Baked Pork Chops & Apples

Not only was our local supermarket having a special on boneless, skinless chicken breasts (see the previous post), but also on boneless pork chops. Like a chicken breast, a boneless pork chop is a versatile centerpiece for a meal. I have a favorite recipe for pork chops from The Joy of Cooking, but as wonderful as it is, making it every time we have pork gets monotonous. I wondered: how could I make something new?

I looked through an old cookbook for inspiration. One of the pork recipes I came across contained what seemed like it would be an interesting taste combination, but I thought I could do better. So I tweaked it, switching out ingredients, modifying the cooking method, and in the process I created a new recipe.

This new, improved recipe is simple and quick to prepare. It also tastes delicious, with a delightfully unexpected sweet-and-sour flavor.

Serves 4

4 boneless pork chops, ¾ inch thick (about 1 to 1 ¼ pounds total)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 medium apples (Gala or Golden Delicious are good varieties)
¼ cup maple syrup (real maple syrup, not pancake syrup)
¼ cup apple juice
¼ cup soy sauce (preferably reduced sodium)
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon corn starch
¼ teaspoon ground ginger

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Place pork chops in a baking dish. Season both sides of the chops with salt and pepper. Peel, core and chop the apples into bite size pieces. Place the chopped apple on top of the pork.

In a small bowl whisk together the maple syrup, apple juice, soy sauce, ketchup, corn starch and ginger. Pour the sauce over the pork and apples.

Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Turn the chops over and bake for another 15 minutes.

Two possible accompaniments to this dish are couscous or rice. Both taste great with the baked apples and sauce spooned over them.

Chicken Stuffed with Ricotta & Roasted Red Pepper

Once again, our local supermarket was having a special on boneless, skinless chicken breast. Chicken breast is a versatile centerpiece for a meal. Yet it can also be boring to prepare it the same way time after time. It can also be boring to have only four or five different ways to prepare it.

So I looked on this chicken breast special as an opportunity to experiment. I scanned the refrigerator for some inspiration. We had some ricotta cheese leftover from a previous dinner. And there was a jar of roasted red peppers. What if I combined these three ingredients to create a brand new recipe?

It turned out to be delicious!

Serves 4

½ cup ricotta cheese
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2/3 cup roasted red pepper (from a jar, preferably with the pepper packed in olive oil)
½ cup Italian-style bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Place the ricotta cheese in a mesh strainer and drain.

Meanwhile, trim the fat from the chicken. Put a 1 ½ foot-long piece of plastic wrap on the counter and place one chicken breast on the plastic wrap, four to five inches from the edge. Fold the remaining plastic wrap over the chicken. Using a kitchen mallet or rolling pin, pound out the chicken till it is about 1/4 -inch thick. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

In a small bowl, combine the drained ricotta cheese, salt and pepper.

Top each chicken breast half with approximately ¼ of the cheese mixture and spread evenly. Place approximately ¼ of the red peppers on one end of each chicken breast half. Then, starting at the end with the pepper, roll the chicken. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

Sprinkle each chicken roll with breadcrumbs to lightly coat. Place each roll seam side down in a baking dish. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

Appetizer: Mediterranean Shrimp

We recently started a supper club with some friends. Kathleen and I were the first hosts, and decided that for our inaugural club supper, we would prepare all the dishes. We love Italian food, so Kathleen picked some great recipes from some of our favorite cookbooks: a succulent roast pork loin, a delicious side dish of green beans in chunky tomato sauce, and heavenly tiramisu for dessert. Kathleen also decided to make her delicious risotto for a side dish.

But we needed a great opening act. And I volunteered to come up with an appetizer. What would go well with the rest of the Italian-inspired meal, be easy to prepare and be a crowd-pleaser? How about shrimp, with Mediterranean flavors?

The verdict? Well, let’s just say, we polished off two pounds of it (and there are only three couples in our supper club at this point)!

Start 2 – 2 ½ hours before serving

Serves a crowd

½ cup olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried oregano (do not use fresh oregano – it will burn in the oven)
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds shrimp (26-30 count per pound), shelled, deveined and tails removed.

Combine the olive oil, salt, oregano, pepper and minced garlic in a large baking dish (I use a 9- x 13-inch one). Add shrimp, and turn to coat thoroughly with the olive oil mixture. Be sure the shrimp are in a single layer.

Cover. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours, turning the shrimp several times.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Place the shrimp in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Roast for 8-10 minutes until the shrimp are firm, pink and cooked through.

Serve warm.

Cranberry Pork Chops

Cranberries are an underutilized fruit. We may drink cranberry juice cocktail. We may serve cranberry sauce along with turkey on Thanksgiving and maybe Christmas. But is it possible to have cranberries with something other than turkey? Is it even legal?

Not only is it perfectly legal, it’s delicious! This recipe creates a delicious taste combination – pork and cranberries. It turns out that pork is a great cranberry partner.

You have options with the cranberry component of this recipe. You can make your own cranberry sauce; the easy recipe is on the bag of fresh cranberries. Or you can use canned whole cranberry sauce, like I suggest here. But do not use jellied cranberry sauce; it is not a good substitute.

Serves 4

½ teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
½ teaspoon dried sage, crushed
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 boneless pork chops, ¾ inch thick (about 1 to 1 ¼ pounds total)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (16 oz.) can whole cranberries
¾ cup orange juice
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger

Combine thyme, sage, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub over pork chops, coating each side evenly.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add seasoned pork to the skillet and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, turning once, until just barely pink in the middle. Remove from the skillet and cover to keep warm.

Combine the cranberries, orange juice, cinnamon and ginger in the skillet and stir together. Increase the heat and bring to a boil. Boil gently for about 2 minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened. Spoon some of the sauce over the pork, and serve the remaining sauce in a gravy boat or small bowl along with the pork

Your Advent Traditions

Advent is an underappreciated season among Christians. The world around us is rushing headlong into celebrating Christmas, which can make this a very stressful time of year. As I wrote in the November 29 issue of FaithLink:* “It is a time to buy and wrap presents, bake batch after batch of cookies, attend office Christmas parties, send dozens of Christmas cards, and do everything possible to make Christmas special. In all the hustle and bustle of preparing for Christmas, this time of year can feel like one task after another. Christmas can turn into a big chore. In all the rush to prepare for Christmas, at times we forget the most important preparation of all: spiritual preparation. We run the risk of forgetting the significance of Christmas and missing out on its true joy.”

“Advent was created to help Christians prepare for the coming of Christ. Almost 900 years ago, Bernard of Clairvaux said that during Advent we commemorate Christ’s coming in three ways: his first coming in human flesh as a baby born in Bethlehem, his future coming on a day and an hour presently unknown to us, and his present coming into the hearts of believers through faith.”

Advent is ideally observed both at church and at home, including sharing every day celebrations around the dining table. So what are your Advent traditions that help you prepare for the coming of Christ? Please share your ideas, and include your name and your hometown so you can be properly acknowledged for your contribution.

*I am honored to be on the writing team for FaithLink: Connecting Faith and Life. FaithLink is published by Cokesbury and is available by subscription via e-mail (from subservice@abingdonpress.com) or fax (call 800-672-1789) or by downloading from the Web at cokesbury.com/faithlink.

Turkey Cakes

I love Thanksgiving: a day to contemplate how God blesses us; a day to be with family, or friends, or both; a day for prayer; and of course a day of delicious and bountiful food. Oh, and one more great thing about Thanksgiving – leftovers.

I’ll admit that I’m a little picky when it comes to leftovers. I do not generally like leftovers to be in exactly the same form as the original meal. So, I’m not crazy about lunch the next day being slices of turkey with cranberry sauce and slightly warmed up succotash, mashed potatoes and stuffing on the side. But when you re-purpose leftovers to create something new? That I love.

There are so many ways to enjoy leftover turkey – turkey enchiladas, turkey soup, turkey salad, and more. But my absolute favorite is turkey cakes. I’m not alone in loving this dish. Our 5-year-old son Peter dubbed them “splendid,” at dinner tonight and said he wanted to have them “for a million days.”

If something is good enough for 5-year-old to have for a million days straight, it might be a recipe you’ll want to try!

Serves 4, with two turkey cakes each

1 egg
3 cups of roasted turkey, cut into small pieces
¼ cup mayonnaise
½ cup bread crumbs
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons butter

Crack an egg into a large bowl. Beat slightly. Add the remaining ingredients and mix with clean hands until thoroughly combined. Use a ½ cup measuring cup to measure out 8 portions of the turkey mixture. Flatten each into a patty about ½ inch thick. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, and up to 24 hours. (While you can cook the turkey cakes immediately, they will hold their shape better if chilled.)

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the turkey cakes in the melted butter for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown and crispy.

Serve immediately, ideally topped with whole cranberry sauce.

'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, a day that lately is being called "The Super Bowl of Food." Indeed the food is an important part of many Americans' holiday celebration. I know I'm looking forward to the turkey, cranberry sauce, succotash, stuffing, sweet potatoes and of course the pie. But when the food becomes the prime focus of Thanksgiving, we're missing out on what can make this a truly wonderful celebration.

For me the whole point of Thanksgiving is evident in this holiday's name. This is a great opportunity to give thanks to God for our blessings. Even when the year has been filled with challenges, we have been blessed. While at times those blessings might not be so obvious to us, when we look with thankful eyes, we can see them.

Our family is going to try something new this year to train our eyes to be more thankful. We are going to take a Thanksgiving Walk. On our walk, we will be on the look out to spot blessings. It could be a beautiful tree, the home of friends, the sound of birds overhead, the eagerness of our dog as he walks, the time together.

My hope is that this will be the first of many annual Thanksgiving Walks.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving. (And save me a slice of pie!)

Maple-Roasted Chicken with Apples and Sweet Potatoes

Today was a chilly, rainy day. I wondered: "What would be a delicious fall dinner? What would hit the spot on a cold, damp day?"

This is it. The combination of apples and sweet potatoes, with a kiss of maple syrup and cream, is a great complement to the chicken.

While this recipe takes a while to roast, the preparation work is quite easy. Plus, every thing you need for dinner cooks at the same time. This is a great every day meal when you have a little extra time to cook, about an hour.

Serves 4

2 Golden Delicious apples
2 large or 3 small sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons minced shallot
2 tablespoons apple juice
6 tablespoons maple syrup – divided
A few dashes of hot pepper sauce
4 chicken breast halves
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of butter, melted
½ tablespoon of Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
6 tablespoons of heavy cream

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees

Wash and core apples, then cut each apple into eight wedges. Wash the sweet potatoes, and cut into wedges about the same size as the apple wedges.

Place the shallots, apple juice, hot pepper sauce and 4 tablespoons* maple syrup in a baking dish (I used a 9 x 13 inch baking dish). Add the apple and sweet potato wedges. Using your hands, mix well till the apples and sweet potatoes are evenly coated. Roast for 30 minutes.

Cut each chicken breast half lengthwise into 3 strips. Place the chicken on a pie plate. Add the garlic, butter, mustard, the remaining 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, salt and pepper. Turn the chicken to coat each strip evenly.

After the apple and sweet potatoes wedges have roasted for 30 minutes, remove from the oven. Place the chicken strips on top, and return to the oven. Roast for another 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

Remove from the oven. Stir in the cream and serve.

*Helpful hint: 4 tablespoons is the same as ¼ cup.

Looking for a Good Cookbook

If you walk into a typical big box book store looking for a cookbook, you will be confronted with hundreds of choices. Many cookbooks are adorned with photographs so vivid, you can almost smell the succulent food. Others are written by celebrities, including celebrity chefs. With all these choices, how do you choose a cookbook that’s right for you?

­First, take your time. The cliché is true – you can’t judge a book by its cover. Or its title. I have not always taken my own advice, and have more than a couple cookbooks that I rarely open. I can be seduced by a clever title, particularly one that promises me that if I purchase this cookbook, I will have dozens of easy-to-prepare delicious recipes that will help me get a nutritious dinner on the table in minutes. I should have taken my time to:

Look at some of the recipes. Do you like how the recipes are organized? Are the instructions clear? Can you employ the suggested cooking techniques, or do you feel overwhelmed? Does the resulting dish seem like it would be nutritious? Would your family eat it?

Scan all the recipes. How many of the recipes would you actually try? How many of the recipes require a lot of prep time? How many would help you get a great meal on the table in the time you have for cooking?

If possible, go to your local library and borrow a cookbook you are considering buying. I recently checked out three new-to-me cookbooks from our local library. After reading through all three, I liked two of them so much I bought them.

Ask friends for their suggestions. Particularly if you enjoy a dish a friend made, ask, “Where did you get the recipe?” I have already suggested some of my favorite cookbooks (see the posts of November 16 and 17).

Once you have selected a good cookbook, what then?

When trying a recipe from a cookbook, be sure to:

Read through the complete recipe early on – Do you have all the ingredients you need? If not, be sure to pick up what you need, and in the correct amount, from the store. Do you have all the equipment?

Follow the recipe as written the first time – You turned to the cookbook for inspiration and guidance. So let the cookbook author guide you. You may have an idea about how to simplify the cooking, or how to add flavor. That’s great! Take notes and try your modifications the next time. But for the first time, cook the way the recipe suggests. There may just be a reason the author did not suggest what may seem to be a great idea.

Last Night's Experiment. Verdict -- Delicious!

Mini Meat Loaves

Meatloaf is one of the ultimate comfort foods. While it is easy to make, it does take a while to cook. My favorite meatloaf recipe I developed bakes for between one hour and one hour and 15 minutes. That’s a little difficult to pull off for an Every Day Celebration during the week.

So I was wondering: what if I use the same basic meatloaf recipe, but make mini meat loaves? Six smaller loaves should bake in significantly less time than one, large loaf. But the important question: would it taste as good?

The answer: yes. It tastes good. Really good. So good that the first time I made these mini meat loaves, not only did our 5 year-old son Peter eat every thing, my father-in-law wanted more and my mother-in-law (who often eats like a bird) was a member of the clean plate club.

One tip to make these mini meat loaves even more perfect for a weeknight dinner: you can do much of the work, including assembling the meat loaves, in advance, say that morning. Refrigerate the uncooked loaves until you get home from work, and then bake off.

A great accompaniment to these mini meat loaves is carrot salad (see the June 29, 2009 post for the recipe).

Makes 6 servings

2 teaspoons vegetable oil – canola oil is a good choice
1 cup finely chopped onion (about one medium onion)
1 ½ pounds ground beef
1 cup breadcrumbs
2/3 cup ketchup
3 eggs beaten slightly
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion in the oil until softened, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add the softened onions. Knead the mixture with your hands until well combined.

Form 6 small loafs with the meat mixture, and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 26-32 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Let stand for 5 minutes, then serve.

Tonight's Dinner Experiment

Tonight my in-laws are here. Should I tell them that we're having an experiment for dinner?

I have a feeling that these Mini Meatloaves will be good. It's already smelling great. That's always a good sign.

I'll let you know how it goes. I'm sure my 5-year-old son and my in-laws will let me know what they think.

More "What's for Dinner?"

In yesterday's post, I listed some of my favorite cookbooks, books that help me answer the question "What's for dinner?" That question is really important when you're the one of dinner duty, because if you don't know the answer to that question, dinner could be tricky.

Here are two more of my favorites.

Serving Up the Harvest: Celebrating the Goodness of Fresh Vegetables, by Andrea Chesman, © 2005, 2007 Storey Publishing. This cookbook is perfect for those times you have a fresh vegetable, but don’t know what to do with it. The book organizes the 175 recipes by season, which is incredibly valuable if you have a backyard garden, or belong to a CSA (community supported agriculture), or both. One of my favorites is Penne with Chard and Sausage (p. 167), which works well with beet greens, too.

Crowd-Pleasing Potluck, by Francine Halvorsen, © 2007 by Rodale Inc. This cookbooks is a big help when you’re cooking for a crowd, be it a potluck dinner at church, or many friends and/or family coming over for dinner. The Lemon Bars (p. 212) are particularly good.

Soon I'll post some tips for how to choose cookbooks that are right for you.

What's for Dinner?

Have you ever asked yourself, “What’s for dinner?” And you are the designated cook? Often the biggest challenge of cooking is figuring out what to make. You may have your standard repertoire of dishes – I know I do. But some times, you are tired of the standard. I know some times, I am. You want some thing new. But what?

Having at least a few good cookbooks makes getting a satisfying meal on the table much easier. But how do you choose a good cookbook? Should you buy cookbooks from celebrity chefs? Cookbooks from culinary magazines? Cookbooks from unknowns? Cookbooks with the nicest covers?

Here are some of my favorite cookbooks, with a brief explanation of why I like them.

The New Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker and Ethan Becker, © 1997 by Simon & Schuster, Inc. This is by far my favorite edition of The Joy of Cooking, even though for some Joy purists it is their least favorite. This mammoth tome, more than 1,000 pages, includes recipes for many of the classics that you know and love, and other classics that you just might get to know and love. Some of my favorite recipes are Tuscan Bread and Tomato Soup (p. 98), Spatzle – a German egg dumpling that’s heavenly (p. 322), Baked Stuffed Zucchini (p. 421), Arroz con Pollo (p. 599) and Sauteed Pork Chops – that turned my father-in-law from a pork chop hater to a pork chop lover (p. 698).

The New Best Recipe from the editors of Cook’s Illustrated, © 2004 from America’s Test Kitchen. This is another huge book of more than 1,000 pages. The editors did a lot of testing to come up with what they believe to be the best way to prepare many different kinds of food. The descriptions of the testing process are at times interesting, at times tedious and always thorough. My absolute favorite recipe from Best is Braised Brussels Sprouts – who knew they could be this good and this easy to prepare? (p. 145)

Two from Ina Garten – The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, © 1999 by Clarkson Potter and Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics © by Clarkson Potter. Both of these cookbooks are gorgeous, filled with beautiful photographs, helpful tips and easy-to-follow recipes for delicious food.

And two new favorites for me:

Lidia’s Italian-American Kitchen by Lidia Mattichio Bastianich, © 2001, Alfred A. Knopf. We have been to one of her New York restaurants two different times, to celebrate my 40th birthday and also for our 10th anniversary, and both times the meal was worth the entire trip to New York. I have loved her cooking show on PBS for years. But I’ve been intimidated. Many of the recipes she prepares on her show are so complex that I have stayed away from her cookbooks. But this one is different. This is filled with dozens of recipes I want to try. The two we have already tried have been marvelous.

Kitchen Life: Real Food for Real Families – Even Yours by Art Smith, © 2004 Hyperion. Art Smith not only includes some great recipes, but some very helpful advice to help you get organized and eat right.

Worth the Effort

“Even if you love to cook as much as I do, getting a meal on the table can seem like running a marathon,” writes Barbara Fairchild in Bon Appetit Fast Easy Fresh Cookbook. “And no one lacks for excuses to stay out of the kitchen: the kids’ soccer practice, answering e-mail, quick pizza delivery, good cable TV. We’re busy, our families have crazy schedules, and grocery shopping is seldom a chore we look forward to. The simple ritual of sitting around the table and sharing a meal, like friends and families should, is not so simple to carry off.”

What strikes me about that introduction to Fairchild’s book is her statement saying that “friends and families should” sit around the table and share a meal. Of course, she’s not alone in believing that the ritual of gathering around the table for a meal is important.

Yet Fairchild is right – often putting a meal on the table can seem like an overwhelming challenge. Is it really worth the effort?

Yes, it is worthy the effort. A social meal nourishes both our bodies and our souls.

The good news is, there’s help. This blog is dedicated to help you celebrate every day. While this blog’s blend of practical tips and recipes is unique in that it pays attention to the spiritual dimension of eating, there are other resources you can turn to for help. There are some great cookbooks, television shows and websites out there that can help you figure out how to get tasty, nutritious food onto the table quickly.

Roasted Cauliflower

I’ll admit it: I don’t like cauliflower. Or should I say, I didn’t like cauliflower. I still don’t like raw cauliflower. Or boiled cauliflower. Or steamed cauliflower. If a restaurant serves mixed vegetables and part of the mixture is cauliflower, I’ll eat it, but I won’t enjoy it.

So I was less than thrilled to be served cauliflower recently. We were visiting our friends Eurydice, Chris and their children while we were on vacation in Chicago. We had a great time catching up, and then it was time for dinner. Chris cooked chicken, sweet potatoes . . . and cauliflower. It had been years since I had seen Eurydice and I had just met Chris, so I wanted to be polite. I took as small a serving of cauliflower as I thought I could get away with without appearing rude. To my surprise it was good. Really good. Fantastically good.

Once we got home, I replicated the dish. And it was good, really good, fantastically good. Even if you don’t think you like cauliflower, you’ve got to try this simple and delicious recipe. Trust me. It just might change your mind.

Makes 4 servings

1 head of cauliflower
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees

Break cauliflower into flowerets using a sharp knife. Place cauliflower on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Add the oil, salt and pepper to the cauliflower. Mix with your hands till the ingredients are well combined. Roast for 20-25 minutes, until slightly golden. Serve immediately.

From Art Smith

Art Smith, famous for his appearance on Top Chef: Masters and for once working with Oprah Winfrey, knows the importance of family meal time.
In his book Kitchen Life: Real Food for Real Families – Even Yours!, he writes:

“Meals are important and shouldn’t be grabbed on the fly. Try to establish regular mealtimes so that everyone knows what to expect and when. It’s never wise to eat erratically.

“Plan to eat as a family as often as you can. It’s important for family life to gather the kids around the table for a meal. Turn off the television and let the machine answer the telephone.

“Keep the lines of communication open. Ask the kids what they want for dinner. Encourage everyone to share ideas and get excited about planning meals.”

I picked up Kitchen Life yesterday at the library. It's so good, I plan on buying my own copy. Some of his ideas of how to make home-cooked meals actually happen are similar to ideas I've already posted here on Celebrate Every Day. Some of Smith's other ideas are inspiring me to come up with other hints. Stay tuned.

Grilled Vegetable Wrap

This recipe was inspired by a dish served at my recent college reunion. I was first struck by how delicious it is, and then realized, “Hey, this is really healthy, too!” My guess is, you and those around your table will have the same reaction. This is a great recipe when you have a guest who is vegetarian. (When you have guest who is vegan, be sure to omit the cheese.)

As you read through this recipe, you might think, “Boy, this takes a long time to prepare.” While it’s true that cutting up all the vegetables and the cheese does take a while, you can prepare this in stages. Stage 1: prep the vegetables. Stage 2: roast the vegetables and prep the cheese. Stage 3: assemble the wraps. You can do all three stages one after the other, or you can do the first stage the night before, stage 2 early in the morning before work, and stage 3 when you get home right before dinner.

However you prepare it, enjoy!

Makes 6 wraps, enough for 4 hearty diners, with each person getting 1 ½ wraps.

4 carrots
2 red bell peppers
2 small zucchini
1 small red onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
8 ounces mozzarella cheese
6 flour tortillas

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare vegetables by cutting the carrots, peppers and zucchini into matchsticks approximately 2 – 2 ½ inch by 1/8 inch. Place in a large bowl. Cut onion in half around the equator, peel, then cut each half around the “pole.” Thinly slice into half moons. Separate each layer of the half moons and add to the other vegetables. Add the olive oil, salt and pepper to the vegetables; combine thoroughly.

Place the vegetables on two baking sheets lined with parchment paper; be sure to have the vegetables in a single layer on each sheet so they roast properly. Roast for 15 minutes, then set aside to cool.

While vegetables are roasting, dice the cheese (or cut into small cubes, approximately ¼ inch on each side). Set aside.

When vegetables have cooled, place in a large bowl (you can use the same bowl you used earlier). Add the diced cheese.

Divide the vegetable-cheese combination among the tortillas and wrap up.

Nourshing Your Body On Vacation

It is a challenge to eat healthy food on vacation while on vacation, but it is not an impossible challenge.

While visiting the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, we were pleasantly surprised by some of the healthy options. The children's meals we ordered came with a sandwich, carrot sticks, an apple, milk and animal cookies. Unfortunately, not all restaurants provide such healthy children's meal options. At too many, the vegetable offering is limited to french fries. Sure, there is nothing wrong with eating a few french fries, but when there is no green, red, orange or yellow vegetable too, then there is something wrong.

My meal at the zoo was a vegetable wrap, including red, green and yellow bell peppers, carrots, red onion, zucchini, tomato, lettuce, provolone cheese and herb mayonnaise all wrapped inside a spinach tortilla. Not only was it delicious, it also was a needed vegetable boost. Not all restaurant offerings are so healthy.

What can we do when our meal options are less than ideal nutritionally?

1. Supplement with healthy snacks. A few days we went to a local supermarket in the afternoon to get fruit.

2. Suggest that a restaurant offer some healthy choices for children's meals -- and choices that do not prohibit children from having what they want to eat, too. For instance, I do not want to have to choose between french fries and carrot sticks. I want to choose both. (And I am often willing to pay extra so I can choose both).

Vacations can be wonderful: a break from the everyday rush of work, school and home commitments. Vacations can be an opportunity to visit with family and friends, or to make new friends. While on vacation we can discover new places, or experience familiar places in new ways.

As wonderful as vacations are, it can be difficult to nourish body and soul while on vacation. Eating healthy, balanced meals can be challenging when every meal is at a restaurant. And nourishing our souls during a meal at a restaurant can be tricky.

Over the next few days, I will post some suggestions about how you can not only continue to celebrate every day while on vacation, but also how vacationing can enrich your every day celebrations.

New Contest! Help Name This Dish!

Southwestern Chicken

Looking for another delicious recipe for chicken? Especially one that will warm you up on a chilly day? This is it. This chicken dish is tasty, simple and can be easily doubled.

The one problem with it: the name. Calling this simply “Southwestern Chicken” does not really describe it. The dish is inspired by the chili, yet it is not really a chili. There are some similarities to a soup, or maybe even a stew, but is this really a soup? A stew?

Try this recipe, and let me know your suggestions. What should we name this, other than yummy?

Serves 4

2 cups of cooked chicken, shredded
1 (14 – 15 oz.) can black beans
1 ½ cups of corn
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon chili powder
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon pepper

Place the chicken in a stock pot or Dutch oven. Drain, rinse and drain again the black beans. Add to the chicken, along with the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine.

Heat over medium-high heat until bubbling, then reduce the heat until the chicken mixture is simmering. Simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, until the onions are translucent.

To round out this meal, serve homemade biscuits (yes, feel free to use a mix) and a green salad.

Chicken Cakes with Red Pepper Ricotta Sauce

Our meals for the week are often inspired by what is advertised in our local supermarket’s circular. After all, a great way to save money is to buy what’s on sale. This week, split chicken breasts were on sale. But what to make? Chicken Strudel is really good, as is Risotto with Balsamic Chicken and Peas, and of course there are variations of chicken salad. But I wanted to try something new.

It turned out not only to be new, but also spectacular. Don’t just take my word for it. Our son Peter was 5 when we first had these chicken cakes, and while he used to eat new foods with gusto when he was younger, he had recently become more wary of new culinary experiences. But not with these chicken cakes; he ate them up. You will too.

This recipe is not only a delicious way to serve chicken breasts on sale, or to serve leftover chicken, it’s so good, you’ll want to buy chicken, even when it’s not on sale.

Serves 4

Chicken Cakes
4 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 eggs, slightly beaten
½ cup bread crumbs
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ tablespoons butter

Red Pepper Ricotta Sauce
1 red bell pepper, sliced (about 1 – 1 ¼ cups)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
½ cup low-fat ricotta cheese

Combine the chicken, eggs, bread crumbs, salt and pepper in a large bowl. When thoroughly mixed, use a ½ cup measure to portion out the chicken mixture into 8 cakes, and then use your hands to form uniform cakes, approximately ½ inch thick. Place the chicken cakes in the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.

When ready to cook, take the chicken cakes out of the refrigerator to warm to room temperature.

Saute the red pepper in oil over medium-high heat until the pepper is slightly browned, about 3 minutes. Place in the bowl of a food processor, along with the garlic and ricotta cheese. Process until thoroughly blended. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a larger skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted, add the chicken cakes and cook for 4-5 minutes until golden brown. Flip and brown the other side 4-5 minutes.

While cooking the chicken cakes, heat the red pepper ricotta sauce over medium low heat for 4-5 minutes.

Serve two chicken cakes per person. Spoon the sauce over the chicken cakes.

Braised Pork with Apples

This dish is comforting for an autumn or winter dinner. The combination of pork and cooked apples seems to help chase away the chill in the air.

As you shop for apples, your best choices will be recently picked fruit, local if possible. My favorite apples for this recipe are Golden Delicious and Gala, which keep their shape and give sweetness to the dish. If you like a slightly tart edge, choose Granny Smith, which will also keep its shape.

Serves 4

4 boneless pork chops, ¾ inch thick (about 1 to 1 ¼ pounds total)
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons flour
¼ cup olive oil – divided
½ cup finely chopped onion
1 cup apple juice
2 apples, peeled, cored and sliced into ¼-inch thick wedges

Season pork with salt and pepper. Put the flour on a plate, and then lightly coat the chops in the flour, being sure to shake off the excess flour.

In a sauté pan or skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat. Add the pork and cook until lightly browned, about 3-4 minutes. Turn and brown the other side, another 3-4 minutes. Remove the pork from the pan, and set aside.

Add the remaining oil to the pan and sauté the onion until softened, about 2 minutes (do not let the onion brown; it will mar the flavor of the finished dish). Return the pork chops to the pan, and add the apple juice and apple wedges, being sure to distribute the fruit evenly.

Reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and braise until the pork is cooked through and tender and the sauce is slightly thickened, 15-20 minutes.

Spaghetti Squash

I had always been disappointed by spaghetti squash. It sounds so delicious: a winter squash – which I love – that when cooked looks like spaghetti – which I also love. Yet every time I had made spaghetti squash, I had been dissatisfied. I’ve looked in trusted cookbooks, searched cooking websites, tried many different recipes, but to no avail.

Until I developed this recipe.

There are a myriad of different cooking methods suggested in recipes, using the microwave, roasting it whole (being sure to poke the squash with a fork or a skewer so it doesn’t explode), and more.

This is it: the best spaghetti squash recipe I’ve encountered, and it happens to be one I developed myself! This recipe is based on how I cook other forms of winter squash. Not only does this taste better than the other methods I’ve tried, there’s also no danger of a squash explosion!

Serves 4

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1 large (or 2 small) spaghetti squash

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Carefully split the squash in half vertically. (I find it helpful to first puncture the squash with the tip of a chef’s knife, and then slowly press down on the knife to open the squash.) Scoop out the seeds and fibers surrounding the seeds and discard.

Place the squash, cut-side down, on the baking sheet. Roast for 30-35 minutes, until the inside flesh can be easily pierced by a sharp knife.

Let the squash cool for a few minutes till you are able to handle it.

Use a fork to scrape the flesh of the squash, shredding it into spaghetti-like strands.

Serve hot, topped with either of the options below.

Topping: Option 1
½ to 1 cup of prepared tomato sauce (either your own leftover from another use, or from a jar)

Topping: Option 2
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Chicken & Apples

Autumn is one of my favorite seasons. What’s not to like? The leaves changing colors, then falling to the ground to be raked into a huge, jumpable pile. The beginning of football season, when fans hold out hope that this is their team’s year. Back to school with new backpacks, new notebooks, new pencils and new possibilities. The harvest of winter squash, a fall crop of lettuce, and crisp, juicy apples.

This recipe is perfect for a cool, fall day. To round out the meal, you might want to serve rice or orzo (either one a perfect receptacle for the delicious sauce), and butternut squash puree.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 medium onion, diced
3 medium apples (Gala or Golden Delicious are my favorites for this), peeled, cored and sliced ¼ inch thick
1 cup apple juice
½ cup light cream

One at a time, place chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap. With a meat tenderizer or heavy saucepan, flatten chicken breasts slightly, so each is a uniform ½ inch thick. Salt and pepper both sides of the breasts.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter melts, add the chicken. Cook, turning once, until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove chicken to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium and add remaining tablespoon of butter to the skillet. When the additional butter melts, add the diced onion. Cook, stirring frequently until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add the apple slices; cook till softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the apple juice, chicken and any accumulated juices from the chicken to the skillet; cover and simmer until the chicken is no longer pink in the middle (about 5-7 minutes). Transfer the chicken to the serving platter. Add cream to skillet and simmer, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens (2 to 3 minutes).

A Little Child Shall Lead Them

One Friday afternoon, as I was walking home with Peter after school, he said he wanted to have a friend come over. We talked about when, and decided that Sunday afternoon or evening could work. And we talked about whom to invite, and decided which friend he wanted to play with him -- Nathan.

Later, as we talked about this with Kathleen, I asked, “Peter, would you like us to invite just Nathan over to play on Sunday, or would you like us to invite his whole family to come for dinner?” He was excited about having the whole family join us for dinner – and for the opportunity to play with his friend and his friend’s brothers.

The excitement was not confined to Peter. It turns out Nathan's parents, Robert and Jen, gladly accepted the invitation. A night off from preparing a meal can be a blessed relief when you have three sons under 6!

It was a great evening: Peter and the boys went upstairs to play, while the adults talked in the kitchen. The menu was simple: tacos with all the fixings. In addition, Jen and Robert brought along homemade angel food cake and a bottle of wine. And while the tacos were not gourmet – or even an authentic version of Mexican street food – they hit the spot. And Peter’s friend Nathan, who is normally a picky eater, ate two – something of a minor miracle.

For the next several days outside the school as we were waiting for our sons, Jen commented on how much they enjoyed the meal. She was amazed at how much calmer dinner was than normal with three young boys. The truth is, that Sunday’s taco dinner with friends was calmer than many of our dinners, too – and we only have one son!

What did I learn from that taco dinner?

+ Peter – and other children – understands the need for connection with friends. Many adults at times forget. Perhaps we should let little children lead us to have meals be more social.

+ For a real celebration, focusing on the people around the table is more important than focusing on what is on the table. We could have ordered a pizza, and still had a celebration.

+ A dinner with friends can also include a spiritual dimension, even when your friends are not members of the same church where you are a member. If you are the host and you normally pray before meals, pray when you have company. (Of course, be mindful of who is at the table with you. For example, we did not sing one of our usual mealtime prayers, because that would have involved teaching our guests the prayer. Instead, I prayed in a way that not only thanked God for the food and for the day, but also for our friends and the opportunity to be together.)

+ Inviting others to eat with us is to be a blessing for the guests and for the hosts.

Busy October!

It's been a very busy end of September and beginning of October -- with work, family, church, school (for Peter), and more -- so there has not been much on the blog. But we have been celebrating every day. Eating great food, being sure to nourish our bodies and our souls.

I'll be back to posting regularly starting tomorrow.

Cantaloupe Sherbet

Up till now, I have not posted a recipe for a dessert. Not one! That is surprising because I love dessert. And my debut dessert is a great one.

Recently, we got two perfectly ripe, delicious cantaloupes. But let’s be honest: you can only eat cantaloupe with breakfast so many days in a row before it becomes tiring. We polished off one cantaloupe, but there was still the other one. What to do?

What about cantaloupe sherbet? I mean orange sherbet and lime sherbet is delicious. Why not cantaloupe?

Turns out, it is good. Really good. Astonishingly good. It’s a nice, light dessert or late night snack. And since it’s made from cantaloupe, you can even fool yourself that it’s good for you!

This is one frozen dessert that’s actually ready to eat right out of the ice cream maker, though it also tastes great after it’s been in the freezer for a while. Just be sure to store it in a plastic container – not glass. And to better protect the consistency, place some plastic wrap on the surface of the sherbet.

Makes approximately 2 quarts.

1 medium cantaloupe
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (don’t even think of using the stuff in the yellow plastic lemons. No really, don’t do it.)
½ cup sugar
¼ cup honey
3 cups 2% milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Cut cantaloupe in half around the equator of the melon. With a spoon, remove the seeds, then cut each melon half into four slices. Cut the orange flesh of the cantaloupe away from the rind, then cut the flesh into approximately 1-inch pieces. Discard the rind.

Put the cantaloupe pieces and lemon juice in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Strain the puree into a large bowl (this will make the finished sherbet wonderfully smooth); discard any solid bits of melon. Add the remainder of the ingredients to the cantaloupe puree and stir until the sugar dissolves.

Pour the mixture into the canister of the ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions.

Stuffed Peppers

This twist on a classic dish is a tasty way to use leftovers.

Traditional stuffed peppers – filled with a ground beef mixture and topped with tomato sauce – is not one of my favorite dishes. The stuffing is usually greasy – much like a meatloaf baked in a pan.

My mother made a version of stuffed peppers I’ve seen nowhere else. Instead of using a ground beef-based stuffing, Mom’s variation featured a ham and rice mixture. The problem is, I never learned how to make stuffed peppers from Mom, and when she died, I couldn’t find the recipe she used in her collection of cookbooks or recipe cards.

So, I created my own, based on memory. I’ve got to say, it’s really good! There are several steps to this dish, making it more appropriate for a day when you have 45 minutes or so to prepare dinner. While this may take a bit of time, it’s worth it!

Serves 4

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

4 large bell peppers (any color, though green is generally the least expensive)
1 1/3 cups of water*
2/3 cup uncooked rice*
1 teaspoon salt*
1 cup ham, finely chopped+
1 ripe tomato, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
½ teaspoon hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup plain breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil

Slice the top ¼ to ½ inch off the top of each pepper, then remove the seeds and the white membrane with a spoon. Place the peppers in a steamer or a steamer basket and steam over boiling water for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

*Meanwhile, bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. When the water boils, add the salt and the rice, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

Add the ham, tomato, eggs, cheese, hot pepper sauce, salt and pepper to the rice; stir together until well incorporated. Fill the peppers with the ham-rice mixture. Oil a baking dish, and set the filled peppers in the dish so they fit snuggly (use crumbled foil to make a snug fit).

Combine the breadcrumbs and olive oil in a small bowl. Top the stuffed peppers with the breadcrumb mixture.

Bake for about 25 minutes, till the peppers are tender and the stuffing is hot. Serve with a good, crusty loaf of bread and a green salad.

*You can use 1 cup of leftover rice instead. A great use for leftovers and a time saver for this recipe!

On the Farm

This year, our family joined a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm. Every Thursday, I drive to the farm to pick up a box of produce which represents our share of the CSA’s bounty. We joined for several reasons:

+ To enjoy fresh, organic, locally-grown vegetables and fruit.
+ To support farmers in our area. Back in the late winter when we bought into the CSA, we invested in the farm. As with any investment, we share in the risk (the possibility of a poor harvest due to rain, drought, pests, etc.) and in the reward (delicious produce). By paying up front for our share, we help the farm be more stable financially.
+ To break out of our vegetable rut.

I’ll be honest, there have been times in the last few years that I’ve grown tired of our local supermarket’s produce aisle. Some of the offerings look great – broccoli, bell peppers, carrots, etc. Other, less popular vegetables don’t look so good – perhaps because these other vegetables aren’t big sellers, they hang around the produce aisle and their quality drops. As I stick to what I know and what looks good, it seems like I cook these same vegetables over and over and over again.

Joining a CSA has helped us break out of the rut. In the spring, we enjoyed a variety of greens – some I was familiar with (spinach, different lettuces), and some I didn’t know what to do with (beet greens? What do you do with beet greens? Turns out, they’re delicious!) As the season progressed, we had purple beans (now I know that purple beans turn green when you cook them and then not only taste like green beans, but look like them too), edamame (while they taste good, we have yet to discover a good and quick way to shell them), and kohlrabi (we have yet to discover a good way to prepare it so it actually tastes good), etc. And of course, we had the familiar – peas, sugar snap peas, green beans, tomatoes, peppers, cantaloupe, onions, garlic, potatoes, summer squash, zucchini, and more!

If you want to check out a CSA near you for next year, visit www.localharvest.org; the website will help you find the CSA farms closest to you.

Jesus & Shared Meals

Jesus enjoyed sharing meals with others, and he understood that shared meals can enhance the spiritual nature of eating. Shortly after Levi, a tax collector responded to Jesus’ invitation to follow him, Jesus went to a dinner party at Levi’s home. The description of the guest list: “many tax collectors and sinners were also sitting with Jesus and his disciples,” may seem unimportant. But who was seated with Jesus at Levi’s dinner table is revealing. The term “sinner” referred to people who were obvious sinners, people who were viewed as unforgiveable. Tax collectors were generally hated by most people at the time, but not for the same reason that the Internal Revenue Service might not be our favorite government agency today. Instead tax collectors were despised for three reasons: they were viewed as traitors, who collaborated with the hated Romans and took money from other Jewish people and turned it over to Roman authorities; they were seen as sinners, who worked with and for gentiles; and they were considered to be crooks, who enriched themselves by overcharging taxpayers. And yet, Jesus was sharing a meal with Levi’s friends, this collection of tax collectors and sinners. Some religious leaders noticed Jesus’ dining companions, and grumbled, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus made it clear: “I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.” Jesus seeks out those who are rejected as undesirable and unforgiveable; they are welcome at Jesus’ table. (Mark 2:15-17)

Jesus also dined with religious leaders, including Simon, who was a Pharisee. Pharisees were considered to be paragons of virtue, so Simon was a respectable man. While the dinner party at Levi’s home was interrupted by grumbling religious leaders, the dinner party at the Simon’s home was interrupted by a woman everyone in the city condemned as a sinner. Somehow she heard that Jesus was going to be at Simon’s home. She wanted to see Jesus so much, and she wanted to express her appreciation for him so much, that she crashed the party. Clearly she knew that she would never be welcomed into the home of a Pharisee – Pharisees did not consort with sinners like her – but she didn’t care. She came to Jesus, kneeled at his feet, cried so much that her tears covered his feet, dried her tears with her hair, and then anointed his feet with costly perfume – all as a demonstration of gratitude and love. When Simon silently wondered why Jesus couldn’t tell what kind of woman this was, Jesus reminded his host that while Simon did not extend hospitality to Jesus in the culturally expected ways at the time, the woman at his feet went over and above what was expected in her act of gratitude. Because she was forgiven much, she showed great love. (Luke 7:36-50)

Sauteed Chicken with Balsamic Sauce

If at first you don’t succeed . . .

You may remember that the recipe for Risotto with Balsamic Chicken and Peas was inspired by a delicious entrée I had in an Italian restaurant on our first anniversary. That risotto dish is delicious. Yet I have wanted to create a recipe that comes closer to that memorable meal.

First I tried marinating chicken breasts in a balsamic sauce and roasting it in the oven. It was too dry. Then I tried marinating the chicken as before, but this time follow that by coating them in bread crumbs and sautéing on the stove top. The bread crumbs got too black, the chicken breasts were not uniformly cooked through, and we could barely taste the balsamic sauce.

On the third try: success! The keys are to make the chicken breasts the same thickness so they sauté uniformly and instead of marinating the chicken in the balsamic sauce, cook the sauce.

Serves 4

Preheat oven to the lowest possible setting. (Our oven has a “warm” setting which is perfect.)

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
¼ cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot

Trim the fat from the chicken. Put a 1 ½ foot-long piece of plastic wrap on the counter and place one chicken breast on the plastic wrap, four to five inches from the edge. Fold the remaining plastic wrap over the chicken. Using a kitchen mallet or rolling pin, pound out the chicken till it is about ½ inch thick. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

Combine the flour, salt and pepper on a plate. Take one of the flattened chicken breasts and thoroughly coat with flour, being sure to shake off the excess. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted, add the chicken. Cook for 4 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, combine the rest of the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together. Set aside.

Place the cooked chicken on an oven-safe platter and keep warm in the oven.

Drain the remaining oil and butter mixutre from the skillet and add the balsamic vinegar mixture. With a wooden spoon, scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the skillet. Boil till the mixture is reduced to make a moderately thick sauce.

Remove the chicken from the oven, and drizzle sauce over the chicken.

Taste It!

I enjoy watching cooking television reality shows. Most of the contestants on these shows are accomplished chefs, with an occasional talented home cook into the mix. Combined, they possess years of culinary experience.

As I watch, I imagine what the contestants’ creations taste like. Some sound marvelous. Others look dreadful.

It turns out, that some of the contestants do little more than imagine what their own dishes taste like. When the judges are displeased with a competitor’s efforts, often one of the judges will ask, “Did you taste this?” I am shocked how often a contestant answers, “No.” The judges will shake their heads, wondering how a cook could miss such a critical part of the cooking process.

I have learned from their mistakes. One of the best ways to ensure that your completed dish will be good is to taste it along the way. That way you can make course corrections if needed to avoid disaster.

Some cautions:
Do not taste raw or undercooked meat – that is a food safety hazard. You will have to wait until the meat is properly done to taste it.
Be sanitary – use a different spoon or fork each time you take a taste. Do not use your finger to take a taste. And do not use your cooking utensils to take a taste.
When tasting a sauce as it is reducing, remember that the flavors will become more concentrated as the sauce becomes more concentrated, so keep the sauce under-flavored until the end.
Measure out the recommended amount of salt, pepper, herbs and spices before you begin cooking and put them in small bowls. Add a little bit at a time as you cook, and remember to taste along the way. This way, it is easy to adjust your seasoning. If you dump all the seasoning in at the beginning, it might become over-seasoned, and there is no way to correct it. If you add all your seasoning at the end, you will notice the seasoning on the “surface” of the dish and it will taste like you added all the seasoning at the end. If you season as you go, you will be better able to incorporate the flavors throughout the dish.

Remember why you are cooking. You want to serve food that tastes good to our friends and family, right? The best way to ensure that is to taste as you go.

Really Yummy Veggies

Once again, desperation is the mother of invention. As I started preparing dinner, I realized that I didn’t have a necessary ingredient for what I had planned. (My excuse: it was the first day of kindergarten for our son, Peter, and . . . well . . . I wasn’t the most organized today. I’m human.) Because the main dish was going to be very different – still chicken, but other than that, not at all the same – the vegetable side dish was going to need to be different.

So what was I going to do with some corn on the cob and a cucumber? Of course, I also had some scallions in the refrigerator, peas in the freezer* and basil in the garden. What if I created a cold vegetable medley? I figured this desperation salad would taste okay. But I was wrong: it tasted great! So good that after she ate her first bite, Kathleen said, “You’ve got to put this recipe on your blog!” Kathleen liked this so much, she suggested the name.

So here it is. Enjoy!

*Peas are one vegetable I always keep in the freezer. They are picked at the peak of ripeness and quickly frozen, preserving their sweet flavor. The only way to get that same quality with fresh peas is to eat them within hours of harvest in the midst of the short pea season. Frozen peas means you can eat them year round.

Serves 4

3 ears of corn
2 cups of frozen peas
1 cucumber , peeled, seeds removed, and chopped the same size as the tomatoes – (about 1 ½ cups)
3 scallions, finely chopped
3 tablespoons, fresh basil, cut into thin, ribbon-like strips
Salt and pepper to taste

Shuck the corn, then rub with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Grill the corn on all sides until there are slight brownish black grill marks (about 6-10 minutes total). Remove corn from grill and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, cook the peas according to package directions. When done, rinse in cold water. Combine the peas, cucumber, scallion, and 2 tablespoons of the basil into a bowl. When the corn is cool enough to touch, remove the kernels from the cobs with a sharp knife. Add the corn to the bowl with the other vegetables. Add salt and pepper to taste. (Yes, that means be sure to taste it. You may need to add more basil, salt and or pepper, which is why you should hold back from adding all the basil at the beginning).

Serve at room temperature.

Being a Good Host/Being a Good Guest

An annoyed hostess in New Jersey wrote a syndicated advice columnist that she loves to entertain. Yet even though she carefully prepares healthy, creative food using the freshest ingredients, invariably at least one guest says “I don’t eat that!” She’s convinced that such guests are rude. How should she respond? The advice columnist suggested the hostess smile and say: “If you don’t like that, don’t eat it.”[1] Of course the hostess is right; such behavior is rude. Yet it is not only the rude guest who is responsible for this problem.

I will admit that there are some foods I do not like, with mushrooms and peaches being at the top of the list. While I can eat both mushrooms and peaches, I would rather not, thank you very much. Other people have food allergies. Some food allergies are so serious, that a person’s life might be at risk if he or she eats something that causes a severe reaction.

I’m sure that the New Jersey hostess loves to cook, and thoughtfully prepares a menu that will taste delicious. But even more important than the food that is set on the table, are the people who are sitting around the table. And if a host serves food that a guest does not like, or that could seriously harm a guest, that luncheon or dinner party is not an every day celebration.

One important early step is to talk to your guests before you plan your menu. Whenever we are hosting a party, I make sure to ask our guests if they have any food allergies, or if there is any food they don’t like. If I sense reluctance to answer, I’ll admit to my own food dislikes, to let them know that it is perfectly acceptable not to like certain food. I truly want to know their preferences, so that we can have a great time together. I then take these dislikes and allergies into consideration before deciding what to serve, to make sure that there are options to disliked food and that food that causes allergies is not served at all.

But what do you do if you are a guest in someone’s home, and as the meal is served, you discover that on your plate is a food you would rather not put in your mouth? If your host is unaware of your aversion to that food and you can safely eat it, I suggest you do. I have eaten more mushrooms and peaches than I care to recall. If it happens again when you are a guest of the same host, then I suggest politely and discreetly placing the food you cannot stand to the side of your plate. If your host asks, graciously tell him or her the truth.

Of course if you have a food allergy, do not put your health at risk in an attempt to be a good guest. After all, how could a guest would you be if you had a severe allergic reaction at the dinner table? If you can safely eat around the problem food, do. If you cannot, you will need to inform your host.
[1]Jeanne Philip, “Dear Abby,” appearing in the September 6, 2009 issue of the Sunday News Journal (Wilmington, Delaware).

The Grace of Celebratory Flexibility

My plan was to undertake another culinary experiment for dinner this evening. I had all the ingredients I needed -- and had even completed a few steps in cooking. I was looking forward to creating a dish I thought would be delicious.

Then I picked Peter up from nursery school, the nursery school where he attended pre-kindergarten. Today was a momentous day, his last day at his old school before he starts kindergarten on Tuesday. Peter asked, "What are we having for dinner?" (He asks that question almost every day -- sometimes even before we eat breakfast. Yes, he truly is my son.) When I told him what I had planned, he balked. You see, Peter had another idea for a celebration on his last day at his nursery school: pizza. And more specifically, his idea was to get take-out pizza, not going out to eat or having pizza delivered.

Now remember, I already had dinner planned. I already had all the ingredients I needed. And I had already started the dinner preparations. And yet . . .

One of the guiding principles of Celebrate Every Day is that every meal can be a celebration. And since this was a special day for Peter, and he had an idea for how he wanted to celebrate, didn't it make sense to be flexible? After all, God is flexible with us. Certainly God's love for us is unchanging. Yet God is constantly flexible with us as we change course. This divine flexibility is one manifestation of God's grace.

So what better way to feed our souls on this momentous day in Peter's life than to be flexible and celebrate with pizza, as Peter wanted.

Kathleen will use the ingredients I intended for tonight's dinner in some form this weekend (in our home, I cook during the week, and Kathleen cooks on the weekends.) The culinary experiment will wait for another night.

This evening we nourished our souls as we dined alfresco, eating take-out pizza in our backyard.

Basic French Toast

Do you have a day coming up where you know that getting dinner on the table for the whole family will be next to impossible? Maybe you’ve got a work commitment that stretches on into the evening, or one of your children has sports practice or a concert that will sneak into your dinner hour. On those days when your evening will be crazy, you can switch your family’s special mealtime to breakfast.

Or maybe you have a special day coming up: the first day of school, a birthday, the first day of a new job. Why not start the celebration early with a special breakfast.

Or perhaps you and your family want to shake up the evening meal routine. And if you all love traditional breakfast food, why not have breakfast for dinner?

For any of the above occasions, basic French toast can fit the bill. I learned years ago not to assume that everyone knows how to make French toast. Kathleen is a great cook, far more skilled in the kitchen than I am. Yet for years, she was clueless how to make French toast. When she would try, her efforts were not very successful. If Kathleen, who knows her way around the kitchen, has trouble with French toast, who else might?

Below is a good, basic recipe for French toast. There are other, more fancy variations, but this version is a great place to start.

A great way to round out this meal – whether for breakfast, lunch or dinner – is with fruit salad. (And I recommend making a fresh fruit salad instead of opening a can of fruit cocktail.)

Serves 4

Preheat oven to the lowest possible setting. (Our oven has a “warm” setting which is perfect.)

6 slices of bread (you can use traditional white sandwich bread, or whole wheat)
6 eggs
¾ cup of milk
¾ teaspoon of vanilla
Butter
Maple syrup (and yes, use real maple syrup. It’s true that real maple syrup is more expensive than “pancake” syrup, but this is one case where you definitely get what you pay for. Maple syrup is worth it; think of it as a delicious little luxury.)

Cut each slice of bread in half on the diagonal. Set aside.

Crack the eggs into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, add the milk and vanilla, and beat* till slightly frothy. Set aside.

Soak as many slices of bread in the egg mixture as you can fit in the baking dish for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted and is slightly bubbling, add the soaked bread and cook for 2 to 4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Place the cooked French toast in an oven-safe platter and keep warm in the oven. Cook the remainder of the soaked bread, adding additional butter to the skillet if needed.

Serve hot with maple syrup. Makes 3 half slices of French toast per person.

*A tip to beat eggs: First, pierce each yolk with a fork, then beat the eggs with a whisk or a fork. This will enable you to beat the eggs much more uniformly.

Thank You!

Thank you to everyone who submitted a prayer for consideration in the first ever Celebrate Every Day contest! You can take a look at the selections -- and discover a creative way to pray -- in the next post.

A Fun Way to Pray

A fun way to highlight the spiritual dimension of meals is to choose a prayer by chance. First, compile a list of six table graces. Then before each meal, roll a die from a board game. Whatever number you roll, that is your prayer.

You might choose the following six prayers:

1. For this day,
For this food,
For each other,
For your love
We give you thanks, O God. Amen.

2. Give us, O Lord, thankful hearts which never forget your goodness to us. Give us, O Lord, grateful hearts, which do not waste time complaining. Amen. (Thomas Aquinas, 1225-1274)

3. Thank you for the world so sweet.
Thank you for the food we eat.
Thank you for the birds that sing.
Thank you, God, for everything. Amen.

4. God, bless this food we are about to receive.
Give bread to those who hunger.
And hunger for justice to us who have bread. Amen.

5. (Everyone join hands for a moment of silence. Conclude with “Amen.”)

6. O God, we thank you for this food,
for health and strength and all things good.
May others all these blessings share,
and hearts be grateful everywhere. Amen.

If you have children who enjoy singing, you might want to substitute the following prayer for one of the six above:

(Sung to the theme song for the movie Superman)
Thank you God, for giving us food.
Thank you God, for giving us food.
Our daily bread, we must be fed.
Thank you God, for giving us food

If you have prayers that are particularly meaningful for you, substitute them for some of the six suggested prayers.

Tip: Plant a Garden, Even a Small One

Here it is, late August, and we are thorougly enjoying the fruit of the garden in our backyard. I'm so thankful that Kathleen planted and has worked in our garden. She finds it relaxing (though she does get sore sometimes when she's been weeding for a long time), adn we all benefit from the great food.

While most people are able to buy many high-quality, low-cost ingredients at their local supermarket, there are some ingredients that are just better coming from your own garden. Nothing, and I mean nothing, compares to a tomato just picked from the vine. While you can certainly make many great dishes with canned tomatoes, canned tomato sauce and canned tomato paste, there are some dishes that really only taste good with perfectly ripe tomatoes right off the vine, including Caprese salad, gazpacho, and bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches.

Even if you have a small space for a garden – a postage-stamp sized backyard or some pots on a balcony – I recommend that you plant:

1. Tomatoes – Don’t go overboard (which is such a temptation when you’re perusing seed catalogs in the dead of winter or wandering the local garden center in the early spring). Instead, plant one or two of a few varieties. We always like to plant nice, red slicing tomatoes, big yellow tomatoes, red grape tomatoes and small yellow pear tomatoes. Experiment and see what you like. Also, consider planting heirloom tomatoes. Heirlooms not only have great flavor, you can same of the seeds and plant them again next year. Plus, planting heirloom tomatoes helps the many different varities thrive. (One important hint: whatever tomato variety you plant, make sure to move where you plant your tomatoes. Don’t plant them in the exact same spot in your garden as you did last year. That way, you cut down on the chance of soil-born diseases.)

2. Herbs – Nothing compares to fresh herbs in cooking. But have you seen how expensive fresh herbs are in the supermarket? And I don’t know about you, but I rarely use all the herbs I buy before they go bad. Instead, plant some herbs in your garden. Before you plant, think about what herbs you use in your cooking. For us, we use a lot of basil, flat leaf parsley and cilantro, so that is what we have in the garden. For you it might be rosemary and thyme. Look through your favorite recipes and decide what you would love to cook with, then plant those herbs.

That’s it. Of course, you can grow a larger garden: corn, zucchini, peppers, and more. But for the most bang for your gardening time and acreage, at least plant tomatoes and herbs. You’ll thank yourself.

Thinking Back to Last Week's Culinary Experiment

If you remember, last Thursday, I tried a culinary experiment: making tomato sauce totally from scratch. I knew that this recipe would not be a Celebrate Every Day recipe. After all, it would take a long, long, long time and involve many steps, making it anything but simple. Yet I wondered: would this tomato sauce be worth the investment of time and energy? Would it be better than my usual tomato sauce (which, by the way, is not any of the commercially available brands; I do make my own, just not totally from scratch)? I was pretty sure it would be.

I was wrong. As it turns out, while last week's sauce was good, it wasn't phenomenal. It wasn't even any better than my usual sauce. In fact, it wasn't as good. Peter's verdict when he first tasted it: he put down his fork and said, "I want the usual sauce!"

I've had a week now to ponder the mystery of tomato sauce. You would think that the sauce that was last week's experiment would have been superior. After all, I used the best and freshest ingredients: about a gallon of organic, vine-ripened and recently-picked tomatoes, carefully chopped; organic onions, garlic, basil fresh from our garden. But the ingredients I normally use are great too. After all, the tomatoes used to make the canned sauce and canned tomato paste are picked and processed at the height of ripeness. The only ingredient in the tomato paste is tomatoes, which have been concentrated to a sweet, tomatoey, thick goodness. The canned tomato sauce I normally use has standard ingredients: tomatoes, salt, onion, garlic, dried peppers and more -- pretty much the same as I used in last week's experiment.

What I've learned from this experiment is that you don't have to spend a lot of time cooking in order to make a great meal. It really is possible to make a meal that satisfies body and soul so you can celebrate every day.

Grilled Mediterranean Beef

Kathleen created this dish which has quickly become one of my favorite entrees for warm weather gatherings with family and friends. Over the last several years, this has been served for dinner on my birthday.

Grilled Mediterranean Beef is delicious, and surprisingly easy to make, if you three tips in mind. Tip One: Be sure to marinate the meat in the herb mixture for at least two hours, or for up to 12 hours (I have made up the marinade early in the day and had the meat marinating until shortly before dinner). Tip Two: Take the meat (still in the marinade) out of the refrigerator half an hour before you will cook it. Tip Three: If using a charcoal grill, start the coals half and hour before you want to start cooking, so the coals will be hot. (You can also use an indoor grill.)

Serves 8-10

1 cup fresh basil, lightly packed
1 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, lightly packed
½ cup olive oil
5 garlic cloves, peeled
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 pound (approximate) beef top round

Put the fresh herbs, olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Whir to form a paste.

Coat the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with 1 ½ tablespoons of the herb mixture. Place the beef on top, then top with the remaining herb paste. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two, and up to 12, hours.

Grill the beef over hot coals until medium rare, approximately 8-12 minutes per side. Let the meat rest for at least five minutes, then slice very thinly across the grain, preferably on an angle (otherwise, the beef will be tough and difficult to chew).

The Right Tools -- Your Ideas

I just posted a list of kitchen gadgets I believe can help you save time and energy -- and avoid a lot of frustration -- as you cook. After all, one of the best ways to simplify your cooking is to use the right tools.

What gadgets do you find valuable? What would your recommend people get to stock their kitchens?

The Right Tools

One of the best ways to simplify your cooking routine is to have the right tools. You can save time and energy – as well as avoid a lot of frustration – if you have the kitchen gadgets you need. I’ve listed the tools I find the most valuable, categorized as inexpensive, moderately priced and expensive. (Note that even in the “expensive” category, you don’t have to buy the most expensive tools to get good quality tools. It’s just that everything in this category is more costly.) If you are just starting out, or re-stocking your kitchen to be more efficient, this list is a good place to start.

Inexpensive

Box grater – A great tool for grating blocks of cheese (like cheddar)

Colander – the perfect tool for draining pasta and vegetables. (Be sure to get the colander’s holes are not so large that your favorite type of spaghetti will drain out with the cooking water!)

Charcoal chimney – With this, you can get the charcoals ready for the grill without using lighter fluid. This is better for the environment and for your health.

Ladle – Particularly useful is a ladle with a silicone cup that you can use to scoop out sauces, soups and more out of cookware with a non-stick surface.

Liquid measuring cups (two) – If you can, get both a 4-cup and a 2-cup (these can be easily nested one inside the other). Liquid measurements are not the same as dry measurements.

Measuring cups (two sets) – You’ll use them a lot, so get cups of high quality metal or plastic. My favorite set has not only ¼, 1/3, ½ and 1 cup measures, but also 2/3 and ¾ cup measures

Measuring spoons (two sets) – You’ll need them over and over again, so get quality. My favorite are made of thick metal that cannot bend, chip or crack. (Unlike earlier sets I had, including one made of thin metal that bent and another of cheap plastic that chipped and cracked).

Microplane zester/grater – As the name implies, you can use this for zesting lemons and other citrus as well as grating cheese. This is perfect for parmesan cheese.

Parchment paper – I use parchment paper for so many recipes: oven roasted potatoes (as well as other roasted vegetables), meatballs and of course for baking. Make sure to have at least a roll of parchment paper on hand at all times.

Pepper Mill – This is the easiest way to have freshly cracked pepper.

Reamer – I have a very inexpensive wooden reamer I use to juice lemons, limes and oranges.

Salad Spinner – The perfect gadget to wash and dry lettuce and some fresh herbs like basil and parsley.

Spaghetti Measure – This hard plastic disc helps you measure the perfect amount of spaghetti for one to four servings.

Strainer – Can be used instead of a colander for smaller tasks.

Tongs – This is the tool you need to turn food, such as pork chops. Get at least one pair of tongs that have silicone tips for use on cookware with a non-stick surface, and one pair of tongs with a long handle for the grill

Spatulas – Get at least two heat-resistant spatulas, a wide one for turning pancakes, French toast and other foods, and a narrower one for other uses.

Vegetable peeler – Use to peel potatoes, apples, carrots and more

Vegetable peeler with serrated blades – Use to peel tomatoes. This is one of my favorite tools of all time.

Wooden spoons – Use these to stir while you cook.

Moderately Priced
Baking dishes (at least in 9 inch x 13 inch and 8 x 8 inch sizes) – I have a set of Pyrex baking dishes I’ve used for decades.

Baking sheets – You will use these over and over again to bake cookies, roast potatoes and other vegetables, and more.

Blender – This is one of the few kitchen gadgets sitting on our counter top at all times.

Coffee Maker – Even if you don’t drink coffee yourself, you need a coffee maker in order to be a good host, because some of your guests do drink coffee. (If you are not a coffee drinker, you can store the coffee maker in an out-of-the-way upper cabinet to keep your counter clear.)

Immersion blender – A great gadget for making sauces and soups

Mixing bowls – My favorite are a set of metal bowls in various sizes. Also good are heavy-duty glass bowls. I suggest you stay away from plastic bowls.

Skillet – Buy a 10 – 12-inch, oven-safe skillet with a lid and a non-stick surface. You will use this to make so many dishes.

Expensive But Worth It
Food processor – I definitely think a food processor is worth it for so many jobs. It will save you time and frustration.

Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer – Yes, I do suggest you get this brand. Contrary to rumor, I did not marry Kathleen for her Kitchen Aid mixer (but it didn’t hurt).

Knives – Buy a quality set of sturdy, well-built knives that can be sharpened. This does not mean that you have to buy the most expensive knives on the market. You can buy a good set of knives for the price of a single very expensive knife. In the long run you’re better off buying a quality set than buying a cheap and poorly-made set you’ll wind up replacing. And be sure to keep your knives sharp. Sharp knives not only work more efficiently, they are safer to use.

Panini Press/Grill/Griddle – Yes, you can buy a cheaper panini press, indoor grill, or griddle than one that does all three tasks. But one gadget not only costs less than three, it also takes up less space in your kitchen. Look for one with removable plates that are dishwasher safe.

Pots and pans – Buy a quality set of sturdy, well-built set. This does not mean that you have to buy the most expensive set of pots and pans available. You can buy a good set for the cost of one very expensive pot. I like stainless steel pots and pans with a heavy-duty aluminum bottom. They perform well and are easy to clean so they continue to look great. (Copper pots and pans require much more effort to keep looking great.)

More on Jesus & Food

A while ago, I mentioned that we can learn a lot about the spiritual significance of eating by exploring Jesus' relationship with food. Today, we'll take a deeper look.

Before Jesus told his first story, before he preached his first sermon, before he healed a sick person for the first time, before he called the first person to follow him, Jesus fasted. He did without food for 40 days in order to prepare himself spiritually for his work. After that extended period of fasting, he was obviously hungry. And that extreme hunger left him vulnerable. As Jesus was still in the desert wilderness, the tempter came to Jesus and tried to lead his astray, lead him away from what God wanted him to do, and lead him away from his true identity. The Gospel of Matthew records that the very first temptation involved food. “If you are the Son of God,” the tempter said, “command these stones to become loaves of bread.” That was a powerful temptation, a temptation for Jesus not only to prove that he really is the Son of God, but also a temptation to relieve his own, personal hunger, and relieve the hunger of other people, needy people. Just think of all the good he could do if he did transform not just one stone, but thousands of stones to bread? All he would have to do is listen to the tempter, instead of listening to God. Jesus responded to the temptation: “It is written, `One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:1-4)

That one passage may leave the impression that Jesus discounted the value of food. After all, he did without food during a 40-day fast. He refused to turn stones into bread in order to feed himself and others in the area who were hungry. And he understood that while we need food to survive, we need to be guided by God even more.

Yet it is clear from reading the gospels that Jesus was not opposed to eating. He enjoyed food. In fact his enjoyment of eating and sharing meals was in stark contrast to other spiritual leaders at the time. The difference was so striking, that some people criticized him. Jesus did not dodge the criticism; he took it on. He realized that many of the same people who were complaining about him had also complained about John the Baptist, who ate a restricted diet. “For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, `He has a demon’; the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, `Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’” (Matthew 11:18-19) Few people today have the image of Jesus as a glutton and drunkard, but his contemporary detractors did.

Balance is vital. Jesus knew we need to eat to survive. Food is so important that when he taught his disciples how to pray, he encouraged them to pray “Give us this day our daily bread.” (Matthew 6:11) He knew that we need to acknowledge God as the source of our sustenance, and that worrying about what we are going to eat, and worrying about if we are going to eat, can throw our lives off track. Just after teaching his followers what we call “The Lord’s Prayer,” Jesus said, “I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” Jesus urged people to not focus on worry. “But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:25-33) Our primary focus is to be righteous, to live the right way, to live in a right relationship with God and thus live as though the kingdom of God were already fully here.

Broccoli & Potato Frittata

Are there days when you know you won' t have a lot of time to get dinner ready? Days when if you don't plan in advance you'll probably wind up getting something at the drive through or calling for delivery?

When you know you're going to have one of those days, this is the perfect solution. If you've planned ahead and have leftovers to go, this frittata will be ready in a snap. Plus, this takes those leftovers and totally transforms them. A frittata makes a great, light dinner, particularly when accompanied by a side salad dressed with a light vinaigrette, or with sliced vine-ripened tomato sprinkled with salt.

I used leftover roasted potatoes (see the recipe on the July 30 post) from dinner a few days ago, and quickly steamed some broccoli. (Of course if I had planned really well, I would have already had leftover broccoli ready to go.)

Serves 4

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

1 tablespoon butter
10 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups steamed broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces and cooled (you can use leftover broccoli)
2 cups oven roasted potatoes

Melt butter in a large (10-12 inch) non-stick and oven-safe skillet over medium heat.

Crack the eggs into a large bowl, add the salt and the pepper, and beat* lightly. Set aside.

After butter is melted, add the the broccoli and potatoes to the skillet. Add the eggs. Let the eggs partially set, about 2 to 3 minutes. Then with a small heat-resistant spatula gently lift up some of the egg that has set and let some of the uncooked egg reach the bottom of the skillet. Continue lifting the set eggs until most of the egg is set, about 6 to 8 minutes total from when you added the eggs to the pan.

Place the skillet in the pre-heated oven and bake for 8 minutes, till the frittata is puffy. Remove from the skillet onto a large plate or round platter. Cut into 8 slices, like you would a pizza.

Tip: If you do not have an oven-safe skillet, cover the handle in 4 to 5 layers of foil.

*A tip to beat eggs: First, pierce each yolk with a fork, then lighty beat the eggs with a whisk or a fork. This will enable you to beat the eggs much more uniformly.

Your Ideas

Did you have a favorite (or a number of favorite) mealtime prayers when you were a child? Or mealtime prayers your family has prayed together as your children are growing?

If you have one favorite – or several favorites – please let me know. I’ll share many of them – and select a few for a special project.

Tonight's Experiment: Definitely Not a Celebrate Every Day Recipe!

It's summer, and tomatoes are finally coming on strong. In fact, we have an over-supply of tomatoes. "Perfect," I thought, "I'll make tomato sauce from scratch."

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you already know that I don't use any of the commercially produced spaghetti sauces for sale in the supermarket. I always, always, always, make my own sauce. But I don't start with tomatoes. Instead, I start with canned tomato sauce, tomato paste, garlic and herbs. Not only can I make this sauce year-round, it also tastes great.

Yet I've wondered: would the sauce taste even better if I started with freshly picked tomatoes? A lot of freshly picked tomatoes? More than six pounds of freshly picked tomatoes? Would it be worth all the time and the effort?

We'll soon find out. What I do know, is that so far this has taken a lot of time, and I mean a lot of time. With all the chopping, stirring, heating, draining, stirring, heating, food-milling (is that a word? food-milling: to put something through a food mill), then more stirring and heating, I've already invested more than 3 1/2 hours, and there's probably another 1/2 hour to go.

What I've tasted so far is not bad, but we'll see what the end result is. I'd be surprised if it's better than my old stand-by. And so far, it sure doesn't seem worth the time and effort.

Of course, this is definitely not a Celebrate Every Day recipe. Celebrate Every Day recipes not only nourish body and soul, they're also simple. And believe me, this is not simple! And so far I've given Kathleen a lot of work to do when she does the dishes after dinner -- knives, cutting board, pots, spoons, food mill, bowls, etc.

Check in later and see the results.

With Kids, Don't Give Up

Trying to celebrate every day with kids can be a challenge when it comes to meals. Some kids are fussy most of the time. Others have their moments. They won't eat vegetables. Or maybe they won't touch meat. Perhaps they will only eat food that is white. And whatever you do, make sure the different food doesn't touch.

Our son Peter started off eating just about everything. In fact, we knew he was ready to start eating solid food when he took a brocoli floweret off Kathleen's fork. But over the last year or so, he has become more picky, even shunning food he once loved.

What to do? We decided that we are not short order cooks. There will be no special meals. Okay, so we fudge that rule a little. There are times when we make something that we're almost positive Peter won't eat. At those times we do make something special for him, and ask that he just try* what we're eating.

But when we've cooked something we know Peter does like, or something that all the major components of the dish Peter likes, he needs to eat it. If he doesn't, that's it. And there will be no dessert.

When he has refused something even though we're sure he would like it if he just tried it, we have not scratched that meal from our repertoire. Instead, we serve it again another time.

Like last night, when I made Boneless Honey Pork Chops (see yesterday's post). A couple week's ago, he refused to even try it -- even though he loves both pork chops and honey. But last night, he ate it all without complaint. Not only that, he loved it!

So, if your children refuse to eat something that you're pretty sure they would like, don't give up on that dish. It may take a while, but most likely, they'll eat it in time.

*Try means to chew and swallow at least one bite.

Boneless Honey Pork Chops

My father-in-law used to hate pork chops. Apparently his mother -- and many in her generation -- were so afraid of disease from pork, that she overcooked it, rendering it tough. Because of his past dislike of eating shoe leather disguised as pork chops, my father-in-law used to avoid them.

I didn't realize his dislike of pork chops, until I was preparing it for dinner one night. Kathleen informed me, "I should have told you, but my Dad doesn't like pork chops."

Or not. It turns out, he really does like pork chops that are cooked the right way. Or should I say, any number of right ways. The key is, don't overcook them. The interior should be slightly pink; that way, the chops will be juicy and succulent.

This recipe for Boneless Honey Pork Chops is a great main dish when you have a side dish or two that needs last minute preparation. After all, once in the oven, these chops take care of themselves.

Serves 4

Pre-heat oven to 325.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 boneless thick-cut pork chops
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs

Place a wire rack in a baking sheet. Brush the rack with oil; set aside.

Slather all side of the pork chops with honey (I find it easier to put the honey in a pie plate first, and then dip the chops in one at a time). Then coat the chops with breadcrumbs (again, I find it easier to put the breadcrumbs on a plate and dip the honey-coated chops in the breadcrumbs).

Place the chops on the rack; this will ensure that all sides of the pork cook evenly and that the bottom does not become soggy.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until slightly pink in the middle of the thickest chop.

A Simple Tip

Tonight, we had hamburgers, carrot salad and oven-roasted potatoes (all three recipes have been published on this blog). All three dishes come together really fast -- except the actual roasting of the potatoes. It takes about 35 minutes to roast them, and that is only after the oven is pre-heated.

So today's simple tip*: turn on the oven as soon as you come in the door from work. Or even better, if your oven has the great feature so you can program it to turn on at a certain time, use it! Program your oven to be pre-heated about the time you come home. That way you can pop whatever your baking/roasting into the oven right away and eat that much sooner.

*This may seem like such an obvious idea, but I didn't think about it myself until a couple months ago. Yes, sometimes it takes me years to realize the obvious!

Sausage and Pepper Sandwiches

What to do with an over-abundance of bell peppers? What if you have a five-year-old son who loves sausage? One perfect solution -- sausage and pepper sandwiches!

This recipe reminds me of the great sausage and pepper sandwiches you find in the Chicago area. No wonder they're so popular!

You can make these sandwiches look as good as they taste by using a variety of bell peppers -- green, red, yellow, orange and/or white. After all, this is about celebrating, every day!

Serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound Italian sausage (mild works best for our family, but if you like it spicy, go for hot Italian sausage), remove casing and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 - 4 medium bell peppers (or 2 large bell peppers) -- cut into thin slices, being sure to remove the seeds and white membrane
1 small onion (or 1/2 a large onion) -- cut into thin slices about the same size as the bell pepper slices
2 tablespoons beef broth
4 club rolls -- sliced in half

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until brown on all sides, about 5 - 7 minutes. Add the pepper and onion slices and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the pepper and onion soften (about another 5-7 minutes).

Add the beef broth, and scrape up the caramelized bits on the bottom of the skillet. Trust me, you don't want to miss out on this punch of flavor.

Spoon the sausage and pepper mixture into the rolls, and serve while hot.

Honey Grape Chicken Salad

Looking for something refreshing for dinner on a hot, humid day? Looking for a different spin on chicken, particularly when it’s on sale at the supermarket? What if you’re looking for both? This version of chicken salad hits the spot in so many ways: the juicy pop of the grapes, the hint of sweetness from the honey, the crunch of slivered almonds.

Accompany this with some great bread, and you’ve got a tasty, light dinner that’s perfect for even the hottest days. If you want, you can serve Honey Grape Chicken Salad atop lettuce, or by itself.

Serves 4

3 cups cooked chicken, shredded
1 ½ cups seedless grapes*
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon honey*
½ cup slivered almonds

Combine the shredded chicken and grapes in a bowl.

In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise and honey to form the sauce. Add the sauce to the chicken mixture. Chill for ½ an hour. (You can also make this a day ahead.)

Right before you serve, stir in the slivered almonds.

*If you have young children, check with your pediatrician before serving grapes (which can be a choking hazard) or honey (which young stomachs may not be able to digest properly).