Spaghetti with Chard and Cheese Sauce

Chard is so over. That bandwagon has come and gone. Only I'm not done yet. It's sweeter than spinach, and a lot less work to prep. What's not to like?

This is a quick cheese sauce with the chard tossed in to wilt. I didn't expect it, but some of the chard clumped into small cheesy morsels. Yeah, yum.

Roasted Vegetables and Polenta

Roasting veggies low and slow, provides wonderful texture, with crunchy exterior and soft interior. It also concentrates the sweet flavors.

All discussed at more length here:
http://v-e-g.blogspot.com/2014/04/roast-dinner.html

Tonight I added chunks of leftover cheesy polenta (spell check hint: tadpole).
http://v-e-g.blogspot.com/2014/03/baked-polenta.html

I like to make extra polenta for lunches (well, yeah, I like to make extra of everything for lunches) but this time there was more than enough to make a whole nother meal.

But, if you slow-roast your veggies, there's enough time to make fresh polenta.

Serve with parmesan for grating and a salad.

Passover

Passover is upon us and, though we didn't go to a Seder, we had Hillel sandwiches with Sephardic haroset (charoset?) and thought about oppression.

Maybe we should review the Monty Python Haggadah.

Back Yard Grill

This Sunday, the first grilling session of the season caught me off guard, but we had all we needed anyway.

I made a dog and buns, potato salad and slaw. Not pictured: mushrooms and onions, a brat for the omnivore, sunshine, and beer.

Everything was great except I was talking to a neighbor and burned the brat. I should not be in charge of cooking meat. So it goes.

Here's the correct way to make your own veggie dogs. I take lots of shortcuts and it turns out fine. I'm not trying to make it look or taste like it's made of meat. If it tastes good, I'm happy.

You can also grill a carrot. Also very good.

Many people like their potato salad without mayo. Me too, sometimes. But other times I like this, with red onions, mayo, and egg.

Have we talked about steaming your hard-boiled eggs? Easier to get the timing right and easier to shell. Try it.

Quick slaw takes about an hour to wilt be worth it. We used both green and red cabbage. Shave, smash and toss with a little sugar, salt and pepper. Weight it down until it starts to brak down and release some liquid, about a half an hour. Add a little vinegar, red onion and carrot. You can add herbs, but not needed.

Sandwich

Saturday's lunch was a winner - besan bread, kimchi, mozzarella, panelle, more kimchi.

I was going to throw it under the broiler for a sec to get the cheese a little gooey, but really, I couldn't wait to eat it.

Rice Dumplings

Another steamed rice dumpling breakfast. This one is stuffed with leftover rice pilaf.

Besan Breakfast Quesadilla

Fried egg and cheese in a soft chickpea flour flat bread.

This was a great way to start the day.

Rice Pilaf

Yes, another rice pilaf recipe.

Cauliflower

Sauteed cauliflower turns into a great sauce and can be flavored a number of ways.

Serve it over pasta, cous cous, or rice.

One-Pot Pasta

This is the one-pot pasta method that makes a nice meal and is so easy. Perfect for a week-night meal.

A Full Lid

What is it? It's dinner. Eat.

Kidding.

It's mushroomy four-rice pilaf, buttery brussels sprouts, and grapefruit.

Empanada

When is dumpling not a dumpling? When it's an empanada. This one is filled with banana.

Donburi

This is not made with traditional ingredients, but the idea is as old as eating - a rice bowl of Japanese-inspired deliciousness.

I call it donburi to acknowledge the inspiration, not to demean the original.

Sopes Breakfast

Sopes, not just for dinner anymore.