Month: December 2015

December – Leftover Stuffing Strata
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December – Leftover Stuffing Strata

Leftovers, I just love them. Here is a way to repurpose any leftover stuffing from Christmas. Any type will work although you might want to alter the type of cheese. I used goat cheese, parmesan would also be good. Toss in leftover greens to up the nutritional value.

I used leftovers from Kale and Caramelized Onion Stuffing in this strata but it would also have been delicious using my standard Sausage with Raisin Stuffing.

Leftover Stuffing Strata

  • Leftover stuffing – I had about 4 cups
  • 4 eggs, beaten
  • 2 cups half-and-half (or a mixture of cream and milk to make 2 cups)
  • 4 oz of soft goats cheese
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
  2. Liberally butter a 2 quart baking dish
  3. In a large bowl combine the stuffing, eggs, milky mixture, and crumbled goats cheese
  4. Pour into the prepared baking dish and let sit for at least 20 minutes to overnight
    Leftover Stuffing Strata

    Leftover Stuffing Strata

    Stuffing Strata

    Stuffing Strata

  5. Bake until the custard is set, this took about 55 minutes. If it was refrigerated, allow a few more minutes baking time.
  6. Let sit for 10 minutes once cooked before serving.

    Leftover Stuffing Strata

    Leftover Stuffing Strata

If you have more or less stuffing, adjust the components. It should be 1 egg and 1/2 cup of milk to each cup of stuffing.

Leftover Stuffing Strata

Leftover Stuffing Strata

I’m taking this to Fiesta Friday #98, folks are thinking about their Christmas menu, better plan for leftovers. There are two new co-hosts to assist Angie from the Novice Gardener, Sadhna @ Herbs, Spices and Traditions and Natalie @ Kitchen, uncorked.

December – Kale and Caramelized Onion Stuffing
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December – Kale and Caramelized Onion Stuffing

This recipe for kale and caramelized onion stuffing (or more accurately dressing since it is not inside the bird) came by way of the blog The Smitten Kitchen. I have modified it only slightly because the original called for the use of butter and I like the touch of sweet added by the raisins. I needed a dish that would appeal to both vegans and vegetarians, thus made some simple substitutions. It was delicious and everyone enjoyed it, non vegetarians and vegans alike. Two of the best things? The leftovers! The leftover croutons I didn’t use in the stuffing were absolutely amazing sprinkled over a hot bowl of tomato soup the next day. Because of being hand torn instead of cut, they had lots of crispy and crusty edges to add texture. Any leftover stuffing can be made into a wonderful breakfast strata combined with goat cheese, milk and eggs.

I don’t have any pictures of the stuffing. I took this dish to a large Thanksgiving party. I couldn’t shout out “stop everything, I need to take some pictures”! My family is used to me doing that, they only role their eyes and hit pause. But, I would not have won any popularity contests with the 18 people standing in the buffet line.  Do any of the rest of you ever have this problem?

I do have pictures of the strata made with the leftovers.

I’m going to post the recipe for the kale and caramelized onion stuffing with my modifications, click on the Smitten Kitchen link above to see the original.

Kale and Caramelized Onion Stuffing 

Serves 8

  • 1-1/4 pound loaf of sourdough or dense country style bread, crusts removed.
  • 1/2 cup of olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons of vegan butter substitute or more oil, divided (butter if not serving vegans)
  • 3 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced into half moons
  • Kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon of honey or sugar
  • 2 tablespoons of sherry vinegar
  • 1 pound of curly kale, center ribs and stems removed, leaves chopped into large chunks.
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups of vegetable stock (or chicken or turkey)
  • 1/2 cup of golden raisins
  • Red pepper flakes to taste
  • 2 tablespoons sherry
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Slice the crusts off the bread (save, dry them and use for breadcrumbs) and tear the loaf into pieces roughly 1 inch in size. Place in a large bowl and drizzle with 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Toss to mix. Spread on a large rimmed baking dish and toast until golden brown and crisp but still a little tender on the inside. This took about 20 minutes and I turned them half way through. When cooked, cool slightly and pour into a large bowl.
  3. While the bread is toasting, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saute pan over low heat. Add the onions, toss to coat with oil and cover the pan. Cook undisturbed on the lowest heat possible for 15 minutes.
  4. Remove the lid, raise the heat to medium/medium high, add sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook the onions, stirring frequently for another 15 to 20 minutes until deep golden brown. Add 2 tablespoons of sherry vinegar and use it to scrape any bits off the bottom of the pan. Taste for seasoning and remove the onions to the bowl with the croutons.
  5. Add 2 more tablespoons of oil to the pan and heat the garlic for 30 seconds, add the kale. Coat the kale with oil, then add 2 tablespoons of vegetable broth. Cook kale until wilted and somewhat tender (this will take 5-6 minutes). Add the sherry to the pan and cook until it almost all evaporates. Taste and season with the chili flakes, salt and pepper.  Add remaining broth and bring to a simmer.
  6. Pour the kale mixture over the croutons and onions. Toss to combine. Add the raisins and toss again. Taste and adjust seasoning. Pour into a 3-quart casserole dish and cover with foil. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove foil and bake for another 20 until the top is crisp and golden brown.

I’m taking this to Fiesta Friday #98, folks are thinking about their Christmas menu. There are two new co-hosts to assist Angie from the Novice Gardener, Sadhna @ Herbs, Spices and Traditions and Natalie @ Kitchen, uncorked.

Leftover Stuffing Strata

  • Leftover stuffing – I had about 4 cups
  • 4 eggs, beaten
  • 2 cups half-and-half (or a mixture of cream and milk to make 2 cups)
  • 4 oz of soft goats cheese
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
  2. Liberally butter a 2 quart baking dish
  3. In a large bowl combine the stuffing, eggs, milky mixture, and crumbled goats cheese
  4. Pour into the prepared baking dish and let sit for at least 20 minutes to overnight

    Stuffing Strata

    Stuffing Strata

  5. Bake until the custard is set, this took about 55 minutes. If it was refrigerated, allow a few more minutes baking time.
  6. Let sit for 10 minutes once cooked before serving.

    Leftover Stuffing Strata

    Leftover Stuffing Strata

If you have more or less stuffing, adjust the components. It should be 1 egg and 1/2 cup of milk to each cup of stuffing.

December – Easiest Ever Applesauce
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December – Easiest Ever Applesauce

My friend Linda in Fort Bragg gifted me a huge bag of apples from her backyard tree. These were organic, and wonderfully sweet Gala apples.

Gala Apples

Gala Apples

There were too many for our small family to eat before they went bad and the apples were too delicious to go to waste. I decided to make applesauce. The sauce would be delicious later in the year with roast pork or simply with yogurt for breakfast. They were so sweet I wouldn’t need to add much sugar or honey. To make things even easier for myself, I decided to keep the skin. It’s good for you, isn’t it? If you are not convinced, see the notes at the bottom of this post. By the time the apples cooked down the skin had melted into the apples, it  was not noticeable. What the skin did do was gave the applesauce a gorgeous pink tint, helped by a small handful of cranberries. I froze this sauce (the canner was in the garage and I didn’t feel like all that “to-do”) to keep the freshness (yes, it did do that). This is the easiest ever applesauce but you could also call it lazy woman’s applesauce!

Easiest Ever Applesauce (recipe makes 2 quarts)

  • 5-6 lbs. of apples, each washed, cored and cut into 7 pieces, unpeeled
  • 3 tablespoons of honey
  • handful of cranberries (optional)
  • 2 inch piece of lemon rind
  • 2 vanilla beans
  • 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
  • 1/2-1 cup of water
Gala Applesauce

Gala Applesauce

  1. Sterilize 4 pint or 2 quart heat-proof jars by running them through the dishwasher on the hot cycle or filling with boiling water.
  2. Add the apples, cranberries (if using), lemon, vanilla, cinnamon, and 1/2 cup of water to a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and turn the heat to medium.
  3. Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring often to prevent burning and checking to see if you need to add additional water.

    Gala Applesauce with Cranberries

    Gala Applesauce with Cranberries

  4. Using a potato masher, mash in the pan until your desired chunkiness. Taste and add honey to taste, these apples didn’t need much. I’ve seen a recommendation in other recipes for 1/8 cup of sugar to each quart of sauce.
  5. Fill the jars leaving 1 inch at the top to allow room for expansion.
  6. Screw on the lids and and let the jars cool on the counter before placing in your freezer.
  1. Gala Applesauce

Gala Applesauce

If you have an abundance to apples from your own backyard tree (or a kind neighbors), I recommend this easy recipe. Adjust the amount of honey to the sweetness of the apples. A serving of this applesauce has the goodness of fresh apples with very little added sugar, with the extra benefit of keeping the skin. Doubtful? Here is more about the important nutrients contained in the peel:

The peel is home to ursolic acid, an important compound in the obesity-fighting ability of apples. Ursolic acid seems to increase muscle and brown fat, which in turn up calorie burn, thereby lowering obesity risk, at least in mice, according to a 2012 study.

In addition to the higher doses of certain nutrients, the apple skin offers several other health advantages. Eating the apple skin might reduce your risk of certain types of cancer, including liver, breast and colon cancers, according to Cornell University. The peel contains compounds called triterpenoids that have the power to destroy cancer cells, as well as prevent new cancerous cells from growing, Cornell University reports. A 2009 article published in the “Journal of Food Science” reports that the antioxidants in apple peels can help protect your heart health by preventing the oxidation of polyunsaturated fats. Oxidation of fats increases your risk of heart disease. – See more at: http://www.livestrong.com/article/470237-does-the-apple-skin-have-the-most-nutrients/#sthash.C4zhbiLi.dpuf

Lastly, an unpeeled apple has 5.4 grams of fiber, a peeled one only 2.8. Your microbiome will thank you for the peel.

Moral of the story, eat the peel. Wash it well if the apples aren’t organic, but it is still better to eat the peel even if they are not.

Applesauce with Vanilla Yogurt

Applesauce with Vanilla Yogurt

This post is part of the monthly link up party Our Growing Edge. This event aims to connect food bloggers and inspire us to try new things. This month is hosted by Jazzmine at A Dash of Jazz and the theme is nostalgia.

Our Growing Edge

Our Growing Edge

December – One Pan Chicken with Potatoes, Olives and Lemon
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December – One Pan Chicken with Potatoes, Olives and Lemon

It’s cold and raining, finally! We need the rain so badly here in Northern California. And, cold and rain also mean, time for comfort food. Braises are perfect winter food but often take way too much time and effort for a weeknight dinner. This one pan chicken braise with potatoes, olives and lemon is easy and delicious and quick. Most of the cooking is done in the oven, undisturbed. To complete the meal you only need a salad or some seasonal side dish. Best of all, there is only one pan to wash. Serve this meal right out of the skillet.

On Pan Chicken with Potatoes, Olives, and Lemon

One Pan Chicken with Potatoes, Olives, and Lemon

One Pan Chicken with Potatoes, Olives, and Lemon

  • 4 chicken thigh/leg quarters
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3/4 cup chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 12 oz of baby potatoes, fingerlings or halved (or quartered) larger potatoes
  • 5 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
  • 1/2 olives, pitted if you want. I used a mixture of green and black.
  • 1 small lemon, washed, ends removed, cut into 6 wedges
  • 6 thyme sprigs

    One Pan Chicken

    One Pan Chicken

  1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F
  2. Season the chicken with salt. Heat a large, heavy ovenproof skillet over medium high heat. Swirl in the oil. Cook the chicken (skin side down) for about 10 minutes or until it is well browned and releases easily from the pan. Flip the chicken skin side up and push to one side.
  3. Add the stock and white wine. Add the potatoes. Bring to a boil and add the garlic, olives, lemon wedges, and thyme to the liquid. Position the chicken on top  of the potatoes and return to a boil.
  4. Transfer the skillet to the oven. Roast until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked through this will take 35-45 minutes.
    One Pan Chicken with Olives, Potatoes, and Lemon

    One Pan Chicken with Olives, Potatoes, and Lemon

    Do you think the folks at Fiesta Friday would like this? I am going to take it to Fiesta Friday #97 which I am co-hosting with Johanne from the blog French Gardener Dishes.  You can read about all the wonderful food being served at Angie’s Fiesta Friday, click on the link to Fiesta Friday #97.