Archive for the ‘Veggies’ Category

Slow Cooking on-the-fly

Saturday, February 6th, 2010

(Valerie here again) Over Christmas I got a slow cooker, rice cooker, and food processor. Of course, I immediately went to work finding recipes that used them. I started by making my first-ever Spaghetti and Meatballs which required the food processor (for making breadcrumbs) and the slow cooker.

A couple of weeks ago I was scraping the bottom of the barrel with my food. I wanted to see what I could do without taking a trip to the grocery store. This is what I found in my house:

  • 1/2 pound pinto beans
  • 1/2 pound black eyed peas
  • Several carrots
  • Onions
  • 1 white potato
  • 1 sweet potato
Before I started the cooker

Before I started the cooker

I figured, here’s my chance to use my slow cooker for what it’s best at – throwing food together and letting it do its thing. I soaked the beans, chopped up the veggies, then threw them in the slow cooker with water, thyme, bayleaves, and oregano. I turned the cooker on low and let it cook overnight.

It turned out pretty good. I wasn’t so sure when I first smelled the soup in the morning (sometimes beans smell funny). It tasted good though, especially when I mixed in some half & half to make it creamy.

Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

Saturday, January 9th, 2010

Over the past several weeks, I’ve gotten into some bad food habits.  Primarily, I haven’t want to cook when I get home from work because I can’t wait even a half hour for food.  I decided to experiment with the crockpot this week, and the results were more than worthwhile.

Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

Photo by Nathan Clendenin

The recipe is as easy as can be:

  • 3 potatoes, coarsely chopped
  • 1 onion, coarsely chopped
  • 2 carrots, coarsely chopped
  • 3 split chicken breasts
  • 1 Tablespoon(ish) poultry seasoning
  • 1 cup water
  • salt and pepper to taste

Put vegetables in the bottom of the crockpot.  Place chicken breasts on top.  Sprinkle poultry seasoning over top.  Add the water and salt and pepper.  Put the lid on.  8(ish) hours on low.

For the gravy: wisk in a few tablespoons of flour to the liquid and cook until thick.

I served with cornbread, which turned out to be an excellent combo.  And for under a dollar and an extra 3 minutes thanks to Jiffy, I don’t think you can really beat them with homemade.  At the very least, I know I can’t.

Thanksgiving leftovers

Friday, November 27th, 2009

Spending Thanksgiving with my family is fun for a variety of reasons beyond what you would expect.  1) Food.  My menu is determined by my imagination, not my budget, since my mom is always happy to pay for ingredients that she doesn’t have to prepare.  2) Cable.  Specifically, food network.  This afternoon, I caught a bit of this episode of Rachael Ray’s.  I was inspired.

Nate has taught me a thing or two

After a bit of time catching up with a good friend, I hit the local grocery store.  Herb and garlic seasoned pork loin, sweet peppers, bread crumbs (I’m a little embarrassed that I actually bought this), and cream cheese.  Before hitting the Dickens Festival in downtown Fayetteville, I mixed feta with the cream cheese.  I cut off the tops of the peppers and scraped out the seeds.  Stuffed the peppers with the cheese mixture, and into the fridge they went.

3 hours later, back from the Dickens Festival, I roasted the stuffed peppers.  When they were done, put in the pork loin and some asparagus we didn’t cook for Thanksgiving.  Then the fun part…

I pulled out leftover sweet potato casserole, rolled it into balls, covered with bread crumbs and pan fried them.  The sweet potato “croquettes” went amazingly well with the rest of the meal.  Time spent in actual preparation for the whole meal: definitely under half an hour.

All in all, the meal was a success!  I want to make it again tomorrow.  Even my little sister who hates feta was grabbing seconds of the peppers.  Alas, the sweet potatoes are almost gone…

Sausage Week – part 2

Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

This post is long, perhaps too long, and I hope you’ll make it to the end. Trust me; it’s worth it.  I spent the past weekend in Charlotte with Quentin’s family.  My trip was not without a food adventure or two.  Pictures will come.  I promise.  In the meantime, I hope you’ll enjoy this recipe for Sausage Week. I also hope you prepare for Thanksgiving with these mini pumpkin pies. You can make them in typical pie fashion, but they’re not nearly as much fun.

Italian Sausage Paninis

These were absolutely delicious! Italian sausage, sauteed red peppers and onions, spinach, and provolone. I love food!

Italian Sausage Panini

Photo by Nathan Clendenin

Blind Date

Thursday, November 19th, 2009

Our favorite pasta recipe went out last night.  It seemed only fitting that sausage would be the highlight.  I browned the sausage and then placed on a paper towel lined plate.  I then cooked the onions and garlic in the same pan.  The recipe went on as usual, only I added broccoli and sundried tomatoes when I dumped in the pasta.  The tomatoes were plumped up nicely, and the broccoli cooked perfectly.  I threw in the sausage at the last minute.

Photo by Nathan Clendenin

Photo by Nathan Clendenin

All in all, a success.  No extra seasoning… no fuss.  I highly recommend it.