Grammy and Grandpa's Travels and Good Eats

I have been thinking about adding a section to my blog for traveling about and eating at some of the really good places we have found along the way.  We love to do road trips but occasionally we actually get on a plane.  Note:  Hawaii is hard to drive to.  This past year has been what we call our "50th Year".  This simply means that in November we will celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary so we  dedicated  the year to getting out and traveling around and, of course, eating out.  I wish I had thought of this idea sooner because we have seen and done some really neat things this year and we ate at some really good places.  So, I am going to start collecting what I need and posting some of our finds for anyone else that is wanting to visit some of our favorite places and eat at some of what we consider favorite places.  I do want to let you know that we live in the northern end of the state of California. We are located within just a few hours of some really amazing places.   In fact, we live in a beautiful area near Mt. Shasta and I hope to put some of our local favorites on here too.  As usual, I will also continue to share my favorite old and new recipes with you.  I hope you enjoy this new twist to Grammy's Kitchen.    When my hubby John and I are not in the kitchen we are probably gone or planning our next trip to somewhere.

Cream Cheese Spreads

I am always looking for quick and easy things to make when company comes calling.  Years ago I would keep purchased cheese spreads in the fridge and crackers in the pantry.  Well, that can be expensive so I decided to make up my own spreads.  Hubby and I both really like sun dried tomatoes, garlic and salmon.  That is how the variations came about.  The spreads will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days and they are soooo tasty.  I hope you will give them a try and that you enjoy them.

Sun Dried Tomato Cheese Spread

Basic Cheese Spread with Garlic

                           CREAM CHEESE SPREADS

Basic Spread:

1 8 ounce pkg. Cream Cheese - room temperature (this can be regular or 1/3 less fat)

2 teaspoons White Wine Vinegar 

2 med. cloves Garlic - minced very fine (I use my garlic press or zester)

1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt

1/8 teaspoon Fresh Ground Pepper

Using a mixer, cream the Cream Cheese. Mix in the Vinegar, Garlic, Salt and Pepper. Mix well. Refrigerate and serve chilled with crackers.

Variations:

Sun Dried Tomato Spread:

To one batch of ‘Basic Spread’ add:

2 tablespoons Sun Dried Tomatoes (in oil but drained) - coarse chopped

1 Green Onion - chopped

Salmon Spread:

To one batch of ‘Basic Spread’ add:

1 teaspoon fresh Lemon Juice

1  small can Salmon - drained

2 teaspoon drained Capers - chopped 

1 teaspoons chopped fresh Dill

1 Green Onion - chopped

Cheesy Buttery Biscuit Sticks

When our three sons were growing up I worked, either away or in our home.  That was the time of 'the super mom'.  I could do it all and handle it all...  Don't even begin to ask me how I did all the things I did.  I remember burning the candle at both ends and in the middle.  I got up early, ran all day and stayed up late at night to get everything done.  I was like most of the women of my generation.  Most of us didn't have big major positions in corporations but we certainly had jobs, family and all that.  I think the hardest thing of all was trying to figure out what to fix for dinner.  I know that sounds funny but we didn't have the fast food options and the take outs that are available today.  Besides, we didn't have a lot of extra money to spend on food so nearly all meals were prepared at home.  I remember always having bread on the table when I was growing up so there was always bread on my table.  I have always considered it part of a complete meal and what a great way to help fill up those growing boys of ours.  This recipe for Cheesy Buttery Biscuit Sticks was one of my favorite quick and easy breads.  They were always good and so very fresh!  Besides that, I always had the ingredients in the pantry and fridge.

 Cheesy Buttery Biscuit Sticks

1/4 cup Butter, melted

1 1/4 cups Flour

2 teaspoons granulated Sugar

2 teaspoons Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/2 cup Cheddar Cheese, grated (optional, of course)

2/3 cup Milk

Preheat oven to 450˚.  In your oven or microwave, melt Butter in an 8 or 9 inch square pan - just until melted.  I like to use a glass baking dish for these Biscuit Sticks.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the Flour, Sugar, Baking Powder and Salt.  Toss in the grated Cheddar Cheese.  Add Milk to dry ingredients and stir just until dough clings together.  Sprinkle a little flour onto your board and knead lightly about 10 times.  Pat the dough out to 1/2 inch thick and 8 or 9 inches square, to fit your pan.  With a floured knife, cut the dough in half, and then into sticks about 1 inch wide.  You should have 16 to 18 Biscuit Sticks. Dip each stick, turning over in the melted butter to coat, and place into two rows in your pan.  Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown.  Serve hot.

Makes 16 to 18 Buttery Biscuit Sticks.

Taco Salad

I grew up here in California, a long time ago - the 50's and 60's.  There were no Mexican Restaurants in our town, I know this is hard to believe since there is one on nearly every corner now.  I was introduced to Tacos while camping with a friend and her family.  They were simply warmed corn tortillas, ground beef, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes and the 'salsa' was actually Tabasco Sauce.  Later in life, like the late 60's and 70's, I learned about enchiladas, quesadillas, nachos, tostadas and taco salads. I have actually been to Mexico and I saw that their food is usually a little bland, compared to what we think of as Mexican Flavor.  I cook what is probably more of a Tex Mex Flavor but I call it more of a Cali Mex Style.  Here, in California, we like lots of fresh veggies and lots of flavor.  Food doesn't have to be spicy hot to have lots of flavor.

                                            TACO SALAD

1 tablespoon Oil

1 small Onion, chopped

2 cloves Garlic, chopped

1 pound Ground Beef

1 to 2  tablespoons Chili Powder (to your taste)

1/2 teaspoon Salt and 1/4 teaspoon Pepper

1 can (14.5 ounce size) Chopped or Diced Tomatoes, with juice

1 can (8 ounce size) Tomato Sauce

1 cup Water

Tortilla Chips, broken

Lettuce, thin sliced

In a large deep fry pan, over medium heat, brown Onion, Garlic and Ground Beef in oil.  Add Chili Powder, Salt and Pepper into beef mixture.  Break up the tomatoes so that they are pretty small (I use my hands to smash up the tomatoes) and add them to the meat mixture.  Mix in the water and continue to cook on low heat for approximately 15 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened slightly.  You want a little juice left in the mixture!

Place broken Tortilla Chips on your plate, top with the cooked Ground Beef mixture and then top with Lettuce.

More Topping Suggestions:

Tomato, chopped small

Avocado, chopped or sliced

shredded Cheddar Cheese

Black Olives

Salsa (I keep prepared salsas in the pantry)

Sour Cream

Serves 4

Salmon Tacos

This summer my hubby, John, and I have done a lot of traveling around California, Oregon, Nevada and even touched into the corners of Arizona and Utah.  We visited lots of family and friends.  We ate a lot of really great food and enjoyed it all.  I created this recipe because we really enjoyed some fish tacos in Newport, Oregon.  Last night I had some salmon so I figured, why not make tacos.  Of course, you can use any kind of fish you like but I am partial to the salmon.

Fish Tacos have become very popular and if you haven't had them, I encourage you to give them a try.    I have always seen white fish on them and it can be prepared in many ways.  The tacos can be on corn or flour tortillas.  There is usually thin sliced cabbage on top and many variations of additional toppings.  This is the version we had for dinner last night.  I hope you enjoy them....

                                             

                                                                 Salmon Tacos

1/2 lb. Salmon, well seasoned

Cooking spray, like Pam

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

4 cups Shredded Cabbage (or 1/2 bag already shredded cabbage)

1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped

1 Tomato, diced

2 Green Onions, chopped

1 Lime

1/2 cup Sour Cream

2-3 teaspoons Milk

4 large Flour Tortillas 

Hot Sauce (I like Frank’s Hot Sauce or Tabasco)

Season the Salmon generously on both sides (with whatever seasoning you prefer). You can use Lemon Pepper, or your favorite spicy seasoning.  I used my own recipe for Secret Seasoning.  Spray a grill pan with cooking spray and heat it on high.  Cook the Salmon for about 3 minutes on each side.  Use a fork to see into the thickest part to see if it is done to your likeness.  I like mine med. rare and that is still pretty pink in the center.  Remember that when you cook anything, less done is usually best, more flavor and more tender. Remove Salmon to a plate and then pour the tablespoon of Olive Oil over the Salmon for moisture.  I then break it up into large chunks. Be sure you remove any bones that you can see!

Prepare the Sour Cream Lime Sauce by combining the Sour Cream, juice from 1/2 Lime and Milk.

Combine the Shredded Cabbage with the chopped Cilantro. 

Heat a dry fry pan to hot and warm the tortillas on each side.  I like mine to get hot and slightly crispy on each side.  This only takes a very short time.

To assemble your Tacos, divide the ingredients between the Tortillas.  On one side of the hot tortilla, pile on the cooked Salmon, Cabbage mixture, diced Tomatoes and then the Green Onion, a generous squeeze of lime and then garnish with the Cilantro Lime Sauce.  Add the Hot Sauce to suit your taste.  Fold the other side of the tortilla over.  These are meant to be eaten with your hands.  

Serves 2

Secret Seasoning

I know, calling something secret and then posting it here is kind of silly.  But, I just couldn't think of a catchier name.  This Secret Seasoning is a recipe that John and I came up with after we had traveled around and seen a gazillion different Seasonings, Rubs and Such.  How do you decide on which one you really like?  Well, we like a little spice (or maybe a little more than that).  We like a little sweet (not a lot of that).  Most of all we like a whole lot of flavor.  I would say that the secret ingredient in this seasoning is the coffee (don't worry, there won't be any grit or grounds when you're done).  I like when I can make something right off my spice rack.  Brands don't seem to matter here but I do like to use good quality and fresh spices.  I am giving you recipes for a small batch and a big batch.  I prefer to make big batches so I always have it handy.  Just store it in an airtight container until you're ready to use it.  Our Secret Seasoning is really great on just about everything, except maybe desserts and oatmeal.  We love it on our grilled veggies, beef, chicken, fish, pork, and especially on those slow cooked ribs.  That's a later post... Give this Secret Seasoning a try and let me know what you think.

                               Secret Seasoning

Small Batch:

2 tablespoons Salt

2 tablespoons Coffee (use your favorite kind but grind very fine)

2 tablespoons Chili Powder

2 tablespoons Paprika

1 tablespoon Black Pepper

1 tablespoon Brown Sugar

1 tablespoon Dry Powdered Mustard

1 tablespoon Ground Cumin

1 tablespoon Granulated Garlic

1 tablespoon Misquite Seasoning

Combine all of these great ingredients and use as a rub or sprinkle generously over your favorite meats or vegetable.  Grill to your liking.  

Big Batch 

1/2 cup Salt

1/2 cup Coffee (use your favorite kind but grind very fine)

1/2 cup Chili Powder

1/2 cup Paprika

1/4 cup Black Pepper

1/4 cup Brown Sugar

1/4 cup Dry Powdered Mustard

1/4 cup Ground Cumin

1/4 cup Granulated Garlic

1/4 cup Misquite Seasoning

Combine all of these ingredients and use as a rub or sprinkle it generously over your favorite meats or vegetables.  Grill to your liking!  Store any extra Secret Seasoning in an airtight container.

Couscous Salad

We have been traveling around California, Nevada, Utah and Oregon.  We even crossed over the northeastern tip of Arizona.  We covered a lot of miles and really enjoyed ourselves.  We visited with cousins in Las Vegas and Palm Springs.  We saw a dear friend who recently moved from Las Vegas to St. George, Utah.  While in Oregon we visited with my sister and her husband.  Then we traveled to Eureka, Ca. to visit with our youngest son and his family, as well as my Mom.  Now, we are home but leaving tomorrow to pick up our teenage grandson.  He will be visiting with us for about a week.  We will see if he is up to playing in Grammy's Kitchen.

Food is always on my mind and we ate very well on this trip.  Thank you to everyone who cooked for us and suggested places for us to try. They were all wonderful and I would visit each of them again.  I came home with so many things on my mind and it has taken me time to organize my thoughts and to get something posted.  You all know I love Costco and that I like to buy their rotisserie chickens.  I wanted to make a chicken salad but I ended up making a Couscous Salad that is very yummy, with or without the chicken.  Oh, I should tell you that I also have a thing for Mangos.  Add this recipe to your collection of salads to serve your guests.  I think I may be making it for our Holiday Party this year, if I can find ripe Mangos then.  Oh, the best way to know that your Mangos are ripe is to gently squeeze them in your hand.  They should have a nice give to them and feel like a ripe Avocado, not squishy.

                                             Couscous Salad

2 cups Cooked Couscous (prepared according to instructions on package and cooled)

Dressing:

Zest from 1 Lime

Juice from 2 Limes

1 clove Garlic, chopped fine

2 fresh Serrano Peppers, with seeds removed and chopped fine

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/4 teaspoon Pepper

Whisk dressing ingredients together in a small bowl.  Pour dressing over Couscous and toss lightly.

Add in:

2 Mangos, cut in medium size cubes

1/2 cup fresh Cilantro, chopped fine

1/2 cup Red Onion, chopped fine

2 cups Cooked Chicken chopped in medium cubes (I use the rotisserie chicken from Costco)

Ripe Avocado, sliced for garnish on top

Toss everything together lightly and refrigerate until chilled.  This salad can be prepared a day ahead and keeps well for 2 days.  I served mine on a bed of Butter Lettuce and with a little Sour Cream Sauce as a garnish.  

Sour Cream Lime Sauce Garnish:

1/2 cup Sour Cream

Juice from 1/2 lime

2 teaspoons Milk (to thin the sauce)

Combine these ingredients and put into a plastic squeeze container with a small opened tip - like catsup or mustard containers.  Of course, you can use a spoon if you don’t happen to have a container.   

Serves 4