Normally when I go to the grocery store I stick to my shopping list; the one exception being loss leader items (sale items we use often). During a shopping trip I found the bok choy too tempting to pass by. These mini green lettuce type vegetables looked so beautiful I just had to alter the week’s menu to accomodate them.

I never gave bok choy a second look until I met a friend of mine, Daravahn, who is from Loas. She used them all the time in stir-fry and soup. Bok Choy is a type of cabbage often used in Chinese cooking. It is believed to be one of the oldest vegetables in the Chinese diet.

To prepare the bok choy for cooking, start by trimming the end of the stem off. Separate and wash. Cut the green leaf parts from the cream colored stem. Because the stem takes longer to cook always cook the stems first.

4 pork chops
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 baby bok choy
6 cups chicken stock, or equal parts vegetable and chicken stocks
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch Cayenne pepper
1 pound noodles

Season 4 chops with salt and pepper. Cut into strips.

Heat oil in a wok or large skillet. Cook pork chops 3-5 minutes (depending on how thick they are) each side. Remove.

Add onions. Cook 3 minutes or until tender.
Add baby bok choy stems; cooking until tender. Add leaves, cook until wilted. Remove bok choy.

Add 6 cups broth, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp ginger ground, pinch cyanne pepper, and 1 tsp seseame oil to hot pan. Bring to a boil, add 1 pound noodles. When tender return pork and bok choy to pan. Serve with green onions.

A creamy white sauce mixed with green peas and chopped chicken, or in this case turkey, is my version of a cheap, super fast, totally yummy kids friendly meal. Pasta with ‘white sauce’ is a family staple in our house. I am bound by law to make pasta with white sauce at least once a week. Even our pickiest eater has graduated from only eating plain pasta, to adding just a little white sauce to his noodles.

2 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 pound cooked pasta
1 cup fresh or thawed frozen peas
2 cups cooked turkey
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoon flour
1 cup milk
1/4 cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese
salt and pepper, to taste

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onions, garlic and celery. Saute until celery is soft and onions translucent. Remove vegetables from heat.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in the same pan. Cook garlic in butter until fragrant about 1 minute. Whisk in the flour, stirring until smooth. Carefully pour in the milk constantly whisking until sauce is smooth. Cook sauce until thickened about 3 to 5 minutes. Add grated parmesan. Stir until melted and well blended.

Toss in cooked pasta, turkey and peas. Heat through.

One of the biggest celebrations in Sweden around Christmas time is St. Lucia Day on December 13th. The day was named after a young woman who was martyred for her faith in a Christian religion. The story tells of a young woman who helped to nurture the needy hiding in the catacombs in Rome by bringing them food despite the growing sentiment against those who believed in a Christian God.

In Sweden on St. Lucia Day girls and boys dress in white. One older girl is chosen to bear the candle wreath upon her head and leads the company of children in a parade. The St. Lucia tradition has grown in popularity throughout the world.

Each family chooses to celebrate this day in a different way. In my sister-n-law’s, Natalie, home the oldest girl dresses in white, dones a wreath, and serves everyone baked goods in their beds. We like to choose a service project to help someone in need. We also make sweet rolls for breakfast and Swedish meatballs with mashed potatoes for dinner.

Source: Simple Recipes
Serves 10-12 (about 40-50 meatballs)
Meatballs:
4 tbsp butter, divided
1 large yellow onion, finely diced (or grated on a cheese grater)
1 cup milk
2 1/2 to 3 cups bread crumbs (or 4-5 slices of bread processed in a food processor)
1 1/4 pound ground pork
2 pounds ground beef (buy the package that says market fresh or fresh)
2 eggs
1 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons salt

Sauce:
6 Tbsp butter
1/3 cup flour
1 quart beef stock

In a large skillet, sauté onion in 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat until soften and translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let cool.

Pour milk into the mixing bowl of an electric mixer. Add bread crumbs and let sit; about 2 to 5 minutes or until the milk is completely soaked up.

Add the ground pork, ground beef, cooled onions (reserving the pan to cook in), eggs, nutmeg, cardamom, salt and pepper. until the ingredients are well combined.

Use a cookie scoop to measure out tablespoon sized balls. Using your hands roll into meatballs. Set meatballs on a baking sheet.

In the same pan used to cook the onions, heat remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over medium to medium high heat. When the butter has melted add the meatballs in batches, careful not to overcrowd the pan. Brown meatballs on all sides about 40 seconds to 1 minute each side until nice and browned. Scoop out and place on a baking rack placed in a baking sheet. (This helps to drain the excess fat)

Sauce:
In the same pan over medium heat, add 6 tablespoons of butter for the sauce. When the butter has melted slowly add the flour, mixing continuously with a wire whisk until smooth. Cook about 1 minute longer to brown. Continue to whisk while adding the broth in a steady stream. Whisk sauce until it is completely smooth and void of any lumps. Bring to a boil then turn the heat to low; simmer about 5 minutes more to thicken.

Add the meatballs to the sauce and turn the heat down to low. Cover the pot and cook on low heat for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

To serve, remove the meatballs from the sauce and place in a serving bowl. If desired add the sour cream mixing well. Serve with Lingonberry Jelly, boiled potatoes and steamed green beans.

Variations:
– Mix a couple tablespoons lingonberry, cranberry, red currant or raspberry jelly, into the sauce before serving.
–Mix 1/2 to 3/4 cup sour cream with the meatballs in the serving bowl.

Photo: by Bunny Cakes

Beverage:

Slug Butter beer

Black Quagmire Potion

Appetizer:

Freshly Picked Graveyard Morsels

Skinned Vampire Fingers

Zombie Brains

Crispy Fried Bat Wings

Main Course:

Roasted Heart of Troll

Ogre Eyeball Sub

Dessert:

Snickers Cheesecake

Fruity Ghosts and Pumpkins

Photo: Courtesy of Istock Photo

One of my favorite children’s books is, “The Blackberry Mouse” by Matthew Grimsdale. “The Blackberry Mouse” is a wonderful tale about a greedy young mouse who learns a valuable lesson about friendship. The story ends with Mouse and his neighborhood friends gathered together around the table enjoying a blackberry feast. There is blackberry jam, blackberry jelly, blackberry pies, lots and lots of blackberry tarts, and blackberry juice.

September marks the beginning of apple season. Mounds of succulent apples have already made their way to the market. The fall apple harvest reminds me of Mouse’s elaborate table laden with delectable blackberry goodies. There are so many wonderful edible creations to make with apples. What better way to celebrate the fall apple harvest than with an Apple Feast.

Many apple farms across California open their orchards to the public to celebrate the apple harvest. U-Pick It farms are ideal for an adventurous family outing. Although, the fun need not stop once the basket is filled. The real excitement begins at home making apple cider, apple jelly, apple butter, applesauce, apple pie, apple turnovers… However, fanfare such as this should never be enjoyed alone.

Mouse, in the story Blackberry Mouse, recognized that blackberries are nice but even better when you share them. Preserved goods such as jams and butters make perfect gifts for Christmas or to say “Thank You”. Tasty cakes, muffins and turnovers make the grand beginnings for a family apple festival.

Photo: Courtesy of HomeMadeSimple.com

An Apple Festival can be a small intimate gathering with family and/or friends. Or a grand event involving the neighborhood or community. Fun activities and good food made with apples are a must to pull off a successful Apple Feast.

**For those with allergies to apples substitute pears.

Apple Festival Activities:
Apple Bobbing- Fill a large container with water and apples. Bob for apples using only your mouth, no hands. Or attach apples to a string- participants must pull the apple from the string using only their mouth, no hands allowed.

Apple Crafts:

1. Apple Butter 2. Fruit Leather 3. Applesauce 4. Apple Dip 5. Apple Cake 6. Apple Turnovers 7. Praline Apple Bread 8. Autumn Cheesecake 9. Caramel Apples (caramel sauce) 10. Apple Cider 11. Fried Apples Pies 12. Spiked Apple Cake 13. Apple Zeppole 14. Apple Cider Doughnuts 15. Apple shaped cupcakes 16. Apple Pie-rate Ship 17. Apple Crisp 18. Fried Apple Fritters 19. Apple Spiced Punch 20. Apple Muffins 21. Apple Scones, Walnut Apple Scones 22. Apple Dumplings 23. Almond Apple Strudel Bars 24. Apple Pie 25. Candied Apples 26. Apple Strudel Bars 27. Creamy Apple Chicken Chili 28. Pork Chops with Apple Chutney

This version of Shepherds Pie, as it is referred to in America, is reminiscent of an old time country diner in the South. The flavor is superb. The bacon pieces sprinkled on top adds a little extra pizazz.

A traditional Cottage Pie would include both meat and more vegetables similar to Ellie Krieger’s Cauliflower with Mashed Potatoes Shepherds Pie. However, if you are searching for more of a meat and potatoes manly style pie, a Southern Cottage Pie is sure to hit the spot.

Source: Christine Fernandez
2 pounds lean ground beef
1 cup mushrooms
1 medium onion chopped
5 slices of pre cooked bacon
3 cups of beef broth
2 tablespoons of worcestershire sauce
4 tablespoons of flour
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
6 tablespoons of butter
1/2 cup of milk
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
6 large potatoes

Place potatoes in a pot, cover with water and bring up to a boil. Season water with salt and boil potatoes until tender.

Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add ground beef to the pan and caramelize the meat. Add in the mushrooms and onions and cook until tender,then season with salt and pepper.

While meat cooks heat a small sauce pot over medium heat and melt butter, whisk the flour into butter, cook 2 minutes then whisk beef stock into flour, add Worcestershire and season sauce with salt and pepper, to taste. Thicken.

Pour gravy over meat and turn on broiler.

Place drained potatoes back into the pot you cooked them in to dry them out a little. Mash potatoes with egg yolk, Parmesan cheese, milk and 2 tablespoons of butter. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper and spread across the top of the meat in an even layer. Garnish the potatoes with bacon and place under broiler to crisp and brown the potatoes, 2 to 3 minutes.

If you are looking to really stretch a dollar enchiladas are the way to go. A little bit of shredded meat can really go a long way. Use left over cooked chicken or a roast for more savings and shorten cooking time. Double or even Triple the batch to freeze for a later date.

The spice rub for the shredded beef is my go to taco seasoning recipe. For tacos I mix the quantity as stated but only use a tablespoon or two. Try ethnic markets or wearhouses to find good deals on spices and herbs.

Enchiladas:
Shredded Beef (recipe below)
Enchilada sauce (recipe below)
Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 small can sliced olives
1/2 cup chopped red onion
Flour tortillas
Cojitas cheese, crumbled

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread a 1/4 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 13X9 baking pan. Dip each side of a tortilla in the enchilada sauce. Fill tortilla with a few tablespoons shredded beef and cheese. Fold up the sides and place seam side down in baking dish. Pour another 1/4 cup of sauce over the enchiladas. Sprinkle with cheese, chopped onions and olives. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until cheese is melted and the sauce in the dish is bubbly.

Shredded Beef:
Source: Old Church Cookbook
2 1/2 cups of beef broth
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup onion minced

Spice Rub:
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 to 3 pounds chuck roast
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried coriander
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Heat olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. In a small bowl mix the cumin, chili powder, oregano, coriander, paprika, salt, and pepper. Rub the spice mixture all over the roast, completely coating the meat.

Place the beef in the hot pan for 2-3 minutes on each side to sear the meat. Transfer to a crock pot or deep casserole with a lid. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the beef broth to the pan stirring and scraping the bottom to loosen all the charred bits. Pour over roast. Add cilantro, garlic, and onion to pot with the meat. Cover and transfer to the oven. Bake 2-3 hours. Remove any fat then shred the beef using two forks.

Enchilada Sauce:
Sauce: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/ten-minute-enchilada-sauce/Detail.aspx
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 1/4 cups water or broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced onion
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in flour and chili powder, reduce heat to medium, and cook until the sauce starts to thicken slightly, stirring constantly to prevent burning the flour.

Gradually stir in tomato sauce, water, cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder until smooth. Continue cooking over medium heat about 5-7 minutes, or until thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

On our last outing of the summer before school started we stopped by our favorite fruit stand. We like to stock up on strawberries, cherries, and a bag of farm stand made chocolates. I had planned on making cherry turnovers; however, with the onset of school I ended up throwing the cherries into the freezer until a later date.

While researching a recipe for Pavlova, a native Australian meringue based dessert, I came across a cherry and goat cheese appetizer. My brain got to wheeling and I came up with a balsamic cherry compote idea. Two weeks later as I am making plain boring salt and pepper seasoned pork chops the thought occurs to me to have a go at the cherry compote. The compote was not intended for our picky eaters. Yet, surprisingly they each gobbled it up asking for more.

Source: Adapted from Just A Pinch
8 thickly cut boneless pork chops
Salt
Pepper
Dried sage
Olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 1/2 cups frozen cherries
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

Season pork chops with salt, pepper and sage.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Coat bottom of skillet with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Place pork chops in skillet. Cook 3 minutes per side, until no longer pink in the middle. Remove from skillet.
(If grilling drizzle chops with oil, season then place on grill 8-10 minutes each side at medium heat.)

Add onions and butter to same skillet. Saute until onions are translucent. Add the sugar; continue cooking over low heat for 5 minutes longer, until caramelized. Add the cherries and vinegar to onions and increase heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes more.

Serve each chop with a spoonful of cherry sauce.

Patterson California is known as the apricot capitol of the world. To celebrate the city’s stardom, every year the city crowns a new apricot princess in the downtown square. The orchards in spring are quite and impressive sight. The luminescent green underfoot the lacy canopy of blossoms reminded me of the cherry lane to Green Gables in the movie “Anne of Green Gables”. I was heartbroken a few years ago when progress swept up the orchard near the city center and planted a Walgreens on the corner.

The apricot harvest is at its peak right now. Apricots blossom early spring/late winter. But the fruit does not appear until July – August. Apricots were first discovered 4000 years ago in the mountains of China. Exports trickled into the Mediterranean and across Europe. The Spanish explores brought the apricot to California in the 18th century where they continue to flourish. The apricot’s beta-carotene orange coloring marks it high in iron, fiber and vitamin A. Medicinally apricots were once used with honey to reduce fever. The leaves can be applied to scabs, sunburn, and eczema to relieve itchiness.

The sweet tart flavor of apricots goes with just about everything from herbs to meats to salads.

Source: Cooking Light
3 tablespoons apricot preserves
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
2 bone-in chicken breast halves, skinned
2 bone-in chicken thighs, skinned
2 chicken drumsticks, skinned
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine apricot preserves, red wine vinegar, oil, and garlic in a small bowl, stirring well.

Prepare grill for indirect grilling. If using a gas grill, heat one side to medium-high and leave one side with no heat. If using a charcoal grill, arrange hot coals on one side of charcoal grate, leaving the other side empty.

Let chicken stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper. Place chicken, meaty sides down, on grill rack coated with cooking spray over direct heat; grill 5 minutes or until browned.

Turn chicken over; baste with apricot mixture. Grill 5 minutes over direct heat or until browned. Turn chicken over, moving it over indirect heat; baste with apricot mixture. Cover and cook 15 minutes. Turn chicken over; baste with apricot mixture. Cook 20 minutes or until done.

Variations:
- Asian Glazed Grilled Chicken: Combine 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil, 1 teaspoon sambal oelek (or other hot chile sauce), and 3 minced garlic cloves, stirring well until blended. Baste chicken with hoisin mixture after each turn.
- To roast in the oven bake at 350 degrees. Follow the directions listed above.

Photo: Courtesy of Wiki Commons

July is National Blueberry Month. The honor was issued by the United States Department of Agriculture on May 8th, 1999. However, blueberries have been recognized for their health benefits and as a major food staple for centuries.

Blueberry season is at its peak and there is much to celebrate about this plump little orb. The blueberry, unlike apples which came from Europe, is indigenous to North America. Native Americans referred to them as ‘Star Berries’ for the five-pointed star that forms on the underside of the berry. It was believed that the Great Spirit sent the berry from the stars to sustain them, and the wild animals, during times of famine. The blueberry plant was utilized as a whole in various ways. The leaves and roots were steeped to make teas. The berry juice aided coughs and made excellent dyes for fabrics. The berries were eaten fresh, dried, and in powdered form in cultural dishes ranging from stews to seasoning for meats.

The blueberry contains the richest source of antioxidants among all fruits and vegetables. Scientists believe the high concentration of flavonoids in the blueberry just might hold the key to resolving some of the most serious threats to our optimal health- heart disease, obesity and various cancers.

Antioxidants are made up of minerals, vitamins and flavonoids. Antioxidants work to neutralize the cellular dammage caused by harmful molecules called free radicals. Free radicals have been linked to the development of cardiovascular diseases, cancers, neurodegenerative diseases, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and blindness to name a few. The body is exposed to free radicals when burning sugars for fuel and other bodily functions; as well as from natural and chemical pollutants.

We get the purest form of antioxidants from eating raw fresh fruits and vegetables. The substance in blueberries, called polyphenols, is what gives the fruit its blue color and delicious flavor. Polyphenols are made up of two antioxidant compounds: non-flavonoids (ellagic acid in berries) and flavonoids (anthocyanins in fruit). Polyphenols are major contributors in cardiovascular health. Ellagic acid, when consumed regularly, has been shown to prevent against arterial hardening, or atherosclerosis. Moreover, the anthocyanins compound can inhibit the formation of new baby fat cells; thus, reducing triglycerides (a type of fat in the blood stream used for energy) and cholesterol.

Before running off to stock up on all things blueberry remember not all things are as they seem. Many of the foods advertised as containing blueberries are really synthetic knock-offs. Read the labels first to make sure the package actually contains real blueberries. As always nothing is better than the real deal. Stock up on fresh ripe berries this summer to enjoy later in the winter.

Pork with Savory Blueberry Sauce:
Mixed Greens with Feta, Almonds and Blueberries
Refrigerator Blueberry Jam:
Blueberry Pops:
Blueberry Pancakes:
Blueberry Sauce:
Blueberry Pie:
Blueberry Smoothie:
Blueberry Crisp:
Blueberry Scones:
Blueberry Bars:
Blueberry Muffins:
Maple Almond Granola With Dried Blueberries: