Pot Luck / Principal Chef

Kale Salad with Roasted Chickpeas and Avocado

There are still plenty of people who are not kale fans. I get it. It’s a little chewy, and very unlike crisp romaine or iceberg lettuce. But this is a dish that gets rave reviews at potlucks in our neighborhood, and believe me, you better be on your A-Game when you bring food to potlucks around here. We are surrounded by amazing cooks. Jill adopted this recipe from one on the NYT cooking site, and it is a year long favorite.

Ingredients

Dressing Ingredients

⅔ cup Olive Oil

⅓ cup Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

1 tsp Salt

5 Garlic Cloves, gently pressed with the flat end of a knife

Chickpeas

14 oz Chickpeas (1 Can), drained and rinsed

2 tsp Olive Oil, or olive oil spray – enough to coat the chickpeas

2 tsp Seasoning – We use Penzey’s Turkish Seasoning, but a mix of salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic will always be good!

Salad Ingredients

4 cups Kale leaves, removed from stems, chopped, and massaged. There is some debate about massaging kale, but vigorously squeezing the kale leaves a few times makes them a little more approachable. I'm a fan.

2 cups Sliced Unsalted Almonds, Toasted

1.50 cups Grated Parmesan Cheese (Optional – Omit it to make this vegan)

2 Avocados, cut into bit sized pieces or slices

So many other ingredients can be added – Quinoa, tomatoes, fresh peas, you name it!

Directions

Roast the Chickpeas

We use our air fryer for this, but it’s easy to use your oven too. Lightly coat the chickpeas with olive oil, add Turkish Seasoning or Spice Mixture. Cook at 400 degrees for for 15-20 minutes, turning at least once, until browned and crispy.

Make the Dressing

Mix Olive Oil, Lemon Juice, Salt, and Garlic Cloves. Remove garlic cloves after 20-30 minutes.

Preparing the Salad

Mix dressing and kale. Add all remaining ingredients and mix again. You may want to lay the avocado on top, as people may argue they did not get their fare share of avocado. This may or may not have happened in our house a few times.

Enjoy!

Arugula and Quinoa Salad

One of the few restaurants we can actually walk to is Kristy’s Village Cafe. When we do, we usually start by splitting a Quinoa Salad that is just fantastic. I like it so much that I’ve copied it, and we now eat it three or four times a month at home. Here is a not-too-complicated copy cat recipe for four people. The quinoa makes it a potential meal in itself, especially when you add a protein on top or on the side. This recipe calls for a balsamic vinegrette, which you can make yourself or purchase.

Ingredients

The Quinoa

1 cup Quinoa – any kind will do. We typically use tri-color. This is more than enough and will leave you leftovers if you want it.

Dressing

½ cup Olive Oil

¼ cup Balsamic Vinegar

1 tsp Dijon Mustard

¼ tsp Salt and Pepper

Greens and Stuff

6 cups Arugula

2 cups Cherry Tomatoes, cut in halves or quarters

6 oz Fresh Mozzarella cheese, cut into small pieces (You can use other cheeses, but the Moz works well)

1 Avocado, sliced into bite size pieces (1/2 inch or so)

⅔ cup Pistachios – chopped

Directions

Cook the quinoa according to the directions on the box. We cool it down in the fridge before mixing it into the salad. My friend Laurie spreads it on a baking sheet and browns it to provide some extra crunch. I have not yet tried that, but I will!

Make the dressing by mixing all ingredients, or simply use your favorite store-bought balsamic dressing. We love the Stonewall Kitchens Balsamic Fig dressing.

Mix the arugula and quinoa together. Start with 1 cup of quinoa, and add more until you get the mixture you would like.

Add dressing to this mixture and mix in.

Plate and top with cheese, tomatoes, avocado pieces, and pistachios. We do it this way so that everyone gets an even share of topping goodness, so there is no topping envy at the dinner table.

Enjoy!

Lentil Loaf

Ingredients

1 cup Dry Brown Lentils (or 2.5 cups precooked Lentils)

1 Small to Medium Yellow or Sweet Onion, Finely Diced

4 Stalks Celery, finely diced

3 Yukon Potatoes

1 tsp Garlic Powder

0.50 tsp Salt

1 tsp Black Pepper

0.25 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

2.50 cups Vegetable Stock (just two cups if using precooked lentils)

1 tbsp Soy Sauce or Tamari

2 tsp Poultry Seasoning

1 tsp Hot Sauce (Cholula or your favorite)

0.75 cup Bread Crumbs or Crushed Crackers

0.50 cup Shredded Cheddar (Sharp or Medium)

5 Eggs, Beaten

Tomato Sauce

1 cup Ketchup (Blend in a little BBQ sauce/Gochujang/Other Favorite if you wish)

2 tbsp Brown Sugar

1 tbsp Yellow or Dijon Mustard

0.50 tsp Hot Sauce (If not already blended in above)

Directions

Making the Lentil Loaf

If using dried lentils, soak them in hot water, while you dice and prepare all vegetables.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add a little vegetable/canola oil to large dutch oven. Add chopped onion, celery, carrots, and potatoes. Stir in garlic powder and pepper flakes after a few minutes. Cook until veggies start to soften.

If soaking the lentils in hot water, drain them. Add lentils to the veggies, along with vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat, cooking until most of the liquid is absorbed. It will take about 1 hour for dried lentils, and about 30 minutes for precooked. Rest and cool for 30 minutes. (You don’t have to let it rest that long, but it will make putting in the eggs a little less tricky.) While you are waiting, prepare the loaf pan. Put some parchment paper into the loaf pan, pushing it down, then cutting off the excess so there’s about one inch rising above the edge of the pan.

Mix in soy sauce or tamari, poultry seasoning, hot sauce, and crackers. Then stir in eggs and cheddar. (if the mix is still hot, making sure you are stirring quickly when adding the eggs. Mixing in a little of the lentil mixture into the eggs first can make that easier.) The consistency should be like oatmeal or grits or macaroni and cheese before baking. Thick, and glopping, not pouring off the spoon as you spoon it into the prepared pan.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan.

Bake for about 90 minutes. I know. It’s a long time. The internal temp should be around 190, and it should be firm to the touch. While you are cooking it, make the tomato sauce by mixing all of the ingredients together and heating to combine them. In the last 15 minutes of baking the loaf, spread 1/4 to 1/2 of the tomato mixture on top. Cool slightly, slice, and serve drizzling more tomato sauce on top. At the Sweet Melissa Café in Laramie, Wyoming, they make this ahead of time, and heat it up by letting it sizzle on the flattop grill. It’s a Guy Fieri DDD-approved dish and recipe. Check it out!

LentilLoaf.Finished

Eggplant Parmesan

This is Jill’s favorite dish that I make. Therefore, I make it a lot! A little marital advice from principalchef: when your spouse is nice enough to be clear about what he/she likes, try to do THAT as much as you can. Of course, if that something is a bit too much, then Meatloaf was right. Where was I? Oh yes – this is Jill’s favorite dish – she loves the non-fried eggplant slices, and the bread crumbs are incredible. The bread crumbs are like a dish by themselves! My thanks to Ina Garten for another great recipe!

Ingredients

3 Eggplants, Average size, not too thick or thin

4 cups Marina Sauce, Your Favorite Jar

0.75 cup Fresh Basil

1 lb Fresh Mozerella, Sliced and Quartered

1.50 cups Shredded Parmesan

1 French Bread Loaf (1-2 Days Old is Best)

8 Cloves Garlic, Peeled(We use at least 12, but we have garlic addiction issue in our house)

Olive OIl

Salt, Pepper, Italian Seasoning

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Take 3 eggplants and slice into 1 cm wide pieces (Ina’s tip: Cut the eggplant in half, lay on flat side, and cut safely and easily.)

Lay eggplant slices on cookie sheets covered with foil (you’ll need 3 1/2 sheets). Brush with olive oil and season lightly with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Repeat on other side.

Roast eggplant at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Turn over and roast for 15 minutes until there is some brown on top. Take out of oven and cool.

While eggplant is roasting, tear french bread and place in food processor. Add garlic cloves and give it a whir until it looks like bread crumbs.

Add 1/4 cup of basil leaves to crumbs.

Process again until you have beautiful basil-ly and garlicky fresh bread crumbs. Mix with 1/4 cup olive oil, and set aside.

In a deep casserole dish, start the lasagna-style layering. Start with 1/3 of the sauce and lay 1/3 of the eggplant on it.

Add 1/3 of the fresh mozzarella and parmesan. Note: If you to make it super cheesy – adding some shredded mozzarella works. It still feels very cheesy without it. Of course, if some cheese is good, then more cheese . . .

Repeat on for the second layer, but add the rest of the basil (chopped) to the top of that layer.

Add the third layer, then add enough bread crumbs to cover completely.

Cook at 400 degrees for 40-45 minutes (until the bread crumbs are brown and the sauce is bubbling) and you are set! Let it cool for at least 10 minutes (20 is better) and you are ready to serve!

Not That Bad for You Banana Cream Pie

That pie shaped empty space that’s been in my life so long? It’s all good now.

When I was in my mid-forties, I remember telling Jill that I missed the days when I could eat anything and my weight just remained constant. I told her, “I was living the good life and I didn’t even know it.” Well, those days are long gone, but, to quote Joel Goodson’s dad in Risky Business, “Every once in awhile you just got to say, ‘what the heck’ and take some chances.” It’s a pretty sad testament to my risk taking at this point in life that banana cream pie is up there. But there you have it. I just have repeat my Stuart Smalley mantra, “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it people like me.”

Ingredients

Filling Ingredients

3 cups Whole Milk

3 Eggs Yolks

¾ cup Sugar, White Granulated

⅓ cup Flour, White

¼ tsp Salt

1.50 tsp Vanilla Extract

2 tbsp Butter

4 Bananas: 3-4 Large Bananas; 4-5 Small Bananas

Whipped Cream Topping

1 cup Whipping Cream

1 tbsp Granulated Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla

Graham Cracker Crust

1.25 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs

¼ cup Granulated Sugar

5 tbsp Melted Butter

Directions

Making the Crust

Mix Graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter in a bowl with a spoon. Placed buttered crumbs in a nice pie plate. (This pie deserves a nice pan!) Note: At some point, I’m going to try smushing a banana into this mixture. I’ll keep you posted!

With your fingers, press down the crust and do your best to make an even crust that pushes up the sides of the pie plate. Bake the crust at 375 for 7-8 minutes. Do not overbrown!

Making The Filling

Pour 3 cups whole milk into sauce pan and scald. Stir to make sure it does not brown. Turn off heat.

Mix sugar, salt, and flour together. Slowly whisk into milk. Turn heat back on. Cook for five minutes, stirring regularly. The mixture will thicken and start to turn pudding-y. But you’re not done yet! Cover for two minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally.

Beat the egg yolks. Take a few large spoonfuls of the warm milk mixture, and whisk into the eggs. Whisk constantly to keep the eggs from cooking. Pour egg mixture into milk, whisking continuously. Mix in vanilla and butter as well. Cook for one more minute. Then turn off the heat and let it sit. Nice work!

You are ready to spoon this into the pie once it cools down to luke-warmish and not scalding hot. 120 degrees is just fine.

Whipping the Cream and Assembling the pie

Slice bananas thinly – 1/4″ slices. I like a more banana-y pie, but go with your preference. Lay the 2/3 of the sliced bananas at the bottom of the pie.

Spoon 1/2 of the pudding mixture over the bananas, spread the remaining bananas over that mixture, then spoon in the rest of the pudding. Chill. (Both you and the pie!)

Using a Kitchen Aid Mixer or whatever you have, whip whipping cream, slowly adding sugar and vanilla, until solid peaks form. (Note: My next time I make this, I’m using the leftover egg whites to make a merengue. I’ll keep you posted)

Spoon whipping cream over pie filling and smooth out evenly. If you just use half the whipping cream, it does a nice job and saves you a whole lot of calorie guilt. Or . . . Go for it and use it all! Chill for at least two hours.

Cut beautiful slices and serve, immediately achieving hero status!

Silver Palate Wild Rice Salad

My friend Kim brought this over for Friendsgiving Dinner and it was a huge hit! She told me that she got the recipe from The Silver Palate cookbook and I felt a wave of nostalgia. I used that cookbook so much in the 80s and 90s and I loved it! Somehow, I lost that book an my moves around, so I’m grateful to Kim for reminding me. The recipe feels fresh and filling, and is a great dish to serve at home or at a pot luck.

Ingredients

1 cup Wild Rice

4 cups Vegetable or Chicken Stock

2 tsp Kosher Salt

2 tsp Black Pepper

1 Orange, Zest and Juice

⅓ cup Olive Oil

¼ cup Mint, choppedThis is essential. It brightens the whole dish!

1 bunch, green onions, chopped

1 cup Pecans, chopped or halves

1 cup Dried Fruit, Raisins, Cherries, Apricots, or CranberriesCherries and Apricots open eyes and palates more than raisins and cranberries.

Directions

Cook rice in the broth, 30-45 minutes, until done. Don’t overcook!

Add all ingredients. Serve within 2 hours if you can. If refrigerating, let come back to room temp before serving.

Quiche – So Hot Right Now – Quiche

Why don’t I make quiche more often? That’s what I always say after I make this quiche! There was a funny book published in 1982, Real Mean Don’t Eat Quiche, by Bruce Feirstein, that nearly destroyed the American Quiche industry. The whole point of his humor was that such thinking is male lunacy! Dudes! It’s OK! A slice of quiche and a side salad is a spectacular lunch or dinner. The problem is, two slices make it even better.

Ingredients

1 Pie Crusts, Refrigerated, or use Martha Stewart’s awesome recipe .

5 Eggs, beaten

¼ cup Milk (Whatever you’ve got – we are whole milk people) – The creamier the better.

½ tsp Salt

1 tsp Pepper

1 tbsp Italian Seasonings (or your favorite – herbes de Provence, parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme)

2 tbsp White Flour

Egg Mixture

Pick Your Cheese!

¾ cup Cheese mixture. Cheddar with a little parmesan is nice. Swiss or Gruyere works. Shredded Mexican blend is excellent. Whatever is in your fridge!)

One Cup of Any of the Following Fillings . . .

1 cup Sausage and Grilled Onions

1 cup Sautéed Broccoli

1 cup Sautéed Spinach and Mushroom

1 cup Sautéed Asparagus

1 cup Bacon and Anything

Directions

Prepare the Crust

Preheat the oven to 350.

Roll out the crust into a pie dish – not too deep of a pie dish, this is not a deep dish apple pie! (Although, that would be really good too!) Try to have the crust go over the edge of the dish. This helps.

Bake the crusts for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Prepare the Egg Mixture

Mix all the ingredients together with a whisk. Set aside.

Prepare the fillings

You get to decide! Either go with what you want, or what’s in your fridge.

I like to sauté veggies until they are almost done. They can finish in the oven.

Putting it all together – It’s so easy

Take the crusts out of the oven.

Add your chosen filling, sprinkle the cheese over that, then pour the egg mixture over everything.

Smooth it all out so that no filling is sticking out of the mixture.

Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Take it out when a knife comes out clean. Enjoy!

Ham on the Green Egg

Ham on the Green Egg is a perfect brunch food. It’s hard to screw up! The ham is already cooked. You’re just giving it some extra flavor and showing off your smoking passion and skill. This recipe is a perfect Easter Recipe. And if you don’t have a big enough crowd to finish the ham, you can freeze the leftovers in small bags, and use them in omelettes, quiche, and a wide variety of recipes. A little ham (or bacon) never hurts any recipe.

Ingredients

1 9-12 Pound Spiral-Cut Ham

½ cup Maple Syrup

Rub Ingredients

2 tbsp Maple Syrup

2 tbsp Black Pepper

2 tbsp Mustard (Whatever Style You Eat with Ham)

1 tbsp Bourbon

1 tbsp Vegetable/Canola Oil

1 tbsp Paprika

1 tbsp Kosher Salt

Glaze

¼ cup Maple Syrup

¼ cup Honey

½ cup Brown Sugar

2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

2 tbsp Instant Coffee

1 tbsp Dry Mustard

¼ cup Orange Juice

2 tbsp Bourbon

Directions

The Night Before . . .

Insert 1/2 cup maple syrup between spiral ham slices. Using a turkey baster works here, but you have to get your clean fingers in there to separate the slices.

Mix all ingredients for the rub together. Spread over entire ham. Tie up the ham with kitchen twine to keep the slices together.

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Putting the Ham on the Green Egg

Heat the Egg or your smoker to 250 degrees.

Bring out the ham 30 minutes prior to adding to Egg. Add some soaked apple wood chips just before you add the ham.

Put the ham on the Green Egg! (I love saying that!)

Keep heating until you reach an internal temperature around 120 degrees. This should take a little less than an hour.

Finishing it Up!

Mix all glaze ingredients together. Heat in a sauce pan or microwave to mix.

After the ham reaches 120 degrees. Start basting every 15 minutes with the glaze.

Take it off the egg at 145 degrees. Cover tightly with foil until ready to serve.

Ham on the Green Egg.

“Put Some Mustard On That!” Warm (or cold!) Potato Salad

My friend Michelle is an amazing cook. She’s also a fantastic teacher and principal, but cooking has remained a big part of her life, and she has been a wonderful source of information and inspiration for me over the years. This is based on one of her PUBLISHED RECIPES! The only reason my recipes are published is that I make this website! She’s the real deal and you can find the original recipe here . I love this recipe. It’s a fantastic go-to potato salad for dinner or a picnic/bbq lunch. My friend Maggie, who is both a great artist and fantastic cook, took the picture below when she made this for a lunch she was hosting. Thanks Maggie!

Ingredients

2 lbs Small Red Potatoes

⅔ cup Mayo

⅓ cup Mustard (I use a mix of grain and dijon)

¾ cup Chopped Red Onion

5 Garlic Cloves, Crushed or Chopped

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Course ground black pepper)

½ Lime, freshly juiced

3 tbsp Freshly chopped dill or parsley or some fresh herbThe original recipe calls for dill, but I prefer the parsley.

3 Green Onions (chopped, for garnish)

Directions

Boil potatoes for 25 minutes – test as they get close. Drain and rinse. If you are a food temperature fanatic (Thermapen fans, unite!) – somewhere between 200 and 210 degrees.

While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the mixture.

Mix all ingredients together except for green onions. This is a mustard heavy version of the recipe. If you’re not a huge mustard fan (I won’t judge), you can replace some of the mustard with Mayo. The original recipe had a 1 cup of mayo and 1/4 cup of mustard.

Cut potatoes into the size you want them. Don’t go too small – the texture is great. I tend to quarter them.

Mix together, add green onions for garnish, and serve warm, or cool down and serve cold. It’s great either way!

Skillet Cornbread

I love cornbread. Always have. I’ve gone through phrases in how I made it. My recipe for years was the Marie Calender’s mix, which was a little sweet, but so easy, and really, really good. Then, my mom made this recipe for me a few years ago. It is a non-sweet cornbread with a super crispy kissed-by-butter exterior. And on top of being the best-tasting cornbread I’ve had, it’s yet one more opportunity to utilize your cast iron skillet. Bring this to a pot luck or your own table and once again, you are a hero for the day!

Ingredients

1 cup Yellow CornmealI used Bob's Red Mill Brand Medium Grind Corn Meal

½ cup All Purpose Flour

1 tsp Salt

1 cup ButtermilkIf you don't have buttermilk, you can use milk with 1 lemon squeezed and set aside for 10 minutes, or 1/2 cup sour cream & 1/2 cup milk

½ cup Whole MilkLowfat is OK too. We're a whole milk family.

1 Egg

1 tbsp Baking Powder

½ tsp Baking Soda

1 tbsp Canola Oil

3 tbsp Butter

Directions

Mix Cornmeal, Flour, and Salt in a large bowl.

Add (without stirring) all remaining ingredients except butter and canola oil.

Hand stir (no mixer) and mix well with a large spoon. A few lumps are good. It’s not as thick as you think it should be – thinner than pancake batter – but that’s OK.

Place 9″ or 10″ cast iron skillet and in 450 degree oven for 5 minutes. It will begin to smoke.

Note: If you are doubling the recipe, a 12″ cast iron skillet is perfect.

Take the skillet out, then add butter and canola oil. Let the butter melt, then pour in the cornbread mixture.

Bake for 15-20 minutes at 450 degrees, until the top is brown and the sides pull away from the edges of the skillet. If you are a Thermapen temperature geek like me, the center should be at least 185 degrees.

Jilly’s Chili (2014 Malibu West Chili Cook-Off Winner!)

Every Halloween, we get a LOT of trick or treaters at our house. Like 500. Kind of crazy. We always have hot dogs, hot links, cole slaw, and chili for any of our friends who want to take a short break. They can get some food and a beverage while thier kids count and/or trade their loot. Jilly’s Chili is the star of the show. People know it’s no ordinary chili. She won the Malibu West Chili Cookoff, and Jilly’s name is perpetually engraved on the Malibu West Chili Cook Off plaque. Yes – That is big. Really big. She deserves it. Jilly’s Chili is vegetarian, it’s real, and it’s spectacular.

Ingredients

1 Can Kidney Beans, drained

1 Can Black Beans, drained

1 Can Pinto Beans, drained

1 Can Garbanzo Beans, drained

1 cup Corn, Frozen or Fresh

1 Red Pepper, diced

1 Green Pepper, diced

2 Carrots, peeled and diced

1 Red Onion, diced

28 oz Crushed Tomatoes

1 cup Vegetable Broth

5 Garlic Cloves, minced

1.50 tsp Chili Powder

1 tsp Cumin

1 tsp Corriander

1 tsp Cocoa Powder, unsweetened (Ghirardelli is great stuff)

½ tsp Garlic Powder

⅛ tsp Cayenne Pepper

½ tsp Salt

1 tsp Smoked Paprika

3 tbsp Butter

Optional Toppings: Shredded Cheddar Cheese, Sour Cream, Chives,

Directions

Chop the garlic, onion, and bell peppers. Sauté lightly in a large pot over medium high heat in 1-2 tsp olive oil.

Add the rest of the ingredients, except for the toppings of course! Sauté for at least one hour. It’s even better on day 2.

Chicken Wings

Wings are something I’ve always enjoyed, but I’ve never made them until recently. I’m a fried chicken lover, but it’s so much work, and until I get an outdoor fryer, I’m steering clear. When I do, chickens and catfish beware! These wings are not too hard to make, and the results are fantastic.

Ingredients

1.50 lbs Chicken Wings, per person

BBQ Rub or Marinade*

¾ cup Cholula Hot Sauce Or Your Favorite Hot Sauce

8 oz Butter (1 stick)

⅛ cup White Vinegar

½ tsp Garlic Salt

Directions

Sprinkle some Arkibu Rub or Salt and Pepper on the wings at least one hour before cooking. Doing it overnight is even better. You can also marinate it in Hot Sauce or Teriyaki sauce or Korean Marinade. I recommend the rub before and the sauce after.

Preheat oven to 350 and get a grill or your Big Green Egg going at about 400 degrees.

Put seasoned wings on a rimmed baking sheet or in a 9×13 pan and roast in the oven for about 20 minutes. Remove and head outside.

Put the wings over direct heat for about 5 minutes, then turn and heat for another 5 minutes. They should be beautifully crisped up by now. You don’t need to sauce them up on the grill.

Make the sauce. Melt the butter, and add hot sauce, vinegar, and garlic salt.

Put wings in a big stainless steel bowl, pour sauce over them, and move the bowl around so that the wings spin around until they are coated and ready to go. (This is what restaurants call the “hand spun” wings. Such a crazy way to describe a simple process.)

Add some green onions or blue cheese sauce if you like. I like having celery too, as it turns this into a health food dish.