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.