Menu

I know this is a bit slap-dash, but this is the menu this week:

biscuts and gravy and fruit salad

ham + everything. - Wednesday (Christmas Day.  My mother sent the ham.  Fantastic!)

http://www.kitchme.com/recipes/oven-fried-chicken-chimichangas?invite=29ot  

http://suziethefoodie.blogspot.com/2011/03/bitchin-kitchens-fettuccine-rose-with.html and maranara (for the picky eater), green beans with garlic and bread.

http://morefruitplease.wordpress.com/2012/04/23/tomato-basil-and-cheddar-soup/ and grilled cheese sammiches

Tacos/taco salad

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Ok, 2 Mexican meals, but we really like Mexican food around these parts.

Here is the Biscuits and Gravy video.  

Food Quotes

“The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you've got to have a what-the-hell attitude.” 
― Julia Child

WINTER MINESTRONE

& GARLIC BRUSCHETTA

Enjoy your food as much as this guy does.

Tasting Astronaut Food: Inside NASA's Space Food Systems Laboratory

Yummy?

Ham and Lentil Soup

Brown 1/2 lb of diced ham in oil in a large pot. (I use a ham steak and just a bit of olive oil)

Take that out of the pot and put it aside.

Next you need these:

1 cup of diced onion
1/2 cup of diced celery
1/2 cup of diced carrot
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced.

Take all that stuff and put it in the pot.  Reduce heat to medium and sweat until the onions are translucent.

Next you need these:

1/2 lb brown lentils (or which ever you like)  
1/4 cup dry sherry

Deglaze the pot with the sherry.  (Deglaze just means push it around the pot with the other stuff, kind of scraping as you go so the brown tasty bits get off the bottom of the pot.)  When it's nearly evaporated add:

Ham
5 cups chicken or veg broth
2 cups diced tomato
2tsp thyme

Bring it all to a boil then reduce to med-low.  Simmer for 30ish min.  or until the lentils are tender.

When it is almost ready to serve add:

2 cups chopped fresh spinach and 
Salt and pepper to taste

Finish the soup with about 1 tbs of red wine vinegar to brighten the flavors.

I like to put a little parm or goat cheese on top.

Yum.

One pot pasta premivera

Sharing this from my friend Judy who swears by it.

I use 6 T (Tablespoons) of liquid (water or broth - broth is yummy!) per one weighed ounce of dry pasta (any kind) per serving.  Put everything in a pot - the veggies, herbs and seasonings you want, along with the dry pasta, liquid, and a teaspoon of olive oil per serving.  Bring to a boil while gently stirring (or gently tossing if spaghetti-type noodles) so they don't stick together.  Change to med/low heat and simmer, uncovered while stirring occasionally until liquid is absorbed (about 8 - 10 minutes).  Don't overcook!  If you want any meat and/or cheese, add it in at the end (cook the meat separately).

I modified it from this recipe: http://www.marthastewart.com/978784/one-pan-pasta
I've tried it with different kinds of pasta, different veggies, different seasonings - it doesn't matter.  The thing I found about the Martha Stewart recipe is that it calls for 12 oz of pasta for four servings which cooks up to a _huge_ (HUGE! 3 oz of uncooked pasta each!) portion per person.  Two ounces of dry pasta cooked up with veggies was a really big serving that I could hardly finish (and it's not like I'm a dainty eater).  Since then I've been doing one ounce with loads of veggies per serving and that's plenty.  I figure if I'm still hungry after that I can have another helping.  An 8 oz package of dry pasta will make 3 big (2 2/3 oz each) servings or 6 moderate ones (1 1/2 oz each).

Conversions:
1/4 cup = 4 T = 2 fluid oz;
1 T = 3 t = 0.5 fluid oz;
1 cup = 8 fluid oz = 1/2 pint.

Menu

Artichoke and spinach bratwurst

w/mustard, horseradish and sourcrout

Red potato salad

Salad with pickled beets, crushed walnuts, and feta

Enjoy