All Day Cassoulet

My dad was a very frugal shopper; he loved finding a bargain and could calculate the unit cost of an item in his head long before any of us could have produced the answer with a calculator (if we had had pocket calculators back then). He died before the advent of warehouse clubs, so I've taken his place, scouring the aisles for the best deals in town.

I don't feel like shopping today--I don't need to. I know I already have enough stored in my pantry to last through just about anything (even a pandemic). Let's see, there are 20 pounds of chicken tenders in the freezer, 10 pounds of onions, a dozen cans of diced tomatoes, several pounds of chicken sausage, and an untold amount of dry beans. Mmmm sounds like cassoulet.

Cassoulet is a rich, slow-cooked bean stew or casserole originating in the south of France, containing meat and white beans. The dish is named after its traditional cooking vessel, the cassole, a deep, round,  earthenware pot.
Cassoulet (Photo courtesy CreativeCommons)

All Day Cassoulet

Ingredients

• 2 cups Great Northern or dried navy beans (see Note below)
• cheesecloth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 medium onion
• 1 celery stalk
• 1 medium carrot
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders
• 1 1/2 pounds chicken sausage (I like Aidell's), sliced
• 2 large onions, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
• 1 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes
• 1 cup of dry white wine
• 4 cups coarsely torn fresh bread (preferably from a crusty, rustic loaf)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

NOTE: There are two ways to prepare dried beans. The first, and the one you are probably most familiar with, is to sort them (there COULD be rocks hiding in there), place them in a pot, cover them with water and let soak overnight. I don't know about you, but I don't often (ever?) plan that far ahead. If cooking beans means that I need to prepare the night before, cooked beans will not happen in my house. There's another method—an easier method, and it works just as well. Sort the beans, place them in a cooking pot (with a lid) and cover them with water. You want the water to go about 2 inches over the top of the beans. Bring to a full boil over high heat and boil for one minute. Turn off the heat, put on the lid, and let them sit for one hour. No peaking! OK, now you're ready to proceed with the rest of the recipe.

Instructions

First, prepare the beans:

1. Cut a square of cheesecloth, about 6-8 inches. Place the bay leaf, rosemary, and thyme in the middle of the square and tie them up with string/kitchen twine. You want the herbs to flavor the beans, but you don't want them (especially the rosemary leaves) to get lost in the broth. This little bundle is referred to as a bouquet garni (yes, it's French!). 
2. Push the cloves into the onion; place the onion, celery stalk, and carrot in the pot. Add enough cold water to cover to about one inch above. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer gently until beans are tender throughout but not falling apart, 40 to 50 minutes. Discard the onion, celery, carrot, and bouquet garni. Set the beans aside—DON'T drain!

Next, the meats and vegetables:

1. While the beans are simmering prepare the meats. Heat one tablespoon of oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Cook the chicken tenders for about 5 minutes, or until browned on all sides. Don't overcrowd the pan or the chicken will steam and not brown. It's best to cook in small batches. Remove the browned chicken pieces to a plate and set aside.
2. To the same pan add the sausage and cook for about 5 minutes or just until it begins to brown and caramelize. Remove to the same plate as the chicken.
3. Now add the diced onion to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes translucent and begins to color. Toss in the garlic slices and cook for an additional minute. Add the wine and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

Now, get ready to assemble the casserole:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Using a skimmer, remove half of the beans from their pot and place in the bottom of a dutch oven. The next layer is one-half of the tomatoes.
3. Next, the chicken, sausage, and onions followed by the remaining tomatoes and the remaining beans. Add enough cooking liquid so the beans are almost, but not quite, submerged. Reserve the remaining liquid.
4. Bake s-l-o-w-l-y:
5. Transfer pot to oven and cook, uncovered, for 2 hours. Check the liquid every 30 minutes to make sure it is no more than 1/2 inch below the beans, and add liquid or water as necessary. Do not stir.
6. After the cassoulet has cooked for 2 hours, toss bread and butter in a bowl. Sprinkle over cassoulet, and return to oven until beans are tender and bread is golden 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
7.  Before serving, let the cassoulet stand at room temperature for 20 minutes to cool and allow the beans to absorb some of the liquid.

Leftover Cereal Bread

I like Cheerios, Puffed Wheat, and Raisin Bran. My husband prefers Honey Bunches of Oats and Frosted Mini-Wheats. Our daughter likes Cinnamon Toast Crunch. We have lots of boxes of dry cereal in our pantry and at times there are lots of almost-empty boxes. Each has just a handful of flakes or crispy bits--not enough for a bowl.

So, what to do with the leftovers? My frugal German heritage won't let me throw them away. So I devised "Leftover Cereal Bread."

(Photo Credit: Image by Aline Ponce from Pixabay)

Leftover Cereal Bread

Ingredients

• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 1/2 cups dry cereal (any kind)
• 1 cup oatmeal (not instant)
• 1/3 cup oil
• 1/4 cup molasses
• *1/4 light corn syrup
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 envelopes active dry yeast
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• about 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

1. Mix the water, cereal, oatmeal, oil, molasses and corn syrup in a large bowl. Cool to lukewarm. Stir in the yeast until dissolved; let stand 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, then 3 cups flour or enough to make a stiff dough.
2. Cover and let rest 30 minutes. Turn out on lightly-floured surface; knead 8 to 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Divide dough in half. Place each half in a greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Cover and let in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size (1-2 hours).
3. Bake in preheated 350 degree F oven 1 hour. Remove from pan; cool on racks.

     *if using mostly sweetened dry cereal, substitute 1/4 cup water

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy Chicken Piccata

I love the taste of lemon. It's such a clean, bright flavor and is a great salt substitute. (If you use a squeeze of lemon, you'll put away the salt shaker, I promise).

Lemon makes me think of summer--lemonade, lemon meringue pie, lemon bar cookies, lemon in salads and sauces. And lemon with chicken; specifically chicken piccata. 

Is this a "carb"? Technically, I'm not sure, but with the lemons in there (fruit) am I stretching the paradigm a bit too much to share this with you today?

Here's the link to my recipe as featured on Delishably.

Photo courtesy https://www.cookipedia.com.uk_wiki

Leftover Mashed Potato Pancakes

I love potatoes. It doesn't matter what form they take. I'm an equal opportunity potato lover—rustic mashed, creamy mashed, scalloped, au gratin, fried, hash browns, baked, boil (and adorned with chives and melted butter), or leftover mashed potato patties. If I'm honest (like now) I will admit that sometimes I make extra mashed potatoes just so I can create these fried potato patties a day or two later.

(Photo Credit: Image by locrifa from Pixabay)

Leftover Mashed Potato Pancakes

Ingredients (makes 6 patties)

• 2 cups leftover mashed potatoes
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons grated Cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup baking (biscuit) mix (such as Bisquick, Jiffy, etc.)
• 1 tablespoon finely minced parsley
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Mixed and ready to be shaped into patties

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl.
2. Scoop up into generous 1/3 cup portions. (I used a baking ring, but this is optional) onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. You should be able to get 6 patties from these ingredients).
3. Place in the freezer to chill for 30 minutes.
4. Place 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saute pan; heat to medium.
5. Place patties in a preheated pan. Saute on one side until brown, about 5 minutes.
6. Flip and cook an additional 2-3 minutes until browned and heated through.

Shaped in ring mold and ready for a 30-minute chill in the freezer

Easy (and Quick) Pizza Crust

When the work day is long and time to prepare dinner is as short as me {{smile}} the go-to for many families is take-out or frozen pizza. True pizza crust can take several hours (mix, proof, shape, etc.) but here’s one that will take only minutes.

This homemade pizza costs far less than store-bought, take-out, or delivery and you can have it just the way you like it.  Want extra onions? No problem. You'd rather have green olives than black? We can do that.

(Photo Credit: Image by Paweł Maryniak from Pixabay)

Ingredients

·         1 cup warm water

·         2 tsp. active dry yeast

·         2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

·         3 tablespoons olive oil

·         1 tsp. salt

·         1 tsp. sugar

·         1/2 tsp. dry oregano

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Place warm water in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle yeast over and stir just to moisten. Let stand for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and stir quickly to mix thoroughly. Let dough rest for 5 minutes.
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead about 10 times. Divide dough in half and place each half in the center of a lightly-greased 12-inch pizza pan. Press or roll the dough to the edges. (A lightly-floured pizza roller makes this a cinch!).                      
4. Top your pizza as desired and bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are brown and the cheese and sauce are bubbling.

How to Build Your Perfect Pasta Salad, and How to Plan a Picnic

It's been far too long since I've shared any recipes with you. But rather than reinventing the wheel, why not help you leap over to my other blog, where my alter-ego reigns supreme with summer salad recipes and tips, and menus for the perfect picnic?

This first link will guide you in building your own pasta salad. Pick your pasta shape, and then I'll give you ideas for the fruits or veggies, protein, special add-ins, and even several dressing options.

Next, how to plan a picnic, menu ideas, recipes, and even some packing tips. 

Chicken salad -- healthy doesn't have to be boring

I invited a dear friend over for lunch today. I knew that I wouldn't have much time to prepare a meal, so came up with something I could make the night before. She loves chicken and fresh veggies so why not a chicken salad?

Traditional chicken salads, the ones you buy at the deli counter at your supermarket typically consist of chopped cooked rubbery chicken, a bit of celery, and a LOT of mayonnaise. Yes, creamy is dreamy, but I'd rather be able to actually taste the chicken.

How Do You Make It Memorable?

1. Use white-meat chicken (dark meat isn't pretty and the flavor is a bit too rich for a delicate salad.)
2. Use crisp celery and dice it finely.
3. A bit of chives adds some zip.
4. Dried cranberries provide a sweetness that contrasts with the other savory flavors.
5. Rosemary is an aromatic herb that will surprise (and please). Most people won't recognize it, but they'll ask "what is that interesting flavor in the salad?"
6. Mayonnaise is good, but the tang of Greek yogurt makes this salad even better and reduces the total amount of fat.
7. Still not sure? I have lots of suggestions at the end of this recipe for substitutions and other ingredients you can add.

Carb Diva's Best Chicken Salad

Ingredients

• 3 cups cooked chicken, diced (I think white meat is best in this recipe)
• 1/2 cup celery, diced
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1 tsp. fresh rosemary, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh chives, minced
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise, (I used non-fat)
• 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Cover and chill at least one hour to allow flavors to blend. Spread on the bread of your choice. My personal favorite is honey oatmeal.

Here Are Some Suggested Changes

This is such a versatile recipe. Here are a few suggestions on how to adapt it to what you have on hand:

herbs

• use fresh minced tarragon in place of the rosemary

fruits

• sliced seedless grapes
• diced apple
• chopped fresh pitted cherries

crunch

• pumpkin seeds
• chopped smoked almonds

savory/salty

• crumbled bacon
• shredded Cheddar
• shredded Swiss cheese

Chinese 5-Spice Burger

Chinese 5-Spice Burger

Several years ago I entered a Sunset Magazine cooking contest for "Best Burger". The only requirement was that one of the ingredients be one of several local wines. Alas, I did not win the Grand Prize, but my name was placed beside the words "Honorable Mention."

Not too bad for someone who typically doesn't eat beef and doesn't own a grill.

I could elaborate with a long story. But today this recipe will be short, sweet, and to the point.

Photo Credit: James Carrier, Sunset Magazine

Equipment Needed

• 8 or 10-inch nonstick frying pan
• medium-size bowl
• charcoal or gas grill
• instant-read thermometer

Ingredients

• 1 cup button mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 green onions (including tops), finely chopped
• 6 tablespoons Chinese plum sauce
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 2 tablespoons Merlot wine
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 1/2 tsp. Chinese 5-spice powder
• 1 tsp. dark sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tsp. salt
• vegetable oil for brushing on the grill rack
• 4 large sesame seed buns, split
• red lettuce leaves

Instructions

1. Pour oil into an 8- to 10-inch nonstick frying pan over high heat; when hot, add mushrooms and stir until lightly browned about 4 minutes. Stir in the green onions and plum sauce and remove from heat.
2. In a bowl, gently mix ground beef with soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, Chinese five-spice, and ginger. Shape the beef mixture into four equal patties, each about 1/2 inch thick.
3. Lay patties on a lightly oiled barbecue grill over a solid bed of medium-hot coals or medium-high heat on a gas grill (you can hold your hand at grill level for only 3 to 4 seconds); close the lid on the gas grill. Cook patties until no longer pink in the center (cut to test) or a thermometer inserted in the center reaches 160°, 6 to 8 minutes total, turning once to brown evenly. After 5 minutes, lay bun halves, cut side down, on the grill, and toast lightly, 1 to 2 minutes.

To assemble

1. On the bottom half of each roll, layer the lettuce, burger, and sautéed mushroom mixture. Cover with the roll tops.

A healthy breakfast sausage

In an effort to eat more healthily (...you're laughing, aren't you?) our family usually opts for poultry and seafood rather than beef or pork. But one item that has been difficult to do without is breakfast sausage. On Monday through Friday, we dutifully toast whole-grain bread and/or pour skim milk on whole-grain cereals. And truthfully, we're always in a hurry so toast or cereal works for us. But on the weekend, we would like to eat a more leisurely breakfast. In the past, we would enjoy eggs and potatoes with bacon or sausage, but we recognize that those aren't really healthy options. (Sigh!).

I can forgo the fried potatoes (although unwillingly). And actually, eggs are not a bad dietary choice. But what about the "meat"? OK, bacon is out. We occasionally cook "turkey bacon", but honestly, it's not even CLOSE to being bacon, is it?

So what about sausage? Full of fat and guilt. But I think we can change that.

Here is a recipe for homemade Turkey Breakfast Sausage that has found a place in our diets, and we hope that you will like it too:

Turkey Breakfast Sausage

Ingredients

• 1 cup quick oats
• 3/4 cup spicy V-8 (or you could use Bloody Mary mix)
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
• 1 teaspoon  ground black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon  salt
• 1/2 teaspoon  ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

Instructions

1. Soak oats in juice for 15 minutes in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix until very well blended. Form the mixture into a 12-inch log. Wrap and freeze until firm enough to slice, about 1.5 to 2 hours. (Do NOT freeze solid).
2. Cut into 32 slices (about 3/8 inch thick). Place on a cookie sheet and freeze until firm. Remove from cookie sheet and store in a zip-lock bag for up to 3 months.
3. To cook, pan fry for 8-10 minutes--no need to thaw.

Yukon Gold Potato Pizza

Do you surf the internet? What are your favorite sites? One of my daughters loves Pinterest and pins ideas on home décor, crafts, and gardening. My older daughter likes video games, trains, and anything "Disney". My husband likes cars and websites about travel.

I look at recipes.

I've noticed a recent trend in "potato pizza". OK, I think that could be pretty tasty. I LOVE potatoes. But potatoes on top of a bread crust?  I have also seen recipes for pizza made with a puff pastry crust. Why not combine the two?

Photo Credit: Image by Markus Spiske from Pixabay 

Potato Pizza

Ingredients

• 1/2 of a 17.3-oz. pkg Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets, (1 sheet), thawed
• 3 medium (about 1 lb.) Yukon Gold (waxy) potatoes
• 2 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1/2 jar Alfredo pasta sauce
• 1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano, shaved (about 1/3 cup)
• 1 cup fresh arugula

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a 14x12-inch rectangle. Place the pastry onto a baking sheet. Brush the edges of the pastry with water. Fold over the edges 1/2 inch on all sides, crimping with a fork to form a rim. Prick the center of the pastry thoroughly with a fork. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
3. While the pastry is chilling, prepare the potatoes. Cut the potatoes into 1/4-inch slices. Fill a large pot with the potato slices. Add enough water to cover the potatoes. Add two teaspoons of salt to the water and place the pot over a high flame. Once the water boils, reduce the heat to medium and cover. Check the potatoes after about 5 minutes--you want them to be crisp-tender because they will cook on top of the pizza.
4. Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat; sauté the onions until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in the rosemary. Cook and stir for 5 minutes.
5. Spoon the onion mixture onto the pastry. Cover it with the potato slices, then drizzle with the Alfredo sauce.
6. Bake for 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Remove from the oven and top with the shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Let the pastry cool on the

Copycat Recipes - Olive Garden's Cheese-Filled Soffatelli

First, let me state that I do not have a fear of dining in restaurants. 

My family has (finally) grown accustomed to my desire to create everything and anything related to food in our kitchen. While others watch an advertisement for a local restaurant and say "Mmmm, that sounds good. Let's go there to eat", I always say "Mmmm, that sounds good. I'll bet I can make that."

Such is the case with a 2011 television commercial for Olive Garden's cheese-filled soffatelli. I have no problem with the folks who operate Olive Garden. I've eaten there many times and have enjoyed every meal. But..... I also enjoy cooking, enjoy finding ways of making new things, and enjoy Italian food. So, why not try to replicate a recipe from a place I hold dear in my heart?

Well, I never tasted the soffatelli at Olive Garden. And it is no longer on the menu. So, I'm exercising a tremendous amount of ego to offer this recipe, and, if you use it, you are taking a giant leap of faith in my culinary skills. Let's jump off that cliff together, OK?

Olive Garden's Cheese-Filled Soffatelli

Ingredients

• 1 17.3 oz package puff pastry sheet, thawed
• 1 package Stouffer's Spinach Souffle (see note below)
• cooking spray
• One 8-oz packageSargento Fancy Shredded 6 Cheese Italian Cheese
• 2 whole fresh lemons
• 1 bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Puff pastry sheets are typically found in the frozen food section at your grocers. Unwrap and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to thaw. There are two sheets in each package. Unfold them, and cut each into 4 pieces, to make 8 squares total.
3. Remove the spinach souffle from its package. Lift one corner of the plastic wrap to vent; cook on full power in the microwave for 5 minutes. Remove, stir and return to the microwave. Cook for another 2 minutes. The mixture will be almost firm but not fully cooked. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
4. Divide the spinach souffle mixture into 8 equal pieces. Place one piece on each puff pastry square. Top each spinach souffle mound with 1 tablespoon of Italian cheese.
5. Bring the corners of each puff pastry up to the center—pinch together and seal the sides to form square "envelopes".
6. Lightly coat a large cookie sheet with cooking spray. Place spinach/cheese-filled puff pastry envelopes on a cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees F. for about 20 minutes, or until well-browned and puffed.
7. While the puffs are baking, prepare the sauce.
8. Using a zester, remove the yellow portion only of the lemon rind (don't cut into the white pith--it's bitter) and set aside. Mince the parsley until you have about 3/4 cup.
9. Heat the butter and olive oil over low heat. Add the minced garlic and lemon rind; cook until the garlic and lemon are fragrant and then remove from heat. Stir in the minced parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste.
10. Divide the sauce among 8 serving plates and place one baked soffatelli on top of each.

NOTE: What if you don't have/can't find Stouffer's spinach souffle? You can make your own. Here's the recipe:

Substitution for Stouffers Spinach Souffle

• 9 cups fresh spinach, lightly packed
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. grated lemon peel

Wash spinach leaves. Place in a large (5-6 quart) pan. Cover and cook, stirring several times, until leaves are wilted. Pour leaves into a colander set in a bowl; let drain. When cool to the touch, squeeze excess liquid from the spinach with your hands. Reserve liquid.

In a food processor or blender, puree spinach with 3 tablespoons of the reserved liquid, eggs, flour, garlic, and lemon peel. Add salt to taste.