Cooking for 1 or 2

Meatloaf Panini or I Always Loved YOU (and Meatloaf Sandwiches)

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Meatloaf, though well-loved (like you–Happy Valentine’s, friend)  is often the source of ridicule.  People laugh about it, call others by its name and while they eat it without turning up their noses (in fact, they really want it), it perhaps is wolfed down with a little snotty, eye-raising disdain.  When they mention it, their voices lower and, sotto voce, with eyes slanted, they run on about the meatloaf their mothers made with ketchup.  On the other hand, if no one is really listening, they are hot on the trail of a good recipe.  If you bring up meatloaf at the hairdresser’s, ten women will soon be surrounding you, wanting to know how in the (well, you know) you make it and just how good is it?  Do you use a mixture of meats?  Turkey? If so, how do you flavor it?  They want it now.

And so on.

Bring up mashed potatoes and boiled carrots (then sauteed in a little butter and honey and thyme) and the world is at your feet.  It’s like talking biscuits.  Chocolate chip cookies.  Beef stew. Chicken and dumplings.

Feeding six people for years and years led me to think about and try many kinds of meatloaf before settling on a rather pedestrian, (embarassing to admit I still use an envelope of dry onion soup mix in it),  but very quickled snarffed down and s-i-m-p-l-e (also cheap) version.  Later, I began making meatloaf for the homeless when we fed them at our church.  I sometimes made it just so we’d have meatloaf sandwiches to travel with when we were on the way to a camping spot or traveling across country.   We were kind of the meatloaf bunch back then.

When the kids walked (or ran) off, one by one, I found I made it less often.  How much meatloaf can two people eat?  It went the way of big trays of biscuits and dozens of homemade blueberry muffins for dinner every night.  It went the way of 12 qt pots of spaghetti sauce. In the place of those cooking for the masses dishes,   I started cooking 3 quarts of Tyler Florence’s bolognese. (And still had to freeze some.)  I began to fall in love with tiny lamb chops served over barely warmed arugula with slivers of parmesan and almonds…all served with mind-warming Pinot Noir from Oregon.  I fixed saute pans full of sole and plates of quickly grilled vegetables topped with feta and fresh basil.  No need for big ol’ pot roasts and 2# meatloafs…or was there?  I adored (and yet do) cooking for two.  Yes… but, then again…….

One day, I just couldn’t stand it any more,  I had to have meatloaf.  And potatoes. And carrots.    So I made it.  I made it all.  And, of course, it was mostly all still there the next day.  I said, “Let’s not cook tonight; let’s have meatloaf sandwiches and watch a movie in the basement.”  Dave was all over that.  I told my good friend, Sandy, about it and she, too, was enthusiastic.  “Oh YES and have a nice, round red with them.”   Which sounded fine.  I adored meatloaf sandwiches.  But…

As I went to fix them, the new cook in me, the one who cooks for two,  pulled out the grill pan.  She grabbed the cast-iron, wooden handled press (my cheap panini maker) that we used to cook meat camping.  She searched out a little spinach, some fresh basil, a jar of salsa and whatever cheese was in the cheese drawer.  And here’s how she did it because, friends, she made

Meatloaf Panini with Sauce for Dipping
serves 2!  (orignial meatloaf recipe below–keep reading at end)

                        Make it with cheddar, serve salsa for dipping.
                        Make it with provolone, serve marinara for dipping

4 slices whole wheat bread (large slices); I like them with seeds
1T butter
2T coarse ground Dijon-style mustard
3-4 thin slices meatloaf (your choice)

4 slices cheese (provolone or cheddar, depending on the sauce)            
1/4 c fresh basil leaves
1/4 c fresh spinach leaves

1 c marinara or salsa for dipping (depending on which sandwich you make)                                                                                          

     

Heat a grilling pan (or large cast-iron skillet) over medium-high heat.  Butter each slice of bread on one side.  On the other side of only two slices, spread the mustard.  Place one slice bread on the pan and lay on the  meatloaf, cheese and basil and spinach leaves.  Top with other slice of buttered bread.  Repeat.  Lay something heavy on top (a grill press or a heavy pan or plate) and grill until toasty brown on one side.  Turn over and grill until the other side is just as brown.  Eat while it’s hot!!!– right away, each served w/ 1/2 c  desired sauce in a ramekin or small bowl.

SIDES:  Chips, pickles.  Right.
WINE:  Rhone.  (We drank a California Rhone called “Incognito.”  Whoo Hoo.)
DESSERT:  Small piece of dark chocolate with the rest of the wine.

Porque no?
Pourquoi pas?
Happy Valentine’s Day! 
Sing a new song; grill a new sandwich,
Alyce

Meatloaf recipe:  1# lean ground beef, 1# bulk breakfast sausage, 4 cloves garlic, grated or minced finely,  1 15 oz can tomato sauce, 1 ex-large egg, 1 envelope dry onion soup mix. 2 slices bread (torn in small pieces) 1/2 t ground black pepper, 1T dry basil, 1T dry oregano.  In large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients well using your great hands.  Pat meat mixture into 9×5 loaf pan (I like glass) and bake at 350F for an hour.  Pour off grease.  Let meatloaf remain in pan, covered with foil, for 10-15 minutes before cutting.

NEWS FROM THE TWO-DOG KITCHEN:

Baked Snapper in Tomato Sauce or How to Decide What to Cook

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When you arrive at the store or market with no set plan in mind (and this is a good way to shop sometimes), you have opportunity to be moved by what appeals to your
  • eyes
  • stomach
  • wallet
  • sense of the season
  • knowledge of what’s in your pantry and frig

You must choose, at that moment, to be a rather more open and spontaneous cook, person and shopper. You must allow yourself the ability and time to walk through the produce and meat and fish/seafood sections (the pasta aisle remains fairly static) to just see what appeals. What looks possible, given your time constraints. What looks lovely, given the season. What looks available, given the bucks needed. What looks incredible and must-doable, given your heart. Your heart is critical here. There are days the most beautiful shrimp being sold at the most beautiful price won’t move you. It’s just not your day for shrimp; who knows why.

It’s as much a creative process as anything and, I promise: the process improves with time. The first time you do it, you may wander round and round, taking an hour in the grocery or farmer’s market. The second or third or fourth time may give you the same result. At some point, your love of food and innate intelligence will take over (or not) and the connections will begin to be made. You will walk in, see green beans two pounds for a dollar, stunningly red tomatoes grown nearby, teeeeny bright new potatoes, ahi tuna on sale for $11.99 a pound, and you will say,

“Et voila! Salade nicoise!” or

WOW, WE’LL HAVE GRILLED TUNA WITH GREEN BEANS, NEW POTATOES AND TOMATOES IN A MUSTARDY VINAIGRETTE

Now, I’m just starting to take a great French class (one of my life-long goals), but Salade Nicoise does sound better, I think. And, I hope you have better luck finding the tiny Nicoise olives than I do; I usually end up with kalamata.

Ok, you might not start there. This could be an ambitious example.

In between those trips, you will have cooked, eaten and fed someone you like (I hope) and you, if you’re really interested, will have begun to read recipes or even watch Ina Garten on tv. The ideas for what you can do with food will have begun to make an imprint on your, well, I’m a faithful person, so I’ll say soul. You will begin to trust yourself after some successes and disasters. Your friends and family will begin to look forward to your forays in the kitchen and you will be a new person for having learned something more about how to take care of yourself. I believe it can happen to most anyone.

Too scared to start? Then begin by taking 2-3 recipes you think you want to make. Walk through the fresh areas of the store (always on the perimeter). Think about what looked good that is actually on one of your lists. Shop for that recipe and make it.

Here’s the story of my fish:

I knew I wanted to make fish. (fast, friendly, healthy). Went to the store and saw that red snapper looked the freshest and was, in fact, the cheapest right then. Snapper was $9.99 a pound; Tuna was $21.99 a pound. I knew I had zucchini that needed to be used and always have on hand

canned Italian tomatoes, onions, garlic, carrots, and celery

I began to have a picture.

Something, then, could come of all these things. I could have just grilled both the snapper and the zucchini, but something a bit more cooked appealed and this is what I made:

BAKED SNAPPER IN TOMATO SAUCE

—serves 2-3

1-2 T olive oil

1/2 c chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large carrot, chopped

1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2″ pieces

2 stalks celery, diced

1 shallot, thinly sliced

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

1/2 t Herbes de Provence*

1/8 t crushed red pepper flakes

1 32 oz can tomatoes, chopped (I like Cento)

1/2 c ea, red wine and water

1 – 1 1/4 # fresh red snapper

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Over medium heat, in large saute pan, cook chopped vegetables, herbs and salt and peppers in the oil for 10-12 minutes or until softened. Stir often. Add chopped tomatoes, wine and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5-10 minutes until somewhat reduced and a bit thickened. Add snapper. Place pan in oven and bake for about 15 minutes or until fish is opaque and flakes bit. Serve over a few gluten-free or regular noodles or rice, if desired.

*Herbes de Provence are available in the spice section or you can make your own by combining dried lavender, thyme, sage, marjoram, savory and/or tarragon. Some people add a wee bit of fennel. If you don’t have these things, try some basil and oregano in generous amounts.

WINE: Try a Cotes du Rhone or even a Beaujolais. This is a good instance of red wine with fish. Here we’re pairing flavors and preparation, not protein, with the wine. Think outside the bottle.

DESSERT: How about a little lemon sorbet, maybe with a tiny butter cookie? Otherwise, try a piece of biscotti with the rest of your wine.

The animals version of this story goes like this:

My bushes out front are, this morning, full of six (yes, six) robins eating juniper berries. Your guess as good as mine as to why the robins are in Colorado in January.

Sing a new song; cook a new fish; go see what the birds are eating,

Alyce

A blogging note: I’m in the process (might take while) of moving my blog from Blogspot to Word Press; my new address will, sometime in the future, be….

moretimeatthetable.com

I’ll let you know when the switch occurs. I’m working on getting the site ready, but already see I’ll have more flexibility and can entertain comments, etc. more easily. If you peek anytime soon, you’ll see a site under construction, but are still welcome! Thanks for your patience while I make the change.

HAITI DONATIONS:

Over 3 million Haitians are affected by the earthquake; here are two great places with websites to which you can donate:

World Food Program (UN)

Share our Strength, No Kid Hungry

Lemon Chard Chicken or Cooking for One in One Pan

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First–an update on DROP IN AND DECORATE:

You can see I had some great help over the past couple of days and am much closer to being ready for DROP IN AND DECORATE, coming up at my house on Monday afternoon, December 14, 4-7pm. If you haven’t heard about it yet, DROP IN is a nation-wide program to bring people together decorating cookies for nursing homes, group homes and so on. You can check out the last blog on this site for complete details and a little history of the eight-year program.

My lovely young helpers worked all day Saturday making dough, cutting out cookies and baking them in my wondrous oven with three racks. We kept the music coming for hours and took a great break at Poor Richard’s on Tejon for pizza midday. Many thanks to Heather and Joshua, who are already excellent bakers thanks to their Mom and Grandma. We even had enough cookies for me to take a tray to a party last night. Can’t wait to see you with bells on, ready to sling some icing and red and green sugar around the kitchen, while playing and singing (or listening to) heart-warming homemade Christmas music from students and friends.
Apologies for photos; my camera died. These are from my cell.
— — — —

Meantime, a girl has to eat. This week, I cooked up another single pan dinner luscious for one or two people. I’ve had a couple of friends ask me lately about cooking for one and realize that most folks, even if they are cooks, do not like the idea of cooking for themselves. If you don’t believe this, think about the number of pre-made meals now available in grocery stores everywhere. Think about the shopping carts you’ve seen fairly full of frozen, microwave dinners. EEck. The pre-made meals are expensive and really, are they young or old? I mean, who knows? And who knows what’s in them? The microwave low-calorie meals are cheap, but they taste like microwave, low-calorie meals. Why not cook a little? You really don’t have to cook much. You do have to take the time to shop for yourself, but could go twice a week and make do. You’re worth it. And, you surely could always invite a friend or neighbor if you don’t like eating alone. (I’ve come to enjoy it and savor the time to listen to music or read quietly.)

I have a number of simple meals for singles or duos on the blog, but need to go back and make sure I’ve tagged all of them appropriately. The category is called Cooking for One or Two, which can also be for one with leftovers, of course. With this post, I also will begin tagging meals Gluten-Free thanks to a lovely young woman I re-met at a party last night. I cook and post Gluten-Free often, but have not been awake and aware enough to create a tag until now.

On to the Lemon Chard Chicken. While this sounds like fine summer fare, I ate it one night when it was about ten degrees. (It’s 17 degrees F and snowing right now.) It’s light, refreshing and the chicken makes for great sandwiches next day. The recipe makes enough for leftovers and sandwiches for one or just plenty for two people. Do not forget to eat the sauteed lemons; they are sweet and succulent and nothing like raw lemons. Yes, you, too, can put a “smile” of lemon in your mouth and suck on it. Really.

Cook’s Note: Set table, light candles and pour wine first; this cooks very quickly.
–
Wine: I had an open bottle of Joel Gott Zinfandel, which paired nicely. A light Chardonnay would also be tasty. Perhaps even a Sauvignon Blanc. On a cold winter’s night, stick to the zin, my friends.

Dessert: Well, at my house there are plenty of cookies right now. Why not bake some for sharing? Ok, get a roll of refrigerator sugar cookies from the grocery if you don’t want to bake. Why not?

LEMON CHARD CHICKEN

1T olive oil
1/2 large onion, sliced
1 stalks celery, sliced thinly
1/2 lemon, cut into 1/4s
Kosher salt and freshly-ground pepper
3-4 skinned boneless chicken breasts
Large bunch Swiss Chard, big stems removed, sliced 1/2″ thick
1/2 c cherry tomatoes, cut in half (save 1/4 c for garnish)


In a large (12 or 14″ diameter) skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and celery and saute for 10-12 minutes until nearly tender. Meantime, wipe down chicken breasts with paper towel and season well with salt and pepper. Moving vegetables to the sides of the pan, add chicken and lemons. Brown chicken well on one side and turn over. Add chard on top of other vegetables and stir gently. Season vegetables with salt and pepper. As chard wilts, after 2-3 minutes, add half of the cherry tomatoes. Cook until chicken is just cooked through and chard is nicely wilted. Plate and top chard with rest of fresh tomatoes. (Don’t forget the lemon!)

Stay warm and well on your walk to the stable this year, if that is your tradition. Hear all the music you can. Remember to take a few cds to your car or download some great holiday tunes to your I-pod. Find time to sit and watch the “Christmas” trees full of snow out your window. Bundle up and walk, taking part in what Barbara Brown Taylor calls “the spiritual practice of putting one foot in front of another…” Take a friend to lunch, meet another for coffee, smile at the tired store clerks and thank them warmly with your great smile. Go to free concerts. Make “fast fudge” and eat some. Where’s that recipe of your grandmother’s that you’ve been going to make forever? This is the year. Don’t wait. Weren’t you finally going to try baking some yeast bread? Today. New cookies from a December magazine? Is this the year you’ll take a day off to cook a couple of holiday meals and put them in the freezer?
Sing a new carol; bake a new something______; light your eyes, loved ones,
Alyce

Thanksgiving-An Intimate View

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Thanksgiving by Walt Waldo Emerson
For each morning with its light, 
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything thy goodness sends.

Visiting my friend Sue last month, we talked a little about Thanksgiving.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“I don’t know; I haven’t decided. I would so like something really simple,” said she.
“I know exactly what you should make,” said I.
–

Well, of course, I had the idea and, truthfully, had done something like it before, but I had to flesh out the menu and, naturally, try it all out.  If you’re a Tyler Florence fan, you might have seen a turkey roulade Tyler makes with leeks and cornbread stuffing. My inspiration for the turkey here came from that lovely recipe.  

While I adore Thanksgiving, I know it can get out of hand. You don’t know it’s gotten out of hand until you start the dishes and are still washing glasses the next day. Mostly, it’s worth it. Occasionally, though, you want a holiday to BE a holiday for everyone, including you. Well, you and one other person, a special one.

This menu is for that Thanksgiving. I include directions for a Thanksgiving for two, which is delectable. To be two, I mean–and, yes, the food, is, too. I’d say it’s more for two with plenty of leftovers, so perhaps I’d say there’s enough for four or six people. The whole thing easily doubles to serve eight and so on. I began cooking this meal at 6pm and we sat down (after taking boocoo pics) at 8:15. I had time in there to have a glass of wine and a couple of teensy starters, though I did have to set the table earlier in the day. I think it could have been done more quickly if I had had the recipes worked out ahead; I was improvising and writing as I went. If you try it, let me know the time!
I had so much fun doing this meal. Isn’t that what it’s about? Hope you do, too.
MENU

  • Starters: Olives and Pistachios–set out in small bowls and served with a sparkling wine 
  • First course: Pumpkin or Butternut Squash Soup (bought from deli)
  • Main course: Turkey Roulade, stuffed W/ Proscuitto/Sage/Onions/Garlic
  • Sides: Oven-Roasted Root Vegetables with Fresh Rosemary
  • Brussel Sprouts (pan-roasted) w/ Parmesan & Pumpkin Seeds
  • Home-made Spicy Cranberry Sauce w/ Apples and Lemon
  • Bread: Corn Muffins from the bakery
  • Dessert: Pumpkin Ice Cream, purchased from grocery OR Pumpkin Custards baked the day before and refrigerated (Use any pumpkin pie filling recipe and bake custards in pammed ramekins about 30 min. at 350—No crust)
  • Drinks: Wine: Gruet Sparkling Wine, A to Z Riesling, and Sineann Pinot Noir- Have it all! Coffee: French Roast, laced with Cognac and Whipped Cream
Cook’s Hint: Get the turkey and root vegetables in the oven and then make the brussel sprouts and cranberry sauce. Set the coffee up to be ready to push the button as soon as the meal is done. If you had no time to set the table, get your friend to do it while you cook! He or she is in charge of the wine, too. Why not?

RECIPES——

OVEN-ROASTED ROOT VEGETABLES W/ ROSEMARY
2 parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2″ pieces
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1″ pieces
1 medium onion, cut into eighths
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1″ pieces
1 turnip, peeled and cut into 1″ pieces
5 new potatoes, cut into fourths (don’t peel)
2T olive oil
1t Kosher salt
1/2 t freshly-ground pepper
3T fresh rosemary, minced
Place all vegetables on a large, rimmed baking sheet, mixing them well. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and rosemary. Using your hands, toss. Bake about 40 minutes until tender. You can cook these at the same time you roast the turkey; times are similar. Put these in the top oven rack and put the turkey in the bottom of the oven.
–

TURKEY ROULADE, STUFFED WITH PROSCUITTO/SAGE/ONIONS
1 boneless turkey breast 3-4 pounds
6 slices proscuitto
3T olive oil, divided
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 T fresh sage leaves, sliced very finely
Kosher Salt
Freshly-ground Pepper
Preheat oven to 400 F.
In a small skillet, cook onion for five minutes in 1T olive oil. Add garlic and sage and saute until onion is limp. Set aside.
Lay turkey breast out flat and roll with a rolling pin until breast flattens out a little. You might need to pound it lightly. Salt and pepper the turkey well. Lay the proscuitto on breast, one piece at a time to cover, and top with the onion-sage-garlic mix. Using both hands, roll breast up gently to form a roll @5 ” thick, placing seam at bottom. Cut four 15″ pieces of kitchen twine. Slip each piece of twine under the turkey roll and tie roll together gently in four places, spacing the ties out evenly. Salt and pepper well.
Place other 2T olive oil in roasting pan and warm over medium heat on stovetop. Gently remove turkey roll to the pan and brown for 4-5 minutes, searing meat. Turn over and salt and pepper that side as well. Brown again for 4-5 minutes.

Place in bottom third of 400F oven and bake another 35-40 minutes until thermometer registers 160. (Your root vegetables are in the top of this oven) Remove from oven and let rest five minutes or so. Slice into about eight slices or as you desire.
If vegetables are done, you can still leave them in to keep very warm while the turkey rests.

PAN-ROASTED BRUSSEL SPROUTS WITH PARMESAN AND PUMPKIN SEEDS
12 fresh brussel sprouts, cleaned and trimmed (Take l layer of leaves off and
cut off bottom tiny core) and cut in half
2T olive oil
1/4 c Parmesan cheese, “grated” in long pieces with a potato peeler
1/4 c pumpkin seeds
Kosher Salt and freshly-ground pepper
In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat and add brussel sprouts. Stirring frequently to avoid burning, but still to brown nicely, cook brussel sprouts for about 10 minutes. Add parmesan and pumpkin seeds. Turn down heat to medium-low and cook until sprouts are fairly well-done, but still somewhat crispy. Take care to not burn the parmesan; it should be quite brown. Salt and pepper well.
Homemade Spicy Cranberry Sauce with Lemon and Apple
1 package fresh cranberries
Water
1/2 c brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 lemon, cut into fourths
1/2 large apple, diced, leaving peel on
1/8-1/4 t red pepper flakes to taste
In large, deep skillet, place cranberries. Add water to cover well only. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Let boil 2-3 minutes and lower heat to simmer. Cover and simmer until fruit is tender and liquid is syrupy, about 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room-temperature. Also good cold.
–Cook’s Note:
Easy to serve the meat and all the vegetables on one big platter:

Very easy!!! Here are my pumpkin custards…. Pie without crust.

“There’s a happy feeling nothing in the world can buy:
When they pass around the coffee and the pumpkin pie.”
(well, almost!)
Some Thanksgiving Books You Might Enjoy (in no order):
CRANBERRY THANKSGIVING, by Wende and Harry Devlin. (New York:
Simon and Schuster, 1971; also Aladdin Paperbacks, 1990)
This book contains a great cranberry bread recipe….
GIVING THANKS: THANKSGIVING RECIPES AND HISTORY, FROM PILGRIMS TO PUMPKIN PIE, by Kathleen Curtin, Sandra L. Oliver and Plimoth Plantation. (New York: Clarkson Potter, 2005)
THANKSGIVING 101, by Rick Rodgers. (New York: William Morrow, 2007; also in 1998 by Broadway Books)
HAPPILY GRATEFUL, compiled by Dan Zedra and Kristel Wills (Seattle: Compendium, 2009)
THE FIRST THANKSGIVING by Jean Craighead George; illus. by Thomas Locker. (New York, Putnam, 1993)
—
Some random thoughts about Thanksgiving——
Thanksgiving as a spiritual discipline or as a way of life is something quite interesting and lovely on which to meditate. Try it; I’d love to know what comes up.
Here are a couple of my thoughts:
I think thanksgiving is a way of living responsibly…
As a faithful person, I know I am healthier when I have a grateful heart. To not be grateful in all circumstances introduces the possibility of becoming a victim– to which there is no solution or cure.
When I live thankfully, I then live in a better place in all ways.
We all just keep working on it!
Thanksgiving, it’s not just for dinner anymore.
Sing a new song as you give thanks,
Alyce

Which "Pho?" or 4 Meals at our House

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A STORY OF FOUR MEALS AT OUR HOUSE ———–OR
HOW I LEARNED TO MAKE QUICK AND QUICKER VIETNAMESE NOODLE SOUP WITH FRESH HERBS AND GREENS…………

Do you want your mouth to sing? What melody (or harmony?) would you like?

If you like to frequent places called things like

Restaurant Saigon or
Vietnamese Café……..

and haven’t a clue from where those flavors come (but wish you did or want to know how to get them in your mouth totally fast……)
————————————————- then this blog is for you.

I really like cooking things I’ve never cooked before. I also really like (and my husband is crazy about) Vietnamese food, at least the sort of Vietnamese food found in Vietnamese restaurants in the United States. Give me a bun (bowl), an intensely fragrant soup showered with or poured over herbs and greens and I am in a happy land. If it’s the burn the skin off the roof of your mouth variety, I’m outa there. This soup, however, is breathable love.

I recently made THE SPLENDID TABLE’S (of NPR fame) version called “Pho,” pronounced “fuh.” We were tantalized. Harmonized. Unable to speak for eating. So, I made it again and again… Each time in a simpler version. Maybe better.

Here’s the story:

Meal #1: SPLENDID TABLES’ —PHO:
(This is from their book, HOW TO COOK DINNER- published last year.)

The method was a kinda shortened version of the real deal Asian noodle chefs make, which is a long process. The synopsis might read like the following:

Broil, yep, broil a sliced onion, a bruised (I pounded mine with a chef’s knife?) star anise, a few sliced garlic cloves, a couple of grinds of pepper, 6 whole cloves and 2-3” of thinly sliced ginger on a large, rimmed baking sheet or heavy-duty foil. Scrape all that in a small pot of chicken stock with some fish sauce and sugar; cook 20 min. Fix some rice noodles (let sit in very hot water; drain).

To the BIG bowls out of which you’ll be eating , add raw, thinly sliced top round. and divide the noodles between the big bowls

—————-Yes, this really does work. Even at altitude.

Pour the very hot, boiling soup over the noodles and raw beef. Serve with a “table salad” plateful of…

cilantro — mint — fresh basil—— bean sprouts and—— so on

Folks can choose the greens they want; you can ad lib. I used some spinach for nutritional value.

Sauces at the table would be:

–Hoisin and/or –Hot Sauce

Please buy the cookbook for the great, full version and all the rest of the super stuff in it. After another summer in Minnesota, I’m absolutely addicted to “Splendid Table.” On at 10am-Sundays- on NPR (91.5) here in Co. Springs.

——-The little black things are broiled whole cloves and pieces of star anise.

Meal Number 2: OUR AMENDED CHICKEN VERSION:

NOW THEN, we liked this so much, we fixed it another night with some boneless chicken thighs (the recipe said you could), but we had to throw the whole mess back in the pot to cook the chicken. It wouldn’t cook in the bowls. Insert appropriate lovely language here. We’re at altitude. It was a great idea because we had all of these herbs, etc, sitting in the frig. I was thinking we needed to do this when we had a garden; there were nearly $12 worth of fresh herbs for this soup…so———anyway—– Why not try it again?
(We should have used boneless breasts—afterthought. They cook faster than thighs, which are dark meat.)

Well— We adored it. Except for having to cook it in the pot. In fact, we liked it better the second night.

(What I’m not saying is how good this soup made us feel. It was delicious, tummy-warming, mouth-humming, filling, nutritious, not fattening….)

Meal #3 : Grilled Chicken Thighs with Zucchini and Mushrooms

At that point, said dinner partner went on a business trip leaving me with a few uncooked chicken thighs and some zucchini and mushrooms in the frig. I grilled the chicken and sautéed the veg and ate it all with a nice Australian Shiraz and a captivating book (THE HELP) and thoroughly enjoyed a night all by myself.
Ok, this is nothing earth-shattering, but it was quite tasty!

Next day , I spent doing household chores and sipping hot tea while a winter storm raged. Half-way through the blustery hours of short daylight, I decided to make a big pot of chili and freeze it for Halloween, when our grandson and his parents were coming for dinner and trick or treating. Why not get it done early? Meantime, I got hungry and the chili was not ready to eat. What for lunch? Why not a REALLY quick version of PHO, using my leftover grilled chicken and veg? It worked like a charm and here is how I did it. You can now do it, too. You could use leftover rotisserie chicken from the deli; it would be fine. Enjoy it soon. Tell me about it. I’m thinking of trying shrimp next.

Meal #4 PHO —ALYCE’S VERY FAST, THANK YOU VERSION
serves 2

Ingredients:

1 thinly sliced onion
1 star anise
6 cloves
2 garlic cloves, sliced
2” fresh ginger, sliced thinly
Several grind of black pepper

Box of chicken stock
2 t fish sauce (bottled Asian condiment)
2T sugar

½ box rice-wheat Udon noodles (or whole-wheat linguine)

2-3 chicken thighs, cooked and thinly sliced (or any cooked chicken–perhaps

think left-over turkey Thanksgiving weekend)

You can ad lib herbs and greens, even using chopped iceberg, as some restaurants do, but I used:

Cilantro, Basil, Mint (all fresh and chopped or whole, as desired)
Thinly sliced scallions
2 cups fresh spinach
¼ c alfalfa sprouts
2 slices fresh lime

At table:
Hoisin Sauce, (another bottled Asian condiment)
Tabasco (if desired)

Directions:

In the bottom of a 4-qt. saucepan, place everything in the first group of ingredients (onion-ground pepper), heat pan over medium heat, stirring ingredients nearly constantly. You must do this carefully as there is NO fat in this pan. Turn heat off when edges of onion are blackened. Add chicken stock (careful!), fish sauce and sugar. Bring to boil; cover and lower heat to simmer for 7 minutes. Add noodles and stir. Cook another 6 minutes or so until noodles are done (whole wheat linguine will take more time; you might want to break it in half).

To each serving (big) bowl, add 1 c fresh spinach and some cooked chicken. Divide broth and noodles between the bowls and top with desired herbs/greens. Add sauce(s) if desired and squeeze lime over all.

What NEW song is your mouth singing?

Alyce

Scallops with Asparagus and Couscous in 15

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Faster than a speeding bullet……
” ” pizza delivery…..
” ” going for burgers
” ” cheese sandwich…well, not faster than a cheese sandwich
First of all, I’m just not about speed in cooking or anything else. If I can’t take my time about whatever it is, I’m generally not interested. And, I adore slow-cooking. I’m never happier than if something is braising away in the oven for hours on end while I…while I.. while I…
  • iron linen napkins
  • look at my husband
  • throw the ball for the golden retriever
  • watch old movies (or MSNBC–I’m a politics junky)
  • walk
  • talk to a friend
  • have lunch with a book
  • make candy
  • listen to “Fresh Air” on NPR
  • play the piano or listen to someone else do it better
  • go shopping (if someone else is home to watch the oven)
  • run down to Coaltrain and see what’s new
  • write a letter (Yes, I write letters. I write something to my daughter
    snailmail every single week. Well, I try.)

But, once in a while I take a lesson, run to the grocery, run home to teach a lesson, do three more loads of wash….(Ok. Where does it come from? There are only two of us. Can’t we wear dirty clothes?)

On those days, I’m desperate for something for dinner. And, yes, I could have wine and cheese (I almost typed “swine.” I have that, too, occasionally.) I could have a grilled cheese and tomato soup. I could order out. Or, I could “throw something together” like grilled scallops and asparagus with couscous cooked with yellow raisins and onions.

If I know I’m going to be desperate, even on a cold and blustery fall day, I search for desperate food at the store on my way home. What looks good, doesn’t cost a fortune, and, here’s the hard part, sounds good to me? In this case, my husband had to eat, too–so I couldn’t just consider my desires. He’s not picky and will eat anything but tuna casserole, and I have to confess that once in a while, I’ll buy a frozen tuna casserole just for me. For lunch. Over a whole can of green beans. Ah, confessions.

Today, I grabbed asparagus, 2 for $3.00. (Like my friend Sue, I’ll pay nearly anything for asparagus anyway.) I checked the meat counter for specials (Lamb chops are quick, but they’re rarely on sale to coin a phrase.) No on-sale tiny steaks. Chicken was on sale (when isn’t it) and I had no desire for it. I’ve given up boneless breasts for humane and political reasons and the rest would take too long. Hmm. Fish? My store doesn’t have the best fish market and, to tell the truth, the dolt serving the counter was texting … who? I don’t know. Luckily, someone else saw me waiting. “Can I help you?” Scallops, fresh, were $11.99 a pound. Not a great price for 4 or 6, but not bad for 1 or 2 in a real hurry.
Home again, home again. Teach, have tea with great student. Husband home. Dinner?

GAME PLAN
—————Things you need are in green—————

Make couscous. (I like the kind with olive oil and garlic)

Heat 1 1/3 c (1 1/4 at sea level) water to boiling. Meantime, in 2 qt saucepan, saute 1/2 red onion, chopped and 1/3 c golden raisins in 2 T olive oil with kosher salt and pepper. When onion is soft, add couscous and water. Cover for 5-7 minutes. 5 at sea level; 7 at altitude. Fluff with fork when done. Keep warm in pan covered.
–
Grill asparagus and scallops.

Meantime, heat grill pan, brushed with olive oil, over medium heat to make scallops and asparagus. Add 1# asparagus (washed and trimmed). Co0k about 1 minute and push to perimeter. Add towel-dried 1# scallops. Salt and pepper all. Turn asparagus several times; turn scallops once when medium-brown grill marks on first side–after about 2 minutes. Salt and pepper all on this side. Cook another 2 minutes or so and test scallops for doneness. They should give slightly to the touch; you don’t want them well-done… just cooked through is more like it. You can take a sharp knife and check the inside. It should be just barely opaque and still juicy.

Put it together

Place about 1 cup of couscous on each plate. Top with 3-4 scallops and a few asparagus spears. Squeeze lemon over scallops and asparagus. Eat while hot.
(Serves 2)

15 minutes… total… maybe————————-Why go out?
For gluten free, omit couscous and sub salad and gluten-free bread.

Wine: California Chardonnay

Sigh… You can fix this for friends another night. You know how to do it now.

Oh, and you’d better set the table and pour the water and wine before you begin!

Sing a new song while you love the scallops, even in the cold and snow—
Alyce

Lamb-Italian Sausage Stew

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My favorite stew! It might be yours, too.
 

The weather has gone from autumn brilliant:


to frozen solid with all of the leaves on. We’ve had three lynx on our back deck (I got only one horrible pic), as well as these gorgeous bucks…

…trying to get something to eat through the ice. One wants to know why I’m taking pictures off the ice rink of an upper deck. We spent a couple of lovely days at home working on projects and enjoying cooking time. Ice, ice!

Today’s blog is actually not totally from that cooking weekend, though we began it with a Friday night version of this lovely, original stew, layered with some rice topped with chiffonade of basil and a tish black pepper: I even added some carrots to round the stew out.   Another night, we had it with pasta.

I do apologize for the picture, but you get the idea. This is a full-bodied, hearty lamb stew that you could make

1. in the crock-pot,
2. on the stovetop or
3 in the oven if you so choose.

You can eat it just like it is in deep bowls, adding some baguette for dipping. Or, you can freeze a few containers and have them with rice or pasta some other week. Totally up to you.

Lamb-Italian Sausage Stew (Slow Cooker)  serves 6-8

In our house in Colorado Springs, the kitchen is two steps up from the sunroom, where I often work at the table, but also have a small television. Many days I’ve left a program on to listen to while I cooked or cleaned up in the kitchen. Sometimes I paid more attention than others. One day, Emeril Lagasse was making a stew with lamb and Italian sausage and beans; that was about all I heard. I didn’t remember any other ingredients or the cooking method, but another day, with those three ingredients in mind, I decided to make a lamb stew in the slow cooker and have been making it ever since.

A hearty meal for the family that could cook all day while you’re skiing, this stew also could be stretched to feed 10 guests, if served over rice or egg noodles. Cooking it on top of the stove works quite well, but you’ll need two or more additional cups of broth or water, since it cooks down. (Stovetop directions included)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 pounds lamb (boneless leg, shoulder, or stew meat), cut into 1-2-inch pieces

Kosher salt and fresh-ground black pepper

1-pound hot Italian sausage links (4-5 pieces), cut into 1-2-inch pieces

2 medium-large onions, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon each fresh rosemary and thyme, chopped or 1/2 teaspoon each dry

6 cups low-sodium beef broth

1 cup red wine

32-ounce can chopped tomatoes

4 cups cooked white beans

  1. In a large bowl, toss lamb with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add lamb and Italian sausage and cook until well-browned, about 10 minutes.
  2. Add onions, celery, garlic, rosemary and thyme. Sprinkle with a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook 5-7 minutes until vegetables are softened.
  3. Add meat mixture to a 6-quart
slow cooker. Pour in beef broth,
wine and tomatoes; stir in drained beans.4
  4. Cook on low 6-8 hours. Taste and adjust seasonings.  Serve hot in warm bowls with crusty bread.

Stovetop directions:

Follow directions above, but cook meat, vegetables, and herbs in an 8-quart pot with a lid. Add broth, tomatoes and wine, along with an additional 2 cups water or broth. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Cook until lamb is tender, about 1 1⁄2 hours. Stir in cooked beans and simmer 10-15 minutes. Taste, and adjust seasonings.

Cook’s Notes:

You may use 2-3 cans any variety of white beans, drained, or you may cook your own beans. If cooking your own beans, they don’t need to be completely done when you add them; they’ll cook more with the stew. I like beans cooked in a microwave — they cook through without breaking apart, peeling or becoming mushy. You also can cook them on the stove.

Microwave directions: In a large, microwave-safe bowl, combine 2 cups dry white beans, picked over and rinsed, 4 cups water, 1 large onion, halved and with the skin on, 4 cloves garlic with papers, 3 sprigs fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried and 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper. Microwave at full-power for about 35 minutes or until tender. Drain beans, remove vegetables and herbs. Season with 1⁄4 teaspoon salt.

 

From my 2013 book, SOUPS AND SIDES FOR EVERY SEASON.

 

Copyright Alyce Morgan, 2013.  All rights reserved

(printable recipe}

.
Here, I cooked the meat in two pans at once (left and right) to hasten the process.


There must be a special blessing for eating lamb; it’s so tasty, homey and still elegant. Think of one and post it? We are always so incredibly grateful for such stomach-warming dishes. Particularly when it snows ice for hours on end. Brr.

… … … … … … … … …

Meantime, the weather has broken a tad and I’m in the middle of baking loaf after loaf of pumpkin bread. Pumpkin is a little scarce this year, but I got enough for my bread and for the Thanksgiving pies. Yes, it’s coming!

I’m traveling the next few days. I will put up something new if I can, but might have to wait until early next week. Include me in your prayers for travel mercies?

Sing a new song…
Alyce
additional pictures added Feb, 2013

Spicy Shrimp Pasta or Rocky’s Got a Brand New Bag

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I’ve heard it said that dogs come into our lives for a reason, leaving something we must learn……….and we are fed by those who help us most to grow — if we let them—and we help them in return. Now, I don’t know if I believe that’s true, but I know I’m who I am today because I met you….
(“For Good” from “Wicked” paraphrase with changes)

Rocky’s got a great new home:

Our sweet Rocketman, fostering with us for just a month, found a new calling guarding sheep on a ranch just south of Pueblo. If you’re missing seeing his pics on my blog in the future, imagine how Dave, Gabby and I feel. We’re a tad lost, a tish happy and breathing well to know he’s in the right place. A rancher who had been looking for a Pyr for quite a while was happy, indeed, to find our “little” pup (over 100 pounds) to add to the ranch entourage and to fend off coyote, bobcat and, hopefully not bear. Truly, “The Rock” was simply too big for our house and needed a bit more room to roam. He now has boocoo acres to call his own and a perimeter I wouldn’t like to walk. All’s well that ends well. If I do get further pics, I’ll share them with you. New owner has invited us to come visit the ranch, so hopefully there’ll be a few more. Meantime, Gabby needs a friend—badly.

Of course, I’m still cooking and blogging, but I had to really suck it up and sigh more than a few times to get the blog up today… But, friends, you are in for a treat. I have been dreaming of a shrimp pasta for a long time and just hadn’t made it for some reason. The vision held heat and I don’t do a lot of heat (I’ve been known to put the hot sauce on the table for everyone else) because I’m interested in flavor, not being burned to death. This, however, just appealed to me and I had to try it out to see how it might work. And, oh, how it worked. And, oh, how it worked so very quickly. If you’re going to cook anyway and you know how to make spaghetti, MAKE THIS INSTEAD! Get out of your box; move your cheese. Forget the hamburger. Go buy a little shrimp. Splurge. Be healthy.

SPICY SHRIMP PASTA
serves 2

Fresh basil leaves
Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil
Large shallot
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup red or yellow (sweet) pepper
2 stalks celery, chopped
½ teaspoon herbes de Provence
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
4-5 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 32 oz can chopped tomatoes (I like Cento)
½ cup white wine
½ lemon, juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
Kosher salt and freshly-ground pepper
½ # uncooked fresh, peeled and deveined shrimp

½ # whole wheat linguine (use corn or other gluten-free pasta for GF meal)

freshly grated parmesan cheese
fresh basil julienne, optional

Bring 5-6 qt. water to boil in an 8-10 qt. kettle. Salt and pepper water and add fresh basil leaves if you have them.

Saute shallot, onion, peppers and celery in oil with herbes de Provence and red pepper for about 10 minutes until softened well.

Add garlic and cook, stirring 1-2 minutes. Add tomatoes, wine and the lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste. Throw the lemon into the pan. Cook 2 minutes or so and add shrimp.

Cover and cook until shrimp are pinking and opaque—about 3 minutes, though check at 2. Serve over linguine and pass the cheese and basil, if using, at the table. Please roll your eyes heavenward, wrinkle your nose and lift the corners of your mouth; you are well-fed!

If your shrimp are frozen, just throw them in the sauce and let them unthaw.

Making the meal bigger: baguette and salad

Wine: A nice Chianti Classico, puhleeze..  (Pairing the prep, not the protein.)

Dessert: Sorbetto, por favore

Seen this week: “You Can’t Take it With You” (Jimmy Stewart, Jean Arthur and Lionel Barrymore– 1938?)
Reading: Still finishing the Dorothy Sayers and Barbara Brown Taylor’s THE PREACHING LIFE. (slow reader lately?)

Upcoming: Brownie pie a la Marypat and Lamb Stew. Don’t hold your breath, loved ones, but remember to

Sing a new song,
Alyce

–In memoriam: GOURMET magazine… a dreaming, far-reaching food
enterprise for many years. Pick up the last issue: November, 2009

The Rocket…………………………

Sole Mates

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Have you ever made sole? Did you ever want to? (Never thought about it?)

I hit the store the other day wondering what in the world I was going to cook for just me. I was thrilled to find “Dover” sole (Canadian) — fresh- for $7.99 a pound. You can bet I bought a pound, knowing I’d share it with a neighbor or eat the rest on top of a salad the next day.

This is the meal to make when you ate barbeque ( or pizza?) all weekend and just know things can’t quite go on that way.

It’s also……….wonderful!!!!!!!

I adore the French Sole Meuniere, but wondered what else I might do with it.. having made meuniere several times (a great dish for 1 or 2). When I arrived home, I saw I had some asparagus in the veg bin and wondered how I could use it. I am very fond of fresh poached fish….
on top of vegetables and, yes, a star was born. Make it tonight, friends.

Sole Mates
Serves 2

1# fresh asparagus, trimmed very well
2 T water

1 med-large shallot, sliced
PAM
Kosher salt and freshly-ground pepper
1/2 c rose or white wine
1 tsp butter
1# fresh sole

1 lemon

Preheat oven to 200 F. Place dinner plates in oven to warm.

Cook asparagus in microwave with two tablespoons water on high, covered, for two minutes. Drain well.

In large skillet, saute sliced shallot in skillet sprayed with PAM until almost tender. Salt and pepper shallots and add cooked asparagus. Simmer a minute or two and add wine. Place sole filets on top, salt and pepper all and cover for about 3 minutes until sole is opaque. Using large spatula, divide food into two portions onto warm plates, ladeling a bit of sauce on top. Squeeze lemon over each plate. Serve hot. Share with a friend as it IS too much for you. Or: Walk it over to a neighbor. Go on, be brave. You can do it.
Wine: Sauvignon Blanc
Dessert: Not going there.
Making the meal bigger: Small, red, new potatoes covered with parsley and butter?

Sing a new song, eat a light meal, honey———

Alyce

Another kind of “sole” mates.. The Rock and The Gabber