Bounty from the garden

My basil has been going crazy all summer. I didn't have any luck growing any from seed this year, but fortunately, I found some large plants for sale at a good price. They did well in my garden and I finally got around to making some really good use of them. I started with the recipe from Simply Recipes, but ended up modifying it a bit.

Ingredients
4 cups fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
6 garlic cloves (we like garlic, you might want to use less)
2/3 cup pine nuts
2/3 cup Parmesan cheese (some recipes call for Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese)
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions
1. Pulse the basil and garlic in a food processor. Stop to scrape down the sides as needed.

2. Add the pine nuts and pulse some more. Stop to scrape down the sides as needed.

3. Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. (I have no idea why you need to add the oil in a steady stream rather than dumping it in all at once. But I guess that's why I'm not a chef, lol.)

4. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended.

5. Add salt and pepper to taste.

This made about 1 and 1/2 cups. I'm just guessing at the amount since I didn't meaure. It was plenty to cover 1 pound of penne pasta.

Zucchini chowder

Mom gave me an oversized zucchini since she had an overabundance of them (how could she miss so many??). I was hoping Mr. Fix-it would make stuffed zucchini, but after waiting a week, I figured I should do something with it.

This was an easy soup; I just used what I had on hand. I diced up the zucchini, along with some onion, carrot, and celery, and tomato. I sauteed the onion w/some olive oil, then added the rest of the veggies and enough water to cover. It turns out I didn't have any chicken stock in the freezer or pantry, but I did have a chicken breast in the freezer, so I chopped that up too and added it to the soup. The only seasonings were the usual salt, pepper, and garlic. Oh, and some chervil.
I was going to add some pasta or frozen corn, but didn't have any corn and I couldn't fit the pasta in the pot, lol. The soup turned out better than expected, I think because the tomatoes were so flavorful. This soup is a great way to use up those leftover veggies in your fridge. I think you could add almost anything to it.

Peach cobbler

Tonight I made a variation of the Pioneer Woman's cobbler. She used blackberries and I've made this in the past with blueberries. That was a winner, but since we had an abundance of peaches, I tried that tonight. It was a winner too. I think that some vanilla ice cream would have made it even better. We had some plain yogurt though and that was good. The cobbler is sweet enough that even plain yogurt is tasty. And that's with me reducing the sugar by 1/8 cup. Oh, and if you try it, you might want to check if it's done at 50 minutes instead of waiting the full hour. I think mine is a little overdone.

Tea eggs

Eggs were on sale this week so I decided to make some Chinese tea eggs. Mr. Fix-it likes hard-boiled eggs so I thought he would like this variation. He doesn't remember, but I used to make them oh, so many years ago. I couldn't remember how I made them before so thank goodness for the internet. A search turned up several recipes and I modified it to match the ingredients I had on hand.

Ingredients
8 eggs
3 tablespoons soy sauce (I think that 5 would have been better)
2 tablespoons black tea
3 star anise (whole stars, or the equivalent in pieces)
1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon peppercorns

Directions
1. Place unshelled eggs in saucepan with enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, then simmer for two minutes.
2. Remove the eggs. Crack the egg shells in a few places, but not so hard that the shells fall off.
3. Add the other ingredients (and water to cover if you tossed the water) in the previous step. Cover and simmer for 2-3 hours, adding water as necessary.

If you simmer for a longer period of time, the eggs will have more color and a stronger flavor. Note that flavor is subtle so "stronger" is a relative term. Most recipes said to store the eggs in the cooking liquid, so I did. But I don't think it really matters. It is a little messy to store the eggs in liquid.

Serve the eggs warm or cold, as desired.

Mirepoix

Carrots, celery, and onion were on sale so I loaded up. Knowing I wasn't going to be able to use it up in a timely manner, I decided to make a mirepoix and freeze it in 1/2 cup quantities. I spent I don't know how long chopping; I just can't bring myself to use a food processor. I ended up with three cups of carrots, three cups of celery, and six cups of onion. That's a lot of chopping. Here's the result.

Channa Dal with Swiss Chard

Adapted from The Gourmet Perscription for Low-Carb Cooking by Deborah Chud. A friend passed the book onto me and while most of the recipes didn't grab me, this recipe tempted me because I had most of the ingredients available. Plus it was easy, lol.

Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon powdered ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 cup channa dal (yellow split peas)
1 15 oz can diced canned tomatoes
2 to 2 1/2 cups of water
1 bunch of Swiss chard (I use a huge bunch, about 1 1/2 pounds)
Dash of salt and pepper

Directions
1. Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet or stockpot.
2. Add the onion and saute for 3-4 minutes until golden brown.
3. Add the spices and saute for another minute.
4. Add the channa dal and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.
5. While the stew is simmering, wash the Swiss chard. Chop the stems into 1/2 inch pieces and the leaves into 2 inch pieces.
6. After the stew has simmered for 30 minutes, add the can of tomatoes. Simmer for another 15 minutes or so, covered. The peas should be soft and start to break down. If necessary, add some more water.
7. Add the Swiss chard stems and simmer for 5 minutes, covered.
8. Add the Swiss chard leaves, stirring them into the stew. They cook very quickly, just a couple of minutes (or less!).
9. Add salt and pepper to taste.

I've served this as a main dish and as a side dish. Also, I have brought it to work for lunch and it reheats great in the microwave.

Although I've always made this with Swiss chard, I bet you could use other greens like kale or turnip tops.

The Pioneer Woman's Apple Dumplings

Just in case you're one of the few foodie scrappers who doesn't know about The Pioneer Woman's apple dumplings, you're in for a treat. I call these the Lipitor special dessert.

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Here's her version. This text doesn't do justice to the photos and commentary and reader comments on her blog. Be sure to check out her blog.

Apple Dumplings

2 Granny Smith apples
2 cans crescent rolls
2 sticks butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla
cinnamon
1 small can Mountain Dew

Peel and core apples. Cut apples into 8 slices each. Roll each apple slice in a crescent roll. Place in a 9 x 13 buttered pan. Melt butter, then add sugar and barely stir. Add vanilla, stir, and pour over apples. Pour Mountain Dew around the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve with ice cream, and spoon some of the sweet sauces from the pan over the top.

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I made a "healthy" version by cutting back on the sugar and butter, and doubling the apples.

Apple Dumplings, heathly version 1
2 Granny Smith apples
1 can crescent rolls
1 stick butter
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla
cinnamon
1/2 can Hansen's grapefruit soda (because that's what I had on hand)

Same assembly and baking instructions above.

I made these one night and Mr. Fix-it and I demolished 2/3s of the pan. Yum!

Apple Dumplings, heathly version 2
4 Granny Smith apples
2 cans crescent rolls
1 3/4 sticks butter
3/4 cup sugar (heaping)
1 teaspoons vanilla
cinnamon
1 can Hansen's grapefruit soda (because that's what I had on hand)

Use a large roasting pan and follow the same assembly and baking instructions above.

I took these to work and boy, were they popular. I was asked for the recipe several times and this weekend, a couple people made the full calorie version. I disclaim any weight gain or any sudden urges to run laps.

Mexican pork

This couldn't be easier. Place a pork roast and a jar of salsa verde (the green stuff) in a crockpot. Cook on high for an hour, then lower to medium for eight hours. Serve with rice and beans.

You could probably cook on high for five or so hours, but since we knew we'd be gone all day, we decided to cook the meat on medium.

I read about this online somewhere (probably 2peas) and there was a pork roast on clearance at the groocery store so this was perfect. The meat and salsa cost about $9; I expect to get at least 8 large servings out of this (we each went back for seconds, hence the large comment), more if I make burritos or tacos or some other meal where a hunk of meat isn't the main event like it was tonight. If you made this the day before, you could take out all the fat that solidifies on top (which I'm planning on doing tomorrow).

P.S. Sorry for the lack of photos. I was too interested in eating my dinner, lol.


*Update* Since this posting, we've eaten two more meals, I froze enough meat for another 10 burritos, and we've still got a couple more servings in the fridge.

Berry Cobbler

Nope, don't have pic. But the recipe and a photo are at The Pioneer Woman Cooks. I used blueberries instead of blackberries and I overbaked it slightly. But it was still yummy. Next time, I'm going to try 3/4 of a stick of butter. One stick was just a little too much.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Another Tasty Tuesday recipe for Angie's challenge

This is the recipe exactly as it was given to me. I haven't made it, but I did taste it and it was yummy! The hostess substituted roasted pine nuts for the almonds and it was delish!

a bunch torn spinach (or one bag of baby spinach)
1 basket strawberries - large slices
1/3 C toasted, slivered almonds

Dressing:
1/2 C sugar
2 T sesame seeds
1 T poppy seeds
1 1/2 t minced onion
1/4 t Worcestershire sauce
1/4 t paprika
1/2 C vegetable oil
1/4 C apple cider vinegar

Combine spinach, strawberries & almonds. Mix dressing together and toss with salad. Yummy!!!

Swiss chard

There was a request for swiss chard recipes and I was planning on posting one for Angie's Tasty Tuesdays, but I misplaced the recipe, sorry. So instead, I'll just tell you how we've been cooking it at home.

We always separate the stems and leaves since the stems take longer to cook. Sometimes we just stir fry them with lots of garlic (start with the stems, then add the leaves).
The last time I make chicken soup, I chopped the stems like I would celery and added it to the soup. A fried up the leaves with a bit of oil and lots of garlic. We were going to have it as a side dish, but ended up adding it as a topping to the soup. Oh, so yummy!
Since I have a million cookbooks (I love cookbooks), I'll have to look up some recipes later.

Here's A's mom's version. Very tasty, but not too healthy.

Ingredients
Swiss chard (we've always used the white stemmed version)
egg
bread crumbs (I like Panko flakes, A likes Italian seasoned bread crumbs)
oil

Directions
1. Separate leaves from stems.
2. Parboil stems.
3. Dip stems into egg, then bread crumbs.
4. Pan fry in oil till golden brown.
5. Cook leaves as you would any leafy vegetable (we usually stir fry). A's mom would cook the leaves with tomatoes, kinda like stewing them.

Say goodbye to the crockpot

It lived a long, productive life. But the last time I set it up, I didn't notice that it wasn't getting hot (I usually set it up right before I leave for work). Luckily, A came home for an early lunch and noticed. For all you food safety experts, yes, it was probably a bit outside the safe zone, but A said that everything was still really cold and he brought everything to a boil on the stove when he cooked it. Plus this was several days ago and we're still alive with no ill after effects.

I have no idea when we're going to get another one. I'd like one with a timer, 6 qts, glass top, compact, easy to clean, and not too expensive. Guess I better start looking. Or maybe I should get a smaller one so we don't have so many leftovers.

Oven Hash Browns

Another Tasty Tuesday (even though I'm posting on Monday, lol)

Ingredients
7-8 potatoes
3/4 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp paprika (optional)
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions
1. Peel and cube potatoes. Pieces should not be any larger than 1x1x2 (okay, that's not exactly a cube, but you get the idea). If potato pieces are larger, increase baking time.
2. Combine all the ingredients, except potatoes, in a large bowl.
3. Add the potatoes and coat evenly.
4. Place potatoes in an even layer in a large Pampered Chef bar pan.
5. Bake for 1 hour at 375 degrees or until the potatoes are done.

Cook's notes:
This is a great way to use up extra potatoes. I like this better without the paprika, but A likes it with.

Also, I do wish these would get a little crispier, since that's how I like my hash browns. But still, this is pretty darn easy and frees up a pan on the stove. Any suggestions for making these crispier would be welcome.

Celery casserole

In honor of Angie's Tasty Tuesday recipes, here a new one.

I had way too much celery in the vegetable bin (somehow I bought two) so I made up this variation of the classic green bean casserole.

Ingredients
4 cups sliced celery
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1 small can sliced mushrooms
1/4 red pepper, finely chopped
1 can French's onions

Directions
1. Saute the celery in the butter for five minutes or so (longer if you don't want the celery to be crunchy after baking).
2. Remove the celery and add the flour all at once (or, if you're lazy like me, move the celery off to the side of the pan and add the flour). Stir to incorporate flour.
3. Gradually stir in the milk. Make sure the roux (flour-butter mixture) dissolves.
4. Add the mushrooms and bell pepper, then remove from heat.
5. Add 1/3 of the French's onions.
6. Pour into a medium sized baking dish. I used a 1 quart oval Corningware baking dish. An 9x9 dish would probably also work.
7. Sprinkle 1/3 of the French's onions on top (you could probably use half in step 6 and half here, but I wanted to save some to top tomorrow night's salad).
8. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
If the top starts to brown too quickly, loosely cover with foil.

Pigs ears

Yum or yuck? Huell Houser, a reporter/all around nosey guy/Tennessee escapee on PBS, did a recent segment on pigs ears. He's done different series about California's parks, environment, and hidden treasures. I'm not sure pigs ears are a hidden treasure, but it is just the kind of quirky thing Huell would do a show on. It was pretty amusing to see people's reactions, especially Huell's, to the different forms of pigs ears. You can have them pickled, fried, and braised. I remember seeing pigs ears at the delis in Taiwan, along with pigs feet, pigs snout, and pigs tails. Obviously, nothing was going to waste. And I know you can buy pigs feet and the pigs head at the local Chinese deli, if you have a hankering for them.

If you want to see it yourself, you can purchase the video or DVD here (scroll down to the bottom).

Pork with Mushroom Gravy

This is a variation of one of my mom's standbys. Actually, I have two variations--same ingredients, different cooking methods. Ingredient amounts are vague because that's how I cook--I use what's on hand/on sale.

Ingredients
1 large onion, sliced
approx. 3 lbs pork (I've used pork chops, pork cutlets, country style pork ribs)
1 to 1 1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced
1 can cream of mushroom soup
Dash of wine (optional)
Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt, pepper to taste

Directions, Version 1
1. Brown pork in large skillet (need not cook through, you're browning for flavor). Remove from skillet and set aside temporarily.
2. Brown onion in same skillet.
3. Deglaze skillet with wine or water.
4. Add pork back to skillet, along with the mushrooms and cream of mushroom soup.
5. Add a bit of water (I usually fill the can about 1/4 full) to the can of soup to get the last bit and add that to the skillet.
6. Add a bit of Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder and pepper.
7. Simmer for 20 minutes or until the mushrooms and pork are cooked.
8. Salt/pepper to taste.
Serve over rice or noodles. Serves 6, depending on how much meat you started with.

Directions, Version 2
1. Place onion, pork, and mushrooms in crockpot.
2. Add cream of mushroom soup.
3. Add the wine or some water (I usually fill the can about 1/4 full) to the can of soup to get the last bit and add that to the crockpot.
3. Add a bit of Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder and pepper.
4. Cook on high for 5-6 hours.
5. Salt/pepper to taste.
Serve over rice or noodles. Serves 6, depending on how much meat you started with.
This version is more liquidy and the meat falls off the bone from cooking so long. I actually prefer the first version, but this version is good for weekdays.

Exploding Chili

That's what we had for dinner tonight. It started with a pound and a half of dried red beans, a huge onion, and a pound and a half of ground beef. Actually, it started with a can of beans I was going to put into a casserole, but decided they were too spicy. So since I already opened the can, I had to use it right away. Hence the chili.

The beans, onion, and beef filled my four quart stockpot so I moved to my eight quart stockpot. Added canned tomatoes, canned beans, and lots of spices. Filled the pot to within a couple inches of the rim. A calls this method of cooking, "Exploding Whatever" since I do this all the time to soups, stews, chili, etc. Good thing I stopped at the 8 quart pot. If I get desperate, I can always use my 16 quart stockpot, lol.

I oversalted the chili (something I rarely do) and tried the add-a-potato-to-absorb-the-extra-salt trick. It worked! I remember trying it before and it didn't.

Anyway, I don't really have a recipe for this, but here's the basics.

Cook dried beans (way cheaper than using canned, plus you can avoid the extra sodium)
Chop onion and brown with ground beef.
Add to cooked beans.
Add a couple of chopped carrots (for color and sneaking in a bit more veggies)
Add a can or two or three of diced tomatoes
Season with cumin, chili powder, lots of garlic (prefer fresh, but can use powdered), fresh ground pepper, a dash of soy sauce, and a bit of salt.
Simmer for an hour or longer to blend flavors.

I added canned beans to today's chili because it ended up being too spicy in addition to being too salty.

Buttermilk Baked Chicken, my version

I made my variation of this tonight. As usual, I made a few changes. Here's my version.

Ingredients
6-7 slices white bread
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese (2 ½ ounces)
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Fresh ground pepper
4 pounds chicken thighs (approx. 9 small)

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Remove crusts. Using a food processor or hand blender (which is messy), turn the bread into bread crumbs.

3. Stir together buttermilk, hot pepper flakes, thyme, and fresh ground pepper. Add chicken and coat all sides. I "marinated" the chicken for a few hours, which I think makes the chicken more tender.

4. Mix breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese.

5. Remove a piece of chicken and dredge in the breadcrumb mixture. (I find it easiest to first coat the skin side, then the other side.) Place coated chicken pieces in a 10x15 rimmed baking sheet. If possible, leave space between pieces so they crisp better.

6. Bake until chicken is golden brown, about 35 minutes. If you use chicken quarters or the pan is crowded, it could take more like 50 minutes to cook through.



Cook's notes:
I experimented tonight and added chicken hearts and gizzards about halfway through (you can see them in the middle of the pan in the photo above. I don't recommend gizzards. Too chewy. I think I'll try chicken livers next time. (Hope I'm not grossing you out, lol.)

I've always used my Pampered Chef stoneware pan. If you use a regular baking pan, you'll probably need to grease the pan first.

Zucchini Egg Squares

Notes: I was looking for something to take to Easter dinner and came up with this. My mom used to make something like this all the time, but she added ground meat (pork, beef, or Italian sausage) in the first step. I don't think she added cheese and definitely didn't have the topping. You can use any summer squash or add mushrooms for a slightly different flavor. Adjust spices to taste.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 1/2 pounds of zucchini, shredded
5 large eggs
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (divided)
2 cups fresh bread crumbs (divided)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
3/4 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon basil

Directions
1. Saute onion in butter until translucent. (I used a 5 qt saute pan so I'd have enough room for the zucchini in step 2.)
2. Add zucchini and cook for several minutes until the zucchini starts to change color. Try to cook off most of the liquid that the zucchini gives off. Remove from heat.
3. Beat the eggs and add to the zucchini.
4. Add 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 1 1/4 cups fresh bread crumbs, and spices. Mix well.
5. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan. Pour in zucchini-egg mixture.
6. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
7. Mix together 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese and 3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs for topping.
8. Raise temperature to 400 degrees. Remove pan from oven. Add topping.
9. Bake for 10 minutes more.
Casserole is done when edges are lightly browned and a knife inserted comes out clean. Cut into squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Buttermilk Baked Chicken

I made a variation of this recipe last night. I made several changes, like we didn't have any hot sauce so I used southwest seasoning instead, plus I eliminated the thyme. Oh, and I didn't add any salt because I figured the cheese and breadcrumbs had enough sodium. It took longer than 35 minutes for the thighs to cook (more like 50 minutes, but maybe because I overcrowded the pan). But all in all, I'd recommend this. I baked it on my PC (Pampered Chef) bar pan and it browned really nicely and didn't stick at all. I'll need to try this dish again a few times before I come up with my own variation of the recipe and publish it here.