Teresa's Delicious Wraps

Teresa's food is so freaking good. Using whatever she sees around, she always creates these beautifully layered flavors. Cooking with her is fun because she grew up cooking from scratch in Georgia, and I grew up eating mostly processed foods in California, to learn intensively about cooking later. The ways we approach cooking are different and similar at the same time. Oh yeah, we eat well in my house. Mmmm.

Ingredients:
1 T oil
1 lg sweet onion, sliced 1" thick
1 bell pepper, diced 3/4" on a side
7 medium mushrooms, diced
3" piece of turkey kielbasa, diced small
6 slices turkey bacon, diced small
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1/4 t grated ginger
1/2 bu red chard, sliced 1/2" thick
6 basil leaves, sliced thinly
1 spring mint, leaves sliced thinly
salt & pepper to taste
tortillas
shredded jack cheese (another cheese would do)
pesto to taste

Instructions:
1. Heat a large sauté pan over high heat and add the oil. Add the onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, kielbasa and bacon. Season with salt, pepper & ginger.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
3. Cook over high heat around 4 minutes. Add chard, basil & mint, turn heat to low and cook 3 minutes.
4. Warm tortillas in oven for about 10 minutes. Fill with turkey & vegetable mix, garnish with cheese and pesto, and serve.

Chicken Soup

Ingredients:
1 chicken, meat cut off the bone and diced; skin and fat trim reserved
2 yellow onions, peeled & quartered
1 head garlic, peeled; ½ of it sliced
¾ lb crimini mushrooms, sliced ¼ inch thick
1 full bag vegetable scraps (or about ¾ lb vegetables if you haven't been saving your scraps in the freezer)
4 carrots, peeled & diced about ¼” thick
¾ C rice
1 lemon, juiced
salt & pepper TT

Instructions:
1.Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2.Roast the chicken carcass (with leg bones) with the onions and the whole peeled garlic cloves for 30-40 minutes or until well browned.
3.Meanwhile, start a large pot with 2 ½ quarts water simmering over medium-low heat. Add the bag of vegetable scraps and the trim from the carrots. When the chicken, onions and garlic are done roasting, add them, too.
4.Simmer the stock over low heat for 3 ½-4 hours.
5.At some point while the stock is cooking, heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken skin and fat trimmed off the chicken and render the fat off for about 5 minutes. Remove the chicken and add the mushrooms. Brown well for about 8-10 minutes and reserve.
6.Strain the stock into a new or cleaned pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the chicken, mushrooms and rice and cook for 15 minutes. Add the carrots and sliced garlic, and cook until the rice is cooked through, about 20-30 minutes more. Add the lemon juice, season to taste and serve.

Vegetables over Rice

Ingredients:
1 t oil
½ bu celery, peeled & sliced ½” thick
1/2 head garlic, peeled & sliced ¼“
½ cup water
1 t oil
5 carrots, peeled & sliced ¼”
1 1/2 C rice
salted water
1 wax cucumber or ½ English cucumber, peeled (if wax) and sliced ¼ inch thick
salt & pepper TT
2 T white wine vinegar

Instructions:
1.Heat a saute pan over high heat and add 1 tsp oil. Add the celery and garlic, season and brown for a few minutes. Transfer to a small saucepan.
2.Deglaze the saute pan with the water, then pour over the celery and garlic. Cover the saucepan and cook on low for 20 minutes.
3.Meanwhile, start to prepare the rice according to package instructions.
4.Heat the saute pan again over medium-high heat, and add the last 1 tsp oil. Add the carrots, season and and saute for 2-3 minutes.
5.When all the vegetables are done, combine with the cucumber and add the vinegar. Taste for seasoning. Serve over the rice.

Roasted Tomatoes with Bagna Cauda

(Bagna Cauda is an Italian sauce/dip that's really versatile. The roasted tomatoes are just a vehicle for the sauce, though a delicious and complementary one.)

Ingredients:
4 tomatoes, cored & quartered
1 t oil
salt and pepper TT
1 C olive oil
1 small can tuna
½ head garlic, minced
½ bunch parsley, sliced
1 lemon, juiced
salt and pepper TT

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Toss tomatoes with 1 t oil, salt and pepper and roast in the oven for 10 minutes.
Combine remaining ingredients and serve over the tomatoes as a sauce.

Community Kitchen #3 Digest

I had a great time last Thursday at the CK making the recipes you'll find here, here, here and here. Warmer (?) weather and lots of new produce in season called for two salads. I love making salads for friends because I like to make them out of unconventional ingredients, and that shows off how you can make a salad out of nearly anything. Meat, fruit or vegetable, cooked, pickled or fresh, depending on what each ingredient needs and what you're going for. Like, you probably couldn't make a salad out of flour, honey and pickles. Or, butter and Crisco. Short of those extremes, almost any combination goes. This time of year is when you'll start to see more varied ingredients with which to make salads, and a lot of them don't need cooking or all, or just barely. So go nuts, and have fun!

We also made another spread, which we served this time with something to spread it on. Of course we braised some chicken. How could we not braise chicken at the downtown CK? It was actually part of a salad.

I bought all the fruits and vegetables at Frank's produce in the market at the slightly blemished produce ("#2") bin, just underneath one of the display cases. It's where we shop for as much of our produce as possible every month, and it's a great source of cheap, nutritious food for everyone. I think all produce stands have something like the #2 bins available, or at least they should. So, if you have access to some kind of farmer's market, this can save you some money. This runs contrary to the general feeling that farmer's markets are for rich people only. They're not.

This time we didn't make a soup together, but that doesn't mean soup won't be made. Those of you who came to the Senior Center on the 17th went home with a bag of vegetable scraps to start a bag of food trimmings for stock. Even if you didn't get a bag at the CK, start one or add to the one you have. Why? My challenge to all of you is to make a soup without using a recipe, write down the recipe you create and send it to me. And tell me how cooking it went, and how it tasted! I'll compile the recipes and send them back out so you all can see what everyone came up with. Maybe we'll make one of the recipes at the next CK. If you want inspiration, here are one and two soup recipes. I'm looking forward to seeing what you all come up with!

So make some soup! Some salads! Something from scratch! Riff off of these recipes or do something totally new. And please, share your recipes, thoughts and frustrations with me. I would love to hear your ideas and offer any help I can.

I hope to see as many of you as possible at the next Community Kitchen at the Pike Market Senior Center on July 15th, 4:30-7pm. Tell your friends about us! Everybody should be able to cook from scratch. We only had a couple of people come out for the last CK and we can accommodate up to 15 or so. It would be great if we could overfill a class and have two groups a month instead of one. That would be so cool.

cheers!
-ryan

Random Vegetable Soup

I just bought a few dollars worth of vegetables from the slightly blemished section of the produce stand and decided to make soup with it. I don't think this recipe works well as something to actually follow, but instead as an example of how one can make soup with pretty much any assortment of vegetables, if they're all cooked in batches to that they get done at around the same time. And the nice thing about this method is that you always get a soup where all the ingredients really taste just like themselves.

Ingredients:
1 yellow onion, chopped large
1 head garlic, top 1/4th cut off
1 T oil
1 sweet potato, diced medium
6 baby red potatoes, diced medium
1 white potato, diced medium
1/2 bu celery, peeled and sliced 1/4" thick
4 carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4" thick
2 bu thin asparagus, bottom 1/3 cut off
2 tomatillos, diced small
1 zucchini, diced small
1 t oil
salt & pepper to taste
1-2 T white wine vinegar, to taste

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Toss the garlic and onion with the oil and roast in the oven 25 minutes.
3. Start a large pot with 2 qts water simmering over medium-low heat. Add all the vegetable scraps to it and start to simmer.
4. When the garlic and onions are done roasting, squeeze the garlic cloves out of the head and add them to the stock along with the roasted onions. Simmer the stock for around 45 minutes total, then strain.
5. Put the stock in a pot and add the sweet potato, potatoes, carrots and celery. Cook for 20 minutes over medium-low heat. Top the pot off with water if the level is too low.
6. Get a sauté pan very hot and add a teaspoon of oil. Sauté the asparagus, tomatillo and zucchini until slightly browned.
7. Season the soup to taste with salt, pepper and vinegar, and serve garnished with the green vegetable sauté.

Cucumber & Almond Salad

(conforms to the elimination diet)
Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 English cucumber
½ t salt
1 pinch pepper
1 tsp honey
1 lime, juiced
¼ bunch cilantro or parsley
1 oz almonds

Method:
Slice the cucumber about ¼ inch thick. Toss with everything else but the almonds and allow to marinate for 30 minutes. Top with almonds and serve.

Baked Salmon over Roasted Root Vegetables in Coriander Broth

(conforms to the elimination diet)
Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 C water
½ t coriander
1 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled & sliced
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 pinch salt and black pepper
1 turnip
1 parsnip
1 beet
1 carrot
1 T olive oil
½ t salt
1 pinch pepper
2 salmon fillets
olive oil
salt and black pepper
½ lemon, juiced

Method:
Broth: Simmer the water, coriander, ginger, garlic, and 1 pinch each of salt and pepper over medium heat for 15 minutes. Strain and set aside.
Vegetables: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Peel and cut the vegetables approximately one inch on a side.
Toss them in a bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper, then put on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until tender. Set aside. Keep the oven hot.
Salmon: Season the fillets with a light coating of salt and pepper, and put in a baking pan over olive oil. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the fish flesh starts to come apart at its seams a little and some white albumen (protein) comes out.

To serve: Warm the vegetables in the broth and put them in a shallow bowl, then put a fillet over each serving of vegetables. Top with lemon juice.

Braised Brussels Sprouts & Leeks

(conforms to the elimination diet)
Serves 2

Ingredients:
6-8 Brussels sprouts
½ leek
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1 T olive oil
½ t salt and black pepper
¼ C almond butter
½ lemon, juiced

Method:
Slice the Brussels sprouts thinly, about ¼ inch thick. Wash and slice the leek to the same thickness. Slice the garlic.
Heat a sauté pan over high heat and add the olive oil.
Add all the vegetables to the pan, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for about 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan.
Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the sprouts are tender. Meanwhile, mix the almond butter and lemon juice together with a fork.
When the sprouts are done, add in the almond/lemon mixture, combine and serve.

This side dish and the Sautéed Asparagus one can be matched to either of the Sautéed Duck Breast or the Scallops & Veggies in Acorn Squash entrees, for four possible meal combinations.

Sautéed Asparagus w/ Walnuts & Lemons

(conforms to the elimination diet)
Serves 2

Ingredients:
½ bu asparagus
1 tsp olive oil
salt and black pepper
1/3 C walnuts
½ lemon, juiced

Method:
Peel (the lower half) and trim asparagus.
Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil.
Add the asparagus with salt and pepper to taste, and sauté it for about 2 minutes or until just tender. Add the walnuts and lemon juice and serve.

This side dish and the Brussels Sprouts one can be matched to either of the Sautéed Duck Breast or the Scallops & Veggies in Acorn Squash entrees, for four possible meal combinations.

Sautéed Duck Breast with Pomegranate Seeds & Walnuts

(conforms to the elimination diet)
Serves 2

Ingredients:
2 duck breasts
½ tsp olive oil
salt and black pepper
Seeds from ¼ a large pomegranate
Small handful of walnuts

Method:
With a sharp knife, lightly score the skin on the duck breasts so it doesn’t shrink too much while cooking. Season the breasts on both sides with salt and pepper.
Heat a heavy sauté pan over high heat. Add the olive oil and let it heat up.
Add the duck breasts skin side down. Reduce the heat to low and let the pan cool slightly. Cover the sauté pan and cook the breasts for 14-17 minutes to desired degree of doneness.
Uncover the pan and add the pomegranate seeds and walnuts.

This entrée and the Scallops & Veggies in Acorn Squash can be matched to either of the Brussels sprouts or Sautéed Asparagus side dishes, for four possible meal combinations.

Scallops and Veggies in Acorn Squash "Nests"

(conforms to the elimination diet)
Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 acorn squash
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 t olive oil
2 stalks celery
1 bell pepper
6 cloves garlic
1/3 lb scallops
1 T olive oil
1 T grape juice (the nicer quality the better)
½ t salt
black pepper to taste
¼ C cashews

Method:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Slice acorn squash into 1 inch rings, getting at least 2 good rings.
Lightly coat rings with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roast in oven for 16-18 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork.
Set aside when done. Keep warm or prepare to reheat.
Peel celery (use a vegetable peeler on the outside of the ribs) and slice ½ inch thick.
Slice bell pepper into thin strips, slice garlic.
Prepare scallops by blotting them dry.
Heat large sauté pan over high heat until very hot, add olive oil.
Sear scallops for 1 minute on each side, add celery and cook for 1 minute more. Reduce heat to medium-high.
Add bell pepper and garlic, cook for 1 minute more, then add olive oil, grape juice, salt and pepper, and cook for one more minute.
Serve the scallop mixture in the squash rings topped with cashews.

This entrée and the Sautéed Duck Breast can be matched to either of the Brussels sprouts or Sautéed Asparagus side dishes, for four possible meal combinations.

Braised Leg of Lamb with Olives

(conforms to the elimination diet)

Serves 2

Ingredients:

¾ lb leg of lamb

1 tsp olive oil

salt and black pepper

1/3 C olives (any)

6 cloves garlic, peeled

Method:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Heat a heavy sauté pan over high heat. Add the olive oil and let it heat up.

Season the lamb with a light coating of salt and plenty of black pepper, and brown well in the pan. Be patient.

Move to a deep, oven-safe dish that is not much bigger than the meat. Toss in the garlic (whole cloves) and olives, and cover almost all the way (use foil or leave the lid slightly askew). Braise for 2 hours. Serve with a vegetable side dish.

Melons & Olive Oil

(conforms to the elimination diet)

does this even count as a recipe? it’s delicious anyway.

Ingredients:

1 melon

Salt & black pepper to taste

1 T honey

½ C nuts

1/3 C olive oil

Method:

Slice melon into quarters, and scoop out the seeds with a large spoon.

Cut into small wedges and blot dry with a paper towel, or air dry for 5 minutes.

Season with salt & pepper.

Drizzle with honey, top with nuts and olive oil. A mild Spanish, Portuguese or Lebanese olive oil would be very nice.

Tuna & Broccoli Salad

(conforms to the elimination diet)

makes about 2 large salads

Ingredients:

1 bu. broccoli

1 t olive oil

pinch each of salt and pepper

¹/₃ C turkey stock

1 green bell pepper

One 3 oz. can of tuna (nice, imported tuna if you want)

1 t olive oil

1 lime, juiced

1 pinch each salt & black pepper

2 T white or black sesame seeds

Method:

Trim the bottom off the broccoli and peel the fibrous skin of the stalk. Slice the broccoli into ¼ inch planks.

Season the broccoli. Heat a large sauté pan, then add the first teaspoon of olive oil. Sear the broccoli over high heat in olive oil for a few minutes, then add the stock. Cook for one minute over high heat (stock should reduce a lot), move to a bowl and set aside.

Slice the bell pepper into strips and put in another large bowl. Add the broccoli.

Break the tuna into large chunks and add. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil; add salt, pepper and the sesame seeds. Toss lightly and serve or store.

Crab & Avocado Salad

(conforms to the elimination diet)

makes about 2 large salads

Ingredients:

¼ lb. crab meat (whatever source & quality desired)

1 avocado

2 carrots

¼ C pecans

1 T honey

½ lemon, juiced

1 pinch each salt & black pepper

Method:

Put the crab in a large bowl.

Dice the avocado and add.

Use a vegetable peeler to “whittle” the carrots into thin, papery coins. Start at the tip of the carrot and whittle at a 45 degree angle to it until you are holding a carrot nub. Eat the nub. Add the coins to the bowl.

Add remaining ingredients and toss lightly. Serve or store.

Fall Naked Casserole

(conforms to the elimination diet)

makes about 4 large servings

A naked casserole is a casserole without a binding component such as eggs, cream or flour.

Ingredients:

¾ lb. turkey leg meat, cubed one inch on a side

pinch each salt & black pepper

½ head cauliflower

½ bu. Italian parsley

1 bu. lacinato (or “dinosaur”) kale

½ head garlic, cloves smashed

½ C turkey stock

½ t salt

large pinch black pepper

¼ C olive oil

½ lemon, juiced

½ C almonds

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Season the turkey meat with salt and pepper.

Sear the turkey in a very hot pan for a few minutes until well browned but not cooked through.

Put the turkey on a cold plate and set aside to cool a bit.

Chop the cauliflower into bite-sized pieces. Chop the kale into bite-sized pieces, and chop the parsley.

In a casserole dish, assemble all the ingredients except the lemon juice, tossing lightly to distribute seasoning evenly.

Bake partially uncovered (foil over most of the dish with a corner upturned is the easiest way) for an hour and a half to two hours, checking the turkey and cauliflower for doneness. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if needed.

Add lemon juice, top with almonds and serve in bowls with the cooking juices.

Thanksgiving Naked Casserole

(conforms to the elimination diet)

makes about 4 large servings

A naked casserole is a casserole without a binding component such as eggs, cream or flour.

Ingredients:

¾ lb. turkey leg meat, cubed one inch on a side

pinch each salt & black pepper

2 stalks celery

3 small or 2 medium sweet potatoes

1 bu. mustard greens

½ head garlic, cloves smashed

4 sprigs thyme, picked

4 sage leaves

½ C turkey stock

½ t salt

large pinch black pepper

¼ C olive oil

½ lemon, juiced

½ C walnuts

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Season the turkey meat with salt and pepper.

Sear the turkey in a very hot pan for a few minutes until well browned but not cooked through.

Put the turkey on a cold plate and set aside to cool a bit.

Peel the celery (if desired; you can save the peels for the next stock), chop into bite-sized pieces. Peel and cut the sweet potatoes the same size. Cut the mustard greens away from the thick stems (also save for stock) and chop bite-sized as well.

Chop the herbs.

In a casserole dish, assemble all the ingredients except the lemon juice, tossing lightly to distribute seasoning evenly.

Bake partially uncovered (foil over most of the dish with a corner upturned is the easiest way) for an hour and a half to two hours, checking the turkey and sweet potatoes for doneness. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if needed.

Add lemon juice, top with walnuts and serve in bowls with the cooking juices. Can be reheated or even eaten cool.

Fall Lamb Salad

(conforms to the elimination diet)

makes about 2 large salads

Ingredients:

½ lb. lamb leg meat, cubed ¾ inch on a side

pinch each salt & black pepper

1 avocado

1 persimmon

¼ C pumpkin seeds

2 T olive oil

1 T lemon juice

large pinch each salt & black pepper

Method:

Season the lamb with salt and pepper.

Sear the lamb in a very hot pan, then reduce heat to medium. Keep the lamb moving in the pan until cooked, about 5-7 minutes for medium doneness.

Put the lamb on a cold plate and set aside to cool a bit.

Dice the avocado and persimmon; combine with the lamb and remaining ingredients. Serve or store.

Turkey Stock

(conforms to the elimination diet)

makes about ¾ gallon of stock

Ingredients:

3-4 lbs. turkey leg bones (pre-roasted if you want darker stock)

1 gal. cold water

1 leek, washed & sliced

6 cloves garlic, smashed

2 carrots, cut in large chunks

1 bay leaf

any other vegetable or meat scraps you have (within the diet)

Method:

Simmer bones in water for about 45 minutes, skimming off any foam that emerges.

Add vegetables and simmer for an hour.

Strain & store. Freezes very well.

The Elimination Diet

One of the most interesting challenges I've had the opportunity to face include writing recipes for the following dietary restrictions:

	A	B	C	D
1	Elimination Diet…joy.
2
3		EAT UP!	NO WAY JOSÉ	Notes…
4	Meats:	Lamb (especially imported from New Zealand or Australia), Wild Game (deer, duck), Fresh Turkey (not ground, no basting, no preservatives, no additives)	Beef, Pork, Chicken, Processed Meats, Lunch Meat, Cold Cuts, Hot Dogs, Sausage, etc.
5	Seafoods:	Roughy, Halibut, Tuna, Wild Salmon, Crab, Lobster, Clam, Scallops	Shrimp
6	Vegetables:	sweet potatoes, yams, cabbage, carrots, squash (many varieties), asparagus, cauliflower, avocados, celery, garlic, okra, radishes, greens (beet, mustard, spinach, collards, etc.), cucumbers, eggplant, Brussels sprouts, kale, avocado, broccoli, parsnips, green peppers (not hot pepper or peppery spices), rutabaga, leek, zucchini, and turnips.	Mushrooms, Onions, Corn, white potato, tomato, peas, beans and other legumes.
7	Fruits:	Lemons, Limes, grapes, peaches, pears, pineapple, kiwi, papaya, mangos, melons (watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, Crenshaw), cherries, apricots, pomegranates, mangos, coconuts, plums, persimmons, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, cranberries, raspberries, or loganberries. Eat only small servings of fruit.	Apples, Bananas, Tomatoes, Orange, Grapefruit, and foods containing those citrus fruits
8	Dairy Products:	None.	Milk and dairy products entirely, including Cheese, Butter, Ice Cream, Margarine, Yogurt, Cream soups, Breads, Crackers, Cookies, Cakes, Candies, Luncheon Meats, and other manufactured or processed foods. Casein and lactalbumin are other names for milk protein.
9	Nuts:	You can eat nuts, including filberts (hazel nuts), almonds, or pecans. Use fresh cracked or nuts still in the shell, not roasted, or otherwise treated.	Peanuts
10	Oils/Vinegars:	safflower oil, sunflower oil, flaxseed oil, sesame oil and extra virgin olive oil. Use only cold pressed oils with no additives, purchased from a natural food source.	Vegetable Oil, Canola Oil, Vinegar, Wine Vinegar, Balsamic Vinegar
11	Condiments/Spices:	Honey, Chopped nuts (of allowed types), ginger, garlic, cilantro, almond butter, and sesame butter are allowed.	Cayenne, any kind of hot pepper
12	Egg Containing Foods:	None.	Eggs or any foods containing egg, including Custards, Cakes, Cookies, Ice Cream, Pies, Macaroni, Salad Dressings, Noodles, Pancake Mixes, and all other manufactured or processed foods.
13	Grain-Containing Foods:	None.	Wheat, Corn, Rye, Barley, Rice, Buckwheat, Millet, Quinoa, Amaranth, Milo and all grains and foods containing grains. This includes all commercial Breads, Cookies, Crackers, Cereals, Batters, Luncheon Meats, Pancake Mixes, Candies and a wide variety of other packaged and processed foods.
14	Legumes:	None.	Peanuts, Lentils, Beans and Peas of all kinds, including String Beans, Lima Beans, Soy Beans, Baked Beans, Green Peas, Field Peas, Black-Eyed Peas, and vegetable gums. Soy bean protein ("textured protein") is hidden in a variety of manufactured foods. Read labels carefully.
15	Coffee, tea & alcohol:	Pure water, Carbonated water, unsweetened but with all natural fruit flavor	All coffee and tea products (including instant and caffeine free). Also avoid herbal teas and all alcoholic beverages. Beer, wine, hard alcohol.

Hummus

Ingredients:
1 #10 can garbanzo beans
1/2 10 (or 12?) oz can tahini (sesame paste)
1 head garlic
2 ea lemons, juiced
1/2 C water
1 T salt
1 t pepper

(garnish:)
olive oil
1 bu parsley, chopped
ground sumac

Method:
1. Blend together all ingredients except the garnish in a food
processor until very smooth. Add a bit more water if needed.
2. Taste for seasoning. Garnish with the garnish and serve with
toasted pita, vegetables or whatever you like.

Braised Winter Vegetables & Chicken over Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients:
7 chicken drumsticks
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1 t oil

8 sm. yukon gold potatoes, cut into large dice
2 T oil
2 t salt
1/2 t pepper

3/4 pound crimini (brown) mushrooms, sliced 1/4" thick
1/2 head garlic, peeled
1/2 yellow onion, sliced thinly
1 bu red chard, chopped into bite-sized pieces
4 carrots, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 t salt
1 t pepper

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 375 deg.
2. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.
3. Heat a large saute pan over high heat and heat the oil in it briefly.
4. Brown the drumsticks in oil.
5. Put the chicken in a covered pan and cook in the oven about 45 min
to one hour.
6. Meanwhile, toss the potatoes in oil, coat with salt and pepper and
roast in the oven about 35-45 minutes.
7. While that's cooking, heat another large saute pan over high heat
and heat the oil in it briefly.
8. Add the mushrooms and brown well.
9. Add the salt and pepper, onion and garlic and stir. Cut the heat.
10. Put the mushroom mixture in a roasting container with the chard
and carrots. Stir together.
11. Cover the pan and cook for about 30 minutes.
12. Everything will hopefully be ready at around the same time.

Late Winter Soup

Ingredients:
1/2 onion, rough chopped
1/2 head garlic, peeled
2 carrots, rough chopped
1/2 bu celery, rough chopped
1 t oil

1/2 onion, diced
1/2 bu celery, peeled & diced
8 ea. sm. yukon gold potatoes, diced small
2 carrots, diced
1/2 head garlic, sliced
3 T salt
1 T pepper

4 bell peppers, diced
1 grapefruit, juiced
1 lemon, juiced

Method:
1. Start 1 gal water simmering over med-low heat in a large pot.
2. Preheat oven to 450 deg.
3. Toss 1/2 onion, 1/2 bu celery, rough-chopped carrots and first 1/2
head garlic in 1 t oil, put on a sheet pan and roast in the oven for
15 min.
4. Add these roasted veggies to the water and begin simmering for
about 40 minutes.
5. Strain stock and add everything except the citrus and bell peppers.
6. Add the remaining ingredients and taste for seasoning.

Tomato & Olive Sauce for Pasta

Ingredients:
1 T oil
1 ea yellow onion, diced
3 bell peppers, diced
1/2 head garlic, peeled & sliced

2 12 oz (or 14 oz?) cans pitted olives
1 6 oz (or 8 oz?) can tomato paste

1 #10 can crushed tomatoes
2 t dried oregano
1 t dried thyme
1/2 C water
1 T salt
1 t pepper
1/3 C sugar

Method:
1. Heat a large saucepan over meduim heat, then add the oil and heat up
briefly. Saute onion & garlic for 5 minutes.
2. Add bell peppers, olives and tomato paste, stir and cook for 3 minutes more.
3. Add water, salt and pepper, crushed tomatoes and herbs; simmer 20
minutes more.
4. Add sugar and taste for seasoning.

Apple and Kale Bread Salad

Ingredients:

1 loaf bread, cut into 1 inch cubes

2 yellow onions, sliced ¼ inch thick

1 bunch lacinato kale, sliced ¼ inch thick

2 T oil

salt and pepper TT

½ bunch celery, sliced ¼ inch thick

4 apples, diced

½ bunch parsley, sliced

1 bunch thyme, minced

1 lemon, juiced

salt and pepper TT

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400. Toast bread for 10 minutes.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add oil, onion and kale, and season with salt and pepper. Cook 10 minutes, or until onion begins to caramelize.

Combine with all remaining ingredients and serve.

Corn and Spiced Pork Tacos

Ingredients:

1 T and 1 t cumin and chili powder blend

Salt and pepper TT

2½ lb ground pork

2 T oil

4 ears corn, kernels cut off cob

3 bunches radish, quartered

½ head garlic, peeled and sliced

1 T oil

2 limes, juiced

corn tortillas

Instructions:

Season pork with the salt, pepper and cumin/chili powder mixture. Brown in large sauté pan with 2 T oil. Set aside.

Heat pan, add corn, radish and garlic, and sauté a few minutes. Add lime juice. Add to pork.

Heat tortillas, fill with mixture and serve.

Spinach Salad with Chicken and Pineapple

Ingredients:

5 chicken leg/thigh pieces, scored

salt and pepper TT

2 T oil

1 lb chorizo

1 pineapple, diced

2 bunches spinach, washed and chopped

¼ C white wine vinegar

½ C olive oil

salt and pepper TT

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Preheat a large sauté pan over high heat. Season the chicken. Add 2 T oil to hot pan. Add chicken and brown well. Add chorizo, break up and brown.

Transfer to a braising pan. Cover and cook for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine pineapple and spinach.

Wisk together vinegar, oil, salt and pepper.

When chicken is done, remove the meat from the bone with a fork and put over spinach and pineapple.

Drizzle with dressing and serve.

Babaghanouj

Ingredients:

2 eggplants

1 t oil

2 lemons, juiced

1/3 can tahini

1/2 head garlic, cloves peeled and rough=chopped

½ C water

2 t salt

½ t pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 450.

2. Pierce eggplants several times with a knife. Rub them with oil and roast in oven 25 minutes.

3. Let eggplant cool, then cut in half, scoop out flesh and combine with other ingredients in a food processor. Puree until very smooth. Taste for seasoning.

Braised Chicken & Greens over Rice

Ingredients:

6 chicken hindquarters, drumsticks cut from thighs and scored with a knife (for faster cooking)

1 T & 1 t salt

2 t pepper

½ head garlic, cloves peeled & rough chopped

1 yellow onion, sliced

2 tomatoes, diced

2 T oil

1½ pounds mushrooms, sliced

1 T salt

1 t pepper

2-3 bunches assorted greens, chopped

1 yellow onion, sliced

1 head garlic, peeled and sliced

3 tomatoes, diced

2 C rice

Water (to cover rice, see instruction #7)

2 T salt or TT

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375.

2. Season chicken with salt and pepper.

3. Heat a sauté pan over high heat, add 2 T oil and heat up. Add chicken and brown well.

4. Add 2 tomatoes, then transfer to a baking dish and cover partially. Put in the oven and cook 45 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, heat another sauté pan over high heat, add 2 T oil and add mushrooms when oil is hot, brown well.

6. Add greens, onion, garlic and 3 tomatoes. Cook 15-20 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

7. To cook rice, rinse under running water in strainer, the put in saucepan and cover until water is up to your first knuckle when fingertip is touching the rice. Add salt until water tastes salty as rice should taste. Bring to a high simmer, then cover and reduce heat to low, cook 20 minutes.

8. Assemble and serve.

Beet Soup w/ Apple

Ingredients:

1 onion, rough-chopped

1 ½ gal water

1 bunch celery, peeled & rough chopped

5 carrots, peeled and rough-chopped

1 bunch beets, peeled and rough-chopped small, stalks into stock, greens rough-chopped

4-5 loose beets, peeled and rough-chopped small

4 large russet potatoes, peeled and rough-chopped

1 head garlic, peeled

1 onion, rough-chopped

3 apples, peeled and rough-chopped

salt and pepper TT (to taste)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 450.

2. Bring water to a simmer.

3. Toast onion for 15 minutes in the oven.

4. Add the onion to water and cook over medium heat. Add all accumulated vegetable scraps (from everyone) available and cook for 40 minutes.

5. Strain stock. Add celery, carrots, beets, beet greens, potatoes, garlic, and the second onion.

6. Cook 30 minutes, or until potatoes and beets are tender.

7. Add apples, salt and pepper, puree, in batches if necessary. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.