EatWell4Less

Channeling Martha in October... Autumn Vegetable Soup with Sausage

When it gets to be October and the leaves turn red and gold, I start channeling Martha Stewart.  I want to decorate the house with leaves and put quilts on the bed and make soup. 

Martha makes this great soup that she serves in a pumpkin (a cooking pumpkin) that has been baked in the oven so that when you serve the soup you also scrape a bit of the pumpkin out with the soup. 

I couldn't find the original recipe or my own revision but I thought if I started off with autumn vegetables and with a bit of sweet Italian sausage that I scored on sale in Stop & Shop how far wrong could I go.  After all, soup to me is either chicken, beef, fish or vegetable stock with stuff in it.  Always onions, sometimes garlic, vegetables (in season) in quanitity and spices. 

I like meat in hearty dinner time stews, especially in the fall and as the sausage started cooking and releasing its spicy fragrance I was transported back to my childhood running though the piles of leaves my Dad had raked.  I still love to hear the crunch of them beneath my feet.  We have indoor cats and one year we brought a pile of them into the kitchen just to see the kitties have the wonder of chasing those red and gold jewels around the floor. 

This year I just put a few bright red ones around a bowl of apples on the kitchen table.  I had some friends for lunch and we enjoyed the soup with a baked brie en crute, roasted garlic bread and some fresh pressed apple cider.

Autumn Vegetable Sausage Soup:

6 sweet Italian sausage links
2 medium sweet onions chopped
1 lb. carrots, peeled and diced
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 small to medium butternut squash, peeled and diced
1 small stalk of celery (head) diced
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
2 -3 large leaves of fresh kale
2 cans cannelloni beans (or you can soak and cook them but I had the cans in the pantry)
2 - 3 quarts chicken stock (Knorr low sodium concentrated stock in little tubs)
1 T. cumin
1 T. curry (Pensey's Sweet Curry)
Salt and pepper to taste.

Directions:
1. Put 1/2 inch water in a dutch oven and simmer until the sausages are almost cooked and the water is almost gone.  I removed the sausages and sliced them into 1/4 to 1/2 inch disks.  Pour a couple tablespoons into the pot and saute the sausages until the brown.
2. When the sausges are almost browned put in the onions and let them saute with the sausages until they are translucent, about 5 minutes. 
3. Add the rest of the vegetables and stir for a few minutes.
4. Add the spices.
5. Add the chicken stock.  I used Knorr Homestyle Concentrated Stock.  The come in a set of 4 tiny tubs that make 3 1/2 to 4 cups of stock with water.  They have no MSG added, are low fat, and they taste very good.  Some of the canned broths and box broths are good and can be used but to be honest they are so heavy when I'm bring in the grocery bags that I find these much easier.
6.  I let everything simmer together for at least an hour and adjust any seasoning near the end.

I have to admit that most of my soups never come out the same way twice.  They are always delicious, but a lot depends what I'm in the mood for and what I have on hand.  If there were mushrooms, or some fresh parsley, or basil in the fridge or in the garden they would have gone in.  A left over ear of corn would have had it's cornels removed and happily mingled with the rest of its veggie friends.  Sometimes I throw in split peas, lentils or orzo if I want a thicker soup.  The cannelloni beans will break down a bit at the second day's incarnation and lend a lovely creaminess to the broth.

Field greens, chopped cucumber, avacado, apple and dried cranberry with a lemon olive oil dressing and a slice of triple cream brie.   

Lunch with friends is always great, but lunch with friends who are mmmmming and yummmming over your homemade soup...(as they say) priceless.

Dining with one’s friends and beloved family is certainly one of life’s primal and most innocent delights, one that is both soul-satisfying and eternal.
--Julia Child

Crispy Kale...

OK, so I'm suspicious of people that say anything is just as good as potato chips that is not made with potatoes, hot oil and salt.  And when it is made with a dark green vegetable, I find it darn hard to believe it would even be close.



So on the way back from Boston with Holly (more on that in another post) we stopped at a natural food market that had a lovely little lunch bar.  In the product sectionthere was this perfect curly dark green bunch of kale.  I have been thinking that I should try to expand my vegetable choices (and consumption), so in the spirit of adventure I tucked into the bag with feta cheese and a can of Joyta Indian food (very good to have on the shelf for a quick dinner with rice).

I was making lentil soup with red and green lentils and chopped up some kale and added to that to the soup.  That worked out nicely but I wanted something so that the flavor of the kale would stand out.  Crispy kale.  Easy.  Wash, dry, toss with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper.  Put it in a slow oven (275 degrees) for 20 minutes.  They say to stir it a bit ten minutes in but I forgot.  Even so, they came out crispy, cruchy, salty, satisfying. 

Potato chips?  No.  Good?  Yes!  Even my husband tossed them down by the handful.  I'll be making them again - maybe with a Cajun flavor...

 

Israeli Couscous...

Remember last week when I found a few products hidden (hiding) on my pantry shelves?  Israeli Couscous was one of them.  I looked for recipes and there were plenty to choose from but I thought it might be better to do something simple so I could really the product.

I combined a few of the recipes and came up with the most delicious tasting treat! 

First I browned the couscous in a sauced pan with a little butter/canola oil (about on half a tablespoon of each).  Stir it occasionally so that it doesn't burn just takes on a gold brown cover.  About 4-5 minutes. 

The package directions call for boiling it with 1 1/4 cup of water for every cup of couscous but in one of the many recipes I read for an Israeli Couscous and cucumber salad by Martha Rose Shulman in the NY Times - click here to see her recipe - Martha said that it's not enough water so when I made my recipe I used 2 cups liquid, in this case chicken broth.  It was just right and totally delicious.  It only takes about 15-20 minutes to simmer. 

That's it.  Brown the couscous, pour in water, vegetable or chicken broth and simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Flluff with a fork and your ready to go.


Asparagus were on sale, the big ones, my favorites.  The pencil thin skinny ones we see all summer long are also good but these fat ones have more asparagus flavor and the leftovers (which I usually eat standing at the stove while cleaning up) hold up better.  I scraped the thicker skin off the bottom and steamed them in a little water.  When they were tender I drained them right away so they did not continue to cook and put them on a plate with a bit of butter.

The salad has a bit of everything in it.  Romaine, avocado, celery, cucumber, olives, tomatoes, dried cranberries, and a splash of "Linda's Dressing."

I love this dressing and originally had it at my friend Linda's on Long Island.  Everyone here in CT calls it Cat's dressing - and I make it just the slightest bit differently but here is the basic recipe.

1 large clove of fresh garlic chopped fine and mashed with 1/4 t. of kosher salt.
1 1/2 T. grain mustard like Poupon Grain Mustard (change mustards for different flavors)
1 1/2 T.  Honey (local is always best - support your local bee keeper)
the juice of one lemon (no pits please)
Whisk together and slowly drizzle in
3/4 cup of really good olive oil
Add a dash of Whistershire Sauce and Salt and Pepper to taste.

I mix everything together in a 2 cup Pyrex measuring cup.  After I had dressed the current salad with this lip smacking dressing I pour the rest of it into a glass bottle (I use and empty glass peanut jar).  To get the last drops out of the measuring cup, I put about 1 T. of hot water - swish around and pout the last bits into the jar.  Don't worry it won't dilute it and it will make for a better consistency after it is refridgeated. 

The second take with the leftover couscous was with some fried tofu.  The trick to frying (saute, really) is to make sure that you let the tofu drain a bit and blot it with some paper towels to make sure it is dry and won't spatter in the pan.  The dipping sauce is spectacular!

Dipping Sauce for Tofu: from Alton Brown on the Food Network

• 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons finely grated ginger
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onion
• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Add all of the ingredients to a lidded jar and shake well to combine.  Serve as a dipping sauce for tofu or tempura.

I have to admitt, that I didn't have all the ginger required but it was still good enough to drink!  I put it on the tofu and also drizzled a bit on the couscous and asparagus.  It was sooo good I put asparagus and tofu on this weeks shopping list before I finished it and fortunately, I still have some Israeli couscous - I think it is going to be a staple on my shelf. 

Now I'm ready to take on those other shelf items - wild rice, canned beets, & green tea noodles.  what's in your pantry?

Pumpkin chai spice tea and carrot cake muffins...

It was a very yummy tea!  The tea had been on my pantry shelf since last pumpkin season but the tea bags were in foil packs so I was guessing it would be fresh and it was.  The carrot cake was also one of the boxes that got pushed to the back but wasn't really there long.  I doctored it up with some chopped pecans and a bit of shredded coconut and baked it in foil (with paper liners) muffin cups on a sheet pan.  It makes 24 muffins.   I left 6 out for company and froze the rest in a plastic container for future teas.  The icing is cream cheese.

A totally delightful  rainy day tea!

"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the
ceremony known as afternoon tea."  ~Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady

My new favorite weekend breakfast...German Apple Pancake

This recipe is adapted from Oct/Nov 2012 Fine Cooking Magazine's German "Pear" Pancake.  I had apples so that's what I used.  I changed a few things because I can't help myself.  I left out the lemon zest although I did squeeze a half lemon on the apples after I sliced them.  I mixed the eggs in my blender (on frappe) until they were really light and fluffy - then added the sugar, vanilla, and milk (I didn't have whole milk so I used 1% and half and half) and gave them a whirr.  Then I added the flour and pulsed it on a slower speed.  I poured right from the blender into the pan and popped it into the oven.

I sprinkled a bit of powdered sugar on top.  Isn't it amazing how far powdered sugar can go when it is put in a sieve?  This slice has a teaspoon of maple syrup on top.  We also tried it with some whipped cream.  All of the variations on a theme were devoured quickly and the plate was licked. 

There is a good possibility it might show up again later this afternoon with a cup of tea. 

The article in Fine Cooking is about cooking in cast iron pans.  The recipe for lamb shanks and one the one for beer-battered coconut shrimp are definitely on my list.  Neither dish would be on my low cost list but with some planning and a sale I might just fit them in. 

German Apple Pancakes as I made them.
2 large firm apples
1/2 lemon
4 ex-large eggs
1/2 cup 1% milk
1/4 cup half & half
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup of all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons butter (I used salted because that is what I always have)
confectioners sugar for sprinkling

Oven 400 degrees.

Cut the apples in thin slices and squeeze a half of lemon over them. 

In a blender put 4 eggs and whir on a fast speed (I used frappe) until they are light and fluffy.  (about 1 minute) then add the milk, half & half, sugar, vanilla and give it another whir on high speed for a few seconds.  Then add the flour and pulse on a low speed until it's mixed in (there will still be a few lumps - not to worry).

Heat your cast iron skillet over medium heat.  Add the butter and when it melts and starts to bubble add the apples and stir them around to coat with the butter.  I let them saute for a few minutes and then arranged them in a single layer.  Pour the batter directly from the blender (gently) into the pan over the apples and put it all in the oven to bake for about 20 minutes.  The bottom will be browned and the pancake will be cooked through. 

Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar and serve hot. 

Just remember, if you put the pan on the table to serve from that it will be HOT and stay hot for a good long time.  The joy of Cast Iron. 

 

One of my favorite breakfasts...

I call it egg-in-a-hole.  Some people call it toad-in-a-hole.  I think I prefer my version.  I'm not sure I could comtemplate eating a frog early in the morning.  But because I can't (just impossible) leave anything alone...


I sprinkled a bit of shreaded sharp cheddar on it.  Just a touch.  Lovely.  And, on home made bread, even better.


Another favorite breakfast is the day-after-quiche-scramble.  I make a quiche at least once a week.  It's easy quick and has lots of protein and not too many carbs since I don't eat the bottom crust - just the crispy part along the sides.  It's cheese, eggs, half and half put a variety of items to step it up.  I like spinach, sauted mushrooms, sauted onions, and sometimes bacon.  When I make it I keep a spoonful back for lunch or the next morning's scrambled eggs.  Yum!

Just a note about eggs...

I always bought the Nature's Promise Natural Brown Eggs with Omega 3 - $3.79 in my Stop &  Shop.  Last week I bought Stop & Shop "generic" white eggs.  $2.29.


I boiled them together in the same pot and peeled them.  The shells seemed a bit thicker in the "natural brown" and the yoke seemed just a tiny bit bigger too but I didn't measure exactly.  The taste was indistinguishable.  I couldn't tell the difference at all.  I used at least one dozen a week.  That's a savings of $1.50 a week minimum - that's $78.00 a year probably more.   

Nutritionally, white and brown eggs are the same.  Neither dozen are cage free.  The brown eggs did not promise to be "organic."  And what difference does organic make in eggs?

I always want to buy the best.  And, when it comes to food products I have been assuming that more expensive is better.  But how much better?  And, what does that mean when I can't taste a difference. 

I'm not sure how I feel about this but I can think of a lot of things to do with $78.00. 

What's on your pantry shelves?

I was looking for a can of chickpeas.  I knew I had one.  I thought it might have gotten pushed to the back of one of the shelves so I started to take a few things out and set them on the counter.

These were the things that I pulled out to get to the chick peas.  I looked back up at the shelves. 

**Just a note** You might think that the next picture might be embarrassing but if I'm going to cut my food bill in half...I'll have to face it - I have NO idea what's beyond the first layer in my closet.  Unless of course, it falls out when I remove something the front.  Sort of like Tetris, live in your kitchen.
I can actually see better in the picture because I held the camera up.   So... I thought about taking everything out and making it neater but it was too overwhelming for 9 am on a Sunday morning.  Then I thought here is something that will help my budget.  If I pull just one thing off my shelves and use it up (check the good till date) every week, it expands the variety of what I am eating and extends my budget a few dollars.

Wild Rice
Israeli (pearl) Couscous
Sliced Beets
Thai Coconut Soup 
Green Tea Buckwheat Noodles

Any ideas for what to do with them?  Recipes?  Things on your shelves?  Let me know.  

Crepes! Yum!

I was listening to PBS in the car when I heard Faith Middleton (The Food Schmooze) talking to Martha Holmberg about her new book Crepes - 50 Savory and Sweet Recipes.  The sounded so good that when I got home I ordered the book with the remains of my birthday Amazon gift certificate.  I'm so glad I did!

Just looking at the pictures while I'm writing this makes my mouth water!  The basic crepe recipe in made with all-purpose flour but there are recipes made with whole wheat, buckwheat, and more.  I didn't have the "whole milk" the recipe called for so I used a cup of 1% and a cup of half and half.  I also did not have unsalted butter (I never do) so I used salted and only used half the salt (1/4 teaspoon). 

I also didn't have a crepe pan (can you tell not much stops me?) so I used my everyday non-stick 8" frying pan.  (The eight inches is the measurement across the bottom of the pan.)  The recipe makes 15 to 18 crepes but you will lose a few in the beginning getting the amount of batter, heat of the burner and swirl of the pan just right.  It did for me at least.  It's not hard - you just have to figure what works with your stove, pan and swirl technique combined with the thickness of the batter.

You can cook as many as you want and keep the rest of the batter in the fridge for the next day or make the crepes in advance and warm them in the oven.


Now, lets talk about filling.  The first night I made them I put shredded cheddar and a slice of ham to each one and rolled them up.  I put the cheese on when I flipped the crepe to the second side so it would melt a bit before I took it out of the pan.  We ate them as fast as I could roll them up.

Sunday we had lunch at a lovely spot near us, Burr Pond.  I brought sandwiches and we ate by the water and then headed off to see Finding Nemo in 3D (loved it!).  When we got home it was too early for dinner so a cup of tea and a snack was in order.  I chopped up the last of the peaches (four) and heated them in a sauce pan with a little brown sugar.  By the time I had the frying pan heated up, took the crepe batter out of the fridge (left over from the previous evening), added a bit of milk to thin it out and sizzled a little butter in the pan the peaches were almost ready.

We rolled the peaches inside the crepe and sprinkled a little powdered sugar on the top.   Spectacular!  AND thrifty...about 20 cents a crepe.  Louise sprinkled granulated sugar in her crepe and said it brought her back to her days eating crepes on the street in Paris.  Sounds good to me!

You can fill them with so many things.  Meat, cheese, vegetables, fruit, even chocolate.  I just can't wait to try some of the others in the book - Pear, Aged Gouda and thyme or Hummus, Roasted Red Pepper and Feta or Asparagus and Prosciutto with a lemon caper sauce, or Spiced Plum Compote with Vanilla Ice Cream.  Or...  will you excuse me, I think I have to go make some crepes...

Recipe:  My take on Martha's Crepe Recipe

1 cup of 1%milk
1 cup of half and half
4 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons melted butter

Put the milk, egg and salt in a blender and mix.  Then add the flour and blend into it was smooth.  Last add the melted butter and whiz for about 10 sec.  Let the batter set for 5 minutes (or as long as overnight). 

Heat pan to med-high - enough to make butter sizzle in the pan.  Don't use too much butter or the crepe will slide around in the pan, don't use too little or it will stick.  Add 1/4 to 1/3 of a cup of batter to the pan.  Lift the pan from the burner and swirl the batter till it covers the bottom of the pan.

Cook till it is browned on one side - you can lift the edges with a butter knife to have a look.  Flip it over until it is browned on the other side.

Add your fillings and server while they are warm. 

Bow graciously when they start to applaud.

 

The first week, so how did I do? And what did I learn?

I did pretty good!  I got through an entire week without stopping at the supermarket for "extras or more of something."  And I still have lots of items left in the fridge and cupboard.  I shopped on Saturday but started food week on Sunday.  Here's what it looked like.

I bought a BIG oven stuffer roaster for half price ($6.92).  The first night I cut up the chicken and roasted it in the oven.  The of the best things about cutting up your own chicken is that you can cut it into the parts that you like and I like the backs.  Phil loves the legs and thighs.  I should have put the green veggies on my plate before I took the picture.


Monday I made pork chops.  I got eight huge pork chops for $9.57 (1.19 per chop) - we ate three.  I roasted "yellow gold potatoes."  ($2.00)  And braised some red cabbage with a bit of brown sugar, cider vinegar, and a half cup of apple juice brought to us from a neighbor who tends an orchid and presses his own cider. ($1.62)  The whole meal was $7.19 the most expensive of the week but it was sooo good!


Tuesday, I used one of the chicken breasts from Sunday's roasted chicken to make a chicken pot pie in my cast iron pan.  I sauteed an onion, added a half a bag of mixed vegetables, and the chicken.  I added a tablespoon of butter, I sprinkled a bit of flour to thicken the sauce which was chicken broth and a bit of gravy from last night for color.  Total cost $4.23 and there was enough left over for another dinner for Phil (Friday).

Wednesday we had two and a half of the pork chops, with the risotto that was left over from Sunday night.  I added some steamed broccoli for color this time and then forgot to take the picture.  I was very, very good.  ($6.25)


Thursday Phil had the rest of the pot pie and I snacked on the hummus and pitas I made with my salad for lunch.  The V8 is Stop & Shop brand and it's pretty good.


Friday there was an impromptu lunch with girlfriends.  I made quiche, salad with feta snd lots of veggies and a dill ranch dressing.  The quiche fed five with a piece left over for me to have for dinner.  (Quiche $7.21)  (Salad with feta about $4.50)  Not bad for a party!


Saturday I used the last 1 1/2 pork chops pork chops and made some fried rice.  Sauteed onion, broccoli, grated carrot, soy sauce, a touch of chicken broth...mix it up...yum!  Total cost $6.25.  Since it was carb heavy and I was hungry - I cracked an egg on my portion covered the pan and cooked it until soft and scooped it out with the fried rice and then broke the egg letting the yolk run.  Double yum!

What I learned. 
I spent $125.00 in the supermarket and I still have food left over.  I usually spend $200+ and run out.  How can that be?  If I make a plan and stick to it, I can save money but I have a lot more to learn about that.  I was surprised about how much somethings cost.  This was the first week in a long time that I didn't throw out any food,  especially food that I forgot about in the back of the fridge.  

I also learned that most store brands are just fine but sometimes it pays to get the good stuff.   More about that in another post.  And that there are really good food blogs out there.  More about that, too. 

But for now, it was a good week and I'll take it.  

*If anyone has a favorite money-saving recipe, tips to save money (my daughter-in-law had a good one, I will post that soon), or comments on anything I have posted - please, let me know.  Email me and I'll try them out and post them. 

 

OK, let's start with the bread...

When I worked in NYC, Eli Zabar and I had an ongoing relationship.  Before I got on the train to head back to Long Island, I would stop and pick up a loaf of bread several times a week if I were downtown it was Balducci's.  Now I live in the Northwest Corner of CT and Bantam Bread has taken their place in my heart.  Yes, I am a bread snob. I admit it.

But lately I have developed a fondness for a multigrain bread sold in (of all places) Stop and Shop.   And over the past five (or so) years I have watched the price go from $2.99 to $5.49.  And it's not even a full loaf!  So I started to make my own bread...

About twenty years ago I got a bread machine as a gift.  I fought it, thinking that only hand-made artisan bread was worth doing.  Silly me.  A little arthritis in your shoulder and using the dough cycle becomes a godsend.  The West Bend (above) is my second machine and has the advantage of baking the loaf horizontally.   You can buy more expensive machines but this will do just about everything and costs under $100.  It takes me less than ten mintues to put everything in the bread pan and within a few hours the house is filled with the smell of fresh baked bread.  Yum!  And for a fraction of the price of store-bought.


If you are going to bake your own bread, there are a few essentials and this book is one of them.   I own a half a dozen books on baking bread in a machine and not one of them comes close to this one.  It's the Joy of Cooking for bread.  When I make a new loaf for the first time,  I photocopy the recipe and set it on the counter.  It keeps the book clean and lest me write notes on it.  If I change anything I make a note right on the page.  

And I do change things...the loaf above is "Vienna Bread" (p.64).  I added an egg, exchanged one of the cups of unbleached flour for whole wheat, added 1/2 cup of oatmeal and adjusted the liquids.  Sometimes I add seeds.  It is now our go to, everyday bread for toast in the morning and for Phil's PB&J lunch bread.  It's not exactly the same as the Stop & Shop Multigrain (yet) but I can smell it baking.  AND it costs $1.76 to make it verses $5.49. 

King Arthur flour - helps the dough rise but if you like a more dense grain you can omit it)So here is the recipe.

Phil's PB&J Bread (1 1/2 lb. loaf)
1/2 water
1/2 cup milk (1 %) plus about another 1/8 cup (combined liquid will come up to 1 1/8 cup in a 2 cup measuring cup.
1 egg (xlarge)
3 tablespoons butter (I use salted because that is what I have) cut into pieces
2 cups bread flour - King Arthur - worth the few extra pennies.
1 cup whole wheat flour - also King Arthur
1/2 cup oatmeal (regular, not instant)
2 tablespoons sugar (white or brown)
1 tablespoon wheat gluten (from King Arthur)
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons of SAF yeast

Place all the ingredients in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer's instructions.  Set on basic bread setting for 1 1/2 pound loaf. 

You can also do this bread on the dough cycle and when the cycle ends remove the the dough and put it in a loaf pan.  Let rise for 45 minutes.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
 
Remove the bread from the pan and let it cool to room temperature on a rack before slicing.  (This is important - if you cut it before it is cool the steam is still inside and will not have had the chance to complete the baking.  It will be too mushy and difficult to cut.)

It makes 14 hearty slices - approximately 145 cal. each for a 4 1/2" x 5 1/2" piece over 1/2" thick.  You can, of course, cut it thinner.  But why would you?

For fun: Go to King Arthur Flour on the web and request a catalogue.   The site is terrific and the catalogue is even better - lots of cool ingredients, great recipies, and just about everything you need to baking.  Also, it is an employee owned company and they make a great product!


"A Book of Verses underneath the Bough,
A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread--and Thou."
~The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám  

A note about the "print friendly" button.  It makes the entire entry printable including the pictures.  You can click to remove the pictures all the pictures at once or just click on them individually to remove them.  You can also click on any paragraph and delete it as well just leaving the recipe.  I just trying out the service so if you try it and have any opinion on it, please, let me know.  Thanks!