Partnering with Hungry for Truth

Recently, I teamed up with Hungry for Truth and their efforts to open discussions about food between South Dakotans and the farmers who grow it. Our first collaboration brought me back together with a former On My Plate guest blogger, Peggy Greenway. Peggy and her husband are pork producers and South Dakota family farmers.

Pop over to the Hungry for Truth website to check out some information about raising pork and a recipe I shared for Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Mushroom Pan Sauce.

How to Cook a Juicy Pork Loin

 

Three Things Thursday; vol. one

In case you haven't noticed, I have been having a little trouble with updating this blog. I could make the usual excuses, but you have heard them all before. (...and probably don't care. You came here for a recipe, right? Well hold on, it will be up sooner than you expected.)

In an attempt to revive my neglected ramblings with some current info, I am going to implement a new feature: Three Things Thursday. On random Thursdays, I plan to simply list three things. Two of the things may or may not be food related; they may be things I love; they may be things I hate, or at least intensely dislike; maybe I will talk about something I want to know more about or understand better. There are no rules, except that the third thing will be a recipe. Maybe it will tie in with the other two things, maybe it won't. I want to keep it simple. I hope it will jump start real blogging for me (but, no promises).

So, here goes with my first Three Things:

1. Herbs on the window sill. It is that time of year when a few nice days cause me to break out the flip flops and get the itch to garden. Then, a Spring snow storm hits along with the reality of the season. Herbs on the window sill are the best remedy for me (and locally available at Solar Barn Greenhouse).

2. BeautiControl Ultra Care+ Daily Complexion Refiner, I have finally outgrown the oily skin of my youth, but it has unfortunately been replaced by a few dry flakes. This cleanser makes a difference for me. A big difference. It isn't too drying, and doesn't leave my face feeling greasy. I tend to alternate it with another basic gentle cleanser and use every other day for my best face forward. (If you want to get to know a BeautiControl consultant, drop me a comment. I know a guy that knows a guy that knows a guy. Or, something like that. Disclaimer: I don't sell it myself and receive no kickbacks whatsoever for mentioning it in this list.)

3. Chicken with Mushrooms and Marsala. Chicken with a pan gravy that is perfect over mashed potatoes. These days, I tend to prep my chicken breasts as cutlets or paillards. The chicken breast is placed on the cutting board and held flat with one hand while a sharp knife slices horizontally the length of the breast. Two portions are formed with relatively uniform thickness. They cook quickly without drying out and provide a reasonable serving size.

Chicken with Mushrooms and Marsala
(adapted from Cooking Light)

2 boneless-skinless chicken breast halves, sliced lengthwise into cutlets

4 teaspoons flour, divided

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 cups cremini or button mushrooms, sliced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 cup dry Marasala wine

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

fresh basil leaves

Season 3 teaspoons flour with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour mixture.
Heat a large skillet and coat with olive oil. Add chicken; cook 2-3 minutes on each side, or until done (don't overcook; these are thin pieces of chicken). Remove from pan; cover and keep warm.
Add a little additional oil to the pan. Saute onion and garlic until onion is tender, but not yet translucent. Add the mushrooms. Season with salt and oregano. Saute until mushrooms have released moisture and are tender. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon flour and stir. Cook just a minute to remove the raw flour flavor.
Stir in wine and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and add the chicken and tomatoes to the pan sauce. Simmer 2 minutes until chicken is heated through (turning chicken once).
Serve over noodles or mashed potatoes and garnish with fresh basil. (Serves 4).

South Dakota Magazine Recap

It is time once again for an update of my recent submissions online at South Dakota Magazine.  I have been contributing articles and recipes to their website every couple of weeks for just over a year and have really enjoyed the process.

Some of these recipes may have already appeared On My Plate, but they are tried and true favorites that have really fit into my menus (and I hope yours).

In November, one second grader was spot on when he told me that I would be hungry later because I didn't finish my lunch. If I would have been feasting on an Open-Faced Hot Chicken Sandwich with Mushroom Gravy, nobody would have had to told me twice to clean my plate.

South Dakota Public Radio noticed another story I shared in November about holiday letters. The accompanying recipe for Green Salad with Pomegranate and Mandarin highlights the juicy bits unlike some seasonal greetings.

December brought a revival of a classic craft that while great as Christmas ornaments could be adjusted to any holiday with the proper cookie cutter shape. Cinnamon Applesauce Ornaments smell so good that they shouldn't be limited to just the Christmas tree.

Garlic and Lemon Salad Dressing is my stand-by for quick salads and has helped me keep off the 10 pounds that I lost during my tonsillectomy. Tip: It is also a great marinade for chicken.

For about two seconds, I considered brewing my own beer from my Christmas tree, but instead used a really flavorful ale to make Beer Brined Pork Chops with Onions.

I gave my endorsement to silly food holidays and celebrations with Brownie Cherry Cheesecake. It really is a party in your mouth.

My most recent South Dakota Magazine submission promotes the great works of Dakota Dachshund Rescue. Our family expanded with the adoption of two more little wiener dogs, and our waist lines are expanding with Deviled Chili Cheese Dogs.

As I look ahead at recipes and ideas for future articles, I wonder what you would like to see? Have a local delicacy that you think deserves to be shared state-wide? Add your suggestions in the comments, and I will see what I can do.

South Dakota Magazine

So...in case you didn't know, I have been contributing semimonthly at South Dakota Magazine for almost a year. However, in poor blogger form, I have neglected the updates here On My Plate.

Let's do a quick catch-up with a rundown of my columns from last summer and so far this fall...

In June, we had The War for the Strawberries with Ace and I trying in vain to protect my precious berries from the squirrels. We did manage to save enough for Strawberry Mousse.

I also waxed poetically about the beautiful corn crops that later were destroyed by the drought. Thankfully, there was still some sweet corn for Fresh Corn and Radish Salad.

July brought my dilemma regarding what to take to the Antiques Roadshow and a Strawberry Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake.

Later, I cried for cucumbers to be made into Refrigerator Pickles...which led to a friend gifting me with more cucumbers than I knew what to do with in August. I now have refrigerator pickles as well as several other versions canned on my food storage shelves.

Zucchini was loud and proud in August with a rich and creamy Zucchini Alfredo

...AND sweet and delicious Zucchini Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies making the pages of the South Dakota Magazine website.

I whined about the difficulty of finding some ingredients here on the prairie and shared the recipe for the ever spicy Andouille Sausage and Shrimp Skewers in September.

Maintaining that level of heat with the kick of my Basic Salsa for Canning was easy.

I admitted to not really loving crock pot cooking, but making a concession for Chipotle Pork earlier this month. 

And, just this past week, I started looking ahead to the holidays and meal planning with Green Beans in Mushroom Sauce.




There you have it...a round-up of what I have been sharing through South Dakota Magazine. Hopefully, I can be a bit more faithful with updates in the future.

What Men Want

In this age of technology, we have weather apps, financial apps, shopping, maps, email, instant messaging, Words with Friends, Draw Something, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Kindle, iTunes, and (of course) Angry Birds downloaded on our smartphones to inform and entertain us at any time, day or night. We are constantly connected. That little screen puts anything we want in the world in the palm of our hands.

Hubs has a poker game that he plays during his down time. However, when he registered, all of the user names that he usually prefers were taken. Tongue in cheek, he tried "Sissy Sue," the name of our little, female dachshund, and it was accepted. He went with it.

The other day while we camped out waiting for a very delayed doctor's appointment, Hubs pulled out his phone and started gambling. It was then that he confided that although it was a free online game, he had never had to jump through hoops to earn the fake cash to play. Men around the world gifted "Sissy Sue" with fake money presents all the time.

Men.
using a poker game phone application.
want.
my.
husband.

They like the idea of a delicate, little player at their table. They think he is cute.

I am sure they don't picture a stocky, 6'4", bearded farmer when they send Sissy Sue the cash to play another hand. That old cartoon with the overweight man in boxers sitting at a computer screen pretending to be a sexy, 20-something female is burned into my mind.

I don't know if I should be amused or scared.

 

Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy

(adapted from Cooking Light)

1/3 cup onion, chopped (divided)

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound ground beef

olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

2 cups cremini mushrooms, quartered

1/3 cup dry red wine

2 cups beef stock

1 tablespoon flour

Combine 1/4 cup onion, pepper, salt, garlic, and beef.

Shape into 4 patties.

Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat.

Add patties; browning on each side (about 3 minutes).

Remove and set aside tenting with foil to keep warm.

Melt butter in the pan.

Add mushrooms and saute until tender.

Stir in wine and remaining onion and cook a couple of minutes until onion is tender.

Combine broth and flour.

Add to pan and bring to a boil.

Cook until thickened.

Add patties to pan and simmer a few more minutes to heat beef through. (Serves 4)

Pretty Peas

Warm spring weather has me thinking about gardening. I always plant the same things: tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, acorn and/or butternut squash, cucumbers, radishes, some lettuce and spinach, and my herbs. Last year, I added strawberries to my garden, and I am in love with the asparagus patch. I have tried my hand at Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower, but am not fond of the never ending battle to keep the little green worms at bay.

Basically, I am a lazy gardener. I think that is why I haven't planted green beans. I have memories of what seemed like hours and hours spent picking green beans from my mother's garden as a child. (Followed by hours and hours of sweating in a hot kitchen over a pressure cooker to can said green beans in mason jars as a store for winter.) I love green beans, but those hours and hours are lost forever...not that I probably had anything better to do.

This spring, this lazy gardener has a desire for green beans and peas. I am not sure that my small garden space can handle enough rows to be worthwhile (while still limited to few enough rows to hold my interest without seeming taxing). Pretty peas of fresh sweetness. Crisp, but tender green beans. I am thinking about it. We will see what I plant...

Chicken Cutlets with Creamy Mushrooms and Snow Peas

(adapted from Food Network Magazine)

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

flour, for dredging

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/2 small yellow onion, chopped 

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced

1 1/4 cups chicken broth

3/4 cup heavy cream

2 cups snow peas, stemmed and sliced

Preheat oven to 200F.
Butterfly the chicken breast.
Place chicken between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet until uniform thickness.
Cut each chicken breast into 2 pieces (making 4 portions).
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
Dredge the cutlets in flour, shaking off any excess.
Cook until golden, about 2 minutes per side.
Transfer to a baking dish; cover loosely with foil; keep warm in the oven.
Add the butter to the hot skillet.
Add the onions and saute until tender.
Add the mushrooms and brown.
Pour in the broth and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
Add the cream and boil until sauce thickens slightly, about 3 additional minutes.
Stir in the snow peas and heat through.
Season with salt and pepper.
Serve the chicken topped with the creamy vegetables. (Garlic mashed potatoes are a great comfort on the side.) (Serves 4)

How Do You Get Dressed?

During the winter, salads can sometimes be lack luster. Produce isn't always the best quality, and forget about getting a decent tomato. However, last week, I shared a fresh and delicious Healthy Salad over at South Dakota Magazine that is always crisp and mouthwatering.

How Do You Get Dressed? - Healthy Salad 

At the South Dakota Magazine site, you can also read about South Dakota history, travel, politics, humor, and this heart-warming story of A Birthday Surprise.

You Need to Eat

Hubs was away most of the week. I have dined alone (except for the day that I ate my ham sandwich and clementine lunch with the 3rd grade). This means that my meals have mostly consisted of cereal, peanut butter and Nutella toast, Greek yogurt with fruit and homemade granola, hummus and flat bread, salads, veggies and dip, guacamole (unfortunately, with or without chips), grilled cheese, and canned soup. I am craving meat. Real food. Juicy, meaty, cheeseburgers. Meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Pork chops and gravy. Hearty comfort food. As Hubs would say, "You need to eat."

Mushroom and Provolone Patty Melts

(adapted from Cooking Light)

1 pound ground beef

1-2 tablespoons flour

olive oil

1/2 cup thinly sliced onion

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms

1 1/2 teaspoons flour

1/4 cup dark beer (or beef broth, if you prefer)

8 sliced rye bread

4 slices provolone cheese

Preheat oven to 400F.
Divide ground beef into 4 equal portions and form thin patties (about 1/4 inch thick).
Combine flour, salt and pepper on a plate.
Dredge thin patties in the flour mixture.
Meanwhile, heat enough oil to cover the bottom in a cast-iron skillet. 
When the oil is sizzling, but not quite smoking, add the patties to the pan.
Cook on each side for just a few minutes to sear the beef and create a browned crust on the burger. (We like our burgers medium-rare, and this doesn't take long.)
While the burgers are cooking, butter rye bread and toast in a non-stick skillet.
When the burgers are fried to your liking, remove from cast-iron skillet and set aside.
Add a little more oil to the pan (if necessary) and saute the onions and mushrooms.
Season with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle in flour and cook about 1 minute.
Stir in beer (or beef broth) and cook until gravy is thickened. 
Remove from heat and keep warm.
Place 4 bread slices on a baking sheet and arrange 1 beef patty on each.
Layer a slice of provolone on top of each patty. 
Heat in oven for 5-8 minutes, or until cheese is melted and gooey.
Divide mushroom mixture between sandwiches and top with remaining slices of bread. (Yield: 4 sandwiches)

A Fungus Among Us

An area restaurant sautes bite-sized bits of steak with garlic, arranges them in the wells of an escargot plate, then tops with Fontina cheese and broils until ooey-gooey and melty. They serve this up with hunks of garlic bread as an appetizer. D.E.L.I.S.H. I can (and have) totally made a total pig of myself with this flavorful, cheesy dish.

When I saw a Martha Stewart recipe that topped mushrooms with this earthy Italian cheese, I knew it was for me. I wasn't mistaken.

Initially, I considered adding garlic to the mushrooms, but decided to stick with the simplicity of the original recipe. Seriously, what is easier than slicing mushrooms, topping with cheese, and broiling? Sprigs of thyme add just a hint of lemony brightness to the earthy mushrooms and nutty cheese. Simple.Perfection.

Just looking at the photos again, I want to reach into my computer monitor, grab one of those slices of baguette and dig into those inviting ramekins of warm, savory goodness. Mmmm.

Mushrooms with Fontina

(adapted from Martha Stewart)

2-3 cups cremini and shitake mushrooms, thinly sliced (I do recommend the mix of mushrooms, as the shitake have a richer flavor.)

olive oil

kosher salt

fresh ground black pepper

fresh thyme sprigs

1 cup shredded Fontina cheese

Heat oven to 450F.
Arrange mushrooms in a single layer in a shallow baking dish (or in multiple ramekins for individual servings).
Drizzle with oil, and season with salt and pepper.
Bake for 4-5 minute, until mushrooms are starting to soften.
Remove from oven and add cheese.
Strip a few leaves from the thyme and scatter over cheese; add a few whole sprigs on top.
Return to oven about 3-4 more minutes until cheese is melty and bubbly.
Serve warm with baguette for dipping. (Serves 4) 

Pole Position

The Daytona 500 is this Sunday. Hubs is a longtime NASCAR fan, and if he were going to be home, the vroom, vroom of race cars would be filling our living room. However, he is out of town. This frees me to think about another kind of pole position. My pole-enta position. (sorry. bad pun)

I have mentioned before that I am pretty smitten with polenta. The creamy, rich goodness appeals to every happy cell of my body. When I saw a simple Sausage and Mushroom Ragu recipe served over polenta, I raced to try it. It was a scrumptious finish.

If your position prefers pasta to polenta, do please still try the sauce. The Italian sausage flavors the tomatoes as they simmer together into an easily gratifying sauce. It feels homemade without a ton of homemade work. That kind of meal always takes the checkered flag for me.

Sausage and Mushroom Ragu with Polenta

(adapted from Cooking Light)

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

8 ounces Italian sausage (I like the kick of the spicy versions.)

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained (I prefer the petite diced version.)

2 1/2 cups chicken stock

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup uncooked polenta

4 ounces cream cheese

1 tablespoon butter

Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Remove sausage from casings and add to pan; saute until browned, stirring to crumble.
Remove sausage from the pan.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan and swirl to coat.
Add onion, sauteing until golden.
Add mushrooms, cooking until softened.
Add garlic, saute briefly, until fragrant.
Return sausage to the pan with tomatoes.
Season with 1/8 teaspoon salt.
Reduce heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes. 
Meanwhile, bring broth and water to a boil in a medium saucepan.
Add polenta slowly, whisking well to avoid lumps.
Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until thick, stirring occasionally.
Stir in remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, cheese, and butter.
Serve with sausage mixture. (4 servings)

Piggly Wiggly

Have you ever had something that you expected to like, but didn't expect to love? You know, one of those things that you didn't even have to taste to know it would please your palate, but when your mouth started to do a happy dance, you were pleasantly surprised?

Polenta did that for me. Cornbread, sweet corn, and hominy are loves for me. So are grits, cream of wheat, and even *gasp* chocolate Malt-O-Meal. Therefore, I knew that neither the flavor, nor the texture would offend me with polenta. Still, I was a little shocked at my response when first trying what is essentially cornmeal mush. I couldn't get enough. I was a pig. Piggly wiggly. The creamy richness of this simple food won me head over curly little tail.

Herb Rubbed Pork Chops with Polenta and Sautéed Morels

(adapted from In Good Taste)

4 (6-ounce) pork chops (boneless loin would be good, but I used 1/2" rib chops)

Olive oil

Marinade:

1/4 cup minced fresh rosemary

1/2 cup minced fresh thyme

1/2 cup olive oil

Polenta:

1 cup coarse ground polenta

1 cup water

2 cups chicken stock

1/2 teaspoon salt...to taste

1/2 cup mascarpone

4 tablespoons Parmesan

3 tablespoons butter

Sautéed Mushrooms:

2-4 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 pound morels, cleaned gently

2 shallots, minced

2 cloves of garlic, finely minced

Kosher salt

Fresh ground black pepper

For the marinade:
In a Ziplock bag, combine the ingredients for the marinade.
Add the chops and rub with the marinade.
Let marinate for 1 hour at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 6 hours.
Heat olive oil in a sauté pan.
Place the chops in the pan and cook until lightly browned on the first side, about 4 minutes.
Turn the chops and cook until the second side is browned and the chops are cooked through, about 3 minutes more.
Transfer the chops to a platter and tent with foil to keep warm.
For the Polenta:
Bring water, chicken stock, and salt to a boil.
Whisk in the polenta.
Reduce the heat to a very low simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the cheeses, butter and season as needed with salt and pepper.
Take the polenta off the heat and set aside.
For the Mushrooms:
Add the additional olive oil to the sauté pan from the pork chops and heat over a medium flame.
Add the mushrooms and sauté until they begin to brown and soften.
Add the shallots and minced garlic (you may need to add a little more olive oil).
Keep the mushrooms and shallots moving in the pan until they are fully tender.
Season lightly with salt and pepper.
To plate:
Spoon polenta onto center of each plate; rest a pork chop on top of the polenta, and top with sautéed mushrooms.

Fridge Friday, Episode 7

It is Friday, and guess what? Some of you have been brave enough to play along with me. You have shared photos of your fridges, and I LOVE IT!

I was totally shocked and honored when Jeanne at Jeanne Eats World posted her own Fridge Friday. How awesome is that? And, how great do steak quesadillas sound...on a brick patio...with s'mores made from homemade marshmallows and graham crackers for dessert? I don't know about you, but I think that I want to take up residence in Jeanne's fridge.

So...do you feel like a voyeur now? Peeking into everyone's fridge with curious hunger? Let me continue to feed your inquisitiveness. Here's a look at my Fridge Friday.

This might be the first week since the start of Fridge Friday that I actually had a meal plan in mind before I opened the fridge to get the photo. Notice that Ziplock bag of meaty goodness on the bottom shelf? Those are ribeye steaks. We are going to grill tonight. I can smell the smoldering charcoal already. I.Can't.Wait. But, my meal doesn't stop with the perfectly grilled rare steaks, seared on one side and flipped to the other over the red, hot coals. See those mushrooms on the second shelf? They are going to accompany those awesome hunks of beef.

Most of my holiday appetizer parties include a pan of Sauteed Herbed Mushrooms. The guests inhale these buttery, seasoned morsels. (Do I say that about every recipe I share? Really? I am sorry, but THEY DO. I guess that is why I know it is a recipe worth sharing.) Tonight, these mushrooms won't be an appetizer, but a side dish. They are so easy to prepare. If you can melt butter, you can make these. Seriously, it is more work to clean the mushrooms than it is to prepare Sauteed Herbed Mushrooms. But, don't let their simplicity fool you. They are delicious. Truly. Paired with a flawlessly grilled steak, they are heaven. I am going to toss up a spinach salad, grill some steaks, and whip up some Sauteed Herbed Mushrooms On My Plate this Fridge Friday. 

Sauteed Herbed Mushrooms

2 lb fresh mushrooms

(I use a mix of cremini and button, but whatever you have is OK.)

8 tablespoons butter

1 envelope (0.7 ounces) Good Seasons Italian salad dressing mix

1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

Clean the mushrooms by wiping with a damp cloth (never put mushrooms under running water...they are sponges).
Halve or quarter any larger mushrooms. Leave smaller ones whole.
Saute cleaned mushrooms in melted butter for 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with the envelope of dressing mix. 
Stir to coat all mushrooms.
Simmer covered for about 5-10 minutes (do not boil). Stir occasionally. 
Add the parsley.
Serve with toothpicks as an appetizer or as a side dish with your favorite meal.

Batching It

I am supposed to be out of town right now. I had an incredible little get-away planned with some long-time girlfriends. However, my stomach decided that I shouldn't do it. It rebelled in ugly ways, and I wasn't able to make the drive to the airport, or catch the plane, or fly with the girls, or spend several days of complete silliness and total fun with some of the people who mean the most to me. I am stuck at home...feeling a bit physically stronger each day, but still feeling horribly sad that I have missed out on that joyous reunion. Being sick sucks. But, that is another story that I really don't need to go into here. Who wants to read about nasty bodily functions in a food blog?

The halting of my travel plans created a major change in menu for Hubby. Instead of spattering grease while frying up juicy burgers the size of my head, simmering cauldron sized pots of chili, frequently hitting the local Chinese buffet, heating corn dogs in the oven, and making the treat that the pups always look forward to..."Pupperoni" Pizza, I am here to keep order in the kitchen. I think he is disappointed. He actually does like to cook and play around with ingredients, and pizza is one of his greatest playgrounds.

He piles his pies (sometimes using a frozen pizza as the base, sometimes using a crust from a tube, sometimes making it all from scratch) with anything that he can get his hands on. He has a true bachelor style in the kitchen though, and meat always plays a starring role. You can't have Pupperoni Pizza without lots and lots of pepperoni. There have to be enough of those little spicy spheres to eat and to share with the pups, of course. It is the rule.

So...even though I am here, how can I deny him his pizza? However, I am going to go for a different batch on my pizza. I am going to roast up a batch of beautiful vegetables and load my crust with their garlicky, flavorful goodness. In the past, I have used whatever cheese I happened to have on hand from the standard mozzarella, to feta, to Monterrey jack. I do have to say that the Monterrey Jack has come away as the leader. It's extra kick of flavor really complements the robustness of the veggies. I don't even miss the pepperoni when I have Roasted Veggie Pizza On My Plate.

Roasted Veggie Pizza

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
5-6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 small zucchini, cut into thin slices

6-10 mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 red onion, cut into wedges and then sliced
1 3/4 cups Monterrey Jack cheese, grated
1 tube pizza dough (or your favorite recipe)
freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to taste

Preheat oven to 425°F
Use 1 tsp of olive oil to coat baking stone or pizza pan.
Spread out pizza dough and bake at 425°F for 7 minutes.
Combine 1 tsp olive oil, thyme, salt, garlic, zucchini, mushrooms, bell pepper, and onion on a sheet pan and toss to coat well.
Spread into a single layer and roast at 500°F for 7 minutes.
Stir the vegetables and roast for another 7 minutes.
Sprinkle half the cheese over the pizza crust.
Spread the roasted vegetables over the cheese.
Top the vegetables with the remaining cheese.
Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes, or until the crust is lightly browned and cheese is melted.
Top with Parmesan cheese to garnish. (Serves 4-6)

Returning To An Old Friend

A recent Spring blizzard knocked out power to our area. We were left in the dark overnight and most of a day, but with my Little House on the Prairie skills, we survived it easily. When we purchased the house, I insisted on a gas stove. I remembered those nasty winter storms of my childhood and was always glad that something could be tossed into my mother's gas oven. My parents had their own well, and with no electricity for the pump, only had water that was created by melting snow (please, none of the yellow stuff), but we did have the comfort of a warm meal and the little warmth that the oven provided for the house. My own gas stove did the same trick for us.

I baked cookies from premade dough when the power first went out. It was a novelty to work by candle light as I slid the cookie sheets into the oven. I shone the flashlight deep into the dark recesses of the hot oven as I pulled the warm rounds of peanut butter and chocolate chunks out with an oven mitt. Later, when my insomnia was raging and the rest of the house was still and quiet (except for the roaring winds and snow outside), I sat on the floor in front of that still warm oven. Wrapped in a blanket, flickering candle beside me (along with a glass of milk and a freshly baked cookie), I exchanged text messages with friends across the country as I flipped through cooking magazines and dusty cookbooks.

It probably doesn't surprise you that the next morning, I pulled a printout from my stack of "to-try" recipes that were gleaned online and threw together a beef stroganoff type dish to once again slow cook in the oven and take the chill off of the now rapidly cooling air of the kitchen. I putzed around and boiled water in my tea kettle to wash dishes, then gathered another stack of cookbooks and retreated to my bed. My down comforter was warm and cozy as I searched out recipes to use the ingredients that were on hand in my fridge and freezer.

I must admit that I have really become reliant on several recipe websites in recent times. A click of the mouse, the quick typing of a key word or ingredient, and I have multitudes of options for dinner right before my eyes. Feeling the paper of the pages of the cookbooks between my fingers was like returning to an old friend. I used to spend hours looking through cookbooks, bookmarking possibilities, reading about cooking techniques and ingredient pairings, creating menus in my mind, and falling into a complete la-la land of food. The power outage returned that to me.

Electricity was restored before I had a chance to create more meals with my Little House on the Prairie mindset. There was no need to boil water for cleaning dishes (and thankfully, not for filling the bathtub for when Hubby returned from the farm). I could use my food processor and didn't have to check the temp of the fridge to see if the milk should be shifted outside to keep cool. But, I am going to hang on to that old love made new. I am going to shake the dust from my cookbook collection and try some of those recipe gems instead of always sticking with my high tech options.

Tonight's dinner was created from a mix of old and new, so to speak. Seasoned Pork Roast with Mushroom Sauce and Sugar Snap Peas with Pine Nuts and Garlic came from my cookbook collection. Roasted Garlic Smashed Potatoes arrived from an online source. Instead of reading a sheet of paper that was tossed on the kitchen table, I propped up thick books taking care not to splatter the pages. I don't know how to explain it, but the meal felt more complete and solid coming from a sturdy book instead of a scrap of copy paper. I know it is silly, but it was like returning to an old friend that happily helped me put a great meal On My Plate.

Seasoned Pork Roast with Mushroom Sauce

2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, crushed
1 teaspoon black peppercorns, crushed
1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
3/4 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon coriander seed
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (4 lb) boneless pork loin roast, rolled and tied
Mushroom Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 shallot, sliced
1 lb mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 cups chicken stock, divided
1/2 cup red wine
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons corn starch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
salt
fresh ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425°F
Mix all the spices together in a small bowl.
Coat the roast with the spices, patting to keep on meat.
Insert a meat thermometer in the roast and place the roast on a rack in a shallow baking pan.
Roast for 15 minutes.
Reduce the temperature to 325F and continue to roast until the center temperature registers 150F; about 1 1/2 hours.
Allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Serve with mushroom sauce.
Mushroom sauce:
Heat the oil in a medium skillet. Saute the garlic and shallot for 1 minute.
Add the mushrooms and saute over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes or until they start to brown.
Add the wine and 1/2 cup of chicken stock and simmer until most of the liquid evaporates.
Add the chicken stock and soy sauce.
Bring to a boil.
Stir in the cornstarch mixture and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper, if desired. (Serves 6)

New Year, New You

I haven't made any New Year's resolutions to lose weight. I probably could stand to drop a few pounds, as my jeans are still a little tighter than I would like. But, instead of focusing on weight loss, I am trying to continue with my previous goal to eat balanced meals and be active. Yes, sometimes my meals are very high in fat, calories, and all of those other sinful components. I like comfort food. I am not going to avoid that. What I do is try to balance a heavy meal with a few lighter ones. Creamy, cheesy baked tortellini is followed by salads for lunch and snacks of fruit, whole grains, and lean proteins. A few extra minutes on the treadmill, or an extra set of sit-ups doesn't hurt either.

But, an avid reader reminded me that my blog isn't currently reflecting that balance. My January meals have appeared to be very heavy On My Plate. I think it is time to share something lighter, but still delicious and filling. It is time for a main dish salad that is so yummy that even those who think that the only good salad is covered with ranch dressing and cheese will eat it. Sauteed Mushrooms are a filling source of protein and make a great topping for a bed of mixed greens and cherry tomatoes. As the mushrooms are marinated in flavorful Italian dressing, no additional dressing on the salad is really even necessary. It's a light meal that this comfort food girl loves On My Plate.

Sauteed Mushrooms Over Green Salad
4 Portabello mushrooms
1/2 - 1 cup Italian dressing
salt and pepper
1 bag mixed salad greens
cherry tomatoes

Scrape out belly of mushroom and slice into strips.
Sauté in pan with Italian dressing and seasonings until tender.
Serve on top of bed of mixed salad greens and cherry tomatoes.
Season with salt and pepper. (Serves 4)