Spring Favorites

Artichokes and asparagus are in season in the spring and I love to serve them as often as I can during this time. Here is how I like to serve them.

ARTICHOKES
4 artichokes (or as many as you need to make)
lemons
extra virgin olive oil
salt
pepper
Trim artichokes by cutting off about 1/3 of the artichoke. Trim off the stem. Pull of the small outer leaves.
Rub the artichokes with lemon. The artichokes cannot be done ahead of time unless you do this. They brown like apples.
In a heavy pot big enough to fit all the artichokes, put about 2 inches of water. Add the artichokes with the stems down. Drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Put the cut lemons in the water under the artichokes.
Bring to a boil and then lower heat to a high simmer. Cook for about an hour refilling water when necessary.
They are done when you can pull a leaf off easily.
Serve hot with Garlic Mayonnaise.

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Easter Side Dishes

Easter is April 17 and I thought I would share a couple of recipes that I always serve on Easter Sunday. It is our tradition to serve ham at Easter, but these dishes would go with any meat. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Deviled Eggs – hard-boil as many eggs as you choose. Peel and cut in half lengthwise. Take out the yolks and put in a bowl. Mash with a fork.
You will need mayonnaise, mustard, pickle relish (we like dill), salt and pepper. The amounts of each of these will depend on how many eggs you used.
Add a little mustard, as much pickle relish as your family would like, some salt and pepper. Stir and then add some mayonnaise. I don't like mine too runny so I'm careful about the mayonnaise. You use what you like.
At this point I use a ziplock bag as a piping bag. I put the mixture in the bag, cut the tip and pipe the mixture onto the egg halves. Sprinkle with paprika and you're done!

Potato Salad ...

Easy Weeknight Meals - Seafood Edition

Here are three more easy meals that can be made in 30 minutes or less.

Vietnamese Crispy Fish with Cilantro
from Hook, Line and Supper by Hank Shaw
serves 6

This dish will come together in about the same time it takes to make the steamed rice that goes along with it.

2 pounds of lean white fish, cut into 2-inch chunks
sea salt
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, about 3 cups, thinly sliced from root to end
1 piece ginger, about the size of your thumb, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon sugar
3 to 5 jalapenos or other hot chiles, seeded and thinly sliced
4 tablespoons fish sauce
4 tablespoons water
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
juice of two limes

Sprinkle salt over the fish. Heat the oil in a large saute pan or wok and add the fish. Sear the fish in the oil so one side gets a nice, golden brown crust. Don't flip the fish; you'll finish cooking ...

Jelly Roll

This is an old-fashioned dessert that my mother made many times when I was a child. I made them for my children and my grandchildren get very excited when I make them for family dinner. I hope you will give it a try!
This is a basic recipe for vanilla cake and a jelly or jam. You can vary the flavor of the cake and the filling. There are thousands of recipes on the internet.

Jelly Roll
4 eggs, separated
2 tablespoons water
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
a pinch of salt
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2/3 cup jam or jelly
powdered sugar

Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Line a jelly roll pan (sheet pan) with parchment or waxed paper. Grease the paper generously.
Beat the egg yolks and water together until smooth.
Add sugar, vanilla and salt and beat well.
Add flour and baking powder and beat until batter is smooth.
Beat egg whites until fluffy and fold into batter.Read More...