Any Kitchen Will Do

Give me a kitchen and I will cook.

Archive for the category “vegetables”

09 Jun 2015
2 Comments

Cauli n Cheese

cauli n chz

I have made this before but did not have the just right combination for creamy and cheesy, so did not share it. Other cheesy things with cauliflower, like the Cauliflower Mac Bake is cheesy but not so creamy, and the Cheesy White and Green Bake is good, but the fibrous broccoli does not quite bring to mind a replacement for mac n cheese. I think the combination of cheeses and cream really worked this time. The cheese merged with the cauliflower and cream instead of becoming stretchy. This time was different. This time it worked just right. There was a chewiness, cheesiness and creaminess that worked like a comfort food for me. THIS time I was reminded of the nights as a child when mom and dad did not have time to make dinner and grabbed a box of pasta and cheese pouch, threw it in a pot and cooked it up. Sometimes ham or hot dogs were chopped up with it and made it even more salty. The taste of this meal also reminded me of meatless Fridays that were part of the religious aspects of my upbringing. I never actually missed the meat as I dug into the creamy cheesiness. After a few mouthfuls Little B asked if I would make this every night because it was ‘soooooo good!’. I don’t know if I can accomplish that, but it certainly is not hard to do if there is a kitchen nearby and barely took more time than fixing mac n cheese from a box! It would be so cool if she craved cauliflower instead of pasta in 20 years…

Cauli n Cheese

1 head cauliflower
2 eggs
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 Tbsp sea salt, plus more for top
1 tsp ground black pepper, plus more for top
1 tsp onion powder, plus more for top
1 tsp garlic powder, plus more for top
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups grated parmigiano reggiano cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove leaves and stem from cauliflower. Cut cauliflower head into bite-sized pieces, keeping as much of the florets attached to the base as possible – avoid the crumbling of the florets. In a medium bowl whisk the eggs and cream, then add the salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Whisk in the seasoning. Add the cheese and stir in with the cream mixture. Arrange the cauliflower evenly in a 9″x13″ baking dish. Sprinkle some salt on cauliflower. Pour creamy cheese mixture over cauliflower, spreading cheese to cover the top entirely. Sprinkle a bit more salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder on top. Place uncovered in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, until top is browned and bubbly. Remove from oven and let sit for ten minutes before serving.

Posted in baked, casserole, cauliflower, cheese, eggs, Irving Kitchen, side dish, vegetables, wheat free
13 May 2015

Beef in Wine

beefwine4

This may make some shudder. I had a craving for beef bourguignon. Knowing I did not have all the ingredients or time to prep before leaving it to cook accurately to the version by the great Julia Child, I decided to wing it. I found out that some things still exist that were true when Little B was, well, smaller. The needs are different but the level of desired attention is the same. Not that I have not been present, but the flurry of a full time job has broken up the timing of focus. Instead of squeezing in project research at lunch, grabbing supplies after work and doing them after dinner when Big D was working, I have all the time in the world to prepare, right? Wrong! The planning and purchasing were much more efficient when doing it solo. This is soooo much a first world problem. I know. Having a dollar store a mile away (instead of a thousand miles) makes more projects tempting. The challenge now is getting in and out of the store without being accosted by my own daughter for random things that make her pile of toys higher. The size of the pile is not troublesome, but the amount of abandonment of said toys after a week is the troublesome part. We did a big purge when we moved recently, and Little B did a lot of work to help with her stuff. I don’t want to create the same pile of stuff for her to deal with, but trying to tell her that when she is starry eyed in front of a wall of cheap toys is not very helpful. We are working on earning and managing her own money, but the more important concept is contributing to our household, not earning money. I don’t want to be in a situation where I am debating with her on one or two dollars to sweep the kitchen or pick up her clothes. It is part of living with people. Needless to say, transition means finding a balance, so dinner was good but not traditional. Even if it is not a traditional version, it came out great, allowed for project preparation, gave me time to give Little B attention, tidy up after the dogs (one of which is still in a chewing stage) and and still feed seven people for dinner. Phew! This domestic thing can be lazy or not. Maybe lazy for now…

Beef in Wine

5 pound beef roast (rump or other)
3 medium turnips
1 large yellow onion
3 large carrots
1 cup dry red wine
2 cups beef or vegetable broth
1/2 cabbage head, roughly chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Heat medium oven-proof stock pot to medium high. Chop turnips, onion and carrots into bite-sized pieces. Season roast generously with salt and pepper. Sear meat on all sides in heated pot until browned. Add vegetables and stir, slightly coating with the browning bits. Arrange meat so fat side is facing up. Pour wine and broth over meat and vegetables. Cover pot and place in oven. Cook for four hours, leaving it covered the whole time. Remove pot from oven and uncover. Add cabbage, stir vegetables, trying not to disturb crusty fat layer on top and replace cover. Return to oven and cook for one more hour. Remove from oven, arrange meat and vegetables on serving tray and serve immediately.

Posted in baked, beef, Irving Kitchen, onion, vegetables, wheat free | Leave a Comment
05 May 2015

Red Eggs

red poached egg

We had leftover sauce! My aptly named Red Chicken was delish, and left us with some sauce that was taunting us from the fridge the other morning. I was reminded of the simple egg bake I posted about a few years ago. It is also reminiscent of Indian shakshuka or Mexican huevos rancheros, which have a bit more than smooth sauce and eggs, but the concept sounded really good, easy and filling.

We were in the middle of a significant effort to reduce our worldly belongings and using up stuff from our food stores before moving. Such a process is pretty emotionally draining. More so than I ever expected. Not the use of food stores, but the reduction of belongings. I would think that getting rid of sweaters not worn in years would be easy, but remembering wearing them when spending time with family and friends brought a bunch of memories to the forefront,  good and bad. After the sweaters were done I shifted over to sorting other stuff. The same type of memories rise, everywhere from who gifted them to me to remembering all the places I wore them. If I was doing the process over the span of months is one thing, but we were doing this type of sorting day after day for a week. Although most of the time was spent sitting or standing and sorting, we were all exhausted at the end of the day. We were all doing it (me, Big D and Little B) and all felt the energy drain.

red poached egg platedThe cooking during this week of great purging helped us relax and talk about our goal – keep the things that serve us and we cherish, not being tempted by keeping stuff just because we always did before. We successfully got through the grand project and winnowed down our stuff to the amount we agreed to (two pick up trucks worth of bins, etc). We make no promises of avoiding the rut of collecting things again, but I think the experience will make us think twice before nonchalantly filling the cart at the big box stores. Keeping things simple provides clarity and encourages creativity – things we can never have too much of. On another note, we are so very proud of Little B. It would have been easy to send her off to a friend’s house and quietly sort through her stuff in absentia, but since we consider her a little person, we thought it important to take her through the process with us. It was not easy, but we took the time to work with her about what she used, what she had outgrown, what she had not touched in a year, and what she cherished. Of course, she is looking forward to more stuff as her interests change in the future, so she leapt in with both feet and made very thoughtful decisions, way beyond her five years on this earth. We surrounded ourselves with comforting food as we moved forward with the purge, including these eggs. Fortunately I did not step away from the pan at the wrong minute, so the poachiness of the eggs was pretty darned perfect. They helped us move on and gave us a new go to dish.

Red Eggs

2 Tbsp butter
1/2 white onion finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
15 ounces tomato sauce
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 Tbsp ground turmeric
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp sea salt
1tsp ground black pepper
8 ounces full fat coconut milk
4 – 6 eggs

In medium saute pan over medium high heat melt butter. Add the onion and garlic, cooking until browning begins. Add remaining ingredients except for coconut milk. Stir until all ingredients are combined, turning down heat to low. Stir in coconut milk and simmer until steam is rising from sauce. With the back of a spoon make a divet along the edge of the sauce in the pan. Drop a raw egg into the divet. Repeat with remaining eggs, evenly distributing them in the sauce. Cover pan and let simmer until eggs are cooked to desired doneness – about five minutes for soft. Serve immediately by scooping egg(s) onto a place and drizzle sauce on top.

 

 

 

Posted in baked, Douglas Kitchen, eggs, garlic, onion, sauces, tomato, Uncategorized, vegetables, wheat free | Leave a Comment
31 Mar 2015

Cheesy White and Green Bake

image

We have been very busy lately, so you may have noticed more often than not my posts include quick, easy recipes, good as leftovers for days we don’t have time to cook. I am so busy I noticed how much of a run on sentence I just wrote. Everything is moving quickly for us at the moment, but we still enjoy cooking a good meal, and want to make sure there is variety and a healthy dose of vegetables. This bake is filled with staples we always have in our kitchen. I hope you try it. As of the date of this posting, Little B inhaled this side dish the day I made it (along with a hunk of steak) then proceeded to request it three days in a row until the leftovers were all gone. This is noteworthy for two reasons: 1) although Little B is a fruit and vegetable nut, she tends toward raw rather than baked, so interest in this dish was refreshing, and 2) Little B is not a fan of leftovers, which may be rooted in our penchant for constant variety, or just a general tendency of a typical five year old. Regardless, she inhaled it and we happily watched! I may throw in some tuna or chicken next time and make it a full on casserole…

Cheesy White and Green Bake

1 small head cauliflower
1 stalk broccoli
1/2 small onion
2 eggs
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp granulated garlic
1/2 tsp ground thyme
2 Tbsp lemon juice
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roughly chop onion, cauliflower and broccoli into bite-sized pieces. Toss together then spread vegetables evenly in a 9×13 inch baking dish. In medium bowl combine eggs, cream, salt, pepper, garlic, thyme and lemon juice. Whisk together until eggs are combined with other ingredients. Pour sauce over vegetables, gently tossing vegetables until they are coated. Sprinkle cheese on top of vegetables. Bake for 30 minutes until edges are browning and middle is bubbly. Remove from oven and let rest for five minutes before serving.

Posted in baked, cauliflower, Douglas Kitchen, eggs, garlic, onion, side dish, vegetables, wheat free | Leave a Comment
26 Mar 2015

Onion Paste

onion paste

I like adding onion to all kinds of savory stuff. Although it is convenient to add onion powder or dehydrated onion flakes from the pantry, it is different from real onion. Not that cooking onions to varying levels of doneness takes very long, but sometimes it seems like it when every other part of a dish is quicker. I am fickle sometimes and just have to live with it. To overcome what sometimes feels like the huge expanse of time it takes to cook onions, I have come up with this paste. It adds onion flavor quickly from a jar in the fridge, even when you are feeling fickle. Very nice to have around for omelets, quick soups and dips – the flavor gets distributed in a dish much faster, compared to the pantry versions.

Onion Paste

2 large onions
2 Tbsp fat (bacon grease, butter, olive oil)
1 1/2 tsp sea salt

Peel and roughly chop onion. In a medium skillet over medium high heat add fat. When fat is hot add onion and sprinkle with salt. Sauté until onion softens and browns. Remove from pan and let cool until it is safe to handle. Place onions in food processor and pulse until a smooth paste forms. Store in airtight glass or metal container in the refrigerator. Use 1 tablespoon for every 1/4 onion in a recipe.

Posted in Douglas Kitchen, onion, sauces, vegetables, wheat free | Leave a Comment
16 Mar 2015

Antipasto Salad

antipasto salad

During the past few years I have posted Irish themed dished leading up to St. Patrick’s Day. Things like colcannon, shepherd’s pie, corned beef and cabbage (which I must mention is not actually Irish), and even a traditional Irish breakfast! This year I did not quite ramp up to the day in such a thematic day. I did do some bright, green leeks recently, but that is far as it went. This year we are enjoying some of my past creations instead of new ones. I guess in a way I am reaching back part of the roots of Ireland’s history, just not the most recent – the Gauls! Their influence spread across not only Ireland, but France, Swithzerland, Netherlands, Spain, Italy and Greece. Yes, I am stretching it, but it is fun! In spite of the name, antipasto does not mean it does not like pasta, or that it is after pasta, but it HAS no pasta, and it comes BEFORE pasta. Just the way we like it. We recently had a Greek kick and did some dishes I posted a few year ago, including dolmas, tzatziki and some Greek burgers. We needed a salad to go along with it, because there was a gap on the plate. Hoping that the Greeks and Italians would cooperate, we mixed up some traditionally Italian non-pasta, savory elements, with some Greek, and boy did they go well! The leftovers were great, too, after hanging out in the dressing. I think the Gauls would enjoy it.

Antipasto Salad

1 cup mixed green, black and kalamata olives, pitted
1 cup pepperocini peppers, chopped
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup marinated artichoke  hearts, diced
3 plum tomatoes, seeds removed and diced
1/4 yellow or white onion, finely diced
4 ounces thin sliced salami, diced
1/3 cup Greek salad dressing or other vinaigrette

Roughly chop olives so they are of similar size. Place olives in medium bowl. Add peppers, cheese, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, onion and salami. Lightly toss. Add dressing and stir until well coated. Let sit for about 15 minutes then toss again and serve. The salad can also be made a day in advance and chilled until time to serve.

Posted in artichoke, cheese, Douglas Kitchen, garlic, onion, salad, side dish, tomato, vegetables, wheat free | Leave a Comment
11 Mar 2015

Vegetable Cheese Soup

veg cheese soup

The other day for lunch Big D wanted cheese soup and Little B wanted vegetable soup. We rarely find a canned soup to our liking, much less wheat free, so if we want it we make it. The good thing is we keep a fridge full of cheese and vegetables. The bad news is I did not feel like being a short order cook, so I came up with a one pot wonder. Seeing that there were about three spoonfuls of leftovers, I think they did not mind the merger I came up with. While the sky outside was spitting a mix of rain and snow we filled our bellies with simple warm goodness from scratch. The beer kept us warm too!

Vegetable Cheese Soup

14.5 ounces beef broth
1 cup beer (I used red ale)
2 cups finely chopped broccoli
1 cup finely chopped cauliflower
1/2 cup finely chopped carrots
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1 plum tomato, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups grated mix of cheddar, Monterrey and mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Salt and pepper to taste

In a medium pot over medium high heat add the broth and beer. When it is starting to boil add the broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, tomato, garlic and onion. Cook for about five minutes, until the vegetables start to soften and soup is hot. Add 1/2 cup of cheese, stirring until combined and the soup is hot again (after it got cooled off from adding the cheese). Continue adding and stirring in cheese 1/2 cup at a time and reheating soup in between until it is all incorporated. Add cream and stir to combine. Cover and let simmer on low for about ten minutes. Serve.

 

Posted in cauliflower, cheese, Douglas Kitchen, garlic, onion, soup, tomato, vegetables, wheat free | Leave a Comment
06 Mar 2015

Buttered Leeks

buttered leeks

March is fun in our household. We are big on celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, and up here in Alaska the daylight stretches further and further, making up for the dark winter days we are quickly forgetting. I don’t want to focus on the fact that this is a traditional Scottish dish. I want to focus on the fact it is very green! Can you do that with me? The ground is turning green, the trees are shooting out little green leaves, the flowering plants are shooting up and begging to bloom. Even the moss around here is turning from wintery dull brown to a dozen shades of green. Buttered leeks do the same for our dinner. I really like how they brighten up a plate and uses the whole leek. So many recipes involving leeks focus on the white part and pretend the green parts don’t exist. Where do they think the white parts would be without the green? Never disrespect the green.

Buttered Leeks

2 leeks
1/2 cup butter
1 Tbsp dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Trim off dried leek tips of green portion and roots of white portion. Slice entirety of leek (yes, green and white sections) in thin diagonal pieces. In a large frying pan, over medium high heat, melt the butter. Add thyme, salt and pepper. Stir. Add leeks. Toss until butter mixture coats all pieces of leek. Continue stirring for five minutes. Reduce heat to low and cover pan, cooking for an additional 15 minutes. Leeks should still be bright green but tender. Remove top and salt more to taste. Stir again and serve immediately.

Posted in Douglas Kitchen, leeks, side dish, vegetables, wheat free | Leave a Comment
11 Feb 2015

Fennel and Olives

photo (2)

I was at a loss for words. The frondy green topped vegetables with the fat white bases? What the heck are they called? Why can’t I remember? I rushed to the store after work to begin the hunt. Yes, I could look it up online and get an immediate answer, but was enjoying the wonder and the wait. After getting to the store my eyes were hungrily searching the mass of green in the produce department. There they were! And they were actually labeled! Ahhh. Satisfaction – fennel! My mind was sated and my mouth was watering. We were making some crispy oven chicken for dinner and could do with a strong side dish. The fennel, with it’s hint of anise I thought would go well with some tapenade and cheese. The more subtle taste of the chicken went well with the powerful fennel with briny olives.

Fennel and Olives

2 large fennel
2 Tbsp avocado oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup tapenade
2 Tbsp parmesan cheese

Remove green stalks from fennel bulbs. Slice bulbs in a large julienne. In a medium sauté pan over medium high heat add the oil. When oil is hot add the fennel. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss every two minutes until fennel is browned and softening. Add tapenade and cheese, stirring until it coats the fennel. Cover pan and lower heat to medium. Cook for another five minutes, until preferred tenderness. Remove from pan and serve immediately.

Posted in cheese, Douglas Kitchen, side dish, vegetables, wheat free | Leave a Comment
04 Feb 2015

Broccoli Cauli Mash

broccaulimash

If you are looking for a quick, different, single pot, green side dish then your search is over. It really stands out from the ones that leave the vegetables all whole and overly recognizable. I first got the idea for this dish from my mother in law. We started making straight mashed cauliflower a few years ago, and I would like to think that it was contagious and soon after crept into the kitchen of the in laws. During one of our visits to Texas this broccoli cauliflower mash appeared and was delicious! I don’t know exactly what she put in her dish for seasoning, but I did ours the way we like it – buttery with a little help from garlic and thyme. When I first saw it sitting on my plate it reminded me of mushed peas. When I put it in my mouth it was definitely not made of peas, was light, dreamy, and very much complimented the tender smoked salmon Big D cooked up. A weeknight dinner was on the table in no time!

Broccoli Cauli Mash

2 pounds fresh broccoli florets
1 pound fresh cauliflower florets
1/2 small onion, diced
1/2 cup butter, sliced into eight pieces
2 tsp dried thyme leaves
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp sea salt

In a medium pot pour 1 cup water and add broccoli, cauliflower and onion. Cook over medium-high heat until vegetables are soft, 8-10 minutes. Drain and retain water from pot. Add thyme, garlic, salt and butter slices, stirring until mostly melted. Using an immersion stick blender, puree until vegetables are smooth. If puree is too thick for your taste add a small amount of the retained water, from boiling the vegetables, to thin it out. Mash can be served immediately, but flavors will combine more thoroughly after resting for an hour or more.

Posted in cauliflower, Douglas Kitchen, garlic, onion, side dish, vegetables, wheat free | Leave a Comment

Post Navigation

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →