Veggie Belle

Shaker Lemon Pie

2011-03-22T20:43:00.000-07:00

It's citrus season in California and I've hit that time of year where I'm trying to use up my lemons. I found this recipe in the Sacramento Bee last week and was excited to find a new lemon dessert, particularly one that's a little different, but comes from a reliable source. The Shaker society of Ohio is the source of some really good home-style recipes. This one is described as a mix between lemon marmalade and lemon curd. It's a double crust pie: use your favorite recipe or one from the store (I like the Pillsbury roll-out one). I'd give you mine, but it's a work in progress. This recipe would also be really good with Meyer lemons, if you have access to any. This recipe does have an overnight component.

Shaker Lemon Pie
3 medium or 2 large organic lemons, thoroughly washed and stems trimmed off
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup sugar (additional!)
3 tbsp flour
1 tbsp butter
4 eggs
2 uncooked pie crusts
sugar for garnish

Slice the lemons, rind and all, paper thin. If possible, use a mandolin on it's smallest setting. I used a 1/32" myself. After slicing the lemons, place in the bowl, pick out the seeds and add the 1 1/2 cups of sugar. Mix, cover and refrigerate at least overnight. (Mine stayed there for a few days.)

8+ hours later, layer lemons on top of uncooked crust, sprinkle layers with the 1/2 cup sugar and the flour. Melt butter in a bowl, add the eggs, mix thoroughly, then pour over lemons. Top with second crust, seal edges well, cut slits and sprinkle with sugar if desired.

Bake at 450 F for 15 minutes on a cookie sheet, then reduce heat to 400 and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes. Pie is done when golden brown on top and an inserted knife comes out cleanly.

Cool to room temperature before serving. Serves 6 to 8.

Red Beans!

2011-03-19T12:44:00.001-07:00

I know to many people beans and rice are kind of boring. But so many cultures have their own variety, and I love that I can make a different variety almost every week (and I do!) I really like Cajun-influenced food, but traditional red beans have an odd texture and feature andouille. I've worked hard to make a version with a great texture and a lot of flavor, without the fat and cholesterol. And who doesn't want cheap and healthy? I use dried beans since they're lower in sodium and I think they taste better. Feel free to substitute 2 cans of beans, and simmer 30 minutes before adding the rice and peppers.

Red Beans & Rice
4 oz dried red beans
1 medium onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 celery stalks, finely diced
1 1/2 tbsp Cajun seasoning (I like Tony Chachere's, but Zatarain's is also good)
1 green bell pepper, finely diced
2 cups uncooked rice (I use brown)

Rinse and pick through beans. Put in a pot, cover with 1 inch water and bring to a simmer. Add onion, garlic & celery and simmer covered until the beans are tender and edible. Add seasoning, and add more if necessary until the liquid is slightly salty. Add bell pepper and rice. Cover and cook until the rice is done.

Serves 4 big portions or 6 lunch sized portions. Top with hot sauce if desired.

Carrot & Fennel Soup

2011-03-16T18:32:00.000-07:00

I'm starting back to this blogging thing slowly. It seemed like everybody included fancy photos, and I'm not a photographer, but I do know food, so that's what I'm sticking with. Before I've always cooked fennel the same way: roasted with garlic & topped with parmesan. But I'm on this soup kick lately, so fennel soup it is. I wanted to balance the licorice-ishness with some sweet and savory.

Carrot and Fennel Soup

2 tbsp butter
1 medium onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, diced
1 potato, diced
1 fennel bulb, with greens, diced
6 cups vegetable broth

Over medium low heat, melt butter, then add onions. Cook until very tender. Turn the heat to medium, add garlic and rest of the veggies. Sautee, stirring occasionally, until the veggies begin to brown. Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook until vegetables are cooked through, about 30 minutes.

Serves 4 to 6.

Brightening Up Winter

2009-01-06T21:31:00.000-08:00

Even though I worked last week, I had New Year's Eve and New Year's Day off, which really left 2 short week-ettes. So, that leaves this week feeling like my first back after a while. Tonight, I was determined to whip up a quick dinner before going out to a salsa lesson. I was so pleased to have a dinner of all local ingredients, use up more of my oranges and then go be healthy and social. Well, it turns out salsa starts next week, but at least I have a fun new recipe to share with you.

Greens in Orange Sauce
1 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
2 large eggs
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 bunch greens, destemmed and chopped
juice of 1 medium orange (about 1/2 cup for those not trying to burn through oranges)
1 tsp soy sauce
3 gloves garlic, minced
1/2 inch ginger, peeled & minced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (or more)

Heat 1/2 tbsp oil in the bottom of a medium sauce pan over medium heat. While heating up, lightly beat eggs with garlic powder, then cook until just firm. Set eggs aside.
Heat rest of oil in the same pan, still over medium heat. Add greens. While they begin to soften, mix remaining ingredients, then pour over greens in pan. Allow to cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until greens are tender. Add egg back in, stirring to evenly distribute sauce, and cook until sauce has mostly evaporated. Serve over rice.

Serves 2.

I Like Parsnips

2009-01-03T11:42:00.000-08:00

Yes, the statement "I like parsnips" is worth of a post title all of it's own. I've never actually tried them before, because they just seemed gross, right up there with turnips and brussel sprouts. I'm still not a huge turnip fan (but I'm always open to more ideas!) and haven't brought myself to try brussel sprouts yet. It's tough being a reformed picky eater.

But anyways, I could no longer avoid parsnips, as I've gotten several in recent weeks from my C.S.A. and I hate to waste food. Lately, I've been wanting to make some lentil soup, and since I mentally associate lentils with root vegetables, I thought it might be a good way to mask any undesirable flavors. When I pulled out the parsnips, I was going to discard the greens, then realized that I do like turnip greens, and well, greens never hurt lentil soup, so might as well throw them all in too.

Turns out, the title is a lie. I love parsnips. They're firm, slightly sweet and just so nice tasting. I actually wish I had more to cook with! And that's a dangerous statement to make. Last time I wished for more produce, with my beloved pomegranates, I ended up with over a dozen. But hey, I can eat parsnip and lentil soup all year long. That's what freezers are for after all.

I'd like to point out that with most of my soups, particularly those that start with onion, garlic and carrots, normal people throw in celery. However, it's not one of my favorite flavors, it doesn't come in my C.S.A. box so I'd have to buy it special, so I don't add it. If you like celery, have it on hand or want to bulk up the veggies in the soup, please feel free to add it.

Lentil and Root Vegetable Soup
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch ginger, peeled and minced
2 medium carrots, diced
2 parsnips, peeled and diced, greens reserved
1 cup lentils
4 cups vegetable broth or bouillon
greens from 2 parsnips, chopped

Heat oil in the bottom of a large stockpot over medium high heat. Add onions, garlic and ginger, and sautee for 2-3 minutes until very fragrant. Add carrots and parsnips, cook for another 5 min until onions are soft. Stir in lentils, coating thoroughly, and heat for another 2 minutes. Add broth, and simmer covered for 20 minutes, until lentil are soft. Stir in the greens, cover and cook for an additional 5 minutes until tender.

Serves 4-6.

My Oops Tradition

2009-01-03T11:31:00.000-08:00

As a Southern, born and bred, I know I'm supposed to eat black eyed peas and collard greens on New Year's Day. Except for 2 years in a row, I found myself in the pantry with a can or two of pinto beans, but no black eyed peas. Since then, I've given up and decided that fate wants me start the year off with pinto beans. I hardly ever make this dish, but every time I do, I'm surprised by how much I enjoy it and swear I'm going to make it more often. As it is Southern and involves beans, the original recipe called for bacon or fatback. My personal substitution for that flavor is to throw in a dried chipotle: it adds smoke, heat and tons of flavor. And if I'm in the the mood for the added fat, I throw in a hunk of butter. Mmm, butter. Anyways, put these beside some of my favorite greens, a sweet potato or piece of cornbread, to feel nice and Southern yourself.

Smokey Pinto Beans

1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
1 dried chipotle
2-3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp white or apple cider vinegar
1 14 oz can pinto beans, or 1 cup dried, soaked and simmered
salt and pepper to taste

Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium pot over medium to medium high heat. Cook uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes have broken down and sauce has thickened. Add beans, and cook for another 15 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender. Remove chipotle before serving.

Serves 4.

Hippie Muffins

2008-12-31T15:55:00.000-08:00

With a New Year starting tomorrow after a holiday season of celebrating with lots of food and drinks, a lot of people are planning to eat healthier and drop a few pounds, myself included. I know that one of my down falls is not eating enough or any breakfast, then later when I'm starving, stuffing myself with whatever's handy.

These muffins, easily made vegan by substituting soy milk, provide a good punch of fiber and protein to keep me full, and add some fruit and a little bit of healthy fat to my diet. Plus, they actually taste good, particularly with a little dab of butter or almond butter I made in the last post.

Hippie Muffins

1 1/4 cup milk
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp lemon zest
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
2 mashed bananas
1/3 cup applesauce
1 cup dried fruit in bite size pieces (cut up peaches for this batch)
1/2 cup nut pieces (I used pecans)

Preheat oven to 400 F and grease or line a muffin pan.
Add lemon juice to milk, and set aside to curdle while mixing other ingredients.
Mix flour, oatmeal, zest, baking powder, baking soda, salt & cinnamon thoroughly. Stir in bananas & applesauce, then milk and finally fold in dried fruit and nuts.
Fill muffin cups 2/3 to 3/4 of the way full.
Bake for 18 min or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Makes 12 muffins, for roughly 200 cal apiece, if you like to count.

Almonds Galore

2008-12-31T15:33:00.000-08:00

I hope everybody had as wonderful and tasty of a Christmas as I do. Now I'm starting off the year with a pantry filled with lots of tasty chocolates and other treats. Fortunately, thanks to more winter C.S.A. deliveries while I was being spoiled at my mother's house, I found my pantry stuffed with lots of healthy things too, including 2 1/2 lbs of almonds. Yup, 2 1/2 lbs. That's a lot of almonds. So on my day off, and preparing my house for a new year, I'm going almond crazy. My apartment smells incredible with all the toasted nuttiness. Now I've got almond butter and 2 different flavors of roasted almonds to snack on. Feel free to add your own favorite seasonings to the roasted ones.

Almond Butter

2 cups almonds
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spread almonds in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Roast for 7 to 10 min, stirring once or twice.
While almonds are still hot, pour into a food processor with the salt & oil. Pulse the almonds in ten second bursts until it starts to smooth out. Then run food processor for 30 seconds or so at a time until you reach the desired texture. This part does take patience. It will look like nothing for a few minutes, then all of a sudden it turns into this gorgeously smooth butter.
Pour into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. Eat on everything you'd eat with peanut butter.
Makes 1 1/2 cups, or 12 2-tbsp servings.

Roasted Almonds

2 cups almonds
1 tbsp vegetable oil
seasoning to taste

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix ingredients in a bowl until almonds are thoroughly coated with oil and the seasoning is evenly distributed. Spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet, then bake for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice.

For seasoning, I used 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning for one batch (Tony Chachere's) and 2 tbsp sugar + 1/2 tbsp cinnamon for a sweeter second batch.

Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 months.

Favorite Greens

2008-12-14T15:48:00.000-08:00

Way back when I started this blog, I mentioned my favorite way of preparing greens. This is so easy and perfect for stronger flavored greens, like collards, kale, turnip or mustard greens, and chard. It's a healthier, meat free version of the greens my grandmothers always prepared. And because they remind me of grandmas, I think they're the perfect side dish to mac & cheese, another traditional Southern comfort food. If I'm proactive, I pick up different flavors of cheese, keep them in my fridge, then grate them over plain hot elbow noodles. Tonight, I went the lazy route and opened a box of Amy's whole wheat & white cheddar.

Timing wise, I start heating the skillet & adding the onions & garlic after I put water on to boil. The greens are started after the noodles are added to boiling water. The greens should be finished right when the noodles are ready to be drained.

Favorite Greens:
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1 large onion, sliced thin
pinch crushed red pepper
salt, to taste
1 bunch greens, thick stems removed and coarsely chopped
2 tbsp acid (apple cider/balsamic/red wine/flavored vinegar or lemon juice)
1 tbsp sugar

Heat oil in the bottom of a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and onions, season with salt & red pepper, and sautee for 5 min, stirring frequently, until vegetables are soft and onions are beginning to brown. Add remaining ingredients and sautee, stirring occasionally for 5-10 min, until greens are very tender. Adjust seasonings, acid/sugar balance.

Serves 4.

Classic with a twist

2008-12-02T21:44:00.000-08:00

I'm incapable of leaving a recipe alone. When I first started to cook, I followed every recipe to the letter, measuring out precisely. Since I've gotten more experience, cookbooks have become more of a guideline than anything. Now, baking requires much stricter rules, but you can still make a few tweaks here and there as you gain more experience, just never forget the chemistry. Don't mess with the amounts of liquids, flour or fat, or you might get something quite odd.

For this, I took a childhood favorite, oatmeal raisin. Now, this wasn't one of mine. Remember the fruit aversion? Yes, that extended to raisins and anything involved in desserts. Anyways, I took the dried peaches that came with my C.S.A. and figured the best way to introduce myself to them was coat them in butter and sugar. But, in an attempt to be healthy(er) this holiday season, I figured I add some whole grains in the form of oatmeal & whole wheat flour for a nuttier flavor.

I've found with dried fruit that doesn't come in nice bite sized pieces (like raisins or cranberries) the best way to cut them up is with scissors. Also, you can use preground spices in this, but grating your own cinnamon & nutmeg with a microplane grater adds amazing flavor. The only real cost is investing in the grater, and your spices keep their flavor longer. If you have kids, cutting up fruit and grating spices is a great way to get them involved.

Adapted from The King Arthur Baker's Companion

Peach & Pecan Cookies
2 1/4 cups whole wheat flower
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 1/4 cups brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup yogurt (I use low-fat plain)
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups oats
1 cup dried peach pieces
1 cup pecan pieces

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Cream together butter, oil and brown sugar. Add eggs one at a time, then beat in yogurt & vanilla. Add flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon & nutmeg, stirring until thoroughly combined. Finally, mix in oats, peaches & pecans.

Drop by tablespoon full onto lined baking sheet, then bake for 14 minutes. These guys won't spread, and if you pull them out right at 14 min, they'll be cooked throughout and stay nice and soft. Cool on a wire rack, then store in an airtight container.

Makes 48 cookies, if you don't eat too much dough.

Drunken Carrots

2008-11-29T18:29:00.001-08:00

Even at my pickiest stage, I always loved raw carrots. Cooked carrots took a little more time, as in, until I graduated from college. I enjoyed carrots combined with other ingredients, in dishes like soups and stirfry, but just carrots always seemed to be mushy and too sweet.

Then I discovered the concept of experimenting with food. These are simple, savory, and pair wonderfully with most "standard" American dishes.

Drunken Carrots
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 medium carrots, diced
1/2 cup wine (I like white)

Heat oil in a medium skillet. Add garlic and carrots. Sautee until garlic is soft and carrots are slightly brown, about 5 min. Add wine and cook uncover until the liquid is all cooked off.

Serves 4.

Wednesday Strikes Again

2008-11-29T15:44:00.000-08:00

I swear, I don't mean to keep stealing Luisa's ideas, but I guess great minds think alike. And hers is just a few steps ahead of mine.

Apparently pomegranates around here are like zucchini back in North Carolina, mention you like them, and suddenly you have a lifetime supply. Thanks to my generous C.S.A. and coworker donations left in my locker, I found myself with almost a dozen pomegranates arranged decoratively on my kitchen table. Fortunately, just when I was beginning to feel overwhelmed, I was invited to spend Thanksgiving with a distant cousin (we share great-great grandparents, if I remember correctly) who advertised himself as an "experimental" cook. Fancy food, a trip to San Francisco, eclectic dinner guests? Sign me up, and of course I'd be happy to bring the soup.

I did some hunting to find this lovely Amy Scattergood carrot pomegranate soup. Except, then the internet showed me Luisa already tried this recipe (but to great success!) Oh well. I did take it a step further and prepare my own pomegranate molasses. If you don't have a dozen pomegranates on hand, or aren't tempted by the idea of making your own molasses, this should be available at gourmet or Middle Eastern food shops, or even online. First things first, how to make pomegranate molasses.

Pomegranate Molasses

6-8 large pomegranates
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice

Remove the seeds from the pomegranates by slicing fruit in half, then removing seeds in a bowl of water. The seeds will sink, the white membranes will float.
Drain the seeds (set aside a few for the garnish, if you're making the soup!), then run through food processor for a few seconds, until very liquidy.
Place colander lined with cheese cloth, or a fine-meshed strainer in a large bowl, and pour seeds + juice mix through. Press pulp with a spatula to get rid of most of the juice through. If necessary, squeeze cheesecloth to get as much juice as possible out.

Pour juice into a measuring cup, hopefully it should be about 4 cups. If not, adjust the sugar and lemon juice accordingly.

Combine all ingredients in the bottom of a 2 quart saucepan. Simmer over low heat until the sugar is dissolved, then continue to simmer uncovered for 70 min until the liquid has reduced to 1 cup and is very thick.

Pour into a glass jar, allow to cool, then store covered in a refrigerator for 6 months, if you can make it last that long.

This stuff is AMAZING: I found myself licking the pot clean. Now I dip the tip of a spoon in it, then scoop up some plain yogurt. Apparently if you're into meat, it's excellent in Middle Eastern rubs. Then there's the soup, where it adds a punch of tart sweetness, if that makes sense.

Carrot Pomegranate Soup

4 tbsp olive oil
4 cups peeled & chopped
2 cups onion, chopped
1 tsp cumin (I prefer whole)
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
4 cups broth
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds (optional)
additional pomegranate molasses (optional)

Heat oil in the bottom of a large pot. Add carrots, onion, cumin & molasses. Sautee for 15 min, uncovered, stirring occasionally.

Add 3 cups of the broth and simmer, covered, until carrots are very tender, about an hour.

When it's finished, it will look very brothy, and not particularly attractive. Allow to cool, then puree, in batches if necessary (if you're lucky enough to have an immersion blender, no need to cool.) Return to the pot, add the last cup of broth, season to taste, if necessary, and warm back up.

Serve garnished with pomegranate seeds and more molasses.

Serves 6 to 8.

About the cake

2008-11-20T21:38:00.000-08:00

Last night was one of the few times I've wished I had kids of my own. You see, I baked a cake and decided to try a Martha hint I heard about. I normally grease and coat a pan with flour, but heard that cocoa powder works as well, plus it's brown and won't leave a white residue on my chocolate cake. Well, my friends, Martha was wrong. Cocoa makes the cake stick. Or maybe that's because I was overeager, and tried taking the cake out of the pan early. I also decided that sifting the powdered sugar for the frosting was a waste of time. Regardless, last night I wished I had a child, so I could blame this on them.

Yup. The cake fell apart and the frosting was lumpy. Thank goodness chocolate + butter + sugar still tastes good. And since the frosting already contained yogurt, it meant I could stir some of the leftovers into my yogurt this morning.

Happy birthday to me!

Comfort in a Bowl

2008-11-19T20:03:00.000-08:00

I've always thought about soup as comfort in a bowl. It just feels warming and healing. Plus it's so easy to make. You can throw just about anything in, walk away for 30 min and come back to a tasty new creation. Tonight was less about experimenting, and more about a childhood favorite, updated. Growing up, going out to eat was a special treat, and I loved to order French Onion Soup: it sounded so exotic. Then, while studying in Spain, I learned the trick of making my own croutons (or migas) and that soup suddenly became so simple and accessible.

Adding a leek tonight brought a splash a color and a different texture. I imagine if you don't want to make your own croutons, but you're welcome to buy them from the grocery store, but I promise, they're very easy to make, and definitely worth it. My soup, of course, is made with vegetable broth, but I suppose beef broth is more authentic.

As for working with the leek, I admit I was confused by the amount of dirt the first time I cooked one, but they're actually simple to clean. Rinse off the outside to get rid of outer dirt, then slice in half lengthwise. If there's visible dirt, rinse it out. Peel off outer layer, and slice into half moons.

French Leek Soup
2 tbsp butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, cut in half, and sliced thinly
1 leek, cleaned and sliced into half moons
3 cups vegetable broth
croutons (recipe below)
swiss cheese, grated

Melt butter in the bottom of a medium pot. Add garlic, onion, and leek, and sautee over medium low for at least 10 min, or until onions are caramelized. Make sure to stir often. Add broth, bring to a boil, then allow to simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 min.

Serve topped with cheese and croutons.

Serves 2, 4 as a side dish.

Stovetop Croutons
2-3 slices bread (stale is fine)
2-3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt & pepper

Tear or cut bread into 1/2 in pieces. Put in a bowl, and toss with olive oil and seasonings until evenly coated. Taste a piece to see if it's sufficiently salted. Err on the side of salting lightly, then add more as needed.
Heat a dry skillet over medium/medium high heat, until toasted on one side, then flip so other side gets lightly golden.

These will keep for a few days in an airtight container, but I love them best still warm in soups or salads.

Ramen

2008-11-17T21:51:00.000-08:00

Yes, I said Ramen. The $0.15 pack of noodles that somebody in your dorm ate way too much of your freshman year. The salt bomb. Nothing redeeming about this stuff, right?

That's what I thought until I went to China and found aisle of this stuff in every grocery store. Then I realized what a variety of flavors can be found, and what can be done with it. Think of the advantages: it's fast, it's preseasoned and in consideration of today's economy, it's cheap. Go to your local Asian food store and you will find an enormous variety of flavors. If the ingredients aren't translated and you're concerned about finding vegetarian varieties, steer away from packages with pictures of meat on the front. And if you have a friend who speaks Mandarin, Japanese or Korean, don't be afraid to ask for help. Of course, regular Top Ramen won't hurt you.

Anyways, start with your average salty noodle pack, and see what vegetables you have on hand. Carrots are always good, so are greens, I also like mushrooms. Sticking with the cheap theme, I like eggs for protein, but tofu is also tasty and cheap, or if you have leftover chicken that isn't strongly seasoned, that can be thrown in as well.

Vegetable Ramen
1 pack ramen
1 large carrot, or handful small carrots, diced
2 chard leaves, chopped
2 eggs

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add seasoning packet and carrots and simmer, covered, for 3 to 5 min. Add noodles and greens, and cook, covered, according to package directions. When 1 minute remains on timer, crack the eggs and drop into the soup. Stir with a chopstick or fork. When noodles are cooked and eggs are set, soup is done.

Serves 2.

Lazy Leftovers

2008-11-17T21:32:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, even I get my fill of my own cooking. Certain recipes can make more than I realize, and after eating the same thing for 4 meals, I'm ready for a change. I find that cooked veggies do really well when turned into a frittata. They also taste great in Spanish style tortillas, which are a little more work, but worth it, and in quiches, which require pie crust.

For this recipe, since I didn't use any herbs or spices with my roasted turnips earlier this week, I decided to throw in Swiss cheese. If you do use distinctive spices associated with a particular cuisine, or Italian, try and pair with an appropriate cheese.

I threw some frozen roasted potatoes in the oven with my frittatas, because potatoes and eggs make me think breakfast. Also, I was feeling lazy, and didn't feel like dirtying my knife and cutting board with cutting my own potatoes.

Roasted Vegetable Frittata

2 cups roasted vegetables
1-2 oz grated swiss cheese
3 lrg or 4 med eggs
salt & pepper
butter

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Grease 2 ramekins with butter. Divide leftover vegetables between ramekins, and top with cheese. In a bowl, beat eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper, and pour over vegetables and cheese, not quite coming to the brim. Place on cookie sheet or over tin foil, and bake for 25 min or until center is set.

Serves 2.

Gingerbread Pancakes

2008-11-15T13:19:00.001-08:00

It's Saturday and I have to clean. Which means I woke up this morning wanting pancakes, but realized immediate thought was, I have no pancake mix. You see, every Saturday morning growing up, we'd have pancakes before cleaning the house as a family. In fact, pancakes were the first dish I learned to cook by myself. Mom would mix up the Bisquick, I'd pour them into the skillet and wait for bubbles to form, then flip them over. Afterwards, I'd get to cover them in real maple syrup, an annual souvenir from my grandparents and their yearly vacation to the Adirondacks.

So, even though I've adapted to making almost everything from scratch, including dishes I never would have considered as a child (pie crust or mac & cheese, for example), somehow I've never thought about making pancakes, which consist of like 4 or 5 ingredients. Fortunately, I had all of them, as well as the all important maple syrup (Thanks Grandma!) But, because I can't ever seem to leave well enough alone, I had to play with the batter. I wanted something more grown-up, more fall-y, even if it is 75 out today. I think my concoction turned out just fine.

As always, I like my food fairly strongly spiced. I also use whole spices, and grate them myself with a microplane grater. So, if you use my exact proportions with preground spices, it'll probably be a little milder.

Gingerbread Pancakes

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
pinch ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk + 1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 egg

Mix lemon juice and milk, and set aside to curdle.

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Add liquids in, and stir until just mixed.

Heat skillet over medium heat, and lightly grease. When hot, pour batter in by 1/4 cup scoops, about 3 to 4 to a pan. (A standard ice cream scoop is about the perfect size for this.) Cook until edges are dry, and a few bubbles have broken on the surface, then flip.

Great with maple syrup, whipped cream or spiced apples or pears.

Serves 2

Pimienta

2008-11-11T19:19:00.000-08:00

While in college, I volunteered with an organization to help teach Hispanic immigrants English. In exchange, I got to practice my Spanish, and my lovely student fed me on a regular basis. The only downside was that she refused to share recipes. The one that I most enjoy recreating is something she called Pasta Pimienta. When she first served it, I thought it was regular spaghetti with pesto on top, but in fact the sauce is based on green peppers. It's definitely unusual, but it's light and refreshing and a great side dish to Tex Mex food. She served it usually with garlicky limey chicken or shredded beef. I tend to eat it as is, with a glass of milk.

Pasta Pimienta
1-2 oz pasta (I use whole wheat)
4 small or 2 large green peppers, cut into large chunks
3 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tbsp olive oil
salt to taste
1 tbsp sugar

Boil water in a pot and cook pasta to al dente.

While pasta is cooking, combine remaining ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until peppers have been almost completely pureed.

Drain noodles, return now-empty pot to stove, and adjust heat to medium high. Once dry, pour in sauce from food processor. Heat for 3-5 minutes, until hot throughout and the raw flavor has been lost. Return pasta to pot, toss to coat.

Serves 2

Spaghetti Squash How-To

2008-11-11T18:57:00.000-08:00

So far, I've only found one real use for spaghetti squash, and that's to use it almost like real spaghetti. I prepare it like I do all hard squashes, then top it with marinara, usually as a side dish for something heavy and Italian, like my eggplant parmesan. Today, I was lazy and hoping to be healthy, so I paired it simply with a mock chicken patty (Quorn tastes scarily like McDonald's chicken) that I also added marinara to. But figuring out how to just cook it took some practice. So, here is how I get it ready a la Pioneer Woman.

Start with one spaghetti squash. It's large, yellow and oval.

Cut in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. (Save the seeds, they can be roasted like pumpkin seeds.)

Place one half cut side down on a plate, put water in the bottom, and wrap tightly in Saran Wrap. Then microwave on high for 15 min.

Once done, take out carefully, as there's lots of steam built up. Turn cut side up and scrape with a fork. It should come apart in little strings, that resemble actual noodles.

This can be done with any hard squash, like butternut, acorn or delicata that you want to use in a larger recipe. With those, scoop out the cooked flesh with a spoon and add to soups, pastas, etc. If you're simply roasting to serve as a stand alone dish, I do recommend the oven, as it just tastes better.

Wednesday Chef

2008-11-11T10:53:00.000-08:00

I'll confess, I came across the previous recipe thanks to the Wednesday Chef. I love checking out her blog for analysis of NYTimes recipes and ideas for how to use seasonal produce. Unfortunately, as she lives in NYC, her produce tends to come into season just a little after mine. But, checking out her archives is always an adventure.

Another one of my perennial favorites that I found on her website is Regina Schrambling's Collard Squares. When I want to take more than 15 minutes to simply sautee my greens, I make a version of this. The collards aren't bitter, caramelized onions provide sweetness, and the addition of eggs and cheese make this almost an entire meal in one dish. I love this with a side of cornbread to make it feel just a little bit more Southern.

Like most of my recipes, play with the proportions, substitute the Cheddar with Swiss or Mozzarella, portabellos or cremini for shiitakis. Even the collards can be substituted with some other bitter greens, like mustard or turnip tops. Heck, if you're a mushroom-phobe, substitute ham. And increase all ingredients by 50% and baked in a 9x13 pan for a larger crowd.

Collard Squares
1 large bunch collards, washed thoroughly, destemmed and coarsely shredded
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
salt to taste
1 tbsp butter
1 onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 lb shiitakes, destemmed and diced (dried and rehydrated shiitakes do great in this recipe)
1/2 tsp soy sauce
4 large eggs
2 oz shredded cheddar
1/4 cup bread crumbs

Place collards, pepper and pinch of salt in a large pot with water to cover. Simmer covered for 20 min, then drain.

While collards are simmering, heat butter in the bottom of a skillet. Sautee onions and garlic with a pinch of salt until softened. Add mushrooms and soy sauce, sautee for an additional 5-7 minutes before removing from heat.

Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9 inch casserole dish (I do like to use butter for this).

Combine cooked vegetables in a bowl (I use the empty pot when I don't want to wash more dishes) and add rest of the ingredients, mixing until everything is well combined. Pour into casserole and bake for 20 min.

Serves 4

The BEST Tomato Soup

2008-11-10T23:02:00.000-08:00

Lately, I've been seeing those Progresso commercials that call themselves the grown-up version of Campbell's. Well, this is the ultimate grown-up version of tomato soup, slightly altered from Bill Telepan. I personally can't go back to the canned variety after I made this for the first time. And no, it doesn't feature current fresh vegetables, but think of it again next summer when tomatoes are ripe.

Tomato Bread Soup
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 28 oz cans diced tomatoes, OR 3 lbs plum tomatoes, quartered, and run through a food processor
2 cups sourdough bread, crusts removed & cubed
salt and pepper to taste
ricotta salata cheese, grated (optional, but it makes the soup)
fresh basil, chifonnaded (optional)

Heat oil in the bottom of a stockpot. Add onion and garlic, sautee until softened. Add tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and simmer covered for 30 minutes (45 if using fresh tomatoes). Stir in bread cubes, and simmer uncovered for another 10 minutes.

Garnish with cheese and basil.

Serves 4-6.

Roasted Veg

2008-11-10T22:17:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I mentioned my roasted vegetables. This is my favorite way to deal with a new root vegetable I'm somewhat unsure about. Mix it up with vegetables I do like, toss with olive oil and garlic. Extra virgin oil isn't necessary here, as the volatile elements that make it taste so excellent are destroyed at high heat. Regular olive oil offers the same health benefits at a lower cost.

If you have herbs on hand, they're wonderful to throw in. Rosemary is particularly delicious, I also enjoy sage and thyme. Hierbes provencales are an excellent blend, as well. Basically, think French.

Just to throw in more variations, the temperature I used below isn't hard and fast. 450 is nice because they cook fast, and caramelize the outside some, but it's also the temperature my oven already was at after baking bread.

One note though, if your turnip still has the greens attached, and they look nice (i.e. green and crisp), save them. Turnip greens can be delicious, prepared the same way you'd make most any winter green.

Roasted Turnip Mix:
1 purple globe turnip, peeled and diced (the peel is very bitter)
1 medium onion, coarsely diced
2 large carrots, or bunch of scarlet nantes carrots, coarsely diced
3 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450 F.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss to coat evenly. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 20 min, or until the onions are slightly caramelized and the turnips are fork tender.

French Food

2008-11-09T22:05:00.000-08:00

Last year I read with my book club "French Women Don't Get Fat," and thought of it today as I made my Sunday lunch. Today's meal was entirely vegan, but felt so Continental. Mark Bittman's no-knead bread, garlicky roasted turnips, carrots and onions (turnips and carrots thanks to my C.S.A.) and white bean spread. This is my new favorite way to eat white beans and it's soo easy.

Garlicky White Bean Dip
1 can white beans, drained OR 1 cup dried beans, soaked and simmered
4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup olive oil

Put all ingredients in a medium sauce pan, covered with about 1/2 inch water. Simmer until water is almost gone and beans are falling apart.

Makes 4 1/2 cup servings.

Fruit Quest

2008-11-07T22:39:00.000-08:00

I'm still on a quest to actually liking fruit, or at least get more of it in my diet. Since my C.S.A. here is a grab bag, and I live in the agricultural center of the U.S., it tends to come with a fair amount of fruit. This past week included half a dozen Asian pears.

Now, I am giving eating fresh, unadulterated fruit a chance. After all, if it's fresh, organic and local, it's probably the best circumstances for me to like it, right? Well, Asian pears weren't my bag. The skin was so bitter and the texture horrible to me. But I did like the flavor of the pear itself, which I consider an excellent start. Googling poached pears, looking through my pantries, and some experimenting led me to these ginger poached pears. I suppose you could have them over ice cream, or as is for dessert. I personally have been eating them over granola and plain yogurt for breakfast. And of course, the sugar and ginger can be adjusted to your own tastes. I didn't add very much since I wanted this to be less of a dessert, but added more ginger because I like the kick, and it would cover any "yuckiness." Yup, I'm real mature about fruit. Someday you should ask me about dried apricots.

Ginger Poached Pears
6 pears, peeled, cored, sliced
2 inches fresh ginger, diced OR 1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
3 cups water

Bring ginger, sugar and water to a boil. Add pears, and allow to simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, or until tender.

Serves 6.

Red

2008-11-03T20:07:00.000-08:00

Well, fall has finally hit Northern California. Fortunately the C.S.A. still has the last of summer tomatoes and beans, but now the red of the tomatoes just make me think of the leaves changing back East. I honestly came up with this dish because I wanted to make long beans, which I've never had before, safe and to only use one pot.

Pasta Roma:
4 oz whole wheat pasta (I used spaghetti, but bowtie would be awesome with this)
1 lb roma beans, cut into inch segments (green beans are also good)
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb roma tomatoes, chunked or diced
salt
parmesan

Bring salted water to a boil (salt here is important!), and add pasta. Add beans in the past 5 minutes, and cook until noodles are al dente. Drain into colander, and set aside.
Put pot back on stove over medium high heat. When dry, add olive oil. Once hot add garlic and cook until softened. Add tomatoes, salt to taste, then cook until hot and lightly softened. Add noodles and beans back in and toss until coated with olive oil and tomatoes are distributed. Serve with parmesan on top.

Serves 2-4

Chard Carbonara

2008-11-02T22:30:00.000-08:00

After a few months of moving and settling in, it's good to find a new C.S.A. and get back into the swing of basing my menus around the vegetables and fruits, not whatever carb is most handy. My new farm prepares the same box for everybody, and it's much bigger than my last place, but it only comes every other week.

With the dropping economy and my own tight budget from moving across the country and refurnishing an apartment, I'm trying to minimize buying other ingredients, and instead use up what's in my fridge and pantry. Dairy and eggs come from local farms, I always have garlic, onions & ginger on hand along with select spices, and I buy minimal pasta, rice and dried beans at the Co-op.

I'm also getting used to cooking for one, which isn't the same as cutting cooking for two in half. My normal preparation that would be enough for two for dinner and leftovers for lunch the next day, is now enough to feed me all week. That gets boring quickly, so I'm playing with using things that do better in small amounts. Along the same lines, I hate to spend an hour making something that'll take me 15 minutes to eat by myself. All of this brings me to today's creation:

Chard Carbonara
1 tbsp butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small bunch chard, chopped
2 eggs
1/4 cup parmesan
salt to taste
pinch crushed red pepper (optional)
1-2 oz whole wheat spaghetti

Bring pot of water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook according to directions.
Melt butter in the bottom of a medium skillet over medium to medium high heat. Add garlic, and cook until lightly browned. Throw in chard, season with salt and pepper, and sautee until wilted. Add cooked noodles, eggs and parmesan. Toss in pan with tongs to distribute egg and cheese through noodles until the egg is cooked through.

Serves 2.

I get by with a little help from my friends

2008-07-03T10:57:00.000-07:00

Moving is hard. Who knew I had so much stuff in my pantry when it's just me? Thank goodness for friends who help with packing and emptying out said pantry by eating my food then taking it home. This meal was rounded out with bruschetta, tomato and goat cheese salad and a local wine (yes, NC has wine!) Can you tell we're in the heart of tomato season?

Truffled Risotto:
1 cup good white wine
3 cups water
2 vegetable bouillon cubes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup arborio, or short grained, rice
1/2 cup shredded or grated parmesan cheese (optional)
handful basil (optional)
2 tbsp truffle oil (optional)

In a pot, bring wine, water and bouillon to a simmer.

In a separate large skillet, heat olive oil over medium to medium high heat. Add onions and garlic and sautee until clear. Add rice and heat, periodically stirring, until onions are golden brown. Turn heat to between medium low and medium.

Add ~1 cup of simmering liquid to rice. Stir periodically until liquid is mostly absorbed.

Repeat with rest of liquid. If using parmesan, add with last cup of liquid.

Remove from heat. Garnish individual servings with chiffonade of basil and 1/2 tbsp of truffle oil.

Serves 4.

Hot

2008-07-01T08:19:00.000-07:00

It's hot. I know summer generally is in NC, but this year, it's definitely hot. Too hot to exercise which makes me restless. Maybe that's why I've gone crazy. I've decided it's time to make a change and move someplace new. Where? Why California of course. No, I don't know anybody, no I don't have a job there (yet) but it seems like a great place, good schools and lots of produce. Here's hoping it works out.

In the meantime, I'm doing all my last North Carolina stuff, and frantically emptying out the pantry, while enjoying all the great local produce. There's nothing so beautiful as a sandwich of fresh baked whole wheat sourdough, slices of ripe tomato still warm from the sun and slathers (yes, slathers!) of mayonnaise. Man, I'm Southern. Wonder if they allow mayonnaise in California.

Fruit

2008-04-14T12:33:00.000-07:00

I have a confession to make. I'm a very bad vegetarian.

You see, I love to say I eat a balanced diet. I eat tons of produce and dairy from my CSA and other local farms. But, the produce I choose is decidedly one sided, because...

I don't like fruit.

Oh, I'll eat apples, grapes and Craisins, have a piece of watermelon on the 4th of July, maybe even try a slice or two of fruit pies. I was even trying to adapt to citrus; oranges and grapefruits are pretty universally liked after all, but it turns out I have a food sensitivity. Other than that, it's a no go. Bananas, peaches, kiwis, even strawberries all make me go eww. And shockingly enough, despite my willingness to eat both grapes and dried cranberries, I can't stand raisins.

Why? I'm not entirely sure. I am big on texture, and I don't care for anything smooshy, grainy or with little seeds. Also, I have a terrific sweet tooth, I much prefer richness to just plain sugar. Offer me sugary candy like Starbursts, Sweet Tarts, etc, and I will turn you down every time.

Now I'm making a concerted effort to try fruit. Right now it's the beginning of strawberry season, and they look so pretty. So far I've blended them in smoothies (takes care of texture issues, yogurt adds a little fat, sugar takes the tart edge off) and made a cobbler of sorts. But I'd like to eventually enjoy fruit without masking it. Any advice?

Strawberry Breakfast Bake

4 cups strawberries, washed, hulled, halved
3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp flour
2 1/4 cups biscuit mix (I like Bisquick, trans fats and all)
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 450 F.
Mix strawberries, sugar and flour in the bottom of a pie pan.
Mix biscuit mix and milk in separate bowl.
Spoon dough on top of strawberry mix, and spread relatively evenly.
Bake for 20 min, until golden brown on top.

Serves 8. The Cajun likes this warm with a scoop of ice cream for dessert. I have it in the morning with a glass of cold milk for a semi-nutritionally balanced start to my day.

Artichokes discovered!

2008-04-01T11:47:00.001-07:00

Thank goodness for friends. After playing around with a couple of them last night with some really patient fellow foodies, we found a method that worked.

Cut off stem except for 1 inch, and any pointy tips of leaves.
Trim approximately 1 inch off the top.
Place in pot with water, lemon juice, 1 clove garlic, 2 bay leaves, and some salt.
Weigh down the artichokes by placing a steamer basket (those flying saucer things) upside down over the veggies.
Boil for 25-45 min.
Dip leaves in melted butter and scrape clean with your teeth.
The inner most leaves can be discarded, and all thistle-y parts should be as well.
The heart can be dipped in sauce, or saved to throw in a later salad.

What sauce? Well, that's up to you. Some swore by ranch, others mayo with lemon juice. I personally like a mild vinagrette.

Artichoke?

2008-03-31T12:38:00.000-07:00

It's been a long winter of CSA squash and collards. And soon our CSA will start up again, probaby with more greens to start with. In the meantime, I stuck wandering the grocery store produce section with the power to choose my own vegetables.

Lately, I've been roasting asparagus with olive oil, salt and pepper. Eggplant gets baked with tahini. And this week, I have artichokes and have absolutely no idea how to cook them.

I remember my mother steaming the leaves, serving them with butter (I mostly sucked the butter off) and chopping the hearts into salads. But how long do you steam an artichoke? And how do you get to the center?

Southern Harvest Soup

2007-11-26T20:19:00.001-08:00

Last weekend for my birthday, the Cajun and I took BC on a hike to the Eno. It was a gorgeous day, with the leaves finally changing, just right for jeans and a long sleeve shirt, and one of the few upsides of the recent drought was no mud. We packed a picnic of sourdough whole wheat bread, a nice brie studded with mushrooms, a cucumber and a thermos of what I like to call Southern Harvest Soup. And if you promise not to tell on me, we even took the pup off the leash while we ate. Sshh. There's some leash-law aficionados lurking about. Who needs jewelry when a girl gets the perfect afternoon?

Southern Harvest Soup

2 tbsp olive oil or butter
1 lrg onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced or 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
1 med butternut squash
1 lb sweet potato, diced
1 cup fresh or 1 can or 1/2 cup soaked overnight butterbeans
1 bunch collards, rinsed, de-stemmed and chopped
4 cups vegetable broth

To prep butternut squash, cut in half, scoop out seeds, place cut side down on plate with 1 in water, then wrap in plastic wrap, before microwaving on high for 15 min.

In a large stockpot, sautee onion and garlic in olive oil or butter. When translucent, add broth and bring to a simmer. Add in sweet potato, butterbeans and collards and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Stir in butternut squash, adjust seasonings to taste, then simmer uncovered for an additional 15 minutes.

Or, if you're lazy like I was, combine all ingredients except garlic in crockpot and cook for 8-9 hours on low, then add garlic powder in last 30 minutes of cooking.

Serves 6-8

P.S. Still working on the food photography.

Sweet Potato Dog

2007-11-19T13:37:00.000-08:00

I'm sure anybody who has a pet can sympathize with this. Oh the sheer determination combined with that look so innocent it makes you feel guilty.

Once BC managed to get an angel food cake from the center of the kitchen table and out of it's packaging. When I responded to the weird crunching noises, I discovered him with the entire circle of cake hanging out of his mouth and an ecstatic body wiggle. When I ordered him to sit and drop it, he obeyed and continued wiggling out of sheer joy and pride in himself. I picked up the cake and he followed me to the trashcan, where I dropped it in. He then defeatedly dropped to the ground and whimpered. 3 hours later when I went to bed he was still there, staring at the graveyard of his hard-won prize.

CSA Pasta

2007-11-13T19:04:00.000-08:00

The only downside I can see to CSAs is the fact that you often receive the same vegetables for week after week, and it can get tiring to think up new and different ways to use up that eggplant and green peppers sitting in your crisper. However, once a week, I have a group of friends over for dinner, each with their own cooking tastes, and it turns all recipe creations into a committee decision and brings in an infusion of fresh ideas. Last night's pasta sauce was one of our best efforts.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in skillet over medium heat, while cutting...
1 medium eggplant, quartered lengthwise, then thinly sliced
Sautee in pan, covered, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes while preparing...
2 green bell peppers, coarsely chopped
2 small or 1 large onions, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
Add to uncovered pan and sautee until softened. Then stir in...
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
4 sliced roasted red peppers
2 tbsp sugar
salt & pepper to taste

We served it over whole wheat pasta, and grated cave-aged raw gruyere over top of it all.

It was enjoyed by all, including B.C.

He was particularly partial to the noodles.

(No, I did not actually feed my dog garlic & onions, as I know they are poisonous to him.)

Crockpot Baigan Bhartha

2007-11-13T13:52:00.001-08:00

I realized that I never followed up last week on one of my favorite crockpot dinners. I adore Indian food (as you can see by my choice of last dinner) but it takes so long to cook it right, that I started experimenting with putting it all in a crockpot. I think I finally have a close approximation to baigan bhartha, that's fabulous on grey days. Last time I also threw in 2 bell peppers that I had in my crisper, you could also add in zucchini or squash, but just eggplant is also heavenly. I typically do veggie chopping the night before, then the morning of, pop the insert in the cooker and add whole spices. Ground spices are best when added in the last hour or so of cooking. Also, I strongly dislike adding fresh garlic, as it tastes bitter after stewing all day.

1 lrg or 2 med eggplants, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes

Layer all veggies in crockpot, then pour tomatoes over everything. Add...
1 tbsp whole cumin
1 tsp whole mustard seed
1 tsp fennugreek seeds
2 tbsp butter

Cook on low for 8-9 hours. Then add...
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
salt to taste

Adjust heat to high and cook for 30 more minutes. That's the perfect time to cook some rice, or take the dog for a quick walk before heating some naan. Makes 4-6 servings.

Welcome!

2007-11-07T07:41:00.000-08:00

I guess my first post is bound to be awkward, but I'm giving this a whirl. I like food, I like running, I like my town, and I like blogs, so why not make a blog about food and running around my town?

My usual CSA decided this year to run a winter program, which I'm incredibly excited about. I know my vegetable options will be limited, but it forces me to get creative with all those greens and winter squashes.

Last night I picked up our first share, but since I had to go vote, I didn't get a chance to start cooking until after 7, so it had to be fast. I sauteed garlic and onions in olive oil, and shredded kale directly into the pan. Salt, red pepper, some rice wine and a splash of lemon juice made a subtle and healthy twist on my grandmother's comforting greens. While sweet potatoes were cooking in the microwave (I'd rather cook them in the oven, but I was going for speed), I dipped slices of green tomatoes in milk and lemon juice, then coated with cornmeal and Tony Chachere's before pan frying. Someday I'll have to learn how to cook green tomatoes without frying, but not just yet.

This morning unfortunately did not feature a run, thanks to the after effects of the Raleigh marathon and a raging head cold. But perhaps this evening will involve a walk to Duke Park withBC the pup before enjoying my crockpot dinner.