Author: cathysmaha

I am a country girl, born and raised on a farm in Central Iowa. I am the youngest of three children by 9 and 14 years….I was the OOPS! Being younger had its advantages in that I was an Aunt at age 7 and grew up with my niece and nephews. My Father died from a farm injury when I was 12, which forever changed my life and strengthened my bond with my Mother. I tagged along with my Mother to visit older people in our community and learned about their lives in the early 1900s, enjoying the many wonderful traditional foods and family stories. I graduated from a class of 25, which gave me the advantage of being involved in sports and clubs that would not have been possible in a large High School. At that time, Home Ec was still an elective and I loved the cooking lessons (not so hot on the sewing classes). While at the University of Northern Iowa, I began to collect and read cookbooks. Perhaps it was the absence of Mom’s home cooking that drew me to dream about cooking (and eating) wonderful food. After college I moved to St. Joseph, MO and then to Scottsdale, AZ and began to experiment with traditional recipes and discovering those of my own. It was such an adventure to discover new dishes and restaurants in historic St. Joseph, Kansas City, then Scottsdale, Phoenix, San Diego…and the list goes on. In the early ‘80s, I moved to Denver, got married, started my telecommunications sales career and discovered the fabulous restaurants in Denver and Aspen. My career took me to cities never before experienced and the seafood in San Francisco, Cajun fare in New Orleans, Tex-Mex in Dallas, Italian in New Jersey, etc. are experiences I will cherish. In 1986 our first daughter, Megan, was born and then Sarah in 1988. Instead of indulging in dinners out, we were cooking more at home and seeking ways to have good meals with limited time. Dinners went from adult gourmet to more kid friendly meals. Megan’s tastes were more basic while Sarah adopted a gourmet palate at an early age. At age 6 her favorite meal was steamed artichokes and crab legs with drawn butter…still her favorite. Megan’s tastes expanded rapidly when she went to college and started cooking for her roommates and now loves to whip up gourmet dishes. I am blessed to have many gal pals that also share my passion for good food. I love to try new restaurants and look forward to the ‘pot luck’ feasts at our book club meetings and other gatherings. It isn’t just the good food that brings us to together, but the great love and admiration we all have for each other. We are addicted foodies…but we try to remember our 12-step foodie program is needed. God grant me the serenity to only eat the food that I LOVE, the courage to walk away from junk food, and the wisdom to recognize the difference. Oh YEAH!
Appetizers · Vegetables · Vegetarian

Crispy Parmesan Cauliflower Steaks

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Crispy Parmesan Cauliflower Steaks with the Avocado dip are scrumptious! I am a big fan of roasted vegetables and this recipe takes them to a new level. I made it originally as a side dish but it would be great as an appetizer, cutting the steaks into smaller pieces before serving.

Crispy Parmesan Cauliflower Steaks

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 cauliflower head
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tbps. grated parmesan
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 tsp each paprika, onion powder + salt
  • 1/4 tsp chili pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • Optional Garnish: fresh chives, chopped
  • Avocado dip:
    • 1 avocado, halved
    • 2 scallions, rough chop
    • 1/2 lime, juiced
    • 1 jalapeño, deseeded + rough chop
    • 1 tbps. olive oil
    • 1 tbps. grated parmesan (or nutritional yeast)
    • 1/4 cup parsley
    • 1/3 cup water
    • salt + pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Preheat your oven to 450°F.
  2. Dry your cauliflower well and slice in half, then slice those in half to create your steaks. Transfer to your baking sheet pan.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together your olive oil, 2 tbps. grated parmesan, garlic and spices. Brush the steaks with this mixture front, back and sides. Dip ONE SIDE of the steaks into the freshly grated parmesan and place parm side down on the pan.
  4. Bake for 10 minutes at 450° F. then bump down the temperature to 425°F and bake for 20-25 more minutes. Time varies with thickness of steaks. Remove from baking tray and serve crispy side up with some fresh chives on top.
  5. Avocado dip:
    • Add everything to your mini food processor and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust if needed.

Recipe from HungryHappens.net

Appetizers · Breads · Vegetables

Avocado Bread

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Avocados are a favorite of mine and this recipe was intriguing. With a very ripe avocado on hand, I decided to try it and was not disappointed. The baking time was 25 minutes but I found it to be too soft inside and baked for another 8-10 minutes (picture on the right). It was delicious as a side to my meal and would be interesting to make into a sandwich. If you have a perfectly ripe avocado and don’t know what to make, this is worth a try!

Avocado Bread

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 avocado, mashed
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Everything but the bagel seasoning (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Combine avocado, egg and cheese together.
  3. Form into two patties on greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with seasoning.
  4. Bake for 25 -35 minutes. (I baked for a little longer–see difference between 25 minutes and 35 minutes above)

Recipe from katwalkboutique

Fish

Spicy Salmon Rice Muffins

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Spicy Salmon Rice Muffins are easy to prepare and are so delicious. While my photo is not as stunning as the original recipe shown in the attribution below, they were delicious. These would be a fun appetizer to serve for guests or, frankly, if you are in need of a spicy salmon fix!

Spicy Salmon Rice Muffins

INGREDIENTS:
  • 3 sheets nori paper
  • 1½ cups cooked sushi rice, cooled
  • Salmon:
    • 1 lb salmon, skin removed + cubed small
    • 2 tbs sesame oil (or olive oil)
    • 1 tbs low sodium soy sauce
    • 1 tbs honey
    • 2 scallions, diced
    • 1/2 tsp each garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, paprika, dried oregano
    • salt to taste
  • Spicy Mayo:
    • 1/4 cup kewpie mayo
    • 2 tsp Sriracha sauce
    • 1 tsp honey
  • Toppings:
    • 1/2 avocado, diced small
    • 2 tsp black sesame seeds
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Grab a scissor and cut your nori sheets into four equal squares.
  2. Toss your cubed salmon in a bowl with all of the rest of the salmon ingredients and coat. Marinate for up to 4 hours.
  3. To each nori square, add about 1 heaping tablespoon of rice and spread out slightly. Transfer the square to your muffin slot, pushing down gently to center the rice in the middle with the edges coming up along the sides of the slot. Grab out 4-5 salmon cubes and fill each muffin slot. Transfer the pan to your oven and bake for 15-17 minutes. Broil, if needed, at the end, to get a little tan on the salmon .. 1-2 minutes.
  4. Remove allow to cool slightly and top with your avocado, sesame seeds and drizzle of spicy mayo.

Recipe from HungryHappens

Asian Dishes · Poultry

Ginger Peanut Chicken with Coconut Rice

cathysmahaLeave a comment

What a delicious dish! Daughter, Megan, recommended this recipe since I love Thai dishes. I doubled the chicken part of the recipe and made a single of the coconut rice and still had a lot of leftover rice. In the future, I would make double the chicken and halve the rice recipe. Since I doubled the recipe, I used 1 cup of fresh sprinach and one cup of chopped bok choy. The leftovers were equally delicious. For the leftover meal, I served with balsamic roasted brussel sprouts and it paired well.

The coconut rice was a great idea. I never thought of adding coconut milk to the rice cooker but it adds another level of delicious to this dish.

Ginger Peanut Chicken with Coconut Rice

INGREDIENTS:
  • Ginger Peanut Chicken
    • 1 1/4 pounds chicken thighs, fat trimmed, cut into small bite-sized pieces
    • 1-inch piece of ginger, grated
    • 3 green onions, thinly sliced (white parts and green parts separated)
    • zest and juice of 1-2 limes
    • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
    • 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts
    • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
    • 1 cup spinach, bok choy, etc.
  • Coconut Rice
    • 2 cups white or jasmine rice
    • 1 1/2 cups water
    • 1 can coconut milk
    • a pinch of salt
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Marinate Chicken: In a stainless steel bowl, mix the chicken with the ginger, green onions (white parts), lime zest, brown sugar, salt, and oil. Marinate for 20 minutes-2 hours.
  2. Rice: Add the rice ingredients to an Instant Pot. Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes, followed by a natural pressure release for 10-15 minutes (it won’t be quite done yet after 3 minutes – it needs the rest time to finish cooking). Release the steam, fluff with a fork, and attempt not to eat the whole thing! (Don’t have an Instant Pot...use these instructions:
    • To cook the coconut rice on the stove or in a rice cooker: Cooking the rice in a rice cooker or just on the stove top should work well. To make it on the stove, you can add 2 cups of rice, 1.5 cups of water, and a 14-ounce can of coconut milk to a large pot and bring it to a boil. Once it’s boiling, you can reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook the rice for about 15-20 minutes. (Fork-Lore: I live at high altitude and had to add more water during the process so the rice didn’t stick or burn).
  3. Cook Chicken: Heat a large skillet (nonstick or cast iron work well) to medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken to the pan, working in 1-2 batches depending on the size of your pan. Leave the chicken sitting undisturbed for several minutes to get a nice caramelization on the chicken.
  4. Adding Extras: When all the chicken is cooked, turn the heat down slightly and add the peanuts and garlic to the pan. Sauté for 3-5 minutes to get the peanuts roasty and the garlic nice and fragrant.
  5. Finish by adding in the cilantro, green onion, and spinach. Squeeze lime juice into the pan and season with more salt and pepper as needed.
  6. Serve over coconut rice! SO simple but so good.

Recipe from PinchofYum

Appetizers · Asian Dishes

Thai Peanut Sauce

cathysmahaLeave a comment

My first visit to a Thai restaurant includied Thai Peanut Sauce with fresh carrots, similar to chips and salsa at a Mexican restaurant. I loved it! It’s easy to make and keeps well in a refrigerator for a few days. I used chunky peanut butter, because I was out of smooth, and blended it. It was delicious. Perhaps this is a healthy snack that kids/grandkids would enjoy.

Thai Peanut Sauce

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1/3 cup natural peanut butter, if your peanut butter is thick, microwave is for about 15 seconds first
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, or 1/2 teaspoon freshly minced ginger
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds
  • 2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup hot water
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Whisk all the ingredients (minus 2 tablespoons of the hot water) together in a bowl, a jar with a lid (shake vigorously) or a small blender or food processor until smooth.
  2. Add the extra water a little at a time depending on whether you need this for a sauce, dip or a dressing to your desired consistency.
  3.  This can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge, or used immediately!

Recipe from Jessicainthekitchen

Cakes

Healthy Whole Orange Blender Cake

cathysmahaLeave a comment

What a delicious little cake this is! I used my Vitamix and it took a while to get everything blended. I didn’t have enough maple syrup, so I used a Agave to get to 3/4 cup. You would never know! This is the first time I have used olive oil in baking and it worked beautifully. A tasty cake for family or, frankly, it would be great to have with a friend over coffee or tea.

Healthy Whole Orange Blender Cake

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 whole Navel orange (organic)
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/3 cup Greek yogurt
  • 3/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • optional icing:
    • 3/4 cup powdered sugar
    • 1/2 orange, zested then juiced
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Preheat your oven to 350℉ Line an 8 inch round pan with parchment paper or grease it.
  2. Rinse and dry your orange. Remove any exterior stems and then quarter it. Remove any seeds. You are using the WHOLE ORANGE here – peel and all.
  3. Add the ingredients to your blender or food processor in the order listed above. Blend till smooth and then pour the batter into your pan. Bake for 50 minutes to an hour or until top of cake is golden. Remove from oven and allow to set in the pan for 15 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to fully cool.
  4. optional icing:
    • Whisk together the ingredients till smooth. Drizzle on cake when fully cooled.

Recipe from HungryHappens

Cookies and Bars · Family

Golden Carrot Cookies

cathysmaha1 Comment

My Mother gave me the Betty Crocker Cooky Book for Christmas 1967, when I was 14 years old. I have used this book for a ‘few years’ and for the first time I noticed how Cooky was spelled. I have always spelled these delights as cookie but Merriam Webster says it can be cooky or cookie.

Golden Carrot Cookies are like a carrot cake in a cookie with a delightful orange glaze on top. While some of the children and grandchildren were hesitant to try carrot cookys, they all agreed they were good. 

If you ever see this Cooky Book at a garage sale or Goodwill, it’s worth adding to your collection!

Golden Carrot Cookies

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 cup shortening (part butter or margarine)
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup mashed cooked carrots
  • 2 cups Gold Medal flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 3/4 cup shredded coconut
  • Orange Butter Icing:
    • 2 tbsp. soft butter
    • 1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
    • 1 1/2 tbsp. orange juice
    • 2 tsp. grated orange rind
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Mix shortening, sugar, eggs and carrots.
  3. Measure flour by dipping method or by sifting. Blend flour, baking powder, and salt into shortening mixture. Mix in coconut.
  4. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls about 2″ apart on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until no imprint remains when touched lightly. Frost cooled cookies with Icing. Makes 4 dozen.

Recipe from Betty Crocker’s COOKY BOOK Copyright 1963

Appetizers · Fish

Air Fryer Salmon Bites

cathysmaha1 Comment

Salmon Bites have been on my to-do list for some time. I finally did it and the results did not disappoint. The crispy morsels of salmon were delicious hot and cold for lunch the next day! Unfortunately, I did not have the makings for a sour cream/caper or dill sauce so sweet chile sauce had to do, and it was perfect. I think the grandkids would enjoy this with a simple ranch dressing.

Air Fryer Salmon Bites

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 lb center-cut Atlantic salmon fillet skin removed and diced to 1-inch chunks
  • 0.5 tsp coarse sea salt
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp smoked paprika or sweet paprika
  • ⅛ tsp ground black pepper
  • 1-2 tsp honey optional
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Olive oil spray for the air fryer basket
  • 2 tbsp chopped chive garnish
  • Creamy caper chive sauce (I used sweet chile sauce but pick or make your favorite sauce)
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Preheat the air fryer following your default setting.
  2. For oven: bake on the top rack at 400°F for 12-15 minutes.
  3. Remove the salmon skin. You can also ask a fishmonger to do this for you. Dice the fillet into 1-inch (2.54cm) cubes and add them to a large bowl.
  4. Season the salmon chunks with salt, garlic power, paprika, black pepper, honey, and olive oil. Gently toss them well to coat the salmon evenly. I wear a cooking glove to do this.
  5. Spray the air fryer basket with olive oil, add the cubed salmon with some space between them. You might need to cook them in 2 batches. Air fryer at 350°F (177°C) for 8 minutes.
  6. When air frying is done, open the basket and wait for 10 seconds before removing the salmon. The cold air will make the meat shrink a bit and therefore helps it “unstick” from the basket. Carefully and gently transfer the cubes to a serving plate so they won’t fall apart.
  7. Garnish the salmon bites with chive and serve with the dipping sauce on the side. Serve warm.

Recipe from Iheartumami

Pastas

Creamy Lemon Feta Zucchini Orzo

cathysmaha1 Comment

One bite of Creamy Lemon Feta Zucchini Orzo is like a taste of spring. I added diced cooked chicken for protein to complete the meal but this would also be a great side dish. Next time I will add asparagus to the dish, completing the springtime theme. This is a new favorite and so quick to make!

Creamy Lemon Feta Zucchini Orzo

INGREDIENTS:
  • 3 tbps olive oil
  • 1/2 sweet onion, diced (large shallot)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 lb orzo pasta uncooked
  • 2 medium zucchini, grated
  • 1 large lemon, zested + juiced
  • 1 tsp Italian herb seasoning
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 3½ cups low sodium chicken broth (or veggie broth)
  • 1 cup milk
  • 5 oz feta cheese, crumbled
  • 2 tbs fresh dill, chopped
  • Optional: olive oil, lemon juice, chili flakes, cooked, shredded chicken
DIRECTIONS:
  1. In a large skillet, heat your olive oil on medium. Add in the onion and saute for 2 minutes. Add in the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add in the orzo and stir for one minute to coat. Toss in the zucchini shreds and stir for 2 minutes. Mix in the lemon juice, lemon zest, Italian herb seasoning, salt and pepper to taste, chicken broth and milk. Bring to a boil then lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 10-12 minutes or until the pasta is tender. If it needs more liquid, add some broth in to keep the texture creamy, not dry.
  2. When the pan is off the heat, stir in your crumbled feta and dill.
  3. To serve, top with a nice drizzle of olive oil, chili flakes and enjoy!

Recipe from hungryhappens

Candy · Holidays

Bunny Munch

cathysmahaLeave a comment

What fun it is to plan holiday treats for the grandkids. The kids get the usual chocolate bunnies, Peeps, etc. from their parents so Bunny Munch was just the ticket for Grandma Cathy to make. We all love popcorn and with the additional of the sweet treats, it is decandent and addictive. It’s good thing I’ll only make this once a year!

Bunny Munch

INGREDIENTS:
  • 12 cups popped popcorn (~1/3 cup kernels)
  • 2 cups gluten free pretzel sticks (I like Snyder’s GF)
  • 1-1/2 cups peanuts
  • 12oz bag gluten free white chocolate chips
  • 1 Tablespoon vegetable or coconut oil
  • 11oz bag M&Ms (Fork-Lore: I found Rice Krispie M&Ms for Easter and loved using those)
  • gluten free sprinkles, optional
  • coarse sea salt, optional
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Spread a couple sheets of parchment paper, wax paper, or two silpats onto the countertop then set aside.
  2. Add popcorn, pretzel sticks, and peanuts to a very large bowl — if you don’t have an XL bowl, use two large bowls — then set aside.
  3. Add chocolate chips and coconut oil to a medium-sized, microwave-safe bowl then microwave for 40 seconds and stir. Microwave for 30 seconds then stir. If chocolate chips aren’t completely smooth, continue microwaving in 10 seconds increments, stirring between increments, until completely melted.
  4. Drizzle chocolate over popcorn mixture then gently fold with a spatula until everything is evenly coated. Spread mixture out onto prepared surface then immediately sprinkle with M&Ms (may not use whole bag) and press gently so they adhere to the warm chocolate. Add sprinkles and a big pinch of coarse sea salt, if using, then let Bunny Munch cool completely. Transfer to treat bags or an airtight container.
  5. (Fork-Lore: I bagged the Bunny Munch in individual bags to give the grandkids in their Easter basket).

Recipe from IowaGirlEats