Elisa's Eye on the World

NYT Polenta Lasagna with Broccoli Rabe

I decided to try out this NY Time's receipe for Polenta and Broccoli Rabe Lasagna.

 

Please note the tray underneath the baking pan, lined with too much parchment paper. "Very good idea." The leftover slices were nice and firm, but the first two after baking are always a bit floppy. But incredibly delicious. There are four steps up to baking:

1. Soak (and drain) noodles
2. Make tomato sauce (I simmered a bit longer than the author suggested)
3. Prep and cook (and rinse and drain) the broccoli rabe
4. Slowly cook the polenta (in the cooking water, instructions did not say this)
5. Mix in the ricotta and 1/2 the parm into the cooked polenta
6. Shred fresh mozzerella into bits (yay TJ log!)

ENJOY!

 

Three Stage Eggplant Parmesan

I spotted these slender lovelies at our natural food market - that's about 2 lbs. I got home and scanned some cookbooks which reminded me: do not refrigerate - highly perishable.

1. Step I.  Rinse and pat dry, I sliced them in to 1/4 rounds for baking on a parchment paper lined, canola sprayed pan. Once cut they turn brown fast, I brushed the tops with Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  The pan was full but not crowded and cooked nicely in the pre-heated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. No flipping, they are too tender. Once they looked brown, they were removed from the oven and cooled. Truth is the were stowed in the fridge till the next day.
2. I came up with this step, which is usually part of the first one but I was not ready to do so on Friday. The eggplant bits are best when covered in tasty breadcrumbs so there's a crunchy outside and creamy soft inside. Traditionally, this is done by deep frying. No thanks. I mixed up an egg with 2/3 cup of non-fat milk and poured it over the roasted eggplant while they were still in the glass container you see above. Meanwhile I mixed up 2 cups of breadcrumbs with some basil (garden fresh), thyme and oregano as suggested by Mollie Katzen. Once again lining a baking sheet with parchment, I dipped each bit and lined them up on the  tray for the second bake. The liquid was nicely absorbed and held the crumbs together. I baked all this for about 20 minutes.
3. Finally time to assemble. Following cues from Mollie and the Joy of Cooking I layered a nice totmato mushroom jarred sauce in a deep pan, followed by 1/2 the crispy eggplant and 1/4 lbs. of Provolone (instead of Mozzeraella, as suggested by a Mainer friend.) More sauce, more eggplant... ...more cheese, then topped with sliced romas dipped in the remaining crumb mixture and some grated Parmesan. Soon as the oven was pre-heated this went in and I started a short pot of water from some thin spaghetti.  

Here's the pan after  I cut the first slice: nice and firm, so the second one was easy too. The remaining four were wrapped in wax paper and stowed in the freezer. Oh. So. Good.

Crazy Baked Quesaidillas

Sorry, no pictures! Friday night quesadillas with what's in the fridge and on my mind:

• large flour tortillas
• cream cheese (about 3 tbs)
• Apple Fig Ginger Chutney (about 3 tbs) visitors brought us from B.C.
• chopped, raw rainbow chard
• caramalized onions
• rinsed and drained black beans
• grated Dubliner cheese (about 1/2 cup)

We had leftovers for lunch with mashed avocado with sliced cherry tomatoes. Hello summer.

Yogurt-Blueberry-Strawberry-Walnuts Muffins

Liquids and fruit: milk and plain yogurt mixed well, then canola oil slowly added. I let the fruit soak while the dry ingredients were finalized. The receipe called for only 1/2 cup of fruit but I used about 1-1/4 cups and 1/2 cup of waluts.

It's a little tedious, but strawberries cut into eighths work better than quarters.

Organized muffin making. Liquids and fruit, cup of chopped walnut standing by. I add the baking soda/powder at the very last minute, based on a tip I read about maximizing their effectiveness. Be sure to stir the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, soda, powder, salt) at this point - as once the wet and dry are combined the objective is minimal mixing.

There was plenty of batter and instead of filling the cups 2/3 full, I went for the top, taking some care to evenly distribute and try to making a mound which makes a pretty product.

I was about to test one and remembered to get a picture of the finished product. Some "fell-in" because I rememoved them from the baking tin too soon. Especially with fresh fruit muffins, it's best to wait till they are cooled/solidified a bit.

The recipe was found on-line, there's no egg, no vanilla but they came out great and can't wait to try again.

Fresh Tomato Risotto

Risotto to kick off the July 4th weekend...I found this Early Summer Tomato Risotto recipe in the Wall Street Journal. The featured ingredient is the extracted juice of heirloom tomatoes. 'Nuff said?

The finished dish with speckled lettuce from our garden. A+

There's a good amount leftover which I'm going to reheat/freeze in cupcake form with parchment liners.

Thai Style Fried Rice

I loosely followed a cookbook receipe:

• Canola oil, heated in pan
• Egg, scrambled
• 1 tbsp fish sauce, 2 tbsp sweet soy sauce, 1 tbsp sugar
• Cooked brown rice (about 2 cups)
• Add sliced veggies (red pepper, kale, scallion) once the mixture is hot and cook some more

Thank you T.  in B.C. for the authentic sauce!

Orzo Salad with Asparagus and Broccoli

Lovely local Asparagus. I used the top 5 or 6" in segments. The stem party I cut in half so it cooks evenly with the delicate tips. The bottom inch goes to compost, and the rest in the fridge to add to other dishes (see Naan Pizza).

Using this recipe as a starting point I made a fresh Orzo Salad. We did not have all the ingredients on hand, and it was going to be served here, so I made my own substitutions (blue vs. feta cheese, no cilantro, sprouts, almonds or cucumers)  the recipe is a great point of reference on what goes together. So many potluck salads are bland or scary. This would be great with the avocado to bring to Shakespeare in the Park this summer.

Here's the pasts and the tender crisp greens. Because we were eating this straight away, I drained but did not rinse.

A wee blurry, sorry...added slices of Sugar Plum tomatoes and the oddly chosen toasted burger bun. I used Blue Cheese instead of Feta, just because it was on hand.

 

Strawberry Rhubarb Sauce

 
The trick to this condiment is not technique, but getting both the fresh rhubarb and strawberries at the same time as they both have uneven seasons. I have leanred, and when the Rhubarb was local and organic, I settled for CA organic strawberries, since ours are not available for at least a month.

I use the the Silver Palatte "New Basics" reciepe for Rhubarb Strawberry Sauce but you will find others...the idea is to bring to a boil and slowly simmer:

• 10 stalks chopped Rhubarb
• 4 cups hulled Strawberries
• 1/2 - 1 cup of Sugar
• 1 cup fresh orange juice

Optional: 2 tsp. ground ginger; 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 vanilla bean. I wasn't sure if what we had was ginger :D so I used 1 tsp. and used a tsp. of real vanilla extract since we did not have a bean. The fruit is what matters, and balancing out the tart and sweet. Remember, it's going to mix with something in most cases.

Be careful not to stain stuff! We used a bit with yogurt and waffles and the rest was frozen in ice cube trays, then transfered to an air tight container for the freezer. Hubs has added them to smoothies and his oatmeal.

Elisa's Sweet Curry with Mock Chicken

One of those recipes that just came together from what was on-hand and tasted fantastic:

• Onion, sliced and browned
• Red pepper, previously roasted and sliced
• Two Carrots, sliced
• Broccoli, florets and peeled and chopped stems
• Small can of tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp. garlic powder
• 1 tbsp. Thai green curry paste
• package of "Chicken Tenders" made of soy

Heat up the vegetables and get the sauce bubbling adding water so it's not too dry. About 20 minutes before serving (time with rice) add mock chicken and heat thoroughly. Serve with (brown) rice. The roasted red peppers added a very sweet taste, but starting with fresh would work too.

End of April Minestrone Style Soup

The latest in my take on Minestrone Soup, mostly based on the Joy of Cooking recipe.

I believe these are "armoatics" onion, garlic, carrot....slowly cooked in a bit of butter. I wish I used the heavy saucepan instead of this Revere pot...but it will be okay.

Finely chopped cabbage....a nice Sunday Holiday organic find at the convential grocer. The only thing we did not have aside from the loaf of crusty bread.

Not shown, plum tomatoes whirrled in the food processor, broth and drained Navy Beans which are white and some chopped fresh parsely. To all that I (unconventially) added cubed red potato. 

All was brought to a boil and the rind of some Parmesan cheese added. Now it's slowly simmering with the lid a little ajar. Soon as the potatoes are done it will be time for the elbow shaped pasta and an early dinner. Then chocolate!

First Pizza Crust of 2011

This came out nice and tasted good. But the truth is getting crust that tastes like your favorite pizzeria is not easy. The toppings were my usual favorites of sauce, chopped fresh spinach, mozzarella an red onions. The seasoning was different, Herbs de Provence from the economical bulk bin at our natural food market.

Unlike the last try in this pan, it was nicely oiled with olive oil (to match the crust ingredient) and dusted with corn meal. It slid right off and the bottom was nicely golden brown.

The pie was removed to a lovely over-sized Maple dough board I got eons ago, perfect for the pizza wheel to cut the crust into nice crisp slices. The pan was left to cool, and then soaked with hot sudsy water and came perfectly clean. I wish our sink was about 1" bigger so the pan could fit inside instead of perching as it soaked.

Ahhh, the leftovers which call me now that it's almost lunch time the next day. The Crust Recipe made enough for two dough balls. Imagine my surprise when I opened the fridge and found the leftover ball had popped the lid off glass container like this one as it continued to rise overnight. It got a little dry, but I put it in a larger air tight container and determine if it's still usable.

Blueberry and Cherry Bread

Oh boy the house smells great, as the blueberry and cherry bread is minutes from doneness.

The berries were frozen in the summer and pulled out this morning. Perfect on a grey, wet and cold January morning.

Here it is cooling on the rack...unlike a deep loaf pan I'm going to let it cool "as is" as cut small cubes and put them in an air tight container. That way all the topping won't fall off!

This is one of my adaptations of the  Lemon Blueberry Bread in the well regarded "New Basics Cookbook."

Step By Step Fococcia Pizza

One of my favorite dishes to make when the need is hearty but time is tight. Made from scratch dough is of course great; but so challenging. If you can find a nice wedge of focaccia in the market here's a pretty straight forward way (and adaptable to your taste) to make a satisfying homemade pizza at a fraction of the take out price.

How to:

• Essential Baking Company focaccia loaf - this makes about 3 portions

• Olive Oil or Canola oil - 5 -8 tablespoons

The loaf is cut in half and placed on a cookie sheet is lined with strip of parchment for easy clean up; the oil is drizzled along the perimeter of each piece to keep it from burning and to add some taste.

• Muir Glen Pizza Sauce (~1.19) use 1/2 the can, - stow the rest in the freezer for next time

Stir up the whole can of pizza sauce, and spread it sparingly on the crust. Don't overdo it, but use about 1/2 the can so the whole surface is covered but not saturated. Stow the rest in a container the freezer. It defrosts overnight or can be quickly heated for the next pie.

• Organic Girl Baby Spinach use 1/2 the container

Fresh spinach is one of the distinctive marks of Elisa's Focaccia Pizza; freshly washed and spun and chopped is preferred, but it's January and this is perfectly acceptable.

• Shredded Mozzarella - 4-6 ounces
• Caramelized Onions - 1/2 cup

This step was combined - a bit of cheese, the carmelized onions, then the rest of cheese; you don't want exposed spinach or it will dry out.

• Dried organo - 2 teaspoons
• Chopped Walnuts - 1/4 cup

Another key ingredient are finely chopped walnuts and a sprinkle of dried oregano.

Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes; checking on it's progress half-way through, rotating the tray 180 degrees so it browns evenly.

Carefully remove one half of the pie to a cutting board and assertively cut into halves, quarters, eights to it's' easy to the thick, crispy crusted "fingers" with one's hands or a fork.

Got questions? Feel free to post here or ping me.

Yukon Gold Quesadillas with Blue Cheese & More

Overhead view before adding top shell prior to baking.

Elisa's Crazy Quesadillas

Makes 2-1/2, double up if you have a full package and bake in shifts:

• Large flour tortilla shells (5)
• Canola spray
• Cream cheese (2 oz)
• Caramelized onions (1/2 cup)
• Roasted Yukon Gold Potato slices (1 cup)
• Crumbled blue cheese, such as Salemville Amish Blue (3/4 cup)
• Two sliced Roma tomatoes
• Baby spinach (1/2 cup)
• Chopped walnuts (1/8 cup)

Put 1/2 the shells on parchment and spray lightly with canola spray; spread the cream cheese, just enough to moisten; follow up with the caramelized onions and lovingly arranged potato slices.

Top with cheese, tomatoes, spinach and walnuts, being careful to keep all filling ingredients away from the border of the shell; so when you smoosh it all down after topping with the remaining shells it does not all come out the sides. Lightly spray the finished quesadillas.

Finshed product served up with torn leaves of red leaf lettuce.

Place in pre-heated 350 degree oven; bake 20 minutes, then flip over before baking another 20 minutes or until it's bubbly, golden and sizzling. Otherwise put it back in to heat up some more. Slice very carefully on a proper cutting and board and serve with a proper spatula or else, well, a spilling, disappointing mess might follow.

My Slow Simmering Mock Meat Sauce

There's red sauce simmering on the stove, as Hubs prepares another batch of soughdough cornmeal muffins. Happy New Year's Eve Dearest Readers!

This was going to be Jane Brody's Red Clam Sauce, but the canned clams just were not working for me, as the sauce for our New Year's Eve supper, so they are stowed in the fridge (maybe for a spread?) with the liquid reserved.

Elisa's Mock Meat Sauce 2010

* 2 cloves garlic

* tbsp olive oil

* 32 oz. can tomatoes, whirled in food processor

* 2 tbsp tomato paste

* 1 cup Textured Soy Protein (mock meat) such as Bob's Red Mill TSP

* ~1 cup fresh spring water, added slowly during simmering process

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in heavy saucepan, add 2 cloves minced garlic, don't let it brown!

Add tomatoes, water, TSP, and 1/2 cup of clam sauce if you have it otherwise use water.

Bring to boil and simmer simmer simmer. Adding a little wine to the final simmer is part of the plan...but first we have to make the pasta!

Season as you like: perhaps: basil, parsley, red pepper, rosemary and black pepper?

Eight hours left of 2010 and we're cooking up a great mea of this sauce with spaghetti; we hope you too are having a special dinner to ring out the old.

 
The sauce we did not use with dinner; this container was too full and a few cups were stowed in another container for storage.

A few days later it was combined with penne, cottage cheese and mozzerella to make this dish.

Two New to Me Cookbooks

This year two cookbooks became primary sources in my ongoing pursuit for reliable recipes.

• Joy of Cooking 75th Annivesary Edition A great "how to" book and source of good recipes.  A huge, clumsy book that would be fabulous to own electronically in the future.

• The Barefoot Contessa Parties! The inspirng photos of the buffets and spreads are fabulous and her ingredients are not so much fussy and well selected.

Mollie's Pumpkin, Protein Powder 'n Chocolate Chip Bread

 
In Glass Bowl: eggs, pumpkin, canola, vanilla

In Big Bowl: flour, protein powder, sugar, baking powder, salt, semi-sweet chocolate chips

One of the keys to quick breads is thoroughly mixing the wet and dry ingredients before they are combined. This big wood spatula worked great; the dry stuff is more of a toss. Be careful not to be too enthusastic as ingredients will fly out of the bowl.

Variations are shown at the bottom. I almost always make the banana bread version, replacing vanilla for the almond extract.

The on line recipe is different from my first edition Sunlight with Menu. Most of the loaf is on the way to a trail work party with Hubs up north. I hope the gang (esp. Healin' L.) enjoys it!

Vegetable Pie in a Vegan (gasp!) Crust

Elisa's own mixed up pie slash quiche in a ready to bake vegan (no dairy product) crust.

Soggy crust avoidance: prebake the crust till just about golden. Cool. Spread a little flour on the crust and sides. After pouring in the liquid filling, it was still frothy, and that was spread on the crust on top so it did not dry or burn.

Filling: slowly browned onions, chopped sweet peppers and corn frozen in September; Liquid Filling: 3 beaten eggs, 3/4 cup (no fat works fine) milk; Cheeses: Extra Sharp Cheddar and Parmesan.

Because it's not ladden with butter, cream or whole milk the slices are tasty, nutritous and filling.

Success Pizza Crust and Pie

 
This came out so good, after I rescued it from near tragedy. The recipe called for pre baking the crust, which made sense since it was thickish...but I was temporarily blinded by the joy of the most elastic pizza dough I had ever made...and I forget to smear some oil on the pizza pan...

But I thought quick and spatualed it off the pan, onto one that was prepared...it just had to be big, not round...and I sort of tore the pie in to pieces because cutting the crust was not really an option. It was nearly burnt, but saved.

The it was topped as my typical Thursday forcaccia crust, sauce, spinach, cheese, walnuts.

Served the next night it reheated nicely and not a spec was left.

Crust recipe from Bob's Red Mill, where I got my bag-o-yeast.

Irene's Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

((  I used 1 cup of white unbleached and 1-1/2 cups whole wheat, instead of 100% whole wheat ))
The ugly truth. Crust sticks if the pan is not prepped...it was well seasoned so the stuck parts soaked off with warm water...but grrrrrrrr. Never again!

Labor Day Burrito Dinner

Regular readers know "traditional" holiday meals are not in this blogger's vocabulary. On the recent wet and cool Labor Day we had baked burritos with long grain brown rice, mild salsa and plain yogurt. So delicious, economical and filling. A glass drawn from the box-o-Organic-wine made a fine accompaniment.

Flour burrito filling:

• Refried beans
• Chopped carrots, red pepper and spinach
• Colby-Jack cheese

Roll, bake on parchment in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes. Turn after 15 minutes if you can so they brown evenly.

If goo comes out you now have a hot bean dip to scoop into a small bowl to snack on while they finish baking.

Fresh Blueberry Cake with Crunchy Topping

  

Another box from the blueberry haul went into the making of this delicious quick bread. The crunchy topping is modified from the recipe: a bit of canola, some flour, a bit of sugar and some cinnamon.

 
The moment of truth with quick breads is getting them out of the pan. Success! Use your hands if it's flopping over and re-form it into a nice rectangular loaf while warm if necessary.

Original recipe from The New Basics Cookbook. I use canola instead of butter, usually forget the lemon zest because I am lazy, and modify the icky sweet and fatty topping using the same ingredients, same amount of flour but much less of everything else.

Yogurt with Blueberries, Cherries and Crunchy Cereal

The cherry pitter was put to use again to make these sundaes with plain non fat Nancy's Yogurt . The cereal is wholesome and super crunchy so the combination with soft fresh fruit is wonderful on a hot summer day. 

With tiny Bunny Cookies on top. They were actually cuter than good - gluten free but too sweet. Strange but we ate them anyway!

Smoked Salmon and Spaghetti with Romano

July 4, and we had leftover spaghetti, smoked salmon and Romano cheese. After a Google search we decided on this Salmon Carbonara Spaghetti omitting the egg yolks. Oh my this was good. Why one would need fatty meat, heavy cream and uncooked egg to make this combination work is beyond me.  I added some vegetable broth to the sauce to keep things moist. Served with steamed broccoli, shredded basil and a lovely less than $8 Columbia Valley Riesling.

Happy July 4! Not much room for anything heavy or sweet after that dinner. Good thing we have berries!

Farmer market haul: very ripe Fir Island strawberries and two type of cherries: Bing and Rainier varieties from Tiny's.

This BerryGram just in from British Columbia, Canada. Thanks T and S for the photo. Hurrah for the red, white (and blue).

Thai Noodles with Three Soy Sauces

 

A few hours before serving, soak rice noodles in a big bowl of water and cover...

After soaking notice how color changes to white (vs. opaque), drain well, cut into smaller pieces (no need to be fancy) and set aside while preparing the wok...

Preparing the veggies: broccoli, mushrooms and garlic; liquids included soy sauce, dark soy sauce and sweet soy sauce as well as rice vinegar and vegetable broth. Other ingredients included: sugar and tofu...

Scramble eggs in pan, add noodles and some of soy sauce and the tofu...

Add vegetables along with a little sugar and broth as needed to keep everything from sticking to the pan...

Enjoy! Thanks Again Guest Chef T!

Thai Style Soup with Coconut Milk and Mushrooms

Simmer coconut milk and sliced onions...

Add sliced mushrooms and sliced cubes of tofu and simmer some more...

Add seasonings: juice of a lime, red pepper flakes...

Serve in heated bowls and enjoy! Thank you Guest Chef T.

Strawberry Muffins

Ingredients

• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup fat-free plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled (I used Canola)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/4 cups coarsely chopped fresh or frozen unsweetened strawberries

Directions

• In a small bowl, combine the first four ingredients. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, yogurt, butter and vanilla. Stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in strawberries.
• Fill muffin cups coated with cooking spray or lined with paper liners two-thirds full. Bake at 375° for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm. Yield: 1 dozen.

Recipe Source

Fantastic recipe, the only modification was replacing the butter with Canola oil. Highly recommended if you have a box of fresh berries on hand.

Roasted Root Vegetable and Pinto Bean Casserole

No photo of this Friday night almost instant dinner baked in a deep glass casserole dish, layered as follows:

• small can of tomato sauce, such as Muir Glen
• cooked long grain brown rice
• canned pinto beans, rinsed and well drained
• caramelized onions
• strips of roasted red pepper and carrot
• roasted Yukon Gold potatoes
• grated Colby / Jack cheese

Note, there are both spuds and rice but not too much of either.

Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven. After 30 minutes I rotated the pan in the oven and baked for 15 minutes more. Just in time for a nice supper on the back porch / steps.

Welcome Home G & D

Essential Baking Company Focaccia Bread bread sliced horizontally, drizzled with olive oil on the perimeter and mushroom sauce spread on each side; topped with fresh chopped spinach, shredded mozzarella and crumbled Blue Cheese. Topped with sliced red onion and chopped walnuts. G, I know you like the Pilsner but this Imperial India Pale Ale is mighty tasty! Welcome home you guys, I hope you can find a good Focaccia in WDC.

Mollie's Pasta with Swiss Chard and Blue Cheese

1 yellow onion, thinly sliced

sunflower oil to coat bottom of deep pan

1 bunch Swiss Chard, rinsed and chopped

1/8 tsp. salt

1/2 lb. Italian dried pasta cooked al dente

Crumbled cheese from the fridge: 1/2 container of Blue cheese; 1 container Goat, but as the recipe's name implies Feta would be perfect

The adjusted for cheese on hand recipe is based on the "Pasta with Greens and Feta" in from Mollie Katzen's fabulous Still Life with Menu cookbook.

An onion was thinly sliced and sauteed in sunflower oil, then chopped Swiss Chard added with 1/8 tsp. salt and sauteed another 15 minutes. This was added to some twirl shaped Italian dried pasta along with ~2 ounces Amish Blue Cheese and 4 ounces of Canadian Goat Cheese. Amazingly delicious!

Layers of Baked Dinner Goodness

Lately, one of my favorite uses of leftovers is to layer and bake them in a deep casserole. At the ready, here are: roasted orange beets, red peppers and Yukon Gold potatoes. Fresh chopped spinach and a blend of goat and feta cheese were the layers with torn flour tortilla shells. A layer of tomato sauce at the bottom of the dish keeps things moist and non-sticking.
Strange, but totally edible!

Quick Focaccia Pizza with Red Pepper & Walnut

A few weeks ago I submitted this to the Fast and Fresh contest at Sunset Magazine. If chosen they send $100, or so says the print edition. I'll tell you when the check arrives. I'd like to submit a recipe a month and maybe make some extra dough for a new camera.

Usually (almost every week) I make a variation of this pizza with spinach - but this was highly rated the last two times it was served. The last version has roasted red peppers. Mmmmm.

•  Focaccia bread (round or rectangular), sliced in ½ the long way
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil, ¼ cup
• Pasta or pizza sauce,  ½ cup
• Grated mozzarella cheese,  2 cups
• Chopped red bell pepper, 1 cup
• Chopped walnuts, 1 cup
•  Dried oregano, 2 tbsp.

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees

Place the two Focaccia bread halves on a large cookie sheet

Drizzle perimeter of each bread half with olive oil

Spread pasta or pizza sauce evenly, followed by cheese, red pepper and walnuts

Sprinkle with oregano and bake in oven for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown

Thanksgiving Lasagna with Seitan Sauce

This came out better than expected. The experiment was a sauce with Seitan, a wheat gluten that mimics meat - in this case producing a Bolognese type sauce. The product looks like boneless chicken breast. Before adding to a heated sauce pan it was chopped up.

My uncertainty about the outcome was because the recipe said to brown the Seitan, but I mixed up the steps - having already started the sauce so it was added to the simmering pot.

Sauce: large can Italian pear tomatoes (cored); onion, garlic simmered in olive oil. Seasonings: rosemary, basil, oregeno. The prepared seitan.

One jar of good quality marinra was added because it looked like more was needed.

Layers: a mixture of 16 oz. container each of ricotta and cottage cheese; 2 cups of shredded Mozzarella and some grated Parmesan. Boxed noodle, slightly undercooked in the 14" long Pyrex.

Nice squares of leftovers are now wrapped in waxed paper tucked in an airtight glass freezer container along with 1/2 cup of the sauce.

Happy Thanksgiving Readers

I am thankful today for many things; including the ability to share cooking, biking and gardening pictures and stories with readers all over the world. From Australia to Japan to Czech Republic all corners of the USA I appreciate your readership and thank you for your interest and time. -eos

Shown above: Sweet Potato Surprise 2009, without the apricot or nut topping. Those are added later since much is served as leftover. Soggy nuts=sad face.

Here's a great way to serve leftovers and store in freezer:

Bake in flour tortillas, with a nice covering of chopped fresh spinach. Roll and bake on parchment (to collect drips) @ 375 degrees for about 30-40 minutes. They should be golden, flip once if you can. When tapped, the center should be hollow sounding. Serve with plain yogurt or sour cream. Top with chopped apricots or nuts if you have the room. Very filling and oh-so-good-for-you.

Here's Mollie Katen's recipe.

Mixed Vegetable Quiche Like Dish

Sometimes the best dishes are derived from what happens the be on-hand. 

There wasn't enough broccoli for the usual Jane Brody "Broccoli and Tomato Quiche"  but there was 1/2 a sweet red pepper, a few handfuls of mushrooms and a bit of frozen corn. The cheese was some shredded Swiss defrosted from the freezer and the chunk of Cheddar in the fridge. Breadcrumbs from the baguette on the counter, the crusts from the freezer. Best of all only three eggs and 1 cup of non-fat milk were used to make 2 of these tasty pies.

Preferred Brands: Food and Beverage

Thinking about the foods I missed the most when traveling inspired this first in a series of lists:

• My favorite cereal are the Shredded Oats from Barbara's Cereals
• A preferred sandwich spread is strangely named Tofu Pate (original variety), with the consistency of egg salad without the eggs
• A regular bread favorite in loaf and English Muffins varieties comes from Rudy's Bakery
• Yogurt and cottage cheese from Nancy's is especially cool since it is produced by members of (Ken) Kesey's family in Orgeon
• Ever since Odwalla was purchased by Coke (or was it Pepsi?) we switched to Organic Valley for orange juice
• Pie crust without too much fat or any disgusting ingredients from Wholly Wholesome is a great choice for all occassion 

Fresh Roll with Prawn

Guest Chef T. returned last weekend and treated us to a few more Thai specialties. Fresh Roll with prawn ingredients: 

• Lettuce
• Cilantro
• Green onion
• Carrots (shredded)
• Thin rice noodles
• Prawns (peeled, cleaned and boiled for about 3 min. or until bright color)
• Rice paper wraps

To do:

1. Prepare ingredients->wash and put in small bowls
2. Soak rice paper wraps in hot water (10 seconds) one at a time, or as you wrap
3. Place prepared rice paper wrap on clean surface and add one of each ingredient; with the prawn on top
4. Roll like a burrito (outward 2 times-> then tug both sides in then roll outward again.

Sauce:

• Chili flakes, 1 tsp.
• Hot sauce, 1 tsp.
• Sugar, 2 tbsp.
• Tamarind paste, 1 tsp.
• Rice vinegar, 1 tsp.
• Corn starch, 1 tsp.

Mix well in a saucepan over low heat. Delicious. Please note this is NOT the sauce in the picture, which is from the jar Thai Chili sauce we deemed unworthy of these fine rolls. Many thanks Guest Chef T. for taking the time to whip this up for us.

Brown Rice Salad with Veggies and Blue Cheese

The basic idea is courtesy of Mark Bittman who writes the The New York Times "Minimalist" cooking column, but I had to add some extras. The basics are cooked brown rice (1 cup dry); a few minutes before it was done, chopped broccoli florets and slender green beans (from our garden) were placed on top of the rice, where they get nicely steamed. When done, all was dropped into a big mixing bowl, to which I added: chopped pecans, dried cranberries, chopped basil (also from our garden) along with some salt and pepper. Once plated, Blue Cheese crumbles were added to the top. Fantastic!

Black Bean and Roasted Vegetable Casserole

Tonight's dinner was pretty much based making the best use of what was in the fridge.
- can black beans
- small can tomato sauce
- few tablespoons of salsa (in lieu of other seasoning)
- chopped roasted red pepper
- roasted carrots, slice on diagonal
- a few cups of cooked, preferably brown rice
- grated Monte Jack cheese
- crumbled corn tortilla chips

Prep: rinse and drain beans before simmering with a small can of tomato sauce. I added a little bit of salsa and some water. Added to the bubbly mixture were sliced roasted red peppers. Simmer for about 30 minutes.

Assembly: sliced roasted carrots topped with cooked brown rice. The simmered bean mixture was spread on top and patted down with a wooden spoon. This was topped with crumbled corn chips and shredded Colby / Monte Jack cheese.

Baking: Preheated 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes, or bubbbly. After 20 minutes I covered it with foil because it was getting brown.

Tomato Basil and Muenster on a Bolo Roll

A quick sandwich on a hot day. A toasted Grande Bolo Roll is always a good starting point. Then Munster cheese, slices of tomato (from the farmer market) and some torn pieces of (our own garden grown) basil were placed on top and placed under the boiler till golden. A drizzle of olive oil was added before putting the halves together and "smooshing" the pieces and slicing the sandwich in half.

Two of Four Salads for the Fourth

So far, for the lovely Fourth of July weekend we have:
Basil Pesto Pasta Salad with Peas. Using some vegan (no cheese) pesto from the natural food store, I added our own fresh grated Parmesan and a bit of the boiling water used to prepare 1/2 lb. of spiral pasta. During the last minute of the pasta cooking 1/2 cup of frozen peas were added to the pot, both were drained together and added to the pesto in a large bowl. Pretty darn good.

Fruit Salad. Cut up California cantaloupe and Hawaiian pineapple.

 

Complimentary Toppings Make a Great Pizza

Thursday tends to be pizza night, and this week the toppings were odds and ends which ended up being quite complimentary. Crust, store bought Focaccia bread topped with 1/2 a can of Muir Glen Pizza Sauce, canola oil was drizzled around the crust perimeters to avoid burning. Veggies were a mix of chopped fresh spinach, and some broccoli that was steamed, then chopped along with diced red onion. The usual cheese (mozzeralla) was set aside for a Provolone and Romano blend. Chopped walnuts were spread on top as usual for crunch and nutrition.

Asparagus and Pasta Salad

Based on a recipe I read online this morning, before going to the grocery store. I knew asparagus was on the list, since the season is so short. I remembered to get a nice big lemon (for juice and zest), Farfalle (butterfly shaped) pasta, and Pecorino Romano. I forgot the fresh ricotta, but it still came out great with a little Extra Virgin Olive Oil drizzled in and then tossed with toasted Walnuts.

1st Weekend at Neighborhood Farmer Market

May has been wet and cold, so my expectations were not too high for the opening day of our neighborhood farmer's market; but we still found yummy goodies to fill a tote:

• 2 "Clarance" tomatoes
• 6 "Pennsylvania Dutch Style" pretzels
• 1 mini-Rhubarb pie
• 1 piece Turkish Baklava

The tomato was sliced and placed on top of a casserole that's now in the oven with:

• leftover roasted potato and red pepper
• torn corn and flour tortilla shells
• Pinto beans
• grated Sharp Cheddar cheese

Pasta Salad with Asparagus and Pistachios

A delightful spring dish:

• Shell 3/4 cup of pistachios and stir in a preheated skillet with 1 tsp. Canola oil for a minute
• Drain on paper toweling before transferring to a small bowl with a 1 tsp. salt and a dash of Cayenne
• Prepare 1/2 lb. pasta per package directions ( bow ties are preferred but penne work well )  
• About 5 minutes before the pasta is done, toss in 2" segments of asparagus. Drain well.
• Stir in 4 oz. flaked smoked salmon and 1-1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil with some fresh ground pepper
• Stir in the nuts and enjoy! Adapted from The Whole Foods Cookbook.

Soup with Cabbage, Kidney Beans and Brown Rice

Ingredients:Leek, chopped and sauteed in a large soup pot. Add large can of tomatoes, simmer until reduced a bit, then stir in a large can of kidney beans (previously rinsed and drained). Add about 8 cups (two containers) of broth, stir a bit over a medium heat. Add cup of rinsed and drained brown rice. Cover and bring to boil. Then reduce, and simmer at a low heat covered for 45 minutes. Add a small green cabbage, chopped into small strips and simmer for about 15 minutes more. Add seasonings and serve with crusty bread, grated Parmesan cheese and Pinot Noir.

Elisa's Lobstah Casserole

This tasted better than it looks here. Lobstah (or Lobster for those "from away") was prepared as noted in the last post, then chopped into small pieces before mixing together with homemade bread crumbs. This was placed in the bottom of baking dish. I'd made a white sauce with flour and cornstarch, adding some frozen corn niblets. This was layered on top of the breadcrumb mixture. My personal touch was adding a layer of baby spinach and grated Parmesan cheese. All baked with foil on top - I have to try this again!

Extreme Close Up of Smoked Salmon in Puff Pastry

Ingredients: 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil 2 leeks, trimmed and chopped (about 2 cups) 2 teaspoons minced garlic 1/4 cup chopped fresh thyme 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh chives 8 oz. Alaska Smoked Salmon, flaked 1-1/2 cups shredded Swiss or Emmenthaler cheese 2 Tablespoons dried regular or Italian bread crumbs 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 package (17 oz.) frozen puff pastry, thawed 1 egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon water Directions: In large pan, cook leeks and garlic in oil over medium heat until leeks are soft, stirring occasionally. (Add water, if necessary, to prevent scorching.) Stir in herbs; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat. In a bowl, combine Alaska Smoked Salmon, cheese, bread crumbs and cayenne pepper. Lightly stir in vegetable mixture. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Divide and roll out puff pastry to fit 10-inch tart pan. Fit one pastry sheet into dish. Add filling; top with remaining pastry sheet. Trim and seal edges; brush with egg wash. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until puffed and golden.

Spinach, Walnut, Red Onion and Walnut Homemade Pizza

Okay, the crust is store bought focaccia, and sauce from a can; but we prepared all the toppings including grating the cheese. Not bad for a work night. Hubs snagged all the leftovers since I was going out to lunch Friday. Earlier today I snagged the last loaf from the grocery shelf, so we can make more early this week instead of waiting for the usual Pizza Thursday.

Shrimp with Squash, Corn, Onion and Refried Beans. And More.

I made this up, so yes there are more ingredients: baby spinach torn flour tortilla shells, grated Colby Jack Cheese along with Oregon shrimpmeat, squash and corn (from the freezer) that were sauteed along with the onion. Torn shells lined the bottom of the dish, followed by a layer of refried beans. Then the layer of vegetables (quite lovely in color), topped with cheese, then shells, then cheese (but not too much). ' After baking 30 minutes it was ready, and we had the leftovers for Christmas breakfast.