KerriansKitchen

KN, p. 291 Portuguese Veggie Dish – Peppers and Zucchini

June 8, 2022

Our trip to mainland Portugal was a food adventure to be sure. We always ask for, but rarely get, all the special secrets for some of the dishes we try. BUT, a generous chef at a Porto bed & breakfast not far from the train station, shared this wonderful vegetable recipe with us.

 

Sheila replicated it at home, so we know the cook authentically shared her list of ingredients. We came up with the proportions ourselves, but after our usual trial-and-error tasting sessions, it now looks and tastes the same as the original to us. They served it at breakfast alongside the eggs and pastries, but we have enjoyed it at every meal of the day.

 

Portuguese Veggie Dish - Peppers and Zucchini

Sheila Kerrian
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Portuguese
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • about 1/2 cup (1 small) Carrot
  • 1/2 cup green Bell Pepper
  • 1/2 cup red Bell Pepper
  • 1/2 cup yellow (or orange) Bell Pepper
  • about 2 cups (1 medium) Zucchini
  • 1 Tablespoon Avocado Oil olive oil can be substituted, but the flavor will be quite different
  • 1 teaspoon Garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried Oregano

Instructions
 

  • Wash carrot, peppers, and zucchini.
  • Peel carrot, then cut into 3" Julienne strips, about 1/2 cup.
  • Remove seeds from peppers, then cut into 3" Julienne strips, about 1/2 cup each of green, red, and yellow peppers.
  • Peel zucchini, then cut into 3" Julienne strips, about 2 cups.
  • Place all veggies and avocado oil into large saute pan on medium heat.
  • Add garlic, sea salt, and onion, and toss with veggies and oil until well coated.
  • Cover and lower temperature, and simmer for 5 minutes, then stir.
  • Add oregano and toss with veggies.
  • Continue to simmer until crisp tender, about another 5 minutes.

 

 

KNR, p. 286 “Puttanesca Sauce” (Staten Island Gravy)

March 24, 2022

Our good friend and enthusiastic cook, Chin Bawambi, sent us a recipe for Puttanesca Sauce. Sheila and I followed the recipe and it’s a WOW! We took the photos before and after taste-testing and tried it with pasta as well as beef and chicken dishes. We can honestly say it’s a truly versatile sauce. Guarantee: no bodies were found anywhere on the premises while cooking. Sheila tells me that I did fall asleep on the couch with a satisfied smile after dinner, though. I believe her.

Puttanesca Sauce (Staten Island Gravy)

Chin Bawambi
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 2 hrs 15 mins
Total Time 2 hrs 30 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian

Equipment

  • Crock-pot

Ingredients
  

  • 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes with basil
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon powdered or minced garlic
  • 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, oregano
  • 1 heaping Tablespoon capers
  • 1/4 cup sliced Kalamata olives
  • 1 2 oz can anchovy fillets in olive oil
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Montreal steak seasoning (or to taste)

Instructions
 

  • Turn crock-pot on high.
  • Place crushed tomatoes, sea salt, oregano, and garlic in crock-pot.
  • Drain diced tomatoes and add to crock-pot.
  • Drain and mince capers, add to crock-pot, and blend.
  • Finely chop olive slices, add to crock-pot, and blend.
  • Pour olive oil from the anchovy can, plus the two Tablespoons of olive oil, into the crock-pot, keeping the anchovies in reserve.
  • Finely chop anchovies and add to crock-pot, blending in.
  • Add Montreal steak seasoning.
  • Stir all ingredients thoroughly.
  • Cook on high for 30 minutes, stir and drop temperature to low.
  • Cook an additional 45 minutes, stir again and check for flavor. If needed, add more steak seasoning to taste.
  • Cook for an additional hour.
  • Serve while hot or let cool for a bit and refrigerate up to a week in glass jars.
  • Serve with pasta, poultry, veggies, or meats.

Notes

Yields 48 ounces. We pour the sauce into Ball/Mason jars and refrigerate up to a week if not serving it right away.
Keyword Sauce

KNR, p. 282 “Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake Bars”

December 5, 2021

By now, you know that we love pumpkin in soup, smoothies, cookies, or other desserts. The flavor works well with several different spices and even complements chocolate.

This year, Sheila has been experimenting with ways to make a foolproof pumpkin bar. She tried a few recipes developed by some pretty famous people and found them to be too sweet or too complicated. She finally threw up her hands and created her own.

As always, I was the taste-tester. I might have gained a pound or two while I chomped away on the samples.

 

Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake Bars

Sheila Kerrian
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 45 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 5 Tablespoons cold butter
  • 1 cup pecans, chopped fine
  • 8 ounces softened cream cheese
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
  • 2 extra large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350.
  • Combine flour and brown sugar.
  • Cut in butter until crumbly.
  • Stir in finely chopped pecans, then set aside 1 cup for topping.
  • Lightly butter sides and bottom of 8-inch square baking pan.
  • Press remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan.
  • Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, until edges are lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool.
  • While the crust is baking, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
  • Beat in the pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and pour the mixture evenly over the crust.
  • Sprinkle with set-aside crumb mixture.
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and puffs up in the center.
  • Cool on wire rack and cut into 9 bars.

Notes

May all your holiday snacks be delightfully delicious!

 

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