andouille, pasta, greens, white beans

 Continuing this theme with both greens and beans, I made this but scaled it down because I don't feed 20 people at a time and cheaped it down because I'm not buying special ingredients.

• 1/2# rigatoni (other ridged pasta) - cook and strain, saving 1/2 c of pasta water

Then heat a skillet and add in \

•  1 link andouille sausage, cook about 5 minutes, then add
• 1 shallot, minced
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced, and cook a couple minutes until aromatic, then add
• a bunch of chopped greens (I used some Russian kale and mizuna and whatever else is in the garden) and cook down until just wilted a few minutes, then add
• 1/2 jar of white beans, drained and rinsed, and
• salt, pepper, thyme

Put pasta back in warm skillet and heat it up, then add in the sausage greens beans mixture until warmed and mixed.  

Serve with:

• parmesan
• flat leaf parsley
• lemon juice and zest
• chives
  

 

potatoes, greens, and black beans

 Having a bag of potatoes on sale, greens growing like crazy in my garden, and several jars of black beans, it was time to make this Potato Black Bean Skillet.  Issues are that I can never get diced potatoes nice and cooked and crispy, so I may try parboiling next time.  Or canning potatoes and using those.  That would be good and make it very easy. 

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 lbs red potatoes, diced
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 (6 oz) bag fresh spinach (I used mizuna)
  
• 1 (15 oz) can no-salt-added black beans, drained & rinsed
• 1 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt (yeah, I used sour cream)
• I added some smoked paprika.  And a lot of pepper.  And some salt.  Would also be good with hot sauce
  

Preparation

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add potatoes, chili powder, garlic, onion & pepper. Cover & cook 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add spinach & beans. Cook 3-5 minutes or until spinach is wilted, stirring gently.

3. Remove from heat, top with yogurt & serve.

Tips

Try using sweet potatoes next time with cinnamon & brown sugar instead of red potatoes & cayenne to change up the flavor.

Midwestern mashed potato holiday casserole

 When I was a child, every year we would gather together with other midwesterners for holiday potlucks.  My favorite part was always these potatoes.  I see now why, what with all this full-fat deliciousness.  I plan to take this to Thanksgiving this week and found an old recipe card, thank goodness.  

• 10+ potatoes, mashed with milk (we used russets but I got some creamers I'll try with skins; about 4 pounds?)
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1 c. sour cream
• 1/4 t. chives
• salt & pepper

Mix well, dot with butter, sprinkle with paprika.  Bake at 350 degrees until hot (about 45 minutes). 

elderberry juice concentrate

 It's elderberry season!  I collected a couple of tubs worth, cleaning some right away and washing others and freezing them to clean.  I was told it was easier to process the berries if they were frozen but honestly I found it more difficult to pick the stems clean.  If I can process fresh, it's easiest for me.  

As I processed them, I frozen them.  Today I took out a gallon bag and a quart bag or two.  Put into a big pot on low heat to thaw the berries; then I turned up the heat and brought it to boil, reduced heat to a simmer for at least 10 minutes.  

While this was happening, I prepared jars and lids.  

I strained the juice through a sieve and then put into jars.  I added about 1 tsp. of lemon jice to each 8 oz jar.  Then I water bathed the jars for 10 minutes.  From this batch I got two 8 oz jars and four 4 oz jars.  

I'll use this juice concentrate when I or friends are ill; I will add it to an oxymel or add 1 tsp to tea or water to drink as juice. 

elderberry liqueur

Recipe for elderberry liqueur from here. 

In a quart jar:

- 2 cups fresh cleaned elderberries (no stems, etc.)

- 3 one-inch pieces of lemon rind (no white pith)

- fill up the jar with vodka

Leave it in a dark cupboard for a few months.  Gently shake it occasionally.

When it's dark enough, strain out the berries.  

Add 1/4-1/3 cup sugar (to taste) and let it sit a few more days for sugar to fully dissolve.

*I think that I'll add honey instead of sugar, and next time I'll try it with bourbon. 

bidens alba (pilosa) tincture

 I'm about to slash a big section of yard covered in bidens alba, so I want to use some of it first so I'm making this tincture.  I read/watched a lot and this is what I'm coming up with:

- harvest bidens flowers, leaves, roots if desired.  Clean if necessary

- mash with/roll in hands (or use mortar and pestle for some muddling).  

- fill a clean jar with plant material

- fill it with alcohol of high proof; recommended 80-90% alcohol for bidens tincturing 

- let it sit in a dark place 6-8 weeks, shaking daily

- strain into amber or blue smaller bottles for storage up to several years 

 

And now I need to go find some everclear! 

Spanish needles - bidens alba

 You know those little white daisy looking flowers with the needles that stick in your socks and clothes?  They took over my front yard while I was gone, and I was yanking them out like crazy ... and then I noticed how the bees love them so I asked and learned what they are and did a little digging around and this site especially is helpful.

Here's the recipe I plan to make soon (as a friend just brought me some fish he caught) that I nabbed from the comments on that site:

Place piece of fish on foil.

Wash a big handful of fresh, washed greens and put them right on top of the fish. (don’t forget spices and butter, etc. on it all) 

Close up the foil, poke a few wee holes in the top and bake for around 15 minutes at 400 degrees (depends on thickness of fish, if frozen, etc.)

Another thing I plan to do is make a pot of cooked greens from them, perhaps with some salt pork or hamhock or something tasty. 

challah french toast

 This challah french toast was so good.  

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• pinch nutmeg
• 2.5 T butter
• 4-5 thick slices of challah
• maple syrup or fruit salad for serving

Directions

• Beat together eggs, milk, cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg.
• Dredge challah through mixture and let some soak in, turning several times.
• Heat butter until bubbling.  Cook challah until browned, about two minutes per side. 
  

whole wheat challah

I liked this challah recipe because it uses whole wheat flour, it calls for an overnight rise which is super helpful for party preparation, and it tastes good.  

Ingredients

4 1/2 teaspoons (2 packages) active dry yeast
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon brown sugar (I used more like 1/4 cup) 
1 3/4 cups lukewarm water
1/2 cup olive oil plus more for greasing the bowl
5 large eggs divided
1 tablespoon kosher salt
4 -cups  white whole wheat flour
4+ cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and 1 tablespoon brown sugar in the warm water. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
2. Whisk the oil into yeast, then beat in 4 eggs, one at a time, with remaining brown sugar and salt. Gradually add flour. When dough holds together, it is ready for kneading.
3. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth, about 5-10 minutes. Clean out bowl and grease it, then return dough to bowl. Cover with a shower cap and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until almost doubled in size. (At this point you can let the dough sit, overnight in the fridge or continue on to the next rising.) Punch down dough, cover and let rise again in a warm place for another half-hour. (Again, at this point you can let the dough sit, overnight in the fridge or continue on to the next rising.)
4. To make a 3-braid challah, divide the dough in half and place one half in the oiled bowl and cover. Take the remaining half of the dough and form it into 3 balls. With your hands, roll each ball into a strand about 12 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. Pinch the tops of the strands together. Bring the right outside rope over the center rope; that rope now becomes the center. Bring the left outside rope over the new center rope; that rope now becomes the center. Continue braiding until you reach the end. Pinch the ropes together to seal.
5. If baking immediately, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat remaining egg and brush it on loaves. Allow the bread to rise another hour or place it in the fridge to rise overnight.
6. When ready to bake, brush loaves again with the egg wash. Sprinkle bread with sesame or poppy seeds, if using.
7. Bake in the middle of the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden. Cool loaves on a rack.
8. The bread can be frozen unbaked or baked.

 
 

white bean spinach parmesan soup

 This white beans spinach parmesan soup was a really big hit with guests.  It makes a lot but it uses up the 5# of white beans in my cupboard.

If using dried beans, set them to soak the night before (or two nights before if you're party prepping) and cook, then and save some of their cooking liquid and reduce the stock to 4 cups. 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 6-8 cloves garlic minced
• 6 cups vegetable broth/stock (or less with bean liquid)
• 15 ounces (420 g) can diced tomatoes (or a few fresh tomatoes)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon Italian dried herbs (I used rosemary, thyme, oregano, and basil)
  
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 4 (15 ounce) cans white beans (cannellini beans), drained and rinsed
• 4 cups chopped baby spinach (about 6 ounces)
• 3/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese (for serving)
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (for serving)
  

Instructions

• In a large pot or saucepan, heat olive over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook until onions are translucent and garlic is fragrant (about 2-3 minutes), while stirring occasionally. Add in the broth, tomatoes, sugar, Italian herbs, salt and pepper.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes to combine all of the flavours together.
• Stir in the beans and heat up.  (Note: I let it simmer about 30 minutes for the dried herbs to come to life and everything to really come together) Then add spinach and ontinue to simmer gently until the spinach has wilted (about 2 minutes). 
• Take off heat. . Taste test, adjust salt and pepper if needed.Serve immediately, with side of parmesan and fresh parsley to add to taste.
  

Moroccan carrots

  From here.  Note: with this amount of dressing and herbs, I increased the carrots to all that I had (about 1 3/4#).  I really enjoyed this dish.

Ingredients

• 1 pound peeled carrots
• 1⁄4 cup oil
• 1⁄4 cup lemon juice
• 1/8 cup freshly crushed garlic (about 8 cloves)
• 1⁄4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1⁄4 cup chopped parsley
• 1⁄2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of black pepper

Preparation

1. Simmer carrots for 10 minutes. Drain, cool, and slice into 1⁄2 inch coins. (Note: I had the water boiling before putting the carrots in, and I really liked their texture at 10 minutes.)

2. In a small bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients and then pour dressing over carrots. 

Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.  (I like this at room temperature)

avocado toast

 This never excited me until I got some excellent garlic powder from locally grown garlic.  Yum!

• toast 1 thick slice of homemade sourdough
• mash 1/2 perfectly ripe avocado
• add a sprinkle of sea salt
• add a dash of garlic powder

And enjoy! 

sweet potato pie ("vegetable protein dish")

 Looking for less sugar always, this is what I've come up with:

• 1.5 pounds sweet potatoes cooked (so a bit more raw)
• 2 T butter
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. milk (any percent, half & half, evaporated, etc.)
• a bit of salt
• 1tsp+ vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• mace or cardamom or other spices
• 2 eggs

Bake sweet potatoes (about 3 medium) for about 55 minutes at 425 degrees.  Allow to cool and peel.

Blend sweet potatoes in a food processor.  Add butter and blend some more.  Add the rest of the ingredients and blend together.

Bake in uncooked pie crust* at 350 for about 55 minutes.

*I want to figure out a nicer pie crust than usual ones, which don't excite me.  Graham cracker crust?  Shortbread? 

sweet potato hash

This was a very tasty way to use up bits and bobs.

Ingredients

• sweet potatoes or white potatoes (I used 1 medium sweet and 2 smaller white)
• onion chopped
• kale or other vegetables (used about 2 c. worth)
• a meat that will render fat (had a lovely chorizo a friend gifted me)
• garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper

Dice potatoes and boil about 15 minutes. 

Cook meat and render fat; remove.

Cook potatoes in the fat for about 15 minutes, season.  Remove.

Saute onion and kale.  Then add back in the other ingredients.

Would be lovely with an avocado on top, but the one I had was not good.

minestrone

 OMG, this was so good.  I think I sauteed it just right because it smelled and tasted amazing.  The only bummer was the macaroni I used - next time will try something better.  Putting what I did below and in italics what I didn't from the recipe here. 

 

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 medium ribs celery, chopped
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 2 cups chopped seasonal vegetables (potatoes, yellow squash, zucchini, butternut squash, green beans or peas all work) - I used one zucchini and one potato
  
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 large can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, with their liquid (or 2 small 15-ounce cans)
• 4 cups (32 ounces) vegetable broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 bay leaves
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup whole grain orecchiette, elbow or small shell pasta
• 1 can (15 ounces) Great Northern beans or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked beans
• 2 cups baby spinach, chopped kale or chopped collard greens
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnishing (optional)

Instructions

1. Warm 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion, carrot, celery, tomato paste and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables have softened and the onions are turning translucent, about 7 to 10 minutes.
2. Add the seasonal vegetables, garlic, oregano and thyme. Cook until fragrant while stirring frequently, about 2 minutes.
3. Pour in the diced tomatoes and their juices, broth and water. Add the salt, bay leaves and red pepper flakes. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper.
4. Raise heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil, then partially cover the pot with the lid, leaving about a 1” gap for steam to escape. Reduce heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer.
5. Cook for 15 minutes, then remove the lid and add the pasta, beans and greens. Continue simmering, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until the the pasta is cooked al dente and the greens are tender.
6. Remove the pot from the heat, then remove the bay leaves. Stir in the lemon juice and remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Taste and season with more salt (I usually add about ¼ teaspoon more) and pepper until the flavors really sing. Garnish bowls of soup with grated Parmesan, if you’d like.

 

cucumber sesame peanut salad

 Cucumbers were on sale and I wanted a new flavor.  This was very good! (I'm making it almost every week now.  It's that good.) 

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 Tbsp granulated sugar 
• 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil (or chili garlic sauce?)
  
• 1/4 crushed red pepper 
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• 2 large cucumbers 
• 3 green onions 
• 1/4 cup chopped peanuts 

Instructions

• In a small bowl, combine the rice vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, crushed red pepper, and salt. Set the dressing aside.
• Peel and slice the cucumber. Place the sliced cucumbers in a large bowl.
• Chop the peanuts into smaller pieces. Slice the green onions.
• Add the peanuts, green onions, and dressing to the sliced cucumbers. Stir to combine. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to eat. Give the salad a brief stir before serving to redistribute the dressing and flavors.

sandwich spread - "vegan tuna"

 This is tasty and I look forward to seeing effects (does it upset my stomach? does it satisfy me for hours or am I hungry again right away?), other ingredients, etc

How I made it

Mix together:

• 1 jar canned garbanzos, rinsed and drained and mostly mashed
• 1/4 c. or so red onion
• 1/4 c. or so celery
  
• 3 T. tahini 
• 1 T. maple syrup
• 1 tsp or so mustard
• 2 pepperoncini, minced
  
• salt and pepper to taste
• tortilla chip crumbs
  

Serve on toasted bread.  (This will be great on sauerkraut bread) 

Other ingredients that they added instead of what I did:

•  1/4 c. diced pickles
• 1 tsp. capers
• sunflower seeds (wish I had some to add)

There are so many other tasty possibilities as well.  This may become a staple.