Recipe Review from 12/13/21 and 12/20/21

A couple of busy weeks with a trip down to Mankato, MN, kept the meal plan super simple. Week one was predominantly slow cooker meals and week two was soup. Mankato was a Home Free concert, a vocal group the Husband found this year and really enjoys their videos. We missed the concert in Duluth as we were in South Dakota, but tickets were still available for Mankato. I haven't been to Mankato since, oh, 1990/1991, so it was an opportunity to explore!

This posting will conclude the 2021 Recipe Reviews. Hard to believe another year has gone by! Lots of great recipes this year, new cook books explored (I HEART Milk Street!), and so many new cooking gizmos tried out (smoker, sous vide machine, instant pot...)!

Dundee, OR, 2018

The Meal Plan 12/13
Sat (L) leftover fennel, tomato and wildrice soup (S) Sausage and squash
Sun (L) leftovers (S) Veggie pot pie
Mon (yoga) leftovers
Tues - leftovers
Wed (yoga) - leftovers
Thurs (snowstorm!) left for Mankato
Fri - Mankato

Lunches - Quinoa Chili with cornbread muffins

The Meal Plan 12/20
Sat - Mankato
Sun - Mankato
Mon (yoga)- Eastern Carolina Fish Stew
Tues - leftovers
Wed (yoga) leftovers
Thurs - take n bake pizza
Fri - leftovers

Lunches - sandwiches


I made three recipes out of this cook book: The Great American Slow Cooker (Goodreads link). My dharma must have been off because I managed to goof up one thing in each recipe, two things in the pot pie dish. Frustrating.


Vegetable Pot Pie
This recipe was a disaster of my own making. I used my instant pot slow cooker - which I KNOW tends to cook significantly cooler than my regular slow cooker - and I realized at the 4 hour mark that it was NOT going to be done in 5 hours per the recipe. Even when on high. I switched everything to a dutch oven on the stove, where the sauce mixed proceeded to burn to the bottom of my pot. Argh.

I *thought* that I might be able to sub filo for the puff pastry as I had half a box languishing in the freezer. I thawed, buttered, sprinkled with Parmesan and baked. It was a very meh substitution.

Then I forgot to add the green beans, my pea substitute.

This has the potential to be good and I think I would try it again when I am perhaps not quite as distracted as I was.

Serves about 6

(4-5 1/2 qt slow cooker)
1 1/4 lbs fennel, trimmed and chopped (I cut into slices)
1 lb carrots, cut into 1/2 inch thick rounds (I used baby carrots, chopped)
1 lb Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 celery ribs, thinly sliced
1/2 tbsp dill
1/2 tbsp thyme
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper
1 1/2 cups (12 oz) can evaporated milk
3/4 cup dry white wine
6 tbsp all-purpose flour (or gf substitute)
3/4 cup green peas
4" frozen puff pastry squares, thawed

Combine fennel, carrots, potatoes, onion, dill, thyme and salt and pepper in slow cooker.

In a medium bowl, mix with a whisk evaporated milk, wine and flour until flour is completely dissolved.

Cook on low for 5 hours or until potatoes are tender. Add the peas.

Bake puff pastry squares according to directions on the package.

Serve, topping bowls with puff pastry.



Sausage and Winter Squash
I realized as I was typing this that I forgot the raisins. They would have been a nice addition - a hit of sweet against the spicy sausage and a counterpoint to the squash.

This is a chop, plop, and walk away dish. You could serve it alone or over rice. I served over rice. Recommended!

Serves about 4-6 (definitely 6 with rice)

(4-5 1/2 qt slow cooker)
2 tbsp butter
2 lb sausage cut into 2" lengths (I used andoullie)
1 lb winter squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1" cube (I used butternut)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1/2 cup raisins (oops, forgot these...)
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp saffron
4" cinnamon stick
1 3/4 low sodium chicken broth

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage pieces and brown, turning occasionally, about 6 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker. Cook in batches if necessary.

Add the squash, onion, raisins, coriander, ginger, cayenne, saffron, and cinnamon stick to the slow cooker. Toss everything together and add the broth.

Cover and cook on low for 5 hours or until the squash is tender.



Black Bean and Quinoa chili
In this recipe, I forgot to add the tomatoes. This cooked up beautifully, I did have to add some more broth at the end to make it more "sauce-y" and that's when I looked over to the counter and saw the unopened can of tomatoes. Argh.

This still came out very good - good texture, good flavors, super easy to make (chop and plop) and I absolutely would make it again. I made it for my lunches for the week and had enough left for one lunch for two on the weekend. Serve with some warm cornbread.

Serves about 6 - 8

(4-5 1/2 qt slow cooker)
2 (14.5 oz black beans, drained and rinsed (I used cranberry beans)
3 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 1/2 cup quinoa, uncooked and rinsed (recipe called for black quinoa, I used red)
1 (14.5 oz) can no-salt added crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
1/2 cup red pepper, cored and chopped
1/4 cup celery
2 tbsp jalapeno chili, stemmed, seeded and diced
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp molasses (unsulfured)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
Cilantro (optional)

Combine beans, broth, quinoa, tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, celery, jalapeno, chili powder, molasses, cumin, coriander, oregano and salt in the slow cooker.

Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or until the quinoa is cooked.

The Looking Glass War by John le Carré
My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb: John le Carré's classic novels deftly navigate readers through the intricate shadow worlds of international espionage with unsurpassed skill and knowledge, and have earned him unprecedented worldwide acclaim. THE LOOKING GLASS WAR Once upon a time the distinction had been clear: the Circus handled all things political while the Department dealt with matters military. But over the years, power shifted and the Circus elbowed the Department out. Now, suddenly, the Department has a job on its hands. Evidence suggests Soviet missiles are being positioned close to the German border. Vital film is missing and a courier is dead. Lacking active agents, but possessed of an outdated mandate to proceed, the Department has to find an old hand to prove its mettle. Fred Leiser, German-speaking Pole turned Englishman -- once a qualified radio operator, now involved in the motor trade -- must be called back to the colors and sent East....

Read as an audio book.

While I enjoyed the narration, I did have some troubles following who was who and some of the transitions. It was as if the reader skipped the pauses that would indicate a change in POV.

Dovetailing on the audio quality, I either zoned out or missed a key point on the *why* of the overall plot. I *thought* the impetus was going to be to find out why an agent was killed, the importance of a set of photos, and where those photos went. The whole premise ended up being something completely different which left me vaguely bemused for a goodly portion of the book.

I think I may have enjoyed this more if I had read it rather than listened to it, and I may yet go back and re-read.

Recommended as it's book four in the Le Carre George Smiley series.



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Salvage Crew by Yudhanjaya Wijeratne

The Salvage Crew by Yudhanjaya Wijeratne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb: They thought this was just another salvage job. They thought wrong.

An AI overseer and a human crew arrive on a distant planet to salvage an ancient UN starship. The overseer is unhappy. The crew, well, they're certainly no A-team. Not even a C-team on the best of days.

And worse? Urmahon Beta, the planet, is at the ass-end of nowhere. Everybody expects this to be a long, ugly, and thankless job.

Then it all goes disastrously wrong. What they thought was an uninhabited backwater turns out to be anything but empty. Megafauna roam the land, a rival crew with some terrifyingly high-powered gear haunts the dig site, and a secret that will change humanity forever is waiting in the darkness.

Stuck on this unmapped, hostile planet, lacking resources, and with tech built by the cheapest bidder, the salvage crew must engineer their way to payday...and beat Urmahon Beta before it kills them all.

Experience this space exploration adventure told from the perspective of a snarky artificial intelligence you won't soon forget.

Read for November 2021 book group. Read as an audio book and regular book.

Touching on the audio - loved Nathan Fillion as narrator, but unfortunately, however it was recorded, I couldn't understand what he was saying. His voice ended up being muddled and mumbled. I did read and listen for a while, then just abandoned the narration and read as normal. Which was a major bummer. Consensus was the same with others in book group.

I greatly enjoyed this. Loved the premise, interesting characters, interesting world building, a bit of an unconventional plot where it's not all rainbows at the end. AMBER ROSE's sarcasm was fantastic, I loved SHIP even tho she had such a minor role, the human characters were interesting and behaved like, well, realistic humans. The Buddhist concepts were a delightful change from the usual Jesuit's in Space that show up more frequently in SF.

I did hit a stumbling block about two-thirds of the way through after a major reveal. The overall plot became more narrative and a bit blah blah blah and I found myself skipping pages. One book group member concurred, and three others said that was one of the best parts of the book. Interesting interpretations.

I'm trying very hard not to drop any major spoilers, so going to end here and say, well worth reading, but skip the audio.

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Recipe Review from 12/6/21

Three new recipes this week, only one that I'm posting because I ran out of time to type out the others. Everything turned out splendidly!

Spanish Ratatouille is from Milk Street Tuesday Nights and I would absolutely make this again. This dish would be even better with fresh veggies from the garden in the fall. One note - I forgot a zucchini so I subbed roasted butternut squash and I think that was an even better flavor profile. I had in my meal planning notes to put an egg on top for some added protein, and I completely forgot. Which would be a trend going into the weekend...

The Fennel and Tomato Wild Rice Soup was good and the fennel is definitely more of a smell than a taste. Anise is not my favorite scent, so it was a tich disconcerting, but the soup itself was quite delicious. The Great American Slow Cooker cookbook is one of my favorites and a definite go-to for meal ideas.


The Meal Plan:
Sat (L) Leftover soup (S) Horseradish crusted salmon
Sun (L) pasta (S) Gochujang tofu with Roasted Potatoes & Broccolini
Mon (yoga) leftovers
Tue - Spanish Ratatouille (Milk Street Tuesday Nights)
Wed - leftovers
Thurs (yoga) leftovers
Fri - take n bake pizza

Lunches - Fennel and tomato wild rice soup (Great American Slow Cooker Cookbook)


Gochujang [Tofu] with Roasted Potatoes & Broccolini (Eating Well, Dec 2021) vegetarian
Easy, fairly tasty, nice and spicy! I did find the broccolini on the tough side, and it might have benefited from a quick blanching, but that kinda defeats the simplicity of this dish. I did sub in tofu for the steak (a bit to the Husbands dismay) and I really liked the spicy sauce against the creamy tofu. I would absolutely make this again.

Photo from eatingwell.com

Serves 4

1 ½ pounds fingerling potatoes, halved or quartered lengthwise, depending on size
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
¼ teaspoon salt, divided
¼ teaspoon ground pepper, divided
1 medium apple, coarsely chopped
½ medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 scallions, chopped, whites and greens separated
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons gochujang
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 pound steak tips OR 1 lb extra firm tofu
1 pound broccolini, trimmed

Position racks in upper and lower thirds of oven. Place a large rimmed baking sheet on the lower rack. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line another baking sheet with foil.

Toss potatoes with 2 tablespoons oil and 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Carefully transfer to the hot baking sheet. Roast on the lower rack, flipping once, until the potatoes are browned and tender, about 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine apple, onion, scallion whites, garlic, brown sugar, gochujang, soy sauce and vinegar in a blender. Puree until smooth. Reserve 1/2 cup for serving and pour the rest into the bowl; add steak tips and toss to coat. Marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes.

Combine broccolini, the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a medium bowl; toss to coat.
Arrange the broccolini on one side of the foil-lined baking sheet and the steak on the other side. Roast on the upper rack until the broccolini is tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the steak registers 125°F for medium-rare, 10 to 14 minutes. Turn the broiler to high and broil until the broccolini and steak start to brown, 1 to 2 minutes.

Serve the steak with the broccolini, potatoes and reserved sauce. Garnish with scallion greens.

Vicarious by Rhett C Bruno

Vicarious by Rhett C. Bruno
My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb: The real world is only where you breathe…

In High Earth, entertainment is everything. Virtual Worlds. Games. Steaming shows. Simulations—there’s something for everybody. You don't ever even have to leave your home.

For Asher Reinhart, nothing compares to Ignis: Live, a reality show that pushes human beings to their very extremes. As a volunteer director, he closely monitors the lives of those living on an Interstellar Ark, believing they're the last of humanity.

Mission is the show's brightest young star. Born in hiding, her intelligence and near-perfect genetics have allowed her to rise up the ranks faster than any before her. But now that it's her turn to provide for the Ark, everything changes...

With Mission's life placed in danger, Asher is forced to choose: between the show he loves, or the woman whose existence has been the focus of his attention since the day he was born.

The 100 meets The Truman Show in this science fiction story about the power of human connection, from USA Today Bestselling and Nebula Award-Nominated author Rhett C. Bruno. It’s perfect for fans of Hugh Howey, Kim Stanley Robinson, and Michael Crichton.

Read for Oct 2021 book group. Read on audio.

I have a love/hate relationship with this book.

What I enjoyed:
The over all concept - interesting world building, interesting future speculation, interesting characters especially with the protagonist Asher and a very interesting conclusion.

The depths to which human society has sunk as relates to virtual reality and reality TV is cause for despair. Which is part of the overall point - just look at reality shows on TV today. Where will society stop when it comes to entertainment and human depravity? Interesting question...

Where I struggled:
Some of the nuances or details of the book didn't mesh with the future society and this may be hard to describe if you haven't read the book. The main item being conditions on Ignis - shared birth control? ICK and not entirely realistic beyond a handful of generations (hormonal life span). Expecting the entire population of Ignis to abstain from sex till their appointed "breeding time"? Unrealistic and implausible. If this is such an advanced society (despite being stuck on a fake ship), use artificial insemination to achieve population and birthing objectives, not "hey, you're 20 and never had sex, here's your 50 year old partner! Enjoy!". WTHeck. Massively ick. So, some issues with the execution of Ignis.

The extremes between High Earth and the Outcasts was almost too extreme? I still waffle on this one.

The antagonist (Asher's boss and the creator of Ignis live) was almost laughable in his evil villain role.

So. I quite enjoyed this book, with aspects that at times kicked me out of the story and made me so frustrated. Kudo's to the author for eliciting such a response. This is a book you need to read and decide for yourself. Recommended with some significant reservations.



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Recipe Review from 11/29/2021

Welcome to December! I can't believe how fast the year went.  Only two new recipes this week. The salmon croquettes are from the Irish Pub Cookbook and we make these about once a year. Spaghetti was a place holder for meatballs and sauce, which we did over a hoagie bun and then over egg noodles. I made the meatballs ahead on Sunday, nice and simple, ready for the week.

Buffalo!

The Meal Plan:
Sat (L) leftover burritos (S) salmon croquettes
Sun (S) leftover burritos (S) salmon croquettes
Mon (yoga/bkgrp) - spaghetti
Tues (haircut) - sablefish and grits
Wed (yoga) -
Thurs - sablefish and grits
Fri - ??

Lunches - slow cooked turkey wild rice soup


Slow Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice Soup (Damn Delicious blog)
Most excellent! For myself, this is what I like in a creamy wild-rice soup. My only modification was I used 1 1/2 lb wild turkey breast, which I kept whole and let cook in the stock mixture. I removed, shreaded and proceeded as written with adding the milk and half 'n half. I would absolutely make this again! Recommended.

About 8-10 servings.

photo from damndelicious.com

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 cups chicken stock
1 cup wild rice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 pound cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 cup half and half
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley


Season chicken with salt and pepper, to taste. Place chicken into a 6-qt slow cooker.

Stir in chicken stock, wild rice, garlic, onion, carrots, celery, thyme, rosemary and bay leaves; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours. Add mushrooms during the last 30 minutes of cooking time.

Remove chicken from the slow cooker and shred, using two forks.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Whisk in milk and half and half, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 4-5 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Stir chicken and milk mixture into the slow cooker. If the soup is too thick, add more half and half as needed until desired consistency is reached.

Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.


Creole Spiced White Fish with Cheddar Grits (Sitka Salmon)
I made this twice because I followed the directions on the back of a package of Bob's Red Mill Grits/Polenta, which makes 4 servings. I set aside the extra in the fridge and on the second day, I re-heated the grits in the oven while the fish baked. I think I liked the second day a bit more, but it didn't have the pan sauce which was tasty. So...stink up the house by cooking the fish on the stove? Or, bake in the oven and forgo the pan sauce? One could take the juices from the oven and do a quick pan sauce, but now you have an extra dish to clean.

I did use sablefish for this with excellent results. This rich buttery fish holds up very well to the Creole seasoning.

This does come together very quickly, is easy to assemble, and I think has the potential for some variety options (sauteed mushrooms anyone?). Highly recommended.

Serves 2

photo from sitkasalmon.com

One portion white fish fillet (12 to 14 ounces), such as lingcod, pacific cod, sablefish, or rockfish, cut into 2 pieces
1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed, plus more for brushing
1 teaspoon Creole spice blend or paprika
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup quick-cooking grits
½ cup (loosely packed) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup (tightly packed) baby spinach, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
¼ cup dry white wine
1 scallion, white and green parts, thinly sliced


SEASON THE FISH
Pat the fish dry with paper towels and brush with oil. Rub the Creole seasoning and a pinch of salt and pepper all over the fish.

MAKE THE CHEESY GRITS
In a small saucepan over high heat, bring 1¾ cups water to a boil. While stirring, gradually add the grits and a generous pinch of salt. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese, spinach, and 1 tablespoon butter. Cover to keep warm.

COOK THE FISH
Meanwhile, in a medium nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the fish and cook, turning once, until golden and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side depending on the thickness of the fillet. Transfer to a plate.

MAKE THE SAUCE
Return the skillet to medium heat, add the wine, and cook until slightly reduced, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the remaining butter and swirl the pan until melted. Season with salt to taste.

SERVE
Spoon the grits onto plates, dividing evenly. Top each with a piece of fish and half of the sauce. Garnish with the scallions and serve.

Recipe Review from 11/22/21

A couple new recipes to wrap up November. One super simple fish dish and one scone recipe. I recommend both!

A dam fine site - looking downriver toward Pierre, SD, from the Oahe Dam.  Oahe Dam creates the 4th largest made-made reservoir in the US.

The Meal Plan:
Sat (L) Leftover lentil soup (S) pheasant with wild rice
Sun (L) Leftover lentil soup (S) brats
Mon (yoga) brats
Tues - Horseradish spiced salmon with crispy leeks
Wed (yoga) - take-n-bake pizza
Thurs - Cities
Fri - Cities

Lunches - Barley, Corn and black bean burritos

Horseradish-Crusted Salmon with Crispy Leeks (Eating Well, Dec 2021)
A easy, tasty fish dish! A couple of very small modifications:I reduced the cornstarch to 1, maybe 1 1/2 tbsp. 3 tbsp seemed like it would have the potential to be gummy. I was able to find jarred horseradish at the co-op that wasn't full of corn-syrup and soybean oil, and it is SUPER spicy. So I added an extra tablespoon of may to cut the heat a little bit. Perfect for our taste buds! A bit of zing, but not so much so that it overwhelmed all the other flavors. I served this along side a baked wild rice dish. Leftovers reheated very well.

I would make this again. I AM making this again in a week for Holiday dinner with the Folks.

Serves 4

photo from eatingwell.com

1 ¼ pounds salmon fillet, cut into 4 portions
½ teaspoon salt, divided
½ teaspoon ground pepper, divided
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium leek, white and pale green parts only, cut into matchsticks
3 tablespoons cornstarch

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.

Pat salmon dry and place on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Mix mayonnaise and horseradish in a small bowl and brush over the salmon. Roast until the salmon is opaque in the center, 7 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Toss leek with cornstarch and add to the pan. Cook, separating the leek strands with tongs as they cook, until crispy and golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Serve the salmon topped with the leek.


Cranberry-Pumpkin Scones (Better Homes and Gardens)
I have been on a pumpkin kick lately - pumpkin waffles, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin muffins, and now pumpkin scones. The full recipe includes a powdered sugar glaze, orange zest and sugared pepitas. I wanted a simple unadorned scone so I skipped all that, which is reflected below. These were moist, pumpkin-y, with a hit of tart from the cranberries. Next time (and there will probably be a next time) I might try with fresh cranberries.

One modification I did was instead of rolling out and cutting into wedges, I used my cookie scoop and dollup-ed onto a parchment lined baking sheet. I got about 12 nicely rounded, perfectly portioned scones this way.

Recommended!

Made 12 following my notes above, makes 8 following directions below.

photo from bhg.com

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter, cut up
½ cup dried cranberries
2 eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup half-and-half, light cream, or milk
½ cup canned pumpkin

Preheat oven to 400 degrees °F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a large bowl stir together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in the 1/2 cup butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add cranberries and toss well. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture; set aside.

In a small bowl stir together the 2 eggs, half-and-half, and pumpkin. Add pumpkin mixture all at once to flour mixture. Using a fork, stir just until moistened.

Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface. Knead dough by folding and gently pressing it for 10 to 12 strokes or until dough is nearly smooth. Pat or lightly roll dough into an 8-inch circle. Cut circle into eight wedges.

Place wedges 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl combine the 1 egg with the 1 tablespoon water. Brush wedges lightly with egg mixture. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden. Remove scones from baking sheet. Let cool for 5 minutes if adding any topping or glaze (follow link for glaze).

Recipe Review from 11/15/21

One new recipe from last week. As the Husband was pheasant hunting in the western side of the state, I had plenty of leftovers from the week previous. We had fresh pheasant sauted with mushrooms and onions served over grits to wrap up the week.

More wide open spaces in SD

The Meal Plan:
Sat (L) leftover Fasolada (S) dinner at the Folks
Sun (S) leftover German dumplings and gravy (S) breakfast naan pizza
Mon (yoga) leftover dumplings and gravy
Tues - leftover dumplings and gravy
Wed (yoga) - leftover soup
Thurs - grits and pheasant
Fri - grits and pheasant

Lunches (mine) berbere spiced lentils

Berbere-Spiced Lentil & Turnip Soup vegetarian,vegan
Easy, easy, easy. Chop, plop, and walk away. 10 hours on low seems a bit overkill, unless you have an instant pot - I've noticed and others have commented the slow cooker feature runs cooler than a stand alone slow cooker. Significantly lower temps.

But I digress. I found a berbere spice blend at the co-op. No clue if it was salt free, so I erred on the salted side and didn't add the extra salt. If you didn't want to chop tomatoes, used canned (diced) and cut back on the vegetable stock. Would I make this again? Absolutely. It's earthy lentils, sweet turnips with some of heat from the spice blend. I did serve with the yogurt which added a tangy creaminess. Recommended!

Serves 8-10 (approx)

1 pound green lentils, rinsed
8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
4 small turnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 large tomatoes, peeled if desired, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large onion, diced
2 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, plus leaves for garnish
2 cloves garlic, grated
2 tablespoons salt-free berbere spice blend
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
Plain Greek yogurt for serving

Combine lentils, broth, turnips, tomatoes, onion, celery, garlic, berbere and salt in a 6-quart slow cooker. Stir to make sure the lentils and turnips are covered with the liquid. Cover and cook until the lentils and vegetables are tender, 5 to 6 hours on High or 8 to 10 hours on Low.

Serve the soup topped with celery leaves and yogurt, if desired.

Recipe Review from 11/8/21

Four new recipes this week. Three simple and exceedingly tasty meals, one impulse bake in the Cranberry-Pecan muffins.

The Boys out in SD - Ready to go Mom!

The Meal Plan
Sat (L) take-out chicken (S) Folks
Sun (L) Left over chicken (S) tomato soup and grilled cheese
Mon (yoga) leftover soup take n bake pizza
Tues - take n bake pizza leftover soup
Wed (yoga) breakfast Naan pizza
Thurs (OFF) breakfast Naan pizza
Fri - breakfast Naan pizza

Lunches - Fasolada soup

Sheet Pan Tomato Soup (Eating Well, Sept 2021) gluten free/vegetarian/vegan
Yes, the recipe is THAT simple. I made as written, except I forgot to add the sugar. I think the thyme should be tossed with the tomatoes during roasting to bloom the flavors. I did need to add a tich of water as it was just a tich too thick for me, and I generally prefer a thick soup. Highly recommended!

Photo from EatingWell.com

Served 4 - 6 (depending if you do a "cup" or a "bowl").

4 pints cherry tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¾ teaspoon salt, divided
½ teaspoon pepper, divided
1-2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried, plus more for garnish

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Spread tomatoes, onion and garlic in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper; toss to coat. Roast until the tomatoes burst and the onion is very soft, 20 to 25 minutes.

Carefully transfer the tomatoes, onions and garlic to a blender. Add sugar to taste, thyme and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Blend, scraping down the sides as necessary, until very smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Garnish with more fresh thyme, if desired.


Breakfast Naan Pizza (Eating Well, Sept 2021) vegetarian
Yup. Recipe is that easy. I skipped the lemon zest because a) I didn't see it and b) if I had, it's a putsy step in a c) recipe that has enough flavors. I used the small naan (single serving size?) because I was making this for myself for dinner and the regular naan seemed a bit on the large size. Mmm...I was still hungry after so maybe should have stuck with large? Hard to say.

I modified the cooking part a lot: I poached my eggs, toasted the naan in the toaster, and then popped under the broiler for just a moment to brown the Parmesan and warm up the cheese and pesto.

This would be good anytime: breakfast, lunch, snack, supper... highly recommended!

Photo from EatingWell.com

Serves 4+ (will be dependent upon size of naan and amount of ingredients)

1 whole-wheat naan
2 tablespoons part-skim ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon low-sodium marinara or pesto
½ teaspoon lemon zest
1 large egg
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
Chopped fresh basil and ground pepper for garnish

Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

Place naan on the prepared pan. Mix ricotta, marinara (or pesto) and lemon zest in a small bowl. Spread the mixture onto the naan, creating a well in the center. Carefully crack egg into the well. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake until the naan is golden, the egg white is set and the cheese is melted, 8 to 10 minutes. Garnish with basil and pepper, if desired.


Fasolada (modified from Milk Street) gluten free; vegetarian/vegan option
OMGOSH! This was so good! Like this is now my favorite soup good!

My modification: **1 lb dried beans pre-cooked in the instant pot. Proceed with recipe. Why? Because dried beans can be a bit finicky and I hate it when they don't cook as anticipated, end up on the firm side, and it just kinda ruins the dish. So, I cooked first, then proceeded with the dish.

Milk Street did note you can use 4-15oz canned cannellini beans (rinsed and drained).

Servings 6-8 (I had 5 lunches and froze two tubs at 2 servings each)

3 tbsp oil
1 large red onion, chopped
3 medium celery stalks, chopped
3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
kosher salt and pepper
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 lb dried cannellini beans (I used cranberry beans), pre-cooked
**see my note above**
1 1/2 quarts chicken stock, vegetable stock or water
4 tsp red wine vinegar (i used white wine vinegar)
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
2 oz feta cheese, cubed or crumbled

1. Mash 1 cup of the cooked beans and set aside.

2. Heat 3 tbsp oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, 1/2 tsp salt and cook, stirring, until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook another 30 seconds. Add the tomato past and cook, stirring, until the paste begins to brown, about 2 minutes.

3. Add the broth. Add the whole and mashed beans and stir. Cover and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are barely tender.

Off heat, stir in the vinegar, then vigorously wisk in 3 tbsp olive oil (MS notes: Whisk! Don't drizzle! Will add extra body and flavor!). Season to taste and serve with olives and feta.


Cranberry-Pecan muffins (Cooks Illustrated) These are excellent! But, assembly was a tich putzy and you DO need a food processor. Loving my Cuisinart 11 cup processor right about now.

Yes, putzy. Toasting, cooling; melting, cooling; blitz in the processor, set aside; blitz something else, set aside; blitz again; wait 30 minutes and then bake.

But, as with most of the ATK/Cooks Illustrated franchise recipe, they are exceedingly good.

Photo from CooksIllustrated.com

Makes 12 muffins.

Streusel Topping
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, softened
pinch salt
½ cup pecan halves

Muffins
1 ⅓ cups (6 2/3 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups pecan halves, toasted and cooled
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon (7 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
½ cup whole milk
2 cups fresh cranberries
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

NOTE: If fresh cranberries aren't available, substitute frozen: Microwave them in a bowl until they're partially but not fully thawed, 30 to 45 seconds.

FOR THE STREUSEL: Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Process flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter, and salt in food processor until mixture resembles coarse sand, 4 to 5 pulses. Add pecans and process until pecans are coarsely chopped, about 4 pulses. Transfer to small bowl; set aside.

FOR THE MUFFINS: Spray 12-cup muffin tin with baking spray with flour. Whisk flour, baking powder, ¾ teaspoon salt together in bowl; set aside. My note - I used muffin cup liners. 'Cause it guarantees they'll come out and easier clean-up, ya know?

Process toasted pecans and granulated sugar until mixture resembles coarse sand, 10 to 15 seconds. Transfer to large bowl and whisk in eggs, butter, and milk until combined. Whisk flour mixture into egg mixture until just moistened and no streaks of flour remain. Set batter aside 30 minutes to thicken.

Pulse cranberries, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and confectioners’ sugar in food processor until very coarsely chopped, 4 to 5 pulses. Using rubber spatula, fold cranberries into batter. Use ice cream scoop or large spoon to divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups, slightly mounding in middle. Evenly sprinkle streusel topping over muffins, gently pressing into batter to adhere. Bake until muffin tops are golden and just firm, 17 to 18 minutes, rotating muffin tin from front to back halfway through baking time. Cool muffins in muffin tin on wire rack, 10 minutes. Remove muffins from tin and cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe Review from 11/1/2021

Holy Smokes! Where did the year go?!? Welcome to November! A couple favorite repeats this week and a couple new recipes for review.

Badlands National Park, SD, 2021

This meal plan dovetails on the end of our South Dakota trip (see previous post) so there are a couple added days to the menu.

Fri (S) Grouse and potatoes
Sat (L) leftover chili (S) Salmon and leeks in a wine sauce
Sun (L) leftover salmon (S) Roast Chicken with herbs and pomegranate molasses
Mon (yoga) leftover chicken
Tues - leftover chicken
Wed (yoga) - soup
Thurs - Bear chops in blue cheese sauce
Fri - leftover chops

Lunches - (me) butnut soup (Husband) sandwiches

This is a freezer reduction menu as items seem to go in, and are a bit slow to come out. It's nice to have the freezer, but often it becomes out of sight, out of mind. Trying to do better.

What came out: chili, salmon, chicken, soup, and bear. Mind, the chili and soup were pre-trip additions.


Wine-Poached Salmon with Piquillo Peppers and Leeks (Sitka Salmon)
A great weeknight dish that is easy to prep and come together very quickly and tastes great.

Two notables - I used jarred sliced roasted red peppers as I have no idea what a Piquillo pepper is nor nor does my store carry it. The other is, 5-6 min to cook the fish is very accurate. I went 10ish and it was over-cooked. Still good, just, overcooked. The picture shows cooking with skin on, the recipe calls to remove the skin. We removed the skin as directed for a more pleasant dining experience.

Recommended!

photo from Sitka Salmon

1½ pounds salmon fillets, pin bones and skin removed, cut into 4 pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small lemon, thinly sliced crosswise, seeds removed
1 cup thinly sliced leek, white and pale green parts, washed well
6 fresh thyme sprigs
½ cup dry white wine
¾ cup very thinly sliced piquillo peppers or roasted red peppers
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
Crusty bread for serving

PREP THE PARCHMENT
Preheat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the center position. Season the salmon all over with salt and pepper. Cut a sheet of parchment into a 12-inch round (it should fit snugly into a 12-inch skillet). Fold it into quarters and snip 1/2 inch from the pointed tip. Unfold and set aside.

ROAST THE SALMON

In a 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter along with the oil. When the foam subsides, add the lemon and cook until heated, about 1 minute. Turn the lemon slices and stir in the leeks. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the thyme sprigs and top with the salmon. Pour the wine around the salmon, place the parchment circle on top and bring to a simmer. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until the fish is opaque and just flakes around the edges, 5 to 6 minutes depending on thickness.

MAKE THE SAUCE
Remove the skillet from the oven and transfer the salmon to a platter. Cover the salmon with the parchment to keep warm. Carefully transfer the hot skillet to the stove and bring the pan juices to a gentle simmer over low heat. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and cook, stirring constantly, until the butter is melted and the sauce is creamy, about 2 minutes. Stir in the peppers and parsley.

SERVE
Return the salmon to the skillet and garnish with parsley. Serve with crusty bread.


Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Soup (modified from Cooks Country)
This was for lunches and I topped it with the pancetta, some popcorn and toasted pumpkin seeds.

A handful of modifications to this simple and easy soup - I used frozen squash (from my 2020 garden), I used 3 cups water because the squash had been frozen (otherwise too much liquid), and I added about a 1/2 tsp of gochujang paste for a bit of heat. I quite enjoyed the flavor balance and with the gochujang it had the perfect amount of spice. Recommended as written OR with modifications!

Serves 4 (I got 5 lunches out of this)

photo from America's Test Kitchen

4 ounces pancetta, cut into ½-inch pieces
2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces (6 cups)
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1 onion, chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon pepper
4 cups chicken broth (vegetable broth or water
1/2 tsp gochujang paste
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar (I used cider vinegar)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Cook pancetta in Dutch oven over medium heat until browned and crispy, about 7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towel–lined plate.

Add squash, bell pepper, onion, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper to fat left in pot and cook over medium-high heat until onion is softened, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in broth and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Cook, covered, until squash is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove pot from heat.

Working with 2 cups at a time, process soup in blender until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer pureed soup to saucepan. Stir in vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, sprinkling individual portions with chives and pancetta.

Pierre SD, 2021

Last week we were bird hunting outside of Pierre, SD.  Specifically, The Husband was bird hunting (prairie chickens and sharp-tail grouse), I was tagging along and enjoying some bird and scenery watching. We were primarily in the Ft. Pierre National Grasslands, which were amazing. We did take one day to drive over to the Badlands National Park. Unfortunately, because we had the dogs with we couldn't enjoy the hiking trails (dogs not allowed on the trails for park protection and safety reasons).

We stayed in Pierre and I took advantage of our proximity to their newly constructed (re-constructed?) river walk in the early mornings and late evenings as a place to walk the dogs. Weather was decent, several days of wind (to be expected on the prairie), and the only significant rain was on the drive home.

While I packed the majority of our meals, Pierre does host several notable restaurants: The Branding Iron Bistro, The Brickhouse BBQ and Grill, and the Cattleman's Club Steakhouse. This is beef country.

As I noted, I still packed most of our meals and even had a meal plan. The chili I made ahead and froze in containers that I could pull out and microwave. Rice and bean burritos are from the co-op and freeze nicely for traveling. I've learned to freeze the bagels I buy from the co-op as they will get moldy quickly (even at home). Need to keep these frozen and or refrigerated. With a fridge and microwave in the room, I was set!

Thurs (travel day) (L) sandwiches, fruit (S) Chili Jimmy John's (we were running a tich late)
Fri (L) rice and bean burritos, fruit, nut cups (S) chili
Sat (L) rice and bean burritos, fruit, nut cups (S) Brickhouse BBQ
Sun (L) Subway (S) chili leftover BBQ
Mon (L) rice and bean burritos, fruit, nut cups (S) chili
Tues (L) Subway (S) Cattleman's Club
Wed (travel day) (L) Culver's (S) chili

Breakfast - instant oatmeal, bagels with cream cheese. Ate out once at the Branding Iron Bistro, and got breakfast to go from same on Wednesday morning.

Buffalo Gap National Grasslands

The boys are ready to find some birds

Wide, wide open spaces

The Badlands National Park

The Badlands National Park

Buffalo!

A bit of Cold War History

Home, home on the range....  buffalo in the distance

Recipe Review from 10/11/21

With the Husband out of town for three days, and needing to juggle work, yoga and the puppy, I stuck with tried and true recipes to keep things simple. The Husband brought back some handmade pasties from MI so I slid those into the meal plan.

The Little Rockies, MT 2020

The Meal Plan
Sat (yoga) (L) leftover squash soup (S) Burgundy ala Malachosky w/Bear over egg noodles
Sun (L) leftover soup (S) leftover bear
Mon (yoga) leftover bear
Tues (Husband in MI) Gnocchi with sundried tomatoes and beans
Wed (Husband in MI) Gnocchi
Thurs (Husband in MI) Gnocchi
Fri - Stuffed pepper soup leftover pasties from MI

Lunches - Quiche


Venison Burgundy ala Malachosky (made with Bear) - North American Hunt Club
White Bean and Sundried Tomatoe Gnocchi - Eating Well, Oct 2021
Mushroom and Swiss Quiche - Original Moosewood Cookbook

A Conneticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jacket Blurb: One of the greatest satires in American literature, Mark Twain's 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court' begins when Hank Morgan, a skilled mechanic in a nineteenth-century New England arms factory, is struck on the head during a quarrel and awakens to find himself among the knights and magicians of King Arthur's Camelot. The 'Yankee' vows brashly to "boss the whole country inside of three weeks" and embarks on an ambitious plan to modernize Camelot with 19th c. industrial inventions like electricity and gunfire. It isn't long before all hell breaks loose!

Written in 1889, Mark 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court' is one of literature's first genre mash-ups and one of the first works to feature time travel. It is one of the best known Twain stories, and also one of his most unique. Twain uses the work to launch a social commentary on contemporary society, a thinly veiled critique of the contemporary times despite the Old World setting.

While the dark pessimism that would fully blossom in Twain's later works can be discerned in 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, ' the novel will nevertheless be remembered primarily for its wild leaps of imagination, brilliant wit, and entertaining storytelling.

Read as an audio book.

This past spring The Husband and I took a jaunt down to southeaster Missouri for a late-winter (for us) get away. It was nigh spring in Southern Missouri, and while the trees were quite leafed out nor the early flowers blooming, there wasn't any snow. We stopped in Hannibal, MO, and spent part of a day immersed in Mark Twain's world. Which lead to the realization that I've only read Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. The Husband noted A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court was an enjoyable read. It took a few more months, but I slid it into the lineup.

First noting - I greatly enjoyed the narrators performance, cadence and voices. It was a delight to listen to and I was quite bummed when the book concluded. He had the perfect voice for a commute read.

The story itself was fascinating. Despite being written nearly 100 years ago, it amazed me how much of the authors political commentary was still apropos for today. The astute reader will pick up on Mark Twain's observations and viewpoints from the late 1800's, but gosh darn if some things just don't change.

I did look this up, and while not the "first" science fiction book (that is still thought to be Frankenstein), this is considered the first time-travel book. This was well executed - probably more so than some "modern day" time travel books I've read. This isn't to say the book is perfect in all regards, it's not by any stretch of the imagination. The feasibility of one person being able to re-create the telephone, trains, gas lines, bombs and more did push the bounds of reality a tich. From a 21st Century standpoint. From a 1800's or early 1900's view? Maybe it was more believable.

This book made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me think. I'm glad I read this and I regret not picking this up earlier, but perhaps I would not have enjoyed it as much as I did. Recommended from a historical perspective.


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Recipe Review from 10/4/2021

The slow cooker was pulled out this weekend - being 50*, foggy with rain and generally overcast, it was the perfect weekend to cook up something in the slow cooker. We start off Fall with a big ol pot of jambalaya!

On the project front, a couple of finishes that I could squeeze inbetween watching the pups. At 4 1/2 months, Chet is in full puppy mode with all the joy and frustrations that come with a very active and energetic pup.

The Meal Plan:
Sat (L) fruit and cheese (S) leftover pizza
Sun (L) grilled sage grouse (S) slow cooked jambalaya
Mon (yoga): leftover jambalaya
Tue - salmon
Wed (yoga) leftover fish
Thurs: leftover jambalaya
Fri - leftover jambalaya

Lunches - Coconut Curry Squash Soup

Slow Cooker Jambalaya (Simply Recipes)
An easy recipe to assemble, chop, plop, stir and walk away. Don't be tempted to add the shrimp early, it will get over cooked. You can also adjust the heat to your own taste buds by making your own Creole Seasoning, or use your favorite pre-made blend and add extra cayenne. Or, put that bottle of hot sauce on the table and enjoy!

I do like my jambalaya served over rice so that's what I did. Recommended!

Photo from simplyrecipes.com

Serves ~6 without rice
Made about 4 meals for two with rice (8-10 servings).
1 white onion, diced
3 ribs celery, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 pound smoked sausage, sliced about 1/4 inch
1 pound boneless chicken breasts and/or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 bay leaves
1 to 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning (I like Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning)
1 pound large shrimp, shell on, thawed
1 cup long grain white rice
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, sausage, chicken, tomatoes, oregano, bay leaves, and Creole seasoning to a large slow cooker. Stir together well.

Cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 4 to 5 hours. You are ready to move onto the next step when the veggies are very tender and the chicken is cooked through.

Leave the shells on the shrimp, but use kitchen shears to cut up the backs; this will make them easier to peel later.

Add the shrimp to the slow cooker. Stir it in, cover, and cook on high for another 30 to 45 minutes until the shrimp are cooked through.

While the shrimp cooks, cook the rice either according to the package directions or following this boiled rice method. When done, set the rice aside, covered, until ready to serve. (This makes about 4 cups of cooked rice.)

Remove bay leaves from the jambalaya and taste. Season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Either peel the shells off the shrimp now, or serve with the shells on and instruct guests to remove the shells as they eat.

Stir the cooked rice into the jambalaya (as pictured), or serve the jambalaya ladled over top the rice.

Leftovers will keep in the fridge in air-tight containers for 2 to 3 days and then the shrimp start to really break down. This dish doesn’t freeze particularly well. The combination of rice, shrimp, and sauce doesn’t reheat easily without making the shrimp very rubbery.


Coconut Curry Squash Soup with Pumpkin Seeds (Eating Well, Oct 2021)
vegetarian/vegan I made this for lunches for the week. This is a brothy soup with chunks of squash, carrots and celery, not a thick blended soup, but it could easily be blended if that's your preference. I loved the flavors in this - a hint of heat to warm the sinus's, a hint of creamy coconut, and sweatness from the squash and carrot.

As a brothy soup it was a bit more difficult to transport so I made sure to cover with sticky cling-wrap and put in a veggie bag in case of leaks or spills.

Photo from eatingwell.com

Serves 4 (I got six servings out of this)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus 1 teaspoon, divided
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 medium stalks celery, chopped
3 scallions, sliced, white and green parts separated
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon hot Madras curry powder plus 1 teaspoon, divided
2 teaspoons ground cumin
¼ teaspoon salt
4 cups cubed peeled butternut squash
4 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
1 (14 ounce) can light coconut milk
1 (15 ounce) can no-salt-added chickpeas, rinsed
½ cup unsalted pepitas
lime wedges (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery and scallion whites and cook, stirring often, until very tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in garlic, 1 tablespoon curry powder, cumin and salt; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add squash, broth, coconut milk and chickpeas and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook until the squash is tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss pepitas with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and 1 teaspoon curry powder in a small bowl. Spread in a small baking pan and bake until toasted and fragrant, 4 to 6 minutes.

Top the soup with the pepitas and scallion greens. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.

Recipe Review from 9/27/2021

A bit of a short week as we were in Minoqua, WI, to check out Beef-a-Rama and the surrounding area. I picked out a couple easy recipes then filled in the blanks with a frozen pasty and leftover pizza.

The Meal Plan:
Sat (Minoqua)
Sun (Minoqua) (S) pasty with veggies
Mon (yoga/bkgrp) leftover pizza
Tues - gnocchi
Wed (yoga) gnocchi
Thurs - salmon
Fri - salmon take-n-bake pizza

Lunches - sandwiches with fruit

White Bean & Sun-Dried Tomato Gnocchi (Eating Well, Oct 2021) vegetarian
I really liked this and plan on making it again in the next month or so when the Husband heads out bird hunting. I did have a couple of modifications: I used frozen gnocchi that I cooked according to the directions on the package, then set aside to "dry" until proceeding with step 1. I used Swiss chard instead of spinach (had the chard in the garden) and I used water instead of chicken broth because it's only a 1/2 cup. Not worth to thaw out a container nor buy a can of broth for a half cup.

So my two modifications added a tich of prep time, but this still came together very quickly. I loved the flavors, I loved the gnocchi, I just loved how comforting it was to eat. Recommended!

Photo from eatingwell.com

Serves 4

½ cup sliced oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes plus 2 tablespoons oil from the jar, divided
1 (16 ounce) package shelf-stable gnocchi
1 (15 ounce) can low-sodium cannellini beans, rinsed
1 (5 ounce) package baby spinach (I used Swiss chard)
1 large shallot, minced
⅓ cup low-sodium no-chicken broth or chicken broth (I used water)
⅓ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
3 tablespoons fresh basil leaves

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add gnocchi and cook, stirring often, until plumped and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add beans and spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 1 minute. Transfer to a plate.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan and heat over medium heat. Add sun-dried tomatoes and shallot; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Increase heat to high and add broth. Cook until the liquid has mostly evaporated, about 2 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium and stir in cream, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Return the gnocchi mixture to the pan and stir to coat with the sauce. Serve topped with basil.


Salmon with Smokey Mayo and Quinoa (Eating Well, Oct 2021)
Another very tasty dish that I hope to make again.

Modifications: I cooked the salmon on the grill, skipping the oven completely. You do need to thaw the salmon first, prep the grill (I do 325-350*), and start the salmon skin-side down. At the halfway point (time will depend upon the thickness of your fillets) I added the smokey mayo and let the fish finish cooking. Here is where I pre-heated the broiler, and after the fish came off the grill, I added the panko topping and broiled for just a moment(watch to make sure they don't burn!).

For the quinoa mixture I ended up using a stalk of kale (minus the stem) in place of peas because I forgot I used up the peas when I made the pasty. Still good and showed how versatile the mixture can be.

Much to my chagrin (and lack of proper meal prep planning), I had enough salmon and quinoa for only one meal. My fault for not checking how much salmon, quinoa and peas I had in the freezer. Still, super tasty. Recommended!

Photo from eatingwell.com

Serves 4

1 cup water
4 frozen salmon fillets (about 1 1/4 pounds)
½ cup quinoa
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 ¼ teaspoons grated garlic, divided
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
¼ teaspoon salt, divided
2 cups frozen peas
½ teaspoon dried dill
½ teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preheat oven to 425°F. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan.

Place salmon in a baking dish (skin-side down, if not skinned). Cover tightly with foil. Bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, add quinoa to the boiling water, cover and reduce heat to maintain a lively simmer. Cook until most of the water has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Combine mayonnaise, paprika and 1/4 teaspoon garlic in a small bowl. Combine panko, 1 tablespoon oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon garlic in another small bowl.

Uncover the salmon and spread each fillet with about 1 tablespoon of the mayonnaise mixture topped with 2 tablespoons of the panko mixture, pressing to adhere. Continue baking, uncovered, until the fish is opaque in the center and the breadcrumbs are golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes more.

Add peas and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon garlic, 1 tablespoon oil and 1/8 teaspoon salt to the quinoa. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the peas are hot and the water is mostly evaporated, about 3 minutes. Stir in dill, lemon zest and lemon juice. Serve the quinoa with the salmon.

A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor by Hank Green (The Carls #2)

A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor by Hank Green
My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb: April May and the Carls are back in the much-anticipated sequel to Hank Green's #1 New York Times bestselling debut novel, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing.

The Carls disappeared the same way they appeared, in an instant. While they were on Earth, they caused confusion and destruction without ever lifting a finger. Well, that’s not exactly true. Part of their maelstrom was the sudden viral fame and untimely death of April May: a young woman who stumbled into Carl’s path, giving them their name, becoming their advocate, and putting herself in the middle of an avalanche of conspiracy theories.

Months later, the world is as confused as ever. Andy has picked up April’s mantle of fame, speaking at conferences and online about the world post-Carl; Maya, ravaged by grief, begins to follow a string of mysteries that she is convinced will lead her to April; and Miranda infiltrates a new scientific operation . . . one that might have repercussions beyond anyone’s comprehension.

As they each get further down their own paths, a series of clues arrive—mysterious books that seem to predict the future and control the actions of their readers; unexplained internet outages; and more—which seem to suggest April may be very much alive. In the midst of the gang's possible reunion is a growing force, something that wants to capture our consciousness and even control our reality.

A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor is the bold and brilliant follow-up to An Absolutely Remarkable Thing. It’s a fast-paced adventure that is also a biting social commentary, asking hard, urgent questions. How will we live online? What powers over our lives are we giving away for free? Who has the right to change the world forever? And how do we find comfort in an increasingly isolated world?

Read for September book group.

Book two in the Carls, or, really book two in the April May Saga. Because this is ultimately all about April May. I noted in my review of An Absolutely Remarkable Thing that there I had enough interest in the supporting characters to read this book. And I enjoyed reading Maya, Miranda, and Andy's perspective. I was disappointed there wasn't more Robin, and after a few chapters with Carl, I completely skipped those.

I continued to agree with the author's observations on what can happen - is happening - with social media. Scary shit when you stop to think about it and yet, we keep using it anyway and then wonder why things aren't getting better. Miranda's thread was perhaps the most interesting with a wonderful twist I should have seen coming and totally missed. I found the ending anti climatic. April May was made into a Very Special Snowflake, kicked some ass, apologized to her girl friend, and everyone lives mostly happily ever after. Meh.

My opinion is still middle of the road - I enjoyed everyone but April May, the authors message about social media and the media is definitely notable, the overall plot was a bit slow (I admit to skipping bits). I'm glad this was a book group selection because we had some differing opinions and that always makes for interesting discussion.

Again - this is one you'll have to read and decide for yourself.

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