FRESH TOMATO SAUCE

It`s almost the end of August in Tennessee and the end of tomato season is almost here. Lots of people planted way more tomatoes than they can possibly use! If you are lucky like me..one of these people will give you a load of tomatoes!

My friend and boss did just that. He called me out to show me what he brought for me..heavenly days it was a half a washtub filled with all kinds of wonderful tomatoes..pear, grape, roma, better boy, bradley and heaven knows what else. There were way more tomatoes that I could eat before they went bad so I told him I would make up batch of tomato sauce. I know you have been told that tomato sauce should be made from romas and I have made gallons that way but let me tell you this sauce is wonderful!

This was a seat of the pants project..I had about 15 lbs. of various tomatoes and 2 big onions from his garden .

I dropped the tomatoes in boiling water for a couple of minutes, refreshed them in cold water and slid the skins off. I cored each tomato, cut it in half and squeezed out as much jelly and seeds as possible.

I chopped up the 2 onions and sauteed them in some good olive oil, then added 6 big garlic cloves and sauteed a little longer..be sure not to brown the vegetables. To this mixture I added a 2 tsp. of red pepper flakes, a big pinch of sea salt and 2 Tbls. dried oregano and 4 bay leaves. Let all of this think while you drain and smush up the tomatoes...add the tomatoes to the onion, garlic mix and combine well. I added a big handful of spicy globe basil , stems and all..don`t worry, you will be able to pull the stems out later. Frankly, I did not think the basil would give enough flavor but it really did! If you do not have fresh basil go ahead and add a big tablespoon of dried basil.

The more surface area you have the faster the sauce will cook down so I divided it into 2 large deep , flat bottom wok type pans.

Bring sauce to gentle boil, turn heat to simmer and watch carefully. Stir sauce often and cook until reduced and thick. It takes about 45 minutes. It will burn if you don`t watch it.

Chill sauce overnight..then puree it in a food processor. Taste and correct seasoning. I got 2.25 lbs. of wonderful sauce that I will freeze in small batches to use on pasta and in rich bean soups this winter!

MY PERFECT LOW CARB DINNER FOR ONE

pan seared boneless , skinless chicken breast with smoked paprika, salt and pepper, served over sauteed baby spoon spinach, topped with fresh tomato sauce, chopped fresh basil and Parmesan cheese..light, fresh, lovely!

COOK HONEY, COOK!

4 C CAULIFLOWER

Well it`s time to pay the piper...too much fun = too much me! After a wonderful few months of fun with food I am back to my low carb diet. It`s the only thing that works for me . For some folks heaven is sugary and sweet. For me its creamy, crunchy, greasy, starchy, yeasty. In short I am a carb-a-holic. Given the choice between a big chocolate bar and a big hunk of bread with butter, bread wins every time. Ice cream or pasta..give me the pasta. Cookies or chips, I want the whole bag and then I will go for the chocolate, the ice cream and the cookies! And then there is the wine! Oh for big red wines and crispy cold White wines! All of these things are brimming with bad carbs so I am backing off for a while until there is a little less of me to go around!

I`m not going to stop cooking though. That`s the beauty of low carbing! It brings out the creativity in a good cook. I am a dedicated meat eater so there is a lot I can do. I have done this before with really great results and I did not feel to very deprived .

There is a wonderful book out there I use to help me along that I highly recommend to anyone who wants to try something a little different . It is my friend on this journey and if you need a friend to guide you and support you get yourself a copy of:

NERRIS AND INDIA`S IDIOT PROOF DIET a weight loss plan for real women. [they wanted to call it "how we went from pig to twig]
The book is published by Wellness Central and is available on Amazon.com. The book was written by two British women who have lives like the rest of us..jobs, husbands, boyfriends, children and a love of too much of everything! It is full of humor and good common sense and is really fun to read. The diet plan is the simplest I have ever read. It`s full of good recipes too. After a while it becomes really easy to come up with interesting low and no carb foods.

This is not as restrictive as Atkins. The girls took all of the best low carb plans and through trial and error came up with a plan that not only really works, it`s easy to stick with!

FOUR C CAULIFLOWER

curry, caraway cream and cheddar

pre heat oven to 350

this is a to taste recipe!

steam 1 head of cauliflower broken into florets for 12 min. in your microwave

drain the cauliflower, transfer to bowl

add 3 Tblsp heavy cream and 1 Tblsp butter

stir to blend

add a good pinch red pepper flakes, a good big teaspoon curry powder, more if you like and 1 teaspoon of caraway seeds. Add salt to taste. Transfer to a shallow baking dish and top with 1/2 cup of good sharp cheddar cheese.

Bake in 350 degree oven for about 25 min. or until hot and bubbly.

serves 4 as a side dish or 2 as main course.

I like this as a tasty almost no carb substitute for potatoes!

"COOK HONEY, COOK"

SO WHAT DOES SHE MEAN, SOUP STOCK BASE?

In my previous posted recipe for iced cucumber dill soup I call for soup stock paste style base. Here is a photo of one that is particularly good. Better Than Bouillon comes in a variety of flavors and is available at many grocery stores. Harris Teeter and Publix here in Nashville. There is a mushroom base, a beef base, a roast turkey and several other specialty bases I have not used yet. Most are organic and none contain MSG. In the restaurant business we rely on stock bases to enrich sauces and stocks . Most restaurants use Minors brand bases. If you are lucky enough to have a restaurant supply store that is open to the public you can usually find the Minors bases in 1 lb. containers. If you do not have a source, ask your favorite restaurant to order these for you! These come in many flavors..even a bacon base..it makes a fabulous "bacon jus" for that restaurant style pan seared bone in ribeye. The country ham base works wonders for a pot of beans! There are lobster, shrimp and clam bases too. You can make a 4 Star quality lobster or shrimp bisque in no time. These bases , used sparingly, work wonders for home made stocks and sauces that need a little help. Be careful until you get used to them as they have a good bit of salt. Omit the salt in your recipes when using stock bases. They are not inexpensive but when kept frozen they last indefinitely. Taste each dish at the end of cooking and then adjust seasoning!

"cook honey, cook!"

ICED CUCUMBER DILL SOUP

ICED CUCUMBER DILL SOUP

I have always been so very fond of cold soups. As a child a real treat was my mom`s creamy , cold vichyssoise. Although it`s nothing more than cold potato leek soup with chives, it is still one of the best soups around when properly prepared. I always ordered it in restaurants and was often disappointed by the soup but always thrilled with the little bowl set in a silver cup filled with ice.

I came up with this recipe for cucumber dill soup a few Summers ago for a large wedding reception . I was worried that with so many guests to serve , the soup would not be cold enough when served. A cold soup must be served really cold, just as a hot soup must be really hot. To avoid the possibility of tepid soup I froze half of the soup . Just before service a small scoop of icy soup went in the bottom of the cups with well chilled soup poured on top! The soup arrived at the perfect temperature. Now that August is here with plenty of hot weather and lots of cucumbers, try this wonderful soup as a lite lunch or appetizer before your next Summer dinner!

3 lb cucumbers, peeled and seeded

2 oz. sweet yellow onion..1/4 medium

2 cups well chilled buttermilk

1 cup heavy cream

3 tblsp chicken or vegetable paste style stock base..not bouillon cubes!

1 tblsp dried dill weed

optional..fresh dill sprigs for garnish

1/2 tsp curry powder

1/4 tsp white pepper

Puree cucumbers and onion in food processor. Transfer to bowl.

Whisk in buttermilk and 3/4 cup of heavy cream

Place remaining 1/4 cup heavy cream in food processor with chicken or vegetable base, dill weed, curry powder and white pepper . Process until smooth. Scrape all into soup using rubber spatula to get all of the mixture out of the bowl. Whisk all to blend. Do not add salt..stock base is salt enough!

Chill soup at least 6 hours or overnight in coldest part of refrigerator. Taste and correct seasoning. If you wish, freeze half of the soup. remove from freezer before serving and allow to soften slightly. Place a small amount of frozen soup in each cup. Top with more chilled soup and garnish with small amount of sour cream, whole milk yogurt or Greek style yogurt and a fresh dill sprig.

Remember that anything served very cold should be somewhat "over seasoned" as cold foods seem to "numb" the taste buds!

Yield 10.5 cups..serves 10 as lunch or 1st course or 20 appetizer soup shots

"cook honey, cook!"

Rosemary Garlic Seared Beef Tenderloin

Crazy day, the lunch I thought I had in the fridge at work had died a horrible death and I missed the daily lunch run by my co-workers. Add to that a bunch of errands after work as I get ready to go on vacation and you get one hungry person! But..I refused to go to the grocery because I am leaving! So I took my chances and found enough small treasures to cook up a little feast of leftovers between the packing chores..oh and I have to clean the house really well so my life saving house/ dog sitter Ruthie won`t think I am a pig!

I had a wonderful heirloom tomato..a Croatian red..if you can find on get it..they are wonderful! There was one broccoli crown, a couple of baby Yukon Golds a tenderloin tail and a rosemary bush outside my door..eureka!! A dinner to sooth the weary soul.

ROSEMARY SEARED BEEF

use any quick cooking cut of tender beef you have on hand..thin is best...season meat with fresh ground black pepper and salt. Heat a little very good olive oil in a heavy iron skillet with a large garlic clove, sliced thin, the leaves from a big sprig of rosemary and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Let all "think" in the oil over low heat as you roast the potatoes and cook your vegetable of choice. Do not let the garlic brown.

When the potatoes are ready, pour most of the oil and all of the Rosemary and garlic into a heat proof dish. Heat skillet until almost smoking and quickly sear the meat to rare. Remove meat to warm plate...let skillet cool slightly, add reserved oil, garlic and rosemary..when really hot pour over steak and potatoes.

serve with sliced fresh tomatoes and green veggie of choice!

allow 2 potatoes per person and at least 4 oz of beef..I think thin slices of pork tenderloin would be wonderful too!

my favorite wine of the week

FOUR VINES 2006 OLD VINE CUVEE ZINFANDEL

PASO ROBLES CA. [average $14]

lots of fruit and just the right touch of oak..and because it is screw top it is perfect for Summer picnics!

"COOK HONEY, COOK!"

FRESH TOMATO SALSA WITH AVOCADOS

I love a good fresh salsa whether it be hot or mild, fruity or tart and I love great guacamole too! What I do not like is the soupy saucy stuff in a jar found on the chip aisle that passes for salsa. There are also weird dayglo green bags of ready made guacamole that are even nastier.

The ingredients for this recipe combine the best of both dishes with ingredients that are available year round. Right now with beautiful locally grown tomatoes available it`s really easy to whip up this dish. It`s even wonderful in the winter using sweetie grape and cherry tomatoes . Once you make this the bottled heat treated salsa of your childhood just won`t do anymore!

I serve this with chips or along side grilled meats or even on shredded romaine lettuce with a garnish of sour cream as a salad.

FRESH TOMATO AVOCADO SALSA

2 lb. ripe tomatoes, hand chopped

use whatever looks good ,,mix up colors too

1/2 large sweet onion, chopped

3 large garlic cloves, minced

3 minced jalapenos, seeded

2 large green poblano peppers, seeded and minced

do not substitute green bell peppers,,,wear gloves!

1 large bunch cilantro, well rinsed and chopped fine

juice of 3 large limes

4 large ripe but still firm avocados, cubed

toss chopped tomatoes with 1 tblsp coarse salt..set drain in colander while you prepare the other ingredients

transfer tomatoes to a bowl and toss with all other ingredients except avocado

this is best if the tomato mixture is allowed to sit and mellow at room temperature for 30min to 1 hour..can be made ahead up to this point..refrigerate ..will keep1 day

just before serving add avocados and toss gently

taste and correct seasoning

served 6-8

COOK HONEY, COOK!

APRICOT, GINGER CHICKEN WINGS

Last night was my turn to host my book club. We have a large time with plenty of wine, good food and conversation. I was tired of the usual cheese and fruit platters and the inevitable store bought hummus and chips and was also looking to come up with a new wing recipe that does not include the word Buffalo! I love to balance sweet and salty, hot and sour. I also do not fry anything in my house. So I wanted a baked wing that was crispy and deeply browned. This is the recipe I invented and according to the girls, it`s a keeper!

APRICOT, GINGER CHICKEN WINGS WITH RED CHILI AND DRIED CHERRIES

375 degree oven

4 lbs chicken wings , trimmed

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

TOSS WINGS WITH SAUCE, SUGAR AND OIL

PLACE ON FOIL LINED COOKIE SHEETS AND BAKE 20 MIN. STIR AND INCREASE HEAT TO 400 DEGREES. ROAST 10 MIN OR UNTIL GOLDEN

wings can be prepared up to this point and refrigerated for later use

APRICOT, GINGER SAUCE

6 large cloves garlic

1 3 inch piece fresh ginger, sliced in chunks approx. 2.5 oz

1- 18 oz jar apricot preserves

2/3 cup soy sauce

2 tsp Asian red chili garlic sauce

juice 1 whole lime

DROP GARLIC AND GINGER INTO RUNNING FOOD PROCESSOR AND CHOP FINE

ADD ALL OTHER INGREDIENTS AND PULSE TO BLEND

3 oz dried cherries

ADD CHERRIES AND PROCESS UNTIL JUST CHOPPED

TOSS HOT WINGS WITH SAUCE, GARNISH WITH LIME WEDGES, CHOPPED GREEN ONIONS, CHOPPED CILANTRO AND SLIVERED FRESH APRICOTS IF AVAILABLE

sauce can be refrigerated for up to a week. reheat wings and toss with warm sauce. Sauce is also great on grilled shrimp, pork and chicken!

serves 6 -8 as main course or 10 - 12 as an appetizer

"COOK HONEY, COOK!"

ALMOND ORANGE SEMOLINA CAKE WITH GREEK YOGURT

This is a photo of the almond, orange semolina cake published earlier with the one dish Summer Supper recipe.

SUGAR COOKIE FRUIT TART

We`ve all been here...Company is coming...the plan was for a real French pastry tart filled with home made pastry cream, topped with glazed fresh fruit. Then the day falls apart. The garden you cleaned yesterday was trashed by a late night thunder storm, a raccoon got into the trash and spread it all over the place, your 18 year old cat missed his box AGAIN, your beloved Teenie dog has had her way with an entire roll of toilet paper! Good lord I`ll never get this tart done in time!

A good cook has to be like a Marine.."adapt and overcome" has to be the motto. You ponder for a moment and remember that sugar cookie fruit tart you used to make with the kids and eureka!! there is light at the end of the Cuisinart!

There is really no recipe to this...just a few ingredients purchased on the fly from your local grocer. Go for it!

Sugar Cookie Fruit Tart

butter a tart pan..place a round of parchment in the bottom and butter that too

Line the bottom of the pan with 1/2 inch thick rounds of store bought sugar cookie dough.

Carefully press the dough rounds together to form a crust, pushing dough up the sides of the pan

Prick the dough with tines of a fork to prevent rising [it will rise a little but will fall as it cools]

Bake tart shell according to cookie directions until golden brown

Let shell cool to room temp

In a mixer whip up some cream cheese or mascarpone with powdered sugar to taste. Add a touch of vanilla, almond or orange extract..whatever seems good to you! Taste and correct seasoning.

Spread filling in tart shell. Go easy cause it`s really rich...Chill while you prepare fruits. Use any assortment of seasonal fruits you wish. Make sure fruits are dry.

Arrange fruit decoratively.

Melt some Apricot or Peach preserves over low heat. Strain through mesh sieve. Carefully paint warm [not hot] glaze over fruits.

Chill to set.

If using all strawberries you might use strawberry jelly for the glaze. If using jelly, there is no need to strain it.

To serve, remove tart from pan and place on serving platter. Optional: garnish with fresh mint sprigs.

and you do not have to tell what the ingredients are either..let them be amazed and wonder how you do what you do!

serves 8

"Cook Honey, Cook!"

FEELING CRABBY..DEVILED CRAB BISQUE

FOLLOW THIS LINK TO MY JUNE 2009 NFOCUS MAGAZINE ARTICLE WITH RECIPE FOR WONDERFUL DEVILED CRAB BISQUE. IT`S A RECIPE THAT BRINGS BACK FOND MEMORIES OF SUMMER VACATIONS AT THE BEACH WITH MY GRANDPARENTS.

"COOK HONEY, COOK!"

HTTP://WWW.NFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM/2009-06-01/COLUMNS/FEELING-CRABBY

THE DIVINE TOMATO

www.nfocusmagazine.com/2009-07-01/columns/the-divine-tomato

FOLLOW THIS LINK TO MY JULY NFOCUS MAGAZINE COLUMN

INCLUDES A RECIPE FOR MY ALL PURPOSE MEAT MARINADE.ESPECIALLY GOOD ON LAMB AS WELL AS A COOL BUTTERMILK HERB SALAD DRESSING..PERFECT FOR HOMEGROWN SUMMER TOMATOES!

ONE DISH SUMMER SUPPER

I look for ways to serve a variety of foods at dinner parties with a minimum of effort after my guests arrive. I want to get almost everything done so I don`t miss out on the conversation and I want my guests to be able to compose their own plates at their leisure. I also try to be sensitive to their likes and dislikes. One of my guests does not like fruit on salads, one loves tangy, sour flavors and dislikes broccolli, one can`t tolerate the taste of curry, one will not eat meats of any kind that are not cooked to death and so on and so on.

My mother would be horrified to think I might cater to the individual tastes of my guests. We were taught to accept whatever was served without negative comment. To tell one`s host that the meat was not cooked to your liking or to ask that a dish be prepared in a different manner would have seemed the ultimate insult. I remember her reaction many years ago to a negative comment about a dish she served. My parents had invited one of daddy`s important business associates for dinner. They arrived and had unexpectedly brought their son with them. Mom had prepared one of our favorite dishes, Chicken Divan which consisted of poached chicken breasts over broccoli , covered with a wonderful rich Gruyere cheese sauce with white wine with a crunchy buttered bread crumb topping. We children were served in the breakfast room. Mom placed a plate in front of our young guest and he said "what`s this slop?" Mom promptly lost it and turned the plate of food upside down on his head, I am not sure if my dad and the Colonel did any more business, but I and my brothers learned never to make a negative comment about food , anywhere!

The photo is one of a composed Summer supper that I do quite often. Every dish with the exception of the grilled chicken was prepared way in advance. I grilled the chicken thighs just before the party. All that was left for me to do was put it all together which only takes a few minutes.

I bought a large kitchen turntable and placed it in the center of my dining room table. I place the platter on this and allow guests to graze ! It`s such fun as guests slowly turn the platter to help them selves to whatever they like.

SUGGESTED INGREDIENTS FOR ONE DISH SUMMER SUPPER

grilled boneless chicken thighs, marinated overnight in Greek yogurt with cumin, garlic and smoked paprika [short on time? sub grocery store rotisserie chicken with lots of lemon juice and capers]

blanched baby green beans

gemelli pasta with fresh basil pesto

grilled Vidalia onions with red, yellow and orange peppers

quartered home grown heirloom tomatoes...choose lots of sizes and colors

goat cheese logs rolled in cracked black pepper and chopped herbs

all served on chilled shredded romaine mixed with a handful of baby greens with chopped fresh basil and a little fresh mint

Pass hot french bread and cruets of simple vinaigrette dressing.

Dessert: I found this wonderful recipe in Every Day Food Magazine..it`s a keeper!

ORANGE GLAZED ALMOND SEMOLINA CAKE WITH FRESH FRUIT

serves 8

preheat oven 350 degrees

butter a 9 inch round cake pan..place round of parchment paper on bottom..butter parchment

12 Tblsp [1 1/2 sticks ] unsalted butter softened

1 cup sugar

1 large Tblsp finely grated orange zest

3/4 cup semolina flour

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup blanched almonds, finely ground

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup Greek Yogurt..full fat

using electric mixer, cream butter and sugar together until light and creamy

add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition

add vanilla

in a large bowl whisk together

semolina, white flour, baking powder, salt and orange peel

with mixer on low add flour mixture and Greek Yogurt alternately , ending with yogurt.

scrape batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 min. until golden brown and pick inserted in center comes out clean.

ORANGE SYRUP

in small sauce pan bring

1/2 cup water to a boil add

2/3 cup sugar

6 large strips of orange peel

stir to dissolve sugar..simmer 4 minutes

remove from heat and let sit while cake bakes

let cake cool 10 min in pan

turn cake out onto rimmed serving platter

poke holes in top with fork and spoon syrup over cake until all is absorbed

serve the cake cut in wedges accompanied by fresh sugared berries or peaches topped with more Greek Yogurt

Any leftover cake is wonderful with coffee for breakfast!

"Cook Honey, Cook!"