Category Archives: Food & Wine

Back to the Grind

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I hope you all had a great weekend! Ours was fun, though busy. Although the Sheep & Wool festival was at the fairgrounds, I did my best to avoid that general area. I know, I know — I love crochet and knitting. How could I possibly not go to one of the country’s most famous fiber festivals? Honestly, I just didn’t feel like fighting the crowds. I’d rather spend a leisurely afternoon at my favorite yarn store than waiting in a line to check out a booth. But that’s just me.

So Saturday morning I worked at the library, then in the afternoon I went grocery shopping (at a store in the opposite direction, LOL). Yesterday I did a whole lot of cleaning, both inside and out. Time to get the place ready for winter! Last night D. suggested we go out since we’d busted our butts. Oh, Endless Shrimp at Red Lobster… it was so delicious! Of course, now it’s back to the grind. Here’s what I’m planning on for this week’s meal plan:

  • Sunday: Out to dinner
  • Monday: Turkey burgers, oven fries, steamed broccoli & cauliflower
  • Tuesday: Spinach & artichoke pasta, garden salad
  • Wednesday: Pot roast (slow cooker), potatoes, veggies
  • Thursday: Drew’s cooking since I have a suppertime staff meeting
  • Friday: Pizza & salad & birthday cake & whatever else I want 🙂
  • Saturday: Leftovers (assuming the kids want to eat after trick-or-treating at the mall and the town hall!)

For more menu ideas, visit Organizing Junkie’s Menu Plan Monday feature.

{Recipe} Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

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To me, fall is all about squash. Spaghetti squash, acorn squash, and especially butternut squash. I enjoy it prepared pretty much any way possible, but my “go to” recipe is for a soup that is simple enough to whip up for lunch whenever I have a craving (so long as I have a fresh squash on hand, that is). I like to pair the soup with a salad consisting of greens, goat cheese, cranberries, walnuts or sunflower seeds, and honey balsamic dressing.

 

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

1 medium butternut squash
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled
3 c. chicken broth
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
salt, pepper, olive oil
sour cream

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut squash in half and discard seeds (or save and roast them if you’re ambitious). Drizzle flesh with olive oil and sprinkle on some salt or pepper if you feel like it. Place the squash face-down on a foil-lined baking pan or cookie sheet along with the onion quarters and garlic cloves (which you should also drizzle with olive oil). Roast for about 40 min. or until the squash is soft.

Transfer the roasted vegetables to a medium saucepan and add the chicken broth, curry powder, and pumpkin pie spice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Allow the soup to simmer for about 15 minutes, then puree with an immersion blender or in your food processor. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

The sour cream is optional, of course, but I really feel like it gives the soup a delicious tang. If I have chopped walnuts on hand, I like to add those to the soup as well. I know, it sounds a little strange, but they add a delicious crunch in a soup that lacks a lot of texture.

I’m linking up with Sandra at Diary of a SAHM
because it’s Cooking Thursday!
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{Recipe} Rustic Apple Crisp

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I don’t know when I started making apple crisp. It wasn’t something I grew up with, so my best guess is that I found a recipe while I was in college and decided to try it. Yesterday, one of my college roommates actually brought up my apple crisp recipe on a food-related Facebook post, and I decided that I needed to make it.

Only, when I dug out the recipe I decided that it was time to change things up a bit and make it a wee bit healthier. I’m not going to lie: it’s a little bit time-consuming. But think of all the apple-slicing and butter-cutting as a sort of meditation time. I find it oddly therapeutic when I’m stressed or upset or angry to just take out my frustrations with some good old-fashioned slicing and dicing.

But I digress… Ahem.

I’m not saying that this is a super-healthy recipe, but I cut the amount of sugar in half, I reduced the amount of butter, and I switched out the type of flour. And I couldn’t even tell the difference! So go ahead… while everyone else is making the pumpkin desserts, you bring this baby to the table and see how fast it disappears.

Rustic Apple Crisp

4 c. sliced apples
1/4 c. water
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. sugar
3/4 c. sifted white whole wheat flour
4 Tbsp. softened butter (half a stick)

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the apples in an even layer over the bottom of an 8×8 square pan. Combine the water, cinnamon, and salt and sprinkle over the apples. Combine the flour and sugar and use a fork or pastry blender to work in the softened butter until the mixture is crumbly. Spread the crumbs over the apples and bake uncovered for about 40 minutes.

I like to add vanilla ice cream or whipped cream on the top. I bet you will, too!

CSA 2012 | Share #9

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Please forgive me for the awful photo quality here. I just didn’t feel like taking the time to edit a pic of my veggies 🙂 Anyway! I was very happy to get the spinach this week, as I was hoping. (I did end up making tortellini soup the other night. The kids all loved it!)

We also got:

  • 3 lbs. of red potatoes
  • tomatoes
  • a zucchini
  • dill
  • garlic
  • fennel
  • carrots
  • green beans
  • 1 head of lettuce

I skipped one of the greens and the turnips. I just knew we weren’t going to eat them, and I rather them get donated than composted. I’ve really enjoyed all the green beans in this season’s share. They make for such a quick side dish at dinner time! Definitely a favorite. Nevertheless, I really am eager for the winter squash to make an appearance. Hopefully in two weeks!

On The Menu…

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Good afternoon! Monday already, is it? Wow, we had a busy weekend. I’m not even sure where we were or what we did, but it definitely sped by. I’m feeling kind of disorganized today. We’re trying to get back into a good grocery shopping rhythm and I am just finally making my list and menu plan now before I head out later this afternoon.

List making. Menu planning.

I’ve got a few new recipes to try this week. Naturally I found them on Pinterest! Actually, I had the cod dish at my parents’ (my mom got it off of my sister-in-law’s Pinterest… ha!) and it was so amazingly good that I just have to make it again.

Here’s what I plan on cooking:

I also think I’ll be making some banana bread because I’m tired of looking at the bananas in my freezer. As for soup… roasted butternut squash soup in definitely in my plan, but I’m not sure that will make it until Friday. Maybe I’ll do a tortellini soup with spinach. I’ll see what we get from the farm share this week before I make a decision. I also think I have to make another dish of peach dump cake. I am so addicted!

For more menu ideas, visit Organizing Junkie’s Menu Plan Monday feature.

Friday Favorite Finds: Soups

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Can you believe it? I’ve managed to write a post every day this week — woo-hoo! I love having a schedule. Anyway, it is indeed Friday and although I haven’t participated in a while, I’m linking up with Finding Joy in My Kitchen‘s Friday Favorite Finds. Even after yesterday’s chicken stock post, I am still thinking about soup, so that’s my theme for the week.

Please note, that the images in this post belong to the original blog owners. In addition, I am directly linking the name of the recipe to the original source so you can head right over there to get the details. Please pin from the original sources and not my blog. Here are my Pinterest food finds for the week.
Tuscan White Bean Soup with Pancetta and Rosemary from Picture-Perfect Meals

 

Tomato, Basil, and Cheddar Soup from More Fruit Please

 

 

 

Red Lentil Coconut Soup from Scaling Back

 

 

Tortellini, Basil, and Fire-Roasted Tomato Soup from Inquiring Chef

Source: inquiringchef.com via Carol on Pinterest

Be sure to head over to Finding Joy in My Kitchen and see what inspired everyone else this week!

{Recipe} Overnight Bone Broth

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I have admitted in the past that I am a soup snob. And it’s true. As a child, I was spoiled by my mom and grandmother with their delicious, homemade soups. Sure, there was the occasional bowl of Campbell’s Tomato, but the soups I remember from my childhood were full of barley, veggies, and homemade broth. The stuff in the cans or cartons just can’t compare, I don’t care which celebrity chef is on the label.

Making your own stock, or bone broth, is so ridiculously easy that it shouldn’t even need a recipe. In fact, I feel a little silly even writing about it. But I know people who have found it daunting to make homemade stock. If you’re making it on the stove top, it’s true — you need to pay a little bit of attention to it (only because you don’t want it to boil for too long). But there’s an easier way, perfect for even the laziest cook: just use your Crock Pot.

In the fall and winter, I roast a whole chicken twice a month on average. And often the weeks I don’t roast one on my own, I’ll pick up a rotisserie bird at Sam’s. After dinner, I just throw everything into my slow cooker and let it go. Here are the basic directions!

 Overnight Bone Broth

  • carcass from a roasted (or rotisserie) chicken (or turkey!), including skin, bones, and any resulting cooking liquid from roasting if you don’t use it for gravy
  • 1 medium onion
  • celery fronds or 1-2 celery stalks
  • 1-2 carrots
  • 2-3 bay leaves
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp. black peppercorns
  • 1 Tbsp. vinegar (white or apple cider recommended)
  • water
Combine first 7 ingredients in your slow cooker. Cover with water (I usually fill it to 1-2 inches below the top of the crock). Cook on HIGH for 2 hours, then turn to LOW and cook overnight. Strain out and discards solids. The amount of broth you end up with will depend upon how much water you use and how hot your Crock Pot cooks, but you should end up with quite a bit.
I know, it’s super-technical and specific right? LOL! Seriously, you just throw it in the pot with water and cook it. Sometimes I add a few cloves of garlic. Sometimes I add oregano or other seasonings, depending on whether or not I have a specific use for the broth.

So now that you have all this yummy stock, what do you do with it? Well you could use some of it to make Spicy Black Bean Soup, Creamy Chicken (or Turkey) and Wild Rice Soup, or maybe some Lazy Stuffed Peppers? I seriously love soup and even though I eat it all summer, it is extra delicious and comforting in the fall and winter. Now I just need some butternut squash so I can make a big pot of autumn bisque!

I’m linking up with Sandra at Diary of a SAHM
because it’s Cooking Thursday!
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CSA 2012 | Share #8

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So… I forgot to write about our 7th farm share and I accidentally deleted the photos. Sorry about that. Let’s just move on to yesterday’s haul, shall we?

As you can see, we’re still rolling in tomatoes. I will be dehydrating another batch or two. They’re just so delicious this way. I don’t really like raw tomatoes, but when they’re dried they have incredible flavor. Here’s the low-down on my basket:

  • 5 lbs. of tomatoes
  • 1 lb. broccoli rabe
  • 1 lb. mixed greens (I chose arugual and tat soi)
  • 1 lb. green beans
  • 3 lbs. potatoes (There were still lots of red and purple potatoes when I got there, so I chose those over “regular” potatoes. I wish the farm shared the names of these varieties. Don’t you just love heirloom names like Black and Mild or Black Chenango or Peach-blow?)
  • dill
  • lettuce
  • carrots
  • summer squash
  • garlic
  • onions

We had some of the potatoes, carrots, and green beans with last night’s roast chicken (as well as most of the lettuce — there’s nothing like those fresh, tender greens). Then I threw a carrot and onion in the slow cooker along with celery, spices, and my chicken carcass to make some overnight bone broth.

I was pretty excited about the broccoli rabe — we haven’t had that in ages. And I have some sun-dried tomato chicken sausage in the freezer, so I know what’s for dinner tomorrow night 😉

Menu Plan Monday

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It’s the first full week of school here (the boys went back last Thursday), and the temperatures are making cooking an absolutely pleasure! It’s cool and fall-like and I love it. I also love the return to a clear-cut routine, so hopefully my weekly meal plans will again be posted regularly. So let’s start with this week’s, shall we?

  • Monday: Chili & garden salad
  • Tuesday: Roast chicken, mashed potatoes, CSA veggies, salad
  • Wednesday: Meatballs, steamed broccoli, salad
  • Thursday: Leftovers
  • Friday: Pizza burgers, CSA veggies, salad
  • Saturday: Grilled steak, baked potatoes, salad

For more menu ideas, visit Organizing Junkie’s Menu Plan Monday feature.

{Recipe} Sun(less) Dried Tomatoes

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Although I have not yet finished this week’s CSA post, we got another 7 lbs. of tomatoes! Hooo-wee! So, I decided to whip out my dehydrator and make some dried tomatoes. They taste like sun-dried tomatoes, but you don’t have to leave them on a screen outside for several days 🙂

The first thing I did was to peel the tomatoes. This step is totally optional, but I don’t love the skin so I took the extra step.

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Next, slice them very thin — 1/4-1/8 of an inch. Use a serrated knife. You may keep the seeds or remove them. I think removing them helps speed the drying time, though.

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Arrange the slices on your dehydrators trays that have been misted with cooking spray or brushed with olive oil. Don’t crowd them — leave plenty of room for the air to circulate! At this point, feel free to season them if you’d like. I sprinkled on some salt and oregano.

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Turn your dehydrator to 135 degree and let it go for 8-12 hours. Check on the tomatoes periodically and rotate your trays if necessary.

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Make sure the tomatoes get very dry, not just chewy and tacky. Once they’re done, let the tomatoes cool off and then package them in an airtight jar or bag. Store in a cool, dry place. For long-term storage, stick them in your freezer.

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Use the dried tomatoes on pizza or salads, or add to stews or pasta dishes. Or just eat them for a snack. I don’t really care for raw tomatoes, but these are oh so good!

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I’m linking up with Sandra at Diary of a SAHM
because it’s Cooking Thursday!
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