cauliflower puree with thyme

https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/cauliflower-puree.html#tabreviews

Tastes good - used basil olive oil instead of butter.  Can add more thyme.  Also sprinkled some over the top for garnish

Can leave out the 3 Tbsp of broth that are added to the food processor.

Some readers suggested adding a little bit of potato to get the mashed potato texture

Would make again.

dinner menus

Napkins:
Pyramid fold:  fold into a triangle, then each side point down to the bottom.  Flip it over.  Fold in half,  then bring the sides around to make it stand on the plate.  Looks like a tuxedo to me

Pocket fold:  Fold in quarters.  Roll top layer down, then next layer down, then fold side around, and use the two rounded folds as a pocket for silverware.


3/1/19 -
Shulmans, Lisa Stark, Eigs, Coventrys

Dips - Roasted Eggplant with red peppers
           (2 types of Sabra Hummus)
           Was going to have edamames but didn't prepare

Roasted chicken with dates from Once Upon a Chef - was made with boneless breasts and thighs.  Would stick with bone-in breasts for more moisture.  Use all the sauce.  served on large platter, with bulgur under and around the border, and chicken over the middle.

Roasted green beans with lemon - left out the walnuts and cranberries to make it plain

Bulgur, prepared with 1/2 low sodium veg broth and 1/2 water (bulgur:liquid 1:1.5; boil the liquid, take off the flame, let bulgur stand for 30-45 minutes, fluff intermittently)

Bread from Whole Foods
Salad by Jackie - goat cheese and arugula
Dessert - fruit salad, lemon cake from Praline's, Talenti x2

Winter fruit salad with lemon poppy seed dressing

https://www.cookingclassy.com/winter-fruit-salad-lemon-poppy-seed-dressing/

I've made this a few times this winter.  I enjoy the flavor, and the various textures of the bananas and other fruits.  Jerry's doesn't love it, but many others have, so see what you think.  I'm unable to get pomegranates now, because they're out of season, so I substituted dried cranberries for the color.  Unfortunately they also add sugar.  Overall, I think it's a keeper!

Salad Ingredients: 
8 mandarin oranges , peeled and segmented
4 apples (preferably 2 gala and 2 golden delicious)
4 ripe kiwis peeled and diced
4 bananas , peeled and diced
1 1/2 cup pomegranate arils (from about 1 large)

Dressing Ingredients:
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
3 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 Tbsp honey

2 tsp poppy seeds

Directions:
1) For the dressing: In a mixing bowl or jar whisk together lemon juice and sugar until sugar has dissolved.  Mix in olive oil, vegetable oil and honey until well blended. Stir in poppy seeds.

2) For the fruit salad: In a salad bowl toss together all of the fruit then pour dressing over top and gently toss to coat.

Serve immediately for best results.

Arugula salad

Paula brought to brunch 1/13/19 - snow day

https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/arugula-salad-with-shaved-parmesan-lemon-olive-oil.html

very light and tasty

Roasted Fennel with Parmesan

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/roasted-fennel-with-parmesan-recipe-1943604#reviewsTop

got great reviews.
Someone also put cauliflower in.

Will try it with the fennel that's coming in Hungry Harvest basket this week!

Roasted Carrots and Thyme

https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/roasted-carrots-with-thyme.html

Simple and very tasty! The carrots do shrink.

By Jennifer Segal
Servings: 4
Total Time: 30 Minutes

Ingredients: 

2 pounds fresh carrots, peeled
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (can use a little less)
1/2 (use less) teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons fresh chopped thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried) - good with combo of basil, thyme, Herbes de Provence

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

2) Slice the carrots on the diagonal about 1-½” thick. Make sure all pieces are approximately the same size to ensure even cooking.

3) Combine the carrots, olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme in a large bowl and toss well. Transfer the carrots to the prepared baking sheet and roast, stirring once mid-way through, until nicely caramelized and tender, 20-25 minutes (cooking time will depend on thickness of carrots). Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Roasted Green Beans with Cranberries and Walnuts

https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/roasted-green-beans-with-cranberries-and-walnuts.html

Roasted Green Beans with Cranberries & Walnuts

By Jennifer Segal
Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:

2 pounds fresh green beans, stem ends trimmed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced into quarters
1-1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest, from one lemon
2 teaspoons lemon juice, from one lemon
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup walnuts

Directions: 

1) Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil.

2) Place the walnuts on the prepared baking sheet and bake until until fragrant, 5 to 10 minutes. Keep a close eye on the nuts so they don't burn. When cool enough to handle, transfer the nuts to a cutting board and coarsely chop.

3) Place the foil back on the baking sheet (you'll use it for the green beans) and increase the oven temperature to 450°F.

4) Place the cranberries in a small heatproof bowl. Cover the cranberries with boiling water and set aside.

5) Directly on the foil-lined baking sheet, use a rubber spatula to toss the green beans with the olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and sugar.  Roast the green beans for 15 minutes, then stir with a spatula to promote even cooking. Continue roasting until the beans are tender, slightly browned and just starting to shrivel, about 10 minutes more.

6) Drain the cranberries.

7) Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, drained cranberries, and toasted walnuts to the green beans. Toss well, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Powered by Edamam

Per serving (8 servings)
Calories:104
Fat:5 g
Saturated fat:1 g
Carbohydrates:15 g
Sugar:9 g
Fiber:4 g
Protein:2 g
Sodium:301 mg
Cholesterol:0 mg

brunch menus

1/1/2019  - tim and debra, frank and pam, abdul and Delphine, linda and tom yau, and brendon for a little while

spiced nuts
try other starter - try hummus recipe from Cookie and Kate with cooking chickpeas with baking soda

frittata with arugula, red and yellow peppers, red onion and mozzarella.  Topped with basil.
      sautéed veggies in one pan, olive oil in frittata pan, poured in ROOM TEMP eggs and cheese, added sautéed veggies.  Cook til edges are white -> into oven, cook until center barely jiggles when shaken.  See recipe in cookie and kate  https://cookieandkate.com/2018/best-frittata-recipe/

flank steak
wheat berry salad

black lentil salad with tomatoes - from Nutrition Action - needs work - added vinegar the next day and it was much better.  Other black lentil recipes suggest red wine vinegar, I tried white balsamic.
Need to learn how to keep black lentils black and round - they sort of turn grey and flatter.  Wonder if we need to specify black beluga lentils?  Other recipe with OJ is much better.

roasted carrots with thyme - excellent - roasted about 30 minutes before, then wrapped in foil from         pan until ready to serve.  Can top with sprigs of thyme. Very good next day as well.

chocolate granita.

Guests brought:
salad
potatoes
fruit salad, orange almond cake with chocolate frosting, powdered milk and spelt flour balls in syrup
orange infused vodka
hot pepper sauce

Could have made a potato dish, left out black lentil salad.  Would be good to use an easier recipe for grain salad.
Plan to try other veggies in frittata, although this was a good combination.

SNOW-IN BRUNCH 1/13/19 -  Lisa Stark, Rosses, Robinsons
Salmon with screaming ginger salsa - from Nourish by Canyon Ranch; very moist and the salsa was great

Cauliflower cake with red onion topping - added TJ soy cheese instead of parmesan; need to reheat better.  Tried at 220 and mostly still wrapped in foil, but it was barely warm

Roasted carrots with thyme
Couscous with apricot preserves vinaigrette
Ghiradelli brownies

guests brought:
arugula salad - Paula - https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/arugula-salad-with-shaved-parmesan-lemon-olive-oil.html;     fruit salad; pumpkin cake (that Lori bought at a benefit).

edamame hummus

https://cookieandkate.com/2017/edamame-hummus-recipe/

This is pretty good - agree with more salt at the end, would also increase the garlic and lemon -
     it comes out a bit grainy.  Might be smoother with more tahini, but then taste would decrease probably.  Worth playing with.

Thai green curry sauce

Liberally adapted from Practical Thai Cooking by Schmitz and Woman, 1985

I had chicken breasts that I needed to cook and decided I wanted to do a green curry dish.  The sauce that roughly followed their recipe was mild and excellent.  I didn't steam the chicken, as their recipe instructed, but baked it at 365 in a convection oven for ~20 minutes, as the pieces of chicken were thick.  I thought this was a great taste, including the spinach with basil mixture.  It would be worth trying with thai basil.  And blending with the coconut sauce as suggested.

Ingredients: 
8 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2.5 Tbsp white wine
pinch of salt

SAUCE:
2.5 cups coconut milk
2-3 Tbsp green curry paste
1 Tbsp fish sauce - nam pal - I use vegetarian style
another pinch of salt
1/2 tsp sugar
2 oz spinach, stems removed.

Directions:
1) Flatten chicken breasts by pounding lightly, then marinate in wine and salt for 15 minutes.
2)Supposed to steam chicken for 7 minutes, then leave heat off, covered for 5 minutes.
3) SAUCE: place the coconut milk in a pan and add the curry paste, fish sauce, salt and sugar.
4) Blanch the spinach in ample boiling water, plunge into cold water and gently squeeze all the water out.  Puree the spinach in a blender or food processor (I sautéed the spinach with basil and just served the chicken over it)
5) Add the spinach to the coconut milk mixture and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Adjust seasoning - should be salty and peppery.

Place a chicken breast on each warmed plate and spoon 1/4 cup sauce around it.  Serve warm with rice, noodles, or mashed potatoes.

Warm black lentils and tomato

From Nutrition Action.

I haven't tried this yet, but it looks good.  I don't usually like capers but I think it may be helpful to boost the taste in this dish.  Seems like it would go well with fish, or ?main dish for vegetarian meal.

1/1/19 update - it was ok but better the next day with a splash of white balsamic vinegar.  Easy enough overall!

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
3 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
2 cups cooked black lentils
1 Tbsp capers
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Directions:
1) Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat until shimmering hot.  Saute the garlic and red pepper until fragrant, 30 - 60 seconds.
2) Stir in the tomatoes and simmer until softened, 2-3 minutes.
3) Stir in the lentils, capers and salt.

Crunchy Black Lentil Salad

From Nutrition Action.

If you're trying to stay with a predominantly plant-based diet, lentils of all varieties are a great protein source.  Since I usually use red or green lentils, I thought I'd try something different - black lentils. A serving size is 1/4 cup dry - or about a cup cooked - and contains 13 grams of protein and 15 grams of fiber.   They also contain iron and potassium, and of course no cholesterol.

Black lentils can be added to soups or salad or served as a side dish.  This recipe has some crunch from the celery and a boost of flavor from the lemon and mustard.  The fresh pepper helps finish it off.  Skip the cheese to keep it vegan.  And the entire prep time is about 15 minutes, about the same time as the lentils take to cook.  Make more lentils than you need and continue to use them on other dishes.

Ingredients: 
1 tsp lemon zest
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp dijon mustard
2 Tbsp minced shallot
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 cups cooked black lentils
1 cup sliced celery heart
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup shaved Manchego or parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1) In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, mustard, shallot, oil and salt
2) Toss with the lentils, celery, walnuts and cheese.  Season to taste with the pepper.

how to make frittatas

https://cookieandkate.com/2018/best-frittata-recipe/

https://cookieandkate.com/2018/best-frittata-recipe/

specific  recipe at link above.  Suggestions for ingredients below.  Used red onion, red and yellow peppers and mushrooms.  Arugula would probably be good.  Can substitute some egg whites for some of the eggs (2:1).

1/1/19 - did it with ingredients above - 11 eggs and about 4 egg whites -  including some mozzarella balls cut up.   Sauteed the veggies in one pan, then greased the frittata pan well, poured the eggs  and cheese in at room temperature and added the veggies to it.  Was able to slide it out of the pan onto a flat serving platter - perfect.

Tried recipe from Canyon Ranch - will try the one below.

Important:  would saute veggies in one pan, then use a different oiled one for the frittata.  After preparing the veggies, there isn't enough oil to keep the eggs from sticking.

If the eggs stick, de-glaze by boiling water and vinegar in the pan, then using a non-metal tool to remove the solid or burnt material.  Can use BarKeepers liquid to finish the job, but by the instructions, rinse within 1 minute.

Have you ever had an amazing frittata? The perfect frittata is creamy, custardy, and full of veggies. It is not dry, sponge-like or bland.

Frittatas are the ultimate clean-out-the-fridge weeknight dinner or weekend brunch recipe. Frittatas also transport well, so you can bring slices to picnics or pack them up for work lunches.

You can get creative with leftover frittata—use a slice as a sandwich filling, or break it up for easy breakfast tacos.

Frittatas can be intimidating at first, but they’re very easy to make if you know what you’re doing. So today, I’m sharing a comprehensive guide to making a perfect frittata, every time.

I’ve been disappointed by traditional frittatas before, so I went back to the basics. I pitted America’s Test Kitchen’s frittata guidelines against Bon Appetit and Epicurious, and came up with my own go-to methods.

Traditional Frittatas vs. Baked Frittatas
In my recipe, you’ll learn how to make traditional frittatas using the stovetop-to-oven skillet method. I made sure to use a reasonable oven temperature (not the broiler) and suggest cooking the frittata on the middle rack, so you can watch it while it cooks. Life’s too short for burnt frittatas!

I’ve also provided instructions on how to make baked frittatas (in a casserole dish or muffin tin), which are more hands-off. The baked options are particularly great if you need a make-ahead option or when your stovetop is otherwise occupied.

Which version is my favorite? They all turn out equally well. The only real deciding factor is which method works best for you.

Basic Frittata Formula
12 eggs, whisked just until the egg yolks and whites are blended
3 tablespoons full-fat dairy
3 cups cooked and seasoned vegetables or other add-ins
1 cup (4 ounces) grated or crumbled cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt

Recommended Frittata Flavor Combinations
Spinach, artichoke and feta cheese
Broccoli, cheddar and green onion
Cremini mushrooms, arugula and goat cheese
Cherry tomatoes, zucchini, mozzarella and basil
Shown here: yellow onion, carrot, bell pepper, goat cheese and chives

Cauliflower with Orange Zest and Green Onion

From Essentials of Healthful Cooking - Williams Sonoma

This was an interesting technique for getting the cauliflower to be toasty on the outside, without burning, and get soft on the inside.  Soaking it first allows moisture to settle, creating hot steam during cooking that helps the cauliflower look to a tender and succulent finish.  A squeeze of lemon at the table heightens the flavors.

Cauliflower is an excellent source of vitamin C and potassium.

Ingredients: 
1 head cauliflower, about 1.75 pounds, cored and cut into uniform-sized florets (approximately)
        I had brussels sprouts I wanted to use, so I used half of each)
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp coarsely chopped green onion
2 Tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tsp grated orange zest
4 lemon wedges

Directions:
1) Place the cauliflower florets (and brussels sprouts if using) in a large bowl and add cold water to cover.  Let stand for 20-30 minutes, then drain.
2) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
3) Spread the veggies in a single layer in a shallow 9x13" baking dish.  Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt, or more as needed, and season with pepper.  Toss to coat.
4) Bake the veggies, turning them every 10 minutes and sprinkling with 1-2 Tbsp cold water each time, until they are tender and lightly browned, about 30 minutes
5) Combine the green onion, parsley, and orange zest on a cutting board and finely chop together.
6) Remove the veggies from the oven and sprinkle evenly with the green onion mixture.  Garnish with lemon wedges.

Serve at once!