Coastal Cooking Online

Spencer’s Fresh Food Market is roughly two blocks from my house… give or take a half block. A local supermarket is–in this day and age–irreplaceable because it’s the most efficient, convenient place to go for manager’s specials and other discount pricing when you know the staff. Get to know your grocer, and you’ll get to know when items are scheduled to be marked down, when prices are due to rise, and if (on those rare occasions) you need an order for an item or two not currently in stock. My own market provides better prices than any other local grocer as well as the farmer’s market for VERY fresh, locally grown produce and/or meats. I also stock up on organically grown, canned or frozen vegetables and fruits when on sale, and local meats at a deep discount. My advice? Get to know your local grocer!

 Here’s a simple, quick, inexpensive recipe for a satisfying main dish (with wine, of course) for your dinner enjoyment:

•  1 + 1/2 cup Chardonnay wine
• 1 can chicken broth
• 1 can condensed, cream of chicken soup
• 4 cups diced, cooked, boneless chicken
• 2 16 ounce packages frozen vegetable mix for stew
• 1 16 ounce package frozen, cut green beans (or equivalent fresh green beans)
• 1 clove fresh garlic, minced
• 1 Tablespoon minced, fresh thyme
• 1/4 cup plain, nonfat yogurt

Place wine, broth, and diced chicken into a large stock pot and heat over low burner until the mixture just begins to bubble. Add canned cream of mushroom soup and frozen vegetables; stir well Simmer, covered,  over low heat for approximately 15 - 25 minutes until vegetables have softened. Carefully stir in minced garlic, thyme and yogurt. Cook over very low heat for an additional 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly. Turn off burner, cover and allow to stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

 Makes up to 10 servings (can be stored for future lunches), and is excellent with salad and a slice of bread. Consider fresh berries or other fruit for dessert.

Lest anyone think all I do is cook up preserves, it might  be useful to give some background on how versatile those jars can be. In spite of the cooking I do (and have done for years), preserves used to seem intimidating. Then diabetes hit a member of my immediate family. I was surprised to realize how much sugar is in everything, including salad dressing. Having cooked with wine over the decades, I began playing around with wines and fruit. First of all, I discovered soaking fruits or dried fruits in wine means little or no sugar is required for some very tasty treats. Then I started playing around with those little jars. My last blog included a recipe for Curried California Fruit Mince–this makes a very tasty dressing with a few additions and amazingly little time. The recipe for a full meal salad with dressing follows:

Curried California Fruit Dressing is a fast, easy recipe anyone can whip up in less than three minutes. You’ll need a blender.

Place all ingredients in your blender and liquify. Store in a clean, airtight jar in the refrigerator or serve immediately.

Sensational Syrah Salad is a meal in and of itself. To prepare, soak 3 ounces packaged, sundried tomatoes in 1/2 cup Falcon Nest 2003 Syrah.

It takes several hours for sundried tomatoes to rehydrate unless boiled, so you can begin soaking these in the wine in a clean jar first thing in the morning. I keep mine in the refrigerator. When dinner time rolls around, drain the sundried tomatoes (reserving the liquid for a later recipe), and in a large bowl, place the following:

*Note: my local grocer will confirm that I buy copious amounts of Babe Farms Continental Salad blend, though any organic baby salad greens will do.

Add dressing, toss lightly and serve with a glass of Falcon Nest 2003 Syrah (if possible) for a heart healthy, light meal. This recipe is enough to serve 4-6 people, depending on appetite. I bake bread nearly every day of my life and have an active sourdough starter… this salad is great with a slice or two of sourdough bread.

Have I mentioned dancing? Dance is terrific, fun exercise. I’ve an exercise bike gathering dust & rust in my garage plus a treadmill in my living room that’s very handy for stacking things on. Trust me, I understand how challenging it can be… life should be truly enjoyed, so eat great tasting food and dance!