I missed the last outdoor farmers’ market due to traveling this past weekend. Not the end of the world; I had stocked up enough on winter pantry staples the weekend prior that I’m set to go for this week as well — winter squashes, onions, potatoes, apples and herbs. I was gifted a huge bunch of kale from a generous co-worker, so we had some fresh greens too.

We have a crazy-busy schedule this week; not untypical, but more logistically challenging for some reason. I don’t know what my deal was, but I had a little ADD trying to focus on a healthful menu that wasn’t too tasking for the busy week ahead. Some evening prep was necessary, but nothing elaborate; I made a big batch of white beans for Wednesday and Thursday’s dinners, so there’s a two-for-one deal going on there, too. I also used some arugula pesto frozen during our warm fall as a stand-in to traditional pistou for the soupe. Friday's dinner is my riff on a delicious noodle dish from my favorite Lao/Thai restaurant, Lao Laan Xang. Without further ado, here’s what we’re eating this week.


Menu: week of 12 November 2012
Monday: pasta with sautéed Italian sausage and kale
Tuesday: breaded pork cutlets with apple-fennel slaw with roasted almonds
Wednesday: cold weather soupe au pistou with crusty bread
Thursday: stewed white beans with toasted bread crumbs; served with steamed broccoli
Friday:  fresh rice noodles with ground pork, red curry-coconut sauce, and feathery, wilted cabbage

Happy eating, -s. 
before the frost: flowering pineapple sage in my yard
It was the second to the last farmers' market of the season on Saturday; a little bittersweet. While our farmers' markets heads indoors over the cold Wisconsin winter, there's nothing like the fresh air and good smells of the outdoor market to get you inspired to cook.

I slow-cooked a pork shoulder roast on Sunday to provide us with a few meaty meals throughout the week — tacos with cilantro, white onion and avocado, empanadas with hard-boiled eggs, golden raisins and green olives, and twice-cooked pork with black beans and rice. Interlaced, will be some vegetable-heavy meals to highlight our farmers' market bounty — winter squash gratin, potato-rosemary pizza, stir-fried Chinese broccoli and chicken with jasmine rice.

at the market:
apples
arugula
broccoli
carrots
Chinese broccoli
cilantro
cranberries
garlic
Italian flat-leaf parsley
 

rosemary and flowering oregano in my garden
menu: week of 3 November 2012
Saturday: broccoli, ham and cheese calzones with salsa cruda
Sunday: pork shoulder tacos with cilantro, red onion and avocado
Monday: twice-cooked pork shoulder with black beans and rice
Tuesday: winter squash gratin with mixed greens
Wednesday: empanadas with stewed pork, hard-boiled eggs, golden raisins and green olives; served with homemade applesauce
Thursday: stir-fried Chinese broccoli and chicken with jasmine rice
Friday: potato-rosemary pizza with chevre

happy eating, -s.

I love my husband for many reasons, but one of my favorite things about him is his absolute gusto when it comes to eating the foods he loves. Many years ago, early in our relationship, Chris and I went on a weekend jaunt with my sister, Heather, and brother-in-law, Mike. We ate at a delicious Italian restaurant that served, with its homemade ciabatta, a whole head of roasted garlic. Now, Chris LOVES roasted garlic and proceeded to pretty much eat the entire head himself. And the remainder of the trip, he literally permeated garlic from his pores (so much so that we had to open the car windows when driving home). Now, that is love.

On many pizzas in our house, there is no tomato sauce. Instead, I make a garlic paste that gets smeared on the crust before the cheese and toppings are applied. Over the years, I have been frustrated by inconsistent roasting of garlic; I use the same method (lop the head off, place on heavy-duty foil, pour some olive oil on top, a sprinkle of kosher salt and a wrap it up), same temperature (350-degrees), for the same amount of time (2 hours) and for some heads of garlic, they would be over-roasted, with super caramelized, hard cloves encased in their papery shells or the total opposite — under-roasted and still super "garlicky," with none of the inherent sweetness of perfectly roasted garlic. Not sure why — maybe some were older or younger, moister or drier … I’m still trying to figure it out.

Well, through trial and error (and many ruined heads of garlic), I have a pretty fool-proof recipe. It’s a little unorthodox, but it works. Here’s how:

Take one large head of garlic and separate the cloves, while still retaining their individual paper wrappings. Pack the cloves in a small, oven-proof baking dish (a ramekin, etc.) and add 1 tablespoon of water and one tablespoon of olive oil, a sprinkle of kosher salt and wrap everything up in heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours.

The combination of the steamy water and oil softens the garlic slowly and makes peeling the cloves afterwards a dream! They come out soft, roasted and creamy. The remaining garlic infused oil-water is added to the cloves that are then mashed with a fork and seasoned with additional olive oil (to the consistency you want), salt and pepper. 

Try it, you’ll like it. And it’s easy.

Happy eating, -s.

 

 

 
Sorry I haven't posted in a while. We've been consumed by buying a house and the associated packing that goes with it, but, don't worry, we have been eating (were you really worried about me not eating?). The last farmers' market of the season was on Saturday. It's always a little sad as it is a big part of our Saturday morning riutal and the weather has been pretty amazing, so that makes it even more bittersweet. I loaded up on squash, carrots, brussel sprouts, potatoes, and onions for our winter pantry, while also indulging in some fleeting frost-sweetened spinach and spicy mixed greens. With packing being our main focus, our menus have definitely simplified and leftovers are my best friend. We're really digging my simplified version of Suzanne Goin's roasted squash salad with bitter greens and lardons of bacon. It's divine and the only reason you need to pick up her gorgeous cookbook, Sunday Suppers at Lucques.

Here's what we're eating this week...


Menu: week of 7 November 2010

Sunday: Split pea soup made by my sister Holley (so nice and yummy)

Monday: Take out

Tuesday: Spinach and sausage pasta

Wednesday: Roasted squash salad with lardons and bitter greens

Thursday: Onion tart served with a fennel-apple salad

Friday: Potato and rosemary pizza with fresh ricotta


Happy eating, -s.
As I write this, we have all of our windows open and I am drinking a very summery Dark and Stormy. All of this on the ninth day of October; what odd weather we’ve been having. Now I am an admitted Weather Channel junkie who loves to know what the weather will be and when the forecast is inevitably wrong, I always complain about it, to which my husband always asks me, “why do you keep watching it then?” He makes a good point. But, besides helping me figure out what to wear, the weather really does drive what I cook. Who wants squash soup for dinner when it’s 80 degrees outside even if those squash are in season?

It was our second to last CSA box this weekend, which makes me sad. It’s been a really great season with Driftless Organics and I always think of our boxes as little biweekly gifts. We hit the farmers’ market as well to pick up apples and some other essentials. Here’s what we’re eating.

At the market and in the box:
Apples
Bell Pepper
Broccoli
Butternut Squash
Current and cardamon rolls
Daikon radish
Garlic
Green-top Carrots
Heart of Gold Squash
Lacinato Kale
Mint
Onions
Parsley
Parsnips
Red Leaf Lettuce
Red Potatoes
Sage
Spinach
Sweet Potatoes
Tomatoes

Menu: week of 9 October 2010
Saturday: Banh mi with sweet potato fries
Sunday: Panko-crusted pork chops with homemade applesauce and sauteed kale
Monday: Lucques-style onion tart with roasted broccoli
Tuesday: Turkish-style roasted carrots and parsnips with hummus, yogurt and pita
Wednesday: spicy chiles and pork stir-fry with jasmine rice
Thursday: Spanish tortilla with homemade garlic aioli
Friday: Roasted squash salad with lardons and spinach

Happy eating, -s.
Door County in the fall; perfect for hot chocolate*

This recipe for hot chocolate is so good it calls for an extra T (and it is a little ’80s with that extra T, so it has that going for it as well). This is the splendid union of the hot chocolate a la Chocolat my lovely man has made me on occasion and the cinnamon-spiced Mexican hot chocolate you can make with Ibarra chocolate and milk. A happy marriage, indeed.

This hot chocolate is rich and decadent enough to end a meal (as I did for my bookclub dinner), although you would be mighty popular if you brought a thermos of this with you ice skating come winter. You can make the “base” ahead of time and then just add the remaining milk and bring up to heat.

Whipped cream is a must to both cut the richness and gild the lily.

Hott chocolate
Serves 8 adults or 10 hungry bambinos

Ingredients
Two whole rounds of Ibarra chocolate; I smack the rounds on the counter while still in the package to break them up into pieces
6 oz. Scharffen Berger bittersweet chocolate, chopped roughly
A tiny pinch of kosher salt
6 cups whole milk

lily-gilding accompaniments
½ pint whipping cream
2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar

Directions
Heat two cups of milk until really hot, but not simmering. In the jar of a blender, add the chocolate and salt. Pour the hot milk over the chocolate and blend it until smooth and frothy. Note: Always use caution when blending hot liquids.

If making ahead, place the chocolate “base” in a sealed container and chill until ready to serve (can be made up to a day ahead of time).

When ready to serve, place the base and the remaining milk in a saucepan and bring to just shy of a simmer. While the hot chocolate is heating up, whip the cream with a mixer, adding the sugar when the cream reaches soft peaks. Whip until stiff – you don’t want soft cream here as it will dissolve when it hits the heat.

Pour hot chocolate into cups, crown with the whipped cream. Enjoy.

*I forgot to take a photo of my cup, because honestly I couldn't wait to drink it!

Happy eating (and drinking), -s.
Before our latest dinner group dinner, to me the land of Sweden was basically IKEA, Tretorns, ABBA, gravlax and Alexander Skarsgard (yum). Well, our hostess for this dinner was Cecilia, our dinner group’s local Swedish "ambassador" and the perpetuator of the myth that all girls from Sweden are blonde and beautiful. In working with her on the menu, I learned many things about Swedish food culture and I especially loved learning about Swedish Christmas celebrations and how family food traditions are treasured and showcased during that magic time of year.

Once I had a conceptual idea of what to serve, I checked out a few cookbooks from the library, as most of Cecilia’s recipes were in Swedish: the stunningly photographed The Scandinavian Cookbook and the charming Swedish Table. Both books had a seasonal bent to them, which helped make these somewhat heavy dishes feel lighter and brighter with the incorporation of fresh produce. What was surprising to learn was that the Swedish seasons mirror the seasons of the Upper Midwest, except we are lacking the prime ocean access and its briny bounty.

I couldn't have been more pleased with the menu. The courses worked well with each other. The creamy and hearty soup and the equally hearty meatballs were balanced nicely with the tart and crisp salad and the meal ended with an apple trifle that wasn't at all heavy and showcased the beautiful, in-season fruit perfectly. Each course was led off with a rousing "Schnapps" song and a tipple (or shot) of aquavit. Needless to say, all who attended left with full bellies and rosy cheeks ... and a warm feeling in their hearts. Skal!

Menu for SEPTEMBER 18

Cocktails and nibbles:
Icy-cold Vodka and Champagne
The Carlsson Family's Gravlax and store-bought pate with water crackers and toast
First Course: Yellow Pea Soup with bacon, tomatoes and parsley (The Swedish Table)
Second Course: Chanterelle, bacon and plum salad with blue cheese (The Scandinavian Cookbook)
Main Course: Swedish Meatballs with creamy mashed potatoes and served with an orange-scented cranberry sauce
Dessert: Apple Trifle (The Scandinavian Cookbook)

Happy eating, -s.













I hope that everyone had a lovely holiday. Ours was fabulous — good food, good wine, good company, and good cheer! Pickle had the time of his life with his cousins Caitlyn and Luke. They literally ran around my parent's dining-room table for a half-hour chanting "Follow Rhys!" He was in heaven.

We eat later than most on Thanksgiving (around 6 p.m.) so that gives us some time to nosh on hors d'oeuvres in the afternoon while watching football and catching up. My assignment was to bring some of those snacks. My sister Heather was bringing a selection of cheeses and cured meats, so I thought I would balance that with some sort of dip/spread. I made Gourmet's recipe for muhammara — a Turkish roasted red pepper/tomato spread — and also my own recipe for a pumpkin seed/tomatillo "pesto" in which I baked some local goat's cheese.

The pesto literally came to me in a dream (yes, I even dream about food!). I thought pumpkin seeds were thematically appropriate for Thanksgiving. And I also thought some amped-up flavors were a good counterbalance to the traditionally clean and simple flavors of the dinner to come.

As you can see in the photo, this combo of dips would be perfect for the upcoming Christmas holiday, since it is a very appropriate red and green. Without further ado, here's the recipe and below that is our menu for the week.

Baked chevre with pumpkin-seed & tomatillo pesto
Ingredients
1/2 cup roasted and salted pepitos (pumpkin seeds)
1 bunch of cilantro, stems and all
3 scallions, cleaned, trimmed and coarsely chopped
1 can of tomatillos (or 8 fresh tomatillos, blanched and peeled)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4-6 oz fresh chevre, sliced into three or four "coins"
tortilla chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a food processor, place the pumpkin seeds and blitz until roughly chopped. Add cilantro and scallions and pulse 3-4 times; add tomatillos and cumin and pulse until mixture begins to get smooth. With machine running, slowly pour olive oil in through the feed tube.

In a oven-proof 1-quart baking dish, place half of the pesto. Arrange the chevre coins on top and cover with the remaining pesto. Bake for 15-20 minute, until bubbly and warmed through and chevre is starting to melt. Serve warm with tortilla chips.

Menu: week of 29 November 2009
Sunday: spaghetti and meatballs
Monday: tortellini en brodo with lacinato kale
Tuesday: Grilled cheese with ham and Bosc pear served with mixed greens vinaigrette
Wednesday: Meatball subs with roasted brussel sprouts
Thursday: Roasted butternut squash and beets in a cumin-shallot vinaigrette with hummus and whole-grain flatbread
Friday: Pizza with sauteed wild mushrooms and red onion


Happy eating, -s.




















In this photo, Pickle is wearing his awesome new t-shirt from his Uncle Matt and soon-to-be Auntie Leah who live in Philadelphia. The t-shirt helps raise funds for Philly's farmers markets that Matt and Leah frequent. I think it sums up perfectly how I feel about farmers, too. And look at those gorgeous legs!

It's Thanksgiving week, so we'll be eating lean so we can indulge fully on Turkey Day. Can't wait. My mom cooks up quite the feast.

We hit the indoor farmers' market at the Monona Terrace on Saturday and you could tell everyone was loading up for their thanksgiving menus. Squash, carrots, onion, mushrooms, greens and potatoes were overflowing from baskets. An awesome sight to behold.

Thanksgiving really is the true seasonal meal of the year. Think about it ... Turkeys traditionally fatten up for the winter (fat = yummy and juicy); all the side dish components are in season: winter squash, cranberries, potatoes, sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts. For someone who strives to eat seasonally, this is the meal to go hog wild with relative ease.

I'll be posting (if time allows!) some homemade alternatives to using canned soup as a casserole base. Campbell's — watch out! They are easy, wholesome and taste a whole lot better (and have less sodium!) than the canned version while still making Thanksgiving a time to cherish the long-held traditions of the family table.

At the Market:
Butternut squash
Braeburn apples
Garlic
Mustard greens
Spinach
Tender baby lettuce

Menu: week of 21 November 2009
Saturday: Potato and sausage stew with spinach and homemade croutons
Sunday: Turkish-style braised green beans with Greek yogurt and whole-grain flatbread (a layover from last week; we had a house showing so we had to eat out.)
Monday: Sauteed mustard greens on fresh ricotta bruschetta
Tuesday: Whole-wheat panko-crusted chicken breasts with baby lettuce salad
Wednesday: Potato korma with basmati rice
Thursday: Happy Thanksgiving!
Friday: TBD

Happy eating ... and Thanksgiving! -s.

Pasta is a working girl's best friend (okay, not that kind of "working" girl) . From my post on November 9, I requested ideas for quick-cooking meals and, being a good sibling, my sister Holley shared with me her go-to, post-work dinner that's quick and delicious. Here's what she wrote: "My quick go-to dinner is bucatini all'amatriciana from "The Italian Country Table" by Lynn Rossetto Kasper. All the ingredients are pantry and fridge staples - dried bucatini or spaghetti, whole canned tomatoes, onions, pancetta, Parmigiano reggiano, and red pepper flakes! The sauce cooks up while the water boils. Yum."

Yum indeed.

The beauty of pasta is that it can be simple (buttered noodles and Parmigiano) or elaborate (agnolotti, ravioli, lasagne, to name a few). For weeknight meals, I go simple by using this equation: pasta (white or whole-wheat) + vegetable (cut small for quick cooking) + protein (diced or minced) + herb/spice (minced for easy incorporation) + dairy = dinner.

Here are some fall/winter combinations that work well together and can be prepped and cooked while the water heats and the pasta is cooking (about 20 minutes, give or take a few). Note: All dishes would start with sautéing a diced onion or a thinly sliced clove of garlic in some olive oil and the final dish should be seasoned with salt and pepper to taste.

Equation 1: Orecchiette + frozen peas/fava beans + diced pancetta + mint + fresh ricotta
Sauté the pancetta until browned; add thawed peas. Stir in cooked pasta and mint; top each serving with a scoop of ricotta.

Equation 2: Penne + broccoli rabe + Italian sausage + chile flakes + Parmigiano reggiano
Sauté sausage until browned, breaking up large pieces with a spoon. Add broccoli rabe (cut into 1-inch pieces) and a pinch of chile flakes and sauté until rabe is crisp-tender. Add cooked pasta with 1/4 cup reserved pasta water. Garnish with Parmigiano.

Equation 3: Rigatoni + squash + cannellini beans + sage/thyme + pecorino Romano
Sauté small cubes of winter squash until just beginning to soften; add herbs and beans (rinsed and drained, if using canned) and cook until heated through; add the cooked pasta and stir to incorporate. Top with pecorino Romano.

Equation 4: Linguine + cauliflower + chicken thighs + rosemary + Parmigiano reggiano
Sauté thin strips of chicken thigh with minced rosemary until thoroughly browned and cooked through. Remove with slotted spoon to a plate. Add cauliflower and sauté until crisp-tender. Return chicken and juices to the pan and stir to incorporate. Toss in the cooked pasta and top with shaves of Parmigiano.

Equation 5: Gemelli + mushrooms + Italian sausage + thyme + cream
Sauté mushrooms until all liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are browned; add sausage and lightly break up pieces with a spoon until browned and cooked through. Add thyme and cream and bring to a hard simmer, scraping up any of the brown bits left on the bottom of the pan. Add cooked pasta and stir to incorporate.

Equation 6: conchiglie + canned whole plum tomatoes + diced bacon + thyme + fresh ricotta
In with the onions or garlic, saute two rashers of bacon until browned and crisp. Add 1 cup of hand-crushed whole canned tomatoes and thyme and saute until liquid begins to reduce; Add cooked pasta and stir to incorporate. Top each serving with a scoop of ricotta.

What's your best pasta equation?
Happy eating, -s.















My oldest and dearest friend, Jamie, asked for some squash recipes. She too hit the last farmers' market on Saturday and loaded up her son Eli's stroller with this autumnal booty! So, what to do with squash? As I posted here, I really love roasted squash. Once roasted, you can do so much with it! Thai, Italian, Middle Eastern, French, South American, the list goes on and on.

So, James, here you go! Roasted squash, three ways ... all pretty fast, too!

Thai red curry with roasted squash and coconut milk
Serves two adults

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 knob of ginger, grated
2 cloves of garlic, minced or grated
1 tablespoon red curry paste; I like Thai Kitchen — add more or less depending on how hot you want it.
1 tablespoon fish sauce, again Thai Kitchen is great
1 can organic coconut milk, do not use the low-fat kind
1 cup roasted squash, cubed
Chopped cilantro for garnish

Directions
Start a pot of jasmine rice — white or heirloom, whole-grain.

In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and a pinch of salt and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Add ginger and garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add red curry paste and stir to incorporate. Reduce heat to medium and add coconut milk and fish sauce and let simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Fold in squash and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes or until the squash is warmed through. Taste for seasonings; add a little more fish sauce, a squeeze of lime or some salt is needed. By now, your rice should be done and dinner is ready. Spoon curried squash over rice and garnish with some cilantro.


Pasta with sautéed sausage, sage and roasted squash
Serves two adults

Ingredients
1 red or yellow onion, diced finely
8 sage leaves
1/2 pound Italian sausage, pork, chicken or turkey — remove casings, if needed
¼ cup chicken stock (broth) or water
1 cup roasted squash, cubed
8 oz. of pasta — orecchiette, gemelli, rotelle, conchiglie
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Put large pot of water on to boil. Cook pasta according to directions.

In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add sage leaves and cook for about a minute. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towel to drain.

In the same pan, with now-fragrant sage oil, add onion and a pinch of salt and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Add the sausage and sauté with onions until no longer pink, breaking up large pieces with your spoon. Add stock and bring to a simmer, using your spoon to scrape up any brown bits from the pan. Add squash, stirring gently to coat. Turn burner down to low until pasta is cooked and drained.

Once pasta is done, add to sauté pan and stir to incorporate. Serve with a few, now-crispy sage leaves as a garnish on each bowl. A copious amount of grated parmigiano reggiano would only improve it.


Black bean and squash empanadas
Makes 4 empanadas

Ingredients
1 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup roasted squash, cubed
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese or 4 oz. goat cheese crumbled
1 egg, beaten to blend in small bowl (for egg wash)

Directions
Preheat oven to 425°F.

In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and a pinch of salt and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Add cumin and cayenne; cook for 1 minute. Add black beans and squash, stirring to incorporate. Using back of a fork, mash bean filling slightly; season with salt and cool.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry to a 14-inch square. Cut each into four squares. Place a heaping ¼ cup of filling in center of the squares. Sprinkle each mound of filling with cheese. Brush two adjacent edges of squares with egg wash. Fold 1 corner over filling to opposite corner, forming triangle. Using fork, press edges to seal crust. Arrange on rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment or foil (easy clean-up!); brush entire surface of each empanada with more egg wash. Bake empanadas until golden brown, about 15-18 minutes. Serve hot with a salad of mixed greens.

Happy eating, -s.
Tip No. 3 will be coming your way soon. Would love to hear from readers as to what their go-to, quick dinners are ... I may just add them to my repertoire.

Okay, so Saturday was the last outdoor farmers' market of the season at the Dane County Farmers' Market. And, boy, did it go out with a bang. The weather felt more like early September than early November. Everyone was in high spirits and the produce didn't disappoint either. We stocked up on Gentle Breeze Honey and our favorite maple syrup as both vendors won't be at the winter indoor market. I also bought some beef short ribs from my favorite grass-fed beef farmer for a long braise in the oven some coming weekend.

Pickle continues his descent into Picky Land. My former beet-green-eating, winter-squash-loving child won't eat! I just don't know what to feed him at this point. I made him potato and corn chowder this weekend and he wouldn't let it come near his lips. This is the same child who ate bowl after bowl of pureed corn soup this summer. Good grief, as Charlie Brown would say. If anyone has ideas, I am willing to try them! With that, here's what we bought and what most of us will be eating this week.

At the market:
Apples
Apple cider
Beef short ribs
Bibb lettuce
Brussel sprouts
Daikon radish
Honey
Leeks
Maple syrup
Mushrooms
Red Russian Kale

Menu: week of 9 November 2009
Sunday: Roasted mushroom and salumi pizza
Monday: Sauteed red Russian kale on fresh ricotta bruschetta
Tuesday: Bibb lettuce wraps with larb-style ground pork
Wednesday: Oven-baked turkey kofte with Greek yogurt raita and roasted chickpeas
Thursday: Thai curried squash with coconut milk and red heirloom jasmine rice
Friday: My banh mi
Happy eating, -s.
I am honestly not a huge fan of leftovers, except a post-Thanksgiving turkey sandwich with cranberry sauce and my mom's stuffing. Nothing can beat that. Well, maybe some things can, but that's a top five in my book. To me, leftovers should be relegated to lunch or they get a little boring, but I have to say that they do help in getting through the week without having to actually cook every night.

Magazines like Fine Cooking and Cookie (so sad they are shuttering this sophisticated guide to parenting) have recently focused a lot of their editorial real estate to this endeavor, but their focus is mainly meat. I like to look at vegetables for my leftover inspirations. So, this weekend, take a little time to cook ahead and see how much easier your weeknights are!

Here are some tips and recipes to stretch your efforts throughout the week:

No. 1: Roasted Vegetables
In a 425-degree oven, roast two trays of cleaned and trimmed carrots, onions, parsnips and winter squash (I slice into 1-inch thick half-moons) lightly coated with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper until soft and caramelized, roughly 30-45 minutes. Throw in a couple of heads of garlic, cloves separated but still in their skins. Here's how to use them:

As an entree: Roasted carrots, parsnips and squash in a cumin-shallot vinaigrette with chickpea-walnut hummus and whole-wheat flatbread;

As a side dish: serve alongside any protein, such as sautéed chicken cutlets, pork chops or turkey sausages

As a pasta accompaniment: cook pasta according to package; drain. Meanwhile heat 1/4 cup of heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat; squeeze two cloves of the roasted garlic into the cream, season with salt and pepper and whisk to incorporate. Cut up the roasted veggies into pieces the same size as your pasta (penne, rigatoni, farfalle and ziti are great for this). Reheat over medium-low heat, using the same pot you cooked the pasta. When warmed through, add the pasta and the garlic-infused cream. Toss to coat. Top with grated parmigiano reggiano.


No. 2: Spinach
Do not try this with pre-washed baby spinach, please! Use at least 2 lbs of "real" spinach, the kind that needs washing and has stem you need to remove. Once you do that, steam until wilted. Drain in a colander or sieve. Squeeze out excess water and be amazed at how much it cooks down! Here's how to use it:

As a side dish: serve hot, just-steamed spinach with butter and salt and pepper.

As a filling for a puff-pastry tart: Chop 1 cup of spinach, toss in 3 tablespoons of golden raisins, 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts, 1 tart apple, diced into 1/4-inch cubes and a 1/4 cup grated gruyere. You could add some diced prosciutto as well. Fold in a beaten egg. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Follow the directions for assembling and baking the tart here.

As a pasta sauce: In the bowl of a food processor combine 3/4 cup of spinach, 4 oz. goat cheese softened, 1/4 cup grated parmigiano reggiano, 2 tablespoons half-and-half (whole milk works in a pinch), 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Blitz in the food processor until smooth. Cook pasta according to package and coat hot pasta with the sauce.

As breakfast for dinner: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sauté a small yellow onion until soft and translucent. Add 1/2 cup chopped spinach to pan to warm through. Add 1/4 cup heavy cream or crème fraîche — whatever you have on hand — and 1/4 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Stir in 1/4 cup grated cheese — gruyere, aged white cheddar, whatever you have in your fridge. Butter 4 ramekins and place in a shallow baking. Divide spinach mixture evenly among them. Make a "well" in the center of each and carefully crack an egg into the indentation. Bake in oven until whites are set, roughly 15 minutes. Serve with toast or warm, crusty bread.

No. 3: Beans and other legumes
I love beans. These versatile little numbers have it all: protein, fiber, complex carbs, B vitamins and iron. Make a big pot of beans or lentils on the weekend — use the method of your choice (I like an over-night soak and a slow simmer in a Dutch oven) and have a bean-filled week. Here's how to use them:

As a salad: Toss any cooked bean (rinsed and drained) with finely diced red onion (I rinsed these too), fresh herbs, a splash of vinegar or citrus juice, olive oil, salt and pepper taste. A diced apple is a lovely addition in the fall.

As a veggie burger: In the bowl of a food processor, blitz 1/4 cup toasted walnuts or almonds into a fine meal. Add 2 cups beans and puree until slightly chunky. Remove mixture to a large bowl. Fold in one egg, juice from half a lime or lemon, 1/2 cup whole-wheat bread crumbs, 1/4 cup minced onion, chopped parsley or cilantro, 1/4 teaspoon of both cumin and coriander and 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Using 1/2 cup portions, form into six patties and chill in the fridge for 10-15 minutes. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat and cook for 4 minutes per side, using caution when turning them as they are fragile. These are bun optional, so top with sprouts, mixed greens, avocado slices, salsa, Greek yogurt, etc. whatever you fancy.

As a soup base: For any soup you will need:
2 cups of cooked beans
4 cups stock — chicken or vegetable
A classic mirepoix: carrots, celery and onions (leeks work too); sauté until soft.

Add seasonings: it all depends on what you use for your herbs and spice.
Tex-Mex version: to the mirepoix, add some cumin, dried Mexican oregano and minced garlic and sauté for a minute until fragrant.
French version: toss in some fresh thyme, a pinch of herbes de Provence and minced garlic.
Italian version: could include some pancetta with the mirepoix and some rosemary and sliced garlic at the end of the sauté.
Indian version: could include some curry powder or garam masala
Once your seasonings become fragrant — usually after a minute of sautéing — add 2 cups of cooked beans, 4 cups of chicken or vegetable stock and simmer for 30-45 minutes to allow the flavors to combine. At this point you can either puree the mixture or leave it chunky; it’s up to you.
For enrichments, toppings and garnishes: Add cream (French), coconut milk or plain yogurt (Indian version). Top with crème fraîche, fresh chopped herbs, a drizzle of really good extra virgin olive oil, croutons, the list goes on and on.

Happy eating, -s.
I can now understand why many families end up with freezers and pantries full of pre-packaged, processed food and frequent the drive-thru for dinner: when you and your spouse both work, you have a very small window of time to make dinner, especially one from scratch. With that in mind, I am going to devote a few postings to provide you with real-life-tested tips and tricks I employ when trying to get dinner on the table in a reasonable amount of time (reasonable to me is roughly 45 minutes).

My first tip: menu planning. If you have been following my blog at all, you will have noticed that I plan a weekly menu based on my purchases at our farmers' market or our CSA deliveries that just ended for the season. I am lucky to live in Madison, Wisconsin, for many reasons, but a big one is a year-round farmers' market, which allows me to eat locally in the dead of winter.

Menu planning helps me achieve two things: 1) I know what I am making each day, so I don't waste precious time at home scrounging around for something to throw together for dinner and 2) cuts down on my trips to the grocery store and helps me prevent wasting food – I used to buy too much at the grocery store and then end up not using it before it went bad, got stale, etc. After our market run, I sit down with cookbooks, recipe print-outs and magazines and start making my menu. From that, I derive a grocery list. I try to make just one run to the store on either Saturday or Sunday – in the summer this is easier to do since we don't eat a lot of meat; but in the winter, with protein being more of a focus, I may have to do one mid-week grocery run to supplement our menu.

If that sounds like a lot to do, trust me it saves loads of time (and stress) scurring around after work trying to whip something together. If you aren't comfortable with shopping without structure, then go to a recipe site, like epicurious.com, and click on their seasonal section. Pick out recipes you like, make a list and hit your farmers' market and then the grocery store. Give it a shot ... and let me know how it works for you!

At the market
Apples
Apple cider from Ela Orchard
Flat-leaf parsley
Grass-fed chuck roast
Kimcot potatoes from Butter Mountain Potatoes – a starchy tator like an russet
Leeks
Mixed baby greens
Rainbow-colored Swiss chard
Spinach
Scallions
Yellow onions

Menu: week of 31 October 2009
Saturday: veggie-infused meatloaf with mashed potatoes and sautéed Swiss chard
Sunday: chile con carne with avocado, scallions and cilantro
Monday: leftovers – either meatloaf sandwiches with parsnip fries or chile con carne
Tuesday: leftovers – whatever we didn't eat the evening prior
Wednesday: sautéed chicken cutlets with mixed greens in a sherry vinaigrette
Thursday: potato "souffle" with almond-parsley pesto
Friday: fried eggs over a warm lentil-spinach salad with lardons

















Here's what we ate last Sunday — a great use for all those potatoes we have from our CSA! Note: we added the red pepper flakes after baking so Pickle could eat it too.


Potato and Rosemary Pizza
Serves 2 adults, one hungry bambino, with leftovers

Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 ounces (roughly 2 medium sized potatoes) unpeeled, scrubbed-clean Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced into very thin rounds — I used a mandoline
1 recipe Sarah's pizza dough
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, chopped finely
2 garlic cloves, chopped finely
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 cup grated whole-milk mozzarella cheese (about 4 ounces)

Directions
Preheat oven to 450°F. Heat oil in large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add potato slices in single layer (you will have to do several batches). Sauté until just tender, about 1-2 minutes. Drain on paper towel to cool briefly.

Once your dough is rolled out to your preferred size, place on a cornmeal-dusted pan. Then, layer potato slices, leaving 3/4-inch plain border. Sprinkle with rosemary, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Sprinkle with cheeses to cover.

Bake pizza until crust is crisp and cheeses melt, about 15 minutes. Using metal spatula, loosen crust from sheet, if needed. Slide onto a board and cut into pieces; serve.

Happy eating, -s.
Growing up, Friday night was pizza night. My mom would make a half-sheet-pan-sized pizza with lots of veggies and pepperoni. It was the only night that we got to have a juice-glass filled with Coke. A pretty magical evening, as you can imagine. Talking to friends, they too had pizza nights as kids. At the park recently, Chris, Pickle and I met a little girl who was quite the conversationalist; as we pushed Pickle on the swing, she inquired about many things including what we were going to be for Halloween (she was going as a witch or a mermaid) and what we were having for dinner. She told us that, "as she was Italian," her family had pizza night every week and that her favorite was sausage and pepperoni. So, the trend continues (Italian or not!) decades later, which makes me happy.

I've been working on a whole-wheat crust recipe lately; trying to make eating pizza a more healthful endeavour. Using 100% whole-wheat flour has not been working for me; the texture is just not right. So, with Heidi Swanson's white whole-wheat crust recipe in one hand and the Cook's Illustrated classic in the other, I set about making a big batch of dough that would crisp and chew in all the right places, while still containing a good ratio of whole-wheat flour to white. Our potato pizza on Sunday was my first go and I have to say — and I'm not exaggerating* — it was the best dough I've made. The exterior was crispy while the interior had a satisfying chew.

This recipe makes two large rectangular pizzas (the goal is to have leftovers); freeze one ball or refrigerate it for pizza later in the week — yes, two pizza nights in one week is okay!

Sarah's whole-wheat pizza dough
makes enough for two, 11x14-inch pizzas or four, 12-inch round pizzas

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups white whole-wheat flour — I used King Arthur
2 cups white bread flour — again, King Arthur
1 teaspoon rapid-rise yeast
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 3/4 cup room temperature water
1/4 cup olive oil and more for oiling the bowl

Directions:
In the bowl of a food processor, add both flours, salt and yeast; pulse to combine (the bowl will be really full). Measure the water and oil in the same cup and with the machine running, pour the liquids into the dry ingredients. Once the dough creates a cohesive ball, let the machine run for 30 seconds.

Remove to a floured board or counter and knead with your hands for 5 minutes (a good upper-body workout). The ball should be smooth and supple. Cut into two equal piece. Place one in a Ziploc bag and the other in an oiled bowl. Place the bagged dough in the fridge or freezer for later use. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2-3 hours, until double in volume.

When you are ready to assemble the pizza, slowly stretch the dough by hand, letting it rest if it is not yielding. Once it is the size you need, place on a cornmeal dusted pan and adorn with your choice of sauce and toppings. Bake on the bottom rack of a 450-degree, preheated oven for roughly 15 minutes.

Happy eating, -s.

*I am a known and admitted over-exaggerator, coming from a long line of overreactors, hypochondriacs and drama-queens. If it happened once or twice, to me it's happened a million times. If you have a cough, you are dying and should rush to the doctor. If I love something or someone, it L-O-V-E, love, so watch out! But, that just means I'm passionate about everything that matters. :)
Saturday was our last CSA delivery for the year and that makes me really sad. It was our first year with Driftless Organics and I couldn’t have been more pleased. The vegetables were gorgeous and the newsletters and recipes were informative and delicious. Can’t wait until next year!

Root vegetables are the theme for the week, and they will be our constant companions throughout the long Wisconsin winter. The DCFM winter market starts in mid-November and they will have some greens available, but those hardy root veggies and squashes will be the mainstay of our local diet for the duration. That’s not a bad thing! This delicious and versatile group can handle the heat of chiles, the earthiness of dried spices and the pungency of cheese. Toss any of them with olive oil, kosher salt and pepper and throw them in a hot oven for 20-30 minutes and you’ll have something magically sweet and caramelized and utterly satisfying be it tossed with pasta, served as a side dish or featured as the main course.

In our last CSA box:
Butternut Squash
Carnival Squash
Carrots
Chioggia Beets
Fennel
Garlic
Jalapeno Peppers
Lacinato Kale
Lettuce
Onions
Parsnips
Red Cabbage
Red Potatoes
Sweet Red Bell Pepper
Sweet Potatoes

Menu: Week of 25 October 2009
Sunday: potato, garlic and rosemary pizza with a whole-wheat crust topped with radish sprouts vinaigrette
Monday: curried apple and squash with whole-wheat couscous, pine nuts and sultanas
Tuesday: chicken thighs braised in West African peanut sauce
Wednesday: eggplant and sweet pepper caponata sandwiches with fresh ricotta served with parsnip fries
Thursday: Middle-Eastern roasted carrots and Chioggia beets in a shallot vinaigrette with hummus and whole-wheat naan
Friday: sausage and pepper pizza with a whole-wheat crust
Our first winter squash arrived in our CSA on Saturday; it’s a bespeckled carnival. Can't wait to roast it for a gorgeous salad of warm roasted squash, bacon lardons, dandelion greens and pecans from Suzanne Goin's amazing cookbook, Sunday Suppers at Lucques, which I L-O-V-E, love.

Speaking of cookbooks, I've been reading Heidi Swanson's blog, 101 cookbooks, which is very inspiring in an oh-so-good-for-you kind of way. She is a vegetarian, but her food is gorgeous, flavorful and inspiring. Check her out if you haven't ... her book, Super Natural Cooking, is a great primer on whole foods as well.

With that, here's what we're eating this week.

In our CSA box:
Carrots
Carnival Squash
Cauliflower
Dandelion greens
Garlic
Heirloom Tomatoes
Leeks
Poblano Pepper
Purple Beans
Red Onion
Romanesco
Spinach
Sungold Tomatoes
Sweet Red & Orange Frying Peppers
White Globe Radish Yellow Potatoes

Menu: Week of 27 September 2009
Sunday: peperoni e pepperoni pizza – air-cured organic salami with sautéed sweet peppers and onions
Monday: hummus, roasted sungold tomatoes and spinach cacik on grilled naan with roasted yellow potatoes
Tuesday: zucchini ricotta frittata served with white globe radishes on buttered toast
Wednesday: curried cauliflower with brown basmati rice
Thursday: roasted carnival squash salad with lardons, dandelion greens, pecans and manchego cheese
Friday: spicy sautéed romanesco with sesame noodles
Saturday: salad Niçoise with roasted yellow potatoes, purple beans and heirloom tomatoes


Happy eating! -s