Shelly’s Sausage and Rice Casserole September 18, 2007

One of my favorite ways to make friends is to share recipes. The foods people like tell a lot about them (so I guess I’m a refried bean….): down home cookin’, light bistro food, ethnic cuisine, or a little bit of everything. I’m sure there is a whole philosophy out there about which foods say what about you. I’m not really interested in that. I’m interested in the foods that tickle the taste buds, and bring satisfaction to the tummy. Taste is a funny thing, and sometimes I think there really is no accounting for it, like whoever said that first must have thought. I mean, I could eat Chocolate pop-tarts and baguette with goat cheese and toasted sesame seeds in the same day, and not bat an eye at the almost dichotomy of those two foods.

For most people, there is a food or a meal that the mere mention of will light up their faces. For instance, goat cheese. I think I actually emit mild radiation during consumption, I enjoy it so much. For my friend Shelly, it is this sausage and rice casserole. She confessed to making it at least twice a month, more if her family will let her. She brings leftovers for lunch, and every time she comments, “Yeah, I just love this casserole.” Well, of course I had to know what was deserving of such enthusiasm. Lemme tell ya, this casserole is pretty darn good. It’s even better the next day. It is also very simple, so, bonus! I served it with fresh steamed broccoli, and Russell and I were very satisfied.

3 servings:

1/2 lb. breakfast sausage

1/4 white onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1 1/2 cups uncooked instant rice

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can milk

1. Cook sausage, chopping into small bits. Drain, leaving a tbls. of grease in pan.

2. Sautee’ onions, celery, and almonds in drippings until veggies are tender and almonds are toasty.

3. Cook instant rice according to package. Stir in sausage and onion mix.

4. In medium, heavy saucepan, bring to a boil cream of chicken soup and milk.

5. Mix soup and sausage mixture in deep baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 min. or until hot through. Sprinkle with more toasted almonds.

Spam Swiss Pie?! For real? September 18, 2007

Apparently, my gmail account posts a link to something it thinks I might be interested in. Like Spam Swiss Pie. Do I even dare look at the recipe? Spam, in my experience, is the brunt of a Monty Python skit. “Spam Spam and more Spam….” and it goes on and on. It’s also on a bunch of thrift store t-shirts that take something really odd or totally random and make it cool by, well, putting it on a t-shirt. Isn’t Spam one of those wonders of the mid-20th Century when Americans decided it was a good thing to synthetically produce everything in a lab? Spam and Nylon, and Polyester. Yes, I would put them all in the same category. Though I find polyester more useful than spam, and nylon infinitely more useful than them both.

And now, I must ask the question: Why is junk email called spam? Does it have anything to do with Spam? There is probably an actual answer to that question, so I will just wait patiently for a computer-nerd friend to answer.

Back to Spam. I have nothing against other forms of processed foods. I enjoy Velveeta immensely in Rotel dip and on broccoli. I have been known to scarf down my share of hot dogs. And who knows how many Vienna Sausages I ate as a kid! But, Spam? It’s pink, bright pink. It stays in the same shape as the can. Much like dog food, or cranberry sauce, neither of which make it onto my weekly menu. I know my Grandma had some at some point, but I think the same can sat in the pantry for at least 3 years. Ironically, it was probably still good.

I often use the Kraft Foods recipe database as a starting place for meal planning. I have found some excellent recipes there, and I’ve found some stinkers. But, as Kraft owns half the world, and of course promote their own products as “necessary” ingredients for the recipes, Spam has been enjoying a mini-revival. At least I suppose, I’m not sure if anyone has actually made the recipes with Spam. Speaking of Spam recipes, who is willing to try this one? Not I, said the blogger.

One deep dish pie crust

6 eggs

1 cup whipping cream

1/8 tsp. pepper

1 can Spam Luncheon Meat, cubed

1/4 cup chopped onion

2 cups shredded Swiss cheese, divided

   Heat oven to 425'F. Bake pie shell 6-8 minutes. Reduce oven

   temperature to 350'F. In bowl, beat together eggs, whipping cream,

   and pepper. Stir in SPAM and onion. Sprinkle 1 cup cheese in pie

   shell. Pour egg mixture over cheese. Sprinkle remaining cheese over

   egg. Bake 45-55 minutes or until eggs are set.

Confessions of a Real Life Foodie May 24, 2007

There are, actually, very few foods or food-items than I simply cannot and will not resist. Gala apples are in the top three “irresistable foods”, and I have nothing to be ashamed of. Refreshing, delicious, and packed with good-for-you stuff, you can bet nutritionists wish more people ranked apples among their favorites. As for one I am slightly ashamed of, well, refried beans. Don’t ask, I don’t know why. I love them. I actually crave them sometimes. I love them in burritos with just cheese and sour cream, I love them in mexican casseroles and enchiladas, I love them with rice on a platter at a restaurant. I even love them out of a can labeled “Frito’s Bean Dip”. I could eat them everyday (but I would blow up like a balloon, so I don’t). I’m not so ashamed of refried-bean-love because lots of people like refried beans. It’s a cultural thing, too. There are and were people groups whose main staple was beans in all their various forms, including refried. So, I’m culturally sensitive and well-rounded as well as trendy. At least in these parts, where Tex-Mex is king.

And finally, for my most shaming food favorite. I would not call it an addiction, because I can certainly do without them. It’s just…..if they are here, I eat them. Quickly. Until they are gone. And I justify the swiftness with which I eat them with the thought,”Well, if I get them out of the way now, I won’t have any to want later.” What kind of logic is that?! Ok, here goes, *deep breath* Pop-Tarts. Chocolate Pop-Tarts in particular. Wheeeeewww! Glad I got that off my chest. Now that I have exposed one of my deepest secrets, with which my husband is all too familiar, I can offer you a recipe that uses refried beans, and no POP-TARTS.

Mexican Casserole:

3 wheat tortillas 1/2 to 3/4 lb. ground beef 1/3 cup chopped onion

1 packet taco seasoning, or your own spices 1/2 can black beans, refried beans

1/2 can diced tomatoes, green chiles to taste, grated cheese (cheddar, colby/jack)

Brown beef and onion, drain. Add 1/2 cup water and taco seasoning or spices. Simmer a few minutes. Add beans, refried beans, tomatoes, heat through. Grease a small, deep baking dish (Corningware has a nice round one), layer one tortilla, 1/2 inch thick layer of beef mix, 1/4 inch grated cheese, and repeat. Top with one tortilla, a sprinkle of cheese and green chiles. Bake at 350 degrees at least 20 minutes, or until heated through.

Pickled, unopened “Capparis spinosa” blossoms, anyone? May 2, 2007

Capers. No, they do not have anything to do with the Muppets, or Homestarrunner. They are delicate, tangy, bright green blossoms, pickled before they open. They are native to the Mediterranean, and can now be found in California (according to Wikipedia. You decide.) I would like to know who invented pickling. And who first decided to pickle a flower bud? I mean, we do some strange things to create a food product, not the least of which is to pour millimeter-thin layers of a gelly like substance over various other foods to make something, unappetizingly, called an aspic. But I digress. At first I thought, How odd, choosing a plant and nipping it in the bud (Hrrmm), to make a garnish. But, man oh man, I can’t get me enougha them suckers! The more the merrier. Well, until the saltiness makes your teeth try to migrate to the back of your head. Either way, a spoonful or a handful of capers can make many a happy tongue and tummy. Mine are certainly thankful for the savory goodness that is a caper.

This recipe comes from “The Best American Recipes: 2005-2006″ cookbook (Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston: 2005). My loving husband gave me this book on our first married Christmas, and I have produced several elegant dinners with its help. A recurring favorite is Fusili with Feta and Lemon Caper Pesto (p. 106). Yes, another long one. Sorry.

Pasta: Kosher salt 8 oz. fusili 10oz fresh spinach, washed but not dried

Pesto: 1 small garlic clove 2-3 anchovy fillets, rinsed and patted dry (I’ve never used them in this recipe)

1 tbls. capers, rinsed lightly 1 1″ long strip of lemon zest 2 tbls. crumbled feta

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley 2-3 fresh basil leaves 1 tbls. lemon juice

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil salt and freshly ground black pepper

2/3 cup crumbed feta (for last step)

Boil pasta with a dash of salt until al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup cooking water, drain the rest. Don’t wash pot.

Put wet spinach in a large skillet over medium heat. Add a dash of salt, cover. Steam for 3-4 minutes until wilted, but still bright green. Stir into drained, hot pasta.

To make the Pesto: Put all Pesto ingredients into food processor or blender, except for the 2/3 cup feta cheese. Blend until creamy. If you like, thin the pesto with the reserved cooking water, until it is “the consistency of runny cream”. I have never done this, I like my pesto thick. Stir pesto into hot pasta and spinach. Stir to coat, stir in 2/3 cup feta cheese, serve immediately.

I like to serve this with fruit for a lighter meal. The spinach in the pasta is enough for a veggie helping, the feta adds dairy and a bit of protein.

The best Manicotti Russell’s ever had, anyone else care to add their opinion? April 19, 2007

So, I hate manicotti noodles. I do more growling and slinging of amorphous cheese mixtures while trying to fill manicotti noodles than any other instance when I’m working with amorphous cheese mixtures (and how often is that?!). How could a word so fun to say be connected with such an infuriating object? Though I suppose that happens more often than not, like the word vaccuum: fun to say, fun to spell, but something I am not likely to be enthusiastic about. Alas, such is language. On to the food. My husband and I love Italian food, authentic or American-style. Cheese, tomatoes, basil, GARLIC, carbs in various shapes and textures….just toss in some spicy sausage and we are a-ok! I particularly love the generous amounts of fresh herbs required for Italian dishes. Unfortunately, I do not have a green thumb, and so must purchase my herbs from my local supermarket (in which case, I have a private kitchen fantasy of clipping the tender leaves and stems from the 3 cheerful blue herb pots I keep nearby, which are currently barren and crusty after 2 attempts to grow my own). Or resort to the dried varieties. Either way, I can eat my weight, which is more than I like to admit, in yummy pasta! So, last week while planning our menu, Russell said, “Make something Italian.” Such a plain, simple statement. Who knew it would yield some of my best culinary results and make me wish I had a bigger food budget?! “Manicotti” echoed around in my brain while I was making a grocery list, and I thought, “No way, not gonna deal with that this week.” But then, AHA!! Cook’s Illustrated magazine (a lovely gift from my Chef father) recently published a recipe for the perfect manicotti. No mess, no fuss, and it certainly promised to curb my desire to throw cheese filling across the kitchen. It was perfect, and yummy, and beautiful, and smelled amazing, and and and and. To sum up our experience with it, I will quote my dear husband, “I had 2 for dinner. I ate the third one for fun.”

“Streamlining Manicotti ” Cook’s Illustrated, Number Eighty-Four, January/February 2007, p.12-13

Tomato Sauce:

2 (28oz) cans diced tomatoes in juice 2 tbls. extra-virgin olive oil

3 medium garlic cloves, minced 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, optional

table salt 2 tbls. chopped fresh basil leaves

Cheese Filling and Pasta:

3 cups part-skim ricotta cheese (no gums, no preservatives, preferably)

4 oz. grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 cups) 8 oz mozzarella, shredded

2 large eggs, lightly beaten 3/4 tsp. table salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper 2 tbls. each, chopped basil and parsley

16 no boil lasagna noodles

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position, heat to 375 degrees. Chop tomatoes in food processors, 3 or 4 pulses.

2. Heat oil, garlic, and pepper flakes in large saucepan over medium heat, 1-2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and salt, simmer 15 min. until slightly thickened.

3. Combine ricotta, 1 cup parmesan, mozzarella, eggs, salt, pepper, and herbs in med. bowl.

4. Pour 1″ boiling water into large baking dish. Add noodles one at a time. Let soak until pliable, about 5 min, separate with table knife to keep from sticking. Remove noodles from water, arrange in a single layer on clean kitchen towels or foil. Empty and dry baking dish.

5. Spread bottom of dish with 1 1/2 cups sauce. Spoon about 1/4 cup cheese filling onto bottom 3/4 of each noodle. Roll into tube, place seam side down in dish. Cover pasta completely with remaining sauce.

6. Cover dish with foil, bake about 40 min. Remove foil, turn oven to broil. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup parmesan over pasta, place under broiler until brown and bubbly. Let cool, or it will set you on fire! (believe me, I know.)