Vegetarian -- We're Done!

Silly was the only one who remained vegetarian for the entire week.  Well, it was 6 days, because on day 7 we went to a funeral luncheon and there was meat, meat, everywhere meat, on the buffet.  On day 6 I caved and had some fish.  Oh well.

Things I learned:
1.  I don't actually want to be a vegetarian.  It's more than my love of bacon that stops me.
2.  If I had to be a vegetarian for health reasons or similar, I could.  I think.
3.  Indian food is really easy to cook.  I am going to make more of it.
4.  Most of my friends are quite supportive of my random schemes and plots.  That's nice.
5.  My kids are adventurous eaters.  Okay, I knew that.  But it is worth pointing out.
6.  We were in a food rut, mostly because I claim to be busy, but really it's because I've been lazy.
7.  We ate SO MUCH fruit this week.  A lot more than usual.  We should always eat that much fruit.
8.  We need to eat more veggies.  There are lots of places to throw them in while cooking, or ways to make them super tasty.
9.  It would be nice if people thought about what vegetarians might like to eat at their events.  And at restaurants.  Gardenburger?  For real?
10.  There's going to be cauliflower pie in heaven.

Vegetarian -- Day Five

Day Five
Breakfast:  bagel/cereal bar choice (Really, I can't believe I haven't made one breakfast yet.  Sad.)
Lunch:  spaghetti, sauteed cauliflower and broccoli, garlic bread
Dinner:  aloo gobi, samosas, pita (yes, wrong bread, I know)

Aloo gobi, samosa, chutney and pita

I love Indian food.  For real.  I think I might've died of food boredom without it.  It's so delicious.  If you've never had it, I'm sad for you.  The best thing for a first-timer is to head to your local Indian buffet and try some of everything.  Be brave.  You will love it.

One of my favorite buffet staples is aloo gobi.  Mmmm.  I love cauliflower.  But you know that already if you've read this blog lately.  Anyway, it turns out that this dish is very easy to make at home.  It only took about 20 minutes, which is a bonus.  I forgot to make rice, but you don't really need it.  I wanted naan, but we didn't have any.  I thought about whipping up some chapati, but opted instead to just have pita.  I had samosas in the freezer, so we had those too.  And do NOT even get me started on how good coriander chutney is.  We dipped the samosas in the chutney, and some of it got on the aloo gobi.  So tragic.  Yum.  If you like cilantro, you want to try to get your mitts on a jar of this little piece of heaven on earth. You cilantro-haters...well, you're weird.  But I love you anyway.

Aloo Gobi
adapted from Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian

peanut or canola oil, or ghee for shallow frying
1 lb. new or red potatoes, cut into 1" cubes
1 head cauliflower, cut into small flowerets (small, they only fry for 4 minutes, then steam for 4 more)
1 tbsp. minced ginger
1/4 tsp. ground turmeric (I subbed curry powder here)
3/4-1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander (I left this out)
3 tbsp. coarsely chopped cilantro

Put the oil or ghee in a large frying pan and set over medium heat.  (Remember, I said large.)  When hot, add potatoes and fry until golden and almost tender, about 10 minutes.  Remove with a slotted spoon to drain on paper towels.  Turn heat to medium-high and add cauliflower, frying about 3-4 minutes, until golden brown.  Remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.  Turn off heat.  Remove all oil but about 2 tbsp. from the pan.  Turn heat to medium-high and add ginger.  Stir 10 seconds.  Return potatoes and cauliflower to pan and turn to medium.  Add turmeric, salt, cayenne, cumin and coriander.  Stir to coat veggies.  Add 3 tbsp. water.  Stir once and cover the pan.  Turn to low and cook about 4-5 minutes.  Add cilantro, toss, and eat.

Aloo gobi.  So pretty you could eat it.

I'm categorizing this as thrifty only because I had all the spices already.  If you had to buy them all, it would add around $10 to your cost.  But cauliflower and potatoes cost less than $5.  We are getting two meals out of this.

Vegetarian -- Days Two and Three

Cauliflower-Cheese Pie, I love you

Day Two
Breakfast:  granola bar/cereal/yogurt/fruit choice
Lunch:  nachos with madras lentils --I need to make these from scratch, because they are so delicious and taste like chili (me), leftover peanut noodles (Hub), pb&j with veggies and popcorn (kids)
Dinner:  cheese pizza (me), roast beef sandwich (Hub, he forgot), spaghetti (kids)

Day Three
Breakfast:  granola bars (yes, I have not made a single breakfast this week)
Lunch:  leftovers, fruit, pretzels
Dinner:  cauliflower cheese pie

We had a death in the family this week, so we're all a bit mopey.  Hub's meat-relapse occurred at the hospital, and is certainly forgivable.  I mean, we're not doing this for any reason other than because we can.  No one signed a contract or anything.  I am not surprised to learn that baking the cauliflower cheese pie actually made me feel a lot better.  You know I am passionate about, well, everything, but I really love cooking and it helped me channel some nervous energy and taking care of my family in this way was comforting.

Now onto the recipe for the cauliflower cheese pie.

This is a Moosewood recipe.  I really love this cookbook.  It's full of tasty recipes and is all hand-lettered, which makes it extra nice.  It's full of exotic things (for the time--1970s) such as hummus and guacamole.  It is one of the books that I would never get rid of, and would love to pass down to one of my children one day.  See how much I love it?

Sample of the art in the book.  Lovely.

Cauliflower-Cheese Pie
adapted from Moosewood Cookbook

Potato Crust:
2 c., packed, grated raw potato
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
1/4 c. grated onion

Heat oven to 400.  Let the shredded potatoes sit a few minutes and then squeeze the liquid out of the potatoes (you can use a cheesecloth, colander and your hands, or paper towels).  Combine potatoes, salt, egg and onion.  Pat it into a well-greased 9" pie plate, building up the sides of the crust with your fingers.  Bake 30 minutes and then brush with a little oil and bake 15 more minutes.

Filling:
1 medium cauliflower, broken into small flowerets
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. chopped onion
2 tbsp. butter
dash thyme
1/2 tsp. basil (I happened to have fresh, dried is fine)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 heaping, packed cup of shredded cheddar cheese
2 eggs
1/4 c. milk
pepper to taste
paprika to taste

Turn the oven down to 375.  Melt butter in skillet.  Saute onion and garlic in butter for about 5 minutes.  Add herbs and cauliflower and cook, covered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Spread half the cheese into the baked crust, then top with the cauliflower filling, then the rest of the cheese.  Beat the eggs, milk, and pepper then pour mixture over the pie.  Dust with paprika.  Bake 35-40 minutes until set.

I have had this cookbook for years, and am a little bitter I never made this pie until this week.  Hub and I agree that it goes on the list of the best things I have EVER made.  The recipe claims it feeds 4 people.  And my vegetarian friend also agrees, 4 people, though that is with a salad.  I feel pretty confident in reporting that it could feed 2 people.  I'm just saying.  Next time I am doubling it for sure, especially since I only used 1/2 of my head of cauliflower.  It's quite addictive.

Vegetarian -- Day One

It's only seven days.  I know some people are always vegetarian.  We have friends who were vegetarian for a month.  There's some movement to get people to go meatless on Mondays.  I'm feeling optimistic.  It's not like I am worried about Hub and myself.  We're grown adults (technically).  It's the kids.  I have one kid who doesn't really like to try new things.  I have a meat-loving child who has been dreading the day he ever suggested trying out vegetarianism.  But he has survived today, and even liked what he ate.  A lot.

Breakfast:  apple with peanut butter (me), yogurt/fruit/granola bar/cereal choice (them)
Lunch:  veggie wrap with lettuce, tomato, carrots, cukes and ranch (me and Scrappy), leftover mushroom pizza (Hub), pb&j (everyone else)
Dinner:  carrots with garlic & thyme, peanut noodles
I admit that I hope my evening involves a scoop of ice cream.

Noodles covered in peanut butter sauce are not very photogenic.
However, those pieces of garlic are gorgeous.

Roasted Carrots with Garlic and Thyme
adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

2 lbs. baby carrots (or regular carrots, cut into chunks; baby carrots were cheaper at my store)
2 tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
10ish little garlic cloves, unpeeled
generous tsp. dried thyme

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Put the carrots in a 13x9 casserole and toss with oil and season with salt and pepper.  Stick the garlic here and there in the pan.  Sprinkle with thyme.  Add 2 tbsp. water and cover tightly with foil.  Bake under they are as tender as you like, 25-45 minutes.  Check them a couple times to make sure they aren't drying out.  Uncover for the last 5-10 minutes so they can brown a bit, if you want.

These were SUPER good.  I love this cookbook; it is one of my favorites.  I had never made this recipe before, and I will definitely make it again.  As a bonus, the garlic pops right out of the skin and you can eat it and ward off vampires.



Peanut Noodles aka Gado-Gado
adapted from Moosewood Cookbook

1/2 c. chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. natural peanut butter
1 tbsp. honey
juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp. grated ginger
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp. cider vinegar
3 c. water
1 tsp. salt
dash tamari or soy sauce
couple dashes sesame oil
2 tbsp. butter
1 bunch cilantro, chopped (or less, up to you)
1/3 c. peanuts, crushed with the side of your knife
cooked noodles, such as spaghetti or soba (about 2 lbs.)

In pot, melt butter.  Add onion, garlic, bay leaf, and ginger.  Saute until onion is translucent.  Add remaining ingredients except peanuts, cilantro, and noodles.  Simmer on low for 1/2 hour, stirring occasionally.

Pour the sauce over your noodles.  Chill at least an hour (more is better).  Before serving, stir in peanuts and cilantro.  You could eat this hot, too.  I just wanted mine cold.  See, it's flexible.

Now I totally admit that gado-gado is not meant to be served this way.  You're supposed to serve it over an assortment of veggies and hard-boiled eggs.  But I really wanted peanut noodles.  So I made this work for us.

Three out of four kids liked these noodles (in fact, one loved them).  One kid made horrible faces and told me peanut butter doesn't belong on noodles (yes, the picky one).  The meat-lover told me that they would really be good if I added some chicken.  Sigh.

Eggplant/Zucchini Parmesan

Before I started this blog, I used to post recipes in the "notes" section on FB.  Here's an oldie, but goodie.

I started with one of those horribly overgrown zucchinis and an eggplant.  They were organic, so I did not peel them.  Peeling is optional.  The eggplant has a slightly thicker skin.  It just depends what you like.

Slice into rounds of uniform thickness.  Mine were probably about 1/4 inch thick.  Maybe 1/3.

I had A LOT of vegs so I beat 4 eggs in a bowl for dipping.

In a 13x9 I mixed about 1 cup. flour, 1/2 c. (at least) parmesan cheese, garlic (probably a couple tsp. because I like garlic), and some pepper.

Heat some vegetable oil in a frying pan.

Dip the pieces of eggplant into the egg, then into the flour mixture.  When you have enough coated to fill your pan, fry 'em up.  You are just browning them, not cooking them through.  Maybe one minute each side?  If that.

Drain on paper towels.

For my giant family, I greased a 15x9 casserole.  Put a smidge of your favorite tomato sauce in the bottom.  Layer with cooked eggplant/zucchini.  Top with cheese (I used sliced provolone; it's what I had, and I am a GENIUS for it).  Continue layers, ending with a sauce layer.  Then, because we are gluttonous and I only make this dish once a year, I topped it with more cheese.  Parmesan this time.

Cover with foil and bake.  I did mine at 350 for about 30-40 minutes.

Ta-da!

Egg Scramble

I'm quite fond of the egg scramble.  Veggies plus eggs.  If I'm lucky, there's cheese.  Yes, it's easy.  Oh-so-easy.  And delicious.  And cheap!  So get to making it already, okay?

This is today's scramble, but I vary it based on the types of veggies we have about.  Peppers, onions, broccoli, mushrooms, tomatoes, greens, asparagus--YES!  Whatever.

Egg Scramble with Potatoes, Greens & Cheese
an original recipe

1/4-1/2 stick butter
2 large-ish potatoes, chopped into small cubes
1 small green pepper, chopped finely
1/4 onion (mine was gigantic), chopped finely
1 c. chopped greens (Whatever kind you have or you could leave them out.  But seriously, this is a good introduction to greens, if you need one.  I used kale.)
1-2 cloves garlic, minced OR 1-2 tsp. garlic powder
1-2 tsp. curry powder (optional, but I am on a curry kick)
salt & pepper to taste
6 eggs, beaten
1/2 c. shredded parmesan

Melt butter in skillet over medium high heat.  Add potatoes, peppers and onions.  Add garlic if using fresh. Saute a little bit then leave them to sit for about 5 minutes or so.  Season with garlic powder (if using), salt & pepper and curry powder.  Stir around again, and let them sit again for about 5 minutes.  I won't judge you if you want to add more butter.  No one is looking.

These potatoes are resting.  See how no one is stirring them?
That's what I'm talkin' about.

Taste a little potato and see how they are.  If they are just a little crunchy, that's okay, because they still have some time to cook.  If they are a lot crunchy, please note that I did say "chopped into small cubes."  I wasn't kidding.  Add greens.  Maybe you want to add more butter?  I don't know.  Just throwin' it out there.

Let the greens cook about 5 minutes, then push the veggies to the edges of the pan and add the beaten eggs.  Scramble, people!  They'll cook up very quickly.  You can throw the cheese in now, too.  The scrambling should only take about a minute or two.  Take a taste.  You can adjust the salt & pepper if you want.  My kids ate this with hot sauce.  I thought it was perfect without.


Note:  I went to get seconds of this only to discover, to my horror, that Scrappy had eaten 3 servings and had left nothing but tumbleweeds behind.

Beets can't be beat!

Okay, maybe beets can be beat.  I don't know.  Some people just really hate beets.  Which is sad.  Me, I'm actually not a lover nor a hater of the beet.  I'm open to beets.  Though, I fully admit that I ate way too many pickled beets as a child, and I no longer like those.

I saw this recipe in a Taste of Home magazine at a friend's house.  I've been collecting beet recipes to go with my collection of beets I've acquired through my CSA.  I already make bread, and it looked pretty simple, just with beets added.  Easy, peasy.



I employed the girls to help me make this.  They LOVE to make bread and I love that they help.  I definitely want them to be comfortable making homemade bread when they leave to start their own homes.  In fact, Funny said, "Mommy, I need to get good at this so I can teach my own kids."  This is something I just adore about cooking, how it's been passed down.  I know my grandma taught my mom to cook, and she taught me and my sister, and now I am teaching my kids.  I find great pleasure in knowing I am connected to my family through cooking.

Honey Beet Bread
adapted from Taste of Home

1 tbsp. regular or quick rise yeast (I used regular)
1 1/2 c. warm water (110-115 degrees)
2 tbsp. honey
1 1/2 c. peeled, grated fresh beets, squeezed dry (really squeeze them!)
1 c. warm milk (110-115 degrees)
2 tbsp. butter, softened
2 1/2 tsp. salt
6 1/2 - 7 c. all-purpose flour
1 egg white or a bit of milk, for brushing on the top
toasted sesame seeds (dry toast them quickly on the stove top)

In large bowl, dissolve yeast in water.  Add honey and let rest for 5 minutes.  Add beets (seriously, squeeze them dry), milk, butter, salt and 3 cups flour.  Beat until smooth.  Stir in enough remaining flour to form soft dough.  Knead by hand or by machine with dough hook for 6-8 minutes until smooth and elastic.  Place in greased bowl and flip to grease both sides.  Cover and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 50 minutes.

Punch down dough.  Turn onto lightly floured surface and divide dough in half.  Shape into two loaves.  Place in two greased 9x5x3 loaf pans.  Cover and let rise until doubled, about 40 minutes.

Brush with egg whites or milk.  Sprinkle with seeds.  Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until top begins to brown.  Remove from pans to cool.

Inside of the bread.  From my busted up loaf.  Pretty!!

Notes:
I immediately popped loaf #1 from the pan, and it stuck.  I let loaf #2 rest (like a quick bread) for about 5 minutes, then removed it with no problems.  I also forgot about the egg wash and so used milk during the last 5 minutes to just help with browning, and tossed the toasted seeds on top then, as well.
Also, the dough wasn't as dry as I am used to.  It was firmer than a quick bread, but not quite like a regular loaf of bread.  I suspect if I had squeezed the beets a second time, it may have helped with that.  But I did increase the flour as a result, and this recipe reflects that.  You may want to start with a quarter cup less.

I will make this again!

That's hot! Cauliflower gets Spicy

I found this recipe about a year ago on Not So Humble Pie's blog.  In the past couple of years I have grown to adore cauliflower.  As much as a cruciferious veggie can be adored, I guess.  I also like a meat-free meal now and again.  This one was just perfect!

I got a cauliflower in the CSA box yesterday, and immediately thought of this recipe.  I did not, however, think to locate it and review it in order to purchase any missing ingredients.  The recipe calls for three kinds of flour!  So I had to alter the recipe, and everyone here still thought it was delicious.  One day I would like to make it according to the recipe, if only to feel my tongue burst into flames.

Mine were good, but I wonder if they would've been crispier with the right flours.  It wasn't mushy though.  I would make this again, even with the substitutions I have made.

A gathering of ingredients.  Look at that gorgeous cauliflower.  *sigh*

Gobi Manchurian
Based on Not so Humble Gobi Manchurian

 1 head cauliflower, cut into medium florets
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. blended corn meal (I was supposed to use corn flour, but didn't have any.  So I blended my corn meal for a little while to grind it further.)
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. grated ginger
1 tsp. grated garlic
1 tsp. finely chopped jalapeño
warm water

vegetable oil

Sauce:
1 tbsp. sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 c. finely chopped sweet onion
1 inch ginger, minced
1 jalapeño, finely chopped (minus the bit for coating the cauliflower)
1/3 c. soy sauce
1 tbsp. sriracha sauce ("rooster" sauce)
3 tbsp. ketchup

couple sprinkles hot chili sesame oil
chopped cilantro

Core and cut cauliflower into medium florets.  Bring water with a pinch of salt to boil and add the florets.  Boil about 10 minutes or until tender.  Drain.

In large pan (I used a frying pan), heat a few inches of vegetable oil to 350 degrees.  For batter, combine flours, garlic, ginger, and jalapeños; add enough water to make it smooth.  Toss the cooked florets in the batter to coat, then sprinkle with about 2-3 tbsp. all-purpose flour and toss gently.  Fry florets in small batches until deep golden brown and crispy.  I had to turn a couple of mine.  Drain on paper towels.

Sauté garlic in sesame oil over medium-high heat for 30 seconds.  Add onion, garlic, ginger, and jalapeños and sauté another minute.  Add soy sauce and ketchup and cook until thickened and bubbly (just a minute or two).

Put the hot, fried cauliflower in a large bowl.  Pour sauce over and toss to coat.  Garnish with cilantro and a couple sprinkles of hot chili sesame oil.

The finished product.  Yum!

Bacon really does make it all better

I don't normally consider myself to be a very creative person.  I'm not crafty.  I'm not artistic.  But, I can look at a fridge and pantry full of goodies and see something delicious!

This week's CSA brought (more!) beets, as well as potatoes and onions.  This looked like a perfect recipe for breakfast.  Only...something was missing.

BACON.

Oh, I love bacon.  It makes the boring exciting.  I think I could go vegetarian if it were not for the bacon.

I only used the beet greens.  I think that a lot of people don't eat greens, which I find kind of sad.  They are super easy and tasty.  They soak up all the flavorings in the dish, so, in my opinion, they end up being the best part.  In this case, second only to the bacon.  I set aside the actual tuber part of the beets for another dish.  What?  I don't know.  I'm open to suggestions.

I just rinsed the greens, and coarsely chopped them.

Yummy, and pretty!

I had a bunch of cute little red potatoes.  I cubed them.

I also coarsely chopped the bacon, and fried it up in my trusty (non-cast iron, sadly) skillet.

Mmmmmm.  Bacon.

Greens & Potato Fry with Bacon

1 bunch greens of choice (beet, kale, spinach, chard, collard)
a few potatoes
1 lb. of bacon (yes, I used a whole pound.  I don't want to have regrets.)
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 or 3 cloves of garlic, minced
salt
pepper

Wash and coarsely chop greens.  They should still be quite damp (but not wet) when they go into the pan.  Set aside.  Chop and fry bacon.  While bacon is cooking, cube potatoes.  Chop onion and garlic.

Remove bacon, once crispy, and drain.  I poured off most of the bacon grease, but I am not your cardiologist.  So do what you want.  You need some fat in the pan for the potatoes.  I won't tell if it's bacon grease or olive oil.  Whatever makes you happy.

Add potatoes, onion and garlic to pan with fat (or oil) in it (medium to med-hi heat).  Then leave them alone!  They need to brown.  Give them a few minutes to start browning, then stir and let them sit again.  After they are brown, you could cover them with a lid to help the middles steam.  This will probably take about 10 minutes or so, depending on how small your potatoes are.

When potatoes are done (taste one to see, but don't burn your tongue), throw in greens.  They will cook down in a couple minutes.  Sprinkle generously with salt & pepper.  Mix in the cooked bacon.

Log on here to thank me.

Eats for the equinox

I made this in late spring, when spinach was everywhere.  But now fall is approaching, and spinach will be back.  This is super easy.  The most expensive part of it is the bacon, so a splurge for the good stuff is definitely warranted, if you feel so led.

Penne, Spinach & Bacon

1 (12 oz) package penne

2 tbsp. olive oil, divided

6 slices bacon, chopped

2 tbsp. minced garlic

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes

1 bunch fresh spinach, rinsed, torn into bite-size pieces (The Flour Children tore the spinach)

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Heat 1 tbsp. oil in skillet over medium.  

Place bacon in skillet, and cook until brown and crisp.  Add garlic, and cook about 1 minutes.  Stir in tomatoes (with juice) and heat through.  Put spinach in colander and strain pasta over it.  The cooking liquid will wilt your spinach.  Toss all ingredients together with 1 tbsp. oil.

Green beans with tomatoes

I did not move quick enough to get a picture of this. That means it was delicious, right!?

1 1/2 lb. fresh green beans, tipped and tailed

1 1/2 c. water

Put beans and water in a pot with a lid. Cover. Bring to a boil, turn to low, and simmer about 10 minutes. Drain.

1/4 c. butter

1 tbsp. sugar

3/4 tsp. garlic salt (I usually use garlic powder and salt)

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh basic (Dried is fine)

2 c. cherry tomatoes, halved (I have used one regular tomatoes, cut into chunks)

Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Stir in sugar, salt, garlic, pepper, and basil. Add tomatoes. Cook, stirring gently, just until soft. Pour mixture over beans and toss.

Seriously, this here is what summer is all about. Easy, delicious food.

Andy Garcia's Cucumbers

Once upon a time, I lived in Virginia Beach. I would go shopping with my mom at Lynnhaven Mall. There used to be a Chinese buffet upstairs there, in the back corner. The man who stood at the door to greet and seat looked an awful lot like Andy Garcia, which was extra lovely. You know you would let this guy serve you Chinese food:

Anyway, this is before I liked Chinese food. You know, back when I was clearly a moron. Mom would nicely ask if I would go there with her for lunch, and I'm nice, so I would, and I would eat some fruit, and eventually, I started trying the other foods there. The first thing I tried was the hot and sour cucumbers. I would eat nothing but oranges and cucumbers on every visit.

I have never seen them on any other Chinese buffet. I wonder if they are not actually Chinese, but maybe Vietnamese? I don't know.

I've spent far too many years dreaming about those cucumbers. Mmmmm. So tangy. So salty. So spicy. So cold.

I've recently come into some cucumbers, and while I was slicing up a few to start making pickles, my mind wandered to the best cucumbers I had ever eaten in my whole life--those hot & sour ones from that restaurant that no longer exists. Overcome with craving, I made up a recipe.

Hot & Sour Cucumbers

about 1 c. rice wine vinegar

2 tbsp. sugar

3 cloves garlic, minced or about 1/2 tbsp. of garlic powder

generous shake (or 3 or 4) of red pepper flakes (fresh peppers would've been ideal, but I had none)

salt

2-3 cucumbers, sliced like pickles

some sliced onion (I used a bit of green onion as my loving husband doesn't like onion, really)

Bring vinegar, sugar, garlic and peppers to a boil on the stove. Stir to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat to cool. Place cukes and onion in a bowl; sprinkle some salt over top and let rest a few minutes. Pour cooled vinegar mixture over top. Cover and refrigerate until cold. Eat cold.

One man's trash...

Here, Funny is enjoying her last few bites of dinner.

I had the following leftovers:

turkey

peas

rice

Now, I could've been boring, and just reheated it all and thrown it on our plates. But instead I turned it into soup. We'll be able to eat the soup for a few days, too, so we actually get more out of it. I love that about soup. It's just magic.

I used some homemade chicken stock that I pulled out of my freezer, though you can certainly use canned or boxed broth. Because I used homemade, I did add salt to my soup. Don't add salt if you use canned broth!!!

I threw the broth into the crockpot and let it heat up. Once the broth was hot, I added the leftover rice (about 2 cups), leftover peas (about 1 cup), and then I decided that we need more veggies! Soup is so great for getting rid of all the bits of veggies you have hanging around. I threw in about 1 cup of frozen green beans, about 1/2 cup of frozen chopped spinach, and one chopped onion.

I added some salt & pepper, then decided to add some no-salt seasoning (similar to Mrs. Dash), because I was feeling lazy. I also added some fresh rosemary & oregano that I have in a little herb garden. Then I just left it in the crockpot, on low, until dinnertime. It probably crocked at least 1 hour once everything was in it.

This made a very tasty, pretty soup. Even the kids ate it without complaining. I like it when that happens.

The Heat of the Moment

Asia is not just a lame 80s band. Here's a run-down of tonight's Asian-inspired menu.

I have made this chicken a couple of times. I vaguely remember it being based on a recipe, but it has been sufficiently tweaked to make it mine. My son, Scrappy, thinks this is the very best thing he's ever eaten.

Before we get to the chicken, let's prep the broccoli. I was supposed to make a broccoli rabe dish from Eating Well magazine. Well, my local store doesn't carry broccoli rabe. Here I was, all ready to try something new! I figure, hmmm. Broccoli. Broccoli rabe. I'll just buy broccoli and maybe the sauce will be good on that. I'm here to say--it is!!!

So, chop up your broccoli (I am a horrible person who prefers the tops, but the rest of you can peel and chop the stem too). Steam it until it is just shy of being done. Seriously, you can invest in a steamer basket. It is the best way to cook broccoli and they are like $2 at Target. Run a little cool water over them so they'll stop cooking and set them aside. Nobody wants to eat your mushy, over-cooked broccoli.

Vietnamese-Flavored Broccoli

In a small bowl, combine:

1 tbsp. fish sauce (nam pla)

1 1/2 tsp. lime juice

1 tsp. sugar

1 clove garlic, minced

1/8-1/4 tsp. crushed pepper flakes

Stir until the sugar dissolves, and set it aside until we're ready.

As for fish sauce, I kept seeing it over and over again in recipes. I would just omit it in the past. But I have to say, I am happy I finally broke down and bought it.

Honey-Soy Chicken

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half to make 6 pieces (you can just use 6 breasts if you want, but I'm cheap and we don't need to eat that much meat)

soy sauce

honey

garlic powder (or some fresh minced garlic)

pepper

Place the chicken pieces in a dish or bowl. Pour soy sauce over top and about halfway up the sides. I probably used about 1/2 cup. Sprinkle your garlic and pepper over top. Let it sit there a while (on your counter is fine; it won't kill you)--at least 10 minutes (or however long it takes to prep the carrots).

Meanwhile....

Garlic Carrots

4 -6 carrots, peeled and sliced into coins (1/4 to 1/2 inch thick)

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp. oil of choice

1/4 c. water

1/4 tsp. thyme (more or less)

salt

pepper

Heat the oil in a pot (choose one that has a lid) over medium-high. Saute the carrots and garlic for about 5 minutes. Add the water, and the seasonings (season to taste). Cover with lid. Start small with your seasonings, because you can just add more at the end. Trust yourself. You can do it. Turn the heat down to medium-low, and let the carrots steam. They need to cook about 8-10 minutes.

Back to the chicken.

Heat up your skillet to medium-high with about 2-3 tbsp. of canola oil. Put the chicken in the pan, along with the marinade. Mmmmmm....

Pause to enjoy the smell of your tasty dinner. Your chicken is so happy. It's browning, so leave it alone. After a couple minutes, flip the chicken. Let it brown on the second side for a minute or two. Turn it down to medium and cover the pan for about 5-7 minutes (this depends on the thickness and quantity of your chicken). Take the lid off, and drizzle the chicken with some honey. Flip it over so the honey starts to caramelize. You weren't sure until I said, "caramelize." But now you know you have to make this, huh? Drizzle more honey and flip again. Try to control your drooling. When your chicken is done, put it on a plate. I like to pour a little bit of the sauce over top.

I'm sorry this isn't the greatest photo. But face it, I'm not a photographer.

Let's see. The chicken is done. The carrots are done. Now, the broccoli.

Heat up another skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp. canola oil. Toss in the broccoli, and cook about 1-2 minutes to heat up. Pour the sauce over top and toss. Heat about 1 more minute.

Dinner is done.

Go. Try it. And you can kiss me later. (After your brush your teeth.)