Chris Coward

Happy New Year, all! Here's a fun, easy, and healthy dish for 2026: Kara's Stellar Layered Salad (Minimal Work, Maximum Wow)

Whether you think of New Year's as a time for resolutions or a time to count your blessings, after the hearty fare of the holidays, salads sound pretty welcome.

And, hey, it's okay to look at this picture and think, "Feeds a Crowd." This salad does, of course, and it wows folks at a buffet or potluck table.

But it also works with a household of two. This week, I made it for our neighbors, along with roast beef, cornbread dressing, and espresso whip. With the leftover salad (there were only four of us at dinner), the next day, I made Al and me a lunch of cobb salad. Chef salad is also an option. The trick is to dress only as many greens as you anticipate eating at the time, saving the rest of the greens and dressing separately. Alternatively, you could scale the recipe down.

So here's wishing you a 2026 filled with everything you wish for yourself and those you love. Happy eating!

Ingredients-1

• 2 c shredded romaine
• 2 cans (@ 15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
• ½ c chopped red onion
• 2 c frozen corn, thawed
• 2 English cucumbers, chopped
• 4 medium tomatoes, chopped
• ½ c ranch salad dressing (I love Marzatti, in our grocer's produce area)
• 1 t cumin seeds

Directions
1. In a 4-qt. glass bowl2, layer the first six ingredients.
2. In a small bowl, mix salad dressing and cumin seeds.
3. Just before serving, if you anticipate finishing the salad that evening, drizzle dressing over greens. Otherwise, serve the dressing on the side.

Note 1: I love forgiving recipes, and this is no exception. Missing an ingredient? No problem. Substitute something else. For this dish, for instance, I forgot to get a red onion, so I substituted a yellow one. I also added gently boiled green beans from the night before. Voila! Another layer.

Note 2: I make this salad in a large trifle bowl, but it can be made in any kind of dish you wish. Feel free to prepare it in individual bowls or even on a large platter. If using a platter, the layers could be laid out as stripes, perhaps on a diagonal. This configuration allows diners to more easily choose the ingredients they prefer.

~ ~ ~

This is one of "Kara's" favorite dishes. Although it's not specifically mentioned in Perpendicular Women, you can bet she made it, even as she traversed the multiverse. 

About Perpendicular Women
A thought experiment cleverly disguised as a beach read: Courageous and vulnerable, women beat the odds to heal a family and avert World War IV.

"Transformative." ―Readers Favorite
Available on Amazon, paperback, e-book, Kindle Unlimited, and audiobook

Hey, I promised in one of the first posts on this blog that I'd mention multiverse-related news. Well, here's something in the form of a short, layperson-friendly article on encription--which is to say, your privacy and mine.

To back up: In 2012, I stumbled upon the theory of the multiverse--the idea that it comprises an infinite number of perpendicular/parallel universes. It was a way-out theory then and has ebbed and flowed with the science community ever since. Recently, the development of the quantum computer has reignited interest in the multiverse as quantum computers do the "impossible." One explanation: they're tapping into other universes! Here's a TED talk on the subject, which makes Perpendicular Women: Adventures in the multiverse feel as fresh as yesterday: TED talk.

Recipe for December: Kara's Stellar Cheese Crackers

I'm so glad I rediscovered this recipe. I had forgotten how good it is. And just in time for the holidays, when we're bombarded with ideas for desserts and side dishes—when we really, really need something simple.

These crackers are not just easy and tasty but also keep for weeks if stored properly—months if frozen.

Enjoy them as an appetizer or snack, or package some festively as a gift (don't forget to tuck a copy of the recipe inside the package).

I've tried numerous other cheese-cracker recipes, but none is as is melt-in-your-mouth delicious as this one.

So here's wishing you a joyful, hassle-free holiday in the company of family and friends enjoying the crackle and zing of your special cheese crackers.

Ingredients
• 2 c extra sharp grated cheese [Recommendation: grate your own; pre-grated cheese is treated to keep from sticking, which can affect the outcome of many recipes.]
• 2 full sticks (1/2 lb.) butter or margarine [Recommendation: butter has more flavor.]
• 2 c flour
• 2 c Rice Krispies [I love the crunch of the cereal, but you can substitute chopped nuts; however nuts make for a richer cracker.]
• ¼ t cayenne pepper
• ¾ t salt

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Cream butter and cheese together. For my test last week, I did all mixing by hand, but a heavy-duty mixer with a paddle attachment works, too.
3. Sift together flour, salt, and cayenne. Alternatively, place these dry ingredients in a bowl and stir thoroughly with a whisk.
4. Add flour mixture to butter/cheese mix. If using a mixer, blend thoroughly but don't overmix.
5. Add Rice Krispies (or nuts). To avoid crushing the cereal, do this by hand. If the mix seems loose, refrigerate briefly so the dough can stiffen.
6. Create small balls—about the size of large marbles. A cookie scoop is a godsend, but you can also scoop the dough out with a teaspoon and roll it into a ball.
7. Place balls on cookie sheet and flatten using a fork or your finger. I used the bottom of a drinking glass with the balls protected by a sheet of baking parchment paper (which I removed before baking, of course).
8. Bake about 25 minutes (varies with size of cookie) until golden and not soft in center.

Makes about 60 cookies. They keep for weeks in a tin.

~ ~ ~

This is one of "Kara's" favorite dishes. Although it's not specifically mentioned in Perpendicular Women, you can bet she made it, even as she traversed the multiverse. Find out more at https://www.chriscoward.net/.

About Perpendicular Women
A thought experiment cleverly disguised as a beach read: Courageous and vulnerable, women beat the odds to heal a family and avert World War IV.

"Transformative." ―Readers Favorite

Available on Amazon, paperback, e-book, Kindle Unlimited, and audiobook

Perpendicular Women: Adventures in the Multiverse is now available as an audiobook.

Whether you're traveling, carving out time to take a walk, or waiting for an appointment, why not listen to something you love?

It's a perfect gift, too—as paperback, e-book, or audiobook.

Perpendicular Women blends science, heart, and action as courageous and vulnerable women beat the odds to heal a family and avert World War IV--a thought experiment cleverly disguised as a beach read.

https://www.amazon.com/Perpendicular-Women-Adventures-Chris-Coward/dp/1639889221

Enjoy your holiday!

Shamelessly scraped from the internet.

Before you know it, it'll be Thanksgiving! If you're the cook (or one of them), isn't it nice to know some things can be done ahead of time?

For holidays, "Kara" makes the occasional exception to her easy-healthy rule of menu selection and goes old school. This recipe, which goes back at least three generations on my husband's side, has been tweaked to take advantage of what's in grocery stores now. Okay, it's a little time- and labor-intensive. The good news: virtually everyone who's tried this dish declares it the best dressing they've ever eaten.

You'll note that one of the ingredients is cornbread (well, duh). For texture, you'll get the best result with the cornbread recipe I already shared. However, sometimes practicality calls for shortcuts, so store-bought cornbread or corn muffins or a cornbread or muffin mix will do in a pinch. (I'm also posting "Kara's" scratch recipe here.)

This dressing calls for a large baking dish, but unless we expect a crowd, I use two—one for the holiday and one to freeze for a future treat. Whether you freeze the dressing cooked or raw, thaw it completely before heating, and adjust cooking time accordingly.

You'll note in the photo I have two largish dishes and two ramekins—a largish dish for our Thanksgiving dinner, one for a neighbor, and the ramekins, well, for tonight (we couldn't wait). Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 3-4 c chopped celery (~2 heads)
• 1 c chopped sweet pepper (~1 pepper)
• ½ c chopped onions
• 1 small can tomatoes with juice
• ½ c parsley, minced
• Fresh ground pepper to taste (for me, that's 13 grinds of the mill; if you need to us pre-ground pepper, about ½ to 1 t)
• ½ t salt (can add more later if desired; omit for the time being is broth is fully salted)
• 2 t poultry seasoning
• ¼ - ½ t sage
• 1 egg
• Enough chicken broth for desired consistency, probably ~3 cups
• Tube of hot sausage (can use mild with ¼ t cayenne pepper) (I use Jimmy Dean)
• Herb dressing mix (small bag) (I use Pepperidge Farm Herb Dressing mix)
• 1 pan cornbread
• 1 c chopped pecans

Directions

1. Make or purchase the cornbread. This may be done days in advance of the dressing assembly.
2. Lightly grease an oversized ovenproof dish or multiple smaller dishes.
3. Sauté celery, sweet pepper, and onion in several batches in oil in skillet. (If you have an enormous skillet, like I do, this can be in one or two batches, but if you're using, say, a 12-inch skillet, I recommend at least three batches; you want the veggies to sauté, not boil, which they'll do if the pan is loaded with much more than a single layer.)
4. Brown sausage in skillet, draining if very greasy. (A little grease is okay; keeps the dressing moist.)
5. Roast pecans in ½ T butter. Skillet, toaster oven, or regular oven all work.
6. Crumble the cornbread and mix all ingredients with hands in huge bowl, until mushy. I like to use disposable food-safe gloves (available on Amazon), which not only helps with the cleanup but is more sanitary, as well. If mix seems dry, add water or stock. (I was raised with dressing where the ingredients were more discrete, but this is different, and I was surprised I liked it more.)
7. Pat into dish(es) and dot generously with butter. If you cook immediately (while still warm), bake for 30 to 45 minutes. If you've prepared the dish ahead of time and it's in the refrigerator, remove from refrigerator an hour before baking.
8. When the mixture is hot, allow it to rest a few minutes before serving.

This is one of "Kara's" favorite dishes. Although it's not specifically mentioned in Perpendicular Women, you can bet she made it, even as she traversed the multiverse. Find out more at https://www.chriscoward.net/.

About Perpendicular Women

A thought experiment cleverly disguised as a beach read: Courageous and vulnerable, women beat the odds to heal a family and avert World War IV.

Sometimes even our most staunchly held beliefs get torpedoed. For years, I was sure turkey patties were doomed to taste like cardboard. But even dryer. Then I found this recipe listed under "quick and easy." 5 minutes' prep time, they said. 10-15 cooking.

Um, well, it takes me a little longer (I'm slow), but this is a quick and tasty meal. Not to mention, healthy.

I've made some notes about substitutions. I'm a big fan of winging it when you don't have, say, a particular ingredient. Well, duh, why pay for something you don't use often?

Ingredients

For the patties

• 1 lb. ground turkey [See Note 1]
• ¼ tsp. each salt and pepper
• Herbs: ¼ tsp each dried sage, thyme, marjoram, and rosemary [See Note 2]
• 4 T minced green onions, divided
• 1 egg white
• ½ c fresh breadcrumbs [See Note 3]
• 1-2 T olive oil

For the sauce

• 1/3 c chicken broth [See Note 4]
• 1/3 c dry white wine
• 2 t Dijon mustard
• 2 t cornstarch
• 1 T cornstarch
• (Minced green onions for garnish, optional)

Directions

1. For patties: Combine ground turkey, salt, pepper, herbs, 2 T green onion, egg white, and breadcrumbs. Stir with fork to combine. (You minced $ T green onions, so you're holding aside the remaining 2 T green for sauce.)
   
   
2. Shape into 4 patties, each about 1 inch thick. (Tip: I use food-grade gloves for this. Easier cleanup and more sanitary. I use the kind without powder inside, available on Amazon.)
   
   
3. Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet.
   
   
4. Cook patties over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes per side. The sides should be crusty, the inside completely cooked. (You may wish to use a splatter screen for this. I love mine from Our Place.)
   
   
5. Remove patties to serving dish.
   
   
6. For sauce: Add remaining 2 T green onions to skillet. Sauté a minute.
   
   
7. Add broth, wine, and mustard, stirring up bits in skillet.
   
   
8. When liquids boil, add cornstarch dissolved in 1 T water. Cook for a minute until just thickened.
   
   
9. Pour sauce over patties. Sprinkle with green onions, if desired. Serve.
   
   
10. Accompaniments: The recipe suggests buttered lima beans, biscuits, and a green salad, but, really, just about everything pairs well with this dish. Enjoy!

~ ~ ~

Note 1. I use regular ground turkey, as opposed to ground turkey breast, for flavor. If you wish to cut down on animal fat, you may use the ground breast and perhaps add a teaspoon of olive oil for moisture.

Note 2. Don't have all the dried herbs? It's okay. Anytime I'm missing an ingredient, I google for substitutions. For this recipe, these herbs are interchangeable. I had only two of the four, so I just doubled the amounts for the herbs I had. Came out incredible.

Note 3. In our house, we don't always have fresh bread around. While regular dried breadcrumbs aren't recommended (unless you prefer your patties to resemble hockey pucks), panko works in a pinch. Just add a little water for moisture.

Note 4. It's not always possible to find tiny quantities of broth. I get the regular-sized boxes, use what the recipe calls for, and pour the rest into ice cube trays. When the cubes are frozen, I decant them into a freezer Ziploc. For this recipe, I simply pulled 5 cubes out of my freezer.

~ ~ ~

This is one of "Kara's" favorite dishes. Although it's not specifically mentioned in Perpendicular Women, you can bet she made it, even as she traversed the multiverse. Book available on Amazon.

About Perpendicular Women: Courageous and vulnerable, women beat the odds to heal a family and avert World War IV.

(For printer-friendly copies of Kara's monthly recipes, feel free to share your email address with me through Constact Us. I do not share email addresses, and I use them myself only for recipes and 2 -3 other notices a year.)

Let's have some fun today.

Remember the pilcrow? Or the percontation point? Both were cool; both are pretty much gone.

Is the semicolon next?

Kurt Vonnegut wasn't a fan, but I am. Semicolons bring clarity. Dickens, Austen, Melville—they were all about them. Even Chris Coward's Perpendicular Women: Adventures in the Multiverse rocks 105 semicolons. (Talk about commitment.)

Yet this little mark might be going the way of the pilcrow and the percontation point. Are parentheses and exclamation marks next? Who knows? USA Today wonders. 

Parting thought. Elevate your prose; keep the semicolon alive. Comments welcome!

Kara's Stellar Super Easy Orange Arctic Pie (recipe)

Sometimes convenience is paramount, right? But convenience—even when it calls for such "low-rent" ingredients as Cool Whip—can still deliver the wow. As desserts go, this pie's not too, too unhealthy. All you need is one bowl and a few minutes. Little ones around? This is a great dish to make with them. If you haven't already, feel free to peruse the inspiration for "Kara's" monthly recipes: Kara in Perpendicular Women: Adventures in the Multiverse, available on Amazon in paperback, e-book, Kindle Unlimited, and coming soon, audiobook. The holidays are coming, and "Kara's" adventures deliver a great gift.

Ingredients
• 8 oz. fat-free cream cheese
• 6 oz. can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed*
• 8 oz. frozen reduced-fat Cool Whip or other whipped topping, thawed
• 11 oz. can mandarin oranges in water, drained
• 8-inch reduced-fat graham cracker crust**

Directions
1. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and orange juice concentrate until smooth. Fold in whipped topping.
2. Pour into cruse. Cover and freeze 4 hours or until firm.
3. Remove from freezer about 10 minutes before cutting.
4. Garnish with oranges.

* FILLINGS: Try any kind of fruit juice concentrate, e.g., orange, lemonade, limeade, or blends. Or try a frozen cocktail mix, e.g., strawberry daiquiri, mango margarita, madori sour, blue Hawaiian, or pina colada—wherever your taste buds take you.

** CRUSTS: For super speed, use a premade graham cracker or cookie crust. Or use your favorite homemade recipe. Here's mine: In a small food processor blend 1 ½ c graham cracker crumbs, ¼ c sugar, and 5 T butter until the mixture looks like wet sand. Press into pan and bake 6 ‒ 8 minutes. Allow to cool.

With all the time this recipe saves, don't forget your reading--Perpendicular Women, perhaps, on Amazon?

I don't submit to many writing contests, but some time back, I got the urge to enter a biggie: the Cygnus Award, Chanticleer International Book Award's competition for speculative fiction. On July 29, when I learned I was selected for the Cygnus Long List, I was over the moon. Today's thrill is even bigger: Perpendicular Women: Adventures in the Multiverse has advanced to the SHORT List! Feel free to visit Amazon, where PW is available as paperback, e-book, and Kindle Unlimited. Watch for the announcement of its audiobook in time for the holidays. (BTW, if you like the story, a heartfelt review on Amazon or a brief comment on social media would be so appreciated.) Thank you for your ongoing well wishes. Wish me luck in the next elimination round!