Karl’s Simple Cioppino

The kids are not coming over this weekend, so it is just the three of us for dinner. Sundays have been restricted lately because of Miriam’s diet, so I could make something with tomatoes, garlic and onions. When I suggested cioppino Jan was all for it.

Karl’s Simple Cioppino

Karl’s Simple Cioppino

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Filed under California Fusion, Main Dishes, Seafood, Soups

Karl’s Stone Fruit Tart / Cobbler

Last week, Jan went to the Central Valley to visit her friends and she came back with a mound of fruit. Since most of it was still not ripe I put it into brown paper bags to ripen. This Sunday it all came ripe at once. What to do? A fruit cobbler came to mind.

Karl’s Stone Fruit Tart / Cobbler

Karl’s Stone Fruit Tart / Cobbler

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Filed under Desserts & Treats, Pies & Tarts, Vegetarian

Karl’s Homemade Pasta Sauce

Last week Jan’s farmer friend dropped pounds of tomatoes on us. To preserve them, I turned them into three quarts of a simple tomato sauce—just tomatoes and a bit of salt. This allowed me the greatest flexibility when I decided what to use the sauce in a recipe— meaning it did not lock me into Italian cuisine, like so many of the sauces on-line.

Karl’s Homemade Pasta Sauce

Karl’s Homemade Pasta Sauce

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Filed under Main Dishes, Pork, Sauces and Spices

Karl’s Tomato Sauce

Jan visited her friends in Fresno this weekend. One of them owns a farm and tomato bombed her. What am I going to do with 15 pounds of small Roma tomatoes?

Karl’s Tomato Sauce

Karl’s Tomato Sauce

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Filed under Sauces and Spices, Vegan, Vegetarian

Karl’s Za’atar Orzo

I needed a starch dish to go with my ham steak and coleslaw for a week night dinner. I wanted something that would be quick and easy, so I decided to use orzo—instead of rice. To keep things interesting, I chose to spice it up with za’atar.

Karl’s Za’atar Orzo

Karl’s Za’atar Orzo

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Filed under California Fusion, Pasta, Side Dishes, Vegetarian

Karl’s Creole Gumbo II

Eilene is having friends over, so I needed something to feed hungry 20-somethings. I have made versions of both this dish and jambalaya before, but I wanted one that was simple enough for a weekday meal. The basic difference between a gumbo and jambalaya is whether you pour the sauce over the rice or cook the rice in the sauce.

Karl’s Creole Gumbo II

Karl’s Creole Gumbo II

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Filed under Main Dishes, Pork, Poultry, Shrimp

Karl’s Mexican Lasagna (Ground Beef Enchilada Casserole)

Several weeks ago I made enchiladas. I made the recipe basically the way my mother, Claudia, made enchiladas. One problem that I had was that even though the enchiladas looked good in the pan, they tended to fall to pieces as you try to transfer them to a plate, leaving an unattractive mess. There had to be a better way.

Karl’s Mexican Lasagna (Ground Beef Enchilada Casserole)

Karl’s Mexican Lasagna
Ground Beef Enchilada Casserole

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Filed under Beef, Main Dishes

Karl’s Carnitas Enchiladas with Avocado

Wandering through Trader Joe’s, wondering what I was going to make for dinner—this is actually not an uncommon occurrence. I saw a package of pre-cooked pork carnitas. I could do a quick pork taco with that, but I make tacos almost every week. Walking down another aisle, I saw Trader Joe’s enchilada sauce, and it clicked—pork enchiladas!

Karl’s Carnitas Enchiladas with Avocado

Karl’s Carnitas Enchiladas with Avocado

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Filed under Beans, Main Dishes, Pork, Sauces and Spices

Karl’s Middle Eastern Baharat Lamb

Since daughter Miriam became sick with something that gives her a lot of food restrictions Sunday dinners have become a challenge. Trying to find/create recipes that do not include garlic, onions (or anything else in the leek family), peppers (of any kind), and light on tomatoes is almost unimaginable. Fortunately these are still a lot of herbs and spices that she can still eat.

Karl's Middle Eastern Baharat Lamb

Karl’s Middle Eastern Baharat Lamb

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Filed under Lamb, Main Dishes, Sauces and Spices

Karl’s Marinated Artichoke, Cucumber, and Orange Salad

I am making middle Eastern lamb for Sunday and I would usually do a tomato and cucumber salad to go with it. However, Miriam is off of onions, garlic, and (mostly) tomatoes. I am discovering new things to pair with cucumbers in a salad.

Karl's Marinated Artichoke, Cucumber, and Orange Salad

Karl’s Marinated Artichoke, Cucumber, and Orange Salad

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