Fresh Ahi Tuna Potato Cakes On A Bed Of Sauteed Spinach & Parmesan

Let me start out by saying that the cakes I cooked in these pictures were foolishly cooked in olive oil, which promptly burned the entire batch. Lesson learned, right?


When I told my husband that I was going to make potato tuna cakes, he scoffed at the idea, thinking that I would be making them like his mother did. I think not! This isn't the '60's and I'm not June Cleaver, thank you very much. He thought they would be made from canned tuna. Yuck! Not in my house, no sir. We'd had grilled tuna steaks Sunday night along with Caesar salad. Since we'd eaten a large lunch neither of us could eat much so I saved the leftovers and decided to make the potato tuna cakes.

They turned out so divine that even he could not help but rave over these. Yes, Mr. Skeptical himself. You'd think that after 31 years of marriage (and my cooking) he would have had a bit more faith in me (Okay, there have been a few many screwed up meals on my journey). However, since he watches the food network, he thinks I'm an amateur. Basically, I am an amateur, but that doesn't mean I can't still crank out a great dinner idea here and there. Oh he of little faith!



So, I thought I'd share this recipe with my few readers.

This also my entry for this month's Potato Ho-Down, which is being hosted by evil chef mom and noble pig. Here we go...

Spicy Fresh Potato Tuna Cakes:

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup diced yellow onion

5 cloves garlic, put through a garlic press

1/2 cup diced green onion, minced

1/4 cup green bell pepper, minced

1/4 cup red bell pepper, minced

1/4 cup diced celery, minced

2 cups fresh grilled, grill smoked, or baked tuna 1-1/2 cups of leftover mashed potatoes (you can use instant mashed potatoes)

2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon lemon

salt & pepper, to taste

grated parmesan cheese, to taste

canola oil






DIRECTIONS:

1. In a skillet, saute' the first 6 ingredients for 7 to 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.

2. Tear the tuna steaks into small chunks in a large mixing bowl.

3. In another mixing bowl, combine the slightly beaten egg and the mashed potatoes and blend well.

4. Add the cooked veggies to the mashed potato mixture. Add the entire potato mixture to the tuna.

5. Add the chopped parsley, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, salt & pepper, and the lemon. Mix well.

6. Form mixture into patties and place on wax paper or parchment paper lining a cookie sheet and place in the refrigerator for up 6 hours.

7. In a very large skillet, heat the oil to just befor it begins to smoke (very hot when held a few inches above the skillet).

8. Place three cakes at a time in hot oil so that the skillet temperature doesn't cool too much. Cook about 5 to 6 minutes per side and put on paper towels placed on a rack, in a warm oven.

These cakes are also very good with a dipping sauce. May fave is The Outback Steakhouse dipping sauce they serve with Bloomin' Onions & with Fried Mushrooms. Mmmmm!

Makes approximately 12 tuna cakes. These are also great the next night, quickly heated in a dry skillet.

Quick & Easy Spinach Souffle Deluxe

Today I decided to make something special to go with our Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Shrimp that I had planned for dinner. I perused the Internet until I located just the right recipe (which included the only ingredients I had on hand, because I hate to go to the grocery store). Yup, if you look hard and long enough, you can find just about any recipe you want, to match the ingredients you have on hand. For this, I adore the Internet. I did change up a few things in order to make it mine, like adding the onion and a dash of cayenne. However, I have a hubby that watches..... food TV. He has become a complete "know it all" since he started watching Alton Brown. I'm not sure which one I'd rather get rid of first... Alton or the hubby!


Anyway, in my constant effort to to "Wow" the hubster, I peruse recipes. But I'm not a total tramp. At least I go with recipes that call for the only items I have on hand. Frankly, I consider myself a rather resourceful girl lady, thank you very much!


So.... I made the most divine Spinach Souffle that was absolutely the easiest recipe ever. I've tried to make it in the past but hubby always said it was a "nice try" or a "good effort". Tonight, he was blown away, and actually I was too. Since I basically FLUNKED home economics in high school, who woulda thunk I could tackle something as difficult as a souffle with so little effort? Well, my friends, I'm here to tell you that it's all thanks to the Internet. (Oh - and Mrs. Richardson, if you're still alive, I just want to say that I'm not the complete idiot in the kitchen that you said I'd be... you WITCH!) I could out-cook, out-broil, and out-grill your boring ass any day of the week. So sorry... just shaking loose a bit of baggage there. The picture of my finished product is above & the recipe lies below. ENJOY....

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. butter 
2 tsp. all-purpose flour 
1/2 c. milk
1/4 tsp. salt
Dash of pepper
Dash of Cayenne
2 eggs, separated
1/2 cup onion, finely diced
1/2 c. cooked, chopped spinach, pressed dry
3 tbsp.
Parmesan cheese, grated


Directions:

1. Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat; blend in flour, stirring until smooth. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in milk, and cook over low heat, stirring constantly 6 to 8 minutes, or until thickened. Stir in salt and pepper.

2. Saute the onion and spinach until desired doneness and set aside to cool. Once the mixture has cooled, put it on a chopping board and press paper towels to the mix, until most of the moisture has been soaked up by the towels.

3. Beat the egg yolks. Gradually stir about one-fourth of the hot mixture into the beaten yolks, stirring well. Then stir the yolk mixture into the white sauce.

4. Add the spinach and cheese; stir well.

5.Beat the egg whites (at room temperature) until stiff, and carefully fold into the spinach mixture. Spoon into a lightly greased 1 quart souffle dish.

6. Bake at 325 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes, or until firm. Serve immediately. Serves 4 generously.

Spinach Salad With Scorched Almonds, Raspberries, Feta And Balsamic Vinaigrette

This is the most scrumptious spinach salad and so easy to assemble that it will make you smile. We have this at our house at least every week and not just because we like it, but also because it's so healthy.

Spinach Salad With Scorched Almonds, Raspberries, Feta & Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

 

Large bag of baby spinach or a bundle of fresh organic

Large handful of shaved almonds

1 package of fresh raspberries

Feta cheese, crumbled

Vinaigrette Dressing (store bought or recipe below)

Directions:

1. Toss a little pat of butter into a skillet and scorch the almonds over a medium high heat. When done to your taste, remove from heat and allow them to cool. I remove them from the pan & let them dry out on paper towels.

2. Put baby spinach in individual salad bowls and top with a handful of the feta cheese. Just do it to your taste. Some people like a lot, others like less.

3. Sprinkle a handful of raspberries over the salad.

4. Sprinkle scorched almonds over the top.

5. Pour desired amount of Vinaigrette over top and toss, or not.

Balsamic Vinaigrette:

1/2 c. balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 c. salad oil

3 shallots, finely chopped

2 tbsp. Dijon mustard

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Juice of 1 lemon

Directions:

Whisk together the vinegar, shallots, mustard and lemon juice. Then add the oil and adjust the seasoning.

Chicken Soup... The Real Thing, Baby!

I was scheduled to play golf with hubby this morning, but his tee time was for 9:00 a.m. and I decided I didn't want to drag my bootie out of bed that early. So, I called one of the wives I normally play with every Wednesday & Friday, to see if anyone was playing. When she answered the phone, I could tell she was sick. Turns out she has walking pneumonia, so, as is my M.O., I offered to bring some of my medicinal chicken soup, made from scratch. She didn't decline, which showed me just how sick she is. Normally, she'd protest.

Lucky for me that I had all the ingredients, or she might not be getting it today, when she needs it, because I really don't like going to the store. Sick friend or not.

So, I thawed out a nice, plump little chicken from H.E.B. that I'd had in the freezer. I filled the dutch oven with water, added the chicken, yellow onions, spring onions, celery, carrots, garlic, bay leaf, 3 cubes of chicken bullion & black peppercorns. Just before the water came to a boil, I turned the fire down to simmer and will let it simmer for 3 hours.

Once it has cooked for the 3 hours my Grandmother always adhered to, I'll let it cool for approximately 20 minutes, then pour all the broth through a colander lined with cheesecloth, for a nice, clear soup.

 Allow the chicken to cool for a bit longer, while tossing the stewed veggies, bay leaf, and black peppercorns into a bowl (that will later be taken out to the compost pile in my veggie garden) and I prepare fresh veggies. Chopped celery, carrots, yellow onions, garlic, and spring onions.When this task is accomplished, I begin picking the meat off the chicken bones, then chop it into bite sizes.

Put 1 Tbs. of butter & 1 Tbs. of olive oil in the bottom of the pan and saute the onions, adding the celery, carrots & garlic (but not the spring onions) after a couple of minutes & cooking a minute or so longer. I also add 2 Tbs. of dried parsley (since I don't have any fresh available).

At this point, I add the chicken and it's broth to the pan and bring it to a simmer, allowing it to simmer for 30 to 45 minutes. Just before serving, I add the thinly sliced spring onions.

Since egg noodles tend to soak up all the good broth, I cook the noodles separately in another pan, to be added to the individual bowl, upon serving. I usually serve it with garlic toast or, if I'm lucky, the HU makes his kick-ass cornbread that he does in a cast iron skillet in the oven. Or sometimes we just have saltines with it. Mmmmmm! Talk about comfort food, baby... this is it.

Okay, by now some of you may have noticed that I forgot to add the parsley and the spring onions before I took the picture. You would be right. However, since I didn't feel like setting up for the picture again, you'll just have to use your vivid imaginations, because I'm not doing it again, thank you very much.

Bon Appetit!

Fresh Grilled Ahi Tuna Salad... You'll Never Go Back To Canned

Several nights ago, I served grilled Ahi Tuna steaks, steamed fresh asparagus and baked potatoes. We didn't eat all of our tuna steaks and I couldn't bear to throw them out, so I covered them and stuck them in the fridge.


So, today when I started thinking about what to have for lunch I decided to make Ahi Tuna Salad. Now, I don't think I can ever return to the world of canned tuna salad. Crummy canned tuna, Bah! It just won't be the same. Using the fresh tuna makes the salad ever so much richer and more flavorful.

Here's my version. 

Ahi Tuna Salad:

1. Leftover grilled Ahi tuna (mine worked out to be about 2-1/2 cups)

2. Mayonnaise, to desired consistency (I use Hellman's Light because it's the least gagging of the lite mayos)

3. Dill Relish (Most people use sweet relish, but I prefer dill, sour puss that I am)

4. 2 hard boiled eggs, peeled & chopped

5. 3-4 large stalks of celery, chopped

6. Black Pepper, to taste

I place the tuna steaks in the bowl and tear them up with my fingers.

Next, I chop the celery and the hard boiled eggs, adding them to the bowl.

Then, I add the mayonnaise, dill relish and the pepper and toss until everything is thoroughly mixed.

Voila! I had mine with some wonderful little healthy crackers and it was excellent!

Barbeque Spare Ribs... Snooty Style!

Believe it or not, I have just found the perfect way to have Barbecue Spare Ribs and (my own secret easy recipe) coleslaw. It's so easy that I felt like giving myself a huge thump on the forehead for not coming up with this before. I guess some days are better than others when it comes to the functioning of my aging brain. Feel free to click on the pictures for a larger view.

So, come on all you culinary n'ere-do-wells. This is so easy that it will blow your mind. And if you're trying to impress a man... this should be your signature meal. Most every man likes barbecue... immensely. (Be sure to serve a bunch of paper towels that have been moistened and heated in the micro.) It's kind of like wearing Eau-De-Peanut-Parfum (as in the 2008 Super Bowl commercial). If you make it, they will follow. When I served this to Mr. Snooty, he was like a horned toad when you turn 'em on their backs and rub their bellies. They go into sort of a trance. He was putty in my hands. Lucky for him, I decided to not take advantage of his incapacitated condition.

I started assembling all the ingredients and preparing dinner at 5:30 PM. I was finished by 7:45 PM (with more than a few breaks). I'd say that's pretty damn quick for ribs & cole slaw, unless you happen to eat out. Frankly, we've been some places that we'd have been lucky to get out of, in that amount of time.

Barbecued Spare Ribs:

Ingredients:

1 Rack of Pork Spare Ribs

Your favorite *rub*

Your favorite Barbecue Sauce

Directions:

1. The night before you're having the ribs, coat the ribs in your rub, cover, and refrigerate.

2. The day of cooking, be sure to remove the ribs from the fridge about 30 minutes before grilling, to allow the ribs to come to room temperature.

3. Brush on desired amount of barbeque sauce, coating both sides.

4. Prepare gas or charcoal grill, according to directions. When you cannot hold your hand a few inches above the fire, then it's ready. I normally use the second shelf, putting hickory chips on the bottom shelf, to give them some smoke, when using the gas grill. When I grill them on the charcoal grill, I just add the hickory chips to the coals, once they are ready.

5. On the gas grill 2nd shelf I cook them approximately 10 minutes per side. On the charcoal grill I usually cook the ribs about 5 minutes per side.

6. When they have sufficiently blackened (to taste, of course), I remove the ribs from the fire and entirely enclose the ribs in foil, making sure the seal is tight.

7. I then place them in a pre-heated 375 degree oven, for approximately 2 to 3 hours.

8. When you remove them from the oven they will be so tender & succulent, they will almost fall off the bone.

Lulu LaRue's Twice Baked Potato Casserole

This dish is a holiday favorite at our house and much easier than actually making the original recipe for Twice Baked Potatoes. For years I tried to make Twice Baked Potatoes and they almost always turned out too dry or too runny. I was overjoyed when I learned of this recipe. It always turns out perfectly.


This is also my entry (my Potato Ho name is Lulu LaRue) for the January Potato Ho-Down, sponsored by Noble Pig and Evil Chef Mom. During January, the Ho-Down will be hosted by Fig & Cherry, so be sure to go over and take a peek at all the wonderful potato recipes on January 16th. So, let's jump in feet first, shall we?




Ingredients:

5-6 lbs. large baking potatoes, peeled, boiled or baked


5-6 slices of bacon, cooked crispy


1/2 cup of milk


1 stick of butter


2 bunches of green onions, chopped (add a little of the green part for color)


1/3 cup chives, finely chopped


8 oz. package of cheddar cheese, grated


8 oz. container of sour cream




Directions:


1. Bake or boil potatoes until tender. Once skin is removed, mash with potato masher, adding the milk and butter. The consistencey should be a bit lumpier than mashed potatoes.


2. Add the sour cream and onions, then half of the cheese and half of the bacon. Mix well.


3. Place in a casserole that has been sprayed with vegetable spray.


4. Sprinkle remainder of bacon and cheese on top of casserole.


5. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 35 to 40 minutes, or until cheese is melted and top is slightly browned. See how simple this is? So, don't be afraid to try it. Your family and friends will love it!

Hearty Homemade Beef Bourguignonne Beef Stew

One of the best things about winter is having wonderful homemade soups and stews to warm you when it's cold outside. So, it just makes sense to start with a hearty beef stew. I learned this recipe at my grandmother's hip, although I've made a few changes to the recipe over the years. Let's get to it, shall we? 




INGREDIENTS:


1 Lb. stewing meat, chopped into bites sizes


1 large onion, coarsely chopped

2 large baking potatoes, chopped

15 to 20 baby carrots, sliced

3 to 4 celery ribs, sliced thin

4 to 5 cloves of garlic, crushed

1/2 cup of fresh parsley, finely chopped

1/2 cup of green bell pepper, chopped

2 cups green beans, chopped

1 - 12 oz. can of tomato sauce

2 - 12 oz. cans of diced tomatoes

1 carton of beef broth

3 to 4 tablespoons of all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet

1 large or 2 small dried bay leaves

salt and pepper, to taste

Olive Oil

1 to 1-1/2 cup of Red Wine




DIRECTIONS:


1. Place flour, salt and pepper in brown paper or plastic bag, adding meat and shaking, in batches, until all meat is coated.


2. Pour a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in the bottom of a dutch oven, over a medium heat.

 

3. Begin adding the meat and browning, adding the onions next. Cook until meat is lightly browned and onions aren't quite transparent.



4. Add the entire carton of beef broth, allowing the mix to boil, then turning heat down to a simmer.



5. Next, add the diced tomatoes and the tomato sauce, stirring.


6. Add the Kitchen Bouquet, the bay leaves, salt and pepper to taste, and allow to return to simmer. Let this mixture simmer for one hour.


7. Add the remaining vegetables to the stew and let simmer for an additional two hours. 8. Approximately ten minutes before serving add the cup of red wine and stir.

Homemade Habanero And Green Tomato Chow-Chow

This recipe has become a favorite among our friends and I get a growing number of requests for it each year. If you've never had Chow-Chow, then you are really in for a treat. This powerful little *relish* packs a mighty punch, and can be served in a large variety of ways.


It is an excellent accompaniment for a variety of beef cuts, as well as pork. It also makes a convenient last minute appetizer when poured over the top of a block of cream cheese, served with crackers. Or simply served on crackers. I swear it's delicious all by itself.

This year, we had a shortage on green tomatoes, because only one of my plants survived the triple digit heat in late Spring. After that, it was just too hot to consider planting again. Although, I did have one stubborn Sweet Cherry 100's plant that eventually provided me with a colander full of green cherry tomatoes that I took before the first freeze.



At the same time, my golfing buddy, Judy, brought me all the green tomatoes they took from their garden, so it seemed I had enough to make two cases of pint jars filled with the mysteriously hot relish. So, let's get to it, shall we?

 

INGREDIENTS:

For The Chow-Chow

 

10 - 12 large green tomatoes

2 each large bell peppers, one red, one green

2 large red or yellow onions

1 large head of cauliflower

1 large head of cabbage

 2 large heads of garlic

3-4 large jalapeno peppers

3-4 firm Habanero peppers

1 can of medium to large artichoke hearts

For The Pickling Liquid

6 Cups Apple Cider vinegar

2 Cups water

5-1/2 Cups sugar

1/2 CupPickling Salt

3 teaspoons whole allspice

2 (3 inch) cinnamon sticks

3 teaspoons celery seed

3 teaspoons mustard seed

3 teaspoons whole black peppercorns

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 large square of cheesecloth

kitchen twine

Directions:

1. I start the pickling liquid first so that it can cook down a bit while I'm preparing the vegetables.

2. Combine first four ingredients for the pickling liquid in a non-reactive pan, over high heat.

3. Lay out a square of cheesecloth and place the remaining 6 ingredients on it. Carefully tie it closed with the kitchen twine and throw in the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil.

4. Reduce heat to medium-low flame and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes on top of stove. Allow it to cool entirely, after removing from flame. Set aside. At this point, it can actually be kept in the fridge for up to five days before use.

5. Clean and coarsley chop the vegetables to be added to the food processor.

6. The order doesn't matter. Pour it all into a large bowl until you finish preparations. Once all of the chopping done, add the entire mixture to the pan with the pickling liquid.

7. Bring mixture to another boil. Once it has reached the point of a full rolling boil, you can turn of the heat. Now, you're ready for the canning part.

8. After running all the jars and lids through the dishwasher, I always put them in a stockpot filled with boiling water, just because I'm a real safety gal.

9. After 15 minutes of boiling the jars and lids, you can drain them on clean paper towels.

10. Fill each jar with the hot mixture, add the lid, and turn each pint jar over for approximately 15 to 20 minutes. They should pop and seal once they are turned back over.

11. Allow Chow-Chow two to three weeks of fermenting before opening a jar.