Happy Passover. I have in years past participated in Seder meals and loved the history and meaning in each item on the Seder plate.
I did quite a bit of cooking this week, but it’s been busy enough that I haven’t put together the recipes or taken a lot of photos. So tonight I’m highlighting some past favorites. From the blog:
Pictured above is Crisp Cucumber Salsa, always a hit when I make it. Recipe here.
Baked Ziti is my go-to for dinners to take to events or share when condolences are needed – I often take it unbaked so it can be fresh and hot when needed. It’s also a great make-ahead dinner for weeknights. Recipe here.
This week’s dinner menu is Cranberry Pepper Steak and Bleu Cheese Mashed Potatoes, click here for menu and recipes.
This yummy photo is from JeffreyW – it’s Bacon Dill Potato Salad – instructions here.
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What’s on the menu for you this weekend? Grilling yet? Have anything fun planned?
Tonight’s featured recipe is another quick but tasty dinner entry. When I was a kid I used to love the Friday nights my mom said, I’m tired of cooking let’s just have hamburger goulash – which was basically hamburger, tomato sauce and elbow macaroni with some spices thrown in. This recipe is like an adult version of that, with some real flavor. Still easy to put together.
Pasta Jambalaya
- 12 oz penne pasta
- ½ tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 1 cup sliced carrots
- 1 tsp crushed garlic
- 1 tsp to 1 tbsp Cajun or Creole seasoning
- 15 oz can black beans
- 14 oz can diced tomatoes
- 4 oz can chopped green chilies
- 4 oz smoked sausage, sliced (I like Andouille)
- 4 oz shredded Mexican 4-blend cheese
saucepan
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well. In the saucepan, heat oil and then sauté onion, pepper, celery and carrots until onions are translucent and celery soft. Add garlic, Cajun seasoning, tomatoes, chilies, beans, carrots and sausage. Bring to a low boil, reduce heat, add pasta and let simmer for 20 minutes. Serve with cheese as garnish.
Note: When a recipe says to add 1 tsp to 1 tbsp, or to taste of a spice, add it in small increments, 1/4 to 1/2 tsp at a time. Remember you can always add more, but it’s pretty tough trying to remove what you’ve added. ;-)
That’s it for this week. We’ve finally gotten rid of the clouds and it looks like a great weekend to spend outdoors. Have a great weekend. – TaMara
p.s. click on any photo to see it full-size
? Martin
Republicans should be embarrassed they are this predictable:
PRESIDENTIAL SHAME: OBAMA GROVELS BEFORE BATH-TIME BOY MONARCH
Mnemosyne
That cucumber salsa is, like, 90 percent FODMAPs-friendly. I think if I use plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream and mix in some of my garlic-infused olive oil instead of minced garlic, I can make it work.
Yes, I’m getting ready to attempt the 3-week elimination diet again. Life interfered too much last time, but hopefully there won’t be any serious family illnesses to throw me off track again this time.
Steeplejack (phone)
@efgoldman:
Uh, pretty sure the Gawker piece is a parody.
Mike J
@? Martin: That’s Gawker preëmptively making fun of Republicans. I would expect American Republicans to, ironically, love royalty more than a black president, and think it proper for him to bow.
Schlemazel Khan
I promised everyone I would post something I would call “Parmesan Rancor” in honor of my new nym. The old one came about because of someone misreading someones post & I found it funny. I was thinking of dropping it as I believe we have passed peak partisan rancor on the left (It ain’t over but then we are Dems it is never completely over for us). technocrat was good enough to bestow a new nym on me so this was a good time I thought.
I knew I needed parmesan and I wanted things with some heat to them that didn’t seem to go together. I tried a couple different ideas & none of them worked so I hit on the idea of bringing several things together. That sort of represents the left to. The nice part in my mind is that you can make any one of the three and have it as a canape/snack. All three are variation on someone eleses work but as printed original as far as I know.
Schlemazel Khan
…………PARMESAN RANCOR
Ingredients to make the whole rancor: (separated below)
4 large eggs plus 1 white
3 cups unsalted nuts
3 1/2 C Parmesan cheese
2 tsp ground Aleppo pepper (you can substitute dry ground ancho but it is not the same, I might add a pinch of cumin if I used anchos)
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
2 diced jalapeno peppers
1 C mayonnaise
1/2 bell pepper
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach
2 cups Italian-style seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup butter, melted
4 small green onion
I have made it as 3 recipes because you really can do any of these by themselves I laid them out in the order I would do it if I was making them all at once. The nuts and the balls are a great party snacks. The dip can be used with crackers or on toasts for canapes. None of these have to be served warm but I think they are better that way.
If doing all 3 put two racks in the oven, spaced so you can get a cookie sheet on one and your oven-proof bowl on the other. If your oven can’t handle all 3 at once the smear will keep till everything is done.
IT’S A SMEAR!
2 diced jalapeno peppers
1 ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
½ bell pepper chopped
Salt & pepper to taste
Preheat an oven to 350°F (175°C).
Combine all ingredients in an oven-proof bowl. Cover the bowl with a lid or foil
Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes. Keep the bowl to one side so you can get the sheet of balls next to it
Stir before serving – this stuff works cold too if you want to use it that way
NUTS TO YOU!
1 large egg white whipped to soft peaks
3 C unsalted nuts (walnuts and almonds are good, pecans are OK & I have used mixed nuts without issue)
1 C Parmesan cheese, finely grated
2 tsp ground Aleppo pepper (you can substitute dry ground ancho but it is not the same, I might add a pinch of cumin if I used anchos)
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Whisk egg white in a medium bowl until soft peaks form.
Gently fold in all ingredients into the egg whites.
Spread mixture in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet and bake, tossing every 10 minutes, until mixture is dry and toasted, 20–30 minutes. This cookie sheet can go on the rack with the smaller space if doing all 3 items.
YOU GOT A LOTTA BALLS!
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2 cups Italian-style seasoned bread crumbs
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup butter, melted
4 small green onion, finely chopped
4 eggs, lightly beaten
Salt & pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
In a medium bowl, mix the frozen chopped spinach, Italian-style seasoned bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, butter, green onion, eggs, salt and pepper. Shape the mixture into 1 inch balls.
If doing all 3 check the nuts now & flip them
Arrange the balls in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven 10 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned. This sheet can go next to the bowl.
Spread the smear on a platter leaving an uncovered edge all the way around. Arrange the balls on the smear so that you can scoop up the smear with your balls. Arrange the nuts on around the edge in the space with no smear.
And now, if I may, I will quote Julia Child as she would always say during political arguments on BJ,
“Fuck you, asshole!”
satby
@Schlemazel Khan: wow. I’m impressed.
Miss Bianca
@satby: Seconded.
satby
@satby: now I need a party to cook that for.
benw
@Schlemazel Khan: aw. I always assumed you were referring to the Rancor trap in “Return of the Jedi”.
Schlemazel Khan
@benw:
I don’t think I could make one of those from cheese!
NotMax
Reruns are for summertime.
Technocrat
@Schlemazel Khan:
Ok, that’s awesome. Bookmarking this bad boy.
Schlemazel Khan
@Technocrat:
Don’t know if you saw it but as a reward for the improved nym I offer you the opportunity to set torch to the city of your choice when I begin my pacification tour of America’s savage states.
Technocrat
@Schlemazel Khan:
Oh snap! That’s incredibly generous, O Khan. [[rubs hand gleefully]]
I think I’ll let them bid for survival? Or maybe draw cards…decisions, decisions…
ETA: I want nothing to do with Kansas though. Even minions of ruthless warlords have standards.
NotMax
@satby
Just in case you might have been wondering, am about 1/3 of the way through season 3 of Gran Hotel. That season has gotten way more soap opera-y but thankfully there’s a plenitude of Detective Ayala’s Sherlockian skills, rational demeanor and wry wit to counterbalance the heavy barrage of schmaltz und drang.
Each time he shows up in a scene one can nearly physically sense the change in tone and substance.
Scamp Dog
Will be making a blueberry pie for a potluck tomorrow morning. It’s my second try at blueberry, and I’ll be using the Cook’s Illustrated recipe again. Non-drippy filling, yay!
Joy
The recipes look wonderful so I wandered over to Jeffrey W’s website and found several more I liked. Copied them to Copy Me That app and plan to make them soon. Thanks!
Just Some Fuckhead
That was called “poor man’s casserole” in my house.