Cacciatore with Cabbage

I did find that I posted a simplified chicken cacciatore recipe way back in the early days of the blog.  The one I came up with for this post has more ingredients and is a bit fancier.  I'm also doing it as low carb, since I had a pasta dish coming up next on my meal plan.  The sweet potatoes were still in the oven when I took the photo.

It is still a very simple dinner.  It can be made in two hours on the stovetop or 6 in the slow cooker.  That was me keeping the menu flexible in case my work schedule changed.

1 Tb olive oil
*1/2 cabbage, about 1 lb, thinly sliced
*1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
*2 cloves garlic, minced
*4 bone-in chicken thighs
8 oz mushrooms, quartered
*1 15 oz can tomatoes, any cut
*2 Tb tomato paste
2 C chicken broth (lower salt if possible)
*2 Tb cooking wine such as Marsala, optional
salt and pepper to taste
fresh or dried herbs of choice (I used *oregano and *cilantro)

1.  Drizzle oil in a large skillet with a lid or a slow cooker.  For slow cooker, it's a dump and go for 6 hours on low.  For skillet, heat over medium.

2.  Add onion, garlic, and cabbage.  Cook until fragrant and cabbage is about half wilted, 10 to 15 minutes.  I also added the tomato paste at this point because it was frozen.  Or, you can add it now if you want a caramelized flavor from it.  Add mushrooms and cook until they start to give off water, another 5 minutes.

3.  Nestle in the chicken pieces.  Add tomatoes, broth, wine, and pepper.  I skipped salt because of the broth.  For water or sodium-free, add about 1/2 tsp.  I chose to add the fresh herbs at this point as well, or you can add them at the last 10 minutes.

4.  Bring to a low boil.  Lower heat to a simmer, cover, and cook 1-1/2 to 2 hours.  The chicken will be done in under 45 minutes, but you want it fall-apart tender and for the bones to leach flavor into the broth.  Check the water level every half hour or so, and add broth or water if too dry.  For slow cooker, check every 2 hours if possible.

5.  Serve hot, either on top of the vegetables or with them on the side.  Noodles or rice make a great side.  I turned the last of the leftovers into soup with just a bit more tomato paste and water.

Difficulty rating  π

Corned Beef and Cabbage Biscuit Pie

This is the last of the corned beef I made for St Patrick's Day.  I knew I wanted to make some kind of hash out of it, then accidentally meal planned it for a closing day.   Prep-ahead casserole it is.

When I thought I had two hours to make dinner, there was going to be a proper crust.  Plans shifted and I used drop biscuits instead.  Haven't made them before, apparently, so I used a half recipe of Preppy Kitchen's drop biscuits with part wheat flour and a bit of substitutions to make that work.  By the time the topping was baked, the casserole below it was bubbly and heated through.  I'm getting better at do-ahead meals.

Some may be disappointed in the tiny cabbages at the market lately, but I'm loving them.  I don't need a giant 3 lb cabbage the size of a basketball.  One pound is perfect for a four-serving recipe.  All the same, I'm getting a little tired of cabbages and will probably shift to other vegetables for a while.

I harvested my first leek!  It wasn't huge, but big enough for this recipe.  I did not realize how long they take to grow.  I need to start another round, so they're ready in six months.  And maybe start half a dozen every month to have a constant supply.

2 Tb butter
*1 small leek
1 lb cabbage
salt and white pepper to taste
*8 oz cooked corned beef
*1 15 oz can sliced potatoes (or one small potato, sliced and cooked)
*1 14 oz can evaporated milk
1/2 C whole wheat flour
1/2 C all purpose flour, plus 1 Tb
1-1/4 tsp baking powder 
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 C cold butter

1.  To prepare the leek, chop off the root and the leafy parts.  Split the white and light green part, rinse well, then dice.  To prepare the cabbage, split it down the middle, remove the core, and dice as you would an onion.  Dice the corned beef.  Drain the potatoes, and cut into smaller pieces if desired.

2.  Melt the butter in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat.  Add the leek and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.  Add the cabbage and stir to coat.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper, keeping in mind that corned beef is salty and seasoned.  Cover and cook until cabbage is wilted, stirring occasionally.  This could take 15-20 minutes.  If it starts to pick up color, turn down the heat.

3.  Set aside 6 Tb of evaporated milk for the biscuits.  Add corned beef, potatoes, and 1 Tb flour to the saucepan and stir to coat.  In a minute or two the flour and butter should cook into the roux.  Slowly add remaining milk and let it thicken into the sauce.  Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.

4.  Pour cabbage mixture into and 8x8 pan.  If this is a do-ahead, refrigerate now.  Otherwise, preheat oven to 425º.

5.  In a bowl, combine flours (or all AP flour for white biscuits), baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt.  I also added some dried parsley because I have an abundance of it.  You could add herbs and/or cheese and they will still bake the same.  Dice or grate butter and add to flour.  Cut in until there are no pieces larger than a pea remaining.  Stir in reserved evaporated milk.  If mixture is still dry, add water a tablespoon at a time until it sticks together like a very thick cookie dough.

6.  Spoon or scoop biscuits on top of casserole.  They're going to hold their shape, so what you see is going to be the finished look.  Bake 15-18 minutes, until biscuits are golden and the casserole is bubbly.

7.  Allow to cool 10 minutes, then scoop out and serve.

Difficulty rating  :)

Spinach and Lentil Casserole

While I'm not a casserole person, this seemed like a good idea.  I couldn't find exactly what I wanted and struck out on my own.  Halfway through making it, realized it's basically spanakopita filling with lentils.  It avoids the fuss of dealing with phyllo dough.  Add one more egg, and it could go in a quiche shell or be baked as a frittata.

I really enjoyed this, and will definitely make it again.  Maybe as a side dish for a holiday dinner.  If you aren't vegetarian, it would work as a side with fish or chicken.  You would get more like six servings out of it.

Random side note, this finished off the container of white pepper I inherited from my mom.  No, I don't use it much.  Still went out and bought more.  I season my food a lot more than I used to.  This one probably won't take 16 years to go through.

3/4 C lentils
1 Tb olive oil
*1 C diced red onion
*2 cloves garlic, minced
12 oz frozen chopped spinach
salt and white pepper to taste
2 eggs
*2 Tb half and half
4 oz crumbled goat cheese or feta

1.  Check lentils for stones and rinse.  In a medium saucepan, bring to a boil with 2-3 cups of water and a pinch of salt.  Lower heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until they split, about 30-40 minutes.  Drain and set aside to cool.

2.  Add oil to the saucepan and heat on medium.  Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add in garlic and spinach and cook until everything is heated through, about 5 more minutes.

3.  Spray or oil an 8x8 casserole.  Preheat oven to 350º

4.  In a bowl, beat together the eggs, half and half, and salt and pepper as your heart decides.  Remember, the cheese will have salt in it.

5.  Add lentils and spinach to the bowl and stir to distribute.  Add crumbled cheese and fold in.  Pour mixture into casserole dish and spread evenly.

6.  Bake 40-50 minutes, until bubbly and eggs have thickened.  Cool 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Serves 4 as a main dish, 6-8 as a side

Difficulty rating  :)

Farro-Stuffed Onions

This was the most elaborate dish on Purim, so I've saved it for last.  Filling, prep the onions, sauce.  This sort of took me all day, but only because I would do one step, run off and do something else, go back to it for a minute, wash dishes, etc.  Then I got the whole thing assembled and stuck it back in the fridge while I went out to deliver mishloach manot.

This is very similar to the quinoa-stuffed onions I made about a year ago.  Some day I will make them with meat, like you're supposed to.  Ground meat prices are still high enough that I'm considering getting the grinder attachment for the Kitchen Aid.  At about $2 a pound more to get a basic cut ground, I would break even in about a year.  Less, if I ground up an entire turkey.  $6 a pound?  Yes, grinding meat is drama and cleaning up is even worse.  I will have to decide where my priorities lie.

I'm calling two of these a serving, and that's how I plated it for the photos.  With all the dishes I made, I only had one per meal.  It counted as a carb and half a vegan protein.  If you're serving it as a side, you can get away with one per person and a couple of spares for seconds.

For the onions

*1/2 C dry farro
2 onions
*1/2 C chopped walnuts
*1 clove garlic, minced
*2 Tb fresh parsley or 2 tsp dried
*1/2 tsp dried mint
*2 Tb currants
1/4 tsp each allspice, oregano, and pepper
1/2 tsp salt
*1 Tb tomato paste
*1 Tb pomegranate molasses
1 Tb olive oil

For the sauce

*1 C tomato sauce
1/2 C hot water
*1 Tb pomegranate molasses
1 Tb olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

1.  In a small saucepan, bring farro and about 2 cups water to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.  It should be softened but still chewy.  Drain and set aside.

2.  While the farro is cooking, bring a larger saucepan to a boil with about four inches of water in it.  Cut tops and bottoms off of the onions and peel.  Cut once top to bottom into the core, keeping the onion intact.  Set in the boiling water and cook until the onions start to open up, about 10 minutes.  Drain and allow to cool slightly.  Peel off the layers gently.  You should get 4-6 large ones per onion.  The cores may be saved for other uses.  I put one in with the lima beans and diced the other for the freezer.

3.  Add remaining filling ingredients to the par-cooked farro.  Stir to combine.  In a separate bowl, combine sauce ingredients.  If baking right away, preheat oven to 375º.

4.  Spoon about a quarter cup of sauce into the bottom of an 8x8 casserole.  Set an onion layer on a work surface.  Spoon about 2-3 tablespoons of filling onto one side.  Allow the onion to roll itself up around the filling.  Place seam-side down in the pan.  Repeat with all the onion layers and filling.

5.  Pour remaining sauce over the onions.  Cover tightly with foil.  Bake 45 minutes, for the farro to finish cooking.  Remove foil, baste with the sauce, and roast another 15 minutes for the sauce to reduce.  Serve hot.

Serves 4-8

Difficulty rating  :)

Chickpea Curry with Cauliflower and Kale

I'm testing out vegan ideas for Purim.  Leaning towards either a Turkish or Indian theme.  I was also just happy to be out of a strict Pantry Challenge and allowing myself to buy a head of cauliflower.  Literally, that was the only item for this recipe I didn't already have on hand.  This made more than I intended, so I probably won't do it for a meal with 3-5 dishes, but it was quite tasty.

I haven't made a full curry in a while, and forgot how many ingredients there are.  When you watch someone make it in a video it doesn't seem like it because they're just eyeballing the spices out of containers on the counter or that have been pre-measured.  I decided to meal-prep this the day before.  I measured out the seeds in one dish and the ground spices in another.  All the veggies were chopped.  I wanted to make this in about the time it takes to cook the rice.  It did take a little longer, but not the hour I was expecting.

The vegan videos I've been watching have the common thread of meal prepping.  It's easy to toss meat in a roasting pan, but most vegetables require effort.  I'm not to the point of chopping up everything for the week.  Some veggies dry out or discolor when you do that.  The night before or in the morning generally works for me.  If I'm cooking beans or hard grains, I'll do that ahead too.

2 Tb olive oil
*1 C diced onion
*2 cloves garlic, minced
*2 tsp grated ginger
*2 Tb tomato paste
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp each paprika, turmeric, curry powder, and kosher salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp allspice
1 small head cauliflower or 1 lb bag frozen florets
*1 bunch kale, destemmed and torn or roughly chopped
*1 15 oz can coconut milk
1 15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed
*1/2 C chopped parsley
*1/4 C chopped cilantro
*1/4 C lemon juice

1.  Drizzle oil in a saucepan or soup pot and heat on medium.  Add the whole seeds until they start to pop, then add the ground spices, ginger, garlic, and salt.  Add the tomato paste and onion and allow everything to caramelize, stirring every minute or so.

2.  Add the cauliflower and kale and cook, covered, until the kale wilts, about 10 minutes.  At this point, the cauliflower should be thoroughly cooked if it was frozen, or crunchy-but-done if it was fresh.

3.  Add coconut milk and chickpeas and stir to combine.  Bring to a simmer, which will melt any solids in the coconut milk, and stir again.  Taste and adjust seasonings.  If you want softer cauliflower, simmer for 5 more minutes.

4.  Stir in the parsley, cilantro, and lemon juice.  Simmer an additional two minutes, then serve over rice or with noodles.

Difficulty rating  :)

Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake

This was going to be chicken divan, but I started substituting ingredients until it turned into something similar, but not really.  Between divan and tetrazzini, it's a chicken and pasta dish in a creamy sauce.

I don't make casseroles much, and especially not since I went reduced-carb.  This made me wish I could have them more often.  Sigh, maybe I'll start sneaking them in every couple of months.  There always seems to be pasta, rice, or potatoes in a casserole, which is what makes them so satisfying.  All that yummy starch fills you up in a food hug.  Maybe I'll do a vegetable kugel to fill that need.

I did manage to make this in one pot, a strainer, stirring spoon, and the baking dish.  That and the measuring cup were all I had to wash.

*1 C small pasta such as shells or macaroni
10-12 oz frozen chopped broccoli or cuts
2 Tb butter or margarine
2 Tb flour
*1-1/2 C milk
*half a container fried onions (little over a cup)
salt, pepper, and paprika to taste
*3 C shredded cooked chicken or 2 cans, drained
*1 C shredded cheddar, or other cheese of choice

1.  In a large saucepan, bring 4 C water to a boil.  Add pasta and cook until al dente (2 minutes before "done").  Add frozen broccoli and bring back to a low boil, then turn off the heat.  Drain, do not rinse.  Start preheating the oven to 350º.

2.  Back into the same saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the flour and stir into a roux.  Cook for about 2 minutes, until it starts to brown.  Add salt, pepper, and paprika.

3.  Add milk to the roux 1/4 cup at a time and stir to thicken.  When all the milk is added, taste to check seasonings.  Add pasta & broccoli, chicken, a handful of the crispy onions, and a handful of the shredded cheese.  Stir to combine.

4.  Pour mixture into an 8x8 casserole and spread evenly.  Bake until bubbly, about 15 minutes.

5.  Remove casserole from the oven.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese and top with remaining crispy onions.  Return to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the onions are browned, about 10 minutes.  Allow to rest 10 minutes before serving.

Difficulty rating  π

Sweet Potato Soufflé

Got this one in under the buzzer for Thanksgiving.  Also, since it uses ingredients people shop for at the holiday, you shouldn't have to run back to the store for anything.

While I'm modeling this recipe on a half version of Paula Deen's, I'm making a few healthier choices.  For one thing, although I'm calling the ingredient maple syrup, I used keto monkfruit pancake syrup to reduce the added sugars.  I also reduced the amount of butter.  It's still more dessert than a side, which is common for a sweet potato casserole.  I made it for dessert, and included that label.

I know not everyone is a fan of cloves.  The same amount of nutmeg or double in cinnamon is a reasonable substitute.  You could also use pumpkin pie spice, if you want that flavor profile.

*1-1/2 C mashed sweet potato (either roasted or canned & drained)
1/4 C granulated sugar or *3 Tb maple syrup
*1 egg
1/4 C milk
4 Tb unsalted butter, divided
1-1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 C brown sugar
1/4 C flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
*1/4 C chopped pecans

1.  Preheat oven to 400º.  Grease or pan spray a loaf pan, 6" cake pan, or 4 one-cup ramekins.

2.  Melt 3 Tb of the butter and allow to cool slightly.  Let the other Tb come to room temperature.

3.  In a bowl, combine sweet potato, sugar, egg, milk, melted butter, vanilla, salt, and ground cloves.  Pour into prepared pan.

4.  In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, baking powder, and pecans.  Work in other tablespoon of butter until it makes crumbs.  Top potato mixture with the crumble.

5.  Bake 20-25 minutes, until topping is browned and casserole is mostly set.  It will firm up more as it cools.  Can be served warm or chilled.

Difficulty rating  π

White Bean Stuffed Tomatoes

Yes, I planted too many tomatoes, but I didn't think they'd do this well.  Also, the Monster variety lived up to its name for the first time.  The Beefsteak were the smaller ones.  This is after I processed the case of Romas, since I didn't plant any of those.  I don't need more canned tomatoes this year.

With "white bean" as my meal plan protein, I googled "tomatoes stuffed with white bean" and found a trove of Italian-inspired recipes.  They largely matched up with what I had in mind, which was slightly more Turkish or Lebanese.  This hybrid recipe is being tagged as non-American primarily because there's no rice or breadcrumbs in it.  That would be an American touch.  I did make some herbed rice to serve with it as the starch, and opened the last jar of asparagus from last year as the vegetable.  Just about any pasta would also go well, but I'm having pasta with my next recipe and I try to limit how much I have per month.

I tried to cook the beans in the Crockpot.  It was a hot day and I didn't want to leave the stove on for hours, especially if I was going to be using the oven later.  It didn't work.  At least, not in the 5 hours I gave it, even on High.  I had to simmer them for an hour before I could start.  Time to can up some more beans so I have them ready to go again.

*2/3 C dry white beans such as Navy or Great Northern (or not quite a can)
2+ Tb olive oil
1/2 red onion, diced
*1 rib celery, diced
*2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tb olive oil, plus more for brushing
*4 large or 8 medium round tomatoes (not Romas)
1 Tb Italian seasoning or 1/2 tsp each rosemary, parsley, and basil and 1 tsp oregano
salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
*2 Tb parmesan cheese, optional
fresh herbs to garnish

1.  The night before or early in the day, sort and rinse beans.  Soak in water to cover by 2 inches for 8-12 hours.  Drain.  Bring to a simmer in fresh water or vegetable broth to cover and cook until tender, 2 hours.

2.  While the beans are draining in the sink, drizzle oil in the pot.  Heat over medium.  Cook onion and celery until tender, 5 minutes.  Add garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper and cook until fragrant.

3.  Fold beans into mixture.  Stir in balsamic vinegar.  Set aside while you prepare the tomatoes.

4.  Preheat oven to 400º (can be while stovetop items are cooking).  Drizzle a bit of olive oil to grease a casserole big enough to hold the tomatoes.  Cut off the tops of the tomatoes and scoop out the insides with a melon baller.  I kept and froze the insides to be part of sauce later.  Lightly salt the insides of the tomatoes, turn upside down, and roast for 10 minutes while the filling is resting.

5.  Turn oven down to 350º.  Turn tomatoes back over with tongs (careful, they're hot and squishy).  Fill with bean mixture.  Sprinkle tops with cheese, if desired.  Roast again until tomatoes are done, about 30 minutes.  Allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.  Garnish with herbs if desired.

Difficulty rating  :)

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  :)

Pumpkin and Date Kugel

I needed a portable breakfast for work during Passover.  Just the last two days of the holiday.  One manager was out and I couldn't get off the full week.  At the last minute, I tossed a bag of Passover noodles into my cart.

Kugel is just a casserole.  In this case, it's a noodle and egg casserole.  I tend to call any noodle "pudding" a kugel, because that's how I was raised.  They're all super easy to make and can be sweet or savory.  I was debating making this a broccoli and cheese one, then decided I didn't want that for breakfast.

I used the potato-based Passover noodles, but there's nothing wrong with using wheat-flour noodles every other week of the year.  Or any other pasta you choose.  I also used coconut milk because I had half a can left from the sweet potatoes.  Cow, oat, almond, whatever milk you choose is fine.

8 oz noodles or pasta of choice
2 eggs
*1 C coconut (or other) milk
*1 C pumpkin purée
*1/2 C pitted, chopped dates (about 8 deglets)
2 Tb brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
dash salt

1.  Start cooking noodles according to package directions.  Preheat oven to 350º and grease an 8x8 baking dish, 9" cake pan, or any other casserole that can handle 1-1/2 quarts.  I used olive oil to make this klp and pareve.  Nothing wrong with butter, shortening, or pan spray.

2.  While the noodles are cooking, whisk together the milk, eggs, pumpkin, chopped dates, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.

3.  When noodles are al dente (aka about 80% done), drain.  Add to the pumpkin mixture and stir until evenly coated.  Transfer to prepared dish.  It's going to look soupy, but the noodles will soak up the liquid.

4.  Cover with foil or a lid and bake until set, about 30 minutes.  For a crispy top, remove cover for the last 10 minutes.  Allow to cool at least 15 minutes before serving, and an hour or overnight in the fridge if you plan to slice it.

Serves 6-8

Difficulty rating  π