Welcome to the Blue Sky Cookbook. Here’s what’s cooking today:
|
|
Oven 425 F – 350 F
Serves 8
|
|
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
1 ½ cups evaporated milk
2 eggs
¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup sugar
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves
|
Blend well, scrape the bottom, beat on medium for 2 minutes.
|
|
Single pie crust
|
Pour into an unbaked single crust pie shell. Cover the edge of the crust with a long strip of foil. Bake at 425 F for 15 minutes. Turn down to 350 F and continue to bake for about 1 hour. (Remove the foil after 30 minutes.) To test doneness, Insert a knife in the center; the pumpkin is done when the knife comes out clean. Cool to room temperature. Cover the pie tightly with wax paper and plastic wrap. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to one week.
|
|
Whipped Cream
|
Serve with whipped cream.
|
My favorite breakfast is pumpkin pie on the day after Thanksgiving!
Posted in Christmas, Dessert, Pie, Thanksgiving | No Comments »
|
|
Serves 2
|
|
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 large sweet onion
3 cloves garlic
|
Pour the olive oil into a deep skillet or wok. Chop the onion into ½” pieces. Crush the garlic cloves, peel and chop. Add to the pan and sauté over medium-high for 5 minutes.
|
|
I large bok choy cabbage
|
Wash and chop into 1” pieces. Add to the skillet and stir well.
|
|
1 cup chicken broth or vegetable broth
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 tsp sugar
|
Add, stir well. Cook uncovered over medium heat for 15-20 minutes until tender.
|
This goes well with roast turkey, chicken or fish.
Posted in Chinese Style, Vegetables, Vegetarian | No Comments »
|
|
Serves 4
|
|
½ cup dry barley
½ tsp salt
Water
|
Place in a saucepan, rinse with water to wash away any ‘floaters’ or debris. Cover with 2” of water. Add salt. Bring to a boil. Tilt the lid and simmer gently over medium heat for 45-60 minutes. Add water if needed.
|
|
2 cups dry lentils
8 cups water
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
|
Place in a medium pot, rinse with water to wash away any ‘floaters’ or debris. Add water, salt & pepper. Bring to a gentle boil. Tilt the lid and simmer gently over low heat for 20-30 minutes.
|
|
2 medium potatoes
3 large sweet potatoes (I prefer the light yellow sweet potatoes, but the orange are fine.)
1 tsp salt
Bowl of water
|
While the barley & lentils cook, peel and chop the potatoes into 1” pieces. Place them immediately into a bowl of cold water with the salt. This keeps them from turning brown. Set aside.
|
|
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 large sweet onion
6 stalks celery
3 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp Provence herbs
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
|
Pour the olive oil into a large soup pot. Chop the onion and celery into ½” pieces. Crush the garlic cloves, peel and chop. Add to pot with spices. Sauté over medium-high heat for 5 minutes.
|
|
½ gram Spanish saffron (or more to taste)
3-4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
|
Drain the sweet potatoes and add to the stew along with the saffron and 3 cups broth. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes until the potatoes are soft. Remove about 2 cups of the vegetables and mash or process with a mixer to form a paste. Return the paste to the pot to thicken the stew.
|
|
|
When the barley is tender, drain and add to the stew. Add more broth if desired.
|
|
12 stalks asparagus
|
Chop the asparagus into 1” pieces and steam for 10 minutes or so until crisp tender. If you are not serving immediately, rinse in cold water to cool, and reheat later.
|
|
|
Serve the stew in a shallow bowl along side the lentils. Top with asparagus.
|
|
Optional:
Spicy Sautéed Shrimp
|
Prepare the shrimp (click for recipe) and serve in the same bowl as the stew.
|
|
|
I suggest serving the stew with warm pita bread, hummus and olive tapanade.
|
I was craving saffron-infused paella and did not have all of the ingredients, so I invented this dish. I am sure it is not authentic Moroccan, but it is what I imagine Moroccan to be!
Posted in Mediterranean Style, Soup, Vegetarian | No Comments »
|
Oven 425-275 F
|
|
Roast the turkey breast in a Dutch oven (or a heavy pan with a tight fitting lid.) Use the smallest pan fitting the turkey breast. You may roast the turkey a day ahead, remove from the bones and refrigerate. I use vinyl gloves and pull the meat off the bones as soon as it is cool enough to handle. It is much easier to slice when cold.
When ready to serve, slice across the grain. To reheat, place the slices in a sauté pan, cover and warm over low heat just until it is hot.
|
|
1 whole or half turkey breast with bone
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp Provence or Italian herb mix
2 tsp ground sage
|
Drizzle oil in the bottom of the pan. Place the turkey breast in, drizzle with additional olive oil and sprinkle with herbs and sage. Cover.
Bake in a hot oven 425 F for 15 minutes, then turn down to 275 F and continue baking.
Roasting time:
Whole turkey breast – 2 ½ hours. Half breast – 2 hours.
Test for doneness with a meat thermometer – I prefer 180 F.
Remove from the oven and let stand covered for 15 minutes. Remove the turkey to a cutting board to cool while making the gravy from the pan drippings.
|
|
For the gravy:
Pan drippings from above
Swanson’s chicken broth
¼ cup flour
½ cup hot water
1 tsp salt
Pinch of pepper
|
If you have less than 2 cups of broth, add chicken broth.
Place the hot water in a tall drinking glass or glass measuring cup. Add the flour and stir vigorously with a fork until smooth. Add more water if needed to the consistency of a milkshake.
Bring the broth to a full boil. Add the salt & pepper. Use a wire whisk to mix while slowly adding the flour paste. Keep mixing until the gravy comes to a boil, then turn off the heat.
|
Posted in Thanksgiving, Turkey | No Comments »
|
|
Serves 4
|
|
3 cups diced cooked turkey
2 ripe avocados
|
Cut the avocados in half, and scoop out with a spoon. Chop into 1” pieces and combine with turkey.
|
|
1 lime
¼ tsp garlic powder
Salt
Pepper
Optional:
Diced Anaheim chili or Jalepeno
|
Squeeze juice from lime over the turkey, season to taste.
Warm slightly in the microwave.
|
|
Corn tortillas or tortilla chips
|
Serve in warm corn tortillas or with tortilla chips.
|
Left-over turkey, anyone?
Posted in Appetizers, Mexican Style, Turkey | No Comments »
|
|
Oven 350F
Serves 6-8
|
|
¼ cup olive oil
1 large sweet yellow onion
2 garlic cloves or 2 tsp chopped garlic
1 ½ Tbsp Provence herb mix or Italian mix
Optional:
1lb ground lean turkey or beef
|
Pour the olive oil into a large heavy saucepan or skillet. If you are making a meat sauce, crumble in the ground meat; stir and cook until done.
Chop the onion into ¼” bits. Mince the garlic cloves very fine or press through a garlic press. Add to the pan. Sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes.
|
|
1 can (29 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 can (29 oz) tomato sauce
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
|
Add the rest. Stir and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
|
|
¼ cup olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 cup pinenuts
1 tsp garlic, chopped
Handful fresh basil leaves or 2 Tbsp dried basil
|
Place in a blender. Mix and blend into a smooth pesto.
|
|
2 lb frozen spinach
|
Place the spinach on two paper towels on a plate. Microwave on defrost 2 minutes or longer to completely defrost. Place another paper towel on top and press all of the water out of the spinach.
Add half of the spinach to the pesto and blend until smooth.
Save the other half for layering.
|
|
3 eggs
|
Add the eggs to the pesto and beat together.
|
|
1 lb no-boil lasagna noodles
1 lb frozen spinach (half from above)
|
Layer into a 9×13 pan or two loaf pans:
– Sauce
– Noodles
– Pesto mixture (½” thick)
– Noodles
– Spinach
– Sauce
Repeat the layers 3-4 times. Cover with foil and bake at 350F for 45 minutes.
|
I prefer the loaf pans because the no-boil lasagna sheets expand perfectly to fit. It also makes it easy to prepare one pan with meat sauce or add a layer of shredded mozzarella cheese- variety for the everyone in the family.
Posted in Italian Style, Vegetarian | No Comments »
|
|
Preheat Grill to High
Serves 6
|
|
2 small zucchini
2 small yellow squash
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
2 stalks celery
1 large yellow sweet onion
1 dozen mushrooms
|
Wash and chop the vegetables into bite-size pieces. Place in a plastic bag.
|
|
¼ cup olive oil
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 Tbsp Italian or Provence herbs
¼ tsp pepper
|
Add to the plastic bag and turn to coat the vegetables.
|
|
Course sea salt
|
Place the grill pan on the grill over high heat. Turn out the vegetables onto the pan. Turn the heat down to medium. Close the grill cover and cook for 10 minutes. Stir the veggies and cook for another 5 minutes or so until tender. Remove to a platter or serving dish and sprinkle with course sea salt.
|
You may also roast the veggies in your oven. Place in a 9×13 pan and cover loosely with foil to prevent spattering. Bake at 400 F for about 20 minutes.
Posted in Sides, Vegetables, Vegetarian | No Comments »
|
|
Serves 4-6
|
|
4-6 extra large fresh Anaheim or Poblano green chilies
|
Char the chilies over a gas flame until black all over. Place in a paper bag, roll up tightly and let stand for 15 minutes to “sweat” the skin loose. Hold the peppers under cold water, and rub off the charred skin. Slit lengthwise on one side, leaving the stem intact, remove seeds, and drain on paper towel. Set aside.
|
|
2 (6 oz) cans lump crabmeat (Bumblebee Fancy Lump)
|
Drain and pick through the crab with a fork, removing any cartilage. Set aside.
|
|
Olive oil
¼ cup onion
¼ cup celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper sauce (Frank’s Red Hot)
|
Cover the bottom of a sauté pan with olive oil and heat to medium-high. Add all ingredients and cook until onions are softened.
|
|
1 cup of dry stuffing breadcrumbs (Pepperidge Farms Herb Stuffing)
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
|
Thoroughly crush the breadcrumbs and add to the onion mixture. Add half of the chicken broth, and add the rest if needed to form a moist stuffing. Add the crabmeat and cheese. Stir gently.
|
|
½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
|
Cover the bottom of a small baking dish with olive oil. Roll the prepared green chilies in the oil. Fill the peppers with the crab stuffing. Now it looks like a stuffed canoe! Sprinkle with Jack Cheese. Bake uncovered in a hot oven (400F) for 20-30 minutes until slightly brown and bubbly.
|
You may substitute canned whole chilies. Look for Hatch green chilies. These are already peeled, so skip the first step. Drain well and reserve the juice to use in place of the chicken broth.
Posted in Appetizers, Fish and Seafood, Mexican Style | No Comments »
|
|
Yields 5 cups
|
|
1 can beef broth
4 Knorr beef bouillon cubes
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 bottle (36 oz) ketchup
¼ cup vinegar
¼ cup Worcestershire Sauce
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tsp dry mustard
|
Pour the broth into a large saucepan. Add the bouillon, onion and garlic. Boil over medium heat for about 30 minutes to reduce the liquid to half. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer on low for one hour. If the sauce is too strong, add additional brown sugar and ketchup to suit your taste. Divide into small containers and freeze until needed.
|
Posted in Sauces | No Comments »
|
|
Yields 5 cups
|
|
1 can chicken broth
4 Knorr chicken bouillon cubes
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 bottle (36 oz) ketchup
¼ cup vinegar
¼ cup Worcestershire Sauce
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tsp dry mustard
|
Pour the broth into a large saucepan. Add the bouillon, onion and garlic. Boil over medium heat for about 30 minutes to reduce the liquid to half. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer on low for one hour. If the sauce is too strong, add additional brown sugar and ketchup to suit your taste. Divide into small containers and freeze until needed.
|
Posted in Sauces | No Comments »