Light & Easy

Boiled Artichokes and Bruschetta (my way)

This meal is one that has no meat, but once in a while its nice to have a meal that doesn't revolve around meat and potatoes. Surprisingly the artichokes are very filling, however for the first time you might want to add one other appetizer with it to be on the safe side. This meal is enough to easily fill us. I have lots of pictures so I'm going to try to be as thorough as I can.
For the Artichokes You'll need:
Whole artichokes (1 per person) garlic, olive oil, fresh herbs of choice
First thing is first, get your water started boiling. You'll need a pot large enough to allow your artichokes freedom of movement while boiling, so get that water started before anything else.

Cut the thorns off the artichokes! This is an important step and one you'll only forget once! They aren't called "chokes" by accident. Use scissors to cut the tip of each leaf off and then use a sharp knife to slice off all of the top portion at once.

Next cut off the bottoms so that they sit even as pictured below.


Once the water gets boiling, add olive oil, about 2 turns = 2 Tbsp. should do it add minced garlic, I've shown in pictures the best way to get the skin off the garlic, chop, then mince it. So here ya go:

Put the clove under the knife blade facing away from you and SMASH it.

Take the skin off and discard it as I've never found a use for the skin... yet.

Now that its smashed its much easier to chop, then take your blade and rock back and forth the opposite direction in which you chopped. Scrape it back into a pile and do this a few more times until the garlic is minced to your liking.

Put the minced garlic clove, minced herbs of choice (I used what I have growing - Rosemary, Thyme, Greek Oregano, and Sweet Marjoram)

a pinch of salt and the artichokes into the boiling water (chokes should be bottom side down). Put the lid on and let them boil for 30 minutes - then flip them over to boil bottom side up for another 15 minutes. Once they're done (45 minutes total boiling time) take them out to a colander to strain the water out.

While they're boiling make the Bruschetta and dipping sauces for the chokes.

Bruschetta, you'll need
Italian or French loaf bread (sliced to about 1" thick), garlic clove, olive oil, diced tomatoes (I use canned sometimes when they're not in season locally since I didn't can any myself last year), fresh basil (since I didn't grow Basil this year I chose the same minced herbs I used in the boiling water with the artichokes), and Parmesan cheese.

Toast Bread then rub with 1/2 clove of garlic (toasting it first is important for this step to work). Brush with Olive Oil, put diced tomatoes fresh herbs and Parmesan cheese on and broil for about 2 minutes.


For the dipping sauces I don't have pictures, but the directions are simple.

1st one, get about 2 Tbsp. of Mayo (or that Miracle Salad Dressing it doesn't really matter) and add about 1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil and herbs as you prefer, mix it all together.
2nd one, melt butter and add garlic, Parmesan cheese to taste.
Both are used to dip the artichoke leaves in, to eat the leaves you scrape the meaty underside against your bottom teeth and discard the fibrous top part of the leaf. The "heart" is really the soft bottom that once you peel all the leaves off will be fabulous to eat but DO NOT eat the "choke" which you should be able to tell what it is as it would undoubtedly choke you!

Bon Appetite!

A Few of My Favorite Things!

Go to my shop and click on favorites to purchase any of these.

Too Good NOT to share!

For too long we have been too complacent about the workings of Congress. Many citizens had no idea that Congress members could retire with the same pay after only one term, that they didn't pay into Social Security, that they specifically exempted themselves from many of the laws they have passed (such as being exempt from any fear of prosecution for sexual harassment) while ordinary citizens must live under those laws. The latest is to exempt themselves from the Healthcare Reform that is being considered...in all of its forms. Somehow, that doesn't seem logical. We do not have an elite that is above the law. I truly don't care if they are Democrat, Republican, Independent or whatever. The self-serving must stop. This is a good way to do that. It is an idea whose time has come.

Proposed 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution:

"Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators and Representatives; and, Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators and Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States".

Each person contact a minimum of twenty people on their Address list, in turn ask each of those to do likewise. Then in three days, all people in The United States of America will have the Message. This is one proposal that really should be passed around.

Green Tip of the Week

Tips for Greener Travel

Reducing your speed to 55 mph from 70 mph could increase your fuel efficiency by 23 percent.

I've been Featured

Our Child

Each little child God sends our way
Is like a piece of soft, new clay;
'Tis ours to mold and shape and trim;
To make it pleasing unto Him.

Each little thing we do or say
Makes an impression, day by day,
On every growing mind and heart,
Forming a pattern from the start.

Oh! What a solemn trust is ours,
How we must guard these precious hours!
Too soon this clay will be a stone
Our chance is gone... our child is grown!

If we but take the time to pray,
And seek God's guidance every day.
He'll give us strength and wisdom, too,
To help out child grow strong and true.

- Dorothy V. Garka

I thought this was worth sharing. Hope it touched you as it did me. Oh how she's grown! This picture taken when she was not yet 3!

Scrumptious Saturday, on Friday

Citrus Mahi Mahi Meal

This first one is one of our favorites. Citrus Mahi Mahi, served on a bed of Jasmine Rice with Steamed Broccoli and Strawberry Salad.

The Fish:
Mahi Mahi Fillets (or Halibut Steaks, about 1" thick if you use the Halibut)
1/4 cup butter or margarine (really folks, butter DOES taste better)
3 Tbsp. Chopped Onion (I prefer green onion, it adds a color dimension)
2 Tbsp. Chopped Fresh Parsley
6 oz. Frozen O.J. thawed (it comes in 8 oz. cans - just be sure its concentrated)
1 Lemon Sliced (for garnish)
2 pinches sea salt for seasoning
pepper to taste


Saute onion in butter until tender, stir in the o.j. and some of the salt and cook until heated through, then add the parsley (be careful not to heat the mixture to boil as it can scorch). Sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper, drizzle with the O.J. mixture. Broil for approximately 5 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. You can also cook this on the grill if the fish still has skin on it and when removing from the grill be sure to separate the fish from the skin (and don't forget to clean it off the grill when it cools).

Jasmine Rice:

Follow package directions, but here's the trick an old friend from Baton Rouge LA taught me. When you cook your rice, boil it for 5 minutes on high and then wrap a towel around the lid of the pot as pictured here (be sure to keep it out of the flame or off the burner, please no fires) and turn the temp on low for 15 minutes stirring maybe once or twice to keep it from sticking. This will give you a good sticky rice instead of fluffy (which is what I prefer, sticky rice).

Steamed Broccoli:
Well this is pretty simple. For those who might not have steamed their vegetables this is an excellent way to keep the most of the nutrients in the vegetable AND since its not mushy like boiling it the kids seem to like it a little better. Use fresh broccoli for best results, cut the stalk off as close to the "flower" as possible. Get a large pot and put only an inch or two of water in the bottom and put the vegetable (in this case broccoli) in a steamer basket (if you don't have a steamer basket they're pretty cheap and available at most grocery stores, invest in one). Put a lid on it and bring the water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, sprinkle a pinch or two of sea salt on the vegetables, put the lid back on and steam for about 5 minutes or until the color of the vegetable is as bright as you've ever seen it. Its done then!


The Salad:
I used the freshest ingredients in season locally at my Farmer's Market.
I was able to get:


Red Romain Lettuce, Fresh picked Strawberries (don't these look good?), Green Onions (same as used in Citrus Sauce), Mushrooms (the farm is in the next county so I'm pretty sure the grocery has the fresh ones), Almond Slivers (store bought, I didn't roast and slice my almonds), Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette Dressing added a nice touch of flavor.

This is one of those that you can really add what ever you want to it - I really like Strawberries in the spring time when the Tomatoes are not yet ripe locally. The local produce has much better flavor than anything shipped in and I always recommend it for supporting your local growers is another way of being GREEN too (but that info will be in a different Super Hero weekly Green update).


Presentation is everything, well it has to taste good too...



Bon Appetite!

We had vanilla yogurt with some of the sliced strawberries for desert.
This is an older post that I thought I'd bring back (slightly edited) for those who might have missed it a few years back. Its really easy and great and might make a nice Valentine's dinner for your special someone.