Eggplant Pasta Bake

Happy Earth Day! In the spirit of encouraging and celebrating a more plant based diet, I bring you my family's absolute favorite vegan meal, which desperately needs a better name. If an eggplant parmesan and a lasagna had a vegan love child, it would be this crunchy topped, vegetable filled, gooey centered dish. It may not be exactly health food, but it's certainly a healthier version of some classic kitchen comforts.

Chicken Paella

Chicken Paella, a very yellow chicken and rice dish.

I had some really lovely saffron left over from the Marx Food dessert challenge I took part in last month, so I decided to make an allergy friendly version of paella which is a traditional rice dish from Valencia, a coastal region of Spain.  The original version is something between a gumbo and a risotto which is cooked in a special pan over an open flame and is stuffed with up to a dozen different kinds of highly allergenic seafood.

Since I don't own a paellera and prefer to avoid flames in my kitchen, I adapted Mark Bittman's technique for starting paella on the stove and finishing it in the oven from his book, How to Cook Everything.  The resulting recipe was surprisingly easy to make.

Yellow chicken...

Despite paella's traditional roots and heavenly spices, it is really just a basic rice dish which can be thrown together on a weeknight with any meats or vegetables you have on hand.  The oven finish has the bonus of giving you enough time to throw a salad together and yell at direct the kid to set the table.

...coordinating yellow "tablescape".

Chicken Paella

(Click here for printable version.)

1 qt chicken stock (homemade, if possible)
healthy pinch of saffron threads
2-4 Tbs olive oil, divided
2 lbs chicken, chopped into bite size pieces
2 tsp ground paprika
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 large onion, chopped (I like 'em sweet)
1 large red bell pepper, sliced
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 C short grain rice
1 C frozen peas
1/4 C dry white wine (optional)

Heat oven to 450°F.  Warm the stock and saffron threads in a saucepan over low heat until ready to use.

Use a large, ovenproof 12 to 14 inch skillet.  (Cast iron is perfect.)  Heat 2 Tbs olive oil over medium high heat.  Combine chicken with paprika, salt and pepper, stirring to coat, then brown in hot skillet.  Remove from pan after all sides are just browned. and set aside.

If needed, add additional tablespoon of olive oil.  Cook the onion and bell pepper in hot skillet.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Stir occasionally while cooking until the onion is translucent, then stir in crushed garlic.

Check again to see if additional olive oil is needed.  If so, add last tablespoon and heat.  Add rice to pan and stir until all grains are shiny.  Carefully pour stock mixture into pan, then stir in chicken, peas and wine.  Adjust seasonings as desired.  (If you are using a commercial stock, additional salt will probably be unnecessary.  If using homemade, add salt and/or pepper as desired.)

Make sure that mixture is spread evenly in the pan, and all of it is below the level of the stock.  Transfer the skillet into the oven and allow to bake undisturbed for 15 minutes.  At this point carefully evaluate the rice.  If all the stock has been absorbed and the rice has cooked to tenderness, return it to the oven, turn off the heat and allow it to sit undisturbed for another 15 minutes.  If the rice is dry but too hard, add a small amount of water or stock (about a quarter or third of a cup) and allow to cook for another 5 minutes.  Reevaluate the rice after 5 minutes, adjust liquid and cook time again if needed, then turn off oven and allow to sit for 15 minutes before serving.

I'm sharing my golden paella with:

• Allergy Friendly Friday hosted by Cybele Pascale and
• Gluten Free Wednesday at the Gluten Free Homemaker.

Meatloaf Muffins

.  Comfort food.

If you do a search for "meatloaf cupcakes", you'll discover muffin tins and mashed potato toppings that reach a level of cuteness no ordinary meatloaf could aspire to.  While my inspirations for this dish are, quite frankly, adorable, my goal was far more ordinary.

I wanted muffin sized portions that would bake more quickly than the standard loaf pan, so that I could get it on the table on a weeknight.  Obviously ground beef and egg are out of the question at my house, so I wanted a ground turkey version that would hold its shape.  Fundamentally, these meaty muffins are big honking meatballs, so I also wanted to make sure they weren't too dense.  Finally, I was planning to use leftovers for packed lunches on the following days, so I wanted them to be moist and flavorful enough not to need a messy sauce or glaze without being too spicy for a child.

It took four attempts to make a version that made me completely happy, though my family had enthusiastically snarfed down all the previous ones.  They are still a bit crumbly while warm from the oven, but firm up nicely when they cool down.  One downside to the recipe is that the hue from the tomato paste makes it awfully hard to tell if they are cooked all the way through.  (But they are moist, oh so moist!)  You can either break out the thermometer or give them a few extra minutes in the oven.  Since I like a little burn on the bottom, that's the option I use.

After trying a muffin tin with and without cupcake liners, I finally settled on my silicone cupcake molds.  The muffin tin works just fine, but I like being able to just drop them into a lunchbox, without either extra paper to throw out or an extra pan to wash.

Meatloaf Muffins

(Click here for printable recipe.)

1 C fresh whole wheat bread crumbs
1/4 C ground flax seed
1 Tbs mixed Italian seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 onion, finely chopped
1 lb ground turkey
6 oz can tomato paste
1 Tbs prepared mustard (any kind except the yellow stuff)

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Either prepare a standard muffin pan by greasing it or placing cupcake liners in the cavities, or place 12 silicone cupcake molds on a baking sheet.

Combine bread crumbs, flax and seasonings in a large bowl.  Stir in onion, then remaining ingredients.  Divide into 12 muffins, rounding tops with a spoon.  Bake for 30 minutes.

Crock Pot Curried Chicken

This easy meal was inspired by the recipe for 'Fragrant Chicken Curry' in Best Ever Recipes for Your Slow Cooker by Catherine Atkinson, which, truth be told, I picked off the clearance rack years ago and have never used.  The original recipe required several additional steps at the beginning, but if I'm using the crock pot, it means I'm out the door in the morning and am not going to mess with it again until I crawl back home.  So I've simplified it, as well as changed up the ingredients.

If you're not going to be able to give it the full 8 to 10 hours on low, bump the temperature up to medium, or else the lentils will not be cooked through.  Also be warned that a crock pot that is too small won't be able to accommodate the big pile of spinach that gets dumped in at the end.  (Mine is practically industrial size.)

Crock Pot Curried Chicken

(Click here for printable recipe.)

13.5 oz can coconut milk
1 C water
1 Tbs curry powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt
3-4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 C dried lentils
2 C baby carrots
1-2 Tbs olive oil
8 skinless chicken thighs (with or without bones)
8-10 oz bag pre-washed baby spinach leaves
1-2 C Jasmine or Basmati (white) rice

In a microwave safe bowl (or large measuring cup) combine coconut milk, water, curry powder, cumin, salt and garlic.  Whisk together, then microwave on high until bubbling, stopping to stir every minute.  Pour into crock pot with lentils and carrots.  Cover and cook on high while preparing the chicken.

Heat just enough oil to cover the bottom of a skillet over medium.  Brown both sides of chicken thighs, but do not cook all the way through.  Add chicken to crock pot, cover and reduce heat to low.  Allow to cook for 8 to 10 hours.

Half an hour before serving, add spinach to crock pot.  Gently mix spinach into liquid to coat as much as possible with sauce.  Replace lid and prepare 1-2 C rice according to package directions or as preferred while the spinach cooks.  (Brown rice will take a solid 45 minutes to cook, so if you prefer it, plan accordingly.)

Serve chicken curry over rice.

I'm submitting this post to:

• Gluten Free Wednesday hosted by The Gluten Free Homemaker
•  NHBPM - 30 health posts in 30 days at Wego Health.

Note: I've corrected the amount of water in the recipe from when I first posted it.  Also, if you are unable to consume the coconut milk, feel free to substitute chicken/vegetable stock for it.

Feeding the Allergic Kid in Real Life

When I saw the blog event "What I Ate Wednesday" over at Peas and Crayons, I thought it would be great to do a post showing a typical day's meals for my son, since that's the inevitable question when someone learns the full extent of The Kid's food allergies, "What on Earth does he eat?"

For breakfast The Kid had banana pancakes with margarine, maple syrup and some more banana, plus a cup of vanilla soy milk.  While making pancakes is definitely a weekend activity, eating them can happen on any day of the week, since I usually make extras and freeze them.

For lunch my little boy had leftover chili rolled up in a tortilla to make a burrito, honey pretzel twists, grapes and apple juice.  He absolutely adores any kind of Tex-Mex food, so he actually asked to have the leftover chili, rather than a sandwich.

For dinner I made a turkey sausage and spinach soup, which The Kid ate with saltines and another glass of vanilla soy milk.  For dessert he had a cup of blueberry soy yogurt.  As you can tell, we lean pretty hard on soy to make up for the lack of dairy in his diet.

Be sure to check out all the other submissions at What I Ate Wednesday  If you're looking for some ideas to get out of a food rut, this is the place to go!

Salmon with Blueberry Sauce

One of the few benefits of my son's food allergies is they've given me the excuse I needed to experiment wildly in the kitchen.  Right now blueberries are in season, and I was considering combining them in some way with ginger and lemon as I worked my way through the produce section of the grocery store.  I turned a few corners and found sockeye salmon also in season and on sale.  I started thinking, maybe I could do something with salmon and ginger and lemon...

Then it hit me, a lemon and ginger blueberry sauce for salmon.  I hesitated, because these weren't cheap ingredients, and not all of my past experiments have been successful.  (We do not ever mention the "jellyfish sandwich" disaster.)  Still, the vision of pink salmon with a purple sauce was just too tempting for me to resist.

I'm glad I have such poor impulse control, since the savory sweet flavor combination was both surprising and delicious.

Salmon with Blueberry Sauce

(Click here for printable recipe.)

Salmon:
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 1/2 lbs salmon fillet, skin removed
2 Tbs olive oil

Sauce:
1 pint fresh blueberries, washed
thumb size piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 C coconut milk
juice of a lemon (about 3 Tbs)

Combine salt, garlic powder, cumin, cinnamon and nutmeg in  a small bowl.  Place salmon fillet on a large cutting board.  Gently spread seasonings onto both sides of the salmon.  (Technically it's a rub, but a light patting motion works better than a full on massage.)  Cut salmon into four, roughly equal sized pieces.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet or fry pan over medium to medium high heat.  Saute salmon a few minutes on each side until cooked through.  Remove fillets from pan and set aside.  (You may want to cover salmon to keep it warm.)

Keep pan on heat, and add blueberries and ginger.  Cook while stirring until blueberries begin to burst open.  Stir in coconut milk, then lemon juice and watch the color explode.

Serve salmon and sauce immediately over rice.

I'm serving up my dinnertime creation to:

• the Blueberry Recipe Contest for Bloggers sponsored by (of course!) The Blueberry Council,
• Gluten Free Wednesday with The Gluten Free Homemaker,
• Allergy Friendly Friday hosted by Cybele Pascale and
• Real Food Weekly at The Whole Gang.

Patio Pasta

Two of my favorite cookbooks, What's to Eat? by Linda Marienhoff Cross and Go Dairy Free by Alisa Fleming, both have recipes for a Sunflower Pesto that I've long had bookmarked.  I've been thwarted, though, in my desire to make a seed based pesto by the "shared equipment with peanuts" warning printed on every single package of sunflower seeds that I've found in stores.

A number of months ago, I ordered a couple bags of safe sunflower seeds, which had been processed at the Sunbutter plant, from Peanut Free Planet.  We had almost nibbled our way through both bags, when I finally made the mental connection between the pesto recipe, my dwindling supply of sunflower seeds and the vigorously growing basil plant, that had reached new heights on my patio.


I have made a few changes to the pesto.  The recipe calls for raw, unsalted sunflower seeds, but since the only safe ones I can find are roasted and lightly salted, that's what I used.  As much as I love fresh garlic, The Kid has a limited tolerance for it.  He will gladly eat foods well seasoned with garlic powder, which isn't as sharp, so I've substituted that in for the fresh stuff.  I've also discovered over the course of my longstanding hummus addiction, that I can substitute water for half of the olive oil when making it, so I've done that here as well.  To finish the dish, I chopped up a couple of ripe tomatoes from the container garden on my patio, and tossed them in with the pasta.

The result was incredibly nutty, savory and fresh.  We gobbled up every bite of the pasta, and practically licked the bowls afterward!

Sunflower Pesto

(Click here for printable recipe.)

1 C packed fresh basil leaves, washed
1/2 C roasted sunflower seeds
1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
1/4 C water
1/2 tsp garlic powder (not garlic salt)
1/4-1/2 tsp salt

Combine ingredients in food processor or blender.  Puree until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.  Adjust salt, and toss with pasta.  Serve immediately.  Makes approximately 1 cup.

I'm submitting my yummy pesto to:

• Presto Pasta Nights, the long running event begun by Ruth of Once Upon a Feast and hosted this week by Helen of Fuss Free Flavors, 
• Allergy Friendly Friday, hosted by Cybele Pascale and
• Real Food Weekly at The Whole Gang.

Three Sisters Stuffed Zucchini

Traditional Native American agriculture grew over the centuries upon three staples:  maize, climbing beans and squash.  These "Three Sisters" were planted together in mounds, with the maize providing a support for the beans to climb and the squash creating a microclimate on the ground, which held moisture in and kept weeds out.  In this elegant system, the plants complement each other both botanically and nutritionally, and, not coincidentally, taste awfully good together.

Here in Florida, corn is in its prime, and I've been contemplating making a Three Sisters salad of corn, beans and squash.   Then I stopped by my favorite produce stand and saw these beauties.  I cannot resist a round zucchini or hold back the urge to hollow it out, stuff it with various savory goodies then slip it into the oven and wait for the magic to happen.

I'll make a salad some other time.

As I've assaulted, stuffed and baked various squashes over the years, I've learned that, although a tomato sauce is my topping of choice, baking them in a covered dish with water, not sauce, is the only way to achieve the tender courgette I crave.  To the Three Sisters filling, I added another New World delight, turkey sausage, and made the tomato sauce on the stove top while the zucchini baked.

Three Sisters Stuffed Zucchini

(Click here for printable recipe.)

2 Tbs olive oil

2 lbs zucchini

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp crushed rosemary

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp ground sage

1/2 tsp salt

ground pepper to taste

1-2 cloves crushed garlic

1 lb ground turkey sausage

2 ears of corn (a minimum of 1 C kernels sliced off)

15 oz can black beans, rinsed

15 oz can diced tomatoes, liquid reserved

2 Tbs corn starch

29 oz can tomato sauce

To prepare round zucchinis for stuffing, either treat the same as standard long zucchini and cut off ends, then slice in half top to bottom and hollow out centers to create boats, or slice off only the top about half an inch down from the stem, then hollow out from the top.  (The boats, whether from long or round zucchinis, will hold almost the entire batch of filling, unlike the upright round zucchinis, but I am a sucker for those little hats!)  Use either a melon baller or spoon to remove the inside, leaving about a quarter inch thickness, then finely chop the zucchini's innards, reserving the shells for stuffing.

Preheat oven to 375°F.  Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add onion, chopped zucchini and seasonings, including garlic.  Stirring occasionally, cook mixture until soft.  Add turkey sausage and continue to stir while browning.  Once all pink is gone, stir in corn, beans and diced tomatoes.  Whisk corn starch into the reserved juice from the tomatoes until completely dissolved, then stir mixture into skillet.  Continue to stir while cooking until juice begins to bubble, then turn burner down to low heat.

Gently fill hollowed zucchinis with mixture.  Filling may be mounded in flat boats, but only fill upright zucchinis to top, then cover with stem hats.  Arrange filled zucchini in a baking dish, then carefully fill bottom of dish with half an inch of water.  Cover dish with aluminum foil, then bake for 45 minutes.

While zucchinis are baking, mix the can of tomato sauce into the remainder of the stuffing.  Cover skillet with a lid and allow to simmer over low heat until the zucchinis are done.

Serve baked zucchini with grain of choice, topped with tomato sauce.  I used quinoa, since it was also a Mesoamerican staple.  The combination was delicious.

Stuffed zucchinis...with hats!

I'm submitting my darling little zukes to:

• Cybele Pascal's Allergy Friendly Friday at Allergy Friendly Cuisine,
• Gluten Free Wednesday hosted by Linda, The Gluten-Free Homemaker,
• the Real Food Weekly Round Up at The Whole Gang and
• the Blogger Recipe Contest at Fresh Supersweet Corn.

Meatball Kebobs with CousCous

We're having a lovely March with the snowbirds still roosting here in Florida.  Our meals, as a result, have tended to be a little more Midwestern than usual with regular servings of meat and potatoes.  One of the flock, my mom, is famous in our family for her delicate palate, which has also taken my seasoning down a notch.  (By "delicate" I mean "unable to tolerate a single fleck of pepper".)

While planning a recent meal I asked Mom if she minded if I served some couscous that was taking up my valuable shelf space.  I was surprised when she hesitated.  Thinking that she might not be familiar with it, I explained that couscous was a pasta that resembled a small grain.  No, that wasn't the problem.  It was just that Mom found couscous to be a little bland.

After I stopped laughing, I told her that I would absolutely be able to make it flavorful without making it spicy.  She said, "You can do that?"  Once my second set of giggles had subsided, I assured Mom that I had quite a bit of practice doing exactly that.

The skewers were an outright hit, and the couscous, um, satisfactory to them.  Next thing you know I'll have the snowbirds eating quinoa!  This recipe is easily adaptable to the seasonal vegetables of your choice and the meatballs can be omitted if you are not of the omni persuasion.

Turkey Sausage Meatball & Marinated Veggie Kebabs with Couscous

(Click here for printable recipe.)

Marinade:

1/4 C olive oil

1/4 C balsamic vinegar

1-2 cloves garlic, pressed

2 tsp dried parsley

1 tsp dried rosemary

1/2 tsp salt

Vegetables:

2 medium zucchini, in half rounds

1 red bell pepper, in 1 inch squares

12-15 pearl onions, peeled

4 oz mushrooms, halved

Meatballs:

1 lb ground turkey sausage

1 C fresh bread crumbs

2 Tbs ground flax

Additional:

10-12 wooden or metal skewers

If using wooden skewers, soak in warm water at least 30 minutes before using.

Combine marinade ingredients.  Clean and chop vegetables.  Mix with marinade and set aside.  (Note:  vegetables may be prepared in advance and refrigerated until ready to use.)

Place oven rack in the second position from the top.  Turn on broiler to preheat.

Combine bread crumbs and ground flax, then stir into turkey sausage until mixture is smooth without any lumps.  Using wet hands, roll into small meatballs no more than one inch in diameter.

Gently slide alternating kinds of vegetables and meatballs onto skewers until all are used.  Arrange in a large broiler pan with none overlapping.  Place under broiler for twenty minutes, turning skewers over and rotating pan halfway through cooking time.

Check to make sure meatballs are cooked all the way through and serve with couscous, recipe below.

Savory Couscous

2 Tbs olive oil

2 C Israeli (large) couscous

1-2 cloves garlic, pressed

2 1/2 C chicken stock, preferably homemade

1 Tbs dried parsley

1/2 tsp salt (omit if using commercial stock)

Heat oil over medium in a heavy bottomed pot.  Add couscous and garlic and stir to coat with oil.  Cook while constantly stirring until couscous is lightly browned.  Add chicken stock and seasonings and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes.

I'm sharing my snowbird special with Presto Pasta Nights, founded by Ruth of Once Upon a Feast and hosted this week by Sarah of Maison Cupcake and as a late entry to Friday Potluck, hosted by Erin of EKat's Kitchen.

Pumpkin Chili

When I first heard the words "pumpkin" and "chili" used together, I was skeptical.  The sweet and silky addition to my regular turkey chili has converted me, though, if for no other reason than I no longer feel guilty if I don't have a green vegetable on the side.  Everyone gobbled it down with enthusiasm, and The Kid very specifically requested that the leftovers be put in his lunchbox the next day.

I've adapted the recipe from Rollin' Oats Cafe and Market, which I believe was written originally by Gluten Free Gidget.  (Hi, Katrina!)  You will notice that this recipe is exceedingly mild.  There is a wide variety of tolerances to spiciness at my table, so I try to make dishes like this as flavorful as possible, but without too much heat.  Then I plunk a bottle of Tobasco down in front of my husband when I serve it.  Even without food allergies, cooking for a family requires the art of compromise!

Turkey Pumpkin Chili

Adapted from Rollin’ Oats Market and Cafe

(Click here for printable recipe.)

2 Tbs olive oil
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1-2 tsp ground cumin
½-1 tsp ground paprika
¼-½ tsp ground chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground turkey
15 oz can pumpkin puree
6 oz can tomato puree
1-2 C chicken stock
15 oz can black beans
1 C frozen sweet corn

Heat olive oil in a large heavy bottomed pot over medium heat.  Saute onion until soft, mix in spices and garlic, then add turkey and cook until completely brown.  Add pumpkin and tomato puree, then slowly pour in chicken stock while stirring until desired consistency is reached.  Mix in beans and corn, then allow to chili to come to a low boil.  Adjust seasonings and serve.


I'm sharing this creamy bowl of chili with Deb of Kahakai Kitchen for Souper Sunday. Be sure to check out her weekend round up!

Homemade Pumpkin Pasta with Turkey Sausage

The Kid's class decorated pumpkins for Halloween again this year.  Knowing that all the decorations were going to be on the outside (no carving), I bought a pie pumpkin with the intention of baking it after it returned from school.  Unfortunately, the poor thing had an accident on the way in to class and developed a crack, so I had to get a replacement.  All of which led to two sugar pumpkins, one cracked and one covered in paint and glitter, sitting on my counter.

They would probably still be hanging out there, inspiring incipient food wastage guilt, if Shellyfish hadn't posted her incredibly timely pumpkin roasting tutorial.  I waited until The Kid was gone to school, thanks to my new and improved work schedule, to wash off the tempera and disembowel the gourds.  The result was about 4 cups of mild, yellow pumpkin puree and a whole tray full of pepitas, which may be my new favorite snack and favorite word.  Pepiiiiiitas.

It's been a while since I've made homemade pasta, and the idea of a pumpkin version's been lurking in the back of my mind.  So this was the first creation from my pumpkin bounty.

Pumpkin Noodles

printable recipe

3 C all-purpose flour
large pinch of salt
grating of fresh nutmeg
3/4 to 1 C pumpkin puree
2 Tbs olive oil

Whisk together flour, salt and nutmeg in a large bowl.  Combine 3/4 C pumpkin and olive oil.  (Note:  canned pumpkin will be denser than home baked pumpkin and will likely require the entire cup.  Use as little of the puree as possible to make the dough, since less moisture makes a toothier pasta.)  Make a well in the center of the flour, and scoop pumpkin mixture into the middle.  Gradually stir the pumpkin mixture into the flour, then knead dough for a few minutes, until combined.  You should end up with a dimpled ball of incredibly stiff dough.

Place the dough into a resealable baggy, close the bag, and allow to relax for a good hour at room temperature.  Remove from bag, cut into chunks of the appropriate size for your pasta machine, and chuck all but one back into the bag, which should be kept sealed.

Run the dough through the machine, starting with the thickest setting and gradually decreasing until it reaches the desired thickness.  (From number 7 down to number 3 for fettuccine on my hand crank model.)  Cut dough into noodles, either with machine or by hand.  Separate noodles onto a cooling rack, then place in freezer.  Grab another hunk of dough and repeat.

Once all the noodles have been frozen, they can either be moved into a gallon freezer bag or immediately boiled in a large pot of salted water.  Watch closely, since they will not take long to cook.  Serve immediately.

Originally I'd planned to make a mushroom sauce to go with the mildly sweet noodles, but lately my poor, red meat eating husband has started to get that look at meals.  That pitiful, "I want a steak" look.  Not that he doesn't like what I cook, just that he'd enjoy, you know, an occasional chunk of something bloody.

So instead I tossed my lovely vegan noodles with olive oil, peas and some nice savory turkey sausage.  On top I sprinkled a few pepitas, and everyone was happy with another schizophrenic meal at the House of Food Allergies.

I'm sharing my sweet and savory noodles with Presto Pasta Nights.  The long running event, begun by Ruth of Once Upon a Feast is being hosted this week by Helen of Fuss Free Flavors.  Be sure to check out Friday's round up!

Garden Burgers

The Kid simply adores Curious George.  The books, the TV series, the thinly disguised learning games on the PBS website, he loves them all.  So when he found this recipe for Chef Pisghetti's Giardino Burgers (featured in Episode 19) while obsessively clicking on coloring pages and doing his level best to burn his way through my overpriced ink cartridges, he printed it out, raced to me and asked, "Mommy, Mommy, can you make this?"

(Child of mine, because of your food allergies I've made you pastries without butter, pizzas without cheese, meatballs without beef and custards without eggs.  I think I can manage your little cartoon inspired veggie burgers.)

"Of course, Sweetie, no problem."

If you've never seen hubris before, take a good look.  Pride, meet Fall.

By my last count I've made six different versions of the things.  The good news is that no matter how unappealing the result, The Kid has happily gobbled them up.  My first attempt was very similar to the original recipe and was the only one baked in the oven.  The patties more closely resembled unleavened gray zucchini bread than any burger ever manufactured.  Since then I've moved to the frying pan, added veggies (and taken some out again), fiddled with the type of binders and fillings, adjusted the amount of moisture repeatedly and finally found a seasoning mixture I like.

My latest effort finally looked and tasted good enough to be eaten enthusiastically by my meat loving husband, too.  The patties' only downfall is that they are still not as firm as I would like.  (Whatever you do, do not, repeat, do not try to cook these on a grill!)  On the upside they are now gluten free, at least until they meet a bun, and they feature my new favorite egg substitute for recipes with a "nutty" texture:  coarsely ground flax seed mixed into hemp milk.  You could substitute any other type of nondairy milk or even use water if you don't have any hemp milk hanging out in your kitchen.

Garden Burgers
1/2 C hemp milk plus 1/4 C ground flax seed
1 15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 C cooked rice
1/2 C grated zucchini (about 1 baby or 1/2 large)
1 carrot, grated
1 tsp ground paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp kosher salt
oil or nondairy margarine for the pan

Stir flax into hemp milk and set aside.  The combination will turn into a mass that could easily win a starring role in a remake of The Blob, but trust me, it will give your patties a lovely, nutty taste and texture.  Mash the chickpeas in a large bowl to a chunky peanut butter consistency.  Stir in the rice, vegetables, seasonings and flax mixture.

Add just enough oil or margarine to a nonstick frying pan to cover the bottom of it and heat over medium.  Shape chickpea mixture either by hand or with a patty press.  (I have one that I found at the grocery store for less than $2.)  The patty releases better if you rinse the press in water first.

Saute the patties until golden brown on both sides, then serve like any other burger.  (Don't be surprised if the consistency is more like a Sloppy Joe, though!)  Makes about six, depending on the size of the patty.

Update:  I've corrected the quantity of grated zucchini from 1 C to 1/2 C.

I'm sharing my Gardenburgers with My Legume Love Affair #26, the long running food event begun by Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook, which is being hosted this month by Simona of briciole as well as this week's Vegetarian Foodie Friday link up hosted by Melodie at Breastfeeding Moms Unite and Just Another Meatless Monday link up hosted by Laura of Hey, What's For Dinner Mom?

Pasta Squidward

This wonderfully creative idea for inserting dry spaghetti into the hot dog of your choice (tofu, turkey, beef, whatever) then boiling them together wound its way across the internet from the original Russian creators, who named them "Hot Dog Strikes Back," to BoingBoing, where the commentators renamed them "Squiddlies" to the Lunch in a Box Forum, where I was immediately transfixed. Of course, we have a Spongebob obsessed five year old, so at our house they became "Pasta Squidward."

These are absurdly easy to assemble, and The Kid absolutely adored making them. Half a pack of turkey dogs and a handful of spaghetti broken into half (so it would fit into the pot) were all we needed. The combination of spaghetti and meatlike sticks deserves to become an instant kid cuisine classic, like S'mores. They bring together two foods that already have strong kid appeal with the opportunity to play with your food. All they lack is a universal and instantly recognizable moniker.

After we finished making our voodoo dogs, I started the pasta water boiling and made my sauce. It was my usual tomato based pasta sauce, except I substituted a 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes for the usual huge can of tomato puree, so that it would be less liquidy and more goulash like. I like my squash a little blackened, or at least well done, so my veggies started like this:

And ended up looking like this:

Once they landed on the (poorly lit) dinosaur plate, they hitched a ride with the pincushion pasta to my son's tummy with no objections from him. Yeah!

I am shamelessly sending this unsophisticated dish to Kitchenetta at Got No Milk, one of the best looking food allergy/restricted diet foodie blogs around, who is hosting this week's Presto Pasta Nights, the long running weekly pasta round up begun by the always lovely Ruth of Once Upon a Feast.

Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna

I've taken a bit of an unplanned blogging break due to some family events, but the March Daring Bakers challenge has belatedly brought me back:

The March 2009 challenge is hosted by Mary of Beans and Caviar, Melinda of Melbourne Larder and Enza of Io Da Grande. They have chosen Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna from The Splendid Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper as the challenge.

Making homemade egg-free pasta has been one of my back burner projects, so I was very excited to try adapting this Spinach Pasta, which is layered with a Bechamel Sauce and a Country Style Ragu.

Spinach Pasta:
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed completely dry
3/4 C water
1/4 C olive oil
3 1/2 C AP flour
1/2 tsp salt

Combine the spinach, water, and olive oil a food processor, and pulverize until smooth. Sift flour and salt together into a mixing bowl. Stir in spinach mixture and knead (by hand or machine) until smooth and elastic. Add additional flour or water if necessary. Wrap in plastic wrap and allow to relax at room temperature for three hours. With a pasta machine, roll out into paper thin sheets, cut to approximately 4" by 8". (You'll need plenty of flour to keep from sticking.) Use immediately or set aside and allow to dry.

For the Bechamel, I would have preferred an alternative to soymilk (to avoid the aftertaste) or coconut milk (to avoid the fat.) Since inspiration didn't strike and the lasagne was filled with plenty of other strong flavors, I went ahead with the soymilk, and was very happy with the sauce once it was integrated into the dish.

Bechamel Sauce:
1/4 C dairy free margarine (Earth Balance, as usual)
1/4 C AP flour, sifted
2 2/3 C soymilk
salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
freshly grated nutmeg to taste

Melt margarine in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Mix in flour and stir while cooking for three minutes. Gradually whisk in soymilk, keeping the mixture smooth. Bring to a simmer and continue to stir while sauce thickens, about five minutes. Season to taste.

The original Ragu included pancetta, veal, pork loin or sausage, beef skirt steak, and prosciutto. Although the challenge allowed for freedom in making the sauces, I decided to try to stay as close as possible to the original while substituting poultry for the meat.

Country Style Ragu:
3 Tbs olive oil
6 slices turkey bacon, divided (4 slices minced)
1 medium onion, minced
1 medium stalk celery with leaves, minced
1 small carrot, minced
1/2 lb ground turkey sausage
1 pound turkey thigh meat
2/3 C dry red wine
2 1/2 C turkey stock (from my frozen Thanksgiving batch)
1 C soymilk
1 can plum tomatoes, drained
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add minced turkey bacon and vegetables and cook until soft, about ten minutes. Combine remaining meats in food processor and grind together. (I will be very happy to never put raw meat in my food processor again.) Stir into pan and cook until all pink is gone, about fifteen minutes. Remove mixture from pan in order to deglaze.

Add the wine to the skillet, lowering the heat so the sauce bubbles quietly. Stir occasionally until the wine has reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Scrape up the brown glaze as the wine bubbles. Then pour the reduced wine into the saucepan and set the skillet aside. Stir ½ cup stock into the saucepan and let it bubble slowly, 10 minutes, or until totally evaporated. Repeat with another ½ cup stock. Stir in the rest of the stock along with the milk. Adjust heat so the liquid bubbles very slowly. Partially cover the pot, and cook 1 hour. Stir frequently to check for sticking.

Add the tomatoes, crushing them as they go into the pot. Cook uncovered, at a very slow bubble for another 45 minutes, or until the sauce resembles a thick, meaty stew. Season with salt and pepper.

The original instructions called for the lasagna noodles to be cooked before layered into a pan, but I discovered that removing the paper thin leaves from a pot of boiling water was like trying to grasp a jellyfish. Once they came from the pot, they also collapsed into an invertebrate heap. So I took a leap of faith and layered them into the pan uncooked. They turned out perfectly.

To prepare the final dish, preheat the oven to 350°F. In a three quart baking dish spread a thin layer of Bechamel. Cover with overlapping noodles. Spread another layer of white sauce, then meat sauce, then more noodles. Repeat until top layer of noodles is arranged, then place a final layer of Bechamel. Since I'm not able to sprinkle with cheese as per the original recipe, I combined some panko, olive oil, and seasonings to cover the top.

Cover the baking dish lightly with foil, taking care not to let it touch the top of the lasagne. Bake 40 minutes, or until almost heated through. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, or until hot in the center (test by inserting a knife – if it comes out very warm, the dish is ready). Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar and let the lasagne rest for about 10 minutes.

Five Pound Pasta

This is a dish that I've been on the verge of posting since I began to blog, but always hesitated, since it isn't a recipe as much as a set of guidelines for making homemade sauce to eat over pasta. Then a few days ago, I ran across a blog event, "Recipes for First Time Cooks." being hosted by Ramki of One Page Cookbooks. After seeing his refreshing approach to deconstructing and demystifying recipes, I realized that my "five pound" formula for pasta was perfect for this event, and was determined to finally share it.

To make make this dish, you will need:

• one pound of pasta (macaroni, shells, bowties, rotini, etc.)
  
• one pound of protein (ground turkey, ground sausage, can of cannellini beans, etc.)
  
• three pounds of vegetables (onions, mushrooms, zucchini, squash, broccoli, bell peppers, etc.)
  
• one large can of tomato puree (29 oz)
  
• a couple tablespoons of olive oil and seasonings to taste (salt, pepper, garlic, oregano, basil, parsley, etc.)

Fill a large pot with water, and place it over high heat, so it can begin to heat up while making the sauce, then make pasta according to package directions.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped vegetables and cook until desired degree of doneness. Add seasonings. If in doubt, my standby is 1 or 2 tablespoons of mixed Italian herbs and a sprinkling of garlic powder. (For the sauce in the photograph, I cooked a sweet onion until soft, then added about 2 pounds of yellow squash and a pound of zucchini.)

If you are using ground meat as your protein, add it to the skillet now and cook until all pink is gone. Pour in tomato paste, stir until completely mixed, and heat until sauce just begins to bubble. (My tip for using canned tomato sauce: mix in a little additional garlic powder immediately after pouring tomato puree into pan to remove tinny taste.) If you are using beans as your protein, rinse them, then stir into sauce and cook until heated through.

The sauce and the pasta may not be finished at exactly the same time, but as soon they are both done, mix the pasta into the sauce. (It's not as visually appealing as serving the sauce over the pasta, but it keeps the noodles from drying out or sticking together, and it insures that you won't end up with an uneven amount of sauce or pasta left over.) Adjust seasonings and serve.

This makes an absolutely huge quantity of food. My husband and I will pack leftovers up for work (no white blouses for me on those days!) Sometimes we'll save some for a night when the adults are eating something that's not Kid friendly, and he'll be happy to snarf up some more pasta instead. This pasta dish is easy, infinitely flexible to what's available in my pantry, and reheats beautifully. Many thanks to Ramki for an opportunity to finally share it!

Flax Seed Pasta

During my pre-motherhood existence, I had started to learn to make homemade pasta. The Kid's egg allergy, which we discovered a year postpartum, completely derailed that line of line of culinary exploration. That is, until now. (Drumroll, please.)

I decided to try substituting flax seed meal for eggs in pasta dough. To my complete and utter astonishment, it created lovely workable dough, which made pasta with a nice tooth and nutty flavor, slightly reminiscent of soba noodles. My old recipe called for 3 Cups of flour, 3 eggs, and a pinch of salt. Here's the new version:

3 C flour (I used King Arthur bread flour)
3 Tbs flax seed meal + 1/2 C water, blended
1/2 C water in addition to flax seed mixture
1 tsp olive oil
large pinch of kosher salt

Using a stick blender, pulverize the flax seed meal and water to get maximum glutinousness. (Heh.) Mix flour and salt together on a flat surface and make a well in the center. Pour flax seed mixture and olive oil into well and mix into flour. While mixing, add in the additional 1/2 C water, using less or more if necessary. Use a dough scraper to bring ingredients together and knead until it becomes a stiff, uniform dough. Form into a ball, then place in a plastic bag and allow to rest for at least half an hour. (The rest period for my dough was somewhat longer.)

Cut off smaller pieces of dough, flour well, and run through a pasta machine from higher to lower settings, then cut into desired shape. (I recommend using a pasta machine rather than shaping by hand, though you could roll it out with some muscle and give it additional rest periods covered in plastic to make the dough more easily workable.) The dough did best at the second to lowest thinness setting on the machine for the final pasta. I divided my batch and made half as flat noodles and half as pumpkin filled raviolis.

For noodles, simply cut with the machine or by hand, then separate onto a parchment paper covered cookie sheet and place in freezer for 30 minutes. After the half hour, use immediately or move into a freezer bag for longer storage. To cook the noodles, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add frozen noodles to water, allow to return to a boil, then reduce temperature and cook for six to eight minutes, checking for doneness before draining pasta. The thickness of the pasta will determine the length of time needed, so watch closely.

Since the noodles reminded me of soba, I made a quick miso glaze for them:

1 C water
1 Tbs miso paste
1 Tbs corn starch
3 mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 green onions, chopped
sesame seeds to garnish (optional)

Combine water, miso, and corn starch in a small pan. Whisk together until smooth. Add mushrooms and green onions, and bring to a boil while stirring. Mix with noodles, sprinkle sesame seeds and serve immediately. (The green onions are better if they are added after it has been boiled, but I habitually overcook onions in deference to The Kid's palate.)

Pumpkin Ravioli

I baked a small, 3 pound pumpkin for an hour at 350°F after cutting it in half, removing the seeds and pulp, rubbing the exposed surface with olive oil, then placing it open side down in a baking dish. It produced almost exactly 3 C of cooked pumpkin, which was more than I needed for the mild filling:

2 C cooked pumpkin
1/2 C coconut milk
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp nutmeg

Combine ingredients in a bowl and mix with a blender until smooth.

My ravioli making technique is atrocious, but since it's been about six years since I attempted to make them, I'll just apologize for the unappealing pictures and post them anyway. I think, though, that I felt I had to use the ravioli mold which has been gathering dust for that time, and they would have been much nicer and less tedious if I had just made larger raviolis by hand.

Since I am the wrong source for directions on how to make ravioli, I'll just let you know that the mold needed to be sprayed with olive oil before having the dough placed on it and that I used more of the coconut milk instead of eggs as glue for the little dumplings and then I'll leave you to your own devices.

Once you have produced your tiny darlings, allow them to dry on a cooling rack for at least half an hour. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook them for 3 to 5 minutes. Toss very gently with a little olive oil and salt and serve immediately.

I'm sending these recipes both to Madhuram at Eggless Cooking for her fantastic Flax Seed Meal Egg Replacement Event and to the always inspiring Presto Pasta Nights, which was begun by Ruth of Once Upon a Feast and will be be hosted this week by Nilmandra of Soy and Pepper.