Pop Quiz!

We were traveling much of last week and did not do any cooking. I challenged my chef-y friends to come up with something tasty using the ingredients on hand...here's what Heather made (and I can't wait to make it myself!):

Addendum: I made this for dinner tonight, and it was superb. My changes:
1) I used 1 cup sliced leeks instead of the green onions and shallot
2)I used dried dill in place of the marjoram
3)I threw a parmesan rind in just for fun
4)I drizzled balsamic vinegar over the soup just before serving
5) I served it over steamed kale






Lentil-Barley Soup
adapted from myrecipes.com

2 teaspoons canola oil
4 scallions, white and light green parts, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 cups vegetable broth
1 cup water
3/4 cup beer (Midas Touch by Dogfishhead)
1 cup chopped carrot
1 cup chopped parsnip
1 cup chopped celery
1 tsp dried marjoram
1/4 cup uncooked pearl barley
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup dried lentils
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add garlic, green onion, and shallot to pan; sauté 2 minutes. Add broth, 1 cup water, and beer; bring to a boil.
2. Add chopped carrot and next 8 ingredients (through bay leaves); return to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Stir in lentils; cover and cook 30 minutes. Discard bay leaves.
4. Place 1 1/2 cups broth mixture in a blender. Remove the center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Return pureed mixture to pan, and stir in salt.
5. Return mixture to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally.

I had intended to make the soup for lunch, but the day got away from me. So while it was simmering, I made this super steamed kale salad to tide me over.

Steamed Kale Salad



cooking spray
1/2 cup red onion, vertically sliced
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
2-3 cups torn kale, rinsed
1/2 oz shaved parmesan cheese
1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1. Saute the onions, mushrooms, and garlic in the cooking spray until soft. Sprinkle the red pepper in and stir.
2. Put the kale in the pan and cover. Steam in the rinse water for 5 minutes until wilted.
3. Pile the kale/mushroom mixture on a plate, sprinkle the shaved parmesan over top, and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

Healthful Indian!

Tonight's dinner came from two new cookbooks I received for Christmas (thanks, Deb!). We don't have cable anymore (and don't miss it!) so I never watch the Food Network, but I guess these ladies are quite popular. Well, we enjoyed their recipes and look forward to more.

Menu:
No-Cream Cauliflower Soup
Yam Cakes
Paneer
Coconut Chutney


No-Cream Cauliflower Soup
from Bal Arneson's Everyday Indian



This was excellent, the winner of the evening. It was also incredibly easy and healthy. Nate was licking the bowl. I would never stoop to such crude behavior.

makes 4 1-cup servings

1 medium head cauliflower, or two small, chopped
2 1/2 cups water
2 T grapeseed oil (I used 1, and you could easily use canola or olive)
1 T grated ginger
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp Chana Masala (you can make your own or buy it already mixed)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup 2% milk (I used whole)

1. Bring the cauliflower and water to a boil, then simmer on low heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Take off the heat and let cool a bit.
2. Using a blender or immersion blender, blend until creamy. Return to heat and bring to a boil.
3. In a small skillet, combine the oil, ginger, cumin, chana masala, and salt over medium heat. Cook for 2 minutes, then stir into the cauliflower.
4. Turn off the heat and stir in the milk.


Yam Cakes
adapted from Bal Arneson's Everyday Indian

These were included simply because we had bunch of leftover chopped root vegetables from another dinner. The recipe calls for yams, but we used approximately equal parts sweet potato, carrot, and parsnip. The parsnip didn't mash up as uniformly as the sweet potato and carrot, but I liked it that way. It gave the cakes more texture, and parsnips are so tasty! Nate made these, and they were perfect little accompaniments to the soup.



makes 14 2" patties

2 cups cooked/mashed root vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, carrots, and parsnips
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 T low-fat plain yogurt
1 T garam masala
1 T grated fresh ginger
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp grapeseed oil

1. Mix everything but the oil in a bowl until well blended. Form into small patties.
2. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.
3. Cook the patties in batches so they have plenty of room and aren't crowding each other. Cook on each side until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side.




Paneer
from Bal Arneson's Everyday Indian



I made this because it looked like fun. It turns out it is very easy to make your own cheese! Just be careful when you're boiling the milk, because it takes approximately 2.7 seconds for it to boil over and make a big mess on your stove top.

1 gallon 2% milk
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 large square of cheesecloth

1. Bring the milk to a boil in a large pot, stirring so it doesn't burn. Add the vinegar and stir until the solids and liquid separate.
2. Line a colander with the cheesecloth and carefully pour the mixture in to drain. Fold the cheesecloth over the curds and place a heavy sauce pan on top for 20 minutes while it drains.
3. Remove the cheese from the cheesecloth (hey! I just realized why it's called cheesecloth!!) and cut it into cubes. Use immediately, either fried or plain, or freeze.




Quick Red Chile and Coconut Chutney
from Anjum Anand's Anjum's New Indian



makes 1/2 cup

1/4 c dried unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 c coconut milk (I used light)
1/8" piece of ginger, peeled and grated
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
salt, to taste
1/2-1 tsp pure red chile powder, or to taste (I used half-sharp Hungarian paprika)
1 tsp vegetable oil (I used 1/2 tsp)
1 tsp brown mustard seeds

1. Stir together the coconut, milk, lemon juice, ginger, salt, and pepper.
2. Heat the oil in a small skillet and add the mustard seeds. Cook them until the start to pop, then remove from heat. Stir them into the chutney.

Luscious Leftovers

I was on my own for dinner tonight, which always means I go all crazy with mushrooms and onions and other such nasties that Nate won't touch. Mmmmm. Last night I had thrown some more tofu in the leftover marinade from the aforementioned Tofu with Sweet Ginger Marinade and used some of it, along with the Spicy Peanut Sauce, in a quick, hearty, thrown-together stew that I ate so fast I think I seared the entire lining off my proximal GI tract. Enjoy.

Marinated Tofu Stew
makes 1 large bowl



Cooking spray
1/2 of an onion, sliced vertically
2 garlic coves, smashed
1/2 tsp garlic chili paste
1 T grated fresh ginger
4-5 whole shiitake mushrooms (I used the mushrooms from the tofu marinade that were soaked and plumped)
2 pieces of marinated tofu, cubed, or 6 oz extra firm tofu
2 cups torn Romaine lettuce leaves
2 tsp yellow miso paste
2 cups vegetable broth
2 T Spicy Peanut Sauce, or 1 T peanut butter and 1 1/1 tsp each of brown sugar and soy sauce
1 scallion, white and green parts, sliced
juice of 1/2 of a lime, or to taste
Extra soy sauce to taste

1. Spray a soup pot with cooking spray.
2. Saute the onions, garlic, chili paste, mushrooms, and ginger over medium heat until onions are very soft, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the tofu and lettuce and saute for 1-2 minutes.
4. Add the miso and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, stir in peanut sauce and scallions, and add lime juice and soy sauce to taste.

The Barista Does Beans!

OK, that's it. I'm hanging up my spatula. Tonight's dinner was entirely conceived of and executed by my barista, who, it turns out, also makes a mean black bean burger. And not only did he plan the whole thing out, he MADE IT UP. Just made up his own recipe. And I am so sorry to say that I ate my burger so fast that I didn't even remember to take a picture. But trust me, it was a thing of beauty.

Black Bean Burgers
makes 4 burgers

1 can (15oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped broccoli, steamed
4 cloves garlic
1/2 of a tomato
1 egg
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
1 T chili powder
1 tsp salt
3 T cilantro
4 slices provolone cheese
4 hamburger buns
sliced tomato and lettuce

1. Pour beans into a large bowl and mash coarsely.
2. Puree the broccoli through cilantro until uniformly chopped.
3. Stir the broccoli puree into the beans and form into 4 patties.
4. Spray a baking pan with cooking spray and bake at 375F for 10 minutes on each side. Top with cheese, lettuce, and tomato and serve in buns.

Veggie Nite

Tonight's dinner was entirely vegetarian and adapted from recipes in Annie Somerville's book, Fields of Greens. The hit of the evening was the marinated tofu, and thank goodness the marinade makes a bunch so we can throw some more tofu in to eat later in the week!

Nate roasted a huge spaghetti squash this afternoon, and we subbed squash for the noodles in the Chinese Noodle Salad. I find that most salads simply use the pasta as a vehicle for the dressing, anyway, so you might as well pack your veggies in while you're eating that dressing. We sub spaghetti squash for many pasta dishes with great success.

Menu:
Tofu with Sweet Ginger Marinade
Spicy Peanut Sauce
Grilled Kale
Chinese Noodle (Squash) Salad with Citrus and Spicy Peanuts


Tofu with Sweet Ginger Marinade
from Fields of Greens



This was excellent, and paired very nicely with the peanut sauce and kale. I am excited to try it again with some of the other suggested sauces. We grilled it, placing the slices over medium heat until grill marks appeared, then turning and grilling the other side. I might also try smoking it. IN THE SMOKER--I know what you were thinking...

1 package of firm tofu, about 1 pound
1/2 cup soy sauce or tamari
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup dry white wine or mirin
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup dark sesame oil (I used 2 T)
1/2 oz dried shiitake mushrooms
1 1/2 tsp dry mustard
2 T grated fresh ginger
4 garlic cloves, crushed with the side of a knife

1. Slice the tofu in half horizontally or cut into slabs 1" thick. Place in a colander and drain for 10-15 minutes.
2. Prepare the marinade: combine all the ingredients in a nonreactive saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Arrange the tofu in a shallow pan and pour the marinade over, being sure to cover all the slices.
4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours and up to 2 weeks.
5. Eat fresh or grilled.


Spicy Peanut Sauce
adapted from Fields of Greens



Unbeknownst to me, a little troll has been secretly eating from the jar of peanut butter that I had stocked away in my mental inventory on the "OK to assume we always have plenty without checking first" shelf. Lesson learned. I subbed sesame tahini paste for the PB here, because I had a big tub sitting there (the troll apparently hasn't yet discovered the tasty paste) and it was a fine replacement. This was great drizzled over the marinated tofu.

1 T coarsely chopped yellow onion
1 large garlic clove, coarsely chopped
1 or 2 jalapeno chiles, seeded
1 T peanut oil or light vegetable oil
2 1/2 T soy sauce
1 T plus 1 tsp lime juice
2 T light brown sugar
1 tsp molasses
1/2 c creamy peanut butter
1/4 c water
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1. Puree the onion, garlic, chiles, oil, soy sauce, and lime juice in a blender or food processor.
2. Transfer to a bowl and whisk in the remaining ingredients.


Grilled Kale

One of my favorite ways to eat kale. It doesn't work as well with other greens. I usually do it in a 400F oven for about 15 minutes, but we had BTUs to use up on the grill, so I plopped the leaves down after the tofu was done. I cut the kale into large-ish bite-sized pieces, which is how I do it in the oven; next time I will use whole leaves on the grill so I'm not racing to turn all those little morsels before they burn. Use flat-leaf kale if you have the choice.

1 bunch flat-leaf kale
cooking spray
salt
pepper

1. Heat the grill to medium.
2. Spray the kale leaves with cooking spray, sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
3. Roast over direct heat until char marks just start to appear; turn the leaves and quickly remove from heat once they are lightly browned on both sides. If they get soggy after cooling, you can re-crisp the leaves for 5-10 minutes in a 400F oven.


Chinese Noodle (Squash) Salad with Citrus and Spicy Peanuts
adapted from Fields of Greens



I've written it as I made it, with spaghetti squash and a few other adjustments.

Marinade:
Zest of half a lime or orange
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
2 1/2 T fresh ground ginger
3 T rice vinegar
5 T soy sauce
3 T white wine vinegar
2 T dark sesame oil
1 T sugar
1 serrano chile, seeded

Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree.

Salad:
1 small spaghetti squash, roasted and seeded
1 medium carrot, sliced into matchsticks
1 cup sugar snap peas, diced
2 scallions, diced
1/2 cup daikon radish, sliced into matchsticks
3 T cilantro, minced
1/4 c Spicy Peanuts, chopped

Scoop the squash into a large bowl and toss with the remaining ingredients. Toss with the marinade and let sit for 30 minutes before serving.

Spicy Peanuts
from Fields of Greens

1 cup peanuts
1/2 tsp peanut oil
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
salt to taste

Toss all ingredients together, spread in a shallow pan, and roast for 12-15 minutes at 325F. Let cool and store in an airtight container.

Go Green!

Nothing fancy tonight, just a simple soup and salad for me while Nate is off playing Ultimate. The soup recipe comes from San Francisco's Greens Restaurant cookbook, Fields of Greens, which I use entirely too little, I must admit. It's got tons of great vegetarian recipes for all seasons.

And you'll all be very excited to know that our orange tree is finally ripe (it was a very slow citrus season, for some reason), so now that I've used up my Miracle of Whole Wheat Pastry Flour, we'll move on to the bottomless pit of recipes that involve oranges, orange juice, and orange zest. Enjoy.

Menu:
Leek and Basmati Soup
Winter Greens with Orange Vinaigrette

Leek and Basmati Soup



This was very good and could be quite simple if you skipped the repetitively redundant step of making leek stock, which involves making leek soup, straining out the liquid, and then using that liquid to make...leek soup. Seriously, just use some veggie broth and save yourself an hour.

Also, this could be made heartier (and non-veggie) by adding some shredded chicken or swirling a beaten egg into each serving. Next time I might also puree some of it to give it a little more body. It was quite tasty as written, though.

I cut it in half and it made about 6 cups; I've written the full recipe below.

Leek Stock
1 yellow onion, sliced
10 garlic cloves, in their skin, crushed with the side of a knife blade
salt
3 leek tops, coarsely chopped and washed
2 medium-sized carrots, cut into large pieces
1 celery rib, cut into large pieces
1 large potato, sliced
1 bay leaf
2 fresh sage leaves
5 parsley sprigs
5 fresh thyme sprigs
2 fresh marjoram or oregano sprigs
9 cups cold water

Heat the onions and garlic in a soup pot with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 inch of water. Cover the pot and steam for 15 minutes over medium heat.

Add the rest of the ingredients and bring the stock to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes. Pour through a strainer and discard the vegetables.

The Soup
1 T light olive oil
1 T unsalted butter
4-5 large leeks, white parts only, cut in half lengthwise, thinly sliced, and washed, about 9 cups
salt and white pepper (um, who actually has white pepper hanging out in their spice rack? Come on over here with the common folk and use regular old black pepper)
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 c dry white wine
1 medium-sized carrot, diced, about 3/4 cup
2 celery ribs, diced, about 3/4 cup
1/4 c basmati rice
a fresh herb sachet: 1 bay leaf, 4 thyme sprigs, 5 parsley sprigs, 2 marjoram sprigs, and 1 sage leaf tied in cheesecloth or bundled and tied together (I tied the bundle together with parsley sprigs)
1 T chopped fresh herbs: parsley, chives, and marjoram
grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the olive oil and butter in a soup pot over medium heat; add the leeks, 1 tsp salt, and a few pinches of white pepper. Stir the leeks, coating them with butter and oil, then cover the pot, reduce the heat to low and cook for about 10 minutes, until the leeks are wilted.

Add the garlic and saute for another minute or two, then add the wine and cook for a minute or two, until the pan is dry.

Add the carrots, celery, rice, 1/2 tsp salt, the sachet of herbs, and 1 quart stock. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add 3 cups stock and season the soup to taste with salt and pepper. Remove the herb sachet and add the chopped herbs just before serving.

Garnish each serving with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.





Winter Greens with Orange Vinaigrette



I used some fancy holiday goat cheese flavored with blueberry and vanilla, and it really made the salad pretty exceptional; but any plain creamy goat cheese would do.

Dressing (makes about 1/2 cup)
1 small shallot, minced
1/4 c champagne vinegar
2 T orange juice
1 tsp orange zest
1/2 tsp honey or sugar
1 T canola oil
salt and pepper to taste

Salad (amounts are per serving)
2 c washed/dried mixed greens (watercress, endive, spinach, romaine)
1 T walnuts, toasted and chopped
1/2 oz soft goat cheese
2 T dried cranberries


Whisk all the ingredients together except the oil, then whisk in the oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Arrange the greens on a plate. Sprinkle the nuts, cranberries, and goat cheese on top.

Drizzle the dressing over each serving of salad.

Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs

Aahhh, comfort food. It cures what ails you after a day in the ER. Here you go.

Menu
Baked Spaghetti Squash
Turkey Meatballs

Spaghetti Squash
makes 8 servings



I was inspired by a recent knockout side dish at The Big Orange, which, I'm sure, was laden with top shelf olive oil and years-aged Parmesan cheese, most likely the reasons I couldn't stop shoveling into my mouth. Nevertheless, I endeavored to replicate it tonight, since I had a lovely specimen taking up valuable counter-space. And as an added bonus, we didn't have to fight for parking.


My version, while admittedly not as rich, was nonetheless respectably delicious.

1 spaghetti squash, halved (please don't cut off a finger doing this)
2 T cilantro, minced
2 T olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
2 oz sharp cheddar cheese, diced or grated
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
3 garlic cloves, minced

1. Place the squash halves cut-side up in a glass dish and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 10-12 minutes or until flesh can be easily shredded with a fork.
2. Remove the seeds and use a fork to scrape the squash into an 8x8" baking dish.
3. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Toss with the squash until evenly distributed.
4. Cover with foil and bake at 425F for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Serve topped with meatballs and marinara sauce.


Turkey Meatballs



makes about 35 small meatballs

20 oz ground turkey
6 T fresh breadcrumbs (another opportunity to use up Thanksgiving leftovers...I used leftover stuffing)
1 T minced onion or dried onion flakes
2 T salsa
1/4 c fresh cilantro, minced
1/4 c fresh parsley, minced
1 tsp garlic powder
cooking spray

1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Form into 1-inch meatballs and place in cooking-sprayed baking dish.
2. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes or until cooked through.

Action expresses priorities.

We started watching Ghandi last night. So what kind of food does one eat while watching Ghandi?

Pizza, duh. From the uber-trendy Phoenix joint, La Grande Orange.

On the second night, however, (because, jeez, the thing is more than three hours long and a girl's got to get her beauty sleep!), one eats Indian food. Or at least, a white-suburban-Jewish-girl's rendition of Indian food. Enjoy. And be good.

Menu:
Cilantro-Mint Chutney
Tamarind Chutney
Cumin Potatoes
Steamed Fish with Cilantro
Mr. Panseer's North-Indian Style Spinach
Pitas

Tamarind Chutney
from The Global Gourmet

1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon grated or very finely minced gingerroot
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 teaspoon crushed dried hot pepper


I found this cute little jar at Whole Foods.


And look! It's local!


Cilantro-Mint Chutney
from Big Oven

OK, I have to interrupt, here. I've made a version of this before--there are recipes all over the internet--but this was the first one I've seen that called for cashews. I thought about omitting them at first for the sake of low-fat, reduced, calorie, blabbity-blah-blah-etc, but Oh My Goodness, USE THEM. They don't add that much fat and wowza, does it taste gooood. I think even Ghandi would have approved.



1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup raw cashews
1 1/2 c fresh mint leaves
1 1/2 c fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 c fresh lime juice (I used lemon)
1/4 c water
1 T sugar
2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.

Steamed Fish with Cilantro



2 T soy sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
2 T cilantro, minced
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T ginger, grated
2 T water
2 tilapia fillets

1. Combine soy sauce through water in a small bowl.
2. Place fillets in a large skillet and pour the sauce over them.
3. Turn the heat on high, bring to a boil, then turn to a simmer, cover the skillet, and steam for 5 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve immediately.

Cumin Potatoes



3 cloves garlic
1/4 onion
2 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp toasted cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp salt, or more to taste
1 medium carrot, sliced
4 medium potatoes (approx 3" diameter), peeled and cut into 1" cubes
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup green peas, frozen

1. In a large skillet, saute the onions, garlic, olive oil and spices until onion are translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the carrots, potatoes, and chicken broth.
3. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce to a simmer, and cook for 20-30 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Stir frequently and add water as needed to prevent potatoes from sticking to pan.
4. Just before serving, stir in the peas and warm through.



Mr. Panseer's North-Indian Style Spinach

(from Crescent Dragonwagon's Passionate Vegetarian, originally blogged about here)

2 tsp clarified butter or vegetable oil
1 small onion, finely diced
1 serrano chile, diced, seeds and membranes removed
1 T peeled grated ginger
1 T finely minced garlic
2 pounds fresh spinach, well washed, coarsely chopped
2 T water
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Add half of the chile and ginger and saute for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute.
2. Add the spinach a few handfuls at a time, allowing it to cook down until you are able to add all of it to the skillet.
3. Add the water, salt and pepper. Cover and cook over very low heat for 1 hour.
4. Just before serving, spray a small skillet with cooking spray and heat the remaining chile and ginger until very hot. Stir into the spinach and serve.

The Miracle of Thanksgiving.

Oy. Has it really been a month? I ate enough in the past week to make it feel like a month, that's for sure...

Thanksgiving came and went, and of course we ate like kings. I'm sorry to say I did not record a single thing during the entire 5 day event. You'll just have to trust that food was prepared and eaten by the ton.

And now, leftovers!!! Huzzah!!!

And for some bizarre reason, Hanukkah falls directly after Thanksgiving. So, natch, we have a challenge: try to use the multitudes of turkey-day leftovers in traditional Macabee fare. I think we did pretty well, even if it wasn't exactly "traditional".



Menu:
Mashed Potato Latkes
Broccoli Slaw Latkes
Jalapeno Sour Cream
Applesauce
Kale Salad with Bread Stuffing Crumbs


Mashed Potato Latkes



makes 6 pancakes

These were tasty, as all things mashed-potato-derived should be. There's nothing that can truly replace shredded potato and onion latkes deep-fried in oil, but these were fine in a pinch and a great way to use up the bucket of leftover spuds.

2 c leftover mashed potatoes
1 egg
1 scallion, minced
cooking spray

1. Beat the egg well in a small bowl.
2. Stir in the potatoes and scallion and mix well.
3. Heat a frying pan to medium and coat with cooking spray.
4. Form the potatoes into flat patties and fry until each side is golden brown. Serve with applesauce and sour cream.


Broccoli Slaw Latkes



makes about 5 cakes

Basically a shredded veggie pancake. Super easy if you use bagged broccoli slaw, but it would be only minimally more work to shred carrots/broccoli/cauliflower/zucchini or whatever vegetable you want to incorporate.

1 egg
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
2 cups shredded broccoli slaw
1 scallion, minced
4 T matzoh meal (or bread crumbs)
cooking spray

1. Beat the egg well. Mix in the nutmeg, salt and pepper.
2. Mix the broccoli slaw and scallion with the egg until combined.
3. Stir in the matzoh meal.
4. Heat a frying pan to medium and coat with cooking spray.
5. Drop the slaw mixture onto the pan and flatten gently.
6. Cook on both sides until browned.




Kale Salad with Bread Stuffing Crumbs



Inspired by a salad served at True Food Restaurant in Phoenix. Mine was just as good and quite a bit cheaper. This was also a nice way to use leftover stuffing, and I will probably freeze the rest of the stuffing to have on hand just for the purpose of making bread crumbs.

Dressing:
1/4 c fresh lemon juice
1 T olive oil
pinch of sugar to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Crumbs:
1/4 c leftover bread stuffing or shredded bread
2 T shredded cheddar or Parmesan cheese

1 bunch flat-leaf kale, chopped

1. Whisk together the dressing ingredients and set aside.
2. Spread the stuffing on a toaster pan and toast until dried. Set aside to cool.
3. Toss the kale with the dressing and divide into desired number of servings.
4. Toss the cheese with the crumbs when cool and sprinkle over the kale.

Nutritional Yeast Looks Like Fish Food.

I was intrigued by a recent article about meatloaf in the Arizona Republic. It featured a vegetarian recipe by some fancy chef from here in the Valley, and I thought I'd give it a try. It was definitely tasty, but meatloaf it was not. Don't kid yourself. It's a yummy veggie burger in loaf form that would be a nice option for a vegetarian guest, but I wouldn't go to the trouble again just to make it for the two of us. To Nate's credit, he did eat a whole serving and pronounced it passable. (Oh hey, even as I type this he's going for seconds...)



I made a few changes out of necessity, but pretty much followed the recipe, even down to the nutritional yeast. Which brings me to the question, why do people eat that stuff? Aren't you getting enough B vitamins from the rest of your food without having to resort to fish food? I am puzzled by this ingredient, as it doesn't add anything to the final dish, as far as I can tell. So now I can add nutritional yeast to my list of bottomless ingredients that I will have to find a use for.

Nutritional yeast and whole wheat pastry flour waffles, anyone??

Menu:
Tempeh "Cheat" Meatloaf
Sauteed Greens
Roasted Sweet Potato

Tempeh "Cheat" Meatloaf
submitted to the AZ Republic on 10/20/10 by Chef Damon Brasch of Green restaurant



serves 6

1 T red miso paste
3 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 can (6 oz) tomato sauce
1/2 c water or vegetable stock
3 T brown sugar
2 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
1/4 c olive oil (I omitted this)
3/4 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced roasted green chiles
3/4 cup diced carrots
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 pound organic tempeh, pulsed to a crumble in a food processor
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Phillips Blackening Seasoning (I omitted this)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup tapioca starch for binder (I used rolled oats)
Barbecue sauce for basting (I omitted this)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a small bowl, combine miso paste, soy sauce, tomato sauce, water or vegetable stock, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce.

3.Heat a saute pan on medium high. When hot, add olive oil (or cooking spray). When oil is hot, lightly saute onions, green chiles, carrots and garlic for about 5-8 minutes.

4. In a large bowl, combine tempeh, bread crumbs, yeast, chili powder, pepper flakes, thyme, onion powder, black pepper, blackening seasoning, salt and tapioca starch. Add sauteed vegetables and three-quarters of the wet tomato mixture.

5. Use your hands to form into loaf. Lightly oil a shallow 7- by 10-inch pan or bread-loaf tin, and place loaf on top of oil. Pour remaining wet tomato mixture over meatloaf to coat. Bake for 1 hour, basting occasionally with a favorite barbecue sauce.

Nate says everything tastes better with ketchup. Lots and lots of ketchup.

Marinated Grilled Okra.

Lunch today was a cup of borscht (I'm going to freeze the rest...I'm a little beeted out.) and grilled okra. The Phoenix Public Market was overflowing with okra today, so I thought I'd give it a try.



If you're like me and have only ever had the slimy version coated in cornmeal and deep-fried, then definitely branch out and give this version a try. It was flavorful, crisp, and certainly not the gelatinous globbiness that I remember from the last time I had okra.

Tomorrow I'm off to Chautauqua, NY, for the week, where I will be attending summer camp for grown-ups with my family. While I'm sure I will be eating well (and lots!), I'm also pretty sure I won't be cooking any of it. You're on your own, Elaine...

Marinated Grilled Okra
adapted from The Passionate Vegetarian

Yes, another recipe from PV. I have it on loan from the library, and there are so many good recipes in there that I want to try them all before I have to return it! Sigh...I'll probably just end up buying it...

Crescent lists three different marinades for grilled okra, but I just combined two of them to use up some ingredients on hand. This dish would be a perfect side to accompany any kind of grilled steak or as part of a grilled vegetable cornucopia. I imagine it would also be excellent as part of a salad or salsa with grilled tomatoes and corn.

serves 1-2

6 oz fresh okra
2 tsp olive oil
1 T balsamic vinegar
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp salt
fresh ground pepper
1 clove garlic
5-6 large basil leaves
1/4 c fresh cilantro
4-5 cherry or grape tomatoes

1. Set the okra in a flat baking dish.
2. Add the remaining ingredients to a food processor and process until uniformly chopped. Spread over okra and marinate for 1-2 hours at room temperature.
3. Heat the grill to medium-high. Place marinated okra over direct heat and grill about 4 minutes per side, or until char marks appear and the okra is soft.
4. Serve whole.

Beetstravaganza!

I have been informed that Elaine does not care for beets. And she's RUSSIAN. Oh well, Elaine is going to have to put up with at least one more beet-centric recipe, because I'm going out of town and I'm pretty sure Nate won't eat them. And darn it, I worked HARD to roast those things!

Plus, Elaine, you have to admit, beets are hands-down the prettiest vegetable out there. I mean, what other brilliantly pink food can you eat that isn't of the sugar-coated marshmallow variety*? Check it:



*Don't misunderstand...I am a card-carrying Peeps lover.

Menu:
Borscht
Garlic-Herb Braised Cod
Spanish Millet

So if you have a bunch of cooked beets sitting around waiting to be used up, and it's a hundred-and-umpteen degrees outside for the 75th day in a row, you just have to make borscht. And you have to serve it in a bone-china white soup bowl, because there just isn't a prettier pink in nature. This recipe was adapted from another great cookbook, The Silver Palate Cookbook. I've written it as I made it, which involved cutting down the ingredients to make about 3 1c servings.

Borscht
adapted from The Silver Palate Cookbook, by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins

serves 3

2 1/4 c cooked beets, cubed
2 c water
1 T sugar
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1/3c milk
6 T light sour cream

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the beets, sugar, lemon juice, and salt and lower to a simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Remove from heat.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk. While whisking, gradually add 1/4 cup of the beet mixture to the egg mixture. Turn the heat back on under the beat mixture and stir in the egg mixture just enough to heat through.
4. Remove from heat, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for several hours until very cold. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt, sugar, or lemon juice as needed.
5. To serve, ladle 1 c soup into a bowl and top with 2 T sour cream.


Garlic-Herb Braised Cod



Nothing fancy here, just an opportunity to use up some wilting herbs from the refrigerator. Any combination that you like would work.

serves 2

1 T each minced basil, parsley, tarragon, and cilantro
2 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp lemon zest
salt and pepper to taste
2 4-6 oz cod fillets
2 T white wine or chicken broth

1. In a small bowl, combine the herbs, oil, garlic, lemon zest, salt and pepper.
2. Heat a skillet over medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Add the cod fillets and saute quickly on each side, about one minute per. Divide the herb mixture over each fillet, drizzle the wine over the fillets, and cover.
3. Braise for about 5 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve immediately, spooning the cooking liquid over each serving.


Spanish Millet
adapted from Crescent Dragonwagon's Passionate Vegetarian



1 tsp olive oil
1 onion, sliced into thin vertical crescents
1 green bell pepper, diced (I used a roasted poblano pepper* here)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 c cooked Basic Fluffy-Style Millet**
Tabasco sauce to taste
3 T tomato paste

*1. To roast a poblano pepper, which I far prefer to using bell peppers: from fresh or frozen, place the pepper over a heat source (hot grill or gas stovetop flame) and roast until the skin is blistered and lightly charred, turning frequently. If you do this over your gas stovetop, be careful of pepper juice dripping onto the burner. Allow the pepper to cool and peel the bits of char off before dicing.
2. In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and pepper and saute for 1 minute.
3. Fold in the millet, cover, and heat through for about 5 minutes.
4. Mix in the Tabasco and tomato paste until fully incorporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.


**Basic Fluffy-Style Millet
Follow the same recipe as for Basic Moist-Style Millet, but reduce the water to 2 cups and the cooking time to 18 minutes.

Beets, Beets, Beets!

Tonight's meal was taken again from Crescent Dragonwagon's book, Passionate Vegetarian. The Phoenix Public Market (which, if you live in Phoenix, you should make every effort to support on Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings--even if you only go to sample the wares from the traveling creme brulee truck...) had beautiful, huge beets aplenty and I bought enough to make us bleed red for quite a few days.

A word about beets: I love them. They are pretty, they are great for you, they are versatile, they taste like you are eating everything good borne from the earth...but they are also MESSY. And honestly, while I'm all in favor of cooking from scratch and earning bragging rights for doing things like churning your own butter and making your own mayonnaise even thought it tastes exactly the same as Land-o-Lakes and Hellman's, this is a case where you can save yourself some time and bleach by simply buying the prepackaged version.

I roasted my beets. By the time I was done, my fingers were fuscia, my kitchen looked like the scene of a small massacre, and my roasting pan had burned beet sugar coating the bottom of it.

Trader Joe's has cooked, vacuum-packed beets available in the refrigerated section that I have kept on hand for salads and whatnot, and next time I want some beets in a pinch, I will reach for those again. Not to say I won't roast my own again, but definitely not on a weeknight. Heck, for all I know canned (gasp!!) beets might be just as good as the original, too. Sounds like some experimentin' is in order!

Menu:
Scallioned Beets and Their Greens in Herbed Mustard Sauce
Outrageously Good Pan-Crisped Millet-Vegetable Cakes


Scallioned Beets and Their Greens in Herbed Mustard Sauce



This was a very tasty and colorful vegetable side, but not worth the time it took to prepare the beets. I would definitely use pre-cooked next time. Also, my beets did not come with their greens, so I used kale instead. And finally, this is Whooo! Mustardy! And I love mustard! If you are at all mustard-phobic, this is not the dish for you. Next time I might temper it a bit with some honey or something. There was a whole lotta tang in this recipe. I've re-written the recipe as I made it (which basically just means I cut it in half and actually measured my beets).

Serves 3, generously

1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/4 c vegetable stock
1 1/2 T course-ground Dijon mustard
2 T reduced-fat sour cream
1 tsp butter or olive oil (I omitted this and used cooking spray instead)
3 scallions, white and light green parts, minced
1 bunch (whatever came off the beets) beet greens, washed, stems finely diced, and leaves sliced into ribbons (I did not have greens and substituted a bunch of kale leaves)
1 pound Basic Baked Beets (to follow), cubed
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T minced fresh parsley
1 T minced fresh basil
salt and pepper to taste

1. Combine the cornstarch with 1 T of the stock to dissolve, then whisk in the remaining stock. Stir in the mustard and sour cream. Set aside.
2. Melt butter or spray cooking spray in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the scallions and greens and saute for 1 minute, then cover and cook for 3 minutes. Uncover and add the beets and garlic to the pan and toss until just heated through, about 1 minute.
3. Whisk the mustard mixture. Quickly stir it into the beets. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce is hot and thick, 1 minute at most. Stir in the herbs and taste for seasonings.

Basic Baked Beets
Servings variable

Whole fresh beets, all about the same size, greens removed and scrubbed.
mild vegetable oil, such as corn, canola, or peanut (I omitted this)

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Lightly coat each beet with oil (This was not necessary). Individually wrap the oiled beets in sheets of foil.
3. Place the beets in a baking dish in the preheated oven.
4. Bake until done, testing with a fork (the fork should go in easily, but the beet should still offer a tiny bit of resistance). This could be 35-90 minutes. I'd say mine took about 45 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and let cool (or you can opt to do as I did and burn your fingerprints off trying to skin the hot beets because you are too hungry to wait). Unwrap and peel with a vegetable peeler or slip the skins off with your fingers.

Outrageously Good Pan-Crisped Millet-Vegetable Cakes



OK, I wouldn't classify these as "outrageously" good. They were Satisfactorily Good. As veggie burgers go, they were unusual because of their color and the addition of tahini. They were filling and very tasty. They called for ingredients that I would not have thought to include in a veggie burger and thus helped me branch out a bit (beets, millet). However, they were very soft and they took a long time to brown, and I got impatient and took them off before they were truly "pan-crisped." They might very well fall apart if eaten as a burger between bun halves. That being said, I would make them again and I'm glad I made the whole recipe so I could freeze the leftovers.

Makes 6 cakes

1 small beet
1 carrot
3 c Basic Moist-Style Millet (to follow)
1/2 c canned navy beans, rinsed and drained
2 T tahini
4 cloves garlic, peeled and split
juice of 1 lemon (all I had was a lime, this worked fine)
1 T soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste
cooking spray

1. Using the grating blade of a food processor, grate the beet and carrot. Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl containing the millet. Set aside.



2. Without washing the processor, replace the grater blade with the S blade. Add the beans, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and soy sauce. Process until very smooth. Work the mixture into the millet, using your hands. Taste and add salt, pepper, or more soy sauce if needed.
3. Shape the mixture into 6 patties.
4. Spray a large skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat until quite hot, then add the cakes and lower to medium. Cook slowly, 8-9 minutes, before gently flipping. Cook on the second side until crisp.

Basic Moist-Style Millet
makes 4 cups

1 c millet, well rinsed and rained
3 1/4 c water or vegetable stock
1/2 tsp salt

1. Over medium heat, in an ungreased cast-iron skillet (or stainless steel), toast the millet, stirring frequently, until lightly fragrant but not browned, about 2-3 minutes. This may take 7-9 minutes if it is still damp from rinsing. When it's reached the proper degree of toastiness it will also sort of skitter around the pan. Remove from heat.



2. In a pot with a tight-fitting lid, bring the water or stock and salt to a boil. Stir in the toasted millet. Return to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Cover and cook until the millet is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 25-30 minutes. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.

Passionate Indian

I've been lugging Crescent Dragonwagon's Passionate Vegetarian around for a few days, and I finally opened it today. I had shrimp in the refrigerator that needed to be used up and the recipe for lentil dal seemed to jump right out and ask for a little shrimpy protein.

Menu:
Grilled Curried Shrimp
Lentil Dal
Mr. Panseer's North Indian-Style Spinach

Lentil Dal



While not particularly pretty, this was restaurant-quality. I bet it'll be even better tomorrow. I pretty much made it as written, except I toasted all of the spices first. I don't know if this actually makes a difference, but it sure smells good while it's happening. I also subbed light butter for real.

Serves 4 (1/2 c servings)

3 c water
1 c brown lentils, rinsed
1 bay leaf
1 tsp light butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 T grated ginger
1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
3/4 tsp ground coriander
3/4 tsp ground turmeric
pinch ground cloves
pinch cayenne
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Bring the water to a boil and add the bay leaf and lentils. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until lentils are very soft, about 1 hour. Check occasionally to add water if necessary.
2. While the lentils are cooking, melt the butter in a small skillet. Add the onion and saute until softened, about 3 minutes, Add the ginger and spices and cook over low heat for about 3 minutes.
3. Add the spice mixture to the lentils and cook until the lentils are very soft, thick, and saucelike. Season with salt and pepper.


Mr. Panseer's North Indian-Style Spinach



This recipe calls for a cooking method that goes against all of my vegetable instincts, but I persevered and was rewarded with a mighty tasty dish. I usually like my veggies bright green and lightly blanched, but here the spinach is cooked to death for about an hour. I was afraid it was going to be a disgusting, mushy goo-fest, but actually it ended up turning into an intensely spinach-y aromatic stew-like side dish whose juices would make a lovely soup base. If I hadn't slurped them all out of the pan afterward, that is. I served the spinach over the dal in a bowl and topped the whole thing with shrimp. Rice would also be a good addition to soak up the liquid.

Serves 3

2 tsp clarified butter or vegetable oil
1 small onion, finely diced
1 serrano chile, diced, seeds and membranes removed
1 T peeled grated ginger
1 T finely minced garlic
2 pounds fresh spinach, well washed, coarsely chopped
2 T water
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Add half of the chile and ginger and saute for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute.
2. Add the spinach a few handfuls at a time, allowing it to cook down until you are able to add all of it to the skillet.
3. Add the water, salt and pepper. Cover and cook over very low heat for 1 hour.
4. Just before serving, spray a small skillet with cooking spray and heat the remaining chile and ginger until very hot. Stir into the spinach and serve.



Grilled Curried Shrimp

Serves 2

12 oz raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 c warm water
2 T kosher salt
2 T sugar
1 c ice
3 T curry powder

1. Brine the shrimp: dissolve the salt and sugar in the warm water and add the shrimp and ice. Brine for 30-60 minutes, then drain and pat dry with a paper towel.
2. Toss the shrimp with the curry powder and grill over high heat for 3-4 minutes or until just pink.
3. Serve over dal and spinach.

Adventures In Spinach, Part 2

This is a bit more involved than a typical weeknight meal, but hey, it's Saturday. Live a little.

Polenta with Winter Squash Puree and Sauteed Cherries



I had an acorn squash sitting on the fruit tray for a couple of weeks, so I made this recipe up just to use that. It's 112 outside, so I didn't want the oven on the for the hour it would take to bake the squash, so I microwaved it. Or rather, Nate microwaved it; very helpful to have him at home while I was at work (yes, work on a Saturday...thank your vet next time you see him or her...) so I could just get started when I got home. This was a very autumnal meal and would be great at Thanksgiving. There's been entirely too much summer around here lately.

The end result was very tasty and could easily be made vegetarian by omitting the prosciutto. I really liked the cherries, as their tartness cut through the creamy layers of polenta, squash, and goat cheese. When cranberry season rolls around, those would be even better, as I wanted a little more tart than the cherries could provide.

I had visions of crispy, browned polenta cakes when I stuck them under the broiler. I could NOT get them to brown. They were under there for long enough to completely incinerate the parchment paper, but the polenta stayed a nice sunny yellow. I have no idea how to fix this other than to dredge them in flour and fry them, which would decrease the healthy factor in this recipe. Oh well, they were good, even if they were not pretty.




Lastly, this dish was screaming for some toasted walnuts to be sprinkled on top. I just forgot.

serves 3

1 medium acorn squash, halved and seeded
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 t dried sage
cooking spray
1/2 oz prosciutto, diced (optional)
1/2 c vegetable broth
1/2 c skim milk (or cream for a richer sauce)
1 1/2 oz soft goat cheese, divided
6 (1/2" thick) slices cooked polenta tube
1 c fresh cherries, halved and pitted

1. Place the squash halves, cut side down, in a microwave-safe dish and cover with plastic wrap. Cook on high for 8-10 minutes until soft. Carefully remove the plastic and let cool.
2. Puree the squash until smooth.
3. Spray a large pan with cooking spray. Over medium heat, saute the garlic and sage until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the prosciutto for 1 minute.
4. Stir in the squash, broth and milk and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Add more broth or milk if needed to thin the sauce.
5. In a small skillet, saute the cherries over medium heat until soft.
6. Heat the broiler. Arrange the polenta slices on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Place under the broiler for 5 minutes or until heated through and crispy on top.
7. To serve, place two polenta cakes on a plate, top with 1/2 oz goat cheese, and ladle 1/2 c heated sauce over the top. Top with cherries.


Creamed Spinach
by Martha Rose Shulman, NY Times 6/25/10



The is Part 2 of our Adventures in Spinach, my attempt to find a recipe that Nate not only tolerates but actually LIKES. The last attempt was a couple of nights ago, and the response was "meh." So I thought I'd go all out and douse the spinach in a creamy bechamel sauce; who wouldn't like that? Well, the response to this one was "double meh." He actually liked the steamed spinach with garlic better (I secretly loved that he didn't automatically like the heavy creamy dish better than the more refined steamed one).

I thought this recipe was very good (but I love spinach and I love bechamel), and an acceptable lightened version of your typical buttery-creamy classic, but maybe next time I should just go for the full-fat version to see if he'll like it, and then move down from there. This is how I learned to like coffee (this will make sense): I never drank coffee until my 3rd year of vet school, when we were sitting in a lecture hall for 8 hours a day, watching PowerPoint presentations in the dark about various fascinating topics like calcium metabolism in tortoises. I was desperate for caffeine, but all of my previous experiences with black coffee or coffee with skim milk had been revolting. So I tried a coffee with cream and sugar that was barely even a light beige color, and a caffeinated lightbulb went on above my head. THIS is why people drink coffee! It tastes like ice cream! So, natch, once I got a taste for the caffeine, I started weaning myself down to a more coffee-colored drink. Somehow this relates to spinach, I swear.

serves 2

1 T olive oil
1 T chopped shallot or onion (optional, I left this out for Nate's sake)
1 T flour
1 c 1% milk
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of nutmeg (pinch? Please! Nutmeg is the best part of a bechamel! I used probably 1/2 tsp)
8 oz baby spinach

1. To make the bechamel sauce, heat the olive oil and optional onion in a small saucepan. Whisk in the flour until smooth.
2. Gradually whisk in the milk, whisking constantly to avoid lump formation. Continue stirring over medium heat until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
3. Bring a sauce pan of water to boil and blanch the spinach for 3o seconds. Drain quickly and rinse with cold water immediately.
4. Squeeze the spinach dry and chop. Stir into the bechamel sauce and serve immediately.


And now (drum roll.....) for the highlight of my day:

Nate made homemade granola bars while I was at work. He toasted the oats and melted the chocolate and EVERYTHING, and he even photo-documented it for his blog like a True Foodie. These bars were a thing of beauty, and my heart melted a little bit when he showed them to me.

I think I am being out-kitchened in my own home. I have created a monster. I love it.