Friday

27

September 2013

2

COMMENTS

Sweet and Spicy Lemongrass Stir Fry

Written by Rachel, Posted in Dinner, Herbs, Lunch, Main Dishes, Pasta, Quick and Easy, Vegetables, Vegetarian

We ate this for lunch today. Husband is home sick, so he’s been laying around while I work. Today’s work included making a stir fry so I could take pictures of it. After a few bites he exclaimed, “THIS IS LITERALLY PERFECT”. I had to agree.

I’m not sure what I like the most about this stir fry. I don’t know if it’s the hint of spicy that’s behind the sweet gingery sauce. It could be the tender-crisp veggies that are so hot but still bright green. Or maybe it’s the time it takes to prepare this dish from start to finish.

Or… it might be the excitement about finally finding a way to use lemongrass. Even after all these years of getting a weekly box from Abundant Harvest Organics, there are still vegetables that I don’t know what to do with. I was going to make a stir fry anyways, and when I opened the box and saw those lemony sticks sitting in there, it just made sense.

So, I did a little research and figured out how to use it. There are some parts that you don’t want to eat, those could be saved for soups or a creative cocktail. Personally, I think I could just keep a split stalk around me all the time so I could smell it whenever I wanted to. Wow. With all the synthetic fragrances out there, I’m not sure that there’s anything that I’d rather smell than things like lemongrass, basil, or garlic. I’ll take those over an eau de something fake any day. Smell your food, friends. It’s too good to just eat… I think I will use the top portion for soup (which might be what we’re having for dinner – sickness just seems to need soup). I think it would be lovely in a vegetable broth with some zucchini, peas, carrots, ginger, and noodles. I also have plans to make up some sort of cocktail with it. There will be ginger involved. Ginger and lemongrass seem to be good friends. Or maybe I’ll just keep making this stir fry over and over and over again.

I hope you make this stir fry. We really enjoyed it. And however you use the rest of the stalk of lemongrass, remember to smell it first. For real.

Happy Eating!

Sweet and Spicy Lemongrass Stir Fry

Yield: 2

Sweet and Spicy Lemongrass Stir Fry

Ingredients

Soba noodles
1 T coconut oil
1 head broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces
1 medium summer squash, julienned
1 serrano pepper, seeds and ribs removed, minced
1-2 T prepared lemongrass
2 lg cloves garlic, sliced
Sauce: 1 T cornstarch
1/2 C cold water
1/2 T red wine vinegar
2 T white vinegar
1 T honey
1/2 t ginger, dried
to taste, salt

Instructions

Boil salted water.
Whisk together sauce ingredients. Set aside.
Add pasta to boiling water. When cooked (takes about 4 minutes), drain, toss with a bit of coconut oil, and keep warm.
Prepare lemongrass: Chop off top and bottom of stalk (use only bottom 3-4 inches of stalk). Peel and discard tough outer layers. Mince tender inner layers.
Heat skillet and add oil. When hot add broccoli, squash, chili pepper, and lemongrass. Cook over medium to high heat, using tongs to turn veggies often. After 3 min add garlic and cook 1 min more (or until veggies are tender crisp).
Pour sauce into skillet. Toss with veggies and let it thicken, about 1 minute.
Serve veggies over pasta.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/sweet-and-spicy-lemongrass-stir-fry/

Friday

13

September 2013

3

COMMENTS

Saving Dinner – Rotini Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce

Written by Rachel, Posted in Beef, Cheese, Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Main Dishes, Meat, Pasta, Sauces, Thoughts, Vegetables

Picture this: You’ve had a long day. You’re tired, kinda grumpy, and gosh you’re hungry. Maybe you’re cooking for 1, maybe it’s for 7… and you don’t have dinner planned. Does this ever happen to anyone else? No? Just me? That’s ok. Because I almost always have pasta on hand.

Add to it a bit of tomato sauce, some fresh veggies, and you’ve got dinner. If you have ground beef, that’s a bonus. If not, don’t worry. I think you’ll be just fine.

Maybe you haven’t made it to the store yet this week. You’ve got some cheese and veggies, but no tomato sauce in the pantry. I’ve got you covered. Sauté some veggies (the ones from this recipe if you have them, minus the tomatoes). Once they’re cooked, remove them from the pan. Then make a béchamel sauce (fancy sounding way to say a white sauce): add 2 T olive oil to a pan, heat it until it shimmers, then add 2 T all purpose flour and whisk. Cook for about 30-60 seconds, then slowly add some milk (1 to 2 C should do), whisking and letting it thicken between additions. Let it heat up, but don’t boil (the sauce may break) – just heat until steam rises. Remove from the heat and whisk in 1/2 to 1 C cheese, a little at a time. (You could add the fresh tomatoes now. Just let them warm through.) Add your sautéed veggies, some salt, pepper, and Italian seasonings.

Or, you could do both… I call it Spaghetteroni and Cheese. It’s any sort of pasta with tomato sauce that gets topped with cheese sauce. In our home, we think it’s crazy good.

I don’t think you can really go wrong with any of these options. And I’m not sure if I can choose a favorite. But, if I’m going with easiest, this Rotini Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce is super simple and doesn’t take too long to go from starving to eating.

Dinner is saved.

PastaFreshTomatoSauce3

Leftovers can be frozen, so don’t be shy about making a double or even triple batch. Store a few single servings in freezer-safe containers – they’ll be great for lunches if you’re tired of PB&J (I mean, who doesn’t love PB&J?! I do, but it can get old…). I don’t know that I’d recommend freezing the pasta, but you could make enough for dinner and for everyone to take some for lunch the next day. The sauce would also be delicious over top of some Roasted Summer Squash (toss thinly sliced squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper, then bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes, or until slightly crispy), mixed in with a roasted spaghetti squash, as Stuffed Tomatoes (heat sauce, hollow out large tomatoes, fill with sauce, serve topped with parmesan cheese), or mixed with rice to stuff a Zoo Boat (Stuffed Summer Squash)… the possibilities are endless!

Aaaand now I’m craving PB&J.

Happy Eating!

Rotini Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Yield: 4

Rotini Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

1/2 lb ground beef
1 T olive oil (opt.)
1 small red onion, chopped
2 small zucchini, chopped
3-4 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped (opt)
1 carrot, grated (opt)
3 cloves garlic, diced
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
1/4 t dried savory
1/2 t dried Parsley
1/2 t dried basil
1/4 t dried oregano
Pinch coriander
1 T balsamic vinegar
2 T lemon juice, divided
2-3 8oz cans tomato sauce
1/2 C pasta water
1/2 pkg rotini rice pasta (or your favorite kind of pasta)
Parmesan cheese, grated, for topping

Instructions

Cook beef. Remove from pan and set aside. Wipe out pan if desired.
(If pan has been wiped out, add 1 T olive oil. Let it get hot.) Add veggies and some salt. Cook over medium-low heat until tender, 10 min or so.
Add seasonings, balsamic vinegar, 1 T lemon juice, tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 min.
Cook pasta according to package directions.
Before draining pasta add 1/2 C pasta water to tomato sauce and stir in. Add 1 T lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Top pasta with sauce and some parmesan cheese.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/saving-dinner-rotini-pasta-with-fresh-tomato-sauce/

Monday

2

September 2013

4

COMMENTS

When Winter Veggies Arrive Early – Spaghetti Soup

Written by Rachel, Posted in Cheese, Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Main Dishes, Roasting, Soups, Vegetables, Vegetarian

What to do with a winter squash… when it’s still summer?! Make it into a soup that has summery flavors.

It’s kinda the best of both worlds. I get to eat soup when it’s 95 degrees F out, but I also get to use the wintery veggies that we’ve started getting in our weekly box of produce.

This one is a bit like a soupy version of the Spaghetti Squash Rock that I made on the show last year. The squash is roasted, stock is made, veggies are sautéed. Then it all comes together pretty quickly.

I like to top this soup with a good amount of parmesan cheese. And some hearty, crusty bread, with some butter on it goes really well (perfect for dipping and then cleaning out the bowl).

Happy Eating!

Spaghetti Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 35 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 50 minutes

Yield: 4-6

Spaghetti Soup

Ingredients

1 T olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 sweet peppers (or 1 bell pepper), chopped
6 cloves garlic, diced
1 t honey
salt, to taste (about 1 to 1 1/2 t)
pepper, to taste
1-8 oz. can tomato sauce
6-8 C stock (chicken or vegetable will work)
2 spaghetti squash, cooked (about 4 C)
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 T butter
parmesan cheese, grated, for topping

Instructions

Cook squash: Halve, remove seeds, brush with olive oil, and bake cut side down at 350F for 45-60 minutes (or until flesh pierces easily with a fork). Scrape flesh from skin and set aside.
Heat a soup pot, add oil. When oil is hot, add peppers, onion, salt, and pepper. Cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and honey and cook for about 1 minute.
Add tomato sauce, squash, balsamic vinegar, and stock. Cover and bring to a boil. Uncover and reduce to a simmer and cook for 20-30 minutes.
Remove from heat and add butter. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Serve topped with parmesan cheese.

Notes

Most of the cooking time is inactive.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/when-winter-veggies-arrive-early-spaghetti-soup/

Wednesday

22

May 2013

0

COMMENTS

Zoo Boats (Roasted Stuffed Squash) – Episode 68

Written by Rachel, Posted in A Cooking Show with Rachel O, Abundant Harvest Organics, Baking, Cheese, Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Herbs, Kid-Friendly, Lunch, Main Dishes, Rice, Sides, This Week's Feast, Vegetables, Vegetarian

As a kid, I remember my mom making Zucchini Bread. She called it “Zoo Bread”. I wonder if she thought that if we didn’t hear the word “zucchini” we might eat it. We did. However, I don’t remember feeling fooled… I think we might have known what was in it. We liked it because it was good.

Today I’m making Roasted Stuffed Squash. But, if it helps anyone in your home to eat them without a fuss, you are welcome to call them “Zoo Boats”.

Or maybe if someone thinks they don’t like squash, but gets to help scoop out the middle, they will be so proud of themselves that they will insist on eating some. Insist.

I used leftover rice. Quinoa would also be delicious (and would add more protein). Adding Italian sausage or ground beef would be great too.

This is kinda like a switcheroo on the classic Stuffed Pepper or Stuffed Tomato. Hey! Why not get creative and make a few different kinds of stuffed items – Peppers, Tomatoes, and Squash! Everyone could have their favorite.

Unfortunately, now I’m craving Zoo Bread. Guess that’s what I’ll be making later on today.

Happy Eating!

Roasted Stuffed Squash

Recipe Type: Main, Side, Vegetable, Vegetarian

Cuisine: Italian

Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 29 mins

Total time: 44 mins

Serves: 2-4

Roasted squash is stuffed with rice, peppers, and onions, then it’s topped with basil. It tastes like summer.

Ingredients

1 medium or large summer squash, sliced lengthwise, center scooped out
1 T olive oil, divided
to taste salt
to taste pepper
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 C (heaping) cooked rice
1 large tomato (about 1 C), chopped
pinch red pepper flakes
1 t fresh oregano, chopped
1 t fresh basil, chopped
1 t fresh thyme, chopped
1 t fresh sage, chopped
1 T lemon juice
1/4 parmesan cheese, grated
1/3 C gruyère, grated
fresh basil, chopped (for topping)

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350F.
Scoop out center of squash. Rub with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on a baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes (or until tender).
Heat a pan, when it’s hot, add remaining oil. When oil is hot, add onion and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add rice, herbs, seasonings, and tomato. Cook over medium to medium-low heat for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat. Add lemon juice and parmesan to rice mixture. Stir and taste. Adjust seasoning if desired. Spoon rice mixture into squash. Top with gruyère and return to oven for about 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
Serve topped with fresh basil. (Could serve whole, or cut in pieces to serve more.)

Notes

Cooking time is actually about 15 minutes because rice mixture cooks while squash roasts. You could save the scooped out portion and add it to the rice mixture, or save it to add to some soup or a pasta sauce! Recipe has since been adapted to include fresh herbs rather than dried. If using dried oregano, basil, thyme, and sage, reduce to 1/4 t of each.

Sponsored by: Abundant Harvest Organics, Bari Olive Oil Company, Waterfall Creative, Molly Jenson.

Wednesday

15

May 2013

2

COMMENTS

English Peas with Ricotta and Ham over Pasta – Episode 67

Written by Rachel, Posted in A Cooking Show with Rachel O, Abundant Harvest Organics, Cheese, Dinner, Fruit, Herbs, Kid-Friendly, Lunch, Main Dishes, Meat, Pasta, Pork, Quick and Easy, This Week's Feast, Vegetables

I know that some people hate peas. But, I am not one of them. I mentioned in my post last week that I didn’t like frozen peas as a kid. Now, I can’t get enough of them – in any form.

I love peas.

I love sugar snap peas with bacon and pasta. I’m also crazy about them raw. Pea tendrils? Have you ever tried them? So good with a fried egg on top! Snow peas in Stir Fry are amazing. I wish I was eating that right now (with some tofu or chicken, some bean sprouts and carrots, and a nice slightly sweet sauce…). Frozen peas in Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup is one of my favorites.

But now, I have a new love. Pasta + ricotta + ham + carrots + chard + garlic + ENGLISH PEAS = Love love love this meal. Topped with some basil and parmesan cheese… oh boy! (Husband’s response last night after his first bite: “Wow!”)

And it’s good cold, as a pasta salad. Maybe with some German or Italian sausage? How about alongside a Burger? Or with a few other delicious salads?

Why am I coming up with all these meal ideas, I’m not even hungry!

Or I wasn’t…

After I finished filming and taking photos, I stood at my little Ikea island and picked pasta and ricotta out of the bowl and ate it. Someone’s gotta clean up.

Happy Eating!

English Peas with Ricotta and Ham over Pasta

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 4

English Peas with Ricotta and Ham over Pasta

Ingredients

1 pkg pasta
1 T olive oil
1 heaping C (about 40 pods) English peas (shelled)
2 carrots, in long thin ribbons (use a vegetable peeler)
1 bulb green garlic and the green part (just the edible part), minced
3/4 t to 1 t salt
pinch cayenne
pepper, to taste
1/2 to 1 t fresh thyme
1/4 C water
1-2 T lemon juice
3/4 C ham, cooked and thinly sliced
2-3 C chard, roughly chopped
10 oz. ricotta cheese
parmesan cheese (for topping), grated
basil, chopped (for topping)

Instructions

Cook pasta in salted water.
While pasta cooks, heat skillet, and add oil. Add English peas through thyme. Cook over medium or medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add water. Cook 8 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
Add lemon juice, ham, and chard. Cook for 5 minutes (or until ham is heated through and chard is wilted), tossing occasionally with tongs. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Toss cooked pasta with ricotta and a pinch of salt.
Serve pasta topped with veggies and some parmesan and basil.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/would-you-like-peas-with-that-ep67/

Sponsored by: Abundant Harvest Organics, Bari Olive Oil Company, Waterfall Creative, Molly Jenson.

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