Accidental Recipes

1 lb chestnuts 3/4 lb mushrooms, quartered 3-4 oz pancetta, roughly chopped 1 small to medium onion, diced 1-2 cloves garlic, minced 2 Tbl fresh sage, chopped 1 Tbl fresh italian parsley, chopped salt pepper 3/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated linguini or other wide pasta Chestnuts 1) Wash and soak for 20 min 2) Pre heat oven to 475 3) Score flat side of chestnuts with small sharp knife into an "x" shape 4) Roast in oven for 25-40 minutes, until easily peeled 5) Remove from oven and place into a towel for 5 minutes 6) While keeping towel over unpeeled chestnuts, peel all 7) Dice until you have 1 cup, reserve remaining for future use Sauce and pasta 1) Heat pan for boiling pasta 2) Heat large skillet with some olive oil 3) Cook pancetta until just starting to brown (2-4 minutes) 4) Add onions and sauté until translucent 5) Add mushrooms and continue to sauté until mushrooms start to release their juices 6) Add garlic and sauté for one minute 7) Add her

1 cup flour 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 1 1/2 cups of flax seeds, ground (coffee grinder works well, 1/2 cup at a time) 1 tbl baking powder 3/4 tsp salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 3/4 cup milk (I used 1/2 and half, had do. Try ricotta cheese for extra fat) 1 can of pumpkin 2/3 cup brown sugar 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1 tsp vanilla extract Pre heat oven to 350 degrees Prepare muffin tins by coating with butter and dusting with white flour. Or use cups. Mix dry ingredients (flour through cloves) in a large bowl.  Mix milk, pumpkin, sugar together in a medium bowl.  Add eggs and vanilla and whisk together until smooth. Sugar will likely not be completely dissolved. Add wet ingredients to dry and stir together until just combined.  Spoon into prepared muffin pan, a bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool. They taste better

Well, maybe no oil is a stretch. The flax seeds have all the oil in this, but they are so good. And frighteningly healthy. A baker friend would like me to add a cup more of sugar, but I don't think it's needed. 1 cup flour 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (skip and sub with reg. flour if that is what you have) 1 1/2 cups ground flax seeds (use your coffee grinder. No fear, and no leftover taste) 1-2 tsp cinnamon 1 Tbl baking powder 1 cup walnuts, finely chopped 3/4 tsp salt 2/3 cup brown sugar 2-3 very ripe bananas 1/2 cup milk plus 1/4 cup 1/2 and 1/2, or 3/4 cups milk 2 beaten eggs 1 tsp vanilla Preheat over to 375 butter and flour a muffin pan Mix the first 8 ingredients in a large bowl until well combined (I use a whisk) Mash the bananas, and then mix together with the milk, eggs and vanilla in a smaller bowl. Add banana mixture to the dry ingredients. Lightly combine until just wet. Add to muffin pan, bake 18-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean

Frightening fast meal, easy to prepare, and good for you. Mix and match veggies as you see fit. Don't give in to the temptation to add cheese, it does not need it. 6-10 small to medium mushrooms 3 Tbl butter 3 zucchini, shredded 1 pepper (red, green, orange, you choose) diced 1 onion, diced 1 Tbl olive oil 4-6 eggs, lightly beaten Salt Pepper 2-3 Tbl chopped parsley Slice the mushroom into thick slices Saute in butter in a small saucepan until they largely lose their juices and become soft While mushrooms are cooking, shred the zucchini use the large holes in a box grater (or slice into long thin ribbons). Salt generously and put in a colander to drain. Dice the peppers and onions, and saute them in a large oven proof skillet until soft. Add the mushrooms and ground fresh pepper and stir with the onion mixture. Press the zucchini mixture against the colander with a paper towel to squeeze out most of the water, and then add to the mushrooms mixture and saute fo

3-4 cups greens of your choice. Washed. Stemmed. Chopped. Timing below is using collard greens. Thinner greens will need less time. 4 cloves garlic, minced 1-2 lbs pasta Olive oil Parmesan cheese 1) sauté collard greens until just starting to wilt 2) add 1/3 cup hot water and the garlic, reduce heat to a gentle simmer & toss well 3) start to bring water to cook pasta to a boil. 4) continue to toss greens and simmer. Add water to keep very moist 5) add pasta and cook according to directions. 6) just before draining pasta, ladle 1/2 cup of the pasta water unit the greens. 7) drain the pasta. Coat the bottom of the pasta pot with olive oil. Add the pasta back in and toss to coat the oil. 8) add the greens to the pot and toss 9) serve with some Parmesan cheese. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

10-12 baby or Indian eggplant 1/2 cup pine nuts 1 cup parsley (or basil, or arugula, etc) 3 tbl olive oil 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1-2 onions, coarsely chopped Olive oil 2 tbl tomato paste Salt and pepper 1) slice off stems from eggplants. Cut 2/3 down from stem end toward base and repeat to make a cross. 2) make a pesto using the nuts, herb, cheese and olive oil (chopping, mortar and pestle. Food processer. Don't really care) 3) stuff each eggplant with 1-2 tsp of the pesto 4) place on a plate. Salt generously. Drizzle with more olive oil. 5) sauté onions until translucent. If you want, add some chopped parsley. 6) clear a space in the middle of the pan, add the tomato paste and toast for a minute or two while stirring just the paste. 7) stir the paste together with the onions. 8) add 1/2 cup of hot water and stir. Add more water until sauce is thin. 9) place eggplants on their side in the sauce. Turn to a very low simmer and cover. 10) turn eggplants 1/4-1/2 turn every 5 mi

Fabulous way to start the summer. The fewer kids eating, the better steaks to buy. I did this with tenderloin steaks, but any grill-ready steaks work. 4 tenderloin steaks (or other) Olive oil 1.5 lbs butter, softened (unsalted) 3-4 tbl chopped fresh tarragon 1 cup crumbled thin plain breadsticks (or several day old french bread) Salt Pepper Steamed green beans Corn on the cob 1) 2 hours before cooking, take the steaks out, lightly oil, salt and pepper both sides. Cover with wax paper and let come to room temperature. Keep from edge of counter if your dog is a) hungry or b) big. 2) Mix butter, chopped tarragon, breadsticks and 1/2 tsp of salt. If a garlic fan, add one or two minced cloves to the butter. Put butter back in fridge. 3) Heat a grill. Charcoal, wood, gas, or a heavy pan on top of the stove. 4) Grill steaks on high 3-4 min per side to sear, then lower heat or move slightly to side, and cook for about 6-7 minute more per side (depending upon cut and how thic

2 cups brown rice 1 Tbl neutral oil (peanut, canola, etc.) 1-2 onions, large dice 3-4 plum or other tomatoes, seeded, large dice 1 butternut squash, seeded, 1/2 inch chunks 1 Tbl curry spice 1 can coconut milk 1/4 cup water 1/2 cup slivered almonds or roasted cashews (not salted) 3-4 cups baby spinach (washed) 1) Cook brown rice in a rice cooker on on top of the stove. It will take 40-60 minutes, so plan accordingly. 2) Heat oil in a heavy pan on a med/high heat. I like cast iron, but anything will do. 3) Add onions and saute until transluscent 4) Add tomatoes, squash, and curry spice. Saute for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. 5) Add coconut milk, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, add nuts (optional), and cover. 6) Stir occasionally. Add water if it thickens too much or start to stick to the pan. 7) When squash is just tender, add spinach and mix well until spinach fully wilts. 8) Put rice in large wide bowls. Pasta bowls work well. Serve curry on top of r

Great muffins. Fats coming mostly from the flaxseed. Make sure you grind the seeds up well. hazelnut: carrot and flaxseed muffins

Ok, so it's not really veggie (chicken broth), but it works for a great meal. Crust recipe of your choice (see 2 greens tart recipes in this blog if necessary) 1 onion, medium dice 2-3 celery stalks, sliced 5-6 carrots , sliced into rounds Olive oil Herbs d Provence Salt Pepper Greens of your choice ( 2-3 cups chopped) I used rainbow chard 2 cups white beans (already cooked or canned and rinsed) 3-4 tbl flour 1 cup hot chic broth Sauté in olive oil celery, onion and carrots until just soft Add greens, herbs, salt and pepper When greens wilt, remove all veggies from pan Add more olive oil Add flour and toast while stirring for 3-4 minutes Add hit broth slowly while whisking Add veggies and beans  back in Lower heat and simmer Roll out dough Pick your serving dish. One big pan, individual bowls, don't care Add veggies and broth to dishes Cover with dough Brush with egg Cut vent holes in top Bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes until crust is done Serve

1 3-4 lb corned beef. Throw away the nasty spice sack that came with it 2-3 onions, peeled 1 bunch of carrots, scrubbed, trimmed and cut in half crosswise 1 cabbage, outer layer removed, quartered (keep stem in). Try pushing a toothpick through the leaves to keep them together while cooking 4-5 potatoes, scrubbed (red, boiling, don't really care. Stay away from baking) 4-5 cloves of garlic 10-12 whole peppercorns 1 bay leaf 10 or so mustard seeds 2-3 cloves Some will also use a few juniper berries. Not me, but you can 1) Cover the beef with 1" of water and bring to a boil 2) Reduce heat to a very slow bubble, and all but the carrots, cabbage and potatoes 3) Cook for 2 hours, turning the beef every 20 minutes or so 4) Add boiling water to keep beef covered 5) Add vegetables after 2 hours 6) After 30 minutes, check veggies every 5 minutes or so, and remove when done (soft). Cabbage will likely take longest. 7) Keep cooking until beef is fork tender on both side

1-2 lbs turbot fillet 3/4 cup Greek yogurt Saffron Bread crumbs Thyme Salt Pepper Olive oil 1) preheat oven to 400 2) coat bottom of baking dish with olive oil 3) sprinkle thyme on olive oil 4) layer fish on thyme 5) sprinkle with salt and pepper 6) mix yogurt with saffron 7) spread yogurt evenly over fish 8) sprinkle top with breadcrumbs, and more salt and pepper 9) bake for 20 min or longer until fish is done - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

A variation on the Accidental Recipes: Ligurian inspired greens tart with a much flakier crust, and more greens/less cheese. Crust 3 cups flour 1 cup butter (cold) 2 egg yolks Salt 1/4 cup cold water + some more Mix the flour and salt Cut in the butter until fully integrated Add the egg and mix until incorporated Add 1/4 cup of the water, mix with hands. add more cold water until just holds together. Rest for 1/2 hour in fridge Roll out to fit in 9" pie pan or similar Butter pan Put in filling Filling adjustments - Replace ricotta with 1/3 -1/2 cup of romano cheese (or parm) - Top with breadcrumbs and a bit more cheese, not a crust Bake for 30-40 minutes until crust is done. rest for 5.

One of those recipes that started with all the right intentions, and only 1/2 the ingredients on hand. So this is my version...Great for a cold night, over brown rice or anything else. Inspired by Andrew Schloss 3-4 lbs chicken thigh meat (original calls for turkey) 1/3 cup flour Salt Pepper Olive oil 3/4 cup salsa (mild to medium) 1 cup Chicken broth 1-2 cups corn kernels (freeze dried is what I used, you can try frozen or fresh. Original calls for pasole) 1 16 oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed Zest of 1 lime Juice of same lime Cilantro Trim fat from thigh meat. Mix flout with salt and pepper Dredge chicken through flour, reserve remaining flour Heat pan with olive oil until shimmering (I like cast iron, you may not) Brown chicken on each side and remove from pan Add chicken to slow cooker If there is no fat in the pan, add a bit more olive oil or some butter Add reserved flour and toast while stirring for 1 minute or so Add salsa and broth to the pan, b