The Vegetable Challenge

Okay, enough dessert recipes -- I'm challenging myself to cook with vegetables for one week. I've mentioned before that I belong to an organic vegetable & fruit co-op. Every two weeks, I get a laundry basket full of seasonal, organic, mostly locally grown produce. The fruit is never a problem to consume, but the vegetables -- well, that's another matter. I like to think that I eat and cook healthily, but the reality is that I don't. The vegetables often rot in the crisper and end up as compost. So, this week I will cook and consume ALL the vegetables. Here's what I got today:

Parsnips
Carrots
Romaine lettuce hearts
1 giant sweet potato
Several white sweet potatoes
1 cheese pumpkin
Sweet peppers
Celery
Dandelion greens

Looking over the list, it doesn't look like all that much. How hard could it be to cook it all in a week? I've already decided to let myself off the hook with the dandelion greens and give them to a vegetarian neighbor. I don't like dandelion greens, no one else in my family will eat them and I just can't think of anything creative to do with them.

Right, I'm off to peel and cube some veggies for roasting tonight. Check back in for recipes.

Sausage French Toast Bake

This is recipe cribbed from the Fleischman's yeast website, but I've made significant changes to it. For one thing, they call for more eggs and much more butter than I use. They also suggest you mix it all in the pan (in fact, they call this "One Dish Sausage and French Toast Breakfast".) You can do it that way, but I find that it makes the final result stick to the pan annoyingly, so just use a bowl and transfer it to the pan. We all have dishwashers, right?

Sausage French Toast Bake

Batter:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

3 TBS flax meal

3 tsp Rapid Rise yeast

2 TBS sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

2/3 cup milk (very warm, 120 - 130*)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg

1 TBS cold butter, cubed

Topping:

3 TBS cinnamon sugar

2 eggs

2 TBS milk

6 pre-cooked sausage patties (I like to use soy sausage)

3/4 maple syrup

1. Spray 8 x 8 pan with cooking spray.

2. Mix batter ingredients together in a separate bowl

3. Scrape into pan and let sit with you make the topping

4. Cook the sausage patties

5. Mix eggs and milk together

6. Top batter with cinnamon sugar and sausage patties. Pour egg mixture on top.

7. Place pan in cold oven. Set to 350* and bake for approximately 30 minutes, until even brown on top.

8. Drizzle maple syrup on top when serving.

Cauliflower

I notice that the majority of my blog entries are for desserts. I just can't deny the fact that I don't care for cooking main courses. There is no fun if there's no sugar. However, I feel the need to experiment outside of my comfort zone and am determined to blog a vegetable dish each week.

You see, I was always brought up with vegetables that were either steamed or boiled to death. (The legacy of a stalwart, British/Colonial mother.) Vegetables were supposed to be healthy, so there could be no adulteration in the form of glazes or sauces or butter or anything tasty that might add calories, fat or sodium. Consequently, I am not a big fan of the cooked vegetable. However, I belong to an organic produce co-op and every other week I get a laundry basket full of fruits and vegetables. The fruit is no problem to consume, but there have been weeks when my compost pile has benefitted more than my stomach has.

This week's challenge vegetable is -- well, there are several, but I'll just start with the cauliflower. Never much cared for it -- served simply steamed, it is kind of nasty looking and a bit smelly. (Plus, it didn't help that the Elephant Man was described as having a monstrous looking "cauliflower ear".)

1 head cauliflower, broken up into florets
2 TBS olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2/3 cup bread crumbs (be a martyr and make your own from stale bread by whizzing them in the food processor or blender. I, however, used Progresso Italian Style)
1 TBS fresh chopped parsley
1 tsp. dried tarragon
1 TBS Dijon mustard

1. Steam cauliflower until just short of tender
2. Saute garlic and oil in a large frying pan. Add bread crumbs after garlic is fragrant and golden. Cook for a few minutes and then add parsley, tarragon and mustard. Mix it all together and warm it through. Add steamed cauliflower, toss well and serve.

It is actually yummy!

Apple Pie

The crust recipe comes from The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook, but the filling is my own. (Well, really, apple pie is just apples, spices and sugar, so not much of a recipe is needed.) I also cheat madly and buy a pre-made crust for the bottom. I can't ever manage to roll both top and bottom crusts without a breakdown (of both crust and me.)

Apple Pie Filling

Apples (about 6 large, peeled, cored and sliced about 1/4" thick. I like to use a mixture of hard apples -- think Granny Smith, Cortland, Rome, Jonagold -- and soft -- think McIntosh, Gala, Fuji.)

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 TBS. all-purpose flour
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. cardamom
1/8 tsp. allspice
3 TBS crystallized ginger, chopped (optional)

1 egg white
1 TBS sugar

1. Preheat oven to 425* degrees. Peel, core and slice apples. Toss with sugar, flour, lemon juice, salt, spices and ginger (if using).

2. Mound apples in unbaked pie crust. Lay top crust over apples and crimp the edges. Cut several vent holes in top crust. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with 1 TBS of white sugar.

3. Bake for 25 minutes, until top crust is golden. Reduce heat to 375* and bake an additional 30 minutes or so (until crust is a deep golden brown.)

Pie Crust
(from The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook)

1 purchased pie crust in pan

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 TBS sugar
1 tsp. salt
8 TBS vegetable shortening (like Crisco)
12 TBS unsalted butter
6 - 8 TBS ice water

1. Throw all ingredients, EXCEPT WATER, in the food processor. Pulse it on and off until mixure resembles big crumbs, then gingerly pour just enough ice water in to bind the crumbs together and make a big doughy ball.

2. Split ball in two. Flatten each ball into a disk and wrap both in Saran Wrap. Put both disks in the freezer -- one for 15 minutes and one to freeze solid, ready for your next pie.

3. After 15 minutes, remove 1 dough disk and start the rolling process. I have the most awful time with this -- I've not yet mastered the art of rolling out an even, smooth, perfectly round pie crust. And this crust, with all the shortening and butter in it, is very delicate. SO, I cheat by sprinkling a bit of flour on a large sheet of wax paper and placing the dough disk on that. Another sprinkle of flour and then I put another piece of wax paper on top of the dough. I use my rolling pin ON TOP of the wax paper so that a circle of dough is rolled out between the two sheets of wax paper. It's fairly easy to peel off the wax paper and much easier to transfer the round of dough backed by one sheet of wax paper onto the mound of apples. Peel off the second piece of wax paper, crimp the edges and poke some vent holes into the top crust. Then follow the baking instructions above. I'd recommend baking this pie on top of a rimmed cookie sheet because it is very juicy. Unless, of course, you enjoy cleaning burnt sugar off your oven floor.

Swiss Oatmeal

I don't know about you, but I am always looking for some magical recipe that will make breakfast for me. This comes pretty close. I haven't yet fed this to the boys because I've eaten it all myself. Maybe next time . . .

Swiss Oatmeal
(From Better Homes and Gardens, October 2007)

1 1/2 cups of water
3/4 cup steel cut oats (you know, the fancy, long cooking oats in the green and white cans)
3/4 cup milk
6 oz. plain yogurt
3 TBSP honey
1/4 tsp apple pie spice*
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup assorted dried fruit

1/3 cup coarsely chopped almonds
Sliced banana

1. Combine water and oats in a saucepan. Bring to boiling, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 8 minutes. Remove from heat and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in milk, yogurt, 2 TBSP honey, apple pie spice, salt and dried fruits. Cover; chill for 12 hours of up to 3 days.

2. To serve, heat oatmeal in saucepan over low heat for 10 minutes (or in microwave for 1 minute). Stir in remaining 1 TBSP honey. Divide into bowls, top with almonds and banana slices.

Makes about 4 bowls.




*2 pinches cinnamon, 1 pinch each nutmeg, cardamom & allspice

Honey-glazed pear upside-down cake

My poor children. Wednesday night's dinner is often something that borders on junk because that's the day the NY Times Dining section comes out. And if I'm not working, and if a recipe appeals to me and if I have most of the ingredients on hand, I'll make something completely inappropriate for dinner. I mean, like dessert. (See above).

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/17/dining/171arex.html?ex=1193284800&en=885885d91632005d&ei=5070&emc=eta1

I made this recipe without the chestnut honey (I mean, really, who has THAT on hand?) and used golden syrup instead (left over from a Nigella Lawson recipe from last year). I was also out of fresh lemons and substituted lemon oil for the lemon zest. (This was not an acceptable substitute and I would not do it again. Lemon oil, or essence, has a rather chemical after-taste. So fresh lemons are definitely the way to go here.) I would, however, like to try this with some rustic honey from the farmer's market. Golden Syrup, is really just melted sugar and only one step up from corn syrup, in my opinion.

UPDATE

10/27/2007

I made this again with raw honey from the farmer's market and lemon zest. MUCH better and I highly recommend this recipe. It makes you look so good because it comes out looking so professional.

Chocolate Chip Cookies (with a twist!!)

A new twist on a old favorite . . . sometimes I even substitute 3 tablespoons of ground flax meal for 1 tablespoon of the butter, but I didn't do that today.

Chocolate Chip Cookies (they'll never know the difference)

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 375*
2. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Whisk to combine.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugars and vanilla extract until creamy. Add eggs, beat well.
4. Beat in flour mixture.
5. Stir in chips and nuts.
6. Bake for 10 minutes or until just starting to turn brown. (Don't overbake!)
Makes about 60 cookies

German Apple Pancakes

The choice this morning was to get up in the dark and run 10 miles or make pancakes. You can see which option won.

This particular recipe comes from the America's Test Kitchen cookbook. It is very similar to a pancake called a "Dutch Baby" that Charlotte d'Amboise and I would eat weekly at the Pancake House in Chicago when we were on tour there with "Chicago the Musical". (How's that for some unapologetic name-dropping?) Anyway, unlike most ATK recipes, this one is not totally dripping in butter, fat, lard or cream. (They do say you should use half and half in this recipes, but I substituted 1% milk (it was all I had on hand) and it seemed to come out just fine.) I'm sure there are some tweaks I could do to make this a little healthier (adding flax meal and/or wheat germ are my default health options) and I'll try them next time.

By the way, the America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook is a great resource for WHY things should be done the way they suggest in the recipe. (I'm a big one for taking shortcuts and they explain exactly why you shouldn't do that.) They also have lots of pictures, hints and tips sprinkled throughout which are very elucidating.

German Apple Pancake

(from The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 TBS sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

2 large eggs

2/3 cup milk (or half and half, if you prefer fat)

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 TBS unsalted butter

3 to 4 large apples, peeled, cored and sliced into 1/2" slices

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp lemon juice (I didn't have any on hand and it seemed to come out okay)

1. Adjust oven rack to upper middle position and preheat oven to 500*.

2. Whisk together the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl.

3. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and vanilla.

4. Whisk wet ingredients into dry until no lumps remain.

5. Melt butter in 10" ovenproof, nonstick skillet. Add apples, brown sugar and cinnamon cooking until apples are golden brown (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.

6. Quickly pour the batter around the edges of the skillet and then over the apples. Place in oven and immediately reduce heat to 425*. Bake until edges of pancake are brown and have risen above the edge of the pan, about 20 minutes.

7. Remove from oven, loosen pancake edges with a heatprood spatula and invert onto a large plate. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar and serve immediately.

Three Berry Muffins

This recipe comes from my friend Kelly who made these for a pre-school coffee hour (and brought them in still warm!) She tells me that she's adapted this from a recipe that was called something like "Huckleberry Coffee Cake". She's added a combination of berries and muffinized the batter. I bet this would be superb baked in a Bundt pan, too. Oh, and to give credit where credit is due (legally!) the original recipe came from the Cooking Light Five Star Recipe Book.

These are very tasty and remind me of the giant Three Berry Muffins I used to get from the University Food Market up by Columbia. Ah, that just brings me back to those halcyon days of college where staying up late, drinking beer from pitchers and sleeping until noon were de rigeur. And giant muffins were seen as health food! But I digress . . .

Three-Berry Muffins

Ingredients:
1 8 ounce package non-fat cream cheese, softened *
1 stick butter, softened
1 ½ cups sugar
2 eggs
¼ cup milk (optional – I add this when I’m using frozen berries so that the batter is not too stiff)
1 1/2 cups white flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsps. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
2 tsps. vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 cups frozen (or fresh) berries – any combination of blueberries, raspberries & blackberries.

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 350* and put paper cups in your muffin tins.
2. Beat cream cheese and butter until creamy; add sugar and eggs. Add ¼ cup or so of milk if using frozen berries so that batter is not too stiff.
3. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; stir into cream cheese mixture. Add vanilla, and fold in berries.
4. Top with a mixture of wheat germ mixed with equal amount of brown sugar.
5. Pour into about 24 lined muffin tins, and bake for about 25 - 30 minutes.

* I used the non-fat variety of cream cheese even though I think it's akin to putting a brick of toxic waste in your food. (What exactly ARE Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Potassium Sorbate, Calcium Propionate and Sodium Phosphate (ingredients not found in regular cream cheese) and can they possibly be good for you in any way, shape or form?)

UPDATE, 6/15/2008:  Not having cream cheese handy this morning, I substituted 5 oz. of thick, non-fat yogurt ("Fage" brand, FYI).  While it doesn't lend quite the same richness to the batter that cream cheese does, there isn't much difference in flavor at all.  It seemed a completely acceptable substitute.

Lamb Pita with Feta Cheese Sauce

Okay, oh my God this was so yummy! Now, I must admit that I ran a 1/2 marathon this morning and didn't really eat much after it except for a banana and a bagel, so by 4pm I was ravenous. I found this recipe in Cooking Light over the summer (the July issue, to be exact) and have hung onto it hoping I'd remember to buy all the ingredients. Luckily for me, this was the week. It was fairly quick to make (a lot of herb chopping, but otherwise pretty simple) and very, very tasty. Check out the link below. I may have to start rating these recipes, because this is definitely SUPERIOR!

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1634760

The Minimalist's Zucchini-Pear Soup

Right, I don't want to get into any copyright trouble, so I'm only going to post the link to the NY Times website for this particular dish instead of the whole recipe. I had to halve the recipe because I only had one very large zucchini. And my pears weren't particularly ripe, either, but I was attracted to the recipe because I had everything on hand (plus fresh thyme and mint from my herb garden!) It tasted good and really was very simple to make. I love Mark Bittman!

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/03/dining/031mrex.html?ex=1192075200&en=0f08939be1a811dd&ei=5070&emc=eta1

Chocolate Pancakes

Breakfast this morning. I like to make a big batch of silver dollar sized pancakes on the weekends and freeze whatever we don't eat for those school mornings when pancakes are ordered!

My basic pancake recipe:

1/2 cup white flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup milk

1 egg

I often add 2 TBS wheat germ or 2 TBS ground flax meal, but I didn't today. Instead, for the chocolatiness, I added a glop (say 1/4 cup?) of Nutella. Protein, right?

I find that pancakes really are lighter when you use buttermilk, although I didn't have any on hand this morning. Frankly, I've never found that the old substitution of adding lemon juice to milk works the same as the real stuff. Just buy a quart of buttermilk every couple of weeks -- it never goes bad (or at least, who can tell?)

Apple Spice Bread

This is from a recipe my friend Elissa gave me that she got from "The New American Plate" cookbook. I've made enough changes to the recipe to feel that I'm not going to get sued for copyright infringement. It's a dense, moist, yummy cake that's perfect for Fall when you've made enough apple pies and crumbles and still have half a crate of apples. And as you can see from the picture, there's not much left.




APPLE SPICE BREAD:

2 firm, tart apples -- cored and grated (place grated apple in a tea towel to wring out excess moisture)
2 TBS lemon juice
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
2 TBS ground flax meal
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp. each of allspice, ginger and cardamom
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup packed brown sugar
(1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce)**
3 TBS canola oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla

** Next time I try this, I'm going to omit the applesauce because the grated apples are moist enough and I think the applesauce just contributes to the gumminess of the bread.

1. Preheat oven to 350*. Spray a 9" x 5" loaf pan with a Pam-like spray substance.
2. Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Combine all wet ingredients in a smaller bowl.
4. Add the wet to the dry ingredients and mix just until combined -- don't use a mixer or else the bread else will get very tough
5. Put in loaf pan and bake for 1 hour or until done (you know how to check that.)

I found that this was a little bland, although healthy. I poured a simple glaze on top (confectioner's sugar and a bit of milk) to help taste it up. This would be a good thing to bring to that relative who's watching their cholesterol.