Garlic and Herb Bean Dip

I know it's soup and stew season, but I got in a Mediterranean mood.  There are so many "healthy" recipes being posted now, since most people are on a diet until Superbowl.  I work in foodservice, I know when resolution willpower dies.  Also, it got warm again, and I was missing the simplicity of a dip dinner.

This is a variation of a tofu "ricotta" that I bookmarked to make after the Pantry Challenge.  I'll need to buy some ingredients.  They're all things I will use, and have had on hand in the past, but currently do not have in stock.  It's kind of like hummus without the tahini, which I tend to make frequently, taste, then realize I forgot to add it.  This is why you should taste recipes along the way.  Instead, I'm going all in with the other flavors to make up for the missing sesame paste.

I did break the Challenge a bit to buy carrots.  I needed a dipper, and only had a handful of ripe cherry tomatoes when I ripped out the plant; it got powdery mildew and whiteflies after the storms.  It was between that and a cucumber.  I realized after everything was on the counter that all I had to go with the dip was Wheat Thins and plantain chips.  That week's grocery total was still $2.95.  Including eggs.

*2 C cooked white beans, such as Great Northern, Navy, or Cannellini (a little over 1 15 oz can)
3 Tb olive oil
*6 cloves garlic, smashed
*1/2 C chopped herbs of choice - I used basil, rosemary, parsley, and cilantro
1 tsp salt, or to taste
pepper to taste, about 1/4 tsp
*Juice of 1 lemon, about 3 Tb
*white wine vinegar to taste, about 1 tsp

1.  If cooking the beans from dry, start with about 2/3 C.  The day before, soak for 8 hours, drain.  Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 hours, until very tender.  Drain and allow to cool slightly.  Makes a great do-ahead.

2.  Place olive oil, garlic, and herbs in a small saucepan.  Bring to a low boil over medium-low heat.  Technically, you're frying the herbs, but do it low so they don't burn.  Turn off the heat after 10 minutes and allow the mixture to steep another 15.  Can also be a do-ahead.

3.  Place all ingredients in a food processor.  Pulse at first to distribute, then run until everything is broken up and only lightly chunky.  Taste and adjust seasonings.  If thicker than you would like, add cooking/can water from the beans.  I needed a bit more salt and vinegar for my preference.  Resisted the urge to add more garlic, since I knew the flavors in the oil would increase as it aged.

4.  Pour into serving bowl and refrigerate for 2 hours.  Flavors will meld and the dip will thicken.  Serve with crackers and vegetables, garnished with more herbs.

Makes about 2 cups

Difficulty rating  π

Hot Cocoa Mix

I store powdered milk, only buying fresh when I need at least a quart.  I can't go through that much just in my coffee before it goes bad.  While nonfat powdered milk has a very long shelf life, at least a few years, the Nido powdered whole milk doesn't last more than a year.  I also had some cocoa powder that I couldn't remember when I bought.  It's an excellent time of the year for hot chocolate.

This is a super easy recipe that can be multiplied as much as you want.  I'm mixing enough for four mugs because that's my habit.  It's far cheaper than the packets and can be sweetened or altered to your liking.  I'm going easy on the sugar here.

If you're using a flavoring, the amount will depend on what it is.  Cayenne would only be 1/8 tsp.  You aren't supposed to taste it, just have that hint of something.  Other spices or espresso powder can be anywhere from a 1/4 tsp hint to full-blown mocha mix with 1 Tb of espresso.

I'm using granulated sugar.  If you are making this with nonfat milk powder, it helps to use powdered sugar.  The traces of cornstarch in it will help to thicken the final product.

*1 C milk powder
*1/4 C cocoa powder
2 Tb sugar, or to taste
add-ins such as cinnamon, cayenne (Mexican hot chocolate), powdered espresso, or vanilla powder

1.  In a bowl, stir together all ingredients until evenly mixed.  The cocoa powder tends to lump up.  The clumps are easily broken with the back of a spoon.  To give as a gift, layer the ingredients in a jar all the way to the top as a pretty display.  The recipient can mix it up.

2.  Transfer to a storage container with a tight lid.  Keep in a dry, cool place for up to six months.  (Or the exp date on the milk.)

3.  To use, add a generous 1/4 C mix to a mug.  Pour in 1/2 C hot water and stir until it makes a sludge and the lumps are mostly gone.  Thin with more hot water to desired consistency, generally 8-12 ounces.  Serve hot.

Difficulty rating  π

Easy Sweet and Sour Sauce

I don't even know how old the bottle of ketchup in the fridge is.  I can't read the Sell By date anymore.  It isn't moldy, so I'm finding ways to use it this month.

I did a sweet & sour sauce recipe the first year of this blog, and another for canning.  Those were the chunky kind, with chopped onion and bell pepper in them.  I wanted a smooth sauce - just the goo - to drizzle on a bowl of rice, kimchi, and canned tuna.  I bought the tuna a couple of years ago for a very good price, but you had to buy 10 to get that price.  It was something crazy cheap like 50¢ a can.  Low enough that I sighed and put two years of tuna in my cart.  I want to finish it this year, even though the date is 2028.  Yes, canned meats last a very long time.

This sauce comes together in less than five minutes.  Bring half the ingredients to a boil, stir in the other half, and serve once it thickens.  Any leftovers will turn into a gel in the fridge, but you can remelt them if necessary.

*1/3 C pineapple juice
1 Tb cornstarch
1/4 C sugar
1/2 C white vinegar
*3 Tb ketchup
1 tsp soy sauce
water to thin

1.  Stir together pineapple juice and cornstarch.  Set aside.

2.  In a small saucepan, combine sugar, vinegar, ketchup, and soy sauce.  Bring to a low boil and stir until uniform.

3.  Stir in pineapple slurry.  Bring to a boil and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes.  If desired, thin with water to desired consistency.  Serve hot.

Makes about a cup, depending on thickness 

Difficulty rating  π

Lima Bean-Thickened Cabbage Soup

This may not be my highest rated recipe post, but it sure is comforting on a winter day.

I semi-cheated on the Pantry Challenge and bought the cabbage in December.  Cabbages keep in the fridge for weeks, and they were on sale for 49¢ a pound.  I was originally going to use it in a tuna bowl, then decided to use up the kimchi with that and the cabbage on a soup.

Somehow, I missed a can of tomato paste running past its date, and used all of it in here instead of part tomato sauce.  A can of cream corn was getting close; that went in instead of evaporated or coconut milk.

Alton Brown recently did one of his Saturday YouTube shows on his soup theory.  I more or less agree with it, even though some is traditional French culinary practice, and I like to think I've evolved past that.  The reason I'm linking the video is because I'm stealing his use of ground sumac as a finishing touch.

*1 C dry lima beans
1 Tb olive oil
*1 onion (I used half a red and half a yellow), diced
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 small cabbage, about 2 lbs, cored and thinly sliced 
*1 15 oz can cream-style corn
* one 6oz can tomato paste
*3 C broth of choice
salt and pepper to taste
*1/2 tsp ground sumac

1.  The night before, or early in the day, sort and rinse the beans.  Soak in water to cover by two inches.  Drain and rinse.  These are getting mashed, so I spent about ten minutes taking off most of the skins.  They also rise to the top as the beans are cooked and can be skimmed off.  Or, you can leave them on and they will disappear in the finished soup.  Add soaked beans to a saucepan with fresh water to cover.  Bring to a low boil, then simmer until very tender, about 90 minutes.

2.  Drizzle oil into bottom of a soup pot.  Heat over medium and add the diced onion.  Cook until softened, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes.  Sprinkle in the turmeric so it can bloom.

3.  Add sliced cabbage and tomato paste to the pot.  I did it one quarter cabbage at a time, so it could wilt enough that the full cabbage fit in the 6 qt pot.  Cook until cabbage starts to wilt and tomato paste is caramelized.  Stir frequently to avoid scorching.

4.  Add broth to the pot.  It will only come up about halfway.  Bring to a low boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cover.  Stir every ten minutes or so.  Cook until cabbage is fully wilted, about half an hour.  Stir in the creamed corn.

5.  Meanwhile, drain the beans and discard any stray skins if desired.  Mash with a fork or potato masher into a slurry.  Stir into the soup, where it will add to the creaminess.

6.  Taste soup and add salt and pepper to taste.  All broths are different, so I'm not giving amounts.  Sprinkle in the sumac as a finishing touch, and serve hot.

Serves 6-8

Difficulty rating  :)

Repurposing Leftovers

A big part of this year's Pantry Challenge is just getting through random stuff in the freezer.  It's usually because I didn't get quantities right when I was cooking the original meal.  Other times, I went a little overboard and knew it, but that's how much you end up with when there's an egg in the recipe.  That sort of thing.  

Half the zaalouk was still there after Chanukah dinner.  I was using it as a sauce alongside the chicken, so not a surprise.  There was also more of it than I had expected.  I stuck it in the freezer, to figure out a purpose in January.

What I decided to do with it was use it as a curry starter.  It would have made an equally good pasta sauce.  There was an extra potato I never made into latkes, so in it went.  I increased the spices a bit to compensate for the dulling effect of potato.  In went a can of chickpeas for protein, a cup of heavy cream because it needed to be used, and some basmati to serve it on.

I believe in not wasting food.  It's important to preserve excess or make something new out of it.  The most expensive item at the grocery store is the one that is never eaten.  Also, this was a delicious, quick meal that stayed in my Mediterranean diet.  I have three months to clean up my a1C before my next physical.  Definitely went overboard on sugar during the holidays.

Sausage & Mincemeat Pie

Tasting History did a beef mincemeat pie during December.  Max wasn't all that impressed, but admitted he wasn't a huge fan of mincemeat.  I was planning to make mince pies and had a small jar of store-bought, all fruit mincemeat.  His post encouraged me to make it with added meat.  Since the only ground meat I had at the start of the Pantry Challenge was breakfast sausage, this turned into a breakfast pie.

Yes, it's kind of cheating to have only three ingredients, all of them store-bought conveniences, but it isn't simply a dump and go recipe.  What you end up with feels a lot more homemade than it is.

*1 prebaked 9" pie crust
*1 lb sausage of choice
*1 C prepared mincemeat (or to taste)

1.  Pre-bake crust according to package directions, but leave it light and barely done.

2.  In a skillet or saucepan, cook the sausage over medium-high heat.  Break it up as you go, and pour off the excess fat about halfway through cooking.  You need some fat to hold the pie together.

3.  Preheat the oven to 350º.  Stir the cooked sausage and mincemeat together.  If desired, add a pinch of salt and/or a splash of brandy to the mix.

4.  Pour sausage into pie shell and spread evenly.  Bake until browned on top and the crust is golden, about 20 minutes.  Allow to cool before slicing.

Serves 6-8

Difficulty rating  π

Quinoa and Sweet Potato Fritters

Still not done with the sweet potato I canned at the end of 2024.  It's still safe, I just overestimated how much I would use.  We're giving it another shot at pairing with quinoa.  The tortillas were good, just hard on the system.  Doing something with less fiber in it this time.

It was during Chanukah, so I made fried cakes instead of baked.  Minimal oil, just enough to give that special crunch.  They weren't latkes.

These make a good vegetarian main dish, appetizer, or side.  With everyone vowing to eat better in the new year, these count as a Mediterranean diet recipe.

*1/2 C dry quinoa
*1 15 oz can sweet potatoes
1/2 tsp salt
pepper to taste
*2 green onions, finely chopped
*1/4 C chopped parsley
1/4 C flour
1 egg
Olive oil for frying

1.  Cook the quinoa according to package instructions.  This will generally involve pre-rinsing to remove the soapy film that can cause an upset stomach.  Drain and set aside to cool slightly.  This can be done ahead.

2.  Drain the sweet potatoes very well.  I chose to cook them for five minutes to boil off any remaining liquid.  Store-bought canned sweet potatoes don't have quite as high a moisture content.  If you're using roasted sweet potatoes instead of canned, they will be dry enough.

3.  Mash together the cooked quinoa and sweet potatoes.  Add salt, pepper, chopped onions, and chopped parsley and stir to combine.  Stir in the flour, then the egg.  You should have a thick batter, not quite a dough.

4.  Heat a skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat.  Add enough oil to coat the bottom.  When a drop of water dances, it's ready to go.

5.  Spoon the batter in 1/4 C mounds in the skillet.  Cook until the bottoms are crispy, about 5 minutes.  Flip and cook the other side.  If necessary, flatten with the spatula to make sure they cook all the way through.  Remove to a paper towel-lined plate, re-oil the skillet if necessary, and repeat with all the batter.

6.  Serve as is or with a sauce.  Any pasta sauce and most salad dressings will go with these.  I sprinkled them with additional salt and had them with a side salad.

Makes about 12

Difficulty rating  :)

Cannellini Beans with Garlic Spinach

We are starting off the pantry challenge with a flavorful and healthy recipe.  This Mediterranean-based dish makes a vegetarian main or a good side with grilled fish or chicken.  It comes together in half an hour largely with canned and frozen items.

I admit, not everyone keeps sun-dried tomatoes in oil in their pantry.  They're great to have for salads.  I don't think I've ever used a whole cup at once, but they are making up a great deal of the flavor.  Roasted red peppers would be a good substitute.  The point here is to used the flavored oil they're packed in as the cooking oil.

I did use a pinch of red pepper flakes in this to perk it up.  Very unusual for me.  I couldn't even taste the heat with the 1/4 teaspoon or so that I used.  It would take at least double that to make this spicy.

*1 8oz jar sun-dried tomatoes in oil
*1/2 onion, diced
*4 cloves garlic, minced
*1 8oz package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 tsp salt
black pepper and red pepper flakes to taste
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
*1 15 oz can Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
*Parmesan cheese for garnish

1.  Strain off most of the oil from the tomatoes into a large skillet and heat over medium.  Add the dice onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.

2.  Add in the spinach, salt, rosemary, and drained beans.  As the mixture heats and the rest of the water from the spinach evaporates, season with pepper and red pepper flakes.

3.  Add in the tomatoes from the jar, heat, and taste again.  Adjust seasonings and serve hot, garnished with Parmesan.  I also tossed on the last of the delicata squash seeds I had roasted.

Difficulty rating  π