Scalloped Potatoes with Ham – Comfort Food!

THIS is comfort food.  If you are vegetarian, see the end of the post for how to adapt this recipe without losing out on all the flavors.  Although, I think this came out so very wonderfully because I used ham from the amazing ham I prepared last week using My New Favorite Ham recipe.

Click the recipe title to see the original recipe from which I started.
Scalloped Potatoes with Ham

Ingredients
An asterisk * means I made a change to or added an ingredient.

•    2 tablespoons butter
•    2 tablespoons flour (I used whole wheat flour)
•    1 1/2 cups milk via a 5 oz can of evaporated milk, 2 Tbsp of instant dry milk, and water to make 1 1/2 cups total.*
•    1/4 tsp hot pepper flakes (will use more next time!)*
•    Salt and pepper
•    1-2 tsp dried parsley *
•    2 tablespoon olive oil (for sauteing)*
•    2 medium onions, thinly sliced
•    1 cup chopped green bell pepper *
•    3/4 cup grated carrot *
•    1.25 lb of assorted potatoes, thinly sliced (I used what I had on hand)*
•    8 ounces/2 cups of cooked ham in about 1/2 inch chunks.*
•    1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese *

The main ingredients. I just love all the colors.

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter or oil a baking dish. In a saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium high heat.

I couldn't resist infusing some red pepper flakes in the butter. I should have used more and will try using 2-3 times the amount next time!

Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.

The butter and flour ready for the milk.

Remove saucepan from heat and whisk in milk. Return pan to heat and bring to a simmer while stirring. When sauce has thickened remove from heat, season with salt and pepper (and I added parsley, as well)  and set aside.

Thickened to the consistency of thin pancake batter.

In a skillet, cook onions in olive oil (or butter if using original recipe ingredients) until golden brown.

I sauteed the oinons until almost done to my liking before adding the chopped green pepper.  This is because I didn’t want the moisture from the pepper releasing into the oil before the oinions had a chance to start browning.  I cooked the mixture just a bit more, then stirred in the grated carrot and put it all aside until ready to assemble the dish.  I figured the pepper and carrot would have plenty of time to cook in the oven.

Spread one third (1/2 cup) of the white sauce in bottom of baking dish and top with half of the potatoes. Spread out half of the onion/veggie mix, ham, and one third (1/2 cup) of the cheese. Pour another third of the sauce  on that layer.  Add the other half of the onion/veggie mix, ham and top with the last 1/2 cup of sauce and remaining cheese.

After the last of the sauce and before the last of the cheese.

All set to pop in the oven!

Bake for 45 – an hour minutes  until golden and bubbly. Then, have at it!

This was really, really tasty.  Again, I do think that the leftover ham, with its sweet and spicy flavor, added tremendously to the flavor.  But, I think adding the green pepper and carrot gave a flavor boost to this old favorite, as well.

There is, of course, no reason why this can’t be made with a chopped up ham steak or sliced ham. For some sweetness, use pineapple or apple juice in lieu of water if using evaporated or powered milk, or sprinkle some brown sugar, as well as some clove powder over each layer.

And, if you prefer a vegetarian, or even vegan version, this seasoning method will work for you, also.   And, vegetarian or not, ou can also add more potatoes or other vegetables. Just be be sure to cook more watery veggies  down before baking the final dish so as to not add too much moisture.

If you want a “meaty” texture in there, use soy or seitan (wheat gluten) based protein items that have a smoky/ham sort of flavor. Also – when I was eating a vegan diet, I had no problem making a nice roux/white sauce with soy or rice milk, etc.  I think I actually made it with just flour, oil, and water a few times.  (Hmm, I will have to try that to make sure my memory is correct!)

All-in-all, this is a tasty and pleasantly textured dish, whether you follow the traditional recipe I link to at the top,  try out my version or experiment with my additional suggestions.  In the end, it is indeed one of those comfort food dishes that every cook should have in their repertoire.  Except for my friend Kathleen who can no longer eat onions.  I have NO idea what to substitute for that!

Fresh Pressed Olive Oil

I guess I could be considered a food snob or foodie, or both. Why? Because I pay a chunk of change, like $90 plus the shipping, every three months for three very modestly sized bottles of olive oil from Fresh Pressed Olive Oil.  But, you know what? The flavors of these olive oils that have been pressed recently from all over the world taste…out of this world.

Green was the first word I used to describe the flavor of the first olive oil I received from the club, and that descriptive has worked for all subsequent olive oils I have received.  Very green and fresh.  Some even have a bit of a bite – something not usually associated with olive oil.  And each batch does have its unique taste.  And so far, they have all tasted just heavenly.

Here is the latest. The color is amazing. Never mind the flavor.

Mind you, I don’t cook with the hi-test!  Steve and I enjoy it predominantly as a dip for bread – sometimes with some red pepper flakes and/or freshly ground black pepper added to the oil.  I always add a bit of this wonderful olive oil to just cooked pasta, and also  use a splash of it when appropriate to finish off a soup, stew, or sauce after it is cooked. And, of course, when summer is with us, I use only the fresh pressed olive oil with the fresh mozzarella cheese and just picked tomatoes and basil.

Another view. Hard to really show the wonderful green color!

Yeah – I know it is an extravagance.  $360+ a year for a small amount of olive oil. But then again, there are expenses that other folks see as necessities for them that I would never consider, so I guess it is all relative. Whatever, it works for me! And, it may just be worth a try for you. 

New product recommendations!

I have still been too busy to take photos and post recipes, but I can recommend three kitchen products that I have purchased recently.  For product details, click HERE.

Here is the scoop: I got one of those Misto stainless steel olive oil pumps.  I LOVE it!  You pump it up by hand so it does not use propellants, etc. and you are not throwing out a container when it is empty – just add more oil.  It works just as well as those spray cans you can buy for one-time use.  The only difference is that you pump, rather than “hold and spray.”

The Misto can be used for other types of oil as well.   I just ordered another one to use for canola oil.  That one I will keep in the fridge.

There is less expensive Misto made of aluminum which is probably just fine since oil does not react with that aluminum.

Next item: A ceramic coated cast iron heat defuser.  WOW.  Unbelievable!  I LOVE it!  I got a 7 inch one and, along with saucepans of that and a bit larger diameter, it worked well with my 10-inch saute pan when I used it cooking breakfast sausages.  But the clincher is that twice, I used it when reheating stews and forgot them to the point of boiling for a bit.  NO burning.  NONE.

The added bonus is that it retains heat, so it also functions as an energy-saving device.  Once it is up to temperature, you can lower the burner a bit and it will still keep things hot. And, it will last WAY longer than those tin ones.  A winner all around!

And finally – soup socks! So, Steve was a bit confused when I told him I ordered soup socks.  And, it may sound weird, but theses are handy mesh bags in which you can put any veggie, meat, or bone items that you want to strain out of your stock or soup after cooking.  I just used one when making chicken/veggie stock.  I put all the veggies into it, tied a loose knot, and, once the simmering (well, I actually used my pressure cooker) was done, I pulled out the bag, let it cool, and then could easily squeeze all the extra liquid into the stock.

These “socks” can also be used for chicken bones, herbs and spices, or anything else you want to keep from infiltrating whatever it is you are cooking.

They are not very expensive, so some folks treat them as disposable, but I washed mine out and will re-use until the fall apart.  Why not? 

Exploding glassware warning from Consumer Reports

I have been SO very busy…  but do hope to get back in the habit of posting here soon!  I am currently planning on doing my New Year’s Day Open House, so that will get me cooking up a storm.

In the meantime, I wanted to share this warning from Consumer Reports.  It seems that Pyrex and other top American brands switched materials to one that is more sturdy when exposed to the bumps and bangs when they are  being cleaned and put away at room temperature. However, changing the material may  not have been the greatest idea.  European companies still use the original material and those, along with old American Pyrex of the original material, stand up better in cooking situations.  You can check out the Consumer Report video by clicking HERE.

How to EASILY Peel Raw Butternut Squash!

FINALLY, an easy way to peel butternut and other winter squash!

If I am going to mash the squash, I’ll halve it, remove the seeds, and roast face down in a shallow pan for about an hour at 400 degrees then cool a bit and scoop out the cooked squash.  (By the way, the roasting gives the squash a wonderfully intense flavor.) BUT, what if you want to cook cubes of squash?  Here is how to do it, courtesy of a person going by the  screen name chromadome-ga who posted on this Google Answers thread in 2006.

1. Bring a pot of water big enough to hold the squash to a boil
2. Put the whole squash into the pot of boiling water and simmer for a few minutes until you can easily pierce JUST the skin with a toothpick or folk.  If you start smelling an aroma of cooked squash, it will be ready.
3. Cool for a bit, cut into a few pieces, and peel.
   

   Note the small ring around the edge from parboiling briefly.

4. Remove seeds and cut into cubes or chunks as needed, and cook as directed in recipe.

P.S. (If anyone knows who chromadome-ga is, let me know! I’d love to be able to thank him or her directly!)

A Simple, Delicious, and Healthy Breakfast or Dessert – by Steve!

This morning, I was asking Steve about breakfast since I am stuck on crutches and having to keep my foot elevated for another week or so.  (Kind of fun in one sense:   Honey, what’s for breakfast??  A turn of events since it has become habit for me to do most of the cooking, etc. at our home.)

WELL, I think I should ask him to be in in charge of more meals even when I am better.  Check out what appeared when I asked for a dish of yogurt:

This was a lovely surprise. Thank you, honey! And a big thank you to Paul Faler for letting me come pick blueberries the day before my surgery. Those blueberries were hand-picked by me in Wakefield MA!

Steve is keeping the stove cleaner than I do, too.  Hmmm.  I’m liking this!  Maybe I’ll be singing a different tune when it has been close to the two months on crutches and the situation wears on the patience of us both.  But, in the meantime, this is turning into an opportunity in which we are both being remind of, or are discovering new things we appreciate about each other.  For example, he has been commenting often as to the time it takes to keep up with just the day-to-day chores that I usually do, and I am delighted by his attention to detail when preparing and serving meals and snacks. There are also Breton Electric-related issues that have come up and my needing help with volunteer committments I made before the surgery was scheduled.  Steve has been very patient and gracious about everything.

The best news is that we have been finding a lot to laugh about during what could be a very trying situation.  Thanks, Steve. I think I’ll keep ya.  So…what’s for dinner?  <smile>

Surgically-induced hiatus

Hi folks – I was busy getting my ducks in a row before being laid up, and I’m now limited to using my laptop for a number of days since I need to keep my left foot elevated after surgery. While I can (and do!) use the free version of LogMeIn.com to access my desktop computer in my study, with all my downloaded photos, etc., pain meds are making it a bit challenging to deal with creating final recipe posts right now. Never mind that I can’t cook right now. 

I do have a number of recipes almost ready to post, though: A wonderfully easy yet exquisitely tasty salsa courtesy of my friend Denise Mallen, my Mom’s picnic chicken recipe, and….oh, I can’t remember right now and my files are in my study and I am on the recliner in the living room and fuzzy from pain meds. So, I’ll have to keep you in suspense.<grin>

Check back later – or sign up to get notified when I post. In the meantime – if in the area, don’t miss the Wakefield Farmer’s Market each Saturday 9-1 at Hall Park (I unfortunately had to miss it, today) and do your best to shop locally every day of the week!

Breadcrumbs – make your own instead of tossing stale bread

Some folks prefer the convenience of buying ready-made breadcrumbs, but I like to make my own.  I simply save any bread ends or scraps that would otherwise get tossed in a brown paper bag in my cupboard.  When I need breadcrumbs, I just toss the now dried scraps into my food processor and let it run for a minute or so.  That way, I don’t waste food, and, because I use mostly whole wheat products, the breadcrumbs have more fiber than most store-bought ones.

I got more than a cup of breadcrumbs from this batch

You can also grind a batch ahead of time but I recommend storing these breadcrumbs tightly covered in the fridge so they won’t get rancid, at least if they are made with a portion of whole wheat bread.  While the WW breads stay stable when left to dry is slices or pieces,  grinding causes the  naturally occurring oils in the whole grains to b e exposed to air and light, which causes a chemical reaction leading to rancidity.

Perfect (and easy!) Pork Chops

Dry. Tasteless.  Boring……  And, don’t get me going about that cream of mushroom soup and rice thing we all do with pork chops.

I had pork chops in the freezer and it was time to finally use them.  Some kind of bone-in sirloin chop.  They were under an inch thick, so I was hesitant to use a saute technique that I have used successfully on very thick chops.

But, Pam Anderson writing for USA Weekend in 2004 to the rescue!  No, not Pamela Anderson!  At least, I highly doubt it. 

Anyway, here is her advice, excerpted from a Q&A section on allrecipes.com

——–

“It is possible to serve a beautifully brown, juicy pork chop without losing the food’s moisture, whether or not it was previously frozen.

First, choose the right skillet size. Use a 12-inch skillet for four chops. If you crowd the pan, you’ll end up overcooking the chops to get them to brown.

Saute with a combination of butter and oil. Butter helps browning; a little oil increases the butter’s smoking point so you get great flavor without burning.

Dry the food’s surface. Pat with layers of paper towels. Then season the food with salt and pepper, and lightly dredge in flour, shaking off the excess.

Add food only when the pan is really hot. Warm butter and oil over medium-high heat until butter solids turn golden brown and the first wisps of smoke start rising. You want to hear a solid sizzle when the food hits the pan.

Set a timer for three to four minutes, and leave the food alone! To develop a golden-brown crust, it needs to remain stationary. Resist the temptation to turn it before you hear the “ding.” “

———————

AHA!  check this post from The Pioneer Woman Cooks! blog for info about this Pam Anderson. Note to self – take some time to check out the Pioneer Woman Cooks! blog.  Actually, I think I have been there before and may have even mentioned it in this blog.  Hit 50 years, memory be gone…

From some quick searching, I have also  discovered that Pam has written a number of cookbooks and is a former Executive Editor of Cook’s Illustrated.  (!)  Shows what I know! I plan to check out her cookbooks, that’s for sure.

Anyway, the advice is superb.  I had already learned that it is better to blot the marinade before grilling steaks to get a crusty exterior.  (Steve is the grill man, but I often do the prep. ) Doing the same for pork chops is equally beneficial.

When making these pork chops, I marinaded them for a few hours.  Then, my schedule got crazy so I needed to hold the chops for the next night.  No problem – I removed them from the marinade, dried them off, and put them in a tupperware until the next night, when I dredged them lightly in flour and follow Pam’s cooking directions.  YUM!   AND, even when reheated by nuking two days later, the leftover chops were still moist and tender.  Don’t lose this technique!

This photo does NOT do the chops justice!

Click HERE for the recipe on which I based the marinade I concocted. 

I used somewhat the same proportions and ingredients, except for OJ instead of pineapple juice, and minced shallot, I think….no scallion or ginger.  But, the sweet and garlic taste was still there.   To each his or her own marinade, I say!

In any case, it was all good.  Next post will be the Brown Rice and Veggie Casserole I made to go along with the chops.  Here is a teaser picture.  <grin>

Perfect Oven-Roasted Vegetables

I need to do another post to finish up Easter, especially so I can share the recipes of the lovely items that other folks brought.  But, it has been a busy few weeks.

I was totally booked the entire weekend of April 10-11 and again this past weekend, with the weeks in between Easter and now taken up by preparing, as Board President and de facto volunteer Admin person,  for my church’s annual meeting (www.wakefielduu.org) on 4/15 and also for my father-in-law’s Celebration of Life service on 4/17.  All went well, but I was glad to finally have time to cook a meal last night!

It was just the simple but tasty Garlic Chicken Leg Quarters and, to keep things on that simple theme, I thought I would roast potatoes and also roast the other veggies.  BUT…how to do everything at once without having to set multiple timers and add the other veggies after the potatoes, etc. ? I didn’t want to have burnt broccoli and hard potatoes, but I didn’t want to have to open the oven once I put the chicken in!  (I guess I was still feeling stressed for time even though I didn’t even have a meeting to go to after dinner. 

ANYWAY -here is my solution.  I found a recipe for roasted broccoli and potatoes that said, along with seasoning and a few tablespoons of olive oil, just put it all together in a 9×13 casserole, cover tightly with foil, and bake at 400 for 45 minutes to an hour.   How easy is that?

The chicken is supposed to cook for 50 minutes at 425, so I just cooked both dishes at 400 for the hour and that was that – ready to serve.

For the veggies, I used broccoli, carrots, new potatoes, and mushrooms for the veggies, chopped some fresh rosemary, and added sea salt and freshly ground pepper before roasting. They were fabulous!  Not quite the same crunch on the outside that you get when roasting veggies uncovered, but there was still a satisfactory firmness to the outside and that lovely intense flavor that comes with roasting. And, because the dish was covered, there was no charring of the broccoli, the musrooms were not shriveled, and all the veggies has a creamy sort of texture on the inside.

Here is the original recipe on which I based my roasted veggies – and from which I learned about covering with foil! Click the name of the recipe to go to the original recipe web page, courtesy of Teri’s Kitchen.

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Roasted Broccoli and Potatoes

• 1 medium head broccoli or bunch broccoli crowns, tough ends removed, remainder cut into medium florets and small stems
• 3 small potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400° F. Place broccoli and potatoes in a 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Add the next 4 ingredients and toss or stir to combine. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until the vegetables are tender, about 1 hour. (If you prefer crispier vegetables, check them after 45 minutes.) Remove the foil and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Return to oven just until the cheese melts slightly. Serve hot or room temperature.

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If I am going to roast just one type of veggie (especially potatoes) or a group of veggies that all take the same time to cook, I am sure I will still use the uncovered method.  But, if I am not sure how long it will be before dinner (the covered ones will hold at a “keep warm” temperature) or want to combine veggies in one simple dish, I will be using the covered method of roasting veggies.  And, not just for hurried home meals.  This is good enough for company!