Roasted Broccoli

While visiting my goat friends today, I was talking to their overseer about the affect nature can have on us during these unusual days. Life as we knew it has nearly come to a halt, and it seems it's going to be a fairly long road back to what we think of as normal. Meanwhile, nature carries on without missing a beat, and in some cases is better off without us. The goats continue to take their daily walk in the meadow, give birth, and eat on their normal schedule. Spring takes hold. The chipmunks have become active, scurrying about. The rain falls and the wind blows. The woodpeckers search for their next meal within the tree bark. Flowers bloom. Green plants emerge on the forest floor. The male cardinal radiates its deep red from within the white blossoms of a tree. It's all happening whether or not we are going to work, attending our kids' soccer games, eating at restaurants or going to the theater. The rhythms of the natural world continue and there is comfort in that. Life can feel pretty scary right now as the death toll climbs, information is coming at us at even a faster pace than usual, and the future is so uncertain. Most days I try to take the same trail walk and take note of the small changes that have taken place from the day before. It reminds me that I am also a part of this beautiful and powerful system. The other systems, organizations and structures I am associated with may be on hold for the time being, but I can still rely on this one.

I can also still rely on getting fresh produce, for which I am very thankful. Putting together a few simple ingredients that together create a tasty dish is one of life's best simple pleasures. Roasting any vegetable in olive oil, salt and pepper typically produces good results. Add some lemon juice and cheese to this one and you've got yourself a lovely side dish to your entree.

Roasted Broccoli
1 large head of broccoli, cut into florets of similar size
about 1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
juice from 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Spread the broccoli florets out in a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle the garlic on top. Drizzle olive oil in a thin stream around the top of the broccoli. Squeeze the lemon juice around the to tops as well. Sprinkle salt and pepper. Now toss it all together with your hands. You want the olive oil to be evenly spread around the florets. They should be glistening but not soaked and there shouldn't be olive oil dripping on the pan itself. Add more if it seems too dry. I have over oiled vegetables too many times. It takes a bit of practice to get the right amount.
3. Put in oven for about 18-20 minutes. After 10 minutes pull the pan out and toss the florets with a spatula. The amount you roast it is up to how dark you like it.
4. Take out of oven, sprinkle with the cheese and serve.

Chickpea and Kale Shakshuka

As mentioned in my last post, I was in a quarantine rut, extremely bored of my own cooking and longing to eat someone else's food. Then, as if someone were answering my food prayers, this recipe showed up in my Instagram feed by Smitten Kitchen. It revived me. It's not the first time inspiration has come to me in the form of one of Deb's recipes. She describes it as one of her most beloved dishes, and I see why. It's one I want to practice making, so I can whip it up without needing to look at a recipe, and be able to confidently change it up a bit with ingredients on hand for equally satisfying results. It's  a perfect recipe to be able to make at a moment's notice for spontaneous dinner guests and still make them feel special. One of my dreams of hosting dinners is to have amazing al fresco dining experiences in my backyard. While they won't match the images I have from movies set in a Tuscan valley, I'd still like to give it my best try. I can easily conjure up images of this dish surrounded by a large green salad,  slices of avocado, a platter of grains, fresh bread and lots of red wine at my outdoor table. May we be able to have dinner parties again at some point in the not so distant future.

I served this with Israeli couscous and toasted slices of French bread, all drizzled with olive oil and more Feta sprinkled on the couscous. I thought it was a good combo. Martini with a twist made with Malfy, an Italian gin.  I didn't have za'atar but did have sumac berry and thyme. The sesame seed flavor would be nice, so hope to have that by the next time I make it. I think the fresh mint is an important flavor for the dish, but you can go without it if you don't have any on hand. The recipe calls for 2 cans of chickpeas, but I used only one, and I wouldn't want both. I also used more kale and would repeat that.

In case you're wondering as I was, I will save you the time in looking it up - to pronounce shakshuka properly, it appears the emphasis is on the second syllable "SHOO".

Shakshuka

olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon za'atr (I used sumac berry and thyme)
1/2 jalapeño de-seeded and finely chopped (I think it could take a whole pepper)
salt and pepper
1 15 oz can of tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
1 15 oz can of chickpeas
1/2 cup veggie broth
at least 4 oz of kale, chopped. I used 3/4 of a bunch and would do more next time
4 to 6 eggs
1 cup crumbled feta
handful of chopped fresh mint
greek yogurt for garnish (optional)

1. In a large skillet or dutch oven casserole dish heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil. Add onion, garlic, cumin, coriander, za'atar jalapeño. Sauté until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add tomato sauce, chickpeas, broth, 1 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Bring to a simmer. Cover and lower heat if necessary to keep it from boiling over. Let the liquid cook down and thicken a bit, about 7 minutes.
3. Add kale, cover again and let it wilt, about 4 minutes.
4. Make wells for the eggs and crack one into each well. Sprinkle with salt pepper and the feta. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, depending on your egg preference. Maybe a little less if you want them runny.
5. Sprinkle fresh mint over the top. Serve and add top with yogurt if desired.

Veggie Shepherd's Pie

Quarantine, Day 41. When doing an athletic event that is challenging for me, I find breaking it into smaller, more manageable chunks helps me mentally. A half marathon is three 5 mile runs put together. So while 13 miles may seem a bit daunting, running a distance I might do on an average day several times in a row seems doable, and hooray, the last segment was over sooner than I expected (only 3 miles)! A 100k hilly ride is four 15 mile segments. This way I have milestones within the total ride that I can celebrate. Attempting to approach quarantine in this manner has been less successful. For one thing, there is no real end time. Right now May 4 is the date in Massachusetts that is circled on everyone's calendars, but it is likely that will be extended. And even if it was definite, looking at it as eight one-week segments isn't helpful in making it seem more pleasant. The mindset that has worked best so far is to just think about the day in front of me, for the most part. If I try to think too far ahead or too big picture, anxiety sets in. In keeping with my day-to-day, be in the moment mentality, the most frequently asked question (to myself) is WHAT AM I GOING TO EAT NEXT? We won't discuss my quarantine meal plan.  It seems strange that having lunch only once per day was ever sufficient.

I daydream regularly about eating out and reminisce about what that was like. I long to eat food prepared by someone else, sitting somewhere other than my living room. My Aunt Roberta's gnocchi and snacks at her and my uncle's kitchen island. Any cocktail and plate of noodles at the Blossom Bar. A mushroom pizza and arugula salad from Prairie Fire, seated at the bar with a St. George's martini. A giant pretzel and a snifter of Sour Face, relaxing in an adirondack chair on the Mighty Squirrel patio. Brb, I have to go get a snack...

Anyway, I've been cooking a lot and trying to be efficient about using everything I have before I venture out to re-stock. It's a pretty big deal to go to the grocery store these days. Last night I had some green beans that were on their last breath and a collection of potatoes, so decided to make a shepherds pie. My friend, Rachel, makes one that I can't seem to stop eating once I start. I've made them in the past, but never recorded any of the recipes. This one is a combination of Rachel's recipe and one I found on line that I used for inspiration. It requires some effort since there's a few steps, but it comes together pretty quickly. It also helps when you're working from home and on a virtual meeting with the camera not turned on, so no one will notice if you're draining lentils at your sink.

Ingredients

Lentils
1/2 cup green or brown lentils
3 cups water
pinch of salt

Mashed Potatoes
4-6 medium yukon gold potatoes (russet or red skin ok too), cut into 1-inch cubes.
1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of milk (I use whole)
1 tablespoon butter
salt and pepper

Pie
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil or a combo of butter and olive oil
1 cup carrots, diced
1 cup crimini mushrooms, stems removed and diced
1 cup green beans, trimmed and diced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup frozen corn, rinsed
1 cup broth
2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon thyme
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
salt and pepper
fresh parsley (chopped)

1. Start mashed potatoes. Place potatoes in large saucepan, cover with water to about 1/2 inch above potatoes. Bring to a boil then simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes, until you can put a fork in them and they're soft.

2.  Cook lentils. Place lentils water in salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered for 15-30 minutes, depending on the lentils you use. Green will cook faster than brown. You don't want to let them get mushy. They can be a bit al dente because they'll cook more in later steps. When done, drain and set aside.

3. Chop vegetables and prepare all ingredients to put in pie.

4. Finish mashed potatoes. Drain potatoes. Add butter milk, salt and pepper and whip with an electric beater or mix with a potato masher. Make these to your liking, but they should be on the moist side so they don't dry out in the oven. Adjust milk as necessary. Set aside.

5. Preheat oven to 400.

6. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil on medium high heat. Add onions, garlic, carrots, green beans and mushrooms. Sauté until the onions are translucent. Add in corn, broth, worcestershire, tomato paste and spices.  Bring to a simmer and let the broth cook down a bit, stirring frequently for about 10 minutes. Then, fold in the lentils.

7. In a 9X12 baking pan, coat the bottom in a very light layer of oil, then spread the vegetable mixture on the bottom. Layer the mashed potatoes on top of that. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and pepper (optional).

8. Bake for 30 minutes.

One-pot Farro and Tomatoes

I had never cooked farro before this winter and now I've made something with it pretty much every week! I'm finding it very versatile and I like the texture. As one example, I've been putting it in my minestrone soups in place of pasta because I think it holds up better vs. getting mushy. Here's another winner by Smitten Kitchen. I highly recommend following her on Instagram. Some days I'll be wondering "what should I make tonight?" and then inspiration shows up by way of a Smitten Kitchen post. Deb is also good about responding on her website when you have questions. This recipe was meant for summer when fresh tomatoes and basil are plentiful, but I adapted for winter and approached it as more of a pantry items recipe. Instead of using grape tomatoes and fresh basil, I used canned tomatoes and dried basil. I only used 2/3 can of tomatoes to try to get the same amount of tomatoes Deb used, but if you don't mind a more tomatoey version, you could just add the whole can. It's more of a side dish on its own. The next time I make it, I will add a fried egg on top and some roasted green beans on the side.

You will likely be skeptical when you put this all in the pot that it will come together in to something that is fully cooked and tastes good, but it does. You don't need to add cheese, but I think it is an important addition.

One-pot Farro and Tomatoes

2 cups water

1 cup farro

1 small to medium onion, sliced in long thin half moons

2 cloves garlic, sliced thin

2/3 14 oz can diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 tablespoon EVOO

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

chili flakes to taste

Grated parmesan, to taste (I added 1/4 cup)

1. Place water and farro in medium saucepan or soup pot to pre-soak for about 10 minutes while you gather and prepare the other ingredients.

2. Add the tomatoes, onion, garlic, salt and chili flakes to the farro. Drizzle the oil on top. Bring the mixture to a boil, set your timer for 30 minutes, then reduce to a low simmer. Do not cover. At the end of 30 minutes check consistency. Add a bit more water and cook longer if necessary.

3. Transfer to a serving dish and top with cheese. 

Shiitake Spinach Miso Soup

This winter, one of my cooking goals is to get a couple of Asian inspired noodle or rice dishes into my repertoire. I'm looking for something that will come together fairly quickly for a weeknight meal and with ingredients that I'm likely to have on hand regularly and/or can get easily - sesame oil, chili paste, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, etc. Of course I also want it to be tasty. This one fits the bill. It serves well as a basic noodle soup with a light broth that can be added to. If you want to spice it up with sriracha, you can, but it's also flavorful enough on its own. I was doing a search on line and came across this website that I hadn't seen before, abeautifulplate.com.  The combination of mushrooms and spinach caught my eye. I love shiitake, and will try this with other mushrooms as well. I added edamame and a poached egg to mine to make it a dinner.

Shiitake Spinach Miso Soup
8 oz sliced shiitake mushrooms
1 tablespoon EVOO
1/3 cup sliced scallions, white and light green parts only (about 3-4)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons grated ginger
5 cups water
3 tablespoons white miso paste
4 oz soba noodles
2 cups packed baby spinach
1 tablespoon tamarin or soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/4 teaspoon red hot chili flakes
1/2 cup frozen shelled edamame, thawed
1 poached egg per person
salt to taste

1. Prepare mushrooms by removing stems, then cleaning with a damp cloth and then slicing.
2. If adding edamame, set them aside to thaw.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan/soup pan over medium heat and add the mushrooms and a few pinches of salt. Let the mushrooms cook until soft, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the ginger, scallions and garlic. Cook for 1 more minute.
5. Add the water and bring to a simmer. Scoop out a little of the water and add it to the miso paste in a small bowl. Mix together and add back to the pot. Simmer over low heat  for 15 minutes.
6. While the soup is simmering, cook the noodles according to package directions in a separate pan. It's ok to keep them al dente since they'll be cooking a bit more when you add them to the soup. When they are done, drain and set aside.
7. Poach eggs in small saucepan and set aside.
8. After the soup has simmered for 15 minutes, add the noodles, followed by the spinach, edamame, soy sauce/tamari, sesame oil, rice vinegar and chili flakes. Let the spinach wilt and mix together.
9.  Ladel soup into bowls and top with an egg.

Lemon Farro "Risotto"

I've made a few dishes over the last month that will become staples, so want to get them down here. This is the first of three. Recently I wanted to make a lemon risotto as a side dish, to have something simple that didn't require a lot of chopping. I had everything prepped and ready to go in the pot when I realized I was out of arborio rice. Since I am all about farrow this winter, I had been wanting to try making a risotto with it. This wasn't necessarily the best time to experiment since I had a friend on the way over for dinner, but it was the easiest alternative given I already had a risotto in the works. I was using the method I have posted about earlier where you start the risotto on the stove and then bake it in the oven.

I initially thought this would require more liquid than the arborio rice, but it turns out it doesn't. I ended up having to drain it a bit the first time. I made it a second time using the normal amount of stock and it was perfect. If you eat seafood, this goes really well as a side dish for pan seared scallops.

Baked Lemon Farro "Risotto"
1 cup farro
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium shallots, chopped small
2 1/4 cups stock (I use a vegetarian bouillon cube in water)
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

1. Put the farro in a bowl, cover it in water and set it aside to soak.
2. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.
3. In a small saucepan, bring the stock to a low simmer.
4. Place a heavy botton 3 qt pot with an oven safe lid on the stovetop and set it on medium low heat.
5. Drain the farro. Raise the heat to medium and add the farro to the shallots. Cook stirring constantly for about 2 minutes.
6. Add the wine and stir constantly until it's absorbed, about 2-3 minutes.
7. Add the warmed stock and stir well. Once it comes to a simmer, cover it and immediately transfer it to the oven. Cook for 18 minutes.
8. Remove the risotto, uncover USING AN OVEN MITT and taste. Depending on your preference and how al dente or liquid you like it, you can mess around with it here. If you want to cook it more on the stove top, add more stock (or water if you ran out) over medium heat, stirring constantly until you like the consistency.
9. Stir in cheese and butter.
10. Stir in lemon juice, lemon peel and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Dijon Mustard Croutons

Where have these been all my life? Given my fondness for mustard, I'm not sure how I've been eating multiple times a day for this many years, and not encountered dijon croutons. These were paired with Heidi Swanson's cauliflower soup from my last post, and while they were a great combination, I anticipate these will have many uses for me and thought they deserved their own dedicated post.

Dijon Mustard Croutons

6 ounces whole wheat bread, torn into small chunks, less than 1-inch

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon fine grain salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 with a rack in the middle of the oven.

2. Put the torn bread in a large bowl.  In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium high heat. Whisk the olive oil, salt and mustard into the butter. 

3, Pour the mixture over the bread. Toss well, then turn the bread onto a baking sheet.

4. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the croutons are golden and crunchy. Flip them once or twice with a spatula along the way. 

Cauliflower Cheddar Soup

In my last post, I talked about re-kindling a relationship with my cookbook collection. In an effort to further that goal, I pulled out another favorite, Super Natural Every Day. I was a long time follower of Heidi Swanson's blog, 101 Cookbooks when she published this one. I hadn't made this recipe before. For some reason, I've never enjoyed broccoli cheddar soup all that much, and tend to not choose it when I'm eating out.  Cauliflower was in season a few weeks ago, and I picked up an orange colored head from my local farm, Russo's, and needed something to do with it so I chose this recipe.

I liked the combination of cauliflower with cheddar much better.  I made it again last night for some friends who came over to watch Chernobyl with me. They enjoyed the soup as well, and I think it's a keeper. Again, it's only a few ingredients, but flavorful and comforting on a cold night. Last night I served it with some sourdough baguette and roasted green beans on the side. (Yes, I know, not an obvious combination, but I wanted something green on the side and didn't feel like a salad. It seemed to work for everyone. I only started roasting green beans fairly recently. I'm finding them to be an easy, tasty side dish.)

I think it's good to use a sharp cheddar for this. I have an Irish cheddar in my fridge, but think that sort of nutty cheddar works better as a snacking cheese and would get lost in this soup. I like Cabot's Seriously Sharp.

Cauliflower and Cheddar Soup
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
2 shallots, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
Sea salt
1 large russet potato, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 1/2 cups veggie broth
1 medium head cauliflower, cut into small florets
2/3 cup freshly grated sharp Cheddar, more for dressing soup
2 teaspoons dijon mustard

1.  Heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium high heat. When it melts, add the shallots and onion along with a big pinch of salt. Sauté until the onion is soft, a few minutes.
2.  Stir in the potato, cover and cook for about 4 minutes, long enough to soften. Be careful not to burn the onion.
3. Uncover, stir in the garlic, and then add the broth. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the potatoes are soft.
4. Add in the cauliflower. Cover and cook for 5-10 minutes until the cauliflower is tender throughout.
5. Remove the pan from the heat and puree the soup with an immersion blender. Stir in the cheddar and mustard. Add more broth or water if you want the consistency thinner.  Add salt to taste.
6. Serve with toppings such as olive oil, extra shredded cheddar and/or toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds.

Cozy Cabbage and Farro Soup

I recently came across this recipe by Smitten Kitchen on Instagram. It reminded me that I had a Smitten Kitchen cookbook, along with many other great cookbooks and that I should start using them again. I have this window seat in my kitchen now where I can sit with some natural light and peruse the pages to become inspired.

I've been overusing the internet as a resource to find recipes which isn't nearly as fun as surrounding myself with a pile of cookbooks and flipping the pages until I fall upon just the right thing to make that day. I am also working on setting up a reading/yoga/study room as another potential spot to cozy up with some books and a cup of tea. I am hoping for a Fall and Winter of exploration in my kitchen and I'm getting off to a decent start.

This is another of those soups that I love because it's not that many ingredients, yet tasty, satisfying and can make a meal on its own paired with a piece of sourdough or a baguette (or sourdough baguette from Wilson's Farm).

Cabbage and Farro Soup
1lb cabbage, savoy or green, greens cut into 1/8 ribbons, and the core finely minced
olive oil
4 cups vegetable broth
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2/3 cup uncooked farro
1 sprig fresh rosemary or thyme (optional)
1 tablespoon red or white wine vinegar
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
grated parmesan cheese to taste (optional)

1. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion cabbage core and a little salt and pepper. Stir frequently until the onion softens, but doesn't brown, about 5 to 7 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and let that soften too, about 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Add the cabbage leaves and herb sprig, if using. Reduce the heat to medium low and cover, letting the leaves cook down a bit. Uncover, and mix the leaves into the other ingredients. Then, put the cover back on and cook for about 30 minutes until the cabbage is sweet and tender.
4. While the cabbage is cooking heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add a glug of olive oil and the farro. Toss in the skillet until it's a half shade darker (I find this is a bit hard to see. I keep it in there for about 5 minutes and hope for the best!)
5. When the cabbage is done, add the vinegar. Taste and add salt and pepper as necessary. Add the farro and broth. Bring to a slow simmer and cook, uncovered, until the farro is cooked and the flavors are blended.
6. If you'd prefer it less thick, add a half cup of water or broth. Add lemon juice. Ladel into bowls and serve with a drizzle of oil and shaved parmesan.

Salad with Delicata Squash and Lemon Vinaigrette

Oscar Wilde has been quoted as saying, "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery". I've mentioned before that for fun I like to try to replicate a dish I've had in a restaurant. I usually keep this endeavor to fairly simple things because my cooking skills are pretty limited. This summer I added another favorite restaurant to my list, Honey Road in Burlington, VT. It turns out that it's a cousin to one of my other faves, Sarma. In addition, one of the bartenders there used to tend bar at Highland Kitchen, another spot that makes my list. Upon learning these connections, I was hopeful, and my expectations were exceeded. Out of the many amazing dishes I had at Honey Road, this seemed like one I could assemble at home with some level of resemblance to the dish I ate at the restaurant. I ordered it because it included delicata squash (see my prior post).

Of course the presentation in the restaurant was much better. The goat cheese was somehow elegantly shmeared on the bottom of the perfectly sized bowl. I know, it doesn't seem like something could be shmeared elegantly. There's probably a more eloquent word for the technique they used. But smeared, or otherwise, it was a delicious combination. I've made it a couple of times with decent results. It's simple and captures Fall quite perfectly.

Delicata Squash Over Greens
Per salad:
Big handful of greens - mesclun mix, bibb lettuce, red leaf or arugula could work
6-8 half moons of roasted squash
6 dried sour cherries
5 small dollops of goat cheese distributed around the edge of the plate
small handful of toasted pumpkin seeds

Lemon Vinaigrette
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
3 to 4 tablespoons EVOO
1/4 teaspoon salt
fresh ground black pepper to taste

1. Assemble salad ingredients on a small plate.
2. Put all dressing ingredients in a mason jar. Cover. Shake vigorously.
3. Drizzle dressing over the top.

Roasted Delicata Squash

It's funny I've barely mentioned delicata squash in prior posts since I eat it a fair amount in Fall and Winter. I make it a lot more than butternut squash, both because I like the flavor better and it's much easier to prepare with tasty results. No peeling necessary! Butternut squash is more versatile and lends itself well to soups, risotto and pasta dishes, so it has an important place in the winter squash arena. Delicata makes a nice, simple side dish, and is typically a crowd pleaser. This is barely a recipe, it's so simple, but it's worth putting here.

I'll do this as a recipe for a side dish serving 4-6 people, but make more or make less. I have one small one roasting in the oven right now to add to my lunch salads this week.

Roasted Delicata Squash
2 medium sized delicata squash
olive oil (about a tablespoon or less)
salt
pepper

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Slice off ends of the squashes, then cut them lengthwise down the middle. You can do this either by standing it on its end and cutting downward, or laying it down on the cutting board and stabbing your knife in the middle of it.
3. Scoop out seeds by running a spoon down the middle of each half.
4. Cut into half moons about a 1/4 inch wide. You can make them thinner or fatter, just make sure they're consistent.
5. Place on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Toss with your hands. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top. (With oil I find you want to drizzle a bit sparingly when roasting vegetables. Enough so the vegetables are glistening, but not so that there's a lot left dripping in the pan.)
6. Place in 425 degree oven for around 20-25 minutes , flipping them after about 10-15. You want them to be a bit burned. It makes them even tastier. You'll have to decide how dark you like them. It's a bit of personal preference.

Sweet Potato Surprise Soup

I don't cook all that much these days. There are some reasons for that, but mostly I just don't feel very inspired to be in the kitchen. I assemble simple meals, but I don't find myself pouring over cookbooks or perusing the internet for the next recipe or ingredient to try. That's fine by me. Maybe I'll get a rejuvenated interest. Who knows? I was never a great cook, but it fancied my interest for a bit. It's like having had a friend I hung around with a lot for a bunch of years, but then life swept us both into other directions.
Today we had a snowstorm that kept me in the house much of the day. I did go out and play on my bike for a bit. I didn't have either a long nor a smooth ride, but it was still good to get out and practice snow riding skills. It was also fun to receive my 9 year old neighbor's reaction. Upon finishing a snow angel, she looked up and said, "Are you going to ride your bike in the snow?". When I told her I was she said, "Are you a biker?". I told her I supposed I was. I showed her my studded tires and she seemed impressed. Perhaps this will plant a seed and she will someday find herself riding her bike in the snow too.

My trip to Whole Foods this morning was a comical scene really. The parking lot was a chaotic mess (I believe due to a small collision) and the inside was not any better. The lines were longer than I had ever seen and extended down the aisles. I observed that the express lane seemed to be the only line moving very efficiently, so I made some choices, narrowed my basket to 8 items and returned the rest to their respective shelves. The carrots could wait until another day, but the sourdough bread and Cholula hot sauce were coming home with me. 
So I tell you all this, because when I went to go assemble dinner, there was not much to assemble. I was pretty hungry, so what to do besides eat more snacks? I've probably mentioned before that when I belonged to a CSA farm, on volunteer days we would make a stone pot soup. Everyone would bring one ingredient, toss it in the pot and it would simmer while we worked. Today, I did a similar thing where I took some ingredients I had on hand without much rhyme or reason and put them in a pot with some broth. I hoped for a result at least somewhat satisfying, but kept my expectations on the low end.

The soup was colorful and also turned out fairly tasty, so I thought I'd record it in case I wanted to replicate it down the road. I made this again on 2/7, added celery, used kale instead of spinach and garnished with Parmesan cheese. I ended up liking the kale better than the spinach. Perhaps because it gave it more bite and texture.

Sweet Potato Surprise Soup
1 stalk celery (optional) 
2 tblspn olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 small sweet potato chopped
1/2 cup quinoa
1/3 cup of frozen peas
several handfuls of baby spinach or chopped kale
small handful grape tomatoes, cut in half
1 tspn dried basil
a few shakes of garlic powder
5 cups water
1 bouillon cube
Parmesan cheese, finely grated (optional)

1. In a soup pot, saute celery onions, carrots and sweet potato in olive oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Be sure not to brown the onions.
2. Add water, bouillon, basil, garlic and quinoa. Bring to a boil. Then, turn to low heat, cover and let cook for 15 minutes, so the quinoa cooks.
3. Turn the heat back up to a lively simmer, add peas, spinach or kale, tomato and a bit of salt to taste. Put the cover on to let the spinach wilt. Then remove cover and let simmer another 10 minutes or so.
4. Garnish with Parmesan.

Cauliflower "Fried Rice"

In my last post I mentioned (again) that there were not enough picnics in my life. I'm happy to report that with a bit of focus, determination and seized opportunities, that has changed! Since writing that, I've had three pretty fantastic picnics. One was at Halibut Point in Rockport, one of my favorite spots in Massachusetts. We had the sun setting on the water on one side of us, and the full Blue Moon rising on the other. We had some wine and ukulele playing along with our food. The menu consisted of caprese salad, bread, cheese, crunchy veggie salad and a Thai noodle salad. It was a perfect setting despite a fairly short-lived mosquito frenzy. The second picnic took place on a log to the side of a hiking trail in Parc de la Jacques-Cartier outside of Quebec City. We stopped in a market in Quebec City to purchase some fantastic local cheeses, a baguette, truffle chips, tomatoes and strawberries. After a short kayak in the park, we hiked up a trail until we found a suitable spot to enjoy our wares.

 The third picnic took place on Georges Island on Labor Day weekend. A quick stop at Whole Foods on the way to the ferry yielded some more tasty cheese, a mix of heirloom tomatoes, a baguette, and apple and some soba noodle salad. What I've taken away from these experiences is that all you need is a nice spot and some good bread & cheese and tomato and you've got yourself a great picnic. It's the simplicity of it that I enjoy. A nice well thought out picnic with elaborate dishes and one of those lovely picnic baskets is nice too, but a baguette, some fresh goat cheese and a farm fresh tomato provide a tasty meal.
As the blur of summer winds to a close, I feel pretty good about my picnicking status. I also had a chance to make this dish, which I had learned about from one of my British colleagues earlier in the summer. Apparently, both this and zucchini "spaghetti" are all the rage over there. I made some of that too, which I will post later.

When I made the cauliflower "rice", I didn't get at all fussy about it. I'm sure you could get tastier results with some sesame oil, scallions and other veggies, like asparagus, but, I just wanted it as a quick side dish. Shop around on the internet for different variations of this recipe if you're in the mood for something a bit fancier.

Cauliflower "Fried Rice"
1 head of cauliflower, grated with the large holes on a cheese grater
1 egg
1 cup of peas
1 large carrot, diced small
1/4 inch piece of ginger, grated or 1/2 tspn dried
1 clove garlic, chopped finely
soy sauce or Bragg's liquid aminos, to taste

1.  In a large skillet, heat some canola oil on medium high heat.
2. Crack egg into the skillet. Let it fry for a minute or so, then scramble it up, breaking it into small pieces. Then keeping it in the pan, just push it to the side.
3. Add carrots and peas, sautee those for a few minutes, until the carrots begin to soften. Add ginger and garlic to them and stir.
4. Add cauliflower. Let that cook for 3-5 minutes, until soften. Then add soy sauce/ Bragg's. I probably used a few teaspoons or maybe up to a tablespoon. Add some then do a taste and adjust.