Tag Archives: Philosophy of Cooking

Karl’s Vegetarian Lasagna

Adapted from a Cook’s Illustrated recipe

A friend of ours had a reoccurrence of her cancer, an all too familiar event in our lives. She is so sick that it is hard for her to cook, so I am making one of my mitzvah lasagnas. When a person is on chemo they tend not to be concerned with eating. I unfortunately know this from personal experience.  This dish is designed to tempt you into eating at least a bite or two to keep body and soul together.

Karl’s Vegetarian Lasagna

Karl’s Vegetarian Lasagna

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Filed under Main Dishes, Vegetarian MD

Karl’s Weekday Miso Noodle Soup

I felt like soup today and Eilene always complains that when I make miso soup there is never enough for seconds (or thirds). Today I decided that I would make enough even for her.

Karl’s Weekday Miso Noodle Soup

Karl’s Weekday Miso Noodle Soup

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Filed under Main Dishes, Seafood, Soups

Karl’s Tofu, Garlic Stem and Lettuce Stem Stir-fry with Pan-Fried Noodles

Yesterday was Daddy’s Day, so I made beef and beans. Today I am paying the price by making a vegetarian meal for Jan and Eilene. After work, Jan usually goes to the gym to work out and de-stress. Depending on which gym she goes to, the session she is attending, and the traffic she can come home anywhere from 6:45 to 7:15. With a stir-fry you can do all of the prep work and then put the dinner on hold, but ready to go, for easily an hour.  A quick 10 minutes of stir-frying and a hot fresh dinner is on the table.

Karl’s Tofu, Garlic Stem, and Lettuce Stem Stir-fry with Pan Fried Noodles

Karl’s Tofu, Garlic Stem, and Lettuce Stem Stir-fry
with Pan Fried Noodles

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Filed under Main Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian MD

Karl’s Barbequed Tri-tip

Tri-tip was on sale at Safeway this week and I decided I wanted it for Daddy’s Day. While my favorite barbequed meat is lamb, a good tri-tip comes in a close second. That is, of course, the rub. A good tri-tip has a red-ish brown crust on the outside and is juicy and tender on the inside. However, what you usually end up with is a blackened, scorched crust and mostly tough, dry meat.

Karl’s Barbequed Tri-tip

Karl’s Barbequed Tri-tip

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Filed under Beef, Main Dishes

Karl’s Santa Maria-Style Beans

Not being able to get heirloom Santa Maria pinquito beans for this Sunday I have had to substitute little pink beans. What make beans “Santa Maria beans” (besides the unique beans) is in using two kinds of pork and chili sauce in the mix. Some recipes call for using a bottled chili sauce and others make it themselves and then add it to the pot.

Karl’s Santa Maria-Style Beans

Karl’s Santa Maria-Style Beans

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Filed under Side Dishes, Starches

Karl’s Roasted Artichokes Stuffed with Spinach and Mushrooms

It’s Daddy’s Day this Sunday, so I have decided on beef and beans. Chris, however, is still on his ketogenic diet so he will not want to eat much of the beans. I need a filling vegetable dish to ensure that he gets enough to eat. I saw some nice globe artichokes at Trader Joe’s and I thought I might want to stuff and roast them.

Karl’s Roasted Artichokes Stuffed with Spinach and Mushrooms

Karl’s Roasted Artichokes Stuffed with Spinach and Mushrooms

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Filed under Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetables

Karl’s Refrigerator Chicken Soup

Chicken soup is a comfort food for Jan and she has had a busy week. Monday was high stress university budget meeting, where she was standing in for the dean. Tuesday, she was the “relevant parent” for Eilene’s registration into college. Wednesday and Thursday she was working at a conference up in Sausalito that our older daughter, Myr, was running. I knew that she would want something for dinner tonight that would help calm her down.

Karl’s Refrigerator Chicken Soup

Karl’s Refrigerator Chicken Soup

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Filed under Main Dishes, Poultry, Soups

Karl’s Asian Chicken or Pork Lettuce Cups

I am still trying to adapt to the combination of low fat and Ketogenic diets of my family. This Sunday I am posting two closely related recipes. This is the original recipe made with Hoisin sauce and sweet chili sauce, both of which have added sugar. I am going to adapt this recipe to be more in keeping with a Ketogenic diet in my second recipe.

Karl’s Asian Chicken Lettuce Cups

Karl’s Asian Chicken Lettuce Cups

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Filed under Main Dishes, Poultry

Karl’s Keto Hoisin Sauce

I decided that I should make a Ketogenic Hoisin sauce to go with my pork lettuce cups.  I looked online for a recipe to tweak and was very disappointed in what I found.  In my opinion, there are three things which really do not belong in Hoisin sauce: peanut butter, honey, and ketchup.

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Filed under Sauces and Spices

Karl’s Spicy Garlic Stem, Chinese Celery and Bamboo Stir-fry

My original thought was not to have a separate vegetable dish this weekend. However while I was in Lion Market I saw garlic stem! I had to have it.

Karl’s Spicy Garlic Stem, Chinese Celery and Bamboo Stir-fry

Karl’s Spicy Garlic Stem, Chinese Celery
and Bamboo Stir-fry

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Filed under Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetables