Happy Thanksgiving

Something's missing!

quiescent

YJDKIY got lazy  last night...despite having the superfun toy to document meal making, I was in a super hurry to get this on the table and in my tummy! I also get a little antsy when making a new dish causing me to hover over it like a helicopter parent rather than go get the camera. Sorry. This one was chosen to use my Winter Harvest Baby White Turnips!

For this, I followed the basic Israeli Moroccan Couscous recipe...except I didn't have couscous and used risotto instead, which gave it a creamier texture.

1. Melt butter in large pan, add 2 c. aborio rice and saute 2-3 minutes
2. Add 1 c. vegetable stock, when absorbed, add 2 more c.
3. Add diced carrots, sweet potato, turnips (hello, why did I not know about these sooner? They're like...savory apples! YUM!), red pepper, onion
4. Add stock as it is absorbed, and some water. Add lots of curry powder, garlic powder, turmeric, cinnamon and saffron (I had no saffron. I'm just mad about Saffron? ♫)
5. Simmer awhile, then add chick peas, diced zucchini and more spices and water if needed.
6. Stir in some tomato sauce (I thought this was really odd and was afraid it was going to ruin it, but no!)
7. Simmer until ready to serve with Garlic EVOO'd pitas!

Google Doodles

My favorite one yet!

More on Google Doodles and today's explanation.

Better this time!

My last experiment with Greek Gods Yogurt was less than satisfactory. This time was a little better!

Since I have one of these in the backyard, I decided to give the fig flavor a try. It was creamy and tasted just like a newton, but sorely lacked the protein content of Oikos!

Especially with a little of this mixed in!

The yogurt looked like whipped peanut butter which was like drinking coke when you are expecting ice tea!

3x

Third time's the charm (aside from a little sauce mishap)! I used a pan, and foiled it, so there was no burned skin or exploding glass.

Satued shrimp with just a little EVOO, spaghettied squash with some WH sauted mustard greens (I won't lie, these were the bitterest yet, maybe due to the quick cooking, but I had to spit a few bites out), mixed with a take two parmesan cream sauce. The first version included some 2 week old white wine, clam sauce EVOO, shallots and garlic. EPIC FAIL. It was horrible...and thank goodness I tasted it before combining...I think the wine was spoiled. The second version was straight butter, parm, garlic powder, water and soy milk. Topped with some cracked pepper it turned out a WIN (except in the healthy department)!

circa...

2010, 2000, 1990, 1980, 1970, 1960...?

My Grandmother's collection of recipes seems a little worn around the edges. 

Pages slipping out, pieces of paper added in, the binding broken.

In the front, the main meal section was quite slim. 

And a little out of date! Congealed Ambrosia Salad is FAMILY FAVORITE worthy of all caps! I can't say there were any recipes I'll be planning: Sour Cream Marinated Chicken Breasts (from Mrs. W.E. Wright), Chuckwagon Stew (from Mrs. A. G. Siverling, Jr.), Scalloped Cabbage, Sour Cream Noodles.

In the middle, collected recipes from years of Southern hospitality.

But turning to the back, the sweet section is chock full and overflowing with tried and true recipes to rival any bakery. "Printed" on a typewriter with the "r" dropped not unlike she said the letter are-ruh.

And finally...

A well used Old South Cucumber Lime Pickle recipe. It's prime real estate makes me think this must have been a family favorite, too.

Shorty

That's me! And this week!

MONDAY: Israeli Moroccan Couscous, greens

TUESDAY: Sauted kale & chicken sausage, bread, maybe some acorn squash


WEDNESDAY: Mac & Trees, or acorn squash...

THURSDAY: The big dig dine

FRIDAY: Leftovers!!

Amish Country

Score for the Ave! A new bulk foods store just opened up not too far away: Yoder's Amish Market. Grains, nuts, pastas (oops, I forgot to go back and get that!), snacks, sweets, baked goods, meats, cheeses, and holy grail of spices all in bulk and all in super affordably priced packages.

My purchases today:
Apple Butter $2.49
Old Fashioned Peppermint Sticks $2.21
Rolled Oats $2.79
Wheat Germ $1.46
Garlic Sesame Sticks $2.95
Ground Rosemary $1.26

I can't wait to go back when they haven't been totally cleaned out on a Saturday morning due to recent press and score some fresh baked bread or pie.

Winter Harvest Week #2

YJDKIY picked up the second basket full o' veggie goodness this morning!

The spread!

Today's loot included Red & Green Mustard Greens, White Turnips and Bentje Potatoes from Laughing Owl Farm. Calabaza Squash and Kale (!!) from Fisher Farms. And, because we opted for the vegetarian basket, we got dried Shiitake mushrooms and a vegetable (that I think is green tomatoes) from Sandy Creek Farm, plus their Bronze Muscadine Jelly.

In case you missed it:
Week #1 pickup
W1 Meal 1
W1 Meal 2

Saturday Summary

A new blog (bonus side note: it took me YEARS to learn it's white on RICE not white on RYE...like the bread)
For your [MadMen] listening enjoyment

Seriously? Why have these not disappeared due to natural selection/survival of the fittest yet?

WANT!

Can't get here soon enough and she is PERFECT for this

Did you watch?

Brought to you by the Canine Component

I would have really liked this as a kid

Calzone redux

YJDKIY set out to reform the classic fatty cheese and carby dough recipe that is a calzone.

 Onion, garlic, red pepper, thyme, nutmeg, oregano, basil for seasoning. Tofu, spinach, ricotta, mozza for filling. Pitas for stuffings. 

 I actually like West Soy's firm tofu better than Nasoya because it is firmier....which made it a not smart choice for mashing up...doh.

All scrambled together and sauted for about 10 minutes. 

 Last minute addition: shiitakes I forgot to use in the veggie rolls!

 The other eater requested a low-dairy option so I made some with just a little mozza, but most had some ricotta mixed in too. I don't know how much...not a lot, as you can see.

 Did you know this type of cutting of a pepper gets me in trouble?

Dipping sauce! Do you see what I see?

 A tidy cook I am not!

Baked for about 20 minutes on 375 degrees.

It's beggining to look a lot like....

THANKSGIVING!

Local No Apologies

Country Dinner Plate: Grilled Chicken Tenderloins, Green Beans, Hashbrown Casserole, Biscuits

these are a few of my favorite things

 

Separately Together

YJDKIY decided to combine things I really like individually in hopes that all together they would be just as good.

Butternut squash, black beans, red onion, green pepper, and fresh picked cilantro from the High Country.

I recruited a slicer to make 1/2 inch rings/discs to roast the squash (with PAM, garlic salt and cumin) at 425 for about 20 minutes.

 

Diced up everything.

Sauted for a few minutes, adding more cumin and lime juice.

Do you know what these are? The most ingenious repurpose I've created yet! Dried garlic skin peelings drive me nuts. They get everywhere and are impossible to pick up because they stick to everything that you don't want them to and nothing that you do. Enter sticky zucchini (side dish!) ends to stamp them up and toss in the trash (or compost, AHEM!).

Served with sliced avocado and a dollop of mild tomatoey salsa. I think some jack would have been nice (and not unlike the black-bean sweet potato tacos). In the end, it sounds odd, but the flavors worked and this was pretty decent, plus super filling!

The Canine Component tried a new recipe too: Liver flavored Nylabone (for powerful chewers!!).