Sunday Morning Potatoes

Homefries cooked on the stovetop make a huge mess.  These are better and way easier.  I love a bowl topped with an over-easy egg… washed down with a glass of orange juice.  Add a fruit or green salad, side of toast, cup of tea.  Is it Sunday morning yet?

1.  Coarsely chop a whole large onion and toss into a large pyrex baking dish.

2.  Chop 2 medium potatoes for each serving (i.e. 8 large potatoes for 4 grown ups) into bite-sized pieces.  I like to use the “waxier” potatoes, like red or yellow, since they hold their shape nicely.  Add to the baking dish.

3.  Peel at least 1 clove of garlic for each potato (i.e. 8 cloves for 8 potatoes) and add to the baking dish.

4.  Drizzle the stuff in the baking dish with at least two tablespoons of vegetable oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then stir until all of the potatoes are coated and everything is mixed up.  If you want, you can also stir in a teaspoon or two of rosemary at this point.

5.  Cover the dish tightly with a piece of tinfoil and bake in a 400 degree oven until the potatoes are soft (about 30 minutes).  Remove the tinfoil and cook another 15 minutes or so, until the potatoes start to brown and the onions and garlic start to caramelize.

That’s it!  Let me know if you try it for brunch!

Creamy Dreamy Mac and Cheesy

This is your basic homemade mac n cheese recipe.  However, at the bottom I offer suggestions for things you do to jazz it up if you’re not in the mood for plain old comfort.

1.  Boil a bag of any type of macaroni or pasta (well, maybe not spaghetti).  When it’s done, drain and set aside.  Do not rinse.

2.  Melt half a stick of butter in a pot.  Whisk in 1/4 cup of flour.  It might be lumpy.  Don’t fret.

3.  Quickly, before the flour and butter start to burn, whisk in 1/2 cup of milk.  Whisk, whisk, whisk until the mixture starts to thicken and the lumps dissipate.  If it gets too thick too quickly, add more milk and whisk, whisk, whisk.

4.  When the roux (that’s what you call that flour-butter-milk sauce) is the consistency of thick waffle batter, add a cup or two of grated cheese (I like the three-cheese blend they sell at TJ’s).  Whisk until it’s all melted into a cheesy sauce.  You can also add a dash of salt and pepper at this point.

5.  Turn off the heat and add the cooked pasta to the pot.  Stir until coated.

6.  For best results, eat right away!

Here are some ideas if you want to make things “interesting”:

– Add sauted onions, green peppers, and/or mushrooms to the sauce just after adding the cheese

– Lightly steam some broccoli and add to the sauce after the cheese

– Serve with tobasco and collard greens… mmmm….

Summer Dinner #2 – Quick BBQ Chicken

This goes great with cornbread and collard greens  I’ll throw those recipes in too, so you can have the complete meal!

For the Chicken:

1. Put as many chicken legs (skins still on) as you can eat onto a grill
2. In a bowl, mix:  1/2 cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce and a dash or two or three of tobasco
3. When the chicken legs are halfway done, brush them on one side with half of the sauce and flip
4. When they are almost done, flip them again and brush them with the other half of the sauce

For the Collard Greens:

1. Chop up a bunch or two of collard greens (or cheat, like I do, and buy the pre-washed, pre-chopped ones)
2. Put some oil in a pot, heat, and add the greens
3. When they start to sizzle, add a cup of water and 1/4 cup lemon juice
4. Add a dash of salt and a clove or two of crushed garlic
5. Cook until tender adding water as you go so the greens don’t burn

For the Cornbread:

1. Buy a mix and follow the directions.  I like Trader Joe’s personally.
2. Serve with softened butter mixed with honey

And, yes, that WAS my dinner tonight!

Vegetarian Chicken Soup

This soup goes great with matzah balls, noodles, or rice.  Basically, any way you like your chicken soup, this soup does it.  It is the ultimate comfort food.  And of course, you CAN always add in chicken. 

1.  Chop one large onion and saute in a soup pot with a tablespoon of oil until browned
2.  Add three bay leaves
3.  Add 2-3 chopped celery stalks, 2-3 chopped carrots, 1-2 chopped parsnips, and a large chopped turnip
4.  Stir in some salt and pepper
5.  Add enough water to submerge the veggies under at least 4 inches of water
6.  Cover the pot and simmer for an hour or so, until the veggies are soft and the broth brothy
7.  Add more salt and pepper to taste
8.  Remove the bay leaves before serving

With a few saltines and orange juice, this cures all ailments!

More Tofu!

I made this for dinner tonight – it was a party in my mouth, which is saying a lot for tofu.  Serve it over brown rice with garlic broccoli or green beans or bok choy.

1.  Cut one package of firm tofu (not extra firm, just firm) into 3/4 inch cubes
2.  Put a tablespoon of vegetable oil into a pan. When hot, add the tofu and fry until brown on all (or a least most) sides
3.  In a small bowl, make a sauce by mixing 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 3 tablespoons soy souce, 2 teaspoons of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of sambal olek (garlic chili paste)
4.  Chop up 1/4 cup basil and add it to the tofu, quickly followed by the sauce.  Fry for a few seconds while you stir, then turn off the heat and serve

Party on!

Eggplant Tapanade

My friend Emily keeps asking me for eggplant recipes since her garden is exploding with them.  I am not actually a big eggplant fan, but have done a bit of eggplanting in my life so will post an idea that ya’ll need to try out to tell me if it works!

1.  Cube a large eggplant.  Do not remove the skin or the seeds.  Toss in a bowl with some light oil and spread on a baking sheet.

2.  Cut a red pepper into wedges, removing seeds.  Toss with a light oil and add to the baking sheet.

3.  Bake the eggplant and red pepper at 400 degrees until it is soft and starts to brown – but before it burns (I believe the phrase is, “until it is roasted”).

4.  Let the roasted veggies cool, then put them in a food processor along with a clove of garlic, 2-4 kalamata olives, a dash of pepper, and a a splash of either balsamic vinegar or lemon juice.  Puree until smooth.  If the olives didn’t make it salty enough, add a dash of salt.  You can also add a bit of cumin if you want to increase the zip factor.

Serve at room temperature on crackers or crostini.  Spread on bread, add cheese and grill.  Toss with warm pasta and sprinkle with goat cheese.  The possibilities are kind of endless…

Breakfast To Go: Egg on a Muffin

Here’s a delish and quick breakfast for those mornings when you don’t have time to sit down and eat a bowl of cereal. 

1.  Crack an egg into a bowl. Add seasonings (e.g. salsa, pesto, soy sauce, herbs…) and a dash of water. Scramble.
2. Spray a ramekin with cooking spray.  Dump the egg in the ramekin.
3.  Microwave for a minute or so until the egg is done (you’ll have to figure out the length of time needed for your particular microwave)
4.  Toast up an english muffin.
5.  When the egg is done, dump the little souffle onto the english muffin, top it with a slice of cheese put the top of the muffin on top and head out the door.

Great way to start your day!

Granola

A friend informed me she just spent $8/lb for granola and asked me to please post my granola recipe, which will cost you less than $1.50/lb, even if you use all organic ingredients.  Plus, you get to choose exactly what stuff you want floating in there along with the oats!  This recipe is based on the one found in “Bake the Bread, Buy the Butter,” a super-fun cookbook/read.

1. Put 3-4 cups of rolled oats into a big bowl
2.  Add about 1/2 a stick of melted butter and 1/4 cup each brown sugar and maple syrup
3. Sprinkle in a dash of salt, and any other flavorings you want (cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, orange zest, ground ginger, etc)
4.  Throw in some nuts too while you’re at it
5.  Spread the mixture on a rimmed baking sheet and bake in a 200 degree oven for about an hour (or until crispy but not burned)
6.  Let the oats cool, breaking up any climps with a fork
7.  Add in bits of dried fruit (raisins, candied ginger, mango), and you’re good to go!

Store the granola in a big ziplock.  You’ll eat it for sure before it has time to get stale anyway.