d Constitutional Cooking: October 2006

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Living on Leftovers

My freezer is stocked just now and I'm short on time. Thus, I'm not cooking terribly much just now...but here's some inspiration for getting back into the kitchen as the weather changes and the dark comes earlier. Reading the written words doesn't nearly do the song justice, but conveys a certain lesser beauty. I highly recommend clicking on the title below and scrolling down to listen on-line.

cold hungry blues
(lyrics by a. russell, performed by po' girl on their eponymous album)

ch: i cooked all night, i cooked all day,
driving the cold hungry blues away
mmmm-mm, i got em on the run

weaving a weary melody of everyday humdrum
as the night draws in the shadows grow long
my mind's released, my fancy's freed
my senses revel in the cycle of the song

ch

it's all been done, but we do it again
building a dream bridge on an ancient foundation
there's beauty in the resonance, truth in repetition
we are what's come before, we are what will be, right now we do

ch

a night wind's wuthering, ice licks the ground
i've got salt stains on my boots from the long walk downtown
the music of the motion lulls my winter jaded soul
and the seventh veil drops, the spiral spins whole
and i know, i know the beauty in the resonance
i know the truth in repetition, we are what's come before
and we are what will be and right now, right now we do

i cooked all night, i cooked all day
and i drove those cold hungry blues away
but they'll be back again, they'll be back again
amen
amen

posted by ek at 1:42 PM 0 comments

Thursday, October 26, 2006

I also miss the Love Cakes...


I was jonesing for a bit of A-town fare the other night. Fortunately, I have with me my trusty copy of a cookbook from my favorite brunch spot, Flying Biscuit. Here’s the link to the page where you can buy the cookbook itself, but don’t get your hopes up - it’s been out of stock for more than a year now. Something about a fight with the publisher.
At any rate, the following recipe warms a girl’s heart when the temperature in her new city is 40 degrees, and dropping.

Turkey Meatloaf, Biscuit-style
(makes two loaves)
  • 2 T canola oil
  • 3 ribs celery, minced
  • ½ large yellow onion, minced
  • 2 sm carrots, grated
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 ½ T dried basil
  • 1 ½ T dried oregano
  • 2 T fresh rosemary
  • 1 ½ t black pepper
  • 1 ½ t kosher salt
  • 1 2/3 C bread crumbs
  • 2 lg eggs
  • 1/4 C heavy cream
  • 2 T sun-dried tomatoes, in oil, minced
  • ½ C fresh grated or shaved parmesan cheese
  • 3/4 C shredded mozzarella
  • ½ C ketchup
  • 2 lb lean ground turkey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line bottom and sides of two 8 ½ x 4 ½ inch loaf pans with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat. Add celery through garlic, and saute until the onions are translucent and the carrots have softened (appx. 7 mins). Add spices through salt and saute briefly. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the contents of the skilled with ingredients bread crumbs through turkey. Mix by hand (yes, get messy!) Until all ingredients are incorporated, then split mixture into the loaf pans.

Bake for about 1 hour.

Words simply cannot express how this turkey meatloaf makes me feel. Is it so wrong to love food like this?

posted by ek at 12:19 PM 1 comments

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Update: Pumpkin Soup

I finally made the pumpkin soup I mentioned below. Here's the recipe again, to avoid the scrolling:
  • 1 medium pumpkin, cooked, peeled, and cubed
  • 6 C rice milk
  • 1 t cinnamon
  • 1 t vanilla
  • 1t maple syrup

Simmer ingredients together for 15-30 minutes (I'm not entirely sure how long). Puree.

I have some further comments. First, I used vanilla-flavored rice milk, and only four cups of it to a small- to medium-sized pumpkin. I like a thicker soup, personally. But adding even a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the mix made it a little bit sweeter than I'd like. Next time I make this, I'm going to skip the extract altogether. I'm also thinking about putting in cumin, tumeric, and/or curry (credit for the suggestion: KK of chambers. Thanks!) next time I make it. Overall, it's a very simple and very quickly-made, yummy, hearty fall soup.

Also, I highly recommend getting a hand-held blender for this and any soup that requires pureeing. Clean-up is so much easier.

posted by ek at 9:19 AM 0 comments

Monday, October 23, 2006

Recipe Request

My brother (Ry, if you've found the blog, stop reading.) has been asking for basic recipes - things that he can make as he starts his career of home chef. I've decided to compile a bunch for him as one of his Christmas gifts. I have a number of ideas already, but I thought I'd put out a call for basic, relatively easy recipe suggestions appropriate to a 23-year old in his first year of teaching, who does not have a completely outfitted kitchen, and who is a bit squeamish about eating "fancy" things. Anyone got anything for me?

posted by ek at 9:52 AM 5 comments

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Attribution, Belated

Lots of good thinking gets done in the shower. This morning it was 1) how the mousetrap worked and now I have to deal with it working and how my box theory wasn't as good as I expected 2) how my sister is driving here for fall break and I had to send her directions to town and 3) how good that squash was.

Then I realized, horrified, where the inspiration for the goat cheese and squash came from ! E's Sept 24 post! So, I was much less creative (no figs) but clearly inspired. So, thank you, m'am.

posted by mg at 7:17 AM 6 comments

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Butternut Squash: More Fall Vegetable Fun

I had a butternut squash and some goat cheese and knew something yummy could come from this. Google magic happened. I adjusted the recipe to suit my fancy from here.
  • 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed (This took much longer than I expected and was quite a workout. Also, knives bought from WestLaw points are worthless. Luckily I had a decent one from Santa.).
  • 2 T olive oil
  • 2 T brown sugar
  • 1/8 T ground nutmeg (I grated my own)
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3-4 oz goat cheese (the recipe called for 8 oz but I am not sure I even used 3 oz)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, toss cubed squash with olive oil. Use a big baking dish/casserole container. I didn't grease my dish b/c I tossed the cubes with olive oil in the baking dish. Sprinkle with salt/pepper/sugar/nutmeg. Mix around. Add fresh rosemary if you're so inclined. Bake for 20-30 min, until almost tender. Then sprinkle on goat cheese and stick back in the oven for appx 15 more minutes.

I've eaten it for a few days for supper with a side of mixed greens, and it's yummy. Reminds me of sweet potatoes. Did anyone read about the goat cheese lady in the NY Times today? I think I've found my calling...

posted by mg at 8:21 PM 0 comments

Fun with Rutabagas


This is a long one, both in recipe text and in time required to prepare it. But I got eight servings of goodness out of this business. It's so high in protein that it only takes a little bit to feel full. And it's packed with vitamins. Also it has a special place in my heart because it marks my first time cooking with rutabegas. They are delish.

Vegetable-Bean Cassoulet

  • 1 med. rutabaga, peeled and diced
  • 1 lb. shallots
  • 2 T olive oil
  • 1 T unsalted butter
  • 1 lb. Yukon gold potatoes (about 3C diced, peeling is optional [I didn't])
  • 1/2 t salt
  • 1 1/2 t dried sage
  • 1 1/2 t dried marjoram or oregano
  • 1 1/2 t dried thyme
  • 1 C dry red wine
  • 2 large carrots, chopped into 1" pieces
  • 1 large stalk celery, diced
  • 1 T minced garlic
  • 1 1/2 C chicken or vegetable broth
  • 3 packed cups, stemmed, chopped kale
  • 6 C cooked white peas or navy beans (4 15-oz cans, rinsed and drained)
  • fresh bread crumbs (optional)
  • fresh black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add rutabaga and cook for about 5 mins. Scoop rutabaga out with a hand strainer and set aside, reserving the cooking water. Bring water to a boil again.

Trim and discard shallot stems, plunge them into the boiling water for about one minute. Transfer to a colander and run under cold water (for easier peeling). Drain well, then peel and chop.

Place an oven-proof Dutch oven** over medium heat. Add olive oil and butter; melt, then swirl to coat the pan. Add shallots and cook uncovered for about 10 mins. Stir in the partially-cooked rutabaga and the potatoes and cook until everything is coated with the butter-oil mixture. Cover and cook over medium heat for 5 mins. Add salt, cover again, and cook for another 10 mins.

Stir in 1t each of the herbs, along with the wine, carrots, celery and garlic. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for about 15 mins. Add broth and kale, stir in beans and remaining herbs, cover, and place in the oven for 30 mins. Serve hot and top with breadcrumbs and black pepper, if desired.

**I made the mistake of not reading the recipe completely through before starting to cook. I got to this point and realized that I don't have an oven-proof Dutch oven. I haven't registered yet for the Le Creuset because I'm not getting married and no one's about to spend the $194.99 - $349.99 to buy me one. At any rate, I just kept the stove-top business in a large stockpot, then split the mixture in half to put it into two casserole dishes to bake. Worked out beautifully.

posted by ek at 8:14 PM 3 comments

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Speaking of . . .


Here are a few more suggestions, in addition to the delicious bread below:

Smoothie
1/4 cup cooked* pumpkin
1/4 cup rice milk
1 T peanut butter (I suggest Smuckers natural)
1/4 t honey
4 ice cubes

Blend until smooth.

Soup
1 medium pumpkin, cooked,* peeled, and cubed
6 C rice milk
1 t cinnamon
1 t vanilla
1t maple syrup

Simmer ingredients together for 15-30 minutes (I'm not entirely sure how long). Puree.

Pancakes
1/3 C canned pumpkin
1/2 t cinnamon, nutmeg, or pumpkin pie spice mix
1 1/2 C whole-wheat pancake batter (Trader Joe's has a great whole wheat mix)

Fold all ingredients together. Continue as one does with pancakes.

*To cook the pumpkin, you can either boil the flesh for 8 or so minutes, or bake it. To bake it, cut it into quarters and seed it. Plunk quarters on a baking sheet in a 400 degree oven. Bake for about 50 minutes, or until soft.

posted by ek at 8:37 PM 0 comments

Monday, October 16, 2006

Cast Adrift: A (long) How-To of Sorts

I grew up across the road from my grandma. Her kitchen served up plain, yet delicious country cooking the way we don't get to enjoy it anymore. In the winter, she cooked on her wood stove out on the back porch - - I'll never have biscuits like that again. One word: Crisco.

After Teta passed away, my family moved her things up to storage at to her mother's house, a little ways up the hill (We don't move far at home). Through the years, we grandchildren have appropriated many of Teta's kitchen goods to stock our own kitchens - serviceable plates, the perfect Tupperware mixing bowl/measuring cup, assorted wisks. Last time I was poking through things, last Easter I think, I found her old cast iron frying pans, perfect for cornbread. I love cornbread. Particularly crumbled up into little pieces in milk. I also wanted something that could make it from on top of the stove to inside the oven.

Sadly, the seasoning on the cast iron pieces was shot. Pebbly and old and sticky - not what you want your cast iron to feel like. Ideally it's smooth and shiny and not sticky. And my great-grandmother's old and empty house isn't particularly protected from friendly woodland creatures, so it needed to be cleaned, and thoroughly. These pans had probably at least (at least!) 40 years of carbonized cooking grease making them thickly coated and terrifically non-stick. And somehow, I had to get off that coating to reseason the darn thing.

Turns out there's a whole lot of literature on cleaning cast iron on the internet. The scare away from Teflon has made cast iron the frying pan of choice from the organic-movement-type, and the old-fashioned-types like cast iron 'cause their grandmas used it . Falling somewhere between these two groups, I read up on their suggestions.

Though I hated to do it, in accordance with the wisdom of the internet, I sprayed the pans with oven cleaner (corrosive, horrid stuff) with my fan on and my windows open, tried not to breathe in, then stuck the pans into a trash bag for a couple of days. I recognize the anti-Teflon irony here. I tried to scrub off the surface by hand before moving to chemicals, but that was getting me nowhere.

Amazingly, after 3 days in a bag with oven cleaner, most of the built-up grease and stuff just fell right off. Not all of it did, so I did it again. This time, while cleaning off the oven goop, I added a little sandpaper to the mix to get the hard parts clean. Now, the once black surface is (mostly) a gunmetal gray. One of the pans turned out to have a big crack along one of its sides, so I retired it before reseasoning it, which was sad. No more cornbread in that pan.

After cleaning the remaining pan as best I could, I carefully dried it and then rubbed in the Crisco I bought for that very particular purpose (um, not sure why else I'd buy Crisco these days). The pan almost sighed in relief - it was like putting the perfect Aveeno moisturizing lotion on dry hands in February. I stuck it in the oven on 225, and after 25 minutes wiped out the pooled grease. Right now, the remaining pan is slowly roasting in the oven at that low temp. I notice a dark coating on the paper towels when I wipe the grease out now. Hopefully that will go away and I haven't screwed up the first of my seasoning sessions with the remaining pan.

I am not sure I'll ever have the coating on this pan that my grandmother did. Seems doubtful. I don't make cornbread everyday, and I surely don't use Crisco that often. But we'll see. As soon as this pan gets a little more seasoned (a few more times in the oven with the Crisco coating should do it), it's time for tarte tatin.

posted by mg at 8:52 PM 3 comments

Sunday, October 15, 2006

Stackable Apps

An esteemed judicial figure passes this recipe along to us. I haven't tried it yet, but I'll take his word for it. Sounds delicious -- and terrifically easy to make for a crowd.
  • Start with a toast round
  • Then, layer a small piece of gorgonzola
  • Next: slice of apple or pear (I imagine Rome/Gala apples would be the best for this. Something tart and crisp).
  • A drizzle of honey.
  • Eat.

posted by mg at 2:47 PM 1 comments

Friday, October 13, 2006

Pumpkin for My Pumpkin


My man Rob drove across Tennessee for the weekend and yet again, my baking instinct flared up. It's really chilly here in Knoxville, so I wanted to make something with an autumn feel to it and settled on a recipe for Pumpkin Bread from Joy of Cooking. Not only did it taste good, but it made my apartment smell like a big ol' pumpkin pie - fulfilling my hope that this is much more like cake than bread. And it was a snap to make:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
  • Grease a 9 x 5-inch (8 cup) loaf pan
  • Whisk together:
    • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
    • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
    • 1/4 teaspoon cloves
    • 1/4 teaspoon baking power
  • Combine in another bowl:
    • 1/3 cup milk
    • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • In a large bowl, beat 6 tablespoons unsalted butter until creamy, about 30 seconds
  • Gradually add 1 cup of sugar plus 1/3 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark) and beat on high speed until lightened in color and texture, 3 to 4 minutes
  • Beat in, one at a time, 2 large eggs
  • Add and beat on low speed until blended 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • Add the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the milk mixture in 2 parts, beating on low speed until smooth
  • Fold in 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans (I used pecans) and 1/3 cup raisins or chopped dates (I left out the fruit because RJM doesn't like it - it turned out fine)
  • Scrape the batter into the pan and spread evenly
  • Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool in the pan on the rack for 5 to 10 minutes before unmolding to cool completely on the rack
If you're looking to get some pumpkin in ways other than those yummy pumpkin beers, give this "bread" a try.

posted by ATP at 10:23 PM 2 comments

Thursday, October 12, 2006

GoCRAZY for GoLEAN

Maybe it's been too long since I've had something truly indulgent, but I had one of Kashi's GoLEAN crunch bars in the Chocolate Almond flavor for an afternoon snack yesterday and it knocked my socks off. It tastes 1,000 times better that most of the soy/grain/protein-loaded bars I nosh on at work and actually reminded me a bit of those chocolate and almond covered ice-cream bars I used to eat at the pool as a kid (a chubby, unhealthy kid, mind you). I'm generally a huge fan of Kashi products - their cereals are fantastically healthy and they've just come out with a new line of frozen dinners that my momma swears by. But this bar just took the cake for me. So, if you're in the market for healthy snackfood, try this one on for size.

posted by ATP at 5:40 PM 4 comments

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Thank you, Shape Magazine

I've come to learn a few things about myself as my adventures in cooking (and eating) continue. One of those things is that I need protein in the mornings, especially if I've worked out. If I don't get it, I'm starving for the rest of the day, cranky, and in a weakened state. So I'm always looking for new breakfast-ey protein dishes - though I'm not above eating a roast beef sandwich at 8am if that's what it takes (aside - Lance Armstrong's trainer suggests roast beef on whole wheat as the best meal for your body immediately after a strength/weights workout).

Enter my subscription to Shape Magazine. Not only does it provide me with excellent workout tips for those morning trips to the gym, it also offers recipes that are very flavorful and very healthy. Here's my recent obsession:

Egg Salad - Guiltlessly
(two servings - it keeps for a couple of days)
6 extra-large hardboiled eggs (I cut my prep time by buying the eggs already hardboiled)
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons of whole-grain or Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of slivered almonds
Pinch of fresh ground black pepper
Serve with a whole-grain wrap or half bagel

1. Peel eggs, discarding three of the yolks. Place the whole eggs and the three whites in a bowl.
2. Mash with a fork. Add the celery, parsley, mustard, almonds and pepper and mix.
3. Eat as is or serve on a piece of flatbread or bagel.

Bingo, simple as can be.

posted by ek at 8:24 PM 3 comments

Saturday, October 07, 2006

Lentil Soup. Red Wine. I can't make a pun out of this.

I'm crappy at puns anyway.

Fall has arrived here. Leaves are changing, air is crisp. Definitely my favorite time of year.

Time for soup. My mom made this for lunch today at her house, so I thought I'd copy the idea for my supper.

Lentil Soup: I combined some recipes to make do with what I had on hand...
  • 1 diced onion
  • 1-2 minced cloves of garlic
  • handful of chopped carrots
  • 1 c lentils
  • 3 c or so of broth (I used chicken)
  • 1/2 t cumin
  • 1/2 t thyme
Saute garlic and onion in a soup pot, and when almost done add the carrots. Once onions are soft and translucent, add everything else, cover and simmer. After about 30 min I cracked the lid and added some more broth. Tastes good so far. Many recipes call for a can of stewed tomatoes and celery, but I didn't have any on hand. Bacon would be good, or sausage too. I'm going to make a little salad on the side.

The farmer's market in town has a really great wine shop, a knowledgeable staff, and a Terrific Tens section. After talking to the guy working there, I got two, one of which I haven't tried yet. The CaDonini (with the butterfly label) was 6.99 and is absolutely delish w/ pizza and basically anything else. The Malbec is supposed to be good as well, but I've not had occasion to open it just yet.

posted by mg at 5:55 PM 1 comments

Thursday, October 05, 2006

I'm Not a Player, I Just Roast A Lot


While I am admittedly a terrible food photographer, I am a great vegetable roaster. For my money, it's one of the easiest and most delicious ways to cook vegetables. Case in point: the above dinner featuring roasted asparagus and lentil pilaf (out of a box) took me all of 10 minutes to make. And it was healthy and delicious - the perfect way to eat your leafy greens.

I am crazy about asparagus in any form (even the mushy canned stuff tastes delicious to me), but it is food of the gods when roasted. Here's all you have to do:
  • Preheat your oven to 450-ish degrees
  • Rinse your asparagus and break off the ends at their natural snapping point - usually about an inch or so from the bottom
  • Put them in a roasting pan and season them with olive oil (maybe a couple of teaspoons), salt and pepper
  • Cook them for 8 to 10 minutes - the frilly tops and stalk will start to get brown and caramelized
  • Serve hot out of the oven with a little splash of lemon juice, if you've got it

That's it! I've roasted many other veggies - squash, cauliflower, brussell sprouts, broccoli, sweet potato fries - and they all turn out perfectly delicious. My mom claims that you can use frozen asparagus for this roasting recipe and it works just as well.

Now, a question: what are people making for dinner tonight? This being Grey's Anatomy evening, I want to hear y'all's take on a quick, homey dinner that can be whipped up in time for the show....

posted by ATP at 8:04 AM 2 comments

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

The United States of Arugula

The cover article in the NYT Book Review on Sunday was about this book:


I think it sounds like a really fun read. The reviewer said that Kamp is more focused on the trend in restaurants themselves, celebrity chefs, etc., but rather neglected the home cooks participating in the gourmet revolution. That's definitely an oversight.

Meanwhile, I think that we on this blog are definitely part of the revolution at the grass-roots level. Perhaps we should design t-shirts emblazoned with this, but put him in a chef's hat:




posted by ek at 11:02 AM 2 comments

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

In a basket.

Lean Cuisine AND morningstar sale at Kroger +
mandolin +
giant briefcase +
gallon of milk +
random assorted vegetables +
18 count eggs +
trying to take it out of the car and up the stairs in one trip


= 6 eggs.

posted by mg at 9:09 PM 1 comments

Only semi-food-related.

Here's my situation. I'll be spending a total of 16 hours in the car this weekend, with a young man of my recent acquaintance, in whom I have taken a more-than-casual interest. This is, essentially, our first date. Thus, I present you with two topics to consider:

1) What snacky goodies do you suggest for the drive? I'm not entirely sure I'll have time to make anything before the trip, but I'm up for ideas.

2) What are some of your favorite get-to-know-ya conversation questions? We'll have so much time that virtually any topic will probably be appropriate at some point.

Well, maybe not any - my friend D did say to me, with a sigh, "don't get scary, E. You know how you can do that sometimes." What?! Me?! Please. Hasn't every man considered his opinions on, for example, the gender wage gap and the necessary steps that we as a society should take to narrow it? Why should it be scary to ask about that?

posted by ek at 9:34 AM 13 comments