So, how did I avoid plastic and trash today? Today I ran a race. I took a water bottle, left it in the car. I skipped the water stations (10k, didn't need it). No cups. At the end, I eschewed the burrito bowls, burritos, and plates of tacos. Instead, had a few slices of watermelon, no trash!
For our weekly Potluck in the Park, I made a fruit salad (the raspberries came in plastic), and I wanted to bring a main dish. At Costco samples day yesterday, I tasted their stuffed peppers. Delish. Instead of buying, I thought "I can make these!" But I never did like stuffed peppers as a kid. I googled "unstuffed peppers". First I found this recipe from Budget Bytes. And they linked to this recipe. And of course, I combined the two and edited, because I had "stuff" to use. And I didn't have any beef or chorizo. So mine were vegetarian. I love one skillet meals, but I did pour mine into a 9x13 and bake with cheese on top - it's just easier to transport that way. Served with guac...delish!
Also, have I mentioned I miss bread? I tested the waters this weekend with a couple of slices of pizza on Friday and a small donut hole today. It didn't go well. Sigh. I had to pass on the homemade pizza at the potluck. And the brownies. I've been pinning all sorts of gluten free brownies and bread recipes. This weekend, in fact, I made oatmeal banana waffles. They were pretty good.
So here's the combo recipe, thanks to Budget Bytes for the inspiration:
Bean & Rice & Veg casserole
Olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 to 1 cup bell peppers, diced (I had baby peppers)
1 jalapeno, diced (I keep touching my face, argh!)
1 lb (approx) sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
1 cube vegetable bouillon
1 cup salsa
1 cup uncooked white rice
2 cups black beans
1 3/4 cup water (or more)
shredded cheddar cheese
Saute onion, pepper, jalapeno, and sweet potatoes in a large nonstick skillet until the onions are nice and soft. Add the garlic, cumin, oregano and saute for 1-2 minutes.
Add the salsa, black beans, vegetable bouillon cube, rice. Stir until well mixed. Slowly add the water and salt. Stir well. Bring to simmer, reduce heat and cover. Cook 30 minutes or until water is absorbed. My lid doesn't match my pan, so I needed a bit more water - after 30 minutes, some of my rice was still not fully cooked.
Scoop into a 9x13 pan. Cover with shredded cheddar, as much as you like. I put mine in the fridge, and reheated later for 40 min at 395. The cheese got a little too brown. Next time, I will lower the oven to 350 (hard tho, our oven runs cool).
Serve with guac, yum! The good thing about this recipe is that you can really just use whatever the heck you have. And now I'm wondering if I can make it in the Instant Pot.
Showing posts with label vegetarian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vegetarian. Show all posts
Sunday, September 10, 2017
Monday, July 25, 2016
Instant Pot Baked Beans
So...I got an Instant Pot. I need another kitchen gadget like I need a hole in the head. But it's a rice cooker! A slow cooker! A pressure cooker! A yogurt maker! (Um, yeah I already have all of those two, including TWO pressure cookers). But it was the Amazon Prime deal and I *had* been thinking about it before it was on sale half price.
So now it lives on my counter. So far, it's been great. First weekend, I made:
Spanish rice (which I've done on the stove and in the rice cooker also). It's much faster in the instant pot. Word of warning, most recipes call for 1-to-1 liquid to rice. I generally do closer to 2-to-1. So in this case, I think I did 1.25 to 1.5 to 1. And it was soupy. Listen to the manual!!
Salsa chicken. Frozen solid large chicken breast. Water. Salsa. Done in 30 minutes. (Well, 30 minutes at pressure, took a little longer total). If I can get my shit together, it might be a mid-week game changer.
At some point in the last two weeks I was perusing one of my cookbooks from a vegetarian author, and saw a recipe for barbecued baked pinto beans. What?? All baked beans recipes I see call for northern white beans. But you see, the 10 lb bags of pinto are only $6. So how do I use up the pintos, aside from refried beans and bean burgers!! I've been searching for other recipes.
Sunday morning after my run I put on the beans to soak for 4 hours. I still hadn't quite decided what to do with them. I looked through the cookbook that I was SURE had the recipe. No luck. Then went through the next two candidates. Nope. By #4 I realized that I'm getting old, and maybe it was on the web?
So I googled. I got nothing. By then I gave up and decided to wing it. I googled some more. Here's what I wanted:
1. Information about cooking pintos in the Instant Pot (how long)
2. How to make baked beans (what flavors to add)
3. Information about which spices you can add to the pot (will you get sticking, etc with the sugar?)
So I found this pressure cooker recipe for baked beans and this pressure cooker recipe for pinto beans and this recipe for sweet and spicy pintos on the stovetop. And I combo'd.
Instant Pot Baked Beans
3 cups dried pinto beans (I only used 3 cups because I felt like it. Most recipes call for 2)
Water
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dry mustard
1/4 c ketchup (It was the last of the bottle and I didn't feel like opening another)
2 Tbsp molasses
1/4 c unpacked brown sugar
3.5 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp soy sauce
cider vinegar (I didn't measure! Maybe 1/4 cup)
Soak the beans in enough water to cover by an inch, for about 4 hours.
Drain and rinse the beans
In the instant pot, turn to saute. Add the oil. Saute the onions until soft and beginning to brown. Add the garlic and stir. Cook until fragrant. (This will only take about 30 seconds to a minute).
Add the 3.5 cups of water and stir. Add in everything else (chili powder, mustard, molasses, brown sugar, ketchup, salt, soy sauce). Add in the beans and stir.
Turn instant pot to off. Put on the lid and lock. Turn on cooker to "beans". Set at 30 minutes.
Let it run. After 30 minutes let it do natural pressure release. I have no idea how long this takes. The beauty of this thing is that you can walk away from it. It was surely done by 45 minutes.
Check the beans. Mine were cooked but were a little soupy. So I turned it on to saute for about 10 minutes, stirring, because that stuff will boil like crazy. Then I let it sit to thicken. It was delicious and very easy. We took the beans to our potluck in the park.
I was tempted to add some pork fat...because of course. Pork fat and beans! I have pork fat in the freezer. But there's a lone vegetarian teenager at our pot luck and his mom doesn't really do pork. So I left it out.
So now it lives on my counter. So far, it's been great. First weekend, I made:
Spanish rice (which I've done on the stove and in the rice cooker also). It's much faster in the instant pot. Word of warning, most recipes call for 1-to-1 liquid to rice. I generally do closer to 2-to-1. So in this case, I think I did 1.25 to 1.5 to 1. And it was soupy. Listen to the manual!!
Salsa chicken. Frozen solid large chicken breast. Water. Salsa. Done in 30 minutes. (Well, 30 minutes at pressure, took a little longer total). If I can get my shit together, it might be a mid-week game changer.
At some point in the last two weeks I was perusing one of my cookbooks from a vegetarian author, and saw a recipe for barbecued baked pinto beans. What?? All baked beans recipes I see call for northern white beans. But you see, the 10 lb bags of pinto are only $6. So how do I use up the pintos, aside from refried beans and bean burgers!! I've been searching for other recipes.
Sunday morning after my run I put on the beans to soak for 4 hours. I still hadn't quite decided what to do with them. I looked through the cookbook that I was SURE had the recipe. No luck. Then went through the next two candidates. Nope. By #4 I realized that I'm getting old, and maybe it was on the web?
So I googled. I got nothing. By then I gave up and decided to wing it. I googled some more. Here's what I wanted:
1. Information about cooking pintos in the Instant Pot (how long)
2. How to make baked beans (what flavors to add)
3. Information about which spices you can add to the pot (will you get sticking, etc with the sugar?)
So I found this pressure cooker recipe for baked beans and this pressure cooker recipe for pinto beans and this recipe for sweet and spicy pintos on the stovetop. And I combo'd.
Instant Pot Baked Beans
3 cups dried pinto beans (I only used 3 cups because I felt like it. Most recipes call for 2)
Water
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dry mustard
1/4 c ketchup (It was the last of the bottle and I didn't feel like opening another)
2 Tbsp molasses
1/4 c unpacked brown sugar
3.5 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp soy sauce
cider vinegar (I didn't measure! Maybe 1/4 cup)
Soak the beans in enough water to cover by an inch, for about 4 hours.
Drain and rinse the beans
In the instant pot, turn to saute. Add the oil. Saute the onions until soft and beginning to brown. Add the garlic and stir. Cook until fragrant. (This will only take about 30 seconds to a minute).
Add the 3.5 cups of water and stir. Add in everything else (chili powder, mustard, molasses, brown sugar, ketchup, salt, soy sauce). Add in the beans and stir.
Turn instant pot to off. Put on the lid and lock. Turn on cooker to "beans". Set at 30 minutes.
Let it run. After 30 minutes let it do natural pressure release. I have no idea how long this takes. The beauty of this thing is that you can walk away from it. It was surely done by 45 minutes.
Check the beans. Mine were cooked but were a little soupy. So I turned it on to saute for about 10 minutes, stirring, because that stuff will boil like crazy. Then I let it sit to thicken. It was delicious and very easy. We took the beans to our potluck in the park.
I was tempted to add some pork fat...because of course. Pork fat and beans! I have pork fat in the freezer. But there's a lone vegetarian teenager at our pot luck and his mom doesn't really do pork. So I left it out.
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Creamy Pesto Pasta
So for some reason, I thought about this pasta this week. I haven't made pasta in awhile, I had carrots and broccoli that I hadn't cooked. I remembered my Weight Watchers cookbook (maybe I read an article about WW?) with this fettucini alfredo recipe in it that I used to make a lot back in the pre-kid days.
But one day at work, I googled "Creamy Pesto pasta recipe" because I have pesto in the freezer (and I got basil this week too). I found this recipe from Budget Bytes, which is a great blog if you haven't seen it yet. Very well done.
Being me, I morphed the two. I love the WW recipe but I got home late and it called for making a roux, and I didn't feel up to it. So I started boiling the water, started chopping the veggies, cooked the pasta, then made the pesto, and finally cooked up the sauce and tossed everything together. I didn't salt it enough, but that's easy enough to fix. I served it with meatballs (not pictured, because they are pre-made frozen meatballs that I bought in a 5 lb bag).
I also doubled the recipe, because 1/2 lb of pasta makes 4 servings, which is 1.5 meals for us, so...no. I need leftovers.
Creamy Pesto Pasta (adapted from WW and Budget Bytes)
1 lb pasta: 1.00
1 bunch basil: 1.00
4 cloves garlic: 0.40
2 T olive oil: 0.26
8 oz cream cheese: 1.99
1/3 c. parmesan cheese: 0.45
2 head broccoli, cut into small florets and the stem peeled and sliced: 1.20
1/4 of a red bell pepper, cut into 1/3 inch x 1 inch strips: 0.25
4 carrots, sliced: 0.60
S&P to taste
Total: $6.91 for 8 servings, or $0.86 per serving.
Bring the water to boil. Boil pasta according to package directions, but set your timer for about 2 minutes before it's due to be finished.
Make the pesto: in a food processor, add the garlic and process until chopped. Scrape down the sides, add the basil and parmesan and blend. Scrape one more time and blend. Stream in the olive oil.
Prep the vegetables. When your timer goes off, add the veggies to the boiling water. Return to a boil and boil 2-3 minutes, depending on how you like it.
In a small saucepan, mix the cream cheese and 1/3 cup of pasta water (once you've added the veggies). Heat and stir until the cream cheese has mixed in and made a sauce. Add in the pesto (all of it) and stir until blended.
Drain the pasta and veggies (remember to take out the pasta water for your sauce!)
Return pasta/ veggies to pot, stir in the sauce, add S&P to taste.
But one day at work, I googled "Creamy Pesto pasta recipe" because I have pesto in the freezer (and I got basil this week too). I found this recipe from Budget Bytes, which is a great blog if you haven't seen it yet. Very well done.
Being me, I morphed the two. I love the WW recipe but I got home late and it called for making a roux, and I didn't feel up to it. So I started boiling the water, started chopping the veggies, cooked the pasta, then made the pesto, and finally cooked up the sauce and tossed everything together. I didn't salt it enough, but that's easy enough to fix. I served it with meatballs (not pictured, because they are pre-made frozen meatballs that I bought in a 5 lb bag).
I also doubled the recipe, because 1/2 lb of pasta makes 4 servings, which is 1.5 meals for us, so...no. I need leftovers.
Creamy Pesto Pasta (adapted from WW and Budget Bytes)
1 lb pasta: 1.00
1 bunch basil: 1.00
4 cloves garlic: 0.40
2 T olive oil: 0.26
8 oz cream cheese: 1.99
1/3 c. parmesan cheese: 0.45
2 head broccoli, cut into small florets and the stem peeled and sliced: 1.20
1/4 of a red bell pepper, cut into 1/3 inch x 1 inch strips: 0.25
4 carrots, sliced: 0.60
S&P to taste
Total: $6.91 for 8 servings, or $0.86 per serving.
Bring the water to boil. Boil pasta according to package directions, but set your timer for about 2 minutes before it's due to be finished.
Make the pesto: in a food processor, add the garlic and process until chopped. Scrape down the sides, add the basil and parmesan and blend. Scrape one more time and blend. Stream in the olive oil.
Prep the vegetables. When your timer goes off, add the veggies to the boiling water. Return to a boil and boil 2-3 minutes, depending on how you like it.
In a small saucepan, mix the cream cheese and 1/3 cup of pasta water (once you've added the veggies). Heat and stir until the cream cheese has mixed in and made a sauce. Add in the pesto (all of it) and stir until blended.
Drain the pasta and veggies (remember to take out the pasta water for your sauce!)
Return pasta/ veggies to pot, stir in the sauce, add S&P to taste.
Monday, February 18, 2013
Carbolicious and Vegetarian
Well the main cooking meals this weekend were heavy on the carbs and greens and light on the meat.
I did a short inventory of my fridge, freezer, and pantry and decided to start cooking from it.
Saturday night we had greens...I used the spinach, beet greens, and dandilion greens from our CSA and made spaghetti with the greens, lots of garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and feta. On the side: roasted carrots, beets, broccoli, and baby fennel. The spaghetti was supposed to be whole wheat, but I sent the hubby and he probably didn't know what "ww spaghetti" was.
We had the same on Sunday with kale chips on the side.
On Sunday I cooked up lunches for the week. Spouse had today off with the kids and is headed to Boston for two days (brr...we don't own winter clothing anymore). I was looking for a way to use my lentils, so I made Arabic lentils and rice. It was amazingly easy. You serve it with browned onions on top (sorry Biz!) I also sauteed up a ton of diced carrots (okay, maybe only 1.5 lbs). I have already portioned out the rice, lentils, onions, and carrots into individual containers. Half in the fridge, half frozen. I am putting Chobani Greek yogurt (plain) on top. Delish!
I did a short inventory of my fridge, freezer, and pantry and decided to start cooking from it.
Saturday night we had greens...I used the spinach, beet greens, and dandilion greens from our CSA and made spaghetti with the greens, lots of garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and feta. On the side: roasted carrots, beets, broccoli, and baby fennel. The spaghetti was supposed to be whole wheat, but I sent the hubby and he probably didn't know what "ww spaghetti" was.
We had the same on Sunday with kale chips on the side.
On Sunday I cooked up lunches for the week. Spouse had today off with the kids and is headed to Boston for two days (brr...we don't own winter clothing anymore). I was looking for a way to use my lentils, so I made Arabic lentils and rice. It was amazingly easy. You serve it with browned onions on top (sorry Biz!) I also sauteed up a ton of diced carrots (okay, maybe only 1.5 lbs). I have already portioned out the rice, lentils, onions, and carrots into individual containers. Half in the fridge, half frozen. I am putting Chobani Greek yogurt (plain) on top. Delish!
Monday, July 23, 2012
Potatoes and Fennel
I'm going to fess up: I don't like fennel. I've never really liked it. My family feels even more strongly than I do about it. But the last 2 weeks at the CSA, we've gotten 3 bulbs of fennel. And the only thing in the trade basket? More fennel.
So I brought it home. This week we also got 1 lb of new potatoes (yellow and purple). We also got an email on how to make great fennel. And an email on what to do with purslane. Which is still in the fridge, staring at me when I open the door. I think the answer to that may be: put into compost.
Anyway, I mixed together the fennel recipe with my roasted onion and potatoes, then threw in some chard because...I never know what to do with chard. It was delicious!
Roasted potatoes, fennel and onion with steamed chard:
1 lb potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 bulbs fennel, sliced 1/8 inch thick and heart removed
1/2 onion, sliced thin
3 cloves garlic, sliced
one sprig rosemary, chopped
salt, pepper, olive oil
1 bunch steamed chard
3-4 Tbsp grated parmesan
Prepare the vegetables, garlic, and rosemary and put in a parchment lined pan (if you hate cleaning) and toss with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Roast at 400F for 30-40 minutes, or until they look right to you, stirring at least once. Mine looked like this half way through:
Meanwhile, steam the chard, cool it, and chop fine. When the roasted vegetables are done, stir in the chard and toss with parmesan cheese.
If you forget the garlic and rosemary, like I did, you can add it half way through the cooking time.
So I brought it home. This week we also got 1 lb of new potatoes (yellow and purple). We also got an email on how to make great fennel. And an email on what to do with purslane. Which is still in the fridge, staring at me when I open the door. I think the answer to that may be: put into compost.
Anyway, I mixed together the fennel recipe with my roasted onion and potatoes, then threw in some chard because...I never know what to do with chard. It was delicious!
Roasted potatoes, fennel and onion with steamed chard:
1 lb potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 bulbs fennel, sliced 1/8 inch thick and heart removed
1/2 onion, sliced thin
3 cloves garlic, sliced
one sprig rosemary, chopped
salt, pepper, olive oil
1 bunch steamed chard
3-4 Tbsp grated parmesan
Prepare the vegetables, garlic, and rosemary and put in a parchment lined pan (if you hate cleaning) and toss with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Roast at 400F for 30-40 minutes, or until they look right to you, stirring at least once. Mine looked like this half way through:
Meanwhile, steam the chard, cool it, and chop fine. When the roasted vegetables are done, stir in the chard and toss with parmesan cheese.
If you forget the garlic and rosemary, like I did, you can add it half way through the cooking time.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Eggs, rice, veggie lunch - baby took a nap!
You never know when your baby's nap is going to be 20 minutes or 2 hours. Yesterday, he napped long enough that I could make lunch (which took 45 minutes), AND eat it. I keep Trader Joe's frozen meals on hand for the short nap days.
I shredded 2 zucchinis and a half an onion. Sauteed them until cooked through and crispy. Tossed over reheated white rice. I added some sesame oil and soy sauce to the veggies and rice, then topped with fried eggs. And sriracha, of course.
The big challenge for me at home in the summer with the baby is the CSA veggies. Getting through all of them is difficult, and I'm not into planning meals like I was last time around.
I shredded 2 zucchinis and a half an onion. Sauteed them until cooked through and crispy. Tossed over reheated white rice. I added some sesame oil and soy sauce to the veggies and rice, then topped with fried eggs. And sriracha, of course.
The big challenge for me at home in the summer with the baby is the CSA veggies. Getting through all of them is difficult, and I'm not into planning meals like I was last time around.
Friday, July 13, 2012
Pesto Potato Salad
I made Joanne's pesto potato salad, and it was delish!
I made adjustments based on what we had. I used new potatoes (purple and yellow). No pine nuts (didn't have them), no scallions (ditto), a teeny bit of red onion, and I used tarragon vinegar instead of white balsamic.
My garlic is STRONG though - holy cow.
I think my mother in law would be aghast at using new potatoes...those are to be boiled and served with dill and butter. Period. Still good though!
I made adjustments based on what we had. I used new potatoes (purple and yellow). No pine nuts (didn't have them), no scallions (ditto), a teeny bit of red onion, and I used tarragon vinegar instead of white balsamic.
My garlic is STRONG though - holy cow.
I think my mother in law would be aghast at using new potatoes...those are to be boiled and served with dill and butter. Period. Still good though!
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Frittata and Sesame Noodles
This weekend was an exercise in prepping for the week. In order to fill up my fridge with vegetables, I went with an old favorite Tri County Produce. I haven't been there in awhile, but I walked a few miles on Saturday with friends and was in the area. And they have coupons. I have never used a coupon there, because their prices are so reasonable it's VERY hard to spend the amount needed to get the coupon, unless you are buying meat and wine. And I don't buy much of either. I managed to spend enough to get 5 free ears of corn. They were HUGE and very sweet too. Not local, but good.
I picked up some discount bananas and tomatoes too. I lost a couple of tomatoes (went bad before I could use them) and the bananas are destined for banana bread. I MEANT to make chocolate covered frozen bananas, but haven't had the energy.
Saturday night was pizza night (with corn and salad). I made the dough in the bread machine and par-baked it. That's always good for one more meal too. At least for now. I can foresee the day when both pizzas will be gone in one night.
Sunday was the prep day. I made a veggie frittata for lunches this week.
Bread crumbs
chard
onion
zucchini
corn
tomatoes
cheese
eggs and milk
Monday night was our 2nd pizza night, and also the night of my quilting group meeting. We did a potluck. I happened to find this recipe on one of the blogs I read, and it seemed perfect. So I made that on Sunday too. Our quilting potlucks are hilarious. The last one (last month) had half desserts. This one - not a single bite of chocolate, but a lot of carbs. 2 loaves of bread, 2 people brought crackers and cheese, I brought the sesame noodles. Then two people brought fruit, but they BOTH brought green grapes and red cherries. Hilarious. Plus carrot soup and a vegetable dish.
My version of the sesame noodles had cooked broccoli and raw julienned summer squash instead of green onion, because one of my quilting friends is allergic to onion. Also, a couple don't do gluten, so maybe next time I'll use rice noodles instead of pasta and tamari instead of soy sauce. They were very tasty, but if I were making them for just myself? I'd probably use some sriracha.
Up for the rest of the week: a stir-fry with kohlrabi, peppers, and broccoli and some teriyaki meatballs from Costco. Probably a skillet pasta dish with canned salmon - maybe a creamy mushroom sauce. I bought mushrooms. I can make a cream sauce. Should be doable if I have the energy.
I picked up some discount bananas and tomatoes too. I lost a couple of tomatoes (went bad before I could use them) and the bananas are destined for banana bread. I MEANT to make chocolate covered frozen bananas, but haven't had the energy.
Saturday night was pizza night (with corn and salad). I made the dough in the bread machine and par-baked it. That's always good for one more meal too. At least for now. I can foresee the day when both pizzas will be gone in one night.
Sunday was the prep day. I made a veggie frittata for lunches this week.
Bread crumbs
chard
onion
zucchini
corn
tomatoes
cheese
eggs and milk
Monday night was our 2nd pizza night, and also the night of my quilting group meeting. We did a potluck. I happened to find this recipe on one of the blogs I read, and it seemed perfect. So I made that on Sunday too. Our quilting potlucks are hilarious. The last one (last month) had half desserts. This one - not a single bite of chocolate, but a lot of carbs. 2 loaves of bread, 2 people brought crackers and cheese, I brought the sesame noodles. Then two people brought fruit, but they BOTH brought green grapes and red cherries. Hilarious. Plus carrot soup and a vegetable dish.
Up for the rest of the week: a stir-fry with kohlrabi, peppers, and broccoli and some teriyaki meatballs from Costco. Probably a skillet pasta dish with canned salmon - maybe a creamy mushroom sauce. I bought mushrooms. I can make a cream sauce. Should be doable if I have the energy.
Monday, June 11, 2012
Barley corn basil risotto
Courtesy of Martha Stewart.
I found this in one of my cookbooks, and lo and behold, it's available on line too. It was delicious.
I love risotto because you can make it in a pressure cooker and it's fast. The problem with barley risotto is that you can't - it will foam and clog up the cooker. So. Lots of stirring. It took too long. We started too late (because my husband wasn't listening so well when I told him he needed to work on dinner because I was tired).
Anyhoo, at 7:15 pm we started eating. Sorry for the bad pic, it's a cell phone pic. Who am I kidding - my regular pics aren't great either. My camera was dead because I moved a bunch of pictures off and forgot to turn it back off.
Barley, corn, and basil risotto:
1 cup pearl barley: 0.40
4 cups vegetable stock: 1.99
2 cups frozen corn: 1.05
2 cups fresh basil: 1.00
2 Tbsp olive oil: 0.23
1/2 cup white wine: 1.00
1/2 cup grated parmesan: 0.75
1 medium onion: 0.40
S&P
Total: $6.82 for what is supposed to be 4 servings, but was really more like 5. So...$1.36 per serving. You could use cheaper wine, or leave it out. And make your own vegetable stock. But I was being lazy and bought stock.
I found this in one of my cookbooks, and lo and behold, it's available on line too. It was delicious.
I love risotto because you can make it in a pressure cooker and it's fast. The problem with barley risotto is that you can't - it will foam and clog up the cooker. So. Lots of stirring. It took too long. We started too late (because my husband wasn't listening so well when I told him he needed to work on dinner because I was tired).
Anyhoo, at 7:15 pm we started eating. Sorry for the bad pic, it's a cell phone pic. Who am I kidding - my regular pics aren't great either. My camera was dead because I moved a bunch of pictures off and forgot to turn it back off.
Barley, corn, and basil risotto:
1 cup pearl barley: 0.40
4 cups vegetable stock: 1.99
2 cups frozen corn: 1.05
2 cups fresh basil: 1.00
2 Tbsp olive oil: 0.23
1/2 cup white wine: 1.00
1/2 cup grated parmesan: 0.75
1 medium onion: 0.40
S&P
Total: $6.82 for what is supposed to be 4 servings, but was really more like 5. So...$1.36 per serving. You could use cheaper wine, or leave it out. And make your own vegetable stock. But I was being lazy and bought stock.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner: Oatmeal, Salad, and Pizza
Okay, the oatmeal was from yesterday, but the salad and pizza were from today.
I sauteed 1/2 an apple with a tsp of sugar and some cinnamon, and put it on top of a leftover instant oatmeal packet. Good for my sore throat yesterday.
I have this great cookbook called "Eat Drink & Weigh Less" by Mollie Katzen and Walter Willett, MD. One of my favorite recipes is for marinated white beans. It's pretty simple: white beans, olive oil, vinegar, basil, oregano, garlic, with some optional veggies. I made it today and tossed it with spicy salad mix from the CSA. I added some tiny tomatoes from my still producing 2011 tomato plants, and some olives.
And tonight was pizza night. I am starting to fear what it will be like having two boys in the house. Though my son only had 1 slice of pizza, this afternoon he ate an ear of corn (from the lady at the park), a banana, applesauce, carrots, a few slices of homemade focaccia, romanesco, milk, 3 girl scout cookies, more bread, and I'm sure I'm forgetting at least one thing. Now, I'm eating for two, so I'm showing my third piece of pizza prominently on my plate (and I had a couple of slices of focaccia also). Hopefully by the time we have a 6 year old and a 12 year old, we'll be close enough to 50 that spouse and I will have slowed down our eating.
Oh, and last night I stir-fried some bok choy, carrots, and kohlrabi, and we ate it with Annie Chun's teriyaki noodles, leftover from our vacation trip. Those things aren't the healthiest, but they are easy to prepare if all you have is hot water.
I sauteed 1/2 an apple with a tsp of sugar and some cinnamon, and put it on top of a leftover instant oatmeal packet. Good for my sore throat yesterday.
I have this great cookbook called "Eat Drink & Weigh Less" by Mollie Katzen and Walter Willett, MD. One of my favorite recipes is for marinated white beans. It's pretty simple: white beans, olive oil, vinegar, basil, oregano, garlic, with some optional veggies. I made it today and tossed it with spicy salad mix from the CSA. I added some tiny tomatoes from my still producing 2011 tomato plants, and some olives.
And tonight was pizza night. I am starting to fear what it will be like having two boys in the house. Though my son only had 1 slice of pizza, this afternoon he ate an ear of corn (from the lady at the park), a banana, applesauce, carrots, a few slices of homemade focaccia, romanesco, milk, 3 girl scout cookies, more bread, and I'm sure I'm forgetting at least one thing. Now, I'm eating for two, so I'm showing my third piece of pizza prominently on my plate (and I had a couple of slices of focaccia also). Hopefully by the time we have a 6 year old and a 12 year old, we'll be close enough to 50 that spouse and I will have slowed down our eating.
Oh, and last night I stir-fried some bok choy, carrots, and kohlrabi, and we ate it with Annie Chun's teriyaki noodles, leftover from our vacation trip. Those things aren't the healthiest, but they are easy to prepare if all you have is hot water.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Skillet Pasta!
I forgot to take the pretty picture of my plate (with broccoli!) before I dug in. My family loves it too. It is so tasty.
In case you forgot, you can find it in my favorites tab. But basically:
1. Saute veggies (in my case, it was onion and chopped fava leaves)
2. Add 3 cups sauce (in this case, home-canned marinara - yum) and 3 cups water.
3. Add 12 oz pasta and other spices if you'd like (extra basil, rosemary, oregano, garlic...be creative)
4. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer (covered) for 20 to 25 min, stirring occasionally to keep stuff from sticking.
5. Add other items as desired. Today I added sun-dried tomatoes and olives, but waited until only about 10 min left so as not to get them totally mushy.
6. Top with cheese! Or avocado. Or nooch. Or nuts. Or nothing.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Black Bean Chili and Beer Bread and GREENS
Lots of greens this week from the farm. And I had a head cold most of last week, so I wasn't feeling the green veggies. So I'm playing catch up. Salad for lunch with "spicy greens" - which my coworker said looked like lawn clippings. Tasted a bit like it too. :) Actually, there was probably a little dandelion in there. I topped it with leftover tri-tip and some balsamic vinaigrette. I keep some Trader Joe's dressing in my work fridge.
I've also been catching up on other greens. Yesterday, it was kale chips (with the beer bread and black bean chili). Today, it was stir-fried purple broccoli and bok choy (and leftover potato kale/cabbage soup).
Spicy greens, broccoli, kale, chard, red cabbage, bok choy. I've been going nuts with the greens.
For the Super Bowl, I decided to make two recipes that came via email from Farmgirl Fare. They looked perfect. I'm not a huge football fan (unless we're talking the Steelers), and truth be told, we turned the game on around half time (I was cooking dinner and said "is that MADONNA? What decade is it?", and started watching somewhere in the 4th quarter. Spouse isn't a football fan either.
These recipes were delicious. The beer bread was tasty (and is the only way I'm gonna get beer for awhile), and the chili was awesome too. I added some roasted poblano peppers, because I found them in the freezer. I get a ton of them over the summer at the farm, and roast and freeze, then forget about them. Some are really spicy and some are not, and I'm leery of adding too many to my food because of the kid factor. Me, I love spice.
Broccoli and bok choy, with a cheese and tri-tip quesadilla
I've also been catching up on other greens. Yesterday, it was kale chips (with the beer bread and black bean chili). Today, it was stir-fried purple broccoli and bok choy (and leftover potato kale/cabbage soup).
Spicy greens, broccoli, kale, chard, red cabbage, bok choy. I've been going nuts with the greens.
Kale chips and beer bread (with cheese and dill)
For the Super Bowl, I decided to make two recipes that came via email from Farmgirl Fare. They looked perfect. I'm not a huge football fan (unless we're talking the Steelers), and truth be told, we turned the game on around half time (I was cooking dinner and said "is that MADONNA? What decade is it?", and started watching somewhere in the 4th quarter. Spouse isn't a football fan either.
These recipes were delicious. The beer bread was tasty (and is the only way I'm gonna get beer for awhile), and the chili was awesome too. I added some roasted poblano peppers, because I found them in the freezer. I get a ton of them over the summer at the farm, and roast and freeze, then forget about them. Some are really spicy and some are not, and I'm leery of adding too many to my food because of the kid factor. Me, I love spice.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Whole Foods Apple Berry Baked Oatmeal
I have been baking a lot lately. I'm not quite sure why. For sure, I love fresh-baked goodness for breakfast, and it's nice to control your ingredients. For example: my bread machine (Panasonic) has a sunflower cracked wheat bread recipe. The recipe calls for 100% whole wheat flour, but I've always subbed about half bread flour, figuring that I wouldn't like the taste/consistency of the 100% whole wheat. That has always been my experience. But recently, we were out of bread flour, so I made it as intended, and it was DELICIOUS! Score!
In any event, since I have energy to bake now, I've been trying lots of new things. One of my friends posted a link to this recipe on her facebook page, and I thought it sounded yummy enough to try. And it was! It's great warm with some Greek yogurt and a drizzle of maple syrup.
Here's to hoping my energy level stays for the rest of the pregnancy. I'm hoping to have enough energy to fill my freezer with meals before I go out on mat leave. First I have to get rid of this cold.
In any event, since I have energy to bake now, I've been trying lots of new things. One of my friends posted a link to this recipe on her facebook page, and I thought it sounded yummy enough to try. And it was! It's great warm with some Greek yogurt and a drizzle of maple syrup.
Here's to hoping my energy level stays for the rest of the pregnancy. I'm hoping to have enough energy to fill my freezer with meals before I go out on mat leave. First I have to get rid of this cold.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Pizza, Soup, and Hummus, Oh My! and Cupcake Wars
And cupcakes. Let me explain first about the cupcakes. Last weekend (the long holiday weekend), I vegged on the couch a bit and watched Food Network. And I came upon Cupcake Wars. Now, I do like my food TV and competitive shows. I like Anthony Bourdain. I faithfully tape Top Chef. I enjoy a good episode of Chopped. When I was on maternity leave 6 years ago (almost), I watched a lot of food TV while nursing my son (my husband ate like a king during those 3 months, and I watched so much that it was over a year before they showed an episode of Barefoot Contessa, Giada, or Rachael that I HADN'T seen.)
But these "challenges" and "wars" - not really into it so much. Maybe it's because I'm not really into dessert. But we caught the start of an episode, and lo and behold, one of the contestants was from Santa Barbara! We have more than one cupcake shop in town, but Crushcakes Cupcakery is one we drive by weekly. It's in downtown and on the way to the farmer's market on Saturdays.
I enjoyed watching the show and so did my son (probably had something to do with it being cupcakes). The editing on the show isn't that great. I've seen 4 or 5 episodes so far, and it's pretty clear very early who is going to win. Thus far, it's always been the "pretty girl" (young and pretty, and I'm not exaggerating), and she gets a lot of air time. So alas, our local girl came in 2nd (for the THIRD time).
Yesterday, we (I) decided to stop at the shop after our grocery shopping. Spouse picked vanilla (not lemon, who knew?) Kiddo picked "peace" because he liked the frosting. Mommy picked peanut butter cup.
We waited until after lunch and after a trip to the park to try out my son's new bike to eat them (and did that while watching another episode). I am pretty amazed at the combinations of flavors they come up with and the decorations. I'm pretty sure the contestants know the "theme" before the go (such as poker or surfing), so that they can take the decorations they need and design a final display.
The cupcakes were pretty good, but were $3 each, so they are a treat for sure.
On the home front yesterday, I decided to make hummus. I've had the ingredients forever, including an unopened jar of tahini, and have just been lazy and have been buying it. I use the Cook's Illustrated method, which basically involves putting the water-based items in the food processor first (chickpeas, lemon, water, garlic, spices) and puree'ing them pretty fine, and drizzling in the olive oil/tahini mixture later. Makes it really smooth.
How come the hardest part about making hummus is the 10 minutes that it takes to stir in the oil in the tahini jar??
Next up: Creamy cauliflower kale soup
I saw this recipe in my MIL's Martha Stewart Living magazine, and basically bought the magazine to try it out. It is vegan, and tasted pretty good. However, it uses water as a base. So it could have used a little more seasoning. Maybe extra salt, or some homemade stock. I'll make it again, but with stock next time. It's cauliflower, kale, garlic, onion, water, salt, pepper, and dill. Pretty simple. If you use the blender, it gets really creamy and frothy. And we love soup in this house!
And finally: Pizza
You know me, I love pizza. And I had some time, so I fired up the bread machine. The bread machine makes it so easy. To make the dough the way I like it, it still takes a couple of hours. The bread machine only runs for 45 minutes, but there is a little bit of kneading, resting, shaping, resting, par-baking...much of this isn't necessary, but it's what works with my oven and pans.
This is our standard pie, with sauteed onions, pesto, cheese, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes. Eaten with ranch and sriracha of course!
But these "challenges" and "wars" - not really into it so much. Maybe it's because I'm not really into dessert. But we caught the start of an episode, and lo and behold, one of the contestants was from Santa Barbara! We have more than one cupcake shop in town, but Crushcakes Cupcakery is one we drive by weekly. It's in downtown and on the way to the farmer's market on Saturdays.
I enjoyed watching the show and so did my son (probably had something to do with it being cupcakes). The editing on the show isn't that great. I've seen 4 or 5 episodes so far, and it's pretty clear very early who is going to win. Thus far, it's always been the "pretty girl" (young and pretty, and I'm not exaggerating), and she gets a lot of air time. So alas, our local girl came in 2nd (for the THIRD time).
Yesterday, we (I) decided to stop at the shop after our grocery shopping. Spouse picked vanilla (not lemon, who knew?) Kiddo picked "peace" because he liked the frosting. Mommy picked peanut butter cup.
We waited until after lunch and after a trip to the park to try out my son's new bike to eat them (and did that while watching another episode). I am pretty amazed at the combinations of flavors they come up with and the decorations. I'm pretty sure the contestants know the "theme" before the go (such as poker or surfing), so that they can take the decorations they need and design a final display.
The cupcakes were pretty good, but were $3 each, so they are a treat for sure.
On the home front yesterday, I decided to make hummus. I've had the ingredients forever, including an unopened jar of tahini, and have just been lazy and have been buying it. I use the Cook's Illustrated method, which basically involves putting the water-based items in the food processor first (chickpeas, lemon, water, garlic, spices) and puree'ing them pretty fine, and drizzling in the olive oil/tahini mixture later. Makes it really smooth.
How come the hardest part about making hummus is the 10 minutes that it takes to stir in the oil in the tahini jar??
Next up: Creamy cauliflower kale soup
I saw this recipe in my MIL's Martha Stewart Living magazine, and basically bought the magazine to try it out. It is vegan, and tasted pretty good. However, it uses water as a base. So it could have used a little more seasoning. Maybe extra salt, or some homemade stock. I'll make it again, but with stock next time. It's cauliflower, kale, garlic, onion, water, salt, pepper, and dill. Pretty simple. If you use the blender, it gets really creamy and frothy. And we love soup in this house!
And finally: Pizza
You know me, I love pizza. And I had some time, so I fired up the bread machine. The bread machine makes it so easy. To make the dough the way I like it, it still takes a couple of hours. The bread machine only runs for 45 minutes, but there is a little bit of kneading, resting, shaping, resting, par-baking...much of this isn't necessary, but it's what works with my oven and pans.
This is our standard pie, with sauteed onions, pesto, cheese, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes. Eaten with ranch and sriracha of course!
Friday, January 6, 2012
Potato burritos and Kabocha
It's the squash time of year again! Last year, I finally tried kabocha squash, after reading about it all over various blogs. I'm a butternut kind of girl (and delicata). Well, kabocha is delicious! Maybe even a little better than butternut.
So at the market last weekend (farmer's market), I bought one. Last night I simply cut it in half, scooped out the seeds, and sliced it (okay, that's a pain). Salt, pepper, olive oil, roast it 30 min at 400F.
I served this with potato, onion, and cheese burritos. The CSA starts up next week, so by Thursday we're running low on veggies. I fried up some onions and potatoes and shredded cheese. I had two HUGE avocados for guacamole. And that, my friends, was dinner. I forgot to take pics at the beginning. Oops!
So at the market last weekend (farmer's market), I bought one. Last night I simply cut it in half, scooped out the seeds, and sliced it (okay, that's a pain). Salt, pepper, olive oil, roast it 30 min at 400F.
I served this with potato, onion, and cheese burritos. The CSA starts up next week, so by Thursday we're running low on veggies. I fried up some onions and potatoes and shredded cheese. I had two HUGE avocados for guacamole. And that, my friends, was dinner. I forgot to take pics at the beginning. Oops!
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Big salad with marinated portobello mushrooms and skillet pasta
What can I say, I saw a couple of beautiful large portobello mushrooms at the store, and I bought two. I followed the recipe to roast the mushrooms in Veganomicon, and made a big salad. That was our dinner two nights in a row. Walnuts, goat cheese (naturally, this was not on the Veganomicon recipe), avocado, white beans, cucumber...on top of spinach and romaine.
Skillet pasta (with another salad) on another day:
Onions, peppers, collard greens, garlic, spices, marinara sauce, pasta, water. One pot. Done quickly, except for the chopping. If you want a "go to" meal on a night that you get home late, have to cook dinner, deal with a child, and get ready quickly after dinner to go to the pool at the Y, this is it. (On that note...time to go to the Y).
Oh, and I made my spouse lemon cupcakes from scratch. His birthday is this week. He had to make his own frosting. Recipe was from Vegan with a Vengeance, but I used regular milk (it's what I had), so they aren't vegan. Nice and lemony though.
On another note...week 1 on Weight Watchers on line, and I gained a pound. This week, I lost 3.8 lbs. Just goes to tell you that eating too much sodium the day before your weigh in will mess you up for a few days. Only 11 more lbs to go.
Skillet pasta (with another salad) on another day:
Onions, peppers, collard greens, garlic, spices, marinara sauce, pasta, water. One pot. Done quickly, except for the chopping. If you want a "go to" meal on a night that you get home late, have to cook dinner, deal with a child, and get ready quickly after dinner to go to the pool at the Y, this is it. (On that note...time to go to the Y).
Oh, and I made my spouse lemon cupcakes from scratch. His birthday is this week. He had to make his own frosting. Recipe was from Vegan with a Vengeance, but I used regular milk (it's what I had), so they aren't vegan. Nice and lemony though.
On another note...week 1 on Weight Watchers on line, and I gained a pound. This week, I lost 3.8 lbs. Just goes to tell you that eating too much sodium the day before your weigh in will mess you up for a few days. Only 11 more lbs to go.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Breakfast Rice-Crust Mini-Quiches
I had leftover rice and quinoa that needed to be used FAST. So I googled "what to do with leftover rice". A few clicks later and I found what I wanted: rice crust quiche, made in muffin tins.
Quiche here, but it originated with The Complete Tightwad Gazette. Of course I had to use google to find a recipe that I already own.
Mini-quiche
crust
2 c. cooked brown rice and quinoa: 0.40
1 egg: 0.38 (local, organic, free range)
1.5 oz cheddar: 0.19
Filling:
1/4 onion: 0.15
1/4 16-oz bag frozen chopped spinach: 0.30
2 eggs: 0.75
3 oz shredded cheddar: 0.38
1 c. milk: 0.50
8 kalamata olives: 0.40
herbs (nutmeg, basil)
cooking spray
Total: $3.45 for 12 muffins. $0.29 each, but two makes a decent serving for me.
And a smoothie...soy milk, frozen banana, frozen berries, Amazing Grass, an orange, and some ice.
Quiche here, but it originated with The Complete Tightwad Gazette. Of course I had to use google to find a recipe that I already own.
Mini-quiche
crust
2 c. cooked brown rice and quinoa: 0.40
1 egg: 0.38 (local, organic, free range)
1.5 oz cheddar: 0.19
Filling:
1/4 onion: 0.15
1/4 16-oz bag frozen chopped spinach: 0.30
2 eggs: 0.75
3 oz shredded cheddar: 0.38
1 c. milk: 0.50
8 kalamata olives: 0.40
herbs (nutmeg, basil)
cooking spray
Total: $3.45 for 12 muffins. $0.29 each, but two makes a decent serving for me.
And a smoothie...soy milk, frozen banana, frozen berries, Amazing Grass, an orange, and some ice.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Skillet pasta with lemon, onion, and fennel
I love skillet pasta and I made this on a Friday when I was trying to make the "sauce" without using a red-sauce or a cream-sauce. Just a broth-sauce.
Skillet pasta is great for Friday because it's not a ton of work if you are tired after a long week. I tried to have my son help me...he helps my husband cook a lot of the time. I guess it's "fun" with daddy and not with mommy. But mommy does a lot more chopping, a lot less mixing. He did weigh out the pasta for me.
Skillet Pasta with lemon, onion, fennel, and a ton of other stuff:
1 Tbsp canola oil: 0.03
1/2 onion, diced: 0.15
1 piece fennel, chopped: 0.75. I don't like fennel.
10 oz frozen chopped spinach: 1.00
2 Tbsp rosemary/ italian herb blend: 0.25
1 clove pressed garlic: 0.05
1/2 c. dry white wine: 0.40
5.5 to 6 cups water
1 vegetarian bouillon cube: 0.38
12 oz pasta: 0.75
1/4 c. cream cheese: 0.25
2 cubes homemade pesto: 0.40
2 oz mozzarella: 0.13
1/4 c sliced olives: 0.30
1/2 c. frozen peas: 0.15
zest and juice of 2 lemons: free
S&P to taste
Total: $4.99 for 8 servings. $0.62 per serving. Most cookbooks would call this 4 servings. But that's why many of us are overweight. We ate this with steamed beets on the side.
Saute the onions and fennel in a large non-stick skillet until soft. Add the frozen spinach and cook until the water is mostly gone. Add the spices and the garlic and cook one more minute. Add wine and cook until the liquid is gone.
Add the pasta, water, bouillon cube, and cream cheese and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer (stirring occasionally) for 15 to 18 minutes, or until water is absorbed. I had a bit too much water and had to take the lid off.
When you've got your desired consistency, add the rest of the stuff that you don't want to over cook: peas, pesto, cheese, olives. Stir until well mixed. Finish it off with the lemon zest and juice.
This was SOOOO lemony and delicious. A little to salty, which is odd, since I normally undersalt things.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Pasta with Asparagus and Goat Cheese
This recipe is an adaptation of a recipe in Martha Stewart's Fresh Food Fast. I have to say, it is really fast.
I adjusted the amount of asparagus (original recipe called for 2 lbs), and butter (because...this is what I do. Unless I'm making brownies or biscuits, I cut down the butter).
Pasta with Asparagus and Goat Cheese
1 bunch asparagus (approx 1 lb): 1.97 (on sale!)
3/4 lb fusilli: 0.75
5 oz goat cheese: 2.49
2 T butter, divided: 0.13
salt and pepper to taste
Total: $5.16 for 6 servings (1.25 cups each). $0.86 per serving.
Remove woody ends from asparagus. Preheat oven to 425F. Toss asparagus with salt and pepper, and add 1 Tbsp butter on top. Roast 12 minutes in a rimmed cookie sheet, stirring at 4 min and 8 min. Remove from oven and cut into 1.5 inch pieces.
Cook pasta according to package directions. Save 1 cup cooking water before you drain the pasta. After draining pasta, put it back in the pot.
Place 1 Tbsp butter and all the goat cheese in a bowl. Add 2/3 to 3/4 cup pasta cooking water and stir until well blended. Add asparagus and sauce to the pasta. Salt and pepper to taste.
Wow, for something that only took 30 min, this was surprisingly good. And plenty of time to toss a salad.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Enchiladas and Pizza
This week I did it. For the first time. I made enough food to last the week. 10 meals worth. On Saturday, it was pita bread and chickpea stew.
On Sunday it was a tray of enchiladas, and two large pizzas. All told, 10 meals' worth, so we are set on lunch and dinner all week. I hope everything tastes good.
This time, I didn't forget the yeast in the pizza dough. That's because my hubby made the dough, while I was working. On a Sunday. Yeah.
I found a GREAT deal on cheese this week. You know how the coupon queens always talk about how coupons for cheese are a great deal? Loss leaders the way to go? Not for me. I've never found shredded cheese or block cheese at a grocery store on sale for cheaper than Costco. This weekend though, I got 2-lb bags for $4.99. Hence the pizza and enchiladas.
On Sunday it was a tray of enchiladas, and two large pizzas. All told, 10 meals' worth, so we are set on lunch and dinner all week. I hope everything tastes good.
This time, I didn't forget the yeast in the pizza dough. That's because my hubby made the dough, while I was working. On a Sunday. Yeah.
I found a GREAT deal on cheese this week. You know how the coupon queens always talk about how coupons for cheese are a great deal? Loss leaders the way to go? Not for me. I've never found shredded cheese or block cheese at a grocery store on sale for cheaper than Costco. This weekend though, I got 2-lb bags for $4.99. Hence the pizza and enchiladas.
The pizzas - one was pesto (I have a lot of pesto), and one had a tomato sauce, made from the leftover tomatoes from the chickpea stew, a few cherry tomatoes from our plant in the garden that survived the winter and is still giving us tomatoes. We planted this guy from seed last April (2009). I added some italian seasoning. Toppings were sauteed onions, peppers, mushrooms (all diced so small that hopefully my kid can't pick them off), olives, sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella and blue cheese.
The enchiladas were an experiment. I can't really estimate the cost. There are too many unknowns.
Experimental enchiladas:
1 T canola oil.
1.5 cup leftover cooked brown rice and quinoa
1 mason jar of tongue of fire beans from CSA, cooked 1 hr till soft with a clove of garlic.
3 small peppers, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 Tbsp shaved hot pepper from freezer
2 c. enchilada sauce from freezer. I don't know how old it is, nor whether it was homemade or from a jar.
4 whole wheat tortillas
3 eggs
cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper
2 c. shredded cheese (colby-jack blend)
Saute onions and peppers in oil until soft.
Cook the beans
Mix the rice, beans, and veggies in a bowl with the spices.
Layer a little sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Scoop out 1/2 of the bean/rice/vegetable mixture. Cut two tortillas in half and arrange to fit the pan. Put half the remaining sauce on the tortillas. Put the rest of the mixture on top. Crack 3 eggs on top of the mixture (why not? Figured I'd try it.) then another layer of tortillas. Top with rest of the sauce and then the cheese.
Bake, covered with foil, at 350F for 30 min, then remove foil and bake another 15 min.
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