Winter Salad

I'm spoiled.  In the summertime, we have a beautiful garden on the family farm that provides more choices for vegetables than I know what to do with.  Salads can be a daily thing. They are fabulous.  So come winter, I'm less than enthusiastic about the grocery store selections of waxy, bland vegetables to make a salad from.

My latest discovery? Strawberry Poppy seed Vinaigrette.  Here's the new salad for a burst of winter-time vitamins:

Baby spinach
Mandarin oranges, drained
Dried blueberries or cranberries
Glazed walnut pieces
Strawberry Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

Mexi-Flavored Sweet Potato Casserole

1 large sweet potato, grated
1 medium onion (optional)
olive oil
frozen corn (1 cup or so)
1 can black beans
12 oz. diced tomatoes
cheese of desired flavor
tortillas
cumin, oregano, chili powder, cilantro to taste

Saute onion in olive oil. Add grated sweet potato.  Cook, covered, about 8 minutes, or until softened.  Add corn, beans, and tomatoes, along with seasonings to taste (1 tsp. of each, 1/4 tsp. chili powder is a mild mix). Simmer briefly.

Rip up tortillas- line bottom of greased square pan.  Add 1/2 sweet potato blend.  Top with cheese, more tortilla shreds.  Add rest of sweet potato blend, and top with cheese.  Bake @ 350 +/- 40 min, until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Throw-Together-Lasagna

I had an hour and a half until dinner, a box of lasagna noodles, and a freezer stuffed with goodies from the summer.  My boys needed a good dose of veggies after gluttony all weekend.  So......  I present Throw-together-lasagna.

Lasagna noodles, cooked.
+/- Quart of roasted tomato sauce
Mixed Italian cheeses, shredded (or whatever is on hand!)
2 cups green beans
2 cups spinach
1/2 cup cooked mild Italian sausage
1/2 - 1 cup ground meat
bread crumbs
2 eggs
seasoning to taste

While the noodles cook, puree the green veggies and meats, bread crumbs and 1/2 cup of cheese until smooth.

Spread sauce over the bottom of lasagna pan, to just cover. Lay down 3 noodles. Top with filling, some sauce, and a sprinkle of cheese.  Repeat layers, ending with sauce and cheese. Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes.  Allow to set for 10 minutes before cutting.

Enjoy!

Chard-Stuffed Meatloaf (My New Favorite!)

The Joy of Gardening Cookbook by Janet Ballantyne

I don't have permission to reproduce this book for you... but I highly recommend it.  This is my new favorite meatloaf.  It is basically an Italian meatloaf stuffed with a filling of Ruby Chard and cheeses. Mmmmmm! Topped with the roasted tomato sauce from this summer, this was a big hit with the entire family. 

Serving Suggestion?!?

Please look at this image carefully.  Tell me what you see that is concerning for the status of our society.  (Okay, admittedly, I'm not a huge fan of "Instant" anything, and particularly "Instant Brown" rice... brown rice just feels like a food that should take longer... but that's another whole story...)

I've given you a hint. 

Do you see it?  Do you see that the "serving suggestion," apparently, is to cook the rice? There is nothing else added.  "Eat with a fork?"  It isn't quite like a box of cereal that suggests adding berries, but doesn't want the consumer to mistakenly believe there are actually fresh, juicy berries in the box.  Nope. There is nothing added to this picture.  So what are they suggesting?  

Winter Squash and Barley Risotto

Softened, buttery leeks + oven roasted butternut squash cubes (drizzled with olive oil, garlic, and black pepper) + creamy barley and carrot shreds.  Mix together and add liberal amounts of fresh grated Pecorino Romano cheese....  YUM!

Sea Soup

First, you'll need the Miracle broth from previous entry.  Here is one variety we tried.

• 1 qt. miracle broth, brought to a boil.
• In broth, cook 4 oz rice noodles
• Toss in: 2-3 cups whole, cooked shrimp and similar portion frozen broccoli
• Add a dash of ground ginger and chives
• Simmer until broccoli is done to your desired firmness

We called this sea soup in honor of the kombu and shrimp.  Served with some warm bread, you could also call it, "fast food you can feel good about."

Horrifying Soup (AKA "Miracle Broth")

The promised recipe for Miracle Broth (Thank you, Rebecca Katz, Guidepost Magazine!), with minor variation.  My son called "Horrifying Soup" because he was appalled by the inclusion of Kombu. However, he loves the taste, so maybe it is a miracle, after all. Kombu, similar to Kelp, is a super vegetable from the cold depths of the sea.  This food is high in all sorts of fabulous vitamins and minerals and is easily absorbed by our bodies.  An excellent supplement to any diet, but especially Northerners, as it aids in the absorption of Vitamin D.

First of all, you need a big stock pot.  I used a 16 qt. pot for this, and it was full, making about a gallon of stock in the end. 

In the stock pot you will place the vegetables-  just scrub them well and hack them into thirds or so. Don't peel them- you want the vitamins in those peels!

• 3 large yams
• a small bag of tiny new red potatoes (don't cut- just toss in whole)
• an entire bunch celery- heart and all
• a zucchini
• 8 carrots
• 4 small onions
• 5-10 garlic cloves
• 2-3 leeks
• 1/2 bunch of flat parsley
• 2 strips kombu
• 2 bay leaves
• 12 black peppercorns
• 4 whole allspice, or juniper berries, or coriander seed

Fill the pot to 2 inches below the rim with water, cover, and bring to a boil.
Remove the lid, decrease the heat, and simmer a MINIMUM of 2 hours- I simmered for 3.
Add more water if vegetables begin to be exposed in simmering.
Add 1-2 tbsp. sea salt at the end of simmering, then strain the entire mixture through a coarse mesh strainer into heat-resistant bowls.

At this point, you have a versatile broth!  Drink it like tea, or use it as the base for other soups, or on rice dishes.  Beyond that, you have:

1. Whole red potatoes.  Separate them, add back some broth and bits of leeks, onion, and yam.  Puree.  Add cream and .... voila! Potato soup!

2. Whole carrots.  Peel them, slice them, and top with melted butter, dill,  and honey- a yummy side dish.

3. Yams. Puree them and add them back into a variety of dishes for enhanced vitamins.

4. A heap of vegetable mush that chickens or pigs love.  Get a chicken, and eventually this results in some further yum.... eggs, meat.... :)

Found: Brussel Sprouts in Turkey Meatballs...

These were then cooked in homemade, garden-fresh tomato sauce.  My life will never be the same.  Recipe to follow.  Thank you to my Mama for cooking this fabulousness.  My son ate brussel sprouts and didn't even know it.  Mwwwa-haha ha ha ha!

Salmon With Apples and Onions

With all the abundance of fresh orchard apples and onions coming in from the garden, why not try a fun twist on fish?

Sauce ingredients:

• honey
• vinegar
• soy sauce
• oregano
• pepper
• olive oil
• *white wine may be a nice addition...

Main Ingredients:

• Fresh Salmon filet
• Fresh tart apple (Mac, Mac-cross, Granny smith)
• White onion

1.  Rinse salmon and place on foil in a broiling pan.
2. Mix sauce ingredients with a whisk (experiment with amounts- according to your preference for sweet/sour/savory). Drizzle 1/2 over the fish.
3. Saute onion in oil (chopped or in rings) until soft and translucent.
4. Thinly slice apple and place on fish with softened onion.
5. Drizzle remaining sauce on fish.
6. Broil until salmon is fully cooked.

Tomato-Spinach Cream Sauce

• Paste tomatoes, roasted and pureed (or 1 small can paste)
• Crushed tomatoes *20 or so, cooked, reduced, pureed (or 28 oz. can)
• Diced tomato (or 14 oz. can)
• 4 c. fresh spinach, chopped (or kale, Swiss chard, etc)
• splash of vinegar
• chili powder to taste
• 1-2 tsp. sugar
• Fresh: basil, oregano
• 4 oz. cream cheese
• 4. oz. sour cream
• garlic
• dash nutmeg
• capers (optional)

1. Bring tomatoes to a boil after roasting and peeling paste tomatoes.  Simmer until reduced to the thickness you prefer.

2. Add herbs, garlic, and spinach.  Cook until spinach is still green, but tender.

3. Blend in (an immersion blender works well, or a whisk) cheese and sour cream.

4. Stir in nutmeg and capers. Simmer (low) just until warmed through.

This tastes great on a heavy pasta or over chicken and pasta.  Vary to your taste!

Dill Pickles

1/4 cup pickling spice
3 1/2 cups white vinegar
6 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup salt
+/- 40 cucumbers
8 fresh dill seed heads
8 cloves garlic, peeled
7 tsp. whole mustard seed

Wrap pickling spice in a double layer of cheesecloth and tie tightly.  In a 3 quart pan, bring spice bag, 3/1/2 cups water, vinegar, sugar and salt to a boil, stirring often. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Discard spice bag.

Quarter cucumbers lengthwise.

Place 2 seed heads, 2 cloves garlic, and dash of mustard seed in each jar.  Optional: add 1 dried chile pepper to each jar. Pack cucumber quarters into jars without forcing. Cut off any tips that stick up past 1/2 in. below rim.

Pour vinegar mixture over cucumbers, leaving 1/2 inch. headspace. Bring water to 180-185 in canner and process for 20 minutes.

OPTION:  Slice cucumbers and sink into ice bath prior to processing for sliced dills.

Zucchini Cake

Cream together:

• 1 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup margarine
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs

Sift together:

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 HEAPING tablespoons cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Add dry mixture to creamed mixture.

Add:

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups grated zucchini

Blend.

Pour into greased 9 x 12 pan.  Sprinkle 1 cup chips (mint/chocolate blend is particularly yummy!) over the top. Bake 45 minutes at 325 F.

(Varation from: Zucchini- Versatile Vegetable. Cornell Cooperative Extension.)

Bread & Butter Pickles

Makes approx. 10 pints

Pickle Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup salt
• 1 gallon cucumbers, sliced thin
• 8 small white onions
• 2 red peppers (or green), sliced into thin strips
• 1 quart crushed ice

Mix salt and vegetables in a large container.  Bury the ice in the mixture, cover, and stand 3 hours. Drain thoroughly.

Pickling Syrup:

• 5 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon tumeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 tablespoons mustard seed
• 1 teaspoon celery seed
• 3 cups white vinegar
• 2 cups water

Combine ingredients. Heat to almost boiling. Add cucumbers and bring to a boil.  Pack in jars and seal well. 

(Adapted from The Art of Pennsylvania Dutch Cooking .Heller. 1968)