Apple / Kale / Raisin Salad

This is a salad - but i will also eat it as a dessert.

Ingredients

• 1 apple, cored and chopped
• 1 bunch kale, chopped
• 1 C raisins
• 1 to 2 T honey (adjust as you like it)
• 2 T lime juice
• 1 T olive oil
• 1/8 t pepper
• 1/8 t salt
• 1/4 C plain yogurt

Preparation

1. Core and chop the apple. Halve the cored apple vertically, then chop each half 4 x 4 - 32 pieces.
2. Wash the kale - then chop into thin ribbons, and cross cut into pieces sized similar to the apple chunks.
3. Mix honey, lime juice, olive oil, pepper, and salt. Pour over kale, and toss carefully.
4. Add the chopped apple and the raisins, and mix well.
5. Chill for an hour or so.
6. Toss again.
7. Serve.

Skillet Cooked Apples

This is a perfect way to use up apples, getting slightly ripe in my refrigerator. It's healthy (if you use margarine or oil) - but tastes decadent.

I like an old fashioned cast iron skillet, from time to time - but a non stick pan made the picture taking easier.

>> See it done!


Ingredients

• 1/4 C butter (margarine / cooking oil).
• 3 lbs (8 or 9) apples, cored and chopped.
• 1 C ripe grapes, or 1/2 C raisins.
• 1/4 C brown sugar.
• 1/4 t cinnamon.
• 1/8 t ginger.
• 1/8 t nutmeg.
• 1/4 C bourbon / rum (opt).

Preparation

1. Core then chop the apples.
2. Heat up a large skillet on high heat, add butter (margarine) to melt. Or use cooking oil for low cholesterol.
3. Reduce heat to medium, and add apples and grapes or raisins.
4. Stir fruit so each piece is lightly coated in melted butter (margarine).
5. Sprinkle fruit with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, stir to mix thoroughly.
6. Sprinkle with sugar, stir again.
7. Saute fruit mixture, stirring frequently, until apple pieces are soft. Cover, reduce to low heat, simmer 10 - 15 minutes. The pan will have a good amount (1/4 C or so) of juice in the bottom.
8. Drizzle with bourbon or rum, if interested.
9. Spoon cooked mixture into serving bowls, decorate lightly with ice cream - or Yogurt Sauce (opt).

See it Done!

Apples (cored), spices, raisins, sugar.

Chop the apples.

Melt butter in the skillet.

Add the apples.

Add raisins. Add spices, then sugar, stirring each time. The aroma fills the house.

Cook on medium, stirring occasionally, until apples are soft. Cover, simmer on low 10 - 15 minutes. Drizzle with bourbon / rum if desired.

Serve hot, from the skillet.

Cold Ramen Noodles

Most people cook Ramen Noodles. In hot weather, cold noodles are very satisfying - and can be “cooked” without heat.

This is great, for a planned emergency . When using all dried ingredients, this can be made any time when needed.

>> See it done!


Ingredients

• 1/2 t Curry Powder.
• 1/8 t Ground Garlic.
• 1/2 t Ground Ginger.
• 1 T Dried Chopped Onion - or 1/4 C Fresh Onion, minced.
• 1/2 t Paprika.
• 1 C Water.
• 1 Package Of Ramen Noodles (Shrimp, for me).
• 1/4 C Cottage Cheese.
• 1 splash of Mae Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce.
• Sprinkle of chopped chives.

Preparation

1. Combine spices, in a large cereal bowl.
2. Mix in onion (chopped or fresh).
3. Open Ramen Noodles package. Separate the noodles, flavour, oil, and vegs packets (Note that packets included will vary)..
4. Mix flavour and vegs packets (as included) into the spices bowl.
5. Crumble noodles into the bowl, mix with spices etc.
6. Add water, mix with contents.
7. Refrigerate noodles mixture, to marinate 2 - 4 hours.
8. Remove from refrigerator, when marinated.
9. Mix in cottage cheese, oil packet (as included), chili sauce.
10. Serve promptly.

See it Done!

Add flavour packet, onion, spices to a large cereal bowl.

Crush Ramen noodles. I use a plastic bag.

Add ramen noodles and water, to the bowl. Mix.

Cover, and marinate.

Mix in chili sauce and cottage cheese, once the noodles have expanded.

Garnish with chopped chives.

Jambalaya (Dollar Store)

Everything here can come from a Dollar Store - and it cooks in a microwave. It's perfect for a quick potluck contribution.

Try the Supreme Version, with additional / fresh ingredients, for a special dish.

This is perfect. to "celebrate" the first day of winter.

>> See it done!

>> Supreme Version


Ingredients

• Jambalaya Mix, 8 oz
• Chicken, 2 x 8 oz sandwiches
• Chili powder, 1 t
• Curry powder, 1 t
• Garlic, 1 clove, minced
• Ginger powder, 1 t
• Mushroom pieces, 10 oz can / jar
• Onions, chopped and dried, 2 T
• Red pepper strips, 10 oz jar / diced pimento peppers, 4 oz jar
• Rotel tomatoes / green chilies, 10 oz can
• Water, 3 C
• Salsa, 4 oz

Preparation

1. Remove chicken patties from sandwiches, chop chicken into 1/4" cubes.
2. Mix Jambalaya mix, chopped chicken, chopped onion, spices.
3. Add water.
4. Microwave mix etc 10 minutes, on high.
5. Add 1/2 to 3/4 each of the veggies.
6. Microwave 30 - 40 minutes, on high - 10 minutes at a time, stirring each 10 minutes.
7. When all liquid is absorbed by the rice, the jambalaya is done. Cover, and let it sit 10 - 15 minutes to thicken.
8. Add remainder of veggies, and salsa. Mix well.
9. Let it cool slightly, and serve.
10. Have lots of cold beer, soft beverages, and / or water ready.

Supreme Version

• Substitute 8 oz fresh ground turkey - for chicken sandwiches.
• Add 6 - 8 oz canned shellfish (clams, oysters, scallops).
• Substitute 1 medium fresh onion, diced - for dried onions.
• Added / substituted ingredients may overfill the typical microwave casserole dish. Cook in a dutch oven on stovetop, instead of in microwave - it is much easier to stir ingredients when cooking in a stovetop pot.
• Saute the meat - then the garlic, onions, mushrooms, and tomatoes - in that order - before adding rice and spices.

See it Done!

Jambalaya Mix, spices, water, vegs, chicken.

Add spices, and water.

Add vegs, and chicken.

Cook until no water is visible.

Stir once more. Mix everything lovingly.

Cover, and leave alone for 15 minutes.

Stir once more - and serve. Some sourdough bread - and a nice red wine (or apple / mango juice) - are perfect accompaniments.

Sweet Plantains

This is one of my favourite memories, from my years in Miami - sweet plantains.

Ingredients

• 2 plaintains, black and soft, but not mushy.
• viniagrette salad dressing, 1/4 C.
• Mae Ploy sweet chili sauce, 1/4 C.
• salsa, fresh, 1/2 C.
• ginger, 1/4 t.
• California Taboulli.
• California Hummus.
• Trader Joes Cauliflower Curry Salad.

Preparation

1. Peel, then slice plantains, 1/4 " thick.
2. Add to microwaveable dish.
3. Add salad dressing, chili sauce, salsa, and ginger, toss lightly.
4. Microwave on high, 8 - 10 min.
5. Let it cool, for 5 minutes, as the plantains finish cooking.
6. Add curry salad, hummus, taboulli.
7. Enjoy when ready.

Cold Ramen Salad

Continuing my exploration of the humble Ramen soup mix, I find that, given the right spices, it makes a rather satisfying meal.

Ingredients

• i package Shrimp / your choice flavour Ramen soup
• 1/16 t cayenne pepper
• 1/4 t curry powder
• 1/4 t fish oil (opt)
• 1/8 t garlic flakes
• 1/4 t ginger
• 1/8 t mint
• 1/4 t onion flakes
• 1/4 t sesame seeds
• 1/8 t tarragon
• 1/2 t tomato sauce (opt)
• 1/16 t tumeric
• 6 or so slices of cucumber, quartered
• 1/2 stalk green onion, chopped
• 1/4 bu parsley, chopped
• 1 roma tomato, chopped
• 1 handful mixed salad greens

Preparation

1. Crumble noodles, into bowl.
2. Mix noodle flavour packet, dry herbs, spices, dried vegs, noodles.
3. Add salad greens, mix again.
4. Add boiling water to cover, stir, let it cook.
5. When salad greens are just slightly tender, it's ready.
6. Drain excess liquid, set aside.
7. Add fresh vegs, toss lightly.
8. Decorate with soy sauce, sweet chili sauce (Mae Ploy).
9. Serve cold, with sourdough bread, Thai tea.

---

Continuing my experimentation, I observed that ramen noodles do not always require boiling water. Given enough soaking, 15 minutes of soaking in cold water will produce chewy ("al dente") noodles - and a tasty meal.

The longer you soak the noodles, the more water is absorbed - and the less to be drained and set aside.

The idea of adding enough water ("to cover") simply ensures that the noodles on the top get the chance to soften. Water temperature may or may not be important. YMMV.

---

Cucumber / Peanut Ramen Soup

So I had a mushy cucumber, that could not be peeled. Threw it into the freezer, and it turned hard. What can you do with frozen cucumber?

Put it into soup.

Ingredients

• 1 package Ramen soup mix.
• 6 cucumber slices, frozen, and yes unpeeled.
• 1/4 t curry powder.
• 1/4 t ginger.
• 1/4 t mustard.
• 1/4 t sesame seeds.
• 1/2 t brown sugar.
• 1/2 t vinegar.
• 1/2 t peanut butter.
• 1 h mixed greens (bagged salad).

Preparation

1. Boil water.
2. Dump ramen flavour packet, spices, sugar, vinegar, peanut butter into 1 quart soup bowl.
3. Pour boiling water into bowl, mix everything well.
4. Add ramen noodles, crumbled.
5. Fill bowl with water, to 1" below rim (don't want water overflowing when you carry the soup bowl).
6. Add cucumber slices and salad greens.
7. When the bowl is cool enough to carry, the noodles will be nice and soft - and the cucumber slices will be just slightly chewy.

Serve with a nice chunk of sourdough bread.