Dollars to Donuts posts Tagged ‘love your veggies’

Cabbage Casserole

Posted by Dawn Welch

Cabbage is one of the biggest veggie values around. One head makes enough coleslaw to feed an army, and it can also be put to good use in this easy take on stuffed cabbage. Layering semicooked cabbage leaves into a baking dish lasagna-style with browned ground pork, rice, and tomato sauce gets you all the comforting flavors of stuffed cabbage with half the time.

Ingredients
2⁄3 cup long grain white rice
1 head (21⁄2 –3 pounds) green cabbage, cored
1 tablespoon + 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
1 pound ground pork
1⁄4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups homemade or store-bought marinara sauce
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1⁄2 cup raisins (optional)
1 cup grated mozzarella or provolone cheese

Cook the rice. Bring 11⁄3 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the rice, return to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the rice sit in the covered saucepan while you blanch the cabbage leaves and cook the pork filling.

Blanch the cabbage leaves. Place a large bowl filled with ice water next to your stovetop. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, carefully separate the leaves from the head of cabbage (try not to rip or tear them). Add 1 tablespoon of salt to the water along with the cabbage leaves and boil until the leaves are just limp, 3 to 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to gently remove the leaves from the water and plunge them into the ice water to cool.

Cook the pork filling. Heat the oven to 400°F. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, then add the ground pork. Stir to break it up and cook until it is browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the parsley and cinnamon and then mix in the marinara sauce and the cooked rice. Mix in the remaining 1⁄2 teaspoon of salt and the pepper and turn off the heat.

Assemble and bake. Arrange about one-third of the cabbage leaves in an even layer over the bottom of a 9″ x 13″ baking dish. Evenly cover with half of the meat and rice mixture. Repeat with half of the remaining cabbage and the remaining meat and rice mixture, ending with a final layer of cabbage leaves. Sprinkle with the grated cheese, cover with foil, and bake until bubbly, about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the cheese is golden-brown, about another 10 minutes. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes before slicing the casserole into squares and serving.

D2D
If pork sausage is less expensive by the pound than ground pork, then use the sausage instead. Just squeeze the meat right out of the casing. the extra flavor you get from the seasonings and spices in the sausage is a bonus!

Tags: , ,
Posted in Recipes
The Permalink: http://www.myd2d.com/2010/05/cabbage-casserole/
0 Comments

Summery Corn Soup

Posted by Dawn Welch

summerycornsoupWhy toss your corn cobs when they add an extra layer of sweet corn flavor to this brothy, summery soup? I like to make it nice and rich with a final addition of half-and-half, but that’s purely optional — even without it, it’s a lovely, light soup. Crab, lobster, and shrimp are all delicious additions.

036046-cornsoup-625x465

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
6 ears corn on the cob, husked, kernels removed, and the cobs reserved (about 41⁄2 cups corn kernels) or 41⁄2 cups frozen corn
3 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth, homemade or store-bought
2 medium potatoes, peeled and finely chopped
2 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and finely chopped
2 teaspoons fresh or 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup half-and-half (optional)

Make the broth. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, and corn kernels, and cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in the broth and add the corn cobs. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and let simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.

Remove and discard the corn cobs and add the potatoes, zucchini, tarragon, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Add the half-and-half (if using) and serve.

D2D
Eat fresh, quick-to-fade items such as fresh corn, basil, lettuces, and asparagus early in the week and save hardier veggies such as broccoli, potatoes, and green beans for later in the week.

Cook Smart
Even though this soup tastes so good made with fresh, farm stand corn, it’s so tasty that I make it in the winter with frozen corn.

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Recipes
The Permalink: http://www.myd2d.com/2010/04/summery-corn-soup/
0 Comments

Love Your Veggies

Posted by Dawn Welch

I love vegetables and never tire of coming up with new ways to serve them. In the 16 years that I’ve had the Rock, I’ve turned them into everything from cheesy gratins to soups, pickles, and simple platters of steamed goodness.

I must admit, I’m obsessed with getting kids and grown-ups to eat more veggies, and most of the time I’m pretty successful. The secret is to get them as excited about eating veggies as they are about chocolate cake! It’s a challenge that I happily tackle head-on with fierce determination!

At dinnertime I usually set 2 vegetable dishes on the table. That way, if one of the kids doesn’t care for the texture of spoon-tender green beans or the heat of spicy roasted cauliflower, I get peace of mind knowing that they’ll dig into more familiar offerings, such as a leafy green salad with honey- mustard dressing or quickly steamed broccoli sprinkled with Parmesan and lemon juice.

Offering options is a great way to introduce new flavors to your family, and also to guarantee leftovers for future meals. That steamed broccoli is fabulous tossed with pasta, peas, and a creamy Parmesan sauce for lunch, and nothing beats leftover salad (set some aside before you dress it) stuffed into a pita pocket with feta and chopped olives for lunch or a snack.

The price of vegetables varies enormously by season and even week to week, so I pay special attention to prices when I’m in the produce aisle, looking for specials and bargains. When I spot pricey portobello mushrooms or artichokes on sale for 50 to 75 percent less than their regular prices, you better believe I’m doing something with them for dinner in the next few days!

That said, there is nothing wrong with heading to the frozen food aisle for vegetables, especially in winter months when fresh produce is imported, expensive, and often of poor quality. What matters more than frozen or fresh is that my family is eating (and loving) their vegetables every night of the week.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Features
The Permalink: http://www.myd2d.com/2010/04/love-your-veggies/
0 Comments

Cilantro and Lime Tabbouleh

Posted by Dawn Welch

There was always a small degree of danger when it came to eating my mother’s cooking. Sometimes I just had no earthly clue as to what we were going to eat (and what it would be made from)! This combo is one of her tamer creations and also one of her all-time greats. Oklahoma grows a lot of bulgur; and the town of Bristow, Oklahoma, hosts a tabbouleh festival every May with belly dancers and even a crowned Miss Tabouleh. Tabbouleh is as Oklahoman as biscuits and gravy. In fact, you’re likely to see it on nearly every restaurant menu, right alongside the fried okra and potato salad. This salad tastes even better the next day.

Ingredients
8 ounces bulgur wheat
1⁄2 cup lime juice (from about 4 limes)
1⁄4 cup white wine vinegar
1⁄2 teaspoon Italian Rub
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 cup olive oil
6 scallions, white and light-green parts only, thinly sliced
1 cucumber, peeled and finely chopped
1 can (14 ounces)- diced tomatoes with liquid
1⁄2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

Soften the bulgur. Pour the bulgur in a large bowl. Bring 1 1⁄2 cups of water to a simmer in a small saucepan, pour it over the bulgur, and set aside until softened, about 30 minutes.

Make the dressing. While the bulgur softens, whisk the lime juice, vinegar, Italian Rub, and salt together in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until the dressing comes together.

Finish the salad and refrigerate. Pour over the softened bulgur and toss to combine. Add the scallions, cucumber, and tomatoes, and stir to combine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight. Stir in the cilantro before serving.

D2D
Save a bunch of money by making your own salad dressing. I like 2 parts oil to 1 part acid (to dress 6 cups of greens, whisk 2 tablespoons oil with 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice). Dried and fresh herbs, chopped garlic or shallots, anchovies, and even fruit such as muddled raspberries and strawberries are all ways to make your dressing memorable. Keep it in a covered jar and shake before using.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Recipes
The Permalink: http://www.myd2d.com/2010/04/cilantro-and-lime-tabbouleh/
0 Comments

French Onion Soup with Broiled Swiss Caps

Posted by Dawn Welch

frenchonionsoupWhen I was 19 years old, I joined the crew of a cruise line as a purser. Up until that point, the fanciest sit-down meal I had ever experienced was my prom dinner at a banquet hall in Oklahoma. On the cruise ship, I was just like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, not knowing which fork to use, let alone the proper way to hold it! So, at my first dinner I went for soup, the simplest and most straightforward dish I could think of. Though I’d never had French onion soup before, it was truly love at first bite.

035930-onionsoup3-625x465

Onion Soup
1⁄2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
4 large (3 pounds) white onions, halved and thinly sliced
11⁄2 teaspoons salt
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 cups canned beef (or vegetable) broth
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Cheese Toast
6 slices (1″ thick) French bread
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
6 slices Swiss cheese
1⁄4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the onions. Melt the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions, salt, and pepper and reduce the heat to low. Cook until the onions are soft and golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.

Simmer the soup. Meanwhile, bring the beef broth to a boil in another pot. Mix the flour into the onions and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, then add 1 cup of beef broth, stirring well to work out any lumps. Add the remaining beef broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, partially cover the pot, and cook for 40 minutes.

Make the cheese toasts and serve. Heat the broiler to high. Brush both sides of the bread slices with melted butter and place them on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil until golden on both sides, about 1 minute per side (watch the bread closely, as broiler intensity varies). Top each slice with a piece of Swiss cheese and broil until the cheese is bubbly and browned, about 11⁄2 minutes. Divide the soup among 6 bowls. Add a piece of cheesy bread to each bowl, sprinkle with Parmesan, and serve.

Cook Smart
Turn the last bowl of french onion soup into french dip sandwiches. Warm a few slices of roast beef in a saucepan with some soup. Use tongs to place the beef and onions from the soup between a split french roll. Serve with the broth on the side for dunking.

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Recipes
The Permalink: http://www.myd2d.com/2010/03/french-onion-soup-with-broiled-swiss-caps/
0 Comments