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A FRESH LOOK AT SLOW COOKERS

It’s time to take a new look at slow cookers and view them in a different seasonal light because they offer an option to grilling for busy people. Also they can be a big help in outdoor entertaining especially for kids parties, and act as a safety measure.

Slow cookers were introduced to much applause in the 1970s. Since then their popularity has faded and revived at consistent intervals of about 20 years. Perhaps it’s a generational thing but slow cookers have staying power as useful appliances. However, they are often regarded as seasonal because slow cooking implies well done food as in soups and stews, which are associated with cold weather.

On the other hand, many of these slowly cooked “winter” dishes are acceptable served chilled. Italians are very fond of Minestroni with kale or spinach and pasta in summer. Many hearty soups can be cooked ahead and served chilled. Cold bean soups, with a salad make excellent warn weather meals. A friend slow cooks pork roasts in barbeque sauce, until meltingly tender, then shreds the meat. Her “Pulled Pork” sandwiches, topped with slaw, tomatoes and other goodies, are the anticipated highlight of her summer parties for all ages. Meatballs are another great yard party favorite, especially in sandwiches for kids or as Hors d’Oeuvres. They can be made days ahead and frozen, then simmered in sauce and served from a slow cooker.

Another advantage of using slow cookers outdoors was recently pointed out by a neighbor whose yard is her family’s go-to for children’s parties. She was frightened as children crowded the grill that there would be some serious burns with all the pushing and shoving. She has vowed to serve only cold food or dishes like pulled pork or meatballs which can be spooned onto a bun for future children’s gatherings.

Of course, having dinner cooked and totally prepared to serve appeals to our A.S.A.P. mentality especially on a hot night.  Another plus in our health conscious lifestyle is that slow cooker preparation restricts use of fats and requires that meats be well trimmed. Also because of the extended cooking time, it welcomes cheaper cuts of meat, which have a lower fat ratio. Slow cooker recipes instructed removing chicken skins long before it became popular or was recommended for healthier diets.

So, just because the food writers move onto more seasonal dishes, you don’t have to store the slow cooker away with the winter coat. Learn the pros and cons of slow cookers, and to get to know your own appliance, different makes and sizes handle tasks differently, and you’ll find ways to use it all year but remember to pick and choose recipes.

This choice doesn’t have to be set in stone either. I’m listing some great summer slow cooker recipes below but I’m also including a conversion chart so you can convert a favorite traditionally cooked recipe you think would be good as a summer meal along with some helpful tips.

1)Remember that slow cookers don’t allow moisture to evaporate as traditional cooking methods do, so reduce the liquid often by half.

2)The best thing to do when adapting a recipe is to find a similar one in the desired cooking method, and compare the ingredient amounts especially the liquid.

3)Vegetables may not cook as fast as the meat, and should be used in smaller sizes or cut in chunks. Examples–baby carrots and, pearl onions in place of regular. Check example recipe for correct size.

5) Though it may be used to keep a cooked dish warm for serving, never reheat in a slow cooker. If food has cooled remove it and always follow the directions for your appliance.

CONVERSION CHART

IF RECIPE SAYS                               COOK ON LOW                               COOK ON HIGH
15 to 30 minutes                                    4 to 6 hours                                          11/2 to 2 hours
35-45 minutes                                        6 – 10 hours                                         3 – 4 hours
50 minutes to 3 Hours                          8 to 18 hours                                       4 to 6 hours

RECIPES: Several of these and for inspiration on converting others I turned to The Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook by Dawn J. Ranck and Phyllis Pellman Good

Honey Wings: Makes 32 pieces
16 chicken wings, tips removed, divided to make drumettes= about 3 lbs.
3cloves minced garlic.
¼ cup oil
2 cups honey
1 cup soy sauce
½ cup ketchup
Rinse wings and dry. Put on a foil lined baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and pepper and broil on an upper rack 20 min. turning once until brown. Place in a slow cooker. Mix all the other ingredient and pour over chicken. Cook on low 4-5 hrs. or high 2-2 ½ hrs.

Cranberry-Barbequed Chicken: Serves 6-8
3 cups cubed cooked chicken
16 oz. can whole berry cranberry sauce
1 cup barbeque sauce
1/2cup diced celery
½ cup diced onion
Salt and pepper
Put all ingredients in a slow cooker, cover and cook on high 2 hr. or low 5 hrs. Chicken will shred when stirred, or simply ladle out. Serve on rolls, optionally spread with mayonnaise. The addition of lettuce is also optional.

Pork Chalupa: Serves 12-16
3lb.lean pork
3garlic cloves
1Tbs. each dried oregano, cumin and chili powder
40z. can chopped green chilies
1lb. dried pinto beans—soaked overnight in water to cover
For Garnish–Grated cheese-Parmesan, sharp or Jack, Diced tomatoes, chopped onions

Lettuce for bedding
Put pork in bottom of slow cooker add remaining ingredients including beans with water. Add enough water to cover if needed. Cook on high 1 hr. and low 6 hr. Remove meat, shred it and return to pot. Cook on high another hour. Serve bedded on lettuce on plates or rolls with garnishes.

Barbequed Ribs: Serves 4-6*
NOTE: Most recipes for ribs call for pre-cooking them either by browning them on the stove, broiling or baking them to remove the excess fat. They can be done completely in the slow cooker by cooking on high 1 hr. and adding one hour to the total cooking time.
3-4 lb. baby back or country style rib
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1 large onion diced
1 garlic clove sliced
1 cup barbeque sauce
1 cup Catalina dressing
Season ribs with salt and pepper and brown under broiler. Put ribs in cooker, top with other ingredients and cover with sauce and dressing mixed. Cook on low 6-8 hrs. until done.
*This recipe can be made with a lean roast of equal weight. Cook 1 hr. less, remove meat. shred and return to the pot with ½ cup barbeque sauce, cook remaining hour. Serve spooned on rolls.

Meatballs for Sauce: Serves about 6
This is a recipe I used for the many years I was automatically assigned the meatball sandwich booth at the local elementary school Spring Fair. It makes up well in bulk and can be served in any sauce to fit the occasion. An added tip is that the frozen meatballs can be microwaved 1-2 min alone or with sauce until warm and served as a canapé or over pasta.
Recipe for meatball Sandwiches– Makes 18 meatballs
1 lb. ground meat
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
½ hamburger bun in crumbs
½ small onion in fine dice
1 egg
Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups SAUCE home-made or commercial, any variety-tomato, Alfredo etc.
Combine all the ingredients except the sauce in a large bowl. Mix together well. Roll into balls about 1 ½ inch diameter. Place, well separated, on a foil covered cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 18 min. Cool on sheet.
Heat sauce over medium heat in a pan on stove top. Add meatballs and cook 15 minutes until flavors meld and meat is heated through. Serve hot on sliced buns with sauce.
TO FREEZE: Freeze meatballs in an air-tight plastic bag on a flat surface, so they don’t crowd together. Best re-heated in sauce thawed, but can be done frozen –increase cooking time to 20 minutes.

Beef Fajitas: Serves 12
11/2 lb. flank steak or bottom round
1 cup chopped onions
1 green bell pepper sliced lengthwise in ½ inch pieces
1 tsp. EACH powdered garlic, chili, cumin, coriander
8oz. can diced tomatoes
1 jalapeno pepper – chopped
1 Tbs. chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper
(12) 8 inch flour tortillas
TOPPINGS
Sour cream, salsa, guacamole, shredded sharp cheese
Cut meat into 6 pieces. Place in slow cooker with all other ingredients except tortillas and toppings. Cook on low 8-10 hrs. or high 4-5 hrs. Remove meat from cooker and shred. Return to
pot to keep warm. Serve by spooning a portion down the center of a tortilla, adding topping and roll.
Far East Steak Sandwich: Serves 6
1 lb. thin sliced sandwich steaks
2 garlic cloves minced
1 onion thinly sliced
! bell pepper julienned
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
¾ tsp. powdered ginger
3 Tbs. Soy sauce
4 0z can sliced mushrooms drained OR 1 cup fresh
Provolone cheese slices
Put all ingredients but cheese in cooker, cover and cook on low 6-8 hrs. Serve on sub rolls topped with cheese.
Reuben Sandwiches: Serves 4-6
TO COOK CORNED BEEF: Place a 3-4lb piece of corned beef on a slow cooker. Top a sliced garlic clove and about 10 peppercorns. Cover with water and cook on high 4-5hr.until tender. Remove and slice. Proceed as below for sandwiches.
FOR COOKED CORNED BEEF – deli or home cooked
1 lb. sliced corned beef
1 lb. sauerkraut –(2) 15 oz. cans do well

¼ lb. sliced Swiss cheese
1 bottle Thousand Island salad dressing*
Sliced loaf pumpernickel or rye bread:
Drain kraut well and squeeze dry. Layer in cooker in this order, kraut, beef, cheese. Spread bread slices with dressing and spoon cooker contents over them trying to keep layers intact. Serve warm.
*Tartar Sauce with ketchup (2 Tbs. per ½ cup) is a substitute for the dressing.

Corn on the Cob
6-8 ears of corn in husks – more if cooker can hold them without crowding
½ cup water
Cut stems off bottoms so ears can stand upright. Fold back the husks and remove silk and any loose outside leaves. Optionally lightly sprinkle taco seasoning over the kernels. Fold the husks back to cover the corn. Place ears vertically in pot, pour the water over them. Cook on low 2-3 hrs.

MELONS- MID SUMMER GEMS

My favorite supermarket’s flyer features cantaloupes this week.  It’s only a small notice at the bottom corner of the front page, but it started me thinking about our changed perception of melons in the past few years. I come from a state known for its summer produce, including several varieties of melons. We always considered the seasonal appearance of fruits to be in three ‘Acts’ actually over a period of half a year.   Berries usher in the warm weather, then by mid- season watermelons introduce the other melons signaling high summer. Finally, as the summer matures so do the stone fruits, lingering into early Fall.

What startled me was that, here we are in July, and this small notice was the only mention I’d seen of a melon sale. Where are the banners on the front page, or at least in the produce section? I see watermelons and some honeydews in the markets, but where are the orange fleshed Casabas, Persians and, my Mother’s favorite the spicy-sweet Crenshaws? I don’t find them even in the Farm markets.

Cantaloupes have always been the most available melon but now they appear to be that whole category.  I did realize this past winter, that they were always in stock at a reasonable price but am also surprised that those prices prevail in July, 2/$4 or 2/$5, depending on the week. This week’s ‘feature’ is 3/$5, only slightly lower than normal and almost double the previously normal cost in season.  Honeydew’s cost hasn’t changed since December; watermelons are slightly higher than last year.

Poor melons! They are given less attention, less representation of varieties, so a lowered profile, and less marketing than ever before. This is not a case of ‘less is more’. I’m afraid it’s a case of removing the category from the consumers’ attention. Cantaloupes are rather bland, especially when mass grown for commercial use. Combine this with their constant presence all year at an unchanged price and people, unable to compare them to others in their class, begin to consider melons a ‘Ho-hum’ item.

In fact, I doubt if the trend continues, that most consumers are aware of the existence of the other types of melons in a few years. The mid-summer is already becoming a gap between berries and stone fruits, not a period with a special offering. ‘Act II’ is disappearing from the Summer Fruit Parade.  The only remedy would seem to be to raise awareness of this exceptional class of fruits. So here’s my contribution to the Melon Fan Club: recipes for every course.

One fun fact is that, a true symbol of high summer when we don’t feel like cooking, melons are the only fruit that is never cooked. The rind may be pickled but the meat can’t stand heat.  Generally, their taste is mild, their flavor subtle, and the flesh, high in water content, is substantial in volume. Consequently, though delicious alone, melons combine well with other ingredients and the meat makes excellent bedding in salads and compotes.

To pick a melon, the best test is to thump it and listen for a hollow sound.  Ripe cantaloupes have a faint, sweet fragrance as well. If the stem stump is indented, the melon was vine ripened and easily detached, rather than being harvested on a schedule and cut away. Finally, shake the melon and if you hear the seeds, it’s apt to be dry. Unlike other fruits, melons don’t ripen once picked, so eat them soon.

Now, a few tips on working with melons.  Wash the outside well, before cutting into one. A knife slicing through the rind can carry contaminants into the flesh. Melons are loaded with nutrients but they quickly disintegrate when exposed to light and air, so avoid buying cut segments. Once opened, cover the exposed flesh with plastic wrap and store chilled. I put mine in a black plastic bag in the fridge.

RECIPES:
Melon con Prosciutto
This classic Italian presentation traditionally Involves simply draping thin slices of dry-cured ham over slices of melon, most often this is cantaloupe, but it can be any orange fleshed one. This presentation can be transformed into a canapé by cubing the melon and wrapping it in ham secured by a toothpick.  Baled ham, or smoked turkey, create a reasonable facsimile.

Honeydew-Pineapple Soup: Serves 4
4 cups seeded, cubed honeydew
2 cups cubed, fresh pineapple
2 Tbs. honey
1 Tbs. lime juice
½ cup sour cream
½ cup yogurt
Pinch all spice
Blend everything to a puree and chill. Serve garnished with chopped fresh mint.

Moosewood Melon Soup: Serves 4- from the Moosewood Restaurant New Classics Cookbook
6 cups cubed cantaloupe
14 oz. can coconut milk
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbs. grated fresh ginger
2 Tbs. chopped mint
1 tsp. almond extract
Dash cinnamon
@¼ cup brown sugar or to taste
Puree all the ingredients, adding the sugar to taste. Chill well. Serve garnished with mint leaves.

Melon Salsa: Serves 4
Wonderful with chicken or fish
½  small  cantaloupe –seeded and cubed
4 scallions- white and light green parts in thin slices or ½ small onion in small dice
½  green bell pepper in small dice
1 Tbs. chopped fresh mint
½ lime juiced
Pinch salt
Combine all ingredients and chill well. Serve as a side with the meal.

Melon-Scallop Salad: Serves 4
2 cups melon-any type but watermelon
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½ cucumber-seeded and cubed
1 small onion in thin rings
1 Tbs. fresh mint
1 head green leaf lettuce
1/3 cup citrus vinaigrette
1 lb. broiled scallops
Toss first 5 ingredients and divide among lettuce lined plates. Top with scallops and drizzle with vinaigrette.

Watermelon-Shrimp Salad: Serves 4
3 cups cubed seeded watermelon
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes –halved
1 small onion in thin rings
1 Tbs. fresh lemon balm or lemon thyme (lemon-pepper to taste is a substitute)
1/8 tsp. Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/3 cup Balsamic vinaigrette
Small head Romaine lettuce –torn
½ lb. cooked shrimp-tails off and halved if large
Have all ingredients chilled. Gently toss and divide among plates.

Melon Sherbet: Serves 6-8-from Day By Day Cooking by Mary Berry
1 medium melon-cantaloupe or casaba
Juice of ½ lemon
4 egg whites
6 oz., sugar-super-fine or ’bar’ sugar is best
¼ -1/2 cup cherries or berries for garnish-optional
Fresh mint leaves for garnish-optional
Cut the melon in half, in a zigzag pattern if to be used it for serving. Remove seeds and cube meat. Blend with the lemon juice until smooth. Pour into a 1 ½ quart container and freeze until beginning to set. Beat the egg whites until stiff and gradually add the sugar.  Gently whisk or beat the melon mixture until broken up and light. Fold in the egg whites and return to the freezer and freeze until firmly set. Serve by the scoopful, in the melon shell or dishes. Garnish with fruit and/or mint. Keeps frozen about 1 month.
NOTES: Choose overripe fruit to make sherbet.
For anyone concerned over Salmonella, I recommend substituting Wilton Meringue Powder in any recipe that calls for directly adding raw beaten egg whites.  See June 30, 2016 posting on Icy Desserts.

Watermelon Granita: Serves 4
1 small watermelon-seeded and cubed
Sugar to taste
Dash hot pepper sauce and/or lime juice and/or salt to taste
Blend the melon meat and strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth. Add sugar and allow to dissolve, and then add the other flavorings sparingly. Put into a metal 9 X 13 inch pan. Freeze, scraping with a fork to break up every 20-30 min., for 2-3 hours until resembles fluffy shaved ice. Store in a covered container in the freezer for 1 week. Scrape to fluff before serving. (The ice chips don’t clump during storage.)

Melon with Ice Cream
This is a recipe my Mother, who was from a different part of the country, introduced to my Father’s family. At first skeptical, they learned to love it and even had competitions as to the combinations.
Cut a thin slice off one end of the melon and stand it up. Cut a slice off the top just low enough to expose the interior. Scoop out the seeds and fill with softened ice cream or sherbet. Secure the ’cap’ piece with toothpicks and freeze until ice cream is firm. Serve cut in wedges or in rings. Garnish with a drizzle of liqueur- Triple Sec or Crème de Menthe.
Suggestions: Vanilla or peach ice cream with cantaloupe—Triple Sec
Lime sherbet with honeydew –Green Crème de Menthe

Melon Tequila : Serves 4 -from Rozanne Gold’s Recipes 1-2-3 Menu Cookbook
1 large ripe cantaloupe
½ cup tequila + extra for dipping glass rims
4 Tbs. sugar + extra for dipping glass rims
Salt and pepper
Using a scoop make melon balls. Place melon balls in a bowl with other ingredients stirring to dissolve sugar. Cover and chill for 30 min. Dip glass rims in extra tequila then sugar to coat. Fill the glasses with the melon balls. Spoon over any remaining marinade. Serve at once.

 

CHINESE SAUCES PERK UP MANY DISHES

My neighbor is an expert on Chinese sauces. He spent most of his career traveling internationally and confirmed what a friend in a similar occupation told me. Upon arriving in a strange place, people with jobs requiring frequent travel always seek a Chinese restaurant. The reason is simple. Chinese restaurant menus and recipe renditions are the same the world over. So it’s possible to enjoy a familiar meal without fearing consequences.

Many of these people, like my neighbor, become knowledgeable about Chinese cuisine and often let it influence their food when home. He has become adept with Chinese sauces and expanded their uses. His preparations, as with most Chinese recipes, don’t really change but their functions vary widely. For example, he and his wife are busy empty nesters who think nothing of boiling a pound of shaped pasta, with some green beans or peas, adding chopped celery and onion at the end, then tossing it with oil and chilling it covered.

They simply remove a couple of portions, decide on the sauce they want that day, and toss the pasta with appropriate seasonings and other ingredients and dinner is served. The ingredients, and garnishes, like the sauce, vary with their mood and what’s seasonally on hand, seafood, meats, leftover or fresh veggies like zucchini and tomatoes, jarred roasted peppers, mushrooms, olives, dried or fresh fruits, herbs and spices, nuts and seeds, the possibilities are endless. In winter they heat it, in summer they eat it cold, but either way it’s delicious. Best of all, each of, for them, the 3-4 meals is different, tastes fresh and is ready in no time.

They also use Chinese sauces as marinades, salad dressings, spreads, condiments, gravies and, of course, bases for stir-fries, soups and casseroles, as well as accompaniments for vegetables and dipping sauces for appetizers, meats and fruits.

I’ve chosen a few of his favorites to include below with suggested uses, however, he advised me that he often refers to cookbooks for inspiration. He’s particularly fond of Betty Crocker’s Low Fat Chinese Cooking, because it illustrates how to make the dishes healthier. He also recommends it for newcomers because the directions are easy to follow. I’m deliberately listing sauces requiring no cooking because of the season, though, unlike French sauces, Chinese ones generally don’t require much effort. This is a basic form of fusion cuisine but also a wonderful exercise in creating your own recipes and owning your kitchen.

RECIPES- NOTE: The specific flavor associated with Chinese cuisine comes from the combination of garlic and ginger, and the proportions of the 2 determine the ‘heat’ of a dish. The amounts can be optionally changed or 1 even omitted to personalize a recipe or alter it to fit another cuisine.

Cilantro Sauce: Yield 1 cup
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 Tbs. oil
¼ cup EACH packed cilantro leaves and parsley sprigs
1 ½ tsp. paprika
1 tsp. cumin
1/8 tsp.-optionally more-cayenne
Salt and pepper
Blend all the ingredients until smooth. Can be used over pasta, hot or cold, as a sauce for vegetables or as a salad dressing.

Lemon (Citrus) Sauce: Yield 1/3 cup
3 Tbs. soy sauce
2 Tbs. seasoned rice vinegar
2 tsp. finely chopped garlic
½ tsp. zested lemon or other citrus peel-including grapefruit or tangerine
Shake all the ingredients in a jar. Can be used as a marinade for poultry or seafood. With the addition of 3 Tbs. oil this becomes a pasta sauce or salad dressing.

Orange*-Ginger Sauce: Yield ½ cup
¼ cup seasoned rice vinegar
2 Tbs. oil
2Tbs.orange juice
1 tsp. grated peel
1 Tbs. honey
2 cloves garlic-chopped
1 Tbs. honey
½ tsp. grated ginger root
1 tsp. dried bell pepper flakes (optional)
Shake all ingredients in a jar to mix well. Use this sauce as any sweet-sour sauce. Excellent as a marinade or finishing sauce for all meats and most vegetables, can also serve as a salad dressing.
* Other citrus fruits, lemons, limes, grapefruits, tangerines can replace oranges but the amounts of vinegar and honey may need adjusting.

Hot Mustard Sauce: ¼ cup
3 Tbs. powdered English or Chinese mustard
2Tbs. Water*
1 Tbs. seasoned rice vinegar
Mix all ingredients,. Allow to meld, covered for 5 min. Can be stored chilled, for a week, but will lose intensity. Use as a sandwich spread or for cold meats. Excellent with eggs.
*Will keep for weeks if vodka is substituted for the water.
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Lime Mustard Sauce: Yield 1/3 cup
¼ cup prepared Chinese hot mustard
½ tsp. grated lime peel
1Tbs. lime juice
Mix ingredients. Use as a sandwich spread for meats or as a spread for appetizers and fruits

Hot-Sweet Apricot Mustard: Yield ¾ cup
½ cup apricot spreadable fruit
2 Tbs. Chinese hot mustard
1 tsp. grated ginger root
1 Tbs. lemon or lime juice
Mix ingredients. Good sauce to pass with cold meats, especially ham, or decorate a fruit platter.

Horseradish Sauce: Yield ½ cup
2 Tbs. prepared horseradish
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tsp. grated ginger root
1 tsp. sugar
1 ½ tsp. rice vinegar
Mix all ingredients. Excellent spread with cold meats, especially beef.

Spicy Peanut Butter Sauce: Yield 3/4cup
3 tsp. prepared Chinese mustard
2 Tbs. creamy peanut butter
2 Tbs. soy sauce
3 Tbs. water
¼ cup lime juice
2 tbs. sugar
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
Combine the first 4 ingredients and mix well with a fork. Add the juice and sugar gradually keeping the mixture smooth. Add the pepper flakes, to taste.

Summer Serving Tip: 4-6 Servings
Substitute 2 tbs. oil for 2 of water toss with 1 lb. drained penne, cooked with 3 sliced hot dogs, 1 cup cut green beans, 1 medium onion in large dice and 2 ribs sliced celery added for the last 2 min. Add salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste and a mixture of chopped fresh herbs. (Omit if serving warm) Allow to come to room temp and serve cool.

Black Bean Sauce: Yield 1 cup- This classic sauce requires some cooking, but I include it because it’s a wonderful finishing sauce for grilled or cold meats.
2 Tbs. brown bean paste
1 Tbs. grated ginger root
2 cloves chopped garlic
¾ cup chicken broth
2 tsp. cornstarch
1tsp.sugar
Dash pepper
2 Tbs. dry sherry
2Tbs.soy sauce
½ tsp. oil(sesame recommended)
Mash first 3 ingredients together to mix well. Mix remaining ingredients together separately. Heat an oil sprayed saucepan over medium heat until oil bubbles. Add bean paste and stir 30 sec. Add broth mix and stir until thickened and smooth, about 2 min. Serve hot or at room temp.