Koppenhoefer Family German Potato Salad Recipe

Select either white or red potatoes for this delicious warm salad. Remove the skin of white potatoes after they cool a bit. If you choose red potatoes, leave the skin on. The picture here shows the salad made with white potatoes. If you buy russet potatoes, it will be tasty though a little less formed. Purchase small russets or you will have way too much salad!

Nutrition facts for 8 servings.

Ingredients:

6 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled, reserve the drippings

8 medium potatoes

1 C onion, chopped

2 t salt

1/8 t ground black pepper

1/2 t celery seed

1/2 C vinegar

2 T sugar

3 T water

1 egg, beaten

2 T parsley, chopped

Optional: more bacon and parsley for garnish

Michael’s Brush Basa Nova

Brush Basa Nova is a Vietnamese fish that is available in many fishmongers and grocers. Catfish fillets are a perfect sub-in for Brush Basa Nova.

The following is a technique that may be applied to any quantity of fish. Mustard and seasoning should be used in amounts to suit your palate.

Technique template: Brush, sprinkle, and pan sear. Delicious with avocado wedges. Michael promises a picture the next time he makes it!

Michael’s Brush Basa Nova 

Ingredients:

Brush Basa Nova fillet

Honey Mustard

Cajun Seasoning Mix

Optional: garlic powder

AngelFish’s Chicken Sausage, White Bean, and Kale Stew

AngelFish’s Chicken Sausage, White Bean, and Kale Stew

Nutrition facts for 8 bowls

Ingredients:

Cooking spray

1 pound ground Italian seasoned chicken sausage

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 1/2 green bell pepper, deveined, deseeded, and chopped

1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes, do not drain

1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes, blended smooth

1 t dried oregano

1 t Italian seasoning

1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 t salt

1/4 t ground black pepper

2 (15 oz) cans Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup white wine

10 ounces lacinato kale, rinsed and torn

Corinn’s Definitely Not Traditional Chicken Curry

Corinn’s Definitely Not Traditional Chicken Curry

Nutrition facts for two generous servings

4 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin removed

1 large yellow or white onion, chopped

1 large red bell pepper, chopped

2 jalapeno chilies, sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced finely

1 tsp fresh ginger, minced

3 tbsp curry powder

2 tbsp paprika

2 tbsp Korean red pepper flakes (if you cannot find it in your neighborhood, look for it online as the flavor is essential to Korean cooking!)

1 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp red chili flakes

1 tsp brown sugar or palm sugar

1 tbsp Sriracha chili sauce

2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

2 tsp kosher salt

1 tbsp olive oil

3 1/2 cups of chicken stock (low sodium type, or make your own)

Squeeze of lime juice

Fresh diced tomato, fresh chopped coriander to garnish

Angelfish’s Parmesan and Lemon Barley

I make a big pot of barley for the week and then season my portion individually. The dish still tastes fresh but I save a lot of time!

Parmesan and Lemon Barley

Nutrition facts for six 1/2 cup servings

Ingredients:

1 cup barley

Water plus 1 t bouillon (or use broth instead of water, or half broth half water)

Mix in per 1/2 cup serving of barley:

1 T Parmesan

1 T lemon juice

1 t garlic

Misting of olive oil or 1/4 t olive oil

The Queen's Lemon Pepper Dosey-Do Chicken

When asked the name for her delicious chicken recipe, The Queen said that you just can't name chicken sprinkled with lemon pepper AND dosey-do'ed in tomato baste just one name. That is confusing. How about...The Queen's Lemon Pepper Dosey-Do Chicken. Enjoy eating like a Queen.

Nutrition facts were designed at About.com.

The Queen's Lemon Pepper Dosey-Do Chicken

Ingredients:

4 (6-8 oz) boneless skinless chicken breasts

8 oz can of tomato sauce 

8 oz water 

1/2 cup chopped yellow onions 

1/2 cup chopped green onions 

1/4 cup Hunt's tomato paste 

1 Tbsp Basil 

1 Tsp apple cider vinegar 

1 Tbsp lemon pepper seasoning 

1 Tbsp minced garlic 

Sprinkle of lemon pepper seasoning

Rosemary's Tomato-Bocconcini Salad

More literary deliciousness from our friend, Rosemary!

How to Make a Tomato-Bocconcini Salad, by Rosemary Gretton

This salad is best served on a late summer evening, when tomatoes are at their ripest. Boccincini are nuggets of soft, creamy, fresh mozzarella cheese, about the size of a cherry tomato. In Italian, bocconcini means "small mouthfuls."

First, head outside to your vegetable garden, smiling as you savour the sight and smell of the warm, ripe Bella Rosa tomatoes, finally come to fruition. Pick four or five large tomatoes right off the vine.  Bring them in the house.  Wash the tomatoes well, and cut them into thick slices. Place the slices in a glass salad bowl.

Leela’s Sweet Corn Chicken Soup

The recipe is so simple and satisfyingly filling with a rotisserie chicken, canned cream corn, and frozen mixed vegetables.

Based on a recipe by Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor It was delicious and light,

Leela’s Sweet Corn Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

Nutrition facts for 8 servings

1 T corn starch

3 cups cooked chicken (Leela used leftover meat from a rotisserie chicken), meat removed and cut into small pieces

4 cups chicken stock, low sodium

1 (15 oz can) creamed corn

1 (10 oz) bag frozen mixed vegetables

Pinch salt

1/4 t ground white pepper

2 egg whites, beaten with a fork

Rosemary's Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Many thanks to Rosemary for taking us along on her beautiful day of hummus.

How to Make Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, by Rosemary Gretton

First, make sure you have a red pepper. And garlic. And a can of chickpeas. And tahini. And fresh lemons. And olive oil.

Split the red pepper in two and remove seeds and white parts. Flatten and lightly coat the red pepper with olive oil.

Separate several cloves of garlic from the garlic head.

Leela’s Squid Cucumber Salad

To make preparations for this dish even easier, ask if your fishmonger sells pre-packaged prepared squid. 

Leela’s Squid Cucumber Salad

Nutrition facts are set for four salads

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb cleaned squid, tubes cut into rings with tentacles left whole

2 T olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

8 cups greens, torn

2 cups your choice of fresh herbs - basil, parsley, chives, rosemary, oregano, thyme are all good, or use 2 T dried mixed herbs

1 cucumber, sliced

2 T lemon juice

2 pinches salt

1/2 t ground black pepper, or to taste

Optional: 2 tomatoes, chopped and 1 red pepper, chopped

Directions:

In a pan set over medium heat, sauté the garlic cloves in olive oil.

If you are using the optional tomatoes and red pepper, add them to the sauté pan now.

Stir in the torn greens and sauté for about 20 seconds.

Add the squid and turn the heat to high.

Mix in the herbs and cook approximately 7 minutes or until the squid is tender.

Plate, topped with cucumber slices, and sprinkled with lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

Hollie’s Banana Nut Muffins

If you give a person a muffin, you have to give them a glass of milk....

Hollie’s Banana Nut Muffins

The nutrition facts for 12 muffins were designed at about.com.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C flour

1 C rolled oats

1/2 C sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 C chopped walnuts, divided (1/2 for mixing, 1/2 for topping)

1 egg

3/4 C milk

1/3 C oil

1 C mashed bananas (2 bananas is usually about right)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400*.

Line muffin pan with papers, or grease cups.

In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients, including 1/2 cup of the walnuts.

In a separate bowl, lightly beat the egg, then stir in milk, oil, bananas, and vanilla.

Pour wet mix into dry ingredients and thoroughly combine.

Divide batter into muffin pans, filling each section about 3/4 full. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup walnuts over batter.

For standard size muffins, bake 18-20 minutes, or for large muffins, bake 22-24 minutes, until golden.

Makes 12 standard or 6 large sized muffins. NOM NOM NOM

Corinn's Pizza Soup

Corinn’s Pizza Soup

Love the flavor of pizza but trying to not eat so much of the crust? Make pizza soup!

Use whatever ingredients you enjoy on pizza – make it all veggie, or all the meats!

Pizza Soup

The nutrition facts for four large servings were analyzed at About.com

2 t olive or vegetable oil

1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped

1/2 medium red onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

2 jalapeno peppers, deseeded and chopped

1 cup sliced black olives, sliced

2 cups sliced mushrooms

2 cloves minced garlic

1 14.5oz cans of tomato sauce*

1 14.5oz cans of diced tomatoes*

½ lb Italian sausage, crumbled

1/4  lb spicy pepperoni or salami, sliced crosswise

1 tbsp unsalted butter

2 t dry Italian seasoning blend*

kosher salt to taste

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 cup white wine

Optional garnish: grated part-skim, low-moisture mozzarella, pinch of minced fresh basil, or garlic croutons

*or use 1 (32 oz) jar chunky marinara sauce - but it won't taste as good.

Directions:

Slice yellow, red onion, bell pepper, jalapeno peppers, olives, mushrooms into equally-sized pieces; mince the garlic.

On high heat, add vegetable oil and begin browning the crumbled sausage and pepperoni or salami.

After a few minutes, add sliced vegetables and minced garlic. Lower the heat to medium-high, add salt, pepper and Italian seasoning blend. Cook until the vegetables begin to soften and the onions turn translucent.

Add the wine and the tin of diced tomatoes (do not drain) and stir into the vegetable mixture, using the liquid to deglaze the pan. Cook for another few minutes until the liquid reduces.

Add the Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce, and butter. Lower the heat to medium-low and continue to simmer the mixture for ten minutes; add water as needed if it starts getting too thick to be considered soup.

Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Remove from heat, spoon into bowls and top with garlic croutons, grated mozzerella cheese and fresh basil.

Serve as soup, in a bowl with a side of bread or toss onto pasta!

Grammie Vee's Pine Nut Hummus

Grammie Vee’s Pine Nut Hummus

The nutrition facts for 1 tablespoon were designed at Calorie Count!

Ingredients:

2 cups chickpeas, drained and rinsed, or soaked if using dried

3 tablespoons of tahini

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted and finely chopped

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1 clove of garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 t crushed red pepper

3 tablespoons of plain yogurt

1 teaspoon parsley or cilantro, finely chopped (plus more for garnish)

1 T (2 sprigs) of fresh mint

2 tablespoons water (or enough water to reach your favorite hummus consistency)

Directions:

In a blender or food processor, blend the chickpeas.

Add tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, toasted pine nuts, cumin, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes, and water until the ingredients form a paste-like consistency.

Pour the mixture into a large bowl and add the yogurt, parsley, mint, and water, mixing well.

Garnish with any remaining parsley or cilantro.

Cover and refrigerate about an hour.

Viviana's Chilean Curly Celery Salad

This Chilean salad is a family tradition for Viviana whenever a large meat course is the main event. It is especially wonderful alongside ham, roast turkey, or chicken. 

The nutrition facts were created at Calorie Count!

Viviana’s Chilean Curly Celery Salad

Serves two

Ingredients:

2 stalks celery

Pinch salt

1/8 t fresh cracked black pepper

2 t lemon juice, fresh squeezed is always best

2 t olive oil

1/4 cup black olives, cut into thick slices

Directions:

Cut the rinsed and dried celery into 2 inch lengths across the grain. Then slice each piece into three or four lengths cutting from top to bottom - do not cut all the way to the top. Place the slices in a bowl, cover with very cold water, add a few ice cubes, and allow to sit for about an hour or so until the celery pieces curl. The thinner the slices, the greater the curl.

Drain the celery and pat dry. Toss with salt, pepper, lemon juice, and olive oil. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Add the olives and toss gently.

Janice's Light Waldorf Salad

This was the "fancy salad" that someone always brought to the nicer family gatherings. I was never a fan as I was in an anti-mayo phase for most of my youth. Now I just want to give a skip to the mayo for health reasons and this salad is one of my new favorites!

The nutrition facts were designed on Calorie Count! Enjoy

Waldorf Salad

serves four

Salad Ingredients:

1 cup celery, sliced

2 apples, Fuji, cut into chunks

2 T dried cranberries

1 T parsley, minced

2 T walnut pieces

4 lettuce leaves, such as Boston or Bibb

Dressing Ingredients:

2 T Greek Yogurt, 2%

2 T lemon juice, fresh squeezed

Pinch salt

1/8 t ground white pepper

1/8 t dried ground mustard

1 t honey

Directions:

Prepare all the salad ingredients, except the lettuce, and place in a bowl.

Mix the dressing, taste, and adjust the seasonings to suit you.

Add the dressing to the salad and toss gently to combine.

Divide the salad evenly on top of each of the four lettuce cups. Enjoy all by itself for lunch, or as a delectable addition to dinner. Eat with a fork. Or as a fun salad wrap!

Graeme’s Lentil Soup

Sometimes simple is best and this soup is proof. Enjoy with a slice of dense chewy bread and a deliciously colorful salad.

The nutrition facts for this wonderful soup were created at Calorie Count.

made with red lentils

Graeme’s Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

2 cups lentils

1 small carrot, grated

1 medium onion, grated

Water

Salt to taste

Directions:

Rinse lentils in a colander and put into a large soup pot.

Add one small grated carrot, and one medium grated onion.

Add about 3 to 4 times more water than lentils.

Add desired amount of salt.

Bring to a boil and simmer (on the lowest possible setting) for 3 to 4 hours, making sure you stir a LOT.

If you do not stir enough, you will end up with burned soup on the bottom of the soup pot.

The soup is done when it has reduced significantly, and the fragrance in the house will not allow you to wait another minute before you eat some of the soup! 

Enjoy!

Pamela's Roasted Poblano and Corn with Chile Lime Aioli

Another "clean" recipe from Pamela: sugar free, chemical free, gluten free.

The nutrition facts were created at Calorie Count!

Roasted Poblano and Corn with Chile Lime Aioli

Adapted from the Ritz Carlton Spa in Tucson by Pamela Fagan Hutchins

Ingredients:

5 ears of corn (or 2 bags of frozen corn)

3 T avocado or olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 T garlic, minced

3 poblano peppers, chopped

1 T lemon juice

1 t salt

1 t pepper

1 T smoked paprika

4 T butter, unsalted

1 c crumbled cojita cheese

Aioli ingredients:

1/2 cup Vegannaise (or use mayonnaise)

1 T chili powder

1 t cayenne pepper

1 lime, juiced

Directions:

Shuck and roast 5 ears of corn on broil, close to the burner until lightly browned.

Sauté onion and garlic over med-hi in oil, add poblano, lemon juice, salt, pepper, smoked paprika.

Reduce heat. When corn is lightly browned, cool a bit. Then remove corn from the ear and add to sauté with butter. Return heat to med-hi. Sprinkle cojita over mixture. Mix aoili ingredients.

Serve corn/poblano mixture with tortilla chips and aioli or as a side dish.

Pamela’s Sugar Free Chocolate Chips

Following a light and natural approach to food, but still want your chocolate chips? This is the perfect recipe for you!

What is a serving of chocolate? Well, let's just say yours may be different than the 72 decently sized chunks chosen for the following nutrition facts. You can create your own nutrition analysis at Calorie Count, it's a snap!

Pamela’s Sugar Free Chocolate Chips

Ingredients:

1 cup virgin coconut oil

1 cup cocoa

1 T pure vanilla extract

1 T cinnamon

1/2 cup stevia

Ingredient Options:

Instead of stevia, use brown coconut palm sugar. 

Make the flavors suit your taste by experimenting with different amounts of the vanilla, cinnamon and stevia.

Directions:

Melt the coconut oil on lowest heat possible. Stir in cocoa, vanilla, cinnamon, and stevia.

Line large baking pans with saran wrap; pour in thin layer of the melted mixture. Freeze.

After the chocolate is solidly frozen, store in the freezer inside zip lock bag.

Chop “chips” as needed.

Poured into a very thin layer and it makes a yummy chocolate bar.