Showing posts with label leftovers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label leftovers. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Mediterranean Millet Salad

Tender millet and chopped fresh & preserved vegetables tossed with a lemony herb vinaigrette, this gluten free whole grain salad is satisfyingly flexible.


Mediterranean Millet Salad


Are you a millet eater? Millet curious? I developed this recipe because I was the latter, and now I am the former. After reviewing the Whole Grains Council's website with my healthy eating coach, she challenged me to pick a new-to-me grain and try it.
I picked millet, and here we are.

Throughout the winter I've made this salad with a rotating cast of leftover cooked vegetables, fresh vegetables, preserved vegetables, and herbs. My method pretty much goes like this--step 1, put millet and water in the Instant Pot and, step 2, while the Pot is coming up to pressure open the crisper and figure out what's going to be in the salad that day.
It’s hearty enough to keep me satisfied for a while, and I can load it up with plenty of fresh veggies to make it feel like Spring has truly sprung even though the muddy garden doesn’t quite agree. 
Because I've made this so often I've got some tips & tricks for you.

Wednesday, April 5, 2017

Avocado Egg Salad Sandwich with Hummus and Watermelon Radish for #EasterWeek

A dairy free vegetarian recipe to use up hard cooked eggs, this avocado & egg salad sandwich is extra creamy thanks to hummus plus the colorful crunch watermelon radishes.


photo of an avocado egg salad sandwich with watermelon radish and hummus


Welcome to day 3 of #EasterWeek hosted by Bernadette from Rants From My Crazy Kitchen!


This week we are celebrating Easter and Bernadette’s blogging anniversary with all kinds of delicious recipes and a giveaway! From appetizers to ham recipes, we have everything you need for a great Easter dinner or brunch, and one lucky winner will receive a $200 Amazon gift card.  Scroll down for more details!

how to make an avocado egg salad sandwich with watermelon radish and hummus


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A vegetable-filled vegetarian recipe to use up hard cooked eggs, this avocado & egg salad sandwich is extra creamy thanks to hummus, and with the colorful crunch watermelon radishes.


I'm a practical cook yet I tend to creativity in the kitchen. Planning meals is NOT a paper and pencil exercise, it's more me staring at the fridge and seeing what containers I can empty to create space. Turning bits of leftover meats into pizza toppings is one inspired way I keep our family's Friday Night Pizza Night interesting, as described in My Pizza Primer. Adding Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) produce to the family meals is a constant source of inspiration--actually the purpose of this website. Repurposing leftovers is yet another source of inspiration for me, and the reason for today's recipe.


behind the scenes making an avocado egg salad sandwich with watermelon radish and hummus
Vincent and Simon are waiting for a crumb to fall. Any crumb. They aren't picky.


Monday, March 21, 2016

Whole Wheat Banana Peanut Butter Cake

Bananas and peanut butter with Reese's pieces and chocolate chips in a whole grain snack cake. This is a terrific way to use up leftover bananas for a sweet treat.


Bananas and peanut butter with Reese's pieces and chocolate chips in a whole grain snack cake. This is a terrific way to use up leftover bananas for a sweet treat.


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It is rare in my house that a bunch of bananas get consumed, one at a time, each at their peak (which, for me, is without a tinge of green or a speck of brown to mar that pretty yellow peel). Sometimes I feel like the bunch stays bright green for days, and then a matter of the few hours I'm asleep and out of the kitchen each night, they magically turn a mottled brown.


Bananas and peanut butter with Reese's pieces and chocolate chips in a whole grain snack cake. This is a terrific way to use up leftover bananas for a sweet treat.


Don't misunderstand, I love the flavor of an actual ripe banana, and if I want to bake or smoothify when I hit the store I'll look first for marked down "ripe" [NOT OVERRIPE, THEY ARE PERFECTLY RIPE sorry to shout] bananas. But eating out of hand, public banana style, I like my bananas a pure yellow.


I am nattering on about bananas so I can tuck some photos here and there because I've got 2 different photo sessions with this cake. Last summer, at the conclusion of marching band camp, we had probably close to half a case of nicely ripe bananas left. They were too far gone for me to eat. Too far gone on a Friday afternoon to make it to the Foodbank Monday morning for subsequent distribution. Too far gone to act on when the kid needed to be hauled to the next activity. [As an aside, my son had 4 things going on last summer between sports camps and school camps and life forums and college visits, and all 4 of them happened in less than a 3 week stretch. Oy.]


Bananas and peanut butter with Reese's pieces and chocolate chips in a whole grain snack cake. This is a terrific way to use up leftover bananas for a sweet treat.


These bananas needed to be used or put up right away, so the other volunteers and I divvied them up and I took home an armful. Did you know you can freeze bananas by opening the freezer door/drawer and chucking the banana inside? Simple as that. No need to wrap or peel or dice or any of that. Nature made the perfect freezer wrap for bananas and I don't mess with nature too much. If you have an organized freezer you may wish to place the banana, but my freezer is usually so full that I open it a tad, hope nothing cascades out, chuck in the bananas and close it up quick.

Friday, March 11, 2016

Cheesy Roasted Potato and Egg Pizza

This grilled pizza recipe combines fresh eggs with roasted potatoes and a thick layer of creamy gouda cheese.

This grilled pizza recipe combines fresh eggs with roasted potatoes and a thick layer of creamy gouda cheese.



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In addition to the Strategic Winter Squash Reserve, potatoes are one of the longest-storing vegetables from the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm share. During the late winter I've got a few carrots in the crisper, lots of vegetables put up in the freezer, as well as potatoes and winter squash in the basement Strategic Winter Squash Reserve. One of the ways I'm feeding my family locally-grown produce year round, even while we live in an Ohio that doesn't know if it's winter or Spring this week.


When I roast potatoes I always roast a bunch more than I think we'll eat. It's part of the whole 'cook once eat twice' routine. My daughter will eat leftover roasted potatoes for breakfast or snack (sometimes after checking to see if I planned to use them for a dish, sometimes not bothering to check). When I put leftover roasted potatoes on a pizza I want to make sure I'm cooking the pizza fast so the potatoes don't dry out. Tossing the potatoes with olive oil and covering them with cheese helps. Heck, covering many things with cheese helps. Perhaps not the dust & dog hair bunnies . . .


This grilled pizza recipe combines fresh eggs with roasted potatoes and a thick layer of creamy gouda cheese.



I chose to share this pizza now because the eggs made me think of Easter. I like seeing photos of Facebook of my friend's new chicks--they are so interesting and cute and varied looking, it's no wonder their eggs will all end up varied and interesting looking as well.


For more recipes using potatoes, please see my Potato Recipes Collection. It's part of the Visual Recipe Index by Ingredient, a resource for folks like me eating seasonally (and no, that doesn't mean just Cadbury Creme Eggs) from the farm share, the farmer's market, garden & grocery abundance. I'm sharing more pizzas on my Visual Pizza Recipe Index, and this will go in the Vegetarian Pizzas category. If you're into Pinterest, I pin interesting pizzas to 2 boards, so follow me on Pinterest. I'm sharing articles and recipes on my FB page, follow me there. And I just learned of the hashtag #dailypizza so I may try that out on Instagram, but for behind the scenes photos follow me on IG. Want to know How To Use This Blog?

Friday, January 8, 2016

Sauerkraut and Summer Sausage Pizza

Ball park flavors in a home made pizza. This pie takes the sausage & sauerkraut combo and tops it with smoked mozzarella for a new twist on pizza night. If you've got holiday leftovers you're nearly ready to bake.



Ball park flavors in a home made pizza. This pie takes the sausage & sauerkraut combo and tops it with smoked mozzarella for a new twist on pizza night.



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In addition to the chocolate oranges, My Mother's Lefse and the Swedish meatballs, another traditional holiday food is a beef stick or summer sausage. If I don't get one, I pick one up at the store. A quick snack of a few slices of sausage + cheese + crackers + fruit is a welcome treat this time of year.


Ball park flavors in a home made pizza. This pie takes the sausage & sauerkraut combo and tops it with smoked mozzarella for a new twist on pizza night.


The sauerkraut is a slightly different topping for pizza. I was inspired to use it watching the folks at Dewey's Pizza make a ball park pizza using mustard as sauce and topping with bratwurst and kraut. It tasted pretty darn awesome, and I wanted to make a version at home. When I learned that folks around the region eat sauerkraut during the holidays and at New Year's, I figured I had my topping combo for a pizza. Getting a marked down ball of smoked mozzarella from the fancy cheese counter was just bonus, you know?

Monday, November 30, 2015

Cream and Cereal Muffins #Muffin Monday

Got leftover cream? Got leftover cereal? This is milk and cereal with an edge. Save money and eat well by shopping your pantry first and combining your leftovers in a sweet-yet-wholesome breakfast snack.


Got leftover cream? Got leftover cereal? Save money and eat well by shopping your pantry first and combining your leftovers in a sweet-yet-wholesome breakfast snack of Grape Nuts cereal and cream muffins.

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The idea behind these muffins is to make a warm breakfast bread out of something you've got on hand after the holidays. After countless pre-Thanksgiving trips to the grocery store [where every year without fail I overhear some confused man on the phone asking his spouse about the difference between heavy cream and whipping cream--while his harried spouse is probably thinking 'I should have just gone but these pies won't bake themselves'] the last thing I feel like doing is yet another run. One way to Reduce Food Waste (link to my recent post about reducing food waste) is to shop your fridge and pantry first. That's how these muffins were born.

Friday, November 27, 2015

Deep Dish Easter Leftovers Pizza

A deep dish pizza with ham, green beans and sweet potatoes sandwiched between a mashed potato-spread pizza crust and a layer of provolone cheese. Turn those leftovers into a Friday Night Pizza!


A recipe for deep dish pizza with ham, green beans and sweet potatoes sandwiched between a mashed potato-spread pizza crust and a layer of provolone cheese. Turn those leftovers into a Friday Night Pizza!


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You may be wondering why, the day after Thanksgiving, I'm talking about Easter. It's quite simple--last year we had multiple Thanksgiving celebrations and I ended up with leftovers of both ham and turkey. I used the turkey, cranberry, and stuffing in my Deep Dish Thanksgiving Leftovers Pizza and made a different version with ham & green beans. I'm calling it Easter Leftovers Pizza because for Easter we usually serve ham, green beans, sweet potatoes and of course no holiday is complete without MA's Make Ahead Irish Mashed Potato Casserole.


A recipe for deep dish pizza with ham, green beans and sweet potatoes sandwiched between a mashed potato-spread pizza crust and a layer of provolone cheese. Turn those leftovers into a Friday Night Pizza!


Finding ways to repurpose your leftovers into something the family will enjoy is one way to reduce food waste. For more ways, please check out my Food For Thought--Reducing Food Waste post.


A recipe for deep dish pizza with ham, green beans and sweet potatoes sandwiched between a mashed potato-spread pizza crust and a layer of provolone cheese. Turn those leftovers into a Friday Night Pizza!


I must say I preferred this pizza, with ham & Alanna's World's Best Green Bean Casserole, to the turkey, cranberry, and stuffing version. I'm not sure why, taste is subjective after all. Perhaps it's because I just really love my turkey leftovers in sandwiches spread with Cranberry Salsa.


A recipe for deep dish pizza with ham, green beans and sweet potatoes sandwiched between a mashed potato-spread pizza crust and a layer of provolone cheese. Turn those leftovers into a Friday Night Pizza!


As an aside, I had my first Thanksgiving Leftovers sandwich last night, on a Buttermilk Potato Roll--recipe from Donna Currie's Make Ahead Bread: 100 Recipes for Bake-It-When-You-Want-It Yeast Breads (Amazon affiliate link) spread with both cranberry salsa and sweet potato casserole. Yum. This book was an early birthday present to me from my daughter, and I'm really looking forward to baking more from it. Consider it as a Christmas gift for the baker--or wannabe baker--in your life!

For more pizza recipes, arranged in categories like Pizza Dough recipes, Savory Pizzas with Fruit, Pizzas with Meat and Vegetarian Pizzas, all alphabetical with thumbnail photos because that's how I roll--please check out my Visual Pizza Recipe Index. I've also got a Friday Night Pizza Night board on Pinterest, if you follow me there. I suppose I ought to include here that I'm now on Instagram. And, as ever, I'm sharing stuff that catches my eye on my FB page. Would you like to know how to Use This Blog best? 

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Food for Thought: Reducing Food Waste

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Food for Thought:  Reducing Food Waste. Let's reduce the amount of food that goes into landfills by feeding hungry people the usable food, feeding animals the vegetative scraps, and composting the organic matter.
George Mertz of Patchwork Gardens CSA, delivering my Thanksgiving dinner yesterday, including a turkey grown by the Filbrun family of Maker's Meadow

Today's post is a tangent from my typical 'how to make the most of the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm share produce' recipe posts, but it is equally important to me: reducing food waste.


Food for Thought:  Reducing Food Waste. Let's reduce the amount of food that goes into landfills by feeding hungry people the usable food, feeding animals the vegetative scraps, and composting the organic matter.



Recently I attended the Montgomery County Food Summit [in Ohio. I grew up in Montgomery County, Maryland and went to school in Montgomery County, Virginia. There are lots of Montgomery Counties. Montgomery sure got around]. This was my 3rd year attending. The theme Hunger and the Local Food System didn't immediately make me say 'Wow! I don't want to miss this!' but I figured I'd learn something. It's always good to learn new things.


Food for Thought:  Reducing Food Waste. Let's reduce the amount of food that goes into landfills by feeding hungry people the usable food, feeding animals the vegetative scraps, and composting the organic matter.
Source


I was delighted by Barb Asberry's talk on The Perspective of Value: Food Waste in the Desert. The last time I'd listened to someone talk about municipal solid waste--part of a series of composting classes--I was NOT taking notes as fast as I could. Barbara hooked me with this:

Let's feed people. Not landfills.


Boy that sounds so simple. It's too easy to forget, when you set out your cans on trash pickup day, that your trash doesn't magically disappear. It has to go somewhere, and that usually means a landfill. My county is pretty average in the U.S., and 31% of the overall food supply is wasted. That's 133 billion pounds that could have gone to feed someone or some thing.

In our county waste stream, a bit more than one third of the solid waste is made up of pure trash, a bit more than that are things that can be recycled, and a bit less are things that can be composted. Most of the compostable material is food--it makes up 15% of the overall disposed municipal solid waste. [How do they determine this? Analyzing truckloads of trash. Fun!] Other compostable items include tissues/paper napkins, yard waste, and wood. As the pounds of food waste increase so do the pounds of trash and compostable food containers.

Food for Thought:  Reducing Food Waste. Let's reduce the amount of food that goes into landfills by feeding hungry people the usable food, feeding animals the vegetative scraps, and composting the organic matter.
Only one of these is really too far gone to eat--the smoothie that languished forgotten in the fridge.

In my kids' lifetime, the amount of food waste in Montgomery County has more than doubled, from 6.25% in 1996 to 15% in 2014. That's crazy! It's not like people aren't going hungry here, either. We're all paying for this waste--paying by needing to buy more food, paying more people to pick up the waste, paying companies to dispose of it using more fuel and more vehicles, paying environmentally by landfills reaching capacity at a faster rate. What can you do, in addition to the obvious (menu plan, buy what you need, compost at home)?

Start at home. Do the things in front of you.


This quote, from Mother Teresa via Ambassador Tony Hall who delivered the keynote, resonated with me. One person can make a huge difference.  While composting is a good idea--what about before you get to that point? Before the arugula has yellowed, before the cilantro becomes slimy? If you have usable food, feed a living thing with it.


Food for Thought:  Reducing Food Waste. Let's reduce the amount of food that goes into landfills by feeding hungry people the usable food, feeding animals the vegetative scraps, and composting the organic matter.
Source

You are probably donating to food drives this time of year. Know this--for every 24 bags of food assistance handed out in food pantries, soup kitchens, churches, shelters, etc across the United States, the federal government provides 23 of those bags [Michelle Riley, The Foodbank]. Vote to keep hungry people fed. Keep donating food. Don't forget to donate in January, April, July! Hungry people need food year round, not just during the holidays. 







I'll close with the following image. These cards were handcrafted by a Susan J of Chicago, IL. She sent them on to From Our Hearts, who sent them forward to where my spouse is deployed. To all the paper crafters who donate blank handmade cards to the troops--thank you.  It means a lot and I appreciate your talents. Happy Thanksgiving!


Food for Thought:  Reducing Food Waste. Let's reduce the amount of food that goes into landfills by feeding hungry people the usable food, feeding animals the vegetative scraps, and composting the organic matter.



Friday, November 13, 2015

Deep Dish Thanksgiving Leftovers Pizza

Thanksgiving leftovers (turkey, cranberry, stuffing and sides) tucked under a blanket of colby jack cheese for a deep dish pizza version of the traditional leftover bake.

Thanksgiving leftovers (turkey, cranberry, stuffing and sides) tucked under a blanket of colby jack cheese for a deep dish pizza version of the traditional leftover bake.


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I've been sharing Thanksgiving recipes lately, including my Round Up of Thanksgiving Recipe Round Ups (that is a mouthful, in oh so many ways). As much as I adore a table full of side dishes, that means there are inevitably leftovers.


Thanksgiving leftovers (turkey, cranberry, stuffing and sides) tucked under a blanket of colby jack cheese for a deep dish pizza version of the traditional leftover bake.


My favorite way to have Thanksgiving is to enjoy the main meal midday, then let everyone fix a plate of leftovers for dinner. Subsequent days bring turkey sandwiches, perhaps on a Multigrain Cereal Bun spread with Cranberry Salsa. But my current favorite way to enjoy leftovers the day after Thanksgiving is in a deep dish pizza.


Thanksgiving leftovers (turkey, cranberry, stuffing and sides) tucked under a blanket of colby jack cheese for a deep dish pizza version of the traditional leftover bake.


Even though I suck at planning out weekly menus, having a routine Friday Night Pizza Night means I know what's coming up at least. After I learned How Not To Make Lou Malnati's Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza I got creative trying other methods. My deep dish pizza confidence grew to the point that I made 2 versions of post-Thanksgiving deep dish pizzas. Here's the first one.


Thanksgiving leftovers (turkey, cranberry, stuffing and sides) tucked under a blanket of colby jack cheese for a deep dish pizza version of the traditional leftover bake.


This pizza has a bit of nearly every Thanksgiving side, in small spoonfuls scattered across a base of mashed potato-spread pizza dough. As I'm glad to eat everything together, this is a fun way to do that while making the most of the veggies that our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farmers put their heart and soul into producing.


Thanksgiving leftovers (turkey, cranberry, stuffing and sides) tucked under a blanket of colby jack cheese for a deep dish pizza version of the traditional leftover bake.


Friday, October 30, 2015

Whole Wheat & Parmesan Pizza Crust from Make Ahead Bread

Trigger warning: carbs. Lots of them. In oh so delicious ways. (insert Homer Simpson noises)

A pizza crust chock full of flavor from parmesan cheese, with a great chewy texture thanks to the addition of whole wheat flour. This recipe is made in stages, so when you've got a couple small chunks of time you'll end up with easy homemade pizza.


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A pizza crust chock full of flavor from parmesan cheese, with a great chewy texture thanks to the addition of whole wheat flour. This recipe is made in stages, so when you've got a couple small chunks of time you'll end up with easy homemade pizza.


When I am invited to spread the word about a new cookbook I am not encouraged to randomly share any old recipe that strikes my fancy from the book. Instead, publishers give us bloggers an approved selection of recipes and ask us to pick from that list. If there's a recipe using a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm share-sourced ingredient, or something that fits with my blog and appeals to my family, I'm glad to participate.

The cover of the cookbook Make Ahead Bread by Donna Currie. These recipes are made in stages, so when you've got a couple small chunks of time you'll end up with easy homemade pizza or other breads.


Last time I shared a brand new cookbook all about macaroni and cheese called Melt: The Art of Macaroni and Cheese (Amazon affiliate link). I did so because I could use a farm share pumpkin, filled with macaroni and cheese, as a recipe. That was a fun challenge and amazingly delicious. The flavor combo was so inspiring I went on to share 2 more variations on that theme, Macaroni and Cheese with Beet Greens, Ham and Manchego and Macaroni and Cheese with Roasted Winter Squash.

Today, and for my next post, I am sharing recipes from Donna Currie's book Make Ahead Bread: 100 Recipes for Melt-in-Your-Mouth Fresh Bread Every Day(Amazon affiliate link) in honor of the first anniversary of publication.

A pizza crust chock full of flavor from parmesan cheese, with a great chewy texture thanks to the addition of whole wheat flour. This recipe is made in stages, so when you've got a couple small chunks of time you'll end up with easy homemade pizza.


Looking through the assortment of publisher-selected recipes it was hard to narrow it down to one. So I didn't. Today, being a Friday and a traditional Pizza Night for our family I am sharing Donna's Whole Wheat & Parmesan Pizza Crust. Monday I've got a photogenic brunch treat with bicolor Sweet Potato and Pecan Monkey Bread. Again I've found recipes that use farm share-sourced ingredients as well as recipes that fit in with my blog and boy do they appeal to my family!

A pizza crust chock full of flavor from parmesan cheese, with a great chewy texture thanks to the addition of whole wheat flour. This recipe is made in stages, so when you've got a couple small chunks of time you'll end up with easy homemade pizza.


As I noted at the top, there's a trigger warning about carbs on this post. Looking through the recipes from Donna's book made me want to BAKE ALL THE THINGS! In fact, as I mentioned on my FB page, I weighed out more than 3 pounds of flour while baking on Saturday. And more on Sunday. I gave away bread to my neighbors, friends, and even my son's ACT test proctor because the kids and I were getting swamped with all of these yummy goodies and I am inspired to try more variations.

I'm baking like a fiend [do fiends bake? Maybe they'd be less fiendish if they did] so that on Tuesday, the one year anniversary of publication of Make Ahead Bread (Amazon affiliate link, still) my recipes will be added to a round up of recipes shared on Mother Would Know. Then we hope you buy a copy for yourself, for your local library, or for someone who will bake for you!

A pizza crust chock full of flavor from parmesan cheese, with a great chewy texture thanks to the addition of whole wheat flour. This recipe is made in stages, so when you've got a couple small chunks of time you'll end up with easy homemade pizza.
Needs a bit more kneading--this is when I added the salt and cheese.

For more pizzas ideas, since I fix one for my family nearly every Friday night, please see my Visual Pizza Recipe Index. I've got it broken down into pizza doughs (where this recipe will land), savory pizzas using fruit, vegetarian pizzas, and pizzas with meat toppings. I've got a Pinterest board of pizza ideas from around the web. On my FB page I often share what's going on in the kitchen as well as recipes and round ups that catch my eye. Want to know how to use this blog? Click here.

Monday, October 5, 2015

Trail Mix with Leftover Halloween Candy for #Choctoberfest

Got leftover Halloween candy? Mix it up and stretch it out with fruit and nuts for a {Leftover} Halloween Candy Trail Mix.



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Do you buy the Halloween candy that you like, or do you buy the Halloween candy that will not tempt you? [Does anyone actually like Bit-o-Honey?]





When I moved to Ohio I realized that, unlike the 4th of July, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas or New Year's, the day that Halloween is celebrated is not set in stone. Around here, some towns have their kids trick or treat on the weekend before October 31st for reasons that have escaped me. [Let's celebrate Thanksgiving on a Sunday, hmm? That actually makes sense, so you're not working all day long and then pulling the best American meal of the year out of your ear 24 hrs later.]





Our town always celebrates on the 31st, which means that many years our flat, well-lit, sidewalked town with houses close together is overrun with 'people from off' coming to double dip on their trick or treating. I am quite curious this year, as Halloween falls on a Saturday, to see what reasons folks will invent to come trick or treat in our town. It's possible folks will keep to their own towns, and in that case I'll need to change up my game. See, I usually buy candy I DON'T want to have leftovers of, so I am not tempted into additional snackage.


Using an overgrown volunteer zucchini and other squash for our jack-o-lanterns.
Using an overgrown volunteer zucchini and other squash for our jack-o-lanterns.

As a side note, I've got kids with peanut and dairy allergies on my block, so I always have 2 bowls of candy: one that only contains nut- and dairy-free packages (i.e., pure packets of sugary goodness) and one that may have nuts and/or dairy. I've got signs on each bowl, and often kids thank me. Consider doing that yourself.

Friday, April 24, 2015

Coconut Lime Cookies

Shredded coconut, fresh lime juice and lime zest bring a sunny tropical flavor to these white chip cookies.

http://www.farmfreshfeasts.com/2015/04/coconut-lime-cookies.html

This blog is where I share recipes that help me feed my family from the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm share. Typically, I'm trying to find ways to deal with a glut of kohlrabi or turnips, tomatoes or greens. Each December I am voluntarily overwhelmed with oranges because I love my kid and he loves marching band and the band sells Florida citrus as a fundraiser.

http://www.farmfreshfeasts.com/2015/04/coconut-lime-cookies.html

And now, limes.

Why am I overwhelmed with limes? In a word-Corona. We hit Costco for a sled hockey team dinner during a tournament and picked up a bag of limes to go with the adult beverages. As we divided up the remnants, I offered to take the excess limes. There I was--overwhelmed with limes and not a beer in sight.

http://www.farmfreshfeasts.com/2015/04/coconut-lime-cookies.html

I had 2 sweet ideas for these limes--cookies and cupcakes. Later this summer you'll see my Zucchini Lime cupcakes, but for now, since I think they are seasonal for a Cinco de Mayo dessert, please enjoy these Coconut, Lime & White Chip Cookies.

http://www.farmfreshfeasts.com/2015/04/coconut-lime-cookies.html
Assembly line: salt, lime zest, cookie dough, cookie sheet, dog.
Since I had all these limes, I wanted to make a cookie that actually used the juice of a lime in the batter. Easier said than done! I looked on the internet but ended up adapting the recipe on the back of the white chip bag for my first attempt. The flavor was fine--but there were too many chips and the cookie was too flat. I opted to base off of my Sunflower Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookie and use a bit of shortening to make a cakier cookie. I also dropped the amount of chips down and boosted the coconut up. I like the result, so I'm sharing that recipe.

http://www.farmfreshfeasts.com/2015/04/coconut-lime-cookies.html

These are not piña colada cookies--there's no rum [why is all the rum gone?]--but the flavors are tropical. The white chips I used were not white chocolate chips. Not entirely sure what flavor "white" is, but they worked well in this cookie. I forgot to take a full on ingredient photo--but I used Nestle White Baking Chips in these cookies.

http://www.farmfreshfeasts.com/2015/04/coconut-lime-cookies.html

If you want a coconut lime cookie with actual lime juice and lime zest, here's your recipe!

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Ham Ball and Black Eyed Pea Chirashi Rice

Continuing to upcycle a holiday ham, this time into New Year's good luck, while getting folks to eat a wide variety of vegetables as well.

http://www.farmfreshfeasts.com/2014/12/ham-ball-and-black-eyed-pea-chirashi.html

I am not a nutritionist nor much of an advice giver--but in my 8 years of experience with Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm share and 16 years of experience with, shall we say reluctant vegetable eaters [because if the child won't eat any type of vegetable, well, that's not a picky eater--you have to pick something in order to be picky, you know?] . . . .

This has been such a run on sentence I've lost the point. Let me sum up.

http://www.farmfreshfeasts.com/2014/12/ham-ball-and-black-eyed-pea-chirashi.html
If you have a wide variety of vegetables in your house, you are more likely to include a wide variety of vegetables in your meals. If you include a wide variety of vegetables in your meals, the folks eating your meals will ingest a wide variety of vegetables. Because we joined a CSA, my kids eat a wide variety of vegetables.
It's a bold statement--but if I'd served this recipe to my kids before we joined a CSA, or in the early couple of years, they probably would have picked out the ham balls and the rice and left the rest. Sure, while they've spent the last 8 years eating from the farm share they've also been growing up--that happens--but the unrelenting exposure to a wide variety of vegetables is the foundation of the change. Extrapolating from the end of season survey, we got more than 40 different vegetables over the course of the 20 weeks.  That's a wide variety, and more than I would have bought had it been up to me (ahem, mustard greens, turnips, and beets I'm talking to you!).

http://www.farmfreshfeasts.com/2014/12/ham-ball-and-black-eyed-pea-chirashi.html

This recipe is a great example of how having extra vegetables on hand means I'll add more veggies to our meals. It's also another way to get your New Year's good luck on without extra effort the day after the hoopla. For another New Year's Black Eyed Pea recipe, please see my Black Eyed Pea and Kale Salad in Salumi Cups.

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Sweet & Sour Ham Balls & Upcycling Food

Ham and ground beef form the base of these meatballs, baked in a sweet and sour sauce. Great as an appetizer or over rice. Read on for how I upcycle one holiday ham into 2 new dishes.

http://www.farmfreshfeasts.com/2014/12/sweet-sour-ham-balls-upcycling-food.html

As my brain kicks over into Holiday Mode [doubtless spurred by the failures--shown on my FB page--when I branch out in a new cookie direction despite having a baking deadline plus production quota for the Airmen's Cookie Drive] I'm uncovering a tendency to value traditional flavors over the latest food fad. [Not that I'm up on food fads--I'm utterly behind the times in food and fashion both.] During the holidays it seems, more than usual, I need to make each kitchen session count. That's where the second half of the post title, Upcycling Food, comes into play.

http://www.farmfreshfeasts.com/2014/12/sweet-sour-ham-balls-upcycling-food.html

Making a beloved Thanksgiving Leftovers Casserole--layering mashed potatoes, stuffing/dressing, turkey and gravy into one yummy dish--is not upcycling. I'm not making something entirely different with the leftovers, I'm just repackaging the same goodness in a different container. While I love that casserole, it's not the concept I wish to expound upon.  I want to talk about upcycling--making something entirely new out of previously used materials.

http://www.farmfreshfeasts.com/2014/12/sweet-sour-ham-balls-upcycling-food.html

When we moved in the back yard was partially fenced. We knew we'd be getting a dog [though we didn't know we'd get two more, then lose one, then get another--nor did we know that I'd start a blog and chronicle our pet population with pizza recipes] so we planned to have the partial fence removed and a new fence put in to completely enclose the yard. My clever spouse took a look at the still perfectly useful cedar fence and suggested he use it to make our raised beds.  As you can see through my little collage, it worked.  He upcycled the fence boards into raised beds which we filled with dirt, manure, leaves, and more manure. Then I grew food. It always comes back to the food with me.

http://www.farmfreshfeasts.com/2014/12/sweet-sour-ham-balls-upcycling-food.html

This recipe is from my grandma (Mrs Harry Olsen of Fort Frances, Ontario) who was given it by Kathleen Smith (Mrs George C.B. Smith). When my mom wrote in the notes that it was given to my grandma 'years ago' we're talking a long time ago! This recipe has been made in our family since when, Mom?
These ham balls use a pound of cooked ham--if you serve ham at a holiday meal, you can serve ham balls as an appetizer at a holiday party, then serve Ham Ball & Black Eyed Pea Chirashi Rice for New Year's good luck.  That's 3 different meals out of one ham, that's upcycling, and that's almost all I've got to say about that.*

Friday, November 7, 2014

Turkey, Cranberry, and Mashed Potato Pizza

Thanksgiving leftovers as pizza toppings--mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce dotted with turkey and topped with feta and cheddar cheeses.

http://www.farmfreshfeasts.com/2014/11/turkey-cranberry-and-mashed-potato-pizza.html

I'm going to share two Thanksgiving Leftovers Pizzas this month. One is for folks who don't want to make a special pizza dough, and the other is for folks who are game to try another of my new concoctions. Let's start with the easier one.

http://www.farmfreshfeasts.com/2014/11/turkey-cranberry-and-mashed-potato-pizza.html

I knew I wanted a layer of mashed potatoes as the base, and after Thanksgiving I made several attempts using my Make Ahead Irish Mashed Potato Casserole. But none of my efforts with actual Thanksgiving leftovers really thrilled me, so I waited until I saw some turkey marked down, threw some other sides in my basket, and tried again.

For this particular combination I made 3 different pizzas--one without any cheese, one with cheddar, and one with feta. The pizza really needs cheese [this Beef & Broccoli pizza works without cheese, though]. I found I preferred the duo of feta and cheddar together.

http://www.farmfreshfeasts.com/2014/11/turkey-cranberry-and-mashed-potato-pizza.html

You know, I don't think I'm going to type any more on this post. As I sit typing it up our newest addition, Robert Barker, is resting at my feet for his first night in his new home. I will share more of his story as I get to know him, but it's enough to say that he needs TLC more than I need to prattle on about pizza.

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Shepherd's Pie with Slow-Roasted Tomatoes and Green Beans

Ground beef, slow-roasted tomatoes, and green beans tucked underneath a mashed potato crust.

http://www.farmfreshfeasts.com/2014/10/shepherds-pie-with-slow-roasted.html

Do you have any roasted tomatoes in your freezer? Ever since I first read Alanna's tutorial on Slow Roasted tomatoes, I've managed to put up at least a few bags each year. This year it's been cool enough that I've been roasting and canning in equal amounts.

http://www.farmfreshfeasts.com/2014/10/shepherds-pie-with-slow-roasted.html

I add roasted tomatoes primarily to spaghetti sauce, but every once in a while I play, like with this Enchilada sauce. This recipe uses leftover mashed potatoes and slow-roasted tomatoes to make an improved--and soup can free [not that there's anything wrong with a can of soup] version of a family favorite casserole.
I usually make my beloved Shepherd's Pie with a can of tomato soup. Since I've canned so many tomatoes and learned how to make Creamy Tomato Soup with Home-canned Tomatoes I don't have any tomato soup cans left in the pantry. I've still got cream of chicken soup for my Turkey Divan, though, and I don't foresee altering that recipe any time soon. My family loves it just the way it is.  Except I've got a kale version coming . . . but hey, that was my spouse's idea.
http://www.farmfreshfeasts.com/2014/10/shepherds-pie-with-slow-roasted.html

When you've got excess fresh green beans it's simple to freeze them. Trim to bite size, snap off the ends and strings [yes, there are many stringless varieties but I like sitting around nagging snapping beans with my family. I think it builds character relationships]. Blanch the beans [quickly dip into boiling water for a minute until they are bright green, then scoop out and dunk in cold water]. Spin them dry, lay out on a parchment or wax paper-lined tray, and freeze for several hours. I usually do this when I'm cooking pasta--do the beans first--and freeze overnight. I never dunk my beans in an ice water bath.  If I ever live in a place with an automatic ice maker, perhaps I'll try it.  Once the beans are frozen, transfer to bags or jars for long term storage.