Eating Local: Egg Noodle Torte

Over the weekend I was inspired by an Epicurious Egg Noodle, Chard, and Fontina Torte recipe. It had all the local things in my fridge and looked quite stunning. So I tried it - what do you think?

This springy beauty is quite versitle. One could easily switch out the chard with spinach, the mushrooms with roasted peppers, and the cheddar with gruyere. Possibilities are endless. Here's how I pulled it together:

Ingredients: 1/4 cup olive oil 1/2 cup oyster mushrooms, sliced 1 bunch Swiss chard, chopped, stems and center ribs discarded 1 large onion, halved lengthwise, then cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices 1 1/4 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 tsp ground turmeric 1/4 pound dried tomato basil egg noodles 7 large eggs 1 cup whole milk 3/4 brick of cream cheese 1/2 pound dill cheddar cheese, grated

Method: - Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Grease springform pan with 2 teaspoons oil and wrap outside with foil. - Bring water to a boil in large stockpot - Cook onion in 3 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Add garlic and mushrooms, and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in chard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and remove from heat. Cool chard mixture to warm. - While chard cools, return cooking water to a boil and cook egg noodles, uncovered, until al dente. Drain pasta in a colander, then transfer to a large bowl and toss with remaining teaspoon oil. Blend together eggs, turmeric, milk, cream cheese, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a blender until smooth. - Stir chard and cheddar into pasta mixture, then stir in egg mixture. Pour into greased springform pan set in a large shallow baking pan (to catch any drips). Pat down chard to make surface even if necessary. - Bake until just set and top is golden brown, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Cool in springform pan on a rack 10 minutes, then run a small sharp knife around inside edge of pan to loosen torte. Remove side of pan and serve torte hot or warm.

This alone is a great meal. The ribbons of chard weave through the egg noodles and the cream cheese makes for a smooth finish. We had enough left over for a "breakfast-dinner" the next night!

Eating Local: Grilled Cheese Sammies w/ Hydroponic Tomatoes

It was 80 degrees today. This weather does not inspire soup, chili, burgers, or pasta. This weather inspires a gin & tonic! For some odd reason I was compelled to buy the beautiful gems pictured above. They are hydroponically grown tomatoes from Hummingbird Farm. The farm is located on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, an hour or so from my neighborhood. But lucky for me, Roots keeps them in stock. These tomatoes are exactly what I needed on a summery March day.

In order to get the best out of the tomatoes, I kept it simple. Bread from The Breadery, pesto from my freezer, cheese from........Italy. I know - for shame! The Taleggio jumped from the Roots cheese case into my shopping cart. Then it snuggled up to the tomatoes and bread - story over. My local meal was trampled by an Italian masterpiece. Thankfully, guilt doesn't get me down for long. I paid my penance in the garden by planting root veg, kohlrabi, chard & hearty herbs.

What are your fav ingredients between two slices of bread? Are you easily swayed by the temptations of Italian taleggio, French raclette, Danish gouda, or Wisconsin cheddar?

Tortilla Soup: change-up with chile & corn salsa

Over the past few weeks we've had bright cold days, overcast rainy days, and sunshine with 70 degree temps. On the dismal days I warmed up the fam with some soup. Instead of following my normal recipe for Tortilla Soup, I stirred in a jar of chile corn salsa, from TJs.

Thankfully - it was a hit! The salsa added a sweet vinegary punch to the soup. I'm thankful to have a few tricks up my sleeve when things get busy around here. Though this week will likely be filled with leftovers, they'll come together in a snap and keep the wild ones happy.

Do you have any weeknight recipes that feed a crew in a flash? I have to admit - some nights are just destined to be pizza nights!

Pizza Two Ways: Vegetarian & Sausage Extravaganza

Over the weekend we made some mighty fine pizzas. One was all veg and almost all local, for my Dark Days of Winter Challenge. Using ingredients from my garden, canned last summer, and a few non-local ingredients, olive oil, yeast and a smidge of mozz, I made a delicious Greek inspired pizza pie. The main ingredients were homemade tomato sauce, homegrown, roasted and preserved red peppers, homegrown and dried Greek oregano & and feta cheese fm Breezy Willow Farm. If you're interested in the veggie results, and you should be, check out the recipe and pics on my Eating Local: Feta & Roasted Red Pepper Pizza.

On to the meat!

Ingredients: For the dough ¼ cup white wine ¾ cup warm water 1 ½ ounces yeast 1 tablespoon honey 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons of semolina

For the sauce - 1 jar of homemade tomato sauce

For the toppings - 1 jar of roasted red peppers, drained, patted dry & sliced - 1 jar of green California olives, drained & sliced - 1/2 red onion sliced into THIN half moons - 1 lb of feta cheese broken up - 1 lb of hot Italian sausage, out of casings - 2-3 slices of mozzerella cheese - 1/2 tbsp dried oregano

Method: For the dough we love Mario Batali's recipe & stick to it -Combine wine, water and yeast in a large bowl and stir until dissolved. Add the honey, salt and olive oil and mix thoroughly. Start by adding 1 cup of flour and make a wet paste. Add remaining flour and incorporate. -Place dough on a lightly floured board and knead for 2 to 3 minutes. -Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a towel. Let rise for 45 minutes -Roll out the dough into your desired shape & sprinkle with semolina -In a hot skillit, brown the dough on each side (can also be grilled)

For the sauce -Warm up the sauce over a gentle simmer, only use enough sauce to coat the pie. You are not using the whole jar!

Top it & Broil it -in a pan, brown & break up the sausage - be sure to cook it through -in the same pan cook the onions -spoon sauce over the pizza then layer on the mozzerella, feta, onions, sausage, olives, and roasted red peppers -broil the pizza until its bubbly then top with the oregano (crush it in our hand while you sprinkle it)

Eating Local: Feta & Roasted Red Pepper Pizza

This week's DDC challenge has a vegetarian twist! To be honest - while I was shopping for local ingredients from Breezy Willow I spotted some sausages. No no no (as my 4yo would say) I kept to the constraints of the challenge, but my darling husband did not. He was overcome with sausage and made a tandem pizza...what a punk! If you're interested in the rule breaking meal - check out my Pizza Two Ways post. Time to talk veg.

Isn't she pretty? Almost too perfect to eat....

Over the weekend I raided my pantry and found a jar of roasted pequillo peppers (that I grew, roasted & canned), a jar of homemade tomato sauce (same story), and a nice jar of oregano - it smells heavenly. I needed cheese...that's when I headed to Breezy Willow and fell into meaty temptation.

In all the only non-local ingredients are yeast, salt, semolina, olive oil and a teensy tiny bit of mozzerella. Here's how I did it:

Ingredients: For the dough ¼ cup white wine ¾ cup warm water 1 ½ ounces yeast 1 tablespoon honey 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons of semolina

For the sauce - 1 jar of homemade tomato sauce

For the toppings - 1 jar of roasted red peppers, drained, patted dry & sliced - 1 lb of feta cheese broken up - 2-3 slices of mozzerella cheese - 1/2 tbsp dried oregano

Method: For the dough we love Mario Batali's recipe & stick to it -Combine wine, water and yeast in a large bowl and stir until dissolved. Add the honey, salt and olive oil and mix thoroughly. Start by adding 1 cup of flour and make a wet paste. Add remaining flour and incorporate. -Place dough on a lightly floured board and knead for 2 to 3 minutes. -Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a towel. Let rise for 45 minutes -Roll out the dough into your desired shape & sprinkle with semolina -In a hot skillit, brown the dough on each side (can also be grilled)

For the sauce -Warm up the sauce over a gentle simmer, only use enough sauce to coat the pie. You are not using the whole jar!

Top it & Broil it -spoon sauce over the pizza then layer on the mozzerella, feta and roasted red peppers -broil the pizza until its bubbly then top with the oregano (crush it in our hand while you sprinkle it)

Check out the pics below to see most of the steps of the dough process. As you can see, I had little helpers again!

The pizza really was divine and we had enough leftover to freeze. I cannot wait to open it up for lunch this weekend! As I use up all of the items I canned, dried & preserved last summer I can't believe spring is just around the corner.

And right now I'm in the process of starting all over again. As I type little tomato, pepper, onion, kale, and chervil seeds are sprouting in my basement!

Fish on Friday: Salmon w/ Farro Primavera

Last week I wrote my first Fish on Friday post. We devoured fish tacos with rice & pinto beans. Last night we enjoyed sesame crusted seared salmon with farro primavera. It was divine. Something about sesame seeds and wild salmon is magical. Try it - ASAP!

Farro is a grain, kind of like a wheatberry, used often in Italian cooking. I love Farro. It can be made into a tabbouleh salad, a risotto, among numerous other delicious dishes. Yesterday I soaked the farro or a few hours in water before cooking it. If I was going to make a risotto, I wouldn't have soaked it as long. Importance here: soaking farro = shorter active cooking time.

Ingredients: 1 salmon filet, patted dry 1 1/2 cups of farro, soaked for 2 hours in room temp water 1 leek, cleaned & sliced into half moons 1 package of shiitake mushrooms, sliced - stems removed & composted 1 bunch of asparagus, rinsed, chopped - ends removed & composted 1 package of pea shoots, rinsed & chopped 2-3 cups of vegetable stock 1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds 1/2 cup of freshly grated parmeasean cheese A couple of pats of butter A glug or two of olive oil 1/2 tsp dried thyme Salt & Pepper Garnish: dried tomato flakes, truffle salt or porcini salt

Method: - soaking the farro is important, don't skip this step - in a large pot, melt butter & olive oil - add (to the pot) the mushrooms, let them brown 5-6 mins - add leeks, cook a few mins then deglaze the pan with veg stock, salt the veg - add asparagus, farro, thyme, & the remaining stock - cover the pot & bring to a simmer, drop heat and stir occasionally - pat the salmon dry, (with paper towels) season with salt & pepper and coat with sesame seeds (both sides) - melt butter and olive oil in a sauté pan - when the sauté panis hot, gently place the salmon into the pan, depending on the thickness, cook 3-5 mins per side on medium/high - turn back to the farro, add the pea shoots, stir in the cheese, and check for seasoning. Put the lid back on but turn off the burner. - when the fish is done, plate it up, garnish with something yummy and eat eat eat!

Aside from the 2 hour farro soaking time, this came together really quickly...in less than 30 mins. It stores well to. I see farro for lunch in the near future! As for the garnishes, both of the mushroom salts were gifts - oddly enough from someone that doesn't like mushrooms - and they last years. The dried tomato flakes were made during my summer canning days, but I think you can buy them at Williams Sonoma these days.

Upcoming Friday Meals: Friday 3/9 - Cajon Shrimp w/ Rice & Beans Friday 3/16 - Fish & Chips w/ Mushy Peas Friday 3/30 - Mahi Mahi w/ Chimmichurri Sauce & Mushroom Orzo Friday 4/6 - TBD Since we'll be visiting with family

Eating Local: Seared Sirloin w/ Veg & Egg Noodle al Forno

This week's DDC meal came together with remarkable ease. After taking stock of the pantry, I had egg noodles, & our cravings we knew steaks would be necessary, it's been a while, but what local veg is around? A trip to Roots would fix that!

Ingredients: - 2 large carrots, diced - 3 medium rutabagas, diced - 1/2 large onion, diced - 4 cloves of garlic, still in paper - 1 bunch of chard, stems removed and given to my pup - 2 packages of egg noodles (1 if it is from the grocery store) - 2 cups of half & half - 2 cups of cheddar cheese, shredded - 1 large sirloin steak (2 lbs) - butter & olive oil (olive oil not local) - salt & pepper (not local) - a few grates of nutmeg (not local) - tsp of dried thyme - sprig of fresh rosemary - 1 cup of cooking water, after noodles have cooked

Method: For the pasta - preheat oven to 425 - add rutabaga, carrot, onion, garlic and thyme to sheet pan - toss the veg in olive oil, salt & pepper & roast for 40 mins, check at the 20 min mark & toss before putting back into the oven - get the steak out, let it rest on a plate - fill a large pot with cold water and bring to a boil - grate the cheese & nutmeg - prep the half & half - after the veg is done, and cooled for 5 mins, toss into a food processor with the half & half & process until smooth - lower oven temp to 350 - spoon into a dutch oven & add cheese, nutmeg & check for seasoning, warm over low heat - salt the boling water and cook noodles according to instructions, prob 4-5 mins tops - reserve 1 cup of the cooking water & add to veg purée {keep the water boiling} - add noodles to the purée & place in a 350 oven, bake for 10 mins - if you want to keep the nodles warm, drop the oven temp to 200 and keep the lid on - add chard to boiling water, cook for 5 mins - remove the chard, squeeze excess water & blitz in the food processor - stir the chard into the noodles

For the steak - in a large pan, add 1 tbsp butter and some olive oil, warm over med/high - season the steak with salt & pepper - sear the steak, turning every 3 mins until the the steak is cooked through - 13 mins is medium rare - just before the steak is done, toss in the sprig of rosemary - when the steak is done, allow it to rest for 5 mins before slicing - slice the steak, sprinkle rosemary leaves over then plate & enjoy!

Though the steaks were delightfully yum - the egg noodle al Forno was comforting and really what I was craving. The sweet roasted rutabagas and carrots blended perfectly with the half & half and homegrown thyme. Perfect for a cold February night.

Fish on Friday: Fish Tacos

During Lent we do fish on Fridays. In order to keep things interesting & (mostly) healthy, I planned out the menu for each week: Friday 2/24 - Fish Tacos w/ Pinto Beans & Rice Friday 3/2 - Seared Salmon w/ Farro Primavera Friday 3/9 - Fish Taco Repeat (we love them!) Friday 3/16 - Fish & Chips w/ Mushy Peas Friday 3/23 - Dinner Out @ Donna's Friday 3/30 - Dinner Out @ PF Chang's (my husband adores it) Friday 4/6 - TBD Since we'll be visiting with family

Up first, Fish Tacos! I got a little help from Trader Joes - fish & shredded cabbage - but the rest came together on a snap. Here's what I did:

Ingredients: For the slaw 1/2 cup of sour cream 1/4 cup of mayonnaise 1 lime, juiced 1 lemon, juiced 1 bag of shredded red cabbage, or 1/2 a head of red cabbage shredded 1 bunch of scallions, sliced 1 bunch of cilantro, washed (salad spinner works best) & chopped (stems too) salt & pepper

For the beans 3 cups of cooked pinto beans (2 cans) 1 shallot, diced 1/2 cup of frozen sweet corn chopped cilantro stems olive oil 1/2 cup of water 1 tbsp smoked sweet paprika salt & pepper brown rice (optional) garnish with: pickled jalapeños, hot sauce and/or cilantro

For the fish 1 package of you're fav frozen & breaded fish - we love trader joe's fish nuggets 1 package of tortillas, corn or small flour tortillas Shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Method: Slaw First - mix sour cream, mayo & citrus juices in a large dish (preferably that has a lid) - mix in sliced scallions, half of the chopped cilantro - season with salt & pepper - toss in cabbage, coat the sauce evenly - chill in the fridge, can go over night but needs at least 20 mins

The Fish - preheat the oven to the package instructions {while the oven pre-heats & the fish bakes - move on to the beans} - on a baking sheet, with a wire rack insert, place the fish - cook the fish according to the package instructions - allow to cool for 3-5 mins, then wrap them In a tortilla, sprinkle some cheese & top with the slaw

Beans - in a medium pot (keep a lid handy) on medium/high heat, sauté the shallots in olive oil, 5 mins - stir in beans, cilantro stems, & corn - season with paprika, salt & pepper - add the water and bring to a simmer - put the lid on & reduce heat to low - check for seasoning & plate when ready to eat - garnish w/ cheese, pickled jalapeños, and/or rice (we used Trader Joes frozen brown rice - cooks in the microwave in 3 mins!)

This meal fed 2 hungry parents and 1 ravenous 4 year old boy. We serve his taco in a small flour tortilla, seems easier for him to hold & feed himself. There was a lot of slaw leftover, so if you want to double the meal, I'd just double the fish & beans. Have you tried meal planning? It seems to work in small spurts for me...

Eating Local: Spicy Salsa Soup

Over the summer I grew then roasted lots of chili peppers (fish, jalapeño & cayenne) and canned lots of salsa. I knew that the majority of the salsa would be enjoyed with chips - but I wanted some to serve as a soup base. My salsa has the three peppers, local garlic, homegrown tomatoes, a little sugar/salt & lemon juice.

For this week's DDC meal I made a spicy soup from one jar of homemade salsa, homemade chicken stock, home-grown & canned roasted red peppers and a splash of local cream. Here's what I did:

Ingredients: 1 jar of salsa 1 jar of roasted red peppers, puréed in the food processor 4 cups of homemade chicken stock 1/2 cup of half and half or cream handful of fresh grated (local) cheddar or chèvre Salt to taste

Method: - put the salsa & stock into a large soup pot, warm over med/high heat - after you've blitzed the red peppers, stir them into the pot - allow the soup to come up to a simmer then drop the heat down to low - stir in the cream, or half & half - taste, then adjust seasoning with salt and/or more cream - top with a bit of cheese & enjoy!

Making & caning salsa is a breeze, even in the heat of the summer! I cannot wait to see how my tomatillos grow this summer - I see some canned salsa verde in my future!

Do you do anything different with your salsa? I bet it would be great as a chili-base too!

Insideout Chile Rellenos

Instead of stuffing the peppers (which were too small anyway) I took all of the bold flavors of chile rellenos, and let them simmer in the slow-cooker all day - yes the house still smells great! The key to this dish is the overnight rest in the fridge, it gives the poblanos and pork time to meld into perfection. For the cornbread, I was inspired by a 2008 Mark Bittman recipe, I set out to make a cornbread that was just sweet enough and balanced out the heat & smokiness of the poblanos.

Ingredients: For the chile rellenos

• 2.5 pound pork roast
• 2.5 pounds of tomatillos, husk removed, rinsed & quartered
• 1 large red onion, diced
• 6 cloves of garlic, smashed
• 1 quart of homemade chicken stock
• 4 small (or 2 large) roasted poblano peppers (mine came from the freezer)
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tbsp of kosher salt (taste for seasoning after the meat is cooked through)

For the cornbread

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal (not coarse)
• 1/2 cup of frozen corn, thawed
• 1/4 cup sugar in the raw
• 3/4 cup half & half
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 large egg

Method: Chile Rellenos

1. put it all in your slow cooker. Cook on high for 45 mins, then low for 5-6 hours. Check the meat for doneness around the 3 hour mark, it should pull apart easily with a fork.
2. for optimal taste, let it rest overnight
3. warm up the next day & serve with queso fresco, sour cream & rice (and cornbread too)

Cornbread - make as you're re-heating the rellenos

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan
2. Combine dry ingredients in a seperate bowl
3. Then mix eggs into half/half, corn, olive oil & sugar
4. Combine mixture into dry ingredients - do not over mix!
5. Pour batter into pan it and smooth out, & place the on on the center rack of the oven
6. Bake about 35-40 minutes, until top is browned and sides have pulled away from pan; a toothpick inserted into center will come out clean
7. Portion & drizzle with honey, I like lavender honey with my cornbread

What do you like to serve with your cornbread? Any secret/special ingredients?

Kimchi Stirfry w/ Prawns & Edamame

My kimchi stockpile is getting low. One our favorite ways to finish a jar of kimchi is by stirfrying it & serving it over rice. I dug into the freezer and found a few other items to bulk up the meal - frozen (shelled) edamame & jumbo prawns.

Ingredients: - 1 cup of kimchi (the older the better) - 1/2 cup of shiitake mushrooms, slice the caps & compost stems - 1/2 cup of frozen peas - 1/2 cup of frozen spinach - 2 cloves of garlic, smashed (for the shrimp) - 1 carrot, shredded - 2 baby bok choy, diced - 1 shallot, diced - 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar - 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds - 1 tbsp gojuchang - 1 package of frozen, shelled edamame (cooked according to package instructions) - use olive oil & sesame oil for stir frying - season with soy sauce - 15-20 colossal prawns, shelled & deveined (put the gunk & shells in your compost!) - 2 cups of rice, cooked according to instructions - garnish with a squeeze of lemon & garlic chili paste/more gojuchang

Method: - cook frozen edamame according to package instructions - cook rice according to package instructions, when done fluff with a fork and add 1/4 cup of toasted sesame seeds - in a large fry pan, heat up 2 cloves of smashed garlic olive oil & sesame oil - thoroughly dry prawns, then season with salt & pepper - fry the prawns over med/high heat until just opaque and crispy, 2-3 mins per-side max - in a seperate pan, stirfry all veg + kimchi in sesame oil until translucent, 10-15 mins, then stir in edamame. - stir in gojuchang & rice wine vinegar - plate rice, stirfry veg, then prawns - serve with more gochujang, sambal, and lime - dig in!

How do you use up kimchi?

25 Minute Dinner: Ravioli Soup

Having a recipe for lightning a fast dinner is a prerequisite for this cookin-workin-mama. Thankfully, I'm close to Trader Joes and am able to keep these essentials on hand for those time-suck/train is late evenings that just won't cooperate with my desires.

Ingredients: - 2 quarts of chicken stock (didn't have time to thaw my homemade stock!) - 1 bag of dried ravioli - 1 package of mirepoix - 1 red pepper, diced - 2 cloves of garlic, diced - olive oil - season with: red pepper flakes, oregano, thyme, salt & pepper - secret ingredient: a big squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Method: - get a pot of water boiling for the pasta, cook noodles according to package instructions - in a large pan, heat the olive oil & sauté the veg unil just translucent - add pepper flakes & herbs - stir in stock & simmer - taste before you season with salt & pepper - add noodle portion to bowl, drizzle with olive oil, then laddle soup over top & squeeze in the lemon

A squeeze of lemon really brings this dish together. This is a light dinner that easily adjusts to a vegetarian diet. Rice might be a nice substitution for the noodles just remember to cook it separately. If you have leftover soup, you don't want the rice sucking up all of the broth!

Leftovers: Beef Sandwich

The chuck roast was divine, but we had a lot leftover. Instead of completely reinventing the meal, I out it between some bread. I added some spicy mustard, melty gruyere and dinner was served!

Here's what I did -

Ingredients: - leftover roast beef - 1 cup grated gruyere - 1 baguette, halved & sliced down the middle - 1 tablespoon sambal (garlic chili paste) - 1 tablespoon dijon mustard - redleaf lettuce - thin slices of sweet bell pepper - garnish with pickled jalapeños

Method: - warm the leftover beef in its au jus - toast the bread under the broiler until just crisp to the touch, no browning (yet) - mix the sambal & mustard. To tame the heat, mix in a little mayo or creme fraische. - slather the bottom piece of bread with the sambal-mustard mixture, layer on beef & cheese - drizzle olive oil on the other piece of bread - put under the broiler until the cheese is bubbly - top with jalapeños, lettuce & bell peppers - take a big bite - you earned this!

What's your favorite way to use up leftovers? Do you ever have roast beef? After this sammy, I plan on making extra next time!

Valentine's Pasta al Forno

Pasta is a big deal in my house. It neatly incorporates (conceals) meat, veggies & greens - and always lasts a few days. A few years ago I started to make my own marinara sauce, I must have started around the same time I caught the gardening bug. When I had my fill of BLT sandwiches, I started to make/can my own marinara for quick dinners & soups come winter-time.

Valentine's Day is typically cold and the fam was in the mood for something baked & cheesy - time for pasta al forno. Pasta al forno translates into, baked pasta. Yum. Yum. Yum. After clearing the noodle shape with my 4yo (shells, please) I got started.

Ingredients: - 1 jar of homemade marinara - 1/2 bag of chopped frozen spinach - 1 Mozzerella ball (buffalo in water if your grocery store has it), sliced into rounds - 1/2 cup of shredded asiago cheese - 1/2 cup of shredded gruyere cheese - 2 cubes of frozen pesto cubes - parmigiano reggiano block, for grating on to pasta - 1 box of pasta, preferably something that will hold sauce like shells, ziti, penne, etc..

Method: - preheat oven to 425 - get a large pot of water boiling for the noodles, cook according to box instructions for al dente pasta, less 1 minute - in a sauce pot, bring marinara up to a simmer, add pesto cubes, & spinach - before the pasta is done cooking, find a large baking dish (ceramic or glass) - scoop pasta out with a hand strainer into the baking dish and ladle in the sauce. Stop to stir & switch off between noodles & pasta, slowly stirring (or you'll be wearing it) - top the pasta with the shredded cheese & lay the mozz circles on top - bake on the middle rack for 15-20 mins, until bubbly & brown under the broiler (totally woth it) - allow the pasta to cool for a few minutes - if you can - before serving it up and topping it with a healthy grate of parm & red pepper flakes

Do you have a secret ingredient in your marinara? Or a veg that conceals nicely within the mass of sauce, pasta & cheese?

Hope that you have a warm & cheesy Valentine's Day!

Eating Local: Boeuf Cabernet w/ Mashed Potatoes

It's cold. Really cold. So I slow roasted a nice chuck roast, and it filled the house with warmth & delicious aromatics.

Armed with veg from a local farm, local dairy, herbs from the garden, a bottle of Black Ankle Rolling Hills, some onion soup from the deep-freeze, and a chuck roast from local butcher, Treuth & Sons, I was ready to cook! Here's how I made it happen:

Ingredients: - 1 chuck roast, 4 pounds will give generous leftovers - 1 quart of homemade onion soup (alternatively a quart of beef stock & 2 roasted onions) - 2 cloves of garlic, smashed - 3 carrots, scrubbed & rough chopped - 1 pound of potatoes, scrubbed & quartered - 2 sticks of butter - 1/2 cup of whole milk - 1 bottle of red wine, something yummy - 2 tsp dried thyme - sprig of fresh sage, leaves removed & still whole - salt & pepper (only non-local)

Method: - preheat the oven to 300 (if you aren't home all day, cook this in a slow-cooker) - sear the roast in some butter (all sides), then let it rest while you par-cook the carrots, & garlic - then deglaze the pan with wine - put roast back into the pan & add the onion soup, thyme & sage - bring to a simmer, cover & cook for 3-4 hours until the roast falls apart - in the last hour of cooking, put the quartered potatoes into a pot of cold water, over & bring to a boil - continue boiling, uncovered until potatoes are fork-tender - drain potatoes & then using a potato-ricer, rice them back into the pot - add the milk, butter - whip together with a fork & then salt & pepper to taste - plate & devour!!

The carrots were like candy, and the potatoes light as air. This juicy & tender roast is just what we needed after a series of chilly days. Check out what I did with my leftovers - Leftovers: Beef Sammy.

Mama's Marinara

Yesterday was the big day! Not only did I host a "jump-party" for my 4-year old's birthday, but I also hosted a family dinner - and the birthday boy requested Mama's Spaghetti & Meatballs. With a bit of planning, in three easy steps I was able to make it happen.

Step One: Meatballs The meatballs were baked & frozen last weekend, and it saved a lot of time. Check out Meatballs 101 to see my recipe.

Step Two: Sauce Saturday morning I pulled together the sauce and let it bubble away in the slow cooker for 5 hours on the lowest setting. Don't forget to compost your veg-scraps.

After I transferred the sauce to the slow cooker, I added the frozen meatballs and let them labor the sauce and gently warm all afternoon.

Step Three: Noodles, Garlic Bread, etc. An hour before dinner, get the pasta water going, make the garlic topping for the bread & grab your garnishes.

Mama's Marinara: Ingredients:

• 2 jars of canned tomatoes
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 5 cloves of garlic, pulverized
• 2 large shallots, chopped
• 2 carrots, diced (I had a bag of shredded carrots so I repurposed them!)
• salt & pepper
• pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp of dried thyme
• 1 tsp of dried oregano
• garnish with fresh grated parmesan cheese to top your mountain of pasta

Method:

1. in a large dutch oven, sauté your soffritto of garlic, shallot & carrots, 5-10 mins
2. add red pepper flakes as well as your salt & pepper to the soffritto
3. add the tomatoes & dried herbs, bring to a simmer
4. cover & cook over low heat all day long, stirring occasionally
5. alternatively, after step 3 is complete, transfer your sauce to a slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours
6. toss with your fav noodles and enjoy!

Tea Time: a new evening tradition

Recently, I stocked up on a few new honeys and teas. I love tea, especially the herbal varietals and I'm spoiled with a great tea shop not far from my office, Teaism. I've frequented the Teaism tea shop & restaurant for years now, and I think it's time to bring the goodness home.

My tea of choice is hibiscus & ginger. Apparently, hibiscus tea is known for its ability to lower blood pressure. And with my family history, and stresses of being a working-mama, I can take all of the help I can get. For the next few months I'll be drinking a mug of tea in the evening and monitoring my blood pressure levels. We'll see if there are any measurable changes.

What's tea without a little nosh? Every once in a while (on the weekend) I pair my tea with a snack. Cureently, I'm partial to Effie's Oatcakes & Chipotle Chèvre these days. This combo balances out the zippy hibiscus & ginger tea quite nicely.

Eating Local: Valentine's Day Sweet Treats

Things are looking rosy this week, and a little nuts too! Today my son turned 4, hooray, and it looks as if the craziness will continue through this saturday, we are having a "jump party" - um, I'm a little nervous.

In addition to the normal hub-bub in The House of Soffritto, I was challenged to make a Valentine's Day sweet treat for the DDC. Instead of creating something new, I launched my Epicurious iPad App and looked for inspiration. On hand I had local corn meal, flour & butter. Aha - corn meal cookies! Here's my adaptation of the Epicurious Cornmeal Cookie, recipe by by Kay Chun, published in Gourmet Magazine - May 2009.

Cornmeal Cookies 1 cup yellow cornmeal (not stone-ground) 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat) 1/2 teaspoon salt 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 1/3 cup sugar 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Whisk together cornmeal, flour, and salt. Beat butter, sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer at medium speed, scraping down side of bowl occasionally, until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in egg and yolk until combined well. Reduce speed to low and add cornmeal mixture in a slow stream, mixing until just combined. Form dough into a 5-inch square and chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, about 30 minutes. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 7-inch square (1/2 inch thick). Instead of ----> [Score dough in one direction with tines of a fork. Following scored marks, cut into 8 equal strips, then cut strips in half to form rectangles.] I just rolled out the super sticky dough and used fun cookie cutters! Bake on an ungreased baking sheet until bottoms of cookies are pale golden, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.

The whole wheat flour definitely bought some texture into play. Making these agin for the DDC, I'd bake them twice and make biscotti. Now - if I make these again just because, I might slather a little nutella on and make a sandwich cookie...I might.

What do you have planned for Valentine's Day? I heard a rumor that my husband and son are cooking...(hint, hint...)

Game-Day Eats

Sunday was game day at my house. We turned up the heat and sweet this year, and made enough to feed a crowd! What's cooking: Turkey Poblano Chili Shrimp Cocktail Buffalo Hot Wings Sweet & Sticky Wings Vegetable Platter Dips: Smoked Salmon & Olive Tapanade

The Result:

As you can see, table presentation was not a priority by any means! I was in a Celtics hoodie and yoga pants, actually my son was probably the best dressed. He was mini-Boden from head to toe. Any game-day in our house equates to dress down and eat up. Afterall, we have to keep our energy up!

The chili was made Saturday, and the veg platter, shrimp, & salmon were pre-made, thank you Costco. My mother-in-law brought spinach dip and a decadent chocolate cake. The only dish made on game-day was the wings. Though we made two versions, the mess was minimal and the taste was delicious!

Making the Wings: After cutting & drying the little suckers, Josh fried the chicken in light olive oil. He did 8-10 at a time for about 8 minutes. The key was having a thermometer to monitor the oil temp. Afterward, he drained them inna paper towel, parked them in the oven until it was sauce time.

What did you make for the big game? Did you order in?

Turkey Poblano Chili

The freezer is full of roasted poblanos & I just picked up a bunch of ground turkey - it's chili time! My favorite chili combination is turkey & poblano. The smokey, slightly sweet (unpredictably spicy) poblano combined with the earthy ground turkey sing beautifully on the stove. Stir in a little cumin & top with some sour cream - swoon.

Ingredients: For The Soffritto: - 3 small roasted poblano peppers, diced - 1/2 large red onion, diced - 1/2 red pepper, diced - 1/2 cup sliced baby carrots - 4 garlic cloves, smashed

The remaining components: - 1 package of ground turkey - 26 oz of strained tomatoes - 1 tablespoon tomato paste - 10 oz each: black beans & kidney beans - 1 tablespoon each: ground cumin, ground coriander, & ground smoked pimenton - 2 teaspoons of dried oregano - olive oil, salt & pepper - garnish: fresh red onion, pico de gallo, shredded cheese, pickled jalapeños,sour cream, and fresh cilantro

Method: - Put all of the veg (listed under the soffritto) into a large dutch oven with a healthy glug of olive oil. Sauté until the onion is translucent, 5-10 mins - add salt, and the cumin, coriander & pimenton - in a separate pan, brown the turkey in some olive oil, tomato paste, oregano & black pepper, 10 mins - put the turkey into the pot of veg, add the strained tomatoes, simmer for 15 mins If possible, make the chili up through this step and let it rest in the fridge over night. - rinse canned beans or allow frozen beans to thaw overnight in the fridge - gently reheat the chili, add a little water or stock,to loosen it up - add in the beans, allow to warm through (15-20 mins) - bowl it & add on your fav toppings

Whatever you stir in, remember to taste for spice before you add anything with heat. The poblanos can pack a punch, even after roasting & resting in the deep freeze!