LOVE, HONOR and OBEY...YOUR FOOD WHIMS! No Soy Bok Choy and Summer Corn Salad

 

Tomato, Carrots, Scallions, Sunflower Sprouts, Corn and Bok Choy

I am making progress in this unexpected and unwanted journey into living and cooking "sola".

My refrigerator serves as evidence. No longer is it overflowing with unfinished and forgotten little somethings... (well, not as often!).  You can actually see what is within and even see some hints of the shelves peeping through.  That improvement is due to the new style of cooking and eating I have been striving to achieve:  creating new dishes out of small amounts of unused foods, and eating untraditional meals as I please. Or, simply said, I am eating whatever I want and happen to have on hand!

I didn't say it was neat, just an improvement!!

Those croutons in the bag could become part of a Caesar Salad or mixed with the leftover Chick Pea Soup (on the right) with some tomatoes (they are NOT in the fridge, ever!!) and rosemary for a Pappa al Ceci e Pomodoro; we'll see.

I love my husband, although it has been nearly a year since he left this earth. When I make his favorite foods, I silently honor him. We both obeyed our food whims whenever we could, and now I do so more often, and, truthfully, more easily, but not more happily.

  Love always...inspiration forever...

So, Dear Bob, some of what I create for myself would not hold your interest, but those that would, I heartily enjoy with you in spirit.

My recipes here, today, for Bok Choy and Summer Corn Salad would be a pleasant diversion for you. Last night's Mojo Pork and Yellow Rice with Black Beans would get more attention, and you would have loved the remaining rice and beans with ham and hot sauce I had for breakfast (!). Yup, you would...but, I imagine you would have "suggested" we have them with New England codfish cakes!

The hot sauce is of course our favorite Piri Piri

Last week, I bought some beautiful Baby Bok Choy at the produce market. The usual way of preparation for this beautiful vegetable is Asian Style, but my taste buds were just not cooperating or desiring Asian flavors (unusual). Of course, I did not want this treat to go unused, so I got creative, "sola style".  Remember, use what you have, and let your food fancies guide you. NO SOY BOK CHOY (still a joy, :( ..  sorry) is the result.

Bleu Cheese Crumbles, Baby Bok Choy, Smoked Jalapeno Almonds, Garlic

NO SOY BOK CHOY

2-4 heads baby bok choy

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 - 1/2 cup bleu cheese crumbled

jalapeño flavored smoked, salted almonds, chopped coarsley

peanut or canola oil

Wash bok choy. Cut bottom stem and separate larger leaves. Keep center intact. 

Heat oil in a skillet. Add minced garlic or use a press. Saute for about half a minute. Add bok choy and cook until imbued with oil and garlic. Add a splash of wine, water or stock, cover and let steam for a few minutes.  Uncover and top with cheese and nuts.

Bok Choy cooking with garlic and wine

SUMMER CORN SALAD

This salad has no recipe. It is "sola style".  Cut fresh corn off the cob, either raw or slightly steamed.

Toss it with chopped vegetables including something from the onion family, scallion, shallot, red onion, chives, etc., and fresh basil or thyme.  Toss it with a white wine, cider or white balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and olive oil. Let sit to meld flavors and serve as in or on greens. A touch of jalapeño or hot sauce would not hurt!

Sauteed Sole with Panko, Summer Corn Salad, No Soy Bok Choy

Both of these recipes can be  varied at will. You could change the bok choy into Greek Bok Choy with feta, olives and tomatoes, or use walnuts and a dijon mustard vinaigrette, etc.

The corn is also good with a creamy ranch style dressing with cherry tomatoes..

We will always share a lovely bowl of fruit and a cup of coffee

Obey your food whims "sola", and enjoy, Gina

  

MEMORIES OF SUMMER: Life changes; the food is forever

We all have memories of summer.  They grow and change with us as we mature, but the seasonal harvest remains the same and is a continuous part of our lives. My childhood memories are of endless days of sun, sea, the beach, fresh fish and produce from the gardens of my grandfather and later, my Dad.  My Dad fished for sport and loved to grow veggies, fruit, herbs and flowers as a hobby.  We were never wanting for anything luscious in the summertime! My Mom preserved or froze much of our summer harvest for use during the long winter and kept the memories alive.  I was probably the only kid in my class who snacked on Lobster Pie, Asparagus Soup, and Fresh Peach Cobbler when I returned from a day at school! Those were the days of the Twinkie and the Devil Dog for others!

My  Handsome Dad on the High Seas in the Old Days..

Two Perfectly Steamed Maine Lobsters

(my Mom would freeze the meat from 2 dozen of these to make her Lobster Pies for the winter)

Later, after I married, we moved to what had been my summer home and brought up our children with the same kind of summer memories. My husband loved to garden as did his grandparents and mother, and he sometimes fished for sport. He tried to pass the passion on to the girls, but we all preferred to eat and cook the fruits of his labor!

Here, Emily seems interested in discovering gardening work..

Jennifer decided that if digging in the dirt was good, it must be good to eat it, so she tried feeding it to Amanda (without much luck), and Amanda picked and ate some Lily of the Valley Berries (poisonous!) while "helping" Bob garden, and was rushed to the hospital. She's the dramatic one!

None of us carried on the gardening tradition, but we continued eating and cooking summer's bounty with great enthusiasm!

Wild Salmon,  Striped Bass, Bluefish, corn and tomaotes, basil, blueberries, watermelon, peaches and raspberries, what would summer be without these things? 

Wild Sockeye Salmon

(my favorite is Coho or King, but Sockeye comes into season first)

Basil, Corn, Tomatoes and Zucchini, some of summer's best bounty

Tomato Basil Tart 

One of the things you can make of Summer's Bounty

Zucchini, now there's a veg that brings back some "mixed" memories. Truthfully, I do love zucchini and my Dad grew it well, so it was often prepared on the grill alongside the fresh fish he had caught. 

Grilled Zucchini, Citrus Sockeye Salmon and Sunflower Sprouts

Oh, summer, how I love thee..

Because zucchini is so prolific and easy to grow, everyone was growing it in the '70's. Recipes crowded the magazines and newspapers and neighbors passed along their "favorites" with a few of their home-grown prizes. Soon, it was best to hide as a neighbor or friend approached with a wrapped loaf of zucchini bread or a tin of muffins. They were good, but ubiquitous and soon became a dreaded object, almost as much as Christmas "fruitcake"! 

I even included a recipe for Zucchini Cake in my newspaper column. It was made the same as Carrot Cake and was actually very moist and tasty. Any Carrot Cake recipe with cinnamon and vanilla will do. Just substitute shredded zucchini for the carrots or do half and half! Cream Cheese Frosting, of course..

I still have two favorite zucchini dishes, one is from Patricia Well's, Trattoria, Tagliatelle with Fresh Parsley and Zucchini. Her recipe can be found online. It involves either buying or making homemade tagliatelle, which are noodles a little less wide than fettuccine, but you could use them or linguine if necessary.  The other is for my Zucchini Basil Curry Soup from the White Rainbow. I'll leave that for another post. It was and still is outstanding! Inexpensive and a soup for all seasons.

I have found a way to make a satisfying version of the pasta dish, and have some tasty zucchini left for a salad or vegetable accompaniment to meat or fish.l

GRILLED ZUCCHINI AND PASTA

1 or  2 zucchini

olive oil

minced garlic (optional, necessary for me!)

lemon zest

salt, coarsely ground fresh pepper

fresh parsley or basil

grated parmesan

linguine or fresh fettuccine

Wash and cut zucchini in half and then into "fingers". Generously season with salt, pepper, oil and garlic.  Let marinate for 15 minutes or more. Add some lemon zest. Just grate it over the zucchini.

I used Penzey's Trinadad Seasoning here, a blend of lemon zest, garlic, pepper and spice

Next grill the zucchini slices on a hot grill until browned, but still crisp.  Cut about 1/2 zucchini into pieces and toss with hot pasta adding more oil if necessary, basil or parsley, and grated cheese.

Save the rest of the zucchini to grill again with fish or meat or add to a salad or just eat cold!!

Don't let it get mushy!

I gobbled it all up, but saved a few zucchini slices...

Now I leave you with two more summer images for memory keeping..

Peaches and Raspberries for...

Peach and Raspberry Pie

(Someone has NO self-control!)

A Sunset View from our Summer (and winter) Home

A Memory never forgotten and well worth keeping...

Sola Gina

THE KISS PRINCIPLE: Keep it Simple Sweetheart

     Guess what would drive Bob crazy about this arrangement!

Simple is sometimes a welcome word in the kitchen, especially when cooking for one.  Simple means  not complicated, but it does not have to mean boring or dull.

Last week, after enjoying Thai food for 2 days in a row, I was ready for something a little more bland, some comfort food, but certainly not something insipid!! Comfort food, after all, can be mashed potatoes and gravy, or chili, depending on the kind of comfort one seeks! I was in the "roast chicken" comfort zone.

The first step in the creative process is to inventory what is available. Whimsical trips to the market always result in excess food which clutters my refrigerator and pantry, and depletes my bank account. Cooking "sola" has taught me this:  one person can eat just so much at one sitting, and whatever one does not consume can wind up lost,  lonely and forgotten. :(
 It is better to build a dish from what is on hand at the moment.

The chicken breasts and fresh broccoli I found reminded me of a popular dish from years ago,  one which we had recently featured in Apron's at Publix, Chicken Divan. It's a simple, comforting dish with    broccoli, wine and a cream sauce, just perfect for my mood..well, ... almost perfect...

Aha!  behind the broccoli were some mushrooms I had nearly forgotten, and... what are mushrooms without garlic... and sherry would give the sauce more body than the white wine in the original recipe!
Wow! Simple ingredients, simple cooking steps, yet I was excited about my dinner.  I added an onion and brown rice pilaf, and a simple salad, for a simply scrumptious meal! (sorry, I simply get carried away with alliteration sometimes!) :(


CHICKEN WITH BROCCOLI, MUSHROOMS AND SHERRY

1 - 11/4 pounds boneless chicken breasts or tenderloins, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons flour
all purpose seasoning (salt or salt-free whatever you like)
2 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, crushed or finely minced
broccoli florets (about 2-3 ups)
1/4 -1/2 pound sliced mushrooms (portabella for best flavor)
1/4 cup sherry wine
3/4 jar Alfredo Sauce (a good brand)
Grated Parmesan or other cheese to taste

Dust the chicken pieces with seasoned flour. Brown them in the butter. Add garlic and mushrooms and cook until mushrooms get slightly softened. Add sherry and let simmer for a few seconds. Add broccoli. Cover and cook a couple of minutes until broccoli is cooked, al dente, and still bright green.
Add Alfredo sauce and simmer together for a few minutes.  Top with grated cheese.

A nice comforting meal

Here was one comforting meal on he table, but this was not the end..I had lunch another day, and froze a portion of it for later! Yet..there was still a bit of Alfredo Sauce remaining.  Back to the inventory search (there is a connection between "invent" and "inventory" you know!!) for inspiration to create another night's comfort meal.

This time I discovered Dover Sole, and a package with one Maryland Crab Cake in the freezer. This brand of Crab Cakes, by the way, are great. I am not saying I will never make my own again, but these are an excellent substitute and you'll need no apologies if you serve them, and no regrets if you eat them! They are SeaPak Maryland Style Crab Cakes available in the supermarket, 2 cakes per package.

See the big lumps of real crabmeat!!  mmm..

I digress..I stuffed the sole with the crab cakes and rolled them. Butter sautéed scallion and wine added to the Alfredo made a nice sauce especially when topped with seasoned breadcrumbs. Another simply produced classic from the past:  Filet of Sole Stuffed with Crabmeat!!

Simple Steps

Another delicious comforting meal,  "Sola" Style

Learning to cook "Sola" is an adventure. I take short cuts I would never have imagined in the past, but the results are usually good and satisfying as long as the quality is maintained.  

Happy Cooking, Sola Gina.

SWEET SUCCESS: Salmon with Fennel Pollen

It's been awhile since I've posted, but I have been cooking in my new "sola" style, sometimes with success, sometimes not!  The one thing that remains consistent is the satisfaction of cooking from whole foods as opposed to processed, pre-prepared items.

Well..once in a while I succumb. Publix offers us a free item each month..once it was a Greenwise Frozen Pizza. I added fresh ingredients to the Spinach and Feta variety and it was not bad. Another time they offered Fried Chicken Tenders from the Deli. They were transformed into a salad ingredient and a pannino..pretty tasty!!
 This last is shameful and embarrassing, but it illustrates what stress and exhaustion can do to an otherwise sane person:  I ate Tater Tots and Lemon Meringue Pie for dinner one night. Now, in my defense, I slathered the Tots in Piri Piri and the pie was a luscious, homemade version reminiscent of my Mom's, more of a lemon custard pie than one of those gummy things you buy at the grocery. To complete this absurd scenario, I drank a nice New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with "dinner" and had lost 2 pounds when weighed in at the doctor's office the following day!!  I don't think there is a moral in that story.
.
Back to the more familiar "Gina" cuisine.
 One day, while watching the Food Network, Anne Burrell was waving her arms about, raving that this wonderful item was the secret to the great success of the pork chops she serves at her restaurant.
I, too, became excited..the description was tantalizing, and who would not want the secret ingredient to culinary bliss?
The next day I searched the internet for Wild Italian Fennel Pollen. I knew it would be expensive, it is after all, harvested from fennel flowers, the actual pollen! A quest similar to saffron, how exquisite it must be!!

Well, I found the smallest amount I could purchase and spent more on shipping than the actual product, but it was guaranteed pure, imported from Italy where I know fennel is wild. The expectation of a heavenly  taste experience was worth the price and the wait...the anticipation was exhilarating.

It finally arrived...

 and I immediately purchased a nice, thick, rib pork chop. Salt, pepper and some additional seasoning and then...the prized fennel pollen, the aroma was incredible..like a rich, musty licorice. I followed the instructions from the cooking show, dipping the fatty edges in the pollen. The aroma promised heaven, as it sautéed. I am not known for patience, so I tasted an edge before the chop was completely done...nothing! It smelled great, but no real flavor was detected. I sprinkled more on the chop.  The result was the same. It was ok, but nothing special. Maybe I did something wrong.

My quest continued each night as I tried something new, hoping to capture that flavor ecstasy. The aroma was always great and the taste always lacking. I felt defeated. I'm a foodie by reputation, I love new taste sensations, what was wrong with me??!! Maybe my taste buds are fading with encroaching old age...
 I tried Salmon, Alfredo Primavera Pasta sauce, more Pork Chops and Shrimp always with the same disappointing results:  ok, but nothing special.  In fact, once, I tried the "more is better theory" and my flounder was inedible!

Resigned to using the fennel pollen as an additional spice to whatever I happened to be making, I made a rub and sauce for salmon one night and EUREKA!! Fennel Pollen Paradise!
I've made it again and again, and it is now my favorite salmon. It tastes like Caramel Salmon, and  I've even found a substitute* just in case you don't care to invest in the herb (and in case I run out!) Enjoy!

SPICY SWEET SALMON WITH FENNEL POLLEN (for one)

Preheat oven 400

1/3 -1/2 pound fresh salmon fillet
Mix together:
1/2 teaspoon each, paprika, garlic powder, chipotle pepper or creole seasoning and fennel pollen
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar

Divide spice mixture in half
Brush salmon fillet with olive oil and half spice rub
Mix remaining half with 1 teaspoon agave syrup**, 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar ***and 1 tablespoon mayonnaise. Whisk until smooth for sauce.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in an oven proof skillet.  Saute salmon, skin side up for 1-2 minutes. Turn over and spread some of the sauce mixture on top. Reserve the rest for serving the salmon.

Bake salmon for 8-10 minutes until done as desired..(I like mine a little undercooked!!)
Serve with remaining sauce.

Substitutions:
*Chinese 5 Spice Powder
**honey
***white balsamic vinegar

Next I will try the pork chops again and Gulf Shrimp! Success is Sweet!!
Sola Gina

SIMPLE PLEASURES TO SATISFY THE SOUL "sola Gina" style

We all have fond memories of "Mamma's" or "Auntie's" or "Grandma's" homestyle dishes, but the sad truth is, we rarely have time to actually make these favorite foods even if we are lucky enough to have the recipes and find the special ingredients. Those of us who are "sola" have an additional deterrent to making the effort...leftovers!

Lately, I've had the opportunity to create a few "knock-offs" taking short cuts with palatable results, and making fairly reasonable quantities:  Boston Cream Pie ( a futile charm to ensure a super bowl win for the team that lost :(( ), Cinnamon Walnut Palmiers, and Stuffed Swiss Chard Leaves.

For the Boston Cream Pie, I used a small yellow cake mix which yields only one layer. Adding 1 teaspoon of vanilla and about 1 tablespoon canola oil ensured some flavor and lightness. When cooled, I cut the layer in half horizontally and spread 1 container of English Devon Cream (hey, if you're going to cheat, it might as well be decadent, no moral compunction here!) over the bottom layer. Cover it with the other half and spread some softened Nutella over the top. Sprinkle with chopped salted cashews and macadamia nuts JUST in case the fat content seems too low for a sinful cake like this!

Then the Palmiers...I've been wanting something slightly sweet," cinnamony", and reminiscent of my mothers nutty pastries, or my catering partner's baklava, but without all the work or mess involved. Thank goodness for frozen puff pastry! It is soooo easy to use and always comes out well.

Just mix some softened butter with chopped walnuts and cinnamon and sugar. Emily brought me some Cajun Cinnamon, Vanilla Sugar from New Orleans, so I used that. Unnfold one package of the pastry, let it rest a few minutes, then roll it out slightly to make a nice rectangle. Spread the nut mixture all over the pastry. You can simply roll it up lengthwise for spirals or fold each long end in until they meet in the middle. Fold once more until it is log shaped, and chill.  Slice and glaze if desired. A simple cream or egg wash is good. I had some apricot nectar and reduced it with sugar to make a glaze. Place slices on parchment and bake at 400 for about 20 minutes and voila! Your own rather elegant pastries to eat and share.  They are best rewarmed if allowed to cool or IF you have any leftover!!

Now that we have breakfast and dessert, let's go to the main course!! Remember stuffed cabbage rolls or stuffed grape leaves?? So yummy, but so much work!!  Well how about stuffed swiss chard leaves?? They are easy to stuff and roll and can be eaten with tomato sauce like cabbage, or with a cheesy béchamel which imitates a spinach gratin, or with olive oil and lemon juice like grape leaves..versatile and simple..ahh, sola Gina style.

Swiss Chard is really a misnomer: it is not Swiss and is actually a beet cultivated for it's leaves rather than the root! Known to the ancient Romans and possibly before, it is a popular vegetable in France and also here in the USA.  My Dad grew it in our garden and we always had it steamed or sautéed...Mom saved the stuffing for the grape leaves and the cabbage and each was a day's project!

I had some beautiful chard leaves from SunCoast Organics and wanted to make an entree from them the other day.  The extra stuffing from my stuffed portabellas the prior week, came to mind, sausage, green pepper, onion, rice and cheeses, all stashed away in my freezer.  Dinner was taking shape nicely!

Wash the leaves, cut the center stem out (they can be sautéed or eaten raw in salads) and put the 2 halves together. Put about 1/4 cup of whatever stuffing you want, meat, veggies, breadcrumbs, leftover risotto, etc. 

on the bottom of the leaves. Roll the ends inward and then roll up. Simple, no precooking, nice crinkly leaves which are easy to handle and no need to secure the rolls. Place seam side down in a baking dish, add a little broth or wine and olive oil, cover and bake at 375 for about 10-15 minutes until leaves are wilted and stuffing hot!

Serve the rolls with lemon juice, tomato sauce or whatever you wish!  They reheat well also and you can make as many or few as you want. I saved a few leaves for a risotto later in the week! See first Sola Gina Post, Dedication, for recipe.

Relax, eat and enjoy..so simple, scrumptious, and this one's good for you too!

(a sola Gina special..) 

BRRR...I NEED COMFORT FOOD: Pasta all' Amatriciana

When winter strikes our food thoughts turn to Stews, Chowders and Chilis for comfort, and, oh yes, Amanda's Gumbo! My cravings also include a steaming bowl of a hearty pasta.  Spaghetti (or whatever) all' Amatriciana is one of my favorite and most simple pastas.

Amatrice is a town in Latium, oops, Lazio,  (my Latin and Italian often get confused), where this pasta is a specialty. I have never visited the town. It is located in a triangle close to Umbria, Abruzzi and Le Marche, far from Rome, but the Romans have adopted the dish. Thus, it was in Rome that I tasted "Matriciana" as they call it.


Classically it is served on bucatini, a thick hollowed out spaghetti, but it is also served on normal spaghetti or even penne or other shaped pastas.  It is a sauce of tomatoes, olive oil, guanciale ( a dried seasoned pork jowl) with onions, a red hot pepper (which is removed) and served with abundant grated Pecorino.


When I lived in Napoli, molti anni fa, many, many years ago, I purchased a set of regional Italian cookbooks (in Italian) at Upim, a sort of precursor of Walmart here! They have been a valuable resource ever since. The recipes are, I am sure, authentic, as they were written for Italian housewives. The measurements are vague, when they exist, un cucchiaio (spoonful) of this, un bicchiere ( a glass of that) un pizzico (a pinch) of salt or a spice, etc. and they assume a level of culinary skill (combine egg and flour as if to make fettuccine). You must fate rosolare (brown) the meat; spruzzate (sprinkle) the salt or nutmeg..etc. I love these books! I read them for fun! They are the foundation of much of my Italian recipes, but I often alter them to suit my tastes.

May the Amatriciani forgive me, I used smoked pork jowl this time, as that was what was available, and I normally add garlic and lots of ground black pepper to my sauce. In the past, I have used pancetta or bacon and even salt pork, any pork fat will do, but truthfully, guanciale, in its pristine form is what is best.  

This is a simple dish, and quick to make. Use what is available, but don't cheat on the quality of tomatoes or olive oil. San Marzano Tomatoes are a must, and a good, fruity olive oil to blend with the rendered pork fat  gives it an incredible flavor. 

PASTA AMATRICIANA

(Sola Gina Style)

1/4 pound sliced, cubed guanciale or pancetta

1 onion, chopped coarsely

2 cloves garlic, minced

pinch of red pepper flakes

2 or more tablespoons fruity olive oil

1 28 ounce can San Marzano tomatoes, crushed

lots of freshly ground black pepper

pinch of salt

grated pecorino cheese

Pasta, spaghetti, bucatini or penne

Brown the guanciale in oil. Add the onion and garlic and pepper flakes and soften. 

Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper and cook for about 15-20 minutes until thickened.

Meanwhile cook the pasta al dente.

Serve with the sauce and grated pecorino.

Buon' appetito!! 

Sola Gina

JANUS: Keeper of Portals, Past and Futrure

January, named for the Roman god of beginnings and endings, looking forward and behind, is the start of our new calendar year. We always bring the past with us as we pass through the portals of the future. So it is with food. Old traditions are kept and somehow often transformed as we move into the future.

Em and I had just such a Christmas visit, steeped in tradition as well as attempts at something new. It all started with the single, white blossom on the Christmas Cactus, an indication that Bob was still with us, but in a different way.

Surprise Bloom

 Then, Em made an old family favorite, Canadian Meat Pie, in a dish that Nana Manninen-Hinkle's mother, Georgianna Barrie, of French Canadian ancestry used for her Tourtiere (the real name for Canadian Meat Pie).   Confession:  We ate the whole thing!!!

 Tres Bon!

Thanks to SunCoast Organics, we had an abundance of grand vegetables and fruits and did our best to savor them all! 

Cheese Tortellini with a garlicky Cremini Mushroom Tomato Sauce and fresh basil and yes, a side of steamed Nantes Carrots!!  Oh, so sweet and delicious!

A side dish of Romaine and Arugula with Pears and Pomegranate Seeds with a Pomegranate, Agave Vinaigrette was a nice palate cleanser for dessert.  Yes, dessert too!

Peach ice cream with berries and bananas and almond cookie crumbles, triple sec and, you guessed it, whipped cream....

NO PHOTO...we ate it too fast!!

Christmas morning, we once again combined tradition with something new. In place of our Smoked Salmon Bagels and Mimosas, we had English Muffins with Cheddar, Tomato and Bacon and made Bellinis with Apricot Nectar.  Fresh, new and bright.It was nice to eat outside too.  

  A bright start to the day

The day continued to be a break from tradition. We dined out for an elegant meal and went to a movie in the evening!

Tradition tried to make a comeback in the next few days. I started to make one of Bob's favorite dishes, Caldo Verde. It is a Portuguese Potato and Kale soup with Linguica which he used to always order in our favorite Portuguese restaurant, O'Fado. I learned to make it for him at home.

Well, the sweet potatoes in the basket called out to be used. I had planned on using the collard greens in place of kale anyway (they are closer to the Portuguese kale) and there was no need to buy linguica as I had some hot Italian sausage on hand. Thus, a new dish was born: Orange Caldo Verde! (tr. orange hot green!??)

Saute sweet and white potato with lots of garlic in fruity olive oil. Cook in chicken broth until soft.

Make a chiffonade of the collards or kale.

Cook the sausage and slice.

Whisk the cooked potatoes until smooth and add the kale and sausage. cook for 2-3 minutes.

Em and I had some great crusty bread and made an olive oil dipping sauce. There was very little flavor resemblance to the original recipe, but it was new and tasty!

Eventually Em had to return to Boston and her life. Bob's birthday came and went. The next night, I  knew I needed to cook something.

SESAME SOY PORK CHOP

Pork Loin or Rib Chop

4 Tablespoons soy sauce

2 Tablespoons Agave or honey

3-4 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon 5 Spice Powder

1 Tablespoon chopped crystallized ginger

Sesame seeds

Canola oil

Thai Basil (optional)

Crush or finely mince garlic. Chop ginger. 

Mix together soy (I use Bragg's Liquid Amino), agave or honey, garlic, 5 spice and ginger. Reserve half of the mixture for sauce and marinate pork chop in the other half for at least 15 minutes. 

Dip in sesame seeds (I had only black ones, white are preferable).

They have more flavor.

Saute in canola oil for a few minutes on each side until browned. Place in 400 oven for about 5 minute or until pork is just done (140-145 degrees). It will continue to cook after removed from the heat. Serve with extra sauce and garnish with Thai Basil if using.

A meal I enjoyed and Bob would have loved too

To complete the meal, I cooked a frozen pot sticker with sauce, jasmine rice and shredded broccoli stems and some carrot.

Simple and Sola Gina.