Sunday Night Cookathon #2

Here's what on the menu this week. 1 roasted chicken in white wine, tex-mex low-fat mac -n- cheese, eggplant rollups, fish stew, cranberry almond swirl coffee cake. And a big bowl of pre-made simple salad with treats from the market. YUMMY! The coffee cake is what I had at my wedding. Not a fan of cake so I had coffee cake. Its also what my mom had at her wedding. Its a family recipe. Yes my mom made my beautiful wedding cake. Pictures are below!


Fish Stew (from my mom)

2 medium onions chopped

2 stalks celery chopped

3 garlic cloves minced

1 ½ sliced mushrooms

Saute in 2 T olive oil

Add:

3 T fresh basil

1/2 c chopped parsley

½ t thyme

½ t oregano

1 -2 T wine vinegar

1 c chicken broth

6 c chopped tomatoes

Cook 5-10 minutes

Add:

1 lb white fish cut up

2 six ounce cans clams w/juice

1 – 1 ½ c shrimp

Dash cayenne

White wine

Cook till fish is done.

Serve w/crusty bread and parmesean and chopped parsley

Low Fat Mac n Cheese
1 can fat-free evaporated milk
1 c low fat cottage cheese
1/2 c low fat chedder cheese
1 8oz block of low fat pepper jack cheese
1 egg
1 or 2 bell peppers
1 lb elbow macaroni
1/2 c parmesan cheese

Preheat Oven to 350
1. Cook Noodles

2. Heat milk in a saucepan over low heat. Add cheeses until they melt, stirring constantly. Break egg into a separate dish. Add a few spoonfuls of melted cheese to egg. Stir. Then add egg mixture to cheese.

3. Add peppers. Salt/pepper to taste.

4. Stir in noodles. Add milk if needed to thoroughly cover noodles. Spread in a 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle w/ chedder and Parmesan cheese. Cook 15 to 20 mins 350. at

Eggplant Roll Ups (compliments my roommate, Miles)

2 Eggplants
1 diced onion
1/2 diced celery
1 diced carrot
1/2 to 3/4 c of ricotta cheese
1/2 c apprx bread crumbs
Parmesan and mozzarella cheese
Olive Oil

1. Thinly slice 2 eggplants. Spray with cooking spray on both sides. Roast in oven at 350 for 10 to 15 minutes on each side.

2. Saute 1 diced onion, 1/2 diced celery stalk, 1 diced carrot in olive oil. Add 1 c diced mushrooms

3. Salt & pepper to taste. Add 1/2 to 3/4 c of ricotta cheese and bread crumbs.

4. Place small amount on one end of the eggplant. Rollup, secure with a toothpick. Lay out in a pan. Sprinkle with cheese cook for 15 mins at 350.

Cranberry Swirl Coffee Cake

1 stick butter
1 c sugar
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
2 c flour (I use 1 c whole wheat, 1 c white, its less dessert/better for breakfast)
1/2 t salt
1/2 pint (1 c) sour cream or yogurt
1 t almond flavoring
1 7oz can cranberry sauce ( I love it so much I use 1 14oz can)
1/2 c chopped almonds or walnuts

1. Cream Butter

2. Add sugar & cream. Add egg & beat well. Add Almond flavoring

3. Mix dry ingredients together. Add to batter, alternate with sour cream. Add 1/2 flour mix, 1/2 sour cream, remaining flour mix, remaining sour cream.

4. 8" tube pan - Grease Alternate batter and cranberry sauce: 1/3 of batter down., 1/3 sauce, 1/3 batter, 1/3 sauce, 1/3 batter, 1/3 sauce. Then take a knife and holiding it vertical swirl it through the batter. Cook for 55 mins or till inserted toothpick is clean.

9x13 inch pan - spread 1/2 batter, spread sauce, spread batter. Swirl. Cook for 30 mins or till inserted toothpick is clean.

Roasted Beets with Feta

Compliments of Kimberly Wenger Sanford from Allrecipes.com

INGREDIENTS

• 4 beets, trimmed, leaving 1 inch of stems attached
• 1/4 cup minced shallot
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Wrap each beet individually in aluminum foil, and place onto a baking sheet.
2. Bake beets in preheated oven until easily pierced with a fork, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Once done, remove from oven, and allow to cool until you can handle them. Peel beets, and cut into 1/4 inch slices.
3. While the beets are roasting, whisk together shallot, parsley, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and red wine vinegar in a bowl until blended; season to taste with salt and pepper, and set aside.
4. To assemble the dish, place the warm, sliced beets onto a serving dish, pour vinaigrette over the beets, and sprinkle with feta cheese before serving.

Sunday Prep Take 1! Pot Roast, Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole, Pumpkin Bread, Pear Salad, Potatoe Leek Soup

Ahhh collapse! After an exhausting sleepover with our five god-kids, I had to then go to church, study, make meals for this week, then study some more. Well my long day of cooking has paid off. Here's the menu for this week: Pot Roast, Potato Leek Soup, Vegetarian Enchiladas, Pumpkin Bread, and Pear Salad.

Did I mention my goal is to weekly make massive amounts of food on Sunday's b/c my classes do not end till after 8pm which leaves little time for cooking and a very hungry tummy??? Well here are the results of today's endeavors!

One of My Favorite Pear Salad (compliments of Mama Shu (motherinlaw)) Which led to me posting my pear earrings on Etsy.
Toss:
Lettuce
1 pear
1 avocado (optional)
1/2 c coarsely chopped candied walnuts or pecans
To candy, put nuts in pan over med low heat, sprinkle with 2-3 T sugar, toss till melted
Green Onions

Salad Dressing:
1/3 c olive oil
3 T Red Wine Vinegar
1 1/2 t sugar
1 1/2 prepared mustard
1 clove garlic
1/2 t salt
Fresh Black Pepper

Pot Roast (compliments of Mom)
1 Roast
2 cans of beef stock or two boullians w/4 c water
Potatoes ( I used baby reds, no need to peel)
2 onions
Carrots
Thyme
Flour
Salt/Pepper
Red Wine
1-2 T Corn Starch Ace loves my cooking:)

Sprinkle Roast w/flour, salt & pepper. Brown roast on medium on all sides with 1/2 onion. Add water or stock. Sprinkle in thyme and wine. Simmer for 3 hours/till tender. Add carrots and potatoes at the last 20 minutes to cook. Remove meat, carrots, and potatoes. Mix cornstarch with water till smooth then slowly stir into broth to thicken the gravy.

Pumpkin Bread (joy of cooking)

Pre-heat oven to 350. Grease a 9x5 in loaf pan. I doubled the recipe and stuck the extra in the freezer.

Mix in a bowl.
1 1/2 c flour (I mixed half white/half wheat)
1 1/2 ground cinnamon
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
1 t ground ginger
1/2 t nutmeg
1/4 t ground cloves
1/4 t baking powder

Cream:
6 T unsalted butter ( i usually use salted and decrease salt)

Add and beat at high speed:
1 1/3 c sugur or 1 c sugar w/ 1/3 c packed brown sugar

Beat in 1 at a time: 1 egg

Add and beat on low speed just till blended:
1 c pumpkin puree (if you don't know how to roast pumpkin ask me)

Add the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the milk mixture in 2 parts, beating on low & scraping sides with spatula

Fold in: 1/2 c coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans & 1/2 c raisins

Cook 1 hr or till toothpick comes out clean. Let cook 5-10 mins before removing.

Potato Leek Soup
Cook on low till tender but not browned (apprx 20mins):
3 T butter
4-8 leeks (if you have less just add an onion)

Add:
4 medium peeled and chopped potatoes
6 c chicken stock or veggie stock

Bring to boil, reduce heat and let simmer till potatoes are tender. Puree. Season with salt and pepper. Add 1 c of milk or heavy cream. Can serve hot or cold. Make sure to serve with crusty bread and butter!



Vegetarian Enchilada
Fills 7 flour tortillas

Saute:
1 red onion
2-3 habenero chiles
2-3 cloves garlic

Add 2 T flour

Slowly stir in 1 1/2 c water
Add 1 can green chiles
Add sour cream and green enchilada sauce to taste.

Roast Mexican peppers (I don't remember the real name, i got them at the market)

Rinse 1 can of Kidney/black or whatever beans

In 1 tortilla spoon in some beans, lay down some roasted peppers and approx 1/2 c sauce, sprinkle with cheese. Repeat for other 6 tortillas.

Place in 9x13 pan. Pour remaining sauce over tortillas. Sprinkle with cheese.

Welcome to Midwest Cooking in Season

I want to cook more with local wholesome foods. But I need help!!!! This is an adventure at collaboration in the kitchen. Please email me recipes and photos of your great local culinary creations. Please subscribe and contribute.

Of course we are approaching the winter and cooking in season will become harder and harder. Maybe for practical purposes I should have started in the spring!

Cutie Pies Summer and Nyla showcase
our lettuce in the spring



My first post is really a re-post from my jewelry blog.
Once deemed too hard, time consuming, hot, stupid by this snotty teenager has now become a fun bonding experience with my wonderfully industrious, nutty modern day june cleaver mother.





Lessons Learned....

1. Don't let mother get distracted from canning with the idea of artistic photos, she's easily distracted and you may not finish canning till late at night.







2. Thank GOD for large food processing plants. Canning is fun. But hard work. We worked all day into the night and had 36 jars between the two of us. Stuffing beans into a jar is time consuming.
Laboring over beans. FINISHED!

From this... To this...

TO THIS>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Bread & Butter Pickles, Beets, Dilled Beans, and Turnips