Recycled Dinner- Using Leftovers in a No Recipe Meal

Leftovers. You either love them or hate that. Some people eat them, others leave them in plastic containers until they return to life in a fuzzy bowl of antibiotics-to-be. Some people refuse to even save them. Sometimes they make a great lunch the next day and sometimes you're eating them for the next three days. Leftovers don't have to be boring and with a little creativity, they don't have to be the exact same meal either. 

Friday night I came home from work dreading the coming winter storm. I walked in the front door and was immediately met by lovely aromas. The Chef was busy cooking dinner. He was making a roast beef, rubbed with a coffee and spice meat rub he put together and slowly roasting in a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. He makes an absolutely killer roast beef and uses all the traditional vegetables- carrots, onions, garlic, mushrooms. After a delicious dinner we still had a good portion of roast beef left over, and a small bowl of roast potato wedges so he tucked those away in the fridge for now.

Saturday night meant pizza night, and more leftovers. For toppings, we wanted salami, mushrooms, onions, olives green peppers. I needed one bell pepper, but they came in packages of three, so, you guessed it, two peppers were leftover.

So here we are on Sunday and I need to pull something together using the various left over items from our last couple dinners. This is going to be easy! I've got everything I need- roast beef to chop up, vegetables to add flavor and textures, roasted potatoes to either incorporate or serve alongside, and two beautiful bell peppers to pull it all together!

Get started by preparing the peppers. I used two large green bell peppers. Cut in half lengthwise and remove seeds and membranes. I charred the peppers a little over the gas burners to get a smoky roasted flavor. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray and arrange the peppers cut side up. Set aside.

For the filling I prepared 1/2 cup uncooked rice, using the leftover broth from the roast as the liquid. Just cook it like you would regular rice, and set aside.

Pick out and chop enough of the roast beef to make about one cup, enough for four pepper halves. Chop some of the mushrooms and onions. I smashed a couple cloves of garlic too. In a medium bowl, toss the meat cubes, rice, and vegetables with about 1/2 cup salsa or pasta sauce- whatever you have around. Divide the filling among the pepper halves. Top each with some shredded or sliced cheese. Cover with foil, but tent it, so the cheese doesn't stick to the foil and bake at 375 for about 30-45 minutes, uncovering at the end to brown the cheese.

Wasn't that easy? No recipe, just use whatever you have. You can add veggies such as leftover corn, or olives, or whatever you like. Serve with a salad and some bread and you've got a super fast and economical dinner that helps clean out the fridge!

Lemon Curd Cheesecake

Lately I have been thinking a lot about baking. Discovering new and interesting bakeries is always fun, and with Jessica and I venturing out and exploring other Iowa towns and cities we have come across some really great bakeries in the last couple months. We visited a Dutch bakery in Boone, as Czech bakery in Cedar Rapids, an old fashioned small town bakery in Walnut, and a handful of cake and cupcake bakeries right here in Des Moines. With all these bakeries on our agenda, I did notice one thing seemed to be missing from most of these bakeries- cheesecake. Not totally absent, we did find a couple cheesecakes but the majority of the bakeries were focused on cakes, pies and pastries. Lots of bread, but not lots of cheesecake, which just means I have to bake my own.

Some people think cheesecake is hard to make- so not true! It all starts with a very basic batter with just a few ingredients, and with this basic New York style cheesecake base recipe you can go anywhere with flavors, like this bright and zesty lemon version, topped with thick and tangy lemon curd (store bought or homemade) and spiked with freshly grated lemon zest throughout. I've made so many different cheesecakes from this recipe- some with liqueurs or cordials, some fruit flavored, and even a matcha tea cheesecake. A water bath is essential for a perfect cheesecake. There are two ways to do this. One, you can wrap the outside of the pan securely with foil, place in a larger pan and add boiling water halfway up the side of the cheesecake, and bake, or you can place a separate pan of boiling water on another shelf in the oven, like below your cheesecake, and bake it like that. Be very careful removing the pan of hot water from the oven afterwards!

Let's talk about lemon curd for just a minute. Lemon curd is a tradition British condiment that's often served with breads at tea. It is similar to the canned lemon pie filling you might remember from your childhood except it's usually a bit thicker. It's also popular as a filling for tarts and cakes. It's a simple recipe, just fruit juice, sugar, eggs, maybe some cornstarch, and cooked to thicken. Lemon and lime curd are the most popular but you might find orange or even berry curds in some specialty stores, and of course you can always make your own. Recipes are easy to find, and like cheesecake, the basic recipe is simple to alter just by swapping out fruit juices and zests. Grapefruit curd is especially nice, and raspberry is one of my very favorites. We are saving time by using store bought lemon curd. You can find it at almost any grocery store, usually by the jams and jellies. Stonewall Kitchen is a great brand, and so is Trader Joe's lemon curd. I highly recommend either.

Lemon Curd Cheesecake

1 1/2 cups crushed vanilla wafers or graham crackers

1/3 cup melted butter

2 lbs cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons flour

4 eggs
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 jar store bought lemon curd

Set oven to 325 degrees. Fill a baking dish with hot water and place in the oven on the lowest rack. Prepare an 8 inch springform pan- butter the sides and bottom well.

On a small bowl toss the crushed cookies and melted butter until combined. Press evenly on the bottom of the prepared pan. Set aside.

Place the cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl- using a stand mixer makes this batter super easy. Use the paddle attachment and beat cheese until fluffy. Gradually add the sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, zest, flour and eggs. Pour the batter over the crust in the pan, smoothing the top. Bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes or until cake feels first and has a slight "jiggle"- it will continue to set on cooling. Cool on a rack, then cover and chill completely. I usually refrigerate this overnight before continuing.

Use a knife to loosen the sides of the cake from the pan. Place on serving plate and carefully remove the sides. Before serving spread the top with the lemon curd. I like a nice thick layer of lemon, but use it to taste. 

Decorate with dollops of whipped cream and additional fresh lemon slices, if you like. Make sure to store this dessert in the fridge.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 55: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Cranberry Custard Pie

Seems like these days The Chef is spending more time rockin' the Gibson Flying V and less time rockin' the kitchen, and that means I get more "stove time" so yay!! I'm baking!! Seriously, as he is putting together a new band there is a lot of work to do. Working with other musicians can be as challenging as it is rewarding. You already know about his musical background, so let's talk about the future- still no solid band name, lots of ideas being tossed around. The lineup is complete with Mike, Steve and Dave rounding out the talent. The set list is mostly classic rock, not as heavy as I usually like, but its solid, has a great variety or eras and a lot of songs people are going to want to sing along with. 

The Chef is a big fan of Uncle Ted so Stranglehold is one he is particularly excited to play. He's got some Tom Petty in there, and the Buckethead/Alien Ant Farm version of Smooth Criminal, and of course, true classics from Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin. He is a HUGE fan of Chicago so 25 or 6 to 4 is in the mix too. I tried to get him to add some Damn Yankees, to no avail, but a couple other suggestions might actually make the set list. I haven't given up on the Damn Yankees though. A girl can always hope, right?

The guys have been at this for a while now, sometimes derailed by the unpredictable Iowa winter weather. Schedule a practice on Monday and by Friday you're knee deep in heavy wet snow. Reschedule for Sunday but now it's 65 degrees and at least one guy is sopping up water in his basement. Plan on next weekend, but hey, ice storm!

As springtime reluctantly begins to shine here in Iowa, many of us, myself included, are thinking of all the beautiful spring berries that are starting to pop up in stores. Raspberries are by far my favorite of all berries, but there is a close second that you might find surprising. I mean, on one hand, we have plump, juicy and so sweet raspberries, and on the other we have kind of waxy textured, definitely not juicy and absolutely NOT sweet, and not in season in spring, cranberries. I love those guys! So much so that when they are in season, I will grab several bags of fresh crans and toss them in the freezer for later. When the holidays roll around I can always whip out a bag of cranberries and make homemade sauce, but I also like using them in other recipes, and outside of the normal cranberry season they are fun and unexpected. Which brings us to this pie. In all honesty I DID make this for Christmas dinner, but.... since I still have four bags of cranberries in the freezer this is something easy and inexpensive that I can whip up in a minute.

I make my own pastry usually but you absolutely can use purchased pastry- just roll it out and fit it into your pan, or use frozen in a disposable pan. I won't judge. Another pantry item I always have on hand is heavy whipping cream. I say pantry because I buy shelf stable heavy whipping cream at Trader Joe's. It's in the baking aisle and it comes in little boxes like juice boxes. No refrigeration is needed until you open the package. It's the best invention ever.

Cranberry Custard Pie

Adapted from Country Living

1 recipe single crust pie pastry

1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries*

1 cup sugar, divided

1 tablespoon flour

1 egg white

1 cup heavy whipping cream

*If using frozen cranberries, allow the thaw at room temperature for an hour or so. I spread them out on a sheet pan to help them thaw quickly.

Heat the oven to 425 degrees.

Prepare the pastry, roll out and fit into 9 inch pie plate. Flute and crimp edge. Set aside.

Stir together 2/3 cups of sugar with the flour. In a separate bowl, beat the egg white until stiff peaks form. Fold into the flour mixture, stirring in the cream as well.

Pour the cranberries into the pie shell. Sprinkle the 1/3 cup sugar over the cranberries, then pour the cream mixture over all. 

Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, then lower the temp to 350 and bake for 40 minutes. Cool completely before serving. 

This pie is the perfect combination of sweet and tart and is absolutely wonderful with a dollop of whipped cream on top. Try it!!!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 55: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

The Holy Grail of Holiday Drinks- The Tom and Jerry

Before I know it, summer is going to be here, with the humidity and oppressive heat. I'll be moaning and groaning about it, most certainly. The Minnesota girl in me is built for cold weather and snow that's for sure, so it should be no surprise really, that while the rest of the state is looking towards spring, new flowers, leaves unfurling, gardening, even tornado season, I'm obsessing over something you only say in the coldest times of the year. It all started about a year ago. I was minding my own business, wandering an antique store here in Des Moines, looking for vintage cookbooks and doilies when I came across something that brought all the childhood feels flooding back- a Tom and Jerry punch bowl set. Holy balls!! I wanted to take it home with me but it wasn't in my budget that day, and someone else took home the prize- it was gone the next time I went.

Saddened by this lost opportunity I began browsing Ebay and online posts. I wanted one sooooo bad. A many times as I went back to the antique store, I never found another one. My dream of owning this precious piece of memories was fading quickly. I'd already worked out the recipe for the batter. The drink, you see, is a holiday tradition- a little bit like a hot boozy eggnog but not quite. Eggs, butter, sugar and warm spices are mixed into a batter that combines with brandy or rum and steamy hot water for a perfect cup of holiday cheer. Some families have their traditional recipes. My family bought the batter at a local grocery store. It was only available for a very short time and always sold frozen. My grandmother always called it "batter crap" ,my mother carried on that tradition and to this day my dad, sister and myself still say that.

I was minding my own business one day when I got a text from my sister. "Are you home?" she asked. I was not, of course, I was out and about food shopping and having a bite of lunch. "Well, I bought you something. I want to bring it to you." I had noooooo idea the surprise I was in for that day. She sent me two pictures and told me to pick which one I wanted. 

My heart stopped, I swear. The end of the search. The object I had been crushing on for years, the missing link, the be all and end all. The Tom and Jerry punch bowl set!!!!!! I picked the white set, and she kept the green set. The happy ending is mine. Tom and Jerrys shall be enjoyed in my home once again. I cannot tell you how many cups of this iconic holiday drink have been served by my family at Christmas time. I'm not sure any human has ever counted that high! Seriously! The Tom and Jerry is as much a part of my life, my memories and my DNA as blonde hair and freckles. 

The batter is made as follows:

12 eggs, separated

1 pound butter

3 pounds powdered sugar

1 teaspoon each: ground nutmeg, ground cloves, ground allspice, cinnamon

2 teaspoons vanilla *

big pinch salt 

*I used 1 teaspoon liquid vanilla and 1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder because I wanted the little flecks of vanilla in the batter, but you can use all liquid if you prefer.

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

In another large bowl, beat the egg yolks until lemon colored and very thick. Set aside.

In a third bowl, beat the butter and the powdered sugar and spices together. Mix in the egg yolks and vanilla. Stir in the egg whites until completely blended. Pour mixture into a freezer safe container and store in the freezer.

To make a classic Minnesota-style Tom and Jerry, place 1-2 ounces of brandy, whiskey or spiced rum in a coffee mug. Add 2 tablespoons of the batter mixture and top up with simmering water or milk. My family always used water. Stir and enjoy.

Doesn't that just make you feel all warm and happy and cozy inside? I know it sure does me!!

Foodie Field Trip- Main Street Cafe and Bakery

Ohhhhhhhh cake. I have such a love affair with cake you just cannot imagine. On the heels of the cupcake bakery boom our city is seeing an uptick in bakeries, many serving lunches and dinner and I am having all sorts of fun exploring them. Everyone knows my almost-sister Jessica and I have our little "thing" we do- thrift shop for a weird variety of goodies that The Chef thinks I don't need (but honestly, I DO need more cookbooks and doilies and teacups and unusual knives and.........) and then we grab a bite to eat, and many times this is centered around what we might have afterwards for dessert. One recent Saturday, after a trip to a thrift store in Ankeny that didn't result in many great discoveries we decided we needed something to cheer us up- cake. 

Ankeny has been growing my leaps and bounds in the last several years and entire new section of town had sprung up- like a town center all by itself with loads of houses and apartments and new schools, new shopping and of course, new restaurants. It's in one of these little districts that the Main Street Cafe and Bakery can be found. Don't let the drive thru menu outside fool you- what you find inside is so much more than cheapo drive thru food. The menu is large but not overwhelmingly so. Lots of salads, sandwiches, burgers and a few pastas give you lots to choose from. There are ten daily soups- yes ten! 

My first visit to Main Street was so delicious. Jessica had been there before but I had not, obviously, and had no idea what to expect. She warned me there would be cake. Ohhhhh Lord she wasn't kidding. The entire counter was lined end to end with beautiful cakes. Chocolate, carrot, lemon,red velvet, grasshopper, so many, but the ones that caught our attention were the Chocolate Raspberry Cake and the Almond Cake. We ordered dinner- we'll get to that in a bit, and a slice of cake each so we could share. Now the chocolate cake was decadent, rich fudgy truffle-like frosting and moist cake layered with sweet raspberry filling. Three amazing layers of chocolate heaven. As wonderful and swoon-inducing as this cake was, it was nowhere near as sublime as the almond cake. One bite and the words wedding cake popped into both of our minds. Moist and tender white cake with a lovely vanilla and almond essence layered with almond buttercream. Ho.Ly.Heck. 

Like I said, we did actually order dinner before the cake, and it was fantastic. We both ordered a Frisco burger- juicy burger, Swiss and Cheddar, caramelized onions, signature sauce sandwiched between slices of sourdough coated in butter and Parmesan cheese. Crispy crust on the bread, super juicy burger and the sauce was awesome. I had a choice of side and went with a salad with Blue Cheese dressing- perfect partner. Plus.......it left room for cake!!  

On our second visit we knew to go easier on the dinner order and save room for the cake!!! This time around I had the Cheesy Chicken Tortilla Soup, which came to the table steaming hot, full of chunky chicken, corn, black beans, tortilla strips, all drizzled with crema. One of the best soups I have ever had in a restaurant. Jessica ordered grilled chicken strips with steamed broccoli and it looked amazing. The broccoli was so fresh!

So, again, we had cake. Jessica chose the coconut cake and I had KitKat Cake. The coconut cake was a snowy dream of vanilla cake and toasted coconut, creamy buttercream, promises of heaven and love and angels' wings. The KitKat Cake was another sky high chocolate masterpiece of luscious chocolate cake layers, milk chocolate buttercream, dark chocolate drizzle and miniature KitKats. Yum yum yum yum YUM. I kinda liked it, in case you were wondering. 

The cake keeps calling me back, and on my most recent visit, we met just for dessert. Jessica chose the almond cake again and I went with a raspberry almond cake. I keep going back for the raspberry cakes! Wow. Heavenly layers of golden vanilla cake layered with a swirled buttercream and raspberry jam. Sprinkled with slices of toasted almond and swirls of that creamy buttercream. Just wow. This might be my favorite of all the cakes I have tried here!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 55: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Buckets of Chicken, and Drunken Chicken

Let's talk about buckets of chicken. First of all, sometimes The Chef and I do get lazy and decide to just drive through someplace and get some chicken. A bucket of chicken goes a long way for us- fried chicken and all the fixins the first night, leftovers for lunch and maybe even a last couple pieces to cut up and toss in a salad or sandwich. Have you ever tried making chicken salad sandwiches with cut up FRIED chicken? OMG- you must. Now back on track......so we arrive at the unnamed chicken drive through and order our chicken. We get to the window and the employee tells us they are out of legs, would it be ok if they subbed additional thighs in their place? Of course! Thighs are, for me, the best part of the chicken, right? We get home........no chicken thighs. Those dirty rats shorted us on chicken!!! Ugh!!!

Speaking of buckets, have you ever heard of a guitarist who wears a chicken bucket on his head and conceals his identity? That would be Buckethead. He is a metal guitarist who has played with Guns and Roses and several others, and tours on his own with a unique show and playing style, most notably a white mask over his face and that chicken bucket on his head. I have no idea what this guy looks like underneath all that. Anyway, Buckethead has been on The Chef's bucket list for a very long time and since we got to see John5 a few weeks ago, hearing Buckethead was coming to town, The Chef just had to go. The show was unlike any he had ever seen before, both in volume and the performance. Buckethead plays with an accompanying soundtrack instead of a live band and uses an arsenal of effects to create some pretty unusual music. Definitly something a guitarist like The Chef would enjoy. 

The Chef often spends his time away from the restaurant playing at different jam sessions around town, and is working with his own band, perfecting their set and working on some new material. He is a very talented musician in his own right, and I can say that without being biased. He has well over 30 years of playing under his belt and it's just part of his DNA. Classic rock is his genre, and he will even sing on occasion if he has to. Of course, when it's my night to cook, that's when you'll definitely find him plugged in and shredding. I get a concert every night.

And with that, we are back to talking about chicken. With my new job and very long, but temporary, commute I get home a lot later than I did before and some days I just don't feel like standing in the kitchen cooking. Times like these are when I turn to simple braises to make a homey and delicious meal. Chicken is my favorite for braising and it doesn't take as much work as you think. A quick brown in hot oil in a big Dutch oven, some aromatics, and a braising liquid, popped in the oven for an hour or so and dinner is served, without the need for any special appliances or equipment. Braising is a very simple technique- you're simply roasting your meat in a liquid, to add flavor, and to bring on a tenderness that's nearly effortless. You can use almost any liquid to braise- stock or broth, wine, beer or vegetable juice all make delicious braises. Be sure to add aromatics like garlic, onion and herbs to really bring out the flavors. Fresh herbs are often too delicate for a braise, with a couple exceptions- thyme and rosemary work well, most others I prefer using the dried version.

The recipe calls for two cups of wine- basically it's a whole bottle with a swig for the cook *wink wink*, because honestly, we have to check the wine, right? I used a fairly inexpensive Riesling, a 2015 Rheinhessen, the kind in the cute cat bottle. It's not too sweet and it doesn't have that oaky taste I hate in Chardonnays. Riesling and Pinot Grigio are my preferred whites for cooking.

Quick note on the chicken- we bought chicken leg quarters- skin on and bone in. I cut the legs and thighs apart myself and removed the section of backbone that was attached. Not all leg quarters have that backbone attached. For a braised recipe like this you do not want to use boneless skinless chicken, and especially not breasts. You won't get enough flavor. The bones especially add a deeper chicken flavor to the sauce. Trust me on this. Learn to love chicken on the bone.

Monica's Drunken Chicken

4 chicken leg quarters

1 small onion, halved then sliced crosswise

10 cloves garlic, cut in half

2 carrots, sliced

2 teaspoons dried marjoram

salt and pepper

olive oil

2 cups Riesling

Use a sharp knife to cut the thigh and leg apart. If the thighs have the backbone attached, cut that off and discard (or save for stock). Season well with salt and pepper. Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the chicken, a few pieces at a time, to the pot and brown on all sides. Remove and set aside, repeat with all the chicken.

When chicken pieces are browned, remove and add the onion, garlic and carrot to the pot. Stir to coat with the oil and allow to cook for several minutes until just softened. Add the wine, scraping up the browned bits in the pan, and return the chicken to the pot, nestling down into the wine as much as possible. Place cover on the pot and place in oven. Cook for 1 and 1/2 hours.

Remove chicken pieces from the pot, cover and keep warm. Remove the vegetables with slotted spoon. Bring the juices to boil over high heat and cook until reduced. You can add a couple tablespoons of butter if you like. Serve the chicken and vegetables with roasted potatoes, drizzled with the sauce. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

So easy and delicious, it was almost like I did nothing and boom- dinner was on the table. We served the chicken with roasted potatoes for sopping up all that delicious jus in the pot.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 55: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."