Just for Now (37 page)

Saute onion, carrot, celery, garlic, ginger in butter in large soup
pot. Add flour and curry powder; stir and cook about 3 minutes. Pour in chicken
broth and bay leaf and simmer 15 minutes. Add other ingredients except
cream/milk and simmer 15 minutes more. Immediately before serving, stir in
cream or milk.

If you are making a quantity that you won’t use up that day, keep the
rice separate and add it to each bowl of soup, so it doesn’t get mushy.

QUINOA SALAD

6-8 servings (recipe can be doubled. Makes a great workday lunch over
arugula and/or spinach—protein, vegetables, vitamins, fiber, AND low-calorie!)

1 c. uncooked quinoa, rinsed very well and drained
(the soapy substance tastes bitter if you don’t rinse it off)

Vegetable or chicken broth, if desired

1/2 c. chopped green onions, white and pale green
parts only (about 2 bunches)

¾ c. chopped fresh parsley

3-4 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint, to taste (optional)

1 clove minced garlic

1 c. grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in halves or
quarters

½ cucumber, chopped

½ cup diced red or yellow pepper

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained (optional)

½ tsp. salt, or to taste (less if you are cooking
quinoa in a salted broth)

¼ tsp. pepper, or to taste

3-4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

3-4 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (1-2 lemons)

Cook the quinoa as directed on package—normally about 15 minutes. If it
is well rinsed, use about 1-3/4 cups water, or vegetable or chicken broth, for
1 cup of quinoa. It is done when the quinoa sprouts little curly “tails.” If
all liquid is not absorbed, strain it to remove the liquid.

Chill the cooked quinoa if possible; add vegetables and herbs (and
beans, if using).

Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, salt & pepper in a bowl with a fork
until well blended. Add to salad and mix thoroughly. Taste & correct salt
& pepper. Chill salad if possible; the flavors will blend as it sits.

Other vegetable/herb choices: carrots, zucchini, cilantro (instead of
mint).

SAUSAGE & PEPPER SPAGHETTI SAUCE

6 servings. Almost as easy as using a canned sauce, and so much
tastier!

3-4 Italian sausages (can use chicken or turkey
sausage), hot or mild or a combination

1-2 onions, chopped, depending on size

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 red peppers, chopped

2 16-oz cans chopped tomatoes (Italian recipe, or in
juice, or in puree)

2 8-oz cans tomato sauce

1 tsp. dried oregano

1-1/2 tsp. dried basil

Take sausages out of casings (cut along the casing and squeeze out the
meat), break into pieces. Cook with onions, garlic, and red pepper until meat
is cooked and vegetables are soft. Drain fat. Stir in tomatoes and sauce, and
herbs. Cook 1 hour, partially covered.

GLAZED SALMON

4 servings (just cut everything else in half if cooking for two). Basic
idea for this comes from Cook’s Country. Quick and easy; makes a delicious
company dinner with roasted potatoes and a green salad.)

4 salmon fillets, rinsed, patted dry, sprinkled with
salt and pepper. 1” thick (if thinner, cook shorter time)

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

¼ cup orange juice

2 Tbsp. honey

2 tsp. olive oil (not extra-virgin as it smokes too
easily)

2 Tbsp. butter

Whisk vinegar, juice, and honey together in small bowl. Heat oil in
nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat until very hot. Cook salmon
fillets without moving for 4-5 minutes (shorter time if the fillets are less
than 1” thick). If the fillets are skin-on, start with the skin side facing up.
Flip fish and cook 2-3 minutes more, until cooked through but not dry. Transfer
to warm plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

If you cooked salmon with skin on, wipe pan out with paper towels. Lower
heat to medium. Pour balsamic mixture into pan and simmer about 5 minutes,
until thick and syrupy. Stir in butter and pour sauce over salmon.

BUTTERMILK PANCAKES

3 servings for hungry people (or men). Recipe can be doubled.

3 Tbsp. butter

2 cups buttermilk

2 eggs, beaten

1-1/2 cups flour (try substituting 2 Tbsp. cornmeal, ½
cup oatmeal, and 2 Tbsp. almond meal, if you can find it, for ½ cup of the
flour—delicious!)

2 tsp. baking soda

¾ tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. white sugar

Melt butter in large bowl in microwave. Whisk in buttermilk, then
beaten eggs. Sift or stir together dry ingredients separately, then stir in
with a few quick strokes. Cook on a 375-degree griddle or over medium heat
until bubbles form and edges look dry; turn and cook about a minute more.

Add any of the following to make your pancakes extra-special: 
blueberries; peaches; nectarines; bananas and chopped pecans; bananas and mini
chocolate chips; bananas and chopped macadamia nuts.

PEAR/DRIED CHERRY COFFEE CAKE

Coffee Cake

3/4 cup sugar

¼ cup butter

1 egg

½ cup milk (higher-fat is tastier, but 1% is OK too)

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

1 can pears in juice, drained and chopped

¼ cup dried cherries (optional)

Filling/Topping

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cups flour

2 tsp. cinnamon

3 Tbsp. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9” square glass baking pan with
nonstick cooking spray.

Mix together butter and sugar with an electric mixer; add egg. Stir in
milk. Sift together dry ingredients, or mix in a separate bowl; stir in.
Carefully stir in fruit. Spread half the batter in pan. Sprinkle half of
filling/topping mixture over batter. Spoon remainder of batter over filling and
smooth over. Sprinkle rest of filling/topping mixture over top of batter. Bake
until toothpick comes out clean, 25-30 minutes.

Other ideas: peaches (fresh or canned), nectarines, blueberries (omit
dried cherries if using other fruits).

GINGERBREAD WITH CUSTARD SAUCE

Gingerbread

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 egg

1 cup dark molasses (or can use light molasses if you
prefer a less intense flavor)

1 cup boiling water

2-1/4 cup flour

1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9” square glass baking pan with
cooking spray.

Cream together butter and sugar with electric mixer; add egg. Measure
boiling water in a 2-cup glass measure and add the molasses (this will make the
molasses come out of the measuring cup more easily). Blend molasses/water
mixture into creamed mixture. Sift together dry ingredients, or mix in separate
bowl; stir in.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cut
into squares.

Custard Sauce
(a bit like vanilla
pudding, but more liquid)

2 Tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. cornstarch

1/8 tsp. salt

¾ cup milk (full fat works best, but can use 2%)

1 egg yolk

1 tsp. vanilla

Put the egg yolk into a glass measuring cup and beat lightly with a
fork.

Whisk the sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a small saucepan.
Whisk in the milk and cook over low heat until it just boils. Remove from heat.
Slowly pour about half the custard mixture into the beaten egg while whisking
with a fork to mix well. Then pour the egg/custard mixture back into the rest
of the custard in the pan. Cook over low heat until the mixture begins to
thicken (don’t boil it). It will be quite runny, as it’s a sauce. Add the
vanilla. Use warm, or refrigerate until ready to use. Can be served warm or
cold.

Other toppings for your gingerbread: whipped cream, ice cream (coffee
ice cream is surprisingly good, but vanilla and chocolate are tasty too),
applesauce.

CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH EASY CHOCOLATE GLAZE

Cake

½ cup butter (1 cube)

¾ cup white sugar

¾ cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups cake flour, or 1-3/4 cup regular flour (cake flour
gives your cake a more tender crumb)

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1-1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1-1/2 cups buttermilk

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 13x9x2” pan, or two 8” cake
pans.

Cream butter and sugar with electric mixer. Add eggs and vanilla and
mix. Sift together dry ingredients or mix in separate bowl; add to mixture
alternately, in about 3 installments, with the buttermilk, beating after each
addition. Beat the whole thing on high speed 3 minutes. Pour into pan(s).

Bake until wooden pick inserted in center of cake JUST comes out clean,
with a few moist crumbs; oblong 33-38 minutes; layers 28-33 minutes. (check
carefully!)

Frost with your favorite icing, or for a simple solution (or if you are
in a country where unsweetened chocolate and powdered sugar are not available),
use the easy glaze below.