I love eggs. I suspect that social distancing will mean that we're going to have them for dinner more often than usual. So I am going to try to mix up breakfast.
Also, tip for the wise: Better than Boullion roasted chicken base (or "no chicken chicken base" if you are a veg) is awesome. Unless I'm making a clear broth soup, I almost always use this, even when we're not pantry living.
Steel cut oats with almonds and dried fruit
My go-to is the Alton Brown recipe, but you don't need buttermilk and can use less. 1/2 cup of regular milk (and 1 Tbsp of apple cider vinegar) is plenty for a creamy, delicious pot of oats; and leftovers for another day. It was a good chance to use some of the TJ's brown sugar that is a thicker crystal and.... I just don't love for baked goods.
While the oatmeal bubbled, I plumped dried fruit (more cherries!) in hot water with 1/2 tsp almond extract. A good trick to jazz it up, bolstered by some sliced almonds too. Enjoyed over FaceTime with a sociology friend in New York, hence the mug. Lovely to catch up!
Dinner: Mushroom Ragout over polenta; roasted brussels sprouts
We already keep bacon grease in the fridge, just in case something needs a little sprucing up. Like brussels sprouts. Use one of those leftover cans to save your grease. A little goes a long way.
Polenta is very easy. 1 cup of corn meal (this was coarse ground, but any will work), big dash of salt, 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low, stirring until smooth. Plan to cook coarse for at least 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes and adding 1/4 cup of water if it seems too thick. You want it to be plump and swollen and taste cooked, not raw. Add butter and cheese, or don't. We didn't, because we knew plenty of parm was going on top.
If you have someone in your household who loves chopping, get to work on this lovely mushroom ragout. We made a half batch, but a full batch generously serves four.
Ragu di Funghi
Olive oil as needed
1 Spanish onion, cut into dice
3 thinly sliced garlic cloves
2 pounds assorted mushrooms, thinly sliced
kosher salt/fresh ground black pepper
1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste
dried rosemary, sage, red pepper flakes
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken stock
Parmesan for grating
Heat the oil in a heavy saute pan over medium high heat until almost smoking. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring until softened but not brown. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, cook while stirring until they give off liquid (~5 minutes). Stir in tomato paste to coat the mushrooms, and cook ~ 2 minutes. Add rosemary, sage, and pepper flakes.
Pour in the wine, simmer until it considerably reduces/liquid is thick and mushroomy (~5 min, or longer depending on the size of your pan.)
Add the stock, bring to a simmer, then lower the heat and partially cover the pan. Stir occasionally for about 1 hour. Serve over pasta or polenta w/ plenty of parm.
Also, tip for the wise: Better than Boullion roasted chicken base (or "no chicken chicken base" if you are a veg) is awesome. Unless I'm making a clear broth soup, I almost always use this, even when we're not pantry living.
Steel cut oats with almonds and dried fruit
My go-to is the Alton Brown recipe, but you don't need buttermilk and can use less. 1/2 cup of regular milk (and 1 Tbsp of apple cider vinegar) is plenty for a creamy, delicious pot of oats; and leftovers for another day. It was a good chance to use some of the TJ's brown sugar that is a thicker crystal and.... I just don't love for baked goods.
While the oatmeal bubbled, I plumped dried fruit (more cherries!) in hot water with 1/2 tsp almond extract. A good trick to jazz it up, bolstered by some sliced almonds too. Enjoyed over FaceTime with a sociology friend in New York, hence the mug. Lovely to catch up!
Dinner: Mushroom Ragout over polenta; roasted brussels sprouts
We already keep bacon grease in the fridge, just in case something needs a little sprucing up. Like brussels sprouts. Use one of those leftover cans to save your grease. A little goes a long way.
Polenta is very easy. 1 cup of corn meal (this was coarse ground, but any will work), big dash of salt, 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low, stirring until smooth. Plan to cook coarse for at least 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes and adding 1/4 cup of water if it seems too thick. You want it to be plump and swollen and taste cooked, not raw. Add butter and cheese, or don't. We didn't, because we knew plenty of parm was going on top.
If you have someone in your household who loves chopping, get to work on this lovely mushroom ragout. We made a half batch, but a full batch generously serves four.
Ragu di Funghi
Olive oil as needed
1 Spanish onion, cut into dice
3 thinly sliced garlic cloves
2 pounds assorted mushrooms, thinly sliced
kosher salt/fresh ground black pepper
1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste
dried rosemary, sage, red pepper flakes
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken stock
Parmesan for grating
Heat the oil in a heavy saute pan over medium high heat until almost smoking. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring until softened but not brown. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, cook while stirring until they give off liquid (~5 minutes). Stir in tomato paste to coat the mushrooms, and cook ~ 2 minutes. Add rosemary, sage, and pepper flakes.
Pour in the wine, simmer until it considerably reduces/liquid is thick and mushroomy (~5 min, or longer depending on the size of your pan.)
Add the stock, bring to a simmer, then lower the heat and partially cover the pan. Stir occasionally for about 1 hour. Serve over pasta or polenta w/ plenty of parm.
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