Greek Cucumber Salad

This is an easy, make ahead side dish. I have found this concoction satisfies my pasta salad cravings. When I cut out gluten from my diet, the first thing I missed was pasta. Yes, today they have some good substitutes however, many of them miss the mark when it comes to making a pasta salad.

Earlier this year, I was researching food related to inflammatory responses and came across many articles with info on the Mediterranean way of eating. I began to embrace the olive oil, lemon, garlic and oregano goodness that are so popular in Mediterranean cuisine.

I have made this dish 50 times and always end up substituting or adding something. I use whatever I happen to have on hand. I have substituted chickpeas for the white beans, I have used green onions instead of red, I have even been known to add pepperoncini. One time, at the last minute I learned a few more people were coming for dinner than I had originally planned. I added an extra can of white beans and shredded a head of romaine lettuce. You can stretch it as far as needed!

I know the world is divided about feta. I personally love it, but if you don’t love it, leave it out. If you want to make this a more italian vibe, substitute parmesan for the feta. I have served this dish to feta haters, and they cleaned their plates. It just adds a good saltiness, especially when combined with the olives. Also, crumble your own feta. It is more economical and it is just better.

I have added an easy dressing recipe, but please know- I don’t always make my dressings. I love to make them, but sometimes time just doesn’t permit. Ken’s Steakhouse Simply Vinaigrette Dressings are the closest thing to homemade I have found in the grocery stores. They come in many varieties: greek, italian, olive oil and vinegar, balsamic, etc. The olive oil and vinegar or greek works best with this salad.

I love to make this with salmon, chicken or pork. Tonight I am making pork tenderloin marinated in the leftover dressing. It is a wet and dreary day, so instead of grilling the tenderloin, I am going to sear it in a cast iron skillet and pop it into a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes. I am also going to whip up come Greek Lemon Potatoes.

I browsed our wine rack and found a Decoy Pinot Noir that I think will go well with the pork. This dry red will hold up well to the red wine vinegar and feta that is bold in this dish. This pinot is smooth with an almost strawberry/cherry note with a hint of spice.

Helpful hint: If you are making this dish a day ahead, leave the cherry tomatoes whole. Sometimes cut tomatoes can make a dish “watery” the next day.

Greek Salad

Servings: 4-6
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Ingredients

1 english cucumber, large dice
1 bell pepper diced, any color
1/2 red onion
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup black olives, marinated or brined- not canned
1 can white beans, northern or cannellini, rinsed and drained
1 lemon, halved

Dressing
1/2 cup good olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 lemon, juice and zest
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Mix dressing ingredients into a jar and shake. Pour as much as you like over the salad ingredients and toss. Right before serving, squeeze the halved lemon over it for a fresh burst of flavor. Any extra dressing you have will last in the fridge for a few days-it is also good for a marinade.

Make this recipe your own. Use chickpeas instead of white beans, add pasta or shredded romaine. Dice a jalapeno for some heat. The salad ingredients can all be substituted for whatever you find in your crisper drawer.

Magic Marinade

This marinade is very versatile. I have used it for Asian inspired meals as well as meals that are just plain American, like steak and potatoes. The first time I put it together, I marinated boneless skinless chicken thighs. Jay threw them on the grill and it was the best chicken I had ever eaten. I have marinated anything and everything from vegetables to steaks and have never been disappointed. The brown sugar makes for some excellent caramelization on the grill.

The bonus to this recipe, is you probably have everything you need already in your pantry. The longer you marinate, the more rich the flavor. So anywhere from 30 minutes to overnight works. And of course, an overnight marinade will bring the best results.

The acid (vinegar, soy, worcestershire) works as a tenderizer so whatever protein you choose will be divine. It works well tenderizing tough cuts of beef like a flank or skirt steak. If you choose one of these cuts, make sure you opt for an overnight marinade to really cut the toughness.

If you are gluten sensitive like me, swap the soy sauce for coconut aminos.

Magic Marinade

Servings: 6-8
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Ingredients

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup worcestershire sauce
1/2 balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp salt

Directions

Place all ingredients in a plastic sealable bag in in a pan and toss in your protein. Ideally, marinating it overnight brings out the best flavor, but anywhere from a couple of hours to 30 minutes will also bring amazing flavor. This started out as a chicken marinade, but I have used it on everything from pork tenderloin to ribeye steaks with excellent results.

Make this recipe your own. Add some heat with red pepper flakes or garlic for extra flavor.

Coconut Rice

This week I was making some Asian inspired pork tenderloins and was going to throw together my Asian Slaw and rice. I had invited our best friends over for dinner and wanted to do something extra to the rice. Yes, I have cooked rice in chicken broth, and I have thrown cajun spices into it, but I have been trying to step out of my comfort zone lately and Asian is not in my wheelhouse. After careful thought and rummaging through by kitchen cabinets, I found a can of coconut milk. I know, that is more Thai than Asian, but they meld together nicely.

What transformed was a wonderful concoction of creamy goodness. I had two helpings, one of our friends had three helpings. There was no rice left in this bowl. And, I have been thinking about this rice since that night.

I have to confess, I am not a fan of ginger, but if you are a ginger lover…add it.

Coconut Rice

Servings: 4-6
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Ingredients

2 cups jasmine rice, rinsed
1 can coconut milk
1.5 cups water
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt

Directions

Place all ingredients in a pot, bring to boil, turn it down to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes.

Make this recipe your own. You could add ginger or even five spice.

Creamy Chicken Taco Soup

This morning at the local farmer’s market, I found a mixture of peppers and some small, tender squash. I also purchased some boneless, skinless chicken breasts with full intentions of grilling. However, by the time I returned home, black clouds began swirling and the rain came. So, I looked through my cabinets and drummed up enough things to make chicken taco soup. I know the mixed peppers I bought today will be perfect for it.

I absolutely love soups and I have only one soup rule – never use water. You can use broth, coconut milk, wine, tomato sauce, tomato juice, anything, just do not add water. Water dilutes the flavor and with a soup you are trying to build flavor.

I know my soup pot has years of food stains, and I do know I could probably spend sometime and make it look new again. But I love the stains and the reminders of the good meals that have come out of this deep, heavy pot. I covet the french soup pots that I cannot pronounce and also cannot afford. This pot is cast iron and was a bargain at Samâ€™s Club many, many years ago and is still going strong.

You can could add this soup to a slow cooker and let it simmer all day. This is a very forgiving, anything goes, kind of soup. If you don’t like your soup creamy, omit the cream cheese.

I use a cornstarch slurry anytime I want to thicken something. It is flavorless. Do not make the mistake of throwing the cornstarch directly into the soup. You must mix it with cold or room temp water or liquid and dissolve it before putting it into the the soup or you will have a lumpy, cornstarch mess- yes I have done this.

The creamy taco soup pictured had two extra ingredients: 1 cup of diced squash and a handful of chopped kale. If you need to thin out the soup, add more chicken stock.

Creamy Chicken Taco Soup

Servings: 8-10
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This is a great cabinet or freezer cleanout soup. There are no rules, anything goes!

Ingredients

4-5 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 large onion diced
1 cup diced peppers- any kind will do. Poblano, jalapeno, bell, or a mixture of what you have on hand.
4 garlic cloves minced
4 tbsp taco seasoning
2 cans beans- use chili beans, black beans, pintos, etc.
1 can diced tomatoes and chilis
4 cups chicken broth
1 24 ounce jar of salsa
12 ounce bag frozen carrot slices
12 ounce bag frozen corn
1 block of cream cheese (room temperature)
cornstarch slurry if needed(1 tbsp corn starch and 2 tbsp water)
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a large pot on medium heat, add olive oil, onions and peppers. Saute for 1-2 minutes and add the garlic and the taco seasoning. Cook for 1-2 minutes while the spices bloom. Toss in all the remaining ingredients except the cream cheese and corn starch slurry. Bring to a boil, cover and bring the heat down to low or low medium to a simmer for 1-2 hours. Remove the chicken and shred or cube. Add the cream cheese and if you want it thicker, add the slurry.

Make this recipe your own. Throw in some rice. Turn up the heat and add hot peppers. Toss in vegetables you have on hand such as squash, zucchini, butternut squash, potatoes, green beans, kale, etc. I have even used a bag of frozen soup vegetables. If you use cooked chicken, such as rotisserie or canned, put it in toward the end of the cook.

Roasted Tomato Sauce

In the south, we wait patiently for “tomato season”. It is always the high point of summer and usually begins in early July. I hunt tirelessly for the best farmer with the best tomatoes and then I always buy way more than I can actually use. I pair them with every single meal until I have sores in my mouth from all the acid or I am swollen from the excess salt I douse them with.

I use to grow my own tomatoes, because that is what southern women do. As Ouiser Boudreaux eloquently put it in Steel Magnolias, “I am an old southern woman, I am suppose to wear funny clothes, ugly hats and dig in the dirt. I did not make the rules.” I have grown enough tomatoes to know their true value and respect the hard work that goes into process. However these days, I dig in herbs and flowers and leave the tomatoes to the farmers. There is a local farmers’ market just down the street and I rush there every Saturday morning to buy German Queens. They are only available for approximately 3-4 weeks in a good growing season. I grew up on these tomatoes and I can promise you they touch my soul every time I eat one.

This week, I have a good friend that brought me bags of squash and tomatoes. I put the squash in the freezer and the tomatoes have been staring at me from the kitchen counter for a few days. We are leaving for vacation this week, and I knew these tomatoes will ruin if I don’t do something with them. So I basically threw all the things on my counter- tomatoes, garlic, onions and threw them in a roasting pan. I went out to the patio and clipped fresh basil, thyme and oregano and added them as well.

What transpired was a wonderful sauce. My husband loves angel hair pasta- he calls them skinny noodles, so I served it on his favorite and topped with fresh parmesan cheese. Please don’t buy the already grated, powdery stuff with the green shaker top, save that for the pizza delivery-if you insist on using it. I purchase wedges of parmesan and throw chunks in a tiny, food processor I keep on my counter.

This sauces freezes very well. I always throw leftover sauce in a freezer bag. It has saved my life many times!

Wine- For a very nice dinner, I would pair this with Twomey Pinot Noir or Merlot. This is one of our favorite wines. It is difficult to find and we always vow to drink every bottle we can get our hands on. Twomey is from the Silver Oak Family and this vineyard was one of the highlights of our trip to Napa a few years ago. It is on the higher end of price, so we save these bottles for “nice dinners”. For a weeknight, simple dinner, you cannot go wrong with Kirkland Pinot Noir, I know, this is a shocker. I have recently tried several of the Kirkland labels and I have been pleasantly surprised. For the price, they cannot be beat. So if you are on a budget, pay a visit to Costco and try their store brand wine- especially the Malbec.

Roasted Tomato Sauce

Servings: 6-8
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This is a simple sauce with amazing depth of flavor. Perfect for when you have an abundance of tomatoes on hand or are just looking for a burst of flavor to pair with pasta.

Ingredients

tomatoes
garlic cloves
onion
olive oil
salt and crushed black pepper

Directions

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Notice I did not list amounts of any of the ingredients. You are on your own for this one. You cannot mess this up! Cut tomatoes into wedges, slice the onion, be generous with the olive oil. Roast for 40 minutes at least.

Make this recipe your own. I added fresh basil, thyme and oregano from my patio. If you like a sweeter sauce, add a carrot or two. For heat, add red pepper flakes. Experiment with different herbs and spices.

Baked Salmon

This is one of my favorite recipes when we have dinner parties. It is quick, simple and everyone is always impressed. No need to move it to a pretty dish, serve it right on the baking sheet.

Don’t get overwhelmed by the size of the salmon. Fish is easy. There is only one rule with salmon- do not over cook it. That dry, hard stuff you get in many restaurants is not even comparable to this recipe. Salmon should be moist, flakey and almost buttery.

I was not raised on salmon- unless you count canned salmon. I am not going to dis canned salmon as I believe almost everything has its place. Canned salmon is for salmon patties, at least the down home southern version that my Mom and Memaw cooked for me.

Sometimes it is difficult to find a whole side of salmon, I usually have good luck at Aldi’s, Costco and Sam’s Club. I know, they are chain stores… I always try to purchase things locally when I can.

Serve with a light sauvignon blanc, Emmolo is a great one, or a buttery chardonnay like Sonoma Cutrer.

Sides are easy with this dish. The last time I served it, I threw asparagus on the same baking sheet and it worked like a charm. You can pair it with angel hair pasta in a butter/wine sauce or alfredo sauce, or you can pair it with a potato and a salad.

If you are lucky you will have some leftovers. For breakfast take the leftover salmon and serve with a fried egg, or for lunch toss it on a salad or stuff in a taco.

Baked Salmon

Servings: 6-8
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This is an easy show stopper for a dinner party or just a normal weeknight dinner. A simple dish that looks amazing and takes only 20 minutes.

Ingredients

1 whole side of salmon
3 garlic cloves minced
2 lemons
3 tbsp of fresh, chopped dill
salt and crushed black pepper

Directions

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with non stick spray or drizzle with olive oil and spread with a paper towel. Place salmon on the baking sheet, skin side down- if skin is intact. Sprinkle with minced garlic and dill. Thinly slice one lemon and place on the top of the salmon. Cut the remaining lemon in half and lay on the baking sheet. Place in the oven for 20 minutes. Before serving, take the baked lemon halves and squeeze over the salmon.

Make this recipe your own. If you are not fan of dill, you can omit it. If you don’t have fresh dill, replace it with a much smaller amount of dried dill. Experiment with different herbs and spices.

Hot Slaw

If you aren’t from East Tennessee, chances are you have no idea about hot slaw. It is a household staple in my area and once you have it, you can never go back. It hits all the marks- savory, sweet, salty, tangy. Star-vue Drive In had a famous hot slaw recipe back in the day and our entire town tries to replicate it.

Try it on a hamburger, hot dog, bbq sandwich or as a side dish.

My version is simple- cabbage, mayo, mustard, hot pepper, sugar. And it gets even better after it has set in the fridge overnight. Even though this version is simple, there are some controversial ingredients. Mayonnaise conversations in the south can turn into a fight in a heartbeat. Just use your favorite. Pepper conversations usually end in “watch this”, again- use your favorite.

If you find you have cleaned up the entire kitchen and the slaw still isn’t hot enough, I have been known to throw in ground cayenne. It always works in a pinch.

I also like to make 2 or 3 batches and give some away to friends.

Hot Slaw

Servings: 4-6
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Simple, easy, spicy, sweet- hits all the right notes. The hardest task is shredding the cabbage.

Ingredients

1 head of cabbage, shredded
1-2 cups mayo
1/4 cup mustard
1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar (splenda works well also)
5-7 jarred hot peppers- Mezzetta’s Pickled Hot Chili Peppers works well or you could use 1-2 fresh jalapenos.

Directions

1. Shred the cabbage. You can use a use a food processor or a hand grater.
2. If using a food processor, after you remove the shredded cabbage, throw in your peppers and the remaining ingredients and let it spin for a minute or two. If not, dice the peppers and add the remaining ingredients to the bowl.

Make this recipe your own- use as many peppers as you like. Remember as it sits, it does draw additional heat from the peppers. If you like your slaw sweeter, add more sugar. Experiment!

Quick Pickles

A quick trip to the local Farmers’ Market Saturday morning resulted in some beautiful pickling cucumbers. My entire family loves cucumbers and we use them in salads, veggie bowls and plain with salt or everything bagel seasoning and our favorite is quick pickles.

I grew up canning with my Memaw Young and we never purchased pickles, we canned them ourselves each summer-dill and bread and butter pickles. A quick pickle is one of my favorites and they disappear fast at my house.

It was hard to write the recipe, because depending on my mood, the recipe changes constantly. I am fond of vinegar and currently have 6 or 7 different kinds sitting beside my stove. I love the balance that vinegar gives to so many dishes.

This recipe is the just the basic standard. I encourage you to experiment and make this recipe your own.

Quick Pickles

Servings: 8 slices
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This simple quick pickle requires no cooking and no preserving. It is perfect with a hamburger, BBQ or as a snack. They will last up to two months in the fridge. My gang can finish off a jar in a day or two.

Ingredients

2-3 cucumbers
2 garlic cloves smashed
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1.5 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp sugar

Directions

1. Slice the cucumbers. I like to slice them on the thinner side.
2. In a quart jar, layer the cucumbers to the top and stuff in the garlic cloves.
3. In a separate container, mix the water, vinegar, salt and sugar until dissolved. Pour over the cucumbers in the jar and refrigerate.

Make this recipe your own by adding in red chili flakes, cayenne peppers, dill, onions or additional sugar for a sweeter pickle. Experiment with different types of vinegar.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 13 calories

Politics, Papaw and the Mud

Politics is a peculiar bird. It takes a special kind of person to want to be nominated or win the popular vote. You must have very thick skin and one thing I know for sure- I am not this person. I can promise you, if I ran for an office and I found out someone didnâ€™t vote for me, I would have an overwhelming need to drive to that personâ€™s house and ask them why they didnâ€™t like me. I would take it very personally.

My grandfather, Melvin Young, loved politics. He was a diehard republican who every once in a while, according to Sam Cannon, would get himself into trouble on election days. He was fierce, loyal and a force to be reckoned with and if you didnâ€™t see things his way, he would take matters into his own hands. I believe I got my love for politics from Papaw Young- not the fighting side, but the love side. I love the process, the fundamental basis of the people getting a choice, the mathematics and sometimes the surprise ending. It is like a good novel in many ways. The beginning is always interesting and informative, the ending is usually unknown until the last few pages and the middle can be boring, dramatic, messy or downright nasty.

So often I find myself cringing from the words and actions of those running for office. You can tell a lot about someone by how they run their race and I love and admire a good, clean race. One where opponents never mention the otherâ€™s name and they declare what they can and will do when in office. They follow the unwritten, common sense etiquette rules of running for office- present themselves in an upstanding and kind manner and humbly ask for your vote. There are all types of candidates on the national, state and local level. I find myself always remembering the upstanding ones- whether they win or lose. Political legacy is important and being remembered as a fierce, enthusiastic, respectable and kind candidate is a hard job that unfortunately is achieved by fewer and fewer candidates these days.

I read an article recently that said â€œcursing is a reflection of a weak mindâ€. I took those words very personally, as I can insert some spicy words into my vocabulary quite regularly. I think the same can be said for mudslinging. Iâ€™m praying we can all work hard on our weak minds- me, especially.

Finding Your Tribes

What is a tribe? It is a group of people that can include family, friends or people with similar likes and/or experiences. They are willing to extend grace, love and forgiveness, even when they may not agree. A tribe may be life long or it may expire. Whatever the case, they are invaluable and comforting.

At 51 years of age, I have some very special tribes. Of course I have my family, a friend group that started out as lovers of wine and downtown Cleveland and a group of ride or die friends that try to at least meet up on Friday nights for dinner.

These three tribes have kept me going for years. But something very interesting happened when I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019- my tribes grew. And it was a wonderful thing.

The Triple Negative FaceBook Support Group: This group of fabulous ladies have lifted me when I was down and kept me company in the wee hours of the morning when sleep would not come. I still enjoy going into the group to answer questions for newcomers. Breast cancer is a hard road riddled with anxiety that can be eased with information. I will never forget those that helped me and itâ€™s just the right thing to do to pay it forward. If you are having issues, whether it be physical, mental or social, I guarantee there is a Facebook support group. Find your people.

Tennessee Oncology Nurses, Cleveland, TN Office: While you may think they aren’t your tribe, I want to assure you that for 18 very longs weeks they were. Every other week I sat in the treatment room for hours observing them with cancer patients, many terminal. While they were double gloved, double masked and double clothed to protect themselves from what was being put into my veins, they shared helpful hints, careful instructions and love and kindness. They helped me ice my hands, feet and mouth during treatments and answered all the random questions I had and also tended to my precious mom that came with me. They handed out lap quilts, quilted by ladies in the community for cancer survivors, to keep us warm. The treatment room could be heavy, there is a lot going on in there. But there is also hope and it resides in the heart of each one of those special nurses. They helped me get through 18 hard weeks with love, kindness and sincerity- and that my friends, is a tribe. The day I rang the bell was the day I had to give them up to someone else that took my seat.

YMCA LiveStrong Group: I have done some crazy things in my time, but joining a fitness group while going through chemo may be at the top of the list. However, it was one of my favorite things during my journey. The YMCA LiveStrong program is for cancer survivors. The program focuses on building your strength back and is a great way to socialize with other survivors. I was the youngest in my group of approximately 15-18 survivors and the only one going through treatment at the time. This group met twice a week and we would do activities, pray together and workout. The group consisted of a wide array of people: young, old, in shape, out of shape, healthy, not so healthy. But we had one goal- to improve. I looked forward to these sessions so much. Everyone was so encouraging. And our fearless leader, Dina, was our biggest cheerleader. Everyone worked at their own pace and we helped each other. I met a very special lady in the group, Pat. After several conversations I discovered she had actually quilted the lap quilt given to me at Tennessee Oncology. A survivor herself, she loved to quilt and had found a way to give back.

While not tribes, there are a couple of organizations I am a part of that deserve an honorable mention.

The MaryEllen Locher Foundation: This is a remarkable organization that awards scholarships to children of breast cancer survivors. I have known about and attended fundraising events for the foundation for over 14 years. In 2019, I attended an annual fundraising event and was surprised with my daughter being awarded one of those scholarships. I cannot put into words how thankful and grateful my family and I were and still are for that scholarship. Cancer can take a toll physically, mentally and financially. This eased a big worry and allowed me to concentrate on recovery. My daughter, Logan, will be graduating in December 2021 from Middle Tennessee State University. We were surprised with an email recently from the director that they were awarding Logan additional scholarship money for that semester. The MaryEllen Locher Foundation touched our lives when we needed it most and for that, I am forever grateful. And for the wonderful group of friends that nominated Logan. I will always support the MaryEllen Locher Foundation’s fundraising efforts and their mission.

Bradley County Relay for Life: I can’t recall the year I got involved in Bradley County Relay For Life. It was a long, long time ago, at least 15 years. Money raised by Relay For Life funds research for the American Cancer Society. There is a committed, local group of people that literally work year round raising funds in our area. They are passionate about finding a cure for cancer. Great strides in cancer research have been made in the last few years and that needs to continue.

No matter where you are in life, you are never to old or too far gone to benefit from a tribe. And if you can’t find one, create one. Your life will be better for it.