Crafty Returns

Living the life of the unemployed has its peaks and valleys. Peak: I get to be crafty again! Valley: I don't have money to purchase the crafty supplies.

Number 5’s catering staff motto, "adapt & overcome", rings true in my current situation. I am using every yarn, thread, and scrap that I have. In the next few projects, I will have cleaned out the sewing box & most of the knitting box! B will be ecstatic.

Two skeins have been in my knitting collection for over a year. At one time they were to become a shawl-scarf thing, but the needles I used were too big & it ended up looking like a spiders web (not in a good way). Last winter they became a fisherman’s stocking cap, but the directions I had were vague as to how to “sew it up the back” & the hat was going to be too small, even for my tiny pin-head. I have loved this pattern for a very long time & who doesn’t need a winter white scarf? Apparently me, because this is number 3 in the winter white collection. I’m planning a hat & mittens in the same pattern. Yeah, we’ll see….

Having been in the catering business for the past year had taken its toll on my time & desire to create in the kitchen. Summer was booked with 4 weddings (2 of which were out in the middle of nowhere & required UBER amounts of setup), 5 rehearsal dinners, & several bridal showers. There were weeks where I didn't see B until Sunday morning when I finally rolled out of bed, my mind still occupied by the multiple lists of the previous event.

Even before the craziness of the summer events ensued, I was taking three graduate classes two nights a week in Cortland, a 45 minute trip from Binghamton, all while working consistently 45+ hours a week. Needless to say, elaborate vegan dishes were not streaming out of the kitchen. Popcorn became the staple entreé I could manage. (B's family historically eats popcorn for dinner on Sunday nights. I have always loved popcorn & therefore easily adopted not only the Sunday night practice, but the Tuesday & Wednesday night observance too.)


Now I'm back in full force! My freezer is brimming with frozen soups & marinara. I made a couple of B's favorites since settling in: pot roast, homemade mac & cheese, lasagna, apple pie...I am happy to be back on the scene.

Basic Marinara

Based on Recipe taken from Cooking Light October 2007

The plan for this simple sauce was to make a ton, freeze it, & feed Brad when he doesn’t know what to eat. Being the 4th or 5th Marinara I’ve ever made, I don’t have much to judge it on - It was tasty.

A Few T.	Olive Oil
3 med.	Yellow Onion, finely chopped
???	Any Fresh Veggies on hand that your family will eat!
1 T.	Sugar or Honey
6 cloves	Garlic, minced
2 t.	Kosher Salt
2 t.	Dried Basil
1.5 t.	Dried Oregano
1 t.	Dried Thyme
1 t.	Black Pepper
.5 t.	Fennel Seeds
2 T.	Balsamic Vinegar
2 c.	Vegetable Stock (or meat-style stock/broth)
3 (28 oz.) cans	Crushed Tomatoes (pref. no salt variety)
1. heat oil in lg. dutch oven over med. heat
2. in a mortar & pestle, crush the fennel seeds with the salt
3. add onion until softened slightly (approx. 5 min). add fresh veggies of your choice until slightly softened
4. add sugar/honey-fennel seeds. stir constantly, cook until very fragrant (1-2 min)
5. stir in vinegar (30 sec). add stock & tomatoes. cook over low heat until sauce thickens
*Sauce Thickening Tips: simmer means only a few bubbles at a time, stir once in a while so the top layer gets pushed down also lifting solids from the bottom to prevent scorching, look for thickness just shy of tomato paste-add H2O if it’s too thick.

Escarole, Three Bean, & Roasted Garlic Soup

From Cooking Light October 2007

This was a very tasty soup. It made it into the MIG Cookbook, it was that good. I’m also trying to keep a limit on the number of magazines our apartment contains so every recipe from a magazine that is particularly good, into the cookbook & into the recycling.

1 whole head	Garlic
1 can	Great Northern Beans, rinsed, drained, & divided
1.5 t.	Fresh Sage, chopped (omitted)
1 T.	Olive Oil
1 lb.	Escarole, chopped
4 c.	Vegetable Stock (or meat stock if preferred)
2 c.	Marinara from above
1 t.	Black Pepper
1 can	Kidney Beans, rinsed & drained
1 can	Pink Beans, rinsed & drained
6 T.	Parmesan Cheese (omitted)
1. in a 350° oven, bake garlic wrapped in foil for about 45 min, or until squishy
2. once cooled slightly, squeeze out garlic & mash to combine with .5 c. of GN beans (if using sage, mix in after garlic & beans are of a pastelike consistency
3. heat oil over med. heat in large pot & add escarole until wilted
4. add everything except the garlic paste and lest simmer until the greens are as tender as desired (about 20-30 min. or so)
5. stir in garlic paste & let rest unheated for 10 min.
6. some non-lactose intolerant people can add the cheese

Meat Lovers Lasagna

Adapted from The Domestic Goddess

B thought it was the best lasagna I’ve ever made him. I used the marinara from the freezer & added a few things. The sauce smelled just like pizza! We were amazed by this.

1 lb.	Ground Beef, extra lean
2	Beef Sausages, thinly sliced
1 T.	Olive Oil
1 med.	Onion, diced
2 cloves	Garlic, minced
1 pkg.	Button Mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 med.	Zucchini, thinly sliced
3 med.	Carrots, v. thinly sliced
1 sm.	Broccoli, finely chopped
.5	Red Pepper, finely chopped
.5	Green Pepper, finely chopped
3 c.	Marinara Sauce
.5 can	Tomato Paste
	S & P
1 t.	Chili Powder
1 t.	Paprika
.25 t.	Cayenne
.5 c.	Red Wine
250 g.	Ricotta
250 g.	Cottage Cheese
100 g.	Shredded Parmesan
1	Egg, beaten
2 T.	Flat-Leaf Parsley, minced
600 g.	Mozzarella Cheese (used shredded but will try sliced)
	Noodles
1. brown ground beef & sausages. set aside. sauté onion, garlic, & mushrooms until onion is translucent. add the rest of your veggies until softened. spice it up with chili powder, paprika, cayenne, s & p. add tomato paste, wine, beef, & sausages. simmer over low heat until all veggies are softened.
2. cook the noods in salted water. rinse with cool H2O & set aside.
3. preheat oven to 375°. mix ricotta, cottage, parmesan cheeses together with the beaten egg. add parsley, s & p.
4. the layering: sauce, ricotta mixture, mozzarella, pasta. repeat: sauce, ricotta, mozz, pasta. last layer: sauce, mozz (3 sauce, 3 mozz, 2 of everything else)
5. cover with foil & bake for 30 min. remove foil & continue to bake until bubbly & cheese begins to brown. be sure to let it sit for 10 min before serving.