boneless chicken recipes: November 2007

Kitchen Parade Extra: Caramel Corn ♥

Who else is itching to get into the kitchen for fruitcake, Christmas cookies, holiday candies, all the wonders of holiday baking? I can hardly wait!

This recipe for caramel corn (and corn is a even vegetable, yes?!) is great in the interim, satisfying both a sweet tooth and a baking binge. The caramel corn is made in the microwave with nothing more than a few ingredients and a paper bag -- and some shake-it-up fun!

It's from a 2002 Kitchen Parade column, published today online for the first time. So here it is, my recipe for homemade caramel corn.

And because I'm expecting a houseful, already I'm planning menus and stocking the freezer, some times testing new recipes, other times turning to long-time family favorite recipes already published at KitchenParade.com, especially all the soup recipes and wintry comfort food recipes.

SO WHAT IS KITCHEN PARADE, EXACTLY? Kitchen Parade is the food column that my Mom started writing for our family newspaper when I was a baby. Today it's published in my hometown newspapers in suburban St. Louis and features 'fresh seasonal recipes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences'. Want to know more? Explore KitchenParade.com, including Kitchen Parade's Recipe Box!

WHY DOESN'T THIS POST ACCEPT COMMENTS? Because I hope that you'll click through to the actual column and comment there!

E-MAIL & RSS SUBSCRIBERS You may subscribe to Kitchen Parade directly, then you'll receive the complete column and recipe directly in your In Box or RSS reader. Just sign up for Kitchen Parade via e-mail or Kitchen Parade via RSS.

reade more...

Spaghetti Squash Cooked Whole ♥

Okay, I finally get it.

Each time I cook spaghetti squash, no matter how, I'm unimpressed by the taste. Sure, it is easy to cook. Sure, it has virtually no calories. But why waste one's energy on food with no taste?

My sister likes spaghetti squash, however, so she's always puzzled by my reaction. Three times now, she's repeated, "I just cook it for the noodles."

Oh, right! Here's the deal: cook spaghetti squash and then put it under something, just like we would noodles or rice or potatoes. That makes it a virtually calorie-free, carb-free starch. Get flavor from what's on top, not the spaghetti squash itself.

Sisters are smart!

When Adanna mentioned she'd cooked a whole spaghetti squash with great success, this I heard her the first time! I cooked one whole today for lunch, leaving the washed unpricked spaghetti squash in the oven at 350F for an hour. And then I put some peppery-hot lentil soup over top. Perfect.

NEXT TIME How long to cook spaghetti squash? The strands were cooked after an hour but next time I'll leave the squash in longer, say 90 minutes, to see if the strands become more noodle-y with more time in the oven.

MAKE IT A MEAL That's Oven-Cooked Lentil Soup there on top. Yum!

VEGETABLE RECIPES from the ARCHIVES

~ how to roast a whole butternut squash ~
~ how to roast a whole pumpkin ~

~ more winter squash recipes ~
~ more quick vegetable recipes ~

~ Zucchini Ribbons, another 'vegetable noodle' ~

~ one year ago this week Harvard Beets ~
~ two years ago today Pumpkin Corn Bread ~

SPAGHETTI SQUASH COOKED WHOLE

Hands-on time: 1 minute to start, 5 minutes to finish
Time to table: 70 - 90 minutes
About 3 cups of 'noodles' from a 2 3/4 pound spaghetti squash

1 spaghetti squash

Set oven to 350F. Wash the squash, especially around the stem and blossom ends where bacteria can collect. Place directly on a rack in the center of the oven, setting the timer for 60 or 90 minutes plus whatever time is left to preheat.

When the squash is done, remove from the oven. Holding the squash with potholders, slice it pole to pole. Scoop out the seeds and discard. With the tines of a fork, scrape the flesh to separate the strands into noodles.

Top with something delicious!

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Half Cup: 16 Cal (15% from Fat, 7% from Protein, 78% from Carb); 0 g Protein; 0 g Tot Fat; 0 g Sat Fat; 0 g Mono Fat; 3 g Carb; 0 g Fiber; NetCarb0; 0 g Sugar; 12 mg Calcium; 0 mg Iron; 9 mg Sodium; 0 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 0 points

PRINT JUST A RECIPE! Now you can print a recipe without wasting ink and paper on the header and sidebar. Here's how.

NEVER MISS A RECIPE! For 'home delivery' of new recipes from A Veggie Venture, sign up here. Once you do, new recipes will be delivered, automatically, straight to your e-mail In Box.

Eat more vegetables! A Veggie Venture is the home of Veggie Evangelist Alanna Kellogg and is the award-winning source of free vegetable recipes, quick, easy, and yes, delicious. Start with the Alphabet of Vegetables or dive into all the Weight Watchers vegetable recipes or all the low carb vegetable recipes. © Copyright 2007

reade more...

Oven-Cooked Lentil Soup Recipe ♥

Chop-chop, then just leave it in the oven for five hours

Today's soup recipe: Hearty lentil soup, slow cooked right in the oven at a low heat. A great option for anyone who doesn't have a slow cooker.

Does this soup look worth trading, say, for apple pie?

That was the deal, a piece of American Apple Pie for the recipe for this oven-cooked lentil soup, all in fun, of course, since the recipe holder (hi, Rass!) was getting pie anyway and the pie-maker (me) often swaps recipes with Rass and his wife, dear family friends for more than 50 years.

And Rass' lentil soup is a good one! It takes some knife work to get started, then is left in the oven for a perfect five hours. What comes out is perfectly cooked, hot and hearty, steamy and spicy, utterly delicious. It's perfect for cold winter days.

MAKE IT A MEAL Soup and hot bread, yes? Think about pairing the lentil soup with Weeknight-Easy Rolls.

OVEN-COOKED LENTIL SOUP

Hands-on time: 30 minutes
Time to table: 5 1/2 hours
Makes 10 cups

1/2 pound smoked ham, cubed
1/2 pound thick-cut bacon, cut in small cubes (the bacon in my fridge was iffy so I skipped it, but know from tasting Rass' own soup that bacon contributes to the soup's heartiness)

2 tablespoons olive oil (I'd recommend skipping this if using the bacon but Rass cooks the bacon in the oil)
1 large onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 green pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 carrots, sliced thin in 'coins'
14 ounces canned diced tomato
14 ounces canned tomato sauce
1 cup red wine (Rass fills one of the cans halfway, then sploshes it around to rinse)

1 cup lentils (Rass uses brown lentils which are softer and a little bit creamier, I used what was on hand, black lentils from Trader Joe's which are 'meatier' and hold their shape better but are less creamy)

2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon marjoram
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon dried parsley (I skipped this)
Salt & pepper to taste

4 cups beef bouillon (I had some beef broth on hand, mixed it with chicken)

Turn oven to 250F.

In a large oven-safe pot such as a Dutch oven, start cooking the bacon, add the onion, celery, green pepper and garlic as they're prepped, stirring often to distribute the fat. Then, as Rass says, "Chuck everything into the kettle, stir it up and put into the oven (covered) for five hours."

Hmmm. As I read his instructions carefully now, I realize that Rass doesn't cook the onion-celery-etc with the bacon but instead cooks the bacon on its own, then "chucks the rest in". Rass makes a mean lentil soup, you won't go wrong with his method!

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Cup, made with bacon & olive oil - Per Serving: 261 Cal (51% from Fat, 19% from Protein, 30% from Carb); 12 g Protein; 15 g Tot Fat; 4 g Sat Fat; 7 g Mono Fat; 20 g Carb; 7 g Fiber; 4 g Sugar; 31 mg Calcium; 1 mg Iron; 884 mg Sodium; 27 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 6 points

Per Cup, made with bacon but without olive oil - Per Serving: 237 Cal (46% from Fat, 21% from Protein, 33% from Carb); 12 g Protein; 12 g Tot Fat; 4 g Sat Fat; 5 g Mono Fat; 20 g Carb; 7 g Fiber; 4 g Sugar; 31 mg Calcium; 1 mg Iron; 884 mg Sodium; 27 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 5 points

Per Cup, made with olive oil but no bacon - Per Serving: 157 Cal (26% from Fat, 25% from Protein, 50% from Carb); 10 g Protein; 4 g Tot Fat; 1 g Sat Fat; 3 g Mono Fat; 19 g Carb; 7 g Fiber; 4 g Sugar; 30 mg Calcium; 1 mg Iron; 696 mg Sodium; 12 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 3 points

A Veggie Venture - Printer Friendly Recipe Graphic

MORE LENTIL RECIPES
~ Lentil Salad with Tomatoes, Dill & Basil ~
from A Veggie Venture

~ Two-Way Lentil Skillet ~
~ Lentil Soup Vincent ~
from Kitchen Parade

reade more...

Kitchen Parade Extra: Cranberry Apple Crisp ♥

Hello from cold and snowy (and glorious) northern Minnesota where on Thanksgiving Day, the dawn temperature was about zero (yes, Fahrenheit) and ice diamonds fell from clearwater blue skies much of the day. Today, soft snow began to fall about noon, especially magical as people gathered to sing carols and light the town Christmas tree. It's no wonder I've got winter on the mind, you'll see the evidence in this week's recipe in Kitchen Parade for Cranberry Apple Crisp which also makes up in 'diet', 'topping' and 'crumb pie' versions. It's a lovely combination of sweet and tart, a wintry take on fall's favorite.

reade more...

Kitchen Parade Extra: Squash Puff ♥

"How are you?" Yesterday, at church in my hometown in northern Minnesota, Pastor Rosanna suggested that this is a good week to answer something other than the customary "Fine", suggesting "Grateful". Today, I'm sitting in a small coffee shop (thank you to Linda from the Smiling Moon, to whom I'm much grateful for WiFi!) to post this and just heard someone just-arrived for Thanksgiving give a local a big hug. I didn't hear his question, but did hear her laughing answer, "Grateful."

And so I am, and so, I hope, are you. Only a few more days, now, til Thanksgiving. I love imagining your kitchens all abustle, giblets simmering on the stove, the frig spilling over with pre-Thanksgiving ingredients, busy-busy-busy.

Today I republish my Thanksgiving column from 2005. There's a recipe, yes, for squash puff, a long-time family favorite. But I hope the accompanying essay creates a moment of quiet reflection, of gratitude, in your busy-ness. I call it Freedom from Want.

Safe travels, good cooking, warm family gatherings ... to all.

reade more...

Brussels Sprouts with Maple & Walnut Vinaigrette ♥

Easy prep beforehand, easy to cook at the last minute

Today's new Thanksgiving vegetable recipe: Fresh Brussels sprouts gently cooked and dressed in a simple vinaigrette, either a 'rich' vinaigrette for special occasions or a 'light' vinaigrette for every day.

Don't let me whine, but if there's one thing wrong with Thanksgiving vegetables, it's that so many recipes are laden with butter and cream and cheese and bacon and aloy! sugar. This means that if there are several vegetables on the table, they all sort of taste the same: rich and indulgent.

So I always like to make sure that there's at least one vegetable on the table that is spare and simple and yet totally full of flavor.

These Brussels sprouts are a perfect candidate, dressed in a simple vinaigrette with lovely flavors.

RECIPE for BRUSSELS SPROUTS with MAPLE & WALNUT VINAIGRETTE

Hands-on time: 15 minutes
Time to table: 30 minutes
Serves 8 (big servings, likely 16 for big Thanksgiving meals)

Salted water
2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and Xd

VINAIGRETTE
4 tablespoons sherry vinegar (lovely tasting stuff, this)
4 tablespoons maple syrup (use Grade B, yes B, for the most flavor)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 tablespoons walnut oil (the inspiring recipe called for 8 tablespoons, to my taste, 4 tablespoons is plenty rich)
Freshly ground nutmeg
Salt & pepper to taste

1/2 cup toasted walnuts

Bring water to a boil. Add sprouts to water, cover and cook for about 10 minutes (for small sprouts) or 15 (for large) or until a knife can be inserted easily into the center. (There's a fine line between under- and over-cooking Brussels sprouts. The more cooked they are, the easier it is for the vinaigrette to penetrate, so I err to the more-cooked version. Then again, I'm scarred for life from once serving Brussels sprouts so undercooked they rocketed across the room at the sign of a knife.) Drain and return to hot pan.

Whisk vinaigrette ingredients together. Toss hot sprouts with a portion of the vinaigrette, you may not need it all and it makes a great salad dressing too. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with walnuts.

NOTE: For every day, I'd follow my standard proportions of 1 pound of vegetables to 1 tablespoon of oil and in this case, use a splash of maple syrup and a dollop of mustard -- and skip the nuts.

TO PREP AHEAD
NUTS Toast the nuts 1 - 2 days in advance
VINAIGRETTE Mix 1 - 2 days ahead, then re-whisk before using.
SPROUTS Wash, trim and X the sprouts day before or morning of (if done day before, I think I'd spritz and cover with a damp paper towel until ready to cook)

LEFTOVER REPORT These reheat beautifully and so make for great Thanksgiving leftovers.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Serving 8, Per Serving: 186 Cal (52% from Fat, 11% from Protein, 36% from Carb); 6 g Protein; 12 g Tot Fat; 1 g Sat Fat; 4 g Mono Fat; 18 g Carb; 5 g Fiber; NetCarb13; 9 g Sugar; 61 mg Calcium; 2 mg Iron; 51 mg Sodium; 0 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 4 points

Serving 16, Per Serving: 93 Cal (52% from Fat, 11% from Protein, 36% from Carb); 3 g Protein; 6 g Tot Fat; 1 g Sat Fat; 2 g Mono Fat; 9 g Carb; 2 g Fiber; 5 g Sugar; 31 mg Calcium; 1 mg Iron; 26 mg Sodium; 0 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 1 point (yes, this is right, it's the 'math' of Weight Watchers, where half of 4 can equal 1)

My 'every day version', serving 8, Per Serving: 47 Cal (32% from Fat, 15% from Protein, 53% from Carb); 2 g Protein; 2 g Tot Fat; 0 g Sat Fat; 1 g Mono Fat; 7 g Carb; 2 g Fiber; NetCarb5; 3 g Sugar; 26 mg Calcium; 1 mg Iron; 20 mg Sodium; 0 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 0 points

TODAY'S VEGETABLE RECIPE INSPIRATION
Adapted from The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook

KITCHEN NOTES

HOW MANY BRUSSELS SPROUTS IN A POUND? There are about 50 tiny sprouts in a pound, only 17 - 20 large ones in a pound.

HOW TO TRIM BRUSSELS SPROUTS Wash the sprouts under running water. Slice off the stem end about 1/4 way into the sprout, then remove the outer leaves. Check to see that the remaining sprout is completely clean and the leaves unblemished, if not wash again and remove another layer of outer leaves. With a sharp knife, cut an X into the stem end, this helps the interior core cook at the same rate as the outer leaves.

Buy Brussels sprouts of roughly equivalent size so they cook evenly.

Frozen Brussels sprouts are -- okay -- but nothing close to fresh (and I promise, I love frozen vegetables in general)

To salt water for boiling vegetables, Epicurious recommends a scant teaspoon of table salt (more if you only have the less salty sea salt) per quart (four cups) of water but I use about double that

A good cook-ahead trick for any vegetables cooked or steamed in water: bring the water to a boil ahead of time, say 30 minutes or so, then cover and turn off the fire. When you're ready to bring the water to boil for real, it'll take far less time.

MORE IDEAS for THANKSGIVING VEGETABLE RECIPES
featured in 2006
~ Brussels Sprouts with Apricot Glaze ~

more ideas
~ Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta & Garlic ~
~ Wine-Glazed Brussels Sprouts ~
~ Lemony Creamy Brussels Sprouts & Celery ~
~ more Brussels sprouts recipes ~
~ more Thanksgiving vegetable recipes ~

Move aside, turkeys. (No, not you, dear readers! Thanksgiving turkeys!) Here at A Veggie Venture, vegetables are the real stars of the Thanksgiving table. So it's new Thanksgiving recipes all November long for a fabulous collection of Thanksgiving vegetable recipe ideas. Whether it's last year's famous World's Best Green Bean Casserole or a brand-new recipe which catches your fancy this year, move over turkeys, it's vegetables' time.

© Copyright 2007

reade more...

Boozy Baked Celery ♥

Great celery flavor, enhanced with sherry or brandy

[A warm welcome to all who are visiting A Veggie Venture for the first time! In November, it's all Thanksgiving vegetables, adding new recipes to build this year's collection of Thanksgiving vegetable recipes.

But don't worry, in December and especially January, A Veggie Venture will return to its usual vegetable recipes, fast, low-calorie, easy to put on the table.]

Aii, how butter, cream and cheese turn prosaic celery into pure poetry! As it bakes, the kitchen fills the luscious aroma of sherry. Noses lift into the air, "What is that in the oven?"

It's ribs of celery in a creamy white sauce imbued with the essence of both celery and sherry (or brandy or maybe an anise-flavored liqueur like Sambuca?) and then topped with Parmesan. And oh my -- it is delicious.

KITCHEN NOTES

Darn those celery strings! Next time I will definitely strip the strings off the celery ribs before braising them.
The inspiring recipe calls for a whole stalk (yes a stalk, the whole big thing) of celery, shortened to an eight-inch length, then quartered while keeping the quarters intact at the root; this makes for an elegant presentation, especially in a rectangular serving dish. But to make the celery easier to eat without cutting, next time I will separate the individual ribs and cut into bite-size lengths.
There's enough sauce for at least one full stalk of celery.
This recipe is best for the celery ribs alone. But don't throw away the celery leaves - save them for a delicious celery and apple salad or this recipe for vegetable stock.
I hope my local Kirkwood reader is reading today -- she chides me when I forget about the difference between celery stalks and celery ribs. Repeat after me: a 'stalk' of celery is the whole shebang, the whole big head and a 'rib' is well, an individual piece of celery broken away from the stalk.

MAKE-AHEAD TIPS
DAY BEFORE - Braise the celery and make the sauce. Cover and refrigerate separately.
THANKSGIVING DAY - Bring the celery to room temperature. Rewarm the sauce til just bubbly. Top celery with sauce, top with cheese and bake for 30 - 45 minutes til hot clear-through.

MORE THANKSGIVING VEGETABLE RECIPES - CELERY
~ Lemony Creamy Brussels Sprouts & Celery - light 'n' lemony ~
~ Jealous Marys - a light apértif ~
~ Standing Veggies - an easy, attractive way vegetable tray ~

~ more celery recipes ~

~ more Thanksgiving vegetable recipes ~

BOOZY BAKED CELERY

Hands-on time: 20 minutes
Time to table: 1 hour
Serves 8

BRAISE THE CELERY
1/2 cup chicken broth (I used Better for Bouillon)
1/2 cup white wine or dry vermouth (I used sherry)
1 clove garlic, peeled and flattened with the side of a knife

1 whole stalk of celery,

Bring the liquids to a boil in a deep skillet.

Meanwhile, trim the celery, removing the root end and the celery tops. Remove the strings by running a vegetable peeler or paring knife along the outside of each rib. Cut the ribs into bite-size lengths. Drop into liquid, return to a boil, cover and braise for about 25 minutes or until soft. With a slotted spoon, remove celery from liquid. RESERVE THE LIQUID FOR THE SAUCE.

MAKE THE SAUCE
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour (reduced from 3 tablespoons)
1 cup reserved liquid from braising the celery (supplement with skim milk if needed)
1/4 cup cream
Salt to taste
White pepper to taste
1 tablespoon brandy (I used sherry)

In a saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour until smooth. (Do remove any lumps, otherwise the sauce will end up lumpy.) Stir for a minute or two until thickened. (Cooking for a minute at this stage removes any potential floury taste.) A tablespoon at a time, add the braising liquid, stirring to smoothly incorporate each spoonful before adding another. (This also avoids lumps.) A tablespoon at a time, stir in the cream, following the same process. Cook, stirring often, until thick, about four or five minutes. Season with salt and white pepper to taste. Stir in the brandy.

ASSEMBLE & BAKE
Braised celery
Sauce, rewarmed if necessary
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400F. Arrange celery in a buttered baking dish. Top with sauce, then sprinkle Parmesan on top. Bake for 25 minutes or until hot clear through.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Serving: 95 Cal (63% from Fat, 11% from Protein, 26% from Carb); 3 g Protein; 6 g Tot Fat; 4 g Sat Fat; 2 g Mono Fat; 6 g Carb; 2 g Fiber; NetCarb4; 2 g Sugar; 90 mg Calcium; 0 mg Iron; 192 mg Sodium; 18 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 1 point

CREDIT WHERE CREDIT'S DUE
Greene on Greens by Bert Greene, a classic vegetable cookbook and one of my favorites, not so much for every-day quick and easy and low-calorie recipe, but for special and unusual ones like this

reade more...

Spinach Casserole ♥

When my friend Christi heard about my 2007 collection of Thanksgiving vegetable recipes, she offered her grandmother's recipe for a traditional spinach casserole. Sure! But reading the ingredient list of cottage cheese, cheese and eggs -- and only ten ounces of spinach -- I was fully prepared to not like it.

Even Christi, who has what might be called a 'theoretical' attachment to vegetables, says, "Our family spinach casserole recipe should come with its own paramedic." Or a heart defribrillator.

But friends trust friends and she made made me promise to try it 'just once' without modification. Thank you, Christi, for saving me from myself - this is a winner!

SPINACH CASSEROLE

Hands-on time: 15 minutes
Time to table: 60 minutes
Makes 3 1/2 cups

1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon table salt (or salt to taste)
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach

3 eggs, whisked
3 tablespoons flour
16 ounces cottage cheese (I used a 1% cottage cheese from Pevely that is so creamy, you don't know it's just 1%)
4 ounces 'brick' cheese (Christi's grandmother cuts the cheese in 1" cubes)
4 ounces American cheese (same)
1/2 stick melted butter (Christi's family leaves this out and so do I)

Preheat oven to 350F.

Bring the water to a boil. Add the salt and let dissolve. Add the spinach and cook til done. Transfer to a colander and drain well. (Christi's mother uses a new potato ricer to drain the water from the spinach. I used the back of a spoon to press the spinach against the colander until it stopped expressing liquid.)

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix the remaining ingredients. Stir in cooked and drained spinach. Grease a shallow quiche pan or an 8x8 baking dish. Bake uncovered for 60 minutes or until top begins to brown.

TO PREP AHEAD
ONE or TWO DAYS BEFORE Mix the casserole but do not bake.
DAY OF Return to room temperature. Bake at 350F for an hour. Christi says the uncooked casserole can be frozen but should be fully thawed before baking.

LEFTOVER REPORT Warms up beautifully!

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Without the Butter, Per Half Cup Serving: 231 Cal (52% from Fat, 34% from Protein, 13% from Carb); 20 g Protein; 14 g Tot Fat; 8 g Sat Fat; 4 g Mono Fat; 8 g Carb; 1 g Fiber; NetCarb7; 1 g Sugar; 308 mg Calcium; 2 mg Iron; 477 mg Sodium; 141 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 5 points

With the Butter, Per Half Cup Serving: 289 Cal (62% from Fat, 27% from Protein, 11% from Carb); 20 g Protein; 20 g Tot Fat; 12 g Sat Fat; 6 g Mono Fat; 8 g Carb; 1 g Fiber; NetCarb7; 1 g Sugar; 310 mg Calcium; 2 mg Iron; 478 mg Sodium; 158 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 6 points

KITCHEN NOTES

Double the recipe for a 9x13 pan.

Do salt the spinach while cooking.

I wasn't sure what 'brick' cheese was and the grocery store didn't have any; so I used a Kraft mix of crumbled cheeses, cheddar, mozzarella and one other.

MORE IDEAS for THANKSGIVING VEGETABLE RECIPES using GREENS
~ Gratin of Greens was the featured "spinach" recipe in 2006 ~
~ Noodles with Sour Cream ~
~ Orzo with Spinach ~
~ Spinach Puffs from my food column, Kitchen Parade ~
~ more spinach recipes ~
~ more Thanksgiving recipes ~

reade more...

Slooow Country Green Beans ♥

Today's vegetable recipe: Fresh green beans cooked 'low and slow' for ten hours until the beans turn almost buttery (but not mushy).

These beans win no beauty prize but in the talent department, they take home the crown.

The trick is time -- ~~six hours~~ ten hours. I snapped the picture and tasted the beans after just six hours -- very good. But after ten? Delicious. The beans turn buttery -- but not mushy, they hold their structure. The flavor is rich and sweet with a character that's new to me in beans.

A SOUTHERN? ITALIAN? TURKISH? SPECIALTY Five minutes of Google leads me to believe that slow-cooked beans are (1) a classic way to cook beans in the American South, especially when served, along with their 'pot liquor', with corn bread and (2) a classic Italian recipe, especially with tomatoes added and (3) famous in Turkey. To me, the irony is that the inspiring recipe comes from a cookbook about Midwestern food which calls them 'Indiana Green Beans'. My recommendation? We should all claim these beans. They're definitely down-home good cookin'.

RECIPE for SLOOOW-COOKER COUNTRY GREEN BEANS

Hands-on time: 20 minutes to start plus occasional stirring while cooking
Time to table: 11 hours
Makes 5 cups

2 pounds fresh green beans, ends snapped, broken into two or three pieces
1 yellow onion, cut in fat wedges and separated (the big size means that the pieces still discernible as onion even after the long cook)
1 ham hock (a meaty one if you can find it)
2 cups slow-roasted tomatoes (suggested substitute: a 15-ounce can of stewed tomatoes, broken into pieces, plus a teaspoon of fennel seed)
A cup or two of water

Salt & pepper

Place all the ingredients in the slow cooker, cover and let come to a simmer. Adjust heat to maintain slow simmer, stirring occasionally and adding water if needed. After several hours, remove the ham hock and cut the meat into pieces and return it (along with the bone and any large pieces of fat, if you like) to the pot. Some time later, season to taste. Cook for about 10 hours or until beans are almost buttery.

MAKE-AHEAD TIPS

SEVERAL DAYS AHEAD - Roast the tomatoes
ONE or TWO DAYS BEFORE - Completely cook the beans
DAY OF - Rewarm the beans til hot clear through

LEFTOVER REPORT These warm up again and again without the beans breaking down.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Serving: 113 Cal (43% from Fat, 14% from Protein, 43% from Carb); 4 g Protein; 6 g Tot Fat; 2 g Sat Fat; 3 g Mono Fat; 13 g Carb; 4 g Fiber; NetCarb9; 4 g Sugar; 47 mg Calcium; 2 mg Iron; 350 mg Sodium; 9 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 2 points

NOTE: I have no idea how much fat a ham hock adds to this dish and the USDA database doesn't include it anyway. I used 4 ounces of bacon as a substitute.

CREDIT WHERE CREDIT'S DUE
Adapted from Food from the Heartland: The Cooking of America's Midwest

KITCHEN NOTES

I made these in a slow-cooker, perfect for Thanksgiving since no stove or oven spot is required -- plus easy to carry along and then reheat in someone else's home. But a slow simmer on top of the stove will work, too.

The ham hock adds saltiness so don't add extra salt until after several hours.

I used a batch of slow-roasted tomatoes and would recommend making a tray if you have the time.

Note to Vegetarians

MORE IDEAS for THANKSGIVING VEGETABLE RECIPES

featured in 2006
~ World's Best Green Bean Casserole ~

more good Thanksgiving choices
~ Green Beans with Lemon & Pine Nuts ~
~ Green Beans with Onion & Almonds ~
~ Fresh Green Bean Salad with Asian Dressing ~

~ more green bean recipes ~

reade more...

Thanksgiving Cake ♥

[Don't worry, there will be more Thanksgiving vegetable recipes again tomorrow. And don't forget, What's your favorite pie? Leave a comment on the recipe for the double-crust American Apple Pie, you can win a video with tips for making perfect pie crusts. Winner will be announced on Wednesday.]

So every Thanksgiving meal needs dessert, yes? If even pumpkin pie and apple pie are traditional for Thanksgiving dinner itself, for the weekend's festivities, think about a quick-to-make Bundt cake that includes so many of the Thanksgiving flavors, pumpkin, cranberry, pecans, even apple. This is a moist spice cake, easy to mix and quick to bake, easy to keep on hand.

The recipe comes from my favorite home baking cookbook, Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, who calls it All in One Holiday Cake. The cookbook's recipes are perfect for home bakers who love to reach into their pantries to bake. If you're already thinking 'Christmas gifts', this would be perfect for a favorite baker, even ones just starting out for it's filled with tips and variations that make the book as much an intimate kitchen lesson as a collection of great recipes.

INGREDIENT NOTES The recipe calls for unsweetened pumpkin puree -- don't accidentally come home with pumpkin pie filling which is already sweetened and spiced.

Peel, core and grate the apple RIGHT before adding to the mixture. Otherwise it'll turn brown in the air, even in just a few minutes.

NUTRITION NOTES For this cake, I used two favorite tricks for baking for a small household. First, Bundt cake recipes are big because most Bundt pans are big. So I halved the recipe (except for the spices and other flavorings) and baked it in a smaller Bundt pan, a recent find. My version serves eight generously, 16 sparingly. Second, the Bundt pan is is sculpted, so it already 'looks' better on a plate and so needs little sugar-sweet adornment.

MAKE AHEAD TIPS Bake the cake the day before serving, then wrap tightly with plastic wrap so it'll be sweet and moist the next day. You can drizzle with icing on either day but I usually do it just before serving so that the icing doesn't get messed up by the plastic or by traveling.

FOR THE CURIOUS Yes, the photo was taken earlier, in late September when the shadows were lengthening but before falling leaves and first frost.

FROM THE ARCHIVES See the Recipe Box for more pumpkin recipes.

THANKSGIVING CAKE

Hands-on time: 30 minutes
Time to table: 2 hours
Serves 8 generously or 16 sparingly (for a standard Bundt cake, double the ingredients and plan to serve 16 generously and 32 sparingly)

1/2 cup pecans, chopped (for the cake, toast more if you'd like to sprinkle some atop the icing)

DRY INGREDIENTS
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon table salt

WET INGREDIENTS
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg, at room temperature (or warmed in a bowl of hot water for 5 minutes)
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla

GOOD THANKSGIVING FLAVORS
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened pumpkin puree
1 tart apple, that's a Granny Smith or Jonathan or Macintosh, NOT a Red Delicious, peeled, cored and grated (or chopped)
1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, chopped (I put them in a small food processor but cutting them in half or quarters would be fine too)
Those pecans you toasted

DRIZZLE
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Powdered sugar
Cream or milk

PREP Set the oven to 350F. Place the chopped pecans on a baking sheet and put into the oven (even as it's preheating) to toast until warm and all nutty-scented. Set the timer for 5 minutes, then for increments of another minute or two -- you don't want to burn the nuts and they turn quickly. Grease the Bundt pan (or use Baker's Joy, my favorite spray).

DRY INGREDIENTS Whisk together in a small bowl.

WET INGREDIENTS In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the butter and sugars til creamy and fluffy. Add the eggs (one at a time if you're doubling the recipe) and beat for a full minute. Add the fresh ginger and vanilla and mix in well.

COMBINE Add the dry ingredients and mix until just barely combined (I often use a wooden spoon at this stage). Stir in the pumpkin, apple, cranberries and toasted pecans. Scrape the batter into the Bundt pan, smooth the top, then bake for 60 - 70 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven. Let cool for 10 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate to finish cooling.

FINISH In a small bowl, stir together the maple syrup and just enough powdered sugar to make the right consistency for drizzling. If it gets to thick, add a drop or two of milk or cream. Drizzle over the cooled cake. (If you like, put the icing into a small zip-lock bag, then cut off a tiny corner and squeeze out the contents.)

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
For 8, Per Serving: 295 Cal (39% from Fat, 5% from Protein, 56% from Carb); 4 g Protein; 13 g Tot Fat; 5 g Sat Fat; 5 g Mono Fat; 43 g Carb; 2 g Fiber; NetCarb41; 27 g Sugar; 71 mg Calcium; 2 mg Iron; 190 mg Sodium; 50 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 6 points

For 16, Per Serving: 148 Cal (39% from Fat, 5% from Protein, 56% from Carb); 2 g Protein; 7 g Tot Fat; 3 g Sat Fat; 2 g Mono Fat; 21 g Carb; 1 g Fiber; NetCarb20; 13 g Sugar; 36 mg Calcium; 1 mg Iron; 95 mg Sodium; 25 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 2 points (yes, it's one of those funny recipes that's on the line, where a big slice is 6 points but one half its size is only 2 points)

TODAY'S VEGETABLE RECIPE
Adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

PRINT JUST A RECIPE! Print this recipe without wasting ink and paper on the header and sidebar. Here's how.

NEVER MISS A RECIPE! For 'home delivery' of new recipes from A Veggie Venture, sign up here. Once you do, new recipes will be delivered, automatically, straight to your e-mail In Box.

reade more...

Honey Pumpkin Pie ♥

Yum! Homemade pumpkin pie, sweetened with honey. Soft and smooth and dreamy good. Make this with either canned pumpkin or roasted fresh pumpkin.

~recipe & photo updated 2010~

2007: "If I were a guy, I'd only eat pie.
Oh my, oh sigh, please feed me pie." Okay, so it's awful poetry, but the pie? It's completely dreamy.

I made this pie twice, once with fresh pumpkin (and burned the crust so no photo) and then again with canned pumpkin. Which is better? Well, you'll have to decide because it depends.

trained to know

The honey is wonderful as the sweetener, too, adding an edgy complexity to the pumpkin custard. I'll be making this pie again on Thanksgiving, it's just lovely.

2010: I just love it when recipes stand up to the test of time! This is a lovely pumpkin pie, sweetened so gently with honey. I used canned pumpkin again, gosh it's convenient. But I'm off to buy a pie pumpkin, this deserves another life with roasted pumpkin!

HONEY PUMPKIN PIE

Hands-on time: 20 minutes (not including pastry)
Time to table: 4 hours
Serves 8

Unbaked pie shell (see TIPS)

FILLING MIXTURE
2 cups fresh roasted (or otherwise cooked) pumpkin, puréed until very smooth in a food processor
~ or ~
2 cups (1 15 ounce can or 425g) pumpkin puree

4 large eggs (see TIPS)
1/2 cup (152g) honey (the inspiring recipe called for 1 cup but I think 1/2 is perfect)
1/2 cup (115g) whole milk
1/2 cup (119g) heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon table salt

Preheat oven to 375F.

[If you've puréed the roasted pumpkin in the food processor, you can continue to use it for mixing. Just throw all the remaining ingredients in and whizz a few times.]

Otherwise -- in a large bowl, beat the eggs until just mixed with an electric mixer (a good whisk works just fine, too). Add all the remaining ingredients and beat til smooth.

Pour carefully into the unbaked pastry and then carefully lift into the oven. (The filling is sloshy so can run up the sides which doesn't hurt much but doesn't look as pretty after baking.) Bake for 45 minutes or until the center is just set. It will firm up while cooling.

TO PREP AHEAD
SEVERAL DAYS AHEAD Roast the pumpkin (here's how to roast a whole pumpkin) if you choose fresh pumpkin
DAY BEFORE or MORNING OF Mix the pastry and refrigerate the pie crust dough.
MORNING OF Mix the filling, roll the pastry and bake the pie. I especially like the custard chilled so once the pie has cooled, refrigerate it if you can. I know people make their pies the day before but I think the pastry suffers and if it's good pastry, you don't want to mar it.

LEFTOVER REPORT The custard is dreamy, even a few days later.

ALANNA's TIPS & KITCHEN NOTES

For the crust, use your favorite crust recipe or try mine, which gets rave reviews from both new pastry makers and experience pie bakers, see all the tips for how to make a Flaky Tender Pie Crust. I also have great luck with a few improvements to refrigerated pie crusts.

Be sure to buy a pie pumpkin (good ones can be sugar pie pumpkins, kabocha, hubbards and one I keep hearing about but haven't found yet, a cheese pumpkin), not one for jack o'lanterns or decoration.

After roasting the pumpkin, drain the roasted flesh in a strainer. If it's full of water that drains out, taste it. Is it any good? If it's bland and watery, I'd use canned pumpkin instead.

If you can't find a pie pumpkin, use a roasted butternut squash.

If you go for the canned version, be sure to buy pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling which has already been spiced and etc.

I've given the weights for all the ingredients, even the liquid ones. This is because it's so easy to mix up the filling mixture using a kitchen scale without need for measuring cups. Just put the mixing bowl on the scale, hit the tare button to revert to zero, add the first ingredient, hit the tare button to revert to zero, and so on. Easy!

This recipe is for a deep-dish pie pan, one that holds a full six cups of filling. If yours is shallower, adjust accordingly -- or better yet, put extra custard into custard cups and put into a hot water bath in the oven while the pie bakes. (My recipe for pumpkin pudding shows how to cook with a hot water bath.)

How many eggs? The first time I made this pie, I had only three eggs, that worked fine. The most recent time I made the pie, I had only two eggs and while it will do in a pinch, the custard was especially soft, more pudding-like than pie consistency. How I've been short on eggs -- which never happens around here -- twice for this one pie is a puzzle.

2010: Watch the timing on this pie, you don't want to underbake it. In fact, the next time I make this pie, I'm going to pre-bake the crust for a few minutes before adding the pumpkin filling -- or better yet, put the pie on the bottom shelf for baking, this puts relatively more heat on the bottom crust, leaves the top edge with relatively less.

INSPIRATION
The recipe comes from Farm Journal's Complete Pie Cookbook which was published in 1965 and is out of print. Used copies are available and so popular that some editions are priced $40 - $60! This is the one cookbook I carry when I visit my dad and am expected -- based on tradition -- to make a pie every day so he can invite friends for pie and coffee in the evening. More than one guest has been known to put in an 'order' for a favorite pie months in advance. FUNNY STORY: Flipping through the pages, every once in awhile I'll find a note penciled in my dad's handwriting, "Make this." It makes me laugh, knowing he also flips through the pages, thinking, "Please feed me pie".

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Filling only, Per Serving: 164 Cal (33% from Fat, 12% from Protein, 55% from Carb); 5 g Protein; 6 g Tot Fat; 3 g Sat Fat; 2 g Mono Fat; 24 g Carb; 2 g Fiber; NetCarb22; 20 g Sugar; 57 mg Calcium; 2 mg Iron; 348 mg Sodium; 134 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 3 points

With a crust made with 1 cup flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon table salt, 2 ounces Plugra, 2 ounces Crisco, Per Serving: 340 Cal (49% from Fat, 8% from Protein, 43% from Carb); 7 g Protein; 19 g Tot Fat; 8 g Sat Fat; 5 g Mono Fat; 37 g Carb; 2 g Fiber; NetCarb35; 22 g Sugar; 59 mg Calcium; 2 mg Iron; 349 mg Sodium; 150 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 7 points

MORE IDEAS for THANKSGIVING RECIPES using PUMPKIN

~ pumpkin muffins ~
~ pumpkin bars ~
~ pumpkin truffles ~
~ more pumpkin recipes ~
from A Veggie Venture

~ Pumpkin Pecan Pie ~
~ Apple-Butter Pumpkin Pie ~
~ Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars ~
~ more pumpkin recipes ~
~ more pie recipes ~
~ more Thanksgiving recipes ~
from Kitchen Parade, my food column

reade more...

Pages

SPAGHETTI SQUASH COOKED WHOLE

OVEN-COOKED LENTIL SOUP

RECIPE for BRUSSELS SPROUTS with MAPLE & WALNUT VINAIGRETTE

BOOZY BAKED CELERY

SPINACH CASSEROLE

RECIPE for SLOOOW-COOKER COUNTRY GREEN BEANS

THANKSGIVING CAKE

HONEY PUMPKIN PIE