So it's gonna be 108 today and I don't feel like cooking! I've also committed to minimize our fast food intake dramatically! Add to that an abundance of fresh eggs thanks to my "girls" and this seemed like the perfect "go to" meal this summer, the family loves it! It comes from the Best Intenational Recipies cookbook from Cooks Illustrated ( Thanks, Sarah for this great cookbook)


Salerno-Style Spaghetti with Fried Eggs and Bread Crumbs! Serves 4
ingredients: 1 cup of bread crumbs (make them or buy them what ever you want)
10 tbs extra virgin olive oil ( it's good fat- right?!)
4 medium garilc cloves minced, grated or pressed ( it's too hot for kissing anyway)
1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (we are already sweating right?)
1 lb of spaghetti (I use whole wheat, use what you like)
1/2 cup of grated parmesan + extra for serving (please do not use cheese in a can!)
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves (if you have it, I never do...)
4 large eggs (or eight if you are really hungry)


The only things that require much effort here are the bread crumbs and spicy garlic oil....I finally have made biggish batches of both to have at the ready, and actually find I use them in lots of other dishes too! Make these two ahead of time or just start them while you boil water for the pasta.


Bread crumbs-I use Panko, use what you have-

toss a cup of bread crumbs
with 2 tbs of olive oil ( or melted butter),
season with salt and pepper to taste ( I throw in a couple of tsp of Herbes de Provence, or you could use Italian seasoning-what ever floats your boat!)

Stir over medium heat in a heavy bottomed skillet until lightly browned. remove from pan and set aside.

Spicy garlic oil-

in the same skillet cook
3 tbs of olive oil
garlic
red pepper flakes
and 1/4 tsp salt,
over low heat stirring constantly until the garlic foams, is sticky and straw colored.
transfer to a small bowl (or make a triple batch and store it in a recycled jam jar)

Cook spaghetti according to package directions, or however you like it- reserve one cup of the cooking water!

Heat your skillet to low about 5 min before the pasta is done...

in the pasta pot combine the drained pasta,
1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water
the garlic mixture,
1/2 cup of grated parmesan
and 1/4 cup minced parsely ( if you have it- I never do)
cover and keep warm

Now you are gonna need to fry some eggs very nicely and all at the same time.
Use the same skillet you used earlier if you are doing this all at once.

to the hot skillet add two tbs of oil
add 4 eggs to the skillet
season with salt and pepper
then cover and cook until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny 2-3 min.
uncover the eggs and remove from heat

plate it up! (I use bowls actually)

loosen the pasta with more reserved water if neccesary
divide into 4 servings
sprinkle each with 2 tbs of the bread crumbs
carefully slide one fried egg on top in each bowl
and serve immediately topped with more crumbs and parmesan if desired!

MANGIA!!!

Fresh Start

I'm looking for a fresh start and some fresh motivation today....I will say that I really enjoyed my lunch! Therefore I will start with a recipe and feel that I have accomplished something worthy of sharing today! I stumbled upon this idea when I was low on groceries but wanted to make a nice lunch for my hubby! this recipie is for 1-2 servings put the leftovers from the pumpkin and coconut milk in the fridge for another meal or another use, or just double the recipe and feed the family


Curried Squash Soup -

ingredients:
1-2 tbs olive oil or butter
1 can of pumpin puree (NOT pie filling)
1 can of lowfat coconut milk ( Not cream of coconut)-look in the asian section
1 box of good chicken stock ( or make your own, it's easy and pretty much free)
1/2 med yellow onion
1-3 cloves fresh garlic (to taste)
1tbs masaman curry paste-or more to taste ( I use Mae Ploy brand) if you don't have curry paste use curry powder in the same amount ( if you are using curry powder I would add 1 tsp ground or fresh ginger for more depth of flavor)

Optional: plain yougurt
cut up potato....cooked or raw/or rice for that matter
frozen spinach ( frozen green beans might also be good)
Shrimp or Cooked chicken would make this a dinner

Get Cookin': in a med sauce pan add oil and saute' onions then garlic,on med heat
when onions are soft add curry paste or powder and cook until fragrant
stir in 1/2 c. each coconut milk and pumpkin plus 1 c chicken stock
heat over med-low until warmed thru......add salt/cracked black pepper to taste

~this is it for the basic curry soup~ how easy was that?

if you are feeling inspired, or just hungrier than that, you can at this point, add embellshments to your hearts content, start with cooked leftover rice or potato (uncooked if you can wait for it to simmer for 20 min or so)
then add something green, I like spinach, (added fresh or frozen and warmed thru) but suit yourself....
meat if you are so inclined
and top it off with a dollop of plain yogurt

* easily made Vegan by using vegtable broth and dried spice option*

Perfect Day

It is stormy today, which creates a certain mood I guess. I was inspired to cook, homey food.....home made food. Finishing Michael Pollan's book "In Defense of Food" http://www.michaelpollan.com/indefense.php both affirms and inspires my appreiciation of the fact that I can and do buy whole foods, and create varied menues from them. Thanks largely.... perhaps exclusively .....to the fact that I am a full time Homemaker,and I consider it my job to provide wholesome food for my family. Today I am providing home cooked meals not only for my household, but also for my daughter-in-law (status: postpartum), and my grandparents (status: old). On todays to create from scratch list:

Roasted chickens 2 very large ones, rubbed with a paste of garlic, cracked black pepper, lemon zest and salt...and cavity filled with sliced lemons, and herbs from my garden

Yeast Bread, my family's favorite oatmeal bread recipe, with a mixiture of whole grains kneaded in before the last rise.


Dark chocolate brownies, made with dark cocoa, dark chocolate chips, and 4 huge fresh eggs from my hens...

Home-made chicken stock, free if you are roasting your own chicken...so why not, and makes for unbeatable, fast week night soups...


Batch of what my family calls kashi, not to be confused with Kashi brand anything, tho inspired by their concept of whole grains..... I knead this into bread, toss it into soups, create salads around it, eat it with milk/yogurt and fruit for breatfast or a snack....really the most versitile food I can think of, and probably the healthiest as well!


Home made Yogurt, Yes you read it right, you can make your own yogurt at home at a fraction of the cost of storebought, consistancy can be runnier than store bought, but you can add gelatin, if you want it thicker. (added gelatin gives "greek" yogurt it's thicker consistancy and higher protien value than regular yogurt)

This is all "slow food" at it's best!!! The greatest thing about it is that it is all so basic, and it doesn't take any longer to make a lot than a little, so that with one day of cooking I have the makings of some quick healthy meals for the rest of the week!

Welcome..... this Blogging thing is new for me. Just a way to keep an on-line journal of my "New Ruralist" (http://www.sagecenter.org/new-ruralism.pdf) life....One foot in the goat pasture, and one foot in cyber-space. Look for recipies for garden fresh produce and natural skin care. Also hand crafts, ideas, inspirations!!!