Gary’s Wood Shop

03/06/2026

03/06/2026

04/27/2024

Italian Tomato and Bread Soup (Pappa Al Pomodoro)

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, smashed or thinly sliced
one 28-ounce can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1/4 cup packed fresh basil, chopped or torn
2–3 cups dry bread, torn or cut into cubes (see notes)

04/26/2024

Elote Style Quinoa Salad

Salad:

1 cup Simple Nature Organic Quinoa, uncooked
5 ears sweet corn, cut off the cob
1 can Simply Nature Organic Black Beans, rinsed
1 package mini sweet peppers, sliced into small rings (about 2–3 cups)
olive oil for cooking
1 lime
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Dressing:

1/3 cup Burman’s Mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 clove garlic, grated
1 teaspoon Stonemill Chili Powder
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt
juice and zest of two limes
Topping:

1/4 cup Pueblo Lindo Grated Cotija Cheese

04/25/2024

Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Lime Drench

Lettuce Wraps and Filling

1 lb. ground chicken or pork (I prefer chicken)
1 inch piece ginger, grated
4 cloves garlic, grated
3 green onions, sliced (white and green parts)
1 zucchini, diced (optional)
1 carrot, diced (optional)
1/2 to 1 cup pre-cooked brown rice and/or quinoa (see notes)
8–10 lettuce leaves (leaf lettuce, butter lettuce, or romaine can all work)
spicy mayo (1/2 cup mayo + 2-3 tablespoons sriracha)
Lime Drench

juice of 5–6 limes (totaling 1/3 to 1/2 cup lime juice)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1–2 tablespoon brown sugar (more lime juice = more sugar)
1/4 teaspoon grated garlic
1/4 teaspoon grated ginger

04/24/2024

Ang’s Chicken Wraps

Chicken Wraps:

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
whole wheat wraps (I *really* love the Joseph’s brand – affiliate link)
about a pound of grilled chicken or pulled rotisserie chicken meat, cut into small pieces
2 ears fresh sweet corn, cut off the cob
1 red onion, very thinly sliced (see notes)
a head of fresh lettuce, shredded
a couple of small fresh tomatoes, thinly sliced or chopped
Your Double Dips:

really good ranch dressing (for store-bought I am partial to the OG ranch: Hidden Valley, and for homemade I like this jalapeño ranch)
Chick-Fil-A sauce, or homemade honey mustard sauce

04/23/2024

Buffalo Chicken Bowls with Cauliflower Garlic Rice

For the Chicken:

1 lb. Simply Nature Organic Thin Sliced Chicken Breast Fillets, pounded or cut in half lengthwise so they are flat and thin
1/4 cup Burman’s Hot Sauce
2 tablespoons Specially Selected Raw Honey
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
black pepper to taste
For the Rice:

1 cup Simply Nature Organic White Rice
1 package Season’s Choice Riced Cauliflower
1–2 tablespoons of Simply Nature Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
salt to taste
For the Cucumber Salad:

cucumbers, sliced
cherry tomatoes, halved
Park Street Deli Dill Dip or avocado cilantro dressing

04/22/2024

Tofu and Brown Rice Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce

Lettuce Wraps

olive oil
One 14-ounce block extra firm tofu – minimally pressed to remove water
about 2 cups cooked brown rice and/or quinoa or other grains – I use the 8.5 ounce precooked packages so it’s very, very easy
butter lettuce or leaf lettuce for wrapping
spicy mayo (see notes)
chopped peanuts or crispy onions for topping
SOS Peanut Sauce

1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
juice of 1 orange
1/4 cup peanut butter
a sq**rt of Sriracha or other chile sauce if you want

04/21/2024

Harissa Meatballs with Whipped Feta

Meatballs and Such:

one 22-ounce bag of store-bought frozen meatballs (or homemade, if you’ve got them / got the time)
2 bell peppers (yellow and red), sliced
1–2 zucchini, sliced into half moons
2 tablespoons harissa paste
olive oil, garlic powder, lemon juice, salt
Whipped Feta:

one 6-ounce container feta cheese
1–2 ounces cream cheese or sour cream or I’ve used plain yogurt in a pinch
1 clove garlic
Extras:

1 cup hummus
6 pitas
1/4 cup kalamata olives
1 lemon, cut into wedges