Anyways, the serving sizes are big enough for us to split, so we had some leftover. Mike's leftover pasta lunch became my dinner - with the addition of some frozen peas and grated Parmesan cheese on top.
Success!
Showing posts with label leftovers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label leftovers. Show all posts
Leftover Success
Mike and I went to Pasta Jay's on our way back from Grand Junction, and we each got a gluten-free dish. (Here's my review.)
Anyways, the serving sizes are big enough for us to split, so we had some leftover. Mike's leftover pasta lunch became my dinner - with the addition of some frozen peas and grated Parmesan cheese on top.
Success!
Anyways, the serving sizes are big enough for us to split, so we had some leftover. Mike's leftover pasta lunch became my dinner - with the addition of some frozen peas and grated Parmesan cheese on top.
Success!
Couscous with Spinach and Feta
This recipe is such an old favorite, I can't believe I haven't' shared it with you before. The ingredient list is a little lengthy, but every ingredient is worth it, and it really doesn't take that long to prepare, unless you're cooking the meat while you make dinner. I usually use some leftover meat - just about anything will do. The original recipe called for chicken, but I love it with leftover lamb, beef, or even venison.
Couscous with Spinach and Feta
Ingredients:
In a medium pot, saute the shallot in the olive oil until it begins to soften. Toss in the garlic, half the lemon zest, and red pepper flakes, and saute until the garlic becomes fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the couscous and toast for about one minute. Add 1 cup water (or the amount recommended on the package), and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to the lowest setting, cover, and let sit about 15 minutes, or until the couscous is cooked.
When the couscous is cooked, stir in the spinach, a handful at a time, until it is all wilted. Remove the pan from heat, and stir in the meat and half the feta cheese.
Divide between two plates. Top with the remaining feta cheese and drizzle with the remaining lemon zest and lemon juice.
Makes two generous or three modest portions. Can easily be doubled (or tripled) to serve more people. Keeps well one or two days in the fridge.
Couscous with Spinach and Feta
Ingredients:
- 8-12 ounces beef, chicken, or lamb, cooked
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup gluten-free couscous (I use this. If you're not gluten-free, regular or Israeli couscous would be good too)
- 1 shallot, minced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- Zest of one lemon, plus the juice
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 6-8 ounces baby spinach
- 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
In a medium pot, saute the shallot in the olive oil until it begins to soften. Toss in the garlic, half the lemon zest, and red pepper flakes, and saute until the garlic becomes fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the couscous and toast for about one minute. Add 1 cup water (or the amount recommended on the package), and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to the lowest setting, cover, and let sit about 15 minutes, or until the couscous is cooked.
When the couscous is cooked, stir in the spinach, a handful at a time, until it is all wilted. Remove the pan from heat, and stir in the meat and half the feta cheese.
Divide between two plates. Top with the remaining feta cheese and drizzle with the remaining lemon zest and lemon juice.
Makes two generous or three modest portions. Can easily be doubled (or tripled) to serve more people. Keeps well one or two days in the fridge.
Risotto alla "Bambi"
Last week, I made a shrimp risotto and utterly failed to take a decent photo of it. This week, I made some venison risotto. It was supposed to be my redemption photo shoot. Until the camera battery died. Ugh. This is as good as it's gonna get, I'm afraid:
Anyways, this is a "leftovers" meal. My brother shot the deer, and the tenderloin has been hanging out in my parents' freezer since last hunting season. When I was home last weekend for a dear friend's wedding, my dad cooked it for Sunday dinner. Which, if you're from the South, you know is just a big lunch on Sunday, but we call it dinner.
The original dish Dad cooked is a venison tenderloin, cut into 2-inch chunks, then wrapped with half a piece of bacon, and held together with a toothpick or two. It goes on the grill, turning a couple of times so the bacon gets crispy, until the venison is medium or medium-rare. The fat from the bacon helps keep the lean venison moist, and the whole thing is so delicious it'll make you swoon.
Anyways, this is a "leftovers" meal. My brother shot the deer, and the tenderloin has been hanging out in my parents' freezer since last hunting season. When I was home last weekend for a dear friend's wedding, my dad cooked it for Sunday dinner. Which, if you're from the South, you know is just a big lunch on Sunday, but we call it dinner.
The original dish Dad cooked is a venison tenderloin, cut into 2-inch chunks, then wrapped with half a piece of bacon, and held together with a toothpick or two. It goes on the grill, turning a couple of times so the bacon gets crispy, until the venison is medium or medium-rare. The fat from the bacon helps keep the lean venison moist, and the whole thing is so delicious it'll make you swoon.
No-Stir Mushroom Risotto with Seared Shrimp
Guess what, y'all. Food photography is hard. Even Martha Stewart has trouble taking a good food photo on her own. You know what's even harder? When it's December already, and there's only light from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., and you want to take a picture of your 7 p.m. dinner before it gets cold. Whoever heard of such a thing? Sheesh. Anyways, that's really just a long-winded explanation for why there's no photo with this recipe. (Even though it still looks better than Martha's. Sorry, Martha.)
Season some breadcrumbs...
Form the rice into balls (some recipes even have you stuff them with cheese...yum!)
Roll those balls in the breadcrumbs...
Then fry.
Instead, here's a picture of Odie, looking cute. Which is what he does best, daylight or no daylight.
No-Stir Mushroom Risotto with Seared Shrimp
Serves 2 with a little left over, but you could easily double or triple the recipe
Until I tried this technique, risotto had eluded me. The idea here is that you get most of the effect of a creamy risotto quicker, and with less work. Sign me up!
For the Risotto:
- 1 small onion
- 4 ounces mushrooms
- 1/2 bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1/2 cup short-grain rice, such as Arborio
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Shrimp:
- 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- 2 tablespoons oil or lard, for frying
Lay the shrimp evenly on a couple of paper towels. Put several paper towels on top of them, then weight with a heavy pan, like a cast iron skillet.
Meanwhile, chop the onion, mushrooms, and bell pepper finely. Combine in a small saucepan with the olive oil, and saute until they have released all their liquid and are beginning to dry out. Add the cream, water and a pinch of salt, then bring to a boil. Once the liquid comes to a boil, add the rice, give it a quick stir, then cover and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for 14-15 minutes, or until al dente.
When there are five minutes left for the rice to cook, combine the cornstarch and sea salt in a shallow bowl. Toss the shrimp in the cornstarch so it is lightly coated. Heat the frying oil in a large skillet until it is almost smoking. Sear the shrimp, about a minute on each side, until they are golden brown, then remove from the pan and drain on fresh paper towels.
When the rice has finished cooking, add the butter and cheese, stirring vigorously so the melt evenly into the rice.
Serve the rice in a shallow bowl topped with the shrimp. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve while it's still piping hot.
If you have any leftover rice, you can make fried rice balls the next day. The possibilities are endless, but the basic idea is to heat up some oil,
Season some breadcrumbs...
Form the rice into balls (some recipes even have you stuff them with cheese...yum!)
Roll those balls in the breadcrumbs...
Then fry.
Any way you slice it, it's good! Enjoy!
Creamy Polenta and Chorizo
I love planning out my meals, but sometimes it slips my mind and I need to work with what I have in the fridge. This meal was one of those occasions. What do you do with mushrooms, onions, and chorizo that you haven't done a million times? Polenta.
There's really not much of a recipe for this one, since it's so simple. The mushrooms and onions were already cooked in the fridge, so it was just a matter of heating them up, and cooking the polenta and chorizo.
I used this recipe as a starting point, but used nearly half cream instead of water to get a rich, silky, creamy taste to the polenta. I also found myself using a bit more water. Then I let the polenta chill in the refrigerator, then fried spoonsfuls of it in bacon grease. I'm pretty sure the bacon grease was what made the dish so amazing.
Then I topped the fried polenta with the mushrooms and onions, as well as a little chili sauce.
Then some shredded cheese.
Then the cooked chorizo and some sliced scallions.
A delicious way to welcome the coming of summer!
A.S.S. Sandwich (Avocado, Salami, Spinach)
I don't eat sandwiches that often anymore. Not many lunch meats agree with my stomach. Plus, there's something sad about sandwiches you bring to work - the lettuce wilts, the cheese melts into the sandwich, and you can only have so many toppings. Plus, there's nothing worse than stale or soggy bread.
But occasionally I like to have a real sandwich with all the fixings. Mayo all around. Cooked onions on one side, cheese and salami on the other. Sprinkle on some chili powder, salt and pepper. Toast.
Add some sliced avocado, then some spinach.
Put it all together, and then hang on tight to slice it in half.
Enjoy in the sunshine.
Hot and Sour
Even though it's solidly spring now and the weather's getting better by leaps and bounds, we still have chilly days where there's nothing better than a hot soup. And boy, is this soup hot - in a good way.
I bet it could be hotter if you like it like that, but it was plenty hot for me. I used leftover pork and beef stock instead of chicken broth (it was in the freezer, and it's pretty light anyways). No tofu because I didn't have it, and for the Thai chile sauce I used the totally inauthentic chipotle and crushed red peppers in my spice drawer.
It was both delicious and filling, and good the next day too.
Sweet Bisque
There is light at the end of this tunnel that is the longest, darkest, coldest winter in my memory. January was so long, so cold, so gloomy. It snowed. When (if) the snow started to melt, it would snow again. There was smog so thick we might have been in Beijing. You could taste it, and let me tell you, it's not a taste you wanna taste. The smog was so thick you couldn't see the mountains less than five miles away - the ones that are so big, you can usually see them from anywhere in the valley. Buildings a block away loomed like shadows in the smog - if you were lucky to see that far.
As February began, it started to warm up - and clear up - in fits and starts. The sun came out every now and then. I dared not get my hopes up because I knew there was plenty more winter to go around. There still is. But I've seen the sun, and the mountains, and even the ground, which has been covered and re-covered with snow these last months. And there's light at the end of the tunnel. I can't wait for spring, for life, to begin anew.
Even so, there are cold days where a nice hot bowl of soup is all you need. This is one of those soups. It's amazing - sweet and a little spicy, smooth and creamy too. I was skeptical about the hot sauce because I'm not so big on the stuff, but it turned out to be what really made the soup. Without it, I suspect it would taste more like pie. Not a bad thing, if that's what you're in the mood for. But seriously, give the hot sauce a chance! You'll be glad you did.
Sweet Potato Bisque
You can prepare the roasted sweet potatoes in advance, or use leftover cooked sweet potatoes from another meal. This soup makes about 4 servings, depending on how hungry folks are.
Saute onions in butter, then add in the spices. Add sweet potatoes and liquids. Mash it all together so it's well combined.
If it looks more like mashed potatoes than a thick soup, add more liquid (water or milk or both) until it's a little bit thinner than your desired consistency. It will thicken some as it cooks. Simmer about 20 minutes.
Blend using a stick blender for a smooth bisque, or serve as is if you prefer more texture.
Garnish with a few drops of hot sauce and cream. Salt and pepper to taste.
Serve hot. Tastes fine the next day as leftovers (or you could make ahead).
As February began, it started to warm up - and clear up - in fits and starts. The sun came out every now and then. I dared not get my hopes up because I knew there was plenty more winter to go around. There still is. But I've seen the sun, and the mountains, and even the ground, which has been covered and re-covered with snow these last months. And there's light at the end of the tunnel. I can't wait for spring, for life, to begin anew.
Even so, there are cold days where a nice hot bowl of soup is all you need. This is one of those soups. It's amazing - sweet and a little spicy, smooth and creamy too. I was skeptical about the hot sauce because I'm not so big on the stuff, but it turned out to be what really made the soup. Without it, I suspect it would taste more like pie. Not a bad thing, if that's what you're in the mood for. But seriously, give the hot sauce a chance! You'll be glad you did.
Sweet Potato Bisque
You can prepare the roasted sweet potatoes in advance, or use leftover cooked sweet potatoes from another meal. This soup makes about 4 servings, depending on how hungry folks are.
- 2 medium-large sweet potatoes, roasted
- 1 small onion, chopped fine
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, or more to taste
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup water
- Heavy cream, if desired
- Salt and pepper to taste
Saute onions in butter, then add in the spices. Add sweet potatoes and liquids. Mash it all together so it's well combined.
If it looks more like mashed potatoes than a thick soup, add more liquid (water or milk or both) until it's a little bit thinner than your desired consistency. It will thicken some as it cooks. Simmer about 20 minutes.
Blend using a stick blender for a smooth bisque, or serve as is if you prefer more texture.
Garnish with a few drops of hot sauce and cream. Salt and pepper to taste.
Serve hot. Tastes fine the next day as leftovers (or you could make ahead).
Gluten-Free Dinner at Log Haven
Log Haven has been on our list of restaurants to try for quite some time. It's in Millcreek Canyon, where we often hike in the summer and fall, so we pass by it often.
I don't think it turns up in any of the places I usually go to find gluten-free restaurants, but they do have a gluten-free menu. In fact, it's one of the best laid-out gluten-free menus I've ever seen. At first it's a little confusing, but what they've done is highlight everything that isn't gluten-free. From there, you can pick something that is completely gluten-free, or check to see if substitutions are available. Either way, there are plenty of choices, and the staff is very careful with cross-contamination.
Since it was a special night, we split a half-bottle of pinot noir that was slightly above our normal price range for a full-size bottle at a restaurant (making it doubly nice). And since it was a half-bottle, there wasn't too much wine.
Mike and I shared the Alpine Nachos, which is the restaurant's signature appetizer.They were amazing, although the portion was a little big - we we should have gone with the "taste" portion, which was available for all the appetizers. Instead of your typical nacho chips, the chips were potato chips, topped with forest mushrooms, smoked proscuitto, and Raclette cheese. Let's just say that if the meal had ended there, I would have been completely satisfied.
But the meal went on, and I wasn't disappointed. Next we had the Baby Romaine salad, dressed with the creamy poblano-lime vinaigrette and shaved parmesan. We had them leave off the almonds since I'm allergic to them. I thought the salad was perfect - the dressing really was spot-on - but Mike wasn't that impressed.
Our main course was taking a little while, so the waiter whose name I have shamefully forgotten brought out little scoops of cherry sorbet in frosted martini glasses. Even though I don't eat cherries (I think I'm allergic), I hadn't told the waiter that and it was a kind gesture just the same. For the record, Mike gobbled up both his and my sorbet in no time, so it must have tasted good.
For the main course, Mike had the steak with aligot potatoes, broccoli, onion marmalade, and Shiraz reduction. It was all wonderfully cooked. I had the smoked duck, which came with poblanos, Beehive Habanero Cheddar, mango salsa, and chipotle butter. It was also supposed to come with hand-cut serrano chile pasta, which I had asked to be left off so the dish would be gluten-free. But the culinary staff thought it wouldn't be enough food to count as a main course and rustled up some gluten-free pasta for me! The dish was just a touch too spicy for me, but still quite delicious. And there were enough leftovers for me to have the next day (with some plain cheese to temper the spice):
We didn't save room for dessert, but all in all ,we were very pleased with our experience at Log Haven and can't wait to go back again!
P.S. Did I mention that the dining room overlooks a waterfall? And that they had a live pianist the night we were there? And that our waiter was awesome? All contributed wonderfully to the ambiance.
I don't think it turns up in any of the places I usually go to find gluten-free restaurants, but they do have a gluten-free menu. In fact, it's one of the best laid-out gluten-free menus I've ever seen. At first it's a little confusing, but what they've done is highlight everything that isn't gluten-free. From there, you can pick something that is completely gluten-free, or check to see if substitutions are available. Either way, there are plenty of choices, and the staff is very careful with cross-contamination.
Since it was a special night, we split a half-bottle of pinot noir that was slightly above our normal price range for a full-size bottle at a restaurant (making it doubly nice). And since it was a half-bottle, there wasn't too much wine.
Mike and I shared the Alpine Nachos, which is the restaurant's signature appetizer.They were amazing, although the portion was a little big - we we should have gone with the "taste" portion, which was available for all the appetizers. Instead of your typical nacho chips, the chips were potato chips, topped with forest mushrooms, smoked proscuitto, and Raclette cheese. Let's just say that if the meal had ended there, I would have been completely satisfied.
But the meal went on, and I wasn't disappointed. Next we had the Baby Romaine salad, dressed with the creamy poblano-lime vinaigrette and shaved parmesan. We had them leave off the almonds since I'm allergic to them. I thought the salad was perfect - the dressing really was spot-on - but Mike wasn't that impressed.
Our main course was taking a little while, so the waiter whose name I have shamefully forgotten brought out little scoops of cherry sorbet in frosted martini glasses. Even though I don't eat cherries (I think I'm allergic), I hadn't told the waiter that and it was a kind gesture just the same. For the record, Mike gobbled up both his and my sorbet in no time, so it must have tasted good.
For the main course, Mike had the steak with aligot potatoes, broccoli, onion marmalade, and Shiraz reduction. It was all wonderfully cooked. I had the smoked duck, which came with poblanos, Beehive Habanero Cheddar, mango salsa, and chipotle butter. It was also supposed to come with hand-cut serrano chile pasta, which I had asked to be left off so the dish would be gluten-free. But the culinary staff thought it wouldn't be enough food to count as a main course and rustled up some gluten-free pasta for me! The dish was just a touch too spicy for me, but still quite delicious. And there were enough leftovers for me to have the next day (with some plain cheese to temper the spice):
We didn't save room for dessert, but all in all ,we were very pleased with our experience at Log Haven and can't wait to go back again!
P.S. Did I mention that the dining room overlooks a waterfall? And that they had a live pianist the night we were there? And that our waiter was awesome? All contributed wonderfully to the ambiance.
French Toast, Gluten-Free
Maybe this goes beyond stating the obvious, but making French toast gluten-free isn't that much different than making it the "normal way." Stale bread, eggs, milk, frying pan, and done. Maybe some cinnamon sugar and fruit if you're lucky.
I don't know about you, but my best ideas come to me when I'm staring at the fridge. It's like the ideas that come to you in the shower, or right before you go to bed. Mine come to me when I'm standing there, letting all the cold air out, absentmindedly surveying its contents.
Remember that bread I made? It was amazing right out of the oven, but then it dried out pretty darn quick. I avoided using it, and then one night I was staring at the fridge, wondering what to make for dinner, not really wanting to cook but definitely not wanting to go out to eat either. And then the lightbulb went off in my head - French toast. Quick and easy, and a great way to use up stale bread.
I added some honey, vanilla, and cinnamon sugar to the egg mixture. The best French toast in my book has lots of cinnamon sugar, so I sprinkled it liberally over the toast when it was done too. And the last of the raspberries from the freezer graced the top (and their juice combined with honey made a great syrup).
I don't know about you, but my best ideas come to me when I'm staring at the fridge. It's like the ideas that come to you in the shower, or right before you go to bed. Mine come to me when I'm standing there, letting all the cold air out, absentmindedly surveying its contents.
Remember that bread I made? It was amazing right out of the oven, but then it dried out pretty darn quick. I avoided using it, and then one night I was staring at the fridge, wondering what to make for dinner, not really wanting to cook but definitely not wanting to go out to eat either. And then the lightbulb went off in my head - French toast. Quick and easy, and a great way to use up stale bread.
I added some honey, vanilla, and cinnamon sugar to the egg mixture. The best French toast in my book has lots of cinnamon sugar, so I sprinkled it liberally over the toast when it was done too. And the last of the raspberries from the freezer graced the top (and their juice combined with honey made a great syrup).
Pizza Night
Anybody will tell you, good pizza is an art. I'm not talking about the kind of pizza you get from the freezer aisle. Those are just cheap prints, imitations of the real masters.
No, I'm talking about hot and gooey pizza with the perfect combination of flavors. Not to brag, but since I started making pizza on an almost weekly basis, I haven't had a bad pizza once.
The toppings are almost always a combination of something that's already in my fridge or spice drawer. A little bit of this, a little bit of that. Leftovers? Put them on the pizza. Here we have sauteed mushrooms and country ham. What you don't see is that instead of tomato sauce, the pizza has a layer of roasted garlic, olive oil, and herbs underneath all those toppings.
I'm still in search of the perfect crust recipe. You might have your own pizza crust preferences - everyone does - but I like the fluffy crust. Not the one from the fast-food pizza place. No, I'm talking about the kind you can smell from across the room. The one that's slightly greasy, almost burnt, bubbly, and absolutely perfect. The one that has volume, but also some chew. Until I find the one, I often stick to the freezer-aisle-imitation-thin-crust. I do have one thing to say for it: it's quick, and if I can have pizza on the table that much faster after a rough day, well then it's worth it.
Let Me Eat Cake
Cake has been something of an obsession for me lately. There's birthday cake, there's wedding cake, and just-because-it's-Monday cake. All those things have been on my mind, but truthfully, the wedding cake weighs the most heavily on my mind.
I want a "traditional" wedding cake - you know, the kind with great big tiers. The kind that is on display for its own sake. I do not want cupcakes. And I'm really not interested in having lots of different cakes. The only thing is, since I'm planning this wedding from the other side of the country, it's really difficult when you add in the most important part - the cake has to be gluten-free.
One caterer suggested to my mother that the top tier could be gluten free. What?! No matter how careful they are to prevent cross-contamination, no matter how much icing and cardboard and who-knows-what else is between a regular cake and a gluten-free cake, there's no way I would be comfortable with that.
Similarly, there aren't many dedicated gluten-free bakeries in the area where we're getting married. (Did you know that flour can stay in the air for 24 hours?) The closest dedicated gf bakery that I know of is about 50 miles away from where we're tying the knot. And I don't even know if they would make a wedding cake. I know I'm just getting this whole planning thing really started, and I'm sure we'll work this thing out, but it's really getting to me.
So of course, I've launched into baking cakes at every opportunity. Right now, there's no way I can think of to safely bake my wedding cake...besides the stress and construction issues, my gf kitchen is in Utah and the wedding will be in Virginia. But still.
I've made this recipe twice now, and am quite growing to love it. (Mike likes it too.) Of course, I can't help having my own twist - a tablespoon of psyllium husk instead of gums, and no Cointreau because I don't have any on hand. The first time, it worked like a dream. I made cake donuts, cupcakes, and an eight-inch cake.
I want a "traditional" wedding cake - you know, the kind with great big tiers. The kind that is on display for its own sake. I do not want cupcakes. And I'm really not interested in having lots of different cakes. The only thing is, since I'm planning this wedding from the other side of the country, it's really difficult when you add in the most important part - the cake has to be gluten-free.
One caterer suggested to my mother that the top tier could be gluten free. What?! No matter how careful they are to prevent cross-contamination, no matter how much icing and cardboard and who-knows-what else is between a regular cake and a gluten-free cake, there's no way I would be comfortable with that.
Similarly, there aren't many dedicated gluten-free bakeries in the area where we're getting married. (Did you know that flour can stay in the air for 24 hours?) The closest dedicated gf bakery that I know of is about 50 miles away from where we're tying the knot. And I don't even know if they would make a wedding cake. I know I'm just getting this whole planning thing really started, and I'm sure we'll work this thing out, but it's really getting to me.
So of course, I've launched into baking cakes at every opportunity. Right now, there's no way I can think of to safely bake my wedding cake...besides the stress and construction issues, my gf kitchen is in Utah and the wedding will be in Virginia. But still.
I've made this recipe twice now, and am quite growing to love it. (Mike likes it too.) Of course, I can't help having my own twist - a tablespoon of psyllium husk instead of gums, and no Cointreau because I don't have any on hand. The first time, it worked like a dream. I made cake donuts, cupcakes, and an eight-inch cake.
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Using the cake donuts, I also made some divine raspberry shortcake with the last of the raspberries in the freezer from last year's farmer's market and homemade whipped cream:
Then the cake became tiramisu:
The second time around, I made cake donuts and one nine-inch cake. I also made the lemon cream called for in the recipe. For some reason, the donuts didn't do so well...I'm suspecting that I overfilled the tins and maybe didn't bake them long enough. Anyways, those became cake pops (crumbs mixed with icing and dipped in melted chocolate):
And the cake became what we're affectionately calling "Ugly Cake." It has the lemon cream, and a layer of the chocolate. I find the lemon cream too tart on its own, but the chocolate balances it out nicely. It's ugly because it's not exactly the most picturesque cake I've ever made:
Am I any closer to a wedding cake? Not really. All I know is that if a caterer or baker doesn't have something that wows me, I want to request they use this recipe. Oh, and if I really am going to bake my own wedding cake, it better not look like that ugly cake. I guess I'll go back in the kitchen and keep practicing.
Leftovers I Crave
We had salmon the other night for dinner, and there was some leftover. Not wanting it to go to waste, I made this dish - my go-to recipe for salmon leftovers. I won't admit to buying extra salmon just so I can have this dish, but it is that good.
It's good either warm or cold, so it makes awesome leftovers of leftovers for lunch the next day - if it makes it that far. At my parents' house, if there's any of this dish in the fridge, you'd better stake your claim to it, eat it, or hide it from everybody else, because otherwise it won't be in the fridge the next time you look.
This is so easy to make, and pretty versatile too - you can use fresh fish or canned, whatever mild cheese you have around, and of course you can always adjust the seasonings to taste. Serve on a bed of mixed greens if you're wanting a more balanced meal, but it doesn't really need any dressing.
Salmon Pasta Salad
Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. Return to pasta pot.
Meanwhile, if using canned salmon, make sure it's been drained and picked over to remove any bones or dark meat. Use a fork to separate the salmon into smaller pieces.
Once the pasta is cooked and drained, add the butter, oil, and spices to the pot. Toss once, then let sit about five minutes. Add the salmon and stir, then stir in the cheese.
Serve either warm or cold. Serves about four.
Note: Originally, we used Penzey's Pasta Sprinkle for the seasoning, then added salt and pepper. I've long run out of my jar, but I always have basil, oregano, thyme and garlic on hand. I rarely take the time to measure out the seasonings for this dish. I just dump in the herbs until it tastes right. The measurements above are pretty close to my normal ratio, but if you want more of one herb and less of another, by all means, go ahead. You're the one eating it!
It's good either warm or cold, so it makes awesome leftovers of leftovers for lunch the next day - if it makes it that far. At my parents' house, if there's any of this dish in the fridge, you'd better stake your claim to it, eat it, or hide it from everybody else, because otherwise it won't be in the fridge the next time you look.
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| Leftovers of Leftovers |
Salmon Pasta Salad
- 8 ounces pasta (shells or elbows)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon thyme
- 2 ounces cheese, grated (cheddar, parmesan, or monterey jack all work well)
- 6-8 ounces salmon, cooked (or a can of salmon)
Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. Return to pasta pot.
Meanwhile, if using canned salmon, make sure it's been drained and picked over to remove any bones or dark meat. Use a fork to separate the salmon into smaller pieces.
Once the pasta is cooked and drained, add the butter, oil, and spices to the pot. Toss once, then let sit about five minutes. Add the salmon and stir, then stir in the cheese.
Serve either warm or cold. Serves about four.
Note: Originally, we used Penzey's Pasta Sprinkle for the seasoning, then added salt and pepper. I've long run out of my jar, but I always have basil, oregano, thyme and garlic on hand. I rarely take the time to measure out the seasonings for this dish. I just dump in the herbs until it tastes right. The measurements above are pretty close to my normal ratio, but if you want more of one herb and less of another, by all means, go ahead. You're the one eating it!
Leftovers - Lobster Omelet
Leftovers. There are leftovers and then there are leftovers. Some are good, some are bad, and some are downright ugly. There's cold pizza or macaroni and cheese (good), fish that was overcooked in the first place (bad), and that stuff at the back of the fridge that's melted into something really stinky, fuzzy, and totally unrecognizable (ugly, of course).
For most of my life, leftovers usually fell into the last two categories. The bad leftovers were eaten grudgingly, and the ugly leftovers were thrown in the garbage bin. The good leftovers were usually lunch or an afternoon snack, and rarely made it to dinnertime the next day. But the sad reality was that leftovers were a tired memory of a meal that was just o.k.
In the last few years, as I've begun to really cook for myself, I've started to rethink what the word "leftovers" really means. Sometimes it is the same soup, or casserole, or pasta, reheated yet again. And it's always a lot better than the leftovers in my memory. (I had one boss tell me he was always jealous of my leftovers. Another boss always complained that I never brought enough to share with the whole office. Chalk one up for leftovers.)
But other times, leftovers are something much, much more. It's amazing how a totally different focus can create an entirely new meal that no one would ever imagine was leftovers.
Eggs are one of my favorite ways to manage this. Frittatas and omelets are so good that folks will think you cooked the entire thing for that meal only, instead of scraping around the corners of the fridge to use up scraps. I only made my first frittatas and omelets this past year (it's a lack of patience thing), but they sure do make a strong showing in my life now.
I'm still working on the ability to make a new meal out of any kind of leftovers, but this particular omelet was a revelation. We had too much lobster the other night (if there can be such a thing), and as I stared at the fridge wondering what to eat, this recipe came to me. Even better, it took less than twenty minutes from start to finish.
And it tasted wonderful. A far cry from the leftovers of my memory.
Saute some onions and crushed red pepper.
Lobster Omelet
Serve immediately.
There won't be any leftovers from this one, I promise.
For most of my life, leftovers usually fell into the last two categories. The bad leftovers were eaten grudgingly, and the ugly leftovers were thrown in the garbage bin. The good leftovers were usually lunch or an afternoon snack, and rarely made it to dinnertime the next day. But the sad reality was that leftovers were a tired memory of a meal that was just o.k.
In the last few years, as I've begun to really cook for myself, I've started to rethink what the word "leftovers" really means. Sometimes it is the same soup, or casserole, or pasta, reheated yet again. And it's always a lot better than the leftovers in my memory. (I had one boss tell me he was always jealous of my leftovers. Another boss always complained that I never brought enough to share with the whole office. Chalk one up for leftovers.)
But other times, leftovers are something much, much more. It's amazing how a totally different focus can create an entirely new meal that no one would ever imagine was leftovers.
Eggs are one of my favorite ways to manage this. Frittatas and omelets are so good that folks will think you cooked the entire thing for that meal only, instead of scraping around the corners of the fridge to use up scraps. I only made my first frittatas and omelets this past year (it's a lack of patience thing), but they sure do make a strong showing in my life now.
I'm still working on the ability to make a new meal out of any kind of leftovers, but this particular omelet was a revelation. We had too much lobster the other night (if there can be such a thing), and as I stared at the fridge wondering what to eat, this recipe came to me. Even better, it took less than twenty minutes from start to finish.
And it tasted wonderful. A far cry from the leftovers of my memory.
Saute some onions and crushed red pepper.
Toss in some lobster for 30 seconds or so, just to get it a little bit warm. Remove from pan.
Add some more oil to the pan, pour in eggs whisked with milk or cream. When the eggs are mostly set, scatter lobster and cheese on one side of the omelet.
Say a prayer while you (gently) fold the eggs over the filling. Leave it in the pan for another minute or so, then remove to a plate, and top with more lobster and cheese.
Lobster Omelet
- 2 tablespoons bacon fat or olive oil, divided
- 3 eggs
- 2 tablespoons cream
- 1 or 2 lobster tails, cooked, peeled, and chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 ounce cheese, grated (about 1/2 - 3/4 cup)
- 1/4 small onion or 1 shallot, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 scallion, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Heat 1 tablespoon fat in an omelet pan or 8-inch skillet over medium heat. Add onions and saute until soft and beginning to turn golden, about 10 minutes. Add the crushed red pepper and saute about a minute more. Add the lobster to the pan for about 30 seconds, then transfer the entire mixture to a bowl and set aside.
Heat the remaining fat in the pan. Meanwhile, whisk together eggs and cream. Pour the eggs into the pan. Lift up at the sides with a spatula every now and then to keep them from sticking to the pan. When the eggs are mostly set, scatter 2/3 of the lobster mixture and half the cheese on one side of the eggs. Starting at the other side of the eggs, use a spatula to fold the eggs over the filling. Keep over the heat for one or two minutes more, then transfer to a plate. Top with the remaining lobster and cheese. Sprinkle scallions over the top, and salt and pepper to taste.
Serve immediately.
There won't be any leftovers from this one, I promise.
Fancypants Lamb, Acts One and Two
Remember that lamb that cost me the contents of my piggy bank? Well here it is, the star of two meals.
First Act: A Dinner's Dinner
The first go-round, I just panfried it all in some bacon fat. That's salt, pepper, and some herbs on plain-ol lambchops.
Definitely worth the price.
Second Act: Salad.
I used to eat this dish made with couscous, spinach, lemon, chicken, and feta cheese. It was one of my favorites. No more couscous for me (at least not wheat couscous), and for some reason I can't really digest chicken anymore either. No worries.
This is a rice couscous, cooked up with some onions and red pepper flakes. And butter, there's always butter. Throw in some shredded cheese (or feta would be amazing with this) and lemon zest when you fluff the couscous, and then top with more cheese.
Slice and reheat the lamb in a skillet over low heat. Be careful not to overcook, you just want it reheated.
Spoon the rice couscous over a bed of lettuce, then top with the lamb. Drizzle everything with a tiny bit of olive oil and some lemon juice.
Again, definitely worth the price.
Guilt in the Kitchen
I've said it before and I'll say it again. There's nothing quite like the guilt of leftovers. Maybe it wasn't my favorite dish, or it didn't turn out right. Maybe I'm just plain tired of it, or maybe I can't think of a way to make it new again. Whatever the excuse, those leftovers stare up at me from the fridge, warning me that their days are numbered.
That's what happened with the blackeyed peas. They were never a favorite of mine when I was a child. I always (grudgingly) ate one for good luck on New Year's at my mother's insistence. It wasn't until I grew them in my own garden and discovered Hoppin' John that I could really appreciate them.
This year was my first New Year living in Utah, and I was amazed to find fresh blackeyed peas at my grocery store. Of course, they only came in one size: prepackaged, about two cups worth, I I felt obligated to make a full recipe of Hoppin' John for New Year's. In retrospect, I should have cut the rice in half and used the same amount of blackeyed peas, because even though we both had generous servings, there were enough leftovers to feed me lunch for a week...except I never quite got around to eating them as leftovers.
Enter eggs and cheese, my favorite ingredients for making old food taste new again. I made a frittata, adding in some spicy local sausage and plenty of cheese for an entirely different dish.
I wasn't expecting much, but it ended up being pretty darn good. The rice melted into the eggs, making them almost silky, and the peas brought an unexpected texture. But the sausage really carried the day.
Hoppin' John Frittata
Hoppin' John is a traditional southern dish served on New Year's day for good luck. It's basically a pilaf of rice, blackeyed peas (also called cowpeas), and ham. Seasonings include onion, garlic, celery, and bell pepper. Here's a basic recipe for it, and another one here. I use the Hoppin' John recipe in Joy of Cooking, but there are plenty of ways to prepare it. It doesn't really matter which one you use, as it's simply a base for the frittata.
This recipe serves four with no leftovers. It can easily be doubled or scaled down depending on your needs. Just be sure to use an appropriate size pan.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a small mixing bowl, combine eggs, cream, and about half of the cheese. Set aside.
Heat butter and olive oil in a medium ovenproof skillet. Add Hoppin' John and sausage, and saute over medium heat, stirring frequently, until warmed through.
Pour egg mixture over the contents of the skillet and lower heat to medium low. Cook until the eggs are beginning to set around the edges, about ten minutes.
Top with remaining cheese and transfer to preheated oven. Cook 30-40 minutes more, or until the eggs are completely set and the top is beginning to brown.
To get the top all brown and bubbly, if you're into that sort of thing, place under a hot broiler for 2-3 minutes. If you're doing this, be sure to keep an eye on the frittata, since it can burn quickly.
Serve warm. If you happen to have leftovers, they make a good breakfast or lunch. Just reheat in the microwave 30 seconds to a minute. Trust me, you won't be avoiding the leftovers from this one.
That's what happened with the blackeyed peas. They were never a favorite of mine when I was a child. I always (grudgingly) ate one for good luck on New Year's at my mother's insistence. It wasn't until I grew them in my own garden and discovered Hoppin' John that I could really appreciate them.
This year was my first New Year living in Utah, and I was amazed to find fresh blackeyed peas at my grocery store. Of course, they only came in one size: prepackaged, about two cups worth, I I felt obligated to make a full recipe of Hoppin' John for New Year's. In retrospect, I should have cut the rice in half and used the same amount of blackeyed peas, because even though we both had generous servings, there were enough leftovers to feed me lunch for a week...except I never quite got around to eating them as leftovers.
Enter eggs and cheese, my favorite ingredients for making old food taste new again. I made a frittata, adding in some spicy local sausage and plenty of cheese for an entirely different dish.
I wasn't expecting much, but it ended up being pretty darn good. The rice melted into the eggs, making them almost silky, and the peas brought an unexpected texture. But the sausage really carried the day.
Hoppin' John Frittata
 |
| Hoppin' John, the first time around, served on a bed of boiled collard greens |
Hoppin' John is a traditional southern dish served on New Year's day for good luck. It's basically a pilaf of rice, blackeyed peas (also called cowpeas), and ham. Seasonings include onion, garlic, celery, and bell pepper. Here's a basic recipe for it, and another one here. I use the Hoppin' John recipe in Joy of Cooking, but there are plenty of ways to prepare it. It doesn't really matter which one you use, as it's simply a base for the frittata.
 |
| Hoppin' John Frittata |
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 - 1 1/2 cups prepared Hoppin' John
- 1 link sausage (about 4 ounces), broken up and cooked
- 1 - 1 1/2 cups grated cheese
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 3 - 4 eggs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a small mixing bowl, combine eggs, cream, and about half of the cheese. Set aside.
Heat butter and olive oil in a medium ovenproof skillet. Add Hoppin' John and sausage, and saute over medium heat, stirring frequently, until warmed through.
Pour egg mixture over the contents of the skillet and lower heat to medium low. Cook until the eggs are beginning to set around the edges, about ten minutes.
Top with remaining cheese and transfer to preheated oven. Cook 30-40 minutes more, or until the eggs are completely set and the top is beginning to brown.
To get the top all brown and bubbly, if you're into that sort of thing, place under a hot broiler for 2-3 minutes. If you're doing this, be sure to keep an eye on the frittata, since it can burn quickly.
Serve warm. If you happen to have leftovers, they make a good breakfast or lunch. Just reheat in the microwave 30 seconds to a minute. Trust me, you won't be avoiding the leftovers from this one.
The Country Cooking of France, by Anne Willan
The discovery of a new dish does more for human happiness than the discovery of a new star.
-Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, The Physiology of Taste
This cookbook is far more than a new dish, or a new star. It's a little bit of both. If I could sum it up in a nutshell, I would call this cookbook a modern and slightly condensed take on Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. (In fact, Willan is known for starting a cooking school with Julia Child and James Beard.) Besides the recipes and techniques, which focus on country cooking (as opposed to Parisian cuisine), The Country Cooking of France is complete with breathtakingly mouthwatering photographs of many of the recipes contained within its pages, as well as scenes of life in the French countryside.
Besides gorgeous photographs, this cookbook has several vignettes in each chapter - about types of food, chefs, locations, and agriculture in the French countryside. I learned a lot from these little accounts, like the reason cheese gets stringy - the protein and fat get too hot. Or that some cheeses have AOC status - just like wine - and the requirements for the prestigious labels are stringent, like requiring the cows' diet to consist entirely of summer grass and no grain-feed. No wonder the French are obsessed with cheese!
Starting on Sunday, and with the exception of Monday, we've eaten one new recipe from this cookbook every day this week. I was even inspired to have French-style fruit and cheese plates for lunch, complete with a single square of dark chocolate. I haven't fixed tonight's meal yet (Tian de Courgettes), but so far every single meal has been nothing short of spectacular.
How do you follow a recipe when you cannot eat one of the main ingredients (wheat) the cookbook celebrates? Well, first of all you choose recipes carefully, unless you're an expert. I picked recipes where I knew I could make substitutions, or where none were required at all because all of the ingredients were naturally gluten free. The Boeuf Bourguignon, for example, used flour as a thickener. Instead, I used an all-purpose gluten free flour blend, which did the trick just fine. Just to get in the mood for the week, I made gluten free French rolls, which I used for bread whenever it was called for in a recipe. And for the Quiche Lorraine, I found a recipe for a gluten free pie tart elsewhere. It may be a little bit of extra work, but in my mind it's well worth it.
Here's a recipe I made which is loosely based on a recipe in the cookbook. Give it a shot! It's excellent for a light meal, or as a first course.
My French Cooking Week Bonus - Salade au Gambas Grilles (Salad with Seared Shrimp)
Adapted from The Country Cooking of France by Anne Willem
Let me make a confession: somewhere along the way, I lost my love of shrimp. When I was a kid, I lived for steamed shrimp, fried, shrimp, shrimp scampi, shrimp salad ... you know, I just loved shrimp. At some point though, shrimp lost their magic. So when I stumbled across a recipe for seared shrimp, I hesitated. But the pictures were so tantalizing, and there was shrimp in the freezer, so what did I have to lose?
Oh, boy, am I glad I gave this recipe a try. As I'm wont to do, I made up some twists along the way, turning simple shrimp into a whole salad for dinner. Try your hand at it, and let me know how it goes for you!
2 tablespoons butter, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, more if needed
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
10 baby onions, peeled
2 cloves garlic, crushed
5 ounces lettuce
Juice of half a lemon
1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on
1/4 cup cornstarch (Argo is gluten free, but be sure to double check)
1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
1/2 ounce Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine tomatoes, peppers, onions, and garlic in a shallow baking dish. Toss with one tablespoon olive oil. Cut one tablespoon of butter into quarters, and tuck in to the dish. Cook for an hour, or until the tomatoes are bursting and the onions and garlic are soft. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Divide the lettuce among four plates. Spoon the tomato mixture evenly among the plates, reserving any cooking oil in the bottom of the pan. Whisk the reserved cooking oil with the lemon juice.
Add the remaining butter and oil to a large skillet. Combine the sea salt and cornstarch in a bowl, and toss in the shrimp to coat. Heat the skillet over medium heat until nearly smoking, then add the shrimp in a single layer. Weight the shrimp with a heavy pan and cook for a minute or two. Remove the weight, turn the shrimp, reweight, and cook another one or two minutes. Remove from heat.
Divide the shrimp equally among the four plates. Top with shavings of Parmesan cheese, the lemon vinaigrette, and the pepper.
Serve immediately.
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