So a dear co-worker, Missus Wiggins, is retiring on Friday. And, we’re all throwing her a party at lunch. I signed up to bring condiments, pickles and a potato dish. Of course, I’m bringing pickles that I’ve made, and I decided to take Scalloped Potatoes; this gave me an excuse to buy a mandoline slicer that I’ve been wanting. Oh, how easy it is to slice vegetables in uniform slices with a mandoline, and it’s super easy to clean. You can also do Julienne slices, it says, with a secondary blade attachment. I remember making carrot, parsnip, and beet oven fries last fall and can’t wait to try making them again with the new mandoline slicer and attachment. More on that later.
Scalloped Potatoes
5 medium-sized potatoes, sliced thinly, skins on.
3 cups of milk ( buttermilk, or goat’s milk)
1 medium white onion, sliced thinly
2 tbsp chopped, fresh rosemary
5-6 minced cloves of garlic
salt and pepper
Warm milk, garlic, and rosemary in a saucepan, but do not bring to boil.
1 1/2 cups of shredded jarlsberg cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan
Layer potatoes and onions in greased baking dish, sprinkle with salt and pepper, 1/3 of cheese, and pour 1/3 milk mixture over potatoes. Continue layering, saving some cheese for top layer. Bake at 400 degrees for about 50 minutes.
While I was shopping for my mandoline slicer, I found an enameled, cast-iron, 5 qt. dutch oven marked down 60% to $40. Oh, what luck!! So I had to try it out and I decided to make a Ratatouille. A Ratatouille is a great way to use up summer vegetables; it’s basically a French, vegetable stew that typically uses onions, garlic, bell pepper, zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes. There are infinite variations depending on what you have on hand.
Ratatouille Sans Courge (minus squash)
Olive Oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
5 cloves minced garlic
1 tbsp of thyme
3 bay leaves
salt and pepper
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp chopped, fresh rosemary
2 large bell-peppers cut into bite-sized chunks
1 large eggplant cut into bite-sized chunks
1 quart crushed tomatoes
1/2 quart spaghetti sauce (just because I had it on hand and I needed to use it up. Use tomato paste or pureed red peppers or rooster chili garlic sauce or harissa or something similar depending on what’s on hand and what seems good to you).
Slightly cover bottom of 5 qt dutch oven with olive oil. Heat until water drop spatters when it hits the oil. Add sliced onions and saute until translucent. Add garlic, bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, and red vinegar and stir briefly for a few minutes, then add cubed eggplant and peppers, salt and pepper to taste and toss well.
Once eggplant and peppers are coated with oil and herb mixture and slightly browned, add tomatoes and spaghetti sauce, cover and place in oven at 400 degrees for about an hour and half. To serve, I typically prepare a baked, savory brown rice dish and spoon the Ratatouille over the rice. I’ll share my favorite brown-rice recipe soon. It produces al dente, yet perfectly separated grains of brown rice.
And, while I was at it, I realized I needed some quick breakfast foods, so I went ahead and made 4 batches (2 variations) of Morning Glory Muffins. A hearty muffin with a hard-boiled egg makes a nutritious, healthy breakfast that’s portable and easily eaten while on the go. The muffins also freeze well, which is why I went ahead and made so many. The variations here are on the use of eggs; I use eggs occasionally, but I also like to use ground flax-seed when baking. It’s a great way to reduce fat and cholesterol and at the same time incorporate omega-3 fatty acids in your diet without having to take a supplement like fish oils. The walnuts also have a good bit of omega-3’s.
Use 2 tbsp ground flax seeds in 6 tbsp of water for 2 eggs in recipes. Add ground flax-seed to water in small saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Add mixture to wet ingredients before incorporating into dry mixture.
Whole-Wheat, Flax Seed-Variation Morning Glory Muffins
Makes about 18 muffins.
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup applesauce
1/3 cup canola oil
4 eggs or variation: Use 2 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 6 Tbsp water, cooked until brought to boil, stirring constantly for 2 eggs.
1 1/4 cups chopped, peeled apples (or you could use canned, spiced peaches).
1 1/4 cups grated carrot
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup dried cranberries.
Sift dry ingredients, except sugar. Add sugar and mix well. Mix wet ingredients. Stir wet ingredients into dry mix and mix well. Add apples, carrots, cranberries, and nuts and mix well. Spoon into silicone muffin pans or greased metal muffin pans and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
What You Eat Matters 