Hoagie Salad

Now that we are again able to safely gather with family and friends again, I pulled out an old recipe from potlucks of the past...

Hoagie Salad
[Approx. 12 servings]

1/3 lb hot ham capicola, thin sliced

1/3 lb domestic ham, thin sliced

1/3 lb genoa salami, thin sliced

1/3 lb cheese - any deli cheese will work; provolone is traditional but I've used a mix of sharp cheddar and swiss (pictured)

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 cup mayonnaise

1 handful grape tomatoes, sliced in half

1 small head of romaine lettuce, finely shredded

Optional add ins:

1 small onion, chopped

pickled hot banana peppers

Layer the cheese and meat on a cutting surface and cut into small squares (cut long thin strips first and then cut across the strips).

Put the cheese and meat in a large bowl and add oregano and mayonnaise (and onions and peppers if including). Mix thoroughly.

Cover and chill until ready to serve.

When ready to serve, add tomatoes and lettuce and mix well. Serve with bread rounds, crackers or small rolls (pictured).

Enjoy!

Whiting "White Fish" Salad

It's been quite a while since I've posted a recipe so how about one to celebrate the warmer weather... (please remember all ingredients are approximate… I don’t really measure when I make it, I mostly prepare by look/taste.)

3 whiting fillets, steamed
1/4 medium white onion, chopped
1/4 medium bell pepper, chopped
a pinch of garlic power
a pinch of black pepper
a dash of salt
mayo (enough for desired consistency)

Flake whiting with a fork and combine remaining ingredients. Chill for at least an hour. Serve with favorite crackers or oven tasted bread and enjoy!

Oven toasted bread option: Place sliced bread on a cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil and herbs (I chose garlic and oregano for this particular meal) and bake at 350°F for about 15 minutes or until fully toasted.

It's a nice alternative to tuna fish but with much less salt than traditional whitefish salad. :)

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

I've been asked for this recipe frequently so I decided to finally take a stab at actually writing it down. Hummus, in my opinion, isn't something you can really mess up. It just may take a little practice to get it exactly the way you personally prefer it.

(All ingredients are approximate… I don’t measure at all when I make it, I just work by look/taste.)

3 cloves garlic
1 15oz. can chickpeas, drained not rinsed
2 Tbs. tahini
2-3 large pieces of roasted red pepper
2 Tbs. fresh flat leaf parsley (or a small handful of leaves)
1 tsp. lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste (maybe a dash to 1/8 tsp. each)
Extra Virgin olive oil

In a food processor (or blender if necessary):
1. Pulse garlic cloves until chopped fairly fine.
2. Add entire can of chickpeas and process until coarsely chopped.
3. Add tahini and peppers and process until evenly incorporated into mix.
4. Add parsley, lemon juice, salt and pepper and process to chop parsley.
5. Slowly add olive oil (in a thin stream or dribble) while processing until hummus is desired consistency. (Some prefer it like mayonnaise but we like it on the thicker side.)
6. Chill for at least an hour to let flavors mingle (it tastes better if they are allowed to party) or preferably overnight.
7. Enjoy!

Corn Bread with a Kick

1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
1/4 cup cooking oil
4-5 Thai peppers, chopped (more or less depending on how hot you want it)

Mix all ingredients until well blended and pour into a greased 8 x8 square pan. Bake at 425°F for 20 to 30 minutes (depending on your oven) or until it turns a light golden color and a tester (toothpick, knife, etc.) inserted in the center comes out clean.

*This recipe works well for small loaves and muffins as well. Reduce baking time as needed. :)

Mango Garden Salsa

2 fresh mangoes, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 small cucumber, peeled, deseeded, and diced
3 medium tomatoes, diced
2 Sugar chilies, diced or minced*
3 Thai peppers, diced or minced*
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 Tbs fresh oregano, minced

Mix all ingredients together and chill for at least an hour before serving (if not overnight). The longer the salsa chills, the more the flavors meld together. Simply serve with tortilla chips or add as a side or garnish to chicken or fish. We think it works especially well with salmon and rice. Enjoy!

*Any type of hot pepper will work, I just happened to have an overabundance of Sugar chilies and Thai peppers at the time I created this recipe. I deseed and sometimes devein the peppers to cut back on the heat and also recommend wearing gloves if preparing large quantities.

Sazón Rice

2 Tbs olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces and browned*
14 oz canned tomato, diced (or whole and chopped)
2 cups rice, uncooked (I used long grain white but any variety will do)
4 cups chicken broth
1 envelope Sazón seasoning (I use con azafran – with saffron)

In a large pot (or flat bottom wok), sauté onion and pepper in olive oil until transparent (you can use some of the chicken fat in place of the olive oil if you are using the same pot in which you browned the chicken). Add garlic and cook for about a minute more. Add chicken, tomato and uncooked rice. Mix together and let the tomato juices cook down for about a minute. Add chicken broth and Sazón and stir. Bring to a boil, cover, and turn down heat. Simmer for approximately 10 to 15 minutes or until rice has absorbed most of the liquid. Serve and enjoy!

*Meat or shrimp work well too.

The Tuscan Trial (Similar to Italian Wedding Soup)

1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbs olive oil
16 oz frozen spinach
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 lb ground meat (I used pork in this instance but chicken, turkey, beef, or lamb would certainly work well too)
1 egg
1/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs (approximately – I rarely measure)
1/3 lb Acini di Pepe pasta (this is the tiny round pasta used in Italian Wedding Soup)
salt and pepper to taste (due to dietary concerns we go light on salt)

In a large pot, sauté onion in olive oil until transparent. Add garlic and cook for about a minute more. Add the spinach, chicken broth, and water and bring to a boil. In a separate bowl, combine the ground meat, egg, and breadcrumbs. Roll the meat mixture into small balls and drop meatballs one-by-one into boiling soup. Cover and let simmer for 45 minutes to an hour (especially if using pork). Add pasta and cook until pasta is tender. Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy.

Note: Topping each bowl of soup with Parmesan cheese or red pepper flakes adds a nice dimension too!