Chickpea Patties

I found the recipe that this is based on on the Chowhound boards a few months ago. The poster described it as falafel, but, since the chickpeas are cooked and other veggies are included, I don't really consider the description accurate. However, that doesn't stop it from being a good last-minute dinner option that can be cooked with ingredients you probably have on-hand.

Chickpea Patties

• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 carrot, shredded
• 1 small zucchini, shredded
• 1/2 small onion, minced
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 2 tablespoons flour
• more flour for dusting
• olive oil

Toss the chickpeas in a food processor, and process until they're broken up. You want some chunks left. Stir in vegetables and spices. Add just enough flour so the mixture holds together. Form into walnut sized balls, flatten, and roll in flour.

Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook patties for three to four minutes each side, until golden brown.

This can be eaten in pita bread like falafel. Serve with tahini or another flavorful sauce. These can also be baked to cut down on fat content.

Lazy Peanut Butter Cookies

My husband is a peanut butter fanatic. I love easy recipes with very few ingredients. When I stumbled across a recipe for peanut butter cookies made with only three ingredients, I knew it was something I had to try. And no, the lack of flour is not a typo. These come out exactly like traditional peanut butter cookies.


Stupid Easy Peanut Butter Cookies

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg

Mix all ingredients until combined. Preheat oven to 350. Drop walnut sized blobs of cookie dough onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake for about 8 minutes. They should be lightly browned. Don't worry if they seem really soft. They will firm up as they cool.

Restaurant Review - Ozona Blue

One of the things I love about the marina where we keep our boat is the little restaurant across the canal. They have live music a few nights a week, and I enjoy sitting on the deck of the boat with a beer or a glass of wine taking advantage of the free sounds.

The restaurant is pretty pricey, but in a uniquely Floridian way. I can't think of many other places where sweaty folks in cut offs can buy a dry aged steak for lunch. The food is high end, but the atmosphere is decidedly casual.

Simon and I went there today to grab a quick bite after sanding the finish on the boat. As ever, we were very happy with what we got.

It's not a place for microbrews, but, there are a couple decent macrobrews on the menu. I grabbed an Ozona Lager, which is actually Budweiser American Red in disguise. Simon had a Yeungling.

One of the best things on the menu here is also the cheapest. Their seafood gumbo is one of the best I've had, anywhere. It's mildly spicy, and has a generous portion of firm and flavorful fish, shrimp and scallops.

I also ordered a dish I was trying for the first time, the Atlantic Salmon Flatbread:

They make the flatbread in-house, and cover it with smoked salmon, feta, capers, onion and sour cream. The texture of the bread was nice and crispy. The salmon perfectly set off by the capers and onions. I'm not crazy about the appearance of the sour cream squiggles across the top, but, other than that, this is a great dish.

Cooking with the Kansas Dad

My friend Lon has been posting pics of his cooking for years. He's a great cook, and has just launched a YouTube-based cooking show. Definitely worth checking out.

Currants!

It still feels like it's in the 90s outside, but fall fruits are already starting to show up in stores. Today, I found one of my favorites:

Red currents! They are not even a bit local (Florida is too hot) but I still treat myself to them a few times each fall. I love the tart flavor and their translucent glow.

Usually, I just eat them out of hand. I get too few to ever cook with them. Readers who live in places where currants are more plentiful: what are your favorite ways to use these fruits?

Soup for the Lazy

I came up with this one night when nobody was that hungry, but I was sort of craving Chinese, and also had some tofu that needed to be used.  Wound up with a real easy and tasty hot and sour soup. The best part is that this is really quick, which is an asset in any soup you are cooking during the summer.


Lazy Hot and Sour Soup

• 6 cups water
• medium sized handful dried slivered tree ear mushrooms
• 1/2 block tofu, cut into strips
• 4 chicken bullion cubes
• a couple of cups of bok choi, chopped
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• big glug hot sauce
• 2 teaspoons corn starch

Bring the water to a boil and toss in the mushrooms. Turn off the heat and let them sit until tender. Package says 30 minutes, but I find it's more like 10. Turn the heat back on to medium and add the rest of the ingredients, except the corn starch. Simmer about 5 minutes. Take a ladle-full of hot soup, and stir in the corn starch. Mix this all back into the pot, and give it a minute or two to thicken a bit and for the raw flavor of the corn starch to cook off.

When looking at recipes online, I found that most include dried lily blossoms. I've seen these in Asian grocery stores, but always forget to pick some up. I'll grab a pack some time when I'm shopping, just to have on hand.

Refrigerator fermentation!

Just a quickie post to point you to an exciting post on a great blog. Tigress in a Pickle (gawds, I love the name of that blog) has a recipe for refrigerator fermented pickles.

I ferment things in the winter months, but, it's too hot here in the summer to get anything other than a mold-furred, smelly mess.

Having a few fantastic, homemade ingredients on-hand is a great way to make excellent meals quickly. I will be trying out these pickles, since they look super easy and delicious.