Recycling Your Leftovers

Ugh, another weekend of wedding planning. I was hoping to keep things simple and elegant. The Chef's list keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger.  I'm thinking of great locations for a simple outdoor ceremony with only family while he is talking with friends about renting out entire restaurants and bands and cash vars and all of that business. Sheesh!! I think we have the first ever Groomzilla going on! If you have ever had to plan a wedding, you know what a nightmare it can be. For example, I have decided that instead of a multi-tiered cake that costs hundreds of dollars and will be hanging out in my kitchen for weeks after, we're going to order gourmet cupcakes. Yes, I know, I'm a baker, I can easily make my own but what bride wants to make her own cake? I've played that game once before, when my oldest daughter was planning her wedding and we decided to do the majority of the food ourselves. No big deal at all, just required some planning and delegating, but then we got the brilliant idea that Mom the Baker, the same person as Mother of the Bride would bake the cake too. Bad bad bad idea. We ended up ordering the cake.

After a day of planning and researching and pricing and calling around, The Chef and I were ready for dinner. I made one of my favorite Sunday dinners, heck any day dinner for that matter- roast chicken. Some lovely fingerling potatoes were also roasted in the chicken drippings and a fresh green salad went alongside and I was left with most of a chicken to pick and use for another dish, and as I sat there picking chicken off the bones, ignoring the pleading stares and chops-licking of two cats and a dog, I got to thinking about leftovers. Leftovers often get a bad rap. Many people don't want to eat a repeat of the same exact meal so all too often those dishes of perfectly good food are ignored, shoved in the back of the fridge, only to be reborn as a penicillin farm in a bowl. 

What are you supposed to do with your leftovers if you don't want to eat the same thing the next day? Recycle them of course! It just takes a little imagination and a well stocked pantry of basics to pull of some serious leftover revision. For me it starts with a good selection of grains and pastas. If I have a good solid grain or two I can stretch the last of a roast pork, chicken or beef into a great second day dinner or, even better, a lovely lunch for a couple days.

So my story leads us back to Trader Joe's. I swear, it's purely coincidence! I just find so many delicious things there and have to share my ideas with you so..... bear with me here. This recipes used the Harvest Grains Blend. This stuff caught my eye every single time I went in the store and I resisted buying it for the longest time. I seriously have enough grains in the pantry to survive a year. I just couldn't help myself on this last shopping trip. The mixture is gorgeous. Big pieces of Israeli couscous combined with veggie orzo in different colors, baby garbanzo beans and red quinoa combine to make a colorful, texture-filled dish. It's easy to prepare- just add to boiling water and simmer ten minutes. No draining. No fuss. You can use it in all kinds of dishes and it was so pretty I thought it would make a lovely salad. I just happened to have roasted a chicken for dinner and had the leftover chicken to pick and use so....... it was recycled into a tasty salad for lunch during the week. What else got recycled? The last cup or so of a bag of frozen mixed vegetables that was hanging out in the freezer and a half a red onion that was leftover from a salad. The simple dressing combined oil and vinegar with a spicy sweet honey mustard I was given by a friend and voila! Here is how I made it-

Leftover Chicken Couscous Salad

2 cups cubed cooked chicken

1 package Trader Joe's Harvest Grains Blend*

1 cup frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

1/4 cup chopped red onion

2/3 cup oil

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup prepared honey mustard

salt and pepper

*I used this specific brand. If you can't find it, you can sub orzo, farro, rice or your favorite grains. You want 4-6 cups cooked product.

In a large saucepan heat water and butter to boiling per the directions on the package. When water has reached a full boil, add the bag of Harvest Grains Blend and stir. Return to boil, then cover, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff. Allow to cool slightly.

In a jar or large mixing cup combine the oil, vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Shake or whisk to blend.

In a large bowl toss together the grain mix, the chicken, vegetables. Pour the dressing over and toss to coat. Cover and chill.

This salad makes a great lunch salad for taking to work or for picnics. I used the remaining chicken leftover from a roast chicken but you can purchase cooked chicken or cook up a couple chicken breasts or thighs to cube. Grilled chicken would bring a great flavor twist and so would barbequed chicken, with bits and spots of charred sweet barbeque sauce- oh yum! I think I better get another package of this grain mix and make it again !!

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."

Trying a New Grain- Bulgur Wheat

It's Sunday Funday. Around here, that means The Chef is rocking on guitar and I'm experimenting in the kitchen. The best part is while I am slaving away in the kitchen I get all the free screaming guitar I want. Some people have just one passion in their life, some people have several. The Chef has two. Cooking, and music. His time is literally spent doing one thing or the other. Culinary wise, we are on the same page. Musically, however, we have some differences. He likes classic rock, I am a definite hard core thrash/speed/death metal lover. He plays Stranglehold and I'd like to strangle him. I play Love You to Death and he moans and groans. We do have some musicians and bands that we both love, and that's cool. It works for us. 

It's been a while since we have cooked with a "new" grain around here. Time to get back on the wagon, especially since that was one of my Foodie Resolutions for 2016 and we are about halfway through 2017! So far we have experimented with wheat berries, millet, and a few other grains. The Chef recently took all of my grain hoard out of the pantry and set it on the kitchen island, so we could make some meal plans and use some of these. There are a few more I've been hearing about but I'm strictly forbidden from buying anymore until we use these ones up. It's time for bulgur wheat to make it's appearance. What is it anyway? Bulgur wheat is a grain that has been parcooked and dried. It's a very common grain in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking. If you've ever heard of, or tried, tabbouleh, then you know what we're talking about.

Bulgur is another grain that's very high in protein and fiber, with loads of health benefits. What's not to like about that? The recipe we are making today is a salad. I call it jeweled because the bright color of the pomegranate seeds or cranberries look like sparking rubies, and the bright green parsley and scallion tops remind me of emeralds. You can serve this as a side dish or it can easily be turned into an entree with a bit of leftover chicken to bump up the protein, some crumbled cheese or just as it is for a great vegetarian option.

Jeweled Bulgur Salad with Lime

2 cups bulgur wheat
1 can garbanzo beans
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds or dried cranberries
small bunch parsley- chopped (about 1 cup)
2 limes, zest and juice
4 tb olive oil
1 tsp cumin
2 tb honey
2-3 scallions, sliced, including the green parts

To cook the bulgur, place the 2 cups wheat in a bowl. Add 4 cups boiling water. Cover and let sit for at least an hour. Drain off any excess liquid.

In large bowl combine garbanzo beans, pomegranate seeds or cranberries, lime zest, scallions and parsley. Toss with bulgur.

In a small bowl whisk together the lime juice from the two limes, the oil and the honey.

Serve at room temperature for best flavor. The cranberries (I used cranberries as pomegranates weren't available) add a lovely sweet taste and spark of acidic tartness and the parsley adds such an herbal flavor.

Speaking of parsley, have I ever mentioned how much I love parsley in salad? I grow loads of it in the summer. Love love love big handfuls tossed in a leafy green salad. The leaves are bright and peppery and I love their perky flavor. Italian flat leaf parsley is the best but I grow both because I love them both. Another great fresh herb that is wonderful in salads, including this one, is basil. That's another herb that comes in lots of varieties and colors and looks gorgeous and tastes delicious. Mint is another herb that is a bright addition to salads. 

Dinner on the patio- Lemony Wheat Berry Toss

Back to playing with grains- and this time I won't subject you guys to bad zombie jokes. I've been on a grain kick again lately, exploring the ancient grains and trying new textures and flavors. Wheat berries are on the menu today. These little bits of fabulous are very versatile! I've had them in artisan breads, but never had them cooked and served in other ways.

Because they are a heartier grain, they make a substantial addition to a salad entree. But what are wheat berries? Well, they are the whole wheat grain, the same thing that can be ground into flour. Besides being packed with fiber they are also a great source of protein and iron, so they make a great addition to vegetarian dishes. You can swap them out for other grains in dishes and their firm, chewy texture makes them a natural addition to salads. If you cannot have gluten or don't want to, this is NOT a grain for you. 

Because we don't want to sit down to a bowl full of nothing but grain, and we want the "fresh factor" and lots of fresh flavor, baby salad greens and especially baby spinach are the go-to choice for me. I find them to be extremely versatile, inexpensive if you buy, even easier to grow. Adding fresh veggies to a protein-packed salad like this one brings in loads more nutrients and fiber and flavor. 

So let's get started on our Lemony Wheat Berry Toss. You are going to need:

1 cup red wheat berries

3 cups water

a couple big handfuls baby spinach
1 yellow or orange bell pepper, cut into matchsticks

1/2 red onion, chopped

olive oil

1 lemon- you will need the zest from the whole lemon and the juice

salt, pepper

Start off by combining the wheat berries and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 50 minutes to an hour. You want the wheat berries to be tender but still chewy. Drain off any excess liquid. Set aside to cool.

In a large serving bowl combine vegetables and wheat berries. Toss with lemon juice, zest and a couple tablespoons olive oil. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if necessary. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

**NOTE: If you chill to serve later, I recommend chilling the wheat berries first and then combining the ingredients right before serving. Your veggies won't wilt and the berries won't soak up ALL the dressing.

This is intended to be an entree salad, so you can really have some fun with food here. You can add cubed cooked chicken, grilled shrimp, seared scallops, whatever you like. You can throw a palm full of fresh herbs in, thyme would go wonderfully with the lemony tone of this dish. Parsley would be an excellent punch of fresh flavor too. Growing some arugula or mesclun? Throw in a handful! I have a few different kinds of kale going in my garden so I plan on tearing some up and adding that next time. If you are one of those fried egg people who love the gooey yolk, top with a poached or softly fried egg. Some crusty bread and a nice glass of wine (Riesling is my favorite) completes this super easy dinner. I hope you'll give it a try! This dish is just begging you to take it outside and enjoy  summer dinner on the patio. 

Unfortunately for us, it was a cold and rainy evening, so dinner on the patio will not be happening at the Little Lake House. We are having ours with some pan-grilled kielbasa slices and homemade jalapeno ale mustard, which I must say, was quite delicious.

Small Town Surprise!

I set out on a qwest for vegetable soup. My destination was a teeny tiny small town (and I mean SMALL town) market. What I got was NOT what I'd bargained for!

Just a normal Friday evening for us, as The Chef has some time off right now and we are taking advantage of the evenings together, we decided, well actually I begged and he relented, to take a drive on this beautiful spring evening to the little town of Fontanelle, in Adair County, Iowa. I am planning a product review and blog post for a product that can only be found at their little store, so off we went.

Pulling in the parking area it just seemed like a smallish grocery market, nothing special. Walked in the door and right there in a special rack was the soup I came after. We decided to browse a little, and as I turned around, I became amazed at what I was seeing. 

Organic foods lined the shelves. Grains such as quinoa, hemp and chia seeds, specialty flours and grain products of many many kinds filled shelf after shelf. Brands I know- like Bob's Red Mill!! 

Gourmet sauces and condiments, Tomolives even! A nice selection of hot sauces- one of our favorite things to sample. 

Unique pastas such as Amish-made kluski and gluten free quinoa spaghetti. A small but fresh and well stocked affordable produce section. The old fashioned meat counter filled with beautiful cuts of fresh meat. 

But the best was yet to come. We love sushi. LOVE it. I've been looking around for a sushi making class so we could make our own- and here, nestled among Asian food items I had never seen even in the huge city supermarkets, were sheets of nori and a sushi rolling mat kit. Heaven !!!

I think it goes without saying, we did not leave that store with just the 2 quarts of locally made soup and I also think most of you know by now, this will not be a one-time visit.