Italian Sliced Fennel Salad

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Sometimes when I’m posting something ridiculously easy to make here, I think – does this even constitute a real recipe? But this is a classic Italian side dish and I had never tried it. Now, I cannot get enough of it. It is so simple and yet so delicious and healthy. No wonder Italians make it all the time.  So it makes me happy to share it with my family. While this recipe just uses fennel, I’ve been told from one of my Italian friends that her mother used to add raw mushrooms sliced extra thin to the dish – and I’ve read that others add sliced onions. It’s a great side dish and now a staple on my table or when we bring a side dish to a barbecue or other outdoor Summer event.

Traditional Italian Sliced Fennel

Ingredients:

 

  • 1-2 Fennel Bulbs
  • Fruity Olive Oil
  • Juice of 1/2 Lemon
  • Fresh shaved parmesan cheese 
  • Salt and Pepper

 

1. Cut the green stalks and the hard bottom off of the fennel bulbs. 

2. Rinse the fennel bulbs well to remove any dirt or sand.

3. Slice thin.

4. Spread out onto a large plate.

5. Drizzle olive oil , lemon juice and salt and pepper on top. 

6. Then, shave the parmesan cheese on top. Done.

French Steak Butter

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We frequent a French restaurant in Redondo owned and run by a man and wife team. He works hard every day in the kitchen and she runs the front of the house , greeting all of the guests every shift. The food there is amazing and I just love going there because I know how much hard work goes into every meal that comes out of their kitchen. I realized I craved the steak they serve there for one reason – the steak butter he tops it off with that melts onto the meat and plate to be absorbed by his , “pommes frites”. He also drizzles garlic butter on top of the French fries which doesn’t hurt. 

 

French Bistro Steak ButterNow, I make this butter, store it in the fridge and whip it out when we make steak. It really does gives it that simple and delicious  “je ne sais quoi”. 

 

  • Butter, 1/2 to 1 stick 
  • Garlic Clove, 1/4 only smashed
  • Lemon Zest, 1-2 teaspoons
  • Lemon Juice, 1-2 teaspoons
  • Salt and pepper, Pinch to 1/2 teaspoon
  • Fresh Thyme (or fresh green herbs of choice like basil, parsley…) 1-2 teaspoons

 

Bring butter to room temperature to make it easy to mix. Mix ingredients with a fork or food processor (my favorite is a little old-fashioned one called an “Oscar” although there are mini-processors available now in stores). Keep in the fridge or freeze until ready to add to the top of a finished steak right before serving.

Deconstructed One-Pot Roasted Chicken with Vegetables

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I just discovered that I prefer to roast a chicken after it’s been cut up by someone else other than me. Why? It’s just easier. Roast the vegetables together with the chicken.

Roast Fryer with Vegetables in one pan.

Ingredients:

  • 1 Fryer
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Brussel Sprouts
  • Carrots, cleaned and sliced in half
  • Potatoes, rinsed and sliced into large chunks
  • Fennel, cut into chunks
  • Garlic Cloves, peeled and left whole

 

Put all in a roasting pan or a paella dish. Brush or rub with oil (I used coconut oil) , salt and pepper and herbs.

 

Roast at 400 for 65-80 minutes depending upon how crispy and done you prefer your chicken and vegetables. This is now a go-to, one-pot dish in the Gibbs household. So easy and delicious. 

No need to roast a chicken whole.

No need to roast a chicken whole.

 

Delicious Holiday Date, Rice & Coconut Balls – Vintage Dessert Recipe

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Margaret has been making these every Christmas for over 30 years!

Margaret has been making these every Christmas for over 30 years! She wrote this easy recipe down for me before we left.

I haven’t posted in a while which I’m a bit sad about because I cooked so much over the holidays but I just didn’t have the time during that time to post the recipes here , then back to work – but I’m now ready to play catch up! This was my favorite easy recipe discovery over the holidays and the best part is that it is a 30 + year old recipe yet, it is so modern with everyone cooking raw and vegan now a days (use coconut oil instead of butter , almond milk with a pinch of cornstarch instead of eggs if you eat Vegan). Margaret said she has made them every Christmas for the last 30 years and wrote down the recipe for me on a piece of scratch paper. She retired in Palm Desert and brought the dates from the famous Coachella Valley. What I really love about this recipe is you could get creative so easily by replacing the dates with dried cherries or apricots or by adding rum or orange liqueur instead of vanilla. Lots of delicious possibilities!

 

 

A great find on VRBO by my friends coming to visit for the holidays from Montreal.

A great restored, historical find in Venice, California on VRBO by my friends coming to visit for the holidays from Montreal.

My sister’s bestie and our dear friends who I have known since I was a little girl came form Montreal and rented a lovingly restored historical house in Venice right off of Abbot Kinney that was built in 1907. We spent Christmas Eve with them and all cooked up a storm and sang Christmas Carols since we all sang in choir and Cathy works as a Musical Director. Cathy’s mother Margaret and Cathy’s son Patrick made these. My son has Celiac so he has to eat gluten free and we were so happy when we realized that these were indeed a gluten free recipe especially because they were so sweet and delicious. And, they are so easy to make. 

 

Ingredients:

 

  • 2 Tablespoons Butter
  • 2/3 Cup Sugar (or Stevia or Agave if you’re sugar-free)
  • 1 1/2 Cup Pitted, Chopped and Smashed Dates (this is important, really go to town and smash the heck out of them or as an alternative use Date Paste if you can find it).
  • 2 Tablespoons Pasteurized Egg product (I don’t like to use raw eggs when I’m not cooking them.)
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 Cup Rice Crispies type Cereal
  • 1/2 Cup Shredded Coconut

 

Delicious, gluten free date balls are a perfect holiday or party dessert.

Delicious, gluten free date balls are a perfect holiday or party dessert. Much more exciting than my photography skills on this one.

 

Melt the butter and sugar together in a pan. Add the dates and really smash them in until they are more of a paste and less chunky. Remove and cool a little. Add the cereal, egg and vanilla and mix thorough. With clean hands, roll into little balls and roll in coconut. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve. Delish!