Recipe Thread #2

[Alias Reader]

Melody wrote:
Defending Jacob by William Landay: 4.5 stars. Well-written, in a style that reminded me of Scott Turow's "Presumed Innocent." A great read. Once I started, I couldn't put it down until the very last sentence.
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Yes ! Please do. :)

I love to have zucchini bread with a nice cup of tea.

[Melody]

Sorry I've taken so, so long to get this to you! And sorry that I'm going to take longer. My Goodreads likes to make notifications disappear on me, so I was checking up on this thread today and I just noticed that you do want the Zucchini Bread recipe. I'm not entirely sure that I have it with me, but I will begin hunting it down and get it back to you all within the week.

Anyway, I came on here to post a modified family recipe that is near and dear to me:

Light Slop

Yield: 4 servings

3 16 ounce bags of frozen cauliflower

14 ounce smoked turkey sausage

30 sprays I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter spray

1 cup sauerkraut

1 tablespoon low-fat plain Greek yogurt


1. Open 1 package of frozen cauliflower, put in a medium-sized bowl, microwave for 10 minutes. Put half of bowl in food processor at a time, purée cauliflower. Repeat for remaining packages.

2. While cauliflower is cooking, slice both smoked sausages length-wise, then dice into 1-inch or so bites.

3. Grease a medium-large pot.

4. Cook smoked sausage bites in pot on medium-high for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Reduce heat to low.

6. As cauliflower finishes being puréed, stir into pot.

7. Spray 30 sprays of I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter onto cauliflower-sausage mixture.

8. Stir sauerkraut into pot.

Calories: 300, Total Fat: 16 g, Saturated Fat: 4 g, Cholesterol: 62 mg, Sodium: 2913 mg, Dietary Fiber: 11 g, Sugars: 9 g, Protein: 20 g


I am very new at writing recipes from scratch and I haven't taken any classes that point out the finer details, so this is probably not as articulate as it should be. The original family recipe utilizes potatoes instead of mashed cauliflower, which can make things way easier or a little bit harder.

I blogged about it here: http://thoughtforfoodrd.wordpress.com...

It's one of my favorite recipes, you'd be surprised how well the ingredients come together :)

Anyways, zucchini bread recipe coming up in the near future!

[Madrano]

Melody, this sounds good. Do you use the Greek yogurt for garnish or do you stir it in with the sauerkraut?

No rush on the zucchini bread recipe. :-)

[Melody]

I stir it in. I used it to replace sour cream :)

[Melody]

Without further ado, here's the Zucchini Bread Recipe from my Food Fundamentals course:

Whole-Wheat Zucchini Bread
~
This zucchini bread is one of my
tastiest makeovers and much lower in fat
than the original. It's also a lot higher in
fiber and has a nutty flavor - thanks to
the whole-wheat flour. Calories, fat and
cholesterol were reduced by:
Replacing oil with applesauce.
Using buttermilk instead of sour cream.
Using egg whites instead of whole eggs.
Reducing the amount of walnuts

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour (not pastry flour)
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
6 egg whites
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups shredded unpeeled zucchini
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray a 9" X 5" X 3" loaf pan with no-stick spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cloves. Make a
well in the center of the mixture.

In another large bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy. Stir in the applesauce, buttermilk and vanilla. Then stir in the zucchini until well combined.

Add the zucchini mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until moistened. Fold in the walnuts.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes. Then remove the bread and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Makes 1 loaf; 12 servings.

[Melody]

And a bonus recipe for ya'll :) Just because I posted it on my blog today.



Pot Pie

3 cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets, diced into 1 inch cubes

16 ounce bag frozen broccoli

16 ounce bag frozen cauliflower

1 can green beans

1 can lima beans

1 can no salt added green peas

2 cans condensed cream of broccoli soup

1 can broccoli cheese soup

1 can 98% fat-free condensed cream of chicken soup

1¼ cup fat-free milk

1¼ cup vegetable stock

Optional: Chicken stock, varying types of soups, carrots, a variety of vegetables, pre-made croissant dough (for crust)

1. Combine all ingredients in large pot on medium heat for one hour, stirring occasionally.

Calories: 347, Total Fat: 7 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Cholesterol: 11 mg, Sodium: 1766 mg, Dietary Fiber: 9 g, Sugars: 13 g, Protein: 26 g

http://thoughtforfoodrd.wordpress.com...

A hilariously long list of ingredients and one instruction x)

[Alias Reader]

Melody wrote: "Without further ado, here's the Zucchini Bread Recipe from my Food Fundamentals course:

Whole-Wheat Zucchini Bread
~
This zucchini bread is one of my
tastiest makeovers and much lower in fat
than ..."
-------------------

Thanks, Melody ! That looks awesome and healthy !
I've printed out a copy for myself.

[Alias Reader]

Melody wrote: "And a bonus recipe for ya'll :) Just because I posted it on my blog today.

Pot Pie
-----------

That is sort of how I make mine. I saute onions and use a bag a frozen mixed veggies + any left over veggies I may have on hand. I also like to add small diced potatoes, which I cook first in water or steam them. I use the no salt chicken broth. Add onion powder, garlic powder and a bit of parsley.

In a cup I use corn starch and water and add very slowly to the mix to make the sauce thicken. I serve with muffins.

I haven't made it in a long time. It's a nice comfort meal.

Thanks again for the healthy recipes ! I am always on the lookout for new ideas.

[Melody]

Yeah, I really should make the soup fresh. I haven't the patience, but it would really fix up those ghastly sodium levels.

You're very welcome! I've got a couple really yummy recipes coming up that I'm playing around with. I'm eager to eat and share them :)

[Madrano]

Replacing all the oil/fat in the zucchini bread must be a key to this recipe. My original recipe called for 1 c. oil. This was in the '70s when substituting safflower, sunflower and other grain oils made us think it was a healthier dish, btw. When the idea of subbing applesauce & even some store-bought product, the name of which i no longer recall but it was made of prunes, was suggested, i was all over it!

Thanks for sharing the recipe so i could compare & contrast, Melody. It must be enjoyable to re-create recipes to make them healthful. The pot pie recipe just made me hungry!

deb

[Alias Reader]

Madrano wrote:When the idea of subbing applesauce & even some store-bought product, the name of which i no longer recall but it was made of prunes, was suggested, i was all over it!
-----------------

I've used baby food prunes as a substitute. Works just fine.

[Melody]

Hehe. I have not understood how to substitute applesauce for the longest time. I *love* playing around in the kitchen. I'm not afraid to try anything, so I can be pretty inventive.

[Alias Reader]

It's a 1:1 substitution for oil.

You can also use it to sub for butter & eggs.

Just google substitute applesauce for.... fill in the ingredient to get the ratio.

[Madrano]

I didn't know about googling. Neat idea. Thanks.

[Melody]

Thank you for the suggestion :)

What I was trying to express there is that normally I am not afraid to play in the kitchen and eyeball how much of an ingredient that I put in, but with applesauce, because it can be subbed for so many things and just because I've always thought it to be a weird sub for those things I am too uncomfortable to eyeball it, so I always have to go by the books with it (aka Google or the recipe)

[Melody]

Here's a recipe I just blogged about and oh my goodness. It is SOOOO tasty and kids love it. And I canNOT believe I halved the numbers on it, because I know it's a pretty bad (healthwise) recipe.



Light Brat N’ Tot

Yield: About 8 Servings

14 ounce (6 links) beef bratwurst, diced

1 can 98% fat-free condensed cream of chicken soup

2 bags (40 ounce) Alexia’s sweet potato crispy bite-sized puffs

2 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt

2 cup fat-free shredded cheddar cheese

Optional: Onions, spinach, cream of mushroom soup

1. Cook bratwurst in a skillet over medium-heat until it is no longer pink, drain.

2. Stir in the soup.

3. Transfer to a greased 13-inch x 9-inch baking dish.

4. Top with tater tots and sour cream.

5. Sprinkle with cheese.

6. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.

Calories: 462, Total Fat: 21 g, Saturated Fat: 7 g, Cholesterol: 42 mg, Sodium: 1308 mg, Dietary Fiber: 3 g, Sugars: 15 g, Protein: 23 g

Here's my blog entry with the original recipe and some analysis:

http://thoughtforfoodrd.wordpress.com...

[Alias Reader]

Melody wrote: 4. Top with tater tots and sour cream.

----------

Gosh, I loved tater tots as a kid. :)

[Madrano]

I still get a hankerin' for tater tots, smothered in mustard, though. Melody, i haven't seen that Alexia product, is it frozen? Are they like tater tots or something else?

We have a drive-in diner in Dallas that serves tater tots just the way i like them. (Note: not with the cheese as the "menu" on the site below mentions--that sounds gross to me.) http://www.dallasrestaurantreviews.ne...

Their burgers are wonderful but i really keep returning for the ambiance. The carhops are very nice & awfully busy. Most of them have been there at least 20 years, too. When we first returned to Dallas, one carhop, in her late '60s, still roller skated to the cars. We haven't seen her in some time, though. The link says motorcycles are always in the lot but i've not seen any on our visits, but they mean the other location, where we never go.

I'm not sure about the wisdom of selling 6-packs of beer, but that's available there, too.

deb, not sharing a recipe, i see...

[Alias Reader]

Alexia is the brand name for frozen fries. I like Ore-ida brand.

http://www.alexiafoods.com/?gclid=COC...

Speaking of frozen fries, you guys know me and my quest to limit sodium. I like to have frozen fries on hand, so I was reading the labels of various fries. The sodium content can vary considerably. Well, I saw the brand for Nathans fries. (from the famous Nathans in Coney Island in Brooklyn, NY) I almost didn't bother to pick up the bag as I figured it would be loaded with sodium. Well, to my great surprise, it had zero added sodium. :) I felt like doing a happy dance !

By the way, I use no salt added Heinz Ketchup. The only problem is I have to decide between high fructose corn syrup and sodium. They have one variety without the HFC, but it has sodium. I went with the sodium free variety. I figure the little amount of ketchup I use the HFC wouldn't kill me. But I will keep you informed if I start to grow a second head. :-O

I bring this up because it seems one always has to make this choice in the supermarket when it comes to processed foods. If they cut the fat they up the sugar. If they cut the sodium they add sugar. One can't win. I guess that is why it's best to stay away from processed foods, but that is not that easy unless one just eats unadorned veggies and fruit.

[Alias Reader]

Madrano wrote: "We have a drive-in diner in Dallas t
-------------

That sounds like fun !

[Sarah]

Speaking of drive-in diners and six-packs, my sons both looked forward to being old enough to get a job at the Brew-Through. There are several in the Outer Banks beach communities of NC. It's like a drive-in 7-11. People drive through and load up on kegs and six-packs, sunblock and t-shirts. NOT a mother's dream for her boys, but at least they got a good paycheck.

[Madrano]

Sarah, that sort of drive-through was popular when we arrived in Texas in '07. I'm not sure how it's going elsewhere in the state but the one in our small town closed rather quickly. I don't even think these had a place where a person could walk-in. The idea may have been to prevent robberies, i think.

However, this sort of drive in/through has been around a long time. In the town where i was born in the '50, there was a Honk & Holler. While one could buy milk, bread, cigarettes, etc., there, the most popular item at night was a 6-pack. REALLY!?!? This seemed like a good idea? Of course i know this because we were in line for a 6-pack with my legal age uncle...

deb

[Madrano]

Alias Reader wrote: "Alexia is the brand name for frozen fries. I like Ore-ida brand.
..."

I guess i just drew a blank on Alexia, as i know i've seen the product here. Duh.

As you noted, it seems as though there is always something lacking when we look for specialized versions of favorite products. I know that the manufacturers feel that the product must be adjusted when one ingredient is eliminated or reduced, to keep the taste standard. No doubt they believe we wouldn't but it otherwise. Who knows? They may well be right.

[JoAnn/QuAppelle]

Madrano wrote: "JoAnn, is the (forgive this) "Rosemary Woods"* in your sister's neighborhood or do you live nearby at both homes? My question arises from whether some days the herb scent wafts her way..."

We live nearby in both house locations.....but at the beach, she is next door. No, I do not think she smells the herb, as both our houses are on pilings, so that scent would probably dissipate before reaching her.

[Madrano]

We have a bushy rosemary plant but no windows anywhere nearby, so cannot smell it in here. Even closer, while outdoors we don't smell it often. However, it's on my hands for hours after i've cut stems. Last month i made my own rosemary room spray, which we just spritzed around a room to add a fresh scent to it. Happy Woman.

[Stephanie]

Hello all,

I just posted a recipe on my blog for my "Infinite Zest" lemon lime cupcakes that I made for my bookclub's potluck discussion of Infinite Jest. Thought you would all appreciate these delightful cupcakes

http://dessert-before-dinner.blogspot...

[Alias Reader]

What a terrific idea, the play on words.

I bet the cupcakes are great, too !

Thanks for sharing.

[Connie]

Nice blog, Stephanie. You've got so many unusual ethnic recipes from many countries. It looks like you're having fun discovering new recipes.

[Madrano]

This is not a particularly healthy recipe, given the amount of oil & sugar, plus the sodium content of the noodles. Still, it's tasty & i find that less oil & sugar works fine. I think i'm now down to 1/3 c. oil & 2 Tbsp. sugar (sweetener can be used, btw). I like that i can make this before hand, too, as with most slaws. My family & friends like this better than regular cole slaw, btw.

Broccoli Slaw Recipe

1 pkg. broccoli slaw (we use Mann, think)
1 pkg. chicken-flavored Ramen noodles
3 green onions, chopped
1--2 oz. pkg. slivered almonds, toasted
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/4 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
salt & pepper to taste

Crush the noodles. I do this while they are still in the package by gently hammering it with the smooth side of my meat tenderizer. Sometimes the pkg. breaks, mostly not. The recipe calls for using a rolling pin or hammer. The pieces should be small but not tiny.

Pan toast the almonds & the half the noodles from the package. Set aside.

Stir the seasoning packet from the noodles, the oil, vinegar, sweetener and salt/pepper; shake very well to combine. Refrigerate.

Combine the slaw with onions in a bowl. Add the non-toasted crushed noodles. Pour the dressing over it & mix well. Refrigerate at least 6 hours before serving, ideally tossing a time or two in that time. (I have let this sit longer, 24 hours, but not more.) Just before serving toss again, adding the toasted nuts & remaining noodles. OR you can serve the toasted goods on the side because once they sit in the salad, they begin to lose their crispness, making leftovers so-so.

[Alias Reader]

I've never eaten Ramen noodles due to the very high sodium content.

But I would think you could use a type of spaghetti or some other pasta as a substitute.

[Madrano]

Maybe. I've never tried toasting spaghetti. Of course, as i noted, the original didn't toast the noodles. I wonder if spaghetti would soften in that dressing? Interesting idea.

Another thought just struck me. I doubt it's the noodles which have the high sodium content, so one could omit using the flavor packet & still have the squiggly noodles. In fact, i threw away a broc. slaw recipe which didn't have the noodles at all. And it dawns on me that toasting sesame seeds might add a bit of the crunch missing from not using noodles.

AND...i can see so many more variations on this. Last time i tried this i used dried cranberries and pecans because i was out of almonds. I could go on! As noted, i think altering the dressing isn't an issue, either. I'd like to try it with sesame oil next time.

deb, having fun imagining but not actually "cooking"

[Julie]

Madrano wrote: "deb, having fun imagining but not actually "cooking" ..."

I do alot of dreaming about things to make that I never actually make

[Alias Reader]

Madrano wrote: deb, having fun imagining but not actually "cooking"
_________________________

They based a whole TV channel around that very concept. :)

[Julie]

haha! Good point.

[Madrano]

Alias, you are RIGHT! LOL--never thought of it that way.

Btw, i tried cutting the oil in my slaw even further but it was too dry.

[Stephanie]

Alias Reader wrote: "Madrano wrote: deb, having fun imagining but not actually "cooking"
_________________________

They based a whole TV channel around that very concept. :)"

Actually, they based 2 TV channels off this concept. Food Network, and now The Cooking Channel, which is not offered in HD

[Madrano]

Good grief! Well, it could be worse. There could be a channel devoted strictly to "real housewives" of every US city. ;-)

[JoAnn/QuAppelle]

They do not cook on those two networks? You could have fooled me!

[Alias Reader]

JoAnn/QuAppelle wrote: "They do not cook on those two networks? You could have fooled me!"
---------
We are talking about the viewers. It's just entertainment with I think few actually attempting make the dishes shown.

[JoAnn/QuAppelle]

Almost all of the viewers whom I personally know make many of the dishes shown on the cooking shows, Well, the decent cooking shows, I should say!

[Alias Reader]

I saw this on Vegetarian Times website. It looks so good. And kale is a super-food.

Braised Kale, Potatoes and Mushrooms

Serves 4
This colorful main dish also can be made with turnip greens or Swiss chard. Serve it with warm crusty bread. Calcium per serving: 318 mg.

¼ cup water
1 lb. kale, stemmed and torn into large pieces
1 cup diced uncooked red potatoes, with skins
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 cup chopped or sliced portobello mushrooms
2 medium shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place potatoes in medium saucepan of salted water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain well and set aside.

Meanwhile, in large, wide skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms, shallots and garlic and cook, stirring often, until shallots are soft and mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add kale to mushroom mixture and cook, stirring often, 1 minute. Add water and cooked potatoes. Cover and cook until kale is bright green, about 5 minutes. Serve warm.

See link for picture
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe...

nutritional information
Per SERVING:

Calories: 233
Protein: 10 g
Total Fat: 5 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Carbohydrates: 37 g
Sodium: 100 mg
Fiber: 10 g

[Alias Reader]

I can't locate the post, GR search engine stinks, but I know deb and I think it was Sharon mentioned pickling food.

ANYway, I was on VT website and thought some of you may like it.

Tangy Marinated Vegetables

Serves 8
This is a beautiful take-along side dish when made in and served out of a 1-quart canning jar. Eat these veggies with your fingers to satisfy a picnic craving for something salty and crunchy—without resorting to a bag of chips.
Marinade

½ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 Tbs. dried oregano
2 Tbs. dried basil
2 Tbs. dried parsley
½ tsp. red pepper flakes

Vegetables

2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup carrot sticks or baby carrots
1 cup small button mushrooms, halved

To make Marinade:

1. Whisk together all ingredients in large bowl.

2. Pour Marinade into 1-quart canning jar with lid or large resealable plastic bag. Add all Vegetables, and shake to coat.

3. Refrigerate 4 hours, or overnight, shaking mixture occasionally. Enjoy straight out of jar, like pickles.

See link for picture
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe...

[Julie]

I like this recipe for using kale from realsimple.com
http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipe...

Winter Lentil Soup
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 leeks (white and light green parts), cut into 1/4-inch-thick half-moons
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 bunch kale, thick stems removed and leaves cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1/2 cup brown lentils
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
Kosher salt and black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan (1 ounce; optional)
Directions
1.Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, breaking them up with a spoon, for 5 minutes.
2.Add 6 cups water and bring to a boil. Stir in the sweet potatoes, kale, lentils, thyme, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Simmer until the lentils are tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
3.Spoon into bowls and top with the Parmesan, if using.

Note: I put in the kale a little later during the cooking so it is a little brighter looking.

[Julie]

My other favorite recipe with kale:
http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=...

Turkey and Vegetable Chili Verde

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, chopped
3 medium cloves garlic, chopped
1 lb ground turkey
1 4 oz can diced green chili
1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 TBS + 4 cups chicken broth
4 cups finely chopped kale
2 cups or 1 15 oz can (BPA-free) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 TBS chopped fresh oregano
3 TBS chopped fresh cilantro
salt and black pepper to taste


Directions:

Chop garlic and onion and let sit for at least 5 minutes to enhance their health-promoting benefits.
Heat 1 TBS broth in a medium soup pot. Healthy Sauté onion in broth for 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently. Add garlic and ground turkey with a pinch of salt and pepper. Continue to sauté, breaking up turkey for another 5 minutes.
Add diced tomatoes, chili, and broth to turkey mixture and bring to a boil on high heat. Stir in chopped kale, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for another 10 minutes.
Add beans, simmer for another several minutes and add herbs, salt, and pepper.
Serves 4

[Alias Reader]

Julie wrote: "I like this recipe for using kale

Winter Lentil Soup

==================

This looks excellent ! Healthy, too !

Thank you.

[Madrano]

Alias Reader wrote: "I can't locate the post, GR search engine stinks, but I know deb and I think it was Sharon mentioned pickling food.

ANYway, I was on VT website and thought some of you may like it.

Tangy Marina..."

That recipe looks good. It was Shomeret who shared her fermented veggie idea of reusing the brine. Anyway, i think i'd like to give it a try, even knowing DH doesn't care for them. Thanks.

deb

[Madrano]

JoAnn/QuAppelle wrote: "Almost all of the viewers whom I personally know make many of the dishes shown on the cooking shows, Well, the decent cooking shows, I should say!"

When i watch those shows, i usually keep them in mind for when we frequent restaurants. I'm just too lazy anymore to give cooking much effort and when i do, i'd prefer to use those numerous clippings i've saved. I tend to watch those shows for the host, which is why i don't watch many. There's only so much Giada i can take (1-2 minutes). Same with many others, yet some appeal on a train-wreck level, ala Paula Deen.

Another reason i'll watch a show is to witness techniques i've read about over the years but dared not try, as they sounded complicated. Sometimes i find i was right to feel daunted but other times i realize i've been using the skills without knowing the terminology. And that is always a lovely surprise.

My SIL is an awful cook & just doesn't do it, but she watches show after show on those Food Channels. When we go out dining, she makes the best selections based on those shows. Her DH grills most of their food, btw.

My DH is good about seeing a cooking show & remembering the herbs or other seasonings. His cooking skills have increased dramatically since we started watching shows. Although, now that i think about it, we tend to only watch the "amateur" competitions any more. We've changed our viewing with those channels, it seems.

[JoAnn/QuAppelle]

I often make marinated vegetables. Sometimes I put them onto skewers and we grill them.

The thing about kale is that after you get 4 finely chopped cups for soup, what do you do with the other 800 cups!?!?!? LOL

I make so many of Giada's recipes, followed by Ina's. They are easily modified to adhere to dietary restrictions. And I love the Jamie Deen show.

[Alias Reader]

I just bought some kale today. Frozen. All cleaned and chopped. :)

I saute it in a tiny bit of olive oil + garlic. ( or you could steam it.)

I've also put it in smoothies and soups.

[Madrano]

The bulk of my recipes from Ina are from one's you've shared, JoAnn. We have watched several of her programs but they got old fast. However, i'd like to be a friend of hers, if for no other reason than to be gifted with one of her baskets of goodies!

We marinate many veggies, too, and agree with you on grilling them. And i like making a marinated veg. salads with tuna & lettuce, too. This time of year we keep quartered tomatoes marinating all the time. I'm guessing the vinegar/acidic content is what separates them from brined veggies, which is why the fermentation (pursuant stomach bacteria) appeals to the health-conscious.