Dog Food and Vegetable Stock

We have a 19-year-old Jack Russell Terrier that hasn't been able to eat regular dog food for 5 or 6 years now.  Ever since he was on death's door, we have been cooking for him, and since we have to cook for him our other dog, a 7-year-old mutt, is on the same diet. They get a combination of pumpkin, carrots, sweet potatoes, broccoli, green beans, zucchini, chayote squash, sweet peppers, celery, and cabbage. Depending on the growing season, we alternate the vegetables with each batch, but it’s always a good mix of tasty vegetables.

First, we peel the skins off of any vegetable that has a skin difficult for a dog to digest, like pumpkin, sweet potato, chayote squash, etc. Then we process all the vegetables with the shredder disk on our food processor. Depending on what the vegetable is, we will process anywhere from ¼ kilo to a full kilo of each vegetable. Then we cook the vegetables with no salt or seasonings in a large stockpot with enough water to cover all the vegetables. We cook in several batches, but always enough food for a month. Once the vegetables are cooked “al dente”, we scoop all of them out of the cooking liquid and freeze them several plastic bags that are large enough to hold a week’s worth of food.

Our vegetable blend gets added to the proteins and carbohydrates included in the dogs’ diet. These may include chicken, fish, water-packed tuna, plain rice, plain potato, yogurt whey, etc. They also get occasional treats of fresh pineapple, papaya, apple, watermelon (seeded with no rind), and low fat/low moisture farmer's cheese.

We always have plenty of vegetable stock leftover from the cook, so we just bump it up a notch by adding ingredients that are not good for our fur kids. This includes a little salt, a couple of coarsely chopped onions, several cloves of minced garlic, a couple of diced tomatoes, a large diced carrot, a stalk or two of coarsely chopped celery, fresh rosemary and oregano and anything else found in the refrigerator’s vegetable bin. We let this cook for a couple of hours until all the goodness from the additional vegetables is extracted and we are left with a rich vegetable stock that is better than anything found on a grocery store shelf.

Today, we put up 3 liters of the most amazing vegetable stock that will be used in many of our future meals. If you’re cooking for your pets, take advantage of all the leftovers for yourself, and make vegetable stock. I sometimes think our fur kids eat better than we do!

Kicked Up Rustic Mashed Potatoes

I recently read about mashed potatoes made with garlic and chipotle adobo sauce. It occurred to me it might be fun to use my Phantom Chipotle Salt to really kick the potato experience over the top. Wow, what a tasty treat for a side dish! This salt blend adds a subtle smokey background heat that is most enjoyable.

Ingredients:

• 6 medium/large potatoes, cleaned and cut into large chunks with the skins on.
• 2 tablespoons oil
• ½ cup of milk or cream
• ¼ cup (½ stick) of butter
• 2 large cloves of garlic, either finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
• 1½ teaspoons of Phantom Chipotle Salt (If you can't make this salt blend, finely mince ¼ of a dried Chipotle pepper without the seeds and mix it with enough plain table salt to reach your desired level of heat.)
• ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.

Directions:

• Place the potatoes in a large pot, cover with water. Then add the oil to prevent the water from boiling over the top of the pot.
• Cover the pot and bring the potatoes to a rapid boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to medium-low and let the potatoes cook for about 15 minutes, until fork-tender.
• Heat the milk and butter in the microwave until the butter is melted.
• Mash the potatoes with the milk, butter, garlic, Phantom Chipotle Salt, and pepper.
• Serve hot.

Sauerkraut: Homemade in a Mason Jar

I have always loved sauerkraut. It must go back to something in my DNA and German heritage. My paternal granddad was from the old country and he passed away long before I was born. I remember eating sauerkraut as a kid with hot dogs. One of my favorite memories was stopping at the Der Wienerschnitzel drive-thru and getting a hot dog in a bun smothered with sauerkraut and French's mustard. As I got older, my taste grew more refined and I started to enjoy bratwursts and German mustard, or pork chops smothered with sauerkraut.

When I lived in the State, I only bought the kraut in a jar, or a can, because it was just too easy. You can buy sauerkraut here in Costa Rica, but it's not carried by any of my local supermarket. Who knew this German staple is so easy to make? All you have to do is plan ahead and have cabbage and salt on hand. I found this recipe on thekitchn.com, and have tweaked it to our taste.

Ingredients:

• Cabbage (about 3 pounds after removing the core) Note: You can use any type you like; green, Napa, red, etc.
• 1 1/2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt
• 1 tablespoons caraway seeds (optional, for flavor)

Equipment

• Cutting board
• Large kitchen knife
• Large mixing bowl
• ½ gallon wide-mouth canning jar (or two-quart mason jars)
• Weights to press the cabbage down. This can be a small jelly jar filled with clean rocks, marbles, or other weights, that will fit inside the wide-mouth jar. I have special glass fermentation weights that work well.
• Cloth for covering the jar. I use a piece of an old cotton jersey t-shirt.
• Rubber bands or twine to secure the cloth on the top of the jar.

Instructions:

1. Sauerkraut is made using a fermentation process. For success, you want to create an environment where healthy bacteria has the best chance of doing its job. To make this happen, you need to clean everything with hot soapy water and thoroughly rinse and dry them with a clean towel. This includes:
   
   
• Mason jar(s) - either 2 quart jars, or one ½ gallon jar
• Jelly jar(s) or weights
• Knife
• Bowl
• Cutting board
• Measuring spoons
• Hands
2. Discard any wilted, or limp outer leaves of the cabbage. Gently peel off one or two of the large outer leaves and set them aside. Cut the cabbage into quarters. Remove the core from each section. Slice each quarter into thin strips. Don't worry if some pieces are larger than others, it will just give more texture. 
3. Mix the cabbage and salt in a large mixing bowl with your hands for about 5 to 10 minutes. If you want caraway seeds, now it the time to add it to the mix. You can also mix in a little shredded carrot and diced garlic to change it up a bit. As you mix the cabbage will start to become limp like coleslaw.

4. Take handfuls of cabbage and fill the jar(s). Keep pushing the cabbage down. It will look like the jar(s) is too small, but just keep pushing it down until it fits. If there is any salty liquid left in the mixing bowl, pour it on top. Now, take the large leaf of cabbage you saved in step 1, and place it over the top of the sliced cabbage. This help keep small pieces from floating to the top. 

5. Place the weight on top of the cabbage. This can be the small jelly jar with clean rocks or marbles, or the glass fermentation weights. The weight will help keep the cabbage submerged in the salt brine so it can start to ferment.

6. Cover the mouth of the jar(s) with a clean cloth and keep it in place with string or a rubber band. 
7. Over the next 24 hours, press down the weight every couple of hours to compress the cabbage as it releases the liquid. It is important to eventually get the cabbage totally submerged to prevent bad bacteria from growing. If the cabbage is not completely submerged within 24 hours, mix a teaspoon of salt in a cup of water and add enough to submerge it.  
8. The fermentation process will take anywhere from 3 to 10 days. Keep the jar(s) away from direct sunlight in a cool place if possible. A pantry shelf or kitchen cabinet is ideal. 
9. After 3 days, start tasting the sauerkraut everyday. When it's to you liking, you can take the weights off, put a regular lid on the jar, and store it in the refrigerator. There's no rule for when the sauerkraut is "done". It's all a matter of taste. During the fermentation process, you may see bubbles in the jar, foam on the top, or white scum. These are all good signs of healthy fermentation. You can remove the scum before refrigeration. However, if you see any mold, skim it off immediately and make sure the cabbage is totally submerged below the brine level. If you find moldy particles close to the surface, don't panic, just discard them. The rest of the sauerkraut is fine.
10. Sauerkraut will keep for at least two months and often longer if kept refrigerated. If needed you can transfer the sauerkraut to smaller jars for storage. 

Vegetable Bouillon Paste

I found this idea on the internet, and I think it will quickly become a staple in my kitchen. This can be made with any of your favorite vegetables and is only limited by your imagination. The first time I made this, I only made a half batch and gave too much of it away to friends. Next time I will make the full 2 kilos so I don't run out of this so fast. So far, I have used it to make Chicken & Pasta Soup, Baked Potato Soup, and Spaghetti Sauce. I'm sure I'm going to find many more uses.

Ingredients:

• 250 grams leeks
• 125 grams broccoli
• 250 grams carrots
• 125 grams sweet peppers
• 125 grams onion
• 4 to 6 garlic cloves
• 125 grams parsley
• 125 grams cilantro
• 1 cup fine salt (I like to use our swimming pool salt because it is very fine and absolutely pure, no iodine, no fluoride, and no anti-caking ingredient)

Directions:

• Thoroughly wash all the vegetables and air dry as much as much as possible.
• Coarse chop all the vegetables.
• Smash and peel the garlic.
• Rough chop the herbs.
• Process all ingredients in a food processor until paste-like.

• Weight the processed ingredients and add the appropriate amount of salt.
• 2 kilos of ingredients (or 4.4 pounds) to 1 cup of salt
• 1 kilo of ingredients (or 2.2 pounds) to ½ cup of salt
• ½ kilo of ingredients (or 1.1 pounds) to ¼ cup of salt

The basic recipe makes three to four ½ pint jars (but it halves well)
Freeze in small jars, but keep one in the fridge for quick meals

Use 1 teaspoon per cup of water in your recipes.

I know it sounds like too much salt, but you'll have to trust me on this. The salt is a natural preservative and you have to use a sufficient quantity to prevent the growth of bacteria. The great thing about using this vegetable bouillon in a recipe is that you will not need any additional salt.

Think about adding basil, rosemary, oregano, spinach, kale, cauliflower, cabbage, sun-dried tomatoes, or anything else you like for some variation in the recipe. I'm sure you will come up with your favorite combination.

Credit to www.food52.com for this idea.

Red Cabbage ~ German Style

We were invited to an Oktoberfest Party and told to bring our favorite beverage, and a food item with a German flair.  I decided to make a batch of good old fashioned, sweet and sour red cabbage. It takes no time at all to put all the ingredients together. You just have to plan ahead for the cooking time.

Ingredients:

1 large head of red cabbage, shredded

2 apples, peeled and diced

1 small/medium red onion, diced

3 strips of cooked bacon, diced (optional)

½ cup raw sugar

½ cup apple cider vinegar

¼ cup water

2 tablespoons of butter

1 teaspoon of coarse ground sea salt

1 teaspoon of whole pepper corns, crushed

¼ teaspoon of whole caraway seeds (optional)

10 whole cloves

Directions:

Place all the ingredients in a slow cooker, set it to high temperature, and cook for 4 hours, stirring occasionally. (Note:  This can also be cooked on a stove top in a large pot on a low simmer for 1½ to 2 hours.)

Serves: 6

Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup

I am always looking for new ways to get my husband John, to eat green vegetables. Since he loves bacon and cheese on everything, I came up with a soup recipe using his key ingredients and my green veggies. I found it to be very delicious and John said, "It's not bad." That statement alone I take as a compliment from him, and I will make this again soon.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup of scallions sliced about ¼ inch thick (green onions, or cebollines in Costa Rica)
1 cup of celery, diced
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 head of broccoli, trim off the woody part of the stem, and chop the rest, with the florets into pieces
3 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
3 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons flour
2½ cups of milk
2 slices of bacon, cooked and diced
1 cup of grated cheddar cheese
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium sized stockpot on medium/low heat. Sauté the scallions and celery until tender, then add the garlic, and continue to sauté for about 2 minutes to cook the garlic. Be careful not to burn it. Add the broccoli and broth to the stockpot. Cover it and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.

Use a potato masher to mash the broccoli as fine as you like it. I like mine a little chunky, so this is a question of taste. You can also use an immersion blender at this stage to puree the broccoli.

In a small sauce pan, melt 3 tablespoons of butter and add the 3 tablespoons of flour. Cook the flour in the butter for at least 3-4 minutes, or the soup will have a floury taste. Now gradually add the 2½ cups of milk and stir constantly until the sauce is thick and bubbly. 

Add the sauce to the broccoli in the stockpot. Then add the black pepper, grated cheddar cheese, and the diced cooked bacon. Bring everything to a low simmer for about 5 minutes and it will be ready to serve.

¡Buen Provecho!

Serves: 6

Note: Substitute cauliflower, or spinach, for the broccoli and you'll have more delicious soup options.

Sopa de Ayote estilo Caribeño (Caribbean Calabaza Soup)

Many years ago I was served “Pumpkin Soup” while on vacation in Jamaica. I have never forgotten the wonderful party in my mouth with the incredible blend of sweet, savory, and spicy ingredients.

The Costa Rica climate is not suitable for the traditional pumpkin, but we do have many other types of squash. One of them is called Ayote, or Calabaza.  This squash is round like a pumpkin, but it has a dark green skin, or rind, with tinges of yellow when it is ripe, or as the Ticos say, “Sazon.”

Yesterday, for lunch, I oven roasted Ayote that I had tossed with olive oil salt, black pepper, and some red pepper flakes.  Since John has never been a vegetable kind of guy, we had a lot leftover.  Today, I decided to make Caribbean Calabaza Soup with the leftovers. John loves this cream soup! Yea!!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups cubed ayote, calabaza, pumpkin, or butternut squash
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• ¼ teaspoon of thyme
• 1 teaspoon fresh oregano
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• A dash or two of cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 2 tablespoons of tapa de dulce shavings (unrefined sugar cake), or dark brown sugar
• 1 cup of coconut milk
• 1 minced chili pepper (to taste) Start with a ½ Jalapeño, seeded and minced. Add more if needed.
• Natilla, or sour cream (optional)
• Chopped chives (optional)

 INSTRUCTIONS

• Remove the rind, or skin from the squash and remove all the seeds. Cut the squash into about 1-2 inch cubes.
• Heat the oil in a 4-quart saucepan and add the squash, tossing to coat. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, and then add the onion and garlic. Cover and sweat the vegetables for about 3 minutes. (Note: If you have leftover roasted squash like I did, you just need to sauté the onions and garlic, then add the squash. No need to sweat the squash again)
• Add the stock, thyme, oregano, cilantro, ginger, cinnamon, hot chili pepper, and salt. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, then remove the lid and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes more, or until the squash is tender.
• Remove the pan from the stove and use a hand blender to puree all the ingredients.  If you don’t have a hand blender, remove the vegetables and herbs from the soup with a slotted spoon and place in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.  Be careful to not fill the blender or food processor too full or the hot ingredients will expand and make a mess. Return everything to the soup pot, add the sugar and coconut milk, and mix well.
• Simmer the soup for 5 minutes, or until reduced to a nice thick consistency. Serve hot, garnished with a dollop of sour cream and some chives.

Zucchini Soup

This soup is so rich and creamy, you'll think it's full of cream.  

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, white or yellow, thinly sliced

8 to 9 cloves garlic, peeled & finely minced

1 kilo, or 2 pounds of zucchini, diced

4 cups salt-free chicken stock

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

¼ teaspoon Chinese 5 spice

½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

¾ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil

Directions:

Melt the butter in a heavy stock pot. Add the onions and cook on medium-low heat until the onions are translucent.  

Add the minced garlic and stir for 2-3 minutes, being careful to not brown the garlic.

When the onion and garlic are very soft, add the diced zucchini (Tip:  If the zucchini is very mature, peel the skin first so it doesn’t give a bitter taste to the soup) and cook everything medium-low heat until the zucchini is soft.

Remove the soup pot from the heat and add all the remaining ingredients, except the basil.  

Use an immersion blender to blend until everything until is creamy.  If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a conventional blender to blend everything in small batches and then return the soup to the stock pot.

Bring the soup back to a boil and then simmer on low heat for about 45 minutes.

Add the chopped basil and serve.

Yield:  About 1½ quarts

Note:  If you want to make this totally vegan, just substitute olive oil and vegetable broth for the butter and chicken stock.

Gazpacho

I love a good Gazpacho!  I especially love it as a way for me to get my better half to eat some veggies.

Gazpacho is usually a tomato-based, vegetable soup, traditionally served cold, originating in the southern Spanish region of Andalucía. Gazpacho is widely consumed in Spanish cuisine.  Since it's so refreshing and served cold, it makes for a great meal in the warm summer months.

Here is my favorite way to make it...

Ingredients:

4 cloves Garlic, Minced

1 whole Red Onion, Diced

2 whole Large Cucumber, Diced

4 whole Medium Tomatoes, Diced

2 whole Large Sweet Red Peppers, Diced

1 whole Jalapeño Pepper, Seeded and Diced

1 whole Zucchini, Diced

2 ribs of Celery, Diced

1 liter of Tomato Juice

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/8 cup Red Wine Vinegar

1/8 cup Balsamic Vinegar

1 Tablespoon Honey

1/4 Teaspoon of Cumin

Salt to taste

Black Pepper to taste

Directions:

All of the ingredients should be finely diced and the garlic needs to be minced.  The Jalapeño Pepper should be seeded, finely diced and set aside.  Thoroughly mix the garlic, onion, cucumber, tomatoes, sweet peppers, zucchini and celery in a large bowl.  Place half of the mixture in the bowl of a food processor or in a blender and add all of the Jalapeño Pepper and half of the tomato juice.  Pulse until all ingredients are well blended well.  The mixture will have a festive colorful texture. 

Now pour the mixture back into the large bowl with the remaining vegetables, add the rest of the tomato juice, oil, vinegars, honey, cumin, salt and pepper.  Stir well to blend everything and check to see if it needs more salt or pepper.  Chill for a couple of hours because this soup is best when served very cold. 

When the soup is chilled, remove the soup from the refrigerator and stir.  Ladle soup into a bowl and garnish with your favorite toppings:  Sour cream, diced avocado, and fresh chopped cilantro or basil.  This soup makes a delicious meal in hot weather and it is especially yummy when served with garlic toast. 

Yield: About 10 cups

Spicy Carrot Soup - Sopa de Zanahoria

I'm always coming up with new recipes using vegetable and spices to excite the taste buds. You'll find this quick and easy recipe very tasty! John, my wonderful husband that doesn't like vegetables, said I have to add this to the "Make it again" category. Wow, it's so exciting when I stumble upon ingredients that really please him! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Ingredients:
1½ Tablespoon Butter
1 whole Onion, Diced
3 cloves of Garlic, Minced
4 cups Carrots, Diced
4–5 cups Chicken Broth (I make my own. If you use pre-packaged, low sodium is best)
2 teaspoons Cumin
½ teaspoons Coriander
1/8 teaspoon ground Nutmeg
1/8 teaspoons ground Cloves
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
2 tablespoons Honey
1½ teaspoon Key Lime or Lemon Zest
1 tablespoon Key Lime or Lemon Juice (We can't get lemons in Costa Rica, so I always use the little limón criolla)
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Pepper
¾ cups Sour Cream or Mild Cheese (grated)
3 Tablespoons chopped Cilantro or Chive (garnish)

Directions:
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté them until they are translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for a minute more. Add carrots and broth and bring everything to a boil. Lower the heat to a slow simmer and cook until the carrots are tender; about 20 minutes.

Remove the soup from heat and use an immersion blender or regular blender to blend soup until smooth. When using a regular blender, you may have to do it in small batches, because hot liquids will spill over the top of a full blender jar. Stir in all the spices, honey, key lime zest, juice, salt and pepper. Return the soup to the low heat and bring it back to a low simmer for 10 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream or grated cheese. Sprinkle with a little cilantro or chive.

¡Buen Provecho!

Canoas de Zucchini / Zucchini Canoes

There is a plentiful harvest of squash and tomatoes right now, so this is the perfect time to make refreshing Canoas de Zucchini!

Ingredients:
2 large zucchinis
2 cups of diced and seeded tomatoes
½ cup of roasted sweet/mild chili peppers diced
1 can of Palmito pieces (Hearts of Palm) diced into small pieces
½ cup of finely diced onion
3 tablespoons of FRESH chopped basil (Note: It must be fresh, or it just won't work. If you don't like basil, you can substitute culantro (cilantro.))
¾ cup of finely cubed, or coarse grated, mozzarella cheese
¼ cup Balsamic vinegar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
Paprika

Directions:
Slice the zucchini lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Using a sharp knife, take of a thin slice from the rounded side so that the zucchini sits flat without rocking. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place in a microwave dish and cook on high for 3-4 minutes until the squash is cooked. Remove them and place them in the refrigerator to chill for about an hour.

In a medium size bowl, gently toss all of the tomatoes, peppers, onions, palmito, cheese and basil with the olive oil and vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste and place the bowl in the refrigerator to chill.

When everything is chilled, divide the salad mixture into fourths and fill the zucchini canoes. Just before serving, sprinkle a little paprika over the canoes.

¡Buen Provecho!

Orange Glazed Carrots / Zanahorias con Tapa de Dulce

If you like carrots glazed with brown sugar, you'll love Costa Rica's answer to brown sugar with the "Tapa de Dulce".

The "tapa de dulce" is make fron raw sugar cane juice that is cooked down until it starts to caramelize and thickens enough to firmly set up in the traditional wooden molds. This solid sugar cake of "tapa de dulce" can be bought virtually anywhere, from the supermarkets to the pulperias, and the ferias (farmers'market). For those thinking coffee is the national beverage, you'd be wrong. It's actually "Agua Dulce" made with some shavings from the "tapa" and boiling water. You drink it just like tea. Depending on the part of the country, the recipe for "Agua Dulce" will vary.  Some make it with milk and some add lemon juice. Regardless of how it is served, it is always delicious.

I use "tapa de dulce" to make glazed carrots and once you try them, you'll never want to go back to brown sugar.

Ingredients:
1 pound or ½ kilo of fresh carrots (zanahorias), peeled and sliced into ¾" to 1" pieces
½ cup of orange juice
½ teaspoon cinnamon (canela)
½ cup of shaved and packed "tapa de dulce" (Note: Tapa de Dulce is also called Panela and can be found in many Latino grocery stores. If you can't find it, substitute ¼ cup of well packed brown sugar with 2 tablespoons of molasses or maple sugar.
2 tablespoons of butter
Salt to taste

Directions:
Add all the ingredients to a medium-size pot. Bring everything to a boil, then simmer on low for about 20-30 minutes. When the carrots are tender and the glaze is thick, they are ready to serve. Garnish with a little cilantro or parsley.

Papa's Split Pea Soup

This is Nancy's dad's recipe for the best split pea soup you'll every taste.

Ingredients:
16 ounces split peas, dry, rinsed and drained
1 Ham hock or Ham bone with some meat on it
2 whole carrots, peeled and quartered
2 sticks celery, cut in large chunks
1 medium onion, halved and quartered
14 ounces tomatoes, canned
3 quarts water

Directions:
Add all ingredients to large stock pot.
Bring to a full boil and simmer for 2 hours.
Remove Ham bones and cut off any remaining meat.
Puree in blender, add salt & pepper to taste.

Originally posted 1/2/08

Herb-Roasted Potatos & Onions

Ingredients:

1 large red onions
1 large yellow onion
2 medium to large red potatoes
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon minced garlic
½ tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
½ tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
½ tablespoon minced fresh oregano
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Remove the stem end of each onion and carefully slice off the brown part of the root end, leaving the root intact. Peel the onion. Stand each onion root end up on a cutting board and cut the onion in wedges through the root, so that the root holds the wedge together. Depending on the size of the onion, you should be able to get 6 or 8 wedges, Place the wedges in a bowl.

Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and quarter each half. Try to cut the potato into chunks so that they are about the same size as the onion wedges. Place these in the bowl with the onions.

For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, mustard, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Pour the dressing over the onions and toss well.

With a slotted spoon, transfer the onions and potatoes to a sheet pan, reserving the vinaigrette that remains in the bowl. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, until tender and browned. Toss the onions and potatoes once during cooking. Remove from the oven, and drizzle with the reserved dressing. Season to taste and serve warm temperature.

Number of Servings: 4

Nutritional Info:
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 151.3
Total Fat: 7.3 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 329.9 mg
Total Carbs: 19.6 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.8 g
Protein: 2.4 g

Originally posted 8/13/09

Spaghetti Squash & Cheese Casserole

Ingredients:
1 medium size spaghetti squash
3 tablespoons sun-dried tomato paste
1/2 cup diced onion
1/4 cup diced bell or other sweet pepper
1 minced clove of garlic
1/2 cup water
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon salt free seasoning (I use an organic blend I found at Costco that has all sort of wonderful herbs and spices)

Directions:
Split squash lengthwise, remove seeds & pulp from the center. Place the two halves face down in a baking dish with about a 1/4 cup of water and bake in the microwave on high for about 10 minutes.

While the squash is in the microwave, saute the onion, peppers and garlic in a tablespoon of olive oil until onions are clear and set it aside.

Once the squash is tender, allow it to cool (about 10 minutes) until you can comfortable hold the halves. Scrap all the flesh out into a well oiled baking dish. Mix in the onions, peppers, garlic and water. Add the salt free seasoning, sun-dried tomato paste and cheddar cheese. Mix thoroughly and top with Parmesan cheese and bake in a 325° oven for 30 minutes.

Originally posted 6/29/08

Baked Onion

It's April and the Texas 10-15 Sweet Onions are back in season! This is an all time favorite of mine. You can use this same recipe with the Georgia Vadalia and the Washington Walla Walla onions.

Ingredients:
2 Jumbo 10-15 Sweet Onions
2 ounces of butter
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Direction:
Peel the onions, remove the stem, trim the top and bottom of the onion slightly so it will sit flat (without rolling) on either end. Slice the onions in half. Place the onion halves in baking dish with the round end to the bottom. Add water and top the onions with all the ingredients above. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes and serve.

This serves 4 and it make a great substitute for a baked potato.

Texas A&M University spent 10 years perfecting the Texas 1015. Here is some information I found on a Texas Aggie website you may find interesting:

"Texas 1015 SuperSweet Onions - The Sweetest In Its Class
The 1015 SuperSweet Onion, named after its recommended planting date of October 15, was introduced by the South Texas onion industry in 1985 after 10 years of research. It is the sweetest, mildest onion anywhere in the world.

Texas 1015 SuperSweets are available from mid-April through May and are predominantly single-centered, making them ideal for large, uniform-size onion rings. They also grow to softball-size proportions, often weighing in at one pound or more each and measuring over four inches in diameter. The optimum-size eating onion - in terms of mildness and sweetness - measures three to four inches in diameter and weighs 14 to 16 ounces.

Great Taste and Healthful, Too
Texas sweet onions not only taste great, they're good for you, too. Onions have naturally occurring compounds that have been reported to lower blood pressure and reduce cholesterol levels in the blood. They also contain quercetin, an antioxidant that has been found to inhibit the growth of some cancer cells. Another healthful bonus: Onions are low in calories and are a good source of vitamin C."

Originally posted 4/03/08

Jalapeño Potatoes

My friend Maritza served this potato dish to us in Costa Rica and we were absolutely amazed at how the Jalapeños enhance the flavor the potatoes. They are so tasty.... Yum Yum!

Ingredients:
2 pounds of potatoes
1 large onion
1 5.5 ounce can of pickled "Malher* Chilies Jalapeño" halves in brine
2 teaspoons seasoning salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Wash potatoes and cut up into 1 to 2 inch chunks. Slice onion into 1/2 inch slices and then quarter each slice. Toss potatoes and onions with seasoning salt in olive oil and place in a baking dish. Pour the brine from the Jalapeño over the potatoes and onions. Remove any stems on the Jalapeño halves and slice each half in thin strips lengthwise and toss them with the potatoes & onions. Cover and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Remove cover, top with cheese and return it to the oven for another 15 minutes or until the potatoes are done and cheese is toasted. Serve

* The Malher brand of Jalapeño chili peppers are found everywhere in Costa Rica, but they are hard to find in the States. These peppers are milder Jalapeños than what you'll find in most of the grocery stores Stateside. This particular brand will enhance the flavor of any food and not over power it. If you can't find the Malher brand, you will need to adjust the amount of brine and Jalapeños to suit your taste.

Originally posted 3/23/08

Spaghetti Squash

John is not fond of most vegetables, but he is crazy about this dish.

Ingredients:
1 Medium Spaghetti Squash
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup sweet peppers (bell)
1 clove garlic minced
Olive oil
1 10 ounce can of Ro-Tel Tomatoes and Peppers (If Ro-Tel is not available, use a finely diced large tomato with all it's juice and dice up a couple of mild to medium chili peppers.)


Directions:
Cut squash in half, lengthwise. Place it in a large baking dish cut side down with about 3/4 cup of water. Bake in the oven @ 350 for 45 minutes. Allow it to cool until you can comfortably handle it. Scrape out the seeds and discard them. Now scrape all the squash out into a bowl and set it aside. In a large skillet, saute the onions, sweet peppers and garlic in olive oil until the onions are clear. Add the squash and the can of Ro-Tel to the skillet and toss. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer for about 15 minutes before serving. Add salt & pepper to taste.

Variation:
Follow all of the instructions above, but just before serving add about 4 tablespoons of pesto sauce and 1/4 cup of diced sun-dried tomatoes.

Originally posted 3/10/08

Chayote Squash & Corn Soup

Servings: 6
Preparation Time: 30 minutes

This soup is a traditional Costa Rican recipe given to me by my sons' Grandmother in 1969 before her Grandsons were born. They both loved this soup as children.

Ingredients:
1 chayote squash, diced small
1 can corn, drained
1 tsp chicken bouillon granules
5 ozs evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup sweet green peppers, diced fine
1/8 tsp black pepper, coarsely ground salt, to taste
3 tbsp cilantro, minced fine

Directions:
Bring chayote, water & chicken buillion to a boil and simmer on low for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients (except for the cilantro) and bring to a boil. If the soup appears too thick, add more water. Simmer on low for 15 minutes. Add cilantro just before serving.

Options:
You may substitute sweet red peppers, or combine with green peppers for color. Lawry's Seasoning Salt may be substituted for regular salt.

Originally posted 2/2/08

Twice Baked Sweet Potato

Ingredients:
8 small, unpeeled sweet potatoes
1/2 cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions:
Wash outside of potatoes and place on a baking sheet. Bake at400 degrees for 1 hour or until done. Let cool until potatoescan be handled.Cut each potato in half lengthwise. Leaving a small amount ofpotato with the skins, carefully scoop out the remaining potatoand place into a bowl. Mash potato and stir in raisins, brownsugar, cinnamon, and pineapple until mixed. Spoon mixture backinto potato skins and sprinkle with pecans. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Makes 8 Servings
Serving Size: 2 potato halves

Originally posted 1/11/08