A Chance to Eat Well and Help a Family in Need

Proceeds of the sale of this cookbook go toward the medical expenses of two little girls with Leaky SCIDS (the "Bubble Boy" disease). Follow the link and read the story! 
http://www.whaddyashay.blogspot.com/2012/03/would-you-like-free-cookbook.html

Oven Roasted Brussels sprouts

So many people say they hate Brussels sprouts.  Perhaps if you boil them or commit some other atrocity they are nasty, but roasted like this are sweet and divine.

1 bag or stalk Brussels sprouts
2 T olive oil
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper

Trim any dried ends of sprouts.  Toss with oil, salt and pepper.  Roast in oven at 400 until soft and golden brown – 20 minutes?

Leeky Clam Chowder

I'm still working out the fine details of this, but here is a delicious start:

3 slices bacon

2 T butter
3 leeks
2 celery stalks
4 small-med yellow potatoes
1 bay leaf
Juice from 2 cans clams
½ cup dry white wine
2 ½ cups bottle clam juice
2 cans clams
1 cup cream
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Pinch cayenne
chopped parsley for garnish
Cook bacon in large soup pot over medium heat, stirring until crisp, about six minutes, then transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.  Add butter to pot and when foam subsides, add leeks, celery and bay leaf stirring occasionally until vegetables are softened  12 – 15 minutes.
While vegetables are cooking, peel and cut potatoes into ½ “ pieces.    Add wine to softened vegetables and boil until reduced by half – 1 to 2 minutes.   Add potatoes, drained clam juice and bottled clam juice.  Simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender 15-20 minutes.
Puree 2 cups soup in a blender until very smooth and return to pot.  Add cream, salt, pepper and cayenne and cook at a bare simmer, stirring, until soup is heated through (don’t boil).  Add clams and cook stirring 1 to 2 minutes.  Remove from heat, discard bay leaf and stir in parsley.  Serve topped with crumbled bacon.

"Poubelle" Stir Fry

“La Poubelle” is French for “the garbage can” but is also the name of a sandwich I came to know while serving as Mormon missionary in France.   To make this sandwich you just stuff all your leftover odds and ends from the fridge into the hollowed out end of a baguette.   I have no idea if this sandwich is something really eaten by French people or if it is the creation of the cash-poor- but- always- hungry 19-year old male missionaries that we worked with.  Either way it was a great way to clean out the fridge, save money and eat lunch at same time. 

 Almost 15 years later I have adapted this idea to create Poubelle Stir-Fry.  Bon Appétit!

 2 cloves garlic

2 T grated ginger
2 T olive oil

Any  of the following

Onions – any color
Bell peppers – any color
Carrots – cut into thin rounds or half-rounds
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Mushrooms
Burdock root
Any other “hardy” vegetable

Any of the following

Green onions
Snow peas
Bean sprouts
edamame
Any other “delicate” vegetable

½ lb cooked spaghetti

Cooked chicken meat - optional

2 tsp sesame oil

2 T soy sauce

Heat oil.  Add ginger and garlic.  Saute 1 minute.  Add hardy vegetables.  Stir to coat.  Cook ‘till almost tender.  Add tender vegetables.  Add sesame and soy.  Add pasta and stir ‘till noodles are well coated. 

Serve.

Farfelle with Carrot, Sage and Scallion

Ingredients:
1 lb Farfalle (bow-tie pasta)
1 T Olive oil -- extra virgin
2 T Butter -- unsalted (or 3 T)
3 md Carrots -- grated
9 Scallions or green onions -- cut diagonally Into 1/4" pieces
40 Sage leaves, fresh -- stems removed
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice from 1/2 lemon
3 T Cheese -- freshly grated (optional)

Directions:
Start pasta water heating. 

Meanwhle, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and 1 1/3 T butter. When oil and butter are hot and sizzling, add carrots and saute until soft and golden, about 7 minutes. Add scallions and sage leaves to carrots. Continue to saute until sage begins to crisp and scallions are brown, about 7 minutes. Reduce heat and cover to keep warm and add salt and pepper to taste.

Add the pasta to the boiling water. When pasta has been cooked al dente, drain and return to cooking pot. Add lemon juice and remaining 1/2 to 1 1/2 tablespoons butter (amount depends on personal preference). Toss lightly.
Divide pasta evenly among 3 serving bowls and top each serving with vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with cheese if desired.

Green Pozole with Chicken

Several of you have asked for the recipe that I'll be demonstrating on TV next week - here it is -

9 cups water, divided

1 bay leaf

1 large white onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, smashed

3 garlic cloves, chopped

2 ½ tsp salt, divided

1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 lb tomatillos, husked

2 fresh jalapenos, quartered (seeds optional – see below)

¾ cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided

1 tsp dried epazote or oregano

2 T canola or olive oil

2 (15-oz) cans yellow hominy, rinsed and drained

1.        Bring 8 cups water, bay leaf, half of onion, smashed garlic and 1 tsp salt to a boil, covered, in a 6-qt soup pot, then reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.  Add chicken and poach at a bare simmer, uncovered, until just cooked through, about 20 minutes.  Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let cool.  Pour broth through a colander into a large bowl, discarding solids and reserve.  When chicken in cool enough to handle, coarsely shred.

2.       Meanwhile simmer tomatillos and remaining onion in remaining cup of water in a medium saucepan, covered, until tender, about 10 minutes.  Drain vegetables and puree in a blender with jalapenos (with seeds if you like some heat, without if you’re more sensitive), ¼ cup cilantro, epazote, chopped garlic and remaining 1 ½ tsp salt.

3.       Then in the now empty soup pot you used to make the broth (no need to wash it out) heat the oil until hot but not smoking, then add puree using caution as it will splatter and steam.  Cook, uncovered, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 10 minutes.  Stir in 1 cup of reserved broth and simmer 5 minutes.  Stir in shredded chicken, hominy and 3 more cups of reserved broth and simmer, partially covered, 20 minutes.

4.       Stir in remaining ½ cup cilantro and serve in deep bowls over rice.

Squash, Bacon, and Swiss Cheese Soup

This is a lightly spiced squash soup, enriched with plenty of creamy melting cheese. Recipe from "Soup, Superb ways with a classic dish," Contributing editor: Debra Mayhew - page 152 Serves 4 2 pounds butternut squash or acorn 8 ounces smoked slab bacon 1 tablespoon oil 1 ½ cups roughly chopped onions 2 garlic cloves, crushed 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 tablespoon ground coriander 2 cups diced potatoes 3 ½ cups vegetable stock 2 teaspoons, cornstarch 2 tablespoons sour cream hot-pepper sauce to taste salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 ½ cups grated Gruyere cheese, to serve crusty bread, to serve Cut the squash into large pieces. Using a sharp knife, carefully remove the skin, wasting as little flesh as possible. Scoop out and discard the seeds. Chop the squash into small chunks. Remove all the fat from the bacon and roughly chop it into small pieces. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions and garlic and cook for 3 minutes, or until they begin to become soft. Add the bacon and cook for about 3 minutes. Stir in the spices and cook over low heat for a minute longer. Add the chopped squash, potatoes, and stock. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the squash and potatoes are tender. Blend the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water and add to the soup with the sour cream. Bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered, for 3 minutes. Adjust the seasoning and add hot-pepper sauce to taste. Ladle the soup into warm bowls and sprinkle the cheese on top. Serve immediately with crusty bread to scoop up the melted cheese.