Miriam bought me some really good balsamic vinegar and I decided that I would use it for my Fourth of July dinner. Actually, she bought me two bottles, some Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Reggio Emilia (the really good stuff—“do not use this in a salad dressing!”) and some BalsaMela, a Balsamic apple vinegar. I decided to use the second vinegar to dress my bean medley.
Karl’s Green and Wax Bean Medley
Filed under Sauces and Spices, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian
I decided to experiment with pickled green pepper (Piper nigrum ). This is a new spice for my family, so I plan to go cautiously. When I did my surf and turf for Miriam’s birthday I discovered just how good a tri-tip could be with simply salt and pepper.
Karl’s Salt and Pepper Tri-tip
with Green Pepper Sauce
Filed under Barbeque, Beef, California Fusion, Holidays, Main Dishes, Sauces and Spices
Jan and I were watching a BBC documentary series called The Spice Trail, detailing the sources, history and uses of six common spices. One of the spices detailed was black pepper. It turns out that the ornamental pepper trees of my youth have nothing to do with the spice on the table.
Karl’s Green Pepper Sauce
Filed under California Fusion, Sauces and Spices, Vegetarian
I had bought some Ciliegine Fresh Mozzarella—one inch balls of cheese—for my Italian Salad Bar. In the rush to get out the door to deliver it, I forgot to take them out of the refrigerator. Trying to think what to use them for, I remembered that caprese salad is one of Jan’s favorites.
Karl’s Caprese Salad 3
Filed under Salads, Side Dishes, Vegetarian, Weeknight
These salads are based on my mother’s potato salad, but the kids are coming over and this is a dilemma. They are on the Atkins diet, which means no potatoes. I decided that I would make two almost identical salads: One with potatoes for those of us eating starchy foods and a second with the potatoes replaced with cauliflower.
Karl’s Potato Salad Karl’s “Potato” Salad (Cauliflower)
Filed under California Fusion, Salads, Vegetables, Vegetarian
I finally have a little time to start surfing through the sites of the people who have liked my recipes in the past three years. I have religiously kept track of everyone who has ever “liked” one of my recipes, but I have had little time to do more than just visit their “about” pages. This summer, I have been working my way through other people’s recipes. When I saw Caitlin’s recipe for Yellow Gazpacho I knew I had to do something like it.
Karl’s Yellow Gazpacho
Filed under Side Dishes, Soups, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian
I made some biscuits for a weekday dinner and I wanted something to go with them. Today, I felt like salmon. Trying to think of something new to do with it, I used some honey and Balsamic Vinegar de Modeno.
Karl’s Honey Balsamic Glazed Salmon
Filed under Broiling, California Fusion, Fish, Main Dishes, Seafood
For some reason, I have never made biscuits from scratch. I frequently make scones for breakfast, but I have always depended on Bisquick for biscuits. Part of the reason for this is that I really did not understand the difference between the two. While I was making biscuits for biscuits and gravy, I discovered that they are easy and, by themselves, the are a delicious and versatile bread.
Karl’s American Biscuits
Filed under bread, Side Dishes, Vegetarian
More than forty years ago, I visited my second cousins in “Pleasant Valley,” Arizona. While I was there I had one of the most memorable meals of my life, biscuits and beef jerky gravy served with a side of fresh pinto beans. While biscuits and gravy is a standard Southern/Western dish, I have never had—before or since—as good as I had that day.
Karl’s Biscuits and Beef Jerky Gravy
Filed under bread, Breakfast, Sauces and Spices
I making potato salad for the Fourth of July today, and I am making it based on, my mother, Claudia’s recipe. I have had to make some adjustments—I am not trying to feed seven hungry mouths and—while I remember there being celery in it—there was none listed on her 3×5 card recipe. Another twist is that Myr and Chris are on the Atkins diet, so I decided I would make a second salad—with cauliflower replacing the potatoes—just for them. Continue reading
Filed under Potatoes, Salads, Side Dishes, Starches, Vegetarian
karllueck
Miriam
Jabberwocky Stew 