Casserole 101

Casserole 101

Sometimes I think the casserole has gone the way of Plum Pudding -- not too many people are cooking them anymore.  A lot of people think "casserole - 1970's - Betty Crocker" but, that's crazy because casseroles are usually easy to put together, flexible, and you can do them ahead so you aren't scrambling around in the kitchen at the last minute.  

The definition of a casserole is "flexibility".  It is a one pan meal cooked in the oven, usually with a brown and crusty top, and may consist of (part 1) rice/grain, potatoes, or noodles, combined with (part 2) vegetables, (part 3) meat or beans, and (part 4) some type of sauce.  Measurements in a casserole may be approximations. For example, you've got 2 cups of cooked rice or 2 1/2 cups, throw it in, as long as the ingredients are somewhat proportional there is no exact science.  I'm going to give you a "flexible" recipe to experiment with.  Let me know how it goes for you and what you did to make it your own.  By the way, if you aren't feeling inventive, it's ok if you just follow what I did because it was delicious!

Casserole 101

Part 1:

For my casserole I used rice.  I was in a bit of a hurry so I used jasmine rice, but I could have used quinoa, or brown rice, or any cooked grain.
I cooked 1 cup of rice in 1 3/4 cup of water and put that as the base in my oil sprayed dish.

Part 2:
We love brussel sprouts and I had picked up a large bag from the co-op for the holidays.  I cleaned and boiled them until they were still bright green, but almost done.  I could have used lightly steamed broccoli, or chopped and sauteed kale, and I could have added sauteed onion to any of these.

Part 3:
OPTIONAL for vegetarians or those who don't want meat, use your favorite protein - be it beans or tofu and it's perfectly ok to skip the meat layer in any casserole.  I had a little left over ham so I diced that up for my meat layer.  It ended up being about a cup of diced ham.  This could have been chicken, beans, ground beef, prosciutto, or none of these.

Part 4:
The sauce.  I chose to make a simple white sauce.  Place 4 tablespoons of butter and 3 tablespoons of flour in a skillet stirring constantly over low heat to make a roux.  

Making the roux.

For a white sauce, you do not want to brown the roux. When it's bubbly as shown in the picture, add 2 cups of milk all at once while stirring until it comes back to a boil and has thickened to a nice consistency.
 Add salt and pepper to taste 1/2-1 teaspoon of salt and a dozen grinds of fresh black pepper.  Herbs make a nice addition to the sauce as well.

Putting it all together.

After you have layered up part 1-2-3, pour your sauce evenly over the dish.



Regarding the sauce, once you have created that, you could add grated Cheddar, Parmesan, or Asiago to the sauce and allow that to melt before pouring.  This would combine well with a pasta layer to make a layered mac and cheese type casserole.


I wanted a lighter flavor for this version, so added a sprinkling of Asiago cheese mixed with a tablespoon of bread crumbs to the top of the casserole for a crusty-cheesy-browned top. 

Everything in the casserole is cooked so the baking time is just to heat it through and bring everything together.  Bake the casserole in a 375 degree oven for 30 - 45 minutes or until the top is browned and bubbly.  If you've made it ahead and had it refrigerated, it might take a little longer to heat through. Allow 60 minutes. Let the casserole cool slightly before serving big squares.

It came out just as tasty as it looks.  Served with a little spinach side salad, it made an impressive and delicious dinner.

I turned leftover ham and brussel sprouts into an entirely new dinner dish.  I could have reheated them and thrown them on a plate with the rice, but this was so much more appetizing and it made that little bit of ham stretch into 4 meals and no one felt slighted.

Here's a couple of ideas for different versions you might want to try for Casserole 101:

Mexican - rice - well drained, diced tomatoes - taco seasoned ground beef and/or black beans - top with a sauce to which has been added a cup of grated cheddar or a Mexican cheese mix - finally top with tortilla chip crumbs.

Broccoli/Cheddar - pasta of your choice, spirals or elbows work well - top with a layer of beans (can be white, red, or black) - lightly steamed broccoli - cheddar cheese sauce, made by adding a cup of grated cheddar cheese to the white sauce - top with bread crumbs.

Quinoa/Kale - quinoa - saute 1 bunch of kale, 1 sweet onion, 2-3 cups chopped green cabbage - optional meat layer of ham or Italian sausage - simple white sauce with 1 tsp dried basil added when it is finished - top with 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese mixed with 1/2 teaspoon Italian herbs and 2 tablespoons of fresh bread crumbs.

Please feel free to share your 4 part combinations to inspire everyone.
Enjoy!

 

Sweet Potato Gratin

Sweet Potato Gratin

An idea has been bouncing around in my head for a few weeks and finally I've got it out and prepared. The idea originated with the sweet potato.  I like sweet potatoes and I was giving some thought to something new for the coming Thanksgiving holiday.  I am not a big fan of the yam and even less of a fan of the yam turned candy with marshmallows.  

I wanted something that would be a little more savory but still accent the sweetness of the sweet potato.  I also liked the idea of something I could prep ahead.  Did you know that sweet potatoes and yams are not even remotely related to each other and neither of them is related to the potato. Sweet potatoes are from the same family as morning glories. I like that.

Here's a little sweet potato gratin that I cooked up.  Gratin is just a fancy word for a dish that has a browned crust on top. You can switch the sweet potatoes for yams if that is your preference, but do me a favor try it with sweet potatoes first.

Sweet Potato & Caramelized Onion Gratin
Ingredients:
3-5 medium sweet potatoes (2-3 lbs)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
 
2 tablespoons olive oil
3-4 cups chopped onions
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
pinch to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 cup butter

Peel and thinly slice the sweet potatoes

2 1/2 tablespoons flour

2 cups of half and half, light cream, or whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dry ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and butter or spray an oblong baking dish, 9x13 or similar.

Peel and slice the sweet potatoes very thinly and set aside.  1/8th inch thick is a good thickness. 

Caramelize the onions and add the brown sugar and cayenne

Chop the onion and add them to a skillet with the olive oil.  Begin to sweat the onions slowly.  Once they have lost most of their water, they will begin to caramelize into a nice golden color.  After the onions have caramelized to a light brown, add the dark brown sugar and the cayenne pepper.  Remove from the heat and set aside.

Create the sauce

 
In another skillet, create a roux with the 1/4 cup butter and the flour.  Add the 2 cups of cream/milk all at once stirring until it is smooth and bubbly.  Turn off the heat and stir in the salt, mustard, paprika, nutmeg, and a few grinds of black pepper.

In your buttered dish, layer half of the sliced potatoes, half the sauce, 1/2 cup of the grated Parmesan and half the onions with their sweet sauce.  Create a second layer with the remaining ingredients, ending with the onions once again.

Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil.  You can refrigerate it at this point until the next day or until you are ready to bake it.  Bake in a 350 degree oven, covered with the foil for 45 minutes.  At 45 minutes, remove the foil and continue baking for another 15-20 minutes until it is browned and bubbly.



This little dish pairs nicely with turkey, but also with a pork roast or chicken. 

Enjoy!
 

Fall Spice Cake with Caramel Fudge Icing

Fall Spice Cake with Caramel Fudge Icing

Come late September early October, my mind turns once again to baking.  One of the memories that also returns is of my Dad’s favorite, spice cake.

 
In an article titled How Smell Works, Sarah Dowdey tells us “smell can bring on a flood of memories, influence people's moods and even affect their work performance.  Because the olfactory bulb is part of the brain's limbic system, an area so closely associated with memory and feeling it's sometimes called the emotional brain.”

While Dad’s favorite was spice cake, my favorite is anything caramel.  Put the two together and “fall” in love with these smells and make your own memories.

Fall Spice Cake

2 1/2 cups cake or all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice
2 sticks (1 cup)unsalted butter
1 3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 fresh eggs
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and butter and flour two 9 inch cake pans or a 9x13 pan.

Cream the softened butter, sugar, and salt together until fluffy. 

Butter-Sugar-Salt-Eggs

Continue to beat in one egg at a time, beating well after each egg.
Measure all of the dry ingredients into one bowl and mix them together.
Measure the milk and lemon juice into a separate container.
Alternately, beat the dry and the wet ingredients into the butter, sugar, and eggs, beginning and ending with dry ingredients as follows: 1/3 dry - 1/2 wet - 1/3 dry - 1/2 wet - 1/3 dry.
The batter will be light and fluffy.  Spoon it evenly into the cake pans and spread it out.

Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  You may bake this as a 9x13 or in cupcakes or even mini muffins but vary the times accordingly.

Once baked, turn the cake(s) out to cool on a rack.

 

Caramel Fudge Icing
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 cup milk or cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3-4 cups of confectioner’s sugar

Melt the butter with the brown sugar in a saucepan.  Bring it to a boil and cook it over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove the pan from the heat and add 3 cups of confectioner’s sugar.  Beating with a spoon or a mixer until smooth, add the vanilla and the additional cup of confectioner’s sugar.  The mixture should be thick but still pour-able.  If it gets too thick, warm it again gently and add a touch of milk.

While the mixture is thick but pour-able, pour a puddle on the first cake layer.  Spread it quickly with a knife and put the second layer on top.  Quickly pour the rest of the icing around the cake making ribbon like motions or just let it drip down the sides and empty the remaining icing into the center of the top of the cake.  It is important to work quickly with this icing because it is like fudge.  It will set up quickly.

UMmm. UMmm. Memories, light the corners of my mind, Misty watercolor memories of the way things were...  Remembering you Dad!




Also just in case you see it and are curious.  The plate does say something... it has a drawing of a turkey, a tipi, and a little Indian and it says "Two Bobbe - Ray, 1976"  That's when my son was 6 and he made the plate for me in school - yes, more memories...

Enjoy!

Garden Freestyle

Today's bounty

Wandering through the garden each morning with an eye toward what will be for dinner is one of the great pleasures in life.  Gardens often offer up bountiful surprises in some years and disappointment in others.  Zucchini seems to be one of those bountiful crops and so I ponder new ways to use this beautiful vegetable.

I love soup and it's something we sometimes don't think about as a summer meal, but this one will surprise you with it's light, savory, fresh from the garden flavor.

Garden Freestyle - Soup
 This recipe makes a good sized pot of soup and the variations are endless.

Start with:

Saute the onions in olive oil until translucent

3 quarts of chicken stock (you can use Better Than Bouillon Chicken or Veggie for the stock if you wish) 
2 cups onion chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves of garlic minced
8-10 slices of bacon cooked, drained, chopped
2 cups half and half or heavy cream


From the garden - co-op - farmer's market:
4 - 5 cups chopped zucchini (1" pieces) or cauliflower or cabbage or a combination
4 cups chopped kale or chard or spinach or a combination
1/2 - 1 cup of chopped fresh herbs - usually basil and thyme, sometimes a little oregano or sage. If you don't have fresh herbs, use about a teaspoon each of dried basil and thyme.

I wash, stack, and roll the kale and basil leaves and slice them.

If you have a few potatoes, a little corn or peas, let your intuition and garden dictate what you will make today.  I've tried a number of different combinations, but my favorite is still just the zucchini and kale which are always abundant.  The amounts are just guidelines.  If you chop up 5 zucchini and get 6 cups, use it, it's no problem with this Freestyle soup.


Step 1 - cook the bacon and set it aside to cool, drain, and chop

In the pot ready to simmer.

Step 2 - saute the onions in the olive oil until they become mostly translucent
Step 3 - add the garlic, chopped veggies, and the stock
Step 4 - add the bacon (additional meat is optional - in this photo you see a little chicken that I picked from the bones when I made my stock from a chicken carcass. 
Step 5 - add the herbs and simmer until the veggies are tender, about 15-20 minutes depending on the veggies you

are using.
Step 6 - stir in the half and half or heavy cream and season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Serve this Garden Freestyle soup for lunch or dinner with a crusty bread if desired. 

If you have left overs, they get even better the next day as the smoky flavor increases.  This is an amazingly delicious light summer soup, made with the freshest ingredients your garden or farmer's market can offer!

Enjoy!

 

I'll Never Boil Another Egg

Recently a friend of mine told me about a different way to make hard cooked eggs.  I was skeptical to say the least. She said, "you have to try this!"  

I'd given up years ago on ever having hard boiled eggs that were easy to peel, not to mention having to cook 24 eggs to get 12 decent ones to make a batch of old fashioned deviled eggs.  I'd tried all the various tips like aging the eggs, baking, vinegar, flash cooling... etc.  None of them  were easy to peel and some of them resulted in eggs that were gross and ugly.

Well I'm here to tell you I'm a convert.  I will never boil another egg.  The way to get perfect hard cooked eggs that are easy to peel is to steam them.  I know, what's the difference?  I couldn't imagine that there could be any difference between boiling and steaming, but it's true - there is.  I've done this a few times myself with different eggs and even eggs that I grabbed right out from under the chicken.  It made no difference, they were all equally easy to peel and they were perfectly cooked. 

EASY TO PEEL HARD COOKED EGGS:

Washed eggs in steamer basket

Place fresh, sound, and washed eggs in a steamer basket.

Heat a couple of inches of water to a boil in a pot with a steaming lid or a lid that will hold in the steam.  The steaming lid just has a little hole in it that will let out a stream of steam as it is boiling.

When the water begins to boil, set the steaming basket in the pot and cover with the lid.  Set the timer for 20 minutes.

Eggs steaming with the lid on tight

Just before the timer goes off, fill a bowl with ice and water.  At 20 minutes plunge the steamed eggs into the ice water to stop the cooking and cool them down to touch.  

Eggs cooling in iced water

Once the eggs are cool enough to handle, peel them.  I timed my peeling of 12 eggs today at just over 6 minutes.... wow, is that a record or what?   Not one of them was marred in the process.









I  almost always do a dozen at a time because then I can refrigerate them and have them for a quick breakfast or lunch.  It doesn't really matter if you do 1 or 12, the directions are the same.  You will find the process so enjoyable that you just might want to pull out your grandmother's recipe for deviled eggs.  Well, if you don't have a recipe for Deviled Eggs, here is one that my grandmother used to make.

DEVILED EGGS

6 hard cooked eggs cut in half lengthwise
Separate the yolks into a bowl and reserve the whites for filling
Mash up the yolks with a fork and add:
3 tablespoons of mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1-2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons of sweet pickle relish (optional)

Combine the yolk mixture with a fork until well mixed.  Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.  Spoon into the egg white bases and garnish with a dusting of dill weed or paprika.

Refrigerate immediately and allow the flavors to mingle before serving,

Enjoy!

The Mighty Rhu

Rhu Barbarum - Rhubarb

Rhubarb, a gift from the barbarians beyond the Vogue River (Rha River).  
Get it?... Rha Barbarum.  Initially, only the root was used and uses date back to 2700 BC where it was grown and used in China for medicinal purposes.  It is thought to have made its way to America in the late 1700’s.  

Today, a look around any old farmhouse or homestead will locate the perennial rhubarb plant that brought vitamin C and other vitamins, and a fresh new season of food to families each spring.

Rhubarb grows in stalks from underground rhizomes.  It multiplies readily and it is easy to share a portion of your plant with a friend.  That’s where I got mine and I have since shared forward to several others. What a great plant!

Many people think of rhubarb as only a spring plant, however, if you pick and use the rhubarb regularly throughout the growing season, it will continue to produce into the fall.  Be sure to quickly cut off any bloom stalk that appears too.  The stalks are the edible part.  The leaves contain oxalate, which is toxic even in small quantities and should not be consumed.  Nutritionally speaking, rhubarb is a great addition to the table.  Detailed nutritional data can be found at http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/2056/2

Rhubarb is thought of as a fruit, but it is actually a vegetable.  It can be used in both sweet and savory dishes.  So far I’ve only used it in sweet dishes but I plan to experiment in the coming season with a savory use for this healthy vegetable.  In this post, I’ll share several of my favorite rhubarb recipes:

Rhubarb Crisp

1 1/2 pounds of rhubarb make about 4 cups diced

A top favorite with my family, this is a simple and delicious rhubarb crisp.  Even people who say no thank you to rhubarb pie will ask for seconds.

4 cups of rhubarb stalks cut lengthwise and then into ½ inch pieces (about a pound and a half)

Sauce:
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla
 

Combine the crust ingredients

Crust:
1 cup flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter, melted

Pour the sauce over the rhubarb

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2.  Cut the rhubarb
3.  Combine the sauce ingredients in a small pan and bring to a boil - turn off and set aside.
4.  Combine the crust ingredients in a medium bowl and mix with a fork until blended

5.  Place half the crust mixture in the bottom of an 8x8 or 9x9 pan or similar.
6.  Spread the rhubarb evenly over the crust.
7.  Pour the sauce over the rhubarb and finish with the rest of the crust mixture

Rhubarb Crisp!

 




Bake for 1 hour and serve warm with vanilla ice cream or at room temperature with some whipped cream.

Next up is a recipe that I’ve only recently adapted from The Slow Mediterranean Kitchen.
 
This is quite a bit more work, but produces a very tasty tart.

 

Rhubarb Custard Tart

Rhubarb Custard Tart
Ingredients:
Pie crust
1 ½ pounds of rhubarb diced (4 cups)
1 cup sugar - divided
1-2 tablespoons orange liqueur and or 1 ½ teaspoons of finely grated orange zest
3 large eggs
3/4 cup heavy cream
pinch of salt

The day before, or 5-6 hours before, prepare a flaky pie crust from your favorite recipe and chill.  Wash and dice about 1 ½ pounds of rhubarb into ½ inch pieces (4 cups).  Toss with ½ cup of sugar and refrigerate over night or for 4-5 hours.

Drain the sugary juice from the rhubarb

The next day, drain the rhubarb in a colander set over a skillet.  Allow it to drain while you prepare the crust.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Roll out the crust and place in your pan.  Put the pan into the freezer for a few minutes until you are ready to put it into the oven.  Prick the bottom and weight it down with pie weights or dried beans on top of aluminum foil.  Bake the crust on the bottom rack of the oven for 10-12 minutes.  Remove the foil and weights and bake another 5-7 minutes until it is just golden.  Let it cool to room temperature.

Boil the juice to reduce to a very thick syrup

While the crust is cooling, boil the rhubarb juice in the skillet until it is thick and syrupy and reduced to just a few tablespoons.  Remove from the heat, stir in the rhubarb and the orange liqueur/orange zest and allow it all to cool to room temperature.

Set the oven temperature to 400 degrees.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, remaining ½ cup of sugar, and pinch of salt.  

Distribute the rhubarb mixture evenly over the bottom of the tart shell and pour half the custard over and let it settle, then pour the rest of the custard.

Ready for the oven

Bake the tart until the custard is puffed and golden brown, about 30-35 minutes.  Allow to cool completely before serving.  Serve at room temperature with a dollop of vanilla whipped cream.

 








Now you must be ready for my final rhubarb discover!  

Last year I harvested over 72 pounds of rhubarb from my 4 plants.  What in the world was I going to do with all that rhubarb?  I mostly put it in my pot and made rhubarb juice.  I used the juice to make my granddaughter’s now favorite jelly.  It makes a delicious, delicate pink jelly.  I'm not planning to post that recipe here but if you need it, send me a message.

I wanted to make something else with my juice, so I made rhubarb tea and rhubarb lemonade.

Hummingbird Cocktails

Hummingbird tea (left) Hummingbird lemonade (right)

Rhubarb Juice - we also call this Hummingbird Juice (not to be given to hummingbirds)

Wash, trim, and chop up rhubarb stalks into 1 inch pieces. 
Put into a pot and just cover with water. 
Simmer the rhubarb until it breaks down into a mush.  This doesn’t take long, maybe 10-15 minutes.
 

Rhubarb ready to simmer

Allow it to cool to a working temperature or room temperature.
Strain the juice through a colander over a large bowl or clean pot.  Allow time for it to drain completely, do not press or force the rhubarb through the colander.
Strain the juice one more time through a fine mesh strainer.  (If you are going to use the juice to make jelly, I strain it through a cheese cloth draped over the strainer for crystal clear jelly.)

Strained rhubarb juice

Once you have your strained rhubarb juice, to make the “hummingbird juice” I add about 1/4 cup of sugar per full cup of juice.  I don’t bother with partial cups as this is plenty sweet.  Make sure the sugar dissolves completely.  You might need to warm the juice a little to get the sugar dissolved.  Then refrigerate the juice.

To make my Hummingbird Cocktails, I add crushed ice to a glass, add about 1/4-1/2 rhubarb juice and top that off with green tea or lemonade.  Give it a little stir and serve with or without a garnish.  

I’ve never been a vodka drinker, but someone left a partial bottle here sometime ago.
  This sis knot soooo badd wit ah tittle splosh a vodka tooo.

Enjoy!

Hummus

Channa Dal Garbanzo Beans Left - White Garbanzos Right

I know, really... a blog about hummus?  Yep, based on popular request, here it is.  Hummus can be plain and boring or it can be as exciting as you want to make it. You can call it humus, hummus, or hommus, but every time I make it, it's gobbled up with enthusiasm.  It's easy to make and way better than spreads with lots of unknown ingredients from the store.

For me, hummus started out a long time ago with my 1977 edition of Molly Katzen's,  Moosewood Cookbook.  

I've altered the recipe over the years to suit my taste and once again I've had to find some more precise measurements rather than a dash, a squeeze, and a taste.

Hummus is a rich and tasty spread made from garbanzo beans, tahini, garlic, and spices.  It is rich in protein and can be used in many ways.  As the basis of a delicious sandwich, a dip with crackers or pita bread, or as an entire meal surrounded with vegetables and breads.  It's simple to make and healthy beyond measure.  Don't let anyone knock it until they've tried it, as hummus has a huge likability factor.

Before the recipe, let's talk beans.  You can use canned garbanzo beans or as I prefer, cook your own.  If you are in the mood to cook your own, may I recommend finding Channa Dal garbanzo beans.  These are a little smaller and are a rich dark brown with their skins on.   The traditional white garbanzos are fine, I just prefer the darker, nuttier flavor of the Channa Dal beans.  You can most likely find them at an organic food store.  Always use organic ingredients whenever possible - You're worth it.

Hummus Basics 

1 cup rounded of dry garbanzo beans
Rinse the beans and place them in a pot.  Cover with water and bring to a boil.  Cover the pot and leave sit for 1-2 hours.  Drain and rinse the beans and cover with fresh water.  Cook until the beans are tender (about 90-120 minutes or 15-20 minutes in a pressure cooker).  Cool the beans to room temperature
or
use 2 cans (about 2 cups drained) of garbanzo beans with most of the liquid drained off and kept for later, if needed.

Place the following in a food processor:

the cooled or canned garbanzo beans with a little of the liquid
3-5 cloves of garlic
2/3 cup of tahini (tahini should be stirred before measuring)
1/4 cup of lemon juice (+/- to your taste)
2 tablespoons of tamari (+/- to your taste)
1/4 cup packed of minced parsley or 2 tablespoons dry parsley
1/2 - 1 teaspoon of salt (to taste)

blend this all together until very smooth.  It takes a bit of blending to get a really smooth consistency.  If necessary, add additional liquid from the beans or additional lemon juice based on taste to make the consistency smooth and not dry.

That's ready to eat!

I like to make a double batch and freeze it in small quantities that I can pop out for lunch or for a quick appetizer when needed.

You can also experiment with different flavors added to the hummus.  Here are a few suggestions to try:

pitted greek olives (watch the tamari and salt with this one)
fire roasted red peppers
fresh basil instead of parsley
2 teaspoons of curry
artichoke hearts 
cayenne or black pepper
or any combination that sounds tasty.

You can also experiment with different beans.  Try white beans like cannellini or great northern, or try black beans, or lentils.  They all make a delicious hummus.

A favorite lunch or dinner is 2 slices of toasted sourdough bread, spread with a thick layer of hummus, add a big slice of ripe tomato, some fresh garden lettuce, spinach, or sprouts.  If it doesn't start falling apart or the hummus isn't oozing out, you didn't put enough on!

Enjoy!

Regional Cuisine - Goetta

Is regional the same as local?  I've been thinking about regional foods lately and why they have remained regional and not spread around the country like the people we meet.  Regional recipes seem to have an ethnic or cultural influence and be made with locally obtained ingredients.  Like goeduck in the Pacific Northwest, lobster rolls in New England, fried diamondback in Texas, and Rocky Mountain oysters in Montana...  but ok, I'm not going there.  For the most part, all of these regional foods are based on locally obtained ingredients, and that's great, Right?

There's a regional food that I grew up with that has always been a puzzle to me.  It's not based on any locally obtained ingredients or to my knowledge, any ethnic or cultural traditions.  I have wondered over the years why it has been such a well kept secret, where it got its start, its rather odd name, and why it has never escaped from its origin.

As a child, I stood by my Grandmother while she stirred a huge pot on the stove and we always had it as a sort of porridge that first night for dinner.  It was so tasty!

According to anything I can find on the internet, it originated in Cincinnati, Ohio in the late 1800's, of German-American heritage.  Well, I think that just means no one really knows, because my Grandfather was French and my Grandmother was Swedish.  Also, if you ask a person from Germany, they have never heard of it.  The internet also says it originated as a peasant dish to stretch out servings of meat.  I can somewhat picture this convenient logic, but I still don't totally believe that either, because when we make stew, we don't say it's to stretch out the meat.  I actually think they made it because it was delicious.  

I hope I've got your interest by now, because I'm going to share my age old secret recipe handed down from my Grandmother. Goetta (pronounced get-ah) is the regional food from Cincinnati that I'm talking about.  I also want to make sure that you understand that there is NO relationship to Scrapple.  Scrapple comes from the Pennsylvania area and is made with cornmeal and parts of pigs that were destine for the rendering plant.  There are NO similarities here.

GOETTA

1 to 2 pounds pork - as in a fresh pork shoulder or any lean pork 
1 to 2 pounds beef - as in a chuck or round or rump roast

Remove any obvious fat and brown the meat on all sides and then add 3-4 cups of water, a teaspoon of salt, and cook until fork tender.  (My grandmother cooked hers in a pressure cooker and that's what I do too.  About 45-55 minutes in the pressure cooker.)  No pressure cooker?  You can braise the meat in a crock pot on medium for 5-6 hours or in a covered dish in the oven 300-325 degrees for 2-3 hours.  
Braising requires that the meat be slow cooked in liquid until tender.  Add water as necessary to keep the meat from drying out and have lots of good juices.

Once tender, remove the meat from the juices and allow it to cool completely. You can even prepare the meat the day before and refrigerate.

In the photo above, I had actually cooked extra and reserved some of that for another recipe.  I finely diced about 11/2 pounds of each meat.

Once again, I'm going to give you an alternative to cooking this.  My Grandmother and I until just recently always cooked it in a big pot on the stove.  I've adapted my recipe to a crock pot method that takes a lot of the work out of it.

In a crock pot (or large, heavy bottomed pot on the stove top), add the chopped meat along with the following ingredients.

3 cups of organic steel cut oats ( these are knows as pinhead oats to the old timers)
6 cups of the broth from the meat plus water to make the 6 cups
2 medium onions diced finely
2-3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
3 teaspoons salt - it's important to add enough salt or the oats will taste bland

Set the crock pot to high for the first 2 hours, stirring every hour and keeping the lid on.  At 2 hours, turn down to low and begin stirring every 20 minutes to half hour for another 2 hours.  Do not add additional liquid as you want it to be very thick. If it appears that it is getting too thick to stir, add only a small amount - 1/2 cup and stir in completely.  When finished, the oats should be tender and your spoon should be able to stand up in the center of the pot all by itself.

If you are doing this on the stove top, ignore all of the stirring instructions above and you will need to stir it every 10-15 minutes for the first couple of hours and more often as it thickens.  Your burner should be on low the whole time as this stuff wants to stick and burn quickly. You are also going to need to add more water because the frequent stirring will evaporate more.  Add up to an additional 2 cups of water, 1/2 cup at a time as needed.  Now you can probably see why the crock pot is so great for this.  In both methods, keep it covered with the lid unless stirring.

When the oats are tender and the entire pot is very thick, take it off the heat, remove the bay leaves, and spoon it into a couple of deep dishes to cool.  I use my rubber spatula to press it into bread pans.  Once cool, cover the pans and put one in the refrigerator and the other in the freezer.

If there's a little left over, add a pat of butter and enjoy it fresh... ummm! just like grandmother used to make.

Like I said, we used to always have a serving fresh for dinner and it's great that way, but the way it is most often prepared is the refrigerated loafs are sliced into 1/2 inch slices and fried.  (The crispy fried version is pictured at the top of this post.) Of course, I no longer fry it in the traditional bacon grease, but if you are into that, that's the way it used to be done.  I fry it in a skillet with a little organic olive oil.  It is most often served for breakfast as an accompaniment to eggs.  We used to have it for any meal with or without eggs.  A couple of slices of this and a salad make a healthy dinner as well.

The way I cook it, it has little fat, as the meat I use is lean and I fry it in very little olive oil.  It is made with organic whole grain oats, which are very good for you.  It's an old time comfort food for me.  I do hope you will enjoy it too.

Meatballs for Zenn

This is the time of the year I start looking through gardening catalogs and watching the snow ever so slowly recede from my garden beds.  It's also the time to take inventory of those things which are still on hand from last year's abundance.

I am down to my last few carrots and they are as sweet as ever.  I've just a couple of onions left, lots of garlic, and in the freezer, I discovered a couple of the last quarts of Fire Roasted Marinara (see my post from September 2012 fire-roasted-marinara-sauce).

Every year I say not so many tomatoes, because by the end, I'm totally worn out.  But every year when it comes time to plant I want all the usual, plus I like to try something new.  I'm sure this year will be no different.

The recipe that I'm going to share is an old standby.  By now, if you've been following this blog very long, you know that I like to cook pots of stuff that always leave leftovers for more than one meal.  My motto might be "the one pot wonder with leftovers".

The other day when my 3 year old grandson found out we were heading over to his house, he began to explain as we were in the car, "Grammie, when we get there maybe we could make some cookies in the shape of hearts, and then we could make some muffins without egg, and some meatballs, I love meatballs."  I have a feeling he's going to be my little cooking buddy as he likes to cook and he loves to eat almost as much as he love to talk.  So, I'm going to make him some meatballs.  I'm also going to put them in that Fire Roasted Marinara from the freezer and give you one more way I love to use them.

My recipe for meatballs offers no earth shattering enlightenment, but I hope it might just remind you how easy they are to make, how much better they taste than anything you can buy, and how easy they are to freeze for future meals.

Meatballs

2 pounds of lean ground beef/bison/turkey
1 cup soft bread crumbs (made from bread ends or stale bread, but not dried)
1/2 cup catsup
1/4 cup dried minced onion (or 1/2 c finely minced fresh onion)
1 teaspoon salt
1  teaspoon garlic granules (or 2 cloves finely minced)
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning blend

Thoroughly mix and blend all the ingredients together.  I use my hands and mix until it looks completely consistent. Depending on how lean your meat is, if it has had water added at the store, or how dry your bread crumbs are, you may need to add 1/4 cup of water or milk or add 1 egg to the mixture so that it is manageable.  I used to add egg all the time, but my little guy has been allergic to egg and so I just stopped that and never noticed any difference in the meatballs.

 I use a two tablespoon (coffee measure) to help me form the balls of equal size.  You will get about 36 two tablespoon balls out of this recipe.

You can form the balls and put them into a skillet or on a cookie sheet for the oven.  I usually use the skillet.

If you are going to use the oven method, preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Fill the skillet and cook over medium heat until browned on one side.  Using a spoon, turn the balls to brown on another side and cover with a lid.  Cook covered until cooked through, about 15 minutes.

On a cookie sheet, leave an inch or two between the meatballs and bake them for 15 - 20 minutes.  Cut one open to test for doneness.

Place the cooked meatballs on a couple of sheets of paper towel to drain and cool.  Once cool, you can put them into zip-lock bags and put them in the freezer for future use.  I don't bother to try to freeze them on a cookie sheet - I've never had them stick together either.

If you just cooked them in the skillet, drain any grease out of the skillet and use your tomato sauce or marinara to deglaze the skillet.  Heat your sauce and then add your meatballs to the sauce to simmer for about 20 minutes before serving over pasta.

Another way I love to use the meatballs is in a stir fry.  Stir fry some onion, bok choy, celery, red pepper, etc and just before it is finished, add the meatballs so that they get heated through.  Top this with a little Veri Veri Teriyaki  sauce and serve over rice or noodles.

Well, there you have it!  Enjoy!