Root Vegetable Hash

We are coming to the end of winter, and spring produce is starting to appear at the store, although it's still mostly coming out of California or even further away.  I will indulge in a few things for now but mostly we'll try to wait until we can buy less crunchy strawberries and crispier asparagus from closer to home, and enjoy it at it's peak.

In the meantime, some of those hearty winter vegetables can keep making appearances on the table.  We made this root vegetable hash the other night and it was a big hit--all the appeal of country fried potatoes with the extra vitamins and nutrients from some powerhouse veg.

Peel and dice:

1 turnip
2 parsnips
1 sweet potato
1 rutabaga

You can mix and match as produce is available and depending on the size of the roots you are working with. And let us not forget personal taste.  Some of these are not everyone's favorites, although I would encourage you to revisit it if you haven't tried something in the last decade.  You want to end up with about 4-5 cups of peeled and diced vegetables.

3 tablespoons bacon fat or 2 tablespoons olive oil and one of butter
3 cloves of garlic, sliced
1/2 teaspoon of thyme

Warm the fat in the pan over medium heat, add the garlic and stir round for a few seconds.  Add the vegetables, stir to coat with the fat or oil and to warm then add 1/2 cup of water, cover and turn to medium low.  Leave covered for about 10 minutes. 

Remove the lid, stir to help evaporate off the water.  Raise the heat back to medium, and get a good sizzle going.  When the water is all gone, let the vegetables sit for a couple of minutes, and turn with a spatula when they start to brown on the bottom.  Add in the thyme and salt and pepper to taste. 

Bring to the table when everything looks nice and golden and a little nibble tells you they are tender, probably only another ten minutes or so.  This is great with a roasted chicken or a green salad, good cheese and bread.

Enjoy the last of winter, and here's to spring!

Holiday Improv

This year I decided to get on the bandwagon for St. Patrick's Day.  I'd never attempted the traditional corn beef and cabbage meal on any day of the year, and thought the crew round here would think it fun.  Not to mention the practicality of a crockpot dinner on a day which involved work, school and soccer practice.  The corned beef, potatoes and onions all simmered away and were delicious smelling as we came in the door.  I did nothing fancy to them, just water to cover,.  I had my heart set on a bit of Irish soda bread and figured this wasn't the greatest idea with only about 20 minutes to get dinner on the table.  However, it occurred to me one could put the batter in muffin tins, and sure enough, ten minutes to mix and another 12 or so in the oven, and they made it to the table right on time.

The following recipe is an adaptation from Quick Vegetarian Pleasures by Jeanne Lemlin and has some nice healthy add-ins.

Irish Brown Bread

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup toasted wheat germ
1/2 cup rolled oats
2 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, cut into pieces
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (or a splash of vinegar along with 1 1/2 cups milk)

Mix together dry ingredients.  Blend in butter as you would for biscuits, ending up with clumps no larger than peas.

Pour in buttermilk or soured milk.  Spoon batter in to greased muffin tins and bake at 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly browned and starting to pull away from the edges of the pan.

Mediterranean Pasta

The other night found me coming home with little idea of what to cook for dinner or even what's in the fridge.  On a good day, I can have dinner mentally on the back burner, go through the shelves in my mind, fit bits of this and that together.  On a great day, I've prepped the night before and there's something ready to go already, or at least thought through and planned.

Every once in the while though, it all comes together despite it being the last minute and dinner is still pretty darn good.  There's something about bringing a bowl of beautiful steaming pasta to the table that makes one feel a little redeemed, for the moment, anyway.

1 pound short fat pasta (rotini, farfalle, penne, or the like)
1/2 jar prepared pasta sauce (I find myself very partial to Barilla or Classico--something without much added sugar)
1 can chickpeas, drained
a few chopped olives
4 cloves of garlic
splash of olive oil
generous pinch of oregano
1/2 to 1 cup crumbled feta

Set the pasta water on to boil, chop the garlic and throw it in a skillet  with a bit of olive oil,  give it a few stirs and when it starts to sizzle, add most of the can of drained chickpeas, reserving a 1/3 cup or thereabouts.  Add the pasta sauce, olives and oregano.  Let it simmer while you cook the pasta.

When the pasta is finished, drain, toss with the sauce, put in a serving bowl.  Top with the reserved chickpeas and feta cheese.

(I think one could easily throw in a few bits of veg lurking towards the back of the fridge while the sauce is simmering--broccoli, greens, zucchini or green beans would work great in this mix.)

Breakfast off the Beaten Path

I love breakfast, always have.  I start out the day hungry, which I know not everyone does and that first cup of coffee is something I look forward to and I always want to eat something I enjoy, not just fill my stomach  Also, in late winter, post-holidays I am always resolved to get closer to the "five a day" recommendation and up my fruit and vegetable servings.  Here's a couple of good health recipes we've been enjoying around here that are a nice change from the bowl of cereal or egg breakfast ruts one can fall into.

I should give a nod to Molly Katzen's "Pretend Soup" for the noodle kugel idea, although I've tinkered with it a bit.  This is a really delightful cookbook for pre-school age kids.  It gives picture instructions for vegetarian recipes.  We aren't vegetarian more than a night or two a week, but I love that there are no convenience or processed foods in the recipes.  So many "kids" cookbooks are thinly disguised promotion for cartoon characters or dubious food brand names.  This is a great cookbook for any little person in your life.  

Winter Muesli
(1-2 servings)
1 good crunch apple, cored and chopped
1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds
1 cup unsweetened yogurt (you could substitute vanilla, then just leave out the sugar)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon flax seed
pinch of cinnamon or cardamom

Mix all the above in a bowl and enjoy.  I love the crunch and energy all the nuts and apples give to an otherwise mellow serving of yogurt.

Noodle Kugel in a Hurry 
(about six servings)

1 lb Trader Joe's whole wheat pasta
1 lb cottage cheese
3 tablespoons sugar (brown or white, as you please--turbinado would be yummy too, now that I think of it, because of the extra crunch)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter
a good handful of dried cherries, cranberries or raisins

Cook the pasta according to the package instructions.  Drain, put the warm pot back on the burner and add the butter, sugar and cinnamon.  Melt and combine, then take off the heat.  Add the cooked drained pasta, cottage cheese and cherries to the pan.  Stir and serve.