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The Kitchen Recessionista

So, here we are, in a recession. Let's eat!

Vegan “Beef” Stew.

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Crock-Pot Monday became Crock-Pot Tuesday this week, but no matter – I was just pleased as punch to come home tonight, exhausted and with a mile-long to-do list, to find that dinner was already hot and ready to eat!

I must be on a “Recipes I Have Known” kick, because we’ve got another one here tonight. This one comes from my old-timey Better Homes and Gardens Crockery Cookbook, one of my very favorite slow-cooker guides, and it’s just as good as everything else in the book. Which is to say it’s fantastic. And so easy to make!

Essentially, all I did was place a bag of Gardein “beef” tips in the slow cooker and added baby carrots (whole – I didn’t even dice them today!), minced dried onion, one can of sliced potatoes, one can of whole potatoes, and several cups of vegetable juice (I just used plain old V8 today). Add some seasoning – garlic powder, basil, salt, pepper, whatever you like – give it a stir, and set the heat to Low! Then go about your day with all the smugness you like, knowing dinner is simmering away while you work on other things.

By the time I got home from work, the stew was hot and bubbly, the carrots crisp-tender and the Gardein tips nice and soft (but still maintaining its texture). All that was left to do then was dip a breadstick in the stew and chow down!

LeeLee and I both loved the flavor that the vegetable-juice broth gave the dish (though strangely enough we both dislike vegetable juice on its own), and the mixture of spices, veggies, and protein conspired to create a wonderfully filling meal. We each went back for a second helping – and were thrilled that even after such gluttony, we’ve got more for tomorrow’s lunch! I’m looking forward to it already.

:)

Vegetarian Mexican Chik’n Chowder.

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This week, Crock-Pot Monday came on Tuesday instead (these things happen sometimes) – a welcome change of pace! Someone is having a Big Birthday in a few days – for the record, that someone’s name rhymes with GiGi – and as a result, we have already begun to kick off the festivities with style and flair. So last night, we enjoyed a quick bite of soup before dashing off to try out a new watering hole with a couple of friends.

This recipe came from one of my longest-tenured cookbooks, Better Homes and Gardens’ Crockery Cookbook (which my dear friend Stuart always calls the “Crockery Cookery”). I know I’ve mentioned this cookbook before, but I have to give it another plug now: It is by far one of my most-used and best-loved cookbooks, despite it not being an especially vegetarian-centric tome. If you’ve been around here for any length of time you know that it’s quite easy to veggie-cize nearly any recipe, and the meals within the Crockery Cookbook are no different!

As with most of the recipes in this cookbook, this couldn’t be easier to make. Simply add chik’n strips, a can of Mexicorn, a can of cream of potato soup, a can of diced green chilies, a packet of taco seasoning, and a carton of veggie broth to your slow cooker (the recipe also calls for fresh cilantro, but who has that this time of year?) and let it roll, cooking it all day long. When you’re nearly ready to eat, add about 8 ounces of sour cream along with about 8 ounces of pepper-jack cheese cubes (the recipe called for something more along the lines of Velveeta, but I elected to give it some extra pizzazz), stir everything together nicely, and heat through until the cheese has melted.

We served our helpings in our favorite wintertime snowman bowls with tortilla chips on the side for dipping. And after polishing off two bowls apiece, we still had plenty for LeeLee’s lunch today. A fantastic meal, indeed!

:)

Mama’s Potato Soup.

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It must definitely be fall now – the first kettle of potato soup went on to boil tonight!
Every year, we welcome my mother’s potato soup recipe back into the fold with open arms.  It’s so simple to make, and so wonderful to eat: Tonight, we added about eight smallish peeled potatoes (from our Labor Day weekend potato-picking excursion), half a diced onion, some parsley from the garden, and some salt, pepper, and garlic powder to the good old Le Creuset with just enough water to cover everything.  Then I heated the French oven to a rolling boil and lowered the heat to Medium, cooking the potatoes for about 25 minutes, or until they were wonderfully tender and ready to be mashed.
I drained most of the water off and added a pat of butter and some soymilk to its place, and then I got to mashing.  I like some chunks of potato in my soup, so I left a few pieces here and there, but within minutes the soup had a wonderfully thick consistency and was ready for serving!
As usual, LeeLee and I put in our favorite add-ins: He likes vegetarian bacon bits, and I like Goldfish crackers.  You can’t mess with the classics!
I regret to inform you that we had very, very little soup left by the end of dinner.  But not to worry – with 40+ pounds of potatoes to burn through, we’ll definitely make this meal again soon!

:)

Vegetarian Chik’n Posole.

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Looking back, it probably wasn’t the wisest menu plan to add this dinner into the weekly lineup as a heat wave barreled through.  But that’s OK!  We both adore chik’n posole, no matter the season.
This soup is hot from a temperature standpoint, sure, but it’s also incredibly spicy – both LeeLee and I felt like we’d been working out in the yard for an hour by the time dinner was over!  It’s amazing what one can of Rotel will do to jazz up a dish.  We used to make posole with hand-cut tomatoes and jalapeno, but the Rotel is much quicker and, I’ve gotta say, often more flavorful.  And, tonight at least, certainly more spicy!
The posole itself was as easy as ever to make.  Simply heat chik’n strips, Rotel, hominy, broth, garlic powder, onion powder, and a dash of pepper to boiling and cook until heated through and tender!  To make it look more complicated, tonight I cooked everything in my French oven – it just brings an air of class to the occasion, you know?
Alongside the posole, I heated up two slices of garlic bread – perfect for dipping.  Paired with a nice cooling glass of Moscato, this dinner couldn’t be beat!

:)

Tomato and Rice Soup With Pesto.

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So, before we get into the makings of this meal, a confession: This was supposed to be a Crock-Pot meal, but this morning, as I surveyed what was on the dinner docket for tonight, I said to myself, “Ah, soup in the Crock-Pot.  Got it!” and … left the house.
Without giving another thought to the fact that a Crock-Pot meal needs to be cooked in the … Crock-Pot.
But that’s OK!  Because once I got home from work, I was able to recreate this tomato and rice soup in my trusty Le Creuset French oven, and it worked just beautifully in the end.  No harm, no foul!
This is a recipe that comes from one of my oldest cookbooks – my Better Homes and Gardens Crockery Cookbook.  I believe I’ve mentioned it in these pages before.  It remains one of my very favorite resources, and I’m still trying new-to-me recipes from it!  Tonight’s was just such a recipe.
Anyway, slow cooker or no, the tomato and rice soup was wonderful!  LeeLee was delayed in getting home tonight, so it had plenty of time to simmer, and upon his arrival I added the instant rice and, just before serving, a couple of hearty dollops of pesto.  Served with a garlic breadstick on the side, it was a fantastically complete meal that we will definitely make again!
Initially, I was nervous that this soup would be too wintry for our now-springlike tastes.  Not at all.  The tomatoes gave this dish a fresh, summery feel, and it was both hearty enough to stand on its own yet light enough to not weigh you down on a warm evening.  The best of both worlds!

:)

Chik’n Posole.

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Tonight was one of those tight-turnaround nights that our family is famous for during the week!  I knew that chik’n posole – one of our favorite quick-fixes – would fit the bill perfectly!  It’s light on the tongue but filling to the tummy, and paired with a garlic breadstick, it makes for a hearty dinner.

What’s more, tonight’s posole had a special guest – cilantro straight from the garden!  Good old cilantro, a favorite herb around here, has a pretty limited time to shine; it starts to bolt by Independence Day and by midsummer we’re forced to replace it with another herb (or two).  But while it’s in bloom, look out – it’s a taste that can’t be beat!
I feel so sorry for those folks who can’t taste the goodness in cilantro but instead are left with nothing but a soapy aftertaste.  My condolences to your poor taste buds!  It’ll be a struggle, but LeeLee and I will enjoy your portion on your behalf. ;)
So, with only about a half-hour to turn dinner around and get it onto the table, chik’n posole gets the job done every time.  The sad news is that there aren’t any leftovers – we cleaned the pot! – but that’s a price we’ll have to pay.

:)

Tex-Mex Chili.

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The Crock-Pot is not synonymous with the warmer months, but chili is good any time of the year!  And tonight I tried a recipe from one of my very first living-on-my-own cookbooks, the Better Homes and Gardens Crockery Cookbook (or, as my friend Stuart used to call it, the “Crockery Cookery”).  I’ve had this cookbook for 15 years, but still I keep finding new recipes to try!  They’re a wonderful thing, cookbooks.
At any rate, before leaving for work this morning I put all of the chili ingredients – your usual ground “beef,” chili powder, diced tomatoes, onions, beans, and peppers, plus some other ingredients, like V8, Rotel, and tomato paste – in the slow cooker, flipped it on, and headed out on my bike.  The prep on this took all of five minutes, which is always a winner in my book!
Furthermore, I noticed the pre-chopped onions and peppers were on sale at the grocery store this week, so I allowed myself to buy them (usually I eschew conveniences like that if they’re going to affect the bottom line).  What a luxury, to just dump a carton of pre-diced veggies into the pot!  I’d better not get used to that.
By the time I got home, the house smelled great – nothing beats a home-cooked meal moonlighting as specialty potpourri.  But would the chili hold up to the hype?
Yes!  This was a more tomato-based chili than I typically make, but I found the change refreshing.  The blend of tomato products with the hearty veggie “beef” and beans added a layer of complexity in every bite, and the Daiya cheese we put on top cooled off the top layer of the meal’s spicy heat.  Paired with a nice white wine, it was a great dinner indeed!  We’ll definitely make it again.
Hooray for new recipes in old cookbooks!

:)

“Sausage”-Corn Chowder.

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I can’t help it.  Every time I use the Crock-Pot, I feel so smug with myself!  I love coming home to a freshly made dinner after a long day of work, even if it was my own doing hours earlier!

Tonight was no different.  On one of our first springlike days, a light chowder was just the ticket!  So, before work, I put everything together: a can of kernel corn, a can of creamed corn, a package of Morningstar Farms sausage links, a diced onion, quite a few halved baby yellow potatoes, some salt, some pepper, a bit of oregano, and two cups of water to wash it all down.  :)  After nine or 10 hours cooking at Low heat, everything was nicely cooked by the time we got home tonight!

But there was one more step to take.  About 10 minutes before serving, I opened a can of evaporated milk and stirred it into the chowder, which gave the soup a lovely, hearty consistency.  Once the flavors had mingled and the milk had heated up, we ladled out two bowls’ worth and chowed down!  … and went back for seconds.  Because why not.

Despite our second helpings, there’s still enough for LeeLee (or me, but probably LeeLee) to enjoy for lunch tomorrow!  Once he gets through the leftover pizzadillas, that is.

:)

Chik’n Posole.

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The snow whooshed in first thing this morning just as the Weather Service said it would (though in our yard at least, it didn’t quite hit the mark the NWS had predicted), and after a day of working from home and taking a mid-afternoon break to sled down our neighborhood hill and shovel the walk, the far-and-away best fuel for our souls was a hearty bowl of chik’n posole.  The heat from both the stovetop and the peppers warmed us right up!
This is by far one of the easiest meals I make, and yet it always tastes so impressive.  Who would’ve thought that a mix of chik’n strips (we used Trader Joe’s brand this time), Rotel, yellow hominy, broth, garlic powder, minced dried onion, and black pepper would create such a first-class dinner?  But it does, every single time, and LeeLee and I are always surprised by it.
In typical snow-day fashion, we paired tonight’s meal with a full-figured red wine (we always tend to splurge on wine for snow days – and by “splurge” I mean $10 a bottle rather than $5), and I even crumbled a few tortilla chips into my soup bowl for some added pizazz.  The end result was fantastic – we always dip chips into our Taco Soup, and I’ll have to keep it in mind for this meal too from now on!
As I write this, we’re both trying to ignore the leftover king cake that is featured prominently in the middle of our dining-room table – remnants from a Mardi Gras soiree we enjoyed this weekend (I’ll talk about it on the podcast very soon!).  But I know we’ll soon break down and have a sweet treat.  With four inches of snow on the ground, it just seems like the perfect way to cap off the evening!

:)

Minestrone (and More!).

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Tonight, LeeLee and I attended a long-awaited meeting of our monthly dinner group – a group of friends who take turns hosting potluck dinners at one house each month.  I say “long-awaited” because it was supposed to happen a couple of weeks ago, but a deluge of snow forced the hosts to postpone!  We were afraid that was going to happen again tonight – half a foot of snow looms large for tomorrow – but we managed to thread the needle and make it to dinner and home again in the nick of time.  Good thing, too – as usual, the spread was fantastic!
Sometimes, our dinner group hosts announce a theme for the month’s meal; sometimes not.  Tonight, we enjoyed an Italian feast (this dinner was supposed to happen on Valentine’s Day weekend, remember), and LeeLee and I brought minestrone for the occasion.
With our selection firmly in mind, this morning I pulled out my recipe for Italian Wedding Soup from my much-loved copy of Vegan Planet by Robin Robertson, and got the Crock-Pot ready to go.  I admit I went a bit offroad with my interpretation of Robertson’s recipe – my ingredients don’t sync up one-to-one with hers – but her version definitely provided the foundation for my own!
I put a can of cannellini beans, two cans of mixed vegetables, a can of diced tomatoes, two ribs of diced celery, one diced onion, and a healthy dose of dried parsley in the crockery and finished it off with a carton of vegetable broth (four cups in all), turned the slow cooker on, and moved on with my life.  When it was time for us to leave for the party tonight, I carried the cooker, heating element and all, out to the car, nestled it in place on the floorboard with a plethora of towels and rags, and hoped for the best.
LeeLee did his level best to keep the ride, well, level, but I fear I was overly optimistic when putting the soup into the cooker earlier today.  At the beginning of our ride, the minestrone filled the Crock-Pot to the brim, but by the time we arrived at our hosts’ house, there was half an inch of headspace that wasn’t there before.  The floor mat in the car, in the meantime, was soaked with broth, as were the towels I had so carefully placed around the meal.  But all in all, the minestrone was no worse for wear, and it was certainly devoured in short order as part of the first course!  I dished up almost a dozen small bowls of the soup and brought only a few spoonfuls at the bottom of the slow cooker back home with me.
As far as the rest of the meal went, we had plenty of food to feast upon – spaghetti and marinara, garlic bread, asparagus with butter sauce, beet salad, cole slaw, cheese and crackers, Key lime pie, cake, cookies … the list goes on.  Paired with a plethora of great wines, dinner left us all fat and happy!  And as usual, the conversation flowed freely, as did the laughter.  I can’t think of a better way to ring in a Monday snow day!

:)