Skirt Steak Salad

When we were in Chicago, I took something off my bucket list.  After years of watching Mexico! One plate at a Time on PBS for many years, I made it to Rick Bayless's restaurant.  Twice.  The first meal we ate in the city was at Frontera.  The last meal we ate was also at Frontera in the Chicago airport.  When we got home, I immediately bought a Rick Bayless cookbook.

A lot of the recipes in the book are "typical" Mexican dishes--enchiladas, tortas, tacos.  I enjoyed this one because it is a salad recipe.

Serves 4 - 6

Skirt Steak Salad
adapted from Everyday Mexican by Rick Bayless

8 c spinach (young or small), long stems removed (or 8 oz frisbee or escarole, cut into 2-inch sections)
2 medium large (1 lb) tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 medium avocados, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 plus 2 T olive oil
1 lb skirt steak

2 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 c beef broth or water
1 canned chipotle en adobo, finely chopped
1/4 c lime juice

1/3 c queso anejo, grated (or another hard cheese like Romano or Parmesan)


Put the spinach in a large bowl. Strew the tomatoes and avocados over top.  Heat 2 T olive oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium high heat.  Sprinkle both sides of steak with salt and pepper.  Lay in the hot oil and cook until medium-rare (or you can cook longer if you don't like meat medium-rare), about 1 to 1 1/2 on each side.

Reduce the heat to low.  Add the garlic and stir for a few seconds, until very fragrant.  Pour the broth (or water--which is what I used) in to the pan and release any browned bits.  Remove from heat and stir in the chile, lime juice, and 1/4 c olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.

Cut the steak into roughly 3-inch lengths, then cut each piece across the grain into 1/4-inch strips.  Add to the bowl with the spinach.  Pour warm dressing over the top and toss to coat.  The warm dressing will help the spinach wilt a little  Sprinkle with grated cheese and serve.

Vegetable Pot-au-Feu

One of my favorite cookbooks is Dorie Greenspan's Baking:  From My Home to Yours.  The recipes are rich, comfort food, gift worthy desserts.  I've worked my way through it, particularly the scones/muffins section and the cookies section.  I've attempted a few of her cakes with good results.  It's a book that has a permanently reserved space on my top-tier cookbook shelf.

A few years ago, Dorie (we're on a first name basis, you know?) came out with a new cookbook, Around my French Table.  I hemmed and hawed over whether or not I should buy it and I eventually decided against.  It just sounded too fancy.  I perused it at the bookstore and most of the recipes were heavy on meat, making it just a company cookbook (not an everyday cookbook, since we eat meatless at least half the week or more most weeks).  I finally realized I could check this book out of the library.

My expectations were more or less correct.  I found a handful of recipes I wanted to try, but not enough to warrant buying the book, at least not now.

This recipe is the exception.  In this vegetable pot-au-feu, vegetables have a starring role and it is a main dish (most of the vegetarian recipes in this cookbook are relegated to side dishes).  We loved it, M and Curtis especially.  I made poached eggs to serve in it, and learned for next time, the kids would rather go eggless.  That makes it even easier!

I made this in a wok, like Dorie suggested, but a dutch oven or soup pot would work just as well (and I'll probably use that next time).  Dorie also said this wasn't good leftovers--don't tell that to M!

This serves 4 - 6.

Vegetable Pot-au-Feu
adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Around my French Table.

2 T olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small to medium onion, thinly sliced
1 leek, halved lengthwise and well rinsed, sliced
3 medium potatoes (6 small), sliced 1/4" thick
2 - 4 small to medium carrots, cut on the diagonal into 1/4" slices
3 c water (can also use vegetable or chicken stock)
1 2-inch piece lemongrass, split lengthwise
8 - 12 asparagus stalks, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2" pieces
4 - 6 shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
1/2 lb spinach, chard, or kale, stemmed, washed, and coarsely sliced
4 large eggs, hardboiled or poached
slices of crusty bread, toasted

Heat the olive oil over medium hat.  Add the onion and leek, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until they just begin to soften, about five minutes.  Toss in the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Stir in the potatoes and carrots, followed by the water and lemongrass.  Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered, until the vegetables are almost tender, about 10 minutes.  (While the vegetables are simmering, you can cook the eggs).  Add the asparagus and shiitake mushrooms to the vegetables and cook for an additional 4 minutes, or until tender.  Stir in the spinach (or other greens) and cook until  spinach (or greens) are slightly wilted.  Spinach will take about 2 minutes, chard slightly longer, and kale even longer.  Taste and season with salt and pepper.

To serve, place a slice of toasted crusty bread in a bowl.  Ladle soup over top and slice in the egg.  Serve immediately (I found it easiest to serve at the counter, not on the table).

Chicken with Spinach

My favorite thing about our CSA is figuring out how to use strange/new vegetables.  This summer, we've been getting Malabar spinach with a great day of regularity.  Upon googling this leafy green, I learned a couple of things.  1)  It is not even related to spinach.  2)  If it isn't cooked long enough, it's slimy like okra when it's cut.  3)  It lends itself well to substituting for spinach in Indian recipe.

I found some recipes online using Malabar spinach, but was quickly scared away.  The ingredient list had several things I had no idea what they were.  They called for dal.  What?  I thought dal was a lentil soup.  This clearly wasn't working, so I turned to the library.  I found a cookbook called The Three Sisters Indian Cookbook by Sereena, Alexa, and Priya Kaul.

Again, this wasn't without challenges.  These sisters are Indians who emigrated to Britain.  If you've ever tried to cook from British recipes, you realize how many differences in the language there are.  All the measurements are different and you are told to preheat your oven first in celsius, then farenheit, and then gas mark.

We really enjoyed this.  We served it with saffron rice, a store bought mango chutney, and naan.  Mmm.  Most authentic Indian food I've ever cooked (and best tasty too).

This serves 4.

Murgh Aur Palak
(also known as Chicken with Spinach)
adapted from The Three Sisters Indian cookbook

1 lb spinach leaves or as much as malabar spinach as you have
3 T oil
1/4 t cumin seeds
1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1 t ginger
1 t coriander
1 t ground fennel
1/4 t cumin
1 t chili
1/2 t garam masala
2 T tomato paste
1 c water
salt to taste

Wash and drain the spinach.  Cut into medium sized pieces.  Heat 1 T oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the spinach leaves and a dash of salt.  Cook until spinach has wilted and has lost its slime (if using malabar spinach).  Remove from pan and set aside.  Heat remaining 2 T oil in skillet over medium heat.  Add the cumin seeds and saute until the seeds begin to sizzle.  Add the chicken pieces.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until chicken pieces are cooked through and golden brown.  Remove pan from heat and add ginger, coriander, fennel, cumin, chili, and garam masala.  Return to heat and stir in tomato paste.  Fry for one minute, then add water.  Cover and cook for another 10 minutes, until chicken is tender.  Add the spinach (and any remaining liquid) and cook for 5 more minutes.

Serve with rice (saffron rice if you have the time).

Caramelized Onion Spinach Salad

It was a good eating weekend.  Some weekends are like that, some are more of a flop.  This was a good weekend.  I tried four new recipes over the course of the weekend:  a dessert, a decadent breakfast, a salad, and a vegetarian main dish, plus homemade Hawaiian pizza and homemade beef pho.  Yep, we ate well.  It was one of those weekends that made me wonder why we ever eat out.  I guess because there aren't as many dishes to wash.  However, it's not because the food is better in a restaurant.

My first dish I am going to share from our weekend of blissful eating was the last one I made.  It is also one that fits perfectly with the produce to be found in Central Texas this time of year---spinach.  We didn't offer this dish to the kids, Curtis and I were content to eat it all by ourselves.  It was a side salad for our pizza, but we both agreed it could easily be the main course.  It was also one of Curtis's favorite Spinach salads.  Ever.  That says a lot because that man loves salads.

A few notes on the recipe:  When you caramelize the onions, if possible, don't use a cast iron pan.  I tried out my new stainless saute pan I got for Christmas from my parents (By the way, I love it, Mom and Dad!).  It's easier to caramelize them and a bit faster.  The poached egg is optional.  I am still working on mastering the poached eggs, I overcooked mine for my tastes (but Curtis thought his was perfect).  I also had to throw one out in the process too because the yolk.  Here's a hint:  You can't poach an egg if you accidentally break the yolk trying to get a small piece of shell out of the whites.

Enough said.  My notes are going to be way longer than the recipe itself!

Caramelized Onion Spinach Salad
adapted from coffeefoodwritergirl on food52.com

4 - 8 oz spinach, torn into manageable sized salad pieces
1 large yellow, thinly sliced
2 T extra virgin olive oil
2 T balsamic vinegar
1/2 t sea salt
1/2 t ground pepper
one egg per person eating

Wash and dry spinach.  Place in a salad bowl.  Over medium heat in a stainless pan (not nonstick, not cast iron if possible), heat the olive oil.  Add the onions and a 1/4 t salt and saute until they are beginning to caramelize (some will be light brown in color.  They will be very soft and pliable).  Add the balsamic vinegar and continue until caramelized completely.  At this point the onions will be very dark brown, rather shrunken, and very soft.

While the onions are caramelizing, poach your eggs.  I could give you a long detailed explanation on my attempts.  Since I still have varying degrees of success, I thought instead I would provide you to a link with step by step instructions and beautiful pictures.  Here's how to poach eggs, thanks to Deb of Smitten Kitchen.  To serve your salad.  Pour the hot onions and olive oil that remains in the pan over the spinach.  Season with the remaining 1/4 t salt and 1/4 pepper.  Toss completely.  When the salad is tossed, gently lay the poached eggs over the salad.  Eat immediately.

Pasta with Chard and Dried Fruit

I had planned on making a heavier dish with my chard this week. However, when Sunday evening rolled around, I was wanting something lighter after a weekend of eating cheese and dairy filled meals. I still wanted to use the chard and I thought pasta would be good, too. So, I searched. I thankfully didn't have to search long before I found this recipe.

The kids didn't love this. I think if M would have been hungrier, she would have eaten more. J ate it pretty well, but little I didn't eat much. We are still working on eating green leafy things consistently. Curtis and I really enjoyed it.

I didn't end up having enough chard, so I used a combination of spinach and chard. That worked just fine--I couldn't really tell the difference between the two in the dish.

This serves 4 - 6.

Pasta with Chard and Dried Fruit

adapted from Food and Wine

3 T pine nuts, toasted

5 T olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

2 bunches chard, large stems removed and leaves chopped into 2" pieces (or spinach or a combo)

1 1/2 t salt

3/4 t black pepper

1/4 c sliced dried apricots

1/4 c raisins

1/4 c red wine (optional, you can also use water)

small pinch of cinnamon

3/4 lb long pasta, such as fettuccine or linguine

1/4 c grated Parmesan

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until done. While the water heats for the pasta, put the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, or until fragrant and golden. Add the chard and a 1/2 t of salt and pepper. Cook until the chard is wilted. Add the dried fruit, wine, and cinnamon. Simmer until the mixture is almost dry. Remove from heat.

Drain the pasta when it is al dente. Toss it with the chard. If the pasta looks a little dry, drizzle some extra virgin olive oil over top. Sprinkle with pine nuts and parmesan and season with remaining salt and pepper.

Spinach and Cheddar Strata

I must admit, this recipe is very similar to another recipe I have for a baked chard dish. However, I liked this because it popped up in my inbox and dealt perfectly with the 5 oz of fresh spinach that was long overdue being eaten. It also made good use of a chunk of several day old white artisan bread that traveled from Houston to here upon my husband's return from a business training.

All but M enjoyed this. I think part of my favorite part of this dish was being able to make it in my small, red gratin dish that normally stays tucked away under my other casserole dishes. The fact that I used a shallow dish also meant that it baked faster.

As a side dish, this will serve 3 - 4. For a main dish, double the recipe to serve 4. If you use a deeper pan, you will need to increase the baking time.

Spinach and Chard Strata
from Martha Stewart Everyday Food

1 t olive oil
5 oz spinach
1 1/2 c day old bread, cut into 1" cubes
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 c whole milk
3/4 c grated cheddar

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the spinach and cook until wilted. Use a spoon or rubber spatula to press as much liquid out as possible (either in a colander or in the pan--I found tilting the pan worked just fine). Place the bread in a small (1 qt) gratin dish or a small casserole dish. Spread the spinach evenly over top. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, and 1/2 c cheddar cheese. Pour evenly over top the bread and spinach. Sprinkle remaining cheddar over top. Bake in a preheated 400 degrees oven for 20 - 25 minutes, or until set and golden brown on top.

Not Vegetarian Spinach Lasagna

I thought I should clarify right off the bat that this isn't a vegetarian recipe. I am sure it could be adapted to be such, but I used meat.

I liked this ok. Baby I loved it. He scarfed this for I don't know how many meals. My complete was that it tasted too much like wine. I've decided that next time I make this, I'll do it differently so I am including two recipes--the original slightly adapted one I made, which Curtis liked a lot and I liked it ok, and the recipe I plan on trying next time. I'm sure if you wanted, you could leave out the wine entirely, just substitute more tomatoes or other liquid in it's place. M helped me make this which was a lot of fun. She and J ate it just fine the first time around (or so I am told, I didn't eat with the fam this evening), but neither of them would eat it as leftovers.

Not Vegetarian Spinach Lasagne
adapted from Gourmet

The first time around bolognese sauce recipe:
1/4 lb bacon, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb ground beef
1 1/2 c dry white wine
1 1/2 c whole milk
1/4 c tomato paste
1 c diced tomatoes with juice
1 1/2 t thyme leaves

What I am going to do next time:
1/4 lb bacon, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb ground beef
1/2 c dry white wine
1 1/2 c whole milk
1/4 c tomato paste
2 c diced tomatoes with juice (or maybe even more than this. I'll let you know!)
1 1/2 t thyme leaves

For the Ricotta filling:
10 oz fresh spinach, coarsely chopped or 2 (10-oz) pkgs frozen chopped spinach, thawed
2 (15-oz) containers ricotta cheese
4 large eggs, beaten
1/2 Parmesan cheese
1/2 t grated nutmeg
3/4 c whole milk, divided

To assemble use the above plus:
12 no-boil dried lasagne noodles (from 1 box, original recipe recommends Barilla brand)
1/2 c grated Parmesan

To make the sauce: Cook bacon until it is crispy. Remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Drain some of the fat, but leave 1 - 2 T in the pan. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic to the pan, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are golden and softened, 12 - 15 minutes. Add the beef and cook, stirring occasionally to break up any lumps, until meat is no longer pink, 6 - 10 minutes. Stir in wine, milk, tomato paste, thyme, 1/4 t salt, 3/4 t pepper, and diced tomatoes. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated but the sauce is still moist, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, make the ricotta filling. Whisk together the ricotta, eggs, parmesan, nutmeg, 1 1/4 t salt, and 1 t pepper in a large bowl. Transfer 1 1 /2 c of mixture to another bowl and whisk in 1/4 c milk. Set aside. Whisk spinach into remaining filling with remaining 1/2 c milk.

To assemble lasagna, soak noodles in a bowl of very warm water until pliable, but not softened, 3 - 5 minutes. Place on kitchen towel (but you don't need to pat dry). Spread 1 1/2 c bolognese sauce in baking pan and sprinkle with 1 T parmesan. Cover with 3 noodles (leaving space in between). Spread half of spinach filling on top, then 1 c bolognese sauce, and top with 1 T Parmesan and 3 noodles. Repeat. Top with remaining bolognese sauce, 1 T Parmesan and remaining 3 noodles. Pour reserved ricotta mixture over top and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 c Parmesan.

Cover pan tightly with parchment paper and foil (to prevent cheese from sticking to foil. You can also just butter the foil). Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 50 minutes. Remove foil and bake until top is browned in spots, about 15 minutes more. Let stand 15 - 30 minutes before cutting.

If you are making this ahead of time, you should probably bake it you are making it a day or more ahead of before you are going to serve it (because the noodles aren't cooked prior to going into the oven). To serve it, reheat in 350 degrees oven, loosely covered with foil. If it is just a couple of hours ahead of time, you are safe to refrigerate until you need to bake it.

Creamy Spinach Proscuitto Pasta

I started out wanting Pasta Carbonara Florentine for supper, but that was seeming a little heavy. Instead I found this recipe, which isn't rich at all (yeah, right with the Gorgonzola. At least it had prosciutto instead of bacon!). All but M enjoyed it, but I am blaming that on her being 4 1/2 and getting over strep throat. This serves 4.

Creamy Spinach Proscuitto Pasta
adapted from Gourmet

1/2 lb dried linguini
1/2 lb spinach, coarse stems discarded, washed and dried
1/4 lb thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 garlic clove, minced
1 T fresh basil leaves, chopped, or 1 t dried basil
1 T fresh oregano, chopped, or 1 t dried oregano
scant 1/2 c olive oil
1/4 lb Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1/4 c pine nuts, toasted until golden (optional)

Cut half of the spinach into thin strips. Reserve remaining whole leaves. In a large heavey skillet, cook prosciutto, garlic, basil, and oregano in 1/4 c olive oil over medium high heat, stirring until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, cook pasta in pot of boiling water. Drain and then return to pot. Toss pasta with 2 T olive oil, prosciutto mixture, cut spinach, and Gorgonzola. Heat over low heat until spinach wilts slightly and cheese is starting to melt. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange reserved spinach leaves in serving dish. Top with pasta and sprinkle with pine nuts.

Greens with Beets and New Potatoes

I am finding our CSA box isn't going as far as it once did. At first I thought it was because the box size was smaller. I've since realized that I am feeding more people with the box than I did when I first started several years ago (feeding three instead of five!). I am needing to supplement with finds at the farmer's market. I love that Johnson's is at both of our area farmer's market and I support them there as well. Last weekend, I found beautiful bunches of small beets there and bought three bunches since my family loves beets. I also had this recipe in mind.

At one point, I had been planning on using my dill in this, but having using the whole bunch of dill in the lamb stew earlier in the week, I had to leave it out. I think next time, I may clip some of my fresh cilantro (all my herbs survived the freeze--yippeee!!!) to add a little more flavor. I varied greatly from the original recipe--I made the whole thing less fussy and more simple. It made me happy to know the whole salad came from Johnson's.

Curtis and I thought it was great. Again the vinaigrette was nice and light. I set some roasted veggies aside for M, J, and I to eat alone. It's a great salad which reminds me slightly of the nicoise summer salads. With these proportions, this recipe should serve 6 - 8. I made a whole recipe of beets, potatoes and vinaigrette. However, I only used as much lettuce as I thought Curtis and I would eat and saved the other ingredients for salad another day.

Greens with Beets and New Potatoes
based on a recipe from Gourmet

2 medium beets (1 lb with the greens, 14 oz without the greens), stems trimmed to 2 inches
1 lb small new potatoes, scrubbed well
1 t olive oil
1/8 t salt
7 oz (14 c) greens (Bibb, red leaf lettuce, green leaf lettuce, baby arugula, meslun, baby spinach or a mix)
1/3 c fresh chevril, dill, and/or cilantro leaves, chopped (optional)
1/3 c fresh tarragon leaves (optional)

1 1/2 T white wine vinegar
1/4 t dijon mustard
1/2 t salt
1/8 t black pepper
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil

Wrap beets in foil and roast on a baking sheet in upper third of a preheated 425 degrees oven 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Once beets have roasted for 30 minutes, toss potatoes (whole) with oil and salt, place on a baking sheet, and roast in lower third of the oven until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Carefully unwrap the beets, cool slightly, and slip off and discard skins and stems.

Meanwhile, whisk together vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified (or use the shake in a little jar method---add all vinaigrette ingredients and shake vigorously until well blended).

Cut beets into 1/3 inch dice and put in a large salad bowl. Cut potatoes into 1/3 inch slices (cutting the slices in halves or quarters if they are rather big) and add to the bowl. Add the greens and herbs (if using). Add vinaigrette and toss gently to coat.

Pizza Roll-ups

You would think just two days before Christmas, one day before we fly out of town I would have better things to do besides post. I do. I could make a list: laundry, pack, organize, clean. I don't really want to do any of those things though, so I am posting instead.

Our neighborhood had a Christmas party last Sunday night. It was wonderful, complete with a hay ride through the neighborhood to look at Christmas lights and caroling as we rode. It was a potluck and I wanted to bring a main course, because I suspected (and was right) there would be lots and lots of desserts. I also had arugula I needed to use.

I decided to try pizza roll-ups. I saw a recipe for mushroom pizza roll-ups on Bitten and thought I'd attempt those. While I was at it, I thought I'd make the traditional, more kid friendly sausage and cheese pizza rolls, which recipe found elsewhere on the internet. Plus, there was that arugula so I decided to make my own variation to use the arugula as well.

I had varied degrees of success. The sausage and cheese roll-ups looked the nicest. The arugula tasted the best (I thought). The mushroom was a bit of a flop--I think too much moisture for the dough to rise in the oven and too rich with all the mushrooms. Regardless, all three were gone pretty quickly at the potluck. A double batch of dough will make two-three pizza rolls. I am not including the recipe for the mushrooms because I don't think it I will make it again. You can include the pizza sauce on the arugula one if you want--I did this time, but don't think I will next time so the dough rises more in the oven (at least that's my hypothesis). Serve on the side if you don't use it inside the roll-up.

Pizza Roll-Ups
Adapted from Taste of Home plus my inventions

A batch of your favorite pizza dough (click here for my favorite)

For sausage and cheese filling for one pizza roll-up
1 lb bulk Italian sausage
7 oz roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
1 c mozzarella cheese, grated (or other Italian cheese)

For arugula filling for one pizza roll-up
one small bunch of arugula, coarsely torn
thinly sliced Italian deli salami
1 c mozzarella cheese (or other Italian cheese), grated
1 c pizza sauce (optional)

For the sausage and cheese filling: Cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink. Stir in red peppers and mozzarella cheese. Roll dough into a long rectangle. Top with sausage topping. Roll up jelly roll style, starting with a short side. Tuck ends under and pinch seam to seal. Mix an egg with a little water and brush over top of roll, sprinkle with some parmesan cheese (optional). Bake in preheated 375 degrees oven for 25 -30 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting into 1/2 - 1" slices. (A variation: use 1/2 lb sausage and 10 oz of chopped spinach).

For the arugula filling: Roll out pizza dough into a long rectangle. Spread salami across the top of the dough. Top with arugula and then cheese. Mix an egg with a little water and brush over top of roll, sprinkle with some parmesan cheese (optional). Bake in preheated 375 degrees oven for 25 - 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Lasagna-Style Baked Ziti

Two years ago, I could not get enough of swiss chard. I was thrilled with every bunch we received and would trade it for it in the trade box. Last year, I was sad because insect pests made the swiss chard crop smaller. I thought I would be totally thrilled with getting swiss chard this year, in November, no less.

I wasn't. I haven't figure out why. I was thrilled to have this recipe though, that didn't accentuate the taste of the chard, at least until I can get used to it again. Everyone liked this recipe, even I had some ground up tastes. I served leftovers to our neighbor kids (who were 3 and 1 1/2) and they also both liked it. This was an easy recipe to make, the most time consuming parts were sauteing the meat (which you could leave out, if you desire) and grating the cheese.

Lasagna-Style Baked Ziti
adapted from The Kitchn at Apartment Therapy

12 oz penne
1 T olive oil
1 lg onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb lean ground beef or Italian bulk sausage
4 c marinara/pasta sauce (1 26-oz jar)
4 c spinach or swiss chard, thick stems removed and coarsely chopped
1/2 c ricotta
1/2 c Parmesan, grated
1 c mozzarella, grated

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and put into a 9 x 13" pan. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, about 4 - 5 minutes. Add the meat and cook until it's no longer pink, 5 - 6 minutes, breaking up large chunks. If using swiss chard, put with the meat and cook until the chard wilts. Toss the pasta with meat and chard, marinara sauce, spinach (if not using chard), ricotta, and 1/4 c Parmesan in the baking dish. Sprinkle with mozzarella and remaining Parmesan. Bake in a preheated 400 degrees oven until the cheese melts, 12 - 15 minutes.

Spinach and Feta Focaccia

(Sorry no picture---the picture was taken but not remembered thanks to no memory card in the camera...)

I feel like my cooking has been rather hit or miss lately. I guess that's because I've been trying a lot of new things--either ingredients or recipes. Some how, I managed to mess up a tried and true recipe, thanks to using a new ingredient. Let me tell you about it.

Since we didn't get a box this week, I shopped more at the Farmers' Market last weekend. I was drawn in by a stand with a sign that said SPINACH. Spinach in October? Delightful!! I asked for a pound and was taken aback when I saw them filling a white kitchen garbage back with leaves that looked like spinach, but not spinach looking stalks. I asked them about it and they said it was spinach--Malabar spinach. I took their word for it and bought it, despite having reservations.

Let me just say, malabar spinach is NOT the same thing as regular spinach. I looked up on wikipedia and sure enough they aren't even in the same family. I was sad because dinner did not end up tasting like it should of. The malabar spinach tasted like cow manure (in my humble opinion). I will not be buying that again at the farmer's market. Nonetheless, J and M loved the spinach and feta foccacia. This is one my favorite quick, easy dishes, so I am including the recipe even though this time around, it was a complete flop. You can use either a store bought pizza crust or make your own. I do both with equal frequency depending on how much time I have and my energy.

Spinach and Feta Focaccia
adapted from Cooking Light magazine
Serves 4 - 6

1 T olive oil
1/2 c onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
12 oz spinach, washed and coarsely chopped
3/4 c feta cheese, crumbled
3 T pine nuts
2 T lemon juice
1 1/2 t fresh oregano, chopped
1/4 t salt
1 (13.8-oz) tube pizza crust dough (or a recipe of homemade pie crust dough)
1 T milk
1 T water
1/4 c Parmesan cheese, grated

Heat oil in lg skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute one minute. Add half of spinach and cook 1 minute or until spinach wilts. Add remaining spinach, and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until spinach wilts. Remove from heat and stir in feta, pine nuts, lemon juice, oregano, and salt. Place pizza dough on a greased baking sheet and pat to cover pan. Spread the spinach mixture lengthwise over half the dough, leaving a 1/2" border. Fold other half of the dough over top and press together edges. Cut 5 1-inch diagonal slits in top of dough. Combine milk and water and brush evenly over dough. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake in a preheated 450 degrees oven for 15 minutes or until golden.

Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

I think I am coming around with beets. I like this
recipe quite well. Maybe it's the addition of goat cheese. Goat cheese makes about anything better. Curtis also really like it. The kids, not so much, but I wasn't really surprised. Next time, I think I will increase the amount of red wine vinegar I use.

Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

4 - 6 medium size beets
3 T extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 c red wine vinegar
1/2 c extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c goat cheese
a bed of salad greens (I used both arugula and spinach)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wash the beets and trim the tops off of them. Toss with extra virgin olive oil and season with sea salt. Place the beets on a piece of aluminum foil on a baking sheet and make a pouch for them, sealing it tightly. Bake for 40 minutes to 1 hour (or until they pierce easily with a fork). Remove from the oven and let the beets for 10 minutes. Open the pouch and let the beets cool slightly. Peel the outer skins off the beets. Dice the beets.

Combine beets, onions, vinegar, and olive oil. Arrange the beets over the bed of salad greens. Sprinkle the cheese on and around the beets. Serve at room temperature.

Meditteranean Orzo Salad and White Bean Soup

We had a church potluck today and I was determined to find a recipe to use some of the spinach that had been sitting in my refrigerator this week. I came across this salad recipe which is filling enough that we've eaten it as a main course in the past. It's a good recipe if you have some spinach, but not enough for spinach lasagna or another dish that requires a pound or more. We also had a wonderful cold front move in this morning so I decided some bean soup would be a good accompaniment for the leftover salad for supper this evening. I actually did make the beans from scratch this time, first time in a while I've done that, but I've also made the recipe using canned beans. M wouldn't touch the salad, no surprise there, but everyone ate the soup and seemed to enjoy it. I used the soup as an excuse to use the rest of my parsley from the CSA box as well and although the recipe didn't call for it, it was a nice flavor for the soup. For the soup recipe, click here.

Mediterranean Orzo Salad
1 c uncooked orzo
2 c spinach, chopped
1/2 c sun-dried tomato halves, softened**
3 T kalamata olives, chopped
1/2 t black pepper
6 -oz jar marinaded artichoke hearts
3/4 c feta cheese, crumbled

**To soften sun-dried tomatoes (if you are not using the oil packed kind), soak in boiling water for about 30 minutes.

Cook orzo according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water. Combine orzo, spinach, olives, and black pepper in a large bowl. Drain artichokes, reserving marinade. Coarsely chop artichokes and add artichokes, reserved marinade, and 1/2 c feta cheese to orzo mixture, tossing gently. Sprinkle with remaining feta cheese.

Chard Cheese Bake

This became a combination of chard/spinach cheese bake. I am scraping the bottom of my CSA box and used the chard/spinach from the CSA plus half of the spinach I got at the Farmer's Market to make this. We all enjoyed it, Curtis and I with a little bit of Chipotle Tabasco sauce on top. It was an easy Sunday evening meal without a lot of clean up. I served this with some cooked beets.

Chard (Spinach) Cheese Bake
1 pound chard or spinach (or a combination)
4 eggs, beaten
1 c milk
1 c cheese, shredded
1 c bread, cubed
1/2 c green onions, sliced (optional)
1/4 c Parmesan cheese, grated

Cook and thoroughly drain chard/spinach. Combine with remaining ingredients. Pour into greased 1 1/2 - 2 quart baking dish. Cover and bake in preheated 375 degrees oven until set, 30 - 35 minutes (it may take as long as 1 hour depending on your oven and the type of dish you use).

Gratineed Gnocchi with Spinach

I love gnocchi. It's one of my absolute favorite Italian pastas. If I go out to eat and gnocchi is on the menu, it is a no-brainer that is what I am ordering. I was excited to find this recipe on Epicurious yesterday to fix my constant gnocchi cravings. An added bonus was that I was able to use my black skillet in the oven for a nice broiled cheese.

It didn't disappoint. I didn't have 15 oz of spinach, more like 8 oz. The dish was missing the extra spinach. It was very, very rich from the heavy cream and and all the cheese (and as usual, I put in more cheese that what was called). I think next time, I'll be sure to use all the spinach called for and less ricotta than it calls for. I may also play around with the cream sauce to see if less of that makes it less rich (thus, allowing me to eat more!). I think gnocchi can stand up pretty well by itself without it needing to be drowned in anything. You can click here for a link to the Epicurious recipe (I like reading other people's reviews before I cook something) or you can just check out the mostly original recipe below...

As for the kids? J ate it great, spinach and all. M didn't surprise us by not eating any of it. She has tried several different gnocchis with different sauces and has yet to like any of it. She had jelly bread and carrots for supper. Curtis and I thought it was great, although a little rich.

Gratineed Gnocchi with Spinach
1 (1-lb) package gnocchi (found in the dried pasta section of most HEB's, etc)
2/3 c heavy cream
1/2 t all purpose flour
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/2 t salt
1/2 t black pepper
15 oz baby spinach or regular spinach (coarsely chop the regular spinach)
1/2 c part-skim ricotta
2/3 c shredded mozzarella
1/4 c Parmesan, grated

Preheat broiler. Cook gnocchi in a large pot of boiling water according to package instructions (you will know the gnocchi is done when it floats to the surface). Drain in a colander. Whisk together cream, flour, garlic, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a 12 inch ovenproof skillet (a cast-iron black skillet is perfect!), then bring to a boil over moderate heat, whisking. Continue to boil, whisking frequently until reduced in half, about 2 minutes. Add the spinach in handfuls, tossing with tongs, and cook until wilted, 2 - 4 minutes. Remove from heat, then stir in gnocchi. Spoon ricotta over gnocchi in 5 large dollops and sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan. Broil 4 - 6 inches from heat until cheese is browned and bubbling in spots, about 2 - 4 minutes. Season with pepper.

Turkish Spinach and Lentil Soup

Although the rain subsided today, it was still cold (for Austin in March) and overcast, definitely a soup day. I have a lot of spinach hanging out in the fridge, so I was looking for a soup that used spinach. While this recipe doesn't use a lot, it used spinach nonetheless. I found this recipe in Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant cookbook and decided to use the chicken stock I had been cooking off the bone this afternoon (instead of the vegetarian version from the cookbook) Curtis and I thought it was perfect for this evening with a side of salad with strawberry vinegrette and a challah toast. J ate it eagerly. M needed to coerced (this seems to becoming a ritual. I am not enjoying it) but ate her soup as well. I made this as a very thick soup, almost a stew because I wasn't after something brothy. When we eat the leftovers, I'll probably add more liquid so it isn't too thick.

Turkish Spinach and Lentil Soup
1 c dried lentils
5 c chicken stock
1/4 c olive oil
2 c onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
1/2 c raw bulghur
1/4 c fresh parsley, chopped
2 c tomatoes, chopped
2 T tomato paste
pinch of fresh chopped rosemary (or to taste)
salt and black pepper to taste
2 c fresh spinach, stemmed, cleaned, and coarsely chopped

Bring the lentils to a boil in a pot of salted water. Simmer, covered for 40 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a heavy soup pot. Saute the onions until translucent. Add the garlic, bay leaves, and raw bulghur. Stir the mixture on medium heat until the onions and bulghur are lightly browned. Mix in the parsley and tomatoes. When the tomatoes begin to give up their juice, stir in the tomato paste. Pour the lentils and the stock into the soup pot with the onions and bulghur. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add the rosemary, salt, and pepper. Add more stock or water if soup gets too thick. Just before serving, stir in the spinach and let it wilt.

Spinach (Chard) Cheese Burritos

Like I said yesterday, I use spinach and (Swiss) chard interchangeably. Sometimes this works better than others. They do have two distinct tastes. I think spinach has a less distinct, milder taste, but that could be because I am more used to the spinach than chard.

I used chard in this recipe, just because that was what I had on hand. I prefer this recipe with spinach, but the chard worked fine. We ate this with the Brussels Sprouts Gratin (which I now realize was a lot of cheese for supper!). I liked it ok, but Curtis thought it was really good (he is so easy to cook for--thank goodness! I think I prefer to be the picky eater). M ate just the tortilla, but she was in a picky eater mood. J ate several bites really well and then was done. Salsa goes well on top.

Spinach (Chard) Cheese Burritos
1 bunch scallions, chopped (or 1/2 a sweet onion, chopped)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T vegetable oil
10 oz spinach, chopped (if using chard, remove long stems at bottom)
1 t ground coriander
generous pinch of nutmeg (optional)
3 c cheddar cheese, grated
3 oz (1/3 c) cream cheese
4 burrito sized flour tortillas or 6 - 8 taco sized tortillas
salsa

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the scallions and garlic in oil for 2 - 3 minutes or until scallions are tender. Add the spinach and cook until the leaves are wilted and the water has been evaporated. Stir in the coriander, nutmeg, cheese, and cream cheese. Soften tortillas so they won't crack by microwaving 2 - 4 at a time for 10 - 15 seconds. Place 1/4 of the filling in each burrito sized tortilla (or 1/2 c filling on taco sized tortilla). Fold the bottom up and the side in to encase the filling. Roll up and place seam-side down in prepared 9 x 9" baking pan. Repeat for remaining tortillas. Cover with a damp dish cloth and then with foil. Bake until hot in preheated 375 oven for 20 - 25 minutes. Serve topped with salsa.

Menu for Week

Can I blame my sporadic blogging on being 33 weeks pregnant? Energy levels are diminishing quickly and I am finding myself conserving my energy for the essentials. Sorry for the lack of consistency. I'll try to do better, but can promise nothing at this point (and the points forward).

Menu for the week:
Sunday: Cabbage Bread Soup, which is quickly becoming a definition of comfort food for Curtis and I. J ate the cabbage this time and with some motivation (cake and ice cream) M ate most of hers (she decided last night she didn't like wet bread. Silly girl).
Monday: Swiss Chard Burritos and Brussel Sprouts Gratin
Tuesday: Braised Collards with White Beans
Wednesday: Swiss Chard tart
Thursday: Broccoli and Tofu Stir Fry with Cashews (served over rice)
Friday: Parent's Night Out---kids eat at church--woohoo!

I am excited about the increased frequency of spinach and chard. I enjoyed looking through my cookbook this afternoon and dreaming about spinach/chard dishes (I use the two interchangeably in recipes that have cooked spinach/chard in them). I am also looking forward to the start of strawberry season. It looks like the Marble Falls location of Sweet Berry Farms is opening March 12. That isn't too far away! They were actually open last weekend (only) for the first picking and expect to be opened full time in the middle of March. We'll see if I can manage to pick strawberries in my enlarged, pregnant state. I know the kids will be able to! :)

Pasta Carbonara Florentine

Mmm...like Pasta Carbonara, but with some color! The spinach goes wonderfully. The whole family loved it and didn't even pick out the spinach (until they weren't as hungry). This is a quick, easy meal to make, especially if you have the ingredients close by when you start cooking. Be careful not to overcook the pasta once you add the eggs---you don't want to scramble them!

The recipe calls for 6 slices of bacon. If you use local, farmers' market bacon, you only need 3 slices. I have found farmer's market bacon to be thicker, longer, meatier slices. It is divine. Now that I've found bacon I love at the farmers' market, I buy 2 pounds at a time, whenever they have bacon. (The farmer I buy from only has bacon right after he slaughters a pig and it sells out fast). Bacon....I am salivating just thinking about it!

Pasta Carbonara Florentine
1/2 t salt
1/2 lb spinach, coarsely chopped
6 slices bacon, chopped
1 c onion, finely chopped
2 T dry white wine
8 oz uncooked spaghetti or cappellini
1/2 c Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 t black pepper
2 large eggs
3 T fresh parsley, chopped

Cook 1/4 t salt and spinach in warmed olive oil in a large skillet. Cook 1 minute or until spinach wilts, stirring constantly. Remove spinach and set aside. Cook pasta until al dente in a large pot of boiling water. Drain, reserving 1 T cooking liquid. Meanwhile, add bacon to skillet and cook until crisp, stirring frequently (you can also cook the slices and crumble it after it is cooked instead of chopping it before hand). Remove bacon, reserving 2 t of bacon drippings in pan. Add onion to drippings in pan; cook 2 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add wine, cook 1 minute or until liquid is reduced in half. Add pasta and reserved cooking liquid, spinach, and bacon to the onions, stirring well to combine. Place over low heat. Combine remaining salt, cheese, pepper, and eggs, stirring with a whisk. Add to pasta mixture, tossing well to coat. Cook 1 minute or until egg is slightly cooked (not scrambled egg consistency). Remove from heat and sprinkle with parsley.