Coconut Cashew Stew

I've been messing with it all winter, and I think I have the right combination down now. This stew makes a great main dish. Jamie and I make a pot and live off of it for about four days. It's perfect after riding or walking out in the cold. The apples are delightful (and good for your guts).

You'll need:

2 chicken breasts (cooked and chopped)
4 medium to large apples (I like Fujis)
4 stocks of celery
1 lb. carrots
1 medium to large onion
1 lemon
5 cups chicken broth
1 can coconut milk (ca. 14 oz.)
1 can diced tomatoes (ca. 14 oz.)
2/3 cup long grain rice
1/2 cup raisins
8 oz. cashews
5 tsp curry
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground black pepper (this ain't fresh, so you may want to pull back on the amount if you have fresh pepper)

Pour broth and coconut milk in a pretty darn big pot and start heating it on medium. Chop up carrots, apples, onion and celery and add to broth/milk. Juice the whole lemon into the pot. Dump the tomatoes with their juice into the pot. Add rice, raisins and all the spices too. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil while stirring.

Once it boils, reduce heat and let simmer covered for 20 minutes. Finally, add the chicken and the cashews, and its ready to serve (though it tastes better after sitting in the fridge for at least a day).

Makes 8-10 pretty big bowls.


Jamie and I just eat it on its own, but I've been wondering what could make good side dishes with this. If you have any good ideas, please leave them as comments for me! I'd also be interested in any variations anyone finds good (vegetarian, etc.) Thanks.

Roasted Winter Vegetables

My Dad makes roasted veggies all the time.  I love them.  They are so incredibly flavorful and the texture is perfect.  Just chop some veggies, toss in a bowl and coat with olive oil and  sea salt (better flavor than table salt), roast in a 425 oven for about a half hour or until veggies are tender. 

Last night I made this and I discovered how AMAZING roasted cauliflour is.  It was so delicious.  I've only had it boiled, which is good (especially with cheese sauce), but this was ten times better.  It was sweet and nutty and mmmmm.  The brussel sprouts were very good too.  Lucy kept begging for more!?!?!  

So here are my recommendations on what is good and what isn't.

Highly recommended:

Beets (golden and/or red), brussel sprouts, sweet potato, onion, mushroom, cauliflour, squash, parsnips, carrotts, leeks.

Not recommended:

Turnips (I gagged and spit mine out)

Roast them altogether or just pick one if you like. I also chopped up some parsley and fresh thyme and we sprinkled them on at the table along with a little fresh squeezed lemon.  Delicious.  Try it as a main dish with a few noodles or rice for a side dish.   

New Cookbook and Stir-Fried Tofu

For Christmas this year, my good friend Emily gave me a new cookbook:

I love it! I especially love it even more now that I don't have to borrow her copy anymore.

I have been trying new recipes all month (from this and other cookbooks). So far, we have liked every dinner from this book. It is a must have cookbook (thanks again Emily!).

I have always wanted to try tofu, but I just wasn't sure what to make and I really wanted my kids to like it. So, I tried stir fry recipe in the book. It was very good and my kids loved it (they also thought it was chicken, but I still consider it a win). I will definitely be trying more recipes with tofu now. Sorry I don't have any pictures of any of the dinners. I have been out of blogging mode lately and just too hungry and excited to try the food. The food is good, just trust me.

Stir-Fried Tofu & Vegetable Teriyaki

serves 4

2 T. canola oil

1 lb. extra firm tofu (cut into 1/2" thick pieces)

3 scallions, minced

2 c. small broccoli florets

1 c. thinly sliced carrots

1/2 c. fresh or frozen red bell pepper strips

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 freshly squeezed orange juice (about 1 orange)

1/4 c. tamari (soy sauce)

2 T. toasted sesame oil

1 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 T. light brown sugar

salt & freshly ground black pepper

Heat 1 T. of the canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the tofu and cook, turning once, until golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Remove the tofu from the skillet and set aside on a plate.

Heat the remaining 1 T. of oil in the same skillet over medium high heat. Add the scallions, broccoli, carrots, and bell pepper strips, and stir fry until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the tofu back into the skillet and set aside while you prepare the sauce.

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, orange juice, tamari, sesame oil, lemon juice, brown sugar, and salt & pepper to taste. Blend well. Reheat the skillet over medium high heat. Pour the sauce over the tofu and vegetables and cook, stirring gently, until the tofu and vegetables are hot and well coated with the sauce, about 5 minutes.

Thai Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce

Thai Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce

serves 4

From the book "Quick-Fix Vegetarian" by Robin Robertson

8 oz. dried flat rice noodles or linguine
1 T. toasted sesame oil
1/3 c. peanut butter
2 T. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 T. tamari (soy sauce)
1 tsp. light brown sugar
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1 large carrot, shredded
1 c. grape tomatoes, halved
1 c. frozen baby peas, thawed
1/4 c. minced scallions

Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling water according to package directions. Drain and rinse the noodles under cold water and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with the sesame oil to coat.

While the noodles are cooking, combine the peanut butter, lime juice, tamari, brown sugar, and cayenne pepper in a large bowl, whisking to blend well. Add a small amount of water if necessary to make a smooth sauce. Set aside.

To the dressing in the bowl, add the carrot, tomatoes, peas, scallions, and the cooked noodles. Toss gently to combine. Serve at room temperature.

Note: Ready-to-use fresh rice noodles may be used instead of dried.
Variation: Don't be afraid to vary the vegetables to what you have on hand.

Ginger Sesame Noodles with Broccoli

Ginger Sesame Noodles with Broccoli

serves 4

From the book "Quick-Fix Vegetarian" by Robin Robertson

2 T. tahini (sesame paste)
1 T. light brown sugar
3 T. mirin (or white cooking wine)
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 c. tamari (soy sauce)
2 T. water
12 oz. linguine
8 oz. broccoli florets, cut into 1" pieces
2 T. toasted sesame oil
1 T. canola oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. fresh or bottled minced ginger
Toasted sesame seeds or gomasio

Put the pasta water on to boil in a large covered pot. In a small bowl, combine the tahini, brown sugar, mirin, and red pepper flakes until well blended. Set aside.

When the water comes to a boil, salt it and add the linguine. Cook the linguine until it is al dente, about 10 minutes. During the last 5 minutes of the cooking time, add the broccoli and cook until just tender. When the noodles and broccoli are cooked, drain and rinse with cold water. Toss with the sesame oil and set aside.

Heat the canola oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the noodles and broccoli and the sauce, and toss to combine and heat through. Server hot, sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Variation: Substitute asparagus, cut into 2" pieces for the broccoli.

This is so yummy and extremely easy. My kids loved it. I haven't tried the asparagus yet, but that sounds good.

Tofu Lettuce Wraps

I was craving lettuce wraps yesterday and looked online and found several recipes for using tofu.  I made a version that sounded fabulous, but though they were good, they weren't wow.  So I need suggestions.  I think the sauce could have used some thickening and I think I should have first baked  or really fried the tofu to give it a bit of a denser texture and crispiness (is that how you do it????).  

Here was what I used, all diced up into little chunks or matchsticks:

Carrots

mushrooms

firm tofu (extra firm would probably be better)

plenty of garlic

shallots and onions (if I would have had more shallots I would have used just them)

scallions

water chestnuts

ginger (fresh)

bean sprouts

First I stir fried the garlic/onion/ginger, then added the tofu, then the veggies and sauce.

for the sauce:

4 TBS lime juice

4 TBS Thai fish sauce

4 TBS tamarin sauce

2 TBS vegetarian version of oyster sauce

2 TBS rice vinegar

1 TBS honey

dash of cayenne (It needed more kick and some cornstarch or something to thicken it)

Toppings:

chopped peanuts

fresh Thai Basil

Sweet Chili Sauce

 

So what do you think would make it more wow?  Any suggestions?

Update:  These were pretty wow reheated for lunch the next day.  Maybe just giving the tofu time to fully absorb the flavor of the sauce is all it takes.

Kitchen Tools

Since my husband is a hands-on experimentalist, he's a firm beliver in using the proper equipment, and being willing to pay top dollar for that equipment when it really makes a difference. So it didn't take me long to figure out that if I referred to some expensive kitchen appliance as a "tool" that it would make my case in his being willing to fund the purchase. And, I have to agree, the proper equipment will make all the difference.

Not that I'm an expert, so I'm hoping to start a discussion here about what things you feel are must-haves for a well-equiped kitchen.

Here are a few of mine:

Quality Knives:
I've found that I can do pretty much 99% of my kitchen tasks with basically just three really good knives and a pair of kitchen shears (and I was happy to tell that to the last college student that came trying to sell knives at my door). My triumvirate of knives is:

Chef's Knife: I feel like you have to start with a good chef's knife, preferably from forged steel and that is really sharp (and that you keep really sharp). It is, by far, the hardest working tool in the kitchen. I took my birthday money one year and got an 8" Wusthof classic chef's knife. I've never regretted the high price tag, and I've even started traveling with it when I know I have to cook in other people's kitchens--I love it that much.

Paring Knife: Here's the second hardest working tool in the kitchen. Again, though, I'd recommend finding a good one. In fact, since they're relatively cheap, I recommend buying two. I've usually got one in the sink from cutting fruit during the day and it's nice to always have a clean one in the drawer for prepping dinner. I was happily surprised to find that last year Target carried a Wusthof 3" knife that I think is fabulous, but I couldn't find any in the store's website when looking tonight. Still, whatever you buy, make sure it's sharp and not flimsy.

Serrated Knife: I use this pretty much for slicing bread only, but it would be hard to live without it.

Microplane Zester: Here's where I feel like the brand makes a difference. Microplane makes a fabulous zester that I use regularly for grating hard cheeses, citrus rinds, whole nutmeg, and fresh ginger. They usually run in the $13-16 range (but you can find one for $10 on sale right now at Sur la Table).

Cast-Iron Dutch Oven: I can't believe I functioned before I had a good dutch oven. I use it for soups, stews, meats, curries, etc...you name it, it seems like everything except pasta and scrambled eggs. I use it both stove top and in the oven. I didn't get good one until just a couple of years ago, since the top-of-the-line Le Creuset dutch oven (at usually around $250) was a bit out of my justifiable range. Then Cook's Illustrated did an issue where they rated dutch ovens and named the Tramontina (carried by Target at less than $60) as a perfectly suitable substitute, and at a fraction of the cost.

I found one at my local Target back then, but when I did an online search tonight I couldn't see that Target carried the Tramontina anymore, but an identical looking one by Chefmate. More online research didn't confirm if this was just a rebranding, but if you are interested, here is an article about finding one of these dutch ovens that may help.

Oxo Vegetable Peeler: You may think that all vegetable peelers are alike, but I've been through a bunch now, from the cheapies to ones that looked promising, and the Oxo peeler is my very favorite. My MIL even asked me to get her one for Christmas this year after she helped me peel potatoes for Thanksgiving. It is the best. You can buy it at places like Williams-Sonoma or Amazon, and is usually around $10.

Cuisinart Food Processor: Again, the brand rules (at least this time it's according to a review of food processor machines in Cook's Illustrated) So I trusted them and got the Cuisinart Custom Pro 11-cup. I haven't been disappointed yet. I love having a food processor for pie crusts especially, but I can't live without it for plenty of other stuff like making pesto, chopping nuts, making bread crumbs, shredding meat, and pureeing sauces. According to Cook's Illustrated, this machine is also fantastic for bread dough.

Subscription to Cook's Illustrated: No surprise as I've referred to this magazine at least a half-dozen times so far. It's made by the people behind America's Test Kitchen on PBS. It is a bit pricey as far as magazine subscriptions go, especially since it's only six issues per year. But this is because there is no advertising within the magazine and so it's solid information on recipes, kitchen equipment, and food products from cover-to-cover. I think that it's such a great investment that it's to the point that I renew my subscription in 3-year installments without even thinking about it anymore.

My secondary list would include: good whisks in multiple sizes, a large saute pan, a basic but hard-working garlic press, and my favorite handmixer is the Braun M880 Multimix--comes with attachements for a stick blender and small chopper that are very nice. As for a blender, since I don't use it for much more than pureeing soups or the occasional milkshake, I've been happy with a super basic cheapie model, so someone else can pipe in here. (Also, I've never owned a mandolin and I've been debating about one, so if anyone has an opinion on this--and which brand they like--I'd love to hear it.)

And I will admit...after many years I have a Kitchen Aid now, and though it's very pretty and very useful, and it seems that recipes are often written with this appliance in mind, I'm not sure I like it better than the Bosch machine that I grew up with in my mother's kitchen. There are pros and cons for me on this issue. Thoughts?

Black Beans and Orzo

I stole this recipe several years ago from our friends, the Marosticas, and it has become a staple at our house ever since. Besides being so delish, it's primary benefit is that is uses stuff that you already have on hand in the pantry, so it's a great fix for the "what can I make for dinner in a pinch" quandry. And, it's the ultimate in, "it's so easy...and the kids just love it." Actually, I love it too. I've yet to do it starting with dried black beans, but I'm sure that it would be even better. Until I can get my act together, we've been using canned beans.

Black Beans and Orzo

olive oil
1 med onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp cumin seed
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp oregano
1/2 cup salsa (the Pace variety...not a fresh pico de gallo kind)
1 14oz can diced tomatoes
1 14oz can black beans, rinsed and drained.
1/2 lb orzo pasta
grated mozzerella cheese

Heat a Tb or so of olive oil in a saute pan over med-high heat. Cook onions for 4-5 mins, or until onions are soft. Add minced garlic and saute for 1 minute more. Add cumin seed, chili powder and oregano and stir for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Then add salsa, tomatoes, and black beans. I usually add about a 1/8th cup of water (that I've deglazed the tomato can with) as well. Bring to a boil and then turn to low and cover to simmer. Simmer for 10-15 minutes and then remove lid to simmer for another 10 or so minutes (or until your pasta is ready). Watch the liquid level in the pan as you may need to partially cover the pan if it looks like it's getting too dry.

In the meantime, start the water for your orzo pasta and cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain.

Serve immediately with sauce over the pasta and top each portion with grated mozzerella cheese (trust me--it sounds strange, I know).

Like most sauces, the longer you can simmer something, the better, but often we serve this as soon as the pasta is ready and it's still tasty enough.

Pad Thai Noodles

I made this for dinner last night and it was delicious.  It serves about 8.

13 oz. bag rice stick noodles

6 cloves minced garlic

1/2 cup minced cilantro

6 scallions chopped about 1 inch lengths

3 Tbs fish sauce

2 Tbs tamarind sauce (or ketchup)

2 tsp sweetner like sugar, honey, or agave nectar

1 cup bean sprouts rinsed

1/2 cup chopped peanuts

2 Thai chilies chopped ( I used a much less spicy Anaheim and it worked fine)

1 pack of firm tofu diced into squares

4 beaten eggs cooked crepe-like (so you have a round egg pancake), rolled, then sliced thin into strips

1. Put noodles in a large bowl and cover with hot water, let soak until ready (about 15 mns), then drain (let them soak while you do the next couple of steps.  You don't want them to sit undrained or they will stick together and be gross).

2. In hot frying pan pour a neutral flavored oil (like corn or grapeseed, not olive oil) and fry up the garlic, tofu, scallions, and half of the bean sprouts for about 3-5 minutes.  Remove from pan wth slotted spoon and set aside.

3. Put noodles, eggs, fish sauce, tamarind, and sweetner in frying pan and mix and fry for about 1-2 minutes.  

4. Mix noodle mixture with tofu mixture, top with peanuts, chilies, cilantro, and remaining bean sprouts.  Serve with lime wedges.  (You could also garnish with fresh sliced cucumbers)

YUM!

Granola

This recipe is based on a recipe I got from Food Matters; A Guide to Conscious Eating by Mark Bittman. If you are like me, cold cereal is handy to have around on school mornings, but just not a good option with all the additives and crap that goes in it. This granola makes a good cereal or a good snack. It is also very flexible and you can add anything you like (or not add as you please). Here are the basics:

5 cups steel cut or old fashioned oats (not instant or quick cooking)
1-1 1/2 cups honey
1 cup chopped nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds)
1 cup unsweetened coconut
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla (optional)

Pour honey over oats and nuts and coat well. Add more honey if desired.
Pour mixture on a baking sheet and cook at 350 for about 20 minutes. Make sure you remove from oven and stir a few times to avoid burning.

Remove from oven and add desired amount of dried fruit (raisins, chopped dates, apricots, cranberries, apples, whatever you like).
(To diminish any health you could even add chocolate like I had in my Museli at a youth hostel in Munich. A long time ago, but that was some yummy cereal!)

When cool put in storage container and enjoy.
You could add flax seeds, whole grain hot cereal, anything you think would add to the taste/nutrition.

For another variation skip the honey and baking and have all of it raw, like Museli.

Some Good Ideas

This great article in the NYTimes by Mark Bittman has some great ideas for eating fresher and healthier in the winter. He talks about stuff to toss out of your pantry and what fresh ingredients to put in. Here is a sample:
OUT Canned beans (except in emergencies).

IN Dried beans. More economical, better tasting, space saving and available in far more varieties. Cook a pound once a week and you’ll always have them around (you can freeze small amounts in their cooking liquid, or water, indefinitely). If you’re not sold, try this: soak and cook a pound of white beans. Take some and finish with fresh chopped sage, garlic and good olive oil. Purée another cup or so with a boiled potato and lots of garlic. Mix some with a bit of cooking liquid, and add a can of tomatoes; some chopped celery, carrots and onions; cooked pasta; and cheese and call it pasta fagiole or minestrone. If there are any left, mix them with a can of olive-oil-packed tuna or sardines. And that’s just white beans.

or how about this:

OUT Bouillon cubes or powder, or canned stock.

IN Simmer a carrot, a celery stalk and half an onion in a couple of cups of water for 10 minutes and you’re better off; if you have any chicken scraps, even a half-hour of cooking with those same vegetables will give you something 10 times better than any canned stock.

or:
OUT Bottled salad dressing and marinades. The biggest rip-offs imaginable.

IN Take good oil and vinegar or lemon juice, and combine them with salt, pepper, maybe a little Dijon, in a proportion of about three parts oil to one of vinegar. Customize from there, because you may like more vinegar or less, and you undoubtedly will want a little shallot, or balsamic vinegar, or honey, or garlic, or tarragon, or soy sauce. ...

Be sure to read through the article; there are tons of good suggestions.  In fact I am going to try Jennette's lentil soup recipe (a new fav with our family) with some prosciutto instead of bacon as per his suggestion.  

Broccoli and Cheese Soup

Last year, I really wanted to make a broccoli cheese soup. I had the hardest time finding a decent recipe that didn't have Velveeta or a "cream of" soup in it. I found this from the Food Network. It was very good. I didn't puree all of it because we like to have chunks in our soup. They also suggested homemade croutons for a garnish.

Broccoli and Cheese Soup with Croutons
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 1 hr 10 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 4 servings

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup yellow onions or sliced leeks (white parts only, well rinsed)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
Pinch nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken stock or canned, low-sodium chicken broth
1 (16-ounce) package frozen broccoli, thawed and separated
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/4 cups shredded medium Cheddar

In a medium pot, melt the 3 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and cook, stirring, until soft, 3 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme cook, stirring, until fragrant, for 20 seconds. Add the flour and cook, stirring until the mixture is well blended and smells fragrant, 2 minutes. Slowly add the chicken stock, whisking constantly, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the broccoli and cook, stirring, until tender, for 10 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and puree with a hand-held immersion blender. (Alternatively, in batches, puree in a blender or food processor and return to the pot.)
Add the cream and bring to bare simmer to heat through. Add the cheese and cook over low heat, stirring, until melted. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons cold butter, stirring to blend.
Remove from the heat and ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle croutons over the top of the soup and serve immediately.

Bean Burritos

I got this recipe from Everyday Food on PBS (photo is also from website). It's pretty quick (it didn't take me an hour to make) and easy. I used the organic frozen sweet corn from Costco, which made the burritos have a sweet flavor. It makes quite a bit and can be frozen.

Bean Burritos

Serves 8 Prep time: 1 hour Total time: 1 hour

¾ cup rice (brown or white)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 jalapeño chile, chopped (ribs and seeds removed, for less heat)
½ teaspoon ground cumin
Coarse salt and ground pepper
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cans (15 ounces each) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 box frozen corn kernels (10 ounces)
6 scallions, thinly sliced
8 burrito-size (10-inch) flour tortillas
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (8 ounces)
Salsa and sour cream (optional)

1. Cook rice according to package instructions; set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add onions, garlic, jalapeño, and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Add tomato paste, and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
3. Add beans and 1 ½ cups water; bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 10 to 12 minutes. Add corn; cook to heat through, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in scallions.
4. Heat tortillas according to package instructions; fill with rice, bean mixture, and cheese.
5. Assemble: Mound ¼ cup rice, ¾ cup bean mixture, and ¼ cup cheese on one side of tortilla. Fold, and hold in sides. Starting from filled end, holding sides in as you work, tightly roll into a bundle. Place on a baking sheet, seam side down, and prepare remaining burritos.
6. Serve immediately, with salsa and sour cream, if using, or wrap individually in plastic and freeze up to 3 months.

Per serving: (without salsa and sour cream) 519 calories; 18.6 grams fat; 18.7 grams protein; 70.5 grams carbohydrates; 7.4 grams fiber

Note: Before wrapping individually, freeze burritos on a baking sheet so they don’t come apart in the process; then put back in freezer.

Reheating From Frozen:
Microwave and oven: Remove frozen burritos from plastic wrap. Place on a microwave-safe plate; microwave on high for 3 minutes. Transfer to baking sheet; bake at 450° until crispy, about 10 minutes. This is our favorite quick method.
Oven only: Remove frozen burritos from plastic wrap; rewrap individually in aluminum foil. Place on a baking sheet; bake at 450°, 40 minutes; remove foil, and bake to crisp, 5 to 10 minutes. (To reheat defrosted burritos, remove any wrapping, and bake for 10 minutes.)
Microwave only: Remove frozen burritos from plastic wrap. Place on a microwave-safe plate, covered with a microwave-safe bowl, and defrost at high power for 3 to 4 minutes; uncover, and microwave on high, 3 to 4 minutes longer.

Indian-Style Curry

I made this for dinner last week and loved it. It took me over an hour to make but it made quite a bit. I just served it with white rice. Pretty tasty.

Indian-Style Curry with Potatoes, Cauliflower, Peas and Chickpeas

from americastestkitchen.com

This curry is moderately spicy when made with one chile. For more heat, use an additional half chile. For a mild curry, remove the chile's ribs and seeds before mincing. Onions can be pulsed in a food processor. You can substitute 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon for the garam masala.

Serves 4 to 6 as a main course


2 tablespoons curry powder (sweet or mild)
1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala (see note above)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 medium onions , chopped fine (about 2 cups)
12 ounces Red Bliss potatoes , scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
3 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 - 1 1/2 serrano chiles , ribs, seeds, and flesh minced (see note above)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 medium head cauliflower , trimmed, cored, and cut into 1-inch florets (about 4 cups)
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes , pulsed in food processor until nearly smooth with 1/4-inch pieces visible
1 1/4 cups water
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas , drained and rinsed
Table salt
8 ounces frozen peas (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup heavy cream or coconut milk

1. Toast curry powder and garam masala in small skillet over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until spices darken slightly and become fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove spices from skillet and set aside.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions and potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are caramelized and potatoes are golden brown on edges, about 10 minutes. (Reduce heat to medium if onions darken too quickly.)
3. Reduce heat to medium. Clear center of pan and add remaining tablespoon oil, garlic, ginger, chile, and tomato paste; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add toasted spices and cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute longer. Add cauliflower and cook, stirring constantly, until spices coat florets, about 2 minutes longer.
4. Add tomatoes, water, chickpeas, and 1 teaspoon salt; increase heat to medium-high and bring mixture to boil, scraping bottom of pan with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Simmer briskly, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in peas and cream or coconut milk; continue to cook until heated through, about 2 minutes longer. Adjust seasoning with salt and serve immediately, passing condiments separately.


Step-by-Step: Key Steps for Building Flavor for Vegetable Curry
1. Toast the curry powder and garam masala in a dry skillet.
2. Rather than simmering potatoes in the curry, brown them with the onions.
3. Add tomato paste to the traditional garlic, ginger, and chiles for sweetness and depth.
4. Add the toasted spices to the pot to infuse the dish with flavor.
5. Sauté vegetables in spices following a simple Indian technique called bhuna

Breakfast Bars

Okay, sorry for taking over the blog, but here is another recipe. It's for yummy breakfast bars. It's a recipe that I got from my Aunt Sarah.

Breakfast Bars

5 cups of oats
2 ½ cups milk (rice, soy or dairy)
4 medium eggs or flax seed egg replacer, see below
¾ cup honey
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 Tbsp pumpkin spice
1 pinch of salt
1 Tsp vanilla extract
½ cup raisins
Add dried apples, nuts, and seeds-whatever you think would taste good!

Mix together and pour into an ungreased 9x13 baking pan.Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until golden brown This re-heats well. Assemble ahead overnight and bake it in the morning, it will soften all the dried fruit in it. After you cut it up, wrap it in food wrapper and freeze.

Flax Seed Egg Replacer
Grind: ½ cup flax seeds. Blend until a fine meal (use a coffee grinder, it will ruin your wheat grinder with the oil $10 at Walmart) Add 1 ½ cup cold water and blend 2-3 minutes until thickened and has consistency of eggs (I just make it first and let it sit on the counter, this directions for the substitute will make 8 eggs, which will make you 2 of the recipes above. If you want to make 1 recipe, use half of this egg replacement recipe). Use ¼ cup flax seed egg replacer mixture to replace one egg in baking.

To make it a little extra special, try pouring half of the batter in the pan, then placing fresh, canned or sliced fruit over top. If you use dehydrated fruit, try softening with water first. Use bananas, kiwi, apples and others. Now, pour the remaining batter over the fruit and spread evenly to cover. Bake as directed.

I made 3 batches a few weeks ago and they are so good. I made a blueberry (you can also add coconut-didn't have any), banana (I was out of pecans) and rasin spice. You just cut them up into whatever size you want, then wrap them up in saran wrap and store them in the freezer until you are ready to eat them. Because of the protein (flax seed), they stick with you very well. I usually am not hungry again for at least 3 hours.

Mexican Style Lasagna

I made this for dinner last night. I thought it was really good. You must really like spinach though. I also doubled the beans. We love beans around here. The photo is also from the website.

Mexican Style Lasagna (from PBS Everyday Food)

Serves 4
Prep Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes



1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
4 scallions, coarsely chopped
Coarse salt and ground pepper
10 ounces fresh baby spinach
Nonstick cooking spray
8 corn tortillas (6-inch)
1 can (15.5 ounces) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup prepared salsa (mild or medium)
8 ounces pepper Jack cheese, grated (about 2 cups)



1. Preheat oven to 425°. In a food processor, combine cilantro, scallions, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper with as much spinach as will fit; pulse, adding remaining spinach in batches, until coarsely chopped.

2. Coat an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Lay 4 tortillas in bottom of dish (they will overlap slightly). Layer with half of beans, salsa, spinach mixture, and cheese; repeat with remaining ingredients, ending with cheese and pressing in gently.

3. Cover dish with foil; place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes; remove foil, and continue baking until golden, 15 to 20 minutes more. Cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving.



Per serving: 446 calories; 21 grams fat; 21.6 grams protein; 48.2 grams carbohydrates; 10.4 grams fiber

I also made a Cuban Black Bean soup this week. You can get that recipe here.

Homemade Whole Wheat Bread

Hi everyone!

Challey has asked me to post several recipes on this blog. I am sort of blog-challenged (I never seem to have my computer on and then I never seem to find time to look at it), but I love cooking and recipes so I will try to get them all on here. Plus, I am excited to see what you all have added already!

This is my version of a recipe that Sarah from Sarah Baking Co. uses. Her bread products are delicious and if you ever see her at a boutique, you should pick up a few things.

Homemade Whole Wheat Bread
Blend in Bosch mixer:
4 and 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 cup wheat gluten
1 Tbs yeast

Then add:
3 cups very warm water

Blend 1 minute. Turn off mixer and cover for 12 minutes to sponge. Should rise to about double.

After sponging, add:
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup honey
3 tsp. salt

Run mixer, then add:
3+ cups flour, 1 cup at a time. (If making ½ wheat, ½ white bread, use white flour at this step.) Flour should be added JUST until the dough starts to pull away from or clean the side of the bowl. Knead for 10 minutes on power level 1 on your Bosch.

Check dough. If too sticky,add 1/4 cup flour at a time until dough is not too sticky. If too stiff, drizzle warm water over it while kneading.

Preheat oven to warm/lowest setting, just for a minute, then turn it off.

With oiled hands, turn dough out onto oiled counter/plastic mat. Divide and shape into 3 loaves for 8x4" loaf pans. You can use 2 larger bread pans instead if you prefer the bigger size. Place dough into oiled (pam) loaf pans.

Put into warm oven (make sure oven is off). Let rise until the dough is about 1 to 1 ½ inches over the top of the pan (usually 45 min to 1 hr). Leaving loaves in, turn oven on to 350 and bake for 30 minutes. Take out of pans immediately and put on a rack to cool completely.

I like to make the 3 smaller loaves. I freeze one of them and leave the other two out (wrapped up) on the counter. Once we've used the first loaf, I thaw out the frozen one. This gives us enough bread for 1 1/2 to 2 weeks, depending on the week.

Enjoy!

The Mansion on Turtle Creek Tortilla Soup

The Mansion on Turtle Creek Tortilla Soup

3 tsp. corn oil (I use olive oil)
4 corn tortillas cut into long strips (use more for a thicker soup)
8 garlic cloves, peeled
2 cups fresh onion puree
4 c. fresh tomato puree (you can use canned, I use some of both)
5 dried New Mexican chilies (fire roasted & seeded-look for these in the Mexican food aisle, they come in a package of about 10)
2 jalapeños (depends how spicy you want it)
1 T. cumin powder
2 T. chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 large bay leaf
1 ½ qts. Chicken stock
Salt to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste

Toppings:
Chicken breast, cut into thin strips (optional)
Avocado, cut into cubes
Shredded cheddar cheese
Sour Cream
Cilantro

Tortilla Chips

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add tortillas and garlic and sauté until tortillas are crisp and garlic is golden brown (4-5 minutes). Add onion puree and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally (until reduced by half). Add tomato puree, chilies, jalapeños, cumin, coriander, cilantro, bay leaf and chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for approximately 40 minutes. Skim fat from surface. Process through a blender, can be thinned with more chicken stock. Season to taste with salt, lemon and cayenne.

Don't let Stratton fool you, it's a very tasty soup. He basically looks that way every night at dinner unless it's Macaroni & Cheese.

Quinoa

Dang it--I'd been meaning to do a post for ages about how much I love quinoa, but had just not gotten around to it. Now there's an article in the NYTimes about it that beats me to the punch. It really is a fabulous grain that is as easy to cook up as cous cous and a great substitute for rice if you're looking for a hearty side. We use it in soups, flavor it with curry and mint, or just eat it plain when cooked in broth. Whatever the case, you'll love it....and it's so good for you.

Here are 3 of my most-used quinoa recipes:

Basic Quinoa

1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
butter (optional)
salt and freshly ground pepper

Place the quinoa and the stock in a medium saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat; simmer until all the stock has been absorbed, about 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork and transfer to a large bowl. Add butter (optional) and salt and pepper to taste.

Additions: add freshly chopped parsley, chives, or mint before serving.


Quinoa and Apple Salad with Curry Dressing (from Martha Stewart Living, Oct. 2004)

1/4 cup raw whole almonds
1 cup white quinoa
1 tsp honey
1 Tb finely chopped shallot
1 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp coarse salt
2 Tb fresh lemon juice
freshly ground pepper
2 Tb extra virgin olive oil
2 Tb dried currants
1 small McIntosh (or other crunchy) apple cut into 1/8-inch thick wedges
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped, plus more for garnish


1. Spread almonds in a rimmed baking sheet; toast in oven until lightly toasted and fragrant, about 7 minutes. Let cool; coarsely chop nuts.
2. Rinse quinoa thoroughly in a fine sieve; drain. Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add quinoa; return to a boil. Stir quinoa, cover, and reduce heat. Simmer until quinoa is tender but still chewy, about 15 minutes. Fluff quinoa with a fork; let cool.
3. Whisk together honey, shallot, curry powder, salt and lemon juice in a large bowl. Season with pepper. Whisking constantly, pour in oil in a slow, steady stream; whisk until dressing is emulsified. Add quinoa, currants, apple, mint and nuts; toss well. Garnish with mint.


Peruvian Chicken Ragout (from Better Homes and Gardens, January 2004)

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (although, I've used breast pieces when I have those on hand) cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Tb all-purpose flour
1 tsp chili powder
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tb cooking oil
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
1 14oz can chicken broth
1 meduim potato, peeled and diced
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1/2 cup quinoa
2 cups packed fresh spinach leaves
finely shredded lemon peel (set aside)
2 Tb lemon juice

1. Place chicken, flour, chili powder, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper in a plastic bag. Seal and shake to coat.
2. In a 4-to-6-quart Dutch oven cook chicken mixture, onion, and garlic in hot oil over medium heat until browned. Add undrained tomatoes, broth, potato, corn, and quinoa. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 15 to 20 minutes or until potatoes and quinoa are tender. Stir in spinach and lemon juice; cook until spinach is just wilted. Garnish each serving with shredded lemon peel.

Hearty Lentil Soup

This is our standard soup that we must make about once a week in the winter, to the point where I have it memorized. It's a good recipe because you usually have all the ingredients on hand when you're looking for dinner without too much thought. And, it fills everyone up and my kids love, love, love it. Actually, I do too. It always goes with a nice crusty loaf of bread and some orange slices for dessert, come mid-winter orange season.

Hearty Lentil Soup (from the Cook's Illustrated The New Best Recipe)

3 slices bacon, cut into 1/4" pieces

1 large onion, chopped fine

2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped medium

3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press

1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes

1 bay leaf

1 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves

1 cup (7oz) lentils, rinsed and picked over

1 tsp salt

ground black pepper

1/2 cup white wine*

4 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar

3 tsp minced fresh parseley

*Usually I use a dealcholized wine that you can buy at most grocery stores or Trader Joes. However, I've also omitted this on occasion and the recipe works out just fine as well.

1. Fry the bacon in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion and carrots; cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes, bay leaf and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the lentils, salt, and pepper to taste; cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the vegetables are softened and the lentils have darkened, 8 to 10 minutes.

2. Uncover, increase the heat to high, add the wine, and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken broth and water, bring to a boil and cover partially, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape, 30 to 35 minutes; discard the bay leaf.

3. Puree 3 cups of the soup in a blender until smooth, then return to the pot. Stir in the vinegar and heat the soup over medium-low until hot, about 5 minutes. Stir in 2 Tb parsley and serve, garnishing each bowl with some of the remaining parsley.

Variation: Hearty Lentil Soup with Spinach

Follow the above recipe, replacing the parsley with 5oz baby spinach. Continue to heat the soup, stirring frequently, until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes; serve.

Winter Vegetable Soup

This has been a fav since the first time I ate it.  I sometimes add other veggies if I have them or eliminate some if I don't.  It is forgiving and one that can be played around with.

2 Leeks; cleaned and chopped
2 lg Onions; chopped
6 ea Carrots; chopped
1 bunch Watercress; chopped
1/2 lb Butter, unsalted
4 lg Tomato; blanched, chopped
2 large potatoes peeled and chopped
1/2 c Mushrooms; sliced
1/2 c Cream, heavy
Salt; to taste
Pepper, black; to taste
Pepper, white; to taste

In a large saucepan, combine the butter, leeks, carrots, onions, potato,
and spices. Cover with water and simmer until the vegetables are tender.
When vegetables are tender, place 3/4 of the contents of the saucepan
into a blender and puree until creamy (or use an immersion blender, a kitchen must have to puree). Pour contents back into the
saucepan.
Add cream, chopped tomatoes, mushrooms. Season to taste
with salt, black pepper and white pepper.  Simmer about 5 more minutes.  Add watercress just before serving.

Serve with french crusty bread and enjoy!

Rhotkhol

Remember how we need to eat more red cabbage.  This is a family favorite, courtesy of Uncle Stephen.  (Thanksgiving wouldn't be Thanksgiving without it.)

1 large head red cabbage, cleaned, cored, and shredded

Saute that in a dutch oven with 1/4 c. butter for 5-7 minutes

Add 1/4 c sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 c cider vinegar, 1/2 c water.  Toss and stir until well mixed.  Simmer one and a half hours in covered dutch oven over medium to low heat, stirring occasionally.  Cool.  Stir and reheat to serve.

Soup Season

Okay everyone, here we go into soup season. I am always looking for some really good new soups. So, if you have a great recipe, please post. Challey

Another Pasta Dish

Sun Dried Tomato Pasta

2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c. pine nuts
1 c. sun dried tomatoes (no oil)
1 c. boiling water
5 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp. red chili flakes (if you want it to have a kick)
1/2 tsp. dried basil, crushed
1/2 tsp. dried thyme, crushed
1/2 lb. fettuccine noodles
1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1. Boil the fettuccine.
2. Heat 1 T. olive oil over medium heat. Add pine nuts. Cook, stir often until lightly browned. Set aside on paper towels.
3. Place sun dried tomatoes in bowl and pour the cup of boiling water over them and let them stand until tender. Then drain them, but keep the water. Coarsely chop and set aside.
4. Heat other olive oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, tomatoes, salt, pepper, chili flakes, basil and thyme. Cook, stirring often until garlic is lightly browned-about 3 minutes.
5. Add the water to the pan and reduce slightly, about 1 cup of sauce.
6. Toss cooked fettuccine with sauce.
7. Garnish with pine nuts and cheese.
(I skipped step 3 and used sun dried tomatoes in oil and then just cut back on the olive oil. I then used plain water for the sauce.)

Good Old Mac & Cheese

This is very good. Heavy and fattening, but pretty easy to eat. Stratton would eat this every night for dinner if it was up to him.

Homemade Mac & Cheese
1 2/3 c. Cooked Macaroni
1 1/2-2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
2 T. corn starch
1 tsp. salt1/2 tsp. dry mustard
2 T. butter
1/4 tsp. pepper12 oz. can evaporated milk
1 c. water
Mix all ingredients except for noodles and cheese. Boil for one minute. Then stir in 1 1/2 c. cheddar cheese. Put in greased 9x9 or similar size pan. Top with 1/2 c. cheese (it's fine without more cheese on top). Refrigerate or bake immediately, 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes

I made this last week for dinner. We had talked about going out to eat, but I just really wanted to stay home and eat some of our yummy tomatoes. My kids even liked it. I think I got it from Rachel Ray.



Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes

ingredients:

1 pound pasta cavatappi or orecchiette

Salt

2 pints grape tomatoes

2 cloves garlic, grated

A few drizzles of extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)

Freshly ground black pepper

20 leaves fresh basil, roughly chopped or torn

1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano



preparation:

Preheat oven 425°F.Place a large pot filled with water over high heat and bring up to a boil to cook the pasta. Once boiling, add some salt and the pasta, and cook until al dente according to package directions. Reserve about a 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid before draining the pasta.While the water is coming up to a boil to cook the pasta, place the tomatoes on a cookie and grate the garlic over them.Drizzle with some EVOO and season with some salt and pepper. Transfer cookie sheet to the oven and roast tomatoes for 8-10 minutes or until the tomatoes start to burst. Remove from the oven, discard the garlic cloves and transfer roasted tomatoes to a large serving bowl. Add the reserved pasta water and, with a potato masher or a fork, lightly smash the tomatoes. This is a great job for a K.H. (kid helper)!Add basil, drained pasta and Parmigiano cheese and toss to coat.Toss to combine, taste and re-season with some salt and pepper then serve.

Yields 4 servings

The Food Issue

That Michael Pollan is at it again. Here's another NYTimes Magazine article that he wrote about the politics of food and why it should be the next big issue. Very interesting. Click here for the article.

Roasted Garlic Lasagna with Fresh Spinach

(photo not mine...but you get the idea)

2 Large heads roasted garlic

1 pound ricotta cheese

1 1/2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves

coarse salt and pepper

2 eggs, lightly beaten

14 ounces dried curly-edged lasagna noodles

12 ounces young spinach leaves

6 1/2 to 7 cups marinara sauce

1 pound mozzarella

1/2 cup parmesan

1/2 cup pecorino romano cheese

Squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins and coarsely chop. Transfer to a medium bowl, add the ricotta and mix until blended. Stir in the basil and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the eggs, mix until blended, and set aside

Wilt the spinach. Remove any excess water. Coarsely chop and stir into the garlic ricotta mixture until blended.

To assemble, spread 1/2 cup marinara on the bottom of a 13x9x2 inch pan. Then layer: noodles, ricotta mixture, mozzarella, and marinara. Repeat 2 more times. Cover with final layer of noodles and remaining marinara. Sprinkle the parmesan and pecorino romano over the top. Cover the pan with foil, tenting slightly so it doesn't touch the lasagna.

Bake at 350*. Punch holes in the foil. Bake until hot, 35-40 minutes. Remove the foil to brown the cheese on top.

It's fabulous!

Hummus and Grilled Veggie Wraps with CAT Salad

2 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
1 cup store-bought hummus
4 pieces whole-wheat wrap bread (about 9 inches in diameter)
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted (I used shelled, dry roasted sunflower seeds)
1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 ounces baby spinach leaves (2 cups lightly packed)
1/2 cup red onion thinly sliced into half moons
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

Preheat the grill or grill pan over medium heat. Brush both sides of the zucchini slices with the oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Grill until tender and slightly browned, about 4 minutes per side.

Spread 1/4 cup of the hummus over each piece of bread. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of pine nuts on top. Top with 3 slices of zucchini, 2 pieces of red pepper, 1/2 cup of the spinach, a few sliced onions, and 1 tablespoon of the mint. Roll each of them up and cut in half on a diagonal.



CAT Salad (corn, avocado and tomato)
1 avocado, diced
2 ears of corn, corn sliced off the cob
1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
1 lime, juiced
Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and ground pepper

Combine the avocados, corn and tomatoes. Add lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss gently, making sure not to mash the avocados. Enjoy!

Found this on Rookie Cookie she has a few other Veggie recipes too.

11 Best Foods You Aren't Eating

I saw this article in the NYTimes today and thought that it was worth sharing. And now I'm feeling decently good about myself since my kids totally love dried plums and we buy bulk blueberries from a local producer to freeze for the year. Now to somehow add the beets to our diet! Recipes anyone?

Favorite Alfredo

We've tried several alfredos... and this one is the best so far. You can make it almost as quick as you can open a bottle of sauce and it tastes much better!

2 Tbsp butter
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp papper
1/2 cup Parmesan (+ some to sprinkle with)

In saucepan, melt butter. Add cream, salt, and pepper. Bring to boiling, reduce heat. Boil gently, uncovered, for 3-5 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in the 1/2 c parmesan. Add to pasta. Sprinkle more parmesan on top.

If you're feeling a little bit fancy...add some garlic and/or white wine (about 1/4 cup).

If you're feeling really fancy...saute some vegis in olive oil in a separate pan (the sauce doesn't thicken so well if vegis are involved from the beginning). At the end, toss the alfredo, vegis, and pasta all together. We've tried various combinations of yellow squash, zucchini, asparagus, red bell pepper, broccoli, and onion. Enjoy!

Potato Salad (for Anne Marie)

Anne Marie requested that I post this recipe. It is based -- as best I remember -- on the way my mother made it. It was one of my father's favorites and he always wanted it "moist," or abundantly dressed.

I'm sorry but I don't measure anything, but will try to give some guidance. It is not a temperamental recipe and you can add more of any ingredient as you go until it is as you like it.

Ingredients:

• cooked potatoes peeled and diced small: one half medium potato per person. These were gold, but I have used many different kinds. (Boil about 25 minutes -- stick them with a knife to see if they are done all the way through. Kris likes them undercooked and crunchy, but I need them to be soft, but not crumbly.)

• chopped chives: lots. I like the oniony flavor without the bite.

• sweet pickle relish: Western Family brand is best. I use about the same amount of relish as chives

• hard-boiled eggs (cook eggs just below simmer for 20 min.): I like lots of eggs -- sort of like egg salad with some potatoes -- probably an equal number of eggs and potatoes

• Mayonnaise: I like Best Foods (Helmans).

• Miracle Whip: I know it is a "foodlike substance" and not real food, but it is really good in potato salad, turkey sandwiches, and sometimes in tuna. Sorry to the purists.

• salt and pepper

Directions

• Put the chives and relish in the bottom of a large bowl
• Build up the diced potatoes and chopped eggs in layers salting and peppering each layer.
• Add a couple of good dollops each of Mayo and Miracle Whip
• Fold it all together
• Taste it and add more of anything it needs. Make sure it is moist (almost goopy) with Mayo and Miracle Whip
• Refrigerate as long as possible so the flavors can bloom (3 hours to overnight)

Swiss Chard with Feta and Pine Nuts

This dish has such a nice flavor.  

Toast the pine nuts (about a half cup) in a frying pan.  When toasted, set aside in a bowl.

In a stock pot fry up 2 diced shallots in about 3 tablespoons of olive oil.  Once the shallots are browned throw in a bunch of sliced swiss chard and toss with the oil and shallots (any variety will do).  Let it steam with lid on for about two minutes, then remove the lid so excess liquid cooks off.  Pour in about 1/4 cup of crumbled feta and let melt.  Place in serving dish (careful not to dump off feta and to not get too much liquid in serving dish).  Sprinkle pine nuts over top and serve immediately.  It has a very nice subtle flavor. 

Parmesean Roasted Potatoes

(This isn't an actual pic, I should have taken one, but this gives you the idea)

Peel and cut into cubes about 3 pounds of organic russet potatoes.

Parboil the potatoes (about 5 minutes).  Drain them and allow them to dry.  Pour in bowl with 3 tablespoons olive oil and sea salt and ground pepper.  Coat the potatoes well and then pour in a baking dish.  Put in a 475 degree oven and let cook.  Take them out about every five minutes and toss them.  When they are golden (20-30 minutes) pour in serving bowl, sprinkle generously with fresh parmesean cheese and about 2 tablespoons fresh Italian Flat leaf parsley (chopped).

Pasta

This FiberWise pasta is my new find.

It is made with flax flour and pea flour so has tons of fiber, like the name says,

but not that whole wheat pasta taste. My kids didn't even notice a difference.

I have found it only at Harmons so far.

Some Things We Love

I wanted to post about a few of or favorite organic or all natural foods we love. What are some of yours?Weetabix (almost forgot!)

Stretch Island Fruit Leather

Annie's mac and cheese

Kashi

So yummy!

A Great Article

This is a great article with practical ideas on how to cut back on meat consumption.  It is not an article on becoming a vegetarian but rather on just cutting back.  

Zesty Three Bean Salad

2 T. olive oil

2 T. lime juice

2 T. light terriyaki sauce

2 tsp. lime zest

2 T. chopped cilantro

1-15 oz can chick peas

1-15 oz can black beans

1-15 oz can kidney beans

1/2 c. finely diced red onion

1 c. diced or shredded carrots

1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved

salt & pepper

Combine oil and seasonings. Add rest of ingredients. Toss. Serve. Better if made ahead and chilled 30 min. or longer.

We had this in VA and it was sooo good, and, my kids just loved it!

Sun Dried Tomato and Mozzeralla Risotto

I made this last night for dinner and it was delicious.  I got the recipe from the William's Sonoma Vegetarian cookbook.  Sadly my garden isn't ready to provide large portions of fresh basil yet, so I only added a few fresh leaves and some dried.  Not ideal, but still great.  I have become a HUGE fan of risotto, in the last couple of months as I've tried to replace meat as the main dish with other things.  I was intimidated by it, but once I finally tried making it I realized it isn't as complicated as I thought it would be. I love risotto because there are loads of variations, so it makes a terrific main dish and adds variety to a meatless (almost) diet.

5 1/2 cups vegetable stock (I actually used the Costco Pacific chicken broth)
1/3 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (water packed is ideal, but any will do)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper to taste ( I omitted salt because between the broth and cheese I think there is plenty already)

In a large saucepan, bring the vegetable stock to a simmer. While the stock is heating, drain the sun-dried tomatoes and reserve the oil. Chop the tomatoes coarsely and set them aside.
In a large frying pan, warm 2 tablespoons of oil from the tomatoes, add onion and saute until translucent; about 6 minutes.
Add rice to the frying pan and stir until white spots appear in the center of the grains; about 1 minute. Spoon a ladleful of vegetable stock into the frying pan and cook the mixture on low until all the stock is absorbed; about 2 minutes. Continue adding the stock, a ladleful at a time until the rice is tender and the mixture is creamy, approximately 20 to 25 minutes.
Add the mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of the remaining oil from the tomatoes, chopped basil, and salt and pepper. Mix well and serve

Nutty, oaty snack

This snack is so easy, tasty and inexpensive.

2 C. oats

1/2 C. Honey

1/2 C. Peanut Butter 

Optional add in's

Raisins

Chocolate chips

Carob chips

Crasins

Nuts

Mix and store in fridge.

Spinach Salad

This salad is so yummy and perfect for the spinach harvest.

1 bag of spinach leaves (or a big bowl full from your garden)

1 apple (I like gala or fuji) thinly sliced

handful of Craisins

1/8th of red onion sliced thin

roasted slivered almonds

1/2lb bacon cooked, crumbled (optional)

Dressing:

3 TBS apple cider vinegar

1/3 C. vegetable oil

1/3 C. sugar

1/2 tsp salt

Mix in a blender, then pour over salad

Food and It's Important Role In the Environment

This is a very worth watching clip of a lecture given by Mark Bittman, a New York Times food writer discussing how what we eat impacts not only the environment but our health.  It's only about 16 minutes and well worth the time.
 

Tuscan Kale and White Bean Pasta

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, crushed
2 1/2 pounds kale, chopped into 1-inch pieces
2 cups fresh or canned tomatoes, chopped
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
2 cups canned or cooked white cannellini beans
3/4 oil-cured black olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
1 12-ounce package pasta, whole wheat preferred
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

1. In a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium high heat, heat the oil and saute the onion about 5 minutes, until softened. Add garlic, pepper flakes, and half of the kale and cook about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the greens are wilted and the garlic is fragrant.

2. Add remaining kale, tomatoes, and salt to taste, then cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook until soupy, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beans and olives, stirring to combine.

3. Cook pasta in a pot of boiling salted water according to package directions. When al dente, drain pasta and add it to the kale mixture. Cook about 2 minutes over medium heat, then sprinkle with Parmesan, if using, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.

Serves 8.

Pasta With Lentils And Kale

(I should mention I haven't yet tried this, but have been looking for kale recipes, as I want to add it into my repetoire and I found a couple that I think I will try.)

1/2 cup French (small) green lentils

2 cups water
3/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped (2 cups)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 pound kale (preferably Tuscan; sometimes labeled "lacinato")
3/4 pound dried short pasta

Simmer lentils in water (2 cups) with 1/4 teaspoon salt in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart saucepan, uncovered, adding more water if necessary to keep lentils barely covered, until tender but not falling apart, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt.

While lentils simmer, heat 1/4 cup oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion with pepper and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, stirring, 1 minute. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and golden (stir more frequently toward end of cooking), about 20 minutes. Remove lid and increase heat to moderate, then cook, stirring frequently, until onion is golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes more.

While onion cooks, cut out and discard stems and center ribs from kale. Cook kale in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer kale with tongs to a colander to drain, pressing lightly. Keep pot of water at a boil, covered.

Coarsely chop kale and add to onion along with lentils (including lentil-cooking liquid), then simmer, stirring, 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.

Add pasta to kale-cooking liquid and boil, uncovered, until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup pasta-cooking liquid, then drain pasta in a colander. Add pasta to lentil mixture along with about 1/3 cup of pasta-cooking liquid (or enough to keep pasta moist) and cook over high heat, tossing, 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil.

Genetically Modified Foods

Last night on some news show I heard a blurb about genetically modified foods or GMO's which had me googling this morning to find out more. I knew there were GMO's to be had at the grocery store and although I did not have much specific information about the topic I instinctively knew these were things that I wanted to avoid putting on my family's table. What alarmed me, and many of you probably already knew this, is that in the U.S.the powers that be lobbied so that GMO's do not have to be labled at all in our grocery stores! (Many other countries have strict labeling laws or have banned GMO's altogether). It has been estimated that at least 60% of the U.S. food supply contain GM ingredients. What?! These things that I would avoid are all in my pantry and fridge?

GMO's are food produced from genetically modified organisms which alter the make-up of living organisms. The most common of these being soya, corn, canola, and cotton seed oil. The program last night indicated that most foods (I believe they said up to 90%) on store shelves that have any kind of soy or corn (including high fructose corn syrup) contain GMO's. The less common are peas, potatoes, tomatoes, sweet peppers, lettuce, onions, peanuts, squashes, sugar beets, wheat, and walnuts.There are numerous health reasons to avoid such foods; the transfer of antibiotic-resistance to bacteria in our systems, an increase in occurance of cancer among those who injest such foods, birth defects, allergies, and the Journal of Medicinal Foods did a study which found that GMO's contained lower levels of vital nutrients than their counterparts.

There are also several unforeseen consequences; declines in wild life, insects, and weeds that the previous feed on, this affects both the farmed and wild ecosystems, it also shifts agriculture towards biotechnology companies who then gain more control over food and its production and over the farmers who use their products. These companies say that GMO's help the enviroment by reducing the need for pestisides and herbicides, however it would appear that they are created with just the opposite in mind, they are developed with a "toxin resistance" which means that they can withstand higher doses of pesticides and herbicides. Considering that just like pollen from regular plants, pollen from GMO's can (and will) be carried on the wind and by birds and insects to cross polinate with normal plants it is estimated that the end of organic foods will come as early as 50 years from now.

A must read for gardeners

I know it is a little late in the season to be reading about gardening, but for anyone who wants to garden organically this is my favorite book. It is packed with ideas on companion planting, and teaches you which bugs are beneficial to your garden. The Author has many suggestions on which plants to pair up, and the special needs of each crop as well. She is also an advocate of supporting your local nurseries rather than saving a few bucks buying from Walmart or Home Depot or wherever. I flip through mine so much I finally had to go have it spiral bound! It is by far the most helpful gardening book I have found. I can't seem to get the image to post, but the title is "Great Garden Companions" by Sally Cunningham

Peat Moss

Just a heads up: in organic gardening Peat Moss is a no no.  The reason is, it is not a sustainable product.  It is found in bogs and wetlands and harvesting it destroys the habitat.  It is one of the ingredients of the soil for square foot gardening, but I would suggest just use a different kind of manure or leaf mold or compost for the 1/3 portion of peat moss.   

Time to Plant A Garden

Hey everyone.  If you are planning on planting a garden this would be a great place to share tips.  I have one.  Wait until you can really stick a fork in winter and declare it done before planting your frost sensitive plants.  I got a bee in my bonnet this week and planted my garden on Monday and wouldn't you know, it snowed last night.  I used Wall of Waters and old yogurt cartons and sour cream containers, old buckets bowls, beach pails, and whatever else I could find to cover the plants that hate cold.  It seemed to work. (I hope, I actually haven't been out to check on them yet).

Also here a couple of good reference links.  Please add whatever other links you have found to have helpful tips.

Wasatch Gardens

Square Foot Gardening

Organic Gardening Magazine

Organic Gardening Tips