50 ways to love your leftovers: plan ahead lasagna

Sometimes I cook like I'm trying to feed an army instead of just me and my husband.  Case in point:  leftover tomato sauce, meatballs, and veggies from Thursday night:

Yes, that's the leftovers.  After we both ate a heaping plate with spaghetti and packed lunches for the next day.

What was I thinking?

I was planning ahead.

When I make meatballs, I figure it's the same amount of work whether I make one batch or two.  So I usually make two.  Sometimes I freeze the second batch, and sometimes I cook it. On Thursday, I cooked both batches.

But what were we going to do with so many leftover meatballs?  Transform them into lasagna!

My dad's mom had a great recipe for overnight lasagna:  make a meat sauce that's not too soupy (like the meatballs above!), then layer it with uncooked noodles and cheese, and cover the whole thing with a layer of tomato juice.  Refrigerate overnight, then bake slowly the next day for perfectly cooked noodles that taste nice and tomato-y because of the juice.  And you get to enjoy lasagna without slaving in front of the stove for hours on the day you eat it.

I made my meatballs and sauce (very loosely adapted from this and this) with a large can (28 oz) of whole tomatoes and a large can (28 oz) of stewed tomatoes.  I added mushrooms, onion, and zucchini (and garlic, and italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper, and...)  If you'd like, you could make this lasagna with just tomato sauce and veggies, no meat.  However you do it, you want the sauce to be thicker than store-bought sauce.

I made a small pan of lasagna (11x7") but I'm giving proportions for both a small and large (9x13") pan below.

50 ways to love your leftovers, part 2:

Grandma's overnight lasagna

11x7"    9x13"
4-5 c    8-9 c     Leftover tomato sauce with veggies and meatballs
9        16-18     uncooked lasagna noodles
1 c      2 c       cottage cheese
1 c      2 c       shredded cheese (mozzarella or an italian blend
3 T      6 T       minced fresh parsley (optional)
1        2         eggs
1 1/4 c  2 1/2 c   tomato juice (approx)
~1/2 c   ~1 c      shredded cheese (a good melting cheese)

1.  Lightly grease a non-reactive baking pan.  Glass works well.
2.  In a medium bowl, mix the cottage cheese, shredded cheese (first amount), parsley, egg, and a few turns of black pepper.

3.  If the meatballs or veggies are in large pieces, cut them up a bit and stir to make sure everything is well distributed.

4.  Lay uncooked noodles down on the base of the baking pan, overlapping slightly if necessary to make a continuous layer.  Put a layer of tomato sauce mixture (about half) on top.  Drop spoonfuls of the cheese mixture over the tomato mixture and spread to cover.  Add another layer of noodles, then tomato mixture, then cheese, then noodles.  Try not to fill the pan too high--if it looks like to will be too full, you'll have to use some of the tomato leftovers somewhere else.

(This is looking a little full, but I went ahead anyway.)

5.  Put the last layer of noodles on top, pushing down slightly to squish the ingredients together and remove air bubbles.  Shake the tomato juice before opening it and pour slowly (this can be messy) over the top of the noodles.  You want it to leak down around and fill in all the nooks and crannies, so you might want to jiggle the pan a little bit before pouring more.  Check the sides to make sure that the tomato juice is filling the pan, but you don't want it to overflow.  You should have a thin layer on top of the noodles, too.  Cover with foil and put in the fridge overnight or for up to two days.

 

 

 (I may have overfilled this a bit--

the noodles should be under the brim of the pan)

6.  When you're ready to bake it, put it on a baking sheet (in case of spills) and put it, still covered with foil, in a 300 degree oven.  Bake for 1.5 hours, then remove the cover, sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese on top (I like an italian blend), and put back in the oven for another 30-45 minutes.  You want the lasagna to be bubbling throughout and the cheese on top to be melted and a little brown.

(The sides got a little crispy because I overfilled the baking dish.

If you keep the top layer of noodles under the rim of the dish,

this will not happen to you.)

7.  Let rest for 20-30 minutes before serving.  This will help it set and allow you to get prettier pieces without them falling apart.

Love your leftovers!

I have a winner!

This jar is going to the lovely blogger from Grow & Resist:

I hope you like them!

50 ways to love your leftovers: The incredible, edible egg

I love leftovers.

I've said it here before:  leftovers are like money in the bank.  You know how they taste, you know what's in them, and you know how much love went into making them.

That being said, I know it's sometimes hard to eat the same thing for a few nights in a row.  Some people don't like monotony, some leftovers don't reheat well, and sometimes you have enough leftover that it's a shame to throw away but not quite enough to make a meal.

But I love to transform leftovers.  Take a little time, a few more ingredients, and show them a little more love.

A lot more love, in fact.  I'm going to start a series I'm calling:  50 ways to love your leftovers.

Part 1:  The incredible, edible egg.*

Take a small amount of leftovers--almost anything, really, and make a frittata.  Simple, filling, and there's time to make a salad or steam some veggies for the side while it cooks.

The leftovers:

 One brat, homemade sauerkraut, some sauteed onions.  

If I would have had a potato or two, I would use that, too.

Turn your oven on to 400F.  Cut everything into bite-sized pieces so that it distributes evenly in the eggs.

I realize the brat looks a little pink in the middle, but it's fully cooked!

Warm the leftovers in an oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Cast iron or non-stick work best.  These leftovers had enough liquid that I didn't add any olive oil, but if it had been dry I might warm it with a tablespoon of olive oil.

Beat some eggs, milk (or half 'n half), and salt and pepper in a bowl.

Decide the number of eggs based on how many leftovers you have and how many people you want to feed.  Less leftovers or more people?  More eggs. More leftovers or fewer people?  Less eggs.  I was using a small skillet and feeding three, so I used 5 extra-large eggs and a few splashes of milk (about 1-2 T per egg).

When the leftovers are warm, stir them into the eggs.

Put the skillet back over medium heat and add 1-2 T olive oil.  Pour in the eggs and stir briefly to distribute the chunks.  Let sit undisturbed for a few minutes so the eggs on the bottom begin to set.  You can start making a salad or side veggie now.

 
When the bottom looks set but the top is still runny (like below), put the skillet in the oven and cook until the top is puffed and the eggs are cooked through.  Now's the time to finish your veggie or salad or make some toast.

If you don't object to slightly undercooked eggs, you can take it out of the oven a little sooner, when the center is still moist or even a little runny.

 Either serve from the skillet or turn out onto a plate and cut into wedges.

And:  leftover leftovers are great for breakfast or lunch the next day, cold from the fridge or warmed up in the microwave or toaster oven.  Incredible and edible, indeed!

* An aside: I was looking for the commercial jingle I sing whenever I make eggs ("I love eggs, from my head down to my legs... scrambled or fried, I just can't decide, the incredible edible egg.") and I came upon this commercial instead.  Please, whatever you do, don't google "speed stacking."  Because I just wasted a half an hour watching videos of kids being much more dexterous and coordinated than I will ever be.

Lab meeting treats

I have to tell you about two recipes I tried for lab meeting treats:

Ricotta muffins with fennel and pecans : First, I would say that this recipe probably makes 16-18 muffins instead of 12-14.  Second, the fennel is amazing.  Third, two of the best parts are the crispy edges and the crispy pecans, but these two parts go away when you store them covered.  So: store them uncovered and eat them quickly.  Trust me, the last part won't be a problem.

Homemade crackers with raisins, rosemary, and pecans : These crackers were amazing.  They're kind of like biscotti because you bake them in loaves then cut slices and bake them again, making crackers.  I noticed that the recipe doesn't have eggs or a lot of fat, but it does have ground flax seeds which are often used as a substitute for both. 

I made two batches, one as suggested (mix the ground flax in with the rest of the nuts/seeds/raisins) and one where I mixed the ground flax into the buttermilk and let it sit for a few minutes, then mixed in the honey and brown sugar, then mixed that into the dry ingredients and raisins/nuts/seeds.  I found the batter thickened a lot more when I mixed the flax into the buttermilk first, and the loaves were easier to slice.

Also, I baked the loaves in canning jars.  Homemade round crackers are fun!

And a final note:  I had some ricotta leftover from the muffins, so I stirred in a little honey and ate the sweetened ricotta with the crackers.  So good!  Try it soon.

Oranges and fennel and vinegar, oh my!

I didn't grow up eating pickles made from anything but cucumbers (and maybe a stray onion in my bread and butter pickles), but in the past couple of years, I have been expanding my pickle horizons.  A great example of a sometimes neglected segment of the pickle population:  fruit pickles!

The uses for pickled fruit are endless!  Pickled apricots are a clove-y and piquant side for roasted pork, make a lovely glaze for chicken, and can be used to dress a tropical couscous salad.  Quick-pickled cherries are the taste of summer alongside a winter supper, and in the process of making them you'll also make some lovely cherry-infused vinegar.  Pickled crab apples are beautiful on a cheese tray, with roast pork or beef, or alongside a deli sandwich.  Sweet and spicy pickled green tomatoes make every meal better.

And pickled oranges can be chopped and served alongside your fish or salad, thinly sliced and strewn on cheesecake, or almost-pureed to make a beautiful, wheat-free cake.

Pickled oranges are a nice winter canning project.  I didn't get my canning pot out in December, and I think it was a little lonely.  So, for my inaugural entry into tigress' can jam, I made some pickled oranges.

Yum.

Yesterday I saw a delicious recipe for ricotta muffins with fennel and pecans over at smitten kitchen, and it was my turn to bring lab meeting treats this morning, so I jumped right in and made them last night.  They were tender and not-too-sweet, with a creamy-tangy center, crispy edges, and crispier pecans on top.  And I loved the fennel!  Randy loves fennel, too, and I got to thinking, what if I replaced the cloves and cinnamon in the pickled oranges with fennel seeds...?

The first slices from the pot were sticky-sweet with a light, warm licorice flavor and a little puckery tang.  They taste pleasantly bitter and intensely orangey.  The fennel flavor is slightly muted now, and I don't know if it will get stronger as it cools or as it ages.  I might try adding another half tablespoon of fennel seeds or toast them to bring out the flavor next time.  Either way, I can't wait to try my orange cake with pecan meal and fennel pickled oranges.

Fennel pickled oranges
(adapted from The Joy of Pickling)

12-16 oranges, depending on size (preferably organic)
6 c sugar
1 1/2 c cider vinegar (original recipe called for white or white wine vinegar)
3/4 c water
1 T fennel seeds

1.  Scrub the oranges and rinse well.  Since the whole orange (peel and all) will be pickled, it's good to try to use organic fruit.

2.  Slice a thin layer off the top and bottom of the orange.

Turn the orange so you can see the membranes and cut in half.

Cut into slices roughly along the membrane lines.  My oranges were pretty small, so I just sliced each half into 4 slices,

 

then cut out the white center core.   These were not seedless, so I removed the seeds, too.

A note about my oranges:  they were a little dry, like they had some freeze damage.  I started with 18 small oranges but only used 13 for the pickles because they looked kind of like this:

The amount of syrup in this recipe would certainly work for more fruit, so feel free to use up to 15 medium-to-large oranges.

3.  Put the slices in a large pot

and cover with water.  Cover the pot and bring to a boil.  Turn the heat down and simmer with the lid on for 45-60 minutes or until oranges are softened.   (You may want to stir a little to make sure that the top oranges get cooked, but don't stir too much or they'll start to fall apart.)  The thickness of the peel and the size of your slices will influence the cooking time.

4.  When the oranges are almost cooked, mix the water, vinegar, sugar, and fennel seeds in a medium pot.  Turn the heat on medium and bring it to a boil, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved.  Turn off the heat.

5.  Poke a couple oranges with a fork to see if the peel is soft.

When they are tender, drain and put back into the pot.

Pour in the vinegar syrup and turn heat to medium.

 When the mixture comes to a boil, turn down to low, cover, and cook for about 60 minutes, stirring occasionally.  When they are finished, the oranges will look translucent and lovely.

6.  While the oranges are cooking, prepare your canning pot and jars.  This recipe makes about 6 half-pints with my amount of oranges (you could use the same amount of syrup with more oranges to make a bigger batch, or decrease the amount of syrup).

7.  When the oranges are done, pack them into hot jars.

This is the most time-consuming part of the process, because it looks nicer if you take the time to arrange the orange slices around the jar with the peels facing out (I use a pair of tongs).  

 

Remove the bubbles (extra important for this recipe because the orange slices trap lots of air) and ladle syrup on top, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.  Wipe the rims, cover with two-piece lids, and process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes (start timing when pot comes to a boil).  I had lots of vinegar syrup left over, so I also canned a pint of syrup.  I haven't decided what I'll use it for, but I'll keep you posted.

Goodnight, Jars.

Would you like to try some fennel pickled oranges?  I'll send you a jar!  Leave a comment by noon on February 1 and I will pick a winner with a random number generator.

Not-too-sweet breakfast treat

I am generally disappointed by bakery muffins.

I guess the problem is that they are so sweet, and many times you can't tell the difference between a bakery cupcake and a bakery muffin...except for the flavor.  You can't generally find blueberry cupcakes or banana nut cupcakes or red velvet muffins.  Sometimes, though... what's the difference between a carrot muffin and a carrot cake cupcake?  Are chocolate chip muffins really a breakfast food?

Luckily, muffins are easy to make at home.  They're even easy to prepare ahead, then just mix and bake right before work to share with your coworkers.  Just mix the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another bowl the night before (put the wets in the fridge).  In the morning, preheat the oven, prepare your muffin pan, and start the coffee maker.  Then, mix the drys with the wets, fold in your fruit or nuts, and portion into cups.  Take a shower while they bake.  Voila--a perfect breakfast treat: not too rich, not too sweet, and not much in common with a cupcake... except for shape.

I adapted this recipe from the Joy of Cooking, and it really is nice.  I usually use frozen raspberries, but I had an extra bag of frozen cranberries in the freezer so I tried them this time and thought it worked great.  The batter isn't too sweet and the fruit can be quite tart, so I sprinkle just a little bit of sugar and almonds on top for a bit of crunch and sweet.  They are best the day they are made, okay the next day, and not very good after that.

Cranberry (or Raspberry) Almond Poppyseed Muffins                    
(adapted from The Joy of Cooking)

2 c flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
3 T poppy seeds

2 large eggs
1 c shaken buttermilk or well-stirred yogurt
2/3 c sugar
8 T vegetable oil or melted butter (1 stick)
1/2 t vanilla
3/4 t almond extract

12 oz (fresh or frozen) cranberries or frozen raspberries (not thawed!)

Topping (optional):
1-3 T sugar
1/4 c sliced/slivered/crushed almonds

1.    Preheat oven to 400F.  Grease muffin pans or line with muffin cups.  This batch makes about 16-18 muffins.  (I like "If you care" variety of muffin cups, which are unbleached and release easily.)

2.    Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds in one bowl.  In a separate bowl, mix yogurt, sugar, eggs, oil or butter, vanilla extract, and almond extract.  If you are using cranberries, sort through the bag to pick out any ugly/squishy looking ones, and declump them if they have frozen together a bit.

3.    Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients.  Mix until just barely combined (will be lumpy).  Be careful not to overmix, that makes the muffins tough.  Fold in fruit.  Portion evenly into muffin cups (I use a ice cream scoop).

4.    Sprinkle with sugar and almonds, if desired.  Bake for 15-18 minutes at 400F, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (depending on how cold your wet ingredients are and how frozen your fruit is, you may need to adjust the baking time a bit).  Makes about 16-18 muffins.

A tip for cooking flat bacon

If I was going to make a list of New Year's Resolutions for food, it might start like this:

1.  Eat more bacon.

Because seriously, why not?  I love bacon.

So here's a tip when you want to make picture-perfect bacon without fussing at the stove.  An added bonus: it's easy to capture the bacon fat at the end to store in the fridge for later.  You do that too, don't you?

Step 1:  Put a cooling rack on top of a rimmed cookie sheet.

Step 2:  Cut your bacon slices in half--it makes them cook more evenly.  (Even the Pioneer Woman does it!)  Lay them out over the cooling rack.  Slide into a cold oven and turn it on to 400.

Step 3:  Do whatever you have to do in the kitchen.  Check it after about 12-15 minutes (depending on the thickness of your bacon, maybe more) and take it out when it's as done as you'd like.

(Let the fat cool slightly and pour it into your receptacle of choice.  Use it to cook eggs, saute greens, cook onions at the beginning of a batch of chili--the possibilities abound.)

You'll probably still want to lay a paper towel under the slices on the plate, but look:

flat, crispy, beautiful bacon.

Yum.