Garden Update + Pesto Pasta Salad

I missed an update in between, so prepare yourselves, because the garden is getting out of control!

Here's a photo from July 11:



Not too crazy, right? Lettuce is coming in, tomatoes are filling out, radishes are a little bit nuts (and were mercilessly thinned).



Because that's not how you grow radishes. Oops. Turns out if you have extra seeds, you should save them, or give them away, or even throw them away, instead of just tossing them all in the dirt and giving yourself a bunch of extra work to do thinning, and also... no mature radishes.

OK, one mature radish.



Not a totally wasted effort, however, because as it turns out, radish greens are edible and tasty! After cleaning (so thoroughly! many slugs spotted.), they are great sautéed and tossed in with scrambled eggs, pasta sauces, wherever you might use spinach or kale (although they are kind of prickly, so I wouldn't use them in salad). And I made a big batch of pesto, which made a phenomenal pasta salad! (Scroll to the bottom for recipes.)





The carrots and lettuce are playing nicely:



And here's where I start to lose my grip on the situation (from July 21):



ACK! What is even going on?! OK, a couple of things are going on. The aforementioned radish was harvested, along with most of the rest of the radish greens. We might get another few radishes. Peppers and tomatoes are going like gangbusters, loving the recent heat wave.





Basil! Threatening to go to seed. Chopped off a bunch of the tops and used 'em for dinner last night. That'll teach them to be dramatic.



And then there was the time when I almost lost my entire crop of beets to some sneaky, devious, giant weeds that took over their spot in the bed. Being still firmly in the camp of "novice gardener," I was more than a little nervous to pull out of a bunch of uniform-looking, big, healthy, pink-rooted plants that were growing where I planted beets. Are these the beets? I asked myself. Then, after remembering what fully-grown beets look like, I took a deep breath, gave myself a little pep talk (out loud: "Trust yourself!" Oh yes I did.), and pulled them ALL! And lo and behold, what should remain but two neat little rows of the saddest, most sun-starved little baby beet plants you've ever seen.



Now that I've gotten rid of their competition and thinned them out a bit, I think they'll bounce back.

I was about to thin the vining plants on the right side, started to, and then totally lost my nerve. (The beet weed episode really took it out of me!) I'm going to make sure to get a lot of advice (from my friends on youtube, and some real gardeners at the local garden center) before going back to stake, prune, and thin those bad boys. More on my findings in the next post!

Pesto can be made with basically anything dark and leafy, so I went for radish greens, which I had in abundance. Try kale, chard, collards, or stick with the classic basil. They are all delicious.

Pesto Pasta Salad

1/3 cup radish pesto (recipe follows)
1/2 pound cavatappi, or other short, dried pasta, cooked al dente, and drained
8 ounces fresh mozzarella (I used the tiny balls that come in a water-packed container)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 12-ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
olive oil
salt and pepper

Toss ingredients together in a large bowl and stir to combine, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper, and thinning the sauce as needed with olive oil. Store in the refrigerator for days of easy meals!

Radish Green Pesto

4 cups radish greens (or other greens, see head note)
1.5 cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup walnuts
juice and zest of 1 lemon
4 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
salt and pepper to taste

Place ingredients in a food processor, and pulse to combine, then puree until you reach your desired consistency. Enjoy!

Simply Stunning Stuffed Shells

I think this is it, people. I think this is the end of the (really) cold weather. The ten-day forecast is hopeful, with highs mostly in the 40s, and one day with a predicted high of 50!! After a historically cold and snowy February, this forecast fills me with an embarrassing amount of joy.



Sometimes the idea of blogging about my faith, especially my Lenten practices feels strange to me - it feels against the spirit of Matthew 6:17 fasting, like if I bring this part of my life into a public arena, it will have less impact, make less of a difference in my life. But then as I read others' blogs, I remember why this kind of sharing is important. Bonnie wrote about her struggles through Lent, her struggle to challenge herself while also remaining realistic in the face of the everyday sacrifice of motherhood, and I felt encouraged, emboldened, and refreshed. I felt like I had a companion on the journey. Then Jenny shared a post challenging us to take a closer look at the media we consume, to really test whether it is strengthening or weakening our character, our conscience. I admire these women who are sharing their hearts, because they encourage me in my life, help me to be better, challenge me to look closer and dig deeper. I am grateful.



I guess the key is, as in all things, purity of motive. Why do I feel compelled to share? Do I want applause and accolades? To gain the admiration (and maybe even envy) of my peers? Or am I looking to pay it forward, in the hopes that something I share will encourage someone, help them to live their faith in the way so many bloggers have inspired me to live mine? The key is humility, which is so very hard to nail down, so difficult to live in reality.



I originally shared this recipe in 2011, and I've only made it a handful of times between then and now. I can't for the life of me figure out why, since it's so simple to make, and results in such a lovely, sparklingly special finished dish. Perfect for a Lenten Friday evening, or any other time when you'd rather avoid meat.



Simply Stunning Stuffed Shells
adapted from 101cookbooks

1 box jumbo dried pasta shells (you will end up with a few extra shells)
zest of 1 lemon

For the sauce:
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

For the filling:
1 15-ounce container whole-milk ricotta
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup grated mozzarella
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1 bunch chives, minced

Put a large pot of water on to boil.  Preheat oven to 350.  Coat bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil, and sprinkle half of lemon zest over it.

For the sauce, combine olive oil, salt, pepper flakes and garlic in a saucepan, stirring over medium heat just until fragrant, being careful not to burn.  Add tomatoes and stir until hot.  Remove from heat, stir in basil, and taste for seasonings.

For the filling, combine ricotta, egg and salt in a bowl and mix well.  Stir in mozzarella, parmesan, remaining half of lemon zest, and 3/4 of chives.  Set aside.

Cook shells in boiling, salted water until just barely done - if you overcook them, they'll fall apart when you try to stuff them.  Drain and cool slightly.

Spread 1/3 of sauce over the bottom of the pan.  Fill each shell with ricotta filling, and nestle them closely together on top of the sauce.  Spoon remaining sauce over, and then sprinkle with chives and a little bit of extra mozzarella and parmesan.  Cover with foil and bake 15 minutes, uncover and bake another 15 minutes, until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling.  Serve with garlic bread. Or garlic knots!

Pasta Luglio

It feels like summer. Yesterday we spent the entire morning at the park and pool, and most of the afternoon in the front yard. Last night after Anne was in bed, I scooped a bowl of homemade strawberry ice cream and sat on the front stoop watching the fireflies come out. This morning, we spent a solid hour sidewalk chalking the front walkway (a beach scene!), blowing bubbles, and watching the planes fly overhead. This afternoon we walked to the park and the farmers' market. We stopped at the market for a while and listened to a woman play the accordion. Anne danced, and drank tiny sips of water out of the top of my Klean Kanteen bottle.

I tend to read mostly non-fiction: memoirs, parenting, self-help, religion. I've decided that July is the Month of the Novel, and I am doing what I can to get through as much fiction as possible this month. On the list: The Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, and The Godwulf Manuscript, by Robert B. Parker. I've bitten off more than I can chew, but that's not terribly surprising. The bigger your stack of books, the more books you read in the end, even if you never finish the whole thing (How could you ever finish? Have you seen a library?). What are you reading this summer? Have you seen the selections for the Well-Read Mom for this year? I am excited for that.

I'm running a half marathon next week (!), and I've run something like 170 (!!) miles in training since March. I don't particularly love the running, especially the amount of time it takes each week. I'm looking forward to crossing the finish line and getting back to more reasonable, balanced workouts. What has been amazing about this process for me has been seeing myself uncompromisingly committed to reaching my goal. I signed up for the half marathon and paid the ridiculous entry fee, I downloaded a training plan, and I have done basically every single thing on the training plan, rain or shine, in spite of other plans, fatigue, soreness, or just plain whiny laziness. I have gotten out and run my miles 3-4 times a week without fail for 4 months. I feel shocked! I guess it just goes to show you that you never stop learning things about yourself. I, apparently, am very goal-oriented, and benefit greatly from a specific schedule that I can follow. I'm excited to test this knowledge in other areas of my life.

I let Anne run around and pick things at the market for dinner tonight (her contributions: yellow squash and mushrooms), and as usual, the simplest seasonal ingredients worked their magic to form the most amazing pasta dish I've eaten in a long time. Buon appetito!




Pasta Luglio
(serves 2 for dinner, 4 as a first course)

This is a weeknight dinner, and I have a busy toddler who likes to "help," so I go as quickly as I can. This means that I do not chop everything before I start cooking. Chop one thing, toss it in. Chop another, add. Chop more, add more, etc. Cooking times between additions would honestly be something like "as long as it takes to chop half and onion." It's a very forgiving recipe, just wing it.

1/2 pound penne or other short pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow summer squash, quartered and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
splash of white wine
6 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
5-6 large leaves fresh basil, shredded
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
salt and pepper to taste

Boil a pot of water for the pasta. Salt generously (it should taste like seawater), and cook the pasta about a minute shy of al dente (for penne, 9-10 minutes). Reserve about 2 cups of the starchy pasta water for the sauce (or splash it in the sauce as you're cooking the pasta, as I did - see below).

Place the olive oil in a wide, shallow saucepan over medium heat. Add the squash, season with salt and pepper, and let sit for a minute. Add the mushrooms, onions, and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softening and pan starts to look dry. Splash with white wine and cook another minute. Add the tomato paste and stir together, splashing in enough pasta water to thin the paste into a sauce that coats the vegetables. Stir in the pasta and cook for a minute or two. Remove from heat and add grated cheese, basil, and butter. Stir until the butter and cheese are melted. Taste, adjust seasonings if needed, and serve.

Late Summer Minestrone

Hello?

...Anyone still here?

I accidentally took the summer off from blogging! I trust that you have been eating well, taking advantage of beautiful weather and farmers markets, and hopefully you've been online less this summer as well!

I'm back, because fall energizes me and makes me excited about what I'm cooking again! And I want to share! To kick off your weekend, a simple summer soup. Late summer means you can put whatever you want in it - seriously. Anything that looks good at the market, or that you have too much of in your garden. Yesterday I was reading a novel, in which a soup like this was described: a recipe that's never quite the same, served with whole grain bread and salted butter. Into the kitchen I flew!



(not pictured: pile mountain of unfolded clean laundry, several piles of clutter, unvacuumed floors all made possible by aforementioned novel-reading and soup-making.)

Late Summer Minestrone

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 leek, rinsed well and sliced
3 carrots, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 zucchini, chopped
1 cup shelled fresh cranberry beans (or cooked cannellini beans)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 large can whole tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper
Asiago cheese, for serving

In a soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the leek, carrots, celery and garlic, and cook 3-4 minutes. Add the zucchini, beans, tomato paste, and tomatoes, crushing the tomatoes slightly with your hands as you add them. Fill the can again with water, and add that to the pot. Add the herbs, bring to a simmer, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer 20-30 minutes, until the beans and vegetables are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve with Asiago cheese grated on top.

Posole Verde

There seem to be areas of life that are best left undiscussed, especially if they happen to be going well. Baby sleep comes to mind. Also weather. Seems that as soon as you say, "The baby has been sleeping so well!" or "Well, it seems like spring has finally arrived," you're in for it. It's almost Memorial Day weekend, and instead of heading to the beach, we're just glad we didn't tuck away all the sweaters quite yet.



My husband has been really busy at work lately, so I've been flying solo at dinner time more often. The bright side of the situation is that I'm able to branch out of the normal rotation and make some delicious meals he might not enjoy. I find a lot of joy in cooking just for myself. Of course I'll be glad to have him back when this busy season is over (so glad!), but I'm enjoying the ritual of cooking, eating, and cleaning up all alone, in a mostly-silent house, after the baby is soundly sleeping. Chopping, stirring, tasting. Predictable, unlike motherhood. A quiet meditation. A sip of wine, a pause... Listening; is the baby awake? No. (sigh of relief.) A little more salt. I set the table (real dishes, real napkins, s'il vous plait), sit down, breathe deeply the delicious aroma. A gift I give myself after pouring myself out for others all day.



This soup came together almost by accident. I've been making several trips a week to the produce market down the street, just for a few things. It's something to do in the time between nap and bed, a time that tends to drag. I grabbed some dandelion greens, and after trying them in a salad (too bitter!) decided to stick them in a soup. The next time I was there I grabbed a can of hominy. The rest of the ingredients were things I had on hand, lucky me! It turned out so magnificently, I had to share. This soup is bright and fresh, in shades of spring green. Enjoy!



Posole Verde

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, membranes and seeds removed, minced
2 ribs celery, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 29-ounce can white hominy, drained
1 quart chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups chopped dandelion greens (or kale, spinach, or other dark leafy green)
1 big handful fresh cilantro, chopped
salt to taste
Avocado
Limes

In a soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, jalapeno, celery, and carrots, and cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until the edges of some pieces are browning and things are getting softer. Add the hominy and stock and stir. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes, until everything is heated through. Toss in the greens and cilantro and stir, cooking about 2 minutes more. Season to taste with salt. Thinly slice half an avocado and place in a soup bowl. Ladle hot soup over, and squeeze half a lime on top. Garnish with a sprig of cilantro.

Serves 3-4

Rigatoni with Butternut Squash, Brown Butter, and Sage

Since I didn't grow up Catholic, I don't have memories of fish fries, tuna noodle casseroles, or cheese pizzas on Fridays during Lent. In fact, Lent wasn't even mentioned (that I can remember) in the church I grew up in. The only hint that Easter was coming was that my sister and I got to pick out fancy new Easter dresses. Easter was no less an important feast in our home for the lack of Lenten fasting and preparation, and we have plenty of our own wonderful Easter traditions. But I have come to really love the 40 days of prayer, contemplation, and more intensive soul-sculpting we do to prepare for such an exciting day. And it's not just a spiritual benefit we gain; Lent reminds us that spring and rebirth are coming, just when we reach the most hopeless, tired part of winter and we're longing for spring. And not eating meat on Fridays gives us motivation to get creative in the kitchen!



Believe it or not, the butternut squash I used in this recipe was purchased in October, before Anne was born (in case you were wondering if hard squashes really do last all winter... apparently so!). The idea for this pasta evolved over a period of weeks, and the most interesting development happened when I started to toss the sweet roasted squash with the butter and pasta in the pan... the squash started to disintegrate! Rather than stop tossing so that the squash stayed intact, I tossed more vigorously, interested to see what would happen, splashing in a little more starchy pasta water when it got too dry, and watching in amazement as it started to resemble a cheesy sauce! Absolutely amazing.

It feels like cheating when "abstinence" from meat turns into the best meal we've had all month.



Rigatoni with Butternut Squash, Brown Butter and Sage

4-6 servings

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, and chopped into 1/2-inch cubes
Olive oil, salt and pepper

1 pound rigatoni
6 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons fresh chopped sage
1/3 cup toasted walnuts
Grated Parmesan cheese 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. In a large bowl, toss together the squash cubes, olive oil, salt and pepper, and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes, tossing the squash halfway through the cooking time. Allow to cool slightly. (You can also prepare the squash up to a few days ahead of time and store in the refrigerator.)

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, salt it well, and cook the rigatoni (or other short pasta with ridges) about a minute shy of al dente (you will finish it in a pan with the squash, and you don't want it to get mushy). Drain the pasta, reserving about a cup of the cooking water. Meanwhile, in a small skillet or saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, and then continue cooking it, swirling continuously, while it fizzes and pops, and eventually begins to brown and smell nutty and utterly amazing. The whole process takes about 3-5 minutes. As soon as the butter is brown, pour it into a bowl to cool slightly, and stir in the chopped sage. Be very careful not to burn it!! Let the butter and sage mellow together while the pasta finishes cooking.

Strain the butter through a sieve, pressing the sage to release more flavor, and discard the sage. Add the butter to a large skillet over medium heat, and toss in the pasta and squash. Using tongs, gently continue tossing until the squash begins melting down and coating the noodles, splashing in more pasta water as necessary, and seasoning with more salt to taste. Some larger pieces of squash will remain. Serve with toasted walnuts and grated Parmesan cheese to sprinkle over the top.

To toast walnuts, place them in a dry skillet over medium heat and toss occasionally, until fragrant. Cool slightly and chop.

Radish Pickles

I always buy radishes in the spring. They're so colorful, peeking out from rows and rows of baby greens and asparagus at the market. Especially these Easter egg ones - a purple vegetable will always have a special place in my heart. But here's what happens. I get excited when I see them. I buy them and take them home. They sit in the fridge, lonely and sad, until they get all wrinkly and semi-soft, and then... I throw them away.

That is crazy talk.



Thing is, until I thought of this idea, I did not know what to do with a whole bunch of radishes. A single solitary radish thinly sliced and mixed with salad greens? That I can handle. A whole bunch? What do I look like, some kind of radish fiend? I can't handle that much radish action. For how cute and pastel-colored they are, those suckers are spicy and assertive!

Speaking of things that are cute and pastel-colored, but can be spicy and assertive... we are expecting a little baby girl! She should make her big debut in November, and we can't wait to meet her. In the past couple of days, I've been thinking about what a weighty responsibility it is to teach a girl how to be a woman. There's just so much I want to make sure she knows, so much that I hope for her life.

I want to teach her that she should only laugh when boys are actually being funny, not just because they're being boys. I want her to be healthy and happy in her own skin. I want her to have a soaring imagination and a fabulous sense of humor. And I want her to know how to take a vegetable she doesn't really love and turn it into pink pickles!



This is my new favorite thing to do with radishes. I've tried cooking them, and it wasn't bad. It's just that, ok, what gives a radish its inherent radish-ness? It's crispy and spicy. If you cook it, it's soft and not spicy. It's not horrible, it just doesn't really remind me of a radish anymore. These pickles take radishes to the next level - they don't have the same raw bite, but they're still crispy and a little spicy.



Radish Pickles

Substitute these any place a normal pickle would go. One delicious option: piled on buttered toast, and sparingly salted. Actually, taste first to see if they need salt, since the brine is already pretty salty.

1 bunch radishes, any variety, washed and sliced thinly
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 cup water
1 cup white vinegar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon crushed peppercorns

Pack the sliced radishes and the garlic into a pint Mason jar. In a medium saucepan, combine water, vinegar, salt and sugar over medium heat and stir until dissolved. Add the peppercorns and pour the brine over the radishes. Screw the lid on tightly and allow to come to room temperature. Refrigerate for 24 hours. Voila pickles!

Can be kept in the refrigerator up to a month.

Yield: one pint.

Cream of Asparagus Soup

**NOTE: I have fixed the thing that was making it impossible to pin photos to Pinterest, thanks to this helpful post. If you have a blog and you've been having the same issue, I hope that helps! If you don't have a blog but you like to pin my posts and recipes, thank you! I love it when you share!!

For my blogday, I asked people to suggest things they'd like to see on the blog. My good friend Cassie asked for some asparagus soup, and since this hot weather is about to send the asparagus packing, it's now or never! I had never had asparagus soup before, and I have to say this is not my favorite preparation of this vegetable. Upon first taste I thought maybe I hadn't seasoned it well, or maybe it was too much stock and not enough vegetable, but after letting it rest a day in the fridge it turns out it was actually a pretty nice soup. It's just very, very subtle. And since asparagus has such a short season, I'd rather just barely saute it and toss with pasta, or shave it and pile it on a pizza, or steam it and dip it in a creamy sauce. But! If a velvety, subtly-flavored light green soup sounds like just the thing for you, give this a try!

Cream of Asparagus Soup

I've seen several recommendations from other sources that if you puree asparagus, you should strain it to remove any lingering tough or woody pieces, but I found it to be an unnecessary step. My soup was plenty smooth without straining. Follow your heart, though, and make sure to trim your asparagus well. Peeling the hard edges might also help with especially woody asparagus.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 bunch spring onions, or 1/2 Vidalia onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1- to 2-inch lengths

4 cups water, vegetable stock, or chicken stock

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

salt and pepper to taste

In a soup pot, warm the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and saute about 3-5 minutes, until slightly softened. Add asparagus and toss together. Season with salt and pepper, add the water or stock, and simmer until the asparagus can be easily smashed against the side of the pot with a spoon, about 10-15 minutes (more or less depending on how thick your asparagus is). Puree in batches in a blender, and then return to the pot over low heat. Stir in the butter and cream, taste, and adjust seasoning. Serve warm or cold.

Yield: about 4-6 servings

Armenian Potato Leek Soup

Friends, I have been living large this week. I found out about an absolutely amazing donut shop that is a short walk from my office (Do-Rite Donuts OMG), accidentally stumbled upon the downtown Chicago Farmstand (as I was trying to find aforementioned donut shop for the first time), and went to the first outdoor Green City Market of the season! So exciting!



I love the produce at the beginning of spring. It's so tender and bright green and delicate. It deserves to be treated gently. Last Thursday, I was impatiently waiting our trip to the market on Saturday morning, so finding the Farmstand was like getting to open a present on Christmas Eve. I got some rhubarb, leeks, pea tendrils, and mint, and started dreaming about dinner.

As I started pulling things together for this soup that evening, I wasn't purposefully trying to turn it into an Armenian-flavored dish. I just wanted a light, simple way to spotlight these first few springtime treasures. But when I tasted it, the mint and yogurt were unmistakably Armenian. One of my favorite meals from my childhood was Tan Abour, a delicious soup made with lamb stock, yogurt, mint, and barley. This hits all the same flavor spots, and only takes about 25 minutes to come together, making it a perfect supper for a springtime weeknight. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!



Armenian Potato Leek Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
3 small potatoes, about a pound, peeled and cubed
2 leeks, rinsed well and sliced
2 cups vegetable stock or water
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup whole milk yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced fresh mint
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

In a wide, shallow saucepan, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and onions, and saute for a few minutes, until the vegetables are getting some color in places. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and add the vegetable stock or water. Cover and reduce the heat to low, and simmer about 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Puree in a blender. Return to the pot and stir in the milk, and heat through over low heat.

In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, lemon juice, mint, and salt. Stir yogurt mixture into the soup and mix well, or ladle soup into bowls and drizzle a little bit of the yogurt mixture over each bowl. Serve warm or chilled. Top each bowl with a little pile of pea tendrils.

Serves three as a meal, four as a first course.

7 Quick Takes: Meatless Meal Ideas

It's the second Friday in Lent, and people all across the country are pulling into the drive-thru at McDonald's for a Filet-o-Fish, packing up the kids for a fish fry in the church basement, and dusting off their trusty tuna noodle casserole recipes. Today, I would like to share some ideas to get you out of your fishy Lenten rut! Enjoy!

1. ...But we like fish!

Photo from YumSugar

I totally understand! Fish is delish! But there are more interesting (not to mention healthier and more sustainable) ways to enjoy this tradish (oh no, somebody stop me) Friday option. Before I go all crazy and suggest things like lobster and king crab, let's remember that we are abstaining from meat for a day for purposes of penance and self-denial, not as an excuse for a different type of feast. So here are some non-feasting, non-tuna-noodle options: salmon with sweet chili glaze, lemony white bean, tuna, and celery salad, sardine sandwich with horseradish cream, or smoked salmon pizza with red onion and capers.

2. Pasta

Photo from Eat, Live, Run

Tired of spaghetti and marinara? Try wintry pasta al forno, stunning stuffed shells, gnocchi with goat cheese, grape tomatoes and basil, or broccoli-basil mac and cheese.

3. Go vegan for a day!

Photo from The Shiksa in the Kitchen

Since we're not eating meat, why not just go all the way and not eat anything animal-based? Try a deconstructed avocado roll; all the sushi flavor, none of the raw fish. These wintry tofu spring rolls look amazing. Roasted kale and coconut salad over brown rice or farro is totally craveable. Never made your own falafel? There's no time like the present. How about this for easy: Italian white beans with Meyer lemon and tarragon piled on top of toasted crusty French bread. Now we're talking!

4. Wait... that's not meat?

Photo from Peas and Thank You

Peas and Thank You is an awesome blog (and cookbook!) for meatless cooking. And also for real-life stories of motherhood that often make me laugh out loud. Some of Sarah's popular, can't-believe-it's-not-meat recipes: Tempeh Spaghetti, Curried Sweet Tater Tot Casserole, Seitan Fajitas, Tamale Pie.

5. Breakfast for dinner

Like we needed an excuse. Scrambled eggs with caramelized mushroom and onion biscuits. Waffles with maple-cinnamon poached pears (no bacon!). Chiles rellenos breakfast burritos!

6. Soup it up.

Roasted tomato and white bean soup with grilled white-cheddar sandwiches. Green lentil soup with curried brown butter. Borscht. Winter squash soup (make it with vegetable broth) with gruyere croutons.

7. Tradish (sorry).

My girl Sarah's got you covered with a great tuna-noodle casserole recipe, as well as one for chipotle bean burritos and caesar salmon wraps. YUM!

Visit Jen for more quick takes. And have a fantastic weekend!

Borscht

This winter has been perhaps the gentlest one I can remember. There have been no blizzards, no ten-day stretches where the thermometer doesn't even get above zero. I've needed my hat and serious boots only a handful of times. Now that it's officially March, anything that happens weather-wise can reasonably be blamed on the caprices of spring. I feel a little disoriented, but I'm not complaining.

Lack of extreme weather aside, there's still not a lot of color on the outdoor landscape during these months. Though it's not cold, it's still pretty dark. We've had our fair share of dreary days, and the grass that has been visible much more than normal is looking pretty tired. I find it really encouraging, when the world is languishing in shades of grey, that you can dig up roots that look like this:



They're so thoughtful.

This soup is delightful. Packed with veggies, warm and comforting, and bright, bright, BRIGHT! Beets and carrots get roasted first, for an extra layer of flavor. I wouldn't say no to a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

(P.S. I'm participating in Soupapalooza with TidyMom and Dine and Dish, sponsored by KitchenAid, Red Star Yeast, and Le Creuset! Come join the party with your soup recipes!)



Borscht

If you happen to have beef stock on hand, you can use that in place of some or all of the water and beef bouillon. You can also omit all beef entirely and just use water for a vegetarian soup. Also, this soup is lovely puréed, if you like that. I find it more satisfying to have something to sink my teeth into, especially if soup is the main course. A puréed version would make a great first course.

2-3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 large beets, scrubbed clean and quartered
3 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium-sized russet potato, peeled and cubed
1/2 head red or green cabbage, shredded
2 tablespoons beef bouillon, optional (use more salt if omitting)
dried or fresh dill
salt and pepper to taste
sour cream or yogurt, optional
balsamic vinegar, optional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a baking dish or roasting pan, arrange beets and carrots in a single layer. Drizzle one tablespoon olive oil over, and toss well. Add about a cup of water to the dish, and roast for about 45 minutes, until beets are tender and easy to peel. Remove from oven and allow to rest until cool enough to handle. Slip the skins from beets and dice.

In a soup pot or Dutch oven, heat remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute until softened, about 10 minutes. Add diced beets and carrots, potato, cabbage, and dried dill, if using (if using fresh, wait until the end to add it). Stir well and continue to cook for a couple of minutes. Add about 10 cups cold water to the pot, so that all the vegetables are completely covered. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for about 25-30 minutes, until all vegetables are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve hot or cold, garnished with sour cream or yogurt, balsamic vinegar, and a sprig of fresh dill.

Wintry Pasta al Forno

Once in a while, if I can't get myself motivated to clean my house, I invite people over. That usually does the trick. This Sunday, I hosted a little belated birthday dinner for one of my best friends, and I tell you, it was one of the most productive weekends I've ever had. Saturday morning, our Christmas tree was still up (and fully decorated), the front porch still had colored lights on it, and all the evidence of a week in the life of a busy couple (laundry, mail, dishes) was piled everywhere. By Sunday evening, the Christmas decorations were all packed in boxes and moved to the basement, the living room furniture was rearranged, sheets, towels, clothing and dishes were clean and put away, and furniture and floors were dusted, buffed and shining. I even started working on my dastardly project of a messy second bedroom. By the time people arrived, the table was set, appetizers out, Champagne chilled, salad ready, and this delicious pasta casserole in the oven. It was a proud moment, and the beginning of a lovely evening.

I'm usually not into things called "casseroles," because in my brain that word conjures something mushy, bland, and probably drenched in canned cream of something soup. This could not be farther from that. Layers of whole wheat pasta cooked al dente, creamy fontina and tangy Parmigiano Reggiano, mustardy cabbage, and tiny purple and white potatoes. It's comforting without being heavy, and it will warm you from the inside out. This is casserole's sophisticated older sister. I hope you enjoy it!

Wintry Pasta al Forno
adapted from 101cookbooks

Use whatever noodles you like in this recipe, and whatever creamy cheese. I can imagine endless variations; my next one will certainly involve gorgonzola and rosemary.

12 ounces whole wheat fettuccine, broken into 3-inch pieces
1 pound small potatoes (I found the purple ones at Costco!)
2 medium leeks, white parts only, rinsed well and thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 medium head of cabbage, cored and shredded
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoons (or more to taste) whole grain mustard
1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano
16 fresh sage leaves, slivered
4 ounces fontina or other soft, melty cheese, cut into small cubes

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente, and set aside.  Meanwhile, cover the potatoes with water, salt generously, and simmer until tender, 30-45 minutes. Drain and slice - mine were so tiny, that some of them just got cut in half. It's all good. Season with a bit of salt and set aside.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the leeks.  Saute until soft, about 3 minutes, and then add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Stir in the cabbage, and then the broth. Cover and cook until cabbage is tender. Remove from heat and stir in the mustard, 1/2 cup of the Parmigiano Reggiano, one teaspoon of salt, and half of the slivered sage leaves. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. (I would happily serve this sauteed cabbage as a side dish; it's amazing on its own.)

Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish, and layer half of the noodles, then half the cabbage, potatoes, and half of the fontina and remaining Parmigiano. Repeat with remainder of ingredients, and finish by sprinkling remaining slivered sage over the top.  Bake at 400 degrees until golden and hot, about 45 minutes. Serve immediately.

Miso-Carrot Soup

We're back to it. Eating our vegetables, buying less stuff, spending more time with people we love. The sparkle of New Year's has worn off, and we're left with clouds and cold, sweaters and snow. How are your resolutions faring?

I am so excited about the food I've been eating lately. So many vegetables, roasted, braised, and sauteed, dressed merrily in herbs and spices, and dancing with citrus. It may be grey and dreary outside, but there is no shortage of color in the kitchen. Carrots! Beets! Blood oranges! Grapefruit!





Treat yourself to a really great lunch of miso-carrot soup and this beet salad, and then use the energy boost to power through a productive afternoon! All those fruits and veggies combine to give you superpowers that no rain/snow mix could dampen. Go forth and do great things!

p.s. Did you know that you can get ten pounds of organic carrots for just under $7 at Costco? Crazy deal.

p.p.s. If you make this salad and pack it for lunch, make double-triple sure the container it's in can't leak. The inside of my lunchbox was fuchsia for a day.

Miso-Carrot Soup
adapted from smitten kitchen

I used ginger-chicken broth in this soup, because I had it leftover, and wasn't a huge fan of it on its own, but vegetable broth is perfect as well. Make sure to choose a low-sodium version if you're not using homemade - the miso is pretty salty, and you want to be able to control the seasoning yourself.

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 large vidalia onion, thinly sliced
4 medium cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
4 cups low-sodium broth
1/4 cup red miso paste
juice of 1 lemon

toasted sesame oil and roughly chopped parsley or cilantro, to finish

Place the oil in a large Dutch oven and heat over medium flame.  Add carrots, onion, and garlic, and saute until onions are translucent, about ten minutes. Add broth and ginger, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until carrots are tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and puree in batches in a blender, or use an immersion blender. Ladle a small amount of soup into a small bowl, and whisk in the miso paste.  Whisk miso mixture and lemon juice into soup and taste, adding salt, pepper, or more miso if necessary. Ladle into bowls and finish with a drizzle of toasted sesame oil and a sprinkling of fresh herbs.