Ratatouille

I love summer tomatoes. Funny thing is that when I was a kid, I HATED tomatoes. I didn't care where they came from or what they were in, I was NOT eating them, well, besides ketchup. Like we keep telling the boys, tastes change. We have 3 different varieties growing in our garden - San Marzano, Heirloom and Sweet 100s. We have gotten a couple of varieties from our CSA too. Needless to say, for the past couple of weeks, our counter has been a resting place for tomatoes. Fun Fact: Tomatoes should be stored on your counter vs. the refrigerator. 

We have a handle on the Sweet 100s. The boys, especially C, love to help pick them. More end up in their stomach vs. the tub, but that is A-OK with me. They seriously taste like candy. It is so easy to pop a couple (okay, handful) in your mouth. With the rest of the tomatoes, I've made sauce and plan on making marinara. I may even try freezing a few whole. 

When the boys heard us talking about Ratatouille, they thought we were talking about the movie. C even asked if they got the recipe from the movie. The first time I heard of Ratatouille was in college. I was working at the genetics clinic and we had an intern, Sarah, from England for the summer. She was staying with our lab director, also British. Sarah would eat lunch with us and one day she had leftover Ratatouille. I remember thinking it was so exotic and beyond my comfort zone to even think about eating something like that. Like we keep telling the boys, tastes change.

We got eggplant in our CSA box so I knew it was time for Ratatouille. It is the epitome of summer to me  - tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, summer squash, and fresh herbs. Any ratatouille is going to take some time. There is a LOT of chopping. I do think this recipe goes a little faster because you puree the red peppers and the tomatoes. Again, it is a lot of work, but this is seriously the best Ratatouille I have ever had. It is totally worth the two hours of chopping, cooking and stirring. Before I go further, I have to say, sadly the boys weren't nearly as big of fans of this as Ray and I were. 

This makes a huge batch - but then when you have four pounds of tomatoes as the base, two and a half pounds of zucchini/ summer squash and a pound and a half of eggplant, you have to expect it. As suggested, this is even better the next day. You will not be disappointed eating this right after it is made. 

I got this recipe from an online friend and I will be forever grateful to her. 

Weapons Grade Ratatouille

Green beans and garlic

Green beans are one of my favorite vegetables. I love them pretty much any which way. These are one of those recipes that are SO simple yet impressive. They come together very quickly. If I am making them for company, I will have the ingredients measured out so it goes that much faster, down to the green beans already steamed. 

If you aren't a wine person, you could easily use chicken or vegetable broth instead. 

The boys are hit and miss with these. I think it is because of the wine. I need to take my own advice and just use broth. I don't always use the almonds either, but they really give a nice flavor and texture to the dish.

To toast almonds, I use the stove top method. I put them in a non-stick skillet over medium-heat, medium-high if I am not going to move a step away from the pan, and stir often until nicely browned. The nuts can go VERY quickly, so turn off the heat once they are browned to your liking. If you don't remove them from the pan immediately, they will cook some from the residual heat in the pan.

Garlicky Green Beans

1 lb fresh green beans -- cut into 3" pieces -- frozen works fine too

2 TBS butter

3 cloves garlic -- finely minced

1 tsp chicken bouillon granules (can crumble a cube)

1/4 cup white wine

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 - 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Steam or boil green beans for 4-5 minutes until crisp-tender. 

In medium skillet over medium heat melt butter, add garlic, and saute for 2 minutes or until tender and fragant. 

Add green beans, stir well to coat with the butter/garlic mixture, sprinkle chicken bouillon over beans and stir to mix, then saute another 3 minutes to desired doneness. 

Turn heat up to medium high, then pour in the wine and let it sizzle and evaporate most of the alcohol. Lower heat, add salt and pepper to taste, and stir thoroughly. Top with toasted almonds. Serve immediately.

Cream of Carrot Soup

Let me start out right now with an apology. I did not intend to go this long without a blog post. But, I am a working mother, so sometimes life gets in the way.

This is one of my family's all time favorite soup recipes. This soup is so good, that H requests it, a lot. We first tried the soup almost 4 years ago, when my sweet H was born. A neighbor gave us a pot of this as part of dinner she made us. We usually have all the ingredients in the refrigerator/ pantry, which is a plus.

This comes together in under an hour. It goes even faster when you use baby carrots and don't have to peel! I will sometimes throw in an extra handful of carrots just because. It doesn't throw anything off. You could also make this vegetarian and use vegetable broth. I prefer chicken broth because I think it has more flavor. I use milk, lately 2%, but you can go all out and use cream. I like to eat more than one bowl, and would feel WAY too guilty doing that, but you can.

I have a stick, or immersion blender, and use that vs. pouring it in batches into the blender. If you do pour by the batch into the blender, be very careful and don't fill the jar of the blender too full. That is an accident waiting to happen.

This makes a very large batch of soup. We usually have enough for everyone to have at least a bowl, remember I have two, and a large container for the freezer, and another container in the refrigerator. 

The soup freezes very well.

                     

Cream of Carrot Soup

4  tablespoons  butter

2 onions -- chopped

12 carrots -- peeled and sliced (6 cups)

3  stalks  celery ribs -- chopped  (not too many or will taste bitter)

5 medium  potatoes -- peeled and diced

10  cups  chicken broth

1 cup  whole milk -- or cream

salt and pepper -- to taste

Melt butter in large pot; add onion, carrots, and celery; then cook uncovered 10-15 min, stirring ocassionally. Add potatoes and stir until coated. Stir in broth and cook, partially covered, until potatoes are tender (about 20 min). Puree in blender in as many increments as necessary, with blender cautiously vented. Empty pureed portions into another large pot. When all pureed, stir in cream, add salt and pepper to taste, and reheat if necessary without boiling.

Candy Carrot Coins

C & H both love carrots. They like them raw, roasted and cooked. These carrots have been on our rotation for years. They taste good and most importantly, the boys eat them right up. Actually, we all do.

I make these carrots quite often because they are always well recieved and they seem to make the dinner seem more special. And the boys gobble them up, did I say that already?

Using a bag of baby carrots and a microwave steam bag these come together in a snap. The longest prep step is slicing the carrots and keeping little hands from swiping the sliced carrots.

Candy Carrot Coins

Family Fun Fast Family Dinners


1 pound carrots
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon water


Peel, slice carrots. Cook until tender ( cover with water, microwave 6-7 minutes covered or steam etc.)


In small frying pan, melt the butter, sugar and water, and cook for 1 minute. Add carrot coins and toss to coat with the brown-sugar mixture. Cook on low for 3-4 minutes, or until the carrots are thoroughly glazed.


Makes 4 servings

Roasted Kale

This recipe was posted on a cooking board I read. We've had Kale once or twice and it isn't our favorite. We like Beet Greens and Swiss Chard MUCH better. After reading everyone rave about how good this was, I thought, what the heck.

It was very easy to make. C and H had fun using the salad spinner to dry the Kale. That was really the most labor intensive part of the whole deal. It is a matter of tossing the Kale pieces with olive oil then a sprinkle of salt. Easy peasy. We all thought it was good. Ray and I thought it was better than the boys did. 

The texture was crispy and the Kale almost melts in your mouth. 

I used the curly variety, and would use a flat variety i.e. Dinosaur Kale next time. It would be easier to dry and I think it would be a little crispier.

This is a good way to try a new vegetable if you haven't tried Kale, or are not a fan.

Roasted Kale

I bunch Kale

Olive Oil

Salt

Tear up kale and remove the stems 

Toss with a tablespoon of oil and a sprinkle of salt. Place on a baking rack set over a sheet pan and bake at 250°F for about 25 minutes, tossing about halfway through.

Don't oversalt.

Sesame Stir-Fried Broccoli

I mentioned before that broccoli is a vegetable the boys go crazy for, so I am always on the lookout for new recipes. I found a winner with this one. The boys gobbled this up and asked for seconds! Ray and I enjoyed it too.

It has asian flavors with garlic, ginger and sesame. The toasted sesame seeds give it that extra layer of flavor that sets it off. Make sure you really reduce the sauce to intensify the flavors. It is easy to just say good enough because it smells so good, but you will be rewarded with your patience.

This reheated well and will be on our rotation.

At this time, I will mention a pet-peave of mine. Yes, I am lazy, so 9 times out of 10, I google the recipe to see if someone has posted it. I found this recipe, but the poster did not give credit where credit is due. They changed the name of the recipe and the oils called for and called it their own. This recipe belongs to Jack Bishop, from his cookbook, Vegetables Every Day.

Sesame Stir-Fried Broccoli

Vegetables Every Day

1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1/2 cup chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 1/4 peanut oil
1 pound broccoli florets, rinsed, patted dry, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

Toast the sesame seeds by first heating a small, stick-free sauté pan on medium heat. Add the sesame seeds and jiggle the pan so they spread out in a single layer. Let them cook until lightly browned, stirring occasionally, about 3-5 minutes. Do not walk away from them while cooking, as once they start to brown they can easily burn. Once lightly toasted remove from heat and put into a small bowl, set aside.


Mix the stock, soy sauce, and toasted sesame oil together in a small bowl, set aside.


Heat 1 tablespoon of peanut oil in a large, covered sauté pan on medium high heat. Add the broccoli florets, stir to coat the florets with the oil, Sauté for about a minute. Clear a space in the middle of the broccoli and add the ginger and garlic. Add a little more oil to the ginger and garlic (about a teaspoon) and sauté for half a minute, stirring just the garlic and ginger, until fragrant. Then stir the garlic and ginger in with the broccoli.


Add the chicken (or vegetable) stock mixture to the pan. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat and cover. Let cook for 2-3 minutes, until broccoli is still firm, but can be pierced with a fork. Remove from heat. Remove broccoli with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Return pan to heat, increase heat to high and boil down the liquid until just a couple tablespoons remain. Turn off heat, return broccoli to the pan, add the toasted sesame seeds, toss with the liquid. Put into a serving bowl.

Serves 4.

Wilted Spinach with Garlic and Chiles

I love spinach. It is something that I didn't really eat much of until I was an adult and cooking on my own.

This recipe comes together so quickly. It is also nice because you can easily remember the recipe without having to look it up and you can also tweak it to your tastes.

Since this recipe has crushed red pepper, I do add that after I have removed a portion for the boys. This is a lesson I have learned the hard way, and sadly, do not always remember. Remeber to decrease the amount of red pepper if you do this. Another lesson I have learned the hard way.

Wilted Spinach with Garlic and Chiles

Vegetables Every Day

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil - I use less

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes or 1 small dried red chile, minced

2 1/2 pounds spinach, flat-leaf, washed and shaken dry

salt

Heat the oil in a deep stockpot. Add the garlic and hot red pepper flakes and saute over medium until the garlic is golden, about 1 minute. Add the spinach leaves and stir to coat evenly with the oil. Sprinkle with salt to taste.

Cover and cook; stirring occasionally, until the spinach is partially wilted, about 5 minutes. Remove the cover and cook another minute or two or until any liquid in the pot has evaporated. Adjust the seasonings and serve immediately.

Split Pea Soup

There is something about homemade Split Pea Soup. It just tastes so good. The critical ingredient is a ham bone when making the soup. It is the benefit of hosting and having ham for dinner. This soup has few ingredients but is full of flavor. I did remove most of the ham from the bone before adding it to the soup. I set it aside to add back to the soup for the final stage. I also blended the soup with my stick blender as I wanted it on the thicker side.

This soup tastes great the next day. It is a little thicker, but that is to be expected.

Split Pea Soup

16 oz dried split peas

8 cups water

1 ham bone

1 cup finely diced celery

1 onion, diced ( I used a large onion)

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

1 1/2 cup diced carrots

salt and pepper to taste

Combine peas through pepper in a large dutch oven. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove ham bone from soup, remove any meat and dice. Add ham and carrots to soup. If you have any additional ham add that too. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Remove lid and simmer until thickened to your liking. Salt and pepper to taste.

Broccoli and Wonderful Peanut Sauce

For whatever reason, my boys have always loved broccoli. When C was little he used to pretend he was a lemur when he was eating his broccoli. The boys especially love broccoli when it is served with this peanut sauce. It is a fight over who gets the last piece! This sauce is that good. It is quick to whip up - literally 2 minutes if you have the hot water ready. I usually steam the broccoli and serve the peanut sauce warm or room temperature. We will set some aside for the boys before adding the cayenne. It adds a nice heat layer. I also use less water so the sauce is a little thicker. It is my preference. I also will make the sauce to serve or chicken or pork tenderloin. It is also good with pasta, chicken, sugar snap peas(or peas), and a little red bell pepper.

Broccoli and Wonderful Peanut Sauce
Mollie Katzen- The Vegetable Dishes I Can't Live Without

1 1/2 pounds broccoli -- 1 large bunch
1 cup good peanut butter (I use Jif)
1 cup hot water
2 to 3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 to 4 tablespoons light colored honey
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
3 to 4 tablespoons finely minced cilantro (optional) (I don't use)
cayenne to taste
salt to taste if peanut butter is unsalted

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, trim and discard the tough stem of the broccoli and slice the rest lengthwise into 6 to 8 spears.

Simmer the broccoli for 2 minutes, if you like your vegetables tender-crisp, and 3 minutes of you prefer them more tender. Drain in a colander, then run the broccoli under cold running water to cool. Drain thoroughly, then dry the broccoli, first by shaking it emphatically, then by patting it with paper towels. The broccoli will keep, stored in a zip-style plastic bag, for several days.

Place peanut butter in a bowl, add hot water and stir patiently with a fork or whisk until smooth.

Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover tightly and chill.

Bring to room temperature before serving with lightly steamed broccoli or other vegetables as a dip.

Makes 2 cups sauce; serves 8 generously.

Seared Steak with Brussels Sprouts and Almonds

Dinner is a success at our house when everyone eats what is on their plate and doesn't complain. With this meal, we were *this close*. The boys are pretty good about trying new things but they have their moments. They like brussels sprouts roasted and sautéed with pancetta or bacon so I thought this was a no-brainer. They ate a couple bites. There was a small snafu with the steak, so the sprouts weren't hot when we sat down at the table. I think they would have liked them if they were warm. Ray and I both loved them and we'll cook them this way again. The second time is usually the charm for the boys.

Funny thing - I could not even look at brussels sprouts when I was pregnant with both of the boys. I remember when I was about 6 weeks along with C, I made Ray take them out of the crisper because just seeing them in there made me sick. I knew better to not even buy them when I was pregnant with H.

The steak was simply seared. We like Montreal Steak Seasoning, so I used that in place of salt and pepper. It was simple and good. It is also nice because it only needs one pan for both parts of the recipe. I did the majority of the slicing while the steak was cooking. I toasted the almonds before I started, a couple of minutes in a saute pan over medium heat until golden. I sadly know from experience the toasting can go very quickly to a burn.

This will be on our rotation for fast, easy and good.

Seared Steak with Brussels Sprouts and Almonds
Adapted from Everyday Food 


1 flank steak (1 1/2 pounds) cut into 4 pieces - I used one piece less than a pound
1 -2 tablespoons butter - I used 1
1 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and thinly sliced
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Season steak. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add steak and cook until medium rare, 3-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate to rest.

Reduce heat to medium and melt butter. Add brussels sprouts and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in almonds and lemon juice. Serve steak with brussels sprouts.

Sweet Potato Casserole

I love sweet potatoes. It is one of those things that has to be at my holiday table. I have a tried and true but it has a streusel topping that has nuts. C has a sensitivity to tree nuts and I wanted him to eat it and not worry about the nuts this recipe just has nuts in the topping with can be put on part. This recipe made a self-proclaimed sweet potato hater ask for seconds - yay!

Sweet Potato Casserole

Potatoes:
4 pounds sweet potatoes
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
Cooking spray

Topping:
3/4 cup miniature marshmallows
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chilled butter, cut into pieces
1/4 - 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Preheat oven to 425º. Wash sweet potatoes and pierce with a fork  On a foil lined baking sheet, bake sweet potatoes for about an hour. Turn once while baking. Depending on the size of your potatoes, start checking about 45 minutes. They are done when a fork or knife is inserted easily.

Let cool.

Peel potaotes, and place into a large bowl. You should be able to do this with your hands. Add evaporated milk, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon salt and vanilla. Beat with a mixer until smooth. Add eggs; beat well. Scrape mixture into an 11x7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Sprinkle marshmallows over top of casserole. Combine topping ingredients, flour through salt, in a small bowl. Cut butter in with a pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in pecans and sprinkle over potato mixture and marshmallows. Bake at 375º for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

I sprinkled the pecans on half the casserole, then sprinkle the remaining topping over the whole casserole.

You can also bake this in a 13x9-inch casserole and double the topping ingredients.

To toast the nuts: put nuts in a small pan over medium heat. Stir frequently, being careful not to let the nuts burn. The nuts will get a nice brown color and smell nutty.