Foodmomiac

Back to School Week! (and Foodmomiac's homemade Ranch dressing)

Good morning all. It is 6:15 and I have already been up for two hours. I appeared on the local CBS morning show this morning at the ungodly hour of 5:40. The good news is that my kids' lunches are all made for the day because I prepared them yesterday so that I could bring them on air to demonstrate some of my favorite tricks.

I know that many of you in other cities started school a few weeks ago, but in honor of OUR first week I thought it would be fun to feature a good school lunch recipe every day. Today I want to share my recipe for Ranch Dressing. This was adapted from a recipe I found in Bon Appetit in 1999, and everyone in my family loves it. If your kids are obsessed with dipping things in Ranch, it is great to have this around. It will last for about a week in the fridge, so if you make some on Sunday, you'll have plenty to last all five school days - I pack it in small Tupperware or Rubbermaid containers and also pack some cut-up veggies. I am not a big fan of bottled Ranch, but this stuff is so good I am often tempted to eat it with a spoon. 

Ranch Dressing

3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk
2 tablespoons powdered cultured buttermilk blend (this stuff, available in the baking aisle of most markets)
4 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (my favorite is a combination of dill and parsley - the dill is a must)
1-1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Combine all ingredients in a bowl with a whisk or a fork. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Special Announcement: I am running the Chicago Marathon on 10/10/10 in support of Healthy Schools Campaign. I am on the board of this amazing not-for-profit, and have pledged to raise $1,000. Please help me meet my goal - even $5 helps! To donate, visit my fundraising page.

Pickle Soup (aka Cold Cucumber Soup with a McClure kick)

Last summer, our friend, babysitter, colleague, food blogger and all around great person Jessi came to visit us at our rented Michigan cottage with her boyfriend Jason (Dylan's guitar teacher, and an absolutely amazing musician). After sharing a pitcher (or two) of Oberon at one of the local bars, we convinced them to come back to the house for an impromptu dinner. We made a lot of great food that night, but the most momentous part of the evening came when I pulled out the jar of spicy McClure pickles.

Jessi was smitten, and when she made Cold Cucumber Soup later in the summer, she had a brilliant stroke of genius. SHE ADDED PICKLE JUICE. It was at that moment that a sweet summer soup became a sultry and spicy summer sensation.

Here is the recipe as I make it, just slightly adapted.

Pickle Soup

One seedless English cucumber, peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks (if you only have a cucumber with seeds, just remove them)
Small handful of fresh dill
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 can low fat cream of chicken soup (trust us)
1/2 cup McClure's spicy pickle juice
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine everything in a blender. Chill for at least an hour. Enjoy!

Foodmomiac's Macaroni Salad

I have never been a huge fan of macaroni salad. It's usually gloppy and overly sweet, and just... blah. But, there's something really appealing about a macaroni salad. I love elbow macaroni, and I love mayo-based salads, so I always knew that I could probably rescue this dish.

After doing some online research and some in-kitchen tinkering, I think we have a winner. This is based off of a recipe I found on All Recipes, but the additions and changes make it my own. Enjoy! (Note: this makes 10 VERY generous servings, so make sure you have plenty of guests, or are ready to eat macaroni salad every day for a week.)

Foodmomiac's Macaroni Salad

1 box elbow macaroni
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup turbinado sugar
2-1/2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 sweet white onion, cut into 3-4 big chunks
2 stalks celery, cut into 3-4 big chunks
2 carrots, cut into 3-4 big chunks (you can use a handful of baby carrots if that's all you have on hand)
3 hard boiled eggs, diced
2 dill pickles, diced

Cook macaroni for eight minutes. Drain, rinse in cold water and set aside.

Mix together the mayo, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper in a large bowl.

In a food processor, mince the onion, celery and carrots. (You can also just dice these finely on your own, but the food processor does a great job and is super fast.)

Add the veggies to the sauce in the bowl, along with the macaroni, eggs and pickles. Mix to combine, cover, and refrigerate for at least two hours (overnight is fine, and probably preferable!)

Foodmomiac's Meatloaf

A friend of ours had surgery last week, so a bunch of us got together to make them some dinners. My friend Joni did an awesome job of insuring that the family was covered for dinner by a different person each night, and our night was Sunday.

I volunteered to make meatloaf, mashed potatoes (I did the cheesy kind) and a veggie (just some simple sauteed zucchini with minced onion and dill). I figured comfort food is always welcomed. It was really very easy to pull everything together, and I made two of everything, so we had our dinner ready to go as well.

I don't know why we don't eat meatloaf more often. It's easy. It freezes GREAT. The kids love it. I have some twists to my meatloaf, as you see below. Typically, I use white bread as the binding agent, but Michael asked me to use oatmeal yesterday instead, and I have to say I LOVED it. I'll never use white bread again.

Foodmomiac's Meatloaf

1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
2 eggs
2 Tb. ketchup
1 Tb. yellow mustard
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 Tb. dehydrated minced onion
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tb. prepared horseradish

Combine everything together in a large bowl using your hands (This is the most important part. I honestly believe that it is impossible to make good meatloaf using a spoon.)

Place in a 9 inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 90 minutes.

Chicken and Rice Casserole - A Not So Surprising Hit!

  Chicken and Rice Casserole 
  Originally uploaded by Foodmomiac

Late yesterday at work, I realized that I had no plans for dinner, didn't want to take the kids out, and couldn't bear the thought of another home-cooked meal snubbed by my children.

After thinking things over, I decided to stick with a tried and true kids' favorite, the casserole. Now, I know this might be surprising to those of you who consider me a food snob, but sometimes we all crave comfort food, and sometimes we all need a dish that is easy to prep and leaves very few dishes in its wake.

The other day on eGullet, someone linked to the top 100 recipes piece on the Food Network site. Number six was this casserole, and something about it hit home for me. It just seemed like it would be so comforting and easy. It totally was, and both kids ate it. (Cue applause.)

I made a bunch of changes, so feel free to do so yourself. I used frozen Trader Joe's french green beans (broken up) instead of canned. I added frozen peas. I omitted the water chestnuts and pimentos. I used a touch less mayo. I used dehydrated minced onion instead of a fresh one sauteed. I used organic cream of celery soup. Oh, and I used Jasmine rice instead of a wild rice blend. To add to the ease of preparation, the rice I used was the precooked kind from the Trader Joe's freezer section - it cooked in 3 minutes. For the chicken, I didn't have any cooked chicken on hand, so based on a past recommendation from City Mama herself, I used the ultra premium canned chicken from Trader Joe's. And, it was perfectly good.

Chilaquile Casserole

  Chilaquiles Casserole 
  Originally uploaded by Foodmomiac

Does this look gross? It was actually quite tasty, and also very easy to prepare. I wanted to make this for Tuesday's dinner, but the eggplant that was scheduled for Monday required brown rice, and I didn't set the rice cooker before work. (I am the WORST at making rice, and I now refuse to make it without the assistance of the rice cooker.)

This is a terrific weeknight meal. I got home from work at about 5:30 or so, and it was on the table by 6:30. You could also prepare it the night before or in the morning, and just pop it in the oven when you get home. The recipe is from Still Life with Menu by Mollie Katzen. This cookbook just arrived at my house. It was in the box of cookbooks that I got from Grandma Ana's apartment. (When she moved into a nursing home last year, my mom set the cookbooks, and some fun cooking tools, aside for me.) This cookbook isn't one of the older ones, but there are a lot of notes in there from Grandma Ana. I know she made this dish, because she made notes next to it in her messy cursive handwriting.

Max LOVED the dish, but Dylan refused to eat it. She is being a real piece of work lately, and spent part of the meal laying on the floor saying over and over again, "but I don't LIKE EGGS! but I don't LIKE EGGS!" She went up to her room for a five minute timeout, came down and apologized, and then had a leftover piece of pizza. UGH.

Chilaquile Casserole

12 corn tortillas
2 4-oz. cans diced green chiles (we used some pico de gallo)
2-3 cups grated cheese (I used a Mexican blend)
1 can beans (I used borlotti)
1 zucchini, cubed
salt and pepper
4 large eggs
2 cups buttermilk (I used milk with 2 tablespoons of vinegar added)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 9x13 pyrex dish. Tear half of the tortillas into bite-sized pieces and place them in the dish. Cover with half of the cheese, the chiles (or pico de gallo), the beans and the zucchini. Tear the rest of the tortillas and layer them over the cheese. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese. Beat the eggs and buttermilk well with the salt and pepper and pour it slowly and evenly over the casserole.

Bake uncovered for 35 minutes. (I would let this sit for about 10 minutes before serving. It was kind of watery for a bit, but then set up very nicely.)

Rainbows and Fritattas

  Rainbow! 
  Originally uploaded by Foodmomiac

Isn't this an awesome rainbow? We saw it on our way home from a fundraiser yesterday. Not the school fundraiser (which was very cute, and I'm now even more convinced that the neighborhood school is the way to go). This was a fundraiser for the boulevard park on our street. We love our little park, and though we are only moving a few blocks away, we will miss it. The fundraiser made me a little sad about our move. Don't get me wrong. I'm totally psyched about the new house. Our landlord sucks, we don't have enough space, and I am very excited. But, this is a really great block with some very friendly families. And it is a beautiful street. Anyway, it was a nice evening.

Unfortunately, the night didn't continue in such a happy rainbow kind of way. I woke up yesterday with a sore throat, and it got progressively worse throughout the day. By the time I sat down for the evening, I felt awful, and after a fitful couple of hours in bed, I spent the rest of the night sleeping upright in our living room chair. It was the only way I could breathe.

Of course, this morning I was co-hosting a mom's coffee at my friend Joni's house. And I had volunteered to bring homemade banana bread muffins (since I couldn't volunteer my house). Baking was very, very far from my agenda last night, so I ended up running to Whole Foods this morning for baked goods. They were fine, and I don't think anyone cared. Of course, one of the moms ribbed me for not baking. I think her exact words were, "Wow, the foodie went to Whole Foods?" She thought I had made the delicious fritatta. But, I didn't. Those honors go to Joni, and I must share the recipe with you here, because it was delicious.

Joni's Fritatta
3 zucchini, sliced in half-circles
3 green onions, chopped
1 bell pepper,chopped
2 cups sliced mini portabella mushrooms
8 eggs
1 cup milk or sour cream
salt/pepper to taste
1 cup or more shredded cheese (swiss, cheddar, mozzarella...)

Saute zucchini, onions, bell pepper and mushrooms in olive oil.  Spread in a 9 1/2 x 11 pyrex baking dish.  Beat eggs and sour cream together and poor over veggies.  Sprinkle cheeses on top.  Bake 30-45 minutes at 375 degrees.

Note from Joni:
I add different veggies and more eggs (depending on what I have in the fridge and  how many people I am expecting) and it has always worked out fine.  FYI, I have only used the sour cream, so I am not sure how the milk would work.

This can be prepared ahead of time.  I saute the veggies the day before and then just pour the egg mixture and cheese right before cooking.

Vegetarian Comfort Food - Eggplant Tomato Casserole

  Eggplant Tomato Casserole 
  Originally uploaded by Foodmomiac.

This is another one of my mom's classic recipes that I have reworked a bit to make it my own. My changes, though, are very slight. I can not recall which cookbook this is from originally (Mom, if you know, can you put it in the comments?), but it was a frequent member of our holiday tables growing up. It was always served as a side dish, but a few years ago, it occurred to me that it would be a pretty spectacular vegetarian main dish.

The recipe itself is kind of goofy, in a 70's sort of way. It tastes vaguely Italian (especially if you use oregano), but uses cheddar cheese instead of mozzarella, and butter instead of olive oil. Analysis aside, it is pretty damn tasty, and was a great way to use the eggplant that I received last week from Fresh Picks. It is also a very good make-ahead dish. I prepared it Sunday afternoon, but we didn't eat it until Tuesday night. If you want to do the same, do everything but cook it, and just put it in the fridge covered with foil until you are ready to eat.

Eggplant Tomato Casserole

1 large eggplant
1.5 teaspoons salt
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons melted butter
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano or thyme
1/2 cup bread crumbs (I use panko)
2 ripe tomatoes, sliced
2 ounces cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
paprika (I use smoked)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Peel and slice the eggplant. Put it in a pan with salt and about an inch of water. Boil, uncovered, for about 10 minutes. Drain the water and mash the eggplant well with a potato masher. Mix in the eggs, butter, pepper (to taste), onion, herbs and bread crumbs. Butter a shallow casserole (about 1.5 quarts). Cover the bottom of the casserole with half of the sliced tomatoes. Spoon in the eggplant mixture. Arrange the rest of the tomatoes on top and cover with the cheeses. Sprinkle with paprika.

Bake for 45 minutes.

Serves 3-4 as a main dish, 5-6 as a side dish.

Vegetarian Lasagne

I have a beautiful photo of the lasagne I served last night (the one I cooked on Sunday). Sadly, though the photo was beautiful, the lasagne tasted like butt. Moral of the story? When a Bolognese sauce calls for pancetta, it might be a good idea to use pancetta. German proscuitto seasoned with juniper berries will yield a lasagne that tastes like it was soaked in gin. (Yet, the damn thing is still sitting my refrigerator because I just can't bring myself to throw out a giant pan of lasagne.)

Next time I'm going to stick with what I know. And what I know is how to make a fabulous vegetarian lasagne. Bon Appetit:

Vegetarian Lasagne

2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small package mushrooms, chopped
1/2 bag baby spinach
salt and pepper
1 32 oz. can San Marzano tomatoes (whole or crushed)
1 16 oz. tub ricotta
2 eggs
4 cups shredded mozzarella, divided
grated Parmigiano Reggiano
one box Barilla oven ready lasagne

Heat a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Add the olive oil. Add the onion and saute until translucent. Add garlic. Saute until fragrant (a few seconds). Add mushrooms and spinach. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the spinach is completely wilted and the mushrooms have released their juices.  Add the tomatoes (if using whole, be sure to crush them up first with a fork, or better yet, your hands). Lower heat to low and let cook for up to an hour.

In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, eggs and half of the mozzarella. You can also add some grated Parmigiano if you like. Set aside.

Cover the bottom of a 9x13 inch Pyrex with about a cup of the sauce. Place four lasagne noodles over the sauce. Evenly spread about half of the ricotta cheese mixture over the noodles. Top the cheese with another cup of sauce. Place another four noodles over the sauce. Spread on the remainder of the ricotta and another cup of sauce. Top with another four noodles, another cup of sauce and about a cup of the mozzarella. Place the final four noodles over the cheese and cover with the remainder of the sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining cup of mozzarella and a healthy grating of Parmigiano.

Baked, covered with foil in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 60 minutes. Remove foil and cook for another five minutes to melt the cheese. Let the lasagne stand outside of the oven for about 15 minutes so that it doesn't fall apart when you cut it.

Notes: I like this type of pasta because it utilizes the entire box. Also, it is flat, which appeals to my aesthetics. It's also important to note that my order of layering is basically random. Your main goal is to use up all of the ingredients. The only set rules are to start with sauce and end with cheese. Finally, please feel free to rif on this recipe. Got some zucchini? Throw it in the sauce! Hate mushrooms? Leave 'em out! It's very flexible.

Enjoy!

(Oh, you can freeze this before and/or after cooking it.)

 

Disclaimer
Barilla is one of my clients which is why I tried this lasagne. BUT, it's amazing stuff, and I would not recommend it if I didn't truly like it.

I'm alive - (Moroccan Chicken and Lentils)

Just a quick note to say that I am alive and well. Just trying to get used to this working mom gig! I am finding that it is very tiring to do all of the things I have been responsible for at home while undertaking a new and very demanding job. BUT, I love, love, love my new job, so all will be fine, I am sure.

This was crockpot week, by the way. I made a very yummy Moroccan Chicken and Lentil dish that was emailed to me by Susan of Friday Playdate.

Moroccan Chicken and Lentils

1 8oz package baby carrots
1 and 1/2 cup lentils, uncooked
1 and 1/2 pounds frozen chicken breast
2 T minced garlic
3/4 t salt
2 t salt-free Moroccan rub (or 3/4 t ground turmeric, 1/2 t ground red
pepper, and 1/2 t ground cinnamon)
1 box chicken broth

Place all ingredients, in order listed, in a 4- or 5-quart electric
slow cooker.  Cover and cook on high setting for 5 hours, or cover and
cook on high setting for one hour; reduce to low setting and cook for
7 hours.

Yield: 6 1-cup servings.

I also experimented with making my ribs in the crockpot. I sprinkled them on both sides with Old Bay seasoning and garlic powder and then I covered with water. I set them on low all day. When I got home, my plan was to throw them into the oven with BBQ sauce. They were delicious, but the "all day" part was just too much. The meat fell off the bones before the ribs even made it out of the crockpot. I think that 5 hours on low would be sufficient. Next time I'm going to have my babysitter turn the crockpot on for me after lunch.