Here is First Blog re-submitted

Now that my wife and I are empty-nesters I have returned to a passion of mine. 'Preparing affordable delicious meals for the two of us.' I shop Conroe Saturday am Market{SamM} looking for the freshest ingredients to please our tastes that have evolved during our child rearing years.

Let me share a few basics that I use regularly when creating our daily menu items.

1) I have learned to use meat first bases instead of salt to flavor our dishes.   {with the newest craze for Sea Salt I do experiment with this product}

2) I scour the grocery stores for the best price on Balsamic vinegar and buy fresh tomatoes, onions and different varieties of peppers from SamM for another flavor enhancer that I create.

 Recipe is as follows: 2cups diced fresh tomatoes

                                  1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar

                                   1/4 cup diced onion

                                    {Spanish, red, green, or white onions--you decide}

It is good to experiment and with this mixture I get creative. I may add diced apples,peppers, or Mango. Once I even added burnt bacon.

3) I fry rice , add liquid from containers in the fridge, cook until the liquid is absorbed and save it for a dish later in the week.Normally the rice is purposely undercooked. When the rice is reheated in a dish a few days later it is fully cooked and has full flavor from marinating.

My wife at this time is my only critic.So when she says,"Fabulous meal" I am happy and feel I have accomplished what i set out to do. Make her happy so she can say one day, " I have enjoyed our time together"

Pizza was served tonight on a Large Zucchini sliced lengthwise.The past few weeks Peas Farms has been offering large Zucchini. I questioned, "What do you do with a 32oz Zucchini. I was given a handful of suggestions. The one that stuck with me was to core out the seeds and make a pizza.

Tonight I did just that after bringing home one larger than life Zucchini.I began by pre-heating the oven to 400 F. Sliced off both ends of the Zuke and cored out the centers and began making my Tomato sauce. I first shaved thin pieces of bacon and heated them in a sauce pan. Next I diced up the the zucchini centers and added it to the hot bacon. This was stirred until the zucchini seeds and flesh turned brown. I then added what was left of SamM salsa that I found in the fridge. And 2 cups of prepared tomato sauce. Brought this to a bubbling boil and turned off the heat. Covered and held for final assembly. I reached for a block of Mozzarella and diced it up for the topping.

Assembly was quick. Into the Zucchini boat went the hot sauce until it was level with the top. I added in a combination pizza meat and topped with the Mozzarella cheese. Baked my creation for 40 min at 400F. Another option would be to place Pepperoni slices on top. My Wife and I discussed this meal on Saturday at Market and she did not want pepperoni on her Zucchini pizza. So I hid her meat under the cheese.

The Fresh salad greens with Fresh raspberries tossed in was a greater hit for My Wife tonight. And even that was a refrigerator clean-out salad, Romain leaves, Red leaf lettuce, Coleslaw, Raspberry jello, and well hidden Mac n Cheese. I made sure the Fresh Raspberries and Black berries were on the top of the salad.

Cole Slaw can be Vinegar based or Mayonnaise based. In the fridge tonight is a vinegar based slaw that will be served tomorrow during Family group Sunday night. Whether it leaves my kitchen as is, or Mayonnaised is yet to be determined.

My Wife and I first tried the shredded Cabbage, diced baby carrots, Cider vinegar and Brown sugar version. My Wife gave me the thumbs up. I went back to the kitchen feeling Great. I could not shake the idea that maybe the mayo based Slaw would also work. I added Italian salad dressing and Hellman's Mayo. We sampled again and My Wife confirmed, " This also very good." We decided that we will wait til 4pm tomorrow night, taste, then add more ingredients for additional dressing if needed

I also believe My Wife may take a poll during morning worship service to determine if we should take a Vinegar based or Mayonnaise based Cole Slaw. The Food theme for Family group Bible study is Texas BBQ.

Let me also mention that I was introduced to Roasted Corn at the Conroe farmer's market today. After eating a Roasted Cob I vote for roasted corn at 550 F over boiled in veggie juice or water with butter. The corn comes off easier and does not stick in your teeth.

We are still enjoying SamM salsa from Mother's day. diced Roma tomatoes, White Onions, Yellow bell peppers , Balsamic vinegar and fresh Oregano. Held in a glass container. Last night I sauteed Fresh ground Italian sausage removed from it's casing. Added in one cup of SamM salsa to a pound of sausage. I then thickened the sauce by adding a Ragu style sauce, turned off the heat and concentrated on boiling the Vermicelli in fridge juice.

Fridge juice is created by saving the cooking liquid from a previous meal. This juice was the saved cooking liquid from boiling Mother's Day Redskin potatoes. Always taste your fridge juices before using to insure they have not soured on you. And I make it practice to never save cooking liquid that had seafood in it. 

With the Vermicelli cooked I tossed the noodle in Olive oil and Fresh Oregano.Placed the hot noodles in a bowl and ladled the meat sauce over the top.  I brought home from a bakery round loaves of cheese bread. I quartered the loaf, split the quartered loaf and added margarine.

It is a meal worth repeating. I foresee adding Beans, Chili seasoning and cooked Pasta to the Meat sauce for Chili mac in the near future.

  Tags: local fresh conroe harvest vegetables

Yard work , Detailing a VW Beetle that I am selling, and preparing Mother's Day Pot Roast. All in a Days work. Upon arriving home from church I scampered into the kitchen, set the oven temperature to 400 F. I retrieved from the fridge a pan of pot roast that had been marinating overnight in Balsamic vinegar and SamM salsa. I set the timer for 90 min. placed the roast in the oven and went outside to start on the lawn

First I want to clear up SamM salsa; I created two versions of it. They both started with Fresh diced Roma tomatoes, Fresh diced White onions, Fresh diced Yellow Bell peppers, and Balsamic vinegar. To the first bowl for My Wife I added Fresh Oregano. To a smaller bowl for myself I added a Fresh Salsa pepper. I marinated the Roast over night using My Wife's version.

The lawn took one hour. With thirty minutes of roasting time to go; I large diced Fresh Baby carrots and a large potato. Retrieved vegetable water from the fridge and boiled these root veggies till they were crunchy.The timer went off on the roast . I saved the water from the boiling pot for another day and added the vegetables to the pot roast. Over the top of the vegetables and roast I poured more Balsamic vinegar and My Wife's SamM salsa. Back into the oven it went at 350 F for forty minutes. And I went back to filling lawn bags with leaf debris. I had seven bags of debris to fill so I filled three, returned to the kitchen to pull the roast and potatoes so it could rest and filled four more lawn bags outside.

 Dinner was served soon after. My Wife praised me for it. The salsa with Balsamic vinegar gave it a restaurant flare.I was pleased My Wife was happy. Our daughter took Mom out for dinner yesterday . Our Son called from Alabama and sent his Mother a picture of the Steak and potato lunch he created for her. {Of course he ate it in BAMA} So off to sleep for a one hour nap. And then I remembered I needed to vacuum out the VW I am selling. 

Now for Pie in the Sky. A new vendor came to Conroe Market this weekend. Representing vegetables grown along side a Tilapia fish farm pond. And she brought pies from her daughter's Pie in the Sky company, Awesome pies. The water from the pond is filtered through rocks and used to fertilize the vegetable garden inside a green house. The process is referred to as Aquaponics. The Salsa peppers came from this vendor.

If you live near Houston,TX check out my 2000 New Beetle in Spring Texas on Auto Trader. Needs engine work.

As I continue to recover from my last Gout attack I have found Cherry juices and Fresh Blackberries and Blue Berries. The most readily available and affordable items have been the Fresh berries. This week I transformed Blended Plain Yogurt into many different creations.

I added Strawberry jam to some of it. Another day I mixed in Honey, Fresh Banana and Fresh Blue berries. After a visit to Conroe Saturday am Market this past Saturday I brought home Fresh Blackberries. I enjoyed the addition of honey in my last creation of fruited yogurt, I mixed extra honey and half a pint fresh Blackberries into 1 cup of yogurt. Tears welled into my eyes after the second spoonful. And then I found this article on the internet today. From The Post Game blog

Lifting is great and some people enjoy the soreness they feel the next day after an intense workout while others really can't stand it -- especially if they did a crazy leg workout. But you know the phrase: You can feel sore or you can feel sorry. Feeling sore can offer a sense of achievement. Still, it's important to recover from many long training sessions, so try incorporating the foods below to recuperate more quickly.

Why Do I Feel Sore? Many people feel the soreness but aren't sure where the pain comes from. The question that I get most often is, "How come I feel sore the day after, but not that same day?" The answer is Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). So what causes this? When you work out, you are creating tiny tears in your muscles. This is normally a result of high intensity exercises such as heavy lifting or sprinting. Your muscles then want to recover, so they begin to heal themselves. Consuming an adequate amount of protein and nutrients, while giving your body enough time to rest helps accomplish this; and your muscles are built during this phase. That's why recovery days are very important.

1) Whole Grain Cereal: You may have heard that you should eat carbs before a workout, which is true, but you should also consume them after as well. Carbohydrates can help your body fight the fatigue that it feels after a workout by restoring your glycogen stores. When you exercise, you are using up all of your glycogen stores (or energy stores.) It's really important to replenish them after a workout so that you do not experience that sleepy feeling. Any carbohydrate snack will do but whole grains are always the best choice.

2) Cherries: Cherries are kind of like a magical fruit. They have many anti-inflammatory properties, which are really important for relieving muscle soreness. The antioxidant that gives cherries this healing ability is called anthocyanins. Many athletes consume tart cherry juice prior to workouts for this reason. Instead of popping that ibuprofen or Advil, reach for some nice, fresh cherries or cherry juice instead.

3) Nuts: Walnuts, almonds, brazil nuts -- whatever kind of nuts you want. All kinds of nuts are very high in Vitamin E. This vitamin has muscle strengthening powers which will ultimately help to fight muscle soreness. Once you begin to get stronger, you will notice that you are not as sore as you were when you first began training. When you have been training for a while, your muscles are stronger and you don’t tear the muscle as much as you did in the beginning. Less tears equals less soreness. Vitamin E also helps repair the damage that was done to the muscle tissue. Eat foods high in Vitamin E, like nuts, to help build that muscle strength…and keep training.

4) Berries: Berries such as strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries all contain antioxidants called polyphenols. These antioxidants are what protect your cells against damage. Aside from their ability to reduce muscle pain, they also help protect against all the other damages that can be done to our cells that can cause cancer. Generally, the darker the berry, the more antioxidants it contains so try to eat dark berries such as blackberries and blueberries. They are a healthy and delicious snack. You can even throw them into your protein shake for an added bonus.

5) Salmon: Fish in general is loaded with protein and a ton of essential fatty acids. Fatty acids help to reduce inflammation which in turn fights muscle soreness. Not a fan of fish? Take a fish oil supplement.

6) Eggs: Particularly egg yolks. Ignore the cholesterol factor. Eggs are high in protein and Vitamin D. Both of these two things help fight muscle soreness and aid in muscle growth. Vitamin D has become one of the biggest deficiencies in the American diet. It is really important to consume foods high in this vitamin, especially to help reduce muscle pain. Many people tend to get rid of the yolk of the egg because of the added cholesterol and calories but those calories in the yolk are all really good calories. They provide vitamin D and protein. Eat the whole egg. If you do have high cholesterol, try to limit yourself to a couple whole eggs a week and consume Vitamin D fortified low fat milk.

Gout Attacks happen twelve hours after I have stressed muscles from physical activity. Chef Michael Fleshner's son is a 2012 Olympic diver hopeful and we have compared notes on how to recover from muscle injuries, this article speaks volumes of good advice for both of us.

Eggplant was the talk of the Market today. Elvis from Peas Farm had his Eggplant front and center. And Chef Michael Fleshner was ready to answer any and all questions. Highlites from Chef Michael's answer included maximum flavor ideas and his explanation of Moussaka. 

Many asked,"What does it taste like ?" Chef Michael's answer was simply," It depends on what you use to enhance the flavor." He spoke of citrus flavors that the vegetable will absorb. Oils used and pepper flavors. He spoke of salting the slices of eggplant to excite the vegetable before adding any flavor enhancers. Eggplant peeled and marinated in SamM Salsa before heating is one excellent way to prepare. Peeled Eggplant drizzled with Olive oil and sprinkled with Parmesan Cheese. Eggplant peeled and soaked over night in Balsamic vinegar then high heat sauteed. It was all said to help the customers realize that Eggplant has little flavor until you add the flavors that will soak in.

Now, Moussaka or Eggplant Parmesan sounded like the best use of Eggplant. After slicing the eggplant one quarter inch you salt and let sit. In the meantime you make your favorite Meat sauce. Use Sausage if its available. Saute Onions, Peppers, Carrots and Garlic into the Tomato sauce. Add agave nectar if available. With the Meat sauce created. Set aside and concentrate on the salted Eggplant slices.

Each slice needs to be battered with egg wash and breadcrumbs (Parmesan Cheese in the bread crumbs). Next each slice is pan fried and placed in a casserole dish side by side. With first layer covering the bottom, of the casserole you cover with the meat sauce standing by. This step is repeated as you build layers until you are just below the side of the casserole dish. The next step is to cover over the top layer with a white Greek cheese.

If you go to a cheese shop in Athens, you will find a section full with discs of graviera for instance - each one with the name of the area or island they are from, everybody has their favourite, either because they are from that island or prefer the taste of a particular one.

You will sometimes find one type of Greek cheese known by a totally different name in the rest of Greece.Once this decision is made it is time to place the casserole in a preheated 400 F oven and bake till cheese is golden brown , around 20 minutes. You must allow this casserole to cool before slicing and portioning. Serve with bread sticks or toasted bread and wipe the tears from your eyes as you savor each bite.

The meal inspiration came from poking around in the Fresh vegetable bin and Freezer. I first found Chicken tenders and could not decide if I would marinate them for an hour or just start sauteing them. In the pan on the stove I ended up starting with oil and Fresh Peppers and Purple Onions. A slice of Bacon chopped up was added and then the fun began.

When I pulled the bacon from the freezer I found a bag of frozen cooked rice, left over from a previous meal. It was time to toss this in to the Pepper , Onions and Bacon. As that thawed I I had already started marinating the Chicken tenders in Italian salad dressing. I decided to add the Chicken tenders right away. As the chicken tenders began cooking I went back to the fridge and freezer to discover my next ingredient.

And behold I found a quart of vegetable juice from preparing noodles and vegetables earlier this week. In went the tasty vegetable juice and a frozen dinner of Cheesy Broccoli and Rice. My next big find was Fresh Okra. With the Okra in I placed a lid on the dinner turned off the fire and left the kitchen.

My wife and I were an hour away from wanting dinner and I wanted all the flavors to marry in the pot. When I returned the pot still had excessive liquid. Back to the freezer and my final ingredient was a frozen dinner of Chicken Fried Rice. A little more heat and I had the desired consistency.

Though I was surprised at the amount of Frozen rice items I had used. I did not not find Dry Rice in the cupboard so I used plan B. My Wife has these frozen dinners available for herself when I am not around. I was happy I accomplished adding fresh veggies to small portions of processed Rice dinners. I received a hug for my efforts.

  Tags: conroe local harvest farmer's market fresh

I was headed to the Houston airport Friday night to pick-up our Son flying in from Alabama. We experienced a strong storm in the Conroe area around 3pm heading in an easterly direction. By 4:45 pm all flights from the East coast were cancelled. Next chance was 3:30 pm on Saturday. So off to market I went. 

Upon arriving at Market Chef Michael Fleshner and Elvis from Peas Farm were offering samples of unique items I and My Wife were not familiar with. Several others were already engaged in this educational opportunity. So My Wife and I joined in. When we were there we learned about Golden Delicious apples, burpless Cucumbers, Tomatillos, & Seedless oranges.

My Wife commented that the Golden Delicious apples were "Wonderful" Chef Michael added ," They do have a sweet Honey flavor and would be an excellent addition to any Apple desert" burpless Cucumbers were crisp tasting and of the pickling variety. The seedless oranges were My Wife's favorite. She asked, "How do I recognize the seedless ones ?" Elvis pointed out," You look for Navel in the description" 

Now, Tomatillos were my favorite, they have a tart tomato flavor and make excellent salsa verde. Chef Michael and Elvis had this Tomatillo salsa verde recipe to offer. "Mexican Green salsa is created by roasting several Tomatillos out of their wrappers. In a food blender, blend the roasted Tomatillos with Sour cream, Avocado,Chili peppers , Lime juice, Cilantro and onions. And enjoy with Tortilla Chips.

I made the mistake of not buying any Tomatillos on Saturday and I am regretting it today. I have started to buy the additional ingredients needed for the salsa and will share it soon. After a quick weekend visit we have sent Our son back to Alabama via North Carolina just south of the 18 inches of snow that fell in the higher altitudes of Pennsylvania. He just sent a text to say,"The big metal Bird has landed in Birmingham, Alabama."

Fred is back in the kitchen. I was supposed to go to to the Houston airport tonight to pick up our Son flying in from Alabama. Severe weather that left Houston heading East towards Alabama has cancelled all flights. Our Son was coming to surprise a former high school friend for his birthday tomorrow. That meant we had him to ourselves until he was ready to announce his surprise arrival tomorrow.

Instead of a restaurant visit after we picked up our Son, I have returned to the kitchen tonight to make Balsamic Chicken. My Gout has subsided enough to allow me to move around easily without excessive pain. Most gout attacks only last for a few days. I will forget I have this condition before I have the next one. There are several precautions I take to alleviate the possibility of attacks. Sleep patterns, Diet, Relaxation Exercise, ETC.

To create Balsamic Chicken I have covered Chicken Tenders with Balsamic vinegar, Roasted Purple onion centers, Parmesan Cheese, and over My Wife's Chicken; Bacon Strips. This has all been placed in a 350 F oven for one hour. We will also have Fresh green beans sauteed with Fresh baby carrots; seasoned with Fresh Oregano. For desert we will hold onto each other and share why we missed having our Son to ourselves. When he arrives tomorrow he will go straight to his friends party and we may see him briefly on Monday before we return him to the airport.

My Wife again in charge of dinner. I have been out of bed to make it to the Lazy Boy chair once today. My Wife has left for Little Ceaser's Pizza and Red Box. I will make an effort now to prep Fresh Veggies for the pizza. My instruction to her were to bring home a cheese pizza and I will add toppings.

I located the last of the Easter Ham and I will dice it. My Wife loves Bacon, I will fry some bacon and she can add it to her pizza. Remember Little Ceaser's tag line is "Pizza Pizza" She will have hers and I will have mine. I have located Purple onions, Red and Green Bell peppers, Fresh oregano & Cilantro. I will mix this concoction and I know My Wife will choose this for her Pizza.

Now that I have her toppings figured out, I will move on to mine. Roasted Poblano peppers and Purple onions in a Mayo based Southwest sauce for starters. Fresh Baby Spinach, Fresh Oregano, and stove top Sauerkraut. The Stove top Sauerkraut has been in the fridge for a few days.

When I created this quick Sauerkraut, I started by sauteing Bacon and adding Purple onions. Pulled it away from the fire and added Cider vinegar and Black pepper to taste. It sits in the fridge and the flavor intensifies. I originally created it to add to the Easter Ham sandwiches.

When My Wife returned with Dinner and a Movie. It all went as planned. Iron Lady with Meryl Streep was her choice from Red Box. Her pizza did arrive with Pepperoni. The Bacon sent her to a state of Euphoria. She added the pepper, onion and fresh herb concoction. And we enjoyed a biography about Margaret Thatcher. My Wife said they may have done this movie to try to tell the world that Ms. Thatcher is not crazy with signs of dementia. It is all in the eyes of the beholder.

I am temporarily on the injured list and My Wife will be preparing meals for us.Gout is my enemy. When it strikes it slows me down for a few days.Tonight we had the Blackeye pea, Ham and Cornbread meal re-heated.

We bought Ground Beef at the supermarket for Her Chilli this week. I will wait and share that meal when she decides to make it. Waiting in the wings when I am able to walk; I have Fresh Oregano, Fresh Green beans, Poblano chilli Peppers and tomatoes to write about. 

We have had some wonderful spring storms here in SW Texas these last few days. And having to be immovable I have enjoyed the weather excitement outside my window. It frightens our poodle and My Wife when it happens after dark . I soak it up. In another life I must have been a Storm Chaser. Happy Spring to all of you. We will share again soon.

Upon arriving to my inspirational kitchen at home I started preparing an Easter leftover meal. I had already soaked and cooked Black- Eye Peas in anticipation of this meal. 

I took the leftover Easter Ham bone and removed the meat. Dicing it 1/2 inch I placed it in heating water. Next I took burnt Pepper ends and Onion centers and pureed them in a food processor. Adding them to the Ham and water. Cooked Black Eye Peas were added next, plus Tomato sauce. Cobbed corn sliced 1/2 inch thick was added at the end. And all this was brought to a boil. Sea salt was used to season to taste.

Yesterday I did not correctly follow a packaged Corn Bread recipe and ended up with thick Corn Bread Cake. I took this mistake and shredded it up and added it to the stew instead of crackers.

With that meal ready for My Wife and I. It was time to create stove top Sauerkraut. Into the frying pan went sliced Bacon and Purple onion slices. Next I added 1/4 head shredded Cabbage. After sauteing and turning over the cabbage I added Raspberry Lemonade and and Cider vinegar. Pulling it from the heat I sprinkled with Sea salt. It will now sit in the fridge and finish fermenting. When it is ready I will have Fresh Ham and Sauerkraut sandwiches. Hope you are finding wonderful Meals to prepare with your leftovers.

The Michigan-Texas Easter Dinner menu has been set. Spiral cut Ham, Au Gratin Potatoes, Fresh Broccoli, Fresh Corn on the Cob, Dinner rolls, Apple and Michigan Cherry Lattice Pies. 

A Tossed green leafed salad will be somewhat of mystery until all the ingredients arrive and are tossed together. I forsee Red tip Leaf lettuce, Spinach, Snow Peas, Cherry Tomatoes, Baby Carrots, sliced Bell peppers, sliced Purple onions, and Cilantro. Until all family members arrive with their bags of add ins; The tossed salad will remain a mystery. Deviled eggs, Cream cheese and crackers, Shrimp and cocktail sauce are all possible additional menu items.

Easter Dinner in our family is similar to a Christmas holiday gathering without the excitement of a gift exchange. Family members will mingle in groups and enjoy each others company. One brother flies in from China, A sister has a companion who has never heard of family gatherings on Easter Sunday. He will be joining us to start a new tradition with a new extended family. And I will show my Mom a social network site so she can promote her jewelry business.

And in our minds we will remember the Reason for the Season as we celebrate Christ's ultimate sacrifice for our eternal future.

"Honey ? What would would you like for lunch?", I asked. My Wife's response, " Bologna, If we have it." I will add Fresh, fresh, fresh. Again her response was, " Sure if we have it."

I had my instructions for lunch. I started with an eight inch round Wheat deli bun. Miracle Whip salad dressing and Yellow mustard went down first. Two slices of Augh! (bologna) American cheese slice, and now for the best part of the sandwich. Fresh sliced tomatoes, Leaf lettuce, Bell pepper slices, Purple onion slices. And after I started my version of the sandwich I remembered to add Fresh Cilantro. My Wife's side dish were Fresh Baby carrots. I had cut this large sandwich into quarters and she made it through three quarters.

My version of a delicious sandwich consisted of: One eight inch Wheat roll covered with roasted Fresh Purple onion and Bell pepper ends. They were burnt in a 550 F oven and mayonnaise based Southwest sauce was added after the veggies cooled. I then added Chili from earlier this week and sliced Colby cheese to my creation.I too wanted fresh Baby carrots, so I opened a second bag. The bag I handed My wife was almost gone. One carrot was offered to me from her bag.

When UPS arrives today my non-charging cell phone will be replaced after a trip back to the phone store for all data transfer services. Have a safe Easter Holiday and remember the Reason for the Season.

I will start with the chocolate cream frosted chocolate cake. I went to the grocery store and found a one quarter sheet cake that had flipped over. As is store policy, it is put on the discount cart at a reduced price. With luck on my side I spotted a 49 price tag for a $17 dollar cake. I passed by the customer service desk and asked if the price was right. With hands raised the service rep exclaimed, " Yeah, I guess so." When the scan gun at checkout could not read the price. I fussed; and the customer service rep approved a $0.49 price override. Who was happier with my Chocolate on Chocolate cake ? Me ? or My Wife? : }

Upon returning home I started a 350 F oven. Into the oven went a Rice pilaf topped with Parmesan cheese from Saturday that had been cooked in reserved Corn beef juice. On the stove top I started sauteing Green bell pepper and Purple onion strips, To this I added seven Italian sausage links. When both sides of the sausages were done I covered the sausage with a roasted Tomato, Green bell pepper and Purple onion mixture.

Here is how I prepared the Tomato, pepper onion mixture: A few days ago when I sliced several Onions and Peppers I saved the pepper ends and onion centers. I took these food scraps and baked them in a 550 F oven until they were black and the onions tasted sweet. After they cooled I mixed in a mayonnaise based Southwest sauce. Next I blended all of this in a food processor and placed them in mason jars until I needed a flavor enhancer.

While the Rice and Sausage baked for forty minutes I started a pan of boiling vegetable juice, from the fridge, that I added Corn on the Cob to. When the corn and juice came to a boil I turned off the heat and added margarine.

As My Wife finished her meal this evening she wanted more corn. I offered Chocolate on chocolate cake. Her eyes lit up and she said," SURE." What a wonderful end to a meal I had planned all day while at work.

King Ranch Chicken is the talk of the town this week. Mark Cosgrove started a discussion on Linked-in asking Chef's around the country to submit recipes and ingredients from their region of the United States. Chef Michael Fleshner responded with this comment 1) Cilantro 2) SamM Salsa 3) King Ranch Chicken. Guy Fieri the host on triple DDD {Diners Drive-ins and Dives} did an episode tonight from Georgetown, Texas where he demonstrated making King Ranch Chicken from scratch.

Let's start with the origin of King Ranch Chicken: Sadly, the history and origin of King Ranch Chicken is a bit murky. While the name invokes that epic south Texas ranch—so gigantic it covers more ground than the state of Rhode Island—the ranch claims no ownership on this recipe. Some surmise that perhaps it was a ranch-hand that developed the dish, but this has not been proven. Then there are those who say someone tacked on the name “King Ranch” because that ranch is emblematic of the state itself in both its size and its myth. Yet one has to ask why the recipe calls for chicken, when both the ranch and the state are known for its beef.

  On Triple DDD they sauteed Fresh Celery, Bell Peppers, Fresh sliced mushrooms added flour to make a roux and finished with Chicken stock, Cream and Ro-tel tomatoes for a sauce. And then built the casserole layering sauce-corn tortillas- shredded cheese and baking at 359 F till golden brown.

And now another version:  Are you familiar with Chicken A La King? It’s a creamy mixture of chicken, mushrooms and bell peppers served on toast. Now let’s take a look at what makes up King Ranch Chicken: chicken (of course!), bell peppers, cream of mushroom soup, with the addition of tomatoes and green chiles (such as a can of Ro-Tel), all layered on corn tortillas. Do you see where I’m headed with this? I believe that someone added ingredients found in traditional Texan dishes—such as the spicy tomatoes and corn tortillas—to their traditional Chicken A La King recipe. In naming this new, Southwestern Chicken A La King they added the word “ranch”—because it conjures up a certain Texan feeling—and did away with the “a la.” And voila! King Ranch Chicken.

Which ever version you choose:

1)Guy Fieri's demonstrated Fresh version or 2) Open all the cans mix and assemble version, Enjoy this awesome southern Texas casserole during your next rainy or cold weather evening. I will be in the kitchen till mid night preparing a dish that brings tears to my eyes remembering my first exposure when I arrived in south Texas and Chef Michael showed me how to create this tasty casserole.

Last evening to family group bible study I brought a Papaya. I have been reluctant to slice into the super fruit because their are so many contradicting stories on the internet about the value of the seeds and outer peel. I was perplexed about how to treat it.

I decided I would prep the fruit and ask Karla for her advice. Here's what we talked about. She had Papaya as a youngster back home, She likes it, Her children do not. Green Papaya straight from the tree is handled differently from the ripe fruit that I prepared. The seeds need to be air dried and not oven roasted and then run through a coffee grinder to be used as a seasoning agent. The seeds will be bitter. Throw away the outer peel and do not eat. And most importantly ' If you eat it, in the morning, You will have good digestion all day '

Currently the seeds are sitting in a plastic container drying on the kitchen window sill. The peel is in the kitchen trash. And I took the Papaya chunks and mixed them into a cup of plain yogurt with diced cooked Beets and Orange sections. I will eat this for breakfast until gone. I call it Fruit of the Angels. It will not matter what else I have for breakfast each morning, I will begin to eat spoonful each morning until the novelty wears off.

Papaya Yogurt

Papayas may help heart diseases, diabetics, prevent colon cancer, can help support your immune system. It is also good for your skin.

I decided on Cheese and Bean Burritos for a Friday;before Market dinner. Burritos were made with 12 inch tortillas rolled with Re-fried beans and shredded Monterey cheddar cheese. Baked at 400 F for 30 minutes. Now the dilemma was;  What do I serve with them ? The Wife says no to rice eighty percent of the time. 

Then it hit me. I will create a quick Market fresh SamM Salsa:

1 Tomato diced 1/4 inch

A few slices of Bell peppers and Purple onions,chopped

A handful of Spinach, Chopped

Tablespoon of Balsamic vinegar

I made 8 oz. and poured it all over four Burritos that had Monterey Cheddar melted on top. Water was our drink of choice so we could rinse our taste palette and enjoy the hot Burrito and cool SamM Salsa. Green seedless Grapes were added for dessert.

Beans Beans the magical fruit. The more we eat. The more we _______.

                            Let's eat beans for every meal.

Sorry, That song is in my head.

My Wife exclaimed, "This is Very good , Honey !" as she took her third bite of a fridge cleanout meal tonight. I was excited about a new catering opportunity that came to my E-mail account today. My thoughts went back to my roots when I was previously a Chef making all the decisions for my small catering company.You increase your profit margin when you go to your walk-in cooler and create a menu from leftovers.

Tonight for our dinner I did just that. All the Pork from earlier this week has been consumed. All that was left were baked diced potatoes, pureed (Fresh Basil, Fresh tomatoes, roasted Fresh Bell peppers and Fresh Purple onions), To these ingredients I also added Sliced bacon, diced Chicken, and Broccoli Cheese soup. All these ingredients found in my pantry, fridge or freezer were combined in a soup pot.

I first sauteed the Bacon, added the diced Chicken, potato mixture and stirred in the Broccoli Cheese soup. Placed crumbled wheat crackers in the bottom of the single serve bowl. Poured hot soup over the top. and garnished with Shredded Monterey Cheddar and Fresh Lemon Thyme.

And no more than three spoon fulls into the meal I received the affirmation I was hoping for. I am excited that my best friend enjoyed dinner tonight.