Notes from Debbie's Kitchen
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Back in the saddle here - thanks, everyone, for putting up with two weeks of no new recipes while I was away! Hopefully my recipe database covered for me, but I know you like to get new recipes each week still. This week: mostly member-submitted recipes, but first a bit about beets. - Debbie


Roasted beets in their skins
I seem to have lost the original email with this discussion, so I can't credit the member who reminded me of this point, but I did remember the point! And that is: often people just automatically peel their beets before or after cooking. But the skins on roasted beets can be very delicious! Think 'baked potato skin'. So next time you go to roast beets, consider leaving those skins on. Give them a good scrub, of course, to remove clinging dirt (and cut out any funny spots - I know they sometimes have unsightly little black surface holes from some soil pest, but they don't go deep), then coat them lightly in oil, sprinkle with salt, wrap in foil and bake. Just skip the step at the end in most recipes where they say, "...then slip off the skins..."


Here's a recipe from new member Julie Nano, who sent it just last week saying, "We had this with a green salad for dinner tonight. Pretty tasty and really easy (especially with a food processor for grating.) I think we'll have the leftovers with breakfast tomorrow. It's like a baked hash."

Potato Carrot Kugel
from Laurel's Kitchen Recipes
Serves 4 to 6

1 onion, chopped
2 tbsp. oil
1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
3/4 C vegetable stock or water
1 C grated carrots or 2 C winter squash
3 C grated potatoes
2 beaten eggs

1/4 C whole wheat flour
1/4 C wheat germ
1 tsp. baking powder
pinch pepper
1 1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 300F. Saute onion in oil until well done, add garlic.  Add stock, carrots, and potatoes and cook for 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in eggs. Mix together the flour, wheat germ, baking powder, and seasonings and add to vegetables.  Pour into a greased baking dish and bake for 1 hour.


A few weeks back we had a member inquiring about possible low sugar zucchini bread/muffin recipes. I didn't have any, so I checked with member Azalyne Skye Olson, who knows more about this than I do and makes specialty gluten-free baked goods and cultured veggies (see story in Week 5 newsletter). She had the following to say:

"First off I would suggest replacing the sugar [in any standard zucchini-bread recipe] with bananna or applesauce. If you want sugar-free, as in no yeast (candida) feeding, you can substitute for sugar either ethyritol or stevia powder. If you want to go ahead and use traditional cane sugar then definitely culture your loaf with yogurt or kefir 12-24 hrs. If you decide to culture the dough, add a 1-2 tsp. baking soda to cut the sour flavor and sweeten the loaf [I like sour, so I might leave it be, but that's just me. - Debbie]. Here is a sample recipe adapted from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon:"

Low Sugar Zucchini Bread
modified by Azalyne Skye Olson from a recipe in Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon (see above)

3 C freshly ground spelt, kamut or whole wheat flour (for a Gluten Free alternative use a combination of 2 C rice flour, 2/3 C buckwheat flour, 1/3 C tapioca flour or arrowroot powder)
2 C buttermilk, kefir, or yogurt
3 eggs
1 tsp. sea salt
1/4-1/2 C sugar of choice
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 C ghee or butter
1 ripe bananas or ¼ C applesauce
2 grated zucchini; sprinkle with sea salt for one hour and then squeeze out excess liquid
1/2 C chopped nuts of choice

Mix flour(s) with either buttermilk, kefir, or yogurt, cover and let culture 12-24 hours in a warm place. Then add remaining ingredients and bake in greased/floured bread pans at 350 degrees for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Bread is ready when either the toothpick comes out clean or the loaf sounds hollow when you thump it on the bottom.


Another member, Robin Witmore, sent in this recipe for using apricots:

Apricot Chicken
modified by Robin Witmore from a recipe by Rachel Ray
serves 6

Robin says, "We substituted fresh apricots for dried and preserves, eliminated the parsley and added the cinnamon and honey. Delicious!"

2 tbsp. olive oil
2 lbs. chicken tenderloins, cut in half across on an angle [I prefer meat on the bone, preferably from pasture-raised chickens; lots more flavor. Make your own boneless cuts and save the bones for soup stock.]
Salt and pepper
1 lg. onion, chopped
2 tbsp. cider or white wine vinegar
12 dried pitted apricots, chopped, or 6 - 12 fresh apricots, halved
2 C chicken stock (only 1 C stock if using fresh apricots)
1 C apricot all fruit spread or preserves or 1 C fresh ripe apricots, mashed well or sieved
~ 1 tbsp. honey
~ 1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Heat a large skillet with a lid over medium high heat. Add oil and chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Lightly brown the chicken a few minutes on each side, add onions. Cook 5 minutes. Add vinegar to the pan and let it evaporate. Add apricots and stock. When stock comes to a bubble, add preserves and stir to combine. Cover pan, reduce heat and simmer 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in cinnamon and honey to taste.


Longtime member and frequent contributor Farrell Podgorsek had this hot new concept for cooking for greens: roasting them! She says it was a new-to-her technique, and is thrilled with the results.

Roasted Greens
Wash and coarsely chop two bunches of greens
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place the chopped greens on a large piece of foil.  Drizzle with 2 tbsp. olive oil and gently toss. Seal the foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast about 20 minutes, or until greens are tender.  Farrell cooked two bunches of chard and says it came out silky and sweet. She then used the chard in a Panzanella salad recipe from Giada De Laurentiis:

Roasted Greens and Panzanella Salad
Cube up 1/2 loaf of day-old ciabatta bread, about 8 cups
3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
6 tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 8-oz. jar sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 recipe roasted greens (above)

Toss the bread with the oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and tomatoes. Add the greens and toss to combine. The greens have lots of moisture so the salad will get moister as it sits.


Farrell also had this simple, tasty squash recipe. I love the sound of this one because I love roasted lemon!

Farrell's Roasted Summer Squash with Lemon

Summer squash - any type and quantity
1 lemon for every 3 squash, cut into slices
olive oil
salt
pepper
herb of choice- I used dried marjoram, but sprigs of fresh oregano or thyme would be nice too.

Cut the squash in half lengthwise, and then cut lengthwise into spears.  Pour some olive oil onto a heavy baking sheet - I used about 2 tbsp. for 3 squash. Add the squash and the lemon slices and turn to coat with oil. Sprinkle with a generous amount of salt, pepper and dried marjoram.  Roast at 375 until everything is nicely browned and soft.  Check the progress after 30 minutes or so.  If the lemon slices are getting too dark place them on top of the squash so they don't burn on the bottom of the pan. The squash gets a nice lemony essence and the roasted lemon slices taste yummy.


Member Celeste Birnbaum sent the next recipe, which she highly recommends:

Herbed Summer Squash and Potato Torte with Parmesan
from Bon Appetit, June 2001
makes 2 tortes

1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
1 C grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. all purpose flour
1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. ground black pepper

2 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/8-inch-thick rounds [you can use any of the potatoes we get in our shares]
12 oz. yellow crookneck squash, cut into 1/8-inch-thick rounds [ditto for the squash; it doesn't have to be yellow crookneck]
6 tsp. olive oil

Preheat oven to 375F. Butter two 8-inch-diameter cake pans. Set aside 1/4 C sliced green onions. Toss remaining green onions, cheese, flour, thyme, salt and pepper in medium bowl to blend.

Layer 1/6th of potatoes in concentric circles in bottom of one prepared pan, overlapping slightly. Layer 1/4 of the squash in concentric circles atop potatoes. Drizzle with 1 tsp. oil. Sprinkle with 1/6th of cheese mixture. Repeat with 1/6th of potatoes, then 1/4 of squash and 1 tsp. oil. Sprinkle with 1/6th of cheese mixture. Top with 1/6th of potatoes. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil. Sprinkle with 1/6 of cheese mixture and press gently to flatten. Repeat procedure with second cake pan and remaining potatoes, squash, oil, and cheese mixture.

Cover pans with foil. Bake until potatoes are almost tender, about 40 minutes. Remove foil; bake uncovered until tortes begin to brown and potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes longer. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cool. Cover with foil and chill. Rewarm, covered with foil, in 350F oven until heated through, about 30 minutes.)

Cut each torte into wedges. Sprinkle wedges with 1/4 C green onions; serve.


Two more from member Jennifer Black:

Double Berry Preserves
Jennifer says, "I've made this with just strawberries, with strawberries and blackberries, with more berries and fewer berries, etc. It's pretty flexible - just a quick way to cook up berries that are very ripe before they go bad.  The preserves are not processed into jars, so they do have to be kept in the fridge.  This is a good sauce for ice cream, pound cake, etc., or just for spreading on toast."
 
2 pints strawberries, hulled and diced
1/2 pint raspberries or 1 1/2 C frozen raspberries, thawed [or blackberries]
3/4 C sugar
 
Combine all ingredients in large heavy skillet.  Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves.  Increase heat and boil until preserves are very thick, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.  Spoon into a small container, cool, cover, and refrigerate.
 
Wicked Potato-Garlic Dip
3 medium potatoes (or a larger number of smaller ones), peeled (or not) and diced
3 medium cloves garlic, peeled
up to 1/3 C mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. salt
 
Boil the potatoes until very soft and drain well.  Transfer to a food processor or a mixing bowl.  Without waiting for the potatoes to cool, add the remaining ingredients.  Whip until very smooth using either the food processor or an electric mixer.  Cover tightly and chill.  Delicious appetizer with wheat pita bread, carrot sticks, or sesame crackers, or use as a sandwich filling.  [Now I know I've preached about not making mashed-potatoes in a food processor because of the sort-of gluey texture you end up with, but I can see how adding mayo and using it as a spread or dip would be okay.]


Member Susan Fagan sent me this recipe for cauliflower, which she makes often and loves. Susan points out also that, if you're not going to use your cauliflower right away, you can break it into florettes and freeze it [probably want to blanch it quickly first]. Either fresh or frozen cauliflower works for this recipe, she says.

Cauliflower Spinach Mashed 'Potatoes'
Serves 4
 
6 C cauliflower florets, fresh or frozen
6 cloves garlic, sliced
10 oz. fresh spinach [~ 1 bunch; you could also use beet greens]
1/2 C cashew butter (raw or roasted)
Milk, if needed, to thin
White pepper (or black if you like... or lemon pepper seasoning)
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Steam cauliflower and garlic about 8 to 10 minutes or until tender. Drain and press out as much water as possible in strainer.

Place spinach in steamer, steam until just wilted and set aside.

Process cauliflower, garlic, and cashew butter in a food processor with "S" blade in place until creamy and smooth. Check the consistency. If it is too thick, add a small amount of milk, process some more and check again.

Add and adjust seasonings to taste.  Stir wilted spinach into mashed cauliflower. Serve hot or warm.  It is also great with added chives or scallion.


Lastly, this from member Laurel Pavesi, from a website called Kitchen Caravan:

Kale and Pumpkin Seed Pesto
by sophia
 
4 C fresh Dinosaur kale, roughly chopped [could probably use Red Russian kale and/or collards]
1 clove garlic
1/4 C olive oil
1/2 C kale cooking liquid (see directions)
1/2 C Parmesan cheese
1/4 C pepitas (pumpkin seeds), toasted

Bring a pot of water to boil with a big pinch of salt. Add the kale and boil for about 3 minutes, or until cooked through. Drain the kale, reserving at least 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. In a food processor, chop the garlic and kale, and then add in the olive oil and cooking liquid in a stream. Blend until the kale breaks down into a pesto-like sauce. Finally, add in the Parmesan cheese and pepitas, and blend a little bit more until the sauce is smooth.

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