Innie or Outie

Although the varieties of cheeses available to locals on Okinawa are limited, here is a different and tasty way of cooking cornbread.

Buttery Cake-Style Cornbread

1 1/4 cups flour
1 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup milk
1 egg (beaten)
1/4 cup butter (melted)
Grated cheese of your choice

Preheat oven to 250 degrees centigrade. Grease two 8 inch cake pans.

Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Stir in milk, butter, and egg until all ingredients are moist. Pour one-half of the batter into each pan. Place in the oven for about 7 minutes. Remove from the oven, turn oven off, and close the oven door.

Turn one cornbread upside down on a cooling rack. Sprinkle grated cheese on top of the upside down cornbread (similar to a thin layer of frosting). Replace the “frosted” cornbread in the baking pan. Place the other cornbread (right side up) on top of the “frosted” cornbread. Place back in the oven for approximately 10 – 15 minutes or until cheese has melted.

*NOTE: I make this recipe with parmesan cheese, but then I think that particular cheese goes well with just about everything!

If you’re one of those people who really don’t care much for the crust on your sandwich bread, there’s no need for the crusts to go to waste. This is a simple recipe that creates a use for the crusts and is good for any leftover French bread you may have as well.

Pan-Fried Herbed Croutons

1 cup bread crusts or French bread (coarsely chopped)
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon basil
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon parsley
1 teaspoon minced garlic paste

Warm frying pan on medium heat, then add butter and garlic paste.
Stir in bread chunks. Sprinkle with basil, oregano, and parsley. Fry until slightly golden, tossing occasionally.

Remove and place on paper towels to drain excess oil. Place in air-tight container. Good for use in soups or salads.

Crockpot Creamy Chicken and Mushrooms

3 chicken breasts (deboned and skinned)
1/2 cube butter
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon basil
1 tablespoon parsley
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon white pepper
One 8 ounce can sliced mushrooms (drained)
1/2 medium onion (diced)
1 teaspoon minced garlic paste
1 can cream of mushroom soup
One 8 ounce package cream cheese

Cut chicken breasts into bite-size pieces. Put butter and chicken into crockpot and sprinkle oregano, basil, parsley, thyme, white pepper, onion, and mushrooms over the chicken. Heat on high for 4 hours. After 4 hours, turn crockpot down to low.

1 hour prior to serving, mix garlic, cream cheese, and soup in a small saucepan until cheese is melted. Then stir into the chicken and butter mixture in the crockpot and continue heating on low for 45 minutes.

Serve over rice or pasta.

Ever wonder what to do with that leftover jelled cranberry sauce? This is one simple and tasty dessert alternative!

Frozen Fruity Yogurt

Per serving

3 tablespoons chilled cranberry sauce
3/4 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon crushed chocolate
1 fresh mint leaf

Mix cranberry sauce, yogurt, and honey in blender until smooth. Pour mixture into a serving cup and place in a freezer for at least 45 minutes.

About ten minutes prior to serving:
Remove frozen yogurt from freezer. Tear mint leaf in half lengthwise and place on yogurt, then sprinkle with crushed chocolate.

Most tomato-based or pasta recipes taste great with garlic bread, but that isn’t always easy to find over here or on-hand at the time. One easy replacement for garlic bread is this simple solution:

Quick-n-Easy Garlic Toast

Toast wheat bread in your toaster. (If you don’t have wheat bread, you can use white bread. But wheat bread tastes better.) When done, immediately spread minced garlic paste on the toast and then butter. Slice the toast diagonally into four pieces. Depending on the size of the entrée, serve one or 1/2 slice of toast per serving.

Crockpot Asian Shrimp Creole

1 cup diced celery
1/2 medium size onion (diced)
1 cup diced bell pepper
One 8 ounce cans tomato sauce
Two 14 ounce cans diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon minced garlic paste
1 tablespoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce
2 cups medium size shrimp (shells removed)

Combine everything except the shrimp in a crockpot and cook on high. After 4 hours, add shrimp and cook on low for 1 hour. Serve over rice or pasta.

This recipe is simple and tasty!!!

Hearty Refried Bean Soup

1 medium carrot (sliced)
1/2 medium onion (sliced)
1/2 cup sliced canned mushrooms
1/2 pound hamburger
1 tablespoon minced garlic paste
2 tablespoons dried cilantro flakes
Two 16 ounce cans chicken broth
Two 16 ounce cans refried beans
Sharp cheddar cheese (grated)
Parmesan cheese (grated)
Guacamole flavored tortilla chips (crushed)

Mince carrot, onion, and mushrooms in food processor. Place hamburger in crock pot, top with carrot/onion/mushroom mixture. Add chicken stock and cilantro flakes. Cover and cook on high for three hours, stirring occasionally.

After three hours, thoroughly mix in refried beans. Cover and cook for one-half hour.

Serve in individual bowls topped with cheddar cheese, tortilla chips, and parmesan cheese.

This is a great on-the-go breakfast or snack!!!

Spicy Breakfast Burrito

1/4 small bell pepper
1/8 small onion
1/4 cup milk
1 large egg
1 slice bacon
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 slice American-style cheddar cheese
One 10 inch or two 6 inch tortilla(s)
White pepper
Salsa

Mince bell pepper, onion, and bacon in a food processor. Then sauté bell pepper/onion/bacon mixture in olive oil in a frying pan on medium heat.

Meanwhile mix egg and milk in a bowl with fork or whisk. Add enough pepper to taste.
When onions are translucent, pour egg mixture into frying pan. Let brown, then turn over once with spatula.

While omelet is cooking, place cheese in center of tortilla(s) and heat uncovered in microwave for approximately 30 seconds each. (If using 6 inch tortillas, split cheese slice in half then place one half in each tortilla.)

Place finished omelet in center of tortilla (slice omelet in half if using 6 inch tortillas), spoon desired amount of salsa on top, and fold the tortilla burrito style.

If on-the-go, simply wrap the burrito in plastic wrap or aluminum foil.

Sea Chicken (Tuna) Stroganoff

1/2 medium onion thinly diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic paste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 6 ounce can tuna (undrained)
2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
1 tablespoon dried oregano flakes
1 tablespoon dried basil flakes
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup plain yogurt
16 ounces fettuccini
Parmesan cheese

Prepare pasta according to instructions.

Meanwhile, sauté onions and garlic in the olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat.
When onions become translucent, add tuna, tomatoes, tomato paste, lemon juice, parsley, oregano, and basil. Cook on low heat until pasta is ready, stirring occasionally.

Once pasta is ready, drain liquid and replace pasta in cooking pot on low heat adding the tuna/tomato sauce and yogurt. Mix thoroughly.

Place in serving bowl and top with enough parmesan cheese to meet your own taste.

This time of year one feels as though the sun is playing a game of peek-a-boo.  Here are some individual dipping sauces  to use in place of marinades for those who find themselves suddenly facing impromptu B-B-Qs.

Spicy Mustard Sauce(good for sausage, pork, and steak):
     1 tablespoon Japanese Kewpie Arabiki mustard (a nutty, whole grain, Dijon-style mustard)
     2 tablespoons smooth German mustard

Spicy Tomato Sauce (good for shrimp):
     ½ teaspoon minced garlic paste
     1 tablespoon chili sauce
     2 tablespoons ketchup

Spicy Asian Sauce (good for chicken, steak, and vegetables):
     1 teaspoon wasabi (Japanese green horseradish) paste
     1 tablespoon sesame oil
     3 tablespoons dark soy sauce