The Kitchen Flowers: Around the Globe Cooking; 200+ Delicious Recipes

The

Kitchen

Flowers

Around the Globe Cooking;

200+ delicious recipes

"Just like the gardens with flowers springing

up this time of year kitchens are getting

a splash of flowers too."

Debbie

Brethold

Copyright © 2020 Debbie Brethold.

[email protected]

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means,

graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by

any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author

except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

LifeRich Publishing is a registered trademark of The Reader’s Digest Association, Inc.

LifeRich Publishing

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.liferichpublishing.com

1 (888) 238-8637

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in

this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views

expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views

of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-4897-2923-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4897-2924-8 (e)

LifeRich Publishing rev. date: 06/02/2020

thank you

I’m so incredibly pleased to be able to share what I love to do with my friends, family and readers and can’t wait to hear about these recipes being made in your own homes for the people you know. I would like to acknowledge with gratitude and thank my dearest mother for listening to me throughout my writing and my husband Richard who supported me, sampled everything, helped with the grocery shopping and selects a delicious menu most every time we chow. Thanks to IStock and JC Penney’s for the images and to Life Rich for publishing this cookbook and to all who make it a success.

contents

thank you

introduction

foreword

vegetables: roasted, sautéed and fried

salad: seafood, chicken and vegetable

chicken: baked, sautéed and roasted

fish: seared and baked

pork: pad thai, meatballs and herb crusted

beef: red wine and greek relish

casseroles: seafood, vegetable and chicken

pasta: vegetable, cheese and dry noodle pasta

soup: slow cooker and dairy free

side dishes: tacos, dips and veggies

sweet junkets: strawberries, italian cream and cheesecake

bread: breakfast, soda and quick breads

beverages: apple cider, coffee and tea

introduction

Let me tell you a little something about me. When I was a child cooking wasn’t really what I wanted to do. It wasn’t until later in life that I grew a love for cooking finding that baking and incorporating new and exotic ingredients and flavors were exciting. The kitchen was where we congregated as a family. I shared special times with my mom in the kitchen and before I knew it a meal was prepared. She always presented cooking as fun and exciting which made me eager to pitch in. For me cooking isn’t a chore nor a task it’s a refuge. In the kitchen i’m in my comfort zone and for the longest time I thought everyone shared the same cosmic experience I have while cooking until I saw the panic that possessed people when confronted with the thought of being in the kitchen. Later in life I just might have been the pickiest eater around. My go to cuisine when i’m cooking on an ordinary weeknight is somewhere in the Mediterranean. Entrées with chicken, vegetables, herbs, garlic, lemons and olive oil and zoodles of course. I don’t know why I gravitate to these bright flavors. I didn’t grow up with them. Our version of Mediterranean was pizza or spaghetti with meat sauce. I rely on them mostly for health reasons and the quick and easy cooking methods. Sometimes we cook with whole grains, less-refined sweeteners and other wholesome ingredients. They can actually make for desserts that are more delicious than traditional versions. I get bored and realize I need to mix things up. Lately i’ve been trying to expand my culinary horizons a bit by using classic Asian flavors like ginger, soy sauce, sesame and rice wine or by blending spices like cumin and allspice. Also exotic sauces and cinnamon for complex Middle Eastern flavors. I’ve also jumped on the grain bowl bus by cooking brown rice which is complex as well and am always looking for new ideas. Those nights when takeout seems like the only way to go I will show you that a home cooked meal is never out of the question. I wrote this book to remove the assumption that it takes hours of slaving over a hot stove to prepare a great meal. The book is filled with recipes that will serve as your guide to cook healthy and flavorful dishes. I hope you enjoy them.

American cuisine is the history of the United States blending the culinary contributions of various groups of people from around the world including indigenous American Indians, African American, Asians, Europeans, Pacific Islanders and South Americans. Early Native Americans utilized a number of cooking methods in early American Cuisine that have been blended with early European cooking methods to form the basis of American cuisine. The European settlement of the Americans introduced a number of ingredients, spices, herbs and cooking styles to the continent. The various styles of cuisine continued expanding well into the 19th and 20th centuries proportional to the influx of immigrants from many different nations. This influx nurtured a rich diversity in food preparation throughout the country.

One characteristic of American cooking is the fusion of multiple ethnic or regional approaches into completely new cooking styles. Midwest cuisine today is a very eclectic and odd mix and match. It covers everything from Kansas City style barbecue to the Chicago style hot dog and many of its classics are very simple and hearty fare.

Mexican cuisine began about 900 years ago when agricultural communities such as the Maya formed domesticating maize creating the standard process of corn nixtamalization and establishing their food ways. Other Meson American groups brought with them their own cooking methods. The Mexican establishment of the Aztec Empire created a multi ethnic society where many different food ways became known. The staples are native foods such as corn, beans, squash, amaranth, chia, avocados, tomatoes, tomatillos, cacao, vanilla, agave, turkey, spirulina, sweet potato, cactus and chili pepper. Mexican food is popular because of its full flavor. The Mexican dishes include healthy and fresh ingredients like avocados, beans, chiles, tomatoes and other vegetables. Different types of meats like beef, chicken, pork, and fish even rabbit and lamb among others were used in tacos, tamalies or soups.

Greek cuisine is a Mediterranean cuisine. Contemporary Greek cookery make wide use of vegetables, olive oil, grains, fish, wine and meat. Other important ingredients include olives, pasta, cheese, lemon juice, herbs, bread and yogurt. The most commonly used grains are wheat. Barley is also used. Common dessert ingredients include nuts, honey, fruits and filo pastries. It is strongly influenced by Ottoman cuisine and thus especially cuisine of Anatolian Greeks. To an even greater extent it is influenced by Italian cuisines and cuisines from other neighboring sough European countries especially in southern regions and the islands. They include several kind of pasta such as hyllopites, gogkes and tziolia.

Latin American cuisine are the typical foods, beverages and cooking styles common to many of the countries and cultures in Latin America. Some items typical of Latin American cuisine include maize based dishes arepas, pupusas, tacos, tamales, tortillas and various salsas and other condiments. Covering a region that includes South and Central America, Mexico and the Carribean, Latin America is expansive and diverse but one thing is for certain – its food is robust, flavorful and always inventive. These foods and spices are generally what gives Latin American cuisine its name. Beverages are just as distinct as their foods. Some of the beverages can even date back to the time of the Native Americans. Some popular beverages include coffee, mate, hibiscus tea, horchata, chichi, atole cacao and aguas frescas. Desserts are generally very sweet in taste. They include dulce, de leche, alfajor, rice pudding, tres leches cake, teja and flan.

Italian cuisine are foods typical of Italy. This means that the cooking is different in different parts of Italy. Naturally there are some basic foods which can be found all over Italy and now in many other countries. These are pasta, pizza, cannoli pastry desserts, ice cream and red or white wine. Italians utilize a wide range of cheeses including parmesan, mozzarella, ricotta and pecorino ramano. High quality olive oil and good pasta are also very important ingredients. It has developed through centuries of social and economic changes with roots stretching to antiquity. Italian cuisine is known for its regional diversity especially between the north and the south of the peninsula. It offers an abundance of taste and is one of the most popular in the world. It influenced several cuisines around the world especially that of the United States. Italian cuisine is generally characterized by its simplicity with many dishes having only two to four main ingredients. Italian cooks rely chiefly on the quality of the ingredients rather than on elaborate preparation.

Indian cuisine consists of a wide variety of cuisines native to the Indian subcontinent. Given the range of the diversity in climate, culture, ethnic groups and occupations this cuisine varies substantially from others and uses spices, herbs, vegetables and fruits. Indian food is also heavily influenced by religion in particular Hindu cultural choices and traditions. The diverse climate in the region ranging from deep tropical to alpine has also helped considerably broaden the set of ingredients readily available to the many schools of cookery in India. In many cases food has become a marker of religious and social identity with varying taboos and preferences which has also driven these groups to innovate extensively with the food sources that are deemed acceptable.

Chinese cuisine are a Chinese culture which includes cuisine originating from the diverse regions of China as well as in other parts of the world. Because of the Chinese diaspora and historical power of the country Chinese cuisine has influenced many other cuisines in Asia with modifications made to cater to local palates. Chinese food staples such as rice, soy sauce, noodles, tea and tofu. Utensils such as chopsticks and the wok can now be found worldwide.

Sushi is a dish made of vinegared rice combined with seafood and in the world of nouvelle cuisine a modern style of cooking that avoids rich heavy foods and emphasizes the freshness of the ingredients and the presentation of the dishes. Sushi does not mean raw fish but vinegared rice." While much of the fish used to make sushi is raw some of the items are blanched, boiled, broiled and marinated. Sushi was originally developed as a snack food. In the U.S., Japan and elsewhere many fish are called by their local names. Thus Pagrus major the botanical name for what is variously called red snapper or sea bream in the U.S. and are made in Japan. What is called mebaaru in some areas of Japan are called rockfish in the northwest and western Canada.

foreword

This book captures health and wellness and a bold and mindful approach to a healthy eating lifestyle. It celebrates the gastronomic and cultural customs of American, Mexican, Greek, Hispanic, Italian, Indian and Chinese. Something else to look forward to in this book are gobs of goodies for cooking fun and drinks that will blow your mind. Make your family flip when you serve up these dishes at dinnertime. No matter what’s bringing you to the table I hope you’ll find new recipes you can’t wait to share and enjoy everything from meats to beverages and breakfast to dinner. Some that may seem rich or heavy by today’s standards. Prepare them as is or change them and substitute lighter ingredients to suit your own taste or dietary needs. Expand your kitchen repertoire with authentic recipes from turnip bake, cobb egg salad, lemon sesame pistachio crusted chicken, sushi, pork and shrimp pad thai, cajun sirloin with mushroom leek sauce, chicken lombardy, shrimp scampi, mushrooms with shirataki noodles, roasted butternut squash soup, maple bacon wrapped carrots and hazelnut coconut bread. Get fancy in the kitchen if you enjoy that sort of thing. Keep the fridge stocked with raw veggies and fruit. I