Chicken Risotto with Kale

I'm trying to add more home-canned food to the rotation.  It isn't meant to sit on a shelf and be pretty.  That's a waste of money and my time.  This idea got down two pints of broth and one of chicken.  Then I cut back the kale and made a Tuscan-themed risotto.  The kale seedlings I gave to my boss are thriving, so I can't unload the extras on her anymore.

When I was putting the risotto back in the pantry, I saw their recipe on the back of the package.  It was almost identical to what I planned to make, as far as the rice part was concerned.  That made me feel better.  I was adding kale, chicken, and herbs.

2 Tb butter
2 Tb olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
*1/2 tsp celery salt
*1/4 tsp white pepper
*1 tsp dried tarragon
*1 C arborio rice
1/4 C white wine, optional
*4 C chicken broth, low sodium or unsalted
*2 bunches kale, de-stemmed and chopped
*1 12-14 oz can chicken
*1/4 C grated parmesan cheese

1.  In a small saucepan, bring the broth up to a simmer.  Keep it warm, put a ladle in it, and put it near the burner where you're going to make the rest of the recipe.

2.  In a large saucepan or soup pot, melt the butter and oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

3.  Add the celery salt, white pepper, and tarragon and stir to combine.  Add the rice and stir to coat.

4.  If using wine, add and allow it to cook off.  Start to ladle in the broth half a cup at a time.  Stir and allow the rice to absorb it over about five minutes, stirring often, before adding more.

5.  About halfway through the broth process, stir in the kale.  It takes a while to cook, and will affect the amount of liquid in the rice.

6.  When you get to the last ladle of broth, the rice should be cooked al dente and somewhat creamy.  Add the can of chicken, stir everything together, and taste to adjust the seasonings.  Every broth is different, and brings something new to the dish.

7.  Remove from heat, stir in the cheese, and serve hot.  Garnish with more cheese and/or herbs.

Difficulty rating  :)

Lamb Fondue

I got some lamb "kabob" meat, then had to figure out what to do with it.  I considered Stoo, harira, a chunky shepherd's pie, kebabs, or a tagine.  Then I decided to just do far too much prep work and get out the fondue pot.  Good thing I didn't go with grilling, because it rained out of nowhere.

I'm putting "parties" on as a label, because something this devoted to presentation should have an audience.  We did have fondue nights growing up with just the four of us, but it was always an event.  Not usually on a holiday, just something everyone recognized as a special dinner.  This was when we each had three dipping sauces in little cups that I still use.  My mom was careful with the portioning, and we rarely had any leftovers to repurpose.

Despite going to two stores for the best deals, this one got spendy fast.  I realized I was cooking the same day as shopping and took advantage of clearances, but I did bring in everything except the yogurt and the last lettuce in the garden.  I've been doing very well on the grocery bills lately, and was planning on freezer and pantry meals for the next week with zero new groceries.  It all averages out if you're looking at what is on hand before shopping.

If you're new to hot oil fondue, there are some very important rules to follow.  Number one is managing cross-contamination.  The raw food needs a separate plate.  I caution against serving any kind of finger food with this, including bread, since you will be touching the raw lamb with your fingers and likely not getting up to wash each time.  Number two, the fork will be very hot coming out of the pot.  Do not touch it, never put it in your mouth, and use your eating fork or knife to remove the cooked item.  If serving vegetarians or vegans, have a second pot for any non-meats.

*1 lb lamb stew meat
other dippers of choice such as another protein, mushrooms, par-boiled potatoes, zucchini, cauliflower, etc
*1/2 C Greek yogurt
2 tsp white wine vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cumin
*2 Tb chopped cilantro 

1.  Prepare your fondue pot according to manufacturer's directions.  I used the electric one, which was kind of big for what I was doing, but far easier to set up and clean.

2.  Start heating 1 quart of oil on the stove.  Some fondue pots go straight from stovetop to the holder.  Others, like mine, you have to heat the oil separately.  Technically, you can do it over the fondue element, but it takes a lot longer.

3.  Prepare your raw meat platter.  The pieces should be no larger than two bites.  I don't mind cutting mine after cooking.  If they're too large, they take forever and lower the temperature of the pot.

4.  Whisk up the yogurt, vinegar, cilantro, and spices for a dipping sauce.  I also got out some pesto for the veggies.  It's fun to have more than one option.

5.  Make sure every place setting has a plate for cooked items, regular utensils, and fondue forks.  Most come with two of each color.  I also put a salad on mine ahead of time.  You can do group sauces if no one double dips, or give each person an ounce or so of each.

6.  To cook the lamb, skewer one piece on the pointy end.  Gently lower it into the oil so it doesn't splatter.  I tend to char mine as a personal preference, but rare is ok for everything except chicken and seafood.  If you put the veggies on the same plate as the meat, they must be cooked for at least a minute due to cross-contamination.

7.  Once done, remove piece from fondue fork onto eating plate, start up the next one, and enjoy your meal!

Difficulty rating :-0

This Got Out of Hand Quickly

I may have mentioned that I ended up with twice as many tomato starts as expected.  Then the chard and kale did very well, and the broccoli lasted longer than it was supposed to.  Here comes the summer planting season, and I'm out of space.

There is no way I'm making back the $150 or so I spent on pots and soil.  At least not this year.  That's fifty pounds of tomatoes.  Sure, I'm growing $100 of kale annually, and possibly $50 of artichokes.  I fully expect everything else to be a monetary loss, and the main benefit is the exercise and outdoor time.  Mental health benefits cannot be ignored in the equation, either.

The non-lawn parts of the back yard are now pretty solidly vegetable pots.  One tomato ended up in the front yard in an under-used spot.  The pumpkin and watermelon are going to have to go in bowl pots, or I'll bury a cheap pot in some of the front landscaping that's too poor for direct sowing.

The chicken wire is back up against the back wall for a pot of cherry tomatoes.  I built a baseboard trim and string trellis for two longer planter boxes of tomatoes and pole beans.  Bush beans are in the pot that Eggy died in.  Hoping they aren't subject to whatever killed it.

Emotionally, I'm getting closer to redoing the entire back yard with garden beds.  There was a day of watching YouTube videos.  The irrigation part is going to be expensive, but I could build the beds on my own and water by hand until then.  I was also eyeing some fruit trees at Home Depot.  I'll have to do more research and save up.

Chickpea Bowl with Tahini-Horseradish Dressing

Yes, the pretty salad trend continues.  Bowls are a bit of work to put together because you have to keep all the components separate.  I do prefer adding everything to a single bowl and tossing, just to have less to clean later.  But, you can't deny that this style of presentation is very attractive.

I plugged "beets" into the store app for a price check, and a surprising number of non-beet items came up, like rutabaga.  Huh?  Also on the list was a can of "shoestring beets".  That was so going into the cart.  Saved me running them through the V-slicer and permanently staining it.  Cheaper than fresh beets, too.

Other than the can of beets, this salad turned into a pantry clean-out.  Last half cup of brown rice, rest of the bundle of spinach from last week, a jar each of asparagus and chickpeas, some almost-gone cilantro, the rest of the gorgonzola, and some of the never-ending horseradish in the dressing.  I did not realize how far that root would go.  The rice and spinach actually only made two bowls, so I cooked up some barley and chard for the other two days of toppings.  The bowl was big enough to open a jar of olives, but I didn't want to start a new round of leftovers.  I found what I made to be very filling and didn't mind skipping one traditional Mediterranean ingredient.

*1 C brown rice
*1 lb fresh spinach
1 Tb olive oil
*2 cloves garlic, minced
*1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
*1 can asparagus spears, drained
1 can sliced or shoestring beets, drained
*1/2 C chopped cilantro
*1/2 C crumbled feta, gorgonzola, or goat cheese
*2 Tb tahini
*2 tsp white wine vinegar
*1-2 tsp prepared horseradish (to taste)
salt to taste
paprika (optional)
hot water as needed to thin

1.  Brown rice takes at least 30 minutes to cook, so start that while prepping everything else.  Cook according to package directions.

2.  Heat oil in a saucepan over medium.  Warm the garlic, then add the spinach and cook until wilted.  Set aside.

3.  For the dressing, whisk together the tahini, vinegar, horseradish, salt, and paprika, if using.  Taste, and adjust seasonings.  Add hot water, whisking after every tablespoon, until desired consistency.

4.  To assemble the bowls, first stir the spinach into the rice.  Either make one big serving bowl or four individual bowls.  Make a bed of the rice mixture.

5.  Start adding the other components in distinct sections.  Arrange them neatly so that the colors are disbursed.

6.  Drizzle the bowls with the dressing.  Any extra can be on the side, but I tried to make it about two tablespoons per serving, depending on how thin you made it.

Difficulty rating  :)

Cucumber and Melon Salad

Second salad in a week.  I'm really trying here.  I even got down Salad Freak and flipped through half of it before finding a version of this recipe.  I knew it was in there somewhere.  I'm making this recipe less fussy, aside from using the V-slicer on the produce.  Because, seriously, it's just sliced cucumber and cantaloupe with lime juice.  Any herbs or seasonings are just to make it more interesting, and can be altered to suit one's taste.

Once it was on the plate, I added "breakfast" as a label.  A scoop of yogurt and a pastry would turn this salad into brunch.  That's pretty much what I did with the other half of the melon.  You could even serve this salad as a diabetes-friendly dessert.

1 large cucumber or one package of Persians
1/2 of a cantaloupe 
*2 Tb lime juice
Handful of fresh or dried herbs such as mint, basil, or tarragon
Lemon or lime zest, optional
Sprinkle of sumac for a floral hint, or chili powder for bite
Salt to taste

1.  If using a regular cucumber, peel first and seed if desired.  Slice cucumber thinly.

2.  Cut melon in half and remove the seeds from one piece.  Reserve the other half for another use.  Cut off the end and remove the peel with a knife, leaving just the fruit.  Cut in quarters or smaller wedges, then slice each wedge thinly.  I used the thinnest setting of the V-slicer for the cucumber, then flipped over the plate to get slightly thicker melon slices.

3.  Plate the cucumber and melon slices however you like.  I tried different designs each night.  Drizzle with lime juice, then garnish with herbs, spices, and salt.  Add a bit of citrus zest if desired.  Serve chilled.

Serves 4-6, depending on produce size

Difficulty rating  π

Ful Medames

This is one of the most famous dishes out of Egypt.  It's the reason I was looking for fava beans.  Making it with limas here.  Cannellini and butter beans would also work.  Really, any bean is fine to use, but it's designed for one of the larger legumes.  It's also a very quick dish to make, perfect for those short on time to cook dinner.

The recipe I chose to follow is mild.  I didn't omit the chiles or any other spice.  If you do want heat, sink a couple of hot peppers into the mix.  The short cooking time really doesn't lend itself to absorbing the flavor, but leftovers will be spicy.  A sliced jalapeño or cayenne powder will do more for an immediate kick.

The original recipe classifies this as an appetizer, so I added that label to the list.  It's eaten at any time of day for any course except dessert.  I'm using it as a vegan main.  Garnishes can go from basic (olive oil, more chopped cilantro) to elaborate (tomatoes, fresh vegetables, chopped cooked meat, cheese).

For the average American diner, I'm calling this a four-serving recipe, about a generous half cup per person.  If you can handle more fiber, it's really 2-3.

1 15 oz can fava beans or any similar large bean; or 3/4 C dry
2 Tb olive oil, plus more for garnish
*2 tsp minced garlic
*2 green onions, sliced
1/2 C water, or as desired
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp dried parsley
2 Tb fresh chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish if desired
*Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 2 Tb)

1.  If making the beans from dry, soak for 8 hours, then drain.  With fresh water, bring to a boil for 5 minutes, lower heat to a simmer, cover, and cook 1-1/2 to 2 hours, until very tender.  You need to be able to mash them a bit.  Drain.  For canned, drain and rinse.

2.  In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium.  Cook the green onions and garlic until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add the cumin, paprika, salt, and dried parsley and cook another minute, until fragrant.

3.  Add the water and beans.  Bring to a low boil and cook 5 minutes to allow flavors to meld.  Mash some of the beans so they thicken the sauce.  Stir in the 2 Tb fresh cilantro and lemon juice and allow everything to come to temperature.  Serve hot, with garnishes as desired.

Difficulty rating  π

Tomato and Spinach Salad with Gorgonzola

I eat too fast.  When I was very little, I picked at my food and often got in trouble for not finishing it.  That's what happens when your parents were children during the Depression and WWII.  I'm very lucky I didn't end up with an eating disorder.  As an adult, I started scarfing down food during too-short meal breaks at work, and it turned into eating quickly at every meal.  That's why I only put as much food on my plate as I intend to eat.  If it's in front of me, I will finish it.

This salad was an attempt to slow things down by serving multiple courses at dinner, separated by at least fifteen minutes.  With warmer weather, I'm trying to make my meals pretty instead of a chore.  I'm using the fancy dishes on more days than just Friday when I'm not microwaving leftovers.  This is the time of year that fresh foods are at their peak, and I want to take advantage of that.

The biggest drama in this salad is washing the spinach.  Well, not burning the walnuts while you're washing the spinach.  I'm not even whisking up a proper dressing.  Drizzle of oil and vinegar, shake of salt and pepper, done.  The goal is to enhance the natural flavors, rather than drown them out.

1 lb fresh spinach
1 lb Roma tomatoes (2-4, depending on size)
*1/2 C walnuts
4 oz gorgonzola or other bleu cheese
2 Tb olive oil
1 Tb balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

1.  Wash the spinach well, shake dry, and cut into strips.  The last part isn't necessary if you're using small baby spinach.  I happened to buy leaves large enough to count as landscaping.  I also liked the way they piled up on the plate, in contrast to the tomato slices.

2.  Thinly slice the tomatoes crosswise.  I got out the V-slicer, and they were beautiful.  Leaving the slicer out for future salads.

3.  While that's going on, lightly toast the walnuts in a dry pan over medium heat.  I happened to have chopped walnuts, so that's what I used, but halves would be more attractive.  Stir or shake often.  It takes about 2 minutes.  Pull them as soon as you see color or smell them as roasted.

4.  To assemble the salad, pile the greens loosely on each plate.  Arrange the tomato slices in a pretty pattern.  Sprinkle with walnuts and crumbled gorgonzola.  Drizzle lightly with olive oil and even more lightly with the balsamic vinegar.  Dust with freshly cracked pepper and large-grain or flaky salt.

Difficulty rating  π

Slow-Cooker Stuffing Casserole

So, more leftovers plus half a box of stuffing mix.  This time, I had a recipe on the box to follow.  I cut back on the butter drastically, which meant I had to triple the amount of broth.  Not sure how that works, but it was super dry and sticking to the crock when I stirred it after the first hour.

If I'd had green beans in the freezer, this would have ended up an entire Thanksgiving dinner in a casserole.  I cooked up some broccoli and their greens as a side instead.  It was wonderful comfort food.  I'll go back on my diet next week.

*4 C dried, seasoned stuffing mix
*1/2 C diced onion (I pulled a green onion, but yellow is fine)
*1/2 C diced celery
2 Tb butter or margarine, melted
*1 12 oz can chicken stock, unsalted if you have it
1 egg, beaten
*1 lb cooked, shredded turkey
*1 15 oz can sweet potatoes, drained (or 1-1/2 C leftover sweet potato casserole)
*1/4 C dried cranberries, optional 
1/4 C chopped walnuts, optional

1.  Spray or line crock.  Sprinkle in diced onion and celery

2.  Whisk together stock, butter, and egg.  I did it in a separate bowl, but you can also combine them in the crock.

3.  Pour in dried stuffing mix.  Stir to coat.  Cover and cook on high for 1 hour.

4.  Break up stuffing, and add more broth or water if very dry.  Stir in turkey, potatoes, cranberries, and walnuts.  Cover and continue to cook another 30 minutes, until everything is warmed through.  Serve hot.

Serves 4-6, depending on appetite

Difficulty rating  :)

Mezze-Filled Calzones (A Tale of Leftovers)

This was going to be pizzas.  Then I realized I had extra sauce and decided to do them this way, with the red sauce as a dipper and the pesto inside.

Some people draw a blank about how to repurpose leftovers.  I hate wasting food, and only do it if it's obviously spoiled or I suspect it of having made me ill.  That's very rare.  In this house, leftovers get frozen in lunch portions or turned into something new.  That's often stir fry, soup, burritos, or pizza.  Sometimes quiche, but I'm still traumatized by the price of eggs.  I'm learning how to make casseroles. 

When the amounts in the new mezze recipes I tried ended up being far too much for the four servings I planned, they turned into the "pizza" toppings on my meal plan.  Folding them into calzones happened when it looked like there was too much for just a pizza topping, plus wanting to use the dipping sauce.  I didn't use up quite everything, so it went back into the freezer to throw into some Sloppy Joes a week later, which kind of turned into Sloppy Moussaka because of the eggplant and mozzarella.

I got a little fancy with the crust, kind of turning it into an onion bagel to use up a green onion.  Most onion bagel dough has poppy seeds in it so the bakers can tell it apart from plain dough, since finely diced yellow onions are invisible in dough.  I considered putting parmesan in it too, but there's already two kinds of cheese on the inside.

Part of keeping a frugal pantry that saves you money and doesn't waste food is finding ways to use what you already have.  The calzones were really good and exactly what I wanted at the time.  Yes, I made the dough from scratch and the whole thing took close to three hours, but I did not go grocery shopping at all to make this meal.  In fact, the only thing I ended up needing that entire week was fruit to go in my yogurt.  Look at what you have before deciding what to make all week, and you'd be surprised to see how much you can save.