Starting the New Year Clean and Bright.

Recently I discovered there are various superstitions regarding what you should, or should not, do on New Year’s Day.  I have no idea where I must have been when these superstitions came about, but have not ever heard of them before.

Supposedly you should not shower or bathe, clean anything, or any room of the home, and not do any laundry as it will “wash away” all the good luck of the new year.  I, on the other hand, showered, did two loads of laundry and cleaned the kitchen.  I wanted any residue of lousy 2024 to be washed away, and start off 2025 with a poltergeist moment of, “This house is clean!”.   By the way, did you know that the color of your underwear, on New Year’s Day, brings a desired wish?  The color I was wearing?  Whoa there, TMI.

Depending upon which state you reside in, in the USA, a certain food or grouping of foods, eaten will bring good luck throughout the new year; same for many countries as well.  It was always lasagna when I lived in New York; and pork, sauerkraut and mashed potatoes in Pennsylvania.  For Utah, it is…nothing special; that is correct, there is no traditional food to be eaten for New Year’s Day.  So, each year, Roy and I do our own “tradition” of, “What are you in the mood for?”

2025 called for something easy, pleasing, and full of bright colors to warm every sense.  A stir-fry of shrimp, various vegetables and angel hair pasta; oh, not a traditional Asian stir fry, but one using Mediterranean influences.  Those influences are olive oil, garlic, parsley and Feta cheese; lemon juice does not have to be used for every recipe of this cuisine.  With Feta cheese being used as a topping, using lemon juice would make this dish too tart and tangy, and overwhelm all the other flavors.

Stir-frying is a cooking technique that originated in China about 1500 years ago during the Zhou period (771-256 BCE). Ingredients are fried in a small amount of very hot oil while being stirred or tossed in a wok.  A wok is a deep bowl-shaped pan with sloping sides which traps, and evenly distributes, heat for fast and complete cooking of all ingredients. There are many wok sets available for sale with varying prices dependent on “name brand”, metal used, and accessories that come with the set.  Otherwise, a deep, 12-inch wide, skillet will do the trick just as well, just make sure to keep the ingredients moving so as to not burn, or have semi-cooked items.

For my dish, the protein used was shrimp, but chicken, pork, beef or tofu will work; all depends on what you enjoy.  A mixture of brightly colored vegetables included broccoli, green and red bell peppers, sugar snap peas and carrots.  Do you have to use a protein?  Only if you want to, this dish can become purely vegetarian or vegan.  Instead of ramen or udon noodles, or rice, angel hair pasta was the main carbohydrate. Worried about gluten?  There are many varieties of gluten-free pasta products, and carb consumption, in general, is like anything else, ruled by moderation.

While this could be classified as one-pan cooking, sometimes there are stages when cooking with a wok, or a skillet.  Many ingredients might need to cook at different temperatures, or need a longer or shorter cooking time.  At the end though, after all stages have been completed, the result in the one-pan displays a masterpiece of colors, textures, scents and tastes.

 

Mediterranean Stir-Fry

Ingredients:

2 (12 oz.) bags stir-fry mix (broccoli, carrots, red and green bell peppers, sugar snap peas)

2 lbs. raw large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 lb. angel hair pasta, cooked and kept warm

¼ cup olive oil

1 Tbsp. minced garlic

1 Tbsp. dried parsley leaves

1 tsp. cracked black pepper

¼ tsp. salt

1 (5 oz.) container crumbled Feta cheese

 

Preparation:

In a wok or large skillet, heat 4 Tbsp. olive oil, medium-high heat.  Add in vegetable mix, garlic, parsley, black pepper and salt; mix thoroughly.  Cook for 3 minutes, stir to keep from sticking or burning as this will keep vegetables crisp and colorful.  Remove to bowl.

 

Increase heat to high, add 4 Tbsp. olive oil; add in shrimp.  Cook for 5 minutes, but keep them moving so they can turn pink, and get a slight sear.  Remove to bowl.

 

Reduce heat to medium-high, mix 4 Tbsp. into pasta and then place into wok or skillet.  Leave pasta alone for one minute; sizzling sound will be heard. 

 

 

Add back vegetables and shrimp, combine well and let cook for 3 minutes, mix together once every minute.  Remove from heat.

 

Place serving into large soup/salad bowl; sprinkle crumbed Feta cheese on top.

Makes 8 servings.

No matter how your new year started, try to make the year bright, colorful, and clean of negativity.

Mary Cokenour

 

 

 

 

Delicious Ideas for Vegetable Surplus.

Here we are, almost to the end of August and Labor Day begins the month of September.  Farmers’ markets are laden with surpluses of homegrown vegetables, or baked goods, jams and jellies.  One of our friends dropped off several bags of yellow squash, zucchini and cucumbers which, of course, got me in a creative mood.  

 

Again, we do not have a lot of storage space in our small home, so while I froze shredded zucchini and yellow squash for dessert bread making, the rest was eaten.  First off was a refreshing cucumber salad which can be eaten by itself, or used to make those dainty, English style, cucumber sandwiches served with tea.

 

Cucumber Salad

Ingredients:

2 large cucumbers

½ cup mayonnaise

1 Tbsp. dried dill

¼ tsp. salt

Option: Adding diced or julienned red onion gives added crunch.

Preparation:

Cut ends off cucumbers (discard and put in composting bin), and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices.  Place in medium sized bowl, add mayonnaise, dill and salt; gently fold to not break up cucumber slices.

Makes 2 to 3 cups of salad, depending on how large cucumbers are.

Note: Remove the skin?  That is strictly up to you.  You can remove it all, or use a peeler to remove skin in waves to make it more decorative.

To make cucumber sandwiches, use square white or wheat bread, and cut off edges.  Spoon one layer of salad onto one slice of bread, top with other slice; press down slightly and cut into 4 triangles.  Let rest for about 5 minutes to make sure salad is adhering to the bread.

So, when you are having friends over for a tea party, serve these little sandwiches along with scones and fairy cakes.  Your guests will be quite impressed with your English flair for the fancy.

What about using vegetables in casserole making?  That is where some of the zucchini and yellow squash surplus comes in handy.  This is also where all-time favorite recipes are reinvented into something extraordinary.  Take, for example, Broccoli and Cheese casserole.  This recipe can be so simple by using butter and melted cheese only; to creating a creamy sauce that coats the tongue in a rich blanket of flavors.   While same old, same old is easy to do, try thinking, “Let’s try something different this time!”

 

Vegetable Casserole

Ingredients:

16 oz. chopped mushrooms

2 Tbsp. butter

1 Tbsp. saltless seasoning mixture

3 medium sized zucchini, chopped

3 medium sized yellow squash, chopped

1/2 cup mayonnaise

3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

3/4 cup ranch dressing

2 eggs, beaten

12 oz. package shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided in half

1 tsp. ground black pepper

6 oz. package French fried onion strips

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350F; spray a 2-quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. In a large skillet, medium heat, sauté' mushrooms in butter for five minutes. Add seasoning mixture, zucchini, yellow squash; mix together, sauté' for additional minute and remove from heat. While mushrooms are cooking, mix together, in a medium bowl, the mayonnaise, yogurt, ranch dressing, eggs, half the shredded cheese, black pepper and onion strips.

Into a large bowl, put in the vegetable mixture; add the wet mixture from the medium bowl and mix to coat the vegetables evenly. Spoon all into the casserole dish; cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.

Remove foil, sprinkle remaining half of cheese evenly over top and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

Want something without having to use dairy products?  Make a vegetable stir fry that is a kaleidoscope of colors, using exotic ingredients that will excite the taste buds.  This is a basic recipe and vegetables can be changed according to tastes, or availability.  Using a Wok is preferred, but if not available, a large nonstick skillet will do.

 

Vegetable Stir Fry

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp. sesame oil (if not available, use peanut)

1 small red onion, slivered

1 small red bell pepper, cut into strips

1 small zucchini and yellow squash, cut diagonally into ¼ inch slices

1 cup snow peas (if not available, use sugar snap peas)

1 tsp. minced garlic

½ cup diced tomatoes

¼ cup each soy and hoisin sauces

½ tsp. ground ginger

Preparation:

In a Wok, or large nonstick skillet, heat oil on high.  Sauté onions and bell pepper till they just start to soften; about 5 minutes.  Add in zucchini, squash, peas; cook another 5 minutes before adding in garlic, tomatoes, sauces and ginger; mix together thoroughly.

Reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer for 10 minutes.

Makes 4 servings; can be served as is, or with rice or Asian noodles.

Want more protein in this meal, add cut up tofu, chicken, beef or pork while sauteing the onions and bell pepper, then add the rest of the ingredients to complete.  If using a seafood item, usually they cook better within the last five minutes of completion.

Have a vegetable surplus as summer slides into autumn, now you have some delicious options for your dining table.  …and here’s a novel idea, if you happen to have a lot of one type, and neighbors also have only one type, get together and have a cooking party.  It is a pleasant way of, not only learning new recipes, but getting to know each other in a unique way.

Mary Cokeour

Just Another Stir-Fry Recipe.

Not too much to say about this new recipe.  Roy and I simply enjoy delving into Asian cuisines, and this was another opportunity to play.  I think the most creative thing was coming up with a way to flavor the rice without a lot of ingredients.  Using jasmine green tea bags did the job with any mess.  Just place them in the water being used to make the rice, bring to a boil, remove the bags, and wallah, the water is infused with the flavorful tea.

The entire recipe, including rice, makes eight servings, and the leftovers simply got more flavorful over time.

 Order Up, and You're Welcome! 

 

Sweet Chili Stir-Fry

(Over Jasmine Green Tea Rice)

Ingredients:

2 lbs. raw, peeled and deveined large shrimp (or chunks of chicken breasts or pork tenderloin)

1 cup chopped red bell peppers

1 (15 oz.) can straw mushrooms, drained

½ cup julienned purple (also called red) onions

½ tsp. ground black pepper

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. ground lemon grass

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

½ cup sweet chili sauce (aka Thai sweet chili sauce)

8 cups jasmine green tea infused rice **

Preparation:

In a sealable plastic container, mix together protein, peppers, mushrooms, onions, black pepper, ginger and lemon grass.  Place in refrigerator for one hour, but begin making rice in a half hour.

 

** To make rice, in a 3-quart pan, place 8 cups of cold water, ½ tsp. salt, 2 teabags of jasmine green tea.  Set heat to high and bring to a boil.  Remove tea bags and add 4 cups uncooked, medium grain, white rice; stir, reduce heat to low, cover and let cook for 20 minutes.  Remove lid, let rice rest for 5 minutes before fluffing up with a fork.

 

 

In a large skillet, heat oil on medium-high heat; spread out contents from plastic container in skillet and sauté’ until protein in thoroughly cooked (shrimp will turn pinkish/red, and no longer be translucent).  Add sweet chili sauce, mix in thoroughly, remove skillet from heat, and serve.

 

Makes 8 servings.

Mary Cokenour

Asian Gourmet from Haddon House.

Haddon House Food Products, Inc.
http://www.haddonhouse.com/

Asian Gourmet - Chinese, Japanese and Thai food products

When we lived on the East coast, visiting Chinatown in New York City or Philadelphia was simply a couple of hours of driving away.  We loved going into all the little groceries to find noodles, sauces, teas, vegetables (love Bok Choy), fruits and candies that a regular supermarket didn't have.  Then, of course, there were the Dim Sum restaurants that offered up a huge variety of delectables; oh how we miss those restaurants of authentic Chinese cuisine.  We didn't order from menus; the restaurant owner knew us and ordered for us; never a disappointment, and always something new to try.

Twice someone tried opening up a "Chinese" restaurant in the area.  The first time it was a person who purchased bulk pans of frozen, premade Chinese-like meals; heated them up and sold by the scoop full.  Disgusting!!!  The second time there were actual owners of Chinese descent; big mistake was hiring locals who knew nothing about the cuisine, didn't want to learn, and didn't want to do much work either.  Then again, it was the owners' fault for not insisting they be knowledgeable, or replacing them with those who wanted to learn and work.  If a restaurant wants to succeed, the owners have to make sure they have the best staff, attitude, training, atmosphere and products.

I get calls from many restaurants, in the area, to come visit and do a review on them.  They know I am honest, can't be bought off, nor bribed; they are also very confident that they have all the musts for success.  Now the ones that don't want me to visit know they are not up to par.  They don't care if tourists come in or not; their belief is that friends, family and locals, out of blind loyalty, will keep them going no matter how bad the food and service are.

...and so I have digressed from my original thoughts on Asian Gourmet products.

Since the closest Asian restaurants (Chinese, Japanese, Thai) are an hour away in either Moab, UT or Cortez, CO; I have had to learn to do some of my own cooking of these cuisines.  Being able to purchase some of the products to accomplish this is a huge help, and many of the major chain supermarkets are carrying Asian Gourmet by Haddon House Food Products, a food distributor on the, what else, East coast.  Owning a Wok is an even bigger help; tools of the trade do make a difference.

So, here's one of my latest concoctions...

Chinese Noodle Stir Fry

 

 

Ingredients:

 

1 (8 oz.) package Asian Gourmet Chinese Noodles

2 Tbsp. Stir Fry oil (if not available, canola oil)

 and 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 tsp. Chinese 5 Spice powder

1 (10 oz.) package frozen sugar snap peas, defrosted

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped orange bell pepper

1/2 cup Hoisin sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce

 

Preparation:

 

Prepare Chinese Noodles according to package direction; set aside, but keep warm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heat oil, medium-high, in Wok or large, deep skillet.  Mix chicken pieces with 5 spice powder; brown all sides in the oil.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add the sugar snap peas and bell peppers; mix thoroughly and let cook for 5 minutes together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add the kept warm, cooked noodles and sauces to the Wok; mix thoroughly and let cook until the bottom is sizzling.  Stir bottom ingredients up to the top, and repeat.

 

Makes 8 servings.

 

Mary Cokenour

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Thai Cortez is a Mixture of Friendly and Delicious.

Thai Cortez

1430 East Main Street, Suite 2
Cortez, Colorado, 81321

Phone: (970) 564-3151

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/thaicortezcolorado

Hours of Operation:
Lunch (Mon-Sat) 11:30am to 2:30pm
Dinner (Mon-sat) 4:30pm to 9:00pm
Sunday - Closed







After reading many Trip Advisor reviews, my hubby and I decided to soothe our craving for Thai food while in Cortez, and try out Thai Cortez.  Adjacent to the parking lot of McDonald's, there is parking on the side and back of the restaurant itself.  Inside, we were immediately greeted in a warm manner and given a table for two.  The interior is small and narrow, so tables are close together; this is not the place if you are seeking privacy.  However, the staff are so very friendly and we truly didn't have just one server; all the servers took care of all the diners.  A couple sitting next to our table asked if we'd ever been to Thai Cortez; we told them no, and they informed us that they have been addicted to it since it first opened, and that we were in for a great meal.  They were not wrong in any way!

The menu is chock full of Thailand's cuisine, with a few Japanese inspired dishes thrown in as well.  The dishes have their Thai names, but are explained well, so you know exactly what you are ordering.  We began with Por Pia (Thai Vegetable Egg Rolls) and Kha Nom Jeeb (Thai Dumplings).  The Egg Rolls were deep fried to a golden brown with just the right about of shredded vegetables inside; sweet and sour was provided for dipping.  Before I could even take a photo, my hubby devoured one immediately!  The Thai Dumplings were packed with a pork and vegetable mixture wrapped in a delicate wonton wrapper; steamed and served with a special sauce very similar to Hoisin.  Both appetizers were delicious!

Por Pia - Thai Vegetable Egg Rolls

Kha Nom Jeeb - Thai Dumplings

For main dishes, my hubby ordered Pad Hed Horm; a Japanese inspired stir fry of vegetables in a special house sauce, and he chose beef for the protein addition.  The vegetables were perfectly cut for bite sized pieces and fresh; the beef was so tender and cooked medium-rare.  I ordered Mee Grob Rad Nah Ta Lay; deep fried egg noodles topped with a seafood mixture of shrimp, scallops, squid and mussels; vegetables and in a savory brown sauce.  All the seafood was cooked to perfection, especially the squid and scallops which were tender, NOT rubbery.  The entire dish was outstanding!

Pad Hed Horm

Mee Grob Rad Nah Ta Lay

All the while we were dining, the servers were so attentive filling our tea cups and asking how was the food, and did we need anything else.  The entire atmosphere is welcoming, we were not rushed, and we knew we would be coming back again.  So, if in Cortez, Colorado and in the mood for Thai, go to Thai Cortez for lunch and/or dinner and you will NOT be disappointed.

Mary Cokenour

Stir Fry by Any Other Name.

Every once in awhile, Omaha Steaks (website: http://www.omahasteaks.com/ ) will have a sale on my favorite item; Stuffed Sole Fillets with Scallops and Crabmeat.  Sometimes the sale price is outstanding, or I have enough points saved up to get it free; ah, there is often a catch though, you have to purchase another item.  So it came to pass that I was able to get some for free, but, of course, so long as I purchased another item; so not so free after all.  ..and the shipping is a killer, so definitely not as free as you think it should be, anyway... I noticed a sale package on sausage, an often used item in my cooking, so figured I might as well try it out.

Smoked, mild Italian sausage was the first box I pulled out of the freezer when deciding what to make for Roy that night.  *sigh*  Sausage with Peppers and Onions; Pasta with Homemade Sauce and the sausage as a side...what am I going to do with this?  Alright, time to clean the pantry anyway, so lets see what jumps off the shelves to hit me with an idea.

Barilla 3-Cheese Dried Tortellini, I have bags of it for when I make my Chicken Tortellini Soup; that goes on the counter.  So am I cooking up a quick sauce; maybe throw in some veggies?  I've got in the freezer bell pepper strips of all colors, sliced zucchini; fresh onions and tomatoes would add to this, but not as a sauce.  Oh no, a saute', but when is a saute' a saute', and not a stir fry.  Well I couldn't tell the difference at this moment of truth, I was quickly cooking up the veggies in oil; adding the meat and cooked pasta; tossing it all together, so why not call this a stir fry?  Hence the name of this new recipe, "Italian Stir Fry", and yes, it came out very well.  By the way, except for the pot used for cooking the tortellini, this is a one skillet dish; nice, right!

Italian Stir Fry

Ingredients:

1 (12 oz.) package Barilla 3 Cheese Dried Tortellini
4 Tbsp. olive oil, divided in half
½ cup each green, yellow, red bell peppers, julienned
¼ cup diced onion
1 large zucchini, sliced into ¼ inch slices
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp. Italian herbal mixture
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 and ½ lbs. smoked, mild Italian sausage (Omaha Steaks), cut into ½ inch pieces Parmesan cheese, shredded, for garnish



Preparation:

Cook tortellini according to package directions; begin stir fry while waiting for pasta to cook.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil on medium-high heat; add bell peppers, onion and zucchini; sauté until just beginning to soften. Add in tomatoes, Italian herbs and garlic; mix and let cook for 5 minutes.












Add in sausage, mix and cook for 5 minutes to warm. 








Add in cooked and drain tortellini plus remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Mix gently to coat pasta and incorporate into sausage-vegetable mixture.

Plate and sprinkle shredded Parmesan to desired taste.

Makes 8 servings.

Mary Cokenour

Turkey or Chicken, This Stir Fry Works for Both.

Whenever I can find turkey tenderloins on sale, I buy up several packages which go towards turkey paprikash, tetrazzini, pasta bake, pot pie, even soup.  This time I wanted to do a little twist on the usual chicken stir fry, but with turkey instead.
  

Turkey Noodle Stir Fry

 

Ingredients:

 

2 lbs. turkey tenderloin, cut into 1/4” medallions

1 tsp. Chinese Five Spice powder
1 tsp. cornstarch
4 Tbsp. canola oil, divided in half
3 (3 oz.) packages chicken flavored Ramen noodles
4 cups water
1 (12 oz.) package frozen mixed vegetables, defrosted
1 (15 oz.) can straw mushrooms, drained
½ cup Hoisin sauce

 

Preparation:

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a large bowl, combine the turkey with the five spice powder and cornstarch.  Heat two tablespoons of oil, medium-high heat, in a Wok or large skillet; brown the turkey until no longer pink; remove.

 

 

 

 

 

Prepare the noodles according to package directions, in the same Wok or skillet, using only four cups of water plus the mixed vegetables; drain any excess liquid, if any, when finished cooking; remove.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heat remaining two tablespoons of oil, medium-high heat, in same Wok or skillet; pan fry the noodle/vegetable mixture, plus the straw mushrooms, for five minutes.  Add in the browned turkey plus Hoisin sauce; mix thoroughly and let cook another five minutes.

 

Straw Mushrooms
 

 

Makes 8 servings.

Mary Cokenour