De Ma Cuisine

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Monday

31

October 2011

0

COMMENTS

Pasta Rouge

Written by , Posted in Beef, Dinner, Main Dishes, Meat, Pasta, Sauces, Vegetables

I love pasta. It’s easy and can be quick, or, like this recipe, take its time. It’s versatile too. You can do a tomato sauce, or a cream sauce, or a bechamel (cheese) sauce, or burned butter‚ or just a bit of olive oil. Usually something can be made out of what we have on hand in the veggie drawer and the pantry. This one took a bit of time (mostly hands off cooking time though), but in a pinch, like if you need something to make right now, just don’t cook it as long. Simple. Done. Dinner’s ready. Here’s to pasta after a long day…

Pasta Rouge
Recipe Type: Main, Pasta
Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 90 mins
Total time: 1 hour 45 mins
Serves: 2-4
Ingredients
  • 1 t to 1 T bacon grease
  • 2 T olive oil
  • 1 squash, chopped
  • 1 plum tomato, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, diced
  • 1/2 onion, chopped
  • 1 T red wine vinegar
  • 1 1/2 t reduced balsamic vinegar
  • 1 T fresh oregano, chopped
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 3 T dried basil, crushed
  • 2 T dried parsley, crushed
  • 1 C mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/4 to 1/2 lb. ground beef
  • drizzle honey
  • 2 C chicken stock
  • 2 C crushed tomatoes
  • 1/4 C red wine
  • 1/4 C pasta water
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 1 package penne pasta (I used rice pasta)
Instructions
  1. Saute onion and squash in bacon grease and olive oil. Add diced tomato and garlic after a few minutes and cook for 2 minutes. Add 1 T balsamic, all red wine vinegar, wine, crushed tomatoes and seasonings when the veggies are tender. Cook 15-30 minutes. Remove from heat and use immersion blender to puree.
  2. Meanwhile, cook beef in 1 T oil. When it’s cooked, add mushrooms. Drizzle with honey and remaining balsamic. Add stock and tomato puree. Simmer 1 hour.
  3. Cook pasta. Add 1/4 C pasta water to tomato sauce.
  4. Serve topped with parmesan cheese, fresh basil, with garlic bread and a salad.
Notes

Our rating ****

 

Friday

28

October 2011

13

COMMENTS

Scalloped Rutabagas and a Giveaway

Written by , Posted in Abundant Harvest Organics, Cheese, Contests, Dinner, Sides, Thoughts

I have not always been passionate about food, or healthy eating, or eating fresh, local, in season produce. I am now. If you and I have had a conversation about menus and food, I’ve probably told you about Abundant Harvest Organics. It has become something that is really important to me. We heard about Abundant Harvest Organics from the Shinns, our good friends. They offered us a carrot, and we were hooked. We’ve been subscribers ever since we ate that carrot in 2007. We’re now eating better, healthier, more well balanced meals and are supporting local farmers who are providing us with amazing, fresh, ripe, affordable produce.

In this pre-made, preservative-happy food society that we live in, I think we’re losing a lot by not eating enough fresh fruits and veggies. I would like to challenge you to think outside the box a little, and get into a different kind of box.

About Abundant Harvest Organics

A few excerpts from their website, “Just like many of you, we have been on a journey to live and eat more healthfully. Our desire for affordable, chemically unaltered food led us to develop Abundant Harvest Organics. We have discovered an approach to natural food distribution that will deliver seasonal organic produce at conventional prices fresh from the field.”

Abundant Harvest Organics is an alliance of small family farmers in Central California dedicated to growing superior organic produce and getting it to you in the simplest manner possible and without the use of chemicals or packaging materials.”

“Here is what we do best:

Organic produce only – we don’t substitute! 

Unparalleled taste: varieties are chosen and harvested for taste and nutritional value rather than shelf-life and aesthetics

Superior quality and value, fairly priced significantly below retail value of the same product from your grocer

In Season: our produce is always fresh from the field

Locally grown: investing in our community’s people, its resources, and its physical, as well as economic health

Fresh, fresh, fresh: from the soil to your dinner table!”

The Giveaway!!

You could win a FREE BOX of ABUNDANT HARVEST PRODUCE!!

Before I tell you how you can enter, I must also note: The point of this isn’t just to give you something for free. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for free things and love to enter contests. But, my purpose in this is to introduce you to Abundant Harvest Organics and all that they have to offer. I want you to try it! In my opinion, once you taste it, you’ll be sold. Yesterday, my friend Joanna from Waterfall Creative came over for lunch. We had Stuffed French Toast (in preparation for a guest post I’ll be doing over on her blog) and Honeydew Melon. She tasted the melon, looked up at me almost in shock, and said, “Is this from Abundant Harvest?” It was. She said she’d never had melon so good.

To enter*: Leave a comment on this post.

To enter* a second time: Post about this giveaway on Facebook/Twitter/Google+ or Pin it on Pinterest. Then comment that you’ve done this (and provide a link to it, if possible).

*Please note, you must be able to pick up from one of AHO’s delivery sites (in California) to be eligible to win (sorry to any who will miss out).

Giveaway closes Monday November 7th at noon (PST). (Gift box will be available for pickup the week of November 14th.)

And the winner is…Randy Karman! Thank you to all who entered!! Congratulations, Randy! Please let me know by Thursday November 10th which delivery site you’d like to collect your winning box from!

If you didn’t win, but still want to get started with Abundant Harvest Organics, you can visit their website for more details. And, don’t forget to stay tuned for the new cooking show A Cooking Show with Rachel O. Featuring Abundant Harvest Organics produce being cooked by me. Should be fun!

In case you’re like me and don’t know what to do with Rutabagas (well, I do now), here’s a recipe that I made up!

Scalloped Rutabagas

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 35 minutes

Yield: 2

Ingredients

  • 1 rutabaga, sliced about 1/4″ thick
  • 1/2 C Greek yogurt
  • 1/3 C cheese (or more, if you like things cheesy) (cheddar and parmesan), divided
  • 1/2 onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, diced
  • 1/4 to 1/3 C milk
  • 1-2 T flour
  • pinch cayenne
  • 1 t fresh thyme
  • 1 t fresh parsley
  • 1 t spicy brown mustard
  • 1 t olive oil

Instructions

  1. Whisk yogurt, milk, cheese (reserving a bit for topping later), garlic, onion, spices and mustard in a bowl.
  2. Grease a smallish baking dish (I think I used an 8×8 Pyrex) with oil. Place a layer of rutabaga, sprinkle with flour, top with cheese sauce. Repeat until all ingredients are gone (except set aside cheese).
  3. Bake covered at 350F for 60 minutes (or until rutabagas are no longer crisp). Uncover, sprinkle with remaining cheese, bake for 20 minutes more.
  4. Serve and enjoy! (I served them with Roast Beef and Wilted Greens.)

If you’re an AHO subscriber, don’t forget to use the Menu Featuring Abundant Harvest Organics Ingredients!

This giveaway was sponsored by Abundant Harvest Organics. Thank you, AHO for being willing to donate this box of produce!

Note: I do not work for Abundant Harvest, but have occasionally received complimentary produce for my help with various things. They have not asked me to post menus or promote them on my blog. If I post about them, it’s because I love their produce and the organization and want as many people as possible to know about them and use their produce with ease.

This giveaway was sponsored by Abundant Harvest Organics. Thank you, AHO for being willing to donate this box of produce!

Note: I do not work for Abundant Harvest, but have occasionally received complimentary produce for my help with various things. They have not asked me to post menus or promote them on my blog. 

Update: Sadly, Abundant Harvest is no longer in business. It was fun while it lasted. They had the best organic produce. (July 24, 2019)

Wednesday

26

October 2011

0

COMMENTS

Hearty, Spicy Lentil Stew

Written by , Posted in Legumes, Lentils, Low Carb, Main Dishes, Pasta, Soups, Vegetables

It’s starting to feel like fall here in LA. The temperature has been consistently in the 70’s to mid 80’s (with the occasional 90+ days). The leaves are starting to change. It’s still dark when I get up in the morning. I really do enjoy and appreciate a lot about where we live. But, probably for as long as we continue to not live there, I will miss the fall weather in Ontario, Canada. I miss the cool crisp air, frost on the ground, being able to see my breath. The red, gold and burnt orange leaves. Raking them into a pile, then jumping in them. And the smell of those leaves. Maybe it’s just the air that smells that way, like, fall. Oh how I miss it. (P.S. Wherever you live, have you ever jumped into a pile of freshly raked leaves? Isn’t it fun?!) Although fall in LA may not be all that I wish it would be, it’s not too bad at all. And it will always be my favorite season.

One of my favorite things about fall is fall foods. Soups, stews, roasts; hearty, comforting meals. Last week, on a cool day, I made some Hearty, Spicy Lentil Stew. The recipe was inspired by one I saw in a recent issue of Food Network Magazine that had pasta, lentils, tomato sauce and I’m not sure what else. Those three ingredients led me to come up with a recipe based on what we had in our kitchen.

Here it is. I hope you make it, and feel cozy and fall-y and full. Enjoy!

Hearty, Spicy Lentil Stew
 
Recipe Type: Stew, Main, Dinner
Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 60 mins
Total time: 1 hour 15 mins
Serves: 4
A hearty fall dish.
Ingredients
  • 1 T olive oil
  • 1 T bacon grease (or olive oil, if you want to make it a bit healthier – it will lose a bit of flavor though)
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 1/2 onion, chopped
  • 3 small turnips, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, diced
  • 2 t salt
  • 1 t smoked paprika (or 2 if you’re not using bacon grease)
  • pinch ground ginger
  • 1/2 t chili powder
  • 1/2 t pepper
  • 1/2 t red pepper flakes
  • pinch all spice
  • 2 C pan drippings (from a roast chicken)
  • 4-6 C water (only if not using 8 C stock, below)
  • OR 6-8 C chicken (or vegetable) stock
  • 1 C lentils
  • 1 C pureed pumpkin
  • 1 C crushed tomatoes
  • 1 C rotini pasta
  • 1 T red wine vinegar
Instructions
  1. Heat soup pot. Add oil and bacon grease. Add carrot, turnip and onion, cook 3-5 minutes. Add garlic, cook 2 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients except pasta and vinegar.
  2. Bring to a boil, cook 30-60 minutes (or until lentils are soft).
  3. Add pasta. Cook until al dente.
  4. Add vinegar.
  5. Taste and add more seasonings if desired.
 
Notes

Lentils are high in iron and are a good source of protein.
Yummy served with Cream Cheesed Garlic Bread.
This recipe can be vegetarian using vegetable stock, and/or gluten-free using rice pasta (that’s the kind that I used, just because we like it). If you don’t like veggies, they can be pureed and added in (and additional ones can be added too, like spinach, chard, kale, cauliflower, zucchini etc).

Wednesday

26

October 2011

0

COMMENTS

Cream Cheesed Garlic Bread

Written by , Posted in Appetizers, Bread, Cheese

Cream Cheesed Garlic Bread
 
Recipe Type: Appetizer, bread
Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 10 mins
Total time: 15 mins
Serves: 2-3
Ingredients
  • 1/2 baguette, sliced lengthwise in 3 pieces
  • 1/4 C cream cheese
  • parmesan, sliced (about 12 slices)
Instructions
  1. Rub each piece with garlic.
  2. Spread with cream cheese and sliced parmesan.
  3. Bake at 350F for about 10 minutes (or until cheese is bubbly and melty).
  4. Slice in half if desired.
 

 

Monday

24

October 2011

0

COMMENTS

Veggie Pizza

Written by , Posted in Cheese, Dinner, Main Dishes, Pizza, Vegetables

It was one of “those” weekends. “Those” referring to fun. I think that’s what it should be, rather than the negative that it usually implies. Anyways, it was fun because we had awesome pizza on Friday, I went to a Creative Connection USA event on Sat, and we finished our Halloween costumes for the HP Themed party we’re going to next weekend, and of course watched lots of World Series baseball.

For Pizza Friday, I was a little worried about what I’d top it with, because our options were quite limited. There was no pepperoni, ham or leftover roast beef. We’d just had a BBQ Chicken Pizza the week before. (Oh my gosh, have I posted about this yet? I don’t think so. For now: It was amazing. The end.) I didn’t have many options. Vegetable drawer to the rescue! I always wonder, when I’m considering a vegetable pizza, if Husband will be OK with it. He always is, but I forget every time.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t eat more than half the pizza. Whatev. It was good. It’s good as leftovers too, but better the first time around. I don’t normally overindulge (except if you give me a bag of Salt and Vinegar Kettle chips – don’t expect me to share – don’t believe me, ask my husband). The full recipe is below. Make it, you’ll be happy you did. (Oh and if you’re someone who doesn’t love veggies, this is a good way to eat them. It doesn’t taste like you’re eating a plate full of goodness. It tastes like you’re eating pizza, which you are, so ignore the rest.)

The Creative Connection Los Angeles Meetup that I went to: amazing! I met so many creative talented women that I’m excited to connect with again in the future. Before the event, to be honest, I wanted to go, and I also didn’t. Once I get to know you, I’m outgoing, a little weird, and am comfortable being myself. But, at first, I’m shy, nervous and awkward. My new friend Joanna from Waterfall Creative had a contest to win a ticket on her blog. I won. (Small side note: Can I just exclaim how talented this girl is! She’s designing a logo for me, that I can’t wait to show to you!) Since I won, I kinda had to go. I didn’t really have an excuse not to. No business cards: make my own (I mean, I was going to a creative event, if anyone was going to appreciate homemade business cards, these people would, I hoped). Nothing to wear? Find something to wear. Too early on a Saturday (we had to leave at 8am)? If I sleep until 7:30, it’s sleeping in… and so on. I’m good at excuses, unfortunately. This time, it was time to just go and see what happened. I’m so glad I did! So, so glad. What a blessing that event was. Here’s a silly, jazz hands photo, courtesy of the talented and super sweet Lizzie at S’Wonderful Photography.

Veggie Pizza
Recipe Type: Pizza
Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Total time: 25 mins
Serves: 2
A great way to eat your veggies! You might not even know they’re on there!
Ingredients
  • 1 pizza crust
  • 1/4 C zucchini, sliced really thin
  • 1/4 lg. tomato, sliced thin
  • 1 sm. bok choy (I just used the leafy greens, if you want to use the white part, go ahead, make my day)
  • 8 black olives, sliced
  • 1/2 green pepper, chunks
  • 1 C (or more) white cheddar (or mozzarella), grated
  • 1/4 C parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1/2 C (or more) tomato sauce
  • 1 T flour
  • 1 t rosemary infused olive oil (olive oil with some rosemary in it)
  • 1/4 t dried oregano
  • 1/2 t dried basil
  • salt
  • pepper
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 475F. Roll out dough on floured pizza stone. Not too thin (it’s not a flatbread crust this time). Brush dough (specifically rolled up edge of crust) with olive oil. Bake for 3-5 minutes (this bake time is so the crust doesn’t get soggy from the tomato sauce – I did 5).
  2. Top with tomato sauce, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Then add cheese, veggies (with the Bok Choy on top, so it gets crispy) and a little more cheese (save the parmesan for after it’s baked).
  3. Bake for 8-10 minutes (depending on how crispy you want the crust – I did 10). Top with parmesan and eat it all up!