We are having cracked crab and crackers this Sunday. Meat and starch needs vegetables. A salad is a good compliment.

Karl’s Arugula and Spinach Salad
We are having cracked crab and crackers this Sunday. Meat and starch needs vegetables. A salad is a good compliment.

Karl’s Arugula and Spinach Salad
Filed under California Fusion, Salads, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian
Before I left home for the first time, I sat down with my mother’s recipe box and wrote down my favorite dishes. I had a hankering for chili this week end. I dug out my mother’s recipe and I was amazed to find that her “chili” did not actually include any chili! Continue reading
Filed under Beans, Beef, Main Dishes, Stews
Jan is having another potluck with her students. San Jose anthropology students present papers at the SWAA conference every year. To prepare them, the professors have them present before each other and two professors for feedback and suggestions. Since they come in on a Saturday to do this, food is usually involved.

Karl’s California Fusion Hummus Wraps
Filed under California Fusion, Main Dishes, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian
Many times, the inspiration for one of my Sunday dinners is a food challenge by the family. Other times, I look for an untried world cuisine to make my own variation of a traditional dish. This week, I started with a bottle of hot sauce.

Karl’s Lemon Chicken Habanero
with Sautéed Spinach and Fingerling Potatoes
Filed under California Fusion, Chicken, Main Dishes, Potatoes, Poultry, Side Dishes, Vegetables
I had bought some broccolini earlier in the week and I had not used it. I could have just steamed it and tossed it on a plate with my roasted chicken, but Jan and Miriam have been liking blended vegetables soups lately. Checking my vegetable bin, I found some other things to add to the soup.

Karl’s Broccolini Soup
Filed under California Fusion, Side Dishes, Soups, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian
My son-in-law, Chris, requested fish for his Sunday birthday dinner. I have been making a lot of different kinds of marmalade recently and I have been looking for uses for them—besides just spreading them on toast. I have made salmon with lemon and dill, so I though adding a sweet glaze would be just the thing. To go with my salmon, I served Heart of Palm, Mandarin Orange, and Arugula Salad and Colcannon California.

Karl’s Mandarin Marmalade Glazed Salmon
Filed under Broiling, California Fusion, Fish, Main Dishes, Seafood
I am always up for trying a new ingredient, but that being said I don’t guarantee that I will like it. I had seen heart of palm in several recipes that I had perused over time, so when I saw them at Trader Joes I, of course, bought a bottle. This jar has sat on my shelf for a time and I thought I would use it for this Sunday’s dinner.

Karl’s Heart of Palm, Mandarin Orange, and Arugula Salad
Filed under California Fusion, Salads, Vegan, Vegetarian
Every Christmas for more than the last decade I have made marmalade as a giveaway. A few years ago, I bought a microplane zester that produced very fine bits of rind. I also stopped using any extra water, just the zest and juice of the oranges. This micro marmalade was an intense flavorful jam, but it did not make as much as the old way I had been using. This year I ended up giving away all of the marmalade I produced and we had none left for ourselves.

Karl’s Micro Mandarin Marmalade
Filed under Desserts & Treats, Treats, Vegan, Vegetarian
I am making salmon for son-in-law Chris’ birthday dinner. My first thought was to make colcannon—potatoes and cabbage—to go with it. Chris, who is limiting his intake of simple carbohydrates—like starchy potatoes—suggested using yams and herbs instead. This is very much a California Fusion recipe.

Karl’s Colcannon California
Filed under California Fusion, Side Dishes, Starches, Vegan, Vegetarian
For weekday meals I sometimes take shortcuts, like buying pre-seasoned meat from an ethnic market. Being Californians, tacos are very popular in my house, but when I take short cuts I usually do not post about it. However, this one has been requested. If you happen to have a Hispanic market near you, like Chavez Market, these tacos are worth a few short cuts.

Karl’s Weekday Tacos al Pastor
Filed under Main Dishes, Pork, Sauces and Spices