the cooked meat ball/veggie stew. Cover the pot containing everything now and cook 10 minutes longer, basting at least once so the balls do not become dry. It thickens so be careful not to burn it!

When serving, be sure to top with some chopped parsley for color and consider serving along with a nice, simple green salad.

Note: once the meat balls and matzo balls are gone, I often repurpose the hearty liquid broth by adding more vegetables and even a scoop of cooked quinoa (also allowed during Passover since quinoa is not a grain). At times other than Passover, this is marvelous with fresh sliced challah dunked into the liquid stew. Steamed potatoes also make a good addition. YUM!!

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Fruit Crisp

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Marilyn

Click here to view recipe.

Beautiful Hayley

If any of you are wondering what to get a new mom after the baby is born, think about delivering a home cooked meal. Mind you, I only do this for special ladies like my daughter’s best friend Hayley, who lives in Seattle. Hayley is my only hope to lure my daughter back to this city, I’ve known her for ages, and I love her like one of my own.

Hayley recently had her second baby and I clearly remember when I rang the doorbell to deliver dinner after the birth of her firstborn. Both she and her chef-husband expressed so much gratitude for the fairly pedestrian meal I brought. (Incidentally, if you bring a meal for those who cook on a regular basis, do not ever worry about what to make or how your food will taste. It’s the best gift to have someone cook for you!) For this second pregnancy, we had brunch together two days before her daughter Mia’s arrival and carefully planned what type of food she would want – so I knew I would arrive with a dinner they would love.

A Feast Fit for a New Family

Hayley gave birth to Mia on the last Monday morning in January and by Friday I was packing disposable pans with Belizean chicken, brown rice, seasonal greens with basil vinaigrette, homemade challah and a berry crisp right out of the oven. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I’ve written about both the chicken and challah right here on My Global Kitchens website – so you know they have extra special meaning to me! It was such a delight to meet little Mia. And I promise I behaved myself – I didn’t stay long OR kidnap the baby.

Hayley told me about an internet site called Meal Train where someone who wants to organize meal delivery can offer this as a “sign up” sheet for family and friends. Brilliant! Why didn’t I think of that?? I believe we should all keep this in mind for anyone in need of nourishing meals: an elderly relative, a sick friend, a new neighbor, anyone. Just..do…it!

The dessert I brought them, a berry crisp, has a story of its own. Hayley served crisp at her wedding and LOVES this dessert. I always keep a bag of crisp topping and frozen berries and/or peaches ready for a quick, wonderful finale. Sometimes I put a little fruit in a two person oven dish for me and my husband, and if I have unexpected company or am not in a mood to fuss over something complicated, this is my go-to, end-of-the-meal surprise.

Fruit Crisp - Right Out of the Oven

Fruit Crisp

Serves 6-8

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Topping Ingredients:*
  • 2 cups regular flour
  • 2 cups packed brown sugar
  • 2 sticks butter, cut each stick into 8 pieces
  • 1 cup rolled old fashioned oats
  • 2 cup walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped
Filling Ingredients:
  • 5-6 cups fruit (see options below)
  • 3 Tbsp flour
  • ½ cup granulated sugar (or less, depending on the sweetness of the fruit)
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

* makes enough for four-brownie size square pans, about 8 cups. I normally use 2 cups of this per 8-9 inch square pan

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

For the crisp topping – combine the 2 cups of flour and the 2 cups of brown sugar into the bowl of the food processor fitted with a metal blade, and pulse to mix. Add the butter and use the pulse button to combine the butter with the flour. Stop pulsing when mixture is the texture of moist crumbs. You could also do this (cut the butter into the flour and sugars) manually with two table knives.

Place the flour/sugar/butter mixture into a large bowl, and add the oats and nuts. Use your fingers to work everything together gently.

I then remove 2 cups of this for the 9 inch crisp I am making and freeze the rest!

Crisp Topping

Combine filling ingredients in a bowl to mix well, then place mixture into a buttered baking pan.

Place 2 cups of the topping on top of the fruit, covering the entire exposed filling; especially around the edges.

Bake for 45-60 minutes in the center of the oven or until you see fruit juices bubbling up through the topping. You may want to place foil or a larger rimmed cookie sheet underneath the crisp while baking it to catch the juice.

Cool on a wire rack. This is best served slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, crème fraiche or whipping cream.

Ideas for the fruit (I have used different combos of the following):
  • Strawberries and rhubarb
  • Mixed berries
  • Thinly sliced (1/4 inch) peeled apples (I mix golden delicious and granny smith)
  • Peeled & sliced peaches
  • Unpeeled & sliced plums
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Ceviche by the Sea

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Marilyn

Click here to view recipe.

Refreshing Ceviche

Ceviche: How much do I love thee? Let me count the ways: I love you in a big wood bowl with a spoon for dinner, I love you as an appetizer with homemade corn chips, I can eat you day after day after day.

When we first started building our home here in Belize 12 years ago I tried ceviche in every restaurant in town! A fishing guide of ours, “Skinny,” bragged that he made the best ceviche around and he demonstrated his technique for my hubby. He used a large amount of fish and lots of fresh, local vegetables. We love his recipe and make it every single time we are down in Belize and for each and every visitor. It’s a must-eat in our home and has almost become a religious experience!

If you can chop, you can make ceviche. Nothing else quite hits the spot on a hot, hot day – something about the saltiness, the crunchiness and the spiciness speaks to me when it is 85 degrees outside. I think its appeal is due in large part to the big hit of citrus. Belizean ceviche is known for an abundance of freshly squeezed lime juice. The acid from the limes changes the texture of the fish, yet bacteria and parasites can remain so it is ultra important to begin with washed, clean ingredients.

Chop Chop!

The quantities below provide a guideline, but feel free to add more or less of anything to your own taste. For example, I usually add more onions and celery for crunch. And be sure to use the freshest seafood available!

Belizean Ceviche

Makes ~8-10 cups

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Ingredients:
  • 1 pound of seafood-this can be medium peeled shrimp, snapper, grouper, cod, lobster, conch…anything white.
  • 8 medium sized limes, juiced
  • 1 large carrot
  • 1 red onion (or white sweet onion)
  • 2 stalks of celery
  • 1 red or yellow bell pepper, seeded
  • 1 large tomato, seeded
  • 1 cucumber, peeled and seeded (in the U.S. I use English cucumbers, which do not need peeling)
  • 1 bunch cilantro, washed and finely chopped (about ⅓ cup packed once chopped)
  • Salt and pepper to taste (it takes lots of both)
  • ½ habanero pepper, seeded and minced very fine or a hefty amount (~ 1 Tbsp) of habanero hot sauce such as Marie Sharps. Wear gloves if you are handling fresh habanero peppers!

Ingredients

Instructions:

Use a large ceramic or glass bowl to hold the chopped ingredients. First, dice whatever seafood you use into ½ inch pieces. Place in bottom of bowl and juice enough limes so the juice barely covers the seafood.

Meanwhile dice carrots, onion, celery, pepper, cucumber and tomato into small, uniform pieces, about ¼ inch. Mince cilantro and add all of this to the bowl of seafood. Mix well, add hot sauce or habanero and salt/pepper.

Place a dish on top to cover the ceviche and leave it in the refrigerator. Stir well every hour. Less dense fish (i.e. white fish) takes less time to be ready and denser seafood (i.e. conch, lobster and shrimp) takes longer. I really prefer using a fairly dense fish that can hold up to the lime juice – I find the more delicate white fishes get “mushier.” Taste after 2 hours and inspect to see if the fish is no longer opaque. The mixture will lose some volume as it juices. Add more salt, ground black pepper or habanero sauce at the end to taste.

The Perfect Plate to cover the bowl of Ceviche while it "cooks" in the refrigerator!

We like to serve this with fresh tortilla chips and, of course, a nice cold beer or Margarita. And when we’re feeling extravagant, we’ll put together a batch of freshly made Caipiringas made with rum instead of Cachaca – the perfect accompaniment to my favorite Belizean treat!

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Onion Infused oil

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Marilyn

Click here to view recipe.

Magestic Machu Picchu

As you have likely discovered, I travel a lot. So it should come as no surprise that we accumulate a ton of airline miles – which makes traveling to exotic locales much more viable. About eight years ago, our accrued mileage was begging to be used so we decided to explore a new area in South America. We were in the mood to explore a new culture and get out into nature. Machu Picchu had always been a dream destination – so we cashed in our miles and headed to Peru. As luck would have it – we timed it perfectly because we were set to depart in January – a mere two weeks before the Machu Picchu hiking trail closed for the year.

I honestly don’t know what we did before the Internet. It makes it so easy to research and plan travel. After just a few hours of perusing various travel sites about Peru, we decided on a 2 ½ week trip encompassing three varied areas: Machu Picchu, Manu (the rain forest), and Arikeepa (in the Southern part of the country). To make our lives easier, we decided to engage a tour company that specialized in the region and, after viewing many websites and noting comments from former clients, we settled on Go South Adventures. Wayne began email correspondence and discovered that this adventure outfit was based in Ballard, Washington – a stone’s throw away from our home in Seattle. Talk about a small world!

The tour company did a marvelous job of providing guides in each location who were intimately familiar with the local cultures. We were able to avoid touristy shops, Americanized restaurants and ho-hum hotels. In other words, we could do this trip OUR way in OUR time frame and be able to tweak our trip if need be. Just our style.

We barely saw Lima when the plane landed at midnight and after a brief rest at a local motel, we departed the following morning to the gateway city of Cuzco. This is common practice and helps people acclimate to the altitude before traveling to Machu Picchu. But more than an intermediate resting stop, Cuzco is a beautiful city. The area has a significant Spanish influence and the streets were lined in cobblestones.

Locals & Llamas in Cuzco

I read in our guidebooks about the public market and was instantly intrigued. We were warned that the market could be highly dangerous, but how could I not experience the huge public marketplace??? Our guide Juan assured us that he would keep an eye out for potentially dangerous situations there and off we walked to the market without purses, backpacks, or fancy clothing. Of all the central marketplaces in the world, this was THE most exciting and diverse. Many of the vendors were wearing native colorful garb – and believe me, it was not to impress the tourists. I suppose most people follow the guidebooks’ advice and steer clear of this market. In fact, we didn’t see any American or even European travelers anywhere near this magical spot. What a shame!

Peruvians grow a huge variety of fruits and vegetables, many of which were on display at the market. We gazed at heaps of various potatoes, numerous types of dried and fresh beans and a variety of meats including baby llama carcasses used for religious ceremonies. Incense filled the air as we walked among countless food stands and stalls bursting with clothing, kitchenware and handmade items. We lingered for more than three hours – it was heaven. The people are so friendly and welcoming. And the food … oh, the food!

At the Marketplace

One of the best parts of our travels throughout this wonderful country was the bounty of fresh produce. I’m a vegetable fanatic and the multitude and variety was simply incredible. At one of the restaurants I noticed a fresh onion flavor emanating from the plate of roasted potatoes and multicolored fresh beans. So, naturally, I asked the waiter about the dish. The secret? Spring onion infused oil! The vegetables were served at room temperature and were cooked and seasoned to perfection.

To be frank I love roasted vegetables of any kind, but I do tire of the same old preparation, particularly in the winter. This recipe is a close rendition of what I ate in Peru, and I make it now and then – especially in the winter when root vegetables are in season and I’m looking for a way to jazz them up.

Steamed Vegetables with Onion Oil

Spring Onion Oil

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Ingredients:
  • 1 cup vegetable oil such as canola
  • 3 bunches green onions (also known as scallions or spring onions)
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions:

Wash and pat dry the green onions. Trim off the roots and the very ends of the green stalks and cut the remaining onions into ⅛ inch slices.

Over high heat, warm the oil in a quart saucepan until very hot. Quickly, with an oven mitt on your hand, add the sliced onions and salt all at once. The oil splatters so have a lid ready to cover the pan just after you add the onions. Continue to fry the onions 2-3 minutes as the edges become brown and the onions get crispy. Turn off the heat and let the scallions continue cooking in the hot oil so that they become golden to dark brown.

Cool to room temperature in a glass jar, and then keep in the refrigerator for up to a month. Use to flavor steamed vegetables or as a condiment for salads, pastas, sandwiches and roasted meats. My favorite preparation is to quickly steam small halved new potatoes, cauliflowerettes, carrots, parsnips, broccoli flowerettes, and cubed yellow pepper. After the vegetables are blanched I plunge them into ice water, and then dry them well on a kitchen towel. Into a casserole dish they go with very little of the onion oil, salt and pepper. It’s a Peruvian-style vegetable dish that cannot be beat!

By the way, I used some of this onion oil in making my crackers and it gave them an unbelievable flavor!

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