Farmers Market Quiche

Hopefully this will redeam my apples and peanut butter post!
I was given some goose eggs and decided to make a meal to incorporate them. So I made a savory pie crust....I used the recipe from Ina Garten's Apple crostata and left out most of the sugar. I then looked in the fridge to see what vegetables I had. this is what I came up with:

2 small onions
1 spear brocolli, florets and stem
1/2 portabella shroom
1 leaf of kale, finely chopped
left over tomato soup from night before
pinch thyme
S and P to taste

2 goose eggs(2-3 chicken)
11/4 cup milk
1 cup crated cheddar(whatever you have)

I sauteed onions and mushrooms until soft, with salt. Added the brocolli and then kale and cooked for about 10 minutes. Added about 1/2 cup of tomato soup (which was really yummy so knew it would give some good flavor...it was mostly for flavor) added pepper and thyme.
mixed eggs with milk and added cheese, added to veg mix over low heat and just warmed it up to incorporate...about 2 minutes. poured this into my pie crust and baked at 375 for 45 minutes.
It was really good!

crust:
1 cup white flour
1 cup whole wheat
1/2 cup butter
salt
pulse in food processor until cornmeally
add 2 tbles cold water while mixing
put out onto counter and kneed.
This will make 2 doughs. I like this recipe because I can use the dough right away, no need to refrigerate.

I called it the farmers market quiche because I got almost everything at the wednesday market. how fortunate we are to have that market! You could add any vegetables and the key for me is to chop small so the kiddos don't freak out with big chunks! Enjoy!! and thanks for all the great recipes....PJ

Scallion Pancakes

Tonight for dinner we are going to try the posted recipe for Millet Fried Rice accompanied by these Scallion Pancakes. These are fun to make with kids!

Ingredients:

1 cup flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons canola oil
3 scallions, white and green parts sliced
boiling water

In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt and 1 tablespoon of the oil. With a wooden spoon stir in 1/2 cup of boiling water to form a soft dough (adding additional flour or water as necessary). Mix in scallions. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Cover the dough with its bowl and let stand for 30 minutes.

Dust the dough with a bit of flour and roll into a log. Slice into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a disk......approx 4". Heat 1 tablespoon oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Cook pancakes until brown and crispy on each side.

The original recipe also called for 3 tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds to be added to the dough. I have omitted them because they took on a sand-like texture when cooked and made it rather unpleasant to eat these! I love sesame seeds and may play with the recipe to see if i can successfully incorporate them again.

Potato Leek Soup

Here's what is for lunch at our house today. This is one of regular meals that everyone in the house will usually eat.

Ingredients:

3 large or 6 medium leeks (white parts only), finely sliced
2 pounds yellow potatoes, cleaned and dices into 1/2" cubes
7 cups water or broth (we usually use broth)
salt and freshly milled pepper, to taste
butter or olive oil for pan

Chop leeks and potatoes. Melt butter or heat oil in wide soup pot, add leeks and potatoes and cook over low heat, covered, for 10 minutes. Add your 7 cups of liquid (and if using water rather than broth, also add 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt) and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until potatoes are soft to the point of falling apart. Next, i either use my immersion blender for a few seconds in the entire pot, or put 1/3 to 1/2 of it in a food processor or blender to puree.

At this point, one of my kids likes chunks and the other doesn't.......so i set aside a chunk-free portion before returning the puree to the pot!

The original recipe suggests using milk or cream.......we like it without. It can also be served with a dollop of sour cream

Fresh Pasta with Lentil Sauce

Here is what we are having for dinner tonight. I am making fresh pasta with a lentil tomato sauce.

For the pasta i use:

3 1/2 cups of flour (you can play with varieties)
4 eggs
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons salt

I put it all in the bowl of my kitchenaid and mix it up! Remove after a few minutes and knead the dough....add a touch of water if necessary, but this dough should be really firm. We have the pasta maker attachment for the kitchenaid, which i run small pieces of this dough through. And then cut the pasta......we usually do a fettucini style cut. I'm new to the pasta making, but i know others on this blog have more experience with it......so if anyone has questions perhaps someone here would know the answer.


For the sauce........A friend of mine made this for us after we had our youngest daughter. It was delicious! She said she got the recipe off of the Merrick's website, in their recipe section.

Here it is.

3 cups chopped carrots
2 large onions, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound dry brown lentils
4 cans diced tomatoes
cayenne flakes, to taste
4 cups tomato sauce
2 tsp dried thyme (or just alot of fresh basil at the end)
salt and pepper to taste

Saute onions, garlic and carrots in oil until soft. Add 5 cups water and lentils and simmer for 30 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, thyme, salt, pepper and cayenne.......simmer uncovered until desired thickness. Serve with fresh grated parmesan.

We often saute other veggies to go in this sauce.....depending on what we have. And i also really love it with fresh parsley!

Millet Fried Rice

I got this recipe from "Super Natural Cooking" by Heidi Swanson, it's one worth checking out of the library, beautiful photography too. She also has a great food blog, http://www.101cookbooks.com/index.html if you haven't already discovered it. For a more kid friendly version stop before adding the soy sauce and serve them a less flavorful dish. For kids kids that don't like foods all mixed up it's easy to pull out small portions of the individual pieces, their plate can have a pile of millet, a pile of scrambled eggs, a pile of tofu, and a piles of veggies. I've typed the recipe for the most part as it is in her book but just so you know, I don't clarify butter, I scramble an egg however it scrambles, I chop carrots the same way every time no matter the recipe, I don't wipe out the pan between steps, etc. and it still comes out good.
Here's what's for dinner tonight. . .

Millet Fried Rice

1 1/2 cups millet, rinsed
4 1/2 cups water
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 carrot
2 Tablespoons clarified butter
2 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 eggs, beaten
8 ounces firm tofu, cut into cubes
3/4 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
2 cloves garlic
1 bunch green onions, sliced
1 Tablespoon shoyu sauce (soy sauce)

Combine millet, water and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, them lower the heat to an active, bubbling simmer and cook, covered, until the millet is fluffy and splitting. Test it after 20 or 25 minutes, and once it's tender but not mushy, drain off any extra water (there shouldn't be much , if any) and set aside to cool.

To prepare the carrots, use a vegetable peeler to make a pile of long shavings. Then use a chef's knife to cut into thin matchsticks. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter and 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. When it is nice and hot, pour in the eggs and swirl the pan to create a thin layer of egg evenly distributed across the pan. Cook this omelet for about 45 seconds, or until it sets up. Fold the eggs over on themselves and cook for another 30 seconds or so before transferring it to a plate or cutting board. Let it cool a bit, then slice into strips.

Scrape or wipe any remaining egg out of the skillet, return it to meduim-high heat and without adding any oil, drop the tofu into the pan. Cook for 4 or 5 minutes, tossing from time to time. Remove the tofu from the pan, set aside, scrape out any bits from the bottom of the skillet.

Arrange the remaining ingredients near the stove. Place the skillet over high heat, add remaining 1 tablespoon butter and oil. Stir in ginger and garlic and cook for about 15 seconds. Stir in green onions and carrots for 30 seconds. Stir in millet, cooked tofu and shoyu, cook for 30 seconds then fold in egg. Taste for seasoning and serve with a bit of sesame oil or more shoyu.

Claudia's Creamy Raw Carrot Soup

This recipe is one we made at a nutrition program I am involved in. I really liked it and wanted to share. Raw=no cooking. Couldn't get much simpler. Well, I guess PJ wins in that category.

4 large carrots
2 stalks celery
1/8 red onion
1/4 c parsley
1 apple
2 dates
2 c water
1/3 c sunflower seeds (soaked overnight)
2 t lemon juice (fresh squeezed)
1/2 t sea salt
1/2 t cumin

Blend it all together in a high power blender or a food processor and serve. I haven't had it long enough to play around with the recipe but I am sure you could.

A week of meals

I try to plan meals for a week and go to the grocery store once a week. There is always the call to Daddy to pick up odds and ends on his way home from work but it works well to do one big shop a week. This week will are having for dinner,
Pasta with Broccoli
Ribollita soup
Hand Pies (I'll post about these soon)
Sesame Soba Noodles
Millet Fried Rice
Fettuccine with spinach
Chicken sausage, potatoes and green beans

I'm not into eating much "kid food" but I also recognize that I can't challenge the kids every night, Pasta with Broccoli is my idea of a compromise.

Pasta with Broccoli
1-2 bunches of broccoli florets
1 pound fusilli pasta

Sauce enough for 1/2 pound of pasta
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
juice of 1 freshly squeezed lemon
1/4 cup toasted pignoli (pine) nuts or walnuts
Freshly grated Parmesan, optional

Cook the broccoli for 3 minutes in a large pot of boiling salted water. Remove the broccoli from the water with a slotted spoon or sieve. Place in a large bowl and set aside.

In the same water, cook the pasta according to the package directions, about 12 minutes. Drain well and add to the broccoli.Pour half pasta and broccoli into another bowl, toss with olive oil and parmesan cheese (this is for the kids).

Meanwhile, in a small saute pan, heat the butter and oil and cook the garlic over medium-low heat for 1 minute. Off the heat, add 1 teaspoons salt, the pepper, and lemon juice and pour this over the remaining broccoli and pasta. Toss well. Season to taste, sprinkle with the nuts and cheese, if using, and serve.

The kids inhale this and ask for seconds and with the lemon garlic sauce and nuts it's quit tasty to us adults.

For those of you who say you can't make tasty soup here is a very flavorful soup from my favorite Food Network hottie, Giada. Often when I make soup I'll make extra and freeze it, making double the soup does not take double the time so it saves time in the long run. That frozen soup is my idea of fast food for those nights when dinner just isn't comeing together I grab some good homemade soup and warm it up. Also I freeze leftover tomato paste in an ice cube tray in approximately Tablepoon portions and store in a plastic bag after frozen for later use.

Ribollita

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling on bread
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
4 ounces pancetta, chopped
2 cloves garlic, 1 minced and 1 whole
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 pound frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 (15-ounce) can cannelloni beans, drained
1 tablespoon herbs de Provence
3 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1 (3-inch) piece Parmesan rind
4 to 6 ciabatta rolls, halved lengthwise or 1 loaf, sliced
Grated Parmesan, for serving

Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, pancetta, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook until the onion is golden brown and the pancetta is crisp, about 7 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir until dissolved. Add tomatoes and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all the brown bits. Add the spinach, beans, herbs, stock, bay leaf, and Parmesan rind. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Drizzle the ciabatta halves with olive oil. Toast until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and rub the top of the toasts with the whole garlic clove. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve with soup.

Black Bean and Veggie Enchiladas

This was dinner last night. It's pretty easy, although not quite as simple as PJ's post........if only my children ate peanut butter!

Ingredients:

1 onion
4 cloves garlic, sliced very thin
veggies of choice (last night we used shitake mushrooms, sweet potato, regular potato, and spinach
2 cans Amy's organic refried black beans
12 corn tortillas
salsa
cheddar
sour cream
olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat some oil in a large frying pan. I start by sauteing the onions until clear, and then i add the other veggies in the order of whichever need to cook the longest. Last night the order was sweet potato, potato, garlic, mushrooms, spinach. Heat the beans to make them easier to spread. The way i deal with the corn tortillas is: i put them sideways under running water (so the water gets in between them), wrap them in tin foil and put them in the preheating oven until warm and bendy! Once tortillas are ready, spread a dollop of beans and a scoop of veggies onto each one and wrap. Place in a baking pan.......repeat until out of beans, veggies, or tortillas. Top with salsa and grated cheese. Bake at 375 until cheese is melted and lightly browned (about 15 minutes). Serve with sour cream if you like!

Sat. night dinner after blue frosting birthday cake

Here's what we had for dinner, still trying to get the blue off of the lips....are you ready.....apple wedges and peanut butter! Here' how to make:

1 medium winesap apple, washed and cut into fairly thin wedges.
1 jar all natural creamy peanut butter

Place apples on a plate. Open Peanut butter and with a clean spoon, place two large dollops onto plate next to apples. Place on table between hungry children.

I'm happy to share future recipes. Hope this helps.....PJ

This is dinner at our house

I bought a piece of salmon yesterday but never got to cooking it. So today I marinated it in SoyVey teriyake marinade, after checking with my mother it was still ok to use.
Baked it in the oven at 425 degrees.
Soaked some rice noodles in hot water according to the directions on the box.

In a frying pan saute'd shallots and garlic in some canola oil.
Added shredded spinach.
added the softened noodles, salt and pepper, a hint of sesame oil, soy sauce, and crumbles or chunks of the salmon....saute'd and blended.

The girls had mac n cheese and Lucy had a hot dog.
Tabitha ate some of my noodles and salmon as well.

Matt isn't home and probably hasn't eaten.

G's new favorite dinner

I made this in 20 minutes - really. Below is the original recipe but of course I had to mix it up a little. Forget the lime. I added 1 tsp of cumin along with the chili powder. No cilantro for E and G's dishes but I did smash an avocado in at the end. Love it. This dish was especially good because we used our own canned salsa and corn we had cleaned and frozen ourselves. You could also add a little sour cream...

Quinoa Medley with Beans and Corn

Ingredient List

1 1/4 cups quinoa, rinsed

1 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup frozen corn

1/2 cup chunky salsa, divided

1 tsp. chili powder

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

2 Tbs. olive oil

lime wedges, for garnish

Directions

Bring 2 cups water to a boil in saucepan. Stir in quinoa, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Simmer 10 minutes.

Add beans, corn, 1/4 cup salsa and chili powder; season with salt and pepper. Return to a boil. Cover, and cook 2 to 5 minutes more, or until quinoa is tender.

Stir in cilantro, oil and remaining salsa. Divide among bowls, garnish with lime wedges, and serve.

Something to fall back on

Last night we were supposed to have dinner at a friend's house, but they had to cancel last minute. So i was left with no dinner and no plan. It seems like the meal i always throw together on those nights is HOMEMADE MAC AND CHEESE! I'm not sure why, but that's what always seems to turn up for dinner on the nights when i'm just not sure what to make. Everyone enjoys it and we always seem to have the ingredients on hand.

Here's a very general recipe i usually use. (i think there are 2 kinds of cooks: recipe followers and recipe modifiers.........i am the latter of the 2. i never make the same thing the exact same way twice)

Ingredients:

1 pound of pasta of your choice (we like gemelli or fussili, something with twists to capture the sauce)
1 small onion
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
breadcrumbs, if you like them
salt and pepper to taste
anywhere between 4 and 8 ounces of cheese, shredded (i always use a mix. the majority usually ends up being extra sharp cheddar, and then i throw in some parmesan. i have also used gruyere, monterey jack, romano, colby........you get the idea)

Boil water for pasta and cook it while making cheese sauce. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt butter in sauce pan and saute onions until translucent. Add flour and stir until light brown. Add milk and heat until sauce boils and thickens. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add mustard and about 3/4 of cheese, salt and pepper if you wish.

This needs to end up in a baking dish. I typically return drained noodles to pan and mix in cheese sauce then pour it all into a baking dish. Do this step how you wish. Once it's in the baking dish sprinkle with breadcrumbs if you would like, and top with the remaining cheese. Bake at 375 until cheese on top is melty and brown and looks like its done!

We layer with tomatoes during the season.

Tonight we will have bean and veggie enchiladas, but i don't have a recipe for that either.....so i'll pay attention to how i make them and post later!

BARLEY RISOTTO

This was last nights dinner at our house, and i must say this recipe is a winner with all family members (very rare)! To the basic recipe i add whatever vegetables i have in the house that suit our mood.....almost always including some sort of green (kale, collards, swiss chard, spinach, etc) and at least 2 other veggies. Everyone here loves it with mushrooms, but we've also used squash (zucchini, summer, and many winter squash varieties), asparagus, peas, green beans, carrots, tomato...and the list goes on. The meat enthusiast among us loves this with a side of sausage! And we also enjoy it with toasted pistachios! Be creative! And make a double recipe if you love leftovers!

I have found this recipe is delicious with or without the cheese. The barley has such a creamy texture on it's own that you certainly don't need the cheese to add that dimension.

Decide when you would like to add whatever veggies you choose to use. Depending on what i use, i either add it at the beginning with the onions and garlic, or a few minutes before the dish is done cooking (example: spinach)

Ingredients:
6 cups of vegetable stock
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup pearl barley
3/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan or pecorino romano
salt and freshly milled pepper to taste


Have the stock at a simmer. Heat oil in large pot. Add onion and garlic and cook over medium heat until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add barley and cook for 1 minute, stirring to coat the barley. Raise the heat a little and add the wine, stir frequently until the wine is absorbed. Lower the heat and add 2 and 1/2 cups of the stock, cover the pot, and simmer until the stock is almost absorbed. Now start adding stock 1/2 cup at a time and wait until it's absorbed before adding the next 1/2 cup. Stir frequently. After about 40 minutes the barley should be tender and the dish thick and creamy. YOU MAY NOT NEED TO USE ALL OF THE STOCK. Stir in cheese and serve! Fresh parsley goes nicely mixed in or as a garnish.

Embarrasing or no?

One of my favorite meals as a kid was crumbled hamburger in pasta with butter and parmesan. I am not sure there is any nutritional value in this meal besides some protein, but I loved it so.

So tonight I will be thawing out some burgers from the Wed. market and crumbling them up. The parmesan will be from Rudy (or the "cheese man" as he's known in our house).

Does this make it better...I hope so. Trying to find the time to even go to the grocery store between library, dropping of and picking up Jack, staying home through his nap and then another helping of library is tough, especially on days when I have to be at work by 5pm.

Dinner last night was scrambled eggs and toast (again market eggs & law. bakery bread)

The night before that was a Griggstown pot pie.

On Thursday the guys will go to Antimo's for pizza while I'm at work.

So now you know all my dirty secrets.
Keep up with the recipes and ideas because I need all the help I can get.

Tonight at our house

Was make your own pizza night. I bought a three pack of uncooked pizza crusts at PQM.
Set out a bowl of pizza sauce with two spoons, a bowl of shredded mozzarella. Each girl assembled her own pizza, first "painting" the surface with red sauce, then sprinkling the cheese on top in her own pattern. Then we cooked them in the oven and voila! It was a huge hit!
I know there are better dinner options out there...but this kept them occupied, happy, entertained, and fed...all in one fell swoop. .... which made for a happy mommy who is home alone with her girls.
Mommy had leftovers scrounged from the fridge.

Tonight's Dinner

Tonight's dinner in our house was Chicken with Goat Cheese and steamed broccoli and cauliflower.  The chicken recipe is a slightly modified recipe from Barefoot Contessa Home, which can be found on foodnetwork.com at www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chicken-with-herbed-goat-cheese-recipe/index.html.

CHICKEN WITH GOAT CHEESE

Ingredients:

3 whole (6 split) chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on

12 ounces goat cheese, cut into 12 thick slices

4 large garlic cloves, very thinly sliced

fresh basil leaves

olive oil

coarse salt

fresh ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place chicken breasts in baking pan.  Loosen the skin from the meat with your fingers, leaving one side attached.  Place thinly sliced garlic directly on each chicken breast (under skin), followed by 2 slices of the goat cheese and basil leaves.  Pull skin back over chicken breast.  Rub each piece with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until just cooked through.  Place under broiler for a couple minutes, if desired, to crisp up the top.

The original recipe calls for an herbed goat cheese, i prefer to use plain and add fresh herbs and the sliced garlic.

Garbonzo Stew

Here is what we had for dinner last night, easy, tasty and everyone in the family ate it or at least their personal version of it.

Garbonzo Stew

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 chopped onion
4 cups chopped tomatoes or 1 quart canned tomatoes
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
2 cans of garbonzo beans (chick peas), drained and rinsed
chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and saute 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in tomatoes and spices, cook 8 minutes or until thick, stir occasionally. Stir in garbonzo beans and heat through. Serve over peanut rice and sprinkle with cilantro.

Peanut rice
1 1/2 cups brown rice
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup chopped peanuts

Put rice and 3 cups of water in rice cooker or saucepan, cook until done. Stir in frozen peas, cover and let sit for several minutes until peas heat through. Stir in peanuts.

For the baby/toddler -
I heated some plain garbonzo beans in a pot with a little water, when they were warm and softened I smashed them with the back of a fork and added the rice with peas (before I put the peanuts in) and a little water.
For the older kid -
A serving of rice and peas with a little butter and salt, a serving of warmed plain beans, and a serving of peanuts.

Black Bean and Corn Stew

Ingredients

Serves 4.

• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 can (4 1/2 ounces) chopped green chiles
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes
• Salt
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook until softened, 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and cumin; cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes more.
2. To the pan, add chiles, beans, tomatoes and their juice, 2 cups water, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, partially covered, until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.
3. In a blender or food processor, puree 2 cups of the stew. Return the puree to the pan, and add frozen corn; simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve hot.