Quick Tomato Soup

2 celery stalks chopped up
1 medium onion chopped
2 carrots chopped up
2 cloves garlic crushed 
2 -  28 ounce cans of tomatoes with basil in it – Trader Joe’s is good
6 cups chicken stock
Salt and pepper 

If you can’t find tomatoes with basil add a cup of fresh basil to the soup. 
Sauté the celery, onion, carrots until soft. Add the crushed garlic and cook for a few minutes. Add the cans of tomatoes and chicken stock cook for 20 minutes.  Use an emersion blender or regular blender  to make the soup smooth. Add back to the pot to heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. If you like your tomato soup spicy add some of your favorite hot sauce. We eat ours with grilled sourdough and cheese sandwiches! Delicious!  

Lemon Basil Vinaigrette

*great on fish

2 tablespoons virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed with a knife

2 ½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon grated lemon peel

3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil or 3 tablespoon dried basil

2 teaspoons caper


Mix the garlic and the olive oil together.  Let stand for 2 hours.  Take the garlic cloves out of the oil. Mix the oil and all the other ingredients together. 

Tuscan Rice Salad

Original: Epicurious

1 cup Arborio rice or medium grain white rice

¾ teaspoon salt

¼ red wine vinegar

2 tablespoon olive oil (preferably extra-virgin)

1 large egg

1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

1 cup finely diced cooked pork

1 cup frozen petite peas, thawed

1/3 cup chopped red onion

3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

6 large lettuce leaves

1 medium tomato, cut into thin wedges

1. Bring large saucepan of water to boil. Stir in rice and salt. Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered until rice is tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Drain rice well.
2. Whisk vinegar and oil in large bowl. Add warm and toss to coat.
3. Whisk egg and Parmesan cheese in small bowl to blend. Spray medium nonstick skillet with vegetable oil spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add egg mixture and stir constantly until scrambled and cruds are set, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and cool. Cut egg into small pieces. Season to taste with pepper.
4. Stir egg pieces, pork, peas, red onion, and parsley into rice. Season salad to taste with salt and pepper. Line shallow bowl with lettuce leaves. Spoon rice salad onto leaves. Surround with tomato wedges, serve at room temperature. 

Mexican Beef Stew - south of the border favorite!

2 pounds beef stew meat

¼ cup flour

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

¼ cup oil

1 (14 ½ oz.) can beef broth

1 (14 ½ oz.) stewed tomatoes

2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce

1 crushed large garlic clove

1 teaspoon oregano leaves

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cumin

3 large carrots

2 ears corn

1 (15 oz.) can garbanzo beans and liquid

1. Combine flour, seasoned salt and pepper.
2. Coat meat with flour mixture. Brown in oil in Dutch oven.
3. Add beef broth, stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce. Garlic, oregano, salt and cumin.
4. Cut onion into 8 wedges and add to stew.
5. Heat to boiling
6. Reduce heat and boil gently 1 ½ hours or until meat is almost tender.
7. Cut carrots and corn into 1 inch pieces. Add carrots, corn and garbanzo beans to stew.
8. Boil gently covered 30 minutes or until meat and vegetables are tender.
9. Serve with warm flour tortillas.

Chicken Salad Sandwiches with Blue Cheese

Original: Bon Appetit. I've made a few adjustments - more blue cheese, a bit less mayo and lettuce on the sandwich. 

6 of your favorite rolls. We prefer whole wheat rolls. 

6 - 8 ounces’ creamy blue cheese. We like a lot of blue cheese. Adjust according to your taste 

2 cups chopped cooked chicken

2/3 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)

1/4 - 1/3 cup mayonnaise. We prefer a smaller amount of Best Foods/Helmans then heavy mayo. 

1/3 cup thinly sliced green onion  - about 1 onion. You can use sweet onion too if you don't have green. 

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice  - 1/2 lemon

Salt and pepper

Romaine Lettuce-  - it holds up better and provides more crunch 

1. Cut rolls in half horizontally
2. Divide the creamy blue cheese evenly across rolls
3. Combine chicken, celery, mayonnaise, onion, lemon juice, and salt/pepper in a large bowl.
4. Spoon chicken mixture atop roll bottoms
5. Add lettuce to the top 
6. Cover with top halves of rolls
7. Wrap tightly and chill before packing. 

Grilled Tuna with Jicama and Cucumber Relish

1 cup diced peel jicama

1 cup hot house cucumber

½ cup diced red onion

½ cup diced green bell pepper

2 jalapeno chilies, finely chopped

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon oriental sesame oil

2 12 oz. tuna steaks (about 1 inch thick)

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1. Combine first 7 ingredients in medium bowl
2. Season to taste with salt and pepper (can be prepared 6 hours ahead, cover and refrigerate)
3. Preheat grill. 
4. Brush tuna with soy sauce
5. Broil 6 inches from heat until just cooked and still pale pink in center, about 4 minutes per side
6. Top fish with relish and serve. 

Red Potato Salad with Onions

5 ½ cups red skin potatoes, cut into ¾ inch pieces

1 ¼ cup dry white wine

6 tablespoons red wine vinegar

4 tablespoons Dijon mustard

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 ¼ cups olive oil

2 red bell peppers, halved, seeded and cut into thin strips

12 green onions, chopped

1 large red onion, sliced

1 ¼ cups Kalemata olives, pitted and halved

¾ cups PacBell chopped sun dried tomatoes

1 cup fresh chopped parsley

1. Steam potatoes, pour wine over and cool.
2. Mix vinegar, mustard, and garlic in bowl. Whisk in oil.
3. Pour over potatoes.
4. Mix in peppers, onions, olives, and tomatoes.
5. Season with salt and pepper, add parsley and toss to combine.
6. Let stand for 1 hour to marinate.