At request . . . two more recipes

Earlier in the week when I shared a vegetarian menu with friends, they asked for the recipes so I want to honor that request. I love putting together a vegetarian meal with the challenge of getting in the protein and full range of nutrition. Here’s what I did when my nonmeat-eating friend came to visit.

Nutty Sweet Potato Soup
Green Salad
Swiss Cheese and Onion Quiche
Whole-Wheat Buttermilk Rolls

A few notes: We now have locally-grown hydroponic lettuce available. That’s a first that I’ve found so I mixed it with the beautiful lettuce I’ve been nurturing with the help of my grow light.

Quiche has been a long-time favorite of mine. You’ll find many quiche recipes but the simplest way to make it is to remember the three eggs to two cups of cream (or milk) combination. Par-bake the crust, sprinkle on it whatever cheese, vegetables and meats you want to fill the quiche with and pour over the combo mixed with a sprinkle of salt, pepper and nutmeg. It won’t fail you.

Whole-Wheat Buttermilk Rolls
1 TBSP yeast
¼ c warm water
1 1/2 tsp sugar
2 C buttermilk
3 tsp canola or other vegetable oil
1/1/2 tsp salt
1/1/2 tsp baking soda
2 C unbleached white flour
2 C whole wheat flour
Warm buttermilk, oil and salt to approximately 110 degrees. (If you’re new to working with yeast, test with thermometer then feel with your finger to learn what the temperature should feel like. You’ll like not need a thermometer after you learn.) While warming, combine yeast, water and sugar in small bowl.

Pour buttermilk mixture into large bowl. Add almost all of the flours and baking soda. Beat vigorously until very well mixed. Add more flour until dough is relatively firm. Turn onto lightly floured surface, knead a few strokes then cover with a bowl (glass works especially well) for 15 minutes.

Uncover and knead 5 minutes or so until smooth and elastic. Spray two muffin tins to prepare for 24 rolls. Roll piece of dough into walnut size and put two pieces in each tin.

Cover with a damp towel and place in warm place to double for 45 minutes or so. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake risen rolls for 15 – 20 minutes until gold brown.

Although Cole slaw wasn’t included in that meal, I shared it with a friend the next day at lunch. It was a vinegar slaw I made from the fresh, spring cabbage then froze. Here’s that recipe, too.

Mom’s Winter Slaw
3 lbs. shredded cabbage
2 chopped onions
2 chopped green peppers
2 chopped red peppers
1 TBSP salt
1 C vinegar
1 C Water
2 C sugar
2 tsp. celery seed
2 tsp. mustard seed

Mix first four ingredients in large bowl. Combine remaining ingredients in large pot and bring to boil. Pour over cabbage mixture. Cool and fill freezer bags.
I like to use small bags so I have lunch-sized servings.

The beauty of simple food

Since Sunday evening I’ve been staying at PenHouse Retreat Center in Frankfort, Kentucky for some peaceful time to reflect and write. The big, old house with porches on every side offers spacious rooms, generous light and the melody of birds and insects. Those charms do not surpass that of the warm host and hostess—David and Normandi—readily offering their garden meals along with lively conversation.

I’ve often thought I would like to have a place like this to offer to artists, but if I were cooking, I fear there would be little peace for me. I always feel a need to fill a table with options so if my guest doesn’t like one dish, another will suffice. It often means hours of preparation and lots of fussing to make the table look grand.

As I sit at some else’s table, I appreciate the simple goodness of a garden meal in which the natural flavors stand on their own. Cabbage slaw, Goose beans, corn on chicken, garden-fresh spaghetti sauce. Oh yes, I’ve been treated well. Rich flavors intertwine with funny stories and lessons from the journey others are taking in life.

The next time I welcome guests, I hope I can remember that the most enjoyable meal requires more than detailed preparation. It’s the simplest of foods and most genuine of conversations that create the best dining experiences.

Easy cooking for a Friday evening

I’m at another writing retreat so once again I chose the easy way to feed myself and my writer friends. Last night we ate two of my favorite dishes—Swiss chard lasagna and winter cole slaw.

The Swiss chard lasagna recipe originated with the Moosewood Cookbook that a friend gave to me 20 years ago. Their recipe is for spinach lasagna. I substituted my garden chard (my chard is even more beautiful in the cold weather; its flesh is sturdier and ribbons of yellow, white and red wind vibrantly through the green), my own preserved tomato sauce and added more parmesan cheese than they called for. This is one of those dishes you can assemble in a baking dish the day before so it’s simple to cook when you’re hungry. The results? Here’s what my friends rated it:
Lin: 10
Mary: 10

Since I ate the last of my garden lettuce this week, I pulled some winter cole slaw out of the freezer for the salad. It’s one of those vinegar recipes my mom gave me a couple of years ago when I told her I had more cabbage than I could eat. I think it’s quite tasty and I know it’s healthy since cabbage is in the cruciferous vegetable family, that gang of cancer fighters that I go to for support. Cabbage is also a great supplier of Vitamin C, folate, manganese, potassium and dietary fiber. My husband prefers creamy cole slaw, so instead of subjecting him to my freezer slaw, I brought it to a more appreciative crowd. Here’s what the writers rated it:

Lin: 10
Mary: 10

And yes, we did have dessert. I had Cushaw left from Thanksgiving week since that’s what I used to make our pumpkin pie. My husband clued me in that this southern heirloom squash actually makes tastier pie than pumpkin; he was right. So I made the leftover puree into pumpkin bread, or in this case, Cushaw bread. Topped with a little cream cheese, it’s an excellently moist and slightly sweet dessert. It’s not bad for breakfast either. Here are the ratings:

Lin: 10+
Mary: 10+

Okay, maybe I should have asked Lin and Mary separately for more honest ratings, but I think it’s safe to say from their reactions they really did enjoy the food.