Weekly Roundup - Living On Nothing Edition [Survival Today

Did you hear about the guy that lives on nothing? No seriously, he lives on zero dollars a day. Meet Daniel Suelo, who lives in a cave outside Moab, Utah. Suelo has no mortgage, no car payment, no debt of any kind. He also has no home, no car, no television, and absolutely no “creature comforts.” But he does have a lot of creatures, as in the mice and bugs that scurry about the cave floor he’s called home for the last three years.

To us, Suelo probably sounds a little extreme. Actually, he probably sounds very extreme. After all, I suspect most of you reading this are doing so under the protection of some sort of man-made shelter, and with some amount of money on your person, and probably a few needs for money, too. And who doesn’t need money unless they have completely unplugged from the grid? Still, it’s an amusing story about a guy who rejects all forms of consumerism as we know it.

How to Brew Your Own Beer and Maybe Save Some Money. A fantastic introduction to home brewing, something I’ve never done myself, but always been interested in trying. (@Generation X Finance)

Contentment: A Great Financial Principle. If I had to name one required emotion for living a frugal lifestyle it would be contentment. Once you are content with your belongings and your lot in life you can ignore forces attempting to separate you from your money. (@Personal Finance by the Book)

Use Energy Star Appliances to Save On Utility Costs. I enjoyed this post because it included actual numbers, and actual total savings, from someone who upgraded to new, energy star appliances. (@The Digerati Life)

Over-Saving for Retirement? Is it possible to “over-save” for retirement? Yes, I think so. At some point I like the idea of putting some money aside in taxable investments outside of retirement funds, to be accessed prior to traditional retirement age. (@The Simple Dollar)

40 Things to Teach My Kids Before They Leave Home. A great list of both practical and philosophical lessons to teach your kids before they reach the age where they know everything. I think that now happens around 13 years-old. (@My Supercharged Life)

Index Fund Investing Overview. If you are looking for a place to invest with high diversification and relatively low fees (for broader index funds with low turnover), index funds are a great place to start. (@Money Smart Life)

5 Reasons To Line Dry Your Laundry. My wife and I may soon be installing a clothesline in our backyard. In many neighborhoods they are frowned upon - one of the reasons I don’t like living in a neighborhood. I digress. One of our neighbors recently put up a clothesline, and we might just follow his lead. (@Simple Mom)

* 4 Quick Tips for Getting Out of a Rut * Young and Cash Rich * Embracing Simple Style * First Trading Experience With OptionsHouse * The Exponential Power of Delayed Consumption * How Much Emergency Fund is Enough? * 50 Questions that Will Free Your Mind * Save Money On Car Insurance

SALMONELLOSIS, SALAMI - USA (02): SEROTYPE MONTEVIDEO
*****************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org

[1] Latest CDC report with “smoking” salami
[2] “Smoking” pepper

******
[1] Latest CDC report with “smoking” salami
Date: Tue 26 Jan 2010
Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) [edited]
http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/montevideo/index.html

CDC is collaborating with public health officials in many states, the
Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service
(FSIS), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate a
multistate outbreak of _Salmonella [enterica_] serotype Montevideo
infections. Investigators are using DNA analysis of the bacteria
obtained through diagnostic testing to identify cases of illness that
may be part of this outbreak.

As of 9:00 pm EST on 25 Jan 2010, a total of 189 individuals infected
with a matching strain of _S._ Montevideo have been reported from 40
states since 1 Jul 2009. The number of ill persons identified in each
state with this strain is as follows: AL (2), AZ (5), CA (30), CO
(3), CT (4), DE (2), FL (2), GA (3), IA (1), ID (2), IL (11), IN (3),
KS (3), LA (1), MA (12), MD (1), ME (1), MI (1), MN (4), MO (1), NC
(9), ND (1), NE (1), NH (1), NJ (7), NY (15), OH (9), OK (1), OR (8),
PA (3), RI (2), SC (1), SD (3), TN (4), TX (7), UT (7), VA (1), WA
(14), WV (1), and WY (2). Because this is a commonly occurring
strain, public health investigators may determine that some of the
illnesses are not part of this outbreak.

Among the persons with reported dates available, illnesses began
between 4 Jul 2009 and 7 Jan 2010. Infected individuals range in age
from less than 1 year old to 88 years old and the median age is 36
years. 53 percent of patients are male. Among the 134 patients with
available information, 37 (28 percent) were hospitalized. No deaths
have been reported.

Investigation of the outbreak

A widely distributed contaminated food product might cause illnesses
across the USA. The identity of the contaminated product often is not
readily apparent. In outbreaks like this one, identification of the
contaminated product requires conducting detailed standardized
interviews with persons who were ill. It may also require conducting
interviews with non-ill members of the public (”controls”) to get
information about foods recently eaten and other exposures to compare
with information from the ill persons. The investigation is often
supplemented by laboratory testing of suspected products. In
addition, investigators sometimes use purchase information provided
by ill persons to trace suspect products back to the point of
production. This process is labor-intensive and typically takes
weeks. It is not always successful.

During 16-21 Jan 2010, CDC and public health officials in multiple
states conducted an epidemiologic study by comparing foods eaten by
41 ill and 41 well persons. Preliminary analysis of this study has
suggested salami as a possible source of illness. Ill persons (58
percent) were significantly more likely than well persons (16
percent) to report eating salami. Additionally, 13 ill persons have
been identified who purchased the same type of sliced salami variety
pack at different grocery store locations before becoming ill. These
data suggest this product may be the source of some of these
illnesses. This sliced salami variety pack was recently recalled by
Daniele International Inc. On 23 Jan 2010, FSIS issued a notice that
Daniele International Inc. is recalling approximately 1.24 million
pounds of ready-to-eat varieties of Italian sausage products
(including salame/salami) in commerce and potentially available to
customers in retail locations because they may be contaminated with
_Salmonella_.
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_006_2010_Release/index.asp
These products can have an extended shelf life of up to 1 year. The
manufacturer has voluntarily halted production of salami products.

This recall followed isolation of _Salmonella_ in a private
laboratory from a retail sample of a salami product produced by
Daniele International; this product was different than the sliced
salami variety pack purchased at different grocery store locations by
the 13 ill persons. FSIS reviewed and affirmed these private
laboratory results. The strain initially found by the private
laboratory was different from the strains causing the outbreak.
However, the Washington State Department of Health subsequently
tested the bacterial culture provided by the private laboratory (the
salami was not provided) and identified 2 different serotypes, the
strain found by the private lab and _S._ Montevideo indistinguishable
from the outbreak strain. In addition, the Iowa Department of Public
Health and public health officials in Plymouth County, Iowa
investigated a patient with _S._ Montevideo infection
indistinguishable from the outbreak strain and discovered an open
sliced salami variety pack frozen at the patient’s home. The patient
had eaten this product before becoming ill. This sliced salami
variety pack was the same as that purchased by 13 other ill persons.
Using DNA analysis, the University of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory
(Iowa’s public health laboratory) confirmed that the strain isolated
from this leftover salami was indistinguishable from the outbreak
strain of _S._ Montevideo.

CDC and its public health partners are continuing the epidemiologic
investigation to verify that the outbreak is controlled; to identify
the specific products or ingredients that became contaminated and how
the contamination occurred; and to identify any other food vehicles
that may be involved. It is possible that more than 1 food product
may be causing illnesses. The investigation is ongoing.

—
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
promed@promedmail.org

[The epidemic curve and map of states involved to date can be found
on the original source URL. “Smoking” salami has been identified,
that is, an implicated food containing the same strain but the
posting below suggests the source may not be the meat per se. - Mod.LL]

******
[2] “Smoking” pepper
Date: Thu 28 Jan 2010
Source: ABC News, Associated Press (AP) report [edited]
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=9690975

Black pepper used to coat salami is the possible cause of a
salmonellosis outbreak that sickened people in 40 states, the Rhode
Island Department of Health said Thursday [28 Jan 2010].

Tests showed the same strain of _S._ Montevideo that has sickened at
least 189 people since July 2009 was also found in 2 open containers
of pepper at meat company Daniele International Inc.’s facility in
Burrillville, Rhode Island. 37 people have been hospitalized in the
outbreak, according to the CDC.

[snipped]

“We’re pretty sure right now that the ground pepper is the source of
the outbreak, but until we get a positive result that was taken from
a closed container, we can’t be 100 percent certain,” she said.

—
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
promed@promedmail.org

[ProMED-mail awaits the information obtained from the previously
unopened pepper containers to confirm its “smoking” nature. - Mod.LL]

[see also:
Salmonellosis, salami - USA: alert, recall 20100124.0270
Salmonellosis, serotype Typhimurium - USA: frogs, 2009 20100108.0090

Cheddar, Potato and Beer Soup

This hearty soup is made with three of my favorite things, cheddar cheese, potatoes and beer.

3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, halved and sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups lager beer
1 1/2 lb. Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 tsp minced fresh thyme, or few pinches dried
1/2 cup light cream
125 grams old cheddar cheese, grated
salt and white pepper to taste
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Place the oil in a soup pot and set over medium to medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook 4 to 5 minutes, or until the onions are softened. Mix in the flour and cook and stir 2 minutes more. Very slowly stir in the stock, and then the beer. Add potatoes and thyme, and bring the soup to a gentle simmer. Simmer the soup until potatoes are very tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Purée the soup in a food processor or blender, or in the pot with an immersion blender. Stir in the cream and cheese, reserving 1/3 cup of the latter to garnish the top of the soup. Heat the soup just until the cheese melts. Season the soup with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls, decorate the top with a little grated cheese and parsley, and serve. Preparation time: 25 minutes Cooking time: About 30 minutes Makes: 4 servings

Jack Poulter On an Island in the Pacific

Minestrone soup for 5 months pregnant in TX:

MINESTRONE SOUP (OLIVE GARDEN)

1 cup finely minced celery
1 cup finely minced onion
1 cup finely minced carrot
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup garbanzo beans
1/2 cup kidney beans
1/2 cup whole dried peas
1/2 cup white pea beans
3/4 cup sliced carrots
3/4 cup coarsely chopped onion
3/4 cup sliced celery
3/4 cup chopped bell pepper
1/2 cup rice or barley
1 cup shell macaroni
2 tablespoons minced parsley
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
2 teaspoons soy sauce
Pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese

Slowly sauté finely minced onion, celery and carrot in butter until very brown. Add peas and beans and about 3 quarts of water. Cook slowly until beans are almost done (check garbanzos - they will take the longest) about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Add the remaining vegetables, rice and spices and more water if necessary and cook another hour. About 20 minutes before serving time add the macaroni and more water if needed. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve with crusty garlic bread.

Olive Gardens’ Pasta Fagioli

1 lb. Can undrained northern beans
2 cans sliced style stewed tomatoes(14 oz. Each)
1 lb. Jar Prego spaghetti sauce
2 ribs celery sliced thin
1 small onion chopped
2 cups small spiral pasta, uncooked
salt and pepper

Combine everything in Dutch Oven on med.-high. Bring to just a boil; turn low. Cover the pan with a lid and allow to cook gently for 30 min., or until pasta is tender.

Mlibu97

This is for Chelcy, who requested a recipe for Texas Sheet cake. The recipe was given to me by a friend at work many years ago. I haven’t made it in some time, but I recall it was very good.

Evelyn’s Texas Sheet Cake

1 cup margarine
4 tbsp. cocoa powder
1 cup water
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream

Bring the margarine, cocoa and water to a boil on the stove. Add sugar, flour, salt and baking soda and beat well. Add the eggs and sour cream, and beat well again. Pour onto greased jelly roll pan and bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 min.

Frosting for Texas Sheet Cake

1/2 cup margarine
4 tbsp. cocoa
6-8 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
icing sugar
chopped nuts

Bring margarine, cocoa and milk to a light boil. Add enough icing sugar to thicken icing.* Add vanilla and beat well. Add chopped nuts.** Pour over warm cake.

* The recipe does not give an exact measurement of icing sugar. I would just add it a bit at a time until it is the desired consistency.

** I believe I just used to sprinkle the chopped nuts on top of the freshly spread icing rather than stirring them into the icing.

I hope this is what Chelcy was looking for.

Val Walter

For Chelsey P:

These are from Taste of Home and Light and Tasty Magazines. One is the regular version and the other is a lightened (reduced fat) version of White Texas Sheet Cake.

Makeover White Texas Sheet Cake (reduced fat) from Light and Tasty magazine

Prep: 15 min. Bake: 15 min. + cooling

1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/2 cup water
2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

FROSTING:
1/3 cup reduced-fat butter
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons fat-free milk
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts, toasted

In a large saucepan, bring butter and water just to a boil. Immediately remove from the heat; stir in the flour, sugar, eggs, sour cream, applesauce, salt, baking powder, extract and baking soda until smooth. Pour into a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes.
For frosting, in a small bowl, beat butter and extract until smooth. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar. Add milk; beat until smooth. Spread over warm cake; sprinkle with walnuts. Cool completely. Yield: 20 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 piece equals 266 calories, 9 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 41 mg cholesterol, 230 mg sodium, 44 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 3 g protein.

White Texas Sheet Cake (from Taste of Home)

20 Servings
Prep: 15 min. Bake: 20 min. + cooling
Ingredients
1 cup butter, cubed
1 cup water
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

FROSTING:
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup milk
4-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup chopped walnuts

In a large saucepan, bring butter and water just to a boil. Immediately remove from the heat; stir in the flour, sugar, eggs, sour cream, salt, baking powder, extract and baking soda until smooth. Pour into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 375° for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. For frosting, in a large saucepan, bring butter and milk just to a boil. Immediately remove from the heat; stir in confectioners’ sugar and extract. Stir in walnuts; spread over warm cake. Cool completely. Yield: 20 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 piece equals 409 calories, 19 g fat (10 g saturated fat), 62 mg cholesterol, 304 mg sodium, 58 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 4 g protein.

Mary Beth

The Best Cupcakes

Recipe By : Real Food for Real People
Serving Size : 12 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Cupcakes Dessert

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
———— —————— —————— -———— -———— —
1 1/2 cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Butter — softened
3 Eggs — slightly beaten
1/2 cup Sour Cream
3 tablespoons Milk
1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract

Frosting:
8 ounces Cream Cheese — room temperature
1 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners. In a small bowl, stir together flour and baking soda. In another bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and mix well. Add sour cream, milk and vanilla or coconut extract and mix until you get a creamy batter. Add flour mixture to the batter. Mix until combined. Spoon batter into muffin tin, filling lined muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake 18-20 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:
Prepare the frosting while the cupcakes are cooling: beat the cream cheese until softened, using an electric mixer on medium. Slowly add the sugar and vanilla or coconut extract, and beat for a couple more minutes, until creamy.

Source: “Cupcakes in a Jar”
Copyright: “2009, Kaylin White/Real Food for Real People”
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 361 Calories; 18g Fat (44.3% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 45g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 99mg Cholesterol; 264mg Sodium.

Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch) ; 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 3 1/2 Fat; 2 Other Carbohydrates.

*Note: Please forward this recipe post to as many people as you like. All I ask is that you forward the entire message, and that you encourage the recipient to subscribe. Thank you so much! Kaylin

Archives: http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/RealFood4RealPeople/

=== Google Blogs Alert for: Urban Chicken farmers ===

Thousands of layer chicken positively die of bird flu infection ...
By Chen Qi
Depopulation was done by burning the dead chicken to prevent possible
transmission to other farms because Pengadegan is one of layer chicken
central. Click Here For Full Article. Found for you by Chen Qi at 1/29/2010
02:32:00 PM .... The fact that the quake hit the capital, and demolished
every center of social activity, destroyed the systems upon which daily
urban life depends. Millions of people are now without livelihoods and the
means for survival. ...
http://www.dowell-netherlands.com/2010/01/thousands-of-layer-chicken-positively.html
Chen Qi -The World of Micro-Organism...
http://www.dowell-netherlands.com/

I love stuffed chicken breasts! | Food & Cooking
By admin
Chicken is one of my favorite meals, I make it all the time. “Not chicken
again!” Nobody says that in my house. I love to try new things when it
comes to making chicken. So the other day, I decided to make a stuffed
chicken breast using ...
http://food.hikool.com/i-love-stuffed-chicken-breasts/
Food & Cooking
http://food.hikool.com/

Living with Ponies « (not so) Urban Hennery
By Laura
Horses were part of growing up on the family farm, something I took for
granted my entire life, until it was gone. I sold Carmel when I was
finishing high school, when it was obvious that my interest in riding was
minimal. .... growing challenge, harvest, horses, house, italy, Local
Foodshed, locavore, misc, one local summer, personal, politics, press,
quick notes, reading, recipes, san francisco, seed starting, seeds,
Uncategorized, urban chickens, vacation, weather ...
http://urbanhennery.com/2010/01/28/living-with-ponies/
(not so) Urban Hennery
http://urbanhennery.com/

Locavore News – Events by Elbert van Donkersgoed | Sustain Ontario
By katie
The Chicken & Egg Dance Rehatched! February 13 (in BC). Good old-fashioned
family fun! This time around, the dance will support the work of Farm Folk
City Folk, Vancouver Farmers Markets and BC Association of Regenerative
Agriculture. .... Hosted by Growing Power—a national organization headed
by the sustainable urban farmer and MacArthur Fellow Will Allen—this
international conference will teach the participant how to plan, develop
and grow small farms in urban and rural ...
http://sustainontario.com/2010/01/29/1018/news/locavore-news-events-by-elbert-van-donkersgoed
Sustain Ontario
http://sustainontario.com/

Adventures of an Urban Homesteader: day off
By Urbancowgrrl
Adventures of an Urban Homesteader. I’m a city girl who wants to move to
the country but has to wait until we can figure out a way to make a living
outside the city. So, for the time being I’m trying to make a tiny little
farm on our 5100 ... I looked all over the house then looked around the
backyard and finally found her when the chickens started squawking and
flying around in panic because she’d snuck up on the backside of their run
and pounced at the chicken wire. ...
http://urbancowgrrl.blogspot.com/2010/01/day-off.html
Adventures of an Urban Homesteader
http://urbancowgrrl.blogspot.com/

=== Google Web Alert for: Urban Chicken farmers ===

Chicken Farms Information
Information on chicken ordinances and laws. a wonderful resources listing,
and faq page urban farms bring agriculture into cities. eating locally: ...
http://holders-pine.co.uk/bkgvh/bll.php?chicken-farms-information

Farmers Chicken In Mn
It’s book #1 of 9 recommended books for aspiring urban chicken farmers.
help legalize urban chickens in mankato, mn. gallus gallus: urban chickens
as an art ...
http://cdbanyoles.net/ncht/kxcjs.php?farmers-chicken-in-mn

This once a day Google Alert is brought to you by Google...

Layered Vegetarian Crockpot Dinner
Posted by: “MomsRecipes”

Layered Vegetarian Crockpot Dinner

6 potatoes — sliced
1 large onion — sliced
2 carrots — sliced
1 green pepper — sliced
1 zucchini — sliced
1 cup corn — frozen or fresh
1 cup peas — frozen or fresh
Any other favorite veggies

Sauce

2 1/2 cups tomato sauce
1/4 cup Tamari soy sauce — low-sodium
1 tsp thyme — ground
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp basil
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp sage
2 T parsley

Layer vegetables in crock pot in order given. Mix together ingredients for sauce and pour over vegetables. Cook six hours on HIGH or 12 hours on LOW.

http://crockpotrecipes101.com

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2a. Crockpot Chickpea Soup
Posted by: “MomsRecipes”

Crockpot Chickpea Soup

2 1/2 cups dried garbanzo beans or 3 (15 ounces) cans chickpeas
2 Tbs olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
8 cloves garlic (pressed or minced)
2 cups vegetable stock
2 cups water or additional vegetable stock
2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 tsp pepper (freshly ground is always better)
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes (undrained)
3 Tbs balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 ounces grated fresh parmesan cheese (6 Tbs)

Soak dried garbanzo beans in water to cover overnight. Rinse and inspect the beans and set aside. In a skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat, add the garlic and onion and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Put the onion mixture, garbanzo beans, and next 5 ingredients in your crockpot. Simmer in the crockpot for 2 to 4 hours. (I will start this on low in the morning, and turn up the heat when I come home for lunch). To make the soup thicker, blend 4 cups of the soup in a blender, 1 cup at a time (very carefully, this is hot soup!) then place all 4 cups back into the soup. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and let the soup simmer another 15 minutes. (this is the perfect time to throw together a salad). Place the soup in bowls (1 1/2 cups for 6 servings) and sprinkle with parmesan (1 T).

PLEASE NOTE: If you see a recipe on this site that you would like to share
on your own list or another list, we simply ask that you add “Found on
crockpot-recipes@yahoogroups.com“.

To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crockpot-recipes/

Sausage , Bean and Barley Soup ...
Posted by: “Stevie

A new recipe, One I came up with
when I found myself wanting soup,
And this was about all I had on hand ...
It’s got a real ‘ Stick to your Ribs ‘
quality to it ....

If you want to make this soup stretch a bit, just add 1/2 – 1
cup
extra barley..... A Good thing ...

Sausage, Bean & Barley Soup
Ingredients :

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

4 ribs celery, thinly sliced

4 hot Italian Sausage, casings removed

4 cups chicken (or beef or veggie) stock

1 cup pearled barley

2 15 oz. cans of red kidney beans

2 tsp. smoked paprika

juice of 1/2 a lime

1/4 cup Italian Parsley, roughly choppedA pinch or two of chili powder

Directions :

Set a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Once it’s hot, add the olive
oil, onions and celery. Sautee until the onions and celery begin to
soften, about 5 minutes.
Add the sausage and brown it, using a wooden spoon to break
up any large chunks. When the sausage has browned, add the stock,
barley, beans,chili powder , and paprika. Simmer for 20 – 30 minutes, or until it
begins to thicken up.
Stir in the lime juice and serve. Sprinkle with Italian parsley.
Makes 4 – 6 servings.

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. Mexican Meatballs in Tomato and Chipotle Sauce
Posted by: “~*Piper*~”

Mexican Meatballs in Tomato and Chipotle Sauce

•1-1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
•2 small zucchini squash
•2 eggs
•1/2 tsp. oregano
•8 peppercorns
•3/4 tsp. salt
•1/4 tsp. cumin seeds
•1/3 onion, chopped
•2 lbs. tomatoes
•3-4 chipotle chile peppers en adobo (about 1/3 of a 7-oz. can)
•3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
•3/4 cup beef broth
•salt, to taste

Chop the zucchini very finely and add to the ground beef. In blender, blend eggs with the oregano, peppercorns, salt, cumin seeds and onion. Combine with the beef and mix well. Make 24 meatballs, about 1-1/2 inches in diameter.

Cover the tomatoes with boiling water and cook for about 5 minutes. Drain and blend the cooked tomatoes with the chiles until smooth.

In a sauce pan, heat the oil and add the sauce. When it starts boiling, cook over high heat for about 5 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Add the meatballs and bring to a simmer once again.

Cover and cook over low heat until the meatballs are done, about 50 minutes. Season and serve.

Suggestions
For larger quantities, bake the meatballs at 375°F on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper for about 15-20 minutes. Add the cooked meatballs to the sauce and cook another 15-20 minutes.

Serves 6

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. Spicy Crab Curry - Bengali Style
Posted by: “~*Piper*~”

Spicy Crab Curry - Bengali Style

2 fresh Dungeness crabs, cleaned and
with their shells cracked
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon mustard seed
1 tablespoon hot water
1 tablespoon mustard oil
3 cups sliced red onion
1 3/4 cups boiling potatoes, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut crosswise
into 1/4-inch slices
2 whole cloves
1 (1 inch) piece cinnamon stick
2 pods green cardamom pods
5 whole black peppercorns
2 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped
4 Thai green chiles
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic paste
1 1/2 teaspoons ginger paste
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt to taste
1 teaspoon white sugar

Garnish:
1 wedge fresh lemon
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Rub the crabs with 1 teaspoon of the turmeric and 1/2 teaspoon salt; let them marinate for 1 hour. Combine the mustard seed and hot water in a small bowl and let stand for 10 minutes. Use a mortar and pestle to grind the seeds into a coarse paste.
Heat the oil in a wok or kadhai over medium heat. Add the crabs and stir fry until they change color, about 4 minutes. Remove the crabs from the oil and set aside.
Add the sliced onions to the wok and cook and stir over medium heat until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Raise the heat to high, add the potatoes, and cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes. Add the cloves, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, and peppercorns, and stir for thirty seconds.
Stir in the tomatoes, ginger paste, and garlic paste. Halve three of the chiles and add them to the wok. Cook and stir for an additional minute or two over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium; add the remaining 1 teaspoon turmeric, the cayenne pepper, and the mustard paste and stir to combine. Add the crabs to the wok and pour in just enough water to cover the vegetables. Bring the water to a boil and stir in the sugar and salt to taste.
Cover the wok, reduce the heat, and simmer until the potatoes are tender and the water is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Remove the lid, stir, and simmer until the gravy is thickened, about 5 minutes more.
Servings: 4

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
4. Jalapeno Garlic Tilapia Pasta
Posted by: “~*Piper*~”

Jalapeno Garlic Tilapia Pasta

2 1/2 cups penne pasta
1/3 cup margarine, melted
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 (4 ounce) fillets tilapia fillets
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 jalapeno peppers, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 (5 ounce) package baby spinach leaves
1 roma (plum) tomato, chopped

Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the penne, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink.
While the pasta cooks, combine the melted margarine and garlic in a shallow dish. Place the flour in another dish. Dip the tilapia fillets in the garlic butter mixture and then immediately coat with the flour. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the fish in the oil until golden brown, turning once, about 5 minutes total.
Pour the cream, lemon juice, and remaining garlic and margarine mixture into the skillet. Stir in the jalapenos, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Bring to a simmer and allow to cook until sauce has reduced slightly and fish flakes easily with a fork; about 2 minutes. Mix the baby spinach into the sauce and cook until wilted. Stir in the chopped tomato and the cooked pasta.
Servings: 4

This is another great group owned by *~Tamara~*

To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Simply-Spicy/

http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2010/01/maple-cinnamon-pumpkin-seed-butter.html

Maple Cinnamon Pumpkin Seed Butter

by KimiHarris on January 29, 2010

Delectable. I took some soaked and dehydrated pumpkin seeds and threw them in a food processor with a bit of maple syrup (I’ve also tried honey with excellent results) salt, coconut oil and cinnamon. It’s a delicious treat! Especially when served with apple slices. I know it’s not super pretty, but the taste more than makes up for it.

If you have soaked and dehydrated pumpkin seeds on hand, this is very easy to throw together. Otherwise, you can toast raw pumpkin seeds in a pan over medium heat on the stove until they start to brown, which also helps reduce enzyme inhibitors.

I’ve used a fair amount of cinnamon in this recipe because pumpkin seeds have a robust flavor and can handle it. I personally think that one tablespoon of maple syrup makes it sweet enough, but doesn’t give as good “maple flavor” as I want, hence the two tablespoons. But play around with the ratios, if you want. This will get pretty hard in the refrigerator because of the coconut oil, so let it soften at room temperature for a while before you serve it.

Whatever you do, make sure you put it out of reach of little people! After Elena and I had enjoyed amble servings of this treat, I took a shower. When I came out, she had already taken a spoon and polished the rest of it off! Oops. But yes, it’s that good. You will want to eat it off a spoon.

Maple Cinnamon Pumpkin Seed Butter

3/4 cup of Pumpkin Seeds (dehydrated or toasted, see note above)
1/4 cup of coconut oil (or grass fed butter)
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (I prefer grade B) or honey
1/4 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
1 1/2 -2 teaspoons cinnamon

Put all of the ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth and well mixed. Serve right away or place in the refrigerator (just make sure you soften it before serving).

*To Make this GAPS friendly use honey.

Tagged as: Coconut, Coconut oil, Dairy Free, GAPS Friendly, Gluten Free, Grain Free,

http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2009/05/homemade-buckwheat-soba-noodles-gluten-free.html

Homemade Buckwheat Soba Noodles (Gluten Free)

by KimiHarris on May 19, 2009

ng_buckwheatnoodles
Did you know that you can make your own buckwheat soba noodles? We found that homemade buckwheat noodles taste twice as good as the 100 percent buckwheat soba noodles we’ve bought before, and cost half as much. Mild, tender, and delicious, they are the perfect foundation for a beautiful pasta dish, and you can even serve them to a gluten free guest!

I choose to make these buckwheat noodles out of 100 % buckwheat, so they are completely gluten free. Buckwheat, by the way, is not at all related to wheat. It’s not even considered a “grain”, but rather is a highly nutritious “seed”.

buckwheat

“While many people think that buckwheat is a cereal grain, it is actually a fruit seed that is related to rhubarb and sorrel making it a suitable substitute for grains for people who are sensitive to wheat or other grains that contain protein glutens. Buckwheat flowers are very fragrant and are attractive to bees that use them to produce a special, strongly flavored, dark honey. ” WHfoods.com

But if you want to add a bit more strength to your pasta dough, you could add up to half whole wheat bread flour in place of some of the buckwheat flour, though obviously you wouldn’t want to then serve it to a gluten free guest!
buckwheat2

As it was, I was surprised at how easy it was to work with. I was imagining the dough being completely unworkable. But it holds together quite well!

Enjoy!

Homemade Buckwheat Soba Noodles

Makes 6 servings

This recipe uses the soaking method, which neutralizes anti-nutrients in grain, so start the night before.

2 cups of buckwheat flour *See notes above for adding in wheat flour for extra strength
1/2 cup of water
1/2 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

The night before, place the flour in a medium size bowl. Pour the water and vinegar/lemon juice into the bowl and mix with a wooden spoon until you’ve combined it as much as you can. It will most likely be a crumbly mixture at this point. Using your hands, start kneading the mixture until the water and four starts turning into a ball (at which point you can knead a little on a clean surface outside the bowl). Knead for a few minutes until it forms into a firm ball. If needed, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of more water, or flour. You want a firm, but not dry, or wet ball. 1/2 cup of water to 2 cups of flour was perfect for me.

Clean out your bowl and place the dough ball back into it. Dampen a clean dish towel, and wring dry. Place over the ball of dough to keep it moist while it “soaks”. I also put plastic wrap over the bowl, just to make sure that everything stays moist. Leave the bowl out on the counter top overnight for 12 -24 hours.

When ready to roll out, first place a large pot of water to boil on the stove. While the Japanese don’t salt their pasta water, I like too, as the dough doesn’t contain any salt. So salt it generously.

Meanwhile, divide the dough into four sections. Using arrowroot powder, buckwheat flour, or even white flour (once again, only if you don’t have to be gluten free), flour the rolling surface well. If you have a large wooden cutting board, it’s nice to roll and cut directly on it. Flour the top of the dough and your wooden rolling pin. With gentle, but firm motions, start rolling out the dough. You want to roll it out to about 1/8 inch thickness or even thinner! During this process make sure that you are keep both sides of the dough well floured.
buckwheatrolled

To make it easier to cut, I cut the dough into thirds (about 4 inches tall), and laid them on top of each other (just make sure they are lightly floured to prevent sticking).

buckwheatfolded

Using a sharp knife, cut the noodles into 1/8 inch “slices” all the way down the dough.

ng_buckwheatcut

Repeat this process with the rest of the dough and let the noodles rest for about 10-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, your pot of water should be ready. Make sure it’s at a rolling boil, then add all of the noodles at once, giving a gentle stir to make sure they don’t stick to each other. It should only take two minutes to cook. When done they should be tender, but still be slightly chewy.

Drain the noodles, making sure that you use a colander with fine holes so the noodles don’t fall through!

You can now rinse with cold water to cool them if you are using it in a cool dish, or keep warm for whatever dish you have planned for it.

Enjoy!

P.S. We used a peanut sauce from this recipe, which was wonderful when tossed with the buckwheat noodles.

Tagged as: Buckwheat, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Nourishing Frugal Recipes

http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2008/04/asian-noodle-salad-2.html

Asian Noodle Salad

by KimiHarris on April 30, 2008

Today, I am going to share a simple noodle salad, with a lot of flavor. I love how easy this is to make! I don’t know if it’s very traditional, but it does use traditional flavors of Asian cooking, such as, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil. There is peanut butter in the sauce as well that gives it a creamy base. Delish!

My encouragement to you is to taste as you make a recipe. I have been playing around with the sauce for this noodle dish, and we really like it this way. I had made it slightly differently before, and liked it a lot. But I then decided to adjust it slightly and now we really love it. If I hadn’t branched out a little, I wouldn’t have been able to create this dish that we love now! So when you are making any sauce, or dressing, never feel like you have to follow the recipe exactly. Taste it and adjust it to how you like it! I have found that people enjoy different levels of saltiness, and tang, so it is a skill well learned to be able to adjust recipes to your palate.

This recipe is so easy and fast to make, and so makes a great last minute meal. You can serve it cold, or room temperature. My husband especially likes it cold, so it is great to send to work with him. I have also used roasted almond butter in place of the peanut butter, and it worked wonderfully. You can use whatever veggies you want. I just used what I had on hand, which was cabbage, carrots, and zucchini, all very thinly sliced. Some veggies you may want to steam, or stir fry before adding (like snap peas, asparagus etc). Experiment with what you have on hand. I had garnished it with roasted peanuts, but we decided that toasted sesame seeds would be even better.

Asian Noodle Salad

About 8 ounces of thin noodles (I used buckwheat udon noodles, but you can really use whatever you want, though, I would definitely limit it to thin, long noodles. You can even use thin spaghetti noodles, if you wanted too!) Cooked according to package instructions, and rinsed with cool water.

3-4 cups of thinly shredded veggies such as carrots, zucchini, cabbage (like I did), or lightly steamed snap peas, asparagus, or veggie of choice.

For Sauce:
1/3 cup of roasted peanut butter (or roasted almond butter)
1/4 cup of soy sauce
1/4 cup of rice vinegar
1/4 cup of oil
1/2 teaspoon of ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper

1- While you are heating the water for cooking the pasta, prep veggies.

2-While pasta is cooking, make sauce. Steam or stir fry veggies, if needed

3-When pasta is done, and rinsed with cool water, combine with veggies and toss with sauce.

4-Serve room temperature or cold. Enjoy!

http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2008/10/rustic-pasta-soaked-grain-recipe.html

Homemade Rustic Pasta Noodles (a soaked grain recipe)

by KimiHarris on October 27, 2008

As I have continued in my journey of learning how to get the best flavor out of food, time always seems to be a factor. The time between harvest and being on your table is one time factor. Try a fresh, “new crop” apple from your local produce stand next to a last season apple on clearance right now, and you will find that time effects taste and texture quite dramatically.

When watching certain cooking shows, or reading most cook books, you will find many recipes that try to cover up the lack of time most home cooks have by using many store bought ingredients to give that “long simmered” taste in a short amount of time.

Time is one of the biggest taste factors in our kitchen, and it is what so many of us feel we don’t have. We live hurried lives, and we often don’t even realize it because everyone lives their life just like us. What we put on our table reflects this lifestyle.

As I have tried to go back more and more to food in it’s most homemade, nourishing state, I have found that at almost every step, doing it myself saves me money, and costs me time. Making your own pasta is no exception. It saves me quite a bit of money (compared to buying brown rice pasta), and it costs me a little work and time.
The end result is a rustic pasta, soaked for better nutrition, that all of us enjoy. The same as white flour pasta? No. Delicious? We think so. My two year old eagerly looks forward to pasta days, and my husband always appreciates it too. Don’t expect the same culinary experience of eating durum pasta, but enjoy the hardiness of whole wheat and expect it to be more filling.

I am so glad that I have found it possible to make a soaked pasta, because who wants to give up pasta? For a while, I thought that pasta could only be a compromise food, so I am very happy to find a nourishing solution to a favorite food. To read more about why I choose to soak my grains and flours read part one and part two of my posts on soaking grains.

Many Italian families still make pasta every day. I figure I can manage once a week and I have for the most part. If I am especially tired, I do something easier. Italian families also make pasta together. It’s a community, family project that doesn’t isolate the cook in her/his kitchen. It’s a time of busy fingers and conversation and laughter. Elena is only two but already she is learning to enjoy making pasta with me. She sits in her little sit at the table and I give her a small piece of dough, which she tries to roll out as best as she can. I meanwhile roll out my piece and cut them out, handing her pieces to place on the cooling racks I use to dry them on.

Cooking should be a family project whenever possible. Turn off that TV, and enjoy the simple pleasures of life, which in my book, include making homemade pasta.

Rustic, Soaked Whole Wheat Pasta

For a while I was rolling my dough as thin as possible. This produced a wonderful texture, but the pasta fell apart very easily. If you leave it thicker, you will find that it is a hardier pasta, but will stay together better. You decide how you want it. I should really call this “poor man’s pasta” because it doesn’t include any eggs. I also was able to make this with spelt flour, though it is a little harder to work with.

3-3 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour (try to find wheat berries with a high protein content)
1 cup of warm water
2 tablespoons vinegar (I use apple cider vinegar)
Olive oil for bowl

In a large bowl, combine three cups of flour with the water and vinegar. Stir with a wooden spoon, until it becomes too stiff to stir. Dump out onto a floured surface, and knead for ten minutes, adding in more flour if needed, to create a stiff dough.

Wash out your bowl and dry and drizzle a little olive oil in. Place you dough in the bowl, turning over so that the dough has olive oil on both sides. Cover well, and leave out on the counter over night.

The next day, separate your dough into four balls. Roll out each piece of dough to about a 1/4 inch thickness (read note above), using flour on your surface and rolling pin, and cut into thin strips. I find a pizza cutter very helpful for this step.

You can now leave to dry on a floured surface, or on cooling racks for several hours. Or you can cook immediately.

To cook, bring a large pot of water to boil, and salt liberally. When the water is at a rolling boil, add your pasta, slowly to the pot. Boil for about 10-15 minutes, until the pasta is cooked and soft. I find that the texture of the pasta better when cooked longer. Serve with your favorite sauce.

http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2009/02/rustic-soaked-handkerchief-noodles.html

Rustic, Soaked “Handkerchief” Noodles

by KimiHarris on February 27, 2009

ng_pastahankiesdried

These homemade whole grain “handkerchief” noodles are soaked overnight for both better nutrition and better digestibility. They are then rolled thin and cut into squares in a traditional noodle shape. It should remind you a little of a handkerchief, hence it’s name. Your fresh pasta is now ready to dry or cook. When cooked, they have the wonderful combination of rustic tenderness. All you need is a pasta sauce! We adore them.

ng_pastahankies3

These noodles are made from my recipe for soaked, rustic homemade noodles. The only difference is that they are rolled thinner and cut into larger squares instead of strips. The reason we have begun to like this method better is because the thinness of the noodle keeps it more tender and delicate, while cutting it into the larger shape helps hold it together (the strips tend to fall apart more easily when rolled thin).

Because they are rolled so thinly, they also dry very well. I currently have no special equipment for drying my pasta. I either lay them on cooling racks (this works best), or lay them on the table (one recipe will cover my whole table with drying pasta). When you lay them on a surface like a table to dry, make sure that you keep flipping them every once in a while, so that they will dry evenly. I usually use both methods as I don’t own enough cooling racks for all of my pasta to dry on.

It took me about 12 hours to completely dry my pasta. You know it’s done when they feel dry, and you can break one and it feels “crisp”.

By the way, I am not sure how long dried pasta lasts for as it always disappears very quickly around here. Does anyone have any experience in the keeping qualities of an eggless homemade dried pasta?

I have tried to give more details this time of the process, but feel free to ask any questions.

ng_pastahankies

Rustic, Soaked “Handkerchief” Noodles

You will probably find that the top of your dough will become slightly discolored after “soaking” overnight. Don’t worry about it. It’s just fine and won’t effect the taste. This makes about one pound of pasta which is supposed to serve four people as a main dish or six people as a first dish.

3-3 1/2 cups of freshly ground whole wheat or spelt flour
1 cup of water
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

1-The night before you plan on rolling out your pasta, combine all three of your ingredients. You can use a stand mixer or a Bosch to knead the dough for you (for the bosch, a doubled recipe works best). In that case, just dump them all in and knead into a stiff dough for about 6 minutes. If you are kneading by hand, combine the vinegar and water and place in a bowl. Add 2 cups of flour and thoroughly combine with a wooden spoon. Add the rest of the flour slowly and work into the dough. When it becomes too stiff to work anymore, dump it out onto a floured surface and gently knead more flour into it until it forms a stiff dough. (This will take about ten minutes of kneading).

2-Oil a bowl well, and place your dough inside of it. Turn the dough over, so that the top is lightly covered with oil. Cover well and leave out on the counter overnight.

3-When ready to roll, divide your dough into four pieces (it’s easier to control the thickness of the dough this way). I like to roll out my dough right out on a large wooden cutting board. Use white flour or arrowroot powder to flour both the board you are working on, the rolling pin and the top of the pasta. It’s crucial that you keep everything well covered with flour to be successful.

Roll out evenly until your dough is very thin. I like to keep lifting the dough every once in a while as I roll to make sure that it isn’t sticking to the board. I roll mine at least 1/8 of an inch thin. Then cut into squares. I like everything from 2 1/2 inch squares to twice that size. If you haven’t been working on a cutting board, you will need to gently lift your pasta dough and place it on your cutting board. Do this by gently draping it over the rolling pin and then moving it over. I find that a pizza cutter works great for cutting pasta easily and quickly.

4-As you continue to cut your pasta, dust it lightly with flour and spread out on the counter or cooling racks, or sheet pans. Once you have cut everything out, you will be ready to cook them! (To dry, read my notes above this recipe).

5-Heat a large pot of water, and salt it well. Bring to a rolling boil and gently start to add your noodles in, keeping the water at a simmer. I find that these noodles are usually cooked in about 3-6 minutes. It will depend on how thin you rolled them and whether they are fresh or dried (dried takes slightly longer to cook). Start checking at three minutes. Fresh pasta should not be “al dente”, but soft all the way through.

6-When finished, treating your pasta gently, drain well and toss with your choice of pasta sauces and serve! Both of these pasta sauces go well. Homemade Marinara Sauce and Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce.

ng_pastahankies2

Tagged as: Dairy Free, Main Dish, Nourishing Frugal Recipe, Pasta, Soaked Baked Good

http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2008/01/root-vegetable-cobbler-with-millet-dumplings.html

Root vegetable cobbler with Millet Dumplings

by KimiHarris on January 21, 2008

This is the perfect comfort food. It’s creamy, warm, full of tender root vegetables, and good for you to boot! It’s a great “company” dinner and people pleaser. It’s a whole food/grain dinner, that also happens to be gluten free, for those who are concerned with gluten intake.

Root vegetable cobbler with Millet Dumplings

Filling:
3 tablespoons of butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 pounds of potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 large rutabaga, peeled and cubed
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1-2 turnips, peeled and cubed
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
14 1/2 ounces of chicken broth
1 cup of water
1 cup of whipping cream or whole milk
1 cup of peas

Biscuit topping:
2 cups millet flour (I grind my own, you can look for millet flour in health stores, specialty stores, or grind your own in a grain grinder or even coffee grinder!)
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 large eggs
1/2 cups of milk

For filling:
Melt butter in heave large pot over medium heat. Add onion and saute until soft and golden, about 7 minutes. Add all of the root vegetables, broth and water. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer just until vegetables are tender (around ten to twenty minutes). This cooking time will depend on how small you cubed your veggies.

Add cream and peas and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer.

Pour into a 9 by 13 casserole dish

For biscuit topping: Preheat oven to 425. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into bowl. Add butter and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add eggs and milk and stir until well mixed.

Drop in big spoonfuls onto the casserole dish.

Bake about 18 minutes in oven. Let stand 5 minutes and serve

http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2008/02/greek-inspired-mushroom-barley-patties-2.html

Greek Inspired Mushroom Barley Patties

by KimiHarris on February 4, 2008

There is a little restaurant that Joel and I love to go to at the coast. It has some whole grain options and a lot of gourmet choices. Last time we were there, Joel got a barley burger that he liked a lot. Of course, I had to go home and learn how to make it myself! He thinks that mine is even better. :-)

We found that we liked it with pita bread instead of a hamburger bun. It was a little bready with the bun. Besides, this patty has definite Greek leanings which makes it a natural fit with pita bread. The other advantage is if the patty starts to fall apart (like it did at the restaurant and at home), the pita will catch all the loose pieces.

These patties are flavored with parsley and mint, a classic Greek combination. The mint makes it very flavorful, but is optional. You do need a food processor for this recipe.

Greek Mushroom Barley Patties -makes eight medium sized patties, serves 4

Ingredients:
1 pound of mushrooms, cleaned with a mushroom scrubber or wet cloth, stems trimmed
1 1/2 cups of cooked barley (I use hulled barley instead of pearled barley. It takes longer to cook, but is a whole grain with more nutritional advantages. I soak it in water overnight, rinse, then put in a pot with enough water to cover well. I simmer for 40-60 minutes until tender. I like to get this step done earlier in the day).
Several tablespoons of butter or oil
A large handful of washed parsley with the stems cut off (about one cup)
A small handful of washed mint, stems cut off (about 1/4 cup)
1 egg
2 Tablespoons of champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Process mushrooms in a food processor by pulsing until coarsely chopped.
Heat oil/butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add your mushrooms. Stir continuously until mushrooms are just starting to brown any released water from the mushrooms is evaporated.
Now add your cooked mushrooms and barley, parsley, mint, salt, vinegar, and pepper into the food processor. Pulse until well blended. With processor running, add egg (this is to prevent the egg from cooking if the mushrooms are still hot). Your mixture should now resemble something like ground beef.

Form into eight patties and put on a pan lined with parchment paper.

Cook for around 15 minutes, checking them at ten minutes and every five minutes after. Patties should be firm, but still moist when done.

Serve with warmed pita bread, avocados, cucumber yogurt sauce, tomatoes, and lettuce or sprouts. Enjoy!

http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2008/08/ground-beef-and-cabbage-filling-for-pockets.html

Ground Beef and Cabbage Filling for Pockets

by KimiHarris on August 26, 2008

I have already posted two new portable food recipes this week, Flourless Nut Butter Cookies and Fruit Juice Gelatin, both of which my husband has greatly appreciated. I have not always been the best at sending interesting things to work with him, so this is a very nice change for him. As my final contribution to the Nourishing Portable Food Carnival (happening tomorrow, the 27th! I am looking forward to your contributions!), I was going to share a more “main dish” idea.

Many a wife sent a husband to work in certain time periods with a little “pocket” of food. She would roll out some of her bread dough and tuck a little meat and veggies in it, perhaps leftovers from last night’s stew, and bake it in her oven for a freshly made lunch each morning. Sometimes she would even put meat and veggies on one side, press down the middle and put fruit on the other for a whole package deal.

Continuing in that tradition, this recipe was inspired from a few Russian cookbooks that I have been reading. They also have many little pocket foods, and so, have many traditional recipes for fillings and doughs. From what I can tell, they didn’t usually mix their meat and vegetables, but I didn’t want to have to make two separate recipes. To avoid that, I combined two of the filling ideas for a meat and cabbage filling. It’s surprisingly flavorful for such a simple recipe. It would also make a great simple and easy dinner just served over rice, with soy sauce added at the table.

Because this is a little more labor intensive than a quick peanut butter and jelly sandwich, I froze most of my recipe (we had some for dinner one night). I take out two the night before I plan on sending them with Joel and let them defrost in the refrigerate overnight. While my husband doesn’t tend to like things cold, he actually thinks these taste great cold (yeah!), so he doesn’t even have to worry about re-heating them. I also wanted to mention that this a fairly frugal meat lunch, especially when you compare it to lunch meats.

I made a sourdough dough that worked wonderfully for this recipe, but I want to test it out a little more before I share it. Meanwhile, you can really make pockets out of most doughs.
You can certainly even just use your bread dough. Just roll it about a 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. You can also use more rich doughs, like the cracker ones on this site. Meanwhile, here is the filling (remember that you also use this “filling” as a topping for rice for a simple dinner!)

Ground Beef and Cabbage Filling -Enough filling for 16 pockets with leftovers
We liked these served with a whole grain mustard on the side!

Prepare a dough using about 3 cups of flour (enough dough for one loaf of bread)

2 onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil, lard, tallow, or butter
1 pound of ground hamburger
A half of a cabbage, washed and thinly sliced
salt and pepper

1-In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onions. Stir occasionally and continue to cook until the onions are soft (but don’t brown them to much).

2-Then add the hamburger and cabbage together, cooking until the hamburger is all the way cooked and the cabbage is soft. Salt and pepper to taste

Now you can serve over rice for a simple dinner, or you can stuff into dough for little bread pockets. To do this divide your dough into about 16 pieces. Roll them out into small circles and place a few tablespoon on one half (made sure you use a slotted spoon to drain any excess liquid from the filling! It would make your pocket soggy!). Fold over the other half and press down to seal. In a preheated oven of 400 degrees bake your pockets until they are lightly brown, top and bottom. Mine, being a sourdough, took a little longer than some doughs and finished in around 30 minutes. Serve right away hot, or send cold in lunches.

http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2010/01/27/once-a-month-cooking-prep-cream-of-casseroles/

Once-a-Month Cooking Prep: “Cream of” Casseroles
January 27th, 2010 · 15 Comments · Do It Yourself, Upgraded Nutrition, recipes

Welcome! Kitchen Stewardship is dedicated to balancing God’s gifts of time, health, earth and money. If you feel called to such a mission, read more at Mission, Method, and Mary and Martha Moments. If you like what you see, please sign up for a free email subscription or grab my reader feed. You can also follow me on Twitter.

cream of potato I have done modified Once-a-Month Cooking (OAMC) with a friend twice. We made about 12-18 meals each, and it took all day and was totally hectic, but fun. I get a little stressed out with all the intricate planning that can be involved, at least if you’re me. I’d rather cook a double batch of a meal on a normal night, eat one and freeze the other, or do some big prep that will last over multiple meals (I call it “connected meal planning”), like quadruple homemade cream of chicken soup for casseroles or a big batch of beans for soup, tacos, and a side dish. Even better if some of that connected meal planning meals can be doubled and frozen for future use!

Money Saving Mom and Life as MOM are hosting another OAMC saga this weekend, so I’m posting my goals in advance. I won’t be big batch cooking, but I will be connecting my meal planning, and these recipes are perfect for real OAMC. I’m posting without photos – ghastly, I know – because I haven’t made the dishes yet! I just wanted to share some ideas with you all in case you’re joining in! I also had to reverse engineer this stuff for Real Food, which is the theme for the week. :)

All the casseroles reheat great and freeze acceptably if you are careful to keep it all moist and airtight.

How does Katie freeze make-ahead meals? I have enough glass dishes with lids that I can make many things right in various casserole dishes, albeit weird sizes. I freeze soups and sauces in glass jars, or even in plastic bags. For some reason I’m not scared of plastic bags, no. 4 plastic, no BPA. I would not heat food in them, though. I do still use Gladware for freezing some things…you do what you can! [See the full details on how I think about freezer cooking and store meals.]
Katie’s Real Food Cream of {X} Soup

This recipe is originally from the 30-Day Gourmet Freezer Cooking book, modified slightly for real food. It makes the equivalent of 4 cans of soup, so I always plan enough casseroles to use it up within a week. It freezes well inside a casserole but can separate if you freeze it alone, according to the authors. I’ve never tried it by itself because of that, but I have seen other bloggers who make ahead cream of soups and freeze them. Attempt at your food’s own risk!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter
3/4 c. whole wheat flour (can add more if you like a really thick base)
4 cups milk
2 cups homemade chicken stock (preferably condensed for added flavor)
Optional: Chopped onions

Method:

Melt butter over low heat. If using onions for extra flavor, saute in butter until limp. Add flour and whisk together until smooth. Cook 1 minute. Do not let it brown! Gradually add milk and chicken stock, stirring constantly. Remove from heat when sauce has thickened. This may take up to 15-20 minutes.

Options:

* Cream of celery: Sautee a stalk or two of chopped celery with the butter before adding flour.
* Cream of mushroom: Sautee chopped fresh mushrooms in butter.
* Cream of broccoli: Add chopped steamed broccoli to the soup after it thickens.
* Cheesy sauce: Add shredded cheese (sharp cheddar gives the most flavor) after removing from heat. Stir to melt.
* If you want to make a big batch of soup and have different flavors, you can always saute mushrooms or celery separately and simply add to the finished soup, one can-equivalent at a time.

I’ll make a batch this week – the chicken stock is already thawed – and use it for the following casseroles within 5-7 days:
Honey Dijon Chicken Casserole

The original recipe is from a Quick Cooking magazine from 2000. Original ingredient is in italics, my substitutions in bold.

Ingredients:

2 cans cream of chicken soup –>3 c. homemade + 1 1/2 tsp. salt + 1/2 tsp. black pepper
3/4 cup mayo –>3/4 c. plain homemade yogurt + 1 tsp balsamic vinegar + 1 Tbs lemon juice + 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
OR homemade mayo
1/2 cup milk
3 T. honey
2+ Tbs. Dijon mustard
4 c. cooked chicken
1 pkg. 26 oz. frozen shredded hashbrowns –> 6 thinly sliced or shredded potatoes, skins on or off
3 sliced carrots
(I added) 1 chopped onion

Method:

In a large bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients. Stir in the chicken, potatoes and carrots. Put in a greased 9×13 baking dish. Cover and bake for 50-60 minutes at 350 degrees F. Uncover, add shredded cheddar and Parmesan cheese (because everything’s better with cheese! I added that!) and bake 15-30 minutes longer until potatoes are done. Serves: 8 (Works great cut in half!)

Total cost: under $5 (depends a lot on your chicken cost)

This was one of those meals that I couldn’t figure out how to avoid the aluminum foil when I had to cover my 9×13 pan. Thanks to one of my faithful readers who recommended flipping a cookie sheet over, I now have a safe cookware substitution as well!
Campbell’s {Katie’s} Easy Chicken and Biscuits

Ingredients:

1 can cream of celery soup—>1 1/2 cups homemade cream of chicken base with sauteed celery to taste (~1/4-1/2 cup)
1 can cream of potato soup—>1 1/2 cups leftover homemade cream of potato (or if I don’t make that soup the same week, I’d use a chopped leftover baked potato and more cream of chicken w/marjoram added)
1 cup milk (might be less, depending on how thick/thin your homemade condensed soup turned out!)
1/4 + tsp. dried thyme
1/4 + tsp. black pepper
4 cups cooked cut-up vegetables (if I’m smart, I steam extras the day before! Broccoli, Cauliflower and Carrots are perfect. I could also use my freezer veggie extras bag.)
2 cups cooked chicken
1 pkg. refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (10)—> Homemade biscuit dough (use your favorite recipe, or mine, which is adapted for real food already!)

Method:

Mix everything but the biscuits in a 3-qt shallow baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes. Stir the mixture and add dollops of biscuit dough liberally over the top. Bake 15 minutes more or until biscuits are golden. Serves at least 6.

Total cost: under $5

IMG 6086 thumb Once a Month Cooking Prep: Cream of CasserolesThis is a photo of the biscuit casserole, just about done. It was taken almost a year ago before I understood anything about food photography! :)
Potato Beef Casserole

This original recipe is also from a Quick Cooking magazine from the year 2000 – that would be the first year I had a kitchen. ;)

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef (less is fine if you’re going frugal)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 Tbs celery leaves
1 can cream of mushroom or chicken soup—>1 1/2 cups homemade
1/2 cup milk (less if homemade soup is runny)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. pepper
4 medium potatoes, thinly sliced
1 tsp. salt
Optional: sliced fresh mushrooms

Method:

Cook beef, onion, celery and leaves over medium heat until meat is cooked and veggies tender. Remove from heat; stir in soup, milk, W. sauce and pepper. Place half the potatoes in a greased 2-quart baking dish (8×8 inch works great). Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. salt. Top with half of beef mixture. Repeat layers. Cover and bake at 400 degrees for 70 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Total cost: $4-5, even with grassfed beef!
Final Notes

Many say that white potatoes aren’t good for you, either. I’m willing to bet that both of my potato-based casseroles here would be great with cooked brown rice, too. I just love potatoes, so I’m not giving them up yet!

Sometimes I use the cream of chicken recipe from Tammy’s Recipes as well. It’s very tasty! I also have a few more casserole dishes, a creamy chicken enchiladas and a chicken tetrazzini, both only made better with the inclusion of homemade real food. I’m pondering this week whether I’ll make each meal on the day it’s served or do a big batch cook and make all the casseroles on one day and just cycle them through the oven when I need them. It would save on cutting boards and saute pans, and you know how I feel about dishes!

UPDATE: I did it! In one hour, I had all three done and ready to go, minus the biscuits which I will make Friday. Woo hoo! My only dishes were a cutting board, knife, pot, whisk, ladle, food processor, and big bowl. I was finished with them before the honey dijon casserole was on the table, and HALF that recipe made enough that I froze an entire meal’s worth of leftovers! That’s one big recipe; use at your own risk. I need to plan a 3-in-1 meal day more often. I’m so looking forward to the next couple days… :)

Be sure to see my guide to Reverse Engineering Recipes for Real Food Quality for more tips on keeping packaged food out of your kitchen!