Category Archives: California Fusion

Jan’s Cherry Cranberry Sauce

Jan usually makes a cranberry Cumberland sauce for Thanksgiving. This year she thought she would mix it up. She had bought some frozen tart cherry juice for smoothies and she thought it would go well with the tart cranberries.

Jan’s Cherry Cranberry Sauce

Jan’s Cherry Cranberry Sauce

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Filed under California Fusion, Sauces and Spices, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Karl’s Lightly Pickled Carrots and Spinach Salad

Eilene requested carrot salad and some kind of green thing as the vegetable to go with the chili dogs for her birthday meal. I had bought a bottle of Champaign vinegar for another meal a few weeks ago and that seemed like a likely place to start. Thinking about what herbs and spices would compliment this rather expensive ingredient, I started grabbing bottles out of my spice rack. This is what I came up with. Giving the carrots a bit of time to pickle a bit also seemed like an obvious idea.

Karl’s Lightly Pickled Carrots and Spinach Salad

Karl’s Lightly Pickled Carrots and Spinach Salad

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Filed under California Fusion, Salads, Sauces and Spices, Side Dishes, Vegetables

Karl’s Chili Dogs

Jan and I were reminiscing about chili dogs the other day. Jan used to live only a mile away from Angelo’s in Fresno—a victim of eminent domain for the high speed rail—and in her mind the home of the ultimate chili dog. Eilene decided that she wanted chili dogs for her birthday meal—19 as of yesterday.

Karl’s Chili Dogs

Karl’s Chili Dogs

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Filed under Beef, Broiling, California Fusion, Main Dishes, Sauces and Spices

Karl’s Boston Baked Beans

The kids are not coming over this week end, so Jan requested baked beans and hot dogs. Most Americans would grab a can of Van Camps  or Bush’s (Heintz, if you’re British) and be good to go. I decided that I wanted to make my own.

Karl’s Boston Baked Beans

Karl’s Boston Baked Beans

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Filed under Beans, California Fusion, Main Dishes, Pork

Jan’s Challahpeños

Jan and I were discussing what to have with the challah I was making. Jan wanted me to make super-mini challah in the mini-muffin pan. Jan piped up with you could put jalapeños in it and they would be  challahpeños! How far will this family go for a good pun? Apparently quite far.

Jan’s Challahpeños

Jan’s Challahpeños

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Filed under bread, California Fusion, Side Dishes, Vegetarian

Karl’s Sichuan Cauliflower and Green Beans

I wanted a side dish to go with my Chinese steamed chicken. Jan suggested one of my cheesy cauliflower dishes. While those are popular in my house, they are not very Chinese.

Karl’s Sichuan Cauliflower and Green Beans

Karl’s Sichuan Cauliflower and Green Beans

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Filed under California Fusion, Chinese, Sauces and Spices, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Karl’s Chili Lime Jicama Salad

As I was at the Mexican store, picking up some things for my fish tacos, I saw some jicama on sale. I usually do not make a side salad when we have fish tacos, but I thought why not? I was sure I would think of something to do with it.

Karl’s Chili Lime Jicama Salad

Karl’s Chili Lime Jicama Salad

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Filed under California Fusion, Salads, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Karl’s Corn Salsa

Fish tacos have become a weekday meal at our house. If I do not have a lot of time, they can be simply topped with some cilantro, guacamole, and diced onion. If I have more time, I will make pickled red cabbage and a salsa to go with the fish.

Karl’s Corn Salsa

Karl’s Corn Salsa

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Filed under California Fusion, Fish, Sauces and Spices, Seafood

Karl’s Wild Turkey Barley Soup

Jan’s new job is very stressful. When she is stressed, she wants comfort food. For her this is soup, today it is turkey. The “wild” in this title is the wild rice, not the alcoholic beverage—although if you feel cheated, it would not hurt the dish to add it when you add the leeks and carrots.

Karl’s Wild Turkey Barley Soup

Karl’s Wild Turkey Barley Soup

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Filed under California Fusion, Main Dishes, Poultry, Turkey

Karl’s Mission Fig Jam

Jan was given a large bag of very ripe Mission figs two days ago. It was far too many to eat before they went bad. I had to think of a way to preserve them.

Karl’s Mission Fig Jam

Karl’s Mission Fig Jam

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Filed under California Fusion, Treats, Vegan, Vegetarian