Pasta Frittata and Blue Cheese Dressing

Pasta Frittata is a recipe that I’ve had on my “to try” list for a long time, but I’ve put off making because it sounds so weird. It is just what it seems like: a frittata that is made with leftover spaghetti or similar pasta (I used linguine). I don’t know why it seems so strange to me. The recipe I used calls for the same ingredients in a classic Carbonara: eggs, bacon, Parmesan and pasta. It’s just cooked like a frittata instead. Even my husband balked a little when I told him what I was making, so I wasn’t the only one who thought it sounded strange.

The frittata turned out pretty good, if a little plain. It definitely did not taste weird, though. The pasta adds some texture to the frittata, a little heft, but not a lot of flavor. I probably wouldn’t make this again unless I had some leftover cooked pasta that I was trying to get rid of, and next time I would add more vegetables and cheese. All things considered, Carbonara is definitely the tastier way to go.

On a totally unrelated note, when blue cheese is on sale, I love to buy a chunk and feast on green salads with blue cheese dressing. This is completely a guilty pleasure, but I try not to indulge too often. Here is my recipe:

Blue Cheese Dressing

Mix together:

• ¼ cup blue cheese, crumbled
• 1 tbsp. buttermilk or milk
• 2 tbsp. mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp. sour cream
• 1-2 tsp. red wine vinegar (to taste)
• 1 tbsp. parsley or chives, minced
• salt and pepper to taste

Use It or Lose It Day

I designate one day a week as “Use It or Lose It Day.” This is the day when I go through the fridge and methodically take care of all the leftovers, vegetables about to go bad, and other odds and ends. By having one day a week when I regularly do this, I’ve found that I’ve cut down a lot on food waste and am using leftovers more wisely.

Usually, I pick Friday, Saturday or Sunday as the Use It or Lose It Day, depending on what’s going on that weekend. I go through the fridge and pull out:

• cooked leftovers in their various containers
• fresh vegetables and fruits in danger of going bad soon
• raw meat remaining from the last grocery trip
• any small bits of cheese, salami, that one remaining tortilla, etc.

First, I try to assemble a picnic. I cut up fruits and vegetables for snacking. I prepare pretty trays with bits of cheese, cooked meat and salads. Or if inspiration hits me, I throw everything together into a salad, stir-fry, omelet or similar pot-luck dish. The point is to actually eat these tasty bits before they turn on me.

Whatever doesn’t get eaten is marked for freezing, if possible. Large amounts of leftover soups, stews and casseroles are packaged, labeled, dated and put in the standing freezer for later consumption. Vegetables are cleaned, sliced and steamed or blanched, then frozen. Uncooked meats are packaged in single-meal portions, dated and also frozen.

Sometime there is a little bit of food that isn’t palatable for eating or freezing and must get thrown away. But ever since I’ve gotten systematic about using it or losing it once a week, I’ve noticed that I’m throwing away a lot less. I’ve even made it a recurring task in my to-do list.

What do you do to reduce food waste in your kitchen?

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Lunchtime Strategies: Have a Picnic Every Day

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Since I have been working at home, I have also been eating lunch at home. Here’s the problem: I don’t usually think about making lunch until I am already very hungry and/or I have a hungry baby to feed. That means I can’t usually take the time to cook something just for lunch.

I usually have leftovers in the fridge that I don’t like to waste. But leftovers can often be unappealing for lunch, especially if they are from last night’s dinner. And how many turkey sandwiches can one person eat?

Here’s my new strategy for quickly pulling together an appetizing lunch and maximizing leftover usage. I treat lunch each day as if I’m going on a picnic or browsing the cold buffet at a party. I fill my plate (and the baby’s) with small bites of different things until I have enough to satisfy. I have to admit that I happened on this strategy by watching the baby eat. He definitely prefers the smorgasbord approach to meals; he likes just a few bites of a variety of things. It seems like a healthy way to eat, and you don’t have to face down a plate of last night’s reheated pasta come lunchtime.

Here are some tips for applying this strategy:

• Always have some basic supplies on hand, such as crusty bread, cheese, smoked almonds and fresh fruit, that can be quickly prepared to add to a lunch plate. In the store, think about items you’d like to take on a picnic when deciding what to buy.
• Make extra of certain basics to keep on hand. I always boil a few extra eggs, for instance, or cook an extra chicken breast. It’s also nice to have salad dressing or vinaigrette already made up in the fridge to toss with greens or leftover vegetables.
• Rethink leftovers. I recently mentioned how leftover vegetables can be turned into a dip by pureeing them with some oil and seasonings. Leftover pasta or beans can be transformed into salad by adding some vegetables and a simple vinaigrette. If a leftover dish doesn’t seem appealing, apply a little creativity to see if it can be made into something new.
• Limit servings to just a few bites, just as if you were taking a spoonful of this and that from a buffet line. Add a little fruit, some cheese, some salad, and the plate is full. This allows you to maximize small amounts of leftover foods while still putting together a filling plate. (I always eat a little less at lunch anyway.)

Thinking of lunch in this way has helped me approach what used to be a drab meal with a new sense of creativity and enjoyment. I’ve also noticed that I’m throwing out fewer leftovers at the end of the week.

And if you’re going a little stir crazy, why not get out of the house and have an actual picnic? You already have everything you need!

One Pack of Tortillas Makes a Whole Lot of Meals

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When you think about it, there’s really not much difference between a burrito, an enchilada, a taco and a tostada. The main differences are presentation and heating method. But you can essentially use the same fillings for all of these (and other tasty Mexican-style dishes). That’s why I always keep a pack of tortillas in the fridge. Using them, I can put together a quick dinner with pretty much what I have on hand, and I can mix it up many different ways to keep things interesting.

Here are what I see as the essential building blocks:

• The tortillas: I prefer the small flour tortillas, which are the most versatile, but you might like the larger burrito size, corn tortillas or hard taco shells. If I buy a lot, I freeze the extras.
• The filling: You can choose something very simple, such as browned ground meat or chopped onion, or pile it on. I like to use up leftovers, such as rice, beans or bean dip, cooked meats and grilled or roasted vegetables. Fried or scrambled eggs also work nicely.
• The cheese: Always required. I usually have something appropriate on hand, such as cheddar, Monterey Jack or even goat cheese.
• The sauce: Salsa will work. So will bottled or homemade enchilada sauce or chili sauce. Even barbecue sauce will do in a pinch.
• The garnishes: These are the finishing touches. Lettuce, tomato and sour cream are naturals. Also think pickled jalapenos, guacamole, raw onion or whatever you like.

Now here’s how you put it all together, from simplest to more complex:

• Tacos: Wrap the tortillas in aluminum foil and warm them for 10 minutes or so in a 400-degree oven while you’re preparing the rest of the ingredients. Let everyone assemble their own at the table.
• Tostadas: Toast the tortillas individually in a dry nonstick skillet for a few minutes per side. Serve open-faced and just pile it on.
• Burritos: Spoon the filling in a thick line down the bottom of the tortilla. Top with cheese and sauce. Fold in the sides to partially cover the filling, then fold the bottom over part of the filling and roll up. Bake seam-side-down in an oiled casserole dish at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, until bubbly. Garnish after cooking.
• Enchiladas: Traditionally, enchiladas are made with fewer filling ingredients than burritos, so they are rolled thinner. Prepare as for burritos, except top with more sauce and cheese before baking.
• Chilaquiles: Cut the tortillas into wedges and fry in a small amount of hot oil until crisped and browned. Layer the wedges in a baking dish with the filling ingredients, cheese and sauce, like a Mexican lasagna. Make three layers, ending with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes, until bubbly. Garnish.
• Nachos: Spread tortilla chips on a baking sheet and top with the filling ingredients, sauce and cheese. Broil until the cheese melts. Garnish to serve.

Quick and Easy Enchilada Sauce

Time to make: 15 minutes
Yields: 2 cups

• 1 sm. onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1-2 chiles, chopped (optional)
• 1 tbsp. oregano
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 2 tbsp. chili powder
• 2 tbsp. Mexican or Southwestern seasoning mix (optional)
• 2 cups crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce

Saute the onion and garlic in the oil over medium until the onion turns translucent. (Also add the chiles, if using). Stir in all of the seasonings and cook another minute or so. Add the tomatoes. Simmer until the sauce is no longer liquidy. Let cool and puree before using.

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How to Make Croquettes

I have been making croquettes — or little fried cakes — for a long time now. They are always popular, and for me they are comfort food. I usually make them with mashed potatoes or beans. It didn’t occur to me that I could use another vegetable until I found Mark Bittman’s recipe for spinach croquettes. But then I realized that the basic croquette is a versatile recipe that can be adapted quite freely. And since it requires cooked vegetables, it is the perfect vehicle for using up leftovers.

Last night I made croquettes with leftover cooked kale. They were surprisingly good, and even the baby ate three small ones. I would also try making them with other greens, artichoke hearts, broccoli, carrots, corn, peas, sweet potatoes or winter squash.

I served them dry, though, which I would amend for next time. Croquettes really need some kind of sauce to be complete. My husband suggested hollandaise sauce, which would be quite decadent and delicious. But even something as simple as a pesto, salsa or aioli would work. But even without the sauce, they are yummy and very quick to make. If you have time to chill them beforehand, all the better.

Basic Croquettes

Yields: about 6 croquettes

• 2 cups cooked vegetable, either mashed or chopped fine
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• ½ cup cheese, grated
• ¼ cup breadcrumbs, plus more for cooking
• seasonings of your choice: chopped onion, fresh herbs, seasoning mix, etc. plus salt and pepper to taste
• 4 tbsp. oil
• ¼ lb. cooked, flaked fish or ground meat (optional)
• Hollandaise sauce, pesto, salsa, aioli, or other mayonnaise or dipping sauce to serve

Combine the vegetable, eggs, cheese, breadcrumbs and seasonings in a bowl, and mix well. Add the meat, if using — these will make the cakes more of an entree than a side dish. If the cakes aren’t holding together, add more breadcrumbs. If they are too dry, add more beaten egg to bind.

Form the croquettes into cakes. You should have at least 6, or you can make mini-cakes to get more. Lay on a sheet of wax paper on a plate and cover with wax paper. Chill for at least half an hour and up to a day.

Heat the oil over medium-high. Dredge the cakes in breadcrumbs. When the oil is shimmering, fry the cakes until well browned, about 5 minutes per side. You may have to cook the cakes in batches depending on the size of your pan.

Serve with the dipping sauce on the side.

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Salad Anytime

Since I am working at home now, I have been making my own lunches a lot more. I have to say, making your own lunch saves both money and calories. Between not going out for lunch as often and avoiding all the goodies that show up in the office break room, I have had a much easier time maintaining my weight. Office work can really be bad for you!

I try to keep mixed salad greens in the fridge so I can always whip up a healthy salad for lunch (or for dinner). It doesn’t take long to throw together a good salad, and it helps use up all the little bits of cooked vegetables and meat in the fridge without it seeming so much like eating leftovers. I generally make a small amount of vinaigrette to dress it, since making homemade salad dressing is so easy, and it’s healthier and tastier than the bottled stuff. I like to experiment with different flavors, depending on what I have on hand. I usually make a small amount — a ¼ cup or so — and use it throughout the week.

I am not a big fan of the raw salad. Other than the greens, I prefer my salads to be composed mainly of cooked veggies and proteins, although I will throw in tomatoes, avocado and even fruit, if I have some handy. I like to choose three to four ingredients, usually a protein and a couple of vegetables or fruit.

For inspiration, I start in the fridge. I save small amounts of cooked veggies left over from dinner just for salads (although I may have to rinse any seasonings off first). Bits of cheese, hard-boiled eggs, leftover bacon and chicken can go in as well.

Next, I turn to the pantry. Good candidates for rounding out a salad are nuts, roasted peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, dried fruit and canned beans or tuna. Again, I try to use up the small leftover portions that might otherwise go to waste.

Arrange it all on a bed of greens and toss with the vinaigrette. Lunch is served!

Tip: If you’re cooking the vegetables right before you make your salad, toss them with the vinaigrette in the warm pan. This works especially well with mustard vinaigrettes. Drizzle a little more vinaigrette over the greens, then add the warm vegetables. This technique makes a great salad for a winter day.

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Weeknight Meal Idea: Twice-Baked Potatoes

Twice-baked potatoes with sauteed spinach and mushrooms.

My challenge recently has been cooking well-balanced, tasty meals on weeknights while taking care of a 9-month-old without sitting down to dinner at 9 p.m. (we aren’t that sophisticated around these parts). Cooking while putting the baby to bed is a challenging endeavor. The other night I was braising chicken during the bedtime routine, which I thought would work out well. But it took a little longer to get him settled than usual, and when I came back downstairs, the liquid had all evaporated, the onions were black and stuck to the pan, and the chicken was dry and bitter-tasting. We ate frozen veggie burgers that night.

Some ways I have found to cope are to look for one-dish meals that incorporate a good mix of vegetables, protein and carbs, and to try to plan ahead as much as possible. Everything that I can make ahead of time ensures that we can sit down at the dinner table a little earlier that night.

One such meal is Twice-Baked Potatoes. I used to make these as a side dish for a special occasion because they actually take a long time to cook. But with some advance planning and a little extra stuffing, these potatoes make a satisfying meal all on their own and are appropriate for weeknight cooking.

The trick is to pre-bake the potatoes. You can bake them during the afternoon or early evening, or even a day or two ahead of time. Then you only have to assemble the stuffing and do the second baking right before serving. If you choose a couple of hearty vegetables and a good cheese to stuff the potatoes with, they are both tasty and satisfying as a main dish.

For this version, I added sauteed spinach and mushrooms, but other ideas for stuffing include bacon, steamed broccoli, roasted peppers, boiled peas or any other combination of cooked vegetables you like. Of course, if you omit the hearty vegetables, these still make a terrific side dish. But the cheese is not optional!

Hearty Twice-Baked Potatoes

Time to make: ~1 hour 30 minutes (potatoes can be baked ahead of time)
Yields: 1 serving per potato as a main dish or 2 servings as a side dish

What you need (per potato):

• 1 potato
• ¼ cup cheese, shredded, such as cheddar, Monterey Jack or any kind of firm cheese
• 2 tbsp. milk, buttermilk, yogurt or sour cream
• ½ tbsp. butter, softened
• Salt and pepper
• 4 med. mushrooms, sliced and sauteed (optional, or substitute another cooked vegetable)
• ½ cup spinach, sauteed (optional, or substitute another cooked vegetable)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Wash the potatoes, lightly coat with olive oil and pierce the skin with a fork in several places.
3. Bake for 1 hour, or until the potato gives somewhat when squeezed.
4. Remove from the oven and let cool at least 10 minutes. At this point, you can refrigerate the potatoes, if needed, and return to finish the recipe at some later point.
5. Raise the heat to 400 degrees.
6. Cut each potato in half and scoop out the flesh, leaving the shell intact.
7. Return the shells to the oven on a baking sheet and let crisp while you prepare the filling (about 10 minutes).
8. Mash the potato flesh with the milk or other dairy and the butter.
9. Mix in the salt, pepper and cheese.
10. Fold in the cooked vegetables, if using.
11. Scoop the filling into the shells and return to the oven until spotty brown, 10 minutes.

Managing Leftovers: Use It or Lose It

Leftover pasta salad with steamed green beans, tomatoes and grilled chicken

With the costs of food rocketing up and more awareness about how food production and distribution impacts climate change, I’ve been seeing a lot of news lately about food waste. Apparently, we Americans (and the British too) waste a lot of food. Well, it’s no wonder with food being so cheap and plentiful here, but that may change. It’s good to have some strategies for dealing with leftovers so you waste as little as possible.

Chefs are notoriously thrifty and try to waste as little as possible, such as by making homemade stock and devising recipes to use up day-old bread. Why not put a few of these practices into place at home? Here are some strategies I’ve devised to reduce food waste in my house.

Making up a menu and shopping list for the week is the number-one way to reduce food waste. Get in the habit of checking the pantry and freezer to see what can be used before buying new items. Buy only what you need when you go to the store.

Even the best-planned menus can get thwarted by the events of the week. Have an unexpected dinner out or a night when you don’t feel like cooking anything more strenuous than scrambled eggs, and you might have some produce hanging out in the crisper that was intended for a recipe you never got around to making. This is where the freezer comes in handy.

Most fresh produce lasts about a week in the fridge (more or less–it’s a good idea to get acquainted with storage times for produce and the best places to store them so you have less spoilage). Just before I go shopping, I go through the refrigerator and take out all the bits of produce that are about to go bad. Most produce can be frozen with just a little prep. Invest in a book like The Busy Person’s Guide to Preserving Food, so that you know the best strategies for freezing food. If you have a garden or belong to a CSA, you might want to invest in a small freezer, which is more efficient for freezing food for long periods.

Besides produce, bits of cooked meat, vegetables, rice and pasta are the leftovers I most frequently have on hand. Some dishes are very freezeable, such as soups, chilis and casseroles. I always make extra and freeze them in single- or double-serving sizes.

But what about when you have just a bit of grilled chicken, cooked pasta or steamed green beans left over? I like to store these in the fridge on the same shelf in glass dishes. Whenever I open the fridge, all of my leftovers are staring me in the face. Usually, this starts the wheels turning on how they can go together, such as in the pasta salad pictured above. Salads, soups, frittatas, tacos — many dishes are designed to use up leftovers.

When I’m meal-planning, I always designate one night (usually Thursdays) as “leftover night” to use up those bits and pieces. If I don’t have any or I end up eating them for lunch, I can always pull something out of the freezer instead.

With just a little planning and thought, you can really reduce the amount of food waste in your home. And if you still have some food that goes to waste, try composting it instead of throwing it away. Then you can reuse it in the garden.

Breakfast Burritos (or Tostadas or Enchiladas)

Here is an idea for a quick and easy meal that is so simple, it doesn’t even really need a recipe. Breakfast “burritos” are not just for breakfast, but can be eaten anytime. This is one of my favorite kinds of dishes because it fulfills the basic requirements for getting a good meal into you even when you don’t feel like cooking:

• It’s so easy to make that you can do it when you’re rushed or tired.
• The main ingredients are probably already in your kitchen.
• It’s a good vehicle for using up leftovers or whatever is in the fridge.

The essential ingredients you’ll need are:

• 1-2 eggs per burrito, scrambled or fried, depending on your preference
• corn or flour tortillas
• grated cheese
• a sauce, such as salsa, any kind of chile sauce or even barbecue sauce

I thought the Roasted Tomato Salsa worked particularly well for this dish, which is handy because I often have some left over in the freezer.

In addition, you can add whatever else you like. Here are some suggestions:

• refried beans
• fried bacon or sausage
• leftover cooked meat
• leftover cooked vegetables or quickly sauteed vegetables
• hash browns

But you don’t have to add anything else if you don’t want to.

You have several choices for assembly. You can brown the tortillas on an unoiled griddle and serve with the filling on top, tostada-style. This works best with fried eggs, because the yolks run and mingle with the sauce — yummy!

Or you can roll the tortillas around the filling and warm them in a 350-degree oven for a few minutes to make burritos. This works best with scrambled eggs. If you spoon some sauce and sprinkle some cheese on top, you’ve got enchiladas.

However you like to eat them, breakfast “burritos” are a quick, tasty and nourishing alternative to take-out.

I should credit Fresh Every Day for the inspiration for this meal.

Eat Your Vegetables! Prepping, Blanching and Revitalizing Vegetables

colors in the market, originally uploaded by Zé Eduardo
Sometimes it seems like a lot of work to sneak in those 5 servings of vegetables per day. When I’m trying to throw together a quick weeknight supper, I often don’t want to spend time making side dishes. And I’m not going to eat fresh vegetables for lunch or a snack unless they’re convenient too — I just don’t have the time.

It pays to take a little extra time when I have it, especially when I’m weekend cooking, to prep vegetables so that they’re ready to go during the week. I can quickly turn prepped vegetables into a salad or side dish or add them to a pasta sauce or soup without too much trouble.

Whenever I have the extra time, I always wash, trim, peel (if necessary) and cut up more vegetables than I need for the recipe I’m preparing. Prepped vegetables keep well in the refrigerator wrapped in damp paper towels and stored in a plastic bag. Peeled potatoes, sweet potatoes and carrots can be stored in water, as can pre-snapped green beans. For longer term storage, many vegetables can be blanched briefly and then frozen; just remember to adjust the final cooking time accordingly.

To blanch vegetables, bring several quarts of water to a boil over high heat and season liberally with salt. Boil the vegetable until the color brightens and the vegetable is crisp-tender. This doesn’t take very long — no more than 30 seconds to 1 minute for tender vegetables, up to 5-6 minutes for sturdier vegetables. Save time by blanching several vegetables in the same pot — just cook them one at a time.

All of the following vegetables benefit from blanching:

• artichoke hearts
• asparagus
• bean sprouts
• broccoli florets and trimmed stems
• cabbage leaves
• carrots
• cauliflower florets
• fava beans
• green beans
• new potatoes
• snow and sugar snap peas

Remove the blanched vegetables from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and plunge them immediately into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Let cool for 1 minute, then pat dry with paper towels. They can then be refrigerated or frozen for later use. Blanched vegetables also make great crudites for dipping.

Even if you will be eating cooked vegetables the same day, it is better to let them cool and then revitalize them just before serving than to try to keep them warm and risk overcooking them. The French method of revitalizing blanched, frozen and leftover vegetables is my favorite.

If the vegetables are left over from a previous meal, first rinse them of any flavorings. Heat ½ tablespoon of olive oil or butter over medium per serving. Add the vegetables and stir until warmed through. Season and serve.