Sometimes I have a derth of ideas for what to make for dinner. At times like this, I will type “dinner suggestions” into Google and see what comes up. This search produces lists of recipes with pictures that I can scroll through and think, “No, no, no…maybe?”
Karl’s Lentil Soup with Chicken Sausage
Filed under California Fusion, Chicken, Main Dishes, Poultry, Soups, Vegan, Vegetarian
I made chicken stock yesterday, which always leaves me with the problem of what to do with the chicken bits I pick off the neck and back bones. I know that the professional chefs consider this meat “used up” after they have made a stock. They simply discard it as being tough, flavorless, and too much trouble to pick off the bones. As a home cook, I cannot help but think this is wasteful.
Karl’s Open-faced Chicken Salad Sandwiches
on Pita Bread
Filed under Chicken, Main Dishes, Poultry, Salads
When I join my wife for lunch at the university, we sometimes go to Café Pomegranate. While this is primarily a Persian restaurant, sometimes they go a bit wild with their soup of the day. Last week it was lemongrass soup. It was so good that I decided that I would have to deconstruct it.
Karl’s Lemongrass Chicken Soup
Filed under Chicken, Main Dishes, Poultry, Soups
A bag of molé has been living in my freezer for months. I wanted to do some barbecued chicken for this Sunday’s dinner, but I did not want it to be the same old, same old. I thought using the molé as a barbecue sauce was just the ticket.
Karl’s Molé Basted Barbecued Chicken
Filed under Barbeque, California Fusion, Chicken, Main Dishes, Poultry, Sauces and Spices
Technique drawn from Mel’s Kitchen Café
I have made a more complex version of this dish, but today I wanted a simple side dish that would not distract from the star dish, the chicken. Also, half of my diners this week are not eating starch, so it would be wasted effort. I have been trying to make Mexican rice for years with only limited success.
Karl’s Simple Mexican Rice
Filed under Rice, Side Dishes, Starches, Vegan, Vegetarian
Jan has requested chili rellenos to go with my molé chicken this Sunday. A quick look at recipes on-line told me that it is a fussy recipe that has several steps fraught with peril. You have to broil, deseed, and then stuff the chilies without breaking them. Then you have to coat them in a egg batter and deep fry them, still without breaking the chilies or having the coating fall off.
Karl’s Chili Rellenos in a Casserole
Filed under California Fusion, Casserole, Side Dishes, Vegetables, Vegetarian
One of our favorite dishes from a local Chinese restaurant is Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings. I am sure right now you have a picture of heavily salted wings covered in black pepper in your mind. You would be wrong, the peppers in this dish are Jalapeños.
Karl’s Salt and Pepper Cabbage
Filed under California Fusion, Green Vegetables, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian
I am finally getting around to writing up the recipe that Jan created for Miriam’s Birthday. At our house, my mother’s chocolate mousse has become the standard birthday treat. Jan has made several variations of this creamy dessert, for this one she decided that should would add cherry liqueur.
Jan’s Drunken Cherry Chocolate Mousse Cake
Filed under Cake, California Fusion, Desserts & Treats
As a Californian, I like to do mash-ups—taking the ingredients of one culture and the cooking techniques of another to create something new. Jan wanted taco’s, but I was growing of the same old, beef, pork, chicken or fish with the usual Mexican spices and salsas. I decided to take kubideh and make something different with it.
Karl’s Middle Eastern Tacos
Filed under Beef, California Fusion, Lamb, Main Dishes, Sauces and Spices, Stir-fry
Adapted from a Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association recipe
Jan and I were at our local farmers’ market and Jan spotted a table with piles of free printed recipes. This one appealed to her, so I made it for her. It substitutes cherries for tomatoes, the common base ingredient of brushetta. I took it one step further and used my favorite, Rainier cherries.
Karl’s Cherry Bruschetta
Filed under California Fusion, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian
karllueck
Miriam
Jabberwocky Stew 