West African Lentil Okra Stew

Another FAST and tasty recipe from the vegan cookbook Eat for Health by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. It is very filling, and the okra adds great flavor! Note the number of servings - this is a great soup to make for guests. Otherwise, freeze the leftovers.

Serves: 8
Prep Time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups red lentils (I just use regular lentils from the average grocery store)
• 2 T tomato paste
• 1/2 c. smooth, natural, no-salt peanut butter at room temperature
• 4 T Dr. Fuhrman's VegiZest (I use Vogue VegeBase instead)
• 4 c. carrot juice (I use tomato juice, as pure as I can find)
  
• 2 cups frozen chopped onion (to save time; but I usually just chop a fresh onion since that's cheaper)
• 16 oz. frozen okra, thawed and cut in half crosswise (um, I just buy frozen okra that's already chopped and throw it in the pot, still frozen)
• 16 oz. frozen chopped kale or collard greens (I use frozen chopped spinach since it's easier to find - although the kale and collard greens have a higher nutrient density, so they would make the soup more "filling")
• 1 15-oz. can whole no-salt crushed or chopped tomatoes
• 1 medium sweet potato, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 3 tsp chili powder
• Pinch cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS
In large saucepan (HA! more like "super-large cooking pot"), simmer red lentils in 3 cups of water for 15 minutes.

In mixing bowl, whisk tomato paste, peanut butter, VegiZest, and carrot juice [or various substitutes], then add to simmering lentils. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Uncover and simmer another 20 minutes.

One serving contains:
[Remember, this is an ENTREE soup, hence the higher numbers] Calories 413.6, Protein 23g, Carbohydrate 65.2, Fat 9.5g, Sodium 137.9mg

Walnut-Pear Green Salad

This salad is like a gourmet salad one would order at a restaurant. I know I say "YUM" all the time on these recipe posts, but it IS good, and I am picky about what salad I like! The recipe is from Eat for Health by Joel Fuhrman.

Serves: 2
Prep Time: 10 min.

INGREDIENTS

• 8 ounces (about 8 cups) baby salad mix [I get a big box of spring greens]
• 2 ounces (about 2 cups) arugula or watercress [I skip these since they're expensive and just add more of the other greens ALTHOUGH watercress is very nutrient dense and thus very filling]
• 1 pear, grated
• 1/4 cup currants (raisins)
• 1/4 cup walnuts, crushed or chopped
• 2 tablespoons Dr. Fuhrman's D'Anjou Pear Vinegar or balsamic vinegar [I just use white balsamic pear-infused vinegar that can be found at Publix]
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 pears, peeled and sliced
  
• 1/4 cup walnut halves (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Combine greens with grated pear, currants, and walnuts.

Toss with vinegar and olive oil. Top with sliced pears and, if desired, walnut halves.

One serving* contains:
Calories 145.9; protein 1.6g; carbohydrate 35.5g; fat 1.3g; sodium 4.6mg

*That is, provided you use the arugula/watercress...

Egg-Sausage (Breakfast) Casserole

My MIL got this from a magazine several years ago. Great for feeding company on Christmas morning! And it doubles easily.

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb mild ground sausage
1 lb hot ground sausage
1 30-oz bag of frozen shredded hash browns
1 1/2 tsp salt, divided
1/2 tsp pepper
1 c shredded cheddar cheese (or more!)
6 large eggs
2 c milk (at least 2% or higher - anything less will make it too runny)

DIRECTIONS:
Cook/brown sausage until it crumbles. Drain fat.

Prepare hash browns according to package directions. Add 1/2 tsp of salt and the pepper.

Stir together hash browns, cheese, and sausage.

(NOTE: The above steps could be done the night before to save time in the morning.)

Pour sausage mixture into greased 9x13 pan.

Whip milk, eggs, and 1 tsp salt together. Pour over sausage mixture in pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Then watch as your guests or family scarfs it up!

(And I can't resist saying, that subject-verb agreement there at the end IS correct....)

Tonya's Sausage and Peppers

Had this at John's grandparents' house when we visited them before Christmas. Yum! It's John's aunt's recipe. And that is a lot of apostrophes (correctly used, for the record!).

Sausage and Peppers

1 lb of whichever kind of sausage you like (you can mix hot and mild)
2 onions sliced
2 red peppers
2 green peppers
4-6 potatoes
1/2 cup water

Grease a 9 x 13 pan. Slice onions on the bottom. Cut peppers and potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Take skin off the sausage and cut into pieces. Add water. Cover pan with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Pinto Bean Burritos

Found this recipe in the October 2010 issue of Good Housekeeping. It was pretty easy to prepare, and while it wasn't "super-fast," it was quick enough to make (not too complicated or anything). It tasted like something you get at Moe's. Very good. And the leftovers make a great lunch the next day!

Pinto Bean Burritos

Serves: 4 main-dish servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes

• 2 teaspoon(s) vegetable oil [I hate using oil, so I used water instead]
  
• 2 clove(s) garlic, finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) ground cumin
• 3/4 cup(s) water
• 1/2 cup(s) quick-cooking brown rice [I used 1 cup of regular brown rice, so it took longer]
  
• 2 can(s) (14 1/2 ounces each) no-salt-added pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 3 tablespoon(s) orange juice
  
• Salt
• Pepper
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 4 (12-inch) burrito-size whole wheat flour tortillas [the package I bought had 5 wraps, and we could have made 6 wraps with the amount of "filling" that was made]
  
• 1 heart romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1/4 cup(s) salsa verde
• 2 avocados, pitted and peeled [I used ready-made pure guacamole instead]
  
• 2 tablespoon(s) fresh lime juice
  

Directions:

1. In 12-inch skillet, heat oil on medium until hot. Add garlic and cumin; cook 1 to 2 minutes or until just golden. Stir in water and rice; cook as label directs.
2. When rice is cooked, to same skillet, add beans, orange juice, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and freshly ground black pepper, stirring to combine. Cook 5 minutes on medium or until beans are heated through, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in green onions.
3. Wrap tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave on High 1 minute. In large bowl, toss lettuce and salsa verde until combined.
4. In medium bowl, with fork, mash avocados and lime juice until almost smooth. Spread avocado evenly on tortillas. Divide bean mixture and lettuce among tortillas. Fold in sides of tortilla and roll around filling. Wrap each burrito tightly in waxed paper or aluminum foil.

Tips & Techniques:

Look for 12-in. whole wheat wraps if you can't find whole wheat flour tortillas.

Nutritional Information (per serving): About 670 calories; 21 g protein, 102 g carbohydrate, 20 g total fat (3 g saturated), 18 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 770 mg sodium.

Herbed Pita Chips

Just made some AWESOME pita chips after getting ideas from other recipes online. John LOVED them. Here's what I did*:

Ingredients:
Whole-wheat pitas (package of 6)
Oil (safflower or olive)
Dried basil
Dried oregano
Garlic powder
Salt (preferably sea salt)

Preheat oven at 400 degrees F.

1. Pull apart whole-wheat pitas (from 1 package of 6) so that you have 2 halves of each pita, for a total of 12 rounds.

2. Pull apart each round into small chip-size pieces. Not rocket science here, no scissors necessary, no perfectly cut triangles.

3. Toss these torn pita pieces in a bowl with 1/2 cup oil (I used safflower oil, but you can use olive oil). Get some salad tongs and toss them until well-covered with oil. Might be able to get away with only 1/3 cup of oil, which I'll try next time. Less oil is a good thing.

4. Get out your dried basil, dried oregano, garlic powder, and salt. Shake the basil and oregano over the pita pieces until mostly covered, don't be shy on the amount. The pieces should be covered in flakes. Now shake the garlic powder and salt lightly on top of the basil and oregano - not nearly as much. Toss well with salad tongs and repeat a few more times, maybe 4 times.

5. Put parchment paper on a baking sheet and add the pita pieces.

6. Bake 4 minutes at 400 degrees. Stir pita pieces.

7. Bake 4 more minutes. Stir.

8. Bake 2-4 more minutes. Be careful to make sure they don't brown too much or burn! I let it bake 4 minutes this last round, and they turned out ok.

9. Let cool. Then enjoy some awesome pita chips!

Servings: Um, 4?
Calories: probably a lot, given the oil.
Fat: ditto.
Taste: Awesome.

*This recipe is an example of exactly how I used to NOT do things: pinch of this, dash of that, etc. How much IS a pinch?? I hate vague recipes that assume you know what you're doing. I DON'T! That's why I'm using a recipe! But here I am, creating a Vague Recipe. Hm.

Black Bean Dip

This is the first recipe I made myself. I got inspiration from other black bean dip recipes but didn't like any one in particular, so I combined the elements I liked and experimented. I was also trying to duplicate this yummy dip from the grocery store, making my own cheaper version.

2 cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup tomato juice
2 T lime juice (or juice of 1 lime)
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 T dried cilantro
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp coriander
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash Southwestern Chipotle Seasoning Blend*
Salt and pepper to taste

Mash ingredients together with potato masher or in food processor until desired consistency (more chunky or creamy).

*Skip the Mrs. Dash and add 1/2 to 1 tsp more chili powder

I also have a small container nearby when I make this, to combine a second round of the dry spices. That way the next time I make the dip, I just have to add the wet ingredients to the already-mixed dry spices. Time saver!

(And it's mostly vegan, if you made your own salsa and skipped the Mrs. Dash.)

Italian Pasta and Bean Bake

Made this eeeeasy dinner last night, from the amazing book Saving Dinner the Vegetarian Way. The Saving Dinner books all include grocery lists, weekly menus, and recipes, including side dish suggestions. No-brainer meal planning that keeps the family healthy! (Other Saving Dinner books: the Basics, the Low-Carb Way, Through the Holidays.)

Italian Pasta and Bean Bake

Serves 6

1 pound penne pasta
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
2 (16-ounce) cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (26-ounce jar pasta sauce
1 tsp Italian seasoning (I probably used 2-3 tsp)
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Prepare pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and return to pot. Add tomatoes, beans, pasta sauce, Italian seasoning, and 1/2 of the cheese.

Transfer to an 11x7-inch baking dish. [I used a 11x9 dish....]

Bake for 25 minutes. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and bake an additional 15 minutes or until the cheese melts. [It only took 5 minutes to melt the cheese.]

Per Serving: 580 calories; 11g fat; 28g protein; 93g carbohydrate; 10g dietary fiber; 34mg cholesterol; 1125mg sodium. Exchanges: 5 Grain (Starch); 1 1/2 Lean Meat; 2 1/2 Vegetable; 1 Fat.

Serving Suggestions: Serve with a large green salad and some garlic bread.

Cilantro Spice Paste for Fajitas

I got this recipe from my new cookbook, Simply In Season, which, if you've never heard of it, is AN AWESOME cookbook.

Anyway, I'm trying to move away from the easy dry sauce packets that stores have for fajitas, enchiladas, chili, gravy, etc. and make my own, to save money and promote better taste. One of the many nice features of Simply in Season is that many of the recipes have a foundational section to the recipe, then several spice/taste variations below, so you have more options.

The fajita recipe had two options, and I made the Cilantro Spice Paste:

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves (finely chopped)
2T soy sauce
1T oil
1T chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
juice of 1 lime

Mix together. Coat meat well with cilantro paste [strips of chicken, sirloin, or steak; I used portabello mushroom strips]; let stand at least 15 minutes. Stir fry over high heat in 2T of oil. Remove from pan and keep warm while stir-frying vegetables. [Since I used mushrooms, I stir-fried the vegs first, added the paste, and then added the mushrooms.]

It tasted SO good. I even made this when we had company over, even though it was my first time making it. I NEVER have company over when I'm making something for the first time.

Roasted Spiced Rutabaga Sticks

I got a cookbook for Christmas called The Garden-Fresh Vegetable Cookbook, which I requested because it divides up recipes according to the growing season, and then groups recipes together with the same vegetable as the main ingredient. For instance, "Early to Mid-Summer" includes recipes for beets, broccoli, cucumbers, snap beans, Swiss chard, zucchini, and summer squash.

I'd heard of rutabagas before, but I would have lost a game show round if I'd been asked to identify it from a picture. This recipe was sweet AND spicy, an unexpected combination.

Roasted Spiced Rutabaga Sticks

"The treatment here is similar to what I do with sweet potatoes - slick matchsticks of rutabaga with a spiced oil, then roast in a hot oven. The result is a spicy, sweet vegetable treat. If you want to multiply the recipe, use two baking sheets, rotate them every ten minutes or so and increase the roasting time as needed."
-author Andrea Chesman

Serves 2-4

--2 T canola oil
--1 tsp ground cinnamon
--1 tsp ground cumin
--1 tsp salt, or more to taste [I used non-iodized sea salt]
--1/4 to 1/2 tsp ground chipotle chile (or substitute another ground chile) [I learned my lesson with chipotle in the past; I used 1/4!]
--1 large or 2 medium rutabagas, peeled and cut into matchsticks [I like how that casually says to "cut into matchsticks" - that is 95% of the labor for this recipe. And I wouldn't say they looked like matchsticks when I was done. I don't have a clue what a medium vs. large rutabaga looks like; I just bought 2 and used both.]

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a large sheet pan (preferred) or shallow roasting pan with oil.

2. Combine the oil, cinnamon, cumin, salt, and ground chipotle in a large bowl. Add the rutabaga and toss to coat. Transfer to the prepared pan and arrange in a single layer. [The amount of matchsticks I had was not enough for 1 baking sheet in a single layer. I used 2 baking sheets.]

3. Roast for about 25 minutes, until tender and lightly browned, stirring or shaking the pan occasionally. Serve hot.

[The book doesn't provide nutritional facts, but other than the oil, this is a ridiculously healthy and simple recipe.]

Zucchini and Corn Saute

I got this recipe from a Taste of Home "clip and save" booklet that proved to have some nice recipes. This one will be added to my Quick & Easy file!

2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
1 medium green pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium sweet red pepper, thinly sliced (when I went to Walmart, they were actually OUT of red peppers, so I used 2 green peppers and diced a tomato for color)
2-3 tablespoons of vegetable stock
2 cups fresh or frozen corn
1 tsp garlic salt (I didn't have garlic salt, so I just used garlic powder, sans salt)
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning (ahem, I didn't measure, so I probably used more than that)

In a large skillet, saute zucchini and peppers in vegetable stock until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Add remaining ingredients; saute 3-4 minutes longer or until the corn is tender. (It took longer than 8 minutes total to saute it to tenderness, FYI.)

Yield: 10 servings. (This is the original Yield amount given; I think it's a bit AMBITIOUS. Maybe 5-6 servings, if it's used as an entree instead of a side.)

A closeup of Darra with her cute paws.

Chapter 2: Lots of Recipes

I have never cooked so much in my life, but I really feel like I'm becoming a better COOK. Inevitable, I guess, when you COOK 3 meals a day (not just throwing a sandwich together or pointing someone to the cereal box).

These recipes are so easy to make that even someone like me can make them, and they will taste good. Hard to mess them up. Unless you use more cayenne than the recipe calls for.

One of the cool things about these recipes is that some of the dessert recipes can be used for BREAKFAST! How awesome is that. Yawn, I think I'll get out of bed and go fix myself some dessert!

Anyway, here are two shakes that qualify as both, followed by several other recipes I've tried out that were really good:

Banana-Berry Shake
Makes 2 servings

1 banana
1 bag frozen or 1 box fresh strawberries (I think frozen is better for a “smoothie” texture)
1 cup regular soymilk or skim milk (I used vanilla soymilk)
1 T. ground flaxseed

Blend all ingredients together in a food processor, blender, or Vita-Mix. This can also serve as a breakfast.

Jenna’s Peach Freeze
(Don’t know who Jenna is)
Makes 2 servings

1 frozen banana (slice a banana and freeze it a few hours before)
2 large dates, or 4 small (I chopped them to make it easier on the regular blender)
3 peaches or nectarines
¼ cup vanilla soymilk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. cinnamon (I doubled this)

Cut up the bananas and fruit. Mix all ingredients together in a blender or Vita-Mix. This can also serve as a breakfast.

SIDES

Swiss Chard and Vegetables for Dummies
(for lack of an official title)
Makes 3 servings

1 shock/pack/bunch? of Swiss chard (found at Publix in the lettuce section, but not available at Walmart, alas)
1 zucchini, sliced
1/4 c. chopped white onion
1/2 package of sliced mushrooms
1 tomato, sliced
1/2 c. or so of vegetable broth (enough to cook/saute)

Cut off stems of Swiss chard up to the leaves. Cut leaves in half or thirds. Steam until wilted. (It wilts to only about half its size, as opposed to spinach, which loses about 99.9% of its volume.)

After getting the Swiss chard started, slice the zucchini, dice the onion, and slice the tomato. Put them, and the mushrooms and broth, in a skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently or occasionally, whichever makes you less nervous, until vegetables are tender. Serve the veggies on top of the Swiss chard (which tastes similar to spinach but not quite; for a recipe that contains no salt, it was quite salty! thanks to the Swiss chard).

Broccoli Vinaigrette
Makes 2 servings

1 bunch broccoli
¼ cup seasoned rice vinegar (I used regular rice vinegar)
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 large garlic cloves, pressed or minced (I doubled this)
1 T. flaxseed for those on the ETL diet (optional)

Break the broccoli into bite-sized florets. Peel stems and slice them into ¼-inch thick strips. Steam florets and stems for 10 minutes, or until just tender. While the broccoli is steaming, whisk the rest of the ingredients in a bowl. Add broccoli and toss to mix. This was GOOD!

ENTREES

Tofu Chow Mein
Makes 5 servings – it’s a lot!

2 cups cabbage, chopped
2 cups onions, sliced (1 white onion)
sesame or almond oil
1 lb. tofu, diced (I used a marinated teriyaki package tofu from Trader Joe’s)
2 cups peas (frozen, which was fine)
2 cups mushrooms, sliced (1 8-oz. package)
1 T. arrowroot powder
1 T. low-salt soy sauce, tamari, or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (I used the tamari)
1 tsp. Oriental seasonings (I use Emeril’s Asian Essence)
1 (15-oz.) can water chestnuts, sliced
2 cups mung bean sprouts (1 package)

In a covered pan or wok, sauté the cabbage and onions in 1 teaspoon of sesame or almond oil. Cook for 5 minutes and then add the tofu, peas, and mushrooms. In a separate small bowl, mix the arrowroot powder and the soy sauce with 3 T. of the liquid from the cooking mushrooms ro from the canned water chestnuts (I used the latter, and I also DOUBLED this part for flavor). Add this mixture, the seasonings, the water chestnuts, and the bean sprouts to the sauté mixture and mix well. Cook for 3 more minutes.

Tofu (or Bean) Spinach Pot
Do not ask me why they call this “pot”
Makes 4-5 servings

1 lb. firm or extra-firm tofu, cubed - I used half a pound/package, then added
1 can of red kidney beans, drained
1 (10-oz.) box frozen spinach, thawed (I used a 16-oz. bag)
3 tomatoes
2 T. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. cayenne
1/8 tsp. onion powder (I doubled this)
½ cup vegetable broth

Saute all the ingredients in the vegetable broth. Any type of bean may be substituted for the tofu.

SOUPS

Tomato Barley Stew
Makes 6 servings!

1 cup celery juice (I didn’t have any, so I substituted vegetable broth)
1 medium white onion
2 carrots, diced
1 zucchini
1 baked or boiled potato (no skin)
¼ cup unrefined barley (didn’t have, so used pearled instead)
6 tomatoes, chopped
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped (about 1 small pkg)
8 oz. white mushrooms, chopped

Heat 1 cup of water and the juice/broth on a low flame. Add the onion, carrots, zucchini, and potato. Let simmer about 1 hour (I only did a half hour, and it was soft enough) and then blend in blender or Vita-Mix blender. Return pureed mix back to the pot and add the barley, tomatoes, dried tomatoes, and mushrooms and simmer for another 45 minutes (which was a half hour for me).

The Great American Pastime: Chapter 1

I guess I need to forewarn that this is a lengthy post. And yet, still worth reading!! Mouth-watering, too.

So my sister is on this diet through her work, and she's already lost over 20 pounds in the first few weeks. John and I decided to look into it.

The diet is based on the Eat to Live book, by Dr. Joel Fuhrman; if you want a shorter overview, you can visit his website. (But if you end up being really interested, you need to read the book.)

I have never been on a diet and have never considered doing one. John has really been the impetus for starting this diet. Having read 8 of the 10 chapters so far of the book, however, I have begun to look at food in a completely different way. Like any book about a diet, it touts the weight loss that people will experience if they go on this diet. But I don't really need to lose weight (sure, 5-10 pounds would be nice, but I still consider myself to be thin enough). I am going on this diet for my health.

Dr. Fuhrman's conclusions are backed up by data that the reader can understand, and like any good debater, he also addresses the competition's pros and cons (mostly cons). The thing about diets is that "going on" one implies that you will eventually "go off" it. Not so with this one. Because of the health aspect, it's a diet for life.

When people today hear diet, they think of "a limitation on the amount a person eats for reducing weight," and it's usually temporary so people can get back to "the good stuff." But the FIRST definition of diet is "food and drink considered in terms of its qualities, composition, and its effects on health." THAT is what I mean by saying, I am going on this diet.

Eat to Live is a vegan diet, or if you feel you can't eliminate meat and dairy entirely, then it can also be modified into a vegetarian diet that includes very little animal food. Basically, over 90% of the diet consists of vegetables, fruits, and beans/legumes.

Saying that this is a radical change in the way we'll eat is an understatement. I have slowly switched out the items in the pantry and refrigerator that aren't needed anymore (giving them away to a food pantry and my in-laws - AND feeling very guilty for giving them food that I now know is not very healthy!!).

I'll chronicle the journey with recipes that ANYONE can use, whether on a diet or not, as well as my usual stunning commentary.

I'm starting off the diet by using the one-week sample menu plan that's outlined in Ch. 9, with some modification, since I don't have the powerful veggie blender he talks about in some of the recipes. Officially, today is Day 2 on the diet. Since I've slowly been phasing out meat and dairy, however, we've already sort of experienced some effects.

For example, today I felt full ALL day, and only ate lunch and supper because it was time to do so. No snacks were necessary today (snacks are "allowed" - as much as you want of fruits/veggies/beans). (See Eat to Live Ch. 6, especially p. 118 for the reason behind this phenomenon of feeling full.)

Last night for supper, we had salad - every lunch and supper is to begin with a big salad - and the suggested Acorn Squash Supreme and Swiss chard with vegetables.

HOLY COW. For preparing my first truly vegan meal, I have to say it kicked butt. It was SOOOOO good, and I am not exaggerating. The squash didn't even taste like squash. The recipes are at the bottom of the post.

I read some of the online reviews of the book at Barnes & Noble, and I had to agree with one guy, who said that the recipes are aimed more at people who are more familiar with cooking than today's generation; some of the meal suggestions leave out a lot of detail.

Here's an example of what I mean, using last night's Swiss chard: "Steamed Swiss chard and zucchini cooked with onions, mushrooms, and stewed tomatoes."

Now, as a VERY pedantic person, I'll translate that into how I actually read it: "Swiss chard? What the heck is that? (Note: call sister and ask.) How much zucchini? What kind of onions? How many mushrooms, onions, and stewed tomatoes? What ARE stewed tomatoes, and is that a separate step? (Note: call sister and ask.) What do I cook these WITH, since olive oil is taboo? Do I cook them all together, or cook the vegetables together, then put them on top of the separately steamed Swiss chard?"

I almost broke out in hives just worrying about it. After calling my culinary encyclopedia, I got a better idea of what to do, and - this is a testimony to how far I have come in the kitchen, as well as in my personal psychological journey - I WINGED IT and got great results. Note: Usually, me "winging it" brings about culinary catastrophe.

Such as this morning, when breakfast for Day 2 called for, among other things, "1 cup of oatmeal." We're talking, using OATS FROM SCRATCH instead of Quaker's Already Flavored stuff. It was your typical terrible oatmeal, BLAH and thick and dry, but I'm working on it. I also learned the recipe probably means "1 cup of COOKED oatmeal," not dry.

And so the recipes:

Acorn Squash Supreme
(which John said he liked, and he doesn't like squash at all)
Makes 2 servings

1 large acorn squash
4 T. diced dried apricots
2 T. chopped raw cashews
1 (15-oz.) can unsweetened, crushed pineapple, juice reserved
2 T. raisins
cinnamon

Turn on the oven to 350 degrees. Cut squash in half, remove seeds, and bake facedown in 1 inch of water for 45 minutes.

Dice the apricots, then cover them in a bowl with some of the pineapple juice. On top, add the pineapple, raisins, and cashews. Let stand and soak while the squash is cooking.

After the squash has cooked, mix up the fruit in the bowl and scoop it into the squash's center. Cover with aluminum foil and bake covered for an additional 30 minutes. [Paranoid Cook's Comment: Leave the 1 inch of water in there, or dump it?! I left it. Just be careful that all the topping doesn't fall into the water.] Sprinkle with cinnamon, then put it back in the oven for 5 more minutes.

Swiss Chard and Vegetables for Dummies (for lack of an official title)
Makes 3 servings

1 shock/pack/bunch? of Swiss chard (found at Publix in the lettuce section, but not available at Walmart, alas)
1 zucchini, sliced
1/4 c. chopped white onion
1/2 package of sliced mushrooms
1 tomato, sliced
1/2 c. or so of vegetable broth (enough to cook/saute)

Cut off stems of Swiss chard up to the leaves. Cut leaves in half or thirds. Steam until wilted. (It wilts to only about half its size, as opposed to spinach, which loses about 99.9% of its volume.)

After getting the Swiss chard started, slice the zucchini, dice the onion, and slice the tomato. Put them, and the mushrooms and broth, in a skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently or occasionally, whichever makes you less nervous, until vegetables are tender. Serve the veggies on top of the Swiss chard (which tastes similar to spinach but not quite; for a recipe that contains no salt, it was quite salty! thanks to the Swiss chard).

Thrill of Victory & Agony of Defeat

I had a culinary epiphany this week: when I try out something new, if it's an entree or side, it will turn out pretty well; if it's dessert, I'm sunk.

Once a month, the women's ministry at our new church has an evening gathering planned on a theme (each person brings chili one month, or hors d'oeuvres the next). This past week, the theme was dessert. I chose to do something I NEVER do: make something I've never made before - for strangers. This goes against my code; why make something new for guests when it could flop? Then you're left with egg on your face while eating pizza. When I cook, I feel like a magnet for Murphy's law.

For this dessert night, I determined to be Original and not bring cake, pie, cheesecake, brownies, or the usual array. Instead, I turned to the culinary bible of my family: The Yellow Cookbook. This cannot be found in any stores. It has no ISBN number. It is as old as my husband. It is the 1980 East White Oak "Credible Edibles" cookbook with a now-shabby cover, containing recipes from the women of the church at that time. My mother, all my aunts, and both grandmothers have this book. One aunt finally accepted the degredation of time and food spillage; she took the book apart and put each page in a sheet protector, and put all those in a sturdy binder. I received my coveted copy when my paternal grandmother moved into an assisted living apartment, and she didn't have to cook her meals anymore.

The dessert I decided to make was taken from this book, and I picked a recipe that I have tasted before ... because it was submitted for the cookbook by my other grandma. It's called "Under the Red Sea" jello; the bottom layer is made with lime jello, cool whip, cream cheese, and some other ingredients, while the top layer is simple red jello.

It turned out to be a semi-disaster, as you have probably inferred. It ended up looking quite terrible because I poured the red jello on top too soon (though it still TASTED great). So I didn't take it along but instead whipped up some instant chocolate pudding with cool whip and a garnish of chocolate chips, attending the dessert night in mourning.

However, the week was not a total culinary loss. One night I turned to my trusty friend, Betty Crocker, who wrote Cook It Quick! for people just like me, whose culinary library also contains Cook Your Meals The Lazy Way (which, when I first read it a few years ago, brought disappointment - you actually still have to COOK?). I made Lemon-Dill Chicken, and it was pretty good. (Yes, I DID actually take this picture with my manual camera. And note to Gail: I used dried dill weed, not fresh!) Here is the recipe:

Lemon-Dill Chicken (6 servings)
(Note: I only used 3 chicken breasts, but still made the same amount of sauce.)

Ingredients:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) margarine or butter
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth (I used the wine)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 medium green onion, sliced

1. Melt margarine in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in margarine about 6 minutes, turning once, until light brown.

2. Mix wine, dill weed, lemon juice and salt; pour over chicken. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until juice of chicken is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut. Remove chicken from skillet; keep warm.

3. Meanwhile, heat wine mixture to boiling. Boil about 3 minutes or until reduced to about half; pour over chicken. Sprinkle with onion.

1 serving: Calories 200; Fat 11g; Cholesterol 60 mg; Sodium 240mg; Carbohydrate 1g (Dietary Fiber 0g); Protein 24g

Good Fixin's

Many moons ago when we lived at our apartment and eeeeevil Publix was close enough to walk to, I stopped in for some essentials on the way home from work. I only did that when it was one or two items that I didn't want to drive all the way to Wal-Mart for (which is my preferred grocery store because I don't CARE what "bad" things people in big cities or New England say about Wal-Mart!!), even though Publix is ridiculously expensive.

In the back of the store, I noticed free recipe cards, in full glossy color, and pre-hole-punched. As one who values efficiency and needs all the culinary aid I can get, I was totally impressed. The catch -- it would be more convenient if you paid the $7 to buy the binder (with tabbed dividers) to put those nice cards in. But I figured, if the store keeps providing free new cards, basically you've just paid $7 for a nice cookbook.

But these "Apron's" cards, as they are called, have more than just the recipe on them. Each card contains: a shopping list (organized by location in the store), required utensils and cookware, prep time, at least 2 recipes (the entree AND a side dish), the sequence in which to cook each item, suggestions for additional simple side items, nutrition facts for each dish, and shortcuts/tips.

HOW COOL IS THAT. You don't need to think at all about what to serve with your entree! Everything is laid out for you. The recipes, and all the other information, are online, and they even provide video (of someone making it, I assume; I haven't watched it to know).

So a few weeks ago, I made Dijon Thyme Pork with Scalloped Potatoes and Apples. The recipe can be found here. John has never raved about anything I've made as much as he raved about this one. Seriously, it was almost embarrassing. (That's not to say that he doesn't show great appreciation for other things I've cooked, but they're ordinary meals, like meatloaf. I could serve that every day of the week, and he would think he's in heaven.)

I've got quite a collection of recipe cards in my little binder, but now Publix is very far away from our house. I'm not even sure where the nearest Publix is. But I think one is being built a few blocks away, so eventually I'll be able to nip into Publix and score some cards without buying anything.

In the mean time, I've tried not to bite my nails too much over the fact that in the 3 months since I've visited a Publix, who knows how many cards have gone out of circulation that I didn't get. O the perfectionist agony of not having a complete set!