Elisa's Eye on the World

More March Meals

Split Pea Soup from the freezer.  With quesadillas filled with TJ tomato bruschetta topping and grated cheese and Alaska Smoked Salmon. TJ oyster crackers for more munch and a crisp white wine.

Buckwheat Soba Noodles with Baby Bok Choy. Stir fry veggies topped cooked and drained noodles with TJ spring rolls for an awesome worknight meal.

Lentil Soup from the freezer.  Oh, what a good idea, especially with leftover buckwheat soba noodles stirred in. Topped with grated cheese and oyster crackers.

Winter Roasted Veggies. This time the assortment were sweet potatoes (instead of mistakenly using yams) along with parsnips. There was not enough room in the pan for the carrots.

Quinoa Swiss Chard Feta. Googling those terms and found this recipe!  Leftovers were wrapped in flour tortillas with two stowed in the freezer for quick lunches.  Highly recommended and adaptable to what you have @ hand.

Dinners this Week

Hi Readers;

I really have to get my photos in synch - until then, here's the list of the latest meals:

• Superbowl Sunday Lasagna. While the game dragged on this got a little dry, but still very tasty with a crisp salad. We've been lucky to get great California lettuce this time of year.
• Snow Chowder. Drawn from the freezer this still was tasty, especially with TJ Oyster crackers bobbing around.
• Chili. Also drawn from the freezer, reheated on the stove top while a fresh bath of brown rice cooked. Served with Colby Jack cheese and some home made chips made by baking torn tortilla shells sprayed with canola. There was a bit leftoever and I baked them into fresh tortillas with cooked rice and sliced cheese. Chili Burrittos Mmmm!
• Veggie Pizzas. Using a portion from this month's fresh batch of dough
  
  ...Last night I made a full size pie using up the mushroom sauce from the lasagna and topped it with chopped orange peppers, sliced mushrooms and shredded mozzarella cheese. A sprinkle of dried oregano and it was ready to bake...meanwhile I had an odd amount of dough and made one deep dish invidiual pie with the same sauce, cheese and mushrooms, but added sweet onion and some fresh spinach. That one I baked until it was almost done, with the intention of serving it today for lunch. Sorry No Photos.

More Dinner and Meals

My, the end of January is near and I"m glad to report on more home cooking.

• A double batch of Joy of Cooking (JOC) macaroni and cheese made two great dinners, served with spinach, sliced almond, cherry tomato salads. Four big pieces were wrapped in wax paper and stowed in a plastic freezer container.
• More JOC action with split pea soup to warm up some very wet and cold nights. A simplier variety than the Jane Brody receipe - having time to simmer is key. The leftovers were poured off into an 8 cup glass lidded container and the next night it was extra thick and hearty. Served with rustic potato rolls and a bit of cheddar.
• Half batch of Artisan pizza dough - or enough for 2 14" crusts. Splitting the measurements made my head hurt, but the dough was airy and light. I'm still waiting for a 6 quart container so I can make full recipes. But once the measuring is done it's just quick mix, set to rise then stow in fridge. No Need to Knead.
• Pizza 1 was a classic veggie: sauce, green pepper, yellow onion, fresh mushrooms with mozzerella.
• Avocado and cheese Sandwiches on Rustic Bolo Rolls. Bun toasted, cheese melted and blended avocado spread on an airy crusty roll, squished down before cutting into 1/2's or 1/4's. Quick and satisfying with a spinach salad with carrots, sliced almonds and cherry tomatoes.

Eating out is fabulous, but so expensive. Eating at home takes planning but the results are so satisfying to the tummy and purse. I hope you are able to enjoy these everyday meals in your own home.

Joy of Cooking Split Pea Soup

On this blustry, wet but not too cold January evening I'm about to serve up some "Joy of Cooking" Split Pea Soup. There were two slices of Candadian bacon in the freezer and I defrosted them and threw them in with the spring water and lovely organic peas. Just to see.

After it came to a boil it simmered for an hour, then chopped onion and carrots were added to the mix with an assortment of herbs. Bay leaf, salt, pepper, basil, ground celery.

Some potato buns heating in the toaster oven - let's eat!!

Creative Planning Boosts Menus

It's been some time since I made a full fledged shop with the car for groceries at our natural food cooperative. Impending snow, actual snow and now lots of slush are not my kind of driving conditions.

So here we go, another week into January making the best of what's in the pantry and freezer; with supplements from the nearby conventional grocery (read icky produce).

• The last of the New Year's Risotto, served with TJ samosa,which we have now deemed too spicy
• Lentil soup with Franks in Blankets
• Homemade JoC "New England Clam Chowder" made with 3 cans of TJ Cherrystone clams from Maine, new potato and milk instead of cream
• Naan pizza with sweet onion, blue cheese, provolone and cherry tomatoes
• Store bought frozen Potato and Cheddar Ravioli, prepared then combined in a casserole wth sweet onion, chopped carrots and peas along with some grated cheddar and sprinkle of Panko breadcrumbs and baked with slivered almonds on top
• The last of the JoC Mac and Cheese served with a salad of baby spinach, cherry tomatoes, slivered almonds and carrots
• JoC Tuna casserole over baby spinach

Another Week O Dinners

Last week brought another round of home made and store supplemented meals.

• Leftover baked potato sliced and served in a deep casserole with chopped spinach, carrots, grated cheddar with a bit of strained tomato.
• Lentil soup with carrots, onions and long grain brown rice served with cheddar cheese. With three containers stowed in the freezer.
• The last pizza from the three balls of dough stowed in December. Thursday night pie featured blue cheese, mozzarella, a bit of spinach, chopped green pepper and walnuts over a red sauce. Splendid.
• Tuna casserole from the freezeer with the leftover cauliflower reheated together with slivered almonds.
• Tonight we have risotto cakes from the freezer which will be freshly rolled in bread crumb and Parmesan cheese before baking to reheat- perhaps with some TJ falafel.

 

Minestrone Soup from the Freezer

Last weekend was cool and a steaming bowl of minestone soup pulled from the freezer with Hubs corn meal sough dough muffins rocked the house.

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!

White Bean, Kale and Elbow Soup

My latest soup, sort of a Minestrone, but missing a few of its key ingredients, so renamed.

• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• Two onions, pulsed a few times in the food processor
• 2 cloves garlic, run through the press
• Four carrots, diced
• Large can of plum tomatoes, also pulsed a few times

• Two containers of vegetable broth
• Can of White (Navy) Beans, well rinsed and drained

• Bunch of kale, washed and spun, then chopped small
• Bay leaf, Basil, freshly ground Black Pepper

• 6 oz. elbow macaroni

In large stock pot brown onions in oil while beans drain, stirring occassionally.

Add garlic, followed by carrots, continue to cook and stir

Carefully pour in chopped tomatoes (don't make a mess) cook until bubbly then simmer a bit.

Add drained beans along with the broth - bring to boil, then partially cover pot and simmer.

Stir in the chopped kale and bring back to a boil, then add elbow macaroni and cook until they are tender, then simmer while the rest of dinner is prepared (heat up rustic bread, grate Parmesan cheese, taste wine.

ENJOY!

 

Three From Jane Brody

There's a reason this book is never far from the stove.

Tonight I pulled some chili from the freezer, and instead of serving it with rice, I heated it up then baked a cornbread on top. The idea is from Jane Brody's "Meatless Tamale Pie."

On Saturday I followed Jane's crust recipe for her "Onion and Cheese Pizza", and the results were fabulous. After all, it's a white pizza, but carmalized onions and mustard are mighty tasty. I have to admit I substituted Dijon for "grainy" mustard and Jarlsberg, or swiss instead of Fontina. It still came out awfully good, and there's a second ball of dough resting in the fridge.

One of my all time favorites is her "Favorite Lentil Soup" which I merge with the recipe on the following page which includes rice. While reheating a smallish portion from the freezer, I cooked up some frozen "potstickers" or Asian dumplings, which I then added to the soup for a hearty dinner.

Vegetarian Chili from Joy of Cooking

Flavor, not fire is the goal. Here's a tablespoon each of chili powder and cumin. Omitted were the chilies and/  or jalapenos, which upset my stomach every time I try them.

The chopped onion and garlic was browning about 15 minutes when I added the carrots, and then....

Chopped sweet red bell pepper. We didn't have green, but three red ones will add acceptable color and texture. But it nice to have something green in there.

Three Beans are the Best: Kidney, Pinto and Black were used today.

Add some chopped tomatoes and water, mix really well, cover and bring to a boil. Wow, it's only 1:30, the wet weather and achy lower back made this an early project. I plan on simmering until 4, getting rice going an hour before.

Once the batch is boiling, time for a really good stir again. The texture is wonderful and so is the aroma. Hubs came in from the yard and said it smelled good. Yay! Simmer simmer simmer

 

 

Razor Clam Chowder

This morning I emailed some friends this Barefoot Contessa recipe for East Hampton Clam Chowder.

I then headed over to Wild Salmon Seafood Market where I picked up a package of Razor Clams because I am too squeamish and lazy to steam clams. Chopping them was still disgusting to me, but bearable. I strained them to extract some juice to add to the Bottled Clam Juice from Maine.  I had some cut off the cob corn in the freezer and added it to the finished broth.

In a separate pan flour was mixed with butter and a cup of broth, and added to the pot.

I gently heated the milk then added the chopped Razor Clams for the big finish.

.
House special! Served with a fresh baguette and a crisp Chardonnay

Pulling Dinners from the Freezer

Dear Readers. Sorry again for the gap in posts as my travel schedule has pulled me away from the kitchen. Now home, my energy is low and list huge of projects for cooking and fall planting.

But in the meanwhile, we must eat, and eat well. In the past few days I've brought some great homemade meals to the table straight from our freezer:

• Eggplant Parmesan. Served up last night with a salad of mixed greens, chopped carrots and a sprinkle of sunflower seeds.
• Lentil Soup with Rice. Really a meal in itself- so full of goodness and warmth on a dreary November night
• Vegetable pie. Made earlier this week, it never made it to the freezer. Served up with the rest of the lentil soup this made a quick, hearty weekend lunch.
• Riostto Cakes. My energy is still low, and I pulled these out for tonight, to serve with a green salad and some store-bought "Crab bite" appetizers to make it even more fancy.

They key is storing food properly in tightly sealed containers. Waxed paper is great for forming a layer to separate items,  protecting food and making it easy to remove them from icy containers.

Potato and Leek Soup Plus Plus

Very loosely based on a Jane Brody "Potato and Leek" soup; but I did not have broth and used clam juice; and other ingredients were added to make it a main course soup.

Elisa's Potato and Leek Soup Plus Plus:

• 2 tsp. each Canola and Olive Oil
• 1 Leek, cleaned, chopped into 1/4" pieces
• 1/2 Onion, chopped
• 2 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes, scubbed and cubed
• 2 jars, clam juice
• spring water to cover (about 2 quarts)
• 2 tsp. freshly ground pepper and 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. dried, crushed rosemary
• 1 cup corn, preferably cut of the cob
• 2 sweet, roasted peppers, sliced thin
• 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

Broth stage: In a tall soup pot (8 quarts) heat up the oils and add the leeks and onions. Stir occasionally until soft, slightly brown; add clam juice, water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Give the pot a good stir and add in the potatoes and corn. Add more water to cover if necessary. Crush the rosemary and stir in. Heat until the broth returns to a good boil. Then lower the heat, cover and simmer for about an hour. The potatoes should disintegrate and make the broth thick.

Finishing stage: Stir in the sweet peppers for lovely color and taste, bring to a slow boil and serve with grated cheddar cheese.

This is what was left after dinner - just right for the container. It's going into the fridge overnight. Some will be served this weekend, and the rest stowed in small containers in the freezer.

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.

Packing the Freezer

An extended period of bitter cold weather has been the inspiration for heart-warming, freezer friendly meals:

• The leftover "stuff" from Twice Baked Russet potatoes stuffed with blue and feta cheese and chopped steamed broccoli
• Macaroni & cheese with simmered onions and tomatoes
• Sweet potato suprise
• Dutch split pea soup with smoked salmon, leeks and Yukon Golds
• Seitan sauce lasagna

Whenever time permits, it's incredibly satisfying to create a big batch of something to enjoy now and later.

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.

Jane Brody's "Favorite Lentil Soup" with Rice

Here's the end result of those grated carrots and other ingredients. Glass bowls with lids are great for the in between stage of cooling (escaping the kitchen) and dividing into smaller portions for freezer storage.

Grated Carrots for Lentil Soup

The fine shredding blade works well for carrots used in soup. These are "Nash's Finest" from Sequim, Washington. http://www.nashsorganicproduce.com/whatgrow.htm

Soup and Sandwich Dinner for a Cool Summer Night

Small frozen containers of homemade soup are wonderful for so many reasons. It's been a cool July and there was one last dinner portion of Jane Brody's "Favorite Lentil Soup" on hand to serve with a couple of grilled cheese and red pepper sandwiches. Soon enough the local carrots will return and I can stir up another batch.

Dinners from the Freezer

Cooking from scratch and stashing extras in the freezer is a best kitchen practice for anyone. After a long work or play day nothing can be more satisfying.

Also, when the time comes for the Chef's allergies to kick in and energy is low dinner is easily prepared on the stove top with minimal muss and fuss.

To the rescue this week: Dutch Split Pea Soup; Lentil and Rice Soup and Bulgur Chili.

A Week of Lunches and Dinners to Go

So last week was vacation in a cabin with a full kitchen. Breakfasts were cereal, juice, milk and toast. Some homemade granola and yogurt were on hand too. Easy.

Lunch and dinner needs more variety, but ease of preparation after a morning of mountain bike riding is essential. Most items have their own posts here, since this is essential a "Greatest Hits" pulled from the freezer.

Here is how the week went, more or less:
Lunch
Sun - cheese and roasted pepper sandwiches in the car; fruit salad (cantaloupe, honey dew, watermelon and kiwi)
Mon - rice salad and fruit salad
Tues - grilled cheese and quinoa soup
Wed - leftover fajitas from dinner out; avocado on crackers, twice roasted Yukon Gold potatoes
Thu - shown above, reheated pizza with kiwi and strawberry salad
Fri - cheese and pepper sandwiches in the car 1/2 way home

Dinner
Sun - Lasagna with steamed broccoli
Mon - Burritos with rice
Tue - dinner out in town: Chicken Fajitas
Wed - Lentil Soup with rice and cheese
Thu - Quinoa Soup with colby jack

Purchased ingredients at our destination were: 1/2 gallon milk and another loaf of whole wheat sandwich bread. Otherwise we ate what we brought, which worked out quite well.

Corn and Quinoa Chowder Variation

Soup Crossroads:

1. Enjoy "as is", a delightful vegetarian chowder (see Feb '07 post for directions), clam broth was replaced with vegetable stock and shrimp omitted.

2. Stir in some Dungeness Crab meat

3. Both

Corn and Quinoa Chowder II

A non-seafood version of the chowder posted February 20, 2007 featuring Quinoa (pronounced Keen-Wah) and organic corn.

Although I swapped out vegetable broth for the clam broth, we might add some smoked salmon to the reheated chowder another night.

Quinoa was a staple of the ancient Incas, who called it the "mother grain" it contains more protein than any other grain and in fact is the fruit of an herb.

Quinoa Soup with Shrimp and Corn

Another great idea from my SIL in Cambridge, Mass.  Some of the ingredients are pricey - but the end result is fantastic and healthy.

Amaranth and Quinoa are inexpensive and can be found the in the bulk section of a natural food store. These are marvelous grains packed with nutrients, which I hope to incorporate into more dishes.

Our local seafood counter had a special on rock shrimp ($9.99/lb.) for a Mardi Gras promotion since they are commonly used in Gumbo. Since they were peeled, I was spared my least favorite kitchen chore: touching uncooked seafood/meat. I did give them a good rinse, and drained them before adding to the soup.

The other pricey but worthwhile ingredient is clam broth - I found a good brand from Holland which came in 1 cup bottles - I used 2 bottles, adding 2 cups of vegetable stock for the remainder.

For corn, I used two bags of an  excellent organic brand from Oregon , set out on the counter in a colander an hour before starting, so it was defrosted.

A food processor fitted with the steel blade is perfect for the puree - my 12 cup model  was just the right size to puree the corn and liquids.

• 3 T olive oil
• 2 leeks, trimmed and chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• ½ red bell pepper, chopped
• ¼ cup amaranth
• 4 cups clam broth
• ½ cup quinoa (rinsed and drained)
• ¼ tsp. dried oregano
• 4 cups corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
• ½ pound peeled shrimp
• 2 T chopped parsley

 1. In large heavy-bottomed pot, heat oil and add leeks, celery, and pepper. Saute about 5 minutes, or until vegetables soften.

2. Stir in amaranth and 3 cups of clam broth. Bring to boil.

3. Add quinoa and oregano. Return to boil, then partially cover the pot and lower the heat. Simmer about 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, puree 3 cups of corn in blender or food processor with 1 cup clam broth. Add pureed corn and 1 cup kernels to soup. Simmer 3-5 minutes. Grains are cooked when the quinoa has no starchy white dots in the center; amaranth should look like opaque bubbles.

5. Add shrimp; cook about 1 minute, until shrimp are bright pink.*

6. Ladle into bowls and garnish with parsley.

 *You can cook the soup up to step 5 and keep it warm until you are ready to eat. Add shrimp at the last minute. Overcooking shrimp makes it tough.

Minestone Soup 2007

In January 2006 I posted "My Own Minestone Soup" and included a recipe.

This time I made a small batch featuring:

Organic leeks, celery, carrots, corn, Great Northern beans and tiny pasta in the shape of letters. A nutritious, gut warming meal for a rainy February night.

Lentil Soup and Cheddar Cheese

Just enough left over for snow day lunch. This is Jane Brody's "Favorite Lentil Soup" made with orange lentils from the Palouse region of eastern Washington.

Lentil and Rice Soup with Spinach and Cheese Triangles

Homemade soup from yesterday, heated up with hot sandwiches in the midst of a "Pineapple Express" storm that's hit our region.

Using "Naan" bread, I made little pies with a layer of Cabot Cheddar Cheese, fresh chopped spinach, a little more cheese and a drizzle of olive oil. Bake 15 minutes in preheated 400 degree oven, fold in half, then into 4 triangles.

This was the first time I bought Naan, these were from Indian Life Food .

My Own Minestrone Soup

I've gone through lots of cookbooks, and have found endless varieties of minestrone soup. Often pork is part of the base, or white beans are included, but not here.

This Seahawk Sunday Soup includes:

*Onion, chopped, lightly browned in some olive oil and 1 tbsp. unsalted butter while cutting rest of veggies

*2 cloves garlic, minced

Stir and blend before adding remaining ingredients in order of cooking time:

*Carrots, cubed
*Red potato, cubed

Saute for about 15 minutes, then add:

*Celery, cubed
*1/2 green cabbage, grated

Saute for about 10 minutes, then add:

*some mushrooms, sliced

*4 cups Free Range Chicken, no MSG broth
*4+cups spring water (or more, to cover)
*28 oz. can whole tomatoes, drained

Bring to boil, cover and simmer while cleaning up the wicked mess at the sink.

After about an hour turn up the heat again to bring to boil and add:

*1/2 c. small pasta such as whole grain elbows

Lower heat again, but keep bubbly, add seasonings, such as:

*Oregano, basil, black pepper

Simmer for about 20 minutes, or at half-time.

Serve in large bowls, topped with grated Parmesan cheese.

Freeze leftovers, adding previously frozen corn  or green beans as enhancements

:::: Props to: "The New Basic Cookbook" by Julee Rosso & Sellia Lukins (the Silver Palate Gals) and "The Best 125 Meatless Italian Dishes" by Susann Geiskopf-Hadler & Mindy Toomay for inspiration::::::