Ratatouille

There are so many ways to make this dish. This is my favorite, but you can change it up easily. Don't worry about getting the "amount" of veggies or size of veggies right. This is one dish you can add more and it doesn't alter the taste. You can add or subtract herbs or replace them with fresh herbs (my favorite). This is also good for a main dish or a side dish to go along with a protein. The photos show how I made it into a main dish as a tart. I'll put what I did in a note at the bottom. Bottom line - make this dish and enjoy it while the summer and fall harvest is fresh. It tastes great hot or cold, so make it ahead and no need to even heat it before you eat it! Bon Appetit!

1 onion, sliced
3 large garlic cloves
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
3/4 pound eggplant, cut into 1 inch pieces (about 3-4 cups)
2 zucchini (medium), quartered lengthwise and cut into chunks
1 red bell pepper, chopped into squares
1/2 pound or 3/4 pound of ripe tomatoes (use whole or grape), chopped coarsely (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 -1 tsp dried oregano, crumbled
1/2 tsp dried thyme, crumbled
1/2 tsp ground coriander or cumin
1 tsp fennel seeds (use more or less to taste)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 cup shredded fresh basil leaves
Salt & pepper to taste

Salt eggplant cubes lightly and set in a colander to drain for 15 minutes or so. This will take some of the bitter taste out of the eggplant. Chop your other ingredients and prepare everything ahead while the eggplant is draining.

In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over moderately low heat. Add onion and brown until softened, add the garlic and saute' until fragrant. Remove onion and garlic from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add remaining oil to the pan and turn up the heat to medium high. Add the eggplant and cook, stirring regularly, for about 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and pepper and stir fry an additional 3-4 minutes.

Once tender crisp, add the onion, garlic, tomatoes and herbs, except the fresh basil, to the pan. Salt and pepper lightly. Cook mixture on medium low, stirring frequently, for about 5-7 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in the fresh basil and give it a good stir, cooking about 1 more minute.

Remove from heat and serve hot, cold, or at room temperature. This dish may also be made 1-2 days in advance, keeping it covered and chilled in the refrigerator.

Makes about 4 main dish servings, or 6-8 side servings.

NOTE: To make the tart, spread the hot ratatouille in a large glass dish, dot the top with fresh goat cheese. Then top with a puff pastry (homemade or one you buy at the store, following the instructions for thawing). Brush top of pastry with egg white and bake in a 400 degree oven for about 10-12 minutes.

How to make the perfect steak (Dave Cantwell Style)

Start with a good cut of beef. The key is to buy prime beef if you can. If not, buy it from a great place that has a reputation for good beef. If you start with good beef, you will have a good tasting steak.

We used prime beef tenderloin from Costco. Yes, it's a little costly, but if you look at the cost of a prime steak from a good steak house, you will soon realize it's actually not that expensive. Our beef tenderloin made 2 meals - one with steak, the other with the "scraps" for Cadillac Stew or Bulgogi, or just a stir fry with veggies. Feel free to cut the scraps and freeze for later use.

Cut the steaks from the biggest part of the tenderloin. Make them 2 inches minimum. This should make each steak about 8 oz. Let the beef come to room temperature (covered, of course). Just before you're ready to start, wrap each steak in a slice of uncured bacon, secured with a toothpick. Season both sides lightly with granulated garlic, salt, and pepper.

Heat oven to 200 degrees. Place the steaks on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 15 minutes. This will warm the inside of the steak, but not cook it. This is essential if you want your steak rare or medium rare. Remove the steaks and spread a thin layer of butter on top and bottom of each side.

While the meat is in the oven, heat your grill as hot as it will get. If you use a gas grill, this should take no more than 10 minutes. If you're using a charcoal or wood grill, you'll want to start this much earlier.

Place the steak on the hottest part of the grill for 3 1/2 minutes per side. Remove to a pan and let rest 2-5 minutes to seal in the juice. Serve with your choice of toppings or just as is. This makes a perfect medium rare steak that will melt in your mouth!

Egg Foo Young

I used this recipe to make mine, with a few modifications. https://www.recipetineats.com/egg-foo-young/

I minced up cooked chicken breast that was marinated in tequila lime and grilled. I added carrot and cooked the carrot and green onion prior to putting it in the raw egg mixture.  Do not double the sauce/gravy. There is plenty for rice and the egg pancakes as is.

Enjoy!

Coconut Milk Caribbean Rice

This is perhaps the best rice recipe I've ever made! It is spicy, but you can tame the spice by adding less of the cayenne pepper or eliminate the jalapenos or green chilies. I wouldn't recommend that, but if you can't take the heat, it's best to eliminate it from the recipe.

Ingredients
2 cups Jasmine rice
1 can coconut milk (full fat or reduced fat)
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp butter, melted
1 1/2 cups red bell peppers, diced
1/2 cup jalapeno peppers, seeds removed, diced
1/2 cup onion (I used a mix of red and sweet onion)
4.5 oz can green chilies (undrained)
1 cup fresh pineapple, diced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
dried unsweetened coconut (optional)
Pepper & Salt (to taste)

Instructions
Pour coconut milk into a measuring cup. Add water to make 3 cups of liquid. Add liquid, garlic, allspice, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, thyme and salt to a large sauce pan and bring to a boil. Add rice and bring back to a boil, stirring to mix. Turn heat to low and cover pan. Cook rice about 18 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

While rice is cooking, place butter in a large nonstick frying pan. Saute' red peppers, jalapeno peppers and onion until tender. Add green chilies and heat until liquid is absorbed. Add pineapple and stir well. When rice is done, place rice into the frying pan and miss well to combine. Heat on medium low. You can keep it on the heat until ready to eat, but stir periodically. The rice will get crispy and brown (yummy). Just before serving, salt and pepper to taste and add the chopped cilantro. Serve with dried unsweetened (or toasted) coconut if desired.

This dish goes well with fish, shrimp, chicken or pork. It's a great side dish, but can also be a main dish if you stir in cooked protein. Absolutely delicious as leftovers too.

Egg Roll in a Bowl

This low carb meal takes some prep work, but once that's done, it cooks in 10 minutes or less. The five-spice powder is a must-add ingredient. Making fresh five-spice powder (recipe below) is even better.

1/2 Tbsp oil (olive, canola, or coconut all work)
4 cups cabbage, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, chopped or slivered
1 red pepper, chopped
2  large cloves garlic, minced
2 generous tsp. chopped ginger root
3 (about a 1/2 cup) green onions (with tops), sliced
4 oz. or more whole mushrooms (sliced) - (optional)
1 can water chestnuts, diced
1 pound or more cooked pork loin, chicken, or beef, thinly sliced
fresh bean spouts, rinsed and drained (optional)
1 large handful cilantro, chopped

Sauce
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
4 tsp dry sherry
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1-2 tsp five-spice powder (see recipe below)
pinch red pepper flakes (add sparingly unless you like it spicy)
1- 2 tsp cornstarch
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Mix all sauce ingredients into a bowl and set aside.

Five Spice Powder
1/2 tsp each - whole cloves, whole fennel seed, whole star anise, whole peppercorns, whole or ground cinnamon) - place whole spices in a coffee grinder or spice grinder until well crushed. Save leftover spice for another day

Instructions
1. Add oil to a wok or large non-stick skillet. Heat until it shimmers (be sure to turn on your stove vent)
2. Add cabbage, onion, and red bell pepper. Stir fry until veggies begin to soften (about 2-3 minutes). 3. Add garlic and ginger, green onions, mushrooms and water chestnuts. Cook until veggies are to your likeness (at least 2 minutes longer).
4. Add the sliced, cooked meat and stir until meat is hot.
5. Add the sauce and toss together thoroughly. Cook an additional minute.
6. Add bean sprouts, if using and remove from heat. Stir well and place into a serving bowl.
7. Top with cilantro and serve.
8. For additional heat, top with Sambal Oelek or Siracha sauce.

This dish is great without any accompaniments, but if you want some carbs, serve with fried rice or top with crunchy chow mein noodles.

Smells and tastes amazing!

Bachelor Button Cookies

As a young child, we made these cookies any time of the year, but I especially remember eating them around Christmas. They are slightly spiced with lots of nuts and are slightly soft with a crispy edge. I highly recommend making them small so they look even more like buttons when they are baked. 

3/4 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1 cup chopped walnuts
white sugar (about 1/4 cup)

Cream butter,  brown sugar. Add egg and vanilla and beat well (I use a mixer). Combine flour, baking soda, salt, ginger and cinnamon. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture a little at a time. Stir in walnuts. Refrigerate about an hour. Shape dough into tiny balls (1/2 inch diameter), dip top into white sugar and press down with a fork. Bake on a lightly greased cookie sheet at 375 for 8-10 minutes, until lightly brown. If you bake two pans at a time, be sure to move the pans halfway through the baking so they bake evenly.

Cool slightly on pan and remove to cooling racks. Makes 60 cookies.

Spicy Tofu Rice Bowl with Roasted Veggies and Peanut Drizzle

I love bowl meals! I created this using leftover veggies from my fridge, so you can use just about anything for the roasted veggies and it will be delicious. The peanut sauce is to die for! If you want additional sauce, double the recipe. Leftover sauce would make an awesome salad dressing.

Roasted Veggies
2 medium Garnet sweet potatoes (about a pound), cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1-2 sweet red peppers, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1 sweet onion, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
3/4- 1 pound Brussels sprouts, cut in half
Cooking spray

Tofu
1 Pound extra firm Tofu
1/2 c. minced onions
2 green onions, chopped (tops included)
3 Tbsp cooking oil (I used grapeseed oil)
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp hot pepper flakes
1 Tbsp Mirin (rice) wine
1/2 cup water or vegetable broth

Peanut Sauce
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp maple syrup
2 Tbsp peanut butter
1 Tbsp sesame oil
2 tsp chili garlic hot sauce (we used Pepper Palace Ghostly Garlic)

2 cups cooked brown rice

Garnishes
Shredded carrots
Shredded daikon
sliced radishes
chopped cilantro
dry roasted peanuts

Heat oven to 425, place all the veggies on a large sheet pan and spray with cooking spray to coat. Salt and pepper as you desire. Roast veggies for about 20-25 minutes while preparing the rest of the meal.

Drain tofu paper towels. Cut tofu into quarter inch slices going the long way. Then cut each slice into thirds. You should have about 45 pieces of tofu. Make sure tofu is dry.

Heat oil in a large skillet and place tofu in a single layer. Fry on one side until it begins to get brown, then flip and brown the other side. Drain tofu on a paper towel. You may need to do this in two batches, but only use half the oil for each batch if you do.

Once the tofu is fried and drained, place the chopped onion, green onion, and garlic in the pan with the oil that's remaining. Cook the onion and garlic until it begins to brown.

In a separate bowl, mix 1 Tbsp soy sauce, salt, sugar, hot pepper flakes, wine and water or broth. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Add mixture to the pan, scraping up any bits of tofu left on the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil and boil for a few minutes to thicken the sauce. Place the tofu back into the pan and stir to coat the tofu. Continue cooking on low heat until sauce is fairly thick and it sticks to the tofu.

Make the peanut sauce and place in a small bowl.

Now assemble your bowl by placing a half cup of rice, 1/4 of the roasted veggies, 1/4 of the tofu in a bowl. Add your garnishes (be liberal) and top with just a few peanuts. Then drizzle the peanut sauce all over everything.

Makes 4 generous helpings.  About 600 calories for each bowl.