Sunday: Hamburgers

I hope that I don't need to explain how to cook a burger. This should be the easiest post yet. For you Farmer's Market purists---this is a great recipe since the only thing store bought is the mighty hamburger bun.

1 pound ground beef

1 onion

1 Tomato

Slice of Swiss cheese

Hamburger buns


Make 4 beef patties and grill on the BBQ, or if you live in an apartment, a panini press. Slice the onion, Swiss cheese, and tomato and add any condiments that you like. Voila!

Once again, I like how the meat is fresher and doesn't have that raw meat smell from the grocery store. I also like that is it red, and not pink with meat grinder lines. This is an easy meal, and a great way to showcase the main ingredients without overwhelming them in sauces and techniques.

Saturday: Roasted Chicken Thighs

6 Chicken thighs

¼ Cup flour

2 Tablespoon butter

2 Tablespoon oil

1 Red onion

1 Head of garlic

½  Tablespoon Jalapeno

¼ Cup White wine

1 Cup chicken broth

 

Parsley

 Dredge the thighs in flour and heat 1 part olive oil, 1 part butter over medium high heat on the skillet.

 

Let one side of the thigh become a golden brown color before flipping it to the other side.

 

 

Add garlic, onion, jalapeno, white wine and broth and bring to a simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. If you have a pan that can also go into the oven, go ahead and cover and use that. If not, transfer into an 8x8 glass casserole pan. Cover with tin foil and cook for 20 minutes at 350. Remove cover and cook 15 minutes.

 

 

In the meantime, cook some pasta. It will act as a bed for your chicken. Use some butter and parsley to flavor it. I used about a ¼ cup of fresh parsley and ¼ cup of butter for 3/4 ‘s a box of spaghetti. I also sprinkled Cajun spices over the top, before topping the meat and juices over it.

Friday: New York Strip Steak

1 pound NY strip steak

Seasonings, rub

Green beans

2 potatoes

Butter

Preheat oven for 400. Make holes with a fork all around the potato. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Wrap the potato in foil and pour butter over potato. Bake for an hour.

Rub seasoning onto steak and place on a grill (or use a Panini grill) for no more than 3 minutes per side. Let rest for 5 minutes.

Blanche the green beans. I used butter to flavor this batch.

Thursday: Quesodillas

Tortillas

Kale

Butter

Swiss cheese

Jalapenos

Leftover chicken from Sunday

I made 3 kinds of quesadillas, Swiss cheese with jalapenos kale and chicken; cheddar cheese jalapenos and chicken; and cheddar cheese and jalapenos. My favorite was the Swiss, but if others in your family aren’t as adventurous, cheddar will do. You can get cheddar or Swiss at the farmer’s market.

 

Use butter for Kale with lots of garlic, since it has that cheesy aftertaste. Cook on medium heat until softened. Shred your cheese and dice you jalapenos. Heat the tortillas over medium heat with cheese, kale, and jalapenos. Fold tortillas over when it looks like the cheese is melting. Then flip the tortilla on the other side. Repeat.

 

 

 

 

Wednesday: Chicken Pot Pie

2 TBS butter

2 TBS flour

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/2 milk

1/2 onion

Garlic (to taste)

Corn sliced off the cob

Green beans

½ cup of chicken from the Sunday recipe

Pre-made pie crust

375 for 45 minutes

If you have the time and the ability to make a homemade crust, then kudos to you. I used a store bought pie crust for this. The milk, garlic, broth, and flour were also from the store.

 

I made a roux by melting 2 tablespoons of butter and adding 2 tablespoons of flour. Cook for 1 minute and then add 1 ½ cups of chicken broth, ½ a cup at a time. Make sure it thickens before adding the next ½ cup. Add ½ a cup of milk at the end.

 

Cut the corn straight from the cob and cut the onion and green beans into kernel sized pieces. The chicken has already been cooked, so it can be left in strips. Add everything into pie crust and cook at 375 for 45 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes.

 

The veggie pieces are crisp and cooked through perfectly. The butter actually gives it a lot of flavor. It has a Swiss cheese after taste, and it very rich. It works very well for adding richness to this dish. The texture of crisp yet cooked veggies is truly wonderful, and the butter from the market really does make a difference.

 

Tuesday: Shish Kabobs

Marinade:

4 TB lemon infused olive oil

¼ Cup of olive oil

¼  Cup of good Balsamic vinegar

1 TSP rosemary

1 TSP oregano

1 TBS garlic

Kabobs:

2 Tomatoes

1 Onion

2 Bell peppers

1 TBS vinegar

2 TBS oil

1 Pound stew meat

Sides:

Corn on the cob

Rice 

I use about a quarter cup of olive oil and a quarter cup of lemon olive oil, and if I did it again, I would use all lemon infused olive oil. It was mild enough to do so. If you don’t have lemon infused olive oil, you can use the regular one, or zest a lemon and add. I highly recommend it though. Lemon has a way of making balsamic sweeter and really complements it (especially for the veggies). I used a quarter of a cup of really good balsamic vinegar for the stew meat and marinated for 45 minutes. I also added 1 Tsp of rosemary and oregano with a tablespoon of garlic. While this is marinating, soak your wooden skewers for 20 minutes or more so that they don’t burn.

 

 

For the veggies, I quartered 2 tomatoes, 1 red onion, 2 green bell peppers. I marinated them in 2 tablespoons of lemon olive oil and 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar for 20 minutes.

Since I live an apartment, I don’t have a grill. Instead, I used my oven broiler. I cooked them for 10 minutes, (although next time I might try 8 for the meat). I used one of those steamables chicken flavored rice as the base, and placed the veggies and meat on top. I also served with a side of corn. This was my favorite farmer’s market meat. It was sweet and savory and wonderful. The meat was a little fatty, but it was discarded parts of the roast, so it was really high quality. I only wish I had bought some zucchini.

 

 

 

The veggies were fresh, flavorful, and the kabob allows them to be showcased (instead of doused in sauces). Worth it!

 

Monday: Lasagna

 

          1 Can of whole tomatoes

         1 Pound of sausage

         1 Small can of tomato sauce

         1 Pound of cottage cheese

         1 Egg

          Small handful of parmesan

          No bake noodles

          2 cups Mozzarella

Cook the sausage at medium high heat, until browned. Feel free to add onions or garlic as well, since I forgot. Cut tomatoes into 4ths and add to sausage. I used a can of tomato sauce as well, but I think a can of tomato paste with 3 cans of water would create a saucier mixture.

To make the cheese mixture, I prefer cottage cheese to ricotta. However you decide, adding and a small handful of parmesan will make a big difference in flavor. I include an egg as well.

 

I also prefer no bake lasagna noodles—it cuts down on the time and the mess. Since lasagna noodles are cooked twice and don’t need to be al dente, I really don’t see any difference in texture.

 

I ladled the sauce into a 9x9 pan and then added 2 no bake noodles. Then I added another layer of sauce, a layer of cottage cheese and topped with 2 more noodles. I poured the rest of the sauce onto the last layer of noodles and topped with 2 cups of Mozzarella. I followed the cooking directions on the box of the no bake noodles, since they aren’t the traditional type.

I cheated a little with this recipe, since the only farmer’s market items are the eggs and sausage. I found the sausage to be rather salty, so I would opt for low salt options for the sauces. I think if I had added onions, garlic and tomato paste it would have been more flavorful, but it is still a pretty good lasagna.

Sunday Chicken Dinner

1 Whole chicken, 5 pounds

1 Bunch of herbs:  basil, rosemary and thyme

Olive oil or butter

Aromatics (non farmer’s market items): apple and onion

The first thing I notice about the chicken is the smell. There is no smell or excess blood or anything. Usually, the store bought chickens have this raw meat stench that I just try to ignore. This is already off to a great start.

I used olive oil instead of butter, because I want to make sure I have enough for the meals I know that depend on it later. I think of oil as a condiment here, like salt or pepper, which I also used. I was able to get fresh herbs, 1 ziplock bag full for 3 dollars. Those are so potent; I only used about a tablespoon or so. I tried to get some herbs under the skin, as well as on top. I also used a quarter of an onion and half an apple to put inside the bird for an aromatic effect. It also helps with flavoring the gravy. I did not buy those at the market, but you don’t have to put anything in your bird at all if you don’t have them on hand. I put some rosemary and basil inside the cavity as well.

 

The bird goes in at 425 for 40 minutes, 400 for 30. Feel free to baste.

 

Green beans:

Bunch of green beans

1 TBS Balsamic vinegar

Garlic salt and pepper

Boil water in a pot, and add your green beans for 2 minutes. I like to clip off the ends, first, but that is just my preference. Then immediately drain them and put them in iced water to stop the cooking process. This is called blanching. I put some fresh basil on top with garlic salt and balsamic vinegar.

 

Mashed potatoes:

Potatoes

Splash of milk

Peel potatoes while waiting for water to boil on the stove. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, and drain. Mash the potatoes in a bowl with a splash of milk.

Verdict:  This is a success. The green beans taste so fresh, and even the potatoes taste more flavorful than the grocery store variety.

 

Farmer's Market: Introduction

Everyone knows that the Farmer’s Market is hot right now. Don’t believe me? Check out your Facebook, and I guarantee you that someone took a picture of their “finds.” I will be doing a Farmer’s Market themed string of posts for a whole week. My mission is to use as many products from the market as possible, and to see what it is like to grocery shop at the market instead of the store.

I spent 90 dollars at the market, and about 10 dollars at the store. I do not include deserts, or snacks. In fact, we eat left overs for lunches, and usually do simple things for breakfast, if we do anything at all. I cooked 1 meal a day. I will post a new meal every day with a recipe and pictures. Here is what you can expect:

Sunday: Roasted whole chicken, green beans and mashed potatoes with gravy

Monday: Lasagna

Tuesday: Shish Kabobs

Wednesday: Chicken Pot Pie

Thursday: Chicken Quesadillas with Swiss and kale

Friday: Steak Dinner with Green Beans and Baked Potatoes

Saturday: Garlic Chicken thighs

Sunday: Hamburgers

So what does 90 dollars get you? I’m glad you asked. (Note: if you are going to try this at home, you may want to bring a friend to help you carry it all.) Here is my spread.

Produce: $29.75 for kale, potatoes, green beans, onions, corn on the cob, tomatoes, and fresh spices

 

 

Dairy: $10. 25 for .40 Oz of butter, a dozen eggs, and .74 Oz of Swiss.

 

 

Meat: This was 50 dollars, a big chunk of my budget. The whole chicken was about 5 pounds, and was 20 dollars. I also had chicken thighs, stew meat and NY Strip steak. All of it was fresh and local.

 

 

Best Deal: Fresh spices. They were 3 dollars for a Ziplock sandwich bag full of oregano, basil, rosemary, fennel and you can mix and match. half a Ziplock bag of basil costs 3 dollars at the store, and these were full of so much more flavor. A little goes a long way. Bonus point for being able to dry it, giving it a very long shelf life.

Worst Deal: Nothing I bought was a bad deal, but I do think the prices for fruit are way too high.

Best indulgence: The chocolate, oh yes, the chocolate. It is expensive, but it makes you feel European eating high quality chocolate and taking it as seriously as fine wine or cheese. If you have 20 bucks on you, and want to do something fun, buy a sampler and host a chocolate tasting with your friends. I did this for my mom's birthday and it was a hit.

Tips: The market is ideal around 8:00, especially if you want choices for a week's worth of food. You will avoid the crowds, and all of the vendors are stocked. If you come at 10 or later, it will be a completely different scene. There are crowds of people, and you may not get enough meat or specific produce. However, there is usually music, or popsicle stands, or people around to hand you flyers for things that are happening around town. So, if you are just looking to get some fresh peaches, you may want to come later. The shops are also open then, so it is good for killing an afternoon. Serious shoppers should come as early as they can.

Most importantly, have fun and support your local businesses!

Mothers and Grandmothers: The Carlton Spaghetti Sauce

Mothers and Grandmothers:  The Carlton Spaghetti Sauce

This recipe is brought to me by my mother. This is actually my Italian grandmother’s recipe, on my dad’s side. Her maiden name was Square, which doesn’t sound Italian because the immigration office said their name was too long to keep. It was 14 letters long.

The best thing about this recipe: This is a delicious, healthy, Italian recipe. It makes a ton of sauce and is very easy to make. It is always a hit. I would make this if you needed a lot of leftovers for lunches, or if you were having a big meal with lots of guests. It is also is very inexpensive.

1 big bottle of tomato juice, in the juice isle

1 can of tomato paste plus 3 cans of water

¼-1/2 a cup of dried Parsley

3 cloves crushed garlic (or more to taste)

2 Bay leaves

 

Meatballs

-1 pound beef

-1/4 a cup of onions cut in very small pieces

-1 egg

-Italian bread crumbs

-Garlic cloves to taste

¼ to ½ a cup of dried parsley

 

Pour tomato juice (not V8!) into a big sauté pan. Crush 3 garlic cloves and parsley and add to the pan. Also add 1 can of tomato paste and 3 can-fulls of water and 2 bay leaves. Heat the pan on medium, and let simmer for at least an hour. Turn off, cover, and then reheat when ready to serve.

 

 

 

 

Cassie’s Meatball Method: I add all of the ingredients for the meatballs and mash them with my hands. Then I roll the meat into meat balls and broil them in the oven for 10-15 minutes. I then add them back to the sauce. This allows me to make the meatballs while I’m cooking the sauce, since it takes a long time for the sauce to be ready. It also cooks the meatballs evenly and perfectly without having to guess when they seem cooked through or done. The downside is, you will have a cookie sheet to clean afterwards.

 

 

Traditional method: Combine the ingredients for the meatballs and sauté in a pan until cooked through. You would then add the tomato juice and everything else to the pan once they were cooked.

 

Ladle generously over spaghetti. I’m not going to insult your intelligence by including a paragraph on how to boil water and cook your pasta. It’s on the back of the box, for Pete’s sake. I only cook mine for 9 minutes in order to get it al dente.

Vegetarian: Sans meatballs.

Note: Grandma says she did not put pork chops in her spaghetti like I said in the intro; this was my father’s invention. In other news, I have been living a lie.

My Mom: What can I say about my mom? She is my best friend. Every year is better and better. One of my favorite memories was when she came down for a sleepover when Nick was away at a tournament. We went out to eat and stayed up late, talking about everything. It was the first time that I remember her opening up to me and telling me personal thoughts and feeling, things as a friend, and not as a daughter. It touches my heart that we have finally crossed over from the parent-child dichotomy and can meet each other as two souls, searching for answers together. I like to think that I am as much a part of her journey as she is a part of mine, and I love her very much. Happy Birthday, mom, and here’s to many more to come.

Mothers and Grandmothers: Romaine Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

This recipe is brought to me by my grandmother on my mother’s side.

The best thing about this recipe:  This is fast, inexpensive and healthy—three things I am always looking for in my recipes. It would be great if your body feels run down, and hasn’t gotten enough vitamins or nutrients. I made this right before a run and it was so light it felt great. Just don’t make it before a job interview.

Dressing:

1/3 Cup Sugar

¼ Cup milk

¾ Cup mayo

2 Tablespoons Vinegar

12 (teaspoons) poppy seeds

 

*I put teaspoons in parentheses since the original recipe said Tablespoons (and that would be ¾ a cup of poppy seeds, way too many). I think it was a typo. I also use Apple cider Vinegar since it is my favorite

 

Mix and shake well. You will want to refrigerate it for a while so it can thicken.

Salad:

1 bunch romaine lettuce

1 pint Strawberries, sliced

½ Purple onion sliced thin (leave in rings)

I went to the farmer’s market for the lettuce and the strawberries---I highly recommend that if you are able.  Combine all ingredients and enjoy.

 

 

Vegetarian: This is already a vegetarian recipe

Back Story: I am a little surprised that my grandmother, who has lived most of her life in the Northern Plains, chose this recipe. There is no meat; there are no potatoes, or any cans of mushroom soup. I suppose that I shouldn’t be so surprised, I know my mother told me that she would serve a salad at every meal, which was very unconventional for the times. I appreciate that she put such an emphasis on good, healthy, meals for her family before it was trendy. Although she is quiet and always appropriate, she is always honest, and has a strong resolve. My favorite memories have been recent ones of me and Nick talking late into the night on warm Virginian nights. She is one classy lady.

Chicago Saga III: The Easiest Shredded BBQ Beef

This recipe comes from the youngest of the Chicago Carlton clan.

The best thing about this recipe: You make this what you want it to be. If you really like it spicy, Kansas style, NC style, or want to switch out beef for pork, go ahead! It is great for a big summer BBQ, a family dinner (with children or other picky eaters), or if you are hosting a football game. I think it would also work really well if you are pressed for time, and want lots of easy leftovers for the week. Moms of the world: this is a crock pot recipe!

Note: This came with a side as well, but the side is the same as someone else’s recipe, so I can’t use it here :P

3 lb roast (I like an arm roast the best, but I have made this using whatever roast I could get my hands on)
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar (you can use red wine vinegar too, but stay away from distilled white)
1 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce (we love KC Masterpiece Original)

Place the roast in your slow cooker, pour the vinegar over the roast, and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Remove the roast from the cooker and shred the meat with 2 forks.

  Be sure to toss any pieces of fat that did not dissolve in the cooking process.
Dump all the juices from the cooker, place the shredded beef back into the pot, mix in your BBQ sauce and heat for 30 minutes on low.

Serve on hamburger buns straight out of the pot. (Chef’s note: here in the south, we like to put coleslaw on our pulled meat BBQ sandwiches HIGHLY recommended).

Vegetarian Option: For this? HA! Bring your own salad. I would not trust any fake meat/soy products in a crock pot.

Back Story: I’m not going to lie; I used to be a little obsessed with her as a child. She was like an older sister that I always wished I had. I certainly would have been a much cooler teenager if I had her around. Her great beauty, her super cool and edgy teenage ways---I idolized her. She always wanted to spend time with us children. I remember when she tried to help me be a little cooler by learning some crazy new dance moves (from the 90s). She had paper cut outs of feet/shoes arranged so that I could learn where to step. After a day of practice and a lot of patience, she realized that I was a lost cause. She has always had a special place for children in her big, generous, heart. Now she is the mother, and this does not surprise me, considering her recipe. This would be a great staple for any mom on the go—which is every mom I know.