About My Recipe Collection

If you're like me, you have stashed somewhere in your house a bunch of clipped, tattered, and yellowing paper recipes of various sizes. Looking at my recipe collection is like taking a trip down memory lane. Recipes remind me of my family and friends, and places I've lived, traveled, and dined. I also have many recipes stored on my computer--and then there's my cookbook collection. I'll be posting more about my cookbooks in the near future. I am also looking into the ins and outs of posting links to my favorite foodie websites. In the meantime, I'm going to continue sharing recipes with you.

Chicken Chili

I love making chili in the fall when it begins to get cold, as many of us do. This is a recipe that is not written down anywhere, so the ingredient amounts are just estimates. You can easily change up chili ingredients and use your creativity. This recipe is for Jeremy, my friend and former neighbor.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large bell pepper
1 large onion
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 can black beans
1 can chili hot beans
1 can red kidney beans
1 large can (29oz) stewed tomatoes
1 cup water
1 teaspoon sugar (to cut the acidity)
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons salt
pepper to taste
2-3 cooked chicken breasts, shredded into bite-sized pieces

Saute the onions and bell pepper in olive oil over medium to medium high heat until tender and have touches of brown. Add the garlic and cook for a few more minutes. (Be careful not to burn the garlic, trust me, it's easy to do.) Stir in the beans, tomatoes, and water. Add the sugar, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Let this mixture cook for about an hour on medium-low. Add the shredded chicken and cook for another hour.

Possible toppings: apple cider vinegar, fat-free sour cream, sharp cheddar cheese, onion, and cilantro. Oh, I'm not a cracker fan, but you might want to have some saltines or oyster crackers on hand for those who are.

Dad's Hummus

Hummus is SO easy to make at home. This is my Dad's recipe.

1 can garbanzo beans, drained (reserve 2 TBSP of liquid)

4 cloves raw garlic or 12 cloves roasted garlic

juice of 1 lemon

2 TBSP Aji Sesame Oil (see note)

If using raw garlic, place it in the food processor until well blended, then add other ingredients. If using roasted garlic, place all ingredients together in the food processor (including 2 TBSP garbanzo liquid) and blend until smooth.  Refrigerate for one hour.

NOTE: One type of sesame oil contains pepper sauce. If you cannot find it, use regular sesame oil and ¼ - ½ tsp cayenne pepper.

Fresh Peach Smoothie

I've got one of those Magic Bullet blenders you see advertised on TV. I use it mostly to make pesto, iced coffee drinks, and smoothies. My favorite summer smoothie is peach, but you can use all types of fruit. Here's how I make it...

1 cup (or so) fat free vanilla yogurt
1 peach, chopped (~8 pieces)
dash of vanilla extract

Blend. Tasty!

Recipes--Modify Them

I just realized that I modify almost every recipe I make except for baking. I mean with baking, you can't really change the baking powder/soda, flour, sugar, etc. without the recipe failing. So don't be afraid to modify your recipes based on what's in your fridge and cupboards. I am usually missing at least one ingredient.

This blog will mostly include recipes that don't have too many ingredients. I like to keep it simple.

Split Pea & Smoked Ham Soup

When you get an urge to create something you just have to go with it...why I felt like making soup in the steamy, sticky, swamp-like heat of DC that has been going on for two months now I do not know. One of the great things though about making a pot of soup is that you can freeze individual servings of it and take them out as needed--or, put them in your lunchbox and you can say soup's on by lunch time.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1 bay leaf

1 pound dried green split peas
1 smoked ham hock or ham shank
Kosher salt and pepper to taste

In a medium pot or large soup pot, saute the onions in oil until they are transparent and have a little brown on them. Medium-medium high heat will work. Remove from heat and add the dried split peas and the ham. Add enough water to cover the ingredients, and season with salt and pepper. I always use kosher salt. Bring to a boil.

Cover, stir, and cook on low until the peas turn into liquid. This will take about 2.5 hours. While cooking, check to see if the water has evaporated, but unless you are cooking it at too high a heat, it shouldn't. You may need to add more water as the soup continues to cook.

Once the peas have turned into a lovely green liquid, remove the pot from heat and let it stand so it will thicken. Remove ham from the bone and add to the soup. Some carrots would really add to the color of this dish. Stir in the ham and garnish with fresh thyme on top.

Hula-Hula Chicken Marinade (you must be wearing a Hawaiian shirt to make this recipe)

Fire up your grill (or oven) and enjoy. 

Ingredients:
1/4 c white wine or apple juice
3/4 c soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ginger, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons sugar

Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour marinade over the chicken for at least 2 hours or overnight (for about 3 lbs of chicken).

How I Became a Foodie

I'm not exactly sure how I became a "foodie", but here is a bit of lizzycooks history. I remember my Dad making all sorts of things when I was very young. My earliest memory of him cooking was pouring what looked like chocolate milk into ice cube trays and freezing it. He made Chinese food, guacamole (exotic!), and killer ice cream sundaes. He was and is a major influence on my love of and interest in food. I'll be posting a few of his many recipes from his large collection. Another primary influence for me was cooking shows. I began watching cooking shows on a regular basis in the early 1980's when I was in college. Nathalie Dupree, Justin Wilson, Jeff Smith, Emeril Lagasse, and more. I've now been watching cooking programs for years and have learned many interesting things. I'm not sure what my first cookbook purchase was but stay tuned for a post about my cookbook collection. Watching cooking is somehow comforting to me and a way I relax. I think food is art.

Enjoy your food!

I Love Menus

When in a restaurant, one of my friends used to say "Liz, it's not your last meal!". I have annoyed others with the length of time it takes for me to make up my mind regarding menu selections. I don't understand people who can glance at a menu and make up their mind in less than 15 seconds. Food is more important than that. One has to take their time with such important tasks.

My Blog-A Work in Progress

Up until about an hour ago, I had never blogged. Meaning, this blog is a work in progress. I will be posting recipes and other lizzycooks tidbits for you foodies out there...so please stay tuned. Enjoy your food!

Too hot? Make this Simple Cilantro Slaw

It is wicked hot and humid here in the DC area. I thought this slaw sounded great for a steamy summer day. No stove or oven required. I'll probably cheat and buy pre-shredded cabbage.

1 small head cabbage, finely shredded
1 small onion, minced
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced
1 cucumber, chopped
1/2 cup salad oil (I used canola)
1/3 cup lime juice
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced, or pressed
salt/pepper to taste


Mix cabbage, onion, and cilantro. Peel, seed, and chop cucumber; add to cabbage mixture. (At this point, you may cover and refrigerate cabbage mixture for up to 1 day.)

Dressing: Whisk together salad oil, lime juice, and garlic. If made ahead, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days; stir to reblend before using. Stir dressing into cabbage mixture; pile into a bowl or onto a platter. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Welcome to the lizzycooks Blog

How can I turn my love for food, cooking, recipes, menus, and cookbooks into something more? And, would it be possible to generate income from this passion of mine? These are the questions I asked myself. I then went to the Google machine and typed in: "starting a recipe blog". The information is plentiful about this adventure I'm embarking on.

Oh, a little trivia about me--the first and only Girl Scout badge I earned was in cooking. The dish that earned the treasured badge was.....bread pudding. The recipe was from my Grandma.