SmartCooks Recipes Index

September 2011


SmartCooks here.  


This posting is going to be my recipe index of dishes. Good way to keep track of what I like .... and how it went as I cooked the various dishes.  I've only but a few of what I have collected over the past few years.  


I can see a huge limitation with this blog template I've chosen i.e., dumb girl's first trial version for me.  Basically, I want to be able to have the Index come up first on the blog.  Ideally, a viewer could select a recipe and, by clicking on it, get to the page with the recipe and/or story.

Featured recipes would be on the main splash page with a picture and maybe 100 words of text and then a jump to the sub page with the full recipe.  My "Asides" would be in a separate series of postings maybe a separate box on the main page.  I'd re-arrange this blog which I see is basically a long running commentary with no order to it...... so a limitation.  


I can practically visualize what I want but is that a blog? or a website? and how do I design either?  Next challenge....  I see that mac has a feature called iWeb, design your own website with photos, video and even widgets.  I might play around with that over the next few days and see what I can get.  It also turns out there are templates for everything these days, including one pictured right.  Of course, they cost.  I'm not there yet, so I will carry on....   


So, back to the Index..... I've kept a typed up list of recipes and a stack of pages from recipe books and pages off the internet all paper clipped together and organized with index tabs.  I add in new ones by hand ... and NOW I can keep track this way...


SmartCooks Recipe Index 


SmartCooks Favourite Appetizers

• Homemade Hummus with Guacamole and Tomato served on mini rainbow coloured sweet peppers (alternative versions available) (*) 
• Balsamic-drizzled grape tomatoes, served on water crackers
• Smoked salmon roulades 
• Thai Springs rolls with Rice Paper (Beef, Asparagus, Sauce, pictured, right) 
  

SmartCooks Favourite Beef Dishes

• Asian Flank Steak
• Beef Fajitas:  Skirt Steak
• Thai Style Beef 
• Wine-marinated Flank Steak, with carmelized onions, roasted potatoes and arugula salad
• Rib eye steak/Asian inspired marinade
• Pho bo beef (pictured, left) 
• Hot sesame beef 
  

SmartCooks Favourite Chicken Dishes

• Thai Lime Chicken Stir-Fry
• Low-fast Chicken Satay, Peanut Sauce
• Tequila Lime marinated Chicken 
• Chicken, vegetable strings, hot bouillon
• Stir-fried chicken with crisp vegetables
• Orange-spiced chicken
• Lemon chicken 
• Lemony Roast Chicken 
• Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken (pictured, right)

SmartCooks Favourite Fish Dishes

• Salmon with dill mustard sauce (pictured, left) 
• Crisp-skinned maple salmon with fava bean, red potato and mushroom compote
• Roasted salmon with beets and greens 
• Cedar-planked salmon with Sea Salt 

SmartCooks Favourite Indian Dishes

• Nihari Stew 
• Beef or Chicken Pasandra
• Mushroom or cauliflower Bhajis (pictured, right) 
• Zucchini paneer
• Curry with onions
• Ghee (basis for dishes)

SmartCooks Favourite Pasta Dishes


-- Lemon pasta
-- Pasta with brie, tomato
-- Pistachio Lemon pasta
-- Asparagus and Zucchini ribbons in lemon pasta (pictured, left)
-- Fresh Tomato Sauce with Zucchini spaghetti
-- Fresh Tomato Sauce and Homemade Meatballs



SmartCooks Favourite Pork Dishes

-- Bacon-wrapped Pork Tenderloin (pictured, right)
-- Cinammon Apple Pork Tenderloin
-- Chinese Pork Tenderloin
-- Pork Tenderloin with lime-beer marinade
-- Grilled Lemon Lime Thyme tenderloin
-- Pork with Leeks in Mustard Sauce 
-- Pork Tenderloin with Sticky Lime Glaze
-- Pork Tenderloin with Horseradish Crust
-- Pork Tenderloin with Carmelized Onion and Apple
-- Company Pork Tenderloin
-- Pork and Asparagus Stir Fry

SmartCooks Favourite Salads



Asparagus, with Hazelnut vinaigrette
Beet and Ginger 
Beet and Vidalia onions, toasted almonds
Beet and Fennel salad, Asian style
Insalata Caprese 
Vegetable Herb Salad 
Cucumber Radish 
Radish and Asparagus (pictured, left) 
Watermelon, feta and cucumber 
Thai-style cucumber-radish 

SmartCooks Favourite Soups



-- Vegetable stock (Basic)

-- 5 types of mushrooms with lemongrass
-- Tom Yum Vegetarian soup
-- Squash and Fennel, with Cider and Apple (pictured, right) 
-- Mushroom Broth with Sherry

SmartCooks Favourite Vegetables

 

Lemon Roasted Potatoes
Minted Grilled Zucchini 
Grilled Sweet Peppers
Asparagus with Mixed Vegetables
Zucchini Carpaccio with Lemon, Herbs and Goat Cheese
Heirlooms carrots (pictured, left) 
Zucchini Fritters 
Garlic scapes with any stir fry
Wild Garlic in ANYTHING
Rainbow Swiss Chard with pine nuts, pan roasted garlic
One-pan braised Kale with bacon and new potatoes 
Japanese Style Grilled Eggplant 
Just Plain Ole Gazpacho
Turkish Eggplant   


SmartCooks Favourite Desserts


Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream with Triple Sec
Homemade Cherry Garcia 
Watermelon Summer Fruit Bowl (pictured, right) 

Pear and cranberry crisp 
Apple crumble
Limoncello






SmartCooks Other

Lemongrass Chili Sauce 
Scones (basic) 
Fresh Tomato Sauce (basic) 
South Beach Breakfast Sasuage/Egg Muffins (make ahead)
Bento Box (recipes for lunches in Bento boxes, (pictured left)
SmartCooks Egg and Sausage McMuffin-ish