Balls in the meat aisle

With some leftover white wine from a big dinner, I was itching to make a marinara with wine. The bonus day off work (Family Day in Ontario) gave me the opportunity to prepare a meal in advance for later in the week.

I managed to find some turkey meatballs at the grocery store so there was no doubt about what I'd be making, until Meredith put the kybosh on spaghetti for dinner (she says it's a taste thing, I think it's Itironophobia (fear of spaghetti). So meatball marinara with penne it is!

Lugao with Chicken (Filipino Congee)

• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 square inch of ginger root, julienned
• 1/2 kilo chicken,cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 tbsp fish sauce (patis)
• 1 cup rice
• 1 tbsp glutinous rice (optional)
• 6 cups water or chicken stock
• optional additional chopped vegetables (broccoli, carrots, peas)
• 2 stalks green onion, chopped
• lemon juice

1. Fry onion in oil over medium heat until translucent.
2. Add garlic and fry for an additional 2 minutes.
3. Add ginger and fry for an additional 2 minutes.
4. Add chicken and fish sauce and simmer (covered) for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add the rice, stir and let the rice absorb any liquids for 3 minutes.
6. Add water or stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium-low and let simmer for 30 minutes, until chicken and rice are fully cooked. Stir occasionally to ensure rice doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot.
7. Add optional vegetables and simmer for an additional 15 minutes.
8. Serve in bowls garnished with green onion, fish sauce and lemon juice.

Endless Potlucks

After the holidays, my colleagues were inspired to bring some leftovers to work. When we ran out of leftovers, "just bring more food" became the answer. Over the course of two weeks, we started off with some maki rolls; then even more maki rolls; then we needed to add some roasted chicken in case we were still hungry, and it all climaxed at a lunch with a garden salad, roasted chicken, channa masala, and an amazing Filipino congee. It took another week to get the recipe for the congee, but it was worth it.

Roasted Vegetable Soup

• 1 large potato, peeled, cubed
• 1 sweet potato, peeled, cubed
• 1 acorn squash, peeled, cubed
• 3 carrots, peeled, cut in 1-inch chunks
• 2 parsnips, peeled, chopped
• 2 red bell peppers, quartered
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cups water
• salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375F
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine both potatoes, squash, carrots, parsnips, bell peppers and garlic and oil. Toss to coat.
3. Spread in single layer on a large cookie sheet.
4. Roast vegetables for 1 hour (mixing occasionally) or until soft and caramelized.
5. Place vegetables, in batches if necessary, in food processor. Purée until smooth, adding water if needed.
6. Transfer vegetable purée to large saucepan. Add stock or water. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer 20 minutes.

Roasting veggies with a purpose

A couple of weeks ago, I drove my parents home from an appointent (Dad couldn't drive) and a free non-Friday dinner accompanied the trip. Not being a Friday, the soup was allowed to be something other than chicken.

Mom found an interesting recipe for a roasted vegetable soup with all sorts of fancy stuff, and decided that it might taste just as good without the fancy add-ons. It did, and it was fun to recreate as well.

Red Kidney Bean Hummus

• 2 small cloves of garlic
• 1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 2-1/2 tbsp tehina
• 4 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• water

1. Mince the garlic in a food processor.
2. Add beans, tehina, lemon juice, cumin, black pepper, cayenne, salt and olive oil and pulse in food processor for 30 seconds.
3. Stir mixture and blend on high for at least one minute, adding water until desired consistency is reached.

A different kind of hummus

At our spectacular post-new-year's xmas potluck dinner hosted by Penny of Sweet Sadie's baking blog, I tried something that I haven't made in about 13 years – hummus made from something other than chickpeas. Meredith* did a great job and mentioned that it was somehow healthier than hummus with chickpeas (I don't recall why, possibly because there's more fibre) so I decided that I was going to make it again myself.

Why would I have made hummus with anything other than chickpeas? When I lived in Peterborough, I had a friend who was allergic to all legumes, but not beans. Being a smarty-pants, I made two batches of hummus using red and white kidney beans and served them together in a wide and shallow dish. I arefully poured and spread the hummus in the dish so it looked like the symbol for Yin and Yang. What a hippie.

Notes:
*Meredith being Elliot's friend Meredith, not my Meredith or Dan's** Meredith
**Dan, being Penny's Dan, not my Meredith's Dan, who is me

Poppy Seed Salad Dressing

• 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
  
• 1/2 red or white onion
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds

1. Puree in blender until smooth 

Note: Julia's original recipe used apple cider vinegar and 3/4 cup white sugar.

(inspired by Julia's Delectable Dressing)