Make Ahead Dinners - Part 3

Cauliflower, Bacon and Goat Cheese Casserole

Boil 2 heads of cauliflower until very soft.  

Bake 4-5 strips of bacon in 400 def F oven until crisp (about 15 mins), blot and crumble.

In a stock pot, melt one stick of grass fed organic butter.  Add 6 chopped green onions and saute until bright green.  Add cauliflower, ¼ cup organic cream or whole milk and 6 oz of goat cheese.  Mash with immersion blender or potato masher until creamy.  

Stir in bacon, season with S&P to taste.  Transfer to a buttered casserole dish.

Freeze in a casserole dish tightly covered with plastic a foil.  Thaw one day before cooking, and bake at 350 for 30 minutes, covered and an add’l 10 uncovered.  If baking from frozen, double the cooking time and then check every 15 mins until heated through.

Slow-cooker Beef Stew

Dice a yellow onion.  

Place onion, 4 small cubed baking potatoes (1” square), 1-2 cups of baby carrots, and any other hearty veggies you have on hand, along with 1-2 pounds of beef stew meat (cubed), in a slow cooker.

Add 1 15 oz can of beef broth and 1 15 oz can of diced, stewed tomatoes in juice.
 

Cook on high for 6 hours.  Add water if needed (but likely it won’t be needed).  This can be kept on warm for as long as needed.

To thicken gravy, if desired, make a slurry with 1 tbsp cornstarch.  Add a few dribbles of water and mix.  Stir into hot stew until thickened.

Allow to cool completely and pour into a large freezer bag.  Freeze level for even defrosting.  Defrost in the fridge for a day, then re-heat in the microwave.

Slow Cooker Lemon Egg Chicken Soup (Avgolemono) (Not Make Ahead)

 

This is a simple soup that is NOT technically “make ahead”, unless you want to make your own broth in the slow cooker the night before, which is quite easy if you’ve got a chicken carcass (who doesn’t!?!) (chicken carcass, herbs, water, on high for 6-10 hours or so).

In a slow cooker, place 1 cup of uncooked brown rice, 1 quart of organic chicken stock, and 2 cups of water.  Optionally, add 1-2 cups chopped, cooked chicken.  Cook on high for 2 hours.

Whisk 3 free range eggs together with ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice (3 small juicy lemons).  Ladle out approximately 2 cups of hot broth from the slow cooker.  Add a ladleful at a time to the egg mixture while whisking vigorously.  This will temper the eggs and keep them from cooking hard when added to the soup.

Add the tempered egg and lemon mixture to the slow cooker and stir to combine.  Season to taste with thyme, salt, and pepper.
Serve with crusty bread.

Pumpkin Spice "Latte"

I adore pumpkin spice lattes from Starbucks!  But, I'm on a strict budget that doesn't allow me to buy coffee out very often.

I should mention, I also own a Nespresso espresso maker.  My typical morning brew is a single Americano (espresso and water) maybe with a little milk.  But, this isn't NEARLY as tasty as the pumpkin spice latte, and I've found myself lured into skipping it in favor of a trip to the nearest Starbucks.  NOT a good habit to get into, health or finance-wise!

So, I decided to try making one at home, and I think I've gotten close enough to satisfy my craving.  Here's what I did:

Make pumpkin spice.  You can buy this, but it was 10am, and I wasn't about to run to the store, especially considering my spice cabinet has all the components anyway.

1 tbsp. cinnamon
1/2 tbsp. ground ginger
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp ground allspice

I have no idea if this is the right ratio; I literally just made it up!  Feel free to tweak this to your taste.

Make 1 shot of espresso in an 8oz or larger mug, and add 2 tbsp. sugar, four lumps of sugar, or 2 tbsp. of organic local honey (the sugar is yummier, FWIW, but the honey is healthier if you're going to consume a lot of these! I made one with lumps of sugar and liked it so much I made other with honey, just to see the difference.)

Make the milk - I used almond milk, but whole or 2% milk will work, too!  In a micro safe jar with a lid (lid doesn't have to be micro safe - a jam jar will work.  I used one of the attachments and non-blender lids for my Nutrabullet and it worked like a charm), add 1/2 to 3/4 cup of milk (enough to top up your espresso shot).  Stir in 1/2 tsp of pumpkin spice (resist the urge to add more or you'll need more sugar to keep if from being bitter).   Put the lid on the jar and shake like you're making a cocktail for James Bond.  Remove the lid and microwave for 1 min on high.  Shake again.  Micro for another minute.  Shake again.  Add to the coffee in your mug.  Enjoy!

Beef Stroganoff

Those lovely brown crimini mushrooms, combined with the lower temperatures and falling leaves had me craving beef stroganoff!  I sort of made this up based on looking at a couple of other recipes and my own crazy idea of what I wanted it to taste like...be forewarned!

2 cups cooked brown rice (or egg noodles)

1 tbsp olive oil
1 small flank steak (about 1/2 pound)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 yellow onion, chopped
6 oz crimini or other mushrooms, quartered
1/3 cup white wine
1 cup beef broth
1 tsp corn starch
1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
salt, pepper

 1.  Dry the steak off very well with paper towels.  Drizzle, spray or brush both sides with a little of the oil.  Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat.  When hot, add the beef.  Sear until the steak releases from the pan (about 3 mins) and repeat on the other side.  Remove the steak from the pan and set aside.

2.  Reduce the heat to Medium.  Add the remainder of the oil to the pan and saute the garlic, mushrooms and onion until softened.  Resist the temptation to add more oil - the mushrooms will absorb the oil and make the pan seem dry, but after a few seconds of cooking they'll release moisture.

3.  Deglaze the pan with the broth and wine.  Add the steak back to the pan and simmer until the steak is cooked through, about 8 minutes.  Add water by the 1/4 cup if the pan starts to run dry.

4.  Remove the steak and set to rest.

5.  In a small cup or ramekin, mix 1 tsp of water (approx) to the cornstarch and stir until dissolved.  Add to hot liquid in pan and stir over medium heat until thickened.

6.  Slice the steak against the grain and add with juices back to the pan.  Heat through, about 1 min.

7.  Remove pan from heat and allow to cool slightly.  Mix in yogurt and Worcestershire sauce.  Salt and pepper to taste.

8.  Serve spooned over rice.

Per serving (serves 3):  439 calories; 41 carbs (37%), 19 fat (39%), 26 protein (24%)

Dinner tonight

Tonight I am trying Delicata squash!  I've read some rave reviews, so I am excited to try it.  It's roasting in the oven right now at 425, along with one cubed white potato, 1 zucchini, and 1 yellow onion.  We're having it with the thighs and legs of a roast chicken, re-heated from last night's dinner party.

I love roasting a chicken for dinner parties.  For one thing, they are cheap!  I can get two chickens for 10 dollars at Costco.  4 to 5 people can easily get full from 1 large chicken and two sides.  Add three sides and bread and you've got dinner for 6, easily!

Making sauce from the drippings is easy.  First, make sure you throw some carrots, onion and celery under the bird, and a whole head of garlic alongside.  When the bird is done pour a little chicken stock (or water will do in a pinch) over the veggies in the pan and scrape up the tasty brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Dump the veggies into a sauce pan.  Cut the top off the head of garlic and squeeze the soft cloves into the pan with the stock and veggies.  Add even more broth (you want a lot of sauce, trust me!)...maybe 2 cups or so.

Boil the heck out of the broth and veggies, then when it's reduced by half, strain the veggies out, and add the sauce back to the pan.  Swirl in 1 tablespoon of - yes - butter until it's melted.

You don't even want to know how many calories it is!  It's a bit, although it could be worse...And it's for special occasions, so no worries about the calories!