(c) Leo Gong Originally published Sunset Sept 2007

I recently set this salad out along side the Avocado Fries that I posted about last week.  I think it goes really well with the typical chips, salsa and guacamole avocado fries spread at a party.  I’ve also served this as a small side salad with tri-tip from the grill.  It takes about 20 minutes to throw together and is delicious for hot late summer nights.

Like most of my recipes, this one comes from the fabulous recipe compilations of Sunset magazine.  This special issue was called Fast & Fresh.  My comments are in [brackets].

Tri-Pepper Salad (original recipe linked to MyRecipes.com)

1 garlic clove, minced

3 Tbsp champagne vinegar

4 cups mini bell peppers (mixed colors) [I hate cutting so many little peppers, so I just end up getting one of each regular sized: red, orange and yellow bell pepper]

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

About ½ tsp salt

About ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped

½ small red onion, sliced very thinly crosswise

½ cup crumbled feta cheese

1.  In a large bowl, combine garlic and vinegar; let sit 15 minutes.  Meanwhile cut peppers into bite-size chunks.

2.  In a small bowl, whisk olive oil, salt and pepper into garlic-vinegar mixture.

3.  Toss peppers, parsley and onion with dressing.  Add feta and toss gently.

You can make the salad up to 2 hours ahead and chill it.  I’d love to hear what you prepare it with.  Enjoy and cheers friends!

Citrus Beef Stew

Adapted from The New Creative Crock Pot Cookbook by Robin Taylor Swatt (2001)

1 cup onion, finely chopped

1+ cup of carrots (use whatever you have – the baby carrots work well too.)

1 cup of celery, chopped

2+ tbsp tomato paste

1 cup nonfat beef stock

¼+ cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped

½ cup red wine (it’s a great excuse to open up a bottle and have a glass while you’re cooking!)

3 strips orange zest* (use the fat part of the zester tool and create 3-4” strips.  If you don’t have this favorite utensils, zest in your usual manner and make about 3+ tsp of zest.  Whatever works people, I’m eyeballing it here)

½ cup orange juice (duh moment:  use the juice from the orange you just zested)

1½ lbs beef chuck, cut into 1½ -inch cubes (often on sale! Get over it and cut it yourself to save $)

1 cup butternut squash, cut into 1 1/2 –inch cubes (spend your $ here and buy this pre-packaged so you don’t lose your thumb trying to cut a butternut squash…it’s not worth the time or hassle!)

1+ cup new potatoes, quartered (or red potatoes have worked too though cut them larger because they dissolve a bit more around the edges)

1+ cup fresh green beans, trimmed (who am I kidding, of course I’ve thrown in some of the frozen green beans from my freezer!)

1 tsp salt

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 bay leaf

In a large skillet, sauté the onion, carrot and celery until tender.  Place in the crock pot slow cooker.  In a small bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients to the stoneware.  Cover.  Cook on Low 8-10 hours or High for 4-5 hours.  Makes 6 servings.

+ There are some things that I don’t measure and assume that a little bit more of this ingredient is not such a bad thing.

* I use a lot of fruit zests in recipes for flavoring, so for me this utensil is a must-have.  The fat part of the zester is essential because it makes those pretty twists for your drinks too.

And if that weren’t enough crock pot love, my other lover, Sunset Magazine, just published online their 10 Easy Slow-Cooker Dinners.  I’m going to try the Braised Pork with Lemon and Sage.  It sounds divine, doesn’t it?  Cheers friends!

However, before I get to the recipe I wanted to give you a head’s up.  Run, don’t walk to your local grocery store magazine rack and pick up Sunset’s Best Recipes 2010.  You know I’m a huge fan because, c’mon, they make me look like I can really cook!  There are lots of beautiful pictures (a total requirement for me), ingredients are readily available at many grocery stores, and many meals (well at least the ones I try) can be pulled together in less than 30 minutes.  This edition will only be available until early March.  So hurry up and get your copy soon.  You won’t be sorry.

Without further ado, my favorite meal this week was Almond-Crusted Sole (sounds fancy, doesn’t it?) served with rice pilaf (from a box) and sautéed zucchini (1 Tbsp. olive oil, cut zucchini, sauté to the tenderness that you like, sprinkle with a bit of salt and voila!).  Also notable, the boys loved it (even without ketchup, which they put on everything).

Almond-Crusted Sole

(original recipe @ link and my commentary in [brackets])

Serves: 4 Time: 20 minutes

4 Pacific sole fillets (6 oz. each) [my grocery store had a mix of regular size and small fillets, so I ended up getting 1 1/2 pounds and it was just fine]

About ½ tsp each kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper [regular S&P works too]

3 tsp olive oil, divided

Fresh lemon wedges

½ cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs) [really, it’s not that hard to find even on OK]

½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese [I use the shredded cheese from the Costco canister variety]

1/3 cup slivered almonds [I used sliced almonds left over from Witches Fingers]

2 tbsp minced flat-leaf parsley

1 tsp finely shredded lemon zest [score a lemon around its ‘equator’ and zest away]

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees with a rack set at the top level. Sprinkle both sides of fillets with ½ tsp each salt and pepper, then set on a baking sheet lined with foil.  Brush tops of fillets with 2 tsp oil and squeeze a little lemon on top.
2. Combine panko, parmesan, nuts, parsley, zest, remaining tsp. oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Cover fillets with almond mixture.  Bake until fish is opaque in center 6 to 8 minutes.  Serve with more lemon.

Cheers, friends and enjoy!

Taken from Rival’s The New Creative Crock Pot Cookbook (2001) by Robin Taylor Swatt.  My notes are in [brackets].

Tuscan Vegetable Torte

3 medium potatoes, sliced

1 medium onion, sliced

2 medium carrots, sliced on the bias (I would not recommend baby carrots, but it can work, what you’re trying to achieve is a layering and the carrots aren’t the ‘correct’ shape)

1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into rings

1 medium zucchini, sliced on the bias

1 cup fresh or frozen kernel corn

1 cup [or more] mozzarella cheese, shredded

2 cups tomato sauce [Most cans of sauce are 15 oz so I add a bit of water and swirl in can.]]

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp fresh Italian parsley, minced

1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves, minced

1 Tbsp fresh basil leaves, chopped

1 tsp salt

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp ground cinnamon

Coat the Crock Pot slow cooker with a non-fat, non-stick cooking spray.  Layer the vegetables in the order given, sprinkling a little of the mozzarella cheese between each layer or so.  In a medium mixing bowl, combine the tomato sauce, soy sauce, parsley, thyme, basil, salt, pepper, and cinnamon.  Pour the sauce over the layered vegetables.  Top with any remaining mozzarella cheese.  Cover; cook on Low 8-10 hours or on High for 4-5 hours.  Makes 6+ servings.

Generally I serve this with a big green salad topped with yummy veggies and bread on the side.

Enjoy!

1) easy

2) tasty

3) kids like it too

4) so very little prep & clean up

Here’s a good recipe from The New Creative Crock Pot Cookbook (2001) by Robin Taylor Swatt (oh thank you Sharon, my MIL, for getting me hooked on slow cooking).  Prep took about 10 minutes.  Throw it in the pot and stir occasionally.  Oh, so easy.

1 1/2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts (in my case 2 breasts)

1-14 oz can of tomatoes, drained and diced

1-14 oz can of artichoke hearts in water, drained

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced

1 cup nonfat chicken broth

1/4 cup white wine (drink another 2 glasses for yourself)

3 Tbs quick cooking tapioca

2 tsp curry powder

1 Tbs fresh Italian parsley, chopped

1 tsp dried sweet basil

1 tsp dried thyme leaves

½ tsp salt

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Combine all the ingredients in the Crock Pot slow cooker. Mix thoroughly. Cover; cook on Low 6-8 hours or on High for 3½-4 hours.  Makes 6 servings; 4 grams of fat per serving.

I served this dish on brown rice with a side of green beans (which were frozen and I simply put in the microwave for 4 minutes).  Also I only cooked the meal in the crock pot for 3 hours and it was just fine and yummy, delicious.

Cheers, friends!

P.S. I’d like to thank The Sister Project for the image that I lifted.  LOVE your site!