Broccoli Parmesan Fritters

This recipe came in our CSA box a few weeks ago and I finally got around to trying it.  Andrew said they were better than he thought they would be.  I loved them and they were easy to make...and easy to convert to gluten free.  I think they would work fine with frozen broccoli in the winter as well!

Broccoli Parmesan Fritters 

4 c finely chopped broccoli

2 eggs, beaten

1/3 c flour ( I just used my favorite gluten-free blend)

1/3 c finely grated Paremesan (I packed it in)

1 clove garlic minced

1/2 tsp salt

few grinds fresh black pepper

pinch of red pepper flakes

Cook broccoli until it's soft (I did this in the microwave for time sake).  Let it cool a bit.  

Meanwhile, mix the egg, flour, cheese, and spices together. Add the broccoli and smash together a bit.  

Heat a pan with a bit of oil or butter and drop by about 2-3 T mounds.  I used a 1/4 measuring cup not completely full and then used the bottom to flatten the fritters a bit.  Cook until brown, about 2-3 minutes, flip over and cook until brown on the other side.  Enjoy!

Lamb Meatballs

Quick and simple but oh so tasty.

Lamb Meatballs

1 egg

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1 clove garlic, minced

1 lb ground lamb

Beat egg and mix in spices.  Then, mix in ground lamb.  Put on broiler pan that you've sprayed with a little bit of oil.  Use a tablespoon to make meatballs.  Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes.  Let rest on pan and enjoy!

Swiss Chard Stems Ala Yummy...Not Yucky!

Not a big fan of cooked greens like spinach or Swiss chard unless I can hide them in something.   But, the leaves go great in a frittata...try this recipe on for size.  And, frittata's are easily adaptable.  Ours had leftover roasted chicken and no cheese last night. 

But, what about those darn stems though on the Swiss chard.  Boy howdy, have I got a way for you!

Swiss Chard Stems Ala Yummy...Not Yucky!

1 or 2 bunches of Swiss chard stems...rainbow ones are nice
1-2 T. melted butter
2-3 T. finely shredded Parmesan or more to taste

Parboil the stems, i.e. bring a pot of water to a boil and toss the stems in for 3-5 minutes.  This gets rid of any bitter taste and precooks the darn things.   Drain and run some cold water over them. Then, spread in a glass baking dish.  Drizzle with the melted butter and Parmesan.  Put in the broiler for about 5 minutes or until the Parmesan is melted and bubbly.  Serve with salt to taste and enjoy!

Note: I don't remember where I originally saw this recipe.  So, it's very much not an original.  It is good though and I actually ate it in my lunch as a leftover which is a high mark indeed.

Beef Satay

This is one of our favorite meals but we almost forgot about it because the recipe was written down on a piece of scrap paper...so, I'm making sure I'm getting it on here before I do lose it!

Beef Satay

Mix together in large bowl:

2 T peanut butter

3 cloves garlic, chopped

3 T rice vinegar (or fresh lime juice if you have some on hand)

1-2 tsp ginger powder or 1 1/2 in chopped fresh ginger

1/3 c. soy sauce

2 tsp sugar

Thinly slice 1 lb sirloin and add it to the marinade.  Marinate for 1/2 hour to all day.  Whatever you have time for ;)

Strain the liquid from the beef.  Put beef in 9x13 glass dish and broil for 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, bring the liquid you strained from the beef to boil in small saucepan.  Stir the meat and broil another 5 minutes.  Combine boiled liquid and beef.  Serve over rice or quinoa.

Civic duty?

I described myself as frumpy this morning.  I am never going to be accused of being a "cute" pregnant woman.  But, after seeing this picture, one co-worker had this to say, "So cool!! Thanks for helping make Salem hip."  Really, hip?  Probably not, but I'm going to take it where I can get it.  The ironic thing is, it's actually Andrew's ballot.  I decided not to vote because I'm an Independent and didn't have too many choices in the Primary.  Oh well, the picture turned out better than anticipated.

May 16th Statesman Journal